Occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (a): Difference between revisions

1. To Test the Faithful

Based on Islamic sources, testing the creation and choosing the righteous ones of them, is one of the constant traditions of God. Life is full of tests for the pious whom use it to nurture their faith, patience and obeying of God's commands and reach perfection by flourishing their talents and abilities. Imam Mahdi's occultation is a means to test; as the facade falls from the people with instable belief, their doubts and uncertainty shall take over, while those whose belief has rooted into their hearts, shall become more experienced and worthy in faith and reach higher levels of piousness and divine reward, as they bear through the troubles of time, awaiting the Imam. A narration from Imam Musa ibn Ja'far (a) clearly expresses that God tests his creation, by occultation. The troubles of this test are for two reasons:

First: When the period of occultation becomes lengthy, many people will face doubts and uncertainties. Some will doubt his birth, while others question whether he is still alive, but only the honest who have already passed their previous tests and have reached deep understanding will preserve their belief about the Imam. In a long hadith, the Noble Prophet (s) mentions this issue and says, “Mahdi shall disappear from the sight of the Shi'a and his followers, and no one shall stay stable on their belief, except those who God has put their hearts on the path of faith, and made it worthy.”

2. To Save the Imam's Life

3. Being Free from Accepting the Leadership of the Illegitimate Ruler

According to some narrations, the twelfth Imam shall not recognize any oppressive government, even as a dissimulation. He is not obliged to perform Taqiyya for any leader or king, and shall not live under the flag of any oppressor. He will perform God's rulings with no compromise, concern, or secrecy. In other words, he will be in occultation until he rises and thus be free from allegiance or loyalty to any leader or government.