An introduction to twelveth Imame Hazrat Mahdi(a.s)

Birth

The
tyrant rulers were greatly and extremely alarmed and scared and wanted to
stop it.

But they were not aware that Pharos with his might and power and
with all that barbaric massacre of the children and newly born babies could
not stop the God's will to materialize.

He was looking for and searching Musa/Moses [A.S.] from house to house but was bringing
up; his wanted one in his own lap.

Motamid, the Abbasade caliph, who was the Pharos of his age, was
extremely vigilant and watchful about the Imam's house.

When eleventh Imam
(A.S.) was poisoned and taken from the prison to his house, in a feeble
condition, he sent five of the courtiers along with him so that they may be
vigilant and alert and inform him about any occurrence or incident taking
shape at his house.

Then he
sent a group of mid wives to the house of eleventh Imam (A.S.) so that they
keep an eye upon the wife of Imam (A.S.).

Samarah immersed into disturbance and lamentations upon the
martyrdom of eleventh Imam (A.S.).

All the people by closing their places
of work moved towards Imam's (A.S.) house.

They carried the corpse upon
their hands for the burial ceremonies in a much grand, splendid and
magnificent way.

The Abbasade caliph got much harassed and bewildered at
such movement of the masses.

He was trying hard to cover up his crime and
manifest the martyrdom of Imam (A.S.) as a natural death.

Motamid sent his brother to attend the burial rituals and
take evidence, and make people a witness that nobody had killed the Imam
(A.S.).

On the other side, he took up the work of distributing the wealth
of Imam (A.S.) so as to show that Imam (A.S.) has left over no son who
could offer the funeral prayer and be the heir to his property.

But inspite of the entire efforts God's behest took place
and the son of Imam (A.S.) was five years old when his father was martyred.

He achieved the station of Imamate in that age, just as the Christ (A.S.)
was appointed Prophet while he was in the cradle.

He, in
the same age, when they laid the corpse of his father, and his uncle who
was not a good man wanted to lead the funeral prayers, pushed his uncle
aside and led the prayer assembly himself.

After
the prayers he disappeared from the sights.

From the very age of Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.), the Shias had seen him in his father's house and had heard
the recommendations he did about his son.

After the martyrdom of his father
they kept in contact with him for a long time.

Circumstances
of Imam's (A.S.) Birth
Hakima, the aunt of Imam (A.S.) says, "I had gone to
the house of my nephew, on Thursday in the mid of shabaan's
month.

When I wanted to say good-bye and ask for permission to leave.

Imam
(A.S.) said, "Oh aunty do stay tonight with
us because our son will come to the world.

" I was much overjoyed and
happy and went to Narjis (mother of Imam-e-Zaman) but I did not find any clue and sign of
pregnancy in her.

Astonished and surprised as I was, I said to myself, I do
not see any sign of child's birth.

At this moment Imam (A.S.) came to me
and said, "Oh aunty don't be sad Narjis is
like the mother of Musa (A.S.) and the baby is
like Musa (A.S.), who was born secretly and
without any signs and symbols.

Go to Narjis she
will (bear) bring her child to the world at morning (Azzan
time [dawn time]).

I became glad and stayed with Narjis
and the way Imam (A.S.) had said the signs of pregnancy appeared before
sunrise.

A sphere of light came into existence in between her and myself so that I could not see Narjis
any longer.

I got scared and came out of the room and contacted Imam (A.S.)
and told him about the matter.

He smiled and said, "Turn back, after a
few moments so you will see him.

"
I
returned to the room and saw that newly born baby was prostrating whereas
he had raised his finger towards the sky, calling remembering his God with
graciousness, grandeur and oneness and praising Him.

His
Mother Narjis's Matter
One of
the servants of Tenth Imam Hadi (A.S.) "Busher Ansari" narrated
in this connection that, one day Imam Hadi (A.S.)
called me and said to me, "I want to allocate a job to you, the
performing of which will have a great worth for you".

He gave me a
letter along with a sack containing two hundred and twenty golden dinnars and said, "Take these and go to Baghdad and wait on the
passage and course of river Euphorates as, a ship
arrives tomorrow".

There are plenty number of maids on it, which have
been brought for sale.

Most of the buyers and purchasers are from the Bani Abbas and a few other
youths.

