Manner of Awaiting
Preface
“Say: ‘The unseen is only for Allah; therefore, wait—surely I, too, with you
am of those who wait (muntazirin)’.” Qur’an 10:20
Almost twelve centuries have now passed from the sorrowful occultation of
the Imam of the Age (‘a). Undoubtedly, this prolonged period shall continue
until his advent. As testified by Imam Rida (‘a), the story of reappearance
is like the story of the day of judgment since nobody save Allah is aware of
its timing. Besides, it is an onerous affair for the inhabitants of the
earth and heavens in that it would not occur but all at once. Thus,
inquiring into the timing of the Imam's advent is a futile task while
awaiting his advent is our duty. Imam Jawad says: “Verily, the Qa’im from us
is the very Mahdi; that which is obligatory during his occultation is to
await his coming and during his advent to obey his commands.”
Awaiting (intizar) means to have hope and expectation by heart of the
Imam's advent, which springs from recognition and faith in his advent. Such
an act carries numerous spiritual rewards and values. Like other forms of
worship, awaiting enjoys practical qualitative dimensions such that our
divine leaders have laid great emphasis and reckoned its observance as a
duty and responsibility for the people during the period of occultation…
We hope every one of us ponders upon the duties that we have before the Imam
of the Age and by acting upon them we attract his holy grace and favor and
have a share, though a little, in preparing the ground for the Imam's
advent.
Recognition of the Imam of the Age
In the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), it is fixed that the land has never
been and shall never be void of a divine hujjah (proof) and leader,
and the people of every era are duty-bound to recognize such a leader
appointed by God and not to deny him. Uthman ibn Sa‘id Amri who held
representation for Imam Hadi, Imam ‘Askari and Imam Mahdi, says:
“I was in the presence of Abu Muhammad Hasan ibn ‘Ali (‘a). He was inquired
about the hadith narrated from his forefathers that the land would
never remain void of Allah’s plea until the Day of Judgment and anyone who
dies and does not recognize the Imam of his time has died the death of
ignorance.”
In reply, the Imam (‘a) said: “This is the true just as daylight is true.”
They said: “O the offspring of the Messenger of Allah. Who is the hujjah
and the Imam after you?” He replied: “He is my son Muhammad. He is the Imam
and the hujjah after me. Anyone who dies and does not recognize him
has died the death of ignorance.”
As certified by Imam Sadiq (‘a), the death of ignorance refers to the very
death while having strayed and deviated.
Recognition of the Imam of the Age (‘a) holds importance from two aspects:
ancestral and noble birth. A Shi’ah should know who are the Imam’s
forefathers and what status and dignity he holds. By this recognition, the
true claimant is distinguished from the false ones and nobody will have the
least doubt at anytime.
About acquaintance with the Imam of the Age (‘a), the Holy Messenger of
Allah (s) and the Imams (‘a) have narrated numerous traditions that have
come down in independent books. For instance, Shaykh Tusi has narrated them
in the book, Al-Ghaybah, and Shaykh Saduq in Kamaluddin. Sadr al-Islam
Hamadani says: “During the current era, it is obligatory for all believing
men and women and every Muslim to have a few copies of these books in Arabic
and Persian languages in their houses for their reference.”
Following the Imam of the Age
Acting upon the rules and etiquettes of the Imam (may Allah expedite his
glorious advent) is among the vital dimensions of ‘awaiting’ (intizar).
Anyone calling himself a Shi‘ah should please the Imam by this act and
should strive in fulfilling his aims and aspirations. The Commander of the
Faithful Imam ‘Ali (‘a) while seated on the pulpit of Kufa said: “O Allah,
verily, Thy land is helpless but to have a hujjah appointed by Thee for Thy
creatures for guiding them toward Thy religion and teaching them Thy
knowledge so that Thy proof (argument) is not rendered null and the
followers of Thy saints (prophets) do not get deviated after having received
guidance. This hujjah may be manifest and not obeyed or may be in hiding and
in the state of waiting. If he goes in hiding at the time of guidance, then
the believers set firm his holy knowledge and etiquette in the hearts and
act upon them.” (Kamaluddin, vol. 1, p. 302)
Imam Sadiq (‘a) says: “Truly, the master of this affair would go in hiding.
So, (during that time) a slave should fear Allah and should safeguard his
religion.” (Al-Kafi, vol. 1, pp. 335-336; Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, p. 455; Nu’mani,
Al-Ghaybah, p. 169)
“Anyone wishing to be among the followers of the Qa’im should await his
advent while at the same time keep himself aloof from sins and adopt good
ethics. If such a person dies before the Qa’im’s uprising, his reward will
be like the reward of someone who has been in the presence of the Qa’im. So,
strive hard and await his coming for you are a group upon whom is the
mercy.” (Nu‘mani, Al-Ghaybah, p. 200)
Inviting the people toward the Imam of the Age
The divine duty of every human being is to save his fellow creatures from
perversion and wretchedness. And as certified by Imam al-’Askari (‘a),
anyone who dies while not having recognized the Imam of his time has died in
ignorance. (Kamaluddin, vol. 2, p. 409; Kifayat al-Athar, p. 292)
Thus, those who have recognized their Imam and have faith in him have
another duty of introducing the Imam (‘a) to others. Sulayman ibn Khalid
says:
I informed Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) that my family members are people who accept
my talks. I asked: ‘Should I invite them to this affair? The Imam (‘a)
replied: ‘Yes, for Allah, Exalted be He, mentions in His Book: ‘O you who
believe! Save yourselves and your families from the fuel whose fuel are men
and stones’.’ (Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 211)
The scholars serving the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) too have a heavy mission to bear
on this path, as they are responsible for leading the people during the
period of occultation.
The divine scholar and jurist Ayatullah Mirza Mahdi Isfahani (1365 AH), a
staunch lover of the Imam of the Age (‘a), in his letter to his student,
Ayatullah Shaykh Muh?ammad Baqir Maliki Miyanji (1419 AH) pinpoints that the
first duty of scholars is to open the door of the house of Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)
before the Shi‘ah. He recommends them to talk about the Imamate and
excellence of the Imam of the Age (‘a) so that the people remain immune from
the evil. In one part of this letter, he writes:
‘O brother, I advise you; and once again I advise you to invite the people
toward the Imam of the Time (‘a), their refuge and shelter, and direct
hearts and tongue toward him.’
Serving the Imam of the Age
Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) was asked: ‘Has the Qa’im been born?’ The Imam (‘a)
replied:
“No. If I were to meet him I would serve him all my life.”
Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Taqi Musawi Isfahani says:
“This tradition signifies that serving the Imam (may Allah hasten his
glorious advent) is the highest form of obedience. This is because Imam as-Sadiq
(‘a) who has spent his noble life only on the path of divine worship and
obedience says that if he met the Qa’im, he would serve his all his life.
Thus, it becomes clear that striving to serve the Qa’im is the highest form
of obedience and the noblest way of gaining proximity to Allah as Imam as-Sadiq
(‘a) has preferred this to all other forms of worship and obedience.” [Mikyal
al-Makarim, vol. 2, p. 220]
...waiting for the Awaited Sun
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