6:57 AM
Anonymous
In the period of occultation (Gaibat) of Imam Mahdi (a.s.), we all Shiah’s have certain responsibilities and duties to fulfill. Many books have been written on this aspect. A book ‘Mikyalul Makarim’ enumerates 80 such responsibilities of Shiah’s during Occultation.
Here we take a look at one of them, and others will be talked about in subsequent articles.
One of this signs of our love for another person is that we tend to favour his (the one we love) desires, his needs and his pleasures over our own. Whatever we like for ourselves, we would also tend to like for him. Whatever we dislike for ourselves, we tend to dislike for him also. In addition, we remember him in his absence.
For example, if we are aware that cigarette smoking irritates our friend, whom we love, then we will surely make all efforts to avoid smoking in his presence. This would be a sign of our love for him. If we smoked deliberately in his presence, it would be a sign that we do not care about his feelings and that we give preference to our comfort over his.
We love Imame Asr (a.s.), but the expression of our love and affection should be unique. We are well aware that all our actions, whether good or bad are presented to him (a.s.) once every week, or as per some traditions, twice every week. We are aware that when he (a.s.) looks at our good actions, he smiles and is pleased with us. But when he notes our sins, he is grieved and cries for us.
Now let us ask ourselves these questions – How conscious and sensitive are we to the tears of our Imam (a.s.)? Have we as Shiahs, been created to mourn over the difficulties of the Ahle Bayt (a.s.), or that Imam (a.s.) should mourn over our sins? These questions distress and shame us for surely we have no answer to them.
When we are aware that the Imam of the Time (a.s.) is saddened if we miss the recitation of Namaz e Subh on time, then do we remain asleep while the time for Namaz passes by? When our child cries out at night, we wake up in a flash and rush to his call. Is the love of our child more overpowering than our love for Imam (a.s.)? It is to constantly remind us to this duty that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) said,
“The faith of any believer is not complete till the time, he prefers me (saw) over himself and my children (Ahle Bayt) over his own.”
The following incident emphasis why we should love Imame Asr (a.s.) more than anything else. When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) ascended to the heavens for Me’raj, he was shown the shining Noor of the Imams (a.s.). One of these Noor was in a state of bowing (Ruku). When the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) asked Allah about these Noor, he was told,
“O Mohammed! These are the Noor of your successors (Imams). And the Noor in the center, which is bowing is that of your last successor – The Qaem (a.s.) who will establish your Halal (permissible) as Halaal and your Haraam (forbidden) as Haraam. O Mohammed! You befriend him (a.s.) as surely I am a friend of the one who befriends him.”
(Kamaluddin, Vol.1; pg 200)
We are indeed fortunate to witness the time of the Last Imam (a.s.). That Imam (a.s.), love for whom has been ordered by none other than Allah Himself.
Learned scholars recommend a simple way to increase the love of Imame Asr (a.s.) in our hearts. We need to frequently remind ourselves and speak out to the Imam (a.s.) that we love him. Yes, it is that simple. Just say to Imame Asr (a.s.), “O Imam, O Sahebuz Zaman! I love you.” If we do this regularly, then surely at some point in time, our conscience will tell us that if you love Imame Zamana (a.s.), then do you consider his pleasure as your pleasure and his grief as your own?
Have you noticed that some times we imagine that we have a headache. We may be completely fine, but after a short period, we actually start feeling a pain in our head! This is a tried and tested method often used by psychiatrists to indicate the effect of what we have in our mind upon our body.
Surely, if we constantly remind ourselves about our love for Imame Zamana (a.s.), then our actions will follow suit.
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