ANTICIPATION

Abstaining from the social habits and releasing oneself from the cob web of ignorance are one of the invaluable impacts of the appearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.) which can take humans to one of the most supreme and excellent positions; and in the light of the anticipation of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), he will not only free himself from ignorance towards his holiness, but rather this occultation will become similar to appearance for him.

Now, we will narrate a tradition worth paying attention; Imam Sajjad (a.s.) said to Abi Khalid Kabuli:

تمتدّ الغيبة بوليّ اللّه الثاني عشر من أوصياء رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و اله و سلّم و الأئمّة بعده‏

يا أبا خالد؛ إنّ أهل زمان غيبته، القائلين بإمامته، المنتظرين لظهوره أفضل أهل كلّ زمان، لأنّ اللّه تعالى ذكره أعطاهم من العقول و الأفهام و المعرفة ما صارت به الغيبة عندهم بمنزلة المشاهدة و جعلهم في ذلك الزمان بمنزلة المجاهدين بين يدي رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه و اله و سلّم بالسيف، اولئك المخلصون حقّا و شيعتنا صدقا و الدعاة إلى دين اللّه سرّا و جهرا.

و قال عليه السّلام: انتظار الفرج من أعظم الفرج‏

“The occultation of the twelfth member from the successors of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the Imams coming after his holiness, will be prolonged and extensive.

            O Aba Khalid! Indeed the people of the time of his occultation, those who believe in his Imamate and anticipate his appearance, are the best among the people of all times. It is because the Almighty Allah (s.w.t.), may His remembrance be glorious, has granted them such intellect, understanding and cognition that the issue of occultation became equivalent to his appearance for them. Allah (s.w.t.) will allot them on the rank of those who fought with their swords in the army of the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.). They are truly the holders of pure intention, our righteous lovers and the inviters towards the religion of God, both in open and in solitude”.

            Imam Sajjad (a.s.) also said: “Anticipation of the Faraj (relief) is the best form of relief”[1].

   In this tradition, Imam Sajjad (a.s.) has introduced the people living at the time of Imam Mahdi’s occultation, those who have not been enslaved by the chains of ignorance and are anticipating the appearance of his holiness, as the best among the people of all times. This is because, with the help of the intellect, understanding and cognition bestowed upon them by Allah, these people have managed to free themselves from being entangled in the social habit of ignoring the Imam of their time (a.s.), rather, they have been able to transform their spiritual conditions to such an extent that the case of occultation has become equivalent to his holiness’ appearance for them.

            As per the teaching of Imam Sajjad (a.s.), such people are the true lovers of the Holy Progeny (a.s.) and the real followers of the family of Revelation.

            If we wish to attain the rank of the righteous Shias and the true lovers, we must walk on their path and take those steps which were taken by them, and refrain from our habitual ignorance alike them, and adorn ourselves by focusing and anticipating the appearance; because this anticipation brings about thought and perception, bestows power and ability of action. On this basis, the Holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said:

أفضل جهاد امّتي انتظار الفرج‏

“The best Jihad for my nation is the anticipation of Relief”.[2]

Anticipation is a significant base for the establishment of the universal governance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), and the reason why the Holy Progeny (a.s.) has laid such emphasis on this issue, is its immense importance.

            Imam Sadiq (a.s.) considers the anticipation of Imam Mahdi’s governance as one of the conditions of the acceptance of our prayers. After expressing this issue, he said:

إنّ لنا دولة يجيئ اللّه بها إذا شاء، ثمّ قال: من سرّ أن يكون من أصحاب القائم فلينتظر و ليعمل بالورع و محاسن الأخلاق و هو منتظر، فإن مات و قام القائم بعده كان له من الأجر مثل أجر من أدركه، فجدّوا و انتظروا هنيئا لكم أيّتها العصابة المرحومة

“There is a governance for us which shall be granted to us by Allah when He wills. Then he added: One who wishes to be a companion of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), should anticipate his arrival and observe a good and desirable behavior while he steps forward on the path of his anticipation. Thus, if he dies in this state and Imam (a.s.) rises after his death, his reward shall be similar to the one who has met his holiness. Hence, put effort and become his anticipator. May this be suitable for you, the ones who have attained the divine mercy”![3]

            In another tradition regarding the duties of people at the time of Imam Mahdi’s occultation, Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said:

و انتظر الفرج صباحا و مساءا.

