Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) Part V

Designation Of Twelve Imams (a.s) Through Shi'ee Sources

In This Section This Article Will Cover:

Tawatur of Reports Regarding The Twelve  Imams (a.s)

Imam Al-Hussain (a.s) Is The Father Of Nine Imams (a.s) And The Ninth is Their Qa'im (ajf)

Asl Of Abbaad, Aba Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy

Hadeeth Of The Tablet and The Scroll

Hadeeth Of Khidhr (a.s)

Designation Of Each Imam By The Previous Imam (a.s)

Appointment Of Imam Al-Qa'im Al-Mahdi (ajf)

Some Other Narrations Pertaining To The Twelve Imams and Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) As The Last Of Them

Refuting Common Objections 

Tawatur of Reports Regarding The Twelve  Imams (a.s)

Those who adhere to the school of the so called Ahlul Sunnah believe in Twelve leaders. This is a well established fact as we have concluded this in numerous articles. Though their scholars are not in agreement of who those leaders were - one thing they all agree on is that there are 12 and Imam Mehdi (af) will be the final Imam.

The Ithna‘ashariyyah (Twelver Shia) core beliefs (unlike the other sects within Shia Islam who deviated on this matter) also consists of Twelve leaders (Imams) and the final Imam being Imam Mehdi (ajf). The key difference between to so called Ahlul Sunnah and Twelver Shiaism (and other sects within Shia) comprises of who those leaders are and the conceopt of divine appointment. We will evidence base using authentic narrations on exactly who those Imams (a.s) were, how they were explicitly named and how we know they were divinely appointed.

The Hadeeth of the Holy Prophet (saw) recorded in the works of Muslims begins with chains of transmitters on whose authority the tradition reports the Prophets or the Imams actions or statements. Experts of hadeeth amongst Muslims have developed certain criteria for assessing the reliability of different chains of transmission and ascertaining the authenticity of the contents of traditions. They have developed a terminology with terms denoting various classifications of hadeeth depending on the character, strength or weakness of narrators and other factors, such as Mutawatir (narrated by many), Ahad (singular report), Saheeh (Authentic), Hasan (Reliable), Qawi (Strong), Da'eef (Weak), etc.

A mutawatir hadeeth or Tawatur of hadeeth is one which has been reported by so many different chains of transmission and a large number of narrators in every generation that the multiplicity of the sources of that certain report leads to certitude that the report is true. 

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani:

Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja'far Al-Himyari narrated from his father from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubayd bin Yaqteen from an-Nadhr bin Suwayd from Yahya Al-Halabi that Alee bin Aboo Hamzah had said: Once I, Aboo Basir and a freed slave (mawla) of Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) were together. The mawla said: I have heard Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) saying: "From us there are twelve inspired (Imams). The seventh of my descendants is Al-Qa'im." Aboo Basir said: "I witness that I have heard Aboo Ja'far (Imam Ja'far Al-Sadiq (a.s)) saying this forty years ago."

So think! O masses of Shi'a, May Allah (swt) bless you, that The Book of Allah (swt), the traditions of the Prophet (saw), Imam Alee (a.s) and all the Imams (a.s) one after the other confirm that the number of the Imams is Twelve and also their merits and their number have been narrated through trustworthy Shi'a narrators in eyes of the Imams (a.s), so look at the connection of this and them being narrated in Mutawatir form. When people think about this, it would wipe out the blindness from their hearts and remove doubt and suspicion if Allah (swt) wants good for a person, and Allah (swt) helps him to be guided to the right path and he does not let Iblees have authority over his soul to be misguided with idle talks of the doubters and the deceits of the deceivers.

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Nu'mani. Pg. # 64.

Sheikh Al-Mufid:

Al-Imamiyyah are in consensus that the Imams (a.s) after the Messenger (saw) are twelve Imams (a.s).

Source: Awa'il Al-Maqalaat. Pg. # 41.

Al-Majlisi I:

Al-Sadooq has authored a book which he has called Al-Usool about narrations on the designation of the Twelve Imams (a.s) with their names through a large number of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (saw), and he has mentioned the Mutawatir narrations, rather exceeding the Tawatur in it, and he mentions in Mutawatir form from the Messenger of Allah (saw) and from the Imams (a.s) in his book Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma (Perfection of faith and completion of divine favor) which he has written by the command of Sahib Al-Zaman (ajf), and he has mentioned in Mutawatir form in his other books briefly as well as in detail about the nomination of the Imams (a.s), and he has mentioned the nomination of each one of them the next Imams (a.s) and a large number of our other scholars have written exclusive books about this topic that Al-Najashi and Sheikh Al-Tusi have mentioned in their books of Fehrist, and all of them have narrated through Mutawatir, connected chains from the Prophet (saw) through his companions and from the Infallible Imams (a.s), and Alee ibn Isa has mentioned some of them in his book Kashf Al-Ghummah.

Source: Rawdhatul Muttaqeen. Vol. 11, Pg. # 5.

Al-Majlisi I:

Al-Sadooq has authored a large book mentioning the narrations about the Twelve Imams (a.s) through Sunni chains, which exceeds the level of Tawatur several times, even the narrations that contained their names.

Source: Rawdhatul Muttaqeen. Vol. 13, Pg. # 270.  

Sheikh Al-Tusi:

So far we have only mentioned some reports, and if we mentioned all reports narrated through the Shi'a on this subject, this book would definitely become very long. We have only mentioned traditions on this subject accepted by both sects of the Shi'a and Sunni. If anyone wishes to study all the reports on this matter, he may refer to books on this subject. In that case he would find a large number of reports as we mentioned.

If it is said: First prove to us the veracity of these narrations, for they are singularly narrated traditions and do not prove a topic for sure. This is a subject that requires certainty.

Secondly, prove to us that these traditions intend the Imams you believe in. The traditions you narrated from your opponents, and the majority of them you narrated through your own sources, if we set aside their disputability, they do not mention the Imamate of your Imams, because they include others. How do you say that your Imams are the ones intended by these traditions?

We will say: The proof of the veracity of these narrations is that the Shi'a Imamiyyah have narrated this through widely-related (Tawatur) throughout generations, and the reliable chains of narrations thereof are recorded in books of Imamiyyah as proofs of the Imamate of Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s).

Besides, the narrations by the two different denominations which have different beliefs, is a proof of the veracity of the narrations they both agree upon. This is because it is customary that anyone who believes in an idea, which is proven through narrations, then he has every motivation to narrate those narrations, and his opponent will have every motivation to invalidate his narrations or weaken him and reject his narrations.

Such is the practice in praising individuals or criticizing them. When we see that a group averse to this one narrates the same narrations they have narrated and have not questioned its narration or its content, this indicates that God has undertaken the narration thereof and has forced them to narrate it; and this is a proof of the veracity of the narration.

The proof of the fact that our Imams (a.s) are intended by these narrations is that when it is proved through these traditions that the Imams are twelve Imams and that they neither exceed this number, nor are they short of it, our creed is proven, because the Ummah is divided into denominations: we, who believe in this number and believe in the Imamate of our Imams, and others who do not believe in this number and their Imamate. If someone should believe in the number and does not believe in their Imamate, he is treading outside the bounds of consensus, and any belief outside the bounds of consensus is definitely void. Tradition of the Holy Imams (a.s) on the occasion of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) also, a proof of the Imamate of ibn Al-Hassan (a.s) and his occultation are the widespread and well-known traditions and sayings from his forefathers, peace be on them, which were uttered long before these times.

These traditions state that the Master of the Age will have occultations and they describe its qualities and the disputes and events that will take place during it. They state that he will have two occultations, one of which will be longer than the other, and that in the first one, communication will be open with him and in the second, his news will not be coming. The later events unfolded as predicted by the traditions. Had they not been correct, and had his Imamate not been valid, they would not have corresponded with events which happened later, because that cannot happen but through God's delivery through the tongue of His Messenger (saw). This path of reasoning is also a measure on the basis of which scholars have previously argued.

We only mention a few narrations that carry this meaning, to indicate the veracity of our claim, because complete incorporation of all narrations in this regard will be long and they are present in the books of traditions and can be referred there.

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi. Pg. # 156 - 158.

Sheikh Al-Tusi:

And among the proofs about the correctness of the Imamate of the Twelve Imams (a.s) that we believe in, is that the Shi'a have narrated through Mutawatir reports the designation of the Twelve through the Prophet (saw).  

Source: Al-Iqtisaad Fi Maa Yata'alliq Bil I'tiqaad. Pg. # 371.

Sheikh Faydh Al-Kashani:

It has been narrated to us through Mutawatir reports from our Prophet (saw) that the Proofs of Allah Almighty over his creatures after him are the Twelve Imams (a.s). The first one of them is Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s), then Al-Hassan Al-Zaki (a.s), then Al-Hussain Al-Shahid (a.s), then Alee ibn Al-Hussain Zaynul Abedeen (a.s), then Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Baqir (a.s), then Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), then Musa ibn Ja'far Al-Kadhim (a.s), then Alee ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s), then Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Jawad (a.s), then Alee ibn Muhammad Al-Hadi (a.s), then Al-Hassan ibn Alee Al-Zaki (a.s), then his son Al-Qa'im (may Allah (swt) hasten his return) the namesake of the Prophet (saw) and his nickname is Sahib Al-Zaman (ajf) and Caliph of Allah (swt) on Earth in our time.

The Prophet (saw) said: "The Imams will be twelve from my Ahlulbayt (a.s.). Allah, the High, will grant them my understanding, my knowledge and my wisdom and He will create them from my clay. Then woe unto the arrogant ones against them after me, who will break my relations concerning them. What is wrong with them (opponents)? May Allah (swt) not make them reach my intercession!"

And he (saw) also said: "There will be twelve Imams after me. The first of them is you, O Alee (a.s) and the last of them is the Qa'im by whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will conquer the east and the west of the earth."

Source: Al-Mahijjatil Baydhaa. Vol. 1, Pg. # 243 - 244.

Sheikh ibn Shahr Ashoub:

Chapter: What the Shi'a Have Reported (about the Twelve Imams (a.s)):

And that is in two forms, one group are the reports that have been narrated from the Prophet (saw) and the other group what has been narrated from the fathers in nomination of their sons and it will be mentioned from every Imam (a.s) in this chapter Insha'Allah Ta'ala. As for what has been narrated from the Prophet (saw), it would suffice to mention the book of Al-Kifaya fi Al-Nusus authored by Al-Khazzaz Al-Qummi who lived in Ray. In that book he narrates 155 narrations through various chains of narrators from the companions of the Prophet (saw).  

Source: Manaqib ibn Shahr Ashoub. Vol. 1, Pg. # 356.

Sheikh Muhammad Tahir Al-Qummi:

Tawatur Of Narrations On Nomination Of The Twelve Imams (a.s):

It has been narrated through Tawatur of reports from the Prophet (saw) that he (saw) nominated Alee (a.s) and from him, Al-Hassan (a.s) and from Al-Hassan (a.s), Al-Hussain (a.s) and in this way till our Qa'im, Peace and Blessings of Allah (swt) be upon them all. And the Shi'a have narrated them in every generation, despite their diversity and their far apart countries from each other. And the intellect points to the fact that they could not have agreed upon fabricating all these reports because they lived far apart, and their living places were located far away from each other and their enemies had the power in their hands and the Shi'a were weak.

Source: Kitab Al-Arba'een. Pg. # 349.

Sheikh Mirza Muhammad Taqi Al-Isfahani:

I say: The noble and trustworthy Sheikh Alee ibn Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Khazzaz Al-Qummi has narrated in his book Kifayatul Athar about the nomination of Twelve Imams (a.s) 170 narrations through the narrators of both schools, all of them mention the awaited Qa'im (ajf), and that book is enough for anyone who looks for it and it is guidance for everyone who seeks it and we might mention some of those narrations in different chapters of this book, we call towards Allah (swt) and we return to Him.

Source: Mikyaal Al-Makarem. Vol. 1, Pg. # 72.

Imam Al-Hussain (a.s) Is The Father Of Nine Imams (a.s) And The Ninth is Their Qa'im (ajf)

Allamah Al-Hilli:

Chapter four: About the Imamate of the rest of the Twelve Imams (a.s):

There are several ways to prove it:

One of them is the Nass (i.e. explicit nomination), for the Shi'a have narrated by Tawatur in cities far apart from each other throughout generations from the Prophet (saw) that he said to Al-Hussain (a.s): "This son of mine is Imam, son of Imam and brother of Imam and father of nine Imams. The ninth one of them is their Qa'im (ajf), his name is my name and his nickname is my nickname, he will fill the Earth with justice and equity, as it will be filled with tyranny and oppression."

Source: Sharh Minhaaj Al-Kiramah. Vol. 1, Pg. # 101.

Sheikh Al-Mufid:

The proof for that (i.e. the Imamate of the Twelve Imams (a.s)) is that the Prophet (saw) appointed them as his successors through Tawatur of reports, like his statement: "This son of mine Al-Hussain (a.s) is Imam, son of Imam and brother of Imam and father of nine Imams (a.s), the ninth one of them is their Qa'im (ajf), his name is my name and his nickname is my nickname. He will fill the Earth with justice and equity, as it will be filled with tyranny and oppression."  

Source: Al-Nukat Al-I'tiqadiyyah. Pg. # 43.

Sheikh Al-Tusi:

The Imams after Alee (a.s) are Eleven from among his descendants. The first one of them is Al-Hassan (a.s), then Al-Hussain (a.s), then Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s), then Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s), then Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s), then Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s), then Alee ibn Musa (a.s), then Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s), then Alee ibn Muhammad (a.s), then Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s), then the Khalafah Al-Hujjah Al-Qa'im Al-Mahdi Al-Hadi ibn Al-Hassan Sahib Al-Zaman (ajf), so all of them are truly Imams over people one after the other, by the appointment of every Imam of them the next Imam after him through Tawatur of reports about their nomination. And the statement of the Prophet (saw): "Al-Hussain (a.s) is Imam, son of Imam and brother of Imam and father of nine Imams, the ninth one of them is their Qa'im (ajf), his name is my name and his nickname is my nickname, he will fill the Earth with justice and equity, as it will be filled with tyranny and oppression."

Source: Jawahir Al-Fiqh of ibn Al-Barraj and Aqa'ed Al-Jaffariyah of Sheikh Al-Tusi. Pg. # 249.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni:

Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from ibn Aboo Umayr from Sa'eed ibn Ghazwan from Aboo Basir who has said the following: Aboo Ja'far (a.s) has said, "After Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s), there will be nine A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority). The ninth of them will be Al-Qa'im (the one who will rise with Divine Authority and power)."

Note: Al-Majlisi II: Hasan (Reliable) like Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Mir'atul Uqool. Vol. 6, Pg. # 231.

Al-Hussain ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Al-Washsha from Aban from Zurara who has said the following: I heard Aboo Ja'far (a.s) say, "We are twelve A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority). Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s), are of them. Thereafter A'immah (a.s) are from the descendants of Al-Hussain (a.s)."

Source: Usool Al-Kafi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 342.

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani:

Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Aboo Abdullah bin Ja'far Al-Himyari from Ahmad bin Hilal from Muhammad bin Aboo Omayr from Sa'eed bin Ghazwan from Aboo Basir from Aboo Abdullah as-Sadiq (a.s) from his fathers (a.s) that the Prophet (saw) had said: "Allah the Almighty has chosen a thing from every thing. He has chosen Makkah from the earth, the mosque from Makkah, and the place in which the Ka'ba is from the mosque. He has chosen the females from among the cattle and the ewe from among the sheep. He has chosen Friday from among the days, Ramadhan from among the months and the Night of Predestination from among the nights. He has chosen the Hashimites from among the people, has chosen me and Alee (a.s) from among the Hashimites, has chosen Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) from me and Alee (a.s), and then He completed the twelve Imams (a.s) from the progeny of Al-Hussain (a.s). The ninth of them (of Al-Hussain's (a.s) progeny) is the hidden and the apparent and the best of them. He is the expected Imam."

The same was narrated by Muhammad bin Hammam and Muhammad bin Al-Hassan bin Muhammad bin Jumhoor from Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Jumhoor from Ahmad bin Hilal from Muhammad bin Aboo Omayr from Sa'eed bin Ghazwan from Imam Aboo Abdullah as-Sadiq (a.s).

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Nu'mani. Pg. # 45.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Alee Majilaway: Narrated to us Alee bin Ibraheem from his father from Alee bin Mabad from Hussain bin Khalid from Alee ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s) from his father from his forefathers that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Whoever desires to fasten unto my religion and board the ark of salvation after me, must follow Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s), bear enmity against his enemies and befriend his friends. For sure, he is my successor and my Caliph of my followers in my life and after my death. He is the chief of every Muslim and the chief of every believer after me. His saying is my saying, his command is my command, his prohibition is my prohibition, his follower is my follower, his helper is my helper and one who forsakes him has forsaken me." Then he continued, "Whoever separates from Alee (a.s) after me, shall not see me and I will not see him on the Day of Judgment. Whoever opposes Alee (a.s), Allah (swt) will make Paradise forbidden for him, his abode will be the Hell-fire, and evil will be his fate. Whoever forsakes Alee (a.s), he will be forsaken on the Day of Presentation, and whoever helps Alee (a.s) Allah (swt) will help him on the day he will meet Him. The Divine Proof (Hujjat) will prompt his answers to him on the day of questioning." Thereafter he said, "Hassan (a.s) and Hussain (a.s) are the two Imams of my Ummah after their father and the leaders of the youth of Paradise. Their mother is the chief of the women of universe, and their father is the chief of the successors. From the descendants of Hussain (a.s), there will be nine Imams, and the ninth of them will be the Qa'im of my progeny. Their obedience is my obedience and their defiance is my defiance. I will complain to Allah (swt) against those who challenge their superiority and deny their sanctity after me. Allah (swt) suffices as a Master and as a Helper for my progeny and the Imams of my Ummah, and as an Avenger for those who have denied them their rights.

وَسَيَعْلَمُ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا أَيَّ مُنقَلَبٍ يَنقَلِبُونَ

And they who act unjustly shall know to what final place of turning they shall turn back.

Holy Qur'aan {26:227}

Narrated to us Ahmad bin Ziyad bin Ja'far: Narrated to us Alee bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father from Alee bin Mabad from Hussain bin Khalid from Abil Hasan Alee bin Musa ar-Ridha (a.s) from his father from his forefathers that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "I am the chief of the creation of Allah, the Mighty and Glorified. I am better than Jibra'eel, Mika'eel, Israfeel, the carriers of the Throne (Arsh), all the close angels of Allah (swt) and the messengers of Allah (saw). I am the owner of the Intercession and the honorable Hauz. I and Alee (a.s) are the fathers of this Ummah. Whoever recognises us has indeed recognised Allah, the Mighty and Glorified. And whoever refutes us has indeed refuted Allah, the Mighty and Glorified. From Alee (a.s) are the two grandsons of my Ummah and the chiefs of the people of Paradise, Hassan (a.s) and Hussain (a.s). From the descendants of Hussain (a.s) are nine Imams (a.s), their obedience is my obedience and their disobedience is my disobedience. The ninth of them is their Qa'im and their Mahdi."

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Ishaq: Informed us Ahmad bin Muhammad Hamdani: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hisham: Narrated to us Alee bin Hassan as-Saaih that he said: I heard Al-Hassan bin Alee Al-Askari (a.s) say: Narrated to me my father from his father from his grandfather (a.s): The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s):

"O Alee! None will love you but the one whose birth is pure and none will hate you but the one of impure birth. None will befriend you but a believer and none will bear enmity against you but a disbeliever." Abdullah ibn Mas'oud stood up and asked, "O Messenger of Allah (saw)! We came to know the sign of impure birth and a disbeliever in your life by malice and enmity against Alee (a.s). But what is the sign of impure birth and disbelief after you, when Islam will appear only on the tongues while its essence shall remain concealed?" He answered, "O son of Mas'oud! Surely, Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) is your Imam after me and my Caliph upon you. After he expires, my son Hassan (a.s) is your Imam after him and my Caliph upon you. When he dies, my son Hussain (a.s) is your Imam after him and my Caliph upon you. Thereafter nine descendants of Hussain (a.s), one after the other are your Imams and my Caliphs upon you. The ninth of them is the Qa'im in my nation, who will fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. None shall love them save the one whose birth is pure and none shall hate them but the one with impure birth.

None will befriend them but a believer and none will bear enmity against them but a disbeliever. Whoever denies any one amongst them has indeed denied me and whoever denies me has indeed denied Allah, the Mighty and Glorified.

Whoever rejects even one from them, then indeed he has rejected me and whoever rejects me has rejected Allah, the Mighty and Glorified. For certainly, their obedience is my obedience and my obedience is the obedience of Allah (swt). (Similarly), their disobedience is my disobedience and my disobedience is the disobedience of Allah, the Mighty and Glorified. O son of Mas'oud! Keep away from any skepticism in your heart concerning their judgments, lest you become a disbeliever. By the Might of my Lord, I am not indulging in pretense nor am I speaking from my desire concerning Alee (a.s) and the Imams (a.s) from his descendants."

Then he raised his hands towards the sky and prayed, "O Allah (swt)! You take him as Your slave whoever takes my Caliphs and the Imams of my Ummah after me as their masters, and You take as an enemy whoever takes them as an enemy. You help him who helps them and You forsake him who forsakes them. Do not leave the earth without a proof from them, either he is apparent, or occult and fearful that Your religion, Your proof and Your arguments may not be nullified." Then he said, "O son of Mas'oud! I have told you now all those things which if you leave, you will be destroyed, but if you fasten unto them, you will be saved. And safe is the one who follows the guidance."

Narrated to us my father: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Ya'qoob bin Yazid from Hammad bin Isa from Abdullah bin Muskan from Aban bin Taghlib from Sulaym bin Qais Hilali from Salman Farsi (r.a) that he said: "I came to the Prophet (saw) to find Imam Hussain (a.s) seated in his lap and the Prophet (saw) was kissing him and saying: You are a Sayyid son of a Sayyid. You are an Imam son of an Imam, brother of an Imam and father of Imams. You are the proof of Allah (swt), son of His Proof and father of nine proofs from your loins, the ninth of whom will be Qa'im."

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 248 - 250.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Alee Majilaway: Narrated to me my uncle Muhammad bin Abil Qasim from Ahmad bin Abi Abdullah Barqi from Muhammad bin Alee Qurashi from Muhammad bin Sinan from Mufaddal bin Umar from Abi Hamza Thumali from Abi Ja'far Muhammad bin Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) from his father Alee bin Hussain (a.s) from his father Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) that he said: "I and my brother (Hassan (a.s)) went to my grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (saw). He made me sit on one lap and made my brother sit on the other. Then he kissed us and said, 'By my father! You two are Imams, grandsons and virtuous. Allah (swt) has chosen you from me, from your father and your mother. He has also chosen from your progeny, O Hussain (a.s), nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qa'im and all of them are equal before Allah (swt) in superiority and status.'"

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 255 - 256.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Narrated to us more than one of our associates: Narrated to us Aboo Alee Muhammad bin Hammam: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja'far from Ahmad bin Hilal from Muhammad bin Abi Umair from Sa'eed bin Ghazwan from Abi Basir from Abi Abdullah (a.s) narrates from his forefathers that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "Surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, chose Friday from the days, the month of Ramadhan from the months, the Night of Power  from the nights, chose me from all the Prophets and chose Alee (a.s) from me. He granted him (Alee (a.s)) superiority over all the successors. From Alee (a.s) He chose Hassan (a.s) and Hussain (a.s) and from Hussain (a.s), He chose the successors from his descendants. They (descendants) will dispel the distortion of the exaggerators from the Holy Qur'aan, the plagiarism of the liars and the interpretation of the deviated ones. The ninth of them is their Qa'im (ajf) and he is their apparent and their concealed."

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 266 - 267.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Narrated to us Muzaffar bin Ja'far bin Muzaffar Alawi Samarqandi: Narrated to us Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Mas'oud: Narrated to me my father Muhammad bin Mas'oud: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Alee bin Kulthum: Narrated to me Hassan bin Alee Daqqaq from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Abi Qatadah from Ahmad bin Hilal from ibn Abi Umair from Sa'eed bin Ghazwan from Aboo Basir from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: "After Hussain (a.s) there will be nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qa'im."

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 328 - 329.

