Advanced search
Visit
5369
Last Updated: 2014/09/29
Summary of question
Is Muhammad bin Uthman Umari\'s claim that he has seen the Imam of Time (\'atf) during Hajj season true?
question
Is Muhammad bin Uthman Umari\'s claim that he has seen the Imam of Time (\'atf) during Hajj season true?
Concise answer
The  fact that the Imam of Time, Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance, is seen during the period of occultation is indisputable and beyond doubt even though such a claim made by anyone (that he has seen him) is not acceptable. The second deputy of the Imam of Time ('atf) was an intermediary between the Imam and people and he, undoubtedly, had the opportunity to meet the Imam during the period of minor occultation. As well, he himself has said that he met the Imam in the Sacred House of Allah when the Imam was busy praying and supplicating.
Muhammad bin Uthman has been reported to have said that the Imam of Time ('atf) attends the Hajj ceremony every year. He sees people but people do not see him. There are clear proofs confirming what Muhammad bin Uthman has said. For example, in some authentic Shia books, there is a saying from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (AS) with a nearly similar purport.
 
Detailed Answer
This question can be studied in two parts:
1. Did Muhammad bin Uthman Umari meet with the Imam of Time ('atf) during Hajj season?
2.  Muhammad bin Uthman Umari has been reported to have said that the Imam of Time ('atf) attends the Hajj ceremony every year and that one can meet with the Imam during Hajj season. How far is this report true? We shall deal with both questions here:
A) Meeting with the Imam of Time ('atf) during the period of occultation:
It is possible to meet with the Imam of Time ('atf) during the period of occultation. Many scholars who is believed to be honest and just ('adil) and who can be trusted in such matters have narrated stories of people meeting with Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance. These stories can be found in their books along with names of people who have been blessed with the opportunity to meet with him. Such meetings have taken place both during the period of minor occultation and major occultation. [1]
During the period of minor occultation, the Imam of Time ('atf) communicated with people through his special deputies whom he had appointed as intermediaries. The four deputies represented the Imam and acted as his deputies one after another. Throughout the period of minor occultation, these deputies met with the Imam and also some people other than the deputies managed to meet with the Imam sometimes.
The second special deputy of the Imam of was Muhammad bin Uthman Umari who, after his father Uthman bin Sa'eid, undertook the position of deputyship at the behest of the Imam. He was blessed with the opportunity to be the Imam's emissary for nearly forty years. Obviously, Muhammad bin Uthman met with the Imam throughout this period. He was an intermediary between people and the Imam; because deputyship requires one to be constantly in contact with the Imam and to facilitate communication between him and other people.
B) As for whether Muhammad bin Uthman has met the Imam of Time ('atf) during Hajj ceremony or not, there is a report from Muhammad bin Uthman himself who says that he was asked by Abdullah bin Ja'far al-Humayri whether or not he had seen the Imam of Time and he had replied, "It was in the Sacred House of Allah when I last saw the Imam whilst he was praying and saying: "'O Lord, fulfill what you have promised me."[2]
Also, Muhammad bin Uthman says that he saw the Imam holding the curtain of the Ka'abah and saying: "O Lord, take revenge from your enemy."[3] This saying of Muhammad bin Uthman signifies that he had seen the Imam (AS) beside the Ka'abah but it does not indicate whether he had seen him during Hajj season or some other time.
Muhammad bin Uthman has been reported to have said: "By Allah, the Imam of Time ('atf) attends the Hajj ceremony every year. He sees people and knows them; people also see him but they do not recognize him."[4]
There are proofs and evidence confirming Muhammad bin Uthman's saying:
1. Imam Sadiq, peace be upon him says, "People lose their Imam; he attends the hajj ceremony during hajj season and he sees people but people do not see him."[5]
2. One of the best acts of worship which happens only once a year is the obligation of Hajj which is performed by able-bodied and financially capable Muslims. Performing hajj earn the pilgrim a lot of rewards and it has been highly recommended; its spiritual benefits are numerous and that is the reason why Hajj has been considered to be one of the pillars of Islam. Imam Baqir, peace be upon him, says: "Islam is founded upon five pillars: prayer, Zakat, fasting, Hajj and Wilayah."[6]
The Imams (AS) advised Shiites to perform Hajj every year, if they could. They were advised to attend the Hajj ceremony frequently.  In a tradition narrated from Imam Sadiq (AS), the Imam says to his companion: "O 'Isa, if you could find some bread and salt to eat (that is to say, if you could find enough to eat during the year), then perform Hajj every year."[7]  In another tradition, the Imam has been reported to have said: "Perform pilgrimage of the House of Allah, do it persistently, because constant performance of Hajj will repel hardship from you."[8] In this narration, a "persistent performer of Hajj" (i.e. one who performs Hajj every year) has been praised.[9]
We also see in the normative conduct of the imams (AS) that they endeavored to perform Hajj as many times as they could; they made sure not to miss Hajj. For instance, Imam Hasan Mujtaba, peace be upon him, has said that he travelled to Makkah on foot more than twenty times to perform Hajj.
In jurisprudential books also, the jurisprudents have dedicated a special chapter on Hajj and desirability of performing it every year.[10]
It is unlikely of the Imam of Age (AS) to lose this virtue by not acting upon what his noble forefathers commended. It can, therefore, be said that one of the places where the Imam visits very often especially during the Hajj season is the Ka'abah, or the House of Allah.
3. It is inferred from narrations that the Imam of Age, may Allah hasten his reappearance, is not living far away from people and society. In fact, he is living with people and in their midst. He attends public congregations but people do not recognize him. One of the important congregations in Islam is the great Hajj congress which is attended most likely by the Imam of Time, Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.
 

