What Does Islamic Revolution Mean?
IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK
In these two months of the Islamic calendar that we call them months of Muharram and Safar, great and indefatigable Iranian nation mourn to observe martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hossein (A), his household and companions, and also Arabaeen (forty days after his martyrdom) of his martyrdom on 20th of Safar and the end of Safar which coincides, according to some narrations with martyrdom anniversary of the dear Prophet of Islam and according to some narrations with anniversary of his demise and passing away of his two grandchildren which later became the second and eighth Imams in the history Shiism.
These mournings are actually some kind of empathy among the nation and they are to prep up nations in the world for the End Times (the Apocalypse). The base of these mournings dates back to over one thousand years ago. In the format of these mournings which have been mostly shaped and reflected in Shiism and have flourished the look and color of religion for the whole Islam, Islamic thought and Imams’ behavior, which were considered religious leaders, have been taught and passed down from one to the other and hundreds of books have been compiled on the topic. And all these acts and measures have helped deepening of genuine Islam and its strength and durability. That it is said genuine Islam means that like any intellectual revolution in different human epochs, definition of Islam’s policy has deviated after the demise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by his people around and they have defined the content of Islam for Muslims in a way that the promised happiness by Islam for the world and the after world of human being turned into short-sidedness and worldliness by those deviations and distortions. While we know that Islam had come to bring happiness for man both in the word and the after world; It had come to make survived deviants from other religions understand that man is just a passenger in this world. Neither his past before his birth is deniable nor his future after his death is disregardable. And the result of all, from eternity to eternity, is defined in the End Times.
The Islamic Revolution is the result of 1400 years of flourishing and explaining this thought that today it has found the chance to assert itself in the format of a political system and it is going to put the hands of the guided man in the hands of history of End Times.
To acquire happiness in End Times, some stages from the intellectual and practical revolution in the post-Islamic Revolution era have still remained to be followed. The most significant of all revolutions is the revolution of Hazrat Mahdi (A) which will kick off by hands of Hazarat Mahdi (A) himself to prepare man logically, mentally and morally for End Times.
So regarding all these interpretations and definitions, one can claim that the Islamic Revolution is pioneer and beginning of a big intellectual movement and cultural one for the whole people of the world. Of course this movement like any other movements has its strong opponents who try to create hurdles in its way and to deviate man from acquiring happiness like the early days of Islam.
In all divine religions, the word of End Times has been mentioned and an end has been predicted for man and its worldly life; and that he would be rewarded with prize for his good deeds and be punished for his vices are also of the goals that God has conveyed to human being through His messengers. That the Holy Quran is the last guiding book of God and has been accompanied with some remarks from preceding messengers. And that the word “End Times” has not been mentioned in the Holy Quran, but one can see apparently some verses about the future of human communities in it, indicates the rule of Tawhid (oneness of God) and justice in the future life of human being and ruling of righteous inheritors on the earth and victory of truth over falsehood. In Islamic traditions, End Times has been used in two different meanings. The first meaning is for the time between the beginning of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) mission till the Resurrection, and the second meaning is for the period between re-appearance of twelfth Imam (A) till the Resurrection.
So according to reliable and verified traditions, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last messenger and he is the End Times messenger. Also in some Islamic traditions the word “End Times” refers to the time when the savior of humanity Hazrat Mahdi (A) is to re-appear.
In Islamic traditions and essentially among the ones which have been noted by Shiites, some characteristics have been set for “End Times” through quotations from Imams and even Prophet of Islam that one of the major characteristics is to endure difficult and hard tests and End Times seditions.
Re-appearance of the Savior and the fight between truth and falsehood as well as victory of truth over the falsehood, golden era of humanity in the world, and precise attention towards man’s need are considered as major pillars of this movement and emergence.
In these characteristics, Hazrat Mahadi is presented as the one who opens the knowledge which has not been discovered by any man yet and this science will lead man to follow the logical path of happiness. In the Islamic traditions, the probable time of the re-appearance has not been mentioned and even what is claimed about the exact date of re-appearance has been denied. So according to the traditions, nobody but God knows the exact date of re-appearance and it is one of the indications for the occult.
Imam Reza (A) who is the eighth Imam out of the 12 Imams of Shiites quotes Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as saying that the time of promised uprising is like the resurrection and nobody but God knows its time and it happens all of a sudden. But in some Islamic traditions some signs for this era have been stipulated which are known as “signs of End Times” and the promised uprising has been likened to the Resurrection because like the Resurrection which has its own signs, re-appearance has also its own signs which occur before the emergence. In some books these signs which are considered as important events of emergence, are known as “Signs of Emergence” and they have pointed to the Islamic Revolution as one of the clear, necessary and definite signs of re-appearance.
By: Hamid Reza Naghashian
