Blessings be on the best of His creatures, Muḥammad, and his pure progeny.

Blessings be on the best of His creatures, Muḥammad, and his pure progeny. (He said in another part,) Have patience and await the relief (al-faraj). Our Shias will always be in a state of grief until my son reappears about whom the Holy Prophet has given glad-tidings about. He will fill the earth with fairness and justice just as it will be filled with injustice and unfairness. Be patient, O my Shaykh, O Abū l-Ḥasan `Alī, and order all my followers to have patience.

Surely the earth is for Allah and He will make whomsoever He wishes from amongst His servants to inherit it and the end belongs to the pious. Peace be on you and on all our Shias, and the Mercy of Allah and His blessings and may Allah’s blessings be on Muḥammad and his family. Ithbāt al-waṣiyya[^4]: Abū l-Ḥasan Muḥammad b. Ja`far al-Asadī from Aḥmad b. Ibrāhīm who said: I went to see Khadīja, the daughter of Imam Muḥammad b. `Alī al-Riḍā, peace be on him, and the sister of Imam `Alī b.

Muḥammad al-`Askarī, peace be on him, in the year 265 AH at Medina. I spoke to her from behind a curtain and asked her about her religion. She named her Imams then said, “The pure (al-zakī) successor the son of al-Ḥasan b. `Alī, my brother.” I said, “May I be sacrificed for you!

Have you actually seen him or is your belief based merely on narration?” She replied, “A narration from my nephew [the son of my brother, Abū Muḥammad] who wrote to his mother about him.” I asked again, “Where is the son?” She replied, “He is concealed.” I said, “In whom should the Shias seek refuge?” She answered, “In his grandmother, the mother of Abū Muḥammad.” I asked, “Whose example has he followed that he has made a woman the executor of his will!?” She responded, “He has followed (Imam) al-Ḥusayn b.

`Alī, peace be on him, who had apparently willed to his sister Zainab bint `Alī. Thus, in those times, whatever knowledge (Imam) `Alī b. al-Ḥusayn spoke of was attributed to his aunt, Zainab bint `Alī, peace be on her, in order to conceal (Imam) `Alī b. al-Ḥusayn and as a protection to ensure his survival.” She then said, “Surely you are a group who are companions of traditions, narrators, and reliable persons.

Has it not been narrated to you that the inheritance of the ninth descendant of (Imam) al-Ḥusayn will be divided while he will still be alive and surviving . . .” The traditions with the following numbers also show the aforementioned concept: 242–308, 558–567, 608, 641, 786–807, 859, 1166, and 123 [^1]: Muqtaḍab al-athar, p.