Leadership (Imamat) of Imam Mahdi

O believers! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. [1]

Imam Askari was murdered on 8th of Rabi ol Avval of year 260 in Sameraa. After him, the Imam Mahdi's leadership was started. As Prophet Jesus and Prophet John and also like Imam Javad and Imam Hadi, he was a child when became leader. But you must know that Knowledge and wisdom of God isn't acquired and nobody can earn them by studying but the one who God decides. So like mankind knowledge you don’t need to grow up and get some experience for it. We have an Ayah in Quran which says that Prophet Jesus spoke with the Jews scientist when he was only few days old and he was in Mary's arm:

I am indeed a servant of Allah. He has given me (Holy Book) revelation and made me a prophet. [2]

After Imam Askari, his brother Jafar who was famous as Liar Jafar, wanted to became Moslems' leader. He denied Imam Mahdi's leadership. There is a custom in Islam and that is when an Imam dies, the next Imam must pray over his body and bury him. Jafar wanted to use this Islamic rule and he stood in the first line of Moslems who wanted to pray on Imam Askari's body and decided to start praying. Some of Shiite and special friends of Imam shocked and looked at him, suddenly a youth came and took Jafar's clothes and told him: "Dear Uncle, go backward because I'm deserver than you to pray for my dad." Jafar went back while he was wan and Imam Mahdi started praying. Because of this act of Imam Mahdi, every body who were there found out Jafar's lie and also they understood that the next Imam is Imam Mahdi. [3]

Jafar became anger and reported it to governor which was Motamed and he ordered his commanders to go after Imam Mahdi. But Imam was finished praying and by order of God became absent to save his life.

He is the last Imam (Khatam ol Osiaa) and like other holy leaders, he has special power and science which came through God. We have lots of stories about his miracles in our books, Just in Esbat ol Hoda which was written by Sheykh Hor Ameli, on volume 7, chapter 33, he brings 170 stories. These miracles are reason for his leadership too. Most of them are about curing sick people, help to poor ones, conduct people, direct people who lost their ways, foretelling future events and so on. These mean that his absent didn't affect on his leadership and he does what he must do. His absents is bad for us and its like when we want use sun, while it is behind clouds.

O God! During his absents and also his manifest, in this world and other world, put us as his companions, Amen.

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[1] Quran, Nesaa, Ayah 59. [Back]
[2] Quran, Maryam, Ayah 30. [Back]
[3] "Kamal al Din", Pages 475, Statement 25. [Back]