The list of the Names of those who saw the Twelfth Imam (a.s.)

1. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah and Muhammad ibn Yahya, all have narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Ja‘far al-Himyari who has said the following. “I and shaykh abu ‘Amr, may Allah grant him blessings met each other before Ahmad ibn Ishaq. Ahmad ibn Ishaq made an eye gesture to me to ask him about the succeeding Imam. I said to him, “O abu ‘Amr, I like to ask you a question about a matter, although, I do not any doubts in the question I am about to ask. It is my belief and religion that the earth is not left without a Leadership with Divine Authority except if would be just before the coming of the Day of Judgment by forty days because in such a period Leadership with Divine Authority will take away. The door to repentance will be closed. No soul will benefit from the faith with which it has not achieved any good deeds. “. . the belief of any soul will be of no avail to it unless some good deeds have been done with it, or it has been formed before the coming of such a day. .” (6:158) Such people would be of the evil creatures of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, and it is these people on whom the Day of Judgment will be established. However, I wanted to strengthen my faith further just as Abrahm (a.s.) asked his Lord, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, to show him how would He will bring the dead to life again. He said, “When Abraham prayed, “Lord, show me how you bring the dead back to life,” the Lord said, “Do you not yet believe?” Abraham replied, “I believe but want more confidence for my heart.. .” (2:260) Abu Ali Ahmad ibn Ishaq has inarrated to me from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said that he asked the Imam (a.s.), “With who should I deal and ask questions about my faith and religion and whose words should I accept (after you)?” The Imam (a.s.) said to him, “Al-‘Amri is trustworthy to me. Whatever he will deliver to you is from me. From me he delivers. Whatever he would say is from me, from me he saays it. Listen to him and obey him because he is reliable and trustworthy. Abu Ali has said to me that he asked abu Muhammad (a.s.) a similar question and he said to him, “Al-‘Amri and his son are trustworthy people. Whatever they would deliver to you is from me from they deliover. Whatevet they say to you from they say it. Listen to them and obey them because they are trustworthy and reliable people. These are the words of the Imams spoken about you. Abu ‘Amr fell down on his face in prostration and wept. Then he said, “Ask what you need to ask.” I said, “Did you see the succeeding Imam (Leader with Divine Authority) after abu Muhammad (a.s.) ?” He said, “Yes, by Allah , his neck was like that-making a gesture with his hand.” I then said, “Onne more question is left.” He said, “Say, whaever is is it.” I said, “What is his (succeding Imam) name?” He said, “It is unlawful for you to ask about it. I do not say this because abu left this world without a surviving son. His legacy is distributed and is taken away by one who has no right in it. He is (that prson). His family is despersed and no one has the courage to learn about them or recieve any thing from them. When the name is mentioned search for him will take place. Have fear of Allah and abstain from it.” Al-Kulayni, may Allah grant his soul blessings, has said, “:A shaykh from our people narrated this to me – his name I have forgotten- that abu’Amr asked Ahmad ibn Ishaq a similar question and received a similar answer.”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘Salah (prayer) is reduced after traveling a distance of one barid and one barid is four farasikh (which is twelve miles).”’

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

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far, the most senior (in his time) of the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, in Iraq has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.)) between the two mosque while he was a boy.”

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

2. It is a narration from him (narrator of previous Hadith) by his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ayyub who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the minimum distance after the traveling of which a traveler reduces his Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is one barid.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Rizqillah abu ‘Abdallah ‘Abdallah who has said the following. “Musa ibn Muhammad ibn al-Qasim ibn Hamzah ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far narrated to me that Hakima, the daughter of Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) and the paternal aunt of his (the twelfth’s) father, said to me that she had seen him on the night of his birth and afterwards.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khazzaz from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Once we were sitting and my father was with the governor of banu ‘Umayyah over the people of al-Madinah. My father came back and sat down and said, “I was in the court of this (governor) a little while ago and people asked about Taqsir (reducing Salah (prayer) on a journey after traveling a certain distance). Someone said that it is at three. Another one said that it is after traveling one day and one night. Yet another said that it is one rawhah. He (the Governor) then asked me and I said, ‘When Jibril came with Taqsir (reducing Salah (prayer) on a journey after traveling a certain distance) to the Messenger of Allah, the Holy prophet asked him, “At what distance is this?” He (Jibril) said, “It is at one barid.” He (the Messenger of Allah) asked, “What is that?” Jibril replied, “It is between the shadow of ‘Ayr (a certain mountain) to the shadow of 0‘Ayr.”’ He (the Imam) said that time passed, then it was seen that banu ‘Umayyah had placed marks on the road and mentioned what Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), had spoken of. They placed signs on the shadow of ‘Ayr and the outline of 0‘Ayr. They then divided it into twelve miles and it was three thousand and five hundred yards for each mile. They had placed signs on them. When banu Hashim appeared they changed the affairs of banu ‘Umayyah in a certain way because Hadith is from banu Hashim, thus they placed a sign next to each sign.’” (the Arabic word for yard is Dhira‘ (from the elbow to the tip of the fingers which is about eighteen inches)).

