Khamenei.ir

Who is the promised Imam of the Shias and the Savior of the world? Is the belief in him logical?

The Shias are awaiting the arrival of the promised savior-- Imam Mahdi (a.s.) -- and are not lost in their fantasies; they are searching for an existing reality. He is alive and lives among the people. He sees people. He can feel their sufferings. Those who are lucky enough and have the capacity sometimes meet him without recognizing him. He does exist. He is a real human: a known being with a given name; his parents are known and he lives among the people and with them. This is how our—the Shias’—belief is. And the followers of other faiths who do not believe in this reality have never been able to provide any logical reasons to reject this belief. There are several obvious and strong reasons, also accepted by Sunni Muslims, which are a testimony to the existence of this exalted servant of God. All these reasons provide evidence that Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) is living among us - and we are all aware of his characteristics. This is what has been cited in many non-Shia sources as well. The birth date of the pure-hearted son of Imam Hassan al-Askari (a.s.) is known to everyone. His miracles and those who are connected with him are also known to us. God Almighty has granted a long life to him. These are the characteristics of the Imam of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) whom all the nations of the world, all ethnic groups, and people from all faiths and races have been impatiently waiting for at all times. These are the beliefs of Shia Muslims about this important issue.

The Torah and the Gospel give tidings of the truth of the belief in the Mahdawiyyah

Regarding the issue of Mahdawiyyah, Sunni Muslims - and even non-Muslim scholars who have studied the Shia beliefs about the issue of Mahdawiyyah - all confirm the fact that the tidings given by the Torah, Gospel, and scriptures of other religions are based on the same Mahdawiyyah concept held by Shia Islam.

What does awaiting the savior entail?

Awaiting the Savior means that we should not accept or be satisfied with the current situation in our lives, and we should make efforts towards living an ideal life. And it is evident that such an ideal situation can only be created by Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake). We should prepare ourselves to fight like a soldier for such a situation. Waiting for the arrival of Imam Mahdi does not mean that we should remain idle and not make any efforts to improve. Simply waiting for the arrival of the Imam of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) is not what we should do. What does waiting for the savior mean? It means waiting for the strong, powerful and divine hand of Imam Mahdi to put an end to the domination of the oppressive powers with the help of humans; to bring justice to the world; to raise the flag of monotheism, and to lead humans to truly submit to God. We should get prepared for this. The formation of the Islamic Republic prepared the ground for this great and historic movement. Everything that is done to achieve justice in the world takes us one step forward towards reaching this lofty goal. This is the meaning of waiting for Imam Mahdi. Awaiting the Savior means that we should move and not remain idle. Awaiting the Savior does not mean that we should leave things to others and wait for something to happen. Awaiting the Savior means that we should move and get prepared for the arrival of Imam Mahdi. We should be individually and socially prepared. Taking this great step and being able to prepare the right atmosphere for the arrival of Imam Mahdi was a blessing from God Almighty bestowed on our nation. This is the meaning of awaiting Imam Mahdi. Being prepared on all fronts to achieve the purpose for which the Imam of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) will rise up is the true meaning of awaiting him. That great revolution will happen to achieve such goals as promoting justice, living a humane and moral life, and submitting to God. This is what awaiting the Savior means.

World’s current situation resembles the features of the awaited era as explained by narrations

Look at the current situation of the world. What has been described in traditions about the time of the arrival of Imam Mahdi (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) exists in the world: The world is brimful of oppression and tyranny... Today, oppression and tyranny are prevalent in the world. Today, the life of human beings is dominated by the oppressive and arrogant powers of the world. This is the situation that exists in all parts of the world. Today, human beings are suffering many a problem due to the prevalence of tyranny and egocentric desires in their lives. That there are two billion people starving in the world, the existence of millions of people who are under the influence of egocentric desires in non-divine governments, and the pressure that is currently being exerted on faithful people and those who fight for justice on God's path-- such as the Iranian nation who has managed to raise the flag of justice in a certain part of the world-- are all indicative of the prevalence of tyranny and oppression in the world.

What is meant by faraj [salvation]?

One important point regarding the issue of Mahdawiyyah is that in the Islamic and Shia belief systems, waiting for the arrival of Imam Mahdi has been interpreted as waiting for salvation. What does salvation mean? It means being saved. When do we usually yearn for salvation? We do so when we are in a difficult situation, and when there is a problem. When we face problems, we are in need of salvation - that is someone who can solve our problems and save us. This is an important point. The true meaning of waiting for a savior is that those who believe in Islam and the religion of the Prophet's household (a.s.) identify the problems of humans in the modern world. This is what they should actually do. They are waiting for the problems of humanity to be solved. The issue is not limited to my or your problems only. The Imam of the Time (may our souls be sacrificed for his sake) will come to solve the problems of humanity. He will come to save humanity forever. This means that those who are waiting for the arrival of Imam Mahdi are discontent about the current situation of the world - the unfair situation of the world in which many innocent people are oppressed, many are misled, and many others do not find the opportunity to worship God. Waiting for the arrival of Imam Mahdi means opposing the current situation that is prevalent in humans' life, and which has been caused due to the prevalence of ignorance and carnal desires in humans' life. This is the true meaning of waiting for the arrival of Imam Mahdi.

Divine religions do not give baseless hopes to people

The 15th of Sha'ban is a day that is full of hopefulness. This hopefulness is neither exclusive to Shia Muslims nor even to the entire Islamic Ummah. To the best of my knowledge, the promise of a bright future for humanity and the arrival of a promised savior for promoting justice are universal beliefs that are shared by almost all divine religions across the world. Apart from Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, even Hindi faiths such as Buddhism - and other religions that most people have not even heard about - have informed their followers of such a future in their teachings. In fact, this has provided man with a kind of hope throughout history. It is a response to human need for this hope. Divine religions - which often have divine and celestial roots - did not intend to give people false hopes. They all expressed a reality. There is a reality in the creation of man and in the long history of humanity, and that reality is that one day the battle between good and evil is going to result in the defeat of evil and the victory of good. After this stage, man's true and pleasant life is going to begin in which struggle will no longer imply fighting. Rather, people will struggle for equality in doing righteous deeds. This is a fact that is shared by all religions.

Leader's Speech on the Occasion of Imam Mahdi's Birth Anniversary

Leader: The World Is in Urgent Need of Justice

The Leader's View of Religious Democracy

Leader Meets with Officials of Ministry of Intelligence

Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei the Leader of the Islamic Revolution met with the officials and staff of the Ministry of Intelligence. He described this ministry as one of the best and the most loyal organizations that emerged out the Islamic Revolution and added: "Exerting silent, strenuous efforts, the Intelligence Ministry has been protecting the Revolution, Islamic values, and the people against the enemies. Everyone must appreciate these efforts."

Leader Meets Algerian President

Foreign Ministry Officials Meet the Leader

Leader Meets Participants in Quranic Competitions

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei in a meeting last night with judges, qurra, and memorizers of the Holy Quran participating in the 25th international Quranic competitions described adherence to the Holy Quran as the only way to save the Islamic Ummah and reiterated: "Holding such competitions plays an important role in guiding the nation and the Islamic Ummah towards understanding, reflecting on, and getting acquainted with the Holy Quran."

Leader Tours Technology Exhibition

Leader Meets Syrian President

The story of how the unbelievers tried to lure the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) with wealth

In the first phase of be'that, the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) had managed to convert 30 or 40 people to Islam through his covert call to Islam. Then a divine order was issued - "Therefore declare openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from the polytheists." [The Holy Quran 15: 94] - requiring the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) to raise flag of Islam and to openly call people to Islam. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) did so and then the events that you have heard about took place. This struck terror into the hearts of the chiefs of Quraysh and the wealthy and powerful people. The first thing that they did was to try to tempt the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.). They went to Abi Talib and told him that if his nephew wanted leadership, they were prepared to grant the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) absolute authority over their community. "If he wants wealth, we will give him so much wealth that he becomes wealthier than all of us. If he wants to be a king, we will appoint him as our king. Just tell him to stop saying these things." Being concerned about the safety of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and his enemies' plots, Abi Talib went to him and told him the message of the chiefs of Mecca. He probably gave the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) some advice and recommended that he tone down his remarks to some extent. Maybe he told the Prophet (s.w.a.) that his dogged persistence was unnecessary. "Dear uncle, even if they place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left to prevent me from achieving this goal, I swear by Allah that I will not do as they say [and I will continue with my call to Islam] until God grants us victory over them or until we all get killed," [Speaking in Arabic] the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) replied. Then the Prophet's (s.w.a.) eyes were filled with tears, and he got up to leave. Having observed this faith and steadfastness, Abi Talib was impressed and said "dear nephew, go and say whatever you like." [Speaking in Arabic]. He told him to pursue his goal. "I swear by God that I will not give you away, no matter what I receive in return." [Speaking in Arabic]. This steadfastness bred more steadfastness. This steadfastness on the part of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) strengthened the roots of steadfastness in the heart of Abi Talib. Pursuing the goals, not fearing the enemy, not being tempted by what the enemy has to offer, and not being dependant on the privileges that the enemy offers to prevent one from treading the path one believes in give rise to resistance, peace, trust in the path, the goal, and God who this goal belongs to. There were not more than 30 or 40 of them. These 30 or 40 people tolerated all those hardships and increased in number on a daily basis. Each day they were witness to what they did to Ammar and Bilal. They were witness to the torturing and martyrdom of Sumayyah and Yasir. They were witness to these things, but they still converted to Islam. That is the way righteousness is promoted. The mere raising of the flag in peace and security will not help promote righteousness. Righteousness will be promoted only when there is steadfastness and perseverance on the part of righteous people who believe in righteousness.

