(9) Muhammad bin Ya’qoob narrated from Muhammad bin Yahya and Ahmad bin Idreess from al-Hasan bin Ali al-Kufi from Ali bin Hassaan from Abdurrahman bin Katheer that al-Mufadhdhal bin Umar had said: I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq saying:

“The man of this matter disappears twice. After one of his disappearances, he comes back to his family and in the other one it is said that he has perished or (it is unknown that) which valley he has followed.” I said: “If that takes place, then what will we do?” He said: “If someone pretends that (he is al-Qa’im), you are to ask him about the great matters, which no one will answer except him (al-Qa’im).” These traditions mention that al-Qa’im disappears twice. Allah has confirmed the sayings of the infallible imams . The first disappearance was the one, during which the deputies between Imam al-Mahdi (aj) and the people were apparent in persons and positions. By them the obscure matters of knowledge and vague judgments were cleared. The answers to all questions and problems, which were asked about, were given by these deputies. This was the short disappearance, whose period had elapsed. In the second disappearance there were no deputies or mediators. It was the will of Allah to try His people and to sift them after letting confusion spread among them. Allah said: “On no account will Allah leave the believers in the condition which you are in until He separates the evil from the good; nor is Allah going to make you acquainted with the unseen.” The second disappearance has taken place. We pray Allah to make us from among those, who keep to the truth and not among those, who slip away after the sifting of seditions. It is this that has been meant by “two disappearances” or “disappears twice”.