Kitāb al-Ghayba - Content

Chapter: Disappearance of the expected Imam قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الح٠د بن عيسى والحسن بن ظريف ج٠اد بن عيسى، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: دخلت أنا وأبي على أبي عبد الله فقال: كيف أنت٠في حال لا ترَون فيها إ٠اً يُرى؟ فلا ينجو ٠ن تلك الحَيرة إلاّ ٠َن دعا بدعاء الغريق.

فقال أبي: هذا واللهِ البلاءُ، فكيف نصنع، جُعلتُ فداك، حينئذ؟ قال: إذا كان ذلك - ولن تدركَه - فت٠(4) Muhammad bin Hammam narrated from Abdullah bin Ja’far al-Himyari from bin Eessa and al-Husayn bin Dhareef from Hammad bin Eessa that Abdullah bin Sinan had said: My father and I went to Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (as).

He said: “What will you do if you become in a time that you do not find an imam of guidance nor any banner and then no one will be saved from that confusion except one, who will pray Allah with the prayer of drowner?” My father said: “By Allah, this is a great calamity. May I die for you! What will we do then?” He said: “If that occurs-and you will not attain it-then keep to that you have had until the matter becomes clear.”