Causes Of Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

The occultation of His Eminence, the Master of the age (a.s) is a necessary thing and His Eminence is not needless of it. We shall discuss those factors that rendered it an absolute necessity.

1. Fear of tyrannical Abbaside regime

When Abbaside rulers gained power they initiated the worst of atrocities and tortures on the Holy Imams (a.s). Basically they considered the school of Ahle Bayt (a.s) and anyone who was their adherents to be eligible for extreme pressure and restrictions. They were thrown into horrible prisons and then put to death. Poets and historians have drawn a pathetic picture of the perilous circumstances suffered by the Alawite Sayyids.

Abu Ataa says:

Alas! If only the oppression of the Merwanids (Bani Umayyah) had returned and the justice of Abbasides were destroyed and thrown into the fire.

Dibil Khuzai says:

The oppression of Bani Abbas has covered everything and no one was secure from its oppression. If we regard the oppression of Bani Umayyah an expected fact, as they were enemies of Bani Hashim, how can we justify the oppression of Bani Abbas who were themselves from Bani Hashim

Major Occultation (Ghaibat Kubra) Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

The major occultation began after the death of Ali bin Muhammad Samari in 328 A.H. and the point of referral and general deputyship of His Eminence, the Master of the Age (a.s) reached the great jurists. Throughout the period of the major occultation attention and written communications have come from His Eminence, to the prominent and knowledgeable Shia personalities. For example, that great personality sent a few letters to the great scholar and leader, Shaykh Mufeed from his side, which were received by Shaykh Mufeed, and we shall quote two of these letters in the coming posts. Similarly it has been proved by widely related reports that some pious and righteous Shia persons were blessed with the audience of His Eminence and its details shall be stated in the forthcoming posts.

Dajjals

A group of hypocrites and deviated people claimed that they were the deputies of the Awaited Imam (a.s). Their root cause was either jealousy with the honorable emissaries of His Eminence or they intended to usurp the monies dispatched by the Shias for the Imam (a.s). By way of examples we shall mention a few of such claimants below:

Minor Occultation (Ghaibat Sugra) Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

There are two types occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s), namely

1. Minor Occulatation or Ghaibat-e-Sugra and
2. Major Occulation or Ghaibat-e-Kubra

In this post we will look at Minor Occultation and Insha-Allah in the next post we will see about major occulation.

Occultation( Ghaibat) Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

When Imam Hasan Askari became cognizant that his death and martyrdom was near he clearly announced the Imamate of His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a.s) and he introduced him to his close confidants and reliable followers. Ahmad bin Ishaq Ashari, a trustworthy, pious and god-fearing man was one of these persons. It has come in narrations that he said: I went to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and wanted to inquire about his successor. His Eminence, preceded me in the matter and said as follows:

“O Ahmad bin Ishaq! The Almighty Allah has not left the earth without a Divine Proof since the creation of Adam (a.s) and would not leave it without a Divine Proof till the hour shall be established (Day of Judgment). Through the Divine Proof calamities are repelled from the inhabitants of the Earth, rain falls and the bounties of the earth come out.”

After hearing these words Ahmad asked His Eminence: “Who is the Imam and Caliph after you” Imam Hasan Askari arose from his seat and hurried inside his house and returned after a short while in such a way that upon his neck on his shoulders sat a boy, whose face seemed to be like the full moon and it seemed that he was three years old. After that, His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) said:

“O Ahmad! If you were not having a special and exalted position before Allah and the Proof of Allah, I would not have shown this son of mine to you. His name and patronymic is the same as that of the Messenger of Allah (a.s). He would fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppressions. O Ahmad! In this community his example is like that of Khizr and Dhulqarnain. By Allah! He will have an occultation and none shall be safe from destruction but one whom Allah has kept steadfast in the belief of his Imam and given the divine opportunity (Tawfeeq) to pray for his reappearance.”
Ahmad immediately asked, “Is there any sign or symbol so that it may satisfy my heart ?”

Just then the boy, who looked like a full moon, began to speak and he said:

“I am the remnant of Allah on His earth and the revenge- taker from His enemies and do not demand proof after what is before you…”

After hearing these words of the Proof of Allah, Ahmad went out of the house of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) in such a condition that his complete being was surrounded by joy. When again he came to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) after that he said: “O son of Allah's Messenger! I was very much pleased with the favor you bestowed me that day. Thus what is the continuing practice of Khizr and Dhulqarnain ?”

His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) said in reply,

“Prolonged occultation.”

Ahmad at once said, “O son of Allah's Messenger, would the occultation of the Promised Imam (a.s) be also prolonged ?”

His Eminence, Imam (a.s) replied,

“By my Lord! Yes, so much so, that even those who had accepted him, would turn away from their belief and none shall remain except one from whom Allah has taken the covenant of our guardianship and in whose hearts is rooted our love and those who support it with their hearts.

O Ahmad! This is the command of Allah and one of the divine secrets and one of the Unseen matters of Allah. So remember what I am telling you and keep it confidential and be of the thankful ones so that you may reside in the position of Illyeen with us.”

(Ref : Kamaluddin, Pg 216)

Praying For Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s) - Doubts

(Ref : Mikyalul Makarim  Vol 1.)

Doubt 1:

It is possible some people may doubt that since the Imam of the Time is the medium of bounties reaching to the creatures, he is needless and self-sufficient of the people, on the basis of this what is the need of people to pray for him?

We shall reply to this doubt in the following manner :

• Our prayers for Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s) is like a humble gift of a lowly person to a man of great stature. There is no doubt that it indicates that this poor man is in need of the bestowals of that great man and it would be in keeping with the manner of slaves in relation to the masters. How aptly it is said:

On the Day of Eid an ant gave a present to Suleiman

A leg of a locust that it held in its mouth.

In its beautiful voice it said:

The gift is according to the status of the giver.

Special Representatives Of Imam Mahdi(a.t.f.s)

Courtsey : tebyan

After the martyrdom of Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) the mantle of Imamate fell on the young shoulders of Imam(a.t.f.s). Imam(a.t.f.s) was forced to conceal himself from the eyes of the people. In the initial stages of the minor occultation, some very special and selected people among the Shi’as had the permission to meet their master whenever the need arose. They presented the problems of the Shi’as in the service of Imam who provided answers to them and conveyed them back to the people. Such selected people were called as special representatives(Nawwab-e-Khassa), deputies.

Four persons had the honor of acquiring this elevated status and all of them hailed from and resided in Baghdad. Apart from them, there were representatives in other cities also. The Shi’as either conveyed their messages to these representatives or directly to the special ones for it to reach to the Imam. These special deputies performed innumerable extraordinary feats in the minor occultation which are preserved in different traditional and historical books.

The First Deputy: Abu Amr Usman Bin Sa’eed Amri

The Second Deputy: Abu Ja’far Mohammad Bin Usman Bin Sa’eed Amri

The Third Deputy: Abul Qasim Hosein Bin Ruh Nawbakhti

The Fourth Deputy: Abul Hasan Ali Bin Mohammad Seymouri

Names,Titles and Patronyms of Imam Mahdi(a.t.f.s) And Their Reasons

Ref : Behaarul Anwaar Vol 52


1- ‘Ilal al-Sharā'e‘: On the authority of al-Thumāli: I asked al-Bāqir, blessings of Allah be unto him, “O’ son of the Messenger of Allah, aren’t all of you Establishers (Qā’imīn) of the Truth?” He said, “Indeed so.” I asked him then, “Why has al-Qā’im has been named ‘the Establisher’ (al-Qā’im)?” He said, “When my forefather Husain, may Allah bless him, was killed, angels wailed to Allah, the Exalted, and cried and whimpered. They said, ‘Our Lord, our Master, are You going to ignore people who killed Your chosen friend and the progeny of Your chosen and selected friend from Your creation?’ Allah, the Exalted, revealed to them, ‘Relax my angels. By My Honor and My Majesty, I will take revenge from them, even if it be after a while.’ Then Allah, the Exalted, manifested the Imams from the progeny of Husain (a.s) which made the angels happy. They saw one of them standing (qā’im), offering salāth. Allah, the Exalted, said, ‘Through that Standing one (al-Qā’im) I shall avenge from them.’”

Birth Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

On Friday, at sunrise, on the fifteenth day of the month of Sha’ban of the year 255 A.H, which coincided with the Christian calendar as July 29th of the year 869, the Last Promise of God Almighty, came in this world.

Janabe Hakimah Khatoon [aunt of Imam Hasan Askari(a.s)] narrates the following tradition as mentioned in Behaar aul Anwaar - Vol 52 :

Parents Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)

Before we mention about the blessed birth of the great universal reformer and the hope of humanity, the great leader of the people, the Awaited Imam (a.s), it would be most fitting to mention in brief about the exalted family and genealogy of the holy Imam (a.s), and the true loftiness and exaltedness that is present in this pure family tree and is the source of heavenly light. He it is who would illuminate the horizon of the world and eradicate oppression and darkness of ignorance and stupidity and destroy the mischief-makers and their centers of destruction and oppression.

Introduction

The Almighty Allah says in His book:

وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلاَئِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَة

And when your Lord said to the angels, I am going to place in the earth a vicegerent…

(Sura Baqarah 2:30)