Is Imam Mahdi hiding in the Sardāb (cellar) now? After five years of living under the care and supervision of his honorable father (Imam Ḥasan al-ˈAskari) and precious mother (Lady Narjis) and following his father’s martyrdom on the 8th of Rabī' al-Awwal in 260 A.H. (5th January 874 A.D.), Imam Mahdi reached the position of Imamate at the age of five just as Prophet Jesus and Prophet John attained the …

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Did Imam Ḥasan al-ʿAskari pass away without fathering any children? We have already established, based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, that there must be an Imam in every time. We have established, based upon the Sunni hadeeth literature, that there will be twelve such Imams (as) after the death of the Holy Prophet (s), and that the final Imam will be Imam al-Mahdi (as). As such, the question about whether …

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Will Imam Mahdi establish a complete new religion? Lecture delivered by Mowlana Syed Aftab Haider on 21 May 2016 for the birth anniversary of the Saviour of Humanity – Imam Mahdi (a.s) at the Ahlul Bait (a.s) Islamic Centre, Ottery, Cape Town You have often heard claims that the Shia believe that Imam Mahdi (a.s) will establish a completely new religion which is different to Islam and that this claim …

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Will Imam Mahdi bring new Quran, Sunnah, and religion? Narratives have been quoted by Shia imams that say that Hadrat “Mahdi” [AS] will appear with new book, Sunnah and religion and because of their enmity towards Shia, some of Wahhabis begin spreading doubt that Shias’ Mahdi will bring new book, tradition against Prophet [PBUH]’s Quran and Sunnah and will mislead people by his book. We mention to some of these …

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Is love for Ahlul-Bayt enough for salvation? In Muharram, we grieve upon hearing the narration of the epic tragedy of Imam Hussain (p) and, as a result, increase in love for him, his grandfather, and the values for which the third Imam (p) fought.  The goal for us is to develop the kind of love that is manifested in our actions. The Holy Quran calls to a love that is …

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What is the link between the observance of Arbaeen and the anticipation of the Imam Mahdi’s advent? In fact, the Arbaeen, the world’s largest pilgrimages, promotes the culture of awaiting Imam Mahdi and lays the groundwork for the Imam’s appearance. Arbaeen walk in modern history has gone beyond a Shiite ritual, and every year it draws people from different faiths, languages, and ethnicities. The presence of Sunni Muslims and Christians …

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What valuable lessons can we learn from the Arbaʿeen march?   Arbaeen is the epitome of a life endowed with liberty, dignity, and defiance against oppression and tyranny. Imam Hussein is indeed the liberator of humanity from all mundane concerns, whose shining path teaches sacrifice and altruism, particularly in today’s world, which is embroiled in wars and atrocities. Every year, during the Arbaeen, millions of Muslims step into the scorched …

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  Is Arbaʿīn walk to Karbalā an innovation? This is not the first time or the first person who has attempted to extinguish the ‘Light of God’: “They wish to extinguish God’s Light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected.” (Chapter 9, Ayah 32) Although one of my colleagues has answered the above misgiving in a very academic manner, I will Inshallah …

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10 Questions You Might Ask about Arbaeen Every year on the 20th of Safar, the second month in Hijri Calendar, a huge number of people from all over the world, Muslim or even non-Muslim, gather in Iraq to take part in a symbolic walk. People of Iraq for months before this day, eagerly prepare themselves to welcome the visitor of Imam Hussain’s (AS) shrine. They find it a great honor …

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 What is the Philosophy behind the Arbaʿīn Walk? The Arbaeen pilgrimage is not merely a long walk. Instead, it is a kind of movement in which despite being in publics, pilgrims have their own private relationship with Allah and Imam Hussain (AS), which finds a new form of divine immaterial dependence and conformance. Thinking about the goals and the history behind the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS), the injustice and cruelty …

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