We find people claiming to have met Imam Mahdi (as) or some scholars saying he appears to certain special people, but we have also heard that anyone who claims to have seen him is a liar. Is it possible to meet Imam Mahdi during the major occultation?
1. Imam Al-Mahdi ( AS) during his major occultation meets , teaches, and helps people , but people do not recognize him during the meeting but very few of the very pious believers who have a high degree in faith and know him.
2. Pious believers never claim nor disclose meeting Imam Al-Mahdi (AS). Pious believers know that Imam Al-Mahdi (AS) must be away from the enemies, so they do not disclose any information about him.
3. Those who claim in public that they met Imam Al-Mahdi (AS) or brought a message from him, can never be trusted.
4. Hundreds of very pious Ulama and believers have met Imam Al-Mahdi (AS) in hundreds of occasions. Many books were compiled in this subject by great scholars like Al-Muhaddith al-Noori in his book Dar Assalam and others.
5. We pray in Du'a al-'Ahd دعاء العهد to be granted seeing the face of our Imam Al-Mahdi (AS): اللهم أرني الطلعة الرشيدة والغُرّة الحميدة واكحل ناظري بنظرة مني إليه.
This means that seeing him during the major occultation is possible for certain very pious persons.
Wassalam.