Allah will take revenge against his enemies through him

Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani narrated that Muhammad ibn Hammam quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Bondar, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Hilal, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of al-Mufadhdhall ibn Umar, on the authority of As-Sadiq Ja’far ibn Muhammad (a.s.), on the authority of his father (a.s.), on the authority of his forefathers (a.s.), on the authority of the Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) that Allah’s Prophet (S) said, “When I was taken for the Ascension to the heavens, my Lord – the Exalted the Magnificent — revealed this to me by saying, “O Muhammad! I looked upon the Earth and chose you — a Look! I chose you from among them. Then I appointed you as the Prophet. I derived a name from My Name. I am Mahmood (praised one) and you are Muhammad. Then I looked a second time and chose Ali from among them and established him as your Trustee, Successor, the spouse of your daughter, the father of your progeny. I derived for him a name from my Names. I am Ali the Highest, and he is Ali. I established Fatima, Al-Hassan and Al-Husayn from your light. Then I offered (the acceptance of) their absolute authority (Wilayat) to the angels. Whoever accepted it is from those Nearest to God. O Muhammad! If anyone worships Me to the extent that he cuts himself off from everything, and only his bones remain and becomes like an old leather skin but dies while denying their Wilayat, I will not place him in My Paradise, and I will not cover him under My Throne. O Muhammad! Do you like to see them?”

Then I said, “Yes, my Lord!” Then the Honorable the Exalted God said, “Raise your head.” Then I raised my head and encountered the rays of light from Ali, Fatima, Al-Hassan, Al-Husayn, Ali ibn Al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ja’far ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Ja’far, Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ali ibn Muhammad, Al-Hassan ibn Ali, and al-Hujjat ibn Al-Hassan — Al Qaem in their midst shining like a shining star.

I said, “O Lord! Who are they?” God said, “They are the Divine Leaders, and this one is the Qaem who will make legitimate what I have allowed and will forbid what I have forbidden. I will take revenge against My enemies through him. He is the Comfort for My friends. He is the one who will pacify the hearts of your followers from the oppressors, the refuters and the atheists. He will take Lat and ‘Uzza fresh out of the ground and burn them. Indeed, the sedition which these two brought for the people is more than the sedition of the calf, and the Samiri.”

Reference: Uyun Akhbar Ar-Ridha Volume 1by Sh. Saduq (May Allah Sanctify his grave)

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Those who are waiting for Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ جَمَاعَةً… وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْمُنْتَظِرَ لِهَذَا الْأَمْرِ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ الصَّائِمِ الْقَائِمِ وَ مَنْ أَدْرَكَ قَائِمَنَا فَخَرَجَ مَعَهُ فَقَتَلَ عَدُوَّنَا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ عِشْرِينَ شَهِيداً وَ مَنْ قُتِلَ مَعَ قَائِمِنَا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ خَمْسَةٍ وَ عِشْرِينَ شَهِيداً.

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Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him) says: You must know that those waiting for this matter (coming of Imam al-Mahdi, May Allah hasten his reapperance) have a reward like those who fast all the time and pray every night. Whoever will find himself with our al-Qaim (al-Mahdi) and will come out with him to do away with our enemies, he will have a reward equal to that for twenty martyrs and whoever will be killed supporting our Al Qa’im, his reward will be equal to that of fifteen martyrs.

^{Ref: AL-Kafi, vol 2, page 222, tradition #4.}

He is al-Mahdi…

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid who has said that Mundhir ibn Muhammad ibn Qabus narrated to us from Mansur ibn al-Sindi from abu Dawud al-Mustariq from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from Malik al-Juhanni from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah from al-Asbagh ibn Nubata who has said the following:

“Once I went to see Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) and found him thinking and drawing lines on the ground. I then said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin I see you thinking and drawing lines on the ground. Have you become interested in them (worldly things)?’ He said, ‘No, by Allah, I have not become interested in them and I have never been interested in the whole world not even for a day, but I thought about a child from my descendants, the eleventh generation. He is al-Mahdi who will fill the earth with justice and fairness after its being filled with suffering and injustice. He will disappear from public sight in confusing conditions. Certain people will deviate, and others will find the path of guidance.’

