The Book of Occultation

His Birth and the Story of His Mother

1- Al-Kāfi: He was born in mid-Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty five.

2- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of ‘Allān al-Rāzi: One of our scholars have informed me that when the bondmaid of Abu Muhammad (a.s)[1] became pregnant, he said, “You shall carry a male and his name is M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. and he is the al-Qā’im after me.”

3- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Musā Ibn Muhammad, saying, Lady Hakīma Bint Muhammad Bin ‘Ali Ibn Musā Ibn Ja‘far Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abi Tālib narrated to me: Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (a.s) sent for me and said, “O aunt, have your iftār tonight with us. This is the night of mid-Sha‘bān and Allah, the High, will bring forth the Hujja on this night. He will be His Hujja on His earth.” Lady Hakīma says, I said to him, “And who is his mother?” “Narjis,” he said to me. “May Allah make me your ransom,” I said to him, “there is no sign in her.” “It is as I tell you,” he said. Lady Hakīma says, I came and when I greeted and sat, she came to take off my shoes and said, “My lady, how are you this evening?” “Rather, you are my lady,” said I, “and the lady of my household.” She turned my word down and said, “What is this, dear aunt?” “My dear daughter, Allah, the Exalted, will grant you in this night of yours a boy, a master in this world and in the hereafter.” She sat and felt shy. When I finished the ‘ishā’ prayers and had iftār, I went to bed and slept. When it was in the middle of the night, I got up to perform prayers. I finished my prayers and she was sleeping and there was no sign of any kind in her. I sat saying the ta‘qībāt****[2]*****,* then I went to the bed, and then I woke up suddenly. She was still asleep. She then woke up and rose and performed prayers.  

[1] For maintaining readability, (a.s) which is an acronym for “Alayhum Salaam” is used throughout the book to denote "May God bless him, her or them”. When used for the Prophet, his Household is included. When used for others, it only refers to that person.
[2] Rituals peformed after the prayers.

ولادته وأحوال أمه (صلوات الله عليه)

1- الكافي: ولد (ع) للنصف من شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين.

2- إكمال الدين: ابن عصام عن الكليني، عن علان الرازي، قال: أخبرني بعض أصحابنا أنه لما حملت جارية أبي محمد (ع) قال: ستحملين ذكرا واسمه محمد وهو القائم من بعدي.

 3 - إكمال الدين: ابن الوليد، عن محمد العطار، عن الحسين بن رزق الله، عن موسى ابن محمد بن القاسم بن حمزة بن موسى بن جعفر، قال: حدثتني حكيمة بنت محمد ابن علي بن موسى بن جعفر بن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام قالت:

بعث إلي أبو محمد الحسن بن علي عليهما السلام فقال: يا عمة اجعلي إفطارك الليلة عندنا فانها ليلة النصف من شعبان فان الله تبارك وتعالى سيظهر في هذه الليلة الحجة وهو حجته في أرضه قالت: فقلت له: ومن امه؟ قال لي: نرجس. قلت له: والله جعلني الله فداك ما بها أثر؟ فقال: هو ما أقول لك قالت: فجئت فلما سلمت وجلست جاءت تنـزع خفي وقالت لي: يا سيدتي كيف أمسيت؟ فقلت: بل أنت سيدتي وسيدة أهلي قالت: فأنكرت قولي وقالت: ما هذا يا عمة؟ قالت: فقلت لها: يا بنية إن الله تبارك وتعالى سيهب لك في ليلتك هذه غلاما سيدا في الدنيا والآخرة.

قالت: فجلست واستحيت فلما أن فرغت من صلاة العشاء الآخرة وأفطرت وأخذت مضجعي فرقدت فلما أن كان جوف الليل قمت إلى الصلاة ففرغت من صلاتي وهي نائمة ليس بها حادث. ثم جلست معقبة ثم اضطجعت ثم انتبهت فزعة وهي راقدة ثم قامت فصلت.

Lady Hakīma says, As doubts came to me, Abu Muhammad (a.s) called out, “Do not haste, aunt, the affair has come near.” I recited the Sūras Alam Sajda and Yāsīn. And as I was doing that, she woke up suddenly; I rushed towards her and read the name of Allah on her and then asked, “Do you feel anything?” “Yes, aunt,” she said. “Pull yourself together and gather your heart,” I told her. “It will be as I told you.” Lady Hakīma said, And then faintness overwhelmed me as parturition seized her. I woke up by sensing my Master, (a.s); I removed the sheet from him, and there he was, prostrating touching the earth with his forehead and palms and knees and toes; I pulled him to myself and there he was, pure and clean. Abu Muhammad (a.s) called on me, “Bring my son to me, Aunt.” I took his son to him. He put his hands under his thighs and back and put the infant’s feet on his chest. He then put his tongue in his mouth and touched his eyes, ears, and joints with his hands. “My son, talk,” he said then.

The baby said, “I bear witness that a deity other than Allah, the One without a partner, is not; and I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger.” He then beseeched blessings for the Prince of the Believers and the Imams until he reached at his father and then respectfully stopped.

Abu Muhammad (a.s) said, “Aunt, take him to his mother so he may give her greetings and then bring him to me.” I took her to his mother and he greeted her. Then I brought him back and put him in the sitting room. He then said, “Aunt, when it is the seventh day, come to us.”

Lady Hakīma says, In the morning, I came to offer my greetings to Abu Muhammad (a.s). I removed the curtain looking for my Master. Not seeing him, I asked his father, “May I be your ransom, where is my Master?”

He said, “We entrusted him to the one that mother of Moses had entrusted Moses to.” When it was the seventh day, I came and greeted and sat. He said, “Bring to me my son.” I brought my Master in a wrap. He acted towards his son in the same way he had acted the fist time. Then he put his tongue into his mouth; meseemed as if he was feeding him milk or honey. Then he said, “Talk O’ my son.”

The blessed infant said, “I bear witness that a deity other than Allah is not.” He then praised and beseeched blessings for Muhammad and ‘Ali, the Prince of the Believers, and every one of the Imams, blessings of Allah be upon all of them, until his father. He then recited this verse, “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; And we desire to confer kindness upon those who have been enfeebled on earth and make them Imams and make them heirs and give them power on earth and show Pharaoh and Hāmān and their armies from them what they have been averting.”

Musā Ibn Muhammad says, I asked ‘Aqaba, the servant, about this and he authenticated and verified Lady Hakīma’s narration.

قالت حكيمة: فدخلتني الشكوك فصاح بي أبو محمد (ع) من المجلس فقال: لا تعجلي يا عمة فان الامر قد قرب قالت: فقرأت الم السجدة ويس فبينما أنا كذلك إذا انتبهت فزعة فوثبت إليها فقلت: اسم الله عليك ثم قلت لها: تحسين شيئا؟ قالت: نعم يا عمة.

فقلت لها: اجمعي نفسك واجمعي قلبك فهو ما قلت لك.

قالت حكيمة: ثم أخذتني فترة وأخذتها فطرة فانتبهت بحس سيدي (ع) فكشفت الثوب عنه فإذا أنا به (ع) ساجدا يتلقى الارض بمساجده فضممته إلي فإذا أنا به نظيف منظف فصاح بي أبو محمد (ع) هلمي إلي ابني يا عمة فجئت به إليه فوضع يديه تحت أليتيه وظهره ووضع قدميه على صدره ثم أدلى لسانه في فيه وأمر يده على عينيه وسمعه ومفاصله ثم قال: تكلم يا بني فقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله(ص) ثم صلى على أمير المؤمنين (ع) وعلى الائمة إلى أن وقف على أبيه ثم أحجم.

قال أبو محمد (ع): يا عمة اذهبي به إلى امه ليسلم عليها وائتني به فذهبت به فسلم عليها ورددته ووضعته في المجلس ثم قال: يا عمة إذا كان يوم السابع فائتينا.

قالت حكيمة: فلما أصبحت جئت لاسلم على أبي محمد (ع) فكشفت الستر لافتقد سيدي (ع) فلم أره فقلت له: جعلت فداك ما فعل سيدي؟ فقال: يا عمه استودعناه الذي استودعته ام موسى (ع).

قالت حكيمة: فلما كان في اليوم السابع جئت وسلمت وجلست فقال: هلمي إلي ابني فجئت بسيدي في الخرقة ففعل به كفعلته الاولى ثم أدلى لسانه في فيه. كأنه يغذيه لبنا أو عسلا ثم قال: تكلم يا بني فقال (ع): أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وثنى بالصلاة على محمد وعلى أمير المؤمنين والائمة صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين حتى وقف على أبيه (ع) ثم تلا هذه الآية:

"بِِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ. وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ الْوَارِثِينَ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِي فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ."

قال موسى: فسألت عقبة الخادم عن هذا فقال: صدقت حكيمة.

4- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Mu‘allā Ibn Muhammad: When al-Zubairi was killed a letter came from Abu Muhammad (a.s) stating, “This is the punishment of the one who attributes lies to Allah, the Exalted, with respect to His bosom friends. He had presumed that he will kill me while I do not have an offspring. So how did he witness the might of Allah, the Victorious and the Exalted.” He sired a son and he named him M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. This was in the year two hundred and fifty six.

Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi narrates a similar letter through another chain. It is possible to remove inconsistency between this account and the accounts, which mention the year of his birth as two hundred and fifty five, on the grounds that in this narration the said year is the time of the writing of the letter or the year of the murder.

5- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad: The Patron (a.s) was born in mid-Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty five.

6- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Ibrāhim Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdillah Ibn Musā Ibn Ja‘far (a.s) from al-Shāri, from Nasīm and Māriya: When the Patron of the Age fell from the abdomen of his mother, he fell hobbling on his knees, while raising his two forefingers towards the heavens. He then sneezed and said, “Praise belongs to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and may Allah bless Muhammad and his household. The oppressors have assumed that the Hujja of Allah has expired. Should we be allowed to talk, doubts would perish.”

7- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Ibrāhīm Ibn Muhammad: Narrated to me Nasīm, the servant of Abu Muhammad (a.s), “When I entered upon him one night after his birth and sneezed in his presence, the Patron of the Age (a.s) said to me, ‘May Allah have mercy on you.’ I became very happy so he said to me, ‘May I not give you happy tidings about sneezing?’ I said, ‘Sure so.’ He said, ‘It is protection from death for three days.’”

8- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: On the authority of Nasīm, the servant, saying, I entered upon the Patron of the Age ten nights after his birth and sneezed in his presence. He said, “May Allah bless you.” That made me very happy. He said, “May I not give you glad tidings about sneezing? It is protection from death for three days.”

9- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Abu Ja‘far al-‘Amri: When the Master was born, Abu Muhammad (a.s) said, “Call Abu ‘Amr.” He was sent for and he came. The Imam said to him, “Buy ten thousand pounds of bread and ten thousand pounds of meat and distribute them according to the status of people.” He told him to distribute it to Bani Hāshim and offer his *‘*aqīqa of a certain number of sheep.

4- إكمال الدين: جعفر بن محمد بن مسرور، عن الحسين بن محمد بن عامر، عن معلى بن محمد قال: خرج عن أبي محمد (ع) حين قتل الزبيري: هذا جزاء من افترى على الله تبارك وتعالى في أوليائه زعم أنه يقتلني وليس لي عقب فكيف رأى قدرة الله(عزوجل). وولد له وسماه م ح م د سنة ست وخمسين ومأتين. غط: الكليني، عن الحسين بن محمد، عن المعلى، عن أحمد بن محمد قال: خرج عن أبي محمد (ع) وذكر مثله.

5- إكمال الدين: ابن عصام، عن الكليني، عن علي بن محمد قال: ولد الصاحب (ع) (في) النصف من شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين.

6- إكمال الدين: ماجيلويه والعطار معا، عن محمد العطار، عن الحسين بن علي النيسابوري، عن إبراهيم بن محمد بن عبد الله بن موسى بن جعفر (ع)، عن الشاري عن نسيم وماريه أنه لما سقط صاحب الزمان (ع) من بطن امه سقط جاثيا على ركبتيه، رافعا سبابتيه إلى السماء ثم عطس فقال: الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على محمد وآله، زعمت الظلمة أن حجة الله داحضة، ولو اذن لنا في الكلام لزال الشك.

7- إكمال الدين: قال إبراهيم بن محمد: وحدثتني نسيم خادم أبي محمد (ع) قالت: قال لي صاحب الزمان (ع) وقد دخلت عليه بعد مولده بليلة فعطست عنده فقال لي: يرحمك الله، قالت نسيم: ففرحت بذلك فقال لي (ع): ألا ابشرك في العطاس؟ فقلت بلى، قال: هو أمان من الموت ثلاثة أيام.

8- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: الكليني، رفعه عن نسيم الخادم قال: دخلت على صاحب الزمان (ع) بعد مولده بعشر ليال، فعطست عنده فقال: يرحمك الله، ففرحت بذلك فقال: ألا ابشرك في العطاس؟ هو أمان من الموت ثلاثة أيام.

9- إكمال الدين: ماجيلويه، وابن المتوكل، والعطار جميعا عن إسحاق بن رياح البصري، عن أبي جعفر العمري قال: لما ولد السيد (ع) قال أبو محمد (ع): ابعثوا إلي أبا عمرو، فبعث إليه فصار إليه فقال: اشتر عشرة آلاف رطل خبزا وعشرة آلاف رطل لحما وفرقه أحسبه قال: على بني هاشم وعق عنه بكذا وكذا شاة.

10- Ikmāl al-Dīn: Abu ‘Ali al-Khaizarāni narrates pm the authority of a concubine he had offered to Abu Muhammad (a.s) and when Ja‘far, the Liar, had seized over the house, she had escaped from Ja‘far and Abu ‘Ali had married her. Abu ‘Ali said, She told me that she had been present at the birth of the Master (a.s) and that the Master’s mother’s name is Saqīl; and that Abu Muhammad (a.s) had told the Master’s mother what will happen to his family. Therefore, she had asked Abu Muhammad (a.s) to pray for her that her death comes before his. Thus, she died before him in the life of Abu Muhammad (a.s). There is a tablet on her tomb on which it is inscribed, This is Umm Muhammad. Abu ‘Ali said, I heard this bondmaid reminisce that when the Master was born, she saw a beam of light shining from him and reaching the zenith of the heaven; and that she saw white birds descending from the heavens and touching their wings against his head and face and the rest of his body and then fly away. She said, We informed Abu Muhammad (a.s) about it. He laughed and then said, “These are angels from the heavens, who descended to be blessed by him. They are his aides when he rises.”

11- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Abu Ghānim, the servant: Abu Muhammad (a.s) sired a son and named him M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. He presented him to his companions on the third day and said, “This is your Patron after me and my successor over you. He is the Qā’im towards whom necks have stretched in waiting. When the earth will be filled with oppression and corruption, he will rise and fill it with equity and justice.”

12- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: On the authority of Sahl al-Shaybāni, saying, Said Bishr Ibn Sulaymān al-Nakhkhās, a descendent of Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri and a devotee of Abu al-Hasan (a.s) and Abu Muhammad (a.s) and their neighbor at Surra Man Ra’ā, Kāfūr, the servant, came to me and said, “Our Master Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad al-‘Askari (a.s) is calling you.” I went to the Master and as I sat in front of him, he said, “O Bishr, you are from the descendents of Ansār. This devotion is your legacy, which your each coming generation inherits from your preceding generation. You are trustworthy men of us Ahl al-Bait. I am elevating you and ennobling you by an excellence through which you will surpass all Shī‘a in devotion, by sharing a secret with you and sending you to purchase a certain bondmaid.” He then wrote a very fine letter in Roman script and Roman language and imprinted his seal on it. He took out a yellow cloth in which were two hundred dinārs. He said, “Take this and go with it to Baghdad.” He told me to go to the crossing of the Euphrates on the noon of such and such day and when I reach the boats of the captives, “you will see bondmaids in them. You will find buyers working for the procurers of the Abbasids and a small group from the Arab youths. When you see that, keep an eye on a man called ‘Omar Ibn Yazīd al-Nakhkhās from a distance all day long, until a bondmaid is brought to the buyers,” who has such-and-such quality.

10- إكمال الدين: ماجيلويه، عن محمد العطار، عن أبي علي الخيزراني، عن جارية له كان أهداها لابي محمد (ع) فلما أغار جعفر الكذاب على الدار جاءته فارة من جعفر فتزوج بها قال أبو علي: فحدثتني أنها حضرت ولادة السيد (ع) وأن اسم ام السيد صقيل وأن أبا محمد (ع) حدثها بما جرى على عياله فسألته أن يدعو لها بأن يجعل منيتها قبله، فماتت قبله في حياة أبي محمد (ع) وعلى قبرها لوح عليه مكتوب هذا ام محمد.

قال أبو علي: وسمعت هذه الجارية تذكر أنه لما ولد السيد رأت له نورا ساطعا قد ظهر منه وبلغ افق السماء ورأت طيورا بيضا تهبط من السماء وتمسح أجنحتها على رأسه ووجهه وسائر جسده ثم تطير، فأخبرنا أبا محمد (ع) بذلك فضحك ثم قال: تلك ملائكة السماء نزلت لتتبرك به وهي أنصاره إذا خرج.

11- إكمال الدين: ابن المتوكل، عن الحميري، عن محمد بن أحمد العلوي، عن أبي غانم الخادم قال: ولد لابي محمد (ع) ولد فسماه محمدا فعرضه على أصحابه يوم الثالث وقال: هذا صاحبكم من بعدي وخليفتي عليكم، وهو القائم الذي تمتد إليه الاعناق بالانتظار فإذا امتلات الارض جورا وظلما خرج فملاها قسطا وعدلا.

12- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: جماعة عن أبي المفضل الشيباني، عن محمد بن بحر بن سهل الشيباني قال: قال بشر بن سليمان النخاس وهو من ولد أبي أيوب الانصاري أحد موالي أبي الحسن وأبي محمد وجارهما بسر من رأى: أتاني كافور الخادم فقال: مولانا أبو الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري يدعوك إليه فأتيته فلما جلست بين يديه قال لي:

يا بشر إنك من ولد الأنصار وهذه الموالاة لم تزل فيكم يرثها خلف عن سلف وأنتم ثقاتنا أهل البيت وإني مزكيك ومشرفك بفضيلة تسبق بها الشيعة في الموالاة بسرٍّ أطلعك عليه، وانفذك في ابتياع أمة فكتب كتابا لطيفا بخط رومي ولغة رومية وطبع عليه خاتمه وأخرج شقة صفراء فيها مائتان وعشرون ديناراً فقال: خذها وتوجه بها إلى بغداد واحضر معبر الفرات ضحوة يوم كذا فإذا وصلت إلى جانبك زواريق السبايا وترى الجواري فيها ستجد طوايف المبتاعين من وكلاء قواد بني العباس وشرذمة من فتيان العرب فإذا رأيت ذلك فأشرف من البعد على المسمى عمر بن يزيد النخاس عامة نهارك إلى أن تبرز للمبتاعين جارية صفتها كذا وكذا.

“Her dress is two thick silks; she refuses to be seen or touched by the examiners; she does not submit to anyone who would want to touch her; and you hear a cry in Roman from behind a thin veil. You should know she is saying, Alas from the violation of the veil. One of the buyers says, Mine for three hundred dinārs; her modesty has ever increased my desire for her. She replies to him in Arabic, Even if you come in the figure of Solomon the son of David and with a kingdom like his, I will not be interested in you. So, save your money.

“The slave-dealer says, Then what is the solution? I have to sell you. The bondmaid replies, What is the rush? There must be a buyer that my heart finds rest in him and in his fidelity and honesty. At that moment, go to ‘Amr Ibn Yazīd al-Nakhkhās and tell him you have ‘a kindhearted letter from a certain man of nobility, which he has written in Roman language and in Roman script, describing therein his benevolence, his fidelity, his excellence, and his generosity, so she may discern from it the character of its author. Should she be interested in him and choose him, then I am his representative in buying her from you.’”

Bishr Ibn Sulaymān says, I performed all that which my Master Abu al-Hasan (a.s) had ordered me to do with respect to the bondmaid. When she saw the epistle, she cried very profusely and said to ‘Amr Ibn Yazīd, “Sell me to the author of this letter.” She took the solemnest of oaths that should he refuse to sell her to him, she will take her life.

I negotiated the price with the dealer until it settled exactly on the amount of dinārs my Master had given me. The money being sufficient, I took the bondmaid, who was so very happy and in laughter. I returned with her to the quarters I was residing at in Baghdad. She was very restless until she took out from her pocket the letter of our Master. She would kiss it and put it on her eyes and place it on her cheeks and touch it to her body. Astonished by this, I said, “You are kissing a letter you do not know who wrote it.”

“O incapable and feeble from knowing the position of the progeny of prophets,” she said, “lend me your ears and empty your heart for my words. I am Malīka the daughter of Yashu‘ā, son of the Caesar of Rome. My mother is from the descendents of the Disciples of Jesus (Hawāriyīn), and her lineage goes back to the successor of Jesus, Sham‘ūn. I will narrate to you the wondrous story. My grandfather the Caesar wanted to marry me to his nephew when I was a girl of thirteen years of age. So he gathered in his palace three hundred priests and monks from the descendents of the Hawāriyīn, and from their men of stature seven hundred men. He gathered four thousand men from commanders of the army and officers of the military and leaders of the armed forces and chiefs of the tribes. He erected a throne from the dearest of his riches, which was adorned with varieties of jewels and was raised over forty steps.

لابسة حريرين صفيقين تمتنع من العرض ولمس المعترض والانقياد لمن يحاول لمسها وتسمع صرخة رومية من وراء ستر رقيق فاعلم أنها تقول: واهتك ستراه! فيقول بعض المبتاعين علي ثلاثمأة دينار فقد زادني العفاف فيها رغبة فتقول له بالعربية: لو برزت في زي سليمان بن داود وعلى شبه ملكه ما بدت لي فيك رغبة فاشفق على مالك.

فيقول النخاس: فما الحيلة ولا بد من بيعك فتقول الجارية: وما العجلة ولابد من اختيار مبتاع يسكن قلبي إليه وإلى وفائه وأمانته. فعند ذلك قم إلى عمر بن يزيد النخاس وقل له: إن معك كتابا ملطفة لبعض الاشراف كتبه بلغة رومية وخط رومي ووصف فيه كرمه ووفاءه ونبله وسخاءه تناولها لتتأمل منه أخلاق صاحبه فان مالت إليه ورضيته فأنا وكيله في ابتياعها منك.

قال بشر بن سليمان: فامتثلت جميع ما حده لي مولاي أبو الحسن (ع) في أمر الجارية فلما نظرت في الكتاب بكت بكاء شديدا وقالت لعمر بن يزيد: بعني من صاحب هذا الكتاب وحلفت بالمحرجة والمغلظة أنه متى امتنع من بيعها منه قتلت نفسها.

فما زلت اشاحه في ثمنها حتى استقر الامر فيه على مقدار ما كان أصحبنيه مولاي (ع) من الدنانير فاستوفاه وتسلمت الجارية ضاحكة مستبشرة وانصرفت بها إلى الحجيرة التي كنت آوي إليها ببغداد.

فما أخذها القرار حتى أخرجت كتاب مولانا (ع) من جيبها وهي تلثمه وتطبقه على جفنها وتضعه على خدها وتمسحه على بدنها فقلت تعجبا منها تلثمين كتابا لا تعرفين صاحبه؟

فقالت: أيها العاجز الضعيف المعرفة بمحل أولاد الانبياء أعرني سمعك وفرغ لي قلبك أنا مليكة بنت يشوعا بن قيصر ملك الروم وأمي من ولد الحواريين تنسب إلى وصي المسيح شمعون انبئك بالعجب.

إن جدي قيصر أراد أن يزوجني من ابن أخيه وأنا من بنات ثلاث عشرة سنة فجمع في قصره من نسل الحواريين من القسيسين والرهبان ثلاثمائة رجل ومن ذوي الاخطار منهم سبعمائة رجل وجمع من امراء الاجناد وقواد العسكر ونقباء الجيوش وملوك العشاير أربعة آلاف وأبرز من بهي ملكه عرشا مساغا من أصناف الجوهر ورفعه فوق أربعين مرقاة.

When his nephew climbed, the crosses were fixed about, the bishops took their stands in great reverence, and the pages of the Evangel were opened, suddenly the crosses collapsed from the top and hit the ground. The pillars of the throne crumbled and crashed onto the floor. My grandfather’s nephew, who had risen over the throne, fell down unconscious. The colors of the bishops changed and their chests trembled. Their leader said to my grandfather, ‘Please excuse me from facing this evil, which forebodes the demise of this Christian religion and the regal creed.’

“My grandfather took this as an evil omen and said to the bishops, ‘Erect these scaffolds and raise the crosses and bring the brother of this deceased man, whose dreams have been ruined, so I may marry him this young girl; so the evil of his dead brother may go away through his fortune.’

“And when they did that, the same thing happened to the second as had happened to the first nephew. People scattered away. My grandfather the Caesar stood in great distress and entered the quarters of the womenfolk. I drooped the curtains and in the same night saw in my dream that Jesus, Sham‘ūn, and a number of the Disciples (Hawāriyīn) had gathered at my grandfather’s palace. They had installed there a pulpit of light that was defying heavens in height and elevation. It was in the same spot where my grandfather had installed his throne. At this, Muhammad, (a.s), his son in law and his successor the Prince of the Believers (a.s) and a number of his sons entered. Jesus went forward and embraced him. Muhammad (a.s) said to him, ‘O Ruhallah, I have come to you to propose to your successor Sham‘ūn for his daughter Malīka for this son of my mine’, pointing with his son towards Abu Muhammad (a.s), the son of the writer of this epistle. Jesus looked at Sham‘ūn and said to him, ‘The greatest honor has come to you. Let your relation be bonded with the relation of the house of Muhammad (a.s).’

“Sham‘ūn said, ‘It will be my honor to do so.’ He climbed over that pulpit. Muhammad (a.s) said the rituals and married me to his son. Jesus bore witness and the sons of Muhammad (a.s) and the Hawāriyīn bore witness. When I woke up, I was scared to report this to my father or grandfather, fearing they will kill me. I was keeping this a secret and was not revealing it to them. Meanwhile, my heart throbbed with Abu Muhammad’s love (a.s) so much that I forsook eating and drinking. I became weak and my body grew lean and I became very sick. There was no physician left in the cities of Rome that my grandfather did not bring and ask him to heal me. When despair overwhelmed him, he said to me, ‘O solace of my heart, does any wish occur to your heart in this world, so I may fulfill it?’ ”I said, ‘Grandfather, I see the doors of relief shut on me. However, if you save the Muslim captives in your prison torture, and remove their manacles, and do them favors, and kindly release them, I am hopeful that Jesus and his mother will give me health.’

فلما صعد ابن أخيه وأحدقت الصلب وقامت الاساقفة عكفا ونشرت أسفار الانجيل تسافلت الصلب من الاعلى فلصقت الارض وتقوضت أعمدة العرش فانهارت إلى القرار وخر الصاعد من العرش مغشياً عليه.

فتغيرت ألوان الاساقفة وارتعدت فرائصهم فقال كبيرهم لجدي: أيها الملك اعفنا من ملاقاة هذه النحوس الدالة على زوال هذا الدين المسيحي والمذهب الملكاني.

فتطير جدي من ذلك تطيراً شديداً وقال للاساقفة: أقيموا هذه الاعمدة وارفعوا الصلبان واحضروا أخا هذا المدبر لعاهر المنكوس جده لأزوجه هذه الصبية فيدفع نحوسه عنكم بسعوده.

ولما فعلوا ذلك حدث على الثاني مثل ما حدث على الاول وتفرق الناس وقام جدي قيصر مغتما فدخل منـزل النساء وارخيت الستور واريت في تلك الليلة كأن المسيح وشمعون وعدة من الحواريين قد اجتمعوا في قصر جدي ونصبوا فيه منبرا من نور يباري السماء علوا وارتفاعا في الموضع الذي كان نصب جدي وفيه عرشه ودخل عليه محمد(ص) وختنه ووصيه (ع) وعدة من أبنائه.

فتقدم المسيح إليه فاعتنقه فيقول له محمد(ص): يا روح الله إني جئتك خاطبا من وصيك شمعون فتاته مليكة لابني هذا وأومأ بيده إلى أبي محمد (ع) ابن صاحب هذا الكتاب فنظر المسيح إلى شمعون وقال له: قد أتاك الشرف فصل رحمك برحم آل محمد(ع) قال: قد فعلت، فصعد ذلك المنبر فخطب محمد(ص) وزوجني من ابنه وشهد المسيح (ع) وشهد أبناء محمد(ع) والحواريون. فلما استيقظت أشفقت أن أقص هذه الرؤيا على أبي وجدي مخافة القتل فكنت أسرها ولا أبديها لهم وضرب صدري بمحبة أبي محمد (ع) حتى امتنعت من الطعام والشراب.

فضعفت نفسي ودق شخصي ومرضت مرضاً شديداً فما بقي في مداين الروم طبيب إلا أحضره جدي وسأله عن دوائي.

فلما برح به اليأس قال: يا قرة عيني هل يخطر ببالك شهوة فازودكها في هذه الدنيا فقلت: يا جدي أرى أبواب الفرج علي مغلقة فلو كشفت العذاب عمن في سجنك من أسارى المسلمين وفككت عنهم الاغلال وتصدقت عليهم ومنيتهم الخلاص رجوت أن يهب المسيح وأمه عافية.

When he did that, I made effort to display health and ate a little food. This made him very happy and he became ever intense to confer kindness and respect upon the captives.

“I also saw in my dreams for fourteen nights the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, Fātimah (a.s). She visited me along with Marry, the daughter of ‘Imrān, and one thousand serfs from the Gardens. Marry says to me, ‘This is the Mistress of the Ladies (a.s), the mother of your husband Abu Muhammad, (a.s).’ So I hold her and cry and complain why Abu Muhammad (a.s) does not come to visit me. The Mistress of the Ladies (a.s) said, ‘My son Abu Muhammad (a.s) will not visit you so long as you believe in a partner with Allah in the religion of the Christians. This is my sister Marry, the daughter of ‘Imrān, and she turns to Allah with disdain from your religion. If you want the pleasure of Allah, the Exalted, and the pleasure of Jesus and his mother, and to have Abu Muhammad (a.s) visit you, say, I bear witness that a deity other than Allah is not and that my father Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’

“When I spoke these words, the Mistress of the Ladies of the World pulled me to her chest and my soul was blessed. She said, ‘Now expect the visitations of Abu Muhammad (a.s). I am sending him to you.’ I woke up in great excitement and expectation of meeting Abu Muhammad (a.s). When it was the next night, I saw Abu Muhammad (a.s) and as if I was saying to him, ‘You abandoned me, my beloved, while the remedy of your love ruined my soul.’ He said, ‘My delay was not but for your polytheistic belief. Now you have embraced Islam and I am going to be visiting you every night until Allah brings us together.’ Until now, his visitations to me have not ceased yet.”

Bishr says, I said to her, “How did you fall amongst the captives?”

