Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter 14: The signs preceding the appearance

    1 - حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة الباهلي، قال: حدثنا أبو إسحاق إبراهيم بن إسحاق النهاوندي بنهاوند سنة ثلاث وتسعين ومائتين، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري في شهر رمضان سنة تسع وعشرين ومائتين، عن أبان بن عثمان قال :

    قال أبو عبد الله جعفر بن محمد: بينا رسول الله ذات يوم في البقيع حتى أقبل علي فسأل عن رسول الله فقيل إنه بالبقيع، فأتاه علي فسلم عليه فقال رسول الله: اجلس، فأجلسه عن يمينه، ثم جاء جعفر بن أبي طالب فسأل عن رسول الله فقيل له: هو بالبقيع فأتاه فسلم عليه فأجلسه عن يساره، ثم جاء العباس فسأل عن رسول الله فقيل له: هو بالبقيع فأتاه فسلم عليه فأجلسه أمامه .

(1) Abu Sulayman Ahmad bin Hawtha al-Bahili narrated from Abu Iss’haq Ibraheem bin Iss’haq an-Nahawandi from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Abban bin Uthman that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“One day while the Prophet (S) was in al-Baqee,’1 Ali (as) came and asked where the Prophet (S) was. It was said to him that he had been in al-Baqee’. Ali (as) went to al-Baqee’. He greeted the Prophet (S) and the Prophet (S) asked him to sit down on his right hand. Then Ja'far bin Abu Talib (Ali’s brother) came and greeted the Prophet (S). The Prophet (S) asked him to sit down on his left. Then al-Abbas (the Prophet’s uncle) came, greeted the Prophet (S) and the Prophet (S) seated him before him.

    ثم التفت رسول الله إلى علي فقال: ألا أبشرك؟ ألا أخبرك يا علي؟ فقال: بلى يا رسول الله. فقال: كان جبرئيل عندي آنفاً وأخبرني أنّ القائم الذي يخرج في آخر الزمان فيملأ الأرض عدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً من ذريتك من ولد الحسين. فقال علي: يا رسول الله، ما أصابنا خير قط من الله إلاّ على يديك .

The Prophet (S) turned to Ali (as) and said: “O Ali, shall I tell you of good news?” Ali (as) said: “Yes please, O messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (S) said: “Gabriel has just been with me a moment ago. He has told me that al-Qa'im, who will appear at the end of time and fill the world with justice after it will have been filled with injustice and oppression, will be from your progeny and from the descendants of al-Husayn.” Ali said: “O messenger of Allah, whatever goodness we have gotten from Allah is by means of you.”

    ثم التفت رسول الله إلى جعفر بن أبي طالب فقال: يا جعفر ألا أبشرك؟ ألا أخبرك؟ قال: بلى يا رسول الله. فقال: كان جبرئيل عندي آنفاً فأخبرني أن الذي يدفعها إلى القائم هو من ذريتك، أتدري من هو؟ قال: لا. قال: ذاك الذي وجهه كالدينار، وأسنانه كالمنشار، وسيفه كحريق النار، يدخل الجند ذليلاً، ويخرج منه عزيزاً، يكتنفه جبرئيل وميكائيل .

Then the Prophet (S) turned to Ja'far bin Abu Talib and said: “O Ja'far, shall I tell you of good news?” Ja'far said: “Yes please, O messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (S) said to Ja'far: “Gabriel has just been with me and told me that the one, who will deliver the banner to al-Qa'im, will be from your progeny. Do you know who he is?” Ja'far said: “No, I do not.” The Prophet (S) said: “It is he, whose face will be like a dinar, whose teeth will be like a saw and whose sword will be like a flame of fire. He will enter into the mountain lowly and will come out of it nobly surrounded by Gabriel and Michael.”

    ثم التفت إلى العباس فقال: يا عمّ النبي، ألا أخبرك بما أخبرني به جبرئيل ؟ فقال: بلي يا رسول الله قال: قال لي جبرئيل: ويلٌ لذريتك من ولد العباس. فقال: يا رسول الله أفلا أجتنب النساء؟ فقال له: قد فرغ الله مما هو كائن .

Then the Prophet (S) turned to al-Abbas and said to him: “O the uncle of the Prophet, shall I tell you of what Gabriel has told me?” Al-Abbas said: “Yes please, O messenger of Allah.” The Prophet (S) said: “Gabriel said to me: How much distresses your progeny will receive from the progeny of al-Abbas!” Al-Abbas said: “O messenger of Allah, do I avoid sleeping with women?” The Prophet (S) said: “Allah has already determined what will happen.”2

    2 - أخبرنا علي بن أحمد البندنيجي، عن عبيد الله بن موسى العلوي، عن أحمد بن محمد بن خالد، عن إبراهيم بن محمد بن المستنير، عن عبد الرحمن بن القاسم، عن أبيه عن عبد الله بن عباس قال :

    قال رسول الله لأبي: يا عباس، ويل لذريتي من ولدك، وويل لولدك من ولدي .

    فقال: يا رسول الله أفلا أجتنب النساء؟ (أو قال: أفلا أجب نفسي؟ )

    قال: إنّ علم الله قد مضى والأمور بيده، وإن الأمر سيكون في ولدي .

(2) Ali bin Ahmad al-Bandaneeji narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Khalid from Ibraheem bin Muhammad bin al-Mustaneer from Abdurrahman bin al-Qassim from his father that Abdullah bin Abbas had said:

“The Prophet (S) said to my father: “O Abbas, how much misfortunes my progeny will get from your progeny and then how much woes will come upon your progeny from my progeny!”

Al-Abbas said: “Do I avoid sleeping with women?”

The Prophet (S) said: “The will of Allah has already been determined and the decision is in His hand. But the end will be in the control of my progeny.”3

    3 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بن عقدة، قال: حدثنا حميد بن زياد الكوفي قال: حدثني علي بن الصباح المعروف بابن الضحاك، قال: حدثنا أبو علي الحسن بن محمد الحضرمي، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد، عن سعد بن طريف، عن الاصبغ بن نباتة، عن علي أنه قال :

    يأتيكم بعد الخمسين والمائة أمراء كفرة، وأمناء خونة، وعرفاء فسقة، فتكثر التجار وتقل الأرباح، ويفشو الربا، وتكثر أولاد الزنا، وتغمر السفاح، وتتناكر المعارف، وتعظم الأهلة، وتكتفي النساء بالنساء، والرجال بالرجال .

(3) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed bin Oqda narrated from Hameed bin Ziyad al-Kufi from Ali bin as-Sabah from Abu Ali bin al-Hasan bin Muhammad al-Hadhrami from Ja'far bin Muhammad from Ibraheem bin Abdul Hameed from Sa’d bin Tareef from al-Asbugh bin Nabata that Imam Ali (as) had said:

“After one hundred and fifty years unbeliever rulers, untrusted treasurers and dissolute officials will control the rule. Then the merchants increase but the profits decrease. Usury spreads, illegitimate sons will be everywhere, adultery increase, relatives deny each other, the crescent is regarded as greater than it is, a woman is satisfied with a woman (in lesbianism) and a man is satisfied with a man.”

    فحدث رجل عن علي بن أبي طالب أنه قام إليه رجل حين تحدث بهذا الحديث فقال له: يا أمير المؤمنين وكيف نصنع في ذلك الزمان؟

    فقال: الهرب الهرب، فإنه لا يزال عدل الله مبسوطاً على هذه الأمة ما لم يمِل قراؤهم إلى أمرائهم وما لم يزل أبرارهم ينهى فجارهم، فإن لم يفعلوا ثم استنفروا فقالوا: لا إله إلاّ الله، قال الله في عرشه: كذبتم لستم بها صادقين .

A man said to him: “What will we do when such a time comes?”

Imam Ali said: “Escape! Escape! The justice of Allah will still spread among this umma as long as the ulama do not incline to the rulers and as long as the pious still forbid the dissolute from committing sins. If they do not do so and then they are alerted and say: There is no god but Allah, Allah will say from on His Throne: You say it falsely. You are not truthful.”4

    4 - حدثنا محمد بن همام في منـزله ببغداد في شهر رمضان سنة سبع وعشرين وثلاثمائة قال: حدثني أحمد بن مابنداذ سنة سبع وثمانين ومائتين، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن هلال، قال: حدثني الحسن بن علي بن فضال، قال: حدثنا سفيان بن إبراهيم الجريري، عن أبيه، عن أبي صادق، عن أمير المؤمنين أنه قال :

    ملك بني العباس يسر لا عسر فيه، لو أجتمع عليهم الترك والديلم والسند والهند والبربر والطيلسان لن يزيلوه، ولا يزالون في غضارة من ملكهم حتى يشذ عنهم مواليهم وأصحاب دولتهم ويسلط الله عليهم علجاً يخرج من حيث بدأ ملكهم، لا يمرّ بمدينة إلاّ فتحها، ولا ترفع له راية إلاّ هدها، ولا نعمة إلاّ أزالها، الويل لمن ناواه، فلا يزال كذلك حتى يظفر ويدفع بظفره إلى رجل من عترتي، يقول بالحق ويعمل به .

(4) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ahmad bin Mabindath from Ahmad bin Hilal from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Fadhdhal from Sufyan bin Ibraheem al-Jareeri from his father from Abu Sadiq that Amirul Mo'mineen (as) had said:

“During the rule of the Abbasids there will be ease and wealth. Their state will be so strong that even if the Turks, the Daylams, the Sindese, the Indians, the Berbers and the Taylasanese5 unite together, they will not shake it. They will still live at ease until their followers and commanders deviate from them and until Allah empowers a severe man, who will rise from the place, in which their rule has been established. He will conquer every town he passes by. He will defeat every army standing against him. He will remove every ease and wealth. Woe will be upon whoever resists him. He will still do so until he triumphs. Then he will deliver his victory to a man from my progeny, who will say the truth and will act according to the truth.”6

    5 - حدثنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي بن رئاب، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد أنه قال :

    إنّ قدّام قيام القائم علامات: بلوى من الله تعالى لعباده المؤمنين .

    قلت: وما هي؟

    قال: ذلك قول الله

    وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ   وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِين َ

    قال: (لنبلونكم) يعني المؤمنين، (بشيء من الخوف) من ملوك بني فلان في آخر سلطانهم، (والجوع) بغلاء أسعارهم، (ونقص من الأموال) فساد التجارات وقلة الفضل فيها، (والأنفس) موت ذريع (والثمرات) قلة ريع ما يزرع وقلة بركة الثمار، (وبشر الصابرين) عند ذلك بخروج القائم .

    ثم قال لي: يا محمد، هذا تأويله. إن الله يقول

    هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ   فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْ هُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ   وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ  وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا  وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ

(5) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Abdullah bin Ja'far al-Himyari from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from Ali bin Ri’ab that Muhammad bin Muslim had said:

“Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said: “Before the rising of al-Qa'im there will be some signs, with which Allah tries His faithful people.”

I said: “What are they?”

He said: “It is the saying of Allah, “And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.”7 When Allah says (We will try you) He means the believers, when He says (with somewhat of fear), He refers to the fright that is caused at the end of the rule of the family of so-and-so, (hunger) is because of expensive prices, (loss of property) is corruption of trade and littleness of profits, (lives) is quick deaths, (fruits) is little production of plants and little blessing of fruits and (give good news to the patient) when al-Qa'im appears.”

Then he said to me: “O Muhammad, this is the interpretation of the verse. Allah says, “But none knows its interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge.8 ”9

    6 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بن عقدة قال: حدثني أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب أبو الحسن الجعفي من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله :

    لا بدّ أن يكون قدام القائم سنة يجوع فيها الناس ويصيبهم خوف شديد من القتل ونقص من الأموال والأنفس والثمرات، فإن ذلك في كتاب الله لبيّن. ثم تلا هذه الآية

    وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ   وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

(6) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed bin Oqda narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob from Abul Hasan al-Ju’fi from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“There must be a sedition before the appearance of al-Qa'im, during which people become hungry, terrified by killing and they lose their properties and lives. This has been clarified by the Book of Allah. Allah has said, “And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.”10

    7 - أخبرنا علي بن أحمد، عن عبيد الله بن موسى العلوي، عن علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن حفص، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر الجعفي قال: سألت أبا جعفر محمد بن علي عن قول الله تعالى

    وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ   وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

    فقال :

    يا جابر، ذلك خاص وعام، فأما الخاص من الجوع فبالكوفة، ويخص الله به أعداء آل محمد فيهلكهم، وأما العام فبالشام يصيبهم خوف وجوع ما أصابهم مثله قط، وأما الجوع فقبل قيام القائم ، وأما الخوف فبعد قيام القائم .

(7) Ali bin Ahmad narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Ali bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father from Muhammad bin Hafs from Amr bin Shimr that Jabir al-Ju’fi had said:

“Once I asked Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) about the meaning of this saying of Allah, “We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger…,” and he said: “O Jabir, it has a general meaning and a special meaning. The special meaning is that hunger will afflict Kufa and especially the opponents of Muhammad’s progeny and will perish them. As for the general meaning, there will be terror and hunger in Sham11 that have never been faced before. Hunger will be before the rising of al-Qa'im (as) but terror will be after his rising.”12

    8 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، قال: حدثنا محمد بن المفضل بن إبراهيم ابن قيس، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن فضال، قال: حدثنا ثعلبة بن ميمون عن معمر بن يحيى، عن داود الدجاجي، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي ، قال :

    سئل أمير المؤمنين عن قوله تعالى

    فَاخْتَلَفَ الْأَحْزَابُ مِنْ بَيْنِهِمْ   فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ مَشْهَدِ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

    فقال :

    إنتظروا الفرج من ثلاث .

    فقيل: يا أمير المؤمنين وما هن؟

    فقال: اختلاف أهل الشام بينهم، والرايات السود من خراسان، والفزعة في شهر رمضان .

    فقيل: وما الفزعة في شهر رمضان؟

    فقال: أوَما سمعتم قول الله في القرآن

    إِنْ نَشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا خَاضِعِينَ

    هي آية تُخرج الفتاةَ من خدرها، وتوقظ النائم، وتفزع اليقظان .

(8) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal bin Ibraheem bin Qays from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Fadhdhal from Tha’laba bin Maymoon from Ma’mar bin Yahya from Dawood ad-Dajaji that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“Once Amirul Mo'mineen (as) was asked about (the meaning of) this Qur’anic verse, “The sects among them disagreed.”13

He said: “Expect deliverance when three signs appear.”

He was asked: “What are they?”

He said: “Disagreement among the people of Sham, the black banners coming from Khurasan and terror in the month of Ramadan.”

He was asked: “What terror is in Ramadan?”

He said: “Have you not heard the saying of Allah in the Qur'an, “If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it?”14 It is a sign that will bring the girls out of their veils, awaken the sleepers and terrify the awake.”15

    9 - أخبرنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مالك الفزارى، قال: حدثني عبد الله بن خالد التميمي، قال: حدثني بعض أصحابنا، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن أبي أيوب الخزاز، عن عمر بن حنظلة، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    للقائم خمس علامات: ظهور السفياني، واليماني، والصيحة من السماء، وقتل النفس الزكية، والخسف بالبيداء .

(9) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik al-Fazari from Abdullah bin Khalid at-Tameemi from some of his companions from Muhammad bin Abu Omayr from Abu Ayyoob al-Khazzaz from Umar bin Handhala that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im there will be five signs; the rising of as-Sufyani, the rising of al-Yamani,16 a cry from the Heaven, killing the pure innocent man and sinking in the desert.”17

    10 - أخبرنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثني جعفر بن محمد بن مالك الفزاري، قال: حدثني موسى بن جعفر بن وهب، قال: حدثني الحسن بن علي الوشاء، عن عباس بن عبد الله، عن داود بن سرحان، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    العام الذي فيه الصيحة قبله الآية في رجب .

    قلت: وما هي؟

    قال: وجه يطلع في القمر، ويد بارزة .

(10) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik al-Fazari from Musa bin Ja'far bin Wahab from al-Hasan bin Ali al-Washsha’ from Abbas bin Abdullah18 from Dawood bin Sarhan that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Before the year of the cry (from the Heaven), there will be a sign in the month of Rajab.”

He was asked: “What is it?”

He said: “A face will appear on the moon and a protruding hand.”19

    11 - أخبرنا علي بن أحمد البندنيجي قال: حدثنا عبيد الله بن موسى العلوى، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن زياد بن مروان، عن عبد الله بن سنان، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    النداء من المحتوم، والسفياني من المحتوم، واليماني من المحتوم، وقتل النفس الزكية من المحتوم، وكف يطلع من السماء من المحتوم، (قال) وفزعة في شهر رمضان توقظ النائم، وتفزع اليقظان، وتخرج الفتاة من خدرها .

(11) Ali bin Ahmad al-Bandaneeji narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Ya'qoob bin Zayd from Ziyad bin Marwan from Abdullah bin Sinan that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“The cry (from the Heaven), the rising of as-Sufyani, the rising of al-Yamani, killing the pure innocent man and a hand appearing in the sky will be inevitable. There will be also a fright in Ramadan, which will awaken the sleepers, terrify the awake and bring the girls out of their veils.”20

    12 - أخبرنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثني جعفر بن محمد بن مالك، قال: حدثني علي بن عاصم، عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر، عن أبي الحسن الرضا أنه قال :

    قبل هذا الأمر السفياني، واليماني، والمرواني، وشعيب بن صالح، فكيف يقول هذا هذا؟

(12) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Ali bin Aasim from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abu Nasr that Imam Abul Hasan ar-Redha (as) had said:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im, there will be the risings of as-Sufyani, al-Marwani, al-Yamani and Shu’ayb bin Salih. Then how does this one (Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Issma'eel known as ibn Tabataba) claim such a thing (to be al-Qa'im)?”21

    13 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بن عقدة قال: حدثني أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب أبو الحسن الجعفي من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه ووهيب بن حفص، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي أنه قال :

    إذا رأيتم ناراً من قبل المشرق شبه الهُرديّ العظيم تطلع ثلاثة أيام أو سبعة فتوقعوا فرج آل محمد إن شاء الله ، إن الله عزيز حكيم .

(13) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed bin Oqda narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob Abul Hasan al-Ju’fi from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father and Wuhayb bin Hafs from Abu Baseer that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“If you see a great fire burning in the east for three days or seven days, then wait for the deliverance of Muhammad’s progeny inshallah. Allah is Mighty, Wise!”

    ثم قال: الصيحة لا تكون إلاّ في شهر رمضان لأن شهر رمضان شهر الله، والصيحة فيه هي صيحة جبرئيل إلى هذا الخلق .

Then he said: “The cry will not occur except in the month of Ramadan because Ramadan is the month of Allah and the cry is the cry of Gabriel to the people.”

    ثم قال: ينادي منادٍ من السماء باسم القائم فيسمع من بالمشرق ومن بالمغرب، لا يبقى راقد إلاّ إستيقظ، ولا قائم إلاّ قعد، ولا قاعد إلاّ قام على رجليه فزعاً من ذلك الصوت، فرحم الله من اعتبر بذلك الصوت فأجاب، فإن الصوت الأول هو صوت جبرئيل الروح الامين .

Then he added: “A call will come from the Heaven with the name of al-Qa'im. It will be heard by everyone in the east and everyone in the west. The cry will make every sleeper awake, every stander sit and every sitter stand because of fright. Allah will have mercy upon whoever submits to the cry and obeys the caller because the first cry will be the cry of Gabriel (as)”

    ثم قال: يكون الصوت في شهر رمضان في ليلة جمعة ليلة ثلاث وعشرين، فلا تشكوا في ذلك، واسمعوا وأطيعوا، وفي آخر النهار صوت الملعون إبليس ينادي إلاّ إن فلاناً قتل مظلوماً، ليشكّك الناس ويفتنهم، فكم في ذلك اليوم من شاكٍّ متحير قد هوى في النار، فإذا سمعتم الصوت في شهر رمضان فلا تشكّوا فيه إنه صوت جبرئيل، وعلامة ذلك أنه ينادي باسم القائم واسم أبيه حتى تسمعه العذراء في خدرها فتحرض أباها وأخاها على الخروج .

Then he said: “The cry will be in the month of Ramadan, in a night of a Friday, which will be the twenty-third of the month. Do never doubt that. Listen and obey! At the end of the day there will be the voice of Iblis the cursed calling out: “So-and-so (Uthman) is killed unjustly” just to make people doubt and become confused. On that day much many people will doubt and become confused and then go to Hell. If you hear the call in Ramadan, do not doubt it. It will be the voice of Gabriel. The evidence is that he will call out the name of al-Qa'im and the name of his father. The call will be heard by everyone until the virgins in their veils instigate their fathers and brothers to rise (to join al-Qa'im).

    وقال: لا بد من هذين الصوتين قبل خروج القائم: صوت من السماء وهو صوت جبرئيل باسم صاحب هذا الأمر واسم أبيه، والصوت الثاني من الأرض وهو صوت إبليس اللعين ينادي باسم فلان أنه قتل مظلوماً يريد بذلك الفتنة، فاتبعوا الصوت الأول، وإياكم والأخير أن تفتنوا به .

These two calls must occur before the appearance of al-Qa'im. One will be from the Heaven calling out the name of al-Qa'im and the name of his father. It will be the call of Gabriel. The other will be from the earth and it will be the call of Iblis calling out the name of someone claiming that he has been killed unjustly just to create sedition among people. Obey the first call and beware of being deceived by the second one!”

    وقال: لا يقوم القائم إلاّ على خوف شديد من الناس، زلازل وفتنة وبلاء يصيب الناس، وطاعون قبل ذلك، وسيف قاطع بين العرب، واختلاف شديد في الناس، وتشتت في دينهم وتغير من حالهم حتى يتمنى المتمني الموت صباحاً ومساءً من عظم ما يرى من كلَب الناس وأكل بعضهم بعضاً، فخروجه إذا خرج عند اليأس والقنوط من أن يروا فرجاً، فيا طوبى لمن أدركه وكان من أنصاره، والويل كل الويل لمن ناواه وخالفه، وخالف أمره، وكان من أعدائه .

He also said: “Al-Qa'im will not appear except after a great terror among people, earthquakes, seditions, calamities, plague, terrible killing among the Arabs, great disagreements among people, separation in the religion and bad living until one will wish to die in the morning or in the evening because of the oppression of people and their striving to eat each other. Al-Qa'im will disappear after the people will have become so desperate and hopeless to get any deliverance. How blessed is he, who lives until the appearance of al-Qa'im and becomes one of his assistants and woe unto whoever opposes him, objects to his orders and become one of his opponents.”

    وقال: إذا خرج يقوم بأمر جديد، وكتاب جديد، وسنة جديدة وقضاء جديد، على العرب شديد، وليس شأنه إلاّ القتل، لا يستبقي أحدا، ولا تأخذه في الله لومة لائم .

He said: “When he (al-Qa'im) rises, he will rule with a new method, new principles, new Sunna and new judgements. He will be severe with the Arabs. He will kill great numbers of people without forgiving anyone and without caring for any blame because he will act according to the will of Allah.”

    ثم قال: إذا اختلفت بنو فلان فيما بينهم، فعند ذلك فانتظروا الفرج، وليس فرجكم إلاّ في اختلاف بني فلان، فإذا اختلفوا فتوقعوا الصيحة في شهر رمضان وخروج القائم ، إن الله يفعل ما يشاء، ولن يخرج القائم ولا ترون ما تحبون حتى يختلف بنو فلان فيما بينهم، فإذا كان كذلك طمع الناس فيهم واختلفت الكلمة، وخرج السفياني .

He said: “If the people of the family of so-and-so disagree among themselves, then you wait for deliverance to come soon because your deliverance will not come except after their disagreement. If they disagree, then expect the cry in Ramadan and the appearance of al-Qa'im. Allah does what he wills! Al-Qa'im will not appear and you will not get what you look forward to unless those people disagree among themselves. If that occurs, people will seize the opportunity against them, separation will occur and then as-Sufyani will rise.”

    وقال: لا بُدّ لبني فلان من أن يملكوا، فإذا ملكوا ثم اختلفوا تفرق ملكهم وتشتت أمرهم حتى يخرج عليهم الخراساني والسفياني هذا من المشرق، وهذا من المغرب يستبقان إلى الكوفة كفرسي رهان، هذا من هنا، وهذا من هنا حتى يكون هلاك بني فلان على أيديهما، أما إنهم لا يبقون منهم أحداً .

He said: “The family of so-and-so must rule. When they rule and disagree among themselves, their state will be separated and lost. Al-Khurasani22 and as-Syfyani will rise against them; this from the east and that from the west. They will compete towards Kufa as two racehorses until that family will be perished by them.”

    ثم قال: خروج السفياني واليماني والخراساني في سنة واحدة، في شهر واحد، في يوم واحد، نظام كنظام الخرز يتبع بعضه بعضاً فيكون البأس من كل وجه، ويل لمن ناواهم، وليس في الرايات راية أهدى من راية اليماني، هي راية هدى لأنه يدعو إلى صاحبكم فإذا خرج اليماني حرم بيع السلاح على الناس وكل مسلم، وإذا خرج اليماني فانهض إليه، فإنّ رايته راية هدى، ولا يحل لمسلم أن يلتوي عليه، فمن فعل ذلك فهو من أهل النار، لأنه يدعو إلى الحق وإلى طريق مستقيم .

He said: “The risings of as-Sufyani, al-Yamani and al-Khurasani will be in the same year, in the same month and on the same day. They will be like the beads of a rosary; one following the other. Sufferings will be from every side. Miserable will be whoever resists them. From among the three banners, only the banner of al-Yamani will be a banner of guidance because he will invite to the mission of your man (al-Qa'im). When al-Yamani rises, he will forbid selling weapons for all of the people and for the Muslims as well. When al-Yamani rises, you are to join him because his banner will be a banner of guidance. It is not permissible for any Muslim to turn away from him and whoever does so, will be in Hell, because al-Yamani will invite to the truth and to the straight path.”

    ثم قال لي: إن ذهاب ملك بني فلان كقصع الفخار، وكرجل كانت في يده فخارة وهو يمشي إذ سقطت من يده وهو ساه عنها فانكسرت، فقال حين سقطت: هاه! (شبه الفزع) فذهاب ملكهم هكذا أغفل ما كانوا عن ذهابه .

He said: “The loss of the rule of the family of so-and-so will be like the breaking of pottery or like a man, who has a piece of pottery in his hand while he is walking. It falls from his hand while he is inattentive but immediately he becomes attentive to find that it is broken. So is the loss of their rule. They will be so inattentive when their state will be lost.

    وقال أمير المؤمنين على منبر الكوفة: إن الله قدر فيما قدر وقضى وحتم بأنه كائن لا بد منه أنه يأخذ بني أمية بالسيف جهرة، وأنه يأخذ بنى فلان بغتة .

One day Amirul Mo'mineen (as) said from on the minbar of Kufa: “Allah has determined that it is inevitable for the Umayyads to be killed by the sword openly and for the family of so-and-so to be defeated unexpectedly.”

    وقال: لا بدّ من رحى تطحن، فإذا قامت على قطبها وثبتت على ساقها بعث الله عليها عبداً عنيفاً خاملاً أصله، يكون النصر معه، أصحابه الطويلة شعورهم، أصحاب السبال، سود ثيابهم، أصحاب رايات سود، ويل لمن ناواهم، يقتلونهم هرجاً، والله لكأني أنظر إليهم وإلى أفعالهم وما يلقى الفجار منهم والأعراب الجفاة يسلطهم الله عليهم بلا رحمة، فيقتلونهم هرجاً على مدينتهم بشاطئ الفرات البرية والبحرية، جزاء بما عملوا، وما ربك بظلام للعبيد .

He said: “There must be grinding querns. When they (the querns) begin to turn around their axis, Allah will send a severe man, whose mention is obscure, against them. Victory will be always with him. His companions will be longhair and with long moustaches. Their cloths will be black and their banners will be black too. Woe unto whoever opposes them. They will kill their opponents excitedly. By Allah, as if I see them, their actions and what distresses the dissolute and the rude nomads will get from them! Allah will make them defeat those rude people with no mercy. They will kill them in their city at the shore of the Euphrates as a reward to what they have committed…and Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants!”23

    14 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن شرحبيل قال: قال أبو جعفر (وقد سألته عن القائم ) فقال :

    إنه لا يكون حتى ينادي مناد من السماء يسمع أهل المشرق والمغرب حتى تسمعه الفتاة في خدرها .

(14) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father from Shurahbeel that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said when he had been asked about al-Qa'im:

“Al-Qa'im does not appear until a caller from the Heaven will call out that everyone in the east and in the west will hear the call even the girls in their veils.”24

    15 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن زياد القندي، عن غير واحد من أصحابه، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    قلنا له: السفياني من المحتوم؟

    فقال: نعم، وقتل النفس الزكية من المحتوم، والقائم من المحتوم، وخسف البيداء من المحتوم، وكف تطلع من السماء من المحتوم، والنداء من السماء من المحتوم .

    فقلت: وأي شيء يكون النداء؟

    فقال: منادٍ ينادي باسم القائم واسم أبيه .

(15) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Ya'qoob bin Zayd from Ziyad al-Qandi from some of his companions that it was said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as):

“Is the rising of as-Sufyani inevitable?”

He said: “Yes, it is. Killing the pure innocent man, the sinking of the desert, the appearance of a hand in the sky, the call that comes from the Heaven and the appearance of al-Qa'im are also inevitable.”

It was said to him: “What is the call?”

He said: “A caller calling out the name of al-Qa'im and the name of his father (as).”25

    16 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني علي بن الحسن، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن المختار، قال: حدثني ابن أبي يعفور، قال :

    قال لي أبو عبد الله: أمسك بيدك هلاك الفلاني (اسم رجل من بني العباس) وخروج السفياني، وقتل النفس، وجيش الخسف، والصوت .

    قلت: وما الصوت؟ أهو المنادي؟

    فقال: نعم، وبه يعرف صاحب هذا الأمر. ثم قال: الفرج كله هلاك الفلاني من بني العباس .

(16) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Ali bin Mahziyar from Hammad bin Eessa from al-Husayn bin Mukhtar from bin Abu Ya’foor that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said to him:

“Keep in mind the perishment of so-and-so (he mentioned a name of a man from the Abbasids), the rising of as-Sufyani, killing the pure innocent man, the sinking and the call, by which the man of this matter (al-Qa'im) will be known. The entire deliverance will be after the perishment of that man of the Abbasids.”26

    17 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني علي بن الحسن، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن المختار، عن عبد الرحمن بن سيابة عن عمران بن ميثم، عن عباية بن ربعي الأسدي قال :

    دخلت على أمير المؤمنين علي وأنا خامس خمسة وأصغر القوم سناً، فسمعته يقول: حدثني أخي رسول الله أنه قال: إني خاتم ألف نبي وإنك خاتم ألف وصي وكلفت ما لم يكلفوا .

    فقلت: ما أنصفك القوم يا أمير المؤمنين .

    فقال: ليس حيث تذهب بك المذاهب يا ابن أخي، والله إني لأعلم ألف كلمة لا يعلمها غيري وغير محمد وإنهم ليقرؤون منها آية في كتاب الله ، وهي

    وَإِذَا وَقَعَ الْقَوْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَخْرَجْنَا لَهُمْ دَابَّةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ تُكَلِّمُهُمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ كَانُوا بِآيَاتِنَا لَا يُوقِنُونَ

    وما يتدبرونها حق تدبرها. ألا أخبركم بآخر ملك بني فلان؟

(17) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Ali bin Mahziyar from Hammad bin Eessa from al-Husayn bin Mukhtar from Abdurrahman bin Siyaba from Imran bin Maytham that Abaya bin Rib’iy al-Asadi had said:

“Once we came to Amirul Mo'mineen (as). We were five persons and I was the youngest of them. I heard him saying: “My brother, the messenger of Allah, has said to me: “I am the last of a thousand prophets and you are the last of a thousand guardians. I have been entrusted with what they have not entrusted with.”

I said: “People were not just to you.”

He said: “It is not as you think, O my nephew.27 By Allah, I know a thousand words (facts, data, information…etc.) that no one other than me and other than Muhammad (as) knows. People recite a verse from the Qur'an, which is (And when the word shall come to pass against them, We shall bring forth for them a creature from the earth that shall speak unto them, because people did not believe in Our communications)28 but they do not ponder on it deeply. Do I tell you about the end of the rule of the family of so-and-so?”

    قلنا: بلى يا أمير المؤمنين .

    قال: قتل نفس حرام في يوم حرام في بلد حرام عن قوم من قريش. والذي فلق الحبة وبرأ النسمة ما لهم ملك بعده غير خمس عشرة ليلة .

    قلنا: هل قبل هذا أو بعده من شيء؟

    فقال: صيحة في شهر رمضان تفزع اليقظان، وتوقظ النائم، وتخرج الفتاة من خدرها .

We said: “Yes please, O Amirul Mo'mineen!”

He said: “(when) killing an innocent sacred man on a sacred day and in a sacred place. I swear by Him, Who has split the seed and created man, they will not rule after that except for fifteen nights.”

We said: “will something occur before or after that?”

He said: “A cry in Ramadan, that will terrify the awake, awaken the sleepers and bring the girls out of their veils.”29

    18 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله يحيى بن زكريا بن شيبان قال: حدثنا أبو سليمان يوسف بن كليب، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن سيف بن عميرة، عن أبي بكر الحضرمي، عن أبي جعفر الباقر أنه سمعه يقول :

    لا بد أن يملك بنو العباس، فإذا ملكوا واختلفوا وتشتت أمرهم خرج عليهم الخراساني والسفياني هذا من المشرق، وهذا من المغرب يستبقان إلى الكوفة كفرسي رهان، هذا من ههنا وهذا من ههنا حتى يكون هلاكهم على أيديهما، أما إنهما لا يبقون منهم أحداً أبداً .

(18) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Abu Abdullah Yahya bin Zakariyya bin Shayban from Abu Sulayman Yousuf bin Kulayb from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from Sayf bin Omayra from Abu Bakr al-Hadhrami that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“The Abbasids must rule. When they rule, they will disagree and their state will separate. Al-Khurasani and al-Sufyani will rise against them. One will come from the east and the other from the west. They will hurry towards Kufa as tow racehorses. The decline of the Abbasids will be caused by these two leaders. None of them (the Abbasids) will remain alive.”30

    19 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي، قال: حدثنا عمرو بن عثمان عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال :

    كنت عند أبي عبد الله فسمعت رجلاً من همدان يقول له: إنّ هؤلاء العامة يعيرونا ويقولون لنا: إنكم تزعمون أن منادياً ينادي من السماء باسم صاحب هذا الأمر. وكان متكئاً فغضب وجلس ثم قال :

    لا ترووه عني وارووه عن أبي ولا حرج عليكم في ذلك. أشهد أني قد سمعت أبي يقول: والله إن ذلك في كتاب الله لبيّن حيث يقول

    إِنْ نَشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا خَاضِعِينَ

    فلا يبقى في الأرض يومئذ أحد إلاّ خضع وذلت رقبته لها، فيؤمن أهل الأرض إذا سمعوا الصوت من السماء ألا إنّ الحق في علي بن أبي طالب وشيعته. قال: فإذا كان من الغد صعد إبليس في الهواء حتى يتوارى عن أهل الأرض، ثم ينادي ألا إن الحق في عثمان بن عفان وشيعته فإنه قتل مظلوماً فاطلبوا بدمه.قال: فيثبت الله الذين آمنوا بالقول الثابت على الحق وهو النداء الأول، ويرتاب يومئذ الذين في قلوبهم مرض. والمرض واللهِ عداوتنا، فعند ذلك يتبرؤون منا ويتناولونا فيقولون: إن المنادي الأول سحر من سحر أهل هذا البيت .

    وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ

(19) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan al-Taymali from Amr bin Uthman from al-Hasan bin Mahboob that Abdullah bin Sinan had said:

“Once when I was with Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as), a man from Hamadan said to him: “People criticize us and say to us that we claim that a caller from the Heaven will call out the name of the man of deliverance.”

Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) became so angry. He changed his sitting and said: “Do not narrate this from me but narrate it from my father and you are not to be blamed for that. I have heard my father saying: “By Allah, it has been mentioned in the Qur'an. Allah has said, ‘If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it.’31 Everyone on the earth then will submit to that (the call coming from the Heaven) and his neck will stoop when a call is heard from the Heaven announcing that: ‘The right is with Ali bin Abu Talib and his followers.’ The next day Iblis will rise in the space until he disappears from the people of the earth and calls out: ‘The right is with Uthman bin Affan and his followers. He has been killed unjustly so you are to avenge his blood.’ Allah will confirm the believers, who believe in the first call and then those, whose hearts are full of diseases, will doubt and become confused. By Allah, the disease of the heart is the enmity towards us. Then they will turn away from us and begin to criticize us. They will say that the first call is a piece of magic of the people of this house (Ahlul Bayt).”

Then Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) recited this Qur’anic verse, ‘And if they see a miracle they turn aside and say: Transient magic.’32 ”

The same was narrated by Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal bin Ibraheem, Sa’dan bin Iss’haq bin Sa'eed, Ahmad bin al-Husayn bin Abdul Melik and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Qatawani from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from Abdullah bin Sinan.33

    20 - قال: وحدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد بن الحسن بن حازم، قال: حدثنا عبيس بن هشام الناشري، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن عبد الصمد بن بشير، عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد وقد سأله عمارة الهمداني فقال له: أصلحك الله إن ناساً يعيرونا ويقولون إنكم تزعمون أنه سيكون صوت من السماء .

    فقال له: لا تروِ عني واروِه عن أبي. كان أبي يقول: هو في كتاب الله

    إِنْ نَشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا خَاضِعِينَ {4 }

    فيؤمن أهل الأرض جميعاً للصوت الأول، فإذا كان من الغد صعد إبليس اللعين حتى يتوارى من الأرض في جو السماء، ثم ينادي "ألا إن عثمان قتل مظلوما فاطلبوا بدمه" فيرجع من أراد الله به سوءاً، ويقولون: هذا سحر الشيعة، وحتى يتناولونا ويقولون: هو من سحرهم، وهو قول الله

    وَإِنْ يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُسْتَمِرٌّ {2 }

(20) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from al-Qassim bin Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Hazim from Obayss bin Hisham an-Nashiry from Abdullah bin Jibilla from Abdus-Samad bin Basheer that Imara al-Hamadani had said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as):

“May Allah make you succeed! Some people criticize us and say that we claim that there will be a voice calling out from the Heaven.”

Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) said: “My father often said: “It has been mentioned in the Book of Allah: (If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it). All the people of the earth will believe in the first call. The next day Iblis will rise high in the sky until he disappears and then he will call out: “Uthman has been killed unjustly. You are to avenge his blood.” Some people will apostate and say that it is the magic of the Shia. Therefore Allah has said: (And if they see a miracle they turn aside and say: Transient magic).”34

    21 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد قال: حدثنا عبيس بن هشام، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جبلة، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن الصامت، عن أبي عبد الله قال :

    قلت له: ما من علامة بين يدي هذا الأمر؟

    فقال: بلى .

    قلت: وما هي؟

    قال: هلاك العباسي، وخروج السفياني، وقتل النفس الزكية، والخسف بالبيداء، والصوت من السماء .

    فقلت: جعلت فداك، أخاف أن يطول هذا الأمر؟

    فقال: لا إنما هو كنظام الخرز يتبع بعضه بعضاً .

(21) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from al-Qassim bin Muhammad from Obayss bin Hisham from Abdullah bin Jibilla from his father that Muhammad bin as-Samit had said:

“I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “Will there be certain signs before this matter (the appearance of al-Qa'im)?”

He said: “Yes, there will.”

I asked: “What are they?”

He said: “The perishment of the Abbasids, the rising of al-Sufyani, killing the pure innocent man, the sinking of the desert and the call from the Heaven.”

I said: “May I die for you! I am afraid that these things may take a long time!”

He said: “No. They will be like the beads of a rosary; one coming after the other.”35

    22 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب أبو الحسن الجعفي، قال: حدثني إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه ووهيب، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر قال :

    يقوم القائم في وتر من السنين: تسع، واحدة، ثلاث، خمس .

    وقال: إذا اختلفت بنو أمية وذهب ملكهم، ثم يملك بنو العباس، فلا يزالون في عنفوان من الملك وغضارة من العيش حتى يختلفوا فيما بينهم، فإذا اختلفوا ذهب ملكهم، واختلف أهل المشرق وأهل المغرب، نعم وأهل القبلة ويلقى الناس جهد شديد مما يمر بهم من الخوف، فلا يزالون بتلك الحال حتى ينادي مناد من السماء، فإذا نادى فالنفير النفير، فوالله لكأني أنظر إليه بين الركن والمقام يبايع الناس بأمر جديد، وكتاب جديد، وسلطان جديد من السماء، أما إنه لا يرد له راية أبداً حتى يموت .

(22) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob Abul Hasan al-Ju’fi from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father and Wuhayb from Abu Baseer that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“Al-Qa'im (as) will rise in an odd year; one, three, five, seven or nine.

When the Umayyads rule and disagree among themselves, their state will decline and then the Abbasids will rule. Their state remains strong and they live at ease and wealth until they disagree among themselves. Then their state will decline and the people of the east and of the west will disagree. People will face difficult times full of terror. They will remain so until a caller calling out from the Heaven. When you here the call, you are to hurry up (to join al-Qa'im). By Allah, as if I see him (al-Qa'im) between the corner (of the Kaaba) and the temple (of Abraham). He will be paid homage to rule over the people with a new method, new principles and a new rule determined by the Heaven. None of his armies will be defeated until he dies.”36

    23 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، عن أبيه، عن أحمد بن عمر الحلبي، عن الحسين بن موسى، عن فضيل بن محمد مولى محمد بن راشد البجلي، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    أما إن النداء من السماء باسم القائم في كتاب الله لبيّن .

    فقلت: فأين هو أصلحك الله؟

    فقال: في

    إِنْ نَشَأْ نُنَزِّلْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ آيَةً فَظَلَّتْ أَعْنَاقُهُمْ لَهَا خَاضِعِينَ {4 }

    قال: إذا سمعوا الصوت أصبحوا وكأنما على رؤوسهم الطير .

(23) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from his father from Ahmad bin Umar al-Halabi from al-Husayn bin Musa from Fudhayl bin Muhammad, the freed slave of Muhammad bin Rashid al-Bajali that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“The call coming from the Heaven and calling out the name of al-Qa'im is clear in the Book of Allah.”

He was asked: “Where is it in the Book of Allah?”

He said: “Allah has said, ‘If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it.’ When people hear the call, they will become as if there are birds on their heads (because of astonishment and confusion).”37

    24 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب الجعفي قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    إذا صعد العباسي أعواد منبر مروان أدرج ملك بني العباس .

    وقال: قال لي أبي (يعني الباقر ) لا بدّ لنار من آذربيجان لا يقوم لها شيء، فإذا كان ذلك فكونوا أحلاس بيوتكم، وألبدوا ما ألبدنا، فإذا تحرك متحركنا فاسعوا إليه ولو حبواً، والله لكأني أنظر إليه بين الركن والمقام يبايع الناس على كتاب جديد على العرب شديد .

    قال: وويل للعرب من شر قد اقترب .

(24) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob al-Ju’fi from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“If the Abbasid ruler ascends the minbar of Marwan,38 the state of the Abbasids will begin to decline gradually. My father has said to me: “There must be a fire coming from Azerbaijan that will destroy everything. When that occurs, you are to stay at homes as long as we have stayed. When our man (al-Qa'im) rises, then hurry up to him even crawling. By Allah, as if I see him between the corner and the temple being paid homage to rule over the people with a new method. He will be severe with the Arabs. Woe unto the Arabs from a soon evil!”39

     25 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني علي بن الحسن التيملي، قال: حدثنا محمد وأحمد بنا الحسن، عن علي بن يعقوب الهاشمي، عن هارون بن مسلم، عن عبيد بن زرارة، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    ينادى باسم القائم، فيؤتى وهو خلف المقام فيقال له: قد نودي باسمك فما تنتظر؟ ثم يؤخذ بيده فيبايع .

    ( قال) قال لي زرارة: الحمد لله قد كنا نسمع أن القائم يبايع مستكرهاً فلم نكن نعلم وجه استكراهه، فعلمنا أنه استكراه لا إثم فيه .

(25) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Husayn at-Taymali from Muhammad and Ahmad, the sons of al-Hasan, from Ali bin Ya'qoob al-Hashimi from Haroon bin Muslim from Obayd bin Zurara that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“The name of al-Qa'im will be called out (from the Heaven). It will be said to him while he is behind the temple (of Abraham): “Your name has been called out. What are you waiting for?” Then his hand will be taken to be paid homage.”

Zurara said: “Praise be to Allah! We often heard that al-Qa'im would be paid homage unwillingly and we did not know the reason behind that. Then we knew that the unwillingness of the homage was not guilt.”40

    26 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بإسناده عن هارون بن مسلم، عن أبي خالد القماط، عن حمران بن أعين، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    من المحتوم الذي لا بد أن يكون من قبل قيام القائم خروج السفياني، وخسف بالبيداء، وقتل النفس الزكية، والمنادي من السماء .

(26) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Haroon bin Muslim from Abu Khalid al-Qammat from Hamran bin A’yun that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“The inevitable things that must occur before the appearance of al-Qa'im are the rising of as-Sufyani, the sinking of the desert, killing the pure innocent man and the call that will come from the Heaven.”41

    27 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي، عن أبيه ووهيب ابن حفص، عن ناجية القطان أنه سمع أبا جعفر يقول :

    إن المنادي ينادي: إن المهدي من آل محمد؛ فلان بن فلان (باسمه واسم أبيه)، فينادي الشيطان: إن فلاناً وشيعته على الحق. (يعني رجلاً من بني أمية )

(27) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali from his father and Wuhayb bin Hafs from Najiya al-Qattan that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“The caller will call out that al-Mahdi is from Muhammad’s progeny. He will call out the name of al-Mahdi42 and the name of his father. Then the Satan will call out that the truth is with so-and-so (Uthman) and his followers.”43

    28 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، عن العباس ابن عامر بن رباح الثقفي، عن عبد الله بن بكير، عن زرارة بن أعين، قال :

    سمعت أبا عبد الله يقول: ينادي منادٍ من السماء: إن فلاناً هو الأمير. وينادي منادٍ: إن علياً وشيعته هم الفائزون .

    قلت: فمن يقاتل المهدي بعد هذا؟

    فقال: إن الشيطان ينادي: إن فلاناً وشيعته هم الفائزون. (لرجل من بني أمية )

    قلت: فمن يعرف الصادق من الكاذب؟

    قال: يعرفه الذين كانوا يروون حديثنا ويقولون إنه يكون قبل أن يكون، ويعلمون أنهم هم المحقون الصادقون .

(28) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from al-Abbas bin Aamir bin Rabah ath-Thaqafi from Abdullah bin Bukayr that Zurara bin A’yun had said:

“I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) saying: “A caller will call out from the Heaven that so-and-so is the emir and that Ali and his followers are the triumphants.”

I said: “Then who will fight al-Mahdi after that?”

He said: “The Satan will call out that so-and-so and his followers are the triumphants-a man of the Umayyads (Uthman).”

I said: “Then who will know which the truthful is and which the liar is?”

He said: “Those, who used to narrate our traditions, will know that and will know that they are with the truth.”44

    29 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي، عن الحسن بن علي بن يوسف، عن المثني، عن زرارة بن أعين قال: قال :

    قلت لأبي عبد الله: عجبت، أصلحك الله، وإني لأعجب من القائم؛ كيف يقاتَل مع ما يرون من العجائب من خسف البيداء بالجيش، ومن النداء الذي يكون من السماء؟

    فقال: إن الشيطان لا يدعهم حتى ينادي كما نادى برسول الله يوم العقبة .

(29) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Yousuf from al-Muthanna that Zurara bin A’yun had said:

“I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “May Allah make you succeed! I wonder how people will fight against al-Qa'im in spite of all the miracles they will see; like the sinking of the desert with the army and the divine call that will come from the Heaven!”

He said: “The Satan will not let them free until he calls out as he has called out against the Prophet (S) on the day of al-Aqaba.”45

    30 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله إن الجريري أخا إسحاق يقول لنا: إنكم تقولون: هما نداءان فأيهما الصادق من الكاذب؟ فقال أبو عبد الله: قولوا له: إن الذي أخبرنا بذلك، وأنت تنكر أن هذا يكون، هو الصادق .

(30) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Muhammad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Abu Omayr that Hisham bin Salim had said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as):

“Al-Jareeri says to us that you have said that there will be two calls coming from the Heaven then which of them is truthful and which is false?”

Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) said: “Say to him: He, who has told us of that, is the truthful although you deny it!”46

    31 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بهذا الإسناد عن هشام بن سالم، قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله يقول :

    هما صيحتان صيحة في أول الليل، وصيحة في آخر اللية الثانية .

    قال: فقلت: كيف ذلك؟

    فقال: واحدة من السماء، وواحدة من إبليس .

    فقلت: وكيف تعرف هذه من هذه؟

    فقال: يعرفها من كان سمع بها قبل أن تكون .

(31) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated that Hisham bin Salim had said: I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) saying:

“There will be two cries; one at the beginning of night and the other will be at the end of the second night.”

I asked: “How will that be?”

He said: “One will be from the Heaven and the other will be from Iblis.”

I said: “How one will be distinguished from the other?”

He said: “He, who has known about them before they occur, will know which of them is from the Heaven.”47

    32 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن خالد، عن ثعلبة بن ميمون، عن عبد الرحمن بن مسلمة الجريري قال :

    قلت لأبي عبد الله: إن الناس يوبخونا ويقولون: من أين يعرف المحق من المبطل إذا كانتا؟

    فقال: ما تردون عليهم؟

    قلت: فما نرد عليهم شيئاً .

    فقال: قولوا لهم يصدّق بها إذا كانت من كان مؤمناً يؤمن بها قبل أن تكون. (قال) إن الله يقول

    قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكَائِكُمْ مَنْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ   قُلِ اللَّهُ يَهْدِي لِلْحَقِّ  أَفَمَنْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ أَحَ قُّ أَنْ يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّنْ لَا يَهِدِّي إِلَّا أَنْ يُهْدَىٰ   فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

(32) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from his father from Muhammad bin Khalid from Tha’lba bin Maymoon that Abdurrahman bin Maslama al-Jareeri had said:

“I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “Some people blame us and say that how the truthful call is distinguished from the false one when they both occur.”

He said: “With what do you answer them?”

I said: “With nothing.”

He said: “Say to them: He, who has believed in them before they occur, will know which of them is true and which is false. Allah has said, ‘Is He then Who guides to the truth more worthy to be followed, or he who himself does not go aright unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you; how do you judge?’48 ”49

    33 - حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي من كتابه في رجب سنة سبع وسبعين ومائتين، قال: حدثنا محمد بن عمر بن يزيد بياع السابري ومحمد بن الوليد بن خالد الخزاز جميعاً، عن حماد بن عثمان عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله يقول :

    إنه ينادي باسم صاحب هذا الأمر مناد من السماء: ألا إن الأمر لفلان بن فلان، ففيمَ القتال؟

(33) Ahmad narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from Muhammad bin Umar bin Yazeed and Muhammad bin al-Waleed bin Khalid al-Khazzaz from Hammad bin Uthman from Abdullah bin Sinan that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

A caller from the Heaven will call out: “So-and-so the son of so-and-so is the man of this matter. Then what is the fight for?”50

    34 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة الباهلي، قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق النهاوندي بنهاوند سنة ثلاث وسبعين ومائتين، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري في شهر رمضان سنة تسع وعشرين ومائتين، عن عبد الله بن سنان، قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله يقول :

    لا يكون هذا الأمر الذي تمدون إليه أعناقكم حتى ينادي مناد من السماء: ألا إن فلاناً صاحب الأمر، فعلى مَ القتال؟

(43) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa’eed narrated from Abu Sulayman Ahmad bin Hawtha al-Bahili from Ibraheem bin Iss’haq an-Nahawandi from Abullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Abdulla bin Sinan that Abu Abdulla as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“This matter, which you stretch your necks to, will not be until a caller from the Heaven calls: “So and so is the man of this matter so what is this fighting for?”

    35 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا محمد بن المفضل بن إبراهيم وسعدان بن إسحاق بن سعيد وأحمد بن الحسين بن عبد الملك ومحمد بن أحمد بن الحسن القطواني قالوا جميعاً: حدثنا الحسن بن محبوب الزراد، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن سنان، قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله يقول :

    يشمل الناس موت وقتل حتى يلجأ الناس عند ذلك إلى الحرم فينادي مناد صادق من شدة القتال: فيم القتل والقتال؟ صاحبكم فلان .

(35) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal bin Ibraheem, Sa’dan bin Iss’haq bin Sa'eed, Ahmad bin al-Husayn bin Abdul Melik and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Qatawani from al-Hasan bin Mahboob az-Zarrad from Abdullah bin Sinan that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Death and killing will spread among people until they resort to the Kaaba. Then a caller (from the heaven) will call out when fighting and killing become so violent: (What are all these fights and killings for? Your man is so-and-so.”51

    36 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد بن الحسن بن حازم، قال: حدثنا عبيس بن هشام، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن محمد بن سليمان، عن العلاء، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي أنه قال :

    السفياني والقائم في سنة واحدة .

(36) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from al-Qassim bin Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Hazim from Obayss bin Hisham from Abdullah bin Jibilla from Muhammad bin Sulayman from al-Ala’ from Muhammad bin Muslim that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“The rising of as-Sufyani and the rising of al-Qa'im will be in the same year.”52

    37 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب الجعفي أبو الحسن، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه ووهيب بن حفص، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله قال :

    بينا الناس وقوف بعرفات إذا أتاهم راكب على ناقة ذعلبة يخبرهم بموت خليفة يكون عند موته فرج آل محمد وفرج الناس جميعاً .

    وقال: إذا رأيتم علامة في السماء ناراً عظيمة من قبل المشرق تطلع ليالي، فعندها فرج الناس وهي قدام القائم بقليل .

(37) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father and Wuhayb bin Hafs from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“While people are standing on Arafat,53 a rider on a quick she-camel will come to inform them of the death of a caliph, after whose death the deliverance of Muhammad’s progeny and the deliverance of all the people will come.” He also said: “When you see a sign in the sky; a great fire burning for some nights in the east, then deliverance will come. It will occur a little before the appearance of al-Qa'im (as).”54

    38 - حدثنا علي بن أحمد البندنيجي، عن عبيد الله بن موسى العلوي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن موسى، عن أحمد بن أبي أحمد الوراق الجرجاني، عن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن الحكم، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر، عن أبي الطفيل، قال: سأل ابن الكواء أمير المؤمنين علي بن أبي طالب عن الغضب، فقال :

    هيهات الغضب هيهات! موتات بينهن موتات! وراكب الذعلبة، وما راكب الذعلبة؟ مختلط جوفها بوضينها، يخبرهم بخبر فيقتلونه، ثم الغضب عند ذلك .

(38) Ali bin Ahmad al-Bandaneeji narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Muhammad bin Musa from Ahmad bin Abu Ahmad al-Warraq al-Jurjani from Muhammad bin Ali from Ali bin al-Hakam from Amr bin Shimr from Jabir that Abut-Tufayl had said:

“Once ibn al-Kawwa’ asked Amirul Mo'mineen (as) about anger. Amirul Mo'mineen (as) said: “How far anger is! A death after a death! The rider of the quick she-camel and what the rider of the quick she-camel is! He will inform people of something and they will kill him. Then anger comes!”55

    39 - حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة الباهلي قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق النهاوندي، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري، عن أبي مالك الحضرمي، عن محمد بن أبي الحكم، عن عبد الله بن عثمان، عن أسلم المكي، عن أبي الطفيل، عن حذيفة بن اليمان، قال :

    يقتل خليفة ما له في السماء عاذر، ولا في الأرض ناصر، ويخلع خليفة حتى يمشي على وجه الأرض ليس له من الأرض شيء، ويستخلف ابن السبية .

    قال: فقال أبو الطفيل: يا ابن أختي، ليتني أنا وأنت من كورة .

    قال: قلت: ولم تتمنى يا خال ذلك؟

    قال: لأن حذيفة حدثني أن الملك يرجع في أهل النبوة .

(39) Abu Sulayman Ahmad bin Hawtha al-Bahili narrated from Ibraheem bin Iss’haq an-Nahawandi from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Abu Malik al-Hadhrami from Muhammad bin Abul Hakam from Abdullah bin Uthman from Aslam al-Mekki from Abut-Tufayl that Huthayfa bin al-Yaman had said:

“A caliph, whom no one in the Heaven will forgive nor will he have any supporter on the earth, will be killed and another caliph, who will have no chance of getting forgiveness in the afterlife, will be deposed and then the son of the bondmaid will become the caliph.”

Abut-Tufayl said (to Aslam): “O my nephew, I wish we would live in his time!”

Aslam said: “O uncle, why do you wish so?”

Abut-Tufayl said: “Because Huthayfa has told me that the rule will return to the Prophet’s family.”56

    40 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه ووهيب، عن أبي بصير قال: سئل أبو جعفر الباقر عن تفسير قول الله

    سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ   أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ {53 }

    فقال: يريهم في أنفسهم المسخ، ويريهم في الآفاق انتقاص الآفاق عليهم، فيرون قدرة الله في أنفسهم وفي الآفاق. وقوله :

    سَنُرِيهِمْ آيَاتِنَا فِي الْآفَاقِ وَفِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ   أَوَلَمْ يَكْفِ بِرَبِّكَ أَنَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْء ٍ شَهِيدٌ {53 }

    يعني بذلك خروج القائم. هو الحق من الله يراه هذا الخلق، لا بد منه .

(40) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ahmad bin Yousuf bin Ya'qoob from Issma'eel bin Mihran from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father and Wuhayb that Abu Baseer had said: Once Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) was asked about the interpretation of the Qur’anic verse, ‘We will soon show them Our signs in the Universe and in their own souls, until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth,’57 and he said:

“Allah will show them His signs in the skies and in their selves. The saying, ‘until it will become quite clear to them that it is the truth,’ means the appearance of al-Qa'im, who is the truth that Allah will make His people see inevitably.”58

    41 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي، عن علي بن مهزيار، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن المختار، عن أبي بصير، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله قول الله

    فَلَوْلَا كَانَتْ قَرْيَةٌ آمَنَتْ فَنَفَعَهَا إِيمَانُهَا إِلَّا قَوْمَ يُونُسَ لَمَّا آمَنُوا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُمْ عَذَابَ الْخِزْيِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَتَّعْنَاهُمْ إِلَىٰ حِينٍ {98 }

    ما هو عذاب خزي الدنيا؟

    فقال: وأيّ خزي أخزى، يا أبا بصير، من أن يكون الرجل في بيته وحجاله وعلى إخوانه وسط عياله إذ شق أهله الجيوب عليه وصرخوا، فيقول الناس: ما هذا؟ فيقال مُسخ فلان الساعة !

    فقلت: قبل قيام القائم أو بعده؟

    قال: لا، بل قبله .

(41) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from Ali bin Mahziyar from Hammad bin Eessa from al-Husayn bin al-Mukhtar that Abu Baseer had said: I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): Allah has said, ‘The chastisement of disgrace in this world's life.’59 What is the chastisement of disgrace in this life?”

He said: “O Abu Baseer, is there a disgrace worse than that when a man is in his house and among his family and then his family begins to cry and weep and people ask what the matter is to be said to them that that man is metamorphosed?”

I said: “Will that happen before or after the appearance of al-Qa'im (as)?”

He said: “It will happen before the appearance of al-Qa'im (as).”60

    42 - أخبرنا علي بن أحمد البندنيجي، عن عبيد الله بن موسى العلوي، عن محمد بن موسى، عن أحمد بن أبي أحمد الوراق، عن يعقوب بن السراج، قال :

    قلت لأبي عبد الله: متى فرج شيعتكم؟

    قال: إذا اختلف ولد العباس ووهى سلطانهم، وطمع فيهم من لم يكن يطمع وخلعت العرب أعنتها، ورفع كل ذى صيصية صيصيته، وظهر السفياني، وأقبل اليماني، وتحرك الحسني، خرج صاحب هذا الأمر من المدينة (إي مكة) بتراث رسول الله .

    قلت: وما تراث رسول الله ؟

    فقال: سيفه، ودرعه، وعمامته، وبرده، ورايته، وقضيبه، وفرسه، ولامته وسرجه .

(42) Ali bin Ahmad al-Bandaneeji narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Ahmad bin Abu Ahmad al-Warraq that Ya'qoob bin as-Sarraj had said:

I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “When will the deliverance of your Shia come?”

He said: “When the Abbasids disagree, their rule will become weak, those, who have never thought of the rule, will seize the opportunity to gain their (the Abbasids’) rule, the Arabs will become uncontrolled, as-Sufyani will rise, al-Yamani will come with his army, al-Hasani will move with his troops and then al-Qa'im will appear in Medina and move towards Mecca with the heritage of the Prophet (S).”

I said: “What is the heritage of the Prophet (S)?”

He said: “The heritage of the Prophet (S) is his sword, armor, turban, garment, banner, stick, horse and saddle.”61

    43 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا محمد بن المفضل وسعدان بن إسحاق بن سعيد وأحمد بن الحسين بن عبد الملك، ومحمد بن أحمد بن الحسن القطواني قالوا جميعاً: حدثنا الحسن بن محبوب، عن يعقوب السراج، قال :

    قلت لأبي عبد الله: متى فرج شيعتكم؟

    فقال: إذا اختلف ولد العباس، ووهى سلطانهم… (فذكر الحديث بعينه حتى انتهى إلى ذكر اللامة والسرج وزاد فيه) حتى ينـزل بأعلى مكة فيخرج السيف من غمده، ويلبس الدرع، وينشر الراية والبردة، ويعتم بالعمامة، ويتناول القضيب بيده، ويستأذن الله في ظهوره، فيطلع على ذلك بعض مواليه، فيأتي الحسني فيخبره الخبر، فيبتدره الحسني إلى الخروج فيثب عليه أهل مكة فيقتلونه ويبعثون برأسه إلى الشامي فيظهر عند ذلك صاحب هذا الأمر فيبايعه الناس ويتبعونه، ويبعث عند ذلك الشامي جيشاً إلى المدينة فيهلكهم الله دونها، ويهرب من المدينة يومئذ من كان بالمدينة من ولد علي إلى مكة فيلحقون بصاحب الأمر، ويقبل صاحب الأمر نحو العراق، ويبعث جيشا إلى المدينة، فيأمر أهلها فيرجعون إليها .

(43) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal, Sa’dan bin Iss’haq bin Sa'eed, Ahmad bin al-Husayn bin Abdul Melik and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Qatawani from al-Hasan bin Mahboob that Ya'qoob as-Sarraj had said:

“I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “When will the deliverance of your Shia be?”

He said: “If the Abbasids disagree, their rule will become weak…until the end of the previous tradition. Then he added…until he (al-Qa'im) stops at the outskirt of Mecca. He will take the sword out of its sheath, put on the armor, spread the banner and the garment, put on the turban, hold the stick with his hand and will ask Allah permission to appear. He will inform some of his guardians of that. He will go to inform al-Hasani. Immediately al-Hasani will rise but the people of Mecca will kill him and send his head to Sham. Then al-Qa'im will appear. People will pay homage to him and follow him. The ruler of Sham then will send an army to Medina but the will of Allah will make them perish before reaching Medina. Then all of Ali’s progeny in Medina will flee to Mecca and join al-Qa'im. Al-Qa'im will move towards Iraq and send an army towards Medina ordering its people to go back to it.”62

    44 - حدثنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مالك، قال: حدثنا معاوية بن حكيم، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر، قال :

    سمعت الرضا يقول: قبل هذا الأمر بيوح .

    فلم أدرِ ما البيوح، فحججت فسمعت أعرابياُ يقول: هذا يوم بيوح، فقلت له: ما البيوح، فقال: الشديد الحر .

(44) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Mo’awiya bin Hakeem that Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abu Nasr had said:

“I heard Imam ar-Redha (as) saying: “Before this matter (the appearance of al-Mahdi) there will be (bayooh).”

I did not know the meaning of (bayooh). When I went to offer the hajj, I heard a nomad saying: “This is a (bayooh) day.”

I asked him: “What does (bayooh) mean?”

He said: “It means very hot.”63

    45 - أخبرني أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي، عن أحمد ومحمد بني الحسن، عن أبيهما، عن ثعلبة بن ميمون، عن بدر بن الخليل الأسدي قال :

    كنت عند أبي جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر فذكر آيتين تكونان قبل قيام القائم لم تكونا منذ أهبط الله آدم صلوات الله عليه أبداً، وذلك أن الشمس تنكسف في النصف من شهر رمضان والقمر في آخره .

    فقال له رجل: يا بن رسول الله، لا بل الشمس في آخر الشهر والقمر في النصف .

    فقال له أبو جعفر: إني لأعلم بالذي أقول. إنهما آيتان لم تكونا منذ هبط آدم .

(45) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from Ahmad and Muhammad, the sons of al-Hasan, from their father from Tha’laba bin Maymoon that Badr bin al-Khaleel al-Asadi had said:

“Once I was with Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) and he said that two signs would appear before the appearance of al-Qa'im that had never appeared since Allah had sent Adam down to the earth. He said that the sun would be eclipsed in the middle of Ramadan and the moon would be eclipsed in the end of Ramadan.

A man said: “O son of the messenger of Allah, it is the moon that will be eclipsed in the middle of Ramadan and the sun will be eclipsed in the end of it.”64

Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) said: “I do know what I say. They are two signs that have never occurred since Adam (as) has descended to the earth.”65

    46 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد بن الحسن بن حازم، قال: حدثنا عبيس بن هشام الناشري، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن الحكم بن أيمن، عن ورد (أخي الكميت)، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي أنه قال :

    إن بين يدي هذا الأمر انكساف القمر لخمس تبقى، والشمس لخمس عشرة وذلك في شهر رمضان، وعنده يسقط حساب المنجمين .

(46) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from al-Qassim bin Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Hazim from Obayss bin Hisham an-Nashiri from Abdullah bin Jibilla from al-Hakam bin Ayman from Ward, al-Kumayt’s brother, that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im, the moon will be eclipsed five days before the end of the month and the sun will be eclipsed in the middle of the month. That will occur in Ramadan and then the calculations of the astrologers will fail.”66

    47 - وعن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    علامة خروج المهدي كسوف الشمس في شهر رمضان في ثلاث عشرة وأربع عشرة منه .

(47) Ali bin Abu Hamza narrated from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“One of the signs that precedes the appearance of al-Mahdi will be the eclipse of the sun in the middle of Ramadan.”67

    48 - حدثنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مالك، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن الحسن بن علي، عن صالح بن سهل، عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد في قوله تعالى

    إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنْذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {1 }

    قال :

    تأويلها فيما يأتي في عذاب يقع في الثوية (يعني نار) حتى ينتهى إلى الكناسة، كناسة بني أسد حتى تمر بثقيف، لا تدع وتراً لآل محمد إلاّ أحرقته، وذلك قبل خروج القائم .

(48) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin Abul Khattab from al-Hasan bin Ali from Salih bin Sahl that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said when talking about the verse, ‘A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall:’68

“It is not a questioner asked….it is a flowing that flowed69 and it is a fire that will flame in ath-Thawiyya70 and then it will move to the tribe of Asad and then to the tribe of Thaqeef. It will burn the enemies of Muhammad’s progeny. This will be before the appearance of al-Qa'im (as).”71

    49 - حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق النهاوندي، عن عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر قال :

    قال أبو جعفر: كيف تقرؤون هذه السورة؟

    قلت: وأية سورة؟

    قال: سورة

    إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ أَنْ أَنْذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ {1 }

    فقال: ليس هو "سأل سائل بعذاب واقع،" إنما هو سال سيلٌ، وهي نار تقع في الثوية، ثم تمضي إلى كناسة بني أسد، ثم تمضي إلى ثقيف، فلا تدع وتراً لآل محمد إلاّ أحرقته .

(49) Abu Sulayman Ahmad bin Hawtha narrated from Ibraheem bin Iss’haq an-Nahawandi from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Amr bin Shimr that Jabir had said:

“Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) said: “How do you recite this verse?”

I said: “Which verse?

He said: “A questioner asked about a Penalty to befall.” Then he said: “It is not a questioner asked….it is a flowing that flowed and it is a fire that will flame in ath-Thawiyya and then it will move to the tribe of Asad and then to the tribe of Thaqeef. It will burn the enemies of Muhammad’s progeny. This will be before the appearance of al-Qa'im (as).”72

    50 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثني علي بن الحسن، عن أخيه محمد بن الحسن، عن أبيه، عن أحمد بن عمر الحلبي، عن الحسين بن موسى، عن معمر بن يحيى بن سام، عن أبي خالد الكابلي، عن أبي جعفر أنه قال :

    كأني بقوم قد خرجوا بالمشرق يطلبون الحق فلا يعطونه، ثم يطلبونه فلا يعطونه، فإذا رأوا ذلك وضعوا سيوفهم على عواتقهم فيعطون ما سألوه فلا يقبلونه حتى يقوموا، ولا يدفعونها إلاّ إلى صاحبكم، قتلاهم شهداء، أما إني لو أدركت ذلك لاستبقيت نفسي لصاحب هذا الأمر .

(50) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from his brother Muhammad bin al-Hasan from his father from Ahmad bin Umar al-Halabi from al-Husayn bin Musa from Ma’mar bin Yahya bin Sam from Abu Khalid al-Kabuli that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“As if I see some people rising in the east. They will ask for the truth but they will not be given it. They will ask for it again and they will not be given it. Then they will unsheathe their swords and they will be given what they will ask for but they will not accept it. They will revolt and deliver their victory to your man (al-Mahdi). Their killed ones will be martyrs. If I live until that time, I will sacrifice myself to the man of this matter.”73

    51 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن زياد القندي، عن ابن اذينة، عن معروف بن خربوذ، قال :

    ما دخلنا على أبي جعفر الباقر قط إلاّ قال: خراسان خراسان، سجستان سجستان، كأنه يبشرنا بذلك .

(51) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Ya'qoob bin Yazeed from Ziyad al-Qandi from ibn Othayna that Ma’roof bin Kharrabooth had said:

“Whenever we go to Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as), he says: “Khurasan! Khurasan! Sajistan! Sajistan!”74 As if he wants to tell us good news (about deliverance).”75

    52 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، قال: حدثنا الحسن ومحمد بنا علي بن يوسف، عن أبيهما، عن أحمد بن عمر الحلبي، عن صالح بن أبي الأسود عن أبي الجارود قال: سمعت أبا جعفر يقول :

    إذا ظهرت بيعة الصبي قام كل ذي صيصية بصيصيته .

(52) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from al-Hasan and Muhammad, the sons of Ali bin Yousuf, from their father from Ahmad bin Umar al-Halabi from Salih bin Abul Aswad from Abul Jarood that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“When people pay homage to the young boy, every young boy will try to rise.”76

    53 - حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن، قال: حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    ما يكون هذا الأمر حتى لا يبقى صنف من الناس إلاّ وقد ولوا على الناس حتى لا يقول قائل "إنا لو ولينا لعدلنا" ثم يقوم القائم بالحق والعدل .

(53) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan from Muhammad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Abu Omayr from Hisham bin Salim that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Al-Qa'im will not appear except after that every class of people will have ruled over people so that no one may say: “If we have ruled, we will have spread justice” then al-Qa'im will rise to rule with truth and justice.”77

    54 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد بهذا الإسناد، عن هشام بن سالم، عن زرارة قال :

    قلت لأبي عبد الله النداء حق؟

    قال: إي والله حتى يسمعه كل قوم بلسانهم .

    وقال: لا يكون هذا الأمر حتى يذهب تسعة أعشار الناس .

(54) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from the same previous narrators from Hisham bin Salim that Zurara had said:

“Once I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) if the call (from the Heaven) would be true.

He said: “Yes, by Allah, until every nation will hear it with its own language.” He also said: “Al-Qa'im will not appear unless nine tenths of people perish.”78

    55 - أخبرنا علي بن أحمد قال: حدثنا عبيد الله بن موسى العلوي، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري، قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن عبيد الله بن العلاء، قال: حدثني أبي، عن أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد: أن أمير المؤمنين حدث عن أشياء تكون بعده إلى قيام القائم .

    فقال الحسين: يا أمير المؤمنين، متى يطهر الله الأرض من الظالمين؟

    فقال أمير المؤمنين: لا يطهر الله الأرض من الظالمين حتى يسفك الدم الحرام .

    ( ثم ذكر أمر بني أمية وبني العباس في حديث طويل )

    ثم قال: إذا قام القائم بخراسان وغلب على أرض كوفان وملتان، وجاز جزيرة بني كاوان، وقام منا قائم بجيلان وأجابته الآبر والديلم‍ان، وظهرت لولدي رايات الترك متفرقات في الأقطار والجنبات، وكانوا بين هنات وهنات إذا خربت البصرة، وقام أمير الأمرة بمصر (فحكى حكاية طويلة) ثم قال: إذا جهزت الألوف، وصفت الصفوف، وقتل الكبش الخروف، هناك يقوم الآخر ويثور الثائر، ويهلك الكافر، ثم يقوم القائم المأمول، والإمام المجهول، له الشرف والفضل وهو من ولدك يا حسين، لا ابن مثله يظهر بين الركنين، في دريسين باليين يظهر على الثقلين، ولا يترك في الأرض دمين، طوبى لمن أدرك زمانه، لحق أوانه، وشهد أيامه .

(55) Ali bin Ahmad narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Ibraheem bin Obaydillah bin al-Ala’ from his father that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Amirul Mo'mineen (as) informed of some things that would happen after him until the appearance of al-Qa'im.

Al-Husayn (as) asked him: “O Amirul Mo'mineen, when does Allah clear the world from the unjust people?”

Amirul Mo'mineen (as) said: “Allah does not clear the world from the unjust until the sacred blood is shed.” He mentioned the story of the Umayyads and the Abbasids in a long tradition then he said: “When al-Qa'im rises in Khurasan, defeats Kufa and the two nations, passes the island of Bani Kawan,79 and another revolter from us rises in Jeelan, who will be supported by the people of Aabir and Daylaman,80 then the banners of the Turks will rise in different countries to support my son (al-Qa'im). Then some things will happen here and there. Basra will be destroyed and the emir of the emirs will rule in Egypt.”

He told a long story and then said: “When armies get ready, different leaders rise, revolters rebel and unbelievers perish then the expected Qa’im and the unknown imam will appear with honor and virtue. O Husayn, he is your descendant, who has no like at all. He will appear between the two corners (of the Kaaba) in ragged cloths. He will rule over all the peoples and will clear the world of every evil. Blessed is he, who lives until his (al-Qa'im’s) age and enjoys his rule.”81

    56 - محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مالك الفزاري الكوفي، قال: حدثني محمد بن أحمد، عن محمد بن سنان، عن يونس بن ظبيان، عن أبي عبد الله قال :

    إذا كان ليلة الجمعة أهبط الرب تعالى ملكاً إلى السماء الدنيا، فإذا طلع الفجر جلس ذلك الملك على العرش فوق البيت المعمور، ونصب لمحمد وعلي والحسن والحسين منابر من نور، فيصعدون عليها وتجمع لهم الملائكة والنبيون والمؤمنون، وتفتح أبواب السماء، فإذا زالت الشمس قال رسول الله: يا رب ميعادك الذي وعدت به في كتابك. هو هذه الآية

    وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا   يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا  وَمَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ {55 }

    ثم يقول الملائكة والنبيون مثل ذلك، ثم يخر محمد وعلي والحسن والحسين سجداً، ثم يقولون: يا رب أغضب فإنه قد هتك حريمك وقتل أصفياؤك وأذل عبادك الصالحون، فيفعل الله ما يشاء، وذلك يوم معلوم .

(56) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Muhammad bin Ahmad from Muhammad bin Sinan from Younus bin Dhabyan that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“When the night of Friday comes, Allah sends down an angel to the lower heaven. When dawn comes, the angel sits on a throne on the House (the Kaaba) and sets minbars of light for Muhammad, Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (peace be upon them). They ascend the minbars. The angels, the prophets and the believers are invited to gather before them. The gates of the heavens are opened. When the sun declines, the Prophet (S) says: “O my Lord, carry out Your promise that You have promised of in Your Book by this verse, ‘Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth as He made rulers those before them, and that He will most certainly establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them, and that He will most certainly, after their fear, give them security in exchange.’82

The angels and the prophets say the same thing. Then Muhammad, Ali, al-Hasan and al-Husayn prostrate themselves and pray Allah: “O our Lord, avenge! Your sanctum has been dishonored, Your choice have been killed and Your faithful slaves have been degraded.” Then Allah does as He wills and that will be a great day.”83

    57 - حدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله بن يونس قال: حدثنا محمد بن جعفر القرشي، قال: حدثني محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، قال: حدثنا محمد بن سنان، عن الحسين بن المختار، عن خالد القلانسي، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    إذا هدم حائط مسجد الكوفة من مؤخره مما يلي دار ابن مسعود، فعند ذلك زوال ملك بني فلان، أما إن هادمه لا يبنيه .

