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)

ومما يدل على إمامة صاحب الزمان ابن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن الرضا عليهم السلام وصحة غيبته ما رواه الطائفتان المختلفتان والفرقتان المتباينتان العامة والإمامية وأن الأئمة عليهم السلام بعد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم اثنا عشر لا يزيدون ولا ينقصون،وإذا ثبت ذلك فكل من قال بذلك قطع على الأئمة الاثني عشر الذين نذهب إلى إمامتهم وعلى وجود ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته لأن من خالفهم في شي‏ء من ذلك لا يقصر الإمامة على هذا العدد بل يجوز الزيادة عليها وإذا ثبت بالأخبار التي نذكرها هذا العدد المخصوص ثبت ما أردناه. فنحن نذكر جملا من ذلك ونحيل الباقي على الكتب المصنفة في هذا المعنى لئلا يطول به الكتاب إن شاء الله تعالى.

Of the proofs proving the Imamate of the Master of the Age and that his occultation is not an impossible phenomenon, are narrations of the two distinct denominations: Ahle Sunnat and Imamiyyah: that the Imams after the Prophet (s) are twelve - not more, not less. When this is proved, anyone who is certain of this, will be certain of the Imamate of the Twelve Imams. We profess their Imamate and believe in the existence of Ibn Hasan and his occultation, because anyone who disagrees with the Imamiyah, on anyone of these Imams, their Imams do not remain on this number, but rather, increase. When this specific number is proved through the narrations we will present, our objective will be proved. On the basis of this we have mentioned some of these reports and about the remaining we give the concerned reference so that this book may not be prolonged inordinately, if Allah wills.

90- ما أخبرني به أبو عبد الله أحمد بن عبدون المعروف بابن الحاشر قال: حدثني أبو الحسين محمد بن علي الشجاعي الكاتب قال: أخبرنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن إبراهيم المعروف بابن أبي زينب النعماني الكاتب قال: أخبرنا محمد بن عثمان بن علان الذهبي البغدادي بدمشق قال: حدثنا أبو بكر بن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثني علي بن الجعد قال: حدثني زهير بن معاوية عن زياد بن خيثمة عن الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني قال: سمعت جابر بن سمرة يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: يكون بعدي اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش. قال: فلما رجع إلى منزله أتته قريش فقالوا: ثم يكون ماذا؟ فقال: ثم يكون الهرج.

H 90 - Among that which is narrated by Abu Abdullah Ahmad bin Abdun, alias Ibnal Hashir is: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ali Shujai, the scribe that: Narrated to us Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ibrahim, alias Ibn Abu Zainab Nomani, the scribe that: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Uthman bin Allaan Zahabi Baghdadi in Damascus: Narrated to us Abu Bakr bin Abu Khaithama that: Narrated to me Ali bin Jaud that: Zuhair bin Muawiyah from Ziyad bin Khaithama from Aswad bin Saeed Hamadani that: I heard Jabir bin Samra say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say:  After me, there would be twelve Caliphs and all of them would be from Quraish. When the Messenger of Allah (s) returned to his house, Quraish arrived and addressed the Prophet: What will happen after that? The Prophet replied: Confusion and discord.

91- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا ابن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثني زهير بن معاوية عن زياد بن علاقة وسماك بن حرب وحصين بن عبد الرحمن كلهم عن جابر بن سمرة أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: يكون بعدي اثنا عشر خليفة… ثم تكلم بكلام لم أفهمه، فقال بعضهم: سألت القوم فقالوا: قال: كلهم من قريش.

H 91 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ibn Abi Khaithama that: Narrated to me Zuhair bin Muawiyah from Ziyad bin Alaqa, Samak bin Harb, Husain bin Abdur Rahman Kalham from Jabir bin Samra that the Messenger of Allah (s) said: After me there would be twelve Caliphs; after that the Prophet mentioned something, which I could not understand. A person in that gathering says: I asked the others [What did the Messenger of Allah (s) say?] They replied: His Eminence said: All of them would be from Quraish.

92- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا ابن عود عن الشعبي عن جابر بن سمرة قال: ذكر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: لا يزال أهل هذا الدين ينصرون على من ناواهم إلى اثني عشر خليفة. فجعل الناس يقومون ويقعدون، وتكلم بكلمة لم أفهمها، فقلت لأبي- أو لأخي -: أي شي‏ء قال؟ فقال: قال: كلهم من قريش.

H 92 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ibn Awad from Shobi from Jabir bin Samra that he said: The Holy Prophet (s) remarked: The people of this religion would be helped against one who intends harm to them till the tenure of the twelve Caliphs. [When the Prophet said this] People were coming and going and there was a lot of disturbance; at that time the Holy Prophet (s) mentioned some words, which I could not understand. So I asked my father or brother: What did the Prophet say? He replied: He said: All of them would be from Quraish.

93- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا عبيد الله بن عمر قال: حدثنا سليمان بن أحمر قال: حدثنا ابن عون، عن الشعبي،عن جابر بن سمرة قال: ذكر أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: لا يزال أهل هذا الدين ينصرون على من ناواهم إلى اثني عشر خليفة. فجعل الناس يقومون ويقعدون، وتكلم بكلمة لم أفهمها،فقلت لأبي-أو لأخي- :أي شي‏ء قال؟فقال: كلهم من قريش.

H 93 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Ubaidullah bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Sulaiman bin Ahmar that: Narrated to us Ibn Aun from Shobi from Jabir bin Samra that: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: The people of this religion would be helped [through the Caliph of God] against those who intend harm to them and this help would continue till the tenure of the twelve Caliphs. Since people were going and coming, I could not make out what the Prophet said after that. So I asked my father or brother: What did the Prophet say? He replied: All the twelve Caliphs would be from Quraish.

94- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد بن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثنا يحيى بن معين قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن صالح قال: حدثنا الليث بن سعد عن خالد بن يزيد عن سعيد بن أبي هلال عن ربيعة بن سيف قال: كنا عند شفي الأصبحي فقال: سمعت عبد الله بن عمر يقول: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: يكون خلفي اثنا عشر خليفة.

H 94 - It is narrated from the same chain of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Abi Khaithama that: Narrated to us Yahya bin Moin that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Salih that: Narrated to us Laith bin Saad from Khalid bin Yazid from Saeed bin Abi Hilal from Rabia bin Saif that: I was with Shafi Asbahi when he said: I heard Abdullah bin Umar say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: After me, there would be twelve Caliphs.

95- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا عفان ويحيى بن إسحاق السيلحيني قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن عثمان عن أبي الطفيل قال: قال لي عبد الله بن عمر: يا أبا الطفيل، عد اثني عشر من بني كعب بن لؤي. ثم يكون النقف والنقاف.

H 95 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Affan and Yahya bin Ishaq Sailhini that: Narrated to us Hammad bin Salma that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Uthman from Abi Tufayl that: Abdullah bin Umar said to me: O Aba Tufayl, you must consider twelve persons from the descendants of Kaab bin Loi as the Caliphs of the Messenger of Allah (s), after whom mischief and bloodshed would occur and people would fight each other [as all those who mention the twelve persons would create a great controversy].

96- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا أحمد قال: حدثنا المقدمي عن عاصم بن عمر بن علي بن مقدام أبو يونس قال: حدثني أبي عن فطر بن خليفة عن أبي خالد الوالبي قال: حدثنا جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقول: لا يزال هذا الدين ظاهرا لا يضره من ناواه حتى يقوم اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش.

H 96 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Ahmad that: Narrated to us Muqaddami from Asim [bin Umar] bin Ali bin Miqdam Abu Yunus that: Narrated to me my father about the origin of Caliph from Abi Khalid Walibi that: Narrated to us Jabir bin Samra that: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: This religion would remain victorious and will not be harmed by those who intend to cause harm to it till the time that twelve Caliphs, all of whom would be from Quraish, rise up [for Imamate].

97- وبهذا الإسناد عن محمد بن عثمان قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الرقي قال:حدثنا عيسى بن يونس عن مجالد بن سعيد عن الشعبي عن مسروق قال: كنا عند ابن مسعود فقال له رجل: حدثكم نبيكم كم يكون بعده من الخلفاء؟ فقال: نعم. وما سألني عنها أحد قبلك وإنك لأحدث القوم سنا. سمعته يقول: يكون بعدي عدة نقباء موسى عليه السلام. قال الله عز وجل ﴿وبَعَثْنا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ نَقِيباً﴾.

H 97 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Uthman that: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Raqqi that: Narrated to us Isa bin Yunus from Majalid bin Saeed from Shobi from Masruq [bin Ajda bin Malik Hamadani, died 63 A.H.] that: I was with Ibn Masud when a person asked him: Did your Prophet inform you how many his successors would be? Ibn Masud said: Yes, in spite of the fact that you are the youngest, no one other than you asked me this question. I always heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: After me there will be Caliphs equal to the number of the chiefs of Musa (a.s). Allah, the Mighty and the High said: “…and We raised up among them twelve chieftains…”

98- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري قال:أخبرني أبو علي أحمد بن علي المعروف بابن الخضيب الرازي قال:حدثني بعض أصحابنا عن حنظلة بن زكريا التميمي، عن أحمد بن يحيى الطوسي، عن أبي بكر عبد الله بن أبي شيبة، عن محمد بن فضيل، عن الأعمش، عن أبي صالح، عن ابن عباس قال: نزل جبرئيل عليه السلام بصحيفة من عند الله على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فيها اثنا عشر خاتما من ذهب، فقال له: إن الله تعالى يقرأ عليك السلام ويأمرك أن تدفع هذه الصحيفة إلى النجيب من أهلك بعدك يفك منها أول خاتم ويعمل بما فيها، فإذا مضى دفعها إلى وصيه بعده، وكذلك الأول يدفعها إلى الآخر واحدا بعد واحد. ففعل النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ما أمر به. ففك علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام أولها وعمل بما فيها، ثم دفعها إلى الحسن عليه السلام ففك خاتمه وعمل بما فيها، ودفعها بعده إلى الحسين عليه السلام، ثم دفعها الحسين إلى علي بن الحسين عليه السلام، ثم واحدا بعد واحد حتى ينتهي إلى آخرهم عليهم السلام.

H 98 - A group of scholar informed me from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari that he said: Informed me Abu Ali Ahmad bin Ali, alias Ibn Qazib Razi that: Narrated to me some of our scholars from Hanzala bin Zakariya Tamimi from Ahmad bin Yahya Tusi from Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Abi Shaibah from Muhammad bin Fudail from Amash from Abu Salih from Ibn Abbas that he said: Jibraeel (a.s) descended with a book from Allah upon the Messenger of Allah (s), having twelve golden seals. Then he said: “Surely, Allah the High greets you and orders you to hand over this book to the chosen one from your family after you. He will open the first seal and do according to what is in it. When he is about to expire, he should hand it over to his successor after him. Thus, the first will hand over to the last, one after the other.” The Holy Prophet (s) did as he was ordered. Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) opened the first of them (seals) and acted as per its instructions. Then he (a.s) handed it over to Hasan (a.s), who opened his seal and acted on it. He (a.s) handed over to Husain (a.s), who passed it on to Ali Ibn Husain (a.s). This went on from one to another till it reached the last one amongst them.

99- وبهذا الإسناد عن التلعكبري، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام، عن الحسن بن علي القوهستاني، عن زيد بن إسحاق،عن أبيه قال:سألت أبي عيسى بن موسى فقلت له: من أدركت من التابعين؟فقال: ما أدري ما تقول؟ولكني كنت بالكوفة فسمعت شيخا في جامعها يحدث عن عبد خير قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: قال لي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: يا علي، الأئمة الراشدون المهديون المغصوبون حقوقهم من ولدك أحد عشر إماما وأنت… والحديث مختصر.

H 99 - It is narrated from the same chains of narrators from Talakbari from Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam from Hasan bin Ali Quhistani from Zaid bin Ishaq from his father that he said: I asked Isa bin Musa: Have you met any of the companions of the companions? He replied: I don’t know what you are saying, but I was in Kufa, when I heard an old man narrating a tradition from Abdul Khair in Kufa Masjid. He said: Amirul Momineen (a.s) said: the Messenger of Allah (s) told me, “O Ali! The rightly guided, infallible Imams from your progeny are eleven.” And so on…

100- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي محمد هارون بن موسى التلعكبري،عن محمد بن أحمد بن عبد الله الهاشمي قال:حدثني أبو موسى عيسى بن أحمد بن عيسى بن المنصور قال:حدثني أبو الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري عن أبيه محمد بن علي عن أبيه علي بن موسى عن أبيه موسى بن جعفر عن أبيه جعفر بن محمد عن أبيه محمد بن علي عن أبيه علي بن الحسين عن أبيه الحسين بن علي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم قال: قال لي علي عليه السلام: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: مَن سره أن يلقى الله عز وجل آمنا مطهرا لا يحزنه الفزع الأكبر فليتولك وليتول بنيك الحسن والحسين وعلي بن الحسين ومحمد بن علي وجعفر بن محمد وموسى بن جعفر وعلي بن موسى ومحمدا وعليا والحسن ثم المهدي،وهو خاتمهم. وليكونن في آخر الزمان قوم يتولونك يا علي،يشنأهم الناس. ولو أحبوهم كان خيرا لهم لو كانوا يعلمون. يؤثرونك وولدك على الآباء والأمهات والإخوة والأخوات وعلى عشائرهم والقرابات. صلوات الله عليهم أفضل الصلوات. أولئك يحشرون تحت لواء الحمد،يتجاوز عن سيئاتهم ويرفع درجاتهم جزاء بما كانوا يعملون.

H 100 - Narrated to me a group of our scholars from Abu Muhammad Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashimi that: Narrated to me Abu Musa Isa bin Ahmad bin Isa bin Mansur that: Narrated to me Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad Askari [Imam Hadi] from his father, Muhammad bin Ali [Imam Jawad] from his father, Ali bin Musa [Imam Ridha] from his father Musa bin Ja’far [Imam Kadhim] from his father Ja’far bin Muhammad [Imam Sadiq] from his father, Muhammad bin Ali [Imam Baqir] from his father, Ali Ibnul Husain [Imam Sajjad] from his father, Husain bin Ali [peace on them all] that Imam Ali (a.s) said: “Whoever desires to meet Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, in a state of safety and purity and that the Great Fear should not terrify him, he must befriend you and befriend your sons Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Musa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Musa, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Mahdi, who will be their last. In the last era, there will be a group, who will befriend you, O Ali. People will hate them, although had they loved them (the Shias), it would have been better for them, if they but knew. They (Shias) will give preference to you and your sons over their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and kin, blessings of Allah be on them, the best of blessings. They will be gathered beneath the Standard of Praise (Liwaul Hamd), their sins will be overlooked and their grades will be raised as a reward of their deeds.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 25