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Chapter 3
Replies To The Objections
(a)Longevity
Is it possible for any human being to continue to live for many centuries, as is
presumed in the case of this Awaited Saviour who has already lived for more than 1145
years? This long life is about 14 times the life of an ordinary man who passes through all
stages of life from infancy to old age.
The impossibility of such a long life is the objection. Let us have a close look at the
objection. The word impossibility here (like any other truth) is relative. It has meaning
only in relation to some person, place and time. What is impossible for one person need
not be so for the others. Then what is impossible in one place may be quite possible in
another place. Again what is not possible at one time may be quite possible at another.
There is no dearth of illustrations to prove how impossibility is a relative term.
In other words, the possibility of a thing may be of three categories viz. factual
possibility, scientific possibility and logical possibility. To journey across the ocean,
to reach the bottom of the sea and to travel to the moon are practical possibilities.
There are people who have accomplished these tasks in one way or another.
By a scientific possibility we mean that there may be certain things which may not be
practicable in the present circumstances but there exists no scientific reason to justify
the denial of their practicability in favourable circumstances and the scientific trends
indicate that they will be feasible sooner or later. For example, there exists no
scientific reason to deny the possibility of man's travelling to Venus. Although, it has
not been possible for anyone to go to that planet so far, yet we know that there is only a
difference of degree between man's landing on the moon and his landing on Venus. It is
only a question of surmounting additional difficulties because of the greater distance.
Hence, it is scientifically possible to go to Venus, though practically it is still
impossible. In contrast, it is scientifically impossible to go to the sun in the sense
that science does not hope that it will ever be possible to manufacture a protective
shield against the heat of the sun which is virtually a huge furnace blazing at the
highest imaginable degree of temperature.
By a logical possibility we mean that, on the basis of self-evident laws, reason does
not regard a thing impossible. For example, it is logically impossible to divide three
oranges into two equal parts without cutting anyone of them. It is self-evident that,
three being an odd number, it is not divisible into two whole numbers. Only an even number
can be so divided and the same number cannot be both odd and even simultaneously, because
that will mean self-contradiction which is impossible. But a man's entering into fire
without being hurt or going to the sun without being affected by its heat is not logically
impossible, for it is not self-contradictory to suppose that heat does not pass. from a
body having a higher temperature to a body having a lower temperature. Only experience has
proved that if two bodies are mixed or put together, heat passes from a body having higher
temperature to a body having lower temperature, till the temperature of both the bodies is
at par.
Thus, we know that the scope of the logical possibility is wider than that of the
scientific possibility and the scope of the scientific possibility is wider than that of
the practical possibility.
There is no doubt that a person's remaining alive for thousands of years is not
logically impossible, for there is nothing irrational or self-contradictory about it. Life
itself does not imply the sense of quick death.
Admittedly, such a long life is not as practical as descending to the bottom of the sea
or ascending to the moon. Notwithstanding the present scientific facilities it has not so
far been possible to prolong human life to hundreds of years. Even those who have all the
modern facilities at their disposal and are the keenest to continue to live cannot have
more than the normal span of life.
As for the scientific possibility there exists nothing to justify its denial from a
theoretical point of view. In fact this question is related to the physiological
explanation of senility. The question is, whether there exists a natural law according to
which human tissues and cells, after attaining the stage of full development,
automatically begin to stiffen and degenerate, till they cease functioning at a particular
moment or the senile degeneration is caused by some external factors, such as microbes and
poisons infiltrating into the body through polluted food, unhealthy jobs or some other
causes. It is a question with which science is grappling at present and is earnestly
trying to find an answer to it. For the present there is more than one scientific
explanation of senility. Anyhow, if we accept the view that senile degeneration is caused
by external influences, it means that if the tissues of the human body are secluded from
these particular influences it is theoretically possible to prolong life, to delay
senility and even to control it eventually.
The other view tends to suppose that living cells and tissues are governed by a natural
law according to which they carry within themselves the seeds of their complete
exhaustion. They, in their natural course, pass through the stages of old age and senility
and eventually cease to function.
Even if we accept this view it does not mean that this natural law is not flexible. In
fact it is supposed to be a flexible law, for we see in our ordinary life, and it has been
confirmed by scientific laboratory observations also, that senility is an untimely
physiological phenomenon in the sense that sometimes it appears early and sometimes very
late. It is a common experience which has also been confirmed by the observations of the
physicians, that many a man of advanced age still possess a supple body and do not suffer
from any old age ailments. It is because of the flexibility of this natural law that the
scientists have already succeeded in prolonging the life of certain animals, hundreds of
times beyond their normal span of life by artificially creating conditions conducive to
the delay of senility.
They have falsified the law of natural senility by acquiring brilliant successes and
have made it clear scientifically that to postpone senility or to provide opportunities
and specified factors therefore is possible and if present day science is not able to
enforce this programme in the case of phenomena like human beings it is on account of the
fact that more difficulties are involved in the matter with regard to man as compared with
other animals.
In a nutshell, it is logically and scientifically possible to prolong life, though it
is still practically impossible to do so. Anyhow, science is endeavouring to make it
practical also.
