Have you not seen that some people...

Have you not seen that some people, in our age as well as in the ages gone by, were misguided and became apostates by similar things only because they were ignorant of the signs of reappearance and special characteristics of the Imam? Therefore they became deviated and misled others also.

If they had acquired knowledge and obtained Marifat and followed what is mentioned about the signs of reappearance and traits of the Imam of the Time (aj) they would have gained salvation and they would not have washed their hands of faith. I beg Allah, the Mighty and Sublime to bestow us knowledge and protect us from mistakes and deviations, as He is the hearer of supplications. Further explanation on this matter will be presented at a later stage, Insha Allah.

(Surah Nisa 4:59) On the basis of this it is obligatory for the believer to recognize the signs of the reappearance of His Eminence, so that when he reappears, he can be obeyed and that falsehood may be separated from truth.

Here we shall present some traditions that Shaykh Nomani has included in Ghaibat:[^3] Umar Ibne Hanzala reports that Imam Sadiq (as) also said, “There are five certain signs for Qaim (aj): Sufyani, Yamani, Call from the Sky, Slaying of Nafs-e-Zakiyyah (The pure soul) and sinking of the ground at Baida?” In another report from the Imam (as) it is mentioned that he said: “Before the year of the cry (from the heavens), there will be a sign in the month of Rajab.” He was asked, “What is it?” He said, “A face and a protruding hand will appear on the moon.” It is narrated from Abdullah bin Sinan that Imam Sadiq (as) said, “The cry (from the heavens), the rising of the Sufyani, the rising of the Yamani, killing of the pure soul and a hand appearing in the sky will be inevitable.