Rapports de ceux qui ont vu l'Imam de l'époque (a.s)

H 224 - From the same chains, it is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Khalaf that he said: “We went to the Abbasid Mosque, which is at a distance of two stages from Fustat and our servants left us alone. Only a Persian was left with us in the Mosque. I noticed a gentleman in a corner and he was engrossed in devotions. When it was noon, I prayed the Noon Prayer at the earliest time and invited that gentleman for dinner. He accepted the invitation. After dinner, I asked him his name, his father’s name, nativity and profession etc. He replied: My name is Muhammad bin Ubaidullah, I am from Qom and I am in search of truth since the last thirty years. I have lived in various places during this period and spent around twenty years in Mecca and Medina and studied the traditional reports. In the 29th year, I circled the Kaaba and when I reached the Place of Ibrahim, I prayed there. After that I dozed a little bit and then I heard someone reciting a supplication that I had never heard before. I was startled to see that it was a young handsome man of medium height who was reading that Dua. Then he came out of the Haram and started Sayy. I followed him, because the Almighty Allah inspired me that he was the master of the age. When he completed the Sayy, he set out from there and I followed him; but as I neared him I was stopped by a tall black man who said: “What do you want?” I began to tremble in fear and halted in my steps and that gentleman disappeared. I stood there in bewilderment for a long time. At last I returned from there condemning my own self, that why I was cowed down by a black. I returned and prayed to the Almighty Allah: I invoke You in the name of Your Prophet, please don’t waste my efforts and show me that which will satisfy and me show him to me again. After some years, I visited the tomb of the Messenger of Allah (s). One day, I dozed sitting between his tomb and pulpit when someone shook my arm. When I opened my eyes, I saw that same black man. He asked: “How are you?” “All right, but I was angry at you.” “You should not have done that. I was commanded to scold you. You should thank Allah and be pleased that you have seen him; it is enough.” Then he mentioned one of my brothers in faith and asked how he was. “He is in Barqa.” “You are right.” Then he mentioned another friend of mine, who was a very pious man. “He is in Alexandria.” He asked about many of my friends and then asked about a stranger: “How was that Nakhfur?” “I don’t know him.” “Yes, how can you know him? He is Roman and the Almighty Allah will guide him and he will come from Constantine to render help.” Then he asked about another person and I again said that I had no clue who he was. “He is from the Hayyat area and he is a helper of my lord and master. Now you may tell your associates that we are hopeful that the Almighty Allah will take revenge from the oppressors and permit us to help the oppressed. I have just conveyed the same message to some of our associates. You must not worry much; continue to obey Allah and the time of reappearance is near, if Allah wills.” [Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Khalaf says:] I ordered my cashier to bring fifty dinars and requested the aged man to accept them. He said: Brother, Allah has made unlawful for me to take anything that I don’t need just as He made it lawful for me to accept from you that which I am in need of. I asked: Has anyone other than me from the companions of the king heard about your story? He replied: Yes, your brother, Ahmad bin Husain Hamadani, who is exiled to Azerbaijan. He heard it from me and with the hope that he would also see what I saw, sought permission to go for Hajj. He performed Hajj, but that same year he was killed at the hands of Zikruya bin Mahruya. We separated and I came back to the boundary. The following year I went to Hajj and met a man named Tahir in Medina. He was among the descendants of Husain, the younger [Imam Sajjad (a.s)]. It was said that he had some knowledge about this matter [of Imamate]. I went to look for him and befriend him, so that he becomes comfortable with me and is aware of the correctness of my belief. I requested him: O son of Allah’s Messenger, I adjure you through the rights of your purified forefathers, please bestow me with knowledge of this matter of [Master of the age (a.s)] and make me like yourself. As one about whom you are confident has testified to me and informed me that Qasim bin Abdullah bin Sulaiman bin Wahab intends to eliminate me for my religion [of Twelver Shia] and has instigated my killing a number of times, but Almighty Allah saved me from his clutches. Tahir said: O brother, conceal whatever you hear from me in these mountains; those who carry provisions in the darkness of the night to a place they know, see extraordinary things and have restrained us from search and investigation. So I left him and returned.

H 225 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Abdun alias Ibn Hashir from Abul Hasan Muhammad bin Ali Shajjai Katib from Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Ibrahim Nomani from Yusuf bin Ahmad Ja’fari that he said: “I performed the Hajj in 306 A.H., then stayed in Mecca till 309 A.H. and then moved to Syria. I was on the way when I missed the Morning Prayer. When I descended from the litter to perform it, I saw four persons riding a litter. I was very surprised. One of them asked: Why are you surprised? You have missed your prayer and gone against your religion. I asked: How do you know about my religion? He said: You want to see the Master of your Age. I said: Yes, that is true. He indicated to one of his companions. I said: But he is having many signs.He asked: What sign do you want to see? Do you want to see this she-camel rise up to the heavens along with its litter; or only this litter should rise up to the sky? I said: Whatever of these happens will be a sign for me. As soon as I said this, I saw the she-camel rise up to the sky along with the litter.

H 226 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Muhammad bin Ali from Muhammad bin Abde Rabb Ansari Hamadani from Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashmi, a descendant of Abbas that he said: “One day in Sarmanra, when His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) passed away, I went to his house. When his coffin was brought out of his chamber and placed outside, we were thirty-nine persons who had come to attend the funeral. Just then a child, who apparently seemed to be ten years old, came out with a sheet on his shoulder and face. As soon as he entered, awe struck us, so that we rose up to welcome him. He stood up and all of us stood behind him. He recited the funeral prayers and then went away. But he did not go back into the room from which he had emerged; he went into another room.” Abu Abdullah Hamadani says: “I met Ibrahim bin Muhammad Tabrizi in Maragha and he also narrated to me the above report of Ahmad bin Abdullah Hashmi verbatim.”

H 227 - It is narrated from Ali bin Ayez Razi and he has narrated from Hasan bin Wajna Nasibi and he from Abu Nuaim Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari that: “We were in Mecca sitting near the spout with a group of thirty Umrah pilgrims among whom were Mahmoodi, Allaan Kulaini, Abu Haitham, Abu Ja’far Ahwaal Hamadani, Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi comprising 30 persons. Except for Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi Aqiqi, none of them was Shia. It was the 6th of Zilhajj of the year 293 A.H. A young man approached us wearing Ihraam dress and carrying his slippers in his hands. He came among us and due to his awe and majesty we stood up and greeted him with Salaam. He glanced to the left and right and sat down among us. He asked: ‘Do you know what His Eminence, Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) used to say in his supplication?’ We asked: ‘What did he recite?’ He said: ‘He used to say: O Allah, indeed I ask You by Your name due to which the sky and the earth stand, and by which it is possible to distinguish between right and wrong. Due to which different and separated people come together and by which there develop differences and dispersion in cohesive groups; and through which are calculated the number of sand particles in the desert, the weight of the mountains and the measure of water in the oceans. Bless Muhammad and the Progeny of Muhammad and widen and ease all my affairs for me.’ Then he stood up and we also followed by way of respect. He began to perform the circumambulation (Tawaf). As a result of his awe we forgot to ask him who he was. The next day at the same time, he completed the Tawaf and came to us and sat down among us in the same way. Then he glanced to the right and left and asked: ‘Do you know what supplication Amirul Momineen used to recite after the obligatory prayers?’ We asked: ‘What did he recite?’ He said: ‘He used to recite as follows: O Allah, it is towards You that voices are raised. Supplications are addressed to You alone. Before You only are cheeks placed in submission. Humility and lowliness is shown to You. Your command is honored in all the matters. O the best of those who are beseeched and One Who is better than all those who bestow. O the true one, O the forgiving one. O one who never breaks His promise. O one who also commands to ask from Him and also promises the fulfillment of supplications. O one who has said: ‘Call upon Me, I will answer you.’ O one who said: ‘And when My servants ask you concerning Me, then surely I am very near; I answer the prayer of the suppliant when he calls on Me, so they should answer My call and believe in Me that they may walk in the right way.’ O one who said: Say: ‘O my servants! Who have acted extravagantly against their own souls, do not despair of the mercy of Allah; surely Allah forgives the faults altogether; surely He is the Forgiving the Merciful.’ Then he looked to the right and the left and asked: ‘Do you know what Amirul Momineen used to recite in the prostration of thankfulness (Sajdah Shukr)? ‘Please tell us what he used to say,’ we replied. He said: ‘He used to say: The weeping of those who weep does not increase anything, except Your generosity and kindness. O one who has the treasures of the heavens and the earth. O one whose mercy is widespread, my sins cannot restrain Your favors from reaching me for which I pray to You. Regarding my affairs, do what befits You. You are powerful over every type of punishment and You have complete right upon all of them. I have no argument to support my case in Your court and neither have I an opportunity to present excuse. I present my sins to You and confess of having committed them, so that You may forgive them and You are the best of those who know. I dissociate myself of all the sins that I have committed and all the mistakes I made and all the evils deeds I have committed. My Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me and overlook all that You know – for You are the most powerful and kind.’ After that he arose and began to circle the Kaaba. We also rose up to pay respect. The next day he again came to us at the same time and like the previous day we welcomed and greeted him. He sat down in our company and glanced at the right and left. Then he said: Ali Ibnul Husain, Chief of those who prostrate (Sayyid us-Saajideen) used to recite this at this place in prostration (so saying he pointed to the Black Stone): ‘Your slave is at Your threshold, Your destitute is at Your door, You are asked for those things over which none, except You have power.’ Then he looked to the right and the left and glanced at Muhammad bin Qasim Alawi from among us and said: ‘O Muhammad bin Qasim, you are, if Allah wills, on the right path.’ Then he arose and entered the circling of the Kaaba. There was none among us that had not learnt by heart the supplications he had recited, but we forgot to ask him about himself everyday. Mahmoodi asked us: ‘Do you know this man?’ ‘No,’ we replied. He said: ‘By Allah, he is the Master of your time.’ We asked: ‘How do you know, O Abu Ali?’ He said: ‘I prayed to my Lord for seven years to let me have the glimpse of the Master of the Age.’ Abu Ali said: [After seven years] In the afternoon [Asr] at Arafah I saw that same gentleman supplicating. I asked: Who is this supplication from? He replied: From the people. I asked: From which people? He replied: From Arabs. I asked: ‘From which Arab clan?’ He said: ‘From the most noble and high clan.’ I asked: ‘Which is that?’ He replied: ‘Banu Hashim.’ I asked: ‘From which branch of Banu Hashim?’ He said: ‘That which is foremost in giving counsel and worthy of praise in its loftiness.’ I asked: ‘From which of these persons?’ He said: ‘From those who split the heads, fed the poor and prayed in the dead of the night when the people slept.’ I said to myself that he was an Alawite and that is why I was inclined to him. Then he disappeared suddenly from my sight and I don’t know where he went. I asked those around him whether they knew that Alawite gentleman. ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘He comes with us every year on foot to perform Hajj.’ I told them that I didn’t see the effect of walking in him. Then I returned to Muzdalifah in grief and sorrow. That same night I saw the Holy Prophet (s) in dream. He said: ‘O Ahmad, you have seen what you desired.’ I said: ‘My master, who was he?’ He replied: ‘The one you saw yesterday in the afternoon (Asr) was the Imam of your time.’ Abu Nuaim, the narrator of this tradition says: When I heard this from Abu Ali Mahmoodi, I scolded him why he did not inform us about it. Abu Ali said: I also forgot it when you were talking to him.

Also a group has narrated from Harun bin Musa Talakbari from Abu Ali Muhammad bin Himam and he from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Malik Kufi from Muhammad bin Ja’far bin Abdullah that Abu Nuaim Muhammad bin Ahmad Ansari has narrated the same lengthy tradition.

228- It is narrated from a group of scholars from Talakbari from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Ali bin Husain from a man from Qazwin from Habib bin Muhammad bin Yunus bin Shazan Sanani that he said: “I came to Ali bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar Ahwazi and asked him about the progeny of Abu Muhammad (a.s) and he replied: “Brother, you have indeed asked me about a great matter. Listen, I performed twenty Hajjs hoping to meet Imam Mahdi (a.s), but I was not successful. One night I dreamt that a caller was saying: O Ali bin Ibrahim, the Almighty Allah has permitted me to perform the Hajj. I could not understand that statement that night, but in the morning, when I got the import of it, I began to wait eagerly for the Hajj season. When the Hajj season arrived, I prepared for the journey and set out to Medina. When I reached Medina, I inquired from the people about the descendants of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s), but could not get any information. I was very much worried and at last set out for Mecca. On the way, one day at Johfa I headed for Ghadeer, which is at a distance of four miles from Johfa. I reached there and prayed in the Masjid and after that I supplicated the Almighty Allah very fervently; but the aim was not fulfilled there also. So I went to Asfsan and thus passing each stage in turn, reached Mecca. I stayed there for some days and was engrossed in Tawaf and other devotions. One night, when I was doing the Tawaf, I noticed an extremely handsome and fragrant young man walking about and doing the Tawaf of the Kaaba. Some feelings arose in my heart; I moved towards him and touched him. He asked: Where do you belong to? I said: Iraq. He asked: Where in Iraq? I said: Ahwaz. He asked: Do you know Ibn Khazib? I said: May Allah have mercy on him, he has passed away. He also expressed regret and said: May Allah have mercy on him, he used to spend the nights in worship and was a sincere supplicant. Do you know Ali bin Ibrahim Mahziyar also? I said: I am Ali bin Ibrahim. He said: O Abul Hasan, may Allah keep you in health. Where is the sign that you received from Imam Hasan Askari (a.s)? I said: It is with me. He said: All right, take it out. When I took it out and he saw it, he was moved by it. After that he said: O Mahziyar, the order for you is that you go on your way and make preparations. When a part of the night has passed, you should come to the pass of Bani Aamir. You will find me there. Thus, I returned to my lodging and when it was past midnight, I prepared my mount, loaded my belongings and sat astride the animal to set out for the pass of Bani Aamir. On reaching there, I found that same youth calling out for me, saying: O Abul Hasan, come this side. I turned my mount in that direction. When I reached him, he greeted me and said: Follow me, brother. We set out from there making conversation, passing the mountains of Arafat and finally reached the mountains of Mina. The dawn was about to break when we were between the hills of Taif. That youth asked me to dismount and recite the Midnight Prayer. I performed the Midnight Prayer and he asked me to recite the Watr Prayer; which I also performed. Then he said: Recite the dawn recitations and perform the prostration of thanks, which I also completed. After that he mounted and asked me also to mount my beast. Then we set out from there till we reached the mountain peaks of Taif. He asked: Can you see anything? I replied: Yes, I can see a sand dune on which a woolen tent is fixed through which light is filtering and this sight is pleasing to me. He said: That is our destination. Then he said: All right brother, move on. He started and I followed him till we came down from the mountains and he said: Now dismount from your beast as even tyrants have to show humility here, and leave the rein free. I asked: Who is there to take care of my beast? He said: This is the sanctuary of Imam Qaim (a.s) and none, but a believer can enter and neither will anyone leave it, except for a believer. I left the rein and the two of us began to walk till that youth reached the tent entrance asking me to wait outside. He returned after a few moments and asked me to enter. When I entered, I saw a person dressed in waist cloth, with a sheet covering him. He was wheaten complexion, medium height, round head, wide forehead, eyebrows joined, prominent nose, full cheeks and a mole on his right cheek; it seemed as if a grain of musk was placed on Amber. When I noticed His Eminence, I greeted him and he replied to me and asked me about the people of Iraq. I said: Master, the people of Iraq are living a life of disgrace and they are the most degraded of all. He said: O Ibn Mahziyar, one day you will rule them just as they are ruling you today and that day, they shall be humiliated. I said: Master, you are very remote from your country and this will take a long time. He said: O Ibn Mahziyar, my father, His Eminence, Abu Muhammad (a.s) has told me not to live in the community on which the Almighty Allah is infuriated and that which is failure in the world as well as the hereafter; and a painful chastisement is reserved for them. He also told me to live in inaccessible mountains away from habitations. Allah is your helper, live in dissimulation till the Almighty Allah allows me to reappear. I asked: When will this reappearance be? He replied: When you would be denied access to Kaaba. When the sun and the moon come together and will be surrounded by planets and stars. I asked: Son of the Messenger of Allah, when will this come about? He replied: In so-and-so year, when Dabbatul Ardh will appear between Safa and Marwah. Who would be having the staff of Prophet Musa (a.s), the ring of Prophet Sulaiman (a.s). He will usher people to the field of gathering. The narrator says: I stayed there for some days, after which I was ordered to return. I came back to my lodge and then set out from Mecca to Kufa. My servant was present to serve me on the way and throughout the journey I was in absolute comfort. May the Almighty Allah bless Muhammad and his Purified Progeny.”

H 229 - It is narrated from a group of scholars from Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Quluwayh etc. from Muhammad bin Yaqub Kulaini from Ali bin Qays from some official of Sawad that he said: “I saw Nasim in Sarmanra that he broke the door of the house of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and a person came out of the house and seeing him with the axe, asked: What are you doing in my house? Nasim said: “Ja’far thinks that your father has passed away without leaving any issue. I am sorry if this is your house; I will leave immediately.” And he came out. Ali bin Qays said: A servant of the house came to me and I asked him about it. He said: Who told you about it? I said: An official of Iraq. He said: Nothing remains a secret from the people.

H 230 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ali bin Muhammad from Muhammad bin Ismail bin Musa Ibn Ja’far – he was the oldest leader of the family of Muhammad in Iraq – who said: “I (Muhammad bin Ismail bin Musa) saw the son of Hasan bin Ali bin Muhammad Askari (a.s) between the two mosques (Mecca and Medina). He was a youth.”

H 231 - It is narrated from the same chains from the servant of Ibrahim bin Abda Nishapuri that he said: “I was standing with Ibrahim on Safa Mountain when a youth came and stood over Ibrahim. He took hold of his book of rituals of Hajj and told him about some matters.”

H 232 - It is narrated from the same chains from Ibrahim bin Idris that he said: “I saw him after the passing away of Abu Muhammad Askari (a.s) when he had grown up; I kissed his hand and his head.”

H 233 - It is narrated from the same chains from Abu Ali bin Mutahhar that he said: “I saw him,” and he went on to describe him.

H 234 - It is narrated from Ahmad bin Ali Raazi from Abu Zar Ahmad bin Abi Surah, same is reported by Muhammad bin Hasan bin Abdullah Tamimi and he was a Zaidiyyah; that he said: “Once I went to Heer and saw a handsome youth praying there. After that the two of us reached Mashra. He asked: O Abu Surah, where are you headed?” I said: To Kufa. He asked: But with whom? I said: With other people. He said: No, you will travel with us. I asked: What do you mean: ‘with us’? He replied: With me. Thus the two of us set out from there and when we reached the graveyard of Masjid Sahla, he said: That place is near your destination, if you want, you may proceed. He also said: You should go to Ibn Raazi Ali bin Yahya, who will give to you some money, which is with him. I asked: Why would he give me anything? He replied: You mention the amount, where it is placed and with what it is covered. So I asked: Who are you? He replied: I am Muhammad bin Hasan Askari. I asked: What if he refuses to give me anything in spite of the signs? He said: I am behind you. Ibn Abi Surah says: When I went to Ibn Raazi and mentioned the signs, he gave that amount to me. I told him that he had said that he was behind me. Ibn Raazi said: After this sign there is no need of any verification as other than the Almighty Allah, no one had any knowledge of it.

H 235- In another report it is added that Abu Surah said: That young man asked about my well being and I mentioned my precarious finances. We continued our journey till we reached Nawawis at dawn. When we sat down at a spot, he dug in the sand with his fingers and water appeared. He performed ablution and prayed thirteen units of prayer. Then he said: Go to Abul Hasan Ali bin Yahya, convey my greetings to him and say that a person has told him to give you a hundred dinars from the seven hundred dinars that are buried at such and such place. So I went to his place immediately, knocked at his door and a maid called out from inside: Who is there? I said: Tell your master that Abu Surah has come to meet him. I heard Abul Hasan remark: What does Abu Surah have to do with me? But in spite of that he came out and I narrated the whole story to him. He went inside and brought a hundred dinars and gave them to me. Then he asked: Did you shake hands with the Imam? Yes, I said. He took my hand and rubbed it on his face and eyes.

Ahmad bin Ali says that Abdullah bin Hasan bin Bashar Khazzaz has also narrated the same report to Muhammad bin Ali Ja’fari.

H 236 - It is narrated from Muhammad bin Yaqub directly from Zuhri that he said: “I made great efforts and spent a lot to meet Imam Mahdi (a.s). Thus I went to Amari and remained in his service. After a long time, I expressed to him the wish to see the Master of the Age (a.s). He said: There is no way you can meet him. When I continued to insist, he said: Come tomorrow at early dawn. So I came to him the next morning and found a young man in his company dressed as a trader and carrying some trading goods below his arms. I came near to Amari and he gestured to me. I moved towards that gentleman and asked him whatever I wanted. He replied and when he was about to go inside Amari said: If you want to ask him anything, ask him now; you will never see him again. As I was about to ask him something, he said the following and entered the room without listening to me: “Accursed, accursed is the one who delays the Maghrib Prayer so much that stars become visible. Accursed, accursed is the one who delays the Morning Prayer so much that stars disappear.”

H 237 - Ahmad bin Ali Raazi has narrated from Muhammad bin Ali from Ubaidullah bin Muhammad bin Jaban Dahqan from Abu Sulaiman Dawood bin Ghassan Bahrani that he said: “Abu Sahl Ismail bin Ali Naubakhti told me that Imam M-H-M-D bin Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) was born in Samarrah in 256 A.H. His mother was Saiqal; his patronymic is Abul Qasim and the Messenger of Allah (s) had mentioned the same patronymic and said: His name will be same as mine, his patronymic will be same as mine and his title will be Mahdi. He will be the Divine Proof, the Awaited one and the Master of the Age. Ismail bin Ali further says: When Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) was in his fatal illness, I was present with him. He summoned his servant, Aqeed, who was a Nubian black. Prior to this he was in the employ of Imam Ali Naqi (a.s). It was he that had brought up Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). Imam (a.s) told him: “O Aqeed, boil for me some mastic water.” Aqeed obeyed and after the water was procured, Saiqal, the mother of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s.) brought it to His Eminence. His Eminence took hold of the vessel, but his hands shook so much that the bowl clattered against his teeth. The Imam let go of the vessel and said to Aqeed: “Go inside the house where you will find a boy in prostration. Bring him to me.” Abu Sahl says: Aqeed said: When I went inside to bring that boy I saw that the boy was in prostration and had raised his index finger to the sky. I saluted him. He shortened his Prayer. I said respectfully: “The master has called you.” At that moment his mother arrived and taking his hand brought him to his father. Abu Sahl says: When the boy came to His Eminence, he saluted him. I saw that his face was glowing like a pearl; he had short hair and wide teeth. When the eyes of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) fell on him, he wept and said: “O master of my family, give me this water, so that I may proceed to my Lord.” The young master complied and taking up the bowl of mastic water brought it to the lips of his father, so that he may drink it. Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) said: “Prepare me for the ritual prayer.” That child kept a towel before the Imam and made ablution for him by washing his face and hands in turn. Then he rubbed his head and both feet. The Imam said: “My son, I give you glad tidings that you are the Master of the Time and the Proof of Allah on the earth. You are my son and successor. You are born from me and you are M-H-M-D the son of Hasan son of Ali son of Muhammad son of Ali son of Musa son of Ja’far son of Muhammad son of Ali son of Husain son of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and you are from the progeny of the Holy Prophet (s) and the last of the Purified Imams (a.s). And the Messenger of Allah (s) gave glad tidings about you and informed about your name and patronymic. This was told to me by my father from his purified forefathers – blessings of Allah be on Ahle Bayt. Indeed our Lord alone is worthy of praise and glorification.” Imam Hasan bin Ali Askari (a.s) spoke these sentences and passed away at that very moment. May Allah bless them all.

238- It is narrated from Abul Husain Muhammad bin Ja’far Asadi that he said: Narrated to me Hasan bin Muhammad bin Aamir Ashari Qummi that: Narrated to me Yaqub bin Yusuf Zarrab Ghassani on his return from Isfahan that: “I performed Hajj with some Sunni persons of my town in 281 A.H. When we reached Mecca, one of our companions took for us a house on rent in the Sauqul Lail Street. It was a fortunate chance that the house was a property of Ummul Momineen Lady Khadija (s) and which was now known as Darul Ridha and was occupied an old lady. When I came to know that the house was called Darul Ridha, I asked that old lady how she was related to the owner of the house and why it was called Darul Ridha? She said: I am one of the slave girls of the owner of the house and this house belongs to Ali Ibn Musa Ridha (a.s). Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) has accommodated me in it, because I had been in his service. I was impressed by that old lady, but I did not disclose it to my Sunni friends. Whenever I returned from Tawaf at night, I slept in the verandah with them. We used to close the door and also place a huge stone behind it. One night I saw a lamp in the verandah where we slept. Then I saw the door being opened automatically and a medium stature, wheat complexion and physically fit young man having a mark of prostration, wearing a shirt, a wrap and wearing shoes without socks, enter and ascend to the attic occupied by the old lady. She had told us not to go up, as her daughter lived there. When the man went to the attic, I noticed that the light present in the verandah had now reached the attic. My friends also noted this and they thought that the man was visiting the daughter of that old lady and it seemed as if he had done a Mutah marriage with her; and that this Alawite lady considered it lawful, ‘although it was not so’. Thus we saw that man regularly, but when we checked the door, we found it closed and the stone was also intact. I became curious and I decided to ask the old lady about him. One day I said: O so-and-so, I want to ask you something in private, but I don’t get a chance as others are also present. So when you notice that I am alone, you should come down from the attic. She also said: I also want to speak to you in private, but I don’t get a chance. I asked: What do you want to talk to me about? She said: See, don’t mention this to anyone; he has told you not to fight with your companions and associates. I asked: Who has told this? She replied: I say it. Since I was suspicious from before, I did not dare to ask anything else. I just asked what she meant by companions? (I was thinking that she was implying my present companions.). But she said: People who live with you in your house in town (and the fact was that I had regular controversies with them about religious matters). So they complained about me and I ran away from there and went into hiding and now I understood that she was talking about them. I asked: What is your concern with Imam Ali Ridha (a.s) She said: I am the maid of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). When I became certain that she was connected to that family, I asked her about the hidden Imam and said: I adjure you; please tell me if you have really seen him yourself. She said: Though I have never seen him myself, because when I had left that place, my sister was pregnant, but Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) had given me the glad tiding that I will see him at the end of my life and that I will be to him same as I was to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). Then she said: At present I live in Egypt, and I have come here, because he sent a letter and thirty dinars to me with a Khurasani man unfamiliar with Arabic and asked me to perform the Hajj. I came here hoping to see him as well. Now I became sure that the man who frequented the attic was the Imam of the time. I took out the ten dirhams from which six were reserved for Imam Mahdi (a.s). I had initially vowed to put them at Maqam Ibrahim, but later I thought that it was best to spend them on the descendants of Lady Fatima (s). So I gave the ten dirhams to that lady and said: Give them to one who in your view is most deserving from the descendants of Lady Fatima (s). I was expecting that she would give it to the man who visited her place regularly. She took the money to the attic and returned after sometime and said: I am not entitled to take it, you may put it where you had vowed to, although you can take change it from dirham Razavia into another currency and put it there (I did that and said to myself that whatever you have been ordered was from that gentleman only). Then I also had a copy of an epistle, which came from Qasim bin Alaa in Azerbaijan. I said to that lady: Show this copy to him, he definitely would be familiar with the writings of Imam Mahdi (a.s). She said: Give it, I am familiar with it. I showed it to her and was thinking that perhaps she will be able to read it. She said: I cannot read it here. Then she took it upstairs and then came down after sometime and said: Yes, it is correct. And I also have some good news to you, which is beneficial to you and others as well. After that she said: He is asking how you invoke blessings on your Prophet? I replied: I do it as follows: Allaahumma Salli alaa Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad wa Baarik Alaa Muhammad wa Aali Muhammad ka Afzali maa Sallaita wa baarakta wa tarahamta alaa Ibrahima wa aali Ibrahima innaka hameedum Majeed. (O Allah, bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and sanctify Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad with the best of the blessings with which You bless and sanctify Ibrahim and the progeny of Ibrahim. Indeed You are the praised one and the majestic.) She said: No, when you invoke blessings, you should mention each name separately. I said: Alright. The next day when she came down, she had a slip of paper with her. She said: He says: When you invoke blessings on your Prophet, you should do so according to this formula. I accepted the note and began to act accordingly. Then on many nights I saw him descend from the attic and the light accompanied him. I used to open the door and follow the light, but I could only see a light and that person did not become visible to me, till he reached the courtyard of the Kaaba. I also saw people from various countries visit the house and hand over their requests to that old lady. I also saw her returning them to the applicants along with their replies and spoke to them in a language, which I could not understand. I also met some of them on the way back home till I reached Baghdad. The Durood supplication, which was written by Imam Mahdi (a.s) for me is as follows: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah, bless Muhammad, who is the chief of the messengers and the proof of the Lord of the world. Who was selected on the day of the covenant, who is the chosen and selected one from the shaded springs; purified from every trouble, immune from every defect, hopeful for salvation and one having discretion of intercession in the religion of Allah. O Allah, accord honor to the edifice of his religion and grant respect to those evidences and give salvation to his proof and exalt his status. Illumine his effulgence further and make his face more illuminated and increase his merits. And also increase his honor and raise up the effectiveness of his intercession and make his position the praised one, that the formers and the latters may envy. And bless Amirul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) and the successor of the divine messengers and the one who had a brilliant countenance and the leader of the worshippers and the chief of the successors and the proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Hasan bin Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Husain bin Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ali Ibnul Husain, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Musa Ibn Ja’far, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds.And bless Ali Ibn Musa, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Muhammad Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Ali Ibn Muhammad, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Hasan Ibn Ali, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. And bless Khalaf Salih (righteous successor), the guide and the guided, Imam of the believers, successor of the messengers and proof of the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Ahle Bayt (a.s), the guiding Imams and guided ones, the truthful learned, the righteous and pious, supports of Your religion, pillars of Your Oneness, interpreters of Your revelation, Your proofs on Your creatures and Your representatives on Your earth, whom You have chosen for Yourself, and selected them from Your servants, satisfied them with Your religion, specialized them with Your recognition, bestowed them with Your nobility, humbled them with Your mercy, fed them with Your blessing, nourished them with Your wisdom, dressed them up in Your light, raised them with Your kingdom, surrounded them with Your angels, honored them with Your Prophet. O Allah, bless Muhammad and exceeding blessings be upon them, eternal, pure, no one is surrounded with it, except You and none can encompass it, except Your knowledge and no one can encompass it other than You. O Allah, bless Your Wali, enlivener of Your Sunnah, establisher of Your command, caller towards You, proof upon You and proof on Your creatures, Your caliph on Your earth and witness on Your servants. O Allah, exalt his help, increase his lifespan and embellish the earth by increasing his survival. O Allah, suffice him from the greed of the jealous, protect him from the mischief of plotters, prevent from him the intentions of the oppressors and deliver him from the hands of the tyrants. O Allah, bestow him in his self, his progeny, his followers, his subjects, his confidants, his common ones, his enemies and all the people of the world whatever is near to his view and which is easy for his self and fulfill the best of his aspirations in the world and the hereafter, indeed You are powerful over everything. O Allah, put back, through him, in original form that which has been uprooted from Your religion, put in order again through him the confusion created in Your Book. Make clear, through him, the distortions made in Your commandments, so that Your religion regains its true spirit, on his hands, blooming and full of tenderness, progressive, up to date, liberated, savior, without doubts and uncertainties, without suspicions and obscurities, there being no falsehood lingering around him, nor any subversive activities in his presence.O Allah, enlighten the world with his truth and make oppression and tyranny take fright and flee, put a stop to reversal and subversion by relying upon him, once for all, pull down the edifice of corrupt wickedness forever by giving him a free hand, through him break up entirely totalitarianism, let him deal the death-blow and wipe out the existence of the damned and accursed, and put an end to oppression perpetrated by the unjust tyrants, and set up justice and fairplay, put in force his “rule of life”, far and wide, everywhere, over all jurisdictions, make all authorities serve to promote his sovereignty. O Allah, whoso runs away from him should be discredited and put to shame, whoso undermines his mission should be eliminated, whoso looks upon him with envy, and quarrel, may be cornered, back to the wall, whoso knows, but denies his right may rot and disintegrate, make lighter and easy his mission, make haste to set in motion blossoming of his truth, let his glory shine in full brightness. O Allah, bless Muhammad, the Chosen, Ali, who pleased (Allah) better than others, Fatima, the bright and beautiful, Hasan, the agreeing, Husain, the refined, and all the rest of the closely connected appointed guardians, the favorite confidants, the signs leading unto guidance, lighthouse of piety and wisdom, the trustworthy and safe handles, the strong rope, the right path. Bless Your dearest intimate friend, the authority You promised to protect, and (bless) the Imams, his children, spread their creed, build up their cause, let their thoughts and deeds reach far and wide, to the four corners of the world, in the matter of religion, in the worldly affairs and at the time of Final Judgment, verily You are able to do all things.”