Mouood Mouood English Edition
Ninth Imam (a.s.)
The ninth Imam (a.s.) was born on the tenth of the Holy Month of Rajab or on the nineteenth of the month of Ramadan in the year 195 AH in Medina. His name was Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s.), his father was Imam Al-Ridha’ (a.s.) and his mother was Sabikah. Imam Al-Ridha’ (a.s.) with God’s Command appointed Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) for Caliphate and Imamate. Imam Muhammad al- Taqi (a.s.) attended the Imamate after his father.
Although at that time he was in his childhood and had not attained the age of the puberty, God’s given knowledge was so much that that he was able to answer all the religious problems of the people. The difficult religious questions that were asked for his testing were replied to very well; in a manner that his knowledge and distinctions became explicit for the ordinary people and they were all amazed with his power of knowledge.
His piety and piousness was to the extent that he was called as the most virtuous (al-Taqi). Imam al- Jawad (a.s.) lived in this world only for twenty-five years; the Abbasid Caliph Motasam called him from Medina to Baghdad, in the 220 AH, where he was martyred on the last day of the Month of Dhu al-Q’ad’a in the same year in Bagdad and was buried near the grave of his grandfather Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.).
Tenth Imam (a.s.)
Imam Ali al-Naqi (a.s.) was born on the fifteenth of the Month of Dhul Hijj’a or second of Raj’ab in the year 212 AH in Sariya in vicinity of the Holy City of Medina; his father was Imam Muhammad al- Taqi (a.s.) and his mother was Sam’anah. Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s.) with God’s command appointed his Imam Ali al-Naqi (a.s.) to Caliphate and Imamate.17
He was only eight years old when his father left the world; and at the same young age acquired Imamate, but was completely aware of divine knowledge. He was unique and matchless in knowledge and wisdom. His decent conduct, vast knowledge, and piousness of that noble one absorbed and attracted the people towards him.
The Abbasid Caliph Muttawakil was afraid that people would be inclined towards him and would gather around him thus causing a threat to his government; due to this reason he called the Imam (a.s.) from Medina to Samara in the year 243 AH and kept him under his severe vigilance. Imam Ali Naqi (a.s.) lived in this world for a period of only forty two years and was continuously under the pressure of Abbasid Caliphs and was martyred on the twenty-seventh day of Jum’ada al-Thani or third of the Month of Raj’ab in the year 254 AH, in Samara and was buried there.
Eleventh Imam (a.s.)
The eleventh Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) was born on the eighth or fourth of the Month of Rabi al- Thani in the year 232 AH in the Holy City of Medina. His father was Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) and his mother was Hudeth. Imam Muhammad al-Taqi (a.s.) with God’s Command, appointed his son Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) to Caliphate and Imamate.18
Imam al-Askari (a.s.) too like his father was under severe vigilance in the City of Samara and was also in prison for a period of his blessed life. People were not able to see him freely in order to benefit from his knowledge and wisdom. But in spite of that narrations have remained from him as his legacy; his pleasant conduct, virtues and knowledge are not hidden from anyone. Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) lived in this world for only twenty eight years and was martyred on the eighth day of the Month of Rabi al-Awwal in the year 260 AH and was buried there.
Twelfth Imam (a.j.)
The twelfth Imam of Shi’a, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (a.j.) was born in Samara on the fifteenth of Sh’aban in the year of 255 AH; his titles are al-Mahdi, the one who would rise up (Qa’im) and Lord of the Age (Sahib al-Zaman) and Proof of God (al-Hujjah). His father was Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and mother was Narjis. Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) with God’s Command appointed his son Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (a.j.) to Caliphate and Imamate. In many of the narrations that have reached us through the Holy Prophet (S), he said: “The ninth son from the lineage of Imam al- Husain (a.s.) would have my name and would be the Promised Guide (Mahdi M’aood).”
The Holy Prophet (S) and Infallible Imams (a.s.) have informed that that the son of Imam Hasan al- Askari (a.s.) is the Promised al-Mahdi (a.j.), and he would remain hidden for a prolonged period from our sights. When God would deem it to be expedient, he would appear and would reform the world through expanding justice and equality; he would rule over the entire earth, would make Monotheism and God’s worshipping as general and would officially declare the sacred religion of Islam for all of mankind.
In accordance with the forecast of the Holy Prophet (S) and information and narrations from the Infallible Imams (a.s.), God gave a son to Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) named, Muhammad (a.j.); a group of very close companions and a number of people in his inner circle who were trusted by Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) have seen that child and testified about his presence. The Imam of the Age (a.j.) at the time of the demise of his father was only five years old and acquired Imamate after him.
Since the Abbasid Caliphs had heard about the indications of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) and were learned about the Holy Prophet’s (S) traditions that the son of Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) is the promised savior who would confront oppression and injustice and would make the government of tyrants upside down; they had a serious determination that if there is a child from Imam Hasan al- Askari (a.s.) they would kill him in order to remove the great danger from their path.
It was due to this reason as well as other considerations, the Imam of the Age (a.s.) was forced to remain hidden from sights and should live secretly, but his link with the people was not completely severed, rather it was possible that through the means of specially appointed people who were called as his deputies (wakil or nayab), people could have communicated with the Imam of the Age (a.j.) and could have obtained the answer to their requests. His famous deputies are four people as follows:
1. Othman ibn S’aeed
2. Muhammad ibn Othman
3. Husain ibn Rooh
4. Ali ibn Muhammad Samari
These four people were appointed as his deputies one after another, then his smaller occultation (gheebat-e-sughra) was completed and official communication with Imam (a.j.) was terminated and greater occultation had begun. Currently Imam (a.j.) lives in greater occultation (ghaybat-e-kubra); he moves among the people, participates in congregations but does not introduce himself. This condition will continue until the general circumstances of the world become suitable, and the ground for the establishment of a single Islamic Government of the world becomes readied.
And a majority of the people would be inclined from the profundities of their heart and soul for the ruling of a system based upon monotheism, and would consider a solution of their problems only through obedience of God’s Commandments after becoming completely disappointed from everywhere, and with severe intensity of their infliction with tyranny and injustice would be put out of patience by harassment.
At that time the Lord of the Age, Imam al-Zaman (a.j.), will appear and through mighty power that he would have at his disposal; he would turn the institution of oppression and injustice upside down and through the execution of the divine commandments would fill the world with justice and equality. We Shi’a during the period of his occultation have the obligation of waiting for his arrival: We abstract the most subtle programs of social commandments of the Holy Qur’an and introduce them to the attention of mankind; prove distinctions and advantages of divine laws to mankind.
We bring attention of mankind towards the divine programs and laws; confront with false ideologies and fallacies; endeavor to provide the required preparations and preliminaries for establishment of Islamic Government for the entire world. Meanwhile through abstracting design and plans of solutions of the world’s problems from the Holy Qur’an and narrations, provide them to reformers of mankind; through making the thoughts of human beings enlightened, accordingly prepare ourselves for the Imam’s (a.j.) appearance and the formation of the government of justice and equity.
Our Belief Regarding Imams (a.s.)
1. The Imams (a.s.) are completely immaculate from sins, mistakes and blunders.
2. They are thoroughly knowledgeable about all divine commandments and laws; knowledge and information which are required for guidance and spiritual instructions have been provided to them.
3. None of the commandments are introduced by them nor are they its commentators.
4. They practice all religious commandments and believe truthfully in them; they are decorated with decent, righteous conduct and are the best individuals of humanity and are the complete manifestation of the religion.
5. They are human beings and are servants of Allah, the Most High, just like any other human beings; they are His creatures susceptible to sickness and death; they are not gods and creators of existences.
6. Eleven of them were martyred. The Twelfth Imam (a.s.) is the immediate son of Imam Hasan al- Askari (a.s.); he is still alive and his appearance is awaited.
