 1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعِبَادُ مِنَ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَأَرْضَى مَا يَكُونُ عَنْهُمْ إِذَا افْتَقَدُوا حُجَّةَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُمْ وَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا مَكَانَهُ وَهُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ لَمْ تَبْطُلْ حُجَّةُ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَلا مِيثَاقُهُ فَعِنْدَهَا فَتَوَقَّعُوا الْفَرَجَ صَبَاحاً وَمَسَاءً فَإِنَّ أَشَدَّ مَا يَكُونُ غَضَبُ الله عَلَى أَعْدَائِهِ إِذَا افْتَقَدُوا حُجَّتَهُ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لَهُمْ وَقَدْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ لا يَرْتَابُونَ وَلَوْ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُمْ يَرْتَابُونَ مَا غَيَّبَ حُجَّتَهُ عَنْهُمْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَلا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ إِلا عَلَى رَأْسِ شِرَارِ النَّاسِ.

 1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Khalid from the person who narrated to him from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar, and Muhammad ibn Yahya from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from his father from certain people of his friends from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “People are nearer to Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, and He is more pleased with them when the leader who possesses authority from Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, will be out of their sight. He would not publicly appear among them and they would not know his place. Despite this they would know that the leader who possesses authority from Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, is not invalidated nor is His covenant as suCh In such a case, they expect relief and happiness through his reappearance in public mornings and evenings. Allah’s anger on His enemies is most intense when the leadership with Allah’s authority would be out of public sight and would not appear to them. He (Allah) knows that his friends do not have doubts. Had it been in His knowledge that they would doubt He would not have caused the leader with His authority to disappear from public sight not even for a blinking of an eye. The reappearance of the Leader with Divine Authority will only take place over the heads of the evil ones among the people.”

 2ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مِرْدَاسٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَيُّمَا أَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةُ فِي السِّرِّ مَعَ الامَامِ مِنْكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ أَوِ الْعِبَادَةُ فِي ظُهُورِ الْحَقِّ وَدَوْلَتِهِ مَعَ الامَامِ مِنْكُمُ الظَّاهِرِ فَقَالَ يَا عَمَّارُ الصَّدَقَةُ فِي السِّرِّ وَالله أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ فِي الْعَلانِيَةِ وَكَذَلِكَ وَالله عِبَادَتُكُمْ فِي السِّرِّ مَعَ إِمَامِكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ وَتَخَوُّفُكُمْ مِنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ وَحَالِ الْهُدْنَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِمَّنْ يَعْبُدُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ فِي ظُهُورِ الْحَقِّ مَعَ إِمَامِ الْحَقِّ الظَّاهِرِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَلَيْسَتِ الْعِبَادَةُ مَعَ الْخَوْفِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ مِثْلَ الْعِبَادَةِ وَالامْنِ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمُ الْيَوْمَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مُسْتَتِرٍ بِهَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فِي وَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله لَهُ خَمْسِينَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً فِي جَمَاعَةٍ وَمَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمْ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً وَحْدَهُ مُسْتَتِراً بِهَا مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ فِي وَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهَا لَهُ خَمْساً وَعِشْرِينَ صَلاةً فَرِيضَةً وَحْدَانِيَّةً وَمَنْ صَلَّى مِنْكُمْ صَلاةً نَافِلَةً لِوَقْتِهَا فَأَتَمَّهَا كَتَبَ الله لَهُ بِهَا عَشْرَ صَلَوَاتٍ نَوَافِلَ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ مِنْكُمْ حَسَنَةً كَتَبَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُ بِهَا عِشْرِينَ حَسَنَةً وَيُضَاعِفُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَسَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِ مِنْكُمْ إِذَا أَحْسَنَ أَعْمَالَهُ وَدَانَ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ عَلَى دِينِهِ وَإِمَامِهِ وَنَفْسِهِ وَأَمْسَكَ مِنْ لِسَانِهِ أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَرِيمٌ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَدْ وَالله رَغَّبْتَنِي فِي الْعَمَلِ وَحَثَثْتَنِي عَلَيْهِ وَلَكِنْ أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَعْلَمَ كَيْفَ صِرْنَا نَحْنُ الْيَوْمَ أَفْضَلَ أَعْمَالاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الامَامِ الظَّاهِرِ مِنْكُمْ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَنَحْنُ عَلَى دِينٍ وَاحِدٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّكُمْ سَبَقْتُمُوهُمْ إِلَى الدُّخُولِ فِي دِينِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِلَى الصَّلاةِ وَالصَّوْمِ وَالْحَجِّ وَإِلَى كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَفِقْهٍ وَإِلَى عِبَادَةِ الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ سِرّاً مِنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ مَعَ إِمَامِكُمُ الْمُسْتَتِرِ مُطِيعِينَ لَهُ صَابِرِينَ مَعَهُ مُنْتَظِرِينَ لِدَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ خَائِفِينَ عَلَى إِمَامِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنَ الْمُلُوكِ الظَّلَمَةِ تَنْتَظِرُونَ إِلَى حَقِّ إِمَامِكُمْ وَحُقُوقِكُمْ فِي أَيْدِي الظَّلَمَةِ قَدْ مَنَعُوكُمْ ذَلِكَ وَاضْطَرُّوكُمْ إِلَى حَرْثِ الدُّنْيَا وَطَلَبِ الْمَعَاشِ مَعَ الصَّبْرِ عَلَى دِينِكُمْ وَعِبَادَتِكُمْ وَطَاعَةِ إِمَامِكُمْ وَالْخَوْفِ مَعَ عَدُوِّكُمْ فَبِذَلِكَ ضَاعَفَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَكُمُ الاعْمَالَ فَهَنِيئاً لَكُمْ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَمَا تَرَى إِذاً أَنْ نَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْقَائِمِ وَيَظْهَرَ الْحَقُّ وَنَحْنُ الْيَوْمَ فِي إِمَامَتِكَ وَطَاعَتِكَ أَفْضَلُ أَعْمَالاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ دَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَالْعَدْلِ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَ الله أَ مَا تُحِبُّونَ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى الْحَقَّ وَالْعَدْلَ فِي الْبِلادِ وَيَجْمَعَ الله الْكَلِمَةَ وَيُؤَلِّفَ الله بَيْنَ قُلُوبٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَلا يَعْصُونَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَتُقَامَ حُدُودُهُ فِي خَلْقِهِ وَيَرُدَّ الله الْحَقَّ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَيَظْهَرَ حَتَّى لا يُسْتَخْفَى بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْحَقِّ مَخَافَةَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ أَمَا وَالله يَا عَمَّارُ لا يَمُوتُ مِنْكُمْ مَيِّتٌ عَلَى الْحَالِ الَّتِي أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهَا إِلا كَانَ أَفْضَلَ عِنْدَ الله مِنْ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ شُهَدَاءِ بَدْرٍ وَأُحُدٍ فَأَبْشِرُوا.

