Innumerable traditions in this context, quoted right from the Holy Prophet, from the glowing contests of many books of Masanid, Sehan and Akhbar, and of Shia scholars (Ulam) existed. Many Sunni scholars have accumulated these traditions in complete volumes also, e.g.: "Albayan fi Akhbar-eSahid-al-Zamzan" by Hafiz Abu Nayeem Ispahani, as well as Sehah-e-abudaud" and "Sunan Ibne-e-Maja" All of the above books record the traditions bearing evidence of the coming of this Holy Imam. Out of those traditions two are quoted below:
Prophecies
Abdullah Ibne Masood quotes the Holy Prophet as having said, "Even when the entire time of the world's existence will have been already exhausted and one solitary day left to embrace the eve of Doomsday, God will expand and make that very day sell to such a length of time as to accommodate the ultimate reign of a person out of my Holy Progeny who will be called after my name. He will then make the earth abound with peace and justice as it will have been fought with injustice and tyranny before him".
Hazrat Abdullah Ibne Abbas narrates that the Holy Prophet said, "I am a leader of all the Prophets while Ali is the leader of all the Imams (Successor s of the Prophets). I will be followed by twelve successors, the first amongst them being Ali and the last one Mehdi". (Behar-Ul-Anwar). The above tradition vouches well for the fact that the twelfth Imam is the last Imam of the Holy Prophet, and stands as the final Divine Authority (Hujjat) on earth. His Apostolical career is divided into three important phases, i.e. the period of his childhood, the period of his "Ghaibat" (Concealment) and the period of his "Zuhor" (Re-appearance.
Name Epithet and Titles
The name of our twelfth Imam is Muhammad, epithet Abdul-Quasim and his well-known titles are "Alqaim" "AI-Hujjat", "Al-Muntazer", "Al-Mehdi", and "Sahbe-uz-Zaman".
Birth
He was born on l5th Shaaban 255 A.H. in the city of Samarra. The momentous and singular aspects of his birth greatly resembled those under which the Prophet Mussa (Moses) was born. The birth of Hazrat Mussa had signalled the downfall and extinction of the empire of Pharaoh, who had ordered to slaying of all newly born children of Bani-Israel. The Abbaside kings were similarly apprehensive of the continuous traditions of the Holy Prophet about the birth of Imam Mehdi, who was to bring about a curse to their (Abbaside) very empire. They were, therefore, laying in ambush to discover the birth of the Imam arid to put an end to his life. But the event of the Imam's birth was enveloped and shelded by the sarne Divine protections and miraculous phenomena which had marked the historical birth of Prophet Mussa. His birth remained strictly confidential and his nursery shrouded in secrecy except to a few devotees.
He was born on l5th Shaaban 255 A.H. in the city of Samarra. The momentous and singular aspects of his birth greatly resembled those under which the Prophet Mussa (Moses) was born. The birth of Hazrat Mussa had signalled the downfall and extinction of the empire of Pharaoh, who had ordered to slaying of all newly born children of Bani-Israel. The Abbaside kings were similarly apprehensive of the continuous traditions of the Holy Prophet about the birth of Imam Mehdi, who was to bring about a curse to their (Abbaside) very empire. They were, therefore, laying in ambush to discover the birth of the Imam arid to put an end to his life. But the event of the Imam's birth was enveloped and shelded by the sarne Divine protections and miraculous phenomena which had marked the historical birth of Prophet Mussa. His birth remained strictly confidential and his nursery shrouded in secrecy except to a few devotees.
The Imam's birth had coincided with the reign of AI-Muhammad, the well-known Abbaside king. He, being aware of the prophecy of the twelfth Imam's birth occurring in his reign, was extremely worried and anxious to trace him out. But on the death of Imam Hasan Askari, when he was informed about the Imam's funeral prayer having been conducted by his four year old son, his perplexity knew no bounds.
Imam struck his mind that this very boy must be the Imam, but he managed to hide his inner concern at the news of the existence of the young lmam. In order to get confirmation that the young Imam did in fact exist, he ordered the arrest of the Imam's mother, Janab-e-Nargis Khatoon.
The Arrest of Jana-E-Nargis
When Janab-e-Nargis was brought before Al-Mutamad and inquiries made about the birth of the twelfth Holy Imam, she in order to safeguard her own life as well as to protect her son, replied that she had never felt the symptoms of maternity and labour pain; so, for the moment, he did not harass her, but did put her under the most strict surveillance of Quazil Abu Shorab,. entrusting him with the task of killing any child born to her.