If we consider the question of the Mahdi's age in this light there appears to be
nothing strange or surprising about it, for it has been proved that such a long life is
logically and scientifically possible and the scientists are working to turn its
possibility into a reality. All that appears to be surprising is that the Mahdi has
attained such a long life before the scientists have been able to turn its theoretical
possibility into a practical one. This phenomenon can be compared to the discovery of a
cure for cancer or brain haemorrhage before science can make such a discovery.
If the question is how Islam, which planned the age of the Awaited Saviour, could
anticipate science in this field the answer is simple. This is not the only field wherein
Islam has anticipated science. The Islamic Shari'ah as a whole anticipated the
scientific movement and the natural development of human thinking by several centuries.
Islam had already presented, for practical application, the laws which science has taken
hundreds of years to discover. It has propounded doctrines, the wisdom of which has been
corroborated by science only recently. It disclosed such secrets of the universe which
none could think of at that time and the truth of which was later confirmed by science. If
we believe in this, then it is not too much for Allah, the Exalted, to anticipate science
in planning the age of the Mahdi. We have talked of only those aspects of anticipation
which we can see directly. We can add other instances about which Qur'an has told us.
Here we have talked of only those aspects of anticipation by Islam vis--vis science
which we can observe directly. It is, however, possible for us to add some other instances
of anticipation about matters which it has not been possible for science to comprehend so
far. For example, Qur'an tells us that the holy Prophet was carried one night from Masjid
al-Haram (at Mecca) to Masjid al-Aqsa (at Jerusalem). If we try to perceive the quality of
this journey within the framework of natural laws it points to the application of laws
which govern nature in this sense that science has not yet been able to understand them
and it will take it hundreds of years more to specify their quality. The same Divine
Knowledge, which granted the holy Prophet this high speed long before science could
consider it to be possible, also granted long life to his last Divinely appointed
successor, long before it could be achieved by science.
(b) Suspension of laws
It is true, as far as common experience and the experiments carried out so far by the
scientists are concerned, this long life granted by Allah to the Awaited Saviour appears
to be very unusual. But his role of revolutionizing the world order and rebuilding the
entire system on the basis of justice and truth is also so extraordinary that neither are
the people familiar with it nor has it ever been experienced in history. So it should not
be surprising if at the preparatory stage also his role is preceded by some unusual and
extraordinary events, like his long life. Howsoever, unfamiliar these events may be, they
are not more unusual than the great role to be performed by the Mahdi on the appointed
day. If we can relish that role, having no precedent throughout history, there is no
reason why we should not relish his long life unprecedented in our ordinary life.
We wonder if it is a mere chance that each of the only two persons who undertook to
purify the human civilization of all its impurities and to reconstruct the world should
have had a very long life span, several times that of a usual one. One of them played his
role in the past. He was Noah, about whom the holy Qur'an has expressly said that he lived
among his people for 950 years. He reconstructed the world after the Deluge. The other is
to play his role in the future. He is the Mahdi who has already lived among his people for
more than a thousand years and is destined to play his role on the appointed day and build
the world anew.
How is it then that we accept the longevity of Noah who lived at least for about a
thousand years and deny that of the Mahdi.
We have learnt that a long life is scientifically possible but let us suppose that it
is not so and the law of senility is inexorable and cannot be defied either today or in
future. Then what does this mean? It means only this that to live for centuries, as is the
case with Noah and the Mahdi, is contrary to the natural laws established by science
through modern methods of experimentation and investigation.
In this case a long life may be accepted as a miracle which suspends a natural law in
particular circumstances to preserve the life of a particular person entrusted with a
celestial mission. This miracle is not unique in its kind, nor is it alien to the Muslim
belief derived from the text of the Qur'an and the Sunnah.
The law of senility is not any the more relentless than the law of the exchange of
heat, according to which heat passes from a body having a higher temperature to a body
having a lower temperature. This law was suspended to protect Abraham when he was thrown
into the burning fire, for this was the only way to preserve his life. The holy Qur'an
says: "We said: O fire, be coolness and peace for Abraham". (Surah
al-Anbia, 21:69). Accordingly, he came out of the fire unscathed.
In many other cases also natural laws were suspended to protect the prophets and other
Divinely appointed people.
The sea was parted for Moses. It appeared to the Romans that they had captured Jesus
whereas they had not. Muhammad got out of his house while it was surrounded by a mob of
the tribe of Quraish, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate him. Allah concealed him,
so that the Quraishites could not see him when he walked out through their midst. In all
these cases natural laws were suspended for the protection of the people whose lives the
Divine Wisdom wanted to preserve. The law of senility too, can be bracketed with these
cases of suspension.
From the above discussion we can arrive at a general conclusion and say: Whenever it is
necessary to preserve the life of one of the chosen servants of Allah to enable him to
accomplish his mission, the Divine Grace intervenes to protect him and one of the natural
laws is suspended. On the contrary if the period of his appointment comes to an end and
the task entrusted to him by the Almighty is accomplished he meets death in accordance
with the natural laws related to life or is martyred.
In this connection we are usually confronted with the following questions.
How can a natural law be suspended and the compulsory relationship existing between the
various phenomena be severed?
