Replies to some (rational) objections about the Awaited Saviour
(a) Longevity
How is possible for him to live through ten centuries unaffected by natural laws? As everyone passes through old age and senility until they eventually die.
The objection here is the impossibility of such a long life. Let us examine it closely, the word impossibility here (like any other truth) is relative. It has meaning only in relation to some person, place, and time. What is impossible for one person need not be so for the others. Then what is impossible in one place may be quite possible in another place. Again what is not possible at one time may be quite possible at another. There is no dearth of illustrations to prove how impossibility is a relative term. To journey across the ocean, reach the bottom of the sea, and travel to the moon are practical possibilities. There are people who have accomplished these tasks in one way or another.” And yet they may be impossible for others due to varying reasons.
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Muhammad Roohallah
(b) Suspension of laws
Why has God chosen this particular person as the saviour of humanity, is humanity unable to produce a competent leader, who may be born and grow up naturally to fill the role of the saviour ?
It is true that the long life granted to the Mahdi (a.j.t.f.s) is unusual but the role he is destined to perform will also have no parallel in history so it is not odd at the preparatory stage also his role is preceded by some unusual and extraordinary events, like his long life.
The Quran has expressly stated that prophet Noah (a.s) lived amongst his people for around 950 years. Then he constructed the world after the Deluge. How is it then that we accept the longevity of Noah who lived at least for about a thousand years and deny that of the Mahdi.
We have already learned that a long life is scientifically possible but even if forego that and assume there is a law of senility that is inexorable. In such a case the long life span of prophet Noah (a.s) and the Mahdi (a.j.t.f.s) can be accepted as a miracle.
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Muhammad Roohallah(c) Lack of training
The promised saviour was born to the 11th Imam of the prophet’s in 255 A.H. and whose father passed away in 260 A.H.
Since he was not more than 5 years old at the time of his father’s passing how was he prepared for his role?
This age is the time of early childhood and the child is not old enough for the development of the personality of a leader. Then how did his personality develop?
The answer is that several of his forefathers also assumed the Imamate at an early age. Imam Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad assumed it when he was only eight years old and Imam Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi when he was only nine. The phenomenon of the early Imamate reached its zenith in the case of the Imam Mahdi. We call it a phenomenon because it assumed a tangible and practical form as in the case of Imam Mahdi's forefathers. It was felt and experienced by the Muslims coming into contact with the Imam concerned. Experience of the people being the best proof of a phenomenon, we cannot be asked to give a more tangible or more convincing proof of it.
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Muhammad Roohallah(d) His continued existence
Even if it is theoretically possible, what is the scientific or religious proof?
There are two questions posed here, one is scientific in nature and the other is of a religious nature. They will be appropriately approached, the scientific method of hypothesis - experiment - result will be applied for the former and we will use the fact that books of traditions are replete with this subject to answer the latter.
The concept of the Mahdi as the Awaited Saviour who is to change the world for the better has been mentioned in the traditions of the holy Prophet generally and in the sayings of the Imams particularly. It has been emphasized in so many passages that there is no reason to doubt it. The number of reports on this subject found in the books of our Sunni brethren comes to 400, and the total number of reports found in both the Shi'ah and the Sunni sources comes to more than 6,000. This is a colossal figure, unparalleled in the case of most of those Islamic issues which are not usually doubted by any Muslim. As for the embodiment of this concept in the person of the twelfth Imam, there exists enough justification to believe that. This justification can be summarised in two arguments, one being Islamic and the other scientific.
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Muhammad Roohallah(e) Delay in appearance
If he is ready to perform his role, why is there a delay in his appearance?
Could not the upheavals and the tragedies so far witnessed by the world justify his appearance on the scene? After all, he had a good opportunity to mobilize his support base during minor occultation as they had contact with him (so a stronger connection) and ruling powers weren't as powerful as they subsequently become.
The successful execution of a revolutionary order depends on certain pre-requisites and on the existence of a particular atmosphere. Unless these conditions are fulfilled and that atmosphere is created, it cannot achieve its objectives. As regards the Divinely ordained shape of things it has two aspects. As far as its missionary aspect is concerned it, being Divinely ordained, does not depend on any congenial atmosphere, but, as far as its operational side is concerned, its timing and success are linked with conducive circumstances. The same was the reason why the pre-Islamic period of five centuries had to elapse before the Last Divine Message came to Prophet Muhammad, though the world had been in dire need of it since a far earlier time. It was delayed only because its successful completion was linked with certain suitable circumstances.
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Muhammad Roohallah(f) His superhuman role
How can one individual play such a great role, when it is known that no individual by himself can make history nor can he give it an entirely new turn?
The question is whether a single individual, howsoever great he may be, can accomplish such a great task when it is known that a great man is only he whom the circumstances bring forward to be in the forefront of the events. It is based on a particular viewpoint about history which explains historical developments on the basis that man is only a secondary factor, whereas the main factor consists of the forces which work around him. Man at the most can be described as an intelligent interpreter of the inter-play of these forces.
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Muhammad Roohallah(g) His modus operandi
How will he operate and what methods will he employ to bring colossal change and to ensure the final victory of the forces of justice over the mighty and dominating forces of oppression and injustice, which now have the most destructive weapons, scientific potentialities, and political, social and military power at their disposal.
Now we come to the last question which is about the method that the Mahdi is likely to adopt to achieve his objective, the final victory of justice and the complete eradication of injustice.
A definite answer to this question depends not only on the knowledge of the timing and the stage at which the Mahdi will reappear but also on the possibility of imagining what particular circumstances will be prevailing at that time. It is only in light of these circumstances that a picture of his possible strategy can be drawn.
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Muhammad Roohallah