The Twelfth Holy Imam (A.S.)
By: Sayyid Muhammad RizviThe twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his appearance) wasborn on the 15th of Sha`ban in the year 255 AH in Samarra. His imamat began atthe age of five when his father died in 260 AH. His name (Muhammad) and hisagnomen (Abu 'l-Q.sim) are the same as that of the Prophet of Islam.His father was the eleventh Shi‘a Imam, Imam Hasan al-`Askari; and his motherwas the great lady ...
Our scholars have identified and written in their books certain things Muslims ought to do during the occultation: to pray for the twelfth Imam; to do charitable works for him; to perform hajj and to appoint someone to do that on his behalf; to seek his help and assistance in times of difficulty, and so on. There is no doubt that all these suggestions are praiseworthy, however the most important obligation mentioned in the sources and that which ...
The promised Mahdi, who is usually mentioned by his title of Imam-i 'Asr (the Imam of the "Period") and Sahib al-Zaman (the Lord of the Age), is the son of the eleventh Imam. His name is the same as that of the Holy Prophet. He was born in Samarrah in 256/868 and until 260/872 when his father was martyred, lived under his father’s care and tutelage. He was hidden from public view and only a few of the elite among the Shi'ah were able to ...
Allah’s mercy is infinite. None else is more gracious than the Almighty to His creatures. Even the vast love of a mother for her child is just a minor ray of endless love which the Creator has for His creatures. When a mother can never see her offspring in any trouble, then how can the immense mercy of Allah see His creatures punished in Hell?The Best CreationAllah created man as his best creation. He made man the most balanced and granted ...
6.) The Gathering of God’s People. When the Holy Spirit first filled Jesus’ followers, they were also enabled to tell the good news about Jesus in many languages. On that day, Jews who lived in almost every foreign country were in Jerusalem to celebrate a festival. With them were many “proselytes:” natives of those countries who wanted to join the people of Abraham. When this crowd heard the good news in their own languages, 3,000 ...
MAHDI (AS) IN DIFFERENT AHADITH
(TRADITIONS)
The Views of Muhyi-ad Din Ibn Arabi on the Infallibility of Imam Mahdi (AS):
Ibn Arabi in his works "Futuhat Al-Makkiya" (The Meccan Revelations) says: "Mahdi (AS), during his time is the sign of Allah for the people of the world. His position is like that of the Prophets' (Peace Be Upon Them) which is sometimes also possible for others to share."
In the Glorious ...
Belial, Antichrist, and Dajjal: Personification of Lawlessness in Abrahamic Eschatology; Signs to the Rightly Guided World
The destiny of mankind in the eschatological philosophy shared by the Abrahamic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam is ordained to travail through apocalyptic tribulations and violent end of one existence to usher in a new one bereft of suffering and immorality adorned by peace and justice. The eschatology ...
The Holders of Authority and Legitimacy in Mahdism Doctrine
In the lights of Mahdism teachings Shia’ Muslims have to fight to the improvement of the world, to bring it closer to that model of perfect society that should bring peace to the world, to prepare the world for the coming of the Mahdi. The awaiting of the Mahdi’s return is an inspiration to the Shia and concretizes as a doctrine of hope making policy more optimistic, ...
Chapter al-Qadr (97) of the Holy Qu’ran is a short chapter containing five verses in which Allah (swt) promises a night during which the angels descend with God’s command. In this paper, we will discuss some aspects of this blessed night and the relationship of these verses to the Imam of our Time (A.S).Chapter al-Qadrإِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا ...
Sunni Documentation on Imam al-Mahdi (AS)
For the Sunni brothers, there are six major collections of traditions based on the Sunni standards for verifying the authenticity of a tradition. These six books are: Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Sahih al-Nisa'i. I just quote few traditions from these six books to prove that a knowledgeable Sunni brother/sister can NOT deny that:
al-Mahdi ...
Al-Hurr Al-Amili narrates seventeen narrations in the thirteenth chapter of the section on Jihad in Wasailul Shi’a (the chapter dedicated to rising up militarily before the reappearance of the Awaited Imam).These narrations may seem to indicate the obligation of remaining silent in the face of atrocities and the oppression of the enemies during the era of occultation and the impermissibility of rising up to establish a just ...
II. From the Individual Faith to the Social Responsibility
After we prove the concept of Mahdiism from the three methods of religious thinking, which forms the individual faith, now we must consider how change the individual faith to social faith. It is important for us to do this, because during the era of the long occultation, we remains fill this period through some good deeds. These are called by Mutahhari as the positive awaiting. ...
The traditions differentiate between hastening (Isti'jal) and praying to Allah to hasten the universal government. The former is prohibited while the latter is commanded. In addition, in a number of verses in the Quran, Allah, the glorious, advices against al-Isti'jal. For instance:Man is a creature of haste. I shall soon show you My signs. So hasten not! (21:37)In the following tradition, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) quotes anther verse of the Quran in ...
This is a Du"a for the protection of the 12th Imam al-Mahdi (as). It is recommended that believers recite it often during the ghaybat of the Imam.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.
O Allah, be, for Your representative,
the Hujjat (proof), son of Al¬Hasan,
Your blessings be on him and his forefathers,
in this hour and in every hour,
a guardian, a protector, a leader,
a ...
The best thing we could do at the time of absence of Imam Mahdi is to wait for him to come to us. In order for that, we need to know what the duties of the people who wait for Imam Mahdi are.
The Duties of Those Who are Waiting for Imam MahdiWe should know that Imam Mahdi loves the Shiites a lot. He loves the Shiites and his lovers more than they love him. Imam Mahdi prays for the Shiites all the time. It is said that he stated, "I never ignore ...
People, having abandoned the absolute principles and fundamental teachings of Islam, merely follow the outward forms of religion and regard those to be sufficient. These are the people who, besides the five daily obligatory prayers, the fasting of Ramadan, and avoidance of external pollution (najasat), know nothing of Islam. Besides, some of them have limited religion to the mosque and, hence, its reality has very little impact upon their ...
Spiritual Dimensions of Mahdism in the Modern Age
Introduction
There are numerous other Ahadith which also detail the coming of Imam Mahdi, and describe the events that will follow his emergence. There is no doubt in the minds of the majority of the Ulema, both Sunni and Shia, regarding the veracity of such Ahadith. However, there is much debate as to when Imam Mahdi will emerge and proclaim his Khilafat. Evidence from Ahadith ...
II. The Days of Allah “We verily sent Moses with Our revelations, saying: Bring thy people forth from darkness unto light. And remind them of the days of Allah. Lo! therein are revelations for each steadfast, thankful (heart).” Quran (14:5) II.1 Minor Resurrection – The promised day of the Mahdi’s reappearance “Wait they for naught else than that Allah should come unto them in the shadows of the clouds with the angels? Then the case ...
The Imams, whose authority is established upon their explicit designation by the Prophet, delegate and entrust a degree of their authority to those who possess specific qualities (such as justice and jurisprudence in the case of the scholar). Therefore, whereas the Imams were specifically appointed as guardians of legitimate authority, the jurists are not explicitly selected by name, but rather implicitly chosen as those who possess the correct ...
A number of traditions have been narrated from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) of Islam and the truthful Imams of Ahle-bayt (a.s.), regarding the uprising of Qaem-al-Mahdi towards the end of this world and his overthrowing the unjust and tyrant rulers and filling the earth with justice and fair play.Hence the unjust Abbasi caliphs were very much afraid of the uprising of Qaem al Mahdi, They utilized their entire resources to finish him. Ten years ...