Imam Mahdi (AS) is the last and the twelfth Imam of the Shiite Muslims. He was born in 255 H (874 AC) and the Shiite Muslims believe that their last Imam has been alive for approximately 1150 years. According to Shiite narrations, Imam Mahdi (AS) is currently in occultation and hidden from the public.

In this regard, Imam Kazim (AS) says:

The apparent gift of Allah is an Imam known to the people and the Hidden gift of Him is an Imam who is hidden. 

After that, the narrator of this hadith asks the Imam: “Is there going to be a hidden Imam?” Imam Kazim (AS) replied:

Yes! He will be hidden from the eyes of the people but the hearts of the faithful will not forget him. (1)

Despite Imam Mahdi (AS) being in occultation, we have responsibilities and duties to fulfill during this period. His hidden state doesn’t imply that Shiite Muslims have nothing to do for their faith and religion.

In fact, the best way to maintain a strong connection with our Imam is by following his orders. The Shiite Imams have told us about the responsibilities we have during this special time and some of them are mentioned below:

Upholding our faith

During the occultation of the Imam, it is a time when people may lose faith in him. In this regard, Imam Sadiq (AS) said:

With Mahdi (AS), there will be a little number of Arabs.

Then the Imam was told “But there are so many Arabs now that have faith in this religion!” Imam Sadiq (AS) replied:

People will inevitably be tested and they will be differentiated from one another and many will fail this test. (2)

The Holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) once prayed:

O Allah! Show me my brothers, Show me my brothers.

The people around him asked “O Messenger of Allah! Aren’t we your brothers?”

He responded:

No! you are my companions. But my real brothers are those who live in the last times of this world. They believe in me while they haven’t seen me … keeping faith in those times, will be more difficult than cutting the thorns of a plant on a dark night or holding a burning wood in one’s hands. They are the lights in the darkness and Allah will save them from every catastrophic test of seduction. (3)

As you see, being a faithful person is easy during the occultation. Therefore, one of our responsibilities is to keep our belief in Islam during these times. 

Harith ibn Muqhairah (one of the followers of Imam Sadiq (AS)) says “Once I told Imam Sadiq (AS): ‘We are being told that the leader of this religion will be hidden one day. So, in those times, what should we do?’”

Imam Sadiq (AS) said:

Keep your very faith that you have now and do as you have been ordered before him, until the time that everything will be clear for you [the arrival of Imam Mahdi (AS)].(4)

Getting to know Imam Mahdi (AS) more

Understanding the message of our Imams and having knowledge about their attributes and role in this world is crucial in the Shiite view. This is one of the most significant duties of Shias during the occultation. In this regard Imam Sadiq (AS) advises one of his pupils named Fozail:

O Fozail! Get to know your Imam because if you know him, it will be the same for youwhether his arrival is soon or delayed and anyone who knows their Imam and then dies before his arrival is like one of his soldiers. (5)

Praying 

In the Islamic point of view, praying is one of the most effective ways to have our wishes fulfilled. We should call upon Allah when we need Him and ask him to solve our problems, trusting that He will answer our prayers. The holy Prophet (PBUH & HP) said:

Call upon Allah while being certain that He will answer. (6)

Living without a guide in this world is the most significant problem we have. Without our Imams, we Shias have no savor and our problems seem never-ending. In this regard, Imam Sadiq (AS) says: 
The problems of the Earth will not be finished except by an Imam. (7)

Therefore, one of the most important prayers we should make is for the return of Imam Mahdi (AS). The Shiite Imams have persuaded their followers to pray for the arrival of Imam Mahdi (AS). 

Imam Sadiq (AS) told one of his pupils named Humran about the attributes of the occultation time and advised him:

When you saw … that the world is highly favorable for the unfaithful people and the flag of the righteous people is hidden, be cautious and ask Allah to save you. (8)

Imam Sadiq (AS) also said:

You Shias will face doubts in the future and [during those times] you won’t see a right flag or a guiding Imam and no one will be saved in those times except for the ones who pray like a drowning person. 
Then the narrator of the hadith asks the Imam: “How can I pray like a drowning person?”

