The Mahdi in the Quran.

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To understand the Mahdi in Quran, we have to just prove and see these concepts.

1. The concept of Leadership, Authority, and Kingship in Quran.
2. The form of divinely chosen houses (families like Abraham's family, and Aaron's family).
3. The destruction that takes place in the "days of God" towards oppressors and how many destroyed cities, and destroyed generations have occurred... and what Quran says with that with respect to Mohammad's time and the future.
4. The Universality of the Prophethood of Mohammad and Quran and preservation of Quran.
5. The possible destruction warned about to the whole world if they choose rebellion and to be oppressive towards believers or oppressive in general.
6. The victory of believers and how Mohammad's people were spared destruction, and how that has a universal potential application.
7. The purpose of Quran to stop the great corruption in the earth the dark forces will create if no resistance.
8. The fact that God always sends a Messenger before he destroys a people, shows, although no more Prophets, the world will not be destroyed unless God sends someone with the truth and revives the message of Quran (ie. Mahdi)
9. The right of believers upon God that he deliver them from their oppressors and that at time of peril and when there is no helper to be sought and relied upon but God, when oppressors think they rule the earth and are capable of doing they want and believers seek the Master and Helper of God, and they call sincerely God, it's upon him to deliver them from their enemies.
10. There is always a witnessing leader on earth who's sight is the closest to God's vision and will be a proof of God on the day of judgment with respect to people's deeds.
11. The number of Imams that succeed to be Twelve.
12. The purpose to be ruled by God's chosen ones.
13. The days of God vs the Night when signs of God are hidden concept in the Quran and both of their purposes.

 

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1. Concept of Authority, leadership, and Kingship.

2nd Chapter

God emphasizes it's himself who made Abraham as a leader and his covenant would not include the unjust were Abraham to have offspring (and he does have offspring after) (2:123). The chapter also emphasizes similarly Talut is appointed as a King when children of Israel emphasize who is to be King (2:246). It is emphasized that God gives his authority to who he pleases and that is given to God's chosen who are superior in knowledge and body(2:247)(. It continues to emphasize that such authority was inherited in the family of Moses which by singular "left" in Arabic combination with the family of Aaron, implies, the family of Moses and the family of Aaron are one and the same family(2:248). It also emphasized that Dawood/David was given the authority as well, and to supplement how emphasizes he taught him what he wishes of the wisdom and knowledge (2:251). We see also false Kings only opposed Abraham's God who was a True King and given authority by God due to the authority Abraham was given. In other words, people don't really have a problem with God as a concept, but hate the idea of submitting to his appointed authorities. And in fact, God's authority is such that his seat encompasses the whole universe (2:255).

3rd Chapter

After this emphasis, it then links this issue with interpretation. God is the Master of the Authority, he gives the authority to who he pleases and negates it from who he pleases. This was to emphasize Mohammad (s) would look greedy for power, but the fact remains, God gives that authority to who he pleases, and Mohamad (s) yes has that authority. A long side that, chosen house of Abraham (3:33) And Imran, was emphasized. The rope of God is explained with this, to emphasized the handhold of God is a combination of a rope from humans and rope from God. This shows the book of God is always coupled with Guidance from humans as well, those humans are his chosen such as Adam and Noah and the family of Abraham (3:33). In children of Israel, they had to hold to both the divine revelations and the leaders that revealed those texts, and hold on them so as to not be disgraced.

4th Chapter

There is discussion of authority scholars of Jews and Christians claim and that the righteousness they attribute to themselves as obvious, while it's God who attributes purity to who he pleases. In that discussion, it asked for humans to reflect if they even have a portion of the authority, and the consequences of that would be they would be of no benefit to humans. Mixing enough falsehood with truth would cause people to disobey God and stray, and moreover, turn away from those truly given authority by God and suited for it. In this dialogue, it reminds of the family of Abraham and the authority they were given, and compares the humans being envied with respect to authority to them. It then emphasizes soon after to obey God and to obey the Messenger and those who Possess Authority. The Messenger of the time is to be referred disputes to. This may be seen in the light of that, that family of Mohammad who are the holders of the authority in 4:59, who come with a message one by one, and hence become the active guide to be referred disputes to. But the Mahdi as he is not come with a Message, cannot be referred to in disputes till he comes with a message and becomes the last Messenger to be sent by God. It also said in 4:83 that if disputes of all affairs of safety and fear which encompasses the Shariah would be referred to the Messenger and those who hold the Authority from them, those who can perceive would know the truth of the matter.

So far, we see, it is clear, religious and all type of moral guiding authority, is to be in God's hand so as to give to who he pleases. Thus we must seek proofs of those given authority!

5th Chapter.

Discusses all these concepts, but since the number of Imams are proven with this, we will leave it with that discussion.

Almost all big chapters talk about authority and God's choice. To be brief, we can go on and on, and could've gone to lengths with the discussion in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th but will leave this to be brief, and end at this with respect to (1).

 

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2. The form of divinely chosen houses (families like Abraham's family, and Aaron's family).