“I then asked, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, how long will be the duration of confusion and (his) disappearance?’ He said, ‘Six days or six months or six years.’ I then asked, ‘Will this really come to pass?’ He said, ‘Yes, just as his creation will be necessary (so also will his disappearance). However, O Asbagh, this is not your concern. Those people will be of the best in this nation with the most virtuous ones of this family (Ahl al-Bayt).’

I then asked, ‘What will happen afterwards?’ He said, ‘Allah will do whatever He decide. He possesses many al-Bada (certain changes) wills, goals and ends.”

Ref: Al-Kafi, vol 1, page 338

Our sins are the reason for our being far from our Imam (a.s.)

وَ فِي خَبَرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ الْأَهْوَازِيِّ الْمَرْوِيِّ فِي إِكْمَالِ الدِّينِ وَ غَيْبَةِ الشَّيْخِ‏ وَ مُسْنَدِ فَاطِمَةَ ع لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ الطَّبَرِيِّ وَ فِي لَفْظِ الْأَخِيرِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ الْفَتَى الَّذِي لَقِيَهُ عِنْدَ بَابِ الْكَعْبَةِ وَ أَوْصَلَهُ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ ع مَا الَّذِي تُرِيدُ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ قَالَ الْإِمَامَ الْمَحْجُوبَ عَنِ الْعَالِمِ قَالَ مَا هُوَ مَحْجُوبٌ عَنْكُمْ وَ لَكِنْ حَجَبَهُ سُوءُ أَعْمَالِكُمْ الْخَبَر

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In Ali Ibn Mahziyaar’s journey to the House of Allah in the hope of meeting the Imam of his time, a youth who was among the close servants of Imam-e-Zamaana (may Allah hasten his reappearance) and his messenger, asked Ali Ibn Mahziyaar, “What do you want, O Aba al-Hasan?” He replied, “I am after an Imam who is hidden from the eyes of the people of the world.” The messenger responded: “He is not concealed from you. But your bad deeds have hidden him from you.”

Reference: Behar al-Anwaar, vol 53, page 321

Signs of reappearance

From Kefaayat al-Asar: Informed us Abu Abdillah Ahmad Ibn (Abi Abdillah Ahmad Ibn) Muhammad Ibn Obaidillah, from Abu Taalib Obaidullah Ibn Ahmad Ibn Ya’qoob Ibn Nasr al-Anbari, from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Masrooq, from Abdullah Ibn Shabeeb, fromMuhammad Ibn Ziyaad al-Haashemi,from Sufyaan Ibn Oyaynah (from Imraan Ibn Dawood) from Muhammad Ibn al-Hanafiyyah from:
Ameer al-Momineen Ali (a.s.): “I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) that Allah – Blessed and High be He – said” I will certainly punish all the subjects who come close to the obedience of an Imam who is not from Me (i.e., not appointed by Me) even if these subjects are by themselves good-doers. And I will certainly have mercy on all the subjects who come close to a just Imam from Me even if the subjects are by themselves neither good doers nor God-fearing.”
Then he (s.a.w.a.) told me: O Ali! You are the Imam and the Caliph after me. Your war is my war, and your peace is my peace. You are the father of my two grandsons, and the husband of my daughter. From your offspring will be the purified Imams. Then, I am the Chief of the Prophets [and you are the Chief of the successors; I and you are from one tree]. If we were not there, Allah would not have created the Paradise, the Hell, the Prophets and the angels.” Ali (a.s.) says, ‘I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah!
So, are we superior to the angels?’ He (s.a.w.a.) replied, ‘O Ali! We are the best of Allah’s creations in the entire expanse of the earth. We are better than the proximate angels.
How can we not be better than them while we preceded them in Allah’s recognition and His monotheism? Through us, they recognized Allah; through us, they worshipped Allah; through us, they were guided to the path towards Allah’s recognition. O Ali! You are from me and I am from you. You are my brother and my vizier. When I die, malice towards you will appear in the hearts of some people. Consequently, soon after me, there will be a massive and uprooting mischief, in which every confidante and insider will fall. This will occur during the absence of your fifth Shia from your seventh offspring. The inhabitants of the sky and the earth will grieve for his absence. Then how many of the believers – men and women – will be regretful, aggrieved and confused on account of his absence?
Thereafter, he (s.a.w.a.) put down his head for some time, then raised it and said: ‘By my father and my mother! His name will be my name, and he will be similar to me and (Prophet) Moses Ibn Imran. On him will be the robe(s) of light lit up from the rays of divine holiness. As if I am despairing of those who were there. Then, a caller will call out which will be heard from far like it will be heard from near, (a call) that will be mercy for the believers and punishment for the hypocrites.
I asked, ‘What will that voice be?’ He (s.a.w.a.) responded, ‘Three voices in the month of Rajab. The first will announce: “Beware! The curse of Allah is upon the unjusts.” The second will be, “The near
event draws nigh.” and thirdly, you will see a full moon in display along with the rays of the sun, calling out, “Now, Allah has indeed sent so and so – narrating his genealogy till Ali (a.s.) – in which is the destruction of the oppressors.”At this juncture will be the salvation, Allah will cure their hearts and dispel the anger of their hearts”. I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! How many Imams will be there after me?’ He (s.a.w.a.) replied, ‘There will be nine after Husain (a.s.) and the ninth will be their Qaem’.”

