14 Questions about Imam az-Zaman Volume 1

Preface

In today’s world, we find people with intense and diverse religious beliefs. Some of them are gifted orators. Others are writers who are apt at transforming their thoughts to exquisite expressions. There are still others, who lost in their own thoughts, can be easily impressed by any misinformation. They make all efforts to justify their false beliefs. However, the counterfeit and false can never be transformed into genuine and fair. Thus, deviation from truth becomes their as well as their proponents’ destiny.

The example of Ibn Khaldun in this context is quite relevant. He was skeptical about the belief in Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s). However, the Muslim world at large agrees that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) had twelve successors. The first of whom is ‘Ali (a.s.) and the remaining eleven are from the children of ‘Ali (a.s.) and Fatimah (s.a.). The twelfth of them will be Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) who will fill this earth will justice and equity just as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) has made many such prophecies.

Another example is that of Haafez Jalaluddin Suyuti who displays his startling ignorance by enumerating these twelve successors thus: The four rightly guided Caliphs, four Caliphs from Bani Umayyah and two from Bani Abbas; he considers the last two as unknown.

But reliable traditions establish that the twelfth one will rise in the last age and will fill the earth with absolute justice and equity. Another authentic tradition accepted by all Sunni Scholars is: “Anyone who dies without recognizing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance”. Such evident traditions that cannot be rejected are then easily subjected to misinterpretation, which in turn lead to baseless and absurd justifications. In the horde of these justifications, the feeble voice of the one crying for his Imam (a.t.f.s.) is drowned. The voice that directs towards “Hazrat Hujjat Ibn al-Hasan (a.t.f.s.)” the last leader of the oppressed is subdued. As a result, doubts arise not only among the deniers but also among the believers.

This book is thus meant to address the doubts that have invaded the hearts of those who are skeptical and also to respond to the queries that may arise in the minds of others. It’s an effort to help in protecting ourselves from the present sinful and corrupt atmosphere. At the same time, it is also for strengthening our recognition of our last Imam (a.t.f.s.).

The life of this world is short and will soon come to an end. However, it will be subjected to a strict reckoning in the Hereafter. None can escape this accounting. Only the one who will be under the pleasant protection of his Imam (a.t.f.s.) will be rescued.

O Lord! Keep us steadfast on the belief of Your last Hujjat (a.t.f.s.) till our last breadth. Ameen!