Civilizational Capacities of Political Awaiting

The doctrine of Mahdism and the concept of “awaiting” (intiẓār) in Shia discourse
have always carried profound potential for social and political agency. Yet the dominance of individualistic, apolitical, and passive interpretations has long reduced this sublime notion to an abstract and diminished state. The Islamic Revolution of Iran, by centering a civilizational and activist vision of awaiting, marked a historic turning point. It transformed the concept from a mere state of mind into a living, dynamic, and purposeful force. This article proceeds from the premise that political awaiting is a civilizational truth and an unfolding process. It addresses the central question: What are the civilizational capacities of this active awaiting, and how can they be mobilized to advance the Islamic Revolution toward its global mission: preparing the ground for the Promised Savior’s appearance? This study, employing a descriptive-analytical method and drawing inspiration from a tripartite theory of civilizational evolution, argues that the civilizational capacities of political awaiting can be identified, explicated, and evaluated across three interconnected longitudinal stages: civilizational design civilizational diffusion civilizational resilience.

Stage of Civilizational Design: In this phase, political awaiting transitions from a minimalist approach confined to cultural institutions to a maximalist and comprehensive paradigm permeating all structures of governance and society. This capacity reconceives awaiting not as an individual duty or the mandate of a single institution, but as a civilizational reality that must infuse every sphere of societal management—from economy and politics to security and culture—aligning them toward the ideal of the Appearance (ẓuḥur). In this perspective, the Islamic Revolution is recognized as the central nucleus and axis for the formation of Mahdavi civilization. All Mahdism-oriented endeavors must be defined in organic linkage with this tangible, transformative reality. Furthermore, this stage emphasizes a process-oriented view of awaiting: it is not a static condition but
a dynamic, incremental movement aimed at nurturing individuals and societies toward evolutionary maturity commensurate with the prerequisites of the Appearance.
Stage of Civilizational Diffusion: This capacity concerns the expansion of political awaiting from domestic and national confines to a global scale. Unity and popular participation play a strategic role in this phase; without public embrace and the readiness of nations, the realization of a global ideal remains impossible. In contrast to superficial interpretations that view the Appearance as a sudden reformation, this perspective regards it as the launch of a vast jihad to bring order to the world—a mission requiring the active engagement of enlightened and prepared individuals. This capacity transforms awaiting from a concept bounded by spatial or temporal limits into a transnational truth and a global responsibility. Its aim is the soft, cultural export of the Revolution and the creation of civilizational foundations for the universal acceptance of the Imam’s authority.
Stage of Civilizational Resilience: Political awaiting does not emerge in a vacuum;
it is defined within a world actively dominated by a rival civilization—the materialist, hegemony-driven West. This capacity entails confronting civilizational alternatives and forging self-identity in opposition to them. Political awaiting cannot coexist with Western policy; any discourse of neutrality effectively aids the rival civilization. In this phase, resistance becomes a civilizational strategy, not a transient tactic, and is inextricably linked to political awaiting. Drawing on the ideal of the Appearance and inspired by the Islamic Revolution, this resistance transcends nationalist boundaries to form a transnational ummah united under a singular strategy. Its objective is to establish a new global balance against Western civilization and to prepare the world for the era of the Appearance.

Finally, the article concludes that one of the core challenges facing the Islamic Revolution is the absence of a coherent civilizational paradigm for the Appearance and awaiting. Recognizing and activating these threefold capacities can shift awaiting from the margins to the mainstream of revolutionary discourse, thereby paving the way for the realization of its civilizational objectives.