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 من خالف من الفرق الباقية الذين قالوا بإمامة غيره كالمحمدية الذين قالوا بإمامة محمد بـن عـلي بـن محمـد بن عـلي الرضـا عليه السلام والفطحية القائلة بإمامة عبد الله بن جعفر بن محمد الصادق عليه السلام وفي هذا الوقت بإمامة جعفر بن علي. وكالفرقة القائلة أن صاحب الزمان حمل لم يولد بعد. وكالذين قالوا أنه مات ثم يعيش. وكالذين قالوا بإمامة الحسن عليه السلام وقالوا هو اليقين ولم يصح لنا ولادة ولده فنحن في فترة. فقولهم ظاهر البطلان من وجوه: أحدها انقراضهم فإنه لم يبق قائل يقول بشي‏ء من هذه المقالات ولو كان حقا لما انقرض. ومنها أن محمد بن علي العسكري مات في حياة أبيه موتا ظاهرا.والأخبار في ذلك ظاهرة معروفة من دفعه كمن دفع موت من تقدم من آبائه عليهم السلام.

The other groups that have disagreed and professed the Imamate of someone else – such as Muhammadiyya, who believed in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibn Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ali Imam Ridha (a.s); and the Fathiyya, who believed in the Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Imam Sadiq (a.s) and proclaim the Imamate of Ja’far Ibn Ali at this time; and like the denomination that believes that the Master of the Age has been conceived, but is not born yet; and like the ones who believed that he has died and then he will live again; and like those who believed in the Imamate of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and claimed that his Imamate is certain and the birth of his son has not been proved and that we live in a time with no Imam; their words are very obviously false for a number of reasons. One of these reasons is their extinction. There is no one left today who believes in these doctrines anymore; and if they had been correct, they would not have perished. Another reason is that Muhammad Ibn Ali Askari died during the lifetime of his father. His death was well-known and traditions regarding it are evident and famous. Anyone who rejects them is like someone who rejects the death of anyone of his forefathers, peace be on them.

84- فروى سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري قال: حدثني أبو هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام وقت وفاة ابنه أبي جعفر، وقد كان أشار إليه ودل عليه، وإني لأفكر في نفسي وأقول: هذه قصة أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام وقصة إسماعيل. فأقبل علي أبو الحسن عليه السلام وقال: نعم،يا أبا هاشم. بدا لله في أبي جعفر وصير مكانه أبا محمد،كما بدا له في إسماعيل بعد ما دل عليه أبو عبد الله عليه السلام ونصبه. وهو كما حدثتك نفسك وإن كره المبطلون. أبو محمد ابني الخلف من بعدي؛ عنده ما تحتاجونه إليه ومعه آلة الإمامة، والحمد لله.

H 84 - Saad bin Abdullah Ashari said: Narrated to me Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that: I was with Abul Hasan Askari [Imam Hadi] at the time when his son, Abu Ja’far passed away, Imam (a.s) pointed to him emphatically so that we may see his son, who had passed away. I said to myself: This is just how it happened in the case of Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a.s)] and Ismail Ibn Ja’far that when Ismail passed away, Imam Sadiq (a.s) publicly announced his death, so that no one may claim that Ismail or his descendants are Imams. Thus Imam Hadi (a.s) came to me and said: Yes, Aba Hashim, change of destiny occurred (Bada) with regard to Abu Ja’far and Almighty Allah replaced him with Abu Muhammad as He did in the case of Ismail, son of Imam Sadiq (a.s), after Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) had declared him to be the Imam after him and appointed him as his successor; just as you said to yourself, although it would be displeasing to the followers of falsehood, my son, Abu Muhammad is my successor and he is having all that which the Shia society is in need of and he is having the distinctive signs of Imamate, by the grace of God.

وأما من قال إنه لا ولد لأبي محمد عليه السلام ولكن هاهنا حمل مشهور سيولد، فقوله باطل لأن هذا يؤدي إلى خلو الزمان من إمام يرجع إليه، وقد بينا فساد ذلك. على أنا سندل على أنه قد ولد له ولد معروف ونذكر الروايات في ذلك فيبطل قول هؤلاء أيضا.

