His Method of Government
Three Ages
There are three ages for the great revolutionary person of human history, Mahdi (as):
1) Age of preparation and waiting and signs of the advent
2) Age of establishment of the revolution and fighting against oppression and corruption
3) Age of government of truth and justice
Hitherto, we have talked about the first and the second ages too much; and now is the time for discussing about the third age which is the result of this expanded and multilateral revolution, and this matter has been less discussed, while being so important.
Anyway, assuming that:
A world becomes free of discriminations and class differences, and corruptive positioning;
Free of separations and disintegrations;
Free of war, bloodshed and aggression;
And free of bacchic laughter of imperialists and cries of enchained deprived people;
Is how interesting, calming and joyful, indeed!
But certainly, as imagining such world in mind is easy, it is extremely hard in reality, but anyway, humanity has to proceed this way and make it real that otherwise, there is no way other than destruction and nonexistence.
Main frames of the systems of such society has been specified with short and meaningful points in Islamic narratives, and while these expression have reached us from twelve or thirteen centuries ago, but they are still new and fresh.
And here, we mention some important parts of them:
Hyper-speed Development of Sciences in the Age of Mahdi (as)
No revolutionary plan will be persistent and dynamic without intellectual and cultural mutation and won’t achieve necessary growth and perfection. Therefore, undoubtedly, the first step toward the establishment of such goal is a cultural revolution, which moves the thoughts in to directions:
In one direction, toward sciences which are needed for a flourished, free and healthy society (about materialistic and appearing aspects).
And in other direction, toward the knowledge about the principles of correct human life mixed with belief for spiritual and fundamental aspects.
We read in a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as):
العلم سبعة عشرون حرفاً فجمیع ما جائت به الرّسل حرفان، فلم یعرف النّاس حتّی الیوم غیر الحرفین، فاذا قام قائمنا اخرج الخمسة و العشرین حرفاً؛ قبثّها فی النّاس و ضمّ الیها الحرفین، حتّی یبثّها سبعة و عشرین حرفا
Science and knowledge is twenty-seven words (has twenty-seven branches); all the things which have been brought by divine prophets for the people was only two words, and the people have not understood more than
those two word until now, but when our al-Qa’im rises, shows other twenty-five words (twenty-five branches), and distributes among the people and adds two words to that in order to complete twenty-seven words. 1
This hadith clearly shows the extraordinary scientific mutation of the age of revolution of Mahdi (as) that an evolution happens 12 times more than the entire science and knowledge which had been given to humans during the ages of all the prophets of truth! And the doors of all useful and constructive branches of science will be opened to the people and humanity goes the way which has been gone in thousands of years, 12 times more in a short time; what mutation can be faster and more important than this!
Another hadith, which has been quoted from Imam Baqir (as), completes the meaning of this hadith, where it says:
اذا قام قائمنا وضع یده علی رؤوس العباد، فجمع بها عقولهم و کملت بها احلامهم
When our al-Qa’im rises, puts his hands on the heads of the servants of God and completes their wisdom and educates their thoughts.2
And in this way, brains begin moving toward perfection under the light of guidance of Mahdi (as) and under his hand of mercy, and all narrow-mindedness, envies and cheap thoughts, which are the source of many of oppositions, disturbances and violent social conflicts, will be removed.
Open-minded people with open thoughts and broad minds and hearts and superior ambition will be educated who solve lots of social problems in their souls and makes a world full of peace and joy.
Also today, any kind of social reforms, in any scale, depends on this intellectual change and spiritual revolution.
Extraordinary Development of Industries in that Age
Interesting ahadith, which we mentioned in previous discussion of “the way of victory…” by numbers 1,2,3,4, show that this scientific mutation also contains industries and technology in a large scale.
Communication equipments will be so much advanced in the way that appears the world like the palm of the hand; and dominate the central government over the conditions of then entire world in order to try to solve the problems of the world immediately; and destroys any kind of corruption (deliberate and in deliberate) at the beginning.3
The matter of energy will be solved in the way that even the energy of the Sun, which is the source of all energies (except nuclear power), won’t be needed anymore.
And it may be under the light of an advanced nuclear energy system - by purifying all harmful radiations, which are today the main problem of using this source of energy.4
Hyper speed equipments, which are not comparable with today’s vehicles, will be used by that government not only for moving around the earth in a short time, but long space travels.5
And it is also helping the corrective goals of this government.
