Question 281 - The Enlightening Answer Across the Ether, Vol 3

Supporters Response:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Intensely Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send His prayers upon Muhammad and his family, the Imams and the Mahdis, and grant them abundant peace. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. There are many narrations about Imam al-Mahdi's progeny (a), who will rule the world after him. The supporters have recorded, explained, and argued from them in their books, such as The Decisive Response to Those Who Deny the Qa'im's Progeny, The Mahdis in the Narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (a), The Will and the Successor, and other books. You can consult these through the website of the Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (a). Nevertheless, I will send you some narrations that come to mind: From Abu Abdullah al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn Sufyan al-Bazawfari, from Ali ibn Sinan al-Mawsili al-Adl, from Ali ibn al-Husayn, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Khalil, from Jafar ibn Ahmad al-Misri, from his uncle al-Hasan ibn Ali, from his father, from Abu Abdullah Jafar ibn Muhammad, from his father al-Baqir, from his father Dhu al-Thafanat, Master of the Worshippers, from his father al-Husayn, the pure martyr, from his father the Commander of the Believers (a), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (s) said to Ali (a), on the night of his death: O Abu al-Hasan, bring a sheet and an inkwell. The Messenger of Allah (s) dictated his will until he reached this point, then said: O Ali, after me there will be twelve Imams and after them twelve Mahdis. You, O Ali, are the first of the twelve Imams. Allah Most High named you in His heaven Ali al-Murtada, Commander of the Believers, the Greater Truthful One, the Greatest Distinguisher, the Trusted One, and the Mahdi. These names do not properly belong to anyone other than you. O Ali, you are my successor over my household, their living and their dead, and over my wives. Whomever you retain shall meet me tomorrow, and whomever you divorce, I disavow her. She shall neither see me nor shall I see her in the courtyard of the Resurrection. You are my vicegerent over my nation after me. When death comes to you, hand it over to my son al-Hasan, the dutiful, who maintains ties. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to my son al-Husayn, the pure, murdered martyr. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Ali, Master of the Worshippers, Dhu al-Thafanat. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Muhammad al-Baqir. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Jafar al-Sadiq. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Musa al-Kadhim. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Ali al-Rida. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Muhammad, the trustworthy, the God-fearing. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Ali, the adviser. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son al-Hasan, the virtuous. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son Muhammad, the Preserver from the family of Muhammad (s). These are the twelve Imams. Then after him there will be twelve Mahdis. When death comes to him, he is to hand it over to his son, the first of the nearest ones. He has three names: a name like my name and my father's name, and it is Abdullah and Ahmad; the third name is al-Mahdi. He is the first of the believers” (^[249]). From Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) mention the Mahdi and say: “He receives the pledge of allegiance between the Corner and the Station. His name is Ahmad, Abdullah, and al-Mahdi: these are his three names” (^[250]). From Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl, from Abu Hamzah, from Abu Abdullah (a), in a long narration: “O Abu Hamzah, among us after the Qa'im are eleven Mahdis from the descendants of al-Husayn (a)” (^[251]). From Abu Basir, who said: I said to al-Sadiq Jafar ibn Muhammad (a): “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I heard your father (a) say that after the Qa'im there will be twelve Mahdis.” He said: “He only said twelve Mahdis, not twelve Imams. They are a people from our Shia who call people to loyalty toward us and recognition of our right” (^[252]). From Ali ibn al-Husayn (a): “The Qa'im from among us”-meaning the Mahdi-“rises, then after him there will be twelve Mahdis”-meaning from the Imams of his progeny (^[253]). From Yahya ibn al-Salam, raising it to Abdullah ibn Umar: “Rejoice, for the days of the tyrants are about to end. After them comes the Restorer through whom Allah restores the nation of Muhammad (s): the Mahdi, then al-Mansur, then a number of rightly guided Imams” (^[254]). From Mamar ibn Khallad, from Abu al-Hasan (a): “It is as though I see dyed green banners approaching from Egypt until they reach the regions of Syria and are presented