The Imamate after him will be devolved to his son, Hasan.

The Imamate after him will be devolved to his son, Hasan.’”[^5] Muhammad Ibn ‘Uthman Kufi has said, “I told Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘If, Allah forbids, something happens to you, who should we refer to?’ Imam (a.s.) answered, ‘To my son, Abul Hasan.’ Then Imam (a.s.) stated, ‘Soon there will happen a break.’ I said, ‘Where should we go at that time?’ Imam (a.s.) answered, ‘To Medina.’ I asked, ‘Which Medina (city)?’ Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) answered, ‘Madinatur Rasul (the city of Prophet (S)).’”[^6] Umayyat Ibn Ali Qiysi has said, “I told Imam Abu Ja’far Thani (a.s.), ‘Who will be your successor?’ He answered, ‘My son, Ali.’ Then he added, ‘Soon the wondering time will arrive.’”[^7] Muhammad Ibn ‘Isma’il Ibn Bazi’ has said, “Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) stated, ‘The Imamate will reach my son, Abul Hasan, when he is seven.’ Then he added, ‘Yes, seven years and even younger, just as Prophet Jesus (a.s.).’”[^8] Harun Ibn Fazl has said, “I met Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) on the day when his father, Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s.) had passed away.

He said, ‘We are Allah’s and we will return to Him. My father Abu Ja’far has passed away.’ He was then asked, ‘How do you know that your father has passed away?’ He answered, ‘I experience a state of humility before the Almighty Allah that had never happened before.’”[^9] A group of people from Isfahan, including Abul Abbas Ahmad Ibn Nadhr and Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn ‘Alawiyyah said, “In Isfahan, there was a Shi’ah man called Abdur Rahman.

He was asked, ‘Why did you accept the Imamate of Ali Naqi among all other people?’ He answered, ‘I observed something in him that caused my belief in his Imamate. I was a poor man who dared to speak openly. One year, the people of Isfahan sent me to Mutawakkil, the Abbasside caliph, for petition. One day, when I was in the house of Mutawakkil, he summoned Ali Ibn Muhammad Ridha’ (a.s.). I asked someone about the summoned person, who I thought Mutawakkil wanted to kill.

He answered, ‘He is an Alawi man. The Rafizah (the Shi’ah) believe in his Imamate.’ I thought to myself, ‘I stay here to know this man more.’ At this time, Ali Naqi (a.s.) entered on his horse. The crowd opened his way and looked at him. When I saw him, I felt affection for him and prayed that the Almighty Allah save him from the evilness of Mutawakkil.