Shafaqna English- Waiting for Imam Al-Mahdi (AJ): Resistance, Not Submission – An Essay by the Late Allamah Muhammad-Reza Hakimi (Part 5).
Preserving hope for the return of Imam Mahdi (AJ), the promised savior, is central to Shia Islam. While the concept of a messianic figure resonates across Abrahamic faiths, and firmly finds traditional and rational bases inside the shared heritage of all Muslim schools, the Shia understanding of this anticipation is unique. What distinguishes the Shia Islam perspective?
How does Shia Islam identity shape the way believers awaiting the Imam’s (AJ) return? In his book The Sun of the Occident, the renowned Scholar Allamah Muhammad-Reza Hakimi argues that this expectation is not a passive resignation, but rather a call to active resistance. The following excerpt, translated by Shafaqna, illuminates Hakimi’s view on the inherent link between waiting for the Mahdi (AJ) and the imperative to resist injustice.
Resistance as an Obligation
We now turn to understanding the dimensions of resistance as a religious obligation. To perpetually maintain this crucial foundation and keep this life-giving flame burning, we must carefully consider several key issues and address them responsibly. We must clearly discern the paths, groundwork, dimensions, and factors of resistance, and thoroughly understand available resources, enabling us to uphold our duty everywhere.
Thus, the reality of our community will consistently be characterized by resistance and steadfastness, not submission and degradation. The Noble Qur’an defines the reality of the believing community striving for success with four characteristics:
یا ایها الذین آمنوا، اصبروا، وصابروا، ورابطوا، واتقوا الله، لعلکم تفلحون.
O’ you who have faith! Persevere, endure steadfastly, be vigilant, and be mindful of God, so that you may prosper.
- Iṣbirū: Be patient and persevere.
- Sābirū: Remain steadfast and combat desires and weaknesses.
- Rābiṭū: Stay vigilant and maintain preparedness.
- Wattaqū Allāh: Be conscious of God.
The key to the enduring success and triumph of the believing community lies in these four vital directives.
This blessed Verse comprehensively illustrates the reality of resistance in its aspects of self-refinement, community development, epic struggle, and God-consciousness. The outcome is Laʿallakum Tufliḥūn—that you may achieve prosperity, that you may succeed.[1]
To further enhance our understanding of resistance, we’ll briefly touch upon a few essential dimensions:
- Dimension of Religiosity
The first dimension of resistance is religiosity. This means each person should strive to preserve their faith—both in belief and practice—and fortify their creedal foundations through thoughtful reflection, the acquisition of beneficial knowledge, accurate understanding, and essential lessons. They must also perform the required obligations of their religion, thus maintaining their status as true believers and presenting themselves in society as devout and committed individuals. To achieve this, they must work to cultivate and strengthen their faith-based convictions while simultaneously purifying their hearts, inner selves, and developing God-consciousness – encompassing both faith and action.
- Dimension of Religious Education
The second dimension involves teaching the religion—its core principles and obligations—to others and preserving the faith within the community. Committed Muslims must actively strive to safeguard and propagate the religion, ensuring its continuation, transmission, and clear understanding among their children, relatives, individuals, and various communities. They must remain steadfast in these prophetic endeavors, thereby perpetually protecting the core of collective resistance and the centrality of religious authority.
- Cultural Dimension
The third dimension focuses on safeguarding and preserving the religious culture within individuals and society as a whole. It is essential to employ all available means to ensure that the Islamic culture, particularly Shia Islam traditions remain vibrant and actively shape societal values. Here, ‘culture’ encompasses both tangible, traditional expressions and intangible mental and intellectual concepts.
- Worldview Dimension
The fourth dimension centers on the continual renewal and active presence of the religious worldview within society. The religious intellectual framework must consistently be present and influential in the sphere of social thought as a robust and well-supported system. This dimension presents a profound and demanding duty. Individuals must be continually trained to be knowledgeable about all schools of thought and ideological foundations so that they may clarify emerging issues.
In every context and in response to new ideas, discoveries, or theories, they must demonstrate the resilience of religious and doctrinal truths, champion the veracity of religious thought, and support its presence, impact, and active role. The illumination and renewal of theology and doctrines represent a crucial stage within this dimension.
Imam Ṣadiq’s (AS) emphasis on the importance of religious and theological debate, the development of expertise in this area, and the active participation of experts in this critical endeavor should serve as a guiding principle for all, especially religious seminaries. These institutions must cultivate scholars who are not only knowledgeable and capable of effective communication, but also eloquent, articulate, clear-thinking, compassionate, and amiable.
By doing so, they can protect impressionable youth from the influence of harmful intellectual trends and doctrinal deviations. These scholars must also be adept at understanding and interacting with young people.
