Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau Ahadith, Imam Mahdi (atf)

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللٌّه: طُوبـى لِمَنْ أَدْرَكَ قَائِمَ أَهْلِ بَـيْـتِيْ وَ هُوَ مُقْتَدٍ بِهِ قَبْلَ قِـيَامِهِ. يَتَوَلَّـى وَلِـيَّهُ يَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ وَ يَتَوَلَّى الأَئِمَّةَ الْهَادِيَةَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ. أُولٌئِكَ رُفَقَائِيْ وَ ذُو وُدِّيْ وَ مَوَدَّتِيْ وَ أَكْرَمُ أُمَّتِيْ عَلَـيَّ.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) has said: “Congratulations to the person who meets the Qa’im [one who will rise] from my Ahlul Bayt and has firm belief in him before his advent. He will have love for his friends, and will distance himself from his enemies and will have love for the leaders of guidance (the Imams) who came before him. Indeed these are my true friends, those whom I have love and affection for and (they) are the noblest of people from my nation.”

Biharul Anwar, Volume 52, Page 129; al-Ghaybah of Shaykh Tusi

Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau Imam Mahdi (atf)

When the people of Yunus saw the divine punishment coming they went out collectively wearing coarse clothing, put ropes around their necks and dust on their heads in a display of humility. They cried and wailed seeking Allah’s forgiveness and promised to follow the one God sent to them: Yunus (as). God pardoned them and averted their punishment as is mentioned in the Holy Quran 10:98

فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ

“Then has there not been a [single] city that believed so its faith benefited it except the people of Jonah? When they believed, We removed from them the punishment of disgrace in worldly life and gave them enjoyment for a time.”

This is similar to what must take place with us. We must cry and beg God for his forgiveness to end this punishment of occultation and to hasten the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (aj).

Let us ask ourselves how often do we mention the Imams name, cry for his absence and pray for his reappearance?