Chapter 42: Narrations regarding the birth of al-Qaim (a.s.)
1 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Walid (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar: Narrated to us Abu Abdullah Husain bin Rizillah: Narrated to me Musa bin Muhammad bin Qasim bin Hamza bin Musa bin Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) that he said:
“Abu Muhammad al-Hasan b. Ali, peace be upon both of them, called on me with the message, ‘O aunt, break your fast at our house tonight, because it is the fifteenth of Shaban. Tonight Allah, the Exalted, will manifest the Hujja, His Proof on earth.’ (When I went to the house), I asked him who the mother of the child was. He said, ‘Narjis.’ I said, ‘May Allah make me your sacrifice! But there is no sign of pregnancy in her!’
He said, ‘What I am telling you is so.’ Therefore I went in and greeted them. When I had taken my seat Narjis came forward to take off my shoes and said to me, ‘My mistress and the lady of my family, how are you tonight?’ I said, ‘Nay you are the mistress of myself and my family.’ But she denied my speech and replied, ‘What are you saying, O aunt?’ I said to her, ‘O my daughter, tonight Allah the Exalted will give you a son who shall be the Master in this world and in the hereafter.’ She became embarrassed and blushed.
After I had finished my evening prayer I broke my fast and then went to sleep. At midnight I woke for prayer. I performed my prayer while Narjis was sleeping, without any sign of childbirth. Then I sat down performing the supererogatory prayer. Thereafter I went to bed and got up again, but she was still sleeping. Then she got up, performed her supererogatory prayer and lay down again.”
Hakima continued, “I went out to see the dawn and found that its first stage was about to appear. But she was still asleep. So I began to doubt al-Askari’s expectation. Just then he called out from his place, ‘Do not be in a hurry, O aunt, the matter is approaching.’ I sat down and recited the Quranic Surahs: Ha Mim al-Sajdah (XL) and Yasin (XXXVI). At that moment she got up alarmed. I ran to her and said, ‘The name of Allah be upon you, do you feel anything?’
She replied, ‘O aunt, yes.’ Then I said to her ‘Gather yourself and procure peace in your heart.’ However at that moment we felt sleepy and drowsiness overcame us. After that I got up at the voice of my Master, and when I raised the covering from him I saw him, peace be upon him, prostrate on the ground. I took him to my bosom and noticed that he was pure and clean.
Abu Muhammad called out to me and said, ‘O aunt, bring my son to me,’ and I did so. . Afterwards al-Askari put his tongue in his mouth and gently stroked his eyes, ears and joints with his hand. Then he said, ‘O my son, speak.’ The child replied, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, He is unique and has no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah.’ Then he sent his greetings upon the commander of the faithful (Amir al-Momineen), and upon the Imams respectively until he stopped at the name of his father. Then he stopped speaking.
“Abu Muhammad said, ‘O aunt, take him to his mother, so that he may greet her, and then bring him back to me.’ I took him to her and when she had done so I brought him back and left him there. Al-Askari said to me, ‘O aunt, come to visit us on the seventh day.’ The next day I came to greet Abu Muhammad and raised the curtain to see my Master. But I did not see him. So I asked the Imam, ‘May Allah make me your sacrifice! What has happened to my Master?’ He replied, ‘O aunt, we have entrusted him to the one to whom the mother of Moses entrusted her son.’”
Hakima said, “On the seventh day I came and greeted him and took my seat. Abu Muhammad said, ‘Bring my son to me.’ I brought him wrapped in a piece of cloth, and the Imam repeated what he had done on the first day and the child said what he had said before. Then he recited the Quranic verse: “And We desired to show favor unto those who were oppressed in the earth, and to make them Imams and to make them the inheritors. And to establish them in the earth, and to show Pharaoh and Haman and their hosts that which they feared from them.”
Musa bin Muhammad (the narrator) says: I asked the servant, Uqbah about this and he said that Hakima has said the truth.
2 - Narrated to us Husain bin Ahmad bin Idrees (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ismail: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ibrahim Kufi: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Abdullah Tahawi that he said:
“I went to see Lady Hakima the daughter of Muhammad (a.s.) after the demise of Abu Muhammad (a.s.) to ask her about the Hujja and the confusion in which people had split many ways.
She said to me: Sit down. I sat down and she said: O Muhammad, verily Allah, the Mighty and Sublime does not leave the earth without a Hujja, be he a speaking one or a silent one. He has not put it in two brothers after Hasan and Husain, as a token of distinction for Hasan and Husain and to mark their superiority lest there will be their peer on earth.
However, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime gave excellence to the progeny of Husain over the progeny of Hasan as He gave excellence to the progeny of Harun over the progeny of Musa, though Musa was Hujja over Harun. And this excellence is for the progeny until the Judgment Day.
