Longevity is among the peculiarities of Imam-e-Zaman (a.

Longevity is among the peculiarities of Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) so that if somebody claims this eminent position, in the absence of this important characteristic, indeed his falsehood and lie will be proved and established for one and all. Thus, longevity is an distinguished particularity of Hazrat Mahdi (a.t.f.s.), much before his birth, endorsed by traditions from both Shia as well as Sunni references.

Imam Reza (a.s.) foretells, .« إذا خرج كان في سن الشّيوخ و منظر الشّباب » “When (Mahdi) reappears, he will be old in age but young in appearance.63” Another tradition predicts, .« و إن من علاماته أن لا يهرم بمرور الأيام و اللّيالي » “And from his signs is that he will not become old by the passage of days and nights.64” But in the creed of Ithna Ashari Shiism, Imamate, like Prophethood, is person-oriented and limited, and regard its affair to be in the hands of Allah.

It is only Allah the Almighty, Who appoints a few, limited people to this esteemed and honourable position. He has instilled in them the necessary and required conditions for this great status and created them with volition, which is of course a pre-requisite. He has made the Messenger of Islam (s.a.w.a.) introduce them to the people just as He made the previous Prophets (a.s.) familiarize their successors to their nations.

Hence, on the basis of the famous quote of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), ‘After me, there will be twelve successors, first of them is Ali and the last, Mahdi”, if somebody considers Imamate as an attainable position and does not deem it to be limited and confined to a few people, then indeed such an idea emanates from ignorance or disbelief in the tenets of the Ithna Ashari faith and is in direct contradiction to its creed. 61 Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 51, p. 142 62 Ibid. p. 217 63 Ibid. vol. 52, p.

322 So, it is our belief that Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) is alive and during this period, with the passing of the days and the nights, he grows in age like all of us, but his appearance does not change and remains like that of a youth. In the just mentioned tradition, it is said that Imam-e-Zaman (a.t.f.s.) will look like a forty year old man or even lesser.