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 الناووسية الذين وقفوا على أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام وقالوا هو المهدي قد بينا أيضا فساد قولهم بما علمناه من موته واشتهار الأمر فيه ولصحة إمامة ابنه موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام وبما ثبت من إمامة الاثني عشر عليه السلام ويؤكد ذلك ما ثبت من صحة وصيته إلى من أوصى إليه وظهور الحال في ذلك.

As for the Nawusiyya, who express uncertainty after Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (a.s), we explained the invalidity of their belief, as we know that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) passed away and that his son Musa Ibn Ja’far rightly succeeded him and that the Imamate of the Twelve Imams is a proven fact. The fact that he expressly confided a final will, underscores our point.

161- أخبرنا جماعة عن أبي جعفر محمد بن سفيان البزوفري عن أحمد بن إدريس عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى عن الحسن بن محبوب عن جميل بن صالح عن هشام بن أحمر عن سالمة مولاة أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قالت: كنت عند أبي عبد الله جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام حين حضرته الوفاة وأغمي عليه،فلما أفاق قال: أعطوا الحسن بن علي بن علي بن الحسين -وهو الأفطس- سبعين دينارا وأعطوا فلانا كذا وفلانا كذا. فقلت: أتعطي رجلا حمل عليك بالشفرة يريد أن يقتلك؟ قال: تريدينيأن لا أكون من الذين قال الله عز وجل: ﴿والَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ ويَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ ويَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ﴾؟ نعم يا سالمة،إن الله تعالى خلق الجنة فطيبها وطيب ريحها. وإن ريحها ليوجد من مسيرة ألفي عام. ولا يجد ريحها عاق ولا قاطع رحم.

H 161 - Informed us a group of scholars from Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Sufyan Bazufari from Ahmad bin Idris Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Mahbub from Jamil bin Salih from Hisham bin Ahmar from Salima, maidservant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that she said: I was present at the time of the passing away of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) when the Imam was in a swoon in his last moments. After that he regained his consciousness and gave seventy dinars to Hasan bin Ali bin Husain – or the same Hasan Aftas – to give such and such amount to so and so person and such and such amount to so and so person. I asked: Would you give money to one who attacked you and wanted to slay you? He replied: Don’t you want me to be one, about whom Almighty Allah has said: “And those who join that which Allah has bidden to be joined and have awe of their Lord and fear the evil reckoning.” (13:21) Yes, O Salima, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime has created Paradise and purified and made it fragrant in such a way that the fragrance of Paradise reaches upto a distance of two thousand years’ of travel, but it will not reach to those who are disowned by parents and those who cut off relationships.

162- وروى أبو أيوب الخوزي قال: بعث إلي أبو جعفر المنصور في جوف الليلن فدخلت عليه وهو جالس على كرسي وبين يديه شمعة وفي يده كتاب،فلما سلمت عليه رمى الكتاب إلي وهو يبكي وقال: هذا كتاب محمد بن سليمان يخبرنا أن جعفر بن محمد قد مات. فإنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون- ثلاثا- وأين مثل جعفر؟! ثم قال لي: اكتب…فكتبت صدر الكتاب. ثم قال: اكتب: إن كان قد أوصى إلى رجل بعينه فقدمه واضرب عنقه. قال: فرجع الجواب إليه أنه قد أوصى إلى خمسة أحدهم أبو جعفر المنصور ومحمد بن سليمان وعبد الله وموسى ابني جعفر وحميدة.فقال المنصور: ليس إلى قتل هؤلاء سبيل.

H 162 - It is narrated from Abu Ayyub Khauzi that he said: Abu Ja’far Mansur Dawaniqi summoned me in the middle of the night. When I came to him, I found him seated on the throne and a candle was burning before him and there was a letter in his hand. When I greeted him, he passed the letter to me while weeping and saying: This is the letter of Muhammad bin Sulaiman, which has informed us that Ja’far bin Muhammad has passed away. And he said thrice: Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return. Where will a like of Ja’far come into being? After that he said: Write: I wrote the heading and he continued: Write that if he has appointed anyone in particular as his successor, you must put him to death. Reply same that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) has willed in favor of five persons, one of them being Abu Ja’far Mansur Dawaniqi, after Muhammad bin Sulaiman, his two sons: Abdullah and Musa, and his wife Hamida. When he heard this, he remarked: It is not possible to eliminate them.

وأما الواقفة الذين وقفوا على موسى بن جعفر عليهماالسلام وقالوا هو فقد أفسدنا أقوالهم بما دللنا عليه من موته واشتهار الأمر فيه وثبوت إمامة ابنه الرضا عليه السلام وفي ذلك كفاية لمن أنصف.

As for the Waqifa, who stop at the Imamate of Musa Ibn Ja’far (a.s), saying that he is the Mahdi, we have invalidated their belief by proving that Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) passed away and that his death was a well-known historical reality and that his son, Imam Ridha (a.s) was the Imam after him, and this much is sufficient for people of reason.

وأما المحمدية الذين قالوا بإمامة محمد بن علي العسكري وأنه حي لم يمت،فقولهم باطل لما دللنا به على إمامة أخيه الحسن بن علي أبي القائم عليه السلام. وأيضا فقد مات محمد في حياة أبيه عليه السلام موتا ظاهرا كما مات أبوه وجده،فالمخالف في ذلك مخالف في الضرورات. ويزيد ذلك بيانا:

As for the Muhammmadiyya, who said that Muhammad Ibn Ali Askari is the Imam and that he is alive and has not died, their assertion is invalid on the basis of our proofs of the Imamate of his brother, Hasan Ibn Ali, the father of the Qaim (a.s). Furthermore, Muhammad died in the lifetime of his father  and his death was apparent and visible like the death of his father and grandfather. To dispute that would amount to disputing a self-evident reality.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 32