User:Savior59/Major Occultation

The Major Occultation (غيبة الکبری Ghaybah al-kubra) is secound step of Muhammad al-Mahdi's occulation. Muhammad al-Mahdi, 12th Imam of shia,is hiding at this time. The period immediately begins after the death of the fourth deputy of imam. There is no link between Imam and ummah.

The beginning of Major Occultation
Muhammad al-Mahdi was born in 869. He was the last Imam and became 12th Imam at agae of 5. Shia believes that Muhammad al-Mahdi did not die but was hidden by Allah. This occultation takes place in two step. The first occultation,are the first years (847-941) when Muhammad al-Mahdi established communication with muslims by deputies. The second, major occultation, began in 941 and will continue until he appears by Allah's allowance and establishes peace and justice to the entire world.

Muhammad al-Mahdi only communicated with people through the Four Deputies and there is no direct link between the people and the Imam, since his Imamate began. The last deputies was Muhammad al-Samarri. One week before hi died, Muhammad al-Mahdi sent to him a letter (Tawqee):

"'In the name of Allah, the Compassionate the Merciful

O Ali Ibn Muhammad Samari! May Allah increase the reward of your brothers concerning you (i.e. your demise)! Death will come to you within the next six days. So you complete your works and do not nominate any person after you. The sequence of special deputies will come to an end and the Major Occultation will commence with your demise.

Now the reappearance will occur only with the permission of Allah, after a prolonged period and after the hearts of people are hardened. And such a period will emerge on my Shias when people will claim that they have seen me. Whoever makes such a claim before the advent of Sufyani and the heavenly voice, is a liar, an impostor. There is no strength and power save that of Allah, the High, the Great.”"

After six day, Muhammad al-Samarri died and no one was chosen as deputy by allowance of Allah. So the communication between Imam and people was finished and major occultation, the seconf step of ocultation began.

The role of Imam in the Major Occultation
shia:  Although the Imam is Hidden, ummah had been profited by him. Existence of Imam is necessary to being the world.