An introduction to twelveth Imame Hazrat Mahdi(a.s)

Birth

The Sun of the existence of the twelveth Imam (A.S.) cast its reflection and enlightened and brightened the hearts of the Shias with its light. The Abbasade caliphs and government functionaries had heard that the Imams are twelve people and that the last and final of them is the son of eleventh Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) whose occultation will prolong, and he is the one who will form the world government.

The tyrant rulers were greatly and extremely alarmed and scared and wanted to stop it.

But they were not aware that Pharos with his might and power and with all that barbaric massacre of the children and newly born babies could not stop the God's will to materialize.

He was looking for and searching Musa/Moses [A.S.] from house to house but was bringing up; his wanted one in his own lap.

Motamid, the Abbasade caliph, who was the Pharos of his age, was extremely vigilant and watchful about the Imam's house.

When eleventh Imam (A.S.) was poisoned and taken from the prison to his house, in a feeble condition, he sent five of the courtiers along with him so that they may be vigilant and alert and inform him about any occurrence or incident taking shape at his house.

Then he sent a group of mid wives to the house of eleventh Imam (A.S.) so that they keep an eye upon the wife of Imam (A.S.).

Samarah immersed into disturbance and lamentations upon the martyrdom of eleventh Imam (A.S.).

All the people by closing their places of work moved towards Imam's (A.S.) house.

They carried the corpse upon their hands for the burial ceremonies in a much grand, splendid and magnificent way.

The Abbasade caliph got much harassed and bewildered at such movement of the masses.

He was trying hard to cover up his crime and manifest the martyrdom of Imam (A.S.) as a natural death.

Motamid sent his brother to attend the burial rituals and take evidence, and make people a witness that nobody had killed the Imam (A.S.).

On the other side, he took up the work of distributing the wealth of Imam (A.S.) so as to show that Imam (A.S.) has left over no son who could offer the funeral prayer and be the heir to his property.

But inspite of the entire efforts God's behest took place and the son of Imam (A.S.) was five years old when his father was martyred.

He achieved the station of Imamate in that age, just as the Christ (A.S.) was appointed Prophet while he was in the cradle.

He, in the same age, when they laid the corpse of his father, and his uncle who was not a good man wanted to lead the funeral prayers, pushed his uncle aside and led the prayer assembly himself.

After the prayers he disappeared from the sights.

From the very age of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.), the Shias had seen him in his father's house and had heard the recommendations he did about his son.

After the martyrdom of his father they kept in contact with him for a long time.

Circumstances of Imam's (A.S.) Birth Hakima, the aunt of Imam (A.S.) says, "I had gone to the house of my nephew, on Thursday in the mid of shabaan's month.

When I wanted to say good-bye and ask for permission to leave.

Imam (A.S.) said, "Oh aunty do stay tonight with us because our son will come to the world.

" I was much overjoyed and happy and went to Narjis (mother of Imam-e-Zaman) but I did not find any clue and sign of pregnancy in her.

Astonished and surprised as I was, I said to myself, I do not see any sign of child's birth.

At this moment Imam (A.S.) came to me and said, "Oh aunty don't be sad Narjis is like the mother of Musa (A.S.) and the baby is like Musa (A.S.), who was born secretly and without any signs and symbols.

Go to Narjis she will (bear) bring her child to the world at morning (Azzan time [dawn time]).

I became glad and stayed with Narjis and the way Imam (A.S.) had said the signs of pregnancy appeared before sunrise.

A sphere of light came into existence in between her and myself so that I could not see Narjis any longer.

I got scared and came out of the room and contacted Imam (A.S.) and told him about the matter.

He smiled and said, "Turn back, after a few moments so you will see him.

" I returned to the room and saw that newly born baby was prostrating whereas he had raised his finger towards the sky, calling remembering his God with graciousness, grandeur and oneness and praising Him.

His Mother Narjis's Matter One of the servants of Tenth Imam Hadi (A.S.) "Busher Ansari" narrated in this connection that, one day Imam Hadi (A.S.) called me and said to me, "I want to allocate a job to you, the performing of which will have a great worth for you".

