Al Kafi (volume 4)(part 2)

Chapter 82 : Setting-up a Time Limit For the Reappearance of the Twelfth Imam (a.s.) an Antipathetic Issue H 938, Ch. 82, H 1

Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has said the following.

"I heard abu Ja'far (a.s.) say, "O Thabit, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, had set up a time limit for it in the year seventy but when al-Husayn (a.s.) was murdered Allah's anger became more intense on the people on earth. He delayed it until one hundred forty. When then spoke to you about it and you publicized this hadith and disclosed the secret.

Allah thereafter has not set up a time limit for it available with us. Allah deletes whatever He wants and establishes whatever He wants, with Him is the original book.

Abu Hamza has said, "I narrated the above Hadith to abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) and he said, "It was as you said."

H 939, Ch. 82, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salma ibn al-Khattab from Ali ibn Hassa'n from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Kathir who has said the following. "Once I was in the presence of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) that Mihzam came in and to The Imam (a.s.), 'May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, enlighten me about this matter that we wait for (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine authoriiity). When it will take place?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "O Mihzam, those who give it d definite time have lied, the expediting ones perish and salvation is for those who are submissive."

H 940, Ch. 82, h 3

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father form al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir who has said the following. "I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) , 'I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about al-Qa'im ((the one who will rise with Divine Authority) with divine power).' He said, "Those who give it a definite time have spoken lies. We, Ahl al-Bayt, do not set a definite time."

H 941, Ch. 82, h 4

Ahmad has narrated through his chain of narrators from the Imam (a.s.) the following. "Allah disdains to make the people's time set for it (reappearance of the one who will rise with Divine Authority) to come true."

H 942, Ch. 82, h 5

Al-Husayn ibn mmd has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al- Khazzaz from 'Abd al-Karim ibn 'Umar al-Khath'ami from al-Fadl ibn Yasar who has said the following. "I asked abu Ja'far (a.s.), 'Is there a definite time for this matter (the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine Authority)?

" He said, "Those who set a definite time have lied, those who set a definite time have lied, those who set a definite time have lied. When Musa (Moses) came out to delegate before his lord and gave the people a definite time for his return and Allah added an other ten days his people said, 'He has broken his promise.

'" They then did what they did. When we say a hadith (make a statement to you) and if our hadith comes true you should say, "Allah has spoken the truth." If we say a hadith to you ( make a statement) and if doe not come true, you should say, "Allah has spoken the truth." You will be rewarded twice."

H 943, Ch. 82, h 6

Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Idris have narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from al-Sayyari from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin from his brother from his father Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following. "Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) said to me, 'The Shi'a have live on hopes for two hundred years.

'" The narrator has said that Yaqtin said to his son, Ali ibn Yaqtin, "We did not have to worry. What was said to us came true. What is said to you has not come true yet" Ali then said to him, "What was said to you and what is said to us all come from one source except that good news for you have come true and you received it pure. It was just as was said to be. The good news for us has not yet come true.

We thus, entertain ourselves with hopes. If we would be told that it will take place after two or three hundred years our hearts will harden and the masses will turn back from Islam. However, they have said that it will come very soon and in near future to encourage people about the coming of the relief."

H 944, Ch. 82, h 7 Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja'far ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn 'Isma'il al-Anbari from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ibrahim ibn Mihzam from his father who has said the following. "We mention before abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) the Kings from the descendants of so and so.

The Imam (a.s.) said, "People have perished due to their haste for this matter ((the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority). Allah does not expedite it because of the haste of people. For this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) there is a goal towards which it proceeds, Once they will reach that goal they then will not be able to move it forwards or backwards even by one hour."

Chapter 83 : Refinement and Trial H 945, Ch. 83, h 1

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ya'qub al- Sarraj and Ali ibn Ri'ab from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "When people pledged allegiance to Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) after the assassination of 'Uthman he addressed the people from the pulpit and delivered a sermon (that abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) mentioned).

In this sermon he has said, "The time for your trial has returned in the same conditions as those of the day Allah sent his Prophet (s.a.). By the One Who has sent him with the truth that you will suffer hideous confusions, will be sifted thoroughly and turned upside down.

Of the contestants those who were behind of others will overtake those who were ahead and those who were ahead of others (because of their shortcomings) will be left behind of those who once were behind of others. By Allah I have not concealed any of the marks therein nor have I spoken a lie. I was certainly, told about this place and this day."

H 946, Ch. 83, h 2

Muhammad Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from al-Qasim ibn 'Isma'il al-Anbari from al-Husayn ibn Ali from abu al-Mighra' from abu Yah Ya'fur who has said the following. "I heard abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) say as herein below, 'Woe to the rebellious Arabs from the matter that is coming closer.

'0" I then asked, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, "How many people will be there with Al-Qa'im (the one who will rise with Divine Authority)?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "just a very few persons." I then said, "Those who speak of this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) are quite many in number." The Imam (a.s.) said, "People must be refined, distinguished and sifted. In the sifting process a great deal is taken out."

H 947, Ch. 83, h 3

Muhammad ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from Ja'far ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Sayrafi from Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sayqal from his father from Mansur who has said the following.

"Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, "O Mansur, this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) will not come to you before despair, and not, by Allah, before (your good ones are) distinguished (from evil ones) and not, by Allah, before you are refined and not, by Allah, before tuning to misfortune of those who act in evil and before reaching salvation of those who seek salvation."

H 948, Ch. 83, h 4

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu'ammar ibn al- Khallad who has said the following. "I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) say, "Do people think they will not be tested because they say, "We have faith?" (29:2).

Then he said, "Do you know what al-Fitna, trial is?" I said, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, in our opinion it is the trial and test in religion. The Imam (a.s.) said, "They will be test and refined as gold is tested." He then said, "They will be purified as gold is purified and refined."

H 949, Ch. 83, h 5

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Yunus from Sulayman ibn Salih in a Marfu' manner from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following. "Abu Ja'far (a.s.) has said, 'Your story (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) causes apprehension in the hearts of people.

Those who acknowledge it (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) you should enlighten him further and those who would deny it you should leave them alone. There must come a period of trial in which all secrets and privacy will be no more even those who would like to split one piece of hair into two pieces to find a better argument would fall until no one would be left except we and our Shi'a."

H 950, Ch. 83, h 6

Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Ali ibn Muhammad have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Sayqal from his father who has said the following. "Once I, al-Harith ibn al-Mughira and a group of our people were in the presence of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who could hear our conversations.

He asked ask us, "What is the issue in your dialogue? It will not happen and it will never happen. By Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before you are sifted, by Allah, what you are longing for will not happen until you are refined, by Allah, what you are looking will not happen before you are distinguished, by Allah, what you looking for will not take place before you despair,

by Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before misfortune would strike those who become unfortunate and before the fortunate ones attain salvation."