[1] For further information in this regard, see the following index: Communication with Imam of Time ('atf), question 1029 (site: 1084).
[2] Sheikh Saduq, Kamal al-Din, vol.2, p. 441, Dar al-Kotob al-Islamiyah, Qom, 1390 A.H.
[3] Hurr Amili, Wasail al-Shi'ah, vol.13, p. 259, Aalulbayt (AS) Institute, Qom, 1409 A.H; Man Layahzuruhu al-Faqih, vol.2, p. 520, Jame'ah Mudarresin Publications, Qom, 1413 A.H.
[4] Sheikh Saduq, Kamal al-Din, vol.2, p. 441, Tusi, Muhammad bin Hasan, al-Ghaibah, p. 362, researched by Ibadullah al-Tehrani and Ali Ahmad Nāsih, Qom, Al-Ma'aref al-Islamiyah Institute, 1411 A.H; Sheikh Saduq, Man Layahzuruhu al-Faqih, vol.2, p. 520.
[5] Sheik Tusi, al-Ghaibah, p.161; Kamal al-Din, vol.2, p. 346; Wasail al-Shi'ah, vol.1, p. 135.
[6] Kulayni, Muhammad bin Ya'qub, Usul al-Kafi, vol.2, p. 18, Dar al-Kutub al-Islamiyah, Tehran, 1365 (Persian calendar).
[7] Wasail al-Shi'ah, vol.11, p. 135.
[8] Muhaddith Noori, Mustadrak al-Wasail, vol.8, p. 5, Aalulbayt Institute, Qom, 1408.
[9] Al-Kafi, vol.4, p. 542.
[10] Wasail al-Shi'ah, vol.11, p. 133.
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

Random questions

  • What creatures are haram?
    18583 Laws and Jurisprudence 2012/02/15
    In general, haram meat creatures are divided into several categories:1. All sea creatures which do not have scales.2. Among land creatures, dogs, pigs, predatory creatures which have sharp teeth and claws and talons, like lions, foxes, rabbits, wolves, elephants, etc. are haram. But all types of ...
  • What is the status of the woman in Islam? Are they the same as men?
    7729 Philosophy of Religion and Law 2009/08/15
    According to Islam, the man and woman have to be in pursuit of a common objective, which is to reach the pinnacle of humanity, and both must bear the means of accomplishing such an objective without any difference as a result of difference in gender; a difference that the order ...
  • Did the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) give Imam Ali (A.S) and Fatima Zahra (S.A) a wedding banquet and gifts?
    7759 History 2014/05/14
    There is a narration according to which some of the companions of the Holy Prophet (S) brought gifts for the daughter of the Prophet (S), Lady Fatima Zahra (S.A) on her wedding ceremony. Abdur Rahman was also amongst them. Like many other companions, he also gave Imam ...
  • are the reasons that prove the Quran has not been altered?
    14977 Traditional 2010/07/22
    The distortion of the Quran has a broad meaning that covers all possible changes, whether it’s the adding of words, omitting of words, changing the combination of the words or changing the combination of different phrases. Muslim Scholars have mentioned several reasons that prove the Quran has not ...
  • What duties does a child have when it comes to parents?
    9499 Practical 2011/12/21
    The importance of fulfilling the rights of parents (father and mother) has been recognized by the Quran to be so high that in several verses, it has been demanded immediately after forbidding shirk (polytheism) and has been known as one of the most virtuous acts in the ahadith. ...
  • Is it obligatory for Muslims to promulgate Islam (i.e. teach or convert non-Muslims)?
    8006 Practical 2011/08/02
    This question doesn’t have a brief answer. Please click on the detailed answer. ...
  • Is becoming forgetful a type of spiritual disease? What kind of solutions can attenuate it?
    10308 دستور العمل ها 2014/06/01
    As it is mentioned in the following Dua (prayer), undoubtedly forgetfulness is an undesirable state in which we should seek refuge with Allah from. «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّی أَعُوذُ بِکَ مِنَ‏ النِّسْیَانِ‏ وَ الْکَسَلِ وَ التَّوَانِی فِی طَاعَتِکَ وَ الْفَشَل‏ وَ مِنْ عِقَابِکَ الْأَدْنَى وَ عَذَابِکَ الْأَکْبَر»
  • What do you mean by religious thought?
    6273 Traditional 2006/07/15
    By “religious thought” we mean that form of thought which is concerned whit any of the problems of a religious nature within a particular religion, in the same sense that mathematical thought is the form of thought which deals with mathematical questions and solves mathematical problems. ...
  • What happened to the Prophet's daughter after his demise?
    7354 تاريخ بزرگان 2010/12/21
    There are many ahadith and much that can be said in regard to what took place for Lady Fatimah after the Prophet's demise, but we will only examine one hadith from Sahih Bukhari, the most reliable source of Sunnis, in the detailed answer. ...
  • Is questioning pervasive and all-encompassing? What does questioning of prophets mean?
    5183 Exegesis 2015/05/03
    An important issue discussed in religious texts in connection with the Day of Resurrection is the subject of questioning on this very day. What is actually inferred from Quranic verses and prophetic traditions is that the questioning is pervasive and it is there for everyone; it is ...

Popular