Kitāb al-Ghayba

وأما المحمدية الذين قالوا بإمامة محمد بن علي العسكري وأنه حي لم يمت،فقولهم باطل لما دللنا به على إمامة أخيه الحسن بن علي أبي القائم عليه السلام. وأيضا فقد مات محمد في حياة أبيه عليه السلام موتا ظاهرا كما مات أبوه وجده،فالمخالف في ذلك مخالف في الضرورات. ويزيد ذلك بيانا:

As for the Muhammmadiyya, who said that Muhammad Ibn Ali Askari is the Imam and that he is alive and has not died, their assertion is invalid on the basis of our proofs of the Imamate of his brother, Hasan Ibn Ali, the father of the Qaim (a.s). Furthermore, Muhammad died in the lifetime of his father and his death was apparent and visible like the death of his father and grandfather. To dispute that would amount to disputing a self-evident reality.

163- ما رواه سعد بن عبد الله عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك عن سيار بن محمد البصري عن علي بن عمر النوفلي قال: كنت مع أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام في داره فمر عليه أبو جعفر، فقلت له: هذا صاحبنا؟ فقال: لا. صاحبكم الحسن.

H 163 - It is narrated from Saad bin Abdullah from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik from Sayyar bin Muhammad Basri from Ali bin Umar Naufali that he said: I was with Abul Hasan Askari [Imam Hadi (a.s)] in his house, when Abu Ja’far passed from there. I asked: Is he our master? He replied: No, your master is Hasan.

164- وعنه عن هارون بن مسلم بن سعدان عن أحمد بن محمد بن رجا صاحب الترك قال:قال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: الحسن ابني القائم من بعدي.

H 164 - It is narrated from Harun bin Muslim bin Sadan from Ahmad bin Muhammad Rajaa Turk that he said: Imam Hadi (a.s) said: My son, Hasan is the Imam after me.

165- عنه عن أحمد بن عيسى العلوي من ولد علي بن جعفر قال: دخلت على أبي الحسن عليه السلام بصريا فسلمنا عليه، فإذا نحن بأبي جعفر وأبي محمد قد دخلا،فقمنا إلى أبي جعفر لنسلم عليه فقال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: ليس هذا صاحبكم. عليكم بصاحبكم. وأشار إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام.

H 165 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Isa Alawi from the sons of Ali bin Ja’far that he said: I came to Imam Hadi in Sarya and greeted the Imam. At that moment, Abu Ja’far [Muhammad] and Abu Muhammad [Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)] arrived. We arose and moved to Abu Ja’far with intention to greet and accord respect to him, but Imam Hadi (a.s) said: ‘He is not your master and Imam; he is.’ and he pointed to Abu Muhammad (a.s).

166- وروى يحيى بن بشار القنبري قال: أوصى أبو الحسن عليه السلام إلى ابنه الحسن عليه السلام قبل مضيه بأربعة أشهر،وأشهدني على ذلك وجماعة من الموالي.

H 166 - Yahya bin Bashr Qambari has narrated that Abul Hasan Imam Hadi (a.s), four months before he passed away, made bequest to his son, Hasan (a.s) and I and a group of Shia witnessed it.

167- فقد رواه سعد بن عبد الله الأشعري قال:حدثني أبو هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: كنت عند أبي الحسن عليه السلام وقت وفاة ابنه أبي جعفر، وقد كان أشار إليه ودل عليه، فإني لأفكر في نفسي وأقول هذه قضية أبي إبراهيم وقضية إسماعيل، فأقبل علي أبو الحسن عليه السلام فقال: نعم يا أبا هاشم. بدا لله تعالى في أبي جعفر وصير مكانه أبا محمد،كما بدا لله في إسماعيل بعد ما دل عليه أبو عبد الله عليه السلام ونصبه. وهو كما حدثت به نفسك وإن كره المبطلون. أبو محمد ابني الخلف من بعدي؛ عنده ما تحتاجون إليه ومعه آلة الإمامة، والحمد لله.

H 167- Saad bin Abdullah Ashari has narrated: Narrated to me Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that: When Abu Ja’far passed away, I was present with Imam Hadi (a.s) and previously the Imam had hinted to him. Therefore, I thought and said to myself: This is just how it happened in the case of Abu Ibrahim [Imam Kadhim (a.s)] and Ismail Ibn Ja’far that when Ismail passed away, Imam Sadiq (a.s) publicly announced his death so that no one may say that Ismail or his descendants are Imams. Imam Hadi (a.s) came to me and said: Yes, Aba Hashim, change of destiny occurred (Bada) with regard to Abu Ja’far and Almighty Allah replaced him with Abu Muhammad as He did in the case of Ismail, son of Imam Sadiq (a.s), after Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) had declared and mentioned him to be the Imam after him and appointed him as his successor; just as you said to yourself, although it would be displeasing to the followers of falsehood. My son, Abu Muhammad is my successor and he is having all that which the Shia society is in need of and he is having the distinctive signs of Imamate, by the grace of God.

