وبلاگ یحیی جهانگیری سهروردی

@suhrawardi 👈, [١٣.٠٥.١٧ ٠٠:٠٠]
Iran’s Dr. Yahya Jahangiri, who is a professor at the Howzah or Seminary of holy Qom, points out that in the holy Qur' an, we come across the account of “As'hab al-Kahf” or Companions of the Cave – a group of some seven persons who during the era of the pagan Roman Empire in the period after the end of the mission of Prophet Jesus (AS), had sought asylum in a cave in the mountains of Levant or Syria in order to escape persecution. They fell asleep and woke up three centuries later. We find ayahs of the holy Qur’an stating that upon awakening from their sleep, the companions asked how long they had slept. Their answers circulated around ideas of half a day or one full day. They were surprised when later Almighty Allah revealed to them that they had been asleep for three hundred years. They were amazed at this and left the cave to find out for themselves. They witnessed the changes that the city had undergone and realized that they had indeed slept for much longer than they thought. They came to understand the truth in what Allah had told them, as stated by ayahs 19 of the surah of the holy Qur’an titled “al-Kahf”.

"So it was that We aroused them [from sleep] so that they might question one another. One of them said, ‘How long have you stayed [here]?’ They said, ‘We have stayed a day, or part of a day.’ They said, ‘Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed. Send one of you to the city with this money. Let him observe which of them has the purest food, and bring you provisions from there. Let him be attentive, and let him not make anyone aware of you.”

Ayahs 25 and 26 of the same surah inform us:

“They remained in the Cave for three hundred years, and added nine more [to that number].”

“Say, ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth...”

Ironically though, the changes on their appearance reflected their hypothesis of being asleep for only one day or half a day, the changes in their surroundings demonstrated that they had been asleep for over three hundred years. Though this was all impossible for them to understand, they believed when they saw it for themselves. Thus, although the world around them had aged for three hundred years, they had only aged for one full day or half a day.

Iran’s Dr. Yahya Jahangiri then points out that the holy Qur'an also mentions the account of Prophet Ozair – or Ezra as he is known in the West. When Ozair was passing a destroyed village where apparently all people were dead, he asked Allah on the process of resurrection. Allah asked him what he was holding in his right and left hands. He suddenly fell asleep and when he woke up Allah asked him about the duration of his sleep. He responded with the same answer as the one given by the “As'hab Al-Kahf” – that is, one full day or half a day. The apparent changes on his body indicated that he had only slept for as long as he had guessed for. But Allah told him that he had been sleeping for a hundred years. He asked Allah how was this possible and how despite the timeframe, no changes had taken over his body?

Ayah 259 of Surah “al-Baqara” says in this regard:

“Or (consider) him who came upon a township as it lay fallen on its trellises. He said, ‘How will Allah revive this after its death?!’ So Allah made him die for a hundred years, then He resurrected him. He said, ‘How long have you remained?’ Said he, ‘I have remained a day or part of a day.’ He said, ‘Rather you have remained a hundred years. Now look at your food and drink which have not rotted! Then look at your ass! [This was done] that We may make you a sign for mankind. And look at the bones, how We arrange them and then clothe them with flesh!’ When it became evident to him, he said, ‘I know that Allah has power over all things.’”

@suhrawardi 👈, [١٣.٠٥.١٧ ١٦:٤٦]
So how can this be? Is it possible to live for such a long period? And can he live long yet not age physically?

Let us clarify the answers to these questions on the basis of the ayahs of the holy Qur'an and authentic Hadith.

Iran’s Dr. Yahya Jahangiri, who is a professor at the Howzah or Seminary of holy Qom, points out that in the holy Qur' an, we come across the account of “As'hab al-Kahf” or Companions of the Cave – a group of some seven persons who during the era of the pagan Roman Empire in the period after the end of the mission of Prophet Jesus (AS), had sought asylum in a cave in the mountains of Levant or Syria in order to escape persecution. They fell asleep and woke up three centuries later. We find ayahs of the holy Qur’an stating that upon awakening from their sleep, the companions asked how long they had slept. Their answers circulated around ideas of half a day or one full day. They were surprised when later Almighty Allah revealed to them that they had been asleep for three hundred years. They were amazed at this and left the cave to find out for themselves. They witnessed the changes that the city had undergone and realized that they had indeed slept for much longer than they thought. They came to understand the truth in what Allah had told them, as stated by ayahs 19 of the surah of the holy Qur’an titled “al-Kahf”.

