Refinement and Trial

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa who has said the following: “I once heard abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), being asked about Salah (prayer) in the ship. He (the Imam) said, ‘If you can come out to hard ground, you must do so; but if you cannot do so, then perform Salah (prayer) standing, if you cannot do so, then perform Salah (prayer) while sitting and try to make it toward al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah).’”

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

2. Muhammad Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from al-Qasim ibn ’Isma‘il al-Anbari from al-Husayn ibn Ali from abu al-Mighra’ from abu Yah Ya‘fur who has said the following. “I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say as herein below, ‘Woe to the rebellious Arabs from the matter that is coming closer.’0” I then asked, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “How many people will be there with Al-Qa’im (the one who will rise with Divine Authority)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “just a very few persons.” I then said, “Those who speak of this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) are quite many in number.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “People must be refined, distinguished and sifted. In the sifting process a great deal is taken out.”

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

2. Ali has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about performing Salah (prayer) in ships. He (the Imam) said, ‘One must face al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) and when it makes a turn, if one is able to face al- Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) one must do so, otherwise, it is whichever direction it faces.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one can perform in a standing position, it must be done so, otherwise, one can sit down to perform his Salah (prayer).”’

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Sayrafi from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sayqal from his father from Mansur who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, “O Mansur, this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) will not come to you before despair, and not, by Allah, before (your good ones are) distinguished (from evil ones) and not, by Allah, before you are refined and not, by Allah, before tuning to misfortune of those who act in evil and before reaching salvation of those who seek salvation.”

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

3. Ali has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is in a ship and does not know the direction of al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah). He (the Imam) said, ‘He must make an effort to find the direction al-Qiblah (al-Ka‘bah) and if he cannot find it, performs Salah (prayer) facing toward where its head is.’”

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

4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu‘ammar ibn Khallad who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) say, “Alif, Lam, Mim. Do people think they will not be tested because they say, “We have faith?” (29:1-2). Then he (a.s.) asked me, “What is al-Fitna (the Test)?” I said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, in our opinion it is the test in religion.“ He (a.s.) replied, “They will be tested as gold is tested.” He (a.s.) then said, “They will be purified as gold is purified.”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Yazid ibn Ishaq from Harun ibn Hamzah al-Ghanawiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of Salah (prayer) in the ship. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is heavily loaded and when you stand up it does not shake, perform Salah (prayer) in a standing position, but if it is light that can turn upside down, then perform Salah (prayer) in a sitting position.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Sulayman ibn Salih in a Marfu‘ manner from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said, ‘Your story (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) causes apprehension in the hearts of people. Those who acknowledge it (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) you should enlighten him further and those who would deny it you should leave them alone. There must come a period of trial in which all secrets and privacy will be no more even those who would like to split one piece of hair into two pieces to find a better argument would fall until no one would be left except we and our Shi‘a.”

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

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fariy who has said the following: “One abu al-Hassan (a.s.), and I were in a ship on the Tigris. It became time for Salah (prayer) and I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, can we perform Salah (prayer) in congregation? He (the Imam) said, ‘No, we perform Salah (prayer) in the valley in congregation.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Ali ibn Muhammad have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Sayqal from his father who has said the following. “Once I, al-Harith ibn al-Mughira and a group of our people were in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who could hear our conversations. He asked ask us, “What is the issue in your dialogue? It will not happen and it will never happen. By Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before you are sifted, by Allah, what you are longing for will not happen until you are refined, by Allah, what you are looking will not happen before you are distinguished, by Allah, what you looking for will not take place before you despair, by Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before misfortune would strike those who become unfortunate and before the fortunate ones attain salvation.”

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