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wa-la-qad katabnā fī z-zabūri min baʿdi dh-dhikri ʾanna l-ʾarḍa yarithuhā ʿibādiya ṣ-ṣāliḥūna
Certainly We wrote in the Psalms, after the Torah: ‘Indeed My righteous servants shall inherit the earth.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
21Al-'Anbiyā’الأنبياءVerse 105 of 112
The Prophets21. Al-'Anbiyā’الأنبياء
Al Anbiyā’
The Prophets
MeccanVerse 105 of 112
Surah Al-’Anbiya’ – Verse 105
105. “And We have written in the Psalms (Zabur), after the Reminder (the Torah), ‘My righteous servants shall inherit the earth’.”
The Qur’anic word /zabur/ in the Arabic language means: ‘any writing and book’. The noble Qur’an says:
but by the frame of reference of the verse which says:
it seems that the objective is the Book specialized to David (as), which contains the whole supplications, prayers, and advices of that prophet. This Book was sent down after the Torah; and the purpose of the holy word /ŏikr/ (reminder), mentioned in the verse, is also the very Torah. Its reference is the content of verse No. 48 of the current Surah which indicates that the Torah is /ŏikr/ (reminder) where it says:
Some Islamic commentators have said that the purpose of mentioning /zabur/ in this verse is all the Divine Books and the objective of /ŏikr/ is the Holy Qur’an, and the phrase /min ba‘d/ also means ‘in addition to’; then, in this case, the verse means: ‘in addition to the Qur’an, We have written in all the heavenly Books that verily the inheritors of the earth will be My righteous servants’. Therefore, in this verse, the Qur’an refers to one of the most clear worldly rewards of the righteous servants, which is the possession of ‘the government of the earth’. The Qur’an has pointed to it, with a nice statement, where it says:
The Arabic word /’ard/ is called to the whole globe of the earth which envelops the world thoroughly. Question: Who are the righteous servants of Allah when He says:
Answer: The Qur’anic word /salihun/ (the righteous), mentioned here, has a vast scope of meaning by which, besides faith and Monotheism, all eligibilities will be reminded: eligibility from the point of action and piety, eligibility from the point of knowledge and awareness, eligibility from the point of ability and power, and eligibility from the point of management, regularity, and social apprehension. Some Islamic narrations have explicitly commented this verse upon the followers of Hadrat Mahdi (may Allah hasten his auspicious advent). This meaning is the statement of a high and clear aspect of it which does not confine the generality of the concept of the verse.
The system of creation is a manifest reference for the acceptance of a proper social system of the world of humanity in future. This meaning is the same thing which is understood from the verse under discussion and the traditions concerning the advent of ‘the Worldly Great Reformer’, Hadrat Mahdi, (may our souls be sacrificed to him). Finally, once Imam Sadiq (as) was asked about the commentary of the Qur’anic words /zabur/ and /ŏikr/ when he said:
“(The reality of) /ŏikr/ is with Allah and /zabur/ is the Book sent down to David, and all the Books which have been sent down are with the people of knowledge, and they are we, the Ahl-ul-Bayt.” 24
As it was mentioned aforetime, there are many narrations which indicate that those righteous servants who will be the inheritors of the earth are the followers of Hadrat Mahdi (as).25 Also, some Islamic narrations denote that the Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet of Islam (S) will be the inheritors of the earth and they will return to life again.26 Majma‘-ul-Bayan, concerning this verse, narrates a tradition from Imam Baqir (as) implying that those righteous servants, whom Allah points to in this verse as the inheritors of the earth, are the followers of Mahdi (as) in ‘the end of the Time’.
Again, upon the explanation of this holy verse, it is cited in Tafsir-i-Qummi that the objective meaning of the fact that the righteous servants of Allah will inherit the earth is Mahdi, the Qa’im, and his followers. In addition to the abovementioned narrations, which are upon the commentary of this verse, there have been recorded a great many other traditions from the way of Shi‘iet and Sunni about Hadrat Mahdi (as) narrated from the holy Prophet of Islam (S) and Ahl-ul-Bayt (as) all of which signify that at last the government of the world will be in the hand of the righteous ones.
