Imam Al-Mahdi (a.j)

Name: Muhammad.
Title: al-Mahdi, al-Qa'im, al-Hujjah, al-Gha'ib, Sahibu'z-Zaman, Sahibu
'l-Amr.
Agnomen: Abu'l-Qasim.
Father's name: al-Hasan al-'Askari.
Mother's name: Nargis.
Birth: In Samarra', on Friday, 15th Sha'ban 255 AH.
He is still living and will appear before the end of the world. Minor
Occultation: 8th Rabi 'u 'I-awwal 260 AH. Major Occultation: 10th Shawwal
329 AH.

There Existed a good deal of harmony and uniformity between the aspects
pertaining to the births of Prophet Muhammad, the last Apostle of Allah and
Imam al-Mahdi, the last Apostolic Imam. Just as the coming of the Holy
Prophet was prophesied well in advance by the preceding prophets, similarly
the impending news of the gracious birth of Imam al-Mahdi was foretold by
the Holy Prophet. Innumerable traditions in this context, quoted right from
the Holy Prophet, from the glowing contents of many books of Masanid, Sihah
and Akhbar, and of Shi'ite scholars ('ulama') existed Many Sunni scholars
have accumulated these traditions in complete volumes also, e.g.: al-Bayan
fi akhbar Sihibi'z-Zaman by al-Hafiz Muhammad ibn Yusuf ash-Shafi'i and
Dhikriyyatu'l- Mahdi by al-Hafiz Abu Nu'aym al-Isfahani as well as as-Sahih
of Abu Dawud and as-Sunan of Ibn Majah.

All of the above books record the traditions bearing evidence of the coming
of this Holy Imam. The promised Mahdi, who is usually mentioned by his title
of Imamu'l-'Asr (the Imam of the Period) and Sahibu 'z-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 Samarra' in 255/869 and until 260/874 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 meet him. After the martyrdom of his father he became Imam and by
Divine Command went into occultation (ghaybah). Thereafter, he appeared only
to his deputies (na'ib) and even then only in exceptional circumstances.
The Imam chose as a special deputy for a time 'Uthman ibn Sa'id al-'Amri,
one of the companions of his father and grandfather who was his confident
and trusted friend. Through his deputy the Imam would answer the demands and
questions of the Shi'ah. After 'Uthman ibn Sa'id, his son Mutammad ibn
'Uthman al-'Amri was appointed the deputy of the Imam. After the death of
Muhammad ibn 'Uthman, Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ruh an-Nawbakhti was the
special deputy, and after his death 'Ali ibn Muhammad as-Samuri was chosen
for this task. A few days before the death of 'Al; ibn Muhammad as-Samuri in
329/939 an order was issued by the Imam stating that in six days 'Ali ibn
Muhammad as-Samuri would die. Henceforth the special deputation of the Imam
would come to an end and the major occultation (ghaybatu 'l-kubrd ) would
begin and would continue until the day God grants permission to the Imam to
manifest himself.

The occultation of the Twelfth Imam is, therefore, divided into two parts:
the first, the minor occultation (ghaybatu's-sughra) which began in 260/872
and ended in 329/939, lasting about seventy years; the second, the major
occultation which commenced in 329/939 and will continue as long as God
wills it. In a hadith upon whose authenticity everyone agrees, the Holy
Prophet has said, "If there were to remain in the life of the world but one
day, God would prolong that day until He sends in it a man from my community
and my household. His name will be the same as my name. He will fill the
earth with equity and justice as it was filled with oppression and tyranny."
On the Appearance of the Mahdi: In the discussion on prophecy and the
Imamate it was indicated that as a result of the law of general guidance
which governs all of creation, man is of necessity endowed with the power of
receiving revelation through prophecy, which directs him toward the
perfection of the human norm and the well-being of the human species.

