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Signs of the Promised One given by Siyyid KĂĄzim
Siyyid KĂĄzim’s teachings evolved over time, as he endeavored to prepare his disciples for the imminent advent of the Promised One. His guidance grew increasingly direct, emphasizing the immediacy of the QĂĄâim‘s arrival.
Contrary to ShĂâa belief, Siyyid KĂĄzim asserted that the QĂĄâim would not emerge from the mythical underground cities of JĂĄbulqĂĄ or JĂĄbulsĂĄ, but rather from among the people themselves. Describing the characteristics of the Promised One, Siyyid KĂĄzim taught that the QĂĄâim would be:
- a descendant of the Prophet (that is, a Siyyid),
- between 20 and 30 years old,
- of medium stature,
- devoid of bodily imperfections,
- abstaining from smoking,
43 The ShĂâa have many titles for the QĂĄâim [He Who Ariseth] including: the 12th ImĂĄm, SĂĄhib-u-ZamĂĄn [Lord of the Age], HujjatuâllĂĄh [Proof of God], BagiyyatuâllĂĄh [Remnant of God], ImĂĄm-MahdĂ [the Rightly Guided One], QĂĄâim-i-Ăl-Muhammad [He who shall arise of the family of Muhammad] and many more. To the ShĂâa, the QĂĄâim is the return of the 12th ImĂĄm who had disappeared [they say gone into occultation]. The 11th ImĂĄm was Hasan-al-AskarĂ who died in 260 AH, and at that point his son, named Muhammad who was 5 years old becomes the 12th ImĂĄm. Immediately after Hasan-al-Askariâs death [it is believed he was poisoned], his main representative said that to keep the 5-year-old 12th ImĂĄm safe, the child was going to go into hiding, and would only communicate with everyone through this representative, who was given the title of Gate to the ImĂĄm. Before this 1st Gate died, he appointed another âGateâ, and this continued until the 4th Gate. This period is known as the âMinor Occultationâ of the 12th ImĂĄm, when the only communication with the ImĂĄm was via the Gate. The 4th Gate on his deathbed did not appoint anyone else and said that the 12th ImĂĄm is now going to go away from the world [called the âGreater Occultationâ] until the Last Days. According to ShĂâa historians the 12th ImĂĄm went down an underground tunnel in the town of Surra-man-RaâĂĄ [SĂĄmarrĂĄ] in 329 AH to the hidden cities of JĂĄbulqĂĄ and JĂĄbulsĂĄ and still lives there. Surra-man-RaâĂĄ [SĂĄmarrĂĄ] is an ancient city north of Baghdad. The ShĂâa believe that on the Day of Resurrection/Arising [Yawm al- QiyĂĄmah], the 12th ImĂĄm or QĂĄâim will return together with a force of warriors. Then there will ensue a great battle, mountains will crumble, the stars will fall and the QĂĄâim will be victorious. Then ImĂĄm Husayn will come [together with the other ImĂĄms] and the dead will arise, and Godâs Day will finally be established on the whole earth forever.
44 The SunnĂ also expect a cataclysmic Day of Resurrection/Judgement and the coming of two Great Figures. For the SunnĂ, they await the appearance of the MahdĂ [means the âRightly Guided Oneâ] together with the return of Jesus Christ on the Last Days.