فصلنامه مشرق موعود
پیاپی 7 (پاییز 1387)

There is a book with the title: Usulu Madhab-al-Shia-al-Imamiyya-al-Ithna Ashariyya (Principles of the Faith of Shiites of twelve Imams) in the from of both presentation and criticism. The writer of this book claims that the Shiites regard Imam Mahdi (PBuH) to be at the status of a prophet. They believe that the Imam will abolish the religion of Islam when he appears and replaces it with a new religious law. The writer of this book has relied on various traditions to prove his claims.In this article, we have cited the eight groups of traditions to which the claimers referred and with which they found faults. Then we have investigated and criticized their reasons. Now, regardless of the fact that, in our opinion first of all, such traditions must be assessed and evaluated in their own place as to whether they are based on reasons and really documented or not, we have referred to three essential points:One, some of these traditions are not approved by any of Shiite scholars at all.Two, some others of these traditions have been narrated in some Sunnite sources with similar purports and remarks. Three, some of the difficulties that the writer has brought about generate from his intentional choice of some traditions but his significant feigning negligence of other related traditions; whereas, we can easily understand the real meaning of what has been meant by surveying the whole collection of narrations.

One of the proofs that confirm the birth and the presence of Imam Mahdi-ibn- Hassan Askari (PBUH) being alive in the world is the number of several hadiths that have been consecutively narrated by both Shiites and Sunnites, to which the great prophet of Islam (MGSBH) referred and specified that he was to have twelve successors. These hadiths or traditions are briefly called the “Hadiths of the Twelve Imams or Caliphs”. Of course, some narrations of the Sunnites and most narrations of the Shiites have gone further to mention the names and numbers of the successors to describe their qualities or characteristics. Of the most important points cited in such traditions is introducing the twelfth Imam as being the riser and alive and giving the news of his Absence and the identity of his father and ancestors.These traditions denote the birth and presence of Imam Mahdi (PBUH) in two ways: the first is a general specification for the number of “12”, which is confirmed by both Shiites and Sunnites and the other clarifies and gives the reasons for the names, qualities and characters in the texts, also indicating the twelfth Imam being alive as the Riser (PBUH). as the only Guardian, the Friend and the remainder of God on the earth at the present time. Many other things have been explained such as the terminology of Guardianship the nature of Guardianship, genesis, creation, the descriptive guardianship, application of the position of Friendship of God, etc. Then an investigation and criticism have been made with regard to the both extremes in the views of some thinkers concerning the belief in the twelfth Imam (PBUH) with the emphasis on the fact that the belief in the guardianship of the Imam is much different from exaggeration and Consignation.In the second part of the article, the base and foundation of intervening in the Creation on the part of the Imam, who is His Friend has been brought about with regard to and by using philosophical cosmology and existence. Then the confirmation of guardianship from the viewpoint of religious Texts (the Quran and traditions has been cared for. At the end, the most important qualities of the Guardian and the Friend of God has been given to the dear readers.

One of the crises of our contemporary man is his nihilistic idea that says Existence is useless and denies any objective ground of moral truth. Nihilism has always had its many bad effects on human life such as the decline of families, mental harms or spiritual injuries. However, today’s thinkers have risen against those crises and proved that every other way except religious Faith and Godly belief will bring no positive result for humanity; and this has been exactly indicated through experience by practical proofs; otherwise, human social existence will definitely sink deeper in the mire of decadence. This is at the time when religious beliefs including Mahdism Thought can raise up a strong barricade against the attack of Nihilism to save today’s man from such a misfortune.The writer of this article has tried to clarify and explain the effects of Mahdism and its basis to provide the clear road for traversing out of Nihilism to produce a meaningful life. This writing has also gone through the results of the Imam’s presence, our Expectation and Belief to do away with the dirty effects of Nihilism.

The following article is supposed to be an introduction to the method of some research on the basis of intellectual approaches that our Imams followed to explain the subject of Imamate and the fact of Mahdism. We hope that this discussion will continue in our other articles of the future.In our books of narrations, there have been presented many important intellectual (dialectical and philosophical) reasons, criteria or methods in order to clarify and prove the fact of Imamate and Mahdism. Including such sources is the book Usul-e-Kafi (Kafi’s Principles) that can be introduced as one of the most important books on Narrations or Hadiths. Our immaculate Imams would always use such criteria and apply those appropriate logical methods to confirm the facts about Imamate and Mahdism in the most acceptable way possible. In the next editions of our articles, we shall, God willing, deal with those proofs and reasons as far as possible to provide the readers with our best explanations.

