1

TheReturnofalMahdi

Preface

ThisisthetranslationofMukhtasaruIthbati'rRaj'ah(AbridgedIthbatu'rRaj'ah).TheoriginalbookofwhichthisisanabridgementwasbyAbuMuhammad alFadlibnShadhanibnalKhalilalAzdianNishapuri. (A)TheAuthor: AlFadlibnShadhanwasahighlyrespectedjurisprudent(faqih)andtheologian(mutakallim)ofthethirdcenturyofhijrah.HelivedinNishapur(Khurasan). AshShaykhatTusi(d.460 * )writesabouthim:"Afaqihandmutakallimofsublimehonour;hehaswrittenmanybooksandworks."Whilelistingthirtytwoofhis works,ShaykhatTusihasalsomentionedIthbatu'rRaj'ah. 1 AshShaykhanNajashi(d,450)writesunderhisname:"HisfatherwasofthecompanionsofYunus[ibn'Abdu'rRahman],and[alFadlibnShadhan]narrated a hadith from Abu Ja'far athThani [i.e. Imam Muhammad atTaqi], and it is said that he also narrated from arRida (peace be upon them). 2 He was thiqah (trustworthy);oneofourcompanionswhowere[countedas]faqihandmutakallim;heenjoysagreatrespectinthissect[i.e.intheShi'ahs];he,inhishonourand distinction,istoowellknowntoneedanydescription.AlKanji 3 hassaidthathehadwrittenonehundredandeightybooks.Thenlistingfortyeightofhisbooks which he had in his possession, he mentions three books about the twelfth Imam (A.S.): Ithbatu 'rRaj'ah, arRaj'ah hadith and Kitab alQa'im (peace be upon him)." 4
*

Unlessotherwisespecified,alldatesinthisprefacerefertothehijrahlunarcalendar. AtTusi,alFihrist(Qumed.)p.124,entryno.552. ItisundoubtedlytruethatIbnShadhannarratedfromImamarRidaasmaybeseeninasSaduq'sbooks,'UyunuAkhbari'rRidaand'Ilalu'shShara'i'andinseveralchaptersofhisManla Yahduruhu'lFaqih. Abu'1QasimYahyaibnZakariyaalKanjihadmetImamHasanal'Askari(a.s.);atTaPakbaritookahadithfromhimin318A.H.;althattimehisagehadexceeded120years.SeeRijalan Najashi,vol.,2(Beirut,1988)p.168,fnno. RijalanNajashi,vol.2,p.168,no.838.

1 2

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

Ibn Da'ud alHilli (d. 707) writes about him, "He was one of the great jurisprudents and theologians of the Shi'a faith. His status is too high to need any mention." 5 It is reported that alFadl ibn Shadhan once sent someone to Samarra to Abu Muhammad alHasan al'Askari (peace be upon him); when the messenger wanted to leave, a book of alFadl dropped down. The Imam took it up, read it andsaid, "Allah'smercy be on alFadl." (Another narration says that the Imam repeatedthisprayerthreetimes.)HealsoreportedthattheImamsaid,"IenvythepeopleofKhurasanbecauseofalFadlibnShadhanandbecausehelivesamong them." AshShaykh atTusi has counted alFadl ibn Shadhan, in his. Rijal, among the companions of the tenth and eleventh Imams (A.S.). It is thus clear that he narratedahadithdirectlyfromtwoImams,andwasacompanionoffourImams(peacebeuponthem).HisfatherhadnarratedahadithfromtheseventhImam (A.S.). 6 AlFadloncesaid,"Iamthesuccessorofthosewhohavepassedaway.Imet(andreceivedahadithandknowledge)fromMuhammadibnAbi'Umayr,Safwan ibnYahyaandothers,andhavepreservedtheirlegacysincelastfiftyyears;whenHishamibnalHakam(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)passedaway,Yunusibn 'Abdu'rRahman(mayAllahhavemercyonhim)carriedhistorchandusedtoreply[our]adversaries;thenYunusibn'Abdu'rRahmandiedandleftnooneinhis placeexceptasSakkak,andherebuttedtheadversaries'[arguments],untilhetoopassedaway(mayAllahhavemercyonhim),andnowIamtheirsuccessorafter them,mayAllahhavemercyonthem." 7 Inhislastdays,alFadlibnShadhanwasatBayhaq(atowninKhurasan)whennewscamethattheKharijiteswereproceedingtowardsthattown.Hefledfrom Bayhaq;butfacedsomanydifficultiesinthejourneythathebecameseriouslyillanddiedofthesameillness. 8 Hisdeathoccurredin260,thesameyearwhen ImamHasanal'Askari(peacebeuponhim)wasmartyred. Booraq,"amanamongourcompanionswellknownforhistruthfulness,righteousness,pietyandgoodness",wentforhajjwhenalFadlwasseriouslyill.On hisreturnjourney,hewenttoSamarra'topayhisrespectstotheeleventhImam(A.S.).DuringthevisithesaidtotheImam(A.S.):"AlFadlibnShadhanisseriously ill.Somepeoplesaythatithashappenedbecauseyouareannoyedwithhim,astheyreportedlyhadtoldyouthatalFadlhadsaidthatthesuccessorofIbrahim wasbetterthanthesuccessorofMuhammad(S.A.W.).Buthehadnotsaidanythinglikethis,mayIbeyourransom!Theyhadtoldalieagainsthim."TheImam

5 6 7 8

IbnDa'ud,Rijal(Qumed.)p.151,no.1200. AlKhu'i,Mu'jamRijali'lHadith,vol.13,pp.298(no.9355). IkhtiyarRijali'lKashshi,vol."2,pp.817. Ibid,p.818.

TheReturnofalMahdi

(A.S.)said,"Yes,theyhadtoldalieagainsthim.MayAllahhavemercyonalFadl!MayAllahhavemercyonalFadl."WhenBooraqreturned,hefoundthatalFadl haddiedinthesamedayswhentheImam(A.S.)hadsaid"MayAllahhavemercyonalFadl." 9 AsallreportsagreethatalFadldiedin260,obviouslyBooraqhadgoneforhajjin259.Aftercompletingtheritualsofhajjandziyarat,hewenttoIraq,and musthavereachedSamarra'inthefirst10or15daysofMuharramin260,whentheabovementionedconversationtookplace.ItmeansthatalFadlhaddiedin early Muharram 260, i.e. nearly two months before Imam Hasan al'Askari, (peace be upon him) who was martyred on the eighth of Rabi'u'1awwal, 260. His mausoleumisinoldNishapur,ashortdistancefromthepresenttown. 10 (B)TheBook: Unfortunately,almostallbooksofIbnShadhanarenowlost. 11 Theirfatewasnotdifferentfromthousandsofotherbookswrittenbythecompanionsofthe Imams(Peacebeuponthem). ItappearsfromanNajashi'sbookthatIbnShadhanhadwrittentwobooksonthesubjectofRaj'at(Return):Ithbatu'rRaj'ahandarRaj'ahliadithwhileash ShaykhatTusihasmentionedonlytheformer. TheShaykhofourmashayekh,lateAghaBuzurgTehrani(died1389)hasmentionedthetwobooksandtheirabridgementsinfiveplacesinhismagnumopus, adhDhari'ah: (1)asIthbatu'rRaj'ah(vol.1.No.450) (2)asarRaj'ahwaahadithuha(vol.10.No.294) (3)asKitabu'lGhaybah(vol.16,No.395) (4)asMukhtasaru'lGhaybah(vol.20,No2574) (5)asMuntakhabuIthbati'rRaj'ah(vol.22No.7472)OnponderingontheaboveentriesinconjunctionwiththerecentlypublishedKitabSulaymibnQaysal Hilali, 12 thefollowinginformationshavebeengleaned:
9

Ibid.pp.817818.