to the son of the possessor of the testaments” (^[255]). Hadhlam ibn Bashir narrated: I said to Ali ibn al-Husayn (a): “Describe the Mahdi's emergence to me and acquaint me with its indications and signs.” He said: “Before his emergence a man called Awf al-Sulami emerges in the land of al-Jazirah. His refuge is Tikrit and he is killed in the mosque of Damascus. Then Shuayb ibn Salih emerges from Samarkand. Then the accursed Sufyani emerges from the Dry Valley, and he is from the descendants of Utbah ibn Abi Sufyan. When the Sufyani appears, the Mahdi conceals himself, then emerges afterward” (^[256]). From al-Mufaddal ibn Umar, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (a) say: “The companion of this matter has two occultations. One lasts so long that some say he died, others say he was killed, and others say he departed, until only a few of his companions remain upon his matter. No one, from his children or anyone else, knows his location except the mawla who attends to his affairs” (^[257]). Fiqh al-Rida (a), the supplication in witr prayer and what is said in it: this is among what we, the Ahl al-Bayt (a), continually perform: “… O Allah, send prayers upon him and his family from the family of Ta-Ha and Ya-Sin. Distinguish Your ally, Your Prophet's successor, Your Messenger's brother and minister, his designated successor, the Imam of the God-fearing, and the Seal of the Successors of the Seal of the Prophets Muhammad (s); his daughter the Virgin; the two masters of the youth of Paradise from the earliest and latest; the rightly guiding, rightly guided Imams who preceded and passed away; the God-fearing, righteous chiefs, the remaining virtuous Imams; Your remnant upon Your earth who rises with truth on the promised day; and the virtuous Mahdis, the trustworthy custodians” (^[258]). The supplication for the Companion of the Matter (a) narrated from al-Rida (a). Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman narrated that al-Rida (a) would command that the Companion of the Matter be prayed for with this: “O Allah, defend Your ally, Your vicegerent, and Your proof over Your creation … O Allah, give him concerning himself, his household, his child, his progeny, his nation, and all his subjects that which delights his eyes and gladdens his soul. Gather for him the sovereignty of all kingdoms, near and far, mighty and lowly … O Allah, send prayers upon his designated successors and the Imams after him. Fulfill their hopes, increase their lifespans, make their victory mighty, complete for them the command You entrusted to them, establish their pillars firmly, and make us helpers to them and supporters of Your religion. They are the mines of Your words, treasurers of Your knowledge, pillars of Your unity, supports of Your religion, governors of Your command, Your chosen ones among Your servants, Your elect among Your creation, Your allies and the offspring of Your allies, and the elect of Your Prophet's children. Peace, Allah's mercy, and His blessings be upon him and upon them.” In another supplication narrated from the Companion of the Age (a), sent to Abu al-Hasan al-Darrab al-Isfahani in Mecca, through a chain we omit for brevity, its text is: “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Intensely Merciful. O Allah … send prayers upon Your ally, those entrusted with Your covenant, and the Imams from his descendants. Extend their lives, increase their lifespans, and fulfill their utmost hopes in religion, this world, and the Hereafter. You have power over all things” (^[259]). It was sent to al-Qasim ibn al-Ala al-Hamdani, the agent of Abu Muhammad (a), that our master al-Husayn (a) was born on Thursday, three days into Shaban, so fast that day and recite this supplication: “O Allah, I ask You by the right of the one born on this day, whose martyrdom was promised before his first cry and birth. Heaven and its inhabitants, and earth and those upon it, wept for him before he had trodden its two lava tracts: the slain one of tears, master of the family, supplied with support on the day of the return, compensated for his killing by the Imams being from his offspring, healing being in his soil, triumph being with him in his return, and the successors being from his progeny after their Qa'im and his occultation, until they exact the blood-debts, take vengeance, please the Compeller, and are the best supporters. May Allah send prayers upon them with the alternation of night and day … Make us among those who submit to his command and send abundant prayers upon him when he is mentioned and upon all his successors and the people of his chosen ones, supplied by You with the number: the twelve radiant stars and proofs over all humankind …” (^[260]). From Abu Bakr al-Hadrami, from Abu Jafar (a): I said: “Which places on earth are best after the sanctuary of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the sanctuary of His Messenger (s)?” He said: “Kufa, O Abu Bakr, is pure and purified. In it are the graves of prophets, sent and not sent, and truthful successors. In it is the Mosque of Suhayl, in which every prophet Allah sent has prayed. From it Allah's justice appears; in it will be His Qa'im and those who rise after him. It is the abode of prophets, successors, and righteous people” (^[261]). From Abu Basir, from Abu Abdullah (a), who said to me: “O Abu Muhammad, it is as though I see the Qa'im (a) taking up residence in the Mosque of al-Sahlah with his household and dependents.” I said: “Will it be his residence, may I be your ransom?” He said: “Yes. In it was the residence of Idris and the residence of Abraham, the intimate friend of the Merciful (a). Every prophet Allah sent has prayed in it, and in it is a dwelling” (^[262]). From Nasr ibn al-Sindi, from Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn Sufyan al-Mustariq, from Thalabah ibn Maymun, from Malik al-Juhani, from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah, from al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah. Sad ibn Abdullah also narrated it from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abi al-Khattab, from al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Thalabah ibn Maymun, from Malik al-Juhani, from al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah, who said: “I came to the Commander of the Believers (a) and found him marking the ground. I said: O Commander of the Believers, why do I see you thinking and marking the ground? Do you desire it? He said: No, by Allah, I have never desired it or this world. But I thought about a child who will come from the loins of the eleventh of my descendants. He is the Mahdi who fills it with justice and equity as it was filled with oppression and tyranny. He will have a period of perplexity and occultation in which some peoples go astray and others are guided. I said: My master, how long will the perplexity and occultation last? He said: Six days, or six months, or six years. I said: Will this matter indeed occur? He said: Yes, just as he is created. How could you attain this matter, O Asbagh? Those are the best of this nation with the righteous of this progeny. I said: What happens afterward? He said: Then Allah does what He wills, for He has manifestations of changed decrees, wills, purposes, and endpoints” (^[263]). From Ali ibn Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Ubayd, through his chain from the righteous ones (a): “Repeat on the twenty-third night of Ramadan, standing, sitting, and in every state, throughout the month however you can, and whenever it occurs to you in your lifetime, saying after glorifying Allah Most High and sending prayers upon the Prophet and his family (s): O Allah, be for Your ally who rises by Your command, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Mahdi-upon him and his forefathers be the best prayers and peace-in this hour and every hour, an ally, guardian, leader, supporter, guide, and helper, until You cause him to dwell upon Your earth willingly, grant him enjoyment in it in its length and breadth, and make him and his progeny among the inheriting Imams …” (^[264]). Iqbal al-Amal: This is what he mentioned verbatim from an ancient copy in the treasury of the shrine of al-Kadhim (a), and this is what we narrated and saw from Abu Basir, from Abu Abdullah (a): “Allah is too exalted, noble, and great to leave the earth without a just Imam.” I said: “May I be your ransom; tell me something in which I can find rest.” He said: “O Abu Muhammad, Muhammad's nation (s) will never see relief so long as the offspring of such-and-such possess sovereignty, until their sovereignty ends. When it ends, Allah makes available to Muhammad's nation a man from us, the Ahl al-Bayt, who proceeds with God-fearingness, acts with guidance, and takes no bribes in his judgment. By Allah, I know his name and his father's name. Then there comes to us the thick-necked one, possessing the mole and the two marks: the just Qa'im, guardian of what was entrusted, who fills it with equity and justice as the wicked filled it with injustice” (^[265]). From Habbah al-Urani, who said: The Commander of the Believers (a) went out to al-Hirah and said: “This will surely join that”-gesturing toward Kufa and al-Hirah-“until a cubit between them is sold for dinars. A mosque will be built in al-Hirah with five hundred doors, in which the Qa'im's vicegerent-may Allah Most High hasten his relief-will pray, because Kufa's mosque will be too small for them. Twelve just Imams will pray in it.” I said: “O Commander of the Believers, will Kufa's mosque accommodate the people you describe at that time?!” He said: “Four mosques will be built for him, of which Kufa's mosque is the smallest: this one and two mosques at Kufa's two ends, on this side and that side”-gesturing toward al-Basriyyayn and al-Ghariyyayn (^[266]). From Abu al-Harith Bilal ibn Farwah, raising it to the Prophet (s): “This nation will not perish until twelve vicegerents