Al-Kāfi - Volume 1 > The Time When the Imam Learns the Knowledge of the Imam before him (a.s.)
Hadith #1

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَتَى يَعْرِفُ الاخِيرُ مَا عِنْدَ الاوَّلِ قَالَ فِي آخِرِ دَقِيقَةٍ تَبْقَى مِنْ رُوحِهِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Hakam ibn Miskin from certain persons of our people who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘When does the succeeding one (Imam) come to know of what the one preceding him knew?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “At the last minute of the life of the Imam before him.”

Grading:

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مجهول - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (3/175)

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: ضعيف - Sahih al-Kafi

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Hadith #2

2ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ وَجَمَاعَةٍ مَعَهُ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ يَعْرِفُ الَّذِي بَعْدَ الامَامِ عِلْمَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ فِي آخِرِ دَقِيقَةٍ تَبْقَى مِنْ رُوحِهِ.

2. Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Hakam ibn Miskin from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah and a group with him who has said the following. “We heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say, ‘The succeeding Imam comes to know of the knowledge of the preceding Imam in the last minute of the time left from his life.’”

Grading:

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مجهول كالحسن - Mir‘at al ‘Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al al Rasul (175/ 3)

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: ضعيف - Sahih al-Kafi

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Hadith #3

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ الامَامُ مَتَى يَعْرِفُ إِمَامَتَهُ وَيَنْتَهِي الامْرُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فِي آخِرِ دَقِيقَةٍ مِنْ حَيَاةِ الاوَّلِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Ali ibn Asbat from certain persons of his people who has said that I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “When does the Imam come to know that he has become the Imam and position is transferred to him?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “At the last minute of the life of the preceding Imam (a.s.).”

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