He gave me a letter along with a sack containing two hundred and twenty golden dinnars and said, "Take these and go to Baghdad and wait on the passage and course of river Euphorates as, a ship arrives tomorrow".

There are plenty number of maids on it, which have been brought for sale.

Most of the buyers and purchasers are from the Bani Abbas and a few other youths.

There is a girl on that ship so when they ask her to show herself to the customers she does not do it.

One of the youth comes forward and says to his master "I buy her for two hundred golden dinnars".

But that lady does not agree.

Then his master says, "There is no alternative except your being sold, so you must submit.

" But she replies, "Wait, my purchaser will come".

Then you go ahead give her the letter and say, "If this lady be inclined to the one who sent this letter, I purchase her.

" She becomes glad after reading the letter thus you purchase her from her master and bring her.

" Busher says, I did what Imam had ordered and purchased her form her master.

On the way she narrated to me an amazing and astonishing story and said, "I am the daughter of the king of Rome".

My grandfather was a close one to Christ (A.S.).

My father wanted to get me married to his nephew.

One day, he organized a grand congregation in the palace and made his nephew sit with me upon the throne.

All the Christian dignitaries and chieftain gathered to get me married to him.

All of a sudden the palace shook, which scattered every thing and my cousin, fell down from the throne.

They again organized an assembly but again the same thing reoccurred.

The Christian dignitaries and nobles took it for a bad omen and all of them left the palace.

On the same night, I slept sad and uncomfortable.

I saw in the dream that lightened men came to the palace.

Some were saying one of them was Christ (A.S.) and the other one was the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H.).

The Prophet (P.B.U.H.) of Islam facing the Christ (A.S.) said, "I ask you the hand of this granddaughter of yours for my (grand) son in marriage".

Christ (A.S.) was overjoyed and happy and accepted it (the proposal).

I got up from the bed and did not tell anyone about this matter.

Till such time that one-day, I fell ill and my father summoned the entire physician and made them present near my bed.

But none of them could treat me.

I requested my father to free those Muslims who were in prison.

He agreed to my demand and freed them and I was cured.

On the same night, I again saw lightened women.

They were saying she is the mother of Christ Mary (Marriam [S.A.]) and Fatimah (S.A.) the daughter of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).

Fatimah (S.A.) who came ahead and said to me, "If you are inclined to be the wife of my son you should become a Muslim.

" I embraced and accepted Islam at her hands in the dream.

Then she took me along with her to her son Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.).

His love captured my heart very strongly and thoroughly so I became restless both days and nights till one night, I saw Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) in my dream.

I asked him, "How can I become your wife?" He said, "very soon your father will send an army to fight the Muslims and you will be at the rear of that army.

The Muslims will win the battle and you will be held prisoner and brought in to Baghdad for sale.

The ship stops in the course of Euphorates and they bring you out for sale".

The customers come to purchase you.

But wait, the one who will come to buy you will come along with a letter from my father.

He will buy you and bring you along with him.

I awoke from the dream and was happy and after a certain time, the same thing happened what Imam (A.S.) had said.

Oh Busher! Till this moment no one is aware of this secret, and recognize me.

Beware, do not reproduce this affair, which I narrated to you to anybody, and keep it to yourself.

"Busher" says as she described her story to me I trembled all over and from then onwards I respected her more and accompanied her like a servant.

Then I brought her to my Lord Imam Hadi (A.S.).

He asked her, "How is it that you embraced (adopted) Islam?" She replied, "You are asking me something, about which you know better than myself.

" Then he said, "Good tidings to you regarding a son who will fill the world with justice and legality, the son who is being awaited by all.

" Then he, turning his face towards his sister Hakima said, "Oh Sister! this is the same lady you were waiting for.

Take her along with you and teach her the commands of Islam.

" Hakima hugged her and graciously and honorable took her along.

" Imam's (A.S.) Life Period Imam's (A.S.) life can be divided into three phases.

From birth up to the martyrdom of his father till he was five years of age.