Will such a suspension not be in contradiction with science which has discovered that
law determines the compulsory relationship on the basis of experimentation and
investigations?
Science itself has provided an answer to this question. It has already given up the
idea of compulsion in respect of natural laws. It only says that these laws are discovered
on the basis of systematic observation and experiment. When it is observed that one
phenomenon invariably follows another, this invariability is treated as a natural law. But
science does not claim that there exists a binding and compulsory relationship between any
two phenomena, because compulsion is a factor which cannot be proved by experiment and
scientific methods of investigation. Modern science confirms that a natural law as defined
by it, speaks only of an invariable association between two phenomena and is not concerned
with any compulsory relationship between them.
Hence, if a miracle takes place and the natural relationship between two phenomena
breaks down it does not amount to the breaking down of a compulsory relationship.
In fact, a miracle in its religious sense has become more comprehensive in the light of
modern scientific theory than it was when the classical view of casual nexus prevailed.
According to the old theory it was presumed that the phenomena invariably associated with
each other must have an inevitable relationship between them and this inevitability meant
that their separation from each other was inconceivable. According to modern scientific
thinking, however, this relationship has been transformed into a law of association or
invariable succession.
Thus, a miracle need not come into clash with inevitability any longer. It is only on
exceptional state of the invariability of association and succession.
We agree with the scientific view that modern scientific methods cannot prove the
existence of an inevitable relationship between any two phenomena. Anyhow, we are of the
view that there must still be some explanation of the invariability of association and
succession. As it can be explained on the basis of the theory of intrinsic inevitability,
it can also be explained if we assume that it is the Wisdom of the Organizer of the
universe which requires a particular phenomenon to be invariably related to some other
phenomenon and that in certain cases the same wisdom may require that there should be an
exception. Such exceptional cases are called miracles.
Now let us take up the question as to why Allah is so keen to prolong the Mahdi's life
that, even natural laws are suspended for his sake. Is it not advisable to leave the
leadership of the appointed day to a person to be born in the future and brought up
according to the needs of that time? In other words, what is the justification for this
long occultation?
Most of the people who ask this question do not want an answer simply based on belief.
It is not enough to say that we believe it to be so. What the interrogators really want is
a social explanation of the position in the light of the tangible requirements of the
great change expected to be brought about by the Mahdi.
Hence, we leave aside for the time being the qualifications we believe the infallible
Imams to have possessed and take up instead the following question:
Is it likely, in the light of the past experience, that such a long life of the
leader-designate will contribute to his success and will enable him to play his role
better?
Our reply to this question is in the affirmative. Some of the reasons are given below:
The proposed great revolutionary change requires that its leader should possess a
unique mental calibre. He should be conscious of his own superiority and the
insignificance of the knotty system he has to overthrow. The more conscious he is of the
insignificance of the corrupt society he has to fight against, the more prepared he will
be psychologically to wage a war till victory is won.
It is evident that the size of his mental calibre should be proportionate to the size
of the proposed change and the size of the social system required to be eliminated. The
more extensive and deep-seated this system is, the greater should be the psychological
push required.
The mission being to revolutionize the world, full of injustice and oppression, and to
bring about a radical change in all its cultural values and diverse systems, it is but
natural that it should be entrusted to a person whose mental calibre is higher than that
of anyone in the whole of the existing world and who may not have been born and brought up
under the influence of the society required to be demolished and replaced by another
culture of justice and righteousness. One brought up under the shadow of a deep-seated and
world-dominating culture is naturally impressed and overawed by it, that being the only
culture which he has seen and by which he has been influenced from a tender age.
But the case should be different with a person who has a long historical background,
who has witnessed several great cultures successively grow and decline, who has seen the
big historical changes with his own eyes and has not read about them in books, who has
been a contemporary of all the stages of the development of that culture which happens to
be the last chapter of the human history before the appointed day and who has seen all its
ups and downs. Such a person, who himself has lived through all these stages very
carefully and attentively, is competent to look at the culture he has to grapple with in
its historical perspective and is not daunted by its magnitude. He does not regard it as
an unalterable destiny. His attitude to it will not be like that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau
(1712-1778) to the French monarchy.
It is reported that Rousseau, in spite of being a great champion of political
revolution from an intellectual and a philosophical point of view, shuddered at the very
thought of there being a France without a king, the reason being that he was born and
brought up and had always lived under the shadow of monarchy. But the man having a long
historical background and being fully aware of the historical factors knows perfectly well
how and when the prevailing culture and the prevailing system came into being and
developed. He knows that the historical age of the cultures and systems, howsoever long,
is very limited.
