Mouood Mouood English Edition
This blessed Islamic revolution in Iran marks the beginning of a major turning point in man’s history and civilization; it is a matter of great consequence with regard to the life and future of mankind. Whoever examines the narrations that are related from the Messenger of God, (S) and his family, will not doubt the fact that this revolution, given its salient features and its leadership, will prepare the ground for the greatest revolution in human history and the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi of the family of Muhammad (S), may God hasten his appearance.
Surely the promised day which God and His Apostle have promised us; the establishment of the great Islamic power, the empowering of the oppressed over the land and Imam al-Mahdi’s great revolution is close at hand, God willing. The present revolution paves the way for the coming one and prepares the Muslim community for the reappearance and rising of one who undertakes the office of the Imamate (al-Qa‘im) from the family of Muhammad (as). The following is an assortment from those narrations:
From Abdullah ibn Mas’ud who said: “We came to see God’s Messenger and found him delighted, his face showing his happiness. Whatever we asked of him he told us and whenever we were silent he initiated a topic. Then some Hashimite youths among whom were Hasan and Husayn (as) passed by. When he saw them he looked at them persistently and his eyes welled up, so we said to him: O Messenger of God! We see in your face signs of pain. Then he said:
“We are a household for whom God chose the hereafter instead of the world. After me my family will be expelled and dispersed in the land till the time black standards rise from the east. [The standard bearers] will ask for their right but they will be denied it, then they will ask for it again but they will be denied it again, then they will ask for it again, fight [for it] and be victorious. He who meets this situation from among you or among your descendants, let him come to the Imam (leader) from my family even if he has to crawl on ice, for those [standards] are standards of guidance which they will hand over to a man from my family whose name will be the same as mine and his title [Abul Qasim] the same as mine. He will fill the earth with equity and justice, as it will be filled with inequity and oppression.”32
In Bihar al-Anwar Allamah al-Majlisi narrates that Imam al-Baqir (as) said: “It is as if I am together with some people who have come from the east. They will request for their right but they will be denied it, then they will request for it again. When they realize that, they will brandish their swords and [consequently] they will be granted their request but they will not accept it till they rise up. They will not hand over their [standards] except to your companion (i.e. al-Mahdi (as). Those who are killed among them will be martyrs. Indeed if I were to witness that time I would keep myself at the disposal of the leader of this affair.”33
It is reported in Al-Bihar that Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (as) has said: “A man from the people of Qum will invite the people to the truth and a group of people [who are tough] like pieces of iron will rally around him. Storms will not cause them to slip, they will be undaunted by war and never get tired of it, they will depend on God and the outcome will be in favour of the God-wary.”34
It is also related in Al-Bihar, from Ali ibn Maymun al-Sa’igh, from Imam al-Sadiq (as) who said: “A time will come when the city of Qum and its people shall be a proof against mankind. That will be at the time of occultation of the one from us who will rise (al-Qa’im) till the time of [his] appearance. Had it not been for that, the earth would swallow up its inhabitants.”35
Through other chains of transmission, it is reported that Imam al-Sadiq (as) said about Kufa: “Kufa shall become empty of the faithful and knowledge shall diminish in it and recoil as a snake recoils. Knowledge shall [then] appear in a town known as Qum which will become a source of learning and culture [and it will spread] until there remains no one abased concerning the religion [i.e. on account of their ignorance of it], not even women who are secluded in their quarters. This will happen when the appearance of our Qa’im draws near and God will make Qum and its people serve as the proof.
Otherwise, the earth will swallow up its people and no proof will have remained on earth. So knowledge will flow from it [Qum] to other lands in the east and west and God’s proof against mankind will then be complete, till there remains no one on earth to whom religion and knowledge has not reached. After that the Qa’im will appear and become the cause of God’s punishment and anger on the servants, for God does not punish the servants till after they deny his proof.”
Commenting on the saying of God the Exalted: “…And if you turn away He will replace you with another people and they will not be like you.” (Qur’an Ch: 47, Vs: 38), Al-Zamakhshari the author of Tafsir al-Kashshaf said: The Messenger of God was asked about those people while Salman was sitting by his side. He patted him on the thigh and said: ‘This one and his people. I swear by the One in whose hand is my soul, if faith were to be suspended at the Pleiades some men from the Persians will attain it.”36
These assorted narrations indicate that this blessed revolution will God willing last till the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi of the family of Muhammad (as), and prepare the world for him, may God hasten his appearance.37
Notes:
32. . Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn 4: 464.
33. . Bihar al-Anwar, 51: 83; 52:43.
34. . Bihar al-Anwar, 60: 216, 446.
35. . Bihar al-Anwar, 60: 213.
36. . Tafsir al-Kashshaf, 4: 331.
37. . We refer the reader to Sheikh Ali al-Kurani’s Al-Mumahhidun li al-Mahdi for explanation and analysis of these narrations and also how they fit the present context of the blessed Islamic Revolution.
