أَبِي عَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلَالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي الْقَائِمِ سُنَّةً مِنْ يُوسُفَ قُلْتُ كَأَنَّكَ تَذْكُرُ حَيْرَةً أَوْ غَيْبَةً قَالَ لِي وَ مَا تُنْكِرُ مِنْ هَذَا هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ أَشْبَاهُ الْخَنَازِيرِ إِنَّ إِخْوَةَ يُوسُفَ كَانُوا أَسْبَاطاً أَوْلَادَ أَنْبِيَاءَ تَاجَرُوا يُوسُفَ وَ بَايَعُوهُ وَ خَاطَبُوهُ وَ هُمْ إِخْوَتُهُ وَ هُوَ أَخُوهُمْ فَلَمْ يَعْرِفُوهُ حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُمْ يُوسُفُ ع أَنَا يُوسُفُ فَمَا تُنْكِرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ الْمَلْعُونَةُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَسْتُرَ حُجَّتَهُ لَقَدْ كَانَ يُوسُفُ إِلَيْهِ مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ وَالِدِهِ مَسِيرَةُ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً فَلَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَ مَكَانَهُ لَقَدَرَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ سَارَ يَعْقُوبُ وَ وُلْدُهُ عِنْدَ الْبِشَارَةِ تِسْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ مِنْ بَدْوِهِمْ إِلَى مِصْرَ وَ مَا تُنْكِرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللَّهُ يَفْعَلُ بِحُجَّتِهِ مَا فَعَلَ بِيُوسُفَ أَنْ يَكُونَ يَسِيرُ فِي أَسْوَاقِهِمْ وَ يَطَأُ بُسُطَهُمْ وَ هُمْ لَا يَعْرِفُونَهُ حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ نَفْسَهُ كَمَا أَذِنَ لِيُوسُفَ حِينَ قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُمْ ما فَعَلْتُمْ بِيُوسُفَ وَ أَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ جاهِلُونَ قالُوا أَ إِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ يُوسُفُ قالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَ هذا أَخِي‏

1- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq (r.a.) in Ikmal ad-Din and Ilal ash-Shara’i has narrated from his father from Himyari from Ahmad Ibn Hilal from Ibn Abu Najran from Faddala from Sudair that he said:

I heard Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) say, “There is a sign from Yusuf in the Qa’im.” I said: “It seems as you are mentioning the perplexity or the occultation.” He said: “What of this does this nation deny? They are the likes of swine, whereas brothers of Yusuf were heirs and children of apostles, yet they traded and sold Yusuf. They addressed him, being his brothers and he being their brother, yet did not recognize him; so Yusuf said to them, I am Yusuf.

So what is this accursed nation denying that Allah, the Exalted, in a certain time from times may desire to hide his Hujjah? Yusuf had the kingdom of Egypt and there was between him and his father the journey of eighteen days. If Allah, the Exalted, had desired to let his father know his place, He could have done that.

By Allah, Yaqub and his sons journeyed, when they were given the glad tidings, for nine days from the beginning of their journey until Egypt. What is this Ummah denying that God would do to His Hujjah what He did to Yusuf, that he would walk in their markets and step on their grounds while they do not recognize him until Allah, the Exalted, identifies him to them, as He permitted Yusuf when he said:

قَالَ هَلْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا فَعَلْتُمْ بِيُوسُفَ وَأَخِيهِ إِذْ أَنْتُمْ جَاهِلُونَ

“He said: Do you know how you treated Yusuf and his brother when you were ignorant?” (Surah Yusuf, 12:89).

قَالُوا أَإِنَّكَ لَأَنْتَ يُوسُفُ قَالَ أَنَا يُوسُفُ وَهَٰذَا أَخِي

“They said: Are you indeed Yusuf? He said: I am Yusuf and this is my brother…” (Surah Yusuf, 12:90).

2- Ilal ash-Shara’i: Shaykh as-Saduq has narrated from Muzaffar Alawi from Ibn Ayyashi and Haider Ibn Muhammad Samarqandi together from Ayyashi from Jibra’il Ibn Ahmad from Musa Ibn Ja’far Baghdadi from Hasan Ibn Muhammad Sairafi from Hannan Ibn Sudair from his father, Sudair that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said:

“Our Qa’im has an occultation the duration of which is lengthy.” I said: “Why is that so, O son of Allah’s Messenger?” He said: “Allah, the Exalted, disdains to have the traditions of the occultations of apostles not proceed in him. O Sudair, he must complete the duration of their occultations. Allah, the Exalted, says: “You shall surely enter a stage after another stage” (Surah al-Inshiqaq, 84:19). It means you will tread on the traditions of the nations before you.”

3- Al-Amali as-Saduq: It is narrated from Ibn Mutawakkil from ‘Ali from his father from Ibn Abi Umair that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) recited the following about Imam az-Zaman (‘a):

For every nation is a rule which they await

Our governance in the last period of time will come

4- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Idris from his father from Ayyub Ibn Nuh from Muhammad Ibn Sinan from Safwan Ibn Mahran from Imam Ja’far Sadiq that he said:

“Someone who professes faith in all Imams yet denies the Mahdi is like one who professes faith in all apostles yet denies the Prophethood of Muhammad (‘a).” He was asked, “O son of Allah’s Messenger (S) which one of your sons will the Mahdi be from?” He said: “He is the fifth from the sons of the seventh. His person will be invisible to you and you will be prohibited from mentioning his name.”

In that book the same report is quoted through another chain also.

5- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq (a.r.) has narrated from his father and Ibn Walid together from Saad from Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Zaituni from Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Abu Qatadah from Ahmad Ibn Hilal from Umayyah Ibn ‘Ali from Abu Haitham Ibn Abu Hayya from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that he said:

“When three names, Muhammad, ‘Ali and Hasan gather in consecution, the fourth one will be the Qa’im (‘a).”

6- Ikmal ad-Din: It is also narrated from Taliqani from Muhammad Ibn Hamam from Ahmad Ibn Mabandad from Ahmad Ibn Hilal from Umayyah Ibn ‘Ali Qaisi from Abi Haitham Tamimi from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that he said:

“When three names, Muhammad, ‘Ali and Hasan gather in consecution, the fourth one will be their Qa’im (‘a).”

7- Ikmal ad-Din: Shaykh as-Saduq has narrated from Daqqaq from Asadi from Nakhai from Naufili from Mufaddal Ibn Umar that:

I came to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) and said: “My master, I wish that you confide in us about the heir after you.” He said: “O Mufaddal, the Imam after me is my son Musa and the Awaited successor is M-H-M-D Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Musa.”

8- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Abdullah Ibn Ahmad from his father from Muhammad Ibn Khalaf from Muhammad Ibn Sinan and Abu ‘Ali Raazi together from Ibrahim Karkhi that:

I came to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) and I was sitting there when Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far (‘a), who was then a boy, entered. I stood before him and kissed him and sat down. Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said: “O Ibrahim, behold, he is your Patron after me. Behold, a nation will perish in him and the rest will be blessed. May Allah curse his murderer and increase the chastisement on his soul.

Behold, Allah will bring forth from my seed the best of the people of the earth in his time, called by the name of his grandfather, the heir of his knowledge and rules and excellences, the treasure trove of Imamate and the summit of wisdom. The tyrant from the sons of so-and-so will kill him out of jealously after novel wonders. However, Allah accomplishes His purpose, even though the polytheists may disdain so.

Allah will bring forth from his seed the completion of the twelve guides that Allah has distinguished them by His dignity and has settled them in the abode of His sanctity. A man professing faith in the Twelfth of them is the like of a swordsman in front of the Messenger of Allah (S) defending him.”

The narrator says: A man from the allies of the Umayyads entered and the conversation was disrupted. I went to Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) eleven times hoping that he would complete the discourse, but it was not to happen. When it was the eve of the next year, I came to him as he was sitting. He said: “O Ibrahim, the Reliever of the pains of the Shi’a will come after severe hardships, long trials and anxiety and fear. Bliss for the one who will see that time. This is sufficient for you, O Ibrahim.” I returned with nothing more gratifying to my heart and more pleasing to my so al-than this.

9- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Idris from his father from Muhammad Ibn Husayn Ibn Zaid from Hasan Ibn Musa from ‘Ali Ibn Samaa from ‘Ali Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Rabat from his father from Mufaddal that:

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: “Allah, the High, created fourteen lights fourteen thousand years before He created the creation. They are our spirits.” He was asked, “O son of Allah’s Messenger (S) who are the fourteen?” He said: “Muhammad, ‘Ali, Fatimah, Hasan, Husayn and the Imams from the progeny of al-Husayn (‘a). Their last is the Qa’im who will rise after his occultation and will kill Dajjal and will clean the earth from every oppression and injustice.”

10- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Hamadani from Ibn Uqdah from Abu Abdullah Asimi from Husayn Ibn Qasim Ibn Ayyub from Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Samaa from Thabit Ibn Sabbah from Abu Basir that he said:

I heard Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) say, “Ours are the Twelve Guides. Six have gone and six are remaining. Allah will place in the Sixth that which He loves.”

11- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Daqqaq from Asadi from Sahal from Ibn Mahbub from Abd al-Aziz Abadi from Ibn Abi Yafur that he said:

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: “A person who professes faith in the Imams, my forefathers and my sons, yet denies the Mahdi from my sons, is like one who professes faith in all apostles, peace be with them, yet denies Muhammad (‘a) his apostleship.” I said: “My master, and who is the Mahdi from your progeny?” He said: “The fifth from the sons of the seventh. His person will hide from you and it will not be permissible for you to mention him by his name.”

12- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Attar from his father from Ibn Hashim from Ibn Abi Umair from Safwan Jammal that Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said:

“Behold, by Allah, your Mahdi will disappear from you until your ignorant individuals would say, ‘Allah does not have any need in Aali Muhammad (‘a).’ Then he will come like a blazing meteor. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it will be full of injustice and oppression.”

13- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Abdus from Ibn Qutaibah from Hamadan Ibn Sulayman from Ibn Yazi from Hannan Sarraj from Sayyid Ibn Muhammad Himyari that:

I said to Imam as-Sadiq (‘a), “O son of Allah’s Messenger, traditions have been related to us from your forefathers, peace be unto them, with regard to the occultation and the confirmation of its occurrence. Please inform me who is it going to happen to?” He said: “It will happen to the sixth from my sons, the Twelfth from the Imams of guidance after the Messenger of Allah (S), the first of whom is Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) and their last is the Riser with the Truth, the Cherished Redeemer of Allah on His earth, the Master of the Age and the vicegerent of the All-Merciful. By Allah, even if he should remain in his occultation as long as Nuh remained in his people, he will not go from the world until he appears and fills the earth with equity and justice, as it will be replete with injustice and oppression.”

14- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Ibn Mutawakkil from ‘Ali Ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad Ibn Isa from Salih Ibn Muhammad from Hani Tamr that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said:

“The Patron of this Affair will have a disappearance. So the servant should fear Allah and cling on to his religion.”

15- Ikmal ad-Din: It is narrated from Daqqaq from Asadi from Nakhai from Naufili from Ibn Bataini from his father from Abu Basir that:

I heard Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) say, “The customs the apostles went through in terms of their disappearances will materialize in the Qa’im of us, the Ahl al-Bayt in the precise and same manner.”

Abu Basir says, I said to him, “O son of Allah’s Messenger, and who is the Qa’im of you Ahl al-Bayt?” He said: “O Abu Basir, he is the fifth from the sons of my son Musa. He is the son of the mistress of slave girls.

