Once upon a time, there was no "time"...
 
به یاد کردگارِ زندگی‌بخش
که هر جزء جهان دارد از او نقش
خدایی که فراتر از زمان است
کسی که مالک کل جهان است
به یاد آور چه پیمان بستی، ای دوست!
به هر سو بنگری، آنجا خودِ اوست!
به یاد عهد و میثاق الستی
به راهِ روشنِ یکتاپرستی
به یاد ذره‌ای که منفجر شد
به یاد لحظه‌ی آغاز هستی
 
مقدمه
از دیرباز، ذهن پرسشگر و کنجکاو آدمی با مرزهای پنهان عالم هستی و شناخت آفرینشگر آن درگیر بوده است؛ با این وجود، محدودیت دانش و ساختار ذهنمان، مانع بزرگی در برابر درک پاسخ این معماهاست. ذهن ما اصولا پدیده‌هایی را میفهمد که پیشتر آن‌ها را تجربه نموده‌ایم. به عنوان مثال، تجسم جهانی با بیش از ۳ بعد مکان برای ما غیر ممکن است زیرا هرگز فراتر از این پوسته زندگی نکرده‌ایم. درست مثل یک نابینای مادرزاد که هیچ درکی از دیدن ندارد چون آن را تجربه نکرده است. این عدم درک منحصر به پدیده‌هایی نیست که وجود دارند یا ممکن است وجود داشته باشند ولی ما تجربه‌یشان نکرده‌ایم؛ بلکه گاهی قادر به درک «عدم وجود» برخی پدیده‌ها نیز نیستیم. مثلا تصور جهانی فاقد زمان یا مکان برای ما تقریبا محال است. ممکن است کسی بگوید دنیای فاقد مکان یعنی خلأ. اما خلأ هم خود یک مکان است: مکانی خالی از جسم. پس عدم معادل خلأ نیست. مثال دیگر میتواند درک «نابینایی» باشد. ما بینایان، تا زمانی که نابینایی را تجربه نکرده‌ایم، نمی‌توانیم بفهمیم نابینایی دقیقا چگونه است. خیلی از مردم فکر میکنند که نابینایان دنیا را سیاه یا تاریک میبینند در حالی که آنها اصلا نمی‌بینند چه برسد به این که بخواهند رنگ سیاه را ببینند. این که ما فکر کنیم با بستنِ آگاهانه‌ی چشمانمان می‌توانیم نابینایی را تجربه کنیم هم اشتباه است. چرا که در این حالت، چشمان ما هنوز کار میکنند اما چون نوری به آنها نمی‌رسد، رنگ داخل پلک‌هایمان را تیره می‌بینیم. حال کافی است با چشمان بسته وارد فضایی پر از نور شویم، آنگاه با وارد شدن کمی نور به چشمانمان، رنگی که می‌بینیم به سمت سرخی می‌رود و این یعنی اگرچه پلک‌هایمان بسته است ولی ما همچنان در حال دیدنیم!
برای این که بتوانیم تا حدی نابینایی را درک کنیم، می‌توانیم فرض کنیم که یک چشم سوم در پشت سرمان داریم که قادر به دیدن نیست. آیا ما با این چشم نابینا، محیط پشت سرمان را سیاه یا تاریک می‌بینیم؟! مسلما خیر! ما اصلا با این چشم سوم، هیچ چیزی را نمی‌بینیم. پس ملاحظه می‌کنید که گاهی عدم وجود یک پدیده هم برای ما قابل درک نیست!
...
 

رخشنده صورت و تابنده سیرتی، حتی
پرنورترین ستاره‌ی کیهان حریفت نمیشود
 
سرسخت و پایدار، چون کوه استوار
اما صلابت کوهستان حریفت نمیشود
 
دلسوخته پر کشیدی ای یادگار حسین
در حزن و اندوه، انسان حریفت نمیشود
 
 قدر همتت به بلندای آسمان
در علم و تدبیر هیچ کس حریفت نمیشود
 
 عرصه‌‌ات نیست جولانگه شاهزاده‌ی حقیر
آن بی‌بخار با کل خاندانش حریفت نمیشود
 
سروده شده در ۱۶ مرداد ۱۴۰۵

Dedication

This blog entry is dedicated to Imam Ali Khamenei (عليه السلام), on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Hasan ibn Ali (عليه السلام), 28 Safar.
A tribute to a life of steadfastness, sacrifice, and unwavering resolve in the path of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام).
 
A Very Important Note on the Sources Behind This Entry
This entry presents a number of points derived from the traditions of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام). However, the conclusions discussed here are not based on the narrations alone. There are also further confirmations of a spiritual, mystical and unseen nature behind these observations, the details of which are neither appropriate to disclose here nor necessary for the purpose of this entry.
Perhaps the most important point is that the fullest clarification of these matters belongs to the Qāʾim (عليه السلام) himself. After his Greater Reappearance, he will be in the best position to unveil the realities behind these signs and, ultimately, to make clear who is who among those who have returned in Rajʿah—who has returned, and under what identity they have returned. Until then, these matters can only be approached through the signs, parallels, and indications available to us.
 
★Signs of Rajʿah: When the Past Returns, but the Outcome Changes
In my previous blog entry, I pointed towards the possibility that we are already witnessing the Lesser Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام).
If the period of Ẓuhūr has indeed begun, then it raises another important question: could the signs of Rajʿah also begin to manifest during this same period?
According to the traditions of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (علیھم السلام), Rajʿah is not simply a return of certain individuals, it is also a period in which the Ahl al-Bayt (علیہم السلام ) will receive a form of support and victory that they did not receive in their previous lives. In other words, some of the circumstances of the past may appear again—but this time, the outcome will be different.
This gives us an interesting way of recognizing the signs of Rajʿah.
If the same kind of situation that once left an Imam (عليه السلام) without sufficient support appears again, but this time the Imam (عليه السلام) receives the support that was previously missing, then that changed outcome itself can become a sign.
The past becomes the pattern; the changed result becomes the sign.
 
★Imam Hasan (عليه السلام): From Abandonment to Complete Support
One of the clearest examples to consider is the life of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام).
When Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) confronted the political and military circumstances during his rule, the people around him did not provide the steadfast support that was necessary. Even some of his own commanders and followers became unreliable. The situation became so difficult that continuing the struggle under those circumstances would have endangered the very community he was trying to protect.
As a result, Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) had to relinquish political authority through the treaty with Muʿawiyah (لعنہﷲ).
But the traditions concerning Rajʿah describe a future in which the Imams (علیھم السلام ) will receive the kind of support that they did not receive previously.
Therefore, if Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) returns, we should expect the same essential test to be reversed.
The Imam (عليه السلام) should no longer stand surrounded by a weak or divided community. Instead, there should be a people firm enough to stand with him and commanders courageous enough to carry his cause forward. If the same demand to abandon authority or compromise with the ruling power were ever presented to him again, the crucial difference would be that this time he would not be left alone and would not step down.
The circumstances would resemble the past, but the result would be different.
And this reversal would not necessarily be limited to the political and military sphere.
During his previous life, Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) was even subjected to painful words and taunts from his own people. Those closest to him did not always recognize the magnitude of his resolve or the wisdom behind his decisions. In Rajʿah, however, the world itself would witness a reversal of the response to Imam Hasan (عليه السلام); his own and others alike would be compelled to acknowledge his excellence and salute his unparalleled resolve.
The same Imam, the same truth, but a completely transformed response from the people.
There is also a striking symbolism in the incident that occurred during his sermon. An attack against Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) while he was delivering his address came at a time when his political position was declining and the atmosphere around him was marked by discontent and instability. In that sense, the attack became almost a symbol of his political descent.
In Rajʿah, the reversal of this scene would carry an entirely different meaning.
If an attack were to occur against him while he is delivering a sermon during a period of his political ascent, the same outward event would now symbolize the opposite trajectory. Then, there was an atmosphere of dissatisfaction and weakness surrounding him; this time, there would be massive support surrounding him. Then, he was taunted with the title “ʿĀr al-Muʾminīn”—a disgrace to the believers; this time, he would be recognized as the pride of the believers.
The event may resemble the past, but its meaning would be completely reversed.
 
