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

An enthusiastic letter from father

The confirmation of the news of Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH) birth

Ahmad bin Ishaq Qummi says: “When the pious successor (Imam Mahdi (PBUH)) was born, a letter came to my grandfather from my master, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) written “in his own handwriting” saying:

“A son has been born to us and this news should be kept to you and hidden from people; because we do not unveil this news to anyone except our “relatives” and “close associates”. We wanted to tell you this news so Allah makes you happy as He made us happy, and no more.””

(Kamal al-Din and Tamam al-Nimeh, ch. 42, Hadith 15)

 

Offering Aqiqa for Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH) birth

One of the recommended traditions in the religion is to offer the infant’s Aqiqa (to sacrifice a sheep) that affects the baby’s health and blessing of his life. And by offering Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH) Aqiqa, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) informed many of Shias about his birth, meanwhile, performing this religious tradition.

When “Imam Mahdi (PBUH)” was born, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) told to Uthman ibn Saeed (the first Deputy): “Buy 10,000 rotl of bread (a unit of weight of the order of the pound) and 10,000 rotl of meat and distribute them (probably to Bani Hashim) and offer his Aqiqa of many sheeps.”

He had at least two important purposes: 1- The baby’s health. 2- Introducing the successor and “announcing the news of the Savior’s birth” to public specially oppressed people.

Fars report; Professor Yousefian

Kamal al-Din and Tamam al-Nimeh, ch. 41, Hadith 10

 

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Mahdism examples - The third series

The branch of astragalus gummifer and birds in love

“There will be an occultation for Sahib al-Amr (Imam Mahdi) in which holding one’s religion likens removing the thorns of the tree of astragalus gummifer with one’s hands. People should seek refuge to God and hold on to their religions.” (Imam Sadiq [PBUH])

Yes, and also in such a situation:

“The hearts of the pure and pious people, like the birds which are fond of the tree, are eagerly waiting to meet you (Imam Mahdi).” Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH).

The tree of Astragalus gummifer is a big tree with thorns which look like sharp pins. In Arab literature, doing difficult and arduous tasks is likened to touching the thorns of this tree. For instance, tolerating a special condition by someone is like removing the thorns of this tree by moving one’s hand from top to bottom. It is obvious that doing such an action lacerates one’s hand.

(Bihar al-Anwar, vol.52, p.1 and 101)

 

Be like the bee!

Amir Al-Mu'minin said to his followers: “Be among the people like the “bee” among the birds. All the birds deem it weak and unworthy! But if they knew what there is in its interiors, they would not treat it so!”

Socialize with people on the surface and stay away from their viewpoints and doings, indeed every one will be rewarded according to his doings and will be gathered with the ones, whom he loves on the day of Resurrection.

You will not achive what you love and what you hope until … No one of you will keep on this matter except like the“kohl in an eye” or like the“salt in food”! {To be Imam Mahdi’s devotee, we have to fulfill Ahla Al-Bayt’s recommendations precisely till we are one of his devotees}

(Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani, P. 210)

 

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The duties of the awaiting people - The third series

Inviting people towards Imam Mahdi and making him known

Everyone should invite people towards Imam Mahdi as much as his/her knowledge and wisdom and make them intimate with him. Propagating Mahdism instructions is of such acts. The inviter must have practical wisdom as well as methodical wisdom and invite people towards Imam practically, since it is more effective.

One of the Imppeccable Imams said: “A scholar who teaches people their religious instructions and invites them towards their Imam, is better than seventy thousand worshippers.”

Mekyal al Makarem, vol. 2, p. 274

Ayatollah Musavi Isfahani, the writer of the precious book of Mekyal al-Makarem, said:

“(Our duty during the occultation is) inviting and guiding people towards Imam Mahdi and this is of the “most important” and the “most obligatory” worships.”

(Mekyal al Makarem, sec.8)

We should not make our master awaiting…

 

Expressing Imam Mahdi’s superiorities

In Islamic narrations, believers are persuaded to express Ahl al-Bayts’ superiorities among people.

Imam Kazim (PBUH) said: “Indeed when two believers meet and mention Allah, then they mention our (the Ahl al-Bayt) superiorities, the flesh of the Devil’s face melts till his soul starts begging due to his agony.”

Usul al-Kafi, vol.2, p.188, hadith 7

Imam Sajjad (PBUH) said: “The right of the person who does a kindly act to you is that you thank him and mention his kindness and propagate good words and points about him.”

Tuhaf al-Uqul, p.265

 

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Seeking the Savior in Different Religions - The third series

How would the world be after the Reappearance in Zoroaster’s point of view?

