Raj'a: Difference between revisions

'''Rajʿa''' (Arabic:رجعة), the belief that a group of people will return to the Earth after death, is a belief particular to the [[Shi'a]]s. The period of this incident will begin shortly after the [[reappearance]] of the [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)|twelfth Shia Imam, Al-Mahdi (a)]], and end before his death and the final [[resurrection]]. A number of evildoers will be resurrected so that they may taste the punishment of their actions in this world, whilst a group of righteous people will be brought back to life so that they may witness this act of justice.

In his ''[[Bihar al-Anwar]]'' , [[Allama Majlisi]] mentions over one-hundred and sixty verses and narrations on the topic of Raj’a, after quoting these, he says, ‘For those who have faith in the words of the Imams (a), no room for doubt remains that Raj’a is a truthful concept. The reason being, that the reports that have been collated from the Imams (a) on this matter are at the level of tawatur (widely reported to the extent that no doubt can remain regarding the authenticity of the said matter). Almost two-hundred narrations have been reported that speak clearly about this issue and more than forty great and reputable Shia scholars and narrators have spoken about or mentioned this matter in more than fifty reliable books’. He then goes on to name them individually. He mentions scholars such as [[al-Saduq]], [[al-Kulayni]], [[al-Mufid]], [[al-Karajaki]], [[al-Tusi]], [[Al-Sharif al-Radi|Alam al-Huda]], [[al-Najashi]], [[al-Kashi]], [[al-Ayyashi]], [[Ali b. Ibrahim al-Qummi|al-Qummi]], [[al-Nu’mani]], [[Saffar Qummi]], [[Ibn Qulawayh]], [[Ibn Tawus]], [[Tabarsi]], [[Ibn Shahr Ashub]], and [[Sa'id b. Hibat Allah Rawandi|Rawandi]]. He then names the books written on this topic.

In one narration, [[Imam al-Sadiq (a)]] has counted Raj’a as one of the conditions of faith . Similarly, [[Imam al-Baqir (a)]] and Imam Sadiq (a) have both said in commentary of ‘the days of Allah’ that, ‘the ‘days of Allah’ are the day of the promised Mahdi’s uprising, the day of Raj’a and the day of Judgement’ .

As per one report, [[Ma’mun]] Abbasi asked Imam Rida (a), ‘O Abu l-Hasan, what do you say about Raj’a?’ The Imam (a) replied: {{centered pull quote|Raj’a is the truth and it existed in previous nations. The Qur'an has also spoken about it and the Prophet (s) has said, ‘After me will come a nation that will face all that was faced by nations before them, without anything extra or less. The Prophet (s) also said, ‘When the Mahdi from among my sons reappears, ‘Isa will descend from the skies and pray behind the Mahdi.’}} Ma’mun asked what the final result of this would be. The Imam (a) answered: {{centered pull quote|‘The Right (Haq) will return to its rightful owners.}}

Due to the great importance of Raj’a in the Shiite theological belief system, Shia scholars and [[narrator]]s have written numerous books and treatise on the topic. Unfortunately, many of these works are no longer available to us, and have been lost. Now, only their names remain in the books of [[Rijal]] (books regarding the status of narrators, and at times their works) and Fihrist (encyclopaedias of authors and their works). [[Aqa Buzurg Tihrani]] introduces thirty works written on this topic. Some of the most important ones that have been published are as follows:

# ''Raj’at'' , [[Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi]] (d. [[1111]]/1699). This book was written in the Persian language. It contains fourteen narrations pertaining to the reappearance of the [[Imam al-Mahdi (a)|Twelfth Imam]], al-Mahdi (a), and the topic of Raj’a. It is worth noting that Allama Majlisi has addressed in detail the issue of Raj’a within his other famous work ''[[Bihar al-anwar]]''. He presents approximately two-hundred narrations that have been reported on this topic .

# ''Al-Shia wa al-raj’a'' , Muhammad Rida Tabasi Najafi (d. [[1405]]/1985). This book was published in the year [[1378]]/1959 by Al-Mataba’a al-Haydariyya publishers. The book consists of theoretical, historical, linguistical, and ethical discussions, with research and analysis. In this book, the status of Raj’a as per the [[Qur'an]], reported supplications, reported salutations ([[Ziyara]]), the consensus of the scholars and the view of reputable figures, has been analysed and reviewed. In the first chapter of this book, one-hundred and seventy-four verses of the Qur'an that have been interpreted as referring to Raj’a according to the narrations, have been mentioned alongside the relevant narrations.