★The Funeral of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام)
There is an even more striking example.
When Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) passed away, his funeral was not allowed to proceed with the honour that his position demanded. His bier was subjected to hostility, and arrows were shot at it.
If Rajʿah is a period in which the Ahl al-Bayt (علیہم السلام) receive the support that they were denied before, then the opposite of this event would be a powerful expression of that support.
Instead of a funeral marked by hostility, imagine a funeral that becomes one of the greatest demonstrations of love and honour in human history: a funeral attended and honoured by people from across the world, with hearts filled with love, and with flowers of affection falling upon the bier rather than arrows.
The contrast could not be greater.
The same Imam whose funeral was once met with opposition would, in Rajʿah, receive a funeral befitting his rank—a public manifestation of the love, recognition and honour that had been denied to him.
This is why the concept of “the support that never happened before” becomes so important.
Rajʿah would not merely repeat history. It would answer history.
Where there was loneliness, there would be companionship.
Where there was weakness, there would be strength.
Where there was misunderstanding, there would be recognition.
Where there was opposition, there would be support.
And where there was disrespect, there would be unparalleled honour.
 
★The Reversal of Death
There is another fascinating detail found repeatedly in the traditions concerning Rajʿah.
The reports describe a reversal in the manner of death: those who previously died from an illness while on their beds will, in Rajʿah, be killed in battle by the sword; while those who were previously killed by the sword in battle will, in Rajʿah, die upon their beds.
This makes the death of Imam Hasan (عليه السلام) particularly significant.
His previous death was associated with illness caused by poisoning. If poisoning is included within the broader category of an illness or ailment—as I understand the wording in this context—then the Rajʿah pattern would point towards the opposite: the Imam (عليه السلام) who previously died on his bed would this time meet his death on the battlefield, by a weapon.
Again, the point is not merely that the Imam (عليه السلام) returns.
It is that the circumstances surrounding his previous life are reversed.
His previous life contained a particular kind of trial; Rajʿah brings the corresponding victory. His previous death occurred in one manner; Rajʿah brings its opposite. His people once failed to give him the support he needed; Rajʿah gives him that support in its fullest form.
This is what makes these parallels so important when looking for the signs of Rajʿah.
The return of the past may be recognizable precisely because the ending is no longer the same.
And Allah knows best.

Peace be upon you, O Final Proof of Allah, who shall establish His religion throughout the earth, filling it with justice and equity!
                                      شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ                                      ﴿
                                                 الدِّينِ
                                      مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ
                                                 نُوحًا
                                     وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا
                                                إِلَيْكَ
                                     وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ
                                              إِبْرَاهِيمَ
                                             وَمُوسَىٰ
                                             وَعِيسَىٰ
                                  أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ
                                  وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ
                      كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَا تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ
                                         اللَّهُ
                                              يَجْتَبِي
                                  إِلَيْهِ مَن يَشَاءُ
                                              وَيَهْدِي
                                       إِلَيْهِ مَن
﴾                                         يُنِيبُ
He has prescribed for you, as the Religion, what He enjoined upon Noah, what We have revealed to you (Muhammad), and what We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: "Establish the Religion, and do not become divided concerning it." Hard on the polytheists is that to which you call them. Allah selects (yajtabī) for Himself whom He wills and guides (yahdī) to Himself him who returns.
(Surah al-Shura: 13)
 
Peace be upon you, O Riser from the Family of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), who will strive for the sake of Allah with the striving due to Him, fighting His enemies as they have never been fought before!
                       وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ ۚ هُوَ                            ﴿
﴾                                     اجْتَبَاكُمْ
And strive for the sake of Allah with the striving (jihād) due to Him. He has selected (ijtibā) you
(Surah al-Hajj: 78)
 
﴾وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ﴿
And We have sent down to you the Book as a clarification of everything.
(Surah al-Nahl: 89)
 
﴾وَمَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِن شَيْءٍ﴿
We have neglected nothing in the Book.
(Surah Al-An'am: 38)
 
[Note: The essay concerns the Lesser Reappearance i.e. the rise of the Mahdi before he receives the bay'ah in Makkah beside the Ka'bah during the Greater Reappearance.]
 
 
★Are We Expecting the Wrong Kind of Reappearance?
One of the greatest obstacles to recognizing the fulfillment of prophecy is not disbelief—it is imagination. Throughout history, believers have often transformed prophetic traditions into elaborate mythologies, expecting every sign to unfold in an overtly supernatural, cinematic fashion. Anything that appears too historical, too political, or too human is dismissed as ordinary and therefore unworthy of prophetic significance.
Ironically, the Imams themselves warned against precisely this mentality.
Abu 'Ubaidah al-Hadhdha' narrated that he asked Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (عليه السلام) about the matter of al-Qa'im. The Imam replied:
"Because you expect that it comes to you in a certain way, do not deny it if it happens in another way."
(Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 268, hadith 157)
This narration is remarkably profound. It suggests that preconceived notions can become a veil. If people insist that every prophecy must unfold exactly as they have imagined, they may end up denying its fulfillment when it occurs in a different—but no less authentic—manner.
Many Shi'as have unknowingly constructed a mythical image of the End Times. They expect unmistakable miracles at every stage, while overlooking that divine plans often unfold through ordinary historical events, wars, leaders, and political developments that only reveal their prophetic significance in retrospect.
 

 
★One striking example concerns the traditions about the Khorasani Hashimi leader.
The narrations describe a Hashimi (Sayyid/Husayni) leader from Khorasan associated with the black ensigns, possessing a mole or defect on his right hand, and exhibiting such unwavering resolve that even mountains could not subdue him. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) is reported to have instructed believers to support this movement "even if by crawling over ice" because of the Mahdi's presence in its ranks.
Many have interpreted these descriptions as corresponding to the Islamic Revolution of Iran and its leadership. The black ensigns emerging from Khorasan, the leadership of Imam Khomeini, followed by Imam Ali Khamenei—a Sayyid with an impairment affecting his right hand (also marked with a mole)—appear, to many observers, to form a remarkably coherent picture. Yet because many expected a far more mythical unfolding, these correspondences have often been dismissed without serious consideration.
The same pattern appears in traditions describing a prolonged conflict between this Hashimi Khorasani leader and a Sufyanist ruler of Iraq. According to these reports, Iraq's Sufyanist ruler initiates the war by attacking the people of Khorasan. Thereafter, a young Hashimi—having a mole or defect on his right hand—is appointed over the black-bannered people of Khorasan. The descriptions of that fierce and lengthy war closely resemble the events of the Iran-Iraq War, which began with Saddam Hussein's invasion of Iran in Sep. 1980; in Oct. 1981, 42-year-old Ali Khamenei was appointed President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Even more intriguingly, reports indicate that the Mahdi (عليه السلام) is among the forces of the Hashimi later during that struggle, suggesting his presence before his public appearance rather than only after it. Going by this interpretation, the Mahdi (عليه السلام) joined the IRGC at some point during the later years of the Iran-Iraq War.
 

★Another example is of the traditions concerning Shu'ayb ibn Salih, the commander of the Khorasani vanguard.
Starting his career as a young military commander sporting a light beard, he later goes on to lead the advance forces of the Khorasani based in Rey (Tehran), on a hidden route toward Bayt al-Maqdis—a description strikingly reminiscent of the Axis of Resistance's gradual military buildup toward Jerusalem rather than an open conventional march.
Even his name invites reflection. Shu'ayb ("one who disperses") mirrors Qasem ("the disperser/distributor"), while Ibn Salih ("son of the righteous/good") mirrors Ibn Hasan (Hasan meaning good, righteous or beautiful). Thus, Shu'ayb ibn Salih parallels the Axis of Resistance's architect Maj. Gen. Qasem ibn Hasan Soleimani—the martyred leader of the IRGC's elite al-Quds Force—with surprising precision.
Traditions note he is a non-Arab ally of the Tamimis, reflecting Iran's close integration with Iraqi Shi'a militias. A prophecy states that leadership of the Khorasani movement passes to the Mahdi 72 months after Shu'ayb's campaigns end. Following Soleimani's assassination in January 2020, this 72-month window converges precisely on 2026—aligning with various other prophetic timelines.
 

A report from Imam Ali (عليه السلام) recorded by Nu'aym ibn Hammad states:
"...And before him (the Mahdi), a man from his (the Mahdi's) household will rise with the people of the East, carrying the sword upon his shoulder for eight months. He will kill and maim heading towards Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), but he will not reach it before he dies."
➡️The period between the June 2025 Iran-Israel War (The Twelve-Day War) and the February 2026 martyrdom of Imam Ali Khamenei is a little over eight months.
 
