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)

فصل في الكلام في الغيبة: إعلم أن لنا في الكلام في غيبة صاحب الزمان عليه السلام طريقين.

Our discourse on the occultation of Master of the Age pursues two paths:

أحدهما: أن نقول:إذا ثبت وجوب الامامة في كل حال، وأن الخلق مع كونهم غير معصومين لا يجوز أن يخلو من رئيس في وقت من الاوقات، وأن من شرط الرئيس أن يكون مقطوعا على عصمته، فلا يخلو ذلك الرئيس من أن يكون ظاهرا معلوما، أو غائبا مستورا، فإذا علمنا أن كل من يدعي له الامامة ظاهرا ليس بمقطوع على عصمته، بل ظاهر أفعالهم وأحوالهم ينافي العصمة، علمنا أن من يقطع على عصمته غائب مستور. وإذا علمنا أن كل من يدعي له العصمة قطعا من هو غائب من الكيسانية و الناووسية و الفطحية والواقفة وغيرهم قولهم باطل، علمنا بذلك صحة إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته وولايته، ولا نحتاج إلى تكلف الكلام في إثبات ولادته، وسبب غيبته، مع ثبوت ما ذكرناه، لأن الحق لا يجوز خروجه عن الأمة.

One is that we say: Since it is proved that there must be an Imam in every age, and it is not possible that the people, being fallible, at any given time be without a chief, and that the chief must be ascertained to be infallible, and that such a chief is either manifest and known or hidden and unknown, and likewise it is clear that all those for whom a manifest Imamate is claimed, their infallibility is not ascertained, on the contrary the outward appearance of their actions contradicts infallibility, it is inferred that the infallible Imam, who must exist in every age, is (at present) hidden and invisible. Likewise, taking into consideration that all those for whom infallibility is claimed, and are said to be invisible and hidden, such as the supposed hidden leaders of Kaisaniyya, Nawusiyya, Fatihiyya, Waqifiyya and others sects, their claims are invalid, thus the Imamate of the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and his occultation and mastership (Wilayah) is proved, no other dispute is there in the Ummah. Hence, there is no need to take the burden of proving his birth and to explain the reasons of his occultation as the word of truth and true belief is present in the Ummah and not outside it.

والطريق الثاني: أن نقول: الكلام في غيبة ابن الحسن عليه السلام فرع على ثبوت إمامته، والمخالف لنا إما أن يسلم لنا إمامته ويسأل عن سبب غيبته عليه السلام فنتكلف جوابه، أو لا يسلم لنا إمامته فلا معنى لسؤاله عن غيبة من لم يثبت إمامته، ومتى نوزعنا في ثبوت إمامته دللنا عليها بأن نقول:قد ثبت وجوب الامامة مع بقاء التكليف على من ليس بمعصوم في جميع الاحوال والاعصار بالادلة القاهرة، وثبت أيضا أن من شرط الامام أن يكون مقطوعا على عصمته وعلمنا أيضا أن الحق لا يخرج عن الامة. بين قائل يقول: لا إمام، فما ثبت من وجوب الإمامة في كل حال يفسد قوله.

The second mode of our argument is thus: The inquiry of occultation of the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) is secondary to proving his Imamate. Our adversary either submits to us in the question of his Imamate and inquires about the reason of his occultation, obliging us to answer him or he does not submit to us, in which case, to inquire about the reason of occultation of someone, whose Imamate is not proved, will be meaningless. If disputed about his Imamate, we prove it as follows: The necessity of Imamate in every condition and age as long as Divine obligations and duties fall on the shoulders of the fallible human beings is proved through strong proofs. It is likewise proved that one of the conditions of the Imam is to be certain of his infallibility. At the same time, it is clear that truth is exclusive to this Ummah. With these premises proved, we find that the Ummah is divided into sects that follow different beliefs. One group says that there is no Imam. The premise asserting the necessity of Imam in every age and condition invalidates this statement.

وقائل يقول بإمامة من ليس بمقطوع على عصمته، فقوله يبطل بما دللنا عليه من وجوب القطع على عصمة الامام عليه السلام. ومن ادعى العصمة لبعض من يذهب إلى إمامته، فالشاهد يشهد بخلاف قوله، لان أفعالهم الظاهرة وأحوالهم تنافي العصمة، فلا وجه لتكلف القول فيما نعلم ضرورة خلافه. ومن ادعيت له العصمة وذهب قوم إلى إمامته كالكيسانية القائلين بإمامة محمد بن الحنفية، والناووسية القائلين بإمامة جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام، وأنه لم يمت والواقفية الذين قالوا:إن موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام لم يمت، فقولهم باطل من وجوه سنذكرها.

Another group claims the Imamate of one whose infallibility is not certain is an assertion invalidated by our proofs with regard to the necessity of certainty about infallibility of the Imam. Observation testifies contrary to the contention of others, who maintain the infallibility of their supposed Imams; because their actions are apparent and their conditions violate infallibility, hence there is no need to disprove a belief, the contrary of which is so very evident and clear. Persons for whom infallibility was claimed and certain groups followed them, such as the Kaisaniyya, who believe in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah, the Nawusiyya, who believe in the Imamate of Ja’far Ibne Muhammad and also believe that he is not dead, and the Waqifa, who believe that Musa Ibne Ja’far is not dead – all these beliefs are invalid for reasons we will shortly mention.

فصار الطريقان محتاجين إلى فساد قول هذه الفرق ليتم ما قصدناه ويفتقران إلى إثبات الاصول(الثلاثة)التي ذكرناها من وجوب الرئاسة، ووجوب القطع على العصمة، وأن الحق لا يخرج عن الامة، ونحن ندل على كل واحد من هذه الاقوال بموجز من القول لان استيفاء ذلك موجود في كتبي في الامامة على وجه لا مزيد عليه. والغرض بهذا الكتاب ما يختص الغيبة دون غيرها والله الموفق لذلك بمنه.

Thus, both paths depend on invalidation of beliefs of these groups in order that purpose is established. Likewise, the three principles – necessity of an Imam, necessity of certainty of his infallibility, and that truth is with this Ummah – as we mentioned, must be established for this argument to stand. We will elaborate on each of these premises briefly, since their details exist in our book on Imamate to an extent that can hardly be expanded further, whereas the purpose of this book is only to explain the topic of occultation and no more. Allah is the One from Whom we seek success for this purpose.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 2