If it is said: Your claim of the long life of your Patron [Imam al-Mahdi (aj)] is extraordinary, as according to you, he remains a man of complete intelligence, strength and youthful looks, because he is, according to you, at this time in 447 A.H., a hundred and ninety-seven years old, as his birth was in 256 A.H.

Ordinarily, no man lives this long. How ordinary norms stand violated about him, whereas they are not violated, except in cases of prophets?

We will say: There are two answers for this:

First reason: One is that we don’t accept that it is a violation of all ordinary norms. Rather, similar long lives, and lives longer than his, have been recorded, and we mentioned some of them such as the story of Khizr (‘a) and the narrative of “the people of the cave” and others. Allah has reported that Nuh (‘a) lived fifty short of one thousand years amongst his people.1

Historians say that he lived longer, and the said period was the duration of his propagation of faith after he was sixty years old.

85- Some scholars of tradition have narrated that Salman al-Farsi met Isa Ibn Maryam and lived until the time of our Prophet (S). His story is famous.2

Stories Of People With Long Lifespans From Arabs And Non-Arabs Are Famous And Chronicled In Books And History

Dajjal

86- Tradition scholars have narrated that Dajjal is alive and that he was present during the time of the Prophet (S). Dajjal is the enemy of God.

If long life is possible with respect to an enemy of God, because of certain expediencies, how the same cannot be possible about a bosom friend of God? This is but obstinacy.

Luqman Bin Aad

87- Luqman Ibn Aad lived the longest and he lived for 3500 years. It is said that he lived with seven eagles in such a manner that he used to catch an eagle chick and rear it under his care on the mountain till it became old and died. Then he took up another chick and trained it till the seventh eagle, which was named as Labad and it had a longer life span than others.

Therefore, in this regard it is mentioned that the age of so and so was as long as Labad; and Aasha [Arab poet] has also composed the following lines:

When you had taken up seven eagles for yourself - and every time an eagle died, it continued to live in the eagle after him.

It lived for so long that people thought that eagles lived forever. Was it possible to live forever in the past age?

And with the last eagle, when its feathers fell off due to old age, it said: You died and also made Ibn Aad die, and I don’t know what you did.

Rabi Ibn Zaba

Rabi Ibn Zaba is among those who lived for a long time; he lived for 340 years and saw the Holy Prophet (S); however, he did not embrace Islam.

It is narrated that Rabi lived till the time of Abdul Malik Ibn Marwan and it is a well-known report that Marwan said to him: Explain how you spent your life. He replied: I lived comfortably as a Christian for two hundred years and lived for one hundred and twenty years during the period of ignorance and sixty years in Islam. Afterwards Abdul Malik said to him: Luck was with you. His story is well known. When he reached the age of three hundred years, he composed the following poem:

When it is winter, you must warm me up, because winter definitely proves lethal for the aged.

But when the winter goes away, only a thin trouser and cloak is sufficient.

When a person lives for two hundred years, his desires and youth disappear.

Mustaughar Ibn Rabia

Mustaughar Ibn Rabia Ibn Kaab Ibn Zaid Munah Ibn Tameem was also of those who had long life spans. He lived for three hundred and thirty years and composed the following couplets:

I am fed up of life and a long lifespan as I lived for years after years.

After two hundred years, I lived for a hundred years more -I counted years like people count months.

Is that which is to come different from that which has passed? Days continue to repeat and nights with their repetition limit my lifespan.

Aktham Ibn Saifi

Aktham Ibn Saifi from the progeny of Asad Ibn Amr Ibn Tameem lived for three hundred and thirty years. He survived till the time of Islam and also embraced Islam, but he died before he could meet the Prophet. Many reports and sayings are recorded about Aktham Ibn Saifi. For example, the following:

Certainly, a man should spend ninety years of life. If it is extended by a hundred more years, then an ignorant (person) does not become wary of life.

If six and four are subtracted from two hundred, one hundred and ninety remain; it is when nights are also counted.

His father, Saifi Ibn Riyah Ibn Aktham, also had a long-life span. He lived for two hundred and seventy years without any reduction in his mental capacities. He is well known for his forbearance, sagacity and wisdom as mentioned by a poet about him:

Saifi Ibn Riyah, who is the owner of forbearance, more than that he is having kindness and compassion; he knew nothing, which he did not teach to others.

Zabira Ibn Sa’id

Zabira Ibn Sa’id Ibn Sa’ad Ibn Saham Ibn Amr is also included among people with long life spans. He lived for 220 years and no signs of senility were visible in him; although he lived during the period of Islam, he did not accept faith.

Abu Hatim and Rayashi have written on the authority of Atba that he lived for 220 years. His hair had not grayed, and his teeth were also intact.

Qays Ibn Adi, his cousin, has composed the following regarding him:

Who is it that should be safe through the accidents of time after Zabira Ibn Sahmi, who lived for two hundred years?

He took precedence in old age, lived as a youth and died an accidental death.

Thus, O people, gather your provisions as you would die and you have to go away without your families.

Duraid Ibn Sama

Duraid Ibn Sama Jashami lived for 200 years and witnessed the period of Islam, without accepting faith. He was a chief of polytheists during the Battle of Hunain and was at the forefront in fighting the Messenger of Allah (S). He was killed in that same battle.

Mohsin Ibn Ghassan

He was also a person who had a long-life span. He lived for 256 years.

Amr Ibn Hamama Doosi

He is also a long-lived human being, who lived for 400 years. Following is his own composition:

I have become aged, and my age is so prolonged as if I have been stung by snake that is not yet dead.

Thus, death did not destroy me and I was not destroyed? But years of spring and summer passed on me.

I have definitely left behind three hundred years and I hope to live for four hundred years.

Harith Ibn Mazaz Jurhami

Harith Ibn Mazaz Jurhami also lived for 400 years; he composed the following two lines:

As if there was no one on way from Hajun to Safa and in Mecca who was a worshipper, who spent the nights in prayers.

Yes, we are from the worshippers of Mecca, who spend their nights in worship. We make the passage of days and nights old.

Abdul Masih Ibn Baqila Ghassani

Kalbi, Abu Ubaidah and others have said that Abdul Masih Ibn Baqila Ghassani also had a long lifespan, and he lived for 350 years. He lived during the Islamic period, but did not accept Islam; on the contrary he remained a Christian. His engagement with Khalid is well known when the latter came to Hira. Till Khalid asked: How old are you? He replied: Three hundred and fifty years.

Khalid asked: What did you see during this period? He replied: At this place [in the desert of Hira, which was a sea once upon a time] I saw boats anchored near the coast and a woman of Hira carrying a sack on her head and she had only a piece of bread and she was going to Shaam. Now this area has become arid and barren, and this is the practice of God with regard to people and cities. Abdul Masih composed the following couplet:

People are children born from different wombs and when they understand that someone is spending a life of difficulty and poverty, they murder and humiliate him.

When they see wealth and prosperity of someone, they become his blood brothers, and such hypocritical things are written and preserved in the realm of unseen.

Nabigha Jodi

Nabigha Jodi was among the long-lived personalities among the Arabs. His real name was Qays Ibn Kaab Ibn Abdullah Ibn Aamir Ibn Rabia Ibn Joda Ibn Kaab Ibn Rabia Ibn Aamir Ibn Saasa. His patronymic was Abu Laila.

Abu Hatim Sajistani, a prominent scholar of language and poetry says that Nabigha attained an age more than that of Zabyani. He proudly says: I recited the following verses to the Messenger of Allah (S):

Our greatness and nobility has reached to the skies and we hope that it will go beyond them.

The Messenger of Allah (S) asked: “Till where, O Abu Laila?”

I replied: “In Paradise, O Messenger of Allah (S).”

The Holy Prophet (S) remarked: “All right, if Allah so wills.”

After that I presented the following couplets to the Messenger of Allah (S):

There is no goodness in forbearance and magnanimity, when they are not accompanied with evil and anger, till purity does not stain the period of forbearance or period of anger.

And there is no goodness in ignorance also, when it is not accompanied with forbearance and severity does not make amends for it with kindness and tolerance.

At that moment the Holy Prophet (S) said: May Allah bless you.

It is said that Nabigha Jodi lived for 120 years without losing any of his teeth.

A person says that his teeth were intact till he was eighty; when he lost a set of teeth, another one grew in its stead. He was best with regard to teeth.

Abu Tanihan Qaini

Among those blessed with a long-life span was Abu Tamhan Qaini, who belonged to the tribe of Bani Kinana Ibn Qain.

Abu Hatim has said that he lived for 200 years and composed the following lines about himself:

Neither prosperity nor the hardships of the age have weakened me; in such a way as if I have crouched to hunt or prey.

Due to the severity of old age, I take such short steps that if they see me, they would think that my legs are tied up in chains; whereas it is not so.

His reports and poetic compositions are well known.

Zu Asbah Adwani

According to Abul Hatim, he attained an age of 300 years. He was an Arab king during the period of Jahiliyya. His reports, poems and judgments are well known.

Zuhair Ibn Janab also had a long lifespan, and he lived for 220 years and participated in 200 battles. He was the leader of his tribe. It is said that he possessed ten extraordinary qualities: He was a chief of his tribe, he was of noble lineage and an eloquent speaker and a poet. He used to visit other kings as a diplomat; he was an accomplished physician, a soothsayer and a brave warrior. He was a wise advisor. In his will, he said to his children:

My sons, indeed, I have become old; I have been given a very long life, I have got good experience and have become an expert. Thus, remember what I say. Lest in times of hardships you are degraded, lest when you are faced with difficult situations you forgive each other [and do not fulfill the desires of others] since for you this matter causes great anxiety and sorrow and brings condemnation of enemies and makes you suspicious of Almighty Allah. Lest you become arrogant in face of hardships and careless and think that you are in security and you ridicule it.

Every nation that took tragedies lightly got involved in them; therefore, take tragedies seriously as in the world, man is a target in such a way that archers have targeted the tragedies, and they shoot arrows in its directions. Arrows are shot at it from right and left and finally the arrows of tragedies injure him.

Statements and poetic compositions of Zuhair are also famous.

Duwaid Ibn Nahad

He is Duwaid Ibn Nahad Ibn Zaid Ibn Aswad Ibn Aslam Ibn Haaf Ibn Qaza-a. Abu Hatim has said with regard to him: He lived for 456 years. His bequests and reports are famous and well known and a sample of his couplets is as follows:

The passage of time has rendered my limbs useless and whatever is improved by this period, another day will corrupt it, because that which it has improved today, tomorrow it would destroy it.

Harith Ibn Kaab

Among the long-lived persons of the world is Harith Ibn Kaab Ibn Amr Ibn Waala Madh-haji. Madh-haj was the mother of Malik Ibn Adad and the reason of her being named thus was that she was born on a hill named as Madh-haj. Abu Hatim says: When the death of Harith approached, he gathered his children and said:

My children, I have reached an age of a hundred and sixty years, but so far, I have neither made peace with any traitor nor befriended any transgressor or infidel, nor flirted with cousins and sisters-in-law. I have never kept a woman of loose character in my house. I have never exposed the secrets of my friends. I follow the religion of Prophet Shuaib (‘a) and except for me, Asad Ibn Khuzaima and Tamim Ibn Murrah, no one in the Arab Peninsula follows this faith.

So, remember my will and live on my religion. Continue to fear the Almighty Allah as He is sufficient for you in every way. Never disobey Him as you would be destroyed and your city and abode would be terrified of your destruction [It is an allusion of divine chastisement]. My sons, be united and never should you fall into discord. Without any doubt, a death of honour is better than a life of degradation and helplessness. What is destined would come to pass. Everything is of two different types.

Thus, time is also of two kinds: A time of prosperity and a time of troubles. People are also of two types: One kind will benefit you and another will harm you. Also remember that you should take in marriage, a woman who is compatible to your status and is chaste. Avoid foolish girls as their issues will be useless. Those who cut off relations will never get peace. There is enmity in discord with the people of your community. That is if you oppose them, they will become inimical to you.

No matter how numerous you may be; if you have no unity, you are in great trouble. Goodness erases evil. To reciprocate evil with evil is to participate in evil. Sins destroy good deeds. Breaking off relations creates sorrow. Disrespect destroys blessings. Disowning of parents leads to destruction. It reduces population and houses are destroyed. Bad behavior cuts off benefits. Mutual enmity causes separations. He had composed the following couplets:

I spent my youth, and I wasted it; and I destroyed one day with another.

I lived with three wives and all of them passed away and I have also become an old man.

My food is less and my getting up is with difficulty and the long-life span has shortened my steps.

I remain awake the nights and observe the stars and contemplate on the hidden and apparent aspects of my life.

These were some examples of Arabs who had the good fortune of having long life spans and their accounts are preserved in books of history.

Persians And Non-Arabs With Long Lifespans

As for the Persians: According to them, in the past, there were some rulers, who got long life spans. Therefore, they have narrated that Zahhak, the owner of two snakes [a couple of snakes perched on his shoulders] lived for 1200 years; or Faridoon the Just, lived for more than a thousand years. In the same way they say: A king initiated the celebration of Meherjan festival (spring feast). He lived for 2500 years after which he disappeared from his people for 600 years.

In addition, there are those mentioned in the history of Iranians and their books, and we will not prolong this book by quoting them.

Thus [with attention to all these long-lived persons] how can it be said that the long lifespan of the Master of the Age (aj) is extraordinary?

Yarab Ibn Qahtan

Similarly, among those who got long lifespan among Arabs was Yarab Ibn Qahtan. His real name was Rabia. He was the first to speak the Arabic language. According to Abai Hasan Nasaba Isfahani and his book, Al Fara wash Shajar (The branch and tree) he ruled for 200 years and he was a Yemenite progenitor. He was as Adnan was in Hijaz with a little difference.

Amr Aaamir Maziqiya

He was also a long lived Arab. Isfahani has narrated from Abi Ais Ansari and Sharqi Ibn Qattami that he lived for 800 years. Four hundred years during the lifetime of his father and another four hundred years afterwards, when he was a ruler. His practice was to wear two kinds of garments every day. Every night he tore up his clothes, so that no one else may wear them. That why he is known as Maziqiya (one who tears).

It is said that he was called Maziqiya, because during his reign, people of Azd migrated to various parts of the world. Amr was a king of the Saba kingdom. Soothsayers told him that his country would be destroyed by the floods of Iram. So, he sold his land and migrated to some other place with his subjects. Therefore, all the tribes of Azd and Ansar are his descendants.

Jalhama Ibn Adad Ibn Zaid Ibn Yashjab

Another long-lived ruler of Arabs was Jalhama Ibn Adad Ibn Zaid Ibn Yashjab Ibn Arib Ibn Zaid Ibn Kahlan Ibn Yarab. He is also known as Lajalmaha Tai and Bani Tai are his descendants. His account is very long.

Yahabir Ibn Malik Ibn Adad was one of his nephews. Each of them lived for 500 years and there was a battle between them regarding a pastureland. Jalhama thought that in this way his whole clan will be destroyed. So, he left that place and traveled a great distance; that is why he began to be called as Tai. He was the owner of two mountains in Tai, named Aja and Salma. He is also having a very lengthy account.

One of them is Amr Ibn Lohi, whose real name was Rabia Ibn Haritha Ibn Amr Maziqiya. According to scholars of Khaza, he was the chief of the Khaza during the battle between Khaza and Jurham. He had initiated the customs of Saiba, Wasila and Haam.3 He brought the idols of Hubal and Manat from Syria to Mecca. He entrusted Hubal to Khazima Ibn Mudrika and that is why it began to be referred to as the Hubal Khazima. Then he placed Manat on Mt. Abu Qubais and he was the first to bring Nard (a dice game) to Mecca, which people played all the time in Kaaba and its vicinity.

88- It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (S) that he said: I was shown Hell during my journey of Meraj. I saw a short stature man, Amr Ibn Lahih paying with his baton in Hell. I asked: Who is this?

I was told: He is Amr Ibn Lahih. He defiled the Kaaba as the Jurham tribe had done, till he died.

Amr lived for 345 years and according to historical sources, his descendants reached up to a thousand warriors.

