The Necessity of Recognizing the Mahdi, Proofs for the Occultation and Its Wisdom
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 6
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma
Book 1, Chapter 6
The Necessity of Recognizing the Mahdi, Proofs for the Occultation and Its Wisdom
1 hadith · 2 commentaries
فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا حَدَّثَنَا بِهِ أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ جَرِيرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الدَّيْلَمِ قَالَ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ع يَا عَبْدَ الْحَمِيدِ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ رُسُلًا مُسْتَعْلِنِينَ وَ رُسُلًا مُسْتَخْفِينَ فَإِذَا سَأَلْتَهُ بِحَقِّ الْمُسْتَعْلِنِينَ فَسَلْهُ بِحَقِّ الْمُسْتَخْفِينَ ..
و تصديق ذلك من الكتاب قوله تعالى وَ رُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْناهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ رُسُلًا لَمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَ كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسى تَكْلِيماً
و تصديق ذلك من الكتاب قوله تعالى وَ رُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْناهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ رُسُلًا لَمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ وَ كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ مُوسى تَكْلِيماً
Amongst them is narrated from my father from Saad bin Abdullah from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Khalid al-Barqi from his father from Muhammad bin Sunan from Ishaq bin Jurair from Abdul Hamid ibn Abi Dailam from Imam Ja’far bin Muhammad al-Sadiq that he said: “O Abdul Hamid! Some prophets propagated openly and some of them were hidden. Hence you should supplicate through the sake of apparent as well as hidden messengers.”
[Al-Saduq says:] The book of Allah supports this statement in this verse: "And (We sent) apostles We have mentioned to you before and apostles we have not mentioned to you; and to Musa, Allah addressed His Word, speaking (to him)" (4:164)
[Al-Saduq says:] The book of Allah supports this statement in this verse: "And (We sent) apostles We have mentioned to you before and apostles we have not mentioned to you; and to Musa, Allah addressed His Word, speaking (to him)" (4:164)
فكانت حجج الله تعالى كذلك من وقت وفاة آدم عليه السلام إلى وقت ظهور إبراهيم عليه السلام أوصياء مستعلنين و مستخفين فلما كان وقت كون إبراهيم عليه السلام ستر الله شخصه و أخفى ولادته لأن الإمكان في ظهور الحجة كان متعذرا في زمانه و كان إبراهيم عليه السلام في سلطان نمرود مستترا لأمره و كان غير مظهر نفسه و نمرود يقتل أولاد رعيته و أهل مملكته في طلبه إلى أن دلهم إبراهيم عليه السلام على نفسه و أظهر لهم أمره بعد أن بلغت الغيبة أمدها و وجب إظهار ما أظهره للذي أراده الله في إثبات حجته و إكمال دينه فلما كان وقت وفاة إبراهيم عليه السلام كان له أوصياء حججا لله عز و جل في أرضه يتوارثون الوصية
كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت كون موسى عليه السلام فكان فرعون يقتل أولاد بني إسرائيل في طلب موسى عليه السلام الذي قد شاع من ذكره و خبر كونه فستر الله ولادته ثم قذفت به أمه في اليم كما أخبر الله عز و جل في كتابه فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ و كان موسى عليه السلام في حجر فرعون يربيه و هو لا يعرفه و فرعون يقتل أولاد بني إسرائيل في طلبه ثم كان من أمره بعد أن أظهر دعوته و دلهم على نفسه ما قد قصّه الله عز و جل في كتابه فلمَّا كان وقت وفاة موسى عليه السلام كان له أوصياء حججا لله
كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت ظهور عيسى ع. فظهر عيسى عليه السلام في ولادته معلنا لدلائله مظهرا لشخصه شاهرا لبراهينه غير مخف لنفسه لأن زمانه كان زمان إمكان ظهور الحجة كذلك. ثم كان له من بعده أوصياء حججا لله عز و جل كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت ظهور نبينا ص فقال الله عز و جل له في الكتاب ما يُقالُ لَكَ إِلَّا ما قَدْ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ ثم قال عز و جل سُنَّةَ مَنْ قَدْ أَرْسَلْنا قَبْلَكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنا
فكان مما قيل له و لزم من سنته على إيجاب سنن من تقدمه من الرسل إقامة الأوصياء له كإقامة من تقدمه لأوصيائهم فأقام رسول الله ص أوصياء كذلك و أخبر بكون المهدي خاتم الأئمة عليه السلام و أنه يملأ الأرض قسطا و عدلا كما ملئت جورا و ظلما نقلت الأمة ذلك بأجمعها عنه و أن عيسى عليه السلام ينزل في وقت ظهوره فيصلي خلفه فحفظت ولادات الأوصياء و مقاماتهم في مقام بعد مقام إلى وقت ولادة صاحب زماننا عليه السلام المنتظر للقسط و العدل كما أوجبت الحكمة باستقامة التدبير غيبة من ذكرنا من الحجج المتقدمة بالوجود.
وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَعْرُوفَ الْمُتَسَالَمَ بَيْنَ الْخَاصِّ وَ الْعَامِّ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةِ أَنَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَالِدَ صَاحِبِ زَمَانِنَا عليه السلام قَدْ كَانَ وَكَّلَ بِهِ طَاغِيَةُ زَمَانِهِ إِلَى وَقْتِ وَفَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ عليه السلام وَكَّلَ بِحَاشِيَتِهِ وَ أَهْلِهِ وَ حُبِسَتْ جَوَارِيهِ وَ طُلِبَ مَوْلُودُهُ هَذَا أَشَدَّ الطَّلَبِ وَ كَانَ أَحَدَ الْمُتَوَلِّيَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ عَمُّهُ جَعْفَرٌ أَخُو الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بِمَا ادَّعَاهُ لِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْإِمَامَةِ وَ رَجَا أَنْ يَتُمَّ لَهُ ذَلِكَ بِوُجُودِ ابْنِ أَخِيهِ صَاحِبِ الزَّمَانِ ع. فجرت السنة في غيبته بما جرى من سنن غيبة من ذكرنا من الحجج المتقدمة و لزم من حكمة غيبته عليه السلام ما لزم من حكمة غيبتهم.
كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت كون موسى عليه السلام فكان فرعون يقتل أولاد بني إسرائيل في طلب موسى عليه السلام الذي قد شاع من ذكره و خبر كونه فستر الله ولادته ثم قذفت به أمه في اليم كما أخبر الله عز و جل في كتابه فَالْتَقَطَهُ آلُ فِرْعَوْنَ و كان موسى عليه السلام في حجر فرعون يربيه و هو لا يعرفه و فرعون يقتل أولاد بني إسرائيل في طلبه ثم كان من أمره بعد أن أظهر دعوته و دلهم على نفسه ما قد قصّه الله عز و جل في كتابه فلمَّا كان وقت وفاة موسى عليه السلام كان له أوصياء حججا لله
كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت ظهور عيسى ع. فظهر عيسى عليه السلام في ولادته معلنا لدلائله مظهرا لشخصه شاهرا لبراهينه غير مخف لنفسه لأن زمانه كان زمان إمكان ظهور الحجة كذلك. ثم كان له من بعده أوصياء حججا لله عز و جل كذلك مستعلنين و مستخفين إلى وقت ظهور نبينا ص فقال الله عز و جل له في الكتاب ما يُقالُ لَكَ إِلَّا ما قَدْ قِيلَ لِلرُّسُلِ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ ثم قال عز و جل سُنَّةَ مَنْ قَدْ أَرْسَلْنا قَبْلَكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنا
فكان مما قيل له و لزم من سنته على إيجاب سنن من تقدمه من الرسل إقامة الأوصياء له كإقامة من تقدمه لأوصيائهم فأقام رسول الله ص أوصياء كذلك و أخبر بكون المهدي خاتم الأئمة عليه السلام و أنه يملأ الأرض قسطا و عدلا كما ملئت جورا و ظلما نقلت الأمة ذلك بأجمعها عنه و أن عيسى عليه السلام ينزل في وقت ظهوره فيصلي خلفه فحفظت ولادات الأوصياء و مقاماتهم في مقام بعد مقام إلى وقت ولادة صاحب زماننا عليه السلام المنتظر للقسط و العدل كما أوجبت الحكمة باستقامة التدبير غيبة من ذكرنا من الحجج المتقدمة بالوجود.
وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْمَعْرُوفَ الْمُتَسَالَمَ بَيْنَ الْخَاصِّ وَ الْعَامِّ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الْمِلَّةِ أَنَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَالِدَ صَاحِبِ زَمَانِنَا عليه السلام قَدْ كَانَ وَكَّلَ بِهِ طَاغِيَةُ زَمَانِهِ إِلَى وَقْتِ وَفَاتِهِ فَلَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ عليه السلام وَكَّلَ بِحَاشِيَتِهِ وَ أَهْلِهِ وَ حُبِسَتْ جَوَارِيهِ وَ طُلِبَ مَوْلُودُهُ هَذَا أَشَدَّ الطَّلَبِ وَ كَانَ أَحَدَ الْمُتَوَلِّيَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ عَمُّهُ جَعْفَرٌ أَخُو الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بِمَا ادَّعَاهُ لِنَفْسِهِ مِنَ الْإِمَامَةِ وَ رَجَا أَنْ يَتُمَّ لَهُ ذَلِكَ بِوُجُودِ ابْنِ أَخِيهِ صَاحِبِ الزَّمَانِ ع. فجرت السنة في غيبته بما جرى من سنن غيبة من ذكرنا من الحجج المتقدمة و لزم من حكمة غيبته عليه السلام ما لزم من حكمة غيبتهم.
The proofs of Allah from Adam till Prophet Ibrahim were appointed either openly or hidden form. Prophet Ibrahim was kept hidden by Allah and he was born secretly because there was no possibility of making the proof open during that time. Prophet Ibrahim did not disclose his mission or his personality during the rule of Nimrod. Nimrod used to kill the newborn children of his kingdom because he feared the arrival of a Divine Proof. Later on Prophet Ibrahim revealed his personality and his mission when his occultation came to an end. It had become incumbent on him to reveal his mission to the people so that the will of Allah regarding sending of His proof and completion of religion is executed. Prophet Ibrahim had many successors after him who were Divine Proofs on the earth. Some of them were apparent and some hidden.
This process continued till the time of Prophet Musa. Before the birth of Prophet Musa, Firon started killing the newborn children of Bani Israel in order to eliminate Musa. This story became very famous and the news reached everywhere. Thus, Allah kept his birth hidden and his mother left him to sail in the river as mentioned in the verse: And Firon’s family took him up… (28:8) Prophet Musa grew up near Firon and the latter did not recognize him. He went on killing the children of Bani Israel. Later on Prophet Musa revealed his personality and invited people towards Allah. Prophet Musa also had a number of successors after him who were Divine Proofs. Some of them were apparent and some hidden.
This process continued till the time of Prophet Isa. Prophet Isa expressed his personality at his birth itself. He did not keep himself hidden because there was no harm in expressing himself at that time. He also had some successors. Some of them were apparent and others were hidden till the arrival of the Holy Prophet. The Almighty Allah addresses His Prophet in this verse: Naught is said to you but what was said indeed to the apostles before you. (41:43) The Almighty Allah also says. «This is Our course with regard to those of Our apostles whom We sent before you»(17:77)
All doctrines of the previous prophets are included in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and one of them is appointing a successor. Hence, the Holy Prophet appointed his successors and also informed that Imam Mahdi is the last among them and that he would fill the earth with justice as much as it would have been filled with injustice. This narration is recorded by the entire Ummah. He will reappear and Prophet Isa will offer Prayer behind him. Thus the birth places of all the successors was secured till the Master of the Time عليه السلام who is being awaited to establish justice and equity just as divine wisdom and exigency demanded occultations for Divine Proofs that we have mentioned.
Muslim are well-aware of the fact that the rulers during the time of Imam Hasan al-Askari عليه السلام kept close watch on him till his martyrdom. After his martyrdom, his relatives were under strict vigil and most of them were arrested. His newborn son (Imam Zaman) was searched for everywhere. One of the vigilantes was the uncle of Imam Zaman, Ja’far Kazzab (the liar), who was the brother of Imam Hasan bin Ali al-Askari عليه السلام and claimed Imamate for himself. Hence, the Sunnah of occultation was repeated as mentioned in case of many prophets. The hidden wisdom in the occultation of Imam is the same as that in case of above mentioned prophets.
