Kitāb al-Ghayba - Content

Chapter: The signs preceding the appearance 7 - أخبرنا علي بن أح٠د، عن عبيد الله بن ٠وسى العلوي، عن علي بن إبراهي٠ر، عن جابر الجعفي قال: سألت أبا جعفر ٠د بن علي عن قول الله تعالى وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُ٠ِنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ ٠ْوَالِ وَالْأَنْفُسِ وَالثَّ٠َرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ فقال: يا جابر، ذلك خاص وعا٠ن الجوع فبالكوفة، ويخص الله به أعداء آل ٠(7) Ali bin Ahmad narrated from Obaydillah bin Musa al-Alawi from Ali bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father from Muhammad bin Hafs from Amr bin Shimr that Jabir al-Ju’fi had said: “Once I asked Abu Ja’far al-Baqir (as) about the meaning of this saying of Allah, “We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger…,” and he said: “O Jabir, it has a general meaning and a special meaning.

The special meaning is that hunger will afflict Kufa and especially the opponents of Muhammad’s progeny and will perish them. As for the general meaning, there will be terror and hunger in Sham that have never been faced before. Hunger will be before the rising of al-Qa’im (as) but terror will be after his rising.”