Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi (a.s)

Kitāb al-Ghayba|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 37

Kitāb al-Ghayba

Book 1, Chapter 37

Epistles issued from Imam Mahdi

Hadith #5

249 - وبهذا الاسناد، عن أبي نصر هبة الله بن محمد بن ابن بنت أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر العمري قال: حدثني جماعة من بني نوبخت، منهم أبوالحسن بن كثير النوبختي رحمه الله، وحدثتني به أم كلثوم بنت أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه أنه حمل إلى أبي (جعفر) رضي الله عنه في وقت من الاوقات ما ينفذه إلى صاحب الامر عليه السلام من قم ونواحيها. فلما وصل الرسول إلى بغداد ودخل إلى أبي جعفر وأوصل إليه ما دفع إليه وودعه وجاء لينصرف، قال له أبوجعفر: قد بقي شيء مما استودعته فأين هو؟ فقال له الرجل: لم يبق شيء يا سيدي في يدي إلا وقد سلمته، فقال له أبو جعفر: بلى قد بقي شيء فارجع إلى ما معك وفتشه وتذكر ما دفع إليك. فمضى الرجل، فبقي أياما يتذكر ويبحث ويفكر فلم يذكر شيئا ولا أخبره من كان في جملته، فرجع إلى أبي جعفر فقال له: لم يبق شيء في يدي مما سلم إلي (وقد حملته) إلى حضرتك، فقال له أبوجعفر: فإنه يقال: لك الثوبان السردانيان اللذان دفعهما إليك فلان بن فلان ما فعلا؟ فقال له الرجل: إي والله يا سيدي لقد نسيتهما حتى ذهبا عن قلبي ولست أدري الآن أين وضعتهما، فمضى الرجل، فلم يبق شيء كان معه إلا فتشه وحله وسأل من حمل إليه شيئا من المتاع أن يفتش ذلك فلم يقف لهما على خبر، فرجع إلى أبي جعفر (فأخبره). فقال له أبوجعفر يقال لك: إمض إلى فلان بن فلان القطان الذي حملت إليه العدلين القطن في دار القطن، فافتق أحدهما وهو الذي عليه مكتوب كذا وكذا فإنهم في جانبه، فتحير الرجل مما أخبر به أبوجعفر، ومضى لوجهه إلى الموضع، ففتق العدل الذي قال له: افتقه، فإذا الثوبان في جانبه قد اندسا مع القطن فأخذهما وجاء (بهما) إلى أبي جعفر، فسلمهم إليه وقال له: لقد نسيتهم لاني لما شددت المتاع بقيا فجعلتهما في جانب العدل ليكون ذلك أحفظ لهما.

H 249 - Through the same chain of narrators, it is narrated from Abu Nasr Hibtullah bin Muhammad bin Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari that he said: Some people from Bani Naubakht, including Abul Hasan Ibn Kathir Naubakhti and Umme Kulthum Ibn Abi Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman, may Allah be pleased with them, narrated to me that in a certain time, religious dues from Qom and its peripheries sent for the Master of the Age were brought to Abu Ja’far . When the messenger reached Baghdad and delivered to Abu Ja’far what he had brought and then bid him farewell and was about to return, Abu Ja’far said, “There is one thing remaining, which you have been entrusted with.” “Where is it?” “Nothing is remaining with me, my master. I have submitted everything to you,” replied the messenger. “Something is remaining with you. So return to your belongings and search and remember what all was given to you,” said Abu Ja’far. The messenger left and for many days tried to remember, search and think. He did not recall anything, nor did anyone who was with him, reminded him of anything. He came back to Abu Ja’far and said: “Nothing given to me remains with me that I have not brought to your eminence.” Abu Ja’far said, “It is said that you have two Sardani garments, which were given to you by a certain man,” mentioning his name and his father’s name. “Where are they?” The messenger said: “Yes, by Allah, O my master, I totally forgot about them and I do not even remember where I have put them.” The man left and searched and opened everything he had with him and asked all he had carried something for, to look for those garments, but they were not to be found anywhere. He returned to Abu Ja’far and told him about the mishap. Abu Ja’far said, “You are ordered to go to so-and-so, the cotton seller, to whom you carried two loads of cotton in the cotton market. Open one of them having such and such writing. The two garments are on its side.” The messenger was amazed by the prediction of Abu Ja’far and went ahead to the spot and opened the load that he had told him of and there they were: two garments on the side, inserted into the cotton. He took them and brought them to Abu Ja’far and said: “I forgot them, because when I tied the goods, they were left outside by mistake, so I put them on the side of the cotton load to keep them safe.”

<p class='libAr' dir='rtl'>وتحدث الرجل بما رآه وأخبره به أبوجعفر عن عجيب الأمر الذي لا يقف إليه إلا نبي أو إمام من قبل الله الذي يعلم السرائر وما تخفي الصدور، ولم يكن هذا الرجل يعرف أبا جعفر وإنمـا أنفـذ على يده كمـا ينفذ التجـار إلى أصحابهم على يـد من يثقـون به، ولا كـان معه تذكرة سلمها إلى أبي جعفر ولا كتاب، لأن الأمر كان حادا (جدا) في زمان المعتضد، والسيف يقطر دما كما يقال: وكان سرا بين الخاص من أهل هذا الشأن، وكان ما يحمل به إلى أبي جعفر لا يقف من يحمله على خبره ولا حاله، وإنما يقال: إمض إلى موضع كذا وكذا، فسلم ما معك (من) غير أن يشعر بشيء ولا يدفع إليه كتاب، لئلا يوقف على ما تحمله منه.Explanation: After the incident, the man narrated to others what he had seen and what Abu Ja’far had informed him of; that it is an astonishing incident, which none, but an apostle or an Imam ordained by Allah, knows as they are the knowers of unseen and know what the chests hide. This was when the man previously did not know who Abu Ja’far was and he was only sent as a courier or messenger, just like merchants use trustworthy persons to transfer goods or cash among themselves. Additionally they did not give him any letter or a list of items given to him for Abu Ja’far, because the issue was very sensitive at the time of Motazid and it is said that blood was dripping from the swords of Abbasides. Such activity was a secret amongst very special people, who were qualified for such confidentiality. A person carrying goods to Abu Ja’far would not know his position and actual duty. He would be only asked to go to such and such place and deliver those things to such and such person, without being told anything else. Such a courier would not be given a letter lest the purpose of his delivery could be traced; that it was meant for the Twelfth Imam.
Author: Shaykh Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan al-Ṭūsī