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 ظهور المعجزات الدالة على صحة إمامته في زمان الغيبة فهي أكثر من أن تحصى غير أنا نذكر طرفا منها:

With regard to the display of miracles from His Eminence, the Master of the Age (a.s) during occultation, which prove his Imamate are numerous to the limit that they cannot be computed. However, we will mention only a few of them here.

239- أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه، عن محمد بن يعقوب رفعه إلى محمد بن إبراهيم بن مهزيار قال: شككت عند مضي أبي محمد عليه السلام، وكان اجتمع عند أبي مال جليل فحمله وركب السفينة، وخرجت معه مشيعا له، فوعك وعكا شديدا. فقال: يا بني ردني (ردني) فهو الموت، واتق الله في هذا المال، وأوصى إلي ومات. فقلت في نفسي: لم يكن أبي ليوصي بشيء غير صحيح، أحمل هذا المال إلى العراق وأكتري دارا على الشط، ولا أخبر أحدا، فإن وضح لي شيء كوضوحه أيام أبي محمد عليه السلام أنفذته وإلا تصدقت به. فقدمت العراق واكتريت دارا على الشط وبقيت أياما، فإذا أنا برسول معه رقعة فيها: يا محمد معك كذا (وكذا) في جوف كذا وكذا حتى قص علي جميع ما معي مما لم أحط به علما، فسلمت المال إلى الرسول وبقيت أياما لا يرفع بي رأس، فاغتممت. فخرج إلي:قد أقمناك مقام أبيك فاحمد الله.

H 239 - A group of scholars has narrated from Abul Qasim Ja’far bin Muhammad Quluwayh from Muhammad bin Yaqub directly from Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar that he said: After the martyrdom of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) doubts overwhelmed me, especially about who would be the Imam after him. This was while a huge amount of Khums had been deposited with my father; so he carried them and boarded a ship. I went with him to accompany him. He got a very severe fever and said to me, “My son, take me back, take me back. This is death. And fear Allah in this Khums.” He confided his final will to me and died. I said to myself that my father had not asked me to do anything wrong. I will carry these goods to Iraq and will rent a house there and will not inform anyone. If things became clear to me like their clarity during the days of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), I will hand the goods over, or else, distribute them as alms. I went to Iraq and rented a house by the river. I had remained there but a few days that a messenger brought a letter to me saying: O Muhammad, you have brought this and this in such and such parcels; recounting all of the goods that were with me of which I did not know myself. I gave them to the messenger. I remained there a few more days and was not given any attention, which made me rather sad. Then a letter came, “We have appointed you in the position of your father, so thank Allah.”

240- وبهذا الاسناد، عن الحسن بن الفضل بن يزيد اليماني قال:كتبت في معنيين وأردت أن أكتب في الثالث وامتنعت منه مخافة أن يكره ذلك، فورد جواب المعنيين والثالث الذي طويته مفسرا.

H 240 - It is narrated from the same chains from Hasan Ibn Fadhl bin Zaid Yamani that he says: “I wrote a letter about two issues and wanted to write about a third issue as well, but did not, fearing he will not like it. The answer came, explaining the two issues and the third, which I had kept to myself.”

241- وبهذا الاسناد، عن بدر-غلام أحمد بن الحسن-قال:وردت الجبل وأنا لا أقول بالامامة، أحبهم جملة إلى أن مات يزيد بن عبدالملك، فأوصى إلي في علته أن يدفع الشهري السمند وسيفه ومنطقته إلى مولاه فخفت إن لم أدفع الشهري إلى إذ كوتكين نالني منه استخفاف، فقومت الدابة والسيف والمنطقة بسبعمـائة دينـار في نفسي، ولم أطلع عليه أحدا، فإذا الكتاب قد ورد علي من العراق أن وجه السبعمائة دينار التي لنا قبلك من ثمن الشهري السمند والسيف والمنطقة.

H 241 - It is narrated from the same chains from Badr, the slave of Ahmad Ibn Hasan, from his father that he said: “I arrived at the mountain region. In those days I was not a believer in Imamate, but loved them over all. Until, Yazid Ibn Abdul Malik died and he bequeathed in his malady that Shahriul Samand (a breed of horse), his sword and his belt should be given to his lord. I was afraid if I did not give Shahriul Samand to Idhkutakain, he would chastise me. I valued the beast, sword and the belt for seven hundred dinars and took them on my account and did not tell anyone. Then a letter came from Iraq ordering me, “Send the seven hundred dinars that you owe us for the price of Shahriul­ Samand, the sword and the belt.”

242- وبهذا الاسناد، عن علي، عمن حدثه قال:ولد لي مولود فكتبت أستأذن في تطهيره(في) اليوم السابع، فورد لا تفعل، فمات اليوم السابع أو الثامن، ثم كتبت بموته فورد سيخلف الله غيره وتسميه أحمد ومن بعد أحمد جعفر، فجاء كما قال.

H 242 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali from those who narrated it that he said: “A son was born for me. I wrote a letter to the Master of the Age, seeking permission to perform his circumcision on the seventh day. Reply came saying not to do it. My son died on the seventh or eighth day. Then I wrote to our Master about his death. The answer came: You will sire another and another son. He named the first as Ahmad and the other Ja’far. They were born as the Imam had predicted.

243- وبهذا الاسناد، عن علي بن محمد، عن أبي عقيل عيسى بن نصر قال: كتب علي بن زياد الصيمري يلتمس كفنا، فكتب إليه: إنك تحتاج (إليه) في سنة ثمانين. فمات في سنة ثمانين، وبعث إليه بالكفن قبل موته.

H 243 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali bin Muhammad bin Abi Aqil Isa Ibn Nasr that he said: “Ali Ibn Ziyad Saymoori wrote and requested for a burial shroud. The Imam wrote back: “You will need it in the year two hundred and eighty.” He died that year and the Imam sent him a burial shroud before his demise.”

244- محمد بن يعقوب، عن علي بن محمد قال: خرج نهي عن زيارة مقابر قريش والحير. فلما كان بعد أشهر، دعا الوزير الباقطاني فقال له: إلق بني الفرات والبرسيين وقل لهم لا تزوروا مقابر قريش، فقد أمر الخليفة أن يتفقد كل من زار فيقبض عليه. وأما ما ظهر من جهته عليه السلام من التوقيعات فكثيرة نذكر طرفا منها.

H 244 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub from Ali Ibn Muhammad that he said: “A prohibition came forbidding visitations to the graveyard in Kadhimiyya and the Shrines. A few months later, the minister called Baqitani said to him, “Tell the people of Bani Furat and village of Bars not to visit the graveyard at Kadhmain, because the caliph has ordered that anyone who comes there must be watched and arrested.”

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 36