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The Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) at Ghadir Khumm

The Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) at Ghadir Khumm

Author:
Publisher: www.alhassanain.org/english
English

The Sermon of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) at Ghadir Khumm

Author: Vahid Majd

Table of Contents

Introduction 3

What does the sermon establish for Ali (PBUH)? 6

His followers, his enemies, and their fate11

Transmitting the sermon through modern ways15

An overview of the sermon 19

The Sermon of The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) on The Day of Ghadir Khum21

Part 1 : Praising Allah and regarding Him pure24

Part 2 : Preparation for delivering an important commandment from Allah28

Part 3 : Open declaration of the leadership of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) and the Imams after him31

Part 4 : Announcing the perfection of religion due to Aliپ fs appointment and reminding the People of his virtues36

Part 5 : Referring to the aims of the hypocrites39

Part 6 : Adherents of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) and their enemies42

Part 7 : Mentioning Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH)44

Part 9 : Finality of the religious laws and the role of the Imams46

10 : Pronouncing the covenant and taking the oath of allegiance49

Endnotes52

Introduction

The Ghadir event and its significance Seventy days before his demise, when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF)

1 was returning to Medina after his last pilgrimage to Mecca, he reached the pond of Khum (Ghadir Khum) near Juhfa. It was the 18th of the month of Dhul-Hijja of the year 10 AH (March 15, 632 AD).

By this time, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) had conveyed all of the divine commandments to his nation except for the formal and explicit public announcement of his divinely appointed successors as the leaders, guardians, and guides for the believers for all days to come.

By the order of Allah, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) stopped at the pond of Khum, gathered the crowd of pilgrims, and delivered his last universal speech.

In this sermon, he presented his last religious instruction which finalized the last divine religion and made Islam the perfect religion in the sight of Allah. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH), the fifth Imam and successor of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said:

1 The acronym “PBUH&HF” refers to phrase “peace be upon him and his family.”

“The last obligatory duty that Allah sent down was al-Walaya (adherence to the guardian assigned by Allah). Then, He sent down the verse: ‘Today, I completed your religion…’1 once the Messenger of Allah established it in Juhfa area.”2

This message was the most unique in the entire mission of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) due to the revelation of Verse 67, Chapter 5 of the Holy Quran before his speech.

In this revelation, Allah warned His Messenger that failing to deliver this last message would nullify his entire mission. This unprecedented warning proves that this last message contained the most important religious commandment of Allah for the Muslim nation.

Moreover, the contents of this last message were so crucial to the faith that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) emphatically required all those who directly or indirectly heard the sermon of Ghadir Khum to convey it to people who were not aware of its details, and parents to convey it to their children for all generations to come. Hence, this sermon addresses all Muslim generations of the world until the main issue that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) addressed in his speech in Ghadir Khum was that Allah appointed Ali Ibn Abi Talib (PBUH) as the guardian (Wali), the master (Mawla), the leader (Imam), and the commander (Amir) of all believing men and women, the deputy and the executor of his affairs (Wasi), and his successor (Khalifa).

1 Chapter 5, Verse 3 of the Holy Quran

2 al-Tafsir, Ali Ibn Ibrahim al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 162, under the commentary of Verse 5:3; al-Tafsir, al-Ayyashi, vol. 1, p. 292, under the commentary of Verse 5:3; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 37, p. 112, Hadith 5, vol. 37, p. 138, Hadith 27.

3 Day of Judgement. This emphasis naturally implies that the content of this message has a vital role in the future of the Muslims, their spiritual health, and their felicity in the Hereafter.

His sayings and commands should be preferred over the opinions of all others in every matter. Obeying him is obeying Allah, and disobeying him is disobeying Allah.

Whoever follows him (and his sayings) is a believer under the guardianship of Allah, and whoever turns away from him (or his sayings) is a disbeliever under the guardianship of Satan.

Guardianship (al-Walaya) expresses a bilateral relation between the guardian and the people. Observing al-Walaya by people means adhering to the guardian and acknowledging his authority by heart, tongue, and action.

On the other hand, the action of al-Walaya by the guardian means offering protection from evil, spiritual assistance, care, support, and guidance for his adherents. A divinely appointed guardian guards his adherents from misguidance, spiritual destruction, wrongdoing, and sin as much as they adhere to him and his commands.

Establishing al-Walaya has been the ultimate goal of religion and the fruit of the entire efforts of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HF) during his mission.

One who submits to Allah’s representative and adheres to him has indeed acknowledged Allah’s authority and guardianship and is a true monotheist in obeying Allah.

Acknowledging the guardianship of the leaders that Allah appointed and submitting to them is the greatest pillar of faith. It safeguards the followers from the wrath and punishment of Allah. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (PBUH) said:

“Islam is established by five things: prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage, and al-Walaya (adhering to the guardians authorized by Allah).

None (among them) was called for as (emphatically as) al-Walaya was called for. However, people accepted the first four and abandoned al-Walaya.”1

People who refused to submit to the leaders that Allah appointed resemble the Satan who refused to submit to the viceregent of Allah, Adam (PBUH), and consequently, became an outcast and went under the curse of Allah 1 al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 18, Hadith 3.

forever as mentioned in the Holy Quran.1 It is narrated that Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said:

“The similitude of the believers in accepting the guardianship of the Commander of the Believers (Ali) on the day of Ghadir Khum is that of the angels in prostrating before Adam (i.e., submitting to him), and the similitude of those who turned away from the guardianship of the Commander of the Believers on the day of Ghadir is that of the devil (Iblis).”2

In one of his speeches on the anniversary of the day of Ghadir, Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

“Allah does not accept the faith (of an individual) except after he acknowledges the guardianship of whom He required. He does not arrange the means of His obedience (for an individual) except after he adheres to His ropes and the ropes of His authorized people.

Thus, Allah sent down to His Prophet (PBUH&HF) on the day of the large trees1 that which explained His will for His sincere and chosen servants.

Allah commanded him to convey (the message) without being concerned about the hypocrites or the deviants, and guaranteed him protection against their evil... By that, Allah completed His religion, and delighted the eyes of His Prophet (PBUH&HF), and the believers.

Some of you witnessed this event and some received its news. This (appointment) concluded the beautiful word of Allah for those who observe patience… ”2

1 This phrase refers to the day of Ghadir Khum as there had been some large trees beside the pond at the time.

2 Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 115, Hadith 8.

What does the sermon establish for Ali (PBUH)?

Does successorship only refer to political authority? Some people do terrible injustice to the event of Ghadir by portraying it as a matter of transferring political power.

They unwittingly borrow the Sunni understanding of the term Khalifa, interpreting it asپ ga ruling successorپ h. They state that the main goal of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in Ghadir Khum was to establish Imam Ali (PBUH) as a political leader after his departure.

Were it truly so, the matter would have been a historical matter, and it would be meaningless to quarrel over the right of Imam Ali (PBUH) to rule after passing 1400 years.

It is almost fourteen centuries too late to decide whether Ali (PBUH) should have been the first or the fourth ruling governor after the departure of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).

Were there a mistake during the upheaval after his departure, it should not be stressed, because no one can change the past, and believing that Ali (PBUH) should have been the first ruler instead of the fourth would have no consequence in todayپ fs life.

This viewpoint ultimately led some to believe that the differences between the Shia and the Sunnis are limited to some minor historical disagreements, which do not have any bearing on their salvation in the Hereafter, and that their beliefs are the same; thus, they should abandon their differences for the sake of their prosperity in the life of this world.

By considering the issue of successorship to be a matter of political rule, they have unknowingly belittled the goals and the achievements of Allahپ fs Messenger and his successors, peace be upon them, for historical records show that, due to a lack of sincere supporters, they were unable to implement their ideal divine government.

Besides, most of the Shia Imams (PBUT) never attempted to implement their own government and used to refer those who questioned their stance1 to Imam Mahdi (PBUH) who will appear at the end of time and will establish the Kingdom of Justice on earth.

On the other hand, a brief look at the sermon of Ghadir shows that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) wanted to pass on much more than political authority to Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him. An examination of his words shows that they are the guardians that Allah appointed, and people must acknowledge their authority inside their hearts and follow them in all aspects of life.

People will benefit from them as their Imams and will be rewarded by Allah only if they accept them willingly and not through political dominion. Whether or not the guardians that Allah appointed become a ruling authority, the believers of all generations have a duty to abide by their instructions.

Therefore, it is not too late to follow their commands, accept them as guardians, submit to them, prefer their sayings over oneپ fs own and otherپ fs opinions, consider them as the center of truth, evaluate everything by their standard, and keep aloof from their enemies who opposed their commands.

1 See for instance, al-Kafi, vol. 1, pp. 341-342, Hadith 25, 26, and 27; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 132, Hadith 1, and p. 109, Hadith 1.

It is also interesting to observe that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) mentioned the titles Wali, Mawla, and Imam for Ali (PBUH) in his sermon over 27 times, whereas he used the word Khalifa for him only three times. Even under the Sunni implication of the word Khalifa (successor).

which limits it to political rule.it is clear that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) stressed spiritual leadership in his speech, which would guarantee the salvation of those who follow the Imam, and would lead them towards Paradise. Worldly issues never took priority for the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and his successors. Imam Ali himself has said:

By Allah, this world of yours is more despicable in my eyes than a pig bone in the hand of a Certainly, had the majority of people followed the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) concerning the divinely appointed guide, he would have naturally come to power.

Thus, Imam Aliپ fs exclusive qualification for political rule is only one of the natural outcomes of the guardianship (Walaya) that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) established for him on behalf of Allah on the day of Ghadir. In this manner, the spiritual 1 Nahj al-Balagha, Maxim 236. Also refer to Sermon 3 (known as al- Shiqshiqiyya) for another similar statement.

authority of Imam Ali (PBUH) and his pure descendants is still effective over the remaining believers until the Day of Judgement, irrespective of the support of the majority of people for them or their political authority.

Believing in the Imamپ fs virtues in oneپ fs heart and adhering to his words in disguise (al-Taqiyya) under tyrannical rule are not only sufficient for salvation in the Hereafter but also rewarded many-fold, because observing faith is more difficult at times of terror and fear.

According to the traditions, worship during the days of tyrannical government is more rewarding for the believers than worship during the time of the just government, though this fact should not prevent the believers from praying to Allah for the manifestation of the Kingdom of Justice on earth by Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH).1

The rights and virtues of Imam Ali and other Imams The sermon of Ghadir Khum confirms the following rights and virtues of Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him:

1- Allah has decreed absolute authority for them over the believers, and thus, just like the Prophet (PBUH&HF), all their commands must be obeyed unconditionally.

2- Like the Prophet (PBUH&HF), they have priority over people, and they have more rights over the believers 1 cf. al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 333, Hadith 2, also Hadith 1; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 127, Hadith 20, also p. 145, Hadith 67. Another related tradition can be found at: al-Ikhtisas, p. 20, Hadith; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 144, Hadith 62.

than what they have over their own souls. They should be preferred over others (in position, sayings, ideas, commands, etc.) for Allah has preferred them.

3- Allah has made them the leaders of the believers and the medium of divine guidance after the Prophet (PBUH&HF). They guide people towards the pleasure of Allah, keep them from His disobedience and His wrath, and lead them to Paradise.

4- Allah has made them the guardians of the faithful, who protect their close adherents from evil and misguidance.

5- They are theپ gStraight Pathپ h of Allah, whom people are ordered to follow.

6- They have all the knowledge of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Allah has placed the knowledge of everything in them. They are the inheritors of all branches of knowledge. Particularly, they possess the complete knowledge of religion. They are authorized to expound the religion and explain its commandments and prohibitions.

7- Allah has authorized them to interpret the Holy Quran and to explain its meaning after the Prophet (PBUH&HF). No one knows its interpretations, its hidden warnings, and its mysteries except through them. They guide people to the truth of the Quran and call them to it.

8- They are the executors of the will of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and the deputies of his affairs (Wasi). Imam Ali (PBUH) was the greatest in virtue and rank among the deputies of all the prophets (most of whom were prophets themselves) just as the Prophet (PBUH&HF) was the greatest among all prophets (PBUT).

9- Imam Ali (PBUH) is the most virtuous amongst the creation of Allah so long as creation exists.

10- Imam Ali (PBUH) was foremost in accepting Islam and worshipping Allah.

11- Imam Ali (PBUH) fought against the enemies of Allah by His command and was the greatest helper of religion.

12- Imam Ali (PBUH) was the greatest aid and defender of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). He fought on his behalf and offered his life as a sacrifice for him. His relation to the Prophet (PBUH&HF) was that of Aaron to Moses (PBUT).

13- Imam Ali (PBUH) was the dearest and the closest to the Prophet (PBUH&HF). He is from the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and the Prophet (PBUH&HF) is from him. The Prophet (PBUH&HF) called him his brother.

14- The title ofپ gthe Commander of the Believersپ h exclusively belongs to him.

15- Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) are pleased with him. All verses of the Holy Quran that express Allahپ fs satisfaction or praise in their ideal sense have been revealed about him.

16- The divine light, the divine guidance, and the divine leadership have been placed in Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams from his descendants up to Imam Mahdi (PBUH), the last divinely appointed Imam. The earth will never lack an Imam until the Day of Judgement.

17- Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of his descendents are the trustees of Allah, His appointed judges, the vessels of divine knowledge1, the greatest proofs of Allah 1 Theپ gdivine knowledgeپ h refers to all the heavenly knowledge created by Allah, and placed in His best creation.

It is called divine just because Allah issued and authorized it, and because it is not a science generated by a human. It is called His knowledge since it is His creation and is attributed to Him. However, this should not be confused with Hisپ gEternal Knowledgeپ h.

It should be made clear that any knowledge that a human being can possess, grasp, or comprehend is a creation, and has no similarity whatsoever with Allahپ fs Eternal Knowledge (i.e., His Essence), which is not created. The knowledge that a human or even an Imam possesses is not a part of Allahپ fs Eternal Knowledge, otherwise it would imply His Essence has parts.

Any imagination or perception of Allah's Eternal Knowledge by us is a creation of our mind and cannot be attributed to Allah. With regard to the Essence of Allah, we are not allowed to theorize or converse because we have no way to understand Him, and byپ gHis Eternal Knowledgeپ h, we only mean,پ gHe is not ignorantپ h.

We should recognize that His Essence (Dhat) is free from any type of knowledge that we know (i.e., any generated knowledge even if it is multiplied by infinity in terms of quality and quantity) just as we recognize that there is nothing that He is unaware of. Nothing is like Him.

Maintaining a difference on the quality or the quantity between His knowledge and the concept of knowledge that is known to us is not enough to avoid resemblance, and we need to deny the resemblance in the concept of knowledge between the Creator and the creation.

There is neither concept, nor quality for His Essence. Allah is the creator of perfections and qualities, and He is not limited by the extension of qualities and concepts that we imagine. Allah knows, but not like how His creation knows. Hence, our understanding of His Eternal Knowledge (i.e., His Essence) is only among His creation, and His exhaustive arguments against them.

18- Imam Ali (PBUH) and the pure members of his progeny constitute one of the two weighty symbols besides the Holy Quran. If people adhere to both, they will be never misled. Each one of the two guides to the other and agrees with it.

19- Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of his progeny are the most learned about the religion. The lawful and unlawful things are only those that the book of Allah, the Messenger, and the Imams, have declared so, respectively.

20- The last Imam of his descendants, the Mahdi (PBUH), shall establish the global kingdom of justice. He will revive Allahپ fs religion, and will overcome all religions and ideas.

He will annihilate falsehood, will purify the earth from the enemies of Allah, will avenge the blood of all the friends of Allah, and will re-establish the rights of Allah, the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and his family.

His followers, his enemies, and their fate

In the sermon of Ghadir Khum, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) describes the followers and the enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him, and informs them of their destinies:

limited to denying any opposite in Him. In other words, we should regard Him free from all defects such as ignorance.

1- Those who acknowledge the authority of Imam Ali (PBUH) are the triumphant Party of Allah and the true believers who will achieve felicity and a great reward.

2- Whoever doubts any of the Imams has doubted them all, and his abode is the everlasting Hellfire.

Whoever doubts the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in this sermon concerning them has doubted all of what Allah has revealed to the Prophet (PBUH&HF) throughout his entire mission. Such a person is accursed and under the wrath of Allah.

3- If anyone chooses a religion other than submission to the guardianship of Imam Ali (PBUH), Allah will never accept it from him, nor will He accept his deeds, and he will be among the losers on the Day of Judgement.

4- Allah loves whoever loves Ali (PBUH). He keeps up His support, protection, guidance, forgiveness, and mercy for anyone who keeps attached to Ali (PBUH), listens to him, and remains under his guardianship.

5- Anyone who turns away from Imam Ali (PBUH), he has rejected Allahپ fs guardianship and has gone under the guardianship of Satan. Such a person has attained the curse of Allah and His wrath.

6- As long as someone denies Aliپ fs authority, Allah will never turn to him nor will He ever forgive him. If he dies like that, he will remain in Hell forever. This is a decisive decree by Allah that will never change.

7- The friends of Imam Ali (PBUH) are those who believe in his guardianship and never doubt their belief. They detest those who oppose Allah and His Messenger even if they are their closest kin.

8- The enemies of Imam Ali (PBUH) are those who turn away from his guardianship, doubt the virtues that Allah has bestowed upon him, are jealous of him, abandon support for him, reject his sayings, disagree with his actions, oppose his commands, or have friendship with those who oppose him.

9- His enemies are the wretched, the misguided, the arrogant, the brothers of Satan, and the rejecters of faith. Their deeds are all in vain. Their lasting punishment will not be lessened, and they will never be pardoned.

10- Those who usurped the rights of the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) are the leaders who invite people to Hell. Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) are clear of them and their actions. They, their supporters, and their followers will be in the lowest pit of the Hellfire.

The Ghadir event leaves no excuse

During the Sermon, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) stressed that his speech completes Allahپ fs argument against everyone until the Day of Judgement. After the departure of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), other members of Ahl al-Bait (PBUT)

1 emphasized

this fact as well. Lady Fatima (PBUH), the Prophetپ fs daughter, said:

Allah did not leave any argument or any excuse for anyone after the event of Ghadir Khum.پ h2 Similarly, when Imam Ali (PBUH) addressed the immigrants and the helpers in the Prophetپ fs Mosque (after they had pledged fealty to Abu Bakr), he reminded them of his exclusive right for the leadership of the community and their covenant with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) concerning him.

Some of the helpers said to Imam Ali,پ gO Abul Hasan! Had the helpers heard your arguments before giving their pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr, none would have disputed your rule.پ h In response to them, Imam Ali (PBUH) said:

1 Ahl al-Bait means People of the House. However, the Ahl al-Bait of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) as specifically defined by him and believed by the Shia, refers only to the divinely selected individuals of his house. They are his daughter (Lady Fatima (PBUH)) as well as twelve divinely appointed leaders (Imams) after him. The twelve Imams include the Prophetپ fs son in law and cousin, Ali (PBUH), Aliپ fs two sons, al-Hasan and al-Husain (PBUT), as well as nine descendants of al-Husain (PBUH).

2 Dalaپ fil al-Imama, p. 38. See also, al-Khisal, vol. 1, p. 173; Bihar al- Anwar, vol. 30, p. 124.

Did you want me to leave the shrouded body of the Messenger of Allah without burial and come out to quarrel for his sovereignty? By Allah! I could not believe anyone would yearn for it, dispute with us Ahl al-Bait (PBUT) in it, and make lawful to do what you did (in usurping our rights).

I do not see that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) left any place for any controversial talks, any plea, or any argument for anyone (by his speech) on the day of Ghadir Khum.

The above testimonies, among others, show that the speech of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) at Ghadir Khum in defining the position of Imam Ali (PBUH) is clear, evident, and definitive, and it exhausts arguments brought by anyone. Thus, it can be presented as a comprehensive proof to everyone.

Our obligations towards the sermon and the event

The necessity of submitting to the Prophetپ fs sayings One of the important differences that distinguishes Islam from all the early divine religions is that it states that it is 1 al-Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 74; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 28, p. 185.

the final religion of Allah. It offers the ultimate divine instructions for people in terms of beliefs and practices, and all its commandments and prohibitions are effective until the Day of Judgement. Believers of all generations are required to submit to the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) to achieve felicity. Allah states in the Holy Quran:

It is not permissible for a believer, man or woman, to exercise choice in a matter for which Allah and His Messenger issued a command.

Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he has surely strayed off (the path), a manifest straying.

Whoever does not judge according to what Allah has sent down is a disbeliever.2

O You who believe! Do not precede Allah and His Messenger; and be watchful of (your duties 1 Chapter 33, Verse 36 of the Holy Quran. 2 Chapter 5, Verse 44 of the Holy Quran.

toward) Allah. Verily, Allah hears and knows all things.

But no, by your Lord, they have not truly believed until they make you judge in all disputes between them, find in their souls no resistance against your decision, and submit (to you) with complete conviction.

O You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who are given authority from among you; and if you had a dispute in a matter, return it to Allah and His Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.

1 Chapter 49, Verse 1 of the Holy Quran.

2 Chapter 4, Verse 65 of the Holy Quran.

3 Chapter 4, Verse 59 of the Holy Quran.

Say,پ eIf you truly love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins; and Allah is oft-forgiving and the most merciful.

f Say, eObey Allah and His Messenger.f But if they turn back, Allah loves not those who reject faith.h 1 Therefore, it is necessary for a believer to follow all the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) which have reached us in the form of traditions.

Opposing the traditions of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) means opposing Allah and disbelieving the above-mentioned verses of the Holy Quran.

Weakening and disregarding the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) that have been handed down to us means believing that the Quranic verses, which require us to follow his sayings, are useless in our time.

Particularly, for such an important issue as the message of Ghadir Khum, rejecting it means believing that Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF) have failed to convey the message that, according to the Quran, if not conveyed, would be as if nothing of His religion was conveyed,2 and religion would remain deficient and unsatisfactory in the sight of Allah.3

It is, therefore, our duty to acquire and learn this final message of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), to comply with what it entails, and to follow its directions.

1 Chapter 3, Verses 31-32 of the Quran.

2 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 67.

3 cf. the Holy Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 3.

Learning, acknowledging, and protecting the text of the sermon

The sermon of Ghadir Khum constitutes the last instructions of the last prophet of Allah in his last days. Hence, it is of prime importance for every believer to study the text of the sermon with care, reflect on it, and acknowledge all its implications in oneپ fs heart.

In the sermon of Ghadir, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) has emphasized that all his final commandments and prohibitions are effective forever and should never be altered by peoples desires, needs, ideas, opinions, or tendencies in any era.

He (PBUH&HF) considered it a duty of every believer to learn and comprehend the instructions of the sermon as it was handed down to them, and to protect them from any alteration or change for the use of the current and future generations.

Acting upon the instructions of the sermon and observing the covenant

After understanding and acknowledging the message of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) in the heart, one must put it in practice in his/her life. Calling people toward the truth by self-practice is the most beautiful and the most effective method of propagating the truth, which protects the message on a practical level and keeps it alive in the community.

The covenant taken by the Prophet (PBUH&HF) from all people who eventually hear the sermon includes the following verbal declarations:

1- We heard and understood the divine message concerning the authority and the rights of Ali (PBUH) and the Imams of his offspring.

2- We pledge our fealty to them by our hearts, our souls, our tongues, and our hands.

3- We are satisfied with the message and submit to it.

4- We will never deny it, nor will we break the covenant.

5- We will never doubt it.

6- We will obey it by our actions.

7- We will live and die with this belief.

8- We will never change nor replace its instructions.

9- We will convey it to our children, family, and friends, near or far.

10- We take Allah as witness to this covenant, and His Prophet (PBUH&HF), Allahپ fs Angels, His forces, and His servants, and anyone who obeyed it.

According to the saying of the Prophet (PBUH&HF), this covenant is taken by the order of Allah, and anyone who pledges his allegiance to him, Imam Ali, and the pure Imams of his progeny according to the terms of the covenant has indeed pledged his allegiance to Allah, the mighty and the majestic. This fact is also verified by the Holy Quran.1

1 cf. Chapter 48, Verse 10 of the Holy Quran.

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) stated that those who precede others in acknowledging their covenant with Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him and truly believe in their guardianship are those who succeed in attaining the gardens of bliss.

Transmitting the sermon through modern ways

As the Prophet (PBUH&HF) ordered, every Muslim who receives his message should transmit it to other members of his community, especially the youth and children.

Transmitting the sermon is the greatest manifestation of enjoining what is right (Amr bil ma’ruf)1.

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) mentioned that the most important example of enjoining the right is conveying what he said in this sermon to truth-seeking individuals who have not heard its details, urging them to follow it as an order from Allah and His Prophet (PBUH&HF), and advising them against violating it.

Introducing the position and virtues of Imam Ali (PBUH) to the people is the best possible deed, because it makes known to people the authentic source of inquiry for all righteous deeds.

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) stated in the sermon that without recognizing Imam Ali (PBUH), there is 1 The word al-Ma’ruf means what is recognized. It refers to the deeds that Allah has recognized as good. On the other hand, the word al- Munkar means what is rejected. It refers to what Allah did not recognize as righteous deeds, and thus, people should avoid them. neither any value nor any effect in enjoining other righteous deeds.

Therefore, it is the duty of all believing men and women to inform other Muslims, who are prepared to hear the truth, about the content of this sermon without screening it according to personal opinion.

What follow are some suggestions to make the text as well as the meanings of this sermon popular in our community: 1- Holding frequent special meetings for reciting the Arabic text of the sermon, its translation, and its explanation.

Seeking nearness to Allah by reminding about the Prophet’s statements on the day of Ghadir, and making such spiritual gatherings as the medium of one’s requests before Allah.

2- Reciting a part of the sermon, even a small amount, in any general gathering, and reminding about one’s obligation towards it.

3- Holding classes of memorizing the text of the sermon for the youth, organizing competitions, quizzes, and offering prizes for learning the contents of the sermon.

4- Presenting the books containing the full text of the Prophet’s (PBUH&HF) sermon at Ghadir Khum as gifts to the family and friends.

5- Making decorative objects, goods, and greeting cards, etc., on which the key phrases of the sermon are written or carved.

6- Developing extracurricular programs in schools for teaching the text of the sermon to the students.

7- Translating the sermon into different languages and publishing them in papers and on the Internet.

Keeping alive the event and observing its anniversary There are many traditions on the importance of observing the anniversary of the event of Ghadir Khum. To be brief, only three traditions are partially quoted below. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said:

“The day of Ghadir Khum is the greatest religious festival (Eid) of my nation. It was the day that Allah, exalted is His rememberance, commanded me to appoint my brother, Ali Ibn Abi Talib, as the guiding banner for my nation, by whom they will be rightly guided after me. It was the day in which Allah finalized religion and fulfilled His blessings on my nation and was pleased that Islam be their faith.”1

Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said to one of his companions: 1 al-Amali, al-Saduq, p. 125, Hadith 8, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 110, Hadith 2.

“Fasting on the day of Ghadir is equivalent to fasting throughout the entire age of the world… It is the greatest festival of Allah. Allah has not sent any prophet but that he celebrated this day as Eid and was aware of its sanctity. It is known in the heavens as ‘The Day of the Famous Covenant’… You might think that Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has created a day more sacred than that.

No, by Allah! No, by Allah! No, by Allah!”1 Imam Ridha (PBUH) said:

“Certainly, the day of Ghadir is more famous in the heavens than in the earth… and by Allah, had people truly known the superiority of this day, the 1 Tahdhib al-Ahkam, vol. 3, p. 143, Hadith 1; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 95, p. 302, Hadith 2.

angels would have been shaking hands with them ten times a day.”1

Thanking Allah for this greatest blessing Being grateful to the benefactor for his favors is a matter of rational necessity. The wiser the servant, the more gratitude he expresses in words and actions to his master. Allah states in the Holy Quran:

“We indeed bestowed wisdom upon Luqman: ‘Be grateful to Allah.’ Certainly, whoever is grateful does so to the profit of his own soul, but if any is ungrateful, verily Allah is free of all wants and is abundantly praised.”2

In addition, the greater the favor, the more appreciation that is due. Divine guardianship (al-Walaya) is the greatest favor that Allah has bestowed upon His creation. The more gratitude that someone expresses to Allah by adhering to it, the more benefit he receives from it. On the other hand, the more someone rejects Allah’s mercy, the more he is 1 Tahdhib al-Ahkam, vol. 6, p. 24, Hadith 9, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 94, p. 118, Hadith 9.

2 Chapter 31, Verse 12 of the Holy Quran.

entitled to His curse, which lies in the absence of His mercy and protection. Allah states:

“If you are grateful, I will increase your (benefits from My favor); but if you show ingratitude, truly My torment is intense indeed.”1 On the anniversary of the event of Ghadir Khum, Imam al- Sadiq (PBUH) praised and thanked Allah, saying:

1 Chapter 14, Verse 7 of the Holy Quran.

“O Allah! We listened, obeyed, and answered the caller from You due to Your favor. Thus, praise belongs to You. We seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and towards Your (reward or punishment) is the eventual turn.

1 We believed in Allah, who is Unique and has no partner, believed in His Messenger, Muhammad, answered the caller of Allah and followed the Messenger in adhering to our master, the commander and the guardian of the believers, Ali Ibn Ali Talib.

He is the servant of Allah, the brother of His Prophet, the most truthful, His exhaustive argument against His creation, the supporter of His Prophet, and His true and clear religion. He is a flag of the religion of Allah, the treasurer of His (issued) knowledge, the chest of what is hidden by Allah, the place of His secrets, and the trustee of Allah and His witness over His creation.

O Allah! We have heard the call of one calling (us) to faith, ‘Believe in Your Lord,’ thus we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins, blot out from us our evil deeds, and take our souls in the company of the righteous. Our Lord! Grant us what You promised to us through Your 1 cf., Chapter 2, Verse 285 of the Holy Quran.

messengers, and disgrace us not on the Day of Judgement, for You never break Your promise.1 Surely it was by Your favor and Your grace that we acknowledged the Prophet and the Commander of the Believers (Ali), and disbelieved in al-Jibt and al-Taghut.2 Thus, keep us attached to what we have adhered to.

Resurrect us with our Imams, for we believe in them, have confidence in their (authorities and virtues), and are submissive before them …”3

Some statistics about the text of the sermon Here are some statistical facts about the sermon:

- The Prophet (PBUH&HF) explicitly mentioned the name of Imam Ali (PBUH) in his sermon about forty times besides many more instances that he (PBUH&HF) referred to him by pronoun.

1 Chapter 3, Verses 193-194 of the Holy Quran.

2 These two terms refer to the idols that are obeyed against Allah, which, in reality, implies they are worshipped instead of Him.

According to the traditions, they refer to the two foremost enemies of the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Both terms have also been used in Chapter 4, Verses 51 of the Quran. However, the latter term, al- Taghut, has been used in seven more places in the Holy Quran. See for instance: Chapter 2, Verses 256-257, and Chapter 4, Verses 60 and 76.

Iqbal al-A'amal, p. 473, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 95, p. 299, Hadith #1. - He (PBUH&HF) repeatedly used the following titles for Imam Ali (PBUH) in this sermon:

- Wali and Mawla (guardian) fifteen times.

- Imam (leader) twelve times.

- Amir (commander) seven times.

- Wasi (executor of the will and deputy of the affairs) seven times.

- Akh (brother) four times.

- Khalifa (successor) three times.

- Hadi (guide) three times.

- The Prophet explicitly mentioned the word A’imma (Imams), referring to the eleven Imams after Imam Ali (PBUH), nine times in his sermon.

- The sermon also refers to over one hundred verses of the Holy Quran concerning Imam Ali (PBUH) and his authority, his followers, and their enemies.

- The number of sentences categorized by some important subjects of the sermon is as follows:

- Over fifty sentences on the Walaya of Imam Ali (PBUH).

- Twenty sentences about his virtues, yet stressing that it is impossible to enumerate all his virtues in the sermon.

- Twenty-five sentences about the followers (Shia) of Imam Ali (PBUH) and their enemies.

- Ten sentences on the Walaya of the Imams (PBUT) after him.

- Twenty sentences specifically about Imam Mahdi (PBUH), the last divinely appointed Imam who will establish the divine government on earth at the end of time.

- Twelve sentences about the importance of the Quran, and introducing Imam Ali (PBUH) and his children as its exclusive authorized interpreters.

- Ten sentences on urging people to pledge their fealty to Imam Ali (PBUH) and the Imams after him from his offspring.

كِتَابُ الْحُجَّةِ

THE BOOK OF DIVINE AUTHORITY (6)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وآله الطاهرين، وسلم تسليما

In the Name of Allahazwj the Beneficent, the Merciful. The Praise is for Allahazwj Lordazwj of the Worlds, and Blessing be upon our Chief Muhammadsaww and hissaww Purified Progenyasws , and greetings with abundant greetings.

73 ـ بَابُ الْإِشَارَةِ والنَّصِّ عَلى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي عليه‌السلام

Chapter 73 – The Indication and the wordings upon Abu Ja’farasws the 2nd (9th Imamasws )

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبِيبٍ الزَّيَّاتِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مَنْ كَانَ عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جَالِساً فَلَمَّا نَهَضُوا قَالَ لَهُمُ الْقَوْا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ فَسَلِّمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَأَحْدِثُوا بِهِ عَهْداً فَلَمَّا نَهَضَ الْقَوْمُ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَرْحَمُ الله الْمُفَضَّلَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ لَيَقْنَعُ بِدُونِ هَذَا

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Al Waleed, from Yahya Bin Habeeb Al Zayyat who said,

‘He informed me, the one who was seated in the presence of Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws , that when they (people) arose (to leave the gathering), heasws said to them: ‘Meet Abu Ja’farasws , so greet upon himasws and renew the Covenant with himasws ’. So when the people left, heasws turned towards me and heasws said: ‘May Allahazwj be Merciful to Al-Mufazzal, he was content without this’.1

2 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَذَكَرَ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ مَا حَاجَتُكُمْ إِلَى ذَلِكَ هَذَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ قَدْ أَجْلَسْتُهُ مَجْلِسِي وَصَيَّرْتُهُ مَكَانِي وَقَالَ إِنَّا أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ يَتَوَارَثُ أَصَاغِرُنَا عَنْ أَكَابِرِنَا الْقُذَّةَ بِالْقُذَّةِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Moammar Bin Khallad who said,

‘I heard Al-Rezaasws and something was mentioned, so heasws said: ‘What is your need to that? This here is Abu Ja’farasws whom Iasws have seated in myasws seat and heasws has come to be in myasws place’.

And heasws said: ‘Weasws , the Peopleasws of the Household, ourasws young ones inherit from ourasws older ones, the exactness with the exactness’.2

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَنَاظَرَنِي فِي أَشْيَاءَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا عَلِيٍّ ارْتَفَعَ الشَّكُّ مَا لابِي غَيْرِي

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from his father Muhammad Bin Isa who said,

‘I went over to Abu Ja’farasws the 2nd, so heasws debated with me regarding the things, then said to me: ‘O Abu Ali! Raise your doubts! There is none for myasws fatherasws apart from measws ’.3

4 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَشْيَمَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ ابْنُ قِيَامَا إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كِتَاباً يَقُولُ فِيهِ كَيْفَ تَكُونُ إِمَاماً وَلَيْسَ لَكَ وَلَدٌ فَأَجَابَهُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) شِبْهَ الْمُغْضَبِ وَمَا عَلَّمَكَ أَنَّهُ لا يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَالله لا تَمْضِي الايَّامُ وَاللَّيَالِي حَتَّى يَرْزُقَنِيَ الله وَلَداً ذَكَراً يَفْرُقُ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Yahya, from Malik Bin Asheym, from Al Husayn Bin Bashhar who said,

‘Abu Qiyama wrote a letter to Abu Al-Hassanasws saying in it, ‘How can youasws happen to be the Imamasws and there isn’t a son for youasws ’. So Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws answered, resembling the angry one: ‘And what would make you know that there would not happen to be a son for measws ? By Allahazwj! The days and the nights will not pass by until Allahazwj Graces measws a male child, differentiating between the Truth and the falsehood’.4

5 ـ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ حُكَيْمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ ابْنُ النَّجَاشِيِّ مَنِ الامَامُ بَعْدَ صَاحِبِكَ فَأَشْتَهِي أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ حَتَّى أَعْلَمَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي الامَامُ ابْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ هَلْ يَتَجَرَّأُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَقُولَ ابْنِي وَلَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ

Some of our companions, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Muawiya Bin Hukey, from Ibn Abu Nasr who said,

‘Ibn Al-Najjashy said to me, ‘Who is the Imamasws after your Masterasws ?’ So I desire to ask himasws until I do know. So I went over to Al-Rezaasws and informed himasws . So heasws said to me: ‘The (next) Imamasws is myasws sonasws ’.

Then heasws said: ‘Would anyone has the audacity (courage) to say, ‘My son’, but there isn’t a son for him?’.5

6 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ ذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) شَيْئاً بَعْدَ مَا وُلِدَ لَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ مَا حَاجَتُكُمْ إِلَى ذَلِكَ هَذَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ قَدْ أَجْلَسْتُهُ مَجْلِسِي وَصَيَّرْتُهُ فِي مَكَانِي

Ahmad Bin Mihran, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Moammar Bin Khallad who said,

‘We mentioned something in the presence of Abu Al-Hassanasws after (heasws was) blessed with Abu Ja’farasws (9th Imamasws ), so heasws said: ‘What is your need to that? This here is Abu Ja’farasws . Iasws have seated himasws in myasws seat, and heasws has come to be in myasws place’.6

7 ـ أَحْمَدُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ ابْنِ قِيَامَا الْوَاسِطِيِّ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَ يَكُونُ إِمَامَانِ قَالَ لا إِلا وَأَحَدُهُمَا صَامِتٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ هُوَ ذَا أَنْتَ لَيْسَ لَكَ صَامِتٌ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ وُلِدَ لَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَعْدُ فَقَالَ لِي وَالله لَيَجْعَلَنَّ الله مِنِّي مَا يُثْبِتُ بِهِ الْحَقَّ وَأَهْلَهُ وَيَمْحَقُ بِهِ الْبَاطِلَ وَأَهْلَهُ فَوُلِدَ لَهُ بَعْدَ سَنَةٍ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكَانَ ابْنُ قِيَامَا وَاقِفِيّاً

Ahmad, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Ibn Qiyama Al Wasity who said,

‘I went over to Aliasws Bin Musaasws and I said to himasws , ‘Can there happen to be two Imamsasws ?’ Heasws said: ‘No, except one of the two would be silent’. So I said to himasws , ‘It is that. Youasws are such that there isn’t a silent one for youasws ’, and heasws had not (yet) been blessed with Abu Ja’farasws . So heasws said to me: ‘By Allahazwj! Allahazwj would be Making from measws what the Truth will be established with and its people, and the Falsehood would be Obliterated with and its people’. So, after a year, heasws was blessed with Abu Ja’farasws . And it was so that Qiyama (the narrator) was a Waqifite (a sect)’.7

8 ـ أَحْمَدُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جَالِساً فَدَعَا بِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ فَأَجْلَسَهُ فِي حَجْرِي فَقَالَ لِي جَرِّدْهُ وَانْزِعْ قَمِيصَهُ فَنَزَعْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِيَ انْظُرْ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْهِ فَنَظَرْتُ فَإِذَا فِي أَحَدِ كَتِفَيْهِ شَبِيهٌ بِالْخَاتَمِ دَاخِلٌ فِي اللَّحْمِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَ تَرَى هَذَا كَانَ مِثْلُهُ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ مِنْ أَبِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام)

Ahmad, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Al Hassan Bin Al Jahm who said,

‘I was seated with Abu Al-Hassanasws , so heasws called for hisasws sonasws , and heasws was small, so heasws seated himasws in hisasws lap, and heasws said to me: ‘Disrobe himasws by removing hisasws shirt’. So I removed it, and heasws said: ‘Look between hisasws two shoulders’. So I looked and there was in one of hisasws shoulder, resembling a seal entered into the flesh. Then heasws said: ‘Do you see this?’ The like of it was in this place from myasws fatherasws ’.8

9 ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِي يَحْيَى الصَّنْعَانِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَجِي‏ءَ بِابْنِهِ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَهُوَ صَغِيرٌ فَقَالَ هَذَا الْمَوْلُودُ الَّذِي لَمْ يُولَدْ مَوْلُودٌ أَعْظَمُ بَرَكَةً عَلَى شِيعَتِنَا مِنْهُ

From him, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Abu Yahya Al Sana’ny who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws , so they came with hisasws sonasws Abu Ja’farasws and heasws was small. So heasws said: ‘This is the Blessed event which none has been begotten as being of greater Blessings upon ourasws Shias than himasws ’.9

10 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَدْ كُنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَهَبَ الله لَكَ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَكُنْتَ تَقُولُ يَهَبُ الله لِي غُلاماً فَقَدْ وَهَبَهُ الله لَكَ فَأَقَرَّ عُيُونَنَا فَلا أَرَانَا الله يَوْمَكَ فَإِنْ كَانَ كَوْنٌ فَإِلَى مَنْ فَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هَذَا ابْنُ ثَلاثِ سِنِينَ فَقَالَ وَمَا يَضُرُّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ قَامَ عِيسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِالْحُجَّةِ وَهُوَ ابْنُ ثَلاثِ سِنِينَ

Muhammad Bin yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Safwan Bin Yahya who said,

‘I said to Al-Rezaasws , ‘We had asked youasws before Allahazwj had Endowed Abu Ja’farasws to youasws , so youasws had said: ‘Allahazwj would Endown unto measws a boy’. So Allahazwj has Endowed himasws to youasws and our eyes are delighted. So, may Allahazwj not Show us yourasws day (of passing away). So if it does happen, so to whom?’ So heasws gestured to Abu Ja’farasws , and heasws was standing in front of himasws . So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! This is a boy of three years!’. So heasws said: ‘And what would harm himasws from that? Isaas had stood with the Divine Authority and heas was a boy of three years’.10

11 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَقُولُ لِلرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ ابْنِي فِي لِسَانِهِ ثِقْلٌ فَأَنَا أَبْعَثُ بِهِ إِلَيْكَ غَداً تَمْسَحُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَتَدْعُو لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مَوْلاكَ فَقَالَ هُوَ مَوْلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ فَابْعَثْ بِهِ غَداً إِلَيْهِ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Jamhour, from Moammar Bin Khallad who said,

‘I heard Ismail Bin Ibrahim saying to Al-Rezaasws , ‘My son has heaviness in his tongue, so I would be sending him to youasws tomorrow for youasws to wipe upon his head and supplicate for him, for he is in yourasws Wilayah’. So heasws said: ‘He is in the Wilayah of Abu Ja’farasws (9th Imamasws ) therefore send him to himasws tomorrow’.11

12 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَلادٍ الصَّيْقَلِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَالِساً بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَكُنْتُ أَقَمْتُ عِنْدَهُ سَنَتَيْنِ أَكْتُبُ عَنْهُ مَا يَسْمَعُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ يَعْنِي أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْمَسْجِدَ مَسْجِدَ الرَّسُولِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَوَثَبَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ بِلا حِذَاءٍ وَلا رِدَاءٍ فَقَبَّلَ يَدَهُ وَعَظَّمَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا عَمِّ اجْلِسْ رَحِمَكَ الله فَقَالَ يَا سَيِّدِي كَيْفَ أَجْلِسُ وَأَنْتَ قَائِمٌ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ جَعَلَ أَصْحَابُهُ يُوَبِّخُونَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ أَنْتَ عَمُّ أَبِيهِ وَأَنْتَ تَفْعَلُ بِهِ هَذَا الْفِعْلَ فَقَالَ اسْكُتُوا إِذَا كَانَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَقَبَضَ عَلَى لِحْيَتِهِ لَمْ يُؤَهِّلْ هَذِهِ الشَّيْبَةَ وَأَهَّلَ هَذَا الْفَتَى وَوَضَعَهُ حَيْثُ وَضَعَهُ أُنْكِرُ فَضْلَهُ نَعُوذُ بِالله مِمَّا تَقُولُونَ بَلْ أَنَا لَهُ عَبْدٌ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Nahdy, from Muhammad Bin Khallad Al Sayqal, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Bin Ammar who said,

‘I was seated in the presence of Ali son of Ja’farasws Bin Muhammadasws at Al-Medina, and I was staying with him for two years, writing from him what he had heard from his brotherasws , meaning Abu Al-Hassanasws (7th Imamasws ) when Abu Ja’far Muhammadasws Bin Ali Al-Rezaasws entered the Masjid, the Masjid of Rasool-Allahsaww . So Ali Bin Ja’farasws leapt up without any shoes nor a robe, and he kissed hisasws hand and revered himasws . So Abu Ja’farasws said to him, ‘O Uncle, be seated, may Allahazwj have Mercy on you’. So he said, ‘O my Chiefasws ! How can I sit while youasws are standing?’

So when Ali son of Ja’farasws returned to his gathering, his companions went on rebuking him and they were saying, ‘You are an uncle of hisasws fatherasws , and you are doing this deed with himasws ?’ So he said, ‘Be silent! When it was so that Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic’, and he grabbed his own beard, ‘has not Sanctified this old man and has Sanctified this youth, and Placed himasws where Heazwj Placed himasws , (how can I) deny hisasws merits? I seek Refuge with Allahazwj from what you are saying. But, I am a slave of hisasws ’.12

13 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْخَيْرَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ كُنْتُ وَاقِفاً بَيْنَ يَدَيْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِخُرَاسَانَ فَقَالَ لَهُ قَائِلٌ يَا سَيِّدِي إِنْ كَانَ كَوْنٌ فَإِلَى مَنْ قَالَ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ابْنِي فَكَأَنَّ الْقَائِلَ اسْتَصْغَرَ سِنَّ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَعَثَ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولاً نَبِيّاً صَاحِبَ شَرِيعَةٍ مُبْتَدَأَةٍ فِي أَصْغَرَ مِنَ السِّنِّ الَّذِي فِيهِ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام)

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Al Khayrani, from his father who said,

‘I had paused in front of Abu Al-Hassanasws at Khurasan, so a speaker said to himasws , ‘O my Chief! If there was an occurrence (death), so to whom?’ Heasws said: ‘To Abu Ja’farasws , myasws sonasws ’. So it was as if the speaker was belittling the (young) age of Abu Ja’farasws . So Abu Al-Hassanasws said: ‘Allahazwj Blessed and High Sent Isaas Ibn Maryamas as a Rasoolas , a Prophetas , an owner of a Law, commencing during an age smaller than that which is in Abu Ja’farasws ’.13

14 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ يُحَدِّثُ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ فَقَالَ وَالله لَقَدْ نَصَرَ الله أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحَسَنُ إِي وَالله جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَقَدْ بَغَى عَلَيْهِ إِخْوَتُهُ فَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ إِي وَالله وَنَحْنُ عُمُومَتُهُ بَغَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْحَسَنُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ صَنَعْتُمْ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَحْضُرْكُمْ قَالَ قَالَ لَهُ إِخْوَتُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَيْضاً مَا كَانَ فِينَا إِمَامٌ قَطُّ حَائِلَ اللَّوْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُمُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ ابْنِي قَالُوا فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَدْ قَضَى بِالْقَافَةِ فَبَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ الْقَافَةُ قَالَ ابْعَثُوا أَنْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَمَّا أَنَا فَلا وَلا تُعْلِمُوهُمْ لِمَا دَعَوْتُمُوهُمْ وَلْتَكُونُوا فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ فَلَمَّا جَاءُوا أَقْعَدُونَا فِي الْبُسْتَانِ وَاصْطَفَّ عُمُومَتُهُ وَإِخْوَتُهُ وَأَخَوَاتُهُ وَأَخَذُوا الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَأَلْبَسُوهُ جُبَّةَ صُوفٍ وَقَلَنْسُوَةً مِنْهَا وَوَضَعُوا عَلَى عُنُقِهِ مِسْحَاةً وَقَالُوا لَهُ ادْخُلِ الْبُسْتَانَ كَأَنَّكَ تَعْمَلُ فِيهِ ثُمَّ جَاءُوا بِابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالُوا أَلْحِقُوا هَذَا الْغُلامَ بِأَبِيهِ فَقَالُوا لَيْسَ لَهُ هَاهُنَا أَبٌ وَلَكِنَّ هَذَا عَمُّ أَبِيهِ وَهَذَا عَمُّ أَبِيهِ وَهَذَا عَمُّهُ وَهَذِهِ عَمَّتُهُ وَإِنْ يَكُنْ لَهُ هَاهُنَا أَبٌ فَهُوَ صَاحِبُ الْبُسْتَانِ فَإِنَّ قَدَمَيْهِ وَقَدَمَيْهِ وَاحِدَةٌ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالُوا هَذَا أَبُوهُ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ فَقُمْتُ فَمَصَصْتُ رِيقَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ إِمَامِي عِنْدَ الله فَبَكَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عَمِّ أَ لَمْ تَسْمَعْ أَبِي وَهُوَ يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِأَبِي ابْنُ خِيَرَةِ الامَاءِ ابْنُ النُّوبِيَّةِ الطَّيِّبَةِ الْفَمِ الْمُنْتَجَبَةِ الرَّحِمِ وَيْلَهُمْ لَعَنَ الله الاعَيْبِسَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ صَاحِبَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَيَقْتُلُهُمْ سِنِينَ وَشُهُوراً وَأَيَّاماً يَسُومُهُمْ خَسْفاً وَيَسْقِيهِمْ كَأْساً مُصْبِرَةً وَهُوَ الطَّرِيدُ الشَّرِيدُ الْمَوْتُورُ بِأَبِيهِ وَجَدِّهِ صَاحِبُ الْغَيْبَةِ يُقَالُ مَاتَ أَوْ هَلَكَ أَيَّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ أَ فَيَكُونُ هَذَا يَا عَمِّ إِلا مِنِّي فَقُلْتُ صَدَقْتَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father and Ali Bin Muhammad Al Qasany, altogether from Zakariyya Bin Yahya Bin Al Nu’man Al Sayrafi who said,

‘I heard Ali son of Ja’farasws narrating to Al-Hassan Bin Al-Husayn Bin Ali Bin Al-Husayn, so he said, ‘By Allahazwj! Allahazwj has Granted victory to Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws ’. So Al-Hassan said to him, ‘Yes, by Allahazwj, may I be sacrificed for you! Hisasws brothers had rebelled against himasws ’. So Ali son of Ja’farasws said, ‘Yes, by Allahazwj, we, hisasws uncles, had (also) rebelled against himasws ’.

So Al-Hassan said to him, ‘May I be sacrificed for you! How did you behave, for I was not present with you all’. He said, ‘Hisasws brothers said to himasws , and us as well, ‘There has not been among us an Imamasws at all of a dark complexion’. So Al-Rezaasws said to them: ‘Heasws is myasws sonasws !’. So they said, ‘Rasool-Allahsaww had judged (characters) based on appearance, therefore between us and youasws is the appearance’. Heasws said: ‘You can send for them (experts in physiology), but as for Iasws , so no, and do not let them know what you are inviting them for, and let them happen to be in your houses’.

So when they came, we got them to be seated in the orchard, and chose hisasws uncles, and hisasws brothers, and hisasws sisters, and they took Al-Rezaasws and clothed himasws in a woollen robe and a skull cap and placed a spade upon his neck, and they said to himasws , ‘Enter the orchard as if youasws are working in it’. Then they came with Abu Ja’farasws and they said (to the experts in physiology), ‘Link this boy to hisasws fatherasws ’. So they said, ‘There isn’t a father for himasws over here, but, this here is an uncle of hisasws fatherasws , and this one is an uncle of hisasws fatherasws , and this is hisasws uncle, and this here is hisasws paternal aunt, and if there was a father of hisasws over here, so heasws is the one in the orchard, for hisasws feet and hisasws feet are one’. So when Abu Al-Hassanasws returned, they said, ‘This is hisasws fatherasws !’

Ali Bin Ja’far said, ‘So I stood and I extracted the saliva of Abu Ja’farasws , then I said to himasws , ‘I testify that youasws are my Imamasws in the Presence of Allahazwj’. So Al-Rezaasws wept, then said: ‘O Uncle! Why did you not listen to myasws fatherasws and heasws was saying: ‘Rasool-Allahsaww said: ‘May mysaww fatheras be for the son of the best of the slave girls of the sons of Nubia (Sudan), the aromatic of the mouth, the excellent of the womb!’.

Woe be unto them! May Allahazwj Curse the Abbasides and their offspring, the owners of the strife who have killed them (Imamsasws ) for years and months and days. They poisoned themasws and made themasws sick by sealed goblets, and heasws would be in exile, homeless, suffering the pain of hisasws fatherasws and hisasws grandfather.

(as for) the Occultation, it would be said, ‘Heasws died, or perished’. (No one will know) which valley heasws would be travelling in. O Uncle! Can this happen to be except from measws ?’ So I said, ‘Youasws speak the truth, may I be sacrificed for youasws !’.14

74 ـ بَابُ الْإِشَارَةِ والنَّصِّ عَلى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الثَّالِثِ عليه‌السلام

Chapter 74 – The Indication and the wordings upon Abu Al-Hassanasws the 3rd. (10th Imamasws )

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ لَمَّا خَرَجَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فِي الدَّفْعَةِ الاولَى مِنْ خَرْجَتَيْهِ قُلْتُ لَهُ عِنْدَ خُرُوجِهِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنيِِ أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ فِي هَذَا الْوَجْهِ فَإِلَى مَنِ الامْرُ بَعْدَكَ فَكَرَّ بِوَجْهِهِ إِلَيَّ ضَاحِكاً وَقَالَ لَيْسَ الْغَيْبَةُ حَيْثُ ظَنَنْتَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ فَلَمَّا أُخْرِجَ بِهِ الثَّانِيَةَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ صِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَنْتَ خَارِجٌ فَإِلَى مَنْ هَذَا الامْرُ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ فَبَكَى حَتَّى اخْضَلَّتْ لِحْيَتُهُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ عِنْدَ هَذِهِ يُخَافُ عَلَيَّ الامْرُ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِلَى ابْنِي عَلِيٍّ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ismail Bin Mihran who said,

‘When Abu Ja’farasws went out from Al-Medina to Baghdad during the first time from hisasws two such exits, I said to himasws during hisasws exiting, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! I fear upon you during this direction, so to whom would be the command (Imamate) after youasws ?’ So heasws turned hisasws face towards me smiling and said: ‘The Occultation isn’t to be during this year, where your thoughts are’.

So when they went out with himasws for the second time to Al-Mu’tasim (the Caliph), I said to himasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! Youasws are going out, so to whom would this command (Imamate) be from after youasws ?’ So heasws wept until hisasws beard was soaked. Then heasws turned towards me and heasws said: ‘This is what you had feared upon measws . The command (Imamate) from after measws is to myasws sonasws Aliasws ’ (10th Imamasws ).15

2 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْخَيْرَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَانَ يَلْزَمُ بَابَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِلْخِدْمَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ وُكِّلَ بِهَا وَكَانَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى يَجِي‏ءُ فِي السَّحَرِ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ لِيَعْرِفَ خَبَرَ عِلَّةِ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكَانَ الرَّسُولُ الَّذِي يَخْتَلِفُ بَيْنَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَبَيْنَ أَبِي إِذَا حَضَرَ قَامَ أَحْمَدُ وَخَلا بِهِ أَبِي فَخَرَجْتُ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ وَقَامَ أَحْمَدُ عَنِ الْمَجْلِسِ وَخَلا أَبِي بِالرَّسُولِ وَاسْتَدَارَ أَحْمَدُ فَوَقَفَ حَيْثُ يَسْمَعُ الْكَلامَ فَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ لابِي إِنَّ مَوْلاكَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ السَّلامَ وَيَقُولُ لَكَ إِنِّي مَاضٍ وَالامْرُ صَائِرٌ إِلَى ابْنِي عَلِيٍّ وَلَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدِي مَا كَانَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَ أَبِي ثُمَّ مَضَى الرَّسُولُ وَرَجَعَ أَحْمَدُ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ وَقَالَ لابِي مَا الَّذِي قَدْ قَالَ لَكَ قَالَ خَيْراً قَالَ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ مَا قَالَ فَلِمَ تَكْتُمُهُ وَأَعَادَ مَا سَمِعَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي قَدْ حَرَّمَ الله عَلَيْكَ مَا فَعَلْتَ لانَّ الله تَعَالَى يَقُولُ وَلا تَجَسَّسُوا فَاحْفَظِ الشَّهَادَةَ لَعَلَّنَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهَا يَوْماً مَا وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُظْهِرَهَا إِلَى وَقْتِهَا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ أَبِي كَتَبَ نُسْخَةَ الرِّسَالَةِ فِي عَشْرِ رِقَاعٍ وَخَتَمَهَا وَدَفَعَهَا إِلَى عَشْرَةٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ الْعِصَابَةِ وَقَالَ إِنْ حَدَثَ بِي حَدَثُ الْمَوْتِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أُطَالِبَكُمْ بِهَا فَافْتَحُوهَا وَأَعْلِمُوا بِمَا فِيهَا فَلَمَّا مَضَى أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ذَكَرَ أَبِي أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ حَتَّى قَطَعَ عَلَى يَدَيْهِ نَحْوٌ مِنْ أَرْبَعِمِائَةِ إِنْسَانٍ وَاجْتَمَعَ رُؤَسَاءُ الْعِصَابَةِ عِنْدَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَرَجِ يَتَفَاوَضُونَ هَذَا الامْرَ فَكَتَبَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَرَجِ إِلَى أَبِي يُعْلِمُهُ بِاجْتِمَاعِهِمْ عِنْدَهُ وَأَنَّهُ لَوْ لا مَخَافَةُ الشُّهْرَةِ لَصَارَ مَعَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ وَيَسْأَلُهُ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُ فَرَكِبَ أَبِي وَصَارَ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدَ الْقَوْمَ مُجْتَمِعِينَ عِنْدَهُ فَقَالُوا لابِي مَا تَقُولُ فِي هَذَا الامْرِ فَقَالَ أَبِي لِمَنْ عِنْدَهُ الرِّقَاعُ أَحْضِرُوا الرِّقَاعَ فَأَحْضَرُوهَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ هَذَا مَا أُمِرْتُ بِهِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ كُنَّا نُحِبُّ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَكَ فِي هَذَا الامْرِ شَاهِدٌ آخَرُ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ قَدْ أَتَاكُمُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهِ هَذَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ يَشْهَدُ لِي بِسَمَاعِ هَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةِ وَسَأَلَهُ أَنْ يَشْهَدَ بِمَا عِنْدَهُ فَأَنْكَرَ أَحْمَدُ أَنْ يَكُونَ سَمِعَ مِنْ هَذَا شَيْئاً فَدَعَاهُ أَبِي إِلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ فَقَالَ لَمَّا حَقَّقَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ قَدْ سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ وَهَذَا مَكْرُمَةٌ كُنْتُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَكُونَ لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَرَبُ لا لِرَجُلٍ مِنَ الْعَجَمِ فَلَمْ يَبْرَحِ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى قَالُوا بِالْحَقِّ جَمِيعاً

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Al Kahyrani, from his father, said,

‘He (my father) had necessitated the door of Abu Ja’farasws for the service (as a doorman) which heasws had allocated with, and it was so that Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa used to come during the dawn of every night in order to know the news of the illness of Abu Ja’farasws (9th Imamasws ) and there was the messenger who used to come and go between Abu Ja’farasws and my father. Whenever he (the messenger) was present, Ahmad would arise and my father would be alone with him (the messenger).

So I went out one night and Ahmad stood from the gathering and my father was alone with the messenger, and Ahmad was circling around. So he paused, when he heard the speech, and the messenger said to my father, ‘Your Masterasws conveys the greetings upon you and is saying to you: ‘Iasws am going to pass away and the command (Imamate) is going to (be with) myasws sonasws Aliasws , and for himasws upon you all, after measws would be what is for measws upon you after myasws fatherasws ’.

Then the messenger went away and Ahmad returned to his place and said to my father, ‘What is that which he had said to you?’ He said, ‘Good’. He said, ‘I have heard what he said, therefore do not conceal it’, and he repeated what he had heard. So my father said to him, ‘Allahazwj has Prohibited upon you what you did because Allahazwj the Exalted is Saying [49:12] and do not spy, therefore preserve the testimony for perhaps we would be needy to it one day and beware of manifesting it before its time’.

So when it was morning, my father copied the message in ten papers and sealed these and handed these over to ten from the clan and said, ‘If there occurs with me an occurrence of death before I seek these from you all, so open these and get to know with whatever is in it’.

So when Abu Ja’farasws passed away, my father mentioned that he would not come out from his house until about four hundred persons had cut off (from others) upon his hands, and he gathered the chiefs of the community in the presence of Muhammad Bin Al-Faraj negotiating this matter. So Muhammad Bin Al-Faraj wrote to my father letting him know of their gathering in his presence, and that he, if he does not fear the publicity, should come to be with them, and he asked him to come over.

So my father rode and went over to him and he found the people have had gathered with him. So they said to my father, ‘What are you saying regarding this matter?’ So my father said, ‘To the one with whom there is a parchment, should display the parchment’. So they displayed these, and he said to them, ‘This is what I had been ordered with’. So some of them said, ‘We would have loved it if there had been other witnesses with you regarding this matter’.

So he said to them, ‘Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic has Already Come with it. This is Abu Ja’far Al-Ashary. He would testify for me that he heard this message, and ask him that he should testify with whatever is with him’. But, Ahmad denied that he had been hearing anything from this. So my father called him to the imprecation (Mubahila).

