To learn about the great knowledge of Imam al-Mahdi (a), who is the last proof of God, we mention some hadiths:
The Prophet (a) said, “God had given knowledge and wisdom to twelve of my Ahl al-Bayt (a) and has created them from my soil.”
Imam Ali (a) said, “the knowledge about deaths, interpretation and revelation and settlement of hostilities are given to us. Also, the knowledge about events and happenings is given to us and nothing is hidden from us.”
It means that Imam (a) knows all the sciences and news about the past and the future and deaths (that who will die when and how) and also the sciences of the Hereafter (the Paradise and the hell).
He (a) also has the knowledge to resolve all problems and conflicts among people.
It means that when Imam al-Mahdi (a) comes, he (a) will remove all the conflicts in the world and answers all unanswered questions of the scientists in the world.
In another hadith, Imam Ali (a) said, “before Imam (a), heavens and the earth are like the palm of his hand. He (a) knows the appearance and the hearts of them and their good and bad.”
Also, in another hadith, Imam al-Baqir (a) said, “Imam’s (a) eyes will fall asleep, but his heart is always awake…He (a) sees behind himself the same as his front. Angels constantly speak to him until his time is over (i.e. the end of his life comes).”
Also, about the knowledge of Imam al-Mahdi (a), he (a) said, “knowledge of the Book and Tradition of the Prophet (a) will grow in the heart of our Mahdi (a) like crops; so, if anyone of you remains until he sees him, he should salute him saying, ‘Peace be upon you, O the people of the mercy and prophethood and the treasure of the knowledge and the receiver of the message.”
Pay attention that the treasure of the sciences in the world is a great concept which means that Imam (a) is the treasure of all sciences.
Also, in another hadith, the vastness of the knowledge of Imam (a) and his power over the world are mentioned; where Imam al-Sadiq (a) said that “all the world is clear like a walnut before Imam (a) and nothing of that is hidden to him. He (a) can make discretion over it from any side he (a) wishes, the way anyone of you can stretch his hand to the table cloth spread before you and enjoys from it from any side.”
To understand this hadith, we need to make an example: if you sit at the table of food, you dominate all the foods and all parts of the table from above. Also, you can stretch your hand to them and take from them or change their places. Now, with this example, you find out that before Imam (a), all the world of creation, the skies and the earth and everything are like that table and Imam (a) can see everything in the world and have the power to change anything in it.
Of all these hadiths, we learn about the greatness of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and his knowledge and learn what a loss we experience with the delay in his coming.
However, we should mention this point that Allah(God) has given such a power to Imams (a) and it is all done with His permission.
Sources:
Muntakhab al-Athar, p. 32;
Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 2, p. 507;
Ilzam al-Nasib, vol. 2, p. 246;
Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 25, p. 173;
Ibid., p. 168;
Ibid., p. 367.
Ibid., vol. 51, p. 36;
Kafi, vol.1, p. 388;
Ikhtisas Mufid, p. 217;
