The Book of Occultation

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Kitāb al-Ghayba, authored by the renowned Islamic scholar al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, is an indispensable resource on the concept of occultation in Shīʿa Islam, with a specific focus on Imam al-Mahdi (a). This narrative text revolves around Mahdawiyya, offering an in-depth exploration of the 12th Imam's occultation. The work was written around thirteen years before al-Ṭūsī’s death, it incorporates powerful dialectical arguments and Ḥadīths vindicating the doctrine of the occultation of the son of al-Ḥasan al-ʿAskārī (as), in addition to responding to other proto-Shīʿī sects such as the Wāqifa and detailing the prophesied signs of his advent. The book is meticulously structured into eight chapters. The book refutes claims about Imam al-Mahdī’s death and advent times and sheds light on his characteristics, attributes, and conduct. Kitāb al-Ghayba's historical and theological importance is well-recognized due to its thorough examination of Imam al-Mahdi's occultation. al-Shaykh al-Ṭūsī’s access to first-hand accounts and his profound understanding of Ḥadīths significantly enhance the book's credibility. Its comprehensive treatment of Mahdism and occultation makes it a reference point for anyone seeking to write on these subjects. It also critically evaluates the claims of individuals asserting to be deputies of Imam al-Mahdi, enhancing its relevance in the discourse around the topic.

Introduction - Hadith 19061

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ الحمد لله الذي هدانا لحمده، وجعلنا من أهله، ووفقنا للتمسك بدينه والانقياد لسبيله، ولم يجعلنا من الجاحدين لنعمته، المنكرين لطوله وفضله ومن الذين ﴿إِسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللهِ أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ أَلاَ إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ﴾. وصلى الله على سيد أنبيائه وخاتم أصفيائه محمد صلى الله عليه وعلى آله الطيبين، النجوم الزاهرة، والاعلام الظاهرة، الذين نتمسك بولايتهم، ونتعلق بعرى حبلهم، ونرجو الفوز بالتمسك بهم، وسلم تسليما. أما بعد فإني مجيب إلى ما رسمه الشيخ الجليل، أطال الله بقاء‌ه من إملاء كلام في غيبة صاحب الزمان، وسبب غيبته، والعلة التي لاجلها طالت غيبته، وامتداد استتاره، مع شدة الحاجة إليه وانتشار الحيل، ووقوع الهرج والمرج، وكثرة الفساد في الارض، وظهوره في البر والبحر، ولم لم يظهر:وما المانع منه، وما المحوج إليه، والجواب عن كل ما يسأل في ذلك من شبه المخالفين، ومطاعن المعاندين. وأنا مجيب إلى ما سأله، وممتثل ما رسمه، مع ضيق الوقت، وشعث الفكر، وعوائق الزمان. وصوارف الحدثان، وأتكلم بجمل يزول معها الريب وتنحسم به الشبه ولا أطول الكلام فيه(فيمل، فإن كتبي في)الامامة وكتب شيوخنا مبسوطة في هذا المعنى في غاية الاستقصاء، وأتكلم عن(كل)ما يسأل في هذا الباب من الاسئولة المختلفة، وأردف ذلك بطرف من الاخبار الدالة على صحة ما نذكره، ليكون ذلك تأكيدا لما نذكره، وتأنيسا للمتمسكين بالاخبار، والمتعلقين بظواهر الاحوال، فإن كثيرا من الناس يخفى عليهم الكلام اللطيف الذي يتعلق بهذا الباب، وربما لم يتبينه، وأجعل للفريقين طريقا إلى ما نختاره ونلتمسه، ومن الله تعالى أستمد المعونة والتوفيق، فهما المرجوان من جهته، والمطلوبان من قبله، وهو حسبي ونعم الوكيل.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful All praise is for Allah, Who guided us to His praise, glorification and thankfulness and made us worthy of it; He granted us divine opportunity (Taufeeq) to remain attached to religion and to submit to the laws of religion; and He did not make us of those who deny the Divine bounties. That is those, who are deniers of the favors and blessings of God; and did not include us among those about whom the Holy Quran says: “The Shaitan has gained mastery over them, so he has made them forget the remembrance of Allah; they are the Shaitan’s party; now surely the Shaitan’s supporters are the losers.” (58:19) And blessings of the Almighty Allah be on the Chief of Prophets, the last chosen servant of God, His Eminence, Muhammad Mustafa (s) and his pure and chaste progeny, whose members are shining stars and lofty standards of guidance; to whose guardianship and rope of guidance we are attached and through following whom we anticipate success in the hereafter. So to say: Our senior and respected teacher [apparently he implies to Shaykh Mufeed], may the Almighty Allah grant him a long life, ordered me to compile a book on the topic of occultation of the Master of the Age, which would explain the cause of occultation of the Imam and the reason of its prolongation and his remaining away from people, whereas they are in dire need of the Holy Imam (a. s) and strife and mischief is spreading in the world at a very fast rate. Why the Imam is not reappearing and what are the hurdles in his reappearance? What is the benefit of his existence? So that in this regard, all questions raised by opponents, enemies and doubters, should be replied. In spite of shortage of time, mental tensions and unfavorable circumstances and difficulties, I agreed to comply with this suggestion and obeyed his orders. Therefore, here I would mention points, through which all doubts may be removed, although I wouldn’t prolong the discourse, because this topic is studied and explained in detail in my other books as well as those of my teachers. So, in this book, I would reply to the different questions raised in various fashions and mention some traditional reports to support our statements and views so that those who are attached to traditional reports and are aware of the outward meanings should be satisfied, since definitely the intricate points of this subject are unknown to many and sometimes they don’t have the capacity to understand these complicated matters. Thus, I have adopted a particular way, which shall be useful to both kinds of people. In this regard, I beseech the Almighty for divine opportunity (Taufeeq) and help and He is a sufficient guardian for me.

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s) - Hadith 19062

فصل في الكلام في الغيبة: إعلم أن لنا في الكلام في غيبة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام طريقين.

Our discourse on the occultation of Master of the Age pursues two paths:

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s) - Hadith 19063

أحدهما: أن نقول:إذا ثبت وجوب الامامة في كل حال، وأن الخلق مع كونهم غير معصومين لا يجوز أن يخلو من رئيس في وقت من الاوقات، وأن من شرط الرئيس أن يكون مقطوعا على عصمته، فلا يخلو ذلك الرئيس من أن يكون ظاهرا معلوما، أو غائبا مستورا، فإذا علمنا أن كل من يدعي له الامامة ظاهرا ليس بمقطوع على عصمته، بل ظاهر أفعالهم وأحوالهم ينافي العصمة، علمنا أن من يقطع على عصمته غائب مستور. وإذا علمنا أن كل من يدعي له العصمة قطعا من هو غائب من الكيسانية و الناووسية و الفطحية والواقفة وغيرهم قولهم باطل، علمنا بذلك صحة إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته وولايته، ولا نحتاج إلى تكلف الكلام في إثبات ولادته، وسبب غيبته، مع ثبوت ما ذكرناه، لأن الحق لا يجوز خروجه عن الأمة.

One is that we say: Since it is proved that there must be an Imam in every age, and it is not possible that the people, being fallible, at any given time be without a chief, and that the chief must be ascertained to be infallible, and that such a chief is either manifest and known or hidden and unknown, and likewise it is clear that all those for whom a manifest Imamate is claimed, their infallibility is not ascertained, on the contrary the outward appearance of their actions contradicts infallibility, it is inferred that the infallible Imam, who must exist in every age, is (at present) hidden and invisible. Likewise, taking into consideration that all those for whom infallibility is claimed, and are said to be invisible and hidden, such as the supposed hidden leaders of Kaisaniyya, Nawusiyya, Fatihiyya, Waqifiyya and others sects, their claims are invalid, thus the Imamate of the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and his occultation and mastership (Wilayah) is proved, no other dispute is there in the Ummah. Hence, there is no need to take the burden of proving his birth and to explain the reasons of his occultation as the word of truth and true belief is present in the Ummah and not outside it.

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s) - Hadith 19064

والطريق الثاني: أن نقول: الكلام في غيبة ابن الحسن عليه السلام فرع على ثبوت إمامته، والمخالف لنا إما أن يسلم لنا إمامته ويسأل عن سبب غيبته عليه السلام فنتكلف جوابه، أو لا يسلم لنا إمامته فلا معنى لسؤاله عن غيبة من لم يثبت إمامته، ومتى نوزعنا في ثبوت إمامته دللنا عليها بأن نقول:قد ثبت وجوب الامامة مع بقاء التكليف على من ليس بمعصوم في جميع الاحوال والاعصار بالادلة القاهرة، وثبت أيضا أن من شرط الامام أن يكون مقطوعا على عصمته وعلمنا أيضا أن الحق لا يخرج عن الامة. بين قائل يقول: لا إمام، فما ثبت من وجوب الإمامة في كل حال يفسد قوله.

The second mode of our argument is thus: The inquiry of occultation of the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) is secondary to proving his Imamate. Our adversary either submits to us in the question of his Imamate and inquires about the reason of his occultation, obliging us to answer him or he does not submit to us, in which case, to inquire about the reason of occultation of someone, whose Imamate is not proved, will be meaningless. If disputed about his Imamate, we prove it as follows: The necessity of Imamate in every condition and age as long as Divine obligations and duties fall on the shoulders of the fallible human beings is proved through strong proofs. It is likewise proved that one of the conditions of the Imam is to be certain of his infallibility. At the same time, it is clear that truth is exclusive to this Ummah. With these premises proved, we find that the Ummah is divided into sects that follow different beliefs. One group says that there is no Imam. The premise asserting the necessity of Imam in every age and condition invalidates this statement.

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s) - Hadith 19065

وقائل يقول بإمامة من ليس بمقطوع على عصمته، فقوله يبطل بما دللنا عليه من وجوب القطع على عصمة الامام عليه السلام. ومن ادعى العصمة لبعض من يذهب إلى إمامته، فالشاهد يشهد بخلاف قوله، لان أفعالهم الظاهرة وأحوالهم تنافي العصمة، فلا وجه لتكلف القول فيما نعلم ضرورة خلافه. ومن ادعيت له العصمة وذهب قوم إلى إمامته كالكيسانية القائلين بإمامة محمد بن الحنفية، والناووسية القائلين بإمامة جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام، وأنه لم يمت والواقفية الذين قالوا:إن موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام لم يمت، فقولهم باطل من وجوه سنذكرها.

Another group claims the Imamate of one whose infallibility is not certain is an assertion invalidated by our proofs with regard to the necessity of certainty about infallibility of the Imam. Observation testifies contrary to the contention of others, who maintain the infallibility of their supposed Imams; because their actions are apparent and their conditions violate infallibility, hence there is no need to disprove a belief, the contrary of which is so very evident and clear. Persons for whom infallibility was claimed and certain groups followed them, such as the Kaisaniyya, who believe in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah, the Nawusiyya, who believe in the Imamate of Ja’far Ibne Muhammad and also believe that he is not dead, and the Waqifa, who believe that Musa Ibne Ja’far is not dead – all these beliefs are invalid for reasons we will shortly mention.

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s) - Hadith 19066

فصار الطريقان محتاجين إلى فساد قول هذه الفرق ليتم ما قصدناه ويفتقران إلى إثبات الاصول(الثلاثة)التي ذكرناها من وجوب الرئاسة، ووجوب القطع على العصمة، وأن الحق لا يخرج عن الامة، ونحن ندل على كل واحد من هذه الاقوال بموجز من القول لان استيفاء ذلك موجود في كتبي في الامامة على وجه لا مزيد عليه. والغرض بهذا الكتاب ما يختص الغيبة دون غيرها والله الموفق لذلك بمنه.

Thus, both paths depend on invalidation of beliefs of these groups in order that purpose is established. Likewise, the three principles – necessity of an Imam, necessity of certainty of his infallibility, and that truth is with this Ummah – as we mentioned, must be established for this argument to stand. We will elaborate on each of these premises briefly, since their details exist in our book on Imamate to an extent that can hardly be expanded further, whereas the purpose of this book is only to explain the topic of occultation and no more. Allah is the One from Whom we seek success for this purpose.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19067

والذي يدل على وجوب الرئاسة ما ثبت من كونها لطفاًفي الواجبات العقلية فصارت واجبة، كالمعرفة التي لا يعرى مكلف من وجوبها عليه، ألا ترى أن من المعلوم أن من ليس بمعصوم من الخلق متى خلوا من رئيس مهيب يردع المعاند ويؤدب الجاني، ويأخذ على يد المتغلب، ويمنع القوي من الضعيف، وأمنوا ذلك، وقع الفساد، وانتشر الحيل، وكثر الفساد، وقل الصلاح، ومتى كان لهم رئيس هذه صفته كان الامر بالعكس من ذلك، من شمول الصلاح وكثرته، وقلة الفساد ونزارته والعلم بذلك ضروري لا يخفى على العقلاء، فمن دفعه لا يحسن مكالمته، وأجبنا عن كل ما يسأل على ذلك مستوفى في تلخيص الشافي وشرح الجمل لا نطول بذكره ها هنا.

Proof for the necessity of supreme leadership of the Imam is that it is a divine favor and it is a necessary rational principle [that reason commands its necessity]. For example: knowing that God exists, a principle, which no duty-bound (Mukallaf) can be without. Don’t you see that it is evident that when a fallible group of people are without an awe-inspiring and venerable leader, who would stop the enemy, reprimand the criminal, seize the hand of the counterfeiter, and defend the weakling against the strong, mischief occurs, deceptions spread, debauchery increases and propriety becomes a rarity? And when they have a leader with these qualities, the situation is reversed, with integrity expanding and encompassing and mischief becoming uncommon and rare? This is very obvious and anyone with common sense would agree to it rendering anyone who disputes it unworthy of conversation. We have fully responded to any imaginable query with this regard in Talkhis Shafi and Sharh Jamal and will not lengthen the inquiry by mentioning them here.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19068

ووجدت لبعض المتأخرين كلاما اعترض به كلام المرتضى (ره) في الغيبة وظن أنه ظفر بطائل فموه به على من ليس له قريحة ولا بصر بوجوه النظر وأنا أتكلم عليه.

I found a recent writer criticizing the work of Sayyid Murtadha on the topic of occultation – wishfully assuming that he has discovered a line of reasoning and adorning his falsity as righteousness for someone who lacks talent and intellectuality. I would like to discuss his arguments.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19069

فقال: الكلام في الغيبة والاعتراض عليها من ثلاثة أوجه. أحدها: أنا نلزم الامامية ثبوت وجه قبح فيها أو في التكليف معها فيلزمهم أن يثبوا أن الغيبة ليس فيها وجه قبح، لان مع ثبوت وجه القبح تقبح الغيبة، وإن ثبت فيها وجه حسن كما نقول في قبح تكليف ما لا يطاق (أن فيه وجه قبح) وإن كان فيه وجه حسن بأن يكون لطفا لغيره.

Objection of opponents of Imamate He says: The discourse about occultation and criticism thereof consists of three stages: First objection: We prove to the Imamiyah that occultation involves an evil aspect (qubh), or that imposing obligations during occultation has an evil aspect. They will be required to prove that occultation does not involve any evil aspect, because if evil is involved, occultation becomes evil, though it may carry a good aspect, just as we say in imposing a duty that is beyond one’s capacity, involves an evil aspect, though it may involve a good aspect by being a Lutf (grace) for others.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19070

والثاني: أن الغيبة تنقض طريق وجوب الامامة في كل زمان، لان كون الناس مع رئيس مهيب متصرف أبعد من القبيح لو اقتضى كونه لطفا واجبا في كل حال، وقبح التكليف مع فقده لانتقض بزمان الغيبة، لانا في زمان الغيبة نكون مع رئيس هذه صفته أبعد من القبيح، وهو دليل وجوب هذه الرئاسة، ولم يجب وجود رئيس هذه صفته في زمان الغيبة ولا قبح التكليف مع فقده، فقد وجد الدليل ولا مدلول وهذا نقض الدليل.

Second objection: Occultation violates the reasoning of necessity of Imamate in every age, because, if the fact that the presence of a venerable and awe-inspiring leader in charge of the affairs, who leads people away from evil, makes his presence a necessary grace in every age and imposing of obligations without him wrong. This principle cannot be violated during occultation, since we would be away from evil during it if we were with a leader, who has these qualities. This is the proof of the necessity of such divinely-ordained leadership. However, the existence of a leader as such is not proved during occultation, nor is it proved that it is unjust to have religious obligations when he is not present. Thus it invalidates the proof.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19071

والثالث: أن يقال: إن الفائدة بالامامة هي كونه مبعدا من القبيح على قولكم، وذلك لا يحصل مع وجوده غائبا فلم ينفصل وجوده من عدمه، وإذا لم يختص وجوده غائبا بوجه الوجوب الذي ذكروه لم يقتض دليلكم وجوب وجوده مع الغيبة، فدليلكم مع أنه منتقض حيث وجد مع انبساط اليد، ولم يجب انبساط اليد مع الغيبة، فهو غير متعلق بوجود إمام غير منبسط اليد ولا هو حاصل في هذه الحال.

Third objection: It is to say that according to you, the benefit of Imamate is that it leads people away from wrong. However, this cannot be achieved with him being in hiding and therefore, his existence and non-existence have no difference. As his hidden existence does not correspond to his necessary existence you have argued for, your argument does not lead to the necessity of his existence during occultation. Therefore, though your argument indicates your point when he exists in the condition of administering the society, it does not prove an Imam, who is not running the affairs of the society, and in occultation the control of Imam on the society is also not proved.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19072

الكلام عليه أن نقول:أما الفصل الأول من قوله: "إنا نلزم الامامية أن يكون في الغيبة وجه قبح" وعيد منه محض لا يقترن به حجة، فكان ينبغي أن يتبين وجه القبح الذي أراد إلزامه إياهم لننظر فيه ولم يفعل، فلا يتوجه وعيده. وإن قال ذلك سائلا على وجه: "ما أنكرتم أن يكون فيها وجه قبح". فإنا نقول: وجوه القبح معقولة من كون الشيء ظلما وعبثا وكذبا ومفسدة وجهلا وليس شيء من ذلك موجودا ها هنا، فعلمنا بذلك انتفاء وجود القبح. فإن قيل: وجه القبح أنه لم يزح علة المكلف على قولكم، لأن انبساط يده الذي هو لطف في الحقيقة والخوف من تأديبه لم يحصل، فصار ذلك إخلالا بلطف المكلف فقبح لأجله.

Reply: The first segment of his argument that, “We prove to the Imamiyah that occultation involves an evil aspect,” is a mere promise that he makes. He should have explained “the evil aspect”, which he wanted to prove to the Imamiyah, so it would have been possible for us to consider it and reply to it. He has not done that and therefore his argument is inconclusive. If he asks, “Do you reject that occultation involves a wrong aspect?” Our response would be that wrong aspects are conceivable in the context of oppression, vanity, lie, debauchery and ignorance, and none of these are involved here. This leads us to reject the instance of any wrong aspect.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19073

قلنا: (قد)بينا في باب وجوب الامامة بحيث أشرنا إليه أن انبساط يده عليه السلام والخوف من تأديبه إنما فات المكلفين لما يرجع إليهم، لانهم أحوجوه إلى الاستتار بأن أخافوه ولم يمكنوه فأتوا من قبل نفوسهم. وجرى ذلك مجرى أن يقول قائل: "من لم يحصل له معرفة الله تعالى في تكليفه وجه قبح"لانه لم يحصل ما هو لطف له من المعرفة، فينبغي أن يقبح تكليفه.

Evil of belief in occultation of the Imam can be proved by stating that it removes hardships and hurdles from the duty-bound (Mukallaf), because by keeping away assistance of the Imam, which in fact is a divine favor, and in the same way, fear of people of being reprimanded by the Imam [if they commit disobedience] is not achieved. Thus it is a breach of divine grace on the duty-bound (Mukallaf) and that is why belief in occultation is evil.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19074

قلنا: (قد)بينا في باب وجوب الامامة بحيث أشرنا إليه أن انبساط يده عليه السلام والخوف من تأديبه إنما فات المكلفين لما يرجع إليهم، لأنهم أحوجوه إلى الاستتار بأن أخافوه ولم يمكنوه فأتوا من قبل نفوسهم. وجرى ذلك مجرى أن يقول قائل: "من لم يحصل له معرفة الله تعالى في تكليفه وجه قبح" لأنه لم يحصل ما هو لطف له من المعرفة، فينبغي أن يقبح تكليفه.

The answer to this would be that, which we have explained in the context of necessity of Imamate; that his administration of affairs and fear of his reprimand are not availed by the duty-bound due to their own stance, because they forced him to go into hiding by threatening him and did not empower him to run the society. Therefore, this is an evil that they have caused themselves. This is similar to a case where someone says, “Religious obligations with respect to a person who does not have knowledge of the existence of Allah, the Exalted, is wrong, since he has not availed the knowledge that is a grace for him. Therefore, committing him to religious obligations is wrong.” In the same way our adversary would answer a question as such – that the infidel did that on his own, because Allah assigned ways to His cognition and gave him the capacity to attain belief, and if he did not respect that and did not attain faith, he did that on his own and this does not render his subjection to religious duties wrong.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19075

فما يقولونه ها هنا من أن الكافر أتي من قبل نفسه، لان الله قد نصب له الدلالة على معرفة ومكنه من الوصول إليها، فإذا لم ينظر ولم يعرف أتي في ذلك من قبل نفسه ولم يقبح ذلك تكليفه، فكذلك نقول:إنبساط يد الامام وإن فات المكلف فإنما أتي من قبل نفسه، ولو مكنه لظهر وانبسطت يده فحصل لطفه فلم يقبح تكليفه، لان الحجة عليه لا له. وقد استوفينا نظائر ذلك في الموضع الذي أشرنا إليه، وسنذكر فيما بعد إذا عرض ما يحتاج إلى ذكره.

We reply that though administration of affairs by the Imam is not a blessing that the duty-bound enjoy during occultation, but that is something they caused themselves; and should they provide the Imam with power to run the affairs, he will appear and administer the society and his grace will materialize. Therefore, religious duties are not wrong during his occultation, for the guilt rests on the duty-bound, and not the Imam. We have explained similar cases in the books we referred to, and we will mention them should the need arise in future.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19076

وأما الكلام في الفصل الثاني:فهو مبني على المغالطة ولا نقول:إنه لم يفهم ما أورده، لان الرجل كان فوق ذلك لكن أراد التلبيس والتمويه(في قوله): إن دليل وجوب الرئاسة ينتقض بحال الغيبة، لان كون الناس مع رئيس مهيب متصرف أبعد من القبيح لو اقتضى كونه لطفا واجبا على كل حال وقبح التكليف مع فقده لا نتقض بزمان الغيبة(لانا في زمان الغيبة)فلم يقبح التكليف مع فقده، فقد وجد الدليل ولا مدلول وهذا نقض.

As for the second part of his argument: It is based on his own words. We do not say that he did not understand what he said, for he is better than that; however, he desired to misguide and disguise lunacy in lucidity, by saying, “The argument for necessity of leadership stands violated by occultation, since if the fact that an awe-inspiring Imam, who is in charge of affairs keeps people away from wrong, renders his presence a necessary grace in all ages and religious obligations without him unjust, this would be violated during occultation and conferment of obligation would not be wrong in his absence. Therefore, the argument leads to a conclusion that does not exist. And this is a contradiction.”

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19077

وإنما قلنا: إنه تمويه لانه ظن أنا نقول: إن في حال الغيبة دليل وجوب الامامة قائم ولا إمام فكان نقضا، ولا نقول ذلك، بل دليلنا في حال وجود الامام بعينه هو دليل حال غيبته، في أن في الحالين الامام لطف فلا نقول:إن زمان الغيبة خلا من وجوب رئيس، بل عندنا أن الرئيس حاصل، وإنما ارتفع انبساط يده لما يرجع إلى المكلفين على ما بيناه، لا لان انبساط يده خرج من كونه لطفا بل وجه اللطف به قائم، وإنما لم يحصل لما يرجع إلى غير الله. فجرى مجرى أن يقول قائل:كيف يكون معرفة الله تعالى لطفا مع أن الكافر لا يعرف الله، فلما كان التكليف على الكافر قائما والمعرفة مرتفعة دل على أن المعرفة ليست لطفا على كل حال لانها لو كانت كذلك لكان ذلك نقضا.

We said this is disguising lunacy in lucidity, because he presupposes that we say that proof for existence of the Imam stands during occultation while there is no Imam, which is a contradiction. However, we do not say that. Rather, our proof during the presence of the Imam is the very same proof during his occultation, for the Imam is grace in both conditions. We don’t say that the leader does not exist during occultation; rather, we maintain that the leader exists, however, due to the behavior of the duty-bound, he does not administer the affairs of society, not that his administration of society is not a grace anymore. Rather, it is grace as ever. And it has not materialized due to reasons not endorsed by Allah. This is similar to the following argument: “How can the knowledge of the existence of God be grace, while the infidel does not know about God’s existence? Since the infidel is obliged with duties and he is not blessed with faith, it proves that the knowledge of God’s existence and faith is not always grace, because if it were, it would be self-contradictory.”

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19078

وجوابنا في الامامة كجوابهم في المعرفة من أن الكافر لطفه قائم بالمعرفة وإنما فوت نفسه بالتفريط في النظر المؤدي إليها فلم يقبح تكليفه، فكذلك نقول:الرئاسة لطف للمكلف في حال الغيبة، وما يتعلق بالله من إيجاده حاصل، وإنما ارتفع تصرفه وانبساط يده لامر يرجع إلى المكلفين فاستوى الامران، والكلام في هذه المعنى مستوفى أيضا بحيث ذكرناه.

Our response to the query of Imamate is same as their response in the query of faith; belief in God is grace as ever with regard to the infidel, but he has failed to gain it, because of his failure to think, which would have led him to this belief, and therefore, imposing religious duties on him is not wrong. Similarly, we say that Imamate is grace for the duty-bound during occultation; and God has provided all that He must provide in order for this Imamate to materialize. However, his administration of the society is not materialized, because of the duty-bound themselves. Therefore, the responses to both queries are the same, but in this instance we have explained in sufficient detail.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19079

وأما الكلام في الفصل الثالث: من قوله:إن الفائدة بالامامة هي كونه مبعدا من القبيح على قولكم، وذلك لم يحصل مع غيبته، فلم ينفصل وجوده من عدمه، فإذا لم يختص وجوده غائبا بوجه الوجوب الذي ذكروه لم يقتض دليلكم وجوب وجوده مع الغيبـة، دليلكم مع أنه منتقض حيث وجد مع انبساط اليد، ولم يجب انبساط اليد مع الغيبة، فهو غير متعلق بوجود إمام غير منبسط اليد ولا هو حاصل في هذه الحال.

Reply to the third objection: “The benefit of Imamate according to you is that it takes people away from evil acts. However, this cannot be achieved with the Imam in hiding and therefore, his existence and non-existence are not much different. As his hidden existence does not correspond to his necessary existence you have argued for, your argument – despite being contradicted when he is found administering the society, and administering the society is not necessary during occultation – doesn’t lead to the existence of an Imam, who is not running the affairs of society and neither in occultation the control of Imam on the society is proved.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19080

فإنا نقول: إنه لم يفعل في هذا الفصل أكثر من تعقيد القول على طريقة المنطقيين من قلب المقدمات ورد بعضها على بعض، ولا شك أنه قصد بذلك المتويه والمغالطة، وإلا فالامر أوضح من أن يخفى. ومتى قالت الامامية: إن انبساط يد الامام لا يجب في حال الغيبة حتى يقول:دليلكم لا يدل على وجوب إمام غير منبسط اليد، لان هذه حال الغيبة، بل الذي صرحنا به دفعة بعد أخرى أن انبساط يده واجب في الحالين (في) حال ظهوره وحال غيبته، غير أن حال ظهوره مكن منه فانبسطت يده وحال الغيبة لم يمكن فانقبضت يده، لا أن انبساط يده خرج من باب الوجوب. وبينا أن الحجة بذلك قائمة على المكلفين من حيث منعوه ولم يمكنوه فأتوا من قبل نفوسهم، وشبهنا ذلك بالمعرفة دفعة بعد أخرى.

We reply that the opponent has only complicated his argument, as logicians say, by turning around premises and referring them to one another. Obviously, he has intended to disguise lunacy beneath lucidity and fallacy beneath logic. Otherwise, the subject is clearer than to be ambiguous. When has the Imamiyah said that the administration of affairs by the Imam is not necessary during occultation, so it could be said your proof does not prove the necessity of existence of an Imam who is not administering the society, because this is the time of occultation? On the contrary, what we have stated time and again is that his administration of society is necessary in all conditions – his occultation as well as his appearance. However, during his appearance he is able to administer the society and he does that, and during occultation he is unable to perform that and does not do it, because it does not remain obligatory anymore. We explained that the duty-bound are to be blamed for this, as they prohibited him; they did not empower him, and took on the task themselves. We compared this to the subject of faith in God time and again.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19081

وأيضا فإنا نعلم أن نصب الرئيس واجب بعد الشرع لما في نصبه من اللطف لتحمله للقيام بما لا يقوم به غيره، ومع هذا فليس التمكين واقعا لأهل الحل والعقد من نصب من يصلح لها خاصة على مذهب أهل العدل الذين كلامنا معهم، ومع هذا لا يقول أحد: إن وجوب نصب الرئيس سقط الآن من حيث لم يقع التمكين منه.

We also know that once religious duties have been imposed, Imamate is necessary, because assigning him bears a grace and he performs duties, which no one else can. One has to bear in mind that empowering and assigning the right person is not in the capacity of “those having a say” (Ahle hal wa Aqd), especially so according to the followers of justice, the category this opponent belongs to.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19082

فجوابنا في غيبة الإمام جوابهم في منع أهل الحل والعقد من اختيار من يصلح للإمامة، ولا فرق بينهما فإنما الخلاف بيننا أنا قلنا:علمنا ذلك عقلا، وقالوا ذلك معلوم شرعا، وذلك فرق من غير موضع الجمع.

Therefore, no one says that the necessity of appointing the leader is diminished now as his empowerment is not possible. Our answer with respect to the occultation of the Imam is the same as their answer to the incapacity of “those having a say” with respect to choosing a suitable candidate for Imamate. The only difference is that we say we know this through reason and they say it is known through Islamic law (Shariah), which is a difference that does not divide us on the issue.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19083

فإن قيل:أهل الحل والعقد إذا لم يمكنوا من اختيار من يصلح للامامة فإن الله يفعل ما يقوم مقام ذلك من الألطاف فلا يجب إسقاط التكليف، وفي الشيوخ من قال إن الامام يجب نصبه في الشرع لمصالح دنياوية، وذلك غير واجب أن يفعل لها اللطف.

If it is said: When “those having a say” lack the power to choose one who is best for Imamate, Allah bestows other graces (altaf), which take the place of an Imam who is in power. Therefore, religious commands remain intact and are not relinquished. Some teachers (Shaykhs) have said that the appointment of an Imam is necessary in Shariah for worldly expediencies, and it is not necessary that Allah bestows grace when a worldly benefit is missing.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19084

قلنا: أما من قال: نصب الإمام لمصالح دنياوية قوله يفسد:لأنه لو كان كذلك لما وجب إمامته، ولا خلاف بينهم في أنه يجب إقامة الإمام مع الاختيار. على أن ما يقوم به الإمام من الجهاد وتولية الأمراء والقضاة وقسمة الفئ واستيفاء الحدود والقصاصات أمور دينية لا يجوز تركها، ولو كان لمصلحة دنياوية لما وجب ذلك، فقوله ساقط بذلك.

We would reply: The idea that the appointment of the Imam is for worldly expediencies is false, for if it were as such, his appointment would not have been obligatory, whereas they have no disagreement that establishing Imamate is obligatory when possible. Additionally, the many affairs, which the Imam leads – such as Jihad, overseeing the governors and judges, distributing spoils, executing penalties and punishments – they are religious matters that cannot be abandoned. If they were for worldly expediencies, they would not be obligatory. Therefore, his argument is not binding.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19085

وأما من قال: يفعل الله ما يقوم مقامه باطل، لأنه لو كان كذلك لما وجب عليه إقامة الإمام مطلقا على كل حال، ولكان يكون ذلك من باب التخيير، كما نقول في فروض الكفايات.وفي علمنا بتعيين ذلك ووجوبه على كل حال دليل على فساد ما قالوه. على أنه يلزم على الوجهين جميعا المعرفة. بأن يقال: الكافر إذا لم يحصل له المعرفة يفعل الله له ما يقوم مقامها، فلا يجب عليه المعرفة على كل حال.

As for the theory that Allah will do something to take the place of the Imam; it is a void idea, since if it were as such, it would not be required to appoint an Imam in all conditions, even when it were possible, and it would be only a matter of choice, like the Kifayee obligations. The fact that we know that the appointment of the Imam is necessary in all conditions indicates the falsity of their assertion. Besides, either way the logic of this reasoning encourages that when the infidel does not attain belief in Allah, He will do him a grace that takes the place of belief in Him, which leads to the conclusion that belief in Allah is not always necessary. Or a parallel argument would follow that; because restraint from oppression is attained when one has faith is a worldly expediency, belief in Allah should not be necessary for it.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19086

أو يقال: إن ما يحصل من الانزجار عن فعل الظلم عند المعرفة أمر دنياوي لا يجب لها المعرفة، فيجب من ذلك إسقاط وجوب المعرفة، ومتى قيل:إنه لا بدل للمعرفة، قلنا:وكذلك لا بدل للامام على ما مضى- وذكرناه في تلخيص الشافي-وكذلك إن بينوا أن الانزجار من القبيح عند المعرفة أمر ديني قلنا:مثل ذلك في وجود الإمام سواء.

If it should be argued that there is no alternative to belief in Allah, on the same grounds we will assert that there is no alternative to the Imam. We have explained this fully in Talkhis Shafi. Likewise, if they should explain that abstinence from wrong when one has belief is a religious matter, we would assert that its analogy in the being of the Imam is the same.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19087

فإن قيل:لا يخلو وجود رئيس مطاع منبسط اليد من أن يجب على الله جميع ذلك أو يجب علينا جميعه أو يجب على الله إيجاده وعلينا بسط يده.

If it is said: Given the existence of a leader, who is obeyed and runs the affairs of the society is necessary, either it is all the work of Allah to offer, or it is for Allah to create him and for us to empower him with the administration of the society, or it is required of us both to create and empower him.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19088

فإن قلتم: يجب جميع ذلك على الله، فإنه ينتقض بحال الغيبة لأنه لم يوجد إمام منبسط اليد، وإن وجب علينا جميعه فذلك تكليف ما لا يطاق، لانا لا نقدر على إيجاده، وإن وجب عليه إيجاده وعلينا بسط يده وتمكينه فما دليلكم عليه، مع أن فيه أنه يجب علينا أن نفعل ما هو لطف للغير، وكيف يجب على زيد بسط يد الإمام لتحصيل لطف عمرو، وهل ذلك إلا نقض الأصول.

1- If you say all of that is necessary for Allah, your assertion will be contradicted by the time of occultation, as He has not created an Imam who is running the society. 2- If it is required of us to do it all, it is a task that we do not have the capacity to perform, for we do not have the ability to create him. 3- If you say that it is obligatory on Him to create him and for us to invest him with power and authority of administration, then first, what is your proof? Also, it proceeds that we should be required to do something, which is actually a grace for someone else. How would it be possible that Zaid be required to empower the Imam so Amr’s grace can be materialized? Is it not violation of principle?

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19089

قلنا: الذي نقوله أن وجود الإمام المنبسط اليد إذا ثبت أنه لطف لنا على ما دللنا عليه ولم يكن إيجاده في مقدورنا لم يحسن أن نكلف إيجاده لأنه تكليف ما لا يطاق، وبسط يده وتقوية سلطانه قد يكون في مقدورنا وفي مقدور الله، فإذا لم يفعل الله تعالى علمنا أنه غير واجب عليه وأنه واجب علينا، لانه لابد من أن يكون منبسط اليد ليتم الغرض بالتكليف، وبينا بذلك أن بسط يده لو كان من فعله تعالى لقهر الخلق عليه، والحيلولة بينه وبين أعدائه وتقوية أمره بالملائكة ربما أدى إلى سقوط الغرض بالتكليف، وحصول الالجاء، فإذا يجب علينا بسط يده على كل حال وإذا لم نفعله أتينا من قبل نفوسنا.

We would reply: Since the existence of an Imam with authority to administer the society is proved to be a grace, due to the arguments we have established for this purpose, and as his creation is not in our power, it would not be right that we should be required to create him, for it would be assigning a duty that is beyond our capacity. As for empowering him with administrative affairs and strengthening his rule, many a time it is within our capacity and the capacity of Allah. However, when He does not do that, we infer that it is not necessary for Him to do so and that it is necessary for us, because he must be in charge of the affairs so the purpose of the divinely-ordained duties is materialized. We explained that should investing administrative powers be the work of Allah, the Exalted, He would compel the creation to that purpose. However, coming between him and his enemies, strengthening his command through angels would lose the purpose of the divinely-ordained duties and lead to compulsion. Therefore, it is our duty to empower him in every condition and should we not do that, it is something that we have done ourselves.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19090

فأما قولهم: في ذلك إيجاب اللطف علينا للغير غير صحيح. لأنا نقول: إن كل من يجب عليه نصرة الإمام وتقوية سلطانه له في ذلك مصلحة تخصه، وإن كانت فيه مصلحة يرجع إلى غيره كما نقوله في أن الأنبياء يجب عليهم تحمل أعباء النبوة والأداء إلى الخلق ما هو مصلحة لهم، لأن لهم في القيام بذلك مصلحة تخصهم وإن كانت فيها مصلحة لغيرهم. ويلزم المخالف في أهل الحل والعقد بأن يقال:كيف يجب عليهم اختيار الإمام لمصلحة ترجع إلى جميع الامة، وهل ذلك إلا إيجاب الفعل عليهم لما يرجع إلى مصلحة غيرهم، فأي شيء أجابوا به فهو جوابنا بعينه سواء.

As for their assertion that this amounts to procuring grace for someone else, it is incorrect, because we say, each person who helps the Imam and strengthens his rule, enjoys a benefit specific for himself, may it carry expediency for others as well. It is like what you say about the apostles that their carriage of the burden of Prophethood and delivery of message to the public bears expediency for others. This requires the opponent to answer a query about “those having a say” - how is it that it is obligatory on them to choose an Imam for expediencies that encompass the entire Ummah and is it not requiring one to do something that benefits someone else? Whatever may be your justification with regard to the situation of the apostles is our very answer here.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19091

فإن قيل: لم زعمتم أنه يجب إيجاده في حال الغيبة وهلا جاز أن يكون معدوما. قلنا:إنما أوجبنا (ذلك) من حيث إن تصرفه الذي هو لطفنا إذا لم يتم إلا بعد وجوده وإيجاده لم يكن في مقدورنا، قلنا عند ذلك:أنه يجب على الله ذلك وإلا أدى إلى أن لا نكون مزاحي العلة بفعل اللطف فنكون أتينا من قبله تعالى لا من قبلنا، وإذا أوجده ولم نمكنه من انبساط يده أتينا من قبل نفوسنا فحسن التكليف وفي الأول لم يحسن.

Objection: “Why do you believe that he must exist during occultation, and why is it not possible that he does not exist?” Reply: We will respond that we consider his existence necessary for the following: His administration of the affairs and leadership of the society, which is grace with respect to us, is not possible without his existence. And as his creation is not in our capacity, we said it is obligatory on Allah, or else it would mean that we are not the missing part of the cause of materialization of grace, meaning that, missing the grace is His act and not ours. However, if He creates him, but we do not vest the power of running the society in him, it is our act, and therefore, ordainment of duties is correct, whereas in the previous supposition it would be incorrect.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19092

فإن قيل: ما الذي تريدون بتمكيننا إياه؟ أتريدون أن نقصده ونشافهه وذلك لا يتم إلا مع وجوده. قيل لكم:لا يصح جميع ذلك إلا مع ظهوره وعلمنا أو علم بعضنا بمكانه. وإن قلتم: نريد بتمكيننا أن نبخع لطاعته والشد على يده، ونكف عن نصرة الظالمين، ونقوم على نصرته متى دعانا إلى إمامته ودلنا عليها بمعجزته. قلنا لكم: فنحن يمكننا ذلك في زمان الغيبة وإن لم يكن الامام موجودا فيه، فكيف قلتم لا يتم ما كلفناه من ذلك إلا مع وجود الإمام. قلنا:الذي نقوله في هذا الباب ما ذكره المرتضى رحمه الله في الذخيرة وذكرناه في تلخيص الشافي أن الذي هو لطفنا من تصرف الإمام وانبساط يده لا يتم إلا بأمور ثلاثة.

Objection: What do you mean by saying that we should empower him? Do you mean that we find him and converse with him? Reply: That is not possible without him being existent. You will be told that none of that is possible without him being manifest and without us knowing, or someone of us knowing his place. If you say, “We mean by empowering him that we should submit to his obedience, fight under his command, refrain from helping the tyrants and rise to his support when he calls us to his Imamate and proves it to us through his miracles,” we will say to you it is possible for us to do that during occultation, even if it is a time without an Imam. How do you say then what we have been ordained to do cannot be performed without an Imam? Our response here is what Murtadha has mentioned in Dhakhira and what we have mentioned in Talkhis Shafi.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19093

أحدها: يتعلق بالله وهو إيجاده. والثاني: يتعلق به من تحمل أعباء الامامة والقيام بها. والثالث: يتعلق بنا من العزم على نصرته، ومعاضدته، والانقياد له، فوجوب تحمله عليه فرع على وجوده، لأنه لا يجوز أن يتناول التكليف المعدوم، فصار إيجاد الله إياه أصلا لوجوب قيامه، وصار وجوب نصرته علينا فرعا لهذين الأصلين لأنه إنما يجب علينا طاعته إذا وجد، وتحمل أعباء الامامة وقام بها، فحينئذ يجب علينا طاعته، فمع هذا التحقيق كيف يقال:لم لا يكون معدوما.

The grace that reaches us from the Imam’s running the affairs and administering the society cannot materialize without three elements: One pertains to Allah, and that is that He creates the Imam. The second element pertains to the Imam, which is that he carries the burden of Imamate and performs its duties. The third element pertains to us, and it implies helping, supporting him and submitting to him. The obligation of undertaking the tasks of Imamate is secondary to his existence, for a task cannot be undertaken by a non-existent entity. Therefore, Allah’s creation of him is prior to his obligation of accepting leadership and our obligation of supporting him is secondary to these two elements, because it is obligatory upon us to obey him when he exists and has undertaken to carry the burden of Imamate and perform its tasks. With this reasoning in mind, how can they expect us to be bound to his non-existence and say that His Eminence does not exist?

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19094

فإن قيل: فما الفرق بين أن يكون موجودا مستترا (حتى إذا علم الله منا تمكينه أظهره، وبين أن يكون) معدوما حتى إذا علم منا العزم على تمكينه أوجده. قلنا:لا يحسن من الله تعالى أن يوجب علينا تمكين من ليس بموجود لأنه تكليف ما لا يطاق، فإذا لابد من وجوده.

Objection: What is the difference between him being existent and hidden, and being non-existent until Allah knows our determination to empower him and that is when He creates him? Reply: Our answer will be that it is not worthy of Allah, the Exalted, to oblige us to empower someone who is non-existent, for it is an impossible task. Therefore, he must exist.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19095

فإن قيل: يوجده الله تعالى إذا علم أنا ننطوي على تمكينه بزمان واحد كما أنه يظهره عند مثل ذلك. قلنــا: وجوب تمكينه والانطواء على طاعته لازم في جميع أحوالنا، فيجب أن يكون التمكين من طاعته والمصير إلى أمره ممكنا في جميع الاحوال وإلا لم يحسن التكليف، وإنما كان يتم ذلك لو لم نكن مكلفين في كل حال لوجوب طاعته والانقياد لأمره، بل كان يجب علينا عند ظهوره والأمر عندنا بخلافه.

Objection: When Allah comes to know that we are prepared to obey him, He would create him. Like according to your belief He will manifest him during his reappearance? Reply: The imperativeness of supporting him and determination to obey him is required in all conditions, which requires that to support and obey him and to follow his path should be possible in all conditions, or else, imposing this duty would be wrong. The suggestion would be relevant if we were not obliged in all conditions to his obedience and submission to his command and rather it were required of us at the time of his appearance. However, the reality is contrary to this.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19096

ثم يقال لمن خالفنا في ذلك وألزمنا عدمه على استتاره:لم لا يجوز أن يكلف الله تعالى المعرفة ولا ينصب عليها دلالة إذا علم أنا لا ننظر فيها، حتى إذا علم من حالنا أنا نقصد إلى النظر ونعزم على ذلك أوجد الادلة ونصبها، فحينئذ ننظر ونقول ما الفرق بين دلالة منصوبة لا ننظر فيها وبين عدمها حتى إذا عزمنا على النظر فيها أوجدها الله تعالى.

We address our opponent who desires to convince us of the Imam’s non-existence on the grounds of his occultation and ask him why is it not possible that Allah, the Exalted, enacts the obligation of believing in him as a duty without creating signs and reasons for the validation of such belief, since He knows that we will not consider such signs and reasons, and when He discovers from our condition that we intend to consider them and are determined to think, He creates the reasons and proofs of believing in Him.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19097

والمثال الذي ذكره من أنه لو أوجب الله علينا أن نتوضأ من ماء بئر معينة لم يكن لها حبل نستقي به، وقال لنا: إن دنوتم من البئر خلقت لكم حبلا تستقون به(من)الماء، فإنه يكون مزيحا لعلتنا، ومتى لم ندن من البئر كنا قد أتينا من قبل نفوسنا لا من قبله تعالى. وكذلك لو قال السيد لعبده وهو بعيد منه: اشتر لي لحما من السوق، فقال:لا أتمكن من ذلك لأنه ليس معي ثمنه، فقال:إن دنوت أعطيتك ثمنه، فإنه يكون مزيحا لعلته، ومتى لم يدن لأخذ الثمن يكون قد أتي من قبل نفسه لا من قبل سيده.

Query: If Allah had made it obligatory on us to make ablution from water of a specific well that does not have a rope for drawing water, but He declared, “Should you approach the well, I would create a rope to draw water,” this would take away any excuse we may have. And should we not approach the well, the misgiving would be our own doing, not Allah’s. Likewise, a master says to his servant, who is far from him, “Buy some meat for me from the market,” and the servant replies, “I cannot do that, because I don’t have money.” The master replies, “If you come to me, I will give you the money.” This will eliminate the slave’s excuse and if he does not come to take the money, it will be his own shortcoming, not his master’s.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19098

وهذه حال ظهور الامام مع تمكيننا فيجب أن يكون عدم تمكيننا هو السبب في أن لم يظهر في هذه الأحوال لا عدمه، إذ كنا لو مكناه عليه السلام لوجد وظهر.

Same is the case of Imam’s appearance with regard to our duty of providing him help and power. Therefore, it is our lack of providing help and power that is the reason that he has not appeared in these conditions, not his lack of existence. Since if we had provided him help and power, he would have been created and would have appeared.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19099

قلنا: هذا كلام من يظن أنه يجب علينا تمكينه إذا ظهر ولا يجب علينا ذلك في كل حال، ورضينا بالمثال الذي ذكره، لأنه تعالى لو أوجب علينا الاستقاء في الحال لوجب أن يكون الحبل حاصلا في الحال لأن به تزاح العلة، لكن إذا قال:متى دنوتم من البئر خلقت لكم الحبل إنما هو مكلف للدنو لا للاستقاء فيكفي القدرة على الدنو في هذه الحال، لأنه ليس بمكلف للاستقاء منها، فإذا دنا من البئر صار حينئذ مكلفا للاستقاء، فيجب عند ذلك أن يخلق له الحبل، فنظير ذلك أن لا يجب علينا في كل حال طاعة الإمام وتمكينه فلا يجب عند ذلك وجوده، فلما كانت طاعته واجبة في الحال ولم نقف على شرطه ولا وقت منتظر وجب أن يكون موجودا لتزاح العلة في التكليف ويحسن.

Reply: This presupposes that it is obligatory on us to provide him help and power when he appears and not in every condition. Even if we agree to the example he mentions, his argument is not valid, because if Allah, the Exalted, has ordained us to draw out water now, it is necessary that the rope should be existent right now, because that is what eliminates excuse. However, if He says: If you approach the well, I will create a rope for you, obligation is to approach, not to draw out water. Therefore, the ability to approach is what is sufficient at that time, because one is not required to draw out water from the well, yet. It is when he approaches the well that he becomes ordained to draw out water, and then it is necessary that He creates the rope for him. An analogous instance to this would be that if it were not obligatory on us in every condition to obey the Imam and empower him, in such times, his existence would not have been necessary.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19100

والجواب: عن مثال السيد مع غلامه مثل ذلك لأنه إنما كلفه الدنو منه لا الشراء، فإذا دنا منه وكلفه الشراء وجب عليه إعطاء الثمن. ولهذا قلنا: إن الله تعالى كلف من يأتي إلى يوم القيامة ولا يجب أن يكونوا موجودين مزاحي العلة لأنه لم يكلفهم الآن، فإذا أوجدهم وأزاح علتهم في التكليف بالقدرة والآلة ونصب الادلة حينئذ تناولهم التكليف، فسقط بذلك هذه المغالطة.

However, since his obedience is obligatory in the present, and we do not find obedience to him to be stipulated with any condition or a specific time, it follows that he must be existent, so the legitimate excuse of the divinely ordained duties is removed and such duties become fair. The response to the example of the master and his slave is the same, because he ordered his servant to approach him at present, not to buy. And when he approaches him and he requires him to buy, he must give him the money. That is why we said that Allah, the Exalted, has set obligations for all who will come until Judgment Day, and it is not necessary that they should be existent and without legitimate excuses, for He has not set obligations over them now; when He creates them and removes their excuses with respect to the duties by granting them power and instruments and setting proofs, then the duties will be imposed on them. In this way, the misunderstanding of our opponent regarding the existence of the Imam is rendered invalid.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19101

على أن الامام إذا كان مكلفا للقيام بالامر وتحمل أعباء الامامة كيف يجوز أن يكون معدوما وهل يصح تكليف المعدوم عند عاقل، وليس لتكليفه ذلك تعلق بتمكيننا أصلا، بل وجوب التمكين علينا فرع على تحمله على ما مضى القول فيه، وهذا واضح.

Besides, if the Imam bears the Divine duty of establishing order and carries the burden of Imamate, how is it possible for him to be non-existent? Would any sane person see it fair to commission someone non-existent with acts and duties? Bear in mind that these duties of his are not stipulated to our empowerment of him at all, but rather, our obligation of empowering and strengthening him is secondary to him carrying out these duties, as explained before and as is very much clear.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19102

ثم يقال لهم: أليس النبي صلى الله عليه وآله اختفى في الشعب ثلاث سنين لم يصل إليه أحد، واختفى في الغار ثلاثة أيام ولم يجز قياسا على ذلك أن يعدمه الله تعالى تلك المدة مع بقاء التكليف على الخلق الذين بعثه لطفا لهم. ومتى قالوا: إنما اختفى بعدما دعا إلى نفسه وأظهر نبوته فلما أخافوه استتر. قلنا:وكذلك الإمام لم يستتر إلا وقد أظهر آباؤه موضعه وصفته، ودلوا عليه، ثم لما خاف عليه أبوه الحسن بن علي عليهم السلام أخفاه وستره، فالأمران إذا سواء، ثم يقال لهم: خبرونا لو علم الله من حال شخص أن من مصلحته أن يبعث الله إليه نبيا معينا يؤدي إليه مصالحه وعلم أنه لو بعثه لقتله هذا الشخص، ولو منع من قتله قهرا كان فيه مفسدة له أو لغيره، هل يحسن أن يكلف هذا الشخص ولا يبعث إليه ذلك النبي، أو لا يكلف.

Moreover, the opponents are asked: Did not the Messenger of Allah (s) hide in Sheb Abu Talib for three years, where no one was able to reach him? Did he not hide in the Cave for three days? Why don’t you apply the analogy there as well that Allah should discontinue his existence for that period, while keeping the duties over public for whom He sent him as a grace? If they say that he hid after he called the people to his message and manifested his Prophethood, and when they threatened him, he went into hiding. We will respond that likewise the Imam did not go into hiding, but after his forefathers manifested his position and qualities and guided the people to him, and when his father Hasan Ibne Ali (a. s) feared for his life, he hid him. Therefore, both situations are identical. To clarify the matter further, we tell them: Allah discerns from the condition of a person that it is in the best of his interest that He sends a particular prophet to him who will inform him of what is good for him, and He knows that should He send the said apostle, this person will kill him. If He prohibits him from killing the apostle through force, would it not be disadvantageous for him and others?

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19103

فإن قالوا: لا يكلف. قلنا: وما المانع منه، وله طريق إلى معرفة مصالحه بأن يمكن النبي من الأداء إليه. وإن قلتم: يكلفه ولا يبعث إليه. قلنا: وكيف يجوز أن يكلفه ولم يفعل به ما هو لطف له مقدور.

Is it fair that this person should be bound by divinely-ordained duties while an apostle has not been sent to him, or should he not be bound by these duties? If they say that he should not be bound, we ask them: Why not if it allows him to know what is best for him by empowering the apostle to deliver to him the message? And if he says: He was made duty-bound by Allah, but the prophet is not sent to him. We will ask: How can these duties be imposed on him when the necessary grace has not been bestowed to him [a prophet is not sent to him]?

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19104

فإن قالوا: أتي في ذلك من قبل نفسه. قلنا: هو لم يفعل شيئا وإنما علم أنه لا يمكنه، وبالعلم لا يحسن تكليفه مع ارتفاع اللطف، ولو جاز ذلك لجاز أن يكلف ما لا دليل عليه إذا علم أنه لا ينظر فيه، وذلك باطل، ولابد أن يقال: إنه يبعث إلى ذلك الشخص ويوجب عليه الانقياد له ليكون مزيحا لعلته، فإما أن يمنع منه بما لا ينافي التكليف، أو يجعله بحيث لا يتمكن من قتله، فيكون قد أتي من قبل نفسه في عدم الوصول إليه، وهذه حالنا مع الإمام في حال الغيبة سواء.

If they say that it is by his own choice, we will say that he has not done anything. Only Allah knew that he will not allow the apostle and knowing this does not justify that he should be bound by duties, which he does not know. If this should be fair, then it is fair that anyone should be bound by duties he does not know when Allah knows that he will not consider them. It is an absurd supposition. Thus it must be said that Allah will send the apostle to him and require him to submit to him to eliminate any legitimate excuse, and then He will protect His apostle through means, which do not violate free-will, or renders him unable to kill the apostle, in which case he will not be able to reach him through his own acts. This is our same situation with the Imam during occultation.

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate - Hadith 19105

فإن قال: لابد أن يعلمه أن له مصلحة في بعثة هذا الشخص إليه على لسان غيره ليعلم أنه قد أتي من قبل نفسه. قلنا: وكذلك أعلمنا الله على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله والائمة من آبائه عليهم السلام موضعه، وأوجب علينا طاعته، فإذا لم يظهر لنا علمنا أنا أتينا من قبل نفوسنا فاستوى الأمران.

If it is said: He must inform him through someone other than the apostle that it is in his interest that the apostle is sent to him, so he may know it is his own wrongdoing, our reply will be that on parallel grounds, Allah has informed us through His Messenger and Imams (his forefathers), the Imam’s position and obliged us to obey him; and if we do not know what we should do, it is our own guilt, hence the similarity between two situations.

Second Principle: Infallibility of Imam - Hadith 19106

وأما الذي يدل على الاصل الثاني وهو أن من شأن الإمام أن يكون مقطوعا على عصمته، فهو أن العلة التي لأجلها احتجنا إلى الإمام ارتفاع العصمة، بدلالة أن الخلق متى كانوا معصومين لم يحتاجوا إلى إمام وإذا خلوا من كونهم معصومين احتاجوا إليه، علمنا عند ذلك أن علة الحاجة هي ارتفاع العصمة، كما نقوله في علة حاجة الفعل إلى فاعل أنها الحدوث، بدلالة أن ما يصح حدوثه يحتاج إلى فاعل في حدوثه، وما لا يصح حدوثه يستغني عن الفاعل، وحكمنا بذلك أن كل محدث يحتاج إلى محدث، فبمثل ذلك يجب الحكم بحاجة كل من ليس بمعصوم إلى إمام وإلا انتقضت العلة، فلو كان الإمام غير معصوم لكانت علة الحاجة فيه قائمة واحتاج إلى إمام آخر، والكلام في إمامه كالكلام فيه، فيؤدي إلى إيجاب أئمة لا نهاية لهم أو الانتهاء إلى معصوم وهو المراد. وهذه الطريقة قد أحكمناها في كتبنا فلا نطول بالاسئلة عليها لأن الغرض بهذا الكتاب غير ذلك، وفي هذا القدر كفاية.

The proof of the second principle being the feature of the Imam; that his infallibility must be ascertained, is that we need the Imam due to our fallibility, for if the people were infallible, they would never need an Imam. They need him since they are fallible. This leads us to conclude that the reason for the need of an Imam is people’s fallibility. Like we say about the reason for need of an effect to its cause is its occurrence (huduth), due to the fact that an entity having huduth needs a cause, and an entity that does not have huduth, never needs a cause. So we conclude that every effect needs a cause. Similarly, the need of every fallible to an Imam must be acknowledged, or the rule of causality will be violated. Now, if the Imam is himself fallible, he would also be needful of an infallible Imam. The same argument applies to his Imam, leading to the conclusion of an infinite number of Imams or to an infallible Imam, which is our purpose. We have established this argument in our books, therefore, we will not prolong the inquiry by raising further questions and answering them, as the purpose of this book is different from other books and this much suffices.

Third Principle: Truth will never leave the Islamic Ummah - Hadith 19107

وأما الاصل الثالث وهو أن الحق لا يخرج عن الامة فهو متفق عليه بيننا وبين خصومنا وإن اختلفنا في علة ذلك. لان عندنا أن الزمان لا يخلو من إمام معصوم لا يجوز عليه الغلط على ما قلناه، فإذا الحق لا يخرج عن الامة لكون المعصوم فيهم. وعند المخالف لقيام أدلة يذكرونها دلت على أن الإجماع حجة، فلا وجه للتشاغل بذلك. فإذا ثبتت هذه الأصول ثبت إمامة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، لان كل من يقطع على ثبوت العصمة للإمام قطع على أنه الإمام، وليس فيهم من يقطع على عصمة الإمام ويخالف في إمامته إلا قوم دل الدليل على بطلان قولهم كالكيسانية والناووسية والواقفة، فإذا أفسدنا أقوال هؤلاء ثبت إمامته عليه السلام.

As for the third principle – that truth is exclusive to this Ummah – it is a common ground agreed upon by us and our opponents, even if we may disagree in its reason. Since the proof of the validity of consensus of the Ummah in our belief is the fact that no age can remain without an infallible Imam, who cannot possibly do a wrong, based on our proofs, therefore, truth does not leave this Ummah for the infallible entity is amongst us; and according to our opponent, on the virtue of the arguments they mention, it is concluded that consensus is a binding proof. Therefore, there is no need to occupy ourselves with proving this principle. Having established these principles, the Imamate of the Master of the Age (a. s) is proved; because everyone who believes that the Imam must be infallible is certain that he is the Imam. There is no one who believes in the Imam’s infallibility and questions his Imamate, except parties whose creed is demonstrated through irrefutable proofs, such as Kaisaniyya, Nawusiyya and Waqifa. When we disprove their claims, the Imamate of our Master is automatically proved.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19108

(أقول): وأما الذي يدل على فساد قول الكيسانية القائلين بإمامة محمد بن الحنفية فأشياء.

Arguments proving the invalidity of Kaisaniyya, who believe in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah, are many.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19109

منها: أنه لو كان إماما مقطوعا على عصمته لوجب أن يكون منصوصا عليه نصا صريحا لأن العصمة لا تعلم إلا بالنص، وهم لا يدعون نصا صريحا (عليه) وإنما يتعلقون بأمور ضعيفة دخلت عليهم فيها شبهة لا تدل على النص، نحو إعطاء أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام إياه الراية يوم البصرة، وقوله له "أنت ابني حقا" مع كون الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام ابنيه وليس في ذلك دلالة على إمامته على وجه، وإنما يدل على فضيلته ومنزلته.

One is that if he were an Imam with ascertained infallibility, there must be explicit statements by the Messenger of Allah (s) and Amirul Momineen, Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a. s) about him, because infallibility can only be determined through the statement of another infallible entity. However, the Kaisaniyya do not claim an explicit tradition with this regard. Instead, they rely on weak instances, which have led them to confusion, but are far from being explicit words. One is that Amirul Momineen (a. s) granted him the standard on the battle of the Camel in Basra, and his saying, “You are truly my son,” while Hasan and Husain (a. s) were also his sons. These instances do not establish his Imamate in any way, and rather, indicate his excellence and high position.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19110

على أن الشيعة تروي أنه جرى بينه وبين علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام كلام في استحقاق الإمامة فتحاكما إلى الحجر فشهد الحجر لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام بالامامة، فكان ذلك معجزا له فسلم له الأمر وقال بإمامته.

Besides, the Shia narrate that a conversation took place between him and Ali Ibne Husain (a. s) with respect to him being worthy of Imamate and they both invoked a rock to issue a verdict and the rock testified to the Imamate of Ali Ibne Husain (a. s). This humbled Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah and he submitted to the position to his nephew and professed belief in his Imamate.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19111

1.والخبر بذلك مشهور عند الإمامية لأنهم رووا أن محمد بن الحنفية نازع علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام في الامامة وادعى أن الأمر أفضي إليه بعد أخيه الحسين عليه السلام، فناظره علي بن الحسين عليه السلام واحتج عليه بآي من القرآن كقوله: ﴿وَأُولُوا الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ…﴾ وأن هذه الآية جرت في علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام وولده ثم قال له: أحاجك إلى الحجر الأسود، فقال له:كيف تحاجني إلى حجر لا يسمع ولا يجيب؟ فأعلمه أنه يحكم بينهما، فمضيا حتى انتهيا إلى الحجر، فقال علي بن الحسين عليه السلام لمحمد بن الحنفية:تقدم فكلمه. فتقدم إليه ووقف حياله وتكلم ثم أمسك. ثم تقدم علي بن الحسين عليه السلام فوضع يده عليه ثم قال:اللهم إني أسألك باسمك المكتوب في سرادق العظمة،ثم دعا بعد ذلك وقال:لما أنطقت هذا الحجر، ثم قال:أسألك بالذي جعل فيك مواثيق العباد والشهادة لمن وافاك لما أخبرت لمن الامامة والوصية.

Narration of the testimony of Hajar Aswad for Imam Sajjad (a. s) is quite well known among the Imamiyah. There was a dispute between Muhammad bin Hanafiya and Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s) over Imamate. Muhammad claimed that after the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a. s), the Imamate has been entrusted to him. Imam Sajjad (a. s) also argued with him on the basis of the verse: “…and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other…” (8:75) Interpretation of this verse is in favor of Imamate of Imam Sajjad (a. s) and his descendants. Then Imam Sajjad (a. s) said: I argue with you through Hajar Aswad [and leave the judgment to it]. Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah asked: How can you argue with me through a stone, which can neither hear nor reply? Imam (a. s) reminded him that Hajar Aswad can adjudge between them; so they agreed on going to the Kaaba to decide (the matter) by the Black Stone. Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s) said to Muhammad Hanafiyyah: Go ahead and speak to Hajar Aswad. Muhammad came forward and stood besides Hajar Aswad and spoke to it, then he fell silent, but Hajar Aswad did not reply. Then Ali bin Husain (a. s) came forward and placed his hand on Hajar Aswad and then supplicated: “O Allah, I ask You by Your name written on the canvas of glory.” The Imam supplicated and said: “O Allah, make this stone speak.” Then he addressed Hajar Aswad: “I call you in the name of one who has reposed the covenants of people in you and made you the testimony of those who come to you, I adjure you to inform to whom Imamate and successorship of the Messenger of Allah (s) belongs?”

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19112

فتزعزع الحجر حتى كاد أن يزول، ثم أنطقه الله تعالى، فقال:يا محمد،سلم الامامة لعلي بن الحسين. فرجع محمد عن منازعته وسلمها إلى علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام. ومنها تواتر الشيعة الامامية بالنص عليه من أبيه وجده وهي موجودة في كتبهم في الاخبار لا نطول بذكرها الكتاب.

After this statement of Imam (a. s) Hajar Aswad moved in such way as if it was alive and by the command and power of Allah started speaking and said: O Muhammad, accept the Imamate of Ali bin Husain (a. s). After this event Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah withdrew his claim and accepted the Imamate of Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s). Secondly, Shia narrated an inordinate number (Mutawatir) of traditions from his father and his grandfather explicitly naming Ali Ibne Husain for Imamate. These traditions are present in our books and we will not lengthen the book by presenting them here.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19113

ومنها الأخبار الواردة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله من جهة الخاصة والعامة على ما سنذكره فيما بعد بالنص على إمامة الاثني عشر، وكل من قال بإمامتهم قطع على وفاة محمد بن الحنفية وسياقة الامامة إلى صاحب الزمان عليه السلام.

Thirdly, there are narrations recorded from the Messenger of Allah (s) by the Ahle Sunnat as well as the Chosen Congregation (Shia) carrying explicit words with regard to the Twelve Imams and anyone who believes in their Imamate, is certain of the demise of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah and the continuation of Imamate to the Master of the Age (a. s).

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19114

ومنها انقراض هذه الفرقة فإنه لم يبق في الدنيا في وقتنا ولا قبله بزمان طويل قائل يقول به، ولو كان ذلك حقا لما جاز انقراضه.

Fourthly, this sect has become extinct. Not in our time, nor before us for a very long time, a believer of this creed has existed. If it were a true faith, its extinction would have been impossible.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19115

فإن قيل: كيف يعلم انقراضهم وهلا جاز أن يكون في بعض البلاد البعيدة وجزائر البحر وأطراف الأرض أقوام يقولون بهذا القول كما يجوز أن يكون في أطراف الأرض من يقول بمذهب الحسن في أن مرتكب الكبيرة منافق فلا يمكن ادعاء انقراض هذه الفرقة وإنما كان يمكن العلم بذلك لو كان المسلمون فيهم قلة والعلماء محصورين فأما وقد انتشر الإسلام وكثر العلماء فمن أين يعلم ذلك؟ قلنا: هذا يؤدي إلى أن لا يمكن العلم بإجماع الامة على قول ولا مذهب بأن يقال:لعل في أطراف الارض من يخالف ذلك ويلزم أن يجوز أن يكون في أطراف الأرض من يقول:إن البرد لا ينقض الصوم وأنه يجوز للصائم أن يأكل إلى طلوع الشمس، لان الاول كان مذهب أبي طلحة الأنصاري، والثاني مذهب حذيفة والأعمش، وكذلك مسائل كثيرة من الفقه كان الخلف فيها(واقعا)بين الصحابة والتابعين، ثم زال الخلف فيما بعد، واجتمع أهل الأعصار على خلافه، فينبغي أن يشك في ذلك ولا نثق بالإجماع على مسألة سبق الخلاف فيها.

Objection: How can their extinction be known and why is it not possible that in faraway lands, such as islands and corners of the earth, there may be nations believing in this creed, just as it is possible that there may be people believing in the word of Hasan that someone who commits a major sin is a hypocrite. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the followers of this path no longer exist. It would have been possible if Muslims were few in the world with scant number of scholars, whereas Islam has spread and scholars are in abundance. So how can that be known? Reply: This assertion leads to the impossibility of discerning the consensus of the Ummah on any principle or idea, as it is always convenient to say that perchance there is someone in some remote periphery of the earth who disagrees with this. It follows that there might be someone in faraway parts of the earth, who says that eating hailstones does not violate a fast and that it is permissible for a fasting person to eat until sunrise; for the first was the view of Abu Talha Ansari and the second that of Huzaifah and Amash. Likewise, there are many other rulings of jurisprudence on which the companions and companions of companions (Tabiin) disagreed, and then later on disagreements disappeared and the Ummah united on a different view. Therefore, it is worthy to doubt that and mistrust any consensus on any question that has previously been a subject of disagreement.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19116

وهذا طعن من يقول إن الإجماع لا يمكن معرفته ولا التوصل إليه، والكلام في ذلك لا يختص هذه المسألة فلا وجه لايراده هنا. ثم إنا نعلم أن الأنصار طلبت الامرة ودفعهم المهاجرون عنها ثم رجعت الانصار إلى قول المهاجرين على قول المخالف، فلو أن قائلا قال:يجوز عقد الامامة لمن كان من الانصار لان الخلاف سبق فيه، ولعل في أطراف الارض من يقول به، فما كان يكون جوابهم فيه (فأي) شيء قالوه فهو جوابنا بعينه فلا نطول بذكره.

This is the argument of a person who says that consensus cannot be discerned and as this question is not exclusive to our subject, there is no reason we should go into its details here. We know that the Ansar demanded caliphate and the Muhajireen turned them away and then Ansar submitted to the idea of the Muhajireen, according to the opponent. If someone should argue that Caliphate is possible for the Ansar, for a disagreement has occurred on this matter, and perchance there is someone in the peripheries of the earth who believes in this, whatever the opponent says in response to him, is our same answer here.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19117

فإن قيل: إذا كان الإجماع عندكم إنما يكون حجة بكون المعصوم فيه، فمن أين تعلمون دخول قوله في جملة أقوال الأمة؟ (وهلا جاز أن يكون قوله منفردا عنهم فلا تثقون بالإجماع؟). قلنا: المعصوم إذا كان من جملة علماء الامة فلابد (من) أن يكون قوله موجودا في جملة أقوال العلماء، لأنه لا يجوز أن يكون منفردا مظهرا للكفر فإن ذلك لا يجوز عليه، فإذا لابد (من) أن يكون قوله في جملة الأقوال، وإن شككنا في أنه الإمام.

If they ask that since consensus is a valid proof for you only when the infallible is included, how would you know that his opinion is included amongst the opinion of the Ummah? We will answer that as Imam is one of the scholars of the Ummah, his opinion must be included amongst the opinions of scholars, for he cannot be a loner and manifesting infidelity, because that is not permissible for him. Therefore, his view has to be one of the views, even if we may not know which one is the Imam’s.

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed - Hadith 19118

فإذا اعتبرنا أقوال الامة ووجدنا بعض العلماء يخالف فيه، فإن كنا نعرفه ونعرف مولده ومنشأه لم نعتد بقوله لعلمنا أنه ليس بإمام، وإن شككنا في نسبه لم تكن المسألة إجماعا. فعلى هذا أقوال العلماء من الامة اعتبرناها فلم نجد فيهم قائلا بهذا المذهب الذي هو مذهب الكيسانية أو الواقفة، وإن وجدنا فرضا واحدا أو اثنين فإنا نعلم منشأه ومولده فلا يعتد بقوله واعتبرنا أقوال الباقين الذين نقطع على كون المعصوم فيهم، فسقطت هذه الشبهة على هذا التحرير وبان وهنه.

When we consider the views of the Ummah and find some scholars disagreeing, if we know them and their birth and location, we will not honor their views, for we know the Imam is not one of them. And if we doubt a scholar’s ancestry, the question will not be of consensus. Therefore, we considered the views of scholars of the Ummah, and do not find anyone amongst them advancing this idea, which is the faith of Kaisaniyya or Waqifa. And if by supposition we find one or two instances, we know their location and birth, and do not heed their word and consider the views of remainders, amongst whom we are certain that the Infallible is present. Therefore, this problem is solved by this explanation and its weakness is demonstrated.

Refutation of Nawusiyya belief - Hadith 19119

فأما القائلون بإمامة جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام من الناووسية وأنه حي لم يمت وأنه المهدي فالكلام عليهم ظاهر، لأنا نعلم موت جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام كما نعلم موت أبيه وجده عليهما السلام، وقتل علي عليه السلام، وموت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فلو جاز الخلاف فيه لجاز الخلاف في جميع ذلك، ويؤدي إلى قول الغلاة والمفوضة الذين جحدوا قتل علي والحسين عليهما السلام وذلك سفسطة. وسنشبع الكلام في ذلك عند الكلام على الواقفة (والناووسية) إن شاء الله تعالى.

As for those who profess the Imamate of Ja’far Ibne Muhammad, namely, the Nawusiyya, and believe that he is alive not dead; and he is the Mahdi, the argument against them is clear, for we know Ja’far Ibne Muhammad died just as his father and grandfather died, Amirul Momineen (a. s) was martyred and the Messenger (s) passed away. If dispute should be allowed in case of Ja’far Ibne Muhammad, all these instances should be open to dispute, leading to belief of the extremists (Ghulat) and the downgraders (Mufawwidha), who deny the martyrdom of Amirul Momineen (a. s) and Husain (a. s). All this is pure sophistry.

Refutation of Waqifiya belief - Hadith 19120

وأما الذي يدل على فساد مذهب الواقفة الذين وقفوا في إمامة أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام وقالوا:إنه المهدي، فقولهم باطل بما ظهر من موته عليه السلام، واشتهر واستفاض، كما اشتهر موت أبيه وجده ومن تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام. ولو شككنا لم ننفصل من الناووسية والكيسانية والغلاة والمفوضة الذين خالفوا في موت من تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام. على أن موته اشتهر ما لم يشتهر موت أحد من آبائه عليهم السلام، لأنه أظهر وأحضر والقضاة والشهود. ونودي عليه ببغداد على الجسر وقيل: "هذا الذي تزعم الرافضة أنه حي لا يموت مات حتف أنفه" وما جرى هذا المجرى لا يمكن الخلاف فيه.

Waqifiya stop at the Imamate of Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) and say that he is the Mahdi. Their assertion is invalid, because his death was manifest and well known and widely reported, like the deaths of his father, grandfather and his other forefathers before him were witnessed and reported widely. If we doubt his death, we will not have any merit of distinction from Nawusiyya, Kaisaniyya, Ghulat and Mufawwidha, who disputed the deaths of his forefathers, peace be on them all. Besides, his death was widely witnessed, more so than the death of anyone of his forefathers, because it was very much visible. They called the judges and witnesses and a proclamation was made in Baghdad over the bridge and it was declared, “He is the person the Rafidha believe is ever-alive and immortal, and has died now through a natural death.” And the other similar acts of publicity of his death are facts that cannot be disputed.

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19121

2- فروى يونس بن عبدالرحمن قال: حضر الحسين بن علي الرواسي جنازة أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام. فما وضع على شفير القبر، إذا رسول من سندي بن شاهك قد أتى أبا المض خليفته- وكان مع الجنازة-أن أكشف وجهه للناس قبل أن تدفنه حتى يروه صحيحا لم يحدث به حدث. قال: وكشف عن وجه مولاي حتى رأيته وعرفته، ثم غطي وجهه وأدخل قبره صلى الله عليه.

H 2 - Yunus bin Abdur Rahman said: Husain bin Ali Rawasi was present in the funeral of Imam Kadhim (a. s): [He says:] When the purified body of Imam (a. s) was placed besides the grave; a messenger of Sandi bin Shahik (l. a.) arrived and Abil Maza, who was the successor [or assistant] of Sandi and who was with the purified body of Imam (a. s) said: Before you bury him, expose his face to the people so that they may see that his body is uninjured and that his death was not through torture and that he died a natural death. After that they opened the shroud and I recognized the illuminated face of our Imam. Then they covered it and interred him in the grave. May excess of divine blessings be on Imam Kadhim (a. s).

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19122

3- وروى محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد العبيدي قال: أخبرتني رحيم أم ولد الحسين بن علي بن يقطين- وكانت امرأة حرة فاضلة قد حجت نيفا وعشرين حجة- عن سعيد مولى أبي الحسن عليه السلام-وكان يخدمه في الحبس ويختلف في حوائجه-أنه حضره حين مات كما يموت الناس من قوة إلى ضعف إلى أن قضى عليه السلام.

H 3 - Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid Ubaidi says: Rahima, the mother of Husain bin Ali bin Yaqtin, who was a respected and an accomplished lady, performed Hajj 27 times. She narrates from Saeed, servant of Imam Kadhim (a. s), who used to visit the prison in order to serve the Holy Imam (a. s), that he was also present at the time of martyrdom of Imam (a. s) and he reported: Just as people become weak after being strong and then they die, same was the case of the death of Imam (a. s).

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19123

4- وروى محمد بن خالد البرقي، عن محمد بن عباد المهلبي قال:لما حبس هارون الرشيد أبا إبراهيم موسى عليه السلام وأظهر الدلائل والمعجزات وهو في الحبس تحير الرشيد، فدعا يحيى بن خالد البرمكي فقال له:يا أبا علي أما ترى ما نحن فيه من هذه العجائب، ألا تدبر في أمر هذا الرجل تدبيرا يريحنا من غمه؟ فقال له يحيى بن خالد البرمكي:الذي أراه لك يا أمير المؤمنين أن تمنن عليه وتصل رحمه، فقد- والله- أفسد علينا قلوب شيعتنا. وكان يحيى يتولاه، وهارون لا يعلم ذلك. فقال هارون: انطلق إليه وأطلق عنه الحديد، وأبلغه عني السلام، وقل له: يقول لك ابن عمك: إنه قد سبق مني فيك يمين أني لا أخليك حتى تقر لي بالاساء‌ة، وتسألني العفو عما سلف منك، وليس عليك في إقرارك عار، ولا في مسألتك إياي منقصة. وهذا يحيى بن خالد (هو) ثقتي ووزيري، وصاحب أمري، فسله بقدر ما أخرج من يميني وانصرف راشد.

H 4 - Muhammad bin Khalid Barqi has narrated from Muhammad bin Ibad Muhallabi that when Harun Rashid imprisoned Imam Kadhim (a. s) and His Eminence also displayed miracles in the prison itself in order to prove his rightfulness, Harun Rashid was bewildered; till he summoned Yahya bin Khalid Barmaki and said: “O Abu Ali, do you not see the wonders in which we are? Do you not consider the affair of this man (Imam Musa) and relieve us from his worry?” So he advised correctly and guided him to a good deed, saying to him: “Commander of the faithful, I think that you have to be kind to him and to link to his womb relatives. For, by Allah, he has spoiled the hearts of our followers against us.” Harun Rashid responded to his advice, saying to him: “Go to him, remove the iron from him, give him my regards, and say: ‘Your cousin says: I have sworn by Allah concerning you that I will not release you unless you admit that you have mistreated me. You must ask me to forgive your past deeds. There is no disgrace in your admitting (that), nor is there any defect in your asking me for that. This is Yahya bin Khalid, my trustworthy one, minister and head of my affairs. So ask him in as much as I get rid of my oath and you would also be able to return to Medina safely.”’

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19124

5- قال محمد بن عباد: فأخبرني موسى بن يحيى بن خالد: أن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام قال ليحيى: يا أبا علي أنا ميت، وإنما بقي من أجلي أسبوع، أكتم موتي وائتني يوم الجمعة عند الزوال، وصل علي أنت وأوليائي فرادى، وانظر إذا سار هذا الطاغية إلى الرقة، وعاد إلى العراق لا يراك ولا تراه لنفسك، فإني رأيت في نجمك ونجم ولدك ونجمه أنه يأتي عليكم فاحذروه. ثم قال: يا أبا علي أبلغه عني:يقول لك موسى بن جعفر: رسولي يأتيك يوم الجمعة فيخبرك بما ترى، و ستعلم غدا إذا جاثيتك بين يدي الله من الظالم والمعتدي على صاحبه، والسلام. فخرج يحيى من عنده، واحمرت عيناه من البكاء حتى دخل على هارون فأخبره بقصته وما رد عليه، فقال (له) هارون: إن لم يدع النبوة بعد أيام فما أحسن حالنا. فلما كان يوم الجمعة توفي أبو إبراهيم عليه السلام، وقد خرج هارون إلى المدائن قبل ذلك، فأخرج إلى الناس حتى نظروا إليه، ثم دفن عليه السلام ورجع الناس، فافترقوا فرقتين: فرقة تقول: مات، وفرقة تقول: لم يمت.

H 5 - Muhammad bin Ibad said: Musa bin Yahya bin Khalid informed me: Imam Kadhim (a. s) said to Yahya: I will definitely die after a week. Keep this confidential and come to me at noon on Friday with as many of your friends as you can and recite my funeral prayers and take care that in order to protect your life when you travel, this tyrant [Harun Rashid] who has gone to Riqa, when he comes back, he should not see you and you should not see him. As I have seen in the destiny of you and your sons that he would become inimical to you and pursue you; so keep away from Harun. Then Imam (a. s) said: “O Abu Ali, inform him (Harun) on my behalf: ‘Musa says to you: My messenger will come to you on Friday and tell you about what you see (i. e., his death). When I bring a suit against you before Allah, you will tomorrow come to know who wronged and aggressed against his opponent! And Peace (be on you). Yahya went out while he could not see his way due to his pain and impatience. His eyes turned red out of weeping when he saw the Imam (a. s) in that condition. He told Harun about the Imam’s statement, and he sneeringly said: “If he leaves prophecy after some days, our state will be better!” [This statement of Harun shows his extreme distress before the Imam]. When it was Friday, Harun traveled to Madayan and arrived after the martyrdom of Imam (a. s). They brought out the purified body of Imam (a. s) so that people may pay tribute to him, after that they interred him and returned. After that incident people became divided into two sects: some said: The Imam has passed away and others said: The Imam has not died; he is alive.

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19125

6- وأخبرنا أحمد بن عبدون سماعا وقراء‌ة عليه قال: أخبرنا أبو الفرج علي بن الحسين الأصبهاني، قال: حدثني أحمد بن عبيدالله بن عمار قال: حدثنا علي بن محمد النوفلي، عن أبيه قال الأصبهاني: وحدثني أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني يحيى بن الحسن العلوي، وحدثني غيرهما ببعض قصـته، وجمعت ذلك بعضه إلى بعض، قـالوا: كان السبب في أخـذ موسى بن جعفر عليهما السلام أن الرشيد جعل ابنه في حجر جعفر بن محمد بن الاشعث، فحسده يحيى بن خالد البرمكي وقال: إن أفضت الخلافة إليه زالت دولتي ودولة ولدي. فاحتال على جعفر بن محمد-وكان يقول بالامامة-حتى داخله وأنس إليه. وكان يكثر غشيانه في منزله، فيقف على أمره، فيرفعه إلى الرشيد ويزيد عليه بما يقدح في قلبه. ثم قال يوما لبعض ثقاته:تعرفون لي رجلا من آل أبي طالب ليس بواسع الحال يعرفني ما أحتاج (إليه)؟ فدل على علي بن إسماعيل بن جعفر بن محمد، فحمل إليه (يحيى بن خالد مالا). وكان موسى عليه السلام يأنس إليه ويصله، وربما أفضى إليه بأسراره كلها. فكتب ليشخص به، فأحسن موسى عليه السلام بذلك فدعاه فقال: إلى أين يا بن أخي؟ قال: إلى بغداد. قال: ما تصنع؟ قال: علي دين أنا مملق. قال: فانا أقضي دينك وأفعل بك واصنع. فلم يلتفت إلى ذلك. فقال له: أنظر يا بن أخي، لا تؤتم أولادي. وأمر له بثلثمائة دينار وأربعة آلاف درهم. فلما قام من بين يديه، قال أبوالحسن موسى عليه السلام لمن حضره:والله ليسعين في دمي، ويؤتمن أولادي. فقالوا له: جعلنـا الله فداك، فأنت تعلم هـذا من حـاله وتعطيه وتصله؟!فقـال لهم:نعم، حدثني أبي، عن آبائه، عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم:"إن الرحم إذا قطعت فوصلت قطعها الله." فخرج علي بن إسماعيل حتى أتى إلى يحيى بن خالد فتعرف منه خبر موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام ورفعه إلى الرشيد، وزاد عليه وقال له:إن الاموال تحمل إليه من المشرق والمغرب، وإن له بيوت أموال، وإنه اشترى ضيعة بثلاثين ألف دينار فسماها "اليسيرة" وقال (له) صاحبها وقد أحضر المال. لا آخذ هذا النقد، ولا آخذ إلا نقد كذ. فأمر بذلك المال فرد وأعطاه ثلاثين ألف دينار من النقد الذي سأل بعينه، فرفع ذلك كله إلى الرشيد، فأمر له بمائتي ألف درهم يسبب له على بعض النواحي فاختار كور المشرق، ومضت رسله لتقبض المال، ودخل هو في بعض الأيام إلى الخلاء فزحر زحرة خرجت منها حشوته (كله) فسقط، وجهدوا في ردها فلم يقدروا، فوقع لما به وجاء‌ه المال وهو ينزع فقال: ما أصنع به وأنا في الموت. وحج الرشيد في تلك السنة فبدأ بقبر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فقال: يا رسول الله إني أعتذر إليك من شيء أريد أن أفعله، أريد أن أحبس موسى بن جعفر فإنه يريد التشتيت بأمّتك وسفك دمائها. ثم أمر به فأخذ من المسجد فادخل إليه فقيده، وأخرج من داره بغلان عليهما قبتان مغطاتان هو عليه السلام في إحداهما، ووجه مع كل واحدة منهما خيلا فأخذ بواحدة على طريق البصــرة، والأخرى على طريق الكوفة، ليعمي على الناس أمره، وكان في التي مضت إلى البصرة.وأمر الرسول أن يسلمه إلى عيسى بن جعفر بن المنصور، وكان على البصرة حينئذ فمضى به، فحبسه عنده سنة. ثم كتب إلى الرشيد أن خذه مني وسلمه إلى من شئت وإلا خليت سبيله، فقد اجتهدت بأن أجد عليه حجة، فما أقدر على ذلك حتى أني لاتسمع عليه إذا دعا لعله يدعو علي أو عليك، فما أسمعه يدعو إلا لنفسه يسأل الرحمة والمغفرة. فوجه من تسلمه منه، وحبسه عند الفضل بن الربيع ببغداد فبقي عنده مدة طويلة وأراد الرشيد على شيء من أمره فأبى. فكتب بتسليمه إلى الفضل بن يحيى فتسلمه منه وأراد ذلك منه فلم يفعل. وبلغه أنه عنده في رفاهية وهو حينئذ بالرقة. فأنفذ مسرور الخادم إلى بغداد على البريد، وأمره أن يدخل من فوره إلى موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام فيعرف خبره، فإن كان الامر على ما بلغه أوصل كتابا منه إلى العباس بن محمد وأمره بامتثاله، وأوصل كتابا منه آخر إلى السندي بن شاهك يأمره بطاعة العباس. فقدم مسرور فنزل دار الفضل بن يحيى لا يدري أحد ما يريد، ثم دخل على موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام فوجده على ما بلغ الرشيد، فمضى من فوره إلى العباس بن محمد والسندي، فأوصل الكتابين إليهما. فلم يلبث الناس أن خرج الرسول يركض إلى الفضل بن يحيى، فركب معه وخرج مشدوهاً دهشاً، حتى دخل (على) العباس، فدعا بسياط وعقابين. فوجه ذلك إلى السندي، وأمر بالفضل فجرد ثم ضربه مائة سوط، وخرج متغير اللون خلاف ما دخل، فاذهبت نخوته، فجعل يسلم على الناس يمينا وشمالا. وكتب مسرور بالخبر إلى الرشيد، فأمر بتسليم موسى عليه السلام إلى السندي بن شاهك وجلس مجلسا حافلا، وقال: أيها الناس إن الفضل بن يحيى قد عصاني وخالف طاعتي ورأيت أن ألعنه فالعنوه. فلعنه الناس من كل ناحية حتى ارتج البيت والدار بلعنه. وبلغ يحيى بن خالد فركب إلى الرشيد، ودخل من غير الباب الذي يدخل الناس منه حتى جاء‌ه من خلفه وهو لا يشعر، ثم قال له: التفت إلي يا أمير المؤمنين. فأصغى إليه فزعا فقال له: إن الفضل حدث، وأنا أكفيك ما تريد. فانطلق وجهه وسر، وأقبل على الناس فقال: إن الفضل كان عصاني في شيء فلعنته، وقد تاب وأناب إلى طاعتي فتولوه. فقالوا له:نحن أولياء من واليت وأعداء من عاديت وقد توليناه. ثم خرج يحيى بن خالد بنفسه على البريد حتى أتى بغداد، فماج الناس وأرجفوا بكل شيء. فأظهر أنه ورد لتعديل السواد والنظر في أمر العمال، وتشاغل ببعض ذلك ودعا السندي فأمره فيه بأمره، فامتثله. وسأل موسى عليه السلام السندي عند وفاته أن يحضره مولى له ينزل عند دار العباس بن محمد في أصحاب القصب ليغسله، ففعل ذلك. قال: سألته أن يأذن لي أن أكفنه فأبى وقال: إنا أهل بيت مهور نسائنا وحج صرورتنا وأكفان موتانا من طهرة أموالنا، وعندي كفني. فلما مات أدخل عليه الفقهاء ووجوه أهل بغداد وفيهم: الهيثم بن عدي وغيره، فنظروا إليه لا أثر به، وشهدوا على ذلك، وأخرج فوضع على الجسر ببغداد ونودي: هذا موسى بن جعفر قد مات فانظروا إليه. فجعل الناس يتفرسون في وجهه وهو ميت. قال: وحدثني رجل من بعض الطالبيين أنه نودي عليه: هذا موسى بن جعفر الذي تزعم الرافضة أنه لا يموت فانظروا إليه. فنظروا إليه. قالوا: وحمل فدفن في مقابر قريش، فوقع قبره إلى جانب رجل من النوفليين يقال له عيسى بن عبد الله.

H 6 - Ahmad bin Abdun has narrated the statement of Abul Faraj Ali bin Husain Isfahani that he said: Ahmad bin Ubaid Allah bin Ammar reported on the authority of Ali bin Muhammad Nawfali on the authority of his father; and Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saad (reported); and Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Muhammad bin Yahya on the authority of their teachers, who said: The reason for the arrest of Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) was that Harun Rashid had put his son in the care of Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Ashath and Yahya bin Khalid Barmaki was jealous of that. He said (to himself): “If the caliphate passes on to (the son), my dominion and that of my son will be destroyed.” Therefore he deceived Ja’far bin Muhammad - and the latter used to believe in Imamate - so that he managed to gain access to him and establish friendly relations with him. His visits to his house were frequent and he became acquainted with his affairs, which he reported back to H¡r£n Rashid and he added to these reports that which would make (Harun Rashid) feel hatred towards him. One day (Yahya bin Khalid) asked some of those he trusted: “Would you find for me a member of the family of Abu Talib, who is not in comfortable circumstances, and then he would let me know what I need?” He was directed to Ali bin Ismail bin Ja’far bin Muhammad. Yahya bin Khalid took him some money. Musa (a. s) was friendly with Ali bin Ismail bin Ja’far bin Muhammad, used to bring him gifts and treat him well. Yahya bin Khalid sent to (Ali bin Ismail) requesting him to visit Harun Rashid and drawing his attention to the kind treatment, which he had given him. So he decided to do that. Musa (a. s) was concerned and summoned Ali. “Where are you going, cousin?” he asked. “Baghdad,” was the reply. “Why are you doing that?” he enquired. “I am in debt and I am poor,” he answered. “I will pay your debt and act for you and carry out (what you need),” Musa (a. s) told him. He did not pay attention to that and began to set about (preparing for his) departure. Abul Hasan (a. s) asked him to come and said to him: “Are you leaving?” “Yes,” he replied, “I must do that.” “Look, cousin,” he said to him, “fear God and do not give away any confidences against my children.” He ordered him to be given three hundred dinars and four thousand dirhams. (When he stood up in front of him) Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) spoke to those who were present: “By God, he will strive against my blood and will confide against my children.” “May God make us your ransom,” they said, “did you know this from his state when you were giving him gifts and being generous to him?” “Yes,” he said, “my father told me on the authority of his ancestors, on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s) that when kin cut themselves away, then they should be brought back, for if they cut themselves away, God will cut them off. I wanted to bring him back after he had cut himself off from me for if he cuts me off, God will cut him off. Ali bin Ismail set out until he reached Yahya bin Khalid. He gave him news of Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) and (Yahya bin Khalid) reported to Harun Rashid and added additional material to it. Then he took him to Harun Rashid. The latter asked him about his uncle and he gave information against him to (Harun Rashid). He told him that money was being brought to him from east and west and that he had bought an estate named Al-Yasir for thirty thousand dinars. Its (former) owner had said when he had brought him the money: “I will not accept this currency. I will only accept such-and-such currency.” Then he ordered that money be brought and gave thirty thousand dinars of the currency whose coinage he had asked for. Harun Rashid listened to that and then ordered him to be given two hundred thousand dirhams, with which he sought to make a living in one of the areas. He chose one of the provinces of the east. His messengers were sent to bring the money and he waited there for its arrival. One day he went to the toilet when he was suffering from dysentery and as a result of it the whole of his stomach came out. He fell down. They tried to put it back, but they could not. He was aware of his situation when the money was brought to him while he was in the pangs of death. He said: “What can I do with it? I am about to die.” That year Harun Rashid went on the pilgrimage. He began it at Medina and there he had Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) arrested. It is reported that when he came to Medina, Musa (a. s) received him with a group of nobles. They had gone out to meet him and then Abul Hasan (a. s) had gone on to the mosque as was his custom. Harun Rashid waited until night and then went to the tomb of the Messenger of Allah (s). He said: “O Messenger of Allah (s), I apologize to you for something I want to do. I want to imprison Musa Ibn Ja’far, because he intends to divide your community and cause bloodshed.” Then he ordered him to be taken from the mosque and brought before him. He had him put in chains and called for two awnings to be brought. He had (Abul Hasan) put in one of them on a mule and had the other awning put on another mule. The two mules left his house carrying the two awnings, which were closed. With each one went the cavalry. The cavalry divided and some went with one awning on road to Basra and the other to Kufa. Harun Rashid only did that in order to confuse the people about what had happened to Abul Hasan (a. s). He ordered the men who were with the awning in which was Abul Hasan to hand him over to Isa bin Ja’far bin Mansur, who was governor of Basra at that time. He was handed over to him and he kept him in detention for a year. He then wrote a letter to Harun saying, “You may take him (i. e. Imam Kadhim) from me and hand him over to any other person; otherwise, I will release him. I have tried all means to find any overwhelming evidence against him, but I failed. In fact, I even eavesdropped on him hoping that I would hear him invoking God’s curse upon me or you, but I always heard him supplicating God for himself and imploring Him for mercy and forgiveness. So, Harun order someone to go and receive the Imam from Isa. The Imam was then detained with al-Fadhl ibn al-Rabi in Baghdad where he spent a very long time of detention. However, Harun wanted al-Fadhl to kill the Imam, but the later refused. As a result, Harun ordered him through a letter to give the Imam to al-Fadhl ibn Yahya who also refused to obey Harun's orders of killing the Imam. Harun, while residing in al-Riqqah, was then informed that the Imam was living in luxury under the custody of al-Fadhl ibn Yahya; so, he ordered his servant Masrur to go to Baghdad, immediately come to Musa ibn Jaffar and gather information about his actual situation there. Harun instructed, “If you see him enjoy luxury as has been told, you mus then take this letter of mine to Abbas ibn Muhammad and take this another letter to Sindi ibn Shahak and order both of them to carry out my instruction mentioned in these letters immediately.” Obeying his master, Masrur came to Baghdad and resided in the house of al-Fadhl ibn Yahya without letting anyone know what he had come for. He then visited Musa ibn Jaffar and found him enjoying luxury, as exactly as Harun had been told. As soon as he left, he headed for Abbas and Sindi and delivered them the two letters of Harun. At once, the messenger left for al-Fadhl ibn Yahya running. When he was there, the people noticed that al-Fadhl rode with the messenger while he was overcome by astonishment and surprise. Once he met Abbas, he asked for lashes and a lashing wood. He assigned the mission to Sindi and ordered that al-Fadhl should be stripped of his clothes and lashed one hundred lashes. When he left, al-Fadhl was extremely astounded that he unconsciously went on greeting people. Masrur the servant transmitted this news to Harun in a letter and the latter ordered him to had over Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) to Sindi ibn Shahak. Harun gathered the people and delivered a speech, saying, “O people, al-Fadhl ibn Yahya has disobeyed and challenged my orders. So, I see that you should invoke curse on him.” Cries of curse on al-Fadhl were uttered by all people from every corner of Harun's house that shook with these cries. Upon receiving these news, Yahya ibn Khalid came to Harun and entered from another door than the one usually used by people. He thus surprised Harun from his back and said to him, “Would you please listen to me, O Amir al-Mu'minin?” Panicked by this move, Harun paid his attention to Yahya who said to him, “It is true that al-Fadhl has committed a mistake, but we can set aright what he has ruined.” These words gladdened Harun who thus turned his face towards the attendants and said to them, “Because al-Fadhl had disobeyed me, I asked you to invoke curse upon him. Now that he repented and returned to my obedience, you should now accept him as your chief.” Acceding to him, the attendants shouted, “We always are friends of those whom you befriends and enemies of those whom you alienate. So, we are now loyalists to al-Fadhl.” Yahya ibn Khalid himself undertook the mission of transferring the ruler’s letters. When he arrived in Baghdad, the people surged and began to doubt everything. So, Yahya had to pretend that he had come for setting aright all their affairs and observing the performance of the governmental officials. While he was implementing some of these reformations, he summoned Sindi and conveyed to him the instructions of the ruler. Of course, Sindi went on carrying out these instructions. At the hour of his death, Imam Musa (a. s) asked Sindi to bring to him one of his servants who lived in the house of Abbas ibn Muhammad so that he would perform the ritual bathing of his body after his death. Sindi did. The reporter added: I asked Imam Kadhim (a. s) to allow me to enshroud him, but he refused and said, “We, the Ahl al-Bayt, manage the affairs of the dowries of our wives, our journeys to the Hajj pilgrimage and the shrouds that are used for enshrouding our dead bodies from our purest legally gotten money. I have my own shroud.” When the Imam passed away, master scholars and celebrated personalities of Baghdad, one of whom was al-Haytham ibn Adi, were allowed to see his dead body so that they would witness that he was not killed; rather, his death was natural. His dead body was then taken out and put on the bridge. A caller shouted, “This is the body of Musa ibn Jaffar. You people may come and look at it.” So, the people came to look at his face fixedly. The Reporter added: A man from the descendants of Ali ibn Abi Talib reported to me that the caller who stood on the dead body of Imam Kadhim shouted, “This is Musa ibn Jaffar whom the Rafidah claim that he would not die. Come on and look at him.” So, people came and gazed at the body. The Imam’s body was then carried and buried in the cemetery of Quraysh; so, his grave was next to a man from the Nawfar family, whose name was Isa ibn Abdullah.”

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim - Hadith 19126

7- وروى محمد بن يعقوب عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن الحسن بن محمد بن بشار قال حدثني شيخ من أهل قطيعة الربيع من العامة ممن كان يقبل قوله، قال:جمعنا السندي بن شاهك ثمانين رجلا من الوجوه المنسوبين إلى الخير فأدخلنا على موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام، وقال لنا السندي:يا هؤلاء انظروا إلى هذا الرجل هل حدث به حدث؟ فإن أمير المؤمنين لم يرد به سوء، وإنما ننتظر به أن يقدم ليناظره وهو صحيح موسع عليه في جميع أموره فسلوه وليس لنا هم إلا النظر إلى الرجل في فضله وسمته. فقال موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام:أما ما ذكره من التوسعة وما أشبهها فهو على ما ذكر، غير أني أخبركم أيها النفر إني قد سقيت السم في سبع تمرات وأنا غدا أخضر وبعد غد أموت. فنظرت إلى السندي بن شاهك يضطرب ويرتعد مثل السعفة. فموته عليه السلام أشهر من أن يحتاج إلى ذكر الرواية به، لأن المخالف في ذلك يدفع الضرورات، والشك في ذلك يؤدي إلى الشك في موت كل واحد من آبائه وغيرهم فلا يوثق بموت أحد. على أن المشهور عنه عليه السلام أنه وصى إلى ابنه علي بن موسى عليه السلام وأسند إليه أمره بعد موته، والأخبار بذلك أكثر من أن تحصى، نذكر منها طرفا ولو كان حيا باقيا لما احتاج إليه.

7 - Muhammad bin Yaqub has narrated from Ali bin Ibrahim and he from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid and he from Hasan bin Muhammad bin Bashar and he from an old man from Qatiatur Rabi (a Baghdad locality) from Ahle Sunnat and from those who commanded influence and their statements are reliable; they have narrated that he said: Sandi bin Shahik gathered us eighty persons from the respectable and noble class and took us to Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s) and said: ‘Look at this man. Has anything happened to him? That is because people claim that a detested thing has been done to him. They say that many times. This is his house and this is his bed. We entertained him and did not harass him. The Commander of the faithful (Harun) does not intend to do evil to him; he is waiting for him to debate with him. He is entertained in all his affairs. So ask him.’” That Shaykh said: “We had no concern, except that we intended to see and meet the Imam. When we approached him, we did not see the like of him in virtue and worship. He said to us: ‘As for the entertainment and the like he mentioned, they are other than what he mentioned. However, people, I will tell you: I have been given poison in seven fresh dates. I will turn yellow tomorrow and die after tomorrow.’” When Sandi heard that, his strength collapsed, and he shook all over. That is because the Imam refuted his claims of being innocent of assassinating him. On the basis of this, the martyrdom of the Imam (a. s) is so well known that it does not need the mention of traditional reports; because denial of the martyrdom of the Imam in the meaning of opposing the necessities and facts, and on one side doubt in his martyrdom leads to doubt in the death and martyrdom of each of his Infallible forefathers and even others, Therefore, one will not be certain of the death of any of them. In addition to what has passed, it is well known that the Imam made a bequest to his son, Ali bin Musa (a. s) and after the martyrdom, entrusted the matter of Imamate to him and there are more traditional reports on this subject than they can be computed; we mention some of them to show that if he had been alive, there would have been no need for him to make a bequest to Imam Ali Ridha (a. s).

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19127

8- فمن ذلك ما رواه محمد بن يعقوب الكليني، عن محمد بن الحسن، عن سهل بن زياد، عن محمد بن علي وعبيد الله بن المرزبان، عن ابن سنان قال:دخلت على أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام-من قبل أن يقدم العراق بسنة-وعلي إبنه جالس بين يديه، فنظر إلي وقال: يا محمد (أما إنه) سيكون في هذه السنة حركة فلا تجزع لذلك. قال: قلت: وما يكون جعلني الله فداك فقد أقلقتني؟ قال: أصير إلى هذه الطاغية أما إنه لا يبدأني منه سوء ومن الذي يكون بعده. قال: قلت: وما يكون جعلني الله فداك؟ قال: يضل الله الظالمين ويفعل الله ما يشاء. قال قلت: وما ذلك جعلني الله فداك؟ قال: من ظلم ابني هذا حقه وجحده إمامته من بعدي كان كمن ظلم علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام إمامته و جحده حقه بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. قال:قلت:والله لئن مد الله لي في العمر لاسلمن له حقه ولا قرن بإمامته. قال: صدقت يا محمد يمد الله في عمرك وتسلم له حقه عليه السلام وتقر له بإمامته وإمامة من يكون بعده. قال: قلت: ومن ذاك؟ قال: ابنه محمد. قال: قلت: له الرضا والتسليم.

H 8 - Among the reports narrated by Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini from Muhammad bin Hasan from Sahal bin Ziyad from Muhammad bin Ali and Ubaidullah bin Marzaban from Muhammad bin Sinan is that he said: I visited Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) the year before he went to Iraq. Ali, his son, was sitting in front of him. He looked at me and said: Muhammad, this year there will be some disturbance, but do not be worried by that. “May God make me your ransom, what will that be?” I asked him, for he had filled me with anxiety. “I will go to this despot,” he answered, “but he will not receive any evil from me nor from the one who will be after me.” “May God make me your ransom, what will happen?” I said. “Whoever wrongs this son of mine and denies his Imamate after me is like those who wronged Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and denied his right after the Messenger of Allah (s),” he replied. “If God supports me in my life, may I submit to his right and declare my belief in his Imamate?” I asked. “True, Muhammad,” he said, “God will support you during your life and you will submit to his right and declare your belief in his Imamate, and the Imamate of the one who will be (Imam) after him.” “Who will that be?” I asked. “His son, Muhammad,” he answered. I said: “I give consent and submit to him.”

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19128

9- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن سنان وإسماعيل بن عباد القصري جميعا، عن داود الرقي قال:قلت لابي إبراهيم عليه السلام:جعلت فداك إني قد كبر سني فخذ بيدي(وانقذني)من النار،(من صاحبنا بعدك)؟ فأشار إلى إبنه أبي الحسن عليه السلام فقال:هذا صاحبكم من بعدي.

H 9 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Sinan and Ismail bin Ibad Qasri; all of whom narrate from Dawood Ibn Kathir Raqqi that he said: I said to Abu Ibrahim (Imam Kadhim): May I be your ransom, I have grown old. So take my hand and save me from Hell-fire. Who is our leader after you? Imam (a. s) pointed to his son, Abul Hasan (Imam Ridha) and said: This is your leader after me.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19129

10- عنه، عن الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عبدالله، عن الحسن، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن محمد بن إسحاق بن عمار قال:قلت لابي الحسن الاول عليه السلام:ألا تدلني على من آخذ منه ديني؟ فقال:هذا ابني علي. إن أبي أخذ بيدي فأدخلني إلى قبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وقال:يا بني إن الله قال:﴿إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً﴾. وإن الله عز وجل إذا قال قولا وفى به.

H 10 - It is narrated from Husain bin Muhammad bin Mualla bin Muhammad from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abdullah from Hasan from Ibn Ubayy Umair from Muhammad bin Ishaq bin Ammar that he said: I said to Abul Hasan the first (Imam Kadhim a. s.): Show me from whom I will take (instruction in) my religion.” This son of mine, Ali, he said. My father took my hand and took me to the tomb of the Messenger of Allah (s). He said to me that God, may His name be exalted, said: I make you a Caliph on earth, and that when God, the Exalted, says anything, He carries it out.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19130

11- عنه، عن محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن الحسين بن نعيم الصحاف قال: كنت أنا وهشام بن الحكم وعلي بن يقطين ببغداد، فقال علي بن يقطين:كنت عند العبد الصالح عليه السلام (جالسا فدخل عليه إبنه علي) فقال لي: يا علي بن يقطين هذا علي سيد ولدي، أما إني (قد) نحلته كنيتي. فضرب هشام براحته جبهته، ثم قال:ويحك كيف قلت؟ فقال علي بن يقطين:سمعته والله منه كما قلت.فقال هشام: إن الأمر (والله) فيه من بعده.

H 11 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Mahbub from Husain bin Naeem Sahaf that he said: I, Hisham bin Hakam and Ali bin Yaqtin were in Baghdad, when Ali bin Yaqtin said: I was with Abdus Salih [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)] when his son, Ali entered. Imam (a. s) said: O Ali bin Yaqtin, this Ali, is the chief of my children and I have given to him my agnomen (both were called Abul Hasan). [In another narration:] Hisham struck his face with the palm of his hand and said: Shame on you, how can you say that? ‘By God, I heard it from him, just as I said it,’ replied Ali bin Yaqtin. ‘Then, by God, the authority is for him after (Musa),’ said Hisham.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19131

12- عنه، عن عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن معاوية بن حكيم، عن نعيم القابوسي، عن أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام (أنه) قال:ابني علي أكبر ولدي وآثرهم عندي وأحبهم إلي وهو ينظر معي في الجفر ولم ينظر فيه إلا نبي أو وصي نبي.

H 12 - It is narrated from a group of our scholars from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Muawiyah bin Hakim Naeem Qabusi from Abul Hasan, Musa (a. s) that he said: My son, Ali, the eldest of my children, is the one most preferred by me and the one most loved by me. He examined the leather case (Jafr) with me. Only a prophet or the testamentary trustee (Wasi) of a prophet can examine it.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19132

13- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن سنان وعلي بن الحكم جميعا، عن الحسين بن المختار قال: خرجت إلينا ألواح من أبي الحسن عليه السلام- وهو في الحبس-:عهدي إلى أكبر ولدي أن يفعل كذا وأن يفعل كذا، وفلان لا تنله شيئا حتى ألقاك أو يقضي الله علي الموت.

H 13 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Sinan and Ali bin Hakam; together they narrate from Husain bin Mukhtar that he said: The ordinances (alwah) came to us from Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) while he was in prison: My testament (ahd) to the eldest of my sons is that he should do such-and-such. As far as so-and-so is concerned, do not give him anything until you meet me or God decrees death for me.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19133

14- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن زياد بن مروان القندي- (وكان من الواقفة) قال: دخلت على أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام وعنده أبو الحسن إبنه فقال لي:يا زياد هذا إبنى علي، أن كتابه كتابي، وكلامه كلامي، ورسوله رسولي، وما قال فالقول قوله.

H 14 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Ziyad bin Marwan Qandi, who was from the Waqifiya sect that he said: I visited Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a. s)]. With him was Abul Hasan [Ali Ridha (a. s)], his son. Imam (a. s) said: Ziyad, this is my son, Ali. His writing is my writing, his words are my words, his messenger is my messenger, and whatever he says, (the truth) is what he says.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19134

15- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن الفضل، عن المخزومي- وكانت أمه من ولد جعفر بن أبي طالب- قال بعث إلينا أبوالحسن موسى عليه السلام فجمعنا ثم قال(لنا):أتدرون لم جمعتكم؟ فقلنا: لا. قال: اشهدوا أن ابني هذا وصيي والقيم بأمري وخليفتي من بعدي. من كان له عندي دين فليأخذه من ابني هذا، ومن كانت له عندي عدة فليتنجزه منه،ومن لم يكن له بد من لقائي فلا يلقني إلا بكتابه.

H 15 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Afzal from Makhzumi, whose mother was a descendant of Ja’far bin Abu Talib, that: Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) summoned us and we gathered. Then he said: Do you know why I have summoned you? No, we answered. Witness that this son of mine is my testamentary trustee (Wasi) and one who will superintend my affair as my successor after me. Whoever has a debt (to be collected) from me, let him collect it from this son of mine. Whoever I have made a promise to; let him get its fulfillment from him. Whoever has to meet me, will only do so through his correspondence.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19135

16- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن أبي علي الخزاز، عن داود بن سليمان قال:قلت لابي إبراهيم عليه السلام: إني أخاف أن يحدث حدث ولا ألقاك فأخبرني عن الامام بعدك؟ فقال:ابني فلان -يعني أبا الحسن عليه السلام.

H 16 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Abi Ali Khazzaz from Dawood bin Sulaiman that he said: I said to Abu Ibrahim [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)]: I am afraid that something may happen and I will not be able to meet you. So tell me who the Imam is after you? Imam (a. s) replied: My son, so-and-so, meaning Abul Hasan [Imam Ali Ridha].

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19136

17- وبهذا الاسناد، عن ابن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن سعيد بن أبي الجهم عن نصر بن قابوس قال:قلت لابي إبراهيم عليه السلام:إني سألت أباك عليه السلام من الذي يكون بعدك؟ فأخبرني أنك أنت هو، فلما توفي أبو عبدالله عليه السلام ذهب الناس يمينا وشمالا وقلت بك أنا وأصحابي. فأخبرني من الذي يكون من بعدك من ولدك؟ قال: إبني فلان.

H 17 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Saeed bin Abil Jaham from Nasr bin Qabus that he said: I said to Abu Ibrahim [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)]: I asked your father who would be the Imam after him and he told me that you would be. Therefore, when Abu Abdullah [Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s)] passed away, the people went to right and left, while I and my companions declared (our support) for you. Therefore, tell me which of your children will be (the Imam) after You? My son, so-and-so [Imam Ali Ridha (a. s)], he said.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19137

18- عنه، عن أحمد، عن محمد بن علي، عن الضحاك بن الاشعث، عن داود بن زربي قال:جئت إلى أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام بمال (قال): فأخذ بعضه وترك بعضه، فقلت:أصلحك الله لأي شيء تركته عندي؟ فقال: إن صاحب هذا الأمر يطلبه منك. فلما جاء نعيه بعث إليّأبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام، فسألني ذلك المال، فدفعته إليه.

H 18 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Zahak bin Ashath from Dawood bin Zarbi that he said: I brought some money to Abu Ibrahim [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)]. He took some of it and left some of it. “May God set you right,” I said, “Why have you left it with me?” “The one who will be in charge of the authority will ask you for it,” he told. When the news of his death came, Abul Hasan, Ridha (a. s) summoned me and asked me for that money and I paid it to him.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19138

19- عنه، عن أحمد بن مهران، عن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن الحكم، عن عبد الله بن إبراهيم بن علي بن عبد الله بن جعفر بن أبي طالب، عن يزيد بن سليط في حديث طويل عن أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام أنه قال في السنة التي قبض عليه السلام فيها: إني أؤخذ في هذه السنة، والأمر (هو) إلى إبني علي سمي علي. فأما علي الاول فعلي بن أبي طالب وأما (علي) الآخر فعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام، أعطي فهم الاول وحلمه ونصره ووده وذمته (ومحنته) ومحنة الآخر، وصبره على ما يكره…تمام الخبر.

H 19 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Mehran from Muhammad bin Ali from Ali bin Hakam from Abdullah bin Ibrahim bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Ja’far bin Abu Talib from Yazid bin Sulait in a long tradition on the authority of Abu Ibrahim, Musa (a. s) that he said in the year in which he died: I will be taken in this year and the authority (Amr) will belong to son, Ali, who is named after two Alis. The first Ali is Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and the second Ali is Ali bin Husain, the blessings of God be on them. He (i. e. Ali Ridha) is given understanding, forbearance, knowledge, help, love, piety and religion of the first and tribulation and endurance in the face of adversity of the second.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19139

20- وروى، أبو الحسين محمد بن جعفر الاسدي، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن جماعة من أصحابنا منهم محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب والحسن بن موسى الخشاب ومحمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن محمد بن سنان عن الحسن بن الحسن-في حديث له- قال: قلت لأبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام: أسألك؟ فقال: سل إمامك. فقلت:من تعني؟ فإني لا أعرف إماما غيرك. قال: هو علي إبني قد نحلته كنيتي. قلت: سيدي أنقذني من النار، فإن أبا عبد الله عليه السلام قال:إنك أنت القائم بهذا الأمر! قال: أو لم أكن قائما؟ ثم قال: يا حسن، ما من إمام يكون قائما في أمة إلا وهو قائمهم، فإذا مضى عنهم فالذي يليه هو القائم. الحجة حتى يغيب عنهم، فكلنا قائم. فاصرف جميع ما كنت تعاملني به إلى إبني علي. (والله) والله ما أنا فعلت ذاك به، بل الله فعل به ذاك.

H 20 - It is narrated from Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah from some of our scholars, from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab and Hasan bin Musa Khashshab and Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Muhammad bin Sinan from Hasan bin Hasan that he said: I said to Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s): Please permit me to ask you a question. Imam (a. s) said: Ask about Imamate. I asked: Who is your successor; because I don’t know any other Imam? Imam (a. s) replied: Ali, my son, whom I have given my agnomen (of Abul Hasan). I asked: My master, save me from Hell-fire and purify me, since Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said that you are the Qaim on the matter of Imamate. Imam (a. s) replied: But I am not the Qaim in this matter. Then he said: O Hasan, every Imam who is the leader of the Ummah and the appointed one on the matter of Mastership (Wilayat) is his Qaim. And when he passes away, the one who is after him is the one raised up by the command of Allah and the Divine Proof (Hujjat) till the time the Qaim and Hujjat is concealed from the people. Hence, all of us are Qaim. Thus, just as you behave with us [and accept our Mastership (Wilayat)] same was done with my son, Ali. By Allah, I have not acted thus on my own [appointing the Imam after me] on the contrary, the Almighty Allah has done it according to His will.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19140

21- وروى أحمد بن إدريس، عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري، عن محمد بن سنان وصفوان بن يحيى وعثمان بن عيسى، عن موسى بن بكر قال:كنت عند أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام فقال لي:إن جعفرا عليه السلام كان يقول: سعد امرؤ لم يمت حتى يرى خلفه من نفسه، ثم أومأ بيده إلى إبنه علي فقال:هذا وقد أراني الله خلفي من نفسي.

H 21 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishapur from Muhammad bin Sinan and Safwan bin Yahya and Uthman bin Isa from Musa bin Bakar that he said: I was in the company of Abu Ibrahim, Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s). The Imam said: Indeed, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: A man is fortunate, who before his death sees his successor from his progeny. After that the Imam pointed out to his son, Ali and said: Almighty Allah has pointed out this son, who is from my life, as my successor.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19141

22- عنه، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن علي بن الحكم وعلي بن الحسن بن نافع، عن هارون بن خارجة قال: قال لي هارون بن سعد العجلي: قد مات إسماعيل الذي كنتم تمدون إليه أعناقكم، وجعفر شيخ كبير يموت غدا أو بعد غد فتبقون بلا إمام. فلم أدر ما أقول، فأخبرت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام بمقالته فقال: هيهات هيهات! أبى الله، والله،أن ينقطع هذا الأمر حتى ينقطع الليل والنهار. فإذا رأيته فقل له: هذا موسى بن جعفر يكبر ونزوجه، ويولد له فيكون خلفا إن شاء الله تعالى.

H 22 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Ali bin Hakam and Ali bin Hasan Nafe from Harun bin Kharja that he said: Harun bin Saad Ajali said to me: Ismail, to whom you are inclined [and in whose Imamate you hope], has died. Ja’far [Imam Sadiq] is also aged and would pass away these days and you would remain without an Imam. I did not know what to reply. I mentioned this to Imam Sadiq (a. s). Imam (a. s) said: Never, by Allah! The Almighty Allah would never discontinue the matter of Imamate as long as the days and nights endure. When you meet him, tell him: This Musa bin Ja’far is growing up and we will get him married and he would get a son, who would be his Caliph and successor, if Allah wills.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19142

23- وفي خبر آخر قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام في حديث طويل: يظهر صاحبنا وهو من صلب هذا، وأومأ بيده إلى موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام، فيملأها عدلا كما ملئت جورا وظلما وتصفو له الدنيا.

H 23 - In another report, Abu Abdullah (a. s) said in a lengthy tradition: Our master will appear from his loins; and he pointed to Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s). Thus, he would fill up the earth with justice and oppression as it would have been filled with injustice and tyranny; and the world would be cleaned and prepared for him.

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha - Hadith 19143

24- وروى أيوب بن نوح عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال قال سمعت علي بن جعفر يقول: كنت عند أخي موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام، كان والله حجة الله في الأرض بعد أبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم، إذ طلع ابنه علي فقال لي: يا علي، هذا صاحبك، وهو مني بمنزلتي من أبي. فثبتك الله على دينه. فبكيت وقلت في نفسي: نعى والله إلى نفسه. فقـال: يا علي، لا بد من أن تمضي مقادير الله في، ولي برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أسوة وبأمير المؤمنين وفاطمة والحسن والحسين عليه السلام. وكان هذا قبل أن يحمله هارون الرشيد في المرة الثانية بثلاثة أيام تمام الخبر. والأخبار في هذا المعنى أكثر من أن تحصى وهي موجودة في كتب الإمامية معروفة ومشهورة من أرادها وقف عليها من هناك وفي هذا القدر هاهنا كفاية إن شاء الله تعالى.

H 24 - It is narrated from Ayyub bin Nuh from Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal that he said: I heard from Ali bin Ja’far that he said: I was with my brother, Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s), who by Allah, was the Divine Proof on the earth after my father; just then his son, Ali arrived. Imam (a. s) said: O Ali, this is your master and Imam and his position with relation to me is like my position with my father. Thus, may Almighty Allah keep you firm on His religion. After that I wept and said to myself: The Imam wanted to convey the information of his death to me as he had said: Ali dear, there is no option, except that divine destiny should be issued about me and that I emulate the Messenger of Allah, Amirul Momineen, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a. s). This incident occurred three days before Harun arrested the Imam for the second time. There are so many traditions and reports about this that they cannot be computed; and they are mentioned in well known books of the Imamites and anyone who wishes, may refer to them, but those we mentioned so far, would be sufficient, if Allah wills.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19144

فإن قيل كيف تعولون على هذه الأخبار وتدعون العلم بموته والواقفة تروي أخبارا كثيرة تتضمن أنه لم يمت وأنه القائم المشار إليه موجودة في كتبهم وكتب أصحابكم فكيف تجمعون بينها وكيف تدعون العلم بموته مع ذلك. قلنا: لم نذكر هذه الأخبار إلا على جهة الاستظهار والتبرع لا لأنا احتجنا إليها في العلم بموته لأن العلم بموته حاصل لا يشك فيه كالعلم بموت آبائه عليه السلام والمشكك في موته كالمشكك في موتهم وموت كل من علمنا بموته. وإنما استظهرنا بإيراد هذه الأخبار تأكيدا لهذا العلم كما نروي أخبارا كثيرة فيما نعلم بالعقل والشرع وظاهر القرآن والإجماع وغير ذلك فنذكر في ذلك أخبارا على وجه التأكيد. فأما ما ترويه الواقفة فكلها أخبار آحاد لا يعضدها حجة ولا يمكن ادعاء العلم بصحتها ومع هذا فالرواة لها مطعون عليهم لا يوثق بقولهم ورواياتهم وبعد هذا كله فهي متأولة. ونحن نذكر جملا مما رووه ونبين القول فيها فمن ذلك أخبار ذكرها أبو محمد علي بن أحمد العلوي الموسوي في كتابه في نصرة الواقفة.

If it is said: On what criterion have you justified these reports and claim that Imam Kadhim (a. s) is dead, whereas the Waqifiya have also narrated a large number of reports, which mention his being alive and that His Eminence is the Qaim is hinted at. These traditional reports are present in their books and even in books of your scholars. So, how can you reconcile these two types of traditional reports? And with attention to these traditional reports, how can you claim that he is dead? We would reply: We mentioned these traditional reports by way of information and announcement and not to prove his death from them. It is so, because there exists knowledge of his martyrdom (it is a definite matter) and there is no doubt in it. Like the knowledge of martyrdom of his respected ancestors and one who has doubt in the martyrdom of Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s), he can also doubt the martyrdom of his respected ancestors and it is possible to doubt the death of anyone whose information of death we have. We have mentioned these traditional reports only to emphasize the information, because a large number of reports create this knowledge for us through evidence, Shariah, apparent aspect of Quran, consensus and other reasonings. Thus, I mentioned them in this chapter only for emphasis. As for that, which the Waqifiya have narrated: (Firstly) All of them are solitary reports and no evidence and reasoning strengthens them; and it is impossible to claim that they are authentic. (Secondly) In addition, their narrators have also been targets of ridicule and they were unreliable and it is not possible to trust their statements and reports. (Thirdly) With all these explanations all their reports can be interpreted and justified in other ways. We will quote some of them from Fee Nusratul Waqifa of Abu Muhammad Ali Ahmad Alawi Musawi and explain his discussions.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19145

25- قال حدثني محمد بن بشر قال حدثني الحسن بن سماعة عن أبان بن عثمان عن الفضيل بن يسار قال سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: لا ينسجني والقائم أب.

H 25 - Narrated to me Muhammad bin Bashar: narrated to me: Hasan bin Sama-a from Aban bin Uthman from Fudhail bin Yasar that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: I and His Eminence, the Qaim will not be from the same father.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19146

26- قال الموسوي وأخبرني علي بن خلف الأنماطي قال حدثنا عبد الله بن وضاح عن يزيد الصائغ قال لما ولد لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام أبو الحسن عليه السلام عملت له أوضاحا وأهديتها إليه،فلما أتيت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام بها قال لي: يا يزيد أهديتها والله لقائم آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

H 26 - Musawi said: Narrated to me Ali bin Khalaf Anmati: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Wazah from Yazid Saigh: When Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) was born, I made a gold ornament for Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and gave it to him as a gift, and when I brought the gift to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), the Imam said: O Yazid, by Allah, you have gifted this ornament to the Qaim of Aale Muhammad (a. s).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19147

27- قال الموسوي وحدثني أحمد بن الحسن الميثمي عن أبيه عن أبي سعيد المدائني قال سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: إن الله استنقذ بني إسرائيل من فرعونها بموسى بن عمران وإن الله مستنقذ هذه الأمة من فرعونها بسميه.

H 27 - Musawi said: Narrated to me Ahmad bin Hasan Mithami from his father from Abu Saeed Madayani: who heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: The Almighty Allah saved Bani Israel from the mischief of Firon through Musa (a. s) and He would save this community from its Firon also through a person named Musa.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19148

28- قال وحدثني حنان بن سدير قال كان أبي جالسا وعنده عبد الله بن سليمان الصيرفي وأبو المراهف وسالم الأشل فقال عبد الله بن سليمان لأبي يا أبا الفضل: أعلمت أنه ولد لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام غلام فسماه فلانا،يسميه باسمه.فقال سالم: إن هذا لحق. فقال عبد الله: نعم. فقال سالم: والله لأن يكون حقا أحب إلي من أن انقلب إلى أهلي بخمسمائة دينار وإني محتاج إلى خمسة دراهم أعود بها على نفسي وعيالي.فقال له عبد الله بن سليمان: ولم ذاك؟قال: بلغني في الحديث أن الله عرض سيرة قائم آل محمد على موسى بن عمران فقال: اللهم اجعله من بني إسرائيل. فقال له: ليس إلى ذلك سبيل. فقال: اللهم اجعلني من أنصاره. فقيل له: ليس إلى ذلك سبيل. فقال: اللهم اجعله سميي. فقيل له: أعطيت ذلك.

H 28 - Narrated to me Hannan Bin Sudair: My father was seated and Abdullah bin Sulaiman Sairafi, Abu Marahif and Saalim Ashal were also seated with him. Abdullah bin Sulaiman asked my father: O Abal Fadhl, do you know that a son is born to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and he has named so and so as Musa. Is that right? asked Saalim. Yes, replied Abdullah. Saalim said: By Allah, if this report is correct, it is more pleasing to me than getting 500 dinars for my family, whereas the fact is that at present I am needful even for five dirhams for myself and my family. Abdullah bin Sulaiman asked: How is this so important to you? He replied: It has reached to us in traditions that Almighty Allah described Qaim Aale Muhammad (a. s) to Musa Ibn Imran. Musa pleaded: O Allah, please deem him to be from Bani Israel. Almighty Allah said: This is not possible. After that he pleaded: O Allah, make me among his helpers. It was revealed to him: This is also not possible. After that he pleaded: O Allah, make him my namesake. It was revealed: I have bestowed it to you (that is he would be named as Musa).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19149

29- قال: وروى زيد الشحام وغيره قال: سمعت سالما يقول: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: إن الله تعالى عرض سيرة قائم آل محمد على موسى بن عمران… وذكر الحديث،

H 29 - Zaid Shaham etc. have narrated from Saalim that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: The Almighty Allah described the life history of Qaim Aale Muhammad (a. s) to Musa Ibn Imran; and the tradition goes on as above.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19150

30- قال: وحدثني بحر بن زياد الطحان عن محمد بن مروان عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال رجل: جعلت فداك، إنهم يروون أن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال بالكوفة على المنبر: لو لم يبق من الدنيـا إلا يوم لطوّل الله ذلك اليوم حتى يبعث الله رجلاً مني يملأها قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلما وجورا. فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: نعم. قال: فأنت هو؟ فقال: لا،ذاك سمي فالق البحر.

H 30 - Narrated to me Bahar bin Ziyad Tahan from Muhammad bin Marwan that he said: A man asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s): May I be your ransom, people say that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said from the pulpit of Kufa: Even if a single day remains from the tenure of the world, Allah, the Mighty and the High, would prolong that day to such an extent that a man from my progeny will appear; he would fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression. Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: Yes, His Eminence said so. He asked: Are you that one? Imam (a. s) replied: No, he would be the namesake of one who split the sea.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19151

31- قال وحدثني أبو محمد الصيرفي عن الحسين بن سليمان عن ضريس الكناسي عن أبي خالد الكابلي قال سمعت علي بن الحسين عليه السلام وهو يقول: إن قارون كان يلبس الثياب الحمر وإن فرعون كان يلبس السود ويرخي الشعور فبعث الله عليهم موسى عليه السلام وإن بني فلان لبسوا السواد وأرخوا الشعور وإن الله تعالى مهلكهم بسميه.

H 31 - Narrated to me Abu Muhammad Sairafi from Husain bin Sulaiman from Zaris Kanasi from Abu Khalid Kabuli that he said: I heard Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s) say: Qaroon dressed in red and Firon used to dress in black; and he used to leave his hair loose and they fell on the two sides of his head; and Almighty Allah sent Musa (a. s) with prophethood. And the sons of so and so (Bani Abbas) also dress in black; and leave their hair loose and they fall on the sides of their heads; and Almighty Allah will also destroy them through his namesake (Musa).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19152

32- قال: وبهذا الإسناد،قال: تذاكرنا عنده القائم فقال: اسمه اسم لحديدة الحلاق.

H 32 - Through the same chains, Abu Khalid Kabuli said: The topic of Imam Qaim (a. s) was mentioned before Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s). Imam (a. s) said: His name is the name of the scalpel [Musa].

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19153

33- قال: وروى جعفر بن سماعة عن محمد بن الحسن عن أبيه الحسن بن هارون قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: ابني ه��ا، يعني أبا الحسن عليه السلام، هو القائم وهو من المحتوم وهو الذي يملأها قسطاً وعدلاًكما ملئت ظلما وجورا.

H 33 - Ja’far bin Samaa-a has narrated from Muhammad bin Hasan from his father, Hasan bin Harun that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: This son of mine, that is Abul Hasan (Musa), is the Qaim and this is an inevitable matter and he would fill the earth with justice and equity just as it would have been fraught with injustice and tyranny.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19154

34- قال وحدثني عبد الله بن سلام عن عبد الله بن سنان قال سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: من المحتوم أن ابني هذا قائم هذه الأمة وصاحب السيف،وأشار بيده إلى أبي الحسن عليه السلام.

H 34 - Narrated to me Abdullah bin Sinan that: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: Among the inevitable matters is that this son of mine is the Qaim of this Ummah and the owner of the sword; and the Imam pointed to Abul Hasan Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19155

35- قال وأخبرني علي بن رزق الله عن أبي الوليد الطرائفي قال كنت ليلة عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إذ نادى غلامه فقال: انطلق فادع لي سيد ولدي. فقال له الغلام: من هو؟فقال: فلان. يعني أبا الحسن عليه السلام. قال فلم ألبث حتى جاء بقميص بغير رداء…إلى أن قال: ثم ضرب بيده على عضدي وقال: يا أبا الوليد كأني بالراية السوداء صاحبه الرقعة الخضراء تخفق فوق رأس هذا الجالس ومعه أصحابه يهدون جبال الحديد هدا لا يأتون على شيء إلا هدوه. قلت: جعلت فداك، هذا؟قال: نعم هذا، يا أبا الوليد، يملأها قسطاً وعدلاًكما ملئت ظلما وعدوانا. يسير في أهل القبلة بسيرة علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام. يقتل أعداء الله حتى يرضي الله. قلت: جعلت فداك، هذا؟قال: هذا. ثم قال: فاتبعه وأطعه وصدقه وأعطه الرضا من نفسك فإنك ستدركه إن شاء الله.

H 35 - Informed me Ali bin Razaqallah from his father, Abul Walid Taraifi that: One night I was with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) when the Imam called his servant and said: Go and call the chief of my children to me. The servant asked: Who is the chief of your children? Imam (a. s) said: So and so [that is Abul Hasan (a. s)]. Not much time passed that he came with a gown and without a cloak. Till Abul Walid said: The Imam tapped his arm and said: O Aba Walid, as if I can see black flags besides green standards waving above this son of mine. He would be accompanied by companions, who would search out for mountains of iron, and remove every obstacle that they encounter on the way. I asked: May I be your ransom, this same son? He replied: Yes, O Aba Walid, this same son would fill the earth with justice and equity, like it would have been filled with injustice and oppression and he would emulate the practice of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and slay the enemies of Allah till Almighty Allah is satisfied. I asked: This same son? He replied: This same son. Then he said: Follow him and obey him; testify to him and make him satisfied; indeed you will meet him soon, if Allah wills.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19156

36- قال وحدثني عبد الله بن جميل عن صالح بن أبي سعيد القماط قال حدثني عبد الله بن غالب قال أنشدت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام هذه القصيدة: فإن تك أنت المرتجى للذي نرى فتلك التي من ذي العلى فيك نطلب. فقال: ليس أنا صاحب هذه الصفة ولكن هذا صاحبها،وأشار بيده إلى أبي الحسن عليه السلام.

H 36 - Narrated to me Abdullah bin Jamil from Salih bin Abi Saeed Qummat from Abdullah bin Ghalib that: I composed and recited the following Qasida to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s): “If you had only been our source of hope as I can see. It is about which we request Almighty Allah for you.” “Not I, but he has these qualities,” he said pointing to his son, Musa.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19157

37- قال وحدثني أبو عبد الله لذاذ عن صارم بن علوان الجوخي قال دخلت أنا والمفضل ويونس بن ظبيان والفيض بن المختار والقاسم شريك المفضل على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام وعنده إسماعيل ابنه،فقال الفيض: جعلت فداك،نتقبل من هؤلاء الضياع فنقبلها بأكثر مما نتقبلها. فقال: لا بأس به. فقال له إسماعيل ابنه: لم تفهم يا أبة!! فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أنا لم أفهم! أقول لك الزمني فلا تفعل. فقام إسماعيل مغضبا،فقال الفيض: إنا نرى أنه صاحب هذا الأمر من بعدك. فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: لا والله ما هو كذلك. ثم قال: هذا ألزم لي من ذلك، وأشار إلى أبي الحسن عليه السلام وهو نائم،فضمه إليه فنام على صدره. فلما انتبه أخذ أبو عبد الله عليه السلام بساعده ثم قال: هذا والله ابني حقا هو والله يملأها قسطاً وعدلاًكما ملئت ظلما وجورا. فقال له قاسم الثانية: هذا جعلت فداك؟قال: إي والله ابني هذا لا يخرج من الدنيا حتى يملأ الله الأرض به قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلما وجورا،ثلاث أيمان يحلف بها.

H 37 - Narrated to me Abu Abdullah Lizaz from Sarim bin Alwan Jokhi: I, Mufaddal, Yunus bin Zabyan, Faiz bin Mukhtar, Qasim, partner of Mufaddal came to meet Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s); and his son, Ismail, was also present there. Faiz asked: May I be your ransom, what if we accept monies, which people are having [which they cannot use or spend in any lawful manner] and guarantee to pay more than what we take. His Eminence said: There is no problem in it. Ismail said to the Imam: Father dear, you didn’t pay attention to the problem. The Imam said: I did not understand? (many times); I told you to be with me, so that I may understand these problems, but you don’t listen to me. Ismail arose in fury and went away. Faiz said: We thought that he is the Imam after you. Imam (a. s) said: No, by Allah, it is not so. Then he said: This is the one who is my assistant and deputy in Imamate and he pointed to Abul Hasan, Musa (a. s), who was asleep. Imam (a. s) took him in his arms and made him sleep on his chest. When he awoke, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) took his hand and said: By God, indeed this son of mine (is the Imam after me). By God, he would fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it would be fraught with injustice and tyranny. Qasim, partner of Mufaddal said: May I be your ransom, this boy? Imam (a. s) replied: Yes, by God, he is the one; and he would not leave the world till through him the Almighty Allah fills up the earth with justice and equity, just as it would have been fraught with oppression and tyranny, and the Imam swore thrice.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19158

38- قال وحدثني حنان بن سدير عن إسماعيل البزاز قال قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن صاحب هذا الأمر يلي الوصية وهو ابن عشرين سنة. فقال إسماعيل: فو الله ما وليها أحد قط كان أحدث منه وإنه لفي السن الذي قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام.

H 38 - Narrated to me Hannan bin Sudair from Ismail [bin Ziyad] Bazzaz that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: The master of this affair is the executor of the will, while he is twenty years old. After that Ismail said: No one became the executor of the will of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) who was younger; and Imam Kadhim (a. s) was of the age, which Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) had mentioned.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19159

39- قال وحدثني إبراهيم بن محمد بن حمران عن يحيى بن القاسم الحذاء وغيره عن جميل بن صالح عن داود بن زربي قال بعث إلي العبد الصالح عليه السلام وهو في الحبس فقال: ائت هذا الرجل، يعني يحيى بن خالد، فقل له: يقول لك أبو فلان: ما حملك على ما صنعت؟! أخرجتني من بلادي وفرقت بيني وبين عيالي. فأتيته وأخبرته فقال: زبيدة طالق وعليه أغلظ الأيمان لوددت أنه غرم الساعة ألفي ألف وأنت خرجت، فرجعت إليه فأبلغته، فقال: ارجع إليه فقل له: يقول لك: والله لتخرجني أو لأخرجن.

H 39 - Narrated to me Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Humran from Yahya bin Qasim Hazza etc. from Jamil bin Salih from Dawood bin Zarbi that he said: When Abde Salih, Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) was in prison, he summoned me and said: Go to that man, Yahya bin Khalid Barmaki and say: So and so says: ‘What is the reason that you should do this; you have made me homeless and separated me from my family and children?’ I went to Yahya and informed him of this. Yahya exclaimed: Zubaida [wife of Harun] is being divorced! He swore many times and said: ‘I wish to pay two million dirhams as ransom and free you!’ I returned to the Imam and mentioned the matter; he said: Go and tell him: So and so says: By God, you will definitely release me or I would leave of my own accord.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19160

40- قال وحدثني إبراهيم بن محمد بن حمران عن إسماعيل بن منصور الزبالي قال سمعت شيخا بأذرعات قد أتت عليه عشرون ومائة سنة قال سمعت عليا عليه السلام يقول على منبر الكوفة: كأني بابن حميدة قد ملأها عدلا وقسطا كما ملئت ظلما وجورا. فقام إليه رجل فقال: أهو منك أو من غيرك؟فقال: لا،بل هو رجل مني.

H 40 - Narrated to me Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Humran from Ismail bin Mansur Zubali that he said: I heard from a man from Azrat [a province of Syria], aged more than 120 years: I heard from Imam Ali (a. s) from the pulpit of Kufa: As if I can see the son of Hamida that he has filled the earth with justice and equity, like it had been fraught with injustice and oppression. I arose and asked: Is he from your descendants or from someone else? Imam (a. s) said: No, he is from my progeny.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19161

41- قال وحدثني أحمد بن الحسن قال حدثني يحيى بن إسحاق العلوي عن أبيه قال دخلت على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فسألته عن صاحب هذا الأمر من بعده، قال: صاحب البهمة. وأبو الحسن في ناحيـة الدار ومعه عناق مكية ويقول لهـا: اسجدي لله الذي خلقك. ثم قال: أما إنه الذي يملأها قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلما وجورا.

H 41 - Narrated to me Ahmad bin Hasan that: Narrated to me Yahya bin Ishaq Alawi from his father that: We came to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and inquired from him about his successor. Imam (a. s) said: The same who is with that animal. At that moment Abul Hasan Imam Kadhim (a. s) was in a section of the house with a lamb and telling it: Prostrate for the God, Who has created you. After that, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: Know that he is the one who would fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19162

42- قال وحدثني الحسين بن علي بن معمر عن أبيه عن عبد الله بن سنان قال سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام، وذكر البداء لله، فقال: فما أخرج الله إلى الملائكة وأخرجه الملائكة إلى الرسل فأخرجه الرسل إلى الآدميين فليس فيه بداء وإن من المحتوم أن ابني هذا هو القائم.

H 42 - Narrated to me Husain bin Ali bin Muammar from his father from Abdullah bin Sinan that: I heard from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said with regard to change of destiny (Bada) by Allah: That which Almighty Allah gave to the angels, they conveyed it to the prophets and the prophets in turn conveyed to the people [law of religion]. Therefore, in this instance it is not Bada, because it is called definite (Mahtum); and among the definite matters is that this son of mine is the Qaim.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19163

43- قال وروى بقباقة أخو بنين الصيرفي قال حدثني الإصطخري أنه سمع أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: كأني بابن حميدة على أعوادها قد دانت له شرق الأرض وغربها.

H 43 - Baqubaqa, brother of Bani Sairafi said: Istakhri said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: As if I can see the son of Hamida; that he has occupied the position of Imamate and the whole world has humbled before him.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19164

44- قال وحدثني محمد بن عطاء ضرغامة عن خلاد اللؤلؤي قال حدثني سعيد المكي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، وكانت له منزلة منه،قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يا سعيد،الأئمة اثنا عشر إذا مضى ستة فتح الله على السابع ويملك منا أهل البيت خمسة وتطلع الشمس من مغربها على يد السادس.

H 44 - Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ataa Zarghama from Khallad Lului that: Narrated to me Saeed Makki who was a close confidant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s); that Imam (a. s) said: O Saeed, the Imams are twelve; when six of them pass away, Allah, the Mighty and the High would give ease to the seven of them and five persons from us, Ahle Bayt (a. s) will be Imams and through the sixth, sun would rise from the west.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19165

45- قال وحدثني حنان بن سدير عن أبي إسماعيل الأبرص عن أبي بصير قال قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: على رأس السابع منا الفرج.

H 45 - Narrated to me Hannan bin Sudair from Abu Ismail Abras from Abu Basir that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: Deliverance is on the seventh (Imam) of us.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19166

46- قال وحدثني عبد الله بن جبلة عن سلمة بن جناح عن حازم بن حبيب قال قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: إن أبوي هلكا وقد أنعم الله علي ورزق. أفأتصدق عنهما وأحج؟فقال: نعم. ثم قال بيمينه: يا أبا حازم من جاءك يخبرك عن صاحب هذا الأمر أنه غسله وكفنه ونفض التراب من قبره فلا تصدقه.

H 46 - Narrated to me Abdullah bin Jabla from Salma bin Jinah from Hazim bin Habib that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s): My parents are no more and Almighty Allah has bestowed me with wealth. Shall I spend on charity for them and perform Hajj on their behalf? Imam (a. s) replied: Yes. After sometime, he said with oath and emphasis: O Aba Hazim, if someone comes to you and tells you that he has participated in the funeral of this Imam, you must not believe him (because he would be a liar).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19167

47- قال وحدثني أبو محمد الصيرفي عن عبد الكريم بن عمرو عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال سمعته يقول: كأني بابني هذا، يعني أبا الحسن عليه السلام، قد أخذه بنو فلان فمكث في أيديهم حينا ودهرا،ثم خرج من أيديهم فيأخذ بيد رجل من ولده حتى ينتهي به إلى جبل رضوى.

H 47 - Narrated to me Abu Muhammad Sairafi from Abdul Karim bin Amr from Abu Basir that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: As if I can see this son, Abul Hasan, apprehended by Bani so and so [Bani Abbas] and is under their arrest for a long time. Then he is released and he holds the hand of a person from his progeny so that they may convey him to Mount Razawi.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19168

48- قال وحدثني جعفر بن سليمان عن داود الصرمي عن علي بن أبي حمزة قال قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: من جاءك فقال لك إنه مرض ابني هذا وأغمضه وغسله ووضعه في لحده ونفض يده من تراب قبره فلا تصدقه.

H 48 - He said: and Ja’far bin Sulaiman narrated to me, from Dawood Sarmi, from Ali bin Hamza who said, "Abu 'Abdillah (a. s) said to me: 'Whoever comes to you and says to you that this son of mine [Imam Kadhim (a. s.)] became sick, and he [Imam as-Sadiq (a. s.)] closed his eyes, washed him, placed him in his grave, and shook off the dust from his grave, do not believe him.'"

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19169

49- قال: وروي عن سليمان بن داود عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام قال،قال لي: يا علي من أخبرك أنه مرضني وغمضني وغسلني ووضعني في لحدي ونفض يده من تراب قبري فلا تصدقه.

H 49 - It is narrated from Sulaiman bin Dawood from Ali bin Abi Hamza that he said: Imam Kadhim (a. s) said: O Ali, if someone informs you that he was at my bedside in my illness and after my death, he saw me with my eyes closed and took part in my funeral, you must not believe him.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19170

50- قال: وأخبرني أعين بن عبد الرحمن بن أعين قال: بعثني عبد الله بن بكير إلى عبد الله الكاهلي سنة أخذ العبد الصالح عليه السلام زمن المهدي،فقال: أقرئه السلام وسله أتاه خبر…إلى أن قال: أقرئه السلام وقل له: حدثني أبو العيزار في مسجدكم منذ ثلاثين سنة وهو يقول: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يقدم لصاحب هذا الأمر العراق مرتين؛ فأما الأولى فيعجل سراحه ويحسن جائزته،وأما الثانية فيحبس فيطول حبسه ثم يخرج من أيديهم عنوة.

H 50 - Narrated to me Ayyin bin Abdur Rahman bin Ayyin that: In the year Imam Kadhim (a. s) was arrested and imprisoned during the reign of Mahdi Abbaside, Abdullah bin Bukair sent me to Abdullah Kahili and said: Convey my greetings to him and ask him if the news of Imam’s arrest has reached him or not? [Till he said:] Convey greetings to him and tell him on my behalf: Thirty years ago Abul Izar said to me in your Masjid: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: The master of the affair of Imamate would be taken to Iraq twice: the first time he would be released soon. He would also be given a considerable compensation; but the second time, he would be imprisoned for a long time and would be released from their clutches all of a sudden.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19171

51- قال: وأخبرني إبراهيم بن محمد بن حمران وحمران والهيثم بن واقد الجزري عن عبد الله الأرجاني قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إذ دخل عليه العبد الصالح عليه السلام فقال: يا أحمد افعل كذا. فقلت: جعلت فداك،اسمه فلان. فقال: بل اسمه أحمد ومحمد. ثم قال لي: يا عبد الله إن صاحب هذا الأمر يؤخذ فيحبس فيطول حبسه فإذا هموا به دعا باسم الله الأعظم فأفلته من أيديهم.

H 51 - Narrated to me Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Humran and Humran Haitham bin Waqid Jazari from Abdullah Rajani that he said: I was with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) when Abde Salih, Imam Kadhim (a. s) entered and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: Ahmad, do that. I said: May I be your ransom, his name is so and so (Musa)! He replied: On the contrary, his name is Ahmad and Muhammad. After that he said: O Abdullah, indeed the master of the affair will be arrested and imprisoned for a long time. Thus when they decide to eliminate him, he would pray to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime to release him from their clutches.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19172

52- قال: وروى بعض أصحابنا عن أبي محمد البزاز قال: حدثنا عمرو بن منهال القماط عن حديد الساباطي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن لأبي الحسن عليه السلام غيبتين؛ إحداهما تقل والأخرى تطول،حتى يجيئكم من يزعم أنه مات وصلى عليه ودفنه ونفض تراب القبر من يده. فهو في ذلك كاذب؛ ليس يموت وصي حتى يقيم وصيا، ولا يلي الوصي إلا الوصي،فإن وليه غير وصي عمي.

H 52 - Some of our scholars have narrated from Abu Muhammad Bazzaz that he said: Narrated to us Amr bin Minhal Qummat from Hadid Sabati from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: Abul Hasan, Kadhim (a. s) will have two occultations: one would be short and the other lengthy. Till the time a person will come to you and report that he has participated in his funeral etc., in that case that person is definitely a liar. My successor will not die till he has fulfilled the duty of his successorship, and the matters of the successor are not taken up, except by the successor and if anyone else performed this duty, he would lose his eyesight.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19173

53- قال: وحدثنا عبد الله بن سلام أبو هريرة عن زرعة عن مفضل قال: كنت جالسا عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إذ جاءه أبو الحسن ومحمد ومعهما عناق يتجاذبانها، فغلبه محمد عليها، فاستحيا أبو الحسن فجاء فجلس إلى جانبي، فضممته إليّ وقبلته،فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أما إنه صاحبكم، مع أن بني العباس يأخذونه فيلقى منهم عنتا، ثم يفلته الله من أيديهم بضرب من الضروب، ثم يعمى على الناس أمره حتى تفيض عليه العيون وتضطرب فيه القلوب كما تضطرب السفينة في لجة البحر وعواصف الريح،ثم يأتي الله على يديه بفرج لهذه الأمة للدين والدنيا.

H 53 - Narrated to us Abdullah bin Salam Abu Huraira from Zara from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: I was in the company of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) when Abul Hasan, Musa (a. s) came with Muhammad [his brother] and a little lamb and each of them were pulling at the lamb till Muhammad managed to pull it away and Abul Hasan was shamed and he came and sat down next to me. I took him in my arms and kissed him. After that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: He is your master and Imam; in spite of this, Bani Abbas would arrest him and he would bear hardships from them, but Almighty Allah would release him from their clutches in any way He likes. After that he would go into occultation, till people would start mourning for him and would be extremely terrified. Then Allah, the Mighty and the High will bestow deliverance of the world and hereafter through his hands.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19174

54- قال وحدثني حنان عن أبي عبد الرحمن المسعودي قال حدثنا المنهال بن عمرو عن أبي عبد الله النعمان عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: صاحب الأمر يسجن حينا ويموت حينا ويهرب حينا.

H 54 - Narrated to me Hanan from Abu Abdur Rahman Masudi that he said: Narrated to us: Minhal bin Amr from Abu Abdullah Noman from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: The Master of the affair [Imamate] would be imprisoned once and also die at a time and flee [escape from prison].

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19175

55- قال: وروى بحر بن زياد عن عبد الله الكاهلي أنه سمع أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن جاءكم من يخبركم بأنه مرض ابني هذا وهو شهده وهو أغمضه وغسله وأدرجه في أكفانه وصلى عليه ووضعه في قبره وهو حثا عليه التراب فلا تصدقوه. ولا بد من أن يكون ذا. فقال له محمد بن زياد التميمي وكان حاضر الكلام بمكة: يا أبا يحيى،هذه والله فتنة عظيمة. فقال له الكاهلي: فسهم الله فيه أعظم،يغيب عنهم شيخ ويأتيهم شاب فيه سنة من يونس.

H 55 - Bahar bin Ziyad has narrated from Abdullah Kahili that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: If someone informs you that my son has fallen ill and that he has witnessed his death and attended his funeral, do not believe him, because there is no option, except that this matter should come to Imam Kadhim (a. s). Meanwhile Muhammad bin Ziyad Tamimi [a companion of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s)], who was present in Mecca, heard this and said: O Abu Yahya (agnomen of Abdullah Kahili) by God, this is a great evil. Kahili replied: Part of God in this matter is greater, while he is an old man, he would be concealed from the people and he would return as a young man, and in this he would be following the practice of Prophet Yunus (a. s).

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19176

56- قال: وروى أحمد بن الحارث رفعه إلى أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: لو قد يقوم القائم لقال الناس: أنى يكون هذا وبليت عظامه؟

H 56 - Ahmad bin Harith has narrated directly from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: If the Qaim arises in these circumstances, people would say: How can this person be the Qaim, when his bones have also decomposed?

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19177

57- قال: وروى سليمان بن داود عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليـه السـلام يقـول:في صـاحب هذا الأمر أربع سنن من أربعة أنبياء؛ سنة من موسى وسنة من عيسى وسنة من يوسف وسنة من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. أما من موسى فخائف يترقب، وأما من يوسف فالسجن،وأما من عيسى فيقال: مات، ولم يمت،وأما من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فالسيف.

H 57 - Sulaiman bin Dawood has narrated from Ali bin Abil Hamza from Abu Basir that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: In the master of this affair [Imamate] are present four similarities from the practices of the prophets. A similarity with Musa bin Imran (a. s), a similarity with Isa bin Maryam (a. s), a similarity with Prophet Yusuf (a. s) and also a similarity with Prophet Muhammad (s). The similarity with Musa (a. s) is fear and anticipation; similarity with Yusuf is prison, similarity with Isa (a. s) is that it would be said with regard to him that he is dead; whereas he is alive and present; and finally a similarity with the Prophet of Islam (s), which is that he would stage an armed uprising.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19178

58- قال: وروى علي بن عبد الله عن زرعة بن محمد عن مفضل قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن بني العباس سيعبثون بابني هذا ولن يصلوا إليه. ثم قال: وما صائحة تصيح وما ساقة تسق وما ميراث يقسم وما أمة تباع.

H 58 - Ali bin Abdullah has narrated from Zaraa bin Muhammad from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: Soon Bani Abbas would conspire against this son of mine, but they would never be able to reach him. Then he said: Neither a woman would mourn for him nor an official will take him and neither inheritance would remain from him and be distributed, and in the same way there will be no slave girl, which he would leave.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19179

59- قال: وروى أحمد بن علي عن محمد بن الحسين بن إسماعيل عن عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج قال: سمعت أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام يقول: إن بني فلان يأخذونني ويحبسونني. وقال: وذاك وإن طال فإلى سلامة.

H 59 - Ahmad bin Ali has narrated from Muhammad bin Husain bin Ismail from Abdur Rahman bin Hajjaj that he said: I heard Abu Ibrahim, Imam Kadhim (a. s) say: So and so [Bani Abbas] would arrest and imprison me. Then he said: Although this matter would be much prolonged, but it would end in a nice way.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19180

60- قال: وروى إبراهيم بن المستنير عن المفضل قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن لصاحب هذا الأمر غيبتين؛ إحداهما أطول من الأخرى،حتى يقال: مات! وبعض يقول: قتل. فلا يبقى على أمره إلا نفر يسير من أصحابه،ولا يطلع أحد على موضعه وأمره ولا غيره إلا المولى الذي يلي أمره.

H 60 - Ibrahim bin Mustanir narrates from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: There are two occultations for the master of this affair; one of them being longer than the other, till it would be said: He has died; and some will say: He is killed. Thus only a few companions of the Imam would remain steadfast on his Imamate and no one would know about his whereabouts and his circumstances, except a servant, who would perform his errands.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19181

61- قال: وروى علي بن معاذ قال: قلت لصفوان بن يحيى: بأي شي‏ء قطعت على علي؟قال: صليت ودعوت الله واستخرت عليه وقطعت عليه.

H 61 - Ali bin Maaz narrated: I asked Safwan bin Yahya: Through which reasoning have you adopted faith in the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)? He replied: I prayed the ritual prayer and after that sought counsel (Istikhara) from Almighty Allah and the result was that I got certainty about it.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19182

62- ثم قال: وقال علي بقباقة: سألت صفوان بن يحيى وابن جندب وجماعة من مشيختهم،وكان الذي بينه وبينهم عظيم: بأي شي‏ء قطعتم على هذا الرجل؟ألشي‏ء بان لكم فأقبل قولكم؟قالوا كلهم: لا والله،إلا أنه قال فصدقناه. وأحالوا جميعا على البزنطي فقلت: سوءة لكم وأنتم مشيخة الشيعة! أترسلونني إلى ذلك الصبي الكذاب فأقبل منه وأدعكم أنتم؟

H 62 - Ali Baqbaqa said: I asked Safwan bin Yahya, Ibn Jundab and some of their associates – when an important discussion was going on between them: Through which argument have you believed in the rightfulness of this person [Imam Ali Ridha (a. s)]? Do you have a valid argument that I may also accept your word? All of them replied: No, by God, [we don’t have any argument]. He only said: we have also testified [in blind imitation] and gave me the reference of Bazanti; till I said: For you the congregation of Shia elders is evil that they falsely sent me to that child so that I should accept him and leave you.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19183

63- قال: وسئل بعض أصحابنا عن علي بن رباط: هل سمع أحدا روى عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام أنه قال: علي ابني وصيي، أو إمام بعدي، أو بمنزلتي من أبي، أو خليفتي،أو معنى هذا. قال: لا.

H 63 - One of our scholars [Musawi Waqifiya] asked Ali bin Rabat: Have you heard from anyone that Abul Hasan Musa said: My son Ali, is my successor or the Imam after me or said he is with relation to me as I was to my father. Or that he is my Caliph and successor or something to the effect? He replied: No.

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya - Hadith 19184

64- قال: وسأل أبو بكر الأرمني عبد الله بن المغيرة: بأي شي‏ء قطعت على علي؟قال: أخبرتني سلمى أنه لم يكن عند أبيه أحد بمنزلته.

H 64 - Abu Bakr Armini asked Abdullah bin Mughira: Through which argument have you believed in the Imamate of Ali Ibn Musa? He replied: Salma [a servant of the family of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s)] informed that no one in the view of his father [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)] had as much worth and estimation as he was having.

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect - Hadith 19185

65- فروى الثقات أن أول من أظهر هذا الاعتقاد علي بن أبي حمزة البطائني وزياد بن مروان القندي وعثمان بن عيسى الرواسي طمعوا في الدنيا ومالوا إلى حطامها واستمالوا قوما فبذلوا لهم شيئا مما اختانوه من الأموال نحو حمزة بن بزيع وابن المكاري وكرام الخثعمي وأمثالهم.

H 65 - It is narrated from trustworthy persons that the first to express this belief was Ali bin Hamza Bataini (and Ziyad bin Marwan Qandi and Uthman bin Isa Rawasi) who were greedy for money and also attracted the attention of some people. Those persons also entrusted them with their wealth and they like, Hamza bin Bazi, Ibn Makari, Kiram Khathami etc. misappropriated public funds.

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect - Hadith 19186

66- فروى محمد بن يعقوب عن محمد بن يحيى العطار عن محمد بن أحمد عن محمد بن جمهور عن أحمد بن الفضل عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن قال: مات أبو إبراهيم عليه السلام وليس من قوامه أحد إلا وعنده المال الكثير،وكان ذلك سبب وقفهم وجحدهم موته طمعا في الأموال. كان عند زياد بن مروان القندي سبعون ألف دينار وعند علي بن أبي حمزة ثلاثون ألف دينار.فلما رأيت ذلك وتبينت الحق وعرفت من أمر أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام ما علمت، تكلمت ودعوت الناس إليه،فبعثا إلي وقالا: ما يدعوك إلى هذا؟إن كنت تريد المال فنحن نغنيك! وضمنا لي عشرة آلاف دينار وقالا لي: كف. فأبيت وقلت لهما: إنا روينا عن الصادقين عليه السلام أنهم قالوا: إذا ظهرت البدع فعلى العالم أن يظهر علمه فإن لم يفعل سلب نور الإيمان، وما كنت لأدع الجهاد وأمر الله على كل حال،فناصباني وأضمرا لي العداوة.

H 66 - Muhammad bin Yaqub had narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya Attar from Muhammad bin Ahmad from Muhammad bin Jamhur from Ahmad bin Fadhl from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman that he said: [When] Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a. s)] passed away there was a large amount of cash lying with the representatives of Imam (a. s) and this was the reason that they declared that he was not dead [they became Waqifi] and due to greed for wealth they denied that the Imam was martyred. Only Ziyad bin Marwan Qandi was in possession of seventy thousand dinars and Ali bin Hamza had thirty thousand dinars. When I saw these circumstances and the truth became clear for me, I recognized the Imamate of Abul Hasan Ridha (a. s) and learnt that which should be learnt, therefore I spoke up and called people to the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a. s). After that they sent two persons as messengers and they said: Why have you done this? If you desire wealth, we would make you needless and they promised to give ten thousand dinars saying: Refrain from these acts. I refused it and said: We have traditional reports from Imam Sadiq (a. s) and Imam Baqir (a. s) that they said: When innovations appear in religion, the scholar must express his knowledge and if he does not confront innovation, the effulgence of faith will go away from him.

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect - Hadith 19187

67- وروى محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد عن الصفار وسعد بن عبد الله الأشعري جميعا عن يعقوب بن يزيد الأنباري عن بعض أصحابه قال: مضى أبو إبراهيم عليه السلام وعند زياد القندي سبعون ألف دينار وعند عثمان بن عيسى الرواسي ثلاثون ألف دينار وخمس جوار ومسكنه بمصر، فبعث إليهم أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام أن احملوا ما قبلكم من المال وما كان اجتمع لأبي عندكم من أثاث وجوار فإني وارثه وقائم مقامه وقد اقتسمنا ميراثه ولا عذر لكم في حبس ما قد اجتمع لي ولوارثه قبلكم،وكلام يشبه هذا. فأما ابن أبي حمزة فإنه أنكره ولم يعترف بما عنده،وكذلك زياد القندي. وأما عثمان بن عيسى فإنه كتب إليه أن أباك عليه السلام لم يمت، وهو حي قائم، ومن ذكر أنه مات فهو مبطل،وأعمل على أنه قد مضى كما تقول فلم يأمرني بدفع شي‏ء إليك، وأما الجواري فقد أعتقهن وتزوجت بهن.

H 67 - Muhammad bin Hasan Walid has narrated from Saffar and Saad bin Abdullah Ashari, all together from Yaqub bin Yazid Ambari from some scholars, who said: When Abu Ibrahim (a. s) passed away, Ziyad Qandi was having seventy thousand dinars with him and Uthman bin Isa Rawasi had thirty thousand dinars and five slave girls and he lived in Egypt. Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) sent a message to them: That which is deposited with you from the wealth of my father and that which you hold from cash and slave girls and other things, send it all to me as I am his successor and I will distribute the inheritance of the Imam. [It is a hint that I know what amount you are having]. You don’t any more have any excuse for keeping that which is deposited with you and from his inheritance; and he issued such commands. But Ibn Abi Hamza originally denied and did not admit having that, which was in his possession. Same was the case of Ziyad Qandi. But Uthman bin Isa wrote to Imam Ridha (a. s): Your father (a. s) is alive and established; and one who believes in his death is having false beliefs. If you say since he is dead, I should act on it [and accept his death], he did not instruct me to hand over anything to you [this was with regard to cash] and as for the slave girls, I have emancipated them and taken them as wives.

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect - Hadith 19188

68- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بن عقدة عن محمد بن أحمد بن نصر التيمي قال: سمعت حرب بن الحسن الطحان يحدث يحيى بن الحسن العلوي أن يحيى بن المساور قال: حضرت جماعة من الشيعة وكان فيهم علي بن أبي حمزة فسمعته يقول: دخل علي بن يقطين على أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام فسأله عن أشياء فأجابه، ثم قال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: يا علي،صاحبك يقتلني. فبكى علي بن يقطين وقال: يا سيدي وأنا معه؟قال: لا يا علي. لا تكون معه ولا تشهد قتلي. قال علي: فمن لنا بعدك يا سيدي؟فقال: علي ابني هذا؛هو خير من أخلف بعدي. هو مني بمنزلة أبي هو لشيعتي، عنده علم ما محتاجون إليه، سيد في الدنيا وسيد في الآخرة وإنه لمن المقربين. فقال يحيى بن الحسن لحرب: فما حمل علي بن أبي حمزة على أن برئ منه وحسده؟ قال: سألت يحيى بن المساور عن ذلك، فقال: حمله ما كان عنده من ماله الذي اقتطعه ليشقيه الله في الدنيا والآخرة...

H 68 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Saeed bin Uqbah has narrated from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Nasr Teemi that he said: I heard Harb bin Hasan Tahan that Yahya bin Hasan Alawi has narrated a tradition that Yahya bin Masawar said: I was present in a gathering of Shia people and Ali bin Hamza was among them. I heard him say: Ali bin Yaqtin came to Abul Hasan Musa (a. s) and posed some queries to him. The Imam gave replies to him. After that Abul Hasan (a. s) said: O Ali, your companion would kill me. Ali bin Yaqtin began to weep and said: Master, am I also with him? Imam (a. s) replied: You are not with him and you will not see me being killed. Ali said: Master, who is the Imam after you? He replied: My son, Ali is the best of those who would survive me. His position to me is like my position with my father; and he is having all the knowledge that Shia are in need of. [He is knowledgeable about every matter]. He is the chief and leader in the world and the hereafter and is from the proximate ones of the court of Almighty Allah. Yahya bin Hasan Harb said: Thus what caused Ali bin Abi Hamza to keep away from Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) and to be jealous of him? Harb replied: I asked the same thing from Yahya bin Masawar and he said: He refused to hand over to Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) that which he was having from the wealth of Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) and that is why Almighty Allah deemed him unfortunate in the world as well as the hereafter.

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect - Hadith 19189

69- وروى علي بن حبشي بن قوني عن الحسين بن أحمد بن الحسن بن علي بن فضال قال: كنت أرى عند عمي علي بن الحسن بن فضال شيخا من أهل بغداد وكان يهازل عمي. فقال له يوما: ليس في الدنيا شر منكم يا معشر الشيعة- أو قال الرافضة - .فقال له عمي: ولم؟ لعنك الله.قال: أنا زوج بنت أحمد بن أبي بشر السراج،قال لي لما حضرته الوفاة: إنه كان عندي عشرة آلاف دينار وديعة لموسى بن جعفر عليه السلام فدفعت ابنه عنها بعد موته وشهدت أنه لم يمت! فالله الله،خلصوني من النار وسلموها إلى الرضا.فو الله ما أخرجنا حبه ولقد تركناه يصلى بها في نار جهنم.

H 69 - Ali bin Habashi bin Qauni has narrated from Husain bin Ahmad bin Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal that he said: I was with my uncle, Ali bin Hasan bin Faddal, when I saw an old man from Baghdad joking with my uncle. One day that old man said: In the whole world, no group of Shia is worse than you. My Uncle asked: Why, may Allah curse you? He replied: I was the son-in-law of Ahmad bin Shubbar Siraj. In his last moments, he said: I have ten thousand dinars in my possession, which originally belonged to Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s), but when he passed away, I refused to hand them over to Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) and claimed that he was not dead. I put you under oath to save me from Hell fire and hand over the money to Imam Ridha (a. s). But by Allah, we did not return even one dirham from that and left him to burn in the Fire of Hell.

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19190

وأما ما روي من الطعن على رواة الواقفة فأكثر من أن يحصى، وهو موجود في كتب أصحابنا نحن نذكر طرفا منه:

As for reports, which has come in ridicule and condemnation of Waqifiya and which are present in the books of our scholars; they are much more than that which can be counted, therefore we have mentioned only some of them.

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19191

70- روى محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى الأشعري عن عبد الله بن محمد عن الخشاب عن أبي داود قال: كنت أنا وعيينة بياع القصب عند علي بن أبي حمزة البطائني، وكان رئيس الواقفة،فسمعته يقول: قال لي أبو إبراهيم عليه السلام: إنما أنت وأصحابك، يا علي، أشباه الحمير. فقال لي عيينة: أسمعت؟ قلت: إي والله لقد سمعت.فقال: لا والله،لا أنقل إليه قدمي ما حييت.

H 70 - Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya Ashari has narrated from Abdullah bin Muhammad from Khashshab from Abu Dawood that he said: I and Uyyana, the cane-seller, were in the company of Ali bin Abi Hamza Bataini, chief of Waqifiya. I heard him say: Abu Ibrahim (a. s) said to me: O Ali Ibn Abi Hamza, you and your companions are like donkeys (fools). Uyyana asked me: Did you hear that? I replied: Yes, by Allah, I heard it. Uyyana said: No, By God, I will never go to him as long as I am alive.

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19192

71- وروى ابن عقدة عن علي بن الحسن بن فضال عن محمد بن عمر بن يزيد وعلي بن أسباط جميعا قالا: قال لنا عثمان بن عيسى الرواسي: حدثني زياد القندي وابن مسكان قالا: كنـا عنـد أبي إبـراهيم عليـه السلام إذ قال: يدخل عليكم الساعة خير أهل الأرض. فدخل أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام وهو صبي. فقلنا: خير أهل الأرض. ثم دنا فضمه إليه فقبله وقال: يا بني، تدري ما قال ذان؟ قال: نعم، يا سيدي، هذان يشكان فيّ. قال علي بن أسباط: فحدثت بهذا الحديث الحسن بن محبوب فقال: بتر الحديث… لا،ولكن حدثني علي بن رئاب أن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام قال لهما: إن جحدتماه حقه أو خنتماه فعليكما لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين. يا زياد، لا تنجب أنت وأصحابك أبدا. قال علي بن رئاب: فلقيت زياد القندي فقلت له: بلغني أن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام قال لك كذا وكذا. فقال: أحسبك قد خولطت! فمر وتركني فلم أكلمه ولا مررت به. قال الحسن بن محبوب: فلم نزل نتوقع لزياد دعوة أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام حتى ظهر منه أيام الرضا عليه السلام ما ظهر،ومات زنديقا.

H 71 - Ibn Uqda narrated from Ali bin Hasan bin Faddal from Muhammad bin Umar bin Yazid and Ali bin Asbat, all together have said: Uthman bin Isa said to me in a report: Ziyad Qandi and Ibn Muskan said to me: We were in the company of Abu Ibrahim (a. s) when the Imam said: At this moment, the best of the folk of the earth is with you. Then Abu Hasan Ridha (a. s), who was yet a child, came there. We said: The best of the folks of the earth? After that Abul Hasan Ridha (a. s) came near. Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) hugged and kissed him and said: Dear son, do you know what these two said? He replied: Yes, my master. They have doubt about me. Ali bin Asbat said[a]: I mentioned this tradition to Hasan bin Mahbub and he also said: The tradition is incomplete. It is not as such; on the contrary, it is that: Ali bin Raab said to me: Abu Ibrahim (a. s) said to those two persons: If you deny his right or are dishonest with him, the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people would be on you. O Ziyad, you and your companions would never earn respect. After that Ali Raab said: I met Ziyad Qandi and said: I have received information that Abu Ibrahim (a. s) said this and that to you? Ziyad replied: I think you have lost your mind. Then he went away and avoided me after that. I also never spoke with him or pursued him. Hasan bin Mahbub said: We were always waiting for the curse of Imam (a. s) to be proved true about Ziyad; till during the time of Imam Ridha (a. s) Ziyad died an apostate.

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19193

72- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن يحيى عن أبيه عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن صفوان بن يحيى عن إبراهيم بن يحيى بن أبي البلاد قال: قال الرضا عليه السلام: ما فعل الشقي حمزة بن بزيع؟ قلت: هو ذا قد قدم. فقال: يزعم أن أبي حي! هم اليوم شكاك، ولا يموتون غدا إلا على الزندقة. قال صفوان: فقلت فيما بيني وبين نفسي: شكاك قد عرفتهم! فكيف يموتون على الزندقة؟ فما لبثنا إلا قليلا حتى بلغنا عن رجل منهم أنه قال عند موتهك هو كافر برب أماته! قال صفوان: فقلت: هذا تصديق الحديث.

H 72 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya has narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Abil Khattab from Safwan bin Yahya that he said: Ibrahim bin Yahya bin Abi Balad said: Imam Ridha (a. s) said: What did Hamza bin Bazi, the unfortunate one do? I replied: He has also come. Imam (a. s) said: He thinks that my father is alive, they [Hamza and his associates] are in doubt today and tomorrow they would not die, except as heretics. Safwan says: I said to myself: I knew that they are among doubters, but how can they die disbelievers and heretics? Not much time passed when I received information that one of them said at the time of his death: I am a disbeliever in my Lord who wants me to die. Safwan says: I said: This testifies for that same tradition [of the Imam].

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19194

73- وروى أبو علي محمد بن همام عن علي بن رباح قال: قلت للقاسم بن إسماعيل القرشي، وكان ممطورا: أي شي‏ء سمعت من محمد بن أبي حمزة؟ قال: ما سمعت منه إلا حديثا واحدا. قال ابن رباح: ثم أخرج بعد ذلك حديثا كثيرا فرواه عن محمد بن أبي حمزة. قال ابن رباح: وسألت القاسم هذا: كم سمعت من حنان؟ فقال: أربعة أحاديث أو خمسة. قال: ثم أخرج بعد ذلك حديثا كثيرا فرواه عنه.

H 73 - Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam has narrated from Ali bin Rabah that he said: I asked Qasim bin Ismail Qarshi, who was a Mamtur : What did you hear from Muhammad bin Abu Hamza? He replied: Only one tradition. But after that a large number traditions were issued by him and he narrated them all from Muhammad bin Abi Hamza. Ibn Rabah also says: I asked Qasim: How many traditions have you heard from Hannan? He replied: Four or five. But later on a large number of traditions were issued by Qasim, which he narrated from Hannan.

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19195

74- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن سعد بن سعد عن أحمد بن عمر قال: سمعت الرضا عليه السلام يقول في ابن أبي حـمزة: أليـس هو الذي يروي أن رأس المهدي يهدى إلى عيسى بن موسى وهو صاحب السفياني؟ وقال إن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام يعود إلى ثمانية أشهر. فما استبان لهم كذبه.

H 74 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa has narrated from Saad bin Saad from Ahmad bin Umar from Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) that he said with regard to Ibn Abi Hamza: Is he not one who narrated that the head of Mahdi was presented as a gift to Isa bin Musa, who is among the associates of Sufyani? He also said: Abu Ibrahim (a. s) would return after eight months. Are the supporters of Abu Hamza not aware of his falsehood?

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites - Hadith 19196

75- وروى محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى عن بعض أصحابنا عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد عن محمد بن سنان قال: ذكر علي بن أبي حمزة عند الرضا عليه السلام فلعنه،ثم قال: إن علي بن أبي حمزة أراد أن لا يعبد الله في سمائه وأرضه،فأبى الله إلا أن يتم نوره ولو كره المشركون. ولو كره اللعين المشرك. قلت: المشرك؟قال: نعم والله،وإن رغم أنفه. كذلك وهو في كتاب الله ﴿يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُطْفِؤُا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْواهِهِمْ﴾وقد جرت فيه وفي أمثاله إنه أراد أن يطفئ نور الله.

H 75 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya narrated from some of our scholars from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Muhammad bin Sinan that he said: Ali bin Abu Hamza was mentioned before Imam Ridha (a. s). Imam (a. s) cursed him and said: Ali bin Abi Hamza wants that Almighty Allah should not be worshipped in the heavens and the earth, but Almighty Allah wants to perfect the effulgence of His guidance, even if the accursed polytheists are displeased. I asked: Polytheists? He replied: Yes, by Allah, it is true and he will be degraded. This point is mentioned in the Book of Allah. Then he said: They wanted to blow out the effulgence of God. This verse is about him and people like him who wished to put out the light of God.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19197

ويبطل ذلك أيضا ما ظهر من المعجزات على يد الرضا عليه السلام الدالة على صحة إمامته وهي مذكورة في الكتب. ولأجلها رجع جماعة من القول بالوقف مثل عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج ورفاعة بن موسى ويونس بن يعقوب وجميل بن دراج وحماد بن عيسى وغيرهم وهؤلاء من أصحاب أبيه الذين شكوا فيه ثم رجعوا. وكذلك من كان في عصره مثل أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر والحسن بن علي الوشاء وغيرهم ممن كان قال بالوقف فالتزموا الحجة وقالوا بإمامته وإمامة من بعده من ولده.

Miracles shown by Imam Ali Ridha (a. s), which prove the rightfulness of his Imamate and which are mentioned in books of Shia and which also refute the beliefs of the Waqifite sect, were the same through whose blessings some believers in Waqifite creed, like Abdur Rahman bin Hajjaj, Rifaa bin Musa, Yunus bin Yaqub, Jamil bin Darraj, Hammad bin Isa and others reverted from invalid beliefs. They were companions of the father of Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) and doubted about Imam Ali Ridha (a. s), but repented later. In the same way, those who were present during the time of the Imam, like: Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr, Hasan bin Ali Washa and others; they also believed in Waqf [but seeing the proofs of Imam Ridha (a. s)] they accepted his Wilayat, became bound to him and accepted the Imamate of Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) and the Imams after him from his descendants.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19198

76- فروى جـعفر بن محمـد بن مـالك عن محمـد بن الحسـين بن أبي الخطـاب عن محمد بن أبي عمير عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر وهو من آل مهران وكانوا يقولون بالوقف وكان على رأيهـم فكاتب أبـا الحسن الرضا عليـه السلام وتعنت في المسائل فقال: كتبت إليه كتابا وأضمرت في نفسي أني متى دخلت عليه أسأله عن ثلاث مسائل من القرآن وهي قوله تعالى: ﴿أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ﴾ وقوله: ﴿فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلامِ﴾ وقوله: ﴿إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ ولكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ﴾. قال أحمد: فأجابني عن كتابي وكتب في آخره الآيات التي أضمرتها في نفسي أن أسأله عنها ولم أذكرها في كتابي إليه. فلما وصل الجواب أنسيت ما كنت أضمرته،فقلت: أي شي‏ء هذا من جوابي؟ثم ذكرت أنه ما أضمرته.

H 76 - Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik has narrated from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Abi Umair from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr – an inhabitant of Mehran – like all inhabitants of this place, he was also a follower of the Waqifite sect. He narrates that he wrote a letter to Abul Hasan Ridha (a. s) and in order to harass him wanted to pose some difficult questions to him. He says: Initially, I wrote a letter to him; after that I said to myself: when I meet him, I would ask him three important questions about the Holy Quran: like for example [40th verse of Surah Zukhruf], which says: “What! Can you then make the deaf to hear or guide the blind and him who is in clear error?” And verse 25 of Surah Anam, which says: “Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his breast for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err, He makes his breast strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.” And verse 56 of Surah Qasas, which says: “Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases; and He knows best the followers of the right way.” Ahmad says: He replied to my letter and at the end he mentioned the verses about which I wanted to ask him and no one had any information about them. When I received his reply, I forgot what I had told myself, therefore, I said: What is this reply, which you have given me? After that I remembered that this was the reply of the same questions that I had myself prepared.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19199

77- وكذلك الحسن بن علي الوشاء وكان يقول بالوقف فرجع،وكان سببه أنه قال: خرجت إلى خراسان في تجارة لي، فلما وردته بعث إلي أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام يطلب مني حبرة،وكانت بين ثيابي قد خفي علي أمرها. فقلت: ما معي منها شي‏ء. فرد الرسول وذكر علامتها وأنها في سفط كذا. فطلبتها فكان كما قال،فبعثت بها إليه. ثم كتبت مسائل أسأله عنها،فلما وردت بابه خرج إلي جواب تلك المسائل التي أردت أن أسأله عنها من غير أن أظهرتها. فرجع عن القول بالوقف إلى القطع على إمامته.

H 77 - In the same way, Hasan bin Ali Washa was also a Waqifite of his time; then he returned to belief in the twelve Imams and repented for his past mistakes; the cause of his repentance, as he himself states, was that: I traveled to Khorasan for business. When I reached there, Abul Hasan Ridha (a. s) sent someone and asked me for the striped cloth from Yemen. It was among the merchandise that I was having, but I had forgotten it, so I said: I don’t have any striped cloth. The Imam’s messenger went away, but returned again to inform me that I was having it in so and so bundle; I found it at the same place and sent it to the Imam. After that I wrote some questions, which I wanted to ask him. Just as I reached his place, the Imam emerged from inside and mentioned to me the replies of the questions, which I wanted to ask him and about which no one knew anything. On witnessing this miracle, Hasan bin Ali Washa gave up his Waqifite beliefs and adopted faith in the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a. s).

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19200

78- وقال أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر: قال ابن النجاشي: من الإمام بعد صاحبكم؟ فدخلت على أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام فأخبرته،فقال: الإمام بعدي ابني؟ ثم قال: هل يجرؤ أحد أن يقول ابني وليس له ولد؟!

H 78 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr said: Ibn Najjashi asked: Who is the Imam after your companion [Imam Ridha (a. s)]? I went to Imam Ridha (a. s) and asked about it. Imam (a. s) said: The Imam after me is my son. After that he said: Can anyone who does not have a son, dare to say: ‘My son’?

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19201

79- وروى عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن محمد بن عيسى اليقطيني قال: لما اختلف الناس في أمر أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام جمعت من مسائله مما سئل عنه وأجاب عنه خمس عشرة ألف مسألة.

H 79 - Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa Yaqtini that he said: When people fell into discord with regard to the Imamate of Abul Hasan Imam Ridha (a. s), I collected the questions that were framed to gain confidence and certainty in his Imamate; and they totalled up to 15000, all of which the Imam replied.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19202

80- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن الأفطس قال: دخلت على المأمون فقربني وحياني،ثم قال: رحم الله الرضا عليه السلام ما كان أعلمه. لقد أخبرني بعجب. سألته ليلة وقد بايع له الناس فقلت: جعلت فداك،أرى لك أن تمضي إلى العراق وأكون خليفتك بخراسان. فتبسم ثم قال: لا،لعمري ولكن من دون خراسان بدرجات. إن لنا هنا مكثا ولست ببارح حتى يأتيني الموت ومنها المحشر لا محالة. فقلت له: جعلت فداك، وما علمك بذلك؟فقال: علمي بمكاني كعلمي بمكانك. قلت: وأين مكاني، أصلحك الله؟فقال: لقد بعدت الشقة بيني وبينك. أموت بالمشرق وتموت بالمغرب. فقلت: صدقت. والله ورسوله أعلم وآل محمد. فجهدت الجهد كله وأطمعته في الخلافة وما سواها فما أطمعني في نفسه.

H 80 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Aftas says: I entered the assembly of Mamun; he seated me close to him and asked about my well being. After that he said: May Allah have mercy on Ridha as no one was more learned than him. After people paid allegiance to him, one evening, I posed a question to him and in reply to it he mentioned a very strange matter. I asked: May I be sacrificed on you, I see your well being in the fact that you go to Iraq and I remain in Khorasan as your successor. The Imam smiled and said: No, by my life! Before I leave for Khorasan, the scroll of my deeds would be wrapped up [allusion to his demise]. There is a halt for us in this place and I will not leave till my demise approaches, and definitely my end will be in Khorasan only. I said: May I be sacrificed on you, how do you know this? He replied: My knowledge about my place is like my knowledge about your place. I asked: May God bless you, what is the location of my demise? He replied: The distance between me and you is very much; I would pass away in the east and you will die in the west. I said: You are right. Almighty Allah, His Prophet and Aale Muhammad (a. s) are most knowledgeable. After that I tried my best to allure him to Caliphate, official posts and other ranks, but he was not allured and did not accept.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19203

81- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن الحسن الأفطس قال: كنت عند المأمون يوما ونحن على شراب حتى إذا أخذ منه الشراب مأخذه صرف ندماءه واحتبسني، ثم أخرج جواريه وضربن وتغنين. فقال لبعضهن: بالله لما رثيت من بطوس قطنا. فأنشأت تقول: سقيا لطوس ومن أضحى بها قطنا من عترة المصطفى أبقى لنا حزنا أعني أبا حسن المأمون إن له حقا على كل من أضحى بها شجنا قال محمد بن عبد الله: فجعل يبكي حتى أبكاني. ثم قال لي: ويلك يا محمد! أيلزمني أهل بيتي وأهل بيتك أن أنصب أبا الحسن علما؟ والله أن لو أخرجت من هذا الأمر لأجلسته مجلسي،غير أنه عوجل فلعن الله عبد الله وحمزة ابني الحسن فإنهما قتلاه. ثم قال لي: يا محمد بن عبد الله والله لأحدثنك بحديث عجيب فاكتمه. قلت: ما ذاك يا أمير المؤمنين؟ قال: لما حملت زاهرية ببدر أتيته فقلت له: جعلت فداك، بلغني أن أبا الحسن موسى بن جعفر وجعفر بن محمد ومحمد بن علي وعلي بن الحسين والحسين بن علي عليهم السلام كانوا يزجرون الطير ولا يخطئون. وأنت وصي القوم وعندك علم ما كان عندهم، وزاهرية حظيتي ومن لا أقدم عليها أحدا من جواري، وقد حملت غير مرة،كل ذلك يسقط. فهل عندك في ذلك شي‏ء ننتفع به؟فقال: لا تخش من سقطها، فستسلم وتلد غلاما صحيحا مسلما، أشبه الناس بأمه، قد زاده الله في خلقه مرتبتين،في يده اليمنى خنصر وفي رجله اليمنى خنصر. فقلت في نفسي: هذه والله فرصة! إن لم يكن الأمر على ما ذكر خلعته. فلم أزل أتوقع أمرها حتى أدركها المخاض،فقلت للقيمة: إذا وضعت فجيئيني بولدها ذكرا كان أو أنثى. فما شعرت إلا بالقيمة وقد أتتني بالغلام كما وصفه؛ زائد اليد والرجل،كأنه كوكب دري. فأردت أن أخرج من الأمر يومئذ وأسلم ما في يدي إليه، فلم تطاوعني نفسي،لكني دفعت إليه الخاتم فقلت: دبر الأمر، فليس عليك مني خلاف،وأنت المقدم. وبالله أن لو فعل لفعلت.

H 81 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Hasan Aftas said: One day I was drinking wine with Mamun, till he became intoxicated; his friends left, but he retained me. After that he brought out the slave girls and they played musical instruments and sang. Mamun said to one of them: If you had only sung for one who is settled in Tus. The slave girl recited the following dirge: 1- Being quenched with the land of Tus and one from the progeny of the Prophet who is located there, who has left grief and sorrow for us. 2- I mean Abul Hasan, who is the hope of all. He has right on all who express their grief and sorrow. Muhammad bin Abdullah says: Mamun wept so much that I also started crying. After that he said: Woe be on you, Muhammad, do the people of my house and people of your house consider that it is my duty to appoint Abul Hasan as heir apparent? By Allah, if he had not died, I would definitely have appointed him as my successor [whereas it was Mamun himself who got the Imam martyred], but he passed away so soon. May Allah curse the two sons of Hasan; Abdullah and Hamza, who killed him. Then he said: O Muhammad bin Abdullah, by Allah, I am quoting a strange tradition for you. Keep it confidential. I said: Chief of believers, what tradition is that? He replied: When Zahiriya became pregnant with my son, Badr, I went to Imam Ridha (a. s) and said: May I be your ransom, I have received information that Musa bin Ja’far, Ja’far bin Muhammad, Muhammad bin Ali, Ali bin Husain and Husain bin Ali (a. s) used to resort to divination and did not make any mistake in it. You are their successor and their knowledge has come to you and I am also too much fond of Zahiriya and don’t prefer any of my slave girls to her. She has had many miscarriages. Do you have any solution for this? Imam Ridha (a. s) said: Do not fear miscarriage. Very soon Zahiriya would give birth to a healthy child that would resemble its mother the most and the Almighty Allah has added two things in his creation and it is that it will have an extra finger in both its hands and feet. I said to myself: By Allah, this is a good opportunity that if the circumstances proved against his prediction, I will remove him from heir apparency. Therefore, I was eager for this delivery till Zahiriya got labor pains. I said to the nurse: After the delivery, bring the newborn to me, whether it is a boy or a girl. [After sometime] The nurse brought to me a newborn child with the same characteristics and the boy was glowing like the moon. [Seeing this] I decided that I would leave Caliphate and all the matters of governance to him, but he did not accept. I gave my seal ring to him and said: Please take the matters of governance in your control and you have precedence [in Caliphate] and I will not oppose you at all. By Allah, if he had accepted, I would have done that.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19204

82- وقصته مع حبابة الوالبية صاحبة الحصاة التي طبع فيها أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وقال لها: من طبع فيها فهو إمام. وبقيت إلى أيام الرضا عليه السلام فطبع فيها، وقد شهدت من تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام وطبعوا فيه،وهو عليه السلام آخر من لقيتهم وماتت بعد لقائها إياه وكفنها في قميصه.

H 82 - Like the incident of the Imam with Hababa Walibiyya, owner of the pebble on which Amirul Momineen (a. s) placed his seal and said to her: One who places a seal on this pebble is an Imam. Hababa survived till the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a. s). The Imam placed the seal on that pebble and Hababa witnessed the placing of seals by respected ancestors of Imam Ridha (a. s) and Imam Ridha (a. s) was the last Imam Hababa met. Hababa passed away after meeting Imam Ridha (a. s) and the Imam gave his own shirt to serve as her shroud.

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha - Hadith 19205

83- وكذلك قصته مع أم غانم الأعرابية صاحبة الحصاة أيضا التي طبع فيها أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وطبع بعده سائر الأئمة إلى زمان أبي محمد العسكري عليه السلام معروفة مشهورة.

H 83 - Same is the incident of Imam (a. s) with Umme Ghanim, the Bedouin lady, who owned a pebble, on which Amirul Momineen (a. s) had placed his seal; and all Imams till Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) placed seals on it; her story is also well known.

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19206

فإن قيل: قد مضى في كلامكم أنا نعلم موت موسى بن جعفر عليهما السلام كما نعلم موت أبيه وجده عليهما السلام فعليكم لقائل أن يقول: إنا نعلم أنه لم يكن للحسن بن علي ابن كما نعلم أنه لم يكن له عشرة بنين وكما نعلم أنه لم يكن للنبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ابن لصلبه عاش بعد موته. فإن قلتم لو علمنا أحدهما كما نعلم الآخر لما جاز أن يقع فيه خلاف كما لا يجوز أن يقع الخلاف في الآخر. قيل لمخالفكم أن يقول ولو علمنا موت محمد بن الحنفية وجعفر بن محمد وموسى بن جعفر عليهم السلام كما نعلم موت محمد بن علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام لما وقع الخلاف في أحدهما كما لم يجز أن يقع في الآخر.

Objection: It was mentioned in your discourse that we know the death of Musa Ibn Ja’far, just as we know the death of his father and grandfather. In the same way, one can say: We know that Hasan Ibn Ali Askari did not have a son, just as we know he did not have ten sons, just as we know that the Messenger of Allah (s) did not have a son, who outlived him. If you reply to the objection and say that if we knew the former of the two the same way as we know the second, it would be impossible to have a disagreement on the former, just as it is impossible to disagree on the second; your opponent can also say that if we knew about the death of Muhammad Ibn Hanafiyyah, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad and Musa Ibn Ja’far in the same manner, we know the death of Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain [Baqir], there would not be any dispute in the former just as it is not possible to have a difference on the latter.

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19207

قلنا نفي ولادة الأولاد من الباب الذي لا يصح أن يعلم صدوره في موضع من المواضع ولا يمكن أحدا أن يدعي فيمن لم يظهر له ولد أن يعلم أنه لا ولد له وإنما يرجع في ذلك إلى غالب الظن والأمارة بأنه لو كان له ولد لظهر وعرف خبره لأن العقلاء قد تدعوهم الدواعي إلى كتمان أولادهم لأغراض مختلفة. فمن الملوك من يخفيه خوفا عليه وإشفاقا وقد وجد من ذلك كثير في عادة الأكاسرة والملوك الأول وأخبارهم معروفة. وفي الناس من يولد له ولد من بعض سراياه أو ممن تزوج بها سرا فيرمى به ويجحده خوفا من وقوع الخصومة مع زوجته وأولاده الباقين وذلك أيضا يوجد كثيرا في العادة. وفي الناس من يتزوج بامرأة دنية في المنزلة والشرف وهو من ذوي الأقدار والمنازل فيولد له فيأنف من إلحاقه به فيجحده أصلا.وفيهم من يتحرج فيعطيه شيئا من ماله. وفي الناس من يكون من أدونهم نسبا فيتزوج بامرأة ذات شرف ومنزلة لهوى منها فيه بغير علم من أهلها أما بأن يزوجه نفسها بغير ولي على مذهب كثير من الفقهاء أو تولى أمرها الحاكم فيزوجها على ظاهر الحال، فيولد له فيكون الولد صحيحا وتنتفي منه أنفه وخوفا من أوليائها وأهلها،وغير ذلك من الأسباب التي لا نطول بذكرها الكتاب. فلا يمكن ادعاء نفي الولادة جملة وإنما نعلم ما نعلمه إذا كانت الأحوال سليمة ونعلم أنه لا مانع من ذلك فحينئذ نعلم انتفاءه. فأما علمنا بأنه لم يكن للنبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ابن عاش بعده فإنما علمناه لما علمنا عصمته ونبوته ولو كان له ولد لأظهره لأنه لا مخافة عليه في إظهاره،وعلمنا أيضا بإجماع الأمة على أنه لم يكن له ابن عاش بعده. ومثل ذلك لا يمكن أن يدعى العلم به في ابن الحسن عليه السلام لأن الحسن عليه السلام كان كالمحجور عليه وفي حكم المحبوس وكان الولد يخاف عليه لما علم وانتشر من مذهبهم أن الثاني عشر هو القائم بالأمر المؤمل لإزالة الدول،فهو مطلوب لا محالة وخاف أيضا من أهله كجعفر أخيه الذي طمع في الميراث والأموال فلذلك أخفاه ووقعت الشبهة في ولادته. ومثل ذلك لا يمكن ادعاء العلم به في موت من علم موته لأن الميت مشاهد معلوم يعرف بشاهد الحال موته وبالأمارات الدالة عليه يضطر من رآه إلى ذلك فإذا أخبر من لم يشاهده علمه واضطر إليه وجرى الفرق بين الموضعين.مثل ما يقول الفقهاء في الأحكام الشرعية من أن البينة إنما يمكن أن تقوم على إثبات الحقوق لا على نفيها لأن النفي لا يقوم عليه بينة إلا إذا كان تحته إثبات فبان الفرق بين الموضعين لذلك.

Reply: To prove the negation of the birth of an offspring is impossible in any situation. It is not possible to claim that someone, who is not known to have an offspring, does not have an offspring. Such claims are made through likelihoods and conjectures and circumstances indicating that if he had an offspring, it would have been known and its news would have spread. However, many times, prudence dictates that men of wisdom and letters hide their offspring for various considerations. Many kings hide their offspring for fear and for compassion for their progeny. This is observed often in the practice of Persian emperors and kings of antiquity and their stories are famous. People sire sons from their concubines or from their wives they have married secretly, so they reject and ignore their progeny, fearing enmity with their other wives and children. It is also not uncommon amongst people. Some people marry a woman of low social prominence and class, while being from upper echelons and when they father a son from her, they consider it a challenge to their distinction to attribute it to himself; so they deny their relationship altogether, and some of them pity and offer that child some of their wealth. Sometimes a man of a low rank marries a woman of a noble family, because of her infatuation and without the knowledge of her family, either because her guardian does not exist, as many jurists allow; or the ruler has taken over her affairs and marries her to him. When a son is born from him, though the boy is healthy, she disowns him, because of her pride or because of fear of her guardians or elders. Many other reasons are conceivable, which we will not mention to avoid lengthening the discourse. Therefore, it is not possible to negate fatherhood altogether. We can know that only when all the aspects are immaculate and it is known that there is no encumbrance from declaring fatherhood - only then the negation of fatherhood can be known. Our knowledge that the Messenger of Allah (s) did not have a son, who outlived him is due to our knowledge of his infallibility and his Prophethood, and that if he had a son, he would have made it known, because there was no fear in making it public. Moreover, we know through consensus of Ummah that he did not have a son, who lived after him. The same cannot be claimed with respect to the offspring of Hasan (a. s), because Hasan (a. s) was interdicted and was practically a prisoner. There was much worry, concern and fear for the offspring, as it had been a known and famed article of Shia faith that the Twelfth Imam was going to establish the Order for termination of regimes; therefore, it was necessary to keep his birth confidential. So Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) concealed him even from his family members, like Ja’far Kazzab, his brother, who was eyeing his inheritance and wealth with greed. Thus, he hid his son and doubts with respect to his birth were caused. It is not warranted to analogize the negation of having a son to the subject of knowing the death of a person, because when someone dies, the deceased is seen and known, and his death is known through the circumstances and other evidences that compel anyone who sees them into conviction and when he informs someone who has not seen the deceased personally, he would be compelled to conviction as well. The parallel analogy of the two situations is like the edict of the jurists that witnesses can only testify to prove rights, not to negate them, because negation is not subject to observation, unless it is based on an affirmation. Therefore, the difference of the two situations is clear.

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19208

فإن قيل العادة تسوي بين الموضعين لأن الموت قد يشاهد الرجل يحتضر كما تشاهد القوابل الولادة وليس كل أحد يشاهد احتضار غيره كما أنه ليس كل أحد يشاهد ولادة غيره ولكن أظهر ما يمكن في علم الإنسان بموت غيره إذا لم يكن يشاهده أن يكون جاره ويعلم بمرضه ويتردد في عيادته ثم يعلم بشدة مرضه ويشتد الخوف من موته ثم يسمع الواعية من داره ولا يكون في الدار مريض غيره ويجلس أهله للعزاء وآثار الحزن والجزع عليهم ظاهرة ثم يقسم ميراثه ثم يتمادى الزمان ولا يشاهد ولا يعلم لأهله غرض في إظهار موته وهو حي. فهذه سبيل الولادة لأن النساء يشاهدن الحمل ويتحدثن بذلك سيما إذا كانت حرمة رجل نبيه يتحدث الناس بأحوال مثله وإذا استسر بجـارية في بعض المواضـع لم يخف تردده إليهـا ثم إذا ولد المولود ظهر البشر والسرور في أهل الدار وهنأهم الناس إذا كان المهنأ جليل القدر وانتشر ذلك وتحدث على حسب جلالة قدره ويعلم الناس أنه قد ولد مولود سيما إذا علم أنه لا غرض في أن يظهر أنه ولد له ولد ولم يولد له. فمتى اعتبرنا العادة وجدناها في الموضعين على سواء وإن نقض الله العادة فإنه يمكن في أحدهما مثل ما يمكن في الآخر فإنه قد يجوز أن يمنع الله ببعض الشواغل عن مشاهدة الحامل وعن أن يحضر ولادتها إلا عدد يؤمن مثلهم على كتمان أمره ثم ينقله الله من مكان الولادة إلى قلة جبل أو برية لا أحد فيها ولا يطلع على ذلك الأمر إلا من لا يظهره إلا على المأمون مثله. وكما يجوز ذلك فإنه يجوز أن يمرض الإنسان ويتردد إليه عواده فإذا اشتد حاله وتوقع موته وكان يؤيس من حياته نقله الله إلى قلة جبل وصير مكانه شخصا ميتا يشبهه كثيرا من الشبه ثم يمنع بالشواغل وغيرها من مشاهدته إلا لمن يوثق به ثم يدفن الشخص ويحضر جنازته من كان يتوقع موته ولا يرجو حياته فيتوهم أن المدفون هو ذاك العليل. وقد يسكن نبض الإنسان وتنفسه وينقض الله العادة ويغيبه عنهم وهو حي لأن الحي منا إنما يحتاج إليهما لإخراج البخارات المحترقة مما حول القلب بإدخال هواء بارد صاف ليروح عن القلب وقد يمكن أن يفعل الله من البرودة في الهواء المحدق بالقلب ما يجري مجرى هواء بارد يدخلها بالتنفس فيكون الهواء المحدق بالقلب أبدا باردا ولا يحترق منه شي‏ء لأن الحرارة التي تحصل فيه تقوم بالبرودة.

If it is said: The merit is the same between the two scenes, for in case of death, many a time it is observed that the man is dying, just as midwives witness the birth of a child. However, not everyone witnesses the death of another man, just as not everyone witnesses the birth of a child. The best a man may know about the death of another person whom he has not seen die is to be his neighbor, to know of his malady, visit him during his sickness, then learn of his worsening condition, and then hear wailing from his house, while there has been no other sick person there. Then he sees the family of the sick neighbor sit in mourning and observes marks of grief and loss on their faces. Then his inheritance is distributed and a long time passes while no reason can be thought of that his family would proclaim his death while he is alive. The same is true with respect to birth, since women witness pregnancy and talk about it. Especially, if she is the honor of a nobleman, people will discuss the condition of such a person. If he courts a concubine, his visits to her will not remain a secret; and when the child is born, people of the house will exude gaiety and jubilation. People will congratulate them if the family is prominent and news will spread; and according to the prominence of the family, people will know that such and such has sired a baby, especially when it is known that there is no objective in expressing that a baby has been born to him or not. So when we consider this, the ordinary behavior is same in both cases; and if Allah should desire to supercede the ordinary behavior, He can do it in either of the two. It is possible that He may disallow through certain encumbrances, the pregnant woman to be seen and her delivery not to be attended, but by a few who are as trustworthy as themselves in safeguarding their secret. It is equally possible that a man should become sick and visitors visit him and when his malady worsens, his death is expected and hope is lost in his life, Allah transfers him to a mountain top and places in his stead a dead person who looks like him. Then through encumbrances He disallows him to be viewed, except by trusted individuals. Then the corpse is buried and his funeral is attended by all those who expected his death and had lost hope in his life, all thinking that the one, who is buried is the one who was sick. Many a time, it is possible that a man’s pulse and breathing ceases, and then Allah breaks the ordinary norms and takes him away from the people, while he is alive, because a living individual needs pulse and breathing in order to exhale burning gases from around the heart through inhaling cool clean air, to cleanse the heart. It is possible that Allah creates coolness in the air surrounding the heart so it may act instead of the cool air that enters through respiration and it is possible that He arranges that none of it may burn, for the heat that is produced therein is killed by that coolness.

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19209

والجواب أنا نقول أولا أنه لا يلتجئ من يتكلم في الغيبة إلى مثل هذه الخرافات إلا من كان مفلسا من الحجة عاجزا عن إيراد شبهة قوية غير متمكن من الكلام عليها بما يرتضي مثله فعند ذلك يلتجئ إلى مثل هذه التمويهات والتذليقات. ونحن نتكلم على ذلك على ما به فنقول إن ما ذكر من الطريق الذي به يعلم موت الإنسان ليس بصحيح على كل وجه لأنه قد يتفق جميع ذلك وينكشف عن باطل بأن يكون لمن أظهر ذلك غرض حكمي فيظهر التمارض ويتقدم إلى أهله بإظهار جميع ذلك ليختبر به أحوال غيره ممن له عليه طاعة أو إمرة وقد سبق الملوك كثيرا والحكماء إلى مثل ذلك وقد يدخل عليهم أيضا شبهة بأن يلحقه علة سكتة فيظهرون جميع ذلك ثم ينكشف عن باطل وذلك أيضا معلوم بالعادات وإنما يعلم الموت بالمشاهدة وارتفاع الحس وجمود النبض ويستمر ذلك أوقاتا كثيرة ربما انضاف إلى ذلك أمارات معلومة بالعادة من جرب المرضى ومارسهم يعلم ذلك.

We would reply: First, we say that no one who believes in occultation has to take recourse to such nonsense, unless he is deprived of proofs and unable to refute a strong doubt. We will discuss this objection on the grounds it has been articulated and will say that the way mentioned for knowing someone’s death is not always correct, because sometimes all these elements combine, but the lie is revealed, because the person who displayed all this had a smart objective. He pretended to be sick and goes to his family displaying all that to test those who profess obedience and loyalty to him. Cases similar to this have happened many times in the lives of kings and philosophers. Sometimes people consider heart attack to be death; then the mistake is revealed. This is also evident in public behavior. Death is only known through observation of cessation of sensation and suspension of pulse that lasts for a very long time. Many other signs, known through experience, can be included, which someone who has experience with the sick and has treated them knows.

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19210

وهذه حالة موسى بن جعفر عليهماالسلام فإنه أظهر للخلق الكثير الذين لا يخفى على مثلهم الحال ولا يجوز عليهم دخول الشبهة في مثله. وقوله بأنه يجوز أن يغيب الله الشخص ويحضر شخصا على شبهه على أصله لا يصح لأن هذا يسد باب الأدلة ويؤدي إلى الشك في المشاهدات وأن جميع ما نراه ليس هو الذي رأيناه بالأمس ويلزم الشك في موت جميع الأموات ويجي‏ء منه مذهب الغلاة والمفوضة الذين نفوا القتل عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وعن الحسين عليه السلام وما أدى إلى ذلك يجب أن يكون باطلا. وما قاله أن الله يفعل داخل الجوف حول القلب من البرودة ما ينوب مناب الهواء ضرب من هوس الطب ومع ذلك يؤدي إلى الشك في موت جميع الأموات على ما قلناه على أن على قانون الطب حركات النبض والشريانات من القلب وإنما يبطل ببطلان الحرارة الغريزية فإذا فقد حركات النبض علم بطلان الحرارة وعلم عند ذلك موته وليس ذلك بموقوف على التنفس ولهذا يلتجئون إلى النبض عند انقطاع النفس أو ضعفه فيبطل ما قالوه. وحمله الولادة على ذلك وما ادعاه من ظهور الأمر فيه صحيح متى فرضنا الأمر على ما قاله من أنه يكون الحمل لرجل نبيه وقد علم إظهاره ولا مانع من ستره وكتمانه ومتى فرضنا كتمانه وستره لبعض الأغراض التي قدمنا بعضها لا يجب العلم به ولا اشتهاره. على أن الولادة في الشرع قد استقر أن يثبت بقول القابلة ويحكم بقولها في كونه حيا أو ميتا فإذا جاز ذلك كيف لا يقبل قول جماعة نقلوا ولادة صاحب الأمر عليه السلام وشاهدوه وشاهدوا من شاهده من الثقات. ونحن نورد الأخبار في ذلك عمن رآه وحكى له.وقد أجاز صاحب السؤال أن يعرض في ذلك عارض يقتضي المصلحة أنه إذا ولد أن ينقله الله إلى قلة جبل أو موضع يخفى فيه أمره ولا يطلع عليه أحد وإنما ألزم على ذلك عارضا في الموت وقد بينا الفصل بين الموضعين.

Same was the case of Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s), because he appeared before multitudes of people, who cannot fail to discern his condition or be confused by his situation. The suggestion that Allah may take away a person and bring another who looks like him in his place is not at all correct, since this shuts the doorway of reasoning and leads to doubts in observations and that all that we see today is not which we saw yesterday, raising doubts about the death of all the deceased and advancing the belief of extremists (Ghulat) and downgraders (Mufawwidha) who denied that Amirul Momineen (a. s) and Imam Husain (a. s) were killed. A line of reasoning that leads to such absurdity has to be specious. The assertion that Allah causes coldness in the body around the heart, which acts instead of air, is a mere wishful effort of pretending to know medicine. It encourages doubts with respect to the death of all who are dead, as we mentioned. Besides, as per medical principles, the motion of the pulse and veins originates from the heart, and fades only with the fading of natural heat. When the pulse ceases, the fading of natural heat is inferred and thus, death of the subject. This is not dependent on inhaling. Therefore, physicians examine the pulse when respiration stops or it is weak. Therefore, his argument and analogy to the birth of a child is shown to be refutable. His claim that births of children become well-known is correct only within the supposition he mentions; that the birth be at the house of a nobleman, who has proclaimed expectation of the birth of the child and there is no reason he should hide it. However, if we suppose that for certain reasons, which we mentioned, the nobleman hides the matter and keeps it a secret, it is not necessary that the birth will be known at all, let alone be well-known. Besides, the Shariah allows birth to be proved through the testimony of a midwife and a verdict is issued on the basis of her testimony, whether she is dead or alive. When this is allowed, on what basis the testimony of multitudes who have narrated the birth of the Master of the Age (a. s) and have met reliable men who met that sacred entity is rejected? And we will bring the narrations from those who have met him. The opponent has expressed indirectly that it is possible that a reason may rise, requiring expediency that when the child is born, Allah transfers him to a mountain top or another place, where he can remain unknown and where no one finds out about him. Although since he applies the same analogy to death also, we have already explained the distinction between the two occasions.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19211

وأما من خالف من الفرق الباقية الذين قالوا بإمامة غيره كالمحمدية الذين قالوا بإمامة محمد بـن عـلي بـن محمـد بن عـلي الرضـا عليه السلام والفطحية القائلة بإمامة عبد الله بن جعفر بن محمد الصادق عليه السلام وفي هذا الوقت بإمامة جعفر بن علي. وكالفرقة القائلة أن صاحب الزمان حمل لم يولد بعد. وكالذين قالوا أنه مات ثم يعيش. وكالذين قالوا بإمامة الحسن عليه السلام وقالوا هو اليقين ولم يصح لنا ولادة ولده فنحن في فترة. فقولهم ظاهر البطلان من وجوه: أحدها انقراضهم فإنه لم يبق قائل يقول بشي‏ء من هذه المقالات ولو كان حقا لما انقرض. ومنها أن محمد بن علي العسكري مات في حياة أبيه موتا ظاهرا.والأخبار في ذلك ظاهرة معروفة من دفعه كمن دفع موت من تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام.

The other groups that have disagreed and professed the Imamate of someone else – such as Muhammadiyya, who believed in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Imam Ridha (a. s); and the Fathiyya, who believed in the Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Imam Sadiq (a. s) and proclaim the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali at this time; and like the denomination that believes that the Master of the Age has been conceived, but is not born yet; and like the ones who believed that he has died and then he will live again; and like those who believed in the Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and claimed that his Imamate is certain and the birth of his son has not been proved and that we live in a time with no Imam; their words are very obviously false for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is their extinction. There is no one left today who believes in these doctrines anymore; and if they had been correct, they would not have perished. Another reason is that Muhammad Ibn Ali Askari died during the lifetime of his father. His death was well-known and traditions regarding it are evident and famous. Anyone who rejects them is like someone who rejects the death of anyone of his forefathers, peace be on them.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19212

84- فروى سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري قال: حدثني أبو هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام وقت وفاة ابنه أبي جعفر، وقد كان أشار إليه ودل عليه، وإني لأفكر في نفسي وأقول: هذه قصة أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام وقصة إسماعيل. فأقبل علي أبو الحسن عليه السلام وقال: نعم،يا أبا هاشم. بدا لله في أبي جعفر وصير مكانه أبا محمد،كما بدا له في إسماعيل بعد ما دل عليه أبو عبد الله عليه السلام ونصبه. وهو كما حدثتك نفسك وإن كره المبطلون. أبو محمد ابني الخلف من بعدي؛ عنده ما تحتاجونه إليه ومعه آلة الإمامة، والحمد لله.

H 84 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari said: Narrated to me Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that: I was with Abul Hasan Askari [Imam Hadi] at the time when his son, Abu Ja’far passed away, Imam (a. s) pointed to him emphatically so that we may see his son, who had passed away. I said to myself: This is just how it happened in the case of Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a. s)] and Ismail Ibn Ja’far that when Ismail passed away, Imam Sadiq (a. s) publicly announced his death, so that no one may claim that Ismail or his descendants are Imams. Thus Imam Hadi (a. s) came to me and said: Yes, Aba Hashim, change of destiny occurred (Bada) with regard to Abu Ja’far and Almighty Allah replaced him with Abu Muhammad as He did in the case of Ismail, son of Imam Sadiq (a. s), after Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) had declared him to be the Imam after him and appointed him as his successor; just as you said to yourself, although it would be displeasing to the followers of falsehood, my son, Abu Muhammad is my successor and he is having all that which the Shia society is in need of and he is having the distinctive signs of Imamate, by the grace of God.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19213

وأما من قال إنه لا ولد لأبي محمد عليه السلام ولكن هاهنا حمل مشهور سيولد، فقوله باطل لأن هذا يؤدي إلى خلو الزمان من إمام يرجع إليه، وقد بينا فساد ذلك. على أنا سندل على أنه قد ولد له ولد معروف ونذكر الروايات في ذلك فيبطل قول هؤلاء أيضا.

As for the saying that Abu Muhammad did not have any offspring and that there is a hidden conceived baby, who will be born: It is invalid, because this suggests that this age is devoid of an Imam of guidance and we have demonstrated the falsity of this. Additionally, we will demonstrate that he sired a famous son and we will mention the traditions with that respect, which will invalidate this assertion as well.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19214

وأما من قال إن الأمر مشتبه فلا يدرى هل للحسن عليه السلام ولد أم لا، وهو مستمسك بالأول حتى يتحقق ولادة ابنه، فقوله أيضا يبطل بما قلناه من أن الزمان لا يخلو من إمام، لأن موت الحسن عليه السلام قد علمناه كما علمنا موت غيره. وسنبين ولادة ولده فيبطل قولهم أيضا.

As for the saying that the situation is confusing and it cannot be decided whether Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) sired a son or not, and until the birth of his son is established, we will adhere to the Imamate of Hasan; it is also invalidated through our assertion that no time can be without an Imam, because we know Hasan (a. s) is dead just as we know many other people to be dead, and we will prove the birth of his son as well, so their claim is also falsified.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19215

وأما من قال إنه لا إمام بعد الحسن عليه السلام، فقوله باطل بما دللنا عليه من أن الزمان لا يخلو من حجة لله عقلا وشرعا. وأما من قال إن أبا محمد عليه السلام مات ويحيا بعد موته، فقوله باطل بمثل ما قلناه،لأنه يؤدي إلى خلو الخلق من إمام من وقت وفاته عليه السلام إلى حين يحييه الله تعالى.

As for the belief that there is no Imam after Hasan (a. s): It is invalid due to our rational as well as Shari proofs that no time can be devoid of an Imam. The belief that Abu Muhammad passed away and he will come back to life after his death, is also invalid, because it suggests lack of an Imam from the time of his death until Allah brings him back to life.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19216

واحتجاجهم بما روي من أن صاحب هذا الأمر يحيا بعد ما يموت وأنه سمي قائما لأنه يقوم بعد ما يموت، باطل لأن ذلك يحتمل لو صح الخبر أن يكون أراد بعد أن مات ذكره حتى لا يذكره إلا من يعتقد إمامته فيظهره الله لجميع الخلق،على أنا قد بينا أن كل إمام يقوم بعد الإمام الأول يسمى قائما.

The argument, which is based on the tradition that “the Master of this Affair will live after he dies” and that he has been named Qaim, since he will rise after he dies, is invalid, because first the tradition is not reliable, and even if it is reliable, it can be interpreted to mean that he will rise after his name dies, that is, no one mentions him, except those who believe in his Imamate and then Allah will manifest him to all. Besides, we have established that every Imam, who stands in place of a previous Imam, is called the Qaim.

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19217

وأما القائلون بإمامة عبد الله بن جعفر من الفطحية وجعفر بن علي، فقولهم باطل بما دللنا عليه من وجوب عصمة الإمام وهما لم يكونا معصومين، وأفعالهما الظاهر التي تنافي العصمة معروفة، نقلها العلماء،وهي موجودة في الكتب فلا نطول بذكرها الكتاب. على أن المشهور الذي لا مرية فيه ��ين الطائفة أن الإمامة لا تكون في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام. فالقول بإمامة جعفر بعد أخيه الحسن يبطل بذلك.

As for believers in Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far, namely the Fatahiyya, and that of Ja’far Ibn Ali, their creed is wrong, because an Imam has to be infallible and these two were not. Their evident actions, which contradict infallibility, are widely known and scholars have narrated them and they are present in books and we will not prolong the discourse by quoting them here. Besides, the established principle, which is beyond doubt amongst the Shia, is that Imamate shall not pass from one brother to another, after Hasan and Husain (a. s). Therefore, the Imamate of Ja’far, after his brother, is void.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19218

فإذا ثبت بطلان هذه الأقاويل كلها لم يبق إلا القول بإمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام، وإلا لأدى إلى خروج الحق عن الأمة وذلك باطل. وإذا ثبتت إمامته بهذه السياقة ثم وجدناه غائبا عن الأبصار علمنا أنه لم يغب مع عصمته وتعين فرض الإمامة فيه وعليه إلا لسبب سوغه ذلك وضرورة ألجأته إليه وإن لم يعلم على وجه التفصيل.

Having established the invalidity of all these beliefs, the only creed that remains is that of Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a. s) or else it would follow that truth is beyond this Ummah. When his Imamate is proved through this reasoning and we find him hidden from people, considering his infallibility and that the duties of Imamate fall on his person and on his shoulders, we infer that he has not disappeared, but for a reason that has allowed it and a necessity that has compelled him to it, even if we may not know it in detail. This is analogous to the diseases, which afflict children and cattle, and the creation of harmful elements, repulsive faces and ambiguous verses of Quran.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19219

وجرى ذلك مجرى الكلام في إيلام الأطفال والبهائم وخلق المؤذيات والصور المشينات ومتشابه القرآن إذا سألنا عن وجهها بأن نقول: إذا علمنا أن الله تعالى حكيم لا يجوز أن يفعل ما ليس بحكمه ولا صواب علمنا أن هذه الأشياء لها وجه حكمة وإن لم نعلمه معينا. وكذلك نقول في صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، فإنا نعلم أنه لم يستتر إلا لأمر حكمي يسوغه ذلك وإن لم نعلمه مفصلا.

When we say: we know that Allah, the Exalted, is All-Wise and it is not possible for Him to do something that is not wise and valid, we infer that there are aspects of wisdom in these things, though we may not specifically know them. Likewise, we say about the Patron of the Time that we know he has not disappeared, but for a wise matter, which has allowed him to do so, though we may not know in detail.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19220

فإن قيل: نحن نعترض قولكم في إمامته بغيبته بأن نقول إذا لم يمكنكم بيان وجه حسنها دل ذلك على بطلان القول بإمامته، لأنه لو صح لأمكنكم بيان وجه الحسن فيه.

If it is said: On the basis of his occultation, we question your belief in his Imamate. We say: If you cannot describe the wisdom of his disappearance, it indicates invalidity of your belief in his Imamate, because if it were valid, you should be able to describe the wisdom of his occultation.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19221

قلنا: إن لزمنا ذلك لزم جميع أهل العدل قول الملحدة إذا قالوا إنا نتوصل بهذه الأفعال التي ليست بظاهرة الحكمة إلى أن فاعلها ليس بحكيم،لأنه لو كان حكيما لأمكنكم بيان وجه الحكمة فيها وإلا فما الفصل.

We would reply: If it is fair to infer this conclusion from our position, the atheist view must proceed from the position of all the followers of justice that Divine acts, which are seemingly devoid of aspect of wisdom, lead to the conclusion that their doer is not wise, because the atheist says, “If He were wise, you would have been able to explain the aspect of wisdom in His actions.” Otherwise, what is the difference between our assertion and the assertion of followers of justice?

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19222

فإذا قلتم: نتكلم أولا في إثبات حكمته فإذا ثبت بدليل منفصل ثم وجدنا هذه الأفعال المشتبهة الظاهر حملناها على ما يطابق ذلك فلا يؤدي إلى نقض ما علمنا ومتى لم يسلموا لنا حكمته انتقلت المسألة إلى الكلام في حكمته.

If you say: “We first inquire into Divine wisdom and once it is proved through independent proofs, we interpret the acts that are hard to explain on the basis of His wisdom, which has already been proved. Therefore, it does not lead to any contradiction of what we already know. And if the atheists do not accept His wisdom, the discussion will transfer to proving Divine wisdom that has already been proved through independent arguments.”

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19223

قلنا: مثل ذلك هاهنا من أن الكلام في غيبته فرع على إمامته، فإذا علمنا إمامته بدليل وعلمنا عصمته بدليل آخر وعلمناه غاب،حملنا غيبته على وجه يطابق عصمته فلا فرق بين الموضعين.

We will say the same here that his occultation is secondary to his Imamate. Knowing his Imamate through independent proofs and realizing his infallibility through other sets of proofs, we interpret his occultation and disappearance on grounds compatible to his infallibility. Therefore, there is no difference between the two areas.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19224

ثم يقال للمخالف في الغيبة: أتجوز أن يكون للغيبة سبب صحيح اقتضاها ووجه من الحكمة أوجبها أم لا تجوز ذلك؟فإن قال: يجوز ذلك.قيل له: فإذا كان ذلك جائزا فكيف جعلت وجود الغيبة دليلا على فقد الإمام في الزمان مع تجويزك لها سببا لا ينافي وجود الإمام؟ وهل يجري ذلك إلا مجرى من توصل بإيلام الأطفال إلى نفي حكمة الصانع تعالى وهو معترف بأنه يجوز أن يكون في إيلامهم وجه صحيح لا ينافي الحكمة؟ أو من توصل بظاهر الآيات المتشابهات إلى أنه تعالى مشبه للأجسام وخالق لأفعال العباد مع تجويزه أن يكون لها وجوه صحيحة توافق الحكمة والعدل والتوحيد ونفي التشبيه؟

Then the opponent of occultation is asked, “Is it possible that the occultation may have a valid reason that has caused it and a wise explanation that has prompted it or it is not possible?” If he should say, “It is possible,” he will be told, “Then why does occultation lead you to conclude the non-existence of the Imam in this time despite considering it possible that it may have a reason not incompatible with the existence of Imam? Is it not like the argument of a person, who negates the wisdom of the Creator on the basis of pains and diseases of children, notwithstanding his acknowledgement that their pains and diseases may have a valid explanation that does not violate divine wisdom? Or the argument of a person who argues on the basis of the superficialities of ‘ambiguous verses’ that the Almighty is similar to physical bodies and creates the actions of people, despite his profession that these verses may have valid interpretations that do not violate the principles of wisdom, Divine justice, monotheism and negation of His physicality.”

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19225

وإن قال: لا أجوز ذلك، قيل: هذا تحجر شديد فيما لا يحاط بعلمه ولا يقطع على مثله، فمن أين قلت إن ذلك لا يجوز وانفصل ممن قال لا يجوز أن يكون للآيات المتشابهات وجوه صحيحة تطابق أدلة العقل ولا بد أن تكون على ظواهرها؟

If he should say, “I don’t consider this possible.” He will be told, “This is utter obstinacy in a subject, which your knowledge does not encompass, and you cannot be certain in a question as such. How do you say it is not possible? How is this statement different from the assertion of someone, who says that ‘ambiguous verses’ cannot have valid interpretations that conform to reason and they must be interpreted literally?

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19226

ومتى قيل: نحن متمكنون من ذكر وجوه الآيات المتشابهات وأنتم لا تتمكنون من ذكر سبب صحيح للغيبة، قلنا: كلامنا على من يقول لا أحتاج إلى العلم بوجوه الآيات المتشابهات مفصلا بل يكفيني علم الجملة، ومتى تعاطيت ذلك كان تبرعا، وإن اقتنعتم لنفسكم بذلك فنحن أيضا نتمكن من ذكر وجه صحة الغيبة وغرض حكمي لا ينافي عصمته. وسنذكر ذلك فيما بعد، وقد تكلمنا عليه مستوفى في كتاب الإمامة.

And when it is said: "We are capable of mentioning the aspects of the ambiguous verses, but you are unable to mention a valid reason for the occultation," we say: Our discourse is directed at the one who says "I do not need to know the detailed aspects of the ambiguous verses, but that a general understanding suffices for me." If you undertake that, it is out of your own volition. And if you are satisfied with that for yourselves, then we too are capable of mentioning the validity of the occultation and a wise purpose that does not contradict his infallibility. We will mention that later, and we have discussed it comprehensively in the book of Imamate.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19227

ثم يقال: كيف يجوز أن يجتمع صحة إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام بما بيناه من سياقة الأصول العقلية مع القول بأن الغيبة لا يجوز أن يكون لها سبب صحيح؟ وهل هذا إلا تناقض ويجري مجرى القول بصحة التوحيد والعدل مع القطع على أنه لا يجوز أن يكون للآيات المتشابهات وجه يطابق هذه الأصول؟

They are further asked, “How can the Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a. s) be proved and substantiated by succession of rational principles we established, yet it can be said that occultation cannot have a valid reason? Is it not but a contradiction? Is it not but parallel to professing monotheism and Divine Justice and at the same time averring that ‘ambiguous verses’ cannot have an interpretation that conforms to these principles?”

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19228

ومتى قالوا: نحن لا نسلم إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام،كان الكلام معهم في ثبوت الإمامة دون الكلام في سبب الغيبة. وقد تقدمت الدلالة على إمامته عليه السلام بما لا يحتاج إلى إعادته. وإنما قلنا ذلك لأن الكلام في سبب غيبة الإمام عليه السلام فرع على ثبوت إمـامته، فأمـا قبل ثبوتها فلا وجه للكلام في سبب غيبته كما لا وجه للكلام في وجوه الآيات المتشابهات وإيلام الأطفال وحسن التعبد بالشرائع قبل ثبوت التوحيد والعدل.

If they say, “We don’t accept the Imamate of Ibn Hasan,” then our discourse with them is with respect to proving Imamate, not the wisdom of occultation, and the proofs of his Imamate (a. s) have been fully discussed and there is no reason to repeat them. We say this, because the argument of the wisdom of occultation of the Imam is secondary to his Imamate. However, before his Imamate is proved, there is no justification to discuss the reason of his occultation, as there is no justification to interpret ‘ambiguous verses’, pains of children and necessity of following religious duties before believing in One God and His justice.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19229

فإن قيل: إلا كان السائل بالخيار بين الكلام في إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام ليعرف صحتها من فسادها وبين أن يتكلم في سبب الغيبة؟

If it is said: Does the inquisitor not have the choice to inquire about the Imamate of Ibn Hasan, in order to know its validity, or to inquire about the reason of occultation?”

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19230

قلنا: لا خيار في ذلك، لأن من شك في إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام يجب أن يكون الكلام معه في نص إمامته والتشاغل بالدلالة عليها، ولا يجوز مع الشك فيها أن نتكلم في سبب الغيبة لأن الكلام في الفروع لا يسوغ إلا بعد إحكام الأصول لها كما لا يجوز أن يتكلم في سبب إيلام الأطفال قبل ثبوت حكمة القديم تعالى وأنه لا يفعل القبيح، وإنما رجحنا الكلام في إمامته عليه السلام على الكلام في غيبته وسببها لأن الكلام في إمامته مبني على أمور عقلية لا يدخلها الاحتمال.

We would reply: There is no such choice, because a person who doubts the Imamate of Ibn Hasan, the discourse with him must be about the explicit narrations of his Imamate and one must provide him proofs of his Imamate. It is not rational to discuss with him the reason of his occultation while he doubts his very Imamate, because the inquiry of the offshoots is not sensible, but after the authentication of fundamentals. We gave preference to inquiry of his Imamate over the inquiry of his occultation and its wisdom, because his Imamate is based on intellectual matters that are beyond skepticism, whereas, the wisdom of occultation may seem obscure and confusing.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19231

وسبب الغيبة ربما غمض واشتبه فصار الكلام في الواضح الجلي أولى من الكلام في المشتبه الغامض كما فعلناه مع المخالفين للملة فرجحنا الكلام في نبوة نبينا صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم على الكلام على ادعائهم تأبيد شرعهم لظهور ذلك وغموض هذا وهذا بعينه موجود هاهنا ومتى عادوا إلى أن يقولوا الغيبة فيها وجه من وجوه القبح فقد مضى الكلام عليه على أن وجوه القبح معقولة وهي كونه ظلما أو كذبا أو عبثا أو جهلا أو استفسادا وكل ذلك ليس بحاصل هاهنا فيجب أن لا يدعى فيه وجه القبح.

Therefore, to discuss the clear and the manifest is worthier than to discuss the perplexing and the complicated. This is parallel to our dialogue with the opponents of religion, where we give preference to the discussion of the prophethood of our Messenger over discussing their claim that their religion has come for eternity. Because the former is clear and manifest and the latter is complex. This criterion is identically present here. If they should argue back that there is a certain evil aspect involved in occultation, this has already been answered that aspects of evil are conceivable, such as that occultation is an act of oppression, lie, vanity, ignorance, or that it leads to mischief. And none of these are involved in the occultation of the Imam. Therefore, it should not be claimed that there is an evil aspect involved in it.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19232

فإن قيل: إلا منع الله الخلق من الوصول إليه وحال بينهم وبينه ليقوم بالأمر ويحصل ما هو لطف لنا كما نقول في النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إذ بعثه الله تعالى فإن الله تعالى يمنع منه ما لم يؤد فكان يجب أن يكون حكم الإمام مثله.

If it is said: Why does not Allah bar the people from reaching the Imam and why does not He protect him in a way so he may establish his rule and our grace is materialized for us? Just as we say about the Prophet when Allah sent him, He protected him until he had delivered the Shariah, it would be necessary that the Imam’s case be the same.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19233

قلنا: المنع على ضربين: أحدهما لا ينافي التكليف بأن لا يلجأ إلى ترك القبيح، والآخر يؤدي إلى ذلك.فالأول قد فعله الله تعالى من حيث منع من ظلمه بالنهي عنه والحث على وجوب طاعته والانقياد لأمره ونهيه وأن لا يعصى في شي‏ء من أوامره وأن يساعد على جميع ما يقوي أمـره ويشيد سلطانه فإن جميـع ذلك لا ينافي التكليـف فـإذا عصى من عصى في ذلك ولـم يفعل ما يتم معه الغرض المطلوب يكون قد أتى من قبل نفسه لا من قبل خالقه.والضرب الآخر أن يحول بينهم وبينه بالقهر والعجز عن ظلمه وعصيانه فذلك لا يصح اجتماعه مع التكليف فيجب أن يكون ساقطا.

We would reply: Protection is of two kinds. One is not incompatible with conferment of religious duties as it does not compel the subject to forsake the wrong. The other kind of protection leads to such compulsion. And Allah has provided the first protection, as He has protected the Imam from oppression by forbidding it and by encouraging obedience to him and compliance to his orders and prohibitions and that he may not be disobeyed in any of his orders and that he should be helped in all matters that strengthen his rule and power. All such measures are compatible with conferment of obligations. If someone disobeys with this regard and does not take necessary measures for this objective to materialize, he has done that on his own, and it is not the act of his Creator. The other kind of protection is that He literally protects him from his enemies by force and compulsion and by rendering them incapable of oppressing and disobeying him. Therefore, this is not compatible with religious duties, which require free choice in order to have meaning, and thus, religious obligations must be annulled.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19234

فأما النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فإنما نقول: يجب أن يمنع الله منه حتى يؤدي الشرع لأنه لا يمكن أن يعلم ذلك إلا من جهته فلذلك وجب المنع منه. وليس كذلك الإمام، لأن علة المكلفين مزاحة فيما يتعلق بالشرع والأدلة منصوبة على ما يحتاجون إليه ولهم طريق إلى معرفتها من دون قوله، ولو فرضنا أنه ينتهي الحال إلى حد لا يعرف الحق من الشرعيات إلا بقوله لوجب أن يمنع الله تعالى منه ويظهره بحيث لا يوصل إليه مثل النبي صلى الله عليه وآله. ونظير مسألة الإمام أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إذا أدى ثم عرض فيما بعد ما يوجب خوفه لا يحب على الله تعالى المنع منه لأن علة المكلفين قد انزاحت بما أداه إليهم فلهم طريق إلى معرفة لطفهم.اللهم إلا أن يتعلق به أداء آخر في المستقبل فإنه يجب المنع منه كما يجب في الابتداء فقد سوينا بين النبي والإمام.

As for the Prophet (s), we say that God must protect him so he may deliver religious laws, because it is not possible to discern religious laws, except through him. However, the Imam is not like him, because as far as the delivery of religious laws is concerned, the public does not have any excuse and all rules they need are indicated by their proofs and it is possible for them to learn them without needing Imam’s words. If we suppose that religious duties cannot be known, except through the words of the Imam, then it will be necessary that God Almighty should protect him and manifest him in such a way that no harm can reach him, as in the case of the Messenger (a. s). The like of the case of the Imam is that once a prophet has delivered the message and then his security is threatened, it is not necessary for God to protect him, because the excuse of the public has been removed through his delivery and they have a path to discern the grace imposed upon them. However, it is possible that there might be another message that must be delivered in the future, which may require God to protect him as He protected him in the beginning. Thus we equated the matter between the Prophet and the Imam.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19235

فإن قيل: بينوا، على كل حال، وإن لم يجب عليكم،وجه علة الاستتار وما يمكن أن يكون علة على وجه ليكون أظهر في الحجة وأبلغ في باب البرهان.

If it is said: Explain it to us anyway - though you are not bound to - the reason for the occultation, in a way that it may be clearer in reasoning and more convincing in demonstration.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19236

قلنا: مما يقطع على أنه سبب لغيبة الإمام هو خوفه على نفسه بالقتل بإخافة الظالمين إياه ومنعهم إياه من التصرف فيما جعل إليه التدبير والتصرف فيه. فإذا حيل بينه وبين مراده سقط فرض القيام بالإمامة. وإذا خاف على نفسه وجبت غيبته ولزم استتاره كما استتر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم تارة في الشعب وأخرى في الغار،ولا وجه لذلك إلا الخوف من المضار الواصلة إليه. وليس لأحد أن يقول إن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما استتر عن قومه إلا بعد أدائه إليهم ما وجب عليه أداؤه ولم يتعلق بهم إليه حاجة وقولكم في الإمام بخلاف ذلك، وأيضا فإن استتار النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما طال ولا تمادى،واستتار الإمام قد مضت عليه الدهور وانقرضت عليه العصور.

We would reply: What one can be certain of to be the reason of the occultation of the Imam is his fear for his life by murder through the threats of the oppressors to him and their disallowance of him to administer the affairs he is responsible to direct and administer. As he fears for his life; it becomes necessary that he goes into occultation and hiding, just like the Messenger (s), who once hid in the mountains and another time in the cave and he had no reason, but the threat of harm against him. It cannot be suggested that the Prophet (s) went into hiding from his people after he had delivered what he was required to deliver and they did not have any need of him anymore – whereas the discourse with respect to the Imam is contrary – and furthermore, the hiding of the Prophet was not prolonged, whereas ages have passed since the beginning of the occultation of the Imam.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19237

وذلك أنه ليس الأمر على ما قالوه، لأن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إنما استتر في الشعب والغار بمكة قبل الهجرة وما كان أدى جميع الشريعة، فإن أكثر الأحكام ومعظم القرآن نزل بالمدينة فكيف أوجبتم أنه كان بعد الأداء؟ ولو كان الأمر على ما قالوه من تكامل الأداء قبل الاستتار لما كان ذلك رافعا للحاجة إلى تدبيره وسياسته وأمره ونهيه،فإن أحدا لا يقول إن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بعد أداء الشرع غير محتاج إليه ولا مفتقر إلى تدبيره ولا يقول ذلك معاند. وهو الجواب عن قول من قال إن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما يتعلق من مصلحتنا قد أداه وما يؤدي في المستقبل لم يكن في الحال مصلحة للخلق فجاز لذلك الاستتار وليس كذلك الإمام عندكم، لأن تصرفه في كل حال لطف للخلق فلا يجوز له الاستتار على وجه ووجب تقويته والمنع منه ليظهر ويزاح علة المكلف، لأنا قد بينا أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم مع أنه أدى المصلحة التي تعلقت بتلك الحال فلم يستغن عن أمره ونهيه وتدبيره بلا خلاف بين المحصلين، ومع هذا جاز له الاستتار فكذلك الإمام. على أن أمر الله تعالى له بالاستتار بالشعب تارة وفي الغار أخرى ضرب من المنع منه لأنه ليس كل المنع أن يحول بينهم وبينه بالعجز أو بتقويته بالملائكة، لأنه لا يمتنع أن يفرض في تقويته بذلك مفسدة في الدين، فلا يحسن من الله تعالى فعله، ولو كان خاليا من وجوه الفساد،وعلم الله تعالى أنه تقتضيه المصلحة لقواه بالملائكة وحال بينهم وبينه فلما لم يفعل ذلك مع ثبوت حكمته ووجوب إزاحة علة المكلفين علمنا أنه لم يتعلق به مصلحة بل مفسدة. وكذلك نقول في الإمام عليه السلام إن الله تعالى منع من قتله بأمره بالاستتار والغيبة، ولو علم أن المصلحة تتعلق بتقويته بالملائكة لفعل،فلما لم يفعل مع ثبوت حكمته ووجوه إزاحة علة المكلفين في التكليف علمنا أنه لم يتعلق به مصلحة بل ربما كان فيه مفسدة. بل الذي نقول إن في الجملة يجب على الله تعالى تقوية يد الإمام بما يتمكن معه من القيام ويبسط يده ويمكن ذلك بالملائكة وبالبشر، فإذا لم يفعله بالملائكة علمنا أنه لأجل أنه تعلق به مفسدة فوجب أن يكون متعلقا بالبشر،فإذا لم يفعلوه أتوا من قبل نفوسهم لا من قبله تعالى. فيبطل بهذا التحرير جميع ما يورد من هذا الجنس. وإذا جاز في النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أن يستتر مع الحاجة إليه لخوف الضرر وكانت التبعة في ذلك لازمة لمخيفية ومحوجية إلى الغيبة فكذلك غيبة الإمام عليه السلام سواء. فأما التفرقة بطول الغيبة وقصرها فغير صحيحة لأنه لا فرق في ذلك بين القصير المنقطع والطويل الممتد لأنه إذا لم يكن في الاستتار لائمة على المستتر إذا أحوج إليه بل اللائمة على من أحوجه إليها جاز أن يتطاول سبب الاستتار كما جاز أن يقصر زمانه.

This suggestion is foul, because the reality is not as hinted as the Prophet (s) went into hiding in Sheb Abu Talib and in the cave in Mecca before migration, a time when he had not delivered the entirety of religious laws. Most religious rules and a considerable portion of the Quran descended in Medina. So how did you claim that it was after the delivery? If the matter was as hinted that the delivery was complete before the prophetic occultation, the completion of delivery does not fulfill the need of his administration and leadership, his orders and prohibitions, for no one can say that after delivery of religious laws, no one needs the Prophet’s leadership. The opponent does not believe in such a view. This is a reply to a person, who says that the Prophet (s) had delivered all that our welfare depended on, and what he was going to deliver in the future was not expedient to be delivered presently; and therefore, his occultation was reasonable, whereas, the Imam is not like that according to you, as his active leadership in every instant is a grace to creation, therefore, in no circumstance his occultation is warranted and his aid and protection is necessary, so he may appear and the legitimate reason of not following religious laws by the duty-bound (Mukallaf) be removed. This is invalid, because we explained that though the Prophet (s) had delivered all that mankind’s welfare depended on at that time, his leadership, orders and prohibitions were needed without any dispute amongst scholars. However, despite that, it was permissible for him to go into hiding. Likewise is the Imam. Besides, Allah’s order to the Prophet (s) to hide in the mountains at one time and in the cave the other, is a sort of protection, because it is not full protection, in which He would literally defend him against his enemies through making his enemies weak or strengthening him through angels, because it is possible to conceive harm to the religion stemming from strengthening him through such measures. Therefore, it is not right for God to do that. And if it should be devoid of any aspect of wrong, and God knows that expediency requires so, He would strengthen him through angels and defend him against his enemies. And when He does not do that, and it is proved that He is All-Wise and that it is incumbent upon Him to disallow any legitimate excuse on part of the duty-bound(Mukallafin) not to obey the religious laws, we discern that His taking such measures would evoke no benefit, but rather it would be inexpedient. What we say is that in general it is incumbent on Allah to strengthen the hand of the Imam to facilitate his uprising and his administration of society and to perform that through angels and men. However, when He does not do that through angels, we discern it is because it involves inexpediency. Therefore, this must be rendered through men; and should they not perform that, it is something of their own misdoing not that of the Lord’s. Thus, this explication invalidates all criticisms of this sort expressed at this juncture. If it is permissible for the Prophet (s) to undergo hiding, inasmuch as he was needed, due to the fear of harm, and the blame in this regard is on individuals, who threatened him and forced him to go into hiding, likewise is the occultation of the Imam. To make a distinction in this regard in terms of the length and shortness of occultation, is not correct, because there is no difference between short and brief occultation and lengthy and protracted occultation, since when the blame of hiding does not rest on the person who undergoes hiding, bur rather on the ones who have forced him to it, the cause that has prompted the hiding can have a long duration as it can a short one.

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19238

فإن قيل: إذا كان الخوف أحوجه إلى الاستتار فقد كان آباؤه عليه السلام عندكم على تقية وخوف من أعدائهم فكيف لم يستتروا؟

If it is said: If it is fear that has forced him to go into hiding, verily his forefathers, according to you, were living under dissimulation (Taqayyah) and fear from their enemies. Why did they not go into hiding also?

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation - Hadith 19239

قلنا: ما كان على آبائه عليهم السلام خوف من أعدائهم مع لزوم التقية والعدول عن التظاهر بالإمامة ونفيها عن نفوسهم، وإمام الزمان عليه السلام كل الخوف عليه لأنه يظهر بالسيف ويدعو إلى نفسه ويجاهد من خالفه عليه فأي نسبة بين خوفه من الأعداء وخوف آبائه عليهم السلام لو لا قلة التأمل. على أن آباءه عليهم السلام متى قتلوا أو ماتوا كان هناك من يقوم مقامهم ويسد مسدهم يصلح للإمامة من أولاده وصاحب الأمر عليه السلام بالعكس من ذلك،لأن من المعلوم أنه لا يقوم أحد مقامه ولا يسد مسده فبان الفرق بين الأمرين.

We would reply: Fear from their enemies did not threaten his holy forefathers (a. s), as they adhered to dissimulation (taqiyyah) and ostensibly retracted from the claim of Imamate and exiled it from themselves, whereas, the Imam of the Age faces every fear, because he is the one to rise with the sword and raise the call for his leadership and fight his adversaries. Where is the similarity between his fear from his enemies and the fear of his forefathers, if there is no scarcity of reflection? Moreover, when anyone of his forefathers (a. s) was murdered or died, there was someone qualified for Imamate from their progeny to replace him and fill his position, whereas the case of the Master of the Age is diametrically opposite to this, since it is well-known that no one is to succeed him and take his position. Therefore, the difference between the two instances is clear.

What is the difference between a hidden Imam and an Imam who does not exist or one that exists in the heavens? - Hadith 19240

وقد بينا فيما تقدم الفرق بين وجوده غائبا لا يصل إليه أحد أو أكثرهم وبين عدمه حتى إذا كان المعلوم التمكن بالأمر يوجده.

We have also previously elucidated the difference between the instance that he exists in hiding where no one or few can reach him and the instance of his non-existence until his capacity of governance is known and then God creates him.

What is the difference between a hidden Imam and an Imam who does not exist or one that exists in the heavens? - Hadith 19241

وكذلك قولهم: ما الفرق بين وجوده بحيث لا يصل إليه أحد وبين وجوده في السماء؟ بأن قلنا إذا كان موجودا في السماء بحيث لا يخفى عليه أخبار أهل الأرض فالسماء كالأرض وإن كان يخفى عليه أمرهم فذلك يجري مجرى عدمه ثم نقلب عليهم في النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بأن يقال أي فرق بين وجوده مستترا وبين عدمه وكونه في السماء،فأي شي‏ء قالوه قلنا مثله على ما مضى القول فيه. وليس لهم أن يفرقوا بين الأمرين بأن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما استتر من كل أحد وإنما استتر من أعدائه وإمام الزمان مستتر عن الجميع.

Likewise is their objection that what is the difference between his existence in a way that no one can reach him and his existence in the heavens, because we shall say that if he exists in the heavens in a way that the conditions of dwellers of the earth do not remain concealed from him, the heaven is like the earth in such a case, and if they do remain concealed, such an existence equals his non-existence. Then the argument is turned around against them about the Prophet (s) by asking: “What is the difference between the prophetic existence in hiding and his non-existence and his being in the heaven?” Whatever answer they will give to this question is our very answer to them to their question, as we elaborated earlier. They cannot make a distinction between the two cases, saying that the Prophet (s) did not hide from everyone and merely hid from his enemies and the Imam of the Age is hiding from everyone.

What is the difference between a hidden Imam and an Imam who does not exist or one that exists in the heavens? - Hadith 19242

لأنا أولاً لا نقطع على أنه مستتر عن جميع أوليائه،والتجويز في هذا الباب كاف. على أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لما استتر في الغار كان مستترا من أوليائه وأعدائه ولم يكن معه إلا أبو بكر وحده،وقد كان يجوز أن يستتر بحيث لا يكون معه أحد من ولي ولا عدو إذا اقتضت المصلحة ذلك.

Because first, we are not certain that he is hiding from all his devotees, and such incertitude is sufficient in this argument. Furthermore, when the Prophet (s) hid in the cave, he was hiding from his devotees and his enemies and there was no one with him, except Abu Bakr. And it was possible that he had gone into hiding without anyone, friend or foe, had prudence demanded that.

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19243

فإن قيل: فالحدود في حال الغيبة ما حكمها؟ فإن سقطت عن الجاني على ما يوجبها الشرع فهذا نسخ الشريعة وإن كانت باقية فمن يقيمها؟

If it is said: What is the case with the penal codes during occultation? If they are not enforced against criminals, as the Shariah has demanded, then it is an abrogation of the Shariah; and if they are still in effect, who is going to implement them?

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19244

قلنا: الحدود المستحقة باقية في جنوب مستحقيها، فإن ظهر الإمام ومستحقوها باقون أقامها عليهم بالبينة أو الإقرار،وإن كان فات ذلك بموته كان الإثم في تفويتها على من أخاف الإمام وألجأه إلى الغيبة. وليس هذا نسخا لإقامة الحدود لأن الحد إنما يجب إقامته مع التمكن وزوال المنع ويسقط مع الحيلولة، وإنما يكون ذلك نسخا لو سقط إقامتها مع الإمكان وزوال الموانع.

We will say: Rightful punishments remain in the account of people who deserve them. If the deservers are still alive when the Imam appears, he will enforce these punishments against them on the basis of testimonials or their own confessions; and if this is not done, because the deservers have died, then the sin of suspension of punishments rests on the people who threatened the Imam and forced him into occultation. This does not constitute abrogation of penal codes, however; because, a penal code has to be upheld only when there is the power and capacity for upholding it and when there is no encumbrance on the way. Its enforcement is not binding if there is encumbrance. Abrogation is involved when a code is not enforced even when there is power and capacity to enforce it and there is no encumbrance.

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19245

ويقال لهم: ما يقولون في الحال التي لا يتمكن أهل الحل والعقد من اختيار الإمام، ما حكم الحدود؟ فإن قلتم: سقطت، فهذا نسخ على ما ألزمتمونا.وإن قلتم: هي باقية في جنوب مستحقيها، فهو جوابنا بعينه.

Such people are asked, “What do you say about the state in which ‘those having a say” (ahl hal wa aqd) are not able to select an Imam? What is the case of the penalties?” If you say they are not binding, this is abrogation on the same merits you accused us of; and if you say penalties remain enforceable with respect to their deservers; this is our very answer as well.

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19246

فإن قيل: قد قال أبو علي إن في الحال التي لا يتمكن أهل الحل والعقد من نصب الإمام يفعل الله ما يقوم مقام إقامة الحدود ويزاح علة المكلف. وقال أبو هاشم: إن إقامة الحدود دنياوية لا تعلق لها بالدين.

If it is said: Abu Ali has argued that in the conditions in which “those having a say” are not able to select an Imam, Allah performs acts that stand in place of enforcing the penalties and take away the excuse of duty-bound; and Abu Hashim has said that enforcing penalties is a worldly matter and has no relationship with religion.

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19247

قلنـا: أمـا مـا قـاله أبو علي فلو قلنـا مثله ما ضرنا لأن إقامة الحدود ليس هو الذي لأجله أوجبنا الإمام حتى إذا فات إقامته انتقض دلالة الإمامة،بل ذلك تابع للشرع. وقد قلنا إنه لا يمتنع أن يسقط فرض إقامتها في حال انقباض يد الإمام أو تكون باقية في جنوب أصحابها،وكما جاز ذلك جاز أيضا أن يكون هناك ما يقوم مقامها فإذا صرنا إلى ما قاله لم ينتقض علينا أصل.

We say: If we say the same thing that Abu Ali has said, it will not be disadvantageous to our position, because enforcement of penal codes is not the reason for which we consider the existence of the Imam necessary, so when they are not enforced, it could lead to the untenability of the proofs of Imamate. Enforcing penal codes is a religio-legal matter, and we said that it is possible that the obligation of its enforcement lose its imperativeness when the Imam lacks power, or that it may remain pending in the accounts of the criminals. It is also possible that Allah performs acts that replace enforcement of penal codes. If we were to accept Abu Ali’s assertion, it would not harm our stance at all.

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19248

وأما ما قاله أبو هاشم من أن ذلك لمصالح الدنيا، فبعيد لأن ذلك عبادة واجبة ولو كان لمصلحة دنياوية لما وجبت. على أن إقامة الحدود عنده على وجه الجزاء، والنكال جزء من العقاب، وإنما قدم في دار الدنيا بعضه لما فيه من المصلحة، فكيف يقول مع ذلك أنه لمصالح دنياوية؟ فبطل ما قالوه.

As for Abu Hashim’s view that penal codes are for worldly benefits, it is unacceptable; because penal codes are obligatory acts of worship, and if they were for sheer worldly benefits, they would not be obligatory. Besides, he believes that enforcing the penalties falls in the category of requitals, and legal penalties are part of Divine punishment, some of which have been brought in this life for certain expediencies. How can he still say that they are for worldly expediencies? Therefore, this argument is invalid.

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19249

فإن قيل: كيف الطريق إلى إصابة الحق مع غيبة الإمام؟فإن قلتم: لا سبيل إليها،جعلتم الخلق في حيرة وضلالة وشك في جميع أمورهم.وإن قلتم: يصاب الحق بأدلته،قيل لكم هذا تصريح بالاستغناء عن الإمام بهذه الأدلة.

If it is said: What is the way of finding the truth during occultation of the Imam? If you say that there is no way, you have led people to confusion, misguidance and doubt in all their affairs; and if you say that the truth is found through its proofs, you will be told that this is a clear admission of lack of need of the Imam through these proofs.

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19250

قلنا: الحق على ضربين؛ عقلي وسمعي. فالعقلي يصاب بأدلته والسمعي عليه أدلة منصوبة من أقوال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ونصوصه وأقوال الأئمة عليهم السلام من ولده، وقد بينوا ذلك وأوضحوه ولم يتركوا منه شيئا لا دليل عليه.

We will say: True propositions are of two types: One is supported by rational arguments and the other is based on narrated proofs. Propositions based on intellectual premises are established and discerned through their proofs, and propositions based on narrations are substantiated through their proofs, which comprise the sayings of the Prophet (s) and the Imams, who have explained the subjects and elaborated them and left nothing unexplained.

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19251

غير أن هذا وإن كان على ما قلناه فالحاجة إلى الإمام قد بينا ثبوتها لأن جهة الحاجة إليه المستمرة في كل حال وزمان كونه لطفا لنا على ما تقدم القول فيه ولا يقوم غيره مقامه فالحاجة المتعلقة بالسمع أيضا ظاهرة لأن النقل وإن كان واردا عن الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وعن آباء الإمام عليهم السلام بجميع ما يحتاج إليه في الشريعة فجائز على الناقلين العدول عنه إما تعمدا وإما لشبهة فينقطع النقل أو يبقى فيمن لا حجة في نقله. وقد استوفينا هذه الطريقة في تلخيص الشافي فلا نطول بذكرها الكتاب.

However, the case is as we assert: we proved the need of the Imam, because the reason of this need, which is continuous in every time and age, is that he is a grace for us, as discussed earlier, and no one can take his place. The need of narration is also clear, because though narrations are from the Prophet (s) and forefathers of the Imam (a. s), it is possible that the narrators turn away from them, either intentionally or by mistake, and the narration may remain disconnected or through someone who is not reliable. We have discussed this fully in Talkhis Shafi and will not prolong the inquiry by bringing it here.

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19252

فإن قيل: لو فرضنا أن الناقلين كتم بعض منهم بعض الشريعة واحتيج إلى بيان الإمام ولم يعلم الحق إلا من جهته وكان خوف القتل من أعدائه مستمرا كيف يكون الحال؟

If the opponents say: We suppose that some narrators concealed the Shariah and the word of the Imam is needed and the truth may not be known, but through him, and on the other hand, the fear of life from his enemies continues. So what is the solution?

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19253

فإن قلتم: يظهر وإن خاف القتل، فيجب أن يكون خوف القتل غير مبيح له الاستتار ويلزم ظهوره. وإن قلتم: لا يظهر وسقط التكليف في ذلك الشي‏ء المكتوم عن الأمة،خرجتم من الإجماع لأنه منعقد على أن كل شي‏ء شرعه النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وأوضحه فهو لازم للأمة إلى أن تقوم الساعة. وإن قلتم: إن التكليف لا يسقط،صرحتم بتكليف ما لا يطاق وإيجاب العمل بما لا طريق إليه.

If you should say that he will appear despite his fear for his life, it follows that his fear for his life does not warrant his occultation in the first place, and thus, he must appear. If you say that he will not appear and the duties that have not reached the Ummah are not binding, it is an assertion against consensus (Ijma), which says that everything the Prophet (s) has introduced in his Shariah and has explained it, is imperative and binding on the Ummah until Judgment Day. If you say that the duty is still binding, you are suggesting a duty that is beyond our capacity and an obligation to perform a task, which we do not know.

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19254

قلنا: قد أجبنا عن هذا السؤال في التلخيص مستوفى،وجملته إن الله تعالى لو علم أن النقل ببعض الشرع المفروض ينقطع في حال يكون تقية الإمام فيها مستمرة وخوفه من الأعداء باقيا لأسقط ذلك عمن لا طريق له إليه. فإذا علمنا بالإجماع أن تكليف الشرع مستمر ثابت على جميع الأمة إلى قيام الساعة علمنا عند ذلك أنه لو اتفق انقطاع النقل بشي‏ء من الشرع لما كان ذلك إلا في حال يتمكن فيها الإمام عليه السلام من الظهور والبروز والإعلام والإنذار.

We will say: We have answered this question in Talkhis Shafi in detail. In brief, if Allah knows that some narrations pertinent to the binding religious laws have not reached people in a situation of Imam’s dissimulation (Taqayyah) and fear from his enemies, He will annul their imperativeness from the people, who do not have access to them. However, if consensus proves that religious duties are continuously binding over all people of the Ummah until Judgment Day, it can be inferred that if such an interruption in transmission of narrations occurs, it will be only in a situation when the Imam is able to appear and make declarations and issue warnings.

Statement of Sayyid Murtadha (r.a) - Hadith 19255

وكان المرتضى رحمه الله يقول أخيرا لا يمتنع أن يكون هاهنا أمور كثيرة غير واصلة إلينا هي مودعة عند الإمام عليه السلام وإن كان قد كتمها الناقلون ولم ينقلوها ولم يلزم مع ذلك سقوط التكليف عن الخلق لأنه إذا كان سبب الغيبة خوفه على نفسه من الذين أخافوه فمن أحوجه إلى الاستتار أتى من قبل نفسه في فوت ما يفوته من الشرع، كما أنه أتى من قبل نفسه فيما يفوته من تأديب الإمام وتصرفه من حيث أحوجه إلى الاستتار ولو زال خوفه لظهر فيحصل له اللطف بتصرفه وتبين له ما عنده مما انكتم عنه فإذا لم يفعل وبقي مستترا أتى من قبل نفسه في الأمرين،وهذا قوي تقتضيه الأصول.

Sayyid Murtadha (r. a) lately said that it is possible that there may be many things that have not reached us and are entrusted with the Imam and the narrators have concealed them. However, it does not follow that people are not bound by these religious duties. Because if the reason for the occultation is his fear for his life from those who have threatened him, the ones who have forced him into hiding are ultimately responsible for the missed teachings of the Imam and his leadership, as they forced him into occultation. And should these people stop threatening him, he will appear and the grace of his leadership will materialize and the teachings he has to offer will manifest. Therefore, he has not caused this occultation of religious teachings. However, if the enemies do not end the fear and it continues, they are responsible for both cases. This argument is strong and supported by principles.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19256

وفي أصحابنا من قال إن علة الاستتار عن أوليائه خوفه من أن يشيعوا خبره ويتحدثوا باجتماعهم معه سرورا به،فيؤدي ذلك إلى الخوف من الأعداء وإن كان غير مقصود. وهذا الجواب يضعف، لأن عقلاء شيعته لا يجوز أن يخفى عليهم ما في إظهار اجتماعهم معه من الضرر عليه وعليهم،فكيف يخبرون بذلك العامة مع علمهم بما عليه وعليهم فيه من المضرة العامة وإن جاز هذا على الواحد والاثنين لا يجوز على جماعة شيعته الذين لا يظهر لهم. على أن هذا يلزم عليه أن يكون شيعته قد عدموا الانتفاع به على وجه لا يتمكنون من تلافيه وإزالته لأنه إذا علق الاستتار بما يعلم من حالهم أنهم يفعلونه فليس في مقدورهم الآن ما يقتضي من ظهور الإمام عليه السلام وهذا يقتضي سقوط التكليف الذي الإمام لطف فيه عنهم وفي أصحابنا من قال علة استتاره عن الأولياء ما يرجع إلى الأعداء لأن انتفاع جميع الرعية من ولي وعدو بالإمام إنما يكون بأن ينفذ أمره ببسط يده فيكون ظاهرا متصرفا بلا دافع ولا منازع. وهذا مما المعلوم أن الأعداء قد حالوا دونه ومنعوا منه.

A view prevalent among our scholars is that the reason of his hiding from his devotees is his fear that they will spread information about him and discuss their gatherings with him out of happiness, leading to danger from the enemies. This is criticized, because the wise Shia cannot fail to discern the harm posed to him and themselves from expressing their gathering with the Imam. So, how can they inform about it while they know the extent of the general harm that is threatening them? If this is possible in the case of one or two individuals, this cannot be said about the community of his Shia to whom he is not appearing. Besides, it follows that his Shia have lost the occasion of benefiting from him in a way that cannot be made up for, because if his hiding is based on the prediction of something they will do in the future, it is not within their capacity to do something that will facilitate the rise of the Imam. This precipitates the nullification of the religious duties in which the Imam is grace for them. There is another view that the reason of his hiding from his devotees is due to his enemies; because the subjects, both devotees and enemies, can benefit from the Imam when his reign prevails and he runs the affairs and he is apparent and is exerting leadership without any encumbrance or challenge, whereas, the enemies have obviously barred and prevented him from this.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19257

قالوا: ولا فائدة في ظهوره سرا لبعض أوليائه لأن النفع المبتغى من تدبير الأمة لا يتم إلا بظهوره للكل ونفوذ الأمر، فقد صارت العلة في استتار الإمام على الوجه الذي هو لطف ومصلحة للجميع واحدة.

They have said that there is no purpose in his clandestine appearance to some of his devotees, because the expected benefit of leading the Ummah cannot be fulfilled, but through his appearance and exertion of leadership for all. Therefore, the reason for the Imam’s hiding in the way in which it is grace and prudent for all is the same.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19258

ويمكن أن يعترض هذا الجواب بأن يقال: إن الأعداء وإن حالوا بينه وبين الظهور على وجه التصرف والتدبير فلم يحولوا بينه وبين لقاء من شاء من أوليائه على سبيل الاختصاص وهو يعتقد طاعته ويوجب اتباع أوامره، فإن كان لا نفع في هذا اللقاء لأجل الاختصاص لأنه غير نافذ الأمر للكل فهذا تصريح بأنه لا انتفاع للشيعة الإمامية بلقاء أئمتها من لدن وفاة أمير المؤمنين إلى أيام الحسن بن علي أبي القائم عليه السلام لهذه العلة. ويوجب أيضا أن يكون أولياء أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وشيعته لم يكن لهم بلقائه انتفاع قبل انتقال الأمر إلى تدبيره وحصوله في يده وهذا بلوغ من قائله إلى حد لا يبلغه متأمل. على أنه لو سلم أن الانتفاع بالإمام لا يكون إلا مع الظهور لجميع الرعية ونفوذ أمره فيهم لبطل قولهم من وجه آخر، وهو أنه يؤدي إلى سقوط التكليف الذي الإمام لطف فيه عن شيعته لأنه إذا لم يظهر لهم لعلة لا يرجع إليهم ولا كان في قدرتهم وإمكانهم إزالته فلا بد من سقوط التكليف عنهم، لأنه لو جـاز أن يمنع قوم من المكلفين غيـرهم لطفهم ويكـون التكليف الذي ذلك اللطف لطف فيه مستمرا عليهم لجاز أن يمنع بعض المكلفين غيره بقيد وما أشبهه من المشي على وجه لا يمكن من إزالته ويكون تكليف المشي مع ذلك مستمرا على الحقيقة.

They have also said: It is possible to question this assertion by saying that though enemies have prevented him from appearing to exert leadership and administration, they have not, however, barred him from meeting the specific devotees of his he would wish to meet, who believe in obedience to him and adherence to his orders. If there is no benefit in this sort of meeting that is restricted and specific, because he is ordained for all, this suggests that the Imamiyah Shia have not availed any benefit from the demise of Amirul Momineen (a. s) until the days of Hasan Ibn Ali Askari and until the Qaim. It also suggests that the devotees of Amirul Momineen (a. s) and his Shia did not enjoy any benefit from seeing him prior to his assumption of administration and rule. The asserter of these words has reached where no sensible man would. Besides, even if it is accepted that the Imam can only benefit when he is apparent to all of the subjects and his orders are executed over them, their view loses its tenability from another aspect, namely, it follows that the religious rules for the sake of which the Imam is the grace, will lose their imperativeness. Because if the Imam does not appear to them, probably it is not because of them and nor it is in their capacity to remove the cause of his occultation. Therefore, the religious rules must not be binding for them. Because if one nation can prevent the grace of another nation of duty bound, and the duties for which that grace was a grace, remain binding for them, on the same token, it is possible that one duty-bound may prevent another through imprisonment or other similar means, which he cannot remove, and on virtue of which he cannot walk, but the duty of walking shall continue to bind him. They cannot differentiate between such imprisonment and grace, as the former renders the duty impossible and its occurrence is not imaginable, whereas the absence of grace is not like that.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19259

وليس لهم أن يفرقوا بين القيد وبين اللطف من حيث كان القيد يتعذر معه الفعل ولا يتوهم وقوعه وليس كذلك فقد اللطف لأن أكثر أهل العدل على أن فقد اللطف كفقد القدرة والآلة وأن التكليف مع فقد اللطف فيمن له لطف معلوم كالتكليف مع فقد القدرة والآلة ووجود الموانع وأن من لم يفعل له اللطف ممن له لطف معلوم غير مزاح العلة في التكليف كما أن الممنوع غير مزاح العلة.

Because most followers of justice believe that absence of grace is like absence of power and means, and that a duty with respect to someone, who is devoid of required grace is like a duty without power and means of accomplishment and presence of encumbrances, and that a person who deserves a grace and does not receive it, has legitimate excuse not to comply with Divine rulings, just as someone who is imprisoned and restricted has a legitimate excuse not to perform a task that cannot be performed while being incarcerated.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19260

والذي ينبغي أن يجاب عن السؤال الذي ذكرناه عن المخالف أن نقول إنا أولا لا نقطع على استتاره عن جميع أوليائه بل يجوز أن يظهر لأكثرهم ولا يعلم كل إنسان إلا حال نفسه فإن كان ظاهرا له فعلته مزاحة،وإن لم يكن ظاهرا له علم أنه إنما لم يظهر له لأمر يرجع إليه وإن لم يعلمه مفصلا لتقصير من جهته وإلا لم يحسن تكليفه.

The appropriate answer to this question, which we mentioned on behalf of the opponent, is to say that first, we don’t believe in his occultation from all his devotees. Rather, it is possible that he appears to most of them. Everyone can only know his own condition. If the Imam appears to him, his excuse not to comply with religious duties ends; and if he does not appear to him, he discerns that the non-appearance is because of himself – though he may not know specifically why; otherwise, binding him with religious duties would be wrong.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19261

فإذا علم بقاء تكليفه عليه واستتار الإمام عنه علم أنه لأمر يرجع إليه كما تقوله جماعتنا فيمن لم ينظر في طريق معرفة الله تعالى فلم يحصل له العلم وجب أن يقطع على أنه إنما لم يحصل لتقصير يرجع إليه وإلا وجب إسقاط تكليفه وإن لم يعلم ما الذي وقع تقصيره فيه.

When he knows that he is obliged with religious duties and that his Imam is in occultation from him, he discerns that it is because of himself. This is similar to the view of our scholars that someone who has not contemplated the means of cognition of Allah, the Exalted, and thus, has not reached certitude about Him, he must be certain that this is due to a shortcoming of himself or else religious duties must not be required from him.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19262

فعلى هذا التقرير أقوى ما يعلل به ذلك إن الإمام إذا ظهر ولا يعلم شخصه وعينه من حيث المشاهدة فلا بد من أن يظهر عليه علم معجز يدل على صدقه والعلم بكون الشي‏ء معجزا يحتاج إلى نظر يجوز أن يعترض فيه شبهه فلا يمتنع أن يكون المعلوم من حال من لم يظهر له أنه متى ظهر وأظهر المعجز لم ينعم النظر فيدخل عليه فيه شبهة فيعتقد أنه كذاب ويشيع خبره فيؤدي إلى ما تقدم القول فيه.

Based on this, the strongest reason that can be given is that if the Imam appears and his person is not recognized and identified, it is necessary that he works a miracle to indicate his truthfulness; and it requires reflection to know whether something is a miracle, which can be subject to doubts. Therefore, it is not possible that it be evident from the condition of a person to whom the Imam has not appeared that if he appears to him and shows him a miracle, he may not reflect well and have doubts and believe that he is a liar and spread this information and cause the harm mentioned earlier.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19263

فإن قيل: أي تقصير وقع من الولي الذي لم يظهر له الإمام لأجل هذا المعلوم من حاله وأي قدرة له على النظر فيما يظهر له الإمام معه وإلى أي شي‏ء يرجع في تلافي ما يوجب غيبته؟

If it is said: What is the fault of the devotee to whom the Imam has not appeared? Because such prediction can be made about him, and how can he reflect on the miracle that will come with the Imam and what can he do to compensate for the cause of occultation?

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19264

قلنا: ما أحلنا في سبب الغيبة عن الأولياء إلا على معلوم يظهر موضع التقصير فيه وإمكان تلافيه لأنه غير ممتنع أن يكون من المعلوم من حاله أنه متى ظهر له الإمام قصر في النظر في معجزة فإنما أتى في ذلك لتقصيره الحاصل في العلم بالفرق بين المعجز والممكن والدليل من ذلك والشبهة ولو كان من ذلك على قاعدة صحيحة لم يجز أن يشتبه عليه معجز الإمام عند ظهوره له فيجب عليه تلافي هذا التقصير واستدراكه.

We will say: The reason for hiding from the devotee is nothing, but the known fact of his shortcoming and his capacity for its recompense, because it is possible that it should be known from the condition of the devotee that when the Imam appears to him, he will not mull over the miracle that will be with the Imam, which will be a misdoing of his own, leading to lack of discrimination between miracles and ordinary events and a proof and a doubt.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19265

وليس لأحد أن يقول هذا تكليف لما لا يطاق وحوالة على غيب لأن هذا الولي ليس يعرف ما قصر فيه بعينه من النظر والاستدلال فيستدركه حتى يتمهد في نفسه ويتقرر ونراكم تلزمونه ما لا يلزمه وذلك أن ما يلزم في التكليف قد يتميز تارة ويشتبه أخرى بغيره وإن كان التمكن من الأمرين ثابتا حاصلا. فالولي على هذا إذا حاسب نفسه ورأى أن الإمام لا يظهر له وأفسد أن يكون السبب في الغيبة ما ذكرناه من الوجوه الباطلة وأجناسها علم أنه لا بد من سبب يرجع إليه،وإذا علم أن أقوى العلل ما ذكرناه علم أن التقصير واقع من جهته في صفات المعجز وشروطه فعليه معاودة النظر في ذلك عند ذلك وتخليصه من الشوائب وما يوجب الالتباس فإنه من اجتهد في ذلك حق الاجتهاد ووفى النظر شروطه فإنه لا بد من وقوع العلم بالفرق بين الحق والباطل وهذه المواضع الإنسان فيها على نفسه بصيرة وليس يمكن أن يؤمر فيها بأكثر من التناهي في الاجتهاد والبحث والفحص والاستسلام للحق. وقد بينا أن هذا نظير ما نقول لمخالفينا إذا نظروا في أدلتنا ولم يحصل لهم العلم سواء.

If the devotee was in a better position, he would not have failed the miracle of the Imam. Therefore, he must make up for this shortcoming. No one can say that this is a duty beyond his capacity and reliance on an unknown event in the future, because this devotee does not know his specific shortcoming in contemplation and reasoning, so he could make up for it and prepare himself for it; we believe you are binding him to something that does not legitimately bind him. That can be the case with regard to a religious duty that is sometimes clear and sometimes confusing with some other duty; and if the capacity with respect to both duties exists, then when the devotee introspects and sees that the Imam does not appear to him and he does not consider the aforementioned wrong reasons of the occultation valid, he realizes that the reason of the occultation is indebted to himself; and when he realizes that the strongest proof is what we mentioned, he discerns that the shortcoming is his own with respect to the miraculous signs and their conditions. Therefore, he must reflect on it and get rid of doubts and anything causing confusion. Whoever toils in this regard and reflects well, will definitely discover the difference between right and wrong. Man is knowledgeable of himself on occasions as this. It is not possible to do anything beyond, to go to extremes in investigation and research and to find and submit to truth. We mentioned that this case is similar to what we say to our opponents when they see our proofs and do not attain satisfaction.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19266

فإن قيل: لو كان الأمر على ما قلتم لوجب أن لا يعلم شيئا من المعجزات في الحال وهذا يؤدي إلى أن لا يعلم النبوة وصدق الرسول وذلك يخرجه عن الإسلام فضلا عن الإيمان.

If it is said: If the case is as you are saying, it would be necessary that he does not know any of the miracles in this condition and this leads to not knowing prophethood and the veracity of the Prophet, which further takes him outside the bounds of not only faith (Iman), but also Islam.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19267

قلنا: لا يلزم ذلك لأنه لا يمتنع أن تدخل الشبهة في نوع من المعجزات دون نوع وليس إذا دخلت الشبهة في بعضها دخل في سائرها فلا يمتنع أن يكون المعجز الدال على النبوة لم تدخل عليه فيه شبهة فحصل له العلم بكونه معجزا وعلم عند ذلك نبوة النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم والمعجز الذي يظهر على يد الإمام إذا ظهر يكون أمرا آخرا يجوز أن يدخل عليه الشبهة في كونه معجزا فيشك حينئذ في إمامته وإن كان عالما بالنبوة.

We will say: That does not follow, because it is not impossible to be subject to doubts in certain miracles and not all of them. It is not necessary that if doubts arise with respect to some miracles, they do with respect to all of them. Therefore, it is possible that the miracle indicating Prophethood should not be subject to doubt and thus he attains certitude that it is a miracle and realizes the Prophethood of the Prophet (s) and the miracle that appears on the hands of the Imam be another matter, in which he could have doubts, and thus, he finds doubts in his Imamate, even if he is a believer in Prophethood.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19268

وهذا كما نقول إن من علم نبوة موسى عليه السلام بالمعجزات الدالة على نبوته إذا لم ينعم النظر في المعجزات الظاهرة على عيسى ونبينا محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لا يجب أن يقطع على أنه ما عرف تلك المعجزات لأنه لا يمتنع أن يكون عارفا بها وبوجه دلالتها وإن لم يعلم هذه المعجزات واشتبه عليه وجه دلالتها.

This is as we say. If someone who believes in the prophethood of Musa (a. s) due to his miracles, which prove his Divine mission, does not properly view the miracles shown by Isa (a. s) and our Messenger (s), it is not necessary to believe that he did not view these miracles, because it is possible that he may be aware of them and how they indicate their purpose, though he may not know that these are miracles and their indication of their purpose has been unclear to him.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19269

فإن قيل: فيجب على هذا أن يكون كل من لم يظهر له الإمام يقطع على أنه على كبيرة يلحق بالكفر لأنه مقصر على ما فرضتموه فيما يوجب غيبة الإمام عنه ويقتضي فوت مصلحته فقد لحق الولي على هذا بالعدو.

If it should be said: According to this, everyone to whom the Imam has not appeared should be certain that he is committing a major sin, which is an extension of disbelief (Kufr), because he is guilty, according to what you have presumed him to be, with respect to the occultation of the Imam and his loss of what is beneficial for him; this makes the devotee of the Imam his enemy.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19270

قلنا: ليس يجب في التقصير الذي أشرنا إليه أن يكون كفرا ولا ذنبا عظيما لأنه في هذه الحال ما اعتقد في الإمام أنه ليس بإمام ولا أخافه على نفسه وإنما قصر في بعض العلوم تقصيرا كان كالسبب في أن علم من حاله أن ذلك الشك في الإمامة يقع منه مستقبلا والآن فليس بواقع فغير لازم أن يكون كافرا غير أنه وإن لم يلزم أن يكون كفرا ولا جاريا مجرى تكذيب الإمام والشك في صدقه فهو ذنب وخطأ لا ينافيان الإيمان واستحقاق الثواب ولو لم يلحق الولي بالعدو على هذا التقدير لأن العدو في الحال معتقد في الإمام ما هو كفر وكبيرة والولي بخلاف ذلك.

We will say: It is not necessary that the said shortcoming be disbelief (Kufr) or a great sin. He did not believe that the Imam is not his Imam, nor did he threaten his life. He merely failed to understand certain things. Like a cause that this doubt in Imamate will occur from him in future and has not occurred so far. Thus, he is not necessarily a disbeliever, or like a person who considers the Imam a liar or doubts his truthfulness. It is a sin and a mistake that does not negate belief and merits for rewards. The devotee of the Imam does not go into the same category as his enemy in this case, because the enemy holds an opinion about the Imam, which amounts to disbelief and a major sin, and the devotee is opposite to that. We said that what is “like a cause” for disbelief is not necessarily disbelief at this stage, because if one of us believes that he is an independent cause with respect to other objects, it will be ignorance and mistake, but not disbelief (Kufr).

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19271

وإنما قلنا إن ما هو كالسبب في الكفر لا يجب أن يكون كفرا في الحال أن أحدا لو اعتقد في القادر منا بقدرة أنه يصح أن يفعل في غيره من الأجسام مبتدئا كان ذلك خطأ وجهلا ليس بكفر ولا يمتنع أن يكون المعلوم من حال هذا المعتقد أنه لو ظهر نبي يدعو إلى نبوته وجعل معجزة أن يفعل الله تعالى على يده فعلا بحيث لا يصل إليه أسباب البشر أنه لا يقبله وهذا لا محالة لو علم أنه معجز كان يقبله وما سبق من اعتقاده في مقدور القدر كان كالسبب في هذا ولم يلزم أن يجري مجراه في الكفر.

It may be possible to predict about such a person that if a prophet comes to him and shows a miracle and Allah puts an object into his hand, he will not accept that. Definitely, if he knew it were a miracle, he would have accepted it and his belief about the power of the person would be like a cause for this and this is not disbelief (Kufr).

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19272

فإن قيل: إن هذا الجواب أيضا لا يستمر على أصلكم لأن الصحيح من مذهبكم أن من عرف الله تعالى بصفاته وعرف النبوة والإمامة وحصل مؤمنا لا يجوز أن يقع منه كفر أصلا فإذا ثبت هذا فكيف يمكنكم أن تجعلوا علة الاستتار عن الولي أن المعلوم من حاله أنه إذا ظهر الإمام فظهر على يده علم معجز شك فيه ولا يعرفه إماما وإن الشك في ذلك كفر وذلك ينقض أصلكم الذي صححتموه.

If it is said: This answer too does not conform to your principles, because your denomination believes that someone who has faith in God, His attributes, the Prophet and Imamate, he cannot commit an act of disbelief (Kufr). If this is the case, how do you explain the reason of the hiding of the Imam from the Shia if the Imam appears and manifests miracles, the devotee will doubt in the miracle and will not recognize it and doubts with regard to that is disbelief (Kufr). This is not compatible with the principles of your religion.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19273

قيل: هذا الذي ذكرتموه ليس بصحيح لأن الشك مع المعجز الذي يظهر على يد الإمام ليس بقادح في معرفته لغير الإمام على طريق الجملة وإنما يقدح في أن ما علم على طريق الجملة وصحت معرفته هل هو هذا الشخص أم لا والشك في هذا ليس بكفر لأنه لو كان كفرا لوجب أن يكون كفرا وإن لم يظهر المعجز فإنه لا محالة قبل ظهور هذا المعجز في يده شاك فيه ويجوز كونه إماما وكون غيره كذلك وإنما يقدح في العلم الحاصل له على طريق الجملة أن لو شك في المستقبل في إمامته على طريق الجملة وذلك مما يمنع من وقوعه منه مستقبلا.

We will say: The premise you have mentioned is wrong, because to doubt the miracle that will appear on the hands of the Imam is not inconsistent with belief in the person of the Imam in general. It is inconsistent with the fact that what is generally known and believed in is: he is this specific person or not. And such a doubt is not disbelief (Kufr). If such doubt were disbelief (Kufr), it would be disbelief (Kufr) even if he does not manifest a miracle, because before the miracle is shown, he doubted whether this person was the Imam or someone else. It would be consistent with his belief in the Imamate of the Imam in general, if he doubts his Imamate in general, and that is impossible.

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers - Hadith 19274

وكان المرتضى رضي الله عنه يقول: سؤال المخالف لنا لم لا يظهر الإمام للأولياء غير لازم لأنه إن كان غرضه أن لطف الولي غير حاصل فلا يحصل تكليفه فإنه لا يتوجه فإن لطف الولي حاصل لأنه إذا علم الولي أن له إماما غائبا يتوقع ظهوره عليه السلام ساعة ساعة ويجوز انبساط يده في كل حال فإن خوفه من تأديبه حاصل وينزجر لمكانه عن المقبحات ويفعل كثيرا من الواجبات فيكون حال غيبته كحال كونه في بلد آخر بل ربما كان في حال الاستتار أبلغ لأنه مع غيبته يجوز أن يكون معه في بلده وفي جواره ويشاهده من حيث لا يعرفه ولا يقف على أخباره وإذا كان في بلد آخر ربما خفي عليه خبره فصار حال الغيبة والانزجار حاصلا عن القبيح على ما قلناه.

Sayyid Murtadha says: The question of the opponent from us that why the Imam does not appear to his devotees is irrelevant, because if he means that the grace of the devotee does not exist and therefore, his religious duties are not binding, it is not correct. Because his grace exists, since he knows that he has an Imam, who is in occultation and he expects him to rise any hour and rule over the world. Therefore, he must fear that the Imam may appear and punish him and thus, must abstain from wrong acts and perform his obligations. Thus, the occultation for him is as if the Imam is in a nearby land. Many a time, the condition of occultation is more so effective in this regard, because in such a case, the Imam can be with him in his land and in his neighborhood and watching him without his knowledge.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19275

وإذا لم يكن قد فاتهم اللطف جاز استتاره عنهم وإن سلم أنه يحصل ما هو لطف لهم ومع ذلك يقال لم لا يظهر لهم قلنا ذلك غير واجب على كل حال فسقط السؤال من أصله. على أن لطفهم بمكانه حاصل من وجه آخر وهو أن لمكانه يثقون بوصول جميع الشرع إليهم ولولاه لما وثقوا بذلك وجوزوا أن يخفى عليهم كثير من الشرع وينقطع دونهم وإذا علموا وجوده في الجملة أمنوا جميع ذلك فكان اللطف بمكانه حاصلا من هذا الوجه أيضا. وقد ذكرنا فيما تقدم أن ستر ولادة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام ليس بخارق للعادات إذ جرى أمثال ذلك فيما تقدم من أخبار الملوك،وقد ذكره العلماء من الفرس ومن روى أخبار الدولتين. من ذلك ما هو مشهور كقصة كيخسرو وما كان من ستر أمه حملها وإخفاء ولادتها وأمه بنت ولد أفراسياب ملك الترك وكان جده كيقاوس أراد قتل ولده فسترته أمه إلى أن ولدته وكان من قصته ما هو مشهور في كتب التواريخ ذكره الطبري.

