Imam Mahdi (AS) Q & A.

I have a few questions about Imam Mahdi (AS).

1. I know he resides on this earth but what more can you tell me about him. What information does he receive about current events?   

The fate of everyone is prescribed on the Laylatul Qadr, and all of that is presented to Imam al-Mahdi (AS). 

{The angels and the Spirit descend in it (Laylatul Qadr) by the permission of their Lord regarding every issue.} The holy Qur'an: al-Qadr (97): 4.

So everything that is to happen to anyone is presented to Imam al-Mahdi (AS). 

In other hadiths it is reported that everything a Shi'a does is reported on a weekly basis to his Imam, i.e. Imam al-Mahdi (AS). 

So the answer to your question: Imam al-Mahdi (AS) receives detailed reports and information about every single act of the individual, let alone current events.

2. How do we contact him?

Through frequent and very sincere Du'a and Zeyarat.  This is assuming that one totally and whole-heartedly adheres to the Wajibaat – the obligatory duties – and refrains from the Muharramaat – the forbidden acts and practices.  You are only awarded honour to meet him if you are the way Allah and the Imam like you to be – a committed Muslim who adheres to the teachings of Islam.

3. Is it true that he cries for martyrs of Karbala everyday?

In Zeyrat-e Naahiyah, Imam al-Mahdi (AS) addresses his grandfather Imam Hussain (AS) and states "I shall mourn for you day and night, and instead of tears I shall cry blood for you."

Imam Mahdi (AS)

4. Please can you tell me more about Imam Mahdi (AS)?

This is a relatively general question the answer to which can be a book about the Imam (AS) of several volumes.  When talking about Imam al-Mahdi (AS) the starting point - at least - is the hadith of Rasulollah (S) and then the hadith of the Imams (AS).  Then period before his birth, his actual birth, and then periods of his minor occultation and his major occultation that continues to this day.  With the help of Allah Almighty I shall try to present a few points about the Imam-of-our-time - may Allah hasten his reappearance, and we are his advocates.  This is of course would not even be the tip of the iceberg.

Imam al-Mahdi (AS)

On the father side Imam al-Mahdi (AS) is the son of ten Imams, Sayyiadtul Nissaa (AS), and Rasulollah (S).  On the mother side his mother is the descendent of Simon the disciple of Jesus and his Wasi.

There have been hundreds of hadith from Rasulollah (S) reported in both Shi'a and Sunni reference books about Imam al-Mahdi (AS) to the extent they are referred to as Mutawatir or frequent. Rasulollah (S) used every opportunity to emphasise the significance of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) in particular.

Rasulollah (S) said

"Imam al-Mahdi (AS) will appear to fill the earth with justice after it has been filled oppression and injustice"

On the certainty of his role and his definite appearance Rasulollah (S) said:

"If there was one day left of this world, Allah will prolong that day so that Imam al-Mahdi (AS) appears and accomplishes his mission"

or, along the same line Rasulollah (S) states: 

"If there were two men on the face of the earth, one of them would be al-Mahdi."

"On the day he reappears - by the will of Allah - Jesus will perform prayers behind Imam al-Mahdi (AS)."

The tale of how the granddaughter of the emperor of Roman Empire came to be the wife of Imam Hassan al-Askari, and therefore the mother of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) is a fascinating story.  Lady Maleekah or Lady Narjis had an unapparent pregnancy just like the mother of Moses (AS), since the authorities were on the look out for a pregnant woman in the house of Imam Hassan al-Askari, in order to eliminate the "promised one".

• As soon as Imam al-Mahdi (AS) was born he made sajdah and declared:

"I testify that there is no god but Allah, He is alone and has no partner.  And my grandfather Muhammad is Rasulollah [Messenger of Allah] and my father is Amir-ul-Mu'minin [The Commander of the Faithful]", and he went to name the Imams one by one until he named himself.  He then said "O Lord make true your promise and by me fill the earth with justice.  {And We wished to be gracious to those who were being oppressed on the land, to make them leaders and make them heirs, And to establish a firm place for them in the land . . .} "  (28:5-6)

• On the day he was born he was ascended to the Heavens.
• He is the last of the Hujjah -authority- and the last of the Wasi.
• He will not practice Taqiyyah as will not be obliged by any authority, as his forefathers were.
• At the time of his appearance, a call and proclamation will be heard from the heavens, announcing the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (AS).  It is reported that the tafsir for the ayah {And listen for the Day when the Caller will call out from a place quite near}  [50:41] is the call that will be made to announce the forthcoming of Imam al-Mahdi (AS).
• Reported from Imam al-Baaqir (AS) “When a call is made announcing the coming of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) everyone in the East and West will hear the call.  The voice will be that of Jibra'eel - al-Rouh al-Amin - and the call will be made on Friday 23^rd of the holy month of Ramadahn.”  [i.e. the Laylatul Qadr which coincides with the eve of Friday.]
• Imam al-Mahdi will bring with him the Qur'an he compiled which includes tafseer and ta'weel.
• As well as mankind, he will have the Jinn and the Angles as his members of his personnel and support his cause.
• He will appear as a man of about forty.
• During his time, the animals will not be wild and ferocious, and there will be no grudge amongst the people, and a woman can travel on foot from Iraq to Syria in total safety and without any fears. {And We shall remove from their hearts any lurking sense of injury.} 7:43.
• He will raise some of the people from the dead to be in his personnel.
• The earth will uncover its treasure which are very substantial, and food will be abundant, and the earth will be transformed as stated in the holy Qur'an: {One day the Earth will be changed to a different Earth}18:48
• He will bring more knowledge to the world such that all the various knowledge amassed over the centuries and available to mankind up to his appearance are equivalent to two degrees, and Imam al-Mahdi (AS) will bring forth another 27 degrees of knowledge.
• Amir-ul-Mu'minin (AS) is reported as saying "when one of my sons appears at the end of the time,  . . . . he places his hand over the heads of the people and no Mu'min would be there but his hear heart becomes stronger than iron sheets [in terms of bravery and resisting temptations.].”
• Imam al-Baaqir (AS) is reported as saying "When our Qa'im arises, he place his hand over the heads of the people and thus their minds are calmed and their thinking processes perfected.”
• The ability of seeing and hearing of the companions of Imam al-Mahdi (AS) will be extraordinary such that they can see and hear the Imam from a distance of more than four Farsakh - more than twenty km.
• During his rule natural disaster and diseases will disappear, and each one of his companions has the strength of forty men.