He was Shaykh Najmuddin Abu Saeed Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin...

He was Shaykh Najmuddin Abu Saeed Muhammad bin al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ali bin Salt Qummi, may Allah continue his Taufeeq (good sense). My father and I used to narrate traditions on the authority of his grandfather, Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ali bin Salt (q.s.) and spoke well of his knowledge and actions, piety, excellence and worship.

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa with all his excellence and greatness used to narrate traditions from Abu Talib Abdullah Ibne Salt Qummi (r.a.) and Abdullah bib Salt remained here till he met Muhammad bin al-Hasan Saffar and related traditions from him. When the Almighty Allah enabled me to meet a gentleman of such an excellent family I thanked him for according me such a cordial reception and sincere audience.

One day he told me about his meeting with a great philosopher and logician of Bukhara and he also related to me one of his statements about His Eminence, the Qaim (a.s.) which had put him in confusion, perplexity and doubts with regard to the Holy Imam (a.s.) due to the prolongation of his occultation and due to cutting off of news regarding him.

Therefore, I explained to him some facts about His Eminence and quoted some traditions of the Holy Prophet (S) and the Holy Imams (a.s.) in connection with the Imam (a.s.). As a result of which that person got assurance and the doubts and misgivings that had inflicted his mind were removed. He listened with full attention to all the authentic traditions that I related to him and accepted them from the depth of his heart. He petitioned me to write a book for him on this subject.

I agreed to do so and promised him that when the Almighty Allah would facilitate my return to my hometown, Rayy, I will compile the relevant traditional reports on this topic. One night, when I drifted into sleep after thinking about my family, friends and the bounties that the Almighty Allah had bestowed on me, I dreamt that I was performing the circumambulation of the Holy Kaaba in Mecca and in the seventh round I was near the Black Stone (Hajar Aswad), and upon reaching it I was kissing it.

I was saying that I had repaid my trust and fulfilled my covenant so that it might be a witness of this. At that moment I had the honor of seeing my master, the Master of the Age (a.s.) standing at the door of the Kaaba. My heart began to beat fast with excitement and he came to know my inner feelings which were reflected in the worried expression on my face.