The Social Function of Believing in Mahdiship

The ability of the social system is one of the important issues that is always considered by political and governmental systems. Various factors can contribute to the survival, continuity, dynamism and empowerment of the social system. Belief in Mahdiship can play an important role in the dynamism and ability of the social system. Functioning in this area is one of the important functions of this belief because belief in Mahdiship can bring people around its axis and, in order to realize a certain goal, it can integrate them and give them a unified identity, and subsequently strengthen social power and improve social communication and, as a result, provide the contexts for social security and order and result in consolidation of social relations. This paper has been presented for the purpose of demonstrating the function of belief in Mahdiship in the field of the social system of the waiting community and the age of absence, and the explanting of the capacity and potential of Mahdiship's thought in strengthening and consolidating the social system. One of the most important findings of this research is to show the capacity of thought of Mahdiship in the areas of order, cohesion and solidarity, security and consolidation of social relations. The most prominent solutions of the thought in these areas include: the production and revision in common moral values, the consolidation of religious beliefs, especially the teachings of Imamate, the establishment of emotional connections in people, the creation of unity and identity among ethnicities and subcultures, and establishment of public trust that results from the strengthening of values and adherence to the moral rules.