Salam
Not withstanding irrational ahadith found in Al-Kafi about the difference between leadership, Nubuwa and Resalah and telling us really nothing about the differences and in which contradicts reason and other hadiths which are more numerous on the subject. Most Muslims including Zaidis have mixed some concepts.
A messenger is one who comes to clarify the truth and remind of the very basics of God's religion. A Nabi is who we receives a revelation from God to humanity in form of scripture. Not every Rasool is a Nabi and not every Nabi is a Rasool but the way Quran has discussed them, you can derive over all every Nabi was a Rasool and almost every Rasool was a Nabi because the roles are often needed to be together. In case of Quran and Sunnah, they go together, at Resali levels and at levels beyond Resali and more inward and secret levels. Not all of Sunnah is Resali neither is all of Quran resali, but both together make a clear case and convey the message clearly but what I mean is they have additional knowledge than that which has to be conveyed to humanity.
A non-Nabi Rasool is something is a Messenger without him channeling scripture to humanity. A non-Rasool Nabi is a rare occasion where the truth is clearly established and accepted by people and the revelation is to increase guidance on top of guidance.
And although every Rasool and Nabi became an Imam eventually, it's different station too. This is referred to as "caller by God" to Rasool with addition to his role as Warner and Giver of good news, but this guidance only occurs "by God's permission". It didn't say a warner by God's permission or good news by his permission, but caller to God role which is the Imam's primary role is done by God's permission.
If our ahadith with Quran didn't establish the message clearly or the message was not somehow still in clear form, for humanity, then Imam would be required to come in public as a Messenger to clarify the truth.
And if Quran was distorted, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) would send another Nabi, but Quran is protected and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) sealed Nubuwa with the promise it would be protected.
Imam's role is to guide humans back to God and Quran is clear that whoever Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) leads astray doesn't have such a guide.
If Imam was in open though, he would be required to prove his authority by miracles... "so bring (the dead person) him back i(to life) f you are truthful", the text I am quoting means if you accuse Mohammad (s) and his miracles as being sorcery oh disbelievers, then why don't you bring back a person from death to life, like one of his miracles, if you are truthful.
Ulil-Amr would only become each a Messenger if disputes in society would occur about matters to do with safety and fear pertaining to the next world and this world. In this case, they would need to convey a clear message and remind people. If people didn't dispute, they would rule as kings, but no need to clarify the message again, as it would be clear.
And although it's a huge trial that God stop revealing Surahs with Mohammad (s) and put a seal to Nubuwa, it was out of wise reasons, to keep the status of Quran high among deniers of Ahlulbayt (a) and to keep high status in terms of being it a unique miracle in the minds of non-Muslims, so that they can study it's divine miracle. If Imams were Anbiya, there would be a huge dispute over what consitutes God's revelation and their recitations from God would have to be equal or better then Quran's and if people reject those, then majority won't be testifying to the miracle of Quran. This is one wisdom of sealing Nubuwa among other reasons.
Now why did God then appoint other Anbiya in succession for past Ahlulbayts and families of the reminders if such division can occur, it's because, the previous texts were more assertive and the designation was less subtle, and because over all we see in Quran how live news from God about the situation is very helpful.
This is why it's a huge trial, the end of Nubuwa. The Quran being protected had some drawbacks .It means either God is going to force humanity to accept Ahlulbayt through it if they would testify to Quran (writes their authority that way in t here) or he writes in a way that he allows enemies to misinterpret but the matter stays clear.
As ahadith of Imam Reda (A) for example clarify the Quran designation of Ahlulbayt (a) clearly, and even the number of Imams (A) - the ahadith clarify, we can say, people should research what Ahlulbayt (A) themselves defend themselves about them being in the Quran.
It's really not fair if you don't even give their message a chance to clarify how they are in the Quran.
That said, we complain and have the right to, that Nubuwa has come to an end, and there is no Nabi among us, and that there is no Imam in public now. It's huge trial and hard on all of us.
The only reason why God doesn't send with signs at any given point of time is due circumstances that are developed by previous generations denying the signs.
In our case, we have ahadith of one of our Imams walking in the street and doing miracles constantly as he walks, and then one of the Abassid governors sees it and reports it and then on investigation the government says do not spread that as that would give him authority.
