Kitabul Ghaibah - Book of Occultation

Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi

Translated by Sayyid Athar Husain S.H. Rizvi

26

Chapter Twenty-Six: Test of the Shia during Occultation of Imam Zamana (a.s.) and prohibition of fixing the time of reappearance

جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ فُرَاتِ بْنِ أَحْنَفَ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ ذَكَرَ الْقَائِمَ فَقَالَ لَيَغِيبَنَّ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الْجَاهِلُ مَا لِلَّهِ فِي آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ حَاجَةٌ

1- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Ja’far bin Muhammad from Ishaq bin Muhammad from Abi Hashim from Furat bin Ahnaf that he said: Amirul Momineen (a.s.) said about the Qaim:

“Imam Mahdi (a.s.) will remain in occultation till an ignorant person says: What does Allah have to do with Aale Muhammad (a.s.)?”

2- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Muhammad bin Himyari from his father from Ibne Yazid from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar Yamani from a man from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) that he said:

“O Shia of Muhammad’s progeny, you are going to be tested like the kohl in the eye. One knows when the kohl is put into his eye, but he does not know when it gets out of it. Just in the same way that one believes in our matter in the morning and recants it in the evening or he believes in it in the evening and when morning comes, he recants it. . .”

3- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Muhammad Himyari from his father from Ayyub bin Nuh from Abbas bin Aamir from Rabi bin Muhammad Musalli that he said: Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) said to me:

“By Allah, people will be broken up like glass, however glass can be joined together again. By Allah, people will be broken up like earthen pots; which if once broken cannot be joined again. By Allah, you people shall be crushed; by Allah, you shall be sieved like wheat is sieved from the chaff.”

4- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Ali Ibne Yaqtin that he said: Imam Musa Kazim (a.s.) said to me:

“O Ali, the Shia have been brought up with hopes since two hundred years.”

Yaqtin said to his son, Ali: “What is the matter?! What had been said (by the infallible Imams) to us occurred, but what had been said to you did not occur — he meant the fate of the Abbasids.”

Ali said: “What had been said to you and what had been said to us were from the same source but the time of your matter came and it occurred as it had been said to you whereas the time of our matter did not come yet so we justified that by hopes and wishes. If it was said to us that this matter would occur after two hundred or three hundred years, our hearts would be hard and then most of people would apostatize, but they said to us that it would be so near in order to attract the hearts of people and to make them feel that deliverance was about to come.”

5- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Ghazairi from Bazufari from Ali bin Muhammad from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ahmad bin Muhammad and Ubais bin Hisham from Karaam from Fudhail that he said:

I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) if a time has been fixed for reappearance of Imam Zamana (a.s.) and he replied: “Those who fix a time for it are liars. Those who fix a time for it are liars. Those who fix a time for it are liars.”

6- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Husain bin Yazid Sahhaf from Mudhir Jawwaz from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that he said:

“Those who fix a time for it are liars. We have not timed what has passed and we will not time what is to come.”

7- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from the same chains from Abdur Rahman bin Kathir that he said:

I was with Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) when Muhzim Asadi entered and asked: “May I be sacrificed on you, please tell me when the reappearance is? It has been delayed too much.” Abu Abdullah (a.s.) said: “O Muhzim, the ill-wishers have told lies, the hasteners will perish and the believers will be saved and will be with us.”

In Ghaibat Nomani also this report is mentioned through two other chains from the same Imam. Ali Babawayh has also quoted it in Imamate wa Tabsira through another chain of reporters.

8- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Ibne Abi Najran from Safwan bin Yahya from Abu Ayyub Kharraz from Muhammad bin Muslim from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that he said:

“One who fixes the time of reappearance for you, do not pay attention to his falsification, because we have not specified its time for anyone.”

9- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Umar bin Aslam Bajali from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abul Jarud from Muhammad bin Bashar Hamadani from Muhammad bin Hanafiyah in a tradition condensed as follows that he said:

“The rule of Bani so-and-so will continue till a fixed time. When they get peace and security they will think that their kingdom will never decline. Meanwhile suddenly a divine command will arrive and no king will be able to remain in power. Thus the Almighty Allah says:

حَتَّىَ إِذَا أَخَذَتِ الأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَازَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَا أَنَّهُمْ قَادِرُونَ عَلَيْهَآ أَتَاهَا أَمْرُنَا لَيْلاً أَوْ نَهَارًا فَجَعَلْنَاهَا حَصِيدًا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِالأَمْسِ كَذَلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الآيَاتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُون

“…until when the earth puts on its golden raiment and it becomes garnished, and its people think that they have power over it, Our command comes to it, by night or by day, so We render it as reaped seed-produce, as though it had not been in existence yesterday; thus do We make clear the communications for a people who reflect.” (Surah Yunus 10:24)

The narrator says: I said: May I be your ransom, is some time fixed for the arrival of divine command?

He replied: No, because the knowledge of Allah dominates the knowledge of those who fix the time. The Almighty Allah promised thirty nights to Prophet Musa (a.s.) and then increased ten nights; but neither Prophet Musa (a.s.) was aware of it nor Bani Israel. Thus when the time expired, they said that Prophet Musa (a.s.) has deceived us. And they began to worship the calf.

Hence when famine and deprivation increases and people begin to deny each other, you should expect the arrival of divine command day and night.”

10- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl bin Shazan from Muhammad bin Ali from Sadan bin Muslim from Abu Basir that he asked the Imam (a.s.):

“Is there a fixed time for reappearance; so that we can sit quietly till that time?”

He replied: “It was fixed; but you people publicized it and it was postponed.”

11- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl from Hasan bin Mahbub from Abu Hamza Thumali that he said:

“I asked Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.): O son of Allah’s Messenger, Amirul Momineen (a.s.) used to say: There will be sedition till 70 A.H. and after that there will be peace and prosperity; but 70 A.H. has passed and we are still in problems?”

Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said: “O Thabit, it was initially fixed as 70 A.H. but meanwhile Imam Husain (a.s.) was martyred and the Almighty Allah postponed it to 140 A.H. When we informed you about it, you publicized it and the Almighty Allah postponed it further and even we don’t know about the definite time.”

يَمْحُو اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ

“Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book.” (Surah Raad 13:39)

Abu Hamza Thumali says that when he asked Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) about it he also verified that it was true.

The same tradition is reported in Al-Kafi from Ibne Mahbub from Abu Hamza Thumali from Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.).

12- Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from Fadhl from Muhammad bin Ismail from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abu Yahya Tamtaam Salmi from Uthman Nawa that he said: I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) say:

“Initially this task was entrusted to me; but later on the Almighty Allah postponed it and kept it in my progeny.”

13- Tafsir Ayyashi: It is narrated from Abu Lubaid Makhzumi that he said: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said:

“O Abu Lubaid, there will be twelve rulers in the Abbaside dynasty; the last four will be assassinated. They will have very short life spans and their rule will also be brief. They will be of a very evil character. Among them will be the transgressor having the titles of Hadi, Natiq and Ghawi (guide, talking one and fraudster).

O Abu Lubaid, great treasure is there in the code letters of the Holy Quran (Muqattiaat).”

14- Tafsir Ayyashi: It is narrated from Hisham bin Salim from some of his associates from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that he said in the interpretation of the verse:

أَتَى أَمْرُ اللّهِ فَلاَ تَسْتَعْجِلُوهُ

“Allah’s commandment has come, therefore do not desire to hasten it…” (Surah Nahl 16:1)

“When the Almighty Allah informed His Messenger (s.a.w.s.) that this would occur at such and such time, He also stressed that he must make haste in it and that he should know that once the Almighty Allah has said that something is about to occur, it is as if it has occurred.”

15- Ghaibat Nomani: It is narrated from Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Ja’far from Ibne Abil Khattab from Muhammad bin Sinan from Abul Jarud that Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said:

“You still wait until you become like frightened goats that the butcher does not care on which of he puts his hand. You will be of no honor and no supporter, to whom you refer your affairs.”

16- Qurbul Asnad: It is narrated from Ibne Abil Khattab from Bazanti that he said:

I asked Imam Ali Reza (a.s.) about a dream, he said after being silent for a while:

“Indeed if you are told about what you are asking, it is harmful for you and also the master of the affair will be responsible for it. You have seen the Firons of Iraq and how they were given respite. Therefore it is obligatory on you to continue to fear the Almighty Allah and do not be deceived by the world and neither should you be deceived by those who have got respite and you should think as if the master of the affair has reached you.”

17- Qurbul Asnad: From the same chains of narrators it is narrated from Bazanti that I said to Imam Ali Reza (a.s.):