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)

ويبطل ذلك أيضا ما ظهر من المعجزات على يد الرضا عليه السلام الدالة على صحة إمامته وهي مذكورة في الكتب. ولأجلها رجع جماعة من القول بالوقف مثل عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج ورفاعة بن موسى ويونس بن يعقوب وجميل بن دراج وحماد بن عيسى وغيرهم وهؤلاء من أصحاب أبيه الذين شكوا فيه ثم رجعوا. وكذلك من كان في عصره مثل أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر والحسن بن علي الوشاء وغيرهم ممن كان قال بالوقف فالتزموا الحجة وقالوا بإمامته وإمامة من بعده من ولده.

Miracles shown by Imam Ali Ridha (a.s), which prove the rightfulness of his Imamate and which are mentioned in books of Shia and which also refute the beliefs of the Waqifite sect, were the same through whose blessings some believers in Waqifite creed, like Abdur Rahman bin Hajjaj, Rifaa bin Musa, Yunus bin Yaqub, Jamil bin Darraj, Hammad bin Isa and others reverted from invalid beliefs. They were companions of the father of Imam Ali Ridha (a.s) and doubted about Imam Ali Ridha (a.s), but repented later. In the same way, those who were present during the time of the Imam, like: Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr, Hasan bin Ali Washa and others; they also believed in Waqf [but seeing the proofs of Imam Ridha (a.s)] they accepted his Wilayat, became bound to him and accepted the Imamate of Imam Ali Ridha (a.s) and the Imams after him from his descendants.

76- فروى جـعفر بن محمـد بن مـالك عن محمـد بن الحسـين بن أبي الخطـاب عن محمد بن أبي عمير عن أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر وهو من آل مهران وكانوا يقولون بالوقف وكان على رأيهـم فكاتب أبـا الحسن الرضا عليـه السلام وتعنت في المسائل فقال: كتبت إليه كتابا وأضمرت في نفسي أني متى دخلت عليه أسأله عن ثلاث مسائل من القرآن وهي قوله تعالى: ﴿أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ أَوْ تَهْدِي الْعُمْيَ﴾ وقوله: ﴿فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلامِ﴾ وقوله: ﴿إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ ولكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ﴾. قال أحمد: فأجابني عن كتابي وكتب في آخره الآيات التي أضمرتها في نفسي أن أسأله عنها ولم أذكرها في كتابي إليه. فلما وصل الجواب أنسيت ما كنت أضمرته،فقلت: أي شي‏ء هذا من جوابي؟ثم ذكرت أنه ما أضمرته.

H 76 - Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik has narrated from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Abi Umair from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr – an inhabitant of Mehran – like all inhabitants of this place, he was also a follower of the Waqifite sect. He narrates that he wrote a letter to Abul Hasan Ridha (a.s) and in order to harass him wanted to pose some difficult questions to him. He says: Initially, I wrote a letter to him; after that I said to myself: when I meet him, I would ask him three important questions about the Holy Quran: like for example [40th verse of Surah Zukhruf], which says: “What! Can you then make the deaf to hear or guide the blind and him who is in clear error?” And verse 25 of Surah Anam, which says: “Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his breast for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err, He makes his breast strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.” And verse 56 of Surah Qasas, which says: “Surely you cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He pleases; and He knows best the followers of the right way.” Ahmad says: He replied to my letter and at the end he mentioned the verses about which I wanted to ask him and no one had any information about them. When I received his reply, I forgot what I had told myself, therefore, I said: What is this reply, which you have given me? After that I remembered that this was the reply of the same questions that I had myself prepared.

77- وكذلك الحسن بن علي الوشاء وكان يقول بالوقف فرجع،وكان سببه أنه قال: خرجت إلى خراسان في تجارة لي، فلما وردته بعث إلي أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام يطلب مني حبرة،وكانت بين ثيابي قد خفي علي أمرها. فقلت: ما معي منها شي‏ء. فرد الرسول وذكر علامتها وأنها في سفط كذا. فطلبتها فكان كما قال،فبعثت بها إليه. ثم كتبت مسائل أسأله عنها،فلما وردت بابه خرج إلي جواب تلك المسائل التي أردت أن أسأله عنها من غير أن أظهرتها. فرجع عن القول بالوقف إلى القطع على إمامته.

H 77 - In the same way, Hasan bin Ali Washa was also a Waqifite of his time; then he returned to belief in the twelve Imams and repented for his past mistakes; the cause of his repentance, as he himself states, was that: I traveled to Khorasan for business. When I reached there, Abul Hasan Ridha (a.s) sent someone and asked me for the striped cloth from Yemen. It was among the merchandise that I was having, but I had forgotten it, so I said: I don’t have any striped cloth. The Imam’s messenger went away, but returned again to inform me that I was having it in so and so bundle; I found it at the same place and sent it to the Imam. After that I wrote some questions, which I wanted to ask him. Just as I reached his place, the Imam emerged from inside and mentioned to me the replies of the questions, which I wanted to ask him and about which no one knew anything. On witnessing this miracle, Hasan bin Ali Washa gave up his Waqifite beliefs and adopted faith in the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a.s).

78- وقال أحمد بن محمد بن أبي نصر: قال ابن النجاشي: من الإمام بعد صاحبكم؟ فدخلت على أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام فأخبرته،فقال: الإمام بعدي ابني؟ ثم قال: هل يجرؤ أحد أن يقول ابني وليس له ولد؟!

H 78 - Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr said: Ibn Najjashi asked: Who is the Imam after your companion [Imam Ridha (a.s)]? I went to Imam Ridha (a.s) and asked about it. Imam (a.s) said: The Imam after me is my son. After that he said: Can anyone who does not have a son, dare to say: ‘My son’?

79- وروى عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن محمد بن عيسى اليقطيني قال: لما اختلف الناس في أمر أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام جمعت من مسائله مما سئل عنه وأجاب عنه خمس عشرة ألف مسألة.

H 79 - Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa Yaqtini that he said: When people fell into discord with regard to the Imamate of Abul Hasan Imam Ridha (a.s), I collected the questions that were framed to gain confidence and certainty in his Imamate; and they totalled up to 15000, all of which the Imam replied.

80- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن الأفطس قال: دخلت على المأمون فقربني وحياني،ثم قال: رحم الله الرضا عليه السلام ما كان أعلمه. لقد أخبرني بعجب. سألته ليلة وقد بايع له الناس فقلت: جعلت فداك،أرى لك أن تمضي إلى العراق وأكون خليفتك بخراسان. فتبسم ثم قال: لا،لعمري ولكن من دون خراسان بدرجات. إن لنا هنا مكثا ولست ببارح حتى يأتيني الموت ومنها المحشر لا محالة. فقلت له: جعلت فداك، وما علمك بذلك؟فقال: علمي بمكاني كعلمي بمكانك. قلت: وأين مكاني، أصلحك الله؟فقال: لقد بعدت الشقة بيني وبينك. أموت بالمشرق وتموت بالمغرب. فقلت: صدقت. والله ورسوله أعلم وآل محمد. فجهدت الجهد كله وأطمعته في الخلافة وما سواها فما أطمعني في نفسه.

H 80 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Aftas says: I entered the assembly of Mamun; he seated me close to him and asked about my well being. After that he said: May Allah have mercy on Ridha as no one was more learned than him. After people paid allegiance to him, one evening, I posed a question to him and in reply to it he mentioned a very strange matter. I asked: May I be sacrificed on you, I see your well being in the fact that you go to Iraq and I remain in Khorasan as your successor. The Imam smiled and said: No, by my life! Before I leave for Khorasan, the scroll of my deeds would be wrapped up [allusion to his demise]. There is a halt for us in this place and I will not leave till my demise approaches, and definitely my end will be in Khorasan only. I said: May I be sacrificed on you, how do you know this? He replied: My knowledge about my place is like my knowledge about your place. I asked: May God bless you, what is the location of my demise? He replied: The distance between me and you is very much; I would pass away in the east and you will die in the west. I said: You are right. Almighty Allah, His Prophet and Aale Muhammad (a.s) are most knowledgeable. After that I tried my best to allure him to Caliphate, official posts and other ranks, but he was not allured and did not accept.

81- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن الحسن الأفطس قال: كنت عند المأمون يوما ونحن على شراب حتى إذا أخذ منه الشراب مأخذه صرف ندماءه واحتبسني، ثم أخرج جواريه وضربن وتغنين. فقال لبعضهن: بالله لما رثيت من بطوس قطنا. فأنشأت تقول: سقيا لطوس ومن أضحى بها قطنا من عترة المصطفى أبقى لنا حزنا أعني أبا حسن المأمون إن له حقا على كل من أضحى بها شجنا قال محمد بن عبد الله: فجعل يبكي حتى أبكاني. ثم قال لي: ويلك يا محمد! أيلزمني أهل بيتي وأهل بيتك أن أنصب أبا الحسن علما؟ والله أن لو أخرجت من هذا الأمر لأجلسته مجلسي،غير أنه عوجل فلعن الله عبد الله وحمزة ابني الحسن فإنهما قتلاه. ثم قال لي: يا محمد بن عبد الله والله لأحدثنك بحديث عجيب فاكتمه. قلت: ما ذاك يا أمير المؤمنين؟ قال: لما حملت زاهرية ببدر أتيته فقلت له: جعلت فداك، بلغني أن أبا الحسن موسى بن جعفر وجعفر بن محمد ومحمد بن علي وعلي بن الحسين والحسين بن علي عليهم السلام كانوا يزجرون الطير ولا يخطئون. وأنت وصي القوم وعندك علم ما كان عندهم، وزاهرية حظيتي ومن لا أقدم عليها أحدا من جواري، وقد حملت غير مرة،كل ذلك يسقط. فهل عندك في ذلك شي‏ء ننتفع به؟فقال: لا تخش من سقطها، فستسلم وتلد غلاما صحيحا مسلما، أشبه الناس بأمه، قد زاده الله في خلقه مرتبتين،في يده اليمنى خنصر وفي رجله اليمنى خنصر. فقلت في نفسي: هذه والله فرصة! إن لم يكن الأمر على ما ذكر خلعته. فلم أزل أتوقع أمرها حتى أدركها المخاض،فقلت للقيمة: إذا وضعت فجيئيني بولدها ذكرا كان أو أنثى. فما شعرت إلا بالقيمة وقد أتتني بالغلام كما وصفه؛ زائد اليد والرجل،كأنه كوكب دري. فأردت أن أخرج من الأمر يومئذ وأسلم ما في يدي إليه، فلم تطاوعني نفسي،لكني دفعت إليه الخاتم فقلت: دبر الأمر، فليس عليك مني خلاف،وأنت المقدم. وبالله أن لو فعل لفعلت.