There is a girl on that ship so when they ask her to show herself
to the customers she does not do it.

One of the youth comes forward and
says to his master "I buy her for two hundred golden dinnars".

But that lady does not agree.

Then his
master says, "There is no alternative except your being sold, so you
must submit.

" But she replies, "Wait, my purchaser will
come".

Then you go ahead give her the letter and say, "If this
lady be inclined to the one who sent this letter, I purchase her.

" She
becomes glad after reading the letter thus you purchase her from her master
and bring her.

"
Busher says, I did what Imam had
ordered and purchased her form her master.

On the way she narrated to me an
amazing and astonishing story and said, "I am the daughter of the king
of Rome".

My
grandfather was a close one to Christ (A.S.).

My father wanted to get me
married to his nephew.

One day, he organized a grand congregation in the
palace and made his nephew sit with me upon the throne.

All the Christian
dignitaries and chieftain gathered to get me married to him.

All of
a sudden the palace shook, which scattered every thing and my cousin, fell
down from the throne.

They again organized an assembly but again the same
thing reoccurred.

The Christian dignitaries and nobles took it for a bad
omen and all of them left the palace.

On the
same night, I slept sad and uncomfortable.

I saw in the dream that
lightened men came to the palace.

Some were saying one of them was Christ
(A.S.) and the other one was the Prophet of Islam (P.B.U.H.).

The Prophet
(P.B.U.H.) of Islam facing the Christ (A.S.) said, "I ask you the hand
of this granddaughter of yours for my (grand) son in marriage".

Christ
(A.S.) was overjoyed and happy and accepted it (the proposal).

I got
up from the bed and did not tell anyone about this matter.

Till such time
that one-day, I fell ill and my father summoned the entire physician and
made them present near my bed.

But none of them could treat me.

I requested
my father to free those Muslims who were in prison.

He agreed to my demand
and freed them and I was cured.

On the
same night, I again saw lightened women.

They were saying she is the mother
of Christ Mary (Marriam [S.A.]) and Fatimah (S.A.) the daughter of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.).

Fatimah (S.A.) who came ahead and said to me, "If
you are inclined to be the wife of my son you should become a Muslim.

"
I
embraced and accepted Islam at her hands in the dream.

Then she took me
along with her to her son Imam Hassan Askari (A.S.).

His
love captured my heart very strongly and thoroughly so I became restless
both days and nights till one night, I saw Imam Hassan
Askari (A.S.) in my dream.

I asked him, "How
can I become your wife?" He said, "very soon your father will
send an army to fight the Muslims and you will be at the rear of that army.

The Muslims will win the battle and you will be held prisoner and brought
in to Baghdad for sale.

The ship
stops in the course of Euphorates and they bring
you out for sale".

The
customers come to purchase you.

But wait, the one who will come to buy you
will come along with a letter from my father.

He will buy you and bring you
along with him.

I awoke
from the dream and was happy and after a certain time, the same thing
happened what Imam (A.S.) had said.

Oh Busher!
Till this moment no one is aware of this secret, and recognize me.

Beware,
do not reproduce this affair, which I narrated to you to anybody, and keep
it to yourself.

"Busher" says as she described her story to me I
trembled all over and from then onwards I respected her more and
accompanied her like a servant.

Then I brought her to my Lord Imam Hadi (A.S.).

He asked her, "How is it that you
embraced (adopted) Islam?" She replied, "You are asking me
something, about which you know better than myself.

"
Then he
said, "Good tidings to you regarding a son who will fill the world
with justice and legality, the son who is being awaited by all.

"
Then
he, turning his face towards his sister Hakima
said, "Oh Sister! this is the same lady you
were waiting for.

Take her along with you and teach her the commands of
Islam.

" Hakima hugged her and graciously and
honorable took her along.

"
Imam's
(A.S.) Life Period
Imam's
(A.S.) life can be divided into three phases.

1.

From
birth up to the martyrdom of his father till he was five years of age.

During this period many of the Imams (A.S.) companions and the notables and
jurisprudents who came from all over the nooks and corners of the world to
see Imam Hassan Askari
(A.S.) had met this son of his and had enquired the solution to out
numbered problems from him.

