The Claim of Mahdism and the Signs of the Mahdi

Question:
The questioner says: A man appeared in Yemen these past days claiming to be the expected Mahdi. Ten people have pledged allegiance to him, and he is calling upon the scholars of Saudi Arabia and Yemen to debate him.

Answer:
Many people have claimed to be the Mahdi, and some have even claimed prophethood. We do not obey one who claims prophethood or claims to be the Mahdi, unless there is evidence from the Book and the Sunnah that he is the Mahdi. Mere claim is a lie. Many people have claimed to be the Mahdi and it was revealed that they were liars, so we do not obey them in this. The Mahdi has a specific time and specific signs. Every one who claims to be the Mahdi is not the Mahdi. The Mahdi has a time and signs that came in the hadith. If the time matches and the signs apply to him, then he is the true Mahdi. There is only one Mahdi. One Mahdi, about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us. His emergence is one of the signs of the Hour. He will emerge, people will pledge allegiance to him, he will strive in the path of Allah, and he will rule by the Shari'ah.
Then the Dajjal will appear in his days, in the days of the Mahdi. The Dajjal will appear in the days of the Mahdi. And a severe trial will befall the people through the Dajjal. Then Jesus, the son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend and kill the Dajjal. The Muslims will be relieved from his evil. This is one of the major signs of the Hour. Yes.