Who are Abdal?

Abdal is the plural form of badal or badil. The word is used to refer to some pious and special people of God of whom the earth shall never be devoid; they are people for whose sake the world is maintained and preserved. When one of them dies, Almighty God appoints anther instead until the number seven or seventy, as per some narrations, is completed. According to Mahdism, they are a group of Imam Mahdi's friends at the time of his reappearance. They are the ones who help the Imam (a.s.). It is said, concerning the traits and characteristic of these people, that they are nighttime worshipers and daytime lions. Their hearts are firm and strong like steel; they are the ones who vow allegiance to the last divine proof in store, Imam Mahdi (atf), between Rokn and Maqam (station of Ibrahim in Masjidul Haraam).