The distresses before the appearance of al-Qa’im

"When I came to Medina, I went to the house of Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (a.s). I found that his mule was saddled at the door. I sat in front of the house. He came out. I greeted him. He got down from his mule and came towards me. He asked me: 'Where are you from?' I said: 'I am from Iraq.' He said: 'Which part of Iraq?' I said: 'From Kufa.' He said: 'Who has accompanied you on your way?' I said: 'Some people of al-Muhaditha.' He asked: 'What is al-Muhaditha?' I said: 'Al-Murji'a.' He said: 'Woe unto these Murji'a! To whom will they resort tomorrow when our Qa'im (a.s) appears?' I said: 'They say: If that occurs, we and you will be the same before justice.' He said: 'Whoever repents, Allah accepts his repentance; whoever conceals hypocrisy, Allah damns him, and whoever announces something of hypocrisy, his blood is to be shed.' Then he said: 'By Allah, he (a.s) will slaughter them as a butcher slaughters a sheep.' He pointed to his throat with his hand. I said: 'They say: If he appears and controls the affairs, he will not shed even a drop of blood.' He said: 'It is not as they say. I swear by Him, in Whose hand my soul is! It will be so terrible until we and you wipe blood and sweat together.' And he gestured with his hand towards his forehead."

I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) mentioning al-Qa’im (as). I said: “I hope that his matter (rising) will be so easy.” He said: “It will be not so until you wipe blood and sweat together.”

"I heard Abu Abdullah (a.s) saying," and he mentioned the same."'

Once al-Qa’im was mentioned before Abul Hasan ar-Redha (as); he said: “Today you are at ease more than that day (when al-Qa’im will appear).” They said: “How is that?” He said: “When our Qa’im (as) appears, there will be nothing save blood, sweat and sleeping on the saddles. His cloths are not but rough and his food is not but coarse.”

“Prophet Noah (as) asked Allah to torment his nation. Allah revealed to him to plant a stone of a date. If it grew and he ate from its fruit, Allah would torment his (Noah’s) people and perish them. Prophet Noah (as) planted the stone and told his companions of that. The palm grew and fruited. He ate from its fruit and made his companions eat from it. His companions said to him: “O prophet of Allah, what about the promise that you have promised us of?” Prophet Noah (as) prayed Allah to carry out the promise that He had made. Allah revealed to him to plant another stone and when it grew and fruited, Allah would torment them. Noah (as) told his companions about that. They divided into three groups. One group apostatized, the other dissembled and the third one still kept to Noah (as). Prophet Noah (as) planted a stone again. It grew and fruited. He ate from its fruit and fed his companions. They said: “O prophet of Allah, what about the promise that you have made?” He prayed Allah. Allah revealed to him to plant a third stone and if it grew, fruited and he ate from its fruit, then Allah would perish his people. Noah (as) told his companions of that. The two groups (the hypocrites and the believers) divided into three groups; one apostatized, one dissembled and the third still kept to Noah (as). Prophet Noah (as) did that ten times and his companions divided every time into three groups. In the tenth time some of his sincere companions came to him and said: “O prophet of Allah, whether you do what you have promised or you do not do, you are truthful. You are a prophet sent by Allah and we never doubt you whatever you do to us.” In this way Allah perished the people of Noah (as) except the loyal companions, who kept to Noah (as). Noah and his sincere followers rode on the Ark and so Allah saved them after they had been tried, sifted and cleared.

Once I was with Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) during the circumambulation (around the Kaaba). He looked at me and said: “O Mufadhdhal, you seem distressed and easy! What is the matter?” I said: “May I die for you! I think of the Abbasids and their prevailing rule and tyranny. If it (the rule) is in your hands, then we will be with you!” He said: “O Mufadhdhal, if it is so, it will be politics in the night, achieving people’s affairs in the day, eating coarse food and wearing rough cloths like Amirul Mo’mineen (as); otherwise it will be (going to) Hell. It has gone away from us. We eat and drink. Have you ever seen an oppression that Allah has made as a blessing like this?!”

Once I was with Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) in his house. The house was crowded of people. They began to ask about different things. Whatever he was asked about something, he gave the sufficient answer. I began to cry. He asked: “O Amr, why are you crying?” I said: “May I die for you! How do I not cry? Is there any other one like you in this umma? You are imprisoned here, the door is closed and the curtain is lowered before you!” He said: “O Amr, do not cry! We eat good foods and wear soft cloths. If what you say occurs, we will eat coarse foods and wear rough cloths like Amirul Mo’mineen Ali bin Abu Talib (as); otherwise putting on ties in Hell.”