Have you read the Surah al-Kahf (Chapter 18 of the holy Qur'an) and have you gone
through the story of the youths who believed in Allah and were virtuous, but had to face
an idolatrous system which was dominant at that time and which ruthlessly crushed every
idea of Monotheism? They felt greatly distressed and lost all hope. In utter despair they
took refuge in a cave, for they were at their wits' end and did not know what to do. They
prayed to Allah to resolve their difficulty. They thought that the then existing unjust
system would continue to prevail for ever and would liquidate all those whose hearts
throbbed for the truth. Do you know what Allah did? He sent them to sleep in the cave for
309 years. Then He awakened them and sent them back to the scene of life. By then the
unjust regime, the power and tyranny which had dazzled them, had completely collapsed and
become a part of past history. This arrangement was made to enable those young men to see
themselves the downfall of falsehood, the power and grandeur which had overawed them. The
people of the cave achieved moral uplift and sublimation through this unique experience
which extended their lives for three hundred years. The same privilege will be enjoyed by
the Awaited Saviour through his long life which will enable him to see the giant dwindling
into a dwarf, a lofty tree shrinking to become a mere seed leaf and a tornado turning into
a mere whiff of the wind.
Furthermore, the experience gained through the direct and close study of so many
successive cultures will widen the mental horizon of the person designated to lead the
revolution and will prepare him better for the accomplishment of his mission. He will have
benefited by the experience of others, knowing their strong and weak points, and will be
in a better position to assess social developments correctly in their true historical
context.
As the revolution to be brought about by the Awaited Saviour is to be ideological and
based on the message of Islam, the very nature of his mission requires him to be close to
the early Islamic sources and to have a personality built independently of and detached
from the influences of the culture he is destined to fight. A person born and brought up
under the shadow of a particular culture cannot in all probability, escape its effects
totally, even if he leads a campaign against it. To ensure that the leader-designate is
not himself influenced by the culture he is expected to change, his personality must be
built fully at a cultural stage closer in its general spirit to the system he wants to
establish.
(c) His training for the mission
Now we come to the third question as to how the preparation of the Awaited Saviour for
his mission was completed, as he was only about five years old when his father, Imam Hasan
al-Askari died. This age is the time of early childhood and the child is not old enough
for the development of the personality of a leader. Then how did his personality develop?
The answer is that several of his forefathers also assumed the Imamate at an early age.
Imam Muhammad ibn Ah al-Jawad assumed it when he was only eight years old and Imam Ali ibn
Muhammad al-Hadi when he was only nine.
It should be observed that the phenomenon of the early Imamate reached its zenith in
the case of the Imam Mahdi. We call it a phenomenon, because it assumed a tangible and
practical form as in the case of Imam Mahdi's forefathers. It was felt and experienced by
the Muslims coming into contact with the Imam concerned. Experience of the people being
the best proof of a phenomenon, we cannot be asked to give a more tangible or a more
convincing proof of it. The following points will elucidate what we mean:
(i) The Imamate of an Imam belonging to the Holy House was not a centre of hereditary
power and influence, nor did it have the backing of any ruling regime, as was the case
with the Imamate of the Fatimid caliphs and the caliphate of the Abbasid caliphs. The
extensive popular support and allegiance which the Imams enjoyed was due only to their
spiritual influence and the conviction of their followers that they alone deserved the
leadership of Islam on spiritual and intellectual grounds.
(ii) The popular bases supporting the Imamate had existed since the early days of the
Islamic era. They expanded further during the time of the Imam Baqir and Imam Sadiq. The
school set up by them assumed the form of an extensive intellectual movement which
included among its ranks hundreds of legists, scholastic theologians, exegetes and others
learned in various fields of Islamic scholarship and the humanities known at that time.
Hasan ibn Ali Washsha, when visiting the Masjid of Kufah, found there 900 scholars all
repeating the traditions narrated to them by Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq.
(iii) The qualifications which an Imam possessed, as believed in by this school and the
popular bases represented by it, were very high. The Imam was judged by the standard of
these qualifications to find out whether he was really fit to be an Imam. They believed
that the Imam must be the most learned and wise man of his time.
(iv) The school and the popular bases had to make great sacrifices for the sake of
their belief in the Imamate which the contemporary governments regarded as a hostile line,
at least from the ideological angle. This attitude led the then authorities to the
persecution of the followers of the Imams. Many people were killed. Many others were
thrown into dungeons. Hundreds died while in detention. Their belief in the Imamate of the
Prophet's House used to cost them dear. The only attraction was their conviction of
gaining the favour of Allah.
(v) The Imams, whose Imamate these popular bases acknowledged, were not living like the
kings in high towers isolated from their followers. They never segregated themselves,
except when imprisoned, exiled or forcibly kept aloof by the ruling juntas. This we know
for certain on the authority of a large number of reporters who have narrated the sayings
'and deeds of each of the first eleven Imams. Similarly, we have a record of the
correspondence exchanged between the Imams and their contemporaries. The Imams used to
make journeys to various places and
appointed their deputies in different parts of the Muslim world. Their supporters also,
while visiting the holy places during Hajj, made it a point to call on them at Madina. All
this meant a continuous contact between the Imams and their followers scattered all over
the Muslim world.
(vi) The contemporary caliphs always regarded the Imams and their spiritual leadership
as a threat to themselves and their dynasty. For this reason, they did all they could to
disrupt this leadership and in pursuance of their nefarious ends, they resorted to many
mean and arbitrary actions. Occasionally their behaviour was too harsh and despotic. The
Imams themselves were continuously chased and kept in detention. Such actions were painful
and disgusting to all the Muslims, especially to the supporters of the Imams.
