Twenty-first century mankind has made\nextraordinary progress in terms of industry and technology. However, have any\nof these developments ever become substitutes for their relationship with the\nheavens? Is the arterial road between earth and heaven still open to mankind,\nor has it been disconnected for a long time? In theory, the monotheists have\nprovided different answers to this question. In case you are looking for an\nanswer, then join us in this research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Jews, the connection\nbetween heaven and earth was cut off when Prophet Moses (PBUH) passed away.\nThis was coincident with the end of the Prophets amongst children of Israel.\nThus, based on what the Jews believe, after the death of Prophet Moses (PBUH)\nand the great Prophets of children of Israel, there is no revelation, and there\nis no successor for Allah (SWT) on the earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In contrast, Christians believe that\nthis blessing (the connection) remained until the time of Prophet Jesus (PBUH)\n(2). They say that the connection between mankind and the heavens in terms of\nrevelation remained even after Prophet Moses (PBUH) and his successors;\nhowever, it was disconnected when Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was (supposedly)\ncrucified, and there was no Prophet of Christianity<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nevertheless, Muslims believe that\nthis blessing remained as long as Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) was alive. The\nSunnis believe that this spiritual blessing, which appeared in the form of\nProphethood and Imamate, was disconnected after the demise of Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP). They say that the connection between mankind and the heavens was\ndisconnected after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) forever. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The question here is: Are the\ngenerations living after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) inferior\nto the previous ones? Is mankind of the recent centuries lower than the\ndeceases ones in terms of accomplishments? Indeed, the children of Israel and\nthe nation of Noah and Hud (PBUT) have never experienced the accomplishments\ntoday\u2019s mankind has achieved and its increasing need for connection with the\nheavens. So why would Allah (SWT) deprive us of such blessing when He has\noffered it to them (previous generations)?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Meanwhile, some of the contemporary\nthinkers and philosophers(3) have found the answer to this vital question of\nmankind in the teachings of Shia school of thought, and believe that Shiites\nare the only ones who have an appropriate answer to this question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Shia doctrine, there\nexists a perfect human today who establishes the connection between the earth\nand the heavens. In fact, Prophethood has come to an end; therefore, this\nconnection is not in the form of Prophethood; thus, it would not bring about a\nnew religion and new regulations. Shiites believe in this connection in the\nform of Imamate. According to Shiism, the connection between the earth and the\nheavens is established through a perfect human, and the Divine blessings are\ngranted to mankind through this perfect human. Moreover, in the current era,\nShiism introduces Imam Mahdi (PBUH) as that perfect human, and considers him as\nthe representative of Allah (SWT) on earth. He is the one who is explicitly\naddressed by the Shiites as the link between the heavens and the earth in the\nsupplication of Nudbah(4). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yes, Imam Mahdi (PBUH) is even now the\nlink between the heavens and the earth, and the Shiites believe that the\nblessings of this hidden Imam are no less than what he would have in his\nreappearance era. Today, the effect of this connection between the heavens and\nthe earth on the hearts of people and the guidance he bestows upon the seekers\nof guidance is no less than that in the reappearance era. In addition to what\nother religions have provided as the link between the heavens and the earth,\nthe Shia school of thought offers this answer for all free men to judge. However, have you and I found our missing\none, and are we accompanying him in the route from the earth to the heavens?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Selection taken\nfrom the magazine of Intidhar, Issue 1, the article of \u201cThe Basis of Mahdawiat\nfrom the viewpoint of Science of Belief\u201d, by Ayatullah Ja\u2019far Subhani (with\nsome changes and summarization))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Roshd website congratulates all\nfreemen of the world, especially you dear friend, upon the 15th of Sha’ban, the\nbirthday anniversary of the Imam of the earth, the Imam of our time, the link\nbetween the heavens and the earth, Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. There are several\nimportant discussions regarding this topic. Yet, due to its briefness, this\narticle discusses the connection between the heavens and the earth in the\npresent time. As such, the necessity for this connection and other related\ndiscussions are taken for granted, and the detailed reasoning is considered out\nof the scope of this writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Of course by\nChristians, the Protestants are meant, because Catholics believe in Jesus as\nGod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. The opinion\nof Professor Henry Corbin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. A phrase from\nNudbah supplication says, \u201dWhere is the link between the heavens and the earth?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Twenty-first century mankind has made extraordinary progress in terms of industry and technology. However, have any of these developments ever become substitutes for their relationship with the heavens? Is the arterial road between earth and heaven still open to mankind, or has it been disconnected for a long time? In theory, the monotheists have provided […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248],"tags":[17778,18130,18060,18144,17940,20170,23810,18418,18536,23809,18030],"class_list":["post-4723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-allah","tag-answer","tag-believe","tag-children","tag-human","tag-imam-mahdi","tag-israel","tag-occasion-letters","tag-prophet","tag-the-connection-between-the-earth-and-heaven","tag-theory"],"yoast_head":"\n