Sheikh Al-Tusi:

Narrated Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari from his father from Ahmad ibn Hilal Al-Abirtahi from Muhammad bin Aboo Omayr from Sa'eed bin Ghazwan from Aboo Basir from Aboo Abdullah as-Sadiq (a.s) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said in a Hadeeth: "Allah the Almighty has chosen from among people His Prophet (a.s), and from among His Prophets (a.s) His Messengers (a.s), and He has chosen me from among His Messengers (a.s), and He has chosen Alee (a.s) for me from among the people and Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) from Alee (a.s), and He has chosen the successors from Al-Hussain (a.s), the ninth one of them is their Qa'im and he is their apparent and their hidden."

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi. Pg. # 142 - 143.

Al-Tabari Al-Imaami:

And narrated to me Abul Mufaddal from Aboo Tayyib Al-Sabouni from Ja'far Al-Qasiri from Alee ibn Haroon from Abdullah ibn Khalaf Al-Halabi from Abi Hamzah Al-Thumali from Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s) from his father Alee (a.s) from Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) who said: I entered upon my grandfather the Messenger of Allah (saw) with my brother Al-Hassan (a.s), so he made me sit on his lap and my brother sat on the other his lap and, then he kissed us and said: "O my sons, I am blessed with you the two righteous and upright Imams (a.s), Allah Almighty has chosen you two from me and from your father and mother and He has chosen from your loins O Hussain (a.s) nine others, the ninth one of them is their Qa'im (ajf) and all of them are the same in their status and merits near Allah, the One."

Source: Dala'il Al-Imamah. Pg. # 233.

Asl Of Abbaad, Aba Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy

One of the books of Usool that has been written prior to the birth and the occulation of the twelfth Imam, Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is the Asl of Abi Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub. He is a well known scholar among both the Shi'a and their opponents. He was one of the Sheikhs of Bukhari and Tirmidhi and ibn Majah. Bukhari and others record his death in the month of Shawwal in the year 250 A.H. i.e. during the divine leadership of Imam Al-Hadi (a.s) and before the Imamate of Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and the birth of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf). The scholars of Rijal of our opponents consider him a Rafidhi and a strict Shi'a scholar, yet accept his narrations and bear witness to his trustworthiness. Bukhari narrates from him in his Saheeh, as does ibn Khuzaymah in his Saheeh, as well as Tirmidhi and ibn Majah in their Sunan's and many other scholars. His Asl is one of the sixteen Usool that has survived till this day. 

We shall first introduce him through Shi'a and Sunni sources and then present some of the narrations that he has recorded in his Asl about the Twelve Imams (a.s).

Al-Dhahabi:

Al-Rawajini: (Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi and ibn Majah have narrated from him) The knowledgeable Sheikh, the truthful, the Shi'a scholar of Hadeeth, Aboo Sa'eed Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Asadi, Al-Rawajini Al-Kufi, the innovator.

He has narrated from Shareek Al-Qadhi, Abbaad ibn Al-Awam, Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Yahya, Al-Walid ibn Abi Thawr, Isma'eel ibn Ayyash, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Quddus, Al-Hussain ibn Al-Shahid Zayd ibn Alee, Alee ibn Hashim ibn Al-Barid and some others.

And narrated from him Al-Bukhari a narration supported it with another narration, Al-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah, Aboo Bakr Al-Bazzar, Saleh Jazara, ibn Khuzaymah, Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi, ibn Sa'eed, ibn Abi Dawood and some others.

Aboo Hatam said: He was a trustworthy Sheikh.

Al-Hakim said: Ibn Khuzaymah used to say: "Narrated to us the trustworthy in narration, but accused in his religion, Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub."

Ibn Adee said: "There was exaggeration in his Tashayyu, Abdaan has narrated from someone trustworthy that Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub used to insult the Salaf."

Ibn Adee said: "And he has narrated narrations about the merits (of Ahlulbayt (a.s)) and flaws (of others) that are disliked."

And Alee ibn Muhammad Al-Hassani narrates from Saleh Jazara who said: Ibn Ya'qoub used to insult Uthman and I heard him saying: "Allah (swt) is more just than to allow Talha and Zubayr to enter paradise. They fought with Alee (a.s) after they had paid allegiance to him."

Ibn Jarir said: I heard Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub saying: "Whoever does not disassociate himself everyday in his prayers from the enemies of the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s), Allah (swt) will resurrect him with them."

I (Al-Dhahabi) say: "This is the source of Al-Rafdh, we rather stop and ask forgiveness for the Ummah, because Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) in their time antagonized one another and fought each other over power and their time passed, so from who of them should we disassociate ourselves?!"

Muhammad ibn Al-Mudhaffar Al-Hafiz narrated from Al-Qasim Al-Mutriz who said: I entered upon Abbaad in Kufa and he used to test everyone who used to hear narrations from him. He said: "Who has dug the ocean?" I said: "Allah (swt) has created the ocean." He said: "That is true, but who has dug it?" I said: "May the Sheikh mention it." So he said: "Alee (a.s) has dug it. So who has made it flow?" I said: "Allah (swt)." He said: "That is true, but who has made it flow?" I said: "May the Sheikh tell me." He said: "Al-Hussain (a.s) made it flow." And he was blind, and I saw a sword and a shield hanging in his house, so I asked: "Whose sword is this?" He said: "It is mine. I have kept it to fight alongside Al-Mahdi (ajf) with it." So when I finished hearing the narrations that I wanted to hear, I entered upon him again, so he asked: "Who has dug the ocean?" I said: "Mu'awiyah has dug it and Amr ibn Al-Aas has made it flow." He became very angry and started screaming: "Take this sinner, enemy of Allah (swt) and kill him." Its chain is Saheeh. And I do not know how they used to take narrations from someone whose condition was this? They rather trusted him, because of his trustworthiness.

Al-Bukhari said: Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub died in Shawwal of the year 250 A.H.

Al-Dhahabi: I say: "I received some of his writings to ibn Abi Dawood and I saw a manuscript of his book Al-Manaqib that he had collected, he rejected narrations that Allah (swt) has made the Ahlulbayt (a.s) needless of them, but I do not believe at all that he used to intentionally lie."

Source: Siyar A'lam Al-Nubala. Vol. 11, Pg. # 356 - 358.

Al-Dhahabi:

Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini, Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi and ibn Majah have narrated from him - he is Aboo Sa'eed Al-Asadi Al-Kufi. He was one of the heads of the Shi'a. He has narrated from Shareek Al-Qadhi, Abbaad ibn Al-Awam, Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Yahya Al-Madani, Ismaeel ibn Ayyash, Abdullah ibn Abdul-Quddus, Al-Hussain ibn Zayd ibn Alee Al-Alawi, Al-Walid ibn Abi Thawr, Alee ibn Hashim ibn Al-Burayd and some others. And narrated from him Al-Bukhari a narration supported it with another narration, Al-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah, Ahmad ibn Amr Al-Bazzar, Saleh ibn Muhammad Jazara, Aboo Bakr ibn Abi Dawood, Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Hakim Al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Sa'eed, ibn Khuzaymah and some others.

Aboo Hatam has narrated from him and said: "He was a trustworthy Sheikh."

Al-Hakim said: Ibn Khuzaymah used to say: "Narrated to us the trustworthy in narration, but accused in his religion, Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub."

Ibn Adee said: "There was exaggeration in his Tashayyuh, I heard Abdaan mentioning from someone trustworthy that Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub used to insult the Salaf."

Ibn Adee said: "And he has narrated narrations about the merits of the Ahlulbayt (a.s) and flaws of others that are disliked."

And Alee ibn Muhammad Al-Hasani narrates from Saleh Jazara: Ibn Ya'qoub used to insult Uthman and I heard him saying: "Allah (swt) is more just than to allow Talha and Zubayr to enter paradise. They fought with Alee (a.s) after they had paid allegiance to him."

Al-Qasim ibn Zakariyya Al-Mutriz said: I entered upon Abbaad in Kufa and he used to test everyone  who used to hear narrations from him. He said: "Who has dug the ocean?" I said: "Allah (swt) has created the ocean." He said: "That is true, but who has dug it?" I said: "May the Sheikh mention it." So he said: "Alee (a.s) has dug it, so who has made it flow?" I said: "Allah (swt)." He said: "That is true. But who has made it flow?" I said: "May the Sheikh tell me" He said: "Al-Hussain (a.s) made it flow."

And Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub was blind, and I saw a sword and a shield hanging in his house, so I asked: "Whose sword is this?" He said: "It is mine. I have kept it to fight alongside Al-Mahdi (ajf) with it." So when I finished hearing the narrations that I wanted to hear, I entered upon him again, so he asked: "Who has dug the ocean?" I said: "Mu'awiyah has dug it and Amr ibn Al-Aas has made it flow." He became very angry and started screaming: "Take this sinner, enemy of Allah (swt) and kill him."

Al-Dhahabi: This story is Saheeh (Authentic). Ibn Al-Mudhaffar Al-Hafiz has narrated it from Al-Qasim.

Muhammad ibn Jarir said: I heard Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub saying: "Whoever does not disassociate himself everyday in his prayers from the enemies of the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s), Allah (swt) will resurrect him with them."

I (Al-Dhahabi) say: "This statement is the alphabet of Al-Rafdh, because Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) had antagonized each other over power, like the family of Al-Abbas and family of Alee (a.s). So if you disassociate yourself from the family of Al-Abbas because of the family of Alee (a.s), you have disassociated yourself from Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s), and if you disassociate yourself from the family of Alee (a.s) because of the family of Al-Abbas, then you have disassociated yourself from the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) and if you disassociate yourself from the tyrant of one of the two because of the other, it is possible that the oppressor is most of the time from the family of Alee (a.s), so how can I disassociate myself from him? And if you say: 'There is no oppressor among the family of Alee (a.s)' you have claimed infallibility for them, but they have indeed oppressed one another, so for the sake of Allah (swt) stop this nonsense so that we might stop as well and say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and those of our brethren who had precedence of us in faith." {59:10}

Al-Bukhari said: He died in the month Shawwal of the year 250 A.H.

Source: Tarikh Al-Islam. Vol. 18, Pg. # 301 - 304.

This tale about the ocean and who dug it and made it flow is so ridiculous that anybody with an ounce of intelligence would not accept. It seems that the person has concocted this, only to degrade the Sheikh and accuse him of Ghuluw and to make matters worse, he goes on to flip it in favour of Mu'awiyah and Amr ibn Al-Aas that even our opponents themselves can not accept it. It must be said that it is rather a silly attempt to defame him.

As regards his other saying about disassociation from the enemies of the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s), it is true that this is of the beliefs of the Shi'a, but it is rather ridiculous that Al-Dhahabi tries to refute it through irrelevant arguments. His refutation is in fact for his own made-up imagination. The Shi'a never claim that Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) are all the children in their entirety, rather, the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) are exclusive and limited from among the family of the Prophet (saw). These being the Twelve Imams (a.s) and lady Faatima (s.a) to which we have proven to be the Aal-e-Muhammad (a.s) exclusively times and times in the previous articles, and that too from both Shi'a and Sunni sources.

Sheikh Abbas Al-Qummi:

Al-Rawajini:

Aboo Sa'eed Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini Al-Asadi Al-Shi'ee Al-Imami who has been mentioned by the Sunni scholars and they have authenticated him.

Al-Darqutni mentions him saying: "He was a truthful Shi'ite."

Ibn Khuzaymah says about him: "The trustworthy in narrating and accused in his religion Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub narrated to us," and a large number of Sunni Imams beside ibn Khuzaymah have narrated from him, like Al-Bukhari, Al-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah and ibn Dawood, for he was their Sheikh and trustworthy in their view.

In Al-Abaqaat when mentioning the Hadeeth of the bird quoting from Al-Taqreeb that he has said in the biography of Abbaad: "He is a truthful Rafidhi, his narration in Al-Bukhari is supportive."

He (i.e. Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani) in the introduction of Fathul Bari: Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini, the famous Rafidhi. However he was truthful, Aboo Hatam has authenticated him. In Tahdheeb of ibn Hajar, Ibraheem ibn Abi Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah says: If is was not due to two men of the Shi'a it was not correct to narrate to them, Abbaad ibn Yaqoub and Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn Maymoon. In it also ibn Adee says: And Abbaad was an extremist in Tashayyu, and he has narrated narrations about merits and flaws that are disliked, and Al-Qasim ibn Zakariyyah Al-Mutriz says: Abbaad was blind and I saw a sword hanging in his house, so I said: "Whose is this?" He said: "I have kept it to fight with it alongside Al-Mahdi (ajf)." He died in Dhul Qa'dah of the year 250 A.H.

Al-Sam'ani says in Al-Ansaab: Aboo Hatam ibn Hayyan says: Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini from the people of Kufa, he narrates from Shareek and our Sheikhs narrate from him, he died in the month Shawwal of the year 250 A.H. And he was a Rafidhi, he used to invite to Rafdh and besides that he narrates Manakir from famous scholars which makes him deserved to be abandoned. He narrates from Asim from Zarr from Abdullah ibn Awf who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "When you saw Mu'awiyah on my pulpit kill him." Al-Sam'ani says: "I say: A group of famous Imams like Abi Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ismaeel Al-Bukhari have narrated from him, because he did not used to invite to his creed."

Al-Sam'ani says after that: And it has been narrated from him the narration of Abi Bakr that he said: "Do not do O Khalid what I ordered you!" I asked the noble Umar ibn Ibraheem Al-Hussaini in Kufa about the meaning of this report, so he said: He had ordered Khalid ibn Al-Walid to kill Alee (a.s), but then he regretted it and prohibited him from doing it. And Abbaad has narrated through his chain from ibn Mas'oud that he used to recite: "And Allah (swt) sufficed the believers in fighting" through Alee (a.s) {33:25}, and it has been narrated from Abbaad that he said: "Whoever does not disassociate himself in his prayers everyday from the enemies of the family of Muhammad (a.s), he will be resurrected with them."

And Al-Rawajini refers to Dajin and that is a goat that is kept at home and it is referred to as Al-Rawajini as it has been mentioned in Al-Ansaab of Al-Sam'ani.

Source: Alkani Wa Al-Qaab. Vol. 2, Pg. # 282 - 284.

Sayyed Al-Khoei:

Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub 

It was mentioned by Al-Najashi as Abbaad Aboo Sa'eed and Sheikh Al-Tusi says: "Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini, of the Sunni school, he has written the book Akhbaar Al-Mahdi (a.s), book of Al-Ma'rifat Al-Sahabah, narrated those two books to us Ahmad ibn Abdoon from Abi Bakr Al-Doori from Abil Faraj Al-Isfahani Alee ibn Al-Hussain Al-Katib from Alee ibn Abbas Al-Maqani from Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub from his Sheikhs."

I (Sayyed Al-Khoei) say: The apparent statement of Sheikh points that Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub is someone different from Abbaad Al-Usfuriy, as he mentions them separately one right after the other, and he has mentioned up to each one of them a different chain. However, from what Al-Najashi narrates from Al-Hussain ibn Ubaydallah from our scholars the story that Abbaad Al-Usfuriy is Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub and it is not unlikely from Al-Najashi that he has mentioned it as a protest to what Sheikh Al-Tusi has written about them making them two separate people.

Furthermore Sheikh Al-Tusi mentions that he was an Aammi (i.e Sunni), at the same time a group of the Sunni scholars have said: "He was a Rafidhi" and some of them have mentioned that he was truthful and it is not unlikely that he used to practice Taqiyyah, so he looked like an Aammi and maybe Sheikh did not know about his inward belief, so he has said that he was Aammi.

Muhaddith Al-Noori says at the end of Al-Mustadrak in lesson two of the introduction of the books and their authors: "As for the book of Abi Sa'eed Abbaad Al-Usfuriy and he is the same Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Rawajini, he has mentioned nineteen narrations in it, all of them are good narrations which point to him being of the Shi'a, rather a strict Shi'a, like his narrations about the designation of the Twelve Imams (a.s)." Till the end of what he has said. In any case, this man is trustworthy, either through him being the same as Abbaad Abi Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy which is obvious, or if he is a different person then according to him being of the narrators of Tafsir of Alee ibn Ibraheem. Abbaad ibn Ya'qoub has narrated from Abdullah ibn Al-Haytham and Sa'd ibn Muhammad has narrated from him. Tafsir of Al-Qummi: Surah Al-Shurah, in the commentary of Almighty's statement: "And most surely you show the way to the right path" {42:52}.

Furthermore the chain of Sheikh up to him is weak through Abil Faraj and Alee ibn Abbas Al-Maqani…

Source: Mu'jam Rijal Al-Hadeeth. Vol. 10, Pg. # 236 - 238.

Aba Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy:

Asl of Abi Sa'eed Abbaad Al-Usfuriy

[Through the narration of Abi Alee Muhammad ibn Homam ibn Suhayl, the writer of the narration Abi Muhammad Harun ibn Musa ibn Ahmad Al-Tal'ukburi]

Aboo Muhammad Harun ibn Musa ibn Ahmad Al-Tal'ukburi said: Narrated to us Aboo Alee Muhammad ibn Homam ibn Suhayl who said: Narrated to us Aboo Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Khaqaan Al-Nahadi who said: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Ibraheem Al-Sirafi Aboo Samina who said: Narrated to us Aboo Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy and he is Abbaad from Amr ibn Thabit, he is Abil Miqdaam from his father from Abbaad from Amr from Abi Hamzah who said: I heard Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) say, "Allah (swt) created Muhammad (saw), Alee (a.s) and the remaining eleven A'immah (a.s) (Leaders with Divine Authority) from his descendants out of the light of His greatness. He then placed them as figures in the brightness of His light where they worshipped Him before the creation of the creatures. They would speak of the Glory of Allah (swt) and of His Holiness. They are the A'immah (a.s) (Leaders with Divine Authority) from the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (saw)."

Abbaad raised the chain fron Abi Ja'far (a.s) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has said, "From my descendants  there will be eleven noble supervisors, who are Muhaddathun, persons to whom angels speak and very intelligent. The last of them will be Al-Qa'im (ajf) (the one who will rise with Divine Authority and power and with truth) who will fill the earth with justice after being filled with injustice."

Abbaad from Amr ibn Thabit from Abi Ja'far (a.s) from his father (a.s) from his forefathers (a.s) from the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying: "The stars of the sky are the protection for the people of the sky, so when the stars of the sky perish, the people of the sky will experience what they dislike, and my Ahlulbayt (a.s) from among the descendants are eleven stars the protection in the Earth for its inhabitants if it shakes them, so if the stars from among my Ahlulbayt (a.s) perish, the inhabitants of the Earth will experience what they dislike."

Abbaad from Amr from Abil Jaroud from Abi Ja'far (a.s) saying: 

The Messenger of Allah (saw) has said, "I and twelve persons from my descendants and you, O Alee (a.s), are the safety anchor of the earth, that is, the pillars thereof and its ropes. Through us Allah (swt) has secured the earth from devouring the inhabitants. If all the twelve persons from my family will no longer be there, the earth will devour her inhabitants without delay."

Source: Usool Al-Sittat Ashar. Pg. # 138 - 140.

Three of these narrations have been narrated through different chains from the Asl of Abbaad by Sheikh Al-Kulayni, Sheikh Al-Tusi and others which we shall present below:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni:

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Aboo Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy from Amr ibn Thabit from Aboo Hamza who has said the following: "I heard Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) say, 'Allah (swt) created Muhammad (saw), Alee (a.s) and the remaining eleven A'immah (a.s) (Leaders with Divine Authority) from his descendants out of the light of His greatness. He then placed them as figures in the brightness of His light where they worshiped Him before the creation of the creatures. They would speak of the Glory of Allah (swt) and of His Holiness. They are the A'immah (a.s) (Leaders with Divine Authority) from the descendants of the Messenger of Allah.'"

Source: Usool Al-Kafi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 341, H. # 6.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni:

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy from Amran ibn Thabit from Aboo Al-Jarud from Aboo Ja'far who has said the following: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has said, "I and twelve persons from my descendants and you, O Alee (a.s), are the safety anchor of the earth, that is, the pillars thereof and its ropes. Through us, Allah (swt) has secured the earth from devouring the inhabitants. If all the twelve persons from my family will no longer be there, the earth will devour her inhabitants without delay."

Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Aboo Sa'eed in a marfu manner from Aboo Ja'far (a.s) who has said the following: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has said, "From my descendents  there will be twelve noble supervisors, who are Muhaddathun, persons to whom angels speak, and very intelligent. The last of them will be Al-Qa'im (ajf) (the one who will rise with Divine Authority and power and with truth) who will fill the earth with justice after being filled with injustice."

Source: Usool Al-Kafi. Vol. 1, Pg. # 343, H. # 17 - 18.

Sheikh Al-Tusi:

And through the previous chain from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja'far from his father from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Abi Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy from Amr ibn Thabit from Aboo Al-Jarud from Aboo Ja'far (a.s), who has said the following: The Messenger of Allah (saw) has said, "I and eleven persons from my descendants and you, O Alee (a.s), are the safety anchor of the earth, that is, the pillars thereof and its mountains. Through us, Allah (swt) has secured the earth from devouring the inhabitants. If all the twelve persons from my descendants will no longer be there, the earth will devour her inhabitants without delay."

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi. Pg. # 138 - 139, H. # 102.

The difference between Al-Kafi and the Asl itself in mentioning "Twelve descendants" and "Eleven descendants" seems to be due to the alteration that has took place through the narrators or those who have copied it. The original source which is the Asl of Aboo Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy mentions eleven descendants of the Prophet (saw) and Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s), but in Al-Kafi it mentions twelve descendants of the Prophet (saw) and Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s). It seems that due to the repetitive mention of the number "Twelve" in the narrations, some of the narrators may have confused it and memorized or recorded the eleven descendants as twelve descendants. In such cases, we should of course refer to the original or the older source and comparing it with other sources to discover and amend the alterations. 

In any case, the "Twelve descendants" mentioned in Al-Kafi can also be interpreted as the eleven Imams (a.s) and lady Faatima (s.a) as some have suggested.  

Hadeeth Of The Tablet And The Scroll

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

And that is a Mustafidh (extensivley narrated) Hadeeth, rather its Tawatur is not unlikely, it has been narrated through different and several ways, we mention some of them:

The First Path

Al-Fadl ibn Shazaan: Narrated to us Safwan ibn Yahya from Abi Ayyoub ibn Ziyad Al-Khazzaz from Abi Hamza Al-Thumali from Aboo Khalid Al-Kabuli, who said: I entered upon my master Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) and found him in a state of weeping while reading a book. I inquired: "May my parents be sacrificed on you, what book is this?" The Imam (a.s) replied: "This book is the copy of the tablet which was gifted to Holy Prophet (saw) by Allah (swt). It contains the name of Allah (swt), name of His Messenger (saw), Ameer ul-Mo'mineen my paternal uncle, Al-Hassan bin Alee (a.s), name of my father, my name, name of my son Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s), his son Ja'far Al-Sadiq (a.s), his son Musa Al-Kadhim (a.s), his son Alee Ridha (a.s), his son Muhammad Al-Taqi (a.s), his son Alee Al-Naqi (a.s), his son Hassan Al-Zaki (Askari (a.s)) and his son Al-Hujjah (ajf), the one who will rise (with the sword). He will wreck vengeance from the enemies of God. He will reappear after a long occultation, then reappear and will fill the Earth with Justice and Equality as it was filled with oppression and tyranny."

Grading of the Hadeeth:

It is Saheeh (Authentic) and very strong, its narrators are trustworthy of the great personalities of this creed.

Attestation of the Hadeeth:

Safwan ibn Yahya: He is Aboo Muhammmad Al-Bajali, the scholars are in consensus on the reliability of whatever is authentic up to him, Al-Najashi says about him: Very very trustworthy, a significant scholar and he had a great position in piety and worship and in abstinence and worship he is the top person of his generation, he died in the year 210 A.H.

Aboo Ayyoub: Ibraheem ibn Ziyad Al-Khazzaz, he is Ibraheem ibn Isa or Uthman, and Ziyad is probably his grandfather, and he is also called: Ibn Abi Ziyad, and he is agreed upon trustworthy. Al-Najashi says: he is trustworthy and owner of a high position.

Aboo Hamza Al-Thumali: He is Thabit ibn Dinar, he is highly trustworthy, Al-Najashi says: Kufi, he is trustworthy, of the specially close companion of Imams (a.s) and trustworthy and trusted in narrations and Hadeeth, he has been from Abi Abdullah (a.s) saying: "Aboo Hamza in his time is like Salman in his time."

Aboo Khalid Al-Kabuli: Of the disciples of Imam Zayn Al-Abideen and of his close companions, he is trustworthy and agreed upon respected person.

The Second Path

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from ibn Mahboub from Aboo Al-Jarud from Aboo Ja'far from Jabir ibn Abd Allah Al-Ansari who has said the following: "Once I went to see Faatima (s.a), daughter of the Holy Prophet (saw), and I saw with her a tablet in which the names of the executors of the wills (of Leaders with Divine Authority) from her descendants were written. I then counted them to twelve. The last ones name was Al-Qa'im (the one who will rise with Divine Authority and power). The name of three of them was Muhammad and the name of another three was Alee."

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: My father, may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa'eed ibn Abdullah quoted Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain ibn Abil Khattab, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub, on the authority of Abil Jarud, on the authority of Abi Ja'far Al-Baqir (a.s), on the authority of Jabir ibn Abdullah Al-Ansari, "I went to see Faatima (s.a) and there was a Tablet in front of her on which the names of the Trustees was inscribed. There were twelve of them with the twelfth one being the Riser (ajf). Three of them were named Muhammad and three of them were named Alee."

Grading of the Hadeeth:

It is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy, and it is Mustafidh up to Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub.

Attestation of the Hadeeth:

Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub: He is Al-Sarrad or Al-Zarrad, Aboo Alee Sheikh this creed in his time, trustworthy, owner of a high position and he is considered as one of the four tenets of his time. Al-Kashshi says that he died in the year 224 A.H., 75 days before the birth of Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and his father used to give him one Dirham for every narration he narrated from Alee ibn Rihaab.

Abul Jaroud: He is Ziyad ibn Mundhir, he is of the companions of Al-Baqir (a.s) and Al-Sadiq (a.s), head of Zaidiyyah and Al-Jaroudiyya is attributed to him, he is rebuked for his belief. He has an Asl (i.e. a book compiled from the narrations of Ahlulbayt (a.s) that Sheikh Al-Sadooq relies on and he authenticates it and trusts it. Sayyed Al-Khoei authenticates him, based on the statement of Sheikh Al-Mufid that he is of the heads of scholars that Halal and Haram and Fatwa and Ahkaam is taken from.

The Third Path

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya and Muhammad ibn Abd Allah have narrated from Abd Allah ibn Ja'far from Al-Hassan ibn Zarif and Alee ibn Muhammad from Salih ibn Aboo Hammad from Bakr ibn Salih from Abd Al-Rahman ibn Salim from Aboo Basir from Aboo Abd Allah (a.s):

Al-Sadooq: Narrated my father and Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan, may Allah (swt) be pleased with them, both of them said: Narrated Sa'ad ibn Abdullah and Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari together from Abil Hasan Saleh ibn Abi Hammad and Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef from Bakr ibn Saleh:

He said: And narrated my father and Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Al-Mutawakkil and Muhammad ibn Alee Majilawayh and Ahmad ibn Alee ibn Ibraheem and Al-Hassan ibn Ibraheem ibn Natana and Ahmad ibn Ziyad Al-Hamdani, all of them said: Narrated to us Alee ibn Ibraheem from his father Ibraheem ibn Hashim from Bakr ibn Saleh from Abdul-Rahman ibn Salim from Abi Basir from Abi Abdullah (a.s):

Sheikh Al-Mufid: Muhammad ibn Ma'qal Al-Qarmisini from his father from Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari from Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef from Bakr ibn Saleh.

Sheikh Al-Tusi: A group of narrators from Muhamamd ibn Sufyan Al-Bazufi from Ahmad ibn Idrees and Al-Himyari together from Bakr ibn Saleh.

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani: Musa ibn Muhammad Al-Qummi Abul Qasim from Sa'ad ibn Abdullah from Bakr ibn Saleh.

Sheikh Al-Mas'oudi: From Abil Hasan Saleh ibn Abi Hammad and Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef together from Bakr ibn Saleh from Abdul-Rahman ibn Salim from Abi Basir from Abi Abdullah (a.s), he (a.s) said: Once, my father said to Jabir ibn Abd Allah Al-Ansari, "I need your help in a certain issue. When do you think it will be convenient for you that we meet privately and I will ask you about it?" He (Jabir) said, "Whenever you like, it will be alright for me."

One day when they met each other he, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said, "O Jabir, tell me about the tablet that you saw in the hand of my great-great-great grandmother, Faatima (s.a), daughter of the Messenger of Allah (saw). Tell me of what she said to you about the tablet and the writing on it?" Jabir then said, "I ask Allah (swt) to testify (to the truth of what I experienced that day). Once I went to see your great-great-great grandmother, Faatima (s.a), in the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (saw). I congratulated her for the birth of Al-Hussain (a.s), and I saw in her hand a green tablet that I think was made of Emerald (precious gem). I saw on it a white writing that was shining like the colour of the Sun. I then said to her, 'May Allah (swt) keep my soul and the souls of my parents in service for your cause, O daughter of the Messenger of Allah (saw), what is this tablet?' She said, 'This is a tablet that Allah (swt) has given as a gift to His Messenger (saw). In it there is the name of my father, the name of my husband, the names of my two sons and the names of the executors of the wills of my (special) descendents. My father gave it to me as a gift and glad news.'"

Jabir then said, "Your great-great-great grandmother, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then gave the tablet to me. I read it and made a copy of it." My father then said, "O Jabir, can you show that copy (that you made from the tablet) to me?" He said, "Yes, I can show it to you." My father went with him to his house and he brought to light a tablet of parchment. He then said, "O Jabir, look carefully at your writing to see how I read it for you." Jabir then kept looking at his handwriting while my father read and his reading was exactly letter by letter the same as what Jabir had in his copy.

Jabir then said, "I ask Allah to testify to the truth of my words that this is what I saw was written on the tablet: '(I begin) in the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a document from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Wise, for Muhammad (saw), His Prophet, recipient of divine supreme covenant, His light, His ambassador, His barrier (Hijab) and His guide (for people). The trusted Spirit has brought it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhammad (saw), acknowledge the greatness of My names and pay thanks for My bounties. Do not hide My favours. I Am Allah (swt) and no one deserves to be worshipped and obeyed besides Me. I break down the transgressors and grant wealth to the oppressed. I Am the One Who has established the religion. I Am Allah (swt). No one deserves to be worshipped and obeyed besides Me. Whoever expects to receive any distinction from someone other than Me or have fear of the justice of someone other than Me I will cause him to suffer a torment the like of which I will cause no one else of the creatures of the worlds to suffer. Worship only Me and place your trust only in Me.

I have not sent any prophet without, upon the completion of his days, appointing the executor of his will. I have given preference to you over the prophets and I have given preference to the executor of your will over the executors of the wills (of the other prophets). I have granted you honor through your two brave grandsons, Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s). I have made Al-Hassan (a.s) to be the treasurer of My knowledge after the completion of the time of his father. I have made Al-Hussain (a.s), to be the keeper of My revelation Wahi (inspiration). I have granted him nobility through martyrdom and made his end triumphant. He will be the best of the martyrs and of the highest degree in the rank of the martyrs. I have kept My perfect word with him and My extremely clear authority and proof available for him. Through his descendent I will give good rewards to people or cause them to suffer torments. The first of them will be Alee (ibn Al-Hussain (a.s)), master of the worshippers, and the beauty of My friends of the past. Then will be his son who will be very similar to his grandfather, the praised one, Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s), the one very deeply founded in My knowledge and the source and mine of My wisdom. Those who have doubts about Ja'far (a.s) will soon be destroyed. Whoever rejects him will be like one who rejects Me. The true words have already come from Me that I will dignify the position of Ja'far (a.s) and will grant him joy and happiness for his followers, supporters and friends. After him Musa (a.s) will live at the time of a blind, confusing and dark mischief. (He will live among the people) because the system of obedience to Me does not break down and my authority (proof of My existence) does not remain obscure. The thirst (for knowledge and guidance) of My friends will be quenched with sufficient measures. Whoever rejects any one of them has rejected my favours. Whoever changes my signs and verses of my book has accused Me with lies. Woe is to those who fabricate lies and reject (the truth) after the completion of the time of Musa (a.s), My servant, My beloved, My chosen one about Alee (Al-Ridha (a.s)). (Alee Al-Ridha (a.s)) who is My wali (the one who possesses Divine Authority), My supporter, the one on whom I will place the task of prophet-hood and examine how he will deal with it. An arrogant devil will murder him. He will be buried in the city built by the virtuous servant (of Allah (swt)) next to the worst of My creatures. The words of truth have already been established that I will grant him joy and happiness with the birth of his son, Muhammad (a.s), his successor and the heir of his knowledge. He is the source and fountainhead of My knowledge, the right place for My secrets and My authority over My creatures. Whoever believes in him I will make paradise his dwelling and will grant him the ability to intercede for seventy people from his family of whom everyone may have become subject to hell-fire. I will make the end for his son, Alee (a.s) to arrive at salvation. Alee (a.s) is My wali (the one who possesses Divine Authority), My supporter, the testimony in My creatures and My trustee in My revelation. From him I will make to come out a preacher to My way and a treasure of My Knowledge, Al-Hassan (a.s). I will complete it with his son (Mahdi (ajf)), a blessing for the worlds. One will be able to find in him the perfection of Musa (Moses (a.s)), the beauty of Jesus (a.s) and the patience of Ayyub (a.s). My friends in his time will become weak. Their heads will be sent as gifts like the heads of the Turks and Daylam. They will be murdered and burned. They will live in fear, frightened and fearful. The earth will be stained with their blood and wailing and lamentations will become widespread in their women. These will possess My authority and through them I will remove the blind and dark mischief. Through them I will remove uncertainties, sufferings and shackles. These are the ones upon whom the blessings and forgiveness of their Lord descend and they are the ones who provide guidance.'"

Abd Al-Rahman ibn Salim has said that Aboo Basir said, "Even if you hear no other Hadeeth except this, it will be enough for you. Protect it against everyone except the deserving people."

Grading of Hadeeth:

Reliable, it is trusted upon. It is firm from Bakr ibn Saleh, two trustworthy scholars Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef and Ibraheem ibn Hashim have narrated it from  him, and the scholars have narrated it without weakening the chain of it.

Attestation Of Hadeeth:

Bakr ibn Saleh: he is Al-Razi Mawla Bani Dhubba. He narrates from Al-Kadhim (a.s) and he is of the companions of Al-Ridha (a.s) and Al-Jawad (a.s). Sheikh Al-Najashi has weakened him, but Sadooq has considered his book among the famous and reliable books that scholars refer to and use and his narrations up to him as Saheeh (Authentic), and he has narrated many narrations in the four major books that are trusted among the Shi'a as numerous trustworthy narrators and scholars narrate from him, like the great scholars Al-Hussain ibn Sa'eed Al-Ahwazi and the trustworthy Alee ibn Mahziyaar and Sheikh of the scholars of Qum the great trustworthy scholar Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa and the upright and trustworthy Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef, and the weakening of Al-Najashi is based on the weakening of ibn Al-Ghazairi, Ahmad ibn Al-Hussain as Al-Allamah Al-Hilli in Al-Khulasa and the scholars of Rijal do not rely on the weakenings of ibn Al-Ghazairi the son.

In any case, the status of Bakr is that he has not seen Imam Al-Hadi (a.s) and Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and died definitely before the birth of Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and that is what makes us trust that it has really been narrated from the Imams (a.s) because it speaks of the unseen which is not possible except through them (a.s), and the great scholars have narrated this Hadeeth without attacking its chain. Furthermore, the Hadeeth of the Tablet has been narrated through other Hasan (Reliable) and Saheeh (Authentic) chains as it has been mentioned before and will be mentioned after this.

The Fourth Path

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: And narrated to us Aboo Muhammad Al-Hassan bin Hamza Alawi: Narrated to us Aboo Ja'far Muhammad bin Hussain bin Durust Sarrawi from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Imran Kufi from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Najran; and Safwan bin Yahya from Ishaq ibn Ammar from Abi Abdullah as-Sadiq (a.s) that he said: "O Ishaq, shall I give you a glad tiding?" I said: "Please do, may I be sacrificed on you, O son of Allah's Messenger (saw)." The Imam (a.s) said: "I saw in the scroll dictated by the Messenger of Allah (saw) and written by Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) the following:

"In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise…and then he narrated the tradition (of the tablet) mentioned above exactly except that at the end there is the sentence:

Then Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) said: "O Ishaq, this is the religion of the angels and messengers. Protect it from those unworthy of it. May Allah (swt) protect you and reform your children." Then he said: "One who has recognised this (religion) is safe from the chastisement of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime."

Attestation Of Hadeeth: 

It is Saheeh (Authentic) through chain exchange.

Because Sheikh Al-Tusi narrates all the books and narrations of Safwan ibn Yahya through a group of narrators from Al-Sadooq from Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Al-Walid from Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Al-Saffar and Sa'ad ibn Abdullah and Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Idrees from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain ibn Abil Khattab and Ya'qoob ibn Yazid from Safwan and this chain is of the highest reliable chains. So through Al-Fehrist of Sheikh Al-Tusi, another chain is discovered for all books and narrations of Safwan ibn Yahya, and because this chain goes through Sadooq, therefore all the narrations that Sadooq narrates from Safwan have been narrated through this chain too. And this method is called exchange of chains among the scholars of Rijal, and it has many forms and there is dispute about the reliability of the some of them and this exchange that we mentioned is of the kind that we can say that it is an agreed upon method. So every narration that Al-Sadooq mentions from Safwan is of the Saheeh (Authentic) narrations with the help of this chain that Sheikh Al-Tusi has mentioned.

The Fifth Path

Narrated to us Alee bin Hussain bin Shazawiya Moaddab; and Ahmad bin Harun Al-Qadi - May Allah (swt) be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Ja'far Himyari from his father from Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik Fazari Kufi from Malik Saluli from Durust bin Abdul Hameed from Abdullah bin Qasim from Abdullah bin Jabala from Abi Safatij from Jabir Jofi from Abi Ja'far Muhammad bin Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that he said: "One day I came to Lady Faatima (s.a) and before her was a tablet from which an amazing light emanated. There were twelve names in this tablet. Three on the outer side and three on the inner, three in the end and three in one direction. Thus there were twelve names in all. I asked: 'Whose names are these?' She (s.a) replied: 'These are the respected names of successors, the first of whom is my cousin, and eleven shall be from my progeny. The last of them will be Qa'im, bliss of Allah (swt) be on them all.' Jabir says: 'I saw the name of Muhammad (saw) at three places and Alee (a.s) at four places.'"

Attestation Of Hadeeth: 

It can be trusted upon.

Alee ibn Shazawya Al-Moaddab: He is of the Sheikhs of Al-Sadooq and he sends blessings on him very often and this is enough for his trustworthiness. It is correct that sending blessing once or twice is not a proof of trustworthiness and greatness, however when a scholar sends blessings on a narrator of his Sheikhs, it would be considered of the signs of goodness of that narrator and his praiseworthiness. As for those narrators that the great scholars send blessings upon them very often, they are of a very high status.

Ahmad ibn Harun Al-Qadhi: He is also of the Sheikhs of Al-Sadooq and of those upon whom he sends blessings very often.

Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari: He is of the great Sheikhs of this creed. Al-Najashi says: He is trustworthy and a great scholar. He has written letters to Sahib Al-Amr (ajf) and has asked him about Islamic rulings.

His father: He is Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari, of the greatest Sheikhs of this creed. He used to exchange letters with the Sahib Al-Amr (ajf). Al-Najashi says: Sheikh of the scholars of Qom and their significant scholar.

Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Malik Al-Fazari: His praiseworthiness has been mentioned before in the Pg. # 53.

Malik Al-Saluli: He is Hussain Al-Saluli (Al-Sakuni), Al-Fazari narrates from him and Muhammad ibn Sinan. He has not been mentioned in the books of Rijal, so his status is unknown, but because he is of the companions of Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) and on the level of the Sheikhs of Muhammad ibn Sinan, then he has not met Al-Hadi (a.s) and Al-Askari (a.s), rather he might not have witnessed the time of Al-Jawad (a.s) too, therefore it helps us to trust upon the authenticity of this Hadeeth that it has been narrated truly from the Imams (a.s).

The Sixth Path

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: And narrated to us Abul Abbas Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Ishaq Taliqani: Narrated to us Hassan bin Ismail: Narrated to us Sa'eed bin Muhammad bin Qattan: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Musa Ruyani Aboo Turab from Abdul Azeem bin Abdullah Hasani from Alee bin Hassan bin Zaid bin Hassan bin Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) that he said: Narrated to me Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ja'far from his father from his grandfather that: Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) summoned together his sons and among them was his uncle Zaid bin Alee also. Then he took out a scroll written in the hand of Alee (a.s) on the dictation of the Messenger of Allah (saw). It was written therein:

"In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise…then he narrated the tradition of the Tablet till the words: 'And they are the guided ones.' Then at the end he said: Abdul Azeem said: 'It is amazing and pitiful regarding Muhammad bin Ja'far who campaigned against the Imam (a.s) of the time although he had heard this tradition from his father.' Then he said: 'It is the secret of Allah (swt) and His religion and the religion of the angels. So mention it only to those who are worthy.'" And Sheikh Al-Sadooq has several chains to the narrations of Abdul Adhim Al-Hasani.

The Seventh Path

Al-Khazzaz: From Alee ibn Al-Hussain from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain Al-Kufi from Maysara ibn Abdullah from Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Qurashi from Muhammad ibn Sa'ad Sahib Al-Waqidi from Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Waqidi from Abi Marwan from Abi Ja'far Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) from Jabir Abdullah Al-Ansari who said: "I entered upon Faatima (s.a) and in her hand was a green tablet…" And mentions the Hadeeth.

The Eighth Path

Sheikh Al-Tusi: Aboo Muhammad Al-Faham who said: narrated to me my uncle from Abul Abbas Ahmad ibn Abdullah ibn Alee Al-Ra's from Aboo Abdullah Abdul-Rahman ibn Abdullah Al-Umari from Aboo Salama Yahya ibn Al-Mughira from his brother Muhammad ibn Al-Mughira from Muhammad ibn Sinan from our master Abi Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s) who said: My father said to Jabir ibn Abdullah: "I want to talk to you alone." Then one day he met him and said: "Tell me about the tablet that you saw in the hand of Faatima (s.a)…" And then mentions the rest of the Hadeeth.

The Ninth Path

Al-Khazzaz: Narrated to us Al-Hassan ibn Alee from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain Al-Bazufi from Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Ma'mar from Abdullah ibn Ma'bad from Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Turayf Al-Hajari from Abdul-Rahman ibn Abi Najran from Assam ibn Hamid from Ma'mar from Al-Zuhri who said: I entered upon Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) in his last illness through which he died, then a board was brought to him…then his son Muhammad (a.s) entered upon him and he talked to him for a long time and I heard him say: "Be sure to act with good manners." I said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)! If it is of the orders of Allah (swt), then it surely will happen, then to whom should we refer?"

He said: "O Aba Abdullah, to this son of mine," and he pointed to Muhammad (a.s), his son, "He is my successor and my heir and the inheritor of my knowledge and the mine of patience and the splitter of knowledge."

I said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)! What is the meaning of splitter of the knowledge (Baqir Al-Ilm)?"

He said: "The devoted of my Shi'a will gather around him, and he will split the knowledge, such a split."

Then he sent his son Muhammad (a.s) after something in the street, when Muhammad (a.s) came back, I said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)! Did you not will it to the eldest son of yours?"

He said: "O Aba Abdullah! The Imamate is not with age and older/younger, it is a covenant to us from the Messenger of Allah (saw), and that is how we found it in the Book and the Tablet."

I said:  "O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)! Then in your covenant what is the number of the successor after the him (saw)?"

He said: "We found in the Book and the Tablet written the Imamate of thirteen names with the names of their fathers and mothers."

He then said: "From the loins of Muhammad (a.s) there will be born seven successors, among them is Al-Mahdi (ajf).

Sheikh Al-Mufid says: And the narrations for those that we mentioned (i.e. the twelve Imams (a.s)) are obvious about their Imamate and miracles and their rights and their truthfulness, through the words of the Prophet (saw) in nominating them in the Hadeeth of  the Tablet.

Source: Arba'oon Hadithan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala Al-A'immah Ithna Ashar. Pg. # 142 - 155.

Attestation Of Scholars For The Hadeeth Of The Tablet:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub has narrated from Abil Jaroud from Abi Ja'far (a.s) from Jabir ibn Abdullah Al-Ansari who said: "I went to see Faatima (s.a) and there was a Tablet in front of her on which the names of the Trustees was inscribed from among her children. There were twelve of them, one being the Qa'im (ajf). Three of them were named Muhammad and four of them were named Alee."

I narrated the connected Saheeh (Authentic) narrations about this in my book Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma Fi Ithbat Al-Ghaybah Wa Kashf Al-Hira and I did not narrate them here, because I dedicated this book for the Fiqh matters only. And Allah (swt) leads to what is right and He is the One from Whom we seek reward.

Source:  Man Laa Yahduruhu Al-Faqih. Vol. 4, Pg. # 136, # 5408.

Mirza Muhammad Taqi Al-Isfahani:

And among the narrations is the Hadeeth of the Tablet, which has been narrated through reliable chains in Usool Al-Kafi and Kamaaluddin and other reliable books.

Source: Mikyaal Al-Makaarim. Vol. 2, Pg. # 144.

Al-Karajaki:

And among the narrations is the Hadeeth of the Tablet which is known and famous that the Shi'a have consensus about it and there is no difference of opinion about it.

Source: Al-Istinsaar. Pg. # 18.

Al-Nabati Al-Amali:

This leaflet has been narrated through more than forty men. They have been mentioned by the author of Uyoon Al-Ridha with their names and the names of their fathers. Among them is the noble Sheikh Aboo Ja'far Al-Tusi through his narrators and Al-Sheikh Aboo Ja'far Muhammad ibn Alee through his narrators and among them is Muhammad ibn Musa Al-Mutawakkil through his narrators and among them is Muhammad ibn Ibraheem Al-Taliqaani through his narrators and among them is Al-Falaki through his chain of narrators from Al-Sadiq (a.s).

Source: Al-Siraat Al-Mustaqeem. Vol. 2, Pg. # 138.

Sheikh Al-Kurani:

Hadeeth of the Tablet, it is a magnificent Hadeeth and it is one of the miracles of our Prophet (saw) and it is a book that Allah (swt) has sent down to the Prophet (saw) through Jibra'eel in a green Tablet made of emerald, written with a bright light, and in it there is mention of the graces of Allah (swt) for his Messenger (saw) and advising him to thank Allah(swt) for them, especially for dedicating the authority and Imamate in his descendants and that there is resemblance in this with what Allah (swt) has revealed to his Messenger Musa (a.s) and Isa (a.s).

Source: Al-Haqq Al-Mubin. Pg. # 368.

Al-Majlisi I:

It has been narrated through Mustafidh chains by Muhammad ibn Ya'qoob and Al-Sadooq and others from Abi Basir from Abi Abdullah (a.s) who said: "My father (a.s) said to Jabir ibn Abdullah Al-Ansari:…"

Source: Rawdhatul Muttaqeen. Vol. 11, Pg. # 6.

Sheikh Hurr Al-Ameli:

And Hadeeth of the Tablet that Allah (swt) sent down in written form from the heaven and then Jabir copied it from the hands of Faatima (s.a), and his writings contained the names of the Imams (a.s) and their reports and their appointment as Imams (a.s), and Imams (a.s) wrote from him as well and that Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) matched the writing of Jabir with his own, it is not possible to deny it and there is no doubt about it.  

Source: Al-Fawa'id Al-Tusiyyah. Pg. # 243.

Sheikh Vahid Khorasani:

There are many authentic traditions and Mutawatir reports that stipulate the divine leadership of the Twelve Imams (a.s) from our sources. It suffices to study their transmission to the infallibles (a.s) due to its continuous transmission [Tawatur]. In this concise work we will only mention two  transmissions of the tradition known as the tradition of the Tablet.

It has been transmitted with many chains of transmissions by the greatest experts of traditions. Some of these are reliable:

The First Transmission:

The report of Sheikh Al-Ṣadooq from Imam Muḥammad Al-Baqir (a.s), on the authority of Jabir ibn Abd Allah Al-Ansari saying: "I entered the presence of Faatima (s.a) while a tablet was in front of her which contained the names of the successors from her progeny. I counted them to be twelve, the last being Al-Qa'im. There were three named Muhammad and four Alee, may the blessings of Allah (swt) be upon them all.

The Second Transmission:

This transmission contains prophecies of the unseen. The content of this tradition prove it to be issued from the infallible. The greatest of our experts in traditions have reported it, like Sheikh Al-Sadooq, Sheikh Al-Mufid and Sheikh Al-Tusi, may Allah (swt) increase their status. They have reported it on the authority of Abd Al-Rahman ibn Salim, on the authority of Aboo Basir from Al-Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) saying: "My father (a.s) said to Jabir ibn Abd Allah Al-Ansari:…"

Source: Muqqadimatu Fi Usool Al-Deen. Vol. 1, Pg. # 201 - 202.

Mirza Noori Tabarsi:

And it has been narrated through Istifiadha (i.e. extensively narrated) in the Hadeeth of the Tablet, rather it has been narrated through abstract Tawatur from Jabir and that he has reported it to Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) that he has seen it in the presence of Al-Sideeqah Al-Tahira (s.a) and that Allah (swt) has given it as a gift to His Messenger (saw) and in it the names of his successors are mentioned.

Source: Al-Najm Al-Thaqib. Vol. 1, Pg. # 219.

Hadeeth Of Khidhr (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us my father and Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan, may Allah (swt) be pleased with them, both said: narrated to us: Sa'ad ibn Abdullah and Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari and Muhammad ibn Yahya Al-Attaar and Ahmad ibn Idrees all of them said: Narrated to us Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah Al-Barqi who said: Narrated to us Aboo Hashim Dawood ibn Al-Qasim Al-Ja'fari from Abi Ja'far the second Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s):

Sheikh Al-Tusi: Narrated a group of narrators from a group of our companions from Sheikh Al-Kulayni from a number of his people from Al-Barqi from Al-Ja'fari from Al-Jawad (a.s):

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Barqi from Aboo Hashim Dawud ibn Al-Qasim Al-Ja'fari from Aboo Ja'far Al-Thani who has said the following:

"Once Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s) came, with Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s), and he was holding the hand of Salman (r.a) for support. He entered the sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and sat down. Then a handsome and well-dressed man came. He offered the greeting of peace to Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s) who answered his greetings likewise and he sat down. He then said, 'I will ask you, O Ameer ul- Mo'mineen three questions. If you answer them I then acknowledge that the people who have acted against you in the matters of leadership after the Holy Prophet (saw), have acted against their own selves. Their actions have taken away peace from them in this world as well in the next life. Otherwise (if you cannot answer) you and those people will be the same.'

Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s), said, 'Ask whatever you like.' He said, 'Tell me about the man who sleeps. Where does his spirit go? Tell me about the man, how he remembers and forgets? Tell me about the man, how do his children become similar to the aunts and uncles?'

Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee (a.s) turned to Al-Hassan (a.s) and said, 'O Aboo Muhammad (a.s)! Answer him.' Al-Hassan (a.s), answered his questions. The man then said, 'I testify that no one deserves to be worshipped and obeyed besides Allah (swt) and I continue to testify to this fact. I testify that Muhammad (saw) is the Messenger of Allah (swt) and I continue to testify to this fact. I testify that you are the executor of the will of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and that you are the person in charge of this task with His authorization.'

He pointed out to Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) with his hand. He then said, 'I continue to testify to this fact. I testify that you are the executor of his will and the person in charge of this task by His authorization after him.'

He pointed out with his hand to Al-Hassan (a.s), Then he said, 'I continue to testify to this fact. I testify that. Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) will be the executor of the will of his brother and the person in charge of this task with His authorization after him. I testify in support of Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) that he will be the person in charge of the task of Al-Hussain (a.s). I testify that Muhammad ibn Alee will be the person in charge of the task of Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s). I testify that Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s), will be the person in charge of the task of Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s). I testify that Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) will be the person in charge of the task of Ja'far ibn Muhammad after him. 

I testify that Alee ibn Musa (a.s), will be the person in charge of the task of Musa ibn Ja'far. I testify that Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s), will be the person in charge of the task of Alee ibn Musa (a.s), after him. I testify that Alee ibn Muhammad (a.s), will be the person in charge of the task of Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) after him. I testify that Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s), will be the person in charge of the task of Alee ibn Muhammad (a.s), after him. I testify in support of a man from the children of Al-Hassan (a.s), who will not be mentioned by his Kunya (father or son of so and so) or his name until he will rise with Divine Authority and power to fill the earth with justice after its being filled with injustice. I offer you my greeting of peace O Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s), and pray to Allah (swt) to grant you blessings and holiness.' He then stood up and left.

Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) said, 'O Aboo Muhammad (a.s)! Follow him to look where he went.'  

Imam Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s) went outside to find out (and came back) and said, 'As soon as he stepped out of the Mosque I could not figure out in which direction of the earth of Allah (swt) did he disappear. Thus I have returned to Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) and informed him (what I saw).' He said, 'O Aboo Muhammad, do you know him?' I (Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s)) said, 'Allah (swt), the Messenger of Allah (saw) and Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) know best.' He said, 'He was Al-Khidhr, peace be up on him.'"

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Also Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated to me from Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan al-Saffar from Ahmad ibn Abi Abd Allah from Aboo Hashim a similar Hadeeth.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has said, "I said to Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan, 'O Aboo Ja'far, I wish this was narrated through a chain of narrators other than Ahmad ibn Abi Abd Allah.' He said, 'He narrated this to me ten years before the confusion.'"

Sheikh Al-Muhuzi: This last part is not weakening of the great and trustworthy Al-Barqi as some have mistaken, it is rather a wish from Muhammad ibn Yahya that this Hadeeth was narrated by someone who had not witnessed the minor occultation period and that is the meaning of 'confusion.' So the trustworthy Al-Saffar says to him that: "Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Barqi had narrated this Hadeeth to him before the minor occultation and the birth of Imam Al-Hujjah (ajf)."

Ayatollah Al-Khoei: Muhamamd ibn Yahya thought that the narration of Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah was after when people were confused about the issue of Imamate, because a group of people used to say that: "Al-Hassan Al-Askari (a.s) did not have a son."

And the Shi'a believed in the existence of Al-Hujjah (ajf) and that he is the Imam after his father (a.s), so Muhammad ibn Yahya wished that the narrator of this narration was someone else, i.e. someone who lived before the time of confusion, so that his narration could be news of the unseen before it happening, so Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan replied to him by saying that his narration from Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah was five years before the birth of Al-Qa'im (ajf), and that way there is nothing in the narration that slanders Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah at all.

Grading Of Hadeeth:

It is Saheeh (Authentic), and its narrators are great scholars of the creed.

Attestation of Hadeeth:

Ahmad ibn Muhammad Al-Barqi is trustworthy by consensus.

Dawood ibn Al-Qasim Al-Ja'fari is Aboo Hashim, he is trustworthy and a great and respectable scholar according to Al-Najashi and Al-Tusi.

Al-Najashi says: Dawood ibn Al-Qasim ibn Ishaq ibn Abdullah ibn Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, Aboo Hashim Al-Ja'fari, may Allah (swt) bless his soul, he held a great position by the A'immah (a.s), and was greatly revered; he is trustworthy.

And Al-Sheikh Al-Tusi says: He was of the people of Baghdad, owner of a high position, and greatly revered by the Aimmah (a.s) and he has met a group of them: Al-Ridha (a.s), Al-Jawaad (a.s), Al-Hadi (a.s) and Al-Askari (a.s) and Sahib Al-Amr (ajf) and he has narrated from all of them and he was revered by the governor.

Besides that, Al-Barqi is not the only person who has narrated this narration, Aboo Ja'far Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Shalmaghani has reported it as well and also Yusuf ibn Abi Hammad has narrated it from Al-Sadiq (a.s).

The later Tabari: And narrated to me Abul Mufaddal Muhammad ibn Abdullah from Aboo Najm Badr ibn Al-Tabaristani from Aboo Ja'far Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) who said: "It has been narrated from Abi Ja'far the second (a.s) that Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) once came, Aboo Muhammad Al-Hassan (a.s) and Salman Al-Farsi (r.a) were accompanying him…

Alee ibn Ibraheem: From his father from Yusuf ibn Abi Hammad from Abi Abdullah Al-Sadiq (a.s) narrates likewise.

Alee ibn Ibraheem is the great, trustworthy and revered scholar by consensus and the chief of jurisprudents, Al-Khoei opines that all the narrators of his Tafsir are trustworthy. His father is Ibraheem ibn Hashim, is a great scholar as well.

Yusuf ibn Abi Hammad: I could not find any specific biography for him, however it is easy to find it out, he is from the generation of the companions of Al-Sadiq (a.s) and Al-Kadhim (a.s), so what he has narrated can not happen except that it should be through Al-Thaqalayn.

Source: Arba'oon Hadithan Mu'tabaran. Pg. # 69 - 72.

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani:

Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah bin Younus Al-Moossili narrated from Muhammad bin Ja'far from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Khalid from Aboo Hashim Dawood bin Al-Qassim Al-Ja'fari that Imam Aboo Ja'far Muhammad bin Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) had narrated from his fathers (a.s): One day Ameer ul-Mo'mineen came with his son Al-Hassan (a.s) and Salman Al-Farsi (r.a) where Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) was leaning on Salman's (r.a) hand. They came into the mosque and sat down. A handsome and neat man came, greeted Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s)!" and sat before him. He said: "O Ameer ul-Mo'mineen, I want to ask you three questions." Ameer ul-Mo'mineen said: "Ask whatever you like."

The man said: "Would you tell me if man sleeps where his soul goes to? How does man remember and forget? How do man's children look like their uncles; their father's brothers and mother's brothers?"

Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) turned to his son Al-Hassan (a.s) and said to him: "O Aboo Muhammad (a.s), answer him!"

Imam Al-Hassan (a.s) said to the man: "As for your question that when man sleeps where to his soul goes, his soul is hanging in the air until he moves during his wake, so when Allah (swt) permits that that soul is to go back to the body, the soul attracts the air to settle in its body but if Allah (swt) does not permit that soul to get back to that body, the air will attract the soul away from the body until the Day of Resurrection.

But as for what you asked about remembering and forgetting, the heart of man has been created to comply with the truth and there is a cover on the truth. If he prays to Allah (swt) to have blessing upon Muhammad (saw) and his family in a perfect way, that cover will be removed from upon the truth and the heart will shine, then one will remember what he has forgotten but if he does not pray to Allah (swt) to have blessing upon Muhammad (saw) and his family or his prayer is imperfect, the cover will get closed on the truth and the heart will be dark and then he will forget what he has remembered.

As about a newborn baby that looks like the uncles, if a man goes to bed with his wife with a calm heart, tranquil nerves and undisturbed body, his sperm will settle inside the womb and the baby will look like either its father or its mother. If a man goes to bed with his wife with upset heart, unquiet nerves and disturbed body, the sperm also will upset and fall on some veins. If it falls on a vein of the father's brothers, the baby will look like the father's brothers and if it falls on a vein of the mother's brothers, the baby will look like the mother's brothers."

The man said: "I witness that there is No God but Allah (swt) and I will keep on that. I witness that Muhammad (saw) is the messenger of Allah (swt) and I will keep on that." 

(He pointed to Imam Alee (a.s) with his hand and said): "I witness that you are the guardian of the messenger of Allah (saw) and the successor of his authority and I will keep on it." 

(He pointed to Imam Al-Hassan (a.s)) and said: "I witness that you are his guardian and the successor of his authority and I will keep on it;

"I witness that Al-Hussain bin Alee is his (Al-Hassan's (a.s)) guardian and the successor of his authority and I will keep on that. 

I witness that Alee bin Al-Hussain (a.s) is the guardian of Al-Hussain (a.s). 

I witness that Muhammad bin Alee (a.s) is the guardian of Alee bin Al-Hussain (a.s). 

I witness that Ja'far (a.s) is the guardian of Muhammad (bin Alee(a.s)). 

I witness that Musa (a.s) is the guardian of Ja'far (a.s). I witness that Alee (bin Musa (a.s)) is the guardian of Musa (a.s). 

I witness that Muhammad (bin Alee bin Musa (a.s)) is the guardian of Alee (bin Musa (a.s)). 

I witness that Alee (bin Muhammad (a.s)) is the guardian of Muhammad (a.s). I witness that Al-Hassan (a.s) is the guardian of Alee (a.s) and I witness that a man from among the offspring of Al-Hussain (a.s), who is not named or surnamed until he appears by the will of Allah (swt) to spread justice all over the earth after it has been filled with injustice and oppression, is the guardian of Al-Hassan bin Alee (a.s). Peace, mercy and blessing of Allah (swt) be upon you, O Ameer ul-Mo'mineen."

Then he left. Then Ameer ul-Mo'mineen said to Imam Al-Hassan (a.s): "O Aboo Muhammad (a.s)! Follow after him and see where he goes to!" Imam Al-Hassan (a.s) said: "I followed after him, but since he put his leg out of the gate of the mosque I could not know where he disappeared. I came back and told Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s)." He said to me: "O Aboo Muhammad (a.s), do you know who he is?" I said: "No, Allah (swt), His messenger (saw) and Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) are more aware." He said: "He is Al-Khidhr (a.s)."

Source: Al-Ghaybah Al-Nu'mani. Pg. # 39 - 41.

Objections Against This Narration:

Some people have tried to cast doubt on this narration with some irrelevant speculations and guesswork, suggesting that the names of the twelve Imams (a.s) is a later addition in this Hadeeth and that it may be a fabrication of Alee ibn Ibraheem who is one of the narrators between Al-Kulayni and Al-Barqi. This is because Al-Barqi has not mentioned the number and the names of the twelve Imams (a.s) in his own book Al-Mahasin, where he has recorded this narration from Aba Hashim Al-Ja'fari.

Response:

Firstly, let us present what Al-Barqi has narrated in his own book and then we shall Insha 'Allah Ta'ala check if what these people have speculated are relevant objections or not.  

Al-Barqi:

From him, from his father, from Aboo Hashim Al Ja'fari, raising the Hadeeth, said, Aboo Abdullah (a.s) said: Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (saw) entered the Masjid and with him (a.s) was Al-Hassan (a.s). A man came up and greeted him (a.s), so he returned it with a similar greeting. So he said, "O Ameer ul-Mo'mineen! I have come to ask you." So he (a.s) said: "Ask." He said, "Inform me about the man when he sleeps, where does his soul go to? – And about the male born who resembles his father, how does that happen? – and about the remembrance and the forgetfulness, how do they come to be?"

The Imam (a.s) added then Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) looked towards Al-Hassan (a.s) and said: "Answer him." So Al-Hassan (a.s) said: "When the man sleeps, his soul meets with the winds, and the winds meet up with the atmosphere. So when Allah (azwj) Intends to Capture his soul, the atmosphere attracts the wind, and the wind attracts the soul. And when Allah (azwj) Intends to Return it in its place, the soul attracts the wind, and the wind attracts the atmosphere. Thus it returns to its place.

And as for the male born who resembles his father, so it is when the man comes to his wife with a tranquil heart, and a body which is not restless, the seed occurs in the womb, therefore the child resembles its father. But when he comes to her with a concerned heart and a restless body, so the seed occurs in the womb. So if it occurs upon a vein from the veins of his paternal uncles, the boy would resemble his paternal uncle, and if it occurs upon a vein from the veins of his maternal uncles, the boy would resemble his maternal uncle.

And as for the remembrance and the forgetfulness. So, for the heart there are layers upon it. So when Allah (azwj) Intends that the heart should remember, a layer drops off, so it remembers."

So the man said: "I testify that there is No God except for Allah (swt) with no associates to Him; and I testify that Muhammad (saw) is His servant and His Rasool; and I testify that your father Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) is a successor of Muhammad (saw), truly, truly; and I will not stop saying it. And I testify that you are his successor; and I testify that Al-Hussain (a.s) is your successor," until he mentioned the last of them (a.s). So he (the narrator) said, "I said to Aboo Abdullah (a.s), 'So who was the man?' The Imam (a.s) said: 'Al-Khidhr (a.s).'"

Source: Al-Mahasin. Vol. 1, Pg. # 59 - 60, H. # 99.

As evidenced, Al-Barqi narrates this narration in the chapter of Ilal of his book (i.e. chapter of reasons for different things), so it is only natural to use just the first part of the narration which is relevant to the subject of that specific chapter of his book. Similarly, Sheikh Al-Kulayni shortens the first part of the Hadeeth that Al-Barqi has mentioned here, but then narrates the second part of the Hadeeth in complete form which contains the names of the Imams (a.s) in a chapter where he presents narrations about the appointment of the Twelve Imams (a.s). However, Sheikh Al-Sadooq and Al-Nu'mani present the narration in its full length in both their books of which are dedicated for the topic of Al-Ghaybah.

Besides that, we see that the chain is different. Al-Barqi here narrates it from his father from Aba Hashim Al-Ja'fari and he narrates it without a chain from Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s), i.e. in the  Marfu manner, whereas the narrations of Sheikh Al-Kulayni, Sheikh Al-Sadooq, Al-Nu'mani and others the chain is from Al-Barqi from Aba Hashim Al-Ja'fari from Imam Al-Jawaad (a.s). We can present several possibilities for this difference. It could be possible that the narration from Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) that Aba Hashim has narrated, he could have heard it from his companions and he has narrated it to the father of Al-Barqi and Al-Barqi then has recorded it in his book, then Aba Hashim has presented the narration of Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) to Imam Al-Jawaad (a.s) who then has given him the full account of the event and then Al-Barqi himself has heard it from Aba Hashim and hence the difference between the version of Al-Barqi in Al-Mahasin with the version that other scholars have narrated from Al-Barqi in their books.

The following chart shows that at least ten narrators have narrated this Hadeeth from Al-Barqi and most of them are famous and trustworthy scholars, which leaves no doubt that Al-Barqi has definitely narrated it with mention of the names of the Twelve Imams (a.s).

Another important issue is that Al-Barqi has narrated this Hadeeth to some of his students and companions before the occultation as the great and trustworthy Sheikh Al-Saffar says to Muhammad ibn Yahya Al-Attar that he has heard it from Al-Barqi ten years before the occultation, i.e. around the year 250 A.H. which was during the Imamate of Imam Al-Hadi (a.s) and before the Imamate of Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and the birth of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf).   

Aba Hashim Al-Ja'fari passed away in the year 261 A.H. and he was apparently imprisoned in the year 252 A.H. and several times after that, which gives rise to another possibility for the version of the Hadeeth that has been recorded in the book Al-Mahasin. It shows that Al-Barqi obviously has not recorded the names of the Twelve Imams (a.s) in his book because of Taqiyyah in order to not endanger the lives of Imam Al-Jawaad (a.s), Imam Al-Hadi (a.s), Imam Al-Askari (a.s) and his successor Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf). Given the situation back then, this possibility is more likely than the others we mentioned previously, particularly when we know that Al-Barqi started compiling the book Al-Mahasin a long time before his death in the year 274 A.H. or 280 A.H. Al-Mahasin is not a book, it is rather a series of books and Al-Barqi has added severel times other books to it. This is why we find some scholars had possession of more parts of Al-Mahasin than others as Sheikh Al-Tusi mentions. Hence, Al-Barqi has not recorded the Hadeeth in its full length in his own book Al-Mahasin due to Taqiyyah for himself, Aba Hashim and the Imams (a.s) of their time, but he has narrated it safely to his trustworthy companions like Al-Saffar and maybe others as well before the occultation and he has continued narrating it after the occultation for his other younger students and Shi'a narrators like Muhammad ibn Yahya Al-Attar and others.

During the time that Aba Hashim was in prison, i.e. from the year 252 A.H. onwards, Imam Al-Askari (a.s) was also imprisoned several times and he narrated several narrations from the Imam (a.s) during this period. Some of those narrations will be presented later, which show that he was definitely a Twelver, like Al-Barqi and other scholars who have narrated and recorded this Hadeeth.

The person who has raised this objection has presumed that this narration is the only authentic narration by the standards of the Twelvers and claimed such, as if the entire Twelver creed depends on this one narration, which is of course far from reality, particularly with the narrations we have already presented. Besides that, we have already mentioned in previous episodes of this article that "Saheeh" according to our early scholars is different from the "Saheeh" according to the new definition by scholars after Allamah Al-Hilli (Died 726 A.H.). Scholars before him like Al-Sadooq, Al-Nu'mani and Al-Kulayni considered their narrations authentic in regards to the twelve Imams (a.s) as we have mentioned before and quoted some of them, and they lived before Al-Najashi and Al-Tusi whose books of Rijal have become the main source for authenticating narrations for the later scholars. So it is illogical to assume that the early Twelvers were desperate to fabricate a "Saheeh" narration fulfilling the criteria that didn't even exist yet!!! a narration that contains the names of all the twelve Imams, because as mentioned earlier, they had different criteria and conditions for accepting narrations such as, Istifadha, Tawatur, Shuhra, being narrated in one or more reliable Asl etc.

It is also worth mentioning that Sheikh Al-Tusi himself did not hold much on to his own weakening of narrators, and this is why we often see him using the narrations of people he himself had weakened in his Rijal books, since they would use other criteria for accepting or rejecting narrations wherein validating the narrators played just a tiny role usually applied when narrations contradicted each other etc. If all those other narrations that our opponents try to deem weak were fabricated by early Shi'a scholars, they could easily have fabricated narrations with chains that contained no unknown or weak narrators. Nevertheless, we have already discussed the flaws of this narrow-minded methodology previously and do not wish to repeat it.

In conclusion, we can say that the Hadeeth of Khidhr (a.s) is highly authentic, both by its old and new definition and the Twelver Shi'a do not need entirely "Saheeh" (Authentic) chains to prove their belief in twelve Imams (a.s), for there are Mutawatir narrations which contain their names, which obviates the need to check every single chain. This fact is not based on solitary chains that can shake the beliefs of the Twelvers. The opponents are only fooling themselves, since this narration is just one among many others which contains the names of all twelve Imams (a.s).

Designation Of Each Imam By The Previous Imam (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

It has been narrated Saheeh (Authentic) reports through strong chains that the Messenger of Allah (saw) delivered his will by the command of Allah Almighty to Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) delivered the will to Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hassan (a.s) delivered the will to Al-Hussain (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) delivered the will to Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) and Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) delivered the will to Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) and Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) delivered the will to Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) and Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) delivered the will to Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) and Musa ibn Ja'far delivered the will to his son Alee ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s) and Alee ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s) delivered the will to his son Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) and Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) delivered the will to his son Alee ibn Muhammad (a.s) and Alee ibn Muhammad (a.s) delivered the will to his son Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s) and Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s) delivered the will to his son Hujjatullah Al-Qa'im Bil Haqq who even if it remains only one day from this world, Allah (swt) would lengthen that day until he (ajf) rises and fills the earth with justice and equity as it is filled with tyranny and oppression, blessings of Allah (swt) be upon him and all his pure forefathers.

Source: Man Laa Yahduruhu Al-Faqih. Vol. 4, Pg. # 134.

Designation Of Imam Alee (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Al-Walid - may God be pleased with him narrated that Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Al-Saffar quoted Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain ibn Abil-Khattab and Ya'qoob ibn Yazid, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Sinan, on the authority of Ma'ruf ibn Kharboz, on the authority of Abil Tufayl Amir ibn Wasila, on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn Asyad Al-Qaffari, "When God's Prophet (saw) returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage we were with him. When we reached Al-Juhfa, the Prophet (saw) ordered his companions to relax. Then the people all settled down. Then they said the call to prayer and the Prophet (saw) said two units of prayers with his companions. Then the Prophet (saw) turned towards them and told them, "The Graceful, the All-Aware has informed me that I will die and so shall you. Assume that I have answered God’s call. I am held responsible to God regarding what I have delivered to you. Verily, I am leaving behind God's Book and His Proof. You are held responsible for them. What would you tell your Lord?" They said, "We will say that you fulfilled your mission, gave us advice, and strived. May God grant you the best reward on our behalf."