Soon after this incident, the Abbaside kingdom passed through a revolutionary phase which greatly bewildered al-Mutamad. He was forced ta face the invasion of Sahib-AI-Zanj, who raided Hejaz and Yemen and let lose the hounds of loot and arson throughout the Abbaside kingdom, subjecting the; administration of Baghdad, the capital, to utter choas, Al-Mutamad was, therefore, naturally too occupied by warfare to pay any attention towards Janab-e- Nargis, .who was consequently release after six months and questioned no further about the birth of the twelfth Holy Imam.
Childhood
The Holy Imam was brought up by his father lmam Hasan Askari, the eleventh Imam who resorted to the same underground and secret measures in rearing his child as Hazrat Abu Talib had adopted in connection with safe guarding the Holy Prophet Muhammad. He used to take care of his child in one portion of the house for a few days and then shift him to another with a view not to let the exact whereabouts be known.
While Imam Hasan Askari kept the birth of the young Imam to be and the affairs of his infancy a well guarded secret, he did put him within the access of some exclusive devotees and sincere friends in order to familiarise them with their would be Imam to whom they would pledge their allegiance.
Below mentioned are the few names, quoted from the authentic books of both Sunni and Shias sects, of people who had the honour of having personally seen the Holy Imam Mehdi.
It is mentioned by Abi Ghanim that when Imam Hasan Askari's son was born he named him after Muhammad and on the third day after his birth, bringing forth the child to show to some of his followers, forth thus.
"Here is my successor and your would be Imam! He is that very Qaim to whose reverence your heads will bow down. He wiil reappear to fill the earth with blessing and justice after it will have been abounding with sins and vices".
Muawiya Ibne Hakeem, Muah Muhammad Ibne Ayyub and Muhammad Ibne Usman mentioned that they called upon Imam Hasan Askari with a deputation of forty persons. The Holy Imam showed them his newly born child and said,
"Thus is your Imam after me! All of you should unanimously submit it your allegiance to him and should not allow any controversy on the subject which will lead you in peril Mind that he will no more be visible to you".
Imamat
Imam Hasan Askari died on the 8th Rabi-ul- Awwal 260 A.H. and the day marked the inception oi his son's Imamat and his elevation to the Apostolic office being the sources spiritual guidance for the whole universe. As, according to God's Will, all the affairs pertaining to the Holy Imam were to remair strictly behind the curtains; he commissioned some of his deputies and ambassadors, who had beer looking after the religious affairs from the time of hi; father to act as the associates between the people and the concealed Imam. They conveyed the problems and religious queries of the people to the Imam and brought back the verdict and the answer: of the Imam to the people.
It was by the Will of God that he disappeared and will again reappear by the Will of God. This will be a prelude to the Day of Judgment.
His Appearance
Then the earth shall be illumined by the light of guidance; the scale of justice shall be set up among men. A voice will be heard sound of clear between heaven and earth proelairring" Know all men thal the IMAM E ZAMA HAZRAT MEHDI (S.A.W.) HAS APPEARED IN THE HOUSE OF GOD:- SO FOLLOW HIM BECAUSE RIGHT IS ON HIS SIDE AND THE TRUTH IS IN HIM" True believer and Follower will say "LABAIK', and will be attracted towards him as iron filings are pulled by a magnet, some people will be sleeping, some will be praying but due to this call they will all march towards MAKKA. According to the books it the time of "ZAHOOR" Will be Friday after ASAR PRAYER. The God Will bring the first man to do `BAYAT To give will be HAZRAT JIBRAEEL than Followed by all Angles, chosen from God and also some JINNATS. The God's Will bring together 313 men from distant lands to form the nucleus of the Imam's Army. Imam will be seen around Kaaba. His Zahoor is in the City of MAKKA (SAUDI ARABIA). He will put Both hands on his face "Thanking God" from coming out from "GAIBA' and giving alt the power needed. The Imam will have a scaled book, containing the names of 313 men, Angel MICHAEL shall march at his left and at his right GABRIEL. No Body will recognise him but they will be able to recognise approximately 4 recognise approximately 4 people of MADINA who will explain the masses that, he's the "A waited l2th IMAM MEHDI (S.A.W)". The Imam will be full on youth and vigour and will have prophet Mohammed's clothes and shoes together with Yellow turban, the sword ZULF'IKAR, the Horse ZULJANA in other words He will carry gifts OF IMAM'S and NABIS or his ancestors.
