The Prohibition on Mentioning his Name
Al-Kāfi|Volume 1|Book 4|Chapter 78
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْعَلَوِيِّ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الْعَسْكَرِيَّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الْخَلَفُ مِنْ بَعْدِي الْحَسَنُ فَكَيْفَ لَكُمْ بِالْخَلَفِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الْخَلَفِ فَقُلْتُ وَلِمَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ لا تَرَوْنَ شَخْصَهُ وَلا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ ذِكْرُهُ بِاسْمِهِ فَقُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ نَذْكُرُهُ فَقَالَ قُولُوا الْحُجَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلامُهُ.
1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the person whose name he mentioned from Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-‘Alawi from Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “I heard abu al-Hassan al-‘Skari عليه السلام saying, ‘The succeeding Imam after me will be al-Hassan عليه السلام. How will it be for you in the case of the succeeding Imam after the Imam succeeding myself?” I then asked, “ May Allah take my souls in service for your cause, why will that be so?” The Imam عليه السلام said, “You will not see his person and it will not be permissible for you to mention his name.” I then asked, “How then will we speak of him?” The Imam عليه السلام said, “Say, al-Hujja, (th Leader with Divine Authority) from the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (16/4)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الصَّالِحِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلَنِي أَصْحَابُنَا بَعْدَ مُضِيِّ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنْ أَسْأَلَ عَنِ الاسْمِ وَالْمَكَانِ فَخَرَجَ الْجَوَابُ إِنْ دَلَلْتُهُمْ عَلَى الاسْمِ أَذَاعُوهُ وَإِنْ عَرَفُوا الْمَكَانَ دَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ.
2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah al-Salihi who has said the following. “After abu Muhammad had passed away certain individuals of our community asked me to ask about the name (of the twelfth Imam عليه السلام and his place. The following came as the reply. “If you would guide them to the name they will publicize it. If they would know the place they will show it to others.”
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الرَّيَّانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ وَسُئِلَ عَنِ الْقَائِمِ فَقَالَ لا يُرَى جِسْمُهُ وَلا يُسَمَّى اسْمُهُ.
3. A number of our people has narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from al-Rayyan ibn as-Salt who has said the following. “I heard abu al-Hassan al-Rida عليه السلام say, when asked al-Qa’im (the one who will establish the kingdom of All), ‘He will not be seen physically nor his very name will particularly be mentioned.”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (17/4)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الامْرِ لا يُسَمِّيهِ بِاسْمِهِ إِلا كَافِرٌ.
4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab from abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام who has said the following. “No one will pronounce the exact name of the in charge of this task (Leadership with Divine Authority), except an unbeliever.”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/17)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī