False Claimants

False Claimants

[al-Ghayba al-Nu’mani, Vol. 1 page 152]

al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar (peace be upon him) had said: I heard the Sheikh-he meant Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) – saying:

“Beware of allusion! By Allah, He (Imam al-Mahdi) will be hidden (by the will of Allah) for a period of time and he will be ignored until it will be said that he has died, perished or be lost in an unknown valley. The eyes of the believers will shed a lot of tears for him. Turning over will occur as a ship in a rough sea. 

No one will be saved except those, whom Allah has promised, fixed faith in their hearts and assisted with His mercy.

Twelve suspicious banners will be raised, none of which will be distinguished from each other.”

I began to cry and then I asked him: “What will we do then?”

He (a) looked at a ray of the sun shining into the shed and said to me: “O’ Abu Abdullah (al-Mufaddal), do you see this sun?”

I said: “Yes, I do.”

He (a) said: “By Allah, our matter is clearer than this sun.”

عن المفضل بن عمر الجعفي، قال:

" سمعت الشيخ - يعني أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) - يقول: إياكم والتنويه، أما والله ليغيبن سبتا من دهركم، وليخملن حتى يقال: مات، هلك،بأي واد سلك؟ ولتدمعن عليه عيون المؤمنين، وليكفأن تكفؤ السفينة في أمواج البحر، فلا ينجو إلا من أخذ الله ميثاقه، وكتب في قلبه الإيمان،وأيده بروح منه، ولترفعن اثنتا عشرة راية مشتبهة لا يدرى أي من أي.

قال: فبكيت، ثم قلت له: كيف نصنع؟ فقال: يا أبا عبد الله - ثم نظر إلى شمس داخلة في الصفة - أترى هذه الشمس؟ فقلت: نعم، فقال: واللهلأمرنا أبين من هذه الشمس

al-Nu’mani comments:

“Imam Abu ‘Abdullah al-Sadiq (a) intended by his saying to refer to the serious troubles that the Shia would face such as the terrible deviating seditions, the invalid and confused doctrines, the suspicious banners pretending to have inherited the imamate from the progeny of Ali bin Abu Talib (a) and the many mutinous people, who looked forward to the rule and leadership in every age.”

Comments:

The Imam predicts twelve different banners (groups) that will be raised close to the time of the reappearance of al-Hujjah (a), and that these groups will be so alike that it would be difficult to differentiate them.

Moreover, they will cast doubt in the hearts of the believers , a matter so serious that al-Mufaddal began to shed tears.

To which the Imam comforts him by saying “Our Matter is clearer than this sun.”

“Those who do not know say, "Why does Allah not speak to us or there come to us a sign?" [..] We have shown clearly the signs to a people who are certain [in faith].” (2:118)

Meaning if God willing we strengthen ourselves and our faith, our piety and knowledge, as well as our Ma’rifa of the Imam of our time, then the truth shall be clearer than the sun to us. There would be no doubt for the believers on who is the real Imam, if such a degree of faith is reached.

“Those are the believers, truly.  For them are degrees [of high position] with their Lord and forgiveness and noble provision.” (8:4)

Wa Allahu Ta’ala ‘Aalam.