On a Thursday, the 15 Sha’ban of the year 256 AH, Hujjat Ibn al-Hassan, the son of Imam Hassan Askari (peace be upon them) was born in Samarra (Iraq). He is the final chosen (selected by God) Imam of Ithna Ashari Shias (the twelve Imamis). He is expected to rise for justice and to spread and shed light on the one true religion, giving him the nickname the Qa’im– the upstanding and upright. All Muslims (and all of humanity who desires justice and such savior) await his appearance, thereby receiving the nickname, the awaited one. Further, Allah and His messengers have promised his appearance as one who will fill the earth with justice, giving him the nickname the Promised One.
Messengers coming before him gave news of succeeding messengers to prepare the society for the Mahdi. For example, Moses prophesized about Jesus, and likewise Jesus foretold about Prophet Muhammad as Ahmad or Farqaleet.
The holy Quran has made clear statements1 from some of the previous messengers who have foretold about the one at the end of time (the promised Mahdi according to the interpretations). 2
The great Prophets (PBUH&HP) have also mentioned many things about the appearance of Mahdi, referring to him as a descent of Ali and Fatimah (PBUT). Mahdi is the child of Imam Hassan Ibn Ali al-Askari (PBUH), and holds the final rise of religion and monotheism; Mahdi is the promised one referred to over and over in holy traditions.
Many verses of the holy Quran have been interpreted by Sunni scholars as reference to the appearance of the Mahdi3. In addition, major Sunni references include many relevant narrations from the great Prophet, which present the conditions of the appearance or situation of the time during the coming of the Mahdi.4
A look into Islamic history will show the claims of people being the Promised Mahdi, as foretold by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), began as early as 130 years before the birth of Imam Mahdi (PBUH), (beginning the Abbasid Dynasty). Concerns over the issue of the Mahdi and his reappearance in the ends of time (for global recovery, belittling of the oppressors, avenging the cruelty done unto the oppressed, valuing those who have been wronged and the subordinates, and executing the commands of the Holy Quran) began since the time of the Holy Prophet himself and continued to be a major part of Islamic teachings throughout. Tidings of his reappearance was given by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) himself, which is why Muslims of all sects believe in the basic doctrine of the Mahdi.
According to the foretelling of previous holy books and Islamic traditions, it became renowned that a son will be born to Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) who will topple the reins and crowns of oppressive rules. That is why the life of Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) was under tight watch and control for many years, where the Abbasid rule would send people to his house to make sure Imam Hassan (PBUH) would not father a son. Mu’tamid Abbasid had given the order to kill any child born to that residence. Keeping the birth of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) hidden was very difficult on Imam Hassan (PBUH) and his family, but once the 11th Imam was martyred, news from the Imam’s death and the presence of this child reached the Abbasid Palace. Mu’tamid al Abbasi, the caliph, immediately ordered his men to charge into the house of Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH) and search the house to kill his son, Mahdi (PBUH). Soldiers poured into the Imam’s house, marking the reason behind the Imam’s occultation, as the twelfth leader of the Shiites was hidden from sight by Allah’s command, enlivening the prophet’s saying that, “Even if one day is left from the life of the world, God will lengthen that day to the extent where Mahdi, my son appears and fills the earth with justice as it had been filled with oppression,”5.
Humanity has reached a point of a dire need for spirituality or as the Prophet (PBUH&HP) puts it, “There is a need for a person to make a global and corrective move to remove all the oppression and dissidences, and to return spirituality to lives of people.”
(Selection taken from the book Be’sat, Ghadir, Ashura, Mahdi by Mohammad Reza Hakimi)
The Roshd Website congratulates all those who await the establishment of a just government, especially you dear friend, upon the 15th of Sha’ban, the birthday of the spreader of justice, the kind Imam and the savior, Imam Hujjat ibn Hassan al-Askari (PBUH).
Footnotes:
1.The Holy Quran 61:6 (as one example)
3. Examples are in the Holy Quran 5:54 (chapter Ma’ida); 21:105 (chapter ‘Anbia)
& 28:5 (chapter Qisas)
5. Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, pg. 71