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)

(أقول): وأما الذي يدل على فساد قول الكيسانية القائلين بإمامة محمد بن الحنفية فأشياء.

Arguments proving the invalidity of Kaisaniyya, who believe in the Imamate of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah, are many.

منها: أنه لو كان إماما مقطوعا على عصمته لوجب أن يكون منصوصا عليه نصا صريحا لأن العصمة لا تعلم إلا بالنص، وهم لا يدعون نصا صريحا (عليه) وإنما يتعلقون بأمور ضعيفة دخلت عليهم فيها شبهة لا تدل على النص، نحو إعطاء أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام إياه الراية يوم البصرة، وقوله له "أنت ابني حقا" مع كون الحسن والحسين عليهما السلام ابنيه وليس في ذلك دلالة على إمامته على وجه، وإنما يدل على فضيلته ومنزلته.

One is that if he were an Imam with ascertained infallibility, there must be explicit statements by the Messenger of Allah (s) and Amirul Momineen, Imam Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s) about him, because infallibility can only be determined through the statement of another infallible entity. However, the Kaisaniyya do not claim an explicit tradition with this regard. Instead, they rely on weak instances, which have led them to confusion, but are far from being explicit words. One is that Amirul Momineen (a.s) granted him the standard on the battle of the Camel in Basra, and his saying, “You are truly my son,” while Hasan and Husain (a.s) were also his sons. These instances do not establish his Imamate in any way, and rather, indicate his excellence and high position.

على أن الشيعة تروي أنه جرى بينه وبين علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام كلام في استحقاق الإمامة فتحاكما إلى الحجر فشهد الحجر لعلي بن الحسين عليهما السلام بالامامة، فكان ذلك معجزا له فسلم له الأمر وقال بإمامته.

Besides, the Shia narrate that a conversation took place between him and Ali Ibne Husain (a.s) with respect to him being worthy of Imamate and they both invoked a rock to issue a verdict and the rock testified to the Imamate of Ali Ibne Husain (a.s). This humbled Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah and he submitted to the position to his nephew and professed belief in his Imamate.

1.والخبر بذلك مشهور عند الإمامية لأنهم رووا أن محمد بن الحنفية نازع علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام في الامامة وادعى أن الأمر أفضي إليه بعد أخيه الحسين عليه السلام، فناظره علي بن الحسين عليه السلام واحتج عليه بآي من القرآن كقوله: ﴿وَأُولُوا الأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبَعْضٍ…﴾ وأن هذه الآية جرت في علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام وولده ثم قال له: أحاجك إلى الحجر الأسود، فقال له:كيف تحاجني إلى حجر لا يسمع ولا يجيب؟ فأعلمه أنه يحكم بينهما، فمضيا حتى انتهيا إلى الحجر، فقال علي بن الحسين عليه السلام لمحمد بن الحنفية:تقدم فكلمه. فتقدم إليه ووقف حياله وتكلم ثم أمسك. ثم تقدم علي بن الحسين عليه السلام فوضع يده عليه ثم قال:اللهم إني أسألك باسمك المكتوب في سرادق العظمة،ثم دعا بعد ذلك وقال:لما أنطقت هذا الحجر، ثم قال:أسألك بالذي جعل فيك مواثيق العباد والشهادة لمن وافاك لما أخبرت لمن الامامة والوصية.

Narration of the testimony of Hajar Aswad for Imam Sajjad (a.s) is quite well known among the Imamiyah. There was a dispute between Muhammad bin Hanafiya and Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) over Imamate. Muhammad claimed that after the martyrdom of Imam Husain (a.s), the Imamate has been entrusted to him. Imam Sajjad (a.s) also argued with him on the basis of the verse: “…and the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other…” (8:75) Interpretation of this verse is in favor of Imamate of Imam Sajjad (a.s) and his descendants. Then Imam Sajjad (a.s) said: I argue with you through Hajar Aswad [and leave the judgment to it]. Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah asked: How can you argue with me through a stone, which can neither hear nor reply? Imam (a.s) reminded him that Hajar Aswad can adjudge between them; so they agreed on going to the Kaaba to decide (the matter) by the Black Stone. Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) said to Muhammad Hanafiyyah: Go ahead and speak to Hajar Aswad. Muhammad came forward and stood besides Hajar Aswad and spoke to it, then he fell silent, but Hajar Aswad did not reply. Then Ali bin Husain (a.s) came forward and placed his hand on Hajar Aswad and then supplicated: “O Allah, I ask You by Your name written on the canvas of glory.” The Imam supplicated and said: “O Allah, make this stone speak.” Then he addressed Hajar Aswad: “I call you in the name of one who has reposed the covenants of people in you and made you the testimony of those who come to you, I adjure you to inform to whom Imamate and successorship of the Messenger of Allah (s) belongs?”

فتزعزع الحجر حتى كاد أن يزول، ثم أنطقه الله تعالى، فقال:يا محمد،سلم الامامة لعلي بن الحسين. فرجع محمد عن منازعته وسلمها إلى علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام. ومنها تواتر الشيعة الامامية بالنص عليه من أبيه وجده وهي موجودة في كتبهم في الاخبار لا نطول بذكرها الكتاب.

After this statement of Imam (a.s) Hajar Aswad moved in such way as if it was alive and by the command and power of Allah started speaking and said: O Muhammad, accept the Imamate of Ali bin Husain (a.s). After this event Muhammad bin Hanfiyyah withdrew his claim and accepted the Imamate of Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s). Secondly, Shia narrated an inordinate number (Mutawatir) of traditions from his father and his grandfather explicitly naming Ali Ibne Husain for Imamate. These traditions are present in our books and we will not lengthen the book by presenting them here.

ومنها الأخبار الواردة عن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله من جهة الخاصة والعامة على ما سنذكره فيما بعد بالنص على إمامة الاثني عشر، وكل من قال بإمامتهم قطع على وفاة محمد بن الحنفية وسياقة الامامة إلى صاحب الزمان عليه السلام.

Thirdly, there are narrations recorded from the Messenger of Allah (s) by the Ahle Sunnat as well as the Chosen Congregation (Shia) carrying explicit words with regard to the Twelve Imams and anyone who believes in their Imamate, is certain of the demise of Muhammad Ibne Hanafiyyah and the continuation of Imamate to the Master of the Age (a.s).

ومنها انقراض هذه الفرقة فإنه لم يبق في الدنيا في وقتنا ولا قبله بزمان طويل قائل يقول به، ولو كان ذلك حقا لما جاز انقراضه.

Fourthly, this sect has become extinct. Not in our time, nor before us for a very long time, a believer of this creed has existed. If it were a true faith, its extinction would have been impossible.

فإن قيل: كيف يعلم انقراضهم وهلا جاز أن يكون في بعض البلاد البعيدة وجزائر البحر وأطراف الأرض أقوام يقولون بهذا القول كما يجوز أن يكون في أطراف الأرض من يقول بمذهب الحسن في أن مرتكب الكبيرة منافق فلا يمكن ادعاء انقراض هذه الفرقة وإنما كان يمكن العلم بذلك لو كان المسلمون فيهم قلة والعلماء محصورين فأما وقد انتشر الإسلام وكثر العلماء فمن أين يعلم ذلك؟ قلنا: هذا يؤدي إلى أن لا يمكن العلم بإجماع الامة على قول ولا مذهب بأن يقال:لعل في أطراف الارض من يخالف ذلك ويلزم أن يجوز أن يكون في أطراف الأرض من يقول:إن البرد لا ينقض الصوم وأنه يجوز للصائم أن يأكل إلى طلوع الشمس، لان الاول كان مذهب أبي طلحة الأنصاري، والثاني مذهب حذيفة والأعمش، وكذلك مسائل كثيرة من الفقه كان الخلف فيها(واقعا)بين الصحابة والتابعين، ثم زال الخلف فيما بعد، واجتمع أهل الأعصار على خلافه، فينبغي أن يشك في ذلك ولا نثق بالإجماع على مسألة سبق الخلاف فيها.