The same spiritual enlightment with it blood and flesh or "MASUM". He will wear the rings of Suleman which will be scale of Solomon. He will keep this rings of Forehead of MUMINS and people will be recognised by writings of 'HAZA MUMIN" He will also carry the rod of MOSES. This stick on the Forhead of KAFIR will be written `HAZA KAFIR" (God Forbids) He will recipe against the wale of the Holy Kaaba as More supporter will muster round him, they will be approximately 10,000 and the Imam's two progned sword will emerge from its sheath of its own accord. That will be the time of the declaration of Holy War "JEHAD" But before that BASHIR will be brought to the "IMAM" and he will narrate his story that there have 300,000 of SUFIYAN Arms and he marched from MEDlNA to MAKKA to destroy KAABA but the earth shook and the earth took the whole army "By Command of God" and buried them with their animals except two people BASHIR AND His Brother NAZIR and here slapped by Angel that the face turned at the back, the back part was seen as front and front part was seen as Back part. This all will happen at Midnight at the Midway a Medina and Makka so Bashir will be sent to MAKKA by Angels and Nazir will narrate the story to DAMlSHK. JESUS Will return to earth together with Prophet who are alive During the Prayers time Jesus and others will tell IMAM MEHDI to lead the prayers "PESHI IMAM" AFTER the first call 2nd call will be permitted to be heard by (GOD) at MAGRIBAN Prayers that "OSMAN BIN AMBSA has come to the jungle of YABIS (PALESTINE) only KAFIR, MUNAFIKIN, PAGANS will believe but.Muumin neglect this call.
HAZRAT IMAM MEHDI will than travel from MAKKA to KUFA. In between Kufa and Najaf he will take shelter then the enemies of God will be slain by chosen "Army of God. MASJIDE KUFA will be the kingdom and Masjide Sahala will be the Residence. Goraduals Kufa and Najafe Ashraf will be recognised as one City it will expand and will join Kerbala. Those will be the days when on earth all Haram things, and Haram Animals will disappear from earth and Animal fruits of all season, will be available and every where in the world will be full of justice. Thus the believer will confirmed that ultimate the control of the entire world shall pass to the hands of "ALLAH" worth deputy "IMAM MUHAMMAD IBNIL HASAN AL ASKARI AL MEHDI. ASALAMO ALAIKA YA IMAM MEHDI (SALWAT) (S.A.W.)
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 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, Zoroastrianism 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 (sawas) 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 (sawas) and the Imams concerning the appearance of the Mahdi, such as that he is of the progeny of the Prophet (sawas) and that his appearance will enable human society to reach true perfection and the full realisation 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 al-Rida (the eighth Imam) has 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 H. Hujjat al-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 (sawas), 'Oh Prophet (sawas) of God, when will the "support" (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" (Quran, VII, 187).102Saqr ibn Abi Dulaf said, "I heard from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-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 (sawas), you 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 the 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. Whoso accepts the Imams after the Prophet (sawas) of God but denies my son is like the person who accepts all the prophets but denies the prophethood of Muhammad, the Prophet (sawas) of God, upon whom be peace and blessing. And whoso denies [Muhammad] the Prophet (sawas) 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 The Followers of Ahlu Bayt 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 occurrence, 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 (sawas) 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 mankind 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 The Followers of Ahlu Bayt also protest that, they 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 walayat 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. His 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.
Ghaibat-us-Sughra
Ghaibat-us-Sughra means ‘the minor concealment.’ Its period was about 70 years. It began in 260 A.H. when Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) first went into concealment, and ended in 328 A.H.
During Ghaibut-us-Sughra, the Imam appointed some agents to represent him and the people. The Imam had four agents. After the death of the fourth agent, the Imam went into major concealment (Ghaibut-ul-Kubra). This was on the 10th Shawal 329 A.H.
The Signs Heralding the Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s)
Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w.) has said: "Even if the entire duration of the world’s existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before Doomsday, Allah will expand that day to such length of time as to accommodate the kingdom of a person from my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by name. He will fill out the earth with and justice as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny (by then)"
From this Hadith, it is clear to every Muslim that the twelfth Imam will reappear when this world is full of sins and injustice.
There are many signs mentioned by the Masumeen (a.s) on the reappearance of the 12th Imam. It is reported in Biharul Anwar that after the last pilgrimage the Prophet made, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) stood near the Kaaba, and called his people to listen to him. The Prophet said: “listen to me carefully so that you transmit these words of mine to those who are absent today.” The Prophet began, “My people, a time will come when kings and rulers will be tyrannical.” The Prophet also said that the payment of Zakat will be stopped.