10 11

Jalalu'ddinalUrmawiintheprefacetoIbnShadhan,alIdah,pp.4852.Therearealsotwophotographsofthebuildingandthedomeinthebook. His one book, alIdah, has been edited and published with annotations and an elaborate preface by Sayyid Jalalu 'ddin alHusayni alMuhaddith alUrmawi in 1972 by the Tehran UniversityPress.IalsobelievethatasSaduqhaspreservedIbnShadhan'sKitabal'Ilalinitsoriginalandcompleteforminhis'UyunuAkhbararRida,vol.2,chapter33aswellasinhis 'Ilalu'shShara'i',vol.1(Najaf,1385AH/1960CE)pp.251275.

12

In3volumeswithcomprehensiveintroductionandappendixesbyashShaykhMuhammadBaqiralAnsari,Qum,1415A.H.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

1. A manuscript of Ithbatu 'rRaj'ah was with asSayyid Muhammad ibn Muhammad Mir Lawhi alHusayni alMusawi asSabzawari, who was a contemporaryofal'AllamahalMajlisiandbothlivedinthesamecity,Isfahan.MirLawhirefusedtoshowittoalMajlisiortoallowhimtomakeitscopy.The relationsbetweenthemwerenotgood.IfhehadgivenitscopytoalMajlisihecouldhavesavedonemoretreasurefromextinction;perhapshewouldhave preserveditinitsoriginalformbyputtingitinaseparatechapter,ashehaddonewithatTawhidofMufaddalandmanysuchbooks.MirLawhihaswrittenabook, KifayatulMuhtadifiMa'rifati'lMahdi,inwhichhehascollectedfortyahadithfromIthbatu'rRaj'ahofalFadlibnShadhan,Kitabu'lGhaybahofalHasanibn HamzahalMar'ashi,andalFarajalKabirofMuhammadibnHibatullahatTarabulisi. 13 ThetraditionsquotedfromIthbatu'rRaj'ahsupporttheviewthathe hadaccesstothecompletebook,notjustitsselection.Letuspraythatsomeoneunearthsthatmanuscriptifitisstillexistent. 2.MukhtasaruIthbati'rRaj'ah:ThisabridgementofIthbatu'rRaj'ahwasmadeby,"alearnedtraditionalist"Possibly,itwasdonebyasSayyidBaha'u'dDin 'AliibnGhayathu'dDin'Abdu'1Karimibn'Abdu'1HamidanNilianNajafi(9thcentury).AghaBuzurghadseenitscopyinthelibraryofthewellknownmujtahid, ashShaykhMuhammadasSamawi(d.1370).Thecopywastranscribedbythefamousmuhaddith,ashSaykhMuhammadibnalHasanalHurral'Amili(d.1104), whoseWasa'ilu'shShi'ahisindispensibleforreligiousscholarsandjurisprudents,andisoneofthethree"HadithCollectionsoftheLaterperiod".Itappearsfrom varioussealsandwritingsonthebackofthatmanuscriptthatbeforecomingintothepossessionofashShaykhasSamawi,ithadpassedthroughthehandsof manyscholarsand'ulama'.AfterhisdeathitwasgiventotheLibraryofAyatullahMuhsinalHakim(Najaf);anditismentionedinthecatalogueoftheLibrary(vol. 1,No.316)asMukhtasaruIthbati'rRaj'ah,anditiswiththisnamethatithasbeenpublishedinTurathuna,aswillbeseenlater. 3.HereashortnoteonadhDhari'ah'sentrieswillnotbeoutofplace.AghaBuzurgTehrani,whiledescribingIthbatu'rRaj'ahandarRaj'ah\vaahadithuha, hasclearlysaidthatthesetwotitleswereoftwoseparateworks.HealsowritesaboutthelatterbookthatitisalsocalledKitabu'lGhaybah. Accordingtoourpresentinformation,noscholarbeforealMuhaddithanNurihascalledit"KitabulGhaybah".Baha'u'dDinanNilianNajafi,whoabridged oneofthetwobooksofalFadl,writesattheend:"ThisistheendofwhatwehaveselectedfromtheKitabofalFadlibnShadhan."MirLawhiwhocopiedahadith fromtheKitabofalFadlinKifayatu'lMuhatadi,clearlygivesreferencesofIthbatuVRaj'ah.Theabridgementwhichwehavetranslatedbeginswiththesentence, "Thisisashortselectionfromthebook,Ithbatu'rRaj'ah..:' Then came alMuhaddith anNuri (d. 1320) who probably thought that Ithbatu 'r Raj'ah and arRaj'ah hadith were one and the same, and because the book(s) contained ahadith on Occultation and Reappearance, he began referring to it (them!) as Kitabu 'lGhaybah and to its Abridgement as Mukhtasaru 'l Ghaybah. Aswehaveseen,AghaBuzurgclearlybelievedthattheIthbatu'rRaj'ahandarRaj'ahhadithwerenamesoftwoseparatebooks.Ontheotherhand,healso listedthenames,Kitabu'lGhaybahandMukhtasaru'lGhaybah,whichhisShaykh,alMuhaddithanNuri,hadchosen.Theresultingmixupleavesapersonwho looksatthefiveentriestogethermuchbewildered.However,itisfromtheseentriesthatwehavegleanedthefactsmentionedabove.
13

IthasrecentlybeenpublishedinIranbytheMinistryofIslamicGuidance,Tehran,in1373H.Solar.

TheReturnofalMahdi

(C)AnotherCopyIsFound: Forobviousreasons,itwasnexttoimpossibleforresearchscholarstohaveaccesstothemanuscriptinNajaf.Noonehadanyinklingofanyothercopy.Then mylatefriend,HujjatulIslamwalMuslimeenasSayyid'Abdul'AzizatTabataba'iinformedtheresearchscholarasSayyidBasimalMusawithattherewasanother manuscript in the Library of AstaneQudseRadawi (Mashhad) in a bound collection No.7442 with the manuscript of two books of ashShaykh alMufid; the cataloguerhadmentionedthosetwobooksandoverlookedthisbookletwhichcoversfoliosonetoeleven.Workingonthisinformation,Mu'assasatu'AH'1Bayt (A.S.), Qum, obtained its photocopy, and asSayyid alMusawi started work on it. His difficulty was that there was no other copy available to enable him to compare,correctandprepareanannotatedtext.HesolvedthisproblembycomparingtheaMdithwithotherlaterbookswhereaparticularhadithorasimilarone wasfound. Mu'assasatu'AH'1Bayt(A.S.)publisheditasaBookSupplementinthe15thissueofitsprestigiousquarterlyacademicmagazine,Thurathuna,andthelateas Sayyid'Abdu'!'AzizatTabataba'ikindlygaveitscopytome. (D)ThisEnglishTranslation: WhenIheardthesadnewsofthedemiseofal'AllamahalMuhaqqiqasSayyid'Abdu'l'AzizatTabataba'i,itcametomymind totranslatethisAbridged Ithbatu'rRaj'ahintoEnglishinmemoryofmydepartedfriend,whowasinstrumentalinbringingittolight.Thistranslationwasdoneinfourdays,andIdedicateits reward(thawab)tomylatefriend,mayAllahenhancehisrankinthehereafter. AccordingtoasSayyidBasimalMusawi,theabridgedversioncontainstwentyaMdith,butactuallytherearetwentytwo.(Themanuscriptdoesnothaveany numbering;itisasSayyidalMusawiwhohasputthenumbers.)Technically,whenthetextofahadithisnarratedthroughanotherisnad,itiscountedasaseparate hadith.ThefifteenthandeighteenthtraditionsoftheArabicversionthusbecomefouraMdith.IhavefoundonemorehadithquotedfromtheunabridgedIthbatu 'rRaj'ahinKifayatu'lMuhtadi 14 whichIhaveaddedasanAppendix,thusbringingthetotaltotwentythreeahadith. (E)ImportanceofThisBook: TheimportanceofthisbookliesinthefactthatitwaswritteninthelifetimeofImamHasanal'Askari(peacebeuponhim). Thetextualevidence(seehadithno.12)suggeststhatthebookwaswrittenin258orsoonafterthat,whenthetwelfthImam(peacebeuponhim)wasabout threeyearsold.Asweknowthatbyendof259alFadlibnShadhanwasveryseriouslyill;therefore,hemusthavewrittenthebookbyRamadan259.Therefore,the prophecyofthetwelfthImam'sOccultationcontainedinthisbookcannotbebrushedasideas"oflateorigin".
14