rule it, all from the Prophet's household, all acting by truth and the religion of guidance. Among them are two men, one ruling forty years and the other thirty years” (^[267]). From Jabir al-Jufi, from Abu Jafar (a): “Remain upon the earth; never move your hand or foot until you see signs I will mention to you within a year. He sends a force to Medina, where it kills a man. The Mahdi and al-Mansur flee from it. The family of Muhammad, young and old, are seized, with none left unimprisoned, and the army goes out in pursuit of the two men. The Mahdi leaves it according to Moses's practice, fearful and watchful, until he reaches Mecca. The army approaches and, when they camp at al-Bayda-and it is the army of al-Hamalat-the earth swallows them, with none escaping except an informer. The Qa'im stands between the Corner and the Station, prays, and turns away, his minister with him. He says: O people, we seek Allah's support against those who wronged us and took our right. Whoever argues with us concerning Allah, I have the greater claim to Allah; whoever argues with us concerning Adam, I have the greatest claim to Adam … By Allah, three hundred and some men come, among them fifty women, assembling in Mecca without an appointment, like scattered autumn clouds, some following others. This is the verse in which Allah said: ‘Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Allah has power over all things’ (^[268]). A man from the family of Muhammad (s) then says: It is the town whose people are wrongdoers. Then he and the three hundred and some with him leave Mecca. They pledge allegiance to him between the Corner and the Station. He possesses Allah's Prophet's covenant (s), banner, and weapon, and his minister is with him. A caller from heaven calls in Mecca with his name and matter until all the earth's people hear him. His name is a prophet's name. Whatever is unclear to you, Allah's Prophet's covenant (s), banner, weapon, and the Pure Soul from al-Husayn's descendants will not be unclear. If this is unclear to you, the voice from heaven with his name and matter will not be unclear. Beware of isolated claimants from the family of Muhammad (s), for the family of Muhammad and Ali have one banner, while others have banners. Remain upon the earth and never follow a man among them until you see a man from al-Husayn's descendants possessing Allah's Prophet's covenant, banner, and weapon. Allah's Prophet's covenant passed to Ali ibn al-Husayn, then to Muhammad ibn Ali. Allah does what He wills. Adhere to these forever, and beware of those I mentioned. When a man among them emerges with three hundred and some men and the Messenger of Allah's banner (s), heading for Medina, he passes al-Bayda and says: This is the place of the people whom the earth swallows … Then he and those with him proceed to al-Adhra, many people having joined him. The Sufyani that day is in Wadi al-Ramlah. When they meet on the day of the exchanges, people who were with the Sufyani from the Shia of the family of Muhammad (s) leave him, and people who were with the family of Muhammad leave for the Sufyani, for they are his followers, until they join them. Each people goes to its banner. This is the day of the exchanges” (^[269]). In a long sermon of the Commander of the Believers (a): “… By my life, if what is in their hands were to dissolve, the purification for recompense would draw near, the promise approach, and the period end. The tailed star would appear to you from the east and the illuminating moon shine before you. When that happens, return to repentance. Know that if you follow the one rising in the east, he will take you upon the Messenger's paths (s), and you will be cured of blindness, deafness, and muteness, spared the burden of seeking and straying, and cast the crushing weight from your necks. Allah distances only those who refuse, wrong, act arbitrarily, and take what is not theirs. Those who wrong will know to what return they return” (^[270]). In a narration: “… Through him I remove blindness and heal the sick.” I said: “My God and Master, when will that be?” Allah, Mighty and Majestic, revealed: “When knowledge is lifted away, ignorance appears, reciters increase, action diminishes, killing increases, guiding jurists become few, jurists of misguidance and traitors become numerous, poets increase, your nation makes their graves into mosques, copies of the Quran are adorned, mosques decorated, injustice and corruption increase, wrong appears and your nation commands it and forbids right, men suffice with men and women with women, rulers become disbelievers, their allies wicked, their helpers wrongdoers, and their people of opinion transgressors. At that time there are three sinkings: one in the east, one in the west, and one in the Arabian Peninsula; Basra is ruined at the hand of a man from your progeny followed by Black people; a man from the descendants of al-Husayn ibn Ali emerges; the Dajjal appears in the east from Sijistan; and