Hawzah News Agency- Speaking at a large gathering marking the birth anniversary of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance) on the occasion of the mid-Sha‘ban celebrations in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, Sheikh Zakzaky described the awaited Imam as the defender of the oppressed worldwide and the true guide of the Muslim Ummah.
The ceremony, attended by a broad cross-section of Nigerian society, highlighted the central role of Mahdist belief in resisting injustice and sustaining hope amid global oppression.
Sheikh Zakzaky emphasized that belief in Imam Mahdi is not limited to passive anticipation. “We are not merely waiting for the reappearance of Imam Mahdi so that we may follow him afterward,” he said. “We are his followers today. He is our leader, and the affairs of the Ummah are already under his guidance.”
True Meaning of Waiting
Explaining the authentic concept of intizar (expectation), the Nigerian cleric stressed that true waiting entails active obedience, moral responsibility, and alignment with divine leadership rather than political passivity or delay.
He noted that throughout history, humanity has always moved along two opposing paths—truth and falsehood—but added that in the present era, the distinction between the two has become unmistakably clear.
Raising a rhetorical question, Sheikh Zakzaky asked, “When the lines between the fronts of truth and falsehood are fully drawn, where will the hypocrites stand?” He answered unequivocally: “They will stand with falsehood.”
Inevitable Clash Between Truth and Falsehood
Sheikh Zakzaky said confrontation between the forces of guidance and misguidance is inevitable and unavoidable. “This clash will certainly take place,” he stated. “There is no escape from it.”
He added that although today’s oppressors present themselves as powerful and dominant, divine will has already shown that a superior power exists above them. “If they do not act today, they will act tomorrow—and that moment will mark their end,” he warned.
Referring to scientific and technological progress achieved in the name of God and in service of divine values—particularly in the Islamic Republic of Iran—Sheikh Zakzaky described such advancements as manifestations of divine guidance and the teachings of Imam Mahdi.
Earth Never Without Divine Proof
Reaffirming the principle of divinely appointed leadership, Sheikh Zakzaky stressed that it is inconceivable for God to leave the earth without a proof (hujjah). He reiterated that Imam Mahdi is the rightful and living Imam of the Islamic Ummah and expressed hope that his reappearance would occur in the near future.
He further described today’s world as a stage of open confrontation, where tyrannical rulers increasingly target religious communities and believers. However, he dismissed such threats as hollow and ineffective, emphasizing that divine promises are absolute and will inevitably be fulfilled.
The ceremony concluded with prayers for the hastening of Imam Mahdi’s reappearance and supplications that believers be counted among his sincere companions and supporters.
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