Objection: How can their extinction be known and why is it not possible that in faraway lands, such as islands and corners of the earth, there may be nations believing in this creed, just as it is possible that there may be people believing in the word of Hasan that someone who commits a major sin is a hypocrite. Therefore, it cannot be claimed that the followers of this path no longer exist. It would have been possible if Muslims were few in the world with scant number of scholars, whereas Islam has spread and scholars are in abundance. So how can that be known? Reply: This assertion leads to the impossibility of discerning the consensus of the Ummah on any principle or idea, as it is always convenient to say that perchance there is someone in some remote periphery of the earth who disagrees with this. It follows that there might be someone in faraway parts of the earth, who says that eating hailstones does not violate a fast and that it is permissible for a fasting person to eat until sunrise; for the first was the view of Abu Talha Ansari and the second that of Huzaifah and Amash. Likewise, there are many other rulings of jurisprudence on which the companions and companions of companions (Tabiin) disagreed, and then later on disagreements disappeared and the Ummah united on a different view. Therefore, it is worthy to doubt that and mistrust any consensus on any question that has previously been a subject of disagreement.

وهذا طعن من يقول إن الإجماع لا يمكن معرفته ولا التوصل إليه، والكلام في ذلك لا يختص هذه المسألة فلا وجه لايراده هنا.  ثم إنا نعلم أن الأنصار طلبت الامرة ودفعهم المهاجرون عنها ثم رجعت الانصار إلى قول المهاجرين على قول المخالف، فلو أن قائلا قال:يجوز عقد الامامة لمن كان من الانصار لان الخلاف سبق فيه، ولعل في أطراف الارض من يقول به، فما كان يكون جوابهم فيه (فأي) شيء قالوه فهو جوابنا بعينه فلا نطول بذكره.

This is the argument of a person who says that consensus cannot be discerned and as this question is not exclusive to our subject, there is no reason we should go into its details here. We know that the Ansar demanded caliphate and the Muhajireen turned them away and then Ansar submitted to the idea of the Muhajireen, according to the opponent. If someone should argue that Caliphate is possible for the Ansar, for a disagreement has occurred on this matter, and perchance there is someone in the peripheries of the earth who believes in this, whatever the opponent says in response to him, is our same answer here.

فإن قيل: إذا كان الإجماع عندكم إنما يكون حجة بكون المعصوم فيه، فمن أين تعلمون دخول قوله في جملة أقوال الأمة؟ (وهلا جاز أن يكون قوله منفردا عنهم فلا تثقون بالإجماع؟). قلنا: المعصوم إذا كان من جملة علماء الامة فلابد (من) أن يكون قوله موجودا في جملة أقوال العلماء، لأنه لا يجوز أن يكون منفردا مظهرا للكفر فإن ذلك لا يجوز عليه، فإذا لابد (من) أن يكون قوله في جملة الأقوال، وإن شككنا في أنه الإمام.

If they ask that since consensus is a valid proof for you only when the infallible is included, how would you know that his opinion is included amongst the opinion of the Ummah? We will answer that as Imam is one of the scholars of the Ummah, his opinion must be included amongst the opinions of scholars, for he cannot be a loner and manifesting infidelity, because that is not permissible for him. Therefore, his view has to be one of the views, even if we may not know which one is the Imam’s.

فإذا اعتبرنا أقوال الامة ووجدنا بعض العلماء يخالف فيه، فإن كنا نعرفه ونعرف مولده ومنشأه لم نعتد بقوله لعلمنا أنه ليس بإمام، وإن شككنا في نسبه لم تكن المسألة إجماعا. فعلى هذا أقوال العلماء من الامة اعتبرناها فلم نجد فيهم قائلا بهذا المذهب الذي هو مذهب الكيسانية أو الواقفة، وإن وجدنا فرضا واحدا أو اثنين فإنا نعلم منشأه ومولده فلا يعتد بقوله واعتبرنا أقوال الباقين الذين نقطع على كون المعصوم فيهم، فسقطت هذه الشبهة على هذا التحرير وبان وهنه.

When we consider the views of the Ummah and find some scholars disagreeing, if we know them and their birth and location, we will not honor their views, for we know the Imam is not one of them. And if we doubt a scholar’s ancestry, the question will not be of consensus. Therefore, we considered the views of scholars of the Ummah, and do not find anyone amongst them advancing this idea, which is the faith of Kaisaniyya or Waqifa. And if by supposition we find one or two instances, we know their location and birth, and do not heed their word and consider the views of remainders, amongst whom we are certain that the Infallible is present. Therefore, this problem is solved by this explanation and its weakness is demonstrated.

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 6