He will have an occultation in which invalidators will doubt. Then Allah, the Exalted, will manifest him and will conquer on his hands the easts of the earth and its wests. Ruhallah Isa Ibn Maryam (‘a) will come down and pray behind him. The earth will shine with the illumination of its Lord. There will be no spot-on earth on which a deity other than Allah, the Exalted, is worshipped, and the religion entirely will be for Allah, even if the infidels may dislike this.

16- Ghaybah at-Tusi: It is narrated from a group from Bazufari from Ahmad Ibn Idris from Ibn Qutaibah from Fadhl from Ibn Abi Najran from Safwan from Abu Ayyub from Abu Basir that he said:

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said: “If you hear of a disappearance with regard to your Patron, do not reject it.”

17- Ghaybah at-Tusi: It is narrated from Ahmad Ibn Idris from ‘Ali Ibn Fadhl from Ahmad Ibn Uthman from Ahmad Ibn Rizq from Yahya Ibn Alaa Raazi that he said:

I heard Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) say, “Allah will bring forth in this Ummah a man who belongs to me and I belong to him. Allah will drive the blessings of the heavens and the earth through him. The heavens will rain down its drops; and the earth will grow out its seeds: and its beasts and brutes will live in harmony; and it will be full of equity and justice, as it had been replete with oppression and injustice. He will put so many on the sword that the ignorant will say, ‘If he was from the progeny of Muhammad, he would be merciful.”

18- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Muhammad Ibn Hamam from Ahmad Ibn Mabandad from Muhammad Ibn Sinan from Kahili from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that he said:

“Be nice to each other, do kindness to one another, and have compassion to one another. I swear by the One Who split the seed and created the people, a time will come to you when no one of you will find a place for his dinar and dirham to spend, for the lack of need of all the people with the blessing of Allah and the blessing of his Wali” I asked: “When will that happen?”

He said: “This will happen when you miss your Imam and you will continue to remain in that state until he rises over you the way the sun rises. Wherever you may be, beware of doubt and suspicion! Reject doubts from your hearts. You have been warned so abstain. I beseech Allah for your success and your guidance.”

19- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Abd al-Wahid Ibn Abdullah from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Rabah from Ahmad Ibn ‘Ali Himyari from Husayn Ibn Ayyub from Abd al-Karim Khathami from Muhammad Ibn Isaam from Mufaddal Ibn Umar that he said:

I was sitting with Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) in his sitting room and there were other people with me as well. He said to us, “Take care not to mention him by name,” meaning the Qa’im (‘a) and I was seeing he meant to say this to the others. Then he said to me, “O Abu Abdullah, beware not to mention him by name. By Allah, he will disappear for years. He will be forgotten until it will be said: He is dead, perished or gone to some valley. The eyes of the believers will shed tears over him and they will be turned over like a ship is turned over by the waves of the sea and no one will be saved except the one from whom Allah has taken covenant and has inscribed faith in his heart and has endorsed him with a spirit from Himself.

Twelve bewildering standards will be raised; not known which is from whom.” Mufaddal Ibn Umar says: I cried. He said to me, “Why are you crying.” “May I be your ransom,” said I, “how would I not cry while you are saying twelve bewildering standards will raised not known which is one from whom?” He eyed towards the window in the room from which the sun was shining into his sitting room. He said: “Is this sun luminous?” I said: “Yes.” He said: “By Allah, our position will be more luminous (obvious) than that.”

20- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Muhammad Ibn Hamam from Hameed Ibn Ziyad from Hasan Ibn Muhammad Ibn Samaa from Ahmad Ibn al-Hasan Mithami from Zaid Ibn Qudamah from some of his people from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) that he said:

“When the Qa’im rises, people will say, How could this be? Even his bones must have decayed.”

21- 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 Yunus Ibn Yaqub from Mufaddal Ibn Umar that:

I asked Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a), “What is the sign of the Qa’im?” He said: “When times pass much and it is said: He is dead, perished gone to some valley.” I asked: “May I be your ransom, “Then what will happen?” He said: “He will not appear but with the sword.”

22- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from Uqdah from Qasim Ibn Muhammad Ibn Husayn Ibn Hazim from Abdullah Ibn Hisham Nashiri from Abdullah Ibn Jabla from Fudhail Saigh from Muhammad Ibn Muslim that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) said:

“When people lose the Imam, they will remain for ages not knowing one thing from other. Then Allah will manifest their Master to them.”

23- Ghaybah an-Nu’mani: It is narrated from ‘Ali Ibn Ahmad from Abdullah Ibn Musa from Hasan Ibn Muawiyah from Ibn Mahbub from Khallad Ibn Qassar that Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) was asked:

“Has the Qa’im been born?” He said: “No. If I lived in his times, I would serve him for all days of my life.”

24- Iqbal al-Amal: Sayyid Ibn Tawus has narrated through his chains from Abu Ja’far at-Tusi from a group from Talakbari from Ibn Hamam from Jamil from Qasim Ibn Ismail from Ahmad Ibn Rabah from Abu Faraj Aban Ibn Muhammad alias Sindi that:

Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) was in Hajj in the year in which he stepped under the Mizab (water-spout at Ka’ba). As he was praying, Abdullah Ibn al-Hasan was on his right, Hasan Ibn al-Hasan on his left, and Ja’far Ibn al-Hasan was behind him. Ibad Ibn Kathir Basri came and said: “O Aba Abdullah.” The Imam remained silent until he had said it three times. Then he said to the Imam, “O Ja’far.” The Imam said: “Say what you want to say, O Abu Kathir.”

“I have found in a book of mine the knowledge of this structure,” he said. “A man will destroy it stone by stone.” The Imam said: “Your book has lied, O Abu Kathir. On the contrary, I see, by Allah, the man with yellow steps, injured on the legs, big in the abdomen, thin in the neck, thick in the head, over this Rukn,” and he pointed to the Yemeni Rukn, “prohibiting the people from circumambulating as they are intimidated by him. Then Allah will send a man from me,” and he pointed to his chest. “He will kill him like the killing of the Ad and Thamud and Fir’awn, the lord of the spikes.” At that point, Abdullah Ibn al-Hasan said: “By Allah, Abu Abdullah has spoken the truth.” They all endorsed his veracity then.

It is narrated from the handwriting of Shahid al-Awwal (‘a) on the authority of Ab al-Walid from Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (‘a) with regard to the statement qad qamat ai-salah, “The rise of the Qa’im (‘a) has been implied by this.”

25- Muqtadhib: It is narrated from Muhammad Ibn Ja’far Admi and Ibn Ghalib Hafiz from Ahmad Ibn Ubaid Ibn Nasih from Husayn Ibn Alwan from Hamam Ibn Harith from Wahab Ibn Munabbah that:

Musa (‘a) looked on the night of the Conversation at every tree and at every stone and plant at Mount Tur. They were all speaking the remembrance of Muhammad and his Twelve Heirs after him. Musa said: “My Lord, I do not see anything You have created but it speaks the names of Muhammad and his Twelve Heirs. What is their position before you?” “O son of Imran,” came the reply, “I created them before the creation of the lights and placed them in the treasure trove of My sanctity, as they are nourished in the garden of My will and breathed from the spirit of My majesty and observed the horizons of My Kingdom, until I desired My will and implemented my rule and measure. O son of Imran, I have given them a promotion so I will adorn My Gardens through them. O son of Imran! Adhere to their remembrance, for they are the treasures of My knowledge, coffers of My wisdom, and springs of My illumination.”

Husayn Ibn Alawan says, I mentioned this to Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (‘a). He said: “That is correct. They are the Twelve from Aali Muhammad (‘a): ‘Ali, Hasan, Husayn, ‘Ali Ibn Husayn, Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali and the ones whom Allah desires”. I said: “May I be your ransom, I beseech you to relate the truth to me.” He said: “I, and this son of mine,” pointing to his son, Musa, “and the fifth from his sons, whose person will disappear and mentioning his name will not be permissible.”