mind of every single person and I wanted to know the answer.
Hasan:Dear Sir, before I illustrate why the Imam does not reveal himself, let me clarify what ‘the Conceal’ is.
Anwar:Excellent. I am very eager to know.
Hasan:Imam Al-Mahdi (AHHR) has had two Conceals: ‘the Minor Conceal’ and ‘the Major Conceal’. The minor Conceal took place between the years 260 AH to 329 AH – that’s almost seventy years). The major Conceal started in the year 329 AH and it will continue until that pursued day. This Conceal was reported in the Hadith from Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and his purified offspring (PBUT).
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:“Al-Mahdi is one of my offspring; he will be concealed and confusion will lead the nations astray. He is to come with the Holy relic of the Prophets so he will fill the earth with equity and justice after it is filled with inequity and injustice”.
The Prophet (PBUH) also said:“Blessed be who comes to know the Qa’em (the Revealed) from my Ahl Al-Bait
(PBUT) , who considers him his Imam before his revelation, who follows the practices of his people in charge and who renounces his enemies; such a person is among my companions, my close people and the noblest in the Judgment Day”.
Amir Al-Mu’menin (PBUH) said:“The Qa’em has a Conceal that will last long. During his Conceal, his followers will wander about like livestock, hopelessly searching for pastures. However, duration of the Conceal of Imam will not harden the heart of who clings to his religion, as he will be of my status in the Judgment Day”.
Imam Hasan (PBUH) said:“The ninth of the children of my brother, Al-Husain, is revealed after a long concealed life in a form of a young man under the age of forty; this is to be aware that Allah is capable of all things”.
Imam Husain (PBUH) said:“The Qa’em of this nation is the ninth child among my offspring; he is the one concealed as he is the one dividing his inheritance while he is still alive”.
There is also another Hadith confirming ‘the two Conceals’ reported from Al-Mofazzal that Imam AL-Sadiq (PBUH) said:“The person in charge of this matter has two Conceals, one is longer than the other”.
All of the above Hadith and more confirm that Imam Al-Mahdi (AHHR) is the son of Imam Al-Hasan Al-Askari (PBUH) and is connected in line of ancestors to Imam Husain (PBUH). The Hadith also refers to his long life, his conceal and his revelation.
Anwar:After this wonderful discussion, I think we would better stop here.
Hasan:Of course. See you tomorrow, Inshallah.
Symposium 57
The Details of the Two Conceals (Al-Ghaibah)
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:Last time, we talked about ‘the Minor Conceal’ and ‘the Major Conceal’, but will you consider some details in this regard?
Hasan:We agreed to talk in brief and leave the details for later, but I think I can mention some of the crucial details here.
Let’s start with the prayer Imam Al-Hojja (PBUH) said over his deceased father which is crystal clear reference
that the Imam (AHHR) is a living person and that he did his responsibility, namely saying prayer over the previous deceased Imam.
This proves that he is the next Imam and he must be obeyed. As a matter of fact, Imam Al-Mahdi (PBUH) stood up to deviation and allegation of his uncle, Ja’far Bin Ali, and began his guidance and direction to his supporters and followers.
His Minor Conceal started in the year 260 AH when the ruling regime went after the Imam (AHHR). During his Conceal, he was contacting his Ambassadors whom he placed as his agents. The Major Conceal started with the death of the fourth and the last Ambassador. There are more details in this regard, but this serves the purpose.
Anwar:Now that we know the Imam (AHHR) is in his Major Conceal, I would like to ask about the reasons for the Conceal.
Hasan:I clarified that the ruling regime at the time was in pursuit of Imam Al-Mahdi (AHHR) in order to kill him. This is the main reason. I will briefly mention the other reasons:
· The Imam (AHHR) was concealed because he was afraid he was going to be killed; it is reported from Abu Abdullah (PBUH) that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:“The lad has to be concealed”. When he was asked why, he replied:“He fears to be killed”.
· Imam Al-Mahdi (AHHR) was concealed so he would not be having anyone’s pledge of allegiance (Bai’a) as it is reported from Abu Abdullah (PBUH):“The birth of the person in charge of this matter will be concealed from people so he would not be having anyone’s pledge of allegiance when he is revealed”.
Anwar:You said he was afraid! Does the Infallible Imam become afraid?
Hasan:When I say he was afraid, this does not mean he was a coward or afraid of dying; such a low quality cannot come from such a perfect person. The point here is that his death would cause corruption and evil in earth and among the people which is against the purpose of his existence and being in the first place.
Anwar:Very good explanation. May I ask another question?
Hasan:Of course. Ask whatever you like.
Anwar:I know now the reason behind his Conceal, but what are the benefits of his Conceal?
Hasan:The benefits are numerous like the benefits of the sun covered and concealed by the clouds.
This is what Imam Al-Sadiq (PBUH) stated:“Since the creation of Adam, the earth has never been devoid of a God’s Proof, either apparent or concealed, and the earth will never be devoid of a God’s Proof, otherwise Allah would not be worshipped.”Sulaiman said I asked Imam Al-Sadiq (PBUH) how people would get benefit from God’s concealed Proof. He said:“The same way they get benefit from the sun concealed by the clouds”.
We can put the benefit of the Conceal as the following:
· The Conceal meant to test the people as it was reported by Imam Mosa Bin Ja’far (PBUH):“If the fifth son of the seventh Imam is absented, I swear you by Allah to stick to your religion and let no one separate you from it. O my son! The person in charge of this matter has to be concealed until he is revealed again. It
is indeed an ordeal from Allah to test mankind”.
· Existence of the Imam is a grace in itself, because he is the viceroy or Khalif placed by the Most Gracious Allah on earth:
(…I am going to place in the earth a Khalif…)2;30.
· He is one of the hidden reasons for the whole existence as it is reported:“Through us, Allah holds up the heaven from falling on the earth, save His will; through us, He holds the earth from shaking with its inhabitants; through us, He brings down rain, spreads mercy and brings out the blessings of the earth; without what is on the earth because of us, it would sink with its inhabitants”.
· One of his four Ambassadors, Mohammad Bin Othman, reports from the Imam (AHHR) that“I am providing protection for the people of the earth akin to the stars providing protection for the people of the heaven”.
· He is in charge of people’s internal and external direction.