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)

ويدل أيضا على إمامة ابن الحسن عليه السلام وصحة غيبته ما ظهر وانتشر من الأخبار الشائعة الذائعة عن آبائه عليه السلام قبل هذه الأوقات بزمان طويل من أن لصاحب هذا الأمر غيبة وصفة غيبته وما يجري فيه من الاختلاف ويحدث فيها من الحوادث وأنه يكون له غيبتان إحداهما أطول من الأخرى وأن الأولى يعرف فيها خبره والثانية لا يعرف فيها أخباره فوافق ذلك على ما تضمنته الأخبار. ولو لا صحتها وصحة إمامته لما وافق ذلك لأن ذلك لا يكون إلا بإعلام الله تعالى على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وهذه أيضا طريقة معتمدة اعتمدها الشيوخ قديما.

Also, a proof of the Imamate of Ibn Hasan (a.s) and his occultation are the widespread and well-known traditions and sayings from his forefathers, peace be on them, which were uttered long before these times. These traditions state that the Master of the Age will have occultations and they describe its qualities and the disputes and events that will take place during it. They state that he will have two occultations, one of which will be longer than the other, and that in the first one communication will be open with him and in the second, his news will not be coming. The later events unfolded as predicted by the traditions. Had they not been correct, and had his Imamate not been valid, they had not corresponded with events, which happened later, because that cannot happen, but through God’s delivery through the tongue of His Messenger. This path of reasoning is also a measure on the basis of which scholars have previously argued.

ونحن نذكر من الأخبار التي تضمن ذلك طرفا ليعلم صحة ما قلناه لأن استيفاء جميع ما روي في هذا المعنى يطول وهو موجود في كتب الأخبار من اراده وقف عليه من هناك.

We only mention a few narrations that carry this meaning, to indicate the veracity of our claim, because complete incorporation of all narrations in this regard will be long and they are present in books of traditions and can be referred there.

115- فمن ذلك ما أخبرنا به جماعة عن أبي محمد التلعكبري عن أحمد بن علي الرازي عن محمد بن جعفر الأسدي عن سعد بن عبد الله عن موسى بن عمر بن يزيد عن علي بن أسباط عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي عليه السلام في قول الله تعالى: ﴿قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ ماؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِماءٍ مَعِينٍ﴾ قال: نزلت في الإمام. فقال إن أصبح إمامكم غائبا عنكم فمن يأتيكم بإمام ظاهر يأتيكم بأخبار السماء والأرض وبحلال الله تعالى وحرامه؟ ثم قال: أما والله ما جاء تأويل هذه الآية ولا بد أن يجي‏ء تأويلها.

H 115 - Of the reports is one narrated by a group of scholars from Abu Muhammad Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah from Musa bin Umar bin Yazid from Ali bin Asbat from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali (a.s) with regard the following statement of Almighty Allah: “Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” (67:30) This verse is revealed about Imamate. It implies that if your Imam goes into hiding from you, while you don’t know where he is, who will bring you an apparent Imam, who can bring you the news of the heavens and the earth and the orders and prohibitions of Allah, the Exalted? Then the Imam said: Know that by Allah, this verse has not been actualized as yet and it will be actualized in the future.

116- سعد بن عبد الله عن الحسين بن عمرو بن يزيد عن أبي الحسن بن أبي الربيع المدائني عن محمد بن إسحاق عن أسيد بن ثعلبة عن أم هانئ قالت لقيت أبا جعفر عليه السلام فسألته عن قول الله تعالى: ﴿فَلاَأُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ. الْجَوارِ الْكُنَّسِ.﴾ فقال: إمام يخنس في زمانه عند انقطاع من علمه عند الناس، سنة ستين ومائتين، ثم يبدو كالشهاب الوقاد. فإن أدركت ذلك قرت عينك.

H 116 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Husain bin Umar bin Yazid from Abil Hasan bin Abi Rabi Madayani from Muhammad bin Ishaq from Usaid bin Thalaba from Umme Hani that she said: I met Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and asked him about the verse: “But nay! I swear by the stars that run their course (and) hide themselves.” (81:15-16) He replied: “An Imam who will go into hiding, when all who know him will be gone, in the year two hundred and sixty and then he will appear like a blazing meteor in the darkness of the night. If one lives till that time, he would find solace.”

117- سعد بن عبد الله عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن موسى بن قاسم البجلي وأبي قتادة علي بن محمد بن حفص عن علي بن جعفر عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام قال: قلت له: ما تأويل قول الله تعالى: ﴿قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ أَصْبَحَ ماؤُكُمْ غَوْراً فَمَنْ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِماءٍ مَعِينٍ﴾؟ فقال: إذا فقدتم إمامكم فلم تروه فماذا تصنعون؟

H 117 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Musa bin Qasim Bajali and Abu Qatada Ali bin Muhammad bin Hafas from Ali bin Ja’far from his brother, Musa Ibn Ja’far (a.s) that he said with regard to the verse: “Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” (67:30) He asked: “What are you going to do when you lose your Imam and don’t see him?”

118- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد بن قتيبة عن الفضل بن الشاذان عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران عن صفوان بن يحيى عن أبي أيوب عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن بلغكم عن صاحبكم غيبة فلا تنكروها.

H 118 - It is narrated from a group from Abi Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Najran from Safwan from Abu Ayyub from Abu Basir that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) said: “If you hear of a disappearance with regard to your Master, do not reject it.”

119- محمد بن جعفر الأسدي عن سعد بن عبد الله عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك عن إسحاق بن محمد الصيرفي عن يحيى بن المثنى العطار عن عبد الله بن بكير عن عبيد بن زرارة قال:سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: يفقد الناس إمامهم فيشهد الموسم فيراهم ولا يرونه.

H 119 - Narrated Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi from Saad bin Abdullah from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Ishaq bin Muhammad Sairafi from Yahya bin Muthanna Attar from Abdullah bin Bukair from Ubaid bin Zurarah that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah (a.s) say: “The Imam will be unseen by the people. Then he will witness those who come for Hajj pilgrimage. He will see them, but they will not see him.”

120- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد عن الفضل بن شاذان عن عبد الله بن جبلة عن عبد الله بن المستنير عن المفضل بن عمر قال:سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن لصاحب هذا الأمر غيبتين؛ إحداهما تطول حتى يقول بعضهم: مات! ويقول بعضهم: قتل! ويقول بعضهم: ذهب! حتى لا يبقى على أمره من أصحابه إلا نفر يسير. لا يطلع على موضعه أحد من ولده ولا غيره إلا المولى الذي يلي أمره.

H 120 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdullah bin Jaballa from Abdullah bin Mustanir from Mufaddal bin Umar from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: “The man of this matter disappears twice. The first occultation lasts long until some people say that he has died, some say that he has been killed and others say that he has gone. Till only a few of his companions will remain. None of his children and others would know his location, except a servant, who manages his affairs.”

121- وبهذا الإسناد عن الفضل بن شاذان النيشابوري عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران عن علي بن أبي حمزة عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: لا بد لصاحب هذا الأمر من عزلة، ولا بد في عزلته من قوة، وما بثلاثين من وحشة، ونعم المنزل طيبة.

H 121 - Through the same chains, it is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan Nishaburi from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Najran from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abu Basir from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) that he said: “The man of this matter must disappear and he is to be in isolation during his disappearance. There is in no loneliness among the thirty and how good an abode ‘Tayba’ is!”

122- سعد بن عبد الله عن الحسن بن علي الزيتوني عن الزهري الكوفي عن بنان بن حمدويه قال: ذكر عند أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام مضي أبي جعفر عليه السلام فقال: ذاك إليّ ما دمت حياً باقياً. ولكن كيف بهم إذا فقدوا من بعدي؟

H 122 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Hasan bin Ali Zaituni from Zuhri Kufi from Banan bin Hamdawayh that he said: The passing away of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s) was mentioned before Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). He said: “That is so long as I am alive and remaining. However, how would it be like when they miss the one after me?”

123- وأخبرنا ابن أبي جيد القمي عن محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد عن محمد بن الحسن الصفار عن العباس بن معروف عن عبد الله بن حمدويه بن البراء عن ثابت عن إسماعيل عن عبد الأعلى مولى آل سام قال: خرجت مع أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، فلما نزلنا الروحاء نظر إلى جبلها مطللا عليها فقال لي: ترى هذا الجبل؟ هذا جبل يدعى رضوى من جبال فارس، أحبنا فنقله الله إلينا. أما إن فيه كل شجرة مطعم ونعم أمان للخائف مرتين. أما إن لصاحب هذا الأمر فيه غيبتين؛ واحدة قصيرة والأخرى طويلة.

H 123 - It is narrated from Ibn Abi Jayyid Qummi from Muhammad bin Hasan Ibn Walid from Muhammad bin Hasan Saffar from Abbas bin Maruf from Abdullah bin Hamduya bin Baraa from Thabit from Ismail from Abdul Alaa, slave of Saam family that he said: I once traveled with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) [from Medina] and when we reached the Rauha station, Imam (a.s) looked at the huge mountain over there for some time and asked: “Can you see this mountain? It is called Mt. Razva and it a mountain of Fars. When it expressed excessive love for us, Ahle Bayt (a.s), the Almighty Allah transferred it to us. See, every tree growing upon is fruitful and he said twice: It will be a refuge to one who is in fear. Know that the master of this affair will have two occultations: one is a shorter occultation (Ghaibat Sughra) and the other, a longer occultation (Ghaibat Kubra).”

124- أحمد بن إدريس عن علي بن محمد عن الفضل بن شاذان عن محمد بن أبي عمير عن الحسين بن أبي العلاء عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لما دخل سلمان رضي الله عنه الكوفة ونظـر إليهـا ذكـر مـا يكون من بلائها حتى ذكر ملك بني أمية  والذين من بعدهم. ثم قال: فإذا كان ذلك فالزموا أحلاس بيوتكم حتى يظهر الطاهر ابن الطاهر المطهر ذو الغيبة الشريد الطريد.

H 124 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Idris from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Muhammad Ibn Abi Umair from Husain bin Abu Alaa from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: “When His Eminence, Salman Farsi entered Kufa, he glanced at it and mentioned all the troubles and events that were to occur in it till he mentioned about Bani Umayyah rulers and the period after them. After that he said: ‘When all this is over, you must remain confined to your houses till the reappearance of the master of the affair, the pure one, son of the pure and purifying. The one who has occultation and who is the ‘Shareed’ and ‘Tareed’

125-  وروى أبو بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: في القائم شبه من يوسف. قلت: وما هو؟قال: الحيرة والغيبة.

H 125 - It is narrated from Abu Basir that Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) said: “There is a similarity with Yusuf in the Qaim.” I asked, “And what is that?” He said: “Perplexity and disappearance.”

126- وأخبرني جماعة عن أبي المفضل عن محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري عن أبيه عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن موسى بن سعدان عن عبد الله بن القاسم عن المفضل بن عمر قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن تفسير جابر،فقال: لا تحدث به السفل فيذيعونه. أما تقرأ كتاب الله تعالى: ﴿فَإِذا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ﴾؟ إن منا إماما مستترا،فإذا أراد الله إظهار أمره نكت في قلبه نكتة فظهر فقام بأمر الله تعالى.

H 126 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abul Mufaddal from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Muhammad bin Husain Ibn Abil Khattab from Musa bin Sadan from Abdullah bin Qasim from Mufaddal bin Umar that he asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) about the Quranic interpretation of Jabir and he said: “Do not mention the interpretation of these verses to those with decadent thinking as they would publicize it. Have you not seen the following verse in Quran? “For when the trumpet is sounded…” (74:8) Indeed one of us Imams will be in occultation and when the Almighty Allah wants to show His matter, He will inspire the Imam and he will reappear and stage an uprising by the permission of Allah.”

127- وروى عبد الله بن محمد بن خالد الكوفي عن منذر بن محمد بن قابوس عن نصر بن السندي عن أبي داود سليمان بن سفيان المسترق عن ثعلبة بن ميمون عن مالك الجهني عن الحارث بن المغيرة عن الأصبغ بن نباتة؛ورواه سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال عن ثعلبة بن ميمون عن مالك الجهني عن الأصبغ بن نباتة قال: أتيت أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فوجدته ينكت في الأرض، فقلت له: يا أمير المؤمنين، ما لي أراك مفكرا تنكت في الأرض؟ أرغبة منك فيها؟ قال: لا والله، ما رغبت فيها ولا في الدنيا قط. ولكني تفكرت في مولود يكون من ظهر الحادي عشر من ولدي، هو المهدي الذي يملأها عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً، يكون له حيرة وغيبة تضل فيها أقوام ويهتدي فيها آخرون. قلت: يا مولاي، فكم تكون الحيرة والغيبة؟ قال: ستة أيام أو ستة أشهر أو ست سنين. فقلت: وإن هذا الأمر لكائن؟ فقال: نعم،كما أنه مخلوق. وأنى لك بهذا الأمر يا أصبغ؟ أولئك خيار هذه الأمة مع أبرار هذه العترة. قال: قلت: ثم ما يكون بعد ذلك؟ قال: ثم يفعل الله ما يشاء، فإن له بداءات وإرادات وغايات ونهايات.

H 127 - It is narrated from Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Khalid Kufi from Mundhir from Muhammad bin Qabus from Nasr bin Sandi from Abu Dawood Sulaiman bin Sufyan Mustaraq from Thalaba bin Maimoon from Malik Jahni from Harith bin Mughira from Asbagh bin Nubatah that he said: I came to Amirul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and found him thoughtful. He was drawing lines on the ground. I said: “O Chief of believers, why do I see you thoughtful and you are making lines on the earth? Is it out of desire for the earth?” He said: “No, by Allah, I have never desired it, nor for what is in the world even for one day. I was thinking about the son, who will be born from my seed – the eleventh from my sons. He is the Mahdi and he would fill up the earth with equity as it will be fraught with oppression and injustice. There will be a perplexity and occultation related to him, in which communities will go astray and communities will be guided.” I asked: “O Chief of believers, how long would this perplexity and occultation last?” He said: Six days, six months or six years. I asked: “Would this really come to pass?” He replied: Yes, he has been created. How would you know this, Asbagh! They are the best of this Ummah and companions of the righteous of this Household. I asked: “What will happen after that?” He said: “Allah will do what He desires, for He has wills, purposes and outcomes.”

128- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن أبي محمد الحسن بن عيسى العلوي قال: حدثني أبي عيسى بن محمد عن أبيه محمد بن علي بن جعفر عن أبيه علي بن جعفر عن أخيه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال لي: يا بني، إذا فقد الخامس من ولد السابع من الأئمة فالله الله في أديانكم،فإنه لا بد لصاحب هذا الأمر من غيبة يغيبها حتى يرجع عن هذا الأمر من كان يقول به. يا بني،إنما هي محنة من الله امتحن بها خلقه لو علم آباؤكم وأجدادكم دينا أصح من هذا الدين لاتبعوه. قال أبو الحسن: فقلت له: يا سيدي، من الخامس من ولد السابع؟ قال: يا بني، عقولكم تصغر عن هذا وأحلامكم تضيق عن حمله، ولكن إن تعيشوا تدركوه.

H 128 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Abu Muhammad Husain bin Isa Alawi from his father, Isa bin Muhammad from his father, Muhammad bin Ali bin Ja’far from his father, Ali bin Ja’far from his brother, Musa bin Ja’far that he said: My father [Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s)] said: “My son, when the fifth descendant of the seventh Imam disappears, then by Allah, by Allah, be cautious about your faith, because definitely there such is a occultation for this Patron until many who believe in this matter turn away from their beliefs. My son, his occultation would be a trial from Allah, by which He will try His creation. If your fathers and grandfathers knew a creed better than this, they would have followed it.” Ali bin Ja’far said: Abul Hasan [Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s)] asked: “My master, who is the fifth descendant of the seventh?” He said: “My son, your intellects are deficient to understand him and you cannot bear it, but if you live, you will see that matter.”

129- أخبرني جماعة عن أبي المفضل محمد بن عبد الله بن محمد بن عبيد الله بن المطلب رحمه الله قال: حدثنا أبو الحسين محمد بن بحر بن سهل الشيباني الرهني قال: أخبرنا علي بن الحارث عن سعد بن المنصور الجواشني قال: أخبرنا أحمد بن علي البديلي قال: أخبرني أبي عن سدير الصيرفي قال: دخلت أنا والمفضل بن عمر وداود بن كثير الرقي وأبو بصير وأبان بن تغلب على مولانا الصادق عليه السلام، فرأيناه جالسا على التراب وعليه مسح خيبري مطرف بلا جيب مقصر الكمين، وهو يبكي بكاء الوالهة الثكلى ذات الكبد الحري، قد نال الحزن من وجنتيه وشاع التغير في عارضيه وأبلى الدمع محجريه، وهو يقول: سيدي، غيبتك نفت رقادي، وضيقت على مهادي، وابتزت مني راحة فؤادي. سيدي، غيبتك أوصلت مصائبي بفجائع الأبد، وفقد الواحد بعد الواحد بفناء الجمع والعدد، فما أحس بدمعة ترقأ من عيني وأنين يفشا من صدري. قال سدير: فاستطارت عقولنا ولهاً وتصدعت قلوبنا جزعاًمن ذلك الخطب الهائل والحادث الغائل. فظننا أنه سمت لمكروهة قارعة أو حلت به من الدهر بائقة. فقلنا: لا أبكى الله عينيك يا ابن خير الورى! من أية حادثة تستذرف دمعتك وتستمطر عبرتك؟ وأية حالة حتمت عليك هذا المأتم؟ قـال: فزفر الصـادق عليـه السـلام زفـرة انتفـخ منها جـوفه واشتد منها خوفه، فقال: ويكم، إني نظرت صبيحة هذا اليوم في كتاب الجفر المشتمل على علم البلايا والمنايا وعلم ما كان وما يكون إلى يوم القيامة، الذي خص الله تقدس اسمه به محمدا والأئمة من بعده، وتأملت فيه مولد قائمنا عليه السلام وغيبته وإبطاءه وطول عمره وبلوى المؤمنين من بعده في ذلك الزمان، وتولد الشكوك في قلوب الشيعة من طول غيبته، وارتداد أكثرهم عن دينه وخلعهم ربقة الإسلام من أعناقهم التي قال الله عز وجل ﴿وكُلَّ إِنسانٍ أَلْزَمْناهُ طائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ﴾، يعني الولاية، فأخذتني الرقة واستولت علي الأحزان. فقلنا: يا ابن رسول الله، كرمنا وفضلنا بإشراكك إيانا في بعض ما أنت تعلمه من علم ذلك. قال: إن الله تعالى ذكره أدار في القائم منا ثلاثة أدارها لثلاثة من الرسل؛ قدر مولده تقدير مولد موسى عليه السلام، وقدر غيبته تقدير غيبة عيسى عليه السلام، وقدر إبطاءه تقدير إبطاء نوح عليه السلام. وجعل له من بعد ذلك عمر العبد الصالح- أعني الخضر عليه السلام- دليلا على عمره. فقلنا: اكشف لنا يا ابن رسول الله عن وجوه هذه المعاني. قال: أما مولد موسى عليه السلام، فإن فرعون لما وقف على أن زوال ملكه على يده أمر بإحضار الكهنة فدلوا على نسبه وأنه يكون من بني إسرائيل، فلم يزل يأمر أصحابه بشق بطون الحوامل من نساء بني إسرائيل حتى قتل في طلبه نيفا وعشرين ألف مولود، وتعذر عليه الوصول إلى قتل موسى عليه السلام بحفظ الله تعالى إياه. كذلك بنو أمية وبنو العباس لما أن وقفوا على أن به زوال مملكة الأمراء والجبابرة منهم على يدي القائم منا ناصبونا العداوة ووضعوا سيوفهم في قتل أهل بيت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وإبادة نسله، طمعا منهم في الوصول إلى قتل القائم عليه السلام. فأبى الله أن يكشف أمره لواحد من الظلمة إلا أن يتم نوره ولو كره المشركون. وأما غيبة عيسى عليه السلام، فإن اليهود والنصارى اتفقت على أنه قُتل، فكذبهم الله عز وجل بقوله ﴿وما قَتَلُوهُ وما صَلَبُوهُ ولكِنْ شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ﴾. كذلك غيبة القائم، فإن الأمة ستنكرهـا لطولهـا؛ فمن قائل يقول: إنه لم يولد! وقـائل يفتري بقوله: إنه ولد ومات! وقائل يكفر بقوله إن حادي عشرنا كان عقيما! وقائل يمرق بقوله إنه يتعدى إلى ثالث عشر فصاعدا! وقائل يعصي الله بدعواه أن روح القائم عليه السلام ينطق في هيكل غيره! وأما إبطاء نوح عليه السلام، فإنه لما استنزل العقوبة من السماء بعث الله إليه جبرئيل عليه السلام معه سبع نويات،فقال: يا نبي الله، إن الله جل اسمه يقول لك إن هؤلاء خلائقي وعبادي، لست أبيدهم بصاعقة من صواعقي إلا بعد تأكيد الدعوة وإلزام الحجة. فعاود اجتهادك في الدعوة لقومك فإني مثيبك عليه واغرس هذا النوى فإن لك في نباتها وبلوغها وإدراكها إذا أثمرت الفرج والخلاص، وبشر بذلك من تبعك من المؤمنين. فلما نبتت الأشجار وتأزرت وتسوقت وأغصنت وزها الثمر عليها بعد زمان طويل استنجز من الله العدة فأمره الله تعالى أن يغرس من نوى تلك الأشجار ويعاود الصبر والاجتهاد ويؤكد الحجة على قومه، فأخبر بذلك الطوائف التي آمنت به فارتد منهم ثلاثمائة رجل وقالوا: لو كان ما يدعيه نوح حقا لما وقع في عدته خلف! ثم إن الله تعالى لم يزل يأمره عند إدراكها كل مرة أن يغرس تارة بعد أخرى إلى أن غرسها سبع مرات،وما زالت تلك الطوائف من المؤمنين ترتد منهم طائفة بعد طائفة إلى أن عادوا إلى نيف وسبعين رجلا. فأوحى الله عز وجل عند ذلك إليه وقال: الآن أسفر الصبح عن الليل لعينك حين صرح الحق عن محضه وصفا الأمر للايمان من الكدر بارتداد كل من كانت طينته خبيثة،فلو أني أهلكت الكفار وأبقيت من ارتد من الطوائف التي كانت آمنت بك لما كنت صدقت وعدي السابق للمؤمنين الذين أخلصوا لي التوحيد من قومك واعتصموا بحبل نبوتك بأن أستخلفهم في الأرض وأمكن لهم دينهم وأبدل خوفهم بالأمن لكي تخلص العبادة لي بذهاب الشك من قلوبهم. وكيف يكون الاستخلاف والتمكين وبدل الخوف بالأمن مني لهم مع ما كنت أعلم من ضعف يقين الذين ارتدوا وخبث طينتهم وسوء سرائرهم التي كانت نتائج النفـاق وسـنوخ الضـلالة؟ فلـو أنهـم تنسموا من الملك الذي أوتي المؤمنون وقت الاستخلاف إذا هلكت أعداؤهم لنشقوا روائح صفاته ولاستحكم سرائر نفاقهم وتأبد خبال ضلالة قلوبهم ولكاشفوا إخوانهم بالعداوة وحاربوهم على طلب الرئاسة والتفرد بالأمر والنهي عليهم! وكيف يكون التمكين في الدين وانتشار الأمر في المؤمنين مع إثارة الفتن وإيقاع الحروب كلا ﴿واصْنَعِ الْفُلْكَ بِأَعْيُنِنا ووَحْيِنا﴾. قال الصادق عليه السلام: وكذلك القائم عليه السلام، فإنه تمتد غيبته ليصرح الحق عن محضه ويصفو الإيمان من الكدر بارتداد كل من كانت طينته خبيثة من الشيعة الذين يخشى عليهم النفاق إذا أحسوا بالاستخلاف والتمكين والأمن المنتشر في عهد القائم عليه السلام. قال المفضل: فقلت: يا ابن رسول الله، فإن النواصب تزعم أن هذه الآية أنزلت في أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي. فقال: لا هدى الله قلوب الناصبة! متى كان الدين الذي ارتضاه الله ورسوله متمكنا بانتشار الأمن في الأمة وذهاب الخوف من قلوبها وارتفاع الشك من صدورها في عهد واحد من هؤلاء أو في عهد علي عليه السلام مع ارتداد المسلمين والفتن التي كانت تثور في أيامهم والحروب والفتن التي كانت تشب بين الكفار وبينهم؟ ثم تلا الصادق عليه السلام هذه الآية مثلا لإبطاء القائم عليه السلام: ﴿حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُوا جاءَهُمْ نَصْرُنا…﴾ الآية. وأما العبد الصالح- أعني الخضرعليه السلام- فإن الله تعالى ما طول عمره لنبوة قررها له ولا لكتاب نزل عليه ولا لشريعة ينسخ بها شريعة من كان قبله من الأنبياء عليهم السلام ولا لإمامة يلزم عباده الاقتداء بها ولا لطاعة يفرضها. بلى،إن الله تعالى لما كان في سابق علمه أن يقدر من عمر القائم عليه السلام في أيام غيبته ما يقدره وعلم ما يكون من إنكار عباده بمقدار ذلك العمر في الطول طول عمر العبد الصالح من غير سبب أوجب ذلك إلا لعلة الاستدلال به على عمر القائم عليه السلام ليقطع بذلك حجة المعاندين لئلا يكون للناس على الله حجة. و الأخبار في هذا المعنى أكثر من أن تحصى ذكرنا طرفا منها لئلا يطول به الكتاب. فإن قيل: هذه كلها أخبار آحاد لا يعول على مثلها في هذه المسألة لأنها مسألة علمية. قلنا: موضع الاستدلال من هذه الأخبار ما تضمن الخبر بالشي‏ء قبل كونه فكان كما تضمنه فكان ذلك دلالة على صحة ما ذهبنا إليه من إمامة ابن الحسن لأن العلم بما يكون لا يحصل إلا من جهة علام الغيوب. فلو لم يرو إلا خبر واحد ووافق مخبره ما تضمنه الخبر لكان ذلك كافيا ولذلك كان ما تضمنه القرآن من الخبر بالشي‏ء قبل كونه دليلا على صدق النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم وأن القرآن من قبل الله تعالى وإن كانت المواضع التي تضمنت ذلك محصورة ومع ذلك مسموعة من مخبر واحد لكن دل على صدقه من الجهة التي قلناها. على أن هذه الأخبار متواتر بها لفظا ومعنى.فأما اللفظ فإن الشيعة تواترت بكل خبر منه،وأما المعنى فإن كثرة الأخبار واختلاف جهاتها وتباين طرقها وتباعد رواتها يدل على صحتها لأنه لا يجوز أن يكون كلها باطلة. ولذلك يستدل في مواضع كثيرة على معجزات النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم التي هي سوى القرآن وأمور كثيرة في الشرع تتواتر معنى وإن كان كل لفظ منها منقولا من جهة الآحاد وذلك معتمد عند من خالفنا في هذه المسألة فلا ينبغي أن يتركوه وينسوه إذا جئنا إلى الكلام في الإمامة والعصبية لا ينبغي أن تنتهي بالإنسان إلى حد يجحد الأمور المعلومة. وهذا الذي ذكرناه معتبر في مدائح الرجال وفضائلهم ولذلك استدل على سخاء حاتم وشجاعة عمرو وغير ذلك بمثل ذلك وإن كان كل واحد مما يروى من عطاء حاتم ووقوف عمرو في موقف من المواقف من جهة الآحاد وهذا واضح.

H 129 - A group has narrated from Abu Mufaddal Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ubaidullah bin Matlab that he said: Narrated to me Abul Husain Muhammad bin Bahr bin Sahl Shaibani Rahni from Ali bin Harith from Saad bin Mansur Jawashini from Ahmad bin Ali Budaili from his father from Sudair Sairafi that he said: I, along with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Abu Basir, Aban Ibn Taghlib came to our master, Abu Abdullah Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (a.s) and found him sitting on bare earth. He had a Khaibari woolen cloak ringed at the neck, did not have any pockets and had short sleeves. He was crying like a deeply afflicted and bereaved mother of a child from the depths of a heart that was full of mourning. Grief had appeared in the sides of his face and the change had spread on both his cheeks and tears were rolling on the sides of his visage, as he was saying: “My master, your occultation has taken away my night’s sleep; it has narrowed my bed for me and has snatched away solace from my heart. My master, your occultation has turned my tragedies into the atrocities of eternity! The loss of one after the other perishes a crowd and a multitude. No more I feel the tear that drops from my eye and the moan that faintly leaves my chest from the places of tragedies and past calamities, except that it exemplifies before my eye the greatest and cruelest of catastrophes, the most dismal and disdainful mishaps, mixed with your wrath and calamities coupled with your anger.” Sudair says: Our hearts and minds were overwhelmed by that terrifying scene. We thought that it was a sign of a dreadful shattering or times have brought him a calamity. So we said: “May Allah, O son of the best of the creation, never bring tears into your eyes. Why are you weeping and what has caused this mourning?” Sudair says: Imam Sadiq (a.s) took a deep sigh that his chest expanded and his grief enhanced and he said: “I looked at the Book of Jafr this morning, and that is  the book that encompasses the knowledge of deaths, trials and tribulations and the knowledge of all that has been and all that will be until Judgment Day, which Allah, glory to His name, has exclusively imparted to Muhammad and the Imams after him, peace be unto him and them. I saw therein the birth of our Qaim and his occultation and its protraction and the length of his lifespan and the trials of the believers through him after him in that period and the generation of doubts in their hearts due to the length of his disappearance and apostasy of most of them from their religion and their desertion of Islam, about which Allah, glory to His name, has said: “And We have made every man’s actions to cling to his neck…” (17:13) …which is Mastership (Wilayah); so emotions overpowered me and grief overwhelmed me.” We said: “O son of Allah’s Messenger, dignify us and bestow honor upon us by sharing some of what you know from the knowledge.” He said: “Allah, the Exalted, has bestowed three qualities to the Qaim of ours, which He gave to three of the apostles. He foreordained his birth like the birth of Musa (a.s); his disappearance like the disappearance of Isa (a.s); and his longevity like the longevity of Nuh (a.s). Moreover, He made the lifespan of His virtuous servant Khizr, a proof of his lifespan.”  I said: “Remove the curtains for us, O son of Allah’s Messenger, from the faces of these concepts.” He said: “As for the birth of Musa: When the Firon discerned that the demise of his kingdom is near, he summoned the soothsayers, who foretold him about his lineage and that he will be from the Children of Israel. Firon did not cease to have his men rip open the abdomens of pregnant ladies from Bani Israel, until he killed in the pursuit of Musa, twenty and some odd thousand babies. He was unable to murder Musa, for Allah, the Exalted, protected him. Likewise, when the Umayyads and the Abbasids discovered that the demise of their kingdom and that of their kings and tyrants will be at the hands of the Qaim from us, they showed enmity to us and took their swords out for the murder of the House of the Messenger of Allah (s) and to cut off his progeny in order to make certain they have killed the Qaim (a.s). However, Allah dislikes not revealing His Command for one of the oppressors until His light is full, even if the pagans may dislike this. As for the disappearance of Isa: The Jews and the Christians formed unanimity that he has been killed; whereas Allah belied them in His verse: “and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa)…” (4:157) Likewise is the disappearance of the Qaim (a.s), since one community denies it for its length - ranging from one misguided person who says, ‘He was never born’; to another who says, ‘He was born and he died’; to another who rejects faith by saying that our Eleventh was childless; to another who deviates by saying, ‘This will increase to thirteen and upwards’, and another who sins against God, the Exalted, by saying, ‘The spirit of the Qaim speaks through the body of someone else’. “As for the longevity of Nuh: When he prayed for the descent of punishment against his people from the heavens, Allah, the Exalted, sent Jibraeel, the Trusted Spirit, with seven kernels, and he said: ‘O Apostle of Allah, Allah, the Exalted, says to you, ‘They are My creation and My servants. I will not destroy them with a lightning from My thunderbolts until the call has been stressed upon and the proof has become binding. Continue your hard labor in calling your people, for I will reward you for that. Plant these kernels, because your relief and liberation will be at its plantation, outgrowth, and fruition when it reaches fruition. Give this glad tiding to your believing followers.’ When the trees grew and thrived and their trunks and branches developed and spread out and their fruits grew big, he asked Allah, the Exalted, for the fulfillment of the promise. Allah, the Exalted, ordered him to plant the seeds of those trees and retain patience and hard work and continue calling the people. He informed the nations that believed in him; three hundred men of them turned away from him and said: ‘If what Nuh is claiming were true, the promise of his Lord would not have been violated.’ Then Allah, the Exalted, continued to order him every time to plant the seeds until they had been planted seven times. Nations of believers continued to lose congregations until there were left only seventy and some odd men. At that time, did Allah, the Exalted, sent a message to him and said: ‘O Nuh, now the dawn on your eyes has broken the night as the truth has manifested with clarity and the order of belief has become pure from impurity by the apostasy of everyone who had a wicked disposition. If I had destroyed the disbelievers and kept those who have apostatized from amongst the believers in you, I would not have fulfilled My early promise to the believers from your people, who were sincere in their belief in Me and had adhered to the rope of your Prophethood that I would make them heirs in earth and empower for them their religion and replace their fear with security, so that worship be pure for Me by the departure of doubts from their hearts. How could I provide heirship and empowerment and replacement of fear with security, while I know the weakness of belief of the people who apostatized and their wicked dispositions and their evil insides, which were the outcomes of hypocrisy and the initiation of misguidance? If they had procured from Me the kingdom that will be given to the believers at the time of heirship when I will have killed their enemies, they would have sniffed the smells of its attractions, and it would have strengthened the inner secrets of their hypocrisy, and eternalized the strings of misguidance in their hearts, and they would have faced their brothers with enmity and would have battled them in pursuit of chiefdom and the distinction of commanding and forbidding. And how can the religion’s empowerment and commands spread amongst the believers coexist with rise of mischief and occurrence of wars? Never! Build the ark under Our eyes and as We reveal.’” Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Likewise is the Qaim (a.s). The days of his occultation will be prolonged, so truth may become clear and belief may become pure from impurity by the apostasy of everyone from the Shia with a wicked disposition, who are feared they are hypocrites when they expect heirship and empowerment and a vast security in the reign of the Qaim (a.s).” Mufaddal says, I asked, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, the Nawasib believe this verse: “Allah has promised to those of you who believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers in the earth…” (24:55) has been revealed about Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.” He said: “May Allah not guide the hearts of the Nawasib. When was the religion, which Allah and His Messenger are pleased with, empowered through spread of security in the Ummah and departure of fear from their hearts and doubts from breasts during the reign of anyone of them? And in the reign of Ali (a.s) especially with the apostasy of Muslims and mischiefs, which were occurring in their days and the wars that were breaking out between the disbelievers and between themselves?” Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) recited this verse: “Until when the apostles despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, Our help came to them…” (12:110) “As for the virtuous servant of Allah, Khizr: Allah, the Exalted, neither lengthened his lifespan because of apostleship ordained to him, nor for a book sent to him, or for a code of law replacing the previous codes from other messengers before him, or for an Imamate obliging His servants to follow him, or any obedience mandated with respect to him. Instead, since Allah, the Exalted, knew how lengthy He would make the life of the Qaim (a.s) in the days of his occultation and He knew the rejection of His servants with respect to lifespan, He lengthened the lifespan of the Virtuous Servant for no other reason, but to argue on its basis for the lifespan of the Qaim (a.s) and so that the argument of the opponents may cease and people may not have any proofs against Allah.” There are a large number of reports of the same connotation, but we have mentioned only some of them to avoid prolonging our book. If it is said: All these narrations are singularly narrated traditions, which cannot be conclusive in a subject as this, as it requires certainty. We will reply: Our argument is based on the portion of these narrations, which predict an event before its happening and then that event happens as predicted. This is the proof of the Imamate of Ibn Hasan, because the knowledge of an event before it happens cannot be known, but through Almighty God. Even if there were not but one tradition and its content corresponded to events later on, that is sufficient. That is why the predictions of the Quran about future events are the proofs of the truthfulness of the Messenger (a.s) and that Quran is from God, the Almighty, inasmuch as it is heard from a single narrator, but it does prove this single narrator’s truth on the basis of this argument. Besides, reports in this regard are narrated in inordinate numbers (Mutawatir) both by the same words and recounting the same concepts. As for the inordinate number of traditions carrying the same wordings, the Shia have narrated each such narration by Mutawatir measures. And this concept has been narrated in inordinate numbers through different words, because the great number of narrations, their different occasions, and their distinct chains, and the remote narrators thereof, prove their veracity, because not all of them can be false. That is why on many occasions the miracles of the Prophet (s) other than the Quran, and many other themes in the Shariah are proved through Tawatur, though the wordings may be singularly narrated. This is an accepted measure before our opponents in this question. Therefore, they should not abandon and forget it when we come to discuss Imamate. It is not worthy that close-mindedness leads one to reject self-evident things. This measure is accepted in praising or denouncing men. Therefore, they have argued for the generosity of Hatim and bravery of Amr and other things in the same way, though every instance of Hatim’s generosity and Amr’s stance in the battles is a singularly narrated incident. This is abundantly clear.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 27