Library Islam Islam: Faith, Practice & History Part III: History Lesson 49 2. The Imamat & Ghaybat
2. The Imamat & Ghaybat
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2. The Imamat & Ghaybat
After the martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-‘Askari in 260 A.H., the imamate of Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi (may AllÄh hasten his appearance) began. His imamate is divided into two parts: 1. The first 69 years which is known as the period of “al-Ghaybatu ’s-Sughra — the Minor Occultation”. 2. The period after 329 A.H. which is known as “al-Ghaybatu ’l-Kubra — the Major Occultation”.
The imamate of Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.) began with Occultation (ghaybat) which has continued till the present time. However, during the first 69 years, the Shi‘as could get in touch with the Imam only through his specially appointed agents; whereas after 329 A.H., no such agents were appointed. To explain the difference in the intensity of the Occultation, the first period is described as “minor, lesser, sughra or qasira,” whereas the second period is described as “major, greater, kubra or tawila.”
If the Occultation had taken its “major” form from day one, the Shi‘a community could not have adjusted to the situation easily; there would have been great chaos and confusion. The gradual intensification in the Occultation made the Shi‘as used to the idea of not dealing with the Imam directly.[48]
Notes:
[48] For this explanation of the shorter and longer occultation, see the introduction by Sayyid S. Akhtar Rizvi to Ibn ShadhÄn, The Return of al-Mahdi.
