Praying for Imam al-Mahdi

Praying for Imam Mahdi

An introduction

Human beings need to rely on a strong supporter to strengthen their will and relieve their discomfort. Prayer is one of the main keys to fulfilling this need and illuminating the light of hope in them. By praying, human beings become more attentive to their spiritual needs and more worthy of achieving Allah's grace. In fact, prayer is a symbol of worship, submission, and servitude. In addition, just as all forms of worship have a special divine effect in exalting the soul, prayer has its own effect as well. This is why Imam Sādiq states,

«إِنَّ عِنْدَ اللّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَنْزِلَةً لاتُنالُ إِلاّ بِمَسْأَلَة». ^[1]

"With Allah, there is a [spiritual] position that no one can reach without request (and praying)."

Psychiatrists have also found that prayer and worship, as well as having a strong faith in religion, alleviate the anxiety, worry, feverish excitement, and fear that cause more than half of people's discomfort.

Undoubtedly, the request in one's prayer should not be issued from the tongue only; rather, one's whole being needs to be involved. The tongue's role in this regard is to represent all the particles of human existence and translate its deep demands. In this way, through prayer, the heart and the soul become closer to Allah.

This point is described in one of Imam Ali's noble sayings as he states,

«لایَقْبَلُ اللّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ دُعاءَ قَلْب لَاه».^[2]

"Allah does not answer the prayer of man who is unwary (and his tongue speaks without vigilance and attention)."

In short, prayer is a kind of self-awareness and a tool for awakening one's heart and mind, as well as an esoteric connection with Allah, Who is the source of all goodness and grace.

Another fact about praying is that if someone prays for another, his prayer is more likely to be answered. Imam Bāqir says in a hadith,

«أَسْرَعُ الدُّعَاءِ نُجْحاً لِلْإِجَابَةِ دُعَاءُ الْأَخِ لِأَخِیهِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَیبِ يَبْدَأُ بِالدُّعَاءِ لِأَخِيهِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُ مَلَكٌ مُوَكَّلٌ بِهِ آمِينَ وَ لَكَ مِثْلَاهُ».^[3]

"The fastest prayer to be answered is the prayer of a [religious] brother for his brother in his absence. As soon as he starts praying for his brother, an angel assigned to him says, "Amen. May you receive twice as much!"

Undoubtedly, Imam Mahdi is the best example of someone who should be prayed for. If one realizes the importance of the Imam's advent and, with full awareness, asks Allah to hasten his appearance, his prayer will indeed have a special place. In Islamic culture, one of the characteristics of a waiting person is that he should constantly remember the Imam of the Age and pray for his health, his coming, and his success in what he decides to do. In this way, we can become subject to many merits that are promised to a true Muslim during the absence of the Imam. One of these merits is mentioned in Imam Ali's words as he states,

«الْمُنْتَظِرُ لِأمْرِنَا كَالْمُتَشَحِطِّ بِدَمِهِ فِى سَبيلِ اللَّهِ».^[4]

"The one who is waiting for our matter (the appearance of Imam Mahdi) is like the one who is covered with his blood in the way of Allah (in Islamic battlefield)."

It means that a true expectant does not merely expect; rather, he does things that are in line with this expectation, and heartfelt praying for the Imam is one of those things that one should do.

When we see such meaningful narrations, we are surprised and ask ourselves, "How can the reward of a waiting person be equal to the effort of a warrior who has shed his blood for the sake of Islam?!" But we must know that prayer helps man to be prepared and get away from neglectfulness. This readiness and attention give a special value to the prayer. If we interpret "expectation" as making other people prepared for the advent of the Imam, the expectation will be equivalent to jihad, or even gain a wider meaning. The scope of this jihad starts from within the waiting person, in that he firstly fights with his carnal and Satanic desires—which we call the greatest jihad—and, for the next step, when the man has amended himself, he will be able to reform his society; the exact thing that a warrior does to save his religious brothers, even if it ends in his martyrdom.

The benefits of praying for Imam Mahdi

Before discussing the benefits of praying for Imam Mahdi, we must point out that the Imam, as a divine man chosen by Allah, does not need our prayers. However, because there are many advantages in praying for him, we are advised to do so. In the following, we refer to some of the benefits of praying for the Imam,

1- Being passionate about the Imam

Our prayer demonstrates our love and affection for Imam Mahdi and proves that we are not neglectful of him. Although loving Imam Mahdi and all the Infallibles is a part of our faith and a condition for our good deeds to be accepted by Allah, at the same time praying for the Imam of the Age increases this love in our hearts, strengthens our faith, and removes the obstacles in our material and spiritual affairs. The Imam himself has inspired us to pray for him by saying,

«أَكثِروا الدُّعاءَ بِتَعجِيل الفَرَجِ فَاِنَّ ذلِكَ فَرَجُكُم».^[5]

"Pray a lot for the appearance to take place sooner since indeed it leads to your relief."

