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Praying for the reappearance of our master, the God’s remnant in the world is the most important prayer during the time of his occultation, because he is our companion, the leader of the time and the guardian of the worlds, how then do we heedless of him while he is our leader! Negligence of the Imam is negligence of one of the principle of Religion, and then we should initially pray for him before praying for ourselves, our family and our brothers.
Sayyid Al-Ajal Ali bn Taa’us in his book title ”Jamal Al-Usbuy” said: we have presented in the book the precise duty to be done during the day and night and the importance which the exemplary ones has previously given in their prayer for Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him) which implies that praying for him is very essential for the Muslims and the Believers. We have also related a narration under the supplication after (Zuhr) mid day prayer as supplication from Imam Ja’afar Sadiq bn Muhammad (peace be upon him) which he offers for Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him).
Like wise we had mentioned a narration under the supplication of after (Asr) afternoon prayer where Imam Musa Al-Kazim bn Ja’afar (peace be upon him) has prayed for Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him). So imitating Imam Ja’afar and Al-Kazim is a pretext for those who know their reputation and rank in Islam.[1]
Ibn Taa’us after mentioning the virtues of offering prayer for ones brother said: If offering prayer for ones brother possess all this virtue what will be the virtue for he who offer pray for his chief who was the cause of his existence and you believe that if not him God couldn’t have created you and other creatures in his and your time, and all you possess was due to the grace of his existence (peace be upon him).
I advise you not to put forward yourself and other creatures in your prayer and allegiance before him.
Prepare your mind and your tongue when praying to that tremendous master and personality. Don’t have the believe that Imam need your prayer, never and never hence such believe show the illness of your allegiance and your doctrine, requesting you to pray for him was due to his right known to you and his immense kindness to you. If you offer prayer for him before yourself, that will make the ways of accepting your prayer closer and quicker before God Almighty.
Ways of accepting prayers has been band due to our atrocities and if you offer prayer for him before the owner of life and death your prayer may be accepted because of him. Then you include yourself in the prayer you offered for him in the company of his favour for the expansion of God’s mercy, honor and providence on you for attaching yourself with his rope during your supplication.
Avoid the impression that you’ve not seen so and so person among our elders we are following that are observing all I am saying to you, that you met them being negligence of Imam (peace be upon him).
I am telling you to act according to what I told you because it is a clear reality, to God; it is a scandalous for those that neglect Imam after all that been mentioned in his respect.
How will Imam (peace be upon him) regard those who neglected him? Is it as you neglected this distinct position? It doesn’t mean to offer a lot of prayers to him! He whose prayer for him is legalized in your daily compulsory acts!
Then you don’t have an excuse if you did not show importance and concern to him.[2]
It was said in ”Mikyalil Makarim” that supplication according to the Qur’anic verses and Prophetic traditions is one of the greatest aspect of worship and there is no doubt that the most glorified and tremendous supplication is for those whom God has made their right incumbent on us hence praying for him is compulsory for every living being and with the benefit of his existence blessing flows to all creatures. Also there is no doubt that the meaning that one should occupy himself with God is to occupy oneself with His worshipping this should be continuous in order to achieve His approval and to make him among His good friends.
In conclusion it is obvious that persistence in praying for our master, the proof (peace be upon him) and requesting for his quick reappearance, and obtaining his pleasure will make it incumbent on you to achieve exalted benefits.
Then it is necessary for every believer to exhibit concern and persistency in praying for Imam every where and all the time.
In reference to all we have mentioned was the statement of Mirza Muhammad Baqir Isfahani, he said: I saw Imam Hasan Al-mujtaba (peace be upon him) in my dream or between my dream and when I was awaken and gave me the following assignment:
“Command people from the pulpit (Minbar) to repent and to pray for the safety and the reappearance of the Imam (peace be upon him). This command is not a collective duty rather it is compulsory like your five times daily prayer which is individual duty, till end of his speech, in all our condition it is from God we demand for help”[3]
From all the aforementioned it is very clear the significance of prayer for the reappearance of the awaited Imam (May our souls be sacrifice for him).
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[1] – Jamal Al-Usbuy : 307.
[2] – Falahi Ssaa’il : 44.
[3] – Mikyalil Makarim 1: 438.