Iran Press/ Iran News: 9th of Rabi ul Awwal in the Islamic calendar marks the auspicious day of the coronation of the last infallible descendant of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Imam Mahdi Montadhar, Hojjah (AS).
Shia Muslims celebrate the 9th of Rabi ul Awwal as Eid for the beginning of the Imamat of the incumbent infallible Imam from Ahl al Bayt (AS).
Imamat of Imam Mahdi began formally soon after his father Imam Hassan Askari was martyred on 8th Rabi ul Awwal.
The belief in Mahdi was widespread during the time of the Prophet. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) on more than one occasion announced the coming of Imam Mahdi in the future. From time to time he would inform the people about the government of Mahdi and the signs of his emergence, giving his name and patronymic (kunya).
There are numerous traditions from both the Sunni and the Shi'a sources on this subject.
Shia believes that Imam Mahdi is the promised savior and will appear to the people alongside Prophet Jesus (AS) to restore justice and equity on earth to establish the divine kingdom of God full of peace, just, knowledge and tact.
Shia believes that the time of reappearance of Imam Mahdi would be a time of science and knowledge and many secrets of the worlds will be discovered.
There are many hadiths transmitted from the Imams (AS) about Imam al-Mahdi (AS), his life, his Occultation, and his government, and many collections of such hadiths have been written. In addition to hadith collections, many works have been published about Imam al-Mahdi (a).
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq, the sixth Shia Imam, about the level of science at the time of Imam Mahdi reappearance, said: “Knowledge is divided into 27 parts. Whatever is revealed to the prophets and the people have learned is only two parts out of 27 parts. When our Qa’im rises, he will reveal the remaining 25 parts and teaches them to the people. These 25 parts plus what the prophets have revealed equal the 27 parts of knowledge. [Bihar al-Anwar]
Shias in all their prayers ask god that the occultation of the twelfth Imam, Imam Mahdi, will end as soon as possible and sets the world free from oppression.
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