"So it was that We aroused them [from sleep] so that they might question one another. One of them said, ‘How long have you stayed [here]?’ They said, ‘We have stayed a day, or part of a day.’ They said, ‘Your Lord knows best how long you have stayed. Send one of you to the city with this money. Let him observe which of them has the purest food, and bring you provisions from there. Let him be attentive, and let him not make anyone aware of you.”

Ayahs 25 and 26 of the same surah inform us:

“They remained in the Cave for three hundred years, and added nine more [to that number].”

“Say, ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the Unseen of the heavens and the earth...”

Ironically though, the changes on their appearance reflected their hypothesis of being asleep for only one day or half a day, the changes in their surroundings demonstrated that they had been asleep for over three hundred years. Though this was all impossible for them to understand, they believed when they saw it for themselves. Thus, although the world around them had aged for three hundred years, they had only aged for one full day or half a day.

Iran’s Dr. Yahya Jahangiri then points out that the holy Qur'an also mentions the account of Prophet Ozair – or Ezra as he is known in the West. When Ozair was passing a destroyed village where apparently all people were dead, he asked Allah on the process of resurrection. Allah asked him what he was holding in his right and left hands. He suddenly fell asleep and when he woke up Allah asked him about the duration of his sleep. He responded with the same answer as the one given by the “As'hab Al-Kahf” – that is, one full day or half a day. The apparent changes on his body indicated that he had only slept for as long as he had guessed for. But Allah told him that he had been sleeping for a hundred years. He asked Allah how was this possible and how despite the timeframe, no changes had taken over his body?

Ayah 259 of Surah “al-Baqara” says in this regard:

“Or (consider) him who came upon a township as it lay fallen on its trellises. He said, ‘How will Allah revive this after its death?!’ So Allah made him die for a hundred years, then He resurrected him. He said, ‘How long have you remained?’ Said he, ‘I have remained a day or part of a day.’ He said, ‘Rather you have remained a hundred years. Now look at your food and drink which have not rotted! Then look at your ass! [This was done] that We may make you a sign for mankind. And look at the bones, how We arrange them and then clothe them with flesh!’ When it became evident to him, he said, ‘I know that Allah has power over all things.’”

@suhrawardi 👈, [١٣.٠٥.١٧ ١٦:٤٦]
Allah reminded Prophet Ozair to keep his patience. Allah then inquired about the condition of his food. Prophet Ozair looked over at the food and judging from its condition, he thought it must've been only day or half a day. Interestingly, the freshness of the food, despite the passing of a century, in contrast to the ass which had turned to bare bones during this lengthy period before being revived by God, demonstrated two different timeframes. This portrayed the notion that there must be more than one form of recording time.

During the days of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, people would ponder over the concept of time and aging. For instance once Imam Husain (AS), and some seven decades later, the Prophet’s 6th Infallible Heir, Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS), were both asked in regards to Imam Mahdi (AS). The replies given by them were similar - that Imam Mahdi (AS) will reappear as a young man.

In addition to Imam Mahdi's (AS) good manners and excellent intellect, the Prophet of Islam also described the physical characteristics of his 12th Heir in great detail. These descriptions are so detailed and explicit that when he reappears, people will be able to immediately recognize him, as the People of the Book, that is, the Jews and Christians, had recognized Prophet of Islam, on the basis of what they had read in their holy scriptures regarding the advent of the Greatest-ever messenger with the universal creed of monotheism. Ayah 146 of Surah “al-Baqara” says of this fact of recognition of truth as well as their mischievous efforts to hide it.

“Those whom We have given the Book recognize him just as they recognize their sons, but a part of them indeed conceal the truth while they know.

Dr. Yahya Jahangiri of the Qom Seminary says that this ayah is also a figurative reference to the recognition of Imam Mahdi (AS). When he reappears, people will recognize him in the light of the descriptions given by the Prophet – “as they recognize their own sons” – but despite this fact, some people will still deny him. The various Hadith narrated from the Prophet of Islam say Imam Mahdi (AS) will reappear with Prophet Jesus (AS), and they will face Dajjal the antichrist and annihilate this misleader. There are several Hadith detailing the morale of Imam Mahdi (AS) and the activities that he will engage in. In short, the attributes of the Imam of the Age are clearly outlined and done so with the purpose of his easy recognition.

