Tehran in Turmoil as Brave Ansar Unfurl the Banner of the Mahdi

Amidst the widely reported unrest on the streets in Iran with rioters and government forces clashing causing controversial coverage, a handful of the faithful took to the streets in a rare opportunity to raise the banner of “Truth and Guidance”. They also courageously distributed simple leaflets in various places to raise awareness of the call of the Mahdi.

Aban narrated that the Prince of the Believers ascended the Minbar and gave a long speech and said:“Verily me, and the pious of my family and the best of my progeny, are the most gentle when young and the most knowledgeable of adults. We have the banner of truth and guidance, whoever goes ahead of it perishes, and whoever deserts it is destroyed, and whoever holds on to it, has followed [us].” – Bihar Al-Anwar, Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi, 3rd ed., v.34, p.262, hadith 100

The significance of the brave believers raising this particular banner in Iran amidst this tempestuous time is that in a Shia majority country, nobody else is doing this. When we take into account what the Imams from the Ahlul Bayt said in regards to this banner, the question which comes to mind is - how come nobody else is raising this banner in Iran, a country ruled by a so-called loyal servant of the Ahlul Bayt?

Abu Abdullah said:"Verily, we Ahlul-Bayt have a banner, whoever goes ahead of it have renegaded, and whoever is late to it have perished, and whoever follows it has followed [us], "Allegiance is to Allah" is written in it!"– 250 Signs until the Appearance of Imam Mahdi, Muhammad Ali Tabatabai, p. 19Abi Ishaq narrated that Noaf Al-Bukali said: “It is written on the banner of the Mahdi ‘Allegiance is to Allah’.” – Al-Malahim wal Fitan, Al-Sayyid ibn Tawus, Vol. 1, p.141; Kitab Al-Fitan, Naim ibn Hammad, p. 220

With the authorities rampantly clamping down on any dissenting voices at this time, the activities of this group of believers is a particularly brazen act as they would see it, since it has already been declared on numerous occasions by the Iranian government and religious authorities that The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light is a blasphemous and heretical movement. This is independently documented by the likes of CESNUR. CESNUR featured the plight of The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light in The Journal of CESNUR Volume 9, Issue 5, September - October 2025. An entire section was devoted to the persecution directed at the religion from Iran in particular. This independent verification of the persecution faced by any believers in the religion in Iran illustrates just how precarious the situation on the ground for any believer is. The Iranian government has previously produced propaganda against The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light and continues to apply very oppressive measures on anyone affiliated with the religion in Iran and this has been documented by DJS magazine before. 

In light of all of this, the fearless heroism displayed by this small group of believers in Iran through their decision to publicise their activities in the current climate is particularly inspiring. It is also testament to their faith and sincerity. They risk public execution if caught by the regime in order to make an example of them for the rest of the population. 

The actions of this group of heroes also confirm the following quote from Ali ibn Abi Talib:Ali ibn Abi Talib said to Al-Hassan: 

“My son, the people have to reach a specific time, and verily this banner will not be spread after me except by the Qaim (pbuh).” – Kitab Al-Ghayba (Book of Occultation), Al-Numani, Vol. 1, p. 317