Despair and Hopelessness from the Appearance (Reasons and the Ways out)

Despair and Hopelessness from the Appearance (Reasons and the Ways out)

Seyed Mas’oud Pourseyyed Aghaei, Ali Behboudi

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the causes of despair and hopelessness (resulting) from the (non-) Appearance of Imam Mahdi (A.S). Since the belief in the Appearance of Imam Mahdi (A.S) is one of the key tenets of Twelver Shiite ideology; disappointment from its realization is an important challenge; because dangerous consequences await such individuals and society. In this article, eight origins of despair from the Appearance are explored, the causes such as the prolonged absence (occultation), suddenness (in Appearance), timing, incorrect application of the signs of Appearance, lack of correct knowledge, visitationism, the power and dominance of the false front over the Muslims and incorrect performance of the false awaiters. Moreover, six important consequences of despair from the Appearance are mentioned, which are: running away from the Imam, pessimism towards the Imam, the denial of the Imam, laziness, abandonment of the command to the good and forbiddance of the evil, and the domination of foreigners. In this study, considering the origins of the despair and its consequences, with an analytic-library-based method, and with reference to the traditions, we have expressed the eight important and practical strategies to prevent and cure this challenge which are as follows: seeking help from God the Almighty by reciting the transmitted prayers, gaining knowledge about the Imam, correctly explaining the entry of awaiting, clarifying the effects of patience and submission for the Appearance, paying attention to the bada in the Appearance, paying attention to the traditions prohibiting timing, strengthening the spiritual connection with the Imam.

Appearance pervasiveness of oppression public acceptance