5. Reason For Praying For Imam Az-Zaman (AJ)
In the previous chapter ‘Awaiting’, we came to know that waiting for Imam al-’Asr (AJ) is very important since all the Prophets (‘a), successors (‘a) and righteous ones are waiting for this great occasion to avenge their blood. And indeed Allah, Purified and High be He, has promised since the day He created mankind that He will avenge the blood of the oppressed, those who have been rendered weak and the blood that has been shed unjustly, particularly that of the leader of martyrs, Imam Husayn (‘a), through the son of Holy Prophet (S), Hazrat Mahdi (AJ). And this is a promise which is bound to be fulfilled and is in conformity with His justice. The best method to hasten this divine promise for the manifestation of justice is to pray for the reappearance, for surely, he himself has ordered us to do the same, when he says,
“And pray more for the reappearance, for certainly in it is your salvation.”1
Therefore, among the important duties of the Shias is that they should pray for his reappearance. Apart from the fact that it is beneficial for them, it also helps in fulfilling some of the obligatory rights that the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) enjoy upon us. Hence, we see in the various books of supplications that each of the infallible Imams (‘a) had different prayers for different places and occasions, particularly Imam Mahdi (AJ). So, it is essential that we particularise the condition and place of supplication that we may tread the path of our leaders (‘a). This concept is supported by the tradition on the authority of Imam al-Al-Sadiq (‘a) when he says,
“If I find his time, I will serve him for my entire life.”2
