The Mahdi as the Saviour from internal oppression

2. The Mahdi as the Saviour from internal oppression

It should be noted that in the first aspect, eschatological hopes for the Mahdi relate to the internal situation of Muslims – that is, he is someone who will deliver them from oppressive rulers who themselves claim to be Muslims, as opposed to confronting Kufr – i.e. non-Muslim political forces. In this respect we can see a link between the jihad of Hussein against Yazid on the one hand, and Mahdist expectation on the other. Hussein went to Karbala to confront illegitimate rule, sacrificing himself in the process. This self-sacrifice was not immediately successful in toppling the tyrannical government, but Mahdist expectation held that a descendant of the Prophet (a sayyid) would be ultimately responsible for overthrowing oppressive regimes.

Every year during the Ashura festival Shia remember the Tragedy at Karbala, mourning both his loss and their failure to aid him. The lamentations at this time involve eschatological expectation, where the promise of Imam ’Ali Ibn al-Husain is of a place in Paradise for the mourner.

Imam ’Ali Ibn al-Husain (A.S.) used to say: Every Mu’min, whose eyes shed tears upon the killing of Husain Ibn ‘Ali (A.S.) and his companions, such that the tears roll down his cheeks, Allah shall accommodate him in the elevated rooms of Paradise.

(Yanaabe’al‑Mawaddah, p. 419).

However, another tradition from Imam Sadiq links the lamentation of Muharram with concern for the issue of illegitimate and oppressive government:

Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said: He whose eyes shed tears for our blood which has been shed, or for our rights which have been usurped, or for the humiliation meted out to us or to one of our Shi’ites, Allah shall accommodate him in paradise for a long time.

(Amali Sheikh al Mufid, p. 175).

It is important to connect this with the tradition from Imam Reza that urges a retrospective identification with the martyrs of Karbala:

Imam Redha (A.S.) said (to one of his companions):

If you desire that for you be the reward equivalent to that of those martyred along with Husain (A.S.), then whenever you remember him say: ‘Oh! Would that I had been with them! A great achievement would I have achieved’.

(Wasaail al‑Shia’h, vol. 14, p. 501).

This should also be linked to the famous saying ‘Every day is Ashura, every land is Karbala’, which was an inspiration to Khomeini and the Islamic Revolution:

‘Everyday is Ashura and every land is Karbala!’ These are great, immortal words, mostly misunderstood and misused. Some think it means lamenting every day, but this isn't so! What was the role of the land of Karbala on the Ashura Day? All lands should be like that! The part of the role of Karbala was this: The Master of the Martyrs accompanied by a few men rose up against the tyranny and oppression of the cruel regime of Yazid, against the emperor of the time, fought him but as their number was too small, they sacrificed themselves and were killed, thus they did not submit to cruelty and this meant a defeat for the oppressor. And, the motto ‘Every day is Ashura’ means that we all must stand and fight oppression every day if it so exists, the command is unlimited in terms of time and location or place. The Karbala event occurred on a site that was limited in dimension and number of challengers - 70 plus persons. But this is symbolic. All lands should perform the role that Karbala did, that is, people must resist oppression whenever and wherever it occurs, and fight it without regard for forces available.[1]

It can be seen that the tradition, as Khomeini interprets it, establishes the universality and permanence of jihad against oppression. This means that Muslims are not meant to be passive until the coming of the Mahdi in resisting tyranny, but rather to prepare for his coming, which will be the ultimate jihad against unjust rule, by themselves engaging in the struggle against tyranny. The Mahdi’s jihad is simply the successful culmination of this struggle. The only major difference in the jihad waged by the Mahdi is that Offensive Jihad remains his unique prerogative (therefore America need not worry about Iranian nuclear ambitions until his coming!); Defensive jihad – namely, resistance to oppression - is mandated by the tradition that everywhere is Karbala, and every day is Ashura.