168- سعد عن علي بن محمد الكليني عن إسحاق بن محمد النخعي عن شاهويه بن عبد الله الجلاب قال: كنت رويت عن أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام في أبي جعفر ابنه روايات تدل عليه، فلما مضى أبو جعفر قلقت لذلك وبقيت متحيرا لا أتقدم ولا أتأخر، وخفت أن أكتب إليه في ذلك فلا أدري ما يكون. فكتبت إليه أسأله الدعاء وأن يفرج الله تعالى عنا في أسباب من قبل السلطان كنا نغتم بها في غلماننا. فرجع الجواب بالدعـاء ورد الغلمان علينـا،وكتب في آخر الكتاب: أردتَ أن تسـأل عن الخلف بعد مضي أبي جعفر، وقلقت لذلك، فلا تغتم، فإن الله لا يضل قوماًبعد إذ هداهم حتى يبين لهم ما يتقون. صاحبكم بعدي أبو محمد ابني، وعنده ما تحتاجون إليه. يقدم الله ما يشاء ويؤخر ما يشاء: ﴿ما نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِها نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْها أَوْ مِثْلِها﴾. قد كتبت بما فيه بيان وقناع لذي عقل يقظان.

H 168 - Saad and Ali bin Muhammad Kulaini have narrated from Ishaq bin Muhammad Nakhai from Shawiya bin Abdullah Jallab that he said: I previously narrated a report from Imam Hadi (a.s) about his son, Abu Ja’far, which proved his Imamate; but when Abu Ja’far passed away from the world, I was so astonished and bewildered that I did not know what to do and I was in a dilemma and I feared writing to the Imam about it. At last, I wrote a letter to the Imam asking him for supplication to Almighty Allah to save us from the hardships imposed on us from the ruler with regard to our youth. Reply to the letter came with a supplication of the Imam and the difficulty of our youth was also solved. At the end of the letter, the Imam had written: You wanted to ask me about the successor after the death of Abu Ja’far (Muhammad) and you are anxious due to that. Don’t be: “It is not (attributable to) Allah that He should lead a people astray after He has guided them; He even makes clear to them what they should guard against.” (9:115) Your leader after me is Abu Muhammad (Askari), my son. He has everything, which they need. God brings forward whatever He wishes and delays whatever He wishes: Whatever communications We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring one better than it or like it. (2:106) In this is a clear explanation and convincing proof for one who has a watchful disposition.

قال محمد بن الحسن ما تضمن الخبر المتقدم من قوله بدا لله في محمد كما بدا له في إسماعيل معناه ظهر من الله وأمره في أخيه الحسن ما زال الريب والشك في إمامته، فإن جماعة من الشيعة كانوا يظنون أن الأمر في محمد من حيث كان الأكبر، كما كان يظن جماعة أن الأمر في إسماعيل بن جعفر دون موسى عليه السلام. فلما مات محمد ظهر من أمر الله فيه وأنه لم ينصبه إماما كما ظهر في إسماعيل مثل ذلك، لا أنه كان نص عليه ثم بدا له في النص على غيره فإن ذلك لا يجوز على الله تعالى العالم بالعواقب.

Muhammad bin Hasan [Shaykh Tusi] says: That which was mentioned in the previous report is based on the fact that change of destiny (Bada) occurred about Ismail as well as Muhammad. It means that with regard to the brother of Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), a new matter was revealed from Almighty Allah and this removed doubt about his Imamate, since some Shia thought that Imamate was fixed for Muhammad and he was the Imam, as he was elder to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). They thought in the same way with regard to the Imamate of Ismail bin Ja’far and Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) not being the Imam. Hence when Muhammad died, the command of Allah was revealed about him; that is he is not the Imam and that he is not appointed to Imamate, and the same was revealed with regard to Ismail previously. Not that previously a text based on his Imamate was mentioned and after that Allah changed His decision in favor of someone; as such a thing is impossible from Almighty Allah and He is aware of the end of all matters.

169- وروى سعد بن عبد الله عن محمد بن أحمد العلوي عن أبي هاشم داود بن القاسم الجعفري قال: سمعت أبا الحسن العسكري عليه السلام يقول: الخلف من بعدي الحسن. فكيف لكم بالخلف من بعد الخلف؟ فقلت: ولم جعلني الله فداك؟ فقال: لأنكم لا ترون شخصه ولا يحل لكم ذكره باسمه. فقلت: فكيف نذكره؟فقال: قولوا الحجة من آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

H 169 - Saad bin Abdullah has narrated from Muhammad bin Ahmad Alawi from Abu Hashim Dawood bin Qasim Ja’fari that he said: I heard Imam Hadi (a.s) say: The successor after me is Hasan. But how will it be for you with regard to the successor after the successor? I asked: May I be sacrificed on you, what for? He replied: Because you will not see his person, nor is it permissible for you to mention him by his name. I asked: So how are we to mention him? He replied: The Proof (Hujjah) from Aale Muhammad (a.s).

170- وروى محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب عن ابن أبي الصهبان قال: لما مات أبو جعفر محمد بن علي بن محمد بن علي بن موسى عليهم السلام وضع لأبي الحسن علي بن محمد عليه السلام كرسي فجلس عليه، وكان أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام قائما في ناحية،فلما فرغ من غسل أبي جعفر التفت أبو الحسن إلى أبي محمد عليه السلام فقال: يا بني، أحدث لله شكرا فقد أحدث فيك أمرا.

H 170 - Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab has narrated from Ibn Abi Sahban that he said: When Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa (a.s) died, a chair or a platform was put for Imam Hadi (a.s) and the Imam sat on it. Abu Muhammad, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) also stood besides the Imam. After he completed the funeral bath of Abu Ja’far, Imam Hadi (a.s) glanced at Abu Muhammad (a.s) and said: “God has made succession (rest) with you from Him. So praise God.”