Al-Mahdi (a.s.)

the author of 'yanabi-ul-muwadda' (page 493) narrates from 'khawrazmi (book of 'manaqib') that imam muhammad baqir has narrated from his father who has narrated from his grand-father who has narrated from amirul-mumineen that the messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) said:-

'awaiting for the 'faraj' (deliverance) is the best act of worship.' the author of 'manaqib' says: awaiting for the 'faraj' means awaiting for Mahdi's emergence.

author says: shii'te traditions corroborate the afore-mentioned tradition.

meaning of intezar' (awaiting):

'intezar' means gaining and achieving an affair for which one awaits. the reformatory affair with regards to Mahdi's emergence is not hidden and concealed for any individual let alone the social board, especially the shia-imamiyahs.

firstly, 'intezar' (awaiting) by itself invites the satisfaction of Mahdi so much so that it is said:

'intezar' is more sever than killing. the essential condition for awaiting for the 'faraj' is employing the mental faculties and fixing the mind in the direction of the affair for which one is awaiting. this matter will forcibly become the cause of two affairs: one that the mental faculty will bring an increase in power and the other that man can concentrate his entire power on one affair. moreover than that two affairs, are amongst the most important things required by man for his subsistence and future life.

secondly, the suppression of misfortunes will become easy for man because he knows that these misfortunes are subject to amends and provisions. a vast difference exists between those misfortunes which are known by man to be capable of amendment or not, especially when he presumes that soon everything will be prepared and Mahdi by his emergence, will fill the earth with justice and equity.

thirdly, the necessary condition, for 'intezar' is this that man should adore to be amongst the companions and shias of Mahdi and rather amongst his helpers. this requires that Mahdi's shia should strive in rectifying his own self and making good his morals so that he can be worthy enough of becoming Mahdi's companion and engaging in holy war for him. verily, this prosperity requires such ethics which is scarse today amongst us.

fourthly, just as 'intezar' becomes the cause of rectification of the self and rather the cause of rectification of others, it also becomes the cause of preparation of the rudiments for Mahdi's victory over his enemies. the essential condition for this victory is that one should acquire knowledge and insight especially so when man knows that Mahdi's victory over his enemies would take place through ordinary channels.