Kitāb al-Ghayba - The Book of Occultation
Kitāb al-Ghayba
The Book of Occultation
Kitāb al-Ghayba, written by al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm al-Nuʿmānī is a vital work regarding the occultation of the 12th Imam (a). This is for a variety of reasons, the first of which is considering the early authorship of this work— which seems to have been penned very shortly after the end of the minor occultation. Additionally, al-Nuʿmānī had the privilege of acquiring Ḥadīth from the great scholar al-Shaykh al-Kulaynī. The work itself consists of approximately 478 narrations which are spread across twenty-six chapters. The narrations themselves span a variety of topics, from discussions on the Imamate, the hardships and trials of the Shīʿa, signs of the Imam’s reappearance, and matters that speak of the nature of the governance of the Imam post-occultation. The traditions are chaptered in an excellent manner, making it easy for the reader to navigate— yet unlike other works written in this genre, the author rarely comments on the traditions within and allow them to speak for themselves.
Kitāb al-Ghayba, written by al-Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ibrāhīm al-Nuʿmānī is a vital work regarding the occultation of the 12th Imam (a). This is for a variety of reasons, the first of which is considering the early authorship of this work— which seems to have been penned very shortly after the end of the minor occultation. Additionally, al-Nuʿmānī had the privilege of acquiring Ḥadīth from the great scholar al-Shaykh al-Kulaynī. The work itself consists of approximately 478 narrations which are spread across twenty-six chapters. The narrations themselves span a variety of topics, from discussions on the Imamate, the hardships and trials of the Shīʿa, signs of the Imam’s reappearance, and matters that speak of the nature of the governance of the Imam post-occultation. The traditions are chaptered in an excellent manner, making it easy for the reader to navigate— yet unlike other works written in this genre, the author rarely comments on the traditions within and allow them to speak for themselves.
Chapter 1
12 hadithsPreserving the secret of the Prophet’s Family
Chapter 2
2 hadithsKeeping to the “Rope” Of Allah
Chapter 3
7 hadithsThe Imamate and the Will
Chapter 4
40 hadithsTwelve imams determined by Allah
Chapter 5
13 hadithsPretenders of being imams
Chapter 6
25 hadithsThe traditions narrated by the Sunni
Chapter 7
19 hadithsDoubting any of the twelve imams
Chapter 8
10 hadithsAllah does not leave the world with no authority (Hujjah)
Chapter 9
5 hadithsAl-Hujjah must appear
Chapter 10
89 hadithsDisappearance of the expected Imam
Chapter 11
17 hadithsBeing patient in waiting for deliverance
Chapter 12
19 hadithsDisagreement among the Shia during the disappearance
Chapter 13
45 hadithsAl-Qa’im’s aspects and deeds
Chapter 14
68 hadithsThe signs preceding the appearance
Chapter 15
8 hadithsThe distresses before the appearance of al-Qa’im
Chapter 16
15 hadithsForbidding timing and naming al-Qa’im
Chapter 17
6 hadithsThe distresses al-Qa’im meets from people
Chapter 18
18 hadithsThe rising of as-Sufyani
Chapter 19
5 hadithsThe Prophet’s banner
Chapter 20
12 hadithsThe army of anger
Chapter 21
10 hadithsThe Shia when al-Qa’im appears
Chapter 22
5 hadithsIslam began strange and returns strange
Chapter 23
4 hadithsThe age of al-Qa’im
Chapter 24
9 hadithsIssma’eel, the son of Imam as-Sadiq
Chapter 25
5 hadithsKnowing one’s imam