Seems the Sunni and the Shia are still arguing over who/when the Mahdi is to be. The following is an excerpt which would suggest the Lunar and solar eclipse during ramadan are attributed to Ali.
http://www.irshad.org/islam/prophecy/mahdi.htm
The following narration has not been attributed to the Holy Prophet(SAW). It has been identified as false and has been rejected by Muslim scholars for centuries.
Amr son of Shamer quoted Jabir, who quoted Mohammed bin Ali to have said:
For our Mahdi, there are two signs. Since the birth of Universe, these events have never taken place. Those two signs are that there will be Lunar Eclipse on the first night of Ramadhan and Solar Eclipse in the middle of Ramadhan.
(Dar-e-Qatni, Vol. 1, P.188)
Note:
This narration is not attributed to holy Prophet(SAW), but attributed to Mohammed bin Ali. No other person has substantiated this statement attributed to Mohammed bin Ali.
Muslim scholars have always rejected this and other narrations of Amr and Jabir, as both have been known to transmit unreliable and forged narrations.
In other words, Osama being a Sunni, would hardly act upon the prophecy of Ali, a hated and despised Shia.
Would he?
Oh well. I suppose when it's all said and done, they are all trying to please the same allah.
That's interesting. You study Islam quite a bit I take it? Check out the article I just linked above in post 17 and let me know what you think.
I don't know when Mohammed bin Ali lived, but I do know that Mohammad (the prophet) had no understanding whatsoever of the solar system or the concept of an eclipse. His explanation of where the sun goes at night resembles the imagination of a five year old. (It hides in a swamp until Allah makes it rise again in the morning, or some similar nonsense).