So he (the narrator) said, ‘When it was proven against him, he said, ‘I had heard that and this is a prestige. I had liked it that it would happen to be from a man from the Arabs, not to a man from the non-Arabs’. (Al-Khayrani was a non-Arab). So the people did not depart until they had spoken with the truth, altogether’.16

3 ـ وَفِي نُسْخَةِ الصَّفْوَانِيِّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْكُوفِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الْوَاسِطِيِّ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَحْمَدَ بْنَ أَبِي خَالِدٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ يَحْكِي أَنَّهُ أَشْهَدَهُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْوَصِيَّةِ الْمَنْسُوخَةِ شَهِدَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي خَالِدٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَنَّ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَشْهَدَهُ أَنَّهُ أَوْصَى إِلَى عَلِيٍّ ابْنِهِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَأَخَوَاتِهِ وَجَعَلَ أَمْرَ مُوسَى إِذَا بَلَغَ إِلَيْهِ وَجَعَلَ عَبْدَ الله بْنَ الْمُسَاوِرِ قَائِماً عَلَى تَرِكَتِهِ مِنَ الضِّيَاعِ وَالامْوَالِ وَالنَّفَقَاتِ وَالرَّقِيقِ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ إِلَى أَنْ يَبْلُغَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ صَيَّرَ عَبْدُ الله بْنُ الْمُسَاوِرِ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ إِلَيْهِ يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِ نَفْسِهِ وَأَخَوَاتِهِ وَيُصَيِّرُ أَمْرَ مُوسَى إِلَيْهِ يَقُومُ لِنَفْسِهِ بَعْدَهُمَا عَلَى شَرْطِ أَبِيهِمَا فِي صَدَقَاتِهِ الَّتِي تَصَدَّقَ بِهَا وَذَلِكَ يَوْمُ الاحَدِ لِثَلاثِ لَيَالٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ سَنَةَ عِشْرِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ وَكَتَبَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي خَالِدٍ شَهَادَتَهُ بِخَطِّهِ وَشَهِدَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَهُوَ الْجَوَّانِيُّ عَلَى مِثْلِ شَهَادَةِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ فِي صَدْرِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ وَكَتَبَ شَهَادَتَهُ بِيَدِهِ وَشَهِدَ نَصْرٌ الْخَادِمُ وَكَتَبَ شَهَادَتَهُ بِيَدِهِ

And in a copy of Al Safwany – Muhammad Bin Ja’far Al Kufy, from Muhammad Bin Isa Bin Ubeyd, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn Al Wasity that he heard Ahmad Bin Abu Khalid a slave of Abu Ja’far,

‘He witnessed upon this copied bequest – ‘Ahmad Bin Abu Khalid, a slave of Abu Ja’farasws Muhammadasws Bin Aliasws Bin Musaasws Bin Ja’farasws Bin Muhammadasws Bin Aliasws Bin Al-Husaynasws Bin Aliasws Bin Abu Talibasws testifies, ‘I hereby testify that heasws bequeathed to Aliasws hisasws sonasws with himselfasws and hisasws sisters, and made the matter of Musa, when he reaches adulthood, to himasws .

And heasws made Abdullah Bin Al-Musawir to him on that day to be custodian upon hisasws legacy from the properties, and wealth, and the expenditure monies, and the slaves, and other than that, until Aliasws Bin Muhammadasws (10th Imamasws ) reaches adulthood. Abdullah Bin Al-Musawir, on that day, came to be standing with the matter of hisasws own self, and hisasws sisters, and the matter of Musa came to be with him, standing for himself after the two of them, upon the stipulation of their fatherasws regarding hisasws charities which heasws gave with, and that is the day of Sunday the third night of Zil Hijjah, the year two hundred and twenty.

And Ahmad Bin Abu Khalid wrote his testimony by his own handwriting it was witnessed by Al-Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Al-Hassan Bin Aliasws Bin Al-Husaynasws Bin Aliasws Bin Abu Talibasws , and he is Al-Jawwany, upon the like of the testimony of Ahmad Bin Abu Khalid in the beginning of this letter, and he wrote his testimony by his own hand, Nasr the servant testified and wrote his testimony by his own hand’.17

75 ـ بَابُ الْإِشَارَةِ والنَّصِّ عَلى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ عليه‌السلام

Chapter 75 – The Indication and the wordings upon Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws )

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ يَسَارٍ الْقَنْبَرِيِّ قَالَ أَوْصَى أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلَى ابْنِهِ الْحَسَنِ قَبْلَ مُضِيِّهِ بِأَرْبَعَةِ أَشْهُرٍ وَأَشْهَدَنِي عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَجَمَاعَةً مِنَ الْمَوَالِي

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Nahdy, from Yahya Bin Yasaar Al Qanbary who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) bequeathed to hisasws sonasws Al-Hassanasws (11th Imamasws ) before hisasws passing away by four months and kept me as a witness upon that, and a group of friends’.18

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ بَشَّارِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْبَصْرِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُمَرَ النَّوْفَلِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي صَحْنِ دَارِهِ فَمَرَّ بِنَا مُحَمَّدٌ ابْنُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هَذَا صَاحِبُنَا بَعْدَكَ فَقَالَ لا صَاحِبُكُمْ بَعْدِيَ الْحَسَنُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Kufy, from Bashhar Bin Ahmad Al Basry, from Ali Bin Umar Al Nowfaly who said,

‘I was with Abu Al-Hassanasws in the courtyard of hisasws house, so Muhammad hisasws son passed by us. So I said to himasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! This one would be our Master after youasws ?’ So heasws said: ‘No. Your Masterasws after measws is Al-Hassanasws ’.19

3 ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ بَشَّارِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الاصْفَهَانِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) صَاحِبُكُمْ بَعْدِيَ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي عَلَيَّ قَالَ وَلَمْ نَعْرِفْ أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَخَرَجَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ فَصَلَّى عَلَيْهِ

From him, from Bashhar Bin Ahmad, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Al Isfahany who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassanasws said: ‘Your Masterasws after measws is the one who would pray Salat over measws ’, and we did not know Abu Muhammadasws before that. So Abu Muhammadasws came out and prayed Salat over himasws ’.20

4 ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ حَاضِراً أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ ابْنُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ فَقَالَ لِلْحَسَنِ يَا بُنَيَّ أَحْدِثْ لله شُكْراً فَقَدْ أَحْدَثَ فِيكَ أَمْراً

And from him, from Musa Bin Ja’far Bin Wahab, from Ali Bin Ja’far Who said,

‘I was presence with Abu Al Hassanasws when hisasws son Muhammad died. So heasws said to Al-Hassanasws : ‘O myasws sonasws ! Renew the thanks to Allahazwj for the command (Imamate) has come to be in youasws ’.21

5 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مَرْوَانَ الانْبَارِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ حَاضِراً عِنْدَ مُضِيِّ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بن علي (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَجَاءَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَوُضِعَ لَهُ كُرْسِيٌّ فَجَلَسَ عَلَيْهِ وَحَوْلَهُ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ وَأَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ قَائِمٌ فِي نَاحِيَةٍ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الْتَفَتَ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أَحْدِثْ لله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى شُكْراً فَقَدْ أَحْدَثَ فِيكَ أَمْراً

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Marwan Al Anbary who said,

‘I was present during the passing away of Abu Ja’far Muhammadasws Bin Aliasws (9th Imamasws ). So Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imam) came over, and a chair was placed for himasws , so heasws sat upon it, and around himasws were hisasws family members, and Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) was standing in a corner. So when heasws was free from the matter of Abu Ja’farasws , heasws turned towards Abu Muhammadasws and heasws said: ‘O myasws sonasws ! Renew thanks to Allahazwj Blessed and High for the command has come to be in youasws ’.22

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْقَلانِسِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنْ كَانَ كَوْنٌ وَأَعُوذُ بِالله فَإِلَى مَنْ قَالَ عَهْدِي إِلَى الاكْبَرِ مِنْ وَلَدَيَّ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Qalanasy, from Ali Bin Al Husayn Bin Amro, from Ali Bin Mahziyar who said,

‘I said to Abu Al-Hassanasws , ‘If there was an occurrence (of death), and I seek Refuge with Allahazwj, so to whom?’ Heasws said: ‘Myasws Covenant is to the eldest of myasws sons’.23

7 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الاسْبَارِقِينِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْعَطَّارِ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَأَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ابْنُهُ فِي الاحْيَاءِ وَأَنَا أَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ هُوَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَنْ أَخُصُّ مِنْ وُلْدِكَ فَقَالَ لا تَخُصُّوا أَحَداً حَتَّى يَخْرُجَ إِلَيْكُمْ أَمْرِي قَالَ فَكَتَبْتُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْدُ فِيمَنْ يَكُونُ هَذَا الامْرُ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ فِي الْكَبِيرِ مِنْ وَلَدَيَّ قَالَ وَكَانَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ أَكْبَرَ مِنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Abu Muhammad Al Isbariqeyni, from Ali Bin Amro Al Attar who said,

‘I went over to Abu Al-Hassan Al-Askaryasws (10th Imamasws ) and Abu Ja’far, hisasws son during his life-time, and I thought that he would be him (the Imamasws ). So I said to himasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! Whom from yourasws sons should I choose?’ So heasws said: ‘Do not choose anyone until myasws order comes out to you all’. So I wrote to himasws afterwards, ‘In whom would this command (Imamate) come to be?’ So heasws wrote to me: ‘In the eldest of myasws sons’. And it was so that Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) was older than Abu Ja’far’.24

8 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنْ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ مِنْهُمُ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الافْطَسُ أَنَّهُمْ حَضَرُوا يَوْمَ تُوُفِّيَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ بَابَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ يُعَزُّونَهُ وَقَدْ بُسِطَ لَهُ فِي صَحْنِ دَارِهِ وَالنَّاسُ جُلُوسٌ حَوْلَهُ فَقَالُوا قَدَّرْنَا أَنْ يَكُونَ حَوْلَهُ مِنْ آلِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَبَنِي هَاشِمٍ وَقُرَيْشٍ مِائَةٌ وَخَمْسُونَ رَجُلاً سِوَى مَوَالِيهِ وَسَائِرِ النَّاسِ إِذْ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ قَدْ جَاءَ مَشْقُوقَ الْجَيْبِ حَتَّى قَامَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَنَحْنُ لا نَعْرِفُهُ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ أَحْدِثْ لله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شُكْراً فَقَدْ أَحْدَثَ فِيكَ أَمْراً فَبَكَى الْفَتَى وَحَمِدَ الله وَاسْتَرْجَعَ وَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَأَنَا أَسْأَلُ الله تَمَامَ نِعَمِهِ لَنَا فِيكَ وَإِنَّا لله وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ فَسَأَلْنَا عَنْهُ فَقِيلَ هَذَا الْحَسَنُ ابْنُهُ وَقَدَّرْنَا لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ أَرْجَحَ فَيَوْمَئِذٍ عَرَفْنَاهُ وَعَلِمْنَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ بِالامَامَةِ وَأَقَامَهُ مَقَامَهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya and someone else, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah,

(It has been narrated) from a group of the Clan of Hashimas , from them being Al-Hassan Bin Al-Hassan Al-Aftas, that they were present, on the day Muhammadasws Bin Aliasws Bin Muhammadasws (9th Imamasws ) passed away, at the door of Abu Al-

Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) consoling himasws , and there had been extended for himasws in the courtyard of hisasws house, and the people were seated around himasws .

So they said, ‘We estimated that there would happen to be around himasws from the progeny of Abu Talibasws and the Clan of Hashimas , and Qureysh, one hundred and fifty men, besides hisasws friends and the rest of the people. We looked at Al-Hassanasws Bin Aliasws who had come with a torn shirt until heasws stood on hisasws right, and we did not know himasws . So Abu Al-Hassanasws looked at himasws after a while and heasws said: ‘O myasws sonasws ! Renew thanks for Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic for the command (Imamate) has occurred in youasws ’.

So the youth wept and Praised Allahazwj and said: ‘We are for Allahazwj and to Himazwj are we returning’, and said: ‘The Praise is for Allahazwj, Lordazwj of the words, and Iasws ask Allahazwj for the completion of Hisazwj Bounties for us in youasws , and we are for Allahazwj and we are returning to Himazwj’.

So we asked about himasws , and it was said, ‘This is Al-Hassanasws , hisasws sonasws ’, and we estimated for himasws at that time to be of twenty years or more. So it was in those days that we recognised himasws and we knew that heasws had indicated to himasws as being with the Imamate, and (had made) himasws stood in hisasws own place’.25

9 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ دَرْيَابَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَعْدَ مُضِيِّ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ فَعَزَّيْتُهُ عَنْهُ وَأَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جَالِسٌ فَبَكَى أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَدْ جَعَلَ فِيكَ خَلَفاً مِنْهُ فَاحْمَدِ الله

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Bin Daryaab who said,

‘I went over to Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) after the passing away of Abu Ja’farasws (9th Imamasws ) So I consoled himasws about himasws and Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) was seated. So Abu Muhammadasws wept and Abu Al-Hassanasws faced himasws and said to himasws : ‘Allahazwj Blessed and High has Made youasws to be a replacement from himasws , therefore Praise Allahazwj’. 26

10 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَعْدَ مَا مَضَى ابْنُهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ وَإِنِّي لافَكِّرُ فِي نَفْسِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَقُولَ كَأَنَّهُمَا أَعْنِي أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ كَأَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ ابْنَيْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) وَإِنَّ قِصَّتَهُمَا كَقِصَّتِهِمَا إِذْ كَانَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُرْجَى بَعْدَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَنْطِقَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ بَدَا لله فِي أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ بَعْدَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ يُعْرَفُ لَهُ كَمَا بَدَا لَهُ فِي مُوسَى بَعْدَ مُضِيِّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ مَا كَشَفَ بِهِ عَنْ حَالِهِ وَهُوَ كَمَا حَدَّثَتْكَ نَفْسُكَ وَإِنْ كَرِهَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ وَأَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِي الْخَلَفُ مِنْ بَعْدِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ مَا يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ وَمَعَهُ آلَةُ الامَامَةِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Abu Hashim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Al-Hassanasws after the passing away of hisasws son Abu Ja’far, and I was thinking within myself intending that I should be saying, ‘It is as if these two, meaning Abu Ja’far and Abu Muhammadasws , at this time, are like Abu Al-Hassan Musaasws and Ismail, the two sons of Ja’farasws Bin Muhammadasws and that both their stories are like both their stories, whether it would be Abu Muhammad as the appointee after Abu Ja’farasws .

So Abu Al-Hassanasws turned towards me before I could speak, and heasws said: ‘Yes, O Abu Hashim! There is a Change in Allahazwj’s Decision regarding Abu Muhammad being after Abu Ja’farasws what did not happen to be a recognition for him, just as there was a Change in Allahazwj’s Decision for Himazwj regarding Musaas after the passing away of Ismail, what was uncovered with it from his state, and it is just as you narrated to yourself, and even though the falsifiers may dislike it. And it would be Abu Muhammadasws , myasws sonasws , as the Caliph after measws . With himasws is the knowledge of whatever is needed to, and with himasws are the Signs of the Imamate’.27

11 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ دَرْيَابَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْفَهْفَكِيِّ قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِي أَنْصَحُ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ غَرِيزَةً وَأَوْثَقُهُمْ حُجَّةً وَهُوَ الاكْبَرُ مِنْ وَلَدَيَّ وَهُوَ الْخَلَفُ وَإِلَيْهِ يَنْتَهِي عُرَى الامَامَةِ وَأَحْكَامُهَا فَمَا كُنْتَ سَائِلِي فَسَلْهُ عَنْهُ فَعِنْدَهُ مَا يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Bin Daryab, from Abu Bakr Al Fahfaky who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) wrote to me: ‘Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) myasws sonasws is the most of the Progenyasws of Muhammadsaww , distinguished, and strongest of proofs, and heasws is the eldest of myasws sonsasws , and heasws is replacement, and to himasws ends up the handle of the Imamate and its decisions. So whatever you ask measws , so ask himasws about it, for with himasws is whatever you are needy to’.28

12 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ شَاهَوَيْهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْجَلابِ قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ فِي كِتَابٍ أَرَدْتَ أَنْ تَسْأَلَ عَنِ الْخَلَفِ بَعْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَقَلِقْتَ لِذَلِكَ فَلا تَغْتَمَّ فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لا يُضِلُّ قَوْماً بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَاهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ مَا يَتَّقُونَ وَصَاحِبُكَ بَعْدِي أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ ابْنِي وَعِنْدَهُ مَا تَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ يُقَدِّمُ مَا يَشَاءُ الله وَيُؤَخِّرُ مَا يَشَاءُ الله ما نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِها نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْها أَوْ مِثْلِها قَدْ كَتَبْتُ بِمَا فِيهِ بَيَانٌ وَقِنَاعٌ لِذِي عَقْلٍ يَقْظَانَ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Shahawiya Bin Abdullah Al Khallab who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) wrote to me: ‘You wanted to ask about the Caliph after Abu Ja’farasws and you were anxious for that. So do not be gloomy, for Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic does not [9:115] Let a people stray after He has Guided them; until He Clarifies to them what they should guard against. And your Masterasws after measws is Abu Muhammadasws , (11th Imamasws ) myasws sonasws , and with himasws is whatever they (people) would be needy to. Allahazwj Brings forward whatever Heazwj so Desires to and Allahazwj Delays whatever Heazwj so Desires to [2:106] Whatever from a Verse We Abrogate or cause it to be forgotten, We Come with one better than it or the like of it.

