We would also not falter in our obedience to him or our delay in adhering to him.

We would also not falter in our obedience to him or our delay in adhering to him. It has been narrated by Zurarah that Imam Ja’far b. Muhammad as-Sadiq (as) has said: يُنَادِي مُنَادٍ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ أَنَّ فُلاَناً هُوَ الأَمِيرُ وَ يُنَادِي مُنَادٍ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا وَ شِيعَتَهُ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ. قُلْتُ: فَمَنْ يُقَاتِلُ الْمَهْدِيَّ بَعْدَ هٌذَا؟ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يُنَادِي أَنَّ فُلاَناً وَ شِيعَتَهُ هُمُ الْفَائِزُونَ يَعْنِي رَجُلاً مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ.

قُلْتُ: فَمَنْ يَعْرِفُ الصَّادِقَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِ؟ قَالَ: يَعْرِفُهُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا يَرْوُونَ حَدِيثاً وَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ يَكُونُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ وَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُحِقُّونَ الصَّادِقُونَ “A caller will announce from the sky: ‘Certainly so and so is the leader.’ Then a caller will announce: ‘Certainly ‘Ali (as) and his followers are the victorious ones.’” I said to the Imam: “So then who will fight against the Mahdi (ajtf) after this (call)?’ The Imam replied: “Unquestionably, Satan will also call out: ‘Certainly, so and so and his followers will be the successful ones’ meaning a man from the tribe of Bani Umayyah.’ I said to the Imam: ‘So then how will a person be able to recognize the truthful one from the imposter?’ The Imam replied: ‘Those who narrate traditions will recognize (the difference) and they will say that it (the call from the sky) will come before (the advent), and they will understand this and will know that they (the ones who make the first call) are speaking the truth.’”[^2] [^1]: al-Ghaybah of Nu’mani, sec.