This process continued till the time of Prophet Musa. Before the birth of Prophet Musa, Firon started killing the newborn children of Bani Israel in order to eliminate Musa. This story became very famous and the news reached everywhere. Thus, Allah kept his birth hidden and his mother left him to sail in the river as mentioned in the verse: And Firon’s family took him up… (28:8) Prophet Musa grew up near Firon and the latter did not recognize him. He went on killing the children of Bani Israel. Later on Prophet Musa revealed his personality and invited people towards Allah. Prophet Musa also had a number of successors after him who were Divine Proofs. Some of them were apparent and some hidden.
This process continued till the time of Prophet Isa. Prophet Isa expressed his personality at his birth itself. He did not keep himself hidden because there was no harm in expressing himself at that time. He also had some successors. Some of them were apparent and others were hidden till the arrival of the Holy Prophet. The Almighty Allah addresses His Prophet in this verse: Naught is said to you but what was said indeed to the apostles before you. (41:43) The Almighty Allah also says. «This is Our course with regard to those of Our apostles whom We sent before you»(17:77)
All doctrines of the previous prophets are included in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and one of them is appointing a successor. Hence, the Holy Prophet appointed his successors and also informed that Imam Mahdi is the last among them and that he would fill the earth with justice as much as it would have been filled with injustice. This narration is recorded by the entire Ummah. He will reappear and Prophet Isa will offer Prayer behind him. Thus the birth places of all the successors was secured till the Master of the Time عليه السلام who is being awaited to establish justice and equity just as divine wisdom and exigency demanded occultations for Divine Proofs that we have mentioned.
Muslim are well-aware of the fact that the rulers during the time of Imam Hasan al-Askari عليه السلام kept close watch on him till his martyrdom. After his martyrdom, his relatives were under strict vigil and most of them were arrested. His newborn son (Imam Zaman) was searched for everywhere. One of the vigilantes was the uncle of Imam Zaman, Ja’far Kazzab (the liar), who was the brother of Imam Hasan bin Ali al-Askari عليه السلام and claimed Imamate for himself. Hence, the Sunnah of occultation was repeated as mentioned in case of many prophets. The hidden wisdom in the occultation of Imam is the same as that in case of above mentioned prophets.
Commentary #1
و ذلك أن الأئمة عليه السلام قد أخبروا بغيبته عليه السلام و وصفوا كونها لشيعتهم فيما نقل عنهم و استحفظ في الصحف و دون في الكتب المؤلفة من قبل أن تقع الغيبة بمائتي سنة أو أقل أو أكثر فليس أحد من أتباع الأئمة عليه السلام إلا و قد ذكر ذلك في كثير من كتبه و رواياته و دونه في مصنفاته و هي الكتب التي تعرف بالأصول مدونة مستحفظة عند شيعة آل محمد عليه السلام من قبل الغيبة بما ذكرنا من السنين
و قد أخرجت ما حضرني من الأخبار المسندة في الغيبة في هذا الكتاب في مواضعها فلا يخلو حال هؤلاء الأتباع المؤلفين للكتب أن يكونوا علموا الغيب بما وقع الآن من الغيبة فألفوا ذلك في كتبهم و دونوه في مصنفاتهم من قبل كونها و هذا محال عند أهل اللب و التحصيل أو أن يكونوا قد أسسوا في كتبهم الكذب فاتفق الأمر لهم كما ذكروا و تحقق كما وضعوا من كذبهم على بعد ديارهم و اختلاف آرائهم و تباين أقطارهم و محالهم و هذا أيضا محال كسبيل الوجه الأول
فلم يبق في ذلك إلا أنهم حفظوا عن أئمتهم المستحفظين للوصية عليه السلام عن رسول الله ص من ذكر الغيبة و صفة كونها في مقام بعد مقام إلى آخر المقامات ما دونوه في كتبهم و ألفوه في أصولهم و بذلك و شبهه فلج الحق وَ زَهَقَ الْباطِلُ إِنَّ الْباطِلَ كانَ زَهُوقاً و إن خصومنا و مخالفينا من أهل الأهواء المضلة قصدوا لدفع الحق و عناده بما وقع من غيبة صاحب زماننا القائم عليه السلام و احتجابه عن أبصار المشاهدين ليلبسوا بذلك على من لم تكن معرفته متقنة و لا بصيرته مستحكمة.
فأقول و بالله التوفيق إن الغيبة التي وقعت لصاحب زماننا عليه السلام قد لزمت حكمتها و بان حقها و فلجت حجتها للذي شاهدناه و عرفناه من آثار حكمة الله عز و جل و استقامة تدبيره في حججه المتقدمة في الأعصار السالفة مع أئمة الضلال و تظاهر الطواغيت و استعلاء الفراعنة في الحقب الخالية و ما نحن بسبيله في زماننا هذا من تظاهر أئمة الكفر بمعونة أهل الإفك و العدوان و البهتان.
و ذلك أن خصومنا طالبونا بوجود صاحب زماننا عليه السلام كوجود من تقدمه من الأئمة عليه السلام فقالوا إنه قد مضى على قولكم من عصر وفاة نبينا عليه السلام أحد عشر إماما كل منهم كان موجودا معروفا باسمه و شخصه بين الخاص و العام فإن لم يوجد كذلك فقد فسد عليكم أمر من تقدم من أئمتكم كفساد أمر صاحب زمانكم هذا في عدمه و تعذر وجوده.
فأقول و بالله التوفيق إن خصومنا قد جهلوا آثار حكمة الله تعالى و أغفلوا مواقع الحق و مناهج السبيل في مقامات حجج الله تعالى مع أئمة الضلال في دول الباطل في كل عصر و زمان إذ قد ثبت أن ظهور حجج الله تعالى في مقاماتهم في دول الباطل على سبيل الإمكان و التدبير لأهل الزمان فإن كانت الحال ممكنة في استقامة تدبير الأولياء لوجود الحجة بين الخاص و العام كان ظهور الحجة كذلك و إن كانت الحال غير ممكنة من استقامة تدبير الأولياء لوجود الحجة بين الخاص و العام و كان استتاره مما توجبه الحكمة و يقتضيه التدبير حجبه الله و ستره إلى وقت بلوغ الكتاب أجله- كما قد وجدنا من ذلك في حجج الله المتقدمة من عصر وفاة آدم عليه السلام إلى حين زماننا هذا منهم المستخفون و منهم المستعلنون بذلك جاءت الآثار و نطق الكتاب.
One should know that Imams had informed of his occultation. They had informed their Shias of his occultation and this is recorded in the books. They are found in the books written about two hundred years before the commencement of the occultation. None of the followers of Imam is such that he has not included it in his books. These books are called ‘Usool’ among Shias and they were compiled about two hundred years before the commencement of the occultation.
I have mentioned all the traditions about occultation, which I came across in appropriate places in this book. The writers of these books fall under one of these two conditions – either they had come to know about present occultation before on their own which is logically impossible or they falsely predicted occultation in their books in spite of being from different countries and beliefs and later on it proved to be correct. The second condition is also not acceptable like the first.
On this basis, there is no way left but to agree that the writers have recorded the discourse of their holy Imams, who are the protectors of the will of Holy Prophet. As a result of these proofs, truth triumphed and falsehood was devastated as it was bound to be destroyed. Our enemies have intentions to misguide those who opposed the Qaim’s occultation, decided to put a curtain on the eyes of those who believe in his occultation so that people who do not have solid faith start doubting the truth.
By the tawfiq (success) given by Allah I would say that when the occultation of our Imam commenced, its expedience came to light. Its truth is visible and its proof is obvious because we witnessed divine wisdom with regard to His previous proofs who were threatened by the leaders of misguidance of their times. The fact became well-known that disobedient people rise at times and adopt the characteristics of Fir'aun in the same way as they are doing now. These misleaders are overpowering through infidelity, falsehood, injustice and false accusation.
They demand proof of existence of Imam Zaman like previous Imams. They say: You believe that eleven Imams have passed after Holy Prophet, each of which was physically present and was known to general and particular people. If this is not so then your claim about their Imamate is void much in the same way as it is for the current Imam because he is not physically present and it is very difficult to prove his existence.
I would like to reply by expedience of Allah: our rivals were not aware of the wisdom of Allah during the times of misguided leaders. They were unaware of the right path because it is proved that during the times of despotic rulers, the proof of Allah appears in according to the circumstances of that time. On this basis, appearance of Divine Proof among general and particular people is as per the divine policy. If the circumstances are free of dangers then it is obligatory for the Divine Proof to appear physically and guide the people. However if the circumstances are not risk-free then it is necessary for the Divine Proof to remain hidden as we have seen in the case of many proofs of Allah from the time of Adam till date. Some of them were hidden while others were apparent. Many traditions have been narrated about them and even the Holy Quran has mentioned about them.