Drought, poverty and misery will disappear. There will be full rivers, fertile lands, fruitful trees and green plants, and there will remain no hungry man…

Saving humans, fighting lies and evils, having a future without polytheism and heresy, living a life far away from love of racism or ethnicity. A life only based on humanity…

(The Savior in religions, Zavardehi, pp. 203-5

Zatsparam collection, chapter 35, part2)

 

The Savior in Hinduism

In Hinduism, the promised savior will appear at the end of history, named “Kalki”.

Kalki or Kalkin appears at top a white horse with a drawn blazing sword to eradicate injustice and wickedness and establish justice and excellence. [A white horse is the symbol of strength and universality]. He will conquer all other opposition forces and save the world from rapacious kings.

Sources:

Seven Skies, Movahhedian, no. 12-13

Articles and Reviews, Moghaddam, vol. 71, p. 293

The Savior in religions, Rouhollah Shakeri, p. 215

 

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The words of scholars - The third series

Consider the Reappearance as near

Regarding Imam Mahdi (PBUH) and his Reappearance, one of the important duties which should be taken into account by noble companions and believers is considering the Reappearance as near.  In our narrations, under different titles, Ahl-al-Bayt have recommneded us to consider the Reappearance as near. It means that if a night passes, don’t say he won’t come till the next night, but he may come the next morning.

(Hojjat al-Islam Masoud Aali- The Reappearance Signs and the the Duties of the Awaiting People. “Samt-eh Khoda” Tv program)

 

At the Apocalypse, the main problem is the good people; not pagans

At the Apocalypse, the main problem is good people; not pagans and bad people. As an example, there is no narration saying: “The Reappearance is postponed because numerous sin centres are built!” Or another narration saying: “Pagans have many destructive atomic weapons, so Imam won’t reappear for the fear that they drop these bombs on Muslims.”

According to Imam Baqir (PBUH) some of scholars want to issue a death sentence for the Imam, but they can’t! (And if it weren’t for the sword in his hand, the scholars would have issued fatwas to kill him; Ayatollah Bahjat’s website, Note 2148 and Sharh Usul Al-Kafi/1/563)

This is all about “Good people should be pure and refined” The problem is that we are impurities, this should be fixed.

(Hujjat al-Islam Panahian- Ayatollah Haghshenas Hosseynieh 1395/07/15)

 

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Imam Mahdi in the Quran - The third series

The descriptions of the companions of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) in the Quran

O ye who believe! if any from among you turn back from his Faith, soon will Allah produce a people whom He will love as they will love Him,- lowly with the believers, mighty against the rejecters, fighting in the way of Allah, and never afraid of the reproaches of such as find fault. That is the grace of Allah, which He will bestow on whom He pleaseth. And Allah encompasseth all, and He knoweth all things. [The Quarn, Surah 5, verse 54]. (The same concept is availbale in Surah 6, verse 89)

It is narrated that the above verse is revealed about Imam Mahdi (PBUH)…

(Al-Burhan Fi Tafsir al-Quran, vol. 2, p. 315

Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani, p. 316)

 

The Rising of Sufyani is inevitable

He it is created you from clay, and then decreed a stated term (for you). And there is in His presence another determined term; yet ye doubt within yourselves! [The Quran, Surah 6, Verse 2]

Imam Baqir (PBUH) said about this verse “There are two types of terms; inevitable and pending”, Humran ibn A'ayan said: “I hope that the term of Sufyani is of the pending ones. Imam said: “No, By Allah, it is of the inevitable ones.”

(Keyword of Mahdism verses, Rouzati, p. 125

Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani, p.301)

 

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The Merciful Government of Imam Mahdi - The third series

People’s attaining the maximum human perfection

The Prophet of Islam said:

“By Imam Mahdi (PBUH), God will eliminate all the problems of the nations, fill people’s hearts with worshipping and obedience and his justice will rule everywhere. God will ruin lies and deception as well as the spirit of aggression and savagery, and also He will free them from slavery.”

(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 75)

 

A world filled with affluence, comfort and happiness

The Holy Prophet said: “Allah will water the earth with His merciful rain, the earth will bring forth its plants, cattle will increase, the Islamic ummah (nation) will become great and magnificent, the Islamic ummah will have such a wealth at his time that has never been seen before … at that time (even) the birds in their nests and the fishes in deep seas will be delighted and fountains will overflow and the ground will yield many times its crops.

