Since the beginning of creation, Allah, the Almighty, the all-powerful and the absolute creator, granted excellence to human beings on this earth, but with this dignity, did not leave them to wander without guidance. Therefore, He bestowed human beings with intellects and guided it. He also put human beings under examination and to make them successful, He established a chain of guidance that ended with the last Prophet Hazrat Mohammad Mustafa (s.a.w.a..).
When the word “trial” comes to mind, it becomes clear that there exists innumerable elements of mischief and deviation that push human beings and jinn in the whirlpool of temptation. Therefore, we must beseech Allah to save us from their insinuations.
Moreover, Allah, the Almighty mentions in the Holy Quran:
“Those who listen to the word (of Allah), then follow the best of it; those are they whom Allah has guided, and those are the men of understanding.”[1]
And thus, He left no room for man to feel dejected or disappointed or be disobedient. In the context of this preface, the author wishes to draw the attention of the readers towards the topic under discussion “Mahdaviyat in Nahjul Balagha”.
In the final days of his blessed life, by the order of Allah, in the plains of Ghadeer, Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) appointed Ameerul Momineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.) as our Imam and leader, and at the same time, also declared that the series of Imamat will continue till the Day of Judgment, it will comprise of twelve Imams of which the first will be Imam Ali (a.s.) and the last of them will be Imam Mahdi (a.s.).
Just as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is the guide, so is Ameerul Momineen (a.s.). This applies to his sayings too that undoubtedly explain the Holy Quran and there is absolutely no scope of any doubt in it.
All that Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has mentioned regarding the guidance of this nation, is preserved in the books. Among these books is “Nahjul Balagha”, a book considered to be second only to Holy Quran, compiled by Sayyed Razi (a.r.), that contains sermons, letters, and concise words of wisdom. In this book, Ameerul Momeneen (a.s.) has discussed various topics and there is hardly any aspect left on which he (a.s.) has not shed light upon.
One of the most important topics in it is the series of Imams (a.s.) that has been appointed by Allah to guide the nation. Imam (a.s.) has also mentioned its importance and the fate of those who neglect it. For those who oppressed Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) and created hindrances in the efforts of his guidance, for them, he (a.s.) said that a day will come when everyone else will lose their authority and the reign of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), the last one from Ahle Bait (a.s.), will be established. Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has remembered Imam Mahdi (a.s.) at various places. It is our privilege to compile and present it to our esteemed readers.
Letter No. 45
In Nahjul Balagha, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has, in general, addressed the subject of leadership but particularly, the leadership of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his descendants (a.s.). In Letter No. 45, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has mentioned the importance of leadership as follows:
“Remember that every follower has a leader whom he follows and from the effulgence of whose knowledge, he takes light.”
He then explained his own leadership with the following words:
“Realize that your Imam has contented himself with two shabby pieces of cloth out of the (comforts of the) world and two loaves for his meal. Certainly, you cannot do so but at least support me in piety, exertion, chastity, and uprightness.”
Sermon No. 100
This sermon begins with Imam (a.s.) testifying to the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and then proceeds with very profound statements about Ahle Bait (a.s.) and twelfth Imam (a.s.):
“He left among us the standard of right. Whoever goes further from it goes out of faith, whoever lags behind it is ruined. Whoever sticks to it would join (the right). Its guide is short of speech, slow of steps, and quick when he rises. When you have bent your necks before him and pointed towards him with your fingers, his death would occur and would take him away. They would live after him as long as Allah wills, till Allah brings out for you one who would collect you together and fuse you after diffusion. Do not place expectations in one who does not come forward and do not lose hope in one who is veiled, because it is possible that one of the two feet of the veiled one may slip while the other may remain sticking, till both return to position and stick. Beware! The example of the descendants of Mohammad (s.a.w.a.) is like that of stars in the sky. When one star sets another one rises. So you are in a position that Allah’s blessings on you have been perfected and He has shown you what you used to wish for.”
Sermon No. 138
In this sermon, Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) has mentioned some of the events after the appearance of his last son (a.s.), as follows:
“He will direct desires towards (the path of) guidance while people will have turned guidance towards desires, and he will turn their views to the direction of the Quran while the people will have turned the Quran to their views.
Before this Enjoiner of Good, matters will deteriorate till war will rage among you with full force, showing forth its teeth, with udders full of sweet milk but with a sour tip. Beware, it will be tomorrow, and the morrow will come soon with things which you do not know. The Man in power, not from this crowd, will take to task all those were formerly appointed for their ill deeds and the earth will pour forth its eternal treasures and fling before him easily her keys. He will show you the just way of behaviour and revive the Quran and Sunnah which have become lifeless (among people).”
Sermon No. 150
In this sermon, Imam (a.s.) has mentioned the progeny of Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as a lamp in the age of darkness and hardships and has clearly pointed out the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s.):
“They took to the right and the left piercing through to the ways of evil and leaving the paths of guidance. Do not make haste for a matter which is to happen and is awaited, and do not wish for delay in what the morrow is to bring for you. For, how many people make haste for a matter, but when they get it they begin to wish they had not got it. How near is today to the dawning of tomorrow. O my people, this is the time for the occurrence of every promised event and the approach of things which you do not know.
Whoever from among us will be during these days will move through them with a burning lamp and will tread on the footsteps of the virtuous, in order to unfasten knots, to free slaves, to divide the united and to unite the divided. He will be in concealment from people. The stalker will not find his footprints even though he pursues with his eye. Then a group of people will be sharpened like the sharpening of swords by the blacksmith. Their sight will be brightened by revelation, the (delicacies of) commentary will be put in their ears and they will be given drinks of wisdom, morning and evening.”
Sermon No. 182
This is the last sermon of the life of Ameerul Momineen (a.s.), which was narrated by Nawf al-Bakaali. In this blessed sermon, he (a.s.) has mentioned about the qualities of his son (Imam Mahdi (a.s.)) and the justice and fairness of his reign:
“He will be wearing the armour of wisdom, which he will have secured with all its conditions, such as full attention towards it, its (complete) knowledge and exclusive devotion to it. For him it is like a thing which he had lost and which he was then seeking, or a need which he was trying to fulfil. If Islam is in trouble he will feel forlorn like a traveller and like a (tired) camel beating the end of its tail and with its neck flattened on the ground. He is the last of Allah’s proofs and one of the vicegerents of His prophets.”
Saying No. 147
This statement is a part of the conversation of Ameerul Momeneen (a.s) with his ardent companion Kumail Ibn Ziyad, in which he mentioned the Imam (a.s) while clarifying the importance of the Imam of the time (a.s):
“O My God! Yes; but the earth is never devoid of those who maintain Allah’s plea either openly and reputedly or, being afraid, as hidden in order that Allah’s pleas and proofs should not be rebutted. How many are they and where are they? By Allah, they are few in number, but they are great in esteem before Allah. Through them Allah guards His pleas and proofs till they entrust them to others like themselves and sow the seeds thereof in the hearts of those who are similar to them.
Knowledge has led them to real understanding and so they have associated themselves with the spirit of conviction. They take easy what the easy-going regard as hard. They endear what the ignorant take as strange. They live in this world with their bodies here but their spirits resting in the high above. They are the vicegerents of Allah on His earth and callers to His religion.
Oh, oh, how I yearn to see them!”
Saying No. 209
Hazrat Amirul Momineen (a.s.), while narrating the events after the reappearance of Hazrat Imam Mahdi (a.s.), says:
“The world will bend towards us after having been refractory as the biting she-camel bends towards its young.”
Then he (a.s.) recited the following verse:
“And We desired to bestow a favour upon to those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, and to make them the heirs.”[2]
These narrations are related to the awaited Imam of the time, Imam Mahdi (a.s.), who is the last one in the series of Imamat. After his reappearance, all the kingdoms and governments will end, and the religion of Islam will prevail over all other religions.
The oppressed is more powerful than the oppressor. The oppression of the oppressor ends with the passage of time, but the sigh of the oppressed continues to move towards its proper time and place for its revenge. Under this divine system, Ameerul Momineen (a.s) established an institution for the oppressed ones during his caliphate, and according to the Holy Quran, this is consistent with the fact that Allah is all-powerful, and He will surely avenge the oppressors with severe punishment in this world and in the hereafter. Hence Ameerul Momineen Ali (a.s), in his sermons, gave the glad tidings (Do not fear as the dawn is fast-approaching). We tried our best to present a few extracts from Nahjul Balagha related to Imam Mahdi (a.s.). We pray every moment for the early reappearance of our Imam (a.s): “O our Master! Please do come. The intensity of oppression is increasing.”
[1] Surah Zumar (39), verse 18
[2] Surah Qasas (28), verse 5