Obviously, if this perfection and happiness were not possible for man, whose
life possesses a social aspect, the very fact that he is endowed with this
power would be meaningless and futile. But there is no futility in creation.
In other words, ever since he has inhabited the earth, man has had the wish
to lead a social life filled with happiness in its true sense and has
striven toward this end. If such a wish were not to have an objective
existence it would never have been imprinted upon man's inner nature, in the
same way that if there were no food there would have been no hunger. Or, if
there were to be no water there would be no thirst and if there were to be
no reproduction there would have been no sexual attraction between the
sexes. Therefore, by reason of inner necessity and determination, the future
will see a day when human society will be replete with justice and when all
will live in peace and tranquillity, when human beings will be fully
possessed of virtue and perfection. The establishment of such a condition
will occur through human hands but with Divine succour. And the leader of
such a society, who will be the saviour of man, is called in the language of
the hadith, the Mahdi .
In the different religions that govern the world such as Hinduism, Buddhism,
Judaism, Christianity, Zoroastrian-ism and Islam there are references to a
person who will come as the saviour of mankind. These religions have usually
given happy tidings of his coming, although there are naturally certain
differences in detail that can be discerned when these teachings are
compared carefully. The hadith of the Holy Prophet upon which all Muslims
agree, "The Mahdi is of my progeny," refers to this same truth. There are
numerous hadiths cited in Sunni and Shi'ite sources from the Holy Prophet
and the Imams concerning the appearance of the Mahdi, such as that he is of
the progeny of the Prophet and that his appearance will enable human society
to reach true perfection and the full realization of spiritual life. In
addition, there are numerous other traditions concerning the fact that the
Mahdi is the son of the Eleventh Imam, Hasan al-'Askari.
They agree that after being born and undergoing a long occultation the Mahdi
will appear again, filling with justice the world that has been corrupted by
injustice and iniquity. As an example, 'Ali ibn Musa ar-Rida (the Eighth
Imam) said, in the course of a hadith, "The Imam after me is my son,
Muhammad, and after him his son 'Ali, and after 'Ali his son, Hasan, and
after Hasan his son Hujjatu'l- Qa'im, who is awaited during his occultation
and obeyed during his manifestation. If there remain from the life of the
world but a single day, Allah will extend that day until he becomes
manifest, and fill the world with justice in the same way that it had been
filled with iniquity. But when? As for news of the 'hour,' verily my father
told me, having heard it from his father who heard it from his father who
heard it from his ancestors who heard it from 'Ali, that it was asked of the
Holy Prophet, 'Oh Prophet of God, when will the "support" (al-Qa'im) who is
from thy family appear? ' He said, 'His case is like that of the Hour (of
the Resurrection).

He alone will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and
the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares (7:187)
Saqr ibn Abi Dulaf said, "I heard from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn 'Ali ar-Rida
(the Ninth Imam) who said, 'The Imam after me is my son, 'Ali; his command
is my command; his word is my word; to obey him is to obey me. The Imam
after him is his son, Hasan. His command is the command of his father; his
word is the word of his father; to obey him is to obey his father.' After
these words the Imam remained silent.' I said to him, 'Oh son of the
Prophet, who will be the Imam after Hasan?' The Imam cried hard, then said,
'Verily after Hasan his son is the awaited Imam who is "al-Qa'im bi'l-haqq"
(He who is supported by the Truth)."

Musa ibn Ja'far Baghdadi said, "I heard from Imam Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn
'Ali (the Eleventh Imam) who said, I see that after me differences will
appear among you concerning the Imam after me. Whose accepts the Imams after
the Prophet of God but denies my son is like the person who accepts all the
prophets but denies the prophethood of Muhammad, the Prophet of God, upon
whom be peace and blessing. And whose denies (Muhammad) the Prophet of God
is like one who has denied all the prophets of God, for to obey the last of
us is like obeying the first and to deny the last of us is like denying the
first. But beware! Verily, for my son there is an occultation during which
all people will fall into doubt except those whom Allah protects."
The opponents of Shi'ism protest that according to the beliefs of this
school the Hidden Imam should by now be nearly twelve centuries old,
whereas, this is impossible for any human being. In answer it must be said
that the protest is based only on the unlikelihood of such an occurrences
not its impossibility. Of course, such a long lifetime or a life of a longer
period is unlikely. But those who study the hadiths of the Holy Prophet and
the Imams will see that they refer to this life as one possessing miraculous
qualities. Miracles are certainly not impossible nor can they be negated
through scientific arguments. It can never be proved that the causes and
agents that are functioning in the world are solely those that we see and
know and that other causes which we do not know or whose effects and actions
we have not seen nor understood do not exist. It is in this way possible
that in one or several members of makind there can be operating certain
causes and agents which bestow upon them a very long life of a thousand or
several thousand years. Medicine has not even lost hope of discovering a way
to achieve very long life spans. In any case, such protests from "Peoples of
the Book" such as Jews, Christians and Muslims are most strange for they
accept the miracles of the prophets of God according to their own sacred
scriptures.

The opponents of Shi'ism also protest that, although Shi'ism considers the
Imam necessary in order to expound the injunctions and verities of religion
and to guide the people, the occultation of the Imam is the negation of this
very purpose, for an Imam in occultation who cannot be reached by mankind
cannot be in any way beneficial or effective. The opponents say that if God
wills to bring forth an Imam to reform mankind, He is able to create him at
the necessary moment and does not need to create him thousands of years
earlier.