Then the Prophet (saw) asked them, "Don't you bear witness that there is no God but One; that I am God's Prophet sent to you; that Paradise does exist; that Hell does exist; and that there is resurrection after death?" They replied, "We bear witness to this."

The Prophet (saw) said, "May God bear witness to what you say. I take you as witnesses and bear witness that God is my Master. I am the Master of all Muslims. Is it not true that my Mastery over the believers is more than that of their own mastery over themselves? Do you believe in this? Will you bear witness to this?" They replied, "We bear witness to this." Then the Prophet (saw) said, "Whoever I am the Master of, Alee (a.s) is the Master of."

Then he grabbed Alee's (a.s) hand and raised it up along with his own hand in such a way that both their underarms could be seen. Then the Prophet (saw) said, "O my God! Please be the friend of his friends and be the enemy of his enemies. Assist whoever assists him, and abandon whoever abandons him. I shall leave and you will meet me again at the Heavenly Pool later. That is a Pool whose width expands from Bosri to San'a. There are as many silver goblets in it as there are stars in the sky. Then I shall question you about what you bear witness to today when I meet you at my pool. I will ask you what you did with the Two Heavy Things (Ath-Thaqalayn) and how you dealt with what I left behind when you meet me."

They said, "O Messenger of God! What are the Two Heavy Things?"

The Prophet (saw) said, "The greater of the Two Heavy Things is the Book of the Honorable the Exalted God. It is a means that is extended from God and I towards you. One side of it is in the Hand of God and the other side is in your hands. The knowledge of the past and what is yet to come up until the arrival of the Hour is in it. And the smaller of the Two Heavy Things is equal to the Holy Qur'aan: It is Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and his Household. These Two will be inseparable until they come to me at the Heavenly Pool."

Ma'ruf ibn Kharboz said, "I quoted this for Abi Ja'far Al-Baqir (a.s). Then the Imam (a.s) said, "Abil Tufayl has told the truth. May God have Mercy upon him. We have seen this in Alee's (a.s) book and we know it."

Footnote: narrated in Al-Khisal: 65 and its chain is of the most authentic chains, and he has narrated it through other Saheeh (Authentic) chains as well.

Al-Himyari: Al-Sindi ibn Muhammad from Safwan Al-Jammal who said: Aboo Abdullah (a.s) said: When this Verse was Revealed with the Wilayah, Rasool-Allah (saw) ordered for a Pulpit – Pulpit at Ghadeer Khumm – So he arose, then called for the congregational Prayer, then said: "Whoever I am the Master of, so Alee (a.s) is his Master, haven't I more authority than you on yourselves?" They said, "Yes." He (saw) said: "So whoever I am the Master of, so Alee (a.s) is his Master, O my Lord! Befriend the one who befriends him and be Inimical to the one who is inimical to him." Then he (saw) ordered the people to pledge their allegiances to Alee (a.s), and the people did pledge their allegiances. And there did not come anyone except that he pledged his allegiance, and did not speak (argue), until there came Zufar (i.e. Aboo Bakr). So he (saw) said to him: "O Zufar (i.e. Aboo Bakr)! Pledge allegiance to Alee (a.s) upon Wilayah." So he said, "(Is this order) from Allah (azwj) or from His Rasool (saw)?" So he (saw) said: "(Yes, it is) from Allah (azwj)  and His Rasool (saw)." Then Habtar (i.e. Umar) came up, so he (saw) said: "Pledge allegiance to Alee (a.s) upon Wilayah." So he said, "(Is this order) from Allah (azwj) or His Rasool (saw)?" So he (saw) said: "(Yes, it is) from Allah (azwj) and from His  Rasool (saw)."

Footnoote: Narrated in Qurb Al-Isnaad: 57, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars. It has been narrated also in Tafseer of Al-Ayyashi through Safwan.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from his father from Al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather, Al-Hassan ibn Rashid who has said the following: I once asked Aboo Abd Allah (a.s), saying, "I pray to Allah (swt) to keep my soul in service for your cause, are there other Eids for the Muslims besides the two Eids?" The Imam (a.s) replied, "Yes, O Hassan, there is a greater and more important Eid than these." I then asked, "When is such an Eid?" He replied, "It is the day when Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (Alee (a.s)) was appointed as the banner and lighthouse for people…"


Footnote: Narrated in Al-Kafi, 4/148: and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), and Sayyed Al-Khoei has authenticated all of the narrations of Al-Qasim from his grandfather, because of the authentication of Sheikh Al-Sadooq his narrations in the chapter of Ziyarah, he has rather mentioned that that Ziyarah is the most authentic Ziyaraat for him in its narration. [Man Laa Yahduruhu Al-Faqih: 2/90, Tahdheeb Al-Ahkaam: 4/305] and the narrations about this are many, you can refer to Wasa'il Al-Shi'a: 10/440 chapters of fasting, No. 14.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Hafiz from Aboo Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Hassani from Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Khalaf from Sahl ibn Amir from Zafir ibn Sulayman from Shareek from Abi Is'haq who said: I said to Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s): "What is the meaning of the statement of the Prophet (saw): 'Whoever I am the Master of, so Alee (a.s) is his Master?' He (a.s) said: 'He (saw) informed them that he (i.e Alee (a.s) is the Imam after him (saw).'"

Footnote: Narrated in Amali of Sheikh Al-Sadooq: 185, and its chain is Hasan (Good), Al-Alawi is trustworthy and famous, father of Abi Qiraat and ibn Khalaf, about him Al-Khatib says: He is trustworthy and reliable in his narrations and Sahl ibn Amir has been mentioned by ibn Hibban in Al-Thuqaat. Also has been narrated in Ma'aani Al-Akhbaar: 65.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 381 - 383.

Designation Of Imam Al-Hassan (a.s) And Al-Hussain (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us my father: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hussain bin Sa'eed from Hammad bin Isa from Ibraheem Umar Yamani from Abi Tufail from Abi Ja'far  (a.s.) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s): "Write down what I dictate to you." Alee (a.s) said: "O Prophet of  Allah (saw), do you fear that I will forget?" He replied: "No, I am not worried about your forgetfulness. I had prayed to Allah (swt) to make you remember and protect you from forgetfulness. But you write down for your partners." Alee (a.s) asked: "Who are my partners, O Prophet of Allah (saw)?" The Prophet (saw) said: "The Imams from your progeny through whom my Ummah will get rain. Through whom their supplications will be accepted and through whom Allah (swt) will ward off calamities from them and through them mercy will descend from the heavens." Then he pointed to Hassan (a.s) and said: "He shall be the first." Then he gestured to Hussain (a.s) and said: "(The other) Imams shall be from his progeny."

Footnote: Narrated in Kamaluddin: 206, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, and Abul Tufayl has narrated from Imam Al-Baqir (a.s) as in several other occasions, also in Al-Imamah and Al-Tabsira: 54, in Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 187, IIal Al-Sharia: 208, Amali Sheikh Al-Sadooq: 485, Amali of Sheikh Al-Tusi: 441, No. 989.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Al-Hussain ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Al-Washsha from Aban from Zurara who has said the following: "I heard Aboo Ja'far (a.s) say, 'We are twelve A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority). Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s), are of them. Thereafter A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority) are from the descendents of Al-Hussain (a.s).'"

Footnote: Narrated in Al-Kafi: 1/533, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic).

Sheikh Al-Tusi: Narrated to us Ahmad ibn Abdoon fron ibn Abi Zubayr Al-Qurashi from Alee ibn Al-Hassan ibn Fadhal from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Zurara from someone who narrated to him from Amr ibn Shimr from Jabir from Abi Ja'far (a.s) who said: This is the will of Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) to Al-Hassan (a.s) and it is a copy of the book of Sulaym ibn Qays that Aban has narrated and has read for him, Aban said: "And I recited it for Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s)," so he (a.s) said: "Sulaym has said the truth, may Allah (swt) bless his soul." Sulaym said: "I witnessed the will of Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) when he willed to Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) and Muhammad and all of his children and the heads of the Shi'a and his family witnessed it. He (a.s) said: My son, the Messenger of Allah (saw) commanded me to entrust you with my directive will and to deliver to you my Books, and my Armament…"

Footnote: Narrated in Al-Ghaybah of Sheikh Al-Tusi: 194, Al-Kafi: 1/297 from Sulaym and it has an addition that will be mentioned later. Man Laa Yahdhuruhu Al-Faqih: 4/189, Tahdheeb Al-Ahkaam: 9/176, Book of Sulaym ibn Qays: 444.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Alee ibn Al-Hakam from Sayf ibn Amira from Aboo Bakr Al-Hadrami who has said that Al-Ajlah, Salama ibn Kuhayl, Dawud ibn Aboo Yazid and Zayd Al-Yamami have narrated from Shahr ibn Hawshab who has said the following: "When (Ameer ul-Mo'mineen) Alee (a.s), was about to leave for Kufa, he left in Umm Salama's (r.a) trust his books and his will. When Al-Hassan (a.s), returned to Madinah she delivered all of them to him."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/298, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, as the Messenger of Allah (saw) entrusted to Umm Salama (r.a) some books, then Alee (a.s) received them from her, as mentioned before.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Alee ibn Al-Hakam from Sayf from Aboo Bakr from Aboo Abd Allah (a.s), who has said the following: "When (Ameer ul-Mo'mineen) Alee (a.s), was about to leave for Kufa he left in Umm Salama's (r.a) trust his books and his will. When Al-Hassan (a.s), returned to Madinah she delivered all of them to him."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/298, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.  

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 437 - 439.

Designation of Imam Alee Ibn Al-Hussain, Zain Al-Abideen (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain, both of them from Muhammad ibn Isma'eel ibn Bazi from Mansur ibn Yunus from Aboo Al-Jarud who has said the following: "I heard Aboo Ja'far (a.s), say, "Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has commanded people to fulfill five obligations. They have undertaken the responsibility for four of these obligations but they have ignored one." The narrator has said, "I asked the Imam (a.s), May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause, will you please, describe them for me?" The Imam (a.s) said, "The Prayer is one of such obligations. People did not know how to perform the Prayer. Jibra'eel (Gabriel) descended and said, 'O Muhammad, explain to them the timing for the Prayer.' Then the command to pay Zakat came. Jibra'eel then said, 'O Muhammad, explain to them how to pay Zakat as you have explained to them about the Prayer.' Then the command to fast came. The Messenger of Allah (saw) would send information to the nearby towns and would ask people to fast on the day of 'Ashura' (tenth of the month of Muharram) and people would fast on that day. Then the month of Ramadhan came between the month of Sha'ban and Shawwal. Thereafter came the command for Hajj. Jibra'eel descended and said to the Holy Prophet (saw), 'Explain to them the rules of Hajj as you have explained to them about the Prayer, Zakat and Fasting.'

Thereafter came the command in the verse about the people who possess Divine Authority. It came to him on Friday, the Day of Arafa on the ninth of the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent the following verse of the Holy Qur'aan: '...On this day I have perfected your religion, completed My favours to you, and chosen Islam as your religion...' (5:3). The perfection of religion came about with the declaration of the fact that Alee ibn Aboo Talib (a.s), possessed Divine Authority over the people. The Messenger of Allah (saw) then said at that time, 'My followers have lived very close to the age of darkness and ignorance. When I speak of the Divine Authority of my nephew, one says this and one says that. I say this to myself in my soul without speaking it out with my tongue. Then the decisive command of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, came in which He had warned me of punishment for not preaching to people about the Divine Authority (of Alee). And then the following verse of the Holy Qur'aan was sent: 'O Messenger, preach what is revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not preach, it will be as though you have not conveyed My message. Allah protects you from men. He does not guide the unbelieving people.' (5:67). The Messenger of Allah (saw) then holding the hand of Alee (a.s) raised it up high and said, 'O people, there had lived no prophet before me whom Allah (swt) would not cause to become old. After such age Allah (swt) would call them to die. I may be called to die any time very soon but would remain responsible as well as you. What then would you say?' They replied, 'We will testify and say that you preached, gave good advice and fulfilled your responsibilities. May Allah (swt) grant you the best of the rewards that He has granted to the messengers.'

He (the Holy Prophet (saw)) then said, 'O Lord, bear testimony.' He said so three times. Then he said, 'O the community of the Muslims, this is the person who possesses Divine Authority over you after me. Those of you present here must inform about this declaration to those who are absent from here.' Aboo Ja'far (a.s), has said, 'I swear by Allah (swt), that Alee (a.s), was the guardian of the trust of Allah (swt) in His creature, the guardian of His secrets and religion which He has chosen for Himself. Then the Holy Prophet (saw) experienced what is to be experienced and called Alee (a.s), near and said, 'O Alee (a.s), I want to appoint and entrust you with that which Allah (swt) has entrusted me of His secrets, His knowledge, His creatures and His religion which He has chosen for Himself.' The Imam (a.s) then said, 'O Ziyad, I swear by Allah (swt) that no one besides Alee (a.s), had any share in it (appointed as Divine Authority over the people). Alee (a.s), thereafter experienced what was to be experienced (the time of his leaving this world). He then called his children who numbered twelve sons. He said to them, 'My children, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has decided to place in me the noble tradition that He had placed in Jacob (Ya'qoob). Jacob called all of his children who numbered twelve sons and he informed them about (the status of) their companion (brother, Joseph). Please note that I also want to inform you about your companion. These two, Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s), recipients of divine supreme covenant, are the children of the Messenger of Allah (saw). You must listen to them, obey and support them. I have entrusted them with that which the Messenger of Allah (saw) had entrusted me in the matters of the creatures of Allah (swt), His secrets and His religion, which He has chosen for Himself. Allah (swt) has made of the responsibility of Alee (a.s) towards them just like the responsibility of the Messenger of Allah (saw) towards Alee (a.s),. All of their virtuous perfection is equal except the elderliness in age. Al-Hussain (a.s), would never raise his voice in a meeting in the presence of Al-Hassan (a.s), before he would leave the place.' Al-Hassan, then experienced (the coming of the time of his death) what is to be experienced. He delivered and submitted it (the Divine trust) all to Al-Hussain (a.s). When the time of the death of Al-Hussain (a.s), came he called his eldest daughter, Faatima and gave to her a sealed document and his publicly declared will. Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s), was ill with internal illness and they thought he was about to die. Faatima gave the document to Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s), and thereafter, I swear by Allah (swt), that document came to us.'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/290, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy and he has also narrated it through another from ibn Bazi.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 445 - 447.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Alee ibn Ri'ab from Aboo Ubayda and Zurara all from Aboo Ja'far (a.s): and Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn Isa from Hariz from Zurara from Aboo Ja'far (a.s), who has said the following: When Al-Hussain (as.), was martyred, Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiya asked Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s), for a private meeting. In the meeting he said, "O son of my brother, you know that the Messenger of Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, delivered the task of Al-Wasiyya, (the executorship of the will) and Al-Imamat, (Leadership with Divine Authority) to Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Thereafter it was delivered to Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and then to Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Your father, May Allah (swt) be pleased with him, has been murdered, may Allah (swt) grant blessing up on his soul, and he did not make any will. I am your uncle and equal in status to  your father and I am a son of Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Because of being older in age I am more deserving of the position of Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) considering that you are younger than me. Therefore, you should not dispute me about Al-Wasiyya (the will) and Imamat, (Leadership with Divine Authority) and should not argue with me about it."

Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said, "O uncle, be pious before Allah (swt) and do not claim in what you have no right. I advise you not to be one of the ignorant people. In fact, my father, recipient of divine supreme covenant, O my uncle, appointed me as the executor of his will before his leaving for Iraq. He made such covenant with me just an hour before his becoming a martyr. This is the Armament of the Messenger of Allah (saw) with me. You then should not dislocate them. I am afraid for you of a shorter life and difficult conditions. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, has placed Al-Wasiyya, and Imamat, in the descendents of Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant. If you want to know it we can go near the Black-stone and ask it for judgment about the issue."

Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has said that the issue came up between them in Makkah and they went near the Black-stone. Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said to Muhammad Al-Hanafiya, "You begin first and pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, and ask Him to make the Black-stone speak to you and then ask your question." Muhammad then pleaded in his prayer and asked Allah (swt) and then asked the Black-stone about the disputed issue, but there was no answer. Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, said, "O uncle, had you been the executor of the will and the Imam it would have answered your question." Muhammad then said, "Now you pray to Allah (swt), O son of my brother, and ask your question. Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, prayed to Allah (swt) for what he wanted. He then addressed the Black-stone and said, "I ask you for the sake of the One Who placed the covenant of the prophets in you, as well as the covenant of the executors of the will and the covenant of all the people. You must tell us who the Wasiyy and Imam after Al-Hussain ibn Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant, is."

The narrator has said that the Black-stone began to shake so much that it almost came out of its place. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, then made it to speak in clear Arabic language and said, "O Lord! Al-Wasiyya and Imamat after Al-Hussain ibn Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant, is for Alee ibn Al-Hussain ibn Alee ibn Aboo Talib and ibn Faatima, recipient of divine supreme covenant, daughter of the Messenger of Allah (saw)." 

The narrator has said that Muhammad ibn Alee returned and he acknowledged Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, to be his Wali (Leader with Divine Authority)."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/348, and its chains is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chain. Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 522, Al-Imamah Wa Al-Tabsira: 61. Mukhtasar Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 14. Dala'il Al-Imamah: 207.

Ibn Babawayh: Narrated Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Ya'qoub ibn Yazid from ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Abi Abdullah (a.s) who said: "Muhammad ibn Al-Hanafiyya did not die until he believed in Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s)."

Footnote: Narrated in Al-Imamah Wa Al-Tabsira: 60, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 450 - 452.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain and Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma'eel from Mansur ibn Yunus from Aboo Al-Jarud from Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:

"When Al-Hussain ibn Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant, was about to leave this world he called his eldest daughter Faatima, and gave her a sealed document openly before the people. It was his will. Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant, was ill with a certain internal illness and the people could see him about to die. Faatima then gave the document to Alee ibn Al-Hussain, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Thereafter, that document, by Allah (swt), came to us, O Ziyad." The narrator has said, "I asked the Imam (a.s), 'What is in that document, may Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause?'"

The Imam (a.s) said, "In it, by Allah (swt), there is all that the children of Adam (a.s) needed from the day Allah (swt) created Adam (a.s) to the end of the world. In it, by Allah (swt), there is the law of penalties and even the rules of compensation for a scratch on the body of the affected party."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/303, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, and he has narrated it also through another chain from ibn Sinan from Abil Jaroud. In Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 168, 169 through a Saheeh (Authentic) chain from ibn Abi Najraan from Abil Jaroud.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 454.

Designation of Imam Muhammad Ibn Alee Al-Baqir (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan (may Allah (swt) be pleased with him) narrated from Abdullah bin Ja'far Himyari, who narrated from Ya'qoob ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr, from Aban ibn Uthman, from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) who narrates that one day the Messenger of Allah (saw) said to Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, "You will stay alive until you meet my son Muhammad ibn Alee bin Hussain ibn Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) who is mentioned in the Torah as Al-Baqir. Give him my salutation (Salaam) when you meet him."

One day when Jabir visited Imam Zain-ul-Abideen (a.s), he saw the young boy sitting next to the Imam (a.s). He addressed the young boy and asked him to come closer and show his back. Then he proclaimed that by God, that young boy had the features and traits of the Messenger of Allah (saw). Then he asked Imam Sajjad (a.s) who the young boy was, and Imam (a.s) replied that he was his son and the successor to the Imamate and his name was Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.s). Hearing this, Jabir rose up and kissed the young Imam and said "Son of Prophet (saw), may I be taken ransom for you, accept the salutation (Salaam) of the Prophet (saw). He asked me to convey it to you." Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) states that his father burst into tears on hearing this and said, "Jabir my salutation to my grandfather until this sky and earth survives. You conveyed the Salaam of my grandfather to me so I convey my Salaam to you as well."

Footnote: narrated in Amali of Sadooq: 435, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains, and the story of Jabir conveying the Salaam of the Messenger of Allah (saw) to Al-Baqir (a.s) has been extensively narrated both through Shi'a and Sunni narrations.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 456 - 457.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Saffar: Narrate to us Muhammad bin Ahmad, from Abdul Samad Bin Basheer, from Aboo Al-Jaroud, who has said: Aboo Ja'far (a.s) having said that: Rasool Allah (saw) called Alee (a.s) during the illness in which he passed away. He (saw) said: "O Alee (a.s), listen to me until I divulge the Secret to you what Secret Allah (swt) has Divulged to me, and entrust to you what Allah (swt) has Entrusted to me." Rasool Allah (saw) did that to Alee (a.s), and he did it to Al-Hassan (a.s), and Al-Hassan (a.s) did it to Al-Hussain (a.s), and Al-Hussain (a.s) did it to my father (a.s), and my father (a.s) did it to me, may Peace be upon all of them."

Footnote: Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 397, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 460.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Himyari: Al-Hassan ibn Dhareef from his father Thareef ibn Naseh who said: I was with Al-Hussain b. Zayd and with him was his son Alee when Abul Hassan Musa b. Ja'far (a.s) passed by us, so he greeted him and carried on. So I said: "May I be your ransom, does Musa (a.s) know (or, recognise) the Qa'im of the Family of Muhammad (saw)? He said: So he said to me: "If anyone were to recognise him, it would be him." He then said: "And how is it that he would not recognise him when he has the writing of Alee b. Abi Talib (a.s) and the dictations of the Prophet (saw)." So his son Alee said: "O my father, why was that not with my forefather Zayd b. Alee?" So he said: "O my son, verily Alee b. Al-Hussain (a.s) and Muhammad b. Alee (a.s) are the masters of the people and their Imams, so, my son, your forefather Zayd adhered to his brother, and was mannered by his etiquette and was trained by his fiqh."

Footnote: Narrated in Qurb Al-Isnaad: 317, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, and Al-Hussain ibn Zayd is known as owner of the pouring tears.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 461.

Designation of Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Jabir ibn Yazid Al-Ju'fi who has said the following: A question was asked (from Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about Al-Qa'im (the twelfth Imam). He (Aboo Ja'far (a.s)) tapped (at the shoulder of) Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and said, "This, by Allah (swt), is the Qa'im (one who will establish the kingdom of Allah (swt)) of the family of Muhammad, recipient of divine supreme covenant."

Anbasa has said, When Aboo Ja'far passed away, I went to see Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and told him of what I had heard (from Jabir). The Imam (a.s) said, "Jabir has spoken the truth." He then said, "You perhaps think that every succeeding Imam after a preceding Imam is not Al-Qa'im."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/307, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains.

Ibn Babawayh: Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain ibn Abil Khattab from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurara from Abi Abdullah (a.s) who said: "Aboo Ja'far (a.s) did not pass away until the books were conveyed to me."

Footnote: Al-Imamah Wa Al-Tabsira: 65, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy. Also in Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 187, through a Saheeh (Authentic) chain.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Al-Hussain ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Al-Washsha from Aban ibn Uthman from Aboo Al-Sabbah Al-Kinani, who has said the following: Once Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, looked at Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who was walking. The Imam (a.s) asked, "Do you see this (person)? This person is of those about whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said: 'However, We have decided to grant a favour to the suppressed ones on earth by means of appointing them leaders and heirs of the land.' (28:5)."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/306, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 467.

Designation of Imam Musa Ibn Ja'far Al-Kadhim (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from his father from ibn Aboo Najran from Safwan Al-Jammal from Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, Safwan has said the following: Once Mansur ibn Hazim said to him (the Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant), "May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause, (human) souls pass through mornings and evenings and approach death, if that (your time to leave this world) comes then who (will be the Imam)?" Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, "If that happens then he is your Sahib (Imam, Leader with Divine Authority)." He tapped, I think, the right shoulder of Aboo Al-Hassan with his hand. He was five years old (or five feet tall) at that time and Abd Allah ibn Ja'far (a.s) was also present with us."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/309: and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic). Al-Ghaybah of Al-Nu'mani through another chain from Safwan.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Idris have narrated from Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Jabbar from Al-Hassan ibn Al-Hussain from Ahmad ibn Al-Hassan Al-Maythami from Fayd ibn Al-Mukhtar who has said the following: In a lengthy Hadeeth on the issues of Aboo Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has said to the narrator, "He is your Master of whom you asked. Stand up for him and acknowledge his rights." I then stood up and kissed his head and hand and prayed to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, for him. Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, "Keep in mind that permission is not given to us to speak about him to anyone before you." I (the narrator) then said to the Imam (a.s), "May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause, can I inform anyone about him?" The Imam (a.s) said, "Yes, you may inform your family (wife) and sons." With me there were my family (wife), sons and friends, and of my friends there was Yunus ibn Al-Zabyan. When I informed them they all thanked Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Yunus said, "No, by Allah (swt), I must hear that from him." He was in a hurry. He went and I followed him. When I reached the door I heard Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying to him, he had reached him before I did, "What Fayd has said to you is true." I (the narrator) then said, "I have heard it and I obey." Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, "Take him with you, O Fayd."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/309: and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and Al-Hassan ibn Al-Hussain is the trustworthy Al-Lulu'i. Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 356.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Abd Al-Jabbar from Safwan from ibn Muskan from Sulayman ibn Khaleed who has said the following: "Aboo Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, one day called Aboo Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, while we were in his presence and said to us, 'You must take hold of this man. He, by Allah (swt), will be your Master (Leader with Divine Authority) after me.'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/310, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and famous scholars.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 478 - 479.

