Imam Al-mehdi (may Allah Hasten His Return)

Chapter 7 - Can an Individual Resume This Role?

Now we have reached another question in this series which is: Can an individual, however great he may be, achieve this great role? Is not such an individual only that one who is selected by circumstances and faced with the realisation of their movement?

The idea here, is related to a particular view of history which interprets the latter on the basis that man is only a secondary factor in it, while the objective strength that surrounds him is the essentials In this sense the individual can only be, in the best of situations, the intelligent expression to that essential factor.

However, we had already made it clear, in other chapters of our printed books, that history is made up of two roles: The first one being man and the second the material strength that surrounds him. Thus, while this material strength, the circumstances of production and nature affect man, the latter also exerts an influence upon them. Moreover, there is no evidence for the assumption that the movement starts from material conditions and ends up with man, except when there is an evidence for the contrary, since both factors interact in time. Therefore, within this framework, an individual can be more than a parrot in the historical trend, especially when we take into account his relation with heaven, since the latter intervenes, then, as a guiding power to this historical trend. That has been the case in the history of all the prophets, especially the last one since by virtue of the relation of his message with heaven, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him and his progeny), assumed by himself the reins of the historical movement and started a civilised expansion which the objective circumstances that existed around him, could not bring about in any case as we have already mentioned in the introduction of al-Fatiwa al-waddihah.

Therefore, what had been achieved at the hands of the Great Messenger could occur also at the hands of the Expected Leader from among his progeny whom he announced and whose role he hinted at.