Discussion On Imam-e-zaman

Supplement

George Jordache! You don’t desire Ali! Ali’s God gave you a fourth Ali but let him all alone in corner of the Masjid al-Haram (Ka’bah) and sought others!

She continued till he reached to this point: O George Jordache! There is one Ali now in our midst and on the face of this very earth. Yes, he possesses all the perfection of Ali, the forbearance of Hasan and the bravery of Husain but you do not seek him and run after others! For more than eleven hundred years, he has been crying, “Is there any helper, who will assist me?” But you have not sought him. So, you are a liar! You don’t desire Ali!”

This was her treatise in its entirety. But the essence of the philosophy of occultation was brimming as to why Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) is in hiding. O Allah! Why don’t you manifest him? Allah the Almighty replies: Don’t make such absurd demands for I have already manifested him! You will ask: Then where is he? He will reply: Ali, Hasan, Husain and the eight Imams after Husain, I sent them for a lengthy duration of two hundred and sixty years. But you killed them all while you didn’t have the right to kill one free soul. You threw them in prison and jailed them.

Haroon al-Rashid, the Abbaside Emperor, comes to the grave of the Messenger of Islam (s.a.w.a.) and stands to pray two-rak’at namaz. The creatures of Allah stand behind him in emulation. Thereafter, he says, “O Messenger of Allah! Your son is a thorn in our path. Do you permit us to extern him from here? In daylight and public view, he forces Hazrat Musa Ibn Jafar (a.s.) to migrate from Medina to Baghdad and imprisons him92 but not a single Muslim questions his actions!

Then really, you don’t desire Ali! Now, if Allah manifests Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.), what will you do with him? If conveyance is the aim, then all the Imams (a.s.) have made all these sacrifices and conveyance is complete. If the objective is implementation, then two possibilities exist: individual and social. 91 Maqtal al-Husain by al-Muqarram, p. 271

92 Oyoono Akhbaar al-Reza (a.s.) by Shaikh Saduq (a.s.) vol. 1, p. 73 In case of individual, there is no need for him to reappear, take this Tauzeehul Masaael and go and act on it. You can use it as well as your family members. The conclusion of the discussion is:

Why is Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) in concealment? One reason is that he apprehends being killed and second, it is for the examination of the people because preparedness of the people is examined in occultation.

The question that arises is that why Allah doesn’t destroy the person who becomes an obstacle in the way of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.)? The answer is that because it is decided that co-operation should be voluntary.

When will Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) reappear? Whenever co-operation and support is found and hence, no time is fixed. For those who fix the time of his reappearance, it is said, “Those who fix the time have lied.93” If somebody claims that Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) will reappear after ten years, it implies that for the next nine years, relax and go to sleep. And hence it is declared, “Those who fix the time have lied.”

So, when is the time of reappearance? The answer is whenever Allah permits. And this permission is subject to your truthfulness.

Khwaja Naseer Tusi (a.r.), the renowned theologian, has summed the reason of occultation, as follows: “His existence is a grace, his authority is another grace and his occultation is because of us.94” In other words, if Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) is not among us today, it is due to us.

This phrase, ‘because of us’, has been interpreted in various ways. Some are of the view that it implies that our eyes are not worthy enough to witness him or we don’t deserve to see him. Both these suggestions are not the correct exegesis. The real interpretation is that we are still like the people of Ali’s era! We are still like the people of Imam Hasan’s era! We are still like the people of Imam Husain’s era! We are those that when our knowledge increases, we start questioning the actions of Imam Sadeq (a.s.). When he orders to jump into the pit-fire, we ask the reason behind his command.

But if you jump into the pit-fire with absolute submission, the fire will not smolder you. For, the next man who entered (Haroon Makki, a very close companion of Imam), jumped straight into the fire but when the lid was raised, the man from Khorasan saw Haroon sitting comfortably and busy in Allah’s remembrance. Then Imam Sadeq (a.s.) asked, “How many such people do you have in Khorasan?” He replied, “None!” Imam (a.s.) retorted, “So now onwards don’t talk about uprising and revolt and simply improve yourself.”

Of course, regarding the philosophy of occultation, there can be a thousand reasons of which we are unaware. But the gist can be stated as: Fear of being killed, the possibility of similar circumstances as prevailed during the times of the previous Imams (a.s.) and their not revolting, the failed revolt of Hazrat Ali 93 Behaarul Anwaar, Allamah Majlisi, vol. 52, p. 103

94 Sharh Tajreed al-Aqaaed, Qushji, p. 376

(a.s.), etc. All such events explain to us that the main factor of occultation of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) is the non-co-operation of the people. It is only after an atmosphere of co-operation is prepared that Imam (a.s.) will reappear. In other words, if Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) had two Malik Ashtars and was defeated, Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) must have at least three hundred Malik Ashtars. Hence, in traditions we find that Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) will have 313 companions and helpers like Malik Ashtar, who will co-operate with each other and assist him in forming a global government.

Of course, these 313 are the closest companions of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.). Besides them, there will be thousands of other supporters and soldiers, who will be required to support, help and co-operate with these 313 companions95 and obey their commands. May Allah enumerate us among the helpers and

companions of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.)! 95 These second ring soldiers will not be like the closest companions but will be quite similar to them.