“Await the Relief (Faraj) and appearance every morning and evening”.[4]

Imam Ali (a.s.) counts the state of anticipation as one of the attributes of the friends and devotees of the Holy Progeny (a.s.) and the lovers of the family of Revelation (a.s.) are attributed as the ones who possess the quality of anticipation every morning and evening. He says:

إنّ محبّينا ينتظر الرّوح و الفرج كلّ يوم و ليلة

            “Verily our lovers are in anticipation of the arrival of the days of relief and respite every day and night”.[5]

             One of the companions of Imam Hadi (a.s.) questioned him about the duties and obligations of all the Shias at the time of Imam Mahdi’s (a.s.) occultation:

كيف تصنع شيعتك؟

قال عليه السّلام: عليكم بالدّعاء و انتظار الفرج‏

“At the time of occultation, what must your Shias do?

Imam (a.s.) replied: Your duty is to supplicate and anticipate the Relief”. [6]

Therefore, just like it has arrived in the narration, the anticipation of the reappearance of a universal Reformer is one of the conditions of the acceptance of people’s actions, and is from the duties of the followers and devotees of the family of Prophet (p.b.u.h.).

            Thus, a person who considers himself pious, should await the appearance of the reformer just as the phrase goes “those who await the arrival of a reformer, should be pious themselves”.

            Here, we will narrate an invaluable Hadith of Imam Jawad (a.s.) regarding the obligation of anticipating the universal governance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.).

            Shah Abdul Azim Hasani (a.s.) says:

دخلت على سيّدي محمّد بن عليّ عليهما السّلام و أنا اريد أن أسأله عن القائم، أهو المهديّ أو غيره؟ فبداني، فقال عليه السّلام:

يا أبا القاسم؛ إنّ القائم منّا هو المهديّ الّذي يجب أن ينتظر في غيبته و يطاع في ظهوره و هو الثالث من ولدي، و الّذي بعث محمّدا بالنّبوّة و خصّنا بالإمامة أنّه لو لم يبق من الدّنيا إلّا يوم واحد لطوّل اللّه ذلك اليوم حتّى يخرج فيملأ الأرض قسطا و عدلا كما ملئت جورا و ظلما و إنّ اللّه تبارك و تعالى يصلح أمره في ليلة كما أصلح أمر كليمه موسى عليه السّلام ليقتبس لأهله نارا فرجع و هو رسول نبيّ.

ثمّ قال عليه السّلام: أفضل أعمال شيعتنا إنتظار الفرج‏.

“I arrived at the Holy threshold of my leader, Imam Jawad (a.s.), with the intention of questioning him regarding the Qaaem (a.s.) from the lineage of Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) that if he is  Mahdi himself or someone else? Before I uttered anything, his holiness said:

            O Abal Qasim! The Qaaem (a.s.) of the Prophet’s progeny is Mahdi (a.s.) himself whose anticipation is obligatory at the time of his occultation and obedience is mandatory at the time of his appearance.

            He is the third one from my progeny. By He who chose Mohammad (p.b.u.h.) as His Prophet and granted the Imamate to us, if nothing remains from this world but a single day, Allah (s.w.t.) will extend that day to such an extent that his holiness (a.s.) will arrive and fill this world with justice and righteousness just like it had been filled with oppression and tyranny. 

            Allah (s.w.t.) will improvise his matters within a single night, just like he improvised the matter of Moses (a.s.); he had set forth to seek fire for his family, and returned in such a state that he was granted the rank of Prophet and Messenger.

            Then Imam Jawad (a.s.) said: The best of all deeds for our Shias is the anticipation of the Relief (Faraj).[7]

            We are in anticipation of that day when his voice will spread in the air and cure all the sorrowful and saddened hearts, and the time when the noble men of Allah, regarding whom He has said:

أَيْنَ ما تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعا

 “Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together”,[8]will move towards him swiftly.