These six points comprise historical facts. If we take them into consideration, we can
easily come to the conclusion that the early Imamate was a real fact and not a fiction. It
is certain that an Imam who appeared on the scene at a very early age, who proclaimed
himself to be the spiritual and intellectual leader of the Muslims and who was
acknowledged to be so by a vast cross-section of the people must have had great knowledge,
competence and mastery over all branches of theology. Otherwise, the popular bases could
not be convinced of his Imamate.
We have already said that these bases had continuous contact with the Imams and were in
a position to judge their personalities. It is not conceivable that so many people should
have accepted a boy to be their Imam and should have made sacrifices for his sake without
ascertaining his real worth and assessing his competence. Even if it is presumed that the
people made no immediate efforts to ascertain the position, still the truth could not
remain unknown for years in spite of the continuous contact between the child Imam and the
people. Had he been childish in his knowledge and thinking, he would certainly have been
exposed.
Even if it is supposed that the popular bases of the Imamate could not discover the
truth, it was easy for the government of the day to expose the child, if he had been
really childish in his thinking and cultural attainments like all other children. It
certainly would have been in the interest of the government of the day to bring him before
his supporters and others to prove that he was not fit to be an Imam and a spiritual and
intellectual leader. It might have been difficult to prove the incompetence of a man of 40
to 50, but it would have been quite easy to prove the incompetence of an ordinary
child, howsoever intelligent he might have been. Evidently this would have been much
simpler and easier than the complex and risky policy of suppression adopted by those in
power at that time. The only explanation for why the government kept quiet and did not
play this card is that it had realized that the early Imamate was a real phenomenon and
not a concoction.
The fact is that the government did attempt to play that card but did not succeed.
History tells us of such attempts and their failures, but it does not report any occasion
on which the child Imam vacillated or showed signs of such embarrassment as could shake
the confidence of the people believing in his early Imamate.
That is what we meant when we said that the early Imamate was really a phenomenon and
not a mere presumption. This phenomenon has deep roots, for there exist parallel cases
throughout the history of the heavenly mission and Divine leadership. We cite just one
instance.
We commanded John; Zachariah's son, to follow the guidance of the Lord with due
steadfastness. To John We gave knowledge and wisdom during his childhood', (Surah
Maryam, 19.12)
After it has been proved that the early Imamate had been a real phenomenon already
existing in the life of the people of the Prophet's House, no exception can be taken to
the Imamate of the Mahdi and his succession to his father while he was still a child.
(d) Reasons for his continued existence
Now we come to the fourth question. Even if it is presumed that theoretically the
existence of the Mahdi, with all its implication including the long life, the early
Imamate and the complete occultation is possible, how can we believe that he actually
exists, for a mere possibility is not enough to prove that. As the concept of the Mahdi is
unusual and extraordinary, the existence of a few sayings of the holy Prophet, which are
enshrined in the books, is not enough to prove that the existence of the Mahdi is a
historical fact and not a mere presumption which has seized the imagination of a large
number of people for certain psychological reasons.
The answer to this question is this that the concept of the Mahdi as the Awaited
Saviour who is to change the world for the better has been mentioned in the traditions of
the holy Prophet generally and in the sayings of the Imams particularly. It has been
emphasized in so many passages that there is no reason to doubt it. The number of the
reports on this subject found in the books of our Sunni brethren comes to 400,
and the Sunni sources comes to more than 6,000. This is a
colossal figure, unparalleled in the case of most of those Islamic issues which are not
usually doubted by any Muslim.
As for the embodiment of this concept in the person of the twelfth Imam, there exists
enough justification to believe that. This justification can be summarized in two
arguments, one being Islamic and the other scientific.
By the Islamic argument we prove the existence of the Awaited Saviour and by the
scientific argument we prove that the Mahdi is not a mere myth but his existence is a fact
proved by historical experience.
As for the Islamic argument, it is represented by hundreds of traditions which have
come down from the holy Prophet and the Imams of his House. They specify that the Mahdi
will belong to the Prophet's House, will~be descended from his daughter Fatimah-tuz-Zehra
and will be the descendant of Imam Husayn in the ninth generation. The traditions also say
that the total number of the caliphs will be twelve. Thus, the traditions give a specific
shape to the general idea of the Mahdi and determine that he is none other than the
twelfth Imam of the Prophet's House. The number of these traditions is very large in spite
of the fact that the Imams were very reserved on this subject, for fear of an attempt on
the life of the Mahdi.
It is not only because of their number that we have to accept these traditions, but
there are also other indications of their authenticity. According to the different
versions of a tradition of the holy Prophet, he has to be succeeded by twelve caliphs, by
twelve Imams, or by twelve commanders. The total number of reports about this saying as
counted by some writers exceeds 270 and they are found in the most celebrated Shi'ah and
Sunni books, such as Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sahih Tirmizy, Sunan Abu Dawud, Ahmad's
Musnad and Hakim's Mustadrak. It may be noted that Bukhari, who has quoted this tradition,
was a contemporary of Imam Muhammad bin Ali al-Jawad, Imam Ali bin Muhammad al-Hadi and
Imam Hasan al-Askari. This fact has great significance, for it proves that the tradition
was recorded before its contents could materialize. Hence, it cannot be suspected that it
is a possible reflection on the actual number of the Imam, as believed by the Twelver Shi
'ah to reinforce their belief in the twelve Imams. This is because the spurious sayings
attributed to the holy Prophet refer to the events which take place earlier and the saying
comes afterwards. Such sayings do not precede the events nor are they recorded in the
books of tradition earlier.
So long as we possess material evidence of the fact that the tradition was recorded
before the number of the Imams was actually completed we can safely say that it is not a
reflection on an accomplished fact. It is only an expression of a divine truth, expressed
by him who never spoke whimsically, and a prophecy which was subsequently fulfilled by the
actual number of the Imams beginning with Imam Ali and ending with Imam Mahdi.
As for the scientific argument, we have to state that it consists of the experience of
a large number of people for a period covering about seventy years. This period is known
as that of minor occultation. To elucidate the point we propose to explain minor
occultation briefly.
The minor occultation represents the first stage of the Imamate of the Awaited Saviour
who was destined to keep himself physically absent from the public scene, from the very
inception of his Imamate, though he still continues to take an intelligent interest in
what happens around him. Had this occultation come suddenly it would have been a great
shock to his supporters, for they had been accustomed to be always in contact with the
Imam and to consult him on their divergent problems. His sudden disappearance would have
caused a big vacuum which might have absorbed and even destroyed the whole organisation,
for his supporters would have felt that they had been cut off from their spiritual and
intellectual leadership. In order to familiarize them with the idea of occultation and to.
enable them to adapt themselves to the new situation it was felt necessary that a
preparatory stage should precede the final occultation.
This stage was that of minor occultation during which the Imam disappeared from the
public scene, but maintained his contact with his followers through certain
representatives who formed a connecting link between him and those who believed in his
role as an Imam. During this period four persons, whose piety and impeccability was
recognized by all, occupied the position of the vicegerents of the Imam. They are as
under:
Uthman ibn Sa'id al-'Amravi
Muhammad ibn Uthman 'Amravi
Abu'l Qasim Husayn ibn Ruh Nawbakhti
Abu'l Hasan Ali ibn Muhammad al-Simmari
These four persons performed the duties of his vicegerent in the above order. As and
when one of them died, another was duly appointed by the Mahdi to succeed him.
The vicegerent was in contact with: the Shi'ah. He carried their questions to the Imam
and submitted their problems to him. He also conveyed the Imam's replies to his followers.
The replies used to be mostly in writing and were occasionally verbal. The people who
missed the sight of the Imam, found consolation in correspondence and indirect contact.
All the letters received from the Imam during the tenure of his four vicegerents, which
lasted for about seventy years, Were in the same hand-writing and in the same style and
bore the same signature.
Al-Simmari was the last vicegerent. He announced the end of the stage of the minor
occultation, the distinctive feature of which was the appointment of the particular
vicegerent. It was turned into the major occultation after its object had been achieved
and the Shi 'ah had gradually adapted themselves to the absence of the Imam. They had been
immunized against the shock and the vacuum. Following the major occultation, instead of
being represented by a specially appointed vicegerent, the Imam is now represented in a
general way by the qualified mujtahids (eminent legists, capable of arriving at an
independent decision on issues of religious law) having a keen insight into both the
spiritual and temporal affairs. Now, in the light of the foregoing, it can easily be
inferred that the existence of the Mahdi is a. fact which was experienced by a larger
number of the people. He was represented by his vicegerents for seventy long years during.
which they dealt with so many people but no one observed any inconsistency in what they
said, nor discovered any signs of deception in their conduct. Is it conceivable that a
fraud could be continued for seventy years by four persons, one after the other, without
giving rise to the least suspicion? These four persons had no special link with each other
and no collusion between them could be suspected. Their conduct was above reproach. They
gained the confidence of all and everyone believed in the genuineness of their claim and
the reality of their experience.
An old proverb says that truth will always come but. Events of practical life also
prove that a fraud has no chance to last for such a long time in such a way. It is not
possible to deal with so many people fraudulently and at the same time to gain their
confidence.
Thus we know that the minor occultation is tantamount to a scientific experiment to
prove the facts about the Awaited Saviour including his birth, life and occultation and
the general proclamation of his major occultation, according to which be retired from the
scene of life and does not now disclose his identity to anyone.
(e) Reasons for his delay in appearance
Why did the Saviour not appear during all this period when he had already prepared
himself for the intended task? What prevented him from reappearing on the scene of life
during the period of the minor occultation or immediately thereafter, instead of
converting it into the major occultation? At the time it was simpler and easier to bring
about the required change. He had a good opportunity at that time to mobilize his forces
and to start his work forcefully because he already had contact with the people through
the organization which existed during the period of the minor occultation. Moreover, at
that time the ruling powers were not so powerful as they subsequently. became as a result
of the scientific and industrial development.
The successful execution of a revolutionary order depends on certain pre-requisites and
on the existence of a particular atmosphere. Unless these conditions are fulfilled and
that atmosphere is created, it cannot achieve its object.
As regards the Divinely ordained shape of things it has two aspects. As far as its
missionary aspect is concerned it, being Divinely ordained, does not depend on any
congenial atmosphere, but, as far as its operational side is concerned, its timing and
success is linked with the conducive circumstances.
