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15th Sha'ban, 1396
(10) THE GOOD NEWS
There is no doubt that the Holy Qur'an is the book of
Allah, and that all the Muslims of the world accept and
obey its teachings and instructions.
When one opens this Book (Qur'an) and casts a glance at
its verses, one will come to what seems to be a clear
vista of the extraordinary, sensational and exciting
future and end of the universe.
The Holy Qur'an says that the ultimate mission of the
Holy Prophet of Islam is to make this holy religion
prevail over all other religions of the world; and one
day this holy aspiration will finally be fulfilled, as
the Holy Qur'an says:
He it is who has sent His messenger (Muhammad)
with the
guidance and the Religion of Truth, that He may cause
it to
prevail over all religions, however much the
idolaters may be averse. (9;33)
The divine book of the last Messenger of Allah gives
the glad tidings that rule over the earth shall finally
belong to the righteous and virtuous servants of Allah:
The earth is Allah's. He gives it for an
inheritance to who He will.
And lo I the sequel is for those who keep their duty
(unto Him). (7:128)
The earth, which will be full of corruption,
destruction and ignorance like a lifeless body, will be
revived with the glowing light of justice, as referred to
in the Holy Qur'an.
We also read in the Holy Qur'an:
Allah has promised such of you as believe and
do good works that
He will surely make them succeed (the present rulers)
in the earth even
as he caused those who were before them to succeed
(others) and that
He win surely establish for them religion which he
has approved for them,
and will give them in exchange safety after their
fear. They serve Me. They
ascribe no thing as partner unto Me. (24:55)
The Almighty Allah also says:
Fain would they put out the light of Allah with
their mouths, but
Allah will perfect His light however much the
disbelievers are averse. (61-8)
These are some short examples of the divine glad tidings
mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. By studying these matters
and tens of other similar matters, it shall be perceived
that the Islamic message will reach its complete
fulfilment when these holy aspirations and desires have
taken place. All fabricated and superstitious objectives
will disappear and then only Islam, the unique and true
religion, will be the faith of the people in the east and
west of the world. Injustice,. oppression and inequality
shall vanish and instead justice and equality which is
the law of the creation of the world will be established
everywhere. The sovereignty of the divine caliphs (khulafa')
will b e established in all the corners of the world. The
light of the guidance of Allah will shine and the earth
belong to the virtuous ones.
Yes, the Holy Qur'an gives the good news that a day
will come when all Muslims of the world shall wait
enthusiastically for such a time.
Next to the Holy Qur'an, the sayings of the Holy
Prophet and the Honourable Imams are the most important
and worthiest treasure of Islamic learning. For every
Muslim, it is obligatory and essential to follow and obey
the sayings of the Holy Prophet and the Holy Imams since
obeying their commands is particularly and clearly
mentioned in the Book of Allah.
In the sea of jewels of Islamic traditions, glad
tidings on the Government of Justice can be seen.
Moreover, special mention has been made regarding the
"Divine Revolution" and the divine leader who
will fulfil this holy aspiration.
The Holy Prophet of Islam said:
"Even when the entire duration of the world's
existence has already been exhausted, and one solitary
day is left to embrace the eve of Doomsday, Allah will
expand that day and make it swell to such a length of
time as to accommodate the ultimate reign of a person out
of my holy progeny who will be called by my name and my
agnomen ('Abu 'l-Qasim). He will then make the earth
abound with peace and justice as it will have been
fraught with injustice and tyranny before him."
The context of this precious tradition reveals a
definite good news more than anything else. and informs
the people of the Government of Justice, Achievement and
Divine Promises as mentioned in most of the Shi'ite and
Sunnite sources.
In another tradition, the Holy Prophet told Amir al-
mu'minin 'Ali (a.s.), saying:
"There will be twelve Guides (aimmah)
after me, the first of whom is you, O' 'Ali, and the last
one will be the , Support , (al-Qa'm), who with
Almighty Allah's grace, will gain victory over the whole
of the east and west of the world."
The Purified Imams reminded people in several
traditions of the significance of the Divine Promise and
Government of the Twelfth Imam, and told them that
waiting for the Great Saviour is the most valuable deed,
and that his followers and devotees are the best and the
beloved people.
