250 year old person

What Does the 250-Year-Old Person Mean?

With the passing away of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) in the year 11 AH, a tumultuous era of the Imamate of the infallible Imams began. The leadership and authority of the Prophet’s family faced significant challenges right from the first moments after his death. These challenges diverted the Islamic community from its rightful path toward the maturity of Islamic civilization, to the extent that little remained of the seed of Islamic civilization planted by the Prophet. Throughout this period, the Imams focused on preserving the Islamic community and laying the groundwork for the future establishment of an Islamic government once the community was ready.

The history of Islam from 11 AH to the occultation of Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) in 260 AH can be viewed as a unified entity, representing the life of the Islamic community under the guidance of the Imams, or what can be termed as the “250-Year-Old Person.” The Imamate period can be seen as a 250-year human life with a clear goal, where actions were taken at different times based on the environmental and temporal conditions. Understanding this period in the life of the 250-Year-Old Person is only possible by interpreting the lives of the Imams according to their course of action and primary goal: the establishment of an Islamic government.

After the Prophet’s passing, in the first phase of the 250-Year-Old Person’s life, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), despite being the rightful caliph and leader of the Islamic community, refrained from taking serious actions to reclaim his authority to maintain community cohesion and protect against external threats, and even when necessary, he collaborated with those who usurp his right to the caliphate. In contrast, Fatimah (peace be upon her) acted differently in this same context, refusing to remain silent about her husband’s usurped rights. She raised the banner of resistance and defense of the Imamate through various means, including verbal, practical, emotional, and more. Fatimah (peace be upon her) exemplified the ideal of supporting the Imam and fought to the point of martyrdom in defense of the rightful leader, the guardian, or in other words, the infallible expert.

The Second Era in the Life of the 250-Year-Old Person

With the changing conditions of society in 35 AH and the people’s turn toward Amir al-Mu’minin (Imam Ali), the four-year and nine-month rule of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) marks the beginning of the second era of the 250-Year-Old Person. During this brief period, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) showcased the highest levels of social justice and economic growth in society, striving to elevate the community toward understanding the ideals of an Islamic government. Unfortunately, the people had not yet matured enough to comprehend the significance of Imamate and guardianship, leading to much of his and Imam Hassan’s time being spent in battles resulting from the misunderstandings of their contemporaries. After a short period of Imam Hassan’s caliphate, the era of the 250-Year-Old Person reached a point where only through martyrdom and a significant sacrifice could the Islamic traditions be revived. The Ashura uprising occurred under such circumstances.

The Third Era of the 250-Year-Old Person’s Life

After the Ashura uprising, not only had a significant portion of the true and loyal Shiites been martyred, but the Muslim community was also in shock and fear due to the actions of the Umayyads. In this context, the method of struggle for the 250-Year-Old Person shifted from open confrontation to a form of struggle through prayer, education, and teaching religious rulings.

During this period, a long-term plan for establishing an Islamic government was put into action, which included creating a secret Shiite organization during the oppressive rule of the Umayyads and later the Abbasids, laying the groundwork for an Islamic government. Throughout the years following Ashura until the time of Imam Reza’s (peace be upon him) appointment as crown prince, this trend was so pronounced that the caliphs saw no option but to exert pressure, use imprisonment, and eliminate the infallible experts to save their rule.

The Era of the Occultation of the 250-Year-Old Human

With the martyrdom of Imam Hassan Askari (peace be upon him) in 260 AH and the beginning of Imam Mahdi’s (peace be upon him) Imamate, the era of his occultation also began, and the last divine reserve was hidden from the eyes of enemies for protection. During the period of Minor Occultation, which lasted 69 years, he maintained communication with the Shiites through his special deputies, addressing their problems and managing their affairs.

The Major Occultation began in 329 AH, primarily due to the lack of personal safety for the Imam and the immaturity of the Shiites in understanding the need for an infallible Imam. These two critical conditions must be met before his advent can occur, and achieving this understanding and maturity begins with correctly knowing oneself and the Imam.