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

1. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah and Muhammad ibn Yahya, all have narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Ja‘far al-Himyari who has said the following. “I and shaykh abu ‘Amr, may Allah grant him blessings met each other before Ahmad ibn Ishaq. Ahmad ibn Ishaq made an eye gesture to me to ask him about the succeeding Imam. I said to him, “O abu ‘Amr, I like to ask you a question about a matter, although, I do not any doubts in the question I am about to ask. It is my belief and religion that the earth is not left without a Leadership with Divine Authority except if would be just before the coming of the Day of Judgment by forty days because in such a period Leadership with Divine Authority will take away. The door to repentance will be closed. No soul will benefit from the faith with which it has not achieved any good deeds. “. . the belief of any soul will be of no avail to it unless some good deeds have been done with it, or it has been formed before the coming of such a day. .” (6:158) Such people would be of the evil creatures of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, and it is these people on whom the Day of Judgment will be established. However, I wanted to strengthen my faith further just as Abrahm (a.s.) asked his Lord, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, to show him how would He will bring the dead to life again. He said, “When Abraham prayed, “Lord, show me how you bring the dead back to life,” the Lord said, “Do you not yet believe?” Abraham replied, “I believe but want more confidence for my heart.. .” (2:260) Abu Ali Ahmad ibn Ishaq has inarrated to me from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said that he asked the Imam (a.s.), “With who should I deal and ask questions about my faith and religion and whose words should I accept (after you)?” The Imam (a.s.) said to him, “Al-‘Amri is trustworthy to me. Whatever he will deliver to you is from me. From me he delivers. Whatever he would say is from me, from me he saays it. Listen to him and obey him because he is reliable and trustworthy. Abu Ali has said to me that he asked abu Muhammad (a.s.) a similar question and he said to him, “Al-‘Amri and his son are trustworthy people. Whatever they would deliver to you is from me from they deliover. Whatevet they say to you from they say it. Listen to them and obey them because they are trustworthy and reliable people. These are the words of the Imams spoken about you. Abu ‘Amr fell down on his face in prostration and wept. Then he said, “Ask what you need to ask.” I said, “Did you see the succeeding Imam (Leader with Divine Authority) after abu Muhammad (a.s.) ?” He said, “Yes, by Allah , his neck was like that-making a gesture with his hand.” I then said, “Onne more question is left.” He said, “Say, whaever is is it.” I said, “What is his (succeding Imam) name?” He said, “It is unlawful for you to ask about it. I do not say this because abu left this world without a surviving son. His legacy is distributed and is taken away by one who has no right in it. He is (that prson). His family is despersed and no one has the courage to learn about them or recieve any thing from them. When the name is mentioned search for him will take place. Have fear of Allah and abstain from it.” Al-Kulayni, may Allah grant his soul blessings, has said, “:A shaykh from our people narrated this to me – his name I have forgotten- that abu’Amr asked Ahmad ibn Ishaq a similar question and received a similar answer.”

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

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far, the most senior (in his time) of the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, in Iraq has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.)) between the two mosque while he was a boy.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Rizqillah abu ‘Abdallah ‘Abdallah who has said the following. “Musa ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ibn Hamzah ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far narrated to me that Hakima, the daughter of Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) and the paternal aunt of his (the twelfth’s) father, said to me that she had seen him on the night of his birth and afterwards.”

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

4. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Hamdan al-Qalanisi who has said the following. “I asked al-‘Amri, “Has abu Muhammad (a.s.) passed away?” He said, “Yes, he has passed away but has left behind among you a person (the succeeding Imam) whose neck is like this. He made a sign with his hand (meaning thereby good health and beauty).”

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

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Fath, Mawla (slave) of al-Zurari who has said the following. “I heard abu Ali ibn Mutahhar saying that has seen him (the twelfth Imam) and would describe his (Imam’s) figure.”