 2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Mirdas from Safwan ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from ‘Ammar al-Sabati who has said the following. “Once I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Is the worship in secrecy with an Imam from you under the government of falsehood more virtuous or the worship during the dominance and government of the truth with an Imam from you in public sight more virtuous?’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “O ‘Ammar, charity in secrecy, by Allah, is more virtuous than the charity given in public sight. The same is true when you worship in secrecy with your Imam out of public sight under the government of falsehood. (Worship) with your fear from your enemies under the government of falsehood in peace time is more virtuous than worshipping Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, during the dominance of the truth distinctly under the government of the truth. Worship with fear under the government of falsehood is not like the worship in peace under the government of the truth. You must know that if one of you would perform his obligatory prayer in congregation maintaining secrecy from the enemy, in time and complete it, Allah will record it as equal to fifty obligatory prayers performed in congregation. If one of you would perform an obligatory prayer individually maintaining secrecy from the enemy, in time and complete it Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, will record it as equal in virtue to twenty five obligatory prayers performed individually. If one of you would perform an optional prayer in time and complete it, Allah will record it as equal to ten optional prayers. If one of you would do one good deed, Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, will record it as equal to twenty good deeds. Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, will grant multiple rewards for the good deeds of a believer among you when he would make his deeds good. Allah will grant him good reward in multiples for maintaining secrecy in his religion, about his Imam (a.s.) and his own life and would control his tongue. Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, is generous. “I then said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, you have certainly given me courage to do good deeds and have given me much exhortation. However, I love to know how would we today be of more virtuous deeds than the followers of the Imam (a.s.) from you who would be among them in public sight under the government of the truth while we all have the same religion?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “You have become the winner in this in accepting the religion of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, in prayer, in fasting, in performing Hajj in every good deed, in understanding and in the worship of Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, in secrecy. (You have maintained) secrecy from your enemies when your Imam does not live in public sight, but you obey him in patience on his side, waiting and expecting the establishment of the government of truth while you are afraid for your Imam and your own lives from the unjust kings. You wait for and expect to receive your rights and the right of your Imam that are usurped by unjust ones. They have denied your rights and have forced you towards the worldly gains and means of living with patience in performing your religious duties, your worship, your obedience to your Imam and fear from your enemies. For this reason Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, will grant you the reward for your good deeds in multiples. May it be handsome and graceful for you. “I then said, ‘May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what would your holiness say in the following cases? Would our deeds as the companions of the al-Qa’im (the one to establish the kingdom of Allah), when the truth would become dominant, be more virtuous or now that we are your followers and obeying you? Would our deeds be more virtuous now or those during the dominance of the government of the truth and justice?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Glory belongs to Allah. Do you not love to to see Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, grant dominance to the truth and justice in all lands, unit ideologies, bring together the differing hearts so no one would disobey Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, on His earth? (Do you not love to see) His laws are practiced among His creatures and Allah would make the rights to return where they belong and over come so nothing of the truth would be kept secret for fear of any of the creatures? By Allah, O ‘Ammar, no one of you will die in the condition that you live now but that is more virtuous than the conditions of the martyrs of Badr and ’Uhud. It is a glad news for you all.”

 3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ هِشَامٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الثِّقَةُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُمْ سَمِعُوا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ فِي خُطْبَةٍ لَهُ اللهمَّ وَإِنِّي لاعْلَمُ أَنَّ الْعِلْمَ لا يَأْرِزