This is a reading of the article “Orientalist Perspectives on Mahdism,” originally published in the first Preinaugural issue of RISE journal. The text critically examines how Western scholars have historically analyzed and interpreted the Islamic doctrine of the Mahdi. The article explores the tendency of early Orientalists to view Mahdism primarily through a sociopolitical and […]
From the perspective of Shiʿi historiography, following the martyrdom of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and throughout the brief tenure of Imam al-Askari’s (a.s.) imamate, the Shiʿi community was confronted with severe security crises and absolute confinement. This essay examines how Imam al-Askari (a.s.) preserved the cohesion and resilience of the Shiʿi community during that critical juncture. It argues that through the strategic use of the established deputyship network, leveraging the community’s doctrinal maturity, and implementing foundational measures to prepare for the Era of Occultation, the Imam effectively neutralized the Abbasid caliphate’s oppressive machinations and ensured the continuity of the Imamate’s light.
