What is the necessity of knowing Imam Mahdi?

To answer this question, first it is necessary to pay attention to 11 reasons for the importance of acquainting oneself with Imam Mahdi.

1-The first reason: the reason of Man’s Creation

Imam Hussein told his companions:

“O people, Allah has not created humans except to know him. When they recognized him, they worship him. When they worship him, for the blessing of this prayer, they do not need to worship entities than God.”

A man asked: “What’s the recognition of God?”

the Imam said:

“That is, people of any age should know the Imam whom they should obey the commands of his.” 

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 23, p. 83

The result: Knowing God = Getting to know the Imam of each era 

 

A clever and meaningful answer

2-The second reason is the necessity of knowing the Imam of each era:

"It is a sign of faith"

Aban ibn Taghlib says: “I asked Imam Sadiq: Is a person faithful if he knows all Imams except for the Imam of his own era? The Imam said: “No.” I asked again: Is he considered as a Muslim?

The Imam answered: “Yes.”

The Source: Kamal al-Din and Tamam Al-Nimeh

The important lesson:

"Every Muslim is not considered as a faithful one"

 

Read the rest 

 

The third reason of the necessity of knowing the Imam of each era:

"It is a condition of the acceptance of deeds”

Muawiyah ibn Ammar asked Imam Sadiq about this verse “And to Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them.” (7:180). The Imam answered:

“I swear to God that we are the Lord’s Good Names so that God does not accept any deed of humans unless they know us.”

Usul al-Kafi, chapter: Al-navader

Indeed, what kind of knowledge is this? Which is so important? We’ll mention it later.

 

The fourth reason of the necessity of acquainting oneself with the Imam of each era:

"It is the way of salvation from the death in which a Muslim according to the Prophet’s Hadith is considered as a pagan if he is not aware of the Imam of his Era”

 The Holy Prophet said: 

“Anyone dies without knowing his Imam, in fact has died has died living a pagan life.” 

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 23, p.76

 Acquainting oneself with the Imam of each era has two branches:

1. Knowing his birth information (name, title, father's name, place of birth, year of birth)

2. Getting to know all the traits, and characteristics of Imam Mahdi’s Imamate, Reappearance signs, pre- and post-emergence events, his holy government, people’s tasks in the occultation, Raj’a (Second coming) and .......

Mekyal al Makarem, volume 1

How much knowledge do we have toward our Imam? Are we faithful or just Muslims? God willing we are not considered as causes which have been mentioned so far or will be mentioned later

 

Ultimatum …

The fifth reason of the necessity of knowing the Imam of each era: "People have no excuse to leave it."

Fozeil says: “I heard Imam Baqir said: Whoever dies and does not have any Imam, he has died living a pagan life, and people have no excuse not to know their Imam.

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 23, p. 77

 

The sixth reason to get acquaintance of the Imam of each era:

"Salvation from the being misled in the Occultation"

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) has said:

“Get to know the Imam of your era, if you know him, whether the Reappearance occurs quickly or late, you won’t incur any losses.”

Al-Qaibat  Na´mani, Chapter 25.

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said:

“If you experience the Occultation, persist on reciting this prayer:   O! God, introduce your Imam to me, otherwise I will go astray from my religion.”

Kamal al-Din and Tamam Al-Nimeh, Chapter 33

A reminder: we should not forget that Shimr also saw the Imam of his era but did not recognize him.

 

The seventh reason for the necessity of acquainting oneself with Imam of each era:

"One night should not pass without him"

Yahya bin Abdullah narrates that Imam Sadiq (PBUH) told him:

“O, Yahya whomever passes a night and does not who the Imam of his time is, has lived a pagan life.”

Al-Qaibat  Na´mani, Chapter 7, hadith 1

O! Lord, introduce your Imam to me…..

 

The eighth reason for the necessity of acquainting oneself with Imam of each era:

Not having him brings about torments

In the authentic books of the Ulema, there is a written prayer for Imam Mahdi (A.J) which reads:

“And whoever shuns you and is ignorant of your acquaintance and (consequently) chooses another person instead of you, God will throw him in fire in the face and will not accept any deed from him and will not consider any value for him on the Day of Judgment.” 

Mafatih al Janan. Ziarat Sahib al-amr

 

The ninth and tenth reasons for the necessity of knowing and getting familiarized with Imam Mahdi (PBUH):

“It rises one’s rank to the level of those who fight alongside Imam Mahdi (PBUH)”

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: “Anyone who gets to know his Imam then dies before the Imam’s uprising, is like someone who is sitting in the Imam’s army; and no, he is like the one who is sitting under his banner.”

“We need it very much at the moment of dying”

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said: “Indeed, the earth (this world) will not be reformed except by the presence of 

an Imam; and anyone who does not (try to) know his Imam and he dies in that state, it would be a death 

in ignorance. And the time during which you need this recognition more than ever is when you are at the moment of dying. And those who has earned this recognition while they were alive, at that time (at the moment of dying), having seen the facts of the universe and the life after death will say: I had a good religion and manner.”

Al-Qaibat  Na´mani , chapter 25 - Bihar al-Anwar, volume 23

 

The last reason for the necessity of knowing and getting familiarized with Imam Mahdi (PBUH):

 11- “It is an introduction for doing one’s duties and tasks”

Imam Baqir (PBUH) said:

“Anyone who obtains the “knowledge”, will be guided towards “action” through that; and anyone who does not possess the “knowledge” will have no “action”.”

Mizan Alhekmah, vol.6 p.131

Conclusion: Getting familiarized with the Imam of each era (the Imam in the current era) is the operating engine of “actions” (performing one’s tasks and duties) and it is also the required necessity to the “waiting” (for Imam).

As previously mentioned, knowing the Imam of the current era (Imam Mahdi) has two dimensions: 1- Personal 2- Characteristics and attributes and... 

Therefore, hereafter we will deal with the "personal" recognition of Imam Mahdi (PBUH)

 

Source: Mahdiaran Channel (@Mahdiaran); http://islampfr.com