3) The Philosophy of Existence of Imam during the Occultation

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Benefit of Existence of Imam during the Occultation13) Training a Revolutionary Strike Force

Another question which is asked about the belief of Shi’a about Mahdi (pbuh) and its characteristics is that:

Imam (pbuh) is leader anyway and existence of a leader can be useful if he has continues contact with his followers; how is it possible for an occult and unseen Imam to play the role of a leader?!

In other words, life of Imam (pbuh) during the occultation is a personal life not a social life as a leader; in this case, we have the right to ask that what is the effect of this divine reservation for public and how can people take benefit from him?

He is like the pure stream of life that is in occultation and no one have access to him!

Moreover, essentially, is the meaning of occultation of Imam (pbuh) becoming an invisible soul or unseen waves and like them?

Is it compatible with science?

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Undoubtedly, this is an important question; but it is a mistake to assume that it has no answer; but, let us first answer the last question which has caused a complicated misunderstanding for a group of people and then clearing other questions.

We should explicitly say that the meaning of the occultation of Imam (pbuh) - as we have said before - is not in the way that the existence of Imam (pbuh) during the occultation is an invisible and dreamy existence that is more like an imaginative existence to an objective one.

But, about the life, he has an external objective life, but with a long life; he lives among the people and inside societies and lives in different places; and if there is an exception in his life is that he has a long life; that’s all.

He lives in human society unknown, and nobody has said anything else about his occultation; and what a difference between “unknown” and “invisible”!

Now that this misunderstanding is removed, we talk about this matter that:

Well, but this kind of life maybe justifiable for an ordinary person, but is it acceptable for a leader - and a great divine leader?

What benefit could a student take, who doesn’t know his teacher, or a patient person who doesn’t know his physician and the clinic, or a thirsty person who doesn’t find the water stream - although it is close to him?!

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It is interesting that:

This question is not being asked only today; it is understood from Islamic narratives that even it was being asked before the birth of Mahdi (pbuh) during the time of previous Imams and when they talked about Mahdi and the time of his occultation, they faced such question and answered it eagerly that we mention some of the example as follows:

Benefit of Existence of Imam during the Occultation13) Training a Revolutionary Strike Force
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Lotus
Mitra
Nazanin
Titr
Tahoma