How to be among the Supporters of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his honorable emergence)?

How to be among the Supporters of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his honorable emergence)?

We all have a wish deep in our hearts, and it is to be among the adherents and supporters of Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his honorable emergence) when he finally comes. However, it is important to point out that wishing for the Imam's return is not enough, and that we must practice our religion fully in order to gain the Imam's satisfaction. We are going through hard times with the absence of our Imam, and this entails a lot of patience and perseverance.

It has been transmitted that Imam Al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) said, "Al-Qaim will have two occultations, one of which will be long and the other short. During the first, a few elite followers (Shia) will know his location, and during the second one, none will know his location save his selected supporters in faith."

What should we do during this occultation?

Imam Al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) gives us the answer, as transmitted.

"Certainly the rightful owner of this rule will have an occultation, such that the one who adheres to his religion during it will be like one who clutches on to a thorn bush with his hands."

Then he observed silence for a while and then said, 'The rightful owner of this rule will have an occultation, so let the servant be Godwary and adhere to his religion."

It has been transmitted that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his Household) said: "The best of the deeds of my community is [actively] anticipating relief from Allah, Mighty and Exalted."

Waiting for relief should be done in an active manner, and not in a passive manner. Some people might think that when Imam Mahdi comes, he will set everything right and that we have nothing to do before he emerges. This is definitely wrong, because we should pave the way for him.

In what follows are a few duties we should never neglect:

1-Prayer is the pillar of religion. We should be very concerned with offering our prayers with a heart filled with love for Allah and we should strive to perform our prayers on time.

2-To treat parents well and to be humble with them. In the Holy Quran, God counsels people to hold steadfast to monotheism, and after that He counsels them to be good with their parents.

3- Technology can be a way to spread religion and a means to make the Message of Islam reach distant places. However, there are many negative aspects in technology and social media which we should be aware of.

-We should be careful about what to watch and read on the internet, and we should always ask ourselves if it angers God or not.
We should also be aware of relationships between men and women on social media, and it is better for males and females not to contact one another only if there is an absolute necessity.

4-To strive as hard as possible to be true soldiers of Islam. This means embodying the laws of Islam, having excellent manners, and making sure that the banner of Islam is always raised high. This also includes being truly caring about the affairs of Muslims no matter their country or their sect, and defending religion with all our might.

5-Supplication:
It has been transmitted that Imam Al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) said to Ibn Sinan, "You will be afflicted with an obscure matter that will leave you with no seen sign, nor a leader to guide the way. None shall be saved from it except the one who recites the 'Supplication of the Drowning Person'. [The narrator says] I asked the Imam, 'What is the Supplication of the Drowning Person?' The Imam replied, 'You say: "O Allah, O the Beneficent, O the Merciful, O He who (causes) the hearts to fluctuate, affirm my heart upon Your religion."

The previous five points were only a few among many which every Muslim person should heed carefully and perform.