the Sufyani appears.” I said: “My God, when will tribulations occur after me?” Allah revealed to me, informing me of the affliction of the Umayyads, the tribulation of my uncle's descendants, and what would happen and exist until the Day of Resurrection. When I descended to earth and delivered the message, I entrusted that in a testament to my cousin (^[271]). From Jabir ibn Yazid al-Jufi, who said: I heard Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali (a) say: “A man from us, the Ahl al-Bayt, will rule three hundred years, increased by nine.” I said: “When will that be?” He said: “After the death of the Qa'im-may prayers be upon him.” I said: “How long does the Qa'im remain in his world until he dies?” He said: “Nineteen years, from the day of his uprising until the day of his death” (^[272]). From Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahman, from our master Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (a), who would command supplication for the Proof, the Companion of the Age (a). Among his supplications for him-prayers upon them both-was: “O Allah, send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. Defend Your ally, Your vicegerent, Your proof over Your creation, Your tongue expressing You by Your permission and speaking Your wisdom, Your eye looking upon Your creatures, Your witness over Your servants, the mighty, striving, diligent one, Your servant who seeks refuge in You. O Allah, protect him from the evil of what You created, brought forth, originated, brought into being, and fashioned. Guard him from before and behind him, from his right and left, above and below him, with Your protection, by which whoever You protect is not lost. Preserve in him Your Messenger, Your Messenger's successor, and his forefathers-Your Imams and the supports of Your religion; Your prayers upon them all. Place him in Your trust that is not lost, in Your neighborhood that is not despised, and in Your protection and might that cannot be overcome. O Allah, grant him safety through Your firm security, by which whoever You secure is not forsaken. Place him in Your shelter, where no one is oppressed. Support him with Your mighty victory, strengthen him with Your victorious army, fortify him with Your strength, and reinforce him with Your angels. O Allah, be the ally of his allies and the enemy of his enemies. Clothe him in Your impregnable armor and surround him closely with Your angels. O Allah, bring him to the best of what You brought those upholding Your equity among the followers of the prophets. O Allah, mend the fracture through him, close the rupture through him, put injustice to death through him, manifest justice through him, and adorn the earth through his long remaining. Strengthen him with victory, support him through terror, grant him an easy conquest, and give him from Yourself a supporting authority over Your enemy and his. O Allah, make him the awaited Qa'im and the Imam through whom You gain victory. Strengthen him with mighty support and a near conquest. Make him inherit the eastern and western lands You blessed, and revive through him Your Prophet's Sunnah-Your prayers upon him and his family-until no truth is concealed out of fear of any creature. Strengthen his supporter, forsake his forsaker, crush whoever sets himself against him, and destroy whoever deceives him. O Allah, kill the tyrants of disbelief, its pillars and supports, and those maintaining it. Through him break the heads of misguidance, those introducing innovation, extinguishing the Sunnah, and strengthening falsehood. Through him abase the tyrants and destroy the disbelievers, hypocrites, and all heretics wherever they are-in the earth's east and west, its land and sea, plains and mountains-until You leave none dwelling among them and leave them no traces. O Allah, purify Your lands of them, heal Your servants of them, and honor the believers through him. Revive through him the practices of the messengers and the effaced wisdom of the prophets. Renew through him what was erased of Your religion and altered of Your judgment, until through him and at his hands You restore Your religion fresh and new, sound and pure, without crookedness or accompanying innovation; until You illuminate the darkness of injustice through his justice, extinguish the fires of disbelief through him, reveal the points where truth is secured and the unknown aspects of justice, and clarify difficult matters of judgment through him. O Allah, he is Your servant whom You chose exclusively for Yourself, selected from Your creation and above Your servants, entrusted with Your unseen, protected from sins, absolved of defects, purified of impurity, turned away from defilement, and kept safe from doubt. O Allah, we testify for him on the Day of Resurrection and the day the overwhelming calamity arrives that he committed no sin or offense, perpetrated no disobedience against You, neglected no obedience to You, violated no sanctity of Yours, changed no obligation of Yours, and altered no law of Yours. He is the God-fearing, guiding, rightly guided, pure, God-fearing, faithful, pleasing, purified Imam. O Allah, send prayers upon him and his forefathers. Grant him concerning himself, his child, his household, his progeny, his nation, and all his subjects that which delights his eyes and gladdens his soul. Gather for him the sovereignty of all kingdoms, near and far, mighty and lowly, until his judgment prevails over every judgment and through his truth he prevails over every falsehood. O Allah, lead us at his hands upon the path of guidance, the greatest clear road, and the middle way to which the extremist returns and which the follower reaches. O Allah, strengthen us in obeying him, make us firm in following him, favor us with accompanying him, and place us in his party, upholding his command, patient with him, seeking Your pleasure through sincere counsel to him, until You gather us on the Day of Resurrection among his supporters, helpers, and those strengthening his authority. Send prayers upon Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. Make all this from us sincere to You, free of every doubt, suspicion, ostentation, and desire for reputation, so that through it we rely on none other than You and seek only Your face; until You lodge us in his abode and place us with him in Paradise. Do not try us concerning his matter with weariness, laziness, slackening, or failure. Make us among those through whom You gain victory for Your religion and strengthen Your ally's victory. Do not replace us with others, for replacing us with others is easy for You but grave for us. You have power over all things. O Allah, send prayers upon those entrusted with his covenants. Fulfill their hopes, increase their lifespans, support them, and complete for them what You entrusted to them of the matter of Your religion. Make us their helpers and supporters of Your religion. Send prayers upon his pure forefathers, the rightly guiding Imams. O Allah, they are the mines of Your words, treasurers of Your knowledge, governors of Your command, Your chosen ones among Your servants, Your elect among Your creation, Your allies and the offspring of Your allies, Your select ones and the children of Your chosen ones. Your prayers, mercy, and blessings upon them all. O Allah, and his partners in his matter and his helpers in obeying You, whom You appointed” (^[273]). From al-Mufaddal, from Abu Abdullah (a), who said: “Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: I imposed ten obligations upon My servants. When they recognize them, I lodge them in My kingdom and make My gardens available to them. The first is knowing Me. The second is knowing My Messenger to My creation, acknowledging him, and affirming him. The third is knowing My allies and that they are the proofs over My creation. Whoever is loyal to them is loyal to Me, and whoever opposes them opposes Me. They are the sign between Me and My creation. Whoever denies them, I make him burn in My Fire and double his punishment. The fourth is knowing the persons established from the radiance of My holiness, who uphold My equity. The fifth is knowing those who uphold it through their excellence and affirming them. The sixth is knowing My enemy Iblis, what was of his essence, and his helpers. The seventh is accepting My command and affirming My messengers. The eighth is concealing My secret and My allies' secret. The ninth is honoring My chosen people, accepting from them, and referring to them in that over which you differ until the explanation comes from them. The tenth is that he and his brother be equal in religion and worldly affairs. If they are thus, I admit them to My kingdom, secure them from the greatest terror, and they are with Me in Illiyyin” (^[274]). Mujam Ahadith al-Imam al-Mahdi (a): “When the Sufyani sends an army against the Mahdi and the earth swallows them at al-Bayda, and the news reaches the people of Syria, they tell their caliph: The Mahdi has emerged; pledge allegiance and obey him, or we will kill you. He sends his pledge to him. The Mahdi proceeds until he alights at Jerusalem, and the treasures are transferred to him. The Arabs, non-Arabs, belligerent peoples, Romans, and others enter his obedience without fighting, until mosques are built in Constantinople and beyond it. Before him a man from his household emerges with the people of the east, bearing the sword upon his shoulder for eight months, killing and mutilating, and heading toward Jerusalem. He does not reach it before he dies” (^[275]). From the Messenger Muhammad (s): “… Indeed, Allah looked upon the people of the earth and chose two men from them. One is I, whom He sent as messenger and prophet; the other is Ali ibn Abi Talib. He revealed to me to take him as a brother, intimate friend, minister, successor, and vicegerent. Indeed, he is the guardian of every believer after me. Whoever is loyal to him, Allah is loyal to him, and