All his followers adore him and expect his reappearance day and night.
In fact, he is not only expected by Shia followers, he is the promised one of all nations, the real savior of all mankind irrespective of race, sex and religion. The occasion offers a good opportunity to have a glance at him through the various supplications and traditions received from holy prophet Mohammad (p.b.u.h.&h.f.) and his infallible Household.
To you:
Son of proximate leader.
Son of selected noblemen.
Son of rightly guides.
Son of well disciplined men.
Son of the purest men.
Son of the purest and selected men.
Son of chosen authorities.
Son of chosen prophet (S.A)
Son of Ali Murtaza (A.s)
Son of khadija (A.S), The respectable
Son of Fatema (A.S), The greatest Son of great stars
Son of scintillating moons
Son of glowing beacons
Son of illuminating meteors
Son of sparkling stars
Son of clear path
Son of shining standard
Son of perfect sciences
Son of famous traditions
Son of divine knowledge
Son of existing miracles
Son of firm arguments
Son of straight path
Son of great news
Son of basis of books
Son of evidences
Son of apparent arguments
Son of clear and dazzling proofs
Son of perfect proofs
Son of revealed bounties
Son of “Taha” (holy prophet S.A) and clear verses.
Son of “yasin” and “Zariyaat”
Son of “Tur” and “Aadiyat”

To you:
The reviver of the Sunnat (of the Holy prophet (S.A))
The riser with the command.
The proof of Allah
The guide towards Allah.
The representative of Allah on the earth
The witness (of God) on the servants
The eyes of Allah by which the guided ones are guided
The one through whom the problem of the believers are solved
The master, the admonisher
The ship of salvation
The source of life
The riser
The awaited
The guided
The Successor, the proof
The owner of time
The master of era
The master of age
The teacher of Quranic precepts
The purifier of earth
The preacher of justice
The one who will greatly honor the believers and oppressed
The one who degrade the apostates arrogant and unjust
The helper of the distressed and the destitute
The respect of the self-respecting persons
The splendor of Allah
The beacon of light
The hidden, the concealed
The expected, the riser
The awaited justice.
The caller towards the book of Allah
The interpreter of book of Allah
The covenant of Allah
The promise of Allah
The expansive knowledge
The vast mercy
The friend of the believers
The light of truth
The speaker with wisdom and truth
The perfect word of Allah
The apprehensive, the fearful
The flag of guidance
The light of the vision of creatures
The one who will fill the earth with justice and equity
The successor of his guided forefathers
The successor of the past successors
The remnant of Allah from the chosen ones
The treasure of prophet’s (p.b.u.h.&h.f.) knowledge
The nullifier of every falsehood
The leader of the pious
The honor of the monotheists
The honorable one
The word of praised one
The giver of honor to the friends
The heir of prophets (A.S.)
The seal of successors
The open justice
The luminescent moon
The brilliant splendor
The sun of darkness
The blossom of creation
The freshness of days
The holder of the sword
The divine religion
The written Book
The proof of Allah upon His servants.
The ultimate in prophetic heritage
The master of command
The reliever in difficulties
The appointed one to end the rule of the oppressors
The one who is expected to eliminate injustice and tyranny
The authority for reviving religion and divine laws
The one who is expected to enliven Quran and its injunctions
The reviver of religion’s teachings and its followers
The one who collects the people on the basis of piety
The Promised One the Expected by All...

Above mentioned are some names, epithets, agnomens and titles of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) by which he has been remembered in different supplications (dua), salutations (Ziyaarat) and invocation of blessings

No doubt the powers and effects of supplications are miraculous while on one hand supplications are confessions of man’s servitude towards his Lord, on the other hand, the contents of prayers are expressions of man’s spiritual satisfaction. If a request repeatedly made with the insistence on its acceptance and this presentation is made in various modes and manners on every important occasion with an untiring persistence, then certainly with their repeated requests, we can realize its extraordinary nature.

The importance of such a supplication is enhanced manifold when we see it in verbal expressions of progeny of messenger of God. There are so many salutations and supplications where some demand has been made in come way or the other. Whether it is Ziyaarat-e-Ashoora or Ziyaraat-e-Jameah or Dua-e-Iftetah or Dua-e-Abu Hamah Semali, or the supplications of Shabaan and Ramazan, all these prayers have one thing very much common among them. Though it may have different forms, the common feature is the supplication regarding the joyous reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). Although there are ample traditions describing the various facets of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.), his reappearance is such an epoch-making hallmark that it was not side lined even in the supplication to the Lord of the worlds.

Through supplications, we realize the importance of the belief in Hazrat Imam Mahdi (A.S.) and praying for his reappearance. The persistence in this supplication also reflects the certitude in its acceptance.

Ultimately, the prayers will be accepted if not today then certainly tomorrow. The only thought which persists is that should his reappearance take place in our lifetime then we would have witnessed the victory of Islam and the defeat and disgrace of disbelief and hypocrisy.

Followings are some quotations from the most famous salutations which directly emphasize the subject: Ziyaraat-e-Ashoora is an important and authentic salutation. Some of the religious scholars have even vouched for this to such an extent that they consider it to be from Hadis-e-Qudsi (those traditions of the Holy prophet (p.b.u.h.&h.f.) which have been quoted from Archangel Jibraeel (p.b.u.h.) but do not form a part of the Quranic revelation. In it twice Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) has been mentioned. There is a supplication in the Ziyaraat that says, “Then I ask of Allah, who elevated your position and honored me due to you, to allow me to avenge your blood along with Imam-e-Mansur (the one who is divinely assisted i.e. Imam Mahdi (A.S.)”. This reference is further made clear in the following words, “May Allah allow me to seek the revenge of your blood along with Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) who will be from progeny (p.b.u.h.)”.

Here the desire for the reappearance is also clarified along with its aim. Whoever’s hearts is aggrieved and eyes shed tears on event of Karbala, he will never stop from praying for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) so that the vengeance for the Imam Hossain (p.b.u.h.) can be sought at the earliest.

The marvel of a Ziyaarat from the view point of text, authenticity, eloquence and rhetoric is Ziyaarat Jameeh which significantly Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) himself emphatically advised to Sayed Rashti (the most famous religious scholars) in these words: “Ashoora! Ashoora! Ashoora!, Jameah! Jameah! Jameah! “I.e. never miss these two salutations. To realize the importance of this fact pay attention to the following statement:

“I confess to your veracity, believe in your return, testify to your Raj’at’, await your command and prepared for your government”. Furthermore it is said “May I be enumerated among your companions, among those who will be returned in your Raj’at, who will rule in your government, who will be dignified in your protection, who will get status in the days (of your government), whose eyes will be cooled by seeing you”.

At yet another place it is found that, “...Until Allah the Most High will revive his religion through you and return you in His days. And to make you reappear for His justice and equity, and establish you on His earth”. Repetitions show the importance of this supplication.

These are those prayers which are not particular with Imam-e-Mahdi (a.t.f.s.). If so much insistence is there in these prayers then what would be the intensity of supplication in those prayers which are exclusively about him. In other prayers too, Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) is referred to and remembered regularly.

 

By: Dr. Ghavidel, Clinical Psychologist (Javan Psychological Counseling Center)