So they did their best to make it as if Shias were lying and they would then prosecutes as liars and jail us and maim us and what not.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) could've kept the Mahdi in public, but the result would be that rejecting his miracles - this time ,would result in destruction, because he would go all out without pledging allegiance to any Taghutic government. And so we can see from this also the miracle of the two places Elyas (a) is mentioned in Quran. One of them is his role before Zakariya (a) and the other is his role after Isa (a), as he is mentioned in sequence "And Zakariya, and Yahya and Isa and Elyas....", and if you study the Bible Elyas (a) was taken up to heaven, but he came back with Isa (a) Nubuwa and it all started with people seeing Musa (a), Elyas (a) and they testified to Jesus (a).
Jesus (a) talks about the proof Elyas (a) surely has come lies in the truth that Yahya (a) is like him and connects that with the holy spirit. The comforter to come that has not come to this world who will occupy the position of holy spirit is Mohammad (s) and the one who takes the position of Guide and holy spirit during the time between Jesus (a) and Mohammad (s) is Elyas (a).
During that time Elyas (a) was not a Rasool, but he was the witness and guide on earth.
Disbelieving in all this tough is tantamount of denying everything revealed in the Injeel of Isa (a) and not believing in any of God's books about Wilayah of his chosen ones and it's disbelief in the holy spirit.
And the way to get guided personally by the Imam by God's permission, is to pray to God constantly and also believe he is the straight path mentioned in Surah Fatiha.
And the way to bring him back to public and get the world to accept him, is to help God's cause and play a role in reviving God's religion and bringing what enemies try to hide of clear proofs in Quran and Sunnah and to command people to good and forbid evil and summon people to Islam.
And if we fail in that, and oppressors oppress the believers and oppression becomes too much that God has to send him and the world is not ready, then, it maybe most of the world will be destroyed especially from the richer and more well off cities in the world.
We are hoping that over all for once humans accept the Messenger sent to them when he will be sent, but we are on track of the great warnings in Quran about him, with little hope now for the good news. Yet, this was the state of Mohammad (s), there was little hope in start, and even it was revealed if it was in hands of Mohammad (s), this matter, the people of Mohammad (s) would have been destroyed. But he trusted God and waited, and kept his effort. We must do the same. We must strive in hope truth prevails, becomes high his word, and that enemies propaganda of disbelief become low.
So we all play roles, and Imam Mahdi can meet with believers as the prayer shows he surely will with all believers eventually and they all have tasks.
The thing is a lot of people think they will believe in Imam Mahdi if they meet him but when shown signs, take side of evil forces, so this is why preparation is important, and du'a arifni nasfika teaches all this clearly, and we should have real belief that miracles are proof of the person before meeting him, because, if shown miracles, and we think what if you are a sorcerer, then it might become harmful.
Eventually God shows signs, all he asked people during Mohammad (s) time is to prepare their hearts a little bit so when shown miracles, they believe and not rebel. They couldn't even do that, and most disbelieved and accused him of sorcery with every miracle till they were defeated in battle and realized their necks were at stake, but Mohammad (s) showed mercy to them at that stage and they accepted him. They did that, but then reverted to disbelief near Mohammad (s) end of his life as Quran records the problems the hypocrites were giving him, and at the end, we know what happened with Ali (a).
And Imam Ali (a) could've won in battle with the forces he had, but history would record him greedy for power, and there would be less on his side today so he saw it wiser to wait, though it hurt him, the misguidance and oppression and deviance that happened. This is the truth whether we like it or not. And division and fighting would not cease and Islam would have few followers today, if Ali (a) did this, even though it was not morally wrong to assault them, it was wiser not to.
And Quran explains all this and shows miracles are still present to this day, and regarding the sign to prove the guide of that time which was Mohammad (s) "hiding is for God and wait, I with you are among those who wait" and said "he leads astray who he wishes and guides to himself who turns (to him constantly and repeatedly)".
And so whatever degree God hides miracles to the world and whatever degree he manifests, is up to God. You want Mahdi to come now, but will anyone accept miracles today if he does them? People are ignorant and say Dajjal will come with those type of miracles and pagans all believe Moses, Jesus, Mohammad all performed such miracles, but they were dark sorcerers.
God knows best when. Just have patience, get connected to the guide yourself, and see what you have to do as individual for God's sake and his religion.