During this period many of the Imams (A.S.) companions and the notables and jurisprudents who came from all over the nooks and corners of the world to see Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.) had met this son of his and had enquired the solution to out numbered problems from him.

Imam (A.S.) had shown them his son and made recommendations to them about him.

The minor occultation (incubation), which started at the age of six years and continued up to 76 years.

During this period, the government officials and agents were deprived of his meeting but the friends and associates did go to see him and ask him the solution to their problems.

During this period there were four persons, who were the special friends of Imam (A.S.) and were the medium between people and the Imam (A.S.).

They carried and delivered the letters and money of the people to Imam and deliver them the answers of Imam.

Four of those include.

i) Usman bin Saeed ii) Mohammad bin Usman iii) Hussain bin Raoh iv) Ali bin Mohammad Sumairi These were out of those friends, who were the object of confidence of Imam (A.S.) and each one of them did perform his deputation and duties one after the other.

The major occultation (incubation) started from 329 Hijrah onwards and is currently running.

He, during this period, which only God know how long it would last, attends the gatherings and congregation of the people and presents himself among them in an unknown guise, without being recognized.

Nobody can recognize him and those who see him they see him as a stranger and when he leaves then they, from the signs and symbols, which they saw, know that he was Imam himself.

Waiting In the age, when Imam is spending his life in the major occultation and does not introduce himself to people jurisprudents who are capable, talented and well equipped in Islamic problems solve the difficulties of people and the Islamic society on behalf of the Imam (A.S.).

They, keeping in view the people's welfare expedient of world and hereafter, provide the grounds for the revolution of the infallible Imam (A.S.).

People in this age, are waiting for him but it does not mean that they may sit idle, immobile and indifferent and stay their hands from endeavor, efforts and paving the way for his (Imam's [A.S.]) arrival.

Instead, the waiting man is a person hopeful, endeavoring, dashing and moving, intelligent and aware, having faith and belief in Imam (A.S.), and finally leveler and pave of the ground for the appearance and advent of Imam (A.S.).

He is exactly like that mountaineer, who is waiting for the conquest of mountain peak and struggles and endeavors to lay hand upon his aim, and gets ready whatever is necessary to reach the peak.

Obviously, having the plan of conquering the peak of success and sitting idle laying hand on hand will not make him reach the aim.

Therefore, waiting gives to the human beings movement, struggle and endeavor, though ideas, invention and discovery.

If this vital principle is finished in the society human beings would become cold and frigid, immobile, hopeless and disappointed and would no more be optimistic about a brilliant future.

The principle of waiting in Islam is a principle un-detachable and un-segregatable from the religion, which gives the happy news of a bright future and the implementation of the total and complete social justice.

Thus he trains himself for the sake of materializing this ideal and aim in such a way that he may be able to fight and combat against the darknesses, antagonist of Mehdi (A.S.) (Islamic antichrist) and Sufians and by virtue of his uninterrupted movement set the atmosphere ready for the formation of single universal government.

So that by the time of the appearance of a Gad made personality all the aims and objective of Islam take their practical shape.

(Insha Allah) Imam's (A.S.) Miracles Although there are a plenty number of the miracles of Imam-e-Zaman but we point out two of them as under: 1) Shiekh Tusi has narrated it from a man named Rashiq, who was the agent of Abbesade caliph "Motazid.

" One day Motazid summoned me and said, "I have learnt that there is a son in the house of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.)".

He escorted me with two of his agents saying, "Go to Samara as soon as possible and get into the house of Imam Askari (A.S.) if you find a young man kill him and bring his head for me.

We swiftly proceeded till we reached Imam's (A.S.) door.

We saw a slave sitting at the door.

We paid no heed to him and entered the house.

We saw a much beautiful house and a room in a corner attracted our attention.

We drew the curtain up, saw a big room full of water and there was a carpet spread over it and a youth was busy offering prayers.

One of the agents entered the room and at once sunk into the water.

We saved him with a great deal of trouble.

He lost his senses.

The other one entered the room he too got sunk into the water.

We dragged him out.

He too lost his senses.

After an hour both of them regain their lost senses.