www.alhassanain.org/english Confidential 1 www.alhassanain.org/english The Book of Occultation: Kitab al- Ghaibah (Bilingual Edition) [English = Arabic] Author (s): Allamah Muhammad Baqir al-Majlisi Confidential Translator (s): Hassan Allahyari www.alhassanain.org/english 2 www.alhassanain.org/english Notice: This work is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english The typing errors aren’t corrected. Confidential 3 www.alhassanain.org/english Table of Contents Dedication ....................................................................7. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................8 TRANSLATOR’S WORD ..................................................9 His Birth and The Story Of His Mother ................................. 10 (ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﷲ تاﻮﻠﺻ) ﻪﻣأ لاﻮﺣأو ﻪﺗدﻻو ........................................... 10 Supplement ................................................................. 27 His Names, Titles, Patronym and Their Reasons ........................5 4 ﻪﻠﻠﻋو ﻩﺎﻨﻛو ﻪﺑﺎﻘﻟأو (ع) ﻩؤﺎﲰأ .................................................. 54 His Atributes, Taits and Lineage ......................................... 64 ﻪﺒﺴﻧو ﻪﺗﺎﻣﻼﻋو ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﻪﺗﺎﻔﺻ ........................................ 64 ّ Verses About The Rise of The Qa’im .....................................7 8 (ع) ﻢﺋﺎﻘﻟا مﺎﻴﻘﺑ ﺔﻟوﺆﳌا ت�ﻵا .................................................. 78 ّ Supplement ................................................................. 92 The Words of Allah and His Messenger About the Qa-'im Narrated by Confidential the Shiah and the Sunnah ................................................ 109 ﺔﻣﺎﻌﻟاو ﺔﺻﺎﳋا قﺮ ﻃ ﻦﻣ (ع) ﻢﺋﺎﻘﻟ� (ص) ﻲـﺒﻨﻟا رﺎﺒﺧاو ﻪـﻠﻟا رﺎﺒﺧا ﻦﻣ درو ﺎﻣ .... 109 ّ Supplement ................................................................1 29 Chapter I: His Uprise in the Latter Eras .................................1 42 Chapter II: The Saying of the Prophet: The Mahdi is from my Progeny from the Sons of Fa-timah ...............................................1 42 Chapter III: The Mahdi is from the Lieges of the Paradise .............1 43 Chapter IV: The Messenger’s Command to Pledge Allegiance to the Mahdi .................................................................... 144 Chapter V: The Help of the People of the East to the Mahdi ...........1 44 Chapter VI: The Duration of his Rule ...................................1 45 Chapter VII: He Leads Jesus in Prayers .................................1 46 Chapter VIII: His Looks described by the Prophet ..................... 149 Chapter IX: The Mahdi is from the Progeny of Husain .................1 49 Chapter X: The Munificence of the Mahdi ..............................1 51 Chapter XI: The Mahdi is not Jesus the Son of Mary ...................1 53 Chapter XII: The Mahdi in Middle of the Ummah ..................... 154 Chapter XIII: His Name and His Looks .................................1 54 Chapter XIV: The Village from where he will rise ..................... 155 Chapter XV: Clouds will Shade over him ...............................1 55 Chapter XVI: The Angel that will Come with the Mahdi .............. 155 Chapter XVII: His Color and Body ..................................... 155 Chapter XVIII: His Right Cheek Mole ..................................1 55 Chapter XIX: The Description of the Mahdi’s Teeth ...................1 56 Chapter XX: His Conquest of Constantinople .......................... 156 4 www.alhassanain.org/english Chapter XXI: His Rule comes after Tyrants ............................ 157 Chapter XXII: The Mahdi is a Virtuous Imam ..........................1 57 Chapter XXIII: The Ummah’s Leisure during his Rule ................ 157 Chapter XXIV: The Mahdi is the Caliph of Allah ......................1 58 Chapter XXV: The Mahdi is Living and Alive ......................... 