Understanding of Imam Al Mahdi will depend on how you see the concept of Imamat as presented in the Quran and Hadith. I will still try to answer your queries. 1) Shaitaan guides while being unseen. Why cant Imam Al Mahdi guide while being unseen? Shia ulema use Quran and then study lives and rulings of the Prophet and the Imams to reach results when they perform Ijtehad.
*Surdar Asif *– Salaams - I think brother you are giving divine qualities to the Imam.
It is Allah (swt) who guides whom He wants and Shaytaan misguides only by leave of Allah (swt).
It is man who has the free will to choose the path to Success or to Doom.
Refer to the following ayahs: Guidance to the truth is in the hand of Allah (swt) alone and no human being has any share in that, as Allah (swt)said to His Messenger.
Verily, you (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided [al-Qasas 28:56]
And the duty of the Messenger is o¬nly to convey (the Message) plainly [al-Ankaboot 29:18]
Shia ulema use Quran and then study lives and rulings of the Prophet and the Imams to reach results when they perform Ijtehad.
That is just like the Sunni Ulema who use the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) to derive at their rulings.
So we both (Shias & Sunnis) go the reputable scholars for guidance for any situation that ‘bothers’ us.
2) Shia belief is that the earth is never empty from a hujjat or guidance of Allah (swt).
It is Allah (swt)’s infinite Mercy that since creation of Makind that He has guided the Mankind through His Prophets. Allah’s Gudiance has always been there.
Prophet Muhammad (saw) is the last Prophet (saw) so no more any Wahis from Allah (saw).
We have to refer to the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) for guidance and anything beyond that is misguidance.
I have heared that certain individuals from Bani Hashim were the source of guidance before the time of our Prophet. Bani Hashim were the custodians of the Baitullah.
Did these individuals from Bani Hashim receive any guidance from Allah (swt)?
Yes there were many individuals who were Hanifs (believed in monotheism) but they were not exclusive to Bani Hashim.
By the way, may i ask how do you see the ayats such as AlBaqarah 124 and AlBaqarah 128 from the holy Quran? thank you
And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said: Surely I will make you an Imam of men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He. [2:124]
Our Lord! and make us both submissive to Thee and (raise) from our offspring a nation submitting to Thee, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely Thou art the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful. [2:128]
Brother, this has nothing to do with 12er Shia concept of Imamate.
This is prayer of Hz. Ibrahim (as) and accepted his prayer and blessed many from his progeny to become Prophets (asa) and ending with the greatest of them all.
Just to make a point – Sunnis do take all the 11 ‘12er Imams’ as persons of highest piety & integrity, very knowledgeable and righteous men and are worthy of respect. We also believe that they all followed and taught what the Mainstream Sunnis follow now.
Of course Sunnis do not believe in the 12th Imam.
And another interesting point:
Imam Reza, the 8th Imam of the 12er Shia, made a very interesting point when it was suggested that his father the 7th Imam had gone into occultation: “If Allah wanted to extend the life of any of his servants for the need of people to him, he would have extended the life of his Prophet.” (Kashi, Marifah al-Rijal, p.379)
I thank you for your response