It is mentioned in another hadith from Imam Sadiq (as) that:
انّ قائمنا اذا قام مدّالله بشیعتنا فی اسماعهم و ابصارهم، حتّی لایکون بینهم و بین القائد برید، یکلّمهم فیسمعون و ینظرون الیه و هو فی مکانه
(When our al-Qa’im rises, the God will strengthen the eyes and ears of our Shiites in the way that there will be no mailman between them and He Who arises (their leader); he talks to them and they hear him, and see him while he is in his place (and they are on other parts of the world)!)6
It means that the means of transmission of “sound” and “image” will be provided extensively and easily for all of his followers in the way that something called post office is considered unnecessary and useless in the age of his government! And current issues of this government will be executed and solved without paperwork - as it is the way of today’s world and maybe wastes half of the time of human resources and delays the circulation of all acts and achieving the rights of rightful persons.
All order and programs will be given and executed through the system of “watch and presence”.
And how it is excellent to have such plan for managing human societies and removing unnecessary and time-wasting programs!
Another clear hadith, which has been quoted from Imam Sadiq (as), completes this subject explicitly; where he said:
انّ المؤمن فی زمان قائم و هو بالمشرق سیری اخاه الّذی فی المغرب؛ و کذا الّذی فی المغرب یری اخاه الّذی بالمشرق
(Believer person sees his brother and sister in the West while he is in the East in the age of al-Qa’im; also the one who is in the West sees his brother who is in the East!)7
Direct communication will become practically not only for the government, even for the people; and visual and physical communications strengthen spiritual communication of the hearts; in the way that the world will be like home and its people like the members of a family!
And in this way, science and knowledge and industries will be used for making better conditions for the world and strengthening the bases of brotherhood - and not in the way of destruction.
Great Economical and Social Justice Development
The earth, on which we live, has several facilities for our living and next generations and population much more than current population; but nonexistence of enough knowledge about available resources and potential resources of the earth on the one hand, and nonexistence of a correct system for distribution of wealth on the other hand, have caused the feeling of deficiency in different aspects; in the way that in our time, everyday a group of unfortunate people die.
The system ruling today’s world economy, which is an imperialistic system, trains an oppressive war system beside itself that destroys an important part of intellectual and human resources that should continuously search for new resources for making better life for humans.
But when this system and its side system are destroyed, forces will be used for extracting numerous resources of the earth; and the advanced science will be used for this program and new resources will be found soon and flourish human economy.
Therefore, there are many meaningful expressions in pointing to this economical advancement in narratives related to the government of that great peacemaker.
For instance, we read in a hadith:
انّه یبلّغ سلطانه المشرق و المغرب؛ و تظهر له الکنوز؛ و لا یبقی فی الارض خراب الّا یعمّره
(His government will cover the East and the West of the world, and treasures of the world will appear for him and no ruins will remain on earth except that he constructs!) 8
And indeed it should happen, because the ruins of the world is neither because of deficiency of human resources not financial deficiencies, but they are the result of destructions made by humans and wasting financial and human resource and nonexistence of responsibility; and when this obstacles are removed by a correct social system then construction and flourishing is certain; especially, when it has the support of new extraordinary resources.
We read in another interesting hadith from Imam Sadiq (as):
اذا قام القائم: حکم بالعدل
وارتفع الجور فی ایّامه و امنت به السّبل و ردّ کلّ حقّ الی اهله و حکم بین النّاس بحکم داوود (ع) و حکم محمد (ع) فحینئذ تظهر الارض کنوزه و تبدی برکاته ولا یجد الرّجل منکم یومئذ موضعا لصدقته و لا لبرّه لشمول الغنی جمیع المومنین ...
When al-Qa’im rises: establishes the government based upon justice.
And oppression and injustice will be removed in his time.
And roads become secure under the light of his existence.
The earth will show its gifts.
And any right will reach its owner.
People like David (as) and Muhammad (S) will judge among the people.
At this time the earth will disclose its treasures.
And shows its blessings.
And nobody finds a case for charity, giving alms and financial help, because all believers will be needless and rich …! 9
Affirming the appearance of the gifts and disclosure of the treasures shows that agriculture will advance to its highest level; also all underground resources will be discovered and used; and income of the people increases so much in the way that there will be no poor person in society and all the people become needless.
And undoubtedly, executing the principle of justice and attracting human resources to constructive ways will have such effect; because as hunger and poverty are not the results of deficiencies but they are direct and indirect
results of oppressions, discriminations and injustices and wasting the resources and assets!
