Occultation

Occultation (Arabic: غيبة, ghayba) refers to the eschatological belief in Shia Islam that the Islamic messianic and eschatological figure Mahdi has already been born, subsequently concealed, and will reemerge in the End Times. Although Sunni Islam does not hold that the Mahdi has already been born and is in occultation, the signs of his reappearance are common in both Shia and Sunni branches.