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

4. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Hamdan al-Qalanisi who has said the following. “I asked al-‘Amri, “Has abu Muhammad (a.s.) passed away?” He said, “Yes, he has passed away but has left behind among you a person (the succeeding Imam) whose neck is like this. He made a sign with his hand (meaning thereby good health and beauty).”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the limit of the miles which is involved in Taqsir (reducing Salah (prayer) on a journey after traveling a certain distance). Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘The Messenger of Allah had determined the limits of such mile to be from the shadow of ‘Ayr to the shadow of O’ Ayr and they are two mountains in al-Madinah. On sunrise the shadow of ‘Ayr falls on the shadow of O’ Ayr and that is the mile that the Messenger of Allah had set up for Taqsir (reducing Salah (prayer) on a journey after traveling a certain distance).”’

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

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Fath, Mawla (slave) of al-Zurari who has said the following. “I heard abu Ali ibn Mutahhar saying that has seen him (the twelfth Imam) and would describe his (Imam’s) figure.”

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqiy, from Muhammad ibn Aslam al-Jabaliy from Sabbah al-Hadhdha’ from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a people who are on a journey. When they arrived at the place where they were required to perform their Salah (prayer) in a reduced form, they reduced their Salah (prayer). After traveling two, three, or four farsakh, one of them without whom their journey could not be done remained behind. They waited for his arrival. Without him their journey was not possible. They stayed there for many days without knowing to go forward or return. Are they required to perform their Salah (prayer) complete or reduce it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If they have traveled four farsakh they reduce their Salah (prayer), regardless, they stay there or return. If they have traveled less than four farsakh, they perform their Salah (prayer) complete, regardless, they stay there or return.”’

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

6. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Shadhan ibn Nu‘aym from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abdahu al-Naysaburi’s house maid who has said the following. “I was standing with Ibrahim on al-Safa’ that he (the twelfth Imam) came and stood higher than Ibrahim, took his Hajj guide book and spoke to him about a number of things.”

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

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim from abu ‘Abdallah ibn Salih who has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam) near the Black Stone while people were clinging over it. The Imam (a.s.) would say, “They are not commanded in this condition ( to kiss the Black Stone.”

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

8. Ali has narrated from abu Ali Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Idris from his father who has said the following. “I saw him (the twelfth Imam) after the death of abu Muhammad (a.s.) when he had reached adolescence. I kissed his hand and head.”

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

9. Ali has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah ibn Salih and Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from al-Qanbari, one of the descendants of Qanbar al-Kabir (great), the slave of abuu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following. “Once Ja‘far ibn Ali was mentioned and he reproached him. I said to him, “Well, there is no one (in his family) besides him. Have you seen him?” He said, “I have not seen him (the twelfth Imam) but other people have seen him.” I then asked, “Who has seen him?” He said, “Ja‘far has seen him twice and he has quite a story about it to tell.”

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

10. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu Muhammad al-Wajnani who has said the following. “He narrated to me from a person who had seen him (The Imam (a.s) in the words below. ‘He (the twelfth Imam) came out the house ten days before his father would leave this world and said, “O Lord, You know that this is the most lovely place to me, had there been no expulsion.” Or that he spoke a similar expression.”

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

11. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn Qays from one of the security men jalawiza, plural of jilwaz, from the (al-Sawad) rural area of Iraq who has said the following. “I saw Sima’(a man) soon after the death of abu Muhammad (a.s) in Surra man ra’a (a city in Iraq) who had just broken the door (of the tenth Imam (a.s.). He (the twelfth Imam) came out to him with an ax in his hand and said, “What are you doing to my house?” Sima said, “Ja‘far thinks that your father has passed away with leaving any son behind. If it is your house, I then get out.” He went out of the house. Ali ibn al-Qays has said, “A servant of the servants of the house came out to us and I asked about this new. He asked me, “Who has told you a such thing.?” I said, “A security man of rural area has told me.” He then said, “Almost nothing remains hidden from people.”

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

12. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Kufi from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Makfuf from ‘Amr al-Ahwazi who has said the following. “Abu Muhammad (a.s.) showed him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) to me and said, “This will be your master (Leader with Divine Authority).”

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

13. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Naysaburi from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah ibn Musa ibn Ja’far from abu Nasr Zarif, the servant (of abu Muhammad (a.s.) who has said that he saw him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) .

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

14. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad and al-Hassan, two sons of Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated to him in the year two hundred seventy nine from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Abdi from Daw’ ibn Ali al-‘Ijli from a man from the people of Fars whose name he mentioned that Abu Muhammad (al-Askari (a.s.)) showed him (the twelfth Imam (a.s.) to him.

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

15. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu Ahmad ibn Rashid from one of the people of al-Mada’in who has said the following. “I and a friend of mine were in Makka to perform Hajj. When we arrived in ‘Arafat (a famous place) we found a young man sitting on the ground. He had a piece of clothe on him for the lower part of the body called ’Izar and another piece for the upper part of the body called Rida’ wearing on his feet a yellow footwear. I estimated the ’Izar and Rida’ for about a hundred and fifty Dinars. No sign of journey was visible on him. A beggar approached us and we turned him down. He then approached the young man and asked him for help. He picked up something from the ground and gave it to him. The beggar prayed for him. He assiduously prayed and prolonged it. The young man stood up and disappeared from our eyes. We went closer to the beggar and said, “Fie up on you! What did he gave you?” He showed us pebbles of gold with marks on them. We estimated them to value about twenty Mithqal (a certain unit of weight). I then said to my companion, “Our master was with us and we did not know.” We then went to searched him in the whole of station but we could not find him. We then asked every one around the area where we had seen him earlier, of the people of Makka and Madina and they said, “He is a ‘Alawi (descendent of Ali (a.s.) young man and he performs Hajj every year on foot.”

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