(All the above-mentioned prophecies about the Khorasani movement—Kitab al-Fitan Dar al-Fikr Print pp. 188-192, 216, 229, 230)
 
It becomes even more intriguing when viewed alongside a poem reportedly written in 2005 by the Shi'i mystic Hasan Zadeh Amuli, as later recited by his student Ismail Mansuri. The poem reportedly foretells that Imam Ali Khamenei would be martyred in a Zionist bombing approximately twenty years later, adding:
"Yet his blood will be a glad tiding of the Reappearance of the Mahdi, a presence within presence within presence. He will lift the veil from the face of the Mahdi."
Whether one accepts this interpretation or not, it illustrates how major historical developments may serve not as the appearance itself, but as the unveiling of its reality.
 

 
★The Mahdi is Dhu l-Ismayn—Bearer of Two Names.
An extremely crucial aspect concerns the traditions stating that the Mahdi (عليه السلام) possesses two names. According to certain Imami narrations, one is the name by which he first appeared in this world—Muhammad (عليه السلام) ibn al-Hasan al-Askari (عليه السلام)—while another is the name associated with his reappearance, a name that the Final Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the Immaculate Successors deliberately concealed for his protection from premature identification and targetting by adversaries as well as for safeguarding against false claimants, and forbade those believers who would recognize him from mentioning it explicitly and publicly in reference to the Mahdi (عليه السلام) before he rises.
Prophetic traditions stating «اسمه اسمي» ("His name is my name") refer to the Mahdi's well-known personal name, Muhammad. By contrast, traditions using «يواطئ اسمه اسمي» ("His name resembles my name") point to his second, end-times name—one connected to his public identity during the events preceding the Greater Reappearance. There are hints of this identity in several hadiths e.g. he will be called «خَلَفٌ صَالِحٌ»—"a righteous successor" (or it can also be something similar, like «صالح بعد صالح»—"a righteous one after a righteous one"). Reports indicate that his second name is close in meaning to Ahmad ("the highly praised one"), conveying the sense of one who is distinguished, special, preferred, and divinely favored rather than necessarily sharing the exact wording of the Prophet's name.
According to Imami hadiths, the Mahdi (عليه السلام) has en example in Joseph (عليه السلام)—even after Joseph (عليه السلام) became the ruler of Egypt, neither the Egyptians nor his own brothers recognized his true identity.
 

 
★The discussion also extends to al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah (the Pure Soul).
A prophecy in Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah (15/199) states that the Mahdi will not rise until the Pure Soul is killed, after which people will rage at his killers and rally around the Mahdi.

[Interpretive Note: Most reports don't mention the place, while a few mention the outskirts of Kufah or Haram al-Ka'bah as the place, where he's killed (+70 righteous people in the Kufah outskirts report). These contradictions can be reconciled. The Imams indicated that some prophecies originate from truthful dreams or visions and may therefore require interpretation e.g. they explained that their prophecy about a person may be fulfilled through his son or grandson (common in dreams). In a vision-based prophecy, the outskirts of Kufah could refer to the region around the Shia religio-political centre of those times. Likewise, Haram in a dream-based prophecy may not always mean Mecca alone; it may also refer to the foremost state governed by an Islamic system, as illustrated by Qasem Soleimani's description of Iran as a haram. In the context of the murder of al-Nafs al-Zakiyyah, it could also imply that the custodians of Haram al-Ka'bah in those times would facilitate that crime.]
It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali (عليه السلام):
"Await the Faraj (relief/appearance of the Mahdi) through three signs."
It was said, "O Commander of the Faithful, what are they?"
He (عليه السلام) replied:
“The disagreement of the people of Sham [Syria] among themselves (1), the black banners from Khorasan [Iran] (2), and the great terror (or outcry) in the month of Ramadan (3).”
 
[Al-Kurani, Sheikh Ali, Dictionary of the Hadiths of Imam Al-Mahdi (may God hasten his appearance), Vol. 5, p. 238]
 
➡️ (1) The Syrian Civil War, (2) the Shia Iran-led Axis of Resistance and (3) the 2026 Ramadan War that began with the tragic martyrdom of Imam Ali Khamenei.
 

 
★The chronology proposed continues with celestial signs.
A narration recorded by al-Daraqutni speaks of a solar eclipse at the beginning of Ramadan and a lunar eclipse on the fifteenth night of Ramadan before the rise of the Mahdi. These have been compared with the annular solar eclipse of 17 February 2026 and the total lunar eclipse of 3 March 2026.

Similarly, al-Nu'mani records the narration:
"If you see a pillar of fire from the East in the midst of Ramadan, then it will be shortly before the appearance of al-Qa'im."
It has been associated with the massive pillar of fire produced after attacks on Iranian oil facilities during Ramadan 2026 (17th of the holy month).
 

 
★The prophesied heavenly call (Nidāʾ al-Samāʾ) on the night of the 23rd of Ramadan falling on the eve of Friday—in which the Mahdi's second name and his father's name would be announced (hinting at Raj'ah), identifying the Mahdi as the leader and proclaiming that the Shia of Ali will ultimately prevail—was to be heard by everyone in their own language, to the extent that even women in seclusion inside their homes would hear it. Likewise, the pro-Umayyad satanic counter-call, prophesied to occur at the end of that same day in opposition to the heavenly proclamation, has also taken place. These signs, too, were fulfilled during the same Ramadan. However, due to the sensitivity of the matter, and because people are still largely unprepared to accept it and lack the necessary scholarly maturity to evaluate it properly, it is not being discussed here.
 

 
★Six days or months or years in concealment 
Al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah reported: Imam Ali (عليه السلام) said, “I thought about a lineal descendant of mine, the eleventh of my sons (in line of succession). He will be the Mahdi who will fill the earth with justice and fairness after its being filled with suffering and injustice. He will disappear from the public sight and in confusing conditions. Certain people will deviate and others find the path of guidance.”
I then asked, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (عليه السلام), how long will be the duration of confusion and the disappearance?” He said, “Six days or six months or six years.”
I said, “Will this indeed come to pass?”
He said, “Yes, as surely as his being created. But how can you comprehend this matter, O Asbagh? Those are the best of this community, together with the best of the righteous ones from this Bloodline (ʿItrah).”
I said, “Then what will happen after that?”
He replied, “Then Allah will do whatever He wills. Indeed, He has new manifestations of His decree (badāʾ), wills, purposes, and endings.”.
[Al-Kafi Book 4, Chapter 80, The Issue of the Disappearance (of the Twelfth Imam (عليه السلام) from Public Sight) Hadith #7]
 

 
★The warning of Imam al-Baqir (عليه السلام) 
 remains as relevant today as ever. The greatest danger is not merely rejecting the Imam (عليه السلام) when he appears, but rejecting the very manner in which Allah chooses to fulfill His promises. A biblical parallel and an earlier precedent for ghaybah-then-zuhoor is Elias (عليه السلام), who was taken away and whose return was long awaited before the coming of the Messiah (عليه السلام) and of ‘that Prophet’ (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم). Yet he came through rebirth* as Zechariah's son (himself initially unaware) John (عليه السلام) the Baptist (the Qur'an's uniquely named "Yahya"—he lives on! Who?), preparing the way for Christ (عليه السلام). Jesus (عليه السلام) later told his disciples that Elias (عليه السلام) had indeed come and that John (عليه السلام) was he—showing how divine fulfillment can differ from human expectations.
_________________________________________________________
*A fundamental premise of this matter is that ordinary earthly existence presupposes an earthly, biological body. When an individual is no longer living among humanity or physically participating in the normal affairs of the physical world, a transition to a non-earthly, non-biological mode of existence becomes a coherent possibility. This provides a conceptual framework for understanding the occultation of Elias (عليه السلام), whose return to the earthly realm would accordingly require re-entering the biological order through a normal human birth, culminating in his manifestation as John the Baptist. By the same principle, the transition of the Twelfth Imam (عليه السلام) from the Minor Occultation to the Major Occultation may likewise have involved a transition from an earthly biological body to a non-earthly mode of existence, since the Major Occultation does not constitute ordinary worldly life among people. The narration concerning the ascension of Jesus (عليه السلام) reinforces the plausibility of such a model.
According to the report, Jesus ascended wearing a "rabbinical garment" before being commanded to cast off the adornments of this world. In Jewish mystical tradition, this expression has been associated with an ethereal or intermediary body that bridges the physical and spiritual realms. If this interpretation is accepted, it demonstrates that mystic/prophetic ascension and occultation need not entail the perpetual continuation of ordinary biological existence, but may instead involve transitions between distinct modes of embodiment, with a return to earthly life necessitating a corresponding return to biological existence.
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Perhaps the real test of the believers is not whether they know the prophecies, but whether they can recognize their fulfillment when it unfolds through the ordinary language of history rather than the extraordinary language of fantasy.
If the signs do indeed arrive differently from what we had imagined, may we remember the Imam's timeless counsel:
                              ﴿★★★★★★★﴾
"Because you expect that it comes to you in a certain way, do not deny it if it happens in another way."
                                    ﴿★★★★★★★﴾