We previously mentioned that the concealed birth of the Master of the Age is not extraordinary, as the likes of it have occurred in narrated stories of kings. Scholars of Persia and other biographers of rulers have mentioned similar accounts, such as the well-known story of Kaikhisrau; whose mother was the daughter of Afrasyab, king of the Turks, and concealed his conception and birth, and whose grandfather, Kaikawas, the king of Persia, desired to kill him. So his mother hid him and his story is famous in history. Tabari has mentioned it in his Tarikh.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19276

وقد نطق القرآن بقصة إبراهيم عليه السلام وأن أمه ولدته خفيا وغيبته في المغارة حتى بلغ وكان من أمره ما كان. وما كان من قصة موسى عليه السلام فإن أمه ألقته في البحر خوفا عليه وإشفاقا من فرعون عليه وذلك مشهور نطق به القرآن. ومثل ذلك قصة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام سواء، فكيف يقال إن هذا خارج عن العادات؟ ومن الناس من يكون له ولد من جارية يستتر بها من زوجته برهة من الزمان حتى إذا حضرته الوفاة أقر به.

The Quran has spoken of Ibrahim and that his mother gave birth to him in secrecy and how she hid him in a cave until he grew up and then his story unraveled. It mentions the story of Musa (a. s) that his mother left him in the river fearing for his life from Firon. This famous, and the Quran has mentioned it. The story of the Master of the Age is similar to these. So how can it be said that it is against the ordinary? Some people have children from concubines that they hide from their wives, until they are at their deathbed and then they confess.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19277

وفي الناس من يستر أمر ولده خوفا من أهله أن يقتلوه طمعا في ميراثه.قد جرت العادات بذلك فلا ينبغي أن يتعجب من مثله في صاحب الزمان عليه السلام. وقد شاهدنا من هذا الجنس كثيرا وسمعنا منه غير قليل فلا نطول بذكره لأنه معلوم بالعادات. وكم وجدنا من ثبت نسبه بعد موت أبيه بدهر طويل ولم يكن أحد يعرفه إذا شهد بنسبة رجلان مسلمان ويكون الأب أشهدهما على نفسه سترا عن أهله وخوفا من زوجته وأهله فوصى به فشهدا بعد موته أو شهدا بعقده على امرأة عقدا صحيحا فجاءت بولد يمكن أن يكون منه فوجب بحكم الشرع إلحاقه به. والخبر بولادة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وارد من جهات أكثر مما يثبت به الأنساب في الشرع. ونحن نذكر طرفا من ذلك فيما بعد إن شاء الله تعالى.[b]

Some people hide their progeny due to their family, fearing that they will kill them in greed for inheritance. These events are not uncommon and they happen often. Therefore, one must not evince wonder in the like of it in the Master of the Age. We have witnessed many events like this and have heard much about them, therefore, we will not prolong the discourse with more examples, because it is clear in the practices of the society. There are many people we have found whose lineage was clarified a long time after their fathers’ death. No one knew such a person’s lineage until two Muslims testify that his father had confided in them in secrecy due to his fear from his wife and his family; so they testify afterwards that they can be related to a particular man or woman.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19278

وأما إنكار جعفر بن علي عم صاحب الزمان عليه السلام شهادة الإمامية بولد لأخيه الحسن بن علي ولد في حياته ودفعه بذلك وجوده بعده وأخذه تركته وحوزه ميراثه وما كان منه في حمل سلطان الوقت على حبس جواري الحسن عليه السلام واستبدالهن بالاستبراء لهن من الحمل ليتأكد نفيه لولد أخيه وإباحته دماء شيعتهم بدعواهم خلفا له بعده كان أحق بمقامه فليس بشبهة يعتمد على مثلها أحد من المحصلين لاتفاق الكل على أن جعفرا لم يكن له عصمة كعصمة الأنبياء فيمتنع عليه لذلك إنكار حق ودعوى باطل؛ بل الخطأ جائز عليه والغلط غير ممتنع منه.

As for the acts of Ja’far Ibn Ali, the uncle of the Master of the Age, his rejection of the testimony of the Imamiyah that his brother, Hasan Ibn Ali had a son born in his lifetime, his rejection of his existence after his brother, his usurpation of his brother’s inheritance, his behest to the rulers of the time to imprison the concubines of Hasan in order to force them to negate pregnancy to underscore his rejection that his brother had a son, and his declaration that any Shia, who claimed that Hasan left behind a successor was worthy to be killed, these cannot confuse a learned man, because everyone agrees that Ja’far was not infallible like prophets, that had he been so, it would have been impossible for him to reject the truth and uphold the wrong. Rather, he was fallible and able to make mistakes.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19279

وقد نطق القرآن بما كان من ولد يعقوب عليه السلام مع أخيهم يوسف عليه السلام وطرحهم إياه في الجب وبيعهم إياه بالثمن البخس وهم أولاد الأنبياء وفي الناس من يقول كانوا أنبياء. فإذا جاز منهم مثل ذلك مع عظم الخطإ فيه فلم لا يجوز مثله من جعفر بن علي مع ابن أخيه وأن يفعل معه من الجحد طمعا في الدنيا ونيلها وهل يمنع من ذلك أحد إلا مكابر معاند.

The Quran has spoken of the wrongs of the sons of Yaqub to their brother Yusuf and how they threw him into the well and sold him at a very insignificant price. And they were sons of the prophet, and some believe they were prophets. If they can perpetrate such a grave error against their brother, how Ja’far Ibn Ali cannot utter denials about his nephew in greed of worldly pleasures? Who can consider this impossible, but an obdurate opponent?

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19280

فإن قيل: كيف يجوز أن يكون للحسن بن علي عليه السلام ولد مع إسناده وصيته في مرضه الذي توفي فيه إلى والدته المسماة بحديث المكناة بأم الحسن بوقوفه وصدقاته وأسند النظر إليها في ذلك ولو كان له ولد لذكره في الوصية؟

If it is said: How Hasan Ibn Ali had a son while during his terminal illness, he addressed his final will regarding his trusts and monies to his mother, named Haditha and with patronymic of Umme Hasan, and entrusted his affairs to her? If he had a son, he would have mentioned him in his final will.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19281

قيل: إنما فعل ذلك قصدا إلى تمام ما كان غرضه في إخفاء ولادته وستر حاله عن سلطان الوقت ولو ذكر ولده أو أسند وصيته إليه لناقض غرضه خاصة وهو احتاج إلى الإشهاد عليها وجوه الدولة وأسباب السلطان وشهود القضاة ليتحرس بذلك وقوفه ويتحفظ صدقاته ويتم به السترعلى ولده بإهمال ذكره وحراسة مهجته بترك التنبيه على وجوده. ومن ظن أن ذلك دليل على بطلان دعوى الإمامية في وجود ولد للحسن عليه السلام كان بعيدا من معرفة العادات. وقد فعل نظير ذلك الصـادق جعفـر بن محمد عليه السلام حين أسند وصيته إلى خمسة نفر أولهم المنصور إذ كان سلطان الوقت ولم يفرد ابنه موسى عليه السلام بها إبقاء عليه وأشهد معه الربيع وقاضي الوقت وجاريته أم ولده حميدة البربرية وختمهم بذكر ابنه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام لستر أمره وحراسة نفسه ولم يذكر مع ولده موسى أحدا من أولاده الباقين لعلمه كان فيهم من يدعي مقامه من بعده ويتعلق بإدخاله في وصيته،ولو لم يكن موسى عليه السلام ظاهرا مشهورا في أولاده معروف المكان منه وصحة نسبه واشتهار فضله وعلمه وكان مستورا لما ذكره في وصيته ولاقتصر على ذكر غيره كما فعل الحسن بن علي والد صاحب الزمان عليه السلام.

We will say: He did that in order to advance the purpose he had in hiding his birth and concealing him from the rulers of the time. Had he mentioned his son and addressed his final will to him, he would have breached his sole purpose. He needed the government officials, yeomen of the king and witnesses of the judges to refer to her in order to safeguard his trusts and monies and also to maintain secrecy of existence of his son and to protect his life by not mentioning him. Anyone who thinks that this is the proof of the falsity of the Imamiyah belief, he is not familiar with practices in the world. Imam Sadiq Ja’far Ibn Muhammad did the same when he addressed his final will to five people, the first of whom was the ruler of that time, Mansur. He did not exclusively address his son Musa (a. s) in order to protect him. He addressed Rabi, the judge of the time, and his concubine Hamida Barbariyya, and he mentioned his son Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s) last in order to hide his position and protect his life. He did not mention along with his son Musa (a. s) any other of his sons. Perhaps it was to exclude the possibility of someone claiming the position of Imamate after him on the basis of his inclusion among addressees of the final will. And had not been Musa (a. s) prominent and well known amongst his sons, and his position and relationship to him famous, and his scholarship and erudition well established, and had he been unknown, Imam Sadiq (a. s) would not have mentioned him in his final will and would have sufficed on the others, as did Hasan Ibn Ali, the father of the Master of the Age.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19282

فإن قيل: قولكم أنه منذ ولد صاحب الزمان عليه السلام إلى وقتنا هذا مع طول المدة لا يعرف أحد مكانه ولا يعلم مستقره ولا يأتي بخبره من يوثق بقوله خارج عن العادة،لأن كل من اتفق له الاستتار عن ظالم لخوف منه على نفسه أو لغير ذلك من الأغراض يكون مدة استتاره قريبة ولا يبلغ عشرين سنة ولا يخفى أيضا على الكل في مدة استتارة مكانه ولا بد من أن يعرف فيه بعض أوليائه وأهل مكانه أو يخبر بلقائه وقولكم بخلاف ذلك.

If it is said: Your assertion that since the birth of the Master of the Age until this day, which is a long period of time, no one knows his location and residence, nor does anyone reliable brings any news about him. This is extraordinary, because everyone else who underwent hiding from an oppressor due to fear of his life or other reasons, he does not go into a very lengthy hiding and it does not take more than twenty years. Likewise, he does not hide from everyone the place of his hiding and some of his trusted followers and his family does know his location and brings news of his meeting. Your belief is very different from that.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19283

قلنا: ليس الأمر على ما قلتم، لأن الإمامية تقول إن جماعة من أصحاب أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليه السلام قد شاهدوا وجوده في حياته وكانوا أصحابه وخاصته بعد وفاته والوسائط بينه وبين شيعته معروفون، ربما ذكرناهم فيما بعد، ينقلون إلى شيعته معالم الدين ويخرجون إليهم أجوبته في مسائلهم فيه ويقبضون منهم حقوقه وهم جماعة كان الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام عد لهم في حياته واختصهم أمناء له في وقته وجعل إليهم النظر في أملاكه والقيام بأموره بأسمائهم وأنسابهم وأعيانهم،كأبي عمرو عثمان بن سعيد السمان وابنه أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان بن سعيد وغيرهم ممن سنذكر أخبارهم فيما بعد إن شاء الله تعالى. وكانوا أهل عقل وأمانة وثقة ظاهرة ودراية وفهم وتحصيل ونباهة،وكانوا معظمين عند سلطان الوقت لعظم أقدارهم وجلالة محلهم مكرمين لظاهر أمانتهم واشتهار عدالتهم حتى أنه كان يدفع عنهم ما يضيفه إليهم خصومهم. وهذا يسقط قولهم أن صاحبكم لم يره أحد ودعواهم خلافه.

We will say: The case is not as suggested. A number of the companions of Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) saw him during the lifetime of his father and they were his companions and close devotees after his father’s demise. They were middlemen between him and his Shia and were well known, as we have narrated, and carried religious guidance to the Shia and brought his answers to their questions and received their religious dues from them for him. They were persons, who were declared righteous by Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) in his lifetime and he had appointed them his trustees and had designated them with overseeing his properties and his affairs, mentioning them by their names and names of their fathers such as Abu Amr Uthman Ibn Saeed Samman, his son Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Ibn Saeed, and others that we will mention in detail soon. They were wise, trustworthy, extremely reliable and intelligent and men of great, noble character. They were respected by the rulers of the time for their nobility and majesty, and honored for their trustworthiness and famed lofty characters. They were so trustworthy that they would return even their enemies’ trusts. This invalidates the assertion that no one has seen our master.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19284

فأما بعد انقراض أصحاب أبيه فقد كان مدة من الزمان أخباره واصلة من جهة السفراء الذين بينه وبين شيعته ويوثق بقولهم ويرجع إليهم لدينهم وأمانتهم وما اختصوا به من الدين والنزاهة وربما ذكرنا طرفا من أخبارهم فيما بعد.

After the companions of his father, communication was intact with him through the emissaries between him and his Shia, whose words were trusted and whose piety and trustworthiness made them reliable. We may bring some of their narratives in this regard in the future.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19285

وقد سبق الخبر عن آبائه عليه السلام بأن القائم عليه السلام له غيبتان؛أخراهما أطول من الأولى. فالأولى يعرف فيها خبره،والأخرى لا يعرف فيها خبره. فجاء ذلك موافقا لهذه الأخبار فكان ذلك دليلا ينضاف إلى ما ذكرناه وسنوضح عن هذه الطريقة فيما بعد إن شاء الله تعالى. فأما خروج ذلك عن العادات، فليس الأمر على ما قالوه،ولو صح لجاز أن ينقض الله تعالى العادة في ستر شخص ويخفى أمره لضرب من المصلحة وحسن التدبير لما يعرض من المانع من ظهوره.

Narrations from his holy forefathers (a. s) had preceded him that the Qaim (a. s) will have two occultations, one of which is longer than the other; and that in the first, communication with him will be established and in the second, it will not be. The events unfolded as predicted by these narrations, enhancing the strength of our arguments. We will explain this reasoning in the future, God willing. This is not an event so out of the ordinary, as they have suggested. Even if it were so, it is reasonable that Allah may violate the ordinary in the case of hiding a specific person and to conceal him, because it is expedient and wise.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19286

وهذا الخضرعليه السلام موجود قبل زماننا من عهد موسى عليه السلام عند أكثر الأمة وإلى وقتنا هذا باتفاق أهل السير؛ لا يعرف مستقره ولا يعرف أحد له أصحابا إلا ما جاء به القرآن من قصته مع موسى عليه السلام. وما يذكره بعض الناس أنه يظهر أحيانا ولا يعرف ويظن من يراه أنه بعض الزهاد فإذا فارق مكانه توهمه المسمى بالخضر ولم يكن عرفه بعينه في الحال ولا ظنه فيها بل اعتقد أنه بعض أهل الزمان.

Khizr (a. s) is alive since before our time, since the time of Musa (a. s) according to the majority of the Ummah until our time. It is a matter of consensus amongst historians that no one knows his place of residence and no one knows if he has any companions, except his story with Musa in the Quran and the various narratives that some people think they have seen him as a pious man and after separating from him realized that he was Khizr.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19287

وقد كان من غيبة موسى بن عمران عليه السلام من وطنه وهربه من فرعون ورهطه ما نطق به القرآن ولم يظفر به أحد مدة من الزمان ولا عرفه بعينه حتى بعثه الله نبيا ودعا إليه فعرفه الولي والعدو.

There is the story of the hiding of Musa, the son of Imran from his homeland and his flight from Firon and his people, as mentioned by Quran. No one found him for a long time, neither did they recognize him, until God sent him as an apostle and he made the call to follow him and then the friend and the foe recognized him.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19288

وقد كان من قصة يوسف بن يعقوب عليه السلام ما جاء به سورة في القرآن وتضمنت استتار خبره عن أبيه وهو نبي الله يأتيه الوحي صباحا ومساء وما يخفى عليه خبر ولده وعن ولده أيضا حتى أنهم كانوا يدخلون عليه ويعاملونه ولا يعرفونه وحتى مضت على ذلك السنون والأزمان ثم كشف الله أمره وظهر خبره وجمع بينه وبين أبيه وإخوته،وإن لم يكن ذلك في عادتنا اليوم ولا سمعنا بمثله.

There is the story of Yusuf, the son of Yaqub, to which a Surah of the Quran is dedicated and it recounts how he was hidden from his father, an apostle who received revelations day and night, yet the news of his son was hidden from him and his sons, who would meet him and transact with him, but do not recognize him. Years passed like that before Allah revealed his story and united him with his father and brothers. Such an event is extraordinary and we have not heard the like of it.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19289

وكان من قصة يونس بن متى نبي الله عليه السلام مع قومه وفراره منهم حين تطاول خلافهم له واستخفـافهم بحقوقه وغيبته عنهم وعن كل أحد حتى لم يعلم أحد من الخلق مستقره وستره الله تعالى في جوف السمكة وأمسك عليه رمقه بضرب من المصلحة إلى أن انقضت تلك المدة ورده الله تعالى إلى قومه وجمع بينهم وبينه. وهذا أيضا خارج عن عادتنا وبعيد من تعارفنا،قد نطق به القرآن وأجمع عليه أهل الإسلام.

There is the story of Yunus, the son of Mata, the messenger of God, with his people and his flight from them when they disputed him for long and violating him did not concern them much. So he went into occultation from them and from everyone; so much so that no one knew where he was. God hid him in the abdomen of a fish and saved his life for expediency until that period passed and God returned him to his people and united them. This is also extraordinary and far from the ordinary events we hear, narrated by the Quran and agreed upon by all.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19290

ومثل ما حكيناه أيضا قصة أصحاب الكهف وقد نطق بها القرآن وتضمن شرح حالهم واستتارهم عن قومهم فرارا بدينهم. ولو لا ما نطق القرآن به لكان مخالفونا يجحدونه دفعا لغيبة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام وإلحاقهم به،لكن أخبر الله تعالى أنهم بقوا ثلاثمائة سنة مثل ذلك مستترين خائفين ثم أحياهم الله تعالى فعادوا إلى قومهم وقصتهم مشهورة في ذلك.

Likewise is the story of the “people of the cave” narrated by the Quran how their story unfolded and how they hid from their people and fled to save their religion. If the Quran had not spoken about it, our opponents would have rejected this in order to facilitate their denial of the occultation of the Master of the Age. However, Allah informed us that they remained three hundred years like that in hiding, in fear, and then Allah brought them back to life and they returned to their people. Their story is well known.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19291

وإذا كان ما ذكرناه معروفا كائنا كيف يمكن مع ذلك إنكار غيبة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام اللهم إلا أن يكون المخالف دهريا معطلا ينكر جميع ذلك ويحيله فلا نتكلم معه في الغيبة بل ننتقل معه إلى الكلام في أصل التوحيد وإن ذلك مقدور، وإنما نكلم في ذلك من أقر بالإسلام وجوز كون ذلك مقدورا لله تعالى فبين لهم نظائره في العادات.

There is the story of the “owner of the donkey,” whose story is narrated by the Quran and People of the Book believe that he was a prophet. God made him dead and then brought him back to life. His food and drink did not decay. That was very extraordinary.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19292

وقد كان من أمر صاحب الحمار الذي نزل بقصته القرآن وأهل الكتاب يزعمون أنه كان نبيا فأماته الله تعالى مائة عام ثم بعثه وبقي طعامه وشرابه لم يتغير.وكان ذلك خارقا للعادة. وأمثال ما قلناه كثيرة مما رواه أصحاب السير والتواريخ من ملوك الفرس وغيبتهم عن أصحابهم مدة لا يعرفون خبرهم ثم عودهم وظهورهم لضرب من التدبير،وإن لم ينطق به القرآن فهو مذكور في التواريخ. وكذلك جماعة من حكماء الروم والهند قد كانت لهم غيبات وأحوال خارجة عن العادات لا نذكرها لأن المخالف ربما جحدها على عادتهم جحد الأخبار وهو مذكور في التواريخ.

If all these events are well known, how can they reject the occultation of the Master of the Age? Except that the opponent may be an atheist, nihilist, negating all these as impossibilities, in which case we will not discuss with him the subject of occultation, but rather our discourse with him will change to the very existence of God and that this is within the bounds of God’s infinite power. Our discourse with regard to occultation is with someone who is a Muslim and confesses that this is within the realm of power of God and we are showing similar examples to him. Similar examples of this, narrated by historians and biographers are many such as in the stories of Persian kings and their hiding from their people for a period in which they do not know their whereabouts and they return to show their purpose from the enterprise. Though the Quran has not spoken of this, it is chronicled in history. Likewise, a number of rulers of Rome and India had hidings and extraordinary events, which we will not mention, because the opponents may reject them as is their habit in order to reject the traditions.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19293

فإن قيل: ادعاؤكم طول عمر صاحبكم أمر خارق للعادات مع بقائه على قولكم كامل العقل تام القوة والشباب لأنه على قولكم له في هذا الوقت الذي هو سنة سبع وأربعين وأربعمائة مائة وإحدى وتسعون سنة،لأن مولده على قولكم سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين.

If it is said: Your claim of the long life of your Patron [Imam Mahdi (a. s)] is extraordinary, as according to you, he remains a man of complete intelligence, strength and youthful looks, because he is, according to you, at this time in 447 A. H., a hundred and ninety-seven years old, as his birth was in 256 A. H.

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19294

ولم تجر العادة بأن يبقى أحد من البشر هذه المدة، فكيف انتقضت العادة فيه ولا يجوز انتقاضها إلا على يد الأنبياء؟

Ordinarily, no man lives this long. How ordinary norms stand violated about him, whereas they are not violated, except in cases of prophets?

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event - Hadith 19295

قلنا: الجواب عن ذلك من وجهين؛ أحدهما، أنا لا نسلم أن ذلك خارق لجميع العادات، بل العادات فيما تقدم قد جرت بمثلها وأكثر من ذلك،وقد ذكرنا بعضها كقصة الخضر عليه السلام وقصة أصحاب الكهف وغير ذلك. وقد أخبر الله تعالى عن نوح عليه السلام أنه لبث في قومه ألف سنة إلا خمسين عاما. وأصحاب السير يقولون إنه عاش أكثر من ذلك وإنما دعا قومه إلى الله تعالى هذه المدة المذكورة بعد أن مضت عليه ستون من عمره.

We will say: There are two answers for this: First reason: One is that we don’t accept that it is a violation of all ordinary norms. Rather, similar long lives, and lives longer than his, have been recorded, and we mentioned some of them such as the story of Khizr (a. s) and the narrative of “the people of the cave” and others. Allah has reported that Nuh (a. s) lived fifty short of one thousand years amongst his people. Historians say that he lived longer, and the said period was the duration of his propagation of faith after he was sixty years old.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19296

85- وروى أصحاب الأخبار أن سلمان الفارسي رضي الله عنه لقي عيسى بن مريم عليه السلام وبقي إلى زمان نبينا صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم، وخبره مشهور.

H 85 - Some scholars of tradition have narrated that Salman Farsi met Isa Ibn Maryam and lived until the time of our Prophet (s). His story is famous.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19297

وروى أصحاب الحديث أن الدجال موجود وأنه كان في عصر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وأنه باق إلى الوقت الذي يخرج فيه، وهو عدو الله.

H 86 - Tradition scholars have narrated that Dajjal is alive and that he was present during the time of the Prophet (s). Dajjal is the enemy of God.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19298

وروى من ذكر أخبار العرب أن لقمان بن عاد كان أطول الناس عمرا وأنه عاش ثلاثة آلاف سنة وخمسمائة سنة، ويقال إنه عاش عمر سبعة أنسر وكان يأخذ فرخ النسر الذكر فيجعله في الجبل فيعيش النسر ما عاش، فإذا مات أخذ آخر فرباه حتى كان آخرها لبد، وكان أطولها عمرا،

H 87 - Luqman bin Aad lived the longest and he lived for 3500 years. It is said that he lived with seven eagles in such a manner that he used to catch an eagle chick and rear it under his care on the mountain till it became old and died. Then he took up another chick and trained it till the seventh eagle, which was named as Labad and it had a longer lifespan than others.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19299

ومنهم ربيع بن ضبع بن وهب بن بغيض بن مالك بن سعد بن عيس بن فزارة، عاش ثلاثمائة سنة وأربعين سنة،فأدرك النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ولم يسلم.

Rabi bin Zaba is among those who lived for a long time; he lived for 340 years and saw the Holy Prophet (s); however he did not embrace Islam.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19300

وروي أنه عاش إلى أيام عبد الملك بن مروان،وخبره معروف فإنه قال له: فصل لي عمرك. قال: عشت مائتي سنة في فترة عيسى، وعشرين ومائة سنة في الجاهلية، وستين في الإسلام. فقال له: لقد طلبك جد غير عاثر. وأخباره معروفة، وهو الذي يقول وقد طعن في ثلاثمائة سنة: أصبح مني الشباب قد حسرا إن يناعني فقد ثوى عصرا والأبيات معروفة. وهو الذي يقول: إذا كان الشتاء فأدفئوني فإن الشيخ يهدمه الشتاء فأما حين يذهب كل قر فسربال خفيف أو رداء إذا عاش الفتى مائتين عاما فقد أودى المسرة والفتاء

It is narrated that Rabi lived till the time of Abdul Malik bin Marwan and it is a well known report that Marwan said to him: Explain how you spent your life. He replied: I lived comfortably as a Christian for two hundred years and lived for one hundred and twenty years during the period of ignorance and sixty years in Islam. Afterwards Abdul Malik said to him: Luck was with you. His story is well known. When he reached the age of three hundred years, he composed the following poem: When it is winter, you must warm me up, because winter definitely proves lethal for the aged. But when the winter goes away, only a thin trouser and cloak is sufficient. When a person lives for two hundred years, his desires and youth disappear.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19301

ومنهم المستوغر بن ربيعة بن كعب بن زيد بن مناة، عاش ثلاثمائة وثلاثين سنة حتى قال: ولقد سئمت من الحياة وطولها وعمرت من بعد السنين سنينا مائة أتت من بعدها مائتان لي وعمرت من عدد الشهور سنينا هل ما بقي إلا كما قد فاتنا يوم يكر وليلة تحدونا

Mustaughar bin Rabia bin Kaab bin Zaid Munah bin Tameem was also of those who had long life spans. He lived for three hundred and thirty years and composed the following couplets: I am fed up of life and a long lifespan as I lived for years after years. After two hundred years, I lived for a hundred years more - I counted years like people count months. Is that which is to come different from that which has passed? Days continue to repeat and nights with their repetition limit my lifespan.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19302

ومنهم أكثم بن صيفي الأسدي، عاش ثلاثمائة سنة وثلاثين سنة، وكان ممن أدرك النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وآمن به ومات قبل أن يلقاه، وله أخبار كثيرة وحكم وأمثال. وهو القائل: وإن امرأ قد عاش تسعين حجة إلى مائة لم يسأم العيش جاهل خلت مائتان غير ست وأربع وذلك من عد الليالي قلائل وكان والده صيفي بن رياح بن أكثم أيضا من المعمرين،عاش مائتين وسبعين سنة لا ينكر من عقله شي‏ء، وهو المعروف بذي الحلم الذي قال فيه المتلمس اليشكري: لذي الحلم قبل اليوم ما تقرع العصا وما علم الإنسان إلا ليعلما

Aktham bin Saifi from the progeny of Asad bin Amr bin Tameem lived for three hundred and thirty years. He survived till the time of Islam and also embraced Islam, but he died before he could meet the Prophet. Many reports and sayings are recorded about Aktham bin Saifi. For example the following: Certainly, a man should spend ninety years of life. If it is extended by a hundred more years then an ignorant (person) does not become wary of life. If six and four are subtracted from two hundred, one hundred and ninety remain; it is when nights are also counted. His father, Saifi bin Riyah bin Aktham, also had a long life span. He lived for two hundred and seventy years without any reduction in his mental capacities. He is well known for his forbearance, sagacity and wisdom as mentioned by a poet about him: Saifi bin Riyah, who is the owner of forbearance, more than that he is having kindness and compassion; he knew nothing, which he did not teach to others.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19303

ومنهم ضبيرة بن سعيد بن سعد بن سهم بن عمرو، عاش مائتي سنة وعشرين سنة ولم يشب قط، وأدرك الإسلام ولم يسلم. وروى أبو حاتم والرياشي عن العتبي عن أبيه قال: مات ضبيرة السهمي وله مائتا سنة وعشرون سنة، وكان أسود الشعر صحيح الأسنان، ورثاه ابن عمه قيس بن عدي فقال: من يأمن الحدثان بعـ ـد ضبيرة السهمي ماتا سبقت منيته المشيـ ـب وكان ميتته افتلاتا فتزودوا لا تهلكوا من دون أهلكم خفاتا

Zabira bin Saeed bin Saad bin Saham bin Amr is also included among people with long life spans. He lived for 220 years and no signs of senility were visible in him; although he lived during the period of Islam, he did not accept faith. Abu Hatim and Rayashi have written on the authority of Atba that he lived for 220 years. His hair had not grayed and his teeth were also intact. Qays bin Adi, his cousin, has composed the following regarding him: Who is it that should be safe through the accidents of time after Zabira bin Sahmi, who lived for two hundred years? He took precedence in old age, lived as a youth and died an accidental death. Thus O people, gather your provisions as you would die and you have to go away without your families.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19304

ومنهم دريد بن الصمة الجشمي، عاش مائتي سنة وأدرك الإسلام فلم يسلم،وكان أحد قواد المشركين يوم حنين ومقدمتهم. حضر حرب النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فقتل يومئذ.

Duraid bin Sama Jashami lived for 200 years and witnessed the period of Islam, without accepting faith. He was a chief of polytheists during the Battle of Hunain and was at the forefront in fighting the Messenger of Allah (s). He was killed in that same battle.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19305

ومنهم محصن بن غسان بن ظالم الزبيدي،عاش مائتي سنة وستا وخمسين سنة.

Mohsin bin Ghassan He was also a person who had a long life span. He lived for 256 years.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19306

ومنهم عمرو بن حممة الدوسي، عاش أربعمائة سنة،وهو الذي يقول: كبرت وطال العمر حتى كأنني سليم أفاع ليلة غير مودع ‏فما الموت أفناني ولكن تتابعت علي سنون من مصيف ومربع ‏ثلاث مئات قد مررن كواملا وها أنا هذا أرتجي منه أربع

Amr bin Hamama Doosi He is also a long lived human being, who lived for 400 years. Following is his own composition: I have become aged and my age is so prolonged as if I have been stung by snake that is not yet dead. Thus death did not destroy me and I was not destroyed? But years of spring and summer passed on me. I have definitely left behind three hundred years and I hope to live for four hundred years.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19307

ومنهم الحارث بن مضاض الجرهمي، عاش أربعمائة سنة،وهو القائل: كان لم يكن بين الحجون إلى الصفا أنيس ولم يسمر بمكة سامر ‏ بلى نحن كنا أهلها فأبادنا صروف الليالي والجدود العواثر

Harith bin Mazaz Jurhami also lived for 400 years; he composed the following two lines: As if there was no one on way from Hajun to Safa and in Mecca who was a worshipper, who spent the nights in prayers. Yes, we are from the worshippers of Mecca, who spend their nights in worship. We make the passage of days and nights old.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19308

ومنهم عبد المسيح بن بقيلة الغساني، ذكر الكلبي وأبو عبيدة وغيرهما أنه عاش ثلاثمائة سنة وخمسين سنة، وأدرك الإسلام فلم يسـلم، وكان نصرانيا. وخبره مع خالد بن الوليد لما نزل على الحيرة معروف،حتى قال له: كم أتى لك؟قال: خمسون وثلاثمائة سنة. قال: فما أدركت؟قال: أدركت سفن البحر ترفأ إلينا في هذا الجرف،ورأيت المرأة من أهل الحيرة تضع مكتلها على رأسها لا تزود إلا رغيفا واحدا حتى تأتي الشام وقد أصبحت خرابا.وذلك دأب الله في العباد والبلاد. وهو القائل: والناس أبناء علات فمن علموا أن قد أقل فمجفو ومحقور وهم بنون لأم إن رأوا نشبا فذاك بالغيب محفوظ ومحصور

Abdul Masih bin Baqila Ghassani Kalbi, Abu Ubaidah and others have said that Abdul Masih bin Baqila Ghassani also had a long lifespan and he lived for 350 years. He lived during the Islamic period, but did not accept Islam; on the contrary he remained a Christian. His engagement with Khalid is well known when the latter came to Hira. Till Khalid asked: How old are you? He replied: Three hundred and fifty years. Khalid asked: What did you see during this period? He replied: At this place [in the desert of Hira, which was a sea once upon a time] I saw boats anchored near the coast and a woman of Hira carrying a sack on her head and she had only a piece of bread and she was going to Shaam. Now this area has become arid and barren and this is the practice of God with regard to people and cities. Abdul Masih composed the following couplet: People are children born from different wombs and when they understand that someone is spending a life of difficulty and poverty, they murder and humiliate him. When they see the wealth and prosperity of someone they become his blood brothers and such hypocritical things are written and preserved in the realm of the unseen.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19309

ومنهم النابغة الجعدي من بني عامر بن صعصعة،يكنى أبا ليلى.قال أبو حاتم السجستاني: كان النابغة الجعدي أسن من النابغة الذبياني.

Nabigha Jodi was among the long lived personalities among the Arabs. His real name was Qays bin Kaab bin Abdullah bin Aamir bin Rabia bin Joda bin Kaab bin Rabia bin Aamir bin Saasa. His patronymic was Abu Laila. Abu Hatim Sajistani, a prominent scholar of language and poetry says that Nabigha attained an age more than that of Zabyani.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19310

وروي أنه كان يفتخر ويقول: أتيت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فأنشدته: بلغنا السماء مجدنا وجدودنا وإنا لنرجو فوق ذلك مظهرا فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: أين المظهر يا أبا ليلى؟ فقلت: الجنة يا رسول الله. فقال: أجل إن شاء الله تعالى. ثم أنشدته: ولا خير في حلم إذا لم يكن له بوادر تحمي صفوه أن يكدرا ولا خير في جهل إذا لم يكن له حليم إذا ما أورد الأمر أصدرا فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لا يفضض الله فاك.

He proudly says: I recited the following verses to the Messenger of Allah (s): Our greatness and nobility has reached to the skies and we hope that it will go beyond them. The Messenger of Allah (s) asked: “Till where, O Abu Laila?” I replied: “In Paradise, O Messenger of Allah (s).” The Holy Prophet (s) remarked: “All right, if Allah so wills.” After that I presented the following couplets to the Messenger of Allah (s): There is no goodness in forbearance and magnanimity, when they are not accompanied with evil and anger, till purity does not stain the period of forbearance or period of anger. And there is no goodness in ignorance also, when it is not accompanied with forbearance and severity does not make amends for it with kindness and tolerance. At that moment the Holy Prophet (s) said: May Allah bless you.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19311

وقيل أنه عاش مائة وعشرين سنة ولم يسقط من فيه سن ولا ضرس. وقال بعضهم: رأيته وقد بلغ الثمانين تزف غروبه. وكان كلما سقطت له ثنية تنبت له أخرى مكانها. وهو من أحسن الناس ثغرا.

It is said that Nabigha Jodi lived for 120 years without losing any of his teeth. A person says that his teeth were intact till he was eighty; when he lost a set of teeth, another one grew in its stead. He was best with regard to teeth.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19312

ومنهم أبو الطمحان القيني من بني كنانة بن القين.قال أبو حاتم: عاش أبو الطمحان القيني من بني كنانة مائتي سنة، وقال في ذلك: حنتني حانيات الدهر حتى كأني خاتل أدنو لصيد قصير الخطو يحسب من رآني ولست مقيدا أني بقيد وأخباره وأشعاره معروفة.

Among those blessed with a long life span was Abu Tamhan Qaini, who belonged to the tribe of Bani Kinana bin Qain. Abu Hatim has said that he lived for 200 years and composed the following lines about himself: Neither prosperity nor the hardships of the age have weakened me; in such a way as if I have crouched to hunt or prey. Due to the severity of old age, I take such short steps that if they see me, they would think that my legs are tied up in chains; whereas it is not so. His reports and poetic compositions are well known.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19313

ومنهم ذو الإصبع العدواني. قال أبو حاتم: عاش ثلاثمائة سنة، وهو أحد حكام العرب في الجاهلية، وأخباره وأشعاره وحكمه معروفة.

Zu Asbah Adwani According to Abul Hatim, he attained an age of 300 years. He was an Arab king during the period of Jahiliyya. His reports, poems and judgments are well known.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19314

ومنهم زهير بن جناب الحميري،لم نذكر نسبه لطوله.قال أبو حاتم: عاش زهير بن جناب مائتي سنة وعشرين سنة، وواقع مائتي وقعة، وكان سيدا مطاعا، عاش شريفا في قومه.ويقال: كانت فيه عشر خصال لم يجتمعن في غيره من أهل زمانه: كان سيد قومه، وشريفهم، وخطيبهم، وشاعرهم، ووافدهم إلى الملوك، وطبيبهم، والطب في ذلك الزمان شرف، وحازى قومه، وهو الكاهن، وكان فارس قومه وله البيت فيهم والعدد منهم،وأوصى إلى بنيه فقال: يا بني إني كبرت سني وبلغت حرسا من دهري أي دهرا فأحكمتني التجارب والأمور تجربة واختبار فاحفظوا عني ما أقول وعوا، وإياكم والخور عند المصائب والتواكل عند النوائب،فإن ذلك داعية الغم وشماتة العدو وسوء الظن بالرب. وإياكم أن تكونوا بالأحداث مغترين ولها آمنين ومنها ساخرين، فإنه ما سخر قوم قط إلا ابتلوا، ولكن توقعوها فإنما الإنسان في الدنيا غرض تعاوره الزمان فمقصر دونه ومجاوز موضعه وواقع عن يمينه وشماله،ثم لا بد أن يصيبه. وأقواله معروفة وكذلك أشعاره.

Zuhair bin Janab also had a long lifespan and he lived for 220 years and participated in 200 battles. He was the leader of his tribe. It is said that he possessed ten extraordinary qualities: He was a chief of his tribe, he was of noble lineage and an eloquent speaker and a poet. He used to visit other kings as a diplomat; he was an accomplished physician, a soothsayer and a brave warrior. He was a wise advisor. In his will, he said to his children: My sons, indeed I have become old; I have been given a very long life, I have got good experience and have become an expert. Thus remember what I say. Lest in times of hardships you are degraded, lest when you are faced with difficult situations you forgive each other [and do not fulfill the desires of others] since for you this matter causes great anxiety and sorrow and brings condemnation of enemies and makes you suspicious of Almighty Allah. Lest you become arrogant and careless in face of hardships and think that you are in security and you ridicule it. Every nation that took tragedies lightly got involved in them; therefore take tragedies seriously as in the world, man is a target in such a way that archers have targeted the tragedies and they shoot arrows in its directions. Arrows are shot at it from right and left and finally the arrows of tragedies injure him. Statements and poetic compositions of Zuhair are also famous.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19315

ومنهم دويد بن نهد بن زيد بن أسود بن أسلم بن ألحاف بن قضاعة.قال أبو حاتم: عاش دويد بن زيد أربعمائة وستا وخمسين سنة، ووصيته معروفة وأخباره مشهورة. ومن قوله: ألقى علي الدهر رجلا ويدا والدهر ما أصلح يوما أفسدا يفسد ما أصلحه اليوم غـــدا

He is Duwaid bin Nahad bin Zaid bin Aswad bin Aslam bin Haaf bin Qaza-a. Abu Hatim has said with regard to him: He lived for 456 years. His bequests and reports are famous and well known and a sample of his couplets is as follows: The passage of time has rendered my limbs useless and whatever is improved by this period, another day will corrupt it, because that which it has improved today, tomorrow it would destroy it.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19316

ومنهم الحارث بن كعب بن عمرو بن وعلة المذحجي، ومذحج هي أم مالك بن أدد،وسميت مذحجا لأنها ولدت على أكمة تسمى مذحجا. قال أبو حاتم: جمع الحارث بن كعب بنيه لما حضرته الوفاة فقال: يا بني قد أتت علي ستون ومائة سنة ما صافحت يميني يمين غادر ولا قنعت نفسي بحلة فاجر ولا صبوت بابنة عم ولا كنة ولا طرحت عندي مومسة قناعها ولا بحت لصديق بسر. وإني لعلى دين شعيب النبي عليه السلام وما عليه أحد من العرب غيري وغير أسد بن خزيمة وتميم بن مر،فاحفظوا وصيتي وموتوا على شريعتي. إلهكم فاتقوه يكفكم المهم من أموركم ويصلح لكم أعمالكم وإياكم ومعصيته لا يحل بكم الدمار ويوحش منكم الديار.يا بني كونوا جميعا ولا تتفرقوا فتكونوا شيعا، فإن موتا في عز خير من حياة في ذل وعجز. وكل ما هو كائن كائن، وكل جمع إلى تباين. الدهر ضربان؛ فضرب رجاء وضرب بلاء. واليوم يومان؛فيوم حبرة ويوم عبرة. والناس رجلان؛ فرجل لك ورجل عليك. تزوجوا الأكفاء وليستعملن في طيبهن الماء،وتجنبوا الحمقاء فإن ولدها إلى أفن ما يكون إلا أنه لا راحة لقاطع القرابة.وإذا اختلف القوم أمكنوا عدوهم، وآفة العدد اختلاف الكلمة، والتفضل بالحسنة يقي السيئة، والمكافأة بالسيئة الدخول فيها، والعمل بالسوء يزيل النعماء، وقطيعة الرحم تورث الهم، وانتهاك الحرمة يزيل النعمة، وعقوق الوالدين يورث النكد ويمحق العدد ويخرب البلد، والنصيحة تجر الفضيحة، والحقد يمنع الرفد، ولزوم الخطيئة يعقب البلية، وسوء الرعة يقطع أسباب المنفعة. الضغائن تدعو إلى التباين. ثم أنشأ يقول: أكلت شبابي فأفنيته وأفنيت بعد دهور دهورا ثلاثة أهلين صاحبتهم فبادوا فأصبحت شيخا كبيرا قليل الطعام عسير القيام قد ترك الدهر خطوي قصيرا أبيت أراعي نجوم السماء أقلب أمري بطونا ظهورا فهذا طرف من أخبار المعمرين من العرب، واستيفاؤه في الكتب المصنفة في هذا المعنى موجود.

Among the long lived persons of the world is Harith bin Kaab bin Amr bin Waala Madh-haji. Madh-haj was the mother of Malik bin Adad and the reason of her being named thus was that she was born on a hill named as Madh-haj. Abu Hatim says: When the death of Harith approached, he gathered his children and said: My children, I have reached an age of a hundred and sixty years, but so far I have neither made peace with any traitor nor befriended any transgressor or infidel, nor flirted with cousins and sisters-in-law. I have never kept a woman of loose character in my house. I have never exposed the secrets of my friends. I follow the religion of Prophet Shuaib (a. s) and except for me, Asad bin Khuzaima and Tamim bin Murrah, no one in the Arab Peninsula follows this faith. So remember my will and live on my religion. Continue to fear the Almighty Allah as He is sufficient for you in every way. Never disobey Him as you would be destroyed and your city and abode would be terrified of your destruction [It is an allusion of divine chastisement]. My sons, be united and never should you fall into discord. Without any doubt, a death of honor is better than a life of degradation and helplessness. What is destined would come to pass. Everything is of two different types. Thus time is also of two kinds: A time of prosperity and a time of troubles. People are also of two types: One kind will benefit you and another will harm you. Also remember that you should take in marriage, a woman who is compatible to your status and is chaste. Avoid foolish girls as their issues will be useless. Those who cut off relations will never get peace. There is enmity in discord with the people of your community. That is if you oppose them, they will become inimical to you. No matter how numerous you may be; if you have no unity, you are in great trouble. Goodness erases evil. To reciprocate evil with evil is to participate in evil. Sins destroy good deeds. Breaking off relations creates sorrow. Disrespect destroys blessings. Disowning of parents leads to destruction. It reduces population and houses are destroyed. Bad behavior cuts off benefits. Mutual enmity causes separations. He had composed the following couplets: I spent my youth and I wasted it; and I destroyed one day with another. I lived with three wives and all of them passed away and I have also become an old man. My food is less and my getting up is with difficulty and the long life span has shortened my steps. I remain awake the nights and observe the stars and contemplate on the hidden and apparent aspects of my life. These were some examples of Arabs who had the good fortune of having long life spans and their accounts are preserved in books of history.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19317

وأما الفرس فإنها تزعم أن فيما تقدم من ملوكها جماعة طالت أعمارهم، فيروون أن الضحاك صاحب الحيتين عاش ألف سنة ومائتي سنة وأفريدون العادل عاش فوق ألف سنة،ويقولون إن الملك الذي أحدث المهرجان عاش ألفي سنة وخمسمائة سنة استتر منها عن قومه ستمائة سنة.وغير ذلك مما هو موجود في تواريخهم وكتبهم لا نطول بذكرها. فكيف يقال إن ما ذكرناه في صاحب الزمان خارج عن العادات؟

As for the Persians: According to them, in the past, there were some rulers, who got long life spans. Therefore they have narrated that Zahhak, the owner of two snakes [a couple of snakes perched on his shoulders] lived for 1200 years; or Faridoon the Just, lived for more than a thousand years. In the same way they say: A king initiated the celebration of Meherjan festival (spring feast). He lived for 2500 years after which he disappeared from his people for 600 years. In addition, there are those mentioned in the history of Iranians and their books and we will not prolong this book by quoting them. Thus [with attention to all these long-lived persons] how can it be said that the long lifespan of the Master of the Age (a. s) is extraordinary?

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19318

ومن المعمرين من العرب يعرب بن قحطان، واسمه ربيعة، أول من تكلم بالعربية، ملك مائتي سنة على ما ذكره أبو الحسن النسابة الأصفهاني في كتاب الفرع والشجر، وهو أبو اليمن كلها وهو منها كعدنان إلا شاذا نادرا.

Similarly, among those who had a long lifespan among the Arabs was Yarab bin Qahtan. His real name was Rabia. He was the first to speak the Arabic language. According to Abal Hasan Nasaba Isfahani and his book, Al Fara wash Shajar (The branch and tree) he ruled for 200 years and he was a Yemenite progenitor. He was as Adnan was in Hijaz with a little difference.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19319

ومنهم عمرو بن عامر مزيقيا. روى الأصفهاني عن عبد المجيد بن أبي عيس الأنصاري والشرقي بن قطامي أنه عاش ثمانمائة سنة أربعمائة سنة سوقة في حياة أبيه وأربعمائة سنة ملكا، وكان في سني ملكه يلبس في كل يوم حلتين،فإذا كان بالعشي مزقت الحلتان عنه لئلا يلبسهما غيره فسمي مزيقيا.وقيل إنما سمي بذلك لأن على عهده تمزقت الأزد فصاروا إلى أقطار الأرض،وكان ملك أرض سبإ فحدثته الكهان بأن الله يهلكها بالسيل العرم فاحتال حتى باع ضياعه وخرج فيمن أطاعه من أولاده وأهله قبل السيل العرم ومنه انتشرت الأزد كلها والأنصار من ولده.

Amr Aaamir Maziqiya He was also a long lived Arab. Isfahani has narrated from Abi Ais Ansari and Sharqi bin Qattami that he lived for 800 years. Four hundred years during the lifetime of his father and another four hundred years afterwards, when he was a ruler. His practice was to wear two kinds of garments everyday. Every night he tore up his clothes, so that no one else may wear them. That’s why he is known as Maziqiya (one who tears). It is said that he was called Maziqiya, because during his reign, people of Azd migrated to various parts of the world. Amr was a king of the Saba kingdom. Soothsayers told him that his country would be destroyed by the floods of Iram. So he sold his land and migrated to some other place with his subjects. Therefore all the tribes of Azd and Ansar are his descendants.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19320

ومنهم جلهمة بن أدد بن زيد بن يشجب بن عريب بن زيد بن كهلان بن يعرب، ويقال لجلهمة طيئ وإليه تنسب طيئ كلها وله خبر يطول شرحه، وكان له ابن أخ يقال له يحابر بن مالك بن أدد، وكان قد أتى على كل واحد منهما خمسمائة سنة وقع بينهما ملاحاة بسبب المرعى فخاف جلهمة هلاك عشيرته فرحل عنه وطوى المنازل فسمي طيئا،وهو صاحب أجأ وسلمى جبلين بطيئ ولذلك خبر يطول معروف.

Another long-lived ruler of Arabs was Jalhama bin Adad bin Zaid bin Yashjab bin Arib bin Zaid bin Kahlan bin Yarab. He is also known as Lajalmaha Tai and Bani Tai are his descendants. His account is very long. Yahabir bin Malik bin Adad was one of his nephews. Each of them lived for 500 years and there was a battle between them regarding a pasture land. Jalhama thought that in this way his whole clan will be destroyed. So he left that place and traveled a great distance; that is why he began to be called as Tai. He was the owner of two mountains in Tai, named Aja and Salma. He is also having a very lengthy account.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19321

ومنهم عمرو بن لحي وهو ربيعة بن حارثة بن عمرو مزيقيا في قول علماء خزاعة كان رئيس خزاعة في حرب خزاعة وجرهم، وهو الذي سن السائبة والوصيلة والحام ونقل صنمين-وهما هبل ومناة- من الشام إلى مكة فوضعهما للعبادة فسلم هبل إلى خزيمة بن مدركة، فقيل هبل خزيمة، وصعد على أبي قبيس ووضع مناة بالمسلل وقدم بالنرد،وهو أول من أدخلها مكة فكانوا يلعبون بها في الكعبة غدوة وعشية.

One of them is Amr bin Lohi, whose real name was Rabia bin Haritha bin Amr Maziqiya. According to scholars of Khaza, he was the chief of the Khaza during the battle between Khaza and Jurham. He had initiated the customs of Saiba, Wasila and Haam. He brought the idols of Hubal and Manat from Syria to Mecca. He entrusted Hubal to Khazima bin Mudrika and that is why it began to be referred to as the Hubal Khazima. Then he placed Manat on Mt. Abu Qubais and he was the first to bring Nard (a dice game) to Mecca, which people played all the time in Kaaba and its vicinity.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19322

88- فروي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أنه قال: رفعت إلى النار فرأيت عمرو بن لحي رجلا قصيرا أحمر أزرق يجر قصبة في النار. فقلت: من هذا؟قيل: عمرو بن لحي.

H 88 - It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s) that he said: I was shown Hell during my journey of Meraj. I saw a short stature man, Amr bin Lahih paying with his baton in Hell. I asked: Who is this? I was told: He is Amr bin Lahih.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19323

فإن كان المخالف لنا في ذلك من يحيل ذلك من المنجمين وأصحاب الطبائع فالكلام معهم في أصل هذه المسألة وأن العالم مصنوع وله صانع أجرى العادة بقصر الأعمار وطولها وأنه قادر على إطالتها وعلى إفنائها فإذا بين ذلك سهل الكلام. وإن كان المخالف في ذلك من يسلم ذلك غير أنه يقول هذا خارج عن العادات فقد بينا أنه ليس بخارج عن جميع العادات. ومتى قالوا خارج عن عادتنا،قلنا وما المانع منه.فإن قيل ذلك لا يجوز إلا في زمن الأنبياء، قلنا نحن ننازع في ذلك وعندنا يجوز خرق العادات على يد الأنبياء والأئمة والصالحين،وأكثر أصحاب الحديث يجوزون ذلك وكثير من المعتزلة والحشوية وإن سموا ذلك كرامات كان ذلك خلافا في عبارة وقد دللنا على جواز ذلك في كتبنا وبينا أن المعجز إنما يدل على صدق من يظهر على يده ثم نعلمه نبيا أو إماما أو صالحا لقوله وكلما يذكرونه من شبههم قد بينا الوجه في كتبنا لا نطول بذكره هاهنا.

If our opponent considers this impossible from astrologers and physicists, then the inquiry is about the basis of this question. The world is a creation and it has a Creator, Who has set the ordinary norms of short and long lives and He is capable of lengthening lives and taking lives. If this is clarified, then the inquiry becomes easy. If our opponent accepts this, but says this is out of the ordinary norms, we have already responded that it is not out of all of the ordinary events. If he says it is out of the bounds of our ordinary events, we will ask: What is wrong with that? If it is said that such events are not possible, except during the times of the prophets, we will say that we dispute this assertion. We believe that extraordinary events can be worked by prophets, Imams and even virtuous servants of God. The majority tradition scholars and many Mutazalites and Hashawiyya accept this. And if they call them “Karamat,” that is a difference only in words. We have proved the possibility of these events in our books and explained that extraordinary events prove the truth of the person, who brings them forth; and we discern he is either prophet, Imam or a virtuous man. We have responded to all the doubts they raise with this regard in our books and will not prolong the discussion by bringing them here again.

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history. - Hadith 19324

89- ووجدت بخط الشريف الأجل الرضي أبي الحسن محمد بن الحسين الموسوي رضي الله عنه تعليقا في تقاويم جمعها مؤرخا بيوم الأحد الخامس عشر من المحرم سنة إحدى وثمانين وثلاثمائة أنه ذكر له حال شيخ في باب الشام قد جاوز المائة وأربعين سنة، فركبت إليه حتى تأملته وحملته إلى القرب من داري بالكرخ وكان أعجوبة شاهد الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن علي الرضا عليهم السلام أبا القائم عليه السلام ووصف صفته… إلى غير ذلك من العجائب التي شاهدها،هذه حكاية خطه بعينها.

H 89 - I saw a writing of Sharif Ajal Razi Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Husain Musawi dated Sunday, 15th Mohurrum 331 A. H. in which he has mentioned the account of a long-lived man in Syria, who had crossed the age of 140 years. He says: I mounted my beast and went to him and found him after much endeavour. I met him near my house in Karkh and he was a wonder and had met Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), father of Imam Mahdi (a. s). Therefore he described the fine qualities of Imam (a. s). A wonder that was seen is an incident, which he has written in his own handwriting.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19325

ومما يدل على إمامة صاحب الزمان ابن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن الرضا عليهم السلام وصحة غيبته ما رواه الطائفتان المختلفتان والفرقتان المتباينتان العامة والإمامية وأن الأئمة عليهم السلام بعد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم اثنا عشر لا يزيدون ولا ينقصون،وإذا ثبت ذلك فكل من قال بذلك قطع على الأئمة الاثني عشر الذين نذهب إلى إمامتهم وعلى وجود ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته لأن من خالفهم في شي‏ء من ذلك لا يقصر الإمامة على هذا العدد بل يجوز الزيادة عليها وإذا ثبت بالأخبار التي نذكرها هذا العدد المخصوص ثبت ما أردناه. فنحن نذكر جملا من ذلك ونحيل الباقي على الكتب المصنفة في هذا المعنى لئلا يطول به الكتاب إن شاء الله تعالى.

Of the proofs proving the Imamate of the Master of the Age and that his occultation is not an impossible phenomenon, are narrations of the two distinct denominations: Ahle Sunnat and Imamiyyah: that the Imams after the Prophet (s) are twelve - not more, not less. When this is proved, anyone who is certain of this, will be certain of the Imamate of the Twelve Imams. We profess their Imamate and believe in the existence of Ibn Hasan and his occultation, because anyone who disagrees with the Imamiyah, on anyone of these Imams, their Imams do not remain on this number, but rather, increase. When this specific number is proved through the narrations we will present, our objective will be proved. On the basis of this we have mentioned some of these reports and about the remaining we give the concerned reference so that this book may not be prolonged inordinately, if Allah wills.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19326

90- ما أخبرني به أبو عبد الله أحمد بن عبدون المعروف بابن الحاشر قال: حدثني أبو الحسين محمد بن علي الشجاعي الكاتب قال: أخبرنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن إبراهيم المعروف بابن أبي زينب النعماني الكاتب قال: أخبرنا محمد بن عثمان بن علان الذهبي البغدادي بدمشق قال: حدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثني علي بن الجعد قال: حدثني زهير بن معاوية عن زياد بن خيثمة عن الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني قال: سمعت جابر بن سمرة يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: يكون بعدي اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش. قال: فلما رجع إلى منزله أتته قريش فقالوا: ثم يكون ماذا؟ فقال: ثم يكون الهرج.

H 90 - Among that which is narrated by Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Abdun, alias Ibnal Hashir is: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ali Shujai, the scribe that: Narrated to us Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ibrahim, alias Ibn Abu Zainab Nomani, the scribe that: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Uthman bin Allaan Zahabi Baghdadi in Damascus: Narrated to us Abu Bakr bin Abu Khaithama that: Narrated to me Ali bin Jaud that: Zuhair bin Muawiyah from Ziyad bin Khaithama from Aswad bin Saeed Hamadani that: I heard Jabir bin Samra say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: After me, there would be twelve Caliphs and all of them would be from Quraish. When the Messenger of Allah (s) returned to his house, Quraish arrived and addressed the Prophet: What will happen after that? The Prophet replied: Confusion and discord.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19327

91- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا ابن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثني زهير بن معاوية عن زياد بن علاقة وسماك بن حرب وحصين بن عبد الرحمن كلهم عن جابر بن سمرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: يكون بعدي اثنا عشر خليفة… ثم تكلم بكلام لم أفهمه، فقال بعضهم: سألت القوم فقالوا: قال: كلهم من قريش.

H 91 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ibn Abi Khaithama that: Narrated to me Zuhair bin Muawiyah from Ziyad bin Alaqa, Samak bin Harb, Husain bin Abdur Rahman Kalham from Jabir bin Samra that the Messenger of Allah (s) said: After me there would be twelve Caliphs; after that the Prophet mentioned something, which I could not understand. A person in that gathering says: I asked the others [What did the Messenger of Allah (s) say?] They replied: His Eminence said: All of them would be from Quraish.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19328

92- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا ابن عود عن الشعبي عن جابر بن سمرة قال: ذكر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: لا يزال أهل هذا الدين ينصرون على من ناواهم إلى اثني عشر خليفة. فجعل الناس يقومون ويقعدون، وتكلم بكلمة لم أفهمها، فقلت لأبي- أو لأخي -: أي شي‏ء قال؟ فقال: قال: كلهم من قريش.

H 92 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ibn Awad from Shobi from Jabir bin Samra that he said: The Holy Prophet (s) remarked: The people of this religion would be helped against one who intends harm to them till the tenure of the twelve Caliphs. [When the Prophet said this] People were coming and going and there was a lot of disturbance; at that time the Holy Prophet (s) mentioned some words, which I could not understand. So I asked my father or brother: What did the Prophet say? He replied: He said: All of them would be from Quraish.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19329

93- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا عبيد الله بن عمر قال: حدثنا سليمان بن أحمر قال: حدثنا ابن عون، عن الشعبي،عن جابر بن سمرة قال: ذكر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: لا يزال أهل هذا الدين ينصرون على من ناواهم إلى اثني عشر خليفة. فجعل الناس يقومون ويقعدون، وتكلم بكلمة لم أفهمها،فقلت لأبي-أو لأخي- :أي شي‏ء قال؟فقال: كلهم من قريش.

H 93 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Ubaidullah bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Sulaiman bin Ahmar that: Narrated to us Ibn Aun from Shobi from Jabir bin Samra that: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: The people of this religion would be helped [through the Caliph of God] against those who intend harm to them and this help would continue till the tenure of the twelve Caliphs. Since people were going and coming, I could not make out what the Prophet said after that. So I asked my father or brother: What did the Prophet say? He replied: All the twelve Caliphs would be from Quraish.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19330

94- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد بن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثنا يحيى بن معين قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن صالح قال: حدثنا الليث بن سعد عن خالد بن يزيد عن سعيد بن أبي هلال عن ربيعة بن سيف قال: كنا عند شفي الأصبحي فقال: سمعت عبد الله بن عمر يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: يكون خلفي اثنا عشر خليفة.

H 94 - It is narrated from the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Abi Khaithama that: Narrated to us Yahya bin Moin that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Salih that: Narrated to us Laith bin Saad from Khalid bin Yazid from Saeed bin Abi Hilal from Rabia bin Saif that: I was with Shafi Asbahi when he said: I heard Abdullah bin Umar say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: After me, there would be twelve Caliphs.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19331

95- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا عفان ويحيى بن إسحاق السيلحيني قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن عثمان عن أبي الطفيل قال: قال لي عبد الله بن عمر: يا أبا الطفيل، عد اثني عشر من بني كعب بن لؤي. ثم يكون النقف والنقاف.

H 95 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Affan and Yahya bin Ishaq Sailhini that: Narrated to us Hammad bin Salma that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Uthman from Abi Tufayl that: Abdullah bin Umar said to me: O Aba Tufayl, you must consider twelve persons from the descendants of Kaab bin Loi as the Caliphs of the Messenger of Allah (s), after whom mischief and bloodshed would occur and people would fight each other [as all those who mention the twelve persons would create a great controversy].

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19332

96- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا المقدمي عن عاصم بن عمر بن علي بن مقدام أبو يونس قال: حدثني أبي عن فطر بن خليفة عن أبي خالد الوالبي قال: حدثنا جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: لا يزال هذا الدين ظاهرا لا يضره من ناواه حتى يقوم اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش.

H 96 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Muqaddami from Asim [bin Umar] bin Ali bin Miqdam Abu Yunus that: Narrated to me my father about the origin of Caliph from Abi Khalid Walibi that: Narrated to us Jabir bin Samra that: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: This religion would remain victorious and will not be harmed by those who intend to cause harm to it till the time that twelve Caliphs, all of whom would be from Quraish, rise up [for Imamate].

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19333

97- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الرقي قال:حدثنا عيسى بن يونس عن مجالد بن سعيد عن الشعبي عن مسروق قال: كنا عند ابن مسعود فقال له رجل: حدثكم نبيكم كم يكون بعده من الخلفاء؟ فقال: نعم. وما سألني عنها أحد قبلك وإنك لأحدث القوم سنا. سمعته يقول: يكون بعدي عدة نقباء موسى عليه السلام. قال الله عز وجل ﴿وبَعَثْنا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيباً﴾.

H 97 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Raqqi that: Narrated to us Isa bin Yunus from Majalid bin Saeed from Shobi from Masruq [bin Ajda bin Malik Hamadani, died 63 A. H.] that: I was with Ibn Masud when a person asked him: Did your Prophet inform you how many his successors would be? Ibn Masud said: Yes, in spite of the fact that you are the youngest, no one other than you asked me this question. I always heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: After me there will be Caliphs equal to the number of the chiefs of Musa (a. s). Allah, the Mighty and the High said: “…and We raised up among them twelve chieftains…”

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19334

98- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري قال:أخبرني أبو علي أحمد بن علي المعروف بابن الخضيب الرازي قال:حدثني بعض أصحابنا عن حنظلة بن زكريا التميمي، عن أحمد بن يحيى الطوسي، عن أبي بكر عبد الله بن أبي شيبة، عن محمد بن فضيل، عن الأعمش، عن أبي صالح، عن ابن عباس قال: نزل جبرئيل عليه السلام بصحيفة من عند الله على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فيها اثنا عشر خاتما من ذهب، فقال له: إن الله تعالى يقرأ عليك السلام ويأمرك أن تدفع هذه الصحيفة إلى النجيب من أهلك بعدك يفك منها أول خاتم ويعمل بما فيها، فإذا مضى دفعها إلى وصيه بعده، وكذلك الأول يدفعها إلى الآخر واحدا بعد واحد. ففعل النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما أمر به. ففك علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام أولها وعمل بما فيها، ثم دفعها إلى الحسن عليه السلام ففك خاتمه وعمل بما فيها، ودفعها بعده إلى الحسين عليه السلام، ثم دفعها الحسين إلى علي بن الحسين عليه السلام، ثم واحدا بعد واحد حتى ينتهي إلى آخرهم عليهم السلام.

H 98 - A group of scholar informed me from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari that he said: Informed me Abu Ali Ahmad bin Ali, alias Ibn Qazib Razi that: Narrated to me some of our scholars from Hanzala bin Zakariya Tamimi from Ahmad bin Yahya Tusi from Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Abi Shaibah from Muhammad bin Fudail from Amash from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas that he said: Jibraeel (a. s) descended with a book from Allah upon the Messenger of Allah (s), having twelve golden seals. Then he said: “Surely, Allah the High greets you and orders you to hand over this book to the chosen one from your family after you. He will open the first seal and do according to what is in it. When he is about to expire, he should hand it over to his successor after him. Thus, the first will hand over to the last, one after the other.” The Holy Prophet (s) did as he was ordered. Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) opened the first of them (seals) and acted as per its instructions. Then he (a. s) handed it over to Hasan (a. s), who opened his seal and acted on it. He (a. s) handed over to Husain (a. s), who passed it on to Ali Ibn Husain (a. s). This went on from one to another till it reached the last one amongst them.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19335

99- وبهذا الإسناد عن التلعكبري، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام، عن الحسن بن علي القوهستاني، عن زيد بن إسحاق،عن أبيه قال:سألت أبي عيسى بن موسى فقلت له: من أدركت من التابعين؟فقال: ما أدري ما تقول؟ولكني كنت بالكوفة فسمعت شيخا في جامعها يحدث عن عبد خير قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: يا علي، الأئمة الراشدون المهديون المغصوبون حقوقهم من ولدك أحد عشر إماما وأنت… والحديث مختصر.

H 99 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Talakbari from Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam from Hasan bin Ali Quhistani from Zaid bin Ishaq from his father that he said: I asked Isa bin Musa: Have you met any of the companions of the companions? He replied: I don’t know what you are saying, but I was in Kufa, when I heard an old man narrating a tradition from Abdul Khair in Kufa Masjid. He said: Amirul Momineen (a. s) said: the Messenger of Allah (s) told me, “O Ali! The rightly guided, infallible Imams from your progeny are eleven.” And so on…

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19336

100- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري،عن محمد بن أحمد بن عبد الله الهاشمي قال:حدثني أبو موسى عيسى بن أحمد بن عيسى بن المنصور قال:حدثني أبو الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري عن أبيه محمد بن علي عن أبيه علي بن موسى عن أبيه موسى بن جعفر عن أبيه جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه محمد بن علي عن أبيه علي بن الحسين عن أبيه الحسين بن علي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: قال لي علي عليه السلام: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: مَن سره أن يلقى الله عز وجل آمنا مطهرا لا يحزنه الفزع الأكبر فليتولك وليتول بنيك الحسن والحسين وعلي بن الحسين ومحمد بن علي وجعفر بن محمد وموسى بن جعفر وعلي بن موسى ومحمدا وعليا والحسن ثم المهدي،وهو خاتمهم. وليكونن في آخر الزمان قوم يتولونك يا علي،يشنأهم الناس. ولو أحبوهم كان خيرا لهم لو كانوا يعلمون. يؤثرونك وولدك على الآباء والأمهات والإخوة والأخوات وعلى عشائرهم والقرابات. صلوات الله عليهم أفضل الصلوات. أولئك يحشرون تحت لواء الحمد،يتجاوز عن سيئاتهم ويرفع درجاتهم جزاء بما كانوا يعملون.

H 100 - Narrated to me a group of our scholars from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashimi that: Narrated to me Abu Musa Isa bin Ahmad bin Isa bin Mansur that: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Askari [Imam Hadi] from his father, Muhammad bin Ali [Imam Jawad] from his father, Ali bin Musa [Imam Ridha] from his father Musa bin Ja’far [Imam Kadhim] from his father Ja’far bin Muhammad [Imam Sadiq] from his father, Muhammad bin Ali [Imam Baqir] from his father, Ali Ibnul Husain [Imam Sajjad] from his father, Husain bin Ali [peace on them all] that Imam Ali (a. s) said: “Whoever desires to meet Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, in a state of safety and purity and that the Great Fear should not terrify him, he must befriend you and befriend your sons Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Musa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Musa, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Mahdi, who will be their last. In the last era, there will be a group, who will befriend you, O Ali. People will hate them, although had they loved them (the Shias), it would have been better for them, if they but knew. They (Shias) will give preference to you and your sons over their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and kin, blessings of Allah be on them, the best of blessings. They will be gathered beneath the Standard of Praise (Liwaul Hamd), their sins will be overlooked and their grades will be raised as a reward of their deeds.

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19337

فأما ما روي من جهة الخاصة فأكثر من أن يحصى، غير أنا نذكر طرفا منها:

Reports narrated through Shia sources on this topic are so numerous that they cannot be computed; we mentioned only some of them here:

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19338

101- روى محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري فيما أخبرنا به جماعة عن أبي المفضل الشيباني عنه عن أبيه عن محمد بن الحسين عن محمد بن أبي عمير، وأخبرنا أيضا جماعة عن عدة من أصحابنا عن محمد بن يعقوب عن محمد بن يحيى عن أحمد بن محمد عن ابن أبي عمير عن عمر بن أذينة عن أبان بن أبي عياش عن سليم بن قيس قال: سمعت عبد الله بن جعفر الطيار يقول: كنا عند معاوية أنا والحسن والحسين عليهم السلام وعبد الله بن عباس وعمـر بن أم سـلمة وأسـامة بن زيـد، فجـرى بيني وبين معـاوية كلام فقلت لمعاوية: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: أنا أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، ثم أخي علي بن أبي طالب أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، فإذا استشهد علي فالحسن أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، فإذا مضى الحسن فالحسين أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، فإذا استشهد فابنه علي بن الحسين أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم، وستدركه يا علي، ثم ابنه محمد بن علي أولى بالمؤمنين من أنفسهم يا علي ثم يكمله اثنا عشر إماما تسعة من ولد الحسين. قال عبد الله بن جعفر: استشهدت الحسن والحسين وعبد الله بن عباس وعمر بن أم سلمة وأسامة بن زيد فشهدوا لي عند معاوية. قال سليم بن قيس: وقد سمعت ذلك من سلمان وأبي ذر والمقداد. وذكروا أنهم سمعوا ذلك من رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

H 101 - Narrated Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari that a group of scholars informed that Abu Mufaddal Shaibani narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Husain from Muhammad bin Husain from Muhammad bin Abi Umair. Also narrated to us a group of scholars from Muhammad bin Yaqub from Muhammad bin Yahya from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Ibn Abi Umair from Umar bin Uzniyya from Aban bin Abi Ayyash from Sulaym bin Qays that: I heard Abdullah bin Ja’far Tayyar [husband of Zainab] say: We were in the company of Muawiyah: I, Hasan, Husain, Abdullah bin Abbas, Umar bin Umme Salma and Usamah bin Zaid when an argument arose between us; I said to him: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: “I have more authority on the believers than they have on themselves. After me, my brother Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) has more authority on the believers than themselves. When Ali (a. s) is martyred, Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) will have more authority on the believers than themselves, followed by my son Husain (a. s), who will have more authority on the believers than themselves. When Husain (a. s) is martyred, his son, Ali Ibn Husain (a. s) will have more authority on the believers than themselves. O Ali! Soon you will meet him. Then his son Muhammad Ibn Ali will have more authority on the believers than themselves. Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah (s) completed the list of twelve Imams, nine of whom will be from the descendants of Husain (a. s).” Abdullah Ibn Ja’far continues, ‘I sought testimony from Hasan, Husain, Abdullah Ibn Abbas, Umar Ibn Umm Salma and Usamah Ibn Zaid and they all verified my statement before Muawiyah.’ Sulaym bin Qays says, ‘And indeed I heard the same from Salman, Abu Zar and Miqdad and they in turn heard it from the Messenger of Allah (s).

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19339

102- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر عن أبيه عن محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى عن محمد بن الحسين عن أبي سعيد العصفري عن عمرو بن ثابت عن أبي الجارود عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: إني وأحد عشر من ولدي وأنت يا علي زر الأرض؛ أعني أوتادها وجبالها. بنا أوتد الله الأرض أن تسيخ بأهلها. فإذا ذهب الاثنا عشر من ولدي ساخت الأرض بأهلها ولم ينظروا.

H 102 - Through the same chains of narrators, it is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far from his father from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya [from Muhammad bin Husain from Abi Saeed Asfari] from Amr bin Thabit narrated from Abil Jarud from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “O Ali! I, you and eleven of my descendants are the buttons of the earth, its pegs and its mountains. Due to us Allah has prevented the earth from swallowing its inhabitants. When the twelfth of my descendants will pass away, the earth will swallow all its inhabitants and they will not be given respite.”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19340

103- عنه عن أبيه عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك عن محمد بن نعمة السلولي عن وهيب بن حفص عن عبد الله بن القاسم عن عبد الله بن خالد عن أبي السفاتج عن جابر بن يزيد عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري قال: دخلت على فاطمة عليها السلام وبين يديها لوح فيه أسماء الأوصياء من ولدها. فعددت اثني عشر اسما آخرهم القائم؛ ثلاثة منهم محمد وثلاثة منهم علي.

H 103 - It is narrated from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Muhammad bin Nima Saluli from Wuhaib bin Hafas from Abdullah bin Qasim from Abdullah bin Khalid from Abu Safataj from Jabir bin Yazid from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that he said: ‘I came to Fatima (a. s) and a tablet was placed before her with names of the successors from her progeny. I counted upto twelve, one of them was Al-Qaim (a. s), three were named Muhammad and three were named Ali (peace be on them all).’

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19341

104- وأخبرني جماعة عن عدة من أصحابنا عن محمد بن يعقوب عن علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم عن أبيه عن ابن عمير عن سعيد بن غزوان عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: يكون تسعة أئمة بعد الحسين؛ تاسعهم قائمهم.

H 104 - A group of scholars informed me that Muhammad bin Yaqub narrates from Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim from his father from Ibn Umair from Saeed bin Ghazwan from Abu Basir from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “After Husain (a. s), there will be nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaim.”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19342

105- محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر عن أبيه عن محمد بن عيسى عن محمد بن الفضل عن أبي حمــزة عـن أبـي جـعفر عليـه السـلام قـال: إن الله تعالى أرسل محمدا صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إلى الجن والإنس عامة. وكان من بعده اثنا عشر وصيا، منهم من سبقنا ومنهم من بقي، وكل وصي جرت به السنة والأوصياء الذين من بعد محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم على سنة أوصياء عيسى إلى محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم، وكانوا اثني عشر، وكان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام على سنة المسيح.

H 105 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far has narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Muhammad bin Fadhl from Abu Hamza from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “Surely Allah sent Muhammad (s) to the Jinn and the humans and He has appointed twelve successors after him. Some have passed, while others are yet to come. The practice continues through each successor. The successors of Muhammad (s) are on the practice of the successors of Isa (a. s) and they are twelve in number. Amirul Momineen (a. s) was on the practice of Masih (a. s).”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19343

106- عنه عن أبي الحسين،وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد التلعكبري عن أبي الحسين محمد بن جعفر الأسدي عن سهل بن زياد الآدمي عن الحسن بن العباس بن الحريش الرازي عن أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام أن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال لابن عباس: إن ليلة القدر في كل سنة، وإنه ينزل في تلك الليلة أمر السنة،ولذلك الأمر ولاة بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم. فقال ابن عباس: من هم؟ فقال: إنا وأحد عشر من صلبي؛ أئمة محدثون.

H 106 - It is narrated from Abil Husain that he said: Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Talakbari from Abil Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Sahal bin Ziyad Adami from Hasan bin Abbas bin Harish Razi from Imam Jawad (a. s) that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said to Ibn Abbas: “Surely, the night of power (Lailatul Qadr) occurs every year. In this night, the affairs of that year descend. For this affair, there are masters after the Messenger of Allah (s).” Ibn Abbas inquired, ‘Who are they?’ He (a. s) replied, “I and eleven Imams from my progeny, with whom the angels converse (Muhhaddithun).”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19344

107- محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن أحمد بن هلال العبرتائي عن ابن أبي عمير عن سعيد بن غزوان عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في حديث له: إن الله اختار من الناس الأنبياء، واختار من الأنبياء الرسل، واختارني من الرسل، واختار مني عليا، واختار من علي الحسن والحسين، واختار من الحسين الأوصياء، تاسعهم قائمهم،وهو ظاهرهم وباطنهم.

H 107 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Ahmad bin Hilal Abratai from Ibn Abi Umair from Saeed bin Ghazwan from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Surely Allah chose the prophets from the people and chose the messengers from the prophets and chose me from the messengers and chose Ali (a. s) from me. He granted him (Ali) superiority over all the successors. From Ali (a. s) He chose Hasan (a. s) and Husain (a. s) and from Husain (a. s), He chose the successors from his descendants. The ninth of them is their Qaim (a. t. f. s.) and he is their apparent and their concealed.”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19345

108- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أبي علي أحمد بن إدريس وعبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبي الخير صالح بن أبي حماد الرازي والحسن بن ظريف جميعا عن بكر بن صالح عن عبد الرحمن بن سالم عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال أبي محمد بن علي عليه السلام لجابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري: إن لي إليك حاجة. فمتى يخف عليك أن أخلو بك فأسألك عنها؟ قال له جابر: في أي الأوقات أحببت.فخلا به أبي في بعض الأوقات فقال له: يا جابر، أخبرني عن اللوح الذي رأيته في يد أمي فاطمة عليها السلام وما أخبرتك به أمي أنه في ذلك اللوح مكتوب. فقال جابر: أشهد بالله أني دخلت على أمك فاطمة عليها السلام في حياة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فهنأتها بولادة الحسين عليه السلام، ورأيت في يدها لوحا أخضر، فظننت أنه زمرد،ورأيت فيه كتابا أبيض شبه نور الشمس. فقلت لها: بأبي وأمي يا ابنة رسول الله، ما هذا اللوح؟فقالت: هذا اللوح أهداه الله عز وجل إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم؛ فيه اسم أبي واسم بعلي واسم ابنيَّ وأسماء الأوصياء من ولدي،فأعطانيه أبي ليسرني بذلك. قال جابر: فأعطتنيه أمك فاطمة عليها السلام فقرأته فاستنسخته. قال له أبي: فهل لك يا جابر أن تعرضه علي؟ قال: نعم.فمشى معه أبي حتى انتهى إلى منزل جابر،فأخرج أبي صحيفة من رق وقال: يا جابر انظر في كتابك لأقرأ أنا عليك. فنظر جابر في نسخته وقرأه أبي، فما خالف حرف حرفا. قال جابر: فأشهد بالله أني هكذا رأيت في اللوح مكتوبا: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. هذا كتاب من الله العزيز الحكيم لمحمد نبيه ونوره وسفيره وحجابه ودليله،نزل به الروح الأمين من عند رب العالمين. عظِّم يا محمد أسمائي، واشكر نعمائي،ولا تجحد آلائي. إني أنا الله لا إله إلا أنا، قاصم الجبارين، ومديل المظلومين، وديان الدين. إني أنا الله لا إله إلا أنا؛من رجا غير فضلي أو خاف غير عدلي عذبته عذابا لا أعذبه أحدا من العالمين. فإياي فاعبد وعليّ فتوكل. إني لم أبعث نبيا فكملت أيامه وانقضت مدته إلا جعلت له وصيا، وإني فضلتك على الأنبياء وفضلت وصيك عليا على الأوصياء، وأكرمتك بشبليك بعده وسبطيك الحسن والحسين، فجعلت حسنا معدن علمي بعد انقضاء مدة أبيه، وجعلت حسينا خازن علمي وأكرمته بالشهادة وختمت له بالسعادة،وهو أفضل من استشهد وأرفع الشهداء درجة. جعلت كلمتي التامة معه وحجتي البالغة عنده،بعترته أثيب وأعاقب: أولهم علي سيد العابدين وزين أولياء الماضين. وابنه شبيه جده المحمود محمد الباقر باقر علمي والمعدن لحكمتي. سيهلك المرتابون في جعفر؛ الراد عليه كالراد عليّ. حق القول مني لأكرمن مثوى جعفـر ولأسرّنّـه في أشياعه وأنصاره وأوليائه. انتج بعده فتنة عمياء حندس لأن خيط فرضي لا ينقطع وحجتي لا تخفى،وإن أوليائي لا يشقون. إلا ومن جحد واحدا منهم فقد جحد نعمتي، ومن غير آية من كتابي فقد افترى علي، وويل للمفترين الجاحدين عند انقضاء مدة عبدي موسى وحبيبي وخيرتي. إن المكذب بالثامن مكذب بكل أوليائي، وعلي وليي وناصري ومن أضع عليه أعباء النبوة وأمتعه بالاضطلاع بها. يقتله عفريت مستكبر يدفن في المدينة التي بناها العبد الصالح إلى جنب شر خلقي. حق القول مني لأقرن عينيه بمحمد ابنه وخليفته ووارث علمه، فهو معدن علمي وموضع سري وحجتي على خلقي، جعلت الجنة مثواه وشفعته في سبعين ألف من أهل بيته،كلهم قد استوجبوا النار. وأختم بالسعادة لابنه علي وليي وناصري والشاهد في خلقي وأميني على وحيي. أخرج منه الداعي إلى سبيلي والخازن لعلمي الحسن. ثم أكمل ذلك بابنه رحمة للعالمين؛ عليه كمال موسى وبهاء عيسى وصبر أيوب، سيذل أوليائي في زمانه ويتهادى رءوسهم كما يتهادى رءوس الترك والديلم، فيقتلون ويحرقون ويكونون خائفين مرعوبين وجلين، تصبغ الأرض بدمائهم ويفشو الويل والرنة في نسائهم. أولئك أوليائي حقا بهم أدفع كل فتنة عمياء حندس،وبهم أكشف الزلازل وأرفع الإصار والأغلال: ﴿أُولئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَواتٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ورَحْمَةٌ وأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ﴾. قال عبد الرحمن بن سالم: قال لي أبو بصير: لو لم تسمع في دهرك إلا هذا الحديث لكفاك. فصنه إلا عن أهله

H 108 - Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Abu Ali Ahmad bin Idris and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Abul Khair Salih bin Abul Hammad Razi and Hasan bin Zarif all together narrate from Bakr bin Salih from Abdur Rahman bin Saalim from Abu Basir that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: My father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said to Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari: ‘I have some work with you. So, when would it be possible for you to give me some time so that I may ask you something?’ Jabir replied, ‘Whenever you wish.’ Thus, when my father (a. s) met him in privacy, he (a. s) asked, “O Jabir! Tell me about the Tablet, which you saw with my mother, Fatima, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s) and what did she tell you as to what was written in it?” Jabir replied, ‘I hold Allah as witness that I went to visit your mother, Fatima (a. s) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (s) to congratulate her for Husain’s birth. I saw in her hand a green Tablet, which I thought to be of emerald and its writing was as bright as sunlight. I asked her, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Allah’s Messenger (s)! What is this Tablet?’ She (s) replied, “This is the Tablet, which Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has gifted to the Messenger of Allah (s). In it is the name of my father, the name of Ali, the name of my two sons and the names of the successors from my progeny. In turn, my father gave it to me so that I may rejoice through it.” Jabir said, ‘Thus, your mother Fatima (a. s) gave it to me. I read it and copied it.’ My father (a. s) asked, “O Jabir! Can you show it (the copied manuscript) to me?” He replied in the affirmative. My father (a. s) accompanied Jabir to his house, where he took out a book from a parchment and giving it to my father said, ‘I hold Allah as witness that this is what I saw written in the Tablet: [Text of the Tablet of Fatima (Lauh Fatima)] In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful This is a Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise to Muhammad, His light, His ambassador, His veil and His proof. The trustworthy spirit (Jibraeel) has descended with it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhammad! Magnify my names, be grateful for My bounties and do not deny My endowments. Verily I am Allah; there is no god, but Me, the Destroyer of the oppressors, the Degrader of the tyrants and the Establisher of the Day of Judgment. Verily I am Allah, there is no god, but Me. Whoever expects grace from other than Me or fears other than My justice and My punishment, I will punish him in such a way that I will not punish anybody in this manner in the worlds. Hence, worship only Me and rely only on Me. Indeed, I did not raise a messenger, completed his days and terminated his duration, but that I appointed for him a successor. Certainly, I made you superior over all other Prophets and made your successor superior over all other successors. After him, I honored you with your two grandsons: Hasan and Husain. I made Hasan the mine of My knowledge after the end of the days of his father and I made Husain the treasure-chest of My revelation, honored him with martyrdom and sealed it for him with eternal bliss. So, he is the best of the martyrs and the highest of them in grade before Me. I have placed My perfect word with him and the complete proof near him. Through his progeny, I shall reward and I shall punish. The first of them is the chief of the worshippers and the adornment of My past friends, then his son (Muhammad), who resembles his grandfather al-Mahmud , the splitter of My knowledge and the mine of My wisdom. Soon, those who doubt concerning his son, Ja’far will be destroyed. He who rejects him has rejected Me. I speak the truth, I will indeed honor the position of Ja’far and make him happy vis-à-vis his Shias, his helpers and his friends. After him, I have selected Musa and there will be a blinding, dark corruption so that the spark of My obedience is not terminated, My proof is not hidden and My friends are not afflicted with misfortune. Beware! Whoever denies even one of them, he has denied My bounty. Whoever changes one verse from My Book, then indeed he has attributed a lie unto Me. Then woe unto the liars, the deniers with the termination of the duration of My servant, My beloved and My chosen one, Musa. Verily, the one who denies the eighth is as if he has denied all My friends (Imams). Ali is My friend, My helper and the one, upon whom I have placed Prophethood’s burden of proof and conferred upon him mastership. An arrogant devil will murder him. He will be buried in a city, which the righteous servant has built, next to the worst of My creatures. I speak the truth; I will soothe his eyes with Muhammad, his son and his successor after him. He is the heir of My knowledge, the mine of My wisdom, the place of My joy and My proof upon My creatures. None shall believe in him, but that Paradise will be his abode and I will allow him to intercede for seventy of his family members, even if all of them are eligible for Hell. I will complete his bliss with his son Ali, My friend, My helper, My witness amongst My creatures and My trustee upon My revelation. From him, I will bring forth Hasan, the caller to My path and the treasurer of My knowledge. Thereafter, I will complete this (chain of Imamate) with his son, M-H-M-D, mercy for the worlds. He will possess the perfection of Musa, the brightness of Isa and the patience of Ayyub. Soon, My friends will be humiliated in his time and their heads will be gifted as trophies like the heads of Turks and Daylamites. They will be killed, they will be burnt, they will live in a state of fear, terror and trepidation. The earth will be colored with their blood and wailing and sobbing will be commonplace among their womenfolk. They are My true friends! Through them, I will repel all blinding and dark mischief, remove the earthquakes and do away with the burdens and the chains. They are those upon them is the blessing of their Lord and mercy. And they are the guided ones. Abdur Rahman bin Saalim said: Abu Basir says, ‘If you do not hear in your time anything, but this tradition, it will suffice for you. Hence, conceal it, except from those who are worthy of it.’

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19346

H 109 - Informed me a group of scholar narrating from Talakbari from Abi Ali Ahmad bin Ali Raazi Ayadi that: Informed me Husain bin Ali from Ali bin Sinan from Musuli Adal from Ahmad bin Muhammad Khalili from Muhammad bin Salih Hamadani from Sulaiman bin Ahmad from Ziyad bin Muslim and Abdur Rahman bin Yazid bin Jabir from Salaam that: I heard Abu Salma, camel keeper of the Prophet, say: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “When I was taken to the skies, Allah the Mighty, majestic be His praise, said: “The Messenger believed on what was revealed to him from his Lord.” I said: “And the believers (also believed).” He affirmed, ‘You spoke the truth, O Muhammad. Who did you depute (as your caliph) for your nation?’ I replied, ‘The best of them.’ He inquired, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib?’ I answered, ‘Yes, O Lord.’ He said, ‘O Muhammad! I scanned the earth as it ought to be scanned, chose you from it and derived for you a name from My names. So, I am not remembered in any place, but that you are mentioned with Me. Thus, I am the Mahmud while you are Muhammad. Later, I scanned (again) and chose from it Ali. I derived for him a name from My names. So, I am the Highest (al-A’laa) while he is Ali. O Muhammad! Surely I have created you and created Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain from the type of My light. I presented the mastership of you (all) to the people of the heavens and the earths. Then whoever accepted it was a believer before Me and whoever denied it was from the unbelievers before Me. O Muhammad! If a person from My slaves worships Me, till he is cut into pieces or becomes like a decomposed skin bag, but comes to Me denying your mastership, I will not forgive him unless he confesses to your mastership. O Muhammad! Would you like to see them?’ I replied, ‘Yes, O Lord.’ He ordered me, ‘Look to the right of the Throne.’ I turned and there were Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Musa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Musa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Mahdi. They were flickers of light, standing and praying. The Mahdi was right in the middle of them shining like a brilliant star.’ He declared, ‘O Muhammad! These are the proofs and he (Mahdi) will avenge the blood of your progeny. I swear by My Might and Majesty, he is the essential proof for My friends and the avenger from My enemies’.” . 109- وأخبرنا جماعة عن التلعكبري عن أبي علي أحمد بن علي الرازي الأيادي قال: أخبرني الحسين بن علي عن علي بن سنان الموصلي العدل عن أحمد بن محمد الخليلي عن محمد بن صالح الهمداني عن سليمان بن أحمد عن زياد بن مسلم وعبد الرحمن بن يزيد بن جابر عن سلام قال: سمعت أبا سلمى راعي النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: سمعت ليلة أسري بي إلى السماء قال العزيز جل ثناؤه: ﴿آمَـنَ الرَّسُـولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ﴾. قلت: ﴿والْمُؤْمِنُونَ﴾. قال: صدقت يا محمد. من خلفت لأمتك؟ قلت: خيرها. قال: علي بن أبي طالب؟ قلت: نعم يا رب. قال: يا محمد، إني اطلعت على الأرض اطلاعة فاخترتك منها، فشققت لك اسما من أسمائي، فلا أذكر في موضع إلا وذكرت معي،فأنا المحمود وأنت محمد. ثم اطلعت الثانية فاخترت منها عليا، وشققت له اسما من أسمائي، فأنا الأعلى وهو علي.يا محمد، إني خلقتك وخلقت عليا وفاطمة والحسن والحسين من شبح نور من نوري، وعرضت ولايتكم على أهل السماوات والأرضين؛ فمن قبلها كان عندي من المؤمنين، ومن جحدها كان عندي من الكافرين. يا محمد، لو أن عبدا من عبادي عبدني حتى ينقطع ويصير مثل الشن البالي، ثم أتاني جاحدا بولايتكم، ما غفرت له حتى يقر بولايتكم. يا محمد، أتحب أن تراهم؟ قلت: نعم يا رب. فقال: التفت عن يمين العرش. فالتفتُّ فإذا أنا بعلي وفاطمة والحسن والحسين وعلي ومحمد وجعفر وموسى وعلي ومحمد وعلي والحسن والمهدي في ضحضاح من نور قيام يصلون،والمهدي في وسطهم كأنه كوكب دري. فقال: يا محمد، هؤلاء الحجج، وهذا الثائر من عترتك. يا محمد، وعزتي وجلالي، إنه الحجة الواجبة لأوليائي والمنتقم من أعدائي.

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19347

111- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن سفيان البزوفري عن علي بن سنان الموصلي العدل عن علي بن الحسين عن أحمد بن محمد بن الخليل عن جعفر بن أحمد المصري عن عمه الحسن بن علي عن أبيه عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه الباقر عن أبيه ذي الثفنات سيد العابدين عن أبيه الحسين الزكي الشهيد عن أبيه أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في الليلة التي كانت فيها وفاته لعلي عليه السلام: يا أبا الحسن،أحضر صحيفة ودواة. فأملأ رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وصيته حتى انتهى إلى هذا الموضع فقال: يا علي، إنه سيكون بعدي اثنا عشر إماما،ومن بعدهم اثنا عشر مهديا. فأنت يا علي أول الاثني عشر إماما،سماك الله تعالى في سمائه عليا المرتضى وأمير المؤمنين والصديق الأكبر والفاروق الأعظم والمأمون والمهدي. فلا تصح هذه الأسماء لأحد غيرك. يا علي، أنت وصيي على أهل بيتي حيهم وميتهم وعلى نسائي، فمن ثبّتّها لقيتني غدا، ومن طلقتَها فأنا بريء منها لم ترني ولم أرها في عرصة القيامة. وأنت خليفتي على أمتي من بعدي، فإذا حضرتك الوفاة فسلمها إلى ابني الحسن البر الوصول. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابني الحسين الشهيد الزكي المقتول. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه سيد العابدين ذي الثفنات علي. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه محمد الباقر. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه جعفر الصادق. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه موسى الكاظم. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه علي الرضا. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه محمد الثقة التقي. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه علي الناصح. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه الحسن الفاضل. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه محمد المستحفظ من آل محمد. فذلك اثنا عشر إماما. ثم يكون من بعده اثنا عشر مهديا. فإذا حضرته الوفاة فليسلمها إلى ابنه أول المقربين، له ثلاثة أسام؛ اسم كاسمي واسم أبي وهو عبدالله، وأحمد،والاسم الثالث المهدي. هو أول المؤمنين.

H 111 - Informed us a group of scholars from Abu Abdullah Husain from Ali bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ali bin Sinan Musali Adal from Ali bin Husain from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Khalil from Ja’far bin Ahmad Misri from his uncle, Hasan bin Ali from his father Abu Abdullah Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) from his father, the owner of corns , Chief of worshippers, from his father, Husain, the Pure and the martyr from his father. Amirul Momineen (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said on the eve of his departure from the world: “O Abul Hasan, bring a scroll and pen and ink.” Then he dictated his will, till he came to the words: “O Ali, very soon after me there will be twelve Imams and after them there would be twelve Mahdis. And you are the first of the twelve Imams. The Almighty Allah has named you as Ali Murtadha, chief of believers, the great truthful one (who testified to the Prophet), the great discriminator (and through you truth would be distinguished from falsehood) and named you as Mamun and Mahdi, these names are not appropriate for anyone else other than you.” “O Ali, you are my successor and in charge of my Ahle Bayt (a. s), whether I am alive or dead. In the same way, you will be my successor on my wives, thus ones you leave in my marriage contract would meet me tomorrow on Judgment Day and I am aloof from one you divorce; and on Judgment Day neither would she see me nor would I see her. After me you are the successor and Caliph on my Ummah. When your death approaches, you will transfer my successorship and legateeship to my son, Hasan, the righteous and rightful. When his death comes, he would entrust it to my son, Husain, the pure and the martyr and when his death comes, he would hand it over to the chief of the worshippers and the owner of corns (Ali) and when his end comes, he would transfer it to his son, Muhammad Baqir and when his last moments approach, he would entrust it to his son, Ja’far Sadiq and when his death comes, he would leave it to his son, Musa Kadhim and when his death comes, he would leave it to his son, Ali (Ridha) and when his end comes, he would give it to his son, Muhammad, the trustworthy (Taqi) and when his death arrives, he would present it to his son, Ali (Nasih). And when his death comes, he would transfer it to his son, Hasan (Fazil) and when his death arrives, he would leave it to his son (Muhammad), who is the protector of the Shariah of Muhammad. These were the twelve Imams and after them there will be twelve Mahdis. When the last moments of the twelfth Imam will approach, he will hand it over to his son, who is the foremost proximate; and he has three names: My name, name of my father: Abdullah and Ahmad; and third will be Mahdi and he will be the first of the believers.”

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19348

112- وأخبرني جماعة عن عدة من أصحابنا عن محمد بن يعقوب عن أبي علي الأشعري عن الحسين بن عبد الله عن الحسن بن موسى الخشاب عن الحسن بن سماعة عن علي بن الحسن بن رباط عن ابن أذينة عن زرارة قال:سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: الاثنا عشر الإمام من آل محمد كلهم محدث من ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وولد علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام،فرسول الله وعلي هما الوالدان.

H 112 - Informed me a group of scholar from Muhammad bin Yaqub from Ali Ashari from Husain bin Abdullah from Hasan from Musa Khashshab from Hasan bin Sama-a from Ali bin Hasan bin Rabat from Ibn Uzniyya from Zurarah that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: Twelve Imams from Aale Muhammad (a. s) were all Muhaddath and they were from the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (s) and Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s). Thus the Messenger of Allah (s) and Imam Ali (a. s) are their fathers.

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19349

113- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن يحيى عن محمد الحسين عن مسعدة بن زياد عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام؛ ومحمد بن الحسين عن إبراهيم بن أبي يحيى المدني عن أبي هارون العبدي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: كنت حاضرا لما هلك أبو بكر واستخلف عمر،أقبل يهودي من عظماء يثرب يزعم يهود المدينة أنه أعلم أهل زمانه حتى رفع إلى عمر فقال له: يا عمر، إني جئتك أريد الإسلام؛ فإن خبرتني عما أسألك عنه فأنت أعلم أصحاب هذا الكتاب والسنة وجميع ما أريد أن أسأل عنه. قال: فقال له عمر: إني لست هناك، لكني أرشدك إلى من هو أعلم أمتنا بالكتاب والسنة وجميع ما قد تسأل عنه، وهو ذاك. وأومأ إلى علي عليه السلام. فقال له اليهودي: يا عمر، إن كان هذا كما تقول فما لك وبيعة الناس؟ وإنما ذاك أعلمكم. فزبره عمر. ثم إن اليهودي قام إلى علي عليه السلام فقال: أنت كما ذكر عمر؟ فقال: وما قال عمر؟ فأخبره، قال: فإن كنت كما قال عمر سألتك عن أشياء أريد أن أعلم هل يعلمها أحد منكم فاعلم أنكم في دعواكم خير الأمم وأعلمها صادقون، ومع ذلك أدخل في دينكم الإسلام. فقال أمير المؤمنين علي عليه السلام: نعم،أنا كما ذكر لك عمر. سل عما بدا لك أخبرك عنه إن شاء الله تعالى. قال: أخبرني عن ثلاثة وثلاثة وواحدة. قال له علي عليه السلام: يا يهودي، لم لم تقل أخبرني عن سبع؟ فقال اليهودي: إنك إن أخبرتني بالثلاث سألتك عن الثلاث، وإلا كففت! وإن أجبتني في هذه السبع فأنت أعلم أهل الأرض وأفضلهم وأولى الناس بالناس. فقال: سل عما بدا لك يا يهودي. قال: أخبرني عن أول حجر وضع على وجه الأرض، وأول شجرة غرست على وجه الأرض، وأول عين نبعت على وجه الأرض. فأخبره أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام. ثم قال له اليهودي: فأخبرني عن هذه الأمة؛ كم لها من إمام هدى، وأخبرني عن نبيكم محمد؛ أين منزله في الجنة،وأخبرني من معه في الجنة. فقال له أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: إن لهذه الأمة اثني عشر إمام هدى من ذرية نبيها، وهم مني. وأما منزل نبينا صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في الجنة فهو أفضلها وأشرفها؛ جنة عدن. وأما من معه في منزله منها فهؤلاء الاثنا عشر من ذريته وأمهم وجدتهم أم أمهم وذراريهم،لا يشركهم فيها أحد.

H 113 - It is narrated from the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Yahya from Muhammad Husain from Masada bin Ziyad from Abu Abdullah (a. s) and Muhammad bin Husain from Ibrahim bin Abu Yahya Madani from Abu Harun Abdi from Abu Saeed Khudri that he said: I was present when Abu Bakr died and Umar succeeded him. A Jew from Medina, who was a leader of Jews and whom the Jews considered to be the most knowledgeable person of the time, came to Umar and said: O Umar, I want to embrace Islam at your hands. If you can answer my questions, I would know that you are the most knowledgeable follower of this Book and Sunnah. Umar said: “I am not having this capability, but I will show you one who is the most knowledgeable about our Book and Prophet’s Sunnah and you can ask all you want from him and it is him.” And he pointed to Imam Ali (a. s)” The Jew said: O Umar, if it is as such as you say, what right do you have that people should pay allegiance to you while that person is most knowledgeable of you all? Umar told him to shut up and warned him. After that the Jew arose and came to Ali (a. s) and asked: “Are you like Umar has told?” Imam Ali (a. s) asked: what did Umar say? The Jew explained the situation to him and said: I will ask you some questions and I want to know whether anyone has asked you about them; and whether you are true in your claim that you are the best and the most knowledgeable of nation, so that I may also enter the fold of Islam. Imam Ali (a. s) said: Yes, I am as Umar has told you. Ask me whatever you like and I will answer, if Allah wills. The Jew said: I will ask you about three, three and one thing. Imam Ali (a. s) said: Why don’t you say: I’ll ask you about seven things? The Jew said: No, first I will ask you about three and if you give the right answers, I will ask you about another three and if you give the right answers, I will ask you the last one. If you fail to answer the first three, I will keep quiet and not ask you anything else. Imam Ali (a. s) said: Ask whatever you like. The Jew said: Which was the first stone to be placed on the earth, the first tree that has grew on the earth and the first fountain that flowed on the earth? Amirul Momineen (a. s) replied to all three questions. Then the Jew asked: How many Imams of guidance are there in this nation? In what position Muhammad would be in Paradise? Who would be with Muhammad in Paradise? Imam Ali (a. s) said: This nation has twelve guiding Imams from the progeny of the Prophet of this nation and they are from my descendants. The position of Muhammad (s) is in the best and the most honored location of the Garden of Eden. As for those from this nation, who would be in the company of the Messenger of Allah (s) are the same twelve from his progeny and their mother and their grandmother – mother of their mother and their progeny – no one else will share this.

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19350

114- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن يعقوب عن عدة من أصحابنا عن أحمد بن محمد البرقي عن أبي هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري عن أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام قال: أقبل أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام ومعه الحسن بن علي عليه السلام وهو متكئ على يد سلمان فدخل المسجد الحرام إذ أقبل رجل حسن الهيئة واللباس،فسلم علي أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فرد عليه السلام فجلس. ثم قال: يا أمير المؤمنين، أسألك عن ثلاث مسائل؛ إن أخبرتني بهن علمت أن القوم قد ركبوا من أمرك ما قضى عليهم وإن ليسوا بمأمونين في دنياهم وآخرتهم،وإن تكن الأخرى علمت أنك وهم شرع سواء.فقال له أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: سلني عما بدا لك.قال:أخبرني عن الرجل إذا نام أين تذهب روحه، وعن الرجل كيف يذكر وينسى،وعن الرجل يشبه ولده الأعمام والإخوان.فالتفت أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام إلى الحسن عليه السلام فقال: يا أبا محمد،أجبه.فأجابه الحسن عليه السلام. فقال الرجل: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، ولم أزل أشهد بها، وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله ولم أزل أشهد بذلك، وأشهد أنك وصي رسول الله والقائم بحجته- وأشار إلى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام-ولم أزل أشهد بها، وأشهد أنك وصيه والقائم بحجته- وأشار إلى الحسن- وأشهد أن الحسين بن علي وصي أبيه والقائم بحجته بعدك، وأشهد على علي بن الحسين أنه القائم بأمر الحسين بعده، وأشهد على محمد بن علي أنه القائم بأمر علي بن الحسين، وأشهد على جعفر بن محمد أنه القائم بأمر محمد بن علي، وأشهد على موسى أنه القائم بأمر جعفر بن محمد، وأشهد على علي بن موسى أنه القائم بأمر موسى بن جعفر، وأشهد على محمد بن علي أنه القائم بأمرعلي بن موسى، وأشهد على علي بن محمد بأنه القائم بأمر محمد بن علي، وأشهد على الحسن بن علي بأنه القائم بأمر علي بن محمد، وأشهد على رجل من ولد الحسن لا يكنى ولا يسمى حتى يظهر أمره فيملأها عدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً. والسلام عليك يا أمير المؤمنين ورحمة الله وبركاته. ثم قام فمضى، فقال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: يا أبا محمد، اتبعه انظر أين يقصد. فخرج الحسن عليه السلام،فقال له: ما كان إلا أن وضع رجله خارجا من المسجد فما دريت أين أخذ من أرض الله. فرجعت إلى أمير المؤمنين فأعلمته، فقال: يا أبا محمد، أتعرفه؟ فقلت: الله ورسوله وأمير المؤمنين أعلم. فقال عليه السلام: هو الخضر عليه السلام. فهذا طرف من الأخبار قد أوردناها، ولو شرعنا في إيراد ما من جهة الخاصة في هذا المعنى لطال به الكتاب، وإنما أوردنا ما أوردنا منها ليصح ما قلناه من نقل الطائفتين المختلفتين. ومن أراد الوقوف على ذلك فعليه بالكتب المصنفة في ذلك فإنه يجد من ذلك شيئا كثيرا حسب ما قلناه.

H 114 - It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Yaqub from some of our scholars from Ahmad bin Abi Abdullah Barqi from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari from Abi Ja’far the second, Muhammad bin Ali (a. s) that he said: Amirul Momineen (a. s) entered Masjidul Haraam accompanied by Imam Hasan (a. s) and leaning on Salman; and he sat down (in the Masjid). A man with an elegant appearance and dress nicely entered and saluted Amirul Momineen (a. s). His Eminence returned his salutations. He said, “O Amirul Momineen (a. s), I wish to ask you about three things. If you give me correct replies, I would know that those who claimed caliphate before you were false and that their world and hereafter are not safe. If you do not reply correctly, I will know that your path is the same as those who preceded you. Amirul Momineen (a. s) said: “Ask me whatever you like”. He asked: “When a person sleeps, where does his soul go? How does man remember one thing and forgets the other? Whom does a child resemble more, the paternal uncles or the maternal.” His Eminence told Imam Hasan (a. s): O Abu Muhammad, reply to him. And Imam Hasan (a. s) replied to him. The man said, “I bear witness that there is no god except Allah and I have always borne witness thus. And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and I have always testified to it. And I bear witness that you are the legatee of the Messenger (s), and one who establishes his proof and evidence (pointing towards Amirul Momineen (a. s) he said, “I have always testified this.” Then gesturing to Imam Hasan (a. s), he said, “I bear witness that you are the legatee of Amirul Momineen (a. s) and one who shall establish his proof and evidence. That is you and the one who proves the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (s). And I bear witness that Husain bin Ali (a. s) is the legatee of his brother and he is the one to establish the proof after him. And I bear witness that Ali bin Husain (a. s) is the Imam after Husain (a. s). And I bear witness that Muhammad bin Ali (a. s) is the Imam after Ali bin Husain (a. s). And I bear witness that Ja’far bin Muhammad (a. s) is the Imam after Muhammad bin Ali (a. s). And I bear witness that Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) is the Imam after Ja’far bin Muhammad (a. s). And I bear witness that Ali bin Musa (a. s) is the Imam after Musa bin Ja’far (a. s). And I bear witness that Muhammad bin Ali (a. s) is the Imam after Ali bin Musa (a. s). And I bear witness that Ali bin Muhammad (a. s) is the Imam after Muhammad bin Ali (a. s). And I bear witness that Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) is the Imam after Ali bin Muhammad (a. s). After that I bear witness that that person is the Divine Proof, who is the son of Hasan bin Ali , whose name and patronymic (Kunniyat) will not be revealed till the time he fills the earth with justice and equity, like it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression. And peace be on you, O Amirul Momineen (a. s)!” After that he arose and departed from there. His Eminence told Imam Hasan (a. s), “O Aba Muhammad, go and see where he goes.” Imam Hasan (a. s) went out and returned after a moment and said, “He placed one foot outside the Masjid and after that I don’t know where he disappeared.” Amirul Momineen (a. s) said, “O Aba Muhammad, do you know who it was?” Imam Hasan (a. s) replied “Allah, His Messenger and Amirul Momineen (a. s) know better.” Ali (a. s) said, “He was Khizr.” So far we have only mentioned some reports (on this topic) and if we mentioned all reports narrated through Shia on this subject, this book would definitely become very long. We have only mentioned traditions on this subject accepted by both sects of Shia and Sunni. If anyone wishes to study all the reports on this matter, he may refer to books on this subject. In that case a large number of reports would create certainty.

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19351

فإن قيل: دلوا أولا على صحة هذه الأخبار فإنها أخبار آحاد لا يعول عليها فيما طريقه العلم وهذه مسألة علمية ثم دلوا على أن المعني بها من تذهبون إلى إمامته فإن الأخبار التي رويتموهـا عن مخالفيكم وأكثر ما رويتموهـا من جهة الخاصة إذا سلمت فليس فيها صحة ما تذهبون إليه لأنها تتضمن العدد فحسب ولا تتضمن غير ذلك فمن أين لكم إن أئمتكم هم المرادون بها دون غيرهم.

If it is said: First prove to us the veracity of these narrations, for they are singularly narrated traditions and do not prove a topic for sure. This is a subject that requires certainty. Secondly, prove to us that these narrations intend the Imams you believe in. The traditions you narrated from your opponents, and the majority of them you narrated through your own sources, if we set aside their disputability, they do not mention the Imamate of your Imams, because they include others. How do you say that your Imams are the ones intended by these traditions?

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number - Hadith 19352

قلنا: أما الذي يدل على صحتها فإن الشيعة الإمامية يروونها على وجه التواتر خلفا عن سلف وطريقة تصحيح ذلك موجودة في كتب الإمامية النصوص على أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام والطريقة واحدة. وأيضا فإن نقل الطائفتين المختلفتين المتباينتين في الاعتقاد يدل على صحة ما قد اتفقوا على نقله لأن العادة جارية أن كل من اعتقد مذهبا وكان الطريق إلى صحة ذلك النقل فإن دواعيه تتوفر إلى نقله وتتوفر دواعي من خالفه إلى إبطال ما نقله أو الطعن عليه والإنكار لراويته بذلك جرت العادات في مدائح الرجال وذمهم وتعظيمهم والنقص منهم. ومتى رأينا الفرقة المخالفة لهذه الفرقة قد نقلت مثل نقلها ولم تتعرض للطعن على نقله ولم تنكر متضمن الخبر دل ذلك على أن الله تعالى قد تولى نقله وسخرهم لروايته وذلك دليل على صحة ما تضمنه الخبر. وأما الدليل على أن المراد بالأخبار والمعني بها أئمتنا عليه السلام فهو أنه إذا ثبت بهذه الأخبار أن الإمامة محصورة في الاثني عشر إماما وأنهم لا يزيدون ولا ينقصون ثبت ما ذهبنا إليه لأن الأمة بين قائلين قائل يعتبر العدد الذي ذكرناه فهو يقول إن المراد بها من يذهب إلى إمامته ومن خالف في إمامتهم لا يعتبر هذا العدد فالقول مع اعتبار العدد أن المراد غيرهم خروج عن الإجماع وما أدى إلى ذلك وجب القول بفساده.

We will say: The proof of the veracity of these narrations is that the Shia Imamiyah have narrated this through widely-related (Tawatur) inordinate numbers of narrators and the reliable chains of narrations thereof are recorded in books of Imamiyah as proofs of the Imamate of Amirul Momineen (a. s). Besides, the narration by the two different denominations, which have different beliefs, is a proof of the veracity of the narrations they both agree upon. That is because it is customary that anyone who believes in an idea, which is proved through narration, then he has every motivation to narrate those narrations, and his opponent will have every motivation to invalidate his narrations or to weaken him and reject his narrations. Such is the practice in praising individuals or criticizing them. When we see that a group averse to this one narrates the same narrations they have narrated, and have not questioned its narration or its content, this indicates that God has undertaken the narration thereof and has forced them to narrate it; and this is a proof of the veracity of the narration. The proof of the fact that our Imams are intended by these narrations is that when it is proved through these traditions that the Imams are twelve Imams and that they neither exceed this number, nor are they short of it, our creed is proved, because the Ummah is divided into denominations: we, who believe in this number and believe in the Imamate of our Imams, and others who do not believe in this number and their Imamate. If someone should believe in the number and does not believe in their Imamate, he is treading outside the bounds of consensus (Ijma), and any belief outside the bounds of consensus (Ijma) is definitely void.

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19353

ويدل أيضا على إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته ما ظهر وانتشر من الأخبار الشائعة الذائعة عن آبائه عليه السلام قبل هذه الأوقات بزمان طويل من أن لصاحب هذا الأمر غيبة وصفة غيبته وما يجري فيه من الاختلاف ويحدث فيها من الحوادث وأنه يكون له غيبتان إحداهما أطول من الأخرى وأن الأولى يعرف فيها خبره والثانية لا يعرف فيها أخباره فوافق ذلك على ما تضمنته الأخبار. ولو لا صحتها وصحة إمامته لما وافق ذلك لأن ذلك لا يكون إلا بإعلام الله تعالى على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وهذه أيضا طريقة معتمدة اعتمدها الشيوخ قديما.

Also, a proof of the Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a. s) and his occultation are the widespread and well-known traditions and sayings from his forefathers, peace be on them, which were uttered long before these times. These traditions state that the Master of the Age will have occultations and they describe its qualities and the disputes and events that will take place during it. They state that he will have two occultations, one of which will be longer than the other, and that in the first one communication will be open with him and in the second, his news will not be coming. The later events unfolded as predicted by the traditions. Had they not been correct, and had his Imamate not been valid, they had not corresponded with events, which happened later, because that cannot happen, but through God’s delivery through the tongue of His Messenger. This path of reasoning is also a measure on the basis of which scholars have previously argued.

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19354

ونحن نذكر من الأخبار التي تضمن ذلك طرفا ليعلم صحة ما قلناه لأن استيفاء جميع ما روي في هذا المعنى يطول وهو موجود في كتب الأخبار من اراده وقف عليه من هناك.

We only mention a few narrations that carry this meaning, to indicate the veracity of our claim, because complete incorporation of all narrations in this regard will be long and they are present in books of traditions and can be referred there.

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19355

115- فمن ذلك ما أخبرنا به جماعة عن أبي محمد التلعكبري عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن محمد بن جعفر الأسدي عن سعد بن عبد الله عن موسى بن عمر بن يزيد عن علي بن أسباط عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي عليه السلام في قول الله تعالى: ﴿قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ ماؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِماءٍ مَعِينٍ﴾ قال: نزلت في الإمام. فقال إن أصبح إمامكم غائبا عنكم فمن يأتيكم بإمام ظاهر يأتيكم بأخبار السماء والأرض وبحلال الله تعالى وحرامه؟ ثم قال: أما والله ما جاء تأويل هذه الآية ولا بد أن يجي‏ء تأويلها.

H 115 - Of the reports is one narrated by a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah from Musa bin Umar bin Yazid from Ali bin Asbat from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali (a. s) with regard the following statement of Almighty Allah: “Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” (67:30) This verse is revealed about Imamate. It implies that if your Imam goes into hiding from you, while you don’t know where he is, who will bring you an apparent Imam, who can bring you the news of the heavens and the earth and the orders and prohibitions of Allah, the Exalted? Then the Imam said: Know that by Allah, this verse has not been actualized as yet and it will be actualized in the future.

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19356

116- سعد بن عبد الله عن الحسين بن عمرو بن يزيد عن أبي الحسن بن أبي الربيع المدائني عن محمد بن إسحاق عن أسيد بن ثعلبة عن أم هانئ قالت لقيت أبا جعفر عليه السلام فسألته عن قول الله تعالى: ﴿فَلاَأُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ. الْجَوارِ الْكُنَّسِ.﴾ فقال: إمام يخنس في زمانه عند انقطاع من علمه عند الناس، سنة ستين ومائتين، ثم يبدو كالشهاب الوقاد. فإن أدركت ذلك قرت عينك.

H 116 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Husain bin Umar bin Yazid from Abil Hasan bin Abi Rabi Madayani from Muhammad bin Ishaq from Usaid bin Thalaba from Umme Hani that she said: I met Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and asked him about the verse: “But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course (and) hide themselves.” (81:15-16) He replied: “An Imam who will go into hiding, when all who know him will be gone, in the year two hundred and sixty and then he will appear like a blazing meteor in the darkness of the night. If one lives till that time, he would find solace.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19357

117- سعد بن عبد الله عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن موسى بن قاسم البجلي وأبي قتادة علي بن محمد بن حفص عن علي بن جعفر عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام قال: قلت له: ما تأويل قول الله تعالى: ﴿قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ ماؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِماءٍ مَعِينٍ﴾؟ فقال: إذا فقدتم إمامكم فلم تروه فماذا تصنعون؟

H 117 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Musa bin Qasim Bajali and Abu Qatada Ali bin Muhammad bin Hafas from Ali bin Ja’far from his brother, Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s) that he said with regard to the verse: “Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” (67:30) He asked: “What are you going to do when you lose your Imam and don’t see him?”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19358

118- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن الشاذان عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران عن صفوان بن يحيى عن أبي أيوب عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن بلغكم عن صاحبكم غيبة فلا تنكروها.

H 118 - It is narrated from a group from Abi Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Najran from Safwan from Abu Ayyub from Abu Basir that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: “If you hear of a disappearance with regard to your Master, do not reject it.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19359

119- محمد بن جعفر الأسدي عن سعد بن عبد الله عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك عن إسحاق بن محمد الصيرفي عن يحيى بن المثنى العطار عن عبد الله بن بكير عن عبيد بن زرارة قال:سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: يفقد الناس إمامهم فيشهد الموسم فيراهم ولا يرونه.

H 119 - Narrated Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Ishaq bin Muhammad Sairafi from Yahya bin Muthanna Attar from Abdullah bin Bukair from Ubaid bin Zurarah that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah (a. s) say: “The Imam will be unseen by the people. Then he will witness those who come for Hajj pilgrimage. He will see them, but they will not see him.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19360

120- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد عن الفضل بن شاذان عن عبد الله بن جبلة عن عبد الله بن المستنير عن المفضل بن عمر قال:سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن لصاحب هذا الأمر غيبتين؛ إحداهما تطول حتى يقول بعضهم: مات! ويقول بعضهم: قتل! ويقول بعضهم: ذهب! حتى لا يبقى على أمره من أصحابه إلا نفر يسير. لا يطلع على موضعه أحد من ولده ولا غيره إلا المولى الذي يلي أمره.

H 120 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdullah bin Jaballa from Abdullah bin Mustanir from Mufaddal bin Umar from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The man of this matter disappears twice. The first occultation lasts long until some people say that he has died, some say that he has been killed and others say that he has gone. Till only a few of his companions will remain. None of his children and others would know his location, except a servant, who manages his affairs.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19361

121- وبهذا الإسناد عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: لا بد لصاحب هذا الأمر من عزلة، ولا بد في عزلته من قوة، وما بثلاثين من وحشة، ونعم المنزل طيبة.

H 121 - Through the same chains, it is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishaburi from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Najran from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “The man of this matter must disappear and he is to be in isolation during his disappearance. There is in no loneliness among the thirty and how good an abode ‘Tayba’ is!”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19362

122- سعد بن عبد الله عن الحسن بن علي الزيتوني عن الزهري الكوفي عن بنان بن حمدويه قال: ذكر عند أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام مضي أبي جعفر عليه السلام فقال: ذاك إليّ ما دمت حياً باقياً. ولكن كيف بهم إذا فقدوا من بعدي؟

H 122 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Hasan bin Ali Zaituni from Zuhri Kufi from Banan bin Hamdawayh that he said: The passing away of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) was mentioned before Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). He said: “That is so long as I am alive and remaining. However, how would it be like when they miss the one after me?”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19363

123- وأخبرنا ابن أبي جيد القمي عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد عن محمد بن الحسن الصفار عن العباس بن معروف عن عبد الله بن حمدويه بن البراء عن ثابت عن إسماعيل عن عبد الأعلى مولى آل سام قال: خرجت مع أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، فلما نزلنا الروحاء نظر إلى جبلها مطللا عليها فقال لي: ترى هذا الجبل؟ هذا جبل يدعى رضوى من جبال فارس، أحبنا فنقله الله إلينا. أما إن فيه كل شجرة مطعم ونعم أمان للخائف مرتين. أما إن لصاحب هذا الأمر فيه غيبتين؛ واحدة قصيرة والأخرى طويلة.

H 123 - It is narrated from Ibn Abi Jayyid Qummi from Muhammad bin Hasan Ibn Walid from Muhammad bin Hasan Saffar from Abbas bin Maruf from Abdullah bin Hamduya bin Baraa from Thabit from Ismail from Abdul Alaa, slave of Saam family that he said: I once traveled with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) [from Medina] and when we reached the Rauha station, Imam (a. s) looked at the huge mountain over there for some time and asked: “Can you see this mountain? It is called Mt. Razva and it a mountain of Fars. When it expressed excessive love for us, Ahle Bayt (a. s), the Almighty Allah transferred it to us. See, every tree growing upon is fruitful and he said twice: It will be a refuge to one who is in fear. Know that the master of this affair will have two occultations: one is a shorter occultation (Ghaibat Sughra) and the other, a longer occultation (Ghaibat Kubra).”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19364

124- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد عن الفضل بن شاذان عن محمد بن أبي عمير عن الحسين بن أبي العلاء عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لما دخل سلمان رضي الله عنه الكوفة ونظـر إليهـا ذكـر مـا يكون من بلائها حتى ذكر ملك بني أمية والذين من بعدهم. ثم قال: فإذا كان ذلك فالزموا أحلاس بيوتكم حتى يظهر الطاهر ابن الطاهر المطهر ذو الغيبة الشريد الطريد.

H 124 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Muhammad Ibn Abi Umair from Husain bin Abu Alaa from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “When His Eminence, Salman Farsi entered Kufa, he glanced at it and mentioned all the troubles and events that were to occur in it till he mentioned about Bani Umayyah rulers and the period after them. After that he said: ‘When all this is over, you must remain confined to your houses till the reappearance of the master of the affair, the pure one, son of the pure and purifying. The one who has occultation and who is the ‘Shareed’ and ‘Tareed’

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19365

125- وروى أبو بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: في القائم شبه من يوسف. قلت: وما هو؟قال: الحيرة والغيبة.

H 125 - It is narrated from Abu Basir that Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: “There is a similarity with Yusuf in the Qaim.” I asked, “And what is that?” He said: “Perplexity and disappearance.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19366

126- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي المفضل عن محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن موسى بن سعدان عن عبد الله بن القاسم عن المفضل بن عمر قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن تفسير جابر،فقال: لا تحدث به السفل فيذيعونه. أما تقرأ كتاب الله تعالى: ﴿فَإِذا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ﴾؟ إن منا إماما مستترا،فإذا أراد الله إظهار أمره نكت في قلبه نكتة فظهر فقام بأمر الله تعالى.

H 126 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abul Mufaddal from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Muhammad bin Husain Ibn Abil Khattab from Musa bin Sadan from Abdullah bin Qasim from Mufaddal bin Umar that he asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) about the Quranic interpretation of Jabir and he said: “Do not mention the interpretation of these verses to those with decadent thinking as they would publicize it. Have you not seen the following verse in Quran? “For when the trumpet is sounded…” (74:8) Indeed one of us Imams will be in occultation and when the Almighty Allah wants to show His matter, He will inspire the Imam and he will reappear and stage an uprising by the permission of Allah.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19367

127- وروى عبد الله بن محمد بن خالد الكوفي عن منذر بن محمد بن قابوس عن نصر بن السندي عن أبي داود سليمان بن سفيان المسترق عن ثعلبة بن ميمون عن مالك الجهني عن الحارث بن المغيرة عن الأصبغ بن نباتة؛ورواه سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال عن ثعلبة بن ميمون عن مالك الجهني عن الأصبغ بن نباتة قال: أتيت أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فوجدته ينكت في الأرض، فقلت له: يا أمير المؤمنين، ما لي أراك مفكرا تنكت في الأرض؟ أرغبة منك فيها؟ قال: لا والله، ما رغبت فيها ولا في الدنيا قط. ولكني تفكرت في مولود يكون من ظهر الحادي عشر من ولدي، هو المهدي الذي يملأها عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً، يكون له حيرة وغيبة تضل فيها أقوام ويهتدي فيها آخرون. قلت: يا مولاي، فكم تكون الحيرة والغيبة؟ قال: ستة أيام أو ستة أشهر أو ست سنين. فقلت: وإن هذا الأمر لكائن؟ فقال: نعم،كما أنه مخلوق. وأنى لك بهذا الأمر يا أصبغ؟ أولئك خيار هذه الأمة مع أبرار هذه العترة. قال: قلت: ثم ما يكون بعد ذلك؟ قال: ثم يفعل الله ما يشاء، فإن له بداءات وإرادات وغايات ونهايات.

H 127 - It is narrated from Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Khalid Kufi from Mundhir from Muhammad bin Qabus from Nasr bin Sandi from Abu Dawood Sulaiman bin Sufyan Mustaraq from Thalaba bin Maimoon from Malik Jahni from Harith bin Mughira from Asbagh bin Nubatah that he said: I came to Amirul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and found him thoughtful. He was drawing lines on the ground. I said: “O Chief of believers, why do I see you thoughtful and you are making lines on the earth? Is it out of desire for the earth?” He said: “No, by Allah, I have never desired it, nor for what is in the world even for one day. I was thinking about the son, who will be born from my seed – the eleventh from my sons. He is the Mahdi and he would fill up the earth with equity as it will be fraught with oppression and injustice. There will be a perplexity and occultation related to him, in which communities will go astray and communities will be guided.” I asked: “O Chief of believers, how long would this perplexity and occultation last?” He said: Six days, six months or six years. I asked: “Would this really come to pass?” He replied: Yes, he has been created. How would you know this, Asbagh! They are the best of this Ummah and companions of the righteous of this Household. I asked: “What will happen after that?” He said: “Allah will do what He desires, for He has wills, purposes and outcomes.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19368

128- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن أبي محمد الحسن بن عيسى العلوي قال: حدثني أبي عيسى بن محمد عن أبيه محمد بن علي بن جعفر عن أبيه علي بن جعفر عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال لي: يا بني، إذا فقد الخامس من ولد السابع من الأئمة فالله الله في أديانكم،فإنه لا بد لصاحب هذا الأمر من غيبة يغيبها حتى يرجع عن هذا الأمر من كان يقول به. يا بني،إنما هي محنة من الله امتحن بها خلقه لو علم آباؤكم وأجدادكم دينا أصح من هذا الدين لاتبعوه. قال أبو الحسن: فقلت له: يا سيدي، من الخامس من ولد السابع؟ قال: يا بني، عقولكم تصغر عن هذا وأحلامكم تضيق عن حمله، ولكن إن تعيشوا تدركوه.

H 128 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Abu Muhammad Husain bin Isa Alawi from his father, Isa bin Muhammad from his father, Muhammad bin Ali bin Ja’far from his father, Ali bin Ja’far from his brother, Musa bin Ja’far that he said: My father [Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s)] said: “My son, when the fifth descendant of the seventh Imam disappears, then by Allah, by Allah, be cautious about your faith, because definitely there such is a occultation for this Patron until many who believe in this matter turn away from their beliefs. My son, his occultation would be a trial from Allah, by which He will try His creation. If your fathers and grandfathers knew a creed better than this, they would have followed it.” Ali bin Ja’far said: Abul Hasan [Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s)] asked: “My master, who is the fifth descendant of the seventh?” He said: “My son, your intellects are deficient to understand him and you cannot bear it, but if you live, you will see that matter.”

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19369

129- أخبرني جماعة عن أبي المفضل محمد بن عبد الله بن محمد بن عبيد الله بن المطلب رحمه الله قال: حدثنا أبو الحسين محمد بن بحر بن سهل الشيباني الرهني قال: أخبرنا علي بن الحارث عن سعد بن المنصور الجواشني قال: أخبرنا أحمد بن علي البديلي قال: أخبرني أبي عن سدير الصيرفي قال: دخلت أنا والمفضل بن عمر وداود بن كثير الرقي وأبو بصير وأبان بن تغلب على مولانا الصادق عليه السلام، فرأيناه جالسا على التراب وعليه مسح خيبري مطرف بلا جيب مقصر الكمين، وهو يبكي بكاء الوالهة الثكلى ذات الكبد الحري، قد نال الحزن من وجنتيه وشاع التغير في عارضيه وأبلى الدمع محجريه، وهو يقول: سيدي، غيبتك نفت رقادي، وضيقت على مهادي، وابتزت مني راحة فؤادي. سيدي، غيبتك أوصلت مصائبي بفجائع الأبد، وفقد الواحد بعد الواحد بفناء الجمع والعدد، فما أحس بدمعة ترقأ من عيني وأنين يفشا من صدري. قال سدير: فاستطارت عقولنا ولهاً وتصدعت قلوبنا جزعاًمن ذلك الخطب الهائل والحادث الغائل. فظننا أنه سمت لمكروهة قارعة أو حلت به من الدهر بائقة. فقلنا: لا أبكى الله عينيك يا ابن خير الورى! من أية حادثة تستذرف دمعتك وتستمطر عبرتك؟ وأية حالة حتمت عليك هذا المأتم؟ قـال: فزفر الصـادق عليـه السـلام زفـرة انتفـخ منها جـوفه واشتد منها خوفه، فقال: ويكم، إني نظرت صبيحة هذا اليوم في كتاب الجفر المشتمل على علم البلايا والمنايا وعلم ما كان وما يكون إلى يوم القيامة، الذي خص الله تقدس اسمه به محمدا والأئمة من بعده، وتأملت فيه مولد قائمنا عليه السلام وغيبته وإبطاءه وطول عمره وبلوى المؤمنين من بعده في ذلك الزمان، وتولد الشكوك في قلوب الشيعة من طول غيبته، وارتداد أكثرهم عن دينه وخلعهم ربقة الإسلام من أعناقهم التي قال الله عز وجل ﴿وكُلَّ إِنسانٍ أَلْزَمْناهُ طائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ﴾، يعني الولاية، فأخذتني الرقة واستولت علي الأحزان. فقلنا: يا ابن رسول الله، كرمنا وفضلنا بإشراكك إيانا في بعض ما أنت تعلمه من علم ذلك. قال: إن الله تعالى ذكره أدار في القائم منا ثلاثة أدارها لثلاثة من الرسل؛ قدر مولده تقدير مولد موسى عليه السلام، وقدر غيبته تقدير غيبة عيسى عليه السلام، وقدر إبطاءه تقدير إبطاء نوح عليه السلام. وجعل له من بعد ذلك عمر العبد الصالح- أعني الخضر عليه السلام- دليلا على عمره. فقلنا: اكشف لنا يا ابن رسول الله عن وجوه هذه المعاني. قال: أما مولد موسى عليه السلام، فإن فرعون لما وقف على أن زوال ملكه على يده أمر بإحضار الكهنة فدلوا على نسبه وأنه يكون من بني إسرائيل، فلم يزل يأمر أصحابه بشق بطون الحوامل من نساء بني إسرائيل حتى قتل في طلبه نيفا وعشرين ألف مولود، وتعذر عليه الوصول إلى قتل موسى عليه السلام بحفظ الله تعالى إياه. كذلك بنو أمية وبنو العباس لما أن وقفوا على أن به زوال مملكة الأمراء والجبابرة منهم على يدي القائم منا ناصبونا العداوة ووضعوا سيوفهم في قتل أهل بيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وإبادة نسله، طمعا منهم في الوصول إلى قتل القائم عليه السلام. فأبى الله أن يكشف أمره لواحد من الظلمة إلا أن يتم نوره ولو كره المشركون. وأما غيبة عيسى عليه السلام، فإن اليهود والنصارى اتفقت على أنه قُتل، فكذبهم الله عز وجل بقوله ﴿وما قَتَلُوهُ وما صَلَبُوهُ ولكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ﴾. كذلك غيبة القائم، فإن الأمة ستنكرهـا لطولهـا؛ فمن قائل يقول: إنه لم يولد! وقـائل يفتري بقوله: إنه ولد ومات! وقائل يكفر بقوله إن حادي عشرنا كان عقيما! وقائل يمرق بقوله إنه يتعدى إلى ثالث عشر فصاعدا! وقائل يعصي الله بدعواه أن روح القائم عليه السلام ينطق في هيكل غيره! وأما إبطاء نوح عليه السلام، فإنه لما استنزل العقوبة من السماء بعث الله إليه جبرئيل عليه السلام معه سبع نويات،فقال: يا نبي الله، إن الله جل اسمه يقول لك إن هؤلاء خلائقي وعبادي، لست أبيدهم بصاعقة من صواعقي إلا بعد تأكيد الدعوة وإلزام الحجة. فعاود اجتهادك في الدعوة لقومك فإني مثيبك عليه واغرس هذا النوى فإن لك في نباتها وبلوغها وإدراكها إذا أثمرت الفرج والخلاص، وبشر بذلك من تبعك من المؤمنين. فلما نبتت الأشجار وتأزرت وتسوقت وأغصنت وزها الثمر عليها بعد زمان طويل استنجز من الله العدة فأمره الله تعالى أن يغرس من نوى تلك الأشجار ويعاود الصبر والاجتهاد ويؤكد الحجة على قومه، فأخبر بذلك الطوائف التي آمنت به فارتد منهم ثلاثمائة رجل وقالوا: لو كان ما يدعيه نوح حقا لما وقع في عدته خلف! ثم إن الله تعالى لم يزل يأمره عند إدراكها كل مرة أن يغرس تارة بعد أخرى إلى أن غرسها سبع مرات،وما زالت تلك الطوائف من المؤمنين ترتد منهم طائفة بعد طائفة إلى أن عادوا إلى نيف وسبعين رجلا. فأوحى الله عز وجل عند ذلك إليه وقال: الآن أسفر الصبح عن الليل لعينك حين صرح الحق عن محضه وصفا الأمر للايمان من الكدر بارتداد كل من كانت طينته خبيثة،فلو أني أهلكت الكفار وأبقيت من ارتد من الطوائف التي كانت آمنت بك لما كنت صدقت وعدي السابق للمؤمنين الذين أخلصوا لي التوحيد من قومك واعتصموا بحبل نبوتك بأن أستخلفهم في الأرض وأمكن لهم دينهم وأبدل خوفهم بالأمن لكي تخلص العبادة لي بذهاب الشك من قلوبهم. وكيف يكون الاستخلاف والتمكين وبدل الخوف بالأمن مني لهم مع ما كنت أعلم من ضعف يقين الذين ارتدوا وخبث طينتهم وسوء سرائرهم التي كانت نتائج النفـاق وسـنوخ الضـلالة؟ فلـو أنهـم تنسموا من الملك الذي أوتي المؤمنون وقت الاستخلاف إذا هلكت أعداؤهم لنشقوا روائح صفاته ولاستحكم سرائر نفاقهم وتأبد خبال ضلالة قلوبهم ولكاشفوا إخوانهم بالعداوة وحاربوهم على طلب الرئاسة والتفرد بالأمر والنهي عليهم! وكيف يكون التمكين في الدين وانتشار الأمر في المؤمنين مع إثارة الفتن وإيقاع الحروب كلا ﴿واصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنا ووَحْيِنا﴾. قال الصادق عليه السلام: وكذلك القائم عليه السلام، فإنه تمتد غيبته ليصرح الحق عن محضه ويصفو الإيمان من الكدر بارتداد كل من كانت طينته خبيثة من الشيعة الذين يخشى عليهم النفاق إذا أحسوا بالاستخلاف والتمكين والأمن المنتشر في عهد القائم عليه السلام. قال المفضل: فقلت: يا ابن رسول الله، فإن النواصب تزعم أن هذه الآية أنزلت في أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي. فقال: لا هدى الله قلوب الناصبة! متى كان الدين الذي ارتضاه الله ورسوله متمكنا بانتشار الأمن في الأمة وذهاب الخوف من قلوبها وارتفاع الشك من صدورها في عهد واحد من هؤلاء أو في عهد علي عليه السلام مع ارتداد المسلمين والفتن التي كانت تثور في أيامهم والحروب والفتن التي كانت تشب بين الكفار وبينهم؟ ثم تلا الصادق عليه السلام هذه الآية مثلا لإبطاء القائم عليه السلام: ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا جاءَهُمْ نَصْرُنا…﴾ الآية. وأما العبد الصالح- أعني الخضرعليه السلام- فإن الله تعالى ما طول عمره لنبوة قررها له ولا لكتاب نزل عليه ولا لشريعة ينسخ بها شريعة من كان قبله من الأنبياء عليهم السلام ولا لإمامة يلزم عباده الاقتداء بها ولا لطاعة يفرضها. بلى،إن الله تعالى لما كان في سابق علمه أن يقدر من عمر القائم عليه السلام في أيام غيبته ما يقدره وعلم ما يكون من إنكار عباده بمقدار ذلك العمر في الطول طول عمر العبد الصالح من غير سبب أوجب ذلك إلا لعلة الاستدلال به على عمر القائم عليه السلام ليقطع بذلك حجة المعاندين لئلا يكون للناس على الله حجة. و الأخبار في هذا المعنى أكثر من أن تحصى ذكرنا طرفا منها لئلا يطول به الكتاب. فإن قيل: هذه كلها أخبار آحاد لا يعول على مثلها في هذه المسألة لأنها مسألة علمية. قلنا: موضع الاستدلال من هذه الأخبار ما تضمن الخبر بالشي‏ء قبل كونه فكان كما تضمنه فكان ذلك دلالة على صحة ما ذهبنا إليه من إمامة ابن الحسن لأن العلم بما يكون لا يحصل إلا من جهة علام الغيوب. فلو لم يرو إلا خبر واحد ووافق مخبره ما تضمنه الخبر لكان ذلك كافيا ولذلك كان ما تضمنه القرآن من الخبر بالشي‏ء قبل كونه دليلا على صدق النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وأن القرآن من قبل الله تعالى وإن كانت المواضع التي تضمنت ذلك محصورة ومع ذلك مسموعة من مخبر واحد لكن دل على صدقه من الجهة التي قلناها. على أن هذه الأخبار متواتر بها لفظا ومعنى.فأما اللفظ فإن الشيعة تواترت بكل خبر منه،وأما المعنى فإن كثرة الأخبار واختلاف جهاتها وتباين طرقها وتباعد رواتها يدل على صحتها لأنه لا يجوز أن يكون كلها باطلة. ولذلك يستدل في مواضع كثيرة على معجزات النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم التي هي سوى القرآن وأمور كثيرة في الشرع تتواتر معنى وإن كان كل لفظ منها منقولا من جهة الآحاد وذلك معتمد عند من خالفنا في هذه المسألة فلا ينبغي أن يتركوه وينسوه إذا جئنا إلى الكلام في الإمامة والعصبية لا ينبغي أن تنتهي بالإنسان إلى حد يجحد الأمور المعلومة. وهذا الذي ذكرناه معتبر في مدائح الرجال وفضائلهم ولذلك استدل على سخاء حاتم وشجاعة عمرو وغير ذلك بمثل ذلك وإن كان كل واحد مما يروى من عطاء حاتم ووقوف عمرو في موقف من المواقف من جهة الآحاد وهذا واضح.

H 129 - A group has narrated from Abu Mufaddal Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ubaidullah bin Matlab that he said: Narrated to me Abul Husain Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Shaibani Rahni from Ali bin Harith from Saad bin Mansur Jawashini from Ahmad bin Ali Budaili from his father from Sudair Sairafi that he said: I, along with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Abu Basir, Aban Ibn Taghlib came to our master, Abu Abdullah Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (a. s) and found him sitting on bare earth. He had a Khaibari woolen cloak ringed at the neck, did not have any pockets and had short sleeves. He was crying like a deeply afflicted and bereaved mother of a child from the depths of a heart that was full of mourning. Grief had appeared in the sides of his face and the change had spread on both his cheeks and tears were rolling on the sides of his visage, as he was saying: “My master, your occultation has taken away my night’s sleep; it has narrowed my bed for me and has snatched away solace from my heart. My master, your occultation has turned my tragedies into the atrocities of eternity! The loss of one after the other perishes a crowd and a multitude. No more I feel the tear that drops from my eye and the moan that faintly leaves my chest from the places of tragedies and past calamities, except that it exemplifies before my eye the greatest and cruelest of catastrophes, the most dismal and disdainful mishaps, mixed with your wrath and calamities coupled with your anger.” Sudair says: Our hearts and minds were overwhelmed by that terrifying scene. We thought that it was a sign of a dreadful shattering or times have brought him a calamity. So we said: “May Allah, O son of the best of the creation, never bring tears into your eyes. Why are you weeping and what has caused this mourning?” Sudair says: Imam Sadiq (a. s) took a deep sigh that his chest expanded and his grief enhanced and he said: “I looked at the Book of Jafr this morning, and that is the book that encompasses the knowledge of deaths, trials and tribulations and the knowledge of all that has been and all that will be until Judgment Day, which Allah, glory to His name, has exclusively imparted to Muhammad and the Imams after him, peace be unto him and them. I saw therein the birth of our Qaim and his occultation and its protraction and the length of his lifespan and the trials of the believers through him after him in that period and the generation of doubts in their hearts due to the length of his disappearance and apostasy of most of them from their religion and their desertion of Islam, about which Allah, glory to His name, has said: “And We have made every man’s actions to cling to his neck…” (17:13) …which is Mastership (Wilayah); so emotions overpowered me and grief overwhelmed me.” We said: “O son of Allah’s Messenger, dignify us and bestow honor upon us by sharing some of what you know from the knowledge.” He said: “Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed three qualities to the Qaim of ours, which He gave to three of the apostles. He foreordained his birth like the birth of Musa (a. s); his disappearance like the disappearance of Isa (a. s); and his longevity like the longevity of Nuh (a. s). Moreover, He made the lifespan of His virtuous servant Khizr, a proof of his lifespan.” I said: “Remove the curtains for us, O son of Allah’s Messenger, from the faces of these concepts.” He said: “As for the birth of Musa: When the Firon discerned that the demise of his kingdom is near, he summoned the soothsayers, who foretold him about his lineage and that he will be from the Children of Israel. Firon did not cease to have his men rip open the abdomens of pregnant ladies from Bani Israel, until he killed in the pursuit of Musa, twenty and some odd thousand babies. He was unable to murder Musa, for Allah, the Exalted, protected him. Likewise, when the Umayyads and the Abbasids discovered that the demise of their kingdom and that of their kings and tyrants will be at the hands of the Qaim from us, they showed enmity to us and took their swords out for the murder of the House of the Messenger of Allah (s) and to cut off his progeny in order to make certain they have killed the Qaim (a. s). However, Allah dislikes not revealing His Command for one of the oppressors until His light is full, even if the pagans may dislike this. As for the disappearance of Isa: The Jews and the Christians formed unanimity that he has been killed; whereas Allah belied them in His verse: “and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa)…” (4:157) Likewise is the disappearance of the Qaim (a. s), since one community denies it for its length - ranging from one misguided person who says, ‘He was never born’; to another who says, ‘He was born and he died’; to another who rejects faith by saying that our Eleventh was childless; to another who deviates by saying, ‘This will increase to thirteen and upwards’, and another who sins against God, the Exalted, by saying, ‘The spirit of the Qaim speaks through the body of someone else’. “As for the longevity of Nuh: When he prayed for the descent of punishment against his people from the heavens, Allah, the Exalted, sent Jibraeel, the Trusted Spirit, with seven kernels, and he said: ‘O Apostle of Allah, Allah, the Exalted, says to you, ‘They are My creation and My servants. I will not destroy them with a lightning from My thunderbolts until the call has been stressed upon and the proof has become binding. Continue your hard labor in calling your people, for I will reward you for that. Plant these kernels, because your relief and liberation will be at its plantation, outgrowth, and fruition when it reaches fruition. Give this glad tiding to your believing followers.’ When the trees grew and thrived and their trunks and branches developed and spread out and their fruits grew big, he asked Allah, the Exalted, for the fulfillment of the promise. Allah, the Exalted, ordered him to plant the seeds of those trees and retain patience and hard work and continue calling the people. He informed the nations that believed in him; three hundred men of them turned away from him and said: ‘If what Nuh is claiming were true, the promise of his Lord would not have been violated.’ Then Allah, the Exalted, continued to order him every time to plant the seeds until they had been planted seven times. Nations of believers continued to lose congregations until there were left only seventy and some odd men. At that time, did Allah, the Exalted, sent a message to him and said: ‘O Nuh, now the dawn on your eyes has broken the night as the truth has manifested with clarity and the order of belief has become pure from impurity by the apostasy of everyone who had a wicked disposition. If I had destroyed the disbelievers and kept those who have apostatized from amongst the believers in you, I would not have fulfilled My early promise to the believers from your people, who were sincere in their belief in Me and had adhered to the rope of your Prophethood that I would make them heirs in earth and empower for them their religion and replace their fear with security, so that worship be pure for Me by the departure of doubts from their hearts. How could I provide heirship and empowerment and replacement of fear with security, while I know the weakness of belief of the people who apostatized and their wicked dispositions and their evil insides, which were the outcomes of hypocrisy and the initiation of misguidance? If they had procured from Me the kingdom that will be given to the believers at the time of heirship when I will have killed their enemies, they would have sniffed the smells of its attractions, and it would have strengthened the inner secrets of their hypocrisy, and eternalized the strings of misguidance in their hearts, and they would have faced their brothers with enmity and would have battled them in pursuit of chiefdom and the distinction of commanding and forbidding. And how can the religion’s empowerment and commands spread amongst the believers coexist with rise of mischief and occurrence of wars? Never! Build the ark under Our eyes and as We reveal.’” Imam Sadiq (a. s) said: “Likewise is the Qaim (a. s). The days of his occultation will be prolonged, so truth may become clear and belief may become pure from impurity by the apostasy of everyone from the Shia with a wicked disposition, who are feared they are hypocrites when they expect heirship and empowerment and a vast security in the reign of the Qaim (a. s).” Mufaddal says, I asked, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, the Nawasib believe this verse: “Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth…” (24:55) has been revealed about Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.” He said: “May Allah not guide the hearts of the Nawasib. When was the religion, which Allah and His Messenger are pleased with, empowered through spread of security in the Ummah and departure of fear from their hearts and doubts from breasts during the reign of anyone of them? And in the reign of Ali (a. s) especially with the apostasy of Muslims and mischiefs, which were occurring in their days and the wars that were breaking out between the disbelievers and between themselves?” Then Imam Sadiq (a. s) recited this verse: “Until when the apostles despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, Our help came to them…” (12:110) “As for the virtuous servant of Allah, Khizr: Allah, the Exalted, neither lengthened his lifespan because of apostleship ordained to him, nor for a book sent to him, or for a code of law replacing the previous codes from other messengers before him, or for an Imamate obliging His servants to follow him, or any obedience mandated with respect to him. Instead, since Allah, the Exalted, knew how lengthy He would make the life of the Qaim (a. s) in the days of his occultation and He knew the rejection of His servants with respect to lifespan, He lengthened the lifespan of the Virtuous Servant for no other reason, but to argue on its basis for the lifespan of the Qaim (a. s) and so that the argument of the opponents may cease and people may not have any proofs against Allah.” There are a large number of reports of the same connotation, but we have mentioned only some of them to avoid prolonging our book. If it is said: All these narrations are singularly narrated traditions, which cannot be conclusive in a subject as this, as it requires certainty. We will reply: Our argument is based on the portion of these narrations, which predict an event before its happening and then that event happens as predicted. This is the proof of the Imamate of Ibn Hasan, because the knowledge of an event before it happens cannot be known, but through Almighty God. Even if there were not but one tradition and its content corresponded to events later on, that is sufficient. That is why the predictions of the Quran about future events are the proofs of the truthfulness of the Messenger (a. s) and that Quran is from God, the Almighty, inasmuch as it is heard from a single narrator, but it does prove this single narrator’s truth on the basis of this argument. Besides, reports in this regard are narrated in inordinate numbers (Mutawatir) both by the same words and recounting the same concepts. As for the inordinate number of traditions carrying the same wordings, the Shia have narrated each such narration by Mutawatir measures. And this concept has been narrated in inordinate numbers through different words, because the great number of narrations, their different occasions, and their distinct chains, and the remote narrators thereof, prove their veracity, because not all of them can be false. That is why on many occasions the miracles of the Prophet (s) other than the Quran, and many other themes in the Shariah are proved through Tawatur, though the wordings may be singularly narrated. This is an accepted measure before our opponents in this question. Therefore, they should not abandon and forget it when we come to discuss Imamate. It is not worthy that close-mindedness leads one to reject self-evident things. This measure is accepted in praising or denouncing men. Therefore, they have argued for the generosity of Hatim and bravery of Amr and other things in the same way, though every instance of Hatim’s generosity and Amr’s stance in the battles is a singularly narrated incident. This is abundantly clear.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19370

ومما يدل أيضا على إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام زائدا على ما مضى أنه لا خلاف بين الأمة أنه سيخرج في هذه الأمة مهدي يملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً ،وإذا بينا أن ذلك المهدي من ولد الحسين عليه السلام وأفسدنا قول كل من يدعي ذلك من ولد الحسين سوى ابن الحسن عليه السلام ثبت أن المراد به هو عليه السلام.

Of the proofs of the Imamate of Ibn Hasan, in addition to what has been mentioned so far, is that there is no dispute between the Ummah that a Mahdi will rise in this Ummah, who would fill the earth with justice and equity as it shall be fraught with oppression and inequity. When we have established that the Mahdi is from the progeny of Husain and have invalidated any claimant for this position other than Ibn Hasan (a. s), it is proved that he is the one intended by these narrations.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19371

130- روى إبراهيـم بن سلمة عن أحمـد بن مالك الفزاري عن حيـدر بن محمد الفزاري عن عباد بن يعقوب عن نصر بن مزاحم عن محمد بن مروان عن الكلبي عن أبي صالح عن ابن عباس في قوله تعالى: ﴿وفِي السَّماءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وما تُوعَدُونَ﴾، قال: هو خروج المهدي عليه السلام.

H 130 - The following verses of Quran prove that the rise of Imam Mahdi (a. s) is definite in this Ummah: It is narrated from Ibrahim bin Salma from Ahmad bin Malik Fuzari from Haider bin Muhammad Fuzari from Abbad bin Yaqub from Nasr bin Muzahim from Muhammad bin Marwan from Kulaini from Abi Salih from Ibn Abbas with regard to the verse: “And in the heaven is your sustenance and what you are threatened with…” (51:22-23) He said “It implies the rise of the Qaim of Aale Muhammad (a. s).”

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19372

s131- وبهذا الإسناد عن ابن عباس في قوله: ﴿اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحْيِ الْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها﴾: يعني يصلح الأرض بقائم آل محمد من بعد موتها. يعني من بعد جور أهل مملكتها ﴿قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الْآياتِ﴾ بقائم آل محمد ﴿لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ﴾.

H. 131 -From the same chain of narration from Ibn Abbas regarding the verse (57:17): «Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death» : it means that Allah will restore the earth through the Qa'im from the family of Muhammad after its death, referring to the corruption of the people of its kingdom. «Indeed, We have clarified the verses for you» refers to the Qaim of the family of Muhammad, «so that you may understand.»

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19373

133- محمد بن إسحاق المقري عن علي بن العباس المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن الحسن بن الحسين عن سفيان الجريري عن عمرو بن هاشم الطائي عن إسحاق بن عبد الله بن علي بن الحسين في هذه الآية: ﴿فَوَ رَبِّ السَّماءِ والْأَرْضِ إِنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِثْلَ ما أَنَّكُمْ تَنْطِقُونَ﴾. قال: قيام القائم من آل محمد. قال: وفيه نزلت ﴿وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ولَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضى لَهُمْ ولَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً﴾. قال: نزلت في المهدي عليه السلام.

H 133 - Muhammad bin Ishaq Muqri narrated from Ali bin Abbas Maqanai from Bukkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain Sufyan Jariri from Amr bin Hashim Tai that Ishaq bin Abdullah Ibn Ali Ibn Husain said with regard to the verse: “And by the Lord of the heavens and the earth! it is most surely the truth, just as you do speak.” (51:22-23) “This is the verse of the Qaim from Aale Muhammad (a. s) and the following verse is about him: Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion, which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating aught with Me…” (24:55)

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19374

134- وأخبرنا الحسين بن عبيد الله عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة النيشابوري عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال عن المثنى الحناط عن الحسن بن زياد الصيقل قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام يقول: إن القائم لا يقوم حتى ينادي مناد من السماء تسمع الفتاة في خدرها ويسمع أهل المشرق والمغرب. وفيه نزلت هذه الآية: ﴿إِنْ نَشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّماءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْناقُهُمْ لَها خاضِعِينَ﴾.

H 134 - It is narrated from Husain bin Ubaidullah from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah Nishapuri from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishapuri from Hasan bin Ali Ibn Faddal from Muthanna Hannat from Hasan bin Ziyad Saiqal that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: “Without any doubt, Imam Qaim (a. s) will not reappear till there is a call from the sky, which the ladies in veils and people of each corner of the world hear. It is about this point that the following verse is revealed: “If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven, so that their necks should stoop to it.” (26:4)

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19375

135- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري عن أبي علي الرازي عن ابن أبي دارم عن علي بن العباس السندي المقانعي عن محمد بن هاشم القيسي عن سهل بن تمام البصري عن عمران القطان عن قتادة عن أبي نضرة عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: المهدي يخرج في آخر الزمان.

H 135 - Informed me a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Abu Ali Razi from Ibn Abi Daram from Ali bin Abbas Sandi Maqanai from Muhammad bin Hashim Qaisi from Sahal bin Tamam Basri from Imran Qattan from Qatada from Abu Nazara from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Mahdi would stage an uprising in the last period of time.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19376

136- محمد بن إسحاق المقري عن المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن الحسن بن الحسين عن المعلى بن زياد عن العلاء بن بشير المرادي عن أبي الصديق الناجي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: أبشركم بالمهدي؛يبعث في أمتي على اختلاف من الناس وزلزال. يملأ الأرض عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت جوراً وظلماً. يرضى عنه ساكن السماء وساكن الأرض.

H 136 - Muhammad bin Ishaq Muqri has narrated from Maqanai from Bakkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain from Mualla bin Ziyad from Alaa bin Bashir Muradi from Abu Siddiq Naji from Abu Saeed Khudri that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: I give glad tidings to you; Mahdi will rise up when people would be involved in discord and bewilderment. He would fill the earth with justice and equity just as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression in such a way that the inhabitants of the earth and the heavens would be pleased with him.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19377

137- عنه عن المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن الحسن بن الحسين عن تليد عن أبي الجحاف عن خالد بن عبد الملك عن مطر الوراق عن الناجي، يعني أبا الصديق،عن أبي سعيد قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: أبشروا بالمهدي -قال ثلاثا- يخرج على حين اختلاف من الناس وزلزال شديد. يملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً.يملأ قلوب عباده عبادة ويسعهم عدله.

H 137 - It is narrated from Maqanai from Bakkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain from Talid from Abu Jahaf [from Khalid bin Abdul Malik from Matar Warraq from Naji, that is Abu Siddiq from Abu Saeed Khudri] that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: ‘Glad tidings to you, by the presence of Mahdi,’ and he repeated this statement thrice. ‘When he stages an uprising, people would be involved in discord and instability. He would fill the earth with justice and equity just as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression; and he would make people inclined to worship and his justice would encompass them.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19378

138- محمد بن إسحاق المقري عن علي بن العباس المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن الحسن بن الحسين عن سفيان الجريري عن عبد المؤمن عن الحارث بن حصيرة عن عمارة بن جوين العبدي عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال:سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول على المنبر: إن المهدي من عترتي من أهل بيتي. يخرج في آخر الزمان. ينزل له من السماء قطرها وتخرج له الأرض بذرها، فيملأ الأرض عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملأها القوم ظلماً وجوراً.

H 138 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Ishaq Muqri from Ali bin Abbas Maqanai from Bakkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain from Sufyan Jariri from Abdullah Momin from Harith bin Hasira from Ammara bin Juin Abdi from Abu Saeed Khudri that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say from the pulpit: Mahdi is from my descendants and Ahle Bayt (a. s). He would stage an uprising in the last period of time. The sky will send down rain for him and the earth would put forth its vegetation for him. He would fill the earth with justice and equity just as others would have fraught it with injustice and oppression.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19379

139- عنه عن علي بن العباس المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن مصبح عن قيس عن أبي حصين عن أبي صالح عن أبي هريرة قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لو لم يبق من الدنيا إلا يوم واحد لطول الله ذلك اليوم حتى يخرج رجلاً من أهل بيتي يملأ الأرض عدلاًكما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً.

H 139 - It is narrated from Ali bin Abbas Maqanai Bakkar bin Ahmad from Misbah from Qays from Abu Husain from Abu Salih from Abu Huraira that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: If a single day remains from the tenure of the world, Allah, the Mighty and the High would prolong that day to such an extent that a man from my progeny will appear; he would fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19380

140- عنه عن علي عن بكار عن علي بن قادم عن فطر عن عاصم عن زر بن حبيش عن عبدالله بن مسعود قـال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لو لم يبق من الدنيا إلا يوم لطول الله تعالى ذلك اليوم حتى يبعث رجلاً مني يواطئ اسمه اسمي واسم أبيه اسم أبي يملأ الأرض عدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً.

H 140 - It is narrated from Ali from Bakkar from Ali bin Qadim from Fatar from Asim from Zarr bin Jaish from Abdullah bin Masud that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: If a single day remains from the tenure of the world, Allah, the Mighty and the High would prolong that day to such an extent that a man from my progeny will appear and form a kingdom; his name is same as my name and the name of his father is the name of my father. He would fill the earth with justice and equity, just as it would have been filled with injustice and oppression.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19381

141- وعنه عن المقانعي عن جعفر بن محمد الزهري عن إسحاق بن منصور عن قيس بن الربيع وغيره عن عاصم عن زر عن عبد الله بن مسعود قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: لا تذهب الدنيا حتى يلي أمتي رجل من أهل بيتي يقال له المهدي.

H 141 - It is narrated from Maqanai from Ja’far bin Muhammad Zuhri from Ishaq bin Mansur from Qays bin Rabi from Asim from Zarr from Abdullah bin Masud that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: The world would not end till a person from my Ahle Bayt (a. s), who is named as Mahdi, does not become the ruler and leader of my Ummah.

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19382

142- محمد بن علي عن عثمان بن أحمد السماك عن إبراهيم بن عبد الله الهاشمي عن الحسن بن الفضل البوصرائي عن سعد بن عبد الحميد الأنصاري عن عبد الله بن زياد اليمامي عن عكرمة بن عمار عن إسحاق بن عبد الله بن أبي طلحة عن أنس بن مالك قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: نحن بنو عبد المطلب سادة أهل الجنة: أنا وعلي وحمزة وجعفر والحسن والحسين والمهدي.

H 142 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Uthman bin Ahmad Sammak from Ibrahim bin Abdullah Hashmi from Hasan bin Fadhl Busrai from Saad Ibn Abdul Hamid Ansari from Abdullah bin Ziyad Yamami from Akrama bin Ammar from Ishaq bin Abdullah bin Abi Talha from Anas bin Malik that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “We, the children of Abdul Muttalib are the chiefs of Paradise dwellers; that is I, Ali, Hamza (chief of the martyrs), Ja’far with two wings, Hasan, Husain, and the Mahdi.”

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19383

143- عنه عن الحسين بن محمد القطعي عن علي بن حاتم عن محمد بن مروان عن عبيد بن يحيى الثوري عن محمد بن الحسين عن أبيه عن جده عن علي عليه السلام في قوله تعالى: ﴿ونُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ ونَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً ونَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوارِثِينَ﴾ قال: هم آل محمد، يبعث الله مهديهم بعد جهدهم فيعزهم ويذل عدوهم.

H 143 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Husain bin Muhammad Qati from Ali bin Hatim from Muhammad bin Marwan from Ubaid bin Yahya Thawri from Muhammad bin Husain from his father from his grandfather from Amirul Momineen (a. s) that he said with regard to the following verse: “And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, and to make them the heirs…” (28:5) “They are Aale Muhammad (a. s). Allah will raise their Mahdi after their distress, so he will honor them and will disgrace their enemy.”

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi - Hadith 19384

. والأخبار في هذا المعنى أكثر من أن تحصى لا نطول بذكرها الكتاب.

There are a large number of traditions on this topic, but we have quoted only some of them in order to keep the discussion brief.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19385

144- ما أخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة النيشابوري عن الفضل بن شاذان عن نصر بن مزاحم عن ابن لهيعة عن أبي قبيل عن عبد الله بن عمرو بن العاص قال:قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في حديث طويل: … فعند ذلك خروج المهدي،وهو رجل من ولد هذا-وأشار بيده إلى علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام- . به يمحق الله الكذب ويذهب الزمان الكلب،وبه يخرج ذل الرق من أعناقكم. ثم قال: أنا أول هذه الأمة، والمهدي أوسطها،وعيسى آخرها. وبين ذلك شيخ أعوج.

H 144- It is narrated from a group from Abi Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Abu Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah Nishapuri from Fadhl bin Shazan from Nasr bin Muzahim from Abu Lahia from Abu Qabil from Abdullah bin Amr Ibn Aas that he narrated a long tradition, in which the Messenger of Allah (s) says: “... And then will be the rise of the Mahdi, and he is a man from the offspring of this one,” pointing to Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s). “Through him, Allah will take away lies. Through him time will take away severity. He will remove the disgrace of slavery from your necks.” Then he said: “I am the first of this Ummah, Mahdi is the middle of it, and Isa is the last of it. And in between there are calamities and tyrant rulers.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19386

145- محمد بن علي عن عثمان بن أحمد السماك عن إبراهيم بن عبد الله الهاشمي عن إبراهيم بن هانئ عن نعيم بن حماد المروزي عن بقية بن الوليد عن أبي بكر بن أبي مريم عن الفضل بن يعقوب الرخامي عن عبد الله بن جعفر عن أبي المليح عن زياد بن بيان عن علي بن نفيل عن سعيد بن المسيب عن أم سلمة قالت: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: المهدي من عترتي من ولد فاطمة.

H 145 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Uthman bin Ahmad Sammak from Ibrahim bin Abdullah Hashmi from Ibrahim bin Hani from Naeem bin Hammad Maruzi from Baqiya bin Walid from Abu Bakr bin Abu Maryam from Fadhl bin Yaqub Rakhami from Abdullah bin Ja’far from Abu Malih from Ziyad bin Bayan from Ali bin Nufayl from Saeed bin Musayyab that Umme Salama, wife of the Prophet said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: “Mahdi is from my progeny, from the descendants of Fatima.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19387

146- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن شاذان عن مصبح عن أبي عبد الرحمن عمن سمع وهب بن منبه يقول عن ابن عباس في حديث طويل أنه قال: … يا وهب،ثم يخرج المهدي. قلت: من ولدك؟قال: لا والله، ما هو من ولدي،ولكن من ولد علي. وطوبى لمن أدرك زمانه. وبه يفرج الله عن الأمة حتى يملأها قسطاً وعدلاً… إلى آخر الخبر.

H 146 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Misbah from Abu Abdur Rahman from one who says that it is narrated from Ibn Abbas that Wahab bin Munabbah asked him in a lengthy report: “Is he from your progeny?” He said: “No, by Allah, he is not from my progeny. He is from the progeny of Ali (a. s). Bliss be for the one who reaches his time. Through him, Allah will relieve the Ummah’s stress, until he makes the earth full of equity and justice...”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19388

147- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن شاذان عن محمد بن سنان عن عمار بن مروان عن المنخل بن جميل عن جابر الجعفي عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: المهدي رجل من ولد فاطمة، وهو رجل ادم.

H 147 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Muhammad bin Sinan from Ammar bin Marwan from Munakhal bin Jamil from Jabir Jofi from Imam Baqir (a. s) that he said: “Mahdi is a man from the progeny of Fatima. He is of wheaten complexion.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19389

148- أخبرنا جماعة عن التلعكبري عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن محمد بن علي عن عثمان بن أحمد السماك عن إبراهيم بن العلاء الهاشمي عن أبي المليح عن زياد بن بيان عن علي بن نفيل عن سعيد بن المسيب عن أم سلمة قالت: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: المهدي من عترتي من ولد فاطمة.

H 148 - Informed me a group of scholars from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Uthman bin Ahmad Samat from Ibrahim bin Alaa Hashimi from Abi Malih from Ziyad bin Bayan from Ali bin Nufayl from Saeed bin Musayyab from Umme Salma that she said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: The Mahdi is from my progeny from the children of Fatima.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s) - Hadith 19390

149- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن الفضل عن أحمد بن عثمان عن أحمد بن رزق عن يحيى بن العلاء الرازي قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: ينتج الله تعالى في هذه الأمة رجلاًمني وأنا منه. يسوق الله تعالى به بركات السماوات والأرض فينزل السماء قطرها ويخرج الأرض بذرها وتأمن وحوشها وسباعها، ويملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً. ويقتل حتى يقول الجاهل: لو كان هذا من ذرية محمد لرحم!

H 149 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Fadhl from Ahmad bin Uthman from Ahmad bin Rizq from Yahya bin Alaa Raazi that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: “Allah will bring forth in this Ummah, a man who belongs to me and I belong to him. Allah will send the blessings of the heavens and the earth through him. The heavens will rain down its drops; and the earth will grow out its seeds: and its beasts and brutes will live in harmony; and it will be full of equity and justice, as it had been replete with oppression and injustice. He will put so many on the sword that the ignorant will say, ‘If he were from the progeny of Muhammad, he would have been merciful.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19391

وأما الذي يدل على أنه يكون من ولد الحسين عليه السلام فالأخبار التي أوردناها في أن الأئمة اثنا عشر وذكر تفاصيلهم هي متضمنة لذلك، ولأن كل من اعتبر العدد الذي ذكرناه قال: المهدي من ولد الحسين عليه السلام. وهو من أشرنا إليه. ويزيد ذلك وضوحا:

As for the reports, which say that Imam Mahdi (a. s) is from the descendants of Imam Husain (a. s) are traditional reports based on the fact that Imams are twelve and their explanation includes this meaning as the number [of twelve Imams] we mentioned is authentic and in fact it is believed that Mahdi is from the descendants of Imam Husain (a. s) and this is what we have hinted to make clearer the meaning and more than that which is mentioned before, is the following report:

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19392

150- ما أخبرني به جماعة عن التلعكبري عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن محمد بن إسحاق المقرئ عن علي بن العباس المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد عن الحسن بن الحسين عن سفيان الجريري عن الفضيل بن الزبير قال: سمعت زيد بن علي عليه السلام يقول: هذا المنتظر من ولد الحسين بن علي في ذرية الحسين وفي عقب الحسين عليه السلام. وهو المظلوم الذي قال الله تعالى ﴿ومَنْ قُتِلَ مَظْلُوماً فَقَدْ جَعَلْنا لِوَلِيِّهِ - قال: وليه رجل من ذريته من عقبه، ثم قرأ ﴿وجَعَلَها كَلِمَةً باقِيَةً فِي عَقِبِهِ﴾ - سُلْطاناً فَلا يُسْرِفْ فِي الْقَتْلِ﴾. قال: سلطانه حجته على جميع من خلق الله تعالى حتى يكون له الحجة على الناس ولا يكون لأحد عليه حجة.

H 150 - It is mentioned through a group of scholars from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ishaq Muqri from Ali bin Abbas Maqanai from Bukkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain from Sufyan Jurairi from Fudhail Ibn Zubair that he said: I heard Zaid bin Ali bin Husain (a. s) say, “The Awaited Savior is from the progeny of Husain Ibn Ali, from the children of Husain and from the heirs of Husain. Husain is the victim, about whom Allah said: “…and whoever is slain unjustly, We have indeed given to his heir…” (17:33) His heir is a man from his progeny, from his children. Then he recited: “And he made it a word to continue in his posterity…” (42:28) “…authority, so let him not exceed the just limits in slaying…” (17:33) Zaid (a. s) said: “His authority is in his proof over all God’s creation, so much so that his proof will prevail over all people and no one will have a reason against him.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19393

151- وبهذا الإسناد عن سفيان الجريري قال:سمعت محمد بن عبد الرحمن بن أبي ليلى يقول: والله لا يكون المهدي أبدا إلا من ولد الحسين عليه السلام.

H 151 - From the same chain of narrators, it is narrated from Sufyan Jurairi that he said: I heard Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman Ibn Abi Laila say, “By Allah, the Mahdi will not be, but from the progeny of Husain (a. s).”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19394

152- وبهذا الإسناد عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن شاذان عن إبراهيم بن الحكم بن ظهير عن إسماعيل بن عياش عن الأعمش عن أبي وائل قال: نظر أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام إلى ابنه الحسين عليه السلام فقال: إن ابني هذا سيد كما سماه رسول الله سيداً. وسيخرج الله تعالى من صلبه رجلاً باسم نبيكم فيشبهه في الخلق والخلق، يخرج على حين غفلة من الناس وإماتة من الحق وإظهار من الجور. والله لو لم يخرج لضربت عنقه،يفرح لخروجه أهل السماء وسكانها. يملأ الأرض عدلاً كما ملئت جوراً وظلماً. تمام الخبر.

H 152 - From the same chain of narrators, it is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ibrahim bin Hakam bin Zaheer from Ismail bin Ayyash from Amash from Abu Wail that Amirul Momineen (a. s) looked at his son, Husain (a. s) and said: “This son of mine is a master, as the Messenger of Allah named him a master. Allah will bring forth from his seed, a man with the name of your Apostle – who will be similar to him in his character as well as his looks – in a time of oblivion of the people and death of righteousness and manifestation of injustice. By Allah, if he should not rise, his neck will be struck. The dwellers of the heavens will rejoice his rise. He would fill up the earth with equity, as it will be replete with injustice and oppression.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19395

153- وبهذا الإسناد عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن شاذان عن عمرو بن عثمان عن محمد بن عذافر عن عقبة بن يونس عن عبد الله بن شريك في حديث له-اختصرناه– قال: مر الحسين عليه السلام على حلقة من بني أمية وهم جلوس في مسجد الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فقال: أما والله، لا تذهب الدنيا حتى يبعث الله مني رجلاً يقتل منكم ألفاً ومع الألف ألفاً ومع الألف ألفاً. فقلت: جعلت فداك، إن هؤلاء أولاد كذا وكذا. لا يبلغون هذا. فقال: ويحك،إن في ذلك الزمان يكون للرجل من صلبه كذا وكذا رجلا وإن مولى القوم من أنفسهم.

H 153 - From the same chains, it is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Amr bin Uthman from Muhammad bin Ghazafar from Uqbah bin Yunus from Abdullah bin Sharik, who says in a lengthy narration that Husain (a. s) passed by a group of Umayyads sitting in the Masjid of the Messenger (a. s). He said: “Behold, by Allah, the world will not end until Allah sends a man from my seed, who will kill from you one thousand and with the thousand another thousand and with the thousand another thousand.” I asked, “May I be your ransom. They are the sons of so-and-so and they do not reach this number.” The Imam said: “Look at you! At that time, a man will have from his seed so-and-so many men, and their chief will be from themselves.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19396

154- وبهذا الإسناد عن أحمد بن إدريس عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن الحسين بن سعيد الأهوازي عن الحسين بن علوان عن أبي هارون العبدي عن أبي سعيد الخدري في حديث له طويل- اختصرناه- قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لفاطمة عليها السلام: يا بنية، إنا أهل البيت أعطينا سبعاًلم يعطها أحد قبلنا: نبينا خير الأنبياء وهو أبوك، ووصينا خير الأوصياء وهو بعلك، وشهيدنا خير الشهداء وهو عم أبيك حمزةُ، ومنا من له جناحان خضيبان يطير بهما في الجنة وهو ابن عمك جعفر، ومنا سبطا هذه الأمة وهما ابناك الحسن والحسين، ومنا والله الذي لا إله إلا هو مهدي هذه الأمة الذي يصلي خلفه عيسى بن مريم. ثم ضرب بيده على منكب الحسين عليه السلام فقال: من هذا ثلاثاً.

H 154 - From the same chains, it is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ahmad bin Muhammad Ibn Isa from Husain bin Saeed Ahwazi from Husain bin Alwan from Abu Harun Abdi from Abu Saeed Khudri, who narrated a long tradition, which we will summarize. He says: Said the Messenger of Allah (s) to Fatima: “Dear daughter, we Ahle Bayt are given seven things that no one has been given before us. Our apostle is the best of the apostles. Our successor is the best of the successors, and he is your husband. Our martyr is the best of the martyrs, and he is Hamzah, the uncle of your father. From us is the one with two wings, by which he glides in Paradise, and he is your cousin Ja’far. From us are the two heirs of this Ummah, and they are your two sons: Hasan and Husain. And from us is, by Allah, a deity other than Him is not, the Mahdi of this Ummah, behind whom Isa Ibn Maryam will pray.” Then the Messenger of Allah (s) touched Husain’s shoulder and said thrice, “From him.”

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19397

فإن قيل: أليس قد خالف جماعة فيهم من قال المهدي من ولد علي عليه السلام، فقال هو محمد بن الحنفية؟ وفيهم من قال من السبائية هو علي عليه السلام لم يمت. وفيهم من قال جعفر بن محمد لم يمت. وفيهم من قال موسى بن جعفر لم يمت. وفيهم من قال المهدي هو أخوه محمد بن علي وهو حي باق لم يمت. ما الذي يفسد قول هؤلاء؟ قلت: هذه الأقوال كلها أفسدناها بما دللنا عليه من موت من ذهبوا إلى حياته، وبما بينا أن الأئمة اثنا عشر. وبما دللنا على صحة إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام من الاعتبار وبما سنذكره من صحة ولادته وثبوت معجزاته الدالة على إمامته، غير أنا نشير إلى إبطال هذه الأقوال بجمل من الأخبار ولا نطول بذكرها لئلا يطول به الكتاب ويمله القارئ.

If it is said: Is it not that some have opposed your beliefs; like those who believe that Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali (a. s), but not from the progeny of Husain, instead he is from the progeny of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah? Among your opponents are Sabaiyya who believe that Ali (a. s) has not died. Some have said that he is Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, who has not died. Some have said: He is Hasan Ibn Ali Askari (a. s) and he has not died. Some have said that the Mahdi is his brother, Muhammad Ibn Ali, who is alive and has not died. What is your argument to invalidate these claims? We will say: We have invalidated all of them by proving that the individuals they believe to be alive are dead, and by proving that the Imams are Twelve, and by the rational arguments concluding the Imamate of Ibn Hasan through the miracles that prove his Imamate and through the narratives of his birth and his miracles that prove his Imamate.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19398

فأما من خالف في موت أمير المؤمنين وذكر أنه حي باق فهو مكابر لأن العلم بموته وقتله أظهر وأشهر من قتل كل أحد وموت كل إنسان والشك في ذلك يؤدي إلى الشك في موت النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وجميع أصحابه. ثم ما ظهر من وصيته وإخبار النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم إياه: أنك تقتل وتخضب لحيتك من رأسك يفسد ذلك أيضا،وذلك أشهر من أن يحتاج إلى أن يروى فيه الأخبار.

The assertion that Amirul Momineen (a. s) is alive is of an obdurate person, for the knowledge of his death and martyrdom is more famed than the story of the death of anyone else. To doubt his death encourages doubting the death of the Prophet and all of his companions. Furthermore, his final will and the prediction of the Prophet (s) that you will be killed and that your beard will be dyed with your blood also invalidates this claim. These are facts that do not require us to bring narrations to prove them.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19399

155- أخبرنا ابن أبي جيد عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد عن محمد بن أبي القاسم البرقي عن محمد بن علي أبي سمينة الكوفي عن حماد بن عيسى عن إبراهيم بن عمر عن أبان بن أبي عياش عن سليم بن قيس الهلالي عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري عن عبد الله بن عباس قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم في وصيته لأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: يا علي، إن قريشا ستظاهر عليك وتجتمع كلمتهم على ظلمك وقهرك. فإن وجدت أعوانا فجاهدهم، وإن لم تجد أعوانا فكف يدك واحقن دمك،فإن الشهادة من ورائك. لعن الله قاتلك.

H 155 - Informed me Abi Jayyad from Muhammad bin Hasan Walid from Muhammad bin Abul Qasim Barqi from Muhammad bin Ali Abu Samina Kufi from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar from Aban bin Abi Ayyash from Sulaym bin Qays Hilali from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari from Abdullah Ibn Abbas that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said to Amirul Momineen (a. s) in his will: O Ali, soon Quraish would unite against you and they would come together to oppress and defeat you; thus if you have supporters, you do Jihad against them and if you don’t, you must refrain from violence and keep yourself secure; since martyrdom would come to you in future and Almighty Allah would curse the one who assassinates you.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19400

156- أحمد بن إدريس عن محمد بن عبد الجبار عن صفوان بن يحيى قال.بعث إلي أبو الحسن موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام بهذه الوصية مع الأخرى.

H 156 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Muhammad bin Abdul Jabbar from Safwan bin Yahya that he said: Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) sent me this will [mentioned above] along another will.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19401

157- وأخبرنا أحمد بن عبدون عن ابن أبي الزبير القرشي عن علي بن الحسن بن فضال عن محمد بن عبد الله بن زرارة عمن رواه عن عمرو بن شمر عن جابر عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: هذه وصية أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام إلى الحسن عليه السلام،وهي نسخة كتاب سليم بن قيس الهلالي رفعها إلى أبان وقرأها عليه. قال أبان: وقرأتها على علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام فقال: صدق سليم. رحمه الله. قال سليم: فشهدت وصية أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام حين أوصى إلى ابنه الحسن عليه السلام وأشهد على وصيته الحسين عليه السلام ومحمدا وجميع ولده ورؤساء شيعته وأهل بيته.وقال: يا بني،أمرني رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أن أوصي إليك وأن أدفع إليك كتبي وسلاحي.ثم أقبل عليه فقال: يا بني، أنت ولي الأمر وولي الدم، فإن عفوت فلك، وإن قتلت فضربة مكان ضربة ولا تأثم… ثم ذكر الوصية إلى آخرها. فلما فرغ من وصيته قال: حفظكم الله وحفظ فيكم نبيكم. أستودعكم الله وأقرأ عليكم السلام ورحمة الله. ثم لم يزل يقول: لا إله إلا الله حتى قبض ليلة ثلاث وعشرين من شهر رمضان ليلة الجمعة سنة أربعين من الهجرة،وكان ضرب ليلة إحدى وعشرين من شهر رمضان.

H 157 - Informed us Ahmad bin Abdun from Ibn Abu Zubair Qarashi from Ali bin Hasan bin Faddal from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Zurarah from those who narrated it from Amr bin Shimr from Jabir from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: This copy is the will of Amirul Momineen (a. s) to Imam Hasan Mujtaba (a. s) and it is also mentioned in Kitab Sulaym Ibn Qays Hilali, which he read out to Aban and Aban also said: I read out this will to Ali bin Husain (a. s) and he (a. s) said: Sulaym has said the truth, may Allah have mercy on him. [Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said:] Sulaym has said: When Amirul Momineen (a. s) made a bequest to his son, Imam Hasan (a. s), I witnessed it. The Imam made Husain (a. s), Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah, all his sons and elders of Shia and his Ahle Bayt witness this bequest and in his address to Imam Hasan (a. s), he said: My son, the Messenger of Allah (s) ordered me to make a will in your favor and transfer my books and weapons to you. After that he glanced at Imam Hasan (a. s) and said: My son, you are my successor and inheritor of my blood; if you like you have the discretion to forgive my killer; and if you like you can put him to death; but retaliate one hit only with a single hit and don’t fall into sin. Thus he mentioned the rest of the will till the end. When the will of the Imam ended, he said: May Almighty Allah protect you and guard the practice of your Prophet among you. I entrust you to Almighty Allah about you and invoke His peace and blessings for you. After that the Imam continued: ‘There is no god, except Allah,’ till he passed on the 23rd night of Ramadhan, Friday eve in the 40th year A. H. due the fatal injury that he had received on the 21st of Ramadhan.

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s) - Hadith 19402

158- وفي رواية أخرى أنه قبض ليلة إحدى وعشرين وضرب ليلة تسع عشرة. وهي الأظهر.

H 158 - In another traditional report, it is mentioned that Imam (a. s) was wounded on the eve of the 19th and he passed away on the 21st. Obviously the second report is more accurate.

Refutation of Kaisaniya belief and account of the demise of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah - Hadith 19403

وأما وفاة محمد بن علي بن الحنفية وبطلان قول من ذهب إلى إمامته فقد بيناه فيما مضى من الكتاب، وعلى هذه الطريقة إذا بينا أن المهدي من ولد الحسين عليه السلام بطل قول المخالف في إمامته عليه السلام. ويزيده بيانا:

In this regard and in explanation of refutation of Kaisaniya belief, which is belief in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibn Hanafiyyah and in the same way is the explanation of his demise, which we explained in this book previously. Therefore, as we mentioned, Mahdi (a. s) is from the descendants of Imam Husain (a. s), the statement of one who opposes his Imamate would be proved invalid. Here, we add two more traditional reports with those mentioned before:

Refutation of Kaisaniya belief and account of the demise of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah - Hadith 19404

159- ما رواه الحسين بن سعيد عن حماد بن عيسى عن ربعي بن عبد الله عن الفضيل بن يسار قال: قال لي أبو جعفر عليه السلام: لما توجه الحسين عليه السلام إلى العراق دفع إلى أم سلمة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم الوصية والكتب وغير ذلك، وقال لها: إذا أتاك أكبر ولدي فادفعي إليه ما قد دفعت إليك. فلما قتل الحسين عليه السلام أتى علي بن الحسين عليه السلام أم سلمة فدفعت إليه كل شي‏ء أعطها الحسين عليه السلام.

H 159 - It is narrated from Husain bin Saeed from Hammad bin Isa from Rabai bin Abdullah from Fudail bin Yasar that he said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: When Imam Husain (a. s) moved to Iraq, he entrusted his will, books and other matters to Umme Salma, wife of the Holy Prophet (s) and told her: That which I have given to you, when my elder son comes to you, you must hand them over to him. When Husain (a. s) was martyred, Ali bin Husain, Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s) came to Umme Salma and she handed over to him all that Imam Husain (a. s) had deposited with her.

Refutation of Kaisaniya belief and account of the demise of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah - Hadith 19405

160- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن عن الحسين بن ثوير بن أبي فاختة عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لا تعود الإمامة في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام،ولا يكون بعد علي بن الحسين عليه السلام إلا في الأعقاب وأعقاب الأعقاب.

H 160 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman from Husain bin Thuwair bin Abi Fakhta from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: After Hasan and Husain, Imamate will never come to two brothers because after Ali Ibn Husain, Imamate is only in his progeny, generation after generation.

Refutation of Kaisaniya belief and account of the demise of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah - Hadith 19406

وما جرى بين محمد بن الحنفية وعلي بن الحسين عليه السلام ومحاكمتهما إلى الحجر معروف لا نطول بذكره هاهنا.

There is also the incident, which occurred between Imam Sajjad (a. s) and Muhammad bin Hanafiyya; that they sought judgment from Hajar Aswad, as we mentioned before, and thus we would not prolong the book by repeating it.

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi - Hadith 19407

وأما الناووسية الذين وقفوا على أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام وقالوا هو المهدي قد بينا أيضا فساد قولهم بما علمناه من موته واشتهار الأمر فيه ولصحة إمامة ابنه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام وبما ثبت من إمامة الاثني عشر عليه السلام ويؤكد ذلك ما ثبت من صحة وصيته إلى من أوصى إليه وظهور الحال في ذلك.

As for the Nawusiyya, who express uncertainty after Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (a. s), we explained the invalidity of their belief, as we know that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) passed away and that his son Musa Ibn Ja’far rightly succeeded him and that the Imamate of the Twelve Imams is a proven fact. The fact that he expressly confided a final will, underscores our point.

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi - Hadith 19408

161- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن الحسن بن محبوب عن جميل بن صالح عن هشام بن أحمر عن سالمة مولاة أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قالت: كنت عند أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام حين حضرته الوفاة وأغمي عليه،فلما أفاق قال: أعطوا الحسن بن علي بن علي بن الحسين -وهو الأفطس- سبعين دينارا وأعطوا فلانا كذا وفلانا كذا. فقلت: أتعطي رجلا حمل عليك بالشفرة يريد أن يقتلك؟ قال: تريدينيأن لا أكون من الذين قال الله عز وجل: ﴿والَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ ويَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ويَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ﴾؟ نعم يا سالمة،إن الله تعالى خلق الجنة فطيبها وطيب ريحها. وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة ألفي عام. ولا يجد ريحها عاق ولا قاطع رحم.

H 161 - Informed us a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Mahbub from Jamil bin Salih from Hisham bin Ahmar from Salima, maidservant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that she said: I was present at the time of the passing away of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) when the Imam was in a swoon in his last moments. After that he regained his consciousness and gave seventy dinars to Hasan bin Ali bin Husain – or the same Hasan Aftas – to give such and such amount to so and so person and such and such amount to so and so person. I asked: Would you give money to one who attacked you and wanted to slay you? He replied: Don’t you want me to be one, about whom Almighty Allah has said: “And those who join that which Allah has bidden to be joined and have awe of their Lord and fear the evil reckoning.” (13:21) Yes, O Salima, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime has created Paradise and purified and made it fragrant in such a way that the fragrance of Paradise reaches upto a distance of two thousand years’ of travel, but it will not reach to those who are disowned by parents and those who cut off relationships.

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi - Hadith 19409

162- وروى أبو أيوب الخوزي قال: بعث إلي أبو جعفر المنصور في جوف الليلن فدخلت عليه وهو جالس على كرسي وبين يديه شمعة وفي يده كتاب،فلما سلمت عليه رمى الكتاب إلي وهو يبكي وقال: هذا كتاب محمد بن سليمان يخبرنا أن جعفر بن محمد قد مات. فإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون- ثلاثا- وأين مثل جعفر؟! ثم قال لي: اكتب…فكتبت صدر الكتاب. ثم قال: اكتب: إن كان قد أوصى إلى رجل بعينه فقدمه واضرب عنقه. قال: فرجع الجواب إليه أنه قد أوصى إلى خمسة أحدهم أبو جعفر المنصور ومحمد بن سليمان وعبد الله وموسى ابني جعفر وحميدة.فقال المنصور: ليس إلى قتل هؤلاء سبيل.

H 162 - It is narrated from Abu Ayyub Khauzi that he said: Abu Ja’far Mansur Dawaniqi summoned me in the middle of the night. When I came to him, I found him seated on the throne and a candle was burning before him and there was a letter in his hand. When I greeted him, he passed the letter to me while weeping and saying: This is the letter of Muhammad bin Sulaiman, which has informed us that Ja’far bin Muhammad has passed away. And he said thrice: Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Where will a like of Ja’far come into being? After that he said: Write: I wrote the heading and he continued: Write that if he has appointed anyone in particular as his successor, you must put him to death. Reply same that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) has willed in favor of five persons, one of them being Abu Ja’far Mansur Dawaniqi, after Muhammad bin Sulaiman, his two sons: Abdullah and Musa, and his wife Hamida. When he heard this, he remarked: It is not possible to eliminate them.

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi - Hadith 19410

وأما الواقفة الذين وقفوا على موسى بن جعفر عليهماالسلام وقالوا هو فقد أفسدنا أقوالهم بما دللنا عليه من موته واشتهار الأمر فيه وثبوت إمامة ابنه الرضا عليه السلام وفي ذلك كفاية لمن أنصف.

As for the Waqifa, who stop at the Imamate of Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s), saying that he is the Mahdi, we have invalidated their belief by proving that Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) passed away and that his death was a well-known historical reality and that his son, Imam Ridha (a. s) was the Imam after him, and this much is sufficient for people of reason.

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi - Hadith 19411

وأما المحمدية الذين قالوا بإمامة محمد بن علي العسكري وأنه حي لم يمت،فقولهم باطل لما دللنا به على إمامة أخيه الحسن بن علي أبي القائم عليه السلام. وأيضا فقد مات محمد في حياة أبيه عليه السلام موتا ظاهرا كما مات أبوه وجده،فالمخالف في ذلك مخالف في الضرورات. ويزيد ذلك بيانا:

As for the Muhammmadiyya, who said that Muhammad Ibn Ali Askari is the Imam and that he is alive and has not died, their assertion is invalid on the basis of our proofs of the Imamate of his brother, Hasan Ibn Ali, the father of the Qaim (a. s). Furthermore, Muhammad died in the lifetime of his father and his death was apparent and visible like the death of his father and grandfather. To dispute that would amount to disputing a self-evident reality.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19412

163- ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك عن سيار بن محمد البصري عن علي بن عمر النوفلي قال: كنت مع أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام في داره فمر عليه أبو جعفر، فقلت له: هذا صاحبنا؟ فقال: لا. صاحبكم الحسن.

H 163 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Sayyar bin Muhammad Basri from Ali bin Umar Naufali that he said: I was with Abul Hasan Askari [Imam Hadi (a. s)] in his house, when Abu Ja’far passed from there. I asked: Is he our master? He replied: No, your master is Hasan.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19413

164- وعنه عن هارون بن مسلم بن سعدان عن أحمد بن محمد بن رجا صاحب الترك قال:قال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: الحسن ابني القائم من بعدي.

H 164 - It is narrated from Harun bin Muslim bin Sadan from Ahmad bin Muhammad Rajaa Turk that he said: Imam Hadi (a. s) said: My son, Hasan is the Imam after me.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19414

165- عنه عن أحمد بن عيسى العلوي من ولد علي بن جعفر قال: دخلت على أبي الحسن عليه السلام بصريا فسلمنا عليه، فإذا نحن بأبي جعفر وأبي محمد قد دخلا،فقمنا إلى أبي جعفر لنسلم عليه فقال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: ليس هذا صاحبكم. عليكم بصاحبكم. وأشار إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام.

H 165 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Isa Alawi from the sons of Ali bin Ja’far that he said: I came to Imam Hadi in Sarya and greeted the Imam. At that moment, Abu Ja’far [Muhammad] and Abu Muhammad [Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)] arrived. We arose and moved to Abu Ja’far with intention to greet and accord respect to him, but Imam Hadi (a. s) said: ‘He is not your master and Imam; he is.’ and he pointed to Abu Muhammad (a. s).

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19415

166- وروى يحيى بن بشار القنبري قال: أوصى أبو الحسن عليه السلام إلى ابنه الحسن عليه السلام قبل مضيه بأربعة أشهر،وأشهدني على ذلك وجماعة من الموالي.

H 166 - Yahya bin Bashr Qambari has narrated that Abul Hasan Imam Hadi (a. s), four months before he passed away, made bequest to his son, Hasan (a. s) and I and a group of Shia witnessed it.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19416

167- فقد رواه سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري قال:حدثني أبو هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي الحسن عليه السلام وقت وفاة ابنه أبي جعفر، وقد كان أشار إليه ودل عليه، فإني لأفكر في نفسي وأقول هذه قضية أبي إبراهيم وقضية إسماعيل، فأقبل علي أبو الحسن عليه السلام فقال: نعم يا أبا هاشم. بدا لله تعالى في أبي جعفر وصير مكانه أبا محمد،كما بدا لله في إسماعيل بعد ما دل عليه أبو عبد الله عليه السلام ونصبه. وهو كما حدثت به نفسك وإن كره المبطلون. أبو محمد ابني الخلف من بعدي؛ عنده ما تحتاجون إليه ومعه آلة الإمامة، والحمد لله.

H 167- Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated: Narrated to me Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that: When Abu Ja’far passed away, I was present with Imam Hadi (a. s) and previously the Imam had hinted to him. Therefore, I thought and said to myself: This is just how it happened in the case of Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a. s)] and Ismail Ibn Ja’far that when Ismail passed away, Imam Sadiq (a. s) publicly announced his death so that no one may say that Ismail or his descendants are Imams. Imam Hadi (a. s) came to me and said: Yes, Aba Hashim, change of destiny occurred (Bada) with regard to Abu Ja’far and Almighty Allah replaced him with Abu Muhammad as He did in the case of Ismail, son of Imam Sadiq (a. s), after Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) had declared and mentioned him to be the Imam after him and appointed him as his successor; just as you said to yourself, although it would be displeasing to the followers of falsehood. My son, Abu Muhammad is my successor and he is having all that which the Shia society is in need of and he is having the distinctive signs of Imamate, by the grace of God.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19417

168- سعد عن علي بن محمد الكليني عن إسحاق بن محمد النخعي عن شاهويه بن عبد الله الجلاب قال: كنت رويت عن أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام في أبي جعفر ابنه روايات تدل عليه، فلما مضى أبو جعفر قلقت لذلك وبقيت متحيرا لا أتقدم ولا أتأخر، وخفت أن أكتب إليه في ذلك فلا أدري ما يكون. فكتبت إليه أسأله الدعاء وأن يفرج الله تعالى عنا في أسباب من قبل السلطان كنا نغتم بها في غلماننا. فرجع الجواب بالدعـاء ورد الغلمان علينـا،وكتب في آخر الكتاب: أردتَ أن تسـأل عن الخلف بعد مضي أبي جعفر، وقلقت لذلك، فلا تغتم، فإن الله لا يضل قوماًبعد إذ هداهم حتى يبين لهم ما يتقون. صاحبكم بعدي أبو محمد ابني، وعنده ما تحتاجون إليه. يقدم الله ما يشاء ويؤخر ما يشاء: ﴿ما نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِها نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْها أَوْ مِثْلِها﴾. قد كتبت بما فيه بيان وقناع لذي عقل يقظان.

H 168 - Saad and Ali bin Muhammad Kulaini have narrated from Ishaq bin Muhammad Nakhai from Shawiya bin Abdullah Jallab that he said: I previously narrated a report from Imam Hadi (a. s) about his son, Abu Ja’far, which proved his Imamate; but when Abu Ja’far passed away from the world, I was so astonished and bewildered that I did not know what to do and I was in a dilemma and I feared writing to the Imam about it. At last, I wrote a letter to the Imam asking him for supplication to Almighty Allah to save us from the hardships imposed on us from the ruler with regard to our youth. Reply to the letter came with a supplication of the Imam and the difficulty of our youth was also solved. At the end of the letter, the Imam had written: You wanted to ask me about the successor after the death of Abu Ja’far (Muhammad) and you are anxious due to that. Don’t be: “It is not (attributable to) Allah that He should lead a people astray after He has guided them; He even makes clear to them what they should guard against.” (9:115) Your leader after me is Abu Muhammad (Askari), my son. He has everything, which they need. God brings forward whatever He wishes and delays whatever He wishes: Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. (2:106) In this is a clear explanation and convincing proof for one who has a watchful disposition.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19418

قال محمد بن الحسن ما تضمن الخبر المتقدم من قوله بدا لله في محمد كما بدا له في إسماعيل معناه ظهر من الله وأمره في أخيه الحسن ما زال الريب والشك في إمامته، فإن جماعة من الشيعة كانوا يظنون أن الأمر في محمد من حيث كان الأكبر، كما كان يظن جماعة أن الأمر في إسماعيل بن جعفر دون موسى عليه السلام. فلما مات محمد ظهر من أمر الله فيه وأنه لم ينصبه إماما كما ظهر في إسماعيل مثل ذلك، لا أنه كان نص عليه ثم بدا له في النص على غيره فإن ذلك لا يجوز على الله تعالى العالم بالعواقب.

Muhammad bin Hasan [Shaykh Tusi] says: That which was mentioned in the previous report is based on the fact that change of destiny (Bada) occurred about Ismail as well as Muhammad. It means that with regard to the brother of Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), a new matter was revealed from Almighty Allah and this removed doubt about his Imamate, since some Shia thought that Imamate was fixed for Muhammad and he was the Imam, as he was elder to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). They thought in the same way with regard to the Imamate of Ismail bin Ja’far and Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) not being the Imam. Hence when Muhammad died, the command of Allah was revealed about him; that is he is not the Imam and that he is not appointed to Imamate, and the same was revealed with regard to Ismail previously. Not that previously a text based on his Imamate was mentioned and after that Allah changed His decision in favor of someone; as such a thing is impossible from Almighty Allah and He is aware of the end of all matters.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19419

169- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن أحمد العلوي عن أبي هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: سمعت أبا الحسن العسكري عليه السلام يقول: الخلف من بعدي الحسن. فكيف لكم بالخلف من بعد الخلف؟ فقلت: ولم جعلني الله فداك؟ فقال: لأنكم لا ترون شخصه ولا يحل لكم ذكره باسمه. فقلت: فكيف نذكره؟فقال: قولوا الحجة من آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

H 169 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Ahmad Alawi from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I heard Imam Hadi (a. s) say: The successor after me is Hasan. But how will it be for you with regard to the successor after the successor? I asked: May I be sacrificed on you, what for? He replied: Because you will not see his person, nor is it permissible for you to mention him by his name. I asked: So how are we to mention him? He replied: The Proof (Hujjah) from Aale Muhammad (a. s).

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19420

170- وروى محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن ابن أبي الصهبان قال: لما مات أبو جعفر محمد بن علي بن محمد بن علي بن موسى عليهم السلام وضع لأبي الحسن علي بن محمد عليه السلام كرسي فجلس عليه، وكان أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام قائما في ناحية،فلما فرغ من غسل أبي جعفر التفت أبو الحسن إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام فقال: يا بني، أحدث لله شكرا فقد أحدث فيك أمرا.

H 170 - Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab has narrated from Ibn Abi Sahban that he said: When Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa (a. s) died, a chair or a platform was put for Imam Hadi (a. s) and the Imam sat on it. Abu Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) also stood besides the Imam. After he completed the funeral bath of Abu Ja’far, Imam Hadi (a. s) glanced at Abu Muhammad (a. s) and said: “God has made succession (rest) with you from Him. So praise God.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19421

وأما معجزاته الدالة على إمامته فأكثر من أن تحصى. منها:

As for the miracles of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), which prove his Imamate, they are so many that they cannot be computed. For example the following:

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19422

171- ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري عن أبي هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي محمد عليه السلام فاستؤذن لرجل من أهل اليمن فدخل رجل طويل جسيم، فسلم عليه بالولاية، فقلت في نفسي ليت شعري من هذا؟ فقال أبو محمد عليه السلام: هذا من ولد الأعرابية صاحبة الحصاة التي طبع فيها آبائي بخواتيم فانطبعت. ثم قال: هاتها. فأخرج حصاة وفي جانب منها موضع أملس، فطبع فيها فانطبع. وكأني أقرأ نقش خاتمه الساعة: الحسن بن علي. ثم نهض الرجل وهو يقول: ﴿رَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ.﴾ ﴿ذُرِّيَّةٌ بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ.﴾أشهد أن حقك الحق الواجب كوجوب حق أمير المؤمنين والأئمة عليهم السلام، وإليك انتهت الحكمة والولاية،وأنك ولي الله الذي لا عذر لأحد في الجهل بك. فسألته عن اسمه،فقال: اسمي مهجع بن الصلت بن عقبة بن سمعان بن غانم ابن أم غانم، وهي الأعرابية اليمانية صاحبة الحصاة التي ختم فيها أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام…تمام الحديث.

H 171 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) when permission for entry was sought for a Yemenite gentleman. When he entered, we saw that he was tall and he greeted the Imam as the owner of authority. I said to myself: If I only knew who this man is! Imam (a. s) said: He is the descendant of the Bedouin lady who possessed the pebble on which my ancestors had placed their seals. After that the Imam (a. s) said: Show that pebble, and he brought it out. The Imam placed his seal on the part, which was empty. As if we can still read the seal of the Imam and print of His Eminence that he had written: Hasan bin Ali. After that the man arose and said: Peace and blessings of Allah be on you, O Ahle Bayt (a. s); progeny in which some have emerged from others. I testify that your right, like the right of Amirul Momineen (a. s) and the Holy Imams (a. s) is obligatory; wisdom and Wilayat ends at you. You are the Wali (divine saint) of God and no one can offer any excuse of ignorance about you. I asked him what his name was; and he replied: My name is Mahja bin Salat bin Uqbah bin Samaan bin Ghanam bin Umme Ghanam. And she is the Bedouin lady from Yemen, owner of the pebble for whom Amirul Momineen (a. s) placed his seal (on the pebble).

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19423

172- وروى علي بن محمد بن زياد الصيمري قال: دخلت على أبي أحمد عبيد الله بن عبد الله بن طاهر وبين يديه رقعة أبي محمد عليه السلام فيها: إني نازلت الله في هذا الطاغي - يعني المستعين- وهو آخذه بعد ثلاث. فلما كان اليوم الثالث خلع وكان من أمره ما كان إلى أن قتل.

H 172 - Ali bin Muhammad bin Ziyad Saymoori said: I came to Abu Ahmad Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Tahir; there was a letter of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) before him and it was written therein: I prayed to Almighty Allah against this transgressor [Mustaeen] and God’s fury would overtake him after three days. On the third day, Mustaeen was divested of Caliphate and killed.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19424

173- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن أبي هاشم الجعفري قال: كنت محبوسا مع أبي محمد عليه السلام في حبس المهتدي بن الواثق، فقال لي: يا با هاشم، إن هذا الطاغي أراد أن يعبث بالله في هذه الليلة، وقد بتر الله عمره وجعله للقائم من بعده. ولم يكن لي ولد وسأرزق ولدا. قال أبو هاشم: فلما أصبحنا شغب الأتراك على المهتدي فقتلوه، وولي المعتمد مكانه وسلمنا الله تعالى.

H 173 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: I was imprisoned with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) in the prison of Mohtadi bin Wathiq. Imam (a. s) said to me: O Aba Hashim, this transgressor wanted to play with divine destiny, but Allah, the Mighty and the High has cut off his life and transferred his kingdom to his successors. I don’t have a son at present; but very soon, I will be bestowed with one. Abu Hashim said: The following morning Turks attacked Mohtadi and slew him and Motamid succeeded him to the throne. Almighty Allah saved us from the intrigue of Mohtadi also.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19425

174- وأخبرني جمـاعة عن التلعكبري عن أحـمد بن علي الرازي عن الحسـين بن علي عن محمد بن الحسن بن رزين قال: حدثني أبو الحسن الموسوي الخيبري قال: حدثني أبي أنه كان يغشى أبا محمد عليه السلام بسر من رأى كثيرا، وأنه أتاه يوما فوجده وقد قدمت إليه دابته ليركب إلى دار السلطان، وهو متغير اللون من الغضب، وكان يجيئه رجل من العامة فإذا ركب دعا له وجاء بأشياء يشيع بها عليه،فكان عليه السلام يكره ذلك. فلما كان ذلك اليوم زاد الرجل في الكلام وألح، فسار حتى انتهى إلى مفرق الطريقين وضاق على الرجل أحدهما من الدواب فعدل إلى طريق يخرج منه ويلقاه فيه، فدعا عليه السلام ببعض خدمه وقال له: امض فكفن هذا. فتبعه الخادم. فلما انتهى عليه السلام إلى السوق ونحن معه خرج الرجل من الدرب ليعارضه، وكان في الموضع بغل واقف، فضربه البغل فقتله، ووقف الغلام فكفنه كما أمره،وسار عليه السلام وسرنا معه.

H 174 - A group of scholars has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Husain bin Ali from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Razin that he said: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Musawi Khyberi: My father narrated that he was with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) during many nights in Samarrah: One day a mount was brought for the Imam (a. s) to take him to the ruler. Imam (a. s) was furious at this. A Sunni man came to take the Imam and when the Imam was mounted, he also mounted his beast in a disrespectful manner. He harassed the Imam (a. s) and the latter was much disturbed by this. That day the Sunni man was more audacious to the Imam and spoke to him in a very harsh fashion. They rode on till they came to a fork on the road. Since the road was narrow and many quadrupeds were crossing it, it was not possible for two riders to ride abreast of each other. So he left the road to rejoin the Imam from a shortcut. During this period Imam (a. s) called to one of his servants: Go and shroud this man. The servant obeyed the Imam. When Imam (a. s) reached the market and we were also accompanying the Imam, that man entered the road to apprehend the Imam and to harass him through abuses and insult. At the place he entered, road stood a mule, which killed him with a single kick. The Imam’s servant shrouded him as the Imam had ordered and the Imam continued on his journey and we followed.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19426

175- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن داود بن قاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي محمد عليه السلام فقال: إذا قام القائم يهدم المنار والمقاصير التي في المساجد. فقلت في نفسي: لأي معنى هذا؟فأقبل علي فقال: معنى هذا أنها محدثة مبتدعة لم يبنها نبي ولا حجة.

H 175 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) when he said: When the Qaim (a. s) stages an uprising he will order razing of the minarets and maqsoorahs of mosques. I (the narrator) said: I wondered what it denoted. The Imam turned to me and said: It means that all these are innovations. Neither were they sanctioned by the Prophet nor his true successors.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19427

176- وبهذا الإسناد عن أبي هاشم الجعفري قال:سمعت أبا محمد عليه السلام يقول: من الذنوب التي لا تغفر قول الرجل: ليتني لا أؤاخذ إلا بهذا. فقلت في نفسي: إن هذا لهو الدقيق؛ينبغي للرجل أن يتفقد من أمره ومن نفسه كل شي‏ء. فأقبل علي أبو محمد عليه السلام فقال: يا أبا هاشم،صدقت. فالزم ما حدثت به نفسك،فإن الإشراك في الناس أخفى من دبيب الذر على الصفا في الليلة الظلماء ومن دبيب الذر على المسح الأسود.

H 176 - It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: I heard Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) say: Among the sins that would not be forgiven is when a person says: If only I were not punished, except for this sin! I said to myself: This matter is very complicated and it is best for man to be wary of his self in his internal matters in everything. At that moment the Imam glanced at me and said: O Abdul Hashim, you thought right. You must be careful of every incident and matter, because polytheism in people is more concealed than the movement of the ant on a smooth stone on a dark night or on the surface of black floor.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19428

177- سعد بن عبد الله عن أحمد بن الحسين بن عمر بن يزيد قال:أخبرني أبو الهيثم بن سيابة أنه كتب إليه لما أمر المعتز بدفعه إلى سعيد الحاجب عند مضيه إلى الكوفة وأن يحدث فيه ما يحدث به الناس بقصر ابن هبيرة: جعلني الله فداك، بلغنا خبر قد أقلقنا وأبلغ منا؟ فكتب عليه السلام إليه: بعد ثالث يأتيكم الفرج. فخلع المعتز اليوم الثالث.

H 177- Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Ahmad bin Husain bin Umar bin Yazid that he said: When Motaz ordered that while passing through Kufa with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), they should entrust him to Saeed, the chamberlain, so that they may take the Imam to the palace of Ibn Hubairah in a way that people introduce one another. Abu Haitham Siyabah wrote a letter to the Imam: May I be sacrificed on you, I have come to know something, which has caused me discomfort and bewilderment. Imam (a. s) replied: Deliverance will come to you after another three days. After three days, Motaz was divested of Caliphate.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19429

178- أخبرني جماعة عن أبي المفضل الشيباني عن أبي الحسين محمد بن بحر بن سهل الشيباني الرهني قال:قال بشر بن سليمان النخاس، وهو من ولد أبي أيوب الأنصاري أحد موالي أبي الحسن وأبي محمد عليهما السلام وجارهما بسر من رأى: أتاني كافور الخادم فقال: مولانا أبو الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري عليهما السلام يدعوك إليه. فأتيته،فلما جلست بين يديه قال لي: يا بشر، إنك من ولد الأنصار، وهذه الموالاة لم تزل فيكم يرثها خلف عن سلف، وأنتم ثقاتنا أهل البيت،وإني مزكيك ومشرفك بفضيلة تسبق بها الشيعة في الموالاة بها بسر أطلعك عليه وأنفذك في ابتياع أمة. فكتب كتابا لطيفا بخط رومي ولغة رومية وطبع عليه خاتمه وأخرج شقيقة صفراء فيها مائتان وعشرون دينارا فقال: خذها،وتوجه بها إلى بغداد وأحضر معبر الفرات ضحوة يوم كذا. فإذا وصلت إلى جانبك زواريق السبايا وترى الجواري فيها ستجد طوائف المبتاعين من وكلاء قواد بني العباس وشرذمة من فتيان العرب، فإذا رأيت ذلك فأشرف من البعد على المسمى عمر بن يزيد النخاس عامة نهارك إلى أن تبرز للمبتاعين جارية صفتها كذا وكذا، لابسة حريرين صفيقين، تمتنع من العرض ولمس المعترض والانقياد لمن يحاول لمسها. وتسمع صرخة رومية من وراء ستر رقيق فاعلم أنها تقول: وا هتك ستراه! فيقول بعض المبتاعين: على ثلاثمائة دينار، فقد زادني العفاف فيها رغبة. فتقول له بالعربية: لو برزت في زي سليمان بن داود وعلى شبه ملكه ما بدت لي فيك رغبة، فاشفق على مالك. فيقول النخاس: فما الحيلة ولا بد من بيعك؟فتقول الجارية: وما العجلة؟ ولا بد من اختيار مبتاع يسكن قلبي إليه وإلى وفائه وأمانته. فعند ذلك قم إلى عمر بن يزيد النخاس وقل له إن معك كتابا ملصقا لبعض الأشراف كتبه بلغة رومية وخط رومي، ووصف فيه كرمه ووفاءه ونبله وسخاءه. فناولها لتتأمل منه أخلاق صاحبه، فإن مالت إليه ورضيته فأنا وكيله في ابتياعها منك. قال بشر بن سليمان: فامتثلت جميع ما حده لي مولاي أبو الحسن عليه السلام في أمر الجارية، فلما نظرت في الكتاب بكت بكاء شديدا وقالت لعمر بن يزيد: بعني! من صاحب هذا الكتاب؟وحلفت بالمحرجة والمغلظة أنه متى امتنع من بيعها منه قتلت نفسها. فما زلت أشاحه في ثمنها حتى استقر الأمر فيه على مقدار ما كان أصحبنيه مولاي عليه السلام من الدنانير، فاستوفاه مني وتسلمت الجارية ضاحكة مستبشرة،وانصرفت بها إلى الحجيرة التي كنت آوي إليها ببغداد. فما أخذها القرار حتى أخرجت كتاب مولانا عليه السلام من جيبها وهي تلثمه وتطبقه على جفنها وتضعه على خدها وتمسحه على بدنها.فقلت تعجبا منها: تلثمين كتابا لا تعرفين صاحبه؟ فقالت: أيها العاجز الضعيف المعرفة بمحل أولاد الأنبياء! أعرني سمعك وفرغ لي قلبك. أنا ملكية بنت يشوعا بن قيصر ملك الروم،وأمي من ولد الحواريين تنسب إلى وصي المسيح شمعون. أنبئك بالعجب: إن جدي قيصر أراد أن يزوجني من ابن أخيه وأنا من بنات ثلاث عشرة سنة، فجمع في قصره من نسل الحواريين من القسيسين والرهبان ثلاثمائة رجل ومن ذوي الأخطار منهم سبعمائة رجل، وجمع من أمراء الأجناد وقواد العسكر ونقباء الجيوش وملوك العشائر أربعة آلاف،وأبرز من بهي ملكه عرشا مصنوعا من أصناف الجوهر إلى صحن القصر ورفعه فوق أربعين مرقاة. فلما صعد ابن أخيه وأحدقت الصلب وقامت الأساقفة عكفا ونشرت أسفار الإنجيل تسافلت الصلب من الأعلى فلصقت بالأرض وتقوضت أعمدة العرش فانهارت إلى القرار وخر الصاعد من العرش مغشيا عليه، فتغيرت ألوان الأساقفة وارتعدت فرائصهم، فقال كبيرهم لجدي: أيها الملك، أعفنا من ملاقاة هذه النحوس الدالة على زوال دولة هذا الدين المسيحي والمذهب الملكاني. فتطير جدي من ذلك تطيرا شديدا وقال للأساقفة: أقيموا هذه الأعمدة وارفعوا الصلبان وأحضروا أخا هذا المدبر العاثر المنكوس جده لأزوجه هذه الصبية فيدفع نحوسه عنكم بسعوده. فلما فعلوا ذلك حدث على الثاني مثل ما حدث على الأول وتفرق الناس. وقـام جـدي قيـصر مغتمـا فدخـل منـزل النسـاء وأرخيـت الستـور. وأريـت في تلك الليلة كأن المسيح وشمعون وعدة من الحواريين قد اجتمعوا في قصر جدي ونصبوا فيه منبرا من نور يباري السماء علوا وارتفاعا في الموضع الذي كان نصب جدي فيه عرشه، ودخل عليهم محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وختنه ووصيه وعدة من أبنائه عليهم السلام.فتقدم المسيح إليه فاعتنقه،فيقول له محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: يا روح الله، إني جئتك خاطبا من وصيك شمعون فتاته مليكة لابني هذا. وأومأ بيده إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام ابن صاحب هذا الكتاب. فنظر المسيح إلى شمعون وقال له: قد أتاك الشرف! فصل رحمك رحم آل محمد عليهم السلام. قال: قد فعلت.فصعد ذلك المنبر فخطب محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وزوجني من ابنه، وشهد المسيح عليه السلام وشهد أبناء محمد عليهم السلام والحواريون. فلما استيقظت أشفقت أن أقص هذه الرؤيا على أبي وجدي مخافة القتل، فكنت أسرها ولا أبديها لهم. وضرب صدري بمحبة أبي محمد عليه السلام حتى امتنعت من الطعام والشراب، فضعفت نفسي ودق شخصي ومرضت مرضا شديدا،فما بقي في مدائن الروم طبيب إلا أحضره جدي وسأله عن دوائي. فلما برح به اليأس قال: يا قرة عيني، وهل يخطر ببالك شهوة فأزودكها في هذه الدنيا؟ فقلت: يا جدي،أرى أبواب الفرج علي مغلقة. فلو كشفت العذاب عمن في سجنك من أسارى المسلمين وفككت عنهم الأغلال وتصدقت عليهم ومنيتهم الخلاص رجوت أن يهب لي المسيح وأمه عافية. فلما فعل ذلك تجلدت في إظهار الصحة من بدني قليلا وتناولت يسيرا من الطعام،فسر بذلك وأقبل على إكرام الأسارى وإعزازهم. فأريت أيضا بعد أربع عشرة ليلة كأن سيدة نساء العالمين فاطمة عليها السلام قد زارتني ومعها مريم ابنة عمران وألف من وصائف الجنان، فتقول لي مريم: هذه سيدة نساء العالمين أم زوجك أبي محمد. فأتعلق بها وأبكي وأشكو إليها امتناع أبي محمد عليه السلام من زيارتي. فقالت سيدة النساء عليها السلام: إن ابني أبا محمد لا يزورك وأنت مشركة بالله على مذهب النصارى. وهذه أختي مريم بنت عمران تبرأ إلى الله تعالى من دينك. فإن ملت إلى رضى الله ورضى المسيح ومريم عليهما السلام وزيارة أبي محمد إياك فقولي: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن أبي محمدا رسول الله. فلما تكلمت بهذه الكلمة ضمتني إلى صدرها سيدة نساء العالمين عليها السلام وطيبت نفسي وقالت: الآن توقعي زيارة أبي محمد، فإني منفذته إليك. فانتبهت وأنا أنول وأتوقع لقاء أبي محمد عليه السلام. فلما كان في الليلة القابلة رأيت أبا محمد عليه السلام وكأني أقول له: جفوتني يا حبيبي بعد أن أتلفت نفسي معالجة حبك. فقال: ما كان تأخري عنك إلا لشركك، فقد أسلمت وأنا زائرك في كل ليلة إلى أن يجمع الله تعالى شملنا في العيان. فما قطع عني زيارته بعد ذلك إلى هذه الغاية. قال بشر: فقلت لها: وكيف وقعت في الأسارى؟ فقالت: أخبرني أبو محمد عليه السلام ليلة من الليالي أن جدك سيسير جيشا إلى قتال المسلمين يوم كذا وكذا ثم يتبعهم، فعليك باللحاق بهم متنكرة في زي الخدم مع عدة من الوصائف من طريق كذا. ففعلت ذلك فوقعت علينا طلائع المسلمين حتى كان من أمري ما رأيت وشاهدت، وما شعر بأني ابنة ملك الروم إلى هذه الغاية أحد سواك، وذلك باطلاعي إياك عليه. ولقد سألني الشيخ الذي وقعت إليه في سهم الغنيمة عن اسمي فأنكرته وقلت: نرجس. فقال: اسم الجواري. قلت: العجب إنك رومية ولسانك عربي؟!قالت: نعم، من ولوع جدي وحمله إياي على تعلم الآداب أن أوعز إلى امرأة ترجمانة لي في الاختلاف إلي. وكانت تقصدني صباحا ومساء وتفيدني العربية حتى استمر لساني عليها واستقام. قال بشر: فلما انكفأت بها إلى سر من رأى دخلت على مولاي أبي الحسن عليه السلام،فقال: كيف أراك الله عز الإسلام وذل النصرانية وشرف محمد وأهل بيته عليهم السلام؟ قالت: كيف أصف لك يا ابن رسول الله ما أنت أعلم به مني؟ قال: فإني أحببت أن أكرمك. فما أحب إليك؛ عشرة آلاف دينار أم بشرى لك بشرف الأبد؟ قالت: بشرى بولد لي.قال لها: أبشري بولد يملك الدنيا شرقا وغربا ويملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً. قالت: ممن؟ قال: ممن خطبك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم له ليلة كذا في شهر كذا من سنة كذا بالرومية. قالت: من المسيح ووصيه؟ قال لها: ممن زوجك المسيح عليه السلام ووصيه. قالت: من ابنك أبي محمد عليه السلام؟ فقال: هل تعرفينه؟ قالت: وهل خلت ليلة لم يرني فيها منذ الليلة التي أسلمت على يد سيدة النساء عليها السلام؟ قال: فقال مولانا: يا كافور، ادع أختي حكيمة. فلما دخلت قال لها: ها هيه. فاعتنقتها طويلا وسرت بها كثيرا. فقال لها أبو الحسن عليه السلام: يا بنت رسول الله، خذيها إلى منزلك وعلميها الفرائض والسنن، فإنها زوجة أبي محمد وأم القائم عليه السلام.

H 178 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abu Mufaddal Shaibani from Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Shaibani that he said: Bushr bin Sulaiman, Nakhkhas, a slave trader from the descendents of Abu Ayyub Ansari and a sincere Shia of Imams Ali Naqi and Hasan Askari (a. s) and their neighbor at Samarrah said: “One day Kafur, the slave of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) came to me and summoned me to his master. When I went to the Imam, he said: “O Bushr, you are from the descendents of Ansar. This devotion is your legacy, which your each coming generation inherits from the preceding. You are trustworthy men of us, Ahle Bayt. I am elevating you and ennobling you by an excellence, through which you will surpass all Shia in devotion, by sharing a secret with you and sending you to purchase a certain slave girl.” He then wrote a very fine letter in Roman script and language; and imprinted his seal on it. He took out a yellow cloth containing two hundred and twenty dinars. He said: “Take this and go to Baghdad.” He told me to go to the crossing of the Euphrates on the noon of such and such day. He said: “When you reach the boats of the captives, you will see slave girls in them. You will find buyers working for the procurers of Abbasids and a small group of Arab youths. When you see that, keep an eye on a man called Amr bin Zaid, the slave trader from a distance all day long, until a slave girl is brought to the buyers, who has such-and-such quality. Her dress is two thick silks; she refuses to be seen or touched by the examiners; she does not submit to anyone who would want to touch her. And you will hear a cry in Roman from behind a thin veil. You should know that she is saying: Alas from the violation of the veil. One of the buyers of Amr will say: Mine for three hundred dinars; her modesty has ever increased my desire for her. She replies to him in Arabic: Even if you come in the form of Sulaiman, the son of Dawood and with a kingdom like his, I will not be interested in you. So, save your money. “The slave-dealer says: Then what is the solution? I have to sell you. The slave girl replies: Why the haste? There must be a buyer that my heart finds rest in; in his fidelity and honesty. At that moment, go to Amr bin Zaid and tell him you have a nice letter from a certain man of nobility, which he has written in Roman language and Roman script, describing therein his benevolence, fidelity, excellence and generosity, so that she may discern from it the character of its author. Should she be interested in him and choose him, then I am his representative in buying her from you.” Bushr bin Sulaiman says: I performed all that which my Master, Abul Hasan (a. s) had ordered me to do with respect to the slave girl. When she saw the epistle, she cried very profusely and said to Amr bin Zaid: Sell me to the author of this letter. She took the solemnest of oaths that should he refuse, she will take her life. I negotiated the price with the dealer until it settled exactly on the amount my Master had given me. The money being sufficient, I took the slave girl, who was so very happy and in laughter. I returned with her to the quarters I was residing at in Baghdad. She was very restless until she took out from her pocket the letter of our Imam. She would kiss it and put it on her eyes and place it on her cheeks and touch it to her body. Astonished by this, I said: You are kissing a letter you don’t know who wrote. “O incapable and feeble one from knowing the position of the progeny of prophets,” she said, “Lend me your ears and vacate your heart for my words. I am Malika, the daughter of Yashua, son of the Caesar of Rome. My mother is a descendent of the Disciples of Isa (Hawariyin), and her lineage goes back to Shamun, the successor of Isa. I will narrate to you the wondrous story. My grandfather, the Caesar, wanted to marry me to his nephew when I was a girl of thirteen. So he gathered in his palace, three hundred priests and monks from the descendents of Hawariyin, and from their men of stature seven hundred men. He gathered four thousand commanders of the army and officers of military, leaders of armed forces and chiefs of tribes. He erected a throne from the dearest of his riches, which was adorned with varieties of jewels and raised over forty steps. When his nephew climbed, the crosses were fixed about, the bishops took their stands in great reverence, and the pages of Injeel were opened. Suddenly the crosses collapsed from the top and hit the ground. The pillars of the throne crumbled and crashed to the floor. My grandfather’s nephew, who had risen over the throne, fell down unconscious. The faces of the bishops paled and their chests trembled. Their leader said to my grandfather, ‘Please excuse me from facing this evil, which forebodes the demise of this Christian religion and the royal creed.’ “My grandfather took this as an evil omen and said to them, ‘Erect these scaffolds and raise the crosses and bring the brother of this deceased man, whose dreams have been ruined, so I may marry him this young girl; so the evil of his dead brother may go away through his fortune.’ “And when they did that, the same thing happened to the second as had happened to the first nephew. People dispersed. My grandfather, the Caesar stood in great distress and entered the quarters of the womenfolk. I dropped the curtains and in the same night saw in my dream that Isa, Shamun, and a number of the Disciples (Hawariyin) had gathered at my grandfather’s palace. They had installed there a pulpit of light that was defying heavens in height and elevation. It was in the same spot where my grandfather had installed his throne. At this, Muhammad, (s), his son-in-law and his successor, Amirul Momineen (a. s) and a number of his sons entered. Isa went forward and embraced him. Muhammad (a. s) said to him, ‘O Ruhallah, I have come to you to propose to your successor, Shamun for his daughter, Malika for this son of my mine, pointing to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), the son of the writer of this epistle. Isa looked at Shamun and said, ‘The greatest honor has come to you. Let your relation be bonded with the relation of Aale Muhammad (a. s).’ ‘Shamun said: ‘It will be my honor to do so.’ He climbed over that pulpit. Muhammad (s) performed the rituals and married me to his son. Isa bore witness and the sons of Muhammad (a. s) and the Hawariyin bore witness. When I woke up, I was scared to report this to my father or grandfather, fearing they would kill me. I kept this secret and did not reveal it to them. Meanwhile, my heart throbbed with love for Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) so much that I forsook eating and drinking. I became weak and my body grew lean and I became very sick. There was no physician left in the cities of Rome that my grandfather did not bring to heal me. When despair overwhelmed him, he said to me, ‘O solace of my heart, does any wish occur to your heart in this world, so I may fulfill it?’ “I said: ‘Grandfather, I see the doors of relief shut on me. However, if you save the Muslim captives in your prison from torture, remove their chains, do them favors and release them kindly, I am hopeful that Isa and his mother will give me health.’ When he did that, I made effort to display health and ate a little food. This made him very happy and he became ever intense to confer kindness and respect upon the captives. “I also saw in my dreams for fourteen nights the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, Fatima (a. s). She visited me along with Maryam, daughter of Imran, and one thousand Houries from Paradise. Maryam says to me, ‘This is the Mistress of the Ladies (a. s), the mother of your husband.’ So I hold her and cry and complain why Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) does not come to visit me. The Mistress of the Ladies (a. s) said: ‘My son, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) will not visit you as long as you believe in a partner with Allah in the religion of the Christians. This is my sister Maryam, the daughter of Imran, and she turns to Allah with disdain from your religion. If you want the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, and the pleasure of Isa and his mother, and to have Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) visit you, say: I testify that there is no god, except Allah and Muhammad is the Last Messenger of Allah.’ “When I spoke these words, the Mistress of the Ladies of the World pulled me to her chest and my soul was blessed. She said: ‘Now expect the visitations of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). I am sending him to you.’ I woke up in great excitement and expectation of meeting the Imam. The following night, I saw Imam (a. s) and as if I was saying to him, ‘You abandoned me, my beloved, while the remedy of your love ruined my soul.’ He said: ‘My delay was not but for your polytheistic belief. Now you have embraced Islam, I am going to visit you every night until Allah brings us together.’ Until now, his visitations to me have not ceased.” Bushr bin Sulaiman says: I asked her, “How did you fall amongst the captives?” She said: “Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) told me on one of the nights: Your grandfather will shortly be dispatching an army to fight the Muslims on such and such day, and he will follow them. You have to join them in the train of servants along with a number of servants from such and such route. I did that and the vanguards of Muslims encountered us, which led to my situation that you see. And no one knew that I am the granddaughter of the Roman Caesar until now, except you and that is because I told you. The gentleman in whose share of booty I fell, asked me of my name. I hid my identity from him and said: ‘Narjis.’ He said: ‘A name of slave girl.’ I said to her, “It is amazing that you are Roman and your language is Arabic.” She said: “Due to my grandfather’s persistence and encouragement that I should increase my learning, he appointed a woman to me, who was his interpreter, to visit me. She would come to me day and night and teach me Arabic, until I became fluent.” Bushr says: When I brought her back to Samarrah, I came to my Master, Imam Ali Naqi (a. s). He asked her, “How did Allah show you the glory of Islam and the disgrace of Christianity and the nobility of Muhammad and his Household?” She said: “How would I describe, O son of Allah’s Messenger, something, which you know better than me?” “I would like to confer kindness on you,” he said. “Which one is dearer to you, ten thousand dinars or a happy tiding of eternal grandeur?” “Happy tidings of a son for me,” she said. “Rejoice the tidings of having a son, who would rule the world, from the east to the west, and fill it with equity and justice, as it will be fraught with oppression and injustice.” “From whom,” she asked. From the one for whom the Messenger of Allah (s) proposed for you on such and such night, in such and such year, replied my Master in Roman. He said: “To whom Isa and his successor married you.” “From your son?” she asked. “Do you know him?” “Has there been a night he has not visited me since I have embraced Islam at the hands of Mistress of the Ladies!” Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) said: “Kafur, call my sister Hakima.” And when she entered, he said, “Here she is.” Lady Hakima embraced her long and was very much happy to see her. Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) said, “O daughter of the Messenger of Allah, take her to your house and teach her the duties and traditions, for she is the wife of my son and the mother of Qaim (a. s).”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19430

179- وأخبرنا جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري رحمه الله قال: كنت في دهليز أبي علي محمد بن همام رحمه الله على دكة إذ مر بنا شيخ كبير عليه دراعة، فسلم على أبي علي بن همام فرد عليه السلام ومضى.فقال لي: أتدري من هو هذا؟ فقلت لا. فقال: هذا شاكري لسيدنا أبي محمد عليه السلام. أفتشتهي أن تسمع من أحاديثه عنه شيئا؟قلت: نعم. فقال لي: معك شي‏ء تعطيه؟فقلت له: معي درهمان صحيحان. فقال: هما يكفيانه. فمضيت خلفه فلحقته فقلت له: أبو علي يقول لك تنشط للمصير إلينا. فقال: نعم. فجئنا إلى أبي علي بن همام فجلس إليه، فغمز بي أبو علي أن أسلم إليه الدرهمين، فسلمتها إليه. فقال لي: ما يحتاج إلى هذا؟ ثم أخذهما. فقال له أبو علي بن همام: يا با عبد الله محمد! حدثنا عن أبي محمد عليه السلام ما رأيت. فقال: كان أستاذي صالحا من بين العلويين لم أر قط مثله، وكان يركب بسرج صفته بزيون مسكي وأزرق. (قال) وكان يركب إلى دار الخلافة بسر من رأى في كل إثنين وخميس. (قال) وكان يوم النوبة يحضر من الناس شي‏ء عظيم ويغص الشارع بالدواب والبغال والحمير والضجة فلا يكون لأحد موضع يمشي ولا يدخل بينهم.(قال) فإذا جاء أستاذي سكنت الضجة وهدأ صهيل الخيل ونهاق الحمير. (قال) وتفرقت البهائم حتى يصير الطريق واسعا لا يحتاج أن يتوقى من الدواب تحفه ليزحمها. ثم يدخل فيجلس في مرتبته التي جعلت له. فإذا أراد الخروج وصاح البوابون: هاتوا دابة أبي محمد، سكن صياح الناس وصهيل الخيل،فتفرقت الدواب حتى يركب ويمضي. وقال الشاكري: واستدعاه يوما الخليفة وشق ذلك عليه وخاف أن يكون قد سعى به إليه بعض من يحسده على مرتبته من العلويين والهاشميين، فركب ومضى إليه. فلما حصل في الدار قيل له: إن الخليفة قد قام. ولكن اجلس في مرتبتك أو انصرف. (قـال) فانصـرف وجـاء إلى سوق الدواب وفيها من الضجة والمصادمة واختلاف الناس شي‏ء كثير. فلما دخل إليها سكن الناس وهدأت الدواب. (قال) وجلس إلى نخاس كان يشتري له الدواب. (قال) فجي‏ء له بفرس كبوس لا يقدر أحد أن يدنو منه. (قال) فباعوه إياه بوكس، فقال لي: يا محمد،قم فاطرح السرج عليه. (قال) فقلت: إنه لا يقول لي ما يؤذيني. فحللت الحزام وطرحت السرج عليه،فهدأ ولم يتحرك. وجئت به لأمضي به، فجاء النخاس فقال لي: ليس يباع. فقال لي: سلمه إليهم. قال: فجاء النخاس ليأخذه، فالتفت إليه التفاتة ذهب منه منهزما. (قال) وركب ومضينا، فلحقنا النخاس فقال: صاحبه يقول أشفقت أن يرد،فإن كان قد علم ما فيه من الكبس فليشتره. فقال لي أستاذي: قد علمت. فقال: قد بعتك. فقال لي: خذه. فأخذته. (قال) فجئت به إلى الإصطبل،فما تحرك ولا آذاني ببركة أستاذي.فلما نزل جاء إليه وأخذ أذنه اليمنى فرقاه ثم أخذ أذنه اليسرى فرقاه. فوالله لقد كنت أطرح الشعير له فأفرقه بين يديه فلا يتحرك. هذا ببركة أستاذي. قال أبو محمد: قال أبو علي بن همام: هذا الفرس يقال له الصئول. (قال) يرجم بصاحبه حتى يرجم به الحيطان ويقوم على رجليه ويلطم صاحبه. قال محمد الشاكري: كان أستاذي أصلح من رأيت من العلويين والهاشميين. ما كان يشرب هذا النبيذ. كان يجلس في المحراب ويسجد فأنام وانتبه وأنام وهو ساجد، وكان قليل الأكل. كان يحضره التين والعنب والخوخ وما شاكله فيأكل منه الواحدة والثنتين ويقول: شل هذا يا محمد إلى صبيانك. فأقول: هذا كله؟ فيقول: خذه. ما رأيت قط أسدى منه. فهذه بعض دلائله، ولو استوفيناها لطال به الكتاب. وكان مع إمامته من أكرم الناس وأجودهم.

H 179 - A group of scholars has informed us from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari that he said: I was in the parlor of Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam seated on a bench, when an aged man with a cloak on shoulders came to us. He greeted Abu Ali bin Himam and he replied to his greeting as he passed on. Abu Ali asked me: Do you know who that is? No, I replied. This man is the servant of our master, Abu Muhammad (a. s). Would you like to hear his traditions from Imam (a. s)? Yes, I replied. He said: Do you have anything to give him? I said: I have two dirhams from legal tender. He replied: That is enough. So I followed him till I reached him. I said: Abu Ali asks you if can return to us? He replied: Yes. So we came together to Abu Ali bin Himam. Abu Ali signaled me to give those two dirhams to him and I gave him the money. That old man said: There was no need of this. After that he took the money. Abu Ali bin Himam said: O Aba Abdullah Muhammad please narrated to us what you saw about Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). He said: My teacher is such a righteous person among the Alawites and I have definitely not seen anyone like him. He mounted a horse, which had black brocade saddle; he mounted his horse Mondays and Thursday and went to the capital at Surre Man Ra. One day when it was his turn to go, a lot of people were present on way to the palace and the lanes and roads were crowded with horses, mules etc. and there was a complete traffic jam. In such a way that no one can move forward. Due to the crowd there was no possibility to enter. But when my master arrived, all the people and animals became silent and animals moved to the side and made way in such a way that there was no need of taking precaution of touching the animals. After that he entered the gathering and sat down at the place reserved for him. Even at the time when he wanted to leave Darul Khilafa he called the gate keepers: Bring the mount of Abu Muhammad [Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)]; again the people and animals became silent and the animals made way to allow the Imam to mount and depart from there. One day the Caliph summoned the Imam and it was disturbing to him and he feared jealousy, slander and tale telling of some Alawites and Hashimites against him with the Caliph. He mounted the horse and departed. When he came to the house of the Caliph, he was told that the Caliph has left his seat and gone away; if you like you may wait for him or return. He returned from there and came to the cattle market. The market was noisy and busy, but when he entered the place even the animals fell silent. The Imam sat down with his agent who used to transact on his behalf. Meanwhile they came and sold a refractory horse to him at a very cheap rate. The Imam said to me: O Muhammad, get up and place the saddle on it. I arose and said to myself: He never orders me to do something that is painful. So I untied the waist band below the belly of the horse and placed the saddle on it. The horse remained quiet and made no movement. When I wanted to take the horse, the agent thought that it has become tame, so he said: It is not for sale. The Imam told me: Give the horse to him. The agent came to take the horse, but as soon as the horse saw him, it fled in fear. The Imam mounted his own horse and set out from there. The agent came to us and said: The owner of the horse says: I fear its return, because if your master knows that it is wild and refractory, he may buy it. The Imam said to me: Give him the money. I understood, the agent said: I have sold it. The Imam said to me: Take the horse. I took it up and took it to the stable; and the horse also, through the blessing of my master [Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)] did not agitate or trouble me. When the Imam dismounted, he held the right ear of the horse and recited something in it and then held the left ear and recited something in that as well. I swear by God, he became so tame that even when I cast grain before him, he just fed on his nourishment without any un toward behavior and it was due to the blessing of my master. Abu Muhammad has narrated from Abu Ali bin Himam that this horse was so wild that it was named as Saul; that is a beast, which kills people and throws down its owner, hits him against the wall and injures him by trampling him under the hooves. Muhammad, the servant says: My master was the most devout among the Alawites. He never consumed grape extract [wine] and remained seated in his place of worship and performed prostration. I used to sleep, wake up and again go back to sleep. He was still in his prostration. The Imam ate very less. Figs, grapes, peach and other kinds of fruits were brought for him, but he took one or two of them and said: O Muhammad, take it for your children. I asked: All? He replied: Take all. I have not seen anyone better than him. This brief sketch was among the proofs and miracles of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and if we wanted to mention all of them, it would have prolonged the book. In addition to Imamate, His Eminence was the most noble and kind person of his time.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19431

180- أخبرني جماعة عن التلعكبري عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن الحسين بن علي عن أبي الحسن الأيادي قال:حدثني أبو جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه أن أبا طاهر بن بلبل حج فنظر إلى علي بن جعفر الهماني وهو ينفق النفقات العظيمة، فلما انصرف كتب بذلك إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام،فوقع في رقعته: قد كنا أمرنا له بمائة ألف دينار،ثم أمرنا له بمثلها فأبى قبولها إبقاء علينا. ما للناس والدخول في أمرنا فيما لم ندخلهم فيه؟

H 180 - A group of scholars has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Husain bin Ali from Abul Hasan Ayyadi that he said: Narrated to me Abu Ja’far Amari that Abu Tahir Bulbul performed the Hajj and there he saw that Ali bin Ja’far Hammani [representative of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)] spending a lot of money. When he returned from Hajj, he wrote a letter to the Imam [apparently to object to so much generosity]. Imam (a. s) wrote in reply: We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in the matters in which we have not included them.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19432

فأما القائلون بأن الحسن بن علي لم يمت وهو حي باق وهو المهدي فقولهم باطل بما علمنا موته كما علمنا موت من تقدم من آبائه. والطريقة واحدة والكلام عليهم واحد. هذا مع انقراض القائلين به واندراسهم،ولو كانوا محقين لما انقرضوا. ويدل أيضا على صحة وفاته:

The belief of those who say that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) has not died and that he is alive; on the contrary he is the Mahdi, is invalid from the aspect that just as we know about the passing away of his ancestors, we are having information about his martyrdom as well, and the same arguments are applicable in this matter as well [mentioned previously]. In addition to this, those who had such belief are now extinct, whereas if they had been true, they would not have disappeared. The following traditional reports also prove the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s):

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19433

181- ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري قال:سمعت أحمد بن عبيد الله بن خاقان وهو عامل السلطان بقم-في حديث طويل اختصرناه– قال: لما اعتل أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليه السلام بعث إلى أبي أن ابن الرضا قد اعتل،فركب مبادرا إلى دار الخلافة. ثم رجع مستعجلا ومعه خمسة من خدم أمير المؤمنين من ثقاته وخاصته،منهم نحرير. فأمرهم بلزوم دار أبي محمد وتعرف خبره وحاله. وبعث إلى نفر من المتطببين فأمرهم بالاختلاف إليه وتعهده صباحا ومساء. فلما كان بعد يومين أخبر أنه قد ضعف،فركب حتى نظر إليه ثم أمر المتطببين بلزومه وبعث إلى قاضي القضاة فأحضره مجلسه وأمره أن يختار من أصحابه عشرة فبعث بهم إلى دار أبي محمد وأمرهم بلزومه ليلا ونهارا.فلم يزالوا هناك حتى توفي عليه السلام لأيام مضت من شهر ربيع الأول سنة ستين ومائتين. فصارت سر من رأى ضجة واحدة: مات ابن الرضا.ثم أخذوا في تهيئته وعطلت الأسواق وركب أبي وبنو هاشم وسائر الناس إلى جنازته وأمر السلطان أبا عيسى بن المتوكل بالصلاة عليه، فلما وضعت الجنازة دنا أبو عيسى فكشف عن وجهه وعرضه على بني هاشم من العلوية والعباسية والقواد والكتاب والقضاة والفقهاء المعدلين وقال: هذا الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن الرضا، مات حتف أنفه على فراشه، حضره من خدم أمير المؤمنين من ثقاته فلان وفلان وفلان. ثم غطى وجهه وصلى عليه وكبرعليه خمسا وأمر بحمله فحمل من وسط داره ودفن في البيت الذي دفن فيه أبوه.

H 181 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari said: I heard Ahmad bin Ubaidullah bin Khaqan – and he was the official of the ruler in Qom – say in a lengthy traditions, which we have condensed: When Abu Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) fell sick, he sent his men to my father and informed about the illness of Ibn Ridha. Immediately, he mounted a horse and moved towards Darul Khilafa. Then He came back hurriedly, accompanied by five reliable servants of the master of faithful. One of them was Nahrir. He ordered the servants to keep a vigil on the house of Hasan bin Ali and gather information about him from time to time. He called a group of physicians and asked them to visit him regularly. After two days, a person informed that Imam became very weak. My father started out to meet him and stayed with him till morning and then ordered his servants to stay with him. Then he called the chief justice and ordered him to select ten such persons from the community, who were known for their honesty and trustworthiness. The selected persons were thus sent to the house of (Imam) Hasan. They were ordered to stay there day and night till his demise. After a few days of the month of Rabi I, 260 A. H. passed away, the news spread in entire Samarrah that Ibn Ridha has passed away. Then he made preparations for the rites of Imam. He closed all the markets. My father, people of Bani Hashim, soldiers, secretaries and other people attended his funeral. The caliph asked Abu Isa Ibn Mutawakkil to offer the funeral prayer. The coffin was prepared and Abu Isa moved near it and removed the cloth off the face of Imam and addressed the people, “This is Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ridha, who died a natural death and the servants of the master of faithful, and so-and-so judges are witness to it. Then he covered his face and stood up to offer the funeral prayer. He recited five Takbirs and the bier was ordered to be lifted. The bier was taken from his house and the Imam was buried near the grave of his father.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19434

وأما من قال إن الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام يعيش بعد موته وإنه القائم بالأمر وتعلقهم بما روي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: إنما سمي القائم قائما لأنه يقوم بعد ما يموت، فقوله باطل بما دللنا عليه من موته. وادعاؤهم أنه يعيش يحتاج إلى دليل، ولو جاز لهم ذلك لجاز أن تقول الواقفة إن موسى بن جعفر عليهماالسلام يعيش بعد موته. على أن هذا يؤدي إلى خلو الزمان من إمام بعد موت الحسن عليه السلام إلى حين يحيى. وقد دللنا بأدلة عقلية على فساد ذلك.ويدل على فساد ذلك أيضا:

As for the belief that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) will come back to life after his demise and establish the divinely ordained government, arguing on the basis of the tradition from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), “He is named Qaim, because he will rise after his demise.” Their belief is wrong, because it is proved that he has passed away, and the claim that he will come back to life requires proof. If it is possible for them to say that the Waqifa might say that Musa Ibn Ja’far will come back to life after his death. Additionally, it follows that the era will be devoid of an Imam after the demise of Hasan until he comes back to life, which has been proved rationally invalid. The traditions, which assert that should the earth remain without an Imam for an hour, it would perish, invalidate this belief.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19435

182- ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد ومحمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن محمد بن الفضل عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: أتبقى الأرض بغير إمام؟ فقال: لو بقيت الأرض بغير إمام ساعة لساخت.

H 182 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid and Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Fadhl from Abu Hamza Thumali that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s): “Can the earth remain without an Imam?” He replied: “If the earth is without an Imam for a moment, it will indeed cave into itself.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19436

183- وقول أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: اللهم إنك لا تخلي الأرض من حجة إما ظاهرا مشهورا أو خائفا مغمورا يدل على ذلك.

H 183 - A saying of Amirul Momineen (a. s), “O Allah, do not leave the earth without a Divine Proof (Hujjah), either apparent and famed or hidden and unknown,” proves this.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19437

على أن قوله يقوم بعد ما يموت لو صح الخبر احتمل أن يكون أراد يقوم بعد ما يموت ذكره ويخمل ولا يعرف،وهذا جائز في اللغة. وما دللنا به على أن الأئمة اثنا عشر يبطل هذا المقال لأن الحسن بن علي عليه السلام هو الحادي عشر فيبطل قولهم على أن القائلين بذلك قد انقرضوا ولله الحمد ولو كان حقا لما انقرض القائلون به.

Even if we accept the reliability of the tradition that, “he will rise after his demise,” it could mean that he will rise after his name will die and after he will be in hiding and will not be known, which is possible in the language. Our proof that the Imams are Twelve also disproves this claim. Besides, the followers of this creed have perished, and praise belongs to the Lord. Had they been righteous in their beliefs, they would not have perished.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19438

وأما من ذهب إلى الفترة بعد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام وخلو الزمان من إمام، فقولهم باطـل بمـا دللنـا عليـه مـن أن الزمـان لا يخلـو عن إمـام في حـال من الأحـوال بأدلـة عقليـة وشرعية وتعلقهم بالفترات بين الرسل باطل لأن الفترة عبارة عن خلو الزمان من نبي ونحن لا نوجب النبوة في كل حال وليس في ذلك دلالة على خلو الزمان من إمام على أن القائلين بذلك قد انقرضوا ولله الحمد فسقط هذا القول أيضا.

As for those who believe that time remains devoid of an Imam after Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), their belief is invalid, because we have proved through rational as well as narrational proofs that time does not remain devoid of an Imam in any condition. Their argument that there were times when there were no prophets cannot benefit them, since we don’t believe that there has to be a prophet in every age and such an assertion does not prove the possibility that an era can be without an Imam. Besides, the followers of this creed have perished as well, and praise belongs to the Lord. Therefore, this belief is also invalid.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19439

وأما القائلون بإمامة جعفر بن علي بعد أخيه عليه السلام، فقولهم باطل بما دللنا عليه من أنه يجب أن يكون الإمام معصوما لا يجوز عليه الخطأ، وأنه يجب أن يكون أعلم الأمة بالأحكام. وجعفر لم يكن معصوما بلا خلاف، وما ظهر من أفعاله التي تنافي العصمة أكثر من أن يحصى، لا نطول بذكرها الكتاب، وإن عرض فيما بعد ما يقتضي ذكر بعضها ذكرناه. وأما كونه عالما فإنه كان خاليا منه، فكيف تثبت إمامته على أن القائلين بهذه المقالة قد انقرضوا أيضا ولله الحمد والمنة.

As for the believers in the Imamate of Ja’far bin Ali [Ja’far Kazzab] after his brother, their belief is wrong, because an Imam has to be infallible and beyond errors and he has to be the most knowledgeable of all of the Ummah in the rulings. However, indisputably Ja’far was not infallible. The actions manifested by him, which contradict the notion of his infallibility, are more than to be enumerated and we will not prolong the book by chronicling them here. Should a need arise in the future we shall mention some of them. As for his knowledgeability, he did not have any. How can he be an Imam then? Besides the followers of this creed have perished, and to Allah is all praise and gratitude.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19440

وأما من قال لا ولد لأبي محمد عليه السلام فقوله يبطل بما دللنا عليه من إمامة الاثني عشر وسياقة الأمر فيهم. ويزيده بيانا:

As for the assertion that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) did not have a son, it is invalid, because we proved that the Imams are twelve and this divinely ordained authority is bestowed to them. There are some more reports on this topic, which we mention below:

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19441

184- ما رواه محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى الأشعري عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر عن عقبة بن جعفر قال: قلت لأبي الحسن عليه السلام: قد بلغت ما بلغت وليس لك ولد. فقال: يا عقبة بن جعفر،إن صاحب هذا الأمر لا يموت حتى يرى ولده من بعده.

H 184 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa Ashari from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Uqbah bin Ja’far that he said: I asked Imam Ali Ridha (a. s): “You have reached this stage, but you don’t have an issue?” He replied: “O Uqbah bin Ja’far, the Imam does not pass away before seeing his descendant [successor].”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19442

185- عنه عن أبيه عن محمد بن عيسى عن الحسن بن علي الخزاز عن عمر بن أبان عن الحسن بن أبي حمزة عن أبيه عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: يا با حمزة،إن الأرض لن تخلو إلا وفيها عالم منا. فإن زاد الناس قال قد زادوا،وإن نقصوا قال قد نقصوا. ولن يخرج الله ذلك العالم حتى يرى في ولده من يعلم مثل علمه أو ما شاء الله.

H 185 - It is narrated from him from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Ali Khazzaz from Umar bin Aban from Hasan bin Abi Hamza from his father from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “O Abu Hamza, the earth does not remain devoid of a scholar from us, Ahle Bayt, who may point out if people commit excess in religion and if they are deficient. And Allah does not allow this scholar to leave the world till he has not left a successor from his progeny, who has the same knowledge.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19443

186- وروى محمد بن يعقوب الكليني رفعه قال:قال أبو محمد عليه السلام حين ولد الحجة عليه السلام: زعم الظلمة أنهم يقتلونني ليقطعوا هذا النسل. فكيف رأوا قدرة الله. وسماه المؤمل.

H 186 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini directly that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) said when Imam Mahdi (a. s) was born: “The oppressor presumed that they would kill me and cut off this progeny. So how did they witness the might of Allah?” Then he named him Muammal (the one in whom hopes rest).

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19444

187- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن أبي هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت محبوسا مع أبي محمد عليه السلام في حبس المهتدي بن الواثق،فقال لي: يا أبا هاشم،إن هذا الطاغي أراد أن يعبث بالله في هذه الليلة. وقد بتر الله تعالى عمره، وقد جعله الله للقائم من بعده. ولم يكن لي ولد وسأرزق ولدا. قال أبو هاشم: فلما أصبحنا وطلعت الشمس شغب الأتراك المهتدي فقتلوه، وولي المعتمد مكانه وسلمنا الله.

H 187 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I was imprisoned with Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) in the prison of Mohtadi bin Wathiq. Imam (a. s) said to me: O Aba Hashim, this transgressor wanted to play with divine destiny, but Allah, the Mighty and the High has cut off his life and transferred his kingdom to his successors. I don’t have a son at present; but very soon I will be bestowed with one. Abu Hashim said: The following morning Turks attacked Mohtadi and slew him and Motamid succeeded him to the throne. The Almighty Allah saved us from the intrigue of Mohtadi also.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19445

فأما من زعم أن الأمر قد اشتبه عليه فلا يدري هل لأبي محمد عليه السلام ولد أم لا، إلا أنهم متمسكون بالأول حتى يصح لهم الآخر،فقوله باطل بما دللنا عليه من صحة إمامة ابن الحسن وبما بينا من أن الأئمة اثنا عشر. ومع ذلك لا ينبغي التوقف بل يجب القطع على إمامة ولده،وبما قدمناه أيضا من أنه لا يمضي إمام حتى يولد له ويرى عقبه. ويؤكد ذلك ما رواه:

As for the one who thinks that the situation is confusing to him and he does not know whether Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) did have a son or not, and that he will adhere to the Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) until it is proved that he had a son, his assertion is invalid, because we proved the Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a. s) and we proved that the Imams are twelve. Retaining these proofs in mind, one need not be confused, but rather, it is most convincing that Hasan’s son is the Imam. It is further strengthened by our proofs that no Imam passes away until he sires an heir and sees his legatee.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19446

188- محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن علي بن سليمان بن رشيد عن الحسن بن علي الخزاز قال: دخل علي بن أبي حمزة على أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام فقال له: أنت إمام؟قال: نعم. فقال له: إني سمعت جدك جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام يقول: لا يكون الإمام إلا وله عقب. فقال: أنسيت يا شيخ أو تناسيت؟ ليس هكذا قال جعفر عليه السلام. إنما قال جعفر عليه السلام: لا يكون الإمام إلا وله عقب، إلا الإمام الذي يخرج عليه الحسين بن علي عليه السلام فإنه لا عقب له. فقال له: صدقت،جعلت فداك. هكذا سمعت جدك يقول.

188- Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Ali bin Sulaiman bin Rashid from Hasan bin Ali Khazzaz that once Ali bin Abi Hamza came to Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) and asked: “Are you an Imam?” “Yes,” said the Imam. He said: “But I have heard your grandfather say that Imam is only one who has an issue and heir.” He said: “O Shaykh, have you forgotten? This is not what he said; His Eminence, Ja’far has said something besides this. He said: No one becomes imam [true or false], but that he should have a successor, except for the [false] imam against whom Husain bin Ali (a. s) rose up. He did not have a successor.” He said: “You have said the truth, may I be sacrificed on you. I heard in the same way from your grandfather.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19447

وما دللنا عليه من أن الزمان لا يخلو من إمام عقلا وشرعا يفسد هذا القول أيضا.

Our rational and narrational arguments that the earth does not remain devoid of an Imam also invalidates this assertion.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19448

189- فأما تمسكهم بما روي تمسكوا بالأول حتى يصح لكم الآخر، فهو خبر واحد. ومع هذا فقد تأوله سعد بن عبد الله بتأويل قريب.

H 189 - And their elicitation of the narration: “Adhere to the first until the next one is possible for you…”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19449

قال: قوله تمسكوا بالأول حتى يظهر لكم الآخر هو دليل على إيجاب الخلف، لأنه يقتضي وجوب التمسك بالأول ولا يبحث عن أحوال الآخر إذا كان مستورا غائبا في تقية حتى يأذن الله في ظهوره ويكون الذي يظهر أمره ويشهر نفسه على أن القائلين بذلك قد انقرضوا، والحمد لله.

It is unreasonable, as this is a singularly narrated tradition. Besides, Saad Ibn Abdullah has interpreted it thus, “Adhere to the first one until the second one appears to you.” In this case, it is a proof of the successor (a. s), because it requires to adhere to the first and not to seek the news of the next when he is in hiding and occultation due to dissimulation (Taqayyah), until Allah gives him permission to appear and he will be the one whose rule will be manifested and whose person will be famed. Furthermore, believers in this dogma no longer exist, and praise belongs to the Lord.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19450

وأما من قال بإمامة الحسن عليه السلام وقالوا: انقطعت الإمامة كما انقطعت النبوة، فقولهم باطل بما دللنا عليه من أن الزمان لا يخلو عن إمام عقلا وشرعا، وبما بيناه من أن الأئمة اثنا عشر. وسنبين صحة ولادة القائم عليه السلام بعده، فسقط قولهم من كل وجه، على أن هؤلاء قد انقرضوا بحمد الله.

As for those who have proclaimed the Imamate of Hasan and said that Imamate has ended like Prophethood, their assertion is worthless, because we have proved through reason and traditions that at no time can the earth remain devoid of an Imam and that the Imams are twelve and that the Qaim was born after Hasan. Besides, they have also become extinct, and praise be to Allah.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19451

وقد بينا فساد قول الذاهبين إلى إمامة جعفر بن علي من الفطحية الذين قالوا بإمامة عبد الله بن جعفر لما مات الصادق عليه السلام، فلما مات عبد الله ولم يخلف ولدا رجعوا إلى القول بإمامة موسى بن جعفر ومن بعده إلى الحسن بن علي عليه السلام، فلما مات الحسن عليه السلام قالوا بإمامة جعفر. وقول هؤلاء يبطل من وجوه أفسدناها، ولأنه لا خلاف بين الإمامية أن الإمامة لا تجتمع في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين وقد رووا في ذلك أخبارا كثيرة.

We also demonstrated the invalidity of the promoters of the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali, namely, the Fatahiyya, who believe in the Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far after the demise of Imam Sadiq (a. s). And when Abdullah passed away without leaving any son, they came back to the Imamate of Musa Ibn Ja’far and after him proclaimed the Imamate of Hasan Ibn Ali. And when Hasan Ibn Ali died, they claimed the Imamate of Ja’far. Their belief is false for the reasons we invalidated the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali and because there is no disagreement amongst the Imamiyah that Imamate cannot pass from one brother to another after Hasan and Husain and we have brought in that regard great many traditions.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19452

190- منها ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن الوليد الخزاز عن يونس بن يعقوب قال:سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: أبى الله أن يجعل الإمامة لأخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام.

H 190 - Narrated Saad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Walid Khazzaz from Yunus bin Yaqub from Abi Abdullah (a. s) that he said: “Allah does not accept to appoint to it (the Imamate) two brothers after Hasan and Husain (a. s).”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19453

191- عنه عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن سليمان بن جعفر عن حماد بن عيسى الجهني قال: قال أبوعبدالله عليه السلام: لا تجتمع الإمامة في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام. إنما هي في الأعقاب وأعقاب الأعقاب.

H 191 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Sulaiman bin Ja’far from Hammad bin Isa Jehni from Abi Abdullah (a. s) that he said: “The Imamate will never come together in two brothers after Hasan and Husain (a. s). It will continue in his (Husain’s) progeny one generation after another.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19454

192- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن عن الحسين بن ثوير بن أبي فاختة عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لا تعود الإمامة في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهماالسلام أبدا. إنها جرت من علي بن الحسين عليه السلام كما قال عز وجل: ﴿وَأُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتابِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ والْمُهاجِرِينَ.﴾

H 192 - Narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them – they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman from Husain bin Thuwair bin Abi Fakhta from Abi Abdullah (a. s) that he said: “The Imamate will never be diverted between two brothers after Hasan and Husain; it proceeds from Ali Ibn Husain, as Allah, the Blessed and Sublime, said: “Some of those who are bound by blood are closer (to each other) than others in the Book of Allah.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19455

فلا تكون بعد علي بن الحسين عليه السلام إلا في الأعقاب وأعقاب الأعقاب.

Thus after Ali Ibn Husain (a. s) Imamate continued in his generations one after another.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19456

ومنها أنه لا خلاف أنه لم يكن معصوما، وقد بينا أن من شرط الإمام أن يكون معصوما، وما ظهر من أفعاله ينافي العصمة.

Another reason is that there is no disagreement that Ja’far was not infallible, while it is proved that an Imam has to be infallible. His actions contradict his being infallible.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19457

193- وقد روي أنه لما ولد لأبي الحسن عليه السلام جعفر هنئوه به فلم يروا به سرورا، فقيل له في ذلك فقال: هون عليك أمره سيضل خلقا كثيرا.

H 193 - It is narrated that when Ja’far was born to Abul Hasan (a. s), people congratulated him, but they did not see any signs of joy in him. He was asked about it. The Imam replied, “Take his birth easy; he will misguide many.”

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19458

194- وروى سعد بن عبد الله قال: حدثني جماعة منهم أبو هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري والقاسم بن محمد العباسي ومحمد بن عبيد الله ومحمد بن إبراهيم العمري وغيرهم ممن كان حبس بسبب قتل عبد الله بن محمد العباسي أن أبا محمد عليه السلام وأخاه جعفرا دخلا عليهم ليلا، قالوا: كنا ليلة من الليالي جلوسا نتحدث إذ سمعنا حركة باب السجن فراعنا ذلك، وكان أبو هاشم عليلا، فقال لبعضنا: اطلع وانظر ما ترى. فاطلع إلى موضع الباب فإذا الباب فتح وإذا هو برجلين قد أدخلا إلى السجن ورد الباب وأقفل. فدنا منهما فقال: من أنتما؟ فقال أحدهما: نحن قوم من الطالبية، حبسنا. فقال: من أنتما؟ فقال: أنا الحسن بن علي وهذا جعفر بن علي. فقال لهما: جعلني الله فداكما، إن رأيتما أن تدخلا البيت. وبادر إلينا وإلى أبي هاشم فأعلمنا ودخلا. فلما نظر إليهما أبو هاشم قام عن مضربة كانت تحته، فقبل وجه أبي محمد عليه السلام وأجلسه عليها، وجلس جعفر قريبا منه،فقال جعفر: واشطناه! بأعلى صوته،يعني جارية له. فزجره أبو محمد عليه السلام وقال له: اسكت. وأنهم رأوا فيه آثار السكر وأن النوم غلبه وهو جالس معهم فنام على تلك الحال. وما روي فيه وله من الأفعال والأقوال الشنيعة أكثر من أن تحصى، ننزه كتابنا عن ذلك.

H 194 - Saad bin Abdullah said: Narrated to me a group of scholars including Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari and Qasim bin Muhammad Abbasi and Muhammad bin Ubaidullah and Muhammad bin Ibrahim Amari etc. who were imprisoned for killing Abdullah bin Muhammad Abbasi that: One night Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and his brother, Ja’far came to the prison. And they said: [The story went like this] One night we were sitting together and talking among ourselves when unlocking of the prison gate was heard and it terrified us. Abu Hashim, who was unwell, told one of us: See what’s happening. That person went to the gate, which was open and they were putting two men in the jail, after which they closed and locked the gate again. [My friends] went to them and asked: Who are you? One of them said: We are from the Talibiyyin tribe and have been arrested. He again asked: What is your name? He replied: I am Hasan bin Ali and this is my brother, Ja’far bin Ali. Our friend said: May I be sacrificed on you, if you feel right, please come to my house [my cell in prison]. He came to us and Abu Hashim and informed us of this. After that the two of them entered. When Abu Hashim saw them, he got up from the rug he was sitting on and kissed the face of Abu Muhammad and made him sit on it and Ja’far also sat with him. Ja’far called out aloud to his slave girl: Washtana. Abu Muhammad scolded him and ordered: Shut up. The inmates also saw that signs of intoxication were apparent on the face of Ja’far while he sat with them, sleep overcame him and he went to sleep in that same position. His shameful actions and sayings that are narrated are more than to be counted and we will keep ourselves clean by not mentioning them.

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) - Hadith 19459

فأما من قال إن للخلف ولدا وإن الأئمة ثلاثة عشر، فقولهم يفسد بما دللنا عليه من أن الأئمة عليهم السلام اثنا عشر. فهذا القول يجب إطراحه، على أن هذه الفرق كلها قد انقرضت بحمد الله ولم يبق قائل يقول بقولها، وذلك دليل على بطلان هذه الأقاويل.

As for the one who says that the successor has a son and that the Imams are thirteen, their assertion is invalid, because of our proofs that the Imams are twelve. Therefore, this assertion has to be discarded. Reminder: Besides, all these sects have perished, thanks to God, and there is not a person who would uphold any of these beliefs, and this itself is the proof of their falsity.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19460

فصل: فأما الكلام في ولادة صاحب الزمان وصحتها فأشياء إعتبارية وأشياء إخبارية: فأما الاعتبارية فهو أنه إذا ثبت إمامته بما دللنا عليه من الاقسام، وإفساد كل قسم منها إلا القول بإمامته ثبت إمامته وعلمنا بذلك صحة ولادته إن لم يرد فيه خبر أصلا. وأيضا ما دللنا عليه من أن الائمة اثنا عشر يدل على صحة ولادته، لان العدد لا يكون إلا لموجود. وما دللنا على أن صاحب الامر لابد له من غيبتين يؤكد ذلك، لان كل ذلك مبني على صحة ولادته. وأما تصحيح ولادته من جهة الاخبار فسنذكر في هذا الكتاب طرفا مما روي فيه جملة وتفصيلا، ونذكر بعد ذلك جملة من أخبار من شاهده ورآه، لأن استيفاء ما روي في هذا المعنى يطول به الكتاب.

We will discuss the birth of Imam Mahdi (a. s) and its authenticity in two ways: (1) Rational and (2) Textual. As for the part which is rational - it comprises of the fact that when the birth of Imam is proved from different sayings and reports, through which we proved the Imamate of His Eminence; and all the statements, except belief in his Imamate are proved invalid. From the same aspect, even if no report had been recorded about it, we would have known about the correctness of report of the birth of His Eminence. In the same way, reasoning based on that the Imams are twelve also proved the authenticity of the birth of His Eminence, because the completion of the figure proves validity of this belief. In the same way, reports which say that the Master of the Age (a. s) is having two occultations, is support and verification of the birth of the Imam, because all these secondary matters are based on the validity of the birth of His Eminence. As for proving the birth of Imam (a. s) through traditional reports, we will soon present some of them, which are mentioned in brief or in detail. After that we would mention the reports of those who saw the Imam. We will mention only some, as to mention them all would prolong the book.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19461

195- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، قال: حدثني محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا، عن الثقة قال: حدثني عبد الله بن العباس العلوي-وما رأيت أصدق لهجة منه وكان خالفنا في أشياء كثيرة- قال: حدثني أبوالفضل الحسين بن الحسن العلوي، قال: دخلت على أبي محمد عليه السلام بسر من رأى فهنأته بسيدنا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام لما ولد.

H 195 - A group of scholars has narrated for Abi Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Hanzala bin Zakariya from a reliable person that he said: I have not seen anyone more truthful than Abdullah bin Abbas Alawi, even though he has opposed a large number of our issues – he has narrated from Hasan Ibn Husain Alawi that he said: “I came to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) at Samarrah and felicitated him for the birth of our Master, the Master of the Age.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19462

196- محمد بن يعقوب الكليني، عن محمد بن جعفر الأسدي، قال: أحمد بن إبراهيم قال: دخلت على حكيمة بنت محمد بن علي الرضا عليهما السلام سنة اثنتين وستين ومائتين فكلمتها من وراء حجاب وسألتها عن دينها، فسمت لي من تأتم بهم، قالت فلان ابن الحسن، فسمته. فقلت لها: جعلني الله فداك معاينة أو خبرا؟ فقالت: خبرا عن أبي محمد عليه السلام كتب به إلى أمه. قلت لها: فأين الولد؟ قالت: مستور. فقلت: إلى من تفزع الشيعة؟ قالت: إلى الجدة أم أي محمد عليه السلام. فقلت: أقتدي بمن وصيته إلى امرأة. فقالت: إقتد بالحسين بن علي عليهما السلام؛ أوصى إلى أخته زينب بنت علي عليهما السلام في الظاهر، وكان ما يخرج من علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام من علم ينسب إلى زينب سترا على علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام. ثم قالت: إنكم قوم أصحاب أخبار. أما رويتم أن التاسع من ولد الحسين عليه السلام يقسم ميراثه وهو في الحياة؟

H 196 - Narrated Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini from Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi: Narrated to me Ahmad bin Ibrahim that: “I went to Lady Hakima, the daughter of Muhammad Ibn Ali Ridha (a. s) and the sister of Abul Hasan of Askar (a. s) in the year two hundred and sixty two. I conversed with her from behind the curtain and asked her about her religion. She named to me the Imams she followed and then she said, “And Hujjat Ibn Hasan Ibn Ali,” and mentioned his name. I said, “May I be sacrificed for you, do you say this on the basis of observation or on the word of the Infallible?” She said, “Words of Abu Muhammad, which he wrote to his mother.” I asked, “Where is then the son?” She said, “He is in hiding,” “To whom are the Shias to turn for guidance?” “To the grandmother, the mother of Abu Muhammad (a. s).” “Who has he emulated in assigning a woman as his deputy?” “He has emulated Husain Ibn Ali (a. s). Husain Ibn Ali (a. s) assigned his sister, Zainab binte Ali in the superficies. The learning and knowledge coming from Ali Ibn Husain (a. s) was attributed to Zainab Ibn Ali in order to maintain secrecy over Ali Ibn Husain (a. s). Then she said, “You are scholars of narrations. Have you not narrated that the inheritance of the ninth from the sons of Husain Ibn Ali will be divided during his lifetime?”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19463

وروى هذا الخبر التلعكبري، عن الحسن بن محمد النهاوندي، عن الحسن بن جعفر بن مسلم الحنفي، عن أبي حامد المراغي قال:سألت حكيمة بنت محمد أخت أبي الحسن العسكري…وذكر مثله.

This report is narrated by Talakbari from Hasan bin Muhammad Nahwandi from Hasan bin Ja’far bin Muslim Hanafi from Abi Hamid Muraghi that he said: I asked Hakima binte Muhammad, sister of Abu Muhammad Hasan Askari and she replied to me as above.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19464

197- وقد تقدمت الرواية من قول أبي محمد عليه السلام حين ولد له: وزعمت الظلمة أنهم يقتلونني ليقطعوا هذا النسل. فكيف رأوا قدرة الله؟ وسماه المؤمل.

H 197 - Previously it was narrated that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) remarked at the birth of the Master of Affair: The oppressors presumed that they would kill me and cut off this blessed progeny. So how did they witness the might of Allah?” Then he named him Muammal (one in whom hopes rest).

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19465

198- وروى محمد بن يعقوب، عن الحسين بن محمد الاشعري، عن المعلى بن محمد، عن أحمد بن محمد قال: خرج عن أبي محمد عليه السلام حين قتل الزبيري: هذا جزاء من افترى على الله وعلى أوليائه. زعم أنه يقتلني وليس لي عقب. فكيف رأى قدرة الله؟ وولد له ولد وسماه محمدا سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين.

H 198 - Narrated Muhammad bin Yaqub from Husain bin Muhammad Ashari from Mualla Ibn Muhammad from Ahmad bin Muhammad that: When Zubairi was killed, a letter came from Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) as follows: “This is the punishment of one who attributes lies to Allah, the Exalted, with respect to His close friends. He presumed that he would kill me while I do not have an offspring. So how did he witness the might of Allah?” He sired a son and named him Muhammad. This was in the year two hundred and fifty-six.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19466

199- أبوهاشم الجعفري قال: قلت لابي محمد عليه السلام:جلالتك تمنعني عن مسألتك فتأذن لي في أن أسألك؟ قال: سل، قلت: يا سيدي هل لك ولد؟ قال: نعم، قلت: فإن حدث حدث فأين أسأل عنه؟ فقال: بالمدينة.

H 199 - It is narrated from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: I said to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), “Your majesty prohibits me from asking you, would you give me permission to inquire from you?” He said: “Ask.” I asked: “My master, do you have a son?” He said: “Yes.” I said: “If something happens, where should I inquire about him?” He said: “In Medina.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19467

200- وروى محمد بن يعقوب رفعه عن نسيم الخادم، وخادم أبي محمد عليه السلام قال:دخلت على صاحب الزمان عليه السلام بعد مولده بعشر ليال فعطست عنده. فقال: يرحمك الله. ففرحت بذلك، فقال: ألا أبشرك في العطاس؟ هو أمان من الموت ثلاث أيام.

H 200 - Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Kulaini has directly narrated from Nasim, maidservant of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) that she said: “When I came to him on the tenth night after his birth and sneezed in his presence, the Master of the Age (a. s) said, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ I became very happy; he said, ‘May I not give you glad tidings about sneezing?’ I said: ‘Please do.’ He said: ‘It is protection from death for three days.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19468

201- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن أحمد بن هلال، عن أمية بن علي القيسي، عن سالم بن أبي حية، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا اجتمع ثلاثة أسماء؛ محمد وعلي والحسن، فالرابع القائم.

H 201 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Ahmad bin Hilal from Umayyah bin Ali Qaisi from Salim bin Abi Hayya from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “When three names, Muhammad, Ali, and Hasan come in consecution, their fourth is the Qaim (a. s).”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19469

202- وروى محمد بن يعقوب بإسناده، عن ضوء بن علي العجلي، عن رجل من أهل فارس- سماه- قال:أتيت سر من رأى ولزمت باب أبي محمد عليه السلام، فدعاني من غير أن أستأذنت، فلما دخلت فسلمت قال لي: يا فلان كيف حالك؟ ثم قال: اقعد يا فلان. ثم سألني عن جماعة من رجال ونساء من أهلي. ثم قال لي: ما الذي أقدمك؟ قلت:رغبة في خدمتك، قال: فالزم الدار. قال:فكنت في الدار مع الخدم ثم صرت أشتري لهم الحوائج من السوق، وكنت أدخل عليه بغير إذن إذا كان في دار الرجال. فدخلت عليه يوما وهو في دار الرجال، فسمعت حركة في البيت وناداني: مكانك لا تبرح! فلم أجسر أخرج ولا أدخل. فخرجت علي جارية معها شيء مغطى، ثم ناداني: أدخل فدخلت، ثم نادى الجارية فرجعت، فقال لها: اكشفي عما معك، فكشفت عن غلام أبيض حسن الوجه، فكشف عن بطنه، فإذا شعر نابت من لبته إلى سرته أخضر ليس بأسود، فقال: هذا صاحبكم. ثم أمرها فحملته، فما رأيته بعد ذلك حتى مضى أبو محمد عليه السلام. فقال ضوء بن علي: قلت للفارسي: كم كنت تقدر له من السنين؟ قال: سنتين. قال العبدي: فقلت لضوء:كم تقدر أنت؟ فقال: أربع عشرة سنة. قال أبوعلي وأبو عبد الله: ونحن نقدر إحدى وعشرين سنة.

H 202 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub through his chains from Zau bin Ali Ijli from a man of Fars (whom he named), whom I heard saying: “I reached Surra Man Raa and came to the house of Abu Muhammad (a. s). Before I could seek permission to enter, the Imam called me from inside. I entered and greeted him. He asked me: How are you? Then he told me to sit and inquired about the well being of my family. Then he said: How do you happen to come here? I said: I came to serve you. He said: Then stay here only. I began to live in his house with the servants. One day I returned from the market after buying necessary things. As I was entering, the Imam called me out to stop where I was; that neither should I go out nor come in. Then a maid came out carrying something wrapped in a cloth. Then the Imam called me and also called the maid. When she came back, he told her: Reveal that which you have in your arms. When she removed the cloth, I saw a beautiful child in her arms. I saw his belly on which there was a line of hair from the chest to the navel. The hair was green and not black. The Imam said: This is your Master (after me). Then he told the maid to take him away. After that I did not see the child till the Imam (a. s) passed away. Zau bin Ali says: I asked this Persian: What was the age of the Qaim at that time? He replied: Two years. Abdi says: I asked Zau bin Ali: What would be his age today? He replied: Fourteen years. Abu Ali and Abi Abdullah say: At this time his age must be twenty-one years.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19470

203- وبهذا الاسناد، عن عمرو الاهوازي قال:أراني أبو محمد عليه السلام إبنه وقال:هذا صاحبكم من بعدي.

H 203 - From the same chains of narrators, it is narrated from Amr Ahwazi that he said: Abu Muhammad (a. s) showed me his son and said: “This is your master after me.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19471

204- وأخبرني ابن أبي جيد، عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد، عن الصفار محمد بن الحسن القمي، عن أبي عبد الله المطهري، عن حكيمة بنت محمد بن علي الرضا قالت:بعث إلي أبو محمد عليه السلام سنة خمس وخمسين ومائتين في النصف من شعبان وقال: يا عمة،اجعلي الليلة إفطارك عندي. فإن الله عز وجل سيسرك بوليه وحجته على خلقه خليفتي من بعدي. قالت حكيمة: فتداخلني لذلك سرور شديد وأخذت ثيابي علي وخرجت من ساعتي حتى انتهيت إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام، وهو جالس في صحن داره، وجواريه حوله فقلت: جعلت فداك يا سيدي! الخلف ممن هو؟ قال: من سوسن. فأدرت طرفي فيهن فلم أر جارية عليها أثر غير سوسن. قالت حكيمة: فلما أن صليت المغرب والعشاء الآخرة أتيت بالمائدة، فأفطرت أنا وسوسن وبايتها في بيت واحد، فغفوت غفوة ثم استيقظت، فلم أزل مفكرة فيما وعدني أبومحمد عليه السلام من أمر ولي الله عليه السلام فقمت قبل الوقت الذي كنت أقوم في كل ليلة للصلاة، فصليت صلاة الليل حتى بلغت إلى الوتر، فوثبت سوسن فزعة وخرجت (فزعة) (وخرجت) وأسبغت الوضوء، ثم عادت فصلت صلاة الليل وبلغت إلى الوتر، فوقع في قلبي أن الفجر (قد) قرب فقمت لأنظر فإذا بالفجر الأول قد طلع، فتداخل قلبي الشك من وعد أبي محمد عليه السلام، فناداني من حجرته: لا تشكي، وكأنك بالأمر الساعة قد رأيته إن شاء الله تعالى. قالت حكيمة: فاستحييت من أبي محمد عليه السلام ومما وقع في قلبي، ورجعت إلى البيت وأنا خجلة فإذا هي قد قطعت الصلاة وخرجت فزعة فلقيتها على باب البيت فقلت:بأبي أنت (وأمي) هل تحسين شيئا؟ قالت: نعم يا عمة! إني لأجد أمرا شديدا. قلت:لا خوف عليك إن شاء الله تعالى، وأخذت وسادة فألقيتها في وسط البيت، وأجلستها عليها وجلست منها حيث تقعد المرأة من المرأة للولادة، فقبضت على كفي وغمزت غمزة شديدة ثم أنَّت أنَّة وتشهدت ونظرت تحتها، فإذا أنا بولي الله صلوات الله عليه متلقيا الارض بمساجده. فأخذت بكتفيه فأجلسته في حجري، فإذا هو نظيف مفروغ منه، فناداني أبو محمد عليه السلام: يا عمة، هلمي فأتيني بابني. فأتيته به، فتناوله وأخرج لسانه فمسحه على عينيه ففتحه، ثم أدخله في فيه فحنكه ثم (أدخله) في أذنيه وأجلسه في راحته اليسرى، فاستوى ولي الله جالسا، فمسح يده على رأسه وقال له: يا بني، انطق بقدرة الله. فاستعاذ ولي الله عليه السلام من الشيطان الرجيم واستفتح: ﴿بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ. وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ﴾. وصلى على رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) وعلى أمير المؤمنين والأئمة (عليهم السلام)… واحدا واحدا حتى انتهى إلى أبيه. فناولنيه أبومحمد عليه السلام وقال: يا عمة، رديه إلى أمه حتى ﴿تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلاَ تَحْزَنَ وَلِتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ وَعْدَ اللهِ حَقٌّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾. فرددته إلى أمه وقد انفجر الفجر الثاني، فصليت الفريضة وعقبت إلى أن طلعت الشمس، ثم ودعت أبا محمد عليه السلام وانصرفت إلى منزلي. فلما كان بعد ثلاث اشتقت إلى ولي الله، فصرت إليهم فبدأت بالحجرة التي كانت سوسن فيها، فلم أر أثرا ولا سمعت ذكرا، فكرهت أن أسأل، فدخلت على أبي محمد عليه السلام فاستحييت أن أبدأه بالسؤال، فبدأني فقال: (هو) يا عمة،في كنف الله وحرزه وستره وغيبه حتى يأذن الله له. فإذا غيب الله شخصي وتوفاني ورأيت شيعتي قد اختلفوا،فأخبري الثقات منهم، وليكن عندك وعندهم مكتوما، فإن ولي الله يغيبه الله عن خلقه ويحجبه عن عباده فلا يراه أحد حتى يقدم له جبرئيل عليه السلام فرسه: ﴿لِيَقْضِيَ اللهُ أَمْراً كَانَ مَفْعُولاً﴾.

H 204 - Ibn Abil Jayyid has narrated from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Walid from Saffar, Muhammad bin Hasan Qummi from Abi Abdullah Mutahhari from Hakima binte Muhammad bin Ali Ridha that she said: “In the year two hundred and fifty-five at mid-Shaban, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) sent for me saying, “Aunt, end your fast (Iftar) with me tonight, for Allah, the Glorious, will make you happy through His favorite (Wali) and His Proof (Hujjah) on His creation and my heir after me.” This made me so very happy. I put on my garments and left at once and reached him at his house. He was sitting in the yard and his concubines were about him. I said: “May I be your ransom, O my Master, from whom would the successor be born?” He said: “From Susan.” I ran my eyes over them and did not see any girl with any sign of pregnancy, except Susan. After I prayed the Isha prayers, I brought the meal and Susan and I ended the fast. Arranging her and myself in one room, I fell asleep for a short while and then woke up. I was constantly thinking about the promise of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) with regard to the Wali of Allah. I got up before the regular time I would wake up every night for prayers. I performed the midnight prayers and when I reached the Watr prayers (last part), Susan rose suddenly and went out and made her ablution with great attention and piety. Then she came back and prayed the midnight prayers and reached Watr. It occurred to me that dawn has neared and I rose up to check it. The first dawn had risen. Doubts entered my heart with regard to the promise of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). He called me from his room, “Aunt, do not have doubts. It is almost as if you are witnessing the event at this hour and seeing him, God willing.” Lady Hakima says: I felt embarrassed from Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), because of the doubts that had occurred to me. I returned to the room feeling ashamed. Suddenly Susan finished her prayers and came out frightened. I met her at the door and said: “My parents be your ransom, do you feel anything?” She said: “Yes, O aunt. I feel a great happening.” I said to her, “May you have no fears, if Allah wills.” I took a pillow and threw it at the center of the room and sat her on it. I sat in a position with respect to her in which a woman sits with another for the purpose of delivery. She seized my hand and squeezed it very hard. Then she groaned once and recited Kalimah. I looked beneath her, and there I was in the presence of the Wali of Allah, bliss of Allah be for him, who was touching the earth with his forehead, palms of hands, knees, and toes. I held him from his shoulders and sat him on my lap. He was clean and without any need of any attention. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) called, “O aunt, bring my son to me.” I carried him to his father, who took him and brought out his tongue and touched it against the eyes of the baby, who opened his eyes. He then put his tongue into the blessed baby’s mouth that sucked on it. He then put it into his ears. He sat him on his right palm. The Wali of Allah sat straight. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) touched his head and said, “My dear son, speak with the power of Allah.” The Wali of Allah sought refuge of Allah from the cursed Satan and began: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, and to make them the heirs. And to grant them power in the land, and to make Firon and Haman and their hosts see from them what they feared.” (28:5-6) And may Allah bless His Messenger and Amirul Momineen (a. s).” He mentioned the Imams one after the other until he reached his father. Then Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) gave him to me and said: “O Aunt, return him to his mother, so her heart may rejoice and may she grieve not and that she may know that the promise of Allah is true, but the majority of the people do not know.” I returned him to his mother while the second dawn had brightened. I performed the Morning (Fajr) prayers and then said my post prayers devotions until sunrise. I bid Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) farewell and returned to my house. After three days passed, I became anxious to see the Wali of Allah. I went to them and started with the room where Susan was. I did not see any trace, nor heard any mention. I did not want to ask, so I came to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). I felt bashful to begin the conversation with him by asking him. So, he began and said: “Aunt, he is in the protection of Allah, His safeguard, His curtain and His eye, until Allah gives him permission. So when Allah hides my person and transfers me, and you see my Shia disputing, inform the reliable ones of them. This must remain with you and them as a secret, for Allah hides His Wali. Allah hides him from His creation and veils him from His servants. No one will see him until Jibraeel (a. s) offers him his mount, in order that Allah may fulfill the enterprise that must be fulfilled.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19472

205- وبهذا الاسناد، عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد، عن محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن محمد بن حمويه الرازي، عن الحسين بن رزق الله، عن موسى بن محمد بن جعفر قال: حدثتني حكيمة بنت محمد عليه السلام بمثل معنى الحديث الاول، إلا أنها قالت: فقال لي أبومحمد عليه السلام: يا عمة، إذا كان اليوم السابع فأتِنا. فلما أصبحت جئت لأسلم على أبي محمد عليه السلام وكشفت عن الستر لأتفقد سيدي فلم أره، فقلت له: جعلت فداك ما فعل سيدي؟ فقال: يا عمة،استودعناه الذي استودعت أم موسى. فلما كان اليوم السابع جئت فسلمت وجلست فقال:هلموا إبني. فجئ بسيدي وهو في خرق صفر ففعل به كفعله الاول، ثم أدلى لسانه في فيه كأنما يغذيه لبنا وعسلا، ثم قال: تكلم يا بني. فقال عليه السلام: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله… وثنى بالصلاة على محمد وعلى الائمة عليهم السلام حتى وقف على أبيه، ثم قرأ: ﴿بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ. وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ﴾.

H 205 - Musa bin Muhammad bin Ja’far said: Hakima binte Imam Jawad (a. s) narrated a tradition similar to the above, except with the difference that she said: Abu Muhammad (a. s) said: O Aunt, come on the seventh day. So when it was morning, I came to greet Abu Muhammad (a. s). I raised the curtain to see my lord and master, but was unable to find him. I asked the Imam: My dear, may I be your ransom, where is my master? Imam (a. s) replied: Aunt dear, I have entrusted him to one whom the mother of Musa (a. s) had. On the seventh day, I came to the Imam, greeted him and took a seat. Imam (a. s) said: Bring my son. So they brought my lord and master wrapped in a yellow cloth. Then the Imam did the same with him, which is mentioned in the above report. After that he placed his tongue in the mouth of the child as if feeding milk or honey. After that he said: Speak up, my son. And His Eminence [the twelfth Imam] said: I testify that there is no god, except Allah and then he invoked blessings on Muhammad and the Holy Imams (a. s) one by one till his father. Then he recited the following verse: “And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams, and to make them the heirs, and to grant them power in the land, and to make Firon and Haman and their hosts see from them what they feared.” (28:5-6)

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19473

206- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن سميع بن بنان، عن محمد بن علي بـن أبـي الداري، عـن أحمـد بـن محمـد، عن أحمـد بن عبـد الله، عـن أحـمد بـن روح الاهوازي، عن محمد بن إبراهيم، عن حكيمة بمثل معنى الحديث الاول إلا أنه قال:قالت: بعث إلي أبومحمد عليه السلام ليلة النصف من شهر رمضان سنه خمس وخمسين ومائتين… (قالت) وقلت له:يا بن رسول الله من أمه؟ قال: نرجس. (قالت) فلما كان في اليوم الثالث اشتد شوقي إلى ولي الله، فأتيتهم عائدة فبدأت بالحجرة التي فيها الجارية، فإذا أنا بها جالسة في مجلس المرأة النفساء وعليها أثواب صفر، وهي معصبة الرأس،فسلمت عليها والتفت إلى جانب البيت وإذا بمهد عليه أثواب خضر، فعدلت إلى المهد ورفعت عنه الاثواب فإذا أنا بولي الله نائم على قفاه غير محزوم ولا مقموط. ففتح عينيه وجعل يضحك ويناجيني باصبعه، فتناولته وأدنيته إلى فمي لأقبله، فشممت منه رائحة ما شممت قط أطيب منها، وناداني أبومحمد عليه السلام: يا عمتي!هلمي فتاي إلي. فتناوله وقال: يا بني، انطق… وذكر الحديث.

H 206 - Ahmad bin Ali Raazi has narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Ali bin Sami bin Banan from Muhammad bin Ali bin Abil Dari from Ahmad bin Muhammad from Ahmad bin Abdullah from Ahmad bin Ruh Ahwazi from Muhammad bin Ibrahim from Hakima the like of the previous tradition, however, with this difference that she says: “Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) sent for me on the night of mid-Ramadan of the year two hundred and fifty-five.” “I said to him, O son of Allah’s Messenger, who is his mother? He said: Narjis.” “When it was the third day, my anxiety for the Wali of Allah intensified. So I brought them a repast and began with the room where the slave girl was. There she was sitting like a woman who has delivered a child. She was wearing yellow clothes and her head was wrapped. I greeted her and looked at the side of the room. There was a cradle of a baby covered by green sheets. I turned to the cradle and removed the sheets and saw the Wali of Allah sleeping on his back, neither fastened nor tied. He opened his eyes and began laughing and calling me with his finger. I held him and brought him near my mouth to kiss. I smelt such a fragrance from him that I had never smelt a better one. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) called, ‘Aunt, come and bring my young man to me.’ I took him to his father. He said to him, my son, speak...” Then the saying of the Wali of Allah is narrated and then she says, “I took him from his father while he was saying, ‘My dear son, I entrust you to the one mother of Musa entrusted. Be in the comfort of Allah, His safeguard, protection and His company.’ He said: ‘Return him to his mother, aunt, and hide the news of this baby and don’t inform anyone till the time arrives.’ I brought him to his mother and bid them farewell.” Then the tradition continues like the previous one.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19474

أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا قال: حدثني الثقة، عن محمد بن علي بن بلال، عن حكيمة بمثل ذلك.

Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal from Hakima an identical tradition

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19475

207- وفي رواية أخرى عن جماعة من الشيوخ أن حكيمة حدثت بهذا الحديث وذكرت أنه كان ليلة النصف من شعبان وأن أمه نرجس،وساقت الحديث إلى قولها: فإذا أنا بحس سيدي وبصوت أبي محمد عليه السلام وهو يقول: يا عمتي، هاتي إبني. فكشفت عن سيدي فإذا هو ساجد متلقيا الارض بمساجده، وعلى ذراعه الايمن مكتوب ﴿جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَزَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ إِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوقاً﴾. فضممته إلي فوجدته مفروغا منه فلففته في ثوب وحملته إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام…وذكروا الحديث إلى قوله: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله وأن عليا أمير المؤمنين حقا، ثم لم يزل يعد السادة الاوصياء إلى أن بلغ إلى نفسه، ودعا لاوليائه بالفرج على يديه ثم أحجم. وقالت: ثم رفع بيني وبين أبي محمد عليه السلام كالحجاب فلم أر سيدي، فقلت لابي محمد: يا سيدي، أين مولاي؟ فقال: أخذه من هو أحق منك ومنا… ثم ذكروا الحديث بتمامه وزادوا فيه: فلما كان بعد أربعين يوما دخلت على أبي محمد عليه السلام فإذا مولانا الصاحب يمشي في الدار، فلم أر وجها أحسن من وجهه ولا لغة أفصح من لغته. فقال أبومحمد عليه السلام: هذا المولود الكريم على الله عز وجل. فقلت: سيدي، أرى من أمره ما أرى وله أربعون يوما! فتبسم وقال: يا عمتي، أما علمت أنا معاشر الائمة ننشؤ في اليوم ما ينشؤ غيرنا في السنة؟ فقمت فقبلت رأسه وانصرفت. ثم عدت وتفقدته فلم أره، فقلت لابي محمد عليه السلام: ما فعل مولانا؟ فقال: يا عمة،استودعناه الذي استودعت أم موسى.

H 207 - In another narration on the authority of a number of great scholars, it says that Lady Hakima narrated this narrative and mentioned that it was the night of mid-Shaban and that his mother was Narjis. The narrative continues like the previous one until her saying, “There I was, sensing my Master and hearing the voice of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) as he was saying, ‘O my aunt, bring my son to me.’ So I removed the curtains from my Master, and there he was, prostrating, touching the earth through his forehead, palms, knees and toes. On his right forearm it was written: “The truth has come and the falsehood has vanished; surely falsehood is a vanishing (thing).” (17:81) I pulled him to myself and found him pure and clean. He did not need any sort of attention. I wrapped him in a sheet and carried him to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). They have mentioned the narrative the same way until his saying, “I bear witness that a god other than Allah is not and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and that Ali is rightfully Amirul Momineen (a. s).” Then he mentioned the Imams one by one until himself. He prayed for the relief of his devotees at his hands. Then he stopped. She says: “Then something like a veil was erected between me and Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and I did not see my Master. I said to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), ‘My Master, where is my lord?’ He said: ‘Someone who is worthier than you and us took him.” Then they have mentioned the whole narration and added: Forty days later, I came to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and there was our Master, the Patron. He was walking about the house. I had never seen a face more beautiful than his, nor heard any tongue more eloquent than his. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) said: “This is the baby who is dignified before Allah, the Glorified.” I said: “My Master, I see him in this condition and he is only forty days old.” He smiled and said: “My aunt, don’t you know that we Imams grow in a day to the extent that others grow in a year.” I arose and kissed his forehead and returned. Then I came back and sought him, but did not see him. I asked Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), “What have you done to our Master?” He said: “Aunt, we have entrusted him to the one mother of Musa entrusted.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19476

208- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا قال: حدثني أحمد بن بلال بن داود الكاتب، وكان عاميا بمحل من النصب لأهل البيت عليهم السلام يظهر ذلك ولا يكتمه، وكان صديقا لي يظهر مودة بما فيه من طبع أهل العراق، فيقول- كلما لقيني- لك عندي خبر تفرح به ولا أخبرك به، فأتغافل عنه إلى أن جمعني وإياه موضع خلوة، فاستقصيت عنه وسألته أن يخبرني به، فقال: كانت دورنا بسر من رأى مقابل دار ابن الرضا-يعني أبا محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام- فغبت عنها دهرا طويلا إلى قزوين وغيرها، ثم قضي لي الرجوع إليها، فلما وافيتها وقد كنت فقدت جميع من خلفته من أهلي وقراباتي إلا عجوزا كانت ربتني ولها بنت معها، وكانت من طبع الاول مستورة صائنة لا تحسن الكذب وكذلك مواليات لنا بقين في الدار. فأقمت عندهن أياما ثم عزمت الخروج، فقالت العجوزة: كيف تستعجل الانصراف وقد غبت زمانا؟ فأقم عندنا لنفرح بمكانك. فقلت لها على جهة الهزء: أريد أن أصير إلى كربلاء. وكان الناس للخروج في النصف من شعبان أو ليوم عرفة، فقالت: يا بني، أعيذك بالله أن تستهين ما ذكرت أو تقوله على وجه الهزء، فإني أحدثك بما رأيته- يعني بعد خروجك من عندنا– بسنتين: كنت في هـذا البيت نائـمة بالقرب من الدهليـز ومعي ابنتي وأنـا بين النائمة واليقظانة، إذ دخل رجل حسن الوجه نظيف الثياب طيب الرائحة، فقال:يا فلانة،يجيئك الساعة من يدعوك في الجيران، فلا تمتنعي من الذهاب معه ولا تخافي. ففزعت فناديت ابنتي وقلت لها:هل شعرت بأحد دخل البيت؟ فقالت: لا. فذكرت الله وقرأت ونمت. فجاء الرجل بعينه وقال لي مثل قوله، ففزعت وصحت بابنتي فقالت:لم يدخل البيت (أحد) فاذكري الله ولا تفزعي. فقرأت ونمت. فلما كان في (الليلة) الثالثة جاء الرجل وقال: يا فلانة، قد جاء‌ك من يدعوك ويقرع الباب فاذهبي معه. وسمعت دق الباب فقمت وراء الباب وقلت:من هذا؟ فقال: افتحي ولا تخافي. فعرفت كلامه وفتحت الباب فإذا خادم معه إزار فقال: يحتاج إليك بعض الجيران لحاجة مهمة، فادخلي. ولف رأسي بالملاء‌ة وأدخلني الدار وأنا أعرفها، فإذا بشقاق مشدودة وسط الدار ورجل قاعد بجنب الشقاق، فرفع الخادم طرفه فدخلت وإذا امرأة قد أخذها الطلق وامرأة قاعدة خلفها كأنها تقبلها. فقالت المرأة:تعينيني فيما نحن فيه؟ فعالجتها بما يعالج به مثلها فما كان إلا قليلا حتى سقط غلام فأخذته على كفي وصحت: غلام غلام! وأخرجت رأسي من طرف الشقاق أبشر الرجل القاعد، فقيل لي: لا تصيحي. فلما رددت وجهي إلى الغلام قد كنت فقدته من كفي فقالت لي المرأة القاعدة: لا تصيحي. وأخذ الخادم بيدي ولف رأسي بالملاء‌ة وأخرجني من الدار وردني إلى داري وناولني صرة وقال (لي): لا تخبري بما رأيت أحدا. فدخلت الدار ورجعت إلى فراشي في هذا البيت وابنتي نائمة (بعد) فأنبهتها وسألتها: هل علمت بخروجي ورجوعي؟ فقالت: لا، وفتحت الصرة في ذلك الوقت وإذا فيها عشرة دنانيرعددا، وما أخبرت بهذا أحدا إلا في هذا الوقت لما تكلمت بهذا الكلام على حد الهزء فحدثتك إشفاقا عليك، فإن لهؤلاء القوم عند الله عز وجل شأنا ومنزلة، وكل ما يدعونه حق. قال: فعجبت من قولها وصرفته إلى السخرية والهزء ولم أسألها عن الوقت غير أني أعلم يقينا أني غبت عنهم في سنة نيف وخمسين ومائتين ورجعت إلى سر من رأى في وقت أخبرتني العجوزة بهذا الخبر في سنة إحدى وثمانين ومائتين في وزارة عبيدالله بن سليمان لما قصدته.

H 208 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Hanzala bin Zakariya that he said: “Ahmad bin Bilal bin Dawood, the scribe, who was a Sunni and a Nasibi, having contempt to Ahle Bayt, which he did not hide, narrated this to me. He was my friend and would express his affection to me, as it is in the spirit of the people of Iraq. He would say every time he met me, “I have news for you to rejoice, but I will not give it to you.” I would pretend to care less until one day we were brought together at a secluded spot. With much fervor, I asked him to tell me about what news he had. He said: Our houses were at Samarrah, facing the house of Ibn Ridha, (meaning the house of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). For a very long time, I stayed away from the locality, going to Qazwin and other cities. Then destiny brought me back to Samarrah. When I returned, I saw that I had lost all whom I had left behind from my family and relatives, except an old woman who had raised me and she had a daughter. She was of the original disposition, veiling, protective and did not know lying. Also there were some of our cousins who had stayed at the house. I stayed with them for some days and then decided to leave. The old woman said: “Why do you make haste to return after such a long absence? Stay with us, so we may take the pleasure of your stay.” I said to her in jest, “I want to go to Kerbala.” This was a season when great many people were leaving either for mid-Shaban or the day of Arafa. “I seek refuge of Allah for you, my son, to blaspheme through this talk of ridicule.” She said: “I am going to tell you what I have seen. This happened two years after you left us. I was in this house, sleeping near the main entry hall. My daughter was with me. I was in a condition somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, when entered a man of handsome face, clean clothes, fragrant smell and said: So and so, someone will come at this hour to you to call you to your neighbor. Do not refuse to go with him and don’t be scared. I was afraid and called out to my daughter, ‘Did you notice someone entering the house?’ She said: ‘No.’ I called Allah to my heart and recited some verses and went to sleep. The same man came again and repeated what he had said earlier. I cried out to my daughter. She said: ‘No one came. Remember Allah and don’t be scared.’ I recited some verses and went to sleep again. Then it happened the third time; the man came and said: So and so, the one who is calling you is here and is knocking the door. Go with him.’ I heard the knock and went to the door. ‘Who is this?’ I asked. ‘Open and fear not,’ someone said. I recognized his word and opened the door. It was a servant in a lower garment sheet on him. He said: ‘A neighbor needs you for a very important matter. Please come.’ He covered my head with the sheet and took me to the house, which I knew. There were sets of curtains fixed in the middle. A man was seated on the side of the curtains. The servant gestured to me with his eye and I entered. There was a woman in labor and another lady was behind her as if she was delivering her. The woman asked: ‘Would you help us in this?’ I helped them in the delivery. It was but a moment that a boy was born. I held him and shouted, ‘It is a boy! It is a boy!’ I put my head out from the side of the curtains to give glad tiding to the man seated there. ‘Don’t shout,’ someone said. When I returned inside, the boy was not in my hands. The woman who was seated told me, ‘Don’t shout.’ The servant took my hand and wrapped my head with the sheet and took me out of the house. He took me to my house and gave me a bag and said: ‘Don’t tell anyone of what you saw.’ I entered the house and returned to my bed. My daughter was still sleeping. Waking her up, I asked, ‘Did you see me going out and coming back?’ She replied: ‘No.’ I opened the bag at that hour and there were ten dinars in it. I have not told this to anyone until today when you spoke these words derisively. I narrated this to you to commiserate over you, for these people (Ahle Bayt) have a lofty status and high position before Allah, the Glorified, and everything they pray for is fulfilled.” I was astonished by her narrative, but passed on with ridicule and jest. I did not ask her of its time; however, I know for sure that I had left them in two hundred and fifty and some odd year and returned to Samarrah in two hundred and eighty-one. The time when the old woman narrated this to me was during the ministry of Ubaidullah bin Sulaiman.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19477

قال حنظلة: فدعوت بأبي الفرج المظفر بن أحمد حتى سمع معي (منه) هذا الخبر.

Hanzala, the narrator of this report says: I called Abul Faraj Muzaffar bin Ahmad and he also heard this story with me.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19478

209- محمد بن يعقوب، عن بعض أصحابنا، عن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، قال: اجتمعت والشيخ أبو عمرو عند أحمد بن إسحاق بن سعد الأشعري فغمزني أحمد بن إسحاق أن أسأله عن الخلف. فقلت له: يا أبا عمرو، إني لأريد أن أسألك عن شيء وما أنا بشاكٍّ فيما أريد أن أسألك عنه، فإن اعتقادي وديني أن الارض لا تخلو من حجة إلا إذا كان قبل القيامة بأربعين يوما رفع الحجة وغلق باب التوبة: فلم يكن ﴿يَنْفَعُ نَفْساً إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْراً.﴾ فأولئك شرار (من) خلق الله عز وجل وهم الذين تقوم عليهم القيامة. ولكن أحببت أن أزداد يقينا، فإن إبراهيم عليه السلام سأل ربه أن يريه كيف يحيى الموتى ﴿قَالَ: أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي﴾. وقد أخبرني أبوعلي أحمد بن إسحاق أنه سأل أبا الحسن صاحب العسكر عليه السلام وقال: من أعامل وعمن آخذ وقول من أقبل؟ فقال (له): العمري ثقتي، فما أدى إليك عني فعني يؤدي، وما قال لك فعني يقول، فاسمع له وأطع، فإنه الثقة المأمون. وأخبرني أبوعلي: سأل أبا محمد عليه السلام عن مثل ذلك، فقال له:العمري وإبنه ثقتان، فما أدَّيا إليك فعني يؤديان، وما قالا فعني يقولان، فاسمع لهما وأطعهما فإنهما الثقتان المأمونان. فهذا قول إمامين قد مضيا فيك. (قال) فخر أبوعمرو ساجدا وبكى ثم قال: سل(حاجتك). فقلت له:أنت رأيت الخلف من أبي محمد عليه السلام؟ فقال: إي والله ،ورقبته مثل هذا- وأومأ بيده-. فقلت: بقيت واحدة. فقال: هات! قلت: الاسم. قال: محرم عليكم أن تسألوا عن ذلك، ولا أقول هذا من عندي فليس لي أن أحلل ولا أحرم، ولكن عنه صلوات الله عليه، فإن الامر عند السلطان أن أبا محمد عليه السلام مضى ولم يخلف ولدا، وقسم ميراثه وأخذ من لا حق له، فصبر على ذلك وهو ذا عماله يجولون، فليس أحد يجسر أن يتقرب إليهم ويسألهم شيئا، وإذا وقع الاسم وقع الطلب. فالله الله! اتقوا الله وأمسكوا عن ذلك.

H 209 - Muhammad Ibn Yaqub narrates from some of our associates from Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari, saying, I and Shaykh Abu Amr were with Ahmad Ibn Ishaq Ashari Qummi. Ahmad Ibn Ishaq made a gesture to me to ask him about the successor. So, I asked him, “O Abu Amr, I want to ask you a question; however, I am not unsure about what I want to ask you, for my faith and my belief is that the earth does not remain without a Divine Proof (Hujjah), unless it is forty days prior to Judgment Day. And when that happens, the Divine Proof (Hujjah) is raised up and the door of repentance is shut. And it will not benefit any soul has it not already believed and earned good in its belief. They are the wicked of God’s creation and they are the ones that Judgment Day shall stand against them. However, I desire to increase my certitude, as Ibrahim (a. s) asked his Lord to show him how He brings the dead back to life. He said: ‘Do you believe not? He said: Indeed; rather, for my heart to satisfy. Abu Ali Ahmad Ibn Ishaq has narrated to me from Abul Hasan (a. s). He said: I asked the Imam, ‘With whom should I transact and from whom should I learn and whose word should I accept?’ The Imam said to him, Amari is my trustworthy man. Whatever he delivers to you, he does so from me. And whatever he says to you, he does so from me. So listen to him and obey him, for he is a trustworthy and honest man.’ Also Abu Ali narrated to me that he asked Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali the same question and the Imam said, Amari and his son are two trustworthy men. Whatever they deliver to you, they deliver from me; and whatever they say to you, they say from me. Listen to them and obey them, for they are two trustworthy and honest men.’ These are the words of two Imams of the past about you.” Abu Amr fell into prostration and tears rolled from his eyes and then he said: “Ask.” I asked, “Have you seen the successor of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)?” He said: “Yes, by Allah, and his neck is like this,” and he gestured. I said, “I have one more question.” He said: “Bring it forth.” I said: “His name?” He said: “That is forbidden to you to ask for. I am not saying this from myself, nor am I permitted to allow or disallow. Rather, this prohibition is from the Imam himself (a. s). The ruler’s impression is that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) passed away without leaving a son and that his bequeathals were divided and taken over by persons not entitled to them. He was patient on that. There is his household, wandering about and there is no one who has the courage to recognize them or offer them something. Should the name come out, search will be on. So fear God and hold back from that.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19479

210- وروي أن بعض أخوات أبي الحسن عليه السلام كانت لها جارية ربتها تسمى نرجس،فلما كبرت دخل أبومحمد عليه السلام فنظر إليها فقالت له:أراك يا سيدي تنظر إليها؟ فقال: إني ما نظرت إليها إلا متعجبا. أما إن المولود الكريم على الله تعالى يكون منها. ثم أمرها أن تستأذن أبا الحسن عليه السلام في دفعها إليه ففعلت فأمرها بذلك.

H 210 - It is narrated that a sister of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) had a slave girl, whom she had raised, called Narjis. When she grew up, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) entered and looked at her. She said to him, “I see, my Master, you are looking at her.” He said: “I did not look at her, but wondering: Lo, the baby that is dignified before Allah will be from her.” Then he ordered her to seek permission of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) to offer her to him. She did that and Imam Ali Naqi (a. s) ordered her to do so.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19480

211- وروى علان الكليني، عن محمد بن يحيى، عن الحسين بن علي النيشابوري الدقاق، عن إبراهيم بن محمد بن عبد الله بن موسى بن جعفر عليهما السلام، عن السياري قال:حدثني نسيم ومارية قالت: لما خرج صاحب الزمان عليه السلام من بطن أمه سقط جاثيا على ركبتيه، رافعا سبابته نحو السماء، ثم عطس فقال: الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على محمد وآله عبدا داخرا لله غير مستنكف ولا مستكبر. ثم قال: زعمت الظلمة أن حجة الله داحضة، ولو أذن لنا في الكلام لزال الشك.

H 211 - Allaan Kulaini has narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya from Husain bin Ali Nishaburi Daqqaq from Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) from Sayyari from Nasim and Mariya that: “When the Master of the Age fell from the abdomen of his mother, he fell hobbling on his knees, while raising his two forefingers towards the heavens. He then sneezed and said: ‘Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and may Allah bless Muhammad and his household. The oppressors assumed that the Proof of Allah has expired. Should we be allowed to talk, doubts would disappear.’”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19481

212- وروى علان بإسناده أن السيد عليه السلام ولد في سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين من الهجرة بعد مضي أبي الحسن بسنتين.

H 212 - It is narrated from Allaan Razi that he said: “The Master (a. s) was born in the year two hundred and fifty-six after Hijrat, two years after the demise of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s).”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19482

213- وروى محمد بن علي الشلمغاني في كتاب الاوصياء قال:حدثني حمزة ابن نصر غلام أبي الحسن عليه السلام عن أبيه قال:لما ولد السيد عليه السلام تباشر أهل الدار بذلك، فلما نشأ خرج إلي الامر أن أبتاع في كل يوم مع اللحم قصب مخ،وقيل: إن هذا لمولانا الصغير عليه السلام.

H 213 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Ali Shalmaghani in the book of Al-Awsiya on the authority of Hamza Ibn Nasr, the slave of Abul Hasan (a. s), who narrates from his father that: “When the Master was born, people of the house felicitated each other and rejoiced. When he grew, I was ordered to buy every day a bone with marrow and it was said: ‘It is for our young Master.’”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19483

214- وعنه قال: حدثني الثقة، عن إبراهيم بن إدريس قال: وجه إلي مولاي أبومحمد عليه السلام بكبش وقال: عقه عن ابني فلان، وكل وأطعم أهلك. ففعلت، ثم لقيته بعد ذلك فقال لي: المولود الذي ولد لي مات. ثم وجه إلي بكبشين وكتب: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. عق هذين الكبشين عن مولاك وكل، هنأك الله، وأطعم إخوانك. ففعلت، ولقيته بعد ذلك فما ذكر لي شيئاً.

H 214 - Shalmaghani narrates that Ibrahim Ibn Idris said: Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) sent me a sheep and said: “Offer this as Aqiqah of my son. Eat and feed your family.” I did that and met him afterwards, he said: “The son of mine that was born, died.” Later, he sent me two sheep and wrote, “In the name of Allah the Merciful the Compassionate. Offer these two sheep as Aqiqah of your Master. Eat, may Allah bless it for you, and feed your brothers.” I did that and saw him afterwards. He did not say anything.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19484

215- وروى علان قال:حدثني ظريف أبو نصر الخادم قال:دخلت عليه-يعني صاحب الزمان عليه السلام- فقال لي: علي بالصندل الاحمر. (قال) فأتيته به، فقال عليه السلام: أتعرفني؟ قلت:نعم. قال: من أنا؟ فقلت:أنت سيدي وابن سيدي. فقال: ليس عن هذا سألتك. قال ظريف: فقلت: جعلني الله فداك، فسر لي. فقال: أنا خاتم الاوصياء، وبي يدفع الله البلاء عن أهلي وشيعتي.

H 215 - It is narrated from Allaan Razi from the servant, Dharif Abu Nasr: “I came to the Master of the time (a. s) and he told me to bring red sandalwood, which I did. Then he asked: Do you know me? I said: Yes. He asked: Who am I? I said: My master, and the son of my master. He said: I did not ask you this. Tareef said: I said: May I be sacrificed on you, tell me. He said: I am the seal of the successors; and through me will Allah, the Mighty and Sublime ward off calamities from my family and my Shia.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19485

216- جعفر بن محمد بن مالك قال: حدثني محمد بن جعفر بن عبد الله عن أبي نعيم محمد بن أحمد الانصاري قال: وجه قوم من المفوضة والمقصرة كامل بن إبراهيم المدني إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام. قال كامل:فقلت في نفسي: أسأله لا يدخل الجنة إلا من عرف معرفتي وقال بمقالتي. (قال) فلما دخلت على سيدي أبي محمد عليه السلام نظرت إلى ثياب بياض ناعمة عليه، فقلت في نفسي:ولي الله وحجته يلبس الناعم من الثياب ويأمرنا نحن بمواساة الاخوان وينهانا عن لبس مثله!فقال متبسما: يا كامل، وحسر عن ذراعيه، فإذا مسح أسود خشن على جلده، فقال: هذا لله وهذا لكم. فسلمت وجلست إلى باب عليه ستر مرخى، فجاء‌ت الريح فكشفت طرفه فإذا أنا بفتى كأنه فلقة قمر من أبناء أربع سنين أو مثلها. فقال لي: يا كامل بن إبراهيم. فاقشعررت من ذلك وألهمت أن قلت:لبيك يا سيدي. فقال: جئت إلى ولي الله وحجته وبابه تسأله هل يدخل الجنة إلا من عرف معرفتك وقال بمقالتك؟ فقلت: إي والله. قال: إذن والله يقل داخلها. والله إنه ليدخلها قوم يقال لهم الحقية. قلت: يا سيدي ومن هم؟ قال: قوم من حبهم لعلي يحلفون بحقه ولا يدرون ما حقه وفضله. ثم سكت صلوات الله عليه عني ساعة ثم قال: وجئت تسأله عن مقالة المفوضة. كذبوا! بل قلوبنا أوعية لمشيئة الله، فإذا شاء شئنا، والله يقول:﴿وَمَا تَشَآؤُونَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَشَآءَ اللهُ﴾. ثم رجع الستر إلى حالته فلم أستطع كشفه، فنظر إلي أبومحمد عليه السلام متبسما فقال: يا كامل، ما جلوسك وقد أنبأك بحاجتك الحجة من بعدي؟ فقمت وخرجت ولم أعاينه بعد ذلك.

H 216 - It is narrated from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Muhammad bin Ja’far bin Abdullah from Abi Naeem Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari that he said: “A group of Mufawweza (extremists) sent Kamil bin Ibrahim Madani to His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). Kamil bin Ibrahim says: I said to myself: I will ask the Imam if only those who have the same beliefs as us will enter Paradise? He says: When I met the Imam, I saw that he was wearing a rich garment. I said to myself: The Wali of Allah and the proof of Allah is himself wearing such garments and prohibits us from them; and he also tells us to be equitable with our brothers in faith. As I was engrossed in these thoughts, the Imam said smiling and turned up his sleeve: O Kamil, look here. I found that below the rich garment was a coarse shirt that was in contact with his body. “See this coarse garment is for the Almighty Allah and the rich dress is for you people.” Thus I greeted him and sat down near a door across which a curtain hung. Just then a gust of wind moved the curtain away. I saw a four-year-old handsome boy, who called out: O Kamil bin Ibrahim. I began to tremble and automatically said: Here I am, O my master. The boy said: You have come to the Wali of Allah and proof of Allah with to ask if those who don’t have the same belief as us will enter Paradise. I said: By Allah, I wanted to ask this only. He said: If it is so, very few people will enter Paradise. No, by Allah, even the Haqqiya will enter Paradise. I asked: Who are Haqqiya? He replied: Who love Imam Ali (a. s) and who swear by his right, but they don’t know what his rights and merits are. Then that boy was quiet for sometime and then said: You also wanted to ask about the belief of Mufawweza (extremists). So you should know that they are liars; and our hearts are abodes of divine intention and when Allah intends something, we are also ready for it. “And you do not please except that Allah please…” Then the curtain, which had moved away by the breeze, returned to its position and I did not dare move it away again. After that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) smiled at me and said: O Kamil, why are you sitting here. Your questions were answered by the one who will be the divine proof and the Imam after me. Kamil says: After that I came out from there and never saw him again.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19486

قال أبونعيم: فلقيت كاملا فسألته عن هذا الحديث فحدثني به.

Abu Naeem says: I met Kamil and asked him about this tradition and he narrated the same to me.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19487

وروى هذا الخبر أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن عبد الله بن عائذ الرازي، عن الحسن بن وجناء النصيبي قال: سمعت أبا نعيم محمد بن أحمد الانصاري…وذكر مثله.

This report is also narrated by Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Ayedh Raazi from Hasan bin Wajna Naseebi that he said: I heard Abu Naeem Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari narrate the same.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19488

217- محمد بن يعقوب، عن أحمد بن النضر، عن القنبري- من ولد قنبر الكبير- مولى أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام قال: جرى حديث جعفر فشتمه، فقلت: فليس غيره فهل رأيته؟ قال: لم أره ولكن رآه غيري. قلت:ومن رآه؟ قال: رآه جعفر مرتين، وله حديث.

H 217 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub from Ahmad bin Nadhr that he asked Qambari, a descendant of Qambar senior, servant of Imam Ali Ridha (a. s): The incident of Ja’far, the liar was mentioned. Qambari scolded him and spoke against it. I asked: No one other than him is eligible for Imamate; have you seen someone else [Master of the Age (a. s)]? He replied: Not me, but someone else has. I asked: Who is that? He replied: Ja’far, and he saw him twice, and he is aware of it.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19489

218- وحدث عن رشيق صاحب المادراي قال:بعث إلينا المعتضد ونحن ثلاثة نفر فأمرنا أن يركب كل واحد منا فرسا ونجنب آخر ونخرج مخفين لا يكون معنا قليل ولا كثير إلا على السرج مصلى، وقال (لنا): الحقوا بسامرة. ووصف لنا محلة ودارا وقال: إذا أتيتموها تجدون على الباب خادما أسود فاكبسوا الدار، ومن رأيتم فيها فأتوني برأسه. فوافينا سامرة فوجدنا الامر كما وصفه، وفي الدهليز خادم أسود وفي يده تكة ينسجها، فسألناه عن الدار ومن فيها، فقال: صاحبها. فوالله ما التفت إلينا وقل اكتراثه بنا، فكبسنا الدار كما أمرنا، فوجدنا دارا سرية ومقابل الدار ستر ما نظرت قط إلى أنبل منه، كأن الايدي رفعت عنه في ذلك الوقت، ولم يكن في الدار أحد. فرفعنا الستر فإذا بيت كبير كأن بحرا فيه (ماء)، وفي أقصى البيت حصير قد علمنا أنه على الماء، وفوقه رجل من أحسن الناس هيئة قائم يصلي،فلم يلتفت إلينا ولا إلى شيء من أسبابنا. فسبق أحمد بن عبد الله ليتخطى البيت فغرق في الماء، وما زال يضطرب حتى مددت يدي إليه فخلصته وأخرجته وغشي عليه وبقي ساعة، وعاد صاحبي الثاني إلى فعل ذلك الفعل فناله مثل ذلك، وبقيت مبهوتا. فقلت لصاحب البيت:المعذرة إلى الله وإليك، فو الله ما علمت كيف الخبر ولا إلى من أجئ وأنا تائب إلى الله. فمـا التفـت إلى شـيء ممـا قلنـا، ومـا انفتـل عمـا كـان فيه فهالنا ذلك، وانصرفنا عنه، وقد كان المعتضد ينتظرنا وقد تقدم إلى الحجاب إذا وافيناه أن ندخل عليه في أي وقت كان. فوافيناه في بعض الليل فأدخلنا عليه فسألنا عن الخبر، فحكينا له ما رأينا، فقال: ويحكم! لقيكم أحد قبلي وجرى منكم إلى أحد سبب أو قول؟ قلنا: لا. فقال: أنا نفي من جدي. وحلف بأشد أيمان له أنه رجل إن بلغه هذا الخبر ليضربن أعناقنا، فما جسرنا أن نحدث به إلا بعد موته.

H 218 - It is narrated from Rashiq of Madarai that he said: Motazid sent a messenger to the three of us and ordered us to mount our horses and not to take anything with us, except the prayer mat and reach so and so house in such and such locality of Samarrah. “There you will find a black servant. You should besiege that house and apprehend anyone you see there and bring him to me.” Thus we reached Samarrah and made way to the house Motazid had specified. On the doorstep was a black servant spinning threads. We asked him who was present there. He replied: ‘The owner.’ By Allah, he did not stop us in any way. We entered the house as we had been ordered. The house was absolutely clean and there was a curtain in the front; so beautiful as we had never seen before, as if it was just made at that moment. There was no one in the house and we pulled the curtain aside. We saw a huge room with a stream of water and at the end of which was a mat, which seemed to be floating on the water. Upon the mat stood the most handsome man engrossed in prayers. He neither paid attention to us nor to our means. At that moment Ahmad bin Abdullah, from among us stepped in the water in order to enter the room, but he began to drown. He struggled with all his might to keep himself from drowning till we stretched our hands and pulled him out. He fell down unconscious for sometime. Then another member of our group also tried to step in water to enter the room and he also fell down in the same condition. I was shocked and awed. Then I addressed the owner of the house: I seek forgiveness for you in the court of Allah, by Allah I don’t know what the matter is and to whom we have come and indeed I beg Allah for forgiveness. However, he did not give any response to what I had said and did not come out of his condition. Due to this a terrible awe struck us and we came out of there. Motazid was waiting for us and had instructed the sentry that as soon as we returned, we should be taken to him immediately. We reached him in the middle of the night. He asked us about what had passed. We related to him everything in detail. He cried: Woe be unto you, did anyone see you before me? And did anyone else hear this from you? We said: No. He said: I am not the grandson of my grandfather – and he took a great oath – if I ever hear it, I shall cut off your heads. We also did not dare to relate this matter to anyone as long as Motazid was alive.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19490

219- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن بابويه رحمه الله قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن بن الفرج المؤذن قال: حدثني محمد بن حسن الكرخي قال: سمعت أبا هارون- رجلا من أصحابنا- يقول: رأيت صاحب الزمان عليه السلام ووجهه يضيء كأنه القمر ليلة البدر، ورأيت على سرته شعرا يجري كالخط، وكشف الثوب عنه فوجدته مختونا، فسألت أبا محمد عليه السلام عن ذلك، فقال: هكذا ولد وهكذا ولدنا، ولكنا سنمر الموسى عليه لاصابة السُّنّة.

H 219 - Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Babawayh that he said: Narrated to us Ali bin Hasan bin Faraj Muezzin that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Hasan Karkhi: “Abu Harun – a person belonging to our school of thought – said: “I saw His Eminence, the Master of the Age, while his face shone like a full moon and I saw a line of hair on his navel. When I removed the cover, I saw that he was circumcised. When I asked Abu Muhammad (a. s) about it, he said: This is the way he was born and this is the way we all (Imams) are born, but we passed the knife over him just in keeping up with the practice.”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19491

220- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي المفضل الشيباني، عن أبي نعيم نصر بن عصام بن المغيرة الفهري المعروف بقرقارة قال: حدثني أبوسعيد المراغي، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق أنه سأل أبا محمد عليه السلام عن صاحب هذا الأمر، فأشار بيده، أي إنه حي غليظ الرقبة.

H 220 - It is narrated from a group from Abi Mufaddal Shaibani from Abu Naeem Nasr bin Isaam bin Mughira Fahri alias Qarqaara from Abu Saeed Muraghi from Ahmad bin Ishaq Qummi that he asked Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) about the Master of this Affair, in reply to which the Imam made a gesture, meaning he is alive and his neck has hardened.

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19492

221- أخبرني ابن أبي جيد القمي، عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد، عن عبد الله بن العباس بن عبد الله بن الحسن بن علي بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام، عن أبي الفضل الحسين بن الحسن بن الحسين بن الحسن بن علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام، قال :وردت على أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام بسر من رأى فهنأته بولادة ابنه عليه السلام.

H 221 - Narrated to me Ibn Abil Jayyid Qummi from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Walid from Abdullah bin Abbas bin Abdullah bin Hasan bin Ali bin Husain bin Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) from Abul Fadhl Husain bin Hasan bin Husain bin Hasan bin Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) that he said: “I came to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) at Samarrah and congratulated him for the birth of his son, Qaim (a. s).”

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age - Hadith 19493

222- وأخبرني جماعة، عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال: أخبرنا أبي ومحمد بن الحسن ومحمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، عن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، أنه قال: سألت محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه فقلت له: رأيت صاحب هذا الامر؟ فقال: نعم، وآخرعهدي به عند بيت الله الحرام وهو يقول: اللهم، أنجز لي ما وعدتني. قال محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه: ورأيته صلوات الله عليه متعلقا بأستار الكعبة في المستجار وهو يقول: اللهم انتقم لي من أعدائك.

H 222 - Narrated to me a group from Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain that he said: Narrated to me Abi Muhammad Hasan and Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil from Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari that: I asked Muhammad bin Uthman Amari: “Have you the seen the master of this affair? He replied: “Yes, and the last time I saw him, he was besides the House of Allah and praying: O my Lord, fulfill the promise that You made to me.” Muhammad bin Uthman said: And I saw him holding the curtain of the Kaaba below the spout and praying: O my Lord, take revenge from my enemies.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19494

وأما ما روي من الاخبار المتضمنة لمن رآه عليه السلام وهو لا يعرفه أو عرفه فيما بعد،فأكثر من أن تحصى غير أنا نذكر طرفا منها:

Traditional reports regarding those who saw the Imam, but did not recognize him at that time or only realized it later, are so many that they cannot be computed. However, we will mention only some of them here:

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19495

223- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي قال: حدثني شيخ ورد الري على أبي الحسين محمد بن جعفر الاسدي، فروى له حديثين في صاحب الزمان عليه السلام وسمعتهما منه كما سمع، وأظن ذلك قبل سنة ثلاثمائة أو قريبا منها، قال: حدثني علي بن إبراهيم الفدكي قال: قال الاودي: بينا أنا في الطواف قد طفت ستة وأريد أن أطوف السابعة فإذا أنا بحلقة عن يمين الكعبة وشاب حسن الوجه، طيب الرائحة، هيوب، ومع هيبته متقرب إلى الناس، فتكلم فلم أر أحسن من كلامه، ولا أعذب من منطقه في حسن جلوسه فذهبت أكلمه فزبرني الناس، فسألت بعضهم: من هذا؟ فقال: ابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يظهر للناس في كل سنة يوما لخواصه، فيحدثهم ويحدثونه. فقلت: مسترشد أتاك فأرشدني هداك الله. قال: فناولني حصاة فحولت وجهي، فقال لي بعض جلسائه: ما الذي دفع إليك ابن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم؟ فقلت: حصاة. فكشفت عن يدي، فإذا أنا بسبيكة من ذهب، (فذهبت). وإذا أنا به قد لحقني فقال: ثبتت عليك الحجة، وظهر لك الحق، وذهب عنك العمى أتعرفني؟ فقلت:اللهم لا. فقال: (أنا) المهدي، أنا قائم الزمان، أنا الذي أملاها عدلا كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً ، إن الأرض لا تخلو من حجة ولا يبقى الناس في فترة أكثر من تيه بني إسرائيل، وقد ظهر أيام خروجي، فهذه أمانة في رقبتك فحدث بها إخوانك من أهل الحق.

H 223 - A group of scholars has narrated from Harun bin Musa Talakbari and narrates from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi that he said: Once a venerable man in Rayy came to Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi (a representative of Imam Mahdi) and narrated two incidents in connection with the Imam and I also heard them and I think that this occurred before 300 A. H. approximately. An elderly man narrated from Ali bin Ibrahim Fadki that Oodi said: “I was performing the Tawaf of the Kaaba. I had completed six rounds and was starting on the seventh, when I saw a young man on the right side of Kaaba and fragrance was coming from him. His awe had affected the people and they had surrounded him so that they may speak to him. I have not heard anyone speak in a more pleasant way nor seen anyone with a better demeanor. I went there so that I may also get a chance to speak to him, but the crowd pushed me back. I asked the people who he was. People said that he was the son of Allah’s Messenger, who comes here for one day every year to meet his special followers and to speak to them. I called out: My chief, I also want to speak to you, so that you may guide me. When he heard this, he threw some pebbles towards me, which I picked up. People asked: What did he throw to you? I said: Pebbles. But when I opened my fist, I saw that they were pieces of gold. I began to follow him till I joined him. He said: Now my proof is complete on you, the truth has become manifest and your blindness is gone. Do you know who I am? I said: No, by Allah. He said: I am the same Mahdi. I am the Qaim, who would fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and tyranny. Know that the earth is never without Divine Proof and people cannot remain on nature for more than the period Bani Israel remained in the Tiyah desert (for forty years). The time of my reappearance has arrived. What I have said is a trust with you, which you must convey to your Shia brothers.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19496

224- وبهذا الاسناد، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، قال:حدثني محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن أحمد بن خلف، قال:نزلنا مسجدا في المنزل المعروف بالعباسية- على مرحلتين من فسطاط مصر- وتفرق غلماني في النزول وبقي معي في المسجد غلام أعجمي(فرأيت) في زاويته شيخا كثير التسبيح،فلما زالت الشمس ركعت (وسجدت) وصليت الظهر في أول وقتها، ودعوت بالطعام وسألت الشيخ أن يأكل معي (فأجابني). فلما طعمنا سألت عن اسمه واسم أبيه وعن بلده وحرفته(ومقصده)، فذكر أن اسمه محمد بن عبد الله، وأنه من أهل قم، وذكر أنه يسيح منذ ثلاثين سنة في طلب الحق ويتنقل في البلدان والسواحل، وأنه أوطن مكة والمدينة نحو عشرين سنة يبحث عن الاخبار ويتبع الآثار. فلمـا كان في سنـة ثلاث وتسعين ومـائتين طاف بالبيت ثم صار إلى مقام إبراهيم عليه السلام فركع فيه وغلبته عينه فأنبهه صوت دعاء لم يجر في سمعه مثله، قال: فتأملت الداعي فإذا هو شاب أسمر لم أر قط في حسن صورته واعتدال قامته، ثم صلى فخرج وسعى، فاتبعته وأوقع الله عز وجل في نفسي أنه صاحب الزمان عليه السلام. فلما فرغ من سعيه قصد بعض الشعاب فقصدت أثره،فلما قربت منه إذ أنا بأسود مثل الفنيق قد اعترضني فصاح بي بصوت لم أسمع أهول منه: ما تريد عافاك الله؟ فأرعدت ووقفت، وزال الشخص عن بصري وبقيت متحيرا. فلما طال بي الوقوف والحيرة انصرفت ألوم نفسي وأعذلها بانصرافي بزجرة الاسود، فخلوت بربي عز وجل أدعوه وأسأله بحق رسوله وآله عليهم السلام أن لا يخيب سعيي وأن يظهر لي ما يثبت بهقلبي ويزيد في بصري. فلما كان بعد سنين زرت قبر المصطفى صلى الله عليه وآله فبينا أنا (أصلي) في الروضة التي بين القبر والمنبر إذ غلبتني عيني، فإذا محرك يحركني، فاستيقظت فإذا أنا بالاسود فقال: ما خبرك؟ وكيف كنت؟ فقلت: الحمد لله وأذمك. فقال: لا تفعل، فإني أمرت بما خاطبتك به، وقد أدركت خيرا كثيرا، فطب نفسا وازدد من الشكر لله عز وجل ما أدركت وعاينت، ما فعل فلان؟ وسمى بعض إخواني المستبصرين، فقلت :ببرقة. فقال: صدقت، ففلان؟ وسمى رفيقا لي مجتهدا في العبادة، مستبصرا في الديانة. فقلت: بالاسكندرية، حتى سمى لي عدة من إخواني. ثم ذكر اسما غريبا فقال: ما فعل نقفور؟ قلت: لا أعرفه، فقال: كيف تعرفه وهو رومي؟ فيهديه الله فيخرج ناصرا من قسطنطينية. ثم سألني عن رجل آخر فقلت: لا أعرفه. فقال: هذا رجل من أهل هيت من أنصار مولاي عليه السلام. إمض إلى أصحابك فقل لهم: نرجو أن يكون قد أذن الله في الانتصار للمستضعفين وفي الانتقام من الظالمين. ولقد لقيت جماعة من أصحابي وأديت إليهم وأبلغتهم ما حملت وأنا منصرف وأشير عليك أن لا تتلبس بما يثقل به ظهرك، ويتعب به جسمك وأن تحبس نفسك على طاعة ربك، فإن الامر قريب إن شاء الله تعالى. فأمرت خازني فأحضر لي خمسين دينارا وسألته قبولها فقال:يا أخي،قد حرم الله علي أن آخذ منك ما أنا مستغن عنه كما أحل لي أن آخذ منك الشيء إذا إحتجت إليه. فقلت له:هل سمع هذا الكلام منك أحد غيري من أصحاب السلطان؟ قال: نعم، (أخوك) أحمد بن الحسين الهمداني المدفوع عن نعمته بآذربيجان، وقد استأذن للحج تأميلا أن يلقى من لقيت. فحج أحمد بن الحسين الهمداني رحمه الله في تلك السنة فقتله ذكرويه بن مهرويه، وافترقنا وانصرفت إلى الثغر. ثم حججت فلقيت بالمدينة رجلا اسمه طاهر من ولد الحسين الاصغر، يقال إنه يعلم من هذا الأمر شيئا فثابرت عليه حتى أنس بي، وسكن لي ووقف على صحة عقيدتي، فقلت له:يا بن رسول الله، بحق آبائك الطاهرين عليهم السلام لما جعلتني مثلك في العلم بهذا الأمر، فقد شهد عندي من توثقه بقصد القاسم بن عبد الله بن سليمان بن وهب إياي لمذهبي واعتقادي أنه أغرى بدمي مرارا فسلمني الله منه. فقال: يا أخي اكتم ما تسمع مني الخبر في هذه الجبال، وإنما يرى العجائب الذين يحملون الزاد في الليل ويقصدون به مواضع يعرفونها، وقد نهينا عن الفحص والتفتيش. فودعته وانصرفت عنه.

H 224 - From the same chains, it is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Khalaf that he said: “We went to the Abbasid Mosque, which is at a distance of two stages from Fustat and our servants left us alone. Only a Persian was left with us in the Mosque. I noticed a gentleman in a corner and he was engrossed in devotions. When it was noon, I prayed the Noon Prayer at the earliest time and invited that gentleman for dinner. He accepted the invitation. After dinner, I asked him his name, his father’s name, nativity and profession etc. He replied: My name is Muhammad bin Ubaidullah, I am from Qom and I am in search of truth since the last thirty years. I have lived in various places during this period and spent around twenty years in Mecca and Medina and studied the traditional reports. In the 29th year, I circled the Kaaba and when I reached the Place of Ibrahim, I prayed there. After that I dozed a little bit and then I heard someone reciting a supplication that I had never heard before. I was startled to see that it was a young handsome man of medium height who was reading that Dua. Then he came out of the Haram and started Sayy. I followed him, because the Almighty Allah inspired me that he was the master of the age. When he completed the Sayy, he set out from there and I followed him; but as I neared him I was stopped by a tall black man who said: “What do you want?” I began to tremble in fear and halted in my steps and that gentleman disappeared. I stood there in bewilderment for a long time. At last I returned from there condemning my own self, that why I was cowed down by a black. I returned and prayed to the Almighty Allah: I invoke You in the name of Your Prophet, please don’t waste my efforts and show me that which will satisfy and me show him to me again. After some years, I visited the tomb of the Messenger of Allah (s). One day, I dozed sitting between his tomb and pulpit when someone shook my arm. When I opened my eyes, I saw that same black man. He asked: “How are you?” “All right, but I was angry at you.” “You should not have done that. I was commanded to scold you. You should thank Allah and be pleased that you have seen him; it is enough.” Then he mentioned one of my brothers in faith and asked how he was. “He is in Barqa.” “You are right.” Then he mentioned another friend of mine, who was a very pious man. “He is in Alexandria.” He asked about many of my friends and then asked about a stranger: “How was that Nakhfur?” “I don’t know him.” “Yes, how can you know him? He is Roman and the Almighty Allah will guide him and he will come from Constantine to render help.” Then he asked about another person and I again said that I had no clue who he was. “He is from the Hayyat area and he is a helper of my lord and master. Now you may tell your associates that we are hopeful that the Almighty Allah will take revenge from the oppressors and permit us to help the oppressed. I have just conveyed the same message to some of our associates. You must not worry much; continue to obey Allah and the time of reappearance is near, if Allah wills.” [Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Khalaf says:] I ordered my cashier to bring fifty dinars and requested the aged man to accept them. He said: Brother, Allah has made unlawful for me to take anything that I don’t need just as He made it lawful for me to accept from you that which I am in need of. I asked: Has anyone other than me from the companions of the king heard about your story? He replied: Yes, your brother, Ahmad bin Husain Hamadani, who is exiled to Azerbaijan. He heard it from me and with the hope that he would also see what I saw, sought permission to go for Hajj. He performed Hajj, but that same year he was killed at the hands of Zikruya bin Mahruya. We separated and I came back to the boundary. The following year I went to Hajj and met a man named Tahir in Medina. He was among the descendants of Husain, the younger [Imam Sajjad (a. s)]. It was said that he had some knowledge about this matter [of Imamate]. I went to look for him and befriend him, so that he becomes comfortable with me and is aware of the correctness of my belief. I requested him: O son of Allah’s Messenger, I adjure you through the rights of your purified forefathers, please bestow me with knowledge of this matter of [Master of the age (a. s)] and make me like yourself. As one about whom you are confident has testified to me and informed me that Qasim bin Abdullah bin Sulaiman bin Wahab intends to eliminate me for my religion [of Twelver Shia] and has instigated my killing a number of times, but Almighty Allah saved me from his clutches. Tahir said: O brother, conceal whatever you hear from me in these mountains; those who carry provisions in the darkness of the night to a place they know, see extraordinary things and have restrained us from search and investigation. So I left him and returned.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19497

225- وأخبرني أحمد بن عبدون المعروف بابن الحاشر، عن أبي الحسن محمد بن علي الشجاعي الكاتب، عن أبي عبد الله محمد بن إبراهيم النعماني، عن يوسف بن أحمد (محمد) الجعفري قال: حججت سنة ست وثلاثمائة، وجاورت بمكة تلك السنة وما بعدها إلى سنة تسع وثلاثمائة، ثم خرجت عنها منصرفا إلى الشام، فبينا أنا في بعض الطريق، وقد فاتتني صلاة الفجر، فنزلت من المحمل وتهيأت للصلاة، فرأيت أربعة نفر في محمل، فوقفت أعجب منهم، فقال أحدهم:مم تعجب؟ تركت صلاتك وخالفت مذهبك. فقلت للذي يخاطبني: وما علمك بمذهبي؟ فقال: تحب أن ترى صاحب زمانك؟ قلت نعم، فأومأ إلى أحد الاربعة، فقلت (له): إن له دلائل وعلامات. فقال: أيما أحب إليك أن ترى الجمل وما عليه صاعدا إلى السماء، أو ترى المحمل صاعدا إلى السماء؟ فقلت: أيهما كان فهي دلالة. فرأيت الجمل وما عليه يرتفع إلى السماء، وكان الرجل أومأ إلى رجل به سمرة، وكان لونه الذهب، بين عينيه سجادة.

H 225 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Abdun alias Ibn Hashir from Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ali Shajjai Katib from Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ibrahim Nomani from Yusuf bin Ahmad Ja’fari that he said: “I performed the Hajj in 306 A. H., then stayed in Mecca till 309 A. H. and then moved to Syria. I was on the way when I missed the Morning Prayer. When I descended from the litter to perform it, I saw four persons riding a litter. I was very surprised. One of them asked: Why are you surprised? You have missed your prayer and gone against your religion. I asked: How do you know about my religion? He said: You want to see the Master of your Age. I said: Yes, that is true. He indicated to one of his companions. I said: But he is having many signs. He asked: What sign do you want to see? Do you want to see this she-camel rise up to the heavens along with its litter; or only this litter should rise up to the sky? I said: Whatever of these happens will be a sign for me. As soon as I said this, I saw the she-camel rise up to the sky along with the litter.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19498

226- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن عبد ربه الانصاري الهمداني، عن أحمد بن عبد الله الهاشمي من ولد العباس قال: حضرت دار أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام بسر من رأى يوم توفي، وأخرجت جنازته ووضعت، ونحن تسعة وثلاثون رجلا قعود ننتظر، حتى خرج إلينا غلام عشاري حاف عليه رداء قد تقنع به. فلما أن خرج قمنا هيبة له من غير أن نعرفه، فتقدم وقام الناس فاصطفوا خلفه، فصلى عليه ومشى، فدخل بيتا غير الذي خرج منه. قال أبوعبد الله الهمداني فلقيت بالمراغة رجلا من أهل تبريز يعرف بإبراهيم بن محمد التبريزي، فحدثني بمثل حديث الهاشمي لم يخرم منه شيء، قال: فسألت الهمداني فقلت:غلام عشاري القد أو عشاري السن، لأنه روي أن الولادة كانت سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين،وكانت غيبة أبي محمد عليه السلام سنة ستة ومائتين بعد الولادة بأربع سنين. فقال: لا أدري. هكذا سمعت. فقال لي شيخ معه حسن الفهم من أهل بلده له رواية وعلم: عشاري القد.

H 226 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Abde Rabb Ansari Hamadani from Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashmi, a descendant of Abbas that he said: “One day in Sarmanra, when His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) passed away, I went to his house. When his coffin was brought out of his chamber and placed outside, we were thirty-nine persons who had come to attend the funeral. Just then a child, who apparently seemed to be ten years old, came out with a sheet on his shoulder and face. As soon as he entered, awe struck us, so that we rose up to welcome him. He stood up and all of us stood behind him. He recited the funeral prayers and then went away. But he did not go back into the room from which he had emerged; he went into another room.” Abu Abdullah Hamadani says: “I met Ibrahim bin Muhammad Tabrizi in Maragha and he also narrated to me the above report of Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashmi verbatim.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19499

227- عنه، عن علي بن عائذ الرازي، عن الحسن بن وجناء النصيبي، عن أبي نعيم محمد بن أحمد الانصاري قال:كنت حاضرا عند المستجار(بمكة) وجماعة زهاء ثلاثين رجلا لم يكن منهم مخلص غير محمد بن القاسم العلوي، فبينا نحن كذلك في اليوم السادس من ذي الحجة سنة ثلاث وتسعين ومائتين، إذ خرج علينا شاب من الطواف عليه إزاران (فاحتج) محرم بهما، وفي يده نعلان. فلما رأيناه قمنا جميعا هيبة له، ولم يبق منا أحد إلا قام، فسلم علينا وجلس متوسطا ونحن حوله، ثم التفت يمينا وشمالا ثم قال: أتدرون ما كان أبو عبد الله عليه السلام يقول في دعاء الالحاح؟ (قلنا:وما كان يقول؟) قال: كان يقول: اللهم إني أسألك باسمك الذي به تقوم السماء، وبه تقوم الارض وبه تفرق بين الحق والباطل، وبه تجمع بين المتفرق، وبه تفرق بين المجتمع، وبه أحصيت عدد الرمال، وزنة الجبال، وكيل البحار، أن تصلي على محمد وآل محمد، وأن تجعل لي من أمري فرجا. ثم نهض ودخل الطواف فقمنا لقيامه حتى انصرف وأنسينا أن نذكره أمره، وأن نقول من هو؟ وأي شيء هو؟ إلى الغد في ذلك الوقت فخرج علينا من الطواف، فقمنا له كقيامنا بالامس، وجلس في مجلسه متوسطا، فنظر يمينا وشمالا وقال: أتدرون ما كان يقول أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام بعد صلاة الفريضة؟ فقلنا وما كان يقول؟ قال: كان يقول: إليك رفعت الاصوات (ودعيت الدعوات ولك) عنت الوجوه، ولك وضعت الرقاب، وإليك التحاكم في الاعمال، يا خير من سئل، ويا خير من أعطي، يا صادق يا بارئ، يا من لا يخلف الميعاد، يا من أمر بالدعاء ووعد بالاجابة، يا من قال: ﴿اُدْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ﴾ يا من قال: ﴿إِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِي فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ﴾ ويا من قال: ﴿يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ﴾ لبيك وسعديك، ها أنا ذا بين يديك المسرف، وأنت القائل: ﴿لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً﴾. ثم نظر يمينا وشمالا بعد هذا الدعاء- فقال: أتدرون ما كان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يقول في سجدة الشكر؟ فقلنا:وما كان يقول؟ قال: كان يقول: يا من لا يزيده كثرة الدعاء إلا سعة وعطاء، يا من لا تنفد خزائنه، يا من له خزائن السماوات والأرض، يا من له خزائن ما دق وجل لا تمنعك إساء‌تي من إحسانك، أنت تفعل بي الذي أنت أهله، (فإنك) أنت أهل الكرم والجود، والعفو والتجاوز، يا رب يا الله لا تفعل بي الذي أنا أهله، فإني أهل العقوبة وقد استحققتها، لا حجة (لي) ولا عذر لي عندك، أبوء لك بذنوبي كلها وأعترف بها كي تعفو عني، وأنت أعلم بها مني، أبوء لك بكل ذنب أذنبته، وكل خطيئة احتملتها، وكل سيئة عملتها، رب اغفر وارحم، وتجاوز عما تعلم، إنك أنت الاعز الاكرم. وقام ودخل الطواف فقمنا لقيامه، وعاد من الغد في ذلك الوقت فقمنا لاقباله كفعلنا فيما مضى، فجلس متوسطا ونظر يمينا وشمالا فقال: كان علي بن الحسين سيد العابدين عليه السلام يقول في سجوده في هذا الموضع- وأشار بيده إلى الحجر تحت الميزاب-: عبيدك بفنائك مسكينك بفنائك، فقيرك بفنائك، سائلك بفنائك يسألك ما لا يقدر عليه غيرك. ثم نظر يمينا وشمالا ونظر إلى محمد بن القاسم من بيننا، فقال: يا محمد بن القاسم أنت على خير إن شاء الله تعالى- وكان محمد بن القاسم يقول بهذا الامر-ثم قام ودخل الطواف فما بقي منا أحد إلا وقد ألهم ما ذكره من الدعاء وأنسينا أن نتذاكر أمر إلا في آخر يوم. فقال لنا أبوعلي المحمودي: يا قوم أتعرفون هذا؟ هذا والله صاحب زمانكم، فقلنا:وكيف علمت يا أبا علي؟ فذكر أنه مكث سبع سنين يدعو ربه ويسأله معاينة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام. قال: فبينا نحن يوما عشية عرفة وإذا بالرجل بعينه يدعو بدعاء وعيته فسألته ممن هو؟ فقال: من الناس، قلت: من أي الناس؟ قال: من عربها، قلت: من أي عربها؟ قال:من أشرفها، قلت:ومن هم؟ قال:بنو هاشم، قلت: (و) من أي بنو هاشم؟ فقال: من أعلاها ذروة وأسناها، قلت: ممن قال: ممن فلق الهام وأطعم الطعام وصلى والناس نيام. قال: فعلمت أنه علوي فأحببته على العلوية، ثم افتقدته من بين يدي فلم أدر كيف مضى، فسألت القوم الذين كانوا حوله تعرفون هذا العلوي؟ قالوا: نعم يحج معنا في كل سنة ماشيا، فقلت:سبحان الله (والله) ما أرى به أثر مشي قال: فانصرفت إلى المزدلفة كئيبا حزينا على فراقه، ونمت من ليلتي تلك، فإذا أنا برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فقال: يا أحمد رأيت طلبتك؟ فقلت: ومن ذاك يا سيدي؟ فقال: الذي رأيته في عشيتك (و) هو صاحب زمانك. قال: فلما سمعنا ذلك منه عاتبناه أن لا يكون أعلمنا ذلك، فذكر أنه كان ينسى أمره إلى وقت ما حدثنا به.

H 227 - It is narrated from Ali bin Ayez Razi and he has narrated from Hasan bin Wajna Nasibi and he from Abu Nuaim Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari that: “We were in Mecca sitting near the spout with a group of thirty Umrah pilgrims among whom were Mahmoodi, Allaan Kulaini, Abu Haitham, Abu Ja’far Ahwaal Hamadani, Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi comprising 30 persons. Except for Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi Aqiqi, none of them was Shia. It was the 6th of Zilhajj of the year 293 A. H. A young man approached us wearing Ihraam dress and carrying his slippers in his hands. He came among us and due to his awe and majesty we stood up and greeted him with Salaam. He glanced to the left and right and sat down among us. He asked: ‘Do you know what His Eminence, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) used to say in his supplication?’ We asked: ‘What did he recite?’ He said: ‘He used to say: O Allah, indeed I ask You by Your name due to which the sky and the earth stand, and by which it is possible to distinguish between right and wrong. Due to which different and separated people come together and by which there develop differences and dispersion in cohesive groups; and through which are calculated the number of sand particles in the desert, the weight of the mountains and the measure of water in the oceans. Bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad and widen and ease all my affairs for me.’ Then he stood up and we also followed by way of respect. He began to perform the circumambulation (Tawaf). As a result of his awe we forgot to ask him who he was. The next day at the same time, he completed the Tawaf and came to us and sat down among us in the same way. Then he glanced to the right and left and asked: ‘Do you know what supplication Amirul Momineen used to recite after the obligatory prayers?’ We asked: ‘What did he recite?’ He said: ‘He used to recite as follows: O Allah, it is towards You that voices are raised. Supplications are addressed to You alone. Before You only are cheeks placed in submission. Humility and lowliness is shown to You. Your command is honored in all the matters. O the best of those who are beseeched and One Who is better than all those who bestow. O the true one, O the forgiving one. O one who never breaks His promise. O one who also commands to ask from Him and also promises the fulfillment of supplications. O one who has said: ‘Call upon Me, I will answer you.’ O one who said: ‘And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.’ O one who said: Say: ‘O my servants! Who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.’ Then he looked to the right and the left and asked: ‘Do you know what Amirul Momineen used to recite in the prostration of thankfulness (Sajdah Shukr)? ‘Please tell us what he used to say,’ we replied. He said: ‘He used to say: The weeping of those who weep does not increase anything, except Your generosity and kindness. O one who has the treasures of the heavens and the earth. O one whose mercy is widespread, my sins cannot restrain Your favors from reaching me for which I pray to You. Regarding my affairs, do what befits You. You are powerful over every type of punishment and You have complete right upon all of them. I have no argument to support my case in Your court and neither have I an opportunity to present excuse. I present my sins to You and confess of having committed them, so that You may forgive them and You are the best of those who know. I dissociate myself of all the sins that I have committed and all the mistakes I made and all the evils deeds I have committed. My Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me and overlook all that You know – for You are the most powerful and kind.’ After that he arose and began to circle the Kaaba. We also rose up to pay respect. The next day he again came to us at the same time and like the previous day we welcomed and greeted him. He sat down in our company and glanced at the right and left. Then he said: Ali Ibnul Husain, Chief of those who prostrate (Sayyid us-Saajideen) used to recite this at this place in prostration (so saying he pointed to the Black Stone): ‘Your slave is at Your threshold, Your destitute is at Your door, You are asked for those things over which none, except You have power.’ Then he looked to the right and the left and glanced at Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi from among us and said: ‘O Muhammad bin Qasim, you are, if Allah wills, on the right path.’ Then he arose and entered the circling of the Kaaba. There was none among us that had not learnt by heart the supplications he had recited, but we forgot to ask him about himself everyday. Mahmoodi asked us: ‘Do you know this man?’ ‘No,’ we replied. He said: ‘By Allah, he is the Master of your time.’ We asked: ‘How do you know, O Abu Ali?’ He said: ‘I prayed to my Lord for seven years to let me have the glimpse of the Master of the Age.’ Abu Ali said: [After seven years] In the afternoon [Asr] at Arafah I saw that same gentleman supplicating. I asked: Who is this supplication from? He replied: From the people. I asked: From which people? He replied: From Arabs. I asked: ‘From which Arab clan?’ He said: ‘From the most noble and high clan.’ I asked: ‘Which is that?’ He replied: ‘Banu Hashim.’ I asked: ‘From which branch of Banu Hashim?’ He said: ‘That which is foremost in giving counsel and worthy of praise in its loftiness.’ I asked: ‘From which of these persons?’ He said: ‘From those who split the heads, fed the poor and prayed in the dead of the night when the people slept.’ I said to myself that he was an Alawite and that is why I was inclined to him. Then he disappeared suddenly from my sight and I don’t know where he went. I asked those around him whether they knew that Alawite gentleman. ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘He comes with us every year on foot to perform Hajj.’ I told them that I didn’t see the effect of walking in him. Then I returned to Muzdalifah in grief and sorrow. That same night I saw the Holy Prophet (s) in dream. He said: ‘O Ahmad, you have seen what you desired.’ I said: ‘My master, who was he?’ He replied: ‘The one you saw yesterday in the afternoon (Asr) was the Imam of your time.’ Abu Nuaim, the narrator of this tradition says: When I heard this from Abu Ali Mahmoodi, I scolded him why he did not inform us about it. Abu Ali said: I also forgot it when you were talking to him.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19500

وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام، عن جعفر بن مالك الكوفي، عن محمد بن جعفر بن عبد الله، عن أبي نعيم محمد بن أحمد الانصاري وساق الحديث بطوله.

Also a group has narrated from Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam and he from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik Kufi from Muhammad bin Ja’far bin Abdullah that Abu Nuaim Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari has narrated the same lengthy tradition.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19501

228- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن علي بن الحسين، عن رجـل- ذكر أنه من أهل قزوين لم يذكر اسـمه- عن حبيب بن محمـد بن يونس بن شاذان الصنعاني قال: دخلت إلى علي بن إبراهيم بن مهزيار الاهوازي فسألته عن آل أبي محمد عليه السلام فقال:يا أخي لقد سألت عن أمر عظيم، حججت عشرين حجة كلا أطلب به عيان الامام فلم أجد إلى ذلك سبيلا، فبينا أنا ليلة نائم في مرقدي إذ رأيت قائلا يقول: يا علي بن إبراهيم! قد أذن الله لي في الحج، فلم أعقل ليلتي حتى أصبحت، فأنا مفكر في أمري أرقب الموسم ليلي ونهاري. فلما كان وقت الموسم أصلحت أمري، وخرجت متوجها نحو المدينة، فما زلت كذلك حتى دخلت يثرب فسألت عن آل أبي محمد عليه السلام، فلم أجد له أثرا ولا سمعت له خبرا، فأقمت مفكرا في أمري حتى خرجت من المدينة أريد مكة، فدخلت الجحفة وأقمت بها يوما وخرجت منها متوجها نحو الغدير، وهو على أربعة أميال من الجحفة، فلما أن دخلت المسجد صليت وعفرت واجتهدت في الدعاء وابتهلت إلى الله لهم، وخرجت أريد عسفان، فما زلت كذلك حتى دخلت مكة فأقمت بها أياما أطوف البيت وأعتكفت. فبينا أنا ليلة في الطواف، إذا أنا بفتى حسن الوجه، طيب الرائحة، يتبختر في مشيته طائف حول البيت، فحس قلبي به، فقمت نحوه فحككته، فقال لي من أين الرجل؟ فقلت:من أهل (العراق فقال:من أي) العراق؟ قلت:من الاهواز. فقال لي: تعرف بها الخصيب؟ فقلت: رحمه الله، دعي فأجاب، فقال: رحمه الله، فما كان أطول ليلته وأكثر تبتله وأغزر دمعته، أفتعرف علي بن إبراهيم بن المازيار؟ فقلت: أنا علي بن إبراهيم. فقال: حياك الله أبا الحسن ما فعلت بالعلامة التي بينك وبين أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام؟ فقلت:معي قال: أخرجها، فأدخلت يدي في جيبي فاستخرجتها، فلما أن رآها لم يتمالك أن تغرغرت عيناه (بالدموع) وبكى منتحبا حتى بل أطماره، ثم قال: أذن لك الآن يا بن مازيار، صر إلى رحلك وكن على أهبة من أمرك، حتى إذا لبس الليل جلبابه، وغمر الناس ظلامه، سر إلى شعب بني عامر! فإنك ستلقاني هناك فسرت إلى منزلي. فلما أن أحسست بالوقت أصلحت رحلي وقدمت راحلتي وعكمته شديدا، وحملت وصرت في متنه وأقبلت مجدا في السير حتى وردت الشعب، فإذا أنا بالفتى قائم ينادي يا أبا الحسن إلي، فما زلت نحوه، فلما قربت بدأني بالسلام وقال لي: سر بنا يا أخ فما زال يحدثني وأحدثه حتى تخرقنا جبال عرفات، وسرنا إلى جبال منى، وانفجر الفجر الاول ونحن قد توسطنا جبال الطائف. فلمـا أن كان هنـاك أمرني بالنزول وقـال لي:إنزل فصـل صلاة الليل، فصليت، وأمرني بالوتر فأوترت، وكانت فائدة منه، ثم أمرني بالسجود والتعقيب، ثم فرغ من صلاته وركب، وأمرني بالركوب وسار وسرت معه حتى علا ذروة الطائف، فقال: هل ترى شيئا؟ قلت: نعم أرى كثيب رمل عليه بيت شعر يتوقد البيت نورا. فلما أن رأيته طابت نفسي، فقال لي: هناك الامل والرجاء، ثم قال: سر بنا يا أخ فسار وسرت بمسيره إلى أن انحدر من الذروة وسار في أسفله، فقال: إنزل فها هنا يذل كل صعب، ويخضع كل جبار، ثم قال: خل عن زمام الناقة، قلت فعلى من أخلفها؟ فقال: حرم القائم عليه السلام، لا يدخله إلا مؤمن ولا يخرج منه إلا مؤمن، فخليت من زمام راحلتي، وسار وسرت معه إلى أن دنا من باب الخباء، فسبقني بالدخول وأمرني أن أقف حتى يخرج إلي. ثم قال لي: أدخل هنأك السلامة، فدخلت فإذا أنا به جالس قد اتشح ببردة واتزر بأخرى، وقد كسر بردته على عاتقه، وهو كأقحوانة أرجوان قد تكاثف عليها الندى، وأصابها ألم الهوى، وإذا هو كغصن بان أو قضيب ريحان، سمح سخي تقي نقي، ليس بالطويل الشامخ، ولا بالقصير اللازق، بل مربوع القامة، مدور الهامة، صلت الجبين، أزج الحاجبين، أقنى الانف، سهل الخدين، على خده الايمن خال كأنه فتات مسك على رضراضة عنبر. فلما أن رأيته بدرته بالسلام، فرد علي أحسن ما سلمت عليه، وشافهني وسألني عن أهل العراق، فقلت سيدي قد ألبسوا جلباب الذلة، وهم بين القوم أذلاء فقال لي:يا بن المازيار لتملكونهم كما ملكوكم، وهم يومئذ أذلاء، فقلت، سيدي لقد بعد الوطن وطال المطلب، فقال: يا بن المازيار(أبي) أبو محمد عهد إلي أن لا أجاور قوما غضب الله عليهم (ولعنهم) ولهم الخزي في الدنيا والآخرة ولهم عذاب أليم، وأمرني أن لا أسكن من الجبال إلا وعرها، ومن البلاد إلى عفرها، والله مولاكم أظهر التقية فوكلها بي فأنا في التقية إلى يوم يؤذن لي فأخرج، فقلت يا سيدي متى يكون هذا الأمر؟ فقال:إذا حيل بينكم وبين سبيل الكعبة، واجتمع الشمس والقمر واستدار بهما الكواكب والنجوم، فقلت: متى يـا بن رسول الله؟ فقـال لي: في سنة كذا وكذا تخرج دابة الارض (من) بين الصفا والمروة، ومعه عصا موسى وخاتم سليمان، يسوق الناس إلى المحشر. قال، فأقمت عنده أياما وأذن لي بالخروج بعد أن استقصيت لنفسي وخرجت نحو منزلي، والله لقد سرت من مكة إلى الكوفة ومعي غلام يخدمني فلم أر إلا خيرا وصلى الله على محمد وآله وسلم تسليما.

228- It is narrated from a group of scholars from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Ali bin Husain from a man from Qazwin from Habib bin Muhammad bin Yunus bin Shazan Sanani that he said: “I came to Ali bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar Ahwazi and asked him about the progeny of Abu Muhammad (a. s) and he replied: “Brother, you have indeed asked me about a great matter. Listen, I performed twenty Hajjs hoping to meet Imam Mahdi (a. s), but I was not successful. One night I dreamt that a caller was saying: O Ali bin Ibrahim, the Almighty Allah has permitted me to perform the Hajj. I could not understand that statement that night, but in the morning, when I got the import of it, I began to wait eagerly for the Hajj season. When the Hajj season arrived, I prepared for the journey and set out to Medina. When I reached Medina, I inquired from the people about the descendants of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), but could not get any information. I was very much worried and at last set out for Mecca. On the way, one day at Johfa I headed for Ghadeer, which is at a distance of four miles from Johfa. I reached there and prayed in the Masjid and after that I supplicated the Almighty Allah very fervently; but the aim was not fulfilled there also. So I went to Asfsan and thus passing each stage in turn, reached Mecca. I stayed there for some days and was engrossed in Tawaf and other devotions. One night, when I was doing the Tawaf, I noticed an extremely handsome and fragrant young man walking about and doing the Tawaf of the Kaaba. Some feelings arose in my heart; I moved towards him and touched him. He asked: Where do you belong to? I said: Iraq. He asked: Where in Iraq? I said: Ahwaz. He asked: Do you know Ibn Khazib? I said: May Allah have mercy on him, he has passed away. He also expressed regret and said: May Allah have mercy on him, he used to spend the nights in worship and was a sincere supplicant. Do you know Ali bin Ibrahim Mahziyar also? I said: I am Ali bin Ibrahim. He said: O Abul Hasan, may Allah keep you in health. Where is the sign that you received from Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)? I said: It is with me. He said: All right, take it out. When I took it out and he saw it, he was moved by it. After that he said: O Mahziyar, the order for you is that you go on your way and make preparations. When a part of the night has passed, you should come to the pass of Bani Aamir. You will find me there. Thus, I returned to my lodging and when it was past midnight, I prepared my mount, loaded my belongings and sat astride the animal to set out for the pass of Bani Aamir. On reaching there, I found that same youth calling out for me, saying: O Abul Hasan, come this side. I turned my mount in that direction. When I reached him, he greeted me and said: Follow me, brother. We set out from there making conversation, passing the mountains of Arafat and finally reached the mountains of Mina. The dawn was about to break when we were between the hills of Taif. That youth asked me to dismount and recite the Midnight Prayer. I performed the Midnight Prayer and he asked me to recite the Watr Prayer; which I also performed. Then he said: Recite the dawn recitations and perform the prostration of thanks, which I also completed. After that he mounted and asked me also to mount my beast. Then we set out from there till we reached the mountain peaks of Taif. He asked: Can you see anything? I replied: Yes, I can see a sand dune on which a woolen tent is fixed through which light is filtering and this sight is pleasing to me. He said: That is our destination. Then he said: All right brother, move on. He started and I followed him till we came down from the mountains and he said: Now dismount from your beast as even tyrants have to show humility here, and leave the rein free. I asked: Who is there to take care of my beast? He said: This is the sanctuary of Imam Qaim (a. s) and none, but a believer can enter and neither will anyone leave it, except for a believer. I left the rein and the two of us began to walk till that youth reached the tent entrance asking me to wait outside. He returned after a few moments and asked me to enter. When I entered, I saw a person dressed in waist cloth, with a sheet covering him. He was wheaten complexion, medium height, round head, wide forehead, eyebrows joined, prominent nose, full cheeks and a mole on his right cheek; it seemed as if a grain of musk was placed on Amber. When I noticed His Eminence, I greeted him and he replied to me and asked me about the people of Iraq. I said: Master, the people of Iraq are living a life of disgrace and they are the most degraded of all. He said: O Ibn Mahziyar, one day you will rule them just as they are ruling you today and that day, they shall be humiliated. I said: Master, you are very remote from your country and this will take a long time. He said: O Ibn Mahziyar, my father, His Eminence, Abu Muhammad (a. s) has told me not to live in the community on which the Almighty Allah is infuriated and that which is failure in the world as well as the hereafter; and a painful chastisement is reserved for them. He also told me to live in inaccessible mountains away from habitations. Allah is your helper, live in dissimulation till the Almighty Allah allows me to reappear. I asked: When will this reappearance be? He replied: When you would be denied access to Kaaba. When the sun and the moon come together and will be surrounded by planets and stars. I asked: Son of the Messenger of Allah, when will this come about? He replied: In so-and-so year, when Dabbatul Ardh will appear between Safa and Marwah. Who would be having the staff of Prophet Musa (a. s), the ring of Prophet Sulaiman (a. s). He will usher people to the field of gathering. The narrator says: I stayed there for some days, after which I was ordered to return. I came back to my lodge and then set out from Mecca to Kufa. My servant was present to serve me on the way and throughout the journey I was in absolute comfort. May the Almighty Allah bless Muhammad and his Purified Progeny.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19502

229- وأخبرني جماعة، عن جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه وغيره، عن محمد بن يعقوب الكليني، عن علي بن قيس، عن بعض جلاوزة السواد قال: شهدت نسيما آنفا بسر من رأى، وقد كسر باب الدار فخرج إليه وبيده طبرزين، فقال ما تصنع في داري؟ قال (نسيم): إن جعفرا زعم أن أباك مضى ولا ولد له، فإن كانت دارك فقد انصرفت عنك، فخرج عن الدار. قال علي بن قيس: فقدم علينا غلام من خدام الدار فسألته عن هذا الخبر، فقال: من حدثك بهذا؟ قلت:حدثني بعض جلاوزة السواد، فقال لي: لا يكاد يخفى على الناس شيء.

H 229 - It is narrated from a group of scholars from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Quluwayh etc. from Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini from Ali bin Qays from some official of Sawad that he said: “I saw Nasim in Sarmanra that he broke the door of the house of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and a person came out of the house and seeing him with the axe, asked: What are you doing in my house? Nasim said: “Ja’far thinks that your father has passed away without leaving any issue. I am sorry if this is your house; I will leave immediately.” And he came out. Ali bin Qays said: A servant of the house came to me and I asked him about it. He said: Who told you about it? I said: An official of Iraq. He said: Nothing remains a secret from the people.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19503

230- وبهذا الاسناد، عن علي بن محمد، عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن موسى بن جعفرعليه السلام- وكان أسن شيخ من ولد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم-قال:رأيته بين المسجدين وهو غلام.

H 230 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali bin Muhammad from Muhammad bin Ismail bin Musa Ibn Ja’far – he was the oldest leader of the family of Muhammad in Iraq – who said: “I (Muhammad bin Ismail bin Musa) saw the son of Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad Askari (a. s) between the two mosques (Mecca and Medina). He was a youth.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19504

231- وبهذا الاسناد، عن خادم لإبراهيم بن عبدة النيسابوري قال: كنت واقفا مع إبراهيم على الصفا فجاء غلام حتى وقف على إبراهيم وقبض على كتاب مناسكه وحدثه بأشياء.

H 231 - It is narrated from the same chains from the servant of Ibrahim bin Abda Nishapuri that he said: “I was standing with Ibrahim on Safa Mountain when a youth came and stood over Ibrahim. He took hold of his book of rituals of Hajj and told him about some matters.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19505

232- وبهذا الاسناد، عن إبراهيم بن إدريس قال: رأيته بعد مضي أبي محمد عليه السلام حين أيفع وقبلت يديه ورأسه.

H 232 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ibrahim bin Idris that he said: “I saw him after the passing away of Abu Muhammad Askari (a. s) when he had grown up; I kissed his hand and his head.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19506

233- وبهذا الاسناد، عن أبي علي بن مطهر قال: رأيته ووصف قده.

H 233 - It is narrated from the same chains from Abu Ali bin Mutahhar that he said: “I saw him,” and he went on to describe him.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19507

234- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن أبي ذر أحمد بن أبي سورة- وهو محمد بن الحسن بن عبدالله التميمي وكان زيديا- قال: سمعت هذه الحكاية عن جماعة يروونها عن أبي رحمه الله أنه خرج إلى الحير قال: فلما صرت إلى الحير إذا شاب حسن الوجه يصلي، ثم إنه ودع وودعت وخرجنا، فجئنا إلى المشرعة. فقال لي: يا با سورة أين تريد؟ فقلت: الكوفة، فقال لي: مع من؟ قلت مع الناس، قال لي: لا تريد نحن جميعا نمضي، قلت: ومن معنا؟ فقال: ليس نريد معنا أحدا، قال: فمشينا ليلتنا فإذا نحن على مقابر مسجد السهلة، فقال لي: هو ذا منزلك، فإن شئت فامض. ثم قال لي: تمر إلى ابن الزراري علي بن يحيى فتقول له: يعطيك المال الذي عنده، فقلت له لا يدفعه إلي، فقال لي: قل له: بعلامة أنه كذا وكذا دينارا وكذا وكذا درهما، وهو في موضع كذا وكذا، وعليه كذا وكذا مغطى، فقلت له: ومن أنت؟ قال: أنا محمد بن الحسن، قلت:فإن لم يقبل مني وطولبت بالدلالة؟ فقال: أنا وراك، قال: فجئت إلى ابن الزراري فقلت له: فدفعني، فقلت له: (العلامات التي قال لي وقلت له:) قد قال لي: أنا وراك، فقال: ليس بعد هذا شيء، وقال لم يعلم بهذا إلا الله تعالى ودفع إلي المال.

H 234 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Abu Zar Ahmad bin Abi Surah, same is reported by Muhammad bin Hasan bin Abdullah Tamimi and he was a Zaidiyyah; that he said: “Once I went to Heer and saw a handsome youth praying there. After that the two of us reached Mashra. He asked: O Abu Surah, where are you headed?” I said: To Kufa. He asked: But with whom? I said: With other people. He said: No, you will travel with us. I asked: What do you mean: ‘with us’? He replied: With me. Thus the two of us set out from there and when we reached the graveyard of Masjid Sahla, he said: That place is near your destination, if you want, you may proceed. He also said: You should go to Ibn Raazi Ali bin Yahya, who will give to you some money, which is with him. I asked: Why would he give me anything? He replied: You mention the amount, where it is placed and with what it is covered. So I asked: Who are you? He replied: I am Muhammad bin Hasan Askari. I asked: What if he refuses to give me anything in spite of the signs? He said: I am behind you. Ibn Abi Surah says: When I went to Ibn Raazi and mentioned the signs, he gave that amount to me. I told him that he had said that he was behind me. Ibn Raazi said: After this sign there is no need of any verification as other than the Almighty Allah, no one had any knowledge of it.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19508

235- وفي حديث آخر عنه وزاد فيه: قال أبوسورة: فسألني الرجل عن حالي فأخبرته بضيقي وبعيلتي، فلم يزل يماشيني حتى انتهينا إلى النواويس في السحر فجلسنا، ثم حفر بيده فإذا الماء قد خرج فتوضأ ثم صلى ثلاث عشرة ركعة، ثم قال (لي): امض إلى أبي الحسن علي بن يحيى، فاقرأ عليه السلام وقل له: يقول لك الرجل إدفع إلى أبي سورة من السبع مائة دينار التي مدفونة في موضع كذا وكذا مائة دينار. وإني مضيت من ساعتي إلى منزله فدققت الباب فقال: من هذا؟ فقلت قولي لابي الحسن:هذا أبو سورة، فسمعته يقول: ما لي ولابي سورة، ثم خرج إلي فسلمت عليه وقصصت عليه الخبر، فدخل وأخرج إلي مائة دينار فقبضتها، فقال لي: صافحته؟ فقلت: نعم، فأخذ يدي فوضعها على عينيه ومسح بها وجهه.

H 235- In another report it is added that Abu Surah said: That young man asked about my well being and I mentioned my precarious finances. We continued our journey till we reached Nawawis at dawn. When we sat down at a spot, he dug in the sand with his fingers and water appeared. He performed ablution and prayed thirteen units of prayer. Then he said: Go to Abul Hasan Ali bin Yahya, convey my greetings to him and say that a person has told him to give you a hundred dinars from the seven hundred dinars that are buried at such and such place. So I went to his place immediately, knocked at his door and a maid called out from inside: Who is there? I said: Tell your master that Abu Surah has come to meet him. I heard Abul Hasan remark: What does Abu Surah have to do with me? But in spite of that he came out and I narrated the whole story to him. He went inside and brought a hundred dinars and gave them to me. Then he asked: Did you shake hands with the Imam? Yes, I said. He took my hand and rubbed it on his face and eyes.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19509

قال أحمد بن علي: وقد روي هذا الخبر عن محمد بن علي الجعفري وعبدالله بن الحسن بن بشر الخزاز وغيرهما، وهو مشهور عندهم.

Ahmad bin Ali says that Abdullah bin Hasan bin Bashar Khazzaz has also narrated the same report to Muhammad bin Ali Ja’fari.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19510

236- وروى محمد بن يعقوب رفعه، عن الزهري قال: طلبت هذا الامر طلبا شاقا حتى ذهب لي فيه مال صالح، فوقعت إلى العمري وخدمته ولزمته وسألته بعد ذلك عن صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، فقال لي: ليس إلى ذلك وصول، فخضعت فقال لي: بكر بالغداة، فوافيت فاستقبلني ومعه شاب من أحسن الناس وجها، وأطيبهم رائحة بهيئة التجار، وفي كمه شيء كهيئة التجار. فلما نظرت إليه دنوت من العمري فأومأ إلي، فعدلت إليه وسألته فأجابني عن كل ما أردت، ثم مر ليدخل الدار-وكانت من الدور التي لا يكترث لها- فقال العمري إن أردت أن تسأل سل فإنك لا تراه بعد ذا، فذهبت لأسأل فلم يسمع ودخل الدار، وما كلمني بأكثر من أن قال: ملعون ملعون من أخر العشاء إلى أن تشتبك النجوم، ملعون ملعون من أخر الغداة إلى أن تنقضي النجوم ودخل الدار.

H 236 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub directly from Zuhri that he said: “I made great efforts and spent a lot to meet Imam Mahdi (a. s). Thus I went to Amari and remained in his service. After a long time, I expressed to him the wish to see the Master of the Age (a. s). He said: There is no way you can meet him. When I continued to insist, he said: Come tomorrow at early dawn. So I came to him the next morning and found a young man in his company dressed as a trader and carrying some trading goods below his arms. I came near to Amari and he gestured to me. I moved towards that gentleman and asked him whatever I wanted. He replied and when he was about to go inside Amari said: If you want to ask him anything, ask him now; you will never see him again. As I was about to ask him something, he said the following and entered the room without listening to me: “Accursed, accursed is the one who delays the Maghrib Prayer so much that stars become visible. Accursed, accursed is the one who delays the Morning Prayer so much that stars disappear.”

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19511

237- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن عبدالله بن محمد بن خاقان الدهقان، عن أبي سليمان داد بن غسان البحراني قال: قرأت على أبي سهل إسماعيل بن علي النوبختي (قال:) مولد محمد بن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن علي الرضا بن موسى بن جعفر الصادق بن محمد الباقر بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين. ولد عليه السلام بسامراء سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين، أمه صقيل ويكنى أبا القاسم، بهذه الكنية أوصى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله أنه قال: اسمه كاسمي وكنيته كنيتي، لقبه المهدي، وهو الحجة، وهو المنتظر، وهو صاحب الزمان عليه السلام. قال إسماعيل بن علي: دخلت على أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام في المرضة التى مات فيها وأنا عنده، إذ قال لخادمه عقيد-وكان الخادم أسود نوبيا قد خدم من قبله علي بن محمد وهو ربيب الحسن عليه السلام- فقال (له) يا عقيد إغل لي ماء بمصطكي،فأغلى له ثم جاء‌ت به صقيل الجارية أم الخلف عليه السلام. فلما صار القدح في يديه وهم بشربه فجعلت يده ترتعد حتى ضرب القدح ثنايا الحسن عليه السلام، فتركه من يده، وقال لعقيد: أدخل البيت فإنك ترى صبيا ساجدا فأتني به. قال أبوسهل: قال عقيد:فدخلت أتحرى فإذا أنا بصبي ساجد رافع سبابته نحو السماء، فسلمت عليه فأوجز في صلاته فقلت: إن سيدي يأمرك بالخروج إليه، إذا جاء‌ت أمه صقيل فأخذت بيده وأخرجته إلى أبيه الحسن عليه السلام. قـال أبوسهل: فلمـا مثل الصبي بين يديه سلم وإذا هو دري اللون، وفي شعر رأسه قطط، مفلج الاسنان، فلما رآه الحسن عليه السلام بكى وقال: يا سيد أهل بيته إسقني الماء فإني ذاهب إلى ربي. وأخذ الصبي القدح المغلي بالمصطكي بيده ثم حرك شفتيه ثم سقاه فلما شربه قال: هيئوني للصلاة. فطرح في حجره منديل فوضأه الصبي واحدة واحدة ومسح على رأسه وقدميه. فقال له أبومحمد عليه السلام: إبشر يا بني فأنت صاحب الزمان، وأنت المهدي، وأنت حجة الله على أرضه، وأنت ولدي ووصيي وأنا ولدتك وأنت محمد بن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن علي بن موسى بن جعفر بن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام. ولدك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، وأنت خاتم (الاوصياء) الائمة الطاهرين، وبشر بك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، وسماك وكناك، بذلك عهد إلي أبي عن آبائك الطاهرين صلى الله على أهل البيت، ربنا إنه حميد مجيد. ومات الحسن بن علي من وقته صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين.

H 237 - Ahmad bin Ali Raazi has narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Ubaidullah bin Muhammad bin Jaban Dahqan from Abu Sulaiman Dawood bin Ghassan Bahrani that he said: “Abu Sahl Ismail bin Ali Naubakhti told me that Imam M-H-M-D bin Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) was born in Samarrah in 256 A. H. His mother was Saiqal; his patronymic is Abul Qasim and the Messenger of Allah (s) had mentioned the same patronymic and said: His name will be same as mine, his patronymic will be same as mine and his title will be Mahdi. He will be the Divine Proof, the Awaited one and the Master of the Age. Ismail bin Ali further says: When Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) was in his fatal illness, I was present with him. He summoned his servant, Aqeed, who was a Nubian black. Prior to this he was in the employ of Imam Ali Naqi (a. s). It was he that had brought up Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). Imam (a. s) told him: “O Aqeed, boil for me some mastic water.” Aqeed obeyed and after the water was procured, Saiqal, the mother of Imam Mahdi (a. t. f. s.) brought it to His Eminence. His Eminence took hold of the vessel, but his hands shook so much that the bowl clattered against his teeth. The Imam let go of the vessel and said to Aqeed: “Go inside the house where you will find a boy in prostration. Bring him to me.” Abu Sahl says: Aqeed said: When I went inside to bring that boy I saw that the boy was in prostration and had raised his index finger to the sky. I saluted him. He shortened his Prayer. I said respectfully: “The master has called you.” At that moment his mother arrived and taking his hand brought him to his father. Abu Sahl says: When the boy came to His Eminence, he saluted him. I saw that his face was glowing like a pearl; he had short hair and wide teeth. When the eyes of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) fell on him, he wept and said: “O master of my family, give me this water, so that I may proceed to my Lord.” The young master complied and taking up the bowl of mastic water brought it to the lips of his father, so that he may drink it. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) said: “Prepare me for the ritual prayer.” That child kept a towel before the Imam and made ablution for him by washing his face and hands in turn. Then he rubbed his head and both feet. The Imam said: “My son, I give you glad tidings that you are the Master of the Time and the Proof of Allah on the earth. You are my son and successor. You are born from me and you are M-H-M-D the son of Hasan son of Ali son of Muhammad son of Ali son of Musa son of Ja’far son of Muhammad son of Ali son of Husain son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and you are from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s) and the last of the Purified Imams (a. s). And the Messenger of Allah (s) gave glad tidings about you and informed about your name and patronymic. This was told to me by my father from his purified forefathers – blessings of Allah be on Ahle Bayt. Indeed our Lord alone is worthy of praise and glorification.” Imam Hasan bin Ali Askari (a. s) spoke these sentences and passed away at that very moment. May Allah bless them all.

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s) - Hadith 19512

238- عنه، عن أبي الحسين محمد بن جعفر الأسدي قال:حدثني الحسين بن محمد بن عامر الاشعري القمي، قال: حدثني يعقوب بن يوسف الضراب الغساني-في منصرفه من إصفهان- قال:حججت في سنة إحدى وثمانين ومائتين وكنت مع قوم مخالفين من أهل بلدنا. فلما قدمنا مكة تقدم بعضهم فاكترى لنا دارا في زقاق بين سوق الليل، وهي دار خديجة عليها السلام تسمى دار الرضا عليه السلام، وفيها عجوز سمراء فسألتها- لما وقفت على أنها دار الرضا عليه السلام- ما تكونين من أصحاب هذه الدار؟ ولم سميت دار الرضا؟ فقالت: أنا من مواليهم وهذه دار الرضا علي بن موسى عليهما السلام، أسكنيها الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام، فإني كنت من خدمه. فلما سمعت ذلك منها آنست بها وأسررت الأمر عن رفقائي المخالفين، فكنت إذا انصرفت من الطواف بالليل أنام معهم في رواق في الدار، ونغلق الباب ونلقي خلف الباب حجرا كبيرا كنا ندير خلف الباب. فرأيت غير ليلة ضوء السراج في الرواق الذي كنا فيه شبيها بضوء المشعل، ورأيت الباب قد انفتح ولا أرى أحدا فتحه من أهل الدار، ورأيت رجلا ربعة أسمر إلى الصفرة ما هو قليل اللحم، في وجهه سجادة عليه قميصان وإزار رقيق قد تقنع به وفي رجله نعل طاق فصعد إلى الغرفة في الدار حيث كانت العجوز تسكن، وكانت تقول لنا إن في الغرفة ابنـة لا تـدع أحدا يصعـد إليها، فكنت أرى الضوء الذي رأيته يضئ في الرواق على الدرجة عند صعود الرجل إلى الغرفة التي يصعدها، ثم أراه في الغرفة من غير أن أرى السراج بعينه، وكان الذين معي يرون مثل ما أرى فتوهموا أن يكون هذا الرجل يختلف إلى إبنة العجوز، وأن يكون قد تمتع بها فقالوا:هؤلاء العلوية يرون المتعة، وهذا حرام لا يحل فيما زعموا، وكنا نراه يدخل ويخرج ونجئ إلى الباب وإذا الحجر على حاله الذي تركناه، وكنا نغلق هذا الباب خوفا على متاعنا، وكنا لا نرى أحدا يفتحه ولا يغلقه، والرجل يدخل ويخرج والحجر خلف الباب إلى وقت ننحيه إذا خرجنا. فلما رأيت هذه الاسباب ضرب على قلبي ووقعت في قلبي فتنة فتلطفت العجوز وأحببت أن أقف على خبر الرجل، فقلت لها: يا فلانة إني أحب أن أسألك وأفاوضك من غير حضور من معي فلا أقدر عليه، فأنا أحب إذا رأيتني في الدار وحدي أن تنزلي إلي لاسألك عن أمر، فقالت لي مسرعة: وأنا أريد أن أسر إليك شيئا فلم يتهيأ لي ذلك من أجل من معك، فقلت ما أردت أن تقولي؟ فقالت: يقول لك-ولم تذكر أحدا-لا تخاشن أصحابك وشركاء‌ك ولا تلاحهم، فإنهم أعداؤك ودارهم، فقلت لها:من يقول؟ فقالت:أنا أقول، فلم أجسر لما دخل قلبي من الهيبة أن أراجعها، فقلت أي أصحابي تعنين؟ فظننت أنها تعني رفقائي الذين كانوا حجاجا معي قالت: شركاؤك الذين في بلدك وفي الدار معك، وكان جرى بيني وبين الذين معي في الدار عنت في الدين، فسعوا بي حتى هربت واستترت بذلك السبب فوقفت على أنها عنت أولئك، فقلت لها ما تكونين أنت من الرضا؟ فقالت كنت خادمة للحسن بن علي عليهما السلام، فلما استيقنت ذلك قلت: لاسألنها عن الغائب عليه السلام، فقلت: بالله عليك رأيته بعينك، فقالت:يا أخي لم أره بعيني فإني خرجت وأختي حبلى وبشرني الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام بأني سوف أراه في آخر عمري، وقال لي:تكونين له كما كنت لي. وأنا اليوم منذ كذا بمصر وإنما قدمت الآن بكتابة ونفقة وجه بها إلي على يدي رجل من أهل خراسان لا يفصح بالعربية، وهي ثلاثون دينارا وأمرني أن أحج سنتي هذه فخرجت رغبة مني في أن أراه فوقع في قلبي أن الرجل الذي كنت أراه يدخل ويخرج هو هو. فأخذت عشرة دراهم صحاحا، فيها ستة رضوية من ضرب الرضا عليه السلام قد كنت خبأتها لالقيها في مقام إبراهيم عليه السلام، وكنت نذرت ونويت ذلك، فدفعتها إليها وقلت في نفسي أدفعها إلى قوم من ولد فـاطمة عليهـا السـلام أفضـل ممـا ألقيها في المقام وأعظم ثوابا، فقلت لها: إدفعي هذه الدراهم إلى من يستحقها من ولد فاطمة عليها السلام، وكان في نيتي أن الذي رأيته هو الرجل، وإنما تدفعها إليه، فأخذت الدراهم وصعدت وبقيت ساعة ثم نزلت، فقالت: يقول لك:ليس لنا فيها حق إجعلها في الموضع الذي نويت، ولكن هذه الرضوية خذ منا بدلها وألقها في الموضع الذي نويت، ففعلت وقلت في نفسي:الذي أمرت به عن الرجل. ثم كان معي نسخة توقيع خرج إلى القاسم بن العلاء بآذربيجان فقلت لها:تعرضين هذه النسخة على إنسان قد رأى توقيعات الغائب، فقالت ناولني فإني أعرفها، فأريتها النسخة وظننت أن المرأة تحسن أن تقرأ فقالت:لا يمكنني أن أقرا في هذا المكان فصعدت الغرفة ثم أنزلته فقالت: صحيح وفي التوقيع أبشركم ببشرى ما بشرت به (إياه) وغيره. ثم قالت: يقول لك إذا صليت على نبيك صلى الله عليه وآله. كيف تصلي (عليه)؟ فقلت أقول:اللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد وبارك على محمد وآل محمد كأفضل ما صليت وباركت وترحمت على إبراهيم وآل إبراهيم إنك حميد مجيد. فقال: لا، إذا صليت عليهم فصل عليهم كلهم وسمهم. فقلت: نعم، فلما كانت من الغد نزلت ومعها دفتر صغير، فقالت: يقول لك: إذا صليت على النبي فصل عليه وعلى أوصيائه على هذه النسخة، فأخذتها وكنت أعمل بها، ورأيت عدة ليال قد نزل من الغرفة وضوء السراج قائم. وكنت أفتح الباب وأخرج على أثر الضوء وأنا أراه-أعني الضوء-ولا أرى أحد حتى يدخل المسجد، وأرى جماعة من الرجال من بلدان شتى يأتون باب هذه الدار، فبعضهم يدفعـون إلى العجـوز رقاعـا معهم، ورأيت العجوز قد دفعت إليهـم كذلك الرقـاع فيكلمونها وتكلمهم ولا أفهم عنهم، ورأيت منهم في منصرفنا جماعة في طريقي إلى أن قدمت بغداد. نسخة الدفتر الذي خرج: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، اللهم صل على محمد سيد المرسلين، وخاتم النبيين، وحجة رب العالمين، المنتجب في الميثاق، المصطفى في الظلال، المطهر من كل آفة، البرئ من كل عيب، المؤمل للنجاة، المرتجى للشفاعة، المفوض إليه دين الله. اللهم شرف بنيانه، وعظم برهانه، وأفلج حجته وارفع درجته، وأضئ نوره، وبيض وجهه، وأعطه الفضل والفضيلة، والدرجة والوسيلة الرفيعة، وابعثه مقاما محمودا، يغبطه به الاولون والآخرون. وصل على أمير المؤمنين ووارث المرسلين، وقائد الغر المحجلين، وسيد الوصيين وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على الحسن بن علي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على الحسين بن علي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على علي بن الحسين إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على محمد بن علي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على جعفر بن محمد إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على موسى بن جعفر إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على علي بن موسى إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على محمد بن علي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على علي بن محمد إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على الحسن بن علي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين وحجة رب العالمين. وصل على الخلف الصالح الهادي المهدي إمام المؤمنين، ووارث المرسلين، وحجة رب العالمين. اللهم صل على محمد وأهل بيته الائمة الهادين المهديين العلماء الصادقين، الابرار المتقين، دعائم دينك، وأركان توحيدك، وتراجمة وحيك، وحججك على خلقك، وخلفاء‌ك في أرضك، الذين اخترتهم لنفسك واصطفيتهم على عبادك، وارتضيتهم لدينك، وخصصتهم بمعرفتك، وجللتهم بكرامتك وغشيتهم برحمتك، وربيتهم بنعمتك، وغذيتهم بحكمتك، وألبستهم نورك، ورفعتهم في ملكوتك، وحففتهم بملائكتك، وشرفتهم بنبيك. اللهم صل على محمد وعليهم صلاة كثيرة دائمة طيبة، لا يحيط بها إلا أنت، ولا يسعها إلا علمك، ولا يحصيها أحد غيرك. اللهم صل على وليك المحيي سنتك، القائم بأمرك، الداعي إليك الدليل عليك، وحجتك على خلقك، وخليفتك في أرضك، وشاهدك على عبادك. اللهم أعز نصره، ومد في عمره، وزين الارض بطول بقائه. اللهم اكفه بغي الحاسدين وأعذه من شر الكائدين، وادحر عنه إرادة الظالمين. وتخلصه من أيدي الجبارين. اللهم أعطه في نفسه وذريته وشيعته ورعيته وخاصته وعامته وعدوه وجميع أهل الدنيا ما تقر به عينه، وتسر به نفسه، وبلغه أفضل أمله في الدنيا والآخرة، إنك على كل شيء قدير. اللهم جدد به ما محي من دينك، وأحي به ما بدل من كتابك وأظهر به ما غير من حكمك، حتى يعود دينك به وعلى يديه غضا جديدا، خالصا مخلصا لا شك فيه ولا شبهة معه، ولا باطل عنده، ولا بدعة لديه. اللهم نور بنوره كل ظلمة، وهد بركنه كل بدعة، وأهدم بعزته كل ضلالة، واقصم به كل جبار، واخمد بسيفه كل نار، وأهلك بعدله كل جبار، وأجر حكمه على كل حكم وأذل لسلطانه كل سلطان. اللهم أذل كل من ناواه، وأهلك كل من عاداه وامكر بمن كاده، واستأصل من جحد حقه، واستهان بأمره، وسعى في إطفاء نوره وأراد إخماد ذكره. اللهم صل على محمد المصطفى، وعلي المرتضى، وفاطمة الزهراء،(و) الحسن الرضا، والحسين المصطفى، وجميع الاوصياء، مصابيح الدجى، وأعلام الهدى، ومنار التقى، والعروة الوثقى، والحبل المتين، والصراط المستقيم، وصل على وليك وولاة عهده، والائمة من ولده، ومد في أعمارهم، وأزد في آجالهم، وبلغهم أقصى آمالهم (دين)، دنيا وآخرة إنك على كل شيء قدير.

238- It is narrated from Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi that he said: Narrated to me Hasan bin Muhammad bin Aamir Ashari Qummi that: Narrated to me Yaqub bin Yusuf Zarrab Ghassani on his return from Isfahan that: “I performed Hajj with some Sunni persons of my town in 281 A. H. When we reached Mecca, one of our companions took for us a house on rent in the Sauqul Lail Street. It was a fortunate chance that the house was a property of Ummul Momineen Lady Khadija (s) and which was now known as Darul Ridha and was occupied an old lady. When I came to know that the house was called Darul Ridha, I asked that old lady how she was related to the owner of the house and why it was called Darul Ridha? She said: I am one of the slave girls of the owner of the house and this house belongs to Ali Ibn Musa Ridha (a. s). Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) has accommodated me in it, because I had been in his service. I was impressed by that old lady, but I did not disclose it to my Sunni friends. Whenever I returned from Tawaf at night, I slept in the verandah with them. We used to close the door and also place a huge stone behind it. One night I saw a lamp in the verandah where we slept. Then I saw the door being opened automatically and a medium stature, wheat complexion and physically fit young man having a mark of prostration, wearing a shirt, a wrap and wearing shoes without socks, enter and ascend to the attic occupied by the old lady. She had told us not to go up, as her daughter lived there. When the man went to the attic, I noticed that the light present in the verandah had now reached the attic. My friends also noted this and they thought that the man was visiting the daughter of that old lady and it seemed as if he had done a Mutah marriage with her; and that this Alawite lady considered it lawful, ‘although it was not so’. Thus we saw that man regularly, but when we checked the door, we found it closed and the stone was also intact. I became curious and I decided to ask the old lady about him. One day I said: O so-and-so, I want to ask you something in private, but I don’t get a chance as others are also present. So when you notice that I am alone, you should come down from the attic. She also said: I also want to speak to you in private, but I don’t get a chance. I asked: What do you want to talk to me about? She said: See, don’t mention this to anyone; he has told you not to fight with your companions and associates. I asked: Who has told this? She replied: I say it. Since I was suspicious from before, I did not dare to ask anything else. I just asked what she meant by companions? (I was thinking that she was implying my present companions.). But she said: People who live with you in your house in town (and the fact was that I had regular controversies with them about religious matters). So they complained about me and I ran away from there and went into hiding and now I understood that she was talking about them. I asked: What is your concern with Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) She said: I am the maid of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). When I became certain that she was connected to that family, I asked her about the hidden Imam and said: I adjure you; please tell me if you have really seen him yourself. She said: Though I have never seen him myself, because when I had left that place, my sister was pregnant, but Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) had given me the glad tiding that I will see him at the end of my life and that I will be to him same as I was to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). Then she said: At present I live in Egypt, and I have come here, because he sent a letter and thirty dinars to me with a Khurasani man unfamiliar with Arabic and asked me to perform the Hajj. I came here hoping to see him as well. Now I became sure that the man who frequented the attic was the Imam of the time. I took out the ten dirhams from which six were reserved for Imam Mahdi (a. s). I had initially vowed to put them at Maqam Ibrahim, but later I thought that it was best to spend them on the descendants of Lady Fatima (s). So I gave the ten dirhams to that lady and said: Give them to one who in your view is most deserving from the descendants of Lady Fatima (s). I was expecting that she would give it to the man who visited her place regularly. She took the money to the attic and returned after sometime and said: I am not entitled to take it, you may put it where you had vowed to, although you can take change it from dirham Razavia into another currency and put it there (I did that and said to myself that whatever you have been ordered was from that gentleman only). Then I also had a copy of an epistle, which came from Qasim bin Alaa in Azerbaijan. I said to that lady: Show this copy to him, he definitely would be familiar with the writings of Imam Mahdi (a. s). She said: Give it, I am familiar with it. I showed it to her and was thinking that perhaps she will be able to read it. She said: I cannot read it here. Then she took it upstairs and then came down after sometime and said: Yes, it is correct. And I also have some good news to you, which is beneficial to you and others as well. After that she said: He is asking how you invoke blessings on your Prophet? I replied: I do it as follows: Allaahumma Salli alaa Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad wa Baarik Alaa Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad ka Afzali maa Sallaita wa baarakta wa tarahamta alaa Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahima innaka hameedum Majeed. (O Allah, bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and sanctify Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad with the best of the blessings with which You bless and sanctify Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Indeed You are the praised one and the majestic.) She said: No, when you invoke blessings, you should mention each name separately. I said: Alright. The next day when she came down, she had a slip of paper with her. She said: He says: When you invoke blessings on your Prophet, you should do so according to this formula. I accepted the note and began to act accordingly. Then on many nights I saw him descend from the attic and the light accompanied him. I used to open the door and follow the light, but I could only see a light and that person did not become visible to me, till he reached the courtyard of the Kaaba. I also saw people from various countries visit the house and hand over their requests to that old lady. I also saw her returning them to the applicants along with their replies and spoke to them in a language, which I could not understand. I also met some of them on the way back home till I reached Baghdad. The Durood supplication, which was written by Imam Mahdi (a. s) for me is as follows: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah, bless Muhammad, who is the chief of the messengers and the proof of the Lord of the world. Who was selected on the day of the covenant, who is the chosen and selected one from the shaded springs; purified from every trouble, immune from every defect, hopeful for salvation and one having discretion of intercession in the religion of Allah. O Allah, accord honor to the edifice of his religion and grant respect to those evidences and give salvation to his proof and exalt his status. Illumine his effulgence further and make his face more illuminated and increase his merits. And also increase his honor and raise up the effectiveness of his intercession and make his position the praised one, that the formers and the latters may envy. And bless Amirul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and the successor of the divine messengers and the one who had a brilliant countenance and the leader of the worshippers and the chief of the successors and the proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Hasan bin Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Husain bin Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ali Ibnul Husain, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Musa Ibn Ja’far, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ali Ibn Musa, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ali Ibn Muhammad, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Hasan Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Khalaf Salih (righteous successor), the guide and the guided, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Ahle Bayt (a. s), the guiding Imams and guided ones, the truthful learned, the righteous and pious, supports of Your religion, pillars of Your Oneness, interpreters of Your revelation, Your proofs on Your creatures and Your representatives on Your earth, whom You have chosen for Yourself, and selected them from Your servants, satisfied them with Your religion, specialized them with Your recognition, bestowed them with Your nobility, humbled them with Your mercy, fed them with Your blessing, nourished them with Your wisdom, dressed them up in Your light, raised them with Your kingdom, surrounded them with Your angels, honored them with Your Prophet. O Allah, bless Muhammad and exceeding blessings be upon them, eternal, pure, no one is surrounded with it, except You and none can encompass it, except Your knowledge and no one can encompass it other than You. O Allah, bless Your Wali, enlivener of Your Sunnah, establisher of Your command, caller towards You, proof upon You and proof on Your creatures, Your caliph on Your earth and witness on Your servants. O Allah, exalt his help, increase his lifespan and embellish the earth by increasing his survival. O Allah, suffice him from the greed of the jealous, protect him from the mischief of plotters, prevent from him the intentions of the oppressors and deliver him from the hands of the tyrants. O Allah, bestow him in his self, his progeny, his followers, his subjects, his confidants, his common ones, his enemies and all the people of the world whatever is near to his view and which is easy for his self and fulfill the best of his aspirations in the world and the hereafter, indeed You are powerful over everything. O Allah, put back, through him, in original form that which has been uprooted from Your religion, put in order again through him the confusion created in Your Book. Make clear, through him, the distortions made in Your commandments, so that Your religion regains its true spirit, on his hands, blooming and full of tenderness, progressive, up to date, liberated, savior, without doubts and uncertainties, without suspicions and obscurities, there being no falsehood lingering around him, nor any subversive activities in his presence. O Allah, enlighten the world with his truth and make oppression and tyranny take fright and flee, put a stop to reversal and subversion by relying upon him, once for all, pull down the edifice of corrupt wickedness forever by giving him a free hand, through him break up entirely totalitarianism, let him deal the death-blow and wipe out the existence of the damned and accursed, and put an end to oppression perpetrated by the unjust tyrants, and set up justice and fairplay, put in force his “rule of life”, far and wide, everywhere, over all jurisdictions, make all authorities serve to promote his sovereignty. O Allah, whoso runs away from him should be discredited and put to shame, whoso undermines his mission should be eliminated, whoso looks upon him with envy, and quarrel, may be cornered, back to the wall, whoso knows, but denies his right may rot and disintegrate, make lighter and easy his mission, make haste to set in motion blossoming of his truth, let his glory shine in full brightness. O Allah, bless Muhammad, the Chosen, Ali, who pleased (Allah) better than others, Fatima, the bright and beautiful, Hasan, the agreeing, Husain, the refined, and all the rest of the closely connected appointed guardians, the favorite confidants, the signs leading unto guidance, lighthouse of piety and wisdom, the trustworthy and safe handles, the strong rope, the right path. Bless Your dearest intimate friend, the authority You promised to protect, and (bless) the Imams, his children, spread their creed, build up their cause, let their thoughts and deeds reach far and wide, to the four corners of the world, in the matter of religion, in the worldly affairs and at the time of Final Judgment, verily You are able to do all things.”

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19513

وأما ظهور المعجزات الدالة على صحة إمامته في زمان الغيبة فهي أكثر من أن تحصى غير أنا نذكر طرفا منها:

With regard to the display of miracles from His Eminence, the Master of the Age (a. s) during occultation, which prove his Imamate are numerous to the limit that they cannot be computed. However, we will mention only a few of them here.

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19514

239- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه، عن محمد بن يعقوب رفعه إلى محمد بن إبراهيم بن مهزيار قال: شككت عند مضي أبي محمد عليه السلام، وكان اجتمع عند أبي مال جليل فحمله وركب السفينة، وخرجت معه مشيعا له، فوعك وعكا شديدا. فقال: يا بني ردني (ردني) فهو الموت، واتق الله في هذا المال، وأوصى إلي ومات. فقلت في نفسي: لم يكن أبي ليوصي بشيء غير صحيح، أحمل هذا المال إلى العراق وأكتري دارا على الشط، ولا أخبر أحدا، فإن وضح لي شيء كوضوحه أيام أبي محمد عليه السلام أنفذته وإلا تصدقت به. فقدمت العراق واكتريت دارا على الشط وبقيت أياما، فإذا أنا برسول معه رقعة فيها: يا محمد معك كذا (وكذا) في جوف كذا وكذا حتى قص علي جميع ما معي مما لم أحط به علما، فسلمت المال إلى الرسول وبقيت أياما لا يرفع بي رأس، فاغتممت. فخرج إلي:قد أقمناك مقام أبيك فاحمد الله.

H 239 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abul Qasim Ja’far bin Muhammad Quluwayh from Muhammad bin Yaqub directly from Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar that he said: After the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) doubts overwhelmed me, especially about who would be the Imam after him. This was while a huge amount of Khums had been deposited with my father; so he carried them and boarded a ship. I went with him to accompany him. He got a very severe fever and said to me, “My son, take me back, take me back. This is death. And fear Allah in this Khums.” He confided his final will to me and died. I said to myself that my father had not asked me to do anything wrong. I will carry these goods to Iraq and will rent a house there and will not inform anyone. If things became clear to me like their clarity during the days of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), I will hand the goods over, or else, distribute them as alms. I went to Iraq and rented a house by the river. I had remained there but a few days that a messenger brought a letter to me saying: O Muhammad, you have brought this and this in such and such parcels; recounting all of the goods that were with me of which I did not know myself. I gave them to the messenger. I remained there a few more days and was not given any attention, which made me rather sad. Then a letter came, “We have appointed you in the position of your father, so thank Allah.”

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19515

240- وبهذا الاسناد، عن الحسن بن الفضل بن يزيد اليماني قال:كتبت في معنيين وأردت أن أكتب في الثالث وامتنعت منه مخافة أن يكره ذلك، فورد جواب المعنيين والثالث الذي طويته مفسرا.

H 240 - It is narrated from the same chains from Hasan Ibn Fadhl bin Zaid Yamani that he says: “I wrote a letter about two issues and wanted to write about a third issue as well, but did not, fearing he will not like it. The answer came, explaining the two issues and the third, which I had kept to myself.”

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19516

241- وبهذا الاسناد، عن بدر-غلام أحمد بن الحسن-قال:وردت الجبل وأنا لا أقول بالامامة، أحبهم جملة إلى أن مات يزيد بن عبدالملك، فأوصى إلي في علته أن يدفع الشهري السمند وسيفه ومنطقته إلى مولاه فخفت إن لم أدفع الشهري إلى إذ كوتكين نالني منه استخفاف، فقومت الدابة والسيف والمنطقة بسبعمـائة دينـار في نفسي، ولم أطلع عليه أحدا، فإذا الكتاب قد ورد علي من العراق أن وجه السبعمائة دينار التي لنا قبلك من ثمن الشهري السمند والسيف والمنطقة.

H 241 - It is narrated from the same chains from Badr, the slave of Ahmad Ibn Hasan, from his father that he said: “I arrived at the mountain region. In those days I was not a believer in Imamate, but loved them over all. Until, Yazid Ibn Abdul Malik died and he bequeathed in his malady that Shahriul Samand (a breed of horse), his sword and his belt should be given to his lord. I was afraid if I did not give Shahriul Samand to Idhkutakain, he would chastise me. I valued the beast, sword and the belt for seven hundred dinars and took them on my account and did not tell anyone. Then a letter came from Iraq ordering me, “Send the seven hundred dinars that you owe us for the price of Shahriul Samand, the sword and the belt.”

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19517

242- وبهذا الاسناد، عن علي، عمن حدثه قال:ولد لي مولود فكتبت أستأذن في تطهيره(في) اليوم السابع، فورد لا تفعل، فمات اليوم السابع أو الثامن، ثم كتبت بموته فورد سيخلف الله غيره وتسميه أحمد ومن بعد أحمد جعفر، فجاء كما قال.

H 242 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali from those who narrated it that he said: “A son was born for me. I wrote a letter to the Master of the Age, seeking permission to perform his circumcision on the seventh day. Reply came saying not to do it. My son died on the seventh or eighth day. Then I wrote to our Master about his death. The answer came: You will sire another and another son. He named the first as Ahmad and the other Ja’far. They were born as the Imam had predicted.

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19518

243- وبهذا الاسناد، عن علي بن محمد، عن أبي عقيل عيسى بن نصر قال: كتب علي بن زياد الصيمري يلتمس كفنا، فكتب إليه: إنك تحتاج (إليه) في سنة ثمانين. فمات في سنة ثمانين، وبعث إليه بالكفن قبل موته.

H 243 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali bin Muhammad bin Abi Aqil Isa Ibn Nasr that he said: “Ali Ibn Ziyad Saymoori wrote and requested for a burial shroud. The Imam wrote back: “You will need it in the year two hundred and eighty.” He died that year and the Imam sent him a burial shroud before his demise.”

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation - Hadith 19519

244- محمد بن يعقوب، عن علي بن محمد قال: خرج نهي عن زيارة مقابر قريش والحير. فلما كان بعد أشهر، دعا الوزير الباقطاني فقال له: إلق بني الفرات والبرسيين وقل لهم لا تزوروا مقابر قريش، فقد أمر الخليفة أن يتفقد كل من زار فيقبض عليه. وأما ما ظهر من جهته عليه السلام من التوقيعات فكثيرة نذكر طرفا منها.

H 244 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub from Ali Ibn Muhammad that he said: “A prohibition came forbidding visitations to the graveyard in Kadhimiyya and the Shrines. A few months later, the minister called Baqitani said to him, “Tell the people of Bani Furat and village of Bars not to visit the graveyard at Kadhmain, because the caliph has ordered that anyone who comes there must be watched and arrested.”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19520

245- أخبرني جماعة، عن أبي محمد التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن الحسين بن علي القمي، قال: حدثني محمد بن علي بن بنان الطلحي الآبي، عن علي بن محمد بن عبدة النيسابوري، قال: حدثني علي بن إبراهيم الرازي، قال: حدثني الشيخ الموثوق به بمدينة السلام قال: تشاجر ابن أبي غانم القزويني وجماعة من الشيعة في الخلف، فذكر ابن أبي غانم أن أبا محمد عليه السلام مضى ولا خلف له، ثم إنهم كتبوا في ذلك كتابا وأنفذوه إلى الناحية، وأعلموه بما تشاجروا فيه، فورد جواب كتابهم بخطه عليه وعلى آبائه السلام: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. عافانا الله وإياكم من الضلالة والفتن، ووهب لنا ولكم روح اليقين، وأجارنا وإياكم من سوء المنقلب أنه أنهي إلي ارتياب جماعة منكم في الدين، وما دخلهم من الشك والحيرة في ولاة أمورهم، فغمنا ذلك لكم لا لنا، وساء‌نا فيكم لا فينا، لان الله معنا ولا فاقة بنا إلى غيره، والحق معنا فلن يوحشنا من قعد عنا، ونحن صنائع ربنا، والخلق بعد صنائعنا. يا هؤلاء! ما لكم في الريب تترددون، وفي الحيرة تنعكسون؟ أو ما سمعتم الله عز وجل يقول: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾؟ أوما علمتم ما جاء‌ت به الآثار مما يكون ويحدث في أئمتكم عن الماضين والباقين منهم عليهم السلام؟ أوما رأيتم كيف جعل الله لكم معاقل تأوون إليها، وأعلاما تهتدون بها من لدن آدم عليه السلام إلى أن ظهر الماضي عليه السلام، كلما غاب علم بدا علم، وإذا أفل نجم طلع نجم؟ فلما قبضه الله إليه ظننتم أن الله تعالى أبطل دينه، وقطع السبب بينه وبين خلقه، كلا ما كان ذلك ولا يكون حتى تقوم الساعة، ويظهر أمر الله سبحانه وهم كارهون. وإن الماضي عليه السلام مضى سعيدا فقيدا على منهاج آبائه عليهم السلام حذو النعل بالنعل، وفينا وصيته وعلمه، ومن هو خلفه ومن هو يسد مسده، لا ينازعنا موضعه إلا ظالم آثم، ولا يدعيه دوننا إلا جاحد كافر، ولولا أن أمر الله تعالى لا يغلب، وسره لا يظهر ولا يعلن، لظهر لكم من حقنا ما تبين منه عقولكم، ويزيل شكوككم، لكنه ما شاء الله كان، ولكل أجل كتاب. فاتقوا الله وسلموا لنا، وردوا الامر إلينا، فعلينا الاصدار كما كان منا الايراد، ولا تحاولوا كشف ما غطي عنكم ولا تميلوا عن اليمين، وتعدلوا إلى الشمال، واجعلوا قصدكم إلينا بالمودة على السنة الواضحة، فقد نصحت لكم، والله شاهد علي وعليكم، ولولا ما عندنا من محبة صلاحكم ورحمتكم، والاشفاق عليكم، لكنا عن مخاطبتكم في شغل فيما قد امتحنا به من منازعة الظالم العتل الضال المتتابع في غيه، المضاد لربه، الداعي ما ليس له، الجاحد حق من افترض الله طاعته، الظالم الغاصب. وفي ابنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لي أسوة حسنة وسيردي الجاهل رداء‌ة عمله، وسيعلم الكافر لمن عقبى الدار، عصمنا الله وإياكم من المهالك والاسواء، والآفات والعاهات كلها برحمته، فإنه ولي ذلك والقادر على ما يشاء، وكان لنا ولكم وليا وحافظا، والسلام على جميع الاوصياء والاولياء والمؤمنين ورحمة الله وبركاته، وصلى الله على محمد وآله وسلم تسليما.

H 245 - Informed me a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Husain bin Ali Qummi that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ali bin Banan Talhi Aabi from Ali bin Muhammad bin Abduh Nishapuri: Narrated to me Ali bin Ibrahim Raazi that he said: A reliable Shaykh said in Baghdad that: Ibn Abi Ghanim Qazwini along with some Shia people had a difference of opinion regarding the successorship of His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). So much so that Qazwini denied the existence of His Eminence, the Awaited Imam (a. s). However, others stressed that the successor of His Eminence was present and he is His Eminence, Imam Mahdi (a. s). They wrote a letter to the Awaited Imam and related their discussion with Qazwini. His Eminence replied as follows: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. May the Almighty Allah keep you and us safe from the mischiefs and may He bestow you and us with certainty and may He also protect you and us from bad consequences. Information regarding doubt and denial of a group from you in religion and matter of guardianship (Wilayat) has reached us. Our sorrow and anger is for you and not for our own selves, as the Almighty Allah is with us, therefore except for Him, we are not needful of anyone else and the truth is with us. Therefore, I am not afraid if someone turns away from us. And we are the first creations of our Lord and (other) creatures and people were created afterwards. And you, O people! Why have you fallen into doubt and bewilderment? Have you not heard the statement of Almighty Allah: “O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you…” (4:59) Don’t you know that it has come in traditional reports that unforeseen events had befallen the past and would befall the remaining Imams? Have you not seen how in all the times, the Almighty Allah had made a refuge for you to seek protection in? He appointed torches of guidance from the time of Adam (a. s) till Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) that you may obtain guidance and direction, in such a way that whenever a guide went away, another one took up his place and torch. When the Almighty Allah took away Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), do you think He has rendered His religion invalid and severed His relation with the creatures? Never! Till the Day of Judgment and the time of the issue of Allah’s command, which is not in favor of the people, it cannot be thus. Indeed, His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) passed away with success and good fortune like his respected forefathers and in such a condition that his knowledge and will is present with us. And his successor would perform his functions. And except for an unjust criminal, no one has any dispute with us in this matter. And except for a denier disbeliever, no one claims this divine position of ours. And if it would not have rendered the command of Allah to be subverted and His secret had not been exposed, our right upon you would have become so clear that your intellects would have been amazed and your doubts and uncertainties would have disappeared. However, what Allah has willed, predestined and written would surely happen and nothing except that. Then fear Allah and submit to our affair, and leave this matter with us. And do not persist in seeking that which Allah has concealed and don’t get deviated to the left and right. And make our right and illuminated path as the aim. Indeed, I wish for your well-being and Allah is witness upon you and me. If I had no affection for you and had not desired mercy and goodness for you, I would not have said anything to you. It is by way of trial and divine test for us that a misguided oppressor, without any right has become a prisoner of his selfish desires and usurped the right of others. Like the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, it is obligatory that I should be patient and in the end the ignorant and tyrant would see the consequences of his deeds. May Allah Almighty protect you and us from perditions, calamities and evils. And Allah is having authority and power on them and blessings and mercy of Allah be upon all the successors, saints and believers. And may Allah bless Muhammad, the Prophet, and his progeny and peace be upon them.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19521

246- وبهذا الاسناد، عن أبي الحسين محمد بن جعفر الاسدي رضي الله عنه، عن سعد بن عبدالله الأشعري قال: حدثنا الشيخ الصدوق أحمد بن إسحاق بن سعد الاشعري رحمه الله، أنه جاء‌ه بعض أصحابنا يعلمه أن جعفر بن علي كتب إليه كتابا يعرفه فيه نفسه، ويعلمه أنه القيم بعد أخيه، وأن عنده من علم الحلال والحرام ما يحتاج إليه وغير ذلك من العلوم كلها. قال أحمد بن إسحاق: فلما قرأت الكتاب كتبت إلى صاحب الزمان عليه السلام وصيرت كتاب جعفر في درجه، فخرج الجواب إلي في ذلك: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. أتاني كتابك أبقاك الله، والكتاب الذي أنفذته درجه وأحاطت معرفتي بجميع ما تضمنه على اختلاف ألفاظه، وتكرر الخطأ فيه، ولو تدبرته لوقفت على بعض ما وقفت عليه منه، والحمد لله رب العالمين حمدا لا شريك له على إحسانه إلينا، وفضله علينا، أبى الله عز وجل للحق إلا إتمام، وللباطل إلا زهوقا، وهو شاهد علي بما أذكره، ولي عليكم بما أقوله، إذا اجتمعنا ليوم لا ريب فيه ويسألنا عما نحن فيه مختلفون، إنه لم يجعل لصاحب الكتاب على المكتوب إليه ولا عليك ولا على أحد من الخلق جميعا إمامة مفترضة، ولا طاعة ولا ذمة، وسأبين لكم جملة تكتفون بها إن شاء الله تعالى. يا هذا يرحمك الله، إن الله تعالى لم يخلق الخلق عبثا، ولا أهملهم سدى، بل خلقهم بقدرته، وجعل لهم أسماعا وأبصارا وقلوبا وألبابا، ثم بعث إليهم النبيين عليهم السلام مبشرين ومنذرين، يأمرونهم بطاعته وينهونهم عن معصيته، ويعرفونهم ما جهلوه من أمر خالقهم ودينهم، وأنزل عليهم كتابا، وبعث إليهم ملائكة يأتين بينهم وبين من بعثهم إليهم بالفضل الذي جعله لهم عليهم، وما آتاهم من الدلائل الظاهرة والبراهين الباهرة، والآيات الغالبة. فمنهم من جعل النار عليه بردا وسلاما واتخذه خليلا، ومنهم من كلمه تكليما وجعل عصاه ثعبانا مبينا، ومنهم من أحيى الموتى بإذن الله، وأبرأ الاكمه والابرص بإذن الله، ومنهم من علمه منطق الطير وأوتي من كل شيء، ثم بعث محمدا صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم رحمة للعالمين، وتمم به نعمته، وختم به أنبياء‌ه، وأرسله إلى الناس كافة، وأظهر من صدقه ما أظهر، وبين من آياته وعلاماته ما بين. ثم قبـضه صـلى الله عـليه وآلـه حميـدا فقيـدا سعيـدا، وجعـل الامـر (مـن) بعـده إلى أخيـه وابن عمـه ووصيـه ووارثـه علـي بن أبـي طـالب عـليـه السلام ثم إلى الاوصياء من ولده واحدا واحدا، أحيى بهم دينه، وأتم بهم نوره، وجعل بينهم وبين إخوانهم وبني عمهم والادنين فالادنين من ذوي أرحامهم فرقان بينا يعرف به الحجة من المحجوج، والامام من المأموم بأن عصمهم من الذنوب، وبرأهم من العيوب، وطهرهم من الدنس، ونزههم من اللبس، وجعلهم خزان علمه، ومستودع حكمته، وموضع سره، وأيدهم بالدلائل، ولولا ذلك لكان الناس على سواء ولادعى أمر الله عز وجل كل أحد، ولما عرف الحق من الباطل، ولا العالم من الجاهل.وقد ادعى هذا المبطل المفتري على الله الكذب بما ادعاه، فلا أدري بأية حالة هي له رجاء أن يتم دعواه، أبفقه في دين الله؟ فو الله ما يعرف حلالا من حرام ولا يفرق بين خطأ وصواب، أم بعلم فما يعلم حقا من باطل، ولا محكما من متشابه ولا يعرف حد الصلاة ووقتها، أم بورع فالله شهيد على تركه الصلاة الفرض أربعين يوما، يزعم ذلك لطلب الشعوذة، ولعل خبره قد تأدى إليكم، وهاتيك ظروف مسكره منصوبة، وآثار عصيانه لله عز وجل مشهورة قائمة، أم بآية فليأت بها، أم بحجة فليقمها، أو بدلالة فليذكرها. قال الله عز وجل في كتابه:﴿بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ. حۤم تَنْزِيلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ اللهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَكِيمِ. مَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا إِلاَّ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا عَمَّا أُنْذِرُوا مُعْرِضُونَ. قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ مَا تَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ أَرُونِي مَاذَا خَلَقُوا مِنْ الْأَرْضِ أَمْ لَهُمْ شِرْكٌ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ اِئْتُونِي بِكِتَابٍ مِنْ قَبْلِ هَذَا أَوْ أَثَارَةٍ مِنْ عِلْمٍ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ.وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنْ يَدْعُو مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَجِيبُ لَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ عَنْ دُعَائِهِمْ غَافِلُونَ.وَإِذَا حُشِرَ النَّاسُ كَانُوا لَهُمْ أَعْدَاءً وَكَانُوا بِعِبَادَتِهِمْ كَافِرِينَ.﴾ فالتمس تولى الله توفيقك من هذا الظالم ما ذكرت لك، وامتحنه وسله عن آية من كتاب الله يفسرها أو صلاة فريضة يبين حدودها وما يجب فيها، لتعلم حاله ومقداره، ويظهر لك عواره ونقصانه، والله حسيبه. حفظ الله الحق على أهله، وأقره في مستقره، وقد أبى الله عز وجل أن تكون الامامة في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام، وإذا أذن الله لنا في القول ظهر الحق، واضمحل الباطل، وانحسر عنكم، وإلى الله أرغب في الكفاية، وجميل الصنع والولاية، وحسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل وصلى الله على محمد وآل محمد.

H 246 - It is narrated through the same chains of narrators from Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah Ashari that he said: Narrated to us Shaykh Saduq from Ahmad bin Ishaq bin Saad Ashari that an associate of his came and said that Ja’far bin Ali has sent him a letter introducing himself and claiming that he is the Qaim after his father and that he is in possession of all the sciences that people need. Ahmad bin Ishaq says that when I read Ja’far bin Ali’s letter, I wrote a letter to the Imam of the Time (a. s) and also enclosed Ja’far’s letter. The following reply came from the Imam: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. May Allah keep you safe and in health. I received your communication and also the letter that you had enclosed. I went through it; there are many contradictions and mistakes in it. If you had read carefully, you would also have realized this. Praise be to the Lord of the worlds in which no one else has any share that He favored and blessed us. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime does not want anything, except to complete the truth and to destroy falsehood and He will witness what I am saying. The day in which there is no doubt, He will ask us about that in which we differ. The Almighty Allah has not appointed the writer of this letter as an Imam on anyone of us nor made it obligatory to obey him. Let me explain in detail, so that it is sufficient for you. Ahmad bin Ishaq, may Allah have mercy on you. Almighty Allah did not create anyone in vain and neither did He leave it free after creation. On the contrary, He created them from His power, gave them ears, eyes, hearts and brains. Then He sent prophets to them as givers of glad tidings and warners, so that they may command them to the obedience of Allah and restrain them from His disobedience; that they inform them about their creator of which they are ignorant; and He sent scriptures and angels to them to maintain a difference between them and common people and that their excellence over them is proved. Then He gave miracles and a number of signs to them. Thus He cooled the fire for some of them and made them as His confidante (Khalil). To some He spoke and made his staff a serpent. Some of them enlivened the dead and cured the lepers through Allah’s permission. To some He gave the knowledge of the language of birds. He gave something from everything to them. Then He sent Muhammad (s) as the mercy for the worlds and completed His favors on him and concluded His prophethood on him and made him the Prophet for the whole universe. Thus the truths expressed by him are clear to all and all are aware of the miracles shown by him. After that the Almighty Allah captured the soul of the Messenger of Allah (s) and transferred this matter to his cousin, brother, successor and legatee, Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s). Then the matter of guidance went to his successors one after another, so that through them they may keep His religion alive and complete His light and He kept a clear difference between them and their brothers and cousins, so that the Divine Proof and Imam can be differentiated from common people by keeping the Imams pure from all sins and pure of every defect and appointed them as trustees of His treasure and bearers of His secrets and helped them through miracles and proofs. And if this had not been there, all the people would have been equal and all would have claimed Imamate. No difference would have remained between right and wrong and the ignorant and the knowledgeable. That false claimant has made a false claim on the Almighty Allah and I don’t know how he can prove the veracity of his claim. Can he prove it through the knowledge and jurisprudence of the religion of Allah? By Allah, he does not even know what is lawful and what is unlawful, what is right and what is wrong; what is clear and what is ambiguous. He does not even know the limits and times of prayers. Can he prove his Imamate through piety? The Almighty Allah is a witness that he left obligatory prayers for forty days in order to learn black magic. You should know that he has wine cups and other tools of sinful activities. Can he prove his claim from some miracles? If it is so, let him bring some miracle or any other evidence of Imamate. The Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Ha Mim. The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise. We did not create the heavens and the earth and what is between the two save with truth and (for) an appointed term; and those who disbelieve turn aside from what they are warned of. Say: Have you considered what you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth, or have they a share in the heavens? Bring me a book before this or traces of knowledge, if you are truthful. And who is in greater error than he who calls besides Allah upon those that will not answer him till the day of resurrection and they are heedless of their call? And when men are gathered together they shall be their enemies, and shall be deniers of their worshipping (them).” (46:1-6) May Allah give you divine opportunity (Taufeeq), ask him that which I have told you and test him and ask him interpretation of any verse of Quran or ask him a question about Daily Prayers, so that you may find how much he knows and what defect he has. The Almighty Allah has secured truth with those who are deserving of it and has placed it at its center. And He cannot accept that after Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (a. s) the post of Imamate should go to two brothers. And when Allah the Mighty and Sublime permits us to speak the truth, the truth will come out and falsehood will be destroyed. I ask for Allah’s help; He is sufficient for us and the best of the helpers. May Allah bless Muhammad and Aale Muhammad (a. s).

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19522

247- وأخبرني جماعة، عن جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه وأبي غالب الزراري (وغيرهما) عن محمد بن يعقوب الكليني، عن إسحاق بن يعقوب قال:سألت محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله أن يوصل لي كتابا قد سئلت فيه عن مسائل أشكلت علي، فورد التوقيع بخط مولينا صاحب الدار عليه السلام: أما ما سألت عنه أرشد الله وثبتك من أمر المنكرين لي من أهل بيتنا وبني عمنا، فاعلم أنه ليس بين الله عز وجل وبين أحد قرابة، ومن أنكرني فليس مني، وسبيله سبيل ابن نوح عليه السلام. وأما سبيل عمي جعفر وولده، فسبيل إخوة يوسف على نبينا وآله وعليه السلام. وأما الفقاع فشربه حرام ولا بأس بالشلماب. وأما أموالكم فما نقبلها إلا لتطهروا فمن شاء فليصل، ومن شاء فليقطع، فما آتانا الله خير مما آتاكم. وأما ظهور الفرج فإنه إلى الله عز وجل، كذب الوقاتون. وأما قول من زعم أن الحسين عليه السلام لم يقتل، فكفر وتكذيب وضلال. وأما الحوادث الواقعة فارجعوا فيها إلى رواة حديثنا، فإنهم حجتي عليكم وأنا حجة الله (عليكم). وأما محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه وعن أبيه من قبل، فإنه ثقتي وكتابه كتابي. وأما محمد بن علي بن مهزيار الاهوازي فسيصلح الله قلبه، ويزيل عنه شكه. وأما ما وصلتنا به فلا قبول عندنا إلا لما طاب وطهر، وثمن المغنية حرام. وأما محمد بن شاذان بن نعيم فإنه رجل من شعيتنا أهل البيت. وأما أبوالخطاب محمد بن(أبي) زينب الاجدع (فإنه) ملعون وأصحابه ملعونون، فلا تجالس أهل مقالتهم وإني منهم برئ وآبائي عليهم السلام منهم براء. وأما المتلبسون بأموالنا فمن استحل منها شيئا فأكله فإنما يأكل النيران. وأما الخمس فقد أبيح لشيعتنا وجعلوا منه في حل إلى وقت ظهور أمرنا لتطيب ولادتهم ولا تخبث. وأما ندامة قوم قد شكوا في دين الله على ما وصلونا به فقد أقلنا من استقال ولا حاجة لنا في صلة الشاكين. وأما علة ما وقع من الغيبة فإن الله عز وجل يقول:﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ إِنْ تُبْدَ لَكُمْ تَسُؤْكُمْ﴾. إنه لم يكن أحد من آبائي إلا وقد وقعت في عنقه بيعة لطاغية زمانه، وإني أخرج حين أخرج ولا بيعة لاحد من الطواغيت في عنقي. وأما وجه الانتفاع في غيبتي فكالانتفاع بالشمس إذا غيبتها عن الابصار السحاب، وإني لامان أهل الارض كما أن النجوم أمان لاهل السماء، فاغلقوا (أبواب) السؤال عما لا يعنيكم، ولا تتكلفوا على ما قد كفيتم، وأكثروا الدعاء بتعجيل الفرج فإن ذلك فرجكم. والسلام عليك يا إسحاق بن يعقوب وعلى من اتبع الهدى.

H 247 - Informed me a group of scholars from Ja’far bin Muhammad Quluwayh and Abi Ghalib Zurari etc. from Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini from Ishaq bin Yaqub that he said: “I asked Muhammad bin Uthman Amari to write to the Imam a letter containing questions that were difficult for me. The Imam sent the following reply: “May the Almighty Allah keep you on guidance. You asked about those of our family and cousins. You should know that no one is related to the Almighty Allah. Anyone who denies us is not from us and his end will be same as the son of Prophet Nuh (a. s). As for the matter of my Uncle, Ja’far and his sons; it is same as the matter of the brothers of Yusuf (a. s). Barley wine is unlawful (Haraam). There is no problem in turnip extract. We only accept the monies sent by you so that you may be purified. Now whoever likes, should send it, whoever likes may not. The provision that the Almighty Allah has bestowed is better than whatever you send us. As for the reappearance and advent, it solely depends on the will of Allah and those who fix a time for it are liars. As for the saying of those who think that Imam Husain (a. s) has not been slain is a kind of disbelief, denial, deviation and misguidance. But as for the problems, which will occur in the future, you should refer to the narrators of our traditions for their verdicts as they are my proofs on you, and I am Allah’s proof on them.” As for Muhammad bin Uthman Amri, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, he is trustworthy and reliable one of mine and his writing is my writing. As for Muhammad bin Ali bin Mahziyar Ahwazi, then very soon, Allah would reform his heart and remove his doubt. As for the money that you sent for me, it is not acceptable to me, except that which is pure. And the compensation for a singing girl is unlawful. As for Muhammad bin Shazan bin Naeem; he is a Shia of Ahle Bayt (a. s). As for Abul Khattab Muhammad bin Ali Zainab Ajdaa; he and all his associates are accursed and you don’t cultivate the company of those who harbor their belief; and my forefathers and I are aloof from them. As for those who are in possession of our funds, in such a way that they consider them lawful for themselves and spend them; they have in fact devoured (Hell) Fire. As for Khums, it is lawful for our Shia till the time of reappearance, so far as their children are pure and not involved in sinful activities. As for the funds that are sent to us and after which they fell into doubts and became regretful of having paid to us, then anyone who wants, we would return to him and we are not needful of the money of those who harbor doubt with regard to Allah. As for the cause of occultation, the Almighty Allah has said: “O you who believe! Do not put questions about things, which if declared to you may trouble you…” (5:101) Each of my forefathers in his time was compelled by the oath of allegiance to the tyrant ruler and when I reappear, I would not be having the allegiance of any tyrant on my neck. As for how people would benefit from me during my occultation, it is like getting benefits from the sun concealed by clouds. I am the security for folks of the earth just as stars are security for inhabitants of the heavens. Therefore, do not ask what you are not in need of and do not put yourself into undue trouble. And pray more for an early reappearance; as in it lies your success. Peace be on you, O Ishaq Ibn Yaqub and peace be on all those who follow the guidance…”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19523

248- وأخبرنا الحسين بن إبراهيم، عن أبي العباس أحمد بن علي بن نوح، عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد الكاتب قال: حدثني أبوالحسن أحمد بن محمد بن تربك الرهاوي، قال: حدثني أبوجعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه أو قال أبوالحسن (علي بن) أحمد الدلال القمي قال: إختلف جماعة من الشيعة في أن الله عز وجل فوض إلى الائمة صلوات الله عليهم أن يخلقوا أو يرزقوا؟ فقال قوم: هذا محال! لا يجوز على الله تعالى، لان الاجسام لا يقدر على خلقها غير الله عز وجل. وقال آخرون: بل الله تعالى أقدر الائمة على ذلك وفوضه إليهم، فخلقوا ورزقوا.وتنازعوا في ذلك تنازعا شديدا. فقال قائل: ما بالكم لا ترجعون إلى أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري فتسألونه عن ذلك فيوضح لكم الحق فيه، فإنه الطريق إلى صاحب الامر عجل الله فرجه؟ فرضيت الجماعة بأبي جعفر وسلمت وأجابت إلى قوله، فكتبوا المسألة وأنفذوها إليه، فخرج إليهم من جهته توقيع نسخته: إن الله تعالى هو الذي خلق الاجسام وقسم الارزاق، لانه ليس بجسم ولا حال في جسم: ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع العليم. وأما الأئمة عليهم السلام فإنهم يسألون الله تعالى فيخلق ويسألونه فيرزق، إيجابا لمسألتهم وإعظاما لحقهم.

H 248 - Informed us Husain bin Ibrahim from Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Ali bin Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibatullah bin Muhammad Katib that: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Tarbak Rahawi that: Narrated to me Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Babawayh or Abul Hasan Ali bin Ahmad Dalali Qummi that: Some Shia people differ whether Allah had delegated creation and sustenance to the Imams (a. s) or not. Some say: It is impossible and not allowed for Him to do that, since only Almighty Allah can create bodies; whereas some say: Allah, the Mighty and the High has made the Holy Imams (a. s) capable for this matter and delegated them, therefore they create and sustain by the permission of Allah. In any case, there arose a great dispute regarding this matter. Meanwhile someone said: Why don’t we refer to Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Uthman Amari [special deputy of Imam] and ask him about it, so that the true belief becomes clear, since he is channel of access to Imam Mahdi (a. s)? All gave consent for referring to Abu Ja’far and accepted his invitation. On the basis of this they wrote the question and sent it to him, so that he may get its reply from Imam (a. s). The following epistle was issued in reply: Indeed, it is Allah, the Mighty and the High, who has created the bodies and distributed sustenance in such a way that He is neither having a body nor has transmigrated into a body. There is nothing, which resembles Him and He is the hearer and the Wise. And as for the Imam (a. s), they request Almighty Allah and Allah, the Mighty and the High creates. They beg from Him and Almighty Allah bestows sustenance. That is Almighty Allah fulfills their request due to the greatness of their right.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19524

249 - وبهذا الاسناد، عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري قال: حدثني جماعة من بني نوبخت، منهم أبوالحسن بن كثير النوبختي رحمه الله، وحدثتني به أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه أنه حمل إلى أبي (جعفر) رضي الله عنه في وقت من الاوقات ما ينفذه إلى صاحب الامر عليه السلام من قم ونواحيها. فلما وصل الرسول إلى بغداد ودخل إلى أبي جعفر وأوصل إليه ما دفع إليه وودعه وجاء لينصرف، قال له أبوجعفر: قد بقي شيء مما استودعته فأين هو؟ فقال له الرجل: لم يبق شيء يا سيدي في يدي إلا وقد سلمته، فقال له أبو جعفر: بلى قد بقي شيء فارجع إلى ما معك وفتشه وتذكر ما دفع إليك. فمضى الرجل، فبقي أياما يتذكر ويبحث ويفكر فلم يذكر شيئا ولا أخبره من كان في جملته، فرجع إلى أبي جعفر فقال له: لم يبق شيء في يدي مما سلم إلي (وقد حملته) إلى حضرتك، فقال له أبوجعفر: فإنه يقال: لك الثوبان السردانيان اللذان دفعهما إليك فلان بن فلان ما فعلا؟ فقال له الرجل: إي والله يا سيدي لقد نسيتهما حتى ذهبا عن قلبي ولست أدري الآن أين وضعتهما، فمضى الرجل، فلم يبق شيء كان معه إلا فتشه وحله وسأل من حمل إليه شيئا من المتاع أن يفتش ذلك فلم يقف لهما على خبر، فرجع إلى أبي جعفر (فأخبره). فقال له أبوجعفر يقال لك: إمض إلى فلان بن فلان القطان الذي حملت إليه العدلين القطن في دار القطن، فافتق أحدهما وهو الذي عليه مكتوب كذا وكذا فإنهم في جانبه، فتحير الرجل مما أخبر به أبوجعفر، ومضى لوجهه إلى الموضع، ففتق العدل الذي قال له: افتقه، فإذا الثوبان في جانبه قد اندسا مع القطن فأخذهما وجاء (بهما) إلى أبي جعفر، فسلمهم إليه وقال له: لقد نسيتهم لاني لما شددت المتاع بقيا فجعلتهما في جانب العدل ليكون ذلك أحفظ لهما.

H 249 - Through the same chain of narrators, it is narrated from Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad bin Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari that he said: Some people from Bani Naubakht, including Abul Hasan Ibn Kathir Naubakhti and Umme Kulthum Ibn Abi Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, narrated to me that in a certain time, religious dues from Qom and its peripheries sent for the Master of the Age (a. s) were brought to Abu Ja’far . When the messenger reached Baghdad and delivered to Abu Ja’far what he had brought and then bid him farewell and was about to return, Abu Ja’far said, “There is one thing remaining, which you have been entrusted with.” “Where is it?” “Nothing is remaining with me, my master. I have submitted everything to you,” replied the messenger. “Something is remaining with you. So return to your belongings and search and remember what all was given to you,” said Abu Ja’far. The messenger left and for many days tried to remember, search and think. He did not recall anything, nor did anyone who was with him, reminded him of anything. He came back to Abu Ja’far and said: “Nothing given to me remains with me that I have not brought to your eminence.” Abu Ja’far said, “It is said that you have two Sardani garments, which were given to you by a certain man,” mentioning his name and his father’s name. “Where are they?” The messenger said: “Yes, by Allah, O my master, I totally forgot about them and I do not even remember where I have put them.” The man left and searched and opened everything he had with him and asked all he had carried something for, to look for those garments, but they were not to be found anywhere. He returned to Abu Ja’far and told him about the mishap. Abu Ja’far said, “You are ordered to go to so-and-so, the cotton seller, to whom you carried two loads of cotton in the cotton market. Open one of them having such and such writing. The two garments are on its side.” The messenger was amazed by the prediction of Abu Ja’far and went ahead to the spot and opened the load that he had told him of and there they were: two garments on the side, inserted into the cotton. He took them and brought them to Abu Ja’far and said: “I forgot them, because when I tied the goods, they were left outside by mistake, so I put them on the side of the cotton load to keep them safe.”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19525

250- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال:أخبرنا علي بن أحمد بن موسى الدقاق ومحمد بن أحمد السناني والحسين بن إبراهيم بن أحمد بن هشام المؤدب، عن أبي الحسين محمد بن جعفر الأسدي الكوفي رضي الله عنه أنه ورد عليه فيما ورد من جواب مسائله عن محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس سره: وأما ما سألت عنه من الصلاة عند طلوع الشمس وعند غروبها، فلئن كان كما يقول الناس: إن الشمس تطلع بين قرني شيطان، وتغرب بين قرني شيطان، فما أرغم أنف الشيطان بشيء أفضل من الصلاة فصلها وارغم (أنف) الشيطان.

H 250 - A group of scholars informed me from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain that he said: Narrated to us Ali bin Ahmad bin Musa Daqqaq and Muhammad bin Ahmad Sinani and Husain bin Ibrahim bin Ahmad bin Hashim Moddab from Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi Kufi that it is mentioned that they sent some questions to Imam Mahdi (a. s); the following reply was received through Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Uthman Amari (q. s.): As for a question you asked about the Prayer at the time of sunrise and sunset; its reply is as follows: It is said that the sun rises and sets between the two horns of Shaitan; so what is better than Prayer that it may rub the nose of Shaitan on the earth? Therefore pray at this time and rub the nose of Shaitan (disgrace him).

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19526

251- (و) قال أبوجعفر بن بابويه في الخبر الذي روي فيمن أفطر يوما في شهر رمضان متعمدا أن عليه ثلاث كفارات: فإني أفتي به فيمن أفطر بجماع محرم عليه أو بطعام محرم عليه، لوجود ذلك في روايات أبي الحسين الاسدي فيما ورد عليه من الشيخ أبي جعفر بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه.

H 251 - Abu Ja’far bin Babawayh says that in a report that is based on the fact that if someone intentionally omits a fast during Ramadhan, all three penalties become obligatory on him and he has to fulfill all of them: I, on the basis of the reply of Imam Mahdi (a. s) to the question of Abul Hasan Asadi, which was received through Shaykh Abu Ja’far [Muhammad bin Uthman Amari] rule that all three penalties are applicable on one who breaks the fast through unlawful coition or through unlawful food.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19527

252- أخبرني جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام، قال أبوعلي: وعلى خاتم أبي جعفر السمان رضي الله عنه: لا إله إلا الله الملك الحق المبين، فسألته عنه فقال: حدثني أبو محمد-يعني صاحب العسكر عليه السلام-عن آبائه عليهم السلام (أنهم) قالوا: كان لفاطمة عليها السلام خاتم فصه عقيق، فلما حضرتها الوفاة دفعته إلى الحسن عليه السلام، فلما حضرته الوفاة دفعه إلى الحسين عليه السلام. قال الحسين عليه السلام: فاشتهيت أن أنقش عليه شيئا، فرأيت في النوم المسيح عيسى بن مريم على نبينا وآله وعليه السلام، فقلت له: يا روح الله،ما أنقش على خاتمي هذا؟ قال:انقش عليه: لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ. فإنه أول التوراة وآخر الإنجيل.

H 252 - A group of scholars informed me from Abu Muhammad Harun from Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam that Abu Ali said: The following was etched on the ring of Abu Ja’far Samman [Second special deputy of Imam]: “There is no god except Allah, the true and manifest king.” I asked him about its reason and he replied: Abu Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) narrated from his respected forefathers that Lady Fatima (s) had a ring with a cornelian. When the last moments of the lady approached, she handed it over to Imam Hasan (a. s), when his martyrdom approached, he transferred it to Imam Husain (a. s) and Imam Husain (a. s) said: I want to engrave something on it that I saw in dream of Prophet Isa Ibn Maryam (a. s), peace be on the prophet and his progeny. I asked him: O Spirit of Allah, what shall I engrave on this ring? He replied: Inscribe: “There is no god except Allah, the true and manifest king,” as it is the first sentence of Taurat and last sentence of Injeel.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19528

253- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد الحسن بن حمزة بن علي بن عبدالله بن محمد بن الحسن بن الحسين بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام قال:حدثنا، علي بن محمد الكليني، قال:كتب محمد بن زياد الصيمري يسأل صاحب الزمان عجل الله فرجه كفنا يتيمن بما يكون من عنده، فورد: إنك تحتاج إليه سنة إحدى وثمانين. فمات رحمه الله في (هذ) الوقت الذي حده وبعث إليه بالكفن قبل موته بشهر.

H 253 - A group of scholars informed me from Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Hamza bin Ali bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Hasan bin Husain bin Ali bin Husain bin Ali bin Abu Talib that: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad Kulaini that he said: Muhammad bin Ziyad Saymoori wrote in a letter to the Master of the Age (a. s) for a shroud as a blessing. Reply came: You will need it in year eighty-one. Muhammad bin Ziyad passed away in the year the Imam had mentioned and the shroud was delivered to him a month before that.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19529

254- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عياش، قال:حدثني ابن مروان الكوفي، قال: حدثني ابن أبي سورة قال:كنت بالحائر زائرا عشية عرفة فخرجت متوجها على طريق البر، فلما انتهيت (إلى) المسناة جلست إليها مستريحا، ثم قمت أمشي وإذا رجل على ظهر الطريق فقال لي: هل لك في الرفقة؟ فقلت: نعم فمشينا معا يحدثني وأحدثه وسألني عن حالي، فأعلمته أني مضيق لا شيء معي ولا في يدي، فالتفت إلي فقال لي: إذا دخلت الكوفة فائت (دار) أبا طاهر الزراري فاقرع عليه بابه، فإنه سيخرج إليك وفي يده دم الاضحية، فقل له: يقال لك إعط هذا الرجل الصرة الدنانير التي عند رجل السرير، فتعجبت من هذا، ثم فارقني ومضى لوجهه لا أدري أين سلك. ودخلت الكوفة فقصدت (دار) أبا طاهر محمد بن سليمان الزراري، فقرعت (عليه) بابه كما قال لي وخرج إلي وفي يده دم الاضحية فقلت له: يقال لك إعط هذا الرجل الصرة الدنانير التي عند رجل السرير، فقال: سمعا وطاعة ودخل فأخرج إلي الصرة فسلمها إلي فأخذتها وانصرفت.

254 - A group of scholars informed me from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ayyash that he said: Narrated to me Ibn Marwan Kufi that: Narrated to me Ibn Abi Sura that: “I was in Kerbala on the eve of Arafa. I left following the land route. As I reached Masnath, I sat over a hill to rest and then got up and started walking. A man came from behind the road and asked, “Would you like to have company?” I said: “Definitely.” We walked together and made conversation. He asked me about my situation; I told him that I was in hardships and did not possess anything. He said: “When you reach Kufa, go to Abu Tahir Razi and knock at his door. He will come out with blood of slaughter on his hands. Tell him, ‘You are asked to give me the bag of dinars that is with the man of the bedstead.’” I much wondered at his words. Then he separated from me and went his way. I don’t know where he went. I reached Kufa and went to Abu Tahir Muhammad Ibn Sulaiman Razi. I knocked on his door, as he had asked me to. Abu Tahir emerged and on his hands was blood of slaughter. I said, “You are asked to give me the bag of dinars, which are with the man of the bedstead.” He said: “Of course, you are heard and obeyed.” He went back and brought out the bag and gave it to me. I took it and went away.”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19530

255- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي غالب أحمد بن محمد الزراري قال: حدثني أبو عبد الله محمد بن زيد بن مروان، قال: حدثني أبوعيسى محمد بن علي الجعفري وأبو الحسين محمد بن علي بن الرقام قالا: حدثنا أبوسورة- قال أبو غالب: وقد رأيت ابنا لابي سورة، وكان أبوسورة أحد مشايخ الزيدية المذكورين. قال أبوسورة: خرجت إلى قبر أبي عبدالله عليه السلام أريد يوم عرفة فعرفت يوم عرفة، فلما كان وقت عشاء الآخرة صليت وقمت فابتدأت أقرأ من الحمد، وإذا شاب حسن الوجه عليه جبة سيفي، فابتدأ أيضا من الحمد وختم قبلي أو ختمت قبله، فلما كان الغداة خرجنا جميعا من باب الحائر، فلما صرنا إلى شاطئ الفرات قال لي الشاب: أنت تريد الكوفة فامض فمضيت طريق الفرات، وأخذ الشاب طريق البر. قـال أبـو سـورة:ث ـم أسـفت عـلى فـراقه فـاتبعته فقـال لي:تعال فجئنا جميعا إلى أصل حصن المسناة فنمنا جميعا وانتبهنا فإذا نحن على العوفي على جبل الخندق، فقال لي: أنت مضيق وعليك عيال، فامض إلى أبي طاهر الزراري فيخرج إليك من منزله وفي يده الدم من الاضحية فقل له: شاب من صفته كذا يقول:لك صرة فيها عشرون دينارا جاء‌ك بها بعض إخوانك فخذها منه. قال أبوسورة: فصرت إلى أبي طاهر (بن) الزراري كما قال الشاب ووصفته له فقال:الحمد لله ورأيته، فدخل وأخرج إلي الصرة الدنانير فدفعها إلي وانصرفت. قال أبوعبدالله محمد بن زيد بن مروان-وهو أيضا من أحد مشايخ الزيدية- حدثت بهذا الحديث أبا الحسن محمد بن عبيدالله العلوي ونحن نزول بأرض الهر، فقال: هذا حق جاء‌ني رجل شاب فتوسمت في وجهه سمة فانصرف الناس كلهم، وقلت له: من أنت؟ فقال: أنا رسول الخلف عليه السلام إلى بعض إخوانه ببغداد فقلت له:معك راحلة فقال: نعم في دار الطلحيين، فقلت له: قم فجئ بها، ووجهت معه غلاما فأحضر راحلته وأقام عندي يومه ذلك، وأكل من طعامي وحدثني بكثير من سري وضميري، قال: فقلت له على أي طريق تأخذ؟ قال: أنزل إلى هذه النجفة ثم آتي وادي الرملة، ثم آتي الفسطاط (واتبع الراحلة) فأركب إلى الخلف عليه السلام إلى المغرب. قال أبو الحسن محمد بن عبيد الله: فلما كان من الغد ركب راحلته وركبت معه حتى صرنا إلى قنطرة دار صالح فعبر الخندق وحده وأنا أراه حتى نزل النجف وغاب عن عيني. قال: أبوعبدالله محمد بن زيد: فحدثت أبا بكر محمد بن أبي دارم اليمامي-وهو(من) أحد مشايخ الحشوية- بهذين الحديثين فقال: هذا حق جاء‌ني منذ سنيات ابن أخت أبي بكر (بن) النخالي العطار-وهو صوفي يصحب الصوفية- فقلت من أنت وأين كنت؟ فقال لي: أنا مسافر(منذ) سبع عشرة سنة، فقلت له: فأيش أعجب ما رأيت؟ فقال: نزلت في الاسكندرية في خان ينزله الغرباء، وكان في وسط الخان مسجد يصلي فيه أهل الخان وله إمام وكان شاب يخرج من بيت له (أو) غرفة فيصلي خلف الإمام ويرجع من وقته إلى بيته ولا يلبث مع الجمـاعة. قـال: فقـلت: -لمـا طـال ذلك علي ورأيت منظره شاب نظيف عليه عباء -أنا والله أحب خدمتك والتشرف بين يديك، فقال: شأنك فلم أزل أخدمه حتى أنس بي الانس التام، فقلت له ذات يوم: من أنت أعزك الله؟ قال: أنا صاحب الحق، فقلت له: يا سيدي متى تظهر؟ فقال: ليس هذا أوان ظهوري، وقد بقي مدة من الزمان، فلم أزل على خدمته تلك وهو على حالته من صلاة الجماعة وترك الخوض فيما لا يعنيه إلى أن قال: أحتاج إلى السفر فقلت له: أنا معك.ثم قلت له: يا سيدي متى يظهر أمرك؟ قال: علامة ظهور أمري كثرة الهرج والمرج والفتن، وآتي مكة فأكون في المسجد الحرام فيقول الناس: إنصبوا لنا إماما ويكثر الكلام حتى يقوم رجل من الناس فينظر في وجهي ثم يقول: يا معشر الناس هذا المهدي انظروا إليه، فيأخذون بيدي وينصبوني بين الركن والمقام، فيبايع الناس عند إياسهم عني ، قال: وسرنا إلى ساحل البحر فعزم على ركوب البحر فقلت له: يا سيدي أنا والله أفرق من (ركوب) البحر، فقال:ويحك تخاف وأنا معك، فقلت: لا ولكن أجبن، قال:فركب البحر وانصرفت عنه.

255- A group of scholars informed me from Abu Ghalib Ahmad bin Muhammad Zurari that he said: Narrated to me Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Zaid bin Marwan that: Narrated to me Abu Isa Muhammad bin Ali Ja’fari and Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ali bin Raqqam that: Narrated to us Abu Sura that: Abu Ghalib said: I saw a son of Abu Sura. Abu Sura was a prominent member of Zaidiyyah sect and he said: I stayed the day of Arafa there and when it was the time of Isha prayers, I stood up to pray. I rose and began by Surah Hamd. Suddenly, a young man of tremendous beauty, who had a summer cloak on him, also began with the same Surah and finished before me or I did before him. Later we left together from the door of the shrine. When we reached the banks of Euphrates, the young man said, “You want to go to Kufa, so go ahead.” I went ahead by the way of Euphrates and the young man took the land trail. Abu Sura continues, Feeling sorry for separating from his company, I began following him. He said, “Come.” We went together upto the foundation of the fortress of Masnath. We slept there. When we woke up, we were at the heights, at the mountain of Khandaq. He said, “You are facing hardships and have a family to support. Go to Abu Tahir Razi. He will come out to you, while his hands are drenched in blood of slaughter. Say to him a young man who had these qualities says that the bag having twenty dinars, which one of your brothers has brought, is yours. Take it from him.” Abu Sura says, I went to Abu Tahir Ibn Razi, as the young man had said and described the young man to him. He said: “Praise belongs to Allah, and you saw him.” He went inside and brought out a bag of dinars. He gave them to me and I returned. Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Zaid Ibn Marwan, who is also one of the Shaykhs of the Zaidiyyah, says, I recounted this narrative to Abu Husain Muhammad Ibn Ubaidullah Alawi, when we had halted at the land of Herr. He said: This is true. A young man came to me and I recognized a sign in his face. When the people left, I asked him, “Who are you?” He said: “I am the messenger of the successor (a. s) to one of his brothers in Baghdad.” I asked, “Do you have the means for travel?” “Yes, in the house of the Talhayayn.” I said, “Go and bring them.” I sent a servant with him. He brought his luggage and means of travel and stayed with me that day. He ate with me and talked about many secrets and confidential matters. I asked him, “What road are you taking?” “I will disembark at this height and then go to the valley of the sands; then I’ll go to the tents and purchase mounts and ride to the successor (a. s) to the west.” Abu Husain Muhammad Ibn Ubaidullah said: Next day he rode his beast and I rode along with him. We went to the archway of the house of Salih. He crossed the channel by himself and I was watching him until he reached Najaf and then he disappeared from my eyes. Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Zaid says, I recounted these two narratives to Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Abi Darram Yamami, who is a Shaykhs of Hashawiyya. He said: This is true.” After that he said: A few years ago, the nephew of Abu Bakr bin Nakhali Attar, who was a Sufi and who intermingled with Sufis, came to me. I asked: Who are you and from where have you come? He replied: I am a traveler and I am on a journey since last seventy years. I asked: What is the most extraordinary thing that you have seen? He replied: I stayed in a rest house in Alexandria. There was a Masjid in the center of the caravanserai, which was used by travelers. An Imam of congregation was also present there and he was a young man. He lived in his special quarters from where he emerged to lead them in prayers and returned to his room immediately. When I had stayed there for a long time and observed this practice of that young man who was extremely pure and clean and who also had a cloak upon him, I said: I would like to be present in your service. Please give me an opportunity. He replied: It is your honor, you may do so. Thus I started cultivating his company till I became very much attached to him. One day I said to him: May Almighty Allah give you honor, who are you? He replied: I am the owner of truth. I said: My master, when will you reappear? He replied: Presently, time is not ripe for the reappearance. A period still remains for it. Thus I always remained engrossed in the service of the Imam and he also continued his practice of simply leading congregational prayers without interfering in anything else, which did not concern him, till he said one day: I need to go on a journey. I asked: I will accompany you. After that I requested him: My master, when will your reappearance take place? He replied: The sign of the coming of my kingdom is that there would be confusion and discord, and too much of mischief. At that time I will come to Mecca and would be in Masjidul Haraam till people say: Appoint an Imam for us, and a long discussion will take place in this regard; till a person will rise from them and look at me. He would say: People, this man is the Mahdi, look at him and pledge allegiance to him. They would all pledge allegiance to me between Rukn and Maqam, while before that they would have despaired of my life and reappearance. We set out from there till we reached the sea shore. He intended to cross the sea. I asked: Master, by Allah, I fear the sea. Imam (a. s) said: Are you afraid when I am with you? I replied: No, but I cannot dare. So Imam (a. s) mounted the sea [walked on the surface] and I returned from there.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19531

256 - أخبرني جماعة، عن أبي عبد الله أحمد بن محمد بن عياش، عن أبي غالب الزراري قال:قدمت من الكوفة وأنا شاب إحدى قدماتي ومعي رجل من إخواننا قد ذهب على أبي عبد الله اسمه، وذلك في أيام الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رحمه الله واستتاره ونصبه أبا جعفر محمد بن علي المعروف بالشلمغاني، وكان مستقيما لم يظهر منه ما ظهر (منه)من الكفر والإلحاد، وكان الناس يقصدونه ويلقونه لأنه كان صاحب الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح سفيرا بينهم وبينه في حوائجهم ومهماتهم.فقال لي صاحبي: هل لك أن تلقى أبا جعفر وتحدث به عهدا، فإنه المنصوب اليوم لهذه الطائفة، فإني أريد أن أسأله شيئا من الدعاء يكتب به إلى الناحية، قال: فقلت: [له] نعم، فدخلنا إليه فرأينا عنده جماعة من أصحابنا فسلمنا عليه وجلسنـا، فأقبل على صـاحبي فقـال: من هذا الفتى معك؟ فقال له: رجل من آل زرارة بن أعين، فأقبل علي فقال: من أي زرارة أنت؟ فقلت: يا سيدي أنا من ولد بكير بن أعين أخي زرارة، فقال: أهل بيت جليل عظيم القدر في هذا الأمر، فأقبل عليه صاحبي فقال له: يا سيدنا أريد المكاتبة في شئ من الدعاء، فقال: نعم. قال: فلما سمعت هذا اعتقدت أن أسأل أنا أيضا مثل ذلك، وكنت اعتقدت في نفسي ما لم أبده لاحد من خلق الله حال والدة أبي العباس ابني، وكانت كثيرة الخلاف والغضب علي، وكانت مني بمنزلة، فقلت في نفسي أسأل الدعاء لي في أمر قد أهمني ولا أسميه، فقلت أطال الله بقاء سيدنا وأنا أسأل حاجة، قال: وما هي؟ قلت: الدعاء لي بالفرج من أمر قد أهمني، قال: فأخذ درجا بين يديه كان أثبت فيه حاجة الرجل فكتب: (و) الزراري يسأل الدعاء له في أمر قد أهمه، قال: ثم طواه فقمنا وانصرفنا.فلما كان بعد أيام قال لي صاحبي:ألا نعود إلى أبي جعفر فنسأله عن حوائجنا التي كنا سألناه، فمضيت معه ودخلنا عليه فحين جلسنا عنده أخرج الدرج، وفيه مسائل كثيرة قد أجيب في تضاعيفها، فأقبل على صاحبي فقرأ عليه جواب ما سأل، ثم أقبل علي وهو يقرأ [فقال:].وأما الزراري وحال الزوج والزوجة فأصلح الله ذات بينهما، قال فورد علي أمر عظيم، وقمنا فانصرفت ، فقال لي: قد ورد عليك هذا الامر فقلت:أعجب منه قال:مثل أي شئ؟ فقلت: لأنه سر لم يعلمه إلا الله تعالى وغيري فقد أخبرني به، فقال: أتشك في أمر الناحية؟ أخبرني الآن ما هو فأخبرته فعجب منه. ثم قضى أن عدنا إلى الكوفة فدخلت داري وكانت أم أبي العباس مغاضبة لي في منزل أهلها فجاءت إلي فاسترضتني واعتذرت ووافقتني ولم تخالفني حتى فرق الموت بيننا.

H 256 - A group narrated from Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ayyash from Abu Ghalib Zurari that he said: “I reached Kufa. I was a young man and one of our brothers [whose name Abu Abdullah had forgotten], was with me. This was during the period of Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, when he went into hiding and appointed Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali known as Shalmaghani, who was at that time a righteous man and had not evinced heresy and blasphemy, which he later did. People visited him and met him, because he was a comrade of Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and his emissary amongst the people with regard to their needs and necessities. My friend said to me, “Do you wish to meet Abu Ja’far and make a covenant with him, for he is the appointed man today amongst this congregation?” I wanted to ask him to request a Dua from the Imam of the Age?” I said: “Yes.” We went to him and saw a group of our faithful brethren there with him. We offered him our greetings and sat there. He turned to my comrade and asked, “Who is this young man?” He said: “A man from the house of Zurarah.” He turned to me and asked, “Which Zurarah?” I said: “My master, I am from the children of Bukair Ibn Ayyin, brother of Zurarah.” He said: “This is a majestic household, dignified in this Order.” My comrade turned to him and said: “Our master, I want to request a Dua.” He said: “Yes.” When I heard this, I also desired to request the same. I intended in my heart not to disclose it to anyone the condition of my wife, the mother of my son Abul Abbas. She and I had many differences and she was very angry at me, while I was greatly fond of her. I said in my heart that I will ask him a Dua for this problem that has been troubling me much. So I said: “May Allah prolong the life of our Master, I have a wish as well.” Shalmaghani said: “What is your wish?” I said: “I want a Dua for relief from a problem that has troubled me.” Shalmaghani took the paper that was in front of him on which he registered people’s requests and wrote, “And the man from Zurarah has a request for Dua about a matter that has troubled him.” Then he folded the paper. We rose and left. After a few days, my friend said to me, “Shouldn’t we go to Abu Ja’far and ask him about the requests we made?” I went with him and we entered Shalmaghani’s place. As we sat down, he took out a paper that had many requests on it, which had been answered at their sides. He turned to my friend and read to him the answer of his query. Then he turned to me as he was reading, “As for the man from Zurarah and the condition between the husband and wife, may Allah rectify their relationship.” I was overwhelmed by this great incident. We got up and left. My friend said to me, “You are overwhelmed by this?” I said: “I am amazed.” “By what?” I said: “It was a secret that no one, but God and me knew and he informed me about it.” He said: “Are you doubting the capacity of the Imam? Tell me what the story is?” I told him what had happened and he was also much amazed. Then we returned to Kufa and I went to my house. My wife, who had been angry at me and was living with her family, came and sought my pleasure and apologized to me. She remained very agreeable to me and never disagreed with me until death separated us.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19532

257- وأخبرني بهذه الحكاية جماعة عن أبي غالب أحمد بن محمد بن سليمان الزراري رحمه الله إجازة وكتب عنه ببغداد أبو الفرج محمد بن المظفر في منزله بسويقة غالب في يوم الأحد لخمس خلون من ذي القعدة سنة ست وخمسين وثلاثمائة قال: كنت تزوجت بأم ولدي وهي أول امرأة تزوجتها، وأنا حينئذ حدث السن وسني إذ ذاك دون العشرين سنة، فدخلت بها في منزل أبيها، فأقامت في منزل أبيها سنين وأنا أجتهد بهم في أن يحولوها إلى منزلي وهم لا يجيبوني إلى ذلك، فحمـلت مني في هـذه المدة وولـدت بنتـا فعاشت مدة ثم ماتت ولم أحضر في ولادتها ولا في موتها ولم أرها منذ ولدت إلى أن توفيت للشرور التي كانت بيني وبينهم. ثم اصطلحنا على أنهم يحملونها إلى منزلي، فدخلت إليهم في منزلهم ودافعوني في نقل المرأة إلي وقدر أن حملت المرأة مع هذه الحال، ثم طالبتهم بنقلها إلى منزلي على ما اتفقنا عليه، فامتنعوا من ذلك، فعاد الشر بيننا وانتقلت عنهم، وولدت وأنا غائب عنها بنتا وبقينا على حال الشر والمضارمة سنين لا آخذها. ثم دخلت بغداد وكان الصاحب بالكوفة في ذلك الوقت أبو جعفر محمد بن أحمد الزجوزجي رحمه الله، وكان لي كالعم أو الوالد، فنزلت عنده ببغداد وشكوت إليه ما أنا فيه من الشرور الواقعة بيني وبين الزوجة وبين الأحماء، فقال لي: تكتب رقعة وتسأل الدعاء فيها. فكتبت رقعة (و) ذكرت فيها حالي وما أنا فيه من خصومة القوم لي وامتناعهم من حمل المرأة إلى منزلي، ومضيت بها أنا وأبو جعفر رحمه الله إلى محمد بن علي، وكان في ذلك الواسطة بيننا وبين الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه وهو إذ ذاك الوكيل، فدفعناها إليه وسألناه إنفاذها، فأخذها مني وتأخر الجواب عني أياما، فلقيته فقلت له: قد ساءني تأخر الجواب عني، فقال (لي) لا يسؤوك (هذا) فإنه أحب (لي ولك، وأومأ) إلي أن الجواب إن قرب كان من جهة الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه، وإن تأخر كان من جهة الصاحب عليه السلام، فانصرفت.فلما كان بعد ذلك- ولا أحفظ المدة إلا أنها كانت قريبة- فوجه إلي أبو جعفر الزجوزجي رحمه الله يوما من الأيام، فصرت إليه، فأخرج لي فصلا من رقعة وقال لي: هذا جواب رقعتك فإن شئت أن تنسخه فانسخه ورده فقرأته فإذا فيه والزوج والزوجة فأصلح الله ذات بينهما، ونسخت اللفظ ورددت عليه الفصل، ودخلنا الكوفة فسهل الله لي نقل المرأة بأيسر كلفة، وأقامت معي سنين كثيرة ورزقت مني أولادا وأسأت إليها إساءات واستعملت معها كل ما لا تصبر النساء عليه، فما وقعت بيني وبينها لفظة شر ولا بين أحد من أهلها إلى أن فرق الزمان بيننا. قالوا:قال أبو غالب رحمه الله: وكنت قديما قبل هذه الحال قد كتبت رقعة أسأل فيها أن يقبل ضيعتي، ولم يكن اعتقادي في ذلك الوقت التقرب إلى الله عز وجل بهذه الحال، وإنما كان شهوة مني للاختلاط بالنوبختيين والدخول معهم فيما كانوا (فيه) من الدنيا، فلم أجب إلى ذلك وألححت في ذلك، فكتب إلي أن اختر من تثق به فاكتب الضيعة باسمه فإنك تحتاج إليها. فكتبتها باسم أبي القاسم موسى بن الحسن الزجوزجي ابن أخي أبي جعفر رحمه الله لثقتي به وموضعه من الديانة والنعمة.فلم تمض الأيام حتى أسروني الاعراب ونهبوا الضيعة التي كنت أملكها، وذهب مني فيها من غلاتي ودوابي وآلتي نحو من ألف دينار، وأقمت في أسرهم مدة إلى أن اشتريت نفسي بمائة دينار وألف وخمسمائة درهم، (و)لزمني في أجرة الرسل نحو من خمسمائة درهم، فخرجت واحتجت إلى الضيعة فبعتها.

H 257 - A group narrated this story from Abu Ghalib Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Sulaiman Zurari with his permission. And Abu Faraj Muhammad Ibn Muzaffar wrote by his dictation in the house of Abu Ghalib, in the market of Abu Ghalib on Sunday, when five days were left from Dhul Qada of year three hundred and fifty six, saying, I was married to a woman, who was the first woman I had married. I was young man and my age was less than twenty years. I copulated with her at her father’s place and then she stayed there for years. I tried much to convince them to let her move to my place, but they would not listen. The woman became pregnant from me during this time and gave birth to a girl, which lived for a while and then died. I was neither present at her birth, nor when she died, and never saw her, because of the strained relationship between me and my in-laws. Then again we agreed to let her move to my house. So I went to them, but they again declined. I again made the woman pregnant. I demanded them to bring her to my house, as agreed. They again refused and our relationship soured. I moved away from them. She gave birth in my absence to a girl. We remained in this strained condition for many years. I did not go to bring her. Then I went to Baghdad. My friend at that time in Baghdad was Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Zajzawzaji and he was like an uncle or father to me. I stayed at his house in Baghdad and complained to him about my strained relationship with my wife and in-laws. He asked me to write a letter and ask for a Dua. So, I wrote a letter and mentioned in it my condition and my sour relations with my wife’s family and their refusal to let my wife come to my house. I and Abu Ja’far took the letter to Muhammad Ibn Ali, who was at the time a contact between us and Husain Ibn Rauh, who was the Representative at that time. We gave him the letter and asked him to send it. He took the letter from me, but the answer did not come for a long while. I met him and told him that I was very uncomfortable with the delay in answer to my letter. He said, “It should not make you uncomfortable.’ He hinted to me that if the answer comes soon, it is from Husain Ibn Rauh, and if there is a delay, it is from the Divine Proof (Hujjah) (a. s). I left. After a while – which I do not remember how long, but it was not very long – Abu Ja’far Zajawzaji called me one day. I went to him. He took out a section of a letter and said, “This is the answer of your letter. If you like to copy it, copy it and then return it to me.” I read the letter, which said: “May Allah set right the differences of the husband and the wife.” I copied these words and returned the letter to him. We went to Kufa. God made the woman’s heart soft to me with no effort. She lived with me for many years and I had many children from her. At times I was very rough to her and did things that would require much forbearance from any woman to bear, but she did not utter a word of disagreement, nor did her family, until time separated us from one another.” The narrators say, Abu Ghalib said: Long before this, once I wrote a letter requesting that my orchard and property be accepted. It was not my belief at that time to seek the pleasure of God, but rather I had a desire for courtship with the Naubakhtis, because of the wealth, power and prestige they enjoyed. No reply came to me. I insisted on making my request. A reply came to me, “Choose someone and transfer the property into his name, because you will need it.” I transferred the property to Abul Qasim Musa Ibn Hasan Zajawzaji, the nephew of Abu Ja’far, because I had confidence in him and his piety. Not many days passed that Bedouins took me prisoner and looted the property I owned. All my grains, animals and instruments worth a thousand dinars were gone. I remained in their captivity for some time until I bought my freedom for a hundred dinars and fifteen hundred dirhams. I became indebted to the couriers for another five hundred dirhams. I came out from the captivity and sold the property for this sheer need.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19533

258- وأخبرني الحسين بن عبيد الله، عن أبي الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود القمي رحمه الله، عن أبي علي بن همام قال: أنفذ محمد بن علي الشلمغاني العزاقري إلى الشيخ الحسين بن روح يسأله أن يباهله وقال: أنا صاحب الرجل وقد أمرت بإظهار العلم، وقد أظهرته باطنا وظاهرا، فباهلني فأنفذ إليه الشيخ رضي الله عنه في جواب ذلك أينا تقدم صاحبه فهو المخصوم، فتقدم العزاقري فقتل وصلب وأخذ معه ابن أبي عون، وذلك في سنة ثلاث وعشرين وثلاثمائة.

H 258 - It is narrated from Husain bin Ubaidullah from Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Dawood Qummi from Abu Ali Ibn Himam that he said: Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani Azaqari challenged Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh to a Mubahila (imprecation contest), saying, “I am the companion of the Imam and have been ordered to manifest my knowledge, which I have manifested expressly and implicitly; so come to my Mubahila.” The Shaykh replied, “Whoever of us dies first, is the one who bears the anathema.” Azaqari died first, as he was killed, crucified and Ibn Abi Aun was taken with him. This was in the year three hundred and thirteen.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19534

259- قال ابن نوح:وأخبرني جدي محمد بن أحمد بن العباس بن نوح رضي الله عنه قال: أخبرنا أبو محمد الحسن بن جعفر بن إسماعيل بن صالح الصيمري قال: لما أنفذ الشيخ أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه التوقيع في لعن ابن أبي العزاقر أنفذه من محبسه في دار المقتدر إلى شيخنا أبي علي بن همام رحمه الله في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة وأملاه أبو علي رحمه الله علي وعرفني أن أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه راجع في ترك إظهاره، فإنه في يد القوم و(في) حبسهم فأمر بإظهاره وأن لا يخشى ويأمن، فتخلص فخرج من الحبس بعد ذلك بمدة يسيرة والحمد لله.

H 259 - Ibn Nuh says: Narrated to me my grandfather Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abbas bin Nuh from Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ja’far Ibn Ismail Ibn Salih Saymoori that he said: When Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh sent the letter of the Imam that cursed Ibn Abi Azaqir, he sent it from where he was in jail in the house of Muqtadir Abbaside to our Shaykh, Abu Ali Ibn Himam in Dhul Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali copied the letter and told me that Abul Qasim has suggested to the Imam not to make this epistle public; as he was in the hands of the supporters of Muqtadir in their prison, but he was ordered to disclose it and not to fear and assured that he will be safe. Thus he was freed from the prison a short while after that. Praise be to Allah.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19535

260- قال: ووجدت في أصل عتيق كتب بالأهواز في المحرم سنة سبع عشرة وثلاثمائة: أبو عبد الله، قال: حدثنا أبو محمد الحسن بن علي بن إسماعيل بن جعفر بن محمد بن عبد الله بن محمد (بن عمر) بن علي بن أبي طالب الجرجاني قال: كنت بمدينة قم فجرى بين إخواننا كلام في أمر رجل أنكر ولده، فانفذوا رجلا إلى الشيخ صانه الله.وكنت حاضرا عنده أيده الله فدفع إليه الكتاب فلم يقرأه وأمره أن يذهب إلى أبي عبد الله البزوفري أعزه الله ليجيب عن الكتاب فصار إليه وأنا حاضر، فقال [له] أبو عبد الله:الولد ولده وواقعها في يوم كذا وكذا في موضع كذا وكذا فقل له:فيجعل اسمه محمدا فرجع الرسول إلى البلد وعرفهم ووضح عندهم القول وولد الولد وسمي محمدا.

H 260 - Shaykh Tusi says: I found in an old book written in Ahwaz in Muharram of three hundred and seventeen. It narrated on the authority of Abu Talib Jurjani: While I was in Qom, there began a discussion amongst our people about a man who had negated his son to be from his seed. They sent a man to Shaykh Siyanatullah, as I was present before him. The messenger handed to him the letter, but he did not read it and told him to go to Abu Abdullah Bazufari for the answer. I went with the messenger. Bazufari said to him, “The boy is his son and he copulated with his mother in such and such day in such and such time. Tell him to name his son Muhammad.” The messenger returned and the matter was clarified to all and the boy was named Muhammad.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19536

261- قال ابن نوح: وحدثني أبو عبد الله الحسين محمد بن سورة القمي رحمه الله حين قدم علينا حاجا، قال حدثني علي بن الحسن بن يوسف الصائغ القمي ومحمد بن أحمد بن محمد الصيرفي المعروف بابن الدلال وغيرهما من مشايخ أهل قم أن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه كانت تحته بنت عمه محمد بن موسى بن بابويه فلم يرزق منها ولدا.فكتب إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه أن يسأل الحضرة أن يدعو الله أن يرزقه أولادا فقهاء، فجاء الجواب: "إنك لا ترزق من هذه وستملك جارية ديلمية وترزق منها ولدين فقيهين ".قال: وقال لي أبو عبد الله بن سورة حفظه الله:ولأبي الحسن بن بابويه رحمه الله ثلاثة أولاد، محمد والحسين فقيهان ماهران في الحفظ، ويحفظان ما لا يحفظ غيرهما من أهل قم، ولهما أخ اسمه الحسن وهو الأوسط مشتغل بالعبادة والزهد، لا يختلط بالناس ولا فقه له. قال ابن سورة:كلما روى أبو جعفر، وأبو عبد الله ابنا علي بن الحسين شيئا يتعجب الناس من حفظهما ويقولون لهما: هذا الشأن خصوصية لكما بدعوة الامام لكما، وهذا أمر مستفيض في أهل قم.

H 261 - Ibn Nuh said: Narrated to me Abu Abdullah Husain Muhammad bin Surah Qummi when he met us in Hajj that: Narrated to me Ali bin Hasan bin Yusuf Saigh Qummi and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Muhammad Sairafi alias Ibn Dallal etc. from the teachers of people of Qom that Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh was married to the daughter of his uncle, Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh, and did not have offspring from her. He wrote to Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and asked him to request the Imam to pray for him that Allah gives him jurist (Faqih) sons. Reply came, “You will not have children from her. You will have a Dailami slave girl and you will sire two jurist (Faqih) sons from her.” The narrator says that a man had at that time recounted that Abul Hasan Ibn Babawayh has three sons. Muhammad and Husain are very adept jurists and they learn what other people of Qom cannot. They have a brother whose name is Hasan. He is the middle brother and has devoted himself to worship and piety and does not mix with people. He is not a jurist. Whenever the two sons of Abul Hasan narrate something, people are amazed by their learning and they say, “This is by the blessing of the Imam.” This is a very well-known matter in Qom.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19537

262- (قال) وسمعت أبا عبد الله بن سورة القمي يقول: سمعت سرورا- وكان رجلا عابدا مجتهدا لقيته بالأهواز غير أني نسيت نسبه- يقول: كنت أخرس لا أتكلم، فحملني أبي وعمي في صباي وسني، إذ ذاك ثلاثة عشر أو أربعة عشر إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه، فسألاه أن يسأل الحضرة أن يفتح الله لساني. فذكر الشيخ أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح أنكم أمرتم بالخروج إلى الحائر. قال سرور: فخرجنا أنا وأبي وعمي إلى الحائر فاغتسلنا وزرنا ، قال: فصاح بي أبي وعمي: يا سرور فقلت بلسان فصيح: لبيك فقال لي: ويحك تكلمت فقلت: نعم. قال أبو عبد الله بن سورة (و) كان سرور هذا (رجلا) ليس بجهوري الصوت.

H 262 - Ibn Nuh said: I heard Abu Abdullah bin Sura Qummi say: I heard this story from a person named Sarwar, whom I met in Ahwaz. He was a religious and scholarly man, but I forgot the year in which I met him. He said: I was dumb and unable to speak a single word. When I was thirteen or fourteen, my father and uncle took me to Shaykh Abul Qasim bin Rauh and requested him to beseech to the Imam that through his blessings, the Almighty Allah may open my tongue. Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh said: You have been commanded to go to the tomb of Imam Husain (a. s). We came back from there and decided to travel to Kerbala. We performed the ritual bath for Ziyarat. Meanwhile my father and uncle called out: Sarwar. I replied to them in a clear tone: Here I am. They said: How strange! You talked? Yes, I replied. Abu Abdullah Ibn Sura said: Sarwar was a man who never spoke in a loud or a harsh tone; on the contrary he possessed a soft tone.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19538

263- أخبرني محمد بن محمد بن النعمان والحسين بن عبيد الله، عن محمد بن أحمد الصفواني رحمه الله قال: رأيت القاسم بن العلاء وقد عمر مائة سنة وسبع عشرة سنة منها ثمانون سنة صحيح العينين، لقي مولانا أبا الحسن وأبا محمد العسكريين عليهما السلام. وحجب بعد الثمانين، وردت عليه عينـاه قبل وفاته بسبـعة أيـام. وذلك أنـي كنت مقيمـا عنده بمدينة الران من أرض آذربايجان، وكان لا تنقطع توقيعات مولانا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام على يد أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري وبعده على [يد] أبي القاسم [الحسين] بن روح قدس الله روحهما، فانقطعت عنه المكاتبة نحوا من شهرين، فقلق رحمه الله لذلك. فبينا نحن عنده نأكل إذ دخل البواب مستبشرا، فقال له: فيج العراق لا يسمى بغيره- فاستبشر القاسم وحول وجهه إلى القبلة، فسجد ودخل كهل قصير يرى أثر الفيوج عليه، وعليه جبة مصرية، وفي رجله نعل محاملي، وعلى كتفه مخلاة. فقام القاسم فعانقه ووضع المخلاة عن عنقه، ودعا بطشت وماء فغسل يده وأجلسه إلى جانبه، فأكلنا وغسلنا أيدينا، فقام الرجل فأخرج كتابا أفضل من النصف المدرج ، فناوله القاسم، فأخذه وقبله ودفعه إلى كاتب له يقال له ابن أبي سلمة، فأخذه أبو عبد الله ففضه وقرأه حتى أحس القاسم بنكاية. فقال: يا أبا عبد الله خير، فقال: خير، فقال: ويحك خرج في شئ فقال أبو عبد الله: ما تكره فلا، قال القاسم: فما هو؟ قال: نعي الشيخ إلى نفسه بعد ورود هذا الكتاب بأربعين يوما، وقد حمل إليه سبعة أثواب فقال القاسم: في سلامة من ديني؟ فقال: في سلامة من دينك، فضحك رحمه الله فقال:ما أؤمل بعد هذا العمر. فقال الرجل الوارد: فأخرج من مخلاته ثلاثة أزر وحبرة يمانية حمراء وعمامة وثوبين ومنديلا فأخذه القاسم، وكان عنده قميص خلعه عليه مولانا الرضا أبو الحسن عليه السلام، وكان له صديق يقال له عبد الرحمن بن محمد البدري ، وكان شديد النصب، وكان بينه وبين القاسم نضر الله وجهه مودة في أمور الدنيا شديدة، وكان القاسم يوده، و (قد) كان عبد الرحمن وافى إلى الدار لاصلاح بين أبي جعفر بن حمدون الهمداني وبين ختنة ابن القاسم. فقال القاسم لشيخين من مشايخنا المقيمين معه أحدهما يقال له أبو حامد عمران بن المفلس والآخر أبو علي بن جحدر: أن اقرئا هذا الكتاب عبد الرحمن بن محمد فإني أحب هدايته وأرجو [أن] يهديه الله بقراءة هذا الكتاب، فقالا له: الله الله الله فإن هذا الكتاب لا يحتمل ما فيه خلق من الشيعة فكيف عبد الرحمن بن محمد.فقال: أنا أعلم أني مفش لسر لا يجوز لي إعلانه، لكن من محبتي لعبد الرحمن بن محمد وشهوتي أن يهديه الله عز وجل لهذا الأمر هوذا، إقرأه الكتاب. فلما مر [في] ذلك اليوم- وكان يوم الخميس لثلاث عشرة خلت من رجب- دخل عبد الرحمن بن محمد وسلم عليه، فأخرج القاسم الكتاب فقال له: إقرأ هذا الكتاب وانظر لنفسك، فقرأ عبد الرحمن الكتاب فلما بلغ إلى موضع النعي رمى الكتاب عن يده وقال للقاسم: يا با محمد اتق الله فإنك رجل فاضل في دينك، متمكن من عقلك، والله عز وجل يقول: ﴿وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ﴾ .وقال: ﴿عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاَ يظْهرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً﴾. فضحك القاسم وقال له: أتم الآية: ﴿إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ﴾ ومولاي عليه السلام هو الرضا من الرسول، وقال: قد علمت أنك تقول هذا ولكن أرخ اليوم، فإن أنا عشت بعد هذا اليوم المؤرخ في هذا الكتاب فاعلم أني لست على شئ، وإن أنا مت فانظر لنفسك، فورخ عبد الرحمن اليوم وافترقوا. وحم القاسم يوم السابع من ورود الكتاب، واشتدت به في ذلك اليوم العلة، واستند في فراشه إلى الحائط، وكان ابنه الحسن بن القاسم مدمنا على شرب الخمر، وكان متزوجا إلى أبي عبد الله بن حمدون الهمداني، وكان جالسا ورداؤه مستورعلى وجهه في ناحية من الدار، وأبو حامد في ناحية، وأبو علي بن جحدر وأنا وجماعة من أهل البلد نبكي، إذ اتكى القاسم على يديه إلى خلف وجعل يقول: يا محمد يا علي يا حسن يا حسين يا موالي كونوا شفعائي إلى الله عز وجل وقالها الثانية، وقالها الثالثة. فلما بلغ في الثالثة: يا موسى يا علي تفرقعت أجفان عينيه كما يفرقع الصبيان شقائق النعمان، وانتفخت حدقته، وجعل يمسح بكمه عينيه، وخرج من عينيه شبيه بماء اللحم مد طرفه إلى ابنه، فقال: يا حسن إلي يا با حامد [إلي] يا با علي (إلي)، فاجتمعنا حوله ونظرنا إلى الحدقتين صحيحتين، فقال له أبو حامد: تراني وجعل يده على كل واحد منا، وشاع الخبر في الناس والعامة، و(انتابه) الناس من العوام ينظرون إليه. وركب القاضي إليه وهو أبو السائب عتبة بن عبيد الله المسعودي وهو قاضي القضاة ببغداد ، فدخل عليه فقال له: يا با محمد ما هذا الذي بيدي وأراه خاتما فصه فيروزج، فقربه منه فقال:عليه ثلاثة أسطر فتناوله القاسم رحمه الله فلم يمكنه قراءته وخرج الناس متعجبين يتحدثون بخبره، والتفت القاسم إلى ابنه الحسن فقال له: إن الله منزلك منزلة ومرتبك مرتبة فاقبلها بشكر، فقال له الحسن: يا أبه قد قبلتها، قال القاسم: على ماذا؟ قال:على ما تأمرني به يا أبه، قال: على أن ترجع عما أنت عليه من شرب الخمر، قال الحسن: يا أبه وحق من أنت في ذكره لأرجعن عن شرب الخمر، ومع الخمر أشياء لا تعرفها، فرفع القاسم يده إلى السماء وقال: اللهم ألهم الحسن طاعتك، وجنبه معصيتك ثلاث مرات، ثم دعا بدرج فكتب وصيته بيده رحمه الله وكانت الضياع التي في يده لمولانا وقف وقفه (أبوه). وكان فيما أوصى الحسن أن قال: يا بني إن أهلت لهذا الأمر يعني الوكالة لمولانا فيكون قوتك من نصف ضيعتي المعروفة بفرجيذه، وسائرها ملك لمولاي، وإن لم تؤهل له فاطلب خيرك من حيث يتقبل الله، وقبل الحسن وصيته على ذلك.فلما كان في يوم الأربعين وقد طلع الفجر مات القاسم رحمه الله، فوافاه عبد الرحمن يعدو في الأسواق حافيا حاسرا وهو يصيح:وا سيداه، فاستعظم الناس ذلك منه وجعل الناس يقولون: ما الذي تفعل بنفسك، فقال: اسكنوا فقد رأيت ما لم تروه، وتشيع ورجع عما كان عليه، ووقف الكثير من ضياعه. وتولى أبو علي بن جحدر غسل القاسم وأبو حامد يصب عليه الماء، وكفن في ثمانية أثواب على بدنه قميص مولاه أبي الحسن وما يليه السبعة الأثواب التي جاءته من العراق. فلما كان بعد مدة يسيرة ورد كتاب تعزية على الحسن من مولانا عليه السلام في آخره دعاء "ألهمك الله طاعته وجنبك معصيته" وهو الدعاء الذي كان دعا به أبوه، وكان آخره "قد جعلنا أباك إماما لك وفعاله لك مثالا".

H 263 - Narrated to me Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Noman (Shaykh Mufeed) and Husain bin Ubaidullah from Muhammad bin Ahmad Safwani that: “I had seen Qasim Ibn Ala, who lived for a hundred and seventeen years, and till he was eighty, his eyesight was intact. He had met our Master Abul Hasan Askari and Abu Muhammad Askari (a. s). At eighty, he lost his eyesight. However, it was returned to him seven days before his death. This happened when I was staying with him in the town of Ran in Azerbaijan. Letters were constantly coming from our master, the Master of the Age (a. s) through Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari and after him through Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, blessed be their souls. Then for two months the letters stopped. This made him angry. We were eating with him one day, when the doorman came, bringing the joyous news and said that the messenger of Iraq, the only name by which he was identified with, has come. Qasim became much happy and turned to Qibla and prostrated. A short old man, who bore marks of messengers, wearing an Egyptian dress and special shoes and having a bag over his shoulder, came in. Qasim arose and hugged him and took off the bag from his shoulder. He asked for a basin and water, washed his hands and led him to sit on his side. We ate and washed our hands. The man rose and took out a letter that was longer than half of page. Qasim took the letter, kissed it and handed it over to a transcriber called Ibn Abi Salama. Abu Abdullah took the letter, broke its seal, and read it. As he read it, Qasim sensed something. He asked: “Abu Abdullah; is everything all right?” He replied, “It is alright.” “Watch it you. Is there anything written about me?” “Not something you dislike.” “Then what is it’?” “It the news of your final departure, forty days after the arrival of this letter. And seven garments are sent to you.” Qasim asked, “With my faith secure?” He replied, “With your faith secure.” He laughed and said: “What else can I hope for after this age’?” The messenger took out three undergarments, one red Yemeni cloak, two shirts, and a turban. Qasim took them. He also had a garment that our Master Imam Ridha Abul Hasan (a. s) had given to him. Qasim had a friend called Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad Sunaizi, who was a Sunni and had very strict religious views. There was a very strong affinity between him and Qasim in ordinary matters and Qasim loved him very much. Abdur Rahman had undertaken some toils to reconcile Abu Ja’far Ibn Hamdun Hamadani and his son-in-law, the son of Qasim. Considering this, Qasim asked two of our Shaykhs who were staying with him – Abu Hamid Imran Ibn Muflis and Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar – to read this letter to Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad, “because I love him to be guided and I hope that Allah will guide him by reading this letter.” The two Shaykhs replied, “La ilaha illa Allah. Many Shia cannot bear the content of this letter. How do you expect that Abdul Rahman Ibn Muhammad will?” Qasim replied, “I know that I am disclosing a secret that is not permissible for me to disclose. However, due to my love for Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad and my desire that Allah, the Exalted, may guide him to this faith, it is that I want you to read this letter to him.” When that day passed, and it was Thursday and thirteen days were left from Rajab, Abdur Rahman came and greeted Qasim. Qasim took out the letter and asked his guest to read it, “and look for yourself.” Abdur Rahman read the letter and when he reached where Qasim’s death had been predicted, he threw the letter from his hand and said to Qasim, “Abu Muhammad, fear God. You are a pious man, you are wise. Allah says: “…and no one knows what he shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what land he shall die…” (31:34) And He says: “The Knower of the unseen! So He does not reveal His secrets to any.” (72:26) Qasim laughed and said: “Read the next verse also: “Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle...” (72:27) And my Master is a well-pleased messenger.” Qasim said: “I know what you are saying. Mark today’s date. If I outlive the date predicted in this letter, my creed is false and if I die on that date, then you assess your condition.” Abdur Rahman noted the date and left. Qasim got a fever seven days after the arrival of the letter. On that day, his malady worsened. He was lying on his bed on the side of the wall. His son Hasan, who was an alcoholic and was married to the daughter of Abu Ja’far Ibn Hamadan Hamadani, was sitting. Qasim’s sheet was covering his face, as he was lying in one side of the room. Abu Hamid was sitting on one side, as Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar and I and a group of other men of the locality were crying. Suddenly, Qasim rose and sat resting on his hands on his back and said, “O Muhammad, O Ali, O Hasan, O Husain, O my Masters, be my intercessors before God, the Exalted.” He said this again and then a third time. When he reached the third time, saying, “O Musa, O Ali,” his eyelid popped open like children crack windflowers. His eyes opened and he rubbed them with his sleeves. A soupy fluid came out from his eyes. Then he glanced at his son and said: “O Hasan.” He looked at each one of us and was saying, “O Abu Hamid, O Abu Ali.” We crowded around him and looked at his perfect eyeballs. Abu Hamid asked, “Can you see me?” as he was pointing at each of us. The news spread amongst the people and Ahle Sunnat. Individuals from Ahle Sunnat started coming and examining him. The judge, Abu Saib Ataba Ibn Ubaidullah Masudi, who was the chief justice at Baghdad, came and met Qasim and asked, “What is in my hand?” as he was showing him a ring the stone of which was turquoise. He brought the ring near. Qasim told him what it had and said it has three lines. The judge brought it closer, but he could not read the lines. People left as they were amazed at him and talking about him. Qasim said to his son Hasan, “Allah will grant you a great position, so accept it with gratitude.” Hasan said: “Father, I accept it.” Qasim said: “How?” “As you order me father.” He said: “Give up drinking.” Hasan said: “You are right father. I will give it up and many other things you don’t know about.” Qasim raised his hands to the sky and said: “God, cast Your obedience into Hasan’s heart and prevent him from sins.” He said this three times. Then he asked for a paper and wrote his final will in his own hands. He endowed the orchards and properties he owned to our Master. Amongst the things he confided in his final will to his son Hasan, was “My son, if you become eligible for this position [meaning representation from the Master], your livelihood should be from the half of my bequeathals in Farjida. The rest of them will belong to my Master. If you were not eligible for this, seek your goodness from a venue that Allah desires.” Hasan accepted his final will. Qasim died on the fortieth day after dawn. Abdur Rahman received the news of his departure with great grief and he was running in the streets barefoot and bare head, screaming, “O my master!” People viewed his actions as odd and asked him, “What are you doing?” He said, “Quiet. I have seen what you have not.” Abdur Rahman became a Shia and forsook his previous creed. He left his orchards and properties as endowments. Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar gave Qasim his funeral bath as Abu Hamid poured water. Qasim was shrouded in eight dresses, with the shirt of his Master Abul Hasan (a. s) on his body and the other seven that came from Iraq over them. A short while after that, a letter of consolation came to his son from our Master (a. s), at the end of which was a Dua for him, “May God cast His obedience into your heart and may He prevent you from sins,” the Dua his father had prayed for him. At the end it stated, “We made your father an Imam for you and his actions an example for you.”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19539

264- وبهذا الاسناد، عن الصفواني قال: وافى الحسن بن علي الوجناء النصيبي سنة سبع وثلاثمائة ومعه محمد بن الفضل الموصلي، وكان رجلا شيعيا غير أنه ينكر وكالة أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه ويقول: إن هذه الأموال تخرج في غير حقوقها. فقال الحسن بن علي الوجناء لمحمد بن الفضل:يا ذا الرجل اتق الله فإن صحة وكالة أبي القاسم كصحة وكالة أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري، وقد كانا نزلا ببغداد على الزاهر، وكنا حضرنا للسلام عليهما، وكان قد حضر هناك شيخ لنا يقال له أبو الحسن بن ظفر وأبو القاسم بن الأزهر، فطال الخطاب بين محمد بن الفضل وبين الحسن (بن علي، فقال محمد بن الفضل للحسن): من لي بصحة ما تقول وتثبت وكالة الحسين بن روح؟ فقال الحسن بن علي الوجناء: أبين لك ذلك بدليل يثبت في نفسك، وكان مع محمد بن الفضل دفتر كبير فيه ورق طلحي مجلد بأسود فيه حسباناته ، فتناول الدفتر الحسن وقطع منه نصف ورقة كان فيه بياض، وقال لمحمد بن الفضل: أبروا لي قلما فبرى قلما واتفقا على شئ بينهما لم أقف أنا عليه واطلع عليه أبا الحسن بن ظفر وتناول الحسن بن علي الوجناء القلم، وجعل يكتب ما اتفقا عليه في تلك الورقة بذلك القلم المبري بلا مداد، ولا يؤثر فيه حتى ملا الورقة. ثم ختمه وأعطاه لشيخ كان مع محمد بن الفضل أسود يخدمه، وأنفذ بها إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح ومعنا ابن الوجناء لم يبرح، وحضرت صلاة الظهر فصلينا هناك، ورجع الرسول فقال: قال لي: إمض فإن الجواب يجئ، وقدمت المائدة فنحن في الأكل إذ ورد الجواب في تلك الورقة مكتوب بمداد عن فصل فصل، فلطم محمد بن الفضل وجهه ولم يتهنأ بطعامه، وقال لابن الوجناء: قم معي، فقام معه حتى دخل على أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه وبقي يبكي ويقول:يا سيدي أقلني أقالك الله، فقال أبو القاسم يغفر الله لنا ولك إن شاء الله.

H 264 - It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Safwani that he said: In 307 A. H. Hasan bin Ali Wajna Naseebi arrived with Muhammad bin Fadhl Mosuli, who was a Shia, but who didn’t believe in the deputyship of Husain bin Rauh. So, he said: The amount paid to Abul Qasim is not rightful [it is not a legal expense and it does not reach the rightful]. Hasan bin Ali Wajna said to Muhammad bin Fadhl: Fear Allah, because the authenticity of deputyship of Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh is like the authenticity of deputyship of Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Uthman Amari. One day both of them arrived in Baghdad and stayed at the house of Zahiri. We also went to meet and welcome them. One of our senior teachers and elders, Abul Hasan bin Zafar or Abul Qasim bin Azhar was also present there. An argument arose between Muhammad bin Fadhl and Hasan bin Ali. Muhammad bin Fadhl said: What proof do you have in support of the deputyship of Husain bin Rauh? Hasan bin Ali Wajna said: I will get you such a proof that it would definitely convince you. Muhammad bin Fadhl had a huge register with green pages and its cover was black. He recorded his accounts in it. Hasan bin Ali took the register and cut out a page half of which was white and said to Muhammad bin Fadhl: Sharpen a quill for me. Muhammad sharpened a pen for him and both of them decided on a matter, which I don’t know what it was, but Abul Hasan bin Zafar was informed about it. Hasan bin Ali Wajna took the pen and pretended to write the matter, which they had decided, but nothing showed on the paper. When the paper was full, but apparently it was white and blank, he placed the seal and gave it to the black servant of Muhammad bin Fadhl and sent it to Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh. Ibn Wajna remained with us there. When it was time for Zuhr prayer we prayed there only. After the prayers the messenger returned arrived and announced: He said: Go, the reply will follow. Food was served. We were eating when the reply arrived written on that same sheet of paper. Each of the issues mentioned in that letter were replied systematically [about which no one except those two knew]. Seeing this, Muhammad bin Fadhl slapped his face and lost all appetite. After that he said to Ibn Wajna: Come with me. Ibn Wajna arose and joined him till they came to Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh and weeping and wailing said: Master, forgive me; may Almighty Allah forgive you. Abul Qasim said: Allah, the Mighty and the High will forgive us and you, if Allah wills.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19540

265- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن بابويه قال: أخبرنا أبو محمد الحسن بن محمد بن يحيى العلوي ابن أخي طاهر ببغداد طرف سوق القطن في داره قال: قدم أبو الحسن علي بن أحمد بن علي العقيقي بغداد إلى علي بن عيسى بن الجراح - وهو يومئذ وزير في أمر ضيعة له -فسأله فقال له: إن أهل بيتك في هذا البلد كثير، فإن ذهبنا نعطي كلما سألونا، طال ذلك، أو كما قال. فقال له العقيقي: فإني أسأل من في يده قضاء حاجتي، فقال له علي بن عيسى: من هو ذلك؟ فقال: الله جل ذكره، فخرج وهو مغضب، قال: فخرجت وأنا أقول في الله عزاء من كل هالك، ودرك من كل مصيبة، قال فانصرفت، فجاءني الرسول من عند الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه فشكوت إليه فذهب من عندي فأبلغه فجاءني الرسول بمائة درهم عدد ووزن مائة درهم ومنديل وشئ من حنوط وأكفان وقال لي:مولاك يقرئك السـلام ويقـول:إذا همـك أمـر أو غـم فامسـح بهـذا المنـديل وجهـك فـإن هذا منديل مولاك، وخذ هذه الدراهم وهذا الحنوط وهذه الأكفان، وستقضى حاجتك في هذه الليلة، فإذا قدمت إلى مصر مات محمد بن إسماعيل من قبلك بعشرة أيام، ثم مت بعده، فيكون هذا كفنك وهذا حنوطك وهذا جهازك. [قال:] فأخذت ذلك وحفظته وانصرف الرسول، وإذا أنا بالمشاعل على بابي والباب يدق، فقلت لغلامي خير:يا خير أنظر أي شئ هو ذا؟ فقال: هذا غلام حميد بن محمد الكاتب ابن عم الوزير فأدخله إلي، فقال لي: قد طلبك الوزير ويقول لك مولاي حميد: اركب إلي. [قال:] فركبت وفتحت الشوارع والدروب [وجئت] إلى شارع الوزانين، فإذا بحميد قاعد ينتظرني، فلما رآني أخذ بيدي وركبنا فدخلنا على الوزير، فقال لي الوزير: يا شيخ قد قضى الله حاجتك، واعتذر إلي ودفع إلي الكتب مكتوبة مختومة قد فرغ منها، قال:فأخذت ذلك وخرجت. قال: وقال أبو محمد الحسن بن محمد:فحدثنا أبو الحسن علي بن أحمد العقيقي بنصيبين بهذا وقال لي:ما خرج هذا الحنوط إلا إلى عمتي فلانة فلم يسمها وقد نعيت إلي نفسي، وقد قال لي الحسين بن روح رحمه الله:إني أملك الضيعة وقد كتب لي بالذي أردت فقمت إليه وقبلت رأسه وعينيه وقلت له:يا سيدي أرني الأكفان والحنوط والدراهم، قال: فاخرج لي الأكفان، فإذا فيه برد حبر مسهم من نسج اليمن وثلاثة أثواب مروي وعمامة وإذا الحنوط في خريطة، فأخرج الدراهم فوزنها مائة درهم وعددها مائة درهم.فقلت له:يا سيدي هب لي منها درهما أصوغه خاتما، فقال (و) كيف يكون ذلك، خذ من عندي ما شئت، فقلت:أريد من هذه وألححت عليه وقبلت رأسه (وعينيه)، فأعطاني درهما شددته في منديلي وجعلته في كمي.فلما صرت إلى الخان فتحت زنفيلجة معي، وجعلت المنديل في الزنفيلجة وفيه الدرهم مشدود، وجعلت كتبي ودفاتري (فيها) وأقمت أياما ثم جئت أطلب الدرهم فإذا الصرة مصرورة بحالها ولا شئ فيها، فأخذني شبه الوسواس، فصرت إلى باب العقيقي، فقلت لغلامه خير، أريد الدخول إلى الشيخ، فأدخلني إليه فقال لي: مالك يا سيدي؟ فقلت: الدرهم الذي أعطيتني ما أصبته في الصرة، فدعا بزنفيلجة وأخرج الدراهم فإذا هي مائة عددا ووزنا، ولم يكن معي أحد اتهمه فسألته رده إلي، ثم خرج إلى مصر وأخذ الضيعة، ومات قبله محمد بن إسماعيل بعشرة كما قيل ثم توفي رحمه الله وكفن في الأكفان التي دفعت إليه.

H 265 - Narrated to us a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Babawayh that he said: Narrated to us Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Yahya Alawi, the nephew of Tahir, in Baghdad on the side of the cotton market in his house that: Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Ali Aqiqi came to Baghdad in the year two hundred and ninety eight and went to Ali Ibn Isa Jarrah, who was at that time the minister, to seek help about something he had lost. He asked the minister for help. But he said, “You have a big family in this region. If we go to them, they will give us everything we ask for.” This took very long or he gave this answer. So, Aqiqi said, “I will ask someone who can fulfill my need.” Ali Ibn Isa asked, “And who is that?” He said: “Allah, the Exalted.” Saying this, he left angrily. He said: I went out as I was saying, “To God is the call of help from every calamity and in Him is relief from every tragedy.” As I went away, a messenger from Husain Ibn Rauh came and I confided my misgivings to him. The messenger brought it to the attention of Husain Ibn Rauh. He then came with a hundred dirhams, whole in number and weight, a scarf, some anointments for the deceased and some burial shrouds. He said: “Your master is extending his greetings to you and is saying, ‘When a grief or hard event challenges you, touch this scarf against your face, for this is the scarf of your master. And take these dirhams, anointments and burial shrouds. Your need will be fulfilled tonight. When you reach Egypt, Muhammad Ibn Ismail will be dead ten days before your arrival and you will die after him. So, this will be your burial shroud, this, your scent and this, your gear.” I took the items and put the event into my memory. The messenger left. Once I noticed that the torch at my door was alight and someone was knocking the door. I asked my servant, “Look, what is it?” He said: “It is alright. It is the slave of Hamid Ibn Muhammad Katib, the cousin of the minister.” He brought him to me. He said: “The minister wants to see you. My master Hamid is asking you to ride to him.” I rode and passed by the streets gates and reached the street of the weight-makers. I saw Hamid waiting there for me. When he saw me, he held my hand and we rode to the minister. The minister said: “O Shaykh, Allah has fulfilled your need.” He apologized to me and gave letters that were written and sealed and he had made them ready for me. I took the letters and left. Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Muhammad says, Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Ahmad Aqiqi narrated this to us in Nasibayn and said: These anointments did not come, but for my aunt. [He did not mention her name.] That is the news of my death was given. Husain Ibn Rauh had told me: You will own agricultural land and after that he wrote my request. So, I went to him, kissed his forehead and eyes and said: “Master, show me the burial shrouds, the anointments and the dirhams.” He took out the shrouds. There was an embroidered cloak in them weaved at Yemen, three garments from Khurasan and a turban. The anointments were in a sack. He took out the dirhams. I counted them. They were one hundred. I said: “Master, give me one dirham from them, I will make a ring out of it.” He said: “How can that be? Take anything else you want?” I begged and entreated that I wanted a dirham from those dirhams. I kissed his head and his eyes. He gave me a dirham, which I fastened in my handkerchief and then put it in my sleeve. When I went to the inn, I opened the long sack which I had and put the handkerchief, in which the dirham was tied, in the long sack. I put my books and notebooks over it. I stayed some days and then came back to get the dirham. The sack was tied as it had been, but nothing was in it. Different thoughts were ravaging through my head. I went to the door of Aqiqi and said to his servant, Khair, “I want to see the Shaykh.” He took me inside. He asked: “What is happening?” I said: “My master, the dirham which you gave me, I did not put it in my sack.” He called for his sack and took out the dirhams and counted them: they were one hundred by number and weight. There was no one with me, who I would suspect of wrongdoing. I asked him to give it back to me. But then he went to Egypt and took possession of his agricultural lands. And as predicted Muhammad Ibn Ismail had died ten days before him and then he died and was shrouded in the burial shrouds he was given.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19541

266- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه وأبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي أخيه قالا: حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود رحمه الله قال سألني علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه رضي الله عنه بعد موت محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس سره أن أسأل أبا القاسم الروحي قدس الله روحه أن يسأل مولانا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام أن يدعو الله أن يرزقه ولدا (ذكرا) .قال: فسألته فأنهى ذلك، ثم أخبرني بعد ذلك بثلاثة أيام أنه قد دعا لعلي بن الحسين رحمه الله فإنه سيولد له ولد مبارك ينفع الله به، وبعده أولاد. قال أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود وسألته في أمر نفسي أن يدعو لي أن أرزق ولدا (ذكرا) فلم يجبني إليه وقال لي ليس إلى هذا سبيل قال: فولد لعلي بن الحسين رضي الله عنه تلك السنة [ابنه] محمد بن علي وبعده أولاد، ولم يولد لي.قال أبو جعفر بن بابويه: وكان أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود كثيرا ما يقول لي- إذا رآني أختلف إلى مجلس شيخنا محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد رضي الله عنه وأرغب في كتب العلم وحفظه-: ليس بعجب أن تكون لك هذه الرغبة في العلم وأنت ولدت بدعاء الإمام عليه السلام .

H 266 - Narrated to us a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Babawayh and Abu Abdullah Husain bin Ali, his brother that: Narrated to us Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Aswad that: Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh (a. s) asked me after the death of Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari to ask Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh to ask our Master of the Age (a. s) to pray that Allah gives him a son. I asked him that and he delivered the request. Then he informed me after three days that the Imam has prayed for Ali Ibn Husain and that he will sire a blessed son that Allah will bestow him a son and there will be other sons after him. Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Aswad says, I requested him for myself to pray that may Allah give me a son. He did not give me a reply and said: “This cannot happen.” Ali Ibn Husain had his son Muhammad that year and after him other sons and no son was born to me. Saduq (a. s) says, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Aswad would often say to me when he saw me coming to the sessions of our Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Ahmad Ibn Walid (a. s) and my love for books of knowledge and learning, “It is not surprising that you are fond of knowledge; you are born through the Dua of the Imam (a. s).”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19542

267- وقال أبو عبد الله بن بابويه:عقدت المجلس ولي دون العشرين سنة، فربما كان يحضر مجلسي أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود، فإذا نظر إلى إسراعي في الأجوبة في الحلال والحرام يكثر التعجب لصغر سني ثم يقول لا عجب لأنك ولدت بدعاء الإمام عليه السلام.

H 267 - Abu Abdullah Ibn Babawayh [Shaykh Saduq] said: I started teaching when I was less than twenty years of age. Many a time, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Aswad would attend my sessions and when he observed my promptness in answering questions regarding codes of practice (Fiqh), he would be much astonished by my young age and would say, “No wonder you were born through the Dua of the Imam (a. s).”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19543

268- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه قال: أخبرنا محمد بن علي بن متيل قال: كانت امرأة يقال لها زينب من أهل آبة، وكانت امرأة محمد بن عبديل الآبي معهـا ثلاثمـائة دينـار، فصـارت إلى عـمي جـعفر بن أحـمد بن متيـل وقـالت: أحب أن يسلم هذا المال من يدي إلى يد أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه قال:فانفذني معها أترجم عنها فلما دخلت على أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه أقبل عليها بلسان آبي فصيح فقال لها: "زينب چونا چون بدا كوليه جونسته "ومعناه كيف أنت وكيف كنت وما خبر صبيانك؟ فاستغنت من الترجمة وسلمت المال ورجعت.

H 268 - Narrated to us a group of scholars from Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Babawayh that: Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Matil said: There was a woman called Zainab from the people of Aba. She was married to Muhammad Ibn Abdil Abi. She had three hundred dinars. She came to my uncle, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Matil and said: “I want you to give this money to Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh.” My uncle sent me with her to translate for her. When I came to Abul Qasim, he addressed her in an eloquent tongue: “Zainab, chuna, chun bada, kulia, Junista.” It meant, “Zainab, how are you and how did you stay and what is the news of your children?” She did not need my translation. She gave the money and came back.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19544

269- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه قال: حدثني محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني قال: كنت عند الشيخ أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه مع جماعة فيهم علي بن عيسى القصري، فقام إليه رجل فقال: إني أريد أن أسألك عن شئ، فقال له:سل عما بدا لك وذكر مسائل ذكرناها في غير هذا الموضع. قال محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق: فعدت إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه من الغد وأنا أقول في نفسي: أتراه ذكر لنا أمس من عند نفسه؟ فابتدأنا فقال: يا محمد بن إبراهيم لئن أخر من السماء فتخطفني الطير أو تهوي بي الريح من مكان سحيق أحب إلي من [أن] أقول في دين الله عز وجل برأيي ومن عند نفسي، بل ذلك عن الأصل، ومسموع من الحجة عليه السلام.

H 269 - Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Musa bin Babawayh that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq Taliqani that: “I was in the company of Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh (q. s.) with a group of people including Ali bin Isa Qasri, when a man stood up and said: ‘I wish to pose some questions to you.’ He (Ibn Rauh) replied, ‘You may ask.’ Then he asked questions that we have mentioned elsewhere. Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq says that the reply of Husain bin Rauh was so astonishing that the next day he went to him to ask him whether it was his own reply or he had learnt it from the Infallible Imam (a. s). Husain bin Rauh told him: “O Muhammad bin Ibrahim! I never say anything on my own, even in the most difficult circumstances. Rather the source of everything is the favors I have received from the Proof of Allah and heard from him...”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19545

270- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه، قال: حدثني جماعة من أهل بلدنا المقيمين كانوا ببغداد في السنة التي خرجت القرامطة على الحاج، وهي سنة (تنأثر) الكواكب أن والدي رضي الله عنه كتب إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه يستأذن في الخروج إلى الحج. فخرج في الجواب: لا تخرج في هذه السنة. فأعاد فقال: هو نذر واجب أفيجوز لي القعود عنه؟ فخرج الجواب: إن كان لابد فكن في القافلة الأخيرة. فكان في القافلة الأخيرة فسلم بنفسه وقتل من تقدمه في القوافل الاخر.

H 270 - It is narrated from a group from Abu Abdullah Husain bin Ali bin Musa bin Babawayh that he said: A group of my associates, who were in Baghdad in the year in which the Karamathians raided the pilgrims of Mecca, and the year in which meteoroids fell, narrated that my father (a. s) wrote to Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, may Allah sanctify his tomb, seeking permission to go for Hajj. Reply came, “Don’t go this year.” My father returned a reply, saying, “It is an obligatory pledge. Is it permissible for me not to go? The answer came, “If you must perform, then be in the last caravan.” My father traveled with the last caravan and his life was saved. All the people in other caravans ahead of him were killed.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19546

271- وأخبرني جماعة، عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال: حدثنا أبو محمد عمار بن الحسين بن إسحاق الأسروشني ، قال: حدثنا أبو العباس أحمد بن الحسن بن أبي صالح الخجندي وكان قد ألح في الفحص والطلب، وسار في البلاد، وكتب على يد الشيخ أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه إلى الصاحب عليه السلام يشكو تعلق قلبه واشتغاله بالفحص والطلب، ويسأل الجواب بما تسكن إليه نفسه، ويكشف له عما يعمل عليه قال: فخرج إلى توقيع نسخته: "من بحث فقد طلب، ومن طلب فقد ذل ومن ذل فقد أشاط ومن أشاط فقد أشرك ".قال:فكففت عن الطلب وسكنت نفسي، وعدت إلى وطني مسرورا والحمد لله.

H 271 - Narrated to me a group of scholars from Muhammad bin Ali Husain that he said: Narrated to us Abu Muhammad Ammar bin Husain bin Ishaq Usrooshini that: Narrated to us Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Hasan bin Abi Salih Khujandi that: “After he had been fascinated with the search and investigation into the matter of Imamate after the Eleventh Imam and had left his homeland to find out what to do. He also wrote a letter to the Master of the Time (a. s), through Husain Ibn Rauh complaining about his bewilderment as it had affected his whole life and begged for a reply, which would accord him comfort and peace of heart. He himself says: An epistle was issued to me from Imam (a. s): ‘Whoever searches, he seeks; and whoever seeks, he leads [my enemies] on [and divulges my location to people]; and whoever leads on, [it is as if] he destroys [me]; and whoever destroys [me], [it is as if] he worships a deity other than Allah.’ On seeing that epistle I gave up the search, my heart got peace and I returned to my hometown happily, thanks be to Allah.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19547

272- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي غالب أحمد بن محمد الزراري قال:جرى بيني وبين والدة أبي العباس -يعني ابنه -من الخصومة والشر أمر عظيم ما لا يكاد أن يتفق، وتتابع ذلك وكثر إلى أن ضجرت به، وكتبت على يد أبي جعفر أسأل الدعاء فأبطأ عني الجواب مدة، ثم لقيني أبو جعفر فقال:قد ورد جواب مسألتك، فجئته فأخرج إلي مدرجا فلم يزل يدرجه إلى أن أراني فصلا منه فيه:وأما الزوج والزوجة فأصلح الله بينهما، فلم تزل على حال الاستقامة ولم يجر بيننا بعد ذلك شئ مما كان يجري، وقد كنت أتعمد ما يسخطها فلا يجري [فيه] منها شئ، هذا معنى لفظ أبي غالب رضي الله عنه أو قريب منه.

272- A group of scholars narrated to me from Abu Ghalib Ahmad bin Muhammad Zurari that he said: There was great discord between me and my wife, mother of my son, Abul Abbas. This continued to such a limit that I became extremely hateful of her. I wrote a letter to Imam (a. s) through Abu Ja’far asking for a Dua. There was delay in reply. After some days Abu Ja’far saw me and said: Reply to your letter has arrived. I went to meet him. He opened a scroll and was sorting when I saw that on one the following was written: “As for the matter between husband and wife; Almighty Allah has rectified their relationship.” After that we had a perfectly amicable life and even when I intentionally tried to provoke my wife, she was not at all angered.” This is the account of Abu Ghalib in exact words or close to it.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19548

قال ابن نوح: وكان عندي أنه كتب على يد أبي جعفر بن أبي العزاقر- قبل تغيره وخروج لعنه على ما حكاه ابن عياش إلى أن حدثني بعض من (سمع ذلك معي) أنه إنما عنى أبا جعفر الزجوزجي رضي الله عنه وأن الكتاب إنما كان من الكوفة، وذلك أن أبا غالب قال لنا: كنا نلقي أبا القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه قبل أن يقضي الامر إليه صرنا نلقي أبا جعفر بن الشلمغاني ولا نلقاه.وحدثنا بهاتين الحكايتين مذاكرة لم أقيدهما. [بالكتابة] وقيدهما غيري، إلا أنه كان يكثر ذكرهما والحديث بهما حتى سمعتهما منه ما لا أحصي، والحمد لله شكرا دائما وصلى الله على محمد وآله وسلم.

Ibn Nuh said: I thought that Ibn Ghalib, on the basis of that which Ibn Ayyash has narrated, wrote a letter through Abu Ja’far bin Abi Azaqir, before he became deviated, and was cursed by the Imam, but a friend who was with me heard this and said that Abu Ja’far implies Abu Ja’far Zajuzaji – may Allah be pleased with him – and not Ibn Abi Azaqir and the letter was also sent to Kufa. As Abu Ghalib himself told us: We met Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh before he was appointed as the deputy of the Imam and went with him to meet Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani, but we were unable to find him. Ibn Nuh said: These two stories were not put into writing by us in order to remember and retell them, but another person wrote them down, although Abu Ghalib has narrated these incidents often in such a way that I heard from him a number of times. All praise and glorification is for Almighty Allah and benedictions be on Muhammad and his Purified Progeny.

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19549

273- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال: حدثني محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني رحمه الله قال: كنت عند الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه مع جماعة (منهم) علي بن عيسى القصري فقام إليه رجل فقال إني أريد أن أسألك عن شئ فقال له: سل عما بدا لك، فقال الرجل: أخبرني عن الحسين عليه السلام أهو ولي الله؟ قال: نعم، قال: أخبرني عن قاتله لعنه الله أهو عدو الله؟ قال: نعم، قال الرجل: فهل يجوز أن يسلط الله عز وجل عدوه على وليه؟ فقال له أبو القاسم قدس سره: إفهم عني ما أقول لك إعلم أن الله تعالى لا يخاطب الناس بمشاهدة العيان، ولا يشافههم بالكلام، ولكنه جلت عظمته يبعث إليهم رسلا من أجناسهم وأصنافهم بشرا مثلهم، ولو بعث إليه رسلا من غير صفتهم وصورهم لنفروا عنهم، ولم يقبلوا منهم، فلما جاؤوهم وكانوا من جنسهم يأكلون ويمشون في الأسواق قالوا لهم: أنتم مثلنا لا نقبل منكم حتى تأتوا بشئ نعجز عن أن نأتي بمثله فنعلم أنكم مخصوصون دوننا بما لا نقدرعليه، فجعل الله عز وجل لهم المعجزات التي يعجز الخلق عنها.فمنهم: من جاء بالطوفان بعد الاعذار والانذار، ففرق جميع من طغى وتمرد، ومنهم:من ألقي في النار فكانت عليه بردا وسلاما، ومنهم: من أخرج من الحجر الصلد الناقة وأجرى من ضرعها لبنا، ومنهم: (من) فلق له البحر، وفجر له (من الحجر) العيون، وجعل له العصا اليابسة ثعبانا تلقف ما يأفكون، ومنهم:من أبرأ الأكمه [والأبرص] وأحيى الموتى بإذن الله، وأنبأهم بما يأكلون وما يدخرون في بيوتهم، ومنهم:من انشق له القمر وكلمته البهائم مثل البعير والذئب وغير ذلك.فلما أتوا بمثل ذلك، وعجز الخلق من أممهم أن يأتوا بمثله كان من تقدير الله جل جلاله ولطفه بعباده وحكمته أن جعل أنبياءه مع هذه المعجزات في حال غالبين، وأخرى مغلوبين، وفي حال قاهرين، وأخرى مقهورين، ولو جعلهم عز وجل في جميع أحوالهم غالبين وقاهرين، ولم يبتلهم ولم يمتحنهم، لأتخذهم الناس آلهة من دون الله عز وجل، ولما عرف فضل صبرهم على البلاء والمحن والاختبار. ولكنه جعل أحوالهم في ذلك كأحوال غيرهم، ليكونوا في حال المحنة والبلوى صابرين وفي [حال] العافية والظهور على الأعداء شاكرين، ويكونوا في جميع أحوالهم متواضعين، غير شامخين ولا متجبرين، وليعلم العباد أن لهم عليهم السلام إلها هو خالقهم ومدبرهم فيعبدوه ويطيعوا رسله، ويكونوا حجة لله ثابتة على من تجاوز الحد فيهم وادعى لهم الربوبية، أو عاند وخالف وعصى، وجحد بما أتت به الأنبياء والرسل، وليهلك من هلك عن بينة ويحيى من حي عن بينة. قال محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق رضي الله عنه: فعدت إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح قدس سره من الغد وأنا أقول في نفسي: أتراه ذكر لنا يوم أمس [من]عند نفسه؟ فابتدأني فقال: يا محمد بن إبراهيم لئن أخر من السماء فتخطفني الطير أو تهوي بي الريح من مكان سحيق أحب إلي من أن أقول في دين الله برأيي ومن عند نفسي، بل ذلك من الأصل ومسموع من الحجة صلوات الله وسلامه عليه.

H 273 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq Taliqani that: “I was in the company of Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh (q. s.) with a group of people, including Ali bin Isa Qasri when a man stood up and said: ‘I wish to pose some questions to you.’ He (Ibn Rauh) replied, ‘You may ask.’ He asked, ‘Please tell me if Husain (a. s) is the Wali (saint) of Allah?’ He replied at once, ‘Yes.’ He asked, ‘Is it possible for Allah to give power to His enemy over this friend?’ Husain bin Rauh said, “Pay attention to what I am saying and remember it. You should know that the Almighty Allah does not speak to the people directly. But He sends some prophets to them. If He had sent non-humans as prophets, they would not have gathered near him, they would have shunned him. That is why the prophets were from human beings. They ate like humans and walked the streets and bazaars. People used to say: You are like us and we are like you. We do not accept that you are a prophet, but that you present some miracle. If you show a miracle, we would know that you have a special distinction from Allah, which we don’t have. Thus the miracles of the prophets are the greatest proof of the veracity of their claims. Therefore, some of them after warnings and completion of proof, presented the miracle of the flood and storm and the arrogants were drowned. Some were such that when thrown into the fire, it became cool and comfort for them. For some of them the sea split and the enemies drowned in it. The Almighty Allah turned the dry staff into a python. Of them were such through whose hands the Almighty enlivened the dead and for some split the moon and in the same way gave speech to animals like camel and wolf, etc. In other words, the divine prophets presented such miracles that people were not capable of performing them. The wisdom of the Almighty was such that the prophets, though they possessed miracles, sometimes they were victorious and sometimes suffered defeat. If they had always been victorious and had never suffered defeat and calamities the people would have mistaken them for being gods and considered them all-powerful. Thus the prophets, despite their miracles were sometimes victorious and successful and sometimes vanquished, therefore the people did not perceive them to be omnipotent and realized that there was a power above the prophets; that is the creator and nourisher of the Universe? They were compelled to confess to Him and obey His prophets, who are the proofs of Allah over the people. Anyone who saw their propagation, warnings and signs decided and confessed that it was truth and worth obedience. In this way they secured their salvation and those who deviated from this and became inimical to the divine messengers fell into everlasting chastisement. So: that he who would perish might perish by clear proof, and he who would live might live by clear proof.’” Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq says that the reply of Husain bin Rauh was so astonishing that the next day he went to him to ask him whether it was his own reply or he had learnt it from the Infallible Imam (a. s). Husain bin Rauh told him: “O Muhammad bin Ibrahim! I never say anything on my own even in the most difficult circumstances. Rather the source of everything is the favors I have received from the Proof of Allah and heard from him...”

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19550

(و)قد ذكرنا طرفا من الأخبار الدالة على إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وثبوت غيبته ووجود عينه ، لأنهـا أخبـار تضمنت الاخبـار بالغايبـات وبالشئ قبل كونـه على وجـه خارق للعادة، لا يعلم ذلك إلا من أعلمه الله على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم، ووصل إليه من جهة من دل الدليل على صدقه، ولولا صدقهم لما كان كذلك، لان المعجزات لا تظهر على يد الكذابين، وإذا ثبت صدقهم دل على وجود من أسندوا ذلك إليه، ولم نستوف ما ورد في هذا المعنى لئلا يطول به الكتاب وهو موجود في الكتب.

So far we have mentioned some reports and traditions, which prove the Imamate of the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), his holy existence and occultation. These reports mention unseen matters and prophesize future events in an extraordinary manner, such that no one had any knowledge about them, except that Allah, the Mighty and the High may have bestowed him through the knowledge of His Prophet and these reports reached him through one whose veracity was testified beyond any doubt. Like for example, Husain bin Rauh. If his veracity had not been there, he would not have been as such [that he would not have had knowledge of unseen], because these miracles are never possible through liars. The conclusion is that when the veracity of the deputies of Imam (a. s) is proved, it also proves the existence of one through whom they are getting these blessings. However, we have not quoted everything recorded in this regard lest the book becomes lengthy, though it is mentioned in other books.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19551

لا علة تمنع من ظهوره إلا خوفه على نفسه من القتل، لانه لو كان غير ذلك لما ساغ له الاستتار، وكان يتحمل المشاق والاذى، فإن منازل الائمة وكذلك الانبياء عليهم السلام إنما تعظم لتحملهم المشاق العظيمة في ذات الله تعالى.

There is no reason for delay in his reappearance, except danger to his life, which is an obstacle in his reappearance. Its proof is that if there had been some other cause, his remaining in occultation would not have been correct and it is because of this that His Eminence had to bear different kinds of problems and hardships. That is why the ranks and levels of recognition of the Imams of guidance and the divine prophets are very great and lofty; due to which they bear even the great difficulties and hardships for the sake of Almighty Allah.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19552

فإن قيل: هلا منع الله من قتله بما يحول بينه وبين من يريد قتله؟ قلنا: المنع الذي لا ينافي التكليف هو النهي عن خلافه والامر بوجوب اتباعه ونصرته والتزام الانقياد له، وكل ذلك فعله تعالى، وأما الحيلولة بينهم وبينه فإنه ينافي التكليف، وينقض الغرض (به)، لان الغرض بالتكليف استحقاق الثواب، والحيلولة ينافي ذلك، وربما كان في الحيلولة والمنع من قتله بالقهر مفسدة للخلق، فلا يحسن من الله فعلها. وليس هذا كما قال بعض أصحابنا:إنه لا يمتنع أن يكون في ظهوره مفسدة وفي استتاره مصلحة، لأن الذي قاله يفسد طريق وجوب الرسالة في كل حال وتطرق القول بأنها تجري مجرى الالطاف التي تتغير بالازمان والاوقات، والقهر والحيلولة ليس كذلك، ولا يمتنع أن يقال: (إن) في ذلك مفسدة ولا يؤدي إلى إفساد وجوب الرئاسة.

If it is said: Why the Almighty Allah did not prevent his killing with the help of angels and other unseen means? The reply is that the prevention of his killing by the Almighty Allah is of two kinds: One is that this obstacle should either be in negation of religious duties or not opposed to it. And that obstacle, which is not opposed to religious duties, is that opposition to Imam (a. s) should be prohibited; his obedience and following should be ordered and help should be rendered to him and to say that it is obligatory for people to obey him. All these commands and prohibitions are also issued by Almighty Allah, but becoming an obstacle by Allah for one who intends to kill the Imam is opposed to religious duties and logical contradictions appear in it. It is so, because religious duties are aimed at earning divine rewards, but Allah’s being an obstacle is opposed to this and on many occasions, compulsive prevention by the Almighty Allah may have some evil for the people, which in fact cannot be expected from Allah. One of our senior scholars said that the instance of malaise in the reappearance of the Imam and the instance of exigency in his occultation is not impossible and improbable; on the contrary it is very much possible. But this statement is not correct, because from this statement, the obligatoriness of messengership would become invalid [that is if this is accepted, it would be right to say that the sending of prophets is not right]. In the same way, the result of accepting this statement would be that messengership and prophethood is a divine grace, but it can be changed depending on circumstances. [That it is possible for prophethood to be necessary at a time and unnecessary at another; whereas prophethood and messengership is necessary and obligatory at all times.] However, becoming an obstacle of the Almighty Allah between the Imam and people as we have mentioned [that is through occultation of the Imam] there is no problem in it and it is also not impossible, that it should be said that there is an evil in this occultation, but from this occultation the obligatoriness of appointment of the Imamate does not end and it is also not in contradiction to Imamate.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19553

إن قيل: أليس آباؤه عليهم السلام كانوا ظاهرين ولم يخافوا ولا صاروا بحيث لا يصل إليهم أحد؟ قلنا: آباؤه عليهم السلام حالهم بخلاف حاله، لأنه كان المعلوم من حال آبائه لسلاطين الوقت وغيرهم أنهم لا يرون الخروج عليهم، ولا يعتقدون أنهم يقومون بالسيف ويزيلون الدول، بل كان المعلوم من حالهم أنهم ينتظرون مهديا لهم، وليس يضر السلطان اعتقاد من يعتقد إمامتهم إذا أمنوهم على مملكتهم (ولم يخافوا جانبهم). وليس كذلك صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، لأن المعلوم منه أنه يقوم بالسيف ويزيل الممالك ويقهر كل سلطان ويبسط العدل ويميت الجور، فمن هذه صفته يخاف جانبه ويتقي فورته، فيتتبع ويرصد، ويوضع العيون عليه، ويعنى به خوفا من وثبته وريبة من تمكنه فيخاف حينئذ ويحوج إلى التحرز والاستظهار، بأن يخفي شخصه عن كل من لا يأمنه من ولي وعدو إلى وقت خروجه. وأيضا فأبآؤه عليهم السلام إنما ظهروا لأنه كان المعلوم أنه لو حدث بهم حادث لكان هناك من يقوم مقامه ويسد مسده من أولادهم، وليس كذلك صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، لان المعلوم أنه ليس بعده من يقوم مقامه قبل حضور وقت قيامه بالسيف، فلذلك وجب استتاره وغيبته، وفارق حاله حال آبائه عليهم السلام، وهذا واضح بحمد الله. فإن قيل: بأي شيء يعلم زوال الخوف وقت ظهوره أبوحي من الله؟ فالإمام لا يوحى إليه، أو بعلم ضروري؟ فذلك ينافي التكليف، أو بأمارة توجب عليه الظن؟ ففي ذلك تغرير بالنفس.

If it is said: But is it not true that the forefathers of the Imam were alive and visible to people and despite this there was risk to their lives, but the circumstances of that time was not that people should have not access to them. We would reply: The circumstances of the forefathers of Imam Mahdi (a. s) were different, because they acted according to dissimulation (Taqayyah) with the rulers of their times and acted with them in such a way that even the rulers knew that they would not stage an uprising and the Holy Imams (a. s) also did not see any exigency in staging an uprising. On the contrary, the circumstances of the lives of the Holy Imams (a. s) show that these personages were also in anticipation of the Mahdi and those who had faith in their Imamate also did not cause any loss to the regimes of their times [it was so, because the Holy Imams (a. s) were not commanded to stage an uprising]. But the matter of Imam Mahdi (a. s) is not like this. It is so, because it is known from the circumstances of the Imam that he would stage an armed uprising and finish off the tyrant regimes from the world and subdue all the tyrant rulers and wave the standard of justice and equity on the whole world and destroy injustice and oppression. Thus, if someone is having this quality then certainly the rulers of his time would be terrified and be inimical to him and would pursue him and send spies to observe all his movements; and they would be terrified of this all the time. In such circumstances, Imam (a. s) needs to keep himself away and in occultation from the people, till the time of his reappearance; from those from whom he perceives danger, whether they are friends or enemies. In addition to what is mentioned, the forefathers of Imam Mahdi (a. s) were apparent and not in occultation, because if death or martyrdom occurred for them they knew well that after them one of their issues would be the successor, but such a thing is not there for Imam Mahdi (a. s). It is so, because if an event like martyrdom occurs before the uprising, there is no one who can be his successor; therefore it was necessary for Imam Mahdi (a. s) to be in occultation and circumstances of Imam (a. s) are completely different from those of his forefathers and this matter is absolutely clear. If it is said: How can we understand that it is time of his reappearance and the danger to his life is no more? Can it be through divine revelation, whereas there is no revelation on Imam (a. s)? Or through definite knowledge, which does not require contemplation and consideration? It is also clear and obvious that it is opposed to religious duty. Or through Amara and a sign, which becomes a conjecture for him? It is also harmful to the life of the Imam and it casts his life into danger.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19554

قلنا: عن ذلك جوابان: أحدهما أن الله تعالى أعلمه على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله، وأوقفه عليه من جهة آبائه عليهم السلام زمان غيبته المخوفة، وزمان زوال الخوف عنه، فهو يتبع في ذلك ما شرع له وأوقف عليه، وإنما أخفي ذلك عنا لما فيه من المصلحة، فأما هو فهو عالم به لا يرجع (فيه) إلى الظن. والثاني أنه لا يمتنع أن يغلب على ظنه بقوة الإمارات بحسب العادة قوة سلطانه، فيظهر عند ذلك ويكون قد أعلم أنه متى غلب في ظنه كذلك وجب عليه، ويكون الظن شرطا والعمل عنده معلوما، كما نقوله في تنفيذ الحكم عند شهادة الشهود، والعمل على جهات القبلة بحسب الامارات والظنون، وإن كان وجوب التنفيذ للحكم والتوجه إلى القبلة معلومين، وهذا واضح بحمد الله. وقد ورد بهذه الجملة التي ذكرناها أيضا أخبار تعضد ما قلناه، نذكر طرفا منها ليستأنس به إن شاء الله تعالى.

We would reply: We have two replies for this objection: Firstly, Allah, the Mighty and the High through the means of knowledge and explanation of the Messenger of Allah (s) and the respected fathers of Imam (a. s) have informed us that the period of occultation is a period of fear and the time when this fear will be dispelled is the time of reappearance and He has informed about this to the Imam. The Imam (a. s) also with regard to that which he was informed and that which was ordered to him is following his respected forefathers and the Messenger of Allah (s), but due to exigencies this matter was concealed from us, but the Imam himself, since he is cognizant of these matters, he does not need to refer to Amara and the signs. Secondly, if we suppose that Imam (a. s) acts according to his conjecture at the time of reappearance, it is possible that it is very much possible that the conjecture of Imam (a. s) is helped through Amara and signs that he has received the necessary power for rulership. So at that time he would reappear and the Imam (a. s) is also aware of it that when he gains strong conjecture, it would be the time of his reappearance. On the basis of this, strong conjecture is a condition of reappearance and it makes reappearance necessary. Thus, in jurisprudence we say that the order of the judge is issued on the testimony of a witness, or that on the basis of Amara and conjecture it is commanded to pray in all four directions. And this matter is absolutely clear, praise be to Allah. On the basis of this principle, traditional reports are mentioned, which help in our claim and we mention a few of them over here so that we may develop more interest in this topic, if Allah, the Almighty wills.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19555

274- أخبرني الحسين بن عبيدالله، عن أبي جعفر بن سفيان البزوفري، عن أحمد بن إدريس، عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي بن رئاب، عن زرارة قال: إن للقائم غيبة قبل ظهوره. قلت (و) لم؟ قال: يخاف القتل.

H 274 - Husain bin Ubaidullah has narrated from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishapuri from Hasan bin Mahbub from Ali bin Raab from Zurarah that he said: There would be two occultations for Imam Qaim (a. s). We asked: What for? He replied: Because he fears for his life.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19556

275- وروي أن في صاحب الامر عليه السلام سنة من موسى عليه السلام،قلت: وما هي؟ قال: دام خوفه وغيبته مع الولاة إلى أن أذن الله تعالى بنصره. ولمثل ذلك اختفى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله في الشعب تارة، وأخرى في الغار، وقعد أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام عن المطالبة بحقه.

H 275 - It is narrated that there is similarity between Imam Mahdi (a. s) and Prophet Musa (a. s). I asked: What is it? He replied: Continuous fear and hiding from the enemies and rulers till Almighty Allah accords him permission to stage an uprising; and that He helps and supports him. For the same reason the Messenger of Allah (s) took refuge in Shebe Abi Talib and Cave of Thawr; also the seclusion of Amirul Momineen (a. s) at his house while demanding his rightful share was also as such.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19557

276- وروى سعد بن عبدالله، عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن عبـدالله بن مسكان، عن محمـد بن علي الحلبي، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: إكتتم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله بمكة مستخفيا خائفا خمس سنين، ليس يظهر، وعلي عليه السلام معه وخديجة، ثم أمره الله تعالى أن يصدع بما يؤمر، فظهر وأظهر أمره.

H 276 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Safwan bin Yahya from Abdullah bin Muskan from Muhammad bin Ali Halabi from Abi Abdullah Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) kept his prophethood concealed for five years and remained underground due to fear. He did not publicize his message, whereas Ali (a. s) and Lady Khadija (s) were present with him. After that Allah, the Mighty and the High commanded him to announce that which he had been ordered to and to publicize his messengership.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19558

277- سعد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى ومحمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي بن رئاب، عن عبيدالله بن علي الحلبي قال: سمعت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: مكث رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم بمكة بعدما جاء‌ه الوحي عن الله تعالى ثلاث عشرة سنة، منها ثلاث سنين مستخفيا خائفا لا يظهر حتى أمره الله تعالى أن يصدع بما يؤمر، فأظهر حينئذ الدعوة.

H 277 - Saad has narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa and Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Hasan bin Mabub from Ali bin Raab from Ubaidullah bin Ali Halabi that: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: “After divine revelation descended on the holy being of the Holy Prophet (s), he stayed in Holy Mecca for thirteen years. For three years of this period, he propagated Islam secretly and did not openly announce his prophethood till Almighty Allah commanded him to announce it. After that he publicized it.”

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19559

278- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى الاشعري، عن محمد بن سنان، عن محمد بن يحيى الخثعمي، عن ضريس الكناسي، عن أبي خالد الكابلي في حديث له اختصرناه قال: سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام أن يسمي القائم حتى أعرفه باسمه، فقال:يا أبا خالد! سألتني عن أمر لو أن بني فاطمة عرفوه لحرصوا على أن يقطعوه بضعة بضعة.

H 278 - Ahmad bin Muhammad Isa Ashari has narrated from Muhammad bin Sinan from Muhammad bin Yahya Khathami from Zaris Kinasi from Abu Khalid Kabuli in the tradition, which we have condensed: I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) to pronounce the name of the Qaim, so that I may recognize him through his name. The Imam said: Aba Khalid, you have asked about a thing and about one such that even if his children had recognized him, they would also have become jealous and have cut him into pieces.

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19560

279- وروى سعد بن عبد الله، عن جماعة من أصحابنا، عن عثمان بن عيسى، عن خالد بن نجيح، عن زرارة بن أعين قال: سمعت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: إن للغلام غيبة قبل أن يقوم. قلت: ولم؟ قال: يخاف وأومأ بيده إلى بطنه. ثم قال: يا زرارة! وهو المنتظر، وهو الذي يشك الناس في ولادته، منهم من يقول: إذا مات أبوه فلا خلف (له)، ومنهم من يقول: هو حمل، ومنهم من يقول: هو غائب، ومنهم من يقول: (ما ولد ومنهم من يقول:) قد ولد قبل وفاة أبيه بسنتين، وهو المنتظر غير أن الله تعالى يحب أن يمتحن الشيعة، فعند ذلك يرتاب المبطلون. قال: فقلت جعلت فداك وإن أدركت ذلك الزمان فأي شيء أعمل؟ فقال: يا زرارة،إن أدركت ذلك الزمان فادع بهذا الدعاء: اللهم عرفني نفسك، فإنك إن لم تعرفني نفسك لم أعرف نبيك… إلى آخره.

H 279 - Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah from a group of our companions from Uthman bin Isa Kilabi from Khalid bin Najih from Zurarah bin Ayyan that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah (a. s) say: “There is occultation for the Qaim before his reappearance.” I asked: “Why is it so?” He replied: “He is fearful.” And he pointed towards his belly, implying that the Qaim fears for his life. Then he said: “O Zurarah; and he is that awaited one and he is the one in whose birth they shall doubt. Thus some will say: His father died heirless and some will say: He was in the womb of his mother when his father died. Some others will allege that he was born two years before the passing away of his father. And he is the Awaited one; but the Almighty Allah likes to test the Shia. It is the time when people of falsehood will fall in doubts.” Zurarah says: I asked: “If I am able to live till that period, what action should I perform?” He replied: “O Zurarah if you live till that time you must recite the following supplication: ‘O Allah, introduce Yourself to me. For if You don’t introduce Yourself to me, I will not recognize Your Prophet…and so on.”

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair - Hadith 19561

280- وروى سليم بن قيس الهلالي، عن جابر بن عبدالله الانصاري وعبدالله بن عباس قالا: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله في وصيته لاميرالمؤمنين: يا أخي، إن قريشا ستظاهر عليك وتجتمع كلمتهم على ظلمك وقهرك، فإن وجدت أعوانا فجاهدهم وإن لم تجد أعوانا فكف يدك واحقن دمك فإن الشهادة من ورائك.

H 280 - Sulaym bin Qays Hilali has narrated from Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari and Abdullah bin Abbas that Rasulullah (sw) said in his bequest to Amir al-Mu'mineen (as): “O Ali, soon Quraish would unite against you and they would come together to oppress and defeat you; thus if you have supporters, you should do Jihad against them and if you don’t have any supporters, you must refrain from violence and keep yourself secure; since martyrdom would come to you later.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19562

وأما ما روي من الاخبار من امتحان الشيعة في حال الغيبة، وصعوبة الامر عليهم، واختبارهم للصبر عليه، فالوجه فيها الاخبار عما يتفق من ذلك من الصعوبة والمشاق، لا أن الله تعالى غيب الامام ليكون ذلك، وكيف يريد الله ذلك، وما ينال المؤمنين من جهة الظالمين ظلم منهم لهم ومعصية، والله تعالى لا يريد ذلك. بل سبب الغيبة هو الخوف على ما قلناه، وأخبروا بما يتفق في هذه الحال، وما للمؤمن من الثواب على الصبر على ذلك، والتمسك بدينه إلى أن يفرج الله تعالى عنهم. وأنا أذكر طرفا من الاخبار الواردة في هذا المعنى.

As for the reports that are recorded about the test of the Shia during the period of occultation, and that life will be difficult on them and informing them of the obligation of being patient in this hardship; the reason for issuing these reports is to inform about hardships and trouble that would be caused, and not that the Almighty Allah has concealed the Imam to cause these difficult circumstances. How can the Almighty Allah do this whereas that which is caused by the oppressors and tyrants is injustice and sin, therefore how can the Almighty Allah intend this? On the contrary, the cause of occultation, as we have mentioned, is fear and these reports have informed about that which will occur during occultation and that which would befall the believers during this time and that their being patient in it would be rewarded and that they should remain attached to their faith till the Almighty Allah eases their circumstances. I will only mention a few reports that are recorded about it.

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19563

281- أخبرنا الحسين بن عبيدالله، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري، عن أحمد بن إدريس قال:حدثني علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن منصور، عن أبيه قال: كنا عند أبي عبدالله عليه السلام جماعة نتحدث، فالتفت إلينا فقال: في أي شيء أنتم؟ أيهات أيهات! لا والله، لا يكون ما تمدون إليه أعينكم حتى تغربلوا، لا والله لا يكون ما تمدون إليه أعينكم حتى تميزوا (لا والله لا يكون ما تمدون إليه أعينكم حتى يتمحصوا) لا والله لا يكون ما تمدون إليه أعينكم إلا بعد إياس، لا والله لا يكون ما تمدون إليه أعينكم حتى يشقى من شقي ويسعد من سعد.

H 281 - Narrated to us Husain bin Abdullah from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah from Fadhl Ibn Shazan Nishaburi from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Mansur from his father that he said: “Some of us were talking about the Qaim in the presence of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s); he turned to us and asked: “What are you talking about? How far! How far! That, which you anticipate, will not be until you are tested. How far! That, which you anticipate, will not be until your good and bad are not separated. How far! That, which you anticipate, will not be until you are sifted. That, which you anticipate, will not be, except after despair. That, which you anticipate, will not be until he, who is to be wretched, becomes wretched and he, who is to be fortunate, becomes fortunate.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19564

282- وروى سعد بن عبدالله الاشعري، عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال عن ثعلبة بن ميمون، عن مالك الجهني، عن الاصبغ بن نباتة قال: أتيت أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فوجدته متفكرا ينكت في الارض فقلت: يا أمير المؤمنين، ما لي أراك متفكرا تنكت في الارض؟ أرغبة منك فيها؟ فقال: لا، والله. ما رغبت فيها ولا في الدنيا يوما قط، ولكن فكرت في مولود يكون من ظهر الحادي عشر من ولدي هو المهدي، الذي يملأها قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً ، تكون له حيرة وغيبة يضل فيها أقوام ويهتدي فيها آخرون.

H 282 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Hasan bin Ali bin from Thalaba bin Maimoon from Malik Jahni from Asbagh bin Nubatah that he said: I came to Amirul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) and found him thoughtful. He was drawing lines on the ground. I said: “O Chief of believers, why do I see you thoughtful and making lines on the earth? Is it out of desire for the earth?” He said: “No, by Allah, I have never desired it, nor for what is in the world even for a day. I was thinking about the son, who will be born from my seed – my eleventh descendant. He is the Mahdi and he will fill the earth with equity as it will be full of oppression and injustice. There will be perplexity and occultation regarding him, in which communities will go astray and communities will be guided.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19565

283- أحمد بن إدريس، عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان، عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر قال: قال أبوالحسن عليه السلام: أما والله، لا يكون الذي تمدون إليه أعينكم حتى تميزوا أو تمحصوا، حتى لا يبقى منكم إلا الأندر. ثم تلا: ﴿أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تُتْرَكُوا وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنْكُمْ وَيَعْلَم الصَّابِرِينَ﴾.

H 283 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah from Fadhl Ibn Shazan from Ahmad bin Abi Nasr Bazanti that he said: Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) said: “By Allah, that to which you look forward to, will not come about, except after you are distinguished and subjected to a test till, except for a few, none of you Shia will remain…then he recited the following verse: “What! do you think that you will be left alone while Allah has not yet known those of you who have struggled hard …” (9:16) …and those who are patient.

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19566

284- سعد بن عبدالله، عن الحسين بن عيسى العلوي، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن علي بن جعفر، عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليهما السلام قال: إذا فقد الخامس من ولد السابع من الائمة فالله الله في أديانكم لا يزيلنكم عنها أحد. يا بني إنه لابد لصاحب هذا الامر من غيبة حتى يرجع عن هذا الامر من كان يقول به، إنما هي محنة من الله امتحن(الله تعالى) بها خلقه. s

H 284 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Husain bin Isa Alawi from his father from his grandfather from Ali bin Ja’far from his brother, Musa bin Ja’far that he said: “You must continue to protect your religion for the sake of Allah, till the fifth descendant of the seventh Imam does not go into occultation. You must not lose it in any case. Occultation is definite for the master of this affair and it will be such occultation that even those who have faith in it will recant it. It will be a time of a tough examination from the Almighty Allah.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19567

286- وروى محمد بن جعفر الاسدي، عن أبي سعيد الادمي، عن محمد بن الحسين، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن أبي أيوب، عن محمد بن مسلم وأبي بصير قالا: سمعنا أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: لا يكون هذا الأمر حتى يذهب ثلثا الناس. فقلنا: إذا ذهب ثلثا الناس فمن يبقى؟ فقال: أما ترضون أن تكونوا في الثلث الباقي؟

H 286 - Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi has narrated from Abu Saeed Adami from Muhammad bin Husain for Muhammad bin Abi Umair Abi Ayyub from Muhammad bin Muslim and Abu Basir that he said: We heard Abi Abdullah (a. s) say: “It will not take place till two-third of the human population does not perish.” He was asked: “If two-third perishes, who will remain?” He replied: “Are you not satisfied that one-third will remain?”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19568

287- وروي عن جابر الجعفي قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: متى يكون فرجكم؟ فقال: هيهات هيهات! لا يكون فرجنا حتى تغربلوا ثم تغربلوا ثم تغربلوا، يقولها ثلاثا، حتى يذهب (الله تعالى) الكدر ويبقى الصفو.

H 287 - It is narrated from Jabir Jofi that he said: I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s): “When will you come to power?” He replied: “It’s a pity that it will not be so till you are all sieved like grain is sieved to separate it from chaff. And then you are sieved again and again, till there does not remain any impurity and only the clean grain is left.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19569

288- وروى محمد بن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن إبراهيم بن عمر اليماني، عن رجل، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام أنه قال: (والله) لتمحصن يا معشر الشيعة شيعة آل محمد كمخيض الكحل في العين، لان صاحب الكحل يعلم متى يقع في العين ولا يعلم متى يذهب، فيصبح أحدكم وهو يرى أنه على شريعة من أمرنا فيمسي وقد خرج منها، ويمسي وهو على شريعة من أمرنا فيصبح وقد خرج منها.

H 288 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Yaqub bin Yazid from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar Yamani from a man from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “O Shia of Muhammad’s progeny, you are going to be tested like the kohl in the eye. One knows when the kohl is put into his eye, but he does not know when it gets out. In the same way one believes in our matter in the morning and recants it in the evening or believes in it in the evening and when morning comes, he recants it…”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19570

289-و عنه، عن أبيه، عن أيوب بن نوح، عن العباس بن عامر، عن الربيع بن محمد المسلي قال: قال (لي) أبوعبدالله عليه السلام: والله لتكسرن كسر الزجاج، وإن الزجاج يعاد فيعود كما كان، والله لتكسرن كسر الفخار، وإن الفخار لا يعود كما كان، (والله لتميزن) والله لتمحصن والله لتغربلن كما يغربل الزؤان من القمح.

H 289 - It is narrated from Muhammad Himyari from his father from Ayyub bin Nuh from Abbas bin Aamir from Rabi bin Muhammad Musalli that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said to me: “By Allah, people will be broken up like glass, however glass can be joined together again. By Allah, people will be broken up like earthen pots; which if once broken cannot be joined again. By Allah, you people shall be crushed; by Allah, you shall be sieved, like wheat is sieved from the chaff.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19571

290- وروى جعفر بن محمد بن مالك الكوفي، عن إسحاق بن محمد، عن أبي هاشم، عن فرات بن أحنف قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وذكر القائم عليه السلام فقال: ليغيبن عنهم حتى يقول الجاهل ما لله في آل محمد حاجة.

H 290 - Narrated Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik Kufi from Ishaq bin Muhammad bin Abu Hashim from Furat bin Ahnaf that he said: Amirul Momineen (a. s) mentioned the Qaim (a. s) and said: “He will go into hiding, so the ignorant will say that Allah does not have any need of Aale Muhammad (a. s).”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19572

291- عنه، عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع، عن عبدالله بن عبدالرحمن الاصم، عن عبدالرحمن بن سيابة، عن عمران بن ميثم، عن عباية بن ربعي الأسدي قال:سمعت أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يقول: (كيف) أنتم إذا بقيتم بلا إمام هدى ولا علم يرى يبرأ بعضكم من بعض.

H 291 - It is narrated from Ja’far bin Muhammad from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Ismail bin Yazid from Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Asim from Abdur Rahman bin Siyabah from Imran bin Mitham from Abaya bin Rabi Asadi that he said: I heard Amirul Momineen (a. s) say: “How would you be when you are left without an Imam of guidance or a visible standard, when some of you turn away from the other with disdain?”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19573

292- وقد روي (عن) علي بن يقطين قال :قال لي أبوالحسن عليه السلام: يا علي (إن) الشيعة تربى بالأماني منذ مائتي سنة. وقال يقطين لابنه علي: ما بالنا قيل لنا فكان وقيل لكم فلم يكن؟ فقال له علي:إن الذي قيل لكم ولنا من مخرج واحد غير أن أمركم حضركم فأعطيتم محضه، وكان كما قيل لكم، وإن أمرنا لم يحضر فعللنا بالأماني. ولو قيل (لنا) إن هذا الامر لا يكون إلى مائتي سنة أو ثلاثمائة سنة لقست القلوب ولرجعت عامة الناس عن الإسلام، ولكن قالوا:ما أسرعه وما أقربه! تألفاً لقلوب الناس وتقريبا للفرج.

H 292 - It is narrated from Ali Ibn Yaqtin that he said: Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) said to me: “O Ali, the Shia have been brought up with hopes since two hundred years.” Yaqtin said to his son, Ali: “What is the matter?! What had been said (by the infallible Imams) to us occurred, but what had been said to you did not – he meant the fate of the Abbasids.” Ali said: “What had been said to you and what had been said to us were from the same source, but the time of your matter came and it occurred as it was told to you whereas the time of our matter has not come yet; so we justified that by hopes and wishes. If it was said to us that this matter would occur after two hundred or three hundred years, our hearts would have become hard and most people would have apostatized, but they said to us that it is near in order to attract the hearts of people and to make them feel that deliverance was near.”

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam - Hadith 19574

293- وروى الشلمغاني في كتاب الأوصياء: أبوجعفر المروزي قال: خرج جعفر بن محمد بن عمر(و) وجماعة إلى العسكر ورأوا أيام أبي محمد عليه السلام في الحياة، وفيهم علي بن أحمد بن طنين، فكتب جعفر بن محمد بن عمر(و) يستأذن في الدخول إلى القبر، فقال له علي بن أحمد: لا تكتب إسمي فإني لا أستأذن، فلم يكتب إسمه، فخرج إلى جعفر: أدخل أنت ومن لم يستأذن.

293- It is narrated from Shalmaghani in Awsiya that Abu Ja’far Marwazi narrated that: Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Umar and a number of others came to Askar and were present there during the time Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) was alive. Amongst them was Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Tanin. Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Umar wrote a letter asking permission to enter the tomb. Ali Ibn Ahmad said to him, “Do not write my name. I am not seeking permission.” Ja’far Ibn Muhammad did not write his name and the reply came, “Enter you and the one who did not seek permission.”

Reports of the Emissaries of Imam (a.s) during the period of occultation - Hadith 19575

وقبل ذكر من كان سفيرا حال الغيبة نذكر طرفا من أخبار من كان يختص بكل إمام، ويتولى له الامر على وجه من الايجاز، ونذكر من كان ممدوحا منهم حسن الطريقة، ومن كان مذموما سيئ المذهب ليعرف الحال في ذلك.

Before we begin discussion about the Special Deputies of the Imam during the period of occultation, we would mention some reports in brief, which are restricted to each of the Imams and which are related to the management of their affairs. In the same way, we will also mention reports about those who were praised and who followed the right path as well as those who were condemned and who did not follow a right faith, so that we may become conversant with the circumstances of their lives.

Reports of the Emissaries of Imam (a.s) during the period of occultation - Hadith 19576

294- وقد روي في بعض الاخبار أنهم عليهم السلام قالوا: خدامنا وقوامنا شرار خلق الله.

H 294 - It is narrated in some reports that they said: “Our servants and our caretakers are the most evil of Allah’s creation.”

Reports of the Emissaries of Imam (a.s) during the period of occultation - Hadith 19577

295- وقد روى محمد بن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن صالح الهمداني قال: كتبت إلى صاحب الزمان عليه السلام: إن أهل بيتي يؤذوني ويقرعوني بالحديث الذي روي عن آبائك عليهم السلام أنهم قالوا: خدامنا وقوامنا شرار خلق الله. فكتب: ويحكم! أما تقرؤن ما قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بَارَكْنَا فِيهَا قُرًى ظَاهِرَةً﴾؟ فنحن والله القرى التي بارك (الله) فيها وأنتم القرى الظاهرة.

H 295 - Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari narrates on the authority of his father from Muhammad Ibn Salih Hamadani, saying, I wrote to the Master of the Age (a. s) that my family was abusing and rebuking me with the tradition narrated from your forefathers (a. s), “Our servants and our caretakers are the most evil of Allah’s creation.” The holy Imam wrote back, “Regards to you. Do you not read what Allah, the High, has said? “And We made between them and the towns, which We had blessed (other) towns to be easily seen…” (34:18)

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19578

فمن المحمودين حمران بن أعين:

Among the approved ones is Humran bin Ayyin:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19579

296- أخبرنا الحسين بن عبيد الله، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري، عن أحمد بن إدريس، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن عبدالله بن بكير، عن زرارة قال: قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام-وذكرنا حمران بن أعين- فقال: لا يرتد والله أبدا، ثم أطرق هنيئة، ثم قال: أجل لا يرتد والله أبدا.

H 296- Husain bin Ubaidullah narrates from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Ali Faddal from Abdullah bin Bukair from Zurarah that he said: I spoke about Humran bin Ayyin and Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: By Allah, he would definitely never apostatize. Then he paused for sometime and then said: Yes, Humran would definitely never apostatize and become a heretic.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19580

ومنهم المفضل بن عمر:

And among them Mufaddal bin Umar:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19581

297- بهذا الاسناد، عن أحمد بن إدريس، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن الحسين بن أحمد المنقري، عن أسد بن أبي علاء، عن هشـام بن أحمـر قـال: دخلت على أبي عبدالله عليه السلام وأنا أريد أن أسأله عن المفضل بن المفضل بن عمر، وهو في ضيعة له في يوم شديد الحر والعرق يسيل على صدره فابتدأني فقال: نعم والله الذي لا إله إلا هو، الرجل المفضل بن عمر الجعفي، نعم والله الذي لا إله إلا هو، الرجل(هو) المفضل بن عمر الجعفي. حتى أحصيت بضعا وثلاثين مرة يكررها وقال: إنما هو والد بعد والد.

H 297- It is narrated through the same chain of reporters from Ahmad bin Idris from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Husain from Saeed from Muhammad bin Abu Umair from Husain bin Ahmad Minqari from Asad bin Abi Alaa from Hisham bin Ahmar that he said: I came to Abu Abdullah Imam Sadiq (a. s) and wanted to ask him about Mufaddal Ibn Umar. Imam (a. s) was working on his field and he was perspiring excessively. He started the conversation and said: Yes, by the God, except whom there is no god, I swear that only Mufaddal bin Umar Jofi is the man. Yes, by the God, except whom there is no god, I swear that only Mufaddal bin Umar Jofi is the man [having manly qualities]. Imam (a. s) repeated this more than thirty times and I also counted upto thirty. After that Imam (a. s) said: Indeed, he is father after the father.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19582

298- وروي عن هشام بن أحمر قال:حملت إلى أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام إلى المدينة أموالا فقال: ردها فادفعها إلى المفضل بن عمر، فرددتها إلى جعفي فحططتها على باب المفضل.

H 298 - It is narrated from Hisham bin Ahmar that he said: I carried money for Imam Kadhim (a. s), but he said: Hand it over to Mufaddal bin Umar. I took it back to Jofa locality and placed it before the house of Mufaddal.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19583

299- وروي عن موسى بن بكر قال: كنت في خدمة أبي الحسن عليه السلام فلم أكن أرى شيئا يصل إليه إلا من ناحية المفضل، ولربما رأيت الرجل يجئ بالشيء فلا يقبله منه ويقول: أوصله إلى المفضل.

H 299 - It is narrated from Musa bin Bakr that he said: I was in the company of Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) and I never saw anything being brought for the Imam, but that it came to Mufaddal and many a times saw people bring something that the Imam did not accept; on the contrary he said: Deliver it to Mufaddal.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19584

ومنهم المعلى بن خنيس، وكان من قوام أبي عبدالله عليه السلام، وإنما قتله داود بن علي بسببه، وكان محمودا عنده، ومضى على منهاجه، وأمره مشهور.

And among them Mualla bin Khunais he was a servant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and because of that Dawood bin Ali had him eliminated. He was an approved and praised person in view of Imam (a. s) and he departed from the world with belief in Wilayat of the Imam and his circumstances are well known in Islamic history.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19585

300- فروي عن أبي بصير قال: لما قتل داود بن (علي) المعلى بن خنيس فصلبه، عظم ذلك على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام واشتد عليه وقال له: يا داود!على ما قتلت مولاي وقيمي في مالي وعلى عيالي؟ والله إنه لأوجه عند الله منك… في حديث طويل.

H 300 - It is narrated from Abu Basir that he said: When Dawood bin Ali had Mualla bin Khunais eliminated and had his body suspended in public view, it was a great tragedy for Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), which aggrieved him much. So he said to the killer of Mualla: O Dawood, why have you got my friend and manager of the monetary affairs of my family, killed? By Allah, he is more honorable than you before Almighty Allah. It is a lengthy tradition [but we have just quoted according to our purpose].

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19586

301- وفي خبر آخر أنه قال: أما والله لقد دخل الجنة.

H 301 - In another traditional report, it is mentioned that the Imam said: “Know that by Allah, he has entered Paradise.”

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19587

ومنهم نصر بن قابوس اللخمي:

And among them Nasr bin Qabus Lakhmi:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19588

302- فروي أنه كان وكيلا لابي عبدالله عشرين سنة، ولم يعلم أنه وكيل، وكان خيرا فاضلا، وكان عبدالرحمن بن الحجاج وكيلا لابي عبدالله عليه السلام، ومات في عصر الرضا عليه السلام على ولايته.

H 302 - It is narrated that he was the representative of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) for twenty years and during this period no one came to know that he is an agent of the Imam. He was a very religious and noble man, although Abdur Rahman bin Hajjaj was also the representative of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) and he passed away during the period of Imam Ali Ridha (a. s).

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19589

ومنهم عبدالله بن جندب البجلي، وكان وكيلا لأبي إبراهيم وأبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام، وكان عابدا رفيع المنزلة لديهما، على ما روي في الأخبار.

And among them Abdullah bin Jundab Bajali he was the representative of Abu Ibrahim Imam Kadhim (a. s) and Abul Hasan Imam Ridha (a. s) and as mentioned in reports, he was a pious gentleman and he held a position of great respect in the view of those two Imams.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19590

303- ومنهم ما رواه أبوطالب القمي قال: دخلت على أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام في آخـرعمره فسمعته يقول: جزى الله صفوان بن يحيى، ومحمد بن سنان، وزكريا بن آدم وسعد بن سعد عني خيرا، فقد وفوا لي، وكان زكريا بن آدم ممن تولاهم.

H 303 - One of those reports is that which Abu Talib Qummi has narrated: I came to Imam Jawad (a. s) in the last period of my life and had the honor of meeting the Imam. I heard him say: Allah, the Mighty and the High may give a good recompense on my behalf to Safwan bin Yahya, Muhammad bin Sinan, Zakariya bin Adam and Saad bin Saad; they have indeed fulfilled their covenant [of Wilayat], and Zakariya bin Adam was of those who had his Wilayat.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19591

وخرج (فيه) عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام: ذكرت ما جرى من قضاء الله في الرجل المتوفى رحمه الله تعالى يوم ولد ويوم يموت ويوم يبعث حيا، فقد عاش أيام حياته عارفا بالحق قائلا به، صابرا محتسبا (للحق)، قائما بما يجب لله ولرسوله عليه، ومضى رحمه الله غير ناكث ولا مبدل، فجزاه الله أجر نيته وأعطاه جزاء سعيه.

And from the blessed being of Imam Jawad (a. s) it is mentioned about Zakariya bin Adam that His Eminence said: I remembered that which has been decreed with regard to Zakariya bin Adam, may widespread mercy be on him on the day he was born, the day he passed away and the day he would be resurrected on Judgment Day. He lived a life of awareness and faith and suffered hardships for the sake of truth and observed patience and rose up for that, which is made obligatory on him by Almighty Allah and His Messenger and he departed from the world while he was faithful to his covenant and he did not break it and he did not change his duties [and distorted Islamic laws]; on the basis of this, Allah, the Mighty and the High rewarded his pure intention and struggle.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19592

304- وأما محمد بن سنان فإنه روي عن علي بن الحسين بن داود قال: سمعت أبا جعفر الثاني عليه السلام يذكر محمد بن سنان بخير ويقول: رضي الله عنه برضائي عنه فما خالفني وما خالف أبي قط.

H 304 - As for Muhammad bin Sinan: Ali bin Husain bin Dawood says: I heard from Abu Ja’far, the second, Imam Jawad (a. s) that he mentioned Muhammad bin Sinan in a positive way, saying: “Because of the fact that I am pleased with him, Almighty Allah is (also) pleased with him. He did not at all oppose me or my father.” [He was always in the service of Ahle Bayt (a. s)]

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19593

ومنهم عبدالعزيز بن المهتدي القمي الأشعري:

And among them Abdul Aziz bin Mohtadi Qummi Ashari:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19594

305- خرج فيه عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام: قبضت والحمد لله وقد عرفت الوجوه التي صارت إليك منها غفر الله لك ولهم الذنوب ورحمنا وإياكم.

H 305 - The following epistle was issued from Imam Jawad (a. s) about him: Praise be to Allah, I have received the amount and noticed that you have borne some of the expenses yourself. Almighty Allah would forgive your and their sins and would be merciful to us and you.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19595

وخرج فيه: غفر الله لك ذنبك ورحمنا وإياك ورضي عنك برضائي عنك.

Another epistle was issued with regard to him that Almighty Allah has forgiven your sin and has been merciful to us and you and because I am pleased with you, Almighty Allah is also pleased with you.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19596

ومنهم علي بن مهزيار الاهوازي وكان محمودا:

And among them Ali bin Mahziyar Ahwazi was also praised:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19597

306- أخبرني جماعة، عن التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن الحسين بن علي، عن أبي الحسن البلخي، عن أحمد بن مابندار الاسكافي، عن العلاء النداري، عن الحسن بن شمون قال: قرأت هذه الرسالة على علي بن مهزيار عن أبي جعفر الثاني بخطه: بسـم الله الرحمـن الرحيـم. يـا علي، أحسـن الله جـزاك، وأسكنك جنته، ومنعك مـن الخـزي في الدنيـا والآخـرة، وحشـرك الله معنـا. يـا علي، قد بلوتك وخبرتك في النصيحة والطاعة والخدمة، والتوقير والقيام بما يجب عليك، فلو قلت إني لم أر مثلك لرجوت أن أكون صادقا، فجزاك الله جنات الفردوس نزلا، فما خفي علي مقامك ولا خدمتك في الحر والبرد، في الليل والنهار، فأسأل الله إذا جمع الخلائق للقيامة أن يحبوك برحمة تغتبط بها، إنه سميع الدعاء.

H 306 - A group of scholar has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi, from Husain bin Ali from Abul Hasan Balkhi from Ahmad bin Mandar Iskafi from Alaa Nadari from Hasan bin Shammun that he said: I read the following letter, which was in the writing of Imam Jawad (a. s) regarding Ali bin Mahziyar. The following is the text of the letter: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Ali, may Allah give you a good reward and may He settle you in His Paradise. May Allah keep away the degradation of the world and the hereafter away from you and may He raise you on Judgment Day with us. O Ali, I tested you in well wishing, obedience and service and also examined you on that which Almighty Allah has made obligatory on you. If I say that I have not seen a similitude of you, I hope I would have stated the truth. May Almighty Allah reward you by admitting you into the Firdos Paradise. Your position and status as well as your service during summer and winter and during night and day is not concealed from me. I beseech Allah, the Mighty and the High that when He gathers people on Judgment Day, may He bestow His widespread mercy on you and reward you with that which you like. Indeed Almighty Allah is the one who listens to the supplications.”

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19598

ومنهم أيوب بن نوح بن دراج:

And among them Ayyub bin Nuh bin Darraj:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19599

307- ذكر عمرو بن سعيد المدائني-وكان فطحيا- قال: كنت عند أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام بصري إذ دخل أيوب بن نوح ووقف قدامه فأمره بشيء، ثم انصرف، والتفت إلي أبوالحسن عليه السلام وقال: يا عمرو إن أحببت أن تنظر إلى رجل من أهل الجنة فانظر إلى هذا.

H 307 - Amr bin Saeed Madayani, a follower of Fathi sect, said: I came to see Imam Hadi (a. s) in a village of Syria. At that time Ayyub bin Nuh entered and stood before Imam (a. s), who ordered something to him and he went away from there. Imam (a. s) looked at me and said: O Amr, if you want to see an inmate of Paradise, you should look at this man.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19600

ومنهم علي بن جعفر الهماني، وكان فاضلا مرضيا من وكلاء أبي الحسن وأبي محمد عليهما السلام.

And among them Ali bin Ja’far Hammani, he was an accomplished man with a pleasing personality and was a representative of Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Askari (a. s).

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19601

308- روى أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن علي بن مخلد الايادي قال: حدثني أبوجعفر العمري رضي الله عنه قال: حج أبو طاهر بن بلال فنظر إلى علي بن جعفر وهو ينفق النفقات العظيمة، فلما انصرف كتب بذلك إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام فوقع في رقعته: قد كنا أمرنا له بمائة ألف دينار، ثم أمرنا له بمثلها فأبى قبوله إبقاء علينا، ما للناس والدخول في أمرنا فيما لم ندخلهم فيه؟ قال: ودخل على أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام فأمر له بثلاثين ألف دينار.

H 308 - Ahmad bin Ali Raazi has narrated from Ali bin Mukhallad Ayyadi that he said: Narrated to me Abu Ja’far Amari that: Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal had the honor of performing Hajj and saw that Ali bin Ja’far [Hammani] is spending a lot of money. When he returned, he mentioned this to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) in a negative tone. Imam (a. s) wrote in reply: We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in matters we have not included them. [After sometime Ali bin Ja’far] came to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and the Imam told him to take three hundred thousand Dinars.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19602

ومنهم أبوعلي بن راشد:

And among them Abu Ali Hasan bin Rashid:

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19603

309- أخبرني ابن أبي جيد، عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد، عن الصفار، عن محمد بن عيسى قال: كتب أبوالحسن العسكري عليه السلام إلى الموالي ببغداد والمدائن والسواد وما يليها: قد أقمت أبا علي بن راشد مقام علي بن الحسين بن عبد ربه ومن قبله من وكلائي، وقد أوجبت في طاعته طاعتي، وفي عصيانه الخروج إلى عصياني، وكتبت بخطي.

H 309 - Ibn Abi Jayyid has narrated from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Walid from Saffar from Muhammad bin Isa that he said: Imam Hadi (a. s) wrote to the Shia of Baghdad, Madayan, Sawad and the surrounding areas: I have appointed Abu Ali bin Rashid as successor to Husain bin Abde Rabb and the representatives before him; and their obedience is my obedience. I have written this letter in my own handwriting.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19604

310- وروى محمد بن يعقوب رفعه إلى محمد بن فرج قال: كتبت إليه أسأله عن أبي علي بن راشد وعن عيسى بن جعفر (بن عاصم) وعن ابن بند، وكتب إلي: ذكرت ابن راشد رحمه الله فإنه عاش سعيدا ومات شهيدا، ودعا لابن بند والعاصمي وابن بند ضرب بعمود وقتل، وابن عاصم ضرب بالسياط على الجسر ثلاثمائة سوط ورمي به في الدجلة.

H 310 - Muhammad bin Yaqub has directly narrated from Muhammad bin Faraj that he said: I wrote to Imam Hadi (a. s) asking about Ali bin Rashid, Isa bin Ja’far [bin Asim] and Ibn Band. Imam (a. s) wrote back: You have mentioned Ibn Rashid, who lived a righteous life and departed as a martyr. And they condemned Ibn Band and Asimi, but Ibn Band was clubbed to death and Ibn Asim was also lashed three hundred times on the Baghdad Bridge and thrown into the Tigris and he passed away.

Approved Emissaries - Hadith 19605

فهؤلاء جماعة المحمودين، وتركنا ذكر استقصائهم لأنهم معروفون مذكورون في الكتب.

These were some who were praised and approved by the Imams, though we have not mentioned all the companions of the Imams who were as such, because they were well known and their descriptions are present in different books. That is why their mention here as well was not necessary.

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19606

311- فروى علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه قال: كنت عند أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام إذ دخل عليه صالح بن محمد بن سهل الهمداني- وكان يتولى له- فقال له: جعلت فداك اجعلني من عشرة آلاف درهم في حل فإني أنفقتها، فقال له أبوجعفر: أنت في حل. فلما خرج صالح من عنده قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: أحدهم يثب على (أموال حق) آل محمد وفقرائهم ومساكينهم وأبناء سبيلهم، فيأخذه ثم يقول: إجعلني في حل، أتراه ظن (بي) أني أقول له لا أفعل؟ والله ليسألنهم الله يوم القيامة عن ذلك سؤالا حثيثا.

H 311 - Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim has narrated from his father that he said: I was in the presence of Imam Muhammad Taqi (a. s) when Salih bin Muhammad bin Sahal Hamadani, who was the trustee of the affairs of Imam (a. s) entered and asked the Holy Imam (a. s): May I be sacrificed on you, I have spent ten thousand dirhams [from the monies I should have brought to you]. Will you make them lawful for me? Imam (a. s) said: It is lawful. When he went away Imam Jawad (a. s) said: One of you misappropriates and spends the money, from the share of Aale Muhammad (a. s), the poor, deprived and the stranded travelers; he disputes about it and spends from it then asks me: Please make it lawful for me! Do you or he think that I would say ‘No’? By God, on Judgment Day Allah would ask them very difficult questions.

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19607

ومنهم علي بن أبي حمزة البطائني وزياد بن مروان القندي وعثمان بن عيسى الرواسي، كلهم كانوا وكلاء لابي الحسن موسى عليه السلام، وكان عندهم أموال جزيلة، فلما مضى أبوالحسن موسى عليه السلام وقفوا طمعا في الاموال، ودفعوا إمامة الرضا عليه السلام وجحدوه. وقد ذكرنا ذلك فيما مضى فلا نطول بإعادته.

Among them Ali bin Abi Hamza Bataini, Ziyad bin Marwan Qandi and Uthman Rawasi These three were representatives of Abul Hasan Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) and were having a large amount of the Imam’s funds in their possession. When Imam Kadhim (a. s) passed away, they, in greed of the Imam’s funds did not accept that he is martyred and did not believe in the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a. s) as we mentioned previously and its repetition again would prolong the book unduly.

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19608

ومنهم فارس بن حاتم بن ماهويه القزويني:

And among them Faras bin Hatim bin Mahuya Qazwini:

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19609

312- على ما رواه عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري قال:كتب أبوالحسن العسكري عليه السلام إلى علي بن عمرو القزويني بخطه: إعتقد فيما تدين الله تعالى به أن الباطن عندي حسب ما أظهرت لك فيمن استنبأت عنه، وهو فارس لعنه الله فإنه ليس يسعك إلا الاجتهاد في لعنه، وقصده ومعاداته، والمبالغة في ذلك بأكثر ما تجد السبيل إليه. ما كنت آمر أن يدان الله بأمر غير صحيح، فجد وشد في لعنه وهتكه، وقطع أسبابه، وصد أصحابنا عنه، وإبطال أمره وأبلغهم ذلك مني، واحكه لهم عني، وإني سائلكم بين يدي الله عن هذا الامر المؤكد، فويل للعاصي وللجاحد. وكتبت بخطي ليلة الثلاثاء لتسع ليال من شهر ربيع الاول سنة خمسين ومائتين، وأنا أتوكل على الله وأحمده كثيرا.

H 312 - Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari said: Imam Hadi (a. s) wrote the following letter in his own handwriting addressed to Ali bin Umar Qazwini: “Have certitude in that through which you worship the Almighty Allah, whose inward is with me. With regard to one about whom you asked and that is Faras; may Allah curse him. Concentrate your efforts to curse and be inimical to him and put in this matter more effort than is possible. I am not saying that you worship Almighty Allah through incorrect issues and I don’t order you an incorrect belief. Thus try more to curse and to be inimical and to oppose him. Keep my companions away from him and refute his orders and dogmas and announce to the Shia on my behalf that I am indeed going to ask you about it in the court of the Almighty Allah. Thus woe be on one who is disobedient and is a denier of mastership (Wilayat). I have written this letter in my own handwriting on Tuesday eve, eve of the 9th Rabiul Awwal, 250 A. H. I have relied on Almighty Allah and am extremely thankful to Him.”

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19610

ومنهم أحمد بن هلال العبرتائي:

And among them Ahmad bin Hilal Abartai:

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19611

313- روى محمد بن يعقوب قال:خرج إلى العمري في توقيع طويل إختصرناه: ونحن نبرأ إلى الله تعالى من ابن هلال لا رحمه الله، وممن لا يبرأ منه، فأعلم الاسحاقي وأهل بلده مما أعلمناك من حال هذا الفاجر، وجميع ما كان سألك ويسألك عنه.

H 313 - Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini said: An epistle was issued from Imam Mahdi (a. s) to Amari, which is quite lengthy and we have shortened it. It is mentioned in that epistle as follows: “We are aloof from Ibn Hilal, to whom Almighty Allah may never have mercy on and we are aloof from all those who don’t express their disdain about him. Thus inform Ishaqi and his townspeople and all those from you who have asked about him or who ask about the following matter, which I am informing you of.”

Emissaries condemned by the Imam - Hadith 19612

ومنهم أبو طاهر محمد بن علي بن بلال وغيرهم مما لا نطول بذكرهم، لأن ذلك مشهور موجود في الكتب.

There are many people like Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal and others by whose mention we would not prolong the book since they are famous and well known and they are mentioned in other books as well.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19613

فأولهم: من نصبه أبوالحسن علي بن محمد العسكري وأبومحمد الحسن بن علي بن محمد إبنه عليهم السلام، وهو الشيخ الموثوق به أبوعمرو عثمان بن سعيد العمري رحمه الله وكان أسديا وإنما سمي العمري:

Abu Amr Uthman bin Saeed Amari, He was the first emissary during the period of occultation, who was appointed to this position by Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). He was a trusted elder of the society. His name was Abu Amr Uthman bin Saeed Amari, may Allah have mercy on him. He belonged to the Asadi tribe, but was named as Amari.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19614

314- لما رواه أبونصر هبة الله بن محمد بن أحمد الكاتب ابن بنت أبي جعفر العمري رحمه الله، قال أبو نصر: كان أسديا فنسب إلى جده فقيل العمري، وقد قال قوم من الشيعة:إن أبا محمد الحسن بن علي عليه السلام (قال: لا يجمع على امرئ بين عثمان وأبو عمرو) وأمر بكسر كنيته، فقيل العمري، ويقال له: العسكري أيضا، لأنه كان من عسكر سر من رأى، ويقال له: السمان، لانه كان يتجر في السمن تغطية على الامر.

H 314 - Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Katib Ibn binte Abu Ja’far Amari has narrated that: Abu Amr was from the Asadi tribe, but was called after his grandfather, Ja’far bin Amari. A group of our scholars have said that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) said: In one person two names, Uthman and Abu Ja’far cannot come together and Imam (a. s) ordered his agnomen to be discarded; on the basis of this he began to be called as Amari and some have called him Askari as well, due to the fact that people from Askar province were also present in Samarrah. Some called him as Samman (oil dealer) as he traded in that commodity and through this concealed his deputyship.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19615

وكان الشيعة إذا حملوا إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام ما يجب عليهم حمله من الأموال أنفذوا إلى أبي عمرو، فيجعله في جراب السمن وزقاقه ويحمله إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام تقية وخوف.

Shia people sent the obligatory payments to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) through Amr. Due to the tyrannical rule of Abbasids he resorted to Taqayyah and concealed the monies and letters in oil containers and conveyed them to the Imam in this secret way.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19616

315- فأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام الاسكافي، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن إسحاق بن سعد القمي قال: دخلت على أبي الحسن علي بن محمد صلوات الله عليه في يوم من الايام فقلت: يا سيدي أنا أغيب وأشهد ولا يتهيأ لي الوصول إليك إذا شهدت في كل وقت، فقول من نقبل؟ وأمر من نمتثل؟ فقال لي صلوات الله عليه: هذا أبو عمرو الثقة الامين ما قاله لكم فعني يقوله، وما أداه إليكم فعني يؤديه. فلما مضى أبوالحسن عليه السلام وصلت إلى أبي محمد إبنه الحسن العسكري عليه السلام ذات يوم فقلت له عليه السلام مثل قولي لابيه، فقال لي: هذا أبوعمرو الثقة الامين ثقة الماضى وثقتي في المحي والممات، فما قاله لكم فعني يقوله، وما أدى إليكم فعني يؤديه. قال أبومحمد هارون: قال أبوعلي: قال أبوالعباس الحميري: فكنا كثيرا ما نتذاكر هذا القول ونتواصف جلالة محل أبي عمرو.

H 315 - A group of scholars narrated to me from Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa from Abu Ali Muhammad Ibn Himam Iskafi that he said: Narrated to us Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari that: Narrated to us Ahmad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Saad Qummi that: On a certain day, I came to Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad (a. s) and said: “O my master, many a time I go away and then come to your vicinity, yet I am still not able to get access to you every time I come. So whose word should we accept and whose order should we obey?” The Imam (a. s) said: “This is Abu Amr. He is trustworthy and honest. He is the trustworthy man of the past and my man of trust in my lifetime and after my death. Whatever he says to you, he says it from us; whatever he delivers to you, he does so from us.” When Imam Hadi (a. s) passed away and the Imamate was transferred to his son, Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), I came to him one day and mentioned what his respected father had said. Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) also said: “This is Abu Amr. He is trustworthy and honest. He is the trustworthy man of the past and my man of trust in my lifetime and after my death. Whatever he says to you, he says it from us; whatever he delivers to you, he does so from us.” Abu Muhammad Harun said: Abu Ali said: Abul Abbas Himyari said: We would often discuss this narration and extol the eminence of Abu Amr.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19617

316- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد هارون، عن محمد بن همام، عن عبد الله بن جعفر قال: حججنا في بعض السنين بعد مضي أبي محمد عليه السلام فدخلت على أحمد بن إسحاق بمدينة السلام فرأيت أبا عمرو عنده، فقلت: إن هذا الشيخ- وأشرت إلى أحمد بن إسحاق-وهو عندنا الثقة المرضي، حدثنا فيك بكيت وكيت، واقتصصت عليه ما تقدم يعني ما ذكرناه عنه من فضل أبي عمرو ومحله، وقلت: أنت الآن ممن لا يشك في قوله وصدقه فأسألك بحق الله وبحق الامامين اللذين وثقاك هل رأيت ابن أبي محمد الذي هو صاحب الزمان عليه السلام؟ فبكى، ثم قال:على أن لا تخبر بذلك أحدا وأنا حي؟قلت: نعم. قال: قد رأيته عليه السلام وعنقه هكذا- يريد أنها أغلظ الرقاب حسنا وتماما–. قلت: فالاسم؟ قال: نهيتم عن هذا.

H 316 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Muhammad Harun from Muhammad Ibn Himam from Abdullah Ibn Ja’far that: In a certain year, after the demise of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s), we performed Hajj. I went to Ahmad Ibn Ishaq at Baghdad and saw Abu Amr with him. I said: “This Shaykh,” pointing to Ahmad Ibn Ishaq, “and he is a trustworthy and admirable man before us, has narrated to us,” such and such. I narrated to him all of the narrative, which we mentioned above on the account of the eminent position of Abu Amr. I said: “You are now someone whose word and truthfulness is not dubitable. I beseech you for the sake of Allah and the sake of the two Imams who have declared you trustworthy, have you seen the son of Abu Muhammad, who is the Master of the Age?” He wept and then said: “You cannot inform anyone with this regard as long as I am alive.” I said: “Sure so.” He said: “I have verily seen him and his neck is like this.” He wanted to say that he has the most beautiful and wholesome of the necks. I asked, “And the name?” He said: “You have been forbidden from that.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19618

317- وروى أحمد بن علي بن نوح أبوالعباس السيرافي، قال:أخبرنا أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن أحمد المعروف بابن برينة الكاتب، قال: حدثني بعض الشراف من الشيعة الامامية أصحاب الحديث، قال: حدثني أبومحمد العباس بن أحمد الصائغ قال: حدثني الحسين بن أحمد الخصيبي قال: حدثني محمد بن إسماعيل وعلي بن عبد الله الحسنيان قالا: دخلنا على أبي محمد الحسن عليه السلام بسر من رأى وبين يديه جماعة من أوليائه وشيعته، حتى دخل عليه بدر خادمه فقال: يا مولاي، بالباب قوم شعث غبر. فقال لهم: هؤلاء نفر من شيعتنا باليمن… في حديث طويل يسوقانه إلى أن ينتهي إلى أن قال الحسن عليه السلام لبدر: فامض فائتنا بعثمان بن سعيد العمري. فما لبثنا إلا يسيرا حتى دخل عثمان، فقال له سيدنا أبومحمد عليه السلام: امض يا عثمان، فإنك الوكيل والثقة المأمون على مال الله، واقبض من هؤلاء النفر اليمنيين ما حملوه من المال.

H 317 - Ahmad bin Ali bin Nuh Abul Abbas Sairafi narrates that: Narrated to us Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad bin Ahmad, alias Ibn Barinatul Katib that: Narrated to me some prominent scholars of Shia traditions that: Abu Muhammad Abbas bin Ahmad Saigh said: Narrated to me Husain bin Ahmad Khasibi that: Narrated to me Muhammad Ibn Ismail and Ali Ibn Abdullah Husnian, that the two men said: We came to Abu Muhammad Hasan (a. s) at Samarrah. There was a group of his devotees and Shia in his presence when Badr, his servant, entered and said: “O my master, there is a group, streaked in dust and with uncombed hair, at the gate.” The Imam said: “They are a group of our Shia from Yemen.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19619

ثم ساق الحديث إلى أن قالا: ثم قلنا بأجمعنا:يا سيدنا! والله إن عثمان لمن خيار شيعتك، ولقد زدتنا علما بموضعه من خدمتك، وأنه وكيلك وثقتك على مال الله تعالى. قال: نعم واشهدوا على أن عثمان بن سعيد العمري وكيلي وأن ابنه محمدا وكيل ابني مهديكم.

The narration is long. The two narrators say: Hasan (a. s) said to Badr, “Go and bring Uthman Ibn Saeed Amari.” It was not long that Uthman entered. Our master Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) said, “O Uthman go, for you are the representative and reliable and entrusted man with respect to God’s money. Take from these Yemeni gentlemen the religious dues they have brought.” Then the two narrators continue their narrative until they say: Then we all said: “O our Master, by Allah, Uthman is best of your Shia. You increased our knowledge with respect to his position in your service and that he is your representative and reliable man in God’s money.” He said: “Yes, and bear witness for me that Uthman Ibn Saeed Amari is my representative and that his son Muhammad is the representative of my son, your Mahdi.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19620

318- عنه، عن أبي نصر هبة الله (بن محمد) بن أحمد الكاتب ابن بنت أبي جعفر العمري قدس الله روحه وأرضاه، عن شيوخه أنه لما مات الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام حضر غسله عثمان بن سعيد رضي الله عنه وأرضاه وتولى جميع أمره في تكفينه وتحنيطه وتقبيره، مأمورا بذلك للظاهر من الحال التي لا يمكن جحدها ولا دفعها إلا بدفع حقائق الاشياء في ظواهرها.

H 318 - It is narrated from Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad bin Ahmad Katib Ibn binte Abu Ja’far Amri (q. s.) from his teachers that when Imam Hasan bin Ali Askari (a. s) passed away, Uthman Ibn Saeed attended his funeral and served in all his rituals of shrouding, anointing and burial. He was ordered to be the caretaker in superficies, and superficies cannot be rejected, but through the rejection of the reality of things because of their appearances.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19621

وكانت توقيعات صاحب الامر عليه السلام تخرج على يدي عثمان بن سعيد وابنه أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان إلى شيعته وخواص أبيه أبي محمد عليه السلام بالامر والنهي والاجوبة عما يسأل الشيعة عنه إذا احتاجت إلى السؤال فيه بالخط الذي كان يخرج في حياة الحسن عليه السلام، فلم تزل الشيعة مقيمة على عدالتهما إلى أن توفي عثمان بن سعيد رحمه الله ورضي عنه وغسله ابنه أبوجعفر وتولى القيام به وحصل الامر كله مردودا إليه، والشيعة مجتمعة على عدالته وثقته وأمانته، لما تقدم له من النص عليه بالامانة والعدالة والامر بالرجوع إليه في حياة الحسن عليه السلام وبعد موته في حياة أبيه عثمان رحمة الله عليه.

Epistles arrived from Master of Age (a. s) regarding Islamic commands and prohibitions and replies to queries of Shia about that which they were in need of, through Uthman bin Saeed and his son, Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Uthman in same handwriting in which they came during the period of Imam Askari (a. s). Thus the Shia always trusted the honesty of these two gentlemen till Uthman bin Saeed passed away and his son, Abu Ja’far performed his last rites. After that all responsibilities of the father were transferred to the son and all Shia were confident of his integrity since clear directions had come from Imam (a. s) regarding his honesty and also command for Shia to refer to him, whether during the time of Imam Askari (a. s) or after his martyrdom and even during the time of his father, Uthman.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19622

319- قال: وقال جعفر بن محمد بن مالك الفزاري البزاز، عن جماعة من الشيعة منهم علي بن بلال وأحمد بن هلال ومحمد بن معاوية بن حكيـم والحسـن بن أيوب بن نوح في خبـر طويل مشهور قالوا جميعا: إجتمعنا إلى أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام نسأله عن الحجة من بعده، وفي مجلسه عليه السلام أربعون رجلا، فقام إليه عثمان بن سعيد بن عمرو العمري فقال له: يا بن رسول الله أريد أن أسألك عن أمر أنت أعلم به مني. فقال له: إجلس يا عثمان. فقام مغضبا ليخرج فقال: لا يخرجن أحد. فلم يخرج منا أحد إلى (أن) كان بعد ساعة، فصاح عليه السلام بعثمان، فقام على قدميه فقال:أخبركم بما جئتم؟ قالوا: نعم يا بن رسول الله. قال: جئتم تسألوني عن الحجة من بعدي. قالوا: نعم. فإذا غلام كأنه قطع قمر أشبه الناس بأبي محمد عليه السلام فقال: هذا إمامكم من بعدي وخليفتي عليكم أطيعوه ولا تتفرقوا من بعدي فتهلكوا في أديانكم، ألا وإنكم لا ترونه من بعد يومكم هذا حتى يتم له عمر، فاقبلوا من عثمان ما يقوله، وانتهوا إلى أمره، واقبلوا قوله، فهو خليفة إمامكم والأمر إليه… في حديث طويل.

H 319 - Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik Fuzari Bazzaz has narrated from a group of Shia scholars including Ali bin Bilal, Ahmad bin Hilal, Muhammad bin Muawiyah bin Hakim and Hasan bin Ayyub bin Nuh in a famous lengthy traditional report in which all say: We gathered before Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) to ask him about the Hujjah (Imam) after him. There were forty men in the gathering. Uthman bin Saeed bin Amr Amari rose and said: “O son of Allah’s Messenger, I want to ask you about a great subject, which you know better than me.” “Sit down, O Uthman.” Uthman rose to leave. The Imam said: “No one leaves.” None of us left. It was an hour that Imam called Uthman. Uthman rose on his feet. The Imam said: “Shall I inform you why you have come?” They said: “Yes, O son of Allah’s Messenger.” He said: “You came to ask me about the Divine Proof (Hujjah) after me.” They said: “Yes.” Suddenly, there came a boy, as he were a piece of the moon and more similar to Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) than all the people. The Imam said: ‘This is your Imam after me and my caliph over you. Obey him and do not disperse after me, lest you will perish in your religion. Behold, you will not see him after this day until ages pass. So, accept from Uthman what he says and obey his order and accept his word, because he is the caliph of your Imam and the affairs are in his hands.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19623

320- قال أبونصر هبة الله بن محمد: وقبر عثمان بن سعيد بالجانب الغربي من مدينة السلام، في شارع الميدان، في أول الموضع المعروف (في الدرب المعروف) بدرب جبلة في مسجد الدرب يمنة الداخل إليه، والقبر في نفس قبلة المسجد رحمه الله.

H 320 - Abu Nasr Hibtullah Ibn Muhammad bin Ahmad says in a narration: The tomb of Uthman Ibn Saeed is on the western side of Baghdad in the Maidan Street. It is in the beginning of the famous place known as the gate of Hubla, in the gate of the Mosque on the right side. The tomb itself is opposite the mosque.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19624

قال محمد بن الحسن مصنف هذا الكتاب: رأيت قبره في الموضع الذي ذكره وكان بني في وجهه حائط وبه محراب المسجد، وإلى جنبه باب يدخل إلى موضع القبر في بيت ضيق مظلم، فكنا ندخل إليه ونزوره مشاهرة، وكذلك من وقت دخولي إلى بغداد، وهي سنة ثمان وأربعمائة إلى سنة نيف وثلاثين وربعمائة. ثم نقض ذلك الحائط الرئيس أبو منصور محمد بن الفرج وأبرز القبر إلى برا وعمل عليه صندوقا وهو تحت سقف يدخل إليه من أراده ويزوره، ويتبرك جيران المحلة بزيارته ويقولون هو رجل صالح، وربما قالوا:هو ابن داية الحسين عليه السلام ولا يعرفون حقيقة الحال فيه، وهو إلى يومنا هذا-وذلك سنة سبع وأربعين وأربعمائة- على ما هو عليه.

Shaykh Tusi says: I saw his tomb in that place. A wall was erected at its face at which the mosque’s Mihrab (niche) stood. On its side is a gate that goes to the tomb in a dark and small room. We used to enter that room and visit him every month. Such was my practice during my stay in Baghdad, from year four hundred and eight, until four hundred and thirty and something. Then the Chief Abu Mansur Muhammad Ibn Faraj tore down that wall and manifested the tomb to view and built a sepulcher over it. It is under a ceiling and anyone who desires can enter and visit it. The neighbors seek blessing by visiting him and believe that he is a virtuous man. They often say he is the son of the woman who raised the Doyen of the Martyrs Husain (a. s) and do not know the reality about him. This condition continues until this day of ours, which is the year four hundred and forty seven.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19625

فلما مضى أبوعمرو عثمان بن سعيد قام ابنه أبوجعفر محمد بن عثمان مقامه بنص أبي محمد عليه السلام عليه ونص أبيه عثمان عليه بأمر القائم عليه السلام.

When Abu Amr Uthman Ibn Saeed died, his son Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman stood in his place, as the representative of the Qaim (a. s) on the virtue of clear instructions of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) and the instructions of his father.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19626

321- فأخبرني جماعة عن أبي الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود القمي وابن قولويه (عن أبيه) عن سعد بن عبد الله، قال: حدثنا الشيخ الصدوق أحمد بن إسحاق بن سعد الأشعري رحمه الله، وذكر الحديث الذي قدمنا ذكره.

H 321 - A group of scholars narrated to me on the authority of Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Dawood Qummi and Ibn Quluwayh from Saad Ibn Abdullah, saying, the Veracious Shaykh Ahmad Ibn Ishaq Ibn Saad Ashari narrated to us, and then he mentions the account, which we mentioned earlier.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19627

322- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه، وأبي غالب الزراري وأبي محمد التلعكبري، كلهم عن محمد بن يعقوب الكليني رحمه الله تعالى، عن محمد بن عبد الله ومحمد بن يحيى، عن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري قال: إجتمعت أنا والشيخ أبوعمرو عند أحمد بن إسحاق بن سعد الاشعري القمي، فغمزني أحمد (بن إسحاق) أن أسأله عن الخلف. فقلت له: يا با عمرو إني أريد (أن) أسألك وما أنا بشاك فيما أريد أن أسألك عنه، فإن اعتقادي وديني أن الارض لا تخلو من حجة إلا إذا كان قبل (يوم) القيامة بأربعين يوما، فإذا كان ذلك وقعت الحجة وغلق باب التوبة فلم يكن ﴿يَنْفَعُ نَفْساً إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْراً﴾ فأولئك أشرار من خلق الله عز وجل، وهم الذين تقوم عليهم القيامة ولكن أحببت أن أزداد يقينا، فإن إبراهيم عليه السلام سأل ربه أن يريه كيف يحيي الموتى فـ ﴿قَالَ:أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ؟ قَالَ: بَلَى، وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي﴾ وقد أخبرنا أحمد بن إسحاق أبوعلي عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام قال: سألته فقلت له:لمن أعامل وعمن آخذ وقول من أقبل؟ فقال له: العمري ثقتي فما أدى إليك فعني يؤدي، وما قال لك فعني يقول فاسمع له وأطع، فإنه الثقة المأمون. قال: وأخبرني أبوعلي أنه سأل أبا محمد الحسن بن علي عن مثل ذلك فقال له: العمري وابنه ثقتان، فما أديا إليك فعني يؤديان، وما قالا لك فعني يقولان، فاسمع لهما وأطعهما فإنهما الثقتان المأمونان. فهذا قول إمامين قد مضيا فيك. قال: فخر أبوعمرو ساجدا وبكى، ثم قال:سل. فقلت له:أنت رأيت الخلف من أبي محمد عليه السلام؟ فقال: أي والله،ورقبته مثل ذا. وأومأ بيديه، فقلت له: فبقيت واحدة. فقال لي: هـات. قـلت: فالاسـم. قـال:محرم عليكم أن تسألوا عن ذلك، ولا أقول هذا من عندي وليس لي أن أحلل وأحرم ولكن عنه عليه السلام، فإن الامر عند السلطان أن أبا محمد عليه السلام مضى ولم يخلف ولدا وقسم ميراثه، وأخذه من لا حق له، وصبر على ذلك، وهو ذا عياله يجولون وليس أحد يجسر أن يتعرف إليهم أو ينيلهم شيئا، وإذا وقع الاسم وقع الطلب، فاتقوا الله وأمسكوا عن ذلك.

H 322 - A group of our scholars narrated to me from all eminent personages of Abul Qasim Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Quluwayh, Abu Ghalib Razi and Abu Muhammad Talakbari, who all narrate from Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Kulaini, who narrates from Muhammad Ibn Abdullah and Muhammad Ibn Yahya, who narrate from Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari, saying: I and Shaykh Abu Amr were with Ahmad Ibn Ishaq Ashari Qummi. Ahmad Ibn Ishaq made a gesture to me to ask him about the successor. So, I asked him, “O Abu Amr, I want to ask you a question; however, I am not unsure about what I want to ask you, for my faith and belief is that the earth does not remain without a Divine Proof (Hujjah), unless it is forty days prior to Judgment Day. And when that happens, the Divine Proof (Hujjah) is raised up and the gateway of repentance is shut. And it will not benefit any soul has it not already believed and earned good in its belief. They are the wicked of God’s creation and they are the ones that Judgment Day shall stand against. However, I desire to increase my certitude, as Ibrahim (a. s) asked his Lord to show him how He brings the dead back to life. He said: ‘Do you believe not? He said: Indeed; rather, for my heart to satisfy. Abu Ali Ahmad Ibn Ishaq has narrated to me from Abul Hasan (a. s). He said: I asked the Imam, ‘With whom should I transact and from whom should I learn and whose word should I accept?’ The Imam said: Amari is my trustworthy man. Whatever he delivers to you, he does so from me. And whatever he says to you, he does so from me. So listen to him and obey him, for he is a trustworthy and honest man.’ Also Abu Ali narrated to me that he asked Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali the same question and the Imam said: Amari and his son are two trustworthy men. Whatever they deliver to you, they deliver from me; and whatever they say to you, they say from me. Listen to them and obey them, for they are two trustworthy and honest men.’ These are the words of two Imams of the past about you.” Abu Amr fell into prostration and tears rolled down his eyes and then he said: “Ask.” I asked, “Have you seen the successor of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s)?” He said: “Yes, by Allah. And his neck is like this,” and he gestured. I said, “I have one more question.” He said: “Bring it forth.” I said: “His name?” He said: “That is forbidden to you to ask about. I am not saying this from myself, nor am I permitted to allow or disallow. Rather, this prohibition is from the Imam himself (a. s). The ruler’s impression is that Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) passed away and did not leave a son behind and that his bequeathals were divided and taken over by persons who were not entitled to. He was patient on that. There is his household, wandering about and there is no one who has the courage to recognize them or offer them something. Should the name come out, search will be on. So fear God and hold back from that.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19628

قال الكليني: وحدثني شيخ من أصحابنا ذهب عني اسمه أن أبا عمرو سئل عن أحمد بن إسحاق عن مثل هذا، فأجاب بمثل هذا، وقد قدمنا هذه الرواية فيما مضى من الكتاب.

Kulaini said: A Shaykh from our scholars, whose name I forgot, said that Abu Amr was asked in the presence of Ahmad Ibn Ishaq the same question and he gave a similar answer.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19629

323- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه، عن أحمد بن هارون الفامي قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري قال: خرج التوقيع إلى الشيخ أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان بن سعيد العمري قدس الله روحه في التعزية بأبيه رضي الله تعالى عنه. وفي فصل من الكتاب: إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون تسليما لامره ورضي بقضائه، عاش أبوك سعيدا ومات حميدا فرحمه الله وألحقه بأوليائه ومواليه عليهم السلام، فلم يزل مجتهدا في أمرهم، ساعيا فيما يقربه إلى الله عز وجل وإليهم، نضر الله وجهه، وأقاله عثرته. وفي فصل آخر: أجزل الله لك الثواب وأحسن لك العزاء، رزئت ورزئنا وأوحشك فراقه وأوحشنا، فسره الله في منقلبه، (و) كان من كمال سعادته أن رزقه الله تعالى ولدا مثلك يخلفه من بعده، ويقوم مقامه بأمره، ويترحم عليه، وأقول الحمد لله، فإن الانفس طيبة بمكانك، وما جعله الله عز وجل فيك وعندك، أعانك الله وقواك وعضدك ووفقك، وكان لك وليا وحافظا وراعيا وكافيا.

H 323 - A group of our scholars narrated to us from Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh from Ahmad Ibn Harun Fami, saying, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari narrated to us from his father Abdullah Ibn Ja’far, saying, A holy letter came out to Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Ibn Saeed Amari, may Allah sanctify his soul, consoling him for his father (a. s). One section of the letter reads: “We belong to Allah and to Him do we return, we submit to His command and are pleased with His destiny. Your father lived fortuitously and died praiseworthy. May Allah have mercy on him and take him to the company of his Imams and his masters (a. s). He was always dedicated to their cause and diligent in what would take him near Allah, the Exalted, and the Imams. May Allah beautify his visage and forgive him his shortcomings.” Another segment of the letter reads: “May Allah increase upon you the reward and may He adorn for you the grief. This tragedy has struck you and us. His separation has left you in fright and us too. May Allah please him in his eternal abode. Of the best of his fortuitousness was that Allah gave him a son like you, to stay behind him and take his place and perform his tasks and seek mercy for him. I say, all praise belongs to Allah, for hearts are pure and pleased at your position and at what Allah has bestowed you. May Allah help you, strengthen you, empower you and grant you success. May He be your Guardian, Protector and Guide, and Allah is sufficient for you.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19630

324- وأخبرني جماعة، عن هارون بن موسى، عن محمد بن همام قال: قال لي عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري: لما مضى أبوعمرو رضي الله تعالى عنه أتتنا الكتب بالخط الذي كنا نكاتب به بإقامة أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه مقامه.

H 324 - A group of our scholars narrated to me from Harun Ibn Musa from Muhammad Ibn Himam, saying: Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari said: When Abu Amr passed away, letters continued to arrive with the same handwriting through which we used to receive on the virtue of Abu Ja’far taking his father’s place.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19631

325- وبهذا الاسناد عن محمد بن همام، قال: حدثني محمد بن حمويه بن عبدالعزيز الرازي في سنة ثمانين ومائتين قال: حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن مهزيار الاهوازي أنه خرج إليه بعد وفـاة أبي عمرو: والابن- وقاه الله- لم يزل ثقتنا في حياة الأب رضي الله عنه وأرضاه ونضر وجهه، يجري عندنا مجراه، ويسد مسده، وعن أمرنا يأمر الابن وبه يعمل، تولاه الله، فانته إلى قوله وعرف معاملتنا ذلك.

H 325 - On the authority of the same chain of narration from Muhammad Ibn Himam, who says: Muhammad Ibn Hamawayh Ibn Abdul Aziz Razi recounted to me in the year two hundred and eighty that Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Mahziyar Ahwazi recounted that a letter came to him after the demise of Abu Amr stating, “And his son, may Allah protect him, has always been our man of trust during the lifetime of his father. He is to us like his father and in his place. He orders to our command and according to our command he acts. May Allah cherish him. Pay heed to his word and let this assertion of ours be known.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19632

326- وأخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه وأبي غالب الزراري وأبي محمد التلعكبري كلهم، عن محمد بن يعقوب، عن إسحاق بن يعقوب قال:سألت محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله أن يوصل لي كتابا قد سئلت فيه عن مسائل أشكلت علي. فوقع التوقيع بخط مولانا صاحب الدار عليه السلام:- وذكرنا الخبر فيما تقدم–وأما محمد بن عثمان العمري فرضي الله تعالى عنه وعن أبيه من قبل فإنه ثقتي وكتابه كتابي.

H 326 - A group narrated to us from Abul Qasim Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Quluwayh and Abu Ghalib Razi and Abu Muhammad Talakbari, all of whom narrate from Muhammad Ibn Yaqub on the authority of Ishaq Ibn Yaqub, who says: I asked Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari to deliver a letter of mine, in which I had asked about some queries that had baffled me. The answer in the handwriting of our Master the Patron of the House came stating, “As for Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, may Allah be pleased with him and his father before him: he has my full trust and his letter is my letter.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19633

327- قال أبوالعباس: وأخبرني هبة الله بن محمد ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه عن شيوخه قالوا: لم تزل الشيعة مقيمة على عدالة عثمان بن سعيد (ومحمد بن عثمان رحمها الله تعالى إلى أن توفي أبوعمرو عثمان ابن سعيد) رحمه الله تعالى وغسله ابنه أبوجعفر محمد بن عثمان، وتولى القيام به، وجعل الامر كله مردودا إليه، والشيعة مجتمعة على عدالته وثقته وأمانته لما تقدم له من النص عليه بالامانة والعدالة، والامر بالرجوع إليه في حياة الحسن عليه السلام وبعد موته في حياة أبيه عثمان بن سعيد، لا يختلف في عدالته، ولا يرتاب بأمانته، والتوقيعات تخرج على يده إلى الشيعة في المهمات طول حياته بالخط الذي كانت تخرج في حياة أبيه عثمان، لا يعرف الشيعة في هذا الامر غيره ولا يرجع إلى أحد سواه.

H 327 - It is narrated from Abul Abbas that: Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn binte Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari narrated to me from his teachers, who said: “The Shia always believed in the uprightness of Uthman Ibn Saeed. His son Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman performed his funeral bath and took the charge and assumed leadership. The Shia were all unanimous on his uprightness, trustworthiness and honesty, due to the explicit narrations pronouncing his honesty and uprightness and commanding the people to refer to him during the lifetime of Hasan (a. s) and after his death during the lifetime of his father, Uthman Ibn Saeed. The Shia did not dispute his uprightness nor did they doubt his honesty. The letters came out through him to the Shia in their important matters during his life. They were in the same handwriting as they were during the lifetime of his father, Uthman. The Shia did not know anyone else, but him in this position. Nor did they turn to anyone else, but him. Many signs and miracles of the Imam, which appeared through him, have been narrated.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19634

وقد نقلت عنه دلائل كثيرة، ومعجزات الامام ظهرت على يده، وأمور أخبرهم بها عنه زادتهم في هذا الامر بصيرة، وهي مشهورة عند الشيعة، وقد قدمنا طرفا منها فلا نطول بإعادتها، فإن في ذلك كفاية للمنصف إن شاء الله تعالى.

He spoke of the events to the Shia that increased their faith in this regard and they are well-known before them. We will bring some of them and will not prolong the discourse through their repetition, because this much is sufficient for the fair-minded investigator.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19635

328- قال ابن نوح: أخبرني أبونصر هبة الله ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري قال: كان لأبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري كتب مصنفة في الفقه مما سمعها من أبي محمد الحسن عليه السلام، ومن الصاحب عليه السلام، ومن أبيه عثمان بن سعيد، عن أبي محمد وعن أبيه علي بن محمد عليهما السلام فيها كتب ترجمتها كتب الأشربة. ذكرت الكبيرة أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر رضي الله عنها أنها وصلت إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه عند الوصية إليه، وكانت في يده. قال أبونصر:وأظنها قالت وصلت بعد ذلك إلى أبي الحسن السمري رضي الله عنه وأرضاه.

H 328 - Ibn Nuh says: Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn binte Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari said: Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari had a number of books. He had written them on the subject of jurisprudence on the basis of his learning from Abu Muhammad Hasan (a. s) and the Patron (a. s) and from his father, Uthman Ibn Saeed, who had procured his knowledge from Abu Muhammad and from Ali Ibn Muhammad (a. s). They included books titled: The Books of Drinks. Kabira, mother of Kulthum, daughter of Abu Ja’far mentioned that the books reached Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh at the time of the final will to him and remained in his possession. Abu Nasr says: I suspect she said that they reached Abul Hasan Saymooria afterwards.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19636

329- قال أبوجعفر بن بابويه روي(عن) محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس سره أنه قال: والله إن صاحب هذا الامر ليحضر الموسم كل سنة يرى الناس ويعرفهم ويرونه ولا يعرفونه.

H 329 - Abu Ja’far Ibn Babawayh says: Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari narrated that by Allah, the Master of this Affair attends the Hajj every year; he sees the people and knows them and they also see him, but don’t recognize him.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19637

330- وأخبرني جماعة، عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال:أخبرنا أبي ومحمد بن الحسن ومحمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، عن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري أنه قال: سألت محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه فقلت له:رأيت صاحب هذا الامر؟ قال: نعم، وآخر عهدي به عند بيت الله الحرام وهو عليه السلام يقول: اللهم أنجز لي ما وعدتني. قال محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه: ورأيته صلوات الله عليه متعلقا بأستار الكعبة في المستجار وهو يقول: اللهم انتقم لي من أعدائك.

H 330 - A number of scholars narrated to me on the authority of Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain that he said: Narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Hasan and Muhammad bin Musa Mutawakkil from Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Himyari that: I asked Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a. s): “Have you seen the Master of this Affair?” “Yes,” he said: “and the last time was at the Sacred House of God as he was saying: O Allah, fulfill for me what You promised.” He said: “I saw him, Divine bliss be for him, clinging to the curtains of the Kaaba at the spout (Mustajaar) as he was saying, O Allah, avenge Your enemies through me.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19638

331- وبهذا الاسناد، عن محمد بن علي، عن أبيه، قال: حدثنا علي بن سليمان الزراري، عن علي بن صدقة القمي رحمه الله قال: خرج إلى محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه ابتداء من غير مسألة ليخبر الذين يسألون عن الاسم: إما السكوت والجنة، وإما الكلام والنار، فإنهم إن وقفوا على الاسم أذاعوه، وإن وقفوا على المكان دلوا عليه.

H 331 - Through the same chain of narration from Muhammad Ibn Ali from his father, who said: Ali Ibn Sulaiman Razi recounted to us on the authority of Ali Ibn Sadaqah Qummi, who said: A letter came to Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari without any inquiry from him and commanded him to inform the people who were inquiring about the name of the Imam to either be silent and attain Paradise or either talk and be condemned to the Fire. For if they discern the name, they will spread it, and if they discover the place, they will lead others to it.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19639

332- قال ابن نوح: أخبرني أبونصر هبة الله بن محمد، قال: حدثني (أبو) علي بن أبي جيد القمي رحمه الله قال:حدثنا أبوالحسن علي بن أحمد الدلال القمي قال:دخلت على أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه يوما لاسلم عليه، فوجدته وبين يديه ساجة ونقاش ينقش عليها ويكتب آيا من القرآن وأسماء الائمة عليهم السلم على حواشيها. فقلت له: يا سيدي ما هذه الساجة؟ فقال لي: هذه لقبري تكون فيه، أو ضع عليها،أو قال: أسند إليها،وقد عرفت منه، وأنا في كل يوم أنزل فيه فأقرأ جزء‌ا من القرآن(فيه) فاصعد، وأظنه قال: فأخذ بيدي وأرانيه، فإذا كان يوم كذا وكذا من شهر كذا وكذا من سنة كذا وكذا صرت إلى الله عز وجل ودفنت فيه وهذه الساجة (معي). فلما خرجت من عنده أثبت ما ذكره ولم أزل مترقبا به ذلك فما تأخر الامر حتى اعتل أبوجعفر، فمات في اليوم الذي ذكره من الشهر الذي قاله من السنة التي ذكرها، ودفن فيه. قال أبونصر هبة الله: وقد سمعت هذا الحديث من غير (أبي) علي وحدثتني به أيضا أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر رضي الله تعالى عنهما.

H 332 - Ibn Nuh narrates from Abu Nasr Hibtullah Ibn Muhammad, who narrates from Abu Ali Ibn Abi Jayyed Qummi, who narrates from Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Ahmad Dallal Qummi, who said: I came to Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a. s) on a certain day to offer him my greetings. He was there and in front of him was a square frame of oak and an inscriber who was inscribing on it and writing verses of Quran and names of the Holy Imams on its sides. I asked him, “What is this tablet for, my master?” He said: “This is for my grave; it will be in it.” He said either, “I will be placed over it” or, “I will be raised over it.” Then he said: “I am done with it, and every day, I descend into it and recite a part of Quran and come back.” Abu Ali Ibn Abi Jayyed Qummi says, I also think he said: Abu Ja’far Ibn Uthman (a. s) took my hand and showed his tomb to me. He told me that on such and such day of such and such month of such and such year, I will go towards Allah, the Exalted, and will be buried here, and this frame of oak will be with me.” When I came out from his place, all his providential sayings came true. I was constantly watching his state. It was not long that he became ill and then died on the very day of the month and the year he had confided in me; and he was buried there. Abu Nasr Hibatullah says: I heard this narration from someone other than Abu Ali and in the same way Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far has also narrated it to me.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19640

333- وأخبرني جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين رضي الله عنه قال:حدثني محمد بن علي بن الاسود القمي أن أبا جعفر العمري قدس سره حفر لنفسه قبرا وسواه بالساج، فسألته عن ذلك فقال: للناس أسباب. و سألته عن ذلك، فقال:قد أمرت أن أجمع أمري. فمات بعد ذلك بشهرين رضي الله عنه وأرضاه.

H 333 - Another group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain (a. s) narrated to me on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Aswad Qummi that Abu Ja’far Amari dug a tomb for himself and leveled it with a tablet. I inquired about it. He mentioned some reasons to the people. Then I asked him about it. He said: “I have been ordered to gather my affairs.” He died two months after that. May Allah be pleased with him and may He please him.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19641

334- وقال أبو نصر هبة الله: وجدت بخط أبي غالب الزراري رحمه الله وغفر له أن أبا جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله مات في آخر جمادي الأولى سنة خمس وثلاثمائة. وذكر أبونصر هبة الله (بن) محمد بن أحمد أن أبا جعفر العمري رحمه الله مات في سنة أربع وثلاثمائة، وأنه كان يتولى هذا الأمر نحوا من خمسين سنة يحمل الناس إليه أموالهم، ويخرج إليهم التوقيعات بالخط الذي كان كان يخرج في حياة الحسن عليه السلام إليهم بالمهمات في أمر الدين والدنيا وفيما يسألونه من المسائل بالاجوبة العجيبة رضي الله عنه وأرضاه. قال أبونصرهبة الله: إن قبر أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان عند والدته في شارع باب الكوفة في الموضع الذي كانت دوره ومنازله (فيه) وهو الآن في وسط الصحراء قدس سره.

H 334 - It is narrated from Abu Nasr Hibatullah that: I found in the handwriting of Abu Ghalib Zurari that Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari died at the end of Jamadiul Awwal of the year three hundred and five. Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad has mentioned that Abu Ja’far Amari died in the year three hundred and four and that he undertook this duty for about fifty years. People would carry their religious dues to him and letters to them would come with the same handwriting that they came during the lifetime of Hasan (a. s) addressing their important and vital issues of religious as well as worldly life and responding their queries with astonishing answers. May Allah please him and He be pleased with him. Abu Nasr Ibn Hibatullah says: Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman’s grave is near that of his mother in the street of gate of Kufa in the place where his houses and quarters were; which is now in the middle of the desert. May Allah sanctify his soul.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19642

335- أخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم القمي قال:أخبرني أبو العباس أحمد بن علي بن نوح قال: أخبرني أبوعلي أحمد بن جعفر بن سفيان البزوفري رحمه الله قال: حدثني أبوعبد الله جعفر بن محمد المدائني المعروف بابن قزدا في مقابر قريش قال: كان من رسمي إذا حملت المال الذي في يدي إلى الشيخ أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس سره أن أقول له: ما لم يكن أحد يستقبله بمثله: هذا المال ومبلغه كذا وكذا للإمام عليه السلام، فيقول لي:نعم دعه فأراجعه، فأقول له:تقول لي: إنه للامام؟ فيقول: نعم للإمام عليه السلام فيقبضه. فصرت إليه آخر عهدي به قدس سره ومعي أربعمائة دينار، فقلت له على رسمي، فقال لي: امض بها إلى الحسين بن روح، فتوقفت فقلت: تقبضها أنت مني على الرسم؟ فرد علي كالمنكر لقولي وقال: قم عافاك الله فادفعها إلى الحسين بن روح. فلمـا رأيت في وجـهه غضبا خرجت وركبت دابتي فلما بلغت بعض الطريق رجعت كالشاك فدققت الباب فخرج إلي الخادم فقال من هذا فقلت أنا فلان فاستأذن لي فراجعني وهو منكر لقولي ورجوعي فقلت له ادخل فاستأذن لي فإنه لا بد من لقائه فدخل فعرفه خبر رجوعي وكان قد دخل إلى دار النساء فخرج وجلس على سرير ورجلاه في الأرض وفيهما نعلان يصف حسنهما وحسن رجليه.فقال لي ما الذي جرأك على الرجوع ولم لم تمتثل ما قلته لك فقلت لم أجسر على ما رسمته لي فقال لي وهو مغضب قم عافاك الله فقد أقمت أبا القاسم حسين بن روح مقامي ونصبته منصبي فقلت بأمر الإمام فقال قم عافاك الله كما أقول لك فلم يكن عندي غير المبادرة. فصرت إلى أبي القاسم بن روح وهو في دار ضيقة فعرفته ما جرى فسر به وشكر الله عز وجل ودفعت إليه الدنانير وما زلت أحمل إليه ما يحصل في يدي بعد ذلك من الدنانير.

H 335 - Narrated to me Husain Ibn Ibrahim Qummi that: Narrated to me Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Ali bin Nuh that: Narrated to me Abu Ali Ahmad bin Ja’far bin Sufyan Bazufari that: Narrated to me Abu Abdullah Ja’far bin Muhammad Madayani, known as Ibn Qazda in the cemetery of Quraish that: “It was my practice that when I carried religious dues that were in my hands to Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari I would say to him something no one else said its like, This money, the amount of which is such and such, belongs to the Imam (a. s). He would say, “Yes, leave it.” I would return and say, “Tell me it belongs to the Imam.” And he would say, “Yes, it belongs to the Imam (a. s),” and then he would take it. The last time I saw him, I went to him with four hundred dinars. I talked to him as my custom was. He said, “Take it to Husain Ibn Rauh.” I paused and said: “You will take it from me like every time.” He turned me down like a stranger to my words and said: “Go, may Allah keep you well, and give them to Husain Ibn Rauh.” As I saw anger on his face, I moved and climbed on my mount. I had gone some distance that I had doubts, so I returned and knocked on the door. The servant came and asked, “Who are you?” I told him my name. He went inside and sought permission for my entry and came back, turning me down. I said, “Go and ask permission for me. I must see him.” He went inside and told him about my return. He had gone to the women’s quarters. He came out and sat over a bunk, while his feet were on the ground. He was wearing Arabian slippers, whose beauty was due to good looks of his feet. He asked, “What prompted you to return? And why didn’t you do what I told you to?” I said: “I did not dare do what you asked me to.” He called on me as he was angry, “Go, may Allah keep you well, for I have raised Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh to my position and have assigned him my chair.” I asked, “By the order of the Imam?” He said: “Go, may Allah keep you well. It is as I told you.” I did not have any option, but to leave. I went to Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh. He was in a narrow house. I related to him what had happened. He was pleased and thanked Allah, the Exalted. I gave him the dinars. I kept submitting all my religious dues to him after that.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19643

336- قال وسمعت أبا الحسن علي بن بلال بن معاوية المهلبي يقول في حياة جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه سمعت أبا القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه القمي يقول:سمعت جعفر بن أحمد بن متيل القمي يقول: كان محمد بن عثمان أبو جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه له من يتصرف له ببغداد نحو من عشرة أنفس، وأبو القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه فيهم،وكلهم كانوا أخص به من أبي القاسم بن روح حتى أنه كان إذا احتاج إلى حاجة أو إلى سبب ينجزه على يد غيره لما لم يكن له تلك الخصوصية فلما كان وقت مضي أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه وقع الاختيار عليه وكانت الوصية إليه.

H 336 - The narrator says: I heard from Abul Hasan Ali bin Bilal bin Muawiyah Mahlabi that he said about the life of Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Quluwayh that he heard from Abul Qasim Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Quluwayh that he said on the authority of Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Matil Qummi that Muhammad Ibn Uthman Abu Ja’far Amari had about ten people in Baghdad who were his deputies. Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh was one of them. All of them were closer to him than Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh so much so that when he needed something or had a task, he would have it fulfilled through someone else, because Ibn Ruh did not have that kind of proximity to him. When Abu Ja’far was to pass away, the choice was his and he had the authority to make his final will.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19644

337- قال: وقال مشايخنا: كنا لا نشك أنه إن كانت كائنة من أمر أبي جعفر لا يقوم مقامه إلا جعفر بن أحمد بن متيل أو أبوه لما رأينا من الخصوصية به وكثرة كينونته في منزله حتى بلغ أنه كان في آخر عمره لا يأكل طعاما إلا ما أصلح في منزل جعفر بن أحمد بن متيل وأبيه بسبب وقع له وكان طعامه الذي يأكله في منزل جعفر وأبيه. وكان أصحابنا لا يشكون إن كانت حادثة لم تكن الوصية إلا إليه من الخصوصية به فلما كان عند ذلك ووقع الاختيار على أبي القاسم سلموا ولم ينكروا وكانوا معه وبين يديه كما كانوا مع أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه ولم يزل جعفر بن أحمد بن متيل في جملة أبي القاسم رضي الله عنه وبين يديه كتصرفه بين يدي أبي جعفر العمري إلى أن مات رضي الله عنه فكل من طعن على أبي القاسم فقد طعن على أبي جعفر وطعن على الحجة صلوات الله عليه.

H 337 - Our teachers (Shaykhs) have reported saying: We did not have any doubt that if something should happen to Abu Ja’far, no one will take his place, but Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Matil or his father, for he was Abu Ja’far’s confidant and was at his house mostly. It was known that towards the end of his life, Abu Ja’far did not eat any food that was not prepared at the house of Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Matil and his father, due to an incident that had occurred. His food was at the house of Ja’far and his father. Our scholars did not doubt that if something happened, the position will be handed to him. When he passed away and Abul Qasim was selected, they submitted to him and did not reject him. They were all with him and at his service just as they were with Abu Ja’far. Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Matil continued to serve Abul Qasim as his deputy until his death as he served Abu Ja’far Amari. Anyone who criticizes Abul Qasim in fact criticizes Abu Ja’far and finally criticizes the Divine Proof (Hujjah).

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19645

338- وأخبرنا جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن بابويه قال: حدثنا أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود رحمه الله قال: كنت أحمل الأموال التي تحصل في باب الوقف إلى أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله فيقبضها مني، فحملت إليه يوما شيئا من الأموال في آخر أيامه قبل موته بسنتين أو ثلاث سنين، فأمرني بتسليمه إلى أبي القاسم الروحي رضي الله عنه، فكنت أطالبه بالقبوض فشكا ذلك إلى أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه فأمرني أن لا أطالبه بالقبوض وقال: كل ما وصل إلى أبي القاسم فقد وصل إلي. فكنت أحمل بعد ذلك الأموال إليه ولا أطالبه بالقبوض.

H 338 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Babawayh, saying Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Aswad said: I used to carry religious dues procured as endowments to Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, which he would take from me. One day, I took some money to him. It was during his last days, two or three years prior to his demise. He ordered me to give them to Abul Qasim Ruh (a. s). I always asked Abul Qasim for receipts, so he complained to Abu Ja’far about it, and he ordered me, “Don’t insist on receipts and everything that reaches Abul Qasim is as if it reaches me.” After that, I took the dues to him and would not ask for receipts.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19646

339- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن علي بن الحسين قال: أخبرنا علي بن محمد بن متيل عن عمه جعفر بن أحمد بن متيل قال: لما حضرت أبا جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه الوفاة كنت جالسا عند رأسه أسأله وأحدثه وأبو القاسم بن روح عند رجليه. فالتفت إلي ثم قال: أمرت أن أوصي إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح.قال: فقمت من عند رأسه وأخذت بيد أبي القاسم وأجلسته في مكاني وتحولت إلى عند رجليه.

H 339 - It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain from Ali bin Muhammad bin Matil from his uncle, Ja’far Ibn Ahmad Ibn Matil that he said: When death approached Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, I was sitting near his head and asking him questions and talking to him. Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh was near his feet. He turned to me and said: “I have been ordered to confide my final will to Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh.” I rose from his head side and took Abul Qasim’s hand and made him sit him in my place and I sat at his feet.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19647

340- وقال ابن نوح: وحدثني أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن بابويه القمي قدم علينا البصرة في شهر ربيع الأول سنة ثمان وسبعين وثلاثمائة قال: سمعت علوية الصفار والحسين بن أحمد بن إدريس رضي الله عنهما يذكران هذا الحديث وذكرا أنهما حضرا بغداد في ذلك الوقت وشاهدا ذلك.

H 340 - Ibn Nuh said: Abu Abdullah Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Babawayh met us in Basra in Rabiul Awwal of the year three hundred and seventy eight. He said: I heard the Alawi lady of Saffar and Husain Ibn Ahmad Ibn Idris mentioning the following narrative that they were present in Baghdad during that year and witnessed this matter [mentioned in the above report].

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19648

341- وأخبرنا جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى قال: أخبرني أبو علي محمد بن همام رضي الله عنه وأرضاه أن أبا جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس الله روحه جمعنا قبل موته وكنا وجوه الشيعة وشيوخها فقال لنا: إن حدث علي حدث الموت فالأمر إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح النوبختي، فقدت أمرت أن أجعله في موضعي بعدي فارجعوا إليه وعولوا في أموركم عليه.

H 341 - Also a group narrated to us on the authority of Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa that: Narrated to me Abu Ali Muhammad Ibn Himam that Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, may Allah sanctify his soul, called us before his demise. We were the elite of the Shia and senior members of community. He said, “If the incident of death befalls me, the command is with Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh Naubakhti. I have been ordered to place him in my position after me. Refer to him and rely on him in your affairs,”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19649

342- وأخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم عن ابن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد قال: حدثني خالي أبو إبراهيم جعفر بن أحمد النوبختي قال: قال لي أبي أحمد بن إبراهيم وعمي أبو جعفر عبد الله بن إبراهيم وجماعة من أهلنا- يعني بني نوبخت- أن أبا جعفر العمري لما اشتدت حاله اجتمع جماعة من وجوه الشيعة منهم أبو علي بن همام وأبو عبد الله بن محمد الكاتب وأبو عبد الله الباقطاني وأبو سهل إسماعيل بن علي النوبختي وأبو عبد الله بن الوجناء وغيرهم من الوجوه والأكابر فدخلوا على أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه فقالوا له: إن حدث أمر فمن يكون مكـانك؟ فقـال لهتم: هـذا أبـو القـاسم الحسـين بن روح بـن أبي بـحر النوبختي، القائم مقامي والسفير بينكم وبين صاحب الأمر عليه السلام والوكيل له والثقة الأمين، فارجعوا إليه في أموركم وعولوا عليه في مهماتكم،فبذلك أمرت وقد بلغت.

H 342 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Ibn Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad that: Narrated to me my uncle, Abu Ja’far Abdullah Ibn Ibrahim and others that when the condition of Abu Ja’far Amari worsened, he gathered some personages of the Shia. There was Abu Ali Ibn Himam, Abu Abdullah Ibn Muhammad Katib, Abu Abdullah Baqitani, Abu Sahl Ismail Ibn Ali Naubakhti, Abu Abdullah Ibn Wajna and other senior individuals of the denomination. They came to Abu Ja’far and said: “If something happens, who will take your place?” He said, ‘This, Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh Ibn Abi Ja’far Naubakhti will take my place and will be the emissary between you and the Master of the Affair. He will be his representative and he is a reliable and honest man. Refer to him in your affairs and trust him in your vital matters. I have been ordered to that and I conveyed the message.”

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19650

343- وبهذا الإسناد عن هبة الله بن محمد ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري قال: حدثتني أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر رضي الله عنه قالت: كان أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه وكيلا لأبي جعفر رضي الله عنه سنين كثيرة ينظر له في أملاكه ويلقي بأسراره الرؤساء من الشيعة وكان خصيصا به حتى أنه كان يحدثه بما يجري بينه وبين جواريه لقربه منه وأنسه. قالت: وكان يدفع إليه في كل شهر ثلاثين دينارا رزقا له غير ما يصل إليه من الوزراء والرؤساء من الشيعة مثل آل الفرات وغيرهم لجاهه ولموضعه وجلالة محله عندهم،فحصل في أنفس الشيعة محصلا جليلا لمعرفتهم باختصاص أبي إياه وتوثيقه عندهم ونشر فضله ودينه وما كان يحتمله من هذا الأمر. فمهدت له الحال في طول حياة أبي إلى أن انتهت الوصية إليه بالنص عليه فلم يختلف في أمره ولم يشك فيه أحد إلا جاهل بأمر أبي أولا مع ما لست أعلم أن أحدا من الشيعة شك فيه. وقد سمعت هذا من غير واحد من بني نوبخت رحمهم الله مثل أبي الحسن بن كبرياء وغيره.

H 343 - Through the same chain of narration from Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn binte Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari on the authority of Umme Kulthum, daughter of Abu Ja’far: Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh was the representative of Abu Ja’far for good many years. He was watching over his properties and would deliver his secret messages to chiefs of the Shia, like Aale Furat. He was his intimate deputy, so much so that Abu Ja’far would discuss with him things that happened between him and his concubines, thanks to his proximity to him and his affinity with him. She said: He would give him every month thirty dinars as stipend. This was in addition to what he received from the ministers and chiefs of Shia, such as Aale Furat and others, due to his prestige, position and respectability before them. The Shia had a very majestic impression about him due to his intimacy with my father and the latter’s statements endorsing his trustworthiness, excellence, piety and all other qualities that he bore from this creed. So, the affairs were facilitated for him during the lifetime of my father until the final will explicitly pronounced him for that position. No one disputed his authority and no one doubted it. Except someone who must have been ignorant about my father first. Besides, I do not know anyone from the Shia who has questioned his position. Hibatullah says: I heard this from many members from the Naubakht, such as Abu Husain Ibn Kibriya and others.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19651

344- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي العباس بن نوح قال: وجدت بخط محمد بن نفيس فيما كتبه بالأهواز أول كتاب ورد من أبي القاسم رضي الله عنه نعرفه عرفه الله الخير كله ورضوانه وأسعده بالتوفيق وقفنا على كتابه وثقتنا بما هو عليه وأنه عندنا بالمنزلة والمحل اللذين يسرانه زاد الله في إحسانه إليه إنه ولي قدير والحمد لله لا شريك له وصلى الله على رسوله محمد وآله وسلم تسليما كثيرا. وردت هذه الرقعة يوم الأحد لست ليال خلون من شوال سنة خمس وثلاثمائة.

H 344 - A number of scholars narrated to me on the authority of Abul Abbas Ibn Nuh, saying: I discovered the first letter that came from Abul Qasim with the handwriting of Muhammad Ibn Nafis, amongst the things he wrote in Ahwaz: “We know him, may Allah let him know all that is good, and His pleasure, and may He render him fortuitous by success. We came across his letter. He is our man of trust on the position he is. He is before us in the position and rank that please him. May Allah increase His favors upon him; He is the All-Mighty Guardian. And praise belongs to Allah; there is no partner for Him. And may Allah bless His Messenger Muhammad and his House and greet them with many greetings.” This letter arrived on Sunday, when six nights were left from Shawwal of the year three hundred and five.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19652

345- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود القمي قال: وجدت بخط أحمد بن إبراهيم النوبختي وإملاء أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه على ظهر كتاب فيه جوابـات ومسـائل أنفذت من قـم يسأل عنها هل هي جوابات الفقيه عليه السلام أو جوابات محمد بن علي الشلمغاني لأنه حكي عنه أنه قال: هذه المسائل أنا أجبت عنها. فكتب إليهم على ظهر كتابهم: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. قد وقفنا على هذه الرقعة وما تضمنته فجميعه جوابنا عن المسائل ولا مدخل للمخذول الضال المضل المعروف بالعزاقري لعنه الله في حرف منه، وقد كانت أشياء خرجت إليكم على يدي أحمد بن بلال وغيره من نظرائه وكان من ارتدادهم عن الإسلام مثل ما كان من هذا، عليهم لعنة الله وغضبه، فاستثبت قديما في ذلك. فخرج الجواب: ألا من استثبت فإنه لا ضرر في خروج ما خرج على أيديهم وأن ذلك صحيح وروي قديما عن بعض العلماء عليهم السلام والصلاة والرحمة أنه سئل عن مثل هذا بعينه في بعض من غضب الله عليه، وقال عليه السلام: العلم علمنا ولا شي‏ء عليكم من كفر فقد كفر فما صح لكم مما خرج على يده برواية غيره له من الثقات رحمهم الله، فاحمدوا الله واقبلوه، وما شككتم فيه أو لم يخرج إليكم في ذلك إلا على يده فردوه إلينا لنصححه أو نبطله،والله تقدست أسماؤه وجل ثناؤه ولي توفيقكم وحسبنا في أمورنا كلها ونعم الوكيل.

H 345 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Dawood Qummi that he said: “I found the following in the manuscript of Ahmad bin Ibrahim Naubakhti, dictated by Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh. It was mentioned behind the book that contained replies to questions sent from Qom and it was asked if the replies were written by the Faqih (Imam Qaim) or Muhammad bin Ali Shalmaghani? The reason of this query is that people say: Shalmaghani says: I have written replies to these questions, so it was mentioned behind it: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. We were informed about this letter and its matter and all these are our replies. Not a single letter belongs to the condemned, deviated and the deviating one. Before this, some points reached you through Ahmad bin Hilal and other people like him, but all of them also apostasied like Shalmaghani and may Allah send chastisement on them. The inquirer wrote at the end: I have had this verified before also. Thus, in its reply it was mentioned that the epistle that was verified to you if you have received the same from those people, there is no harm in it; and it is correct.” And regarding some scholars of Ahle Bayt (a. s), it is an old practice that they were asked in the same manner about someone who was condemned by Allah. So they replied that knowledge is with us and whoever denies it may continue to do so. How does it affect you? If you receive some traditional report through him, which has been verified by your authorities, you must thank Allah and accept it and that in which you doubt or that traditional report, which has reached you through a trustworthy authority, you must refer to us about it. We will inform you whether it is right or wrong. And there are many names of the Almighty Allah. His praise and glorification is majestic and He is sufficient for us in all matters and He is the best of the helpers.

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation - Hadith 19653

وقال ابن نوح: أول من حدثنا بهذا التوقيع أبو الحسين محمد بن علي بن تمام،وذكر أنه كتبه من ظهر الدرج الذي عند أبي الحسن بن داود. فلما قدم أبو الحسن بن داود وقرأته عليه ذكر أن هذا الدرج بعينه كتب به أهل قم إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم وفيه مسائل فأجابهم على ظهره بخط أحمد بن إبراهيم النوبختي وحصل الدرج عند أبي الحسن بن داود.

Ibn Nuh has said that first of all Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ali bin Tamam has narrated that he quoted this epistle from the manuscript that was in the possession of Abul Hasan bin Dawood and when he came, I read out that copy to him and he also said that the same copy was sent by the people of Qom to Husain bin Rauh and its reply arrived written on its back by Ahmad bin Ibrahim Naubakhti and this copy was obtained from Abul Husain bin Dawood.

Questions of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari - Hadith 19654

نسخة الدرج؛ مسائل محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري: بسم الرحمن الرحيم. أطال الله بقاءك وأدام عزك وتأييدك وسعادتك وسلامتك، وأتم نعمته عليك وزاد في إحسانه إليك وجميل مواهبه لديك وفضله عندك، وجعلني من السوء فداك وقدمني قبلك. الناس يتنافسون في الدرجات فمن قبلتموه كان مقبولا ومن دفعتموه كان وضيعا، والخامل من وضعتموه، ونعوذ بالله من ذلك، وببلدنا أيدك الله جماعة من الوجوه يتساوون ويتنافسون في المنزلة، وورد أيدك الله كتابك إلى جماعة منهم في أمر أمرتهم به من معاونة "ص". وأخرج علي بن محمد بن الحسين بن مالك المعروف بأدوكة وهو ختن"ص" رحمهم الله من بينهم فاغتم بذلك وسألني أيدك الله أن أعلمك ما ناله من ذلك فإن كان من ذنب استغفر الله منه وإن يكن غير ذلك عرفته ما يسكن نفسه إليه إن شاء الله. التوقيع: لم نكاتب إلا من كاتبنا. وقد عودتني أدام الله عزك من تفضلك ما أنت أهل أن تجريني على العادة وقبلك أعزك الله فقهاء أنا محتاج إلى أشياء تسأل لي عنها، فروي لنا عن العالم عليه السلام أنه سئل عن إمام قوم صلى بهم بعض صلاتهم وحدثت عليه حادثة كيف يعمل من خلفه؟ فقال: يؤخر ويقدم بعضهم ويتم صلاتهم ويغتسل من مسه. التوقيع: ليس على من نحاه إلا غسل اليد وإذا لم تحدث حادثة تقطع الصلاة تمم صلاته مع القوم. وروي عن العالم عليه السلام: إن مس ميتا بحرارته غسل يديه ومن مسه وقد برد فعليه الغسل،وهذا الإمام في هذه الحالة لا يكون مسه إلا بحرارته والعمل من ذلك على ما هو ولعله ينحيه بثيابه ولا يمسه. فكيف يجب عليه الغسل؟ التوقيع: إذا مسه على هذه الحالة لم يكن عليه إلا غسل يده. وعن صلاة جعفر إذا سها في التسبيح في قيام أو قعود أو ركوع أو سجود وذكره في حالة أخرى قد صار فيها من هذه الصلاة، هل يعيد ما فاته من ذلك التسبيح في الحالة التي ذكرها أم يتجاوز في صلاته؟ التوقيع: إذا سها في حالة من ذلك ثم ذكر في حالة أخرى قضى ما فاته في الحالة التي ذكره. وعن المرأة يموت زوجها، هل يجوز أن تخرج في جنازته أم لا؟ التوقيع: تخرج في جنازته. وهل يجوز لها وهي في عدتها أن تزور قبر زوجها أم لا؟ التوقيع: تزور قبر زوجها ولا تبيت عن بيتها. وهل يجوز لها أن تخرج في قضاء حق يلزمها أم لا، تبرح من بيتها وهي في عدتها؟ التوقيع: إذا كان حق خرجت وقضته،وإذا كانت لها حاجة لم يكن لها من ينظر فيها خرجت لها حتى تقضي ولا تبيت عن منزلها. وروي في ثواب القرآن في الفرائض وغيرها أن العالم عليه السلام قال: عجبا لمن لم يقرأ في صلاته (إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ) كيف تقبل صلاته؟! وروي: ما زكت صلاة لم يقرأ فيها بـ (قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ). وروي أن من قرأ في فرائضه (الهمزة) أعطي من الدنيا. فهل يجوز أن يقرأ الهمزة ويدع هذه السور التي ذكرناها مع ما قد روي أنه لا تقبل صلاة ولا تزكو إلا بهما؟ التوقيع: الثواب في السور على ما قد روي، وإذا ترك سورة مما فيها الثواب وقرأ (قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَدٌ) و(إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ) لفضلهما أعطي ثواب ما قرأ وثواب السورة التي ترك. ويجوز أن يقرأ غير هاتين السورتين وتكون صلاته تامة،ولكن يكون قد ترك الفضل. وعن وداع شهر رمضان، متى يكون؟ فقد اختلف فيه أصحابنا؛فبعضهم يقول يقرأ في آخر ليلة منه وبعضهم يقول هو في آخر يوم منه إذا رأى هلال شوال. التوقيع: العمل في شهر رمضان في لياليه،والوداع يقع في آخر ليلة منه. فإن خاف أن ينقص جعله في ليلتين. وعن قول الله عز وجل: (إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ) أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم المعني به. (ذِي قُوَّةٍ عِنْدَ ذِي الْعَرْشِ مَكِينٍ) ما هذه القوة؟ (مُطاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ) ما هذه الطاعة؟ وأين هي؟فرأيك-أدام الله عزك-بالتفضل علي بمسألة من تثق به من الفقهاء عن هذه المسائل وإجابتي عنها منعما مع ما تشرحه لي من أمر محمد بن الحسين بن مالك المقدم ذكره بما يسكن إليه ويعتد بنعمه الله عنده وتفضل علي بدعاء جامع لي ولإخواني للدنيا والآخرة فعلت مثابا إن شاء الله تعالى. التوقيع: جمـع الله لك ولإخـوانك خيـر الدنيـا والآخـرة. أطـال الله بقـاءك وأدام عزك وتأييدك وكرامتك وسعادتك وسلامتك، وأتم نعمته عليك وزاد في إحسانه إليك وجميل مواهبه لديك وفضله عندك،وجعلني من كل سوء ومكروه فداك وقدمني قبلك. الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى على محمد وآله أجمعين.

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. May the Almighty Allah grant you honor and help you and may He continue to send His blessings and increase blessings on you. May He send you the best care and if some harm is going to reach you, may it come to us. People want to compete with each other in seeking proximity and honor, but whoever you accept is acceptable and whoever you reject will be degraded. We seek Allah’s refuge from this. May Allah bless you. May the Almighty Allah support you. Our city also has a group of generous and responsible citizens, who compete with each other for divine proximity. And may the Almighty Allah support him. Some people received his letter in which he ordered that they should help Saad and Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Husain Ibn Malik, who is known as Baduka and the Khatan [son-in-law] of Saad; his name was not among those whom he has indicated. Therefore, he is aggrieved due to this and has requested me to mention his displeasure to you. If his name is absent because of some sin of his, he should seek forgiveness of the same and if it is due to some other reason, he should mention it and seek means of solace. Epistle: We correspond only with our regular correspondents. [continuation of the letter] May Almighty Allah bless you, you have made me habituated to your kindness, thus you and jurisprudents before you are more eligible that the Almighty Allah should increase your honor. I have some questions. Please ask him on my behalf. It is narrated to us from Imam Kadhim (a. s) that he was asked: An Imam of the congregation was leading the prayers and during the prayers something happened to him and he died. So what should the people do? Epistle: He will be moved to the rear and a person from the followers will step forward and complete the prayer and the one who has touched the deceased Imam will perform the bath (Ghusl) of touching the dead. Those who moved him to the rear should only wash their hands and if no invalidator has occurred, the same Imam will complete the prayers with the people. Question: Also it is narrated from Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) that one who touches a corpse when it has yet to cool down, he should wash his hands and if he has touched it after it has cooled, the bath (Ghusl) of touching the dead (Mayyit) becomes obligatory on him and this Imam of congregation will definitely have some warmth remaining and thus he will be touched in that condition only, so only washing of the hands will be required. And most probably he will be lifted along with his clothes so how can bath (Ghusl) of touching the dead become obligatory on him? Epistle: When the dead is touched while warmth remains in it, one just has to wash the hands and that is all. Question: If a person reciting Prayer of Ja’far Tayyar forgets the recitation in standing, sitting, bowing or prostrating; and recalls it later; should he recite it at that point? Or leave it and go ahead? Epistle: When he has forgotten in some of these conditions and he recalled it in the same prayer, he should do it when he remembers. Question: A husband of a woman has died; can she participate in his last rites? Epistle: Yes, she can. Question: Can she visit the grave of the husband during Iddah (waiting period)? Epistle: Yes, but she must spend the nights at her home. Question: Can she go out of her house to fulfill an obligatory duty or she must stay the period of Iddah at home? Epistle: She may fulfill any duty incumbent on her. On the contrary, even if she has a need she can leave the house; but she must spend the nights at her home. Question: It is narrated from Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) regarding the rewards of reciting the Quran during obligatory prayers that he said: I am surprised at one who does not recite Surah Qadr in his prayer. How can his prayer be accepted and it is mentioned in another report that the prayer of one who does not recite Surah Ikhlas in it cannot be purified. It is mentioned in another report that one who recites Surah Humazah will be rewarded equal to the world. Now the question is: Is it allowed to recite Surah Humazah and leave the other chapters, whereas it is mentioned in traditional reports that his prayer will not be accepted or his prayer will not be purified? Epistle: The reward mentioned in traditional reports for recitation of Surahs is correct, but if one leaves them and recites Surah Ikhlas and Surah Qadr, about which report has come down, he will get the reward of the Surah he has recited and also he will get the reward of the Surah he has left. It is also allowed to leave other Surahs, although his prayer will be correct; only that he should have left it for a preferable deed. Question: When is the farewell to the month of Ramadhan? There is difference of opinion among our associates. Some say that the supplication of the farewell to the month of Ramadhan should be recited on its last night. Some say it should be recited after sighting the moon of Shawwal. Epistle: The Aamaal of Ramadhan are performed in its nights, therefore the supplication of farewell to the month of Ramadhan will be on its last night, although if one fears that there would be deficiency, one should recite on last two nights. Question: “Most surely it is the Word of an honored messenger…” (81:19) It implies the Messenger of Allah (s). “The processor of strength, having an honorable place with the Lord of the Dominion. One (to be) obeyed, and faithful in trust.” (81:20-21) And what the power is and what that being is and where it is? May Allah, the Mighty and Sublime exalt your honor, please ask these questions to a trustworthy jurisprudent and inform me and also write in detail about Muhammad bin Husain bin Malik so that he may be satisfied and pray for the well being of the world and the hereafter from me and the brothers. Epistle: May the Almighty Allah gather the good of the world and the hereafter for you and your brothers. May Allah maintain your honor, help you and be kind to you and may He complete His favor on you and if some harm is to reach you, may it come to me instead. And praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may Allah bless Muhammad and his progeny, all of them.

Questions of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari - Hadith 19655

346- من كتاب آخر: فرأيك أدام الله عزك في تأمل رقعتي والتفضل بما يسهل لأضيفه إلى سائر أياديك علي واحتجت أدام الله عزك أن تسأل لي بعض الفقهاء عن المصلي إذا قام من التشهد الأول للركعة الثالثة هل يجب عليه أن يكبر؟فإن بعض أصحابنا قال: لا يجب عليه التكبير ويجزيه أن يقول: بحول الله وقوته أقوم وأقعد. الجواب: قال: إن فيه حديثين، أما أحدهما فإنه إذا انتقل من حالة إلى حالة أخرى فعليه تكبير، وأما الآخر فإنه روي أنه إذا رفع رأسه من السجدة الثانية فكبر ثم جلس ثم قام فليس عليه للقيام بعد القعود تكبير، وكذلك التشهد الأول يجري هذا المجرى،وبأيهما أخذت من جهة التسليم كان صوابا. وعن الفص الخماهن هل تجوز فيه الصلاة إذا كان في إصبعه؟ الجواب: فيه كراهة أن يصلي فيه، وفيه إطلاق. والعمل على الكراهية. وعن رجل اشترى هدياً لرجل غائب عنه وسأله أن ينحر عنه هديا بمنى، فلما أراد نحر الهدي نسي اسم الرجل ونحر الهدي،ثم ذكره بعد ذلك. أيجزي عن الرجل أم لا؟ الجواب: لا بأس بذلك،وقد أجزأ عن صاحبه. وعندنا حاكة مجوس يأكلون الميتة ولا يغتسلون من الجنابة وينسجون لنا ثيابا، فهل تجوز الصلاة فيها من قبل أن تغسل؟ الجواب: لا بأس بالصلاة فيها. وعن المصلي يكون في صلاة الليل في ظلمة فإذا سجد يغلط بالسجادة ويضع جبهته على مسح أو نطع، فإذا رفع رأسه وجد السجادة، هل يعتد بهذه السجدة أم لا يعتد بها؟ الجواب: ما لم يستو جالسا فلا شي‏ء عليه في رفع رأسه لطلب الخمرة. وعن المحرم يرفع الظلال؛ هل يرفع خشب العمارية أو الكنيسة ويرفع الجناحين أم لا؟ الجواب: لا شي‏ء عليه في تركه وجميع الخشب. وعن المحرم يستظل من المطر بنطع أو غيره جذرا على ثيابه وما في محمله أن يبتل، فهل يجوز ذلك؟ الجواب: إذا فعل ذلك في المحمل في طريقه فعليه دم. والرجل يحج عن أجرة، هل يحتاج أن يذكر الذي حج عنه عند عقد إحرامه أم لا؟ وهل يجب أن يذبح عمن حج عنه وعن نفسه أم يجزيه هدي واحد؟ الجواب: يذكره،وإن لم يفعل فلا بأس. وهل يجوز للرجل أن يحرم في كساء خز أم لا؟ الجواب: لا بأس بذلك،وقد فعله قوم صالحون. وهل يجوز للرجل أن يصلي وفي رجليه بطيط لا يغطي الكعبين أم لا يجوز؟ الجواب: جائز. ويصلي الرجل ومعه في كمه أو سراويله سكين أو مفتاح حديد، هل يجوز ذلك؟ الجواب: جائز. وعن الرجل يكون مع بعض هؤلاء ومتصلا بهم يحج ويأخذ على الجادة ولا يحرمون هؤلاء من المسلخ، فهل يجوز لهذا الرجل أن يؤخر إحرامه إلى ذات عرق فيحرم معهم لما يخاف الشهرة أم لا يجوز أن يحرم إلا من المسلخ؟ الجواب: يحرم من ميقاته ثم يلبس الثياب ويلبي في نفسه،فإذا بلغ إلى ميقاتهم أظهر. وعن لبس النعل المعطون،فإن بعض أصحابنا يذكر أن لبسه كريه. الجواب: جائز ذلك ولا بأس به. وعن الرجل من وكلاء الوقف يكون مستحلا لما في يده لا يرع عن أخذ ماله،ربما نزلت في قرية وهو فيها أو أدخل منزله وقد حضر طعامه فيدعوني إليه فإن لم آكل من طعامه عاداني عليه وقال: فلان لا يستحل أن يأكل من طعامنا، فهل يجوز لي أن آكل من طعامه وأتصدق بصدقة؟ وكم مقدار الصدقة؟ وأن أهدى هذا الوكيل هدية إلى رجل آخر فأحضر فيدعوني أن أنال منها وأنا أعلم أن الوكيل لا يرع عن أخذ ما في يده،فهل علي فيه شي‏ء إن أنا نلت منها؟ الجواب: إن كان لهذا الرجل مال أو معاش غير ما في يده فكل طعامه واقبل بره،وإلا فلا. وعن الرجل ممن يقول بالحق ويرى المتعة ويقول بالرجعة إلا أن له أهلا موافقة له في جميع أمره وقد عاهدها أن لا يتزوج عليها ولا يتمتع ولا يتسرى وقد فعل هذا منذ بضع عشرة سنة ووفى بقوله، فربما غاب عن منزله الأشهر فلا يتمتع ولا تتحرك نفسه أيضا لذلك ويرى أن وقوف من معه من أخ وولد وغلام ووكيل وحاشية مما يقلله في أعينهم ويحب المقام على ما هو عليه محبة لأهله وميلا إليها وصيانة لها ولنفسه، لا يحرم المتعة بل يدين الله بها، فهل عليه في تركه ذلك مأثم أم لا؟ الجواب في ذلك: يستحب له أن يطيع الله تعالى بالمتعة ليزول عنه الحلف على المعرفة ولو مرة واحدة. فإن رأيت أدام الله عزك أن تسأل لي عن ذلك وتشرحه لي وتجيب في كل مسألة بما العمل به وتقلدني المنة في ذلك جعلك الله السبب في كل خير وأجراه على يدك فعلت مثابا إن شاء الله. أطال الله بقاءك وأدام عزك وتأييدك وسعادتك وسلامتك وكرامتك وأتم نعمته عليك وزاد في إحسانه إليك وجعلني من السوء فداك وقدمني عنك وقبلك. الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على محمد النبي وآله وسلم كثيرا.

H 346 - In another book, a letter is mentioned containing the following questions, which were written to a special envoy of Imam Mahdi (a. s): Question: May the Almighty Allah continue your respect and honor; ask the Faqih (Imam Qaim) following questions and inform me: When a worshipper gets up after reciting the first Tashahud to recite the third Rakat, is it obligatory for him to recite the Takbir? Because some of our scholars say that it is not obligatory, on the contrary he is allowed to say Bihawlillaahi Quwwatihi aqoomo wa aqud. Reply: There are two traditions in this connection: the first is that when the worshipper lifts his head from Sajdah he recites the Takbir, then he sits and then he stands up; thus he does not need to recite the Takbir for standing up after sitting. The same is with the case of the first Tashahud. One can choose any of the options. Question: Also please inquire if one can pray wearing a ring of Hadid? Reply: It is detestable (Makruh). Question: A person bought a sacrificial animal on behalf of a person who was not present as the latter had told him to sacrifice in Mina on his behalf; but when he wanted to slaughter the animal, he forgot the name of that person and he remembered it only after the sacrifice; is it a proper procedure for the person who delegated the ritual? Reply: There is no problem; the sacrifice was complete. Question: There are some Majusi weavers among us who eat carrion and don’t perform bath (Ghusl) of Janabat; can we pray in the clothes weaved by them without purifying them? Reply: There is no problem in it. Question: A person is reciting Midnight Prayers in dark; when he goes into Sajdah, his forehead falls on something other than the place of prostration; that is the floor etc. Now when he raises his head, he finds the Turbah; does he have to count that Sajdah? Reply: Till he does not sit upright, he can raise his head to search for the Turbah. Question: A person who is wearing Ihram removes the covering of the canopy, but leaves the frame. Is it allowed? Reply: There is no problem if he leaves the frame. One of the things a person in Ihram has to avoid is shade. Thus, if he rides a camel with a canopy or a bus with roof, he has to pay the Penalty (Kaffarah) of sacrificing a sheep, but if the covering of the canopy or the bus is removed, leaving the frame and walls, there is no problem in it. Question: If a person wearing Ihram shades himself with a sack or with something else to protect himself or his seat from getting soaked in rain, is it allowed for him to do so? Reply: If he does this on the way with canopy, the Kaffarah is obligatory on him. The penalty of a goat is due to the fact that the person has shaded himself from rain and to shade oneself is an omission for a person in Ihram. Question: Is it necessary for a person doing Hajj as proxy, to mention the name of the one whose Hajj he is doing at the time of Ihram? Is it obligatory that he must make separate sacrifice for himself as well as whose Hajj he is performing? Reply: It is not necessary to recite it in detail and one sacrifice is sufficient on behalf of the one whose Hajj he is performing. Question: Is it permitted for man to tie up the Ihram with a sheet of fur? Reply: There is no problem; righteous and decent people have dressed (been Muhrim) in it. Question: Is it permitted for man to keep with himself an iron knife or an iron key while praying? Reply: It is allowed. Question: A man goes for Hajj with a group of Sunnis and they do not put on the Ihram at Maslakh. Whether this man is allowed to delay his Ihram till Zaat-e-Arq so that he becomes Muhrim with them at that place? Reply: It is necessary to become Muhrim from the Miqaat and say the Thalbiya softly and when he reaches the Miqaat with them, he should make it obvious. Question: How is wearing leather slippers, because people say that it is Makruh to wear them? Reply: It is permissible and there is no problem. Question: A man is a treasurer in endowments and he is careless. He considers as permissible for himself the endowments, which are under his control, and he does not abstain from them. Often when I enter his office and he is present or I enter his house and he is present, he invites me to eat and if I don’t eat at his place, he would become inimical to me and say: such and such has not considered my food lawful. Now please tell me if it is allowed for me to eat with him and then later pay Sadaqah for it. And how much Sadaqah should I pay? Or whether it is allowed for me to accept a gift from him? Reply: If this man is having other property in addition to the endowments he holds and has other occupations as well, you may eat with him and accept his gifts. If it is not so, you must neither eat at his place nor accept any gift from him. Question: A man is a Shia and considers Mutah and temporary marriage permissible and also believes in the Rajat (return) and all his family members are united. This man has made a vow that he would neither take a second wife nor do Mutah. And he has spent 19 years with this vow. Now if he breaks his vow, does he become liable for a penalty or sin? Reply: It is Mustahab (recommended) for him to do Mutah at least once for obedience of Allah, so that the sin of the vow is removed from him. [This letter is followed by the discourse of Husain bin Rauh as follows:] Thus if you consider it proper, may Almighty Allah strengthen your honor, ask these questions from Imam (a. s) and leave their explanation for me and write to me the command in each issue and leave your favor on me. May the Almighty Allah deem you as the channel of all good and may He issue it through you. If you do this, you would have performed a preferred and a rewardable act. May Almighty Allah give you a long life, may He preserve your respect and good fortune and complete His bounties on you and may He increase His favors on you. May He deem me your ransom in every calamity and may He fix my death before you. All praise is from the Lord of the worlds and exceeding benedictions be on His Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (s) and his family.

Questions of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari - Hadith 19656

قال ابن نوح: نسخت هذه النسخة من المدرجين القديمين الذين فيهما الخط والتوقيعات.

Ibn Nuh said: I have prepared this copy from two ancient scrolls, which contained letters and epistles.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19657

وكان أبو القاسم رحمه الله من أعقل الناس عند المخالف والموافق ويستعمل التقية.

In the view of Sunni and Shia scholars, Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh was the most intelligent personage of his time, although he acted on dissimulation (Taqayyah).

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19658

347- فروى أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد قال:حدثني أبو عبد الله بن غالب حمو أبي الحسن بن أبي الطيب قال: ما رأيت من هو أعقل من الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح ولعهدي به يوما في دار ابن يسار وكان له محل عند السيد والمقتدر عظيم وكانت العامة أيضا تعظمه وكان أبو القاسم يحضر تقية وخوفا. وعهدي به وقد تناظر اثنان فزعم واحد أن أبا بكر أفضل الناس بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ثم عمر ثم علي وقال الآخر بل علي أفضل من عمر،فزاد الكلام بينهما.فقال أبو القاسم رضي الله عنه الذي اجتمعت الصحابة عليه هو تقديم الصديق ثم بعده الفاروق ثم بعده عثمان ذو النورين ثم علي الوصي. وأصحاب الحديث على ذلك وهو الصحيح عندنـا. فبقي من حضر المجلس متعجبا من هذا القول وكان العامة الحضور يرفعونه على رءوسهم وكثر الدعاء له والطعن على من يرميه بالرفض. فوقع علي الضحك فلم أزل أتصبر وأمنع نفسي وأدس كمي في فمي فخشيت أن أفتضح، فوثبت عن المجلس ونظر إلي ففطن بي، فلما حصلت في منزلي فإذا بالباب يطرق،فخرجت مبادرا فإذا بأبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه راكبا بغلته قد وافاني من المجلس قبل مضيه إلى داره. فقال لي: يا أبا عبد الله، أيدك الله، لم ضحكت فأردت أن تهتف بي كأن الذي قلته عندك ليس بحق. فقلت: كذاك هو عندي. فقال لي: اتق الله أيها الشيخ، فإني لا أجعلك في حل،تستعظم هذا القول مني.فقلت: يا سيدي، رجل يرى بأنه صاحب الإمام ووكيله يقول ذلك القول لا يتعجب منه ولا يضحك من قوله هذا؟!فقال لي: وحياتك لئن عدت لأهجرنك. وودعني وانصرف.

H 347 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad says: Both Abu Abdullah Ibn Ghalib and Abul Hasan Ibn Abi Tayyib said: I did not see anyone wiser than Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. I saw him one day in the house of Ibn Yasar. He had a great position before the Sayyid and the caliph. The Ahle Sunnat people also revered him. Abul Qasim attended that place due to dissimulation (Taqayyah) and fear. I remember him. Two men were arguing; one was claiming that Abu Bakr was the best of the people after the Messenger of Allah (a. s) and then Umar and then Ali; while the other contended that Ali was better than Umar. Their debate took long. So Abul Qasim said: “What the companions are unanimous upon is that the Siddiq comes first, then after him the Faruq, and then after him Uthman, owner of the two lights, and then Ali, the Successor. Narrators of traditions uphold this. This is the correct belief before us. Everyone there was perplexed by these words. Members of Ahle Sunnat group were raising him over their heads from gaiety and were praying for him and cursing those who were “accusing him to be a Rafidi.” Laughter was all the while overwhelming me. I tried to withhold it and control myself from laughing by putting my sleeve into my mouth, but then I feared that they will discern who I am, so I left. The Shaykh looked at me and noticed that. When I arrived at my house, there was a knock on the door. I came out and saw Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh on his mule. He had come to me on his way home. He said: “Abdullah, may Allah do you favors, why were you laughing and almost cheering me; as if what I said was not true before you.” I said: “It is true before me.” He said: “Fear God, Shaykh. I will not forgive you if you consider this word of mine great.” I said: “My master, someone who is a companion of the Imam and his representative, if he says a word as such, is it not awkward and laughable?” He said: “By your life, if you say this again, I will desert you.” He bid me farewell and left.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19659

348- قال أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد: حدثني أبو الحسن بن كبرياء النوبختي قال: بلغ الشيخ أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه أن بوابا كان له على الباب الأول قد لعن معاوية وشتمه، فأمر بطرده وصرفه عن خدمته، فبقي مدة طويله يسأل في أمره فلا والله ما رده إلى خدمته،وأخذه بعض الأهل فشغله معه كل ذلك للتقية.

H 348 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said: Abul Hasan Ibn Kibriya Naubakhti narrated to us that: Shaykh Abul Qasim discovered that his doorman had cursed Muawiyah. He ordered that he should be removed from his post. For a long time, the doorman was asking him to reinstate him, but by Allah, he did not. Someone from the houses took him and gave him employment. All of this was due to dissimulation (Taqayyah).

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19660

349- قال أبو نصر هبة الله: وحدثني أبو أحمد درانويه الأبرص الذي كانت داره في درب القراطيس قال:قال لي: إني كنت أنا وإخوتي ندخل إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه نعامله (قال) وكانوا باعة ونحن مثلا عشرة تسعة نلعنه وواحد يشكك، فنخرج من عنده بعد ما دخلنا إليه تسعة نتقرب إلى الله بمحبته وواحد واقف لأنه كان يجارينا من فضل الصحابة ما رويناه وما لم نروه،فنكتبه لحسنه عنه رضي الله عنه.

H 349 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah said: Abu Ahmad Ibn Daranawayh Abras, whose house was at the gate of stationers said: I and my brothers used to visit Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and transact with him. He was very polite and had great manners. When we visited him, we would be nine or ten people, nine of us against him and perhaps one of us unsure about him. When we would leave him, nine of us would be seeking proximity to God through his love, while one of us may be unsure about him. That was because he would discuss the qualities of the companions according to our narrations and narrations we did not have, which we would write down, because he was a very nice person.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19661

350- وأخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم عن أبي العباس أحمد بن علي بن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد الكاتب ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه أن قبر أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح في النوبختية في الدرب الذي كانت فيه دار علي بن أحمد النوبختي النافذ إلى التل وإلى الدرب الآخر وإلى قنطرة الشوك رضي الله عنه.

H 350 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Abul Abbas Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh on the authority of Nasr Ibn Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Katib Ibn binte Umme Kulthum, daughter of Abu Ja’far Amari that the tomb of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh was in Naubakhti area near which is a gate where the house of Ali Ibn Ahmad Naubakhti stood, which led to another gate and towards the bridge of Shawk. May Allah be pleased with him.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19662

قال: وقال لي أبو نصر: مات أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه في شعبان سنة ست وعشرين وثلاثمائة.وقد رويت عنه أخبارا كثيرة:

Abu Nasr said to me that Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh died in Shaban of the year three hundred and twenty six. I have narrated an inordinate number of traditions from him.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19663

351- منها ما أخبرني به الحسين بن عبيد الله عن أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن سفيان البزوفري رحمه الله قال: حدثني الشيخ أبو القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه قال: اختلف أصحابنا في التفويض وغيره، فمضيت إلى أبي طاهر بن بلال في أيام استقامته فعرفته الخلاف، فقال: أخرني. فأخرته أياما فعدت إليه فأخرج إلي حديثا بإسناده إلى أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا أراد الله أمراً عرضه على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ثم أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وسائر الأئمة واحدا بعد واحد إلى أن ينتهي إلى صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، ثم يخرج إلى الدنيا. وإذ أراد الملائكة أن يرفعوا إلى الله عز وجل عملا عرض على صاحب الزمان عليه السلام ثم يخرج على واحد بعد واحد إلى أن يعرض على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم،ثم يعرض على الله عز وجل. فما نزل من الله فعلى أيديهم وما عرج إلى الله فعلى أيديهم،وما استغنوا عن الله عز وجل طرفة عين.

H 351 - Narrated to me Husain bin Ubaidullah from Abu Abdullah Husain bin Ali bin Sufyan Bazufari that he said: Narrated to me Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh that: Our scholars had differences especially with regard to the matter of predestination etc. Before Abu Tahir Bilal became deviated, I went to him once and conveyed to him information about the differences. He said: Give me sometime. I gave him sometimes and after that I visited him again. He showed me a tradition from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that the Imam had said: Whenever Allah, the Mighty and the High decides a matter, it is transferred to the Messenger of Allah (s) and after him it is transferred to Amirul Momineen (a. s) and after him to every Imam one after another till it reaches upto the Master of the age (a. s) and after that it is revealed to the world. And when angels want to take an issue to the presence of Almighty Allah; first they entrust it to the Master of the Age (a. s) and then it is presented to each in succession till it reaches the Messenger of Allah (s) who presents it to Almighty Allah. On the basis of this all that is issued from Almighty Allah is issued through the Holy Imams (a. s) and all the deeds that go upto Almighty Allah go up through the Holy Imams (a. s) and the Messenger of Allah (s) and his Ahle Bayt (a. s) are not at all even for the blink of an eye needless of Allah, the Mighty and the High. [On the contrary, they are mediums of divine grace for the people by the permission of Allah].

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19664

352- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي عبد الله محمد بن أحمد الصفواني قال: حدثني الشيخ الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه أن يحيى بن خالد سم موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام في إحدى وعشرين رطبة وبها مات، وأن النبي والأئمة عليهم السلام ما ماتوا إلا بالسيف أو السم. وقد ذكر عن الرضا عليه السلام أنه سم، وكذلك ولده وولد ولده.

H 352 - Narrated to me a group of scholars from Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ahmad Sufwani that he said: Narrated to me Shaykh Husain bin Rauh: Yahya bin Khalid administered twenty poisoned dates to Musa Ibn Ja’far (a. s) and this led to the martyrdom of the Imam. The Messenger of Allah (s) and the Holy Imams (a. s) did not pass away from the world, except through martyrdom by sword or poison; and it is narrated from Imam Ridha (a. s) that he was poisoned; as well as his son and his grandson.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19665

353- وسأله بعض المتكلمين، وهو المعروف بترك الهروي،فقال له: كم بنات رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم؟ فقال: أربع. قال: فأيهن أفضل؟ فقال: فاطمة. فقال: ولم صارت أفضل وكانت أصغرهن سنا وأقلهن صحبة لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم؟ قال: لخصلتين خصها الله بهما تطولا عليها وتشريفا وإكراما لها؛ إحداهما أنها ورثت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ولم يرث غيرها من ولده، والأخرى أن الله تعالى أبقى نسل رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم منها ولم يبقه من غيرها. ولم يخصصها بذلك إلا لفضل إخلاص عرفه من نيتها. قال الهروي: فما رأيت أحدا تكلم وأجاب في هذا الباب بأحسن ولا أوجز من جوابه.

H 353 - A theologian famous as Turk Harawi [Budail bin Ahmad] asked Husain bin Rauh: How many daughters did the Messenger of Allah (s) have? Husain bin Rauh said: Four. The inquirer asked: Which of them is most superior? He replied: Fatima (s). He asked: How is she the most superior, whereas she was the youngest and she lived for the least time with the Holy Prophet (s)? Husain bin Rauh said: Because of two qualities, which Almighty Allah bestowed to her, because of His grace on her and in order to make her status clear to all: One is that Fatima is the sole inheritor of the Messenger of Allah (s) and no son of the Prophet shared this, (as all expired during lifetime of Prophet). Secondly Allah, the Mighty and the High placed the progeny of the Messenger of Allah (s) only in her being and the survival of the generations of the Prophet was through her and not through anyone else. And Almighty Allah gave these two excellence to her exclusively due to her precedence in sincerity and because He knew about her pure intention and conscience. Harawi says: I have not seen anyone giving a better or more brief and more useful reply to this question.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19666

354- وأخبرني أبو محمد المحمدي رضي الله عنه عن أبي الحسين محمد بن الفضل بن تمام رحمه الله قال:سمعت أبا جعفر بن محمد بن أحمد بن الزكوزكي رحمه الله وقد ذكرنا كتاب التكليف وكان عندنا أنه لا يكون إلا مع غال وذلك أنه أول ما كتبنا الحديث فسمعناه يقول: وأيش كان لابن أبي العزاقر في كتاب التكليف؟! إنما كان يصلح الباب ويدخله إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه فيعرضه عليه ويحككه،فإذا صح الباب خرج فنقله وأمرنا بنسخة.يعني أن الذي أمرهم به الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه. قال أبو جعفر: فكتبته في الإدراج بخطي ببغداد. قال ابن تمام: فقلت له: تفضل يا سيدي فادفعه إلي حتى أكتبه من خطك. فقال لي: قد خرج عن يدي.فقال ابن تمام: فخرجت وأخذت من غيره فكتبت بعد ما سمعت هذه الحكاية.

354- Abu Muhammad Muhammadi narrated to me from Abu Husain Muhammad Ibn Fadhl Ibn Thammam, saying, I heard Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Zakkuzaki say the following as he mentioned to us Kitab Taklif, which we believed that only people who exaggerated about the position of the Imams carried. We heard him in the beginning, when we started writing a tradition that: “Everything that Ibn Abi Azaqir has in Kitab Taklif, would go to the emissary of the Imam, Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh who would show it to him and then narrate it. When it was authenticated, the emissary of the Imam, Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh ordered us to make copies of it. Abu Ja’far says: I wrote it into tablets with my hands. Ibn Thammam says, I said: My master, pass it to me, so I may copy it from your handwriting. He said: I have lost it. Ibn Tammam says: Then I found its copy somewhere else and wrote it down after I had heard this story.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19667

355- وقال أبو الحسين بن تمام: حدثني عبد الله الكوفي خادم الشيخ الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه قال: سئل الشيخ-يعني أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه-عن كتب ابن أبي العزاقر بعد ما ذم وخرجت فيه اللعنة،فقيل له: فكيف نعمل بكتبه وبيوتنا منها ملاء؟فقال: أقول فيها ما قاله أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلاموقد سئل عن كتب بني فضال فقالوا: كيف نعمل بكتبهم وبيوتنا منها ملاء؟ فقال عليه السلام: خذوا بما رووا وذروا ما رأوا.

H 355 - Abu Husain Ibn Thammam says: Abdullah Kufi, the servant of Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh said: The Shaykh was asked about the books of Ibn Abi Azaqir after he was denounced and the Imam had cursed him. He was asked, “How are we going to act according to his books? Our houses are full of them.” He said: “I will tell you the same thing, which Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s) said when he was asked about the books of Aale Fadhdhal. They asked, ‘How should we act on their books? Our houses are full of them.’ The Imam said: Take what they have narrated and discard what they have opined.”

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19668

356- وسأل أبو الحسن الأيادي رحمه الله أبا القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه: لم كره المتعة بالبكر؟فقال:قال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: الحياء من الإيمان.والشروط بينك وبينها فإذا حملتها على أن تنعم فقد خرجت عن الحياء وزال الإيمان. فقال له: فإن فعل فهو زان؟ قال: لا.

H 356 - Abul Hasan Ayadi asked Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, “Why is it abominable to have temporary marriage with a virgin?” He said: “The Prophet (s) said: ‘Modesty is part of faith.’ There are conditions between you and her and when you convince her to enjoy, she loses her modesty and faith goes away.” He asked, “If he does it, is he a fornicator?” “No,” replied the Shaykh.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19669

357- وأخبرني الحسين بن عبيد الله عن أبي الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود القمي قال:حدثني سلامة بن محمد قال: أنفذ الشيخ الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه كتاب التأديب إلى قم وكتب إلى جماعة الفقهاء بها وقال لهم: انظروا في هذا الكتاب وانظروا فيه شي‏ء يخالفكم.فكتبوا إليه أنه كله صحيح وما فيه شي‏ء يخالف إلا قوله في الصاع في الفطرة نصف صاع من طعام والطعام عندنا مثل الشعير من كل واحد صاع.

H 357 - Husain Ibn Ubaidullah narrates on the authority of Salama Ibn Muhammad that: Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh sent the book of Kitabul Tadib to Qom and wrote to a group of jurists about it and asked them to examine the book and see whether there was anything disagreeable in it. They wrote to him, “All of it is correct and there is nothing in it to be differed with, except the assertion with respect to the amount of fitra to be half of a saa (a cubic measure) of food and food before us is the like of barley from every one saa.”

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19670

358- قال ابن نوح: وسمعت جماعة من أصحابنا بمصر يذكرون أن أبا سهل النوبختي سئل فقيل له: كيف صار هذا الأمر إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح دونك؟ فقال: هم أعلم وما اختاروه، ولكن أنا رجل ألقي الخصوم وأناظرهم ولو علمت بمكانه كما علم أبو القاسم وضغطتني الحجة على مكانه لعلي كنت أدل على مكانه، وأبو القاسم فلو كانت الحجة تحت ذيله وقرض بالمقاريض ما كشف الذيل عنه أو كما قال.

H 358 - Ibn Nuh says: I heard a group of our scholars at Egypt mention that Abu Sahl Naubakhti was asked how this position reached Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and not him. He said: “They are more knowledgeable about who they have chosen. I am a man who meets the adversaries and have debates with them. If I should know his place, as knew Abul Qasim, and was pressed in my debates for proofs, perhaps I would lead up to his place. As for Abul Qasim, even if the Divine Proof (Hujjah) were to be under his cloak, and he were cut by scissors, he would not remove his cloak.” Or he said something like this.

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19671

359- وذكر محمد بن علي بن أبي العزاقر الشلمغاني في أول كتاب الغيبة الذي صنفه: وأما ما بيني وبين الرجل المذكور زاد الله في توفيقه فلا مدخل لي في ذلك إلا لمن أدخلته فيه لأن الجناية علي فإني وليها.

H 359 - Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Abul Azaqir Shalmaghani mentioned in the beginning of Kitab Ghaibat, which he wrote, “As for the dispute between me and this man, may Allah increase his success, no one can interfere in it, except one whom I involve, because I am the victim and it is my right.”

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19672

360- وقال في فصل آخر: ومن عظمت منته عليه تضاعفت الحجة عليه ولزمه الصدق فيما ساءه وسره وليس ينبغي فيما بيني وبين الله إلا الصدق عن أمره مع عظم جنايته وهذا الرجل منصوب لأمر من الأمور لا يسع العصابة العدول عنه فيه وحكم الإسلام مع ذلك جار عليه كجريه على غيره من المؤمنين وذكره.

H 360 - In another section, he says, “Someone upon whom the favors of God are great, many proofs bind him and he must speak the truth in what hurts and what pleases him. It is not permissible for me, between me and Allah, but to speak the truth about this man. This man is appointed to a duty from which the public are not allowed to turn away. The command of Islam applies to him like it was applied to other believers.”

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued - Hadith 19673

361- وذكر أبو محمد هارون بن موسى قال: قال لي أبو علي بن الجنيد: قال لي أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الشلمغاني: ما دخلنا مع أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه في هذا الأمر إلا ونحن نعلم فيما دخلنا فيه. لقد كنا نتهارش على هذا الأمر كما تتهارش الكلاب على الجيف. قال أبو محمد: فلم تلتفت الشيعة إلى هذا القول وأقامت على لعنه والبراءة منه.

H 361 - Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa says: Abu Ali Junaid said to me, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani said, “I did enter into this contest against Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, but I knew what I was entering into. We were fighting each other for this position like dogs fight each other over a corpse.” Abu Muhammad said: “The Shia did not pay attention to these words and were unanimous in praying for his chastisement and despising him.”

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19674

ذكر أمر أبي الحسن علي بن محمد السمري بعد الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه وانقطاع الأعلام به وهم الأبواب:

After Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain bin Rauh, Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori succeeded to the post of the deputyship of Imam Mahdi (a. s) and with his death ended the special deputyship of Imam (a. s). Only these four were channels of contact with the Imam of the Time (a. s).

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19675

362- أخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن بابويه قال: حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق عن الحسن بن علي بن زكريا بمدينة السلام قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن خليلان قال: حدثني أبي عن جده عتاب من ولد عتاب بن أسيد قال: ولد الخلف المهدي عليه السلام يوم الجمعة، وأمه ريحانة، ويقال لها نرجس، ويقال لها صقيل، ويقال لها سوسن، إلا أنه قيل بسبب الحمل صقيل.

H 362 - A group of scholars narrated to me on the authority of Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Khalilan, who narrates on the authority of his great grandfather, saying: The successor - Mahdi (a. s) was born on Friday. His mother is Raihana and she is called Narjis, Saiqal and Susan. She was called Saiqal (shining), because of the luminous pregnancy.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19676

وكان مولده لثمان خلون من شعبان سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين ووكيله عثمان بن سعيد. فلما مات عثمـان بن سعيد أوصى إلى أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمـان رحـمه الله، وأوصى أبو جـعفر إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه،وأوصى أبو القاسم إلى أبي الحسن علي بن محمد السمري رضي الله عنه.فلما حضرت السمري الوفاة سئل أن يوصي،فقال:لله أمر هو بالغه. فالغيبة التامة هي التي وقعت بعد مضي السمري رضي الله عنه.

He was born eight days before Shaban of the year two hundred and fifty six. His representative was Uthman Ibn Saeed; and when he died, Uthman Ibn Saeed appointed Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman; and Abu Ja’far appointed Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh; and Abul Qasim appointed Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori. And when it was the time of final departure of Saymoori, he was asked to appoint a successor. He said: “To Allah belongs the Order and He is its Sustainer.” The full occultation is the one that began after the demise of Saymoori.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19677

363- وأخبرني محمد بن محمد بن النعمان والحسين بن عبيد الله عن أبي عبد الله محمد بن أحمد الصفواني قال: أوصى الشيخ أبو القاسم رضي الله عنه إلى أبي الحسن علي بن محمد السمري رضي الله عنه فقام بما كان إلى أبي القاسم. فلما حضرته الوفاة حضرت الشيعة عنده وسألته عن الموكل بعده ولمن يقوم مقامه،فلم يظهر شيئا من ذلك وذكر أنه لم يؤمر بأن يوصي إلى أحد بعده في هذا الشأن.

H 363 - Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Noman Husain Ibn Ubaidullah narrated to me from Abu Abdullah Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Safwani, saying, Shaykh Abul Qasim confided his final testimony to Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori and appointed him at his duty. So he undertook Abul Qasim’s task. When his time came, the Shia gathered before him and asked him about the representative after him and that who was going to carry his duties after his demise. He did not express anything in that regard and mentioned that he has not been ordered to appoint anyone after him for this position.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19678

364- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه قال: حدثنا أبو الحسن صالح بن شعيب الطالقاني رحمه الله في ذي القعدة سنة تسع وثلاثين وثلاثمائة قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله أحمد بن إبراهيم بن مخلد قال: حضرت بغداد عند المشايخ رحمهم الله فقال الشيخ أبو الحسن علي بن محمد السمري قدس سره ابتداء منه: رحم الله علي بن الحسين بن بابويه القمي. قال: فكتب المشايخ تاريخ ذلك اليوم فورد الخبر أنه توفي في ذلك اليوم. ومضى أبو الحسن السمري رضي الله عنه بعد ذلك في النصف من شعبان سنة تسع وعشرين وثلاثمائة.

H 364 - A group of scholars narrated to me from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh from Abul Hasan Salih Ibn Shuaib Taliqani (a. s) that he narrated in the Dhul Qada of the year three hundred and thirty nine that: Narrated to us Abu Abdullah Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Mukhallad that: I was present in Baghdad in the companionship of scholars of narration, may Allah bless them. Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori, may Allah sanctify his soul, said without being questioned with this respect, “May Allah have mercy on Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Babawayh Qummi.” The scholars noted the date of that day. Later, the news came that Ibn Babawayh had passed away on that very day. Abul Hasan Saymoori died after that in the mid-Shaban of the year three hundred and twenty nine.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19679

365- وأخبرنا جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن بابويه قال: حدثني أبو محمد الحسن بن أحمد المكتب قال: كنت بمدينة السلام في السنة التي توفي فيها الشيخ أبو الحسن علي بن محمد السمري قدس سره فحضرته قبل وفاته بأيام فأخرج إلى الناس توقيعا نسخته: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. يا علي بن محمد السمري، أعظم الله أجر إخوانك فيك،فإنك ميت ما بينك وبين ستة أيام. فاجمع أمرك ولا توص إلى أحد فيقوم مقامك بعد وفاتك،فقد وقعت الغيبة التامة فلا ظهور إلا بعد إذن الله تعالى ذكره وذلك بعد طول الأمد وقسوة القلوب وامتلاء الأرض جورا. وسيأتي شيعتي من يدعي المشاهدة؛ألا فمن ادعى المشاهدة قبل خروج السفياني والصيحة فهو كذاب مفتر. ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم. قال: فنسخنا هذا التوقيع وخرجنا من عنده، فلما كان اليوم السادس عدنا إليه وهو يجود بنفسه،فقيل له: من وصيك من بعدك؟ فقال: لله أمر هو بالغه، وقضى. فهذا آخر كلام سمع منه رضي الله عنه وأرضاه.

H 365 - It is narrated from a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Babawayh that Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ahmad Mukattib said: I was in Baghdad in the year in which Shaykh Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori passed away. I went to him a few days before his demise. He brought a holy letter to the people that read as follows: “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. O Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori, may Allah enhance the reward of your brothers for you, as you shall die within six days. Tie up your affairs together and do not appoint any successor to carry out your duties after your final transfer. The full occultation has begun and there shall be no appearance, but after permission of Allah, high His name is, and that shall be after a long time, hardening of the hearts and the earth being replete with inequity. Individuals from my Shia will claim to have seen me. Behold, whoever claims seeing me before the rise of Sufyani and the call, is a liar and a slanderer. And there is no power except by Allah, the High, the Great.” We transcribed copies of the holy letter and left him. When it was the sixth day, we returned to him as he was breathing his last. He was asked, “Who is your successor after you?” He said: “To Allah belongs the Order and He is its Sustainer.” He died. These were the last words heard from him. May Allah be pleased with him and may He please him.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19680

366- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن بابويه القمي قال:حدثني جماعة من أهل قم منهم علي بن بابويه قال:حدثني جماعة من أهل قم منهم علي بن أحمد بن عمران الصفار وقريبه علوية الصفار والحسين بن أحمد بن إدريس رحمهم الله قالوا: حضرنا بغداد في السنة التي توفي فيها أبي علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه وكان أبو الحسن علي بن محمد السمري قدس سره يسألنا كل قريب عن خبر علي بن الحسين رحمه الله،فنقول: قد ورد الكتاب باستقلاله. حتى كان اليوم الذي قبض فيه فسألنا عنه فذكرنا له مثل ذلك،فقال لنا: آجركم الله في علي بن الحسين،فقد قبض في هذه الساعة. قالوا: فأثبتنا تاريخ الساعة واليوم والشهر،فلما كان بعد سبعة عشر يوما أو ثمانية عشر يوما ورد الخبر أنه قبض في تلك الساعة التي ذكرها الشيخ أبو الحسن قدس سره.

H 366 - It is narrated from a group of our scholars from Abu Abdullah Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Babawayh from a group of scholars of Qom, amongst them, Ali Ibn Babawayh, narrated: A group of scholars of Qom, amongst them Ali Ibn Ahmad Ibn Imran Saffar and his relative, the lady of Saffar and Husain Ibn Ahmad Ibn Idris, said: We were present in Baghdad during the year in which Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh passed away. Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Saymoori, may Allah sanctify his soul, would often ask us of the news of Ali Ibn Husain (a. s). We would answer him that letters are coming that he is well. This continued until came the day on which Ibn Husain died. He asked us about Ibn Husain and we gave him a similar answer. He said: “May Allah reward you in the event of the demise of Ali Ibn Husain. He just died at this hour.” We recorded the hour, day and the month. After seventeen or eighteen days, news came that he had died in the very hour, which Shaykh Abul Hasan had mentioned him.

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori - Hadith 19681

367- وأخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم عن أبي العباس بن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد الكاتب أن قبر أبي الحسن السمري رضي الله عنه في الشارع المعروف بشارع الخلنجي من ربع باب المحول قريب من شاطئ نهر أبي عتاب. وذكر أنه مات رضي الله عنه في سنة تسع وعشرين وثلاثمائة.

H 367 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Abul Abbas Ibn Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Katib that the grave of Abul Hasan Saymoori is in the street known as Khalanji on the quarter of the gate of Muhawwal, near the banks of the stream of Abu Attab. He mentioned that he died in the year three hundred and twenty nine.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19682

أولهم المعروف بالشريعي:

The first of them is the one known as Shari.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19683

368- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي محمد التلعكبري عن أبي علي محمد بن همام قال كان الشريعي يكنى بأبي محمد قال هارون: وأظن اسمه كان الحسن، وكان من أصحاب أبي الحسن علي بن محمد ثم الحسن بن علي بعده عليهم السلام، وهو أول من ادعى مقاما لم يجعله الله فيه ولم يكن أهلا له، وكذب على الله وعلى حججه عليهمالسلام ونسب إليهم ما لا يليق بهم وما هم منه براء. فلعنته الشيعة وتبرأت منه وخرج توقيع الإمام عليه السلام بلعنه والبراءة منه. قال هارون: ثم ظهر منه القول بالكفر والإلحاد. قال: وكل هؤلاء المدعين إنما يكون كذبهم أولا على الإمام وأنهم وكلاؤه، فيدعون الضعفة بهذا القول إلى موالاتهم، ثم يترقى الأمر بهم إلى قول الحلاجية كما اشتهر من أبي جعفر الشلمغاني ونظرائه عليهم جميعا لعائن الله تترى.

H 368 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Muhammad Talakbari on the authority of Abu Ali Muhammad Ibn Himam, saying, Shari’s patronymic was Abu Muhammad. Harun said: I think his name was Hasan and he was from the companions of Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad and then after him from the companions of Hasan Ibn Ali. He is the first to claim a position that Allah did not assign to him and he was not qualified for it. He blasphemed Allah and his Proofs (Hujjah), peace be on them, and attributed to them what is not worthy of them and they are disdainful thereof. The Shia cursed him and turned away from him in dislike. Harun says: Then words of disbelief and sacrilege were uttered by him. All such claimants, first, attribute lies to the Imam and claim that they are his representatives, calling the weak to believe in them through such pervert claims. Then they graduate up to the claims of self deification, like the words of Hallaj as expressed by Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani and his like. On all of them be the constant curse of Allah.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19684

ومنهم محمد بن نصير النميري:

And among them Muhammad Ibn Nasir Numairi:

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19685

369- قال ابن نوح: أخبرنا أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد قال: كان محمد بن نصير النميري من أصحاب أبي محمد الحسن بن علي عليه السلام فلما توفي أبو محمد ادعى مقام أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان أنه صاحب إمام الزمان وادعى له البابية،وفضحه الله تعالى بما ظهر منه من الإلحاد والجهل ولعن أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان له وتبريه منه واحتجابه عنه وادعى ذلك الأمر بعد الشريعي.

H 369 - Ibn Nuh, Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said: Muhammad Ibn Nasir Numairi was from the companions of Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s). And when Abu Muhammad was transferred to his eternal abode, Muhammad claimed the position of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman, that is, he claimed that he was the deputy of the Imam of the Age. He claimed “Babiyya,” that is, to be a gateway to the Imam. Allah disgraced and humiliated him through blasphemy and ignorance, which he manifested, and through the curse of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman and his dislike and denunciation of him. He claimed this position after Shari.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19686

370- قال أبو طالب الأنباري: لما ظهر محمد بن نصير بما ظهر لعنه أبو جعفر رضي الله عنه وتبرأ منه،فبلغه ذلك فقصد أبا جعفر رضي الله عنه ليعطف بقلبه عليه أو يعتذر إليه فلم يأذن له وحجبه ورده خائبا.

H 370 - Abu Talib Anbari says: When Muhammad Ibn Nasir manifested his heresies and blasphemy, Abu Ja’far took the oath of damnation against him and made his disdain for him known. Ibn Nasir heard that and came to Abu Ja’far to soften his heart and apologize. Abu Ja’far did not give him permission to enter, and barred and turned him away empty-handed.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19687

371- وقال سعد بن عبد الله: كان محمد بن نصير النميري يدعي أنه رسول نبي وأن علي بن محمد عليه السلام أرسله وكان يقول بالتناسخ ويغلو في أبي الحسن عليه السلام ويقول فيه بالربوبية ويقول بالإباحة للمحارم وتحليل نكاح الرجال بعضهم بعضا في أدبارهم ويزعم أن ذلك من التواضع والإخبات والتذلل في المفعول به أنه من الفاعل إحدى الشهوات والطيبات وأن الله عز وجل لا يحرم شيئا من ذلك. وكان محمد بن موسى بن الحسن بن الفرات يقوي أسبابه ويعضده.

H 371 - Sa'ad Ibn Abdullah said: Muhammad Ibn Nusayr an-Numairi claimed that he was a messenger and a prophet, and that Ali Ibn Muhammad (a. s.) had sent him. He believed in reincarnation and exaggerated about the position of Abul Hasan (a. s.) and deified him. He believed in the permissibility of marrying blood relations of prohibited degree (Mahrams) and same sex marriage. He believed that sodomy was an act of humility, meekness and modesty on the part of the receiver and that it was an occasion of pleasure and delight for the active partner, and that Allah does not disallow any of such things. Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Hasan Ibn Furat supported the authenticity of these reports.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19688

372- أخبرني بذلك عن محمد بن نصير أبو زكريا يحيى بن عبد الرحمن بن خاقان أنه رآه عيانا وغلام له على ظهره قال: فلقيته فعاتبته على ذلك فقال إن هذا من اللذات وهو من التواضع لله وترك التجبر.

H 372 - It is narrated on the authority of Muhammad Ibn Nasir Abu Zakariya Yahya Ibn Abdur Rahman Ibn Khaqan, that he clearly saw him with a boy over his back. He said: I met him and rebuked him for that. He said: “It is of the pleasures and humility for Allah and abstinence from arrogance.”

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19689

373- قـال سعد: فلمـا اعتل محمد بن نصير العلة التي توفي فيها قيل له وهو مثقل اللسان: لمن هذا الأمر من بعدك؟ فقال بلسان ضعيف ملجلج: أحمد. فلم يدروا من هو، فافترقوا بعده ثلاث فرق؛ قالت فرقة إنه أحمد ابنه، وفرقة قالت هو أحمد بن محمد بن موسى بن الفرات، وفرقة قالت إنه أحمد بن أبي الحسين بن بشر بن ��زيد، فتفرقوا فلا يرجعون إلى شي‏ء.

H 373 - Saad says: When Muhammad Ibn Nasir was inflicted by the malady in which he died, he was asked, “To whom does this order belong?” He said as his tongue was heavy, weak, and stuttering, “Ahmad.” It was not known who this Ahmad was. His followers divided into three groups after him. One group said that it was his son, Ahmad. Another maintained it was Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Furat. Another group believed that it was Ahmad Ibn Abi Husain Ibn Bushr Ibn Yazid. Their group disintegrated.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19690

ومنهم أحمد بن هلال الكرخي:

And among them Ahmad Ibn Hilal Karkhi:

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19691

قال أبو علي بن همام كان أحمد بن هلال من أصحاب أبي محمد عليه السلام فاجتمعت الشيعة على وكالة محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه بنص الحسن عليه السلام في حياته ولما مضى الحسن عليه السلام قالت الشيعة الجماعة له: ألا تقبل أمر أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان وترجع إليه وقد نص عليه الإمام المفترض الطاعة؟فقال لهم: لم أسمعه ينص عليه بالوكالة،وليس أنكر أباه-يعني عثمان بن سعيد-فأما أن أقطع أن أبا جعفر وكيل صاحب الزمان فلا أجسر عليه. فقالوا: قد سمعه غيرك. فقال: أنتم وما سمعتم. ووقف على أبي جعفر فلعنوه وتبرءوا منه.ثم ظهر التوقيع على يد أبي القاسم بن روح بلعنه والبراءة منه في جملة من لعن.

H 374 - Abu Ali Ibn Himam said: Ahmad Ibn Hilal was from the companions of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s). The Shia were unanimous on the deputization of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Uthman on the account of clear instructions of Hasan (a. s) during his lifetime. And when Hasan (a. s) passed away, the Shia said to Ibn Hilal, “The community is with him. Will you not accept the leadership of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman and refer to him, when the Imam, whose obedience is obligatory, has clearly assigned him as his representative?” He said, “I have not heard the Imam mention him as his representative. I do not deny the deputization of his father [meaning, Uthman Ibn Saeed], though. However, if I were certain that Abu Ja’far were the representative of the Master of the Age, I would not defy him.” They said: “If you have not heard, others have.” He said: “You follow what you have heard.” He did not profess the authority of Abu Ja’far, so the Shia beseeched damnation for him and manifested their disdain for him. Then the holy letter came through Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh with oath of damnation for him and denounced him amongst others who were dammed.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19692

ومنهم أبو طاهر محمد بن علي بن بلال: وقصته معروفة فيما جرى بينه وبين أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري نضر الله وجهه وتمسكه بالأموال التي كانت عنده للإمام وامتناعه من تسليمها وادعائه أنه الوكيل حتى تبرأت الجماعة منه ولعنوه،وخرج فيه من صاحب الزمان عليه السلام ما هو معروف.

And among them Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal: His story and what happened between him and Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, may Allah lighten his visage, is well-known. He seized the goods of the Imam, which were in his hands and refused to deliver them, and claimed that he was the representative. The community turned away from him and invoked damnation for him and the famous letter came from the Master of the Age (a. s).

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19693

375- وحكى أبو غالب الزراري قال: حدثني أبو الحسن محمد بن محمد بن يحيى المعاذي قال: كان رجل من أصحابنا قد انضوى إلى أبي طاهر بن بلال بعد ما وقعت الفرقة ثم إنه رجع عن ذلك وصار في جملتنا فسألناه عن السبب قال: كنت عند أبي طاهر بن بلال يوما وعنده أخوه أبو الطيب وابن حرز وجماعة من أصحابه إذ دخل الغلام فقال: أبو جعفر العمري على الباب. ففزعت الجماعة لذلك وأنكرته للحال التي كانت جرت وقال: يدخل. فدخل أبو جعفر رضي الله عنه فقام له أبو طاهر والجماعة وجلس في صدر المجلس وجلس أبو طاهر كالجالس بين يديه فأمهلهم إلى أن سكتوا. ثم قال: يا أبا طاهر نشدتك الله- أو نشدتك بالله-ألم يأمرك صاحب الزمان عليه السلام بحمل ما عندك من المال إلي؟ فقال: اللهم نعم. فنهض أبو جعفر رضي الله عنه منصرفا ووقعت على القوم سكتة فلما تجلت عنهم قال له أخوه أبو الطيب: من أين رأيت صاحب الزمان؟ فقال أبو طاهر: أدخلني أبو جعفر رضي الله عنه إلى بعض دوره فأشرف علي من علو داره فأمرني بحمل ما عندي من المال إليه. فقال له أبو الطيب: ومن أين علمت أنه صاحب الزمان؟ قال: قد وقع علي من الهيبة له ودخلني من الرعب منه ما علمت أنه صاحب الزمان عليه السلام، فكان هذا سبب انقطاعي عنه.

H 375 - Abu Ghalib Zurari says: Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Yahya Maadhi said: One of our men followed Abu Tahir Ibn Bilal after the dispute had occurred. Then he turned away from him and returned to our group. I asked him about the reason. He said: One day, I was with Abu Tahir. His brother Abul Tayyib and Ibn Khizr and a group of his followers were present when a servant entered and said: “Abu Ja’far Amari is on the door.” The party was terrified. I asked him what was happening? He said to the slave, “He comes in.” Abu Ja’far came in and the party and Abu Tahir stood for him. He sat at the presidency of the session and Abu Tahir sat humbly before him. Abu Ja’far remained silent until his awe silenced them. Then he said: “Abu Tahir, I call on you by the oath of Allah, did not the Master of the Age (a. s) order you to deliver to me the goods, which are in your hands?” He said: “By Allah, yes.” Abu Ja’far rose and left. A mortal silence had seized the party. When they regained their bearings, his brother Abul Tayyib said: “From where did you see the Master of the Age?” He replied, “Abu Ja’far took me to one of his houses. He appeared to me from the heights of his house and ordered me to deliver the goods, which I am holding, to Abu Ja’far.” Abul Tayyib asked: “How did you know he was the Master of the Age?” “His awe and imposing charisma overwhelmed me and I was overtaken by apprehension from him,” he said: “I did not know he was the Master of the Age (a. s).” This was the reason of my disassociation from them.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19694

ومنهم الحسين بن منصور الحلاج:

And among them Husain Ibn Mansur Hallaj:

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19695

376- أخبرنا الحسين بن إبراهيم عن أبي العباس أحمد بن علي بن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد الكاتب ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري قال: لما أراد الله تعالى أن يكشف أمر الحلاج ويظهر فضيحته ويخزيه وقع له أن أبا سهل إسماعيل بن علي النوبختي رضي الله عنه ممن تجوز عليه مخرقته وتتم عليه حيلته فوجه إليه يستدعيه وظن أن أبا سهل كغيره من الضعفاء في هذا الأمر بفرط جهله، وقدر أن يستجره إليه فيتمخرق به ويتسوف بانقياده على غيره فيستتب له ما قصد إليه من الحيلة والبهرجة على الضعفة لقدر أبي سهل في أنفس الناس ومحله من العلم والأدب أيضا عندهم ويقول له في مراسلته إياه: إني وكيل صاحب الزمان عليه السلام. وبهذا أولا كان يستجر الجهال ثم يعلو منه إلى غيره،وقد أمرت بمراسلتك وإظهار ما تريده من النصرة لك لتقوي نفسك ولا ترتاب بهذا الأمر. فأرسل إليه أبو سهل رضي الله عنه يقول له: إني أسألك أمرا يسيرا يخف مثله عليك في جنب ما ظهر على يديك من الدلائل والبراهين، وهو أني رجل أحب الجواري وأصبو إليهن ولي منهن عدة أتحظاهن والشيب يبعدني عنهن ويبغضني إليهن وأحتاج أن أخضبه في كل جمعة وأتحمل منه مشقة شديدة لأستر عنهن ذلك وإلا انكشف أمري عندهن فصار القرب بعدا والوصـال هجـرا، وأريـد أن تغنـيني عن الخضـاب وتكفيـني مؤنته وتجعل لحيتي سوداء فإني طوع يديك وصائر إليك وقائل بقولك وداع إلى مذهبك مع ما لي في ذلك من البصيرة ولك من المعونة. فلما سمع ذلك الحلاج من قوله وجوابه علم أنه قد أخطأ في مراسلته وجهل في الخروج إليه بمذهبه وأمسك عنه ولم يرد إليه جوابا ولم يرسل إليه رسولا،وصيره أبو سهل رضي الله عنه أحدوثة وضحكة ويطنز به عند كل أحد وشهر أمره عند الصغير والكبير وكان هذا الفعل سببا لكشف أمره وتنفير الجماعة عنه.

H 376 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to us from Abul Abbas Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh, from Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Katib Ibn binte Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari, saying, When Allah desired to unveil the affair of Hallaj and manifest his humiliation and to disgrace him, he thought that Abu Sahl Ibn Ismail Ibn Ali Naubakhti (a. s) was a person that could be deceived by his hoax and taken by his fraud. So he sent after him. Due to his sheer ignorance, he assumed that Abu Sahl is like the other weaklings in the matter of faith and reckoned that he could be drawn and tricked through his lunacies, and that by commanding Abu Sahl’s loyalty, he will be able to draw yet more followers on the virtue of Abu Sahl’s position in the view of people and his respectability in knowledge and literature. Hallaj sent a message to him, “I am the representative of the Master of the Age (a. s).” Through such a message he would first draw the ignorant people and then proceed to other claims. He stated, “I have been ordered to correspond with you and avail you with the help you desire, so your soul may find strength and you may not have doubts in the creed.” Abu Sahl wrote back, “I will ask you a rather minor thing in comparison to the signs and proofs that have been manifested on your hands. I am a man who is fond of women and love to have playful talks with them. I have a number of concubines, but I cannot copulate with all of them. Age and grey hair has created a distance between me and them. I need to dye my hair and beard every Friday, which is a severely laborious work, in order to conceal it from them, lest my condition will be revealed to them and my proximity from them will change to distance and my union into separation. I want you to remove this need of mine of dyeing and suffice me its labor and make my beard black. I will obey you and come to you and believe in you. I will be a preacher of your faith, considering my ingenuity in this matter and your help in that regard.” When Hallaj got this message, he realized that his call to him had been a blunder. He did not reply and did not send him any messenger. On the other hand, Abu Sahl made Hallaj the subject of his talks and jests. He would make jokes of him before everyone. He spread this incident to every young and old, and this led to the revelation of Hallaj’s blasphemous enterprise and the disassociation of the community from him.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19696

377- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه أن ابن الحلاج صار إلى قم وكاتب قرابة أبي الحسن يستدعيه ويستدعي أبا الحسن أيضا ويقول: أنا رسول الإمام ووكيله. قال: فلما وقعت المكاتبة في يد أبي رضي الله عنه خرقها وقال لموصلها إليه: ما أفرغك للجهالات! فقال له الرجل-وأظن أنه قال إنه ابن عمته أو ابن عمه- :فإن الرجل قد استدعانا فلم خرقت مكاتبته. وضحكوا منه وهزءوا به،ثم نهض إلى دكانه ومعه جماعة من أصحابه وغلمانه. قال: فلما دخل إلى الدار التي كان فيها دكانه نهض له من كان هناك جالسا غير رجل رآه جالسا في الموضع فلم ينهض له ولم يعرفه أبي، فلما جلس وأخرج حسابه ودواته كما يكون التجار أقبل على بعض من كان حاضرا فسأله عنه، فأخبره،فسمعه الرجل يسأل عنه فأقبل عليه وقال له: تسأل عني وأنا حاضر؟فقال له أبي: أكبرتك أيها الرجل وأعظمت قدرك أن أسألك. فقال له: تخرق رقعتي وأنا أشاهدك تخرقها. فقال له أبي: فأنت الرجل إذا. ثم قال: يا غلام برجله وبقفاه. فخرج من الدار العدو لله ولرسوله. ثم قال له: أتدعي المعجزات عليك لعنة الله. أو كما قال،فأخرج بقفاه فما رأيناه بعدها بقم.