Imam (A.S.) had shown them his son and made
recommendations to them about him.

2.

The
minor occultation (incubation), which started at the age of six years and
continued up to 76 years.

During this period, the government officials and
agents were deprived of his meeting but the friends and associates did go
to see him and ask him the solution to their problems.

During
this period there were four persons, who were the special friends of Imam
(A.S.) and were the medium between people and the Imam (A.S.).

They carried
and delivered the letters and money of the people to Imam and deliver them
the answers of Imam.

Four of
those include.

i) Usman bin Saeed
ii) Mohammad bin Usman
iii) Hussain bin Raoh
iv) Ali bin Mohammad Sumairi
These
were out of those friends, who were the object of confidence of Imam (A.S.)
and each one of them did perform his deputation and duties one after the
other.

3.

The
major occultation (incubation) started from 329 Hijrah
onwards and is currently running.

He, during this period, which only God
know how long it would last, attends the gatherings and congregation of the
people and presents himself among them in an unknown guise, without being
recognized.

Nobody can recognize him and those who see him they see him as
a stranger and when he leaves then they, from the signs and symbols, which
they saw, know that he was Imam himself.

Waiting
In the
age, when Imam is spending his life in the major occultation and does not
introduce himself to people jurisprudents who are capable, talented and
well equipped in Islamic problems solve the difficulties of people and the
Islamic society on behalf of the Imam (A.S.).

They, keeping in view the
people's welfare expedient of world and hereafter, provide the grounds for
the revolution of the infallible Imam (A.S.).

People
in this age, are waiting for him but it does not mean that they may sit
idle, immobile and indifferent and stay their hands from endeavor, efforts
and paving the way for his (Imam's [A.S.]) arrival.

Instead, the waiting
man is a person hopeful, endeavoring, dashing and moving, intelligent and
aware, having faith and belief in Imam (A.S.), and finally leveler and pave
of the ground for the appearance and advent of Imam (A.S.).

He is
exactly like that mountaineer, who is waiting for the conquest of mountain
peak and struggles and endeavors to lay hand upon his aim, and gets ready
whatever is necessary to reach the peak.

Obviously, having the plan of
conquering the peak of success and sitting idle laying hand on hand will
not make him reach the aim.

Therefore,
waiting gives to the human beings movement, struggle and endeavor, though
ideas, invention and discovery.

If this vital principle is finished in the
society human beings would become cold and frigid, immobile, hopeless and
disappointed and would no more be optimistic about a brilliant future.

The
principle of waiting in Islam is a principle un-detachable and un-segregatable from the religion, which gives the happy
news of a bright future and the implementation of the total and complete
social justice.

Thus he trains himself for the sake of materializing this
ideal and aim in such a way that he may be able to fight and combat against
the darknesses, antagonist of Mehdi
(A.S.) (Islamic antichrist) and Sufians and by
virtue of his uninterrupted movement set the atmosphere ready for the
formation of single universal government.

So that by the time of the
appearance of a Gad made personality all the aims and objective of Islam
take their practical shape.

(Insha Allah)
Imam's
(A.S.) Miracles
Although
there are a plenty number of the miracles of Imam-e-Zaman
but we point out two of them as under:
1) Shiekh Tusi has narrated it
from a man named Rashiq, who was the agent of Abbesade caliph "Motazid.

"
One day Motazid summoned me and said, "I
have learnt that there is a son in the house of Imam Hassan
Askari (A.S.)".

He escorted me with two of
his agents saying, "Go to Samara as soon as possible and get into the
house of Imam Askari (A.S.) if you find a young
man kill him and bring his head for me.

We swiftly proceeded till we
reached Imam's (A.S.) door.

We saw a slave sitting at the door.

We paid no
heed to him and entered the house.

We saw a much beautiful house and a room
in a corner attracted our attention.

We drew the curtain up, saw a big room
full of water and there was a carpet spread over it and a youth was busy
offering prayers.

One of the agents entered the room and at once sunk into
the water.

We saved him with a great deal of trouble.

He lost his senses.

The
other one entered the room he too got sunk into the water.

We dragged him
out.

He too lost his senses.

After an hour both of them regain their lost
senses.

While we were trembling with fear, we rode off upon our homes and
moved towards the residence of the caliph.

