THE SITUATION OF THE SHIA DURING THE PERIOD OF THE MINOR OCCULTATION OF IMAM MAHDI (AJTF)

[Taqavi]

 

What was the situation of the Shia during the period of The Minor Occultation of Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his noble advent)?

 

The Minor Occultation is the first stage of the twelfth Imam's hidden life, which ended in the year 329 AH. This period lasted for either 69 or 74 years due to disagreements about its starting time. Some Shia scholars consider the beginning of it to be the birth year of Imam Mahdi (a.s), which is 255 AH, therefore they state the duration of the Minor Occultation to be 74 years (like Shaykh Mufid[1] and Tabarsi[2]). However, others believe that the beginning of the Minor Occultation was after the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and the start of Imam Mahdi's Imamate, which is 260 AH, so they mention its duration to be 69 years.[3]

After the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari, the Shia community was thrown into severe turmoil,[4] so much so that scholars like Abu Zaid Ahmad ibn Sahl Balkhi from Khurasan traveled to Iraq to know the Imam of his time.[5] This turmoil even affected the members of Imam Askari's own family, to the point where reports suggest that the mother of Imam Askari and his aunt (Hakeemah Khatoon) supported the Imamate of his son, and Imam Askari's sister supported the Imamate of Jafar (Imam Askari's brother).[6]

During this sensitive time, the close companions of the Imam headed by Uthmān ibn Saʿīd al-Amrī were trying to remove the confusion and turmoil by declaring the Imamate of the son of Imam Hasan Askari and inform the Shia community about the existence of the Imam.[7] At the same time, this group had to make every effort to persuade the caliphate to accept that Imam Hasan Askari did not have a son.[8] Because with the spread of the truth that this imam will eliminate the tyranny of the rulers, the government strongly sought to find Imam Mahdi,[9] even after the martyrdom of Imam Askari, the Imam's house was under surveillance and some were arrested.[10]

However, with the efforts of the first special deputy of Imam Mahdi (Uthman ibn Sa'id), the guidance issued by the Imam which is stated in his letters, the meeting of some people with the Imam and confirming his existence, the Shia community managed to overcome this crisis. According to the reports of the late Shaykh Mufid in the year 373 AH, the majority of Shia Muslims followed the Imamiyyah sect.[11]

These efforts caused Shia to reach high power and influence with the orders and guidance of the Imam and the leadership of the four special deputies in this era.[12] In a way that Shiites were able to earn many government positions at the end of the Minor Occultation.[13]

 

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[1] . Al-Irsahad; Sheikh Mufid, Vol: 2, Page: 340.

[2] . I'lam al-Wara bi A'lam al-Huda; Sheikh al-Tusi, Vol: 2, Page: 259.

[3] . Tarikh al-Ghaybah; al-Sadr, Sayyid Muhammad, Vol: 1, Page: 345.

[4] . Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah; Sheikh al-Saduq, Vol: 2, Page: 426.

[5] . Mu'jam al-Adibaa Irshad al-Urib ila Ma'rifah al-Adib: al-Hamawi, Yaqut, Vol: 1, Page: 277.

[6] . Maktab dar Farayand-e Takamol; Sayyid Hossein Modarresi, Page: 161.

[7] . Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah; Sheikh al-Saduq Vol.: 2 Page: 435.

[8] . Al-Ghaybah: Sheikh al-Tusi Vol: 1 Page: 360.

[9] . Al-Irsahad: Sheikh al-Mufid Vol.: 2 Page: 336.

[10] . Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah: Sheikh al-Saduq Vol.: 2 Page: 476.

[11] . Al-Fusul al-Mukhtara: Sheikh al-Mufid Vol.: 1 Page: 321.

[12] . Al-Ghaybah: Sheikh al-Tusi Vol.: 1 Page: 109.

[13] . Maktab dar Farayand-e Takamol; Sayyid Hossein Modarresi, Page 328.