In answer it must be said that such people have not really understood the
meaning of the Imam, for in the discussion on the Imamate it became clear
that the duty of the Imam is not only the formal explanation of the
religious sciences and exoteric guidance of the people. In the same way that
he has the duty of guiding men outwardly, the Imam also bears the function
of walayah and the esoteric guidance of men. It is he who directs man's
spiritual life and orients the inner aspect of human action toward God.
Clearly, his physical presence or absence has no effect in this matter. The
Imam watches over men inwardly and is in communion with the soul and spirit
of men even if he be hidden from their physical eyes. I{is existence is
always necessary even if the time has not as yet arrived for his outward
appearance and the universal reconstruction that he is to bring about.

al-Imam al-Hujjah, peace be Upon him, said:
Rest assured that no one has a special relation- ship with Allah. Whoever
denies me is not my (follower). The appearance of the Relief (al-faraj)
depends solely upon Allah; therefore, those who propose a certain time for
it are liars. As to the benefit of my existence in Occultation, it is like
the benefit of the sun behind clouds where the eyes do not see. Indeed, my
existence is an amnesty for the people of the earth.-Pray much to Allah to
hasten the Relief, for therein also lies the release from your sufferings.
(A Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles, p. 159-166)
* * *

The Twelfth Imam Hazrat Mahdi (A.S.)

The Imam, the just Guide, Hazrat Mahdi (A.S.) was born half-way through the
month of Sha'ban in the year 255 A.H. in the town of Samarra, and in 260
A.H., when his great father died, he reached the exalted position of the
Imamate. His name (Muhammad) and his agnomen (Abu'l-Qasim) are the same as
the Prophet's. His father, the 11th Shi'a Imam, was Hazrat Imam Hasan
al-'Askari (A.S.), and his mother, the great lady Nargis. For various
reasons, the twelfth Imam, from the first day of his life, did not appear
publicly, and for about seventy years people were in communication with him
through the intermediary of his special representatives, in order of
succession: 'Uthman ibn Sa'id, Muhammad ibn 'Uthman, Husayn ibn Ruh, and
'Ali ibn Muhammad as-Samarri. This period of seventy years is known as the
minor occultation (al-ghaybat as-sughra), and at the end of that period the
major occultation (al-ghaybat al-kubra) began. During the major occultation
till the time of his reappearance, no one has been his special
representative, and there will be no one in the future, and the people have
the duty to refer to the fuqaha, those excelling in knowledge of the
shari'ah, and the narration of hadith who are specialised in the matters of
the religion.
* * *

Belief in Hazrat Mahdi, and Universal Reform.

The belief in the reappearance of the expected Mahdi (A.S.)the universal
reformer is not confined to the Shi'ite Muslims. Other Islamic groups and
even non-Islamic groups like the Jews and the Christians and some of the
great world intellectual figures believe in the appearance of a great
spiritual reformer. In Psalm 37 is written: "...Trust in the Lord and do
good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. ...For the wicked
shall be cut off: but those who wait for the Lord shall possess the land.
...But the weak shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant
prosperity. ...The Lord knows the days of the flawless, and their heritage
will abide forever. ...For those blessed by the Lord, shall possess the
land, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off. ...The righteous shall
possess the land, and dwell upon it at peace for ever..."
* * *

The Qur'an and belief in al-Mahdi

In the Qur'an a time is promised when the worshippers of Truth, the world's
people of righteousness, will take over the power and government of the
world, and the glorious din of Islam will reign all over the earth. Other
ayahs have been revealed which exegetically point to Hazrat Mahdi (A.S.).
"For We have written in the Psalms, after the Remembrance, 'The earth shall
be the inheritance of My righteous servants." (XXI; 105)
"Allah has promised those of you who believe and do righteous deeds that He
will surely make you successors in the land, even as He made those who were
before them successors, and that He will surely establish their religion for
them, and will give them in exchange, after their fear, security: They shall
serve Me, not associating with Me anything. " (XXIV:55)
"It is He Who has sent His Messenger with the religion of truth, that he may
lift it above every religion, though the unbelievers be averse. (LXI:9)
"Yet We desired to be gracious to those that were abased in the land, and to
make them leaders, and to make them the inheritors. " (XXII:5)
The above ayahs clearly show that in the end the world will fall to the
hands of Allah's worthy and righteous servants and that they will become the
leaders of the people of the world. Then Islam will be victorious over all
religions.
* * *