We
approached him at the mid of night.

He was waking and waiting for us.

We
explained the matter to him.

He too trembled with fear as we had and said,
"Nobody should know about this matter.

Keep this secret to you and
don't tell it to anyone.

If I come to know that you have mentioned it to
someone I will kill you".

So till such time "Motazid"
was living we did not pluck the courage to say a word about it.

2) Ali
bin Sinan narrates, a group of people of Qum proceeded towards Samarah, along with some money, to visit Imam Askari (A.S.).

When they reached there they discovered
that Imam (A.S.) had passed away.

They remained uncertain and wandering
around for a while to find out what to do, till such time they were
introduced to "Jaffar" the brother of
Imam Askari (A.

S).

When they described the aim
and object of that journey.

He said to them, "Hand me over the money
as I am his successor.

But they said, "Imam (A.S.) must tell us how
much money we have along with us and that whose property is each of the
sacks?"
This
thing had occurred before as well, therefore, "Jaffar"
got flared up and said, "You are telling a lie that my brother used to
inform about these things.

Because this is prescience and omniscience and
oracle, and divination belongs to God only and none else".

But
they insisted and asserted so that Jaffar made a
complaint against them to the caliph.

He summoned them and ordered them to
surrender the wealth to Jaffar.

They pledged
that, "This is not our money and all are deposits of the people and we
have no way except handing them over to somebody who may be the successor
of Imam (A.S.) and if otherwise, then return them to their owners".

The
caliph accepted their word and let them go free.

When they decided to leave
the city a young man came to them and said, "Imam has summoned you
all.

"
All of
them were happy and followed him to the house of Imam Askari
(A.S.).

There they found a young man, the effects and signs of Imamate were
apparent upon whose face.

They repeated the same words, which they had told
Jaffar.

Imam
smiled and said, "Sit down, so that I inform you about each one of
these (sacks)".

Thereafter, he took the name of the owner of each of
the sacks one by one, the amount and their quantities and numbers.

We were
pleased and overjoyed for the fact that we had discovered our lost object.

We took out the sacks and handed those over to Imam (AS.) and enquired and
put questions to him about our problems.

He replied all of them.

Then he
ordered that from that time onwards we must not bring the money over there
and instead; contact the representative, which he had appointed in Baghdad.

Whenever we have
questions to be asked we must send those to him and he will send the
answers to us.

All of
us said good-bye to him and came out.

We thanked God upon that blessing and
benediction.

Those
who reached the Imam (A.S.)
Although
Imam (A.S.) has not shown himself to anyone during the major occultation
period and people have been deprived of seeing him but the pure and pious
lovers have sometimes been able to see and talk to him and we point out a
few occasions out of those, as specimens.

1.

Shamsuddin the son of Hirqili:
says about his father, "one day my father narrated to me the story of
his leg which was wounded and then cured.

" In the youth time my thigh
got injured and infected.

It troubled me.

One day I visited a friend "Syed Raziuddin Taus" in Hila Iraq.

He
gathered the physicians to examine my infected wound and to treat that but
when they examined it, they gave a negative response because as per their
opinion if they operated upon it, the risk of the vein being cut and
consequently my death existed.

The next year that Syed
(friend) took me to Baghdad and got me
inspected and checked by the physician of that place.

All of them said the
same that the physicians of Hila had previously
said.

One of
those days, sad, disappointed, and dismayed as I was, I visited the Shrines
of my Imams (A.S.) in Samara and stayed there overnight and yearned seeking
the help of Imam-e-Zaman (Imam of the age).

When
the morning dawned I went towards the river Dajla
and washed my clothes and took a bath to turn back for Ziarat
(visiting Imam's shrine).

On the way back two horse riders met me.

I
thought they were the desert dwellers (nomadic).

They saluted me.

One of
them said, "Come near me.

" Since, I had cleaned my clothes and
did not consider the desert dwellers (Arbs) as clean, I did not go near them.

I was afraid that their
hands would contaminate my dress, which was still wet.

I was thinking about
it when suddenly he dragged me towards himself and put his hand upon the
wound of my leg so that I yelled with pain.

He took his hand off and said,
"Ismail you are relieved, now do not be sad
and distressed because you will bear no more of pin.

