Advanced search
Visit
7873
Last Updated: 2010/11/22
Summary of question
Where does the Imam of Time (atf) live during the occultation?
question
Where does the Imam of Time (atf) live during the occultation?
Concise answer

There are three categories of reports in regards to the domicile of the Imam of Time (atf): The first category of reports does not introduce a special residence for the Imam. Although some of the narrations in this category consider the deserts and mountains as his residence, on the whole, according to the first category of reports the Imam's residence is not fixed. The second category of reports says that the Imam lives invisibly among the people. The third category of reports makes mention of specific places such as Medina or Mount Razawi in Medina or Mecca or Dhi Tuwa near Mecca.

It should be stated that the reports in this regard are not contradicting each other because the Imam lives in a regular and normal way. There is no objection whatsoever to the Imam (atf) living sometimes in Medina or Mecca and other times in mountains and on deserts, thus distancing himself from the public whenever necessary.

Detailed Answer

We have three distinct categories of reports in this regard each apparently disagreeing with the other:

A) Some of the reports do not establish a fixed residence for the Imam. According to some of the same category of reports, he is living in mountains and on deserts. One of those reports is the narration of Ibn-e Mahzyar quoted by Shaykh Tusi in his Al-Ghaybah.[1]

B) A second category of reports establish a fixed residence for the Imam (atf). Here are two examples of such reports:

1. Medina and its surroundings or Mount Razawi which is in the suburb of Medina:[2] In this regard, Allamah Shushtari says as such: “It has been stated in reliable texts that Mount Razawi is the residence of the Imam during the minor and major occultation. What Kisaniyah (name of a sect) believes about Muhammad bin Hanafiyah living in Mount Razawi does not actually negate the presence of Mahdi (atf) on this Mountain because Kisaniyah has applied the Holy Prophet’s mutawatir traditions about Mahdi (ajt) to Muhammad bin Hanafiyah. In fact, every misgiving or distraction stems from a truth that has been misused or misinterpreted.”[3]

2. Mecca and its surroundings: It is inferred from some reports that the Imam lives at a place called “Dhi Tuwa” which is located near Mecca. He will rise up from there along with his friends and companions.[4]

C) The third category of reports does not mention any specific places as the Imam’s domicile. According to these narrations, the Imam (atf) lives invisibly among the people and he associates with them.[5]

Now that we have briefly studied these three categories of narrations, we can easily come to the conclusion that there is no contradiction or inconsistency between the reports because the prime principle is that the Imam (atf) is living an ordinary life so as not to cause sensitivity, and this kind of life is also easier for the Imam to live. Indeed, there is no objection whatsoever to the Imam (atf) living sometimes in Medina or Mecca and other times in mountains and on deserts, thus distancing himself from the public whenever necessary.[6]



[1] - Shaykh Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, pg.266 quoted from Chashm be Rah Mahdi, pg.348.

[2] - Shaykh Tusi, Al-Ghaybah, Basirati Library Publications, pg.102 and 103; Behar al-Anwar, vol.52, pg.153; Usul-e Kafi, vol.1,pg.340.

[3] - A Collection of Articles and Discourses on Mahdi (atf), pg.64.

[4] - Nu’mani, Al-Ghaybah, pg.182, quoted from Chashm be Rah Mahdi, pg.350

[5] - Nu’mani, Al-Ghaybah, pg. 164. It is understood from this report that the Imam’s occultation is nominal or titular.

[6] - Vide: Chashm be Rah Mahdi, pg. 347-351.

Question translations in other languages
Comments
Number of comments 0
Please enter the value
Example : Yourname@YourDomane.ext
Please enter the value
Please enter the value

Thematic Category

Random questions

  • Does committing some sins like suicide automatically entail entering Hell?
    7539 Theoretical 2010/09/04
    Some sins, due to their quality, leave no opportunity to repent and will lead their committers to the irreversible path of Hell, the same way falling from heights without employing a parachute or landing equipment will lead to the disintegration of the body or the same way falling ...
  • What are the conditions of divorce?
    9254 Laws and Jurisprudence 2012/01/11
    If you were interested in living with your husband, you should have made every effort to save the marriage. In fact, you could have done something to draw your in-laws' attention and make your husband love you. If you think you made every necessary effort, you should never think that ...
  • Whose saying is this: "Death is sweater to me than honey."
    7973 تاريخ کلام 2011/01/10
    This saying is widely ascribed to Qasim son of Imam Hasan Mujtaba (a.s.). It is said that when his beloved uncle, Imam Hussein (a.s.) asked him "My child, my nephew, tell me, how do you regard death and what do you think about getting killed?" He promptly answered: ...
  • What is Islam's viewpoint regarding reincarnation?
    14897 Traditional 2010/01/21
    A few centuries back in India a theory known as "reincarnation" was developed concerning the consecutive return of souls to this world after death. During the ages this theory was gradually taken into serious consideration by people all around the world and even became, for some, a part ...
  • Please explain the features the Quran mentions for an Imam.
    10893 Traditional 2012/01/17
    There are two types of Imamate (leadership of a society) mentioned in the Quran; First: “The Imams of light” who are the pious and righteous leaders and second: “The Imams of fire” who are the heads of Kufr (disbelief) and deviation. Many features have been mentioned ...
  • Was Hazrat Adam (P.B.U.H.) Black?
    35391 Exegesis 2006/11/25
                There are several interpretations in the Quran on the creation of man, which show that the creation of man had several stages, which were as follows:[1]  
  • Who was Salah al-Din Ayyubi? How did he become the champion of the wars against crusaders? What was his origin? Why and how did he destroy the Fatimid government?
    15602 تاريخ بزرگان 2015/08/04
    Salah al-Din Yusuf bin Ayyub who later became known as Salah al-Din Ayyubi, better known in the Western world as Saladin, is one of the most famous Muslim rulers and commanders in the Islamic middle centuries (or in the 12th century of the English calendar). He achieved ...
  • where did secularism or the belief in the separation of religious and civil affairs emerge from?
    7848 Modern 2008/11/19
    During the renascence Christian believers came to the realization that their religion, with all the shortcomings it had, could not meet the modern social and political needs; therefore, secularism took shape.Secularism can be considered as the legitimate child of western civilization since Christianity, having gotten distracted and intermingled with ...
  • What is sex change?
    8421 Laws and Jurisprudence 2012/08/23
    Although dictionaries do not provide a definition for "sex change", it means any change and transformation in a male, female or genderless in such a way that the current state is different from the previous one. Medically speaking, sex change is different from "genetic modification" ...
  • What kind of a book is "Mikyalul Makarim"?
    6926 شخصیت های شیعی 2014/01/20
    The book "Mikyalul Makarim fi Fawaed al-Dua Lil-Qaem" as the title of the book reads, has been authored regarding Mahdi, the Imam of Time (atf). This is one of the books written in Arabic in the fourth hegira century.[1] The book Mikyalul Makarim consists ...

Popular