whoever opposes him, Allah opposes him. Only a believer loves him and only a disbeliever hates him. He is the earth's fastening and repose after me; he is Allah's word of God-fearingness and His firmest handhold. ‘They desire to extinguish Allah's light with their mouths, but Allah refuses anything except to perfect His light, though the disbelievers dislike it’ (^[276]). Indeed, Allah looked a second time and chose after us twelve successors from my household, making them the best of my nation, one after another, like stars in heaven: whenever a star disappears, another rises. They are guiding, rightly guided Imams. The plots of those who plot against them and the abandonment of those who abandon them do not harm them” (^[277]). In a narration from the Commander of the Believers (a): “… He said to him: You spoke truthfully; ask what occurs to you. He said: O Commander of the Believers, tell me about Allah Most High's words: ‘We sent it down on the Night of Decree.’ He (a) said: Yes, O Bayhas. Have you asked anyone other than me about it? He said: No honor to them! This is knowledge known only by a prophet or successor. He (a) said: As for His words, ‘We sent it down on the Night of Decree,’ it is a light sent down to this world. He said: How was it sent down? He (a) said: When the Lord established Himself upon the Throne, He wished a radiance to be illuminated by our light, and our light is from His light. Allah commanded the light to speak, and it spoke around the Throne. The angels learned of it and fell before Him in prostration at the sweetness of our light's speech. Hence it was named Decree, for it belongs to us and whoever accepts our authority; no one else has a share in it. Our light remained growing and radiant by the Throne, and the angels greeted us. When Allah created Adam, he raised his head, looked at our light, and said: My God and Master, how long has their light been beneath Your Throne? Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: O Adam, twenty-four thousand years before I created you and created the heavens, earth, mountains, seas, Paradise, and Fire. You are within some of their lights. When Adam (a) descended to this world, it was dark. Adam (a) said: ‘By their Lord's permission.’ Do you know what permission that was? He said: No. He said: Allah Most High sent down to Gabriel: O Lord, by the right of Muhammad and Ali, restore to me the light that I had. Allah, Blessed and Exalted, sent it down to this world, and Adam was illuminated by our light. Hence it was named the Night of Decree. When Adam (a) had remained and lived in this world for four hundred years, Allah sent down to him an ark of light with twelve doors. For each door was a successor who rose and followed the prophets' conduct. He said: O Lord, who are these? Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said: O Adam, the first of the prophets is you, the second Noah, the third Abraham, the fourth Moses, the fifth Jesus, and the sixth Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets. As for the successors, the first is your son Seth, the second Shem son of Noah, the third Ishmael son of Abraham, the fourth Joshua son of Nun, the fifth Simon al-Safa, and the sixth Ali ibn Abi Talib (a). The last is the Qa'im from Muhammad's descendants, through whom I make My religion prevail over all religion, though the polytheists dislike it. He said: Adam handed the ark to Seth, and Adam was taken. For that reason Allah Most High said: ‘We sent it down on the Night of Decree. What will make you know what the Night of Decree is? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months.’ Allah sent our light down to this world so that believers would be illuminated by it and disbelievers become blind. As for His words, ‘The angels descend’: when Allah sent Muhammad (s), with him was an ark of white pearl with twelve doors. In it was a white parchment bearing the names of the twelve. He presented it to the Messenger of Allah (s) and commanded him, from his Lord, that the right belonged to them, and they are lights. He said: Who are they, O Commander of the Believers? He said: I and my children: al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Ali ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn Ali, Jafar ibn Muhammad, Musa ibn Jafar, Ali ibn Musa, Muhammad ibn Ali, Ali ibn Muhammad, al-Hasan ibn Ali, and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, the Companion of the Age-may Allah's prayers be upon them all. After them are our followers and Shia, who acknowledge our authority and reject the authority of our enemies. His words, ‘of every matter’: from everyone in the heavens and on earth upon us, morning and evening until the Day of Resurrection. It is the light of my progeny; the world is illuminated through us until the rising of dawn from us until the Day of Resurrection” (^[278]). The Scientific Committee Supporters of Imam al-Mahdi (may Allah establish him upon the earth) Sheikh Nazim al-Uqayli