‘Ahmad Ibn ‘isa returned to my father and asked, ‘What did the envoy say?

‘Ahmad Ibn ‘isa returned to my father and asked, ‘What did the envoy say?’ My father said, ‘It was good.’ ‘Ahmad said, ‘I heard what he said completely.’ My father told him, ‘You did something unlawful! Don’t you know that the Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quran, ‘And spy not on each other.’ [^3] Now that you have heard the message of Imam (a.s.), maintain it until the day we will need it.

But do not reveal it before that.’” The next morning, my father wrote the message of Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) in ten copies, leaving each of them with a trustworthy person. Then he said, ‘If my death came, open the letters and follow the orders.’ My father said, ‘When Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) passed away, I did not left my house until I heard that the nobles of the tribe have gathered in the house of Muhammad Ibn Faraj to discuss the Imamate issue.

Muhammad Ibn Faraj informed me of this gathering and asked me to join them. I rode my horse and went to them. I saw the noble men in his house who were talking about relation with the Imam. Most of them were doubtful of the Imamate issue. I told the trustworthy people who had a copy of Imam’s message to bring them.

I told the audience, ‘This is s message Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has sent me to convey to you.’ Some of the audience said, ‘We wish at least one other person testified to this.’ I said, ‘The Almighty Allah has destined that Abu Ja’far ‘Ash’ari hear this message and can testify to it. You can ask him.’ The audience asked ‘Ahmad Ibn Muhammad about it, but he refused to testify to what he had heard. So I invited him to mubahilah (cursing).

He got frightened of it and said, ‘Yes, I heard the same issue, but it is an honor that I liked to be for an Arab man. Now, however, I cannot hide the truth after being invited to mubahilah.’ After this testimony, all the audience surrendered to Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.).’” After narrating this story, Shiykh Mufid has added, “There are many traditions about this issue. The book will get so lengthy if I want to mention all these traditions.

The consensus of the companions about the Imamate of Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) and lack of any other one who claims to be the Imam are sufficient for us.”[^4] Saqar Ibn Abi Dilf has said, “I heard from Imam Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali (a.s.), ‘The Imam after me will be my son, Ali. His order will be my order, his speech will be my speech, and obeying him is like obeying me.