For example, the Prophet refers to marks on the body of the 12th Imam such as a mole, as a sign and likens these to a leaf, a pearl or a star. His complexion, hair, beard, colour, stature, build, the general outline of his face, the shape of his head and forehead and features such as his eyebrows, nose and teeth are also mentioned in the astounding detail.

Contrastingly, according to narrations, we find there will be people who deny the mission of Imam Mahdi (AS) when he returns due to the time and age paradox. However, by analyzing the Qur’anic ayahs and hadith, we understand the possibility of this phenomenon. These indicate how different changes can take place in one event. The main idea here is the preservation of time and its control. What we must understand is that Imam Mahdi (AS) has been given the titles of the Timeless Imam or Imam of the Time (Imam-e Zamaan, Wali al-Asr). These attributes indicate that time is in his hands, by the Will of the All-Wise Allah.

@suhrawardi 👈, [١٣.٠٥.١٧ ١٦:٤٦]
Besides the ayahs of the holy Qur’an and the hadith literature, scientifically speaking, there is no objection whatsoever to the longevity of life. Several years ago, a group of scientists conducted a series of experiments at the Rockefeller Institute in New York on certain "parts” of plants, animals, and humans. These scientists included Dr. Alex Carl, Dr. Jack Lope, and Dr. Warren Lewis among others. Among the experiments conducted was one that directly treated the nerves, muscles, hearts, skin, and kidneys of human beings. These organs were not connected to a human body; they were independent organs that were perhaps donated for the experiment. It was concluded by the scientists that these "parts or organs” can continue to live almost indefinitely as long as they are nourished properly, and as long as they are shielded from external negative interactions like microbes and other obstacles that might inhibit the growth of these organs; furthermore, the assertion was made that the cells would continue to grow normally under the above conditions, and that the growth is directly related to the nourishment provided. Again, aging had no effect on these organs, and they grew every year without any signs of deterioration. The scientists concluded that these organs will continue to grow as long as the patience of the scientists themselves is not exhausted, causing them to abandon the nourishment process.

The long occultation of Imam Mahdi (AS) is therefore a test and a trial for humanity to correct their beliefs, to overcome their doubts, and to shun the disobedience of the laws of God, so as to be immune from divine wrath. Unfortunately, the tyrants blinded by power and wealth have continue to oppress and exploit humanity. This is the reason these deviant elements try to deny the concept of the Saviour, while some of them have drawn plan to confront Imam Mahdi (AS). The Abbasids had shuddered at the thought of his return and had launched a manhunt to discover his whereabouts but to no avail. This proves that no propaganda of the faithless, no plot of the tyrannical powers, no ploy of the hypocrites, and no treason of the Takfiris can confront what God has already decreed. The One promised by God, foretold by the Messenger of Mercy and expected in all religions as the Deliverer of humanity, will indeed reappear when the world would be brimming with violence, bloodshed, treachery, and all sorts of injustices – as the trend of events of our times indicates. He will make his advent at the holy Ka’ba, the Symbolic House of the One and Only Creator. He will stand between the Rukn al-Yamaani and the Maqaam al-Ibrahim (the Station of Prophet Abraham), and call five times for redemption of justice. Before his reappearance, Arabia will have been cleared of the filth of Godless Wahhabis, especially the ruling Saudi Najdi family of brigands with Jewish roots, who are masquerading as Muslims in order to destroy the spirit of Islam through their collaboration with the US and the Zionists, and their open enmity with the followers of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt. Imam Mahdi (AS) will have as his lieutenant Prophet Jesus (AS) – who will reappear and disown Christianity – which means, most of the Europeans and Americans, having rid themselves of the despots in the White House and the Zionists, would by then be God-fearing believers, receptive to the universal mission of Islam, as preached by the 12th Imam whose mother was the spotlessly pure lady, Narjes, a granddaughter of the Byzantine emperor and a direct descendant through her mother of Simeon, one of the 12 disciples of the Virgin-born Messiah.