Not withstanding irrational ahadith found in Al-Kafi about the difference between leadership, Nubuwa and Resalah and telling us really nothing about the differences and in which contradicts reason and other hadiths which are more numerous on the subject. Most Muslims including Zaidis have mixed some concepts.
A messenger is one who comes to clarify the truth and remind of the very basics of God's religion. A Nabi is who we receives a revelation from God to humanity in form of scripture. Not every Rasool is a Nabi and not every Nabi is a Rasool but the way Quran has discussed them, you can derive over all every Nabi was a Rasool and almost every Rasool was a Nabi because the roles are often needed to be together. In case of Quran and Sunnah, they go together, at Resali levels and at levels beyond Resali and more inward and secret levels. Not all of Sunnah is Resali neither is all of Quran resali, but both together make a clear case and convey the message clearly but what I mean is they have additional knowledge than that which has to be conveyed to humanity.
A non-Nabi Rasool is something is a Messenger without him channeling scripture to humanity. A non-Rasool Nabi is a rare occasion where the truth is clearly established and accepted by people and the revelation is to increase guidance on top of guidance.
And although every Rasool and Nabi became an Imam eventually, it's different station too. This is referred to as "caller by God" to Rasool with addition to his role as Warner and Giver of good news, but this guidance only occurs "by God's permission". It didn't say a warner by God's permission or good news by his permission, but caller to God role which is the Imam's primary role is done by God's permission.
If our ahadith with Quran didn't establish the message clearly or the message was not somehow still in clear form, for humanity, then Imam would be required to come in public as a Messenger to clarify the truth.
And if Quran was distorted, Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) would send another Nabi, but Quran is protected and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) sealed Nubuwa with the promise it would be protected.
Imam's role is to guide humans back to God and Quran is clear that whoever Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) leads astray doesn't have such a guide.
If Imam was in open though, he would be required to prove his authority by miracles... "so bring (the dead person) him back i(to life) f you are truthful", the text I am quoting means if you accuse Mohammad (s) and his miracles as being sorcery oh disbelievers, then why don't you bring back a person from death to life, like one of his miracles, if you are truthful.
Ulil-Amr would only become each a Messenger if disputes in society would occur about matters to do with safety and fear pertaining to the next world and this world. In this case, they would need to convey a clear message and remind people. If people didn't dispute, they would rule as kings, but no need to clarify the message again, as it would be clear.
And although it's a huge trial that God stop revealing Surahs with Mohammad (s) and put a seal to Nubuwa, it was out of wise reasons, to keep the status of Quran high among deniers of Ahlulbayt (a) and to keep high status in terms of being it a unique miracle in the minds of non-Muslims, so that they can study it's divine miracle. If Imams were Anbiya, there would be a huge dispute over what consitutes God's revelation and their recitations from God would have to be equal or better then Quran's and if people reject those, then majority won't be testifying to the miracle of Quran. This is one wisdom of sealing Nubuwa among other reasons.
Now why did God then appoint other Anbiya in succession for past Ahlulbayts and families of the reminders if such division can occur, it's because, the previous texts were more assertive and the designation was less subtle, and because over all we see in Quran how live news from God about the situation is very helpful.
This is why it's a huge trial, the end of Nubuwa. The Quran being protected had some drawbacks .It means either God is going to force humanity to accept Ahlulbayt through it if they would testify to Quran (writes their authority that way in t here) or he writes in a way that he allows enemies to misinterpret but the matter stays clear.
As ahadith of Imam Reda (A) for example clarify the Quran designation of Ahlulbayt (a) clearly, and even the number of Imams (A) - the ahadith clarify, we can say, people should research what Ahlulbayt (A) themselves defend themselves about them being in the Quran.
It's really not fair if you don't even give their message a chance to clarify how they are in the Quran.
That said, we complain and have the right to, that Nubuwa has come to an end, and there is no Nabi among us, and that there is no Imam in public now. It's huge trial and hard on all of us.
The only reason why God doesn't send with signs at any given point of time is due circumstances that are developed by previous generations denying the signs.
In our case, we have ahadith of one of our Imams walking in the street and doing miracles constantly as he walks, and then one of the Abassid governors sees it and reports it and then on investigation the government says do not spread that as that would give him authority.
