Introduction

Discussion on occultation of Imam Mahdi(a.s)

First Principle: Necessity of Imamate

Second Principle: Infallibility of Imam

Third Principle: Truth will never leave the Islamic Ummah

Invalidity of Kaisaniyya creed

Refutation of Nawusiyya belief

Refutation of Waqifiya belief

Traditional reports about the martyrdom of Imam Kadhim

Clear declaration of Imam Kadhim about the Imamate of Imam Ridha

Evidence of the Imamate of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and refutation of Waqifiya

Factors of appearance of Waqifi sect

Traditional reports in condemnation of Waqifites

Some miracles of Imam Ali Ibn Musa Ridha

Objections of the opponents with regard to the birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s)

Refutation of all sects, which believed in Imamate of someone other than Master of the Age (a.s)

Philosophy and wisdom of Occultation

What is the difference between a hidden Imam and an Imam who does not exist or one that exists in the heavens?

Application of Divine Penalties during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a.s)

Discerning truth during occultation of the Imam

Statement of Sayyid Murtadha (r.a)

Reason of occultation of the Imam from his followers

Concealed Birth of the Imam of the Time (a.s) was not an extraordinary event

Stories of people with long lifespans from Arabs and non-Arabs are famous and chronicled in books and history.

Reports of Ahle Sunnat that Imams are twelve in number

Shia traditional reports on the topic that Imams are twelve in number

Traditions of the Holy Imams on the occultation of Imam Mahdi

Traditional reports that confirm the uprising of Imam Mahdi

Mahdi is from the progeny of Ali and Fatima (a.s)

Mahdi is from the progeny of Imam Husain (a.s)

Refutation of Kaisaniya belief and account of the demise of Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah

Refutation of those who stopped at the Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and said that he is the Promised Mahdi

Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)

Evidence of the Birth of the Master of the Age

Reports of those who saw the Imam of the Time (a.s)

Miracles of the Master of the time during his Occultation

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s)

Causes of delay in reappearance of the Master of the Affair

Test of Shia during the period of occultation of the Imam

Reports of the Emissaries of Imam (a.s) during the period of occultation

Approved Emissaries

Emissaries condemned by the Imam

Special Emissaries of the Imam during the Occultation

Questions of Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari

Excellence of Husain bin Rauh continued

Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Saymoori

False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams

Appointees of the four special deputies of the Imam

Long lifespan of the Imam (a.s)

Time of reappearance of the Imam (a.s)

Signs preceding the reappearance of Imam Mahdi (a.s)

Some Qualities, practices and manners of the Master of the Age (a.s)

وأما ما روي من الطعن على رواة الواقفة فأكثر من أن يحصى، وهو موجود في كتب أصحابنا نحن نذكر طرفا منه:

As for reports, which has come in ridicule and condemnation of Waqifiya and which are present in the books of our scholars; they are much more than that which can be counted, therefore we have mentioned only some of them.

70- روى محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى الأشعري عن عبد الله بن محمد عن الخشاب عن أبي داود قال: كنت أنا وعيينة بياع القصب عند علي بن أبي حمزة البطائني، وكان رئيس الواقفة،فسمعته يقول: قال لي أبو إبراهيم عليه السلام: إنما أنت وأصحابك، يا علي، أشباه الحمير. فقال لي عيينة: أسمعت؟ قلت: إي والله لقد سمعت.فقال: لا والله،لا أنقل إليه قدمي ما حييت.

H 70 - Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya Ashari has narrated from Abdullah bin Muhammad from Khashshab from Abu Dawood that he said: I and Uyyana, the cane-seller, were in the company of Ali bin Abi Hamza Bataini, chief of Waqifiya. I heard him say: Abu Ibrahim (a.s) said to me: O Ali Ibn Abi Hamza, you and your companions are like donkeys (fools). Uyyana asked me: Did you hear that? I replied: Yes, by Allah, I heard it. Uyyana said: No, By God, I will never go to him as long as I am alive.

71- وروى ابن عقدة عن علي بن الحسن بن فضال عن محمد بن عمر بن يزيد وعلي بن أسباط جميعا قالا: قال لنا عثمان بن عيسى الرواسي: حدثني زياد القندي وابن مسكان قالا: كنـا عنـد أبي إبـراهيم عليـه السلام إذ قال: يدخل عليكم الساعة خير أهل الأرض. فدخل  أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام وهو صبي. فقلنا: خير أهل الأرض. ثم دنا فضمه إليه فقبله وقال: يا بني، تدري ما قال ذان؟ قال: نعم، يا سيدي، هذان يشكان فيّ.  قال علي بن أسباط: فحدثت بهذا الحديث الحسن بن محبوب فقال: بتر الحديث… لا،ولكن حدثني علي بن رئاب أن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام قال لهما: إن جحدتماه حقه أو خنتماه فعليكما لعنة الله والملائكة والناس أجمعين. يا زياد، لا تنجب أنت وأصحابك أبدا. قال علي بن رئاب: فلقيت زياد القندي فقلت له: بلغني أن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام قال لك كذا وكذا. فقال: أحسبك قد خولطت! فمر وتركني فلم أكلمه ولا مررت به. قال الحسن بن محبوب: فلم نزل نتوقع لزياد دعوة أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام حتى ظهر منه أيام الرضا عليه السلام ما ظهر،ومات زنديقا.

