Glimpses

of Al-Mahdi (a.s.)

The Peace of Allah, His Messengers, Imams and the believers be upon you.

O the one who bestows honour upon the believers.

O the one who degrades the enemies of Allah and the Prophet.

O the Proof of Allah on Earth.

O Abu Saleh Al Mahdi (May Allah hasten your reappearance).

This is another humble request to you, even though you are in occultation. We are restless due to your separation, and much remains to be said. Just know that countless things remain unsaid, countless couplets remain unsung and an unspecified number of martial songs remain unfinished. The words surge out in the form of tears. The eyes have become an imploring tongue. The field of human history is wide open before us, and those who are in anticipation of your reappearance continue to be busy in Jihad (Holy war) holding the sword in one hand and pen in the other. Is it possible that we see your successful come-back before this request is complete?

Curious eyes gaze at the door of the morning in anticipating a glimpse of your luminous face.

Do not prolong the already prolonged separation of 1200 years for your awaiters.

Firm determination and resolute intentions, with pure body and soul.

With the name of Allah on the tongue and the name of His "Wali" in the heart They are dressed up in Ehraam heading hastily for the promised rendezvous All prepared to heed to the call.....

The auspicious days of celebrating the birth of our Master of the Age have renewed our desire to know more about him. Carrying his love, we begin to traverse the valley of His greatness. We carry his remembrance and his name in this world of knowledge and light and prepare ourselves for the journey.

You are a migrant in this spiritual migration. The provisions of your journey are sincerity, the helper is Allah and the guide is the Wali of Allah.

The journey is within yourself. What is the result of this journey and migration?

It is self accounting. Regarding those duties which have been made compulsory for us by Imam-e-Zamana (May our lives be sacrificed for him) and we have made a covenant to fulfill those duties.

Those duties towards which we are totally inattentive. The utter negligence on our part has made Hazrat sad. Hazrat complains to Allah for the acts of his people.

This is the time to spread the name and fill the whole world with the remembrance of Hazrat (a.s.) to invite the people towards his intellectual revolution to create the conditions favourable for his reappearance so that he (a.s.) may fill the earth with the sweet scent of his reappearance and the buds of, belief may bloom in the garden of his universal kingdom. Justice and knowledge may become widespread. These are some of the results that become manifest on the blessed occasion of the birth of Hazrat Baqiyatullah (May our lives be sacrificed for him) Insha Allah.

We now begin our discussion with the words of Hazrat (a.t.f.s.), so that the words which emanate from the soul shall become embedded in our soul. We may thus become aware that the holy personality is with us. It is this personality which helps us in this age of difficulties and turmoil, and it is this being which guards and cares for us.

"In the Name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful

May Allah protect us from the mischief. And may Allah bestow us with the soul of certainty and save us from a dreadful end.

A group from amongst you has created doubts regarding religion. We have received reports of the doubts that they harboured regarding their "Master of affairs."

I became aggrieved, not for my sake but for you. Because Allah is with us and we are not in need of anyone but Him. And the truth is with us. Hence, I am not worried if anyone forgoes our obedience and leadership...

O people! Why are you involved in doubts and uncertainties. And why, in a condition of bewilderment and astonishment you have made it a doubtful problem? Don't you know that the Almighty has said:

"O those who believe, obey Allah and obey his Prophet and those who have been given authority from among you."

Don't you know that according to the "hadiths" and narrations your past and the future Imams (a.s.) will have to face various calamities?

Have you not seen that from the time of Adam (a.s.) up to that of Imam Hasan al Askari (a.s.) Allah has always provided for you a refuge. Allah has also established clear signs for you to recognise them, so that you can obtain guidance through their medium. And that too in a way that whenever one of these signs were to disappear from your sight it would soon be replaced by another. And whenever a star sets, another star would begin to shine.

Do you think that after the death of Imam Hasan al Askari (a.s.) Allah had forsaken this religion and discontinued the medium that connected Him and His creatures?

No! It had not been so. It will not be till the day of Qiyamat and till the day of the reappearance of the Proof of Allah. Though the disbelievers are averse to it.

Imam Hasan al Askari (a.s.) departed from this world in a righteous way. But like his forefathers he had left behind his will regarding his knowledge and his legatee among us. And except for the blatant disbelievers and tyrants no one disputes with us regarding this exalted position of Imamat. And except for the infidel who has abandoned truth, no one claims for himself this exalted position.

If there had been no risk of subordination of Allah and betrayal of His secrets, our right upon you would have become manifest in such a grand manner that you would have been astonished and all your doubts would have disappeared. But whatever Allah the Almighty has desired and whatever is written in Lauh-e-Mahfooz (the protected tablet) has to be fulfilled.

Therefore, you also must fear Allah and surrender yourselves to us. Leave all the affairs to us so that every type of goodness may reach the people from our existence. Do not insist upon being informed about all that has been hidden from you and do not deviate from the straight path. Remain aligned to the middle path.

Keep your aim with our devotion on a path that is sure to lead towards us. I have advised you regarding that which was necessary. And the Almighty Allah is a witness upon me and upon you.

If we had no love towards you and if we had not cared for your success and your salvation, and if we had not been caring towards you, we would have discontinued communicating with you.

And may Allah send his blessings upon the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.)"

(Beharul Anwaar' Vol. 53, Pg. No. 178-180, from AI-Ihtijaj')

Let us ponder upon these priceless words of Imam-e-Zamana (May our lives be sacrificed for him) and ask ourselves a question:

Who are those who have been addressed by Imam (a.s.) thus?

Does this concern only a particular group of people in the city of Qum who had written a question to Imam (a.s.) during the period of Minor Occultation? Or Is it addressed to all the people living in the period of ghaibat?

Were the problems of doubts, deviations and disputes confined to that period only or they are relevant to. Every age also? Are we also not affected by such maladies?

If it is so then we and all those people who carry the load of the difficulties of occultation on their shoulders, are also addressed by the exalted personality in this message. Then why do not we unite under the leadership of Hazrat and confess our belief in the society, in the dynamic and effective personality?

Come let us see the profundity (depth) of Hazrat's message when he says,

"We are cognizant of all your affairs and nothing is hidden from us. We are also aware the mistakes that you commit from the time, when most of you were inclined towards the evil deeds which your righteous ancestors had shunned."

And from the time they turned away from their covenant as if they had never made it. We are not deficient ill your welfare and care and your remembrance never leaves our heart. Had it been so, calamities would have descended upon you, and your enemies would have crushed you.

Fear Allah and help us and seek our guidance and help to extricate yourself from the mischief that has enveloped you."

(Tawqee of Hazrat Vali AI-Asr (a.j.) addressed to Shaikh Mufeed (R.A.) Beharul Anwaar Vol. 53, Pgs.175-177. Quote from AI Ihtijaj)

Is it proper to cause grief to the pious heart of such an affectionate Imam who never forgets his followers even for a moment, by our bad character and actions?

And break our covenant with him?

It is incumbent upon those who wish for the attention and favours of Imam (a.s.) to strengthen their covenant with him (a.s.) and to remain steadfast and resolute on this covenant. They should protect this covenant from the filth of their evil deeds and loose character. They should also take heed of the sorrowful words of Imam (a.s.) when he says "If our Shias (May Allah give them tawfeeq of His obedience) had been steadfast and united upon this covenant, our meeting them would not have delayed. The cause of our distance with them is that group, whose character is detestable to us."

As far as we are concerned, if there is any barrier between us and Hazrat (a.s.) it is because of us. He (a.s.) is still in ghaibat due to our objectionable character. The way is clear before us. Our duties are clearly defined. The commands of Imam Zamana (a.s.) are present to guide and lead us.

It is necessary for us to cleanse the impurities of our soul and to call Hazrat (a.s.) with our complete existence. We should wait day and night in right earnest for the successful revolution of Hazrat (a.s.). It is the command of Hazrat (a.s.) himself.

"And wait for the Faraj' morning and evening"

(Imam Sadiq (a.s.) Ghaibat-e-Nomani Pg.158)

"Hope for the rule of your master day and night, because everyday there is a new challenge for him and one engagement does not make him careless of his other duties. "

(Imam Sadiq (a.s.) Mikyalul Makarim Vol.2 Pg.157)

Be prepared for his help and assistance. If not possible, at least hope for his reappearance every Friday. The following words should always be on your lips.