Although the belief in the appearance of the Mahdi is shared by both Shiites and Sunnis, the main difference lies in the identity and characteristics of the Imam. Shiites believe that Imam Mahdi (AJ) is the son of Imam Hasan al-Askari (AS) and is a living, occulted Imam, whereas Sunnis generally view him as a future-born figure who will appear at the end of times.