Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi Is Certain Divine Promise That Will Never Be Broken

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi Is Certain Divine Promise That Will Never Be Broken
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Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi stated that the reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance) is a definite promise from God Almighty and will certainly take place, emphasizing that divine promises are never violated.

The remarks were made during his daily scholarly session held on Tuesday, the 27th of Safar 1448 AH, where he answered questions from attendees on various jurisprudential and religious issues.

During the session, Grand Ayatollah Shirazi referred to a narration from Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (peace be upon him) regarding the reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance). He explained that Imam al-Ridha was asked whether it was possible for some signs of the reappearance not to occur while the reappearance itself still takes place, and the Imam responded affirmatively.

He added that when asked whether it was possible for Imam al-Mahdi’s reappearance never to occur until the Day of Resurrection, Imam al-Ridha (peace be upon him) rejected this possibility, affirming that the reappearance will certainly happen.

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi explained that the certainty of the reappearance stems from the fact that it is a divine promise, noting that God Almighty does not fail to fulfill His promises. He further stated that the signs associated with the reappearance belong to the category of warnings, and acting differently from a warning is considered a matter of virtue.

The scholar emphasized the importance of understanding the distinction between divine promises and warnings, highlighting the certainty of the promised emergence of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble reappearance) in Islamic belief.