Preserving hope for the return of Imam al-Mahdi (AJ), the promised savior, is central to Shia Islam. While the concept of a messianic figure resonates across Abrahamic faiths, and firmly finds traditional and rational bases inside the shared heritage of all Muslim schools, the Shia understanding of this anticipation is unique. What distinguishes the Shia perspective? How does Shia identity shape the way believers await the Imam’s return? In his book The Sun of the Occident, the renowned scholar Allamah Muhammad-Reza Hakimi argues that this expectation is not a passive resignation, but rather a call to active resistance. The following excerpt, translated by Shafaqna, illuminates Hakimi’s view on the inherent link between waiting for the Mahdi and the imperative to resist injustice.
Laylat al-Qadr: The Epitome of Resistance
Resistance against oppression, tyranny, and the perpetrators of these acts, within the realm of believers – as previously mentioned – is both an article of faith and a fundamental duty. Rejecting the dominion of tyrants (taghut) is essential for the establishment of God’s rule and constitutes a cornerstone of practical monotheism (tawhid amali). This is why the resounding call to action, “Be the enemy of the oppressor and the ally of the oppressed,” perpetually echoes in the hearts and minds of the faithful.
We briefly explored Surat al-Qadr, its profound meanings, and its tangible connection to the station of supreme authority (wilaya kubra). It is profoundly insightful and compelling to note that Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (AS), in elucidating the political philosophy of Islam and the importance of God’s sovereignty, offers the following interpretation of Laylat al-Qadr:
لیله من امام عادل، خیر من الف شهر، ملک بنی امیه[1]
“A single night under the just rule of a righteous leader surpasses a thousand months under the tyranny of oppressors like the Umayyads.”
Thus, within the Shia Islamic worldview, a Muslim cannot remain apathetic towards matters of governance, blindly pledging allegiance to any ruling power. Because the Shi‘i school of thought is fundamentally predicated on the governance of the infallible and just, coupled with resistance against oppressive rule, a defining characteristic of the Shi‘i community during periods of unjust or tyrannical rule is its inherent embodiment of resistance, not submission. The foremost exemplar and inspiring teacher of this embodied resistance is the venerable lady, Faṭima al-Zahra (AS), the great Ṣiddiqa (SA).
Note:
[1] Tafsīr al-Burhān, vol. 4, p. 487.
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