Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (the second) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.)

“A man who was present in a meeting (of people) with abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) spoke to me of the information herein below. “When people readied themselves to leave the meeting the Imam (a.s.) said to them, “Meet abu Ja‘far (a.s.), (before you leave), offer to him greeting and renew your covenant with him.” When left, he (the Imam) said to me, “May Allah grant well-being to al-Mufaddal, he would have believed (in the succeeding Imam) without it (the command to renew their covenant)”.

“I heard (abu al-Hassan) al-Rida who said something (leadership with Divine Authority) and then said, “I do not think you need what I just said. This is abu Ja‘far (a.s.). I have placed him in my own place to assume my position. We are of the family Ahl al-Bayt whose younger ones inherit from elder everything exactly measure to measure.”

“Once I went to see abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (a.s.). He debated me in several issues. He then said, “O abu Ali, there is no (reason for) doubt; I am the only son that my father had.”

“Ibn Qiyaman wrote a letter to abu al-Hassan (a.s.) in which he had said the following. ‘How can you be an Imam when you do not have a son?” Abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) replied him with signs of anger, “How do you know that I will not have a son? By Allah, not many days and nights will pass before Allah will grant me a male child through who He will make the truth distinct from falsehood.”

“Al-Najashi once asked me, “Who will be the Imam after your master? I wish you ask him so I will know.” I then went to see Ali al-Rida (a.s.) and informed him (of al-Najashi’s wish).” The narrator has said that the Imam said, “The Imam will be my son.” Then he said, “Can any one say that my son will be the Imam when he has no son?”

“Once in the presence of abu al-Hassan (a.s.) we spoke about an issue, Imamat, (Leadership with Divine Authority). It was after the birth oof abu Ja‘far (a.s.). The Imam (a.s.) said, “You do not need any such thing (thinking who the Imam will be). This is abu Ja‘far (a.s.). I have placed him in my own place and made him to assume my position.”

“Once I went to see Ali ibn Musa (a.s.). (During the meeting) I asked him, “Can there be two Imams?” He replied, “No, but that one of them must remain silent.” I then said to him, “This applies to you. You are the Imam and there is no silent Imam with you.” At that time his son abu Ja‘far was not yet born. He said to me, “By Allah, Allah will make an Imam from me to establish the truth and the people of truth and banish falsehood and the people of falsehood. One year thereafter abu Ja‘far (a.s.) was born. Ibn Qiyama belonged to the Waqifi sect.”

“Once I was in the presence of abu al-Hassan (a.s.). He called his son who was a small (boy). The Imams (a.s.) placed him in my lap and said to me. “ Move his shirt aside.” When I did so. The Imams (a.s.) said, “Look in between his shoulders.” I look and I found in the skin of one shoulder something like an imprint of a seal.” The Imams (a.s.) then asked, “Do you see this.? Similar to this there was one in the shoulder of my father.”

“Once I was in of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) Someone brought his son, Ja’far (a.s.) to him and he was a small (child). The Imams (a.s.) said, “This new born is one the like of whom with such great holiness and blessing has not been born for our Shi‘a (followers).”

“Once I said to al-Rida (a.s.), before Allah’s granting you the blessing of the birth of abu Ja’far (a.s.) we would ask you and you would say, “Allah will grant me a son and He has granted you one. His birth is the delight of our eyes. May Allah spare us from showing your (sad) day. However, if something will happen to who then (will leadership with Divine Authority) will go?” The Imam (a.s.) pointed out with his hand towards abu Ja’far (a.s.) and he was standing before him. I then asked, “ May Allah take 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 years old child.”

“I heard ’Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim say to al-rida (a.s.), ‘My son feels heaviness in his tongue. I intend to sent him tomorrow to you. Pass you your hand over his head and pray for him. He is your Mawla (slave).’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He is a Mawla (slave) of abu Ja’far (a.s.). send him tomorrow to him (abu Ja‘far (a.s.).”

“Once I was in a meeting with Ali ibn Ja‘far ibn Muhammad in Medina, - I stayed with him for two years to write from him what he would hear from his brother, Abu al-Hassan (a.s.),- at such time Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.) came in the mosque, the mosque of the Messenger of Allah. Ali ibn Ja‘far rushed towards him bare foot and without his gown. He kissed his hand and showed great respect for him. Abu Ja‘far said to him, “Uncle, please sit down, may Allah grant you well being.” He said, “My master, how can I sit when you are standing.” When Ali ibn Ja‘far returned to his place his companions began to blame him saying, “You are the uncle of his father, how can you act as such before him?” He said to them, “Be quite, When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has not qualified this beard –holding his beard in his hand- but has qualified this young man and has given him such position, should I deny his excellence and virtue? I seek refuge before Allah from what you say. In fact, I am a servant for him.”

“Once I was standing before abu al-Hassan (a.s.) in Khurasan and someone said tp him, “O my master, if something will happen to who (will go Leadership with Divine Authority)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It will go to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), my son.” The person asking the question thought of abu Ja‘far (a.s.) as very young for such task. Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent Jesus, son of Mary as a messenger prophet, the owner of a whole legal system. He began his task when he was smaller in age than abu Ja‘far (a.s.).”

“I heard Ali ibn Ja‘far speaking to al-Hassan ibn al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn as, “By Allah, Allah has supported abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.).” Al-Hassan then said, “Yes, by Allah, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, his brothers have rebelled against him.” Ali ibn Ja‘far then said, “Yes, by Allah, and we, his uncles, rebelled against him.” Al-Hassan said to him, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, how did you dealt it, I was not present with you.” He said, “His brothers said to him and so did we, “There has never been a blackish Imam from us” The Imam (a.s.) al-Rida said to them, “He is my son.” They said,” Messenger of Allah did judge on the basis of physiognomy, thus, we can also have a judgment on the basis of physiognomy .” The Imam (a.s.) said, “You may call one who has said the following knows physiognomy but I will not do so. You should not give information as to for what reason you have called them. You must stay home. When they will come, we should, all of us, be in the garden. His uncles, brothers and sisters should all line up. They dressed al-Rida (a.s.) in a gown made of wool with a hat of wool on his head and a shovel in his hand. The Imam should be asked to act as the gardener in the garden. Then Abu Ja‘far should be brought in and they should be asked to find his father in the people present. They said, “His father is not present among these people, but this is his uncle, this is the uncle of his father, this is his uncle and this is his aunt. If his father is here he is the gardener because his footprint and his footprint match” When Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) returned, they said, “This is his father.” Ali ibn Ja‘far has said, “I stood up and kissed Abu Ja‘far and his saliva came in my mouth. Then I said, “I testify that you are my Imam before Allah. Al-Rida (a.s.) wept and said, “O uncle, did not hear my father say, “The Messenger of Allah has said, “May Allah take my soul and the souls of my father in service for the cause of the son of the best slave girl, the son of al-Nawbiya (a town in Sudan) lady with a fresh smelling mouth, the lady of who will give birth to a purified one. May Allah condemn the ’U‘aybiss (the ‘Abbassides) and their descendants, the mischief makers who murder them (the Imams) for years, months, and days, causing them huge sufferings and causing them to endure bitter frustrations. He (Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) live exiled, away from home, and suffering the pain of the murder of his father and grandfather. One who is has disappeared (from the eyes of his loved ones). About whom it will be said, “His is dead or perished. No one will in which valleys he will travel. Can such a person, O uncle, be anyone other than my own son?” I then said, “You have spoken the truth, may Allah take my souls in service for your cause.”