(57) Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah bin Younus narrated from Muhammad bin Ja'far al-Qarashi from Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin Abul Khattab from Muhammad bin Sinan from al-Husayn bin Mukhtar from Khalid al-Qalanisi that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“When the wall of the mosque of Kufa is destroyed from the back next to the house of ibn Mass’ood, then the rule of the family of so-and-so will decline. He, who destroys the wall, will not restore it (he perishes before that).”84

    58 - حدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن رباح الزهري، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن علي الحميري، عن الحسن بن أيوب، عن عبد الكريم بن عمرو الخثعمي، عن رجل، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    لا يقوم القائم حتى يقوم أثنا عشر رجلاً كلهم يجمع على قول أنهم قد رأوه فيكذبهم .

(58) Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Rabah from Ahmad bin Ali al-Himyari from al-Hasan bin Ayyoob from Abdul Kareem bin Amr al-Khath’ami from someone that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Al-Qa'im will appear after when twelve men will have agreed upon that they have seen him but they will be considered as liars.”85

    59 - أخبرنا محمد بن همام قال: حدثنا حميد بن زياد، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن سماعة، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن الميثمي، عن أبي الحسن علي بن محمد، عن معاذ بن مطر، عن رجل (قال: ولا أعلمه إلاّ مسمعا أبا سيار) قال: قال أبو عبد الله :

    قبل قيام القائم تحرك حرب قيس .

(59) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Hameed bin Ziyad from al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Suma’a from Ahmad bin al-Hasan al-Maythami from Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad from Ma’ath bin Matar from someone (Abu Sayyar) that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im, the war of (tribe of) Qays will break out.”86

    60 - حدثنا علي بن الحسين قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، قال: حدثنا محمد بن حسان الرازي، عن محمد بن علي الكوفي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن سنان، عن عبيد بن زرارة، قال :

    ذُكر عند أبي عبد الله السفياني فقال: أنى يخرج ذلك؟ ولما يخرج كاسر عينيه بصنعاء .

(60) Ali bin al-Husayn narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar from Muhammad bin Hassaan ar-Razi from Muhammad bin Ali al-Kufi from Muhammad bin Sinan that Obayd bin Zurara had said:

“Once as-Sufyani was mentioned before Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as). He said: “He (as-Syfyani) will not rise except after the rising of the one in Sana’a.”87

    61 - أخبرنا علي بن الحسين قال: أخبرنا محمد بن يحيى، عن محمد بن حسان الرازي، عن محمد بن علي الكوفي، عن إبراهيم بن أبي البلاد، عن علي بن محمد بن الاعلم الازدي، عن أبيه، عن جده قال :

    قال أمير المؤمنين: بين يدي القائم موت أحمر، وموت أبيض، وجراد في حينه، وجراد في غير حينه أحمر كالدم، فأما الموت الأحمر فبالسيف، وأما الموت الأبيض فالطاعون .

(61) Ali bin al-Husayn narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya from Muhammad bin Hassaan ar-Razi from Muhammad bin Ali al-Kufi from Ibraheem bin Abul Bilad from Ali bin Muhammad bin al-A’lam al-Azdi from his father from his grandfather that Amirul Mo'mineen (as) had said:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im, there will be red death, white death and attacks of locusts in time and out of time. Red death is the killing by the sword and white death is by plague.”88

    62 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسن التيملي من كتابه في رجب سنة سبع وسبعين ومائتين قال: حدثنا محمد بن عمربن يزيد بياع السابري ومحمد بن الوليد بن خالد الخزاز جميعاً قالا: حدثنا حماد بن عثمان، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: حدثني محمد بن إبراهيم بن أبي البلاد وقال: حدثنا أبي، عن أبيه، عن الاصبغ بن نباتة قال :

    سمعت علياً يقول: إن بين يدي القائم سنين خداعة، يكذب فيها الصادق، ويصدق فيها الكاذب، ويقرب فيها الماحل (وفي حديث: وينطق فيها الرويبضة .)

    فقلت: وما الرويبضة وما الماحل؟

    قال: أوما تقرؤون القرآن، قوله

    قال: يريد المكر .

    فقلت: وما الماحل؟

    قال: يريد المكّار .

(26) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Ali bin al-Hasan at-Taymali from Muhammad bin Umar bin Yazeed and Muhammad bin al-Waleed bin Khalid al-Khazzaz from Hammad bin Uthman from Abdullah bin Sinan from Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Abul Bilad from his father from his grandfather that al-Asbugh bin Nabata had heard Imam Ali (as) saying:

“Before the appearance of al-Qa'im there will be deceitful years, in which a truthful one will be considered as a liar, a liar will be considered as truthful and a cheater will be respected.”89

    63 - حدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله قال: حدثنا محمد بن جعفر القرشي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، قال: حدثني محمد بن سنان، عن حذيفة بن المنصور، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    إن لله مائدة (وفي غير هذه الرواية: مأدبة) بقرقيسياء يطلع مطلع من السماء فينادي يا طير السماء ويا سباع الأرض هلموا إلى الشبع من لحوم الجبارين .

(63) Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah narrated from Muhammad bin Ja'far al-Qarashi from Muhammad bin al-Husayn bin Abul Khattab from Muhammad bin Sinan from Huthayfa bin al-Mansoor that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Allah will have a banquet. A caller from the Heaven will call out: O birds of the sky and beasts of the earth, come to eat and be satiate of the flesh of the tyrants.”90

    64 - حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة الباهلي، قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري، عن أبي بصير، قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله وقال :

    ينادى باسم القائم يا فلان بن فلان قم .

(64) Abu Sulayman Muhammad bin Hawtha al-Bahili narrated from Ibraheem bin Iss’haq from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“A caller (from the Heaven) will call out the name of al-Qa'im: O you the son of so-and-so, get up!”91

    65 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا محمد بن المفضل وسعدان بن إسحاق بن سعيد وأحمد بن الحسين بن عبد الملك ومحمد بن أحمد بن الحسن جميعاً، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن يعقوب السراج، عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر أنه قال :

    يا جابر، لا يظهر القائم حتى يشمل الناس بالشام فتنة يطلبون المخرج منها فلا يجدونه، ويكون قتل بين الكوفة والحيرة، قتلاهم على سواء، وينادى مناد من السماء .

(65) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from Muhammad bin al-Mufadhdhal, Sa’dan bin Iss’haq bin Sa'eed, Ahmad bin al-Husayn bin Abdul Melik and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin al-Hasan from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from Ya'qoob as-Sarraj from Jabir that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“O Jabir, al-Qa'im will not appear until the people of Sham will be afflicted with a sedition, from which they try their best to be free but they cannot, terrible killing will occur between Kufa and Heera92 and a call that will come from the Heaven.”93

    66 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، عن هؤلاء الرجال الأربعة، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن العلاء بن رزين، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي جعفر أنه قال :

    توقعوا الصوت يأتيكم بغتة من قبل دمشق، فيه لكم فرج عظيم .

(66) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from the previous four narrators from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from al-Ala’ bin Razeen from Muhammad bin Muslim that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“Expect the cry to come to you surprisingly from the direction of Damascus. Then great deliverance will come to you.”94

    67 - أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، عن هؤلاء الرجال الأربعة عن بن محبوب. وأخبرنا محمد بن يعقوب الكليني أبو جعفر قال: حدثني علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه قال: وحدثني محمد بن عمران قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، قال: وحدثني علي بن محمد وغيره، عن سهل بن زياد جميعاً، عن الحسن بن محبوب قال وحدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله الموصلي، عن أبي علي أحمد بن محمد بن أبي ناشر عن أحمد بن هلال، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن جابر بن يزيد الجعفي قال: قال أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر :

    يا جابر، إلزم الأرض ولا تحرك يداً ولا رجلاً حتى ترى علامات أذكرها لك إن أدركتها: أولها اختلاف بني العباس، وما أراك تدرك ذلك، ولكن حدّث به من بعدي عني، ومناد ينادي من السماء، ويجيئكم الصوت من ناحية دمشق بالفتح، وتخسف قرية من قرى الشام تسمى الجابية، وتسقط طائفة من مسجد دمشق الأيمن، ومارقة تمرق من ناحية الترك، ويعقبها هرج الروم. وسيقبل إخوان الترك حتى ينـزلوا الجزيرة، وسيقبل مارقة الروم حتى ينـزلوا الرملة .

(67) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed narrated from the four men from al-Hasan bin Mahboob, Muhammad bin Ya'qoob al-Kulayni narrated from Ali bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father, Muhammad bin Imran narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Eessa from Ali bin Muhammad and others from Sahl bin Ziyad from al-Hasan bin Mahboob and Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah narrated from Abu Ali Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abu Nashir from Ahmad bin Hilal from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from Amr bin Abul Miqdam from Jabir bin Yazeed al-Ju’fi that Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) had said:

“O Jabir, keep quiet until you see some signs that I will mention to you-if you remain alive until then: The first is the disagreement of the Abbasids. I do not think that you live until then but narrate this from me after my death. Other signs are a call from the Heaven, a cry comes from the direction of Damascus, one of the villages of Sham called al-Jabiya sinks, a part of the mosque of Damascus falls down, a group of the Turks apostates and then commotion in Rome. The Turks come and occupy the island whereas the Romans come to settle in ar-Ramla.

    فتلك السنة يا جابر فيها اختلاف كثير في كل أرض من ناحية المغرب، فأول أرض تخرب أرض الشام، ثم يختلفون عند ذلك على ثلاث رايات: راية الأصهب، وراية الأبقع، وراية السفياني، فيلتقي السفياني بالأبقع فيقتتلون، فيقتله السفياني ومن تبعه، ثم يقتل الأصهب .

O Jabir, that year will be full of events everywhere from the direction of the west. The first country that will be ruined is Sham. Then people will disagree and divide into three armies; the army of the reddish one, the army of the spotted one and the army of as-Sufyani. As-Sufyani will fight the spotted one and he will kill him with his followers and then he will fight the reddish one and he will kill him.

    ثم لا يكون له همة إلاّ الإقبال نحو العراق، ويمر جيشه بقرقيسياء، فيقتتلون بها، فيقتل بها من الجبارين مائة ألف، ويبعث السفياني جيشاً إلى الكوفة، وعدتهم سبعون ألفاً، فيصيبون من أهل الكوفة قتلاً وصلباً وسبياً، فبيناهم كذلك إذ أقبلت رايات من قبل خراسان وتطوي المنازل طياً حثيثاً، ومعهم نفر من أصحاب القائم .

Then he will move towards Iraq. He will pass by Qarqeesiya’.95 A fight will break out. As-Sufyani will kill about one hundred thousands of the arrogants. Then he will send an army of seventy thousand warriors towards Kufa. They will kill, crucify and capture many of the people of Kufa. While they are doing so, an army will come from the direction of Khurasan. With this army there will be some companions of al-Qa'im.

    ثم يخرج رجل من موالي أهل الكوفة في ضعفاء فيقتله أمير جيش السفياني بين الحيرة والكوفة، ويبعث السفياني بعثاً إلى المدينة فينفر المهدي منها إلى مكة، فيبلغ أمير جيش السفياني أن المهدي قد خرج إلى مكة، فيبعث جيشاً على أثره فلا يدركه حتى يدخل مكة خائفاً يترقب على سنة موسى بن عمران .

A faithful man from Kufa with weak followers will revolt but he will be killed by the leader of as-Sufyani’s army between Kufa and Heera. As-Sufyani will send a troop to Medina. Al-Mahdi will flee from Medina to Mecca. The leader of the army will be informed that al-Mahdi has gone to Mecca so he will send a troop to follow after him but with no use. Al-Mahdi will enter Mecca frightfully and cautiously like Prophet Moses (as).

    قال: فينـزل أمير جيش السفياني البيداء، فينادي مناد من السماء "يا بيداء أبيدي القوم" فيخسف بهم فلا يفلت منهم إلاّ ثلاثة نفر يحول الله وجوههم إلى أقفيتهم وهم من كلب، وفيهم نزلت هذه الآية

    يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ آمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهَا أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّا أَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِ   وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا {4 7 }

The army of as-Sufyani will stop in the desert. A caller from the Heaven will call out: “O desert, destroy these people!” The desert will sink with the army and none of them will escape death except three persons, whom Allah will turn their faces towards their backs. It is about them that this verse has been revealed, ‘O you who have been given the Book! believe that which We have revealed, verifying what you have, before We alter faces then turn them on their backs.’96

    قال: والقائم يومئذ بمكة، قد أسند ظهره إلى البيت الحرام مستجيرا به، فينادي: يا أيها الناس إنا نستنصر الله، فمن أجابنا من الناس؟ فإنا أهل بيت نبيكم محمد، ونحن أولى الناس بالله وبمحمد ، فمن حاجني في آدم فأنا أولى الناس بآدم، ومن حاجني في نوح فأنا أولى الناس بنوح، ومن حاجني في إبراهيم فأنا أولى الناس بإبراهيم، ومن حاجني في محمد فأنا أولى الناس بمحمد ، ومن حاجني في النبيين فأنا أولى الناس بالنبيين .

On that day al-Qa'im will be in Mecca leaning his back against the Kaaba. He will announce: “O people, we resort to Allah to make us succeed. Whoever of you wants to support us, let him join us. We are the progeny of your Prophet Muhammad (as). We are worthier of Allah and Muhammad than other people. Whoever argues with me about Adam, I am the worthiest of Adam. Whoever argues with me about Noah, I am the worthiest of Noah. Whoever argues with me about Abraham, I am the worthiest of Abraham. Whoever argues with me about Muhammad (as), I am the worthiest of Muhammad (as). Whoever argues with me about the prophets, I am the worthiest of the prophets.

    أليس الله يقول في محكم كتابه

    إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَىٰ آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ {33 }

    ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ   وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ {34 }

    فأنا بقية من آدم وذخيرة من نوح، ومصطفى من إبراهيم، وصفوة من محمد صلى الله عليهم أجمعين. ألا فمن حاجني في كتاب الله فأنا أولى الناس بكتاب الله، ألا ومن حاجني في سنة رسول الله فأنا أولى الناس بسنة رسول الله .

Has Allah not said in his Book, ‘Surely Allah chose Adam and Noah and the descendants of Abraham and the descendants of Imran above the nations; offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing?’97 I am a remainder of Adam, a relic of Noah, elite of Abraham and a choice of Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Whoever argues with me about the Book of Allah, I am the worthiest of the book of Allah. Whoever argues with me about the Sunna of the messenger of Allah, I am the worthiest of the Sunna of the messenger of Allah.

    فأنشد الله من سمع كلامي اليوم لما أبلغ الشاهد منكم الغائب، وأسألكم بحق الله، وحق رسوله وبحقي، فإن لي عليكم حق القربى من رسول الله إلاّ أعنتمونا ومنعتمونا ممن يظلمنا، فقد أُخفنا وظُلمنا، وطردنا من ديارنا أبنائنا، وبُغي علينا، ودفعنا عن حقنا، وافترى أهل الباطل علينا، فالله الله فينا، لا تخذلونا، وانصرونا ينصركم الله تعالى .

I adjure everyone, who hears my speech today, to inform the absent of it. I ask you with the right of Allah, the right of His messenger and with my right, for I have a right of kinship to the messenger of Allah, to support us and to protect us from those, who have wronged us. We have been wronged, offended, expelled from our homes, separated from our families, deprived of our rights and our honor and virtues have been distorted by the evil people. For the sake of Allah, do not fail us. Support us that may Allah supports you!”

    قال: فيجمع الله عليه أصحابه ثلاثمائة وثلاثة عشر رجلاً، ويجمعهم الله له على غير ميعاد قزعاً كقزع الخريف، وهي يا جابر الآية التي ذكرها الله في كتابه

    وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا   فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ  أَيْنَ مَا ت َكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا   إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ {148 }

    فيبايعونه بين الركن والمقام، ومعه عهد من رسول الله قد توارثته الأبناء عن الآباء .

Allah will make his (al-Mahdi’s) three hundred and thirteen companions join him without any previous appointment. O Jabir, it is the verse that Allah has revealed in His Book, ‘Wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.’98 People will pay homage to him between the corner (of the Kaaba) and the temple (of Abraham). With him there will be a covenant from the Prophet (S) that has been inherited by the descendants; one after the other.

    والقائم، يا جابر، رجل من ولد الحسين يصلح الله له أمره في ليلة، فما أشكل على الناس من ذلك، يا جابر، فلا يشكلن عليهم ولادته من رسول الله ووراثته العلماء عالماً بعد عالم، فإن أشكل هذا كله عليهم، فإن الصوت من السماء لا يشكل عليهم إذا نودي باسمه واسم أبيه وأمه .

O Jabir, al-Qa'im is one of al-Husayn’s descendants. Allah will make him succeed within a night.

O Jabir, if people doubt all that, let them not doubt his descending from the Prophet (S) and his inheriting knowledge from the ulama (the infallible imams) one after the other. If all these things become confusing to them, then the call that will come from the Heaven and will call out his name and his parents’ names certainly will not be confusing to them at all.”99

    68 - حدثنا أبو سليمان أحمد بن هوذة الباهلي قال: حدثنا إبراهيم بن إسحاق النهاوندي قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن حماد الأنصاري، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله أنه قال :

    يقوم القائم يوم عاشوراء .

(68) Abu Sulayman Ahmad bin Hawtha al-Bahili narrated from Ibraheem bin Iss’haq an-Nahawandi from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari from Abu Baseer that Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) had said:

“Al-Qa'im will appear on the day of Ashura.100 ”101

All these signs that have been mentioned by the infallible imams (as) throughout the current true traditions, which are so numerous, must occur before the appearance of al-Qa'im (as) because the infallible imams (as) have said that they are inevitable and surely their sayings are the most truthful. It has been said to them: “We hope that al-Qa'im (as) appears without being preceded by the rising of as-Sufyani.” They said: “By Allah it is inevitable and it must occur.”

They have confirmed that the five signs will be the greatest evidences, after which al-Qa'im (as) will appear. They have denied timing102 and said: “Whoever narrates from us traditions talking about timing, do not hesitate in considering him as a liar whoever he is because we do not time.”

This is clear evidence showing the falseness of whoever claims that he is al-Qa'im before the occurrence of these signs.

Supplement 4

Hadrat Abu Huraira reports that the Apsotle (PBUH) of Allah observed: "What will you be like when the son of Mary shall descend among ye and a person among ye will discharge the office of Imam (leader in Prayers)."[see footnote 7] (Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith Anbiya, Bab: Nuzul Isa; Muslim, Nuzul Isa; Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat Abu Huraira) Hadrat Abu Huraira reports the Apsotle (PBUH) of Allah having said: "Christ, son of Mary, will then kill the swine and remove the Cross. A congregation for prayer will be held for him. He will distribute such an enormous quantity of goods that none will be left in need of anything. He will abolish taxes.

He will encamp at Rauha (a place situated at a distance of 35 miles from Medina) and from there, set out to perform Hajj or Umrah or both." (The reporter is in doubt as to which of these two had been mentioned by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). (Musnad Ahmad, Silsila Marwiyat Abi Huraira; Muslim, Kitab-ul-Hajj; Bab Jawaz-ul- Tamatttu fil-Hajj wa-al-Qir'an)

Hadrat Abu Huraira relates that the Prophet (PBUH) of God after mentioning the exile of Dajjal said: "The Muslims will be preparing for war with Dajjal and they will be falling in line in preparation for offering Prayers and the Takbir will have been said for Prayers when in the meantime Christ (PBUH), son of Mary, will descend and lead Muslims in Prayer. The enemy of God, Dajjal, on seeing him will start melting like salt in water. If Christ (PBUH) would leave Dajjal alone, he would melt and die anyway, but God will cause Dajjal to be slain at the hand of Christ (PBUH) and Christ will display his spear strained with the blood of Dajjal to the Muslims."

(Mishkat, Kitab-ul-Fitan, Bab: al-Malahim, quoted by Muslim) footnote5 The implication of "breaking the Cross" and "killing of the swine" is that Christianity will become defunct as a religion. The whole edifice of the Christian religion is based on the belief that God crucified His only son (i.e. Hadrat Isa (PBUH) on the Cross and caused him to suffer this 'accursed' death so that he might thus expiate for the sins of man. Among the followers of God's Prophets, the Christians are unique in having rejected the entire Shariah of God and retaining this belief only.

The swine has been declared unlawful by all the Prophets, but the Christians have gone as far as to make it lawful. Hence when Jesus(PBUH) will proclaim on his appearance, "I am not the son of God; I did not die on the Cross, nor did I expiate for the sins of anyone," the whole basis of Christian belief will be demolished. Similarly, the second distinctive charactertistic of Christianity will vanish when Jesus(PBUH) will say: "I never declared the swine lawful for my followers nor did I proclaim them free from the restraints of Divine Law."

footnote 6 In other words this expression means that differences between the followers of various religions will vanish and the whole mankind will join the brotherhood of Islam. Consequently, there shall no longer be any war or cause for imposing religious tax on anyone. This interpretation is supported by Tradition No. 5 and 15 quoted hereafter.

footnote 7 The implication is that Jesus(PBUH) will not act as the leader of Prayers. He will offer Prayers behind the already existing Imam of Muslims.

Hadrat Abu Huraira reports that the Apostle (PBUH) of Allah affirmed: "No Prophet shall come during the period between me and Jesus (PBUH). And Jesus shall descend. Recognize him when you see him; he is a man of medium height and of a rudy, fair complexion. He will be dressed in two pieces of yellow garment. The hair of his head will appear as if water is trickling out of them, though his hair would not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He will break the Cross into pieces.

He will slay the swine. He will abolish the Jizya on non-believers. In his time God will put an end to all other faiths except the religion of Islam. And Christ will kill Dajjal. He will live on this earth for a period of forty years and at the end of this period he will pass away. The Muslims will offer the funeral prayers of Christ (PBUH). (Abu Dawud, Kitab-ul-Malahim, Bab: Khuruj-ul-Dajjal; Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat Abu Huraira)

Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah reports that he heard the Prophet (PBUH) as saying: "Then Christ, son of Mary, will descend. The leader of the Muslims will say to him, "Come, lead us in Prayer," but he will reply, "No be thou your own leaders in prayer."[see footnote 8] He will say this out of respect for the dignity that God has bestowed on the people of Islam." (Muslim, Bayan Nuzul Isa ibn Maryam; Musnad Ahmad, Basilsila Marwiyat Jabir bin Abdullah)

In connection with the episode of Ibn Sayyad, Jabir bin Abdullah relates that Umar bin Khattab (RAA) submitted: "O Apostle of God, allow me to slay him. In reply the Prophet of God observed, "If indeed this man is he (referring to Dajjal), then he shall be slain by Christ, son of Mary. You shall not slay him. But if this man is not he (Dajjal), then you have no right to kill an individual from amongst those with whom we have guaranteed protection (Dhimmies)." (Mishkat, Kitab-ul-Fitan, Bab: Qissa Ibn Sayyad, quoted by Shara al-Sunnah al-Baghawi).

Jabir b. Abdullah relates that while narrating the episode of Dajjal, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) observed: "At that time Christ, son of Mary, will suddenly descend among the Muslims. A congregation will be assembled for prayer and he shall be asked: " O Spirit of God, come forward and lead (us in Prayer)." But he will say, 'No, your own Imam shall step forward and act as the leader.' Thus when the Muslims will have offered the morning Prayer, they will set out to do battle against Dajjal. When that liar will look on Christ (PBUH), he will start melting like salt in water. Christ (PBUH) shall advance towards him and slay him. And it will come to pass that every stone will cry out: 'Spirit of Allah, this Jew is hiding behind me.' Not a single follower of Dajjal will escape slaughter." (Musnad Ahmad, Basissila Riwayat Jabir b. Abdullah)

footnote 8 The implication of this observation of Christ (PBUH) is that "Someone from amongst you should act as your leader."

Hadrat an-Nawas b. Sam'an (while relating the story of Dajjal) reports: "Meantime when Dajjal will be engaged in perpetrating such deeds, God shall send Christ, son of Mary. Christ (PBUH) will descend near the white tower in the eastern quarter of Damascus, wearing two pieces of yellow garment and resting his hands upon the arms of two angels. When he will bend his head, it would seem that drops of water would fall down from his head and when he will raise his head it would seem as if pearls would be trickling in the form of drops.

Any infidel who will be within reach of the air of his breath, and the air of his breath willr each as far as his eye would see - will not escape death. Later the son of Mary will pursue Dajjal and will overtake him at the gate of Lydda [see footnote 9] and put him to death." (Muslim, Dhikr Dajjal; Abu Dawud, Kitab ul-Malahim, Bab: Khuruj; Dajjal; Tirmidhi, Abwab-ul-Fitan; Bab: Fi Fitna al-Dajjal; Ibn Majah, Kitab ul-Fitna, Bab: Fitna al-Dajjal)

Abdullah b. Amr b. al-As says that the Apostle of God (PBUH) observed: "Dajjal will arise in my people and will survive for forty (here the reporter is not certain whether the Prophet mentioned forty days or forty months or forty years). Then God shall send Christ, son of Mary, unto the world. He will resemble in appearance with 'Urwa b. Masud (a companion of the Prophet). Christ will pursue Dajjal and put him to death. Following this for a period of seven years the state of the world will be such that a quarrel between two individuals will be unknown." (Muslim, Dhikr-ul-Dajjal) footnote 9 Please note that Lod (modern Lydda) is situated at a distance of few miles from Tel Aviv, the capital of the State of Israel in Palestine. The Jews have built a large air-base at this place.

Hudhaifa b. Usaid al-Ghifari reports that "once the Holy Prophet(PBUUH) visited us when we were sitting in company and talking to each other. The holy Prophet(PBUH) enquired: "What are you talking about?" The people said,"we were talking about the doomsday." The holy Prophet(PBUH) observed :"Doomsday shall not be established before the appearance of ten signs. He then enumarated those signs as:

Smoke Dajjal Daabba Rising of the sun in the West The descent of Christ son of Mary (PBUH) Appearance of Yajuj and Majuj Formation of three huge cavities or landslide on the earth, one in the east Second in the west, and third in the Arabian Isles, Finally, a huge conflagration which will arise in Yemen and drive people towards the plain of Doom."

(Muslim, Kitab ul-Fitan wa Ashtrat-us Sa'h:Abu Dawud, Kitab ul- Malahim, bab: Amarat ul-Sa'h).

It is reported by Thauban, the freed slave of the Holy Prophet that the holy Prophet (PBUH) observed: "God will grant protection from Hell-fire to two groups from among the people of my Ummah. One group consists of those who will invade India; the other group will consist of those who will align themselves with Christ, son of Mary(PBUH)." (Nasa'i,Kitab ul-jihad;Musnad ahmad, Bisilsila Riwayat Thauban)

Mujamme b. jaria Ansari reports: "I heard the Holy Prophet(PBUH) as saying: Christ, son of Mary will slay Dajjal at the gate of Lod(Lydda)." (Musnad Ahmad , Tirmidhi, Abwab-ul-Fitan).

Abu Umama al-Bahli(mentioning Dajjal in the course of a long tradition) reports "Exactly when the Imam of the Muslims will step forward to lead the morning prayers, Christ son of Mary(PBUH) will descend among them. The Imam will retreat to make room for Christ to lead the prayers. But Christ patting the Imam in the middle of his shoulders will say "Nay thou shall act as leader, for this congregation has assembled to follow you in prayer." Hence the Imam will lead the prayers. When the prayer is over Christ(PBUH) will command, Open the Gate.' The gate shall be thrown open.

Dajjal will be present outside the gate with a host of seventy thousand Jewish troops. As soon as Dajjal catches the sight of Christ (PBUH), he will say to him," I shall strike you with such force that you will not survive the blow." Christ (PBUH) will pursue and overtake him at the Eastern gate of Lod(Lydda). God will cause the jews to be defeated. Earth shall be filled with muslims as a vessel is filled to the brim with water-the entire world shall recite the same Kalima and worship shall be offered to none else except God Almighty." (Ibn Majah,Kitab-ul-Fitan ; Bab : Fitan Dajjal) Uthman b. Abi al-As reports that he heard the Prophet of God (PBUH) as saying: "And Christ son of Mary will descend at the time of morniing prayer.

The leader of the muslims will say to him, "O spirit of God, Be thou our leader in prayer." He will answer "The people of this Ummah are leaders unto each other." At this, the leader of the muslims shall step forward and lead the prayers. When the prayer is over, Christ(PBUH) will take hold of his weapon and advance towards Dajjal. Dajjal, on seeing Christ shall start melting like lead.

Christ (PBUH) will slay him with his weapon. The companions of Dajjal will be defeated. They will flee away, but will not find a hiding place anywhere. Even the trees will cry out,"O pious, this infidel is hiding behind me," and the stones will say, "O pious, this unbeliever has taken cover behind me." (Musnad Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim)

Samura b. Jundub (in a long tradition) ascribes this saying to the Holy Prophet (PBUH): "Then at morning time Christ, son of Mary, shall descend among the Muslims. And Allah shall cause Dajjal and his hosts to suffer a most crushing defeat. Even the walls and roots of the trees will cry out, "O pious, this infidel is hiding behind me. Come and strike him to death." (Musnad Ahmad, Hakim)

A tradition related to 'Imarn b. Husain says that the Prophet of God (PBUH) observed: "There will always be a group of people among my followers who will keep firm faith in right and they shall overwhelm their opponents till God issues a decree and Christ son of Mary (PBUH) descends upon earth." (Musnad Ahmad)

With reference to the episode of Dajjal, Hadrat 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that "Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) will descend and slay Dajjal. After this Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) shall rule over the earth as a just leader and a benevolent sovereign for a period of forty years." (Musnad Ahmad)

Safina, the freed slave of the Apostle of God (PBUH) reports (in connection with the episode of Dajjal) that "Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) will descend and God shall put an end to the life of Dajjal near the slope of Afiq"[see footnote 10]. (Musnad Ahmad)

Hadrat Hudaifa b. Yama relates (with reference to Dajjal), "When the Muslims will fall in lines to offer prayers, Christ son of Mary (PBUH) shall descend from heaven before their eyes. He will lead the prayers. When the prayers are over he will say to the people: "Clear the way bewteen me and this enemy of God." God will give victory to the Muslims over the hosts of Dajjal.

The Muslims will inflict dire punishment upon the enemy. Even the trees and stones will cry out, "O Abdullah, O Abdul Rahman, O Muslim, come, here is a Jew behind me, kill him." In this way God will cause the Jews to be annihilated and Muslims shall be the victors. They will break the Cross, slaughter the swine and abolish Jizya (levied on non-Muslims)." (Mustadrak Hakim - A brief version of this tradition has been recorded in Muslim. Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath-ul-Bari Vol. VI, p. 450 declares this tradition to be authentic.)

The above are twenty-one traditions which have been transmitted on the authority of fourteen companions of the Holy Prophet and have been recorded with correct references in the most authoritative books on Hadith. In addition to these, there are numerous other traditions relating to the same subject, but we have not reproduced them here for the sake of brevity. We have taken as example only those traditions which are sound and authentic as regards chain of transmission.

Supplement 5

Footnote 10 Afiq known as Fiq in modern times is a city in Syria, situated on the borderline between Syria and Israel. There is a lake called Tibriya a few miles toward the west of the city. This lake is the source of river Jordan. Towards the southwest of this lake, there is a path between the mountains which descends two thousand feet to the point in the lake of Tibriya where the river rises. This mountainous path is called the slope of Afiq.

The Verdict of these TraditionsAnyone who reads the above traditions will come to the conclusion that they do not mention the advent of a promised Masih or a like Masih or projection of Masih. The texts referred to above leave no scope for any man who is born of human sperm from the womb of a woman to declare "I am that Masih whose advent was foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."

All the above traditions clearly and definitively proclaim the descent of that Holy Christ who was born to Mary without the instrumentality of father two thousand years ago. It is certainly of no avail at this juncture to open the debate as to whether the Holy Christ is dead or exists alive somewhere in the world. Supposing he is dead, God has the power to raise him alive[see footnote 11], otherwise also it is not beyond the Divine power of God to keep a man alive somewhere in the cosmos for as long as thousands of years; and to bring the man back to the world at His Will.

At any rate, a believer in the veracity and sanctity of the traditions will have no doubt that the traditions foretell the advent of 'Christ son of Mary' and no one else. On the contrary, if a person has no faith in the traditions, he would not be a believer in the descent of anyone, for traditions are the only bases of the doctrine of Descent.

In view of all this, it is a strange kind of funny logic to take the doctrine of Descent derived from the traditions and having torn out the clear reference to Christ son of Mary, establish a modern day 'Christ incarnate' in place of Mary's son.

Yet another point which is made equally clear by the traditions is that Christ son of Mary will not descend in the capacity of a newly appointed Apostle of God. He will not receive any Divine revelations. He will not be the bearer of any new message or repository of a fresh mandate from God, nor will he amend, enlarge or, abridge the Shariah of Muhammad (PBUH), nor indeed will Christ son of Mary be brought into the world to accomplish the renewal of faith. Christ son of Mary (PBUH) will not call upon the people to put their faith in his own prophethood, nor will he found a separate community of followers[see footnote 12].

He will be appointed to accomplish a particular task and this will be to root out the mischief of Dajjal. To serve this purpose, Jesus(PBUH) will descend in such manner that those Muslims among whom he appears, will have no doubt at all about his identity as Jesus son of Mary whose advent at a most opportune time was foretold by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Jesus(PBUH) will join the community of Muslims and will offer prayers behind the incumbent Imam of the Muslims[see footnote 13].

He will allow the incumbent Imam of the Muslims to supersede him so as to make it clear beyond any shadow of doubt that he has not descended to assert his position as a Prophet or to carry out the office of Prophethood. There is no doubt that in the presence of a Prophet among a community of people no other person can assume the office of an Imam or a leader.

Hence when Jesus(PBUH) will become an individual member of the Fraternity of Islam, this fact will in itself proclaim to the world that he has not descended to assume the office of a Prophet. On this basis, therefore, the question of opening the seal of Prophethood at the second coming of Christ is completely irrelevant.

It might be said (without actually comparing the two situations) that Jesus's advent will be like the appointment of a former Head of State to render some State service under the regime of the present Head of State. It is not too difficult for a man of ordinary common sense to understand that the appointment of a former Head of State to render some State duty under the regime of present Head is not a violation of the constitution of the State. Two cases, however, do violate the State Law. In the first case, if a former Head of State makes a bid to assume that office once again.

In the second case, if a person refutes the existence of the former regime of a defunct Head of State, for this would be tantamount to challenging the validity of the tasks carried out by the former regime. In the absence of any one of the above two eventualities, the mere appointment of a past Head of State to a State duty does not change the constitutional position. The same applies to the second advent of Christ, son of Mary.

The seal of Prophethood is not violated by his second advent. However, if he assumes the office of Prophethood once more and starts performing the duties of a Prophet or conversely a man repudiates the sanctity of Christ (PBUH) as a former Prophet, both these cases constitute a violation of God's law in respect of the creation of Prophets. The traditions have clearly ruled out the existence of both these possibilities. On the one hand, the traditions affirm that no Prophet shall come after Muhammad (PBUH). At the same time, they foretell the second coming of Christ, son of Mary. This is sufficient to make it clear that during his second advent in the world, Christ will not discharge the duties of a Prophet.

In the same manner, his advent will not give rise to a new question of faith or apostasy among the followers of Islam. Any one who repudiates the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet is an apostate. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself affirmed Christ's sanctity as a former Prophet. The followers of Muhammad (PBUH) therefore, have from the beginning, always believed in the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet. This belief will hold good even at the time of the second advent of Christ.

At that time Muslims will not put faith in the ministry of a new Prophet. They will retain their belief in the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet. This position is neither contrary to faith in the Finality of Prophethood today nor will it be derogatory to this belief at the time of Christ's second advent in the world.

The last point which is made clear by these other traditions and numerous others pertains to the fact that Dajjal (for the suppression of whose grave misdeeds God will send Christ, son of Mary(peace be on him), will arise among the nation of Jews and that he will impose as 'Masih.' No one can understand the reality of this fact without studying the history of the Jews and their religious beliefs.

After the death of Hadrat Sulaiman (PBUH) [i.e. Solomon], the tribe of Israel suffered perpetual decline until it came to pass that they became slaves of the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires and their imperial masters dispersed them over the face of the earth.

At that moment in their history the Prophet of the Jews began to deliver the glad tidings of the arrival of a 'Masih' from God who will redeem them from disgrace. On the basis of such prophecies the Jews had long awaited the advent of a 'masih' who would be a king. This king would fight and win territories. He would gather Jews from all over the world and assemble them in Palestine.

He would create a mighty Jewish Empire. Contrary to all their eager expectations when the God-appointed 'Masih', Christ son of Mary (PBUH) came without an army to win countries, the Jews repudiated his Prophethood and determined to put an end to his life. Since then the Jews all over the world have awaited the rise of a 'Masih Mau'ud,' 'The Promised Messiah,' the glad tidings of whose arrival had been delivered to them by their Prophets of yore. Their literature abounds with the wishful dreams of this millennium.

The Jews have for centuries been savoring the imaginary pleasure afforded by the description of this millennium in Talmud and the works of the Rabbis. The Jewish nation has cherished the hope that this 'Promised Messiah' would be a great military and political leader. He will restore to them the country between the rivers Nile and Euphrates (which the Jews have always coveted as their patrimony). He will gather Jews from all parts of the world and assemble them once again in this country.

Today when we look at the affairs of the Middle East in the perspective of the prophecies of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we perceive at once that the stage has been set for the emergence of the Dajjal who as was foretold by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) would rise as a 'Promised Messiah' of the Jews.

The Muslim people have been ejected from a large part of Palestine and in that part a Jewish State named 'Israel' has been set up. Jews from all over the world are converging at this place. America, Britain and France have helped to make this Jewish State a formidable military power.

The Jewish scientists and technocrats are developing this country fast with the massive aid of Jewish capital. The military and technical potential of Israel poses a grave threat to the neighboring Muslim countries. The leaders of Israel have never concealed their design of redeeming 'the land of their patrimony.' The map of the future Jewish State which they have been publishing for a long time is given on the following page. [Map omitted] It shows that they wish to include in the Jewish State the whole of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, nearly all the area of Iraq besides taking Askandron from Turkey, Sinai and Delta area from Egypt and Upper Hejaz and Najd areas from Saudi Arabia.

This of course includes the Holy City of Madina also. In this context, it is quite clear that taking advantage of the critical conditions created by a World war, the Jews will certainly make a bid to grab these areas. And at this juncture will arise Dajjal whom the Jews will deem as their 'Promised Messiah.'

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) not only prophesied the advent of this Dajjal but also had warned the Muslims that they would suffer colossal hardships and one day will seem like one year of suffering and calamity. It was for this reason that the Prophet of God (PBUH) used to pray for protection against the great evil of 'Dajjal Masih' and he used to enjoin his followers to implore Allah to save them the severity of these evil times.

It is certain that Allah will not send any 'Christ Incarnate' to combat with this 'Dajjal Masih.' He will appoint the real Christ, the Christ who was born of Mary, and whom the Jews had declined to acknowledge as a Prophet two thousand years ago. He will send the same Christ whom the Jews believed they had put out of their way by killing him. The place where the real Christ will descend is not in India, Africa or America. It is in Damascus that he will appear, because this place will be the actual battle ground at that time. Look at the map no. 1

[map has to be omitted]

and you will find that Damascus lies at a distance of hardly 50-60 miles from the orders of Israel. If you recall the text of the traditions we have cited above, you will find it not too difficult to understand that Dajjal will penetrate into Syria with 70,000 Jewish troops and will take position before Damascus. At this moment of crisis, Christ son of Mary (PBUH) will descend near a white minaret in the Eastern quarter of Damascus. After the morning prayers, Christ (PBUH) will advance with the Muslims for fighting against Dajjal. The enemy will retreat before the powerful assault of Christ son of Mary, and Dajjal will run away towards Israel by way of the slope of Afiq (Reference to Tradition No. 21). Christ (PBUH) will pursue Dajjal and destroy him on the airfield of Lydda (Traditions No. 10-14- 15).

A great slaughter of the Jews will ensue and every one of them will be annihilated. The nation of Jews will be exterminated (Traditions No. 9-15-21).

At the proclamation of truth by Christ, the Christian religion will become extinct (Traditions No. 1-2-4-6). And the followers of all religions, their former having renounced allegiances, will amalgamate to form the one and only brotherhood of Islam. The traditions reveal this fact clearly beyond any doubt.

In view of the above, the propaganda network that has been set up in our country in the name of Masih Mau'ud, 'the Promised Messiah', is unquestionably a false and bogus venture.

One of the funniest aspects of this base movement is that the person who deems himself the subject of the prophecies of Muhammad (PBUH) has given this interesting explanation of his identity as 'Christ son of Mary':

"He (God Almighty) named me Mary in the third part of Barahin-i-Ahmadia. Later, as is evident from Barahin-i--Ahmadia I was reared in the form of Mary for two years. Then, my body was filled with the soul of Christ just as the body of Mary was filled with Christ's soul and in a metaphorical sense I became pregnant with the soul of Christ. At last after a period of many months (lasting not more than ten months) I was metamorphosed from Mary into Christ by a Divine revelation which has been recorded at the end of part four of Barahin-i-Ahmadia. Hence in this way I became the son of Mary." (Kashti-e-Noah, pp. 87-89).

In other words he became Mary in the first place, then got pregnant, and lastly from his own abdomen he issued forth as Christ son of Mary. There was one snag left, however. According to the traditions, Christ son of Mary, would appear in Damascus, which has been a prominent and famous place in Syria for several thousand years and still exists by this name on the map of the world.

This difficulty was explained away by another fanciful statement: "Let it be known that in respect of the interpretation of the word 'Damascus', God Almighty has explained to me in a revelation that in this place the name Damascus has been given to a village whose inhabitants possess the characteristics of Yazid and are followers of the habits and ideas of the impure Yazid. This town of Qadian, because of the reason that most of its residents possess the traits of Yazid in their character, is akin to and bears certain resemblance to Damascus (marginal note of Izala-i-Auham, pp. 63-73).

But that was not all. Yet another problem demanded clearance, i.e., the traditions had prophesied that Christ would descend near a white pillar. This problem was finally solved when the new 'Christ' got a white pillar built for him. The traditions mentioned that the white pillar would be standing prior to the descent of Christ near it and in Qadian the pillar was built after the appearance of 'Masih Mau'ud.' But never mind the discrepancy. Anyone who reads the above interpretations of this 'Masih Mau'ud' with open eyes will arrive at the conclusion that a clear fraud has been openly perpetrated by an imposter.

footnote 11 Those who deny this possibility should go through verse 259 of Surah al- Baqarah, in which God affirms in clear words that He let one of His creatures lie dead for a hundred years and at the end of this period He raised the man alive.

footnote 12 The Ulema of Islam have explained this question in detail. 'Allama Taftazani (722 A.H. - 792 A.H.) in Shara 'Aqaid-i-Nasafi writes: "It is established that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Final Prophet......If it is said that according to the Hadith the descent of Christ (PBUH) will take place after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we shall say, "Yes, this fact has been mentioned in the traditions. But Christ (PBUH) will appear as a follower of Muhammad (PBUH). The Shariah of Christ stands abrogated. Hence he will neither receive any Divine revelations, nor will he establish any canon. In all his actions he will represent Muhammad(PBUH) only."

The same view point has been re-affirmed by 'Allama Alusi in Tafsir Ruh- al-Ma'ani: Later when Christ (PBUH) appears, he will retain his dignity as a former Prophet. After all, God will certainly not divest him of this dignity, but he will not follow his former mandate, because the Shariahs of all prophets, including that of Christ (PBUH), stand abrogated. Hence it will be a Divine obligation upon Christ (PBUH) to follow in letter and spirit the law of Muhammad (PBUH). He will receive no Divine revelation, nor will he be charged with the duty of giving new religious laws. In all his deeds, Christ will act as a representative of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he will function as a deputy and one among the rulers of the followers of Muhammad (PBUH).

Imam Razi further elucidates this point like this: The period of the Prophets extended as far as the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When Muhammad (PBUH) was raised as a Prophet, the era of the advent of new Prophets came to an end. It is not beyond comprehension that Christ (PBUH), after his descent, will act as a follower of Muhammad (PBUH).

footnote 13 Although two traditions (No.5 and 21) bear ample evidence that Jesus (PBUH) will act as leader in the first prayer after his descent, the majority of the traditions which are comparatively more authentic (vide No. 3,7,9,15,16) speak of the fact that Jesus(PBUH) will decline to lead the prayers. He will call upon the incumbent Imam of the Muslims to step forward and lead the prayers. All scholars of traditions and commentators are agreed on this latter point.

Additional Sayings about the Prophet (PBUH)

III&E Brochure Series; No. 16 (published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E)) YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MAN ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms: "....a mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12) GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him: "He must be called the Saviour of Humanity.

I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936) He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come. "His Name is MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh) He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E.

(common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three. During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence.

Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and imagine all these unbelievable wonders in just over two decades. LAMARTINE, the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders: "If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only.

They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls....his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma.

This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words." "Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, Is there any man greater than he?" (Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp 276-277) The world has had its share of great personalities.

But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.

Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.

Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections. MAHATMA GANDHI, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (pbuh) says in (YOUNG INDIA): "I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life.

It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography),

I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life." THOMAS CARLYLE in his (HEROES AND HEROWORSHIP), was simply amazed as to: "how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades." DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote: "Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12) EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of Islam write: "'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam.

The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54) Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of One and Only One God and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God.

He always described himself as, "A Servant and Messenger of God," and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be. Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, SAROJINI NAIDU says: "It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother." (S. Naidu, IDEALS OF ISLAM, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of PROF. HURGRONJE: "The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations." The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend.

Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad (pbuh) or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity - but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes: "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33) K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, ("Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam,") calls him the "Perfect model for human life." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet.

There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's (pbuh) followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

The least you could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD (pbuh) or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him? It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.

by Eng. Husain Pasha We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, Muhammad (pbuh), the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth. Please call for more information about Islam and this wonderful man, Muhammad (pbuh): The Institute of Islamic Information & Education P.O. Box 41129 Chicago, IL 60641-0129 Tel. (312) 777-7443 Fax. (312) 777-7199

Supplement 4

Hadrat Abu Huraira reports that the Apsotle (PBUH) of Allah observed: "What will you be like when the son of Mary shall descend among ye and a person among ye will discharge the office of Imam (leader in Prayers)."[see footnote 7] (Bukhari, Kitab Ahadith Anbiya, Bab: Nuzul Isa; Muslim, Nuzul Isa; Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat Abu Huraira) Hadrat Abu Huraira reports the Apsotle (PBUH) of Allah having said: "Christ, son of Mary, will then kill the swine and remove the Cross. A congregation for prayer will be held for him. He will distribute such an enormous quantity of goods that none will be left in need of anything. He will abolish taxes.

He will encamp at Rauha (a place situated at a distance of 35 miles from Medina) and from there, set out to perform Hajj or Umrah or both." (The reporter is in doubt as to which of these two had been mentioned by the Holy Prophet (PBUH). (Musnad Ahmad, Silsila Marwiyat Abi Huraira; Muslim, Kitab-ul-Hajj; Bab Jawaz-ul- Tamatttu fil-Hajj wa-al-Qir'an)

Hadrat Abu Huraira relates that the Prophet (PBUH) of God after mentioning the exile of Dajjal said: "The Muslims will be preparing for war with Dajjal and they will be falling in line in preparation for offering Prayers and the Takbir will have been said for Prayers when in the meantime Christ (PBUH), son of Mary, will descend and lead Muslims in Prayer. The enemy of God, Dajjal, on seeing him will start melting like salt in water. If Christ (PBUH) would leave Dajjal alone, he would melt and die anyway, but God will cause Dajjal to be slain at the hand of Christ (PBUH) and Christ will display his spear strained with the blood of Dajjal to the Muslims."

(Mishkat, Kitab-ul-Fitan, Bab: al-Malahim, quoted by Muslim) footnote5 The implication of "breaking the Cross" and "killing of the swine" is that Christianity will become defunct as a religion. The whole edifice of the Christian religion is based on the belief that God crucified His only son (i.e. Hadrat Isa (PBUH) on the Cross and caused him to suffer this 'accursed' death so that he might thus expiate for the sins of man. Among the followers of God's Prophets, the Christians are unique in having rejected the entire Shariah of God and retaining this belief only.

The swine has been declared unlawful by all the Prophets, but the Christians have gone as far as to make it lawful. Hence when Jesus(PBUH) will proclaim on his appearance, "I am not the son of God; I did not die on the Cross, nor did I expiate for the sins of anyone," the whole basis of Christian belief will be demolished. Similarly, the second distinctive charactertistic of Christianity will vanish when Jesus(PBUH) will say: "I never declared the swine lawful for my followers nor did I proclaim them free from the restraints of Divine Law."

footnote 6 In other words this expression means that differences between the followers of various religions will vanish and the whole mankind will join the brotherhood of Islam. Consequently, there shall no longer be any war or cause for imposing religious tax on anyone. This interpretation is supported by Tradition No. 5 and 15 quoted hereafter.

footnote 7 The implication is that Jesus(PBUH) will not act as the leader of Prayers. He will offer Prayers behind the already existing Imam of Muslims.

Hadrat Abu Huraira reports that the Apostle (PBUH) of Allah affirmed: "No Prophet shall come during the period between me and Jesus (PBUH). And Jesus shall descend. Recognize him when you see him; he is a man of medium height and of a rudy, fair complexion. He will be dressed in two pieces of yellow garment. The hair of his head will appear as if water is trickling out of them, though his hair would not be wet. He will fight for the cause of Islam. He will break the Cross into pieces.

He will slay the swine. He will abolish the Jizya on non-believers. In his time God will put an end to all other faiths except the religion of Islam. And Christ will kill Dajjal. He will live on this earth for a period of forty years and at the end of this period he will pass away. The Muslims will offer the funeral prayers of Christ (PBUH). (Abu Dawud, Kitab-ul-Malahim, Bab: Khuruj-ul-Dajjal; Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat Abu Huraira)

Hadrat Jabir bin Abdullah reports that he heard the Prophet (PBUH) as saying: "Then Christ, son of Mary, will descend. The leader of the Muslims will say to him, "Come, lead us in Prayer," but he will reply, "No be thou your own leaders in prayer."[see footnote 8] He will say this out of respect for the dignity that God has bestowed on the people of Islam." (Muslim, Bayan Nuzul Isa ibn Maryam; Musnad Ahmad, Basilsila Marwiyat Jabir bin Abdullah)

In connection with the episode of Ibn Sayyad, Jabir bin Abdullah relates that Umar bin Khattab (RAA) submitted: "O Apostle of God, allow me to slay him. In reply the Prophet of God observed, "If indeed this man is he (referring to Dajjal), then he shall be slain by Christ, son of Mary. You shall not slay him. But if this man is not he (Dajjal), then you have no right to kill an individual from amongst those with whom we have guaranteed protection (Dhimmies)." (Mishkat, Kitab-ul-Fitan, Bab: Qissa Ibn Sayyad, quoted by Shara al-Sunnah al-Baghawi).

Jabir b. Abdullah relates that while narrating the episode of Dajjal, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) observed: "At that time Christ, son of Mary, will suddenly descend among the Muslims. A congregation will be assembled for prayer and he shall be asked: " O Spirit of God, come forward and lead (us in Prayer)." But he will say, 'No, your own Imam shall step forward and act as the leader.' Thus when the Muslims will have offered the morning Prayer, they will set out to do battle against Dajjal. When that liar will look on Christ (PBUH), he will start melting like salt in water. Christ (PBUH) shall advance towards him and slay him. And it will come to pass that every stone will cry out: 'Spirit of Allah, this Jew is hiding behind me.' Not a single follower of Dajjal will escape slaughter." (Musnad Ahmad, Basissila Riwayat Jabir b. Abdullah)

footnote 8 The implication of this observation of Christ (PBUH) is that "Someone from amongst you should act as your leader."

Hadrat an-Nawas b. Sam'an (while relating the story of Dajjal) reports: "Meantime when Dajjal will be engaged in perpetrating such deeds, God shall send Christ, son of Mary. Christ (PBUH) will descend near the white tower in the eastern quarter of Damascus, wearing two pieces of yellow garment and resting his hands upon the arms of two angels. When he will bend his head, it would seem that drops of water would fall down from his head and when he will raise his head it would seem as if pearls would be trickling in the form of drops.

Any infidel who will be within reach of the air of his breath, and the air of his breath willr each as far as his eye would see - will not escape death. Later the son of Mary will pursue Dajjal and will overtake him at the gate of Lydda [see footnote 9] and put him to death." (Muslim, Dhikr Dajjal; Abu Dawud, Kitab ul-Malahim, Bab: Khuruj; Dajjal; Tirmidhi, Abwab-ul-Fitan; Bab: Fi Fitna al-Dajjal; Ibn Majah, Kitab ul-Fitna, Bab: Fitna al-Dajjal)

Abdullah b. Amr b. al-As says that the Apostle of God (PBUH) observed: "Dajjal will arise in my people and will survive for forty (here the reporter is not certain whether the Prophet mentioned forty days or forty months or forty years). Then God shall send Christ, son of Mary, unto the world. He will resemble in appearance with 'Urwa b. Masud (a companion of the Prophet). Christ will pursue Dajjal and put him to death. Following this for a period of seven years the state of the world will be such that a quarrel between two individuals will be unknown." (Muslim, Dhikr-ul-Dajjal) footnote 9 Please note that Lod (modern Lydda) is situated at a distance of few miles from Tel Aviv, the capital of the State of Israel in Palestine. The Jews have built a large air-base at this place.

Hudhaifa b. Usaid al-Ghifari reports that "once the Holy Prophet(PBUUH) visited us when we were sitting in company and talking to each other. The holy Prophet(PBUH) enquired: "What are you talking about?" The people said,"we were talking about the doomsday." The holy Prophet(PBUH) observed :"Doomsday shall not be established before the appearance of ten signs. He then enumarated those signs as:

Smoke Dajjal Daabba Rising of the sun in the West The descent of Christ son of Mary (PBUH) Appearance of Yajuj and Majuj Formation of three huge cavities or landslide on the earth, one in the east Second in the west, and third in the Arabian Isles, Finally, a huge conflagration which will arise in Yemen and drive people towards the plain of Doom."

(Muslim, Kitab ul-Fitan wa Ashtrat-us Sa'h:Abu Dawud, Kitab ul- Malahim, bab: Amarat ul-Sa'h).

It is reported by Thauban, the freed slave of the Holy Prophet that the holy Prophet (PBUH) observed: "God will grant protection from Hell-fire to two groups from among the people of my Ummah. One group consists of those who will invade India; the other group will consist of those who will align themselves with Christ, son of Mary(PBUH)." (Nasa'i,Kitab ul-jihad;Musnad ahmad, Bisilsila Riwayat Thauban)

Mujamme b. jaria Ansari reports: "I heard the Holy Prophet(PBUH) as saying: Christ, son of Mary will slay Dajjal at the gate of Lod(Lydda)." (Musnad Ahmad , Tirmidhi, Abwab-ul-Fitan).

Abu Umama al-Bahli(mentioning Dajjal in the course of a long tradition) reports "Exactly when the Imam of the Muslims will step forward to lead the morning prayers, Christ son of Mary(PBUH) will descend among them. The Imam will retreat to make room for Christ to lead the prayers. But Christ patting the Imam in the middle of his shoulders will say "Nay thou shall act as leader, for this congregation has assembled to follow you in prayer." Hence the Imam will lead the prayers. When the prayer is over Christ(PBUH) will command, Open the Gate.' The gate shall be thrown open.

Dajjal will be present outside the gate with a host of seventy thousand Jewish troops. As soon as Dajjal catches the sight of Christ (PBUH), he will say to him," I shall strike you with such force that you will not survive the blow." Christ (PBUH) will pursue and overtake him at the Eastern gate of Lod(Lydda). God will cause the jews to be defeated. Earth shall be filled with muslims as a vessel is filled to the brim with water-the entire world shall recite the same Kalima and worship shall be offered to none else except God Almighty." (Ibn Majah,Kitab-ul-Fitan ; Bab : Fitan Dajjal) Uthman b. Abi al-As reports that he heard the Prophet of God (PBUH) as saying: "And Christ son of Mary will descend at the time of morniing prayer.

The leader of the muslims will say to him, "O spirit of God, Be thou our leader in prayer." He will answer "The people of this Ummah are leaders unto each other." At this, the leader of the muslims shall step forward and lead the prayers. When the prayer is over, Christ(PBUH) will take hold of his weapon and advance towards Dajjal. Dajjal, on seeing Christ shall start melting like lead.

Christ (PBUH) will slay him with his weapon. The companions of Dajjal will be defeated. They will flee away, but will not find a hiding place anywhere. Even the trees will cry out,"O pious, this infidel is hiding behind me," and the stones will say, "O pious, this unbeliever has taken cover behind me." (Musnad Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim)

Samura b. Jundub (in a long tradition) ascribes this saying to the Holy Prophet (PBUH): "Then at morning time Christ, son of Mary, shall descend among the Muslims. And Allah shall cause Dajjal and his hosts to suffer a most crushing defeat. Even the walls and roots of the trees will cry out, "O pious, this infidel is hiding behind me. Come and strike him to death." (Musnad Ahmad, Hakim)

A tradition related to 'Imarn b. Husain says that the Prophet of God (PBUH) observed: "There will always be a group of people among my followers who will keep firm faith in right and they shall overwhelm their opponents till God issues a decree and Christ son of Mary (PBUH) descends upon earth." (Musnad Ahmad)

With reference to the episode of Dajjal, Hadrat 'Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that "Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) will descend and slay Dajjal. After this Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) shall rule over the earth as a just leader and a benevolent sovereign for a period of forty years." (Musnad Ahmad)

Safina, the freed slave of the Apostle of God (PBUH) reports (in connection with the episode of Dajjal) that "Hadrat 'Isa (PBUH) will descend and God shall put an end to the life of Dajjal near the slope of Afiq"[see footnote 10]. (Musnad Ahmad)

Hadrat Hudaifa b. Yama relates (with reference to Dajjal), "When the Muslims will fall in lines to offer prayers, Christ son of Mary (PBUH) shall descend from heaven before their eyes. He will lead the prayers. When the prayers are over he will say to the people: "Clear the way bewteen me and this enemy of God." God will give victory to the Muslims over the hosts of Dajjal.