AsquotedinKitabSulaymibnQaysalHilali.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

ThereareatotaloftenahadithwhichspeakofalongOccultation:oneisfromImamHusayn(no.7),twofromImamZaynu'l'Abidin(nos.4and8),threefrom ImamMuhammadalBaqir(nos.3,5and20),onefromImamJa'farasSadiq(no.19)andthreefromImamHasanal'Askari(9th,10thand12th),peacebeupon themall. Obviously,thecomingGhaybahwasnotannouncedwithdrumbeatstothegeneralpublic.Onlythemosttrustedpeopleknewaboutit.ThusweseealFadl ibnShadhan,withhissublimestatusandclosetieswithfourImams(peacebeuponthem)narratingtenahadithwhichspeakofalongOccultation.Andinanother hadith(no.2)henarratesfromtheMessengerofAllah(peaceandblessingsofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)thatthetimeofhisappearance,likethatofthe Qiyamat,wasknownonlytoAllah;andinhadithno.8,thefourthImam(peacebeuponhim)isreportedtohighlypraisethosewhowillremainsteadfastinthe OccultationlikeningthemtothemujahidininfrontoftheMessengerofAllah(S.A.W.).ThishighpraiseitselfsuggestsalongOccultationinwhichpeopleofweak faithwillgoastray.ThesamehadithdescribesindetailtheepisodeofJa'faralKadhdhab(Ja'far,theliar)howhewouldpretendtobeanImam,instigatethe ruleragainstthefamilyofImamHasanal'Askari(peacebeuponhim)andmakeendeavourstogetthe12thImamkilled. All these prophecies were penned down at least six months before the events. They contain in themselves the proof of their authenticity; they loudly announcethattheyhavecomefromtheInfallibleOnes(peacebeuponthem).Theyalsogivethelietosomepeople'sclaimthattheideaofGhaybahwasinvented bytheShi'ascholarswhentheexpectedreappearanceoftheImamdidnotmaterialize. Whileonthissubject,onethingshouldbemadeclear.WegenerallyspeakoftwoOccultations;sughra(minor)andkubra(major).TheMinorOccultationis countedfromthedeathofImamHasanal'Askari(peacebeonhim)in260to329,i.e.69years.DuringtheMinorOccultation,fourSpecialDeputies,oneafter anotherwereappointedbytheImam(mayAllahhastenhisreappearance)toprovidealinkbetweentheImamandtheummah.ThissystemendedbyImam's orderin329andtheMajorOccultationbegan. When we say Minor and Major Occultations, we do not suggest that there were two separate Occultations. The fact is that it is a single, uninterrupted OccultationfromthebeginninguptilGodknowswhen.ItisnotthattheImamhadhiddenhimselffor69years,andthenendedthatOccultationbyappearingand livingamonghisfollowersforsometime,andthenwentintoOccultationagain.ItisonlyoneLongOccultationwithprogressivelyintensifyingsecuritymeasures. First,theImamwasundertheprotectionofhisfather;thenheappointedfourSpecialDeputiesastheconnectinglinkbetweenhimandtheummah;andthenin 329,eventhatlinkwascutoff.WhenahadithspeaksoftwoOccultations,oneshorterandtheotherlonger,itspurposeistodescribethetwovaryingsecurity arrangements, and when another one speaks of one long Occultation, it looks at the fact that the Imam's Occultation would be continuous without any interruption. AlMahdi:ThesixthhadithfromthesixthImamandthetwentythirdhadith(giveninAppendix)fromtheProphetrefertothetwelfthImamasalMahdi.It mayclarifythemattertothosewhosaythatthetwelfthImamiscertainlyalQa'im,butareindoubtwhetherornotheisalsoalMahdi.

TheReturnofalMahdi

Malikah:GranddaughteroftheByzantineEmperor:Intheninthhadith,theEleventhImam(peacebeonhim)saysthatthemotherofthetwelfthImamisthe granddaughterofCeaser,theByzantineEmperor;andinthellthhadith,hernameisgivenasMalikah.Iwillwrite,inshaAllah,onthesetwoaMdithlateron,giving thebiographicaldetailsoftheImam'smother(peacebeuponher). (F)TheReturn(arRaj'ah): Thebook'snamemeans"ProofoftheReturn".ItmayrefertothereappearanceofImamalMahdi(peacebeuponhim)afterhisOccultation;andmajorityof theahadithinitpointtothismeaning.Also,Raj'ahintheShi'aterminologyreferstothepartialresurrection,whensomeselectedpersonswillberesurrectedafter thereappearanceofImamalMahdi;andtwoaMdith(no.7&17)brieflymentionthatresurrection. 15

25thMuharram,1417 12thJune,1996
15

SayyidSaeedAkhtarRizvi Toronto

TofurtherunderstandthisphenomenonofRaj'ahinthesenseofpartialresurrection,seemyarticle,TheBeliefinRaj'at,whichwaspublishedinTheLight(DaresSalaam)in1991,and reprintedwithsomeamendmentsinTheRightPath(Toronto)in1994.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

Noteonthesymbol() Forthesakeofclarity,wehaveusedthesymbol() insteadofwriting"...whosaidthattransmittedtous..." betweenthenamesoftwonarratorsintheisnad. So,forexample,insteadofwriting "MuhammadbinIsma'il whosaidthattransmittedtousHammadbin'Isa," wehavewritten: "MuhammadbinIsma'il()Hammadbin'Isa."

TheReturnofalMahdi

Thisisashortselectionfromthebook,Ithbatu'rRaj'ah,oftheShaykhofthesectandreliableauthorityofthegroup,AbuMuhammadalFadlibnShadhan ibnalKhalilanNishapuri,mayAllahcoverhimwithHisforgivenessandgivehimspacious(place)inHisgardens;andmayAllahgiveustheopportunitytocollectall thatisinthis(book)andgetenlightenmentfromitsbrilliantjewelsandpricelesspearls;surelyHeisNigh,Answeringtheprayers. *** AlFadlibnShadhan,mayAllahprovideresttohisnoblespiritandbestowonhimHisexaltedbenevolence,said: 1. NarratedtousMuhammadibnIsma'ilibnBazi'(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()Hammadibn'Isa()Ibrahimibn'UmaralYamani()AbanibnAbi 'Ayyash()SulaymibnQaysalHilaliwhosaid: IsaidtoAmiru'1Mu'minin(peacebeonhim):"IhaveheardfromSalmanandalMiqdadandAbuDharrthingsconcerningtheexegesisoftheQur'anand ahadithoftheProphet(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny),differentfromwhatthepeoplehave;thenIheardfromyouverificationofwhat Ihadheardfromthem(i.e.fromSalman,a!MiqdadandAbuDharr).IhavealsoseenwiththepeoplemanythingsrelatedtotheexegesisoftheQur'anandahadith of the Prophet (blessings and peace fromAllah beonhim andhis progeny) whichyou oppose and say that all that is untrue.So,do you think that the people intentionallytellliesagainstAllahandHisMessenger,andinterprettheQur'anaccordingtotheirownviews?" Sulaymsaid:Then'Ali(peacebeonhim)said: "Youhaveasked,sounderstandthereply.Certainly,whatthepeoplehaveis(acollectionof)rightandwrong,trueandfalse,repealingandrepealed,general and particular, firm and ambiguous, exact and surmised. Even during the days of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace from Allah be on him and his

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

10

progeny)falsesayingswereattributedtohim,somuchsothathestooduptodeliverasermonandhadtosay:'OPeople!Attributionoffalsesayingstomehas increased,sowhoeverattributesafalsehoodtomeintentionallyshouldmakehisabodeintheFire.'Thenafterhimfalsitieswereattributedtohimmuchmore thanwasbeingdoneinhistime. "Andthehadithhascometoyouthroughfour(typesofpeople)only;thereisnofifth. "[First]: A hypocrite, who adopts the appearance of Islam, and makes a show of faith; he does not hesitate in sinning and does not restrain himself from wilfullyattributingfalsethingsagainsttheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny).Ifpeopleknewthathewasahypocrite andaliar,theywouldnotacceptanythingfromhimandwouldnotconfirmwhathesays.Buttheysay:'ThisisacompanionoftheMessengerofAllah(blessings andpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny),hehasseenhimandheard(hissayings)fromhim.'Theythereforeacceptwhathesays,becausetheydonot knowhisreality.Allahhadindeedinformed(thepeople)regardingthehypocritesclearly,andfullydescribedthem.He,theMighty,theGreat,hassaid:Andwhen youseethem,theirbodieswillpleaseyou,andiftheyspeak,youwillbecaptivatedbytheirspeech;(theyare)asiftheywereproppeduptimbers,(alMunafiqun 63:4)After(theProphet),theysoughtpositionswiththeleadersofmisguidanceandthecallerstowardstheFire,throughfalsehoodsandslanderings.Sotheyput themin(high)postsandimposedthemonthepeople,andtheydevouredtheworld(i.e.wealth)throughthem.Andpeoplearealwayswiththerulersandafter thisworld,exceptthosetowhomAllahaffordsprotection.Thisisthefirstofthefour(categories). "[Second]:Thenthereistheindividualwhoheard(something),fromtheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny),but didnotmemoriseitasitwas,andsurmisedit;hedoesnotknowinglyattributethefalsehoodtotheProphet;that(imaginarysaying)isinhishand,heactsuponit andnarratesitandclaims'IhavehearditfromtheMessengerofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny).'IftheMuslimscometoknowthathehas committedamistakeinit,theywillnotacceptitfromhim,andifhehimselfknewthathewasonthewrong,hewouldgiveitup. "ThethirdmanishewhoheardtheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)orderingtodoathing,andlaterthe Prophetforbadedoingit(butthismandidnotknowit);or,heheardtheProphetforbiddingathingandlaterheallowedit,butthismandidnotknowit.Inthisway heretainedinhismindtherepealedorderanddidnotknowtherepealingtradition.Ifheknewthatithadbeenrepealedhewouldrejectit;andiftheMuslims knew,whentheyhearditfromhim,thatithadbeenrepealed,theywouldrejectit. "The fourth is the man who does not speak a lie against the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace from Allah be on him and his progeny); he hates falsehoodforfearofAllahandrespectfortheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny).Hedoesnotforget,butretains(in his mind) exactly what he heard (from the Prophet), and he narrates it as he heard it without adding anything or omitting anything. He knows the abrogating (tradition)andtheabrogated;soheactsupontheabrogating(tradition)andleavestheabrogated.HeknowsthattheordersoftheProphet(blessingsandpeace fromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)areliketheordersoftheQur'an,andliketheQur'anitcontainstheabrogatingandtheabrogated,thegeneralandthe particular,andthefirmandtheambiguous.AndsometimesthesayingsoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)had

11

TheReturnofalMahdi

twoconnotations:thegeneralandtheparticular,astheQur'anhas.Allah,theGlorified,theHigh,saysinhisBook:'AndwhatevertheMessengergivesyou,accept it,andfromwhateverheforbidsyou,keepback.'(alHashr59:7).Thustheconnotationbecameobscureforhimwhodidnotknoworunderstandwhatwasits meaningintendedbyAllahandHisMessenger(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny). "NotallthecompanionsoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)wereinthehabitofaskinghimaboutathing; andnotallthosewhoaskedcouldunderstand(thereply);andnotallthosewhounderstoodcouldretainitinmemory.Indeedtherewereamongthemmanywho neveraskedhimaboutanything;andtheyalwayswishedthatsomebedouineorstrangermightcome,andasktheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefrom Allahbeonhimandhisprogeny)something,sothattheywouldalsolisten. "Iusedtogotohimonceindaytimeandonceatnight,andheusedtoreceivemeallalone;herepliedtomyquestions,andIturnedwithhimwhereverhe turnedto.ThecompanionsoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)knewthatheneverdidsowithanyoneelse.May betheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)cameto(see)meinmyhousemoreoftenthan(wemet)athishouse.WhenI wentto(see)himinanyofhishouses,hemetmealone,tellinghiswivestogoout(oftheroom),sothatnooneotherthanmeremainedthere;butwhenhecame tomyhouseforprivate(talks)withme,neitherFatimah(Peacebeonher)noranyofmychildrenwentout.WhenIaskedhim(questions),herepliedtome,and whenIbecamesilentandexhaustedmyquestions,hestarted(teachingme)onhisown.ThusnotaverseoftheQur'anwasrevealedtotheMessengerofAllah (blessingsandpeacefromAllahbe'onhimandhisprogeny)buthetaughtanddictatedittomeandIwroteitinmyhandwriting;hetaughtmeitsinterpretation andexegesis,itsabrogatingandabrogated,itsfirmandambiguous,itsparticularandgeneral,itsesoratic(meaning)andexoratic.HeprayedtoAllahtobestowon me its understanding and that I should retain it in my memory; and since the time he prayed for me I never forgot any verse from the Book of Allah, nor any knowledge which he had dictated to me and I had written down. And all that Allah had taught him, Jialal or Iiaram, order or prohibition, obedience or disobedience,oranythingwhichwas(inpast)orwillbe(infuture),oranybookwhichwasrevealedonanyonebeforehimhedidnotleaveanythingbuttaughtit alltome,andIhaveretaineditinmymemorywithoutforgettingasingleletterfromit. "WhentheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)wasteachingittome,heprayedtoAllah,puttinghishandonmy chest,tofillmyheartwithknowledge,understanding,wisdomandlight;andheusedtosay:'0Allah!Bestowonhimknowledgeandretentioninmemory,anddo notlethimforgetanythingthatIhaveinformedandtaughthim.' "OnedayIsaidtohim:'Maymyfatherandmotherbeyourransom,0MessengerofAllah!Sincethetimeyouhaveprayedformeasyoudid,Ihavenot forgottenasinglethingthatyouhavetaughtme,norhaveImissedanyofyourteachings.Then[whyshould]Iwritewhatyouareteachingme?Areyouafraidthat Iwouldforget(something)?' "He said: 'O my brother! Ihave no fearaboutyou of forgetfulness or ignorance. I love to pray foryou; andAllah, the High,has informed methat He has appointedyouandyourpartnersasmysuccessors[whowillcomeafteryou,andyouarewritingallthisforthem];theyarethosewhoseobedienceAllahhasjoined

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

12

withHisownobedienceandmyobedience,andhassaidaboutthem:Oyouwhobelieve!ObeyAllahandobeytheMessengerandthose(vested)withauthorityfro, namongyon.'(AnNisa4:59) "Isaid:'Whoarethey?OMessengerofAllah!' "Hesaid:'Thosewhoaremysuccessorsafterme;thosetowhomthedesertionofthedeserterswilldonoharm;theyarewiththeQur'anandtheQur'anis withthem,theywillnotseparatefromitnoritwillseparatefromthem,untiltheycometomeattheHawd(Kawthar);becauseofthemmyummahwillbehelped; andbecauseofthemtheywillgetrain,theirmisfortuneswillberemovedandtheirprayerswillbeanswered.' "Isaid:'Tellmetheirnames,OMessengerofAllah!' "Hesaid:'You,O'Ali!Arethefirstofthem;thenmythissonandheputhishandontheheadofalHasanthenmythissonandputhishandonthehead ofalHusaynthenyournamesake'Ali(alHusayn's)son,Zaynu'l'Abidin,andhewillbeborninyourtime,Omybrother!Sogivehimmysalam;thenhisson, MuhammadalBaqir,theopenerofmyknowledgeandthetreasureroftherevelationofAllah,theHigh;thenhisson,Ja'farasSadiq;thenhisson,MusaalKazim; thenhisson,'AliarRida;thenhisson,MuhammadatTaqi;thenhisson,'AlianNa'qi;thenhisson,alHasanazZaki;thenhisson,alHujjatalQa'im,thelastofmy successorsandcaliphs,whowilltakerevengefrommyenemies,andwillfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeasitwouldbefullofinjusticeandoppression.'" Then the Leader of the Faithful (peace be on him) said: "By Allah! I certainly know all those who will pledge their allegiance to him between arRukn (al Yamani)andMaqam(Ibrahim);andIknowthenamesandtribesofhishelpers." MuhammadibnIsma'ilsaid:ThenHammadibn'Isasaid:Idescribedthis\\adiihtomyMaster,Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq](peacebeonhim),andhewept andsaid:"Sulaymhasnarratedtruthfully;forhisliadithwasnarratedtomebymyfather,fromhisfather'AllibnalHusayn,fromhisfatheralHusaynibn'Aliwho said:'IheardthisliadithfromAmiru'1Mu'minin(peacebeonhim)whenSulaymibnQayshadputthatquestiontohim.' *** 2 NarratedtousMuhammadibnAbi'Umayr()Hammadibn'Isa()AbuShu'bahalHalabi()Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq]()hisfatherMuhammadibn 'Ali()hisfather'AliibnalHusayn()hisunclealHasanibn'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonthemall)whosaid: Iaskedmygrandfather,theMessengerofAllah(mayAllahblesshimandhisprogeny)abouttheImamsafterhim. He(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)said:"TheImamsaftermearetwelve,correspondingtothenumberofthenaqibs(leaders)of thechildrenofIsra'il.Allahhasgiventhem(i.e.willgivethem)myknowledgeandunderstanding;andyouareamongthem,OHasan!" Isaid:"0MessengerofAllah!WhenwillcomeouttheQa'imofus,AhluMBayt?" Hesaid."0Hasan!HislikenessisliketheHour(ofResurrection).Allahhaskeptitsknowledgehiddenfromthepeopleoftheheavensandtheearth;itwillnot comebutallofasudden."

13

TheReturnofalMahdi

AsShaykhalHurral'Amili,thefirstcopyistofthistracthaswrittenhere:"Isay,thecorrectname(ofthesecondnarratorintheaboveisnad)isHammadibn 'Uthman. *** 3 Narratedtous'Abdu'rRahmanibnAbiNajran()'AsimibnHumayd()AbuHamzahathThumali()AbuJa'far[MuhammadalBaqir](peacebeonhim) whosaid: TheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)saidtotheLeaderoftheFaithful(peacebeonhim):"O'Ali!Certainlythe Qurayshwillsoonshowagainstyou(theenmity)whichtheyhavekepthidden(sofar);andtheywilljointheirforcestooppressandoverpoweryou.Soifyouget (enough)supporters,fightagainstthem;butifyoudonotfindsupporters,thenrestrainyourhandsandsaveyourblood,becausemartyrdomis(tocometoyou) lateron.Andknowthatmysonwilltakerevengeinthisworldfromyouroppressors,andfromthosewhowilldoinjusticetoyourchildren,andAllahwillpunish theminthehereafterahardpunishment." Salmana!Farsisaid:"Whoishe?OMessengerofAllah!" Hesaid:"Theninthfromtheprogenyofmyson,alHusayn;whowillreappearafterhislongoccultation,andwillthenannouncetheorderofAllah,andbring thedivinereligiontolight,andtakerevengefromtheenemiesofAllah,andfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeasitwouldbefilledwithinequityandinjustice." He(Salman)asked:"Whenwillheappear?0MessengerofAllah!" Hesaid:"NooneknowsitotherthanAllah.Buttherearesomesignsforit:Anannouncementfromthesky,alandslideintheEast,andanotherintheWest, andathirdatthedesert." *** 4 NarratedtousSafwanibnYahya()AbuAyyubIbrahimibnZiyadalKhazzaz()AbuHamzahathThumali()AbuKhalidalKabuliwhosaid: IwenttoseemyMaster'AliibnalHusaynibn'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonthemall),andIsawinhishandapaperhewaslookingatandcryingbitterly.I said:"Myfatherandmotherbeyourransom!OSonoftheMessengerofAllah!Whatpaperisthis?" Hesaid:"ThisisthecopyofthetabletwhichAllahtheHigh,hadsenttotheMessengerofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny).Itcontainsthe namesofAllah, theHigh,andHisMessenger,andtheLeaderoftheFaithful, andmyunclealHasanibn'Ali,andmyfather(peacebeon themall);also(ithas)my name,andnamesofmysonMuhammadalBaqir,andhissonJa'farasSadiq,andhissonMusaalKazim,andhisson'AliarRida(peacebeonthemall);then(there are)namesofhissonMuhammadatTaqi, andhisson'AlianNaqi,andhissonalHasanazZakiandhis sonalHujjat,whowillstandbyorderofAllahandtake

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

14

revenge from enemies of Allah, who will disappear in a long occultation and then will appear and fill the earth with equity and justice as it will be filled with injusticeandoppression." *** 5 NarratedtousFadalahibnAyyub(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()Abanibn'Uthman()MuhammadibnMuslim()AbuJa'far[MuhammadalBaqir] (peacebeonhim)whosaid' TheMessengerofAllah(blessingsofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)saidto'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonhim):"Ihavemoreauthorityonthebelieversthan theirownselves;thenyou,O'Ali!havemoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirownselves;thenalHasanhasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirown selves;thenalHusaynhasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirownselves;thenMuhammadibn'Alihasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirown selves;thenJa'faribnMuhammadhasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirownselves;thenMusaibnJa'farhasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheir ownselves;then'AliibnMusahasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirownselves;thenMuhammadibn'Alihasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheir ownselves;then'AliibnMuhammadhasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthantheirownselves;thenalHasanibn'Alihasmoreauthorityonthebelieversthan theirownselves;then[is]alHujjatibnalHasanwithwhomthecaliphateandsuccessorshipwillcometoend;andhewillremainhiddenforalongperiodoftime, thenwillreappearandfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwouldbefullofoppressionandinjustice." *** 6 NarratedtousMuhammadibnAbi'Umayr(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()GhiyathibnIbrahim()Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq](peacebeonhim)who said: Amiru'1Mu'minin(peacebeonhim)wasaskedaboutthemeaningofthesayingoftheMessengerofAllah(mayAllahblesshimandhisprogeny),"Ileave amongyoutwoweighty(precious)things,theBookofAllahandmyprogeny,"astowhoaretheprogeny.Hesaid: "I,alHasan,alHusaynandnineImamsfromthechildrenofalHusayn;ninthofthemistheiralMahdi;theywillnotseparatefromtheBookofAllah,the Mighty,theGreat,norwillitseparatefromthem,untiltheycometotheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhis progeny)athis Hawd(Kawthar)." ***

15

TheReturnofalMahdi

NarratedtousalHasanibnMahbub()Malikibn'Atiyyah()AbuHamzah[athThumali]ThabitibnAbiSafiyyahDinar()AbuJa'far[MuhammadalBaqir] (peacebeonhim)whosaid: AlHusaynibn'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonthem)saidtohiscompanionsonenightbeforehewasmartyred: "Verily,theMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)hadsaid(tome):'Omylittleson!YouwillcertainlybedriventoIraq;

youwillcomedowninalandcalled'AmuraandKarbala,andthereyouwillbemartyred,andagroupwillbemartyredwithyou.'NowwhattheMessengerofAllah (blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)hadinformedmehasarrived,andcertainlyIamgoingtohimtomorrow.Therefore,whoeveramongyou wouldliketogoaway,shoulddosothisnight,forIdoallowhimandgivehimtheliberty[toleaveme]." And he greatly emphasised what he had said. But they did not agree and declared: "By Allah! We shall never leave you [alone] until we too reach the destinationyouaregoingto." Whenhesawthis[determination],hesaid:"Thenrejoice(withthegoodnewsof)theGarden.ByAllah!Weshallabide,afterwhatistobefallus,aslongas Allahwishes;thenAllahwillresurrectusandyouwhenourQa'imwillappear.Hewilltakerevengefromtheoppressors,andyouandIwillseethem,[andtheywill be]wearingchainsandshacklesand[undergoing]varioustypesofchastisementandpunishment." Hewasasked:"WhoisyourQa'im?OsonoftheMessengerofAllah!" Hesaid:"TheseventhfromthechildrenofmysonMuhammadibn'AlialBaqir;andheisalHujjatibnalHasanibn'AliibnMuhammadibn'AliibnMusaibn Ja'faribnMuhammad,thesonofmyson'Ali.Anditishewhowillremainhiddenforalongperiod,thenwillappearandfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeasit wouldbefullofoppressionandinjustice." *** 8 NarratedtousSafwanibnYahya(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()IbrahimibnZiyad()AbuHamzahathThumali()AbuKhalidalKabuliwhosaid: IwenttoseemyMaster'AliibnalHusaynibn'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonthem)andsaid:"OsonoftheMessengerofAllah!tellmeaboutthose(persons) whose obedience and love Allah has made incumbent and has enjoined His servants to follow them after the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and his progeny)." Hesaid:"OKabuli!Thepersons(vested)withauthoritywhomAllah,theMighty,theGreat,hasappointedastheImamsofthepeopleandhasenjoinedtheir obedienceonthemaretheLeaderoftheFaithful'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonhim),thenmyunclealHasan,theymyfatheralHusayn,thentheauthorityhas cometous."Thenhebecamesilent.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

16

Isaid:"0myMaster!IthasbeenreportedtousfromtheLeaderoftheFaithful(peacebeonhim)thattheearthwillneverremainwithoutahujjat(Proof) fromtheHigh,AllahonHisservants.So,whoisthehujjatandImamafteryou?" Hesaid:"Myson,Muhammad;andhisnameintheancients'booksisgivenasBaqir(onewhoopensuptheearth),hewilldisclosetheknowledge(hitherto notexplained);andheishujjatandImamafterme.AfterMuhammad(is)hissonJa'far,andhisnameinthepeopleoftheheavenisasSadiq(Truthful)." Isaid:"0myMaster!Howisitthathe[alone]isgiventhename,asSadiq,whenallofyouareTruthful?" Hesaid:"NarratedtomemyfatherfromhisfatherfromtheMessengerofAllah(mayAllahblesshimandhisprogeny)thathesaid:'Whenmyson,Ja'faribn Muhammadibn'AliibnalHusaynibn'AliibnAbiTalibisborn,namehimasSadiq,becausethefifthfromhischildrenwhoalsowillhavethesamename,Ja'far,will claimtobeImammakingboldagainstAllahofSublimeGlory,andtellinglieagainstHim;thushe,inAllah'sview,isJa'faralKadhdhab(Ja'fartheLiar),theslanderer againstAllah,theHigh;thepretenderofwhatheisnotfitfor,thetransgressoragainsthisfatherandenviousofhisbrother.Itishewhowillcravetothrowopen thecurtainofAllahatthetimeofoccultationoftheWallofAllah.'" Then'AliibnalHusayn(peacebeonhim)weptverybitterly,andsaid:"ItisasthoughIamlookingatJa'faralKadhdhabandhehasinstigatedtheoppressorof his time to thoroughly search the affairs of the Wall of Allah, and to depute [midwives] on the spouses of his father; in ignorance of his status [before Allah], endeavouringtogethimkilledifheisfound,covetingtheinheritanceofhisbrother,sothathemaytakeitwithoutanyright." AbuKhalidsaid:"Andisthistohappen?OSonoftheMessengerofAllah!" Hesaid:"Certainly,bymyLord!VerilyitisrecordedinabookwhichwehaveandwhichdescribesallthesufferingswhicharetoafflictusaftertheMessenger ofAllah(mayAllahblesshimandhisprogeny)." AbuKhalidsaid:"Thenwhatistohappen?OSonoftheMessengerofAllah!" Hesaid:"ThentherewillbeaprolongedoccultationoftheWaliofAllah,thetwelfthofthesuccessorsoftheMessengerofAllahand[thetwelfth]ofthe Imamsafterhim. "OAbuKhalid!Thepeople(living)intheperiodofhisoccultation,believinginhisImamateandawaitinghisreappearancewillbesuperiortothepeopleofall times, for surely Allah, the Glorified, the High, will give them the wisdom, understanding and cognition throughwhich the occultation would become for them equaltovision;and[He]inthosedayswillputthemintheranksofthefighterswithswordinpresenceoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeaceofAllahbe on him and his progeny). They are the truly purehearted ones, our genuine Shi'as and the callers to the religion of Allah, the Mighty, the Great, secretly and openly." Andhe(peacebeonhim)said:"Towaitforrelease[fromsuffering]isthegreatestrelease." ***

17

TheReturnofalMahdi

NarratedtousMuhammadibn'Abdu'1Jabbarwhosaid: IsaidtomyMaster,alHasanibn'Ali[al'Askari]:"MayAllahmakemeyoursacrifice,OSonoftheMessengerofAllah!IlovetoknowwhoistheImamandthe

HujjatofAllahonHisservants,afteryou." He(peacebeonhim)said:"VerilytheImamandtheHujjataftermeismyson,thenamesakeoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeon himandhisprogeny)andwhohasthesamekunya(agnomen)ashe(theProphet);andwhoisthelastHujjatandKhalifaofAllah." [Muhammadibn'AbduMJabbar]said:"Fromwhomwillhebe[born]?OSonoftheMessengerofAllah!" He(peacebeonhim)said:"FromthegranddaughterofCeasar,theByzantineemperor.Hewillcertainlybeborn,buthewilldisappearfromthepeopleina longoccultation;thenhewillreappearandkilltheDajjal;andhewillfilltheearthwithequityandjusticeasitwouldbefilledwithoppressionandinjustice.So,no oneisallowedtomentionhimbyhisnameordescribehimbyhiskunyabeforehisappearanceblessingsofAllahbeonhim." *** 10 NarratedtousAhmadibnIshaqibn'AbdullahalAsh'ari()AbuMuhammadalHasanibn'Alial'Askari(peacefromAllahbeonhim)whosaid: "AllpraiseisduetoAllahwhodidnottakemeoutoftheworlduntilHeshowedmemysuccessor;mostresemblingtheMessengerofAllah(blessingsand peacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)infeaturesandcharacter.Allahwillkeephimsafeduringhisoccultation,thenHewillmakehimreappear;andhewill filltheearthwithequityandjusticeasitwouldbefilledwithinjusticeandoppression." ***

11 NarratedtousMuhammadibn'AliibnHamzahibnalHasanibn'Ubaydullahibnal'Abbasibn'AliibnAbiTalib(peacebeonhim)()AbuMuhammad[al Hasanal'Askari](peacebeonhim)whosaid: "NowhasbeenborntheWallofAllahandHisHujjatonHisservants,andmysuccessorafterme,circumcised,ontheeveof15Sha'ban[in]theyeartwo hundredandfiftyfive,nearthedawnbreak.ThefirsttogivehimbathwasRidwan,theSuperintendentoftheGardeninacompanyoftheNearAngels,withthe waterofalKawtharandalSalsabil,thenbathedhimmyauntHakimahbintMuhammadibn'AliarRida(peacebeonthem)." ThenMuhammadibn'AliibnHamzahwasaskedabouthismother(peacebeonhim).Hesaid:HismotherisMalikah,whosometimesiscalledSusanand sometimesRayhanah.AlsoSayqalandNarjiswereamonghernames. ***

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

18

12 NarratedtousIbrahimibnMuhammadibnParisanNishapuri,saying: 'Amribn'Awf,thegovernor,intendedtokillme;andhehatedtheAhlu'1BaytverymuchandwaspassionatelyfondofkillingtheShi'is.Iwasinformedofhis planandwasoverwhelmedwithgreatfear.Itookleaveofmyfamilyandfriends,andproceededtothehouseofAbuMuhammad[al'Askari](peacebeonhim)to takehisleave.Ihaddecidedtoflee[fromthegovernor'sdomain].WhenIentered,IsawachildsittingattheImam'sside;hisfacewasshininglikethefullmoon;I wasastonishedtoseehislightandbrightnesstothepointthatIalmostforgotmytroubles. Then(thechild)said:"OIbrahim!Donotfleeaway,becausecertainlyAllah,theGlorified,theHigh,willsoonsaveyoufromhisevil." Atthismyastonishmentincreasedfurther,andIsaidtoAbuMuhammad(peacebeonhim):0myMaster!MayAllahmakemeyourransom!Whoishe,and hehasjusttoldmeaboutwhatwasinmymind? (TheImam)said:"Heismysonandmysuccessorafterme.Itishewhowilldisappearinalongoccultation,andwillreappearaftertheearthwillbecomefull ofoppressionandinjustice,thenhewillfillitwithjusticeandequity." SoIaskedhimabouthisname,andhesaid:"HeisthenamesakeoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeaceofAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)andof thesamekunya(agnomen);butitisnotallowedforanyonetomentionhimbyhisnameorkunyauntilAllahestablisheshispowerandgovernment.Sokeepsecret, OIbrahim!whatyouhaveseenandheardfromustodayexceptfromthedeservingpeople." ThenIprayedforthem(both)andtheirforefathers,andcameoutseekinghelpfromAllah'sgrace,withconfidenceinwhatIhadheardfromasSahib(peace beonhim).[Onarrivingathome],myuncle,'AliibnParisgavemethegoodnewsthat[theCaliph]alMu'tamidsenthisbrother,AbuAhmadwithanordertokill 'Amribn'AwfAhmadcaughthimthesamedayanddismemberedhimlimbbylimb.AndallpraiseisduetoAllah,theLordoftheworlds. ***

13 Narratedtous'AbdullahibnalHusaynibnSa'dalKatib(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()AbuMuhammad[alHasanal'Askari](peacebeonhim)who said: "TheUmayyadsandtheAbbasidskeptusundertheirswordfortworeasons: "First:Theyknewverywellthattheyhadnorighttothecaliphate;sotheywereafraidthatwewouldlayclaimonitand[consequently]itwouldsettledown inits[true]centre. "Second:TheyhadknownfrommutawatiraMdiththattheendoftheruleofoppressorsandtyrantswillbeatthehandofourQa'imandtheyhadnodoubt thattheywereoppressorsandtyrants.Therefore,theyendeavouredtokilltheAhlu'1baytoftheMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhim

19

TheReturnofalMahdi

andhisprogeny),andtoannihilatehisprogenyhopinginthiswaytopreventthebirthofalQa'im(peacebeonhim)ortokillhim.ButAllah,theHigh,refusedto disclosehisaffairstoanyofthem;ratherHe[decided]tocompleteHislight,althoughthepolytheistsmaybeaversetoit." *** 14 NarratedtousAhmadibnMuhammadibnAbuNasr(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()Hammadibn'Isa()'AbdullahibnAbiYa'ffir()Abu'AbdillahJa'far ibnMuhammad(peacebeonthem)whosaid: "ThereisnotasinglemiracleamongthemiraclesoftheProphetsand[their]successorsbutthatAllahtheGlorified,theHigh,willshowitslikeonthehandof ourQa'im,forcompletingtheproofagainsttheenemies." *** 15 NarratedtousalHasanibn'AllibnFaddal()Hammadibn'Isa()alHusaynibnalMukhtar()AbuNasr 16 ()'AmiribnWathilah()Amiru'1Mu'minin (blessingsofAllahbeonhim)()theMessengerofAllah(mayAllahblesshimandhisprogeny)whosaid: "Ten [signs] must surely appear before the Hour [of Resurrection]: TheSufyani, the Dajjal, the Smoke, theWalker [on the earth], appearanceof alQa'im, risingoftheSunfromitssettingplace,comingdownof'Isa(peacebeonhim),alandslideintheEast,alandslideinArabianPeninsulaandafirewhichwillerupt fromthedepthofAdenleadingthepeopleto(their)gatheringplace." *** 16 Also[alHasanibn'AliibnFaddal]hasnarrateditwiththesamewordings()alHasanibnMahbub(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()'AliibnRi'ab()Abu HamzahathThumali()Sa'idibnJubayr()'Abdullahibnal'Abbas()theMessengerofAllah(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny) whosaid: "SurelytherearesomesignsfortheHour[ofResurrection]:TheSufyani..."Thenhementionedthesamesignsasabove,exceptthatheomittedthe Walker,andadded:alandslideintheWest. ***
16

Inthemanuscript,itis"AbuBasir."BasirnalMusa\vihaschangedittoAbuNasrbecauseAbuBasirisnotamongthosewhohavenarratedhadithfrom'AmiribnWathilah.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

20

17 NarratedtousMuhammadibnAbi'Umayr(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()JamilibnDarraj()ZurarahibnA'yan()Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq] (peacebeonhim)whosaid: "SeekrefugewithAllahfromtheeviloftheSufyaniandDajjalandotherpeopleoffitnahs[temptations,deceptions,mischief]." Hewasasked:"OsonoftheMessengerofAllah!(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny):AsfortheDajjal,weknowhim,andhisstateof affairshasbecomeclearfromyourtraditions.ButwhoaretheSufyaniandtheotherpeopleoffitnahs?Andwhatwilltheydo?" He(peacebeonhim)said:"Thefirsttoappearfromthisgroupwillbeaman,calledAshabibnQays;hewillrisefromtheArabianPeninsula;hewillcommit muchoutrageandgreattyrannyamongthepeople. "Then will appear the Jurhumi from Syria, and the Qahtani from Yemen. Each of them will gain great power in his domain, and the people will be overwhelmedwithoppressionandfitnah.Whiletheywillbeinthisstate,asSamarqandiwillriseagainstthemfromKhurasanwithblackflags. "AndtheSufyani(willrise)fromadryvalleyofSyria;hewillbefromthedescendantof'UtbahibnAbiSufyan.Thiscursedone,beforehisrising,wouldbe showingasceticismandabstemiousness,andwillbecontentwithbarleybreadandcoarselygroundsalt;bydistributingwealthamongthepeople,hewillattract theheartsoftheignorantandvilepeople.Thenhewillclaimthecaliphate,andpeoplewilldohisbay'ah(i.e.pledgetheirallegiancetohim),theywillbefollowed bythosescholarswhohidethetruthandpropagatethefalsehood,andtheywillsay,hecertainlyisthebestofthepeopleoftheearth.Hisrisingandthatofal YamanifromYemenwithwhiteflagswillcoincideonthesameday,samemonthandsameyear. "ThefirsttofightagainsttheSufyaniwillbetheQahtaniwhowillbedefeatedandwillrunawaytoYemenwherealYamaniwillkillhim.ThenAshabandthe Jurhumi,aftermanybattleswiththeSufyani,willtaketotheirheels;hewillchaseandoverpowerthem.And[inthesameway]hewilldefeatallthosewhowill opposeandfightagainsthimexceptalYamani. "ThentheSufyaniwillsendhisarmiesallaroundandconqueralotoftowns.Hewillexceedalllimitsinmurderandwickedness.HewillgotoRometorepulse theKhurasaniruler,andwillcomebackasaChristian,wearingacrossinhisneck. "ThenhewillproceedtoalYamani;andalYamaniwillstanduptorepulsehisdanger.TheSufyaniwillbedefeatedaftermanybattlesandfiercefightings;al Yamaniwillpursuehim,andaftermanyencounters(theSufyani)willbe(completely)routed.AlYamaniwillfindhimwithhissonamongtheprisonersattheriver alLaw,andhewillcutthemtopieces.Afterthat,alYamaniwillliveinhiskingdom,unhamperedbyenemies,forthirtyyears.Thenhewillhandoverthekingdom tohisson,asSa'id,andhimselfrepairtoMecca,awaitingtheappearanceofourQa'im(peacebeonhim)tillhisdeath.Hissonwillcontinue,afterhisfather'sdeath inhiskingdomandgovernmentforaboutfortyyears.Bothofthemwillreturnto(this)worldbyprayerofourQa'im(peacebeonhim)." Zurarahsaid:"IaskedhimaboutthedurationoftheSufyani'srule."He(peacebeonhim)said:"Itwillextendtotwentyyears." ***

21

TheReturnofalMahdi

18 Itwasnarratedtousbyhim(MuhammadibnAbi'Umayr)()Sayfibn'Amirah()BakrbinMuhammadalAzadi()Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq](peace beonhim)whosaid: "TherisingsoftheKhurasani,SufyaniandYamaniwillbeinthesameday,samemonthandthesameyear.Therewillbenoflagamongthemmorebetterthan theYamani's,itwillleadtotheright(path)." *** 19 NarratedtousSafwanibnYahya(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()MuhammadibnHumran()asSadiqJa'faribnMuhammad(peacebeonhim)who said: "Verily,ourQa'imwillbehelpedbyfear,supportedby(divine)help;theearthwillbefoldedupforhim,andallthetreasureswillappearforhim.Throughhim, AllahwillmakeHisreligionvictoriousoverallreligionsevenifthepolytheistsmaybeaversetoit.Hisrulewillextendtothe(furthestlimitsofthe)Eastandthe West.Therewillremainnoruinontheearthbutitwillbebuilt(again).Ruhullah'IsaibnMaryam(peacebeonhim)willcomedownandpraybehindhim." IbnHumransaid:"Hewasasked:'WhenwillappearyourQa'im?OsonoftheMessengerofAllah!'" Hesaid:"Whenmenwillresemblewomen,andwomenwillresemblemen;andmenwillsatisfytheirlustwithmen,andwomenwithwomen;andwomenwill ride saddles; and false testimony will be accepted and true evidence rejected; and people will take murder lightly; fornication, eating interest and bribery [will becomeanorm];evilpeoplewilldominatethevirtuousones;theSufyaniwillrisefromSyria,andalYamanifromYemen;therewillbelandslideinthedesert;and ayouthfromtheprogenyofMuhammad(blessingsandpeacefromAllahbeonhimandhisprogeny)willbekilledbetweenarRuknandalMaqam,whosename willbeMuhammadibnalHasan 17 andwhosetitlewillbe'thePurifiedSoul';andacrywillcomefromtheheaventhattherightiswith'AliandhisShi'as.Atthat timewillcomeoutourQa'im(peacebeonhim). "Whenheappears,hewillreclinehisbackagainsttheKa'bah,andthreehundredandthirteenmenwillgatheraroundhim.Thefirstthinghewillspeak,will bethisverse:WhatispreservedbyAllahisbetterforyouifyouarebelievers.(Hud11:86).Thenhewillsay:'IamtheonepreservedbyAllahinHisearth,andHis proofandkhalifahoveryou.'Sowheneveragreeterwillgreethim,hewillonlysay:'Peacebeonyou,OtheOnePreservedbyAllah!'Whentheassemblyanditis fourthousandmenwillgatherwithhim,hewillcomeoutofMecca.ThentherewillremainintheearthnonethatwasworshippedotherthanAllah,theMighty, theGreat,beitanidolorotherthings,butafirewillfallonitanditwillburnout.Andallthatwillbeafteralongoccultation." ***
17

Inthemanuscriptitis"ibnMuhammad";BasimalMusawihascorrecteditfromashShaykhasSaduq'sIkmalu'dD'm.

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

22

20 Asimilarhadithhasbeennarrated(tous)byMuhammadibnIsma'ilibnBazi'()MuhammadibnMuslimathThaqafi()AbuJa'far[MuhammadalBaqir] (peacebe onhim). *** 21 Narratedtous'Abdu'rRahmanibnAbiNajran(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()'AbdullahibnSanan()Abu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq](peacebeonhim) whosaid: "ThosewhowilldisappearfromtheirbedsarethreehundredandthirteenmenthenumberofthepeopleofBadrtheywillbeatMeccainthemorning; andthisis(theinterpretationof)thewordsofAllah,theMighty,theGreat:'Whereveryouwillbe,Allahwillbringyoualltogether.'(alBaqarah2:148)andtheyare thecompanionsofalQa'im(peacebeonhim)." *** 22 NarratedtousAhmadibnMuhammadibnAbiNasr(mayAllahbepleasedwithhim)()'AsimibnHumayd()MuhammadibnMuslimwhosaid:Aman askedAbu'Abdillah[Ja'farasSadiq](peacebeonhim):"WhenwillyourQa'imappear?" Hesaid:"Whenmisguidancewillincrease,andguidancewilldecrease;oppressionandmischiefwillincrease,andrighteousnessandgoodnesswilldecrease; menwillsatisfytheirlustwithmenandwomenwithwomen;the'ulama'willinclinetowardstheworld,andmajorityofthepeopletopoemsandpoets;a groupofhereticpeoplewillbetransformedturningintomonkeysandpigs;theSufyaniwillbekilledandtheDajjalwillappear,doinghisutmostinmisleading andmisguiding;atthattimethenameoftheQa'im(peacebeonhim)willbeannouncedontheeveoftwentythirdofthemonthofRamadan.Hewillriseonthe day of 'Ashura'. It is as though I am looking at him standing between the Rukn and the Maqam, and Jibra'il (peace be on him) will be announcing before him: '(Make)bay'ahforAllah;'andhisShi'aswillproceedtohim(todoso)." *** NotebyashShaykhMuhammadibnalHasanalHurral'Amili: ThisiswhatwefoundcopiedfromthebookIthbdtu'rRaj'ahofalFadlibnShadhaninthehandwritingofsomelearnedtraditionists;anditwascheckedwith itsorignal.WrittenbyMuhammadalHurr.

23

TheReturnofalMahdi

NotebyMuhammadHusaynibnZaynu'l'Abidinal'Urmawi: Thisistheendofwhatwasinthemanuscriptfromwhichthiscopyhasbeenmade;anditbelongedto[ShaykhHurral'Amili]theauthorofalWasa'il(may Allah'smercybeonhim);andtheabovewordings,"Thisiswhatwefound....",wasinhisownnobleandblessedhandwriting;andonthebackofthecopywas writteninhisownhand:"ItsownerbygraceofAllahisthepovertystrickenMuhammadalHurr." Icompleted(thiscopying)ontwentysecondDhu'1Qa'dah,intheonethousandthreehundredandfiftiethyearofthehijrahoftheProphet,inthemausoleum of'Ali;andIamthehumbleMuhammadHusaynal'UrmawiibnZaynu'1'Abidin,mayAllahforgivebothofthem. NotebythehumbleservantofAllah,SayyidSaeedAkhtarRizvi: IstartedtranslationofthisbookletonThursday29Dhu'1Qa'dah1416A.M.correspondingto18thApril1996,andcompleteditonSunday,2nDhu'1Hijjah 1416correspondingto21stApril1996at11.00p.m.atDaresSalaam. Appendix (HadithNo.23) AshShaykhAbuMuhammadalFadlibnShadhanibnKhalilsaid. NarratedtousalHasanibn'AliibnFaddalandibnAbiNajran,fromHammadibn'Isa,from'AbdullahibnMuskan,fromAbanibnTaghlib,fromSulaymibn QaysalHilali,fromSalmanalFarsi,thathesaid. The Messenger of Allah (Blessings of Allah be on him and his progeny) said: "Should not I give you, 0 People! the good news of alMahdi?" They said: "Certainly." Hesaid:"ThenknowthatAllah,theHigh,willraiseinmyummahajustrulerandvirtuousImam(who)willfilltheearthwithjusticeandequityasitwouldbe fullofoppressionandinjustice;andheistheninthfromthechildrenofmysonalHusayn;hisnameismynameandhiskunyaismykunya. "Truelytherewillbenogoodinthelifeafterhim;andhisrulewillcontinueuntilfortydaysbeforetheQiyamat(Resurrection)."

MukhtasaruIthbatirRajah

24

Quotedfromlthbatu'rRaj'ahofalFadlibnShadhan,byasSayyidMuhammadMirLawhiinhisKifayatu'lMuhtadifiMa'rifati'lMahdi(Tehran:Ministryof IslamicGuidance,1373A.H.Solar=1415p.307) 18 ***

18

See hadith no.91, in Kitab Sulaym ibn Qays alHilali, published in three volumes with extensive introduction and appendixes by ashShaykh Muhammad Baqir alAnsari azZanjani al Khu'i'ni,vol.2(Qum,1415A.H.)p.958;seealsovol.I,p.1173.