The same was the reason why the pre-Islamic period of five centuries had to elapse
before the Last Divine Message came to Prophet Muhammad, though the world had been in dire
need of it since a far earlier time. It was delayed only because its successful completion
was linked with certain suitable circumstances.
The conducive circumstances, which affect the accomplishment of the change, include
those which create a suitable atmosphere for it and those which determine the right moment
for the beginning of the operation. For example, the revolution which was successfully led
by Lenin in Russia was linked with certain factors, such as the out-break of the First
World War and the decline of the Czarist regime. In addition, there were some minor
factors also. For instance, Lenin's safe journey during which he secretly slipped into
Russia. If he had met with some accident which might have impeded his entry into that
country at that time, the revolution would possibly have been delayed.
It has been the unalterable practice, decreed by Allah, that the actual implementing of
a Divine revolution is linked up with such objective circumstances as create the right
climate and general atmosphere for its success. That is why there was a long gap of a
several hundred of years before the appearance of Islam during which period no prophet was
raised.
No doubt Allah is All-powerful. He can miraculously remove in advance all difficulties
and obstacles impeding a Divine Mission. But He does not do so, because the tests, trials
and tribulations through which man gains perfection require that a Divine revolution
should come about in a natural and normal manner. This does not mean that occasionally
Allah does not intervene in arranging certain details not related to the creation of the
right atmosphere but which tend to give an impetus to the revolution. The Divine help
rendered by Allah to his friends at critical junctures for the purpose of protecting their
mission was of this nature.
The fire set alight by Nimrud did no harm to Abraham; the hand of the treacherous Jew
who had drawn his sword to kill Muhammad was paralysed and, a strong wind hit the camp of
the infidels who had besieged Madina during the Battle of the Ditch and demoralized them.
In all these cases help was rendered at a critical juncture, but only after the right
atmosphere for the desired change had already been created in a natural manner.
On this basis, when we study the position of the Imam Mahdi, we find that the
revolutionary task which has been entrusted to him like any other process of a social
change is linked with certain circumstances which will provide the right climate for its
success. Hence, it is natural that is should be timed accordingly. It is known that the
great task, for which Imam Mahdi has prepared himself, is not of a limited nature nor is
it confined to any particular region. His mission in fact is to revolutionize the world
order in its entirety. It is to rescue mankind from the darkness of vice and to usher in
an era of light and guidance. For such a gigantic revolution the mere existence of a task
and a leader is not enough, otherwise it would have been accomplished during the period of
the holy Prophet himself. Such a revolution requires specific climate and a general
atmosphere conducive to the fulfilment of all the prerequisites.
From man's viewpoint the frustration and disillusionment of a man of culture may be
considered to be the basic factor in creating the right climate. This feeling stems from
the failure of diverse cultural experiments. Only then does a man of culture feel that he
is in need of help and turns to the unknown. From the material angle the modern conditions
of life may be regarded as more suitable for the fulfilment of a mission on world level
than the conditions which prevailed at the time of occultation, for now the distances have
been shortened, the chances of contact between various people of the world have been
improved and better facilities for a central organisation to enlighten mankind on the
basis of the new message have become available.
It is true, as pointed out in the question, that the military power and the war
equipment which the Awaited Leader would have to face have enormously grown, but it is to
be remembered that material power is of no consequence when man is moralized and is
determined to fight against injustice.
Many a lofty civilization in history has collapsed at the first touch of an invader,
because it was already dilapidated and lacked the power of resistance.
(f) His superhuman role
Now we come to another question of the above-mentioned series. The question is whether
a single individual, howsoever great he may be, can accomplish such a great task, when it
is known that a great man is only he whom the circumstances bring forward to be in the
forefront of the events.
This question is based on a particular viewpoint about history which explains
historical developments on the basis that man is only a secondary factor, whereas the main
factor consists of the forces which work around him. Man at the most can be described as
an intelligent interpreter of the inter-play of these forces.
It is evident that history has two poles, one of them being man and the other the
material forces around him. Just as the material forces influence man like the conditions
of production similarly man also influences the material forces around him. There is no
justification for supposing that action always begins with matter and ends at man. The
opposite can also be as true. In history, man and matter have always been interacting. If
the interacting force of man is celestial then his role in life will also assume the
celestial hue. Then it is the Divine force which directs the course of history.
This is a fact which is abundantly proved by the history of the mission of the Prophets
and especially by the life history of the last Divine Messenger, for Muhammad (P) assumed
the control of the course of history and created a culture which could not be created by
the external circumstances around him. Hence, what was
possible to be accomplished by the greatest of the Prophets can also be accomplished at
the hands of the Awaited Saviour of his Family - The Leader whose appearance has been
predicted by the holy Prophet and about whose great role he has already informed mankind.
(g) His modus operandi
Now we come to the last question which is about the method which the Mahdi is likely to
adopt to achieve his objective of the final victory of justice and of the complete
eradication of injustice.