She said, “Abu Muhammad (a.s) told me on one of the nights, Your grandfather will shortly be dispatching an army to fight the Muslims on such and such day, and he will follow them. You have to join them in the wardrobe of servants along with a number of servants from such and such route. I did that and the vanguards of Muslims encountered us, which led to my situation that you see and observe. And no one knew that I am the granddaughter of the Roman Caesar until now except you and that is because I told you. The gentleman in whose share of booty I fell, asked me of my name. I hid my identity from him and said, ‘Narjis.’ He said, ‘A name of the servants.’ I said to her, “It is amazing that you are Roman and your language is Arabic.”

She said, “Due to my grandfather’s persistence and encouragement that I should increase my learning, he appointed a woman to me, who was his interpreter, to visit me. She would come to me day and night and teach me Arabic until I became fluent and articulate.”

فلما فعل ذلك تجلدت في إظهار الصحة من بدني قليلا وتناولت يسيرا من الطعام فسر بذلك وأقبل على إكرام الاسارى وإعزازهم.

فأريت أيضا بعد أربع عشرة ليلة كأن سيدة نساء العالمين فاطمة عليها السلام قد زارتني ومعها مريم بنت عمران وألف من وصايف الجنان فتقول لي مريم هذه سيدة النساء عليها السلام ام زوجك أبي محمد فأتعلق بها وأبكي وأشكو إليها امتناع أبي محمد من زيارتي فقالت سيدة النساء عليها السلام: إن ابني أبا محمد لا يزورك وأنت مشركة بالله على مذهب النصارى وهذه اختي مريم بنت عمران تبرؤ إلى الله من دينك فان ملت إلى رضى الله تعالى ورضى المسيح ومريم(ع) وزيارة أبي محمد إياك فقولي أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن أبي محمدا رسول الله.

فلما تكلمت بهذه الكلمة ضمتني إلى صدرها سيدة نساء العالمين وطيب نفسي وقالت الآن توقعي زيارة أبي محمد وإني منفذته إليك.

فانتبهت وأنا أنول وأتوقع لقاء أبي محمد (ع) فلما كان في الليلة القابلة رأيت أبا محمد (ع) وكأني أقول له: جفوتني يا حبيبي بعد أن أتلفت نفسي معالجة حبك، فقال: ما كان تأخري عنك إلا لشركك فقد أسلمت وأنا زائرك في كل ليلة إلى أن يجمع الله شملنا في العيان فلما قطع عني زيارته بعد ذلك إلى هذه الغاية.

قال بشر: فقلت لها: وكيف وقعت في الاسارى فقالت: أخبرني أبو محمد (ع) ليلة من الليالي أن جدك سيسير جيشاً إلى قتال المسلمين يوم كذا وكذا ثم يتبعهم فعليك باللحاق بهم متنكرة في زي الخدم مع عدة من الوصايف من طريق كذا.

ففعلت ذلك فوقفت علينا طلايع المسلمين حتى كان من أمري ما رأيت وشاهدت وما شعر بأني ابنة ملك الروم إلى هذه الغاية أحد سواك وذلك باطلاعي إياك عليه ولقد سألني الشيخ الذي وقعت إليه في سهم الغنيمة عن اسمي فأنكرته وقلت: نرجس فقال: اسم الجواري.

قلت: العجب أنك رومية ولسانك عربي؟ قالت: نعم، من ولوع جدي وحمله إياي على تعلم الآداب أن أوعز إلي امرأة ترجمانة له في الاختلاف إلي وكانت تقصدني صباحا ومساء وتفيدني العربية حتى استمر لساني عليها واستقام.

Bishr says, When I brought her back to Surra Man Ra’ā, I entered upon my Master Abu al-Hasan, (a.s). He said to her, “How did Allah show you the glory of Islam and the disgrace of Christianity and the nobility of Muhammad and his Household?” She said, “How would I describe, O son of the Messenger of Allah, something which you know better than me.” “I would like to confer kindness on you,” he said to her. “Which one is dearer to you, ten thousand dinārs or a happy tiding of eternal grandeur?” “Happy tidings of a son for me,” she said. “Rejoice the tidings of having a son who will rule the world, from the east to the west, and will fulfill the earth with equity and justice, as it will be filled with oppression and corruption.” “From whom,” she asked. From the one for whom the Messenger of Allah (a.s) proposed for you on such and such night, in such and such year, replied my Master in Roman. He said, “To whom Jesus and his successor married you.” “From your son Abu Muhammad (a.s)?” she asked. “Do you know him?” “Has there been a night he has not visited me since I have embraced Islam on the hands of Mistress of the Ladies!”

Our Master said, “Kāfūr, call my sister Hakīma.” And when she entered, he said to her, “Here she is.” Lady Hakīma embraced her long and was very much happy to see her. Abu al-Hasan (a.s) said to her, “O’ daughter of the Messenger of Allah, take her to your house and teach her the duties and the traditions, for she is the wife of Abu Muhammad and the mother of al-Qā’im.”

13- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Abu al-Husain Muhammad Ibn Yahyā al-Shaibāni: I entered Karbala on the year two hundred and eighty six and visited the tomb of the forlorn son of the Messenger of Allah (a.s) and then returned towards Baghdad, intending towards the Cemetery called Maqābir Qureish, the Shrine of the Kādhimayn (a.s). It was burning hot, so much so that it seemed that the noontime has been set ablaze and the heavens were burning in flames. When I reached from there at the shrine of al-Kāzim (a.s) and smelled the breeze of his Tomb that is engulfed in Divine compassion and encircled by gardens of forgiveness, I shed trickling tears and took many grievous sighs with blocking my eyes from seeing. When my tears ceased and groans stopped and I opened my eyes, I saw an old man whose back was bent and his knees were curved and his forehead and palms have dried like the knees of a camel. Near the Tomb, he was saying to another gentleman who was with him, “O nephew, through the most esoteric secrets and the noblest of all knowledge, which the two Masters possess, your uncle has reached a nobility the like which none has carried but Salmān. Your uncle has reached at the end of his time and the expiration of his life, yet he does not find in the people of the locality a man to confide his knowledge in.” I said to myself, “O’ my soul, unkindness and suffering come from you, inasmuch as I exhaust the foot and the hoof in search of knowledge. Now my ears have caught from this old man a word which alludes to the greatest knowledge and a magnificent affair.”

قال بشر: فلما انكفأت بها إلى سر من رأى دخلت على مولاي أبي الحسن (ع) فقال: كيف أراك الله عز الاسلام وذل النصرانية وشرف محمد وأهل بيته(ع) قالت: كيف أصف لك يا ابن رسول الله ما أنت أعلم به مني.

قال: فاني احب أن أكرمك فأيما أحب إليك عشرة آلاف دينار أم بشرى لك بشرف الابد قالت: بشرى بولد لي. قال لها: ابشري بولد يملك الدنيا شرقا وغربا ويملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلاً كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً.

قالت: ممن؟ قال: ممن خطبك رسول الله(ص)، له ليلة كذا في شهر كذا من سنة كذا بالرومية قال لها: ممن زوجك المسيح (ع) ووصيه؟ قالت: من ابنك أبي محمد (ع) فقال: هل تعرفينه قالت: وهل خلت ليلة لم يزرني فيها منذ الليلة التي أسلمت على يد سيدة النساء عليها السلام قال: فقال مولانا: يا كافور ادع اختي حكيمة فلما دخلت قال لها: هاهيه فاعتنقتها طويلا وسرت بها كثيرا فقال لها أبو الحسن (ع): يا بنت رسول الله خذيها إلى منـزلك وعلميها الفرايض والسنن فانها زوجة أبي محمد وام القائم (ع).

13- إكمال الدين: محمد بن علي بن محمد بن حاتم. عن أحمد بن عيسى الوشاء، عن أحمد بن طاهر القمي، عن أبي الحسين محمد بن يحيى الشيباني قال: وردت كربلاء سنة ست وثمانين ومائتين قال: وزرت قبر غريب رسول الله(ص) ثم انكفأت إلى مدينة السلام متوجها إلى مقابر قريش وقد تضرمت الهواجر وتوقدت السماء.

ولما وصلت منها إلى مشهد الكاظم (ع) واستنشقت نسيم تربته المغمورة من الرحمة المحفوفة بحدايق الغفران أكببت عليها بعبرات متقاطرة وزفرات متتابعة، وقد حجب الدمع طرفي عن النظر فلما رقأت العبرة وانقطع النحيب وفتحت بصرى وإذا أنا بشيخ قد انحنى صلبه وتقوس منكباه وثفنت جبهته وراحتاه وهو يقول لآخر معه عند القبر: يا ابن أخ فقد نال عمك شرفا بما حمله السيدان من غوامض الغيوب وشرايف العلوم التي لم يحمل مثلها إلا سلمان وقد أشرف عمك على استكمال المدة وانقضاء العمر وليس يجد في أهل الولاية رجلا يفضي إليه قلت: يانفس لا يزال العناء والمشقة ينالان منك باتعابي الخف والحافر في طلب العلم وقد قرع سمعي من هذا الشيخ لفظ يدل على علم جسيم وأمر عظيم.

I said to the old gentleman, “Yā Sheikh, who are the two Masters?”

He said, “The Two Heavenly Stars Treasured on earth in Surra Man Ra’ā.”

I said, “I take an oath by the love and the majestic position of Imamate and Succession of these two Masters that I am a searcher of their knowledge and a seeker of their words. I profess the solemnest of the oaths to protect their secrets.”

He said, “If you are truthful in what you are saying, then present the words from the narrators of their traditions.”

As he examined the books and the traditions therein, he said, “You are truthful. I am Bishr Ibn Sulaymān al-Nakhkhās from the children of Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri, one of the devotees of Abu al-Hasan and Abu Muhammad (a.s) and their neighbor at Surra Man Ra’ā.”

I said to him, “Do favor on your brother by sharing some of the things you have seen from them.”

He said, “My master Abu al-Hasan (a.s) made me knowledgeable about slaves. I would not buy nor sell but with his permission, which helped me avoid dubious occasions, until my knowledge of the subject matured and I could make good distinction between the permissible and the illegal. As such, one night I was at my house at Surra Man Ra‘a, and a certain portion of the night had passed, when someone knocked at my door. I ran with speed and saw Kāfūr, the servant, the messenger of our Master Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s) calling me to him. I put on my wardrobe and went to him. I saw him talking to his son Abu Muhammad (a.s) and his sister Hakīma from behind the curtain. When I sat, he said, ‘O’ Bishr, you are from the descendents of the Ansār, and this love has always been in you, with each coming generation inheriting it from the preceding one, and you are trustworthy men of us Ahl al-Bait…,” then Ikmāl al-Dīn continues with the tradition like Sheikh Tusi until its end.

14- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdillah al-Mutahhari: I went to see Lady Hakīma the daughter of Muhammad (a.s) after the demise of Abu Muhammad (a.s) to ask her about the Hujja and the confusion in which people had split many ways.

She said to me, “Sit down.” I sat down and she said, “O’ Muhammad, verily Allah, the Exalted, does not leave the earth without a Hujja, be he a speaking one or a silent one. He has not put it in two brothers after Hasan and Husain, as a token of distinction for Hasan and Husain and to mark their superiority lest there will be their peer on earth. However, Allah, the Exalted, gave excellence to the progeny of Husain over the progeny of Hasan, as He gave excellence to the progeny of Aaron over the progeny Moses, though Moses was Hujja over Aaron. And this excellence is for his progeny until the Day of Judgment.

فقلت: أيها الشيخ ومن السيدان؟ قال النجمان المغيبان في الثرى بسر من رأى.

فقلت: إني اقسم بالموالاة وشرف محل هذين السيدين من الامامة والوراثة أني خاطب علمهما وطالب آثارهما وباذل من نفسي الايمان الموكدة على حفظ أسرارهما.

قال: إن كنت صادقا فيما تقول فأحضر ما صحبك من الآثار عن نقلة أخبارهم.

فلما فتش الكتب وتصفح الروايات منها قال: صدقت أنا بشر بن سليمان النخاس من ولد أبي أيوب الانصاري أحد موالي أبي الحسن وأبي محمد(ع) وجارهما بسر من رأى.

قلت فأكرم أخاك ببعض ما شاهدت من آثارهما.

قال: كان مولاي أبو الحسن (ع) فقهني في علم الرقيق فكنت لا أبتاع ولا أبيع إلا باذنه فاجتنبت بذلك موارد الشبهات حتى كملت معرفتي فيه فأحسنت الفرق فيما بين الحلال والحرام فبينا أنا ذات ليلة في منـزلي بسر من رأى وقد مضى هوي من الليل إذ قد قرع الباب قارع فعدوت مسرعا فإذا بكافور الخادم رسول مولانا أبي الحسن علي بن محمد(ع) يدعوني إليه.

فلبست ثيابي ودخلت عليه فرأيته يحدث ابنه أبا محمد (ع) واخته حكيمة من وراء الستر فلما جلست قال: يا بشر إنك من ولد الانصار وهذه الولاية لم تزل فيكم يرثها خلف عن سلف وأنتم ثقاتنا أهل البيت… وساق الخبر نحوا مما رواه الشيخ إلى آخره.

14- إكمال الدين: ابن إدريس عن أبيه، عن محمد بن إسماعيل، عن محمد بن إبراهيم الكوفي عن محمد بن عبد الله المطهري، قال: قصدت حكيمة بنت محمد (ع) بعد مضي أبي محمد (ع) أسألها عن الحجة وما قد اختلف فيه الناس من الحيرة التي فيها. فقالت لي: اجلس فجلست.

ثم قالت لي: يا محمد إن الله تبارك وتعالى لا يخلي الارض من حجة ناطقة أو صامتة ولم يجعلها في أخوين بعد الحسن والحسين تفضيلاً للحسن والحسين(ع) وتمييزا لهما أن يكون في الارض عديلهما إلا أن الله تبارك وتعالى خص ولد الحسين بالفضل على ولد الحسن كما خص ولد هارون على ولد موسى وإن كان موسى حجة على هارون والفضل لولده إلى يوم القيامة.

“There must be a trial for the Ummah,” said she, “in which falsifiers will fall in doubts, and in which verifiers will find salvation, lest people will have an argument against Allah after the apostles. This trial has occurred after the demise of Abu Muhammad al-Hasan (a.s).” I asked her, “O’ my lady, did Hasan (a.s) have a son?” She smiled and then said, “If Hasan (a.s) did not have a son, then who is the Hujja after him, considering I told you that Imamate will not be in two brothers after Hasan and Husain, (a.s).” So I said, “O’ my lady, tell me about the birth of my master and his occultation.” She said, “Yes, there was a bondmaid of mine called Narjis. My nephew came to visit me. He came forward intensely looking at her. I said, ‘My Master, perhaps you have a desire for her. So, I will send her to you.’ He said, ‘No, Aunt, rather I wonder at her.’ I asked, ‘What makes you wonder?’ he said, ‘She will give birth to a boy, who is much dignified before Allah, the Exalted, Who will fill the earth through him with equity and justice as it will be full of corruption and oppression.’ I said, ‘So, I will send her to you, O’ my master.’ He said, ‘Seek my father’s permission in that regard.’

“I put on my clothes and came to the house of Abu al-Hasan (a.s). I greeted at him and sat down. He initiated the conversation and said, ‘Hakīma, send Narjis to my son Abu Muhammad.’ I said, ‘My Master, I came for this purpose to you to seek your permission.’ He said, ‘O blessed lady, Allah, the Exalted, desired to give you a share in the reward and put a stake for you in the good.’ Lady Hakīma said, “I did not stand and returned to my house and adorned her and gave her to Abu Muhammad, (a.s). I facilitated the union between them at my house and he stayed with me a few days and then went to his father. I sent her with him.”