There must be a trial for the Ummah, said she: In which falsifiers will fall in doubts and in which verifiers will find salvation, lest people will have an argument against Allah after the messengers. This trial has occurred after the demise of Abu Muhammad al-Hasan (a.s.). I asked her: O my lady, did Hasan (a.s.) have a son? She smiled and then said: If Hasan (a.s.) did not have a son, then who is the Hujja after him, considering I told you that Imamate will not be in two brothers after Hasan and Husain (a.s.).
So I said: O my lady, tell me about the birth of my master and his occultation. She said: Yes, there was a bondmaid of mine called Narjis. My nephew came to visit me. He came forward intensely looking at her. I said: My Master, perhaps you have a desire for her. So, I will send her to you. He said: No, Aunt, rather I wonder at her. I asked: What makes you wonder? He said: She will give birth to a boy, who is much dignified before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, who will fill the earth through him with equity and justice as it will be full of corruption and oppression. I said: So, I will send her to you, O my Master. He said: Seek my father’s permission in that regard.
I put on my clothes and came to the house of Abul Hasan (a.s.). I greeted him and sat down. He initiated the conversation and said: Hakima, send Narjis to my son, Abu Muhammad. I said: My master, I came for this purpose to you to seek your permission. He said: O blessed lady, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime desired to give you a share in the reward and put a stake for you in the good. Lady Hakima said: I did not stand. I returned to my house and adorned her and gave her to Abu Muhammad (a.s.). I facilitated the union between them at my house and he stayed with me a few days and then went to his father. I sent her with him.
Lady Hakim said: Abul Hasan (a.s.) passed away and Abu Muhammad (a.s.) took his father’s seat. I would visit him like I visited his father. One day Narjis came to me to take off my shoes and said: My mistress, allow me to take off your shoes. I said: Rather you are my mistress and the mistress of my household. By Allah, I will not forward my shoes to you so you take them off. Nor will you serve me. Rather, I will serve you with pleasure. Abu Muhammad (a.s.) heard that and said: May Allah reward you Aunt.
I stayed at his house until sunset. Then I called my bondmaid and said: Bring me my garments so I may leave. He said: Aunt, stay with us tonight, for tonight the infant who is dignified before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will be born, through whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will revive the earth after its death. Not seeing any sign of pregnancy in Narjis, I asked: From whom, my Master? He replied: From Narjis, not from anyone else.
Lady Hakima says: I went to Narjis and turned her on her abdomen, but I did not see any sign of pregnancy. I returned to him and told him of my observation. He smiled and said: Her example is the similitude of the mother of Musa (a.s.). Pregnancy did not appear in her and none knew of it until the time of delivery. Because Firon was cutting the abdomens of pregnant women in search of Musa. This is like Musa (a.s.).
Lady Hakima says: I was constantly watching her until the time of dawn. She was sleeping before me and was not moving from one side to the other. When it was the time of the end of the night and near the dawn, she got up sacredly. I pulled her to my breast and took the Divine name on her. Abu Muhammad (a.s.) called out: Recite Surah Qadr on her. I began reciting that and asked her: How do you feel? She said: The affair of which my Master has informed you has approached. I began reciting the verses, as had ordered me my master. At this, the baby answered back to me from her abdomen; he was reciting like I was reciting and he greeted me.
Lady Hakima said: I felt shocked when I heard that. So Abu Muhammad (a.s.) called out to me: Do not wonder from the Command of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; He gives us speech at infancy and makes us Hujja on earth at maturity. These words had not yet finished that Narjis disappeared from me. I did not see her, as if a veil had been erected between me and her. I ran to Abu Muhammad (a.s.) crying.
He said to me: Return, O Aunt, you will find her in her place. She said: I returned and it was but a moment that the veil was removed from between me and her. I saw her as glows of light on her strained my eyes. I was seeing the baby that was prostrating on his face, hobbling on his knees, raising his forefingers towards the heavens and saying: I bear witness that a deity other than Allah, the One without a partner, is not; and that my grandfather is the Messenger of Allah; and that my forefather is Amirul Momineen.
He then counted each and every Imam until he reached himself and said: O Allah, fulfill me my promise, complete my enterprise for me, strengthen my position and fill the earth through me with equity and justice. Abu Muhammad (a.s.) called out: Aunt, get him to me. I got the blessed baby and brought him to his father. When I appeared with him in my arms before his father he greeted his father. Hasan took him as birds were striking wings over his head.
He called to one of the birds and said: Carry him and protect him and return him to us every forty days. The bird took him and flew away with him to the heavens, with the rest of the birds following. I heard Abu Muhammad (a.s.) say: I entrust you to the One that mother of Musa entrusted. Seeing this, Narjis wept. So he said to her: Relax, he will not suckle but from your breasts. He will be returned to you as Musa was returned to his mother. It is His word: Then we returned him to his mother so her heart may find solace and lest she grieves.
