What Does It Mean to Wait for the Return of Imam Mahdi?
To wait for the return of Imam Mahdi means:
A) To get to know Imam Mahdi, as the innocent establisher of justice and the pioneer of faith.
B) To have faith in Imam Mahdi being the Imam and our divine and just leader.
C) To have love for justice and for human values.
D) To have hope in a bright future.
E) To try to establish the rule of justice.
F) To be committed to the rules of religion and morality.
G) To have the spirit of commitment and accepting responsibilities.
To wait for the return of Imam Mahdi is considered as the best prayer of all, and such a believer has a high position and if he dies while Imam Mahdi is absent, he will have the dignity of those who are there after the return of Imam Mahdi and fight for him and for God.
An important point to mention is that it is true that it is not our duty to try to meet Imam Mahdi, as some scholars believe that this is very unlikely to happen and even if it does, it happens to people like Moghaddas Ardabili only, and not to ordinary people, no matter how good and religious they are. But it is different to meet with Imam Mahdi than to be in contact with him. Our duty is to be in contact with Imam Mahdi and to say the Nodbeh Prayer, Ziarat Al Yasin Prayer, Ahd Prayer, Imam Mahdi’s prayer, and to go to Jamkaran in order to keep this contact with Imam and in order to pray for his material and spiritual problems to get solved.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
The Mahdi from among the Descendants of the Prophet
Responding to Some Points Raised By Ibn Khaldun (Part 1)
Responding to Some Points Raised By Ibn Khaldun (Part 2)
The Existence of the Mahdi is certain
Other Opinions from Ibn Khaldun