H 71 - Ibn Uqda narrated from Ali bin Hasan bin Faddal from Muhammad bin Umar bin Yazid and Ali bin Asbat, all together have said: Uthman bin Isa said to me in a report: Ziyad Qandi and Ibn Muskan said to me: We were in the company of Abu Ibrahim (a.s) when the Imam said: At this moment, the best of the folk of the earth is with you. Then Abu Hasan Ridha (a.s), who was yet a child, came there. We said: The best of the folks of the earth? After that Abul Hasan Ridha (a.s) came near. Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) hugged and kissed him and said: Dear son, do you know what these two said? He replied: Yes, my master. They have doubt about me. Ali bin Asbat said[a]: I mentioned this tradition to Hasan bin Mahbub and he also said: The tradition is incomplete. It is not as such; on the contrary, it is that: Ali bin Raab said to me: Abu Ibrahim (a.s) said to those two persons: If you deny his right or are dishonest with him, the curse of Allah, the angels and all the people would be on you. O Ziyad, you and your companions would never earn respect. After that Ali Raab said: I met Ziyad Qandi and said: I have received information that Abu Ibrahim (a.s) said this and that to you? Ziyad replied: I think you have lost your mind. Then he went away and avoided me after that. I also never spoke with him or pursued him. Hasan bin Mahbub said: We were always waiting for the curse of Imam (a.s) to be proved true about Ziyad; till during the time of Imam Ridha (a.s) Ziyad died an apostate.

72- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن يحيى عن أبيه عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن صفوان بن يحيى عن إبراهيم بن يحيى بن أبي البلاد قال: قال الرضا عليه السلام: ما فعل الشقي حمزة بن بزيع؟ قلت: هو ذا قد قدم. فقال: يزعم أن أبي حي! هم اليوم شكاك، ولا يموتون غدا إلا على الزندقة. قال صفوان: فقلت فيما بيني وبين نفسي: شكاك قد عرفتهم! فكيف يموتون على الزندقة؟ فما لبثنا إلا قليلا حتى بلغنا عن رجل منهم أنه قال عند موتهك هو كافر برب أماته! قال صفوان: فقلت: هذا تصديق الحديث.

H 72 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya has narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Hasan bin Abil Khattab from Safwan bin Yahya that he said: Ibrahim bin Yahya bin Abi Balad said: Imam Ridha (a.s) said: What did Hamza bin Bazi, the unfortunate one do? I replied: He has also come. Imam (a.s) said: He thinks that my father is alive, they [Hamza and his associates] are in doubt today and tomorrow they would not die, except as heretics. Safwan says: I said to myself: I knew that they are among doubters, but how can they die disbelievers and heretics? Not much time passed when I received information that one of them said at the time of his death: I am a disbeliever in my Lord who wants me to die. Safwan says: I said: This testifies for that same tradition [of the Imam].

73- وروى أبو علي محمد بن همام عن علي بن رباح قال: قلت للقاسم بن إسماعيل القرشي، وكان ممطورا: أي شي‏ء سمعت من محمد بن أبي حمزة؟ قال: ما سمعت منه إلا حديثا واحدا. قال ابن رباح: ثم أخرج بعد ذلك حديثا كثيرا فرواه عن محمد بن أبي حمزة. قال ابن رباح: وسألت القاسم هذا: كم سمعت من حنان؟ فقال: أربعة أحاديث أو خمسة. قال: ثم أخرج بعد ذلك حديثا كثيرا فرواه عنه.

H 73 - Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam has narrated from Ali bin Rabah that he said: I asked Qasim bin Ismail Qarshi, who was a Mamtur : What did you hear from Muhammad bin Abu Hamza? He replied: Only one tradition. But after that a large number traditions were issued by him and he narrated them all from Muhammad bin Abi Hamza. Ibn Rabah also says: I asked Qasim: How many traditions have you heard from Hannan? He replied: Four or five. But later on a large number of traditions were issued by Qasim, which he narrated from Hannan.

74- وروى أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن سعد بن سعد عن أحمد بن عمر قال: سمعت الرضا عليه السلام يقول في ابن أبي حـمزة: أليـس هو الذي يروي أن رأس المهدي يهدى إلى عيسى بن موسى وهو صاحب السفياني؟ وقال إن أبا إبراهيم عليه السلام يعود إلى ثمانية أشهر. فما استبان لهم كذبه.

H 74 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa has narrated from Saad bin Saad from Ahmad bin Umar from Imam Ali Ridha (a.s) that he said with regard to Ibn Abi Hamza: Is he not one who narrated that the head of Mahdi was presented as a gift to Isa bin Musa, who is among the associates of Sufyani? He also said: Abu Ibrahim (a.s) would return after eight months. Are the supporters of Abu Hamza not aware of his falsehood?

75- وروى محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى عن بعض أصحابنا عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد عن محمد بن سنان قال: ذكر علي بن أبي حمزة عند الرضا عليه السلام فلعنه،ثم قال: إن علي بن أبي حمزة أراد أن لا يعبد الله في سمائه وأرضه،فأبى الله إلا أن يتم نوره ولو كره المشركون. ولو كره اللعين المشرك. قلت: المشرك؟قال: نعم والله،وإن رغم أنفه. كذلك وهو في كتاب الله ﴿يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يُطْفِؤُا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْواهِهِمْ﴾وقد جرت فيه وفي أمثاله إنه أراد أن يطفئ نور الله.

H 75 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya narrated from some of our scholars from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Muhammad bin Sinan that he said: Ali bin Abu Hamza was mentioned before Imam Ridha (a.s). Imam (a.s) cursed him and said: Ali bin Abi Hamza wants that Almighty Allah should not be worshipped in the heavens and the earth, but Almighty Allah wants to perfect the effulgence of His guidance, even if the accursed polytheists are displeased. I asked: Polytheists? He replied: Yes, by Allah, it is true and he will be degraded. This point is mentioned in the Book of Allah. Then he said: They wanted to blow out the effulgence of God. This verse is about him and people like him who wished to put out the light of God.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 13