Lady Hakima said: I asked: What is this bird? He replied: It is the Holy Spirit (Ruhul Qudus), who is assigned to the Imams to make them successful and firm and to facilitate their growth through knowledge. When it was forty days, the boy was returned. My nephew sent for me and called me over. I went to him and saw a child moving about in front of him. I said: My master, this is a boy of two years. He smiled and said: The sons of apostles and successors, when they are Imams, they grow differently from others. A child of ours talks in the womb of his mother, recites the Quran and worships his Lord. At the age of suckling, angels obey him and descend to him every morning and evening.
Lady Hakima said: I always saw that child every forty days until I saw him a grown up man a very few days prior to the demise of Abu Muhammad (a.s.). I did not recognize him. I said to Abu Muhammad (a.s.): Who is this man that you ask me to sit in front of him? He said: The son of Narjis. And he is my successor after me. Soon you will not find me amongst you.
So listen to him and obey him. Abu Muhammad (a.s.) passed away after a few days and people split different ways as you see. By Allah, I see him every day and night and he informs me of what you people ask about so I may answer you. By Allah, when I want to ask him about something, he answers me before I ask him. If something comes up, his answer comes to me immediately without my asking. He told me just yesterday about your coming to me and ordered me to inform you of the truth.”
Muhammad bin Abdullah says: By Allah, Lady Hakima told me of things that no one knew except Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. So I realized that this is the truth and rightfulness from Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and that Allah, the Mighty and the High has informed him of which He has not informed anyone in His creation.
3 - Narrated to us Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Masroor (r.a.): Narrated to us Husain bin Muhammad bin Aamir from Moalla bin Muhammad Basri that he said:
“When al-Zubairi was killed, a letter came from Abu Muhammad (a.s.) stating: ‘This is the punishment of the one who attributes lies to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime with respect to His favorite friends. He had presumed that he will kill me while I do not have an offspring. So how did he witness the might of Allah, the Victorious and the Exalted.’ He fathered a son and named him M.H.M.D. in the year 256 A.H.”
4 -Narrated to us Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Asim (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yaqoob Kulaini: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad:
“The Master was born in mid-Shaban of the year 255 A.H.”
5 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ali Malijaway and Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar: Narrated to us Husain bin Ali Nishapuri from Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Musa bin Ja’far (a.s.) from Sayyari that he said: Narrated to me Naseem and Mariya, they said:
“When the master of the age was born he kneeled down and raised his two fingers towards the sky and sneezed, he said: Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may Allah bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad. ‘The oppressors thought that the Divine Proof is invalid and destroyed. If we had been permitted to speak freely about him all the doubts would be removed.’”
Ibrahim bin Muhammad bin Abdullah narrates: Narrated to me Naseem, maidservant of Abu Muhammad (a.s.) that:
“A night after the birth of the Master of the Time (a.s.) I came to him. I sneezed and he said to me: ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’” Naseem says: “I became very pleased at this.” His Eminence said: “Shall I not give you glad tidings about your sneeze?” I asked: “What is it?” He said: “You are secure from death for three days.”
6 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ali Majilaway and Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil and Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar - May Allah be pleased with them
- they said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar: Narrated to me Ishaq bin Riyah Basri from Abi Ja’far Umari that he said: When the Sayyid (a.s.) was born, Abu Muhammad (a.s.) said:
“Call Abu Amr. He was sent for and he came. The Imam said to him: Buy ten thousand pounds of bread and ten thousand pounds of meat and distribute them according to the status of the people. He told him to distribute it to Bani Hashim and offer his Aqiqa of a certain number of sheep.”
7 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ali Majilaway (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar:
“Abu Ali Khaizarani narrates on the authority of a slave girl he had presented to Abu Muhammad (a.s.) and when Ja’far Kazzab had seized over the house, she had escaped from Ja’far and Abu Ali had married her. Abu Ali said: She told me that she had been present at the birth of the Master (a.s.) and that the Master’s mother’s name is Saqeel; and that Abu Muhammad (a.s.) had told the Master’s mother what will happen to his family. Therefore, she had asked Abu Muhammad (a.s.) to pray for her that her death comes before his. Thus, she died before him in the lifetime of Abu Muhammad (a.s.). On her tombstone it is inscribed: This is the grave of Umm Muhammad.
Abu Ali said: I heard this bondmaid reminisce that when the Master was born, she saw a beam of light shining from him and reaching the zenith of the heaven; and that she saw white birds descending from the heavens and touching their wings against his head and face and the rest of his body and then fly away. She said: We informed Abu Muhammad (a.s.) about it. He laughed and then said: These are angels from the heavens, who descended to be blessed by him. They are his aides when he rises.”
