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 وفاة محمد بن علي بن الحنفية وبطلان قول من ذهب إلى إمامته فقد بيناه فيما مضى من الكتاب، وعلى هذه الطريقة إذا بينا أن المهدي من ولد الحسين عليه السلام بطل قول المخالف في إمامته عليه السلام. ويزيده بيانا:

In this regard and in explanation of refutation of Kaisaniya belief, which is belief in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibn Hanafiyyah and in the same way is the explanation of his demise, which we explained in this book previously. Therefore, as we mentioned, Mahdi (a.s) is from the descendants of Imam Husain (a.s), the statement of one who opposes his Imamate would be proved invalid. Here, we add two more traditional reports with those mentioned before:

159- ما رواه الحسين بن سعيد عن حماد بن عيسى عن ربعي بن عبد الله عن الفضيل بن يسار قال: قال لي أبو جعفر عليه السلام: لما توجه الحسين عليه السلام إلى العراق دفع إلى أم سلمة زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم الوصية والكتب وغير ذلك، وقال لها: إذا أتاك أكبر ولدي فادفعي إليه ما قد دفعت إليك. فلما قتل الحسين عليه السلام أتى علي بن الحسين عليه السلام أم سلمة فدفعت إليه كل شي‏ء أعطها الحسين عليه السلام.

H 159 - It is narrated from Husain bin Saeed from Hammad bin Isa from Rabai bin Abdullah from Fudail bin Yasar that he said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) said: When Imam Husain (a.s) moved to Iraq, he entrusted his will, books and other matters to Umme Salma, wife of the Holy Prophet (s) and told her: That which I have given to you, when my elder son comes to you, you must hand them over to him. When Husain (a.s) was martyred, Ali bin Husain, Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) came to Umme Salma and she handed over to him all that Imam Husain (a.s) had deposited with her.

160- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن عن الحسين بن ثوير بن أبي فاختة عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لا تعود الإمامة في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام،ولا يكون بعد علي بن الحسين عليه السلام إلا في الأعقاب وأعقاب الأعقاب.

H 160 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman from Husain bin Thuwair bin Abi Fakhta from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: After Hasan and Husain, Imamate will never come to two brothers because after Ali Ibn Husain, Imamate is only in his progeny, generation after generation.

وما جرى بين محمد بن الحنفية وعلي بن الحسين عليه السلام ومحاكمتهما إلى الحجر معروف لا نطول بذكره هاهنا.

There is also the incident, which occurred between Imam Sajjad (a.s) and Muhammad bin Hanafiyya; that they sought judgment from Hajar Aswad, as we mentioned before, and thus we would not prolong the book by repeating it.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 31