The Possibility of Visiting Lord of the Time

One of the influential issues in Shiite beliefs is the possibility of visiting the Last Imam in his major occultation (that is the possibility of its occurrence not its reasoning). Considering the fact that his occultation is typical not personal, the primary principle is the impossibility of visiting him, which is the philosophy of his occultation. However, there are some cases of meeting that are frequently stated by the righteous and scholars and can account for the possibility of visiting him in some particular cases. The viewpoint that rejects this possibility in his major occultation is based on the decree issued by Ali Ibn Mohammad Samari in which the claim of visiting is introduced as a lie and fabrication. However, as Allameh Majlesi and others have asserted, the purpose of that decree was to prevent the misuse of some fabrication in the end of the decade of minor occultation during which the contact was only possible by the deputies. Therefore meeting with the claim of deputyship has been rejected but there is possibility of visiting Imam with his own permission.