- Economic Dimension
The fifth dimension involves preserving financial strength and the economic resources of the Muslim community. Sustaining and expanding any movement, revolution, or reform requires financial resources. Moreover, both society as a whole and individuals within it often require financial assistance. All the dimensions discussed—and those to be discussed—entail financial considerations.
Therefore, preserving and increasing beneficial public wealth within the faith community is a fundamental duty. Financial capacity and strength are themselves an aspect of resistance. The Noble Quran identifies wealth as a source of stability and steadfastness. Protecting and propagating the religion, its culture, and its various aspects requires financial and economic power. The religious community must strive for prosperity and financial security through lawful means—whether through agriculture, industry, or other legitimate endeavors—to utilize these resources when necessary for the advancement of God’s religion and noble human ideals.
- Political Dimension
The sixth dimension centers on political engagement and resistance. Disengagement from political activity and the loss of positions of social leadership inevitably lead to a gradual erosion of all forms of power. This can ultimately result in an inability to even practice one’s faith on a personal level. For example, one might become unable to 1) raise their children according to religious values, 2) avoid consuming goods from countries hostile to Islam and virtue, or 3) protect their family’s honor, among other things.
If religious communities lose their socio-political influence, their other forms of presence—economic, traditional, cultural, practical, and so forth—will be corrupted, emptied of meaning, and ultimately lost. The Quranic duty of resistance and steadfastness, particularly as expressed in the command Rabiṭu (maintain ties), cannot be fulfilled or achieve its intended purpose without active socio-political engagement.
- Organizational Dimension
The eighth dimension of resistance is organization and the establishment of effective structures. Any activity, whether it be the propagation of faith, political engagement, or social action, is truly effective only when supported by sound organization and a strong, cohesive structure. Without such organization, efforts are squandered, struggles fall short of their primary goals, positions are not maintained, defenses crumble, and gains are lost.
If the deep faith and remarkable selflessness present within religious communities were channeled through a powerful organizational framework and robust system, and strategically directed, imagine the transformative potential for societal reform and the widespread cultivation of goodness and virtue.
In essence, the religious community must embrace organizational structure. The faithful should abandon factionalism and the inefficient practice of working in separate groups, thus wasting valuable resources.
- Artistic Dimension
The ninth dimension of resistance is the artistic dimension and its power of suggestion and dissemination. This dimension deserves strong emphasis. Religious and faith-based communities must not underestimate the profound impact and persuasive power of art and artistic expression. The artistic dimension is a highly effective element of resistance and must be continuously nurtured and activated. Attention to artistic and aesthetic matters should be considered a serious religious obligation. Effective communication relies heavily upon this dimension.
The Noble Quran itself is rich in artistic elements and principles of beauty. The Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) and the Immaculate Imams consistently recognized the importance of these matters and encouraged others to do the same. They consistently valued and promoted committed poetry—poetry aligned with the path of resistance—even endorsing and promoting its recitation and appreciation during the Hajj pilgrimage, in Mina and Arafat.
- Dimension of Constructive Engagement with the Contemporary World
The tenth dimension of resistance discussed here is the dimension of constructive engagement with contemporary times. Temporal characteristics, within the context of human societies, represent a constantly evolving reality. Each era and generation possess distinct features and give rise to new developments. Not all innovations that emerge in each era are inherently negative or worthy of rejection.
If new ideas and practices seek to undermine established traditions and authentic values, they should undoubtedly be rejected. However, innovations are not always destructive. Numerous new possibilities, issues, and approaches can contribute to sacred objectives and divinely inspired resistance. Therefore, within the framework of obligatory resistance, we must consistently consider the present time, its dynamic nature, and its significance. Religious traditions and the teachings of the Imams (AS) emphasize raising children according to ‘new practices’—innovations that align with the nature of the times and do not conflict with fundamental principles.
Such innovations should be recognized and carefully considered. Therefore, it is essential to engage constructively with the present time and appreciate its specific characteristics while upholding core principles in a positive and balanced manner.
This discussion of the ten dimensions has been intentionally brief. A separate treatise is necessary to fully elucidate each dimension, demonstrate its connection to religious duty based on the Qur’ān and Sunnah, and provide the relevant verses and hadiths (omitted here for the sake of brevity). It is hoped that these points will prove beneficial and that, through the blessings of God’s caliph on earth, Imam Al-Mahdi (may God hasten his noble reappearance), whose blessed name graces this treatise dedicated to that divinely guided leader and great global reformer, this work will yield positive results.
Note:
[1] Translation of Ṭabarī’s Tafsīr, Vol. 1, P. 268.