Awaiting – Importance And Prerequisites

Every religious action is accompanied by some conditions in order for it to be accepted by Allah. These conditions are related to the one who is  performing that action. The word ‘Deen’ refers to these very actions and it implies the rightful religion that is according to the satisfaction of Allah (viz. Islam). In the light of a tradition of Ameerul Momineen (a.s), only good actions performed by a religious person shall be accepted by Allah. In other words, good actions performed by those who are not on the ‘true religion’ will not be accepted. He (a.s) says ‘O people! Protect your religion. Protect your religion. Be attached to it. And be careful that no one should turn you away from it. Committing bad deeds while being on the right religion is better than the performing good deeds while following a false religion. Because the sins of the one who follows the true religion will be forgiven, but the good deeds of the one who does not follow the rightful religion shall not be accepted.

(Maanil Akhbaar, pg. 185, 186)

Thus, it is very important for us to recognize the true and correct religion since it is a pre-requisite for the acceptance of our actions. This matter can only be clear and evident for a person if he refers to the sayings of Ahlul Bait (a.s). Once a person approached Imam Baqir (a.s) while he had a letter in his hand. Before he could say anything, Imam (a.s) informed him:

‘This letter (which you are carrying) is from (our) adversary who wants to know about that religion through which deeds shall be accepted.’

The man replied ‘May Allah have mercy on you. I have come to ask you this
very question’. Imam (a.s.) replied ‘(Religion implies) To bear witness that there is no god except Allah, Who is One and Unique and He has no partner and that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) is His servant and His messenger and to accept all that he (s.a.w.a.) has brought from the side of Allah and to accept our Wilayat (mastership) and to love us while at the same time to bear enmity with our enemies, to submit to our commands and to act with piety and modesty and to await the reappreance of our Qaim (a.t.f.s.). For certainly our government shall be established when He wishes.

(Usul-e-Kafi – Kitabul Imaan wal Kufr, Chapter of “Pillars of Islam”, tradition 13)

In the light of this tradition, awaiting the reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) is among the pillars of faith and the reason for our religion being accepted by Allah.

(2) The Necessity of  Awaiting for Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s):  

Numerous traditions of the infallible guides (a.s.) have introduced Qaim-e-Aal-e-Muhammad – awaiting for whom is included among the fundamentals of religion. For example, Imam Muhammad Taqi (a.s.) says in a tradition

‘Certainly, our Qaim is that (very) Mahdi whose awaiting is obligatory during his occultation.’  

(Kamaluddin, vol. 2, pg. 377, chap.36 tradition)

The above tradition contains the word ‘obligatory’ and it indicates the fact that during occultation it is the duty of every Shia to familiarize himself with the characteristics of awaiting the Imam. Any individual who wishes to worship Allah will certainly not take this matter lightly.

So if someone desires to inculcate the feeling of awaiting within himself, then it is necessary for him to pay attention to the pre-requisites and essentials of awaiting. It should be kept in mind that like all other conditions there are varying intensities and levels in awaiting the Imam. Every level of awaiting has its own set of demands and pre-requisites. The lowest level of awaiting is to believe in the occurrence of the event, i.e. reappearance of Imam (a.t.f.s.). The intensity of the awaiting depends upon this fact. The more certain one is of the event, the stronger will be the awaiting. Some of the pre-requisites to cultivate and develop the feeling of awaiting are as follows:

(a) Conviction: 

A person should firmly believe in the person that he is awaiting and should not have even an iota of doubt or reservation concerning him in his mind. The stronger is his conviction, the greater will be the feeling of awaiting in his heart.

(b) To consider it near: 

The awaiting one (muntazir) should always feel that the reappearance is near and imminent. For, if a person is certain about a matter but considers it to be a remote possibility, then the intensity of his wait will be feeble. On the other hand, if he is convinced and confident about the nearness of the event, then his awaiting will be that much more intense.

(c) To love it: 

If we are certain that a particular thing is bound to occur and we are also conscious that it’s occurrence is very near, yet if we are not inclined towards it nor do we have any special affection towards it, then obviously we would never want that event or thing to draw near. On the other hand, when we hear about the arrival of a very dear and beloved friend, then the feeling of awaiting becomes more intense and powerful.

(d) Preparedness: 

The more prepared we are for a particular event the more acute is our anticipation for its advent. For instance, if a student has studied hard and has put in lot of effort, then certainly he will look forward to his exams and will also be restless for the results; for he is sure that he will be successful.

The aforementioned four conditions and pre-requisites are essential while awaiting the reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.).

1. To have a firm belief in his (a.s.) reappearance: 

The more an individual inculcates the knowledge and certainty concerning the reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) within himself, the more intensely will he await the reappearance of Imam (a.t.f.s.). But if – God forbid – any doubt arises in his mind concerning the reappearance of Imam (a.t.f.s.), then not only will this weaken his belief, but even the intensity of his awaiting will diminish and fade away. It is also possible that excessive doubts concerning Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) may lead him into the sphere of disbelief. Both Shia and Sunni scholars have narrated a tradition from Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a) pointing towards this fact wherein he (s.a.w.a) declares ‘The one who denies the reappearance of Mahdi, then he has indeed disbelieved’

2. To consider the reappearance of Imam (a.s.) to be near:

It is possible that one may not deny the reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.), but he may consider it to be a distant event and does not believe that it can occur in the near future. Such a thought will make his belief weak and lethargic. On the other hand, if he considers the reappearance of Imam (a.t.f.s.) to be imminent then his awaiting will be intense and firm.

3. To look forward to his (a.t.f.s.) reappearance:

A true Awaiter is the one who is fervently looking forward to the advent of Imam (a.t.f.s.). He is willing to sacrifice all his personal treasures and worldly bounties to meet his long lost friend. ‘O Master! When will the time come when your benevolent glance will fall on us – unfortunate servants? And when will we be granted the privilege of seeing you?’

This is the slogan of every true Awaiter.

4. Vigilance: 

The more we prepare ourselves for the reappearance of Imam (a.t.f.s.), the stronger will be our desire of awaiting for him. Without being prepared for his reappearance, the feeling of awaiting will be a farce and have little meaning.

As Marhoom Sibte Jafar writes: ‘We keep saying ‘al – ajal’ (hasten), but what will we do if he were to really come?

How prepared are we? And what will we offer him?

…..Our shrewdness and our arrogance and our cunning treachery?

What is the value of our fasts and our prayers?

How much sincerity is there in them and how much pretension?

What preparations have we made for the sake of Imam (a.t.f.s.)?

What face shall we show him when he reappears?

When these four conditions combine, then the feeling of awaiting inevitably develops in a person. The intensity of awaiting is proportionate to the degree of these four ‘pre-requisites’. The stronger they are within a person, the more intense will be his awaiting. Thus if we are desirous of fulfilling our responsibility of awaiting, then it is imperative that we strengthen its four pre-conditions. The directive of awaiting for Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) is in reality an order for developing and inculcating these four pre-conditions. For strengthening the first and second pre-requisites, it is necessary for us to frequently refer to the Holy Quran and traditions of infallibles (a.s.), believe in the glad tidings and prophecies concerning Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) that are mentioned in them and give them the highest level of importance. And an individual can do all this voluntarily. In order to fulfill the third pre-requisite, we should acquire the recognition (Maarefat) of Imam (a.t.f.s.) so that the flames of his love are ignited in our hearts and keep on burning till the last breath of our lives. Only then will our awaiting be fervent and passionate – just like that of a mother who is anxiously searching her lost son. 

Come let us end this short treatise by presenting ourselves in the holy presence of Imam Zamana (a.t.f.s.) and addressing him (a.t.f.s.) with tears in our eyes 

‘Peace be upon you – O my Master and my Chief! I am your servant and I seek proximity to Allah through you and through your progeny. I
am awaiting the reappearance of your (esteemed) self and also of the truth through your hands. I pray to Allah to bestow His blessings on Muhammad (s.a.w.a) and his progeny (a.s.) and he should include me among those who await your reappearance. Aameen!’

The Companions of Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s) and their characteristics

It is evident that the appointment of an individual is made solely on the  basis of the work and its aim. The qualification of an engineer is taken into consideration if a small house has to be constructed. But if a bigger project has to be undertaken, then the engineer will have to be more capable and qualified. And if one has to draft a plan for an entire nation then the qualifications of the engineer and others responsible for its implementation will be at a totally different level. In the last scenario, the utility of each and every individual will be minutely scrutinized as the responsibility given to them is extremely critical and hence due attention will have to be paid to each and every aspect. Now, if the same plan has to be implemented throughout the world, then the qualifications of this individual will have to be extraordinary, in fact, even peerless. His capabilities, his plans, his skills must be far superior and superlative vis-à-vis the rest.

Now let us try to gauge the enormity of Hazrat Wali-e-Asr’s (a.t.f.s) tasks. We will mention couple of them below:

1. Establishing justice and equality in the whole world.

Whenever there is mention of the auspicious reappearance of Hazrat Wali-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.), the following sentence comes to mind instantly:

‘He will fill the earth with justice and equality as it would have been filled with oppression and injustice.’

So one critical task that Imam (a.t.f.s.) shall perform on his reappearance is the establishment of justice and equality in the whole world.

2. Prevalence of Islam

Allah declares in the Holy Quran

‘He it is Who sent His Apostle with the guidance and the true religion, that He may make it overcome the religions, all of them, though the polytheists may be averse.’

(Surah Saf, Verse 9)

Hazrat Wali-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.) will actualize this divine promise.

3. Apart from this there are many such objectives can be taken from Dua-e-nudba and many ziyarah.

From the abovementioned points one can safely assume and understand that after the reappearance of the radiant light, the responsibilities of Hazrat Wali-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.) will not be limited to narrating the rules but also establishing in totality the perfect religion of Allah. He has to carry out a unique task that has not been performed by anyone till date. The task of all the divine messengers (a.s.) was only to convey the divine message and not its implementation.

Implementation of rules is more difficult than mere invitation

The duty of Hazrat Wali-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.) is not restricted to conveying the divine message, but to get it implemented in its entirety across the length and the breadth of the world.

The messengers (a.s.) had encountered innumerable hardships and  obstacles in conveying the divine message. They were made victims to the severest of tribulations. When prophets (a.s.) and apostles (a.s.) faced such resistance at the ‘conveying’ stage, then how many trials and tribulations will Imam (a.t.f.s.) have to encounter at the ‘implementation’ stage.

Characteristics of Imam’s (a.t.f.s.) helpers and companions

In the light of what we have outlined earlier, we can begin to appreciate the
characteristics of Imam’s (a.t.f.s.) helpers and companions. Indeed, they will be at a sublime level of excellent morals and character. It is undeniable that Allah has bestowed a great favor on us by keeping us attached to the infallible personalities of Ahle Bait (a.s.).

General traits

In one tradition Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) has mentioned the general traits of the companions of Imam Mahdi (a.s.):

• Their hearts are stronger than iron.
• They will be having complete faith in Allah. There is no place for doubts in their hearts.
• They shall be tougher than stones. They will uproot the mountain only by turning towards it.
• They will conquer every city they enter with their standard.
• They are like swift eagles, mounted on fast horses.
• They will touch the saddle of Imam’s (a.t.f.s.) mount to seek blessings.
• They will be encircling Imam (a.t.f.s.) to safeguard him from all calamities and misfortune.
• They will fulfill every desire of Imam (a.t.f.s.) with their heart and soul. They will not sleep in the nights.
• They will buzz like honeybees in their prayers.
• They will pass the night in worship and in the morning they will be seen mounted on horses, ready for helping Imam (a.t.f.s.).
• They will be devout worshippers by the night and like the lions in the day. They will be more submissive and obedient to Imam than a maidservant. They are like burning lamps and their hearts are like glowing beacons. They are fearful of Allah and testify to His Unity.
• They are hopeful of martyrdom in the Way of Allah.
• Their slogan will be “O Avenger of Husain!”
• When they march, their awe will precede them by a distance of one month’s journey.
• These are the ones who seek Allah’s Pleasure.
• Allah will help Imam (a.t.f.s.) through them.(Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 52, pg. 307-08, tradition 82)

Number of companions

Imam Mohammad Taqi (a.s) declared,

‘Allah will gather his followers around him. Their number will be 313, the same as the companions of Badr. They will gather from different parts of the earth.’ And this is the exegesis of Allah’s Words, ‘…wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.

(Surah Baqarah, Verse148) (Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 52, pg. 283, tradition 10)

How will they gather?

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) prophesied,

‘When our Qaem (a.t.f.s.) will establish himself, Allah will gather the people of the East and West. These people will come together in one place in the same m anner as the leaves gather in one place in autumn.’

(Al Sawaeq Al Mohreqa, pg. 163; Muntakhab Al Asar, pg. 477)

They will travel on clouds

Some of them will travel on the clouds by the day. Imam (a.t.f.s.) will recognize them by their names, by the names of their ancestors, by their lineage and by their style and mode. The narrator inquired who will be the most faithful? The prophet replied, ‘The one who will travel on the clouds by the day.’ (Ibid)

They will be extremely brave and pious

Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) relates,

‘I am seeing Qaem (a.t.f.s.) and his companions in Kufa. Their foreheads bear the distinct marks of prostration. They have the ferociousness of a lion by the day and are intense worshippers by the night. Their bodies will be stronger than steel. The strength of each one of them will be equal to forty men. They will only kill the hypocrites and the infidels.’

(Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 52, pg. 386, tradition 202)

Their names shall be inscribed on their swords

On each of their swords their names shall be inscribed along with their lineage. (Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 53, pg. 329, tradition 155)

Contracting of the earth

Imam Mohammad Baqir (a.s) informs,

‘From different parts of the land his (Imam (a.t.f.s.)) Shias will access him as the land will shrink for them. When they reach to him, they shall pay their allegiance to him.’

(Kitab al-Irshad, pg. 341, Muntakhab Al Asar, pg. 198)

Intellects shall attain perfection; Sight and hearing shall become sharp

One of the characteristics of the companions of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) shall be that their intellects shall be at the highest level and their sense of justice and ethics shall be perfect.

Imam Baqir (a.s.) informs,

‘When our Qaem reappears, he will place his hand on the heads of the people by which their intellects will become complete and their ethics will scale the peak of perfection.’

(Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 52, pg. 329, tradition 7, 336-47, tradition 71)

Instructors of Quran, Carriers of Quran.

Imam Ali (a.s) reveals,

‘I see my Shias in Masjid-e-Kufa and they are teaching the Holy Quran in different tents and teaching it just the way it was revealed.’

(Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 52, pg. 364, tradition 140-141)

In this tradition, Imam Ali (a.s) has enumerated the companions of Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s) as his own Shias. This not only serves to highlight the esteemed position of Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s.) but also underscores the status of his companions in the eyes of the Imams (a.s.).

United Heart

Imam-e-Asr (a.t.f.s) wrote in one of his signed letters (tawqee) to Shaikh Mufeed (r.a.), ‘May Allah bestow our Shias with the ability to obey, for if they had sincerely adhered to their covenant with united hearts, then there wouldn’t have been any delay in our blessed reappearance.’

Imam (a.t.f.s.) will take allegiance from his companions on these criteria (mentioned earlier) and once the companions fulfill the criteria, then Imam (a.t.f.s.) will remain with them and spend his life alongside them. This highlights the intense love and affection of Imam (a.t.f.s.) for his companions. 

‘May my father, my mother, my family, myself and my wealth be sacrificed upon you, O my Master, O Saahebuz Zamaan!

The Deed of Allegiance (Bay’atnaamah)

A deed of allegiance (bay’atnamah) serves the purpose of conveying the idea of an ‘agreement’ present in its written format. It will be under the rules and regulations of this very agreement that the workers, helpers, friends, companions and the populace as a whole, take the oath of allegiance and faithfulness to the Master of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for him).

The literary meanings of bay’ah are oath, allegiance and covenant. Ibne Khaldun has noted in his Al-Muqaddamah:

  (Tafsire Namuna, vol. 22, p. 70 from the al-Muqaddamah preface of Ibne Khaldun p.174)  

‘When paying allegiance (bay’ah) to a ruler, they would, for emphasis, place their hands upon his hand. This action was like a transaction between a buyer and a seller.’

  Bay’ah means oath, allegiance and covenant (Al-Munjid in Urdu).   Gheyaas al-Lughaat has discussed it in greater detail by adding sincerity,loyalty,and following in friendship.  Bay’ah means love and loyalty, oath and covenant, purity and virtue.

All of this was crushed and trampled upon by the deception and guile of the rulers. The soul of Islam was searching for its lost prestige and glory of yesteryears within the framework of bay’ah when the voice of Imam Husain (a.s.) rose through the air in Medina:

  This voice enveloped the entire universe. The year 61 A.H. bears testimony that bay’ah became out of reach of the oppressive and debased rulers and enclosed itself in its last and safest refuge. The reappearance of Hazrat Hujjah (a.t.f.s.) is an established fact and so is the renewal of bay’ah at the time of his reappearance.

Bay’ah is pledged only to the Messenger of God and the Infallible Imams (a.s.) and that the breaking of the bay’ah is a major sin’. And in Behaarul Anwaar vol 67, Chapter 10, p.185, H.3, it has been narrated from Imam Moosa b. Jafar (a.s.),   “Three sins destroy a person and involve him in a grievous chastisement. The breaking of bay’ah, the leaving of Sunnah and forsaking the congregational prayers.”

For bay’ah, there are certain conditions in belief and some scales by which the character, behaviour, activity, lifestyle, etiquette, food and clothing, individual and social contacts of the believers of the religion of Allah, i.e. all that which is entrusted to the wealth of life, is measured and weighed. The difference between the proponents and opponents is clearly understood and a style of life with an understanding is developed. Those who wear the necklace (of bay’ah) around their necks, also have their differences in levels, views and opinions.  

Let us view the time when the divine government will be established from this angle. When the Proof (Hujjat) of Allah will prevail upon the cities and the entire planet, when all the creatures and servants of Allah will come under the authority of the Caliph of Allah. When, for the first time, the brilliant sun of Imamat will make his brilliant visage apparent from the veil of the dense clouds of occultation (ghaibat). There, at the Maqame Ibrahim and the wall of the Holy Ka’baa, will be the 313 chosen ones of Allah to take precedence in stepping forward. They will pledge their allegiance at Imam’s (a.t.f.s.) hands.

There will be the conditions, oaths and covenants. And there will be loyalty, friendship and sacrifice. The purest in lineage, focus of attention (a.t.f.s.) will be free from danger and fear. This bay’atnamah is the one, which was given in the written format by the leader of the pious, the Commander of the Faithful, Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) to his followers during his rule, so that hope should not be lost nor should desperation overwhelm the Shias. The awaiting (intezaar) should survive. The enlightened aspects of truth should be apparent. That very bay’atnamah is presented for the benefit of our readers. We pray to Allah the Almighty to make us present in the first row on the Promised Day to have the honor of giving bay’ah at the divine hand of mercy and success. 

The companions of the Qaem (may Allah hasten his reappearance) will take a covenant at his hands that we will:

1. Not steal.

2. Not commit adultery.

3. Not abuse a Muslim.

4. Not murder anyone unlawfully.

5. Not violate anyone’s honor.

6. Not attack anybody’s dwelling.

7. Not harm anybody.

8. Not hoard gold, silver, wheat and barley.

9. Not usurp the property of the orphan.

10. Not give false testimony.

11. Not forsake the mosque.

12. Not drink wines and intoxicants.

13. Not wear clothes made of silk or golden thread.

14. Not wear a golden belt.

15. Not indulge in robbery.

16. Not attack travelers and wayfarers.

17. Not indulge in homosexuality.

18. Not destroy food stocks like wheat and barley.

19. Be contented with less.

20. Use perfumes and fragrances.

21. Stay away from uncleanness.

22. Exhort towards goodness.

23. Keep away from prohibited acts.

24. Wear coarse cloth.

25. Rest on an earthen pillow.

26. Strive in the way of Allah as is the right to do so.  

 And Imam (a.s.) will promise them that

1. He will stay with them.

2. He will dress like them.

3. He will keep a mount similar to theirs.

4. He will work according to their will.

5. He will stay contented with a little.

6. He will, with Allah’s aid, fill the earth with equity and justice as it would be filled with oppression and tyranny.

7. He will worship Allah as is the right of worship.

8. He will not post a guard or sentry for himself.

(Kitabe Jahan b’ad az-Zuhur, p. 125-126)  

The infallible (a.s.) has instructed that every Shia should recite Dua-e-Ahad in the morning with a heavy heart and contemplate on its meanings. Pay attention to these sentences of Dua-e-Ahad:  

‘O Allah! Surely I renew for him (a.t.f.s.) on the morning of this day and of all evenings through my life, this pledge and oath and covenant upon my neck…’.

(Dua-e-Ahad, Mafaatihul Jinaan)

  On the morning of this day Our day starts in the morning. Dua-e-Ahad reminds us that the day of trials is commencing. The accounting of the self is necessary. The practice of sacrifice should continue. It is a message of loyalty and trust to the nobles and a reiteration of contentment for the indigent. Keep the abdomen safe from prohibition and doubt. These are the days of character building, of beautification and smartening the persona and of rectification and reformation.

Signs indicate that that morning is near when he (a.t.f.s.) shall arrive with a
bright, shining forehead, surrounded by his diehard lovers and followers. He will place the deed of allegiance, which has been preserved through the course of history, in front of them. Thereafter, he will take the oath of fealty from the officers and commanders of his army.

The Return (Rajat) will occur and old and antiquated graves will split. The awaiters in darkness will come alive, wrapped in shroud, spear in hand, responding to the voice of Imam (a.t.f.s.) and rushing forth to his service. The Dua-e-Ahad will be authenticated. Not only this, but the testimony of Dua-e-Ahad will be voiced that these are those who refreshed their oaths every morning.