Subject:
Professor: Ḥujjat-u l-Islām Mir Bāqiri
Looking forward to the Emergence is not a deed, besides other deeds! It is an attitude toward life. All aspects of the life of the one who looks forward to the Emergence are in accordance with the conditions of looking forward to the Emergence.
Their sleep, job, food, marriage, education, whatever they do, and the whole life of an individual who looks forward to the Emergence, is in the path of his Imām (mgehr). They are looking forward to His Majesty’s emergence; then, wherever they are in the world, whenever they are born at any time, they will act in accordance with His Excellency’s plan.
They are with their Imām (mgehr) and follow him in any conditions. He [Imām (mgehr)] is the asset that we must save. If we save him, we will attain all blessings, but if we are not with him, we will not gain any goodness.
If someone attempts to reach the Imām (mgehr), and stays with him, nothing will harm him. However, this is very difficult, because this is the essence of the test that the Almighty God takes from us.
Everyone desires to accompany the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), even the hypocrites who would claim to believe but truly did not have faith. Almighty God creates a crucible that separates the believers from the hypocrites.
In this crucible, the true believer remains steadfast and reveals their inner truth, while the hypocrite exposes their true self. This crucible is ongoing even now. This divine test is ongoing: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:155).
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ (155)
You are tested with fear, hunger, and the loss of wealth, lives, and the fruits of your labor. Somewhere along the way, you lose the fruits of your life—this is God’s trial. “But give good tidings to the patient.”
It’s not that the fruits of life are lost without reason—a challenge arises, and one must risk their wealth, their life, and even the fruits of their labor. If someone truly claims to support Amir al-Mu’minin (Imam Ali, peace be upon him), they must put these things at stake.
Although this verse may not specifically refer to a certain period, it was said to especially pertain to the time of the appearance of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance). During the period of occultation, Imam Mahdi stands firm with all his being, and we must stand behind him as well. Those who stand behind him emerge with their heads held high—everything may be lost, yet these individuals will be triumphant and successful.