The
Promised Mahdi (as)
"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
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