(Montakhab Al- Athar, p. 473, Yanabi' Al-Mawaddah, vol. 3)

 

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

The Imams’ predictions of deviations in Mahdism

Regarding the importance of Mahdism, the infallible Imams knew that there would be some frauds who will have invalid claims. Thus, we have recieved hundreds of bright narrations from them as a valuable heritage; showing that he will come, a man from Prophet’s household, from Fatimah’s generation, from Hussain ibn Ali’s children… as an example:

Qatada ibn Said once asked: “Is Mahdi (PBUH) real?” another answered: “Yes, he is real”. I asked: “What family is he from?” he said: “From Quraysh.” I asked: “From which branch”; he said: “Bani Hashim.” I asked: “From which group”; he said: “From Abdulmutallab’s children”. I asked: “From which children of him?” he said: “From Fatimah’s.”

But there are some people who have complicated this subject in different ways; whether forging the narrations to deny the Mahdism doctrines or introducing him from the generation of Abbas, Prophet’s uncle, or considering him as a child of one man named Abdullah, or introducing him from the generation of Imam Hassan (PBUH)…

(Al- Fetan, Nu'aym ibn Hammad, vol. 1, Hadith 1082, Darsname Mahdaviat, vol. 1, lesson 8)

 

Prophet’s last words to Lady Fatimah…

Abu Saeed Khudri says: “When the messenger of Allah saw his daughter, Fatima, was uneasy in the last moments of his life, said: “… O Fatima! Six traits are given to no one but us, Ahl Al-Bayt:

Our prophet is the best of prophets and he is your father. Our successor is the best of successors and he is your husband. Our martyr is the best of martyrs and he is your father’s uncle, Hamza. Two grandchildren of this ummah (nation) are from us and these two are your sons. “Mahdi” –who Jesus will pray behind him- is from us.” Then he tapped on Hussain’s shoulders and said: “Mahdi, is from him.” The ninth descendant of Hussain…

(Kashf Al-Ghumma, vol. 1, p. 153

The Awaited Mahdi in the Islamic view, p. 137

Kamal Al-Din, Ch. 30, Hadith 3)

 

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Mahdism miniSermons and heart to heart writings - The second series

The greatest punishment

Once, Allah intended to punish a nation. After a while, they observed no punishment given to them! And the situation is calm... The prophet of the nation asked Allah: “What is the truth?”

It was revealed: “Oh, My prophet! I didn’t know of a punishment as severe as taking the pleasure of praying to Myself out of the heart of the people.  And now, I have made them deal with this punishment and disaster.”

Oh, people! Nowadays, Allah’s greatest punishment and torture is the fact that the “memory of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) has no place in our hearts and people have forgotten their master...”

(Rouz-e Alam Souz (The World-burning Day), p. 284)

 

He will come…

He, who has a lot of patience, comes. In order to suppress the oppressors, he has Imam Ali’s sword in his hands. He brings the Holy Quran to guide people. He reappears like a shining star in the darkest night and like a high mountain in a scary forest. He comes with Prophet Muhammad’s Quran in his chest, with Imam Ali’s sword in his hands, with Lady Fatimah’s kindness, with Imam Hassan’s patience and Imam Hussein’s bravery.

He is endowed with the features of Prophets and Wilaya. He possesses the characteristics of all the Prophets. He will predominate Islam in the whole world by his Reappearance. His rise is like the Resurrection, eliminating all the sins. His name eliminates all the oppressions. He is ultimately the one who punishes the infidels and finally the efforts and the mission of the prophets will eventuate. All Muslims are waiting for him. Oh Sir! When will you come? Reappear, people laugh at our anticipation.

 

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Mahdism examples - The second series

New technology…

Professor Gharaati says: “Some people ask: “What does Imam Mahdi (A.S) do with this modern technology?” [For example,] say what did Imam Khomeini do? All pilots who were trained in the USA during Shah’s rein came and accompanied Imam Khomeini with all their skills.”

After the Reappearance: 1- Some discoveries will be made with his commands. 2- Some inventors who will accompany Imam Mahdi (A.S) with their expertise or will use Imam Mahdi’s (A.S) expertise and knowledge. 3- People’s intellectual level will promote. 4- There will be hidden helps and …

"Tamthilat Mahdavi” p.100

 

Which one is more important?!?!

If a train wants to reach its destination, the existence of some items are essential  including wagons, rails, fuel, locomotives, train driver and lack of obstacles on the rails[such as rocks and other obstacles]. Some trains also use smoke and whistles that are the signs of getting closer to the destination.

Smoke and whistles are like “The signs” of the Reappearance, but the train’s “condition” of reaching to its destination is the existence of wagons, rails, fuel, locomotives and such things!

We have to know “The imminent signs of the Reappearance", but why have some of us just been looking for signs instead of making the “conditions of the Reappearance"[the existence of altruistic followers]? Does the train come up with making smoke and whistles?

 

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