What is the reason behind keeping Al-Mahdi's (as) birth secret? Has this not created great confusion in the ummah?

People who have studied the socio-political conditions as the time of the birth of Al-Mahdi (as) have no confusion about this secret. As we have already explained above, Al-Mahdi (as) was born in circum-stances similar to this birth, the rulers at the time of Al-Mahdi's (as) birth feared a similar threat, because Al-Mahdi (as), like Moses (as), was sent by Almighty God (swt) to eradicate inequality and tyranny from the world. Since the Abbasids were determined to eliminate Al-Mahdi (as), Almighty God (swt) ordered him to disappear from the world's sight.35

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35. Ibid: pp.24-25

Adapted from the book: "The Awaited Saviour; Questions and Answers"