You deny occultation, yet the Companions of the Cave disappeared from their people, as did Jesus and al-Khidr?
Question
Do the Imāmīs use the absence of al-Mahdī as evidence by comparing it to the Companions of the Cave, claiming that his occultation is like their absence or their sleep?
Answer
The foundation of the issue is not the denial of a long lifespan, nor the claim that such a thing is beyond the power of God the Exalted. Rather, this is certainly within God’s power. However, what actually occurs here is that the point of comparison is flawed in the analogy and examples put forward by the Imāmī brethren. They deliberately—or intentionally—confuse different cases: the life of the Companions of the Cave in their cave, the life of Jesus (peace be upon him) in heaven, and the absence of al-Khidr (peace be upon him).
All of these figures, while alive and absent from the people of their time, are not obligated with any duty toward the Ummah. The Companions of the Cave were not a divine proof (ḥujjah) over their people while they were absent and asleep. Likewise is Jesus (peace be upon him), and likewise al-Khidr (peace be upon him). Today, they have no obligation toward this Ummah, nor does the Ummah have an obligation toward them in terms of taking knowledge from them or receiving guidance, or that they carry out the duty of guidance and conveying the Qur’an and Sunnah.
This is unlike the case of Imam al-Mahdī Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan al-ʿAskarī, whose occultation the Imāmīs claim has lasted for twelve centuries. For with his absence, the obligation collapses, because it is impossible to hold fast to him. This is especially so when the Messenger of God—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family—urged us in the ḥadīth of the Two Weighty Things (al-Thaqalayn) to hold fast to the Book and the progeny (ʿitrah). According to the Imāmīs, the progeny are the Twelve Imams, and their representative in this age—and for the past twelve centuries—is Imam al-Mahdī.
So how can it be correct that God the Exalted commands us to hold fast to a progeny that is nonexistent and absent, then the Prophet—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family—says that if we do not hold fast to them we will go astray, and then informs us that the Book and the progeny will never separate, while today they are separated?
Thus it becomes clear to you that the occultation of al-Mahdī and his role toward the Ummah—based on the ḥadīths of al-Thaqalayn, the Ark, and the Stars—is not like the absence of the Companions of the Cave, nor Jesus, nor al-Khidr. This is because those figures have no obligation toward the Ummah today, and the Ummah has no obligation toward them in terms of learning from them or receiving guidance, nor are they charged today with the duty of guiding and conveying the Qur’an and Sunnah.
Yes—let us bring to mind the root of the invalid analogy here. Is it correct or permissible that God commands us to hold fast to the Qur’an, and then the Qur’an disappears from us so that nothing remains except its two covers and blank white pages devoid of surahs and verses—then God and His Messenger, may God’s blessings be upon him and his family, say: Hold fast to the Qur’an—while its verses and surahs do not exist?
Certainly you will say: That is impossible. For what benefit is there in the existence of a Qur’an consisting only of covers and empty white pages without surahs or verses?
Likewise, we say here: What benefit is there in the existence of a hidden Mahdī, or merely knowing him by name (Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥasan), while we cannot follow him, he does not guide us, he does not teach us, he does not direct us, nor does he even correct the differences among Imāmī jurists—differences so great that they have split today into multiple marjaʿiyyāt. They even differ in weighty doctrinal matters, such as whether distortion of the Qur’an occurred or not. He has not corrected them—let alone fulfilled the duty of guiding the rest of the Ummah—for twelve centuries.
That is, since the time of Imam al-Hādī ilā al-Ḥaqq Yaḥyā ibn al-Ḥusayn (peace be upon him).
So how can God command us to hold fast to him?!
And how can he fulfill the duty of guidance toward us?!
If it is said: Hold fast to the scholars, jurists, and marājiʿ of the Imāmīs—we respond: The Messenger—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family—commanded us to hold fast to the progeny, not to the followers of the progeny. We obey and desist based on the words of God and His Messenger—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family.
Yes—once this becomes clear to you, the error of using the Companions of the Cave as evidence also becomes clear.
May God grant you success.
al-Kāẓim al-Zaydī
O Allah, send blessings upon Muḥammad and upon the family of Muḥammad.
Translation of Ustadh Kadhim Al Zaydi (May Allah reward him)