ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Promised Mahdi (part One) 19 Chapter Nineteen: People with long lifespans in the History of Humanity - longevity of Imam Zamana (a.s.) In this chapter the first mention should be made of that which is quoted by Shaykh Saduq in Ikmaaluddin wa Tamaamun Nima: Abu Duniai Muammar 1- It is mentioned in the above book that Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Shajari said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Qasim Raqqi and Ali bin Husain bin Habka Alaiki that: “Once we met a person in Mecca who was from Maghrib.

We had come to the House of Allah for Hajj along with a group of traditionists and we went to meet that person. It was three hundred and nine Hijra then. We saw that all the hairs of the head and beard of that person were black. However, he was a skeleton covered with skin like a dry water-bag. He was surrounded by his grandchildren and elderly people of his homeland. They informed that they lived in the far most region of the north-west Africa near Bahirah Ulya.

Those elderly persons testified and said: ‘We have heard from our forefathers and they from their ancestors that they are watching this person who is called Abu Duniya Muammar whose name is Ali bin Uthman bin Khattab bin Marra bin Muwayyad from a long time. He is Hamadani and a resident of highland of Yemen.’ We asked that aged person, ‘Have you seen Ali (a.s.)?’ He gestured. His eyebrows were hanging in front of his eyes. When his eyes were opened, it appeared as if two lamps were lighted.

He told us, ‘I have seen him with these eyes of mine. I was his servant. I accompanied him in the Battle of Siffeen and this injury was caused by the leg of his mount.’ We saw the mark of injury on his right eyebrow.

All the grandsons and other relatives of that elderly person surrounding him testified for his long life and said: ‘We have seen him in the same state since the time we were born and began to understand things and we have heard the same from our forefathers also.’ When we talked to him, we came to know that he was not of unsound of mind and whatever was asked to him, he replied after thinking. We asked him about himself. He related, ‘My father used to read ancient books and Sahaifs (scriptures).

Thus, he read about Aab-e-Hayat (Life-giving water) in one of the books that it is in darkness (deep wilderness) and whoever drinks this water will have a very long life. After reading this, he developed interest in visiting the darkness.