Lady Hakīma said, “Abu al-Hasan (a.s) passed away and Abu Muhammad (a.s) took his father’s seat. I would visit him like I visited his father. One day Narjis came to me to take off my shoes and said, ‘My mistress, allow me to take off your shoes.’ I said, ‘Rather are my mistress and the mistress of my household. By Allah, I will not forward my shoes to you so you take them off. Nor will you service me. Rather, I will service you with pleasure.’ Abu Muhammad (a.s) heard that and said, ‘May Allah reward you aunt.’ I stayed at his house until the sunset time. Then I called the bondmaid and said, ‘Bring me my garment so I may leave.’ He said, ‘Aunt, stay with us tonight, for tonight the infant who is dignified before Allah , the Exalted, will be born, through whom Allah, the Exalted, will revive the earth after its death.’ Not seeing any sign of pregnancy in Narjis, I asked, ‘From whom, my Master?’ He said, ‘From Narjis; not from anyone else.’ Lady Hakīma says, “I went to Narjis and I turned her on her abdomen, but I did not see any sign of pregnancy. I returned to him and told him of my observation. He smiled and said, ‘Her example is the similitude of the mother of Moses. Pregnancy did not appear in her and none knew of it until the time of delivery. Because Pharaoh was cutting the abdomens of pregnant women in search of Moses. This is like Moses (a.s).”

ولا بد للامة من حيرة يرتاب فيها المبطلون ويخلص فيها المحقون: لئلا يكون للناس على الله حجة بعد الرسل، وإن الحيرة لا بد واقعة بعد مضي أبي محمد الحسن (ع).

فقلت: يا مولاتي هل كان للحسن (ع) ولد.

فتبسمت ثم قالت: إذا لم يكن للحسن (ع) عقب فمن الحجة من بعده؟ وقد أخبرتك حدثيني بولادة مولاي وغيبته (ع).

قال: نعم، كانت لي جارية يقال لها نرجس: فزارني ابن أخي (ع) وأقبل يحد النظر إليها، فقلت له: يا سيدي لعلك هويتها فارسلها إليك؟ فقال: لا يا عمة لكني أتعجب منها فقلت: وما أعجبك؟ فقال (ع): سيخرج منها ولد كريم على الله(عزوجل) الذي يملأ الله به الأرض عدلاً وقسطاً كما ملئت جوراً وظلماً. فقلت: فارسلها إليك يا سيدي؟ فقال: استاذني في ذلك أبي، قالت: فلبست ثيابي وأتيت منـزل أبي الحسن فسلمت وجلست فبدأني (ع) وقال: يا حكيمة ابعثي بنرجس إلى ابني أبي محمد قالت: فقلت: يا سيدي على هذا قصدتك أن أستأذنك في ذلك، فقال: يا مباركة إن الله تبارك وتعالى أحب أن يشركك في الاجر ويجعل لك في الخير نصيبا قالت حكيمة: فلم ألبث أن رجعت إلى منـزلي وزينتها ووهبتها لابي محمد وجمعت بينه وبينها في منـزلي فأقام عندي أياما ثم مضى إلى والده ووجهت بها معه. قالت حكيمة: فمضى أبو الحسن (ع) وجلس أبو محمد (ع) مكان والده وكنت أزوره كما كنت أزور والده فجاءتني نرجس يوما تخلع خفي وقالت: يا مولاتي ناولني خفك، فقلت: بل أنت سيدتي ومولاتي والله لا دفعت إليك حفي لتخلعيه ولا خدمتيني بل أخدمك على بصري فسمع أبو محمد (ع) ذلك فقال: جزاك الله خيرا يا عمة فجلست عنده إلى وقت غروب الشمس فصحت بالجارية وقلت: ناوليني ثيابي لانصرف فقال (ع): يا عمتاه بيتي الليلة عندنا فانه سيولد الليلة المولود الكريم على الله(عزوجل) الذي يحيي الله(عزوجل) به الارض بعد موتها، قلت: ممن يا سيدي ولست أرى بنرجس شيئا من أثر الحمل فقال: من نرجس لا من غيرها قالت: فوثبت إلى نرجس فقلبتها ظهر البطن فلم أر بها أثرا من حبل فعدت إليه فأخبرته بما فعلت فتبسم ثم قال لي: إذا كان وقت الفجر يظهر لك بها الحبل لان مثلها مثل ام موسى لم يظهر بها الحبل ولم يعلم بها أحد إلى وقت ولادتها لان فرعون كان يشق بطون الحبالى في طلب موسى وهذا نظير موسى (ع).

Lady Hakīma said, “I was constantly watching her until the time of dawn. She was sleeping before me and was not moving form one side to the other. When it was the time of the end of the night and near the dawn, she got up sacredly. I pulled her to my breast and took the Divine name on her. Abu Muhammad (a.s) called out, ‘Recite Innā Anzalnāhu fi lailat al-Qadr on her.” I began reciting that and asked her, ‘How do you feel?’ She said, ‘The affair of which my Master has informed you has approached.’ I began reciting the verses, as had ordered me my Master. At this, the baby answered back to me from her abdomen; he was reciting like I was reciting and he greeted me.”

Lady Hakīma said, “I felt shocked when I heard that. So Abu Muhammad (a.s) called out at me, ‘Do not wonder from the Command of Allah, the Exalted; He gives us speech at infancy and makes us Hujja on earth at maturity.’ These words had not yet finished that Narjis disappeared from me. I did not see her, as if a veil had been erected between me and her. I ran to Abu Muhammad (a.s) crying. He said to me, ‘Return O’ aunt, you will find her in her place.’ She said, “I returned and it was but a moment that the veil was removed from between me and her. I saw her as glows of light on her strained my eyes. I was seeing the baby (a.s) that was prostrating on his face, hobbling on his knees, raising his forefingers towards the heavens and saying, ‘I bear witness that a deity other than Allah, the One without a partner, is not; and that my grandfather is the Messenger of Allah; and that my forefather is the Prince of the Believers.’ He then counted each and every Imam until he reached himself and said, ‘O Allah, fulfill me my promise, complete my enterprise for me, strengthen my position, and fill the earth through me with equity and justice.’ Abu Muhammad (a.s) called out saying, ‘Aunt, get him and bring him.’ I got the blessed baby and brought him to his father. When I appeared with him in my hands before his father, he greeted at his father. Hasan (a.s) took him as birds were striking wings over his head. He called to one of the bids and said, ‘Carry him and protect him and return him to us every forty days.’ The bird took him and flew away with him to the heavens, with the rest of the birds following. I heard Abu Muhammad (a.s) say, ‘I entrust with you to the one that mother of Moses entrusted him.’ Seeing this, Narjis wept, so he said to her, ‘Relax, he will not suckle but from your breasts. He will be returned to you as Moses was returned to his mother. It is His word, Then we returned him to his mother so her heart may find solace and lest she grieves.

Lady Hakīma said, “I asked, ‘What is this bird?’ He said, ‘It is the Holy Spirit (Rūh al-Qudus), who is assigned to the Imams to make them successful and firm and to facilitate their growth through knowledge.’ “When it was forty days, the boy was returned. My nephew (a.s) sent for me and called me over. I went to him and saw a child moving about in front of him. I said, ‘My Master, this is a boy of two years.’ He smiled and then said, ‘The sons of apostles and successors, when they are Imams, they grow differently than others.

قالت حكيمة: فلم أزل أرقبها إلى وقت طلوع الفجر وهي نائمة بين يدي لا تقلب جنبا إلى جنب حتى إذا كان في آخر الليل وقت طلوع الفجر وثبت فزعة فضممتها إلى صدري وسميت عليها فصاح أبو محمد (ع) وقال: اقرئي عليها إنا أنـزلناه في ليلة القدر فأقبلت أقرأ عليها وقلت لها: ما حالك؟ قالت: ظهر الامر الذي أخبرك به مولاي فأقبلت أقرأ عليها كما أمرني فأجابني الجنين من بطنها يقرأ كما أقرأ وسلم علي.

قالت حكيمة: ففزعت لما سمعت فصاح بي أبو محمد (ع) لا تعجبي من أمر الله(عزوجل) إن الله تبارك وتعالى ينطقنا بالحكمة صغاراً ويجعلنا حجة في أرضه كباراً فلم يستتم الكلام حتى غيبت عني نرجس فلم أرها كأنه ضرب بيني وبينها حجاب فعدوت نحو أبي محمد (ع) وأنا صارخة فقال لي: ارجعي يا عمة فانك ستجديها في مكانها قالت: فرجعت فلم ألبث أن كشف الحجاب بيني وبينها وإذا أنا بها وعليها من أثر النور ما غشي بصري وإذا أنا بالصبي (ع) ساجدا على وجهه جاثيا على ركبتيه رافعا سبابتيه نحو السماء وهو يقول: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له وأن جدي رسول الله(ص) وأن أبي أمير المؤمنين ثم عد إماماً إماماً إلى أن بلغ إلى نفسه، فقال (ع): اللهم أنجز لي وعدي وأتمم لي أمري وثبت وطأتي واملا الارض بي عدلا وقسطا. فصاح أبو محمد الحسن (ع) فقال: يا عمة تناوليه فهاتيه فتناولته وأتيت به نحوه فلما مثلت بين يدي أبيه وهو على يدي سلم على أبيه. فتناوله الحسن (ع) والطير ترفرف على رأسه فصاح بطير منها فقال له: احمله واحفظه ورده إلينا في كل أربعين يوما فتناوله الطاير وطار به في جو السماء وأتبعه ساير الطير فسمعت أبا محمد يقول: أستودعك الذي استودعته أم موسى فبكت نرجس فقال لها: اسكتي فان الرضاع محرم عليه إلا من ثديك وسيعاد إليك كما رد موسى إلى امه وذلك قوله(عزوجل) "فَرَدَدْنَاهُ إِلَى أُمِّهِ كَيْ تَقَرَّ عَيْنُهَا وَلَا تَحْزَنَ"

قالت حكيمة: فقلت: ماهذا الطاير؟ قال: هذا روح القدس الموكل بالائمة(ع) يوفقهم ويسددهم ويربيهم بالعلم.

قالت حكيمة: فلما أن كان بعد أربعين يوما رد الغلام ووجه إلي ابن أخي (ع) فدعاني فدخلت عليه فإذا أنا بصبي متحرك يمشي بين يديه فقلت: سيدي هذا ابن سنتين فتبسم (ع) ثم قال: إن أولاد الانبياء والاوصياء إذا كانوا أئمة ينشؤن بخلاف ما ينشؤ غيرهم.

A child of ours talks in the womb of his mother, recites the Qur’an, and worships his Lord. At the age of suckling, angels obey him and descend to him every morning and evening.’

Lady Hakīma said, “I always saw that child every forty days until I saw him a grown man a very few days prior to the demise of Abu Muhammad (a.s). I did not recognize him. I said to Abu Muhammad (a.s), ‘Who is this man that you ask me to sit in front of him?’ He said, ‘The son of Narjis. And he is my heir after me. Soon you will not find me amongst you. So listen to him and obey him.’ “Abu Muhammad (a.s) passed away after a very few days and people split different ways as you see. By Allah, I see him every day and night and he informs me of what you people ask about so I may answer you. By Allah, when I want to ask him about something, he answers me before I ask him. If something comes up, his answer comes to me immediately without my asking. He told me just yesterday about your coming to me and ordered me to inform you of the truth.”

Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdillah says, “By Allah, Lady Hakīma told me of things that no one knew except Allah, the Exalted. So I realized that this is the truth and rightfulness from Allah, the Exalted, and that Allah, the Exalted, has informed him of which He has not informed anyone in His creation.

15- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Ghiyāth Ibn Asad: The Heir al-Mahdi, Divine bliss be for him, was born on Friday. His mother was a woman of dignity. She was called Narjis, Saqīl, and Susan. She was called Saqīl for the reason of the pregnancy. His birth was on the eighth night left from Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty six. His representative was ‘Othmān Ibn Sa‘īd; and when ‘Othmān died, he appointed his son, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad Ibn ‘Othmān, his heir; and Abu Ja‘far appointed Abu al-Qāsim al-Husain Ibn Rūh his heir; Abu al-Qāsim appointed Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Samari, his heir, may Allah be pleased with them. When al-Samari (a.s) reached his demise, he was asked to designate a legatee, to which he replied, “For Allah is the command. He is its patron.” The Complete Occultation is the one that began after al-Samari (a.s).

Explanation: “She was called Saqīl for the reason of the pregnancy,” alludes to the illumination and glow that overtook her due to the luminous pregnancy. When they polish and shine their swords, Arabs call them Saqīl.

16- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan al-Karkhi: I heard Abu Hārūn, a man from our personages, say, “I met the Patron of the Time (a.s). His birth was on Friday the year two hundred and fifty six.

17- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of al-Humyari from Muhammad Ibn Ibrāhim al-Kufi: Abu Muhammad (a.s) sent to someone that Muhammad Ibn Ibrāhim al-Kufi mentioned to me, a slaughtered sheep. The Imam said, “This is from the *‘*aqīqa of my son M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D.”

وإن الصبي منا إذا أتى عليه شهر كان كمن يأتي عليه سنة وإن الصبي منا ليتكلم في بطن امه ويقرأ القرآن ويعبد ربه(عزوجل) وعند الرضاع تطيعه الملائكة وتنـزل عليه (كل) صباح (و) مساء. قالت حكيمة: فلم أزل أرى ذلك الصبي كل أربعين يوما إلى أن رأيته رجلا قبل مضي أبي محمد (ع) بأيام قلايل فلم أعرفه فقلت لابي محمد (ع): من هذا الذي تأمرني أن أجلس بين يديه؟ فقال: ابن نرجس وهو خليفتي من بعدي وعن قليل تفقدوني فاسمعي له وأطيعي، قالت حكيمة: فمضى أبو محمد (ع) بأيام قلايل وافترق الناس كما ترى ووالله إني لاراه صباحا ومساء وإنه لينبئني عما تسألوني عنه فاخبركم ووالله إني لاريد أن أسأله عن الشئ فيبدءني به وإنه ليرد علي الامر فيخرج إلي منه جوابه من ساعته من غير مسألتي وقد أخبرني البارحة بمجيئك إلي وأمرني أن اخبرك بالحق. قال محمد بن عبد الله: فو الله لقد أخبرتني حكيمة بأشياء لم يطلع عليها أحد إلا الله(عزوجل) فعلمت أن ذلك صدق وعدل من الله(عزوجل) وأن الله(عزوجل) قد أطلعه على ما لم يطلع عليه أحدا من خلقه.

15- إكمال الدين: عن غياث بن أسد قال: ولد الخلف المهدي صلوات الله عليه يوم الجمعة وامه ريحانة ويقال لها نرجس: ويقال صقيل: ويقال سوسن: إلا أنه قيل لسبب الحمل صقيل: وكان مولده (ع) لثمان ليال خلون من شعبان سنة ست وخمسين ومائيتن وكيله عثمان بن سعيد فلما مات عثمان أوصى إلى ابنه أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان وأوصى أبو جعفر إلى أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح وأوصى أبو القاسم إلى أبي الحسن علي بن محمد السمري رضي الله عنهم فلما حضرت السمري(رضي الله عنه) الوفاة سئل أن يوصي، فقال: الله أمر هو بالغه فالغيبة التامة هي التي وقعت بعد السمري(ره). بيان: قوله: إلا أنه قيل لسبب الحمل، أي إنما سمي صقيلا لما اعتراه من النور والجلاء بسبب الحمل المنور يقال: صقل السيف وغيره أي جلاه فهو صقيل ولا يبعد أن يكون تصحيف الجمال.

16- إكمال الدين: علي بن الحسين بن الفرج، عن محمد بن الحسن الكرخي قال: سمعت أبا هارون رجلا من أصحابنا يقول: رأيت صاحب الزمان (ع) وكان مولده يوم الجمعة سنة ست وخمسين ومأتين.

17- إكمال الدين: ابن المتوكل، عن الحميري، عن محمد بن إبراهيم الكوفي أن أبا محمد (ع) بعث إلى (بعض) من سماه لي بشاة مذبوحة قال: هذه من عقيقة ابني محمد.

18- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of ‘Ali al-Naisābūri: Hamzah Ibn Abi al-Fath came one day and said to me, “Happy news! Last night a son was born for Abu Muhammad (a.s) at the House. He has ordered to be kept a secret.” “What is his name?” I asked him. “He has named him M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. and given him the patronym of Ja‘far.”

19- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Ghiyāth Ibn Asad, saying, I heard Muhammad Ibn ‘Othmān al-‘Amari (a.s) say, “When the Heir al-Mahdi, blessings of Allah be unto him, was born, a light beamed from his overhead towards the heights of the heavens. He then fell on his face, prostrating before his Lord, Glory to His name. He then raised his head as he was saying, ‘I bear witness, and so do the angels and the possessors of knowledge, that a deity other than Him, Standing in equity, is not. The religion before Allah is only Islam.’” He said, “His birth was on Friday eve.”

20- Ikmāl al-Dīn: Through the same chain of narration from Muhammad Ibn ‘Othmān al-‘Amari (a.s) saying, “The Master was born circumcised and I heard Lady Hakīma say, ‘No blood was seen in her mother at his birth.’ This is the manner of the mothers of the Imams, Divine bliss be for them.”

21- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of Ahmad Ibn al-Hasan Ibn Ishāq al-Qummi: “When the Virtuous Heir (a.s) was born, a letter came from our Master Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (a.s) to my grandfather Ahmad Ibn Ishāq. It was written in it in his handwriting by which his letters would come to my grandfather, “The Infant is born. This must remain a secret with you and hidden from all people, for we have not revealed it but to the closest of his relations and the fondest of his devotees. We desired to inform you, so may Allah make you happy through him as He has made us. Wassalām.”

22- Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of al-Hasan Ibn al-Husain al-‘Alawi: I entered upon Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (a.s) at Surra Man Ra’ā and congratulated him for the birth of his son, al-Qā’im (a.s).

23-Ikmāl al-Dīn: On the authority of many narrators on the authority of ‘Aqeed, the servant: “The Bosom Friend of Allah, al-Hujja Ibn al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Musā Ibn Ja‘far Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abi Tālib, bliss of Allah be for them all, was born on the Friday eve in the month of Ramadan of the year two hundred and fifty four after the Migration. His patronym is Abu al-Qāsim and it is also said that it is Abu Ja‘far. His title is al-Mahdi and he is the Hujja of Allah on His earth. People have split many ways on the subject of his birth: Of them are those who have let it be known, of them are those who have concealed it, of them are those who have been forbidden from mentioning him, and of them are those who have made his name public. And Allah knows the best.”

18- إكمال الدين: ماجيلويه، عن محمد العطار، عن الحسن بن علي النيسابوري، عن الحسن بن المنذر، عن حمزة بن أبي الفتح قال: جاءني يوما فقال لي: البشارة! ولد البارحة في الدار مولود لابي محمد (ع) وأمر بكتمانه قلت: وما اسمه قال: سمي بمحمد وكني بجعفر.

19- إكمال الدين: الطالقاني، عن الحسن بن علي بن زكريا، عن محمد بن خليلان عن أبيه، عن جده، عن غياث بن أسد قال: سمعت محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس الله روحه يقول: لما ولد الخلف المهدي صلوات الله عليه سطع نور من فوق رأسه إلى عنان السماء ثم سقط لوجهه ساجدا لربه تعالى ذكره ثم رفع رأسه وهو يقول: أشهد أن لا إله إلا هو والملائكة واولوا العلم قائما بالقسط لا إله إلا هو العزيز الحكيم إن الدين عند الله الاسلام. قال: وكان مولده ليلة الجمعة.

20- إكمال الدين: بهذا الاسناد عن محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس الله روحه أنه قال: ولد السيد (ع) مختونا وسمعت حكيمة تقول: لم ير بامه دم في نفاسها وهذا سبيل امهات الائمة صلوات الله عليهم.

21- إكمال الدين: أبو العباس أحمد بن عبد الله بن مهران، عن أحمد بن الحسن بن إسحاق القمي قال: لما ولد الخلف الصالح (ع) ورد من مولانا أبي محمد الحسن بن علي، على جدي أحمد بن إسحاق كتاب وإذا فيه مكتوب بخط يده (ع) الذي كان يرد به التوقيعات عليه: ولد المولود فليكن عندك مستورا وعن جميع الناس مكتوما فانا لم نظهر عليه إلا الاقرب لقرابته والمولى لولايته أحببنا إعلامك ليسرك الله به كما سرنا والسلام.

22- إكمال الدين: ابن الوليد، عن عبد الله بن العباس العلوي، عن الحسن بن الحسين العلوي، قال: دخلت على أبي محمد الحسن بن علي(ع) بسر من رأى فهنئته بولادة ابنه القائم (ع). (الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي) ابن أبي جيد، عن ابن الوليد مثله.

23- إكمال الدين: علي بن محمد بن حباب، عن أبي الاديان قال: قال عقيد الخادم قال أبو محمد ابن خيرويه البصري وقال حاجز الوشاء كلهم حكوا عن عقيد وقال أبو سهل ابن نوبخت قال عقيد: ولد ولي الله الحجة بن الحسن بن علي بن محمد بن علي بن موسى بن جعفر بن محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين ليلة الجمعة من شهر رمضان من سند أربع وخمسين ومأتين للهجرة ويكنى أبا القاسم ويقال أبو جعفر ولقبه المهدي وهو حجة الله في أرضه وقد اختلف الناس في ولادته فمنهم من أظهر ومنهم من كتم ومنهم من نهى عن ذكر خبره ومنهم من أبدى ذكره والله أعلم.

24- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: On the authority of Handhala Ibn Zakariyā, from the reliable man: ‘Abdullah al-‘Abbās al-‘Alawi narrated to me—and I have not seen a man with a more truthful tongue than him, though he differed with us on many things—from al-Hasan Ibn al-Husain al-‘Alawi, saying, “I entered upon Abu Muhammad (a.s) at Surra Man Ra’ā and felicitated him for the birth of our Master the Patron of the Age.”

25- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: On the authority of Muhammad Ibn ‘Abdillah al-Mutahhari from Lady Hakīma Bint Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali al-Redhā: In the year two hundred and fifty five at mid-Sha‘bān, Abu Muhammad (a.s) sent for me saying, “Aunt, have your iftār with me tonight, for Allah, the Glorious, will make you happy through His Wali and His Hujja on His creation and my heir after me.” This made me so very happy. I put on my garments and left at once and reached him at his house. He was sitting in the yard of his house and his concubines were about him. I said, “May I be your ransom, O’ my Master, the Heir will be born from who?” He said, “From Susan.” I ran my eyes over them and did not see any bondmaid with any sign of pregnancy except Susan.

After I prayed the *‘*ishā prayers, I brought the meal and Susan and I made iftār. Arranging her and myself in one room, I fell asleep for a short while and then woke up. I was constantly thinking about the promise of Abu Muhammad (a.s) with regard to the Wali of Allah. I got up before the regular time I would wake up every night for prayers. I performed the nightly prayers and when I reached the watr prayers, Susan rose suddenly and went out and made her wudhū with great attention and piety. Then she came back and prayed the nightly prayers and reached watr. It occurred to my mind that dawn has neared. I rose on my feet to see. The first dawn had risen. Doubts entered my heart with regard to the promise of Abu Muhammad (a.s). He called me from his room, “Do not have doubts. It is as almost that you are witnessing the event at this hour and you are seeing him, God willing.” Lady Hakīma says, I felt embarrassed from Abu Muhammad (a.s) because of the doubts that had occurred to my heart. I returned to the room feeling shame. Suddenly she finished her prayers and came out frightened. I met her at the door of the room and said, “My father and mother be your ransom, do you feel anything?” She said, “Yes, O’ aunt. I feel a great happening.”

I said to her, “May you have no fears, Allah-willing.” I took a pillow and threw it at the center of the room and sat her on it. I sat in a position with respect to her in which a woman sits from another woman for the purpose of delivery. She seized my hand and squeezed it very hard. Then she groaned once and said her shahāda. I looked beneath her—and there I was in the presence of the Wali of Allah, bliss of Allah be for him, who was touching the earth with his forehead, palms of hands, knees, and toes. I held him from his shoulders and sat him on my lap. He was clean and without any need to any attention.

24- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: جماعة، عن التلعكبري، عن أحمد بن علي، عن محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا، عن الثقة قال: حدثني عبد الله العباس العلوي، وما رأيت أصدق لهجة منه وكان خالفنا في أشياء كثيرة عن الحسن بن الحسين العلوي قال: دخلت على أبي محمد (ع) بسر من رأى فهنأته بسيدنا صاحب الزمان (ع) لما ولد.

25- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: ابن أبي جيد، عن ابن الوليد، عن الصفار، عن (محمد) ابن عبد الله المطهري، عن حكيمة بنت محمد بن علي الرضا قالت: بعث إلي أبو محمد (ع) سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين في النصف من شعبان وقال: يا عمة اجعلي الليلة إفطارك عندي فان الله(عزوجل) سيسرك بوليه وحجته على خلقه خليفتي من بعدي قالت حكيمة: فتداخلني لذلك سرور شديد وأخذت ثيابي علي وخرجت من ساعتي حتى انتهيت إلى أبي محمد (ع) وهو جالس في صحن داره وجواريه حوله فقلت: جعلت فداك يا سيدي! الخلف ممن هو؟ قال: من سوسن فأدرت طرفي فيهن فلم أر جارية عليها أثر غير سوسن، قالت حكيمة: فلما أن صليت المغرب والعشاء الآخرة أتيت بالمائدة فأفطرت أنا وسوسن وبايتها في بيت واحد فغفوت غفوة ثم استيقظت فلم أرل مفكرة فيما وعدني أبو محمد (ع) من أمر ولي الله (ع) فقمت قبل الوقت الذي كنت أقوم في كل ليلة للصلاة فصليت صلاة الليل حتى بلغت إلى الوتر فوثبت سوسن فزعة وخرجت وأسبغت الوضوء ثم عادت فصلت صلاة الليل وبلغت إلى الوتر فوقع في قلبي أن الفجر قد قرب فقمت لانظر فإذا بالفجر الاول قد طلع فتداخل قلبي الشك من وعد أبي محمد (ع) فناداني من حجرته: لا تشكي وكأنك بالامر الساعة قد رأيته إنشاء الله.

قالت حكيمة: فاستحييت من أبي محمد (ع) ومما وقع في قلبي ورجعت إلى البيت وأنا خجلة فإذا هي قد قطعت الصلاة وخرجت فزعة فلقيتها على باب البيت فقلت: بأبي أنت وامي هل تحسين شيئا؟ قالت: نعم، يا عمة إني لأجد أمراً شديداً قلت: لاخوف عليك إنشاء الله وأخذت وسادة فألقيتها في وسط البيت وأجلستها عليها وجلست منها حيث تقعد المرأة من المرأة للولادة فقبضت على كفي وغمزت غمزة شديدة ثم أنت أنة وتشهدت ونظرت تحتها فإذا أنا بولي الله صلوات الله عليه متلقيا الارض بمساجده فأخذت بكتفيه فأجلسته في حجري وإذا هو نظيف مفروغ منه.

Abu Muhammad (a.s) called me, “O aunt, come! Bring my son to me.” I took him to his father, who took him and brought out his tongue and touched it against the eyes of the baby, who opened his eyes. He then put his tongue into the blessed baby’s mouth, who sucked on it. He then put it into his ears. He sat him on his right palm. The Wali of Allah sat straight. Abu Muhammad (a.s) touched the baby’s head with his hand and said to him, “My dear son, speak with the power of Allah.”

The Wali of Allah sought refuge to Allah from the chased Satan and began, “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. And We desire to confer kindness upon those who have been enfeebled on earth and make them Imams and make them heirs and give them power on earth and show Pharaoh and Hāmān and their armies from them what they have been averting. And may Allah bless His Messenger and the Prince of the Believers.” He mentioned the Imams one after the other until he reached his father. Then Abu Muhammad (a.s) gave him to me and said, “O Aunt, return him to his mother so her heart may rejoice and may she grieve not and so she may know that the promise of Allah is true, but the majority of the people do not know. I returned him to his mother while the second dawn had brightened. I performed the fajr prayers and then said my ta‘qībāt until sunrise. I bid Abu Muhammad (a.s) farewell and returned to my house.

When three days had passed, I became anxious to see the Wali of Allah. I went to them and started with the room where Susan was. I did not see any trace, nor heard any mention. I did not want to ask so I entered upon Abu Muhammad (a.s). I felt bashful to begin the conversation with him by asking him. So, he began and said, “O’ aunt, he is in the protection of Allah, and His safeguard, and His curtain, and His eye, until Allah gives him permission. So when Allah hides my person and transfers me, and you see my Shī‘a disputing, inform the reliable ones of them. This must remain with you and them as a secret, for Allah hides His Wali. Allah hides him from His creation and He veils him from His servants. No one will see him until Gabriel (a.s) offers him his courser, in order to Allah fulfills the enterprise that must be fulfilled.”

26- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: Muhammad Ibn Ibrāhīm narrates from Lady Hakīma the like of the previous tradition, however, with this difference that she says, “Abu Muhammad (a.s) sent after me on the night of mid-Ramadan of the year two hundred and fifty five.” “I said to him, O son of the Messenger of Allah, who is his mother? He said, Narjis.” “When it was the third day, my anxiety for the Wali of Allah intensified. So I brought them a repast and began with the room where the bondmaid was. There she was—she was sitting like a woman who has delivered a child. She was wearing yellow clothes and her head was wrapped. I greeted her and looked at the side of the room. There was a cradle of a baby covered by green sheets. I turned to the cradle and removed the sheets and there I see the Wali of Allah sleeping on his back, neither fastened nor tied.

فناداني أبو محمد (ع) يا عمة هلمي فأتيني بابني فأتيته به فتناوله وأخرج لسانه فمسحه على عينيه ففتحها ثم أدخله في فيه فحنكه ثم أدخله في اذنيه وأجلسه في راحته اليسرى فاستوى ولي الله جالسا فمسح يده على رأسه وقال له: يا بني انطق بقدرة الله فاستعاذ ولي الله (ع) من الشيطان الرجيم واستفتح: "بِِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ. وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ الْوَارِثِينَ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِي فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ."

وصلى على رسول الله وعلى أمير المؤمنين والائمة (ع) واحداً واحداً حتى انتهى إلى أبيه فناولنيه أبو محمد (ع) وقال: يا عمة رديه إلى امه حتى تقر عينها ولا تحزن ولتعلم أن وعد الله حق ولكن أكثر الناس لا يعلمون فرددته إلى امه وقد انفجر الفجر الثاني فصليت الفريضة وعقبت إلى أن طلعت الشمس ثم ودعت أبا محمد (ع) وانصرفت إلى منـزلي فلما كان بعد ثلاث اشتقت إلى ولي الله فصرت إليهم فبدأت بالحجرة التي كانت سوسن فيها فلم أر أثرا ولا سمعت ذكرا فكرهت أن أسأل فدخلت على أبي محمد (ع) فاستحييت أن أبدأه بالسؤال فبدأني فقال: يا عمة في كنف الله وحرزه وستره وعينه حتى يأذن الله له فإذا غيب الله شخصي وتوفاني ورأيت شيعتي قد اختلفوا فأخبري الثقات منهم وليكن عندك وعندهم مكتوماً فان ولي الله يغيبه الله عن خلقه ويحجبه عن عباده فلا يراه أحد حتى يقدم له جبرئيل (ع) فرسه ليقضي الله أمراً كان مفعولاً.

26- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: أحمد بن علي، عن محمد بن علي، عن علي بن سميع بن بنان عن محمد بن علي بن أبي الداري، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن أحمد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن روح الاهوازي، عن محمد بن إبراهيم، عن حكيمة بمثل معنى الحديث الاول إلا أنه قال قالت: بعث إلي أبو محمد (ع) ليلة النصف من شهر رمضان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين قالت: وقلت له: يابن رسول الله من امه؟ قال نرجس: قالت: فلما كان في اليوم الثالث اشتد شوقي إلى ولي الله فأتيتهم عائدة فبدأت بالحجرة التي فيها الجارية فإذا أنا بها جالسة في مجلس المرأة النفساء وعليها أثواب صفر وهي معصبة الرأس فسلمت عليها والتفت إلى جانب البيت وإذا بمهد عليه أثواب خضر فعدلت إلى المهد ورفعت عنه الاثواب فإذا أنا بولي الله نائم على قفاه غير محزوم ولا مقموط.

He opened his eyes and began laughing and calling me with his finger. I held him and brought him near my mouth to kiss. I smelt a fragrance from him that I have never smelt a better fragrant than that. Abu Muhammad (a.s) called me, ‘O my aunt, come and bring my young man to me.’ I took him to his father. He said to him, my son, speak…” Then the saying of the Wali of Allah is narrated and then she says, “I took him from his father while he was saying, ‘My dear son, I entrust you to the one mother of Moses entrusted him to. Be in the comfort of Allah, and His safeguard, and His protection and His company.’ He said, ‘Return him to his mother, aunt, and hide the news of this baby of ours and do not inform anyone until the Book reaches its time.’ I brought him to his mother and bid them farewell.” Then the tradition continues like the previous one.

27- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Bilāl narrates an identical tradition from lady Hakīma. In another narration on the authority of a number of great Sheikhs it comes that Lady Hakīma narrated this narrative and mentioned that it was the night of mid-Sha‘bān and that his mother is Narjis. The narrative continues like the previous one until her saying, “There I was, sensing my Master and hearing the voice of Abu Muhammad (a.s) as he was saying, ‘O my aunt, bring my son to me.’ So I removed [the curtains] from my Master, and there he was, prostrating, touching the earth through his forehead, palms, knees and toes. On his right forearm it was written, The Truth came and vanity perished, verily, vanity is ever perishing. I pulled him to myself and found him pure and clean. He did not need any sort of attention. I wrapped him in a sheet and carried him to Abu Muhammad (a.s). They have mentioned the narrative the same way until his saying, “I bear witness that a deity other than Allah is not and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and that ‘Ali is by truth the Prince of the Believers.” Then he mentions the Successors one by one until himself. He prays for his devotees for relief on his hands. Then he stops. She says, “Then something like a veil was erected between me and Abu Muhammad (a.s) and I did not see my Master. I said to Abu Muhammad (a.s), ‘My Master, where is my lord?’ He said, ‘Took him someone who is worthier than you and us.’” Then they have mentioned all of the narration and have added, When it was after forty days, I entered upon Abu Muhammad (a.s) and there was our Master, the Patron. He was walking about the house. I had never seen a face more beautiful than his, nor heard any tongue more eloquent than his. Abu Muhammad (a.s) said, “This is the baby who is dignified before Allah, the Glorified.” I said, “My Master, I see him in this condition and he is only forty days old.” He smiled and said, “My aunt, don’t you know that we the congregation of Imams, grow in the day to the extent that others grow in a year.” I rose and kissed his forehead and returned. Then I came back and sought him, but did not see him. I said to Abu Muhammad (a.s), “What has our Master done?” He said, “Aunt, we have entrusted him to then one mother of Moses entrusted him to.”

ففتح عينيه وجعل يضحك ويناجيني بأصبعه فتناولته وأدنيته إلى فمي لاقبله فشممت منه رايحة ما شممت قط أطيب منها وناداني أبو محمد (ع) يا عمتي هلمي فتاي إلي فتناوله وقال: يا بني انطق وذكر الحديث.

قالت: ثم تناوله منه وهو يقول: يا بني أستودعك الذي استودعته ام موسى! كن في دعة الله وستره وكنفه وجواره وقال: رديه إلى امه يا عمة واكتمي خبر هذا المولود علينا ولا تخبري به أحدا حتى يبلغ الكتاب أجله فأتيت امه وودعتهم وذكر الحديث إلى آخره.

27- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: أحمد بن علي، عن محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا قال: حدثني الثقة، عن محمد بن علي بن بلال، عن حكيمة بمثل ذلك…

وفي رواية اخرى عن جماعة من الشيوخ أن حكيمة حدثت بهذا الحديث وذكرت أنه كان ليلة النصف من شعبان وأن أمه نرجس وساقت الحديث إلى قولها: فإذا أنا بحس سيدي وبصوت أبي محمد (ع) وهو يقول: يا عمتي هاتي ابني إلي.

فكشفت عن سيدي فإذا هو ساجد متلقيا الارض بمساجده وعلى ذراعه الايمن مكتوب "جاء الحق وزهق الباطل إن الباطل كان زهوقا " فضممته إلي فوجدته مفروغا منه فلففته في ثوب وحملته إلى أبي محمد (ع) وذكروا الحديث إلى قوله: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله وأن عليا أمير المؤمنين حقا ثم لم يزل يعد السادة الاوصياء إلى أن بلغ إلى نفسه ودعا لاوليائه بالفرج على يديه ثم أحجم. وقالت: ثم رفع بيني وبين أبي محمد كالحجاب فلم أرَ سيدي فقلت لابي محمد: يا سيدي أين مولاي فقال: أخذه من هو أحق منك ومنا ثم ذكروا الحديث بتمامه وزادوا فيه: فلما كان بعد أربعين يوما دخلت على أبي محمد (ع) فإذا مولانا الصاحب يمشي في الدار فلم أروجها أحسن من وجهه ولا لغة أفصح من لغته فقال أبو محمد: هذا المولود الكريم على الله(عزوجل) فقلت: سيدي أرى من أمره ما أرى وله أربعون يوما فتبسم وقال: يا عمتي أما علمت أنا معاشر الائمة ننشؤ في اليوم ما ينشؤ غيرنا في السنة فقمت فقبلت رأسه وانصرفت ثم عدت وتفقدته فلم أره فقلت لابي محمد (ع): ما فعل مولانا؟ قال: يا عمة استودعناه الذي استودعت ام موسى.

28- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: Handhala Ibn Zakariyā says, Ahmad Ibn Bilāl Ibn Dāwood, the transcriber, who was one of the commonality and in a position of contempt with respect to Ahl al-Bait, which he did not hide, narrated this to me. He was my friend and would express his affection to me, as it is in the spirit of the people of Iraq. He would say every time he met me, “I have a news for you to rejoice, but I will not give it to you.” I would pretend to care less until one day we were brought together at secluded spot. With much fervor, I asked hi to tell me about what he has.

He said, Our houses were at Surra Man Ra’ā, in front of the house of Ibn al-Redhā, (meaning the house of Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (a.s)). For a very long time, I stayed away from the locality, going to Qazwīn and other cities. Then destiny brought my back to Surra Man Ra’ā. When I arrived there, I had lost all whom I had left behind from my family and relatives, except an old woman who had raised me and had a daughter with her. She was of the original disposition, veiling, protective, and did not know lying. Also there were some of our cousins who had stayed at the house. I stayed with them some days and then decided to exit. The old woman said, “How do you rush to return after an absence of so long? Stay with us, so we may take the pleasure of your stay.”

I said to her in the way of jest, “I want to go to Karbala.” This was a season when great many people were exiting either for mid-Sha‘bān or the day of ‘Arafa.

“I seek refuge of Allah for you, my son, to blaspheme through this talk of ridicule.” She said, “I am going to tell you what I have seen. This happened two years after you left us. I was in this house, sleeping near the main entry hall. My daughter was with me. I was in a condition somewhere between sleeping and awake, when entered a man of handsome face, clean clothes, fragrant smell, and said, So and so, some one will come at this hour to you to call you to your neighbor. Do not refuse to go with him. And do not be scared.

I was afraid and called my daughter, ‘Did you notice someone come into the house?’ She said, ‘No.’ I called Allah to my heart and recited some verses and went to sleep. The same man came again and said what he had said earlier. I cried out to my daughter. She said, ‘No one has entered the house. Remember Allah and do not be scared.’ I recited some verses and went to sleep again. When it happened the third time, the man came and said, So and so, ‘the one who is calling you has come and is knocking on the door. Go with him.’ I heard the door knock and went to it. ‘Who is this?’ I asked. ‘Open and fear not,’ someone said. I recognized his word and opened the door. It was a servant who had a lower garment sheet on him. He said, ‘A neighbor needs you for a very important matter. So come.’ He covered my head with the sheet and took me to the house, which I knew. There were sets of canvas fixed in the middle of the house. A man was sitting on the side of the canvases. The servant gestured to me with the motion of his eye and I entered.

28- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: أحمد بن علي، عن محمد بن علي، عن حنظلة بن زكريا قال: حدثني أحمد بن بلال بن داود الكاتب، وكان عاميا بمحل من النصب لاهل البيت(ع) يظهر ذلك ولا يكتمه وكان صديقا لي يظهر مودة بما فيه من طبع أهل العراق فيقول كلما لقيني: لك عندي خبر تفرح به ولا اخبرك به فأتغافل عنه إلى أن جمعني وإياه موضع خلوة فاستقصيت عنه وسألته أن يخبرني به.

فقال: كانت دورنا بسر من رأى مقابل دار ابن الرضا يعني أبا محمد الحسن بن علي(ع) فغبت عنها دهراً طويلاً إلى قزوين وغيرها ثم قضي لي الرجوع إليها فلما وافيتها وقد كنت فقدت جميع من خلفته من أهلي وقراباتي إلا عجوزا كانت ربتني ولها بنت معها وكانت من طبع الاول مستورة صائنة لا تحسن الكذب وكذلك مواليات لنا بقين في الدار.

فأقمت عندهم أياماً ثم عزمت (على) الخروج فقالت العجوز: كيف تستعجل الانصراف وقد غبت زماناً فأقم عندنا لنفرح بمكانك فقلت لها على جهة الهزء: اريد أن أصير إلى كربلاء وكان الناس للخروج في النصف من شعبان أو ليوم عرفة فقالت: يا بني اعيذك بالله أن تستهيني بما ذكرت أو تقوله على وجه الهزء فاني احدثك بما رأيته يعني بعد خروجك من عندنا بسنتين.

كنت في هذا البيت نائمة بالقرب من الدهليز ومعي ابنتي وأنا بين النائمة واليقظانة إذ دخل رجل حسن الوجه نظيف الثياب طيب الرايحة، فقال: يا فلانة يجيئك الساعة من يدعوك في الجيران فلا تمتنعي من الذهاب معه ولا تخافي.

ففزعت وناديت ابنتي وقلت لها هل شعرت بأحد دخل البيت فقالت: لا فذكرت الله وقرأت ونمت فجاء الرجل بعينه وقال لي مثل قوله ففزعت وصحت بابنتي فقالت: لم يدخل البيت فاذكري الله ولا تفزعي فقرأت ونمت فلما كان في الثالثة جاء الرجل وقال: يا فلانة قد جاءك من يدعوك ويقرع الباب فاذهبي معه وسمعت دق الباب فقمت وراء الباب وقلت: من هذا؟

فقال: افتحي ولا تخافي فعرفت كلامه وفتحت الباب فإذا خادم معه إزار فقال: يحتاج إليك بعض الجيران لحاجة مهمة فادخلي ولف رأسي بالملاءة وأدخلني الدار وأنا أعرفها فإذا بشقاق مشدودة وسط الدار ورجل قاعد بجنب الشقاق فرفع الخادم طرفه فدخلت.

There was a woman in labor and another woman was sitting behind her as if she was delivering her. The woman said, ‘Would you help us in this?’ I helped them in the delivery. It was but a moment that a boy was born. I held him on my hand and shouted, ‘It is a boy! It is a boy!’ I pulled my head out from the side of the canvases to give the glad tiding to the man who was sitting. ‘Do not shout,’ someone said.

When I returned my face, the boy was not in my hand. The woman who was sitting said to me, ‘Do not shout.’ The servant took my hand and wrapped my head with the sheet and took me out of the house. He took me to my house and gave me a bag and said, ‘Do not inform anyone of what you saw.’ I entered the house and returned to my bed in this house. My daughter was still sleeping. Waking her up, I asked her, ‘Did you see me going and coming?’ She said, ‘No.’ I opened the sack at that hour and there was ten dinārs in it. I have not told this to anyone until today when you spoke these words in the way of ridicule. I narrated this to you to commiserate over you, for these people have a lofty status and high position before Allah, the Glorified, and everything they pray for is fulfilled.”

I was astonished by her narrative but passed on with ridicule and jest. I did not ask her of its time; however, I know for sure that I had left them in two hundred and fifty and some odd year and had come back to Surra Man Ra’ā at two hundred and eighty one. The time when the old woman narrated this to me was during the ministry of ‘Ubaidullāh Ibn Sulaymān.

Handhala says, I called Abu al-Faraj al-Mudhaffar Ibn Ahmad and he heard this story with me.

29- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: It has been narrated that one of the sisters of Abu al-Hasan (a.s) had a bondmaid, whom she had raised, called Narjis. When she had grown up, Abu Muhammad (a.s) entered and looked at her. She said to him, “I see, my Master, you are looking at her.” He said, “I did not look at her but wondering. Lo, the baby that is dignified before Allah will be from her.” Then he ordered her to seek permission of Abu al-Hasan (a.s) to offer her to him. She did that and Abu al-Hasan (a.s) ordered her to do so.

30- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: ‘Allān narrates through his chains of narration that the Master (a.s) was born in the year two hundred and fifty six after the Migration, two years after the demise of Abu al-Hasan (a.s).

31- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali al-Shalmaghāni narrates in the book of Al-Awsiyā’ on the authority of Hamza Ibn Nasr the slave of Abu al-Hasan (a.s) who narrates from his father: When the Master was born, the people of the house felicitated each other and rejoiced. When he grew, I was ordered to buy every day a bone with marrow and it was said, It is for our young Master.

وإذا امرأة قد أخذها الطلق وامرأة قاعدة خلفها كأنها تقبلها فقالت المرأة: تعيننا فيما نحن فيه فعالجتها بما يعالج به مثلها فما كان إلا قليلاً حتى سقط غلام فأخذته على كفي وصحت غلام غلام وأخرجت رأسي من طرف الشقاق ابشر الرجل القاعد فقيل لي: لا تصيحي فلما رددت وجهي إلى الغلام قد كنت فقدته من كفي فقالت لي المرأة القاعدة: لا تصيحي وأخذ الخادم بيدي ولف راسي بالملاءة وأخرجني من الدار وردني إلى داري وناولني صرة وقال لي: لا تخبري بما رأيت أحدا. فدخلت الدار ورجعت إلى فراشي في هذا البيت وابنتي نائمة بعد فأنبهتها وسألتها هل علمت بخروجي ورجوعي؟ فقالت: لا وفتحت الصرة في ذلك الوقت وإذا فيها عشرة دنانير عددا وما أخبرت بهذا أحدا إلا في هذا الوقت لما تكلمت بهذا الكلام على حد الهزء فحدثتك إشفاقا عليك فان لهؤلاء القوم عند الله(عزوجل) شأنا ومنـزلة وكل ما يدعونه حتى قال: فعجبت من قولها وصرفته إلى السخرية والهزء ولم أسألها عن الوقت غير أني أعلم يقينا أني غبت عنهم في سنة نيف وخمسين ومأتين ورجعت إلى سر من رأى في وقت أخبرتني العجوز بهذا الخبر في سنة إحدى وثمانين ومأتين في وزارة عبيد الله بن سليمان لما قصدته. قال حنظلة: فدعوت بأبي الفرج المظفر بن أحمد حتى سمع معي هذا الخبر.

29- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: روي أن بعض أخوات أبي الحسن (ع) كانت لها جارية ربتها تسمى نرجس فلما كبرت دخل أبو محمد (ع) فنظر إليها فقالت له: أراك يا سيدي تنظر إليها فقال: إني ما نظرت إليها إلا متعجبا أما إن المولود الكريم على الله يكون منها ثم أمرها أن تستأذن أبا الحسن (ع) في دفعها إليه ففعلت فأمرها بذلك.

30- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: روى علان بإسناده أن السيد (ع) ولد في سنة ست وخمسين ومأتين من الهجرة بعد مضي أبي الحسن (ع) بسنتين.

31- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: روى محمد بن علي الشلمغاني في كتاب الاوصياء قال: حدثني حمزة بن نصر غلام أبي الحسن (ع) عن أبيه قال: لما ولد السيد (ع) تباشر أهل الدار بذلك فلما نشأ خرج إلي الامر أن أتباع في كل يوم مع اللحم قصب مخ وقيل إن هذا لمولانا الصغير (ع).

32- Al-Ghaiba of Sheikh Tusi: Ibrāhim Ibn Idrīs says, My Master Abu Muhammad sent me a sheep and said, “Offer this as *‘*aqīqa from my son. Eat and feed your family.” I did that and met him afterwards, he said, “The son of mine that was born died.” Later, he sent me two sheep and wrote, “In the name of Allah the Merciful the Compassionate. Offer these two sheep as *‘*aqīqa of your Master. Eat, may Allah bless it for you, and feed your brothers.” I did that and saw him afterwards. He did not say anything.

33- Al-Ghaiba of al-Ne*‘*mānī: Ma‘rūf Ibn Kharbūdh says, I heard Abu Ja‘far (a.s) say, “Said the Messenger of Allah (a.s), ‘Verily the example of my Household in this Ummah is the similitude of the stars of the heavens. Whenever a star disappears, another star rises, until you stretch your eyebrows to him and point with your fingers at him, the angel of death comes and takes him.

Then you remain a stretch of time not knowing one thing another. The progeny of ‘Abdul-Mutallib will be equal in that. When you are like that, Allah will raise your star. So praise him and accept him.

Explanation: The coming of the angel of death and taking him does not mean his death, but rather, that the angel of death was with the Rūh al-Qudus when the latter took him to occultation.

34- Kitāb al-Nujūm: A personage of ours has mentioned in the book of Al-Awsiyā’—which is a reliable book, narrated by al-Hasan Ibn Ja‘far al-Saimuri, and its author is ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ziyād al-Saimuri, who had correspondence with al-Hādi and al-‘Askari (a.s), and was a trustworthy and reliable man—the following words, “Narrated to me Abu Ja‘far al-Qummi, the son of my brother Ahmad Ibn Ishāq Ibn Musaqqala, that there was in Qum a Jewish astrologer, reputed for his accuracy in calculations.

Ahmad Ibn Ishāq called him and said to him, An infant has been born in such and such time. See his fortune and check his destiny. The astrologer looked at his fortune and did certain calculations and said to Ahmad Ibn Ishāq, ‘I do not see any star guiding me to conclude that this infant is yours. Such an infant is born only to an apostle or the successor of an apostle. Inference indicates that he will own the world, from east to west, land to sea, deserts to mountains; no one will remain on the face of the earth but will follow his religion and profess devotion to him.’”

35- Kashf al-Ghumma: al-Sheikh Kamāl al-Din Ibn Talha says, The birth of al-Hujja Ibn al-Hasan (a.s) was in Surra Man Ra’ā on the twenty third of Ramadan of the year two hundred and fifty eight. His father is Abu Muhammad al-Hasan, and his mother is a bondmaid named Saqīl; Hakīma and other names are also mentioned for his mother. His patronym is Abu al-Qāsim; his title al-Hujja, the Virtuous Heir, and al-Muntadhar (the Awaited) is also said to be one of his titles.

32- الغيبة للشيخ الطوسي: الشلمغاني قال: حدثني الثقة، عن إبراهيم بن إدريس قال: وجه إلي مولاي أبو محمد (ع) بكبش وقال: عقه عن ابني فلان وكل وأطعم أهلك ففعلت ثم لقيته بعد ذلك فقال لي: المولود الذي ولد لي مات ثم وجه إلي بكبشين وكتب بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم عق هذين الكبشين عن مولاك وكل هناك الله وأطعم إخوانك ففعلت ولقيته بعد ذلك فما ذكر لي شيئا.

33- الغيبة للنعمانى: محمد بن همام، عن جعفر بن محمد بن مالك والحميري معا، عن ابن أبي الخطاب، ومحمد بن عيسى وعبد الله بن عامر جميعا، عن ابن أبي نجران، عن الخشاب عن معروف بن خربوذ، عن أبي جعفر (ع) قال: سمعته يقول: قال رسول الله(ص): إنما مثل أهل بيتي في هذه الامة كمثل نجوم السماء كلما غاب نجم طلع نجم حتى إذا مددتم إليه حواجبكم وأشرتم إليه بالاصابع جاء ملك الموت فذهب به ثم بقيتم سبتا من دهركم لا تدرون أيا من أي واستوى في ذلك بنو عبد المطلب فبينما أنتم كذلك إذا أطلع الله نجمكم فاحمدوه واقبلوه.

34- كتاب النجوم: ذكر بعض أصحابنا في كتاب الاوصياء وهو كتاب معتمد رواه الحسن بن جعفر الصيمري ومؤلفه علي بن محمد بن زياد الصيمري وكانت له مكاتبات إلى الهادي والعسكري(ع) وجوابها إليه وهو ثقة معتمد عليه فقال ما هذا لفظه: وحدثني أبو جعفر القمي ابن أخي أحمد بن إسحاق بن مصقلة أنه كان بقم منجم يهودي موصوف بالحذق بالحساب فأحضره أحمد بن إسحاق وقال له: قد ولد مولود في وقت كذا وكذا فخذا الطالع واعمل له ميلادا قال: فأخذ الطالع ونظر فيه وعمل عملا له وقال لاحمد بن إسحاق: لست أرى النجوم تدلني فيما يوجبه الحساب أن هذا المولود لك ولا يكون مثل هذا المولود إلا نبيا أو وصي نبي وإن النظر ليدل على أنه يملك الدنيا شرقا وغربا وبرا وبحرا وسهلا وجبلا حتى لا يبقى على وجه الارض أحد إلا دان بدينه وقال بولايته.

35- كشف الغمة: قال الشيخ كمال الدين بن طلحة: مولد الحجة بن الحسن(ع) بسر من رأى في ثالث وعشرين رمضان سنة ثمان وخمسين ومأتين وأبوه أبو محمد الحسن وامه ام ولد تسمى صقيل وقيل حكيمة وقيل غير ذلك وكنيته أبو القاسم ولقبه الحجة والخلف الصالح وقيل المنتظر.

36- Al-Irshād: His birth was on the mid-Sha‘bān of the year tow hundred and fifty five. His mother is a bondmaid, called Narjis. His age at the time of his father’s demise was five years in which Allah had given him wisdom and the speech decisive*****[1]***** and had made him a Sign for the worlds. He gave him wisdom like he gave Yahyā wisdom in infancy; He made him an Imam like He made Jesus the son of Marry an apostle in the cradle. He has two occultations before his rise, one of which is longer than the other one. Traditions have reached us with this regard. The shorter one of the two is from the time of his birth until the end of the time of the emissaries between him and his Shī‘a and the demise of the representatives through death. And the longer one is the one after the first one. At its end, he will rise with the sword.

37- Kashf al-Ghumma: Ibn al-Khashshāb says, Abu al-Qāsim Tāhir Ibn Hārūn Ibn Mūsā al-‘Alawi narrated to me from his father, who narrated from his grandfather, saying, My Master Ja’Far Ibn Muhammad said, The Virtuous Heir is from my progeny. He is the Mahdi and his name is M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. His patronym is Abu al-Qāsim. He will rise in the latter days of time. His mother is called Saqīl, Abu Bakr al-Dāre‘ told us. In another narration it is rather that his mother is Hakīma. And a third narration says she is called Narjis. And Susan, according to another account. Allah knows the best. His patronym is Abu al-Qāsim. He has two names, Khalaf and M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. He will appear in the latter times. Clouds are on his overhead, which shade him from the sun. They go wherever he goes and they call in an eloquent voice, This is the Mahdi.

Muhammad Ibn Musā al-Tūsi narrated to me, Abu Miskīn narrated from a certain historian to me that the mother of al-Muntadhir is called Hakīma.

The author says, Also see relevant narrations in the section of the people who have met him.

Ibn Khallikān says in his book of history, He is the Twelfth of the Twelve Imams according to the Shī‘a beliefs. He is known as the Hujja and he is the one that Shī‘a believe is the Awaited al-Qā’im and the Mahdi. He is the one, according to them, who was at the cellar (serdāb). They have much said about him. They await his appearance in the ends of the time from the cellar at Surra Man Ra’ā. His birth was on the day of Friday mid-Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty five. At his father’s demise, his age was five years. His mother’s name is Khamat, and it is said, Narjis. The Shī‘a say that he entered the cellar in the house of his father, as his mother was looking at him, and did not come back to her. This happened in the year two hundred and sixty five. His age at this day is nine years. Ibn al-Arzaq has mentioned in the history of Miyāfāriqīn that the mentioned Hujja was born in the ninth of Rabī‘ al-Awwal of the year two hundred and fifty eight. It is also said that he was born on the eighth of Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty six. This is the correct narration.

[1] Qur’an, Sād: 20

36- الإرشاد: كان مولده (ع) ليلة النصف من شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين وامه ام ولد يقال لها: نرجس، وكان سنه عند وفات أبيه خمس سنين آتاه الله فيه الحكمة وفصل الخطاب وجعله آية للعالمين وآتاه الحكمة كما آتاها يحيى صبيا وجعله إماما كما جعل عيسى بن مريم في المهد نبيا وله قبل قيامه غيبتان إحداهما أطول من الاخرى جاءت بذلك الاخبار فأما القصرى منها فمنذ وقت مولده إلى انقطاع السفارة بينه وبين شيعته وعدم السفراء بالوفاة وأما الطولى فهي بعد الاولى وفي آخرها يقوم بالسيف.

37- كشف الغمة: قال ابن الخشاب: حدثني أبو القاسم طاهر بن هارون بن موسى العلوي، عن أبيه، عن جده قال: قال سيدي جعفر بن محمد: الخلف الصالح من ولدي وهو المهدي اسمه م ح م د وكنيته أبو القاسم يخرج في آخر الزمان يقال لأمه صقيل.

قال لنا أبو بكر الدارع: وفي رواية اخرى بل أمه حكيمة وفي رواية ثالثة: يقال لها نرجس، ويقال: بل سوسن، والله أعلم بذلك.

ويكنى بأبي القاسم وهو ذو الاسمين خلف ومحمد يظهر في آخر الزمان وعلى رأسه غمامة تظله من الشمس تدور معه حيثما دار تنادي بصوت فصيح هذا المهدي. حدثني محمد بن موسى الطوسي قال: حدثنا أبو مسكين عن بعض أصحاب التاريخ أن ام المنتظر يقال لها: حكيمة. أقول: سيأتي بعض الاخبار في باب من رآه.

وقال ابن خلكان في تاريخه: هو ثاني عشر الائمة الاثنى عشر على اعتقاد الإمامية المعروف بالحجة وهو الذي تزعم الشيعة أنه المنتظر والقائم والمهدي وهو صاحب السرداب عندهم وأقاويلهم فيه كثيرة وهم ينتظرون ظهوره في آخر الزمان من السرداب بسر من رأى، كانت ولادته يوم الجمعة منتصف شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين ولما توفي أبوه كان عمره خمس سنين واسم أمه خمط وقيل نرجس والشيعة يقولون إنه دخل السرداب في دار أبيه وأمه تنظر إليه فلم يعد يخرج إليها وذلك في سنة خمس وستين ومأتين.

(وعمره يومئذ تسع سنين وذكر ابن الازرق في تاريخ ميافارقين أن الحجة المذكور ولد تاسع شهر ربيع الاول سنة ثمان وخمسين ومأتين) وقيل في ثامن شعبان سنة ست وخمسين وهو الأصح.

When he entered the cellar his age was four years, and it is said, five years. It is also said that he entered the cellar in the year two hundred and seventy five, when his age was seventeen. And Allah knows the best.

The author says, I saw in the book of one of our scholars a tradition as follows: Said our Masters Abu al-Hasan and Abu Muhammad (a.s) “When Allah desires to create an Imam, he descends a drop from the water of the Paradise into the clouds, which drops into a fruit from the fruits of the Paradise. The Hujja of the time eats it and when it finds its place in him, and forty days pass on him, he can hear voices. When four months pass on him after he has been conceived, it is transcribed on his right arm, And fulfilled is the Word of your Lord by truth and equity. There is no one to change his Words and He is the All-Hearing and the All-knowing. When he is born, he establishes the order of Allah, and pillars from light are erected for him in every place, in which he sees the peoples and their. The commands of Allah descend on him in those pillars. The pillar is before his eyes, wherever he turns and looks.”

Abu Muhammad (a.s) says, “I entered upon my aunts and saw a bondmaid of theirs, who was well adorned. Her name was Narjis. I looked at her and prolonged my stare. My aunt Hakīma said to me, ‘I see you, my Master, looking at this bondmaid, thoroughly.’ I said, ‘Aunt, my stare at her is not but for wondering at Allah’s will and choice.’ She said , ‘I reckon, my Master, you like her.’ So I ordered her to seek permission of my father ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s) to submit her to me. She did that and my father commanded her to do so and she brought her to me.

Al-Husain Ibn Hamdān and another reliable Sheikh narrated to me from Hakīma Bint Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali al-Redhā (a.s) narrated that she used to enter upon Abu Muhammad (a.s) and pray for him that Allah may give him a son. She said, I entered upon her and said to him what I used to say and prayed as I used to pray. He said, “Aunt, as for your prayers that may Allah give me a son, it will happen tonight.” It was a Friday eve, three nights left from Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty seven. “Have your iftār with us.” “Who is this blessed boy going to be born from, my Master,” I asked. “From Narjis, aunt.”

I said to him, “There is not one amongst your bondmaids more cherished to me than her.” I rose and went to her. When I entered upon her, she did to me what she always did. I bowed on her hands and kissed them and did not allow her do what she always did. She called me her lady; I called her the same. She said, “May I be your ransom,” she said. “I and the whole world be your ransom,” I returned.

She turned that down. I said to her, “Do not turn down what I did. For Allah will grant you in this night a boy, a Master in this world and the hereafter. He will be the relief of the believers.” She was bashful.

وإنه لما دخل السرداب كان عمره أربع سنين وقيل خمس سنين وقيل إنه دخل السرداب سنة خمس وسبعين ومأتين وعمره (سبع) عشر سنة والله أعلم.

