The Commander of the Faithful ( ‘a ) said...

The Commander of the Faithful ( ‘a ) said: “During the rule of al-Mahdi ( ‘atfs )… lifespans will be long.”[^10] Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar said: “Imam as-Sadiq ( ‘a ) said: ‘When our Qa’im rises up… the people under the aegis of his rule will have long lifespans to the extent that for every person a thousand children will be born’.”[^11] In this regard, Imam as-Sajjad ( ‘a ) said: “When our Qa’im rises up, God, the Honorable and Glorious, will keep our Shi‘ah away from ailments and calamities, and make their hearts like solid iron and the strength of each of them to be equal to that of forty men.

They will be rulers on the earth and its leading figures.”[^12] Concerning the healthy condition of the environment during the rule of the Imam of the Time ( ‘atfs ), Imam al-Baqir ( ‘a ) said: “When our Qa’im rises up… septic tanks and drainpipes along roads will be removed.”[^13] Maintaining health in cities and in the social environment is one of the responsibilities of a government. As such, every factor that might threaten the healthy condition of the environment must be prevented.

Dumping of domestic waste on the streets and constructing cess pits outside the house—as is the case in some deprived cities and villages—are detrimental to the healthy condition of the environment. So, we can see that one of the jobs to be undertaken by Hadrat al-Mahdi ( ‘atfs ) is to prevent any violation of health regulations.

Medical Services Since health conditions will reach their ideal levels during the period of Hadrat al-Mahdi ( ‘atfs ), diseases will decrease; only a few individuals will be afflicted with sickness. Medical science will also reach its height and diverse sicknesses will be cured within a very short period of time. In addition to that, with the help of God, the Imam ( ‘atfs ) himself will cure the incurable.

In fact, it can be said that no ailment would be found during the rule of the Imam ( ‘atfs ). Regarding the government of al-Mahdi ( ‘atfs ), Imam al-Husayn ( ‘a ) said: “No blind, paralytic or sick people will remain on the surface of the earth without being cured by God.”[^14] The Commander of the Faithful ( ‘a ) said: “…Then, our Qa’im who would then be in the state of occultation, will appear with Jibra’il before him and the Book of God behind him.

He will cure those who would be suffering from vitiligo and leprosy.”[^15] It can be…