Section 2: Occultation And Difficulties Of The Way
Imam Ali (A) said: My beloved Husayn! The ninth descendent of yours is someone who will arise for the Truth, expose the Religion of Truth, upright justice… but after a long occultation no one will stand firm in his faith due to perplexity; except those who sincere persons whose entire existence is dominated by certitude. It is those whom the Almighty Allah has taken the promise from regarding our guardianship (wilayah), filled their hearts with a firm belief and given guidance and assistance from Himself.1
Why Occultation?
The reason for the occultation of Imam az-Zaman (AJ) are we! If not then who will kill him if he reappears? Is it djinn who will kill that holy person? Or is man his assassin?! We have answered in advance how we are going to protect and obey Imam, or we will murder him! The lowliness and backwardness of man is to such extent that the people of Prophet Saleh (A) turned their backs to the camel of Saleh (A), despite the fact that it was a source of blessings and provision for them in a way which the Holy Quran describes in the following words:
“She will have her share of water as you have your share, each on a certain day” (26:155).
Thus just in the way that they destroyed their own treasury of blessings and provisions by killing Saleh’s (A) camel as it was descending from the mountain, the possibility exists that we intellectual humans also kill Imam az-Zaman (AJ) for our own personal interests; despite the fact that all bounties comes through him, who certainly is way higher in grace then the camel of Saleh (A).2
Problems With The Occultation
Remarkable are those who do not believe in the leadership (imamat) of the Imams (A) and says: “Why do you Shi’a have faith in the leadership of such individuals who are not present among you to enjoy good and forbid evil (amr bil m’arouf wa nahy an al-munkar)?!”.
We say: When the Imams (A) was among the people; their words and speeches had no esteem and validity amid your leaders!3
Evidence Of The Occultation Of The Imam
The tradition of the two weighty things (Hadith al-Thaqalayn) is among the arguments for proving the occultation of Imam az-Zaman (AJ). As in that tradition it is said that the Quran and Ahl al-Bayt will not be separated from each other. That is – independent of whether they are present or absent!
The concept of occultation (ghayba) will become very clear if someone analyzes and studies the meaning of this tradition; since otherwise the prerequisite would be a separation of the Quran and Ahl al-Bayt (A).4
The Calamity Of The Absence Of Imam
The meaning of calamity in faith - when it is said, “Don’t put calamity in our religion” – is the very same calamity we currently are afflicted with, that is the absence of Imam (AJ)! Which calamity is bigger than this?
God knows what bereavement we have due to this calamity. Especially considering that calamity in faith also causes worldly calamities - not vice versa!5
The Difficulties Of The Way Of Imam
If we, like Imam Mahdi (AJ), to our outmost capabilities strive and work for the guidance of people; is it possible that we won’t receive the attention and favour of the watching eye of Allah (Ein Allah Nadhira) – Imam az-Zaman (AJ)?! If we are on the path of that holiness and get mocked and scorned due to this, we should not become sad and even so we should proceed on the way of Truth with firm steps and show endurance and patience towards the harshness that faces us.6
The Patience And Enduring Of Imam Al-Asr (Aj)
Despite what great love we bear towards Imam az-Zaman (AJ) is his re-appearance not actualized by the talks of this servant or you (the reader)!
They gave the advised Imam Ali (A) to get on friendly terms with Muawiyah. If it was meant that he should listen to those talks, he would have done so right from the start. They told him to make peace and continue the war once his governance is firmly fixed, but Imam did not listen to them.
What patience Allah has given to the Occulted One (AJ)! Thousand years has passed where day upon day he witnesses what calamities befalls the Muslims and what calamities the Muslims cast upon each other. And he endures it all!7
Imam Al-Asr (Aj) In House Arrest
How low our belief is and how high the belief of Imam az-Zaman (AJ) is! That is, if we are not counted as infidels in his eyes!
Why have we tied his hands, put him under house arrest and won’t even allow him to show himself?!
Someone said: why do you pray for hastening of the re-appearance? Is it that you want him to come so you can kill him?! Because most certainly he will be a hindrance in the way of your governments and rulings! Those who killed the rest of the Imams (A) where not crazy; rather it was due to their ungodliness. Has the situation today supposedly changed?!
The Shaykhs of Islam said: the support for the caliph is not necessary! I seek refuge in Allah from this but it means that the Messenger of Allah (S) spoke meaninglessly! With this method they shut his mouth and didn’t allow him to say a word, and then they exclaimed, “The Messenger of Allah (S) left the world and did not appoint a succeeding caliph!”.8
The Lineage Of Sufiyani
Recently I saw in one of Ahl al-Sunnah’s (aammah) books that the lineage of Sufiyani does not reach Abu Sufiyan through Yazeed and Muawiyah, but rather through one of the brothers of Muawiyah. Likewise in that book it was written that when Sufiyani comes he will kill everyone who is named Muhammad, Ali, Hassan, Husayn, Zaynab and Umm Kulthum as well as a great number of pregnant women.9
The Mischief Of Sufiyani
Do we really have the strength to endure the killings of every Ali, Zaynab and the like at five places where Sufiyani will reign; considering that they will say: why are we to be blamed when it is our parents fault who named us Hassan and Ali?! And this condition will continue for eight months.10
Sufiyani Exist
The late Muqaddas Mashhadi during a Ziyarah wanted from Allah to know whether Sufiyani exists or not.
At Kadhimayn in a transport vehicle an Arab was sitting beside him. When the Arab stepped out of the car he told him: yes, Sufiyani exists!
This happened for five-six years ago.11
The Events Of Sufiyani
I hope these hardships, sufferings and afflictions for the Shi’a will reach an end. A multitude of narrations (ahadith) report what oppression and tyranny Sufiyani will spread. The narrations are from Imam Ali (A).
In a narration it from Shi’a sources it has come that the reign of Sufiyani won’t last for more then about eight months; but during this short period he will waste important resources and kill whoever is named Muhammad, Ali, Hassan, Husayn, ‘Atekeh and Umm Kulthum. Then a number will tell him: our parents where sinners who named us Muhammad, Ali and the like, we are not to be blamed! So he will give the order to kill just those who are named Hassan and Husayn while releasing the others.
The late Hajj Nouri narrates: Sufiyani will be taken to his eminence Wali al-Asr (AJ) in a state where his turban is wrapped around his neck. He will say to Imam: “O Son of the Messenger of Allah! Don’t kill me!”
According to this narration the bystanders will say: “Will you release someone who has killed so many from the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (S)?!”
Anyhow, they will pressure Imam to such extents that he will tell them: do whatever you find is fit, you selves choose – do whatever you wish. In this way Imam will give the permission for his death where they conclusively will execute him.12
Freedom Or Islam?
In the time when it was tumult in Iran, Mansour said openly in the parliament (majlis): We want to remove Islam as the official religion. The representatives in the parliament remained silent and when he saw that they didn’t support his statement he said: I mean that it should be freedom, with or without Islam!
A long time didn’t elapse until they killed that wicked person.
Genocide Before The Re-Appearance!
Some think that genocide will become a fact when Imam re-appears! But it won’t be such; rather the killings will happen before the merge of Imam. In a narration it has come that Sufiyani will kill 170’000 persons in such and such a place in Iraq.13
Delay In Re-Appearance!
At the time when the wearing the veil (hijab) was prohibited (in Iran), a person went into seclusion for the overthrow of Pahlavi. Passed away scholars (Ulema) came one after another to him and said: “Mister! Don’t continue this; the re-appearance will be postponed!!”
This continued until two persons brought a third person as an intermediate to him, lifted him by the shoulders and brought him with them. In a worldly perspective it seems that the rank of those two persons was higher than the third one (the intermediate) who was also under the authority of those two persons, but in that (unseen) world the situation was opposite.14
Do Not Revolt!
Even if Imam al-Hujjah, may Allah hasten his re-appearance or wants to re-appear we will oppose him for as long as we can!
In narrations it has come that the scholars (Ulema) of Kufa will write letters to Imam and advise him not to rise: “We will take the responsibility to perform your obligations!”15
The Meaning Of “Those Vested In Authority” (Ul Al-Amr)
Considering the narration, “The best of deeds are awaiting the relief (faraj)”, which has also been verified in Sunni (aammah) sources; how could it be that the leadership of the Islamic countries should be for “those vested in authority” (Ul al-Amr)?
If it is so; the relief (faraj) exists and is present! Why wait any longer for relief (faraj)?
With the existence of so much relief (faraj), we still want relief (faraj)? Then what is the meaning of awaiting the relief (faraj)?16
Mischief At The End Of Time
May Allah not let us walk astray from the path of people of Truth (Ahl al-Haqq) and Ahl al-Bayt (A); even if we must follow it with in secrecy (taqiyyah). The taking away of belief from the believers is worse than them being put to death.
In narrations it has come that the mischief (fitnah) which will afflict the believers “is as dark as the layers of night”.
We see all this information and still say wonder “the mischief will be as dark as the layers of night” is true or not! Or whether the verses regarding the way of Ahl al-Bayt (A) is true of false (I seek refuge in Allah from this)! With all these happenings that we see and which has been foretold for us, we still have doubts!17
The Sweet Fruits Of The Coming Of Imam
This year there is much coldness. May Allah make it a mercy, and may He make the fruits of all the followers (Shi’a) sweet with the re-appearance of the Occulted One (AJ)!
Usually, sweetness is something extra in adition to the usual and necessary, like a bonus; but the sweetness of Imam al-Mahdi's (Aj) re-appearance is of highest vitality!
Allah knows what calamities which will befall the Muslims are worse during the occultation of that eminent one. During a short period, Germany managed to defeat 14 European countries. Among those Greece was the biggest which only took 25 days to overcome!
Having that in mind the Islamic countries are but a mouthpiece for them! But rapid advancement requires negligence of the enemy behind, where Allah has made all the powers of East and West a rival and torment to His enemies. And apparently it is such that only the name of Islam will remain until the uprising of Imam al-Hujjah (AJ): “From Islam only its name will remain!”.18
Demolish And Rebuild!
