الشَّيْبَانِيُّ عَنِ الْأَسَدِيِّ عَنْ سَهْلٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ لِلْقَائِمِ مِنَّا غَيْبَةٌ أَمَدُهَا طَوِيلٌ كَأَنِّي بِالشِّيعَةِ يَجُولُونَ جَوَلَانَ النَّعَمِ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ يَطْلُبُونَ الْمَرْعَى فَلَا يَجِدُونَهُ أَلَا فَمَنْ ثَبَتَ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى دِينِهِ [وَ] لَمْ يَقْسُ قَلْبُهُ لِطُولِ أَمَدِ غَيْبَةِ إِمَامِهِ فَهُوَ مَعِي فِي دَرَجَتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ع إِنَّ الْقَائِمَ مِنَّا إِذَا قَامَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِأَحَدٍ فِي عُنُقِهِ بَيْعَةٌ فَلِذَلِكَ‏ تَخْفَى وِلَادَتُهُ وَ يَغِيبُ شَخْصُهُ

1- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaibani has narrated from Asadi from Sahal from Abd al-Azeem Hasani from Imam ‘Ali an-Naqi (‘a) from his honourable forefathers from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) that he said:

“Our Qa’im will have an occultation, the duration of which is long. As if I see the Shi’a, roving about like cattle searching for pasture and not finding it. Behold, whoever from them stays firm on his religion and will not become stone-hearted because of delay in occultation of his Imam, he will be with me in my rank on Judgment Day.” Then he said: “When he rises, our Qa’im will not have allegiance to anyone on his shoulders. For this reason, his birth will be concealed and his person will be hidden.”

2- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Hamadani from ‘Ali from his father from ‘Ali Ibn Mabad from Husayn Ibn Khalid from Imam ar-Ridha’ (‘a) from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), that he said to Imam al-Husayn (‘a):

“The ninth from your sons, O Husayn, is the Establisher of the Right (Qa’im bi ‘l-Haqq), the Manifester of the Religion and the Deliverer of Justice.” al-Husayn (‘a) says, “I said: O Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), is that to happen?” He said: “Verily so, by the One Who sent Muhammad with Prophethood and chose him over all of creation! It will happen, however, after an occultation and a bewilderment in which no one remains on his religion, but the sincere ones who are touched by the spirit of certainty, people from whom Allah has taken covenant for our guardianship and inscribed faith in their hearts and has endorsed them with a spirit from Himself.”

3- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq narrates from his father from ‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad Ibn Sinan from Ziyad Makfuf from Abdullah Ibn Abi Afif, the poet that he said:

I heard Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) say, “It is as if I see, O congregation of Shi’a, you will be striding like camel herds searching for a pasture, yet you will not find him.”

Ikmal ad-Din narrates this tradition again through another chain of narration.

4- Muqtadhib: It is narrated from Ayyash from Shaykh Thiqa Ab al-Hasan Ibn Abdus Samad Ibn ‘Ali in Sunnat Khamsa wa Thamaneen wa Miyatain with Ubaid Ibn Kathir from Nuh Ibn Darraj from Yahya from Amash from Zaid Ibn Wahab from Abu Jahifa and Harith Ibn Abdullah Hamadani and Harith Ibn Sharb that:

They were all with Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). It was customary that when his son Hasan would come, he would say, “Blessed be you, O son of Allah’s Messenger.” And when his son Husayn would come, he would say, “My father be the ransom of you, O father of the son of the best of bond maids.” He was asked, “O Chief of believers, why do you address Hasan this way and Husayn that way? And who is the son of the best of slave girls?” He said: “He is the lost one, the fugitive, the abandoned one, MHMD Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Musa Ibn Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Husayn,” putting his hand on Husayn’s head.

5- Ghaybah at-Tusi: It is narrated from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad from Muhammad Ibn Husayn from Ibn Yazi from Asim from Ibn Siyabah from Imran Ibn Mitham from Abaya Asadi that he says: I heard Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) say:

“How would you be like when you are left without an Imam of guidance or a visible standard, when some of you are turning away one from the other with disdain!”

6- Irshad: Shaykh al-Mufid has narrated from Masada Ibn Sadaqah that he said: I heard Abu Abdullah Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (‘a) say, Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) addressed people in Kufa. He praised and extolled Allah and then said:

“I am the doyen of the aged people. In me is a mark from Ayyub and Allah will gather for me my household as He brought together the scattered house of Prophet Yaqub. That will happen when the ages pass and you say: He is lost or has perished.

Behold, before it happens, seek understanding through fortitude and repent to Allah from sins, as you have already thrown your sanctity away, extinguished your torches and have pinned your guidance in people who do not have, neither for themselves nor for you, any hearing nor any vision. By Allah, weak are the invoker and the invoked.

“If you do not entrust your fate on one another, and do not abandon one another in the cause of helping the right amongst you, and do not faint from weakening the falsity, those who will be unlike you, will not become bold against you and those who will overpower you, will not become strong. “Due to your breach of obedience and desisting it from those who deserve to be obeyed amongst you, you will wander astray like the Israelites who wandered astray at the time of Musa.

Truthfully do I say, for forsaking and oppressing my progeny, your wandering will be increased double folds to the wandering of the Israelites. If you feed and drink and saturate from the lineage that is accursed in the Qur’an, verily you will have gathered on the cry of misguidance, received falsity running headlong towards it, have betrayed the caller of Truth, have ill-treated the best from the warriors of Badr, and have tended for the worst from the sons of Abu Sufiyan’s father.

Behold, if what is in their hand goes away, purity for the reward and removal of the veil will be nearer. The promise will be near and the Star will appear to you from the east and your moon will shine over you like a full moon in a full night.

When that appears, return to repentance and forsake grief and sorrow and know that if you obey the riser from the east, he will lead you on the path of the Messenger of Allah (S) so you would avert deafness and find cure from dumbness and stay away from the labours of roving and wandering and searching and throw away the loads of burdens from your necks. Allah does not chase away anyone except the one who rejects mercy and divorces chastity.

…وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنْقَلَبٍ يَنْقَلِبُونَ

“…Those who do wrong will know what to what return they shall be turned to” (Surah Ash-Shu’ara, 26:227).

7- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Ibn Hamam from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Malik from Ishaq Ibn Sinan from Ubaid Ibn Kharja from ‘Ali Ibn Uthman from Harab Ibn Ahnaf from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) from his forefathers, saying:

“Euphrates swelled at the time of Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a). At this time, he and his two sons, Hasan and al-Husayn (‘a) rode their courses and passed by the tribe of Thaqif. They said: ‘Ali is coming. He will made the water recede.’ Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: ‘By Allah, I and these two sons of mine will be killed and Allah will send a man from my progeny in the last period of time, who will avenge our blood. He will go into hiding from them in order to be away from the people of misguidance, so the ignorant would say, Allah does not have any need to Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).”

8- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Muhammad Ibn Hamam and Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Jamhur together from Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Jamhur from his father from some of his men from Mufaddal Ibn Umar that he said: Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said:

“One tradition, which you comprehend well, is better than ten you narrate. Verily, every truth has a reality and every veracity has an illumination.” Then he said: “We, by Allah, do not consider a man from our Shi’a to be a Faqih unless when he is addressed through hints and allusions, he understands them.

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said on the pulpit of Kufa, ‘Dark, blind and gloomy mischiefs are ahead of you. None will be rescued from it, but the nauma.’ He was asked, ‘What is nauma, O Chief of believers?’ He said: ‘He is the one who does not know the people and people do not know him. Behold, the earth does not remain without a Hujjah of Allah; however, Allah will blind His creation from him due to their oppression, injustice and their excesses on themselves. If the earth would remain one hour without a Hujjah of Allah, the earth will be injested along with its dwellers. However, the Hujjah will know the people and the people will not know him, as Yusuf knew the people, while they knew him not.’

Then he recited this verse:

يَا حَسْرَةً عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَا يَأْتِيهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلاَّ كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون

“Alas for the servants! there comes not to them an apostle but they mock at him” (Surah Yasin, 36:30).

9- Nahj al-Balagha: Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) says in a tradition:

“When it will be like that, the Master of the Religion will journey along with the trail of his followers. They will gather around him like the clouds of autumn. And he and his followers will be steadfast.”

The author says: This statement is on the basis of unseen knowledge of the Imam with regard to the Mahdi.

10- Nahj al-Balagha: Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) says in one of his sermons:

“He has apparelled himself with the garment of wisdom, and has seized it with all of its protocols by proclivity towards it and cognition of it and dedication to it. For him, wisdom is his lost commodity which he seeks, and it is his wish for which he yearns. He will go far away at a time when Islam disappears like a feeble camel leaves while beating the end of its tail and dragging its neck on the earth. He is the heir of the heirs of His Hujjah and a vicegerent from the vicegerents of His apostles.”

Opinion Of Ibn Abil Hadid About The Promised Mahdi

The author says: Ibn Abil Hadid says in explanation of this sermon: Imamiyah believe that this passage refers to the Awaited Qa’im (‘a). The Sufis maintain that it refers to the Wali of Allah. They maintain that the world does not remain devoid from Abdal, who are forty, and Awtad, who are seven, and Qutb, who is one. Philosophers say this refers to Arif. The Sunni maintain that he is the Mahdi, who will be created. All Muslims dominations agree that the world and religious laws will not end but at after the al-Mahdi (‘a), “He will go faraway” means that he will hide himself when corruption and mischief manifest and Islam disappears with the desertion of equity and virtue. This is a proof of the veracity of the Imamiyah’s belief.

11- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Husayn from Muhammad Ibn Yahya from Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Raazi from Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Kufi from Isa Ibn Abdullah Alawi from his father from his grandfather from his father from Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) that he said:

“The Master of this Affair is from my offspring. He is the one about whom it will be said: He has died, perished, no rather, has threaded to some valley.”

12- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Husayn from Muhammad Attar from Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Raazi from Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Kufi from Muhammad Ibn Sinan from Ab al-Jarud from Muzahim Abadi from Akrama Ibn Saasa from his father that Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) used to say:

“The Shi’a will continuously be the like of goats that a grabber does not know which one of them should he put his hand on. They will neither have any dignity to be dignified with nor a source of support to refer to.”

13- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated through the same chains from Ab al-Jarud from Abdullah the poet that Ibn Abi Afif said: I heard Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) say:

“As if I see you roving about like camel herds seeking pastures and not finding it, congregation of the Shi’a.”

14- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Ahmad from Ubaidullah Ibn Musa from Musa Ibn Harun Ibn Isa Abadi from Abdullah Ibn Muslim Ibn Qanab from Sulayman Ibn Hilal from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) from his forefathers from Imam Husayn Ibn ‘Ali (‘a) that he said:

A man came to Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) and said: “O Chief of believers, inform us about your Mahdi.” Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: “When generations come and perish, and believers become few, and the followers of righteousness and supporters of the religion go, then he shall be.”

He said: “O Chief of believers, peace be unto you, whose son is he going to be?” Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) said: “From Bani Hashim, from the summit of the Arab mountain. He is an ocean who will water a world of oases and will not run short, a man abused when he comes to his folks, and an abode of purity when all will degenerate. He will not fear when deaths charge, and will not recede when the faithful surround him, and will not hesitate when warriors struggle. He will be prepared, far-reaching, a victorious lion, a reaper, an injurer, a warrior, a sword from the swords of Allah, generous, and adventurous. His head will be high in dignity; his nobility firmly rooted in the most distinguished character. No discouraging leader - who will be moving towards mischief, who if speaks, is the worst speaker and if remains silent, possesses evil - should mislead you from following him.”

Then he talked about the Mahdi and said: “He is the best refuge, the most knowledgeable, and the kindest of you all. O Allah, make the pledge of allegiance to him the occasion of exit from affliction, and unite the dispersion of the Ummah through him. When it is permissible for you, do it, but do not turn away from him if you find your way to him. “Ah,” said Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a), pointing to his chest, expressing his eagerness to see the Mahdi.”

The author said: The copy from which we have quoted this report has been tempered with and most of its statements are interpolated. Hence the researcher should compare the text with that of Ghaybah an-Nu’mani.

15- At-Taraif: Sayyid Ibn Tawus has quoted in At-Taraif from Al-Jama’ Bayn as-Sihah as-Sitta from Abi Ishaq that he said: Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) glanced at his son, Husayn and remarked:

“This son of mine is your master, as the Messenger of Allah (S) has named him so. A man will rise from his progeny with the name of your Apostle, similar to him in his character, and not so similar to him in his looks. He will fill the earth with equity.”

16- Nahj al-Balagha: Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) has remarked: “They went right and left, following the pathways of error and leaving the traditions of guidance. Do not make haste to what is going to happen and is expected. Do not consider slow what is coming to you tomorrow. How many are a haster about something that should it reach him, he would wish it had not! How near is today to the beginnings of tomorrow! O People, this is the time of the coming of every promise and the nearing of the figure whom you do not know. Behold, the one from us who will be then, he will stride in these hard times with a luminous light and will be following the examples of the virtuous to free a captive and emancipate a slave and disperse a misguided nation and unite the followers of righteousness, while he is in hiding from the people, tracers not seeing his footprints, even if they search. A nation will be whetted like an ironsmith whets an arrowhead - their eyes bright with revelation, their ears saturated with exegesis and chalices of wisdom are presented to them day and night.”

17- Al-Amali at-Tusi: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Ahmad alias Ibn Hamami from Muhammad Ibn Ja’far Qari from Muhammad Ibn Ismail Ibn Yusuf from Sa’id Ibn Abi Maryam from Muhammad Ibn Ja’far Ibn Kathir from Musa Ibn Uqbah from Abu Ishaq from Asim Ibn Zumra from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) that he said:

“The earth will become full of oppression and injustice, so much so that no one will be able to utter God’s name but secretly. Then Allah will bring a virtuous congregation, who will fill it with equity and justice, as it will be full of oppression and injustice.”

18- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq has narrated from his father and Ibn Walid together from Saad and Himyari and Muhammad Attar and Ahmad Ibn Idris together from Ibn Abil Khattab from Ibn Isa and Barqi and Ibn Hashim together from Ibn Faddal from Thalaba from Malik Jahni that narrated to us Ibn Walid from Saffar and Saad together from Tayalisi from Zaid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Qabus from Nadhr Ibn Abi Sari from Abu Dawood Mustaraq from Thalaba from Malik Jahni from Harith Ibn Mughira from Asbagh Ibn Nubatah that he said:

I came to Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) and found him thoughtful. He was drawing lines on the ground. I said: “O Chief of believers, why do I see you thoughtful and you are making lines on the earth? Is it out of desire for the earth?” He said: “No, by Allah, I have never desired it, nor for what is in the world even for one day. I was thinking about the son who will be born from my seed - the eleventh from my sons. He is the Mahdi and he will fill the earth with equity as it will be full of oppression and injustice. There will be a perplexity and occultation related to him in which communities will go astray and communities will be guided.” I said: “O Chief of believers, is this to happen?” “Yes,” he said: “as he will be created. How would you know this, Asbagh! They are the best of this Ummah and the companions of the righteous of this Household.” I said:

“What will happen after that?” He said: “Allah will do what He desires, for He has wills and purposes and outcomes.”

In Ghaybah at-Tusi an identical tradition is mentioned through two other chains of narration.

In Ghaybah an-Nu’mani an identical tradition is mentioned through another chain of narration.

In Ikhtisaas of Mufid, it is narrated through another reporter.

19- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq has narrated from Ibn Walid from Ahmad Ibn Idris from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Fazari from Ishaq Ibn Muhammad Sairafi from Abu Hashim from Furat Ibn Ahnaf from Ibn At-Taraif from Ibn Nubatah that Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) mentioned the Qa’im (‘a) and said:

“He will go into hiding, so the ignorant will say that Allah does not have any need of Aali Muhammad (‘a).”

20- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Idris from his father from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Malik from Ibad Ibn Yaqub from Hasan Ibn Muhammad from Abu Jarud from Yazid Dhakhim that he says: I heard Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) say:

“As if I can see you are roving like cattle searching for the pasture and not finding it.”

21- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Musa from Asadi from Saad from Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Hamid and Abdus Samad Ibn Muhammad together from Hannan Ibn Sudair from ‘Ali Ibn Hazur from Ibn Nubatah that he said: I heard Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) say:

“The Master of this Affair is the runaway, the fugitive, the loner and the forlorn.”

22- Ghaybah at-Tusi: It is narrated from a group from Talakbari from Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali from Ahmad Ibn Idris from Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl from Ibrahim Ibn Hakam from Ismail Ibn Ayyash from Amash from Abu Wail that he says, Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) looked at his son, al-Husayn (‘a) and said:

“This son of mine is a master as the Messenger of Allah named him a master. Allah will bring forth from his seed a man with the name of your Apostle - who will be similar to him in his character as well as his looks - in a time of oblivion of the people and death of righteousness and manifestation of injustice. By Allah, if he should not rise, his neck will be struck. The dwellers and inhabitants of the heavens will rejoice his rise. He will fill the earth with equity as it will be replete with injustice and oppression.”

23- Nahj al-Balagha: In a sermon, Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) says:

“Then you remain after him (meaning himself, peace be unto him) for so long as Allah wills until Allah raises for you someone who will unite you and pull you together from your dispersion...” as it was mentioned in Kitab al-Fitan (the Book of Trials from Bihar al-Anwar). Ibn Maitham (‘a) says that one of his sermons contains a segment that is a sort of explanation for this promise, where Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) says, “Be certain that what faces our Qa’im is on the virtue of your pagan (Jahiliyya) order. Because the entire Ummah on that day will be pagans, except the ones who are shown Divine mercy. Do not make haste so fear hastens to you. Beware that gentleness is fortune and equanimity is leisure and endurance. The Imam knows better what is right and what is wrong. He will tear out the evil judges from you, cut away your dangers, and dismiss your unjust rulers, and will clean the earth from the dishonest. He will act with equity and establish amongst you a fair scale of justice. Your dead ones will wish they could return shortly once more and live again.

This is to happen. For the sake of Allah, you are in your dreams! Safeguard your tongues and be after your livelihood, for depravity will come to you. And if you wait, you will be rewarded and you will find out with certainty that he is the avenger of your victimization and retriever of your rights. I take a true oath by Allah that Allah is verily with the people who are pious and who perform good deeds.”

Ibn Abil Hadid in explanation of this, says: Sayyid Razi has mentioned this sermon in Nahj al-Balagha. This sermon is with regard to the condition of Bani Umayyah. A group of historians have also narrated it and it is widespread and narrated through inordinate sources. It has many parts, which Sayyid Razi has not narrated.

One of such parts asserts, “Look at the Household of your Apostle, if they remain silent, you remain silent, and if they should ask for your help, help them. Allah will bring relief through a man from us, Ahl al-Bayt.

My father be the ransom of the son of the best of the slave girls! He will not give them but the sword in anarchy, putting the sword on his shoulder for eight months; so much so that the Quraish will say: If he were from the progeny of Fatimah, he would pity us. Then Allah will incite him over the Umayyads until he leaves them broken bits and mortal remains and accursed they are, wherever they are come upon, they will be seized and massacred in a complete massacre. Such is Allah’s practice with those who have passed on before: you will never find any change in Allah’s conduct.”

Then Ibn Abil Hadid says: If it should be asked who this promised man is, the answer would be that the Imamiyah believe he is their Twelfth Imam and son of a slave girl called Narjis. However, our scholars maintain he is a man from the progeny of Fatimah who will be born in the future and does not exist now. If it should be asked who shall be from the Umayyads in that time that this man will take revenge from, the answer is that the Imamiyah say it is through Rajah. They believe that certain people from the Umayyads and others will be brought back with their very physiques when their awaited Imam comes and that he will amputate hands and feet of many men, gouge out eyes of many, crucify many more, and will take revenge from the enemies of Aali Muhammad (‘a), both enemies of the past and enemies who will come in the future.

Our scholars, nonetheless, believe that Allah, the High, will create in the period of time a man from the progeny of Fatimah (‘a) who does not exist now, and He will avenge through him; and he will fill the earth with equity as it shall be replete with oppression and injustice of the oppressors; and that he will chastise them in a much severe manner.

24- Al-Kafi: It is narrated from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Kufi from Ja’far Ibn Abdullah Hamdi from Abu Ruh Faraj Ibn Qurra from Ja’far Ibn Abdullah from Masada Ibn Sadaqah from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) saying that:

Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) delivered a sermon. He praised and extolled Allah and invoked blessings for the Prophet and his House and then said: “Allah, the Holy and the High, has not broken the tyrants of the ages but after giving a respite and leisure. He has not healed the breakage of a bone of a nation but after severity and trial. O people, there are lessons in the destructions that are awaiting you and the affairs you have left behind.

However, not everyone who has a heart is sagacious, nor everyone who has an ear listens, nor everyone who has eyes observes. Servants of Allah, have a good look at what matters to you and then look at the scenes of the people whom Allah gave command through His knowledge and they followed the conduct of the House of the Fir’awn and enjoyed gardens and springs, and crops and splendid positions. Then look at what finality did Allah lead them to after a period of deferment and gaiety, and command and forbiddance. Whoever upholds patience, he will end up in Paradise, by Allah, forever and ever, and Allah holds the destiny of things.

How odd! How do I wonder from the errors of these sects with the disparity of their proofs in their religion. Neither they follow the footprints of a prophet, nor do they defer to the actions of a successor. Neither they believe in an unseen, nor do they forgive a fault. Virtue for them is what they themselves consider virtuous and vice is what they themselves consider vice. Every man of them is his own Imam, following himself without strong proofs and undeniable reasons. They continue dwelling with injustice and ever increase in errors, never reaching proximity and ever increasing their distance from Allah, the Exalted.

Their affinity with one another and their endorsement of one another, all of that is on the virtue of their fear from what the Apostle has bequeathed and to flee from the message of the Creator of the heavens and the earth, which the Apostle has brought to them.

They are people of contrition, cavities of doubts, and dwellers of illusion and misguidance and doubts. A person who is left by Allah, abandoned to himself and his own opinion, he is only seen secure by someone who does not know him and is not suspected by someone who does not recognize him. How similar are these people to the cattle whose shepherd has disappeared from them!

Alas from the deeds of our Shi’a after their today’s close love!

How they will disgrace one another after me and will kill each other dispersedly tomorrow while they are removed from the principal and are holding on to the inferior hopes of an opening. Each party of them will hold a certain branch and will lean to whichever direction the branch will lean to.

However, Allah, glory to His name, will gather them for the worst day of the Umayyads, as autumn collects clouds. Allah will then bring them together on love and then will gather them in masses like masses of clouds. Then He will open gateways for them. They will spring out from their ambushes like the flood of the two gardens [of Saba’] - the flood of the mighty dam of Iram, when a rat made a hole in it and neither highlands withstood against it, nor did strong mountains repulse its flow. Allah will then scatter them in the valleys and will make them flow as springs on earth. He will take the rights of one nation through them from another. He will settle a nation through them in the place of another nation to chase away the Umayyads and that they may not continue to usurp what they have usurped.

Allah will destroy through them pillars and will destruct through them the mighty structures of Iram and inhabit with them the midlands of Zaytun.

“I take a solemn oath by the So al-Who split the seed and created the nations, this will happen. As if I hear the neighing of their horses. By Allah, all the treasures in their hands after their rise and might in the lands will dissolve as fat melts on fire. Whoever of them dies, will die a pagan and to God, the Exalted, will be eventually taken whoever of them remains. And Allah, the Exalted, will forgive anyone who repents. Perchance, Allah will bring together my Shi’a after dispersion for their worst day. The choice is for none; rather, Allah makes the choice and determines all destinies.

