The Occultation and Appearance

Doctrine of the Mahdi

Many people have narrated from the prophet concerning the reappearance at the end of the time, of the Mahdi who is a descendent of his daughter Fatimah, and how he will spread justice and equity throughout the world, after it has been overcome by injustice and oppression. All sects of Muslims have accepted this good tiding, but with different interpretations.

It is not a new opinion or idea that has come into existence only among the Shi'a, and in which they were prompted to believe by oppression, dreaming of someone who would come to clear the world of injustice, as some malevolent sophists have suggested. On the contrary, the concept of the reappearance of the Mahdi has been well known among all Muslims, and they have believed in it. Proof of this is that some persons falsely called themselves Mahdi during the first century after the advent of Islam; such were the leaders of the Kaysaniyyah;s the `Abbasids and the `Alawiyyah. Only because people believed in the Mahdi could these persons have deceived them, exploited their belief and seized power. So they made their claims in order to impress the people and spread their influence.

We, the Shi'a, on the one hand, believe in the truth of the Islamic religion as the last Divine religion, and have no expectation of another religion to come and reform humanity. But, on the other hand, we observe oppression and corruption spreading day by day throughout the world, resulting in a total lack of justice and improvement anywhere in the inhabitable countries of the globe. We have also witnessed Muslims foresaking every Islamic principle, commandment and law in every single Islamic country. We know that we must wait for the reestablishment of Islam in all its power, to reform this world, drowned as it is in oppression and corruption.

Naturally, with such diversity of opinion among people pretending to be Muslim as we see today, it is impossible that the superiority of Islam should return, unless a great reformer appears to protect it, and, through Divine providence, unite people and eradicate the error, perversion and wrong which has become admixed with Islam. To be sure, this guide must possess such a great position, such general authority and such supernatural power as to fill the earth with justice and equity when it is full of evil, injustice and wrong.

In short, the observation that humanity is in a pitiful condition, the assertion of the truth of Islam, and its position as the last religion leads to the expectation of such a great reformer (mahdi) to bring salvation to the world. All Muslim sects and the peoples of other religions believe in this expectation, the difference being that the Imamate sect believes that this reformer is a definite person, that he is the Mahdi, and that he was born in 256 A.H. (870 A.D.), that he is alive now, the son of Imam Hasan al `Askari, and that his name is Muhammad. Many narrators have passed to us ahadith (pl. of hadith) from the Prophet and his Household concerning his birth and his absence.

The Imamate must continue uninterrupted, although the Imam may live hidden among mankind until Allah wills that he reappear on a certain day, a Divine mystery known only to Him. The fact that he has lived for such a long time is a miracle granted to him by Allah, and it is no more amazing than the miracle of the start of his Imamate for humanity at the age of five, when his father's life was taken away. Nor is it any more surprising than the miracle whereby `Isa talked with people from his cradle, and was appointed a prophet when still an infant. From the physiological point of view, it is quite certain that to live more than the natural span of life, or more than the imagined natural span, is not impossible, even though medical science is not yet able to prolong human life as much as possible. But while medicine is unable to do this, Allah can, for He is All-Powerful and Omnipotent. For the Qur'an states that Nuh lived to a very old age, and that `Isa is alive now, and once one has accepted Islam, there can be no denying what the Qur'an says. It is incomprehensible that a Muslim should dispute the possibility of these things, while at the same time calling himself a believer in the Glorious Qur'an.

We should remember at this point that the expectation of this saviour and reformer, the Mahdi, does not mean that Muslims should stand idle in their religion, or abandon their religious duties, but that they should perform all the Divine commandments and make every endeavour to seek out the way of Truth. It is an obligation for them to fight for Islam, to put the principles of Islam into practice, to order others to do likewise and to prohibit them as far as possible from doing wrong. As the Prophet said:

"Every one of you is a shepherd, and every one is responsible for his flock."

Therefore it is wrong for a Muslim to pay no attention to his religious duties, and to abandon them because he is expecting the Mahdi, the one who brings good tidings; because such an expectation must not induce us to have no responsibility or duty, or to postpone any of our actions, and it will not leave people aimless like animals.

The Expected Mahdi [a] and His Government of Justice

The Holy Prophet [s] said: "Al-Mahdi is of my progeny from the sons of Fatimah [a]."

Sunan-I-Abu Dawud, vol. 4, p. 107

The Holy Prophet [s] said: "Happiness is for the one who will attend the Qaim of my Ahlul Bayt and will follow him before his rise. This person will love his (Qaim's) lovers and hate his enemies, and will accept the leadership of the Imams from before his advent. These ones are my friends, and are the most sincere members of my Ummah whom I honour very much."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 129

The Holy Prophet [s] said: "Allah will raise a man from my progeny, from my Ahlul Bayt, by whom the earth will be filled with justice thoroughly the same as it has been filled with injustice and oppression."

Al-Musannif, vol. 11, p. 371

The Holy Prophet [s] said: "The person who dies and has not known the Imam of his time (Imam Mahdi [a] is that of the present time) has died the same as one who died during the Age of Ignorance."

Musnad-i-Ahmad-ibn-Hanbal, vol. 2, p. 83; vol. 3, p. 446 & vol. 4, p. 96: Sahih-i-Bukhari, vol. 5, p. 13 & Sahih-i-Muslim vol. 6, p. 21, No.1849. In addition to 25 other references introduced by Sunni scholars.

Imam Amir ul Mu'mineen Ali [a] said: "When our Qaim rises, the sky will send down its drops, the earth will grow its plants, enmity will come out from the servants' hearts (in order that they live in peace and brotherly love), and savages and beasts will continue to live together peacefully...."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 316

Abil-Jarud said: "I asked Imam Baqir [a] whether he knew about my love and sincerity for him and he answered he did. Then, I said I had a question for him to answer me, for my eyes were blind and I scarcely walked, so I could not always go to visit him. He wanted me to express my question. I requested him to inform me of the creed by which he and his household adored Allah, Almighty and Glorious, so that I could worship Him, too, by it. He responded:

'You asked a great thing, though you stated a short expression. By Allah, I give you (your answer of) my religion and the religion of my fathers by which we worship Allah, Almighty and Glorious. It is: the confession of faith that there is no god but Allah, that Muhammad [s] is the Messenger of Allah, with affirmation that what has come to him (the Qur'an) is from Allah, having affection (for us and) for the lovers and obedients to us (AhIul Bayt) and hatred to our enemies, surrender to our cause, awaiting our Qaim (the twelveth Imam, for whom there is a domination that will come whenever Allah wills), and endeavouring (for establishing divine obligatories and lawful matters) and being pious, (with avoiding unlawful things)'."

Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 34

Imam Baqir [a] said: "When our Qaim rises, sets his hand (authority) over the heads of the servants, then, he will give them intellectual development and complete their patience and insights. After that, Allah will extend their sights and their hearing so that there will be no barrier between them and the Qaim when he decides to speak with them, then they hear, and they can watch him while he is in his place."

Yaumul Khalas, p. 269

Imam Sadiq [a] said: "At the time of Al-Qaim (Al-Mahdi) [a] a believer who is in the East can see his (Muslim) brother who is in the West, and vice versa, the one who is in the West can see his (Muslim) brother who is the East."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 391

Note:

Dear reader! Surely the existence of the means of communication such as satellites, televisions and the like can be helpful for us to understand this tradition although none of these technological devices existed when these precious words were uttered.

Imam Sadiq [a] said: "He (Al-Mahdi) will stay (in a place close to the Kabah) between the Pillar and the Standing place (of Abraham) and will call out saying: "O' group of my administrators and the prominent people of mine whom Allah has stored preparing for my triumph before my advent over the face of the earth! Come to me obediently." Then, his call will reach them while they are in their praying places and at home in their beds whether in the East of the Earth or in its West. So, they hear him with this single call which reaches the ears of every one, and, they totally respond (by coming to him) as well. Then, it takes for them but a moment that all of them gather there, between the Pillar and the Standing-place (of Abraham), attending him [a]."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 53, p. 7

Imam Sadiq [a] told his sincere companion, Al-Mufaddal, somethings from the story of Al-Mahdi and his advent, thus: "O' Mufaddal! tell our followers the data (about Al-Mahdi) in order that they may not doubt in (their) religion."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 53, p. 6

Imam Mahdi [a] said: I am Al-Mahdi and I am the still-living one who will establish justice throughout the world the same as it has been filled with oppression. Surely the earth will never remain without a witness, and people will not live in lack of a leader. Thus, do not retell this deposite except for your (Muslim) brothers who are Men of God."

Kamal-ud-Din, p. 445

Imam Mahdi [a] said: "But for the incidents that happen (for Muslims), refer to the narrators of our traditions, (i.e. scholars), because they are my witnesses upon you and I am the witness of Allah upon them."

Kamal-ud-Din, p. 484

Imam Al-Mahdi [a] wrote in a letter to Ash-Shaykh Al-Mufid: "We are aware of your circumstances and nothing of your affairs is concealed from us."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 53, p. 175

Imam Mahdi [a] wrote in a letter to Ash-Shaykh Al-Mufid: "We are not regardless of considering you nor are we forgetful of you, because if it were not so, afflictions would shower upon you and enemies would eradicate you. Hence, fear Allah and obey Him, Glory be to His Majesty."

Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 53, p. 175

Supplication

May Allah (s.w.t.) hasten the reappearence of our 12th Imam [a] to establish equality, truth, and justice throughout the world.