The writer of this article has tried to clarify and explain the essence of “guardianship” to make its application known to the readers. The conclusion that has been taken from this writing is that the Guardian (Friend of God) is endowed with the element of being heavenly enjoying the power of intervening in Creation. The difference in the great prophet of God was that in addition to the position of Guardianship, he also possessed the status of receiving Revelations from God and conveying them to people after his interpreting and explaining them. However, the holy prophet and the Imams have all the religious authority and are the source of religious imitation. They are in charge of leadership for the government of the people.So the twelfth and the last Imam, the Proof of God, enjoy all the above authorities except receiving Revelations. This divine personage is and will be present among the people as long as the world and its inhabitants exist until God’s faver will apply to all men and women and for him to appear.The first part of this writing includes the introducing of the Imam briefly, indicating his position and his personageOn the other hand, Ahmad-al-Kateb denies that there has been an Imam named the Proof of God, son of Imam Hassan Askari and also, he has raised some doubts regarding the traditions for the twelve Imams (PBU them). In summary, he wants to say that those traditions are fictitious being made up in the 4th century. He believes that no one may refer to such hadiths as documented.In this writing, we will try to criticize and give reasons against Ahmad’s claims.

Getting in Contact with the great Saints and religious Leaders, who have acted as Guides and directed men to the high position of humanity, has always been the center of Muslems’ attention specially the Shiites. The relation or contact between the Imams and other people has continued since the time of the prophet Muhammad (MGSBH) up to now. This relation or contact has never been cut off or torn away even at the times when some of the immaculate Imams were in the prisons of the cruel governments.Among those visits, whether in groups or individually, there are contacts with some unigue features that make them distinct from other visits in such a way that the narrators and historians quote them in their exclusive ways or get them recorded as references.A caravan from the city of Qom to travel to Samerra in Iraq was arranged for the pilgrimage of the Shrine of Imam Hassan Askari (PBUH). Those men in the caravan succeeded in visiting the Imam of Time (PBUH). The trip is just a sample of what has happened throughout history for the believers to show the importance of their Raith in God’s precepts. It is important because it can be introduced as an authentic document to the existence of Imam Mahdi (PBUH), his birth date and his being alive.Now the following article has tried to explain that historical events and some other things that have occurred after wards by refrring to some valid sources and reliable evidence.

There are different opinions and ideas mentioned about the name and parentage of Imam Mahdi (PBUH): who his mother was? Some great scholars or religious authorities such as Kulayni, Mas’udi, Nu’mani, Shaykh Saduq, Shaykh Mufid, Shaykh Tusi, Ibn Khallakan, the First Martyr, etc, have all given their ideas about the Imam’s mother. Kulayni said she was a black slave from one of the north provinces of Suran with the name Nuba. Nu’mani, Mas’udi,Shaykh Mufid and Ibn Khallakan believed the Imam’s mother was an educated bondmaid who lived in the housre of Hakima Khatoon. The First Martyr had named her ‘Saqil’ and, finally, Shaykh Saduq, Tusi Tabari with the most religious scholars after Shaykh Tusi introduced the Imam’s mother as “Narges”, the daughter of the emperor of Rome. Although those scholars tried hard to justify what Shaykh Saduq had narrated, there were still some oppositions to his hadith.Now, in this article, we have investigated about some facts on all discussions and the way those traditions were narrated.

We may sit for a while watching those believers in Imam Mahdi (PBuH) who come to visit khowingly the holy mosque of Jamkaran, specially on tues day nights. Among. such visitors, however, we sometimes witness those people who treat unwisely. In the name of “belief” in Imam Mahdi (PBuH), they reveal unfortunately some behaviors that are incompatible with the doctrine of Mahdism, and below the dignity of believers. Now, in the following writing, we have tried to deal with the major injuries or harms which are considered as being social. The enumeration of such injuries has been the result of the writer’s continual presence in that holy place witnessing the people’s behaviors on Tuesday evenings to improve perhaps some of those habits. One of the major harm is the loud sound of music and singing coming out if the cars. To prevent such a bad manner may be the advertisements of the traffic police to warn people against damages incurred by such loud sounds of music. The television can do a better job if it broadcasts some notices to alert people and change their understanding or attitude toward holy places.In my opinion, to fine offenders in cash would be more fruitful because it costs them too much to pay a lot of money, this causing them not to repeat minor offences.The second injury is the mistreatment of some people not knowing the values of pilgrimage to a holy place. We can train them by letting them do some cultural jobs to raise their level of knowledge.

Eschatology, that part of theology concerned with the last state of life is one of the most attractive doctrines that has affected all the religions among which religions to Abraham (PBUH) have depicted a clearer picture than others for their believers. In Christianity, the doctrine has turned to an influential dialectical principle for the beliefs. The returning of Messiah, his final judgment, Paradise and Hell are among the eschalology of Christian Faith. To understand this thought of Christianity correctly needs us to go directly to theological writings of Christian scholars and thinkers or authorities that have done research in each of the three sects of Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox. In the Protestant Church, one of the invaluable works seems to be the book Nezam-al-Ta’lim Fi Elm-al-Lahoot-al-Qawim (the system of the Teaching in the Powerful Knowledge of Divinity) written by James Enes from America. The outstanding feature of this book is its form of being dialectical, asking and answering with its numerous references to the holy book of the Bible. The author has criticized Christian thoughts of Catholics among the many religious discussions he has brought about.