The Last Luminary and Ways to Delve into the Light - written by Sayyid Ridha Husayni Mutlaq

The Last Luminary and Ways to Delve into the Light - written by Sayyid Ridha Husayni Mutlaq
Translated by Saleem Bhimji

Published by ‎ Islamic Publishing House

A figure more legendary than that of Imam al-Mahdi, The Awaited Saviour, has not been seen in the history of mankind. The threads of the world events have woven many a fine design in human life, but the pattern of The Mahdi [The Guided One] stands high above every other pattern. He has been the vision of the visionaries in history; he has been the dream of all dreamers of the world, and for the ultimate salvation of mankind, he is the Pole Star of hope on which the gaze of humanity is firmly fixed. Indeed, it is only Islam that has given the abstract idea of an Awaited Saviour a concrete shape. The Mahdi is not to be born in the distant future. He is already living amongst us and shares our joys and sorrows. His appearance will not only mean the materialization of an Islamic aspiration, but will also be the realization of a hope cherished by the entire humanity - regardless of race, nationality or religion. As the late Henry Corbin so eloquently stated: In the meantime, it is the duty of all Muslims, especially the Shi a, to strive steadfastly for the creation of the proper atmosphere and the right climate for the establishment of a world order based on justice, virtue and piety. They should not only mould their individual lives according to the teachings and high ideals of Islam, but they should also bend their efforts to set up the Islamic order on the collective and communal level. They should devote themselves to the service of the faith and be prepared to receive the Awaited Saviour. That is what was meant by the Imams when they exhorted the Muslims to keep on waiting for the Mahdi. The realization of the final victory of the forces of righteousness, peace and justice over those of evil, oppression and tyranny, of the world-wide spread of the Islamic faith, the complete and all-around establishment of high human values, the formation of the utopian society and lastly the accomplishment of this ideal at the hands of a noble and eminent personality called, according to the Islamic traditions, al-Mahdi, is a goal which we must all work for in every step of our lives... This ground breaking work presents over 80 practical responsibilities which the Muslims who follow the Prophet Muhammad and his family (The Ahlul Bayt) need to implement in their lives towards the 12th Imam, al-Mahdi, the saviour of the world, as is seen in the Prophetic narrations and the sayings of the infallible leaders of the faith of the Shia Muslims.