Ref: Muntakhabul Asar, page 14

Tradition

Imam Baqir (a.s.) informed: When our Qaim arises, he will put his hand over the heads of the people, by which their intellects will be brought together and their manners will be perfected.

Behaar al-Anwaar v 52 p 328

The benefits of praying for Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

There are numerous benefits of praying for Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s) in this world as also in the hereafter. Here we enumerate a few of these benefits:

1. Rewards in this world:
   To pray for Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s) is in fact a way of being attached with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a). Imam Baqir (a.s) narrates‘Joining relations (Sil-e-Rahm) purifies the actions, increases wealth, wards off calamities, makes accounting easy, and postpones death.’
   
   (Beharul Anwaar vol. 47, p. 111)
   • Calamities are turned away and there is an increase in sustenance.
   • Our other supplications are answered because of it (praying for Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s)).
   • It prepares a person for meeting Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s) – whether he is awake or asleep.
   • It increases bounties.
   • Allah’s Help is always at hand for him and he is able to overpower his enemies. As Allah says in the Holy Quran‘If you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you’
     
     (Surah Muhammad (42): Verse 7) (http://www.almuntazar.in/71/praying-for-imam-mahdi-atfs/)
   • The Shias will be revived at the time of Imam’s (a.t.f.s.) reappearance – as is mentioned in Dua-e-Ahad.
   • The Shias remain steadfast on religion and are secure from the corruptions of the last era.
   • The Shias are protected from divine chastisement.
   • The one who prays regularly for the early reappreance of Imam-e-Zamana (a.t.f.s) is considered like the one who has prepared the grounds for his reappearance.

Imam Mahdi’s (a.t.f.s.) similarity to Hazrat Khizr (a.s.)

بسم الله الرحمن ارحيم و صلى الله عليك يا صاحب الزمان (ع) ادركنا

 

The subject of Khizr  (a.s.), that Allah prolonged his lifespan is having unanimity among the Shias and the Sunnis and a large number of traditions prove this. One such report is as follows:

In Biharul Anwar it is quoted from Manaqib from Dawood Riqqi that he said:

“Two of my brothers decided to travel for performing Ziarat. One of them was overwhelmed by thirst so much that he fell down from his mount and the other one also fell on his hands. But he got up from his place and recited the prayer and sought the help of Almighty Allah, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), Amirul Momineen (a.s.) and the Imams (a.s.). He uttered their names one by one till he came to the name of Ja’far bin Muhammad (a.s.), and he began to beseech and call out for His Eminence. Suddenly he saw a man standing beside him and asking: ‘What’s the problem?’ He related his circumstances to that gentleman. That person gave him a piece of wood and said: ‘Keep it between his (fellow traveler’s) lips.’  He complied with this and once he saw him open his eyes, he sat up, without feeling any thirst. They continued their journey and performed the Ziarat of the holy tomb.

And when they returned towards Kufa the one who had supplicated, traveled to Medina and went to Imam Sadiq (a.s.). His Eminence asked: ‘Sit down, how is your brother? Where is that (a piece of) wood?’ I politely replied: ‘O master, when my brother fell down in that condition I was extremely distraught and when the Almighty Allah returned his soul, due to being overjoyed I forgot the (piece of) wood/ His Eminence, Sadiq (a.s.) said: ‘When you were depressed by the condition of your brother, my brother, Khizr came to me. I sent you the piece of Tooba tree wood with him/ After that His Eminence turned to his servant and said: ‘Go and bring that container/ The servant went and brought it. His Eminence opened it and that same piece of wood came out. He showed it to that person who recognized it. Then the Imam returned it to its place.”⁵¹⁵

Qaim (a.s.) is also such that the Almighty Allah gave him a long lifespan. Rather some traditions inform us that the wisdom behind the prolongation of Khizr’s life is that it should be a proof for the longevity of Qaim (a.s.). Shaykh Sadooq (q.s.) has mentioned a lengthy tradition in his book, Kamaluddin that we shall bring in Chapter Eighth, Insha Allah. In that report Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) says:

“And as for the Righteous Servant, Khizr (a.s.); the Almighty Allah bestowed him with a long lifespan not due to the fact that He had made him a Prophet, or because a book was revealed to him, nor that he brought a new Shariat nullifying the previous one, nor that He made him an Imam and required the people to follow him, nor because his obedience was compulsory. Rather it was because it was there in the knowledge of Allah, the Blessed and the High, that during occultation the age of Qaim (a.s.) would be prolonged to an extent that people would not believe it, and they would deny a long age, He prolonged the age of the Righteous Servant, Khizr (a.s.) without any justification, except that it be a basis for proving the age of Qaim (a.s.) so that the arguments and proofs of the opponents may be invalidated and that people may not have any argument against the Almighty Allah.”^[1]

And also in the book of Kamaluddin it is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that he said:

What the Wahabbis say about Imam Mahdi (a.s.)

After propounding the Quran and traditional ar­guments there remains no doubt amongst the Muslims, irrespective of his religion either Sunni, Shiite, Wahabbi or non-Wahabbi, regarding the belief in imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) and it is proved beyond doubt that it is a genuine Islamic belief, but since the Wahabbi sect is having a very narrow-minded belief about some of the concepts of Islam hence from its very inception, it has been a butt of rebuke from the Muslim scholars, therefore we analyze in this brief study Wahabbiss point of view about Imam al-Mahdi (a.s). In fact, the following proofs will clarify that like other Muslim scholars Wahabbis Scholars also believe in the existence of al-Mahdi (Mahdaviyat) and they regard this belief as to the climax of the Islamic creed.

1.  The Wahabbi sect is an offshoot of Ahlus-Sunnah and like other Muslims, believes in Koran and traditions, they also have faith in the traditions of Sehah-e-Sittah and other authentic books, Since the traditions pertaining to Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) are quoted from the holy prophet (s.a.w.w.) and are found in abun­dance in the books of traditions, then they are bound to believe in imam al-Mahdi (a.s).
2.  Ibn Taimiyyah (exp. 728 A.H.) was a Hanbali scholar in 7th- 8th century and known as the ideological leader of the Wahabbis, in his book ‘Minhaajus-Sunnah’ (that is a strong attack on Shiites), he considers the traditions regarding Hazrat al-Mahdi (a.s) as authentic and says about him as follows: ” Those traditions recorded by Abu Daawood, Tirmidhi, Ahmad Hanbal, and other traditionalists that there was a dispute over them in regard to the advent of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) are all correct, for example, the tradition of the holy prophet (s.a.w.w.) that was related by Ibn Mas’ud as follows: “Even if a single day remains from the eve of doomsday, Allah the Almighty will prolong that day to such an extent till He raises a man from my household i.e. Ahlul-bait (a.s).”
3.  Shamsuddin Mohammad bin Abi-Bakr is popularly known as ibn Qayme-aj-Jauzi (exp. 751 A.H.), a famous personality of the Hanbali sect, ardent follower and preacher of Ibn Taimiyah’s ideologies has compiled a complete book on the topic of imam al-Mahdi (a.s), he has adorned his book with the title of ‘Al-Mahdi’.
4. The same scholar wrote another book named ‘Al- Munaar Al Munif Fis-Sahih Waz Zaeef that is actually an explanation of Ibn Jauzi’s book ‘Al-Mauzoo’aat’, he quoted some traditions about Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) and also the debate over their authenticity in chapter 15 of this book from page 326 to 344, he concluded that all traditions that are in regard of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) are genuine and completely part of the Islamic tradition, he also wrote in the same book while quoting from the book of ‘Abdul Hussein Aberi ‘ that: “The tradi­tions regarding Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) are plenty (Mutawatir) and abundantly that proves he will be from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.w) .”
5. Allamah Mohammad bin Ali Shaukani (exp. 1250 A.H.) was formerly a Zaidi who later after con­vertion to Wahabbissm became the Wahabbiss prolific preacher in Yemen, he was such a staunch believer in Mah­daviyat (believe in the existence of al-Mahdi a.s.) to the extent that he wrote a complete book on this subject named ‘Al-Tauzeeh Fi Tawatir Ma Ja’aa Fil-Mahdi wad-Dajjal wal Maseeh, The above-mentioned book serves as a major source of reference for most of the scholars, there is need for attention to the following sentence from the mentioned book: “Those narrated traditions in regard to Hazrat al-Mahdi (a.s.) are so numerous that can suffice that one that possesses little faith and justice.”
6. Shaikh Abdul Mohsin bin Ahmad Abbad, a learned professor of the Wahabbis university of Medina wrote a book named ‘Aqidato Ahle-Sunnat wal-Asar Fil Mahdi Al-Muntazar’ in which he has debated that the belief in Mahdaviyat is not confined only to Shiites rather it is pure Islamic ideology, the traditions in regard to Mahdawiyah are con­tinuous while believing in Hazrat Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) is also fundamental. Hazrat al-Mahdi (a.s.) is from the progeny of Fatima Zahra (a.s) and she is going to appear in the last era of the world Moreover he has enlisted the names of one-hundred and twenty-six companions who have quoted the traditions regarding imam al-Mahdi(a.s.), thirty-eight among them are notable scholars and traditionalists that related the traditions that four of them are the compilers of the Sihah Sitah i.e. the six authentic traditional books of Ahlus-Sunnah, he also mentioned the names of the renowned Sunni scholars that wrote books on this subject.
7. Sheikh Abbad wrote another book to refute the book of his Kuwaiti contemporary scholar named Sheikh Abdullahi bin Zaid that made some objections harshly to the said belief, the above-mentioned book is named: “Ar-Raddo Ala Man Kazeba bil Ahadith As Sahiha fil Mahdi.” In this study, firstly the vitriol objections of the Kuwaiti writer are quoted word to word then after been acquainted with them he gave the replies that matched them i.e. the objections.

While keeping these facts in mind is there anyone among the Muslims that can doubt the truthfulness of this belief? Is it possible that someone should claim to be a Muslim without believing in this fundamental creed?

May Allah help us in following the right path (amen).

 

 

Imam Mahdi (a.s.) and Holy Quran

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Holy Quran is God’s last and complete Book. The Almighty Allah has revealed this Book in a lofty manner:

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِّكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything, and a guidance and mercy and good news for those who submit[1].

وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

Nor anything in the world either wet or dry, that is not kept recorded in the self-evident Book[2]

 

All things have been mentioned in the Holy Quran. But, the Almighty has not revealed the Quran in isolation; rather He has appointed a teacher for it.

وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ

We have revealed the Quran to you so that you could tell the people what has been revealed to them and so that perhaps they will think.[3]

At another place, it is mentioned:

وَمَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلاَّ لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُواْ فِيهِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ

We have sent you the Book for no other reason than to settle their differences and to be a guide and mercy for those who believe.[4]

In the light of these verses, it becomes clear that though the Holy Quran contains all knowledge, everyone cannot access it. We have to refer to the divine teacher, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) who will guide us as to where the information is located. Or those persons whom the Prophet of God (s.a.w.a.s.) has given a stature equal to the Quran.

Allah has appointed a teacher of the Quran along with the Book so that people do not interpret it according to their whims. Or when they cannot find a matter due to their Lack of knowledge, they do not deny its existence in the Quran.

The translation of the Quran itself is a momentous task, but delving into the depths of its implications and realities is the work of ‘رَا سِخُوْنَ فىِ الْعِلْمِ ’ (the entrenched ones in knowledge).

If we ponder over the verses of the Holy Quran and their exegesis in the light of traditions after this brief preface, we find the mention of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) in diverse ways.