Hadiths introduce the world at the time of the Twelfth Imam (as), a civilized world at the height of power and scientific progress. The main difference between the progress at the time of Imam Mahdi (as) with the present world is that at that time, while humanity would reach the highest scientific and industrial growth, to the same extent, it would approach the moral excellence and human perfection.
In order to know our present place in the progress of science and knowledge, and the level that this progress would reach in the rule of the Twelfth Imam, we refer to an amazing hadith about the progress of knowledge and science which Imam Mahdi (as) will bring to the people.
Imam Sadiq (as) says:
Knowledge is twenty-seven words (parts), and all that the prophets have brought are just two words of it; so people yet are not familiar with the words other than these two. When the Twelfth Imam (may Allah hasten his reappearance) rises up, he will bring forth the other twenty-five words and spread them among people, integrating them with those two words and developing the whole twenty-seven words.
From this hadith, it is understood that knowledge has twenty-seven parts and up to the time of reappearance, only two parts will be revealed to people and the remaining parts will be brought by the Twelfth Imam, and science will reach its ultimate. Since, Imam possesses all the knowledge of the world.
Imam Baqir (as) said: “We are the treasurers of God’s knowledge, and interpreters of the divine revelation (Quran).”
Also, it is mentioned in some hadiths that Imams (the fourteen infallibles) possess the knowledge of the heavens and the earth and what is in them, and the knowledge of past and future events.”
Imam Sadiq (as) in another hadith said:
“I know what is in the heavens and the earth and what is in the paradise and the hell, and the past and future events.”
In another hadith, Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (as) said:
“Ask me. Undoubtedly, the knowledge of the antecedents and descendants is before me.”
This suggests that people will benefit from all those knowledge and blessings in the rule of the Twelfth Imam.
God willingly in the following sections, we will refer to Imams’ knowledge.
Please, read the Ahl al-Bayt’s academic position in this link.
Reference:
Ḥadīth (Arabic: حديث) which is also called “riwaya” (Arabic: روایة; lit.: narration) is a word in Islamic terminology and religious sciences which refers to sayings quoted from the Prophet (s) and Imams (a) and their conduct.
Biḥār al-Anwār, vol. 52, p. 336
Usūl al-Kāfī, vol. 1, p. 192
Usūl al-Kāfī, vol. 1, pp. 388-389
Iḥtijāj of Tabarsi, vol. 1, p. 384
