The duties of the awaiting people - The second series

Recognizing the symptoms of the Reappearance

Recognizing the symptoms of Imam Mahdi’s Reappearance is one of the important duties of the awaiting people during the occultation, especially those signs which our Imams have informed us about.

The book Mikyal-al-Makarim

Everyone is needed to pledge allegiance to Imam Mahdi after his Reappearance and this is impossible without having knowledge about the Reappearance.

Imam Sadiq says: "Five symptoms are inevitable before the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi which include: “Yamani, Sufiani, a loud cry from the Heavens, the murder of the pure soul, and the ground subsides in the area of Al-Bayda."

Kamal al-Din and Tamam al-Nimeh, chapter 57 

Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani says:

"Recognizing the symptoms of the Reappearance is obligatory."

 

Almsgiving on behalf of Imam Mahdi

This work is one of the signs of amity and friendship toward Imam Mahdi. One of the recommended tasks ordained by God in his Book to his servants is to do almsgiving on behalf of the (Islam’s) Prophet’s kinsmen and relatives. You don’t notice that whenever you worry about your child or dear ones you pay alms in order to keep them safe from dangers? Thus, your Imam is the most deserved for such a deed (almsgiving).

As evidence to what we mentioned, we can refer to Sheikh Saduq who writes down a document referring to the saying of Prophet: “No one has believed faithfully in me unless he loves me more dearly than himself, and my family more than his and my progeny and kinsmen more than his, and my own self and his own self.”

We can infer from this Hadith that expressing affinity toward him (Imam Mahdi (PBUH)) is as pleasant as the extent that a believer is fond of his kinsmen, children and family and expresses his affinity toward them.

Mekyal al Makarem

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

The Reappearance Signs - The second series

The time of the Rise of Yamani according to the Sunni narrations

There is an extreme disagreement among the Sunni narrations over the time of the Rise of Yamani:

1- Some believe the Rise of Yamani (Qahtani) is before the Reappearance.

2- Some believe it is concurrent with [the Reappearance] of Imam Mahdi (PBUH).

3- Some believe it is after Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH) demise!

And even in some of the other narrations, Yamani is said to be Imam Mahdi himself (PBUH)!

( Tammol-i No Dar Neshane-haye Zohour (A New Reflection on the Reappearance Signs), p. 87-90)

 

The rise of Yamani

There are many narrations stating that the “location of the rise of Yamani” and locality of formation of his movement will be in Yemen. For example Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: “The rise of Yamani will be from Yemen with white flags.” [The epitome of Ithbat ar-Raj’a, p. 455]

 “The exact activities and details of the rise of Yamani” is not clear in narrations! Maybeu the reason for not revealing this is to avoid planning of his enemies against him. Also it is possible that the details are explained in the words of Imams but have not reached us.

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Seeking the Savior in Different Religions - The second series

Intense conflicts between Jews

There is a great deal of common ground between Christians and Jews; that is their historical background

is the same; in fact, the Jewish greats are the Christian greats.

Matthew, chapter 15, verse 17

But is Jesus, the Promised Savior that is mentioned in the books of Isaiah, Zechariah and Daniel?

Some Jews believe that Jesus is the Messiah and Savior, but some of them rejected the idea, and because of that they tortured Jesus and his followers severely! In fact, Christ’s persecution was plotted by the

Jewish priests

 

The Christian Messiah

The sentence “Jesus will return again” has been the important and the key concept that is mentioned in the Holy book more than 300 times.

In the "New Testament", several full chapters are assigned to the Christian Messiah [Matthew, Chapters 24 and 25; Mark, Chapter 13; Luke; Chapter 21].

Some Treatises have only focused on the importance of this concept such as the First and Second Thessalonians.

The "Revelation of John" is entirely in relation to the events of the Apocalypse.

Many of the key concepts of the "New Testament" are incomprehensible without understanding the concept of the Advent…

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Visiting Imam Mahdi and Its Stories - The second series

The healing of the paralytic

One of the noblemen had lost his two sons during the Shah's reign. His wife became paralyzed because of too much impatience. She lost her sight and almost her youth as well. In fact, she developed premature aging. She was going to be taken to Tehran in order to be cured. Her husband said: “I saw my wife is going to be taken the next morning and there was no one to take care of my children. I got worried. Supplicating Imam Mahdi (PBUH), I asked God: “Please do me a favor so Imam Mahdi (PBUH) helps us. You know our situation is upsetting...”

At the middle of the night, I saw the lights turned on and I heard some sounds. I wondered what has happened. I came downstairs. My little daughter came to me and said: “Dad! Mom is healed.” I went to see my wife and found her healthy. Her premature aging was reversed, she became young again and her sight was healed as well.” Then, the woman started telling the story herself:

 “I was sleeping by myself in the room. Suddenly, the room was lightened. The holy light of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) came to me and said: “Stand up, provided that you no more be impatient.” I stood up. He went out of the room and I followed him. Suddenly, I realized I’m healthy.”

The woman who had been paralyzed was completely healthy, she recaptured her sight and her youth as well. While we have such a master, it’s a shame not to pay attention to him and ironically, we are all neglectful.

(Jahad ba Nafs (The Battle with Oneself); Ayatollah Mazaheri, p. 432)

 

Wishing to visit (a touching story)

Zuhari says: “I had the wish to visit Imam Mahdi (PBUH) for years, and I had suffered a lot and spent a lot in this way. But I was not successful at it. Until I met Muhammad ibn Uthman, the second Special Deputy of Imam Mahdi (PBUH). I asked him: “May I visit Imam Mahdi (PBUH)?” He said: “You will not reach your goal.” I was so sad that I fell at his feet. When he saw my condition, he said: “Come tomorrow at early dawn.”

So I went the next morning and saw a young man with such a beautiful face and fragrant smell which I had never seen and smelled before in my life... Muhammad ibn Uthman made me understand that he is Imam Mahdi (PBUH). I asked many questions and Imam answered them and he answered many questions without even asking. Imam was going to enter a room and Muhammad ibn Uthman said: “If you have further questions ask that you will not see him again.” Imam did not pay attention to my question and as the last thing he said:

 “Accursed is, accursed is a person who delays the evening prayer until the stars appear in the sky. And accursed is, accursed is a person who delays the morning prayer until the stars vanish from the sky.””

(Al-Ghayba al-Tusi, p. 271; Bihar al-Anwar, v. 52;)

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

The words of scholars - The second series

Critical need of the society for the concepts of Mahdism

Feeling of weakness is a dangerous feeling and a deadly poison for a nation. One of the blessings of 

believing in the concept of Mahdism is that the members of the society feel more confident, reassured and powerful.

Grand Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei the Supreme Leader of Iran - 2005

How much have we done in promoting Mahdism (=of or related Imam Mahdi) teachings in the society?

 

The Occultation is like a prison ...

Imam Baqir said: “His Occultation (Imam Mahdi) has four resemblances to four messengers.... and the resemblance to Prophet Joseph is imprisonment.”

Kamal al-Din, Chapter 32, Hadith 6

Ayatollah Bahjat said: “While the absent Imam can make the dead alive, he is in a big prison. But he doesn’t have this right for himself. While he has special attention to others in case of individual matters, he doesn’t have this attention for social issues which are related to himself.”

In Bahjat’s Company, vol. 2, p. 299

The key of this prison is in our hands...

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Imam Mahdi in the Narrations - The second series

The characteristics of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)

Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said: “Mahdi, of my descendants, is forty years old (means that at the Reappearance time, he looks like a forty-year-old man). His face is shining like a bright star. There is a black mole on his right cheek. He wears two Qutwani cloaks and he looks like the men of the Children of Israel (at the time of Prophet Moses (PBUH)). He’ll bring out the treasures, conquer the countries of polytheistic and lead them.”

(Ithbat al-Hudat, 7/185)

 

Awaiting for the friends, awaiting for the revenge

‘Abd al-‘Azim Hasani says: “I told Imam Jawad (PBUH): “I hope you are the promised “Qaim” who is of the progeny of prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and will fill the earth with justice and equity...” He answered:

« “O Abu al-Qasim, All of us Imams are Qaim by the command of Mighty Allah and guiders towards His religion. But the promised Qaim-through whom Allah would wipe the earth from unbelievers and fill it with justice- is the one whose birth will be concealed for people and he will be disappeared from their sight and pronouncing his name will be Haram (forbidden) for them. He has the same name and kunia as prophet Muhamamd (PBUH) and he is the person who the earth will fold up for him (Tayy al-Arz) and every hardships will become easy for him.

And of his companions, 313 persons equal to the number of the fighters of Badr, will gather around him from all over the world. And this is the word of the Great Allah that “Wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you Together. For Allah Hath power over all things.” (The Holy Quran, 2:148) So when this number of sincere companions gather around him, Allah will reveal his order and when he has 10000 helpers, he will rise by the permission of Allah and kill the enemies of Allah until He is pleased.””

(Kam al-Din, ch. 36, Hadith 2)

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Imam Mahdi in the Quran - The second series

The last successor in the Quran

“(And remember) when Abraham was tested by his lord with certain words and he fulfilled them…”

Mufaddal says that I asked Imam Sadiq (PBUH), “What does “words” mean in this verse?” the Imam said: “The same words which Adam learnt from his Lord and repented. When he said: “O Lord, for the sake of Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein, accept my repentance, and his repentance was accepted. He accepts repentance and He is merciful.” He again asked the Imam: “What does “َفأتَمَّهُن” mean? Imam said: “Allah completed them to 12 Imams, the last one of whom is # the Qa’im.