In the time of Reza Khan Pahlavi they went to a person in Tehran and requested him to visit Shaykh Abd al-Kareem Haeri (RA) in Qom and through unveiling/vision (kashf) be given the answer what the current obligation is.
The person went and asked. The first day he (Ayatollah Haeri) said that the people must persist until they are killed!
But the second day, when the person again went to confirm the command given the day earlier, he said: “It has nothing to do with me! This is a great calamity which will afflict the believers and Shi’a, that in the era of occultation they are killed without there being any rescue. Accordingly they must demolish and rebuild!19
The Condition During The Occultation
If two groups have faced each other and are in a state of war, and a person from one of these groups kidnap the other groups’ leader, that group then has two alternatives; either they surrender to their opponents or they continue the strife without any leader.
Now we Muslims are almost in the same state with the infidels. The Muslims don’t really have a leader which can be their flag bearer and spokesman; as the Sunnis don’t believe in Imamat and Leadership at all, and the Shi’a – despite believing in Imam (AJ) – in practice and obligations are just like the Sunnis and don’t differ from them.
Hence now that the Muslims, whether Shi’a or Sunni, in belief or practice don’t have a leader, shouldn’t they sit together and contemplate upon why?!
Shouldn’t we protect and defend ourselves? Shouldn’t we gather and find the way to how we can protect our religion, faith and worldly welfare from the enemies?
For example one of the ways of protection and guard is firstly that we don’t fall into the trap of the enemy; secondly that we don’t accept their gifts which they give to make us feel affection towards them and through this gain control over us Muslims and our interests and oppress us.
The closest of all heavenly religions to the Truth and reality are the Muslims, and from among the Muslims those closest to Truth are the Shi’a, who are seen as backward, low, downtrodden and infidels.20
The Trial Of The Occultation
In past times when the mausoleum of her eminence M’asumah (A) was crowded during Ziyarah and the women didn’t observe proper veiling (hijab) Ayatollah Burojerdi (RA) said: “It is not suitable for the people of knowledge to enter the mausoleum without urge among the heavy crowd. It is better if they are vigilant!”
We hope that Allah soon will emerge the Master for this handful of oppressed Shias; as in this world there is no such record of a leader being absent from his army for such a long time.
What can be said? It is not known when! In all of the previous communities (ummah) the length of occultation has been prescribed, but in no community has such an occultation (as ours) occurred where no time has been set.
We Muslims have given our exams during the time of the Prophet (S) and eleven Imams (A) in their presence! If this one also appeared we would probably “come to his rescue” as well!!
Where those who, during the time of the Imams (A), were drawn towards Bani Umayyah and Bani Abbas mad?! Rather among two ways; faith or the world (dunya), chose the world opposite to the lasting abode! We haven't seen the worldly sweetness, wealth and abundance which they enjoyed; if we did it isn't certain if we would pass our exams or not (and instead become like them).
Mystical (Irfani) Climaxes During The Occultation
Everyone isn’t Salman or Abu Dharr so they can endure the greatest calamities! Or like Ammar who was even ready to be killed!
The ranks which they reached are closed. The entire world and all it contains are not worth one night prayer of Salman, may Allah have mercy on him. He sat on a cow skin and had an astonishing place for prayer!
In narrations it has come that once they counted his household items, which was one skin, a bag of wheat and a few other things; but still he cried that his burden will be heavy tomorrow!
What rank did Salman have? And what rank did his opposite, Muawiyah, have?!
However, it has been said, “Worship during the occultation has more merit then worship during presence”. From this one can understand that higher ranks are possible for us. I mean that if we lived during the time of the Messenger (S) and saw what ranks those around him possessed, such as Salman, we would be incredibly encouraged to reach such high stations. But one who has not seen them is excused from not knowing about their states and also doubts will rise whether he also can reach such ranks or not.
But we also have seen the spiritual powers of scholars (Ulema); astounding and miraculous which can not be described! And we were amazed at why others see and don’t mention names! But we don’t know why we are immovable in reaching such ranks!21
- 1. “M’ajam Ahadith al-Imam al-Mahdi (AJ)”, Vol. 3, p. 402.
- 2. ”Nuktehaje Nab”, p. 41.
- 3. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat” Vol. 1, p. 79.
- 4. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 1, p. 69.
- 5. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 217.
- 6. “Nuktehaje Nab”, p. 43.
- 7. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol 1, p. 123.
- 8. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 205.
- 9. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 1, p. 186.
- 10. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 63.
- 11. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 421.
- 12. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 84.
- 13. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 101.
- 14. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 1, p. 347.
- 15. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 253.
- 16. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 1, p. 61.
- 17. “Nuktehaje Nab”, p. 63.
- 18. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 18.
- 19. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 2, p. 298.
- 20. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”, Vol. 1, p. 88.
- 21. ”Dar Mahzare Ayatollah al-Udhma Behjat”,, Vol. 1, p. 38