In the Torah, there is a lot about the household of Abraham. God compares the Messenger and those who possess the Authority from us to the household of Abraham in 4:54. It is obvious from that, Mohammad similarly has a household like Abraham had a chosen household.

What is meant by chosen household? According to some verses the wife of Lut for example was his family. According to some verses though she was a very bad person at the end. According to other verses, Noah thought God promised to save his family meant including his son. But God showed by that, he meant a special meaning of household, one that can't include his son because his actions are other then righteous. That chapter also emphasizes on "the mercy and blessings upon you O folk of the House verily he is Praiseworthy Majestic" to Abraham's family. It is said in a way that there is always a chosen household and Abraham and his wife and their promised offspring are surely that house at the moment.

Other verses tell us to seek knowledge when we don't know from the family of the reminder. Ahlul-Thikri is often seen as people of the reminder, but the primary meaning of the word translated as people is in fact family. So if it can be translated as such, then it takes that form, since it's the word primary meaning unless known to be otherwise. In Suratal Nahl, it's in context of Mohammad being sent to manifest and explain what has been revealed to us. In Suratal Anbiya, it's in that context, but even more so, it's in context of being to ask them for miracles that previous Prophets were sent with. That is you can seek these miracles from the family of the reminder if you don't know. The two verses seem to be saying exact same, but the context gives them two different flavors.

The first time when reading Quran, the second chapter, you come across the family of Moses and family of Aaron. By the singular "taraka", it's proven they are the same family. They all had the proof of authority.

The verses devoted to this concept are too many to mention. One of the clearest examples is 3:33 and then how it expands on it. The verses all have a purpose of course.

Verse like 42:23 and 25:57 show the purpose all the talk of PAST chosen households, is to make ready for the last of the chosen households who due to being the last, it was suited despite all Prophets not seeking a wage form their people, for the final Prophet to seek a wage from his people regarding his family (42:23).

All the verses like "and from their offspring..." and so on and so forth, are all explaining the importance of this concept. The concept "therefore ask the family of the reminder if you do not know", shows, if Mohammad for the sake of argument was in error, still, the Quran has proven much, it's proven there is always a household of the reminder by logical proofs and that Mohammad would've sought knowledge from the household of the reminder if he didn't know, of course, he and his family are the family of the reminder, the household of revelation.

When God talks about the offspring of previous Prophets, it's obviously to emphasize on something similar to occur with Mohammad. And when God tells us to love the near kin of Mohammad (42:23) and we wonder why? Well all the other verses about chosen households and chosen offspring have explained this.

And God shows they are closest to one another, then any others, and that are blessed together and ascend together. Peace be upon the family of Yaseen (Suratal Saffat) while the previous surah says "Yaseen, sworn by the Wise Quran, surely you are of those sent".

 

[VoidoftheSun]

To understand the Mahdi in Quran, we have to just prove and see these concepts.

1. The concept of Leadership, Authority, and Kingship in Quran.
2. The form of divinely chosen houses (families like Abraham's family, and Aaron's family).
3. The destruction that takes place in the "days of God" towards oppressors and how many destroyed cities, and destroyed generations have occurred... and what Quran says with that with respect to Mohammad's time and the future.
4. The Universality of the Prophethood of Mohammad and Quran and preservation of Quran.
5. The possible destruction warned about to the whole world if they choose rebellion and to be oppressive towards believers or oppressive in general.
6. The victory of believers and how Mohammad's people were spared destruction, and how that has a universal potential application.
7. The purpose of Quran to stop the great corruption in the earth the dark forces will create if no resistance.
8. The fact that God always sends a Messenger before he destroys a people, shows, although no more Prophets, the world will not be destroyed unless God sends someone with the truth and revives the message of Quran (ie. Mahdi)
9. The right of believers upon God that he deliver them from their oppressors and that at time of peril and when there is no helper to be sought and relied upon but God, when oppressors think they rule the earth and are capable of doing they want and believers seek the Master and Helper of God, and they call sincerely God, it's upon him to deliver them from their enemies.
10. There is always a witnessing leader on earth who's sight is the closest to God's vision and will be a proof of God on the day of judgment with respect to people's deeds.
11. The number of Imams that succeed to be Twelve.
12. The purpose to be ruled by God's chosen ones.
13. The days of God vs the Night when signs of God are hidden concept in the Quran and both of their purposes.

The whole of Chapter Five of Bihar al-Anwar vol 52 is relevant here as well.
It's amazing how heavily implicit it is all throughout the Qur'an (something Sunnis don't dispute) let alone how further it relates to the overarching dramaturgy of Shi'ite cosmo-Imamological-eschatology - but just not mentioned by name. The Muhammadun light in it's pre-eternity and in it's final crystallization in time as the Qa'im. Powerful and sprinkled all throughout the Qur'an.
Mirrors of mirrors within mirrors, "light upon light" (24:35), so to speak

It's always a matter of connecting the dots with the obvious missing pieces.

