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)

قد بينا بالاخبار الصحيحة بأن مولد صاحب الزمان عليه السلام كان في سنة ست وخمسين ومائتين وأن أباه عليه السلام مات في سنة ستين فكانت له حينئذ أربع سنين فيكون عمره إلى حين خروجه ما يقتضيه الحساب ولا ينافي ذلك الاخبار التي رويت في مقدار سنه مختلفة الالفاظ.

We have previously, through authentic reports, narrated that the holy birth of Imam Mahdi (a.s) occurred in 256 A.H. and his holy father passed away in 260 A.H. Thus the Imam was four years old at that time. However, the age of the Imam till the time of his reappearance and advent is a number, which requires calculation with the reports that are recorded about the age of the Imam at the time of reappearance [like reports, which say that he would appear like a man of forty] are differently worded, have no contradiction with reports, which will be mentioned in this section.

396- نحو ما روي عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام أنه قال: ليس صاحب هذا الامر(من جاز من أربعين)، صاحب هذا الامر القوي المشمر. وما أشبه ذلك من الاخبار التي وردت مختلفة الالفاظ متباينة المعاني.

H 396 - It is narrated from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) that the age of Imam Mahdi (a.s) would not be more than forty years. He would be extremely strong, powerful and energetic. There are numerous traditional reports resembling this one, which differ in words as well as meaning.

397- ويقوي ذلك ما رواه أبوعلي محمد بن همام، عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك، عن عمر بن طرخان، عن محمد بن إسماعيل، عن علي بن عمر بن علي بن الحسين، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن ولي الله يعمر عمر إبراهيم الخليل عشرين ومائة سنة، ويظهر في صورة فتى موفق ابن ثلاثين سنة.

H 397 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Himam from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Umar bin Tarqan from Muhammad bin Ismail from Ali bin Umar bin Ali bin Husain from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: “Indeed the Master of the Age will be aged like Prophet Ibrahim (a.s); (that is he lived to be a hundred and twenty years), but he will look like a thirty-year-old young man.”

398- وعنه، عن الحسن بن علي العاقولي، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: لو خرج القائم لقد أنكره الناس، يرجع إليهم شابا موفقا، فلا يلبث عليه إلا كل مؤمن أخذ الله ميثاقه في الذر الاول.

H 398 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Himam from Hasan bin Ali from Aquli from Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Hamza from his father from Abu Basir from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: “When Imam Qaim (a.s) reappears, people will refuse to believe in him and he will approach them as a young man. However, the believer from whom the Almighty Allah has taken a covenant in Aalame Zar (in the initial stage of creation) will believe immediately.”

399- وروي في خبر آخر: أن في صاحب الزمان عليه السلام شبها من يونس؛رجوعه من غيبته بشرخ الشباب.

H 399 - It is mentioned in another report that: There is a similarity between Prophet Yunus (a.s) and Imam Mahdi (a.s); and it is that he would return from his occultation as a young man.

400- وقد روي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: ما تنكرون أن يمد الله لصاحب هذا الامر في العمر كما مد لنوح عليه السلام في العمر؟

H 400- It is narrated from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: Do not deny that Almighty Allah has prolonged the lifespan of the Master of this affair, because Allah, the Mighty and the High has prolonged the life of Prophet Nuh (a.s) before.

401- ويروي النصارى أن فيمن تقدم من عاش سبعمائة سنة وأكثر.

H 401 - Christians have narrated: Some of their ancestors lived for seven hundred years and some even exceeded this.

402- وروى أبوعبيدة معمر بن المثنى البصري التيمي قال: كانت في غطفان خلة أشهرتهم بها العرب، كان منهم نصر بن دهمان، وكان من سادة غطفان وقادتها حتى خرف وحناه الاكبر، وعاش تسعين ومائة سنة، فاعتدل بعد ذلك شابا وأسود شعره، فلا يعرب في العرب أعجوبة مثله.

H 402 - It is narrated that Abu Ubaidah Moammar bin Muthanna Basri Teemi said: It was the quality of Bani Ghitfan that it was the most famous of the Arab tribes. Among its members was Nasr bin Dahman who was considered to be an elder and noble person of his tribe. He lived for 190 years and became extremely aged and weak, but after this period, his youth returned and his hair became black and no wonder was seen in Arabs like him.

وأما ما روي من الاخبار التي تتضمن أن صاحب الزمان يموت ثم يعيش أو يقتل ثم يعيش، نحو ما رواه:

Reports, which mention that the Imam of the Age will pass away or would be martyred and after that he would become alive again:

403- الفضل بن شاذان، عن موسى بن سعدان، عن عبد الله بن قاسم الحضرمي، عن أبي سعيد الخراساني قال: قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام: لأي شيء سمي القائم؟ قال: لأنه يقوم بعدما يموت، إنه يقوم بأمر عظيم يقوم بأمر الله سبحانه.

H 403 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Musa bin Sadan from Abdullah bin Qasim Hadhrami from Abi Saeed Khurasani that he said: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), “Why is he named as Qaim?” He said: “Because he will rise after his name dies. He will establish a mighty enterprise. He will rise up by the command of Allah, the Glorified.”

404- وروى محمد بن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، عن أبيه، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن علي بن الحكم، عن حماد بن عثمان، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: مثل أمرنا في كتاب الله مثل صاحب الحمار؛ أماته الله مائة عام ثم بعثه.

H 404 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from his father from Yaqub bin Yazid from Ali bin Hakam, from Hammad bin Uthman from Abi Basir that he said: I heard Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) say: “The similitude of our Order in the Divine Book is the similitude of the owner of the donkey; Allah made him die for a hundred a years and then raised him up again.”

405- وعنه، عن أبيه، عن جعفر بن محمد الكوفي، عن إسحق بن محمد، عن القاسم بن الربيع، عن علي بن خطاب، عن مؤذن مسجد الاحمر قال:سألت أبـا عبد الله عليه السلام: هل في كتاب الله مثل للقائم عليه السلام؟ فقال: نعم، آية صاحب الحمار؛ أماته الله (مائة عام) ثم بعثه.

H 405 - It is narrated by Himyari from his father from Ja’far bin Muhammad Kufi from Ishaq bin Muhammad from Qasim bin Rabi from Ali bin Khattab on the authority of the Muezzin of the red mosque: I asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), “Is there in the Book of Allah a similitude for the Qaim?” He said: “Yes, the verse of the owner of the donkey, Allah made him die for a hundred years and then raised him up again.”

406- وروى الفضل بن شاذان، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن حماد بن عبدالكريم قال: قال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: إن القائم عليه السلام إذا قام قال الناس:أنى يكون هذا وقد بليت عظامه منذ دهر طويل؟

H 406 - It is narrated from Fadhal bin Shazan from Ibn Abi Najran from Muhammad bin Fuzail from Hammad Ibn Abdul Karim that Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) said: “When the Qaim rises, people will say, ‘How this can be? His bones have decayed a long time ago.”

407- روى الفضل بن شاذان، عن عبد الله بن جبلة، عن سلمة بن جناح الجعفي عن حازم بن حبيب قال: قال (لي): أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يا حازم، إن لصاحب هذا الامر غيبتين؛ يظهر في الثانية، إن جاء‌ك من يقول: إنه نفض يده من تراب قبره، فلا تصدقه.

H 407 - It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Abdullah bin Jabla from Salma bin Junah Jofi from Hazim bin Habib from Abu Abdullah Sadiq (a.s) that he told Hazim bin Habib: “O Hazim, there will be two occultations for the master of this affair and he would reappear in the second of the two. And if someone comes to you and says that he has touched his grave, do not testify for him (accept him).”

408- وروى محمد بن عبد الله الحميري، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن سليمان بن داود المنقري، عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول: في صاحب هذا الامر (أربع) سنن من أربعة أنبياء:سنة من موسى ، وسنة من عيسى ، وسنة من يوسف. وسنة من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وعليهم. فأما سنة من موسى فخائف يترقب، وأما سنة من يوسف فالغيبة، وأما سنة من عيسى فيقال: مات! ولم يمت، وأما سنة من محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم فالسيف.

H 408 - Muhammad bin Abdullah Himyari narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Isa from Sulaiman bin Dawood Minqari from Abi Basir that he said: I heard Abu Ja’far say: “In the master of this affair, there are four points of similarity with four prophets. Resemblance with Musa, resemblance with Isa, resemblance with Yusuf and resemblance with Muhammad (peace be on them all). The resemblance with Musa is that he shall be fearing and awaiting, the resemblance with Yusuf is imprisonment, the resemblance with Isa is that it would be said regarding him that he has died, while he would not be so and the resemblance with Muhammad is armed uprising.”

409- وروى الفضل بن شاذان، عن أحمد بن عيسى العلوي، عن أبيه، عن جده قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: صاحب هذا الامر من ولدي (الذي) يقال:مات! قتل! لا،بل هلك! لا،بل بأي واد سلك!

H 409 - Fadhl bin Shazan has narrated from Ahmad bin Isa Alawi from his father from his grandfather that Amirul Momineen (a.s) said: “The Master of this Affair is from my offspring. He is the one about whom it will be said: He has died, killed, perished, no rather gone to some unknown place.”

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 49