Shia Interpretation of Past, Present, and Future

Shia's worldview and history are significantly different from those of other Islamic denominations. Shia emphasizes a forward-looking approach where the reappearance of Imam Mahdi--who is in occultation--is a cardinal part of their theology. Mahdi is a figure whom Shia believe will reappear in the future to avenge the injustice, oppression, and brutality of the past. This reappearance will manifest when the earth faces chaos, evil, falsehood, and degeneration of religion. His reappearance at the end of human history will fulfill divine authority brought about by the prophets and become the final hope for fulfilling the hopes of the Shia (Ayoub, 221). According to a Sunni source Sahih Tirmidhi, 74-75, a tradition out of many about Imam Mahdi where the Prophet Muhammad said, "Even if the entire duration of the world's existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before Doomsday (Day of judgment), Allah will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of my Ahlul-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will then fill the earth with peace and justice, as it will have been full of injustice and tyranny before then."

Past events have influenced the Shia concept of history and time. Their history and time will remain influenced by the occurrence of events in the future. The events are indications and guidance for believers in their spiritual journey and seeking help from Imam Mahdi. The concept of scare time will eventually end with the reappearance and an implacable vengeance by Madhi for the killing of Hussain (master of martyrs). He will bring justice for all oppressed human beings and render justice to the oppressed of the time. According to Sunan ibn Majah, v2, the idea of a just and ideal society established by the Mahdi is the Government of Peace and equality that Imam Mahdi will establish, lasts a hundred years with no rival, and the day of Judgment will set in.

Shia Hiero-history centers around the divine status of Imams. They are the personalities for whom the universe and everything in it have been created. The Prophet explained the position of Imams to his daughter Fatima, saying: O daughter! God, praised and exalted be He, cast a glance on the inhabitants of the earth and chose your father and made him a prophet. He cast a second glance, chose your husband, Ali, and made him a brother and vicegerent (wasi) for me. He cast a third glance and chose you and your mother and made you the two mistresses of the women of the world. He cast a fourth glance, chose your two sons and made them the two masters of the youths of paradise (Ayoub, 55). Shia doctrine attaches considerable importance to the Imams. They believe that there must be an Imam in this world for the survival of humanity. The cosmos will vanish without an Imam. The existence of the world proves that there must be a Hidden Imam.

The concept of origin and return defines the Shia worldview. The manifestation of the origin story is in the form of Prophets and Imams, those who were the middlemen created by God to disseminate his divine attributes. As the Quran says, Truly, God chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham, and the family of Imran above all the worlds, as offspring one after the other (3:33-34). God created Imams and Prophets to propagate the oneness of God and his attributes. Every prophet and imam faced opposition and condemnation from forces of ignorance. The Shia concept of the reappearance of the Mahdi and the subsequent end of time holds that the Mahdi removes and roots out all evils and ignorance in the world. He will reestablish the just and divine authority of God. This authority promotes the attributes of God and removes the evil forces from the face of the earth. For Shia Muslims, Imams, therefore, hold a highly divine status in their theology. The tragedy of Karbala is significant in the Shia interpretation of sacred time as the Mahdi will avenge the suffering and oppression of Karbala. According to Tahdhib, p404, it is a tradition from the prophet Muhammad regarding the sacrifice made by Hussain in Karbala: “When al-Khidr met Moses, he explained and forecast the catastrophe of Karbala (the place where this tragedy took place) in the day of Ashura for Moses, and the calamities that will happen on that day, and then both al-Khidr and Moses cried and screamed severely.”

The concept of sacred time in Shia theology greatly influences their interpretation of history, justice, and ideal society. The fourteen infallible hold significant importance in Shia theology. They are masum, which means they are protected and immune to error and sin. The Imams are the heirs of the God religion bestowed upon Prophet Muhammad. They have a divine status as the interpreters, preservers of harmony and goodness in the world after the Prophet, seized of revelation, and vicegerent. According to Sahih Muslim as well as many other sources, someday (after his last pilgrimage), the Messenger of Allah (S) stood to give us a speech beside a pond which is known as Khum (Ghadir Khum), located between Mecca and Medina. Then he praised Allah and reminded Him, and then said: O, people! Behold! It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah). I shall answer that call. Behold! I am leaving you two precious things. First is the book of God, in which there is light and guidance. The other one is my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt. I remind you in the name of Allah about my Ahlul-Bayt (three times).

The twelve Imams are also considered the House of Sorrow, as all Imams tasted martyrdom except the twelve Imam, Mahdi, who went into occultation. He will also face martyrdom once he reappears to claim the title. This Shia interpretation of history is similar to that of Christianity. Shia believe that the martyrdom of innocent Imams provides redemption and salvation for them (Halm, 30-32).

The hidden Imam is the salvation for the injustices and denouncements of divine revelations brought about by the Prophets and persecution inflicted upon the infallible imams. The Iranian Constitution Article 5 provides divine status to the hidden Imam by declaring him the “True Head of State” (Halm, 34). The reappearance of the twelve Imam will manifest an ideal society where justice, as wished by God, to be implemented in the world through his prophets and imams, denied by evil, ignorance, and corruption, will be established by the Imam. Reconcilement, unification, and abolishment of divisions and succession issues in Islam; the triumph of original Islam will be associated with the Twelve Imam (Halm,34). According to Fatah al-Bari, 362, “The Ahlul-Bayt are like the stars through whom we find guidance in the right direction, and if the stars are taken away or hidden, we will come face to face with the signs of the Almighty as promised (i.e., the Day of Resurrection). It will happen when the Mahdi comes, as mentioned in the traditions, and the Prophet Jesus will pray behind him, the Dajjal will slay, and then the signs of the Almighty will appear one after another.”

There are verses in the Quran that point to a future world where believers and disbelievers of each era will resurrect into the world. This event is mentioned in the Quran and Hadith as al-Raja. The time of the rise of the Mahdi is considered al-Raja. Mahdi will get revenge on all tyrants throughout the history of the world with the help of divine power and then constitute a government of justice over the entire universe. According to Abu Basir, when he asked Iman Sadiq, the sixth Shia imam, about the interpretation of the following verse: And on the day when We will gather from every nation a group (27:83). He (as) said: What do people say about it? I said: They say it is on the Day of Judgment. Thereupon, Imam al-Sadiq said: Do you think Allah will gather from every nation only a group, and leave the rest? Verily, this verse is about al-Raja. According to the Sunni source Hanbal, p84, the Messenger of Allah said, "Mahdi from my family will bring about a revolution and will fill the world with justice and equity before which it filled up with injustice and inequity."