Imam Zaman (A.S): The Last Luminary
part 4
In a tradition the holy Prophet (PBUH) said to the Commander of believers, Ali (A.S), that:
"There will be twelve Guides after me, the first of whom is you, O' Ali, and the last one will be the 'Support' (al-Qa'im) who, with the grace of Allah, will gain victory over the whole east and west of the world."
Imam Ali al-Ridha (the eighth Imam) said, in the course of a tradition:
"The Imam after me is my son, Muhammad, and after him his son Ali, and after Ali his son, al-Hasan, and after al-Hasan his son Hujjat al-Qa'im (the proof of Allah who shall stand), who is awaited during his occultation and obeyed during his manifestation. Even if there remain from the life of the world but a single day, Allah will expand that day until he becomes manifest and fills the world with justice in the same way that it had been filled with injustice. But when? As for news of the hour (i.e., the moment of appearance), frequently my father told me, having heard it from his father who heard it from his father who heard it from his ancestors who heard it from Ali (A.S), that it was asked from the holy Prophet, O Prophet of God, when will the 'Support' (al-Qa'im) who is from your family appear? He said, His case is like that of the Hour (of time of the resurrection). 'Allah alone knows it and He will manifest it at its proper time. It is heavy in the heavens and the earth. It cometh not to you save unawares' (Quran 7:187)."
Musa al-Baghdadi said, I heard Imam Hasan al-Askari (the eleventh Imam) who said:
"I see that after me differences will appear among you concerning the Imam after me. Whoever accepts the Imams after the Prophet of God but denies my son is like the person who accepts all the prophets but denies the prophethood of Muhammad, the Prophet of God, upon whom be peace and blessing. And whoever denies (Muhammad) the Prophet of God is like one who has denied all the prophets of God, for obeying the last of us is like obeying the first of us and denying the last of us is like denying the first of us. But beware! Verily, for my son there is an occultation during which all people will fall into doubt except those whom Allah protects."
There are hundreds of prophetic traditions about Imam al-Mahdi (A.S) which have been recorded in both the Shi'ite and Sunnite collections of traditions. A large number of religious scholars form all Islamic schools of thought have independently compiled books about Imam al-Mahdi, the leader of the time. Their number runs to tens of volumes. (For more information in this regard, please see the next article.) Thus believing in Imam al-Mahdi is not exclusive to the Shi'ites, and the Sunni scholars believe in him, though they do not have the extensive information about him that the Shia possess.
Source: shia sources
Other Links:
Supplication and Salutation
Dua for The Twelfth Imam (A.J)
Special specifications of Imam Mahdi (AS)
Imam-e-Zaman (A.S.) in the Mirror of Dua-e-Nudba (Part 1)
Imam Zaman (A.S): The Last Luminary-part 1
