Hawzah News Agency- Despite the clarity and certainty of the true meaning of intidhar (awaiting), various interpretations of it have emerged over time. Many of these come from scholars and thinkers, while others stem from the popular understanding among some Shia believers.
There are two main interpretations of intidhar al-faraj:
1. Correct and Constructive Anticipation
Constructive anticipation —the kind that inspires movement, responsibility, and hope—is the genuine form praised in hadiths as “the most virtuous worship” and “the greatest jihad of the Prophet’s ummah.”
As the late scholar Muzaffar explained:
Anticipation for the uprise of the true divine reformer, Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his uprising), does not mean Muslims should sit idly by and neglect their duties—such as defending the truth, reviving divine laws, striving in the path of Allah, and enjoining good while forbidding evil—hoping that the Imam will come and fix everything. Every Muslim must see himself as responsible for fulfilling the commands of Islam, and strive with full effort to correctly identify the religion, and should not abandon their capacity for enjoining good and forbidding evil. As the Holy Prophet (pbuh) said:
«كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ»
“Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.” (Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 72, p. 38)
Thus, a true believer cannot use the anticipation of Imam Mahdi (pbuh) as an excuse to abandon his clear religious duties. Anticipation of the Imam's uprising neither allows for the abandonment of duties nor permits the delay of action. Negligence in religious duties and indifference to them are not permissible under any circumstances. (Aqaid al-Imamiyya, p.118)
In summary, the genuine culture of awaiting rests on three essential pillars:
a) Dissatisfaction with the current state of the world;
b) Hope for a better, divinely guided future;
c) Active striving to move from the present state toward the desired one.
2. Incorrect and Destructive Anticipation
Destructive and passive anticipation — which in reality is a form of religious permissiveness — has always been condemned by the great scholars of Islam. These revered figures have consistently warned the followers of the Ahlul-Bayt (pbut) to avoid such a misguided attitude.
Martyr Ayatollah Murtadha Mutahhari wrote:
This kind of awaiting is a superficial understanding of the concept of Mahdism and the uprising of the Promised Mahdi (may Allah hasten his uprising) — an understanding that sees it merely as a sudden, explosive event arising solely from the spread and dominance of oppression, injustice, tyranny, and corruption.
Such an interpretation of the Mahdi’s advent and this form of awaiting for relief — which leads to the suspension of Islamic laws and results in a kind of religious permissiveness — is completely incompatible with the principles of Islam and the teachings of the Qur’an. (The uprising and the revolution of Mahdi pbuh, p.54)
Similarly, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemned those who hold such distorted notions of awaiting. (Sahifat al-Nur, vol. 21)
Therefore, a true muntazir—one who sincerely awaits the uprising of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his uprising)—can never remain a mere spectator.
This discussion continues…
Adapted from “Mahdism Textbook” by Khodamorad Salimian with slight modifications.
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