Disappearance of the expected Imam

“Ali has come to drive water back!” Imam Ali (as) said: “By Allah, I and both of my sons will be killed but Allah will send a man from among my descendants at the end of the time revenging our bloods. He will disappear…

A tradition that you perceive is better that ten that you narrate (without perceiving them). Every truth has a fact and every rightness has a light. By Allah we do not consider a Shiite as a jurisprudent until it is…

“O Allah, give my caliph, my guardian, the payer of my debts, the executor of my promises and deposits, my assistant and supporter against Your enemy and my enemy and the reliever of my distresses the knowledge that You…

“On the Day of Resurrection the human beings will be resurrected in four categories; riders, walking people, groveling people and deaf, dumb and blind people, who do not understand, are not spoken to and not permitted to…

“The Day of Resurrection will not come until the eye of the world is gouged out and redness appears in the sky, and this redness is the tears of the bearers of the Throne weeping for the people of the earth, and until a…

“O Umm Hani’, it is an imam receding until his news will be ignored by people in the year two hundred and sixty and then immediately he will appear like a burning meteor in a dark night. If you remain alive until that…

Once I met Abu Ja’far bin Muhammad al-Baqir (as) and asked him about (the meaning of) these verses, “But nay! I swear by the stars that recede, that run their course (and) hide themselves.” He said: “(The stars) that…

“O people, interconnect and be pious and kind to each other! By Him, Who has split the seed and created man, that a time will come to you that none of you will find a place for his dinar and dirham.” Al-Kahili asked him:…

Once I was with Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) in his meeting and there were others. He said to us: “Beware of allusion!” He meant with the name of al-Qa’im. I noticed that he had intended other than me. He said to me: “O…

I heard the sheikh-he meant Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) - saying: “Beware of allusion! By Allah he (Imam al-Mahdi) will be hidden (by the will of Allah) for a period of time and he will be ignored until it will be said…

“If the fifth one of the descendants of the seventh one is missed then you are to keep fast to your religion and let nothing turn you aside from it because the executor (al-Qa’im) of this task (reviving the religion)…

“O Abul-Jarood, if the orbit turns and people say that he (al-Mahdi) has died, perished or followed an unknown valley and the opponents say that how he will be back whereas his bones have been perished, then you are to…

“When al-Qa’im reappears, people will say: How can that be whereas his bones have been perished?”

Once al-Qa’im (as) was mentioned before Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as). He said: “If he appears people will say: How can that be whereas his bones have been perished since so and so?”

Prophet (S) had said: “The example of my family is like the stars of the sky. Whenever a star sets another shines until a certain star shines and you glance at it and point at it with your fingers then the Angel of Death…

Prophet (S) had said: “The example of my family among this umma is like the stars of the sky. Whenever a star sets another shines until when you stretch your eyebrows towards (a shining star) and point with your fingers…

“We are like the stars of the sky. Whenever a star sets another shines until when you point with your fingers at a shining star and turn your eyebrows towards it, Allah takes your star away from you. Then the progeny of…

“The master of this matter (deliverance) will be from my progeny. It is he, about whom it will be said: Has he died or perished? Or which valley has he followed?”

“I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “What will the sign of al-Qa’im be?” He said: “When the orbit will turn and it will be said: Has he died, perished or which valley has he followed?” I said: “May I die for you! Then…

Once al-Qa’im was mentioned before Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as). He said: “How will that be and yet the orbit has not turned nor has it been said: Has he died, perished or which valley has he followed?” I (Abdul Kareem)…

“If people miss the imam, they will stay many years unknowing which one he is and then Allah will make him appear to them.”

I asked Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “Will there be a time, in which the Muslims will not know who their imam is?” He said: “It is said so.” I said: “what will we do then?” He said: “If that occurs, then keep to the…

“If you spend a day and a night without finding an imam of Muhammad’s progeny, then still love whom you have loved before, hate whom you have hated before, follow whom you have followed and wait for the deliverance day…

My father and I went to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as). He said: “What will you do if you become in a time that you do not find an imam of guidance nor any banner and then no one will be saved from that confusion except one,…

I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “We have tradition saying that the imam will be missed in some period of time. What will we do then?” He said: “Keep to the previous one that you have kept to until the matter…

Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) said: “A time will come to people, in which knowledge will be bound as a snake bound in its hole. While they are in such a condition, a star will shine to them.” I said: “What do we do during…

“What will you do if a time comes to you between the two mosques, at which knowledge will be bound as a snake bound in its hole and the Shia will disagree among themselves, will call each other as liars and will spit at…

“O Abban, a period of time will come to people, at which knowledge will be bound between the two mosques as a snake bound in its hole. As they are in such a condition, their star will shine to them.” Abban said: “May I…

“This group (the Shia) will be closer to Allah and Allah will be more pleasant with them when they miss the authority of Allah by being hidden from them whereas they are certain that the authority of Allah and His…

“People will be closer to Allah and He will be more pleasant with them when they miss His authority and he (the authority) does not appear to them nor they know his place although they know that the authority of Allah…

“The master of this matter (al-Qa’im) has a likeness to Prophet Joseph and his mother is a black bondmaid. Allah will make him succeed within a night.”