Al-Burhan Fi Tafsir al-Quran, vol. 1, p. 317

Kamāl al-Dīn, vol. 2, p. 358

 

The events near the Reappearance in the Quran

“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of

your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.” [The Quran - Surah 2 - Verse 155]

Imam Sadiq said: “Before the Reappearance of Qa’im, inevitably, there must be a year in which people

starve and there will be strong fear of being killed and loss of property and loss of life and products for them and this is very obvious in the book of Allah [and then he read the above verse]

Al-Burhan Fi Tafsir al-Quran, vol. 1, p.359

Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani  p. 251

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

The Merciful Government of Imam Mahdi - The second series

Messiah (Jesus) is the minister of Mahdi

The prophet of Islam (PBUH) said: “When Mahdi (A.J) sees Jesus, he will say to him “Come and lead people in the prayer”. Jesus (PBUH) says: “This grand prayer has been arranged for you to be performed and he stands behind Mahdi (A.J) and pledges allegiance to him.

Muntakhab al –Asar, page 316

And we also read in the book of “Malahem” by Ibn Tawus that Jesus says:

“I am selected as a minister not as a leader.”

 

The expansion of justice after the Reappearance

Among the features of Imam Mahdi’s government nothing is more obvious than justice. In different narrations and religious literature, no other feature has been emphasized and highlighted more than his expanding justice.

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: Surely and certainly his justice will enter their (people’s) homes as the heat and cold enter it.

Islam’s Prophet said: “Even if only one day remains of the world’s lifetime, Allah will make that day so long that a man from my family rise up and fill this world with justice and fairness as it has been filled with oppression.

Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani p. 297, Al-Ghaiba-al-Tusi, Hadith: 139

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

From Ashura to the Reappearance - The second series

What kind of person is he for whom the lives would sacrifice...

When Prophet Abraham (PBUH) passed the test of sacrificing his child and God sent him a lamb to be slaughtered in place of Ishmael (PBUH), he asked Allah: “O God! What did I neglect carrying out this test that I didn’t succeed to sacrifice my child to endure the greatest of the tragedies?” Allah answered him: “Oh, Abraham! Do you like yourself more or the last prophet?” He answered: “I like him more.” Allah said: “Do you like your own child more or the child of the last prophet?” Abraham said: “I like the child of the last prophet who is the master of all the martyrs more than my own child, Ishmael.”

Then Allah said: “Oh, Abraham! Neither are you capable of enduring the greatest of the tragedies, nor is the sacrifice of Ishmael the greatest of the tragedies. Rather, one who can endure the greatest of the tragedies is Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and the greatest of the tragedies is the tragedy of the master of all the martyrs (Imam Hussein (PBUH))!”

 

Yes! The angels are developing with the tragedy of Imam Hussein (PBUH) and they’re waiting… On the day of Ashura, thousands of angels descended to the earth to assist the Imam. But, they arrived while Imam Hussein (PBUH) was on the ground (he was martyred) and his family were taken captives! Therefore, dusty and in mourning, they stopped at his grave so that they can assist the avenger of the Imam after the Reappearance…

 

Readiness and awaiting...

Special companions of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) will gather in Mecca as soon as they hear the sign of his Reappearance because of their readiness. They are ready to join and help their Imam regardless of what is going on in their lives.

May he always be brought happily to mind..., I am talking about Muslim ibn Awsaja; he was heading to the bath when he encountered Habib ibn Madhahir. While he became aware of his Imam, he did not even get back to home and they both went to Karbala.

In the way towards Imam, we should sacrifice all we have...

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Acquainting oneself with the Imam of each era - The second series

The protection provided by twelve Caliphs

Shiites – and also Sunnis – believe that the prophet has ensured the survival and dignity of Islam until 

the Judgment Day through the protection provided by twelve Caliphs. Sunnis have been incapable of introducing these twelve Caliphs; however, for Shiites, these twelve divine Caliphs are identified. Through studying the history of their lives, it is revealed that unfortunately, "oppressive regimes’ pressure" caused "the birth of the last divine caliph" to happen in secret, like that of Abraham and Moses.  

This form of birth, created doubts; therefore, most of the Sunnis deny his birth. Shia scholars, so far, have written numerous books to prove his birth.

 

Hadith al-Thaqalayn and the existence of Imam Mahdi

The text of the Hadith: “O people, I am a human being [like others]. I am about to leave you (and go with the Angel of death) …. I am leaving among you two weighty things: these two are “the Book of God “and “My kindred (Itrah): my Ahl al-Bayt”. Indeed, the two will never separate from each other until they come back to me by the Pond (of al-¬Kawthar).Do not overtake them because this transgression will destroy you"

The points of the Hadith al-Thaqalayn:

1-  The Prophet has left “Two successors” after himself to guide the nation.

2-  Both successors will remain until the Doomsday and they will never separate.

3-  Hold fast to them (obey them) to be safe from misguidance.

This hadith has been much repeated in Shiite books and also has written down in Sunni sources including: Sahih Muslim, Sunan Tirmidhi and Sonan al-Darami

Milad , A collection of Articles on the birth of Imam Mahdi, p. 16

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب