The Promised Imam
Mahdi a.s
"What Remains with Allah is better for
you if you are believers (11:86)"
The Birth of the Imam (A.S): Al Hujjat
ibn Al -Hassan Al – Mahdi (as) the 12th divine leader of Islam was born
on dawn, Friday the 15th of Shaaban 255 AH correspondent to 868 AD in
the house of the 11th Imam (as) in the city of Samerrah (Iraq).
His honorable father is Imam Hassan
Al-Askari (as), and his modest mother was the daughter of Caesar’s son,
Joshua, and from the generation of Samoan one of Jesus’ apostles. She
was so preferable that Imam Hassan’s daughter called her “The mistress
of herself and her family”. Hakimah was herself one of the noble ladies
in her time, but she called herself “Nargis’s servant”.
Imam Muhammad al- Mahdi’s name is that
of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and his agnomen Abal Qassim is also that of
the Holy Prophet (SAW). He is almost 1150 years old and his life will
last as much as Allah wishes.
Mahdawiah in the Qur’an and
Narration
As a promise it is mentioned frankly in
the Holy Qur’an:
“And certainly we wrote in the book
after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall
inherit the earth”. (Chap 21:105)
Islam will become an international
religion and other religions will disappear. Also in the Holy Quran it
is written that one of the relics of His Holy existence is above point:
“It is he Who sent His Apostle with the
guidance and the true religion, that he may make it overcome all of the
religions, though the polytheists may be reluctant” (61:9)
It means that He sent this religion
with His Messenger Muhammad (SAW) in order to overcome all other
religions and eventually all the people obey it . The Prophet (SAW)
said:
“Allah will send one of my family to
overcome injustice and cruelty through justice, even if only one day of
this world is left” (Ahmad Hanbal , vol -1 p.99).
Another narration from the Prophet
(SAW) says: “Resurrection will not happen until a man from our household
will govern the world whose name is as mine.” (A.Hanbal Vol 1 pp. 376,
430).
Imam Ali (as) says: “In fact the world
is never deprived of a Hujjah (Imam), either obvious and known hujjah,
or a hujjah who is hidden from the people’s eyes.
Waiting for a Savior in other
Religions
In many religions there is an
expectation for a savior to come and help the release from injustice. In
Islam it is ‘Mahdawai’ which has a great international philosophy,
because Islam is an international religion and Shia in its real meaning
is an international factor.
In addition to the Muslims especially
the Shia, followers of other religions like Jews, Christians,
Zoroastrians, and Hindus expect someone to come and bring peace and
justice to the world.
In the book “Dead” which is a divine
book for Hindus, it is written: “In the end of the world, after
corruption of the world, a leader will appear who is called Mansoor. He
will master all the world, he will know everyone whether a believer or
an unbeliever, and whatever he asks, God will offer him”. (Beshatrat
Ahdin, p.245).
In addition, in the book “Yamaseb” by
Zoroaster’s student it is written: “From Arabs ground , Hashim’s sons, a
man with a big head, big body and big feet comes out, and continues his
grandfather’s religion with a large army, goes to Iran and constructs
the earth and fills the earth with justice”. (Beshatrat Ahdin, p.258).
And in the Old Testament the book of
Genesis 18:20 “And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee; Behold, I have
blessed him and will make him fruitful and I will multiply him
exceedingly, Twelve Princes shall he beget and I will make him a great
nation”.
And in David’s Mazamir (Zaboor) it is
written: “ …and God will approve the pious men who will become owners of
the earth and will settle in it for ever” (Mazmour 37, 10-37).
And in the Holy Qur’an it is mentioned:
“And certainly we wrote in the book
after the reminder that (as for) the land, My righteous servants shall
inherit the earth”. (Chap 21:105),
Expectation and waiting for Imam
Mahdi(as) has a longer history than Islam. It does not only relate to a
specific race, region, or religion.
Also in the Holy Qur’an it is said:
“Allah has promised to those of you who
believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the
earth as he made those before them rulers, and that he will most
certainly establish for them their religion which he has chosen for
them, and that he will most certainly, after their fear, give them
security in exchange; they shall serve me, not associating aught with
me, and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is who are the
transgressors” (24:55)
and also in the Holy Qur’an:
“And we desired to bestow a favor upon
those who were deemed week in the land, and to make them the Imams
(Leaders), and to make them the heirs.” (28:5)
The above two verses are examples to
prove that at last, persons with great merit will govern the world and
lead the people. From the Holy Qur’an two items are derived:
1. The final objective of the prophets
is two matters: Monotheism and Justice. The first is about the
relationship between man and his lord, and the second is about
interrelationship among people.
2. Justice is not a desire, a mere wish
or a daydream, but a reality which the world moves towards it. It is
God’s tradition that he will govern the world in full justice.
There will come a day in which no
cruelty, no injustice, no hostility, no killing, no oppression, no lies,
and no corruption will exist in the world. It means that after a period
of corruption and ignorance finally the world will be filled with equity
and justice. And the reason for not collapsing or destroying the world
in future is the expectance of The Mahdi (as) in coming and making man
to live a happy life. A period in which only peace, humanity and
morality will govern the world.
The Prophet of Islam (SAW) calls that
day, the day of light and human dignity.He said :
“Hazrat Al Mahdi (as) will come in a situation that diversity and
degradation among the people is so high that the world will be ruined.
He will come and preserve humanity from damage and corruption. Then God
will enrich peoples hearts with faith and love”. So Al Mahdi (as) is not
a thought of mere sitting and waiting, not a future telling, but he is a
true reality, a special personality who himself expects his appearance.
He lives among the people, watches us and we watch for him, he is with
our sufferings and desires, and he shares our happiness and our
oppressions. His divine life is planned this way, not to make himself
appear and wait with other people for the promised time.
Therefore, expectation for the factual
savior of the world does not mean to sit silent. Especially in the case
of obligations of the religion, i.e, “Jehad” – Holy War in order to set
God’s laws we cannot deprive ourselves from the responsibilities ,
anyway the Muslim’s job is to distinguish the right path from the wrong,
especially in calling the people to:
“Enjoining the good deeds and
prohibiting the evil”.
Just as the Sun hidden behind the clouds provides us with light and
warmth……..,
Imam Mahdi provides us with guidance
even though he is in Ghaybat, (hiding)…..
Expectation does not deprive man from any of his responsibilities and
does not delay any of his actions , as it is mentioned in the following
narration:
“The best action is expectation for
relief and appearance which is a very preferable virtue and is resulted
from high and good faith”
Like wise it is mentioned in the
narration’s that Jesus the Son of Mary (as) will also reappear after the
advent of Al Mahdi (as), he will pray behind the Imam and assist him in
his task. |