The Birth of the Imams (a.s.)

“Once we went for Hajj with abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) in the year that his son Musa (a.s.) was born. When we arrived at al-Abwa lunch was served When he would serve food to his people he would serve good and plentiful food. At such time the messenger of Hamida, (his wife), came saying, “Hamida says, “I have almost lost my self and I have found what I was to find, I am about to give birth. You had commanded me not to do anything to this child without you.” Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) left with the messenger. When he came back his companions congratulated him and said, “May Allah take our souls in service for your cause, what did you do to Hamida?” He said, “Allah granted her good health and gifted me with a boy whom He has formed as the best in His creatures. Hamida informed me of a matter about him that she thought I did not know. I, however, knew it better than her.” I then asked him, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what was it that Hamida told you about the child?” He said that she informed him about the baby’s actions as soon as he fell on the ground. “The baby placed his hands on the ground and raised his head to the sky.” I explained to her that it was a sign like that of the Messenger of Allah and a sign of the executor of his will after him.” I then said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what sign is the sign of the Messenger of Allah and the sign of the executor of his will after him?” He said to me, “In the night that the mother of my grandfather conceived him someone came to my great grandfather with a drink finer than water, softer than butter, sweeter than honey, cooler than ice and whiter than milk. He was asked to drink it and then go to bed with his wife. He went to bed with his wife and she conceived with the baby. In the night that the mother of my father conceived him someone came to my grandfather with the same kind of drink as that brought to my great-grandfather. He was asked to drink it as my great-grandfather had done. He was commanded to do as my great grandfather had done. He then went to bed with his wife and she conceived with my father. In the night that my mother would conceive with me someone came to my father with the same kind of drink as that brought for my great-grandfather and grandfather and made him to drink as they had done and commanded him as he had commanded them before him. He then went to bed with his wife and my mother conceived with me. In the night that my wife was to conceive with my son someone came to me with the same kind of drink as that for my great grandfather, my grandfather and my father. He did to me as he done to them. I then went with the knowledge of Allah and with joy for what Allah had granted to me to bed with my wife and she conceived with the baby that is just born. The newborn is with you and he, by Allah, will be your companion after me. The seed of the Imam is from what I just explained to you. When the seed is accommodated in the womb for four months and the spirit is established therein Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, then send an angel. This angel is called Haywan (animal or living). He then writes on his right shoulder “. .in all truth and justice, your Lord’s Word has been completed. No one can change His Words. He is All-hearing and All-knowing.”. (6:115) When he comes out of his mothers womb he places his hands on the floor and raises his head to the sky. Placing his hands on earth is an indication of his taking possession of all the knowledge of Allah that is sent from the heavens to earth. Raising his head to the sky is that because a caller from inside the Throne calls him from the high horizon with his name and the name of his father. It is for (on behalf of) the Lord, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, saying, “O so and so, son of so and so. Be firm so that you would be established. For the great purpose that I have created you, you are my chosen one in my creatures. You are the keeper of My secrets, the container of My knowledge, the trustee of My inspiration and My deputy and representative on earth. I have made it necessary for My blessings and mercy to reach you and those who would love you (and acknowledge your Divine Authority). I have gifted My paradise and given a place near Myself to you and to them. Also, by My Majesty and Grace, I will make your enemies to feel the heat of My punishment even though I may have given them expanded prosperity in My world such as prosperity in their livelihood. When the call of caller ends he responds to it by placing his hands on the ground and raising his head to the sky and says the following. “God Himself testifies that He is the only Lord. The angels and the men of knowledge and justice testify that God is the only Lord, the Majestic, and All-wise.” (3:18) The Imam (a.s.) said, “When he says this, Allah grants him the knowledge of the fist and the knowledge of the last the qualification to be visited by the spirit in the nights of destiny.” I then said, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, is the Spirit different from Jibril?” He said, “The Spirit is a creature greater than Jibril. Jibril is of the angels. The Spirit is a creature greater than the angels. Is it not true that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “On this Night, the angels and the Spirit descend .” .(97:4) Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan from al-Mukhtar ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from his father from abu Basir a similar hadith.

“I Heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say, ‘When Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would love to create the Imam He would command an angel to take a drink of water from under the Throne and his father to drink it and from this He creates the Imam. for the first forty days and nights in his mothers womb he would hear anything. After that he would hear the words. When he is born that angel comes and writes between his eyes, “. .in all truth and justice, your Lord’s Word has been completed. No one can change His Words. He is All-hearing and All-knowing.” (6:115) When the preceding Imam passes away a light house made from light is prepared for him and this light house he examines the deeds of the creatures. By this means Allah establishes His authority over the creatures.”

“I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say, ‘When Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, decides to create the Imam from another Imam He sends an angel with a drink of water from under the Throne. Then the angel would make the Imam to drink it and would give it to him to drink. For the first forty days he would not hear any words and thereafter he would hear words. When his mogthor would give birth Aallah would send the same angel who had brought the water. The angels would on his right should, “. .in all truth and justice, your Lord’s Word has been completed. No one can change His Words. He is All-hearing and All-knowing.”. (6:115) When he would rise to execute the task of an Imam Allah would raise a light house for him in every town through which he would examine the deeds of the servants of Allah.”

“I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say, ‘The Imam hears in the womb of his mother and when he is born these words of Allah will be written between his shoulders, “. .in all truth and justice, your Lord’s Word has been completed. No one can change His Words. He is All-hearing and All-knowing.”. (6:115) When the matter (Leadership with Divine Authority) is delivered to him Allah establishes a pillar of light for him through which he can see the deeds of the people of every town.”

“I heard Ishaq ibn Ja‘far say that he heard his father say as herein below. “When the mothers of the executors of the will conceive them she will go through a condition as if she has fainted for the rest of day if it would take place during the day or for the rest of the night if it would take place at night. She then would see in her dream a man congratulating her with the birth of a son, very knowledgeable and very forbearing. The condition then goes away annnd she wakes up and from her right side in the house she hears a voice. It says, “You have conceived with good, you are changing into good and you have come up with good. Congratulations to you for a son who is very forbearing and very knowledgeable. She then would feel light and thereafter she would feel no discomfort from her sides or from her belly. After nine months she would hear (something) intensely in the house On the night of the birth of the child a light would appear to her in the house that only she and the father of the child can see. When the child would born he would be found in a sitting position. There would be enough opening for the child to come out with both thighs and legs folded. The child would turn on the ground so as not to miss facing the direction of Makka. He will sneeze three time and would point with his fingers for the words of blessings said up on sneezing. He would be born his umbilical cord already cut off and circumcised. Both of his Ruba‘ia (molar) teeth from the upper and lower jaws, both of his (Na‘b) canine teeth and both of his Dahika (bicuspids) would have already grown. In front of him there would a light shine like flowing gold. For the next day and night a golden light would flow from his hands. This is how the prophets are when they are born. The executors of their will are the only ones who are the attachments of the prophets.”

“Several persons of our people have narrated that The Imam (a.s.) has said, “Do not speak about the Imam. The Imam (a.s.) hears the words while he still is in the womb of his mother. When she would give birth the angel write between his eyes, “. .in all truth and justice, your Lord’s Word has been completed. No one can change His Words. He is All-hearing and All-knowing.”. (6:115) When takes charge of the matter (Leadership with Divine Authority) in every a light house will be established for him through which he would examine the deeds of the servants (of Allah).”

“I and ibn Faddal were sitting tha Yunus came and said, ‘I went to see abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) and said to him, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “People speak so much about pillar.” He said to me, “O Yunus, what do you see? Do you see it as a pillar of iron that you would raise for your friend?” The narrator has said that he said, “I do not know.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “In fact, it is an appointed angel in every town. Through him Allah raises the deeds of that town.” The narrator has said that ibn Faddal then stood up and kissed his head and said, “May allah grant you blessings, O abu Muhammad, you continue to bring us true hadith with which Allah grants us relief and comfort.”

“Imam has ten signs. He is born clean and circumcised. When falls on the earth his palms reach the ground first while he raises his head to the sky and loudly says the two testimonies. He does not experience wit dream. His eyes sleep but not his heart. He does not yawn and stretCh He sees behind just as he sees in front. His excretion would smell like musk. The earth is made to conceal and devour it. When he would dress up with coat of arms of the Messenger of Allah it would perfectly fit him. However, when other people, taller or shorter would try it would be taller on them by a hand stretch of thump and pinkeye. He is a Muhaddath (the one spoken to by angels) up to the time of his passing away.”