Connecting with the Imam – 1.

Ghaybah - Occultation
[Slide 2] How do I connect to my Imam. Then group discussion
[slide 3] Definition of Ghaybah:
Ghaybah in contrast to: [all have different meanings].
1. Shuhud: (witness/existence), Imam not died so not returning, he has not left this world
so he returns, he is already here.
2. Huzur: (present) Imam does not descend (as Prophet Isa (A) will) he is right here, he was
not taken up.
3. Zuhur: (apparent/evident) Imam lives amongst us, he eats, drinks, sleeps just like us. He
is not invisible, we just cannot identify him, we see the Imam (in Arafah) but don’t know
he is Imam. When Imam comes out of Ghaybah many people will say they had seen him.
So end of occultation Imam will make himself known hence we call Ghaybah oppo to Zuhur.
Gahybah is not opposite to being hidden, like the angels (shuhud).
Ghaybah is not opposite to absences, as he is more present than anyone else (huzur).
Ghaybah is opposite to appearance, opposite to being identifiable and recognizable (zuhur).
[slide 4] Different types of Ghaybah amongst the Prophets (A):
1. P.Isa – still with A.
2. P.Idris – also in the Heavens (sura Maryam 19:56-58; Sura Anbiyyah 21:86-86)
3. Khidr – still alive (Sura Kahf 18:65-82 – not mentioned by name)
4. P.Ilyas – still alive (After P.Musa, people in Syria began to worship Baal, the sun God.
Ilyas was taken up to heaven when people wanted to kill him; Sura Saaffaat,37:123-132)
5. P.Yunus –left his tribe and went to the ocean where the fish swallowed him (40 days)
6. P.Musa – went into 2 ghaybah – 1st when he left Egypt and went to Madyan (28yrs or
50yrs) while in Madyan no-one knew who he was – ie identity hidden. The 2nd ghaybah –
when he went to the Mountain to talk to A. (40 days)
7. P.Salih – left his tribe for a few years – when he came back they did not recognize him
8. P.Ibrahim- when his people would not listen to him and told him to leave them, he did
9. P.Yusuf – for so many years – people did not know him – even his own brothers
Imam works the same way as P.Yusuf-around the people but they did not know who he was

[slide 5] The purpose of Imam in Ghaybah:

Ghaybah – not isolate/on an island/on his own – BUT lives with us but his identity is hidden
The following Hadith (Bihar al-Anwar, vol.52, ch.20, pg.92) has been mentioned a number of
times: Just as the sun benefits behind the clouds
 Holy Prohet (S) answer to Jabir bin ‘Abdillah al-Ansari when he asks: ‘will the Shi’a
benefit from the Qa’im (as) during his concealment?’
 6th Imam (A) answers when asked what would be the benefit of a hidden Imam.
 12th Imam (AF) reply to the letter sent to him by Ishaq ibn Yaqub, through Muhammad
Ibn Uthman, asking what was his purpose in ghaybah
The similitude of the Imam to the sun when it is enveloped by the clouds, as he is described
in these traditions, indicates several things (Al-’Allama Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi):
1. Life – to all. Just as life could not exist without the sun, the world could not exist without
the Hujjat of Allah on the earth; he counteracts all the negativity:
5th Imam (A): If the Imam was to be taken out of the duniya the earth would be
destroyed within a second
َ ‫َّللاُ ِليُعَ ِذبَ ُه ْم َوأَ ْن‬
...‫ت فِي ِه ْم‬ ‫َو َما َكانَ ه‬
Sura al-Anfaal [Shakir 8:33] But Allah would not chastise them while you were among them…
2. Food: plants to produce their own food (primary producers) using sunlight - His spiritual
energy helps our soul grow. It is by his duas, blessings, mediation and intercession
3. Light: sunlight provides us light to see, the 12th Imam gives us the light of knowledge and
guidance, he is the bridge between us and Allah. He guides the Ullamah (Shaykh Mufid
and the unborn child; Muqaddas Ardibilli asks Imam questions). If blind can’t see
4. Actively waiting: When the sun is hidden behind the clouds, it continues to bring benefit
to mankind (even the blind). But mankind continues to wait expectantly for it to
reappear from behind the clouds so that they may benefit more from it. Similar is the
state during the Imam's concealment. The sincere ones from his partisans await his re-
appearance all the time and in every epoch and do not give up hope in him
5. Prepare ourselves: A person attempting to look at the sun without cloud cover, is
unable to do so and may even go blind. So need to prepare ourselves for his coming. His
manifestation may prove detrimental to their (i.e., the servants of God) sight and may
prove to be the cause of their blindness from the Truth (eg Banu Israil).
6. Purify ourselves: The rays of the sun enter houses depending on number of windows
available, so similar is the case with regards to the benefit obtained by creation from the
light of the 12th Imam’s guidance. The windows of the soul maybe darkened by sin.
7. Some may see Imam: The sun may come out from behind the clouds and some may be
able to view it while others not. Similarly, it is possible for the Imam to manifest himself
to some during his concealment and not to others.
8. Quran: The sun’s rays are the same but the effect it has on different materials depends
on the properties of the material (eg clay and wax), in the same way the 12th Imam’s
light will effect each of us differently (eg of the Holy Qur’an – as he is the living Qur’an)
[slide 6] The 12th Imam in the Qur’an – few examples:
- 25 Prophets mentioned – 123 975 not mentioned
- [9:40] …he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave… – Abu Bakr;
[5:55] Only Allah is your Vali and His Messenger and those who believe, those who keep
up prayers and pay the poor-rate while they bow-I. Ali (A); Sura Kawthar – B.Fatimah (A)
- Establish prayers – how – through Sunnah
Tafsir = apparent meaning; Tawil = hidden meaning. eg of difference:
[Shakir 80:24] Then let man look to his food ‫ام ِه‬ َ ‫ان إِلَ ٰى‬
ِ ‫ط َع‬ ُ ‫س‬َ ‫اْل ْن‬ ُ ‫فَ ْليَ ْن‬
ِ ْ ‫ظ ِر‬
Tafsir – food – Halaal/Haraam; Tawil – food – knowledge
12th Imam not yet come, hidden-therefore within the tawil of the verses of the HQ-some egs
[other than verses which talk about the Aimmah – of which he is the last – eg 33:33 (Ayah
Tathir) 4:59 (Obey A, obey P and those in charge…) etc]
[slide 7-8] Some examples of verses referring to the 12th Imam (AF)- [Assalamu alayka ya
Sharika al-Quran]

‫ف‬َ ‫ض َك َما ا ْست َ ْخ َل‬ ِ ‫ت لَ َي ْست َ ْخ ِلفَنه ُه ْم ِفي ْاْل َ ْر‬ ‫َّللاُ الهذِينَ آ َمنُوا ِم ْن ُك ْم َو َع ِملُوا ال ه‬
ِ ‫صا ِل َحا‬ ‫َو َعدَ ه‬
ۚ ‫ض ٰى لَ ُه ْم َولَيُبَ ِدلَنه ُه ْم ِم ْن بَ ْع ِد خ َْوفِ ِه ْم أ َ ْمنًا‬ ْ ‫الهذِينَ ِم ْن قَ ْب ِل ِه ْم َولَيُ َم ِكن هَن لَ ُه ْم دِينَ ُه ُم الهذِي‬
َ َ ‫ارت‬
َ‫ش ْيئًا ۚ َو َم ْن َكفَ َر بَ ْعدَ ٰذَ ِل َك فَأُو ٰلَئِ َك ُه ُم ْالفَا ِسقُون‬
َ ‫يَ ْعبُدُونَنِي ََل يُ ْش ِر ُكونَ بِي‬
[Shakir 24:55] Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make
them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them
their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security
in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me; and whoever is ungrateful after this, these it is
who are the. transgressors.

َ‫ِين ُك ِل ِه َولَ ْو َك ِرهَ ْال ُم ْش ِر ُكون‬ ْ ‫ق ِلي‬

ِ ‫ُظ ِه َرهُ َعلَى الد‬ ِ ‫ِين ْال َح‬
ِ ‫سولَهُ ِب ْال ُهدَ ٰى َود‬ َ ‫ُه َو الهذِي أ َ ْر‬
ُ ‫س َل َر‬
[Shakir 9:33] He it is Who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to
prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse.

َ‫ور ِه َولَ ْو َك ِرهَ ْال َكافِ ُرون‬ ‫َّللاِ ِبأ َ ْف َوا ِه ِه ْم َو ه‬

ِ ُ‫َّللاُ ُمتِ ُّم ن‬ ‫ور ه‬ ْ ُ‫يُ ِريدُونَ ِلي‬
َ ُ‫ط ِفئُوا ن‬
[Shakir 61:8] They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, though
the unbelievers may be averse.

َ‫ِين ُك ِل ِه َولَ ْو َك ِرهَ ْال ُم ْش ِر ُكون‬ ْ ‫ق ِلي‬

ِ ‫ُظ ِه َرهُ َعلَى الد‬ ِ ‫ِين ْال َح‬
ِ ‫سولَهُ ِب ْال ُهدَ ٰى َود‬ َ ‫ُه َو الهذِي أ َ ْر‬
ُ ‫س َل َر‬
[Shakir 61:9] He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion, that He may make it
overcome the religions, all of them, though the polytheists may be averse.

َ‫صا ِل ُحون‬
‫ِي ال ه‬ َ ‫الذ ْك ِر أَ هن ْاْل َ ْر‬
َ ‫ض يَ ِرث ُ َها ِعبَاد‬ ِ ‫ور ِم ْن بَ ْع ِد‬ ‫َولَقَ ْد َكت َ ْبنَا فِي ه‬
ِ ُ‫الزب‬
[Shakir 21:105] And certainly We wrote in the Book (Psalms) after the reminder (the old testament) that (as
for) the land, My righteous servants shall inherit it.
Genesis 17:20 mentions that 12 leaders would arise from the progeny of Ismā῾īl (A)
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will
greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into
a great nation.” http://biblehub.com/genesis/17-20.htm

َ‫ض َون َْجعَلَ ُه ْم أَئِ همةً َون َْجعَلَ ُه ُم ْال َو ِارثِين‬ ْ ُ ‫َونُ ِريدُ أ َ ْن نَ ُم هن َعلَى الهذِينَ ا ْست‬
ِ ‫ض ِعفُوا فِي ْاْل َ ْر‬
[Shakir 28:5] And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make
them the Imams, and to make them the heirs,

َ ‫َّللاِ َخي ٌْر لَ ُك ْم إِ ْن ُك ْنت ُ ْم ُمؤْ ِم ِنينَ ۚ َو َما أَنَا‬

‫علَ ْي ُك ْم ِب َح ِفيظ‬ ‫َب ِقيهتُ ه‬
[Shakir 11:86] What remains with Allah is better for you if you are believers, and I am not a keeper over you.

ٌ‫ض ۗ أَإِ ٰلَه‬

ِ ‫سو َء َو َي ْجعَلُ ُك ْم ُخلَفَا َء ْاْل َ ْر‬ ُ ‫عاهُ َو َي ْكش‬
ُّ ‫ِف ال‬ َ ‫ض‬
َ َ‫ط هر ِإذَا د‬ ْ ‫يب ْال ُم‬ُ ‫أَ هم ْن يُ ِج‬
َ‫يًل َما تَذَ هك ُرون‬ ً ‫َّللاِ ۚ قَ ِل‬
‫َم َع ه‬
[Shakir 27:62] Or, Who answers the distressed one when he calls upon Him and removes the evil, and He will
make you successors in the earth. Is there a god with Allah? Little is it that you mind!

[Slide 9]- Next week: Hadith of HP on Marifah

[Slide 10] – How will I NOW connect to my Imam – Qur’an