8 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil (r.a.): Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ahmad Alawi from Abi Ghanim the servant that he said:
“When a son named Muhammad was born to Abu Muhammad (a.s.) he presented the child to his companions on the third day and said: This is your master after me and my caliph upon you. And he is the Qaim in whose anticipation the necks are stretched. Thus when the earth will be filled with injustice and tyranny he would fill it with justice and equity.”
9 - Narrated to us Ali bin Hasan bin Faraj Muezzin (r.a.): Narrated to me Muhammad bin Hasan Karkhi that he said: I heard Aba Harun a man from our associates, say:
“I saw the Master of the Time (a.s.). His birth was on Friday the year 256 A.H.”
10 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil (r.a.): Narrated to me Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Ibrahim Kufi:
“Abu Muhammad (a.s.) sent to someone, whose name he mentioned, a slaughtered sheep and said: This is from the Aqiqa of my son M-H-M-D.”
11 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ali Majilaway (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar: Narrated to us Husain bin Ali Nishapuri: Narrated to us Hasan bin Mundhir that:
“One day Hamza bin Abil Fath came to me and said: Greetings, that last night a child was born to His Eminence, Abu Muhammad. And he ordered that we should keep it confidential. He instructed that 300 goats be slaughtered for his Aqiqa ceremony.” I asked: What is his name? He replied: He is named M-H-M-D and his Kunniyat is Abu Ja’far.”
12 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq (r.a.): Narrated to us Hasan bin Ali bin Zakariya in Baghdad: Narrated to us Abi Abdullah Muhammad bin Khailan: Narrated to me my father from his father from his grandfather from Ghiyath bin Usaid that he said:
“The successor, al-Mahdi, Divine bliss for him, was born on Friday. His mother was Raihana. She was (also) called Narjis, Saqeel and Susan. She was called Saqeel for the reason of the pregnancy. His birth was on the eighth night left from Shaban of the year 256 A.H. His representative was Uthman Ibne Saeed and when Uthman died, he appointed his son, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibne Uthman his successor; and Abu Ja’far appointed Abul Qasim al-Husain al-Rauh his successor. Abul Qasim appointed Abul Hasan Ali Ibne Muhammad as-Saymoori, his successor, may Allah be pleased with them. When as-Saymoori reached his demise, he was asked to designate a legatee, to which he replied: For Allah is the command. He is its patron. The complete occultation is the one that began after as-Saymoori.”
13 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq Taliqani (r.a.): Narrated to us Hasan bin Ali bin Zakariya in Baghdad: Narrated to us Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Khailan: Narrated to me my father from his father from his grandfather from Ghiyath bin Usaid that he said:
“I witnessed that Muhammad bin Uthman Amri - (q.s.) said: When the Khalaf Mahdi (a.s.) was born, a luminosity arose from above his head and spread above upto the sky, then he fell into prostration for the Almighty Allah. He then raised up his head reciting: ‘Allah testifies that there is no god except Him…’ He was born on Friday.”
14 - And through the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman Amri (q.s.) that he said:
“The master was born circumcised and I heard Lady Hakima say: No blood was seen in his mother at his birth. This is the manner of the mothers of the Imams, peace be on them.”
Narrated to us Abdul Wahid bin Muhammad bin Ubdus al-Attar (r.a.) that he said: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah Nishaburi from Hamdan bin Sulaiman from am d0 bin Husain Ibne Zaid from Abi Ahmad Muhammad bin Ziyad Azdi that he said: I heard Abul Hasan Musa bin Ja’far (a.s.) say when ar-Reza was born:
“This son of mine was born circumcised, pure and clean and none from the Imams is born except circumcised, pure and clean but the Imam (a.s.) moved the knife over him just in keeping up with the practice and in following the upright religion.”
15 -Narrated to us Abul Abbas Ahmad bin Husain bin Abdullah bin Mehran Abi Azdi Uruzi in Merv: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Hasan bin Ishaq Qummi that he said:
“When the righteous successor was born, a letter came from my master, Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) to my grandfather, Ahmad bin Ishaq. It was written in his handwriting in which his letters would come to my grandfather: The infant is born. This must remain a secret with you and hidden from all people, for we have not revealed it but to the closest of his relations and the fondest of his devotees. We desired to inform you, so may Allah make you happy through him as He has made us. And peace.”
An account of those who congratulated Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) upon the birth of his son, the Qaim (a.s.)
1 - Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain bin Ahmad bin Walid (r.a.): Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan Karkhi: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Abbas Alawi: Narrated to us Abul Fadl Hasan bin Husain Alawi that he said:
“I entered upon Abu Muhammad Hasan bin Ali (a.s.) at Surra Man Raa and congratulated him for the birth of his son, al-Qaim (a.s.).”
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Author: Sheikh Sadooq
