Precious Ahadith on Conditions of Disappearance from Public Sight of (the Twelfth Imam (a.s.)

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Khalid from the person who narrated to him from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar, and Muhammad ibn Yahya from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from his father from certain people of his friends from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “People are nearer to Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, and He is more pleased with them when the leader who possesses authority from Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, will be out of their sight. He would not publicly appear among them and they would not know his place. Despite this they would know that the leader who possesses authority from Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, is not invalidated nor is His covenant as suCh In such a case, they expect relief and happiness through his reappearance in public mornings and evenings. Allah’s anger on His enemies is most intense when the leadership with Allah’s authority would be out of public sight and would not appear to them. He (Allah) knows that his friends do not have doubts. Had it been in His knowledge that they would doubt He would not have caused the leader with His authority to disappear from public sight not even for a blinking of an eye. The reappearance of the Leader with Divine Authority will only take place over the heads of the evil ones among the people.”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from af-Fadf ibn Shadhan all from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz ibn ‘Abd Allah from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about a man who returns home from a journey. To what time is he required to perform his Salah (prayer) as reduced, and when is he required to perform his Salah (prayer) as complete? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you enter a land and you become certain of staying there for ten days, then perform your Salah (prayer) as complete. If you do not know for how long you stay there and think that you may leave it tomorrow or the next day, then perform your Salah (prayer) as reduced up to a month. When a month passes in such condition, then perform your Salah (prayer) as complete even if you decide to leave at that hour.”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from ‘Abd Allah ibn Bukayr who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in al-Basra and he is from al- Kufah. He has a house there and he passes by al-Kufah just as a passer-by without an intention to stay there except for picking up supplies within one or two days. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to stay in one side of the city and perform his Salah (prayer) as reduced.’ I then asked, ‘What is he required to do if he visits his family?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to perform his Salah (prayer) complete.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ayyub who has said the following: “Muhammad ibn Muslim once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was listening, about a traveler who thinks to stay for ten days. He (the Imam) said, ‘He is required to perform his Salah (prayer) as complete. If he does not know for how long he will stay, like for one or more, he can count to thirty days, then perform his Salah (prayer) as complete even if thereafter he stays for one day or one Salah (prayer).’ Muhammad ibn Muslim then said, ‘I am told that you have said it is five.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, I had said that.’ Abu Ayyub has said that he said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can it be less than five?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘No, it cannot be less than five.’”

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