17, p. 262, Hadith 21289; Bihar al- Anwar, vol. 2, p. 303,...

17, p. 262, Hadith 21289; Bihar al- Anwar, vol. 2, p. 303, Hadith 40. [^2]Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 97. [^3]al-Kafi, p. 186, Hadith 2; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 258, Hadith 56. Imam al-Ridha (PBUH) said that the Prophet (PBUH&HF) said, "By Him Who sent me in truth as a bearer of glad tidings!

Most certainly, al-Qa'im from my offspring shall disappear according to the covenant that has been taken from me until such time that most people will say, 'Allah does not have any wish for (implementing a government for) the family of Muhammad,' and some others become doubtful about his birth (i.e., his existence).

Thus, whoever meets such time should hold fast to his religion and should not leave out a way for Satan towards himself, or Satan will remove him from my nation and will drive him out of my religion… Certainly, Allah, the mighty and the majestic, has made 'Satans guardians for those who do not to believe.' (7:27)"[^1] The period of occultation is the most sensitive and the most difficult period of the trial for people, and those who succeed to maintain their faith during this period have the greatest faith in comparison with the people of other era.

In a very interesting Hadith, Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) narrated from his fathers from the Leader of the Faithful (PBUH) who said: The Apostle of Allah (PBUH&HF) said, "O Ali!

The most astonishing people in faith and the greatest among them in certainty (Yaqin) are the people who shall be in the end of time who shall not meet the Prophet (PBUH&HF), and the Proof (of Allah) shall be concealed from them, but they shall believe by means of black (letters) over white (sheets) [i.e., by the written traditions that have reached them]."[^2] In a Tawqi', Imam al-Mahdi (PBUH) mentioned: [^1] Kamal al-Din, p. 51, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 68, Hadith 10.

Similar traditions have been narrated from Imam Ali (PBUH), Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH). See Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 51, p. 119 & p. 145. [^2]Man La Yahdhuruhu al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 366; Kamal al-Din, p. 288, Hadith 8; Wasa'il al-Shia, vol. 27, p. 92, Hadith 33296; Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, p. 125, Hadith 12. "We are not negligent of caring you and are not forgetful of your remembrance. Had it been so, then terrible calamities would have befallen you and your enemies would have destroyed you.