The Ways and Conditions for the Advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ)
The conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) are multidimensional and worthy of deep consideration. The world’s greatest Savior is expected to come out of occultation, bring the world to the peak of bliss, relieve us of sorrow and suffering, and bestow mercy upon us. Humanity is supposed to achieve perfection, with human values prevailing and dominating all our smaller and inferior dimensions.
The issue is that, a very powerful and relentless enemy is sitting on this path and does not want this event to occur easily and quickly. This enemy fears this event and has mobilized all its power, resources, and supporters to prevent this sacred and decisive revolution and to not allow the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi to be fulfilled.
The root of this story goes back to the beginning of human creation. On the day when God created the human being, He commanded Satan to bow down to him. But Satan disobeyed this command and was cast out of God’s grace as a punishment for his defiance. Since Satan harbored a deep hatred towards humans for being the cause of his downfall, he decided to disgrace them so that they too would be rejected by God. So he asked God for a respite to provide the opportunity for human misguidance, so that humans can be in a position of choice and be put to the test; God also accepted his request but only “until the appointed time.”[1] Satan has only a specific and designated period, and after that the life of Satan and his opportunities will come to an end.[2] In reliable and precise interpretations of the Quran, it is mentioned that the intended time when the life of Satan and his temptations end is the day of Imam Mahdi’s advent.[3]
The point is that the Promised Savior is not ‘to come,’ but ‘to be brought.’ The conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) are not fulfilled just by miracles and divine aid, but these conditions must be created by us. The advent of the Prophet’s final descendant necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the required actions, intentions, and preparations. We cannot just sit and wait for miracles to occur, thinking they will create the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ). The Savior has been waiting, alone, displaced, and abandoned for centuries, for us to awaken and prepare the conditions for his arrival.
Preparing the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) and bringing him require a chain of interconnected actions: inner jihad,[4] outer jihad, empowering and strengthening the Front of Truth, and urgent prayer for his advent. Until these actions are not carried out, the advent remains impossible.
Inner Jihad
Many of us think that the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) are solely related to the conditions of the world outside of us such as the political situation of society and the world. However, the most serious prerequisites and conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) must be met in our inner world, not just in the external world.
As long as the inner world within us is not ready to fully accept the most perfect human being, Imam Mahdi, we cannot take any effective or pivotal steps toward bringing the Imam. The Imam’s true arrival is not just a physical event, but a transformation within our hearts. Just as Heaven cannot be touched by fire, our hearts cannot harbor the Imam’s presence alongside the flames of sin. A heart that has not been emptied of evil flames like hatred, anger, lies, backbiting, and so on is not ready and capable to accept the Imam’s presence. The Imam would burn in the flames of such a heart. A heart tainted with impurities of hypocrisy, envy, gluttony, etc., cannot tolerate the purity of the Imam. Therefore, until our hearts are cleansed of the impurities of vices and sins and adorned with virtues and good qualities, the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi will not be met.
The most serious condition for those who want to be among the righteous of the End Times and bring the world’s reformer is self-improvement, spiritual self-care, and purification of the soul. Preparing for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) requires first cultivating hearts that are worthy vessels for his presence, becoming sacred spaces where he can reside. For the Imam’s presence is not merely a physical event, but a spiritual transformation. Even if one conquers the entire world, without a heart cleansed of vice and adorned with piety, his actions are ultimately meaningless. He will be condemned to a hell as vast as the world he sought to rule, and his legacy will be one of tyranny, not righteousness. Our actions, whether grand or small, ultimately depend on the purity of our intentions and the state of our hearts.
On the path toward the Imam’s advent, the smallest step taken by a soul striving for self-purification holds more weight than the greatest efforts of those consumed by worldly desires. Every sin, every negative trait we harbor, acts as a formidable obstacle blocking the Imam’s advent. Before we can focus on external obstacles, we must first address the inner obstacles we have created. We must cleanse our hearts, purify our intentions, and strive for inner transformation.
While self-purification is essential on this path, it is crucial to avoid a common trap. Satan, the deceiver, might tempt us into believing that inner work alone is enough to pave the way for the Imam’s advent. This is a dangerous misconception. Self-purification is a foundational pillar, but it is not the sole requirement.
Outer Jihad
The conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) are created by true awaiters or the righteous of the End Times. One of the most important characteristics of a true awaiter who wants to become one of the righteous and play a significant role in the advent is maintaining balance in various affairs and performing them simultaneously.
A true awaiter of the Imam’s advent cannot neglect either inner or outer jihad. Just as a bird cannot fly with only one wing, we cannot achieve success on this path by focusing solely on self-purification or solely on external actions. Inner jihad, i.e., the struggle against our own desires and shortcomings, is essential. But we must also engage in outer jihad which includes efforts in the social, political, economic, and similar realms.
A true awaiter is not only responsible for himself but he also bears responsibility toward all the people of the world. He always feels obliged to accompany and sympathize with the oppressed, striving to relieve their suffering and save them. He is not content with mere sympathy or passive yearning. He rises to the challenge with every fiber of his being, dedicating his power, resources, talents, and abilities to the cause. He engages in the inner struggle against his own lower desires and Satan, but he does not neglect global tyrants; he knows that Satan, in any form, is an enemy of God and His servants and a significant obstacle to the advent. Therefore, he must defeat him to pave the way for the Imam’s advent.
A true awaiter always engages in military, political, cultural, social, scientific, and other forms of jihad to fulfill the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ). He does not remain silent in the face of seditious actions, and he is always vigilant against hypocrisy and avoids the pitfalls of both minor and major seditions. Hypocrisy can sprout in even the smallest environments, like a family. It is a weed that can easily take root and spread, infecting relationships, communities, institutions, and ultimately, the world. From families to schools, workplaces, cities, and nations, no environment is immune to its insidious growth.
The emphasis on inner purification from hypocrisy is vital because a person who is not innately inclined towards hypocrisy and injustice cannot allow them in others either. For a vigilant and insightful awaiter, it does not matter whether he wields a sword in battle or his pen moves in the jihad of enlightenment. To such an individual, fighting in media wars and battling against sedition are two sides of the same coin, and the focus of his struggle is determined by the priorities of his time.
It is necessary to know that alongside creating the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ), the confrontation between truth and falsehood arises before the advent. All human beings are placed on one of the two fronts of polytheism or monotheism. In fact, all the events and seditions before the advent occur to set up the boundaries of truth and falsehood, to separate the people of truth from the people of falsehood. For instance, events like the Al-Aqsa Storm and the exposure of the true face of global arrogance mark the boundary between truth and falsehood. The people of the world, with their support for each of these two fronts, show whether they are polytheist or monotheist, whether they are warriors or lazy and indifferent individuals, and whether they embody mercy or indifference and lack of motivation.
Empowering and Strengthening the Front of Truth
One of the most important conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) is the empowerment of the Front of Truth. One of the greatest promises repeatedly mentioned in the Quran is the inheritance of the earth. In Surah Al-Anbiya, Allah says: “Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants the righteous, shall inherit the earth. Verily in this is a (great) message for a people (who) worship.”[5] Similarly, In Surah Al-Qasas, it is mentioned: “We want to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed in the earth and make them leaders and inheritors of the earth.”[6]
The key topic in these verses is the concept of “inheritance of the earth.” Allah communicates to us a very important code and secret through the term “inheritance.” When the issue of inheritance is raised, it means that first a death must occur before there can be an inheritor. Certainly, while the current rulers of the earth are tyrannical and have seized power unjustly, a global shift is underway, gradually weakening their hold. They are gradually becoming weaker and will eventually be destroyed by the righteous. The earth, which they had usurped, will be inherited by the righteous and the oppressed after their destruction.
Now we have to think about this important question: How is it possible for a weak group to defeat the powerful Front of the Arrogance which dominates the world?
It is clear that as long as the righteous of the End Times do not attain significant power, reaching this goal is impossible. We must understand that the fulfillment of the conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) and the realization of the promise of inheriting the earth depend on the empowerment of the companions of Imam Mahdi (AJ) at the End Times. And the advent will not happen through miracles and divine interventions. It is God’s unchangeable will that this great event only occurs through the will, determination, and striving of the righteous, not merely through divine help.
The oppressed are those who have been subjected to oppression, and their normal life has been disrupted by oppressors. All of us are the oppressed whose normal lives have been harmed due to lack of access to the guidance and rule of the infallible Imam, and we have been deprived of his guidance. The Front of the Righteous at the End Times must gain multidimensional and multifaceted power in various dimensions such as military, political, social, cultural, economic, and more to overcome global tyrants and break their illusionary power. Much of this promise has been fulfilled until today. Events like the Al-Aqsa Storm and Operation True Promise are clear examples of the realization of this promise. In fact, one of the most serious conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) is the immense courage and power of the Front of the Righteous at the End Times in various fields.
Conclusion
Being a true awaiter is difficult because an awaiter must simultaneously take into account multiple dimensions. The conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ) are interconnected and mutually reinforcing. It is not so easy to simultaneously cultivate inner jihad, outer jihad, and strengthening and empowering the Front of Truth; it requires a lot of precision and effort. However, all these efforts will only yield true success when combined with the fourth, indispensable factor.
Is it possible to truly yearn for the Imam’s advent without experiencing a deep sense of urgency, a desperation for his arrival? As long as an individual does not feel desperate and helpless due to the absence and occultation of the Imam, he cannot have a high-quality and acceptable jihad in various fields. Unfortunately, some think that merely doing jihad is enough, while the key to successful preparation and a clear path for his advent is found in the urgency of our prayers for his advent.
The true measure of a devotee’s yearning for the Imam’s advent lies in the quality of his prayers. Urgent prayer, the heartfelt cry of a desperate soul, holds the secret to the advent of the Imam. It is not a mere formality, but the peak of spiritual growth, a testament to the depth of our need and desire.
This is not the casual supplication of routine, but a profound plea borne of desperation. It echoes the anguish of a father mourning his dead child, the despair of a child yearning for his lost parent, or a mother anxiously waiting for news of her child’s fate. Until we reach this level of desperation, we cannot truly engage in urgent prayer and fully experience the blessings that flow from it.
Like a magical elixir, urgent prayer holds the power to hasten the Imam’s advent. It is the catalyst that transforms our slow and steady acts of jihad into a miraculous leap forward, just as the Israelites’ forty days of urgent prayer shortened their savior’s absence by 170 years, and God sent Prophet Moses to their rescue.
Therefore, it is necessary to constantly remind ourselves that the Savior will not come on his own, but we must bring him back. Awaiters must equip themselves with the four weapons of inner jihad, outer jihad, strengthening the Front of Truth, and urgent prayer for the advent of the Imam. By fulfilling these conditions for the advent of Imam Mahdi (AJ), one can become one of the righteous at the End Times who will restore the Imam to his rightful position of leadership and guidance and will inherit the earth.
[1]. Quran, 7:11
[2]. Quran, 15: 31-40
[3]. Ayyashi, Tafsir ‘Ayyashi, vol. 2, p. 243; Ithbat al-Hudah, vol. 3, p. 551; Tafsir Safi, vol. 1, p. 906; Tafsir Burhan, vol. 2, p. 343; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 60, p. 254.
[4]. Jihad, a fundamental concept in Islam, signifies a strenuous struggle or effort. The term’s meaning, however, is nuanced and depends heavily on context. In the West, “jihad” is often misinterpreted as “holy war,” but that understanding is inaccurate and overly simplistic. In its core essence, jihad primarily encompasses the internal struggle to uphold righteousness and combat evil. This is known as inner jihad or “greater jihad”, a battle against one’s own negative desires and temptations. Alongside this inner struggle, outer jihad exists. This encompasses a broader range of actions aimed at promoting justice and truth. It can take two main forms:
- Jihad of the pen/tongue: This refers to the struggle through intellectual debate, discourse, and persuasion, advocating for what is right and refuting falsehoods.
- Jihad of the sword: This refers to warfare, but only as a last resort and under specific conditions, such as defending oneself or one’s community against oppression.
[5]. Verses 105-106
[6]. Verse 5
