Waiting and praying for Imam’s reappearance
Waiting and Those Who Wait
Now that we came to know that the Imam appears very suddenly and that he judges on the basis of realities rather than formal rules, we need to know about our duties (during the time of occultation) towards ourselves, Allah
and others. We can better understand the importance of these duties if we pay attention to the following two points:
One: It is possible for the Imam to reappear at any moment.
Two: Once he reappears, he will judge (as mentioned before) on the basis of realities rather than formal rules.
Given all these, what are the responsibilities of each one of us?
In a tradition, it has been stated that the best deed is waiting for his reappearance.1
Considering all these facts, we can come to know why the holy imams prevented their companions from making haste in asking for his reappearance and stressed that they only needed to follow their Lord and pray for his reappearance.
In other words, waiting for the Imam’s reappearance and his righteous government is a good way for individual and social reform. If we are able to reform ourselves, we will be included among the Imam’s companions and helpers.
Waiting and praying for Imam’s reappearance
We are told to pray a lot for the infallibles’ reappearance and wait for their arrival. Waiting is nothing but self-purification and compliances with the realities on the basis of which the Imam will rule. We need to give to others what we owe to them. In our societies, there might be people with properties they really do not owe. Once the Imam reappears, he will confiscate such properties and give them back to their real owners.
Thus we can pave the ground for his reappearance if we pay attention to the issue of self-purification and practically abide by religious rules on personal and social levels.
Commenting on the issue of reappearance, Imam Ali (a.s) says:
ِ الْزَمُوا الْأَرْضَ وَ اصْبِرُوا عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ وَ لَا تُحَرِّكُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ وَ سُيُوفِكُمْ فِي هَوَى أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَ لَا تَسْتَعْجِلُوا بِمَا لَمْ يُعَجِّلْهُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى مَعْرِفَةِ حَقِّ رَبِّهِ وَ حَقِّ رَسُولِهِ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مَاتَ شَهِيداً وَ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ اسْتَوْجَبَ ثَوَابَ مَا نَوَى مِنْ صَالِحِ عَمَلِهِ وَ قَامَتِ النِّيَّةُ مَقَامَ إِصْلَاتِهِ لِسَيْفِهِ فَإِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُدَّةً وَ أَجَلا
Stick to the earth, keep patient in trials, do not move your hands and swords after the liking of your tongues, and do not make haste in matters in which Allah has not asked for haste because any one of you who dies in his bed while he had knowledge of the rights of Allah and the rights of His Prophet and members of the Prophet’s house, will die as martyr. His reward is incumbent on Allah. He is also eligible to the recompense of what good acts he has intended to do, since his intention takes the place of drawing his sword. Certainly, for everything there is a time and a limit. 2
Shiite traditions maintain that anyone who has the above-mentioned qualities and dies before the Imam appears his reward is similar to the rewards of those who really serve Mahdi and fight in his company.
In a tradition, Imam maintains:
فانه من مات منکم علی فراشه و هو علی معرفه حق ربه و حق رسوله و اهل بیته مات شهیدا و وقع اجره علی الله و استوجب ثوب مانوی من صالح عمله و قامت النیه مقام اصلاته لسیفه فان لکل شیء مده و اجلا
Verily he who dies from among you in his bed while he recognizes the right of his Lord, the right of His Messenger and the right of Prophet’s household dies as a martyr. His reward is upon Allah. He deserves the reward of the good deeds he has intended to perform. His intention to do good deeds will be considered as his actions. 3
Waiting and taking preparation for his reappearance
Though we are supposed to pray for his immediate reappearance, we must get fully ready to help him in case he appears. If every Shia acts in accordance with his duties and recognizes the rights of Allah, His Messenger and Prophet’s household, the ground will be automatically paved for the Imam’s reappearance. (Now if the Imam reappear, so much the better, if not) they have at least acted in accordance with their duties towards their Imam. Our main goal was also to explain this.
We ask Allah, the Glorious, to (further) acquaint us with His rights, His Messenger’s rights, and the rights of Prophet’s household and help us do our duties.
Peace and blessing be upon Muhammad and his pure progeny
- 1. Saduq, al-Khisal, p. 616.
- 2. Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 190.
- 3. Ta’awil al-Ayat, p. 642, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52,p. 144.