 

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Their primary title which is there names as in Quran but most people don't perceive it. The names we know them in the outward world, are titles, and when you say "Mohammad ibn Ali" there is two of them and when you say "Mohammad" - there is more, and when you say "Ali" there is four. So a better way to refer them is as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th with respect to Mohammad (s) and Mohammad (s) as the founding Captain of this ship.

So while 1st, 2nd, 3rd....12th is in Quran for sure, and better way to reference each member of Ahlulbayt (a), except Fatima (a) and Mohammad (s), there is even a better way to know them then the Arabic titles in Quran. There is mysterious letters in Quran which is not even words in Arabic, but in those letters lies so much, and they are 14.

I made a thread about it, but haven't posted too much just short explanation of who it refers to without delving yet to the meaning of all the mysterious letters, but:

Alif Lam Meem - Imam Hassan Alaskari (as) (11th Successor)
2-6 (5 Surahs) (29-35) (7 Surahs) (12 Surahs)
Alif Lam Meem Saad - Imam Jaffar (as)(6th Successor)
7-9 (3 Surahs)
Alif Lam Ra -The Radiant Fatima (as)
10-12 14-18 (8 Surahs)
Alif Lam Meem Ra - Imam Mahdi (as)
13 (1 Surah)
Kaf Ha Ya Ain Saad - Imam Mohammad Jewad (as) (9th Successor)
19 (1 Surah)
Ta Ha - Imam Ali (as) (1st Successor)
20-25 (6 Surahs)
Ta Seen Meem - Imam Mohammad Al-Baqir (as) (5th Successor)
26, 28 (2 Surahs)
Ta Seen - Imam Sajjad (as) (4th Successor)
27 (1 Surah)
Ya Seen - Nabi Mohammad (sa) (initiator/founder)
(2 Surahs)
(36-37)
Saad - Imam Ali Al-Naqi (as) (10th Successor)
(2 Surahs)
(38-39)
Ha Meem - Imam Hussain (as) (3rd Successor)
(40-42 43-49) (10 Surahs)
Ain Seen Qaaf - Imam Hassan (as) (2nd Successor)
(42) (1 Surah)
Qaaf - Imam Musa Al-Kadhim (as) (7th Successor)
(50-67) (18 Surahs)
Noon - Imam Ali Reda (as) (8th Successor)
(68-114) (47 Surahs)

Let me know if you interested, people didn't seem to interested in the topic I made about this, but I will explain to you since you are aware of hadiths and Quran very well. I will continue topic if you are interested.

 

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@Shaykhahadun A journey to the Mysterious letters in the Quran.

 

[VoidoftheSun]

@Shaykhahadun A journey to the Mysterious letters in the Quran.

It's very fascinating. The theory of the Muqattaʿat being the Maʿṣūmūn al-ʾArbaʿah ʿAšar is something I have considered and have in the back of my head.

I am reminded of Hadith such as: Thaqalayn - Hadith Library - Al-Tawḥīd - The Explanation of‬‬ the Letters of the Alphabet.
and others like:
Thaqalayn - Hadith Library - Al-Khiṣāl - The Interpretation of the Letters Which Make Up the Alphabet
Thaqalayn - Hadith Library - Al-Kāfi - Volume 1 - The Birth of abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.)
Thaqalayn - Hadith Library - Al-Maḥāsin - Volume 1 - The Revelation in the Quran being an explanation of everything
Thaqalayn - Hadith Library - Al-Tawḥīd - A Session of al-Ridha (AS‬‬) with Theologians from Among the Rhetoricians and Various‬‬ Religions about Unity in the presence of al-Ma`mun

Which variously mention things about the letters at times (not explicitly the Muqatta'at though).
However I do recall a Hadith where Imam Musa (pbuh) mentioned Ha Mem in relation to Prophet Muhammad himself. I don't know the authenticity of the hadith in question but I do recall it.

I think you are nearing closeness with your thesis though.
Nonetheless, the Huruf are pretty fundamental to the marifa of the Qur'an as a whole. It took Fazlallah Astarabadi though to really revive the science of the letters ('ilm al-Huruf) of the Ahlulbayt - which slowly dropped out of normative Twelver (Ithna Ashari) practice over political tension but used to be predominant, as with in Ismailism and certain forms of Tasawwuf.
The letters are every bit significant.

 

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All the letters are the Prophet and a title towards God as well, they describe Prophet (s) reality as the name of God, but they are also, in a way, addressing him as one of his successors and is about one of his successors or Fatima in case of alif lam raa. This why the hadith I quoted in the other thread says "unites the Prophet (s) and Imam (a)", and the only one which is just signifying the Prophet (s) is Yaseen, but we see the Surah after says "peace be upon the family of Yaseen", so in a way, it unites with the Prophet (s) and a particular Imam (a) as well.

I believe alif lam meem means "I am God the King", and is similar to Ishmael name which means "God hears" and doesn't mean Mohammad (s) or Imam Hassan Al-Askari (a) are God, but rather, they manifest "I am God the King" by being God's word of life and light that he firmly establishes believers by and establishes his chair and authority on earth.