The first condition for the people who are waiting for Imam Mahdi is to get to know him. People do not wait for someone unless they know him and are aware of his good features. People wait for those whom they know well. Even if they know that someone is coming and they do not know him, they do not care and they do not wait for him. The same is true about those who are waiting for Imam Mahdi to come. Those who do not know him, like pagans and followers of other religions, never wait for him. But those do, who know him and are aware of his virtues and good characteristics.
Therefore, the first condition for those who are waiting for Imam Mahdi is that they get to know him.
Of course people get to know the value and greatness of Imam Mahdi more, when they get to know him more and this will cause their thirst for seeing him to increase, while people, who are not aware of the value of Imam Mahdi, never feel the passion for meeting him. Therefore, they cannot be considered among those who are truly waiting for the return of Imam Mahdi.
source : tebyan
