الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 1, page 336

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn ‘Isa ibn Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ja’far from his father from his grandfather from Ali ibn Ja’far from his brother, Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “When the fifth descendant of the seventh (Imam) will disappear from the public sight at that time for the sake of Allah, for the sake of Allah protect your religion so no one can strip off of it. My son, it is necessary that the in charge of this task (Leadership with Divine Authority) must disappear from the public sight. Even those who believe in it would turn away from their belief. It will certainly be a trial from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, to test His creature. Had your fathers and ancestors know any other religion more correct than this they would certainly have followed it.” I then asked, “My master, who is the fifth from the descendants of the seven?” He said, “My son, you intelligence falls shorter to reach it and your understanding remain narrower to accommodate it but if you would live you will soon comprehend its being.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Najran from Muhammad ibn al-Musawir from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following: "I heard Abu 'Abdullah (a.s) say as follows: "Beware of allusion! By Allah, your Imam will be in occultation for a period of time. And you shall indeed be tested until it will be said that he has died, been killed, or lost in an unknown valley. The eyes of the believers will shed many tears for him. Surely, you will be turned upside down just as ships face the rough seas and choppy waters. None will be saved except those from whom Allah has taken a covenant, instilled faith in their hearts, and supported them with a spirit from Him. Twelve ambiguous standards will be raised, none of which will be distinguished from each other." He said: So I began to cry, and then I asked him, "What will we do then?" He looked at the sunlight shining through the skylight and said to me, "O Abu Abdullah (al-Mufaddal), do you see this sun?" I said, "Yes, I do." He said, "By Allah, our matter is clearer than this sun."

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ibn Abi Najran from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “In the (case) of the person in charge of this task (Leadership with Divine Authority, the twelfth Imam (a.s.)) there is a similarity to Yusuf (Joseph) (a.s.).” I then said, “Are you, O Imam, speaking of his life time or his disappearance.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) then said, “ What then is it that certain swine-like people of this nation refuse to acknowledge? The brothers of Yusuf were grand children of the prophets. They did business with Yusus, conducted traded with him and spoke to him. They were his brothers and he was their brother but they could not recognize him until he said, I am Yusu and this is my brother.” Why should then (certain people of) this condemned nation refuse to accept if Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, in a certain time would do to the possessor of His authority what He did to Yusuf? Yusuf was the in charge of Egypt and there was a distance of twenty eight days of journey between him and his father. If he wanted to inform him (his father) he could have done so. Jacob and his sons journeyed after they heard the good new for nine days from their Bedouin home to Egypt. Why then this nation would refuse to accept if Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, would do to the person who possess His authority what He did to Yusuf? That he would walk in their market place and step on their furnishings until Allah will grant him permission to reappear in public as He did to Yusuf as they said, “Are you really Yusuf?” He said, “Yes, Yusuf I am .”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.