2. Renewing the covenant with the Imam

Prayer is regarded as renewing a covenant with the Imam, and the content of the covenant is religiosity—focusing on acting in accordance with the codes of our Sharia, a heartfelt decision to obey the command of the Imam, and assisting him with our lives and property. Renewing allegiance to the Imam is so important that it is recommended to be done after each of the five obligatory prayers, either every day or at least every Friday. It is also very useful and effective to recite the supplications related to the Imam every day after the morning prayer. These supplications are regarded as Ta'qībāt (pursuits following the Morning Prayer).

3. Enlivening the remembrance of the Imam

Certainly, praying or reciting these supplications and seeking recourse to the Infallibles during the absence of the Imam is better than praying at the time of the Imam's advent. This prayer keeps the remembrance of the absent Imam alive in the hearts of the waiting people and helps them not to become neglectful of him. Remembering the Imam revives the values of the religion and moral principles in the hearts, whereas neglecting him is one of the main factors in the decrease of divine and human values in Islamic societies. Continually praying for the Imam during his disappearance is a kind of clinging to the divine rope of Allah, which in turn leads to the completion of faith.

4. Creating harmony between our deeds and the wishes of the imam

A person who is mindful of the worries of his Imam certainly does not allow himself to annoy him by committing sins or acting contrary to the Imam's will. As a result, praying leads man to gain the satisfaction of the Imam, which is inseparable from receiving the pleasure of Allah.

5. Causing the Imam to pray for the prayer

Another benefit of praying is that, in return, the Imam will also pray for the one who prays. The Imam, who is the best example of Allah's vast mercy, never remains inattentive to those who show their love and interest in him. In addition, if the Imam prays for someone, his prayer will certainly be answered by Allah. The benefit of the Imam's prayer for man will appear in man's material and spiritual life, both in this world and on the Day of Resurrection.

6. Hastening to the Advent of the Imam

One of the most important examples of praying for the Imam is to ask Allah to hasten his advent. According to the narrations, it seems that the time of the Imam's advent is not fixed and may change. It is highly probable that the time of the appearance is conditioned by the seriousness and diligence of the Imam's followers and their readiness, and that a solemn prayer made with full attention and purposefulness may have a great effect in shortening the time of the Imam's appearance.

7. Having impact on the Imam's health

The last point is that, although according to the divine promise the Imam will remain alive until he raises the banner of monotheism and justice throughout the whole world, he is a human being like others and it is natural that he is exposed to physical problems, natural unpleasant events, and diseases, and suffers from many kinds of worries. Our prayers for his health are undoubtedly effective. For this reason, we are recommended to pray for him by reciting the following supplication.,

«اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِيِّكَ الْفَرَجَ‏ وَ الْعَافِيَةَ وَ النَّصْرَ».^[6]

"O Allah! Send you blessing to Muhammad and the household of Muhammad and hasten for your Agent relief, health, and assistance."

Regarding the benefits of praying for the Imam, there is a book called Mikyāl al-Makārim written by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Taqī Mūsavī Isfahānī (1348 AH / 1964 AD), which is one of the valuable Shiite books. In this book, the author sufficiently expresses the impressive results of praying for the Imam and elaborates on many related issues. He also relates many narrations and points to many reasons.

In a segment of this book we read,

"Those aspects and characteristics of the Imam that lead us to pray for him are matters that, if one of them is found in someone, it requires us to pray for him according to the intellect or the law of religion or at least in agreement with human nature (that even exists in animals that pay attention to their species), while all those matters are gathered in the holy existence of the Imam."^[7]

Some famous prayers for Imam Mahdi

Although some of the authentic Islamic Mahdavi prayers are recommended to be recited at certain special times or places, certainly, whenever anyone remembers the Imam and feels a heartfelt connection with him, he can recite the sentences included in these prayers.

These prayers, which have been received in the form of supplications, can be recited whenever someone wishes to speak devotionally to his Imam, to be spiritually connected to him, to renew his allegiance to him, to ask Allah to hasten the Imam's appearance, and to seek distance for the Imam from any sort of hardship.

