«place of mahdi's emergence»
the author of 'esaaf-ur-raghebeen' (on page 150) narrates that the messenger of allah (s.a.w.a.) said: 'discord will arise at the time of a caliphs death. a man will flee from medina to mecca. some of the inhabitants of mecca will approach him and will send him out for allegiance (while not being satisfied) and will swear allegiance to him between rukn and maqaam. an army would be dispatched in their direction from syria which would sink in the ground of 'baidah' which is between mecca and medina.» the author of 'yanabi-ul-muwadda' con page 431) has narrated from the author of 'jawahar al-aqdain' who has narrated from ibn-dawoud who has narrated from imam ahmad and hafiz baihaqi the afore-mentioned tradition. the author of yanabi-ul-muwadda (on page 448) narrates from the author of fara'ed-us-semtain who narrates from hassan-ibn-khalid a tradition from ali-ibn-moosa ridha (a.s.) about mahdi's occultation and the fact that he is the fourth from his progeny until he says: mahdi is the same one with regards to whom a caller will call out from the heavens and all the inhabitants of earth will hear the call as such: be aware that allah's representative has emerged in the house of allah. follow him as truth is with him.
in section two, chapter four of the afore-said book, its author narrates from abu dawoud (from his book of 'sunan'), tirmidhi (from his book of 'jama'e'), ahmad (from his book of 'musnad'), ibn-maaja (from his book of 'sunan'), baihaqi (from 'be'sath-wa-nushoor') and some others who narrate from umm-salma that the messenger of allah (s.a.w.a.) said: at the time of a caliph's death discord will arise and a man from medina will flee towards mecca. some of the inhabitants of mecca will approach him and will send him out (while not being satisfied) and will swear allegiance to him between rukn and maqaam.... author says: the appendix of the tradition refers to mahdi. in chapter five of the afore-said book, the author narrates from abu abdullah na'eem-ibn-hemad (from the book 'fatan') who narrates from abdullah-ibn-masoud a lenghty tradition mentioning therein sufyani's uprising and mahdi's emergence from medina towards mecca and his allegiance until he reaches to the point where he says: 'mahdi will sit between rukn and maqaam and will stretch out his hand. people will give allegiance to him and allah will reserve love for him in the people's heart. the author of 'eqdud-durar' (in chapter seven) narrates from na'eem-ibn-hemad (from the book 'fatan') who narrates from abu huraira that people would give allegiance to mahdi between rukn and maqaam. mahdi will not awaken anyone who is asleep nor will he shed any blood. author says: it refers to repose at the time of priority of allegiance and not when hazrat would wish to dominate and rectify the world. ibn-hajar in his book 'sawa'eq' (page 98) has narrated from ibn-asaker who has narrated from ali (a.s.) the tradition about mahdi fleeing from medina towards mecca and added: some of the inhabitants of mecca will approach mahdi and will send him out (while not being satisfied) and will swear allegiance to him between rukn and maqaam.... the author of 'eqdud-durar' in section two and chapter four has narrated from jabir-ibn-yazid who has narrated from imam muhammad baqir about mahdi's flight from medina to mecca and says: people will swear allegiance to him between rukn and maqaam. 'o jabir! mahdi is from the progeny of hussein.'
ibn-hajar in 'sawa'eq' (page 98) has narrated from ibn-maaja as such: 'a group of people will rise from the east and they will make preparations for mahdi's rule.' the author of 'eqdud-durar' (in chapter five) has narrated the same tradition from ibn-maaja and baihaqi. the author of 'eqdud-durar' (in chapter five) has narrated from abu na'eem (book of sefat-ul-mahdi) who has narrated from sauban that the messenger of allah (s.a.w.a.) said: when you see black flags coming from the direction of east, hasten towards them even if you have to crawl over ice because mahdi who is allah's representative will be amongst them. narrator says: hakim abu abdullah in 'mustadrak', and imam abu omar in 'sunan' and hafiz na'eem-ibn-hemad in 'fatan' have narrated the contents of this tradition. perhaps the saying: 'mahdi who is allah's representative will be amongst them means that the rudiments of mahdi's rule would be in their hands just as the same was mentioned in the tradition of abdullah-ibn-harith. in the same chapter of the afore-said book, its author narrates from sa'eed-ibn-musaiyeb that the messenger of allah (s.a.w.a.) said: a man from bani abbass will rise from the east and will remain on the land until allah wishes. thereafter a group with small black flags will emerge and they will battle with the people from the progeny of abu sufyan and his followers and will prepare the ground for mahdi's obedience and submission. author says: some of the traditions which speak about the appearance of black flags from the east refers to the invitation of abbassid and uprising of abu muslim khurasani. yet, some other traditions signal out the uprising of a group from the east who would invite (the people) towards mahdi (a.s.) and the tradition of sa'eed-ibn-musaiyeb which was mentioned before, refers to this account. the possibility which we mentioned previously about the traditions (in this regard) being fabricated refers to the first type of interpretation. so do not be heedless about them. the author of 'yanabi-ul-muwadda' (page 448) narrate from the book 'fara'ed-us-semtain' which narrates from hafiz abu naeem that imam muhammad baqir (a.s.) said: 'allah has set fear in the hearts of our friends and followers. when our 'qa'em' who is mahdi will emerge, one person from our followers will be more courageous than a fierce lion and more sharper than the point of a spear. author says: undoubtedly, a group which loses its leader also loses its will-power and aim and rather its very progress as against a group possessing a leader with an upright will-power, earnest aim and firm power. this is because such a state eventually leaves an impression on the conduct and morale of that group. it seems that the afore-mentioned tradition too refers to this very matter and the reason why god has set fear in their hearts is to protect them.
