Mahdavi Prayers and Salutations - The second series

Al-Iftitah prayer

Among various prayers in the blessed month of Ramadan, we find some prayers concerning Imam Mahdi (PBUH) in which the request for the Reappearance of the Imam is mentioned. Since Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH) request from us is to pray a lot for the Reappearance and Ramadan is the month of prayers’ approval, reciting this prayer is recommended for every night of this month.

Talking to Shias, Imam Mahdi (PBUH) wrote: “Recite this prayer every night of Ramadan because the angels listen to it and ask Allah to forgive the reciter of it.” (Al-Sahifa al-Mahdiya, part 5)

This prayer includes beautiful concepts and meanings, and especially provides us valuable information about Imam Mahdi (PBUH) and portrays a beautiful picture of the after the Reappearance world. How good it is to pay attention to its translation while reciting this prayer. This prayer is also presented in Mafatih al-Jinan.

 

The Ziyarat of “Aal e Yasin”

The Ziyarat of Aal e Yasin, is one of the most important Ziyarats of Imam Mahdi (PBUH). In the second volume of the book Al-Ihtijaj, Shaykh Tabarsi says: “(This) has been issued from the holy existence of Imam Mahdi (PBUH), after answering to the questions of Mr Muhammad Hamiri:

 “In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful. Neither you ponder it, nor accept it from divine people. This is a complete and expressive wisdom. However, warning will not avail for the people who do not believe... Whenever you intend to face towards Allah and towards us, with our help, say as Allah has said:

 “Peace bean upon the progeny of Yasin, Peace been upon you O the caller of Allah and manifestation of His signs…”

 (The complete text of Ziyarat of Aal e Yasin is available in the Ziyarats section of Mafatih Al-Jinan. This prayer includes beautiful and passionate phrases about Imam Mahdi (PBUH).)

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

The importance and the necessity to pray for the Reappearance - The second series

The one who does not pray for the Reappearance…

Talking about his child, Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) said: “I swear by Allah that he’ll have a long absence in which no one is saved from perishing unless the one who Allah makes his belief firm in his (Imam Mahdi’s (PBUH)) Imamate and whom He makes succeed in praying for his Reappearance .” (Kamal al-Din and Tamam al-Nimeh, ch. 38)

In this bright words, perishing means deviating from the path of the Truth and the straight path of faith. According to the narrations, this perishing and deviance are extremely epidemic and severe during the Occultation, so much that one is faithful in the morning but loses his faith and becomes pagan at the night and vice versa. (Al-Ghayba al-Nu'mani, ch. 12)

Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) has provided us with “praying for the Reappearance” as an effective method to get saved from this terrible chaos and described it as “the only way of salvation.”

 

The fantastic effects of prayers (very important)

Abu Wallad Hafs Khayyat says: “In Medina, I went to Imam Kazim (PBUH). Imam Said: “Tell your friends (the Shias in Kufa) to keep their piety to Allah, since you are living in the government of a cruel man (Mansour Dawaniqi). So, keep your tongues and protect your lives and religions and repel whatever you are afraid that he would do against you and us by prayers. Because, swear by Allah, prayer and asking Allah will repel calamities, even though it is destined and divine will is assigned to it and only the final phase is left to be decisive... So, keep on preying till Allah eliminates the evil of this tyrant from you.””

Abu Wallad says: “I told what Imam said to my companions and they prayed against Mansour and the same year that he had headed towards Mecca, he died before he could perform the ceremonies of the pilgrimage and we got rid of him. I went to Imam and he said:

 “O Abu Wallad, what was the result of the order that I praised you to do? O Abu Wallad, there is no calamity that Allah sends towards a believer and dawn on him to pray unless He resolves that calamity soon. And there is no calamity that Allah sends towards a believer and he refuses to pray unless that calamity will be prolonged.””

(The story is summarized)

(Bihar al-Anwar, v. 90, p. 298)

This is the effect of prayer in the world…

We can do too … Do not let us down …

Recite Faraj prayer, because prayer has effects…

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

Mahdavi Lifestyle - The second series

The importance of praying for the children

It’s favorable to pray for the children in addition to training them and being kind to them. One of the prayers which contains very beautiful concepts regarding this matter is the prayer no. 25 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya. Some of its verses are as the following:

 “Oh, God! Do me a favor and save my children and improve them and give me their benefit.”

 “Oh, God! Lengthen their lives and make them healthy and guide them towards the true religion and good character.”

 “Oh, God! Make them pious and insightful and loving and well disposed towards Your friends, and malicious and virulent towards Your enemies. ”

 “Oh, God! Make my name everlasting through them and make them my helper in [fulfilling] the wishes, make them affectionate so that they be loving towards me and obedient to me, not disobedient and disrespectful.”

 

To be adorned at home

A person who is willing to help Imam Mahdi (PBUH), should take all the words of Ahl al-Bayt as the guidelines for his life. One of the most important recommendations of Ahl al-Bayt to the Shias is to be adorned and beautiful at home and in the presence of the spouse.

Contrariwise, most of the people pay more attention to their beauty outside their houses and do not care about their appearance at home.

One of the most important recommendations of Imam Kadhim (PBUH) to the Shias is that he says: “Man’s adornment for his wife is one of the factors of woman’s chastity.”

(The precious book of “Makarem al-Akhlaq”, p. 97)

 

Read the rest 

ادامه مطلب

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