It is quoted from Abu Sa’id al-Khudri in another hadith, which has been mentioned in Sunni resources:
قال رسول الله (ص):
ابشّرکم بالمهدى یملأ الارض قسطاً کما ملئت جوراً و ظلماً، یرضى عنه سکّان السّماء والارض، یقسم المال صحاحاً، فقال رجل ما معنى صحاحاً، قال بالسّویه بین النّاس; و یملأ قلوب امّة محمّد(ص) غنى; و یسعهم عدله، حتّى یأمر منادیاً ینادى یقول من له بالمال حاجة فلیقم فما یقوم من النّاس الاّ رجل واحد (ثم یأمر له بالمال فیاخذ ثم یندم و یردّه
Holy Prophet (S) said:
I promise you the advent of Mahdi (as); he fills the earth with justice as it is filled with oppressions and injustice; habitants of heavens and the earth will be satisfied from him and divides the properties and assets in correct way. 10
Someone asked: What is the meaning of correct division of the assets?
He said:
Equally among the people!
(Then added)
And fills the hearts of the followers of Muhammad (S) with needlessness and his justice covers everyone; until he orders a person to calls with loud voice that anyone, who has financial needs, rises and nobody will rise but one.
(Then we read beneath the hadith that Imam orders to give him considerable amount but he returns soon and will be regretful of being greedy).
Some points should be considered in interpretation of this hadith:
1) The purpose of satisfaction of the habitants of heavens from his government is either referring to the angels of heavens and close angels of God or referring to the expansion of his government to other inhabited planets and opening the way of space travels to faraway places of the universe.
2) The purpose of fair dividing of wealth in the form of equal division - by considering that we know in Islam that Mahdi (as) is its guardian and promoter, more assets are paid in change of more work and efforts and competence - is either refereeing to the assets of Bait al-Mal and public assets in general that everyone is equal before that in Islamic government - as it is quoted from the way of Prophet (S) and Ali (as), against what we have read about the time of some of caliphs like Usman who make all kinds of discriminations - or referring to that in equal conditions, equal rewards and wages will be given to the people; against what we see in today’s world that a worker in a part of the world takes ten dollars for an hour but another worker in another part of the world may take less than one dollar for ten
hours of work and it is the extreme of oppression that wage of the people are different in equal conditions.
3) Another point is that, it is clearly understood from beneath the hadith that in that day there isn’t even one needy person, because that one person who rises doesn’t have a rich soul and has greed and he is financially needless; and it is important that he will fill the hearts with spiritual and mental richness, and removes this evil feeling of “greed” from the land of the hearts by his correct leadership; the very same greed which is the source of useless efforts of brainless wealth collectors, who still try for collecting more wealth by having thousands of times of necessary assets for themselves and their children; maybe they are infected with polydipsia that how much they drink they are still thirsty.
Another factor, or in more correct way another excuse of collecting the wealth, which is fear about the future, will be completely removed under the light of his social justice and nobody finds the need of collecting the wealth; because he is insured both for today and the future.
Again, we read another hadith from holy Prophet (S):
... حتّى تملأ الارض جوراً فلا یقدر احد یقول الله! ثم یبعث اللّه عزّوجل رجلا منّى و من عترتى فیملأ الارض عدلا کما ملأها من کان قبله جوراً و یخرج له الارض افلاذ کبدها و یحثو المال حثواً و لا یعدّه عداً
Time will come in which the earth will be filled with oppression and nobody can say the name of God (explicitly) (and talks about justice and truth); then almighty God rises a man from me and my dynasty, who fills the earth will justice, as it was filled with injustice before him and the earth exits the parts of its liver for him, and he distributes the wealth among the people without calculation (and everyone will take its benefits as the amount of his/her need…).11
“افلاذ” is plural of “فلذ” and means part and branch; and “افلاذ کبد” refers to precious things and here it refers to precious and valuable resources inside the earth.
It is also possible that the above expression points that humans will be able to reach the core of the earth which is completely heat and fire and maybe they use it as an important source of energy; and maybe they extract previous resources of different kinds of metals and by considering that crust of the Earth is a comparably thin crust and there is a world of molten materials and different resources inside the Earth, having such great resource can ease the mind of the people in many aspects.
