The Appropriate way to Await the Twelfth Imam

The Appropriate way to Await the Twelfth Imam

Is “awaiting” merely a private hope—or a disciplined program that reshapes ethics and society before the Imam’s advent? This book argues for the latter, showing that true intidhar (active awaiting) must translate into sustained personal reform and collective action. About the Book The Appropriate Way to Await the Twelfth Imam by Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi al-Asifi examines the theological and practical meaning of awaiting during occultation. Grounded in the Qur’an and hadith (prophetic traditions), the author distinguishes passive expectation from transformative readiness, arguing that authentic awaiting necessarily energizes the “revolutionary movement” that precedes the Imam’s reappearance. The book outlines how hope, discipline, lawful conduct, and community-building create the social soil in which justice can take root. This English edition—translated (“Interpreter”) by Seyed Shiraz Hussain Agha and published by the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) World Assembly (ABWA) in 2011—presents a concise, source-based roadmap for contemporary readers. It is both a reference to primary teachings about awaiting and a practical guide for living those teachings today. What You Will Discover

• A clear contrast between passive waiting and active intidhar—and why only the latter fulfills the believer’s duty.
• How genuine awaiting catalyzes a pre-advent movement: ethical self-formation, social justice, lawful livelihood, and community solidarity.
• Scriptural and hadith-based principles that define waiting as a moral program, not a calendar prediction.
• Practical obligations in occultation: steady hope, patience, wise engagement, mutual assistance, and consistent prayer for reappearance.
• Criteria for building resilient communities—education, organization, and accountability—that can welcome the Imam’s leadership.
• Indicators of sincere awaiters (integrity, courage, service) and how these traits reshape families, institutions, and public life.

About the Author Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi al-Asifi (1938–2015) was a Shia scholar and mujtahid (a jurist qualified to derive religious laws) of the Najaf seminary. His scholarship spans fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and uṣūl (principles of jurisprudence), Qur’anic studies, and Islamic social thought, combining rigorous sources with actionable guidance. Among his notable works is Ashura, which, like this book, integrates textual analysis with practical ethics for communal renewal. Who Is This Book For? Students of Islamic studies, community leaders, and thoughtful readers seeking a concise, source-based, and action-oriented guide to living the ethics of awaiting Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his noble reappearance).