Major Occultation

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Part of a series on Twelver Shi'a Islam The Twelve Imams‎ Ali · Hasan · Husayn al-Sajjad · al-Baqir · al-Sadiq al-Kadhim · al-Rida · al-Taqi al-Hadi · al-Askari · al-Mahdi Concepts‎ Twelve Imams Fourteen Infallibles The Four Deputies Martyrs of Karbala Occultation (Minor · Major) Akhbar · Usul · Ijtihad Taqleed · 'Aql · Irfan Usul al-Din · Furu al-Din Principles‎ Monotheism Judgement Day · Justice Prophethood · Imamate Practices‎ Prayer · Fasting · Pilgramage Charity · Taxes · Jihad Command Justice · Forbid Evil Love the family of Muhammad Dissociate from their Enemies Holy Cities‎ Mecca · Medina · Karbala Jerusalem · Najaf · Qom Samarra · Mashhad Kazamayn The Four Books‎ Book of Fundamentals The Book in Scholar's Lieu Civilization of Laws The Certainty Other Books‎ Peak of Eloquence The Pslams of Islam Book of Sulaym ibn Qays Oceans of Light Wasael ush-Shia Reality of Certainty Keys of Paradise Schools‎ Usuli · Shaykhi · Akhbari Scholars‎ Ayatollah · Marja Mujtahid · Hojatoleslam Allamah List of Ayatollahs List of marjas Movements‎ Nimatullahi · Safaviya Qizilbash · Alevism · Alawism Bektashi · Ahl-e Haqq This box: view • talk • edit

In Twelver Shia Islam, the Major Occultation refers to the longer duration of the disappearance of the final and twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, continuing to the present day. According to the last letter of Muhammad al-Mahdi to Ali ibn Muhammad al-Samarri "from the day of your death [the last deputy] the period of my major occultation (al ghaybatul kubra) will begin. Hence forth, no one will see me, unless and until Allah makes me appear. My reappearance will take place after a very long time when people will have grown tired of waiting and those who are weak in their faith will say: What! Is he still alive?"^{[citation needed]}

Another letter from Muhammad al-Mahdi says: "Rest assured, no one has a special relationship with Allah. Whoever denies me is not from my (community). The appearance of the Relief (al-Faraj) depends solely upon Allah. Therefore those who propose a certain time for it are liars. As to the benefit of my existence in occultation, it is like the benefit of the sun behind the clouds where the eyes do not see it."^{[citation needed]}

With regards to advice for his followers during his absence, he is reported to have said: "Refer to the transmitters of our traditions, for they are my hujja (proof) unto you and I am God’s proof unto them."