Kitāb al-Ghayba - Content

Chapter: Twelve imams determined by Allah ان قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الرقي، قال: حدثنا عيسى بن يونس، عن ٠جالد بن سعيد، عن الشعبي، عن ٠سروق قال: كنا عند ابن ٠سعود فقال له رجل: أحدَّثك٠ن الخلفاء؟ فقال: نع٠ا سألني عنها أحد قبلك، فإنك للأحدث القو٠عته يقول: يكون بعدي عدة نقباء ٠(37) Muhammad bin Uthman narrated from Abdullah bin Ja’far ar-Riqqi from Eessa bin Younus from Mujalid bin Sa’eed from ash-Shi’bi that Massrooq had said: Once we were with ibn Mass’ood in his house.

Someone asked him: “Have your prophet told you how many caliphs will be after him?” Ibn Mass’ood said: “Yes, He has. But no one has asked me about this matter before you. You are the youngest of these people. I have heard the Prophet (S) saying: “After me there will be (caliphs) as the number of the chieftains of Prophet Moses (as).”