158 The Narrations of the Prince of the Believers in this Regard ......... 171 ﻚﻟذ ﰲ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﷲ تاﻮﻠﺻ ﲔﻨﻣﺆﳌا ﲑﻣأ ﻦﻋ درو ﺎﻣ ............................... 171 Narrations from Imam Hasan and Imam Husain about Him .........1 91 ﻢﻬﻴﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﲔﻨﺴﳊا ﻦﻋ ﻚﻟذ ﰲ ىورﺎﻣ .................................1 91 Narrations from Imam al-Ba-qir ........................................ 197 ﻚﻟذ ﰲ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﷲ تاﻮﻠﺻ ﺮﻗﺎﺒﻟا ﻦﻋ ىور ﺎﻣ .....................................1 97 Narrations from Imam al-Kadhim ...................................... 216 ﻚﻟذ ﰲ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﻢﻇﺎﻜﻟا ﻦﻋ يور ﺎﻣ ..................................2 16 ّ Narrations from Imam al-Hadi and Imam al-‘Askari .................2 27 (ع) ﻢﺋﺎﻘﻟا ﻰﻠﻋ ﺎﻤﻬﻴﻠﻋ ﻪّـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﲔﱠﻳﺮﻜﺴﻌﻟا ﺺﻧ ............................2 27 The Argument of the Sheikh of the Congregation, the Most Venerable al-Tusi ......................................................................2 33 ﺔﻔﺋﺎﻄﻟا ﺦﻴﺷ ﺎﻫﺮﻛذ ﱴﻟا ﺔﻟدﻷا ﺮﻛذ ﺔﺒﻴﻐﻟا تﺎﺒﺛا ﻰﻠﻋ ............................2 33 Confidential Supplement ................................................................2 49 Supplement 1 ..............................................................2 62 Supplement 2 ..............................................................2 74 Supplement 3 ..............................................................2 86 Another Proof ............................................................2 98 Occultations of the Apostles and the Qa'im .............................3 13 ﻢﻬﻴﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﻪﺘﺒﻴﻏ ﻰﻠﻋ ﻢ�ﺎﺒﻴﻐﺑ لﻻﺪﺘﺳﻻاو ءﺎﻴﺒﻧﻷا ﻦﻨﺳ ﻦﻣ (ع) ﻪﻴﻓ ﺎﻣ ...3 13 ّ His Miracles Manifested and Some Narratives of His Emissaries .... 327 ﻪﺋاﺮﻔﺳ لاﻮﺣأو ﻪﻟاﻮﺣأ ﺾﻌﺑ ﻪﻴﻓو ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﻪـﻠﻟا تاﻮﻠﺻ ﻪﺗاﺰﺠﻌﻣ ﻦﻣ ﺮﻬﻇ ﺎﻣ ..........3 27 ّ Supplement 1 ..............................................................3 39 Supplement 2 ..............................................................3 51 Supplement 3 ..............................................................3 65 Supplement 4 ..............................................................3 82 The Emissaries Who Communicated Between the Shi-‘a And the Qa- ’im During the Minor Occultation .......................................4 01 (ع) ﻢﺋﺎﻘﻟا ﲔﺑو ﺔﻌﻴﺸﻟا ﲔﺑ ﻂﺋﺎﺳو ىﺮﻐﺼﻟا ﺔﺒﻴﻐﻟا نﺎﻣز ﰲ اﻮﻧﺎﻛ ﻦﻳﺬﻟا ءاﺮﻔﺴﻟا لاﻮﺣأ ..............................................................................4 01 Abu Ja‘far Muhammad Ibn ‘Othma-n Ibn Sa‘i-d al-‘Amri........... 407 Abu Ja‘far Muhammad Ibn ‘Othma-n Ibn Sa‘i-d al-‘Amri’s Appointment of Abu al-Qa-sim al-Husain Ibn Ru-h in His Position after Himself through the Order of the Imam ................................4 16 5 www.alhassanain.org/english ﻲﺿر حور ﻦﺑ ﲔﺴﳊا ﻢﺳﺎﻘﻟا �أ يﺮﻤﻌﻟا ﺪﻴﻌﺳ ﻦﺑ نﺎﻤﺜﻋ ﻦﺑ ﷴ ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﰊأ ﺔﻣﺎﻗإ ﺮﻛذ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﷲ تاﻮﻠﺻ مﺎﻣﻻا ﺮﻣ� ﻩﺪﻌﺑ ﻪﻣﺎﻘﻣ ﺎﻤﻬﻨﻋ ﷲ ...............................4 17 Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Samari, the Last of the Four Deputies ....................................................................4 27 The Holy Letter Enunciating his Damnation ...........................4 39 The Story of Abu Bakr al-Baghda-di, the Nephew of al-Sheikh Abu Ja‘far Muhammad Ibn ‘Othma-n al-‘Amri and the Story of Abu Dalaf al-Majnu-n .................................................................4 41 ﰊأو (�)يﺮﻤﻌﻟا نﺎﻤﺜﻋ ﻦﺑ ﷴ ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﰊأ ﺦﻴﺸﻟا ﻲﺧأ ﻦﺑا يداﺪﻐﺒﻟا ﺮﻜﺑ ﰊأ ﺮﻣأ ﺮﻛذ نﻮﻨ�ا ﻒﻟد ...................................................................4 42 Notes ........................................................................4 47 Confidential 6 www.alhassanain.org/english Dedication This humble and petty and unworthy effort, O’ my Master, O’ Love of my heart, O Luminous Star of the heavens and the earths, my father and mother and all whom I hold dear be the ransom of the dust of your steps, on the blessed occasion of your birthday, I offer to you, and with tearful eyes and trembling voice and an embarrassed conscience, I beseech you, O king of glory, harm has touched us and our family. We have come to you with a scanty offer, so give us full measure and give us charity, for Allah rewards the charitable. My Master, may Allah hasten your appearance and make us of your aides and supporters and martyrs at your feet, though I confess that thus far, I am ashamed to have been a very bad Shi-‘a for you. But my Master, you know I do not have a Patron but you. So please abandon me not for my bad character, forget me not for my disloyalty, and give me charity from the treasure trove of certainty, knowledge, propriety, and love and more. H. A. 15 Sha‘ba-n 1423 Confidential 7 www.alhassanain.org/english INTRODUCTION In the name of Allah the Merciful the Compassionate Praise belongs to Allah, Who conveyed the Word to His servants through an Imam after an Imam, so may they remember; and completed the religion through His entrusted subjects and representatives, in every time and age, for a people who believe. And blessings and greetings be unto the one that apostles and prophets gave the happy tidings of his and his successors, Muhammad the master of the creation, and his Household the lights of darkness, until the Day they shall be resurrected. Divine damnation be on their enemies so long as the heavens and the earths endure. Here is the thirteenth volume from the book Biha-r al-Anwa-r expounding the history of the Twelfth Imam, the Awaited Guide, the Victorious Mahdi, the Light of Lights, the Representative of the Almighty, Hidden from the view of the eyes, Present in the hearts of the virtuous, the Pillar of Faith, the Remover of Sorrows, the Representative of the All- Merciful, al-Hujja Ibn al-Hasan, the Imam of the Age, blessings of Allah be unto him and his infallible forefathers as long as the ages come and go, from the authorships of the servant of the traditions of the Virtuous Imams and the dust of the threshold of narrators, Muhammad the son of Muhammad Taqi, may Allah resurrect them both with their pure masters and make them in their governance of their supporters and aides. Confidential 8 www.alhassanain.org/english TRANSLATOR’S WORD All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may He bless His Beloved Prophet our Master and the Master of all Creation, Muhammad, and his Divinely Ordained Heirs, specially so their first one the Prince of the Believers and their Last one the Caliph of the All Merciful and the Personification of the Virtues of Qur’a-n our Master al-Imam al-Mahdi. Thousands of greetings of peace and love and devotion be unto them and their followers and devotees. The oceans of light and seas of illumination that is the Biha-r al-Anwa-r of the greatest ‘Allamah of all ages Muhammad Ba-qir Ibn Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi is a book of unparalleled worth and value in Islamic literature. The thirteenth volume of this reputable ocean of wisdom and trustworthy arc of salvation - titled by its author as Kita-b al-Ghaiba, that is, the Book of Occultation - is devoted to accounts about the Last Hujja of Allah the Imam of the Age, may Allah hasten his appearance. In the contemporary prints, this volume has been divided into three volumes, which span from the fifty first to fifty third of the total one hundred and sixteen volumes. In your hands is the translation of