The effect of believing in Mahdism and Intiẓār (Awaiting the advent of Imam Mahdi) in knowing oneself, God, and the Imam from Ayatollah Ṣāfi’s point of view

Believing in Mahdism and Intiẓār is an Islamic belief with a solid support of intellectual arguments and narrated evidences. Considering the importance of this issue and its effect on human insight, the present research has investigated the effect of this belief on self-inspection, taking the cognition of God, and the Imam, using the descriptive-analytical method. The results of the research show that believing in Mahdism and Intiẓār causes people to know God and, with a more general view, knowledge about religion. This belief in the field of Imamology, in turn, increases knowledge and consequently causes more love for the Imam. By knowing the Imam and taking cognizance of the ultimate goal, the rule of right governance, and acceptance of Wilāyat al-Faqīh is obtained. This belief will increase self-knowledge and personal and social duties in the field of Mahdism and Intiẓār. Therefore, there are reciprocal relationships between taking cognizance of God, the Imam and self-knowledge, in a way that each of them influences the other.