User:Blessedby14/occultation

Occultation refers to the belief of the twelve Shias that Mahdi has disappeared by the permission of Allah and that he will reappear on His command. According to Shi'a teachings, Mahdi has had two occultations: The Minor Occultation, which lasted sixty nine lunar years, and the Major Occultation, which continues to the present day. During the Minor Occultation, Mahdi communicated with the Shiia through the four deputies, but during the Major Occultation this communication does not exist and the Shi'a must refer to the scholars for their religious needs. The period of the minor occultation started after the death of his father. Only some trustworthy believers and righteous persons could meet him.

Reasons for occultation

A hadith of Ali explains the reason for the occultation of the Mahdi. All the imams from the Progeny of Muhammad had to pay allegiance to the tyrant rulers of their respective times. Mahdi was sent to occultation so that he does not have to do so. Mahdi himself says in this regard."Verily each of my ancestors had the oath of allegience, upon their necks, of their contemporary tyrant rulers. But I will reappear at such a time that I will not have any tyrant's allegience upon my neck." The oppressive Abbasid Caliphate tried to arrest him and kill him. So he was concealed from the eyes of the enemy just like his great grandfather Muhammed was concealed from the eyes of the Quraysh. ..

One more reason for the occultation of the Mahdi is the test of the believers. It would be a time when the religion would have been transformed and nobody would believe in him and show no co-operation to his mission.
 * Because of the social and political restrictions and security threats that the Imams were increasingly facing after the Abbasid Caliphate, he was concealed from the eyes of the enemy just like his great grandfather Muhammed was concealed from the eyes of the Quraysh. Mahdi was sent to occultation so that he does not have the oath of allegiance of the tyrant rulers on his neck.