So they did their best to make it as if Shias were lying and they would then prosecutes as liars and jail us and maim us and what not.
Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) could've kept the Mahdi in public, but the result would be that rejecting his miracles - this time ,would result in destruction, because he would go all out without pledging allegiance to any Taghutic government. And so we can see from this also the miracle of the two places Elyas (a) is mentioned in Quran. One of them is his role before Zakariya (a) and the other is his role after Isa (a), as he is mentioned in sequence "And Zakariya, and Yahya and Isa and Elyas....", and if you study the Bible Elyas (a) was taken up to heaven, but he came back with Isa (a) Nubuwa and it all started with people seeing Musa (a), Elyas (a) and they testified to Jesus (a).
Jesus (a) talks about the proof Elyas (a) surely has come lies in the truth that Yahya (a) is like him and connects that with the holy spirit. The comforter to come that has not come to this world who will occupy the position of holy spirit is Mohammad (s) and the one who takes the position of Guide and holy spirit during the time between Jesus (a) and Mohammad (s) is Elyas (a).
During that time Elyas (a) was not a Rasool, but he was the witness and guide on earth.
Disbelieving in all this tough is tantamount of denying everything revealed in the Injeel of Isa (a) and not believing in any of God's books about Wilayah of his chosen ones and it's disbelief in the holy spirit.
And the way to get guided personally by the Imam by God's permission, is to pray to God constantly and also believe he is the straight path mentioned in Surah Fatiha.
And the way to bring him back to public and get the world to accept him, is to help God's cause and play a role in reviving God's religion and bringing what enemies try to hide of clear proofs in Quran and Sunnah and to command people to good and forbid evil and summon people to Islam.
And if we fail in that, and oppressors oppress the believers and oppression becomes too much that God has to send him and the world is not ready, then, it maybe most of the world will be destroyed especially from the richer and more well off cities in the world.
We are hoping that over all for once humans accept the Messenger sent to them when he will be sent, but we are on track of the great warnings in Quran about him, with little hope now for the good news. Yet, this was the state of Mohammad (s), there was little hope in start, and even it was revealed if it was in hands of Mohammad (s), this matter, the people of Mohammad (s) would have been destroyed. But he trusted God and waited, and kept his effort. We must do the same. We must strive in hope truth prevails, becomes high his word, and that enemies propaganda of disbelief become low.
So we all play roles, and Imam Mahdi can meet with believers as the prayer shows he surely will with all believers eventually and they all have tasks.
The thing is a lot of people think they will believe in Imam Mahdi if they meet him but when shown signs, take side of evil forces, so this is why preparation is important, and du'a arifni nasfika teaches all this clearly, and we should have real belief that miracles are proof of the person before meeting him, because, if shown miracles, and we think what if you are a sorcerer, then it might become harmful.
Eventually God shows signs, all he asked people during Mohammad (s) time is to prepare their hearts a little bit so when shown miracles, they believe and not rebel. They couldn't even do that, and most disbelieved and accused him of sorcery with every miracle till they were defeated in battle and realized their necks were at stake, but Mohammad (s) showed mercy to them at that stage and they accepted him. They did that, but then reverted to disbelief near Mohammad (s) end of his life as Quran records the problems the hypocrites were giving him, and at the end, we know what happened with Ali (a).
And Imam Ali (a) could've won in battle with the forces he had, but history would record him greedy for power, and there would be less on his side today so he saw it wiser to wait, though it hurt him, the misguidance and oppression and deviance that happened. This is the truth whether we like it or not. And division and fighting would not cease and Islam would have few followers today, if Ali (a) did this, even though it was not morally wrong to assault them, it was wiser not to.
And Quran explains all this and shows miracles are still present to this day, and regarding the sign to prove the guide of that time which was Mohammad (s) "hiding is for God and wait, I with you are among those who wait" and said "he leads astray who he wishes and guides to himself who turns (to him constantly and repeatedly)".
And so whatever degree God hides miracles to the world and whatever degree he manifests, is up to God. You want Mahdi to come now, but will anyone accept miracles today if he does them? People are ignorant and say Dajjal will come with those type of miracles and pagans all believe Moses, Jesus, Mohammad all performed such miracles, but they were dark sorcerers.
God knows best when. Just have patience, get connected to the guide yourself, and see what you have to do as individual for God's sake and his religion.