Designation of Imam Alee Ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan, may Allah (swt) be pleased with him, from Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Al-Saffar from Ya'qoob ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr from Hamza ibn Homran that Aboo Abdullah (as-Sadiq) (a.s) said, "My grandson will be killed in the land of Khorasan in a town called Toos. On Resurrection Day, I will grab the hands of whoever visits him there recognising his rightfulness, and I will take him into Heaven even if he has committed major sins." I asked Aboo Abdullah (a.s), "May I be your ransom! What does 'recognising his rightfulness' mean?" The Imam (a.s) said, "It means to know that he is the Divine Leader who must be obeyed and that he was martyred far from homeland. Whoever visits him recognising his rightfulness shall be rewarded by God the Highest the reward of seventy martyrs who were really martyred right in front of God's Prophet (saw)."

Footnote: Man Laa Yahdhuruhu Al-Faqih: 2/584, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains. Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha (a.s): 1/290 through another Saheeh (Authentic) chain. Amali Al-Sadooq: 183.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Ahmad ibn Mihran has narrated from Muhammad ibn Alee from Al-Hussain ibn Nu'aym Al-Sahhaf: And Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Al-Hussain ibn Nu'aym Al-Sahhaf who has said the following: Hisham ibn Al-Hakam, Alee ibn Yaqtin and I were in Baghdad. Alee ibn Yaqtin said, "I was in the presence of the pious servant (of Allah (swt)) and his son Alee (a.s) came. He then said to me, "O Alee ibn Yaqtin, this is Alee (a.s), the Sayyid (leader, master) of my children and I have gifted him with my own Kunya" (the Arabic expression used to address people, 'O father of so and so,' and so forth). Hisham tapped his forehead with his palm and said, "Fie up on you! How did you say it?" Alee ibn Yaqtin said, "I heard, by Allah (swt), from him just as I said." Hisham then asked, "Did he (Imam Musa, recipient of divine supreme covenant) inform you that after him the task (Leadership with Divine Authority) will be with him (his son)?"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/311, it is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars. Uyoon Al-Khbaar Al-Ridha: 2/31, through a Saheeh (Authentic) chain. Al-Ghaybah of Al-Tusi: 35.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Al-Mutawakkil - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Alee ibn Al-Hussain As-Sa'dabadi quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah Al-Barqi, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Dawood ibn Zorbi, on the authority of Alee ibn Yaqteen, Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) told me - without me having said anything to him, "This is my most knowledgeable child. I have placed my nickname on him." He pointed to Al-Ridha (a.s) with his hand.

Footnote: Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha: 2/32, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic).

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu'awiyah ibn Hakim from Nu'aym Al-Qabusi from Aboo Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following: "My son, Alee (a.s) is the eldest of my sons, the most virtuous among them in my opinion and the most beloved of them to me. He looks (reads) into the Jafr (a secret source of knowledge) with me. No one looks into it except a prophet, or the executor of the will of a prophet."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/311, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 489 - 491.

Designation of Imam Muhammad Ibn Alee Al-Jawaad (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Majilawayh, Muhammad ibn Musa ibn Al-Mutawakkil, Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja'far Al-Hamadani, Ahmad ibn Alee ibn Ibraheem ibn Hashem, Al-Hussain ibn Ibraheem ibn Tatana, Al-Hussain ibn Ibraheem ibn Ahmad ibn Hisham Al-Mo'addib, and Alee ibn Abdullah Al-Warraq - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Alee ibn Ibraheem ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father that Abi Salt Al-Harawi said, "I was standing in front of Abil Hassan Alee ibn Musa Al-Ridha (a.s) when he told me, 'O Aba Salt! Go into this mausoleum where Haroon's grave is located. Pick a handful of dirt from each corner and bring them to me.'

I went and did what Al-Ridha (a.s) had asked me to do. Then when I stood up in front of Al-Ridha (a.s) again, he (a.s) was standing near the door. I handed him the dirt one handful at a time. He smelled each one and threw it away. Then he said, 'Here they will dig up a grave for me. A rock will appear which they cannot remove, even if they bring all the mattocks in Khorasan.'

Then Al-Ridha (a.s) said the same things about the dirt at the positions of the head and the feet of Haroon. Then Al-Ridha (a.s) said, 'Give me that other handful of dirt.' I handed him the dirt from the front of Haroon's grave. Al-Ridha (a.s) took it and said, 'This is the dirt that will be the dirt of my grave.'

Then Al-Ridha (a.s) said, 'They will dig a grave for me in this place. You must order them to dig it seven steps deep. Then you must ask them to extend the grave in one direction and construct a grave. If they refuse to do so and insist that it must be a usual type of grave, you will tell them that the grave must be as wide as the size of two arms long plus the span of one wide open hand. Indeed God will extend it as much as He wills. Once they do so, you will notice water there. Recite what I teach you and then the grave will be filled with water. You will see many small fish in it. Then you must feed them with pieces of the bread which I'll give you now. Once they eat it all up, a large fish will appear and eat up all the small fish until they all disappear. Then the large fish will disappear too. Then you must put your hand in the water and recite what I'll teach you now. Then the water will drain away and nothing will be left. Do not do this except in the presence of Al-Ma'mun.' Then Al-Ridha (a.s) added, 'O Aba Salt! Tomorrow I shall go to see this adulterer (referring to Al-Ma'mun)! If I leave there with a bare head, talk to me and I will respond. However, if when I return my head is covered, then do not talk to me.'"

Aba Salt continued, "When the morning came, Al-Ridha (a.s) put on his clothes and sat down, waiting in his prayer niche. Al-Ma'mun's servant entered after a while and said, 'The Commander of the Faithful (Al-Ma'mun) has called you in.' Then Al-Ridha (a.s) put on his shoes and cloak. He stood up and went. I followed Al-Ridha (a.s) until he went to Al-Ma'mun. There was a dish of grapes in front of Al-Ma'mun and several dishes of fruit too. There was a bunch of partially eaten grapes in his hand. There were still some grapes left on it. Once Al-Ma'mun saw Al-Ridha (a.s), he leaped towards him and hugged him. He kissed his forehead and had him sit down next to himself. Then he offered Al-Ridha (a.s) the bunch of grapes that he was holding in his hands and said, 'O son of God's Prophet! Have you ever seen any better grapes?' Then Al-Ridha (a.s) told him, 'It often happens that they are good grapes as if they are from Heaven.' Then Al-Ma'mun said, 'Have some.' Then Al-Ridha (a.s) told him, 'Excuse me from eating them.' Then he said, 'You must eat. Why don't you eat? Perhaps you are suspicious of me.' Then Al-Ma'mun picked up the bunch of grapes, had a few grapes and then offered the bunch to Al-Ridha (a.s). Al-Ridha (a.s) ate three grapes, put down the bunch and stood up. Al-Ma'mun asked him, 'Where are you going?' He (a.s) said, 'I am going to where you sent me.' Al-Ridha (a.s) pulled his cloak over his head and left."

Aba Salt added, "I did not talk to Al-Ridha (a.s) until he entered the house and said, 'Shut the doors.' They shut the doors. Then Al-Ridha (a.s) laid in bed. I stayed in the yard for a while in a sad and depressed state. Then I saw a handsome young man, who was the closest-looking person to Al-Ridha (a.s) I have ever seen, enter the house. I rushed ahead and asked him, 'Sir! The doors are closed. How did you get in?' He (a.s) answered, 'He (God) who passed me through closed doors brought me here from Madinah.' I asked, 'Who are you?' He (a.s) replied, 'I am the Proof of God for you. O Aba Salt! I am Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) (Imam Al-Ridha's son).' Then he (a.s) went to his father (a.s). He (a.s) entered the room and asked me to go in with him. When Al-Ridha (a.s) saw him, he leaped towards him. Al-Ridha (a.s) hugged him and put his hands over his shoulders. Then Al-Ridha (a.s) kissed him on the forehead and went back to his couch with him. Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) went over to him, kissed him and quietly told him things which I could not hear. However, I could see some foam on Al-Ridha's (a.s) lips that was even whiter than snow. Aba Ja'far (s) wiped it off with his tongue. Then Al-Ridha (a.s) placed his hand within his attire over his heart and brought out something like a sparrow. Then Aba Ja'far (s) swallowed it. Then Al-Ridha (s) passed away...

Footnote: Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha: 1/271, and its chain Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars. Amali Al-Sadooq: 761.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Safwan ibn Yahya who has said the following: "Once I said to Al-Ridha, recipient of divine supreme covenant, before Allah's (swt) granting you the blessing of the birth of Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, we would ask you and you would say, 'Allah (swt) will grant me a son,' and He has granted you one. His birth is the delight of our eyes. May Allah (swt) spare us from experiencing your (sad) day. However, if something will happen, to whom then will it (Leadership with Divine Authority) go?' The Imam (a.s) pointed out with his hand towards Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, and he was standing before him. I then asked, 'May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause, a child of three years?' The Imam (a.s) said, 'That will be of no harm to him. Jesus rose with Divine Authority when he was a three year old child.'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/321, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu'ammar ibn Khallad who has said the following: "I heard (Aboo Al-Hassan) Al-Ridha, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who said something about (Leadership with Divine Authority) and then said, 'I do not think you need what I just said. This is Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant. I have placed him in my own place to assume my position. We are of the family (Ahlulbayt) whose younger ones inherit from elder ones everything exactly and of equal measure.'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/320, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and he has narrated it with another chain in 1/321.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 497 - 500.

Designation of Imam Alee Ibn Muhammad Al-Hadi (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from his father that Isma'eel ibn Mihran who has said the following: When Aboo Ja'far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, left Madinah for Baghdad, the first time of his two journeys, on his leaving I said to him, "May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause, I am afraid about your condition. To whom, after you, will belong the task (Leadership with Divine Authority)?" He turned to me laughing and said, "The disappearance, as you have thought, will not take place this year." When he was about to be taken to Al-Mu'tasam, (179/795 -  Caliph 218/833 - 227/841), for the second time I went to him and said, "May Allah (swt) keep my soul in service for your cause. You are leaving. To whom, after you, will go this task (Leadership with Divine Authority)?" He wept and tears soaked his beard. He then turned to me and said, "This time you should be afraid for my life. The task (Leadership with Divine Authority) after me will rest with my son Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant."

Footnote: Al-Kafi, 1/323, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Ziyad bin Ja'far Hamadani: Narrated to us Alee bin Ibraheem from his father from Abi Salt Al-Hirawi that: I heard Dibil bin Alee Khuza'i say: I recited my long poem to my master, Alee ibn Musa ar-Ridha (a.s), the beginning of which is:

"Schools of verses empty of recitations

And the House of revelation horrendously empty.

When I reached to my verse:

The rise of an Imam who will definitely rise

And stand by the name of Allah and His blessings

He will make distinction between all rights and wrongs

And will proffer requital for charities and malevolence."

Imam Ridha (a.s) cried very profusely and then raised his head and said to me, "O Khuza'i, the Blessed Spirit has spoken on your tongue in these two verses. Do you know who this Imam is and when he will rise?" I said, "No, my master, except I have heard that an Imam of yours will rise and clean the earth from mischief and will fill up the earth with equity as it will be full of oppression."

He said, "O Dibil, the Imam after me is my son, Muhammad (a.s); after Muhammad (a.s) his son, Alee (a.s); after Alee (a.s) his son Hassan (a.s); and after Hassan (a.s) his son, Al-Hujjah Al-Qa'im (a.s), the Awaited during his occultation, the one obeyed in his time of appearance. Even if not more than one day should remain from the world, Allah (swt) will prolong that day so much that he will rise and fill the world with equity just as it will be full of injustice.

As for when it will happen, that is to describe its time, and my father (a.s) has narrated to me through his forefathers through Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked, 'O Messenger of Allah (saw)! When is the Qa'im from your progeny going to rise?' He said, 'His example is like the example of the Hour:

لاَ يُجَلِّيهَا لِوَقْتِهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ ثَقُلَتْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لاَ تَأْتِيكُمْ إِلاَّ بَغْتَة

None but He shall manifest it at its time. It will be momentous in the heavens and the earth. It will not come on you but suddenly.'" 

Holy Qur'aan {7:187}

Footnote: Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha: 1/296, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy. Kamaluddin: 372, Kifayatul Athar: 271, through Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Hamza from his uncle Al-Hassan ibn Hamza from Alee ibn Ibraheem.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 504, 507 - 508.

Designation of Imam Al-Hassan Ibn Alee Askari (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hassan: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ahmad Alawi from Abil Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja'fari that he said: I heard Abal Hassan of Askar (a.s) say: "The successor after me is my son Al-Hassan (a.s) but what will you do with the successor of my successor?" Al-Ja'fari said, "May Allah (swt) make me your sacrifice! Why?" The Imam (a.s) said, "Because you will not see his physical body and it is not permissible for you to reveal his name." Al-Ja'fari said, "How shall we mention him?" Al-Hadi said, "Say, 'The proof [Al-Hujjah] from the family of Muhammad (saw).'"

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 381, 648, and its chain is Hasan rather Saheeh (Authentic). Muhammad ibn Ahmad Al-Alawi has been mentioned by Al-Najashi in the biography of Al-Amraki with Al-Himyari: he was of the Sheikhs of our scholars. Al-Sayyed Al-Khoei says: And this statement apparently shows that they are of the great and praiseworthy scholars like Al-Himyari. Al-Imamah Wa Al-Tabsira: 118, Al-Kafi: 1/328, Kamaluddin: 381, 648, Kifayatul Athar: 288, Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi: 202.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya and other people have narrated from Sa'eed ibn Abd Allah from a group of Banu Hashim, among whom was Al-Hassan ibn Al-Hassan Al-Aftas, the following: They were present, on the day Muhammad ibn Alee (Al-Hadi), recipient of divine supreme covenant, ibn Muhammad (Al-Jawad), recipient of divine supreme covenant, passed away at the door of Aboo Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, to offer condolences. A place in the compound of his (Aboo Al-Hassan's, recipient of divine supreme covenant) house was prepared for him and people were sitting around him. They said, "We estimated that at that time from the descendents of Aboo Talib, Hashim and Quraysh there were about one hundred and fifty men besides his slaves and other people. At such time he Aboo Al-Hassan (Alee ibn Muhammad, recipient of divine supreme covenant), looked at (his son) Al-Hassan ibn Alee, recipient of divine supreme covenant, coming and the front of his shirt was torn. He stood at the right of his father and we did not know him.

Aboo Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, looked at him after a while and said, "My son, renew your thanks to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious; He has granted you a new task (Leadership with Divine Authority)." The young man wept, praised Allah (swt) and said, "We are for Allah (swt) and to Him we shall return." He then said, "All praise belongs to Allah (swt), Lord of the worlds. I pray to Allah (swt) to complete the blessings for us in you. We are for Allah (swt) and to Him we shall return."

We asked about him and it was said that he was Al-Hassan, recipient of divine supreme covenant, the son of the Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant. We estimated his age at that time to be around twenty years or more. On that day we learned and came to know that he had tacitly made a statement about the succeeding Imam (Leader with Divine Authority).

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/326, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and of the great scholar. Al-Ghaybah of Al-Tusi: 82.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 509 - 510.

 Designation of Imam Al-Qa'im Al-Mahdi (ajf)

The narrations regarding the Designation of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) are too many, beginning with the Prophet (saw) and then through each Imam (a.s). Therefore, we shall only mention the narrations through Imam Al-Askari (a.s) as it serves the purpose of this part of the article in that each Imam (a.s) designates the position of Imamate. However, the other narrations will be presented in the next episodes Insha'Allah Ta'ala.

Through Imam Al-Askari (a.s):

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Fadhl Ibn Shazaan: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Hamza Al-Alawi saying: I heard my master Aba Muhammad (a.s) saying: "The representative of Allah (swt) and His Proof over His servants and my successor after me was born, circumcised in the night mid Sha'baan of the year 255 at the dawn."

Footnote: Ithbatul Huda: 3/570, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic), and Al-Hurr Al-Amili has a Saheeh (Authentic) up to the book of Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan which goes through great and significant scholars of this creed and he has narrated this Hadeeth from that book along with some other narrations.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Ishaq: Narrated to me Aboo Alee bin Hammam: I heard Muhammad bin Uthman Al-Umari say: I heard my father say: Aboo Muhammad Al-Hassan bin Alee (a.s) was asked, while I was with him, about traditions narrated from his forefathers, peace be on them, that the earth does not remain without the Proof of Allah (swt) on His creatures until the Judgment Day and that if anyone dies without the cognition of the Imam of his time, he dies the death of a pagan. The Imam (a.s) said: "This is as true as the daylight." It was said: "O son of Allah's (swt) Messenger, who is the Proof and the Imam after you?" He replied: "My son, M.H.M.D. Whoever dies not knowing him, will die a pagan death. Behold, he will have an occultation during which the ignorant will be perplexed and the invalidators will perish and the time-assigners will lie. Then he will rise. As if I am gazing at the white standards waving over his head in the Najaf of Kufa."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 409, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy.

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: narrated Ahmad bin Ishaq ibn Abdullah Al-Ash'ari saying: I heard Aba Muhammad Al-Hassan ibn Alee Al-Askari (a.s) saying: "Praise is due to Allah (swt) Who did not cause me to die before showing me the successor after me. He will bear the same name and agnomen as that of the Messenger of Allah (saw). Allah (swt) will protect him in his occultation, then will make him reappear, thereby filling the earth with justice and equity as it shall be full with injustice and oppression."

Footnote: Ithbatul Huda: 3/570, and its chain is a short Saheeh (Authentic) chain. Kamaluddin: 409 through Al-Razi from the trustworthy and reliable Ahmad ibn Is'haq. Kifayatul Athar: 294 and he has authenticated it.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Alee bin Abdullah Warraq: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah from Ahmad bin Ishaq bin Sa'ad Al-Ashari that he said: I went to Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) and wanted to inquire about his successor. His Eminence, preceded me in the matter and said as follows: "O Ahmad bin Ishaq! The Almighty Allah (swt) has not left the earth without a Divine Proof since the creation of Adam (a.s) and would not leave it without a Divine Proof till the hour shall be established (Day of Judgment). Through the Divine Proof, calamities are repelled from the inhabitants of the Earth, rain falls and the bounties of the earth come out." After hearing these words, Ahmad asked His Eminence: "Who is the Imam and Caliph after you?" Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) arose from his seat and hurried inside his house and returned after a short while in such a way that upon his neck on his shoulders sat a boy, whose face seemed to be like the full moon and it seemed that he was three years old.

After that, His Eminence, Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) said: "O Ahmad! If you were not having a special and exalted position before Allah (swt) and the Proof of Allah (swt), I would not have shown this son of mine to you. His name and patronymic is the same as that of the Messenger of Allah (saw). He would fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. O Ahmad! In this community, his example is like that of Khidhr and Dhulqarnain. By Allah (swt)! He will have an occultation and none shall be safe from destruction but one whom Allah (swt) has kept steadfast in the belief of his Imam and given the divine opportunity (Taufeeq) to pray for his reappearance." Ahmad immediately asked, "Is there any sign or symbol so that it may satisfy my heart?"

Just then the boy, who looked like a full moon, began to speak and he said: "I am the remnant of Allah (swt) on His earth and the revenge-taker from His enemies and do not demand proof after what is before you…" After hearing these words of the Proof of Allah (swt), Ahmad went out of the house of Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) in such a condition that his complete being was surrounded by joy. When again he came to Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) the next day he said: "O son of Allah's (swt) Messenger! I was very much pleased with the favour you bestowed me that day. Thus what is the continuing practice of Khidhr and Dhulqarnain?" Imam Hassan Askari (a.s) said in reply, "Prolonged occultation." Ahmad at once said, "O son of Allah's (swt) Messenger, would the occultation of the Promised Imam (a.s) be also prolonged?" Imam (a.s) replied, "By my Lord! Yes, so much so, that even those who had accepted him, would turn away from their belief and none shall remain except one from whom Allah (swt) has taken the covenant of our guardianship and in whose hearts is rooted our love and those who support it with their hearts. O Ahmad! This is the command of Allah (swt) and one of the divine secrets and one of the Unseen matters of Allah (swt). So remember what I am telling you and keep it confidential and be of the thankful ones so that you may reside in the position of Illiyeen with us."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 384, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars. And Sheikh Al-Sadooq's chain to all narrations and books of Sa'ad ibn Abdullah Al-Qummi is bright like that sunlight.

Al-Mas'oudi: Al-Himyari from Ahmad ibn Is'haq who said: I entered upon Abi Muhammad (a.s) and he said to me: "O Ahmad! How was your condition when people fell into doubts and suspicion?" I said: "O my master, when your letter reached us about the birth of our master, there remained no man or woman and child who could recognise except that they believed the truth." He (a.s) said: "Don't you know that the Earth does not remain empty of the Proof of Allah (swt)?" And then Aboo Muhammad (a.s) ordered his mother to go to Hajj in the year 259 A.H. and told her about what will happen to him in the year 260 A.H. and Al-Sahib (ajf) came and he (a.s) willed to him (ajf) and conveyed to him the Great Name and the Inherited things and the Arms. And mother of Abi Muhammad (a.s) left with Al-Sahib (ajf) towards Makkah and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Mutah'har Aboo Alee was in charge for what the representative needed. 

Footnote: Ithbatul Wasiyya: 255, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.

Al-Fadhl Ibn Shazaan: Narrated to us Muhammad ibn Faris Al-Nisabouri from Abi Muhammad (a.s) in a Hadeeth that once he entered upon him (a.s) and there was a child in his presence, so he asked him about that child. So he (a.s) said: "He is my son and my successor after me and he is the one who will go into occultation for a long time and will reappear after the earth is full of oppression and tyranny, so he will fill it with justice and equity."

Footnote: Ithbatul Huda: 3/570, 700, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy.

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: Narrated Muhammad ibn Abdul-Jabbar saying: I asked my master Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s): "O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw), may Allah (swt) make me your ransom, I would like to know the Imam and the Proof of Allah (swt) over His servants after you?" So he (a.s) said: "After me, the proof of Allah (swt) on earth shall be my son whose name and agnomen are that of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and he is the last in chain of vicegerency and Proofs of Allah (swt)." He asked: "From whom will he be born O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He (a.s) said, "He will be born from the daughter of the son of Qaiser, king of Rome, but he will be born and will go into occultation from people for a long time."

Footnote: Ithbatul Huda: 596, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy and great scholars.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Aboo Hashim Al-Ja'fari who has said the following: Once I said to Aboo Muhammad (Al-Hassan ibn Alee Al-Hadi), recipients of divine supreme covenant, "Your grace causes shyness in me to ask you questions. May I ask you a question?" He said, "Yes, you may ask." I asked, "My master, do you have a son?" He said, "Yes, I do have a son." I then asked, "If anything will happen to you, where would I ask him (about my religion)?" He replied, "Ask him in Madinah."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/264, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains. Al-Irshaad: 2/348. Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi: 155.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Alee ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Alee ibn Bilal who has said the following: "Two years before leaving this world, Aboo Muhammad (Al-Hassan ibn Alee Al-Hadi), recipients of divine supreme covenant, sent out information to me about the succeeding Imam after him. Just three days before leaving this world he again sent information to me about the succeeding Imam after him."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/328, and its chain to the degree of Saheeh (Authentic). Kamaluddin: 499 from Al-Hussain ibn Isma'eel Al-Kindi from ibn Bilal and at the end there is an addition to it: "So curse of Allah (swt) be upon those who struggles with the rights of the representatives of Allah (swt) and empower people against them, and praise be to Allah (swt) abundantly." Al-Irshaad: 2/348.

Sheikh Al-Tusi: Muhammad ibn Ya'qoub Al-Kulayni has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ja'far Al-Asadi from Ahmad ibn Ibraheem, Aboo Hamid Al-Maraghi who said: I went to Khadijah, the daughter of Muhammad ibn Alee ar-Ridha (a.s) in the year two hundred and sixty two in Madinah. I conversed with her from behind the curtain and asked her about her religion. She named to me the Imams she followed and then she said, "And so and so ibn Al-Hassan ibn Alee (a.s)," and mentioned his name. I said to her, "May I be sacrificed for you, do you say this on the basis of observation or on the basis of the word of the Infallible?" She said, "Words of Aboo Muhammad (a.s), which he wrote to his mother." I asked, "Where is then the son?" She said, "He is in hiding." "To who are the Shi'as to turn for guidance?" "To the grandmother, the mother of Aboo Muhammad (a.s)."

I asked: "Who has he emulated in assigning a woman as his deputy?" She said: "He has emulated Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s). Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) assigned his sister, Zainab bint Alee (s.a) in the superficies. The learning and knowledge coming from Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) were attributed to Zainab bint Alee (s.a) in order to maintain secrecy over Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s)." Then she said, "You are scholars of narrations. Have you not narrated that the inheritance of the ninth from the sons of Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) will be divided in his lifetime?"

Footnote: the narrations are Mutawaatir (extensively narrated) that the Imams after Al-Hussain (a.s) are nine and the ninth one of them is their Qa'im (ajf).

Sheikh Al-Tusi: And Al-Tal'ukburi has narrated the above narration from Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad Al-Nahawandi from Al-Hussain ibn Ja'far ibn Muslim ibn Al-Hanafi from Abi Hamed Al-Maraghi saying: I asked Khadijah daughter of Muhammad, sister of Abil Hassan Al-Askari (a.s)...and mentioned like the above narration.

Footnote: Al-Ghaybah: 230, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy. Ithabtul Wasiyya: 271. Kamaluddin: 501, through ibn Mahziyar from Al-Asadi.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Alee Majilaway: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Attar: Narrated to me Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Malik Fazari: Narrated to me Mu'awiyah bin Hukaim and Muhammad bin Ayyub ibne Nuh and Muhammad bin Uthman Amari, they said: Aboo Muhammad Hassan Askari (a.s) acquainted us, forty persons, with his newborn son, His Eminence, Mahdi (ajf), while we were present at his house. He said: "This son of mine is my Imam and Caliph for you after me. Obey him after me and do not become disunited in your religion, that you be destroyed. But you should know that, after this day, you will not see him." They said: "We left his place and after only a few day he [Imam Askari (a.s)] passed away."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 435, and its chain is Hasan, rather Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy. Al-Ghaybah Al-Tusi: 357.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Attar: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Musa bin Ja'far bin Wahab Baghdadi that he said: I heard Aba Muhammad Hassan bin Alee (a.s) say: "As if I can see you disputing after me with regard to my successor. Behold, someone who professes faith in all the Imams (a.s) after the Messenger of Allah (saw) yet denies my son, is like someone who professes faith in all prophets and messengers of Allah (swt) and then rejects the prophethood of Muhammad the Messenger of Allah (saw); and the denier of the Messenger of Allah (saw) is like one who rejects all the prophets. Because, obedience to our last one is obedience to our first one and rejecter of our last one is the rejecter of our first one. Behold, my son will have an occultation in which people will doubt except the ones whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime saves."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 409, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic). Ibn Wahab has been mentioned by Sheikh Al-Tusi and Al-Najashi as our scholars and authors and they have not criticised him and he has not been excluded from the narrators of Nawadir Al-Hikma and this is of the criteria for his reliability. Kifayatul Athar: 295 and he has authenticated it.

Source: Al-Nusus Alaa Ahl Al-Khusus. Pg. # 517 - 523.

Some Other Narrations About The Twelve Imams and Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf)

Al-Sheikh Hussain Al-Tabrasi (d. 1320 A.H.):

And he narrated narrating Abdul-Rahman son of Abi Nejran narrating Asim son of Hameed narrating Abi Hamzah Al-Thamali. And he narrated Al-Hassan son of Mahbub narrating Abi Hamzah Al-Thamali narrating Sa'eed son of Jubayr narrating Abdullah son of Abbas, he said; The messenger of Allah (saw), said: "When I was ascended to the sky, I reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha (Christ's-thorn of the terminal), my Lord, His glory may be glorified, called me and said, 'O Muhammad (saw)!' Then I said, 'Here I am! At your service My Lord!' He said, 'I never sent a messenger whose days passed without him assigning a guardian to take care of his issues after him, and I made Alee the son of Abi Talib (a.s) your Caliph and the Imam (leader) of your Ummah (nation) then Al-Hassan (a.s) then Al-Hussain (a.s) then Alee son of Al-Hussain (a.s), then Muhammad son of Alee (a.s), then Ja'far son of Muhammad (a.s), then Musa son of Ja'far (a.s), then Alee son of Musa Al-Ridha (a.s), then Muhammad son of Alee (a.s), then Alee son of Muhammad (a.s), then Al-Hassan son of Alee (a.s), then the Hujjah (argument) son of Al-Hassan (a.s). O Muhammad (saw), perk up!' Then I perked up and there were the lights of Alee (a.s) and Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) and the nine descendents of Al-Hussain (a.s) with Al-Hujjah (ajf) at the centre shining like a pearl planet. Then Allah (swt) the Highest said: 'O Muhammad (saw)! There are My Caliphates and My arguments on lands and your caliphates and the guardians after you, then blessedness is for the one who loves them and Al-Wayl (a valley in Jahannam) is for the one who hates them.'"

Narration is Saheeh (Authentic).

Source:  Najm Al-Thaqib. Vol. 1, Pg. # 500.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: Narrated to us Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Najran from Asim ibn Hamid from Abi Hamza Al-Thumali from Abi Ja'far (a.s) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to the Commander of the Faithful (a.s): "O Alee (a.s)! No doubt, after me Quraysh will show you enmity that they have hidden, they will gather together against you to oppress you and overpower you. If you find helpers to fight, then fight with them. If you cannot find helpers, then have patience and restrain your hands and hold your blood from being shed. Because, surely, the martyrdom is after you, you should know that my son will revenge your oppressor and oppressors of your children and followers, and Allah (swt) will punish them on the day of judgement an intense punishment." Salman said: "Who is that son of yours O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He (saw) said: "The ninth son of my son Al-Hussain (a.s), the one who reappears after a long occultation, then Allah (swt) will reveal his affairs and will reveal the religion of Allah (swt) and he will take revenge from the enemies of Allah (swt). He will fill the Earth with justice and equality, as it is full of oppression and tyranny before that." He asked: "When will he reappear O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" He (saw) said: "No one knows that except Allah (swt), but for that there are signs, of those signs is the announcement from the sky, sinking of ground in the east, sinking of ground in the west, and sinking of the ground in Baidaa, may Allah (swt) curse your killer."

Footnote: Turathuna: 15/207, through the narration of Sheikh Al-Hurr Al-Amili with his chain from Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan and his chain up to him is Saheeh (Authentic), and the chain of Al-Fadhl is Saheeh (Authentic) and very strong and its narrators are trustworthy and of the great significant scholars.

Source: Arba'oon Hadithan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala A'immah Ithna Ashar. Pg. # 223 - 224.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan in his book Ithbatur Raj'ah: from Fudhalah son of Ayyub narrating Aban son of Uthman narrating Muhammad son of Muslim told us, he said; Aboo (father of) Ja'far said: The messenger of Allah (saw) told Alee son of Aboo Talib (a.s): "O Alee (a.s)!" I have more reign (right) over the believers' selves than they do (over themselves). Then you O Alee (a.s)! Have more reign over the believers' selves than they do. Then Al-Hassan (a.s), then Al-Hussain (a.s), then Alee son of Al-Hussain (a.s), then Muhammad son of Alee (a.s), then Ja'far son Muhammad (a.s), then Musa son of Ja'far (a.s), then Alee son of Musa (a.s), then Muhammad son of Alee (a.s), then Alee son of Muhammad (a.s), then Al-Hassan son of Alee (a.s), then Al-Hujjah (the argument) son of Al-Hassan (ajf) to whom ends the Caliphate and guardianship, and he absents himself for a long period then he reappears and fills the land with equity and justice as it was filled with tyranny and injustice.

Grading of Hadeeth: Its chains is Saheeh (Authentic) and very strong.

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: He is Aboo Muhammad Al-Azdi Al-Nisaburi, he is trustworthy and owner of a high position by consensus. Al-Najashi says: He has narrated from Abi Ja'far Al-Thani, Al-Jawad (a.s) and it is said from Al-Ridha (a.s) too, and he was trustworthy. He was one the jurists of our scholars and a theologian, he has a great position among our people and his rank is more famous than to be mentioned. [Rijal Al-Najashi. Pg. # 306. Person. # 840]

Sheikh Hurr Al-Amili says in the introduction nine of his great book, "Ithbatul Huda" that he has several chains for the books that he has narrated from. Then he mentions the book Ithbatul Raj'ah of Fadhl ibn Shazaan among his sources that he has chains for them and has narrated from them in his book, and his chains go through the great scholars of the Shi'a and their chiefs.

Even though the entire book has not reached us with an authentic chain, however, it has reached Sheikh Hurr Al-Amili, and he has narrated some of its narrations and this is enough for its authenticity. That is why the chief of jurists Sayyed Al-Khoei authenticates all the narrations of Alee ibn Ja'far Al-Sadiq (a.s) that exist in his book that Al-Hurr Al-Amili has narrated in his huge book "Wasail Al-Shi'a," even though he doubts the authenticity of the chain of the current printed manuscript of that book, not the book itself.

Source: Source: Arba'oon Hadeethan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala Al-A'immah Ithna Ashar. Pg. # 32 - 33.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: Al-Hassan ibn Mahboub from Malik ibn Atiyya from Abi Hamza Thabit ibn Abi Safiyya Dinar from Abi Ja'far (a.s.) who said: Al-Hussain ibn Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) said to his companions one night before martyrdom, that the Messenger of Allah (saw) informed him about his martyrdom to this effect: "O my son! You will travel to Iraq, till the land by the name of Amura and Karbala. You will be martyred along with some chosen companions."

Then Imam Al-Hussain (a.s) continued saying: "Soon the words of the Holy Prophet (saw) are going to be actualised. Tomorrow I will meet my grandfather the Messenger of Allah (saw). Those of you who intend to go, depart in the darkness of the night with my consent. Imam (a.s) exhorted too much but nobody left. All enunciated in a solitary voice: "By Allah (swt)! We shall never leave you alone and will follow you in every aspect." Observing such steadfastness of his companions, Imam Al-Hussain (a.s) said: "I give you glad tidings of paradise. By Allah (swt)! After martyrdom we will reside in graves till the time Allah (swt) wishes. Then Allah (swt) will cause us to return from our graves at the time of reappearance of Qa'im (ajf). We will take revenge from the unjust, we will witness with our own eyes that the unjust are shackled and chained. He was asked: "Who is your Qa'im O son of the Messenger of Allah (saw)?" Imam (a.s) replied: "Seventh descendant of my son Muhammad ibn Alee Al-Baqir (a.s) and he is Al-Hujjah (ajf), son of Al-Hassan (a.s), son of Alee (a.s), son of Muhammad (a.s), son of Alee (a.s), son of Musa (a.s), son of Ja'far (a.s), son of Muhammad (a.s), son of Alee (a.s) my son, and he is the one who will disappear for a long time then will reappear and he will fill the earth with justice and equity as it shall be full of tyranny and oppression.

Grading of Hadeeth: It is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy and great and significant scholars.

Source: Source: Arba'oon Hadeethan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala A'immah Al-Athna Ashar. Pg. # 36.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan: From Safwan ibn Yahya from Ibraheem ibn Abi Ziyad from Abi Hamza Al-Thumali from Abi Khalid Al-Kabuli:

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Alee bin Abdullah Warraq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Harun Sufi from Abdullah bin Musa from Abdul Azeem bin Abdullah Hasani: Narrated to me Safwan ibn Yahya from Ibraheem bin Abi Ziyad from Abi Hamza Thumali from Abi Khalid Al-Kabuli:

And narrated to us this Hadeeth also Alee bin Ahmad bin Musa; and Muhammad bin Ahmad Shaibani; and Alee bin Abdullah Warraq from Muhammad bin Abi Abdullah Al-Kufi from Sahl bin Ziyad Adami from Abdul Azeem bin Abdullah Al-Hassani from Safwan from Ibraheem bin Abi Ziyad from Abi Hamza Thumali from Abi Khalid Al-Kabuli from Alee bin Al-Hussain (a.s),  that he said: "I came to my master, Alee bin Hussain Zainul Abideen (a.s) and said: 'O son of Allah's Messenger (saw)! Tell me about those personalities whose obedience and love Allah (swt) has made incumbent on His servants and that after the Messenger of Allah (saw) they should follow them.' The Imam (a.s) said: 'O Kankar! The ones whom Allah (swt) has made as Ulil Amr (vested with authority) are Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and after him, Imam Al-Hassan (a.s), then Imam Al-Hussain (a.s), sons of Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) till this position came to me.' After that the Imam fell silent.

I said: 'My chief, it is narrated from Ameer ul Mo'mineen (a.s) that the earth shall never be devoid of a Proof of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime upon His creatures. So who is the Imam and Divine Proof after you?' He replied: 'My son Muhammad (a.s), and in the Taurat his name is Baqir (splitter) and he will expound knowledge. He will be the Divine Proof after me. And after him his son, Ja'far (a.s) who will be famous among the folks of the heavens as Sadiq.' I said: 'My chief, why is he named Sadiq (truthful) while all of you are truthful?' He replied: 'My father narrated to me from his father that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: 'When my great grandson, Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Alee bin Hussain bin Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) is born, name him Sadiq. One of his fifth descendants will be named Ja'far, who will falsely claim Imamate and attribute falsehood to the Almighty Allah (swt). He would be Ja'far Katthab in the view of Allah (swt). He will claim something he is not worthy of. He will oppose his father and be jealous of his brother. Taking undue advantage of the occultation of the Divine Proof, he will try to expose the secret of Allah (swt).' After that Imam Alee ibn Hussain (a.s) cried much and then said: 'As if I can see Ja'far Katthab helping the tyrant of the time to search for the Wali of Allah (swt). He will try to spy on him and not knowing about the birth of Imam Qa'im, he will become the executor of his father's estate and will desire that were he to gain upper hand on the Qa'im he will eliminate him; and will be greedy for his inheritance, till he usurps it wrongfully.'"

Aboo Khalid says: I said: "O son of Allah's Messenger (saw), is it a prediction?" He replied: "No, rather by Allah (swt), it is written in the book in our possession that mentions the calamities that shall befall us after the Messenger of Allah (saw)." Aboo Khalid says: I asked: "O son of Allah's Messenger (saw), what will happen after that?" He replied: "After that there will be a long occultation of the Wali of Allah (swt) and the twelfth successor of the Messenger of Allah (saw). O Aboo Khalid! During this period of occultation, those who believe in his Imamate and who await for his reappearance, they shall be better than the people of all times because Allah, the Mighty and Sublime would bestow them intelligence, understanding and recognition, and for them occultation would be same as presence. Their status shall be like that of the holy warriors who fought under the command of the Messenger of Allah (saw). It is they who are sincere and our true Shi'as. They shall call the people to the religion of Allah (swt) openly and secretly." And he said: "Awaiting for the reappearance is the best worship act."

Sheikh Al-Sadooq says: The mention by Zainul Abideen (a.s) of the name of Ja'far the liar proves the reports about this matter.

Grading of Hadeeth: Chain of Al-Fadhl ibn Shazaan is Saheeh (Authentic), its narrators are trustworthy. Chains of Al-Sadooq has no defect in it, it is Hasan (Reliable) and through exchange of chains it becomes Saheeh (Authentic).

Source: Source: Arba'oon Hadeethan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala A'immah Al-Athna Ashar. Pg. # 129 - 131.

Sheikh Al-Mahuzi:

The Imams (a.s) From The Family Of The Prophet (saw) Are Twelve:

The narrations about this are too many we suffice to mention just some of them:

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Mas'ada ibn Ziyad from Aboo Abd Allah and Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Ibraheem from ibn Aboo Yahya Al-Madyani from Aboo Harun Al-Abdi from Aboo Sa'eed Al-Khudri who has said the following: "I was (in the city of Al-Madinah) when Aboo Bakr was no more and he had appointed Umar as his successor. Once, one of the great Jewish men of Yathrib came to Umar. The Jewish people in the city of Al-Madinah thought that he, Umar, was the most knowledgeable person of his time. He came to Umar and said, 'O Umar, I have come to accept Islam if you can answer what I will ask. Are you the most knowledgeable person among the companions of Muhammad (saw), in the matters of the book, the Sunnah (his traditions) and all that I want to ask from you?'

The narrator has said that Umar then said to him, "I am not the one you are looking for. However, I can guide you to the one who is the most knowledgeable person in our nation in the matters of the book, the Sunnah (traditions of the Holy Prophet (saw)) and all that you would like to ask." He pointed out Alee (a.s). The Jewish man then said, "If what you say is true then why have you taken the oath of allegiance from people? The most knowledgeable among you is that man." Umar then treated him harshly. The Jewish man went to Alee (a.s) and said, "Are you as such as Umar has said?" He (Alee (a.s)) then asked, "What has Umar said?" He then informed him of what Umar had said. The Jewish man said, "If you are as he has said you are, I would like to ask you certain questions to know if anyone of you knows the answer so I will know that your claim is true that you are the best and the most truthful among the nations. In such case I will accept your religion, Islam."

Ameer ul-Mo'mineen, said, "Yes, I am as Umar has said I am. Ask whatever you want to ask. I will give the answer by the will of Allah (swt)." He said, "Tell me about three and three and one." Alee (a.s) said, "O Jewish man, why do you not say, 'Tell me about seven?'" The Jewish man then said, "If you can tell me the answer to the three then I will ask you other questions, otherwise, I will abstain. If you provide me the answer to these seven you then are the most knowledgeable person on earth, the best of them and have more authority over the people than they themselves do." He then said, "Ask your questions O Jewish man." He said, "Tell me about the first stone that was placed on the face of earth, the first tree that was planted on earth and the first water fountain that gushed out of earth." Ameer ul-Mo'mineen answered his questions. The Jewish man then said to him, "Tell me how many Imam (Leaders with Divine Authority) will this nation have? Tell me about your Prophet: Where will be his place in paradise and who will be with him therein?" Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) said, "This nation will have twelve A'immah. All of them will be from the descendents of the Holy Prophet (saw) of this nation. They will be from my descendents. The place of our Holy Prophet (saw), recipient of divine supreme covenant, in paradise will be the best and holiest of them in Eden. Those who will be with him therein in his dwelling will be these twelve people from his descendents. Their mother and grandmother and the mother of their mother and their descendents will live with them therein. No one else will live therein as their partner."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/531, and both of ist chain are Saheeh (Authenitc). Al-Ghaybah of Al-Tusi: 152.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Aboo Sa'eed Al-Usfuriy from Amr ibn Thabit from Aboo Hamza who has said the following: "I heard Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s), say, 'Allah (swt) created Muhammad (saw), Alee (a.s) and the remaining eleven A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority) from his descendents out of the light of His greatness. He then placed them as figures in the brightness of His light where they worshipped Him before the creation of the creatures. They would speak of the Glory of Allah (swt) and of His Holiness. They are the A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority) from descendents of the Messenger of Allah (swt).'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/530, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its chain narrators are trustworthy. Aboo Sa'eed is Abbad ibn Ya'qoub: Asl of Abbad ibn Ya'qoub: 15. Kamaluddin: 318 through a Saheeh (Authentic).

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Alee ibn Ibraheem has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Ubayd from Muhammad ibn Al-Fudayl from Aboo Hamza from Aboo Ja'far (a.s) who has said the following: "Allah (swt) sent Muhammad (saw) to all Jinn and men and appointed twelve executors of the will after him. Of these people are those who have left this world and there are those who will have to complete their task. All the executors of the wills (of the prophets) experienced certain traditions, Sunnah. The executors of the will after Muhammad (saw) experienced the traditions, Sunnah, of the executor of the will of Jesus were twelve in number. Amir ul Mo'mineen (a.s), experienced the tradition of Isa (a.s)."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/532, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic). Al-Khisal: 478.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Abd Allah ibn Muhammad Al-Khashshab from ibn Sama'a from Alee ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ribat from ibn Udhayna from Zurara who has said the following: I heard Aboo Ja'far (a.s), say, "The twelve Imam (Leaders with Divine Authority) all from the family of Muhammad (saw), are Muhaddath (the ones to whom angels speak). They all are from the descendents of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and the descendents of Alee (a.s). The Messenger of Allah (saw) and Alee (a.s) are their ancestors."

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/531, and its chain is Hasan (Reliable), and Abdullah ibn Muhammad is Al-Ash’ari, his narrations are not excepted from Nawadir Al-Hikma and this is enough to put him in the degree of Hasan (Reliable) at least. Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 340 through the same chain.

Sheikh Al-Nu'mani: Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Sa'eed bin Oqda Al-Kufi narrated from Yahya bin Zakariyya bin Shayban from Alee bin Sayf bin Omayra from Abban bin Uthman from Zurara from Imam Aboo Ja'far Al-Baqir (a.s) from his fathers (a.s) that the Prophet (saw) had said: "From among my progeny there will be twelve inspired men (Muhaddath)."

Footnote: Kitab Al-Ghaybah: 66, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy of great and significant scholars.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Al-Hussain ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Al-Washsha from Aban from Zurara who has said the following: "I heard Aboo Ja'far (a.s) say, 'We are twelve A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority). Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) are of them. Thereafter A'immah (Leaders with Divine Authority) are from the descendents of Al-Hussain (a.s). '"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/533, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic).

Sheikh Al-Kulayni: Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad have narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Hussain from Aboo Talib from Uthman ibn Isa from Sama'a ibn Mihran who has said the following: Once Aboo Basir, Muhammad ibn Imran, the slave of Aboo Ja'far (a.s) and I were in his (Imam's) house in Makkah. Muhammad ibn Imran said, "I have heard Aboo Abd Allah (a.s) say: 'We, all twelve of us, are Muhaddath (the ones to whom angels speak).' Aboo Basir then said, 'Did you hear Aboo Abd Allah (a.s) say so?' He made him to swear once or twice that he has heard so. Aboo Basir then said, 'However, I have heard it from Aboo Ja'far (a.s).'"

Footnote: Al-Kafi: 1/534, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains. Aboo Talib is Abdullah ibn Al-Salt. Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha: 2/52. Al-Khisal: 478 through the same chain. Basa'ir Al-Darajaat: 339.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Ishaq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hammam Aboo Alee from Abdullah bin Ja'far from Hassan bin Musa Khashshab from Abi Muthanna Nakhai from Zaid bin Alee bin Hussain bin Alee from his father Alee bin Hussain (a.s) from his father Hussain bin Alee (a.s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "How can it be that people be destroyed whose foremost are me, Alee (a.s) and eleven of my descendants, the possessors of signs and whose last is Masih, the son of Maryam. But between these two eras, he will be destroyed who is not from me and I am not from him."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 282, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, Abul Muthanna is the nickname of Ghiyath ibn Kulub and Ghiyath has a book that Al-Khashshab has narrated it as Al-Najashi mentions.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibraheem bin Ishaq: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad Hamdani: Narrated to us Abi Abdullah Asimi from Hussain bin Qasim bin Ayyub from Hassan bin Muhammad bin Sama-a from Wuhaib from Zarih from Abi Hamza from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: "There will be twelve Mahdi (guided leaders) from us."

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 338, and its chain is Hasan (Reliable) and Al-Asimi is Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Wuhaib is ibn Hafs.

Al-Nu’mani: Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah narrated from Muhammad bin Ja'far Al-Qarashi from Muhammad bin Al-Hussain bin Abul Khattab from Amr bin Abban Al-Kalbi from ibn Sinan from Aboo-Sa'ib that Imam Aboo Abdullah Ja'far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq (a.s) said: "A night is twelve hours, a day is twelve hours, a year is twelve months, the Imams are twelve and the disciples are twelve. Imam Alee (a.s) is an hour of the twelve hours as Allah (swt) has said, 'But they reject the hour, and We have prepared a burning fire for him who rejects the hour.'" {25:11}

Footnote: Al-Ghaybah: 85, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic). Ibn Sinan is Abdullah not Muhammad, and Aboo Sahib is Ata ibn Al-Sahib and he has narrated it through another chain from Al-Mufaddal ibn Umar.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: My father and Muhammad ibn Al Hassan ibn Ahmad Bin Al-Waleed both narrated to us, from Sa'a ibn Abdullah, from Muhammad ibn Isa Bin Ubeyd, from Muhammad ibn Aboo Umeyr and Muhammad ibn Sinan, from Al-Sabah Al-Sady, and Sudeyr Al-Sayrafi and Muhammad ibn Al-Noman Momin Al-Taaq, and Umar Bin Uzaina, from Aboo Abdullah (a.s).

And Muhammad ibn Al Hassan ibn Ahmad Bin Al-Waleed narrated to us, from Muhammad Bin Al-Hassan Al-Saffar and Sa'ad ibn Abdullah, both from Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Aboo Al-Khatab, and Ya'qoob bin Yazid and Muhammad ibn Isa, from Abdullah ibn Jabala, from Al-Sabah Al-Mazny, and Sudeyr Al-Sayrafi and Muhammad ibn Al-No'man Al-Ahowl, and Umar ibn Uzaina, (The narrator says): Some of us were there in the presence of Aboo Abdullah (a.s), so he said: "O Umar Bin Uzaina! How do you see these Nasibis with regards to their Adhan and their Prayers?" So I said, "May I be sacrificed for you! They are saying that Ubay Bin Ka'ab, the Ansari, saw Him in his sleep (a dream) (Detailing the Adhan and the Prayers)." So he said: "They are lying! By Allah (swt)! Allah (swt) Blessed and High is more Honourable than you see Him in the sleep (dream)."

And Aboo Abdullah (a.s) said: "Allah, the Mighty, the Compeller, Ascended His Prophet (saw) to His seventh sky. As for in the first of these (skies), so He Blessed upon him, and at the second, Taught him his Obligations therein…Then I was ascended with to the fourth sky. The Angels did not say anything, and I heard sounds as if it were in the chests, and the Angels gathered around. So the gateways of the sky were opened, and they came out to the curtains (of the Palanquin). So Jibra'eel (a.s) said: 'Hasten to the Prayer! Hasten to the Prayer! Hasten to the success! Hasten to the success!' So the Angels said: 'Two voices repeated twice. By Muhammad (saw) the Prayer is established, and by Alee (a.s) is the success.' So Jibra'eel (a.s) said: 'The Prayer is established! The Prayer is established!' So the Angels said: 'This is for his Shi'as who will be establishing it up to the Day of Judgement.'

Then the Angels gathered, so they said to the Prophet (saw): 'Where did you leave your brother, and how is he?' So he said to them: 'Do you all recognise him?' So they said: 'Yes, we do recognise him and his Shi'as, and it is upon a parchment of Light around the Throne of Allah (swt), and in the Oft-Frequented House (Bayt Al-Mamour) in which is an inscription of Light, in which is the name of Muhammad (saw), and Alee (a.s), and Al-Hassan (a.s), and Al-Hussain (a.s), and the Imams (a.s), and their Shi'as. Not a man would increase in them, nor would a man decrease from them.'"

Footnote: Ilal Al-Sharaye: 312, and its chain is of the most Saheeh (Authentic) chains. Al-Kafi: 3/482.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad: Narrated to us my father from Muhammad bin Abdul Jabbar from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ziyad Azdi from Aban bin Uthman from Thabit bin Dinar from the Chief of the worshippers Alee bin Hussain (a.s) from the Chief of the martyrs Hussain bin Alee (a.s) from the Chief of the legatees Ameer ul-Mo'mineen Alee ibn Abi Talib (a.s) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: "There will be twelve Imams after me. The first of them is you, O Alee (a.s)! And the last of them is the Qa'im by whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will conquer the east and the west of the earth."

Footnote: Amali Sadooq: 172, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy. Kamaluddin: 282, Uyoon Akhbaar Al-Ridha: 2/66.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: narrated to us Ahmad ibn Harun Al-Faami (r.a) from Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja'far from his father from Ya'qoob ibn Yazid Al-Anbari from Al-Hassan ibn Alee ibn Faddal from Isma'eel ibn Al-Fadhl Al-Hashimi from Al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s) from his father Muhammad ibn Alee (a.s) from his father Alee ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) from his father Al-Hussain ibn Alee (a.s) from his father Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (saw): Inform me the number of the Imams after you?" He (saw) said: "O Alee ?(a.s)! They are twelve, the first one of them is you and the last one of them is Al-Qa'im."

Footnote: Amali Al-Sadooq: 728, and its chain is Saheeh (Authentic) and its narrators are trustworthy, as Al-Sadooq narrates all the books and narrations of Abdullah ibn Ja'far Al-Himyari through a Saheeh (Authentic) chain and likewise the narrations of his son Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Harun and Ja'far ibn Al-Hussain from him.

Sheikh Al-Sadooq: Narrated to us Hussain bin Ahmad bin Idrees that: Narrated to us my father from Muhammad bin Hussain bin Yazid Zayyat from Hasan bin Musa Khashshab from ibn Sama-a from Alee ibn Hasan Ribat from his father from Mufaddal bin Umar that he said: As-Sadiq Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s) said: "Allah, Blessed and the High, created fourteen lights 14000 years before the creation of the universe, thus they were our souls. It was asked: 'O son of Allah's Messenger (saw), who are these fourteen lights?' He replied: 'Muhammad (saw), Alee (a.s), Faatima (s.a), Hassan (a.s), Hussain (a.s) and Imams from the descendants of Hussain (a.s) and the last of them is Qa'im who will rise up after occultation. Then he would kill the Dajjal and purify the earth from every type of injustice and oppression.'"

Footnote: Kamaluddin: 335, and its chain is Hasan (Reliable).

Sheikh Al-Tusi: narrated to us a group of our companions from Abil Mufaddal from Abul Qasim Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Musawi from Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Nahik Al-Kufi from Muhammad ibn Ziyad ibn Abi Umayr from Alee ibn Rihab from Abi Basir from Abi Abdullah Ja'far ibn Muhammad from his forefather from Alee (a.s) saying: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said to me: "O Alee (a.s)! Allah (swt) looked at the world and chose me over the men of the worlds and looked again and chose you over the men of the worlds, then he looked a third time and chose Faatima (s.a) over the women of the worlds and then looked a fourth time and chose Al-Hassan (a.s) and Al-Hussain (a.s) and the Imams (a.s) from their progeny over the men of the worlds."

Footnote: Amali Al-Tusi: 641, and its chain is Hasan like Saheeh (Authentic) and parts of this narrations have been narrated through several chains.

Al-Khazzaz Al-Qummi: narrated to us Abul Mufaddal Muhammad ibn Abdullah from Raja ibn Yahya Abul Hussain the writer of Al-Abirtahi from Muhammad ibn Al-Khallad Aboo Bakr Al-Bahili from Ma'aaz ibn Ma'aaz from ibn Awn from Hisham ibn Zayd from Anas ibn Malik who said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (saw) about the disciples of Isa (a.s), so he (saw) said: "They were his chosen ones. They were twelve and they were single like monks to help Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw) and there is no idleness, weakness and doubt in them. They used to help him with insight, selflessness and effort." I said: "So who are your disciples O Messenger of Allah (saw)?" So he said: "The Imams after me are twelve, from the descendants Alee (a.s) and Faatima (s.a), they are my disciples and helpers of my Religion, peace and blessing of Allah (swt) by upon them."

Footnote: Kifayatul Athar: 68, and its chain is Hasan (Reliable). Ibn Awn is Abdullah.

Source: Arba'oon Hadeethan Mu'tabaran Fi Al-Nass Ala Al-A'immah Ithna Ashar. Pg. # 212 - 219.

Objections concerning the Twelve Imams (a.s)

Objection One:

Bada Concerning Isma'eel son of Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s)

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

The Zaidiyyah say: What falsifies the claims of Imamiyyah is that they claimed that Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s) issued Nass in favour of Isma'eel when he (Isma'eel) was alive. Later on, Isma'eel passed away during the lifetime of his father. So they said: "The Almighty Allah (swt) did not in effect change (Bada) in anything like He did regarding my son, Isma'eel." So if the tradition of twelve Imams (a.s) had been correct, at least Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s) must have been aware of it, and he would have told his selected followers so that neither they err nor other people commit such a blunder.

Response One:

In reply we asked them: On what basis do you say that Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s) had issued Nass on the Imamate of Isma'eel? What type of a report is it, who has narrated it and who has accepted it? They have no replies to offer. It was only a story concocted by those who believe in the Imamate of Isma'eel. It has no basis, because the traditions regarding the twelve Imams (a.s) are narrated by the Shi'as as well as the Sunnis from the Imams (a.s) and the Prophet (saw). Whatever has been recorded from them on this is mentioned in this book. 

As for his statement that: "The Almighty Allah (swt) did not in effect change (Bada) in anything like He did regarding my son, Isma'eel." What the Imam (a.s) means to say is that: "No Divine matter became known to me as was in the case of my son, Isma'eel; that he died during my lifetime so that it is known that he is not an Imam after me." And on the basis of our belief, if one believes that today Allah, the Mighty and Sublime comes to know something He was unaware of the day before, such a person will be a disbeliever and it would be obligatory to keep aloof from such a person as is narrated from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s).

Narrated to us my father, from Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Attar from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya bin Imran Ashari that he said: Narrated to us Aboo Abdillah ar-Razi from Hassan bin Al-Hussain Lulu from Muhammad bin Sinan from Ammar from Abi Basir and Sama-a from Abu Abdillah, Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) that he said: "It is obligatory to declare immunity from one who thinks that something may be exposed to Allah (swt) today which He was ignorant about yesterday."

However, the Bada in which the Imamiyah sect believes in is that Allah's (swt) affair which was concealed from us is now revealed. The Arabs say: "Badaa li Shakhsun," meaning: "A person became visible to me." Or "Laa Badaa Nidamah," meaning: "He showed no remorse." Whereas Almighty Allah (swt) is far above this.

And how is it possible that Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) should announce Isma'eel's Imamate when the Imam (a.s) himself used to say that: "He (Isma'eel) is sinful, neither he resembles me nor any of my purified forefathers."

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Al-Mutawakkil that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Yahya Al-Attar from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya bin Imran Ashari from Ya'qoob bin Yazid from Muhammad bin Abi Umair from Hassan bin Rashid that he said: I inquired from Aba Abdillah, Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) regarding Isma'eel. He said: "He is sinful, neither he resembles me nor any of my purified forefathers.

Narrated to us Hassan bin Ahmad bin Idrees that: Narrated to us my father narrating from Muhammad bin Ahmad from Ya'qoob bin Yazid and Barqi from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Hammad from Ubaid bin Zurarah that he said: I mentioned Isma'eel in the presence of Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s). He said: "By Allah (swt)! Neither he resembles me nor any of my purified forefathers."

Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hassan bin Ahmad bin Al-Walid that: Narrated to us Sa'ad bin Abdullah narrating from Muhammad bin Abdul Jabbar from ibn Abi Najran from Hussain bin Mukhtar from Walid bin Sabih that he said: A man came to me and said: "Come with me, so that I may show you the son of the man (Imam (a.s))." He says: I went along with him and we came to a group of people who were drinking wine and Isma'eel bin Ja'far was also among them. He says: "I came out shocked and went to Hajar Al-Aswad. In the meantime I saw Isma'eel bin Ja'far clinging to the Holy Kaaba and the covering of the Kaaba was wet with his tears." He says: "When I came out of there I saw Isma'eel in that same group which was drinking wine. Again I returned to Kaaba and saw Isma'eel clinging to the Kaaba covering and the curtain was wet with his tears." He says that when he related this incident to Aboo Abdillah Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s) he said: "Indeed such a Satan has come upon my son who assumed his form."

And it is narrated that the Satan can in no case assume the form of a prophet or a successor of a prophet. Then how is it possible that the Imam (a.s) should have indicated Isma'eel to be an Imam while having issued such a right statement about him?

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 75 - 76.

Objection Two:

Why Did Zurara Not Know The Imam After Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s)?

Sheikh Al-Sadooq:

Fourth objection of Zaidiyyah sect

Zaidiyyah say: If the tradition regarding the number of Imams to be twelve had been correct, people would not have doubted in the successorship of Imam Ja'far Sadiq (a.s). So much so that there is a group among the Shi'as that believed in the Imamate of Abdullah, and some adopted the belief in Imamate of Isma'eel and some others remained confused. The matter reached such an extent that when some people put Abdullah, the Imam's (a.s) son under a test and didn't find in him the necessary qualities they came out saying: "Now where do we go? To Murjiah or to Hururiya?" 

And Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) heard this and he said: "Neither do Murjiah or Qadariya or Hururiya come to me." So, note due to how many things the tradition regarding the number of Imams (a.s) to be twelve is invalidated. One is that Abdullah occupied the seat of Imamate, secondly the Shi'as approach him, thirdly after having tested him they are confused and do not know that their Imam is Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) and the position is such that Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s) is compelled to call the people to himself. And a jurisprudent (Faqih) of this period, Zurarah bin Uyun, dies in that condition saying with a copy of the Qur'aan on his breast: "O Lord! I testify for the Imamate of the one, whose Imamate is proved in this Holy Qur'aan."

Response Two:

Our reply is: Indeed, all these things are misleading and false because we have not claimed that all the Shi'as of that period knew the names of all the twelve Imams (a.s). Rather, we said that the Holy Prophet (saw) informed that the Imams (a.s) after him shall be twelve who would be his successors and that the Shi'a scholars have narrated this tradition with their names. 

And this fact also cannot be denied that there were among the Shia's one or two persons or even more than that who had not heard this tradition. However, the matter of Zurarah bin Uyun is such that he died before he met a person who could have informed him about this report and he had not heard the appointment text (Nass) of Musa bin Ja'far (a.s). And since the tradition and narration had not reached him, his excuse was acceptable because he placed the Holy Qur'aan on his breast and said: "O Lord, I testify for the Imamate of the one, whose Imamate is proved in this Quran." And does any religious jurisprudent, when an issue is doubtful for him, act in any other way? Apart from that it is also said: Zurarah believed in and knew about the Imamate of Imam Musa bin Ja'far and he sent his son, Ubaid, to Imam Musa bin Ja'far (a.s) to inquire if he (Zurarah) was permitted to reveal what he knew about his Imamate, or that he should keep it confidential through dissimulation. And such a thing is in consonance with the position of Zurarah bin Uyun and acceptable for the level of his divine recognition (Ma'rafah).

Narrated to us Ahmad bin Ziyad bin Ja'far Al-Hamadani from Alee bin Ibraheem bin Hashim, from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Ibraheem bin Muhammad Al-Hamadani that he said: I asked Imam Alee Ridha (a.s): "O son of Allah's Messenger (saw)! Tell me whether  Zurarah was aware of the Imamate of your venerable father." He replied: "Yes." I further asked: "Then why did he send Ubaid, his son, to inquire who Imam Sadiq Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s) had appointed as his successor?" Imam Alee Ridha (a.s) said: "Indeed, Zurarah was aware of the Imamate of my venerable father and also knew about the clear textual appointment (Nass) of my honorable grandfather about him. And when his son was late in returning, Zurarah was requested to mention his opinion about my father. Since he did not prefer to proceed in this matter without the leave of my father, he picked up the Holy Qur'aan and said: 'O Lord, my Imam from among the sons of Imam Ja'far bin Muhammad (a.s) is one, whose Imamate is proved in this Holy Qur'aan.'"

Source: Kamaaluddin wa Tamaamun Ni'ma. Pg. # 80 - 81.

Objection Three:

Ahmad Al-Khatib has said many narrations that have been narrated by Al-Saffar, Al-Kulayni, Al-Himyari, Al-Ayyashi, Al-Mufid, Al-Hurr Al-Amili and others, state that the Imams (a.s) themselves did not know this story of a fixed will from the time of the Messenger of Allah (saw) and they did not know their Imamate, or the Imamate of their next Imam after them, except near their death, let alone for the Shi'a or Al-Imamiyyah themselves, who were falling into confusion and discrepancy after the death of each Imam (a.s), and they used to ask every Imam to specify the next Imam and name him clearly, so that they do not die while not knowing the new Imam. 

As Al-Saffar in Basa'ir Al-Darajaat in the chapter of, "The Imams (a.s) know to whom they should deliver the will before their death by what Allah (swt) makes them know" narrates a Hadeeth from Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s) saying: "No scholar (Imam) has ever died before Allah (swt) granted him the knowledge of to whom he must deliver his will." As Al-Kulayni also narrates it in Al-Kafi from him (a.s): "Imam (a.s) does not die until he knows who the succeeding Imam is, so he will deliver his 'will' to him." And this points out that the Imams (a.s) did not know the names of their successors prior to that or that a fixed will existed for them. Al-Saffar, Al-Sadooq, Al-Kulayni have gone further narrating from Abi Abdullah (a.s) that he said: "The next Imam (a.s) comes to know that he has become the Imam and that the position (Leadership with Divine Authority) is transferred to him at the last minute of the life of the preceding Imam (a.s)."

That is why there has been several questions asked during the lifetime of the Ahlulbayt (a.s), like: "How does the Imam (a.s) know that he has become Imam if his father dies far away from him in another city?" And "How does the Imam (a.s) know he is the Imam if the will has been delivered to a group of people?" or "If he has not delivered the will to anyone?" And, "How do people know that he has become the Imam? Especially if the brothers struggle over Imamate and each claims that it has been conveyed to him?" As it has happened for several Imams in history.

Source: Al-Imam Al-Mahdi. Pg. # 127 - 128.

Response Three:

Our reply is: Firstly, the scholars that have been mentioned by him have narrated many other narrations as well than those few that have presented by Ahmad Al-Katib, in those narrations the Imamate is a covenant from Allah (swt) and it has been conveyed to the Messenger of Allah (saw), then passed on to Imam Alee (a.s) and then to each Imam (a.s) from the previous Imam with the covenant of Allah (swt) as we presented some of the narrations above about the Designation of each Imam(a.s).

So, even if what this person has presented was true, then it would be in contradiction to a much larger group of narrations narrated about this specific topic. When such does happen, the narrations that we have mentioned take precedence over the narrations that supposedly point out that the 'Imams (a.s) were unaware who their successors were except near their death', simply due to the much larger number of those narrations and their authenticity etc. 

Readers can refer to Usool Al-Kafi, book of Al-Hujjah (divine leadership), Basa'ir Al-Darajaat and the books of Al-Sadooq and read over the chapters before and after what Ahmad Al-Katib has presented. They will find that there are complete chapters in regards to this issue. We have previously presented reliable narrations about the appointment of each Imam (a.s) and that their successors were known to them even during their childhood.

Nevertheless, we find that there is no contradiction between these narrations which will be mentioned later Insha'Allah Ta'ala. Additionally, the first two narrations that he has presented do not mean that the Imam (a.s) does not know who the next Imam is except near his death, they rather mean that Allah (swt) never leaves people without an appointed Imam and that the Imam (a.s) does not leave this world until Allah (swt) orders him to appoint the next Imam, and that, through making it known to his trusted people and companions.

Mullah Muhammad Saleh Al-Mazandarani:

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn from ibn Mahbub from Al-Ala ibn Razin from Abd Allah ibn Aboo Ya'fur from Aboo Abd Allah (a.s), who said the following: "The preceding Imam, recipient of divine supreme covenant, does not die until he learns who the succeeding Imam is, so he will deliver his 'will' to him."

Explanation: (لا يموت الإمام حتی يعلم)  is in passive form meaning announcement, or if it is active form then it refers to knowledge, and the meaning is that this knowledge is available for him before death, not that he achieves it near his death.

Source: Sharh Usool Al-Kafi. Vol. 6, Pg. # 77 - 78.

The author Ahmad Al-Katib then attempts to mislead his readers with a third narration that has nothing to do with what he claims which is: "When the new Imam knows that he is Imam." The narration is explicit that it is the state of active Imamate, i.e. about the new Imam who receives the authority of Imamate practically, not that he was unaware of his position prior to that.

Objection Four:


Twelver Shia's Fabricated Hadeeth For Imam Al-Mehdi (a.s)

Last but not least, Ahmad Al-Katib then goes to claim, the Shi'as fabricated narrations of Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) birth. They claim Sheikh Al-Kulayni narrated only a few Hadeeth about the subject, while Sheikh Al-Sadooq who came after narrated more and finally Al-Khazzaz who came after all of them narrated even more then both of them.

Ahmad Al-Katib:

And the Shi'ee historian Al-Mas'oodi (died in 345 H.) mentioned in his Tanbeeh Wa Al-Ishraf: "The original report that specified the amount of Imams by twelve, is what Sulaym bin Qays Al-Hilali mentioned in his book." 

And Kitab Sulaym came to light in the beginning of the forth generation, after Hijra. And it included a list of names of the twelve Imams, about which is said: "It is well-known since the time of the Prophet (saw), and he (saw) was the one who made it public." And the appearance of this book led to the forming of the twelver sect in the forth generation, after Hijra. After that, the narrators started to fabricate narrations step by step. And Al-Kulayni did not mention in his book Al-Kafi except 17 narrations (about the twelve Imams). Then came Al-Sadooq, 50 years later, to increase it up to 30 narrations. And then came his student Al-Khazzaz who turned it into 200 narrations.

Source: Tatawwur Al-Fikr Al-Siyasi Al-Shi'ee. Pg. # 204 - 205.

Response Four:

Our reply is: The answer to such a question  can be found in the introduction of Al-Kafi from the words of Sheikh Al-Kulayni himself. His intention was not to narrate on every single subject but only a few since his book is a summary on everything, whereas Sheikh Al-Sadooq wrote a book specifically for the issue, so it is only expected for him to have narrated more. Sheikh Al-Khazzaz followed, and narrated a whole book both through both 'Sunni' narrators and Shia only on this subject, so again was expected to narrate more than the rest.

Sheikh Al-Kulayni (Died 329 A.H.):

We extended the book on 'People with Divine Authority' to a certain degree, although not as it should have been done, because we did not like to be deprived of the benefits thereof. I hope Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, will approve what is based on our intentions. If life gives us the change, we will compile a book of a bigger volume to serve the causes as they should be served, by the will of Allah, the Most High. From Him comes the power and means. From Him one expects help and increase in rewards and opportunity. May Allah send blessings upon Muhammad and his purified family.

Source: Al-Kafi. The Introduction. Pg. # 9.

As for his other questions, most of them are already answered by presenting narrations in regards to it such as if the Imam (a.s) dies far away from his successor and so forth.

In conclusion, the evidences presented in this episode prove through Tawatur of reports that the Messenger of Allah (saw) appointed Twelve Imams as his successors. A group of those narrations mention the names of each Imam (a.s) starting from Ameer ul-Mo'mineen (a.s) and eleven from among his descendants, the last one of whom is Imam Al-Mahdi ibn Al-Hassan Al-Askari (ajf).

Besides that, we have presented plenty of reliable narrations from each Imam (a.s) in which they appoint their successor while making it known to some of their companions. 

Additionally, we have also presented Mutawatir narrations which evidence the fact that Imam Al-Mahdi (ajf) is the ninth descendant of Imam Al-Hussain (a.s), and some more narrations will Insha Allah follow in the next episodes about him being the seventh descendant of Imam Al-Baqir (a.s), sixth descendant of Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s), fifth descendant of Imam Al-Kadhim (a.s) and fourth descendant of Imam Al-Ridha (a.s) and so on.

All these evidences combined provide us complete certainty, and leaves no place for any doubt about the correctness of the belief of the Twelver Shi'as regarding the Twelve Imams (a.s) and their designation as the divine authorities after the Messenger of Allah (saw).  

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