As for the saying that Abu Muhammad did not have any offspring and that there is a hidden conceived baby, who will be born: It is invalid, because this suggests that this age is devoid of an Imam of guidance and we have demonstrated the falsity of this. Additionally, we will demonstrate that he sired a famous son and we will mention the traditions with that respect, which will invalidate this assertion as well.

وأما من قال إن الأمر مشتبه فلا يدرى هل للحسن عليه السلام ولد أم لا، وهو مستمسك بالأول حتى يتحقق ولادة ابنه، فقوله أيضا يبطل بما قلناه من أن الزمان لا يخلو من إمام، لأن موت الحسن عليه السلام قد علمناه كما علمنا موت غيره. وسنبين ولادة ولده فيبطل قولهم أيضا.

As for the saying that the situation is confusing and it cannot be decided whether Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) sired a son or not, and until the birth of his son is established, we will adhere to the Imamate of Hasan; it is also invalidated through our assertion that no time can be without an Imam, because we know Hasan (a.s) is dead just as we know many other people to be dead, and we will prove the birth of his son as well, so their claim is also falsified.

وأما من قال إنه لا إمام بعد الحسن عليه السلام، فقوله باطل بما دللنا عليه من أن الزمان لا يخلو من حجة لله عقلا وشرعا. وأما من قال إن أبا محمد عليه السلام مات ويحيا بعد موته، فقوله باطل بمثل ما قلناه،لأنه يؤدي إلى خلو الخلق من إمام من وقت وفاته عليه السلام إلى حين يحييه الله تعالى.

As for the belief that there is no Imam after Hasan (a.s): It is invalid due to our rational as well as Shari proofs that no time can be devoid of an Imam. The belief that Abu Muhammad passed away and he will come back to life after his death, is also invalid, because it suggests lack of an Imam from the time of his death until Allah brings him back to life.

واحتجاجهم بما روي من أن صاحب هذا الأمر يحيا بعد ما يموت وأنه سمي قائما لأنه يقوم بعد ما يموت، باطل لأن ذلك يحتمل لو صح الخبر أن يكون أراد بعد أن مات ذكره حتى لا يذكره إلا من يعتقد إمامته فيظهره الله لجميع الخلق،على أنا قد بينا أن كل إمام يقوم بعد الإمام الأول يسمى قائما.

The argument, which is based on the tradition that “the Master of this Affair will live after he dies” and that he has been named Qaim, since he will rise after he dies, is invalid, because first the tradition is not reliable, and even if it is reliable, it can be interpreted to mean that he will rise after his name dies, that is, no one mentions him, except those who believe in his Imamate and then Allah will manifest him to all. Besides, we have established that every Imam, who stands in place of a previous Imam, is called the Qaim.

وأما القائلون بإمامة عبد الله بن جعفر من الفطحية وجعفر بن علي، فقولهم باطل بما دللنا عليه من وجوب عصمة الإمام وهما لم يكونا معصومين، وأفعالهما الظاهر التي تنافي العصمة معروفة، نقلها العلماء،وهي موجودة في الكتب فلا نطول بذكرها الكتاب. على أن المشهور الذي لا مرية فيه ��ين الطائفة أن الإمامة لا تكون في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام. فالقول بإمامة جعفر بعد أخيه الحسن يبطل بذلك.

As for believers in Imamate of Abdullah Ibn Ja’far, namely the Fatahiyya, and that of Ja’far Ibn Ali, their creed is wrong, because an Imam has to be infallible and these two were not. Their evident actions, which contradict infallibility, are widely known and scholars have narrated them and they are present in books and we will not prolong the discourse by quoting them here. Besides, the established principle, which is beyond doubt amongst the Shia, is that Imamate shall not pass from one brother to another, after Hasan and Husain (a.s). Therefore, the Imamate of Ja’far, after his brother, is void.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 16