The Prophet's (pbuh) great social revolution in just 13 years

The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) carried the message of knowledge, yet there was no knowledge in that society. He carried the message of justice, yet there was no trace of justice in that society and powerful people and bullying rulers dominated people's lives and possessions. He was the messenger of morality, lenience, forgiveness, justice, and kindness, yet that society was devoid of such characteristics in the real sense of the word. The society was full of unkind, bullying, immoral, ignorant, and prejudiced people who were unjustifiably arrogant and who had their hearts set on carnal desires. It was in such tough and fanatic conditions and in such a dry desert that the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) grew up. And this 13-year period finally ended in the establishment of the Prophet's rule. He formed a community on the basis of monotheism, knowledge, justice, morality, ethics, and generosity. He transformed humility into dignity and savagery into brotherhood. He turned fanaticism into tolerance and reasoning. He transformed a state of ignorance into knowledge. He built a strong and logical foundation on the basis of which Muslims could reach the peaks of global civilizations for centuries and could rise to new heights which were unprecedented in human history. His rule did not last any more than ten years. You just see what proportion of a nation's lifespan could those 13 years and the following ten years constitute. It is like a moment which passes very quickly. During such a short time, a great movement was started which could well be said to have divided human history into two eras: the pre-Islamic era, and the post-Islamic era. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) pushed humanity forwards, strengthened the bases of morality, and left unforgettable lessons for all humans. You should consider the greatness of mab'ath from such a perspective. There were of course a number of interrelated factors which led to this success. But this success was mainly due to the Prophet being full of spirituality, purity, loyalty, and relying completely on God. This was a major and decisive factor in his success. Prior to his prophethood, the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) was the most knowledgeable and the wisest of the people of Mecca. He was the most generous, respectable, and decent person in the area where he lived. Among those people, this prominent person enjoyed the blessing of God and the responsibility was put on his shoulders. This was because God had put him to the test before. God knew His servant and knew who He was assigning this responsibility to. The Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) stood firm. His resistance and his perseverance that was accompanied by a deep knowledge of the goal he was pursuing and of the path he was treading supported all the achievements of the Holy Prophet (s.w.a.) and led to the success of this great movement. One who is right always wins but there are some prerequisites. In order for the right to win, one must defend it. To help righteousness win, one must persevere on the path of righteousness.

Shame on those who claim to support freedom and human rights

The Palestinian nation is in the right. It has been oppressed. Shame on those who claim to support freedom and human rights. They claim to support human rights, yet they turn a blind eye to all the oppression that has afflicted the Palestinian nation. I wonder why they do not feel ashamed. Where in the world would a fair person stand so much oppression that is being imposed on the Palestinian nation - not as the owners of the country, but, say, even as an immigrant minority? Their houses are being demolished. Their youth are being killed. Their men are being imprisoned. They are constantly threatened. Their houses are being bombed. They are forced to suffer from starvation. They are under an economic blockade. Their gardens are being ruined, as are their lives. Who would stand all these things? Yet President Bush shamelessly claims that his administration is committed to freedom. You call this freedom? Shame on you, Bush. You call this support for freedom?

Leader Urges Muslims to Spread the Message of Mab'ath

Leader's Speech on the Occasion of Mab'ath

The Leader's View of Reforms

The Leader's View of Freedom

The importance of justice in Imam Ali’s lifestyle

Now we must pay attention to what the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) put high on his agenda in his life which is full of lessons and meanings for us. One is justice which could probably be claimed to be one of the most prominent points in his lifestyle. Being severe with oppressors, being sympathetic towards the oppressed, and helping the oppressed to claim their rights are characteristics that are clearly observed in many parts in the biography and words of the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) as well as in his sermons in Nahj al-Balagha. Just pay attention to these meaningful remarks by the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.)... In Imam Ali's (a.s.) opinion, the world - in the sense of worldly possessions - is to be totally rejected and abandoned. Addressing the world, he said, "Go and deceive someone else!" He meant desires and material beauties of life could not deceive him, and therefore he told them to go away and find someone else to deceive. That was the slogan shouted by the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.).

The consensus among Islamic denominations on the magnificence of Imam Ali’s character

regarding the characteristics of Imam Ali (a.s.) - the brilliance and prominence of his pure faith, the heavy burden of jihad that he shouldered from early Islam to the end of his life, the unique justice he administered which keeps attracting Muslims and non-Muslims alike, his unique, pure worship and supplication, and the other prominent features that he enjoyed. The Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) is a personality whose greatness, characteristics, and high status in Islam are not debated among Muslims. Therefore, we can confidently claim that the Commander of the Faithful (a.s.) can serve as the common point among all sects of Islam.

Public Address on the Occasion of Imam Ali's (a.s.) Birth Anniversary

No Threats Should Be Made

The Leader's View of Religion

The Leader's View of Politics

The Leader's View of Religious Democracy

The Leader's View of the Islamic Ummah