Imam Mehdi (Aleihi Salaam)

Imam Mahdi(atfs) -Leader of Our time!

              Preperations:
a) Our Homes should show preparedness to welcome the Imam. They should be Islamic homes devoid of all things/situations, which lead to sins.

If we are not prepared to give up sins; shaving beards, listening to haram music, not wearing hijab etc for Islam, we may not be able to follow the Imam on his reappearance.

Attention to Islamic education of our children is very important. In our pursuit of wealth and/or over emphasis on academics, the children’s upbringing (tarbiyat) suffers causing our children to deviate.

Hujr ibn hadi’s insistence of his son to be killed before himself & Khizr’s killing of a son, in Sura Khaf, explain to us very vividly that it is better for our children to die in Iman rather than to lose faith & suffer the punishments of the Hereafter

b) Imam Hussain (as) in his last address on 10th Muharrum addressed his opponents by saying that they were unable to recognize the right path due to the Haram rizq in their stomach.

We are very careful of eating food, which does not harm our body & read / know all ingredients. Similar care is required to check if the food we eat is purchased by halal earnings and Khums is paid. This has a great effect on the ability to recognize & follow the leader in his just cause. We need to ensure this to be ready to participate with the Imam

c) Zulqarnain required the affected community to participate in efforts, which he directed. He used modern technology of mixing metals, to create a barrier between Gog & Magog & the troubled community. Time & energy is/ will be required to be spent for the cause of Islam by the community & only providing money will not be sufficient as the verses of Sura kahf narrating this event explain. Acquisition of the latest Technology is also required for salvation, even when the leader reappears to help. But technology without the control of the conscience is disastrous to humanity.

d) Implementation of the complete Shariah in society will be the main objective on reappearance & people who have complete knowledge of Islamic rules will be required. We need to learn & know more of the Islamic Rules. Download some of these from www.islamic-laws.com. Ziarat Arbaeen describes the purpose of Imam Hussain (as) jihad as 'taking people out of Ignorance'. Acquisition of Knowledge is therefore very important. We do our best, but each one of us has different capacities, yet must remain connected to the source i.e. Marjas rather than remain isolated containers of the limited knowledge we can gather.

We are warned, through a dream of Jabir, of a piece of cloth being torn in parts. The Prophet explained this dream that at the end of time, people will take only parts of Islam to suit themselves, which will benefit no one. This will also give a bad image to Islam like a torn cloth. We need to accept the whole of Islam with all its rules & not only the parts that suit us/ our method of thinking, irrespective of our ability to understand the complete reasons/logic for the rules.

e) Representatives for different regions who have the perfect morals will be required & we need to ensure we acquire those qualities & get rid of the various diseases of the soul like Backbiting, Envy etc

f) We need to go behind events taking place & analyse the depths, rather than take them at face value. This skill requires to be developed for correct analysis & recognition of the plans of the enemy.

Similarly we need to possess the skills to distinguish between the false/self seeking & the true religious leaders. There will be intellectuals who will present a face of Islam devoid of Islam, in the name of modernity, with the use of Media. The real Ulemas/Maraje & Howzas will never alter Islam to suit the people‘s wishes. They have a known background of years of study, tutors/students etc

g) We need to be aware of the attacks on us & protect the 3 corner stones institutions of Shia Islam i.e. Azadari, Marjaiyyat & the Belief in our Imam.

Our enemy knows this & makes efforts to cause doubts. Our lack of knowledge & emotions are used for these matters in the following ways:

    1) Azadari: The attacks are from 2 sources i.) Certain practices, which contradict Shari at i.e. Aspects, like women w/o hijab; Letting Salaat become qaza etc,is used by adversaries to mention that azadari itself is not ok as it results in these things. ii.) Use of so called 'intellectual' arguments to say, what is the need for Alam a wooden stick & Tazia & why beat chest etc. This is done to deviate us from practicing & keeping Azadari alive. Azadari is a source of spiritual strength.

    2) Marjaiyat: i.) Doubts on the need for Taqleed in the name of "we only follow masoom" & Marjas are fallible humans in one corner of the world who are not aware of many matters on which rulings are required etc ii.) Creation of Conflict between followers of different Maraje.

    3) False Mahdi's introduced like creation of Bahai & Ahmadia & Wahabi isms. We must watch & evaluate any claims rather than rush to accept any claim of being mahdi even if he can demonstrate some miracle like acts (using technology probably).

h) Imam Ali’s has informed us of an allegiance (bayyatnama) that the twelfth imam will ask of his followers. This was written & saved by him in a casket for posterity, lists 25 matters, which are to be accepted/followed to be eligible to be amongst the followers of the Imam. Besides the usual things of Avoiding sins, they include; leading simple life protecting property/travelers, Amr bil maroof etc

i) Unity amongst Muslims & Shias We must try to eliminate differences & not give them prominence. Divisions & subdivisions are increasing by the day, which is a policy of our enemy. We should help in playing down conflicts & encourage reconciliation. This does not mean that we give up our Faith about wilayat & forget the atrocities. Mothers need to inform the children of history & public forums need not b used to accentuate differences

Sufyani (Sword- fear) & Dajjal (Material Benefits- Attractions)

Historically tyrants have used 2 methods to silence/mislead people; the sword to make them fearful & money to buy peoples loyalties. Sufyani & Dajjal are symbolic for these at the time of Imams return.

The sword has not been effective in eliminating the true believers, but apparent attractions & enticements have resulted in many deviations of true believers.

Keeping wants & desires in check will help in not getting carried away by material pleasures offered & the apparent “heaven” which will actually be Hell as shown by Dajjal.

Dajjal could be a symbolic of a system of government based only on material progress & NGO’s apparent beneficent aims having hidden agendas. Or it could be governments, individuals & even an entertainment system like Cable TV, which takes us away from HIS rules. One eyed in the sense that it will only consider material aspects, completely ignoring spirituality.

Recitation of Sura Kahf (Ch 18) especially on Fridays is a recommended way to protect oneself form Dajjal. Imam Hussein (as) recited this sura on the spear in Kufa & drew our attention to it. This sura is in exactly in the middle of the Quran & has several relevant messages in the 3 events narrated in it as a reply to the questioners. These are of Ashab e Kahf (Ikhlas), Musa / Khizr (Importance of knowledge & unconditional acceptance of the leader with knowledge without objections) & Zulqarnain (Technology use, but ‘after’ knowledge/fear of Allah)

Som