"If our opponent considers this impossible from astrologers and physicists, then the inquiry is about the basis of this question. The world is a creation and it has a Creator, Who has set the ordinary norms of short and long lives and He is capable of lengthening lives and taking lives. If this is clarified, then the inquiry becomes easy.

If our opponent accepts this, but says this is out of the ordinary norms, we have already responded that it is not out of all of the ordinary events. If he says it is out of the bounds of our ordinary events, we will ask: What is wrong with that? If it is said that such events are not possible, except during the times of the prophets, we will say that we dispute this assertion. We believe that extraordinary events can be worked by prophets, Imams and even virtuous servants of God.

The majority tradition scholars and many Mutazalites and Hashawiyya accept this. And if they call them "Karamat,” that is a difference only in words. We have proved the possibility of these events in our books and explained that extraordinary events prove the truth of the person, who brings them forth; and we discern he is either prophet, Imam or a virtuous man. We have responded to all the doubts they raise with this regard in our books and will not prolong the discussion by bringing them here again.

89- I saw a writing of Sharif Ajal Razi Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Husayn Musawi dated Sunday, 15th Muharram 331 A.H. in which he has mentioned the account of a long-lived man in Syria, who had crossed the age of 140 years. He says: I mounted my beast and went to him and found him after much endeavor. I met him near my house in Karkh and he was a wonder and had met Imam Hasan al-’Askari (‘a), father of Imam al-Mahdi (aj). Therefore, he described the fine qualities of Imam (‘a). A wonder that was seen is an incident, which he has written in his own handwriting.4

The frailty and feebleness of the body that comes with the passage of time and old age is not something that is inevitable. Allah has set the ordinary pattern that this comes along as time goes by. This is not however necessary, and God is able not to act according to the pattern He has set.

If this is accepted, it is proved that the phenomenon of long lives is possible. We recorded narratives of people, who did not change with the passage of time and their old age. How someone, who believes that Allah will settle the believers forever in Paradise as youths who will never grow old, can reject this?

Those who are our opponents in this regard and are deniers of these things, and they regard this to be the effect of the stars and in this regard are opposed to us, but they are the people of Shari’ah, on the basis of many evidences their claim is invalid. Therefore, in these circumstances, all the causes of doubt are baseless and unreliable.

• 1. Refer to Surah al-‘Ankabut 29:14.
• 2. The Late Shaykh Saduq in Kamaluddin, Vol. 1, Pg. 161, H. no. 21 has narrated a traditional report from Imam Musa al-Kazim (‘a) and it is concluded from that tradition that Salman al-Farsi lived to an age of 500 years. In the book, Nafsur Rahman, Pg. 164, it is narrated from Shafei that Salman al-Farsi lived for 300 years. Some have also said that he lived for more than 400 years. Some also believe that he had met Prophet Isa (‘a) and some have said that he was a successor of Isa (‘a). Quoted from Al-Ghaybah, Marif al-Islamiya and the book, Salman al-Farsi, Muhammad Ijtihadi.
• 3. These were three absurd customs from the period of Jahiliyya, which were eradicated by the advent of Islam. The Holy Qur’an in Surah Maidah, says with regard to this:
  “It was not Allah Who began (false beliefs like those of) a slit-ear female camel, or a female camel let loose for free grazing, or idol sacrifices for twin-births in animals, or stallion-camels freed from work; it is the blasphemers who invent a lie against Allah: But most of them (simply) lack wisdom.” (5:103).
  Muhammad Ibn Muslim has narrated from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) regarding this verse that the Imam said: When a she camel gave birth to two calves, the people of Jahiliyya used to say that it was as-Salat that is it has carried two pregnancies at the same time. On the basis of this they considered it unlawful to slaughter or eat it. When the calf was born, it was called as Saiba and they considered it unlawful to mount or eat it. They also did not consider it unlawful to mount or eat fat male camel also. The Almighty Allah revealed in this verse that this invalid custom is ignorant and illogical. Wasa’il ash-Shi’a, Vol. 25, Pg. 61
• 4. The late Shaykh Al-Tusi (r.a.) has quoted the incident for the evidence which is beyond the topic of discussion as the discussion of the book is about the long age of Imam az-Zaman (aj), which is perfectly possible and is not extraordinary.