What is the benefit to believing in an\nImam who is not apparent to the public eye, and resides in occultation? How can\npeople benefit from this Imam? These are common questions which crosses the\nminds of Shiites. In the following narration, Imam Sadigh (PBUH) compares the\nmanner in which people benefit from an Imam who is in occultation as \u201csimilar\nto how they benefit from the sun, when covered by clouds.\u201d(1) The occultation\nof Imam Mahdi (PBUH) is similar to when the sun is behind clouds; people do not\nsee it, but they benefit from its light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But in regards to what benefits an\nImam in occultation has, the first result that arises in the belief of the\npresence of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) held strongly by the Shiites is that there exists\nbetween them an Allah (SWT) a live representative and deputy of Allah (SWT) on\nthe earth. One of the common beliefs in\nall monotheistic religions is the presence of a representative between the\npeople and the Lord, or between this world and the spiritual world, in which\nthe blessings of the Lord is given to the humans through that person who also\nhas the responsibility of guiding people. \nHowever, people of the monotheistic religions also hold the belief that\nat the moment there are no living representative between this world and the\nspiritual world. Jews, for example believe that after the demise of Prophet\nMoses (PBUH) this connection between the world and the heavens was lost, and\nChristians believe that Prophet Jesus (PBUH) was murdered on the cross, and\ndied thousands of years ago. Even\nnon-Shia Muslims, the Sunnis believe that with the demise of the Prophet\nMohammad (PBUH&HP), man\u2019s hand has been cut from a connection between the\nearth and the heavens. Shiites however, are the only ones who believe that such\na live connection between the heavens and the earth continues to exist, by one\nwho is considered a complete human being. It is he who maintains the connection\nbetween the people and the world above, and is responsible for the guidance of\nthe mankind. This is an important benefit, accepted by Shiites alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Furthermore, Shiites believe in the\nexistence of an Imam and leader chosen by Allah (SWT) who lives among the\npeople, and awaits the Lord\u2019s orders to rise. \nBy the power invested in him by Allah (SWT), the Imam is aware of what\nhappens to the Shiites, and is witness to their manners and actions. This\nmatter is influential in helping Shiites refrain from ill-acts, and an\nencouraging force in helping them carry out their religious rituals, assisting\nthem to prepare the grounds for a global just rule on earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the belief to the existence of a\npresent Imam, who is the savior of all mankind from corruption and oppression,\nShiites have a special form of hope towards a victorious future. The living\nImam of Shiites is the same promised savior, whom with his reappearance will\nremove the works of oppression and corruption from the earth, and establish\nglobal justice to all humanity. Although the belief in a savior is common among\nall religions, for Shiites however, this golden age has been in reach, and a\nhope for this occurrence is much more real and attainable. In reality, for the\npious the belief in the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) is such that because they believe\nthat a true Imam, who is the representative of Allah (SWT) for the people is\nalive and aware of people\u2019s situation, and can at any moment and with the\npermission of Allah (SWT) rise against the enemies, a light of hope continues\nto flourish in their hearts, and this helps them increase their strength\nagainst the pressures of the oppressors and followers of wrong, and increase\npreparation for the establishment of true justice on earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, the Shiites do not see the\nbenefit of the Imam in occultation any less than his period of appearance, and\nwith this belief in him, they have kept the hope for the future in their hearts\nalive, and with prevention of sin and carrying out their responsibilities as a\nservant to Allah (SWT), they prepare themselves for the establishment of a\nglobal rule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from the book “Imam Mahdi (PBUH), an Illuminating\nTruth”, written by Murtaza Torabi (with minor changes))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On behalf of Roshd website, allow us\nto congratulate you dear friend and all people awaiting the establishment of a\njust rule on earth, upon the arrival of the 15th of Sha\u2019ban, the birthday of\nImam Mahdi (May Allah Hasten His Appearance), the Imam of the current time, and\nthe ring that connects the earth and the heavens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Kamal al-Din\nand Tamam al-Ni\u2019mah, vol. 1, p. 207<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What is the benefit to believing in an Imam who is not apparent to the public eye, and resides in occultation? How can people benefit from this Imam? These are common questions which crosses the minds of Shiites. In the following narration, Imam Sadigh (PBUH) compares the manner in which people benefit from an Imam […]<\/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":[23926,17778,23927,23928,23929,17940,20170,17978,18418,17955,19725,22718,23925],"class_list":["post-4737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","tag-2014-06-13","tag-allah","tag-believ","tag-followin","tag-guiding","tag-human","tag-imam-mahdi","tag-lord","tag-occasion-letters","tag-people","tag-person","tag-similar","tag-the-imam-in-occultation"],"yoast_head":"\n