Moral growth and providing the future needs in a reliable way, and abundance of sources of income, and totally, gathering spiritual and physical richness removes even the necessity of counting and calculating the assets and anyone who needs takes his/her need from Bait al-Mal of the government without formalities.
All of these on the one hand, and on the other hand:
There are points in news which show that in the age of his government, expanded and flourished cities, broad roads, large mosques but without
ornaments will be constructed; and the government supervises the construction of the houses in the way that they have no disturbance for others:
1) We read in a hadith from Imam Sadiq (as):
و یبنی فی ظهر الکوفه مسجداً له الف باب و یتّصل بیوت الکوفه بنهر کربلا و بالحیرة
(He builds a mosque behind Kufa, which has one thousand doors, and the houses of Kufa reach the river of Karbala and Hayrah!)12
And we know that the distance between these two cities is 70 kilometers now.
2) We read from Imam Baqir (as):
اذا قام القائم ...
یکون المساجد کلّها جمّاه لاشرف لها کما کان علی عهد رسول الله ص و یوسّع الطّریق الاَعظم فیصیر ستّین ذرع و یهدم کلّ مسجد علی الطّریق ویسدّ کلّ کوَّة الی الطّریق و کلّ جناح و کنیف و میزاب الی الطّریق
When al-Qa’im rises …
Mosques will have short wall without crenels in his time as it was the same in the time of Prophet (S).
He expands the main roads and they reach 60 cubits!
And all mosques which are in the way (and disturb the people) will be destroyed by his command!
And all the gates which open to the ways (and disturb the movement of the people) will be destroyed.
And (disturbing) balconies and sewages and chutes which open in the way (of the people) will be blocked!13
3) Also, it is quoted in a long hadith from Imam Sadiq (as) that said:
... و لیصیّرنًّ الکوفة اربعة و خمسین میلا و لیجاورنًّ قصورها کربلا، و لیصیّرنًّ الله کربلا معقلا و مقاما...
(He will expand Kufa 54 miles until its castles reach Karbala, and Karbala (the place of the martyrs and heroes and self-devoted persons in the way of God) will become the center of many activities …14
4) There are many narratives about the advancement of agriculture and abundance of agricultural products and waters, cattle and construction and flourish in all aspects.15
Judiciary Development
On the one hand, strengthening the bases of belief and moralities is required and on the other hand, making a correct and powerful judiciary system with complete awareness and vase dominance for fighting corruption, aggression and oppression.
Certainly, complete advancement of industries gives humanity the equipments with which it is easily to control all movements of the people –
in case of necessary - and observe any inharmonious act which can cause corruption and aggression and oppression; and taking images of criminals through the effects which are remained from them at crime scene; also recording their voices and recognizing them. If a righteous government has these equipments then it can be an effective factor for preventing corruption and oppression and in case of happening, giving the right to the rightful person.
There is no doubt that in the age of that great universal peacemaker, moral educations will be expanded so much by using super-advanced communication tools that prepares absolute majority of the people of the world for a correct human life mixed with purity and social justice.
But, as humans have been created free and don’t follow determinism in their acts; maybe some humans can be found - even in minority - in any righteous society who abuse their freedom and use it for reaching evil goals.
Therefore, a healthy, completely aware and dominant judiciary system should be available in order to give the rights of people and defeats the oppressor.
By precise studying and consideration on social crimes and corruptions and the ways of prevention, it is cleared that:
Firstly, by execution of social justice and fair division of wealth, the root of many of social corruptions, which are the results of conflicts for preserving assets and exploiting weak classes, deception, different kinds of frauds and lies and betrayals and crimes for more income in any way by any means, will be destroyed; and maybe large number of corruption and oppression in any society is because of these issues; by destroying the main root, branches and leaves will be dried our spontaneously.
Secondly, correct education and training has deep effect in fighting against corruption, aggression and social and moral aberrances; and one of the important reasons of expansion of corruption in today’s societies is that not only mass media isn’t being used for correct education, but most of them are serving the most ugly and polluted imperialistic programs of corruption; and they serve oppression, discrimination and corruption continuously day and night through distribution of destructive movies and deviating stories and programs and even false and incorrect news which are in benefits of global imperialism.
Albeit, these matters have also economical source and move for stupefying the brains and spoiling constructive concepts, and destroying active and aware forces of each society, for more exploitation of giants of economical imperialism, without facing serious obstacle.
Whenever this conditions change then an important part of social corruptions will be removed in a short time; and this cannot be performed except by a righteous and healthy government which is working in benefits of the people of the world - and not for exploiters - for making and flourished and free world full of peace and justice and belief.