Here are some of the famous prayers that enjoy greater emphasis on being recited:

1- The Prayer of 'Ahd (the Covenant).

This prayer is narrated from Imam Sādiq and involves renewing allegiance to Imam Mahdi. It is one of the prayers that is greatly emphasized to be recited during the time of the Imam's absence. It is said that whoever recites this prayer for forty mornings will be one of the helpers of the Imam. This prayer includes a special greeting to the Imam from the reciter, as well as on behalf of all believing men and women in the East and the West of the world—those on the land or on the sea—and from all parents on behalf of their children. Then the reciter renews the covenant and allegiance with the Imam and declares the permanence of this covenant until the Day of Judgment.

In a segment of this prayer, the reciter asks Allah to hasten the appearance of the Imam by saying,

«... اللَّهُمَّ أَرِنِی الطَّلْعَةَ الرَّشِیدَةَ وَ الْغُرَّةَ الْحَمِیدَةَ وَ اکْحُلْ نَاظِرِی بِنَظْرَةٍ مِنِّی إِلَیْهِ وَ عَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُ وَ سَهِّلْ مَخْرَجَهُ...».^[8]

"… O Allah! Show me the face of that perfect man who is full of light and is praised, enlighten my eyes by my looking at him, make his appearance soon, and make his coming easy (and effortless) …"

2- A supplication to be recited after each obligatory prayer,

«... اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آل مُحَمَّدٍ اللَّهُمَّ إنَّ رَسُولَكَ الصّادِقَ المُصَدَّقَ صَلَواتُكَ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ قالَ: إِنَّكَ قُلْتَ: ما تَرَدَّدْتُ في شَيٍ أنا فاعِلُهُ كَتَردُّدي في قَبْضِ روحِ عَبْديَ المؤمِنِ يَكْرَهُ المَوْتَ وَ أكْرَهُ مُسائَتَهُ اللَّهُمَّ فصَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آل مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَليّكَ الفَرَجَ و العافِيةَ وَ النَصْرَ وَ لاتَسؤْني في نَفْسي وَ لا في أحَدٍ من أحِبَّتي».^[9]

"… O Allah! Send blessing to Muhammad and the household of Muhammad. O Allah! Indeed, Your messenger who is truthful and approved (by You) to whom and his household be sent Your blessings, said that You have stated, ' I do not doubt in anything I do, such as My doubt in taking the soul of My believing servant, since he is reluctant to die and I do not like to upset him. (but he has to die and I will satisfy him)' O Allah! Send blessing to Muhammad and the household of Muhammad and hasten to the appearance, good health, and assistance of Your agent (Imam Mahdi) and do not give badness to me nor to my friends."

3- In dawn, after the morning prayer,

One is recommended to pray for the Imam. It is narrated to say after the Morning Prayer one hundred times before saying anything,

«يا ربِّ صَلِّ عَلي مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّل فَرَجَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَعتِق رَقَبَتي مِنَ النّارِ».^[10]

"O my Lord! Send blessing to Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and hasten to the relief of the household of Muhammad (by letting the time of Advent take place soon) and save me from the fire of the Hell."

4- One should recite when he is performing Qunūt in his daily prayer,

«... أللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ فَقْدَ نَبِيِّنَا وَ غَيْبَةَ إِمَامِنَا وَ قِلَّةَ عَدَدِنَا وَ كَثْرَةَ أَعْدَائِنَا وَ تَظَاهُرَ الْأَعْدَاءِ عَلَيْنَا وَ وُقُوعَ الْفِتَنِ بِنَا فَفَرِّجْ ذَلِكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِعَدْلٍ تُظْهِرُهُ وَ إِمَامِ حَقٍّ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلَهَ الْحَقِّ آمِينَ رَبَّ العَالَمين».^[11]

"… O Allah! Indeed, we complain to you about the absence of our Prophet, the absence of our Imam, the low number of our (believing) people, the abundance of our adversaries, their joining hands against us, and rising of misgiving among us. So, O Allah! Give us relief about these with justice You will reveal and by the true Imam that we know. "Amen O the Master of all people."

5- A supplication that is advised to be recited at the night before Friday,

«اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُمْ وَ أَهْلِكْ عَدُوَّهُمْ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَ الْآخِرِينَ».^[12]

"O Allah! Send blessing to Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and hasten to their relief and destroy all their enemies of Jinn and human beings, those of the first generation and those of the later."

Source: The Final Hope; October 2021, Issue no. 7