H 377 - A number of scholars narrated to me from Abu Abdullah Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh that Ibn Hallaj went to Qom and wrote to the relatives of Abul Hasan, the father of Shaykh Saduq, calling them and Abul Hasan, saying, “I am the messenger of the Imam and his representative.” The narrator says: When the letters reached my father, he tore them and said to the messenger, “How free are you for such misguidance!” The man, who I think said was his cousin, said: “The man has made a call to himself. Why did you tear his letters?” People laughed and made jests at him. My father went to his store with his disciples and servants. When he entered his store, everyone arose for my father, except one man sitting there. My father did not know him. As my father sat and took out his register of accounts and his pen and ink, as is the custom of the merchants, he asked one of the people who were present about the man sitting there. He told my father about him. The man heard that my father had asked about him, so he came to my father and said: “You inquire about me while I am present?” My father said: “Sir, observing respect and reverence, I did not ask yourself directly.” He said: “You tear my letter while I am watching you?” My father asked, “So you are the man then.” Then he called his servant, “By his feet and his hind! Kick the enemy of Allah and His Messenger out of the house.” Then he said to him, “You claim miracles? May Allah curse you.” The slave grabbed him from his hind and kicked him out. We did not see him in Qom afterwards.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19697

378- أخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم عن أحمد بن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن أحمد الكاتب ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه قال: حدثتني الكبيرة أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه قالت: كان أبو جعفر بن أبي العزاقر وجيها عند بني بسطام.وذاك أن الشيخ أبا القاسم رضي الله تعالى عنه وأرضاه كان قد جعل له عند الناس منزلة وجاها فكان عند ارتداده يحكي كل كذب وبلاء وكفر لبني بسطام ويسنده عن الشيخ أبي القاسم فيقبلونه منه ويأخذونه عنه حتى انكشف ذلك لأبي القاسم رضي الله عنه فأنكره وأعظمه ونهى بني بسطام عن كلامه وأمرهم بلعنه والبراءة منه، فلم ينتهوا وأقاموا على توليه. وذاك أنه كان يقول لهم: إنني أذعت السر وقد أخذ على الكتمان فعوقبت بالإبعاد بعد الاختصاص لأن الأمر عظيم لا يحتمله إلا ملك مقرب أو نبي مرسل أو مؤمن ممتحن. فيؤكد في نفوسهم عظم الأمر وجلالته.فبلغ ذلك أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه فكتب إلى بني بسطام بلعنه والبراءة منه وممن تابعه على قوله وأقام على توليه، فلما وصل إليهم أظهروه عليه فبكى بكاء عظيما ثم قال: إن لهذا القول باطنا عظيما، وهو أن اللعنة الإبعاد. فمعنى قوله: لعنه الله، أي باعده الله عن العذاب والنار. والآن قد عرفت منزلتي. ومرغ خديه على التراب وقال: عليكم بالكتمان لهذا الأمر. قالت الكبيرة رضي الله عنها: وقد كنت أخبرت الشيخ أبا القاسم أن أم أبي جعفر بن بسطام قالت لي يوما وقد دخلنا إليها فاستقبلتني وأعظمتني وزادت في إعظامي حتى انكبت على رجلي تقبلها فأنكرت ذلك وقلت لها: مهلا يا ستي،فإن هذا أمر عظيم. وانكببت على يدها فبكت ثم قالت: كيف لا أفعل بك هذا وأنت مولاتي فاطمة؟ فقلت لها: وكيف ذاك يا ستي؟ فقالت لي: إن الشيخ أبا جعفر محمد بن علي خرج إلينا بالسر. (قالت) فقلت لها: وما السر؟ قالت: قد أخذ علينا كتمانه وأفزع إن أنا أذعته عوقبت. قالت: وأعطيتها موثقا أني لا أكشفه لأحد واعتقدت في نفسي الاستثناء بالشيخ رضي الله عنه يعني أبا القاسم الحسين بن روح. قالت: إن الشيخ أبا جعفر قال لنا: إن روح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم انتقلت إلى أبيك- يعني أبا جعفر محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه- وروح أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام انتقلت إلى بدن الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح، وروح مولاتنا فاطمة عليها السلام انتقلت إليك، فكيف لا أعظمك يا ستنا؟! فقلت لها: مهلا، لا تفعلي. فإن هذا كذب يا ستنا. فقالت لي: هو سر عظيم، وقد أخذ علينا أننا لا نكشف هذا لأحد. فالله الله في!لا يحل لي العذاب، ويا ستي فلو لا أنك حملتيني على كشفه ما كشفته لك ولا لأحد غيرك. قالت الكبيرة أم كلثوم رضي الله عنها: فلما انصرفت من عندها دخلت إلى الشيخ أبي القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه فأخبرته بالقصة وكان يثق بي ويركن إلى قولي، فقال لي: يا بنية، إياك أن تمضي إلى هذه المرأة بعد ما جرى منها، ولا تقبلي لها رقعة إن كاتبتك ولا رسولا إن أنفذته إليك ولا تلقيها بعد قولها، فهذا كفر بالله تعالى وإلحاد قد أحكمه هذا الرجل الملعون في قلوب هؤلاء القوم ليجعله طريقا إلى أن يقول لهم بأن الله تعالى اتحد به وحل فيه كما يقول النصارى في المسيح عليه السلام،ويعدو إلى قول الحلاج لعنه الله. قالت: فهجرت بني بسطام وتركت المضي إليهم ولم أقبل لهم عذرا ولا لقيت أمهم بعدها وشاع في بني نوبخت الحديث فلم يبق أحد إلا وتقدم إليه الشيخ أبو القاسم وكاتبه بلعن أبي جعفر الشلمغاني والبراءة منه وممن يتولاه ورضي بقوله أو كلمه فضلا عن موالاته. ثم ظهر التوقيع من صاحب الزمان عليه السلام بلعن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي والبراءة منه وممن تابعه وشايعه ورضي بقوله وأقام على توليه بعد المعرفة بهذا التوقيع. وله حكايات قبيحة وأمور فظيعة ننزه كتابنا عن ذكرها،ذكرها ابن نوح وغيره.وكان سبب قتله أنه لما أظهر لعنه أبو القاسم بن روح رضي الله عنه واشتهر أمره وتبرأ منه وأمر جميع الشيعة بذلك لم يمكنه التلبيس فقال في مجلس حافل فيه رؤساء الشيعة،وكل يحكي عن الشيخ أبي القاسم لعنه والبراءة منه أجمعوا بيني وبينه حتى آخذ يده ويأخذ بيدي فإن لم تنزل عليه نار من السماء تحرقه وإلا فجميع ما قاله في حق ورقي ذلك إلى الراضي لأنه كان ذلك في دار ابن مقلة فأمر بالقبض عليه وقتله فقتل واستراحت الشيعة منه.

H 378 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Katib, son of binte Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari saying, Lady Umme Kulthum (the daughter of the second deputy of the Imam of the Age) narrated to me, Abu Ja’far Ibn Abul Azaqir was a respectable man before the progeny of Bistam. That is because Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh had conferred much esteem and respect on him in front of the people. After his apostasy, Ibn Abul Azaqir would tell every lie, mischief and heresy to the progeny of Bistam, falsely quoting Shaykh Abul Qasim all the time. The house of Bistam would accept that from him and believe in him, until this came to the knowledge of Abul Qasim and he denied that and called attention to the enormity of the blasphemy and prohibited the progeny of Bistam from listening to him and ordered them to damn and denounce him. However, they did not listen and persisted on following Ibn Abi Azaqir. That was because he would tell them, “I have manifested the secret I had been sworn to secrecy. Therefore, I am being punished to be castigated from position of proximity, because this is a great position that only an Archangel or a great apostle or a tested believer can bear.” He would thus magnify his position and importance in their eyes. When Abul Qasim was informed of this, he wrote to the Bistams to curse him and express their disdain for him, his followers and devotees. When they received the letter, they showed it to him, but he wept profusely and said: “This message has a very profound secret dimension. The curse is banishment. The meaning of his word, May Allah curse him, is May Allah banish him from punishment and Fire. Now you know my position.” He touched the ground with his cheeks and said: “You must keep this matter a secret.” The lady said: I informed Shaykh Abul Qasim what the mother of Abu Ja’far Ibn Bistam had said one day when we were visiting her and she had received me with reverence and veneration, so much so that she fell on my feet to kiss them. I did not let her do that. I said: “Easy, my mistress, this is too much.” I fell on her hands and she cried. Then she said: “How would I not do that to you, while you are my mistress Fatima?” I asked, “How is that?” She said: “The Shaykh,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali “has confided a secret in us.” “And what is the secret’?” I asked her. “He asked us to hide it and I fear if I reveal it, I will be chastised.” I gave her my most solemn promises that I will not reveal it to anyone, while maintaining in my heart an exception for Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. She said: “The Shaykh Abu Ja’far told us that the spirit of the Messenger of Allah (s) has transferred into you father,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a. s). “And the spirit of Amirul Momineen Ali (a. s) has transferred into the body of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh; and the spirit of our mistress Fatima (a. s) has transferred into you. So how may I not revere you, O our lady?” I said: “Easy! Do not do this, for this is false, my lady.” “This is a great secret and we have been sworn not to reveal this to anyone. For Allah’s sake! For Allah’s sake! May I not deserve punishment!” She beseeched me, “My lady, if you hadn’t insisted, I would not have disclosed this to you or anyone.” Lady Umme Kulthum said: When I returned from her, I went to Shaykh Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh and recounted the event to him. He trusted my word and had confidence in my truthfulness. He said: “My daughter, beware not to go to this woman after this, and don’t accept any letter from her if she writes to you; or a messenger if she sends you one. Do not meet her after she said this. It is blasphemy against Allah and disbelief, which this accursed man has planted and strengthened in their hearts to pave way to the belief that Allah, the Sublime, has unified with him and has diffused into his body, as Christians say about Isa (a. s) and this amounts to the claim of Hallaj, may Allah curse him. I disassociated myself from the Bistams and stopped visiting them. I did not accept any pretense they offered, nor met their mother afterwards. Then this drift began in the children of Naubakht. Shaykh Abul Qasim approached and wrote to each and every one of them to curse Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani (Ibn Abil Azaqir) and express disdain for him and anyone who follows him, is pleased with his word, or converses with him, let alone loves him. Then the holy letter from the Master of the Age (a. s) came, having damnation for Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali, denunciation for him and anyone who followed him, abided by him and was pleased with his word and maintained his service after learning about this holy letter. There are many ugly stories and repulsive incidents about him that are not worthy of our book. Ibn Nuh and others have recorded these events. What led to Shalmaghani’s murder was that when Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh expressed his curse and made his farce public and denounced him and ordered all Shia to do the same, Ibn Abil Azaqir no longer was able to continue his trickery. In a gathering in which the chiefs of the Shia were present, and everyone was reporting his damnation and denunciation from Shaykh Abul Qasim, he said: “Bring me and him together, so I may hold his hand and he may hold my hand and we will see whether a fire does not descend from the heavens and sets him ablaze. Otherwise, everything he has said about me is true.” The news reached Razibillah, because this was in the house of Ibn Muqillah. He ordered his arrest and execution. Thus, he was killed and the Shia got relief from his mischief.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19698

379- وقال أبو الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود: كان محمد بن علي الشلمغاني المعروف بابن أبي العزاقر لعنه الله يعتقد القول بحمل الضد ومعناه أنه لا يتهيأ إظهار فضيلة للولي إلا بطعن الضد فيه لأنه يحمل سامعي طعنه على طلب فضيلته فإذا هو أفضل من الولي إذ لا يتهيأ إظهار الفضل إلا به. وساقوا المذهب من وقت آدم الأول إلى آدم السابع لأنهم قالوا سبع عوالم وسبع أوادم ونزلوا إلى موسى وفرعون ومحمد وعلي مع أبي بكر ومعاوية. وأما في الضد فقال بعضهم: الولي ينصب الضد ويحمله على ذلك كما قال قوم من أصحاب الظاهر إن علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام نصب أبا بكر في ذلك المقام. وقال بعضهم: لا ولكن هو قديم معه لم يزل.قالوا: والقائم الذي ذكروا أصحاب الظاهر أنه من ولد الحادي عشر فإنه يقوم معناه إبليس لأنه قال: ﴿فَسَجَدَ الْمَلائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ أَجْمَعُونَ إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ﴾فلم يسجد ثم قال: ﴿لَأَقْعُدَنَّ لَهُمْ صِراطَكَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ﴾فدل على أنه كان قائما في وقت ما أمر بالسجود ثم قعد بعد ذلك. وقوله يقوم القائم إنما هو ذلك القائم الذي أمر بالسجود فأبى وهو إبليس لعنه الله. وقال شاعرهم لعنهم الله: يا لاعنا للضد من عدي ما الضد إلا ظاهر الولي ولا حجامي ولا جغدي ‏قد فقت من قول على الفهدي نعم وجاوزت مدى العبدي فوق عظيم ليس بالمجوسي ‏لأنه الفرد بلا كيفي متحد بكل أوحدي مخالط النوري والظلمي يا طالبا من بيت هاشمي وجاحدا من بيت كسروي قد غاب في نسبة أعجمي ‏في الفارسي الحسب الرضي كما التوى في العرب من لوي

H 379 - Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Dawood said: Muhammad bin Ali Shalmaghani, alias Ibn Abi Azaqir – curse of Allah be on him – believed that whoever is in opposition to the Wali of Allah is better than the Imam; therefore this belief means that any excellence and precedence is not counted for the Wali, but through the criticism and ridicule of his opponent. In such a way that whoever heard the ridicule of that Wali, would immediately run after the Imam and the Wali; in this way the opponent and rival of the Wali is better and superior to Wali and Imam, because the expression of excellence of Wali is possible only in this way. Other beliefs of his and his followers were that they believed that this manner of religion and religiosity continues from the time of the first Adam to the time of the seventh Adam, because they had faith in seven worlds and seven Adams; so much so they reached upto Musa and his opponent, Firon; and Muhammad and Ali (a. s) and their opponent Abu Bakr and Muawiyah. But with regard to the opposite of Wali and Imam, their belief is that some of them said: The opposite and opponent should be considered as ones Wali and he should be compelled to take up opposition. Thus the people of the Zahir said: Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) himself appointed Abu Bakr to Caliphate and some said: It is not so; on the contrary the opposite and rival is eternal and is always with the Wali. Another belief of that group is that they say that with regard to Imam Qaim (a. s) that which the people of Zahir say that he is the son of the eleventh Imam and that he would stage an uprising one day, it implies that it is Iblis (we seek the refuge of Allah), because the Almighty Allah said: So the angels made obeisance, all of them together, but Iblis (did it not); he refused to be with those who made obeisance. After that the Holy Quran said about Iblis: “I will certainly lie in wait for them in Thy straight path.” Therefore, this verse proves that when the Satan was commanded to prostrate, he staged an uprising and arose against Almighty Allah and after that he sat in ambush. Therefore, according to Zahiraya sect, the Qaim who would stage an uprising (Allah’s refuge!) implies the same Qaim who was commanded to prostrate before Adam (a. s) and he refused; and he is Iblis. A poet of that group (may Allah curse them all) has composed some couplets in this regard: O one who curses the opposite and rival, which is from Adi tribe [that is Umar bin Khattab], do not curse him. Opposite of anything is not except Wali and Zahir; that is (we seek refuge of Allah) opposite is the apparent Wali and Wali is the inner aspect of the opposite. Praise is only for creator of the universe who fulfills His promise and my condition is not like that of a pigeon. And in the same way one who is not like a barber; and I have defeated Mahdi in debate and discussion about religious faith. Yes, I have also overlooked him for the excellence and merit of servitude; higher than the status of one who was not a Majus. It is because according to my faith, Allah is One without any change of circumstances and in this way is one with every unity (unconditionally). O supporters of the Hashemite family you have become imbued with every luminosity and darkness. And O deniers of the family of Kisra and family of Sasan; who is a favorite from the aspect of Ajami and Farsi, like the group of Bani Loih remained concealed among the Arabs.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19699

380- وقال الصفواني: سمعت أبا علي بن همام يقول:سمعت محمد بن علي العزاقري الشلمغاني يقول: الحق واحد وإنما تختلف قمصه فيوم يكون في أبيض ويوم يكون في أحمر ويوم يكون في أزرق. قال ابن همام: فهذا أول ما أنكرته من قوله لأنه قول أصحاب الحلول.

H 380 - Safwani says: I heard Abu Ali Ibn Himam say, I heard Muhammad Ibn Ali Azaqiri Shalmaghani say: The truth is one, but it changes its bubble. One day it is in white, one day in red and one day in blue. Ibn Himam says: This was the first I heard from his words, for this is the belief that Allah diffuses into people’s bodies.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19700

381- وأخبرنا جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى عن أبي علي محمد بن همام أن محمد بن علي الشلمغاني لم يكن قط بابا إلى أبي القاسم ولا طريقا له ولا نصبه أبو القاسم لشي‏ء من ذلك على وجه ولا سبب،ومن قال بذلك فقد أبطل. وإنما كان فقيها من فقهائنا وخلط وظهر عنه ما ظهر وانتشر الكفر والإلحاد عنه.فخرج فيه التوقيع على يد أبي القاسم بلعنه والبراءة منه ممن تابعه وشايعه وقال بقوله.

H 381 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa from Abu Ali Muhammad Ibn Himam that Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani was never a representative of Abul Qasim, nor was a link to him. Abul Qasim had not appointed him to any position for any reason. Whoever says that he was a Shia scholar and then went stray and expressed these blasphemies, disbelief and heresy, is wrong. The holy letter came through Abul Qasim, condemning him to damnation and denouncing him, his followers, companions and believers.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19701

382- وأخبرني الحسين بن إبراهيم عن أحمد بن علي بن نوح عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن أحمد قال:حدثني أبو عبد الله الحسين بن أحمد الحامدي البزاز المعروف بغلام أبي علي بن جعفر المعروف بابن زهومة النوبختي وكان شيخا مستورا قال:سمعت روح بن أبي القاسم بن روح يقول: لما عمل محمد بن علي الشلمغاني كتاب التكليف قال الشيخ-يعني أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه-:اطلبوه إلي لأنظره. فجاءوا به فقرأه من أوله إلى آخره فقال: ما فيه شي‏ء إلا وقد روي عن الأئمة إلا موضعين أو ثلاثة فإنه كذب عليهم في روايتها لعنه الله.

H 382 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad, saying Abu Abdullah Husain Ibn Ahmad Hamidi Bazzaz said: I heard Ruh Ibn Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh say: When Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani prepared the book of Kitabul Taklif, Shaykh Abul Qasim said: “Bring it, so that I may see it.” They brought him the book and he read it from beginning to end. He said: “There is nothing therein, but he has narrated from the Imams in two or three instances, in the narration of which he has lied about them. May Allah curse him.”

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19702

383- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي الحسن محمد بن أحمد بن داود وأبي عبد الله الحسين بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه أنهما قالا: مما أخطأ محمد بن علي في المذهب في باب الشهادة أنه روى عن العالم عليه السلام أنه قال: إذا كان لأخيك المؤمن على رجل حق فدفعه عنه ولم يكن له من البينة عليه إلا شاهد واحد وكان الشاهد ثقة رجعت إلى الشاهد فسألته عن شهادته فإذا أقامها عندك شهدت معه عند الحاكم على مثل ما يشهده عنده لئلا يتوى حق امرئ مسلم. واللفظ لابن بابويه وقال: هذا كذب منه ولسنا نعرف ذلك. وقال في موضع آخر: كذب فيه.

H 383 - A group narrated to me from Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Dawood and Abu Abdullah Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Musa Ibn Babawayh, saying: From the mistakes of Muhammad Ibn Ali in the religion in the segment of testimonials is that he narrated from the Seventh Imam (a. s) that he said: “When your faithful brother has a right over another man, and he denies this right, and your brother does not have witnesses against him, but one person and he is a reliable witness, you turn to the witness and ask him about his testimonial. When he testifies to you, you testify along with him to the judge according to his testimony, so the right of a Muslim man is not trespassed.” The word is from Ibn Babawayh. He said: “This is a lie he has made and we don’t know of any such narration.” In another occasion he says, “He has lied.”

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19703

384- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى قال: حدثنا محمد بن همام قال: خرج على يد الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة في لعن ابن أبي العزاقر والمداد رطب لم يجف. وأخبرنا جماعة عن ابن داود قال: خرج التوقيع من الحسين بن روح في الشلمغاني وأنفذ نسخته إلى أبي علي بن همام في ذي الحجة سنه اثنتي عشره وثلاثمائة. قال ابن نوح: وحدثنا أبو الفتح أحمد بن ذكا مولى علي بن محمد بن الفرات رحمه الله قال:أخبرنا أبو علي بن همام بن سهيل بتوقيع خرج في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة. قال محمد بن الحسن بن جعفر بن إسماعيل بن صالح الصيمري أنفذ الشيخ الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه من محبسة في دار المقتدر إلى شيخنا أبي علي بن همام في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة وأملأه أبو علي عليّ وعرفني أن أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه راجع في ترك إظهاره فإنه في يد القوم وحبسهم فأمر بإظهاره وأن لا يخشى ويأمن فتخلص وخرج من الحبس بعد ذلك بمدة يسيرة،والحمد لله. التوقيع عرف -قال الصيمري: عرفك الله الخير وأطال الله بقاءك وعرفك الخير كله وختم به عملك-من تثق بدينه وتسكن إلى نيته من إخواننا أسعدكم الله -وقال ابن داود: أدام الله سعادتكم من تسكن إلى دينه وتثق بنيته-جميعا بأن محمد بن علي المعروف بالشلمغاني-زاد بن داود: وهو ممن عجل الله له النقمة ولا أمهله-قد ارتد عن الإسلام وفارقه-اتفقوا-وألحد في دين الله وادعى ما كفر معه بالخالق -قال هارون: فيه بالخالق-جل وتعالى وافترى كذبا وزورا وقال بهتانا وإثما عظيما -قال هارون: وأمرا عظيما - كذب العادلون بالله وضلوا ضلالا بعيدا وخسروا خسرانا مبينا وإننا قد برئنا إلى الله تعالى وإلى رسوله وآله صلوات الله وسلامه ورحمته وبركاته عليهـم بمنه ولعنّـاه عليه لعائن الله - اتفقوا،زاد بن داود تترى- في الظاهر منا والباطن في السر والجهر وفي كل وقت وعلى كل حال وعلى من شايعه وتابعه أو بلغه هذا القول منا وأقام على توليه بعده وأعلمهم- قال الصيمري: تولاكم الله. قال ابن ذكا: أعزكم الله-أنا من التوقي -وقال ابن داود: اعلم أننا من التوقي له. قال هارون: وأعلمهم أننا في التوقي- والمحاذرة منه. قال ابن داود وهارون: على مثل ما كان من تقدمنا لنظرائه. قال الصيمري: على ما كنا عليه ممن تقدمه من نظرائه. وقال ابن ذكا: على ما كان عليه من تقدمنا لنظرائه. اتفقوا- من الشريعي والنميري والهلالي والبلالي وغيرهم وعادة الله- قال ابن داود وهارون: جل ثناؤه،واتفقوا- مع ذلك قبله وبعده عندنا جميلة، وبه نثق، وإياه نستعين،وهو حسبنا في كل أمورنا ونعم الوكيل. قال هارون: وأخذ أبو علي هذا التوقيع ولم يدع أحدا من الشيوخ إلا وأقرأه إياه وكوتب من بعد منهم بنسخته في سائر الأمصار فاشتهر ذلك في الطائفة فاجتمعت على لعنه والبراءة منه. وقتل محمد بن علي الشلمغاني في سنة ثلاث وعشرين وثلاثمائة.

H 384 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa, saying: Muhammad Ibn Himam said: In the Dhul Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve, a letter came through Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh about Ibn Abul Azaqir. The ink was still wet and had not dried. A group of scholars narrated to us on the authority of Ibn Dawood saying, the holy letter came through Husain Ibn Rauh about Shalmaghani. He sent a copy thereof to Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Ibn Nuh said: Abul Fath Ahmad Ibn Zakka, the ally of Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Furat said: Abu Ali Ibn Himam Ibn Suhail informed us about the holy letter that came in Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Ja’far Ismail Ibn Salih Saymoori said: Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh sent it from the house of Muqtadir to our Shaykh Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali dictated the letter to me and told me that Abul Qasim is no longer bound not to express denunciation of Shalmaghani. He is in the hands of the people and their captive. He was ordered to denounce and not to fear and will be safe. He was released soon after that. All praise belongs to Allah. Reminder: There are minor differences in different versions of this epistle and while translating it, we have reconciled them. The opening lines of the epistle quoted through someone other than Saymoori are as follows: Inform our brothers, may the Almighty Allah make them succeed, about whose faith you are assured… Following is mentioned in the report of Saymoori: “May Allah prolong your life, and may He let you know all good, and may He eventuate your actions with a good end. In the report of Ibn Dawood it is mentioned: Let everyone from our brothers know, whose religiosity you trust and whose sincerity you are confident to know, may Allah make you all fortuitous: The epistle continues, which is same in all versions as follows: Muhammad Ibn Ali known as Shalmaghani, may God hasten His punishment to him and may He respite him not, has abandoned and deserted Islam. He has blasphemed the religion of Allah and made claims that amount to disbelief and denial of the Creator. He has weaved lies and falsehood. He has spoken dishonestly and committed a grave sinister act. Those who associate with God are liars; they have trodden far in misguidance and have sustained a palpable loss. We have turned away with repulsion from this person to Allah, the High, and to His Messenger and household, unto them be the blessings of Allah and His peace, mercy and grace. We have, in public and private, in secrecy and in open, and in every time and condition, invoked continuous damnations of God for him and for anyone who follows him and pledges allegiance to him, or hears this word of ours and remains steadfast in his devotion to him. Let them know that we shun him. After ‘Let them know’ Saymoori has mentioned ‘may Allah enhance your honor’ and Ibn Dawood has instead mentioned ‘we shun his friendship’. Harun says: The last sentence was as follows: Inform that we shun him and stay away with disdain from this person. Ibn Dawood and Harun say: After that is the sentence: We shun him like we had previously shunned others like them. Saymoori in place of this sentence has narrated as follows: ‘On the basis of that which we previously did with regard to those like him and condemned them’, and Ibn Zaka has quoted like Saymoori. The blessed epistle continues as follows and is same in all versions: [We curse him] He is like Shari, Numairi, Hilali, Bilali and others. The practice of Allah, the Mighty and the High is that He accepts our supplication or curse. And Ibn Dawood and Harun have said: After ‘practice of Allah’ it is mentioned ‘majestic His praise is’ but the words of ‘practice of Allah’ is mentioned in all versions. After that it is mentioned ‘the practice of the Almighty Allah with this, prior to this and after this, is beautiful to us. In Him we have trust, from Him we seek help, and He is sufficient for us in all our affairs and He is the best caretaker.” Harun says: Abu Ali took this epistle and read it out to all the elders of society. After that he made copies of the same and sent to all the towns. Due to this, it became well known among Shia and all of them reached consensus in cursing him. He was killed in 323 A. H.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19704

ذكر أمر أبي بكر البغدادي ابن أخي الشيخ أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري وأبي دلف المجنون:

The matter of Abu Bakr Baghdadi nephew of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari and the incident of Abi Dalf Majnun:

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19705

385- أخبرني الشيخ أبو عبد الله محمد بن محمد بن النعمان عن أبي الحسن علي بن بلال المهلبي قال: سمعت أبا القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه يقول: أما أبو دلف الكاتب- لا حاطه الله- فكنا نعرفه ملحدا ثم أظهر الغلو ثم جن وسلسل ثم صار مفوصا، وما عرفناه قط إذا حضر في مشهد إلا استخف به ولا عرفته الشيعة إلا مدة يسيرة،والجماعة تتبرأ منه وممن يومئ إليه وينمس به. وقد كنا وجهنا إلى أبي بكر البغدادي لما ادعى له هذا ما ادعاه فأنكر ذلك وحلف عليه فقبلنا ذلك منه فلما دخل بغداد مال إليه وعدل عن الطائفة وأوصى إليه لم نشك أنه على مذهبه فلعناه وبرئنا منه،لأن عندنا أن كل من ادعى الأمر بعد السمري رحمه الله فهو كافر منمس ضال مضل وبالله التوفيق.

H 385 - Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Noman has narrated from Hasan Ibn Bilal Malhabi, saying, I heard Abul Qasim Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Quluwayh say: We knew Abu Dalf, the transcriber, may God not forgive him, to be blasphemous. Then he expressed exaggeration about the Imams and then went crazy and was put in chains. Then he was released. He was ridiculed wherever he went. The Shia knew him for a very little time. They are disdainful of him and whoever promotes him. We sent someone to Abu Bakr Baghdadi when it was said that he had made such claims. He denied that and took oaths. So we took him on his word, but when he went to Baghdad, he turned to this person and distanced himself from the community and was appointed his successor. We had no doubt that he was on his path. So we cursed him and denounced him, because we believe that whoever claims this position after Saymoori, is a denier; he is evil, misguided and leads astray.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19706

386- وذكر أبو عمرو محمد بن محمد بن نصر السكري قال: لما قدم ابن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد القمي من قبل أبيه والجماعة على أبي بكر البغدادي وسألوه عن الأمر الذي حكي فيه من النيابة أنكر ذلك وقال: ليس إلى من هذا شي‏ء وعرض عليه مال فأبى وقال محرم على أخذ شي‏ء منه فإنه ليس إلى من هذا الأمر شي‏ء ولا ادعيت شيئا من هذا وكنت حاضرا لمخاطبته إياه بالبصرة.

H 386 - Abu Amr Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Nasr Sakari says: When Ibn Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Walid Qummi went to him on behalf of his father and the community and asked him that it was said that he had claimed to be a deputy of the Imam, he denied. He said: “I do not have any such position, nor have I made any claims.” I [Abu Amr Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Nasr Sakari] was present at this conversation [in Basra in his gathering], in which he did not make any claim.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19707

387- وذكر ابن عياش قال اجتمعت يوما مع أبي دلف فأخذنا في ذكر أبي بكر البغدادي، فقال لي: تعلم من أين كان فضل سيدنا الشيخ قدس الله روحه وقدس به على أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح وعلى غيره؟ فقلت له: ما أعرف. قال: لأن أبا جعفر محمد بن عثمان قدم اسمه على اسمه في وصيته.قال: فقلت له: فالمنصور إذاً أفضل من مولانا أبي الحسن موسى عليه السلام.قال: وكيف؟ قلت: لأن الصادق عليه السلام قدم اسمه على اسمه في الوصية.فقال لي: أنت تتعصب على سيدنا وتعاديه. فقلت: والخلق كلهم تعادي أبا بكر البغدادي وتتعصب عليه غيرك وحدك. وكدنا نتقاتل ونأخذ بالأزياق. وأمر أبي بكر البغدادي في قلة العلم والمروءة أشهر،وجنون أبي دلف أكثر من أن يحصى لا نشغل كتابنا بذلك ولا نطول بذكره. وذكر ابن نوح طرفا من ذلك.

H 387 - Ibn Ayyash mentioned: One day I was with Abu Dalf. We mentioned Abu Bakr Baghdadi. He said: “Do you know how our master, the Shaykh, may Allah bless his soul, was great?” He made Abu Bakr Baghdadi higher than Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and others. I said: “I don’t know.” He said: “Because Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman mentioned his name before the name of Abul Qasim Husain in his final will.” I said to him, “On this account, then Mansur must be higher than our master Imam Abul Hasan Musa (a. s).” He said: “How?” I said: “Because Imam Sadiq (a. s) mentioned Mansur’s name before his successor in his final will.” He said: “You are biased about our master and you hate him.” I said: “All of the creation hates Abu Bakr Baghdadi and dislike him, except only you.” We were about to start fighting and hold each other’s collars. Abu Bakr Baghdadi’s ignorance and lack of nobility is well-known. Abu Dalf’s stories of madness are more than to be accounted for. We will not engage our book with them. Ibn Nuh has mentioned some of them.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19708

388- وروى أبو محمد هارون بن موسى عن أبي القاسم الحسين بن عبد الرحيم الأبراروري قال: أنفذني أبي عبد الرحيم إلى أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه في شي‏ء كان بيني وبينه فحضرت مجلسه وفيه جماعة من أصحابنا وهم يتذاكرون شيئا من الروايات وما قاله الصادقون عليه السلام حتى أقبل أبو بكر محمد بن أحمد بن عثمان المعروف بالبغدادي ابن أخي أبي جعفر العمري رضي الله عنه فلما بصر به أبو جعفر رضي الله عنه قال للجماعة: أمسكوا فإن هذا الجائي ليس من أصحابكم.

H 388 - Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa has narrated from Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Abdur Rahim that Abu Abdur Rahim sent me to Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari for something that was between me and him. I went to him as many of our scholars were present there. They were discussing some traditions from the Imams. At this, Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Uthman known as Baghdadi, the nephew of Abu Ja’far Amari came. When Abu Ja’far saw him, he said: “Stop. This man who is coming is not one of you.”

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19709

389- وحكي أنه توكل لليزيدي بالبصرة فبقي في خدمته مدة طويلة وجمع مالا عظيما فسعي به إلى اليزيدي فقبض عليه وصادره وضربه على أم رأسه حتى نزل الماء في عينيه فمات أبو بكر ضريرا.

H 389 - It is narrated that he became the deputy of Yazidi at Basra and remained at his service a long while and collected large amounts of money. This was reported to Yazidi, who arrested him and confiscated the money and gave him a blow at the top of his head, so hard that fluids of his brain came to his eyes. Abu Bakr died in this way.

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams - Hadith 19710

390- وقال أبو نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن أحمد الكاتب ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه أن أبا دلف محمد بن مظفر الكاتب كان في ابتداء أمره مخمسا مشهورا بذلك لأنه كان تربية الكرخيين وتلميذهم وصنيعتهم وكان الكرخيون مخمسة لا يشك في ذلك أحد من الشيعة وقد كان أبو دلف يقول ذلك ويعترف به ويقول نقلني سيدنا الشيخ الصالح قدس الله روحه ونور ضريحه عن مذهب أبي جعفر الكرخي إلى المذهب الصحيح يعني أبا بكر البغدادي. ~

H 390 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said that Abu Dalf was in the beginning a Mukhammas and known for that, because he had been raised and taught by the Kharkhis, who were Mukhammas. No Shia doubted that. Abu Dalf used to believe in that and acknowledge that. He would say, “Our master, the virtuous Shaykh converted me from the creed of Abu Ja’far Karikhi to the valid faith,” meaning the belief of Abu Bakr Baghdadi.

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19711

وقد كان في زمان السفراء المحمودين أقوام ثقات ترد عليهم التوقيعات من قبل المنصوبين للسفارة من الأصل.

During the period of the special deputies of Imam Mahdi (a. s) there were reliable individuals for whom the emissaries and deputies of the Imam have issued epistles.

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19712

منهم أبو الحسين محمد بن جعفر الأسدي رحمه الله:

Among them Abul Husain Muhammad Ibn Ja’far Asadi:

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19713

391- أخبرنا أبو الحسين بن أبي جيد القمي عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد عن محمد بن يحيى العطار عن محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى عن صالح بن أبي صالح قال: سألني بعض الناس في سنة تسعين ومائتين قبض شي‏ء فامتنعت من ذلك وكتبت أستطلع الرأي، فأتاني الجواب: بالري محمد بن جعفر العربي فليدفع إليه فإنه من ثقاتنا.

H 391 - Abul Husain Ibn Abi Jayyed Qummi narrated to us from Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Walid from Muhammad Ibn Yahya Amir from Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Yahya from Salih Ibn Abi Salih, saying: Some people asked me in the year two hundred and ninety to accept religious dues. I refused that request and wrote a letter, seeking instructions. The answer came, “In Ray is Muhammad Ibn Ja’far Arabi. He should deliver it to him, for he is from our men of trust.”

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19714

392- وروى محمد بن يعقوب الكليني عن أحمد بن يوسف الشاشي قال: قال لي محمد بن الحسن الكاتب المروزي: وجهت إلى حاجز الوشاء مائتي دينار وكتبت إلى الغريم بذلك فخرج الوصول وذكر أنه كان له قبلي ألف دينار وأني وجهت إليه مائتي دينار، وقال: إن أردت أن تعامل أحدا فعليك بأبي الحسين الأسدي بالري، فورد الخبر بوفاة حاجز رضي الله عنه بعد يومين أو ثلاثة فأعلمته بموته فاغتم. فقلت له: لا تغتم فإن لك في التوقيع إليك دلالتين؛ إحداهما إعلامه إياك أن المال ألف دينار،والثانية أمره إياك بمعاملة أبي الحسين الأسدي لعلمه بموت حاجز.

H 392 - Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Kulaini has narrated from Ahmad Ibn Yusuf Shashi, saying: Muhammad Ibn Hasan Katib Marwazi said: I sent to Hajiz Washsha two hundred dinars and wrote to the Gharim (a. s) about it and then I received a receipt. The Imam had mentioned that I owed one thousand dinars and had sent only two hundred dinars to him. He had said: “If you desire to act through someone, you must refer to Abu Husain Asadi at Ray.” Then after two or three days, the news of Hajiz’s death came. Ahmad Ibn Yusuf says, I informed Muhammad Ibn Hasan of Hajiz’s death. He became much grievous, so I said to him: “Grieve not, for you have two signs in the holy letter to you, one is the Imam’s statement that the money owed is one thousand dinars and the second is his command to you to refer to Abu Husain Asadi, as he knew the imminent death of Hajiz.”

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19715

393- وبهذا الإسناد عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن نوبخت قال: عزمت على الحج وتأهبت فورد علي: نحن لذلك كارهون. فضاق صدري واغتممت وكتبت: أنا مقيم بالسمع والطاعة،غير أني مغتم بتخلفي عن الحج. فوقع: لا يضيقن صدرك فإنك تحج من قابل. فلما كان من قابل استأذنت، فورد الجواب، فكتبت إني عادلت محمد بن العباس وأنا واثق بديانته وصيانته،فورد الجواب: الأسدي نعم العديل،فإن قدم فلا تختر عليه.قال: فقدم الأسدي فعادلته.

H 393 - It is narrated through the same chain of narration from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Naubakht who said: I intended to go for Hajj and made preparations for this purpose. A message came, “We dislike that.” I became much anxious and grievous. I wrote, “I remain submissive and obedient. However, I am sad for missing the Hajj.” A holy letter came: “Grieve not, for you will perform Hajj next year.” Next year, I sought permission and the answer came in positive. I wrote, “I am leaving Muhammad Ibn Abbas behind, and I am certain of his piety and honesty.” The answer came, “Asadi is the best caretaker. If he should arrive, do not choose anyone over him.” Asadi came and I left him as my caretaker.

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19716

394- محمد بن يعقوب عن علي بن محمد عن محمد بن شاذان النيشابوري قال: اجتمع عندي خمسمائة درهم ينقص عشرون درهما فلم أحب أن ينقص هذا المقدار، فوزنت من عندي عشرين درهما ودفعتها إلى الأسدي ولم أكتب بخبر نقصانها وأني أتممتها من مالي،فورد الجواب: قد وصلت الخمسمائة التي لك فيها عشرون. ومات الأسدي على ظاهر العدالة لم يتغير ولم يطعن عليه في شهر ربيع الآخر سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة.

H 394 - Muhammad Ibn Yaqub narrated from Ali Ibn Muhammad from Muhammad Ibn Shadhan Nishapuri that: Five hundred dirhams short of twenty were deposited before me. I did not like it to be short of this amount, so I weighed another twenty dirhams from my money and sent the amount to Asadi. I did not inform him that I had completed it from my own money. The answer came: “The five hundred, of which twenty were yours, reached us.” Asadi died in the Rabiul Aakhir of the year three hundred and twelve. He was honest, he never changed, and he was not mentioned disrespectfully.

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19717

ومنهم أحمد بن إسحاق وجماعة خرج التوقيع في مدحهم:

And among them Ahmad bin Ishaq, Ibrahim bin Muhammad Hamadani and Ahmad bin Hamza bin Yasi:

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam - Hadith 19718

395- روى أحمد بن إدريس عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن أبي محمد الرازي قال: كنت وأحمد بن أبي عبد الله بالعسكر فورد علينا رسول من قبل الرجل فقال: أحمد بن إسحاق الأشعري وإبراهيم بن محمد الهمداني وأحمد بن حمزة بن اليسع ثقات.

H 395 - Ahmad Ibn Idris narrates from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Isa from Abu Muhammad Razi, saying: I and Ahmad Ibn Abi Abdullah were at Askar when a messenger came from “the man” and said: “Ahmad Ibn Ishaq Ashari, Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Hamadani and Ahmad Ibn Hamza Ibn Yasa are all trusted men.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19719

قد بينا بالاخبار الصحيحة بأن مولد صاحب الزمان عليه السلام كان في سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين وأن أباه عليه السلام مات في سنة ستين فكانت له حينئذ أربع سنين فيكون عمره إلى حين خروجه ما يقتضيه الحساب ولا ينافي ذلك الاخبار التي رويت في مقدار سنه مختلفة الالفاظ.

We have previously, through authentic reports, narrated that the holy birth of Imam Mahdi (a. s) occurred in 256 A. H. and his holy father passed away in 260 A. H. Thus the Imam was four years old at that time. However, the age of the Imam till the time of his reappearance and advent is a number, which requires calculation with the reports that are recorded about the age of the Imam at the time of reappearance [like reports, which say that he would appear like a man of forty] are differently worded, have no contradiction with reports, which will be mentioned in this section.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19720

396- نحو ما روي عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام أنه قال: ليس صاحب هذا الامر(من جاز من أربعين)، صاحب هذا الامر القوي المشمر. وما أشبه ذلك من الاخبار التي وردت مختلفة الالفاظ متباينة المعاني.

H 396 - It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that the age of Imam Mahdi (a. s) would not be more than forty years. He would be extremely strong, powerful and energetic. There are numerous traditional reports resembling this one, which differ in words as well as meaning.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19721

397- ويقوي ذلك ما رواه أبوعلي محمد بن همام، عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك، عن عمر بن طرخان، عن محمد بن إسماعيل، عن علي بن عمر بن علي بن الحسين، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن ولي الله يعمر عمر إبراهيم الخليل عشرين ومائة سنة، ويظهر في صورة فتى موفق ابن ثلاثين سنة.

H 397 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Himam from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Umar bin Tarqan from Muhammad bin Ismail from Ali bin Umar bin Ali bin Husain from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Indeed the Master of the Age will be aged like Prophet Ibrahim (a. s); (that is he lived to be a hundred and twenty years), but he will look like a thirty-year-old young man.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19722

398- وعنه، عن الحسن بن علي العاقولي، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: لو خرج القائم لقد أنكره الناس، يرجع إليهم شابا موفقا، فلا يلبث عليه إلا كل مؤمن أخذ الله ميثاقه في الذر الاول.

H 398 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Himam from Hasan bin Ali from Aquli from Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “When Imam Qaim (a. s) reappears, people will refuse to believe in him and he will approach them as a young man. However, the believer from whom the Almighty Allah has taken a covenant in Aalame Zar (in the initial stage of creation) will believe immediately.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19723

399- وروي في خبر آخر: أن في صاحب الزمان عليه السلام شبها من يونس؛رجوعه من غيبته بشرخ الشباب.

H 399 - It is mentioned in another report that: There is a similarity between Prophet Yunus (a. s) and Imam Mahdi (a. s); and it is that he would return from his occultation as a young man.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19724

400- وقد روي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: ما تنكرون أن يمد الله لصاحب هذا الامر في العمر كما مد لنوح عليه السلام في العمر؟

H 400- It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: Do not deny that Almighty Allah has prolonged the lifespan of the Master of this affair, because Allah, the Mighty and the High has prolonged the life of Prophet Nuh (a. s) before.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19725

401- ويروي النصارى أن فيمن تقدم من عاش سبعمائة سنة وأكثر.

H 401 - Christians have narrated: Some of their ancestors lived for seven hundred years and some even exceeded this.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19726

402- وروى أبوعبيدة معمر بن المثنى البصري التيمي قال: كانت في غطفان خلة أشهرتهم بها العرب، كان منهم نصر بن دهمان، وكان من سادة غطفان وقادتها حتى خرف وحناه الاكبر، وعاش تسعين ومائة سنة، فاعتدل بعد ذلك شابا وأسود شعره، فلا يعرب في العرب أعجوبة مثله.

H 402 - It is narrated that Abu Ubaidah Moammar bin Muthanna Basri Teemi said: It was the quality of Bani Ghitfan that it was the most famous of the Arab tribes. Among its members was Nasr bin Dahman who was considered to be an elder and noble person of his tribe. He lived for 190 years and became extremely aged and weak, but after this period, his youth returned and his hair became black and no wonder was seen in Arabs like him.

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19727

وأما ما روي من الاخبار التي تتضمن أن صاحب الزمان يموت ثم يعيش أو يقتل ثم يعيش، نحو ما رواه:

Reports, which mention that the Imam of the Age will pass away or would be martyred and after that he would become alive again:

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19728

403- الفضل بن شاذان، عن موسى بن سعدان، عن عبد الله بن قاسم الحضرمي، عن أبي سعيد الخراساني قال: قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام: لأي شيء سمي القائم؟ قال: لأنه يقوم بعدما يموت، إنه يقوم بأمر عظيم يقوم بأمر الله سبحانه.

H 403 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Musa bin Sadan from Abdullah bin Qasim Hadhrami from Abi Saeed Khurasani that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), “Why is he named as Qaim?” He said: “Because he will rise after his name dies. He will establish a mighty enterprise. He will rise up by the command of Allah, the Glorified.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19729

404- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن علي بن الحكم، عن حماد بن عثمان، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: مثل أمرنا في كتاب الله مثل صاحب الحمار؛ أماته الله مائة عام ثم بعثه.

H 404 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Yaqub bin Yazid from Ali bin Hakam, from Hammad bin Uthman from Abi Basir that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: “The similitude of our Order in the Divine Book is the similitude of the owner of the donkey; Allah made him die for a hundred a years and then raised him up again.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19730

405- وعنه، عن أبيه، عن جعفر بن محمد الكوفي، عن إسحق بن محمد، عن القاسم بن الربيع، عن علي بن خطاب، عن مؤذن مسجد الاحمر قال:سألت أبـا عبد الله عليه السلام: هل في كتاب الله مثل للقائم عليه السلام؟ فقال: نعم، آية صاحب الحمار؛ أماته الله (مائة عام) ثم بعثه.

H 405 - It is narrated by Himyari from his father from Ja’far bin Muhammad Kufi from Ishaq bin Muhammad from Qasim bin Rabi from Ali bin Khattab on the authority of the Muezzin of the red mosque: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), “Is there in the Book of Allah a similitude for the Qaim?” He said: “Yes, the verse of the owner of the donkey, Allah made him die for a hundred years and then raised him up again.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19731

406- وروى الفضل بن شاذان، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن حماد بن عبدالكريم قال: قال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: إن القائم عليه السلام إذا قام قال الناس:أنى يكون هذا وقد بليت عظامه منذ دهر طويل؟

H 406 - It is narrated from Fadhal bin Shazan from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Fuzail from Hammad Ibn Abdul Karim that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: “When the Qaim rises, people will say, ‘How this can be? His bones have decayed a long time ago.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19732

407- روى الفضل بن شاذان، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن سلمة بن جناح الجعفي عن حازم بن حبيب قال: قال (لي): أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يا حازم، إن لصاحب هذا الامر غيبتين؛ يظهر في الثانية، إن جاء‌ك من يقول: إنه نفض يده من تراب قبره، فلا تصدقه.

H 407 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdullah bin Jabla from Salma bin Junah Jofi from Hazim bin Habib from Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a. s) that he told Hazim bin Habib: “O Hazim, there will be two occultations for the master of this affair and he would reappear in the second of the two. And if someone comes to you and says that he has touched his grave, do not testify for him (accept him).”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19733

408- وروى محمد بن عبد الله الحميري، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن سليمان بن داود المنقري، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: في صاحب هذا الامر (أربع) سنن من أربعة أنبياء:سنة من موسى ، وسنة من عيسى ، وسنة من يوسف. وسنة من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وعليهم. فأما سنة من موسى فخائف يترقب، وأما سنة من يوسف فالغيبة، وأما سنة من عيسى فيقال: مات! ولم يمت، وأما سنة من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فالسيف.

H 408 - Muhammad bin Abdullah al-Himyari narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Sulaiman bin Dawood al-Minqari from Abi Basir that he said: I heard Abu Ja’far (AS) say: “For the owner of this affair (Imam Mahdi), there are (four) traditions from four prophets: a tradition from Moses, a tradition from Jesus, a tradition from Joseph, and a tradition from Muhammad (sw). As for the tradition from Moses, it is a feared anticipation. As for the tradition from Joseph, it is the occultation. As for the tradition from Jesus, it is said: he died, though he did not die. And as for the tradition from Muhammad (sw), it is the sword.”

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19734

409- وروى الفضل بن شاذان، عن أحمد بن عيسى العلوي، عن أبيه، عن جده قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: صاحب هذا الامر من ولدي (الذي) يقال:مات! قتل! لا،بل هلك! لا،بل بأي واد سلك!

H 409 - Fadhl bin Shazan has narrated from Ahmad bin Isa Alawi from his father from his grandfather that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said: “The Master of this Affair is from my offspring. He is the one about whom it will be said: He has died, killed, perished, no rather gone to some unknown place.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19735

وأما وقت خروجه عليه السلام فليس بمعلوم لنا على وجه التفصيل، بل هو مغيب عنا إلى أن يأذن الله بالفرج.

We are not aware of the exact time of the reappearance of the Imam (a. s); on the contrary he is hidden from us, till Almighty Allah accords him permission to reappear.

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19736

410- كما روي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله (أنه قال:) لو لم يبق من الدنيا إلا يوم واحد لطول الله ذلك اليوم حتى يخرج رجل من ولدي فيملا الارض عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً.

H 410 - The Holy Prophet (s) said: “Even if only a day remains from the tenure of the world, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, would prolong it enough to allow a man from my progeny to appear. Then he would fill up the earth with justice and equity just as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19737

411- وأخبرني الحسين بن عبد الله، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري، عن علي بن محمد، عن الفضل بن شاذان، عن أحمد بن محمد وعبيس بن هشام، عن كرام عن الفضيل قال:سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام: هل لهذا الامر وقت؟ فقال: كذب الوقاتون، كذب الوقاتون، كذب الوقاتون.

H 411 - Narrated to me Husain bin Ubaidullah from Abi Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ahmad bin Muhammad and Ubais bin Hashim from Kiram from Fuzail that he said: I asked Imam Baqir (a. s): “Is there a fixed time for reappearance?” He said: “The time-fixers have lied, they have lied, they have lied.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19738

412- الفضل بن شاذان، عن الحسين بن يزيد الصحاف عن منذر الجواز عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كذب الموقتون، ما وقتنا فيما مضى، ولا نوقت فيما يستقبل.

H 412 - Fadhl bin Shazan has narrated from Husain bin Yazid Sahaf from Mudhir Jawwaz from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “One who fixes (predicts) the time of the reappearance, has lied. Neither have we fixed a time for it in the past nor would we do so in future.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19739

413- وبهذا الاسناد عن عبدالرحمن بن كثير قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إذ دخل عليه مهزم الاسدي فقال: أخبرني، جعلت فداك،متى هذا الامر الذي تنتظرونه؟ فقد طال. فقال: يا مهزم،كذب الوقاتون، وهلك المستعجلون، ونجا المسلمون، وإلينا يصيرون.

H 413 - It is narrated from the same chains from Abdur Rahman bin Kathir that he said: I was with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) when Muhzim Asadi entered and asked: May I be sacrificed on you, please tell me when the reappearance is? It has been delayed too much.” Abu Abdullah (a. s) said: “O Muhzim, the ill-wishers have told lies, the hasteners will perish and the believers will be saved and will be with us.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19740

414- الفضل بن شاذان، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن أبي أيوب الخزاز، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من وقت لك من الناس شيئا فلا تهابن أن تكذبه، فلسنا نوقت لأحد وقت.

H 414 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ibn Abi Najran from Safwan bin Yahya from Abu Ayyub Kharraz from Muhammad bin Muslim from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “One who fixes the time of reappearance for you, do not pay attention to his falsification, because we have not specified its time for anyone.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19741

415- الفضل بن شاذان، عن عمر بن مسلم البجلي، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي الجارود، عن محمد بن بشر الهمداني، عن محمد بن الحنفية- في حديث اختصرنا منه موضع الحاجة- أنه قال: إن لبني فلان ملكاً مؤجلاً، حتى إذا أمنوا واطمأنوا وظنوا أن ملكهم لا يزول صيح فيهم صيحة، فلم يبق لهم راع يجمعهم ولا واع يسمعهم، وذلك قول الله عز وجل:﴿حَتَّى إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَا أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلاً أَوْ نَهَاراً فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيداً كَأَنْ لَمْ تَغْنَ بِالأَمْسِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ﴾. قلت: جعلت فداك هل لذلك وقت؟ قال: لا،لان علم الله غلب علم الموقتين، إن الله تعالى وعد موسى ثلاثين ليلة وأتمها بعشر لم يعلمها موسى، ولم يعلمها بنو إسرائيل، فلما جاوز الوقت قالوا: غرنا موسى! فعبدوا العجل. ولكن إذا كثرت الحاجة والفاقة في الناس، وأنكر بعضهم بعضا، فعند ذلك توقعوا أمر الله صباحا ومساء.

H 415 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Umar bin Aslam Bajali from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abul Jarud from Muhammad bin Bashar Hamadani from Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah in a tradition condensed as follows that he said: “The rule of Bani so-and-so will continue till a fixed time. When they get peace and security they will think that their kingdom will never decline. Meanwhile, suddenly a divine command will arrive and no king will be able to remain in power. Thus the Almighty Allah says: “…until when the earth puts on its golden raiment and it becomes garnished, and its people think that they have power over it, Our command comes to it, by night or by day, so We render it as reaped seed-produce, as though it had not been in existence yesterday; thus do We make clear the communications for a people who reflect.” (10:24) The narrator says: I said: May I be your ransom, is some time fixed for the arrival of divine command? He replied: No, because the knowledge of Allah dominates the knowledge of those who fix the time. The Almighty Allah promised thirty nights to Prophet Musa (a. s) and then increased ten nights; but neither Prophet Musa (a. s) was aware of it, nor Bani Israel. Thus when the time expired, they said that Prophet Musa (a. s) has deceived us; and began to worship the calf. Hence, when famine and deprivation increases and people begin to deny each other, you should expect the arrival of divine command day and night.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19742

وأما ما روي من الاخبار التي تنافي ذلك في الظاهر، مثل ما رواه:

Reports apparently contradicting the above traditional reports:

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19743

416- الفضل بن شاذان، عن محمد بن علي، عن سعدان بن مسلم، عن أبي بصير قال: قلت له: ألهذا الامر أمد نريح إليه أبداننا وننتهي إليه؟ قال: بلى، ولكنكم أذعتم فزاد الله فيه.

H 416 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Muhammad bin Ali from Sadan bin Muslim from Abu Basir that he asked the Imam (a. s): “Is there a fixed time for reappearance; so that we can sit quietly till that time?” He replied: “It was fixed; but you people publicized it and it was postponed.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19744

417- وعنه، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام:إن عليا عليه السلام كان يقول: إلى السبعين بلاء. وكان يقول: بعد البلاء رخاء. وقد مضت السبعون ولم نر رخاء! فقال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: يا ثابت، إن الله تعالى كان وقت هذا الأمر في السبعين، فلما قتل الحسين عليه السلام إشتد غضب الله على أهل الارض فأخره إلى أربعين ومائة سنة. فحدثناكم فأذعتم الحديث وكشفتم قناع السر، فأخره الله ولم يجعل له بعد ذلك عندنا وقتا. و﴿يَمْحُو اللهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ﴾. قال أبوحمزة: وقلت ذلك لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام فقال: قد كان ذاك.

H 417 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Hasan bin Mahbub from Abu Hamza Thumali that he said: “I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s): O son of Allah’s Messenger, Amirul Momineen (a. s) used to say: There will be sedition till 70 A. H. and after that there will be peace and prosperity; but 70 A. H. has passed and we are still in problems?” Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: “O Thabit, it was initially fixed as 70 A. H., but meanwhile Imam Husain (a. s) was martyred and the Almighty Allah postponed it to 140 A. H. When we informed you about it, you publicized it and the Almighty Allah postponed it further and even we don’t know about the definite time.” “Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book.” (13:39) Abu Hamza Thumali says that when he asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) about it, he also verified that it was true.

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19745

418- وروى الفضل، عن محمد بن إسماعيل، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي يحيى التمتام السلمي، عن عثمان النو قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: كان هذا الامر في فأخره الله ويفعل بعد في ذريتي ما يشاء.

H 418 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ismail from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abu Yahya Tamtaam Salmi from Uthman Nawa that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: “Initially this task was entrusted to me; but later on the Almighty Allah postponed it and kept it in my progeny.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19746

فالوجه في هذه الاخبار أن نقول-إن صحت-إنه لا يمتنع أن يكون الله تعالى قد وقت هذا الامر في الاوقات التى ذكرت، فلما تجدد ما تجـدد تغيـرت المصلحة واقتضت تأخيـره إلى وقت آخر، وكذلك فيما بعد، ويكون الوقت الاول، وكل وقت يجوز أن يؤخر مشروطا، بأن لا يتجدد ما يقتضي المصلحة تأخيره إلى أن يجئ الوقت الذي لا يغيره شيء فيكون محتوما. وعلى هذا يتأول ما روي في تأخير الاعمار عن أوقاتها والزيادة فيها عند الدعاء (والصدقات) وصلة الارحام، وما روي في تنقيص الاعمار عن أوقاتها إلى ما قبله عند فعل الظلم وقطع الرحم وغير ذلك، وهو تعالى وإن كان عالما بالامرين، فلا يمتنع أن يكون أحدهما معلوما بشرط والآخر بلا شرط، وهذه الجملة لا خلاف فيها بين أهل العدل. وعلى هذا يتأول أيضا ما روي من أخبارنا المتضمنة للفظ البداء ويبين أن معناها النسخ على ما يريده جميع أهل العدل فيما يجوز فيه النسخ، أو تغير شروطها إن كان طريقها الخبر عن الكائنات، لان البداء في اللغة هو الظهور، فلا يمتنع أن يظهر لنا من أفعال الله تعالى ما كنا نظن خلافه، أو نعلم ولا نعلم شرطه.

The explanation of these reports is that we say: Supposing these reports are correct, it would not negate the possibility that Allah, the Mighty and the High has fixed one of the times that are mentioned. Thus if He changes the conditions and circumstances, He would also change the exigency and that fixed time would be replaced by another. Definitely in the later periods also the same matter continues and the explanation is on the same base. Due to this, neither the time, which was fixed previously, all other times can also be postponed under some conditions till that which is causing delay of reappearance is not repeated, and till the time arrives, which nothing can change and which is imminent. Reports about the topic of delay in age, deaths and increase in lifespan due to supplication, alms and doing a good turn to relatives and also that which is mentioned under the subject of decrease in lifespan and advancement of deaths as a result of oppression, breaking off relations and other acts, is based on the same interpretation and although Allah, the Mighty and the High is aware of both of them, but it is possible that one of them is not definite and the other is definite, and in this matter there is no difference between Imamiyah and Mutazila. Also reports in which the word of ‘Bada’ is mentioned, are also due to the same interpretation and it is clear that the meaning of ‘Bada’ is abrogation of something in which change is justified and possible, or that its conditions have changed, in case that informing about it is Takweeni (providential) as the literal meaning of ‘Bada’ is appearance. Thus, it is possible that one of the acts of Almighty Allah has become apparent for us whereas we had imagined it’s opposite or that we were aware of it, but did not know its conditions and of such kind are the following reports:

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19747

419- فمن ذلك ما رواه محمد بن جعفر الاسدي رحمه الله، عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن الريان بن الصلت قال: سمعت أبا الحسن الرضا عليه السلام يقول: ما بعث الله نبياً إلا بتحريم الخمر، وأن يقر لله بالبداء ﴿إِنَّ اللهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ﴾، وأن يكون في تراثه الكندر.

H 419 - Among such reports is the report of Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi narrating from Ali bin Ibrahim from Rayan bin Sult that he said: I heard Imam Ridha (a. s) say: Allah, the Mighty and the High did not send any prophet, but to prohibit wine, to confess in Bada from Almighty Allah and that He can do whatever He likes; and that He has advised the use of incense.

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19748

420- وروى سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام قال: (قال) علي بن الحسين، وعلي بن أبي طالب قبله، ومحمد بن علي وجعفر بن محمد عليهم السلام: كيف لنا بالحديث مع هذه الآية: ﴿يَمْحُو اللهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ﴾؟ فأما من قال: بأن الله تعالى لا يعلم بشيء إلا بعد كونه فقد كفر وخرج عن التوحيد.

H 420 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) that he said: Ali Ibnul Husain, Imam Zainul Abideen (a. s) and before him Amirul Momineen (a. s); and Imam Muhammad Baqir and Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) have said: With attention to the blessed verse: “Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book.” (13:39) How can we inform about the future? And as for one who says that ‘the Almighty Allah has knowledge of everything after it occurs and not before’, has become a disbeliever and is out of the pale of monotheism.

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19749

421- وقد روى سعد بن عبد الله عن أبي هاشم الجعفري قال: سأل محمد بن صالح الارمني أبا محمد العسكري عليه السلام عن قول الله عز وجل: ﴿يَمْحُو اللهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ﴾، فقال أبومحمد: وهل يمحو إلا ما كان ويثبت إلا ما لم يكن؟ فقلت في نفسي: هذا خـلاف مـا يقول هشـام بن الحكم:إنه لا يعلم الشيء حتى يكون. فنظر إلي أبو محمد عليه السلام فقال: تعالى الجبار العالم بالاشياء قبل كونها… والحديث مختصر.

H 421 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Abu Hashim Ja’fari that he said: Muhammad bin Salih Armini asked Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) about the verse: “Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book.” (13:39) Imam (a. s) said: Is it other than that He erased that which was and established that which was not there? Muhammad bin Salih Armini said: I said to myself: That which the Imam (a. s) has said is opposed to that which Hisham bin Hakam said that Almighty Allah is not aware of things, except when they come into existence. Abu Muhammad Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) glanced at me and said: Allah, the Mighty and Sublime is aware of everything, before it comes into existence, although the tradition has been condensed.

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19750

422- الفضل بن شاذان، عن محمد بن علي، عن سعدان بن مسلم، عن أبي بصير قال:قلت له: ألهذا الامر أمد نريح أبداننا وننتهي إليه؟ قال: بلى ولكنكم أذعتم فزاد الله فيه.

H 422 - Fadhl bin Shazan has narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Sadan bin Muslim from Abu Basir that he said: I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) or Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s): “Does reappearance of the master of affair has a fixed time that we might rest assured be pleased with it?” He replied: “Yes, it was fixed, but you people divulged it and Almighty Allah postponed it.”

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s) - Hadith 19751

والوجه في هذه الاخبار ما قدمنا ذكره من تغير المصلحة فيه، واقتضائها تأخير الامر إلى وقت آخر على ما بيناه، دون ظهور الامر له تعالى، فأنا لا نقول به ولا نجوزه، تعالى الله عن ذلك علوا كبيرا. فإن قيل: هذا يؤدي إلى أن لا نثق بشيء من أخبار الله تعالى. قلنا: الاخبار على ضربين ضرب لا يجوز فيه التغير في مخبراته، فإنا نقطع عليها، لعلمنا بأنه لا يجوز أن يتغير المخبر في نفسه، كالاخبار عن صفات الله تعالى وعن الكائنات فيما مضى، وكالاخبار بأنه يثيب المؤمنين. والضرب الآخر هو ما يجوز تغيره في نفسه لتغير المصلحة عند تغير شروطه، فأنا نجوز جميع ذلك، كالاخبار عن الحوادث في المستقبل إلا أن يرد الخبر على وجه يعلم أن مخبره لا يتغير، فحينئذ نقطع بكونه، ولاجل ذلك قرن الحتم بكثير من المخبرات، فأعلمنا أنه مما لا يتغير أصلا، فعند ذلك نقطع به.

The reason behind these is the same, which we mentioned before that the exigency in that matter changed and it was postponed to another time, but it does not mean that its exigency became known to Almighty Allah at that time. We don’t utter this word and do not consider it correct as the being of Almighty Allah is greater and above this. Objection: This belief of yours would become the cause that we do not rely on the statements of the Almighty Allah (reports). Reply: Reports are of two kinds: First type: There are some reports in which no sort of change is there, because we have faith and belief in absence of their change and transformation and know well that change is not possible in these reports; for example the reports, which mention the attributes of the Almighty Allah, universe and past things; and in the same way reports, which say that the Almighty Allah would reward the believers according to their acts. Second type: There are some reports, in which change is possible in their selves, because of the condition of change and transformation, there is some change in their personal beings also and we consider this change possible; like reports, which talk of future events; but reports which we know that would not be changed, we have faith in their actualization. And that is why many reports about which it is mentioned that their occurrence is certain, we know well that these are the reports in which there is no change at all for any reason and at that time we become certain of its occurrence.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19752

423- أخبرني الحسين بن عبد الله، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري، عن أحمد بن إدريس، عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري، عن إسماعيل بن الصباح قال:سمعت شيخا يذكره عن سيف بن عميرة قال:كنت عند أبي جعفر المنصور فسمعته يقول ابتداء من نفسه:يا سيف بن عميرة، لا بد من مناد ينادي باسم رجل من ولد أبي طالب من السماء. فقلت: يرويه أحد من الناس؟ قال:والذي نفسي بيده فسمع أذني منه يقول:لابد من مناد ينادي باسم رجل من السماء. قلت: يا أمير المؤمنين،إن هذا الحديث ما سمعت بمثله قط. فقال:يا سيف،إذا كان ذلك فنحن أول من نجيبه، أما إنه أحد بني عمنا. قلت: أي بني عمكم؟ قال:رجل من ولد فاطمة عليها السلام. ثم قال: يا سيف، لولا أني سمعت أبا جعفر محمد بن علي (يحدثني به) ثم حدثني به أهل الدنيا ما قبلت منهم، ولكنه محمد بن علي عليهما السلام.

H 423 - It is narrated from Husain bin Ubaidullah from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishaburi from Ismail bin Sabbah that he said: “I heard from an elder that Saif bin Umaira narrated: Once I was in the company of Abu Ja’far Mansur Dawaniqi. I heard him say: O Saif bin Umaira, it is inevitable that the name of a man from the descendants of Abu Talib will be announced from the sky. I asked: Has someone reported a tradition about it? He replied: By the one in whose control my life is, I have directly heard that an announcement will be made from the sky in the name of a person. I said: O chief of believers, but I have never heard any such report? He replied: O Saif, when there is such an announcement, I will be the first to harken to it, except that it would be in favor of one of my cousins. I asked: Which cousins. Mansur said: From the descendants of Lady Fatima (s). Then he said: O Saif, if I had not heard this from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali (a. s) I would not have believed it even if the whole world had stated thus.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19753

424- وأخبرني جماعة، عن التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن علي، عن عثمان بن أحمد السماك، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الله الهاشمي، عن يحيى بن أبي طالب، عن علي بن عاصم، عن عطاء بن السائب، عن أبيه، عن عبد الله بن عمر قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله:لا تقوم الساعة حتى يخرج نحو من ستين كذابا كلهم يقول أنا نبي.

H 424 - A group has narrated from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Uthman bin Ahmad Sammak from Ibrahim bin Abdullah Hashmi from Yahya bin Abi Talib from Ali bin Asim from Ataa bin Saib from his father from Abdullah Ibn Umar that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “The hour will not arise until the Mahdi from my descendants comes forth. The Mahdi will not come forth until sixty liars come forward, all of them declaring: I am a prophet.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19754

425- أحمد بن إدريس، عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة، عن الفضل بن شاذان، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام:إن أبا جعفر عليه السلام كان يقول: خروج السفياني من المحتوم، والنداء من المحتوم، وطلوع الشمس من المغرب من المحتوم، وأشياء كان يقولها من المحتوم. فقال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: واختلاف بني فلان من المحتوم، وقتل النفس الزكية من المحتوم وخروج القائم من المحتوم. قلت: وكيف يكون النداء؟ قال: ينادي مناد من السماء أول النهار يسمعه كل قوم بألسنتهم: ألا إن الحق في علي وشيعته. ثم ينادي إبليس في آخر النهار من الارض: ألا إن الحق في عثمان وشيعته، فعند ذلك يرتاب المبطلون.

H 425 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ibn Qutaibah from Ibn Shazan from Ibn Mahbub from Thumali that he said: I said to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s): Your respected father, Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) used to state that the coming of Sufyani is inevitable, the call from the sky is inevitable, the rising of the sun from the west is inevitable and he used to mention the same about many things. Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: And mutual discord in Bani so-and-so is inevitable, killing of Nafse Zakiyyah is inevitable and the rising of Imam Qaim is also inevitable. I asked: What the call from the sky would be? A caller will call out from the sky in the morning: Know that the truth is with Imam Ali (a. s) and his Shia. And then in the evening the Iblis will call out from the sky: Know that the truth is with Uthman and his followers. This call from Iblis would make the people of falsehood fall into doubts.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19755

426- وبهذا الاسناد، عن ابن فضال، عن حماد، عن الحسين بن المختار، عن أبي نصر، عن عامر بن واثلة، عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: عشر قبل الساعة لابد منها: السفياني، والدجال، والدخان، والدابة وخروج القائم، وطلوع الشمس من مغربها، ونزول عيسى عليه السلام، وخسف بالمشرق وخسف بجزيرة العرب، ونار تخرج من قعر عدن تسوق الناس إلى المحشر.

H 426 - It is narrated from Ibn Faddal from Hammad from Husain bin Mukhtar from Abu Nasr from Aamir bin Wathila from Amirul Momineen (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Ten things are inevitable before Judgment Day: Sufyani, Dajjal, Smoke, Daabba, advent of the Qaim, rising of the sun from the west, splitting of the earth in the east, descent of Isa (a. s), splitting of the earth in the Arabian Gulf, rising of a fire from the sea of Adn, which will herd the people towards the field of gathering (Mahshar).”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19756

427- وبهذا الاسناد، عن ابن فضال، عن حماد، عن إبراهيم بن عمر، عن عمر بن حنظلة، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: خمس قبل قيام القائم من العلامات: الصيحة والسفياني، والخسف بالبيداء، وخروج اليماني، وقتل النفس الزكية.

H 427 - It is narrated from Ibn Faddal from Hammad from Ibrahim bin Umar from Umar bin Hanzala from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Five signs will become visible before the reappearance of the Qaim: Call from the sky, advent of Sufyani, splitting of the earth in the desert, advent of Yamani and killing of Nafse Zakiyyah (the pure soul).”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19757

428- الفضل بن شاذان، عن الحسن بن علي الوشاء، عن أحمد بن عائذ، عن أبي خديجة قال: قال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: لا يخرج القائم حتى يخرج اثنا عشر من بني هاشم كلهم يدعو إلى نفسه.

H 428 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Washa from Ahmad bin Ayez from Abu Khadija that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: “The Qaim will not come forth until twelve of the Bani Hashim come forth before him, all of them summoning men to themselves.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19758

429 - وعنه، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن أبي عمار، عن علي بن أبي المغيرة، عن عبد الله بن شريك العامري عن عميرة بنت نفيل، قالت: سمعت الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام يقول: لا يكون هذا الامر الذي تنتظرون حتى يبرأ بعضكم من بعض، ويلعن بعضكم بعضا، ويتفل بعضكم في وجه بعض، وحتى يشهد بعضكم بالكفر على بعض. قلت: ما في ذلك خير؟. قال: الخير كله في ذلك، عند ذلك يقوم قائمنا، فيرفع ذلك كله.

H 429 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdullah bin Jabla from Abu Ammar from Ali bin Abu Mughira from Abdullah bin Shareek Aamiri from Umaira binte Nufail that she said: I heard binte Hasan bin Ali (a. s) say: “The matter, for which you are waiting for, will not occur till you do not get fed up of each other, till you don’t curse each other, till you don’t spit at each other’s face and call each other disbelievers.” I (the narrator) said: “There is nothing positive about it!” He said: “There is indeed, because at that time our Qaim will reappear and all that will end.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19759

430- وروى الفضل، عن علي بن أسباط، عن محمد بن أبي البلاد، عن علي بن محمد الاودي، عن أبيه، عن جده قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: بين يدي القائم موت أحمر، وموت أبيض، وجراد في حينه، وجراد في غير حينه، أحمر كألوان الدم. فأما الموت الاحمر فالسيف، وأما الموت الابيض فالطاعون.

H 430 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Asbat from Muhammad bin Abi Bilad from Ali bin Muhammad Awdi from his father from his grandfather that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said: “Before the Qaim, there will be red death and white death; there will be locusts at their usual time and at their unusual time like the colors of blood. As for red death it is (from) the sword, while the white death is (from) plague.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19760

431- سعد بن عبدالله، عن الحسن بن علي الزيتوني وعبدالله بن جعفر الحميري (مع) عن أحمد بن هلال العبرتائي، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام-في حديث له طويل اختصرنا منه موضع الحاجة-أنه قال: لابد من فتنة صماء صيلم يسقط فيها كل بطانة ووليجة، وذلك عند فقدان الشيعة الثالث من ولدي، يبكي عليه أهل السماء وأهل الارض، وكم من مؤمن متأسف حران حزين عند فقد الماء المعين. كأني بهم أسر ما يكونون، وقد نودوا نداء يسمعه من بعد كما يسمعه من قرب، يكون رحمة للمؤمنين وعذابا للكافرين. فقلت: وأي نداء هو؟ قال: ينـادون في رجب ثلاثة أصوات من السماء:صوتا منها ﴿أَلاَ لَعْنَةُ اللهِ عَلَى الظَّالِمِينَ﴾ والصوت الثاني: ﴿أَزِفَتِ الآزِفَةُ﴾ يا معشر المؤمنين. والصوت الثالث- يرون بدنا بارزا نحو عين الشمس-: هذا أمير المؤمنين قد كر في هلاك الظالمين. وفي رواية الحميري: والصوت (الثالث) بدن يرى في قرن الشمس يقول: إن الله بعث فلانا فاسمعوا له وأطيعوا. وقالا جميعا: فعند ذلك يأتي الناس الفرج، وتود الناس لو كانوا أحياء: ويشفي الله صدور قوم مؤمنين.

H 431 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Hasan bin Ali Zaituni and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari together from Ahmad bin Hilal from Ibn Mahbub from Abul Hasan Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) that he said in a long tradition, which we have condensed here as follows: “It is inevitable that a terrible mischief will arise, in which all the secrets will be exposed and it will happen at a time when the Shia will be deprived of my third descendant; that is after the passing away of Imam Hasan Askari (a. s) on which the folks of the earth and the sky will mourn. And how many will be aggrieved by the disappearance of the spring of sweet water. As if I can see their worried state, when there will be a call for them, which the whole world would be able to hear clearly. This call will be a mercy to the believers and chastisement to the disbelievers. I asked: What that call would be? He replied: Three calls will be issued in the month of Rajab. The first will say: Know that, curse of Allah is on the unjust. The second call will say: The near event draws nigh. O community of believers. At the time of the third call, a shape will be seen in the sun and a voice will say: This is Amirul Momineen; he will repeatedly attack the oppressors. And in another report Himyari has said that a shape will become visible in the sun and it will say: The Almighty Allah has sent so-and-so; listen to him and obey him. And at that time, people will get deliverance and peace and even the dead will wish to have been alive and the hearts of the believers will become free of grief.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19761

432- الفضل بن شاذان، عن نصر بن مزاحم، عن ابن لهيعة، عن أبي زرعة، عن عبد الله بن رزين، عن عمار بن ياسر رضي الله عنه، أنه قال: دعوة أهل بيت نبيكم في آخر الزمان، فالزموا الأرض وكفوا حتى تروا قادتها، فإذا خالف الترك الروم وكثرت الحروب في الأرض، ينادي مناد على سور دمشق: ويل لازم من شر قد اقترب! ويخرب حائط مسجدها.

H 432 - It is narrated from Al-Fadhl bin Shadhan from Nasr bin Muzahim from Abu Lahi'a from Abu Zar'a from Abdullah bin Razeen from Ammar bin Yasir (ra) that he said: “The call from the Ahlul Bayt (a. s) of your Prophet will come during the end of time. Thus, hold on to the earth and keep quiet until you see its leader (of the call). When the Turks confront the Romans, and battles shall increase all over the world; a caller will call out from the walls of Damascus: "Woe to the one who is near from the approaching evil!", and the wall of the mosque (of Damascus) will collapse.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19762

433- الفضل، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي الجارود، عن محمد بن بشر، عن محمد بن الحنفية قال: قلت له: قد طال هذا الأمر حتى متى؟ قال: فحرك رأسه ثم قال: أنى يكون ذلك ولم يعض الزمان؟ أنى يكون ذلك ولم يجفوا الاخوان؟ أنى يكون ذلك ولم يظلم السلطان؟ أنى يكون ذلك ولم يقم الزنديق من قزوين فيهتك ستورها ويكفر صدورها ويغير سورها ويذهب بهجتها؟ من فر منه أدركه، ومن حاربه قتله، ومن اعتزله افتقر، ومن تابعه كفر حتى يقوم باكيان: باك يبكي على دينه وباك يبكي على دنياه.

H 433 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abul Jarud from Muhammad bin Bashar that he asked Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah about the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a. s) and he said: “How is it possible so soon? The cruel time has not yet arrived. How is it possible so soon? As yet brothers have not started oppressing brothers. How is it possible so soon? The ruler of the time has not started oppressing. How is it possible so soon? The atheists have not staged an uprising from Qazwin. That they may halt their progress; who may change their town shelters, who destroys their joys, who apprehends those who try to flee from them, who kills those who come out to fight them, those who recede to solitude become needful, one who obeys them becomes a denier; so much so that there will finally be two kinds of mourners: One who will mourn for their religion and another, who will mourn for their world.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19763

434- الفضل، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن جابر الجعفي، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال:الزم الأرض ولا تحرك يدا ولا رجلا حتى ترى علامات أذكرها لك وما أراك تدرك:اختلاف بني فلان، ومناد ينادي من السماء، ويجيئكم الصوت من ناحية دمشق بالفتح، وخسف قرية من قرى الشام تسمى الجابية. وستقبل إخوان الترك حتى ينزلوا الجزيرة، وستقبل مارقة الروم حتى ينزلوا الرملة، فتلك السنة فيها اختلاف كثير في كل أرض من ناحية المغرب. فأول أرض تخرب الشام، يختلفون عند ذلك على ثلاث رايات:راية الأصهب، وراية الأبقع، وراية السفياني.

H 434 - It is narrated from Al-Fadl from Hasan bin Mahbub from 'Amru bin Abil Miqdam from Jabir Al-Ju'fi from Abu Ja'far (a. s) that he said: “Stay close to the ground and do not move your hands or feet until you witness the signs that I mention to you, and I don’t think that you will live until that time: The descendats of so-and-so will disintegrate into groups, a caller will call out from the sky and his voice will come to you from the direction of Damascus with victory, one of your villages in the region of al-Sham (greater Syria) named Jabia would cave into the ground, the brothers of the Turks will rise up in Jazira, and the remnants of the Romans will attack Ramla. In that year, there will be much disagreement in every land, from the direction of the Maghrib (the West). The first land to be ruined will be al-Sham. The cause of its destruction will be the meeting of three standards there; the standard of the Red, the standard of the Spotted and the standard of the Sufyani.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19764

435- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن المقانعي عن بكار بن أحمد، عن حسن بن حسين، عن عبد الله بن بكير، عن عبد الملك بن إسماعيل الأسدي، عن أبيه قال: حدثني سعيد بن جبير قال:السنة التي يقوم فيها المهدي تمطر أربعا وعشرين مطرة يرى أثرها وبركتها.

H 435 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Maqani from Bukkar bin Ahmad from Hasan bin Husain from Abdullah bin Bukair from Abdul Malik bin Ismail Asadi from his father that he said: Narrated to me Saeed bin Jubair that: “It will rain twenty-four times in the year in which Imam Mahdi (a. s) will reappear; and its effects and bounties would be clear.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19765

436- وروي عن كعب الأحبار أنه قال: إذا ملك رجل من بني العباس يقال له: عبد الله وهو ذو العين بها افتتحوا وبها يختمون، وهو مفتاح البلاء وسيف الفناء فإذا قرئ له كتاب بالشام من عبد الله عبد الله أمير المؤمنين لم تلبثوا أن يبلغكم أن كتابا قرئ على منبر مصر:من عبد الله عبد الرحمان أمير المؤمنين.وفي حديث آخر قال: الملك لبني العباس حتى يبلغكم كتاب قرئ بمصر من عبد الله عبد الرحمان أمير المؤمنين، وإذا كان ذلك فهو زوال ملكهم وانقطاع مدتهم، فإذا قرئ عليكم أول النهار لبني العباس من عبد الله (عبد الله) أمير المؤمنين فانتظروا كتابا يقرأ عليكم [من آخر النهار] من عبد الله عبد الرحمان أمير المؤمنين.وويل لعبد الله من عبد الرحمن.

H 436 - It is narrated from Kaabul Ahbar that he said: “When the owner of Ain [A’] from Bani Abbas comes to the throne; that is Abdullah, then this rule will begin with a person named Abdullah and end with a person named Abdullah. He will be the key to calamities and the sword of annihilation. When his announcement will be read in the evening, that: From the slave of Allah, Abdullah, the chief of believers, to the people of Syria: You will immediately come to know that the same is being announced from the pulpit of Egypt: From the slave of Allah, Abdullah, the chief of believers, to the people of Egypt…” When this happens, it will be the time of the decline of the kingdom of Bani Abbas. When this announcement is made by Bani Abbas in the morning, in the name of Abdullah you should wait till this announcement is made in the evening, in the name of Abdur Rahman and the latter will attack Abdullah in the cruelest way.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19766

437- وروى حذلم بن بشير قال:قلت لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام:صف لي خروج المهدي وعرفني دلائله وعلاماته. فقال: يكون قبل خروجه خروج رجل يقال له: عوف السلمي بأرض الجزيرة، ويكون مأواه تكريت وقتله بمسجد دمشق ثم يكون خروج شعيب بن صالح من سمرقند.ثم يخرج السفياني الملعون من الوادي اليابس وهو من ولد عتبة بن أبي سفيان، فإذا ظهر السفياني اختفى المهدي ثم يخرج بعد ذلك.

H 437 - It is narrated from Hazlam bin Bashir that he said: “I said to Ali bin Husain (a. s): Describe to me the rise of Mahdi and tell me about his proofs and signs. He said: Before his advent, a man will appear whose name is Auf Salmi, in the land of Jazira, who will stay in Tikrit and will be killed in the Masjid of Damascus; after that will appear Shuaib bin Salih from Samarqand. At that time will appear the accursed Sufyani from the valley of Yabis, and he would be from the progeny of Utbah bin Abu Sufyan; and when Sufyani appears, the Mahdi will go into occultation, after that he will appear again.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19767

438- وروي عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله [أنه] قال:يخرج بقزوين رجل اسمه اسم نبي، يسرع الناس إلى طاعته، المشرك والمؤمن، يملا الجبال خوفا.

H 438 - It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (s) that he said: “A man will rise up from Qazwin, whose name will be same as the name of a Prophet. People will make haste in accepting his authority; but the mountains will be full of disbelievers and believers due to his fear.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19768

439- الفضل بن شاذان، عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر، عن ثعلبة، عن بدر بن الخليل الأزدي قال: قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: آيتان تكونان قبل القائم لم تكونا منذ هبط آدم عليه السلام إلى الأرض: تنكسف الشمس في النصف من شهر رمضان والقمر في آخره. فقال رجل: يا بن رسول الله تنكسف الشمس في آخر الشهر والقمر في النصف؟ فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام:إني لاعلم بما تقول ولكنهما آيتان لم تكونا منذ هبط آدم عليه السلام.

H 439 - It is narrated from Al-Fadhl bin Shadhan from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Tha'laba from Badr bin Khalil Al-Azdi that he said: Abu Ja'far (a. s) said: “Two signs will occur before the Qa'im (a. s), they both never occurred since Adam (AS) came down to Earth: there will be a solar eclipse in the middle of the month of Ramadan, and a lunar eclipse at the end of it.” So a man said: “Oh son of Allah’s Messenger, doesn't a solar eclipse (usually) occur at the end of the month and lunar eclipse in the middle of it?” Abu Ja'far (AS) replied: “I know what you are saying, but they are both signs which have not occurred since Adam (AS) came down.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19769

440- الفضل، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن ثعلبة، عن شعيب الحداد، عن صالح قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: ليس بين قيام القائم وبين قتل النفس الزكية إلا خمس عشره ليلة.

H 440 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal from Thalaba from Shuaib Haddad from Salih that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: “There will be only a gap of fifteen days between the rising of the Qaim of Aale Muhammad and the killing of the Pure Soul (Nafse Zakiyyah).”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19770

441- وعنه، عن نصر بن مزاحم، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر قال:قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: متى يكون هذا الامر؟ فقال عليه السلام:أنى يكون ذلك يا جابر ولما تكثر القتلى بين الحيرة والكوفة؟!

H 441 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Nasr bin Muzahim from Amr bin Shimr from Jabir that he said: “I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s): When will this event occur? He replied: Jabir, it will occur at a time when killing between Hira and Kufa is considerable.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19771

442- عنه، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن سنان، عن الحسين بن المختار، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا هدم حائط مسجد الكوفة مؤخره مما يلي دار عبد الله بن مسعود فعند ذلك زوال (ملك) بني فلان، أما إن هادمه لا يبنيه.

H 442 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Sinan from Husain bin Mukhtar from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “When the wall of the mosque of Kufa, which adjoins the house of Abdullah bin Masud is destroyed, at that time the kingdom of Bani Abbas would decline. And know that one who demolishes that wall would not rebuild it.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19772

443- وعنه، عن سيف بن عميرة، عن بكر بن محمد الأزدي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: خروج الثلاثة: الخراساني والسفياني واليماني في سنة واحدة في شهر واحد في يوم واحد، وليس فيها راية بأهدى من راية اليماني يهدي إلى الحق.

H 443 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Saif bin Umaira from Bakr bin Muhammad Azdi from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “There will be three appearances in one year, one month and one day – the Sufyani, the Khurasani and the Yamani. The standard of guidance will not be among them, except the standard of the Yamani, because he will summon (people) to the truth.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19773

444- عنه، عن ابن فضال، عن ابن بكير، عن محمد بن مسلم قال: يخرج قبل السفياني مصري ويماني.

H 444 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Faddal from Ibn Bukair from Muhammad bin Muslim that he said: “Misri and Yamani will appear before Sufyani.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19774

445- عنه، عن عثمان بن عيسى، عن درست بن أبي منصور، عن عمار بن مروان، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: من يضمن لي موت عبد الله أضمن له القائم. ثم قال: إذا مات عبد الله لم يجتمع الناس بعده على أحد ولم يتناه هذا الأمر دون صاحبكم إن شاء الله، ويذهب ملك السنين ويصير ملك الشهور والأيام. فقلت: يطول ذلك؟ قال: كلا.

H 445 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Uthman bin Isa from Darast Abi Mansur from Ammar bin Marwan from Abu Basir that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) say: “I am prepared to guarantee Imam Qaim to one who guarantees the death of Abdullah; because after the death of Abdullah, the Muslims will not have consensus on any one person and this matter will not end, except with your Imam. If Allah wills, the kingdom running into years will end and the kingdom running into days and months will begin.” I (the narrator) asked: “Would this matter be prolonged?” He replied: “Definitely not.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19775

446- عنه، عن محمد بن علي، عن سلام بن عبد الله، عن أبي بصير، عن بكر بن حرب، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لا يكون فساد ملك بني فلان حتى يختلف سيفا بني فلان، فإذا اختلفا كان عند ذلك فساد ملكهم.

H 446 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ali from Salam bin Abdullah from Abu Basir from Bakr bin Harb from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The kingdom of Bani so-and-so cannot decline till the two swords of so-and-so do not clash. When they clash, their kingdom will begin to decline.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19776

447- الفضل، عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام قال:إن من علامات الفرج حدثا يكون بين الحرمين. قلت: وأي شئ (يكون) الحدث؟ فقال:عصبية تكون بين الحرمين، ويقتل فلان من ولد فلان خمسة عشر كبشا.

H 447 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Abul Hasan Imam Ali Ridha (a. s) that he said: “Among the signs of the relief is an event, which will occur between the two mosques (of Mecca and Medina). So-and-so from the descendants of so-and-so will kill fifteen leaders of the Arabs.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19777

448- وعنه، عن ابن فضال وابن أبي نجران، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن إبراهيم بن عمر اليماني، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لا يذهب ملك هؤلاء حتى يستعرضوا الناس بالكوفة يوم الجمعة، لكأني أنظر إلى رؤس تندر فيما بين المسجد وأصحاب الصابون.

H 448 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Faddal and Ibn Abi Najran from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar Yamani from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The kingdom of these men will not disappear until they slaughter people in Kufa on Friday. It is as if I was looking at heads falling between the Gate of al-Feel and (the place of) the soap-sellers.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19778

449- وعنه، عن علي بن أسباط، عن الحسن بن الجهم قال:سأل الرجل أبا الحسن عليه السلام عن الفرج، فقال :ما تريد، الاكثار أو أجمل لك؟ فقال: أريد تجمله لي.فقال: إذا تحركت رايات قيس بمصر ورايات كندة بخراسان. أو ذكر غير كندة.

H 449 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Asbat from Hasan bin Jaham that he said: A man asked Imam Musa Kadhim (a. s) about the reappearance and he asked in return: “Do you want most of it or shall I give you a summary?” “Would you give me a summary?” he said. “(It will be) when the standards of Qays are carried in Egypt and the standards of Kinda in Khurasan,” he replied.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19779

450- عنه، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن قدام القائم لسنة غيداقة يفسد التمر في النخل فلا تشكوا في ذلك.

H 450 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Hasan bin Mahbub from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The year preceding the reappearance of Imam Qaim (a. s) will be so verdant that dates will rot on the trees and there will be no one to pick them. Have no doubt about it.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19780

451- وعنه، عن أحمد بن عمر بن سالم، عن يحيى بن علي، عن الربيع، عن أبي لبيد، قال: تغير الحبشة البيت فيكسرونه، ويؤخذ الحجر فينصب في مسجد الكوفة.

H 451 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ahmad bin Umar bin Saalim from Yahya bin Ali from Rabi from Abi Lubaid that he said: “The people of Abyssinia will demolish the Kaaba; the Black Stone will be taken away and fixed in the Kufa Mosque.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19781

452- وعنه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عمر بن أذينة، عن محمد بن مسلم قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن السفياني يملك بعد ظهوره على الكور الخمس حمل امرأة. ثم قال عليه السلام:أستغفر الله حمل جمل، وهو من الامر المحتوم الذي لابد منه.

H 452 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Abi Umair from Umar bin Uziyana from Muhammad bin Muslim that he said: I heard His Eminence, Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a. s) say: “After the Sufyani gets control over five provinces he would rule equal to the duration of pregnancy of a woman.” Then he said: “I seek forgiveness of Allah, he would rule for the duration of pregnancy of a camel. And his matter is inevitable.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19782

453-عنه، عن إسماعيل بن مهران، عن عثمان بن جبلة، عن عمر بن أبان الكلبي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كأني بالسفياني أو لصاحب السفياني قد طرح رحله في رحبتكم بالكوفة، فنادى مناديه: من جاء برأس [رجل من] شيعة علي فله ألف درهم، فيثب الجار على جاره يقول: هذا منهم، فيضرب عنقه ويأخذ ألف درهم. أما إن إمارتكم يومئذ لا تكون إلا لأولاد البغايا، (و) كأني أنظر إلى صاحب البرقع. قلت: ومن صاحب البرقع؟. فقال: رجل منكم يقول بقولكم يلبس البرقع فيحوشكم فيعرفكم ولا تعرفونه، فيغمز بكم رجلا رجلا، أما [إنه] لا يكون إلا ابن بغي.

H 453 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ismail bin Mahran from Uthman bin Jabla from Umar bin Aban Kalbi from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “As if I can see the Sufyani or a representative of Sufyani camped outside Kufa and his statements are being announced to the people: Anyone who brings a severed head of a Shia of Ali (a. s) would be rewarded a thousand Dirhams. Then a neighbor would attack his neighbor and say: ‘he is from them’, and he would cut off his head and collect a thousand Dirhams. And indeed the rulership and kingdom at that time would not be in the control of anyone, except the illegitimate born. As if I can see the veiled one. I asked: ‘Who is the veiled one?’ He replied: ‘He is a man from you who would be talking just like you. He would be veiled and he would identify each of you so that you may be captured, he is not, but a bastard.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19783

454- عنه، عن علي بن الحكم، عن المثنى، عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: لينصرن الله هذا الامر بمن لا خلاق له ولو قد جاء أمرنا لقد خرج منه من هو اليوم مقيم على عبادة الأوثان.

H 454 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Hakam from Muthanna from Abu Basir that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: “The Almighty Allah will assist Imam Mahdi (a. s) through people who have no religion and faith. When he reappears, there will be people who had till date been idolaters, but they will give up idolatry and join the Imam.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19784

455- وعنه، عن الحماني، عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن الأجلح، عن عبد الله بن [أبي] الهذيل، قال: لا تقوم الساعة حتى يجتمع كل مؤمن بالكوفة.

H 455 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Hamani from Muhammad bin Fudhail from Ajlah from Abdullah bin Huzail that he said: “Judgment Day will not arrive till all the believers do not gather in Kufa.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19785

456- أحمد بن علي الرازي، عن محمد بن إسحاق المقرئ، عن المقانعي، عن بكار، عن إبراهيم بن محمد، عن جعفر بن سعيد الأسدي، عن (أبيه)، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام.قال: عام أو سنة الفتح ينشق الفرات حتى يدخل أزقة الكوفة.

H 456 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ishaq Muqri from Maqani from Bukkar from Ibrahim bin Muhammad from Ja’far bin Saad Asadi from his father from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “In the year of the reappearance, there will be such a terrible flood in the Euphrates that even the lanes of Kufa will be inundated.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19786

456- Ahmad ibn Ali al-Razi, from Muhammad ibn Ishaq al-Muqri', from al-Muqani'i, from Bakkar, from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad, from Ja'far ibn Sa'eed al-Asadi, from (his father), from Abu Abdullah (AS), he said: "In the year of the conquest, the Euphrates will split until it enters the streets of Kufa."

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19787

458- الفضل بن شاذان، عن محمد بن علي الكوفي، عن وهيب بن حفص، عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن القائم صلوات الله عليه ينادي اسمه ليلة ثلاث وعشرين، ويقوم يوم عاشوراء يوم قتل فيه الحسين بن علي عليهما السلام.

H 458 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ali Kufi from Wuhaib bin Hafas from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The name of Imam Qaim (a. s) will be announced on the 23rd night and he will reappear on the day of Ashura, on which Imam Husain (a. s) was martyred.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19788

459- الفضل، عن محمد بن علي، عن محمد بن سنان، عن حي بن مروان عن علي بن مهزيار قال: قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: كأني بالقائم يوم عاشوراء يوم السبت قائما بين الركن والمقام، بين يديه جبرئيل عليه السلام ينادي: البيعة لله، فيملأها عدلا كما ملئت ظلما وجورا.

H 459 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Sinan from Hayy bin Marwan from Ali bin Mahziyar from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “As if I can see the Qaim (a. s) on the day of Ashura, on Saturday standing between the Rukn and Maqam and Jibraeel is announcing before him: Allegiance is for Allah. Then he would fill the earth with justice and equity, like it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19789

460- [الفضل، عن ابن محبوب، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، قال: لا يخرج القائم إلا في وتر من السنين تسع وثلاث وخمس وإحدى].

H 460 - Fadhl has narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: The Qaim will not reappear, except in an odd year, like 9, 3, 5 and 1.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19790

461- الفضل، عن ابن محبوب، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: خروج القائم من المحتوم. قلت: وكيف يكون النداء؟. قال: ينادي مناد من السماء أول النهار: ألا إن الحق في علي وشيعته. ثم ينادي إبليس لعنه الله في آخر النهار: ألا إن الحق في عثمان وشيعته، فعند ذلك يرتاب المبطلون.

H 461 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Mahbub from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The rising of Imam Qaim (a. s) is an inevitable matter.” I asked: “How will it be announced?” He replied: “A caller will call out from the sky in the morning: Know that the truth is with Imam Ali (a. s) and his Shia. And then in the evening, Iblis will call out from the sky: Know that the truth is with Uthman and his followers.” At this time people of falsehood would fall into doubt.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19791

462- وعنه، عن ابن محبوب، عن أبي أيوب، عن محمد بن مسلم قال: ينادي مناد من السماء باسم القائم عليه السلام، فيسمع ما بين المشرق إلى المغرب، فلا يبقى راقد إلا قام، ولا قائم إلا قعد، ولا قاعد إلا قام على رجليه من ذلك الصوت، وهو صوت جبرئيل الروح الأمين.

H 462 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Mahbub from Abu Ayyub from Muhammad bin Muslim that he said: “A caller will announce the name of Imam Qaim (a. s) from the sky, which will be heard by all the people of the world; which will awaken the sleeping ones; those who are standing will sit up and those who sit will stand up and this voice will be that of His Eminence, Jibraeel (a. s).”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19792

463- وعنه، عن إسماعيل بن عياش، عن الأعمش، عن أبي وائل، عن حذيفة قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وذكر المهدي فقال: إنه يبايع بين الركن والمقام، اسمه أحمد و عبد الله والمهدي، فهذه أسماؤه ثلاثتها.

H 463 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ismail bin Ayyash from Amash from Abu Wael from Huzaifah that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say when Imam Mahdi (a. s) was mentioned in his presence: “Indeed his allegiance will be given between Rukn and Maqam. He has three names: Ahmad, Abdullah and Mahdi.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19793

464- عنه، عن ابن أبي عمير وابن بزيع، عن منصور بن يونس، عن إسماعيل بن جابر، عن أبي خالد الكابلي، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إذا دخل القائم الكوفة لم يبق مؤمن إلا وهو بها أو يجئ إليها -وهو قول أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام -ويقول لأصحابه: سيروا بنا إلى هذه الطاغية! فيسير إليه.

H 464 - It is narrated from Ibn Abu Umair from Ibn Bazi from Mansur bin Yunus from Ismail bin Jabir from Abu Khalid Kabuli that Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: When the Qaim enters Kufa, no believer would remain, but that he would be in Kufa or that he would move to Kufa. It is also mentioned in the discourse of Amirul Momineen (a. s) that Imam Mahdi (a. s) would address his companions: Come and join us to march against this transgressor [Sufyani, Dajjal and every tyrant who confronts the Imam].

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19794

465- سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن صالح بن محمد، عن هانئ التمار قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن لصاحب هذا الامر غيبة المتمسك فيها بدينه كالخارط للقتاد بيديه. ثم قال: هكذا بيده، فأيكم يمسك شوك القتاد بيده؟ ثم قال: إن لصاحب هذا الامرغيبة فليتق الله عبد وليتمسك بدينه.

H 465 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah Ashari from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Salih bin Muhammad from Hani Tammar that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) said: “There will be occultation for the master of this affair. During this time those who remain attached to their religion will be like those who rub their hands on a thorny branch. Then he gestured and said: There is occultation for the master of this affair and every person is duty-bound to fear Allah and remain attached to his religion.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19795

466- عن الفضل بن شاذان، عن إسماعيل بن مهران، عن أيمن بن محرز، عن رفاعة بن موسى ومعاوية بن وهب، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم:طوبى لمن أدرك قائم أهل بيتي وهو مقتد به قبل قيامه، يتولى وليه ويتبرأ من عدوه، ويتولى الأئمة الهادية من قبله، أولئك رفقائي وذوو ودي ومودتي، وأكرم أمتي علي. قال رفاعة:…وأكرم خلق الله علي.

H 466 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ismail bin Mahran from Aiman bin Mahraz from Rufaa bin Musa and Muawiyah bin Wahab from His Eminence, Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Blessed be those, who are fortunate to live during the time of Qaim of my Ahle Bayt; those who would believe in him during his occultation and before his advent; who would love his friends and remain aloof from his enemies. Such people would be my closest ones and my friends on Judgment Day.” (According to the tradition of Rufaa) “And the most respected creatures of Allah in my view.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19796

467-عنه، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عبد الله بن سنان، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال:قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله:سيأتي قوم من بعدكم الرجل الواحد منهم له أجر خمسين منكم.قالوا:يا رسول الله نحن كنا معك ببدر وأحد وحنين ونزل فينا القرآن.فقال:إنكم لو تحملون لما حملوا لم تصبروا صبرهم.

H 467 - It is narrated from Hasan bin Mahbub from Abdullah bin Sinan from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “Very soon will come a people after you, each of whom will be eligible for fifty times your reward. They said: O Messenger of Allah (s), we lived in your company, fought the Badr, Uhad and Hunain battles with you and the Holy Quran came down among us? The Prophet said: Indeed, if you were to face what they faced, you will not be as patient as them.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19797

468- سعد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن خالد البرقي، عمن حدثه، عن المفضل بن عمر الجعفي قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أقرب ما يكون العباد من الله وأرضى ما يكون عنهم إذا افتقدوا حجة الله فلم يظهر لهم ولم يعلموا بمكانه، وهم في ذلك يعلمون أنه لم تبطل حجة الله ولا ميثاقه، فعندها توقعوا الفرج صباحا ومساء، فإن أشد ما يكون غضب الله على أعدائه إذا افتقدوا حجته، فلم يظهر لهم.وقد علم أن أولياءه لا يرتابون، ولو علم أنهم يرتابون ما غيب (عنهم) حجته طرفة عين، ولا يكون ذلك إلا على رأس أشرار الناس.

H 468 - Narrated to us Saad from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Muhammad bin Khalid Barqi from one who narrated to him from Mufaddal bin Umar Jofi that he said: Abi Abdullah (a. s) said: “The most proximate servants of Allah and those with whom Allah is pleased are those who when the proof of Allah disappears from sight and they don’t know about his location, yet they continue to have faith that the Proof of Allah can never be invalid and day and night they continue to wait for him. And the wrath of Allah is on those of His enemies who when the proof of Allah disappears from sight, they fall into doubts and denial. He (Allah) knew that His special servants will never fall into doubts and if it were not so, He would not have taken away His Proof from their sight even for a moment. These doubts will reign supreme over the hearts of evil ones.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19798

469- الفضل، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن سنان، عن خالد العاقولي، في حديث له عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال:فما تمدون أعينكم؟ فما تستعجلون؟ ألستم آمنين؟ أليس الرجل منكم يخرج من بيته فيقضي حوائجه ثم يرجع لم يختطف؟ إن كان من قبلكم [من هو] على ما أنتم عليه ليؤخذ الرجل منهم فتقطع يداه ورجلاه ويصلب على جذوع النخل وينشر بالمنشار، ثم لا يعدو ذنب نفسه. ثم تلا هذه الآية ﴿أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللهِ أَلاَ إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللهِ قَرِيبٌ﴾.

H 469 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Sinan from Khalid Aquli from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Why are you waiting so eagerly? Why are you so hasty? Are you not in peace and security? Does not one of you who leaves his house for some need return safely? Whereas in the past whenever one of your co-religionist left his house, he was immediately apprehended and his limbs were amputed and he was impaled on a date palm; he was sawn into half without being told what his fault was.” After that he recited the following verse: “Or do you think that you would enter the garden while yet the state of those who have passed away before you has not come upon you; distress and affliction befell them and they were shaken violently, so that the Apostle and those who believed with him said: When will the help of Allah come? Now surely the help of Allah is nigh!” (2:214)

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19799

470- الفضل، عن محمد بن علي، عن جعفر بن بشير، عن خالد بن أبي عمارة، عن المفضل بن عمر قال: ذكرنا القائم عليه السلام ومن مات من أصحابنا ينتظره، فقال لنا أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إذا قام أتى المؤمن في قبره فيقال له: يا هذا !إنه قد ظهر صاحبك، فإن تشأ أن تلحق به فالحق، وإن تشأ أن تقيم في كرامة ربك فأقم.

H 470 - Fadhl has narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Ja’far bin Bashir from Khalid bin Amara from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: “Once we were discussing the subject of Imam Qaim and those who died waiting for him from among us. Imam Sadiq (a. s) said: When the Qaim rises up, someone will come and announce in the grave of every believer: Your Imam has risen, if you want to join, you may do so. Otherwise you may continue to lie in the mercy of God.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19800

471- عنه، عن ابن أسباط، عن الحسن بن الجهم قال: سألت أبا الحسن عليه السلام عن شئ من الفرج.فقال:أو لست تعلم أن انتظار الفرج من الفرج؟ قلت: لا أدري إلا أن تعلمني. فقال: نعم، انتظار الفرج من الفرج.

H 471 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Asbat from Hasan bin Jaham that he said: “I asked His Eminence, Abul Hasan Musa bin Ja’far (a. s) regarding relief (Faraj). He replied: Don’t you know that waiting for the Faraj is Faraj? I asked: I don’t know anything, except what you have taught. He replied: Yes, waiting for the Faraj is (also) a kind of Faraj.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19801

472- عنه، عن ابن فضال، عن ثعلبة بن ميمون قال:أعرف إمامك [فإنك] إذا عرفته لم يضرك تقدم هذا الامر أو تأخر، ومن عرف إمامه ثم مات قبل أن يرى هذا الامر ثم خرج القائم عليه السلام كان له من الاجر كمن كان مع القائم في فسطاطه.

H 472 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Faddal from Thalaba bin Maimoon that he said: “Obtain recognition of your Imam. If you are able to gain their recognition, it will not make any difference whether the period of their rule comes earlier or later. If one is able to gain the cognition of his Imam and he dies before his rule, and the reappearance of the Imam comes later, he would also be rewarded as one who is present in the Imam’s army.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19802

473- عنه، عن عبد الرحمان بن أبي هاشم، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: ما تستعجلون بخروج القائم؟ فوالله ما لباسه إلا الغليظ، وما طعامه إلا الشعير الجشب. وما هو إلا السيف، والموت تحت ظل السيف.

H 473 - It is narrated from Mufaddal from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Hashim from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir that His Eminence, Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a. s) said: “Why are you impatient for the advent of Qaim (a. s)? By Allah, there will be no garments, except the coarse ones and no food, except barley with bran. His advent is not, except with the sword and death under the shade of the sword.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19803

474- عنه، عن ابن فضال، عن المثنى الحناط، عن عبد الله بن عجلان، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: من عرف هذا الامر ثم مات قبل أن يقوم القائم عليه السلام كان له مثل أجر من قتل معه.

H 474 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Faddal from Muthanna Hannat from Abdullah bin Ajlan from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “One who believes in occultation and reappearance, but dies before the advent of Imam Mahdi (a. s) it is as if he has died fighting alongside the Imam.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19804

475- ابن أبي عمير، عن جميل بن دراج، عن زرارة، عن جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام أنه قال: حقيق على الله أن يدخل الضلال الجنة. فقال زرارة: كيف ذلك جعلت فداك؟ قال:يموت الناطق ولا ينطق الصامت، فيموت المرء بينهما فيدخله الله الجنة.

H 475 - Ibn Abi Umair has narrated from Jamil bin Darraj from Zurarah bin Ayin from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: If Almighty Allah wishes, He has the right to admit the deviated ones to Paradise and it is preferable for Him and not a defect. Zurarah asked: May I be your ransom, how is that possible? Imam (a. s) replied: The speaking one [Imam] passes away and the silent one also does not say anything. On the basis of this a person who dies between these two in this period would be admitted to Paradise by Almighty Allah.

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19805

476- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي المفضل الشيباني، عن أبي نعيم نصر بن عصام بن المغيرة العمري، عن أبي يوسف يعقوب بن نعيم بن عمرو قرقارة الكاتب، عن أحمد بن محمد الأسدي، عن محمد بن أحمد، عن إسماعيل بن عياش، عن مهاجر بن حكيم، عن معاوية بن سعيد، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي عليهما السلام قال: قال علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام :إذا اختلف رمحان بالشام فهو آية من آيات الله تعالى. قيل: ثم مه؟ قال: ثم رجفة تكون بالشام يهلك فيها مائة ألف يجعلها الله رحمة للمؤمنين وعذابا على الكافرين. فإذا كان ذلك فانظروا إلى أصحاب البراذين الشهب، والرايات الصفر تقبل من المغرب حتى تحل الشام. فإذا كان ذلك فانتظروا خسفا بقرية من قرى الشام يقال لها حرستا، فإذا كان ذلك فانتظروا ابن آكلة الأكباد بوادي اليابس.

H 476 - It is narrated from a group from Abu Mufaddal Shaibani from Abu Naeem Nasr bin Isaam Ibn Mughira Amri from Abu Yusuf Yaqub bin Naeem bin Amr Qarqara Katib from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Asadi from Muhammad bin Ahmad from Ismail bin Abbas from Muhajir bin Hakim from Muawiyah bin Saeed from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a. s) said: “After that there will be a terrible earthquake in Shaam, which will be a blessing for the believers, but a punishment for disbelievers. A hundred thousand will die because of it. When this happens, you will see the companions of Barazeen; an army mounted on red horses coming from the west, waving a yellow flag and entering Shaam. When this happens, you will see a village of Shaam, [named Harasta] cave into the earth. When this also happens, you will witness the rising of Sufyani, the son of Hind, the liver-eater from the Yabis Valley.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19806

477- قرقارة، عن محمد بن خلف، عن الحسن بن صالح بن الأسود، عن عبد الجبار بن العباس الهمداني، عن عمار الدهني قال: قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: كم تعدون بقاء السفياني فيكم؟ قال: قلت: حمل امرأة تسعة أشهر.قال: ما أعلمكم يا أهل الكوفة.

H 477 - It is narrated from Qarqara from Muhammad bin Khalaf from Hasan bin Salih bin Aswad from Abdul Jabbar bin Abbas Hamadani from Ammar Dahni that he said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) asked: “How long will the rule of Sufyani last?” I replied: “For the duration of a normal human pregnancy (nine months).” Imam (a. s) said: “O people of Kufa, how knowledgeable you are about this matter!”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19807

478- عنه، عن أبي النصر إسماعيل بن عبد الله بن ميمون بن عبد الحميد بن أبي الرجال العجلي قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الرحمان بن أبي ليلى قال: حدثنا جعفر بن سعد الكاهلي، عن الأعمش، عن بشر بن غالب قال: يقبل السفياني من بلاد الروم متنصرا في عنقه صليب وهو صاحب القوم.

H 478 - It is narrated from Qarqara from Ismail bin Abdullah bin Maimoon from Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman from Ja’far bin Saad Kahili from Amash from Bashir bin Ghalib that he said: “Sufyani will come from the Roman area in the disguise of a Christian, wearing a cross and leading a group.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19808

479- قرقارة، عن نصر بن الليث المروزي، عن ابن طلحة الجحدري قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن لهيعة، عن أبي زرعة، عن أبي عبد الله بن رزين، عن عمار بن ياسر أنه قال: إن دولة أهل بيت نبيكم في آخر الزمان، ولها إمارات، فإذا رأيتم فالزموا الأرض وكفوا حتى تجئ إماراتها. فإذا استثارت عليكم الروم والترك، وجهزت الجيوش، ومات خليفتكم الذي يجمع الأموال، واستخلف بعده رجل صحيح، فيخلع بعد سنين من بيعته، ويأتي هلاك ملكهم من حيث بدأ ويتخالف الترك والروم، وتكثر الحروب في الأرض، وينادي مناد من سور دمشق: ويل لأهل الأرض من شر قد اقترب، ويخسف بغربي مسجدها حتى يخر حائطها، ويظهر ثلاثة نفر بالشام كلهم يطلب الملك، رجل أبقع، ورجل أصهب، ورجل من أهل بيت أبي سفيان يخرج في كلب، ويحضر الناس بدمشق، ويخرج أهل الغرب إلى مصر.فإذا دخلوا فتلك إمارة السفياني، ويخرج قبل ذلك من يدعو لآل محمد عليهم السلام، وتنزل الترك الحيرة، وتنزل الروم فلسطين، ويسبق عبد الله (عبد الله) حتى يلتقي جنودهما بقرقيسياء على النهر، ويكون قتال عظيم، ويسير صاحب المغرب فيقتل الرجال ويسبي النساء، ثم يرجع في قيس حتى ينزل الجزيرة السفياني، فيسبق اليماني [فيقتل] ويحوز السفياني ما جمعوا.ثم يسير إلى الكوفة فيقتل أعوان آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ويقتل رجلا من مسميهم. ثم يخرج المهدي على لوائه شعيب بن صالح، وإذا رأى أهل الشام قد اجتمع أمرها على ابن أبي سفيان فألحقوا بمكة، فعند ذلك تقتل النفس الزكية وأخوه بمكة ضيعة، فينادي مناد من السماء:أيها الناس إن أميركم فلان، وذلك هو المهدي الذي يملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت ظلما وجورا.

H 479 - It is narrated from Qarqara from Nazr bin Laith Maruzi from Ibn Talha Juddari that he said: Narrated to us: Abdullah bin Lahiya from Abi Zaraa from Abdullah bin Razeen from Ammar bin Yasir that he said: “The rule of the Ahle Bayt (a. s) of your Prophet shall be there in the last period of time and there are some signs for it; you should sit tight and keep quiet until you see them. When Rome and Turks attack you; when armies are prepared and that Caliph of yours, who hoards wealth, passes away. He is succeeded by an honest person, but within a few years of his allegiance, he is dismissed from where he was appointed (from Khorasan). Turks and Rome confront each other and battles rage everywhere. A caller will call out from the war shelters of Damascus: Perdition is near for humans. The western portion of the Masjid of Damascus caves in and its boundary walls collapse. Three groups will set out from Damascus to seize power. One would be led by a person on a piebald horse, another on a red horse and a man from the descendants of Abu Sufyan would rise up from the province of Kalab; who would bring all the people to Damascus and expel the people of the west to Egypt. When they enter Damascus, it would be the sign for the uprising of Sufyani and before that a person would stage an uprising and call the people to Aale Muhammad (a. s). The Turks would camp in Hira and the Romans would camp at Palestine and Abdullah would march forward till both the armies come face to face at Qurqisiya and a severe battle would ensue at the river banks. When the king of the west marches, he would kill the men and captivate the women. Then he would return to Qays till Sufyani enters the peninsula. Then Yamani would move and take over whatever the people had gathered. Then he would come to Kufa and slay the followers and supporters of Aale Muhammad (a. s); on the contrary, he would also slay the one who is named after them. After that Imam Mahdi (a. s) would arise and his standard would be held by Shuaib bin Salih. When Syrians realize that their country has come under the rule of the descendant of Abu Sufyan, they would go to Mecca. Nafse Zakiyyah and his brother would be killed at that time. A call would be raised from the sky: Your chief (Amir) is so-and-so [that is Imam Mahdi (a. s)], who would fill up the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19809

480- عنه، عن محمد بن خلف الحداد [ي]، عن إسماعيل بن أبان الأزدي، عن سفيان بن إبراهيم الجريري أنه سمع أباه يقول: النفس الزكية غلام من آل محمد اسمه: محمد بن الحسن يقتل بلا جرم ولا ذنب، فإذا قتلوه لم يبق لهم في السماء عاذر ولا في الأرض ناصر. فعند ذلك يبعث الله قائم آل محمد في عصبة لهم أدق في أعين الناس من الكحل، إذا خرجوا بكى لهم الناس، لا يرون إلا أنهم يختطفون، يفتح الله لهم مشارق الأرض ومغاربها، ألا وهم المؤمنون حقا، ألا إن خير الجهاد في آخر الزمان.

H 480 - It is narrated from Qarqara from Muhammad bin Khalaf Haddadi from Ismail bin Aban Azdi from Sufyan bin Ibrahim Jurairi that he heard his father say: “Nafse Zakiyyah (the pure soul) is a young man from the Progeny of Muhammad (s), his name is Muhammad bin Hasan, who would be killed without any crime and sin and when they slay him, they shall neither have any excuse in the heavens nor would they have any friend in the earth. At that time the Almighty Allah will send the Qaim of Aale Muhammad with a group that in the view of the people would be softer than antimony. When they come out, the people will weep at their condition as they would think that they would very soon be eliminated at the hands of the enemies. However, the Almighty Allah will conquer the easts and the wests of the earth for them. Know that they are the true believers. Know that the best of the Jihads shall be in the last period of time.”

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19810

481- عنه، عن أبي حاتم، عن محمد بن يزيد الآدمي - بغدادي عابد- قال: حدثنا يحيى بن سليم الطائفي، عن متيل بن عباد قال: سمعت أبا الطفيل يقول: سمعت علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام يقول: أظلتكم فتنة (مظلمة) عمياء منكشفة لا ينجو منها إلا النومة. قيل: يا أبا الحسن وما النومة؟ قال: الذي لا يعرف الناس ما في نفسه.

H 481 - It is narrated from Abi Hatim from Muhammad bin Yazid Adami from Yahya bin Sulaym Taifi from Mateel bin Ibad from Abu Tufayl that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said on the pulpit of Kufa: ‘Dark, blind and gloomy mischiefs are ahead of you. None will be rescued from it, but the nauma.’ He was asked, ‘What is nauma, O Chief of believers?’ He said: ‘He is the one who does not know the people and people do not know him.’

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s) - Hadith 19811

482- عنه، عن العباس بن يزيد البحراني، عن عبد الرزاق بن همام، عن معمر، عن ابن طاوس، عن علي بن عبد الله بن عباس قال: لا يخرج المهدي حتى يطلع مع الشمس آية.

H 482 - It is narrated from Abbas bin Yazid Bahrani from Abdur Razzaq bin Hammam from Muammar from Ibn Tawus from Ali bin Abdullah bin Abbas that he said: “The Mahdi will not reappear till a sign appears with the Sun.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19812

483- محمد بن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن عطاء، عن سلام بن أبي عمرة قال: قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: لصاحب هذا الامر بيت يقال له: بيت الحمد، فيه سراج يزهر منذ يوم ولد إلى أن يقوم بالسيف.

H 483 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Muhammad bin Ataa from Salam bin Abi Umrah that he said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) said: “The man of this matter will have a house called Baitul Hamd (house of praise). It will have a lamp, which was lighted since the day of his birth and it will continue to burn until the day he will rise with the sword.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19813

484- أخبرنا جماعة، عن التلعكبري، عن علي بن حبشي، عن جعفر بن مالك، عن أحمد بن أبي نعيم، عن إبراهيم بن صالح، عن محمد بن غزال، عن مفضل بن عمر قال:سمعت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: إن قائمنا إذا قام أشرقت الارض بنور ربها، واستغنى الناس ويعمر الرجل في ملكه حتى يولد له ألف ذكر لا يولد فيهم أنثى، ويبني في ظهر الكوفة مسجدا له ألف باب، وتتصل بيوت الكوفة بنهر كربلا وبالحيرة، حتى يخرج الرجل يوم الجمعة على بغلة سفواء يريد الجمعة فلا يدركها.

H 484 - Narrated to us a group of scholars from Talakbari from Ali bin Habashi from Ja’far bin Malik from Ahmad bin Abi Naeem Ibrahim bin Salih from Muhammad bin Ghazal from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: I heard His Eminence, Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a. s) say: “When the Qaim (a. s) arises, the earth would light up with the luminescence of its Lord and the people would become needless of sunlight. In his rule, all will have such long lifespans that each person will beget a thousand sons. Daughters will not be born to them. He will build a mosque on the outskirts of Kufa, which will have a thousand doors and the houses of Kufa will be connected to the river of Kerbala. So wide would habitation spread that if a person travels on a mule to pray the Friday Prayer, he will not be able to reach in time.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19814

485- أخبرنا أبومحمد المحمدي، عن محمد بن علي بن الفضل، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن إبراهيم بن مالك، عن إبراهيم بن بنان الخثعمي، عن أحمد بن يحيى بن المعتمر، عن عمرو بن ثابت، عن أبيه، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام- في حديث طويل- قال: يدخل المهدي الكوفة، وبها ثلاث رايات قد اضطربت بينها، فتصفو له فيدخل حتى يأتي المنبر ويخطب، ولا يدري الناس ما يقول من البكاء، وهو قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: كأني بالحسني والحسيني وقد قاداها فيسلمها إلى الحسيني فيبايعونه. فإذا كانت الجمعة الثانية قال الناس: يا بن رسول الله، الصلاة خلفك تضاهي الصلاة خلف رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم والمسجد لا يسعنا. فيقول: أنا مرتاد لكم، فيخرج إلى الغري فيخط مسجدا له ألف باب يسع الناس، عليه أصيص ويبعث فيحفر من خلف قبر الحسين عليه السلام لهم نهرا يجري إلى الغريين حتى ينبذ في النجف ويعمل على فوهته قناطر وأرحاء في السبيل، وكأني بالعجوز وعلى رأسها مكتل فيه بر حتى تطحنه بكربلاء.

H 485 - It is narrated from Abu Muhammad Muhammadi from Muhammad bin Ali bin Fadhl from his father from Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Malik from Ibrahim bin Banan Khathami from Ahmad bin Yahya bin Motamar from Amr bin Thabit from his father from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said in a long tradition: “Mahdi will enter Kufa and there will be three standards, which will have become confused. They will be clear to him. He will go in until he comes to the pulpit. Then he will preach, but the people will not understand what he says, because of the wailing. This is the meaning of the statement of the Messenger of Allah (s) that: As if I can see the Hasanids and Husainids that they have raised the flags and each of them are claiming Caliphate. The Hasanid would hand over the flag to the Husainid and all would pay allegiance to him. Next Friday, the people will ask him to lead them in Friday Prayer. He will order for a place of prostration to be marked for him with red dye and he will pray there. Then he will order a river to be dug from the rear of the tomb of Imam Husain (a. s), which would flow to the Ghariyyan, so that the water descends into Najaf. At its entrance bridges and mills will be working. It is as if I could see an old woman with a sack of wheat on her head going to Kerbala to get it milled.

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19815

486- الفضل بن شاذان، عن إسماعيل بن عياش، عن الاعمش، عن أبي وائل، عن حذيفة بن اليمان، قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول وذكر المهدي: إنه يبايع بين الركن والمقام إسمه أحمد وعبدالله والمهدي فهذه أسماؤه ثلاثتها.

486- It is narrated from Fadhl from Ismail bin Ayyash from Amash from Abu Wael from Huzaifah that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say when Imam Mahdi (a. s) was mentioned in his presence: “Indeed his allegiance will be given between Rukn and Maqam. He has three names: Ahmad, Abdullah and Mahdi.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19816

487- سعد بن عبدالله، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن إسماعيل بن أبان، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر الجعفي، قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: سأل عمر بن الخطاب أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فقال: أخبرني عن المهدي ما اسمه؟ فقال: أما إسمه فإن حبيبي شهد إلي أن لا أحدث باسمه حتى يبعثه الله. قال: فأخبرني عن صفته؟ قال: هو شاب مربوع، حسن الوجه، حسن الشعر، يسيل شعره على منكبيه ونور وجهه يعلو سواد لحيته ورأسه، بأبي ابن خيرة الاماء.

H 487 - It is narrated from Sa'd bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Ismail bin Aban from 'Amru bin Shimr from Jabir al-Ju'fi, he said: I heard Abu Ja'far (a. s) say: “Umar asked Amirul Mu'mineen (a. s) saying, ‘Tell me about the Mahdi, what is his name?’ He (a. s.) replied: ‘As for his name, my beloved (the Prophet) has bound me not to speak to anyone about it until Allah raises him.‘ He (Umar) then asked, ‘Tell me about his attributes.‘ He (AS) replied, ‘He is a young man of medium height, with a handsome face and beautiful hair, his hair falls on his shoulders, and the light of his face outshines the darkness of his beard and head. By my father, (he is) the son of the best of slave girls.’”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19817

488- الفضل بن شاذان، عن عثمان بن عيسى، عن صالح بن أبي الاسود، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال ذكر مسجد السهلة فقال: أما إنه منزل صاحبنا إذا قدم بأهله.

H 488 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Uthman bin Isa from Salih bin Abul Aswad from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said when Masjid Sahla was mentioned in his presence: “It will be the residence of our Master of the Affair (Imam Mahdi) when he occupies it with his family.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19818

489- عنه، عن موسى بن سعدان، عن عبدالله بن القاسم الحضرمي، عن أبي سعيد الخراساني قال: قلت لابي عبدالله عليه السلام: المهدي والقائم واحد؟ فقال: نعم. فقلت: لأي شيء سمي المهدي؟ قال: لأنه يهدي إلى كل أمر خفي، وسمي القائم لأنه يقوم بعدما يموت، إنه يقوم بأمر عظيم.

H 489 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Musa bin Sadan from Abdullah bin Qasim Hadhrami from Abi Saeed Khurasani that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s), “Is the Mahdi and the Qaim the same?” He said: “Yes.” I asked, “Why is he named the Mahdi?” He said: “Because he will be guided to every hidden matter; and he is named Qaim, because he will rise after his name dies. He will establish a mighty enterprise.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19819

490-عنه، عن ابن محبوب، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: من أدرك منكم قائمنا فليقل حين يراه: السلام عليكم يا أهل بيت النبوة ومعدن العلم وموضع الرسالة.

H 490 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ibn Mahbub from Amr bin Shimr from Jabir from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “When one of you meets our Qaim, he should greet him in the following words: Peace be on you, Ahle Bayt (a. s) of prophethood, mine of knowledge and site of messengership.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19820

491- عنه، عن عبدالرحمان بن أبي هاشم، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: إن أصحاب موسى ابتلوا بنهر، وهو قول الله عز وجل:﴿إِنَّ اللهَ مُبْتَلِيكُمْ بِنَهَرٍ﴾ وإن أصحاب القائم يبتلون بمثل ذلك.

H 491 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdur Rahman bin Abu Hashim from Ali bin Abu Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The companions of Musa (a. s) were tested by the stream and it is that which the Almighty Allah has said: “Surely Allah will try you with a river…” (2:249) The companions of Qaim (a. s) would also be tested in the same way.

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19821

492- عنه، عن عبدالرحمان، عن ابن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: القائم يهدم المسجد الحرام حتى يرده إلى أساسه، ومسجد الرسول صلى الله عليه وآله إلى أساسه، ويرد البيت إلى موضعه، وأقامه على أساسه، وقطع أيدي بني شيبة السراق وعلقها على الكعبة.

H 492 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdur Rahman from Ibn Abu Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Qaim (a. s) would demolish Masjidul Haraam till it returns to its ancient form and he would also return the Prophet’s Masjid (Masjidun Nabawi) to its original construction and the Holy Kaaba to its location and raise it on its original foundations. He will cut off the hand of Bani Shaibah and hang it on the Kaaba as they are the thieves of the Kaaba.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19822

493- عنه، عن علي بن الحكم، عن سفيان الجريري، عن أبي صادق، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: دولتنا آخر الدول، ولن يبقىأهل بيت لهم دولة إلا ملكوا قبلنا لئلا يقولوا إذا رأوا سيرتنا: إذا ملكنا سرنا مثل سيرة هؤلاء. وهو قول الله عز وجل: ﴿وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾.

H 493 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Hakam from Sufyan Jurairi from Abi Sadiq from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “Our state is the last of the states, no House will remain, except that it would rule before us, so that no one gets an opportunity to say when they observe our acts: If we had ruled, we would have also acted in the same way. It is the word of Allah, the Exalted: “…and the end is for those who guard (against evil).” (7:128)

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19823

494- عنه، عن عبدالرحمان بن أبي هاشم والحسن بن علي، عن أبي خديجة عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: إذا قام القائم عليه السلام جاء بأمر غير الذي كان.

H 494 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdur Rahman bin Abu Hashim and Hasan bin Ali from Abu Khadija from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “When the Qaim arises, he will come with an unprecedented system.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19824

495- عنه، عن علي بن الحكم، عن الربيع بن محمد المسلي، عن سعد بن ظريف، عن الاصبغ بن نباتة قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام في حديث له حتى انتهى إلى مسجد الكوفة، وكان مبنيا بخزف ودنان وطين، فقال: ويل لمن هدمك! وويل لمن سهل هدمك! وويل لبانيك بالمطبوخ المغير قبلة نوح! طوبى لمن شهد هدمك مع قائم أهل بيتي! أولئك خيار الأمة مع أبرار العترة.

H 495 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Hakam from Rabi bin Muhammad Musli from Saad bin Tareef from Asbagh bin Nubatah that Amirul Momineen (a. s) said in his speech regarding the Kufa Masjid that it was made from mud, bricks and clay. Then he said: “When Qaim (a. s) reaches the Kufa Masjid, its walls would be of solid bricks and mortar; he would look at it and say: Woe be on the one who demolished you, woe be on the one who facilitated your razing, and woe be on the one who constructed you with solid bricks and changed the Qibla of Nuh. And fortunate are those who witness the razing in the company of the Qaim of Ahle Bayt. They are the best of the peoples.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19825

496- وعنه، عن علي بن عبدالله، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي عبدالله، عن أبي الجارود قال: قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: إن القائم يملك ثلاثمائة وتسع سنين كما لبث أهل الكهف في كهفهم، يملأ الأرض عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً، ويفتح الله له شرق الارض وغربها، ويقتل الناس حتى لا يبقى إلا دين محمد صلى الله عليه وآله، يسير بسيرة سليمان بن داود…تمام الخبر.

H 496 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Abdullah from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Abdullah from Abul Jarud from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said: “The Qaim will rule for 309 years equal to the number of years the folks of the cave (Ashab Kahf) remained in their cave. He would fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. After that the Almighty Allah will conquer the east and the west of the earth for him and kill the people till no religion remains, except that of Muhammad (s). He (the Qaim) will operate like Sulaiman bin Dawood. He would call out to the Sun and the Moon and they would respond to him and the earth shall be illuminated by his effulgence and divine revelation would descend for him and he would act according to divine commands and revelation.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19826

497- عنه، عن عبدالله بن القاسم الحضرمي، عن عبدالكريم بن عمرو الخثعمي قال: قلت لابي عبدالله عليه السلام: كم يملك القائم؟ قال: سبع سنين يكون سبعين سنة من سنيكم هذه.

H 497 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdullah bin Qasim Hadhrami from Abdul Karim bin Amr Khathami that he said: “I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) about the duration of the rule of Imam Qaim (a. s). He replied: He will rule for seven years, but these seven years will be equal to seventy years of your reckoning.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19827

498- عنه، عن عبدالرحمن بن أبي هاشم، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير (عن أبي جعفر) في حديث له اختصرناه، قال: إذا قام القائم عليه السلام دخل الكوفة وأمر بهدم المساجد الأربعة حتى يبلغ أساسها ويصيرها عريشاً كعريش موسى، وتكون المساجد كلها جماء لا شرف لها كما كانت على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، ويوسع الطريق الأعظم فيصير ستين ذراعا، ويهدم كل مسجد على الطريق، ويسد كل كوة إلى الطريق، وكل جناح وكنيف وميزاب إلى الطريق، ويأمر الله الفلك في زمانه فيبطئ في دوره حتى يكون اليوم في أيامه كعشرة من أيامكم والشهر كعشرة أشهر والسنة كعشر سنين من سنيكم. ثم لا يلبث إلا قليلاًحتى يخرج عليه مارقة الموالي برميلة الدسكرة عشرة آلاف، شعارهم:يا عثمان يا عثمان! فيدعو رجلاً من الموالي فيقلده سيفه، فيخرج إليهم فيقتلهم حتى لا يبقى منهم أحد، ثم يتوجه إلى كابل شاه، وهي مدينة لم يفتحها أحد قط غيره فيفتحها، ثم يتوجه إلى الكوفة فينزلها وتكون داره، ويبهرج سبعين قبيلة من قبائل العرب… تمام الخبر.

H 498 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdur Rahman bin Abu Hashim from Ali bin Abu Hamza from Abu Basir that he said in a tradition and we summarized it: “When the Qaim arises he would enter Kufa. Then he would order razing the four mosques upto their foundations and make them like the canopies of Musa (a. s) and demolish the additions and additional floors till they return to the form that they were in at the time of the Holy Prophet (s). He will widen the main highways to 60 yards in width. Any Masjid that comes on the way would be demolished. He will shut down all openings, balconies and structures jutting out to the main road. The Almighty Allah would command the heavens to reduce their rotation during the tenure of his rule, thus a day of that time would be equal to ten days of your period, one month equal to ten months of yours, and one year equal to ten years of your time. Not much time would pass that ten thousand rebels would emerge from the hamlet of Rameela and their slogan would be: O Uthman, O Uthman. His Eminence would summon one of his men and attach a sword to his waist. He would slay the whole crowd single-handed and not one of them would be spared. After that His Eminence would turn to Kabul Shah. It is a city that no one has ever conquered, but he would conquer it. After that he would return to Kufa and reside there after eliminating seventy Arab tribes…”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19828

499- وفي خبر آخر (أنه) يفتح قسطنطينة والرومية وبلاد الصين.

H 499 - In another report, he would conquer Constantine, Rome and China.

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19829

500- عنه، عن علي بن أسباط، عن أبيه أسباط بن سالم، عن موسى الابار، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام، أنه قال: اتق العرب فإن لهم خبر سوء. أما إنه لا يخرج مع القائم منهم واحد.

H 500 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ali bin Asbat from his father, Asbat bin Saalim from Musa Abaar from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “The Arabs should be warned as it would be a very bad time for them, because not one of them will arise with the Qaim.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19830

501- عنه، عن عبدالرحمن بن أبي هاشم، عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن عمران بن ظبيان، عن حكيم بن سعد، عن أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: أصحاب المهدي شباب لا كهول فيهم إلا مثل كحل العين والملح في الزاد، وأقل الزاد الملح.

H 501 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Abdur Rahman bin Abu Hashim from Amr bin Abu Miqdam from Imran bin Zabyan from Hakim bin Saad from Amirul Momineen (a. s) that he said: “The companions of the Qaim will be young men. There will be no old men among them, except like kohl in an eye or like salt in food and the least part of food is the salt.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19831

502- عنه، عن أحمد بن عمر بن مسلم، عن الحسن بن عقبة بن النهمي، عن أبي إسحاق البناء، عن جابر الجعفي قال: قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: يبايع القائم بين الركن والمقام ثلاثمائة ونيف عدة أهل بدر، فيهم النجباء من أهل مصر، والأبدال من أهل الشام، والأخيار من أهل العراق، فيقيم ما شاء الله أن يقيم.

H 502 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Ahmad bin Umar bin Muslim from Hasan bin Uqbah Nahmi from Abu Ishaq Banna from Jabir Jofi from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) that he said about the Qaim: “The allegiance of Imam Qaim (a. s) will be given between Rukn and Maqam by three hundred and thirteen persons equal to the fighters of the Battle of Badr. Some nobles of Egypt, leaders of Syria and good persons from Iraq will also be included among them and they will set out from there when the Almighty Allah wants.”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19832

503- عنه، عن محمد بن علي، عن وهيب بن حفص، عن أبي بصير، قال: سمعت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: كان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يقول: لا يزال الناس ينقصون حتى لا يقال: الله. فإذا كان ذلك ضرب يعسوب الدين بذنبه، فيبعث الله قوما من أطرافها، (و) يجيئون قزعا كقزع الخريف. والله إني لأعرفهم وأعرف أسماء‌هم وقبائلهم وإسم أميرهم (ومناخ ركابهم)، وهم قوم يحملهم الله كيف شاء، من القبيلة الرجل والرجلين… حتى بلغ تسعة، فيتوافون من الآفاق ثلاثمائة وثلاثة عشر(رجلاً) عدة أهل بدر، وهو قول الله:﴿أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللهُ جَمِيعاً إِنَّ اللهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾.حتى أن الرجل ليحتبى فلا يحل حبوته حتى يبلغه الله ذلك.

H 503 - It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ali from Wuhaib bin Hafas from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) that he said: “Amirul Momineen (a. s) used to say that believers would go on decreasing to such an extent that no one would utter the name of Allah anymore. At that time the leader of religion will rise up and the Almighty Allah will send a group from around him who would gather with him like monsoon clouds and by Allah, I even know their names, nationalities and the name of their chief; and the Almighty Allah will raise them in any way He likes. From some, He will take one, from some He will take two, from some He will take three, from some He will take four, from some He will take five, from some He will take six, from some He will take seven, from some He will take eight and from some He will take nine; in this way 313 will come together. Thus the Almighty Allah says: “…wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.” (2:148)

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19833

504- محمد بن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن عبدالحميد ومحمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن أبي حمزة، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام في حديث طويل أنه قال: يا أبا حمزة،إن منا بعد القائم أحد عشر مهديا من ولد الحسين عليه السلام.

H 504 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Abdul Hamid and Muhammad bin Isa from Muhammad bin Fudail from Abu Hamza from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a. s) a lengthy report, in which he said: “O Abu Hamza, after Imam Qaim (a. s) there will be twelve Mahdis from us, the descendants of Imam Husain (a. s).”

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s) - Hadith 19834

505- الفضل بن شاذان، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن جابر الجعفي قال:سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: والله، ليملكن منا أهل البيت رجل بعد موته ثلاثمائة سنة يزداد تسعا. قلت:متى يكون ذلك؟ قال: بعد القائم عليه السلام. قلت: وكم يقوم القائم في عالمه؟ قال: تسع عشرة سنة،ثم يخرج المنتصر فيطلب بدم الحسين عليه السلام ودماء أصحابه، فيقتل ويسبي حتى يخرج السفاح.

H 505 - Narrated Fadhl bin Shazan from Hasan bin Mahbub from Amr bin Abil Miqdam from Ja’far Jofi that he heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a. s) say: “By Allah, after the passing away of Imam Qaim, a person from us Ahle Bayt (a. s) will rule for three hundred and nine years.” I asked: “When will this be?” He replied: “After the Qaim.” I asked: “For how many years will Imam Qaim rule after reappearance?” He replied: “Nineteen years. After that Muntasir [Imam Husain (a. s)] will return (do Rajat) and he will eliminate the enemies of Imam Husain (a. s) in revenge till Saffah [Amirul Momineen (a. s)] will do Rajat.” Praise be to Allah, the Mighty and the High, the book has reached completion. Benedictions and salutations of Almighty Allah be on Muhammad and his chosen Progeny; the ones, from whom Almighty Allah has kept away all impurities and has purified them as it deserves.