“O people, claimants of Imamate who do not deserve it are many. If you do not abandon the bitter truth and do not faint from disparaging the wrong, those who are not like you will not be bold against you and those who are showing strength over you will not become strong over you in order to end and sideline obedience to God.

However, you went astray as did Bani Israel during the time of Prophet Musa (‘a). By my life, your perplexity and misguidance will increase after me manifolds compared to that of Bani Israel. By my life, if you outlive me and the rule of the Umayyads, you will then be subjected to the rule of the caller to misguidance and you will revive the wrong and will leave the right behind your backs. You will sever your relation with the near relations, the warriors of Badr, and will look up to the aliens from the progeny of the fighters against the Messenger of Allah (S).

By my life, if they lose their sceptre, the purging for the sake of requitals will come near. The promise will be near and the period will be ending. The bright comet will appear to you from east and that bright moon will shine to you. When that happens, turn to repentance and beware that if you follow the Star from the East, he will lead you on the path of the Messenger (S). He will heal your blind, dumb and deaf. He will save you the toils of search and misguidance. The great burdens will be removed from your necks. Allah does not cast away anyone but the one who defies and oppresses and goes astray and takes what does not belong to him. And soon will know those who acted unjustly, which final end they will turn to.”

25- Nahj al-Balagha: In another sermon of Nahj al-Balagha, the Imam says:

“When our Qa’im reappears, he will direct desires to guidance, when people have turned to avarice. He will direct views to the Qur’an, when they have directed the Qur’an to their views.” He says, “So much so until wars are waged at you, which grin at you with their fangs while their breasts are filled with a milk that tastes sweet but leads to bitter ends.

Beware of tomorrow, and tomorrow shall come with what you do not know. The ruler will call unjust rulers to account for their evil acts. The earth will bring out the treasures of its heart to him and submit him their keys. He will show you the equity of character. He will revive the dead teachings of the Book and Sunnah.”

Another Discussion Of Ibn Abil Hadid

The author says: Commentator of Nahj al-Balagha, Ibn Abil Hadid narrates from his teacher, Abu Uthman that he said: Abu Ubaidah has narrated a longer version of this tradition on the authority of Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) through his forefathers, “Behold the righteous men from my Household and the pure men of my family are the forbearing of all people in their youths and the most knowledgeable of all people in their old age.

We, the Ahl al-Bayt, know through Divine knowledge, judge through Divine commands, and the words of the Truthful we follow. If you follow our words, you will be guided through our light, and if you do not do that, Allah will destroy you at our hands. With us is the standard of truthfulness. Whoever follows it, will find salvation and whoever falls behind, will be destroyed.

Behold, through us the faults of the believers are undone and through us the dress of dishonour is removed from your necks. Through us is the initiation and through us, not you, is the finality.”

Ibn Abil Hadid says, “Through us, not you is the finality” is an allusion to the Mahdi who will rise in the last period of time. The majority tradition scholars believe that he is from the progeny of Fatimah (‘a). Our Mutazilite scholars do not reject him and they have mentioned him in their books and their scholars have acknowledged him. However, we believe that he has not been created yet and that he will be created, which is also the belief of Ahle Sunnat.

The Chief Justice has narrated on the authority of Ismail Ibn Ibad (‘a) from Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) that he mentioned the Mahdi and said: “He is from the progeny of al-Husayn (‘a).” He mentioned his facial features and said: “He is a man of broad forehead, high nose, thick abdomen, bulky legs, and his front teeth are apart from one another. There is a mark on his right leg.” Abdullah Ibn Qutaibah has also mentioned this tradition in Gharib al-Hadith.

The author says: The following poem is from the book of poetry attributed to Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a):

My son, when the Turks make turmoil, then expect

The governance of the Mahdi, who will rise and establish justice

The kings of the earth will be humbled to Bani Hashim And they will pledge allegiance to them

A child from the children without insight

Neither he has a high aim nor does he have wisdom

Then will rise your Qa’im of Truth

He will bring you the Truth and act on the Truth

The namesake of the Prophet, my so al-be his ransom. My sons, do not abandon him and make haste for him.