Thirdly, existence of an aware and informed judiciary system by having advanced equipments of supervision that it is either possible for criminals to escape nor to deny the crimes, will be also an effective factor in reducing the amount of corruption, sins and violations of laws.
And if these three aspects work together then the aspects of its effectiveness will be so much large.
It is understood from the whole ahadith about the age of government of Mahdi(as) that he uses all of these three preventive factors during the age of his revolution, in the way the famous sentence which is considered as a proverb becomes practical; that sentence which says:
“Time will come when wolf and lamb drink water together!”
Certainly the nature of the wolves won’t be changed, and there is no necessity for that, also lambs don’t change their present condition; it is referring to establishment of justice in the world and changing the way of bloody wolfish persons, who were drinking the blood of the deprived people of human society for centuries, by serving the government of tyrants.
They completely change their manner under the dominance of new system, because wolfishness has never been, and is not, in human nature and is from the accidentals and it is changeable, or at least they retreat and isolate themselves and takes the benefits of divine gifts accompanying others fairly instead of eating other people’s benefits, as “wolf” beside “lamb” at the “river”!
In other than these two ways, they will be included in purification and their existence will be removed from the way!
From considerable referrals about this matter is what has been quoted in a hadith from Prophet (S) about diving the assets correctly in, that people will have spiritual and physical richness that extra properties remain without demand; it means that people will be trained and educated in a correct system of government that consider properties over their needs as problem for themselves! And all conflicts and brawls on this subject will end!
All the people will be provided for their living and they also have no worry for the future in order to pollute themselves and participate in the competition of wealth collecting, for securing the future.
Also, we read in another hadith that in the time of his government intellectual level of the people will increase in the way that it is not comparable with today at all, and naturally, conflicts and fights, which are the results of narrow-mindedness and envies, and lowness of level of intellectuality and summarizing the personality in the amount of wealth, will be removed.
According to previous narratives, even criminals are not safe in their homes because of strong supervision during the time of his government, because it is possible that they are being monitored with advanced equipments and even their sound waves can be controlled on the walls; it is another referral to the development of fighting against corruption in the age of his government.
His judgment according to the law of judgment of Muhammad (S) and the judgment law of David (as) points to this precise matter that he will use both external regulations of Islamic investigation and judgment like confession, testification and like them, and through mental and scientific ways of discovering the crime, as it is quoted from some of its examples from the age of David (as).
Moreover, in his age, beside the advancement of sciences and techniques and industries, tools of discovering crime will be advanced in the way that few criminals will be able not to leave trace with which cannot be recognized.
I read an article about the wonders of human brain in one of newspapers that human brain sends waves according inner beliefs that it is possible to understand the amount of truths and lies of the person’s expressions!
Certainly these equipments will be advanced and other equipments will be invented. And by using the advanced mental methods, criminals will be completely controlled, although essentially, there are few criminals in such society (but that few are completely important).
We repeat again that:
It is a mistake to think that in the age of his government all of these issues will be performed through miracles, because miracles are exceptions, and are used in necessary cases and especially for proving the truthfulness of the invitation of Prophet (S) or Imam (as), not for adjusting daily life and normal way of living, that no prophet has used miracle for this purpose.
Therefore, the way of his universal government in through what we mention not through the miracles!
Anyway, world become so much secure under the shadow of his government that according to a narrative a woman can travel from the East to the West alone without being disturbed!
If we add the matter of simplicity of the life of Mahdi (as) to that - according to what have been mentioned in narratives - the issues become even clearer; because his acts are the patterns for those who are under the cover of his government which means all the people of the world.
And by considering that an important part of crimes and social corruption are the results of luxury loving, glamorization of living, useless and costly formalities and rituals, another reason of removing corruption during the time of his government will be cleared.
It is mentioned in a hadith from Ali ibn Musa al-Reza (as):
و ما لباس القائم (ع) الّا الغلیظ و ما طعامه الّا الجشب
(Clothing of al-Qa’im is nothing more than thick cloth and his food is only simple and unimportant food!)16
Similar to this matter has been quoted from Imam Sadiq (as).