Then, a man from the household of the Prophet (S) will rise and will establish justice throughout of the world after that it has been filled with injustice and cruelty. Among them is this famous holy tradition, which has been narrated from the Prophet (S) recorded in most of the Islamic sources. It says:
“If there is not remained from the (life of the) world but a day, Allah will prolong that day so that He raises a righteous man from my household by whom the earth will be filled with justice thoroughly the same as it has been filled with injustice and oppression.” 27
This holy tradition, with the same meaning or with a little difference, has been mentioned in many books of Shi‘ah and Sunni. It was said in the commentary of verse 33 from Surah Al-Taubah No. 9 that a group of outstanding scholars of Islam, whether from ancient and modern times, Shi‘ah and Sunni, have clearly certified in their books that the traditions concerning the rising of Mahdi (as) are nearly at the level of ‘wide scale’ so that his rising can never be deniable.
There are some reputable books available particularly written in this regard, including: Abu-Na‘im in ‘’Akhbar-ul-Mahdi’; Ibn-Hajar-Heythami in ‘Al -Ghaul -ul -Mukhtasar -fi -‘Alamat -il -Mahdi -Al -Muntazar’; Showkani in ‘At-Taudih fi Tawatur-i-Ma-Ja’a fi-l-Muntazar wad-Dajjal wal-Masih’; ’Idris-i-‘Araqi Maqribi in the book of ‘Al-Mahdi’. And the news about Mahdi (as) narrated from the Prophet (S), which have been testified and witnessed by the Companions of the Prophet, have been mentioned in a lot of famous Islamic books as well as the main texts of traditions irrespective of ‘Sunan’, ‘Ma‘ajim’ and ‘Masanid’ among which we may point to: ‘Sunan - i - Abu - Dawood’, ‘Sunan - i - Tirmithi’, ‘Ibn - i - Majih’, Ibn - i - ‘Amr - id - Dawani, ‘Musnad - i -’Ahmad’, ‘Ibn - i - Ya‘la’, ‘Bazzaz’, ‘Mustadrak - i -Hakim-i-Neyshaburi’, ‘Ma‘ajim-i-Tabarani’ (the Great and the Moderate), ‘Ruyani’, ‘Dar-Ghutni’, and Abu-Na‘im in ‘Akhbar - ul - Mahdi’, Khatib in ‘Tarikh - i - Baqdad’, Ibn - i - ‘Asakir in ‘Tarikh - i - Damishgh’, and so on.
Again, the traditions concerning Mahdi (as) have been narrated by many of the companions of the Prophet, among them are: ‘Uthman - ibn - ‘Uffan, Ali-ibn-Abitalib (as), Talhat-ibn-‘Ubayd-i-llah, ‘Abd-ur-Rahman-ibn-‘Uf, Qurrat-ibn-’Asas Mazni, ‘Abdullah - ibn - Harith, ’Abu - Hurayrih, Khuthayfat - ibn-Yaman, Jabir - ibn - ‘Abdillah, Abu -’Umamah, Jabir-ibn-Majid, ‘Abdillah - ibn-‘Umar, ’Anas-ibn-Malik, ‘Imran-ibn-Hasin, and ’Umm-as-Salamah. These are twenty persons out of all those who have narrated the traditions about Mahdi (as). Therefore, there are so many others, besides them, who have narrated the traditions regarding him (as).
There are a lot of reliable statements recorded from the source of the companions of the Prophet themselves in which the discussion of the reappearance and advent of Hadrat Mahdi (as) is seen and which can also be set in the row of the Prophet’s traditions. This subject is not among the subjects about which can be said some things by means of ‘individual reasoning’. (Therefore, naturally they have also heard this subject from the Prophet (S).)
Also, among those scholars who have declared explicitly that the traditions concerning Mahdi (as) are at the level of ‘wide scale’ are: As-Sakhawi in the book entitled ‘Fath-ul-Muqith’, Muhammad - ibn - Ahmad - Safawini in ‘Sharh - ul -‘Aghidah’, ’Abul - Hassan - il - Abari in ‘Manaqib - i-Sh-Shafi‘i, Ibn - Tayyimmiyah in his book of Fatawi ‘Pronouncements’, ‘Suyuti’ in Al-Hawi, Idris-i-‘Araqi in his book upon Mahdi (as), Showkani in the book named ‘At-Toudih - fi - Tawatur - i -Maja’a-fil-Muntazar’, Muhammad Ja‘far Kanani in ‘Nazm-ut-Tanathur’.
You may see the commentary books of Shi‘ah, upon the verses of the Qur’an where the narrations about Mahdi (as) are fully available, among them are: Tafsir - ul - Burhan, Safi, Majma‘-ul-Bayan, Atyab - ul - Bayan, Nur-uth - Thaqalayn, the books like Al - Kafi, Bihar, Tibyan, Muntakhab-ul-’Athar, Nur-ul-’Absar, and the like. Thus, the belief in the advent of Mahdi (as) is incumbent (for every Muslim), and this is considered as a part of the doctrine of Men of Tradition and community, and the sect of twelve-Imam Shi‘ism.
A Few Traditions Upon Expecting For Mahdi
1. Someone once asked Imam Sadiq (as) about his opinion concerning the one who believes in guardianship (Wilayah) of the Imams (as), and expects the advent of the government of Justice while, in this case, he dies.
The Imam (as) said:
“He is like the one who is with the leader of this revolution in his camp, (his army group).”
Then, after a pause, he (as) said:
“He is like the one who is with the messenger of Allah (in his struggles).” 28
This meaning, with a little difference, has been cited in many Islamic narrations.
2. In some narrations it has also been said:
“He is like a sword striker in the way of Allah.”
3. In some others, it has been said:
“He is like the one who strikes on the enemy’s head by his sword with the Messenger of Allah.”
4. Some other narrations say:
“He is like the one who is under the flag of Qa’im ‘the Upholder’.”
5. Some of them say:
“He is like a struggler who fights (in the cause of Allah) before the Messenger of Allah.”
6. Some others say:
“He is like the one who suffers martyrdom with the Messenger of Allah.”
These six similes, which have been narrated upon the expectation of the advent of Mahdi (as), make this fact clear that there is a kind of relation and similarity between the subject of ‘expectation’, on one side, and ‘the Holy Struggle’ which is combating against the enemy of Allah in its latest form, on the other side.
7. So many narrations indicate that having an expectation of such a government has been introduced as the most elevated worship. In some traditions, this meaning has been narrated from the Prophet (S) and in some others from Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as).
In a tradition we read that the Prophet of Islam (S) said:
“The most excellent deeds of my Ummat is the expectation of deliverance from the side of Allah, Almighty and Glorious.” 29
Another tradition narrated from the Messenger of Islam (S) says:
“The most excellent deed is the expectation of deliverance.” 30
Whether, we consider ‘the expectation of deliverance’ in the sense of its vast meaning or in its peculiar meaning, i.e., in the sense of ‘expecting for the advent of ‘the great worldly reformer’, this tradition makes the importance of the act of expectation clear regarding to our discussion. These concise expressions wholly denote that having the expectation of such a revolution is always coupled with a vast and extensive Holy Struggle. Having this idea in mind, you may pay attention to the concept of expectation, and then we can conclude from all of them.
The state of ‘expectation’ is usually used for the one who is inconvenient from the existing condition and struggles for creating a better circumstance. For example, the sick person who waits for becoming better, or a father who waits for his son to come back from abroad, both of them are worried, one from sickness and another from the separation of the child, and they try for a better situation. Also, a merchant, who is worried about the bad state of the market and waits for the economic crises to become normal, has two moods: ‘estrangement with the existing situation’, and ‘struggle for a better situation’.
Therefore, the subject of expectation (or waiting) for the government of justice and probity ruled by Mahdi (may Allah hasten his advent), and the rising of the worldly reformer, in fact, are defined in two categories: the negative element, and the positive element. The negative element here is that very ‘estrangement with the existing situation’ and the positive element is ‘the desire for a better situation’. If these two aspects influence deeply in the soul of man, they will become the source of two branches of vast and extensive deeds.
These two branches of deeds consist in abandoning any competition and harmony with the factors of injustice, vice, mischief and even struggling against them all, from one side, and self-improvement, self-support, attracting the physical and mental preparations, as well as both material and spiritual preparations for the auspicious formation of that single worldly government, on the other side. If we take care well we can see that both of those two branches of deeds not only are constructive, but also are the factors of movement, cognizance, and awareness.
Regarding the essential concept of this ‘expectation’, the meaning of the numerous narrations, which were mentioned in the above, about the reward and the result of those who ‘expect’, may be understood manifestly. It is now that we understand why the true expectants sometimes have been counted as those who are in Mahdi’s tent or are under his flag, or like the one who fights in the cause of Allah, or his blood is poured, or has suffered martyrdom.
Do they not hint to the different stages and degrees of struggle in the way of truth and justice which are proportional to the quality of the preparation and the level of persons’ expectation! That is, as the amount of self-sacrifice of the strugglers of the way of Allah and their functions are different with each other, expectation, self-improvement and preparation are also completely different in degrees, each of which from the point of preliminary situation and consequence has similarity with one of them.
Both of them are Holy struggles and both of them require preparation and self-improvement. The person who is in the camp of the leader of that kind of government, i.e. he is in the center of command of an army of a worldly government, cannot be a negligent and an unaware individual. That position is not the place for any ordinary person. It is the place of some equipped persons who are really worthy of that significant position. To be more and well acquainted with the true effects of the expectation for the reappearance of Mahdi (as), you may notice the following explanations:
Expectation Means ‘Full Prepared’
If I am unjust and oppressive, how can I be waiting for the one the prey of whose sword is the blood of the unjust? If I am really polluted and impious, how can I wait for a revolution whose flame initially seizes the skirt of the polluted ones? The army which is awaiting for a great Holy War, increases the preparation of its personnel, blows a spirit of revolution in them, and improves any weak point therein. The reason of it is that the quality of ‘expectation’ may always proportionate to the goal and destination which we are expecting for:
The expectation of coming an ordinary traveler from the voyage. The expectation of the return of a very dear friend when he is going to come back. The expectation of the arrival of the season of harvest and picking up fruits from trees. Every one of these expectations is allied with a kind of preparation. In one of them the house must be prepared and the means of entertaining must be made ready; in another one its necessary tools must be brought forth,…
Now you may think of those who are expecting for a great worldly reformer. They are, in fact, expecting a revolution, shifting, and transformation which is the vastest and the most fundamental revolution among the revolutions of humankind throughout the history of man. It is a revolution which, contrast to the former revolutions, is not provincial. Not only it is common and general, but also involves all the affairs and necessities of the lives of human beings. It is a political, cultural, economical and ethical revolution.
Before anything else, such a revolution is in need of some prepared and eligible men who can carry the heavy load of that vast improvement of the world on their backs; and this, at first stage, needs that the level of thought, cognizance, and mental and spiritual preparation of people be promoted for the cooperation in actualization of that great program. Insularities, narrow scope in minds, ill-thoughts, jealousies, childish and unwisely discords, and, in general, any kind of hypocrisy and dissension do not agree with the position of the true expectants of Mahdi (as).
The important matter is that the true expectant of that significant program can never have the role of a mere spectator. He must certainly join the row of revolutionists from just now. The belief in the good results and the end of this shifting may never let him be in the row of the opponents of that revolution, and being in the row of the adherents of it needs having pure and pious deeds either, as well as leading a more pious soul with the possession of ‘courage’ and sufficient ‘awareness’.
If I am corruptible and vicious, how can I be waiting for a system of government in which the corruptible and vicious individuals have no function? They will be rejected and hated therein. Is this expectation enough for purifying one’s soul and mind, and wiping out both the body and spirit from the dirt of pollutions in his life? The army that waits for the Holy Struggle of liberty, will surely be in the state of being full ready and will equip itself with a weapon which is suitable for such a battle-field.
It will make the necessary fortresses ready, will elevate the epic preparation of its personnel, will strengthen their courage, and keep the flame of love and eager in the hearts of its soldiers alive, one by one, for such a struggle. The army, which lacks such a preparation, does not live in ‘expectation’, and if it demands it, it tells a lie. The real expectation for a worldly reformer means a full mental, ethical, material and spiritual readiness in people for the improvement of the world entirely. You may consider how constructive such a preparation can be.
The First Philosophy, Personal Self-Improvement
The improvement of the world thoroughly, and putting an end to all injustices and ruins, is not so easy and it cannot be a simple job. The preparation for such a great aim should be symmetrical with it, i.e., it must be similarly with the same expansion and depth that it is. For actualizing such a revolution, some very great men, who are always decided, very powerful, without defeating, extraordinarily pure and liberal, completely prepared, and with deep insight, are needed.
Self-improvement for this aim requires the application of the best ethical, mental, and social programs. This is, in fact, the meaning of ‘the true expectation’. Can anyone say that such an expectation is not constructive?
The Second Philosophy, Social Succours
At the same time, the true expectants are dutiful not only to be careful to their own selves, but they also must be careful of the circumstance of each other, and, besides improving their own selves, try to improve others, too. The heavy and great program, which they are waiting for, is not a personal one; it is a program that all the elements of the revolution must take part in it. The job is encompassing and it must be accomplished by all members.
The efforts and endeavours must, indeed, become harmonized and the depth and expansion of this harmony must be as great as that worldly revolution which they are expecting for. In a vast field, where a group of strivers are totally busy striving, usually no individual can remain neglectful of the circumstances of others. On the contrary, he ought to amend any weak point that he sees somewhere, and he must improve any situation which may be damageable, and strengthen any weak and inconvenient part he finds.
For, without the active and harmonized participation of all the members of strivers, the actualization of such a program is impossible. Thus, the true expectants, in addition that they always try to improve themselves, should consider their own duty to improve others, too. This is another constructive effect of the expectation for the rising of a worldly reformer; and this is the philosophy of all those virtues which have been enumerated for the true expectants (of Mahdi).
The Third Philosophy: True Expectants May Not Assume the Corruption of The Environment
Another important effect that lays in the expectation for Mahdi (as) is the lack of being changed into the mischief of the environment and the absence of any submission to the pollutions. Its explanation is that when corruption covers everywhere, and it gets the majority or a great many of the people of the society involved into that pollution, sometimes the pious ones may find themselves in a very narrow and difficult blind psychological status. It is a blind situation which originates from the despair of improvements.
Sometimes they think that the dice has been cast and there is no hope for its improvement, so the effort for keeping pure oneself is of no avail. This hopelessness and despair may take them gradually toward corruption and being of the same nature of he environment in a manner that they cannot preserve themselves as a righteous minority contrast to an impious majority; and think of not being alike the community as the cause of their defame. The only thing that can blow hope in them and invite them to resistance and self-control, so that they do not assume the nature of the corruptive environment, is the hope to the final improvement.
It is only in this case that they do not abandon the effort and endeavour for preserving their own purity and improving others. So, we see in the Islamic instruction that the despair of divine forgiveness has been considered as one of the greatest sins, and some unaware persons may surprise why despair from the mercy of Allah has been counted so important, even more important than many other faults, its philosophy is this very fact that the sinner who is despair of the mercy of Allah (s.w.t.) may find no reason to decide to recompense, or at least stops committing that sin.
His logic is: ‘In for a penny, in for a pound’; ‘Black will take no other hue’; ‘It’s end is Hell’; and the like of these logics. But, as soon as the window of hope will be opened to him – the hope for Allah’s forgiveness, the hope for the change of the existing situation – there can be a turning point in his life which invites him to stop committing sin and return towards piety and improvement. It is for this very reason that ‘hope’ can be recognized as an effective factor in training the corrupt persons, as well as those good doers who are captured in the corrupt environment, and cannot protect themselves without hope.
The conclusion is that: the much impious and vicious the world becomes, the more the expectation of the advent of a reformer increases and it has an increasing spiritual positive effect in the believers. It guarantees them against the powerful waves of mischief. They not only will not despair with the expansion of the range of mischief in the environment, but also behold nigh, in front of them, the approach of gaining the goal; and their effort for struggling against corruption or their self-protection will be pursued by an increasing desire and love.
From the totality of the aforementioned discussions, it can be concluded that if expectation, with its real meaning, be actualized in both the society and individuals, it will be an important factor from the point of training, self-improvement, and movement. Among clear references which certify this subject is that, upon the commentary of the verse which says:
there has been narrated from some great leaders of Islam that the purpose of this verse is ‘Mahdi (as) and his followers’.32 Another tradition indicates that ‘this verse has been sent down about Mahdi (as)’.33 In this recent verse he (as) and his followers have been introduced as ‘those of you who believe and do righteous deeds’. Thus, the actualization of this worldly revolution is impossible without a firm belief which repels any kind of weakness, despicableness, and feebleness, and without the righteous deeds that pave the way for the improvement of the world.
So, those who are waiting for such a program not only must increase the standard of their awareness and faith, but also ought to try to improve their actions. These are only those who can give the glad tidings of association with his government to themselves, not those who are accomplice with injustice and cruelty, nor those who are far from Faith and righteous deeds. Nor those coward and despicable persons who, as a result of the weakness of their Faith, have always scare from everything, even from their own shadow.
Nor those listless, idle, and inattentive persons who remain silent in front of the corruptions of their environment and their society, and show the least challenge and effort in the way of struggle against corruption. This is the constructive effect of the rising of Mahdi (as) in the Islamic society.
Footnotes