أقول: رأيت في بعض مؤلفات أصحابنا رواية هذه صورتها قال: حدثني هارون بن مسلم، عن سعدان البصري ومحمد بن أحمد البغدادي وأحمد بن إسحاق وسهل بن زياد الآدمي وعبد الله بن جعفر، عن عدة من المشايخ والثقات عن سيدينا أبي الحسن وأبي محمد(ع) قالا: إن الله(عزوجل) إذا أراد أن يخلق الامام أنـزل قطرة من ماء الجنة في المزن فتسقط في ثمرة من ثمار الجنة فيأكلها الحجة في الزمان (ع) فإذا استقرت فيه فيمضي له أربعون يوما سمع الصوت فإذا آنت له أربعة أشهر وقد حمل كتب على عضده الايمن "وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ" فإذا ولد قام بأمر الله ورفع له عمود من نور في كل مكان ينظر فيه إلى الخلايق وأعمالهم وينـزل أمر الله في ذلك العمود والعمود نصب عينه حيث تولى ونظر.

قال أبو محمد (ع): دخلت على عماتي فرأيت جارية من جواريهن قد زينت تسمى نرجس فنظرت إليها نظرا أطلته فقالت لي عمتي حكيمة: أراك يا سيدي تنظر إلى هذه الجارية نظرا شديدا؟ فقلت له: يا عمة ما نظري إليها إلا نظر التعجب مما لله فيه من إرادته وخيرته قالت لي: أحسبك يا سيدي تريدها، فأمرتها أن تستأذن أبي علي بن محمد (ع) في تسليمها إلي ففعلت فأمرها (ع) بذلك فجاءتني بها. قال الحسين بن حمدان: وحدثني من أثق إليه من المشايخ عن حكيمة بنت محمد بن علي الرضا (ع) قال: كانت تدخل على أبي محمد (ع) فتدعو له أن يرزقه الله ولدا وأنها قالت: دخلت عليه فقلت له كما أقول ودعوت كما أدعو، فقال: يا عمة أما إن الذي تدعين الله أن يرزقنيه يولد في هذه الليلة وكانت ليلة الجمعة لثلاث خلون من شعبان سنة سبع وخمسين ومأتين فاجعلي إفطارك معنا فقلت: يا سيدي ممن يكون هذا الولد العظيم؟ فقال لي (ع): من نرجس يا عمة قال: فقالت له: يا سيدي ما في جواريك أحب إلي منها وقمت ودخلت إليها وكنت إذا دخلت فعلت بي كما تفعل فانكببت على يديها فقبلتهما ومنعتها مما كانت تفعله فخاطبتني بالسيادة فخاطبتها بمثلها فقالت لي: فديتك. فقلت لها: أنا فداك وجميع العالمين. فأنكرت ذلك فقلت لها: لا تنكرين ما فعلت فان الله سيهب لك في هذه الليلة غلاماً سيداً في الدنيا والآخرة وهو فرج المؤمنين فاستحيت.

I looked at her closely but did not see any sign of pregnancy. I said to my Master Abu Muhammad (a.s), “I do not see any pregnancy in her.” He smiled and said, “We the congregation of successors are not carried in the abdomens, but rather, we are carried on the sides. We do not come out from wombs, but rather from the right leg from our mothers. Because we are the Divine light to which impurities do not reach.” “My Master,” I said, “you just informed me he will be born in this night. In which time?” He said, “At dawn-break, the dignified before Allah will be born insha’Allah.

Lady Hakīma says, I got up and made iftār and then slept near Narjis. Abu Muhammad (a.s) slept at the front deck of the house in which we were. When the time of nightly prayers arrived, I got up. Narjis was asleep. There was not any sign of parturition in her. I began my prayers and then performed the watr prayers. As I was in the watr, it occurred to my mind that the dawn has come. As doubts came to my heart, Abu Muhammad (a.s) called out from the deck, “Aunt, dawn has not come.” I finished the prayers fast and Narjis moved. I came near her and pulled her to me and mentioned the name of Allah on her. “Do you feel anything?” I asked her. “Yes,” she said. A faintness overwhelmed me that I could not hold my person and it put me to sleep. The same happened to Narjis. I did not wake up but by feeling my Master the Mahdi and hearing the call of Abu Muhammad (a.s), saying, “Aunt, bring my son to me.” I kissed him and removed the veil from my Master. There he was, prostrating, reaching the earth with his forehead, palms, knees, and toes. There was transcribed on his right arm, The Truth has came and vanity has perished, verily, vanity is ever perishing. I pulled him to myself and found him to be pure and clean without need to any attention. I wrapped him in a cloth and carried him to Abu Muhammad (a.s). He picked his son and sat him on his left palm and placed his right palm on his back. Then he entered his tongue into the blessed baby’s mouth and touched his hand against the baby’s back and ears and joints. Then he said to him, “Talk, my son.” He said, “I bear witness that a deity other than Allah is not, and I bear witness that Muhammad is Messenger of Allah and that ‘Ali, the Prince of the Believers, is the Wali of Allah.” Then he kept counting the Master Imams, one after the other, until he reached himself. He beseeched relief for his devotees on his hands and then with great awe stopped.”

“Aunt, take him to his mother,” said Abu Muhammad (a.s), “so he greets her. Then bring him to me.” I took him. He greeted his mother and then I returned him to his father. Then the like of a veil was erected between me and Abu Muhammad (a.s) and I did not see my Master. I said to him, “My Master, where is our lord?” He said, “Took him someone who is more nearer to him than you. When it is the seventh day, come to us.” On the seventh day, I came and greeted him and sat down. He said, “Bring my son to me.” I brought my Master, who was in a yellow dress. His father did the same things to him like the first time and put his tongue into his mouth and then said to him, “Talk, my son.”

فتأملتها فلم أر فيها أثر الحمل فقلت لسيدي أبي محمد (ع): ما أرى بها حملاً. فتبسم (ع) ثم قال: إنا معاشر الاوصياء لسنا نحمل في البطون وإنما نحمل في الجنوب ولا نخرج من الأرحام وإنما نخرج من الفخذ الايمن من أمهاتنا لاننا نور الله لا تناله الدانسات. فقلت له: يا سيدي قد أخبرتني أنه يولد في هذه الليلة ففي أي وقت منها؟ قال لي في طلوع الفجر يولد الكريم على الله إن شاء الله.

قالت حكيمة: فأقمت فأفطرت ونمت بقرب من نرجس وبات أبو محمد (ع) في صفة في تلك الدار التي نحن فيها.

فلما ورد وقت صلاة الليل قمت ونرجس نائمة ما بها أثر ولادة فأخذت في صلاتي ثم أوترت فأنا في الوتر حتى وقع في نفسي أن الفجر قد طلع ودخل قلبي شئ فصاح أبو محمد (ع) من الصفة: لم يطلع الفجر يا عمة فأسرعت الصلاة وتحركت نرجس فدنوت منها وضممتها إلي وسميت عليها ثم قلت لها: هل تحسين بشئ قالت: نعم، فوقع علي سبات لم أتمالك معه أن نمت ووقع على نرجس مثل ذلك ونامت فلم أنتبه إلا بحس سيدي المهدي وصيحة أبي محمد (ع) يقول: يا عمة هاتي ابني إلي فقد قبلته فكشفت عن سيدي (ع).

فإذا أنا به ساجداً يبلغ الارض بمساجده وعلى ذراعه الايمن مكتوب "جاء الحق وزهق الباطل إن الباطل كان زهوقا " فضممته إلي فوجدته مفروغا منه ولففته في ثوب وحملته إلى أبي محمد (ع) فأخذه فأقعده على راحته اليسرى وجعل راحته اليمنى على ظهره ثم أدخل لسانه في فيه وأمره بيده على ظهره وسمعه ومفاصله ثم قال له: تكلم يا بني فقال: أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأشهد أن محمدا رسول الله وأن علياً أمير المؤمنين ولي الله ثم لم يزل يعدد السادة الائمة (ع) إلى أن بلغ إلى نفسه ودعا لأوليائه بالفرج على يده ثم أحجم.

قال أبو محمد (ع): يا عمة اذهبي (به) إلى أمه ليسلم عليها واتيني به فمضيت فسلم عليها ورددته ثم وقع بيني وبين أبي محمد (ع) كالحجاب فلم أر سيدي فقلت له: يا سيدي أين مولانا. فقال: أخذه من هو أحق به منك فإذا كان اليوم السابع فأتينا. فلما كان في اليوم السابع جئت فسلمت ثم جلست فقال (ع): هلمي ابني فجئت بسيدي وهو في ثياب صفر ففعل به كفعاله الاول وجعل لسانه (ع) في فيه ثم قال له: تكلم يا بني.

He said, “I bear witness that a deity other than Allah is not.” Then he praised Muhammad by beseeching blessings for him and the Prince of the Believers and the Imams one after the other until he stopped by mentioning his father. Then he recited, In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; And We desire to confer kindness upon those who have been enfeebled on earth and make them Imams and make them heirs and give them power on earth and show Pharaoh and Hāmān and their armies from them what they have been averting.

Then he said, “Read, my son, from the books that Allah has revealed upon his prophets and apostles.” My Master began with the book of Adam and read it in Assyrian; he read the book of Idrīs, the book of Noah, the book of Hūd, the book of Sālih, the pages of Abraham, the Torah of Moses, the Psalms of David, the Evangel of Jesus, and the Qur’ān of my grandfather Muhammad (a.s). Then he narrated the stories of the apostles and messengers until his own time.

After forty days, I went to the house of Abu Muhammad (a.s) and suddenly saw that the Master of the Age was walking about the house. I had never seen a face more beautiful than his, nor heard a tongue more eloquent than his. Abu Muhammad (a.s) said to me, “This is the boy dignified before Allah, the Exalted.”

I said to him, “My Master, he is forty days old and I see him like this.” He said, “My aunt, don’t you know that we the congregation of legatees grow in a day so much that the others grow in a week, and grow in a week so much that the others grow in a year.” I rose and kissed his forehead and returned. I came back and looked him but did not see him. I said to my Master Abu Muhammad (a.s), “What has our Master done?” He said, “Aunt, we entrusted him to the one mother of Moses entrusted her son to.” Then he said, “When my Lord granted me the Mahdi of this Ummah, He sent two angels, who carried him to the Pavilions of the Throne (Sarādiq al-‘Arsh), so much so they stood him in front of Allah, the Glorified. He said to him, ‘Blessed be you My servant for the support of my religion and manifestation of My command and guidance of My servants. I have taken an oath that through you I will seize, through you I will grant, through I will forgive, through you I will punish. Return him, O’ two angels, return him. Return him to his father like a friend of Mine is returned. Convey to his father that he is in My accord of protection, in My security, and in My eyes until I establish through him the truth, until I perish through him vanity, and until the religion is for Me forever.’”

She said, “When he fell from the abdomen of his mother on earth, he was found kneeling on his knees, raising his forefingers. Then he sneezed and said, ‘All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And may Allah bless Muhammad—a humble servant, neither proud nor arrogant—and his household.’ Then he said, ‘The oppressors have presumed that the Hujja of Allah has perished. If I were given permission, this doubt would perish.’”

فقال (ع): أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وثنى بالصلاة على محمد وأمير المؤمنين والائمة حتى وقف على أبيه (ع) ثم قرأ " "بِِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَانِ الرَّحِيمِ. وَنُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ الْوَارِثِينَ وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِي فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُودَهُمَا مِنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَحْذَرُونَ."

ثم قال له اقرأ يا بني مما أنـزل الله على أنبيائه ورسله فابتدأ بصحف آدم فقرأها بالسريانية، وكتاب إدريس، وكتاب نوح، وكتاب هود، وكتاب صالح، وصحف إبراهيم، وتوراة موسى، وزبور داود، وإنجيل عيسى، وفرقان جدي رسول الله(ص) ثم قص قصص الانبياء والمرسلين إلى عهده.

فلما كان بعد أربعين يوما دخلت دار أبي محمد (ع) فإذا مولانا صاحب الزمان يمشي في الدار فلم أر وجها أحسن من وجهه (ع) ولا لغة أفصح من لغته فقال لي أبو محمد (ع): هذا المولود الكريم على الله(عزوجل).

قلت له: يا سيدي له أربعون يوماً وأنا أرى من أمره ما أرى؟

فقال (ع): يا عمتي أما علمت أنا معشر الاوصياء ننشؤ في اليوم ما ينشؤ غيرنا في الجمعة وننشؤ في الجمعة ما ينشؤ غيرنا في السنة؟

فقمت فقبلت رأسه فانصرفت فعدت وتفقدته فلم أره فقلت لسيدي أبي محمد (ع): ما فعل مولانا؟ فقال: يا عمة استودعناه الذي استودعته ام موسى (ع) ثم قال (ع): لما وهب لي ربي مهدي هذه الامة أرسل ملكين فحملاه إلى سرادق العرش حتى وقفا (به) بين يدي الله(عزوجل) فقال له: مرحبا بك عبدي لنصرة ديني وإظهار أمري ومهدي عبادي آليت أني بك آخذ وبك اعطي وبك أغفر وبك اعذب، اردداه أيها الملكان رداه رداه على أبيه رداً رفيقاً وأبلغاه فانه في ضماني وكنفي وبعيني إلى أن احق به الحق وازهق به الباطل، ويكون الدين لي واصبا.

ثم قالت: لما سقط من بطن امه إلى الارض وجد جاثيا على ركبتيه رافعا بسبابتيه ثم عطس فقال: "الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على محمد وآله عبدا داخرا غير مستنكف ولا مستكبر" ثم قال (ع): زعمت الظلمة أن حجة لله داحضة لو أذن لي لزال الشك.

It has been narrated from Ibrāhīm, the companion of Abu Muhammad (a.s): My Master Abu al-Hasan (a.s) sent me four sheep and wrote to me, “In the name of Allah the Merciful, the Compassionate. Offer these as *‘*aqīqa of my son M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. al-Mahdi. Eat! Blessed a food be it for you! And feed whosoever o f our Shī‘a you find.”

The author says, al-Shahīd al-Awwal says in al-Durūs, “He was born at Surra Man Ra’ā on Friday eve on the fifteenth of Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty five. His mother is Saqīl. It is said that she is Narjis. And it is said she is Maryam Bint Zaid al-‘Alawiyya.” I would like to add that Sheikh Tusi in al-Misbāhain and al-Seyed Ibn Tāwūs in Kitāb al-Iqbāl and the rest of his books of supplications have specifically chronicled his date of birth as mid-Sha‘bān. The author of al-Fusūl al-Muhimma says, He was born at Surra Man Ra’ā on the eve of mid-Sha‘bān of the year two hundred and fifty five.

It has been narrated from the handwriting of al-Shahīd al-Awwal from al-Sādiq (a.s) that the Imam said, “The night in which al-Qā’im (a.s) will be born, no child will be born but he will be a believer; and if he is born in a land of polytheism, Allah will transfer him to faith through the blessing of the Imam (a.s).”

وعن إبراهيم صاحب أبي محمد (ع) أنه قال: وجه إلي مولاي أبو الحسن (ع) بأربعة أكبش وكتب إلي:

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم (عق) هذه عن ابني محمد المهدي وكل هناك وأطعم من وجدت من شيعتنا.

أقول: وقال الشهيد S في الدروس: ولد (ع) بسر من رأى يوم الجمعة ليلا خامس عشر شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين وامه صقيل وقيل نرجس وقيل مريم بنت زيد العلوية.

أقول: وعين الشيخ في المصباحين والسيد ابن طاوس في كتاب الاقبال وسائر مؤلفي كتب الدعوات ولادته (ع) في النصف من شعبان وقال: في الفصول المهمة: ولد (ع) بسر من رأى ليلة النصف من شعبان سنة خمس وخمسين ومأتين (نقل من خط الشهيد عن الصادق (ع) قال: إن الليلة التي يولد فيها القائم (ع) لا يولد فيها مولود إلا كان مؤمنا، وإن ولد في أرض الشرك نقله الله إلى الايمان ببركة الامام (ع)).