Iasws have written with what is a clarification therein and a contentment for the one with an alert intellect’.29

13 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْعَلَوِيِّ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الْخَلَفُ مِنْ بَعْدِيَ الْحَسَنُ فَكَيْفَ لَكُمْ بِالْخَلَفِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْخَلَفِ فَقُلْتُ وَلِمَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لا تَرَوْنَ شَخْصَهُ وَلا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ ذِكْرُهُ بِاسْمِهِ فَقُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ نَذْكُرُهُ فَقَالَ قُولُوا الْحُجَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهم السَّلام

Ali Bin Muhammad, from the one who mentioned it, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Alawy, from Dawood Bin Al Qasim who said,

‘I heard Abu Al-Hassanasws saying: ‘The replacement (Imamasws ) from after measws is Al-Hassanasws . So how would it be for you all with the replacement (Imamasws ) from after the replacement (Imamasws )?’ So I said, ‘And why (would it be so)? May Allahazwj Make me to be sacrificed for youasws !’ So heasws said: ‘You all would not be seeing hisasws person (physically), nor would it be Permissible for you all to mention himasws by hisasws name’. So I said, ‘So how should be mention himasws ?’ So heasws said: ‘You should be saying, ‘ الْحُجَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّ لَامُ ’ ‘The Divine Authority (Al-Hujjat) from the Progenyasws of Muhammadsaww ’.30

76 ـ بَابُ الْإِشَارَةِ والنَّصِّ إِلى صَاحِبِ الدَّارِ عليه‌السلام

Chapter 76 – The Indication and the wordings upon the Masterasws of the world (12th Imamasws )

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بِلالٍ قَالَ خَرَجَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ قَبْلَ مُضِيِّهِ بِسَنَتَيْنِ يُخْبِرُنِي بِالْخَلَفِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَيَّ مِنْ قَبْلِ مُضِيِّهِ بِثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ يُخْبِرُنِي بِالْخَلَفِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Bilal who said,

‘There came out to me from Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) before hisasws passing away by two years informing me of the replacement (Imamasws ) from after himasws . Then there came to me from before hisasws passing away by three days informing me with the replacement (Imamasws from after himasws )’.31

2 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جَلالَتُكَ تَمْنَعُنِي مِنْ مَسْأَلَتِكَ فَتَأْذَنُ لِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ فَقَالَ سَلْ قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي هَلْ لَكَ وَلَدٌ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنْ حَدَثَ بِكَ حَدَثٌ فَأَيْنَ أَسْأَلُ عَنْهُ قَالَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Is’haq, from Abu Hashim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I said to Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) ‘Yourasws majesty prevents me from asking youasws , so if youasws were to permit me, I shall ask youasws ’. So heasws said: ‘Ask’. I said, ‘O my Chief! Is there a sonasws for youasws ?’ So heasws said: ‘Yes’. So I said, ‘So if there occurs with you an occurrence (of death), so where shall I ask about himasws ?’ Heasws said: ‘At Al-Medina’’.32

3 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَكْفُوفِ عَنْ عَمْرٍو الاهْوَازِيِّ قَالَ أَرَانِي أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ ابْنَهُ وَقَالَ هَذَا صَاحِبُكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِي

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Kufy, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Makfouf, from Amro Al Ahwazy who said,

‘Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) showed me hisasws son and said: ‘This is your Masterasws from after measws ’’.33

4 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمْدَانَ الْقَلانِسِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلْعَمْرِيِّ قَدْ مَضَى أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ فَقَالَ لِي قَدْ مَضَى وَلَكِنْ قَدْ خَلَّفَ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَقَبَتُهُ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Hamdan Al Qalanasy who said,

‘I said to Al-Amry, ‘Has Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) passed away?’ So he said to me, ‘Heasws had passed away, but heasws has left among you all the one whose neck is like this’, and gestured with his hand’. (Al-Amry was the first representative of Imam Al-Mahdiasws ).34

5 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله قَالَ خَرَجَ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حِينَ قُتِلَ الزُّبَيْرِيُّ لَعَنَهُ الله هَذَا جَزَاءُ مَنِ اجْتَرَأَ عَلَى الله فِي أَوْلِيَائِهِ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ يَقْتُلُنِي وَلَيْسَ لِي عَقِبٌ فَكَيْفَ رَأَى قُدْرَةَ الله فِيهِ وَوُلِدَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ سَمَّاهُ م‏ح‏م‏د فِي سَنَةِ سِتٍّ وَخَمْسِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah who said,

‘There came out from Abu Muhammadasws , when Al-Zubeyrila, may Allahazwj Curse himla was killed: ‘This is a Recompense of the one who is audacious unto Allahazwj with regards to Hisazwj Guardiansasws . He claimed that he would murder measws , and there wouldn’t be an offspring for measws ? So how does he see the Determination of Allahazwj regarding himasws ?’ And there was Iasws was blessed with a sonasws . Heasws named himasws as M H M D (Abbreviated as it is not allowed to mention hisasws name), in the year two hundred and fifty six’.35

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَمُحَمَّدٍ ابْنَيْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْعَبْدِيِّ مِنْ عَبْدِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ ضَوْءِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعِجْلِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ سَمَّاهُ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ سَامَرَّاءَ وَلَزِمْتُ بَابَ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَدَعَانِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْتُ فَقَالَ مَا الَّذِي أَقْدَمَكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ رَغْبَةٌ فِي خِدْمَتِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي فَالْزَمِ الْبَابَ قَالَ فَكُنْتُ فِي الدَّارِ مَعَ الْخَدَمِ ثُمَّ صِرْتُ أَشْتَرِي لَهُمُ الْحَوَائِجَ مِنَ السُّوقِ وَكُنْتُ أَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ إِذْنٍ إِذَا كَانَ فِي الدَّارِ رِجَالٌ قَالَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ يَوْماً وَهُوَ فِي دَارِ الرِّجَالِ فَسَمِعْتُ حَرَكَةً فِي الْبَيْتِ فَنَادَانِي مَكَانَكَ لا تَبْرَحْ فَلَمْ أَجْسُرْ أَنْ أَدْخُلَ وَلا أَخْرُجَ فَخَرَجَتْ عَلَيَّ جَارِيَةٌ مَعَهَا شَيْ‏ءٌ مُغَطًّى ثُمَّ نَادَانِيَ ادْخُلْ فَدَخَلْتُ وَنَادَى الْجَارِيَةَ فَرَجَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهَا اكْشِفِي عَمَّا مَعَكِ فَكَشَفَتْ عَنْ غُلامٍ أَبْيَضَ حَسَنِ الْوَجْهِ وَكَشَفَ عَنْ بَطْنِهِ فَإِذَا شَعْرٌ نَابِتٌ مِنْ لَبَّتِهِ إِلَى سُرَّتِهِ أَخْضَرُ لَيْسَ بِأَسْوَدَ فَقَالَ هَذَا صَاحِبُكُمْ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهَا فَحَمَلَتْهُ فَمَا رَأَيْتُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى مَضَى أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام)

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn and Muhammad, two sons of Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Abdul Rahman Al Abdy, from Abd Qays, from Zou Bin Ali Al Ijaly, from a man of the people of Persia, he named him, said,

‘I came to Samarra and necessitated the door of Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ). So heasws invited me in and I went over to himasws and greeted. So heasws said: ‘What is that which made you come?’ I said, ‘Desire to serve youasws ’. So heasws said to me: ‘So necessitate the door (be a doorman)’.

He said, ‘So I used to be in the house with the servants. Then I came to be buying the necessaries for them from the market, and used to enter upon them from without a permission when there were men in the house. So I went over to himasws one day and heasws was in the room of the men, and I heard movement in the house. So heasws called out to me: ‘(Be) in your place and do not depart!’ So I couldn’t dare to enter nor exit.

So a maid came over to me, and with her was something covered. Then heasws called out to me: ‘Enter!’ So I entered, and heasws called out to the maid, so she returned to himasws . So heasws said to her: ‘Uncover from what is with you’. So she uncovered from a white boy, beautiful of face, and she uncovered from hisasws belly, so there was a growth of green hair from hisasws belly to hisasws navel, without blackness. So heasws said: ‘This is your Masterasws ’. Then heasws ordered her, so she carried himasws away, and I did not see himasws after that until Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) passed away’.36

77 ـ بَابٌ فِي تَسْمِيَةِ مَنْ رَآهُ عليه‌السلام

Chapter 77 – Regarding the naming of the ones who saw himasws

1 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الله وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ قَالَ اجْتَمَعْتُ أَنَا وَالشَّيْخُ أَبُو عَمْرٍو رَحِمَهُ الله عِنْدَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ فَغَمَزَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ عَنِ الْخَلَفِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَبَا عَمْرٍو إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَمَا أَنَا بِشَاكٍّ فِيمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّ اعْتِقَادِي وَدِينِي أَنَّ الارْضَ لا تَخْلُو مِنْ حُجَّةٍ إِلا إِذَا كَانَ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ بِأَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ رُفِعَتِ الْحُجَّةُ وَأُغْلِقَ بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ فَلَمْ يَكُ يَنْفَعُ نَفْساً إِيمَانُهَا لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلُ أَوْ كَسَبَتْ فِي إِيمَانِهَا خَيْراً فَأُولَئِكَ أَشْرَارٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ تَقُومُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِيَامَةُ وَلَكِنِّي أَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَزْدَادَ يَقِيناً وَإِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يُرِيَهُ كَيْفَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَ وَلَمْ تُؤْمِنْ قَالَ بَلَى وَلَكِنْ لِيَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عَلِيٍّ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ وَقُلْتُ مَنْ أُعَامِلُ أَوْ عَمَّنْ آخُذُ وَقَوْلَ مَنْ أَقْبَلُ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَمْرِيُّ ثِقَتِي فَمَا أَدَّى إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي فَعَنِّي يُؤَدِّي وَمَا قَالَ لَكَ عَنِّي فَعَنِّي يَقُولُ فَاسْمَعْ لَهُ وَأَطِعْ فَإِنَّهُ الثِّقَةُ الْمَأْمُونُ وَأَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو عَلِيٍّ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ مِثْلِ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَمْرِيُّ وَابْنُهُ ثِقَتَانِ فَمَا أَدَّيَا إِلَيْكَ عَنِّي فَعَنِّي يُؤَدِّيَانِ وَمَا قَالا لَكَ فَعَنِّي يَقُولانِ فَاسْمَعْ لَهُمَا وَأَطِعْهُمَا فَإِنَّهُمَا الثِّقَتَانِ الْمَأْمُونَانِ فَهَذَا قَوْلُ إِمَامَيْنِ قَدْ مَضَيَا فِيكَ قَالَ فَخَرَّ أَبُو عَمْرٍو سَاجِداً وَبَكَى ثُمَّ قَالَ سَلْ حَاجَتَكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَنْتَ رَأَيْتَ الْخَلَفَ مِنْ بَعْدِ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ إِي وَالله وَرَقَبَتُهُ مِثْلُ ذَا وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَبَقِيَتْ وَاحِدَةٌ فَقَالَ لِي هَاتِ قُلْتُ فَالاسْمُ قَالَ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَسْأَلُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَلا أَقُولُ هَذَا مِنْ عِنْدِي فَلَيْسَ لِي أَنْ أُحَلِّلَ وَلا أُحَرِّمَ وَلَكِنْ عَنْهُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَإِنَّ الامْرَ عِنْدَ السُّلْطَانِ أَنَّ أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ مَضَى وَلَمْ يُخَلِّفْ وَلَداً وَقَسَّمَ مِيرَاثَهُ وَأَخَذَهُ مَنْ لا حَقَّ لَهُ فِيهِ وَهُوَ ذَا عِيَالُهُ يَجُولُونَ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يَجْسُرُ أَنْ يَتَعَرَّفَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَوْ يُنِيلَهُمْ شَيْئاً وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الاسْمُ وَقَعَ الطَّلَبُ فَاتَّقُوا الله وَأَمْسِكُوا عَنْ ذَلِكَ

قَالَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ رَحِمَهُ الله وَحَدَّثَنِي شَيْخٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا ذَهَبَ عَنِّي اسْمُهُ أَنَّ أَبَا عَمْرٍو سَأَلَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ مِثْلِ هَذَا فَأَجَابَ بِمِثْلِ هَذَا

Muhammad Bin Abdullah and Muhammad Bin Yahya, altogether from Abdullah Bin Ja’far Al Humeyri who said,

‘I and Sheykh Abu Amro, may Allahazwj be Pleased with him, gathered in the presence of Ahmad Bin Is’haq. So Ahmad Bin Is’haq winked at me that I should ask him about the replacement (Imamasws ). So I said to him, ‘O Abu Amro! I want to ask you about something, and I am not with a doubt regarding what I intend to ask you about. So my belief and my Religion is that the earth cannot be empty from a Divine Authority except when it would be just before the Day of Judgment by forty days. So when it would be that, the Divine Authority would be Raised and the door of repentance would be shut. Thus, no soul shall benefit by its Eman which it did not belief from before, or goodness having been earned by its Eman [6:158] its faith shall not profit a soul, which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith.

So they would be the most evil of the creatures of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic, and they are those against whom the Day of Judgment would be Established. But, I would like to increase conviction and that Ibrahimas asked hisas Lordazwj Mighty and Majestic how Heazwj Revives the dead [2:260] He said: Or you do not believe? He said: Yes, but to reassure my heart.

And Abu Ali Ahmad Bin Is’haq informed me from Abu Al-Hassanasws (10th Imamasws ) saying, ‘I asked himasws and said, ‘So who is the office bearer, or from whom should I take, and whose word should I accept?’ So heasws said to him: ‘Al-Amiry is myasws reliable one, therefore whatever he brings to you from measws , so Iasws have put it across, and whatever he says to you from measws , so Iasws have said it. Therefore, listen to him and obey, for he is the reliable, the trustworthy’.

And Abu Ali informed me that he asked Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) about similar to that, so heasws said to him: ‘Al-Amiry and his son are two reliable ones. So whatever they both bring to you from measws , so Iasws have put it across to them, and whatever they both say to you, so Iasws have said it to them. Therefore, listen to them both and obey them, for they are both reliable ones, trustworthy ones. So these are the words of two Imamsasws proceeding with regards to you’.

He said, ‘So Abu Amro fell prostrating and wept. Then he said, ‘Ask your need’. So I said to him, ‘You have seen the replacement (Imamasws ) from after Abu Muhammadasws ?’. So he said, ‘Yes, by Allahazwj, and hisasws neck was similar to that’, and he gestured by his hand.

So I said to him, ‘So there remains one (question)’. So he said to me, ‘Give’. I said, ‘So (what is) the name?’ He said, ‘It is Prohibited upon you that you should be asking about that nor will I be saying this from myself. Thus, there isn’t for me that I should permit nor that I should prohibit, but it is from himasws , for the matter with the ruling authority (Caliph Mu’tasim) is that Abu Muhammadasws passed away and did not leave behind a son, and heasws distributed hisasws inheritance, and it was taken by the ones who had no right to it with regards to it, and heasws is with dependents who are roaming around. There isn’t anyone bold enough that he should introduce himself to them nor give them anything. And when the name will occur, the seeking (from the ruling authorities) would occur, therefore fear Allahazwj and withhold from that’.

Al-Kulayni, may Allahazwj have Mercy on him, said, ‘It was narrated to me by a companions whose name escapes me, that Amro asked from Ahmad Bin Is’haq, about similar to this, so he answered with similar to this’.37

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ وَكَانَ أَسَنَّ شَيْخٍ مِنْ وُلْدِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِالْعِرَاقِ فَقَالَ رَأَيْتُهُ بَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدَيْنِ وَهُوَ غُلامٌ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام)

Ali Bin Muhammad,

(It has been narrated) from Muhammad Bin Ismail Bin Musa Bin Ja’far, and he was the most aged Sheykhs from the children of Rasool-Allahsaww in Al-Iraq. So he said, ‘I saw himasws between the two Masjids and heasws was a boy’.38

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ رِزْقِ الله أَبُو عَبْدِ الله قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَتْنِي حَكِيمَةُ ابْنَةُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَهِيَ عَمَّةُ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهَا رَأَتْهُ لَيْلَةَ مَوْلِدِهِ وَبَعْدَ ذَلِكَ

Muhammad Bin yahya, from Al Husayn Bin Rizqallah Abu Abdullah who said, ‘Musa Bin Muhammad Bin Al Qasim Bin Hamza Bin Musa Bin Ja’far narrated to me saying,

‘It was narrated to me by Hakeema, daughter of Muhammad Bin Aliasws , and she is the paternal aunt of hisasws fatherasws , that she saw himasws on the night of hisasws Blessed birth and after that’.39

4 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمْدَانَ الْقَلانِسِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِلْعَمْرِيِّ قَدْ مَضَى أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ قَدْ مَضَى وَلَكِنْ قَدْ خَلَّفَ فِيكُمْ مَنْ رَقَبَتُهُ مِثْلُ هَذَا وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Hamdan Al Qalansy who said,

‘I said to Al-Amry, ‘Had Abu Muhammadasws passed away?’ So he said: ‘Heasws has passed away, but heasws has left behind among you the oneasws whose neck is like this’, and he indicated by his hand’.40

5 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ فَتْحٍ مَوْلَى الزُّرَارِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَلِيِّ بْنَ مُطَهَّرٍ يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ رَآهُ وَوَصَفَ لَهُ قَدَّهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Fat’h, a slave of Al Zarary who said,

‘I heard Abu Ali Bin Mut’har mention that he had seen himasws , and described hisasws tallness to him’.41

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ عَنْ خَادِمٍ لابْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدَةَ النَّيْسَابُورِيِّ أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ كُنْتُ وَاقِفَةً مَعَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى الصَّفَا فَجَاءَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَقَبَضَ عَلَى كِتَابِ مَنَاسِكِهِ وَحَدَّثَهُ بِأَشْيَاءَ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Shazan Bin Nuaym, from Khadim Al Ibrahim Bin Abda Al Neyshapouri that she said,

‘I was staying with Ibrahim at Al-Safa, so heasws came until heasws paused by Ibrahim and grabbed the book of his rituals and discussed some things with him’.42

7 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله بْنِ صَالِحٍ أَنَّهُ رَآهُ عِنْدَ الْحَجَرِ الاسْوَدِ وَالنَّاسُ يَتَجَاذَبُونَ عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ مَا بِهَذَا أُمِرُوا

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Abu Abdullah Bin Salih that,

‘He saw himasws by the Black Stone (Al-Hajr Al-Aswad), and the people were flocking upon it, and heasws was saying: ‘This is no what they have been Commanded with’.43

8 ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ رَأَيْتُهُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَعْدَ مُضِيِّ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ حِينَ أَيْفَعَ وَقَبَّلْتُ يَدَيْهِ وَرَأْسَهُ

Ali, from Abu Al Ahmad Bin Ibrahim Bin Idrees, from his father that he said,

‘I saw himasws after the passing away of Abu Muhammadasws when heasws had reached adolescence and I kissed hisasws hand and hisasws head’.44

9 ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله بْنِ صَالِحٍ وَأَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ عَنِ الْقَنْبَرِيِّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ قَنْبَرٍ الْكَبِيرِ مَوْلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ جَرَى حَدِيثُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ فَذَمَّهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ فَلَيْسَ غَيْرُهُ فَهَلْ رَأَيْتَهُ فَقَالَ لَمْ أَرَهُ وَلَكِنْ رَآهُ غَيْرِي قُلْتُ وَمَنْ رَآهُ قَالَ قَدْ رَآهُ جَعْفَرٌ مَرَّتَيْنِ وَلَهُ حَدِيثٌ

Ali, from Abu Abdullah Bin Salih and Ahmad Bin Al Nazar, from Al Qanbary, a man from the children of Qanbar the great,

(It has been narrated) a slave of Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws said, ‘There flowed a discussion about Ja’far Bin Ali and he was condemned, so I said to him, ‘But there isn’t anyone apart from him, so have you seen himasws ?’ So he said, ‘I have not seen himasws , but somebody else has seen himasws ’. I said, ‘And who has seen himasws , ‘He said, ‘Ja’far has seen him twice and for him there is a Hadeeth’.45

10 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الْوَجْنَانِيِّ أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمَّنْ رَآهُ أَنَّهُ خَرَجَ مِنَ الدَّارِ قَبْلَ الْحَادِثِ بِعَشَرَةِ أَيَّامٍ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ اللهمَّ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهَا مِنْ أَحَبِّ الْبِقَاعِ لَوْ لا الطَّرْدُ أَوْ كَلامٌ هَذَا نَحْوُهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Muhammad Al-Wajnany who informed me about the one who saw himasws that heasws came out from the house before the occurrence (of the death of hisasws fatherasws ) by ten days, and heasws was saying: ‘O Allahazwj! Youazwj Know that it is from the most beloved of the spots had Iasws not been expelled’, or words approximate to this’.46

11 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ جَلاوِزَةِ السَّوَادِ قَالَ شَاهَدْتُ سِيمَاءَ آنِفاً بِسُرَّ مَنْ رَأَى وَقَدْ كَسَرَ بَابَ الدَّارِ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْهِ وَبِيَدِهِ طَبَرْزِينٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا تَصْنَعُ فِي دَارِي فَقَالَ سِيمَاءُ إِنَّ جَعْفَراً زَعَمَ أَنَّ أَبَاكَ مَضَى وَلا وَلَدَ لَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ دَارَكَ فَقَدِ انْصَرَفْتُ عَنْكَ فَخَرَجَ عَنِ الدَّارِ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فَخَرَجَ عَلَيْنَا خَادِمٌ مِنْ خَدَمِ الدَّارِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ هَذَا الْخَبَرِ فَقَالَ لِي مَنْ حَدَّثَكَ بِهَذَا فَقُلْتُ لَهُ حَدَّثَنِي بَعْضُ جَلاوِزَةِ السَّوَادِ فَقَالَ لِي لا يَكَادُ يَخْفَى عَلَى النَّاسِ شَيْ‏ءٌ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Qays, from one of the black henchman who said,

‘I saw Sayma’a only a while ago in ‘Sur Man Rayy’ and he had broken the door of the house. So heasws came out to him and in hisasws hand was an axe, and heasws said to him: ‘What are you doing in myasws house?’ So Syema’a said, ‘Ja’far claimed that yourasws fatherasws passed away and there was no sonasws for himasws . So, if it was yourasws house, I shall leave from youasws ’. And he exited from the house.

Ali Bin Qays said, ‘So a servant from the servants of the house came out to us, and we asked him about this news. So he said to me, ‘Who narrated to you with this?’ So I said to him, ‘One of the black henchmen narrated to me’. So he said to me, ‘It is almost impossible to conceal anything from the people’.47

12 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَكْفُوفِ عَنْ عَمْرٍو الاهْوَازِيِّ قَالَ أَرَانِيهِ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَقَالَ هَذَا صَاحِبُكُمْ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Kufy, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Makfouf, from Amro Al Ahwazy who said,

‘Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) showed himasws to me and said: ‘This is your Masterasws ’’.48

13 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ النَّيْسَابُورِيِّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي نَصْرٍ ظَرِيفٍ الْخَادِمِ أَنَّهُ رَآهُ

Muhammad Bin yahya, from Al Hassan Bin Al Al Neyshapouri, from Ibrahim Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah Bin Musa Bin Ja’far,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Nasr Zareyf, the servant that he had seen himasws ’.49

14 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ وَالْحَسَنِ ابْنَيْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنَّهُمَا حَدَّثَاهُ فِي سَنَةِ تِسْعٍ وَسَبْعِينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْعَبْدِيِّ عَنْ ضَوْءِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعِجْلِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ سَمَّاهُ أَنَّ أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَرَاهُ إِيَّاهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad and Al Hassan the two sons of Ali Bin Ibrahim, that they had both been narrated to in the year two hundred and ninety three, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Rahman Al Abady, from Zou Bin Ali Al Ijaly,

(It has been narrated) from a man from the people of Persia whom he named that Abu Muhammadasws had shown himasws to him’.50

15 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْمَدَائِنِ قَالَ كُنْتُ حَاجّاً مَعَ رَفِيقٍ لِي فَوَافَيْنَا إِلَى الْمَوْقِفِ فَإِذَا شَابٌّ قَاعِدٌ عَلَيْهِ إِزَارٌ وَرِدَاءٌ وَفِي رِجْلَيْهِ نَعْلٌ صَفْرَاءُ قَوَّمْتُ الازَارَ وَالرِّدَاءَ بِمِائَةٍ وَخَمْسِينَ دِينَاراً وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ فَدَنَا مِنَّا سَائِلٌ فَرَدَدْنَاهُ فَدَنَا مِنَ الشَّابِّ فَسَأَلَهُ فَحَمَلَ شَيْئاً مِنَ الارْضِ وَنَاوَلَهُ فَدَعَا لَهُ السَّائِلُ وَاجْتَهَدَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَأَطَالَ فَقَامَ الشَّابُّ وَغَابَ عَنَّا فَدَنَوْنَا مِنَ السَّائِلِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ وَيْحَكَ مَا أَعْطَاكَ فَأَرَانَا حَصَاةَ ذَهَبٍ مُضَرَّسَةً قَدَّرْنَاهَا عِشْرِينَ مِثْقَالاً فَقُلْتُ لِصَاحِبِي مَوْلانَا عِنْدَنَا وَنَحْنُ لا نَدْرِي ثُمَّ ذَهَبْنَا فِي طَلَبِهِ فَدُرْنَا الْمَوْقِفَ كُلَّهُ فَلَمْ نَقْدِرْ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلْنَا كُلَّ مَنْ كَانَ حَوْلَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةِ فَقَالُوا شَابٌّ عَلَوِيٌّ يَحُجُّ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ مَاشِياً

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Abu Ahmad Bin Rashid, from one of the people of Al Mada’in who said,

‘I was a Pilgrim (of Hajj) along with a friend of mine. So we reached to the Pausing Station (Arafat), and there was a youth seated, and upon him was a trouser and a robe, and in his feet there were yellow slippers. We evaluated the trouser and the robe to be worth two hundred and fifty Dinars, and there weren’t any effects of the journey upon him. So a beggar approached us, but we repelled him. So he went near to the youth and begged from him. So he picked up something from the ground, and gave it to him. So the beggar supplicated for him and strived in the supplication and prolonged it.

So the youth arose and disappeared (went away) from us. So we both approached the beggar and we said to him, ‘Woe be unto you! What did he give you?’ So he showed us pebbles of gold which were marked. We estimated these two to be twenty Misqal (unit of weight). So I said to my companion, ‘Our Masterasws is in our presence and we do not know!’ Then we went to seek himasws , and we circled around the whole of the Pausing Station (Arafat), but we were not able upon it. So we asked everyone who was around himasws , from the people of Makkah and Al-Medina, so they (all) said: ‘He is an Alawite youth who performs Hajj during every year, walking’.51

78 ـ بَابٌ فِي النَّهْيِ عَنِ الِاسْمِ‌

Chapter 78 – Regaring the forbiddance from the name

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْعَلَوِيِّ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الْعَسْكَرِيَّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الْخَلَفُ مِنْ بَعْدِي الْحَسَنُ فَكَيْفَ لَكُمْ بِالْخَلَفِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْخَلَفِ فَقُلْتُ وَلِمَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لا تَرَوْنَ شَخْصَهُ وَلا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ ذِكْرُهُ بِاسْمِهِ فَقُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ نَذْكُرُهُ فَقَالَ قُولُوا الْحُجَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلامُهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from the one who mentioned it, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Alawy, from Dawood Al Qasim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I heard Abu Al-Hassan Al-Askaryasws (10th Imamasws ) saying: ‘The replacement (Imamasws ) from after measws is Al-Hassanasws , so how would it be for you all with the replacement (Imamasws ) from after the replacement (Imamasws )?’ So I said, ‘And why? May I be sacrificed for youasws !’ Heasws said: ‘You all would not be seeing hisasws person (physically), not would be Permissible for you all to mention himasws by hisasws name’. So I said, ‘So how should we mention himasws ?’ So heasws said: ‘You should be saying, ‘The Divine Authority (Al-Hujjat) from the Progenyasws of Muhammadsaww ’.52

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الصَّالِحِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلَنِي أَصْحَابُنَا بَعْدَ مُضِيِّ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عَنِ الاسْمِ وَالْمَكَانِ فَخَرَجَ الْجَوَابُ إِنْ دَلَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى الاسْمِ أَذَاعُوهُ وَإِنْ عَرَفُوا الْمَكَانَ دَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Abu Abdullah Al Salihy who said,

Our companions asked me after the passing away of Abu Muhammadasws (11th Imamasws ) that heasws was asked about the name and the place, so the answer came out: ‘If they are pointed upon hisasws name, they would broadcast it, and if they know of the place, they would point (to others) upon it’.53

3 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الرَّيَّانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ وَسُئِلَ عَنِ الْقَائِمِ فَقَالَ لا يُرَى جِسْمُهُ وَلا يُسَمَّى اسْمُهُ

A number of our companions, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Fazzal, from Al Rayyan Bin Al Salt who said,

‘I heard Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws saying, and heasws had been asked about Al-Qaimasws . So heasws said: ‘Neither will hisasws body be seen, nor would hisasws name be (specifically) mentioned’.54

4 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الامْرِ لا يُسَمِّيهِ بِاسْمِهِ إِلا كَافِرٌ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Ibn Ra’ib,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘This Divine Authority, none will name himasws by hisasws name except for an Infidel’.55

79 ـ بَابٌ نَادِرٌ فِي حَالِ الْغَيْبَةِ‌

Chapter 79 – Miscellaneous regarding the state of the Occultation

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعِبَادُ مِنَ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَأَرْضَى مَا يَكُونُ عَنْهُمْ إِذَا افْتَقَدُوا حُجَّةَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا مَكَانَهُ وَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ تَبْطُلْ حُجَّةُ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَلا مِيثَاقُهُ فَعِنْدَهَا فَتَوَقَّعُوا الْفَرَجَ صَبَاحاً وَمَسَاءً فَإِنَّ أَشَدَّ مَا يَكُونُ غَضَبُ الله عَلَى أَعْدَائِهِ إِذَا افْتَقَدُوا حُجَّتَهُ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُمْ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ لا يَرْتَابُونَ وَلَوْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُمْ يَرْتَابُونَ مَا غَيَّبَ حُجَّتَهُ عَنْهُمْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَلا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ إِلا عَلَى رَأْسِ شِرَارِ النَّاسِ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from the one who narrated it, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from his father, from one of his companions, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘The closest of what the servants can be to Allahazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Mention, and the Happiest what Heazwj can be from them is when they would be missing the Divine Authority of Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty and heasws would not be apparent to them and they would not be knowing hisasws place, and they, during that, would be knowing that it neither invalidates the Divine Authority of Allahazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Mention, nor Hisazwj Covenant. Thus, during that, they would be anticipating the relief morning and evening.

So the most intensely Wrathful what Allahazwj can be upon Hisazwj enemies is when they are missing Hisazwj Divine Authority and heasws is not apparent to them, and Heazwj has Known that Hisazwj friends would not be suspicious, and had Heazwj Known that they would be suspicious, Heazwj would not have Caused Hisazwj Divine Authority to be absent from them for the blink of an eye, and that (Wrath) does not happen to be except upon the heads of the most evil of the people’.56

2 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مِرْدَاسٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَيُّمَا أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةُ فِي السِّرِّ مَعَ الامَامِ مِنْكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ أَوِ الْعِبَادَةُ فِي ظُهُورِ الْحَقِّ وَدَوْلَتِهِ مَعَ الامَامِ مِنْكُمُ الظَّاهِرِ فَقَالَ يَا عَمَّارُ الصَّدَقَةُ فِي السِّرِّ وَالله أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ فِي الْعَلانِيَةِ وَكَذَلِكَ وَالله عِبَادَتُكُمْ فِي السِّرِّ مَعَ إِمَامِكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ وَتَخَوُّفُكُمْ مِنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ وَحَالِ الْهُدْنَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِمَّنْ يَعْبُدُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ فِي ظُهُورِ الْحَقِّ مَعَ إِمَامِ الْحَقِّ الظَّاهِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَلَيْسَتِ الْعِبَادَةُ مَعَ الْخَوْفِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ مِثْلَ الْعِبَادَةِ وَالامْنِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مُسْتَتِرٍ بِهَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فِي وَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله لَهُ خَمْسِينَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً فِي جَمَاعَةٍ وَمَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمْ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً وَحْدَهُ مُسْتَتِراً بِهَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فِي وَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهَا لَهُ خَمْساً وَعِشْرِينَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً وَحْدَانِيَّةً وَمَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمْ صَلاةً نَافِلَةً لِوَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله لَهُ بِهَا عَشْرَ صَلَوَاتٍ نَوَافِلَ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ حَسَنَةً كَتَبَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ بِهَا عِشْرِينَ حَسَنَةً وَيُضَاعِفُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَسَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا أَحْسَنَ أَعْمَالَهُ وَدَانَ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ عَلَى دِينِهِ وَإِمَامِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ وَأَمْسَكَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَرِيمٌ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَدْ وَالله رَغَّبْتَنِي فِي الْعَمَلِ وَحَثَثْتَنِي عَلَيْهِ وَلَكِنْ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَعْلَمَ كَيْفَ صِرْنَا نَحْنُ الْيَوْمَ أَفْضَلَ أَعْمَالاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الامَامِ الظَّاهِرِ مِنْكُمْ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَنَحْنُ عَلَى دِينٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ سَبَقْتُمُوهُمْ إِلَى الدُّخُولِ فِي دِينِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِلَى الصَّلاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْحَجِّ وَإِلَى كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَفِقْهٍ وَإِلَى عِبَادَةِ الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ سِرّاً مِنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ مَعَ إِمَامِكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ مُطِيعِينَ لَهُ صَابِرِينَ مَعَهُ مُنْتَظِرِينَ لِدَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ خَائِفِينَ عَلَى إِمَامِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنَ الْمُلُوكِ الظَّلَمَةِ تَنْتَظِرُونَ إِلَى حَقِّ إِمَامِكُمْ وَحُقُوقِكُمْ فِي أَيْدِي الظَّلَمَةِ قَدْ مَنَعُوكُمْ ذَلِكَ وَاضْطَرُّوكُمْ إِلَى حَرْثِ الدُّنْيَا وَطَلَبِ الْمَعَاشِ مَعَ الصَّبْرِ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ وَعِبَادَتِكُمْ وَطَاعَةِ إِمَامِكُمْ وَالْخَوْفِ مَعَ عَدُوِّكُمْ فَبِذَلِكَ ضَاعَفَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَكُمُ الاعْمَالَ فَهَنِيئاً لَكُمْ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا تَرَى إِذاً أَنْ نَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْقَائِمِ وَيَظْهَرَ الْحَقُّ وَنَحْنُ الْيَوْمَ فِي إِمَامَتِكَ وَطَاعَتِكَ أَفْضَلُ أَعْمَالاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَالْعَدْلِ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ الله أَ مَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى الْحَقَّ وَالْعَدْلَ فِي الْبِلادِ وَيَجْمَعَ الله الْكَلِمَةَ وَيُؤَلِّفَ الله بَيْنَ قُلُوبٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَلا يَعْصُونَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَتُقَامَ حُدُودُهُ فِي خَلْقِهِ وَيَرُدَّ الله الْحَقَّ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَيَظْهَرَ حَتَّى لا يُسْتَخْفَى بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْحَقِّ مَخَافَةَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ أَمَا وَالله يَا عَمَّارُ لا يَمُوتُ مِنْكُمْ مَيِّتٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهَا إِلا كَانَ أَفْضَلَ عِنْدَ الله مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ شُهَدَاءِ بَدْرٍ وَأُحُدٍ فَأَبْشِرُوا

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Mirdas, from Safwan Bin Yahya and Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Hisham Bin Salim, from Ammar Al Sabaty who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullahasws , ‘Which is more superior, the worship (performed) in secret along with the Imamasws from you all (Imamsasws ) covertly in the government of the falsehood, or the worship (performed) during the appearance of the Truth and its government along with the Imamasws from you all (Imamsasws ) overtly?’

So heasws said: ‘O Ammar! The charity (donated) in the secret, by Allahazwj, is superior than the charity (donated) publicly, and similar to that, by Allahazwj, is your worship in the secret along with your Imamasws , performed covertly in the government of the falsehood, and your fearing from your enemies in the government of the falsehood, and the state of truce, is more superior than the one who worships Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic, and his Zikr (Remembrance) during the appearance of the Truth along with the Imamasws of the Truth openly in the government of the Truth.

And it isn’t so that the worship with the fear in the government of the falsehood is similar to the worship with the security in the government of the Truth.

And Know that the one from you who prays Salat today, the Obligatory Salat in a congregation during its (Prescribed) timings, concealing by it from his enemies, so he completes this, Allahazwj would Write for him fifty Obligatory Salats in a congregation. And the one from you who prays the Obligatory Salat alone during its (Prescribed) timings, concealing by it from his enemies, so he completes these, Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic would Write for him due to it, twenty five Obligatory Salats performed alone.

And the one from you who prays the Optional Salat to its timings, Allahasws would Write ten Optional Salats for him due to it; and the one from you who performed a good deed, Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic would Write for him, twenty Good deeds due to it. And Allahazwj Multiplies the good deeds of the Momin from you when he performs a good deed and makes a Religion with the dissimulation upon his Religion, and his Imamasws , and himself, and withholds his tongue, Multiplying it exponentially. Surely, Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic is Benevolent’.

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! By Allahazwj! Youasws have made me desirous regarding the performance of the deeds and encouraged me upon it, but I would love to know how, today, we can come to be of more superior deeds than the companions of the Imamasws , the apparent one from youasws in the government of the Truth, and we are (all) upon one Religion’.

So heasws said: ‘You all are preceding them to the entry into the Religion of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic and to the Salat, and the Soam (Fast), and the Hajj, and to every goodness, and understanding, and to the worship of Allahazwj, Mighty is Hisazwj Mention secretly from your enemies along with your Imamasws , the concealed, being obedient to himasws , observing patience with himasws , awaiting the government of the Truth, being fearful upon your Imamasws and yourselves from the unjust kings.

You are awaiting to the rights of your Imamsasws and their rights are in the hands of the oppressors who have prevent that from themasws , compelling you all to covet the world and you are seeking the livelihood with the patience upon your Religion, and your (acts of) worship, and obedience to your Imamasws , and the fear from your enemies. So, due to that, Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic would Multiply the deeds for you all. Therefore, congratulations be to you all!’.

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! So what is yourasws view, when, if we were to become from the companions of Al-Qaimasws and the Truth is manifested, and today we are in yourasws Imamate and yourasws obedience, are our deeds superior than the companions of the government of the Truth and the justice?’

So heasws said: ‘Glory be to Allahazwj! Are you not loving that Allahazwj Blessed and High should Manifest the Truth and the justice in the country, and Allahazwj should Gather the ideologies, and Allahazwj Joins between the differing hearts and no one would be disobeying Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic in Hisazwj earth, and Hisazwj Legal Punishments be established among Hisazwj creatures, and Allahazwj should Return the Truth to its people, so it overcome until nothing from the Truth would be concealed out of fear of anyone from the creatures?.

But, by Allahazwj, O Ammar! A dying one from you all is not dying upon the state which you are upon except that he would be superior in the Presence of Allahazwj than most of the martyrs of Badr and Ohad. Therefore receive glad tidings!’.57

3 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الثِّقَةُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُمْ سَمِعُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ فِي خُطْبَةٍ لَهُ اللهمَّ وَإِنِّي لاعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْعِلْمَ لا يَأْرِزُ كُلُّهُ وَلا يَنْقَطِعُ مَوَادُّهُ وَأَنَّكَ لا تُخْلِي أَرْضَكَ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ لَكَ عَلَى خَلْقِكَ ظَاهِرٍ لَيْسَ بِالْمُطَاعِ أَوْ خَائِفٍ مَغْمُورٍ كَيْلا تَبْطُلَ حُجَجُكَ وَلا يَضِلَّ أَوْلِيَاؤُكَ بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَهُمْ بَلْ أَيْنَ هُمْ وَكَمْ أُولَئِكَ الاقَلُّونَ عَدَداً وَالاعْظَمُونَ عِنْدَ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ قَدْراً الْمُتَّبِعُونَ لِقَادَةِ الدِّينِ الائِمَّةِ الْهَادِينَ الَّذِينَ يَتَأَدَّبُونَ بِ‏آدَابِهِمْ وَيَنْهَجُونَ نَهْجَهُمْ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَهْجُمُ بِهِمُ الْعِلْمُ عَلَى حَقِيقَةِ الايمَانِ فَتَسْتَجِيبُ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ لِقَادَةِ الْعِلْمِ وَيَسْتَلِينُونَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِمْ مَا اسْتَوْعَرَ عَلَى غَيْرِهِمْ وَيَأْنَسُونَ بِمَا اسْتَوْحَشَ مِنْهُ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ وَأَبَاهُ الْمُسْرِفُونَ أُولَئِكَ أَتْبَاعُ الْعُلَمَاءِ صَحِبُوا أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا بِطَاعَةِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَأَوْلِيَائِهِ وَدَانُوا بِالتَّقِيَّةِ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ وَالْخَوْفِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَرْوَاحُهُمْ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْمَحَلِّ الاعْلَى فَعُلَمَاؤُهُمْ وَأَتْبَاعُهُمْ خُرْسٌ صُمْتٌ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ مُنْتَظِرُونَ لِدَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَسَيُحِقُّ الله الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَمْحَقُ الْبَاطِلَ هَا هَا طُوبَى لَهُمْ عَلَى صَبْرِهِمْ عَلَى دِينِهِمْ فِي حَالِ هُدْنَتِهِمْ وَيَا شَوْقَاهْ إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِمْ فِي حَالِ ظُهُورِ دَوْلَتِهِمْ وَسَيَجْمَعُنَا الله وَإِيَّاهُمْ فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ

Ali Bin Muhgammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abu Asama, from Hisham and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Hisham bin Salim, from Abu Hamza, from Abu Is’haq who said,

‘It was narrated to me by the reliable ones of the companions of Amir Al-Momineenasws that they heard Amir Al-Momineenasws saying in a sermon of hisasws : ‘O Allahazwj! And Iasws know that the knowledge, all of it cannot be erased, nor would its items be cut off, and Youasws do not Leave yourasws earth empty from a Divine Authority of Yoursazwj to be upon Yourazwj creatures, who is apparent but isn’t with the obedience, or is fearful, obscure, nor do Youazwj Let Yourazwj friends to stray after having Guided them. But, where are they? And how many are Yourazwj friends? They are few in numbers and are of great worth in the Presence of Allahazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Mention.

(They are) the followers of the leaders of the Religion, the Imamsasws , the Guides who are educating them with theirasws education are programming them upon theirasws program. Thus, during that, the knowledge leads with them upon the realities of the Eman, and their souls answer to the leadership of the knowledge and they are finding it easy from the Ahadeed what is difficult upon others, and they are being comforted with what the beliers are terrified upon and the extravagant are indifferent of.

They are the followers of the knowledgeable onesasws , accompanying the people of the word in obedience to Allahazwj Blessed and High and Hisazwj Guardiansasws , and they are making a Religion with the dissimulation about their Religion, and the fear from their enemies. So their souls are clinging with the lofty places. Their scholarsasws and theirasws follower are mute, silent, in the government of the falsehood, awaiting the government of the Truth, and very soon Allahazwj would Bring about the reality of the Truth by Hisazwj Word and Delete the falsehood.

Haa! Haa! Beatitude is for them upon their observant of patience upon their Religion in a state of truce. And O myasws longing to see them in a state of the manifestation of their government! And Allahazwj will soon be Gathering usasws and them in the Gardens of Eden, and the righteous ones from their forefathers, and their wives, and their offspring’.58

80 ـ بَابٌ فِي الْغَيْبَةِ‌

Chapter 80 – Regarding the Occulation

1 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ يَمَانٍ التَّمَّارِ قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جُلُوساً فَقَالَ لَنَا إِنَّ لِصَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ غَيْبَةً الْمُتَمَسِّكُ فِيهَا بِدِينِهِ كَالْخَارِطِ لِلْقَتَادِ ثُمَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا بِيَدِهِ فَأَيُّكُمْ يُمْسِكُ شَوْكَ الْقَتَادِ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ أَطْرَقَ مَلِيّاً ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ لِصَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ غَيْبَةً فَلْيَتَّقِ الله عَبْدٌ وَلْيَتَمَسَّكْ بِدِينِهِ

Muhammad Bin yahya and Al Hassan Bin Muhammad, altogether from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Kufy, from Al Hassan Bin Muhammad Al Sayrafi, from Salih Bin Khalid, from Yaman Al Tammar who said,

‘We were seated in the presence of Abu Abdullahasws , so heasws said to us: ‘For the Masterasws of this command there would be an Occultation. Being attached to hisasws Religion would be like entering into the thorny bush’. Then heasws said: ‘Like this!’ – by hisasws hand. So, which one of you would like to touch a branch of thorns?’ Then heasws was silent for a while, then said: ‘For the Masterasws of this command there would be an Occultation, so let a servant fear Allahazwj and let him attach with hisasws Religion’.59

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا فُقِدَ الْخَامِسُ مِنْ وُلْدِ السَّابِعِ فَالله الله فِي أَدْيَانِكُمْ لا يُزِيلُكُمْ عَنْهَا أَحَدٌ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّهُ لا بُدَّ لِصَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ مِنْ غَيْبَةٍ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ عَنْ هَذَا الامْرِ مَنْ كَانَ يَقُولُ بِهِ إِنَّمَا هِيَ مِحْنَةٌ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ امْتَحَنَ بِهَا خَلْقَهُ لَوْ عَلِمَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَجْدَادُكُمْ دِيناً أَصَحَّ مِنْ هَذَا لاتَّبَعُوهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي مَنِ الْخَامِسُ مِنْ وُلْدِ السَّابِعِ فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ عُقُولُكُمْ تَصْغُرُ عَنْ هَذَا وَأَحْلامُكُمْ تَضِيقُ عَنْ حَمْلِهِ وَلَكِنْ إِنْ تَعِيشُوا فَسَوْفَ تُدْرِكُونَهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Isa Bin Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Ja’far, from his father, from his grandfather,

(It has been narrated) from Ali son of Ja’farasws , from his brother Musaasws Bin Ja’farasws having said: ‘When the fifth one from the sonsasws of the seventh is missing (in Occultation), so Allahazwj, Allahazwj, with regards to your Religion. Do not let anyone remove you from it, O myasws children. An Occultation is inevitable for the Masterasws of this command, to the extent that he would retract from this matter, the one who used to be saying with it. But rather, it would be an ordeal from Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic to Test Hisazwj creatures by it. Had your fathers and your grandfathers known of a Religion more correct that this, they would have followed it’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I said, ‘O my Chiefasws ! Who is the fifth from the sonsasws of the seventh?’ So heasws said: ‘O myasws sonasws ! Your intellects are too little from this, and your forbearances are too narrow from bearing it, but if you live, so soon you would be realising it’.60

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُسَاوِرِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالتَّنْوِيهَ أَمَا وَالله لَيَغِيبَنَّ إِمَامُكُمْ سِنِيناً مِنْ دَهْرِكُمْ وَلَتُمَحَّصُنَّ حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَاتَ قُتِلَ هَلَكَ بِأَيِّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ وَلَتَدْمَعَنَّ عَلَيْهِ عُيُونُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَتُكْفَؤُنَّ كَمَا تُكْفَأُ السُّفُنُ فِي أَمْوَاجِ الْبَحْرِ فَلا يَنْجُو إِلا مَنْ أَخَذَ الله مِيثَاقَهُ وَكَتَبَ فِي قَلْبِهِ الايمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَلَتُرْفَعَنَّ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ قَالَ فَبَكَيْتُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ نَصْنَعُ قَالَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى شَمْسٍ دَاخِلَةٍ فِي الصُّفَّةِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله تَرَى هَذِهِ الشَّمْسَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ وَالله لامْرُنَا أَبْيَنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّمْسِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Abu Najran, from Muhammad Bin Al Musawir, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘Beware of the allusions! But, by Allahazwj! Your Imamasws would be absent (in Occultation) for years from your time. You will be Sifted until it would be said, ‘Heasws died, killed, perished, (Don’t know) by which valley heasws travelled’, and the eyes of the Momineen would shed tears upon himasws , and you would be tossed around like the tossing of the ships in the waves of the sea.

Thus, he would not attain salvation except the one whose Covenant Allahazwj has Taken, and Written the Eman in his heart, and Aided him by a Spirit from Himazwj. And you would be separating into twelve resembling banners, not known which one is from which’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I wept, then I said, ‘So how should we deal with it?’ So heasws looked at the sunshine entering the pavilion and heasws said: ‘O Abu Abdullah! Do you see this sunshine?’ I said, ‘Yes’. So heasws said: ‘By Allahazwj! Ourasws matter would be clearer that this sunshine’.61

4 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي صَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ شَبَهاً مِنْ يُوسُفَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَأَنَّكَ تَذْكُرُهُ حَيَاتَهُ أَوْ غَيْبَتَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي وَمَا يُنْكَرُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ هَذِهِ الامَّةُ أَشْبَاهُ الْخَنَازِيرِ إِنَّ إِخْوَةَ يُوسُفَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانُوا أَسْبَاطاً أَوْلادَ الانْبِيَاءِ تَاجَرُوا يُوسُفَ وَبَايَعُوهُ وَخَاطَبُوهُ وَهُمْ إِخْوَتُهُ وَهُوَ أَخُوهُمْ فَلَمْ يَعْرِفُوهُ حَتَّى قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَذَا أَخِي فَمَا تُنْكِرُ هَذِهِ الامَّةُ الْمَلْعُونَةُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِحُجَّتِهِ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الاوْقَاتِ كَمَا فَعَلَ بِيُوسُفَ إِنَّ يُوسُفَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ إِلَيْهِ مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَكَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ وَالِدِهِ مَسِيرَةُ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَلَوْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يُعْلِمَهُ لَقَدَرَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ لَقَدْ سَارَ يَعْقُوبُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَوُلْدُهُ عِنْدَ الْبِشَارَةِ تِسْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ بَدْوِهِمْ إِلَى مِصْرَ فَمَا تُنْكِرُ هَذِهِ الامَّةُ أَنْ يَفْعَلَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ بِحُجَّتِهِ كَمَا فَعَلَ بِيُوسُفَ أَنْ يَمْشِيَ فِي أَسْوَاقِهِمْ وَيَطَأَ بُسُطَهُمْ حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ الله فِي ذَلِكَ لَهُ كَمَا أَذِنَ لِيُوسُفَ قَالُوا أَ إِنَّكَ لانْتَ يُوسُفُ قالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Ibn Abu Najran, from Fazalat Bin Ayoub, from Sadeyr Al Sayrafi who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘In the Masterasws of this command, there is a resemblance from Yusufas’. I said to himasws , ‘It is as if youasws are mentioning hisasws lifetime or hisasws absence (Occultation)’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘So heasws said to me: ‘And what can they deny from that, this community resembling the pigs. The brothers of Yusufas were a tribe of the children of the Prophetsas . They traded with Yusufas and they sold to himas and they addressed himas , and they were hisas brothers, and heas was their brother. But they did not recognise himas until heas said: ‘[12:90] I am Yusuf and this is my brother’. So what this Accursed community deny if Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic were to Deal with Hisazwj Divine Authority during a time from the times just as Heazwj Dealt with Yusufas?

Surely, it was so that Yusufas had kingship of Egypt, and there was between himas and hisas fatheras a travel distance of eighteen days. So, had heas wanted to let himas know, heas would have been able upon that. Yaqoubas and hisas children, during the receipt of good news, travelled for nine days from the Bedouin home to Egypt.

So what can this community deny if Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty was to Deal with Hisazwj Divine Authority just as Heazwj Dealt with Yusufas, if heasws was to walk in their markets and tread upon their carpets until Allahazwj Permits that for himas just as Heazwj Permitted for Yusufas [12:90] They said: Are you indeed Yusuf? He said: I am Yusuf’.62

5 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ لِلْغُلامِ غَيْبَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُومَ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَلِمَ قَالَ يَخَافُ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَطْنِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ وَهُوَ الْمُنْتَظَرُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُشَكُّ فِي وِلادَتِهِ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ مَاتَ أَبُوهُ بِلا خَلَفٍ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ حَمْلٌ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ وُلِدَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ أَبِيهِ بِسَنَتَيْنِ وَهُوَ الْمُنْتَظَرُ غَيْرَ أَنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَمْتَحِنَ الشِّيعَةَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَرْتَابُ الْمُبْطِلُونَ يَا زُرَارَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ أَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَعْمَلُ قَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ إِذَا أَدْرَكْتَ هَذَا الزَّمَانَ فَادْعُ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْ نَبِيَّكَ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي رَسُولَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي رَسُولَكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْ حُجَّتَكَ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ ضَلَلْتُ عَنْ دِينِي ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا زُرَارَةُ لا بُدَّ مِنْ قَتْلِ غُلامٍ بِالْمَدِينَةِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَ لَيْسَ يَقْتُلُهُ جَيْشُ السُّفْيَانِيِّ قَالَ لا وَلَكِنْ يَقْتُلُهُ جَيْشُ آلِ بَنِي فُلانٍ يَجِي‏ءُ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَيَأْخُذُ الْغُلامَ فَيَقْتُلُهُ فَإِذَا قَتَلَهُ بَغْياً وَعُدْوَاناً وَظُلْماً لا يُمْهَلُونَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ تَوَقُّعُ الْفَرَجِ إِنْ شَاءَ الله

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Al Hassan Bin Musa Al Khashab, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Zurara who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘For the boy there would be an Occultation before heasws arises’. I said, ‘And why (would that be so)?’ Heasws said: ‘Heasws would fear’, and heasws gestured by hisasws to hisasws belly.

Then heasws said: ‘O Zurara, and heasws is awaiting, and heasws is the oneasws for whom they will doubt regarding hisasws birth. From them would be one who would be saying, ‘Hisasws fatherasws died without a replacement (Imamasws )’, and from them would be one who would be saying, ‘Heasws was borne (i.e. hisasws motheras was expecting when hisas fatheras passed away)’; and from them would be one who would be saying, ‘Heasws was born before the death of hisasws fatherasws by two years, and heasws is awaited, apart from that Allahazwj Mighty and Majetic Loved to Test the Shias’. Thus, during that, the false ones would be raising doubts, O Zurara!’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! If I were to come across that time period, which thing should I do?’ Heasws said: ‘O Zurara! If you come across this time period, so supplicate with this supplication, ‘O Allahazwj! Acquaint Yourselfazwj to me, for if Youazwj do not Acquaint Yourselfsaww to me, I will not (be able to) recognise Yourazwj Prophetsaww . O Allahazwj! Acquaint me with Yourazwj Rasoolsaww , for if Youazwj do not Acquaint me with Yourazwj Rasoolsaww , I would not recognise Yourazwj Divine Authority. O Allahazwj! Acquaint me with Yourazwj Divine Authority, for it Youazwj do not Acquaint me with Yourazwj Divine Authority, I would stray from my Religion’’.

Then heasws said: ‘O Zurara! It is inevitable that a boy be murdered in Al-Medina’. I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! Wouldn’t he be killed by the army of Al-Sufyani?’ Heasws said: ‘No, but it would be the army of the Clan of so and so which would kill him. It would come until it enters Al-Medina, so they would seize the boy. So when they kill him by transgression, and animosity, and injustice, they would not be given a respite. So, during that, anticipate the relief (Rising of Al-Qaimasws ), if Allahazwj so Desires’.63

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ يَفْقِدُ النَّاسُ إِمَامَهُمْ يَشْهَدُ الْمَوْسِمَ فَيَرَاهُمْ وَلا يَرَوْنَهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Yahya Bin Al Musna, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Ubeyd Bin Zurara who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘The people would miss their Imamasws . Heasws would be attending the season (Hajj), so heasws would see them and they would not see himasws ’.64

7 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُنْذِرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَابُوسَ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ الْمُسْتَرِقِّ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ مَالِكٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنِ الاصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَوَجَدْتُهُ مُتَفَكِّراً يَنْكُتُ فِي الارْضِ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا لِي أَرَاكَ مُتَفَكِّراً تَنْكُتُ فِي الارْضِ أَ رَغْبَةً مِنْكَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ لا وَالله مَا رَغِبْتُ فِيهَا وَلا فِي الدُّنْيَا يَوْماً قَطُّ وَلَكِنِّي فَكَّرْتُ فِي مَوْلُودٍ يَكُونُ مِنْ ظَهْرِي الْحَادِيَ عَشَرَ مِنْ وُلْدِي هُوَ الْمَهْدِيُّ الَّذِي يَمْلا الارْضَ عَدْلاً وَقِسْطاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْراً وَظُلْماً تَكُونُ لَهُ غَيْبَةٌ وَحَيْرَةٌ يَضِلُّ فِيهَا أَقْوَامٌ وَيَهْتَدِي فِيهَا آخَرُونَ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَكَمْ تَكُونُ الْحَيْرَةُ وَالْغَيْبَةُ قَالَ سِتَّةَ أَيَّامٍ أَوْ سِتَّةَ أَشْهُرٍ أَوْ سِتَّ سِنِينَ فَقُلْتُ وَإِنَّ هَذَا لَكَائِنٌ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ كَمَا أَنَّهُ مَخْلُوقٌ وَأَنَّى لَكَ بِهَذَا الامْرِ يَا أَصْبَغُ أُولَئِكَ خِيَارُ هَذِهِ الامَّةِ مَعَ خِيَارِ أَبْرَارِ هَذِهِ الْعِتْرَةِ فَقُلْتُ ثُمَّ مَا يَكُونُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ ثُمَّ يَفْعَلُ الله مَا يَشَاءُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ بَدَاءَاتٍ وَإِرَادَاتٍ وَغَايَاتٍ وَنِهَايَاتِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid who said, ‘Munzir Bin Muhammad Bin Qabous narrated to me, from Mansour Bin Al Sindy, from Abu Dawood Al Mustariq, from Sa’alba Bin Maymoun, from Malik Al Juhny, from Al Haris Bin Al Mugheira, from Al Asbagh Bin Nubata who said,

‘I went over to Amir Al-Momineenasws , and I found himasws pondering, making markings in the ground. So I said, ‘O Amir Al Momineenasws ! What is the matter I see youasws pondering, making markings in the ground? Is there a desire from youasws with regards to it?’

So heasws said: ‘No, by Allahazwj! Iasws have not desired with regards to it nor regarding the world even for a day, at all! But, Iasws am thinking regarding the birth. which would occur from myasws back, the eleventh from myasws sonsasws . Heasws is the Mahdi who would fill the earth with justice and equity just as it was filled with tyranny and injustice. An absence (Occultation) would occur for himasws and confusion wherein groups of people would stray, and others would be Guided during it’.

So I said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineenasws ! And how much would the confusion and the Occultation happen to be?’ Heasws said: ‘(It could be) six days, or six months, or six years’.

So I said, ‘And this would be happening?’ So heasws said: ‘Yes, just as heasws would be Created, and in what way is for you with this matter? O Asbagh! They (The Momineen of that time) would be the best of this community along with the best of the righteous ones of this familyasws ’.

So I said, ‘The what would happen after that?’ So heasws said: ‘Then Allahazwj would do whatever Heazwj so Desires, for there are Changes of Decisions for Himazwj, and the Intentions, and purposes and end results’.65

8 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَنَانِ بْنِ سَدِيرٍ عَنْ مَعْرُوفِ بْنِ خَرَّبُوذَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ كَنُجُومِ السَّمَاءِ كُلَّمَا غَابَ نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجْمٌ حَتَّى إِذَا أَشَرْتُمْ بِأَصَابِعِكُمْ وَمِلْتُمْ بِأَعْنَاقِكُمْ غَيَّبَ الله عَنْكُمْ نَجْمَكُمْ فَاسْتَوَتْ بَنُو عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَلَمْ يُعْرَفْ أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ فَإِذَا طَلَعَ نَجْمُكُمْ فَاحْمَدُوا رَبَّكُمْ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hanan Bin Sadeyr, from Marouf Bin Mharrabouz,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’farasws having said: ‘But rather, weasws are like the stars of the sky. Every time one star disappears, one emerges, to the extent when you indicate with your fingers and tilt with your necks. Allahazwj would Hide your star from you all. So the Clan of Abdul Muttalibas would be evenly established and it would not be recognised which one is from which. So when your star does emerge, then Praise your Lordazwj’. 66

9 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ لِلْقَائِمِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) غَيْبَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُومَ قُلْتُ وَلِمَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَخَافُ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَطْنِهِ يَعْنِي الْقَتْلَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Muawiya, from Abdullah Bin Jabala, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Zurara who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘For Al-Qaimasws there would be an absence (Occultation) before hisasws rising’. I said, ‘And why (would that be so)?’ Heasws heasws would fear’, and heasws gestured by hisasws hand towards hisasws belly, meaning the murder’.67

10 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنْ بَلَغَكُمْ عَنْ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ غَيْبَةٌ فَلا تُنْكِرُوهَا

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Abu Ayoub Al Khazzaz, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘If an Occultation reaches you all regarding the Masterasws of this command, so do not be denying it’.68

11 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ خَلَفِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ الانْمَاطِيِّ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَعِنْدَهُ فِي الْبَيْتِ أُنَاسٌ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِذَلِكَ غَيْرِي فَقَالَ أَمَا وَالله لَيَغِيبَنَّ عَنْكُمْ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الامْرِ وَلَيَخْمِلَنَّ هَذَا حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَاتَ هَلَكَ فِي أَيِّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ وَلَتُكْفَؤُنَّ كَمَا تُكْفَأُ السَّفِينَةُ فِي أَمْوَاجِ الْبَحْرِ لا يَنْجُو إِلا مَنْ أَخَذَ الله مِيثَاقَهُ وَكَتَبَ الايمَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ وَأَيَّدَهُ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَلَتُرْفَعَنَّ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ قَالَ فَبَكَيْتُ فَقَالَ مَا يُبْكِيكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ لا أَبْكِي وَأَنْتَ تَقُولُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ قَالَ وَفِي مَجْلِسِهِ كَوَّةٌ تَدْخُلُ فِيهَا الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ أَ بَيِّنَةٌ هَذِهِ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَمْرُنَا أَبْيَنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّمْسِ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Muawiya, from Abdullah Bin Jabala, from Ibrahim Bin Khalaf Bin Abbad Al Anmaty, from Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdullahasws , and with himasws were some people in the room. So I thought that heasws intended by that, others than me (when) heasws said: ‘By Allahazwj! Heasws would be absent from you all, the Masterasws of this command, and this (matter) would become so obscure to the extent that it would be said, ‘Heasws died, perished in whichever valley heasws travelled’, and you all would be tossed about just as the ship gets tossed in the waves of the sea. None will be save except for the one whose Covenant Allahazwj has Taken, and Written the Eman to be in his heart, and Aided him with a Spirit from Himazwj. And there would be raised twelve resembling flags. It would not be known which is from which’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I wept’, and heasws said: ‘What makes you weep, O Abu Abdullah?’ So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! How can I not weep and youasws are saying there would be twelve resembling flags, not being know which one is from which?’ And in hisasws gathering there was a skylight through which the sunshine entered. So heasws said: ‘It this clear (enough)?’ So I said, ‘Yes’. Heasws said: ‘Ourasws matter would be clearer than this sunshine’.69

12 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الانْبَارِيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُثَنَّى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لِلْقَائِمِ غَيْبَتَانِ يَشْهَدُ فِي إِحْدَاهُمَا الْمَوَاسِمَ يَرَى النَّاسَ وَلا يَرَوْنَهُ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Al Qasim Bin Ismail Al Anbary, from Yahya Bin Al Musna, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Ubeyd Bin Zurara,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘For Al-Qaimasws there would be two Occultations. In one of these, heasws would be attending the seasons (of Hajj). Heasws would see the people but they would not be seeing himasws ’.70

13 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ السَّبِيعِيِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مِمَّنْ يُوثَقُ بِهِ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) تَكَلَّمَ بِهَذَا الْكَلامِ وَحُفِظَ عَنْهُ وَخَطَبَ بِهِ عَلَى مِنْبَرِ الْكُوفَةِ اللهمَّ إِنَّهُ لا بُدَّ لَكَ مِنْ حُجَجٍ فِي أَرْضِكَ حُجَّةٍ بَعْدَ حُجَّةٍ عَلَى خَلْقِكَ يَهْدُونَهُمْ إِلَى دِينِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُونَهُمْ عِلْمَكَ كَيْلا يَتَفَرَّقَ أَتْبَاعُ أَوْلِيَائِكَ ظَاهِرٍ غَيْرِ مُطَاعٍ أَوْ مُكْتَتَمٍ يُتَرَقَّبُ إِنْ غَابَ عَنِ النَّاسِ شَخْصُهُمْ فِي حَالِ هُدْنَتِهِمْ فَلَمْ يَغِبْ عَنْهُمْ قَدِيمُ مَبْثُوثِ عِلْمِهِمْ وَآدَابُهُمْ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مُثْبَتَةٌ فَهُمْ بِهَا عَامِلُونَ وَيَقُولُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي هَذِهِ الْخُطْبَةِ فِي مَوْضِعٍ آخَرَ فِيمَنْ هَذَا وَلِهَذَا يَأْرِزُ الْعِلْمُ إِذَا لَمْ يُوجَدْ لَهُ حَمَلَةٌ يَحْفَظُونَهُ وَيَرْوُونَهُ كَمَا سَمِعُوهُ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَيَصْدُقُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهِ اللهمَّ فَإِنِّي لاعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْعِلْمَ لا يَأْرِزُ كُلُّهُ وَلا يَنْقَطِعُ مَوَادُّهُ وَإِنَّكَ لا تُخْلِي أَرْضَكَ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ لَكَ عَلَى خَلْقِكَ ظَاهِرٍ لَيْسَ بِالْمُطَاعِ أَوْ خَائِفٍ مَغْمُورٍ كَيْلا تَبْطُلَ حُجَّتُكَ وَلا يَضِلَّ أَوْلِيَاؤُكَ بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَهُمْ بَلْ أَيْنَ هُمْ وَكَمْ هُمْ أُولَئِكَ الاقَلُّونَ عَدَداً الاعْظَمُونَ عِنْدَ الله قَدْراً

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Muhammad Bin Yahya and someone else, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father altogether, from Ibn Mahboub, from Hisham Bin Salim, from Abu Hamza, from Abu Is’haq Al Sabai’e,

(It has been narrated) from one of the companions of Amir Al-Momineenasws , from the one who was reliable with it that Amir Al-Momineenasws spoke with this speech, and he Memorised it from himasws , and heasws addressed with it upon the Pulpit of Al-Kufa: ‘O Allahazwj! It is Inevitable for Youazwj that there be a Divine Authority for Youazwj in Yourazwj earth, a Divine Authority after a Divine Authority upon Yourazwj creatures, guiding them towards Yourazwj Religion and teaching them Yourazwj Knowledge lest they scatter.