It will suffice here to quote, as an example, a few of
these traditions:
1) When Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (a.s.) held the seat of
the caliphate, he fought the hypocritical Mu'awiyah, who,
with the assistance of his cunning minister, gradually
deceived the companions of Imam Hasan (a.s.), who thus
deserted and left the Imam alone. Hence, he was compelled
to make a peace treaty with Mu'awiyah in which he
(Mu'awiyah) was obliged to comply with some duties and to
refrain from appointing a successor and fighting. On some
occasions, the Imam took the opportunity to point out to
the people Mu'awiyah's errors and unjust acts. Meanwhile,
some of ignorant people started criticizing the Imam as
to why he had accepted the peace treaty Imam Hasan (a.s.)
clarified for the people the meaning of the Imam and the
leader, and the necessity of obeying every command of the
Imam without asking why and wherefore. Then he explained
to them about the Government of the Twelfth Imam, saying:
"Don't you know that every one of us (Imams) has
the responsibility of taking allegiance from the
oppressors of his time, except the 'Support' (al-
Qa'im) behind whom the Spirit of Allah (Jesus) will
pray, and Almighty Allah will keep secret his birth from
some people and will conceal his person from their
sights. When he appears he will not be responsible for
taking allegiance from anyone. He is the ninth descendant
of my brother Husayn, the son of the captive princess.
Almighty Allah will prolong his age during his
occultation, and by His Perfect Power, he will appear as
a young man of less than forty years so that all people
will know that Allah truly has power over all
things."
2. Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (a.s.) in reply to a question
from one of his followers about his successors, said:
"The Imam succeeding me is my son Musa, and the
Awaited Imam is Muhammad ibn Hasan ibn 'Ali ibn Muhammad
ibn 'Ali ibn Musa."
The same Imam is quoted as having said repeatedly
that:
"Every group of people is waiting for a
government, and we are waiting for our Government to be
established at the End of Time."
3) The Seventh Holy Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) in a
reply to one of his companions who asked him whether he
was "al- Qa'im bi 'l-Haqq" (he who is
supported by the Truth), said:
"I am al-Qa'im bi'l-Haqq, but that 'al-Qa'im'
who will remove Allah's enemies from the earth and will
fill it with justice and equity is my fifth descendant.
Since he will fear for his own life, he will be in
occultation for a long time during which a group of
people will apostate, but there will also be a group who
will be firm in their belief."
He added:
"Blessed are our followers (the Shi'ites) who,
during the time of the occultation (ghaybah) of
the Imam of the Age, identify themselves with our
Authority (wilayah) and keep away from our
enemies. They belong to us and we belong to them. They
have accepted our leadership and we are pleased with
their adherence Therefore, blessed are they. I swear to
Allah that they will be with us in our rank in
Paradise."
4) Finally, the Eleventh Imam Hasan al-'Askari (a.s.)
said:
"I see that after me differences will appear
among you concerning the Imam after me. Whoever accepts
the Imams after the Prophet of Allah but denies my son is
like a person who accepts all the prophets but denies the
prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.), the Prophet of Allah.
And whoever denies (Muhammad) the Prophet of Allah is
like one who has denied all the prophets of Allah, for to
obey the last of us is like obeying the first and to deny
the last of us is like denying the first But beware I .
Verily, for my son there will be an occultation during
which all people will fall into doubt except those whom
Allah protects."
The available traditions from the Holy Prophet and the
infallible Imams are so many in number as to make us
well-informed on this important principle of faith. One
can say that the most important, and the highest recorded
number, of traditions is on the subject of Imamology (Imamate)
in the Shi'ite books of traditions.
The subject of the leadership of the Twelfth Imam, his
Government, and other related matters, comes next to the
subject of the successorship of Imam Ali, Amir
al-mu'minin ( a.s ) There are hundreds of these
traditions recorded both in the Shi'ite and Sunnite
books. A large number of religious scholars from all
Islamic sects have independently compiled books on this
The years of Imams', Islamic leadership passed one
after another along with tyranny of the rulers
contemporary with them, till the leadership of Imam Hasan
al-Askari (a.s.) came. This Holy Imam lived in a
difficult circumstances, appearing less frequently in the
public gatherings. His beloved son who is the last Divine
Proof, was hidden from ,the sight of strangers till the
year 260 A. H., when the rays of his being set while the
eyes of all people were fixed at the door of Imam
al-Mahdi (a.s.).
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