Imam Mahdi (A.S), the Twelfth Infallible Imam in Supplications

By: Dr. Ghavidel, Clinical Psychologist (Javan Psychological Counseling Center)

The fifteenth Sha’ban, 1423 (A.H.)  is the  birth anniversary  of the Twelfth infallible Imam of Shi’a people.

All his followers adore him and expect his reappearance day  and night.

In fact, he is not only  expected by Shi’a followers, he is the promised one of all nations, the real savior of all mankind irrespective of race, sex and religion. The occasion offers a good opportunity to have a glance at him through the various supplications and traditions received from holy  prophet Mohammad (S) and his infalible Household.

To you:

Son of proximate leader.

Son of selected noblemen.

Son of rightly guides.

Son of well disciplined men.

Son of the purest men.

Son of the purest and selected men.

Son of chosen authorities.

Son of chosen prophet (S.A)

Son of Ali Murtaza (A.s)

Son of khadija (A.S), The respectable

Son of Fatema (A.S), The greatest Son of great stars

Son of scintillating moons

Son of glowing beacons

Son of illuminating meteors

Son of sparkling stars

Son of clear path

Son of shining standard

Son of perfect sciences

Son of famous traditions

Son of divine knowledge

Son of existing miracles

Son of firm arguments

Son of straight path

Son of great news

Son  of basis of books

Son of evidences

Son of apparent arguments

Son of clear and dazzling proofs

Son of perfect proofs

Son of revealed bounties

Son of “Taha” (holy prophet S.A) and clear verses.

Son of “yasin” and “Zariyaat”

Son of “Tur” and “Aadiyat”

 

To you:

The reviver of the Sunnat (of the Holy prophet (S.A))

The riser with the command.

The proof of Allah

The guide towards Allah.

The representative of Allah on the earth

The witness (of God) on the servants

The eyes of Allah by which the guided ones are guided

The one through whom the problem of the believers are solved

The master, the admonisher

The ship of salvation

The source of life

The riser

The awaited

The guided

The Successor, the proof

The owner of time

The master of era

The master of age

The teacher of Qura’nic precepts

The purifier of earth

The preacher of justice

The one who will greatly honor the believers and oppressed

The one who degrade the apostates arrogant and unjust

The helper of the distressed and the destitute

The respect of the self-respecting persons

The splendor of Allah

The beacon of light

The hidden, the concealed

The expected, the riser

The awaited justice.

The caller towards the book of Allah

The interpreter of book of Allah

The covenant of Allah

The promise of Allah

The expansive knowledge

The vast mercy

The friend of the believers

The light of truth

The speaker with wisdom and truth

The perfect word of Allah

The apprehensive, the fearful

The flag of guidance

The light of the vision of creatures

The one who will fill the earth with justice and equity

The successor of his guided forefathers

The successor of the past successors

The remnant of Allah from the chosen ones

The treasure of prophet’s (S.A)  knowledge

The nullifier of every  falsehood

The leader of the pious

The honor of the monotheists

The honorable one

The word of praised one

The giver of honor to the friends

The heir of prophets (A.S.)

The seal of successors

The open justice

The luminescent moon

The brilliant splendor

The sun of darkness

The blossom of creation

The freshness of days

The holder of the sword

The divine religion

The written Book

The proof of Allah upon His servants.

The ultimate in prophetic heritage

The master of command

The reliever in difficulties

The appointed one to end the rule of the oppressors

The one who is expected to eliminate injustice and tyranny

The authority for reviving religion and divine laws

The one who is expected to enliven Qur’an and its injunctions

The reviver of religion’s teachings and it’s followers

The one who collects the people on the basis of piety

The Promised One the Expected by All...

Above mentioned are some names, epithets, agnomens and titles of Imam Mahdi (A.S.) by which he has been remembered in different supplications (dua), salutations (ziyarats) and invocation of blessings

No doubt the powers and effects of supplications are miraculous While on one hand supplications are confessions of man’s servitude towards his Lord, on the other hand, the contents of prayers are expressions of man’s spiritual satisfaction. If a request repeatedly made with the insistence on its acceptance and this presentation is made in various modes and manners on every important occasion with an untiring persistence, then certainly with their repeated requests, we can realize its extraordinary nature.

The importance of such a supplication is enhanced manifold when we see it in verbal expressions of progeny of messenger of God. There are so many salutations and supplications where some demand has been made in come way or the other. Whether it is Ziyarat-e-Ashoora or Ziyarat-e-Jameah or Dua-e-Iftetah or Dua-e-Abu Hamah Semali, or the supplications of Shabaan and Ramazan, all these prayers have one thing very much common among them. Though it may have different forms, the common feature is the supplication regarding the joyous reappearance of Imam Mahdi (A.S.). Although there are ample traditions describing the various facets of Imam Mahdi (A.S.), his reappearance is such an epoch-making hallmark that it was not side lined even in the supplication to the Lord of the worlds.

Through supplications, we realize the importance of the belief in Hazrat Imam Mahdi (A.S.) and praying for his reappearance. The persistence in this supplication also reflects the certitude in its acceptance.

Ultimately, the prayers will be accepted if not today  then certainly tomorrow. The only thought which persists is that should his reappearance take place in our lifetime then we would have witnessed the victory of Islam and the defeat and disgrace of disbelief and hypocrisy.

Followings are some quotations from the most famous salutations which directly emphasize the subject: Ziyarat-e-Ashoora is an important and authentic salutation. Some of the religious scholars have even vouched for this to such an extent that they consider it to be from Hadis-e-Qudsi (those traditions of the Holy prophet (S.A.) which have been quoted from Archangel Jibraeel (a.s.) but do not form a part of the Qur’anic revelation. In it twice Imam Mahdi (A.S.) has been mentioned. There is a supplication in the Ziyarat that says, “Then I ask of Allah, who elevated your position and honored me due to you, to allow me to avenge your blood along with Imam-e-Mansur (the one who is divinely assisted i.e. Imam Mahdi (A.S.)”. This reference is further made clear in the following words, “May Allah allow me to seek the revenge of your blood along with Imam Mahdi (A.S.) who will be from progeny (A.S.)”.

Here the desire for the reappearance is also clarified along with its aim. Whoever’s hearts is aggrieved and eyes shed tears on event of Karbala, he will never stop from praying for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (A.S.) so that the vengeance for the Imam Husain (A.S.) can be sought at the earliest.

The marvel of a Ziyarat from the view point of text, authenticity, eloquence and rhetoric is Ziyarat Jameeh which significantly  Imam Mahdi(A.S.) himself emphatically advised to Sayed Rashti (the most famous religious scholars) in these words:

“Ashoora! Ashoora! Ashoora!, Jameah! Jameah! Jameah! “I.e. never miss these two salutations. To realize the importan0000ce of this fact pay attention to the following statement:

“I confess to your veracity, believe in your return, testify to your Raj’at’, await your command and prepared for your government”. Furthermore it is said “May I be enumerated among your companions, among those who will be returned in your Raj’at, who will rule in your government, who will be dignified in your protection, who will get status in the days (of your government), whose eyes will be cooled by seeing you”.

At yet another place it is found that, “...Until Allah the Most High, will revive his religion through you and return you in His days. And to make you reappear for His justice and equity, and establish you on His earth”. Repetitions show the importance of this supplication.

These are those prayers which are not particular with Imam-e-Mahdi (A.S.). If so much insistence is there in these prayers then what would be the intensity of supplication in those prayers which are exclusively about him. In other prayers too, Imam Mahdi (A.S.) is referred to and remembered regularly.

May Allah hasten his reappearance.