I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) saying: “The master of this matter has a likeness to Prophet Joseph (as).” I said: “As if you want to tell us about a disappearance or confusion!” He said: “Why do this damned people,…

I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) saying: “The master of this matter has aspects like those that four of the prophets have had; an aspect of Moses, one of Jesus Christ, one of Joseph and one of Muhammad (peace be upon…

I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im (as) will disappear before his rising.” I asked: “Why?” He said: “He fears (people) although he is the expected one. O Zurara, his birth is suspected. Some say that…

I said to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as): “Your Shia in Iraq are so many and there is no one like you from among your family. Why do you not rise?” He said: “O Abdullah bin Atta’, you have given your ears to the fools. By…

“I came from Wassit to perform the hajj. I visited Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali (al-Baqir) (as). He asked me about the people and the markets there. I said: the people have looked forward to you. If you rise, a great…

“I said to Abul Hasan ar-Redha (as): “We hope that you are the man of the matter and that Allah may pave the way to you peacefully and without fighting. Homage has been paid to you and money is coined with your name.” He…

I said to Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as): “Would you tell me about al-Qa’im?” He said: “By Allah, it is not me and it is not one, whom you stretch your necks towards. It is the one, whose birth will be unknown.” I said: “What…

“The man of this matter will disappear for a period of time, during which one, who still keeps to his religion, is like one, who lathes thorns of al-Qatad with his bare hand. Which of you can grasp at the thorns of…

“Al-Qa’im disappears twice; one is a short disappearance and the other is long. In the first disappearance some of his close Shia knows his place and in the other one no one knows his place except the guardians of his…

“Al-Qa’im disappears twice; one is a short disappearance and the other is long. In the first disappearance some of his close Shia knows his place and in the other one no one knows his place except his guardians of his…

“The man of this matter disappears twice.” Also he had said: “Al-Qa’im will rise and he has never paid any homage to anyone on the earth.”

“Al-Qa’im will rise and he has never paid any homage to anyone nor has he had a covenant or a bond with anyone.”

“The man of this matter disappears twice. The first one lasts long until some people say that he has died, some say that he has been killed and others say that he has gone. None of his companions will still believe in…

I came to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) and said to him: “My parents died without performing the hajj. Allah has granted to me good livelihood. May I offer the hajj on behalf of them?” He said: “Yes, you may because that…

I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) that Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) often said: “Al-Qa’im of Muhammad’s progeny will disappear twice; one will be longer than the other.” He said: “Yes, but that will not be until the army…

“Al-Qa’im disappears twice. In one of them it will be said: He has perished or it is unknown which valley he has followed.”

I heard Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) saying: “The man of this matter disappears twice. After one of his disappearances, he comes back to his family and in the other one it is said that he has perished or (it is unknown…

“The man of this matter will recite in one of his (two) disappearances, “So I fled from you when I feared you, then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me of the messengers.”

“When al-Qa’im (as) rises, he will recite this Qur’anic verse, “So I fled from you when I feared you.”

“When al-Qa’im (as) rises, he will recite, “So I fled from you when I feared you, then my Lord granted me wisdom and made me of the messengers.” These traditions confirm the traditions saying: “…he has an aspect of…

“People will miss an imam. He attends the seasons (of hajj). He sees the people but they do not see him.”

“People will miss their imam. He attends the seasons of hajj. He sees the people but they do not see him.”

“Al-Qa’im (as) disappears twice. He comes back after one of them but in the second disappearance, no one knows where he is. He attends the seasons of hajj. He sees the people but they do not see him.”

“Al-Qa’im (as) disappears twice. During one of his disappearances, he attends the seasons of hajj. He sees the people but they do not see him.”

“It means: if you lose your imam, then who will bring you another imam?” The same was narrated by Muhammad bin Ya’qoob al-Kulayni from Ali bin Muhammad from Sahl bin Ziyad al-Aadami from Musa bin al-Qassim bin Mo’awiya…

I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im (as) disappears and his kin (companions) deny him.” I said: “Why is that?” He said: “He fears.” And he pointed with his hand at his abdomen showing that he fears to be…

I heard Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im (as) disappears before his rising.” I asked: “Why?” He said: “He fears” and he pointed with his hand at his abdomen. He meant “killing”.

I heard Abu Ja’far al- Baqir (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im disappears before his rising.” I asked: “Why?” He said: “He fears” and he pointed with his hand at his abdomen. He meant “killing”.

I heard Abu Abdullah Ja’far as-Sadiq (as) saying: “Al-Qa’im disappears before his rising.” I asked: “Why?” He said: “He fears” and he pointed with his hand at his abdomen. He meant “killing”. The same was narrated by…

“Once I met Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali (al-Baqir) (as) in a season of hajj or a minor hajj. I said to him: I became so old and weak and I do not know whether I meet you again or not. Please promise me and tell me when…

“The man of this matter is the homeless, fugitive man, who loses his father, who is surnamed with his uncle’s name, who is separated from his family and whose name is like a prophet’s name.”

“The one, whom you want and expect, will rise (and set out) from Mecca. He will not rise until he sees what pleases him even if he is obliged to eat the leaves of the trees.” Is there another way clearer than the way,…

“If three names (of the infallible imams); Muhammad, Ali and al-Hasan succeed, then the fourth will be al-Qa’im.”

“You are going to be tried with a great test. You are going to be tried with the fetus while still in its mother’s womb and with the suckling until it is said: he has disappeared and he has died. They say: “There is no…

Imam ar-Redha (as) said: “O Hasan, There will be a dark sedition, in which close friends and near relatives will perish. That will occur when the Shia miss the fourth descendant of mine. The people of the earth and the…

I said to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as): “May I die for you! Deliverance has not come. Our hearts are depressed and we are about to die of sadness.” He said: “Deliverance comes when people become desperate and distressed to…

“The man of this matter will disappear in one of these mountain passes-he pointed with his hand towards Thi Tuwa. Before his rising, the guardian, who has been with him, comes to meet some of his companions. He asks…

“People are still (confused and distressed) expecting until Allah sends for this matter (deliverance) one that people have not known whether he has been created yet or not.”

“You stretch your heads towards any one of us and say: It is he (our man). And Allah makes them (the imams) die one after the other until He sends for this matter one, whom you do not know whether he is born or not or…

“Whenever you turn your eyes toward a man and say that it is he (the man of this matter), he goes to the better world until Allah sends one, whom you do not know whether he has been created yet or not.”

“You still expect (deliverance) until Allah sends for this matter one, whom you do not know whether he is created or not.” These traditions are clear in referring to the twelfth imam (al-Mahdi) because there has not been…

“The man of this matter is the youngest and obscurest one of us.” Yahya asked him: “When will that (deliverance) be?” He said: “When delegations go to pay homage to a young boy and every fort (powerful chief) raises a…

I said to Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali al-Jawad (as): Who is the successor after you?” He said: “My son Ali and Ali’s two sons.” He pondered for a while and then raised his head and said: “Confusion will occur then.” I…

“When my son Ali dies another lamp will shine after him and then disappearance will be there. Woe unto the doubter and blessed is he, the stranger and the fleer with his religion. After that there will be terrible events…

“Once I came to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as) and said to him: Are you the man of this matter?” He said: “No.” I said: “Is he your son?” He said: “No.” I said: “Is he your grandson?” He said: “No.” I said: “Is he your…

“If your knowledge has been removed from among you, then expect deliverance to come soon.”

“From among us there will be a hidden imam. When Allah wants him to rise, He will prick him in the heart and he will appear to execute the order of Allah.”

“The man of this matter must disappear and he is to be in isolation during his disappearance. How good abode Tayba is! No loneliness is among thirty!”

“If you are informed that your man has disappeared, do not deny that.” The same was narrated by Muhammad bin Ya’qoob from Ali bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from Muhammad bin Abu Omayr from Abu Ayyoob al-Khazzaz from Muhammad…

“When al-Qa’im (as) rises, people will deny him because he will come back to them as a young man. No one will remain believing in him except those, with whom Allah has made a covenant since the first creation.” In…

“Al-Qa’im is one of my descendants. His old is like Abraham’s old; one hundred and twenty years. He is recognized and then he disappears for a period of time and then he reappears as a young man of thirty-two years old.…

“Al-Qa’im will rise and he has not paid homage to anyone at all.”

“Al-Qa’im will rise and he has not paid homage to any one nor has he had a bond or a covenant with anyone at all.” There are some traditions narrated from Imam Ali (as) confirming the occurrence of the disappearance of…

Ali (as) often said: “The Shia come to a day that they become like the goats. The lion does not know which of them to catch. They will have no honor nor will they have a supporter to depend upon in their affairs.”

“The believers come to a day that they become like the goats. The lion does not know which of them to catch. They will be with no honor nor will they have an assistant, to whom they refer their affairs.”

I heard Ali (as) saying: “O people of Shia, as if I see you wandering about like the camels looking for a pasture but without finding any.”

“How about you if you go and you do not find anyone (to resort to) and you come back and you do not find anyone?”

“You still wait until you become like frightened goats that the butcher does not care on which of he puts his hand. You will be of no honor and no supporter, to whom you refer your affairs.” Have these traditions…