THE EXPECTED MAHDI (‘A)

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD - 13
INTRODUCTION - 15
The significance of the past, present, and future in the process of globalization - 15
Man’s future based on order and justice - 15
The Divine, justice-based Savior will grant order to the future
world - 16
A righteous and just future will be the consequence of Mahdi’s (‘a) government - 16
The role of wisdom and narration in the affirmation of personal Mahdawiyyah - 17
SECTION ONE RECOGNIZING THE IMAM (‘A)
CHAPTER ONE GENERAL IMAMATE - 21
The jurisprudential aspect of Imamate - 22
The appointment of the Imam according to Imam Rida (‘a) - 24
The Mahdiistic argument against the appointment of Imam by people - 25
A reasonable life depends on recognizing the Imam - 25
The criterion of a life of Ignorance - 27
The life and death of ignorance in Divine revelation - 30
Human life, according to the Qur’an - 31
The signs of mental life - 32
Recognizing the Imam is the best way to die a Muslim - 34
The true meaning of recognizing the Imam - 34
Fruitful and Fruitless recognition - 36
Imamate is man’s need and a Divine asset - 37
Imamate, God’s permanent favor towards man - 40
CHAPTER TWO THE SPECIAL IMAMATE - 43
The continuation of Wilayah from Abraham (‘a) till the promised Existent [Imam Mahdi (‘a)] - 43
News delivered by the Imams (‘a) concerning Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 46
The appearance of Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 47
The sacred genealogy of Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 47
The Fifteenth of Sha’ban, The “Qadr” Night of the Household - 48
The equality of Imam Mahdi’s (‘a) Birth Night and the Night of Qadr - 49
The festival of the birthday of Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 50
How to recognize Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 50
The best way to recognize Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 53
The Qur’an and the Infallibles (‘a): one truth, two manifestations - 54
Manifestations of the unity of the Qur’an and the Infallibles (‘a) - 55
Imam Mahdi (‘a), the forerunner of beliefs, etiquettes and
actions - 57
The Infallible Imam, The Knower of people’s acts - 58
To love the Infallible is one of the pillars of religion - 59
Overcoming the difficulty in recognizing Imam Mahdi (‘a) - 60
Imam Mahdi (‘a) the manifestation of “the Light of the Heavens and the Earth” - 61
Imam Mahdi (‘a) is the closest man to Abraham (‘a) - 62
The Last of the Imams, the unique Heir of virtues - 64
Imam Mahdi (‘a), the manifestation of God’s knowledge and
Power - 65
The effects of the men of Insight - 67
Imam Mahdi (‘a) the “Guide” - 68
Imam Mahdi (‘a), the companion of the devotee - 70
The Leader of the Caravan of Love - 71
The mirror of affection and anger - 73
Imam Mahdi (‘a) the initiator of implementation of God’s
religion - 74
The similarities between Imam Mahdi (‘a) and Moses (‘a) - 75
The secrets behind calling Imam Mahdi (‘a) the Qa’im - 76
Why Imam Mahdi (‘a) is called Baqiyyatullah? - 78
The prayer for Imam Mahdi (‘a), a statement of monotheism - 79
CHAPTER THREE PERSONAL MAHDAWIYYAT MAHDI, THE PROMISED EXISTENT - 81
The inability of the ram-herder to comprehend the “Promised Existent” - 81
Professor Henry Karben’s statement concerning the life of
Shiism - 82
Imam Mahdi (‘a), the Perfect Man, God’s Delegate on earth - 83
Recognizing the Qur’an and the Perfect Man simultaneously - 84
The features of the Perfect Man - 85
The unity of the perfect man in the eyes of the Qur’an - 86
The Perfect Man’s humility vis-à-vis God’s Determination - 88
Knowing Imam Mahdi (‘a) is Knowing God’s Caliphate - 88
Imam Mahdi (‘a), the Perfect Man for all times - 90
Imam Asr [Imam Mahdi (s)] is the truth of “the water of life” - 91
The result of obeying the Perfect Man is a comfortable life - 92
SECTION TWO WAITING FOR
CHAPTER ONE THE ABSOLUTE OR RELATIVE NATURE OF IMAM MAHDI’S (‘A) ABSENCE - 97
The Wisdom of absence - 98
The reasons for the Imam’s (‘a) absence - 98
Other reasons for the Imam’s (‘a) absence - 103
How to benefit from the Imam’s (‘a) absence - 103
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