Occultation of Imam al-Mahdi (a)

• Minor Signs: These include social and moral decay, widespread injustice, and a rise in materialism. Such signs provoke a heightened awareness among believers of the current moral state of society.
• Major Signs: Speculative accounts predict significant events such as natural disasters, wars, and the emergence of a figure known as the Sufyani, a personage emblematic of chaos and tyranny.

This emphasis on discerning the signs plays a crucial role in motivating believers to remain steadfast and vigilant in their faith.

4. Impact on the Shia Community

The occultation has engendered a unique spiritual ethos and sense of identity among Shia Muslims. This impact manifests in several ways: