Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) Online Seminary Offers Heartfelt Felicitations on the 15th of Sha’bān, the Birthday Anniversary of the Imam of Our Time, Imam Al- Mahdi (May Allah hasten his reappearance)
The dawn of 15th Sha’bān 255 AH was the day where the awaited and the promised one was born to Imam Hasan al-Askari and Lady Narjis (peace be upon them). With the birth of this child, the prophecy of all the Prophets and all the Imams was thus realized.
One of the things we ought to assess is our relation to the Imam and the delay in his reappearance. In this regards, the Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) himself says, "If our Shias, may Allah grant them success, had unitedly remained obedient on the covenant with resolute hearts then the blessing to meet us would not have been postponed and they would have seen us with true recognition. Nothing holds us back from them except that which reaches to us (of their actions) that we dislike and that which we do not consider proper for them."
The events of the Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) can be studied in 4 periods. 1-The period from birth till occultation, 2. The period of minor occultation 3. The period of major occultation and 4. The period of his worldly governance.
Studying these periods will enable one to have an understanding of our duties towards the Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance).
The most important common duty mentioned by Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) during the time of occultation is to preserve piety. He (peace be upon him) says; “Whoever is delighted to be of the companions of al-Qa’im should wait, and should act with piety and good morals while he waits. If he dies before the advent of al-Qa’im, he will have the reward of him who has received al-Qa’im. Thus, try-hard (in obedience) and await...”