The followers of Yourazwj Guardiansasws in the apparent are without obedience, or in concealment, and theyasws would be awaited. If theirasws persons are absent from the people during a state of theirasws truce, but theirasws ancient knowledge and theirasws education would be spread out in the hearts of the Momineen, affirmed. Thus, they would be acting with it’.

And heasws said during this sermon in another place: ‘So in who would this be? And due to this the knowledge is obscured when a bearer cannot be found for it who would be preserving it and reporting it just as he had heard it from the knowledgeable onesasws , and he would be truthful upon them with regards to it.

O Allahazwj! So Iasws know that the knowledge, all of it cannot be obscured, nor would its items be cut-off, and Youazwj do not Leave Yourazwj earth empty from a Divine Authority of Yourssaww upon Yourazwj creatures. Heasws would either be apparent and wouldn’t be with a following or fearful obscured, lest Yourazwj Divine Authority be invalidated, and Youazwj do not Let Yourazwj friends to stray after having Guided them. But where are they, and how many are Yourazwj friends. There are few in number, magnified in the Presence of Allahazwj in worth’.71

14 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْبَجَلِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قُلْ أَ رَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ ماؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِماءٍ مَعِينٍ قَالَ إِذَا غَابَ عَنْكُمْ إِمَامُكُمْ فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِإِمَامٍ جَدِيدٍ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Musa Bin Al Qasim Bin Muawiya Al Bajaly,

(It has been narrated) from Ali son of Ja’farasws , from his brotherasws Musaasws Bin Ja’farasws regarding the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [67:30] Say: Have you considered if your water should recede, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?. Heasws said: ‘When your Imamasws is absent from you all, so who would come to you with a new Imamasws ?’.72

15 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنْ بَلَغَكُمْ عَنْ صَاحِبِكُمْ غَيْبَةٌ فَلا تُنْكِرُوهَا

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Abu Ayoub Al Khazzaz, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘When an Occultation reaches you all from your Masterasws , so do not be denying it’.73

16 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا بُدَّ لِصَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ مِنْ غَيْبَةٍ وَلا بُدَّ لَهُ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ مِنْ عُزْلَةٍ وَنِعْمَ الْمَنْزِلُ طَيْبَةُ وَمَا بِثَلاثِينَ مِنْ وَحْشَةٍ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al hassan Bin Ali Al Washha, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘It is inevitable for an Occultation to be for the Masterasws of this command, and an isolation is inevitable for himasws during hisasws Occultation, and the best of the dwellings is Tayba (Al-Medina), and there is no loneliness with thirty (people)’.74

17 ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَيْفَ أَنْتَ إِذَا وَقَعَتِ الْبَطْشَةُ بَيْنَ الْمَسْجِدَيْنِ فَيَأْرِزُ الْعِلْمُ كَمَا تَأْرِزُ الْحَيَّةُ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَاخْتَلَفَتِ الشِّيعَةُ وَسَمَّى بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً كَذَّابِينَ وَتَفَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي وُجُوهِ بَعْضٍ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَقَالَ لِي الْخَيْرُ كُلُّهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاثاً

And by this chain, from Al Washa’a, from Ali Bin Al Hassan, from Aban Bin Taghlub who said,

‘Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘How would you be when the seizure occurs between the two Masjids, so the knowledge would be obscured just as the obscurity of the snake into its hole, and the Shias would differ, and some of them would be calling the others to be liars, and some of them would be spitting in the faces of others’.

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! There would not be any goodness during that’. So heasws said to me: ‘The goodness, all of it, would be during that’ – three (times)’.75

18 ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ لِلْقَائِمِ غَيْبَةً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقُومَ إِنَّهُ يَخَافُ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَطْنِهِ يَعْنِي الْقَتْلَ

And by this chain, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from his father Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Bukeyr, from Zurara who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘For Al-Qaimasws , there would be an Occultation before heasws arises. Heasws would fear’, and heasws gestured by hisasws hand towards hisasws belly, meaning the murder’.76

19 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِلْقَائِمِ غَيْبَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا قَصِيرَةٌ وَالاخْرَى طَوِيلَةٌ الْغَيْبَةُ الاولَى لا يَعْلَمُ بِمَكَانِهِ فِيهَا إِلا خَاصَّةُ شِيعَتِهِ وَالاخْرَى لا يَعْلَمُ بِمَكَانِهِ فِيهَا إِلا خَاصَّةُ مَوَالِيهِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Ibn Mahboub, from Is’haq Bin Ammar who said,

‘Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘For Al-Qaimasws , there would be two Occultations, one of them short and the other one long. During the first Occultation, it would not be known which place heasws is in except for special ones of hisasws Shias; and the other (Occultation), it would not be known which place heasws is in except for special ones of the ones in hisasws Wilayah’.77

20 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ غَيْبَتَانِ إِحْدَاهُمَا يَرْجِعُ مِنْهَا إِلَى أَهْلِهِ وَالاخْرَى يُقَالُ هَلَكَ فِي أَيِّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ نَصْنَعُ إِذَا كَانَ كَذَلِكَ قَالَ إِذَا ادَّعَاهَا مُدَّعٍ فَاسْأَلُوهُ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ يُجِيبُ فِيهَا مِثْلَهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya and Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Kufy, from Ali Bin Hassan, from his uncle Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer, from Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘For the Masterasws of this command, there would be two Occultation – (During) one of the two, heasws would return from it to hisasws family, and (during) the other, it would be said, ‘Heasws perished in whichever valley heasws travelled in’. I said, ‘How should one to deal with it, when it would be like that’. Heasws said: ‘When a claimant claims it, so ask him about things. He would answer with regards to these, similar to himasws ’.78

21 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ الْخَزَّازِ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ لَهُ أَنْتَ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الامْرِ فَقَالَ لا فَقُلْتُ فَوَلَدُكَ فَقَالَ لا فَقُلْتُ فَوَلَدُ وَلَدِكَ هُوَ قَالَ لا فَقُلْتُ فَوَلَدُ وَلَدِ وَلَدِكَ فَقَالَ لا قُلْتُ مَنْ هُوَ قَالَ الَّذِي يَمْلاهَا عَدْلاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْماً وَجَوْراً عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الائِمَّةِ كَمَا أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بُعِثَ عَلَى فَتْرَةٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad, from Ja’far Bin Al Qasim, from Muhammad Bin Al Waleed Al Khazzaz, from Al Waleed Bin Uqba, from Al Haris Bin Ziyad, from Shuayb, from Abu Hamza who said,

‘I went over to Abu Abdullahasws and I said to himasws , ‘Are youasws the Masterasws of this command (i.e. Al-Mahdiasws )?’ So heasws said: ‘No’. So I said, ‘So, yourasws sonasws ?’ So heasws said: ‘No’. So I said, ‘So, a sonasws of yourasws sonasws , is himasws ?’ Heasws said: ‘No’. So I said, ‘So, a sonasws , for a sonasws of yourasws sonasws ?’ So heasws said: No’. I said, ‘Who is heasws ?’ Heasws said: ‘The one who would be filling it (the earth) with justice just as it had been filled with injustice and tyranny upon an interval from the Imamsasws , just as Rasool-Allahsaww was Sent upon an interval from the Rasoolsas ’.79

22 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْبَغْدَادِيِّ عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أُمِّ هَانِئٍ قَالَتْ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدَ بن علي (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله تَعَالَى فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ الْجَوارِ الْكُنَّسِ قَالَتْ فَقَالَ إِمَامٌ يَخْنِسُ سَنَةَ سِتِّينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَظْهَرُ كَالشِّهَابِ يَتَوَقَّدُ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الظَّلْمَاءِ فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتِ زَمَانَهُ قَرَّتْ عَيْنُكِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Musa Bin Ja’far Al Naghdady, from Wahab Bin Shazan, from Al Hassan Bin Abu Al Rabie, from Muhammad Bin Is’haq, from Umm Hany who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far Muhammadasws Bin Aliasws about the Words of Allahazwj the Exalted [81:15] But nay! I swear by the Concealment, [81:16] (The stars) that run their course (and) hide. So heasws said: ‘The Imamasws would be in concealment in the year two hundred and sixty, then heasws would appear like the meteor shooting in the dark night. So, if you were to come across hisasws time, it would delight your eyes’.80

23 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أُسَيْدِ بْنِ ثَعْلَبَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ هَانِئٍ قَالَتْ لَقِيتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدَ بن علي (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ هَذِهِ الايَةِ فَلا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ الْجَوارِ الْكُنَّسِ قَالَ الْخُنَّسُ إِمَامٌ يَخْنِسُ فِي زَمَانِهِ عِنْدَ انْقِطَاعٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ عِنْدَ النَّاسِ سَنَةَ سِتِّينَ وَمِائَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يَبْدُو كَالشِّهَابِ الْوَاقِدِ فِي ظُلْمَةِ اللَّيْلِ فَإِنْ أَدْرَكْتِ ذَلِكِ قَرَّتْ عَيْنُكِ

A number of our companions, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Ahmad Bin Al Hassan, from Umar Bin Yazeed, from Al Hassan Bin Al Rabie Al Hamdany who said, ‘Muhammad Bin Is’haq narrated to us, from Aseyd Bin Sa’alba, from Umm Hany who said,

‘I met Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Aliasws , so I asked himasws about this Verse [81:15] But nay! I swear by the Concealment, [81:16] (The stars) that run their course (and) hide. Heasws said: ‘The concealment is the Imamasws who would be in concealment during hisasws time during the cutting off from hisasws knowledge with the people in the year two hundred and sixty. Then heasws would appear like the shooting meteor during a dark night. So, if you come across that, it would delight your eyes’.81

24 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ نُوحٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الثَّالِثِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا رُفِعَ عِلْمُكُمْ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَظْهُرِكُمْ فَتَوَقَّعُوا الْفَرَجَ مِنْ تَحْتِ أَقْدَامِكُمْ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from one of our companions, from Ayoub Bin Nuh,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassanasws the 3rd having said: ‘When your knowledge would be raised from between your apparent, so anticipate the relief from beneath your feet’.82

25 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ نُوحٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنِّي أَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ صَاحِبَ هَذَا الامْرِ وَأَنْ يَسُوقَهُ الله إِلَيْكَ بِغَيْرِ سَيْفٍ فَقَدْ بُويِعَ لَكَ وَضُرِبَتِ الدَّرَاهِمُ بِاسْمِكَ فَقَالَ مَا مِنَّا أَحَدٌ اخْتَلَفَتْ إِلَيْهِ الْكُتُبُ وَأُشِيرَ إِلَيْهِ بِالاصَابِعِ وَسُئِلَ عَنِ الْمَسَائِلِ وَحُمِلَتْ إِلَيْهِ الامْوَالُ إِلا اغْتِيلَ أَوْ مَاتَ عَلَى فِرَاشِهِ حَتَّى يَبْعَثَ الله لِهَذَا الامْرِ غُلاماً مِنَّا خَفِيَّ الْوِلادَةِ وَالْمَنْشَإِ غَيْرَ خَفِيٍّ فِي نَسَبِهِ

A number of our companions, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Ayoub Bin Nuh who said,

‘I said to Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws , ‘I am hoping that youasws would happen to be the Masterasws of this command and that Allahazwj would Usher it to Youasws without (having raised) a sword, for allegiance has been pledged to youasws and the Dirham has been struck with yourasws name (on it)’.

So heasws said: ‘There is none from usasws with whom letters have been exchanged and heasws has been pointed to with the fingers, and asked about the questioned, and the wealth has been carried over to himasws , except that heasws has been assassinated or passed away upon hisasws bed, until Allahazwj Would Send for this command, a boy from usasws , concealed of the birth and the growth, without there being a concealment with regards to hisasws lineage’.83

26 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ هِلالٍ الْكِنْدِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ شِيعَتَكَ بِالْعِرَاقِ كَثِيرَةٌ وَالله مَا فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ مِثْلُكَ فَكَيْفَ لا تَخْرُجُ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الله بْنَ عَطَاءٍ قَدْ أَخَذْتَ تَفْرُشُ أُذُنَيْكَ لِلنَّوْكَى إِي وَالله مَا أَنَا بِصَاحِبِكُمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَمَنْ صَاحِبُنَا قَالَ انْظُرُوا مَنْ عَمِيَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وِلادَتُهُ فَذَاكَ صَاحِبُكُمْ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ يُشَارُ إِلَيْهِ بِالاصْبَعِ وَيُمْضَغُ بِالالْسُنِ إِلا مَاتَ غَيْظاً أَوْ رَغِمَ أَنْفُهُ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad and someone else, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al Abbas Bin Aamir, from Musa Bin Hilal Al Kindy, from Abdullah Bin Ata’a,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’farasws , said, ‘I said to himasws , ‘Yourasws Shias in Al-Iraq are a lot. By Allahazwj, there is none like youasws among yourasws family members. So how come youasws are not coming out (rising against the ruling authorities)?’ So heasws said: ‘O Abdullah Bin Ata’a! You have taken the lining of your two ears for the silliness. Yes, by Allahazwj, Iasws am not your Master (Al-Qaimasws )’. I said, ‘So who is our Master (Al-Qaimasws )?’ Heasws said: ‘Await the one whose birth the people would be blinded from, so that one would be your Master (Al-Qaimasws ). There isn’t anyone from usasws who is pointed to by the fingers and chewed by the tongues except heasws has passed away in indignation or hisasws nose was rubbed (pride was hurt)’.84

27 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ يَقُومُ الْقَائِمُ وَلَيْسَ لاحَدٍ فِي عُنُقِهِ عَهْدٌ وَلا عَقْدٌ وَلا بَيْعَةٌ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Salim,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘Al-Qaimasws would be rising and there would not be a pact for anyone upon hisasws neck, nor an agreement, nor an allegiance’.85

28 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعَطَّارِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ إِذَا أَصْبَحْتُ وَأَمْسَيْتُ لا أَرَى إِمَاماً أَئْتَمُّ بِهِ مَا أَصْنَعُ قَالَ فَأَحِبَّ مَنْ كُنْتَ تُحِبُّ وَأَبْغِضْ مَنْ كُنْتَ تُبْغِضُ حَتَّى يُظْهِرَهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Fazzal, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Attar, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Mansour, from the one who mentioned it,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws , said, ‘I said, ‘Whenever in the morning and evening I do not see an Imamasws I can follow as an Imamasws with, what should I do?’ Heasws said: ‘So love the one whom you used to love and hate the one whom you used to hate until Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic Manifests himasws ’.86

29 ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلالٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ نَجِيحٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لا بُدَّ لِلْغُلامِ مِنْ غَيْبَةٍ قُلْتُ وَلِمَ قَالَ يَخَافُ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَطْنِهِ وَهُوَ الْمُنْتَظَرُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَشُكُّ النَّاسُ فِي وِلادَتِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ حَمْلٌ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ مَاتَ أَبُوهُ وَلَمْ يُخَلِّفْ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ وُلِدَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ أَبِيهِ بِسَنَتَيْنِ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي لَوْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ قَالَ ادْعُ الله بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي نَبِيَّكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي نَبِيَّكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْهُ قَطُّ اللهمَّ عَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ ضَلَلْتُ عَنْ دِينِي قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْهِلالِ سَمِعْتُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مُنْذُ سِتٍّ وَخَمْسِينَ سَنَةً

Al Husayn Bin Ahmad, from Ahmad Bin Hilal who said, ‘Usman Bin Isa narrated to us, from Khalid Bin Najeeh, from Zurara Bin Ayn who said,

‘Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘An Occultation is inevitable for the boy’. I said, ‘And why (is that so)?’ Heasws said: ‘Heasws would fear’, and heasws gestured by hisasws hand towards hisasws belly, ‘and heasws is the awaited, and heasws is the one the people would doubt regarding hisasws birth. So, from them would be one who would be saying, ‘Heasws was borne’; and from them would be one who would be saying, ‘Hisasws fatherasws passed away and did not leave a replacement (Imamasws )’; and from them would be one who would be saying, ‘Heasws was born two years before hisasws fatherasws passed away’’.

Zurara said, ‘So I said, ‘And what would youasws instruct me with if I were to come across that time period?’ Heasws said: ‘Supplicate to Allahazwj with this supplication, ‘O Allahazwj! Acquaint Yourselfazwj to me, for if Youazwj do not Acquaint Yourselfsaww to me, I will not (be able to) recognise Youazwj. O Allahazwj! Acquaint me with Yourazwj Rasoolsaww , for if Youazwj do not Acquaint me with Yourazwj Rasoolsaww , I would not recognise Yourazwj Divine Authority. O Allahazwj! Acquaint me with Yourazwj Divine Authority, for it Youazwj do not Acquaint me with Yourazwj Divine Authority, I would stray from my Religion’’.

Ahmad Bin Hilal (the narrator) said, ‘I heard this Hadeeth fifty six years ago’.87

30 ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَإِذا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَّا إِمَاماً مُظَفَّراً مُسْتَتِراً فَإِذَا أَرَادَ الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ إِظْهَارَ أَمْرِهِ نَكَتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةً فَظَهَرَ فَقَامَ بِأَمْرِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى

Abu Ali Al Ashary, from Muhammad Bin Hassan, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Abdullah Bin Al Qasim, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws regarding the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [74:8] For when the Trumpet is sounded. Heasws said: ‘From usasws is an Imamasws , who is victorious, hidden. So when Allahazwj Mighty is Hisazwj Mention, Intends to Manifest Hisazwj Command, would Imprint in hisasws heart with an imprint, so heasws would appear, and stand by the Command of Allahazwj the Blessed and High’.88

31 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَرَجِ قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذَا غَضِبَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَى خَلْقِهِ نَحَّانَا عَنْ جِوَارِهِمْ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Al Husayn, from Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Al Faraj who said,

‘Abu Ja’farasws wrote to me: ‘Whenever Allahazwj Blessed and High is Wrathful upon Hisazwj creatures, Heazwj Forbids usasws from being in their vicinity’.89


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