in reply we say: it's possible that the incidents which are about to take place in this world and the probable events may actually occur which could be amongst the strongest means of mahdi's emergence and a medium for doing away with his occultation until he really emerges. in number he may become like one of the ruling powers and thereafter he would strive in strengthening and increasing his powers and weapons. firstly, amongst the events which is not improbable is this that the moral and spiritual reforms perfection of training and literary and material sciences in some classes of people and rather in all of them will prevail over a special class. thus when mahdi emerges and proclaims his plans and announces the islamic teachings for which he would rise and that particular class witnesses his truthfulness, trustworthiness and resoluteness they would become submissive towards hazrat. they will assist him in jihad and become obedient to him and will give him the reins of the government. a large number of people would obey him and become submissive to him such that one cannot treat them with contempt. the same had occurred for his great grand-father, the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) since a large number of people had brought faith in him due to his virtuous aim and objective just as the incident of 'najashi' (negus) bears witness to this fact. secondly: before mahdi's emergence, multitude of people will gather together and call the others towards mahdi. they will take pledge (from them) for the victory of the day of his emergence. it is likely that the emergence of preachers in common gatherings and the distribution of those things for which mahdi will uprise namely exercising of worldly, spiritual, social and individual reforms are amongst the strongest means for, the preparation of multitude of people for mahdi's emergence. as mentioned before, the main motive of awaiting mahdi's emergence is preparing and making ready the rudiments and necessities of hazrat's emergence. i can say that mahdi strives and such endeavour is the responsibility of every reformist who wishes to bring a reform. previously it was told to you that mahdi's occultations does not hinder him from uprising for such kind of affairs. thirdly: break-up of the present world order and every city of the world into smaller states and every ruler of those states will possess independent powers until mahdi emerges. cities and governments will have dispersed to such extent that mahdi too would be like one of them in power and preparedness. he will rise for that which allah has appointed him and will strive for increasing and perfecting his own power. fourthly: the ruling powers will render the people completely submissive and obedient towards themselves and every society and rather every group, individual animal and vegetation will groan day and night due to such a life and state of affair. however he will become restless of the cruel and oppressive system while none would be able to see him. he will beseech and complain but only to his lord. thus when the caller will call out between the heaven and the earth that allah has obviated oppression from you, has made you successful, has set your freedom and deliverance in mahdi's hands and mahdi has emerged in mecca then multitudes of people will hasten towards mahdi for the purpose of reform and their own goodness. in all probability, the meaning of the tradition saying: mahdi will not emerge but after the earth has become filled with cruelty and oppression is the same as what we have just said. in short, mahdi (a.s.) will emerge at the time when people and society will be in due need of a reformist. fifthly: the world wars will put the cities out of action and weaken the physical bodies and powers. thereafter, mahdi (a.s.) will emerge while from the view-point of number and group, he will be similar to one of those (group of) people. then, very soon he will swiftly strive to increase and perfect his own powers in addition to those powers and tools which he would avail himself of as a booty. sixthly: some of the islamic sects will accept hazrat's call on the day of his emergence and will join the forces of his companions and helpers. they will fight for mahdi in the battle-field and will swear allegiance to him. in all respects, they will find confidence in him. moreover almighty god will confirm him through the angels just as he confirmed his great grand-father i.e. the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.). he will confirm hazrat by isa-ibn-maryam's (a.s.) descension the details of which we shall god-willing mention later on. these were incidents whose occurrence cannot be denied and history too guides us to the occurance of such incidents and bears testimony to this fact that reformists have made use of similar means. man is not aware of what might occur tomorrow. verily the events which took place in the 14th century a.h. and 19th century a.d. bears witness to the possibility of occurrence of what we have mentioned. god is all-aware of what has occurred and what is going to take place in the future.
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