Imam Mahdi
(a.t.f.) is the son of Infallible Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and Lady Nargis
Khatoon (s.a.). He was born on 15th Sha’ban 255 A.H. in Samarra,
Iraq.
At the time of the creation of Prophet Adam, when Shaitan
refused to prostrate (showing respect) and was cursed, he requested an eternal
life till the Day of Judgment which was granted by All-Mighty Allah. It is the
justice of Allah to continue the Guidance also till the Day of Judgment; hence
Allah concealed the Imam (a.t.f.). His guidance is continuing like sun is
showering light and energy from behind the clouds.
His Imamate
started on 8th Rabi-ul-Awwal 260 A.H. after he led the prayers
of his Martyred father as a five year old son. In the Golden Chain of our
Twelve Imams, the funeral and the prayers was always performed by his Infallible
son. Keeping with the history, practically every Umayyad and Abbasid king
imprisoned and martyred every Infallible Imam. After leading his father’s
funeral prayer, Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.) went inside his home and disappeared
according to the Divine Plan. The enemy forces tried in vain to trace him but
failed. This was the Small Occultation which lasted for about 70 years, during
that period; the Imam continued to meet his trusted representatives but was not
seen openly. When Great Occultation started, the Imam did not meet any one. There
were many occasions when he did appear to help anyone in distress without
disclosing his identity.
A Muslim should not be surprised at the long age of Imam
Mahdi (a.t.f.). Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 3 says:
“It is the pious that believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and give in
charity part of what We have granted them.” Moreover, in Suarah al-Isra Ayah 1:
“Allah is the Exalted One who took His servant one night for a visit from the
Sacred Mosque to the Aqsa’ Mosque….” All-Mighty Allah does what He wants,
whether it is normal for us or abnormal. Similarly, He wants to give long life
to His Hujjah, He is the Master!
Surah al-Qadr:
The Glorious Qur’an was revealed on the Grand
Night or Night of Destiny. Ayah 4 says: “On this night, the angels and the
Spirit descend by the permission of their Lord with His decree (to determine
every one’s destiny). The question arises as to where and upon whom the
angels and the Spirit descend on earth? During the time when the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) and his Progeny were available on earth, they descended on those
Infallible Beings. After the martyrdom of the eleventh imam (a.s.), where those
Angels and Spirit would descend? For this reason, Allah has kept His Hujjah
Imam Mahdi alive!
Hazrat Luqman’s age was 3,500 years, Zul-Qarnain’s age
was 3,000 years, Auj bin Anaq lived for 3,300 years, Prophet Noah lived for 950
years after the Mammoth Floods, and Cave men slept but lived for 309 years.
Prophet Isa, Prophet Idrees, and Hazrat Khizr are still alive. The enemies who
are still alive are Shaitan, Dajjal, and Yajooj Majooj.
Fixing of the
“Black Stone” of Ka’abh: The famous scholar, Allamah Ardbeli narrates : “During
the Small Occultation, while Husayn bin Rooh was Imam’s representative, one
Abul Qasim Jaffer ibn Muhammad Qauloya went to Baghdad with the intention of
performing Hajj, but he fell sick and could not go to Makkah. He heard that the
government had taken out the Black Stone for repair and planned to put it back
during Hajj. He also knew that the Black Stone can only be put back in Ka’bah
by an Infallible Imam. Hence he gave a letter to Ibne Hisham with the
instructions that whoever will plant the Black Stone in Ka’bah, give the letter
to him. People tried in vain to put back the Black Stone but it will not
stabilize. At that moment, a young and handsome youth came forward and fixed
it. Ibne Hisham carefully followed the person. The person turned back and said: “Ibne Hisham! Give me the letter of
Jaffer ibne Muhammad, look, he has inquired from me as to how long will he
live. Tell him that he will live for 30 more years.” The Imam then disappeared.
Ziarat-e-Nahiyya
al-Muqaddisah: This is the Ziarat written by the Imam Saheb-uz-Zaman for
his forefather Sayyid-sh-Shuhadah Imam Hussayn (a.s.). It is divided into ten
parts. It describes the tragic events of the Day of Ashurah.
Sources used:
Story of Holy Kaabah and its People by
S.M.R.Shabbar
Fourteen Stars by
Allama Sayyid Najmul Hasan Karrarvi
Al-Shia.org & Ziaraat.com
No comments:
Post a Comment