Belief in al-Mahdi and the Sunni authorities

In this subject, the scholars in the Sunni school have related many hadiths
from the Prophet of Islam, through narrators whom they themselves trust.
From among them are such hadiths as tell that the Imams are twelve persons
and that are all from the Quraysh. Al-Mahdi(A.S.), the promised one, is from
the family of the Prophet and is a descendent of Hazrat 'Ali and Hazrat
Fatimah Zahra (A.S.), and in many of these hadiths it is mentioned that he
is from the line of Imam Husayn (A.S.). They have mentioned and recorded
hundreds of hadiths about the Mahdi in more than seventy books by their
valued and dependable authorities of which we shall mention a few examples.
al-Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 241 A.H.) Sahih of al-Bukhari (d. 256
A.H.) Sahih of Muslim ibn Hajjaj Nishabouri (d. 261 A.H.) Sunan of Abu Dawud
Sajistani (d. 275 A.H.) Sahih of Muhammad ibn 'Isa at-Tirmidhi (d. 279 A.H.)
The authors of the above books - each one of them among the most
authoritative books of the Sunnis - died either before the birth of the Imam
of the Age (225 A.H.) or shortly after his birth. Let us also mention: -
Masabih as-Sunnah of al-Baghawi (d. 516 A.H.) Jami' al-Usul of ibn al-Athir
(d. 606 A H.) Al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah of Muhyi'd-din ibn 'Arabi (d.638 A.H.)
Tadhkirat al-Khawass of Sibt ibn al-Jawzi (d. 654 A.H.) Fara'd as-Simtayn of
al-Hamawi (d. 716 A.H.) as-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah of Ibn Hajar al-Haytami (d.
973 A.H.) Yanabi'al-Mawaddah of Shaykh Sulayman al-Qunduzi (d.1293 A.H.)
Some of the Sunni scholars have written books especially about the Imam of
the Age:
1. Al-Bayan fi Akhbar Sahib az-Zaman of Al-Ganji ash-Shafi'i 2. 'Iqd
ad-Durar fi Akhbar al-Imam al-Muntazar of Shaykh Jamalu'd-din Yusuf
al-Dimashqi 3. Mahdi Al ar-Rasul of 'Ali ibn Sultan Muhammad al-Harawi
al-Hanafi 4. Kitab al-Mahdi of Abu Dawud 5. 'Alamat al-Mahdi of Jalalu'd-din
as-Suyuti 6. Manaqib al-Mahdi of Hafiz Abu Nu'aim al-lsfahani 7. Al -Qawl al
-Mukhtasar fi 'Alamat al -Mahdi 8. al-Muntazar of Ibn Hajar 8. Al-Burhan fi
'Alamat Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman of Mulla 'Ali al-Muttaqi 9. Arba'un Hadith fi
al-Mahdi of Abu'l-A' la'al-Hamadani
* * *

The Hidden Reformer

We have at hand more than three thousand hadiths from the Prophet (S.A.) and
from the pure Imams about the Imam of the Age. From them it is clear that
the Imam of the Age is the ninth son of Husayn ibn 'Ali (A.S.), his father
is Hazrat Imam Hasan 'Askari (A.S.), his mother Nargis Khatun. His name is
the same as that of the Prophet of the end of time, his title is al-Mahdi.
It was to happen that he would be born during his father's lifetime in
Samarra, that his father would die when he was young, that he would live
even to this day, and as long as God wished it. Then he will reappear and
the world will be filled with justice at a time when there is injustice
everywhere and that is why he is now hidden from the sight of men. And when
he comes with his back towards the Ka'bah's edifice, he will lean against
the wall and cry out and call for his followers, who will number 313
persons. Hazrat 'Isa (A.S.) will come from the heaven down to the earth, and
will pray in a prayer led by al-Mahdi. The Imam of the Age will cause the
commands of Islam to reach all over the world, and the earth will be like
paradise.
There are very many hadiths related by the Shi'a and Sunni scholars on many
aspects connected with this great Imam, and these are mentioned in books
like Bihar al-Anwar and Muntakhab al-Athar. First we shall indicate here
some of these hadiths which the author of Muntakhab al-Athar wrote down in
his book and then we shall give the text of some of them. The total amount
of hadiths

1. A hadith in which it is related that the Imams are twelve, the first
being 'Ali, the last being al-Mahdi (A.S.) (No. of hadith: 58)

2. A hadith which give news of the appearance of al-Mahdi(A.S.). (No. of
hadith: 657)

3. A hadith which identify him as descendent of the Prophet (S.A.). (No. of
hadith: 389)

4. A hadith which say that his name and agnomen are the same as the
Prophet's. (No. of hadith: 48)

5. A hadith which say al-Mahdi is a descendent of Amir al-Muminin(A.S.).
(No. of hadith: 214)

6. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Hazrat Fatimah (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 192)

7. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Hazrat Husayn (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 185)

8. A hadith which say he is the ninth descendent of Imam Husayn (A.S.) (No.
of hadith: 148)

9. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Zayn al-'Abidin (A.S.) (No.
of hadith: 185)

10. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Baqir (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 103)

11. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (AS.) (No.
of hadith: 103)

12. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Musa Kazim (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 101)

13. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Rida (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 95)

14. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Jawad (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 90)

15. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Hadi (A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 90)

16. A hadith which say he is a descendent of Imam Hasan al-'Askari (A.S.)
(No. of hadith: 146)

17. A hadith which say that the name of his father is Hasan(A.S.) (No. of
hadith: 147)

18. A hadith which say that he will fill the world with justice (No. of
hadith: 123)

19. A hadith which say his occultation will be prolonged (No. of hadith: 91)

20. A hadith which relate the extent of al-Mahdi's life (No. of hadith: 318)

21. A hadith which say that Islam will rule over the world through him (No.
of hadith: 47)

22. A hadith which say he will be the twelfth and the last Imam. (No. of
hadith: 136)

When looking at the above mentioned and other hadiths, it should be kept in
mind that the hadiths mentioning al-Mahdi (A.S.) have been narrated most
frequently, and that there are few subjects in Islam which have been
mentioned in hadiths so often. Thus, in this light, anyone who believes in
Islam and its Prophet (S.A.) must necessarily declare his belief in the
existence of the promised al-Mahdi who is now in occultation. Now we shall
relate some of these hadiths.

1. The author of Yanabi' al-Mawaddah relates that the Prophet (S.A.) said:
"A1-Mahdi is a descendent of mine. He will be in concealment, and when he
manifests himself, the earth will become filled with justice, just as it was
previously filled with injustice."

2. In this book it is also related that Salman al-Farsi said: "I went to the
Prophet, when Husayn ibn 'Ali was sitting in his lap and the Prophet was
kissing his eyes and mouth, and he said: 'You are a noble one, the son of a
noble one, and the brother of a noble one; you are the Imam, the son of the
Imam, and the brother of the Imam. Your are the Proof, son of the Proof and
the brother of the Proof; you will be the father of nine Proofs of whom the
ninth will be the Qa'im."

3. Ibn Abi Dalaf says: "I heard from Hazrat 'Ali ibn Muhammad (the 10th
Imam) that he said: 'The Imam after me will be Hasan, my son, and after him
his descendent the Qa'im, who will fill the earth with justice, when it was
previously filled with injustice.

4. Hudhayfah said that the Prophet (S.A.) said: "If no more than one day is
left of the world, Allah will make that day so long that a man, descendent
of mine, whose name is my name, will appear." Salman asked: "O Prophet of
Allah, which descendent will he be?" The Prophet put his hand on Husayn and
said that he would be one of his descendents.

5. Mas'adah relates from Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said: "The
Qa'im will be born of Hasan (the 11th Imam, Hazrat Imam Hasan al-'Askari),
and Hasan will be son of 'Ali (the tenth Imam, Hazrat Imam 'Ali al-Naqi),
and 'Ali will be son of Muhammad (the ninth Imam, Hazrat Imam Muhammad
at-Taqi), and Muhammad will be born of 'Ali (the eighth Imam, Hazrat 'Ali
ibn Musa ar-Rida) and 'Ali will be son of this child (he pointed to Hazrat
Musa ibn Ja'far, the seventh Imam). We are twelve Imams, all pure and of a
noble birth. I swear by Allah, if there remains of the world no more than
one day, Allah will make that day so long that the Qa'im of us, the Husehold
of the Prophet (S.A.), will appear."
* * *

The Opinion of Sociologists
The world's foremost intellectuals are of the opinion that the wars,
massacres, murders, prostitution, and all the evils of this age which are
daily in the increase are because there is no equilibrium between man's
material and spiritual requirements. The man of today has turned his back on
moral virtues and spiritual riches, although he has conquered the sea, the
desert and space, and has taken himself to the moon. It is obvious that by
relying in force and power he cannot establish order and justice in the
world, and that only with technology and the material sciences the happiness
of humanity will not be secured. Man has no other resort than to strengthen
his social relations on the basis of faith and virtue, and to save himself
from the vortex of dangers with the guidance of a great world reformer, to
establish a rule based on justice together with peace, security and
sincerity. In this state of affairs, human society is moving quickly towards
preparation for the rising up of the Imam of the Age (A.S.)
* * *

The Length of al-Mahdi's Life
We believe that the lengthening of a man's life is not an impossibility,
because it is explicitly said in the Qur'an that:

"We sent Nuh to his people, as he tarried among them a thousand years, all
but fifty. " (XXIX; 14)
What is more, research undertaken in the biological sciences has
corroborated the possibility of lengthening the human life-span. Even great
scientists are of the opinion that food and drugs may be prepared which can
prolong man's life. The late Ayatullah Sadr (A learned scholar of Qom
(1882-1953), father of the well-known Imam Musa-Sadr of the Lebanon.) in his
book "al-Mahdi", quoted from a scientific article written in 1959 which
stands as a witness to what we have said above. Here we shall give a summary
of it. "Authoritative scientists say that all the basic tissues of the
animal body can live forever, and it is possible for man to live for a
thousand years, provided that it doesn't happen that the thread of his life
is severed.
These scientists do not speak on the basis of guesswork or surmise, for they
have arrived at their conclusion through scientific experiment. "A professor
at Johns Hopkins University has said that it has been proved that the basic
members of the human body have the potentiality for eternal life. Apparently
the first person to carry out these experiments on parts of an animal's body
was Dr. Jack Lubb, and after him Dr. Warren Lewis, who, together with his
wife, proved that parts of bird foetuses could be kept alive in buffer
solutions. These experiments were systematically continued until Dr. Alexis
Karel, as a result of further experimental work, established that parts of
animals subjected to experiments did not degenerate, and even that they
lived longer than the animal from which they had been taken. In January 1912
he started his experiments and by dint of self-sacrifice and removing the
numerous difficulties, he discovered the following facts: "
1. Unless complications such as lack of nutrition or attack by microbes
intervened, living cells would continue living forever. 2. These cells which
continued to live, also grew and multiplied. 3. The growth and division of
these could be controlled by the nutrition given to them. 4. The passing of
time did not affect them and did not make them age or lose strength. Not
even the smallest effect of ageing was seen. Each year they grew and
multiplied exactly as in previous years. So why does man die? Why is his
span of life rarely more than a hundred years? The parts of the human or
animal body are numerous and various, and there is also a perfect
relationship and unity between them; so that the life of some of them
depends on the life of others, and the failure or death of parts of human or
animal bodies is the consequence of the death of the other parts. Sudden
deaths which are the result of infection are for this reason, and it also
provides the reason for the average limit of man's life being around seventy
to eighty years.

Of course, what experiments have shown is that the cause of death is not the
arrival at seventy or eighty years of age, but that the fundamental causes
are diseases and accidents which may attack one of the body's organs and put
it out of work; then the death of this part causes a break in its relation
to other parts and the death of all the organs ensues. "Thus if science
could eliminate these accidents or obstruct their harmful effects, there
would be no impediment to the prolongation of life." So if we know that a
greatly extended life is not an impossibility, there is no hindrance to
prevent God, the All-powerful, from keeping a man safe and sound for
thousands of years, because the regulations of a man's life is in the hands
of God. He can bring a new harmony into existence which has precedence over
the usual order of things, just as He did in the case of all the miracles.
The miracles of the prophets, the cooling of the fire for Ibrahim al-Khalil,
the turning into a serpent of Hazrat Musa's staff, the bringing to life of
the dead through Hazrat 'Isa, and so forth, are all against the usual flow
of things, but God brought another order into existence by His own power and
a miracle occurred; all Muslims, Jews and Christians, believe in miracles.
Similarly for the length of the life of the Imam of the Age there remains no
place for any kind of objection, because if someone says that such a length
of life is impossible, his claim cannot be at all accepted after the
stipulation of the Qur'an concerning the length of Hazrat Nuh's life, and
also after the latest revelations of biology. If it is said that it is
possible, but against the normal natural order of things, it can be retorted
that the length of life of the Imam of the Age is against the natural order
just as the miracles of the prophets, and is carried out according to the
will of God. Someone who believes in the power of God and the occurrance of
the miracles of the prophets cannot have the slightest objection to the
length of the Imam's life.
* * *

