On Indications of the Divine Leadership of Ar-Ridha عليه السلام

47-13 In the month of Rajab of the year 339 A.H. (950 A.D.) Hamza ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Zayd ibn Ali ibn Al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام in Qum narrated that Ali ibn Abraham ibn Hashem in the year 307 A.H. (918 A.D.) in a letter to me quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Obayd, on the authority of Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Najran and Safvan ibn Yahya, “Al-Husayn ibn Qiama, who was one of the heads of the Waqafites asked us to ask for an appointment for him with Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام. We made an appointment for him. When he faced the Imam عليه السلام, he asked, ‘Are you the Divine Leader?’ The Imam عليه السلام said, ‘Yes.’ He said, ‘I take God to bear witness that you are not the Divine Leader.’ The Imam عليه السلام looked down for a while. Then he عليه السلام raised his head up and asked, ‘How do you know that I am not the Divine Leader?’ Al-Husayn ibn Qiama said, ‘It has been narrated for us upon the authority of Abi Abdullah as-Sadiq عليه السلامthat the Divine Leader is not infertile. You are old but do not have any children.’ The Imam عليه السلام looked down again for a while. This time it lasted longer than before. Then he عليه السلام raised his head up and said, ‘I take God to bear witness that in a while the Merciful God will grant me a son.’” Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Najran added, “No more than one year after that passed and God granted Imam Ar-Ridha’ عليه السلام Aba Ja’far عليه السلام.”The narrator added, “Al-Husayn ibn Qiama was amazed and standing somewhere while Imam Musa Al-Kadhim عليه السلام was circumambulating around the Kaaba. When Abul Hassan the first عليه السلام passed by him, the Imam عليه السلام asked him, ‘Why are you standing here? What is wrong with you? May the Sublime God surprise you!’ After this he became one of the Waqafites.”