WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE BELIEF IN “MAHDAWIYYAH” AND WHEN DID IT ORIGINATE?

“MAHDAWIYYAH” IS THE BELIEF ABOUT A UNIVERSAL SAVIOUR. ALL HEAVENLY RELIGIONS LIKE JUDAISM, ZOROASTRIANISM, CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM MAKE A PROMINENT MENTION ABOUT IT. THEY HOLD THAT THE LAST AGE WILL WITNESS A PERSON WHO WILL EMANCIPATE THE PEOPLE FROM ALL CORRUPTION AND EVIL. THROUGH HIM, THE OPPRESSED WILL REGAIN THEIR RIGHTS AND BREATHE FREELY. THIS CREED IS NOT LIMITED TO ISLAM BUT IS AN ESTABLISHED FAITH OF ALL RELIGIONS. SUPPORT FOR THE WEAK, TERMINATION OF OPPRESSION AND ENLIVENING THE DEAD ARE ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE BELIEF IN THE PROMISED MAHDI. STUDIES ESTABLISH THE ARCHAISM OF “MAHDAWIYYAH”.THIS MATTER HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO DISTORTION IN ALLRead More →

The reason for why the Shia do such, can be the following two hadiths: 1- In the famous hadith of Di’bil Khoza’i, the poet of the Ahlul-Bayt, it has been mentioned that when he was reciting his famous poem for Imam Ridha (as) and he reached the part that says Imam Mahdi’s emergence is for sure and that it will be in Allah’s (swt) name and with His bounties, the imam (as) put his hand on his head and arose in respect, praying for the emergence of Imam Zaman (aj). (Abdul-Husain Ahmad Amini Najafi, Al-Ghadir, vol. 2, pg. 361; Sheikh Abbas Qommi, Muntahal-Amal, fourteenth chapter, chapterRead More →

After researching Shia references, this hadith was nowhere to be found and the only place it has been mentioned is in the book of Mizanul-I’tidal. The hadith says: “إن خرج الدجال تبعه من کان یحب عثمان” (If the Dajjal ever appears, his followers will all be lovers of Uthman). (Abi Abdillah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Uthman, Mizanul-I’tidal fi Naqdil-Rijal, vol. 2, pg. 107.) This hadith has been reported by a narrator by the name of Zayd ibn Wahab and what is interesting is that this hadith has been considered one of his weak points and reasons for him being an unreliable narrator. (Mizanul-I’tidal, vol. 2, pg. 107.) Nevertheless,Read More →

According to hadiths, after the return of Imam Mahdi (aj), Prophet Isa (pbuh) will descend onto the earth by the will of Allah (swt), and will pray behind the imam (aj) as one of his companions in everyone’s presence. (Muqaddas Shafe’i, Aqdul-Durar, pg. 292.) The prophet of Islam (pbuh) has been narrated saying: “By the one who sent me as the true giver of glad tidings, if even only one day remains for the life of this world, Allah (swt) will make that day so long so that my son, [Imam] Mahdi will emerge; Isa, “the spirit of God” will reveal and pray behind him, the worldRead More →

The best approach in proving the Imamate of Imam Ali (as) for followers of the Sunni school of thought is through means of what has been mentioned in the Quran and narrations which have been mentioned in their own sources. In order to do this, one should thoroughly understand that which is presented in verses of the Quran. Meaning, the content of the verse, the context in which it is introduced, instances it refers to, etc. should all be considered in detail. In the Holy Quran there are many verses which make reference to and establish the Imamate of Ali (as) and the other Imams.Read More →

WHY DO THEY CALL PROPHET ISA “THE SPIRIT OF ALLAH”?

There is a verse in the Holy Quran that introduces this prophet of Allah’s as such: “إِنَّمَا الْمَسیحُ عیسَى ابْنُ مَرْیَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ کَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقاها إِلى‏ مَرْیَمَ وَ رُوحٌ مِنْه (Nisa:171.) (Jesus, son of Mary, is only a Messenger of God, His Word, and a spirit from Him whom He conveyed to Mary). It is also relying on this verse that Ruhullah or the “Spirit of God” has been counted as one of his names in Islamic literature. On one hand, we must note that the issue of the spirit is one that, according to the explicit assertion of the Quran, we cannot understandRead More →

HAD IMAM MAHDI’S MOTHER BEEN THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF CAESAR, THE KING OF THE ROMANS?

Shaikh Tusi, one of the great scholars and traditionists of the fifth century, in his book titled Al-Ghaiba (Occultation) reported Bishr bin Sulayman (a servant of 10th Imam, Imam Ali Al-Naqi (as)) as saying that one day, Imam Ali Al-Naqi (as) called him and said to him: “O’ Bishr, you are from the Ansars (inhabitants of Madina who believed in and supported Prophet Mohammad (SAW) when he migrated from Makkah to Madina in the early years of Islam) who have always been our loyal and our trustworthy through generations, therefore I want to exalt you and chasten you with the honor of carrying out aRead More →

To clarify the answer, we must make mention of the following points: 1. What the Shiites believe concerning the Imam of Time (atf), and which the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and also the infallible Imams (a.s.) (See Behar al-Anwar, vol.52 and Muntakhab al-Athar from Grand Ayatollah Saafi.) have pointed out is all the Imam’s occultation, not hiding in a cave or a cellar. Some say only out of mockery that Shiites believe that the Promised Mahdi (pbuh) hid, after his birth in a cellar (the underground of Imam Hasan’s house in Samarra) wherefrom he started his occultation and he is living in that cellar. However, if weRead More →

ARE THE IMAMS WITNESSING OUR ACTIONS?

In order to enter the main discussion and draw a precise conclusion, it would be necessary to first read the following preface. Knowledge of Imam (a.s.): If we examine the resources and teachings available concerning the traits and characteristics of the pure Ahlul-Bayt (a.s.), it is clearly inferred that the infallible Imams are informed about people’s actions and deeds, and in specific situations and circumstances, they take action to guide them and mend their behavior. Given the Imam’s important responsibility in terms of Islamic insight in the system of the universe and in the Islamic society and that the people are under the obligation toRead More →

HOW CAN THE CONTRADICTION BETWEEN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY ABOUT GOD HAVING A SON BE RESOLVED?

In surah Tawhid we read: “Allah is Samad (He is the One whom all turn towards in need) (Tawhid:2.), neither did He begat nor was He begotten”. Some commentators of the Quran believe the verse “neither did He begat nor was He begotten” to be the interpretation of the term Samad in the previous verse. (Farsi translation of Al-Mizan, vol. 29, p. 672; Tafsir Nemouneh, vol. 27, p. 439.) That is to say, what is meant by Allah being Samad, is that no one can be begotten from Him, nor can He be begotten from anyone. Logically, it is impossible for a Allah who is Samad, to have the trait of begetting or being begotten,Read More →