"
I was
surprised how was it that he called me by my name.

I was still thinking about it and he went.

I said to myself perhaps he
might be my Imam-e-Zamana.

I followed him and
appealed him to stop.

Suddenly he turned his face back and said, "Ismail turn back.

"
I would
not listen and continued running after him as before.

The other person who
was with him said, "Oh Ismail turn back are
you not ashamed of it that you do not obey the command of your Imam-e-Zamana?"
Then I
was positive that he was the Imam (A.S.) and the guardian of the Ummah.

I
stopped and had a look upon him watching him go and after a while they
disappeared from my sight.

Shamsuddin says, "From that day onwards my
father would frequently and consecutively visit Samarah
but he did not see the Imam (A.S.) again and left this world with the
aspiration and longing to see him.

2.

Syed Mohammad Jabal Amili: described the affair of his journey to his
friends saying, "one year I traveled to Mashad
and since I did not have sufficient money it was hard and difficult time.

Till the time that I learnt a caravan was moving.

But as I even did not
have money enough to buy one time meal to fill my belly, I went to the (Haram) Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) and wept there.

Then
I decided to reach the caravan, even though I was hungry.

Because, if I was
left back the winter would set in and I would die of cold.

I was
proceeding in the same condition upon the way but I lost my way and found
myself in a dry burning and scorching hot desert.

I was not able to move on
account of hunger.

Inspite of wandering in search
of any grass or vegetation to eat I could not procure any.

Night fell and
it became dark.

The noise of beasts and desert animals had harassed and
frightened me.

I was weeping and got prepared to submit myself to death.

Not very long after the moon appeared and the voices of roaring of the
beasts stopped.

Suddenly
my eyes caught the sight of a hillock, the height of a dune,
I went there I saw a spring.

I was very much happy.

I took some water drank
it and made ablution and offered my prayers.

Thereafter, I did not have the
energy to move any more because of hunger.

I went to sleep right there and
got ready for death.

All of
a sudden I saw a person riding a horse, moving towards me.

I thought
perhaps he may be one of the robbers and since, I did not possess a thing
he might kill me, out of anger.

When he
reached there he saluted me.

I
answered his salutation then I knew he was not one of the robbers.

Then he
said, "What are you up to?"
I
replied him in a great deal of weakness and handicapped condition that
"I am hungry and have lost my way.

"
He
said, "you have a number of melons lying besides you, why are you hungry?"
I who
had searched all the places around had not found a thing, thought he was
just joking.

I said to him "do not make fun of me, and leave me alone
to die.

"
He
said, "I am not joking look at the back of you.

"
When I
had a look I saw three melons.

He
said, "Eat one of those and keep the other two with you and go
straight upon this way.

Near about the sunset you will reach a tent, they
will guide you to the caravan".

Then he
disappeared.

I came
to my senses at once and knew that he was the Imam-e-Zamana.

According
to his order I ate one of the melons and when I was fit enough I picked up
the other two and proceeded on my way.

On the noon of the next day I ate the other melon and
proceeded again and as he had said, I reached a tent, near the sunset time.

They showed me in to the tent and treated me well and then made me connect
the caravan.

Can
a man, have such a long life?
On the
basis of the science of physiology the human body is composed of Billions
of cells and tissues.

With the passage of time, the cells get old and worn
out and wither away and young cells take their place.

This is how the
schedule of life goes on.

That
thing which worn the man out and stop the cells from performing their
activity and work and brings the gift of death to man are the harmful
microbes which enter the human body from various ways and start a combat
against the cells and annihilate them.

The
knowledge of medicine (prevention and cure of disease) is a witness to it
that if man commands the perfect knowledge and acquaintance with the
condition of body, diets and the perilous and harmful substances and
completely looks after his health and is careful about his food his life
will prolong.

He will not meet an early approaching old age.

From
this point of view the scholars and scientists have been able to prolong
the lives of a few animals to many times their (natural) length, through
experiments.

In this way, man can, by virtue of vast knowledge and
respecting the rules and regulations of health, live for a number of
centuries.

A
scholar must search for many long years to reach and lay his hand upon a
secret of the knowledge, to get acquainted with only a piece of it.