H 81 - Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Hasan Aftas said: One day I was drinking wine with Mamun, till he became intoxicated; his friends left, but he retained me. After that he brought out the slave girls and they played musical instruments and sang. Mamun said to one of them: If you had only sung for one who is settled in Tus. The slave girl recited the following dirge: 1- Being quenched with the land of Tus and one from the progeny of the Prophet who is located there, who has left grief and sorrow for us. 2- I mean Abul Hasan, who is the hope of all. He has right on all who express their grief and sorrow. Muhammad bin Abdullah says: Mamun wept so much that I also started crying. After that he said: Woe be on you, Muhammad, do the people of my house and people of your house consider that it is my duty to appoint Abul Hasan as heir apparent? By Allah, if he had not died, I would definitely have appointed him as my successor [whereas it was Mamun himself who got the Imam martyred], but he passed away so soon. May Allah curse the two sons of Hasan; Abdullah and Hamza, who killed him. Then he said: O Muhammad bin Abdullah, by Allah, I am quoting a strange tradition for you. Keep it confidential. I said: Chief of believers, what tradition is that? He replied: When Zahiriya became pregnant with my son, Badr, I went to Imam Ridha (a.s) and said: May I be your ransom, I have received information that Musa bin Ja’far, Ja’far bin Muhammad, Muhammad bin Ali, Ali bin Husain and Husain bin Ali (a.s) used to resort to divination  and did not make any mistake in it. You are their successor and their knowledge has come to you and I am also too much fond of Zahiriya and don’t prefer any of my slave girls to her. She has had many miscarriages. Do you have any solution for this? Imam Ridha (a.s) said: Do not fear miscarriage. Very soon Zahiriya would give birth to a healthy child that would resemble its mother the most and the Almighty Allah has added two things in his creation and it is that it will have an extra finger in both its hands and feet. I said to myself: By Allah, this is a good opportunity that if the circumstances proved against his prediction, I will remove him from heir apparency. Therefore, I was eager for this delivery till Zahiriya got labor pains. I said to the nurse: After the delivery, bring the newborn to me, whether it is a boy or a girl. [After sometime] The nurse brought to me a newborn child with the same characteristics and the boy was glowing like the moon. [Seeing this] I decided that I would leave Caliphate and all the matters of governance to him, but he did not accept. I gave my seal ring to him and said: Please take the matters of governance in your control and you have precedence [in Caliphate] and I will not oppose you at all. By Allah, if he had accepted, I would have done that.

82- وقصته مع حبابة الوالبية صاحبة الحصاة التي طبع فيها أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وقال لها: من طبع فيها فهو إمام. وبقيت إلى أيام الرضا عليه السلام فطبع فيها، وقد شهدت من تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام وطبعوا فيه،وهو عليه السلام آخر من لقيتهم وماتت بعد لقائها إياه وكفنها في قميصه.

H 82 - Like the incident of the Imam with Hababa Walibiyya, owner of the pebble on which Amirul Momineen (a.s) placed his seal and said to her: One who places a seal on this pebble is an Imam. Hababa survived till the Imamate of Imam Ridha (a.s). The Imam placed the seal on that pebble and Hababa witnessed the placing of seals by respected ancestors of Imam Ridha (a.s) and Imam Ridha (a.s) was the last Imam Hababa met. Hababa passed away after meeting Imam Ridha (a.s) and the Imam gave his own shirt to serve as her shroud.

83- وكذلك قصته مع أم غانم الأعرابية صاحبة الحصاة أيضا التي طبع فيها أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وطبع بعده سائر الأئمة إلى زمان أبي محمد العسكري عليه السلام معروفة مشهورة.

H 83 - Same is the incident of Imam (a.s) with Umme Ghanim, the Bedouin lady, who owned a pebble, on which Amirul Momineen (a.s) had placed his seal; and all Imams till Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) placed seals on it; her story is also well known.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 14