Shafaqna English- Belief in the advent of a universal savior and reformer is a matter rooted in human nature, reason, and religion, and is regarded as one of the shared ideals of most of the world’s religions and denominations.
According to Shafaqna, the belief in the promised savior of Muslims, the Awaited Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance)—the one who will rise with a universal mission and come to save humanity—has also found expression in poetry. Accordingly, Mahdawiyyāt, regarded as one of the themes of Shia poetry, has permeated a vast expanse of Shia literature across different periods.
Contemporary poets from various parts of the world, too, have expressed in their poetry their sincere devotion to the presence of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), composing poems about him across a wide range of themes and subjects.
Belief in the Promised Mahdi (AJ) in the Mirror of Arabic Poetry before the Contemporary Period
The belief in the promised savior has also found expression in poetry—the true mirror of the thoughts and ideas of nations. Accordingly, Mahdawiyyāt is among the themes of Shia poetry.
The term Mahdawiyyāt refers to a collection of odes and poetic fragments that address the belief in the Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) and call upon him to rise.
References to the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) and his advent in the poetry of poets date back to many years before his birth.
Kumayt ibn Zayd al-Asadi, in poems he composed in the presence of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (AS) and in mourning for the martyrs of Karbala, explicitly foretells the advent of the Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) and the establishment of his state of truth:
“When will truth rise among you? When?
Your second Mahdi shall arise.”
Likewise, Du‘bal al-Khuza‘i, in his celebrated Ta’iyya—which he composed in elegy for the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) of purity and sanctity—foretells the emergence of an Imam who will rule according to justice:
“The emergence of an Imam is inevitable; he shall rise,
in the name of God and with His blessings.
He shall distinguish among us every truth from falsehood,
and shall requite both blessings and afflictions.”
Baha’ al-Din al-Irbili—one of the unparalleled geniuses and scholars of the Islamic world—also cited numerous poems in praise of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) in his invaluable work Kashf al-Ghummah.
In one of his odes in praise of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance), he writes:
“He is the true Imam, whose light shines forth,
Like the sun, whether in the depths or upon the heights.
The Awaited One, present and existent,
Nobly descended through both father and grandfather.
The one who spreads justice, when
The days and the people have strayed from the right path.
The one who grants justice to the oppressed against the oppressor,
The hoped-for refuge—and the Mahdi.”
Contemporary Poetry on the Birth of Imam al-Mahdi (AJ)
On the night of Friday, the fifteenth of Sha‘ban in the year 255 AH, the world was illumined by the birth of a child who today represents humanity’s greatest hope and aspiration—particularly for the oppressed and suffering peoples of the world.
The celebration of the birth of the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) is the greatest source of joy for Shia Muslims: a celebration of the revival of hopes and aspirations, and of readiness to take part in a great and humanitarian movement.
This day, one of the most auspicious Islamic festivals, has always been held in high esteem. On this occasion, people, while holding various celebrations, renew their covenant with the Imam of their Age.
Poets devoted to the Imam of the Age (may God hasten his reappearance) have likewise not overlooked this great feast and have composed poetry on the occasion.
Sayyid Rida al-Hindi, a contemporary poet, likens the birth of the Imam to a guiding light through which guidance shines forth, and describes it as a river for those who thirst for justice:
“His birth is a light through which guidance shines,
And for those who thirst for justice, his birth is said to be a river.”
Sayyid Haydar al-Hilli, one of the great Iraqi poets, who happened to be born on the very day of the birth of Imam al-Mahdi (AJ), praised the Imam of the Age in five odes comprising a total of 164 verses. In these odes, he first addresses the exalted status of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) and Imam al-Mahdi (AJ), as well as their rank and dignity from the time of creation, portraying them as the reason for the creation of existence.
He then turns to the birth of Imam al-Mahdi (AJ) from the lineage of this noble family and, by referring to his birth, recalls the continued presence of leaders who, by God’s command, assume authority over the Islamic state:
“Rejoice! For the birth of the Master of the Cause has come;
I offer you the finest tidings of gladness.
And with his blessed countenance appearing,
The full moon seems to rise alive upon your face.”
Elsewhere, Haydar al-Hilli portrays the Imam’s (AJ) birth as a new beginning and a source of light for the world of existence. After the bitterness and darkness that had enveloped it, the world is once again embraced by light, joy, and youth:
“That blessed night rejoiced at his birth,
And dawn unveiled the veil that concealed its joy.
And with his birth, the world blossomed at daybreak,
As the hands of joy embroidered its robes with delight.
It returned, fresh and radiant, to the age of youth,
After the passing years had folded away its youthful bloom.”
Shahriar, the renowned Iranian poet, has also composed many verses in praise of the Imam of the Age (AJ). In an independent ode entitled “The Birth of Mid-Sha’ban,” he likens the Imam’s (AJ) birth to a vast and magnificent sea, accompanied by Noah’s Ark and his great Flood:
“What a mighty sea is the glorious birth of Mid-Sha’ban,
With Noah’s Ark beside it, and the tempest’s swirling vortex.
Where is the birth of Mahdi like the eruption of the sun’s blazing furnace—
On one side, all radiant light, and on the other, all consuming flames?”
The Occultation of the Imam of the Age (AJ)
With the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), the period of the Imamate of the Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his reappearance) began. Some believe that the period of the Minor Occultation also began at this very time—that is, in the year 260 AH. Others, however, maintain that the beginning of the Minor Occultation dates back to the time of his birth, in the year 255 AH.
The period of the Minor Occultation continued until the year 329 AH, after which another phase in the life of the Imam of the Age (may Allah hasten his reappearance) began, which we refer to as the Major Occultation.
Husayn al-Akraf, in a poem, refers to the issue of the Minor Occultation and states that communication with the Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) during this period took place through the Four Special Deputies:
“You entered the Minor Occultation,
And separation was utterly devastating.
You had appointed deputies,
Who received from you their share of grace.”
In the following verses, Haydar al-Hilli speaks of the Imam’s occultation and of the abode of his occultation, regarding it as a place upon which God’s mercy descends:
“It is the abode of his occultation, so greet its noble tents,
And kiss its soil with the very lashes of your eyes.
It gives itself generously to those who visit it; were the veil to be lifted,
You would see the angels of heaven serving as its attendants.
And if the radiant stars possessed command over themselves,
They would forever descend to kiss its threshold.”
Awaiting the Imam of the Age (AJ)
From a lexical perspective, intizar (awaiting) means to wait expectantly, to look forward to something, and to possess a kind of hope for the future.
In Shia beliefs, awaiting is a hope for a promising and blissful future in which, under the leadership of a noble Imam, the world will be freed from corruption and misery and will set forth upon the path of goodness and righteousness, comfort and security.
Contemporary poets, too, by recounting their pains, difficulties, and afflictions, speak of their longing for a helping hand to reach them from the unseen and await the establishment of a government founded upon truth and justice.
Hashim al-Sahlani addresses Imam al-Mahdi (AJ) as the awaited hope and aspiration, likening him to a sun that knows neither setting nor decline:
“O Mahdi, O awaited hope,
O sun untouched by setting.
We remain true to our covenant, and in our waiting,
A beautiful hope guides our steps.”
Husayn al-Akraf, too, speaks of his continual suffering, grief, and sorrow during the period of occultation, and recites:
“It is painful for us to see creation while you remain unseen.
When will you see us…? When will you see us…? When will we see you?
A longing that never leaves us… and a sorrow that never forgets us.”
Sayyid Rida al-Hindi, too, in the opening verses of his ode entitled “Imam al-Mahdi,” speaks of his hope and aspiration on the path toward union—a hope that the passage of time does not cause to despair.
The poet regards the Imam as present everywhere and—as mentioned earlier—describes him as the sun behind the clouds. He speaks of the lengthening of the time of separation and occultation and laments that he has been deprived of beholding his moon-like countenance.
Yet, in the fifth verse, he states that had there not been the hope of the promised day, patience and endurance would have been impossible for him:
“The time of separation has grown long, and its night has stretched on,
And my eyes have not beheld your countenance, O full moon.
And had you not consoled me with the promise of your return,
My heart could never have grown accustomed to patience in your absence.”
Source: Elmnet, Ayandehroshan