THE THREE CONDITIONS:

It is said that a Caliph of Allah should fulfill three conditions:
(1) he should know things unknown to others,
(2) perform miracles and
(3) see angels face to face and listen to their words through revelation (wahi).

These three conditions are not needed to be fulfilled even by prophets. How could Imam Mahdi (AHS) be expected to fulfill them?

At this stage I (the author Syed Ali) have to say that there are two kinds of unknown things (mughibat):
(1) those which some divines know and the common people do not, and
(2) those which none other than Allah knows.

The first kind of the knowledge of the unknown is found among Prophets, and there is no change in its nature whether it is revealed directly or through the medium of an angel by Allah to the person concerned. The second is not found among the prophets except by revelation through angels (wahi). In fact, this is the real knowledge of the unknown. Allah alone has that knowledge. Allah says: "None other than Allah knows".

Allah also says: "Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends rain and He Who knows that is in the wombs. Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things). (XXXI: 34).

This Quranic Verse explains that all things mentioned earlier are in the knowledge of Allah and none else knows them.

This was the reason why Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did not reveal the time of the Doomsday (Qiyamat) when Gibriel (AHS) asked him about it. This has been stated in the Hadith.

However, it is not difficult for Allah to reveal the knowledge of the unknown to any prophet. Allah says "........But He chooses of his epistles (for the purpose) whom He pleases........"(111:179).

In short, to acquire the knowledge of the unknown is not within the power of human beings; it is beyond them. However, their being being known to the Caliphs of Allah is not conditional.

And finally, the coming into view of angels is impossible without the fiat of Allah. A human being has no power to see angles.

Besides, revelation without the medium of angels is possible as in inspiration and instinct not amounting to sight.

Hence, the conditions which ulema (scholars) have mentioned are unreasonable. Their presence in Imam Mahdi  (AHS) are not necessary. However, Imam Mahdi (AHS) possessed them and many others. The most important among them is lmam Mahdi's (AHS) saying that he was taught by Allah without the medium of an angel. This attribute is predominant over all other attributes.

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