Is it possible for a person or a scholar to confirm the conformity of a person's characteristics with those of the awaited Mahdi, based on the prophetic hadiths, the miraculousness of the Quran, his reaching the age of forty, and his being from Mecca and from the Household of the Prophet?

The Mahdi is not mentioned in the Holy Quran, but the Hadiths about the Mahdi are numerous and mutawatir (concurrently transmitted). The Sunnah has clarified his name, description, and place of emergence. Among what is mentioned is that he is from the Prophet's family (peace be upon him) and from the progeny of Fatimah. His name will match the Prophet's name, and his father's name will match his father's name. He will have a broad forehead and a prominent nose. He will fill the earth with justice and fairness after it has been filled with oppression and injustice. He will rule for seven years.

Allah will "rectify" the Mahdi in a single night, meaning Allah will forgive him, grant him success, and guide him. The Mahdi will emerge at the end of the Ummah. Allah will send down rain for him, and the earth will produce its vegetation. He will give wealth in abundance, livestock will multiply, and the Ummah will become mighty.

The Mahdi will emerge after three sons of caliphs fight over the treasure of the Kaaba. Then, black banners will appear from the East. This will happen shortly before the emergence of Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him).

The Hadiths concerning the Mahdi have reached the level of mutawatir in their general meaning. Belief in his emergence is obligatory. Anyone who claims to be the awaited Mahdi and seeks allegiance for himself is contradicting what the Prophet's Hadiths (peace be upon him) have clearly stated, for the Mahdi himself will not know that he is the Mahdi until Allah wills his manifestation and his pledge of allegiance.