Longtime Government
Although, there are several ahadith in Islamic resources about the time of his government which mentioned from 5 or 7 years to 309 years (the time of sleep of Kahf companion in that dark cave) - which is in fact, maybe it refers to the levels and ages of that government (its establishment five or seven years and the time of its completion 40 years and it final duration more than 300 years! Attention!) - but regardless of Islamic narratives, it is certain that these narrations and preliminaries are not for a short time government and certainly they are for a longtime government that is worth this much of efforts!
Rejuvenation of all Intellectual and Cultural Fields
Heavenly religions are in fact the same water, which is descended from the heaven.
Clear drops of rain - when the weather is not polluted - are pure and clear and beautiful and life-giving, free of any kind of pollution; wherever they drop they bring the message of life and beauty; and their shining invites those who are thirsty; and even suggest those who are not thirsty to drink water.
But when they drop on polluted lands, they gradually lose their beginning purity, and sometimes, they change into a shape which any observer abstain from watching and escapes from the putrefaction!
Divine religions, which has at first the purity of the rain, and shining of sunlight, and beauty of spring, sometimes become so much distorted by having contact with retrograde thoughts of ignorant persons, and polluted hands of despiteful people and being mixed with personal habits and traditions and tastes, that lose their attraction completely.
Islam, this living active religion that transformed most backward nations into the most pioneer ones, are also included in this issue, although the essence of Qur’an has not been touched and scholars in any age and time, who have tried to save its genuineness even with the price of their lives, have prevented these changes so much; but we should confess that many of its meanings have been transformed for large group of Muslims that it is possible to say that today, genuine Islam of the time of Prophet (S) cannot be found among many people!
Most constructive meanings like “piety”, “patience”, “waiting”, “martyrdom”, “intercession” and “worshiping” sometimes, are so much distorted and falsely interpreted that true Islam fears from them!
Many of Islamic laws have been practically destroyed by “religious” and “irreligious” hats (excuses), like the ruling of usury that only its name is remained.
Another part - like Hijrah, jihad and martyrdom - has been forgotten or at least has taken a historical shape exclusive to a specific period of beginning of Islam.17
Islamic monotheism has been polluted with many of polytheisms; and the school of Ahl al-Bayt (as) who educate genuine Islam among them according to the order
“56 انّی تارک فیکم الثّقلین، کتاب الله و عترتی”,
has remained completely unknown among a large group of Muslims and they have kept the people far from that with different kinds of accusations.
He will destroy and dispel various weeds from the garden of Islam like a skillful and capable gardener; however, they have been tied with main saplings in the way that it seems impossible to be separated.
He cuts deformed branches immediately; purifies this dark and polluted water; removes the rusts of incorrect interpretations; cleans the dust of forgetfulness; and cuts the hands of abusers and aberrant persons.
Briefly, renews the same truthful Islam of the time of Prophet (S) and Ali (as).
One of the prophecies of Mahdi (as) is trimming Islam from these attachments and in other words, rejuvenation of the building of its glorious palace.
Transfers the mosques, which were one day the most active centers of Islam and the center of any kind of political, scientific, cultural and social movement and today, they have become the place of retired and jobless persons or as a form of entertainment or in its best condition as a habit, to their beginning shape.
Inaction and silence give their position to movement and action.
Revives Islamic jihad in all aspects.
Frees genuine Islamic monotheism from any pollution of polytheisms, and interprets the transformed and reversed meanings correctly.
Removes personal tastes from Islam and removes the rust of habit and rituals from that.
Exits Islam from its tribal and regional limited shapes and discloses that in its global shape.
Cuts the hands of abusers and those who make religious hats (excuses) and offers its laws free of these extras.
The whole rejuvenation and reconstruction is so much and changing that in some of Islamic narratives it is considered as “new religion”.
We read in a narrative from Imam Sadiq (as), which has been quoted in the book “Ithbat al-Hudat”:
اذا خرج القائم یقوم بامر جدید، و کتاب جدید و سنّة جدید و قضاء جدید
(When al-Qa’im appears brings new order, new method and new judgment with him).18
It clear that the newness of these programs, methods and judgments is not because he brings new religion with him, but exits Islam from the congestion of superstitions, distortions and incorrect interpretations and false understandings in the way that it appears like a completely new building.
Also the newness of the book doesn’t mean that a new divine book will be descended to him, because Imam is Qa’im and guardian of religion, not prophet and the one who brings new religion and book; but, extracts the forgotten genuine Qur’an from the angles of spiritual distortions and incorrect interpretations in the ay that it is possible to name it a new book.
The proof of this expression, adding to explicitness of Qur’an about the last of prophets in Ahzab sura, verse 40 and narratives which explicitly prove that the prophet of Islam (S) is the last of prophets, there are several ahadith that affirms he will rise with the same method of prophet of Islam (S) and his book and tradition:
One of the companions of Imam Sadiq (as), “Abdullah ibn Ata” says:
I asked Imam how is the method of way of Mahdi (as)?
Imam answered:
یصنع ما صنع رسول الله (ص) یهدم ما کان قبله کما هدم رسول الله (ص) امر الجاهلیّة و یستأنف الاسلام جدید
He will perform the same act which prophet of God performed; destroys previous (incorrect) programs, as prophet of God destroyed the acts of ignorance, and rejuvenates Islam.
We read in the same book (Ithbat al-Hudat) that Prophet (S) said:
القائم من ولدی؛ اسمه اسمی و کنیة کنیتی و شمائله شمائلی؛ و سنّته سنّتی؛ یقیم النّاس علی طاعتی و شریعتی و یدعوهم الی الکتاب ربّی
Al-Qa’im is one of my children; his name is my name and his Kunya (honorific) is my Kunya and his face is my face; his method is my method; encourages people to follow me and my religion and invites them to the book of my God. 19
And it is mentioned in the book “Muntakhab al-Athar” from the Prophet of God (S):
و انّ الثّانی عشر من ولدی یغیب حتّی لایری، و یأتی علی امّتی بزمن لایبقی من الاسلام الّا اسمه، ولایبقی من القرآن الّا رسمه فحینئذ یأذن الله له تبارک و تعالی بالخروج فیظهر الاسلام به ویجدّده
(My twelfth son will be occulted and won’t be seen; and he comes to my followers when nothing has remained from Islam but its name and nothing has remained from Qur’an but its shape; at this time great God permits him to exit, and appears and rejuvenates Islam by him.20
Explicitness of this news is so much that there is no need for any explanation.
Unity of Religion
There is no doubt that religious disagreements are not compatible with a monotheistic system in all aspects; because these agreements are enough for disordering any unity.
Contrariwise, one of the factors of unity is unity of religion which can be beyond all disagreements, and can gather different races, languages, nationalities and cultures in it, and make a united society from them that people live in that like brothers and sisters that“انّما المؤمنون اخوه”.
Accordingly, one of the essential programs of that great peacemaker and revolutionary man is unity of the rows under the shadow of unity of religion.
But, it shouldn’t be doubted that this unity neither is possible to be obligatory nor if it was possible to be obligatory then it was not logical to be obligatory.
Religion communicates with the heart and the soul of the human and we know that the heart and the soul are outside of the territory of force and obligation; and nobody can transgress their boundaries.
Moreover, method and tradition of Prophet (S) - as Qur’an also confirms - was not based upon force that: “لا اکراه فی الدّین”
Therefore, Islam has always accepted Ahl al-Kitab as a healthy minority and has supported them until they don’t start motivation.
By considering that in the time of he government of that great peacemaker, all the advanced equipments of communication will be used by him and his truthful followers and by considering that genuine Islam, by removing the extras, has extraordinary attraction, it is clearly predictable that Islam will be accepted by most of the people of the world through logical and continuous propagation, and unity of religions will become practical by pioneer Islam.
This truth, which we understand from the above rational reason, can also be clearly seen in Islamic narratives.
“Mufazzal” quotes in a long hadith from Imam Sadiq (as) that:
... فوالله یا مفضّل لیرفع عن الملل و الادیان الاختلاف و یکون الدّین کلّه واحداً کما قال الله عزّ و جلّ انّ الدّین عند الله الاسلام ...
… O Mufazzal! I swear to God that disagreements of religions will be removed and all become one religion; as almighty God says: religion is only Islam before God…21
We previously read the same matter in interpretation of some of the verse of Qur’an which points to the rise of Mahdi (as).
And in this way, religion of Tawhid and Islam enters all homes, all livings of all humans and in to all hearts.
But, it is not possible to say that few minorities of the followers of other divine religion won’t be absolutely available because humans has free-will and there is no force and obligation is such system of government; and it is possible for some person to remain on previous belief because of mistake or bias, although majority of the people will accept monotheistic system of Islam and it is natural.
But anyway, if such minority will be available, will be supported by that government as a healthy minority and by observing the conditions of “Ahl al-Dhimmah”.
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Author: Ayatullah Makarim Shirazi
