He will gather the advocates of the truth around himself and...
He will gather the advocates of the truth around himself and will fill the earth with justice after being filled with oppression. This is the meaning of the days. So do not be the enemy of these days, or else they will be your enemies in the Day of Judgment.’ Then Imam (a.s.) said, ‘O Saqar!
Bid me and leave, because you will not be safe.’”[^4] Saqar Ibn Abi Dilf has also said, “I heard from Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s.), ‘After me my son, Hasan, will be the Imam and after Hasan his son will be the Imam and a Qa’im, who will fill the earth with justice after being filled with oppression.’”[^5] Yahya Ibn Yasar has said, “Four months before his demise, Imam Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s.) willed to his son, Hasan, and selected him as the Imam.
A group of his relatives were witness to this.”[^6] Ali Ibn ‘Umar Nufili has said, “I was with Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) in his house, when his son, Muhammad, passed us. I told Imam (a.s.), ‘May I sacrifice for you!
Will he be the Imam after you?’ Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) answered, ‘No, your Imam after me will be my son, Hasan.’”[^7] Abdullah Ibn Muhammad ‘Isfahani has said, “Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) told me, ‘Your Imam after me is the one who will perform prayer for my corpse.’ At that time, Abu Muhammad (a.s.) was not known yet.
When Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) passed away, his son, Abu Muhammad (a.s.), performed prayer for his body.”[^8] Ali Ibn Ja’far has said, “I was with Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) when his son, Muhammad, passed away. Imam (a.s.) told his son, Hasan (a.s.), ‘My son! Thank Allah, because the Almighty Allah has appointed you as the Imam.”[^9] Ahmad Ibn Muhamamd Ibn Abdullah Ibn Marwan has said, “When Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali (a.s.) passed away, I was present. Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.) came in and sat on a chair.
His household was around him. His son, Abu Muhammad, was present too. When Imam (a.s.) completed shrouding and burying Abu Ja’far (a.s.), he looked at his son, Abu Muhammad (a.s.), and said, ‘My son!
Thank the Almighty Allah, because He has placed the Imamate in you.’”[^10] Ali Ibn Mahziyar has said, “I told Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.), ‘If a bad happening occurred for you, who should we refer to?’ Imam (a.s.) answered, ‘My promise will be devolved to my eldest son, Hasan.’”[^11] Ali Ibn ‘Umar Attar has said, “I went to see Imam Abul Hasan (a.s.), while his son, Abu Ja’far, was alive and we thought that he will be the successor to Imam (a.s.).