How Prepared Are We For Imam Mahdi's Reappearance?

Are we desperate to meet the Imam? What is the state of our ithtirar [effort] to accept the Imam, to be of the followers of the holy 12th Imam, to be in the position to welcome him? Let me give you an example. If you had somebody of your family that you have not seen for 30, 40, 50 years, and you are told that they are coming, you go to Toronto, Pearson or another airport, that you know that they are arriving, and you stand there at the place where people stand to receive those who just come out, and you know the plane has landed, but it is taking time. What is the state of your heart at that time?

You haven not seen that person for 30, 40 years, perhaps never in your life, and you love that person, that you respect this person, that you are eager to meet that person. Your heart is pulsating. When are they going to come out? When are am I going to see them for the first time? Can we say that when it comes to the Imam of our time, do we have that eagerness and connection? Are we desperate to serve the Imam ? Are we eager to meet the Imam ? Are we in the state to make the Imam happy, the Imam of our time or not?

That goes very well with the verse, because Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says, you want the Imam to reappear, then be desperate for his reappearance! When you and I recite: “Amman yujibu al-mudhtarra idha da‘ahu wa yakshifu us-su’u” (27:62), we are saying, Ya Allah! there is so much calamities and there is so much oppression, especially on the followers of Ahl ul-Bayt. Just because of their love of these holy individuals. They have not hurt anyone, they have not attacked anyone. Yes, but the Almighty says: if you are truly desperate, then you must exhibit the signs of desperate individuals, which means what? Which means that you and I will do our utmost to be in the state of the preparation and the readiness of the Imam.

Just like that example: you know that the person will come out, but when they come out, you say, sorry, I have not come with the car and I do not know where to take you to, where you to stay, and I am not sure for us where to have any meals and I do not know what your program will be! I will think about it then.

The notion that we are presented is the importance and the responsibility that you and I have to be in the state of readiness, to be in the state of preparation for the holy 12th Imam. And indeed, that has been mentioned in narrations of the Ahl ul-Bayt, including that of a holy fifth Imam, Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir, salawat Allahi wa as-salamu alayh [Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad].

Imam says, this is found in the Kitab of Ghayba of Nu'mani. He says in the interpretation of the verse in the Holy Qur'an, which says: "Ya ayyuha alladhina amanu, asbiru, wa sabiru, wa rabitu, wattaqu Allah" (3:200). Allah Subhana wa Ta'ala says: "Oh you who believe, be patient and enjoin each other as well as connect, and have God consciousness". Somebody asked him, what does these three levels mean? Be patient, enjoin and connect? asbiru, wa sabiru, wa rabitu? What does it refer to?

Imam, alayhi as-salam, explains this in a beautiful Hadith. He says, number 1, "asbiru 'ala adahi fara'idhikum", be patient and steadfast as far as the commitment and the performance of your wajibat. Today, there is a challenge. What is that challenge? Sometimes you and I are confronted with this ideology that questions the wajibat, or puts doubt in the hearts and in the minds of our youth. Why should I wear hijab? Why should I perform prayers? Why should I not listen to music that is haram? Why? The notion that is given is as well as, for example, respecting parents.

These subliminal messages that sometimes these movies in Hollywood and children's and kids' cartoons give is phenomenal. The impression they give to the children about the disrespect of the elders, about certain behavioural trends and traits which leave a lot to be desired. Imam, alayhi as-salam, said, at this time, you must hold strongly to the performance and the commitment of your wajibat. Number one.

And then he says "wa sabiru ala adiyati a'ada'ikum", and join together, come together in unity to face your enemies. Imam says that you will always have enemies. There will always be people trying to bring you down. Therefore, come together, stand together in solidarity, brotherhood and unity. Do not stab each other in the back, not the first time when somebody slips up, use that to expose the other. But rather know, there are plots against you. There are plans against you. That people out there are working tirelessly to bring you down. People out there are working 24 hours to try and distort your reputation, to try and fabricate the message. Be vigilant. Be careful.

Understand the problems and the challenges that are being faced as far as the youth, as far as our women, as far as, for example, the communities, in the West and in different parts of the world is concerned. Be strategic in the thinking, what is my position in ten years time? How am I going to defend my existence, my peaceful existence in many parts of the world? Therefore, Imam says you should come together and enjoin this sense of unity together.

And then he says, "wa rabitu Imam az-zamanikum", and connect with the Imam of your time. Imam, alayhi as-salam, wants us to connect. How do we connect? Of course, there are many ways to connect, and indeed the Imam of our time, if an individual strives for the sake of Allah and does everything to please Allah , is a great measure and a tool to connect with the Imam.

Yet, the Imam wants us to give. Imam wants us to press on the sore points of our bodies and our souls and sacrifice. Let me give you an example. Please understand this so that you can appreciate what the Imam requires from us. Allamah Sayyid Mahdi Bahru al-Uloom, rahmatu Allahi Ta'ala alayhi, was a great marja, a scholar, in Iraq. One day, he decided to visit the city of Hilla, where I am from, in Iraq, which is about 80, 90 kilomtres south of Baghdad kilometers of Baghdad, not far from Karbala and Najaf. He decided to visit the city because being a marja' and a scholar people would welcome him and he would answer the questions. When he went to the city, there were the dignitaries, the scholars, the businessmen all standing and waiting for him to arrive.

When he arrived, they were all asking him please stay in our house. We want you to be our guest. He was looking around till he found someone standing in the crowd. He said, I am staying with that person. They are all surprised. A normal person in the measure of people, you know, not necessarily a tribal leader or a scholar or someone who is wealthy. Just an average person. He said, I am staying with that person. The person said, I am absolutely ecstatic. You are very welcome. He welcomed the Sayyid to his house. Over the next few days, the Sayyid monitored the actions of this man, would be a normal person praying, going to work, serving, doing whatever he, most people do.

After several days, the Sayyid Mahdi Bahr ul-Uloom said to him, he said to him can I ask you a question? He said, yes. He said, Is there anything special about you? Do you have any features? No. What you see is what you get. At that time Sayyid said dig deeper. Do you remember doing anything in your life of great importance? Well, there was one thing, but I feel embarrassed to tell you. The Sayyid said, no, tell me, what is it? This man said, you know about nine years ago, a while ago, I was looking to get married, and I found this honorable lady which I thought was honorable. Everything was fine. Well known family.

When we got married, I discovered something which shocked me on the first night of marriage, and I became very angry. I discovered that she has had relationships in the past. So I was enraged with anger. I stood up and said I am going to go to your family. I am going to expose you. I am going to tell the whole world about what you have done. You have tricked me. Do you think I'm just anybody that you can do this to? Yes. I have spent the money for the wedding and so on and you have not disclosed this? I am going to go. He said, I was raging with fire within and anger. She looked at me and said, I beg you, you know if you go to my tribe, you know, they might kill me, or at least they will disown me, or my reputation will be destroyed. I beg you, do not do it and if you do not I will be the most obedient wife to you. Yes, and please forgive me. He said, I said, no.

I walked towards the door. That was the moment which I stood still. I said, Let me calm down first. When I am in this position, I cannot make a rational decision. He said I calmed down and then I decided, for the sake of Allah I am not going to tell anyone. I am going to keep it a secret, and not necessarily go inform the family. He said, Why should I destroy this person's life? When he said this story, Sayyid Mahdi Bahr ul-Uloom said, that is it! That is it! What is it, maulana?! He said, that is it. He did not say anything else.

Before he left Hilla, the dignitaries, the scholars came and said, maulana, we want to ask you a question. Why did you stay in this person's house? Why did you choose this person? Sayyid Bahr ul-Uloom looks at them and says, it was not my decision, it was his. It was known that the Sayyid had communication with the holy 12th Imam. He himself writes later, it was seen in his memoirs, that when I was running in this run that they have on the 10th of Ashura, it is called riqda at-tuwarij- which people from several kilometers out of Karbala they run towards Karbala, shouting, Yah Husayn!

He says, by Allah, I saw the 12th Imam running with them. Now the Imam wants that crucial moment, that sacrifice, when it is hard, when it is painful, when you have to stamp on your ego and say, you know what? I'm going to do it for the sake of Allah. That moment of giving up something for His sake.

The Imam, alayhi as-salam, says, if you want to ascend higher levels, if you want to connect with me, if you want to be an individual who has a bond with me, then you must give for the sake of Allah!