The Muslims will inflict dire punishment upon the enemy. Even the trees and stones will cry out, "O Abdullah, O Abdul Rahman, O Muslim, come, here is a Jew behind me, kill him." In this way God will cause the Jews to be annihilated and Muslims shall be the victors. They will break the Cross, slaughter the swine and abolish Jizya (levied on non-Muslims)." (Mustadrak Hakim - A brief version of this tradition has been recorded in Muslim. Hafiz Ibn Hajar in Fath-ul-Bari Vol. VI, p. 450 declares this tradition to be authentic.)

The above are twenty-one traditions which have been transmitted on the authority of fourteen companions of the Holy Prophet and have been recorded with correct references in the most authoritative books on Hadith. In addition to these, there are numerous other traditions relating to the same subject, but we have not reproduced them here for the sake of brevity. We have taken as example only those traditions which are sound and authentic as regards chain of transmission.

Supplement 5

Footnote 10 Afiq known as Fiq in modern times is a city in Syria, situated on the borderline between Syria and Israel. There is a lake called Tibriya a few miles toward the west of the city. This lake is the source of river Jordan. Towards the southwest of this lake, there is a path between the mountains which descends two thousand feet to the point in the lake of Tibriya where the river rises. This mountainous path is called the slope of Afiq.

The Verdict of these TraditionsAnyone who reads the above traditions will come to the conclusion that they do not mention the advent of a promised Masih or a like Masih or projection of Masih. The texts referred to above leave no scope for any man who is born of human sperm from the womb of a woman to declare "I am that Masih whose advent was foretold by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)."

All the above traditions clearly and definitively proclaim the descent of that Holy Christ who was born to Mary without the instrumentality of father two thousand years ago. It is certainly of no avail at this juncture to open the debate as to whether the Holy Christ is dead or exists alive somewhere in the world. Supposing he is dead, God has the power to raise him alive[see footnote 11], otherwise also it is not beyond the Divine power of God to keep a man alive somewhere in the cosmos for as long as thousands of years; and to bring the man back to the world at His Will.

At any rate, a believer in the veracity and sanctity of the traditions will have no doubt that the traditions foretell the advent of 'Christ son of Mary' and no one else. On the contrary, if a person has no faith in the traditions, he would not be a believer in the descent of anyone, for traditions are the only bases of the doctrine of Descent.

In view of all this, it is a strange kind of funny logic to take the doctrine of Descent derived from the traditions and having torn out the clear reference to Christ son of Mary, establish a modern day 'Christ incarnate' in place of Mary's son.

Yet another point which is made equally clear by the traditions is that Christ son of Mary will not descend in the capacity of a newly appointed Apostle of God. He will not receive any Divine revelations. He will not be the bearer of any new message or repository of a fresh mandate from God, nor will he amend, enlarge or, abridge the Shariah of Muhammad (PBUH), nor indeed will Christ son of Mary be brought into the world to accomplish the renewal of faith. Christ son of Mary (PBUH) will not call upon the people to put their faith in his own prophethood, nor will he found a separate community of followers[see footnote 12].

He will be appointed to accomplish a particular task and this will be to root out the mischief of Dajjal. To serve this purpose, Jesus(PBUH) will descend in such manner that those Muslims among whom he appears, will have no doubt at all about his identity as Jesus son of Mary whose advent at a most opportune time was foretold by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Jesus(PBUH) will join the community of Muslims and will offer prayers behind the incumbent Imam of the Muslims[see footnote 13].

He will allow the incumbent Imam of the Muslims to supersede him so as to make it clear beyond any shadow of doubt that he has not descended to assert his position as a Prophet or to carry out the office of Prophethood. There is no doubt that in the presence of a Prophet among a community of people no other person can assume the office of an Imam or a leader.

Hence when Jesus(PBUH) will become an individual member of the Fraternity of Islam, this fact will in itself proclaim to the world that he has not descended to assume the office of a Prophet. On this basis, therefore, the question of opening the seal of Prophethood at the second coming of Christ is completely irrelevant.

It might be said (without actually comparing the two situations) that Jesus's advent will be like the appointment of a former Head of State to render some State service under the regime of the present Head of State. It is not too difficult for a man of ordinary common sense to understand that the appointment of a former Head of State to render some State duty under the regime of present Head is not a violation of the constitution of the State. Two cases, however, do violate the State Law. In the first case, if a former Head of State makes a bid to assume that office once again.

In the second case, if a person refutes the existence of the former regime of a defunct Head of State, for this would be tantamount to challenging the validity of the tasks carried out by the former regime. In the absence of any one of the above two eventualities, the mere appointment of a past Head of State to a State duty does not change the constitutional position. The same applies to the second advent of Christ, son of Mary.

The seal of Prophethood is not violated by his second advent. However, if he assumes the office of Prophethood once more and starts performing the duties of a Prophet or conversely a man repudiates the sanctity of Christ (PBUH) as a former Prophet, both these cases constitute a violation of God's law in respect of the creation of Prophets. The traditions have clearly ruled out the existence of both these possibilities. On the one hand, the traditions affirm that no Prophet shall come after Muhammad (PBUH). At the same time, they foretell the second coming of Christ, son of Mary. This is sufficient to make it clear that during his second advent in the world, Christ will not discharge the duties of a Prophet.

In the same manner, his advent will not give rise to a new question of faith or apostasy among the followers of Islam. Any one who repudiates the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet is an apostate. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself affirmed Christ's sanctity as a former Prophet. The followers of Muhammad (PBUH) therefore, have from the beginning, always believed in the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet. This belief will hold good even at the time of the second advent of Christ.

At that time Muslims will not put faith in the ministry of a new Prophet. They will retain their belief in the sanctity of Christ as a former Prophet. This position is neither contrary to faith in the Finality of Prophethood today nor will it be derogatory to this belief at the time of Christ's second advent in the world.

The last point which is made clear by these other traditions and numerous others pertains to the fact that Dajjal (for the suppression of whose grave misdeeds God will send Christ, son of Mary(peace be on him), will arise among the nation of Jews and that he will impose as 'Masih.' No one can understand the reality of this fact without studying the history of the Jews and their religious beliefs.

After the death of Hadrat Sulaiman (PBUH) [i.e. Solomon], the tribe of Israel suffered perpetual decline until it came to pass that they became slaves of the Babylonian and Assyrian Empires and their imperial masters dispersed them over the face of the earth.

At that moment in their history the Prophet of the Jews began to deliver the glad tidings of the arrival of a 'Masih' from God who will redeem them from disgrace. On the basis of such prophecies the Jews had long awaited the advent of a 'masih' who would be a king. This king would fight and win territories. He would gather Jews from all over the world and assemble them in Palestine.

He would create a mighty Jewish Empire. Contrary to all their eager expectations when the God-appointed 'Masih', Christ son of Mary (PBUH) came without an army to win countries, the Jews repudiated his Prophethood and determined to put an end to his life. Since then the Jews all over the world have awaited the rise of a 'Masih Mau'ud,' 'The Promised Messiah,' the glad tidings of whose arrival had been delivered to them by their Prophets of yore. Their literature abounds with the wishful dreams of this millennium.

The Jews have for centuries been savoring the imaginary pleasure afforded by the description of this millennium in Talmud and the works of the Rabbis. The Jewish nation has cherished the hope that this 'Promised Messiah' would be a great military and political leader. He will restore to them the country between the rivers Nile and Euphrates (which the Jews have always coveted as their patrimony). He will gather Jews from all parts of the world and assemble them once again in this country.

Today when we look at the affairs of the Middle East in the perspective of the prophecies of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), we perceive at once that the stage has been set for the emergence of the Dajjal who as was foretold by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) would rise as a 'Promised Messiah' of the Jews.

The Muslim people have been ejected from a large part of Palestine and in that part a Jewish State named 'Israel' has been set up. Jews from all over the world are converging at this place. America, Britain and France have helped to make this Jewish State a formidable military power.

The Jewish scientists and technocrats are developing this country fast with the massive aid of Jewish capital. The military and technical potential of Israel poses a grave threat to the neighboring Muslim countries. The leaders of Israel have never concealed their design of redeeming 'the land of their patrimony.' The map of the future Jewish State which they have been publishing for a long time is given on the following page. [Map omitted] It shows that they wish to include in the Jewish State the whole of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, nearly all the area of Iraq besides taking Askandron from Turkey, Sinai and Delta area from Egypt and Upper Hejaz and Najd areas from Saudi Arabia.

This of course includes the Holy City of Madina also. In this context, it is quite clear that taking advantage of the critical conditions created by a World war, the Jews will certainly make a bid to grab these areas. And at this juncture will arise Dajjal whom the Jews will deem as their 'Promised Messiah.'

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) not only prophesied the advent of this Dajjal but also had warned the Muslims that they would suffer colossal hardships and one day will seem like one year of suffering and calamity. It was for this reason that the Prophet of God (PBUH) used to pray for protection against the great evil of 'Dajjal Masih' and he used to enjoin his followers to implore Allah to save them the severity of these evil times.

It is certain that Allah will not send any 'Christ Incarnate' to combat with this 'Dajjal Masih.' He will appoint the real Christ, the Christ who was born of Mary, and whom the Jews had declined to acknowledge as a Prophet two thousand years ago. He will send the same Christ whom the Jews believed they had put out of their way by killing him. The place where the real Christ will descend is not in India, Africa or America. It is in Damascus that he will appear, because this place will be the actual battle ground at that time. Look at the map no. 1

[map has to be omitted]

and you will find that Damascus lies at a distance of hardly 50-60 miles from the orders of Israel. If you recall the text of the traditions we have cited above, you will find it not too difficult to understand that Dajjal will penetrate into Syria with 70,000 Jewish troops and will take position before Damascus. At this moment of crisis, Christ son of Mary (PBUH) will descend near a white minaret in the Eastern quarter of Damascus. After the morning prayers, Christ (PBUH) will advance with the Muslims for fighting against Dajjal. The enemy will retreat before the powerful assault of Christ son of Mary, and Dajjal will run away towards Israel by way of the slope of Afiq (Reference to Tradition No. 21). Christ (PBUH) will pursue Dajjal and destroy him on the airfield of Lydda (Traditions No. 10-14- 15).

A great slaughter of the Jews will ensue and every one of them will be annihilated. The nation of Jews will be exterminated (Traditions No. 9-15-21).

At the proclamation of truth by Christ, the Christian religion will become extinct (Traditions No. 1-2-4-6). And the followers of all religions, their former having renounced allegiances, will amalgamate to form the one and only brotherhood of Islam. The traditions reveal this fact clearly beyond any doubt.

In view of the above, the propaganda network that has been set up in our country in the name of Masih Mau'ud, 'the Promised Messiah', is unquestionably a false and bogus venture.

One of the funniest aspects of this base movement is that the person who deems himself the subject of the prophecies of Muhammad (PBUH) has given this interesting explanation of his identity as 'Christ son of Mary':

"He (God Almighty) named me Mary in the third part of Barahin-i-Ahmadia. Later, as is evident from Barahin-i--Ahmadia I was reared in the form of Mary for two years. Then, my body was filled with the soul of Christ just as the body of Mary was filled with Christ's soul and in a metaphorical sense I became pregnant with the soul of Christ. At last after a period of many months (lasting not more than ten months) I was metamorphosed from Mary into Christ by a Divine revelation which has been recorded at the end of part four of Barahin-i-Ahmadia. Hence in this way I became the son of Mary." (Kashti-e-Noah, pp. 87-89).

In other words he became Mary in the first place, then got pregnant, and lastly from his own abdomen he issued forth as Christ son of Mary. There was one snag left, however. According to the traditions, Christ son of Mary, would appear in Damascus, which has been a prominent and famous place in Syria for several thousand years and still exists by this name on the map of the world.

This difficulty was explained away by another fanciful statement: "Let it be known that in respect of the interpretation of the word 'Damascus', God Almighty has explained to me in a revelation that in this place the name Damascus has been given to a village whose inhabitants possess the characteristics of Yazid and are followers of the habits and ideas of the impure Yazid. This town of Qadian, because of the reason that most of its residents possess the traits of Yazid in their character, is akin to and bears certain resemblance to Damascus (marginal note of Izala-i-Auham, pp. 63-73).

But that was not all. Yet another problem demanded clearance, i.e., the traditions had prophesied that Christ would descend near a white pillar. This problem was finally solved when the new 'Christ' got a white pillar built for him. The traditions mentioned that the white pillar would be standing prior to the descent of Christ near it and in Qadian the pillar was built after the appearance of 'Masih Mau'ud.' But never mind the discrepancy. Anyone who reads the above interpretations of this 'Masih Mau'ud' with open eyes will arrive at the conclusion that a clear fraud has been openly perpetrated by an imposter.

footnote 11 Those who deny this possibility should go through verse 259 of Surah al- Baqarah, in which God affirms in clear words that He let one of His creatures lie dead for a hundred years and at the end of this period He raised the man alive.

footnote 12 The Ulema of Islam have explained this question in detail. 'Allama Taftazani (722 A.H. - 792 A.H.) in Shara 'Aqaid-i-Nasafi writes: "It is established that Muhammad (PBUH) is the Final Prophet......If it is said that according to the Hadith the descent of Christ (PBUH) will take place after Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we shall say, "Yes, this fact has been mentioned in the traditions. But Christ (PBUH) will appear as a follower of Muhammad (PBUH). The Shariah of Christ stands abrogated. Hence he will neither receive any Divine revelations, nor will he establish any canon. In all his actions he will represent Muhammad(PBUH) only."

The same view point has been re-affirmed by 'Allama Alusi in Tafsir Ruh- al-Ma'ani: Later when Christ (PBUH) appears, he will retain his dignity as a former Prophet. After all, God will certainly not divest him of this dignity, but he will not follow his former mandate, because the Shariahs of all prophets, including that of Christ (PBUH), stand abrogated. Hence it will be a Divine obligation upon Christ (PBUH) to follow in letter and spirit the law of Muhammad (PBUH). He will receive no Divine revelation, nor will he be charged with the duty of giving new religious laws. In all his deeds, Christ will act as a representative of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he will function as a deputy and one among the rulers of the followers of Muhammad (PBUH).

Imam Razi further elucidates this point like this: The period of the Prophets extended as far as the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). When Muhammad (PBUH) was raised as a Prophet, the era of the advent of new Prophets came to an end. It is not beyond comprehension that Christ (PBUH), after his descent, will act as a follower of Muhammad (PBUH).

footnote 13 Although two traditions (No.5 and 21) bear ample evidence that Jesus (PBUH) will act as leader in the first prayer after his descent, the majority of the traditions which are comparatively more authentic (vide No. 3,7,9,15,16) speak of the fact that Jesus(PBUH) will decline to lead the prayers. He will call upon the incumbent Imam of the Muslims to step forward and lead the prayers. All scholars of traditions and commentators are agreed on this latter point.

Additional Sayings about the Prophet (PBUH)

III&E Brochure Series; No. 16 (published by The Institute of Islamic Information and Education (III&E)) YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS MAN ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA confirms: "....a mass of detail in the early sources show that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were like-wise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12) GEORGE BERNARD SHAW said about him: "He must be called the Saviour of Humanity.

I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936) He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come. "His Name is MUHAMMAD" May Peace of God Be Upon Him (pbuh) He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E.

(common era), started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three. During this short period of 23 years of his Prophethood, he changed the complete Arabian peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence.

Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since - and imagine all these unbelievable wonders in just over two decades. LAMARTINE, the renowned historian speaking on the essentials of human greatness wonders: "If greatness of purpose, smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men created arms, laws and empires only.

They founded, if anything at all, no more than material powers which often crumbled away before their eyes. This man moved not only armies, legislation, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls....his forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to restore a dogma.

This dogma was two-fold, the unity of God and the immateriality of God; the former telling what God is, the latter telling what God is not; the one overthrowing false gods with the sword, the other starting an idea with the words." "Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all the standards by which Human Greatness may be measured, we may well ask, Is there any man greater than he?" (Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp 276-277) The world has had its share of great personalities.

But these were one-sided figures who distinguished themselves in but one or two fields, such as religious thought or military leadership. The lives and teachings of these great personalities of the world are shrouded in the mist of time. There is so much speculation about the time and place of their birth, the mode and style of their life, the nature and detail of their teachings and the degree and measure of their success or failure that it is impossible for humanity to reconstruct accurately the lives and teachings of these men.

Not so this man. Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished so much in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior in the fullest blaze of human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances has been accurately documented and faithfully preserved to our day. The authenticity of the record so preserved are vouched for not only by the faithful followers but even by his prejudiced critics.

Muhammad (pbuh) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father - all in one. No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life - but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (pbuh) to achieve such incredible perfections. MAHATMA GANDHI, speaking on the character of Muhammad, (pbuh) says in (YOUNG INDIA): "I wanted to know the best of one who holds today's undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind....I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life.

It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to this friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography),

I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life." THOMAS CARLYLE in his (HEROES AND HEROWORSHIP), was simply amazed as to: "how one man single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades." DIWAN CHAND SHARMA wrote: "Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." (D.C. Sharma, THE PROPHETS OF THE EAST, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12) EDWARD GIBBON and SIMON OCKLEY speaking on the profession of Islam write: "'I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam.

The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet has never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRES, London, 1870, p. 54) Muhammad (pbuh) was nothing more or less than a human being. But he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of One and Only One God and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God.

He always described himself as, "A Servant and Messenger of God," and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be. Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, SAROJINI NAIDU says: "It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother." (S. Naidu, IDEALS OF ISLAM, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of PROF. HURGRONJE: "The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues: "The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations." The world has not hesitated to raise to divinity, individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend.

Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad (pbuh) accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad (pbuh) or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a Son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity - but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

MICHAEL H. HART in his recently published book on ratings of men who contributed towards the benefit and upliftment of mankind writes: "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels." (M.H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York, 1978, p. 33) K. S. RAMAKRISHNA RAO, an Indian Professor of Philosophy in his booklet, ("Muhammad, The Prophet of Islam,") calls him the "Perfect model for human life." Prof. Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying: "The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes! There is Muhammad, the Prophet.

There is Muhammad, the Warrior; Muhammad, the Businessman; Muhammad, the Statesman; Muhammad, the Orator; Muhammad, the Reformer; Muhammad, the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad, the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad, the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad, the Judge; Muhammad, the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad's (pbuh) followers but also the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.

The least you could do as a thinking and concerned human being is to stop for a moment and ask yourself: Could these statements sounding so extraordinary and revolutionary be really true? And supposing they really are true and you did not know this man MUHAMMAD (pbuh) or hear about him, isn't it time you responded to this tremendous challenge and put in some effort to know him? It will cost you nothing but it may prove to be the beginning of a completely new era in your life.

by Eng. Husain Pasha We invite you to make a discovery of this wonderful man, Muhammad (pbuh), the like of whom never walked on the face of this earth. Please call for more information about Islam and this wonderful man, Muhammad (pbuh): The Institute of Islamic Information & Education P.O. Box 41129 Chicago, IL 60641-0129 Tel. (312) 777-7443 Fax. (312) 777-7199