According to the Masumeen (a.s), Muslim countries will seek aid from non Muslim countries. This is already evident in a number of Muslim countries. Another prediction that is come true is that 60 impostors will claim to be Prophets. By their attractiveness, their persuasion, and their personality, they will misguide the people. 58 false Prophets have already emerged since the days of the Prophet (s.a.w.). We have only two more to witness.
It is reported in Qayamat-e-Sughra citing “Oqdatud-Durr” that Hazrat Amir (A.S) has said that the Mahdi will not appear until one-third of the world population will die by being killed and one-third will die as a result of epidemics.
The Last Signs Heralding the Appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s)
There is a Hadith from Imam Muhammed Baqir (a.s) that for three or seven consecutive days, one will see reddish yellow fire raging in the East.
Sufiani will emerge in Palestine, where he will start a revolt in the month of Rajab. He will be an uncompassionate rebel and his rule will last for eight consecutive months. He will conquer and rule Egypt for four consecutive months. Sufiani will conquer Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, and Syria. Sufiani has been specifically described by Aimma A.S. as an ugly, blistered, green-eyed, cross-eyed person who will be an enemy of the friends of the Ahlul-Bait. Imam Ali (a.s) has said that Sufiani’s hatred of the devotees of the Ahlul-Bait will be such that any person named Ali, Fatema, Hassan, Hussein, Zainab, Ruquaiya will be arrested and beheaded straight away without further investigations. Sufiani will rip the Mimber of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.). The holy house of the Prophet which contains his grave will be pulled and used as a stable. Horses will be tied in that Holy place.
Sufiani will then decide to attack Makka. His purpose would be to demolish the Holy Kaaba and kill the entire population of Makka. Sufiani’s army will set out via Baghdad but, as Allah would have it, when they get between Medina and Makka, in the desert of Baida, suddenly one night they will hear a voice from the sky which will say, “O Baida eat up the entire army of Sufiani.” It is said that the entire army numbering 100,000 persons will be swallowed up by the earth, except for two. The two who will be spared will suddenly encounter an angel. He will slap both of them turning their faces right round, looking behind instead of front. And that will be the time when Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) will already have reappeared in Makka. The Imam will establish his authority in the Holy Mosque at Makka in the Haram. The angel will then order one of them calling him Bashir. “O Bashir, go straight to Makka, into the Haram and inform the Imam that Sufiani’s army has been swallowed up by the land. The other called Nazir will be ordered to go to Sufiani and tell him that the Imam has already appeared. He should proceed straight to Makka and declare allegiance to him.
Sufiani will prepare to attack the Imam but will not have enough courage. The Imam will catch Sufiani in Jerusalem and will kill him.
Imam Ali (a.s) has said that nine definite signs will precede the emergence of Hazrat Mahdi (a.s). These nine signs are:
Dajaal will emerge. A loud voice will be heard from the sky. Sufiani will appear and wage a fierce war. The army of Sufiani will be swallowed by a sudden opening of the land between Makka and Medina in the desert of Baida. A revered wise saint will be murdered in Makka. (This saint is to be a Hashimite descent.) A Seyyid descendant of Imam Hassan (a.s) will emerge with his army. The army of Seyyid-e-Hassan and an image of a man will appear in the sky opposite the sun. There will be two eclipses in the holy month of Ramadhan contrary to the normal order and calculation and the eclipse of the moon. On three occasions a loud voice from the sky will be heard in the holy month of Ramadhan.
The Reappearance
Hazrat Isa (Jesus), Hazrat Khizr, Hazrat Ilias, and Hazrat Idris (a.s) will give allegiance to the Imam when he re-appears. Also Jibrael will announce 313 companions of the Imam. These 313 companions will be people of eminent piety, great knowledge and absolutely steadfast in their determination and faith towards the Imam. Another 1000 people will be in the army of the Imam. These people will fight battles and kill enemies like Dajal, who will appear from India. Dajal will have the musical tunes with him. Then the Imam will lead the prayers, Hazrat Isa (a.s) will be behind him.
Hazrat Isa (Jesus), Hazrat Khizr, Hazrat Ilias, and Hazrat Idris (a.s) will give allegiance to the Imam when he re-appears. Also Jibrael will announce 313 companions of the Imam. These 313 companions will be people of eminent piety, great knowledge and absolutely steadfast in their determination and faith towards the Imam. Another 1000 people will be in the army of the Imam. These people will fight battles and kill enemies like Dajal, who will appear from India. Dajal will have the musical tunes with him. Then the Imam will lead the prayers, Hazrat Isa (a.s) will be behind him.
Let us all pray to Almighty Allah for the reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s).Amin.
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