The Occultation of the Imam of the Age

The Prophet of Islam (S.A.) sometimes hinted to people concerning the
occultation of the twelfth Imam, and the pure Imams (A.S.) also reminded
people of this matter. The news of the occultation of the Imam of the Age
was so well known even before his birth, that everyone who believed in the
birth of the Imam also believed in his prolonged occultation. Let us look at
some of the indications that have come down to us from many hadiths on this
subject. 1. The Prophet said: "The Qa'im of my descendents will become
hidden, as the result of a covenant between me and him, and then people will
say that Allah has no need of the family of Muhammad, and some will doubt
his birth. So everyone who is aware of his time must act according to his
religion, and must not let Shaytan enter him by faltering lest he be thrown
out from my people and my religion." 2. Amir al-Mu'minin said: "Our Qa'im
has an occultation which will be of great devotion...
Beware! Everyone who is firm in his religion, and does not become
hard-hearted from the lengthening of the occultation of this man (and turn
away from his religion) will find himself in the same rank as me on the Day
of Resurrection." Then he said: "Our Qa'im, when he rises, has no
responsibility for anyone's allegiance to him, and for this reason his birth
will be secret and he will be hidden." 3. Muhammad ibn Muslim said that he
heard from Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said: "If you hear of the
occultation of your Imam, do not deny it." 4. At-Tabarsi wrote: "The hadiths
of the occultation were recorded by the Shi'ite narrators in books which
were composed in the time of Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq (A.S.). Of all these
reliable narrators one was Hasan ibn Mahbub. About a hundred years before
the time of the occultation, he wrote a book called "al-Mashyakhah," and
mentioned the hadiths about the occultation in it.
The following is one of them. "Abu Basir said: "I said in the presence of
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) that Hazrat Abu Ja'far had said: 'The Qa'im of the family
of Muhammad will have two occultation; one prolonged, one short.' He said:
'Yes, O Abu Basir, one of those occultation will be longer than the other."
Therefore, the Prophet of Islam (S.A.) and the pure Imams (A.S.) reminded
people that the occultation of the Imam of the Age (A.S.) went together with
the announcement of the existence of the Prophet himself, and that belief in
the Imam's occultation went together with belief in the Prophet's existence.
Shaykh Saduq narrated from Al-Sayyid al-Himyari: "I had some exaggerated
idea about Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah, and believed that he was hidden, till
Allah enlightened me through Imam Sadiq and saved me from the Fire.
I was guided to the true way, whereby after the Imamate of Ja'far ibn
Muhammad had been proved to me by evidence and demonstration, I said one day
to him: 'O son of the Prophet of Allah, tell me some hadiths from your
forefathers about occultation and the truth of it. If you please, I would
that you tell me for whom the occultation is.' He replied: 'The occultation
will occur for my descendent in the sixth generation, and he will be the
twelfth Imam after the Prophet of Allah, the first one being 'Ali ibn Abi
Talib, and the last the Qa'im of the Truth, the one who remains with Allah
on earth, and the Lord of the Age..."'
* * *

Why is the Imam of the Age in Concealment?

In previous lessons we have said that the existence of the Imam (A.S.) and
the successor of the Prophet (S.A.) was necessary for a number of reasons,
such as settling differences, explaining the laws of Allah, and giving
spiritual, inward guidance, and that Allah, the Merciful, appointed Amir
al-Mu'minin (A.S.) and after him eleven descendents, one after the other, as
Imams after the Prophet of Islam. It is obvious that the duties of the Imam
of the Age, in all the aspects of the Imamate, are the same as that of his
predecessors. If there were no hindrance, it would be necessary that he be
clearly manifested, so that people might prosper from all the benefits of
his existence. So why was he hidden from the very first?
Basically, there is no need to look for the philosophy or reasons behind his
occultation so as to believe in the rule of Allah, for there is no
obligation on us to know the basic reason for it, just as we remain ignorant
of the metaphysics behind many other things. It is sufficient that we know
on the basis of the many hadiths and true Proofs that God, the All-Mighty,
sent his own Proof, but that, for various reasons, He kept him hidden behind
the curtain of occultation. It can also be found from some hadiths that the
basic and fundamental reason for the occultation will become known after the
appearance of al-Mahdi. 'Abdullah al-Fadl al-Hashimi says: "I heard from
Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (A.S.) that he said: 'The occultation will be
indispensible for the Lord of Power, so that the people of vanity will fall
into doubt about him.' I asked: 'Why?' He said: 'For a reason which I am not
at liberty to declare.' I asked: 'What will his rule be?'
He replied: 'The same rule as existed in the occultations of previous
Proofs. It will not be disclosed until-after his appearance, just as the
rule of the works of Khidr was not known (meaning the drilling of a hole in
the boat, the killing of the youth, the repairing of the wall in the story
of Khidr in the Qur'an) until Musa and Khidr decided to part company. O
Fadl, the subject of the occultation is a command of Allah and a secret of
His secrets, and since we acknowledge Allah to be Wise, we must accept that
all his acts are done with Knowledge and Wisdom, even if the reason for them
is not known to us."' Of course the benefits of al-Mahdi's occultation can
be discovered, and these have been indicated in some of the hadiths. For
example:
1. A test for people is one of the benefits of the occultation of the Imam
of the Age: on one side, a group without faith, whose inner feelings become
evident; on the other side, those in the depths of whose hearts faith have
taken root, their hope of deliverance, their patience in adversity, their
faith in the unseen becoming more perfect, their worthiness becoming known,
and degrees of spiritual reward falling to them. Musa ibn Ja'far (AS.) said:
"When my fifth descendent becomes hidden, persevere in your religion, so
that no one may turn you away from it. There will be an occultation for the
Lord of that Age, when a group of believers in him will relinquish their
belief. This occultation is a test by which Allah will test his slaves."
2. A Protection for the Imam against being killed: From a study of the
leaders of Islam, and their situation vis-a-vis the Umayyad and Abbasid
Caliphs, we can clearly see that if the twelfth Imam manifested himself they
would surely kill him or poison him like his forefathers. Because when they
heard and knew that there would arise from the family of the Prophet, from
the descendents of 'Ali and Fatimah (A.S.) someone who would destroy the
government of the oppressors, and that that person would be child of Hazrat
Imam Hasan al-'Askari (A.S.), the Abassids planned to kill him. But Allah
protected him and his enemies lost hope. Zurarah relates from Imam Sadiq
(AS.) that he said: "There will be an occultation prior to the appearance of
the Qa'im." Zurarah asked: "Why?" He said: "So that he may escape being
killed, and that occultation will continue till the ground for his
appearance and triumph over the rule of the oppressors is ready."
3. The third benefit that can be gleaned from the hadiths is that by this
means al-Mahdi will be saved from having allegiance made to him by the
oppressors, Caliphs, and usurping rulers. When he appears no one will swear
allegiance to him, so that he can freely expose the truth and establish a
just and righteous rule.
* * *

The Purpose of the Hidden Imam.

We have said above that God appointed the Imam of the Age to be a guide
amongst people; however it is the people who are the obstacle to his
appearance, and whenever they are ready for a single, divine world rule,
formed on true justice observing rights, truths and realities, putting into
practice all the laws of Islam without any dissimulation or fear, al-Mahdi
will openly declare himself. So, with regard to Allah, the Merciful, there
is not the slightest lack of favour or mercy, for the fault lies with the
people that the Imam is hidden and the appearance of his rule is delayed.
Still, it must be remembered that the benefits of the existence of the Imam
are not limited to outward guidance among people, for the pure existence of
the Imam has other benefits which are not necessarily evident among people.
The most important benefit of the Imam's existence is that he is the
intermediary for Divine Favor. For, one the basis of the evidence scholars
have produced and also according to numerous hadiths which speak about the
Imamate, if there were no Imam (a.s), the relation between the world and its
creator would no longer exist, because all of the fovours of Allah come
through the Imam to the rest of humanity. In many hadiths it is said very
clearly that the earth will not remain without an Imam. The Imam is the
heart of the world of existence, the leader, the preceptor of mankind, and
for this reason his presence or his absence makes no difference. what is
more, the spiritual guidance of the Imam towards worthy individuals will
always be there, although they may not see him, especially as it is
mentioned in hadiths that the Mahdi comes and goes in among the people in
the meetings of the believers without anyone understanding. Thus the
guarding of Islam and the protection of the worthy is well undertaken by the
Imam, even during the time of his occultation. In reality the hidden Imam is
like the sun behind a cloud from whose light and heat existent things may
profit, although the ignorant and the blind may not see it. Imam Sadiq (a.s)
also said in answer to the question: "
How can people benefit from a hidden Imam?": " Just as they do from the sun
when it is behind a cloud." We would now like you to look at this excerpt
from the that the shi'a sect is the only religion which maintains eternally
the link of Divine guidance between God and his creation , and continually
keeps alive the union of walayat, The Jewish religion, finished prophethood,
which is the relationship between god and the world of man, with Moses, and
do not acknowledge the prophethood of Jesus or Muhammad. Thus they have
served this link , The Christians, also , stopped with Jesus, and the Sunni
Muslims stood still with Muhammad. With the seal of prophethood among the
latter, they admit of no further link being maintained between the Creator
and creation. "Only the Shi'a faith believes that the prophethood ended with
Muhammad, but that wilayat, which is this link of guidance and progression,
continues to live after him and forever. "Indeed, only among the Shi'a does
this reality between the world of man and the Divinity remain forever."
* * *

A Necessary Reminder

Belief in the Imam of the Age means that the link between people and the
unseen world is inseparable, and someone who believes this must always
remember al-Mahdi and await the appearance of this hidden reformer. Of
course, waiting for the Imam of the Age does not mean that all Muslims and
Shi'as should fold their arms and take no measures in the way of furthering
the aims of Islam, only waiting for him to appear. For as the great Shi'ite
scholars have been saying from the earliest times, all Muslims and Shi'as
have the duty to make every effort in the path of establishing and
strengthening Islamic knowledge and laws in the face of injustice and evil,
to struggle against this with all their possibilities; or, in other words,
to strive till the preparation for a just rule has been made, till society
has been so harmonised that all those with complaints have seen justice; and
if there is any oppression or cruelty reigning among people, to protest
against it, and continue in this way. Every Muslim has the duty to sacrifice
himself in the way of Imam and Islam, and to always be prepared to welcome
the promised al-Mahdi (A.S.), that is, to so order his life that it may not
be a contradiction of the project of the Imam, so that he can take his place
in the ranks behind him and fight against his enemies.
* * *
(Roots of Religion, p. 217-235)