ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books An Overview of The Mahdi’s (‘atfs) Government Governments With governmental support, tenets of religions and schools of thought could be implemented in society. Because of this, every group wants to establish a government in order to attain and implement its own objectives.

Islam, which is the most superior heavenly creed, also pursues the establishment of an Islamic government and it considers the formation and preservation of the government of truth as one of the highest religious duties. The Noble Prophet of Islam (S) exerted all his efforts in establishing an Islamic government and strove to lay its foundation in the city of Medina.

After his death—despite the inspiration of the infallible Imams ( ‘a ) and the distinguished ‘ulama’ to continue this Islamic government—the governments that came into being, with the exception of a very few cases, have not been divine, and till the time of the advent of Hadrat Mahdi ( ‘a ) most governments will be based on falsehood.

The hadith s that have been transmitted to us from the Prophet (S) and the Imams ( ‘a ), describe the governments prior to the uprising of al-Mahdi ( ‘atfs ) in general terms. We will now point out some of their characteristics. The Despotism of Governments One of the ills which human society will suffer before the advent of the Imam ( ‘a ) is injustice and tyranny perpetrated by governments against the people.

In this regard, the Messenger of God (S) said: “The world will be filled with tyranny and injustice such that there will be fear and war in every house.”[^1] Hadrat ‘Ali ( ‘a ) said: “The world will be filled with tyranny and injustice such that there will be fear and grief in every house.”[^2] Imam al-Baqir[^3] ( ‘a ) said: “Hadrat Qa’im[^4] ( ‘a ) will not rise up except at a time full of fear and dread.”[^5] This fear and dread will mostly stem from the rule of despotic and obstinate rulers in the world before the advent of al-Mahdi ( ‘a ).