the first of these three volumes, namely, the fifty first, which I translated in times of great stress and duress and lack of access to books and mentors. All thanks and gratitude is due to Allah, in the beginning and in the end, in private and in public, for His blessings as well as His trials. We thank Him from the depths of our souls Confidential and the bottom of our hearts. It must be noted that not seeing much need or benefit in translating chapter eleven, which chronicles the predictions of fortunetellers and writings found on rocks, and chapter fourteen, which recounts the stories of the individuals who have lived enormously long lives, these two sections are not included in this translation. As I have brought the Arabic version of the traditions, I did not see any need for mentioning the long names in the chains of narrations, as they can be easily seen in the each opposite page in Arabic. Many a time, the honorable author has commentaries about certain narrations, which sometimes only explain literary and grammatical points of a given tradition, rendering it into simpler Arabic, which can be of great value only to an Arabic reader. Such commentaries were not translated either. I hope the kind reader forgives my shortcomings and goes through these pages with magnanimity. I confess my knowledge is scant and my writing skills are poor. My fond prayer is that Allah benefits me and my brothers and sisters in faith through this work. I would like to extend my special thanks to Brother Ka-zim Mamda-ni and Brother Feroze Karimbhoy for their help in this work. 9 www.alhassanain.org/english His Birth and The Story Of His Mother 1- Al-Ka-fi: He was born in mid-Sha‘ba-n of the year two hundred and fifty five. 2- Ikma-l al-Di-n: On the authority of ‘Alla-n al-Ra-zi: One of our scholars have informed me that when the bondmaid of Abu Muhammad (a.s)[1] became pregnant, he said, “You shall carry a male and his name is M. U. H. A. M. M. A. D. and he is the al-Qa-’im after me.” 3- Ikma-l al-Di-n: On the authority of Musa- Ibn Muhammad, saying, Lady Haki-ma Bint Muhammad Bin ‘Ali Ibn Musa- Ibn Ja‘far Ibn Muhammad Ibn ‘Ali Ibn al-Husain Ibn ‘Ali Ibn Abi Ta-lib narrated to me: Abu Muhammad al-Hasan Ibn ‘Ali (a.s) sent for me and said, “O aunt, have your ifta-r tonight with us. This is the night of mid-Sha‘ba-n and Allah, the High, will bring forth the Hujja on this night. He will be His Hujja on His earth.” Lady Haki-ma says, I said to him, “And who is his mother?” “Narjis,” he said to me. “May Allah make me your ransom,” I said to him, “there is no sign in her.” “It is as I tell you,” he said. Lady Haki-ma says, I came and when I greeted and sat, she came to take off my shoes and said, “My lady, how are you this evening?” “Rather, you are my lady,” said I, “and the lady of my household.” She turned my word down and said, Confidential “What is this, dear aunt?” “My dear daughter, Allah, the Exalted, will grant you in this night of yours a boy, a master in this world and in the hereafter. “She sat and felt shy. When I finished the ‘isha-’ prayers and had ifta-r, I went to bed and slept. When it was in the middle of the night, I got up to perform prayers. I finished my prayers and she was sleeping and there was no sign of any kind in her. I sat saying the ta‘qi-ba-t [2], then I went to the bed, and then I woke up suddenly. She was still asleep. She then woke up and rose and performed prayers. (ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ﷲ تاﻮﻠﺻ) ﻪﻣأ لاﻮﺣأو ﻪﺗدﻻو 1 .ﲔﺗﺄﻣو ﲔﺴﲬو ﺲﲬ ﺔﻨﺳ نﺎﺒﻌﺷ ﻦﻣ ﻒﺼﻨﻠﻟ (ع) ﺪﻟو :ﰲﺎﻜﻟا - 2 ﺾﻌﺑ ﱐﱪﺧأ :لﺎﻗ ،يزاﺮﻟ انﻼﻋ ﻦﻋ ،ﲏﻴﻠﻜﻟا ﻦﻋ مﺎﺼﻋ ﻦﺑا :ﻦﻳﺪﻟا لﺎﻤﻛإ - ﻦﻣ ﻢﺋﺎﻘﻟا ﻮﻫو ﷴ ﻪﲰاو اﺮﻛذ ﲔﻠﻤﺤﺘﺳ :لﺎﻗ (ع) ﷴ ﰊأ ﺔﻳرﺎﺟ ﺖﻠﲪ ﺎﳌ ﻪﻧأ ﺎﻨﺑﺎﺤﺻأ .يﺪﻌﺑ 3 ﻦﺑا ﻰﺳﻮﻣ ﻦﻋ ،ﷲ قزر ﻦﺑ ﲔﺴﳊا ﻦﻋ ،رﺎﻄﻌﻟا ﷴ ﻦﻋ ،ﺪﻴﻟﻮﻟا ﻦﺑا :ﻦﻳﺪﻟا لﺎﻤﻛإ - ﻦﺑ ﻲﻠﻋ ﻦﺑا ﷴ ﺖﻨﺑ ﺔﻤﻴﻜﺣ ﲏﺘﺛﺪﺣ :لﺎﻗ ،ﺮﻔﻌﺟ ﻦﺑ ﻰﺳﻮﻣ ﻦﺑ ةﺰﲪ ﻦﺑ ﻢﺳﺎﻘﻟا ﻦﺑ ﷴ 10