Al-Kāfi

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

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the person whose name he mentioned from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-‘Alawi from Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “I heard abu al-Hassan al-‘Skari (a.s.) saying, ‘The succeeding Imam after me will be al-Hassan (a.s.). How will it be for you in the case of the succeeding Imam after the Imam succeeding myself?” I then asked, “ May Allah take my souls in service for your cause, why will that be so?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “You will not see his person and it will not be permissible for you to mention his name.” I then asked, “How then will we speak of him?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Say, al-Hujja, (th Leader with Divine Authority) from the family of Muhammad (s.a).”

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

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah al-Salihi who has said the following. “After abu Muhammad had passed away certain individuals of our community asked me to ask about the name (of the twelfth Imam (a.s.) and his place. The following came as the reply. “If you would guide them to the name they will publicize it. If they would know the place they will show it to others.”

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

3. A number of our people has narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from al-Rayyan ibn as-Salt who has said the following. “I heard abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) say, when asked al-Qa’im (the one who will establish the kingdom of All), ‘He will not be seen physically nor his very name will particularly be mentioned.”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “No one will pronounce the exact name of the in charge of this task (Leadership with Divine Authority), except an unbeliever.”