الحلبي

“When people pay homage to the young boy, every young boy will try to rise.”

The Messenger of Allah (s) kept his prophethood concealed for five years and remained underground due to fear. He did not publicize his message, whereas Ali (a.s) and Lady Khadija (s) were present with him. After that Allah, the Mighty and the High commanded him to announce that which he had been ordered to and to publicize his messengership.

I heard Abu Abdullah Ja’far as-Sadiq (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im disappears before his rising.” I asked: “Why?” He said: “He fears” and he pointed with his hand at his abdomen. He meant “killing”. The same was narrated by Muhammad bin Ya’qoob al-Kulayni from Muhammad bin Yahya from Ja’far bin Muhammad from al-Hasan bin Mo’awiya from Abdullah bin Jibilla from Abdullah bin Bukayr from Zurara from Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as).

I heard Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) say: “After divine revelation descended on the holy being of the Holy Prophet (s), he stayed in Holy Mecca for thirteen years. For three years of this period, he propagated Islam secretly and did not openly announce his prophethood till Almighty Allah commanded him to announce it. After that he publicized it.”

I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) saying: “None of us, Ahlul Bayt, resisting an oppression or inviting for a truth, unless death is his end until a group, that has fought in the battle of Badr and whose killed ones are not buried and whose wounded ones are not cured, rises.” I said: “Whom do you mean?” He said: “The angels.”

“The call coming from the Heaven and calling out the name of al-Qa’im is clear in the Book of Allah.” He was asked: “Where is it in the Book of Allah?” He said: “Allah has said, ‘If We please, We should send down upon them a sign from the heaven so that their necks should stoop to it.’ When people hear the call, they will become as if there are birds on their heads (because of astonishment and confusion).”

“As if I see some people rising in the east. They will ask for the truth but they will not be given it. They will ask for it again and they will not be given it. Then they will unsheathe their swords and they will be given what they will ask for but they will not accept it. They will revolt and deliver their victory to your man (al-Mahdi). Their killed ones will be martyrs. If I live until that time, I will sacrifice myself to the man of this matter.”

"I was with Abu Baseer and with us was a freed-slave (mawla) of Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as). So he (the mawla) said that he heard Abu Ja'far say: “From us there are twelve muhadiths. The seventh of my descendants is al-Qa’im.” Abu Baseer said: “I bare witness that I have heard Abu Ja’far saying this forty years ago.” Abu al-Hasan al-Shuja'i (rah) said: "These two hadiths are among those which Abu Abdullah (rah) reviewed after he finished compiling and copying the book.'"

We were about twenty persons in the house of Abu Abdullah Ja’far bin Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) when he came to us and said: “You may think that we determine the matter of the imamate as we like! By Allah, it is a covenant from Allah revealed to His messenger (as) and then to certain men one after the other until it reaches its keeper.”

“I met the door keepers (of the Kaaba). I told them about my vow and my bondmaid. Every one of them said to me: “Bring her to me and Allah will accept your vow.” I felt afraid of that. I told one of our companions of Mecca about that and he said to me: “Would you listen to me?” I said: “Yes, I would.” He said: “Look at that man, who is sitting beside the Black Rock surrounded by people. He is Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali bin al-Husayn (al-Baqir) (as). Go to him. Tell him of your story and see what he will say to you and act according to it.” I went to him and said: “May Allah have mercy upon you! I am a man from the Arabia. There is a bondmaid with me. I have vowed to offer her to the House of Allah (the Kaaba). I told the doorkeepers of that and each of them asked me to give him the bondmaid and that Allah would accept my vow. I felt too afraid of that.” Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) said: “O you slave of Allah, the House neither eats nor drinks. Sell your bondmaid and look for someone from among the people of your country who has come to offer the hajj and now has no money to go back home. Give him the money so that he can return to his home.” I did as he had said to me. I met the doorkeepers again. They asked me about the bondmaid and I told them what Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) had asked me to do. They said: “He is a liar and ignorant. He does not know what he says.” I mentioned that to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as). He said to me: “Would you inform of what I tell you?” I said: “Yes, I would.” He said: “Tell them that Abu Ja’far says to you: How about you when your hands and legs are cut and hung on the Kaaba and then you are asked to announce loudly: we are the thieves of the Kaaba?” When I wanted to get up, he said: “It is not me, who will do that, but it is a man from me.”