Deepening the Benefits of the Hidden Imam in the Light of Imamology and Occultation Studies

Religious beliefs have always been a scene of criticism and submission of doubts. This does not exclude the belief in the Hidden Imam. One of the doubts been presented in this regard is “debunking of benefits and futility of the Hidden Imam”. The root of the abovementioned doubt can be the result of wrong or imperfect interpretation of the meaning of Imam’s absence, states and orders. The presenters of this doubt have considered the absence of Imam as his isolation, hiddenness, lack of personage and personality and orders (leadership, political administration and social presence). Thus, the Hidden Imam means a governor that has no presence and appeal. Meanwhile, according to resources of Arabic words, Quran and Sunnah, absence does not mean hiddenness and non-presence of the person from society, rather the absent Imam exists, has activities, and is in touch with society, but not everyone is able to recognize him, exactly like the absence of holy Yousof (Joseph), holy Khidr,- and not like the absence of Jesus Christ. This paper tries to present a relatively new or at least with a new method answer according to Quran, Sunnah and theological sources in the light of which a greater depth of benefits of the Hidden Imam is discovered.