علي بن جعفر

And among them Ali bin Ja’far Hammani, he was an accomplished man with a pleasing personality and was a representative of Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Askari (a.s).

“If the fifth one of the descendants of the seventh one is missed then you are to keep fast to your religion and let nothing turn you aside from it because the executor (al-Qa’im) of this task (reviving the religion) must disappear until many of those, who have believed in him, will apostate. It will be a test, by which Allah will try His people. If your fathers and grandfathers had found a religion better than this, they would have followed it.” I said: “O my master, who is the fifth of the seventh’s descendants?” He said: “O my son, your minds are smaller than to perceive this matter and your patience is weaker than to bear it. If you live until then, you will know who he is.”

“When the fifth descendant of the seventh (Imam) will disappear from the public sight at that time for the sake of Allah, for the sake of Allah protect your religion so no one can strip off of it. My son, it is necessary that the in charge of this task (Leadership with Divine Authority) must disappear from the public sight. Even those who believe in it would turn away from their belief. It will certainly be a trial from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, to test His creature. Had your fathers and ancestors know any other religion more correct than this they would certainly have followed it.” I then asked, “My master, who is the fifth from the descendants of the seven?” He said, “My son, you intelligence falls shorter to reach it and your understanding remain narrower to accommodate it but if you would live you will soon comprehend its being.”

about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic and Gracious: “Say, “Have you not thought that if your water was to dry up, who would bring you water from the spring?” (67:30). He said, “When your Imam would disappear from among you, then who will bring you a new Imam?”

My father [Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s)] said: “My son, when the fifth descendant of the seventh Imam disappears, then by Allah, by Allah, be cautious about your faith, because definitely there such is a occultation for this Patron until many who believe in this matter turn away from their beliefs. My son, his occultation would be a trial from Allah, by which He will try His creation. If your fathers and grandfathers knew a creed better than this, they would have followed it.” Ali bin Ja’far said: Abul Hasan [Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s)] asked: “My master, who is the fifth descendant of the seventh?” He said: “My son, your intellects are deficient to understand him and you cannot bear it, but if you live, you will see that matter.”

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).

“It means: if you lose your imam, then who will bring you another imam?” The same was narrated by Muhammad bin Ya’qoob al-Kulayni from Ali bin Muhammad from Sahl bin Ziyad al-Aadami from Musa bin al-Qassim bin Mo’awiya al-Bajali from Ali bin Ja’far from his brother Musa bin Ja’far al-Kadhim (as).

with regard to the verse: “Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water?” (67:30) He asked: “What are you going to do when you lose your Imam and don’t see him?”

“You must continue to protect your religion for the sake of Allah, till the fifth descendant of the seventh Imam does not go into occultation. You must not lose it in any case. Occultation is definite for the master of this affair and it will be such occultation that even those who have faith in it will recant it. It will be a time of a tough examination from the Almighty Allah.”

We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in the matters in which we have not included them.

Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal had the honor of performing Hajj and saw that Ali bin Ja’far [Hammani] is spending a lot of money. When he returned, he mentioned this to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) in a negative tone. Imam (a.s) wrote in reply: We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in matters we have not included them. [After sometime Ali bin Ja’far] came to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and the Imam told him to take three hundred thousand Dinars.

I heard Ruh Ibn Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh say: When Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani prepared the book of Kitabul Taklif, Shaykh Abul Qasim said: “Bring it, so that I may see it.” They brought him the book and he read it from beginning to end. He said: “There is nothing therein, but he has narrated from the Imams in two or three instances, in the narration of which he has lied about them. May Allah curse him.”

I heard from Ali bin Ja’far that he said: I was with my brother, Musa Ibn Ja’far (a.s), who by Allah, was the Divine Proof on the earth after my father; just then his son, Ali arrived. Imam (a.s) said: O Ali, this is your master and Imam and his position with relation to me is like my position with my father. Thus, may Almighty Allah keep you firm on His religion. After that I wept and said to myself: The Imam wanted to convey the information of his death to me as he had said: Ali dear, there is no option, except that divine destiny should be issued about me and that I emulate the Messenger of Allah, Amirul Momineen, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a.s). This incident occurred three days before Harun arrested the Imam for the second time. There are so many traditions and reports about this that they cannot be computed; and they are mentioned in well known books of the Imamites and anyone who wishes, may refer to them, but those we mentioned so far, would be sufficient, if Allah wills.