Next year, inshallah, Maryam takes her GCSE exams in the United Kingdom, those are taken at 16 years of age.
Just a heads up for anyone else with kids/relatives of that age. I have been looking at the websites of the exam boards for her different subjects. Googling the name of the board, the subject and the year of the exam will usually get you to the right page.
There are a lot of free resources they offer, e.g. subject specifications and examiner commentaries. The latter are very useful to get an idea where students typically make mistakes, for example and to understand what examiners are looking for.
Kids/parents who are at better schools with more clued up teachers may likely not need to do all this themselves. But although Maryam's school is pretty good, there's no harm in using those specification books for example to keep an eye on progress.

Salam Alaikum wr wb everyone,
It’s been a few years.. and I pray InshAllah you’ve all been well.
There’s an issue that’s been on my mind for a while now, and I find it pertinent to share, in this current geopolitical climate; where the line had been distinctly drawn in the sand since the Gaza Genocide which we all witnessed live on our screens.
This also particularly relates to ShiaChat, and some of the discussions that were held in the days I’d been active, years ago.
There were a lot of discussions happening back then around Iran, WF, Shia leadership/representation, demonstrations in Iraq etc
To cut to the chase,
With the exception of Palestine, and Iran’s support for it, I personally didn’t have the best of views on Iran back then, as some might recall recall.
And whilst we’re all entitled to our opinions and can change our minds or positions to varying degrees, on matters large or small, without the need to vocalise it; but because I was previously very vocal here with my question marks over certain aspects of Iranian policies and conduct, I believe it's very important to be Just, and fair by putting my hand up to say, for the record:
Iran isn’t a perfect country, far from it.
But Iran is the ONLY country and government standing in the face of the baby killing Genocidal Zionists and their supporters. 
Iran is the only country that continuously helped the Palestinians & Lebanese in their legitimate struggle against the barbaric Zionist occupation from the outset of the Islamic Revolution.
This unwavering stand against the most wicked mass murderers of our time, on its own, is enough of an indication to us that any, and all attempts to demonise Iran in this climate is certainly propaganda and Hasbara.
Iran in its recent face-off with the baby killing Zionists & the Imperial US bullies wasn’t only rightfully defending itself against an illegal war of aggression; Iran is the only man standing and is defending us all from the servitude and dark future that awaits us, should the Zionists and the US bullies get their way. 
Iran is standing up for humanity.
I ask Allah Ta’ala to protect Iran by the love and blessings of the Guarantor Imam الإمام الضامن, Ali Bin Musa Al Ridha and his blessed sister, Fatima Al M’asooma; and I ask Allah Ta’ala to forgive me for any wrong I had assumed of Iran. 
 
وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ
And above every man of knowledge is The All Knowing.
12.76

https://youtube.com/shorts/-nD2xbrbvl4?si=sOv3sq_lMe4dfIXK
 
"The Myth of the Unicorn"
Co-written with Solmaz Rezayi.
 
In a corner of the boundless sky, a lightless star beckons you to take a step forward and make a difference for the planet and its inhabitants, to wipe away the ugliness from the earth and sprinkle beauty upon it.
For countless years, through the ages and beyond, the lightless stars have patiently awaited the moment when humanity will finally embrace a path of pure goodness. In that moment, when all the stars shine brightly, and the heavens are aglow, our hearts and minds will finally grasp the profound truths that have long eluded us.
Would you be so kind as to lend a helping hand and flip the switch on these lights?