After the Appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.)
This is Part 3, the final part of a series on the end times according to Shia sources. Part 1 covered the signs preceding the appearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.), while Part 2 covered his appearance and the gathering of his companions. This final part covers some of what the narrations of the Ahlulbayt (a.s.) describe concerning his rule and how the condition of the world will change.
THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WILL BE PERFECTED
Al-Kafi, Shaykh al-Kulayni, vol. 1, p. 25, Kitab al-'Aql wa al-Jahl, hadith 21
Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) said:
"When our Qa'im rises, Allah will place His hand upon the heads of the servants. Through it He will gather their minds and complete their understanding."
KNOWLEDGE WILL GREATLY INCREASE
Mukhtasar Basa'ir al-Darajat, p. 117
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said:
"Knowledge is twenty-seven letters. All that the messengers brought was two letters, and the people have not known until this day anything other than the two letters. When our Qa'im rises, he will bring forth the twenty-five letters and spread them among the people, and he will add the two letters to them until he spreads all twenty-seven letters."
JUSTICE WILL ENTER THE HOMES
Al-Ghaybah, al-Nu'mani, ch. 17, hadith 1
Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) said concerning the Qa'im:
"By Allah, his justice will enter their homes just as heat and cold enter them."
The narration describes how widespread the justice of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) will become, reaching even into people's homes.
WEALTH AND THE END OF NEED AMONG THE BELIEVERS
Al-Irshad, Shaykh al-Mufid, in the section concerning Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) and his rule
It is narrated concerning the rule of the Qa'im that the earth will reveal its treasures and display its blessings.
The narration states:
"At that time the earth will reveal its treasures and display its blessings, and a man among you will find no place for his charity or his good deed, because wealth will encompass all the believers."
Thus, the narrations describe a time of extraordinary prosperity in which need among the believers will disappear.
THE EARTH WILL BRING FORTH ITS BLESSINGS
Al-Khisal, Shaykh al-Saduq, Hadith al-Arba'umi'a
Imam Ali (a.s.) said:
"When our Qa'im rises, the sky will send down its rain, the earth will bring forth its vegetation, hostility will disappear from the hearts of the servants, and the wild animals and livestock will live in peace."
The narration continues that a woman will be able to walk between Iraq and al-Sham, placing her feet only upon vegetation, and no wild animal will disturb her nor will she fear it.
HOSTILITY WILL LEAVE PEOPLE'S HEARTS
Al-Khisal, Shaykh al-Saduq, Hadith al-Arba'umi'a
The same narration from Imam Ali (a.s.) specifically states:
"Hostility will disappear from the hearts of the servants."
The transformation described in these narrations is therefore not limited to material prosperity. The relationships between people themselves will also change as hostility disappears from their hearts.
SAFETY WILL SPREAD
Al-Khisal, Shaykh al-Saduq, Hadith al-Arba'umi'a
Imam Ali (a.s.) describes the extent of security during the time of the Qa'im by saying that a woman will be able to travel between Iraq and al-Sham without being frightened by a wild animal.
The narration uses this journey as an image of the extraordinary safety and peace that will exist during his rule.
PROPHET ISA (A.S.) WILL PRAY BEHIND HIM
Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni'mah, Shaykh al-Saduq, vol. 1, p. 280, ch. 24, hadith 27
In a narration from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) concerning Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.), it is stated:
"The Spirit of Allah, Isa ibn Maryam, will descend and pray behind him."
Thus, according to this narration preserved by Shaykh al-Saduq, Prophet Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.) will descend and pray behind Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.).
THE EARTH WILL REVEAL ITS TREASURES
Al-Irshad, Shaykh al-Mufid, in the section concerning Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.)
The narrations concerning his rule state that:
"The earth will reveal its treasures and display its blessings."
The abundance will become so great that a believer seeking someone to receive his charity will be unable to find a person in need of it.
A WORLD TRANSFORMED BY JUSTICE
The Shia narrations therefore describe changes affecting both people and the earth during the rule of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.).
The minds and understanding of people will be completed. Knowledge will greatly increase. Justice will reach people's homes. Hostility will disappear from hearts. The earth will bring forth its vegetation and reveal its blessings, and prosperity will spread among the believers.
The narrations also describe an extraordinary degree of security and peace, while Prophet Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.) will descend and pray behind Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.).
CONCLUSION
The narrations transmitted from the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) and the Ahlulbayt (a.s.) describe the rule of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) as a period of justice, knowledge, prosperity and security after a world filled with injustice and oppression.
The transformation described in these reports is both material and spiritual: knowledge expands, understanding becomes complete, hostility disappears from people's hearts, the earth reveals its blessings, and justice reaches even into people's homes.
This concludes our three-part series on the end times according to Shia sources: the signs before the appearance, the appearance and gathering of the Imam's companions, and finally the transformation described during his rule.
We ask Allah to hasten the relief of His representative, to keep us firm during the occultation, and to make us among the sincere companions and supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.).
Allahumma 'ajjil li-waliyyika al-faraj.