A definite answer to this question depends not only on the knowledge of the timing and
the stage at which the Mahdi will reappear but also on the possibility of imagining what
particular circumstances will be prevailing at that time. It is only in the light of these
circumstances that a picture of his possible strategy can be drawn. So long as we do not
know at what stage the Mahdi will reappear and what will be the prevailing circumstances
at that time, it is not possible to make any prediction on scientific lines. Any
presumptions made in this connection will be based mostly on fiction and not on facts.
Anyhow, there is one basic presumption which can be accepted in the light of the
traditions and the historical experience of the great changes.
This much can in any case be predicted safely that the Awaited Saviour - will appear
when the stage for his appearance is set, neither earlier nor later. Let us be clear as to
the meaning - of this stage for his appearance. This stage means the conditions prevailing
in the world and in the human society. It means the decline in man's moral life, when
oppression and tyranny will be rampant and when mankind will have fallen into the abyss of
crime and immorality.
In addition, this stage for his appearance means that the conditions then prevailing
would create the necessary psychological atmosphere for the reception of a saviour.
Mankind would be dead tired and fed up with the shape of things and would quite naturally
look forward to a saviour for its liberation. This will happen when wickedness will reach
its climax. There will be a great upheaval, a great conflagration, that will send this
universe to its doom. In the darkness that will then prevail, there will dawn a new Sun in
the form of the Mahdi, spreading light and lustre. Having liberated mankind from its
misery and curse, the Mahdi will then bring about a transformation of life in which
justice, peace, virtue and righteousness will abound. Thus will the Awaited Imam
accomplish his mission.
Certain Islamic traditions speak of a government of the virtuous which is to continue
until the appearance of the Mahdi (May Allah hasten his advent) and, as we know, some
Shi'ah scholars who held a high opinion about a certain number of their contemporary
rulers have hinted at the possibility of the continuance of their dynasties until the
appearance of the Mahdi.
On the whole, it is derived from the Qur'anic verses and the Islamic traditions that
the rising of the Mahdi will be the last in the series of fights between the good and the
evil which have continued from the very inception of the world. It will be the Mahdi who
will give a concrete shape to the ideal of all the Prophets, the saints and the fighters
in the way of Allah.
During the period of the occultation it is our duty to be expecting the Awaited Imam.
We must devise a sound and judicious system of social development based on the holy Qur'an
and present it to the world. We must prove the excellence and efficacy of Divine laws to
the people and attract their attention to the Divine system we must fight superstitions
and false beliefs and pave the way for the establishment of Islamic world government. In
the light of the teachings of the holy Qur'an and traditions of the holy Prophet we must
chalk out a programme for solving the world problems and put it at the disposal of world
reformers. We must enlighten the thoughts of the people of the world and at the same time,
prepare ourselves to receive the Awaited Imam and the emergence of a just world
government.
Notes:
For thousands of years man has been aspiring to
delay death which is a predestined phenomenon. During the past centuries the efforts of
the alchemists to find out an elixir of life ended in fiasco.
At the end of the nineteenth century scientific advancement revived the hope for a long
life and it is possible that in the near future this sweet dream may turn into a reality.
In this connection the scientists have resorted in the first instance to experiments on
the animals.
For example, McKee, a distinguished expert of the Cornell University and Alex Komfort
of London University have conducted experiments about the connection between food and
senility. Alex Komfort was able, in the course of his experiments, to increase the age of
a group of mice by fifty per cent. The results of the studies spread over four years
conducted by Richard Rothschild, another American expert, regarding increase in the life
of mice by the use of Methyl aminoethynol were published in the spring of 1972.
This scientist and his associate Akeep arrived at the conclusion that the use of Methyl
aminoethynol during the period of the experiment increased the life of the mice between 6
to 49 per cent. The experiment conducted on the mosquitoes increased their life upto 300
per cent.
It is not possible to ascertain directly that one
phenomenon is the cause of the appearance of another phenomenon (like the rising of the
sun being the cause of the earth becoming hot). We understand only this that one
phenomenon (rising of the sun) is continually followed by another viz. the surface of the
earth becoming hot.
It has also been observed that some events always taking place in succession to others
is not limited to a special relationship of the phenomena but is a special feature of
nature. However, neither the relationship of one single cause with its effect nor the
generality of this relationship throughout nature is visible automatically and does not
form an essential part of our thinking. (David Hume).
The number of Imam Sadiq's pupils has been reported
upto four thousand, some of the well-known among them are: Abu Hanifah al-Nu'man b.
Thabit, Abu Basir Yahya b. al-Qasim, Aban b. Taghlab, Ali b. Yaqteen, Abu Ja'far alias
Mu'min al-Taq, Hisham b. Hakam, Harith b. Mughira, Hatim b. Isma'il, Jabir b. Hayyan,
Malik b. Anas, Mufazzal b. Umar al-Kufi, (For details see: Al-Imam al-Sadiq wa'l mazahibul
arba'ah, Asad Haydar, (Darul Kitab al-Arabia Beirut).
Al-Mahdi by Ayatullah Sayyid Sadruddin Sadr.
Muntakhab al-Athr fi Imam al-Thani 'Ashr by
Lutfullah Safi.
Al-Fatawa al-Waziha 'by Ayatullah Muhammad Baqir
al-Sadr.
