Is the Coronavirus related to the Reappearance of the Imam of the Time ‘a j | Ali Reza Panahian

Is the Coronavirus related to the Reappearance of the Imam of the Time (‘a.j.)?

In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful. My Salams to all the friends. One topic, which is discussed very much recently, is the relationship between the Coronavirus as a disease, a public affliction, and a worldly phenomenon and the Reappearance. We who are awaiting the Reappearance always keep track of the signs of the Reappearance. We like to receive the good news that the Imam is coming sooner. Although we know, bitter events will happen before the Reappearance, we must confront these bitter events, resist in the face of them, and do the needed actions, which are our duty, in these situations.
Take a phenomenon like Corona, which in fact is a disease and affliction, and has also caused extreme changes in behavior, lifestyle and people’s livelihood in most parts of the world. How is it related to the Reappearance of Imam Mahdi (‘a.j.)? Some people insist on announcing this disease to be one of the signs mentioned before the Reappearance. No, this is not correct. Of course, widespread diseases, which cause many people to die, have been mentioned as one of the events before the Reappearance. But, we don’t have any clear or specific sign for assessing this. We shouldn’t insist on comparing the signs, which have been mentioned in the traditions, with all the complexities that they may have, with the current situation and the Coronavirus.
Some people insist on saying there is no relation between Corona and the Reappearance. I would like to talk more about this. Why should one insist on saying that there is no relation between Corona and the Reappearance? In analyzing this, we may be able to say that all events in the world, especially the time that we are in, are related to the Reappearance. From the first day, the prophetic mission of the Holy Prophet was related to it, where it is said, “…so that He raises it above all religions.” [Qur’an 61:9] So, how could the events at this time, which is probably the end of time, not be related to the Reappearance? All the Imams (‘a) have talked about the phenomena and the hard tests before the Reappearance. Even the course of the missions of the Imams (‘a) were all somehow related to the Occultation and the Reappearance. From the time when Imam Sadiq (‘a) trained students, he took into account the period of the Occultation. After him, the next Imams (‘a) introduced deputies in different regions among their devotees, either directly or indirectly. These were groundwork for the Occultation, and of course for the Reappearance. Wasn’t our revolution groundwork for the Reappearance? Isn’t it related to the Reappearance? This is one of the definite parts of Imam Khomeini’s statements. The philosophy of the 8-Year Holy Defense was to make us ready for preparing for the Reappearance. We saw the effects of this Holy Defense, and also the defense to confront the regional terrorists. All of these can be counted as preparing the personnel and the equipment for the Reappearance.
We should never consider widespread events and phenomenon, especially the ones, which are a kind of affliction and can have a deep effect, to have no relation with the Reappearance. They are not necessarily a special sign, but they are events leading up to the Reappearance. The Coronavirus is one of these events. Firstly, Corona showed that human beings don’t have the power to confront a virus that easily. Everyone’s life and the entire world’s news have been effected by it. Secondly, it showed that making a change in the world based on God’s planning and providence with different tribulations is easy for the Almighty God. You can see that in a couple of months’ time this virus changed the situation in the world.
Of course, we could discuss separately about whether this virus was made by human beings or not. If human beings have made it, it is obvious that there couldn’t be any oppression higher than this against the world and all of humankind. If people made this and have lost control of it, this is again a sign of human beings’ weakness in managing themselves. If this was made by human beings, and for example, they wanted to murder elderly people on purpose to benefit large insurance companies, cartels, trusts and capitalism, this is still an all-inclusive oppression. If it was made by people, any way we look at it, whether this was a plan for some countries and they have lost control of it or this was their intention, this can be considered as one example of the oppression, which becomes all-inclusive in the world before the Reappearance. If it wasn’t made by human beings and it has happened naturally, although studies show this is unlikely, it again shows that human beings do not have the necessary knowledge and are ignorant.

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