Imam Sadiq (AS) replied:

You should say: 

“یا اللّه یا رحمن یا رحیم یا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلوبنا علی دینک”

O Allah! O Rahman! O Rahim! O Controller of the hearts! Make my heart keep its faith in your religion. (9)

Imam Mahdi (AS) himself wrote to one of his followers:

Pray so much to Allah for my arrival because it resolves all your problems (10)

In addition to this fact that praying makes his arrival more likely to happen sooner, praying is also the best way to relate to Imam Mahdi (AS) and this way, we can make a good connection to him. In return, Imam Mahdi (AS) sees that you are always thinking about him and praying for his arrival. It is obvious that Imam Mahdi (AS) loves the ones who do not forget him and pray for him more than others. Due to this fact, Imam Mahdi (AS) will pray for us in return and clearly, the praying of an Imam surely will be answered by Allah. 

Don’t forget that it is so important for praying for the arrival Imam Mahdi (AS) to be in a group. You should get together with your family, friends or even the other people to pray for Imam Mahdi (AS).

Imam Sadiq (AS) said:

If four people gather and pray, they won’t leave each other until Allah answers their supplication (11)

He also said:

When something would bother my father (Imam Baqir), he would gather all the women and kids in the house and he would pray and they would say “Amen.” (12)

As you see, praying together as a group holds great important for it to be answered by Allah. Imagine the impact if all the Shiite Muslims united in praying for the arrival of Imam Mahdi (AS) pure hearts. It is obvious that his occultation wouldn’t have prolonged for so long. So, one of our important responsibilities toward Imam Mahdi (AS) is to encourage others to pray for his arrival and we’d better pray in group. 

There are many other responsibilities we have during the occultation. The most important thing is to follow the orders of the previous Imams and fulfill all of our religious obligations so that Allah would save us from this dangerous time. 

Resources 

1.  Kamal ad-Din, Sheikh Saduq, vol.2, pg.369
2.  Al-Ghaybah, Sheikh an-No’mani, pg.204
3.  Basa’ir ad-Darajat, As-Saffar al-Qommi, pg.84
4.  Al-Ghaybah, Sheikh an-No’mani, pg.159
5.  Al-Ghaybah, Sheikh an-No’mani, pg.329
6.  Bihar al-Anvar, Allamah al-Majlesi, vol.90, pg.321
7.   Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.2, pg.21
8.   Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.8, pg.42
9.   Kamal ad-Din, Sheikh Saduq, vol.2, pg.352
10.   Al-Ih’tijaj, Sheikh at-Tabrasi, vol.2, pg.284
11.   Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.2, pg.487
12.   Al-Kafi, Sheikh Koleini, vol.2, pg.487
     

“When I was younger, I always wondered how I could distinguish between love and lust. My father used to say “all these little or great worldly loves we go through, are all here for us humans to eventually experience The love, one drop at a time, and to increase our capacity for it. That’s why when we look back at our previous experiences of feeling in love, we laugh at our naivety for calling that love! And that the love we are feeling now IS the real thing. Ignorant of the fact that a little down the line, we will again be laughing at what we are calling love now.”So let us find out why has God made love? What kind of love, are we expected to feel? My father says “Love is a sign from God. Love is a miracle, and miracles are here to make us believe” [1].

I started my article on dating and falling in love using the introduction of a love story book. As any reader knows, love or dating and falling in Love is not something that can be accepted in some lands and be ignored in some others. Dating and Falling in Love know no borders. Every human being from the time he/she sets foot in this world would experience dating and falling in love in one way or other, with different things, people, pets! Lands, etc. It is actually the liveliness of love that keeps human beings move forward. This dating and falling in love could be for money, status, education, or opposite sex.

In this article, I would like to talk about Love for opposite sex and its rulings according to Islam and dating in Islam.

Do Muslims fall in love?

Love is an essential need for the human. Without love life is dark and colorless. Muslims, like any other human beings, fall in love and may spend days and nights weeping for their beloved, until they can unite with their loved ones.

