We all live with a great hope of the day that our Imam will reappear and abolish this life of injustice, and the world will become one filled with peace, humanity and truth. However, we can’t continue to blame the problems in this world on Imam Al-Mahdi’s absence.

We are always complaining: “when can Imam Al-Mahdi come so that everyone will have their rights?” and “when will be the reappearance be so that there will be no evil, and no oppression?”. We have to realise that we must stop waiting for him, because in reality, he is waiting for us. Waiting for us to stop being passive, only able to mumble words in hope of a better day. Waiting for us not to consider his reappearance a magical day, but rather pave the way for everything we want to see him achieve.

If you want a better world, get out and work towards it. Take the first steps and let Imam Al-Mahdi do the rest, with Allah’s permission. We can’t claim to be waiting for him, while we are hurting others, while we are not standing by those who are oppressed, and not upholding our religious duties. This is a futile waiting. We must start making change within ourselves, and in those around us; we must stand by the truth and reject injustice. Only then are we preparing for his reappearance, so that when the day comes, we will be among his true soldiers.