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

6. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Shadhan ibn Nu‘aym from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdahu al-Naysaburi’s house maid who has said the following. “I was standing with Ibrahim on al-Safa’ that he (the twelfth Imam) came and stood higher than Ibrahim, took his Hajj guide book and spoke to him about a number of things.”

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

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim from abu ‘Abdallah ibn Salih who has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam) near the Black Stone while people were clinging over it. The Imam (a.s.) would say, “They are not commanded in this condition ( to kiss the Black Stone.”

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

8. Ali has narrated from abu Ali Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Idris from his father who has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam) after the death of abu Muhammad (a.s.) when he had reached adolescence. I kissed his hand and head.”

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

9. Ali has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah ibn Salih and Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from al-Qanbari, one of the descendants of Qanbar al-Kabir (great), the slave of abuu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following. “Once Ja‘far ibn Ali was mentioned and he reproached him. I said to him, “Well, there is no one (in his family) besides him. Have you seen him?” He said, “I have not seen him (the twelfth Imam) but other people have seen him.” I then asked, “Who has seen him?” He said, “Ja‘far has seen him twice and he has quite a story about it to tell.”

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

10. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu Muhammad al-Wajnani who has said the following. “He narrated to me from a person who had seen him (The Imam (a.s) in the words below. ‘He (the twelfth Imam) came out the house ten days before his father would leave this world and said, “O Lord, You know that this is the most lovely place to me, had there been no expulsion.” Or that he spoke a similar expression.”

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

11. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn Qays from one of the security men jalawiza, plural of jilwaz, from the (al-Sawad) rural area of Iraq who has said the following. “I saw Sima’(a man) soon after the death of abu Muhammad (a.s) in Surra man ra’a (a city in Iraq) who had just broken the door (of the tenth Imam (a.s.). He (the twelfth Imam) came out to him with an ax in his hand and said, “What are you doing to my house?” Sima said, “Ja‘far thinks that your father has passed away with leaving any son behind. If it is your house, I then get out.” He went out of the house. Ali ibn al-Qays has said, “A servant of the servants of the house came out to us and I asked about this new. He asked me, “Who has told you a such thing.?” I said, “A security man of rural area has told me.” He then said, “Almost nothing remains hidden from people.”

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

12. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Kufi from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Makfuf from ‘Amr al-Ahwazi who has said the following. “Abu Muhammad (a.s.) showed him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) to me and said, “This will be your master (Leader with Divine Authority).”

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

13. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Naysaburi from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Musa ibn Ja’far from abu Nasr Zarif, the servant (of abu Muhammad (a.s.) who has said that he saw him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) .

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

14. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad and al-Hassan, two sons of Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated to him in the year two hundred seventy nine from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Abdi from Daw’ ibn Ali al-‘Ijli from a man from the people of Fars whose name he mentioned has that abu Muhammad (a.s.) him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) ) to him.

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

15. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu Ahmad ibn Rashid from one of the people of al-Mada’in who has said the following. “I and a friend of mine were in Makka to perform Hajj. When we arrived in ‘Arafat (a famous place) we found a young man sitting on the ground. He had a piece of clothe on him for the lower part of the body called ’Izar and another piece for the upper part of the body called Rida’ wearing on his feet a yellow footwear. I estimated the ’Izar and Rida’ for about a hundred and fifty Dinars. No sign of journey was visible on him. A beggar approached us and we turned him down. He then approached the young man and asked him for help. He picked up something from the ground and gave it to him. The beggar prayed for him. He assiduously prayed and prolonged it. The young man stood up and disappeared from our eyes. We went closer to the beggar and said, “Fie up on you! What did he gave you?” He showed us pebbles of gold with marks on them. We estimated them to value about twenty Mithqal (a certain unit of weight). I then said to my companion, “Our master was with us and we did not know.” We then went to searched him in the whole of station but we could not find him. We then asked every one around the area where we had seen him earlier, of the people of Makka and Madina and they said, “He is a ‘Alawi (descendent of Ali (a.s.) young man and he performs Hajj every year on foot.”