However, the main point of being committed to any religion and obeying its rules is for human beings to gain control over themselves. Human beings in facing different issues of life should show this self-control, and love is one of these issues.

From what I have seen among most non-Muslim cultures and religions when they fall in love, they start dating. They meet each other at different places and make memories together. Then they can grow their love and go through sexual relationships. They would even feel so much in love that they decide to live together as lover partners. In some cases, this loving partnership may end up with a baby. And in very optimistic ways, one day their grown-up children will happily shout in a church that “I knew that mom and dad would finally get married!”. As I said, that is the optimistic side of it. Otherwise, at the end of some of these relationships, we have depressed single parents with unwanted children.

Rules of Islam for Those Falling in Love and Dating in Islam

Since dating and falling in love takes one’s mind away, when a Muslim falls in love, by considering Islamic advice she/ he can avoid its negative consequences.

According to Islam, when someone feels fallen in love! with someone, he/ she should consider that person as his/ her “spouse to be.” So, the lover can determine if he/ she can live with his/ her loved one for the rest of his/ her life, and would they make a happy family and reach their goals? If the answer is positive, then they should start to get to know each other better. In most Islamic cultures, the starting point happens through families and dating in Islam is not very common. The boy proposes to the girl in a proposal ceremony. If the girl and the families are OK at this step, then the “bride to be” and “the groom to be” can start to know each other better.

Do the “bride to be” and “the groom to be” Date? Is Dating in Islam Allowed?

Since dating in non-Muslim cultures may be followed by different kinds of sexual lust, such as touching, hugging, kissing, etc., Islam would call this sort of dating forbidden (Haram).

But this does not mean that the “groom to be” and the “bride to be” are not allowed to meet up and talk together for better recognition of each other. In Muslim families, they usually meet up at the girl’s house, where her parents are also around. Yet, some boys and girls may find it useful to go out together for a meal or talk in social places. That is for them to know each other better in different situations.

According to Islam, it is not forbidden (Haram) for a man and a woman to be together in a place where other people can come and go, and there is no fear of committing a sin. So, dating is Islam is not forbidden provided that the above conditions are observed. However, both parties should make sure to limit these meetups to a few sessions. At the end of these few sessions, they can usually decide if they want to marry or not.

And if they don’t want to marry, they should stop their meetings. Also, if they decide to get married, they should proceed to the next levels. This can be a temporary marriage for engagement period and then a permanent Islamic marriage contract. The engagement may take a few days or a few years. But they are known as a married couple during this time, and there is no prohibition for them to be together. “After the recitation of the marriage formula, the couple may enjoy each other unless a certain enjoyment is agreed to be delayed to the night of consummating the marriage, in which case he has to observe the specified term.” [2]

Possible Damages of Dating

When two people start dating without a serious intention of marrying their partner, they start wasting their time on a useless relationship, solely for fun and enjoyment. Most of the time one of the parties is aware that he/ she does not see a future for this relationship. The other one keeps hoping for a marriage proposal. When it never happens, disappointment would fill his/ her life.

Also, people who keep dating with no intention for marriage would enjoy a relationship in which, unlike marriage, they are irresponsible towards their partner.

When other youths see how easy some people have fun with the opposite sex, they would be encouraged to date, too.

Usually, after many years of dating, when both parties have lost their younghood eagerness, they would shape a family. Although it is still very good to start family life, their life is much different from those who marry and have children at a younger age.

Conclusion

To conclude, dating in Islam for the sake of having fun with opposite sex and without a legal Islamic marriage contract is forbidden (Haram). But meeting up for further recognition is allowed (Halal). The main reason that makes dating in Islam prohibited is to protect both parties of possible damages of an unstable relationship. Thus, pre-marriage meetings (unlike dating) should be free of any kind of sexual lust, and only for the sake of finding a suitable spouse.

So, it is not forbidden (Haram) to fall in love according to Islam. But managing this love and controlling the self is of high importance. This would prevent people from committing great sins like adultery.

Reference:

1. Bahmanpour, Sedigheh, God Is Here, p. 1
2. love in Islam