In his sayings, the Prophet (saas) indicated that the Mahdi’s worlds would be exceedingly wise and penetrating. He will not speak vast amounts of words. The Mahdi will employ a very clear and effective style aimed directly at his objective. This wisdom in his words reveals that the Mahdi’s rhetorical abilities will be very powerful and, thanks to this superior attribute of his, it will be an easy matter to distinguish him from among other people.
In his works the great Islamic scholar Muhyiddin al-Arabi listed nine attributes of the Mahdi. He described how the Mahdi would have a unique wisdom and understanding as follows:
1. His possession of great insight
2. His understanding of the Divine Book
3. His knowledge of the meaning of the Divine Word
4. His knowledge of the nature and behavior of the people he will choose
5. His refusal to abandon justice and compassion even when angered
6. His knowledge of the classes of things
7. His knowledge of the intricate essence of events
8. His understanding of people’s needs
9. His personal understanding of the knowledge of the unseen especially needed in his own day, by which he can resolve new problems. (Signs of Qiyamah, p. 189)