Author: Ali Razi Date: 2015-12-06

 Can someone visit the Mahdi (AS) by doing obligations and abandoning forbidden and giving Nazr[1]?

Answer to question: 10 Date: 2015-12-09

 Visiting the Mahdi, based on the presumption of his existence, is possible for anyone who encounters him, but knowing him before his appearance is possible only for someone who has sufficient knowledge and piety and does not, knowingly or unknowingly, endanger his safety. Hence, it is possible that the person, who most of the claimers of visiting the Mahdi have seen him in unusual ways and considered him the Mahdi, has not been, in fact, the Mahdi, but has been a jinn or an angels who appeared to them. Moreover, there is no doubt that the most beneficial visiting with Mahdi is possible after his advent and authority, and with this description, it is better for the aspirants of his visiting, instead of giving Nazr and bearing austerity in the corner of houses, to enjoin the preparer of the advent of his Excellency, and help him to bring his Excellency in power.

↑[1] . [Translator note: Nazr in general means a vow or commitment to carry out an act; here it means a vow to do something for happiness of Imam Hussain, such as feeding the poor.]
Appendix Number: 1 Appendix Author: Mohammad Taqi Appendix Date: 2017-05-06

What is his Honor Allamah’s opinion regarding the claims of some individuals (such as Sheikh Mofid and Mr. ...) about visiting with Imam Mahdi (AS)? Originally, is it possible to visit the Imam while knowing him, not as an ordinary person, during his absence?

Thanks in advance for your answer

Answer to appendix: 1 Date: 2017-05-15

Please note the following points:

1. According to the belief in existence of Imam Mahdi (AS) at the present time, there is no rational prohibition against visiting him, but due to the necessity of Taqqya for him toward his enemies and his ignorant friends in order to preserve his life, the possibility of visiting him, while knowing him, is very limited. Therefore, visiting him, without knowing him, is definitely possible and is likely to happen, and visiting him, while knowing him, is not impossible, but it is often unnecessary and against precaution and expediency.

2. Visiting Imam Mahdi (AS), even in the case of occurrence, is not often provable, and therefore its claim has no basis, although in many cases it cannot be denied.

3. It is very unlikely that Imam Mahdi (AS) visits individuals who have a clear deviation from the line of Islam; because visiting that Imam with these deviants, on the one hand, is against precaution and expediency, and on the other hand, is not possible without forbidding them from their deviation. In addition, the claim of those who attribute a word or a practice against Islam to Imam Mahdi (AS) is a pure lie and is considered attributing lie to him, and this is an oppression, which is very common among the false claimants and their followers; to the extent that some of them, in order to prove their beliefs and practices contrary to intellect and sharia, claim to have seen Imam Mahdi (AS) and that Imam command them to follow these beliefs and practices, while such a claim is a pure lie and is considered as attributing slander to that Imam. Undoubtedly, the person who taught them the beliefs and practices contrary to intellect and sharia was not Imam Mahdi (AS), but was the devil, who appears to his saints in various ways and diverts them from the intellect and sharia, and this is a horrible fact that in some of the wisdoms of Mansoor Hashemi Khorasani (may God protect him) have been revealed; as an example, one of our companions informed us, said:

«ذُكِرَ عِنْدَ الْمَنْصُورِ أَحْمَدُ الْحَسَنُ، فَقَالَ: أَدْرَكْتُ شَيْطَانَهُ بِمُلْتَقَى الطَّرِيقَيْنِ، فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَقْتُلَهُ فَهَرَبَ مِنِّي! أَلَا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ قَتَلْتُهُ لَارْتَاحَ الرَّجُلُ كَأَنَّمَا نَشِطَ مِنْ عِقَالٍ! قُلْتُ: أَلَهُ شَيْطَانٌ -جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُ الْمُتَكَوِّنُ، يَأْتِيهِ وَأَصْحَابَهُ فِي كُلِّ صُورَةٍ فَيُغْوِيهِمْ، إِلَّا أَنَّهُ لَا يَأْتِيهِمْ فِي صُورَةِ الْمَهْدِي»[1]; “We were with his honor Mansoor when Ahmad al-Hasan was mentioned, so he said: I found his Satan at a road junction, so I tried to kill him, then he ran away from me! I swear to God if I had killed him, he would have become comfortable like he has been released from straps! I said: is there a Satan for him- may I be your sacrifice? He said: yes and his name is Matkun, he comes to him with every face, then he deceives him, except he does not come to him with Mahdi’s face”.

We seek refuge to God against the devil and his saints, who do not give up any trick to mislead the people, and misuse the name of Imam Mahdi (AS) to promote their evil objectives and propagate their wrong beliefs and actions.