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

 

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Let’s be Imam Mahdi’s ornament

We should live and socialize with people in a way that would be an ornament and honor for Imam, not

that we cause resentment and shame for him.

Imam Sadiq said: “O Shias! Be our ornament not shame and disdain, speak with people well and beware

of nonsense and foul speech.”

Mekyal al Makarem

 

Financial assistance to the poor

Having relation with Shia Muslims and good companions of Imams and supporting them financially is the duty of each Shia Muslim.

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) said:

“If someone cannot have relation with us, they should be in touch with our friends because it has the same reward for them and if someone cannot make a pilgrimage to us, they should make a pilgrimage to our friends because it has the same reward for them.”

“Mekyal al Makarem”

 

People’s gathering to help Imam Mahdi

One of the main tasks of Shias toward Imam Mahdi (Allah may precipitate his Reappearance) is to gather in order to assist him.

Because a teamwork could have an impact that is not in individual work. "And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves." (The Quran - Surah 3 - Verse 103).

Imam Mahdi says:

“If our Shias are whole-hearted and determined in fulfillment of the covenant that has been taken

from them, the blessing of our meeting wouldn’t be delayed.”

Mekyal al Makarem, vol.2; Bihar al-Anwar, vol.53

 

The sadness of the believers for the separation from the Imam

This grief is the sign of friendship and interest in the Imam. The reason that this grief is one of the signs of the believers is the existence of several narrations received from Imams. Those narrations have implied one of the signs of a Shiite and that is to be upset from the grief of Imams and there is no doubt that the absence of our Imam  and the sadness that is incurred on him is one of the  greatest causes of Imams’ grief.

Imam Sadiq said: “The breathing of a sad person whose grief is because of the oppression inflicted on us (Ahl al-Bayt) is considered as an exaltation (God’s praising) and his sadness for us is a worship.”

Mekyal al Makarem, Usul al-Kafi, vol. 2

 

Self-purification and self-improvement

One of the important tasks of the awaiting people for the “Government of Rights” is to have piety and having good ethics and moralities.

Imam Sadiq said, “Whoever becomes happy of being one of the companions of Imam Mahdi (PBUH), has to wait and behave in piety and good morals and he is the [real] awaiting person.”(1)

Imam Sadiq also said, “Certainty there is an absence for the owner of this occultation (Imam Mahdi), so a servant of God should fear God and clutch his religion.”(2)

1-Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani, p.200; hadith: 16; 2-Al-Kafi, vol.2, chapter “fi al-Ghayba”, p.132

 

Praying for Imam Mahdi’s Reappearance

In the importance of this issue, it suffices to mention that Imam Mahdi (PBUH) in a letter to Shiites orders them to pray a lot for his Reappearance.

Kamal al-Din, volume 2

We should not forget that this request of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) is equivalent to the famous quote from Imam Hussein (PBUH) “Is there anyone helper to help me?”

Note: Praying for Imam Mahdi’s Reappearance, is so important that Imam Mahdi (PBUH) told the Grand Scholar Ayatollah Musavi Isfahani to write a book named “Mekyal al Makarem about this matter. This sage scholar spent 17 years of his fruitful life over this issue and gave us this ever-lasting and valuable book. In chapter 5 of his book he mentions 102 results of praying for the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi.

Considering the importance of above mentioned topic, it will be explained in detail later on...

 

Avoiding to specify a date for the Reappearance and rejecting any such action.

There is no definite time specified for the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi and it is reprimanded to try to predict the time of Reappearance.

Imam Baqir (PBUH) was asked: “Is there a definite time for the Reappearance?” The Imam said: “Those who specify a date tell lies.” (And he repeated it three times.)1

Imam Kadhim (PBUH) also said: “If we were told that the Reappearance does not occur until two or three hundred years later, the hearts would be petrified and people would turn away from Islam. However, we were informed that this event occurs very soon and it is imminent so that the hearts are relieved and the Reappearance is felt imminent.”2

Also, Imam Sadiq tells Mofazzal ibn Omar: “O, Mofazzal, do not specify a definite time for the Reappearance, since anyone who specifies a date for it has considered himself as the same knowledgeable as God…3

Al-Kafi, vol.1, p.368; 2. al-Kafi, vol.1, p.369; 3. Mekyal al Makarem, vol.2, p.477.

 

Reciting the written prayers related to Imam Mahdi

Reciting some of the prayers which Ahl-al Bayt has emphasized on them is a duty about which the infallible Imams have always emphasized.

Imam Sadiq (PBUH) says: “There is an occultation for that Young man (Imam Mahdi) before his uprise.” Zurara (one of his disciples) aked why? The Imam said: “He is afraid (of being martyred before accomplishing his mission). O, Zurara, He is the Awaited man (someone who others are waiting for) and he is the one, people become doubtful about his birth and some will say”; “His father died when he was in his mother’s womb…” “He is the awaited man and God wishes to test his Shias. In such an era, the unbelievers start to form their doubts and delusion. O, Zurara, if you happen to experience that era recite the following prayer:

“O, God, make known to me yourself, if you don’t make yourself known to me, I won’t get to know your prophet. O, God, make known your prophet to me if you don’t make your prophet known to me I won’t get to know your Imams. O, God, make your Imams known to me, if you don’t make your Imams known to me, I will deviate and thus go astray from my religion.”

Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p.337, Hadith: 5

 

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