But
Imam-e-Zamana (A.S.) all the stocks of whose
knowledge are bestowed upon him by the God does not need to traverse all
that long way and he can travel the length of centuries in one moment and
reach the result.

In this
way, it would not be anything difficult, from the scientific point of view
that he (Imam [A.S.]) by the vast knowledge, which has been gifted to him
by the God, may lead his life for hundreds of years with health and safety
of his youth and old age and wearing off does not approach him.

On the
other hand, the length of the life of Imam-e-Zamana
is not more surprising and amazing than the extinguishing of the fire (of Namrod) for Ibrahim/Abraham
(A.S.), the bifurcating and division of the river Nile for Musa/Moses (A.S.) to cross over and turning of a pole
into a serpent, which are the show and manifestation of the power of God.

Quran and history with reference to these problems narrate
the examples and specimens of the length of lives of the Prophets and the
ordinary people in the past times.

For instance, Noah (A.S.), Luqman (A.S.) lived as long as 950 years and 400 years
in this world respectively.

Similarly
"Bukht Nasr"
lived 1507 years and Suleman/Solomon (A.S.) lived
712 years and Firoze Rai
a king of India lived nearly 537
years.

All of
these examples are a witness to the fact that the longevity of man's life
is not against science and knowledge and it is possible to occur in all the
ages.

How
will the Imam (A.S.) achieve success and Victory over the World Powers?
In an
age when the thinkers and wise men of the world are busy in a race of the
production of destructive and harassing weapons there would be no sign of
peace and tranquility and the world will continue to bum and smolder in the
fire of war and injustice.

The power poles would continue to think of
expanding their governments and lands trough war and martial intervention.

Given these circumstances and conditions disappointment and distress will
overwhelm the human lives and the spectrum of sin, evil and aggression will
expand.

In this
condition the ground and scenario for the acceptance of a just government
free of war and aggression will come into existence.

All the nations will
get fed up and tired of their egoist and tyrant governments and the
expansion and progressing evil and injustice will make the world ready for
an explosion.

Just similar to the appearance of the bright star of Islam in
the area of Hijaz.

So that after five centuries
of ignorance tyranny and cruelty a suitable scenario got provided for the
advent of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) of Islam.

The
afflicted and deprived masses got so prepared and ready to accept Islam
that they responded positively and quickly to the call of Tawhid (oneness of God) and Justice of the Prophet
(P.B.U.H.) and group wise embraced it and accepted its manifesto.

If we
observe the revolutions of the world, we will find and discover that the
best parts of the success of the leaders of revolutions was on account of
the materialization and appearance of the suitable scenario in those
societies which was caused by the extreme unhappiness of the people from
the tyranny of their brutal governments and the same led their leader
towards achieving power.

On the
basis of this (theory) the upraise and revolution
of Imam Mehdi (A.S.) will materialize on a
natural ground which is the same appearance of suitable scenarios in the
society and since the revolution of Imam (A.S.) would be global and not
restricted to an area.

Therefore, all the people of the world must get
prepared to accept the revolution and this would be possible in a time that
according to the saying of the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), "cruelty, brutality
and evil and destruction shall have over whelmed the total world.

" The
extreme and severe pressures of the governments shall have put all the
masses of the nation upon the course of an explosion, so that all stretch
their hands towards it.

And accept its invitation from the core of their
hearts.

Just like a fruit, which ripens upon the tree and
with only a jerk or movement falls down to the ground.

In
these conditions all the powers of the world, howsoever they may be
equipped with marshal and military hardware, cannot
stop and put a restraint upon that upraisal and
revolution, through killing and massacres.

In this
age the world is confronted with a defeat, and
restlessness of souls and needs an unusual leader.

A leader who may be
fully equipped with the knowledge and awareness of the history and all the
stages and degrees of the human culture very closely and who have touched
all those and been an expectator and minute
observer of all the historical changes and all the crimes of the past
times.

He is
the one who after the behest of and deputation order from the God yells out
the slogan of justice and humanity and having gathered the historically
subjugated and suppressed masses of the world around him put an end to the
governments of the criminals.

Unity will make those people, who spent their
energies on the way to the annihilation and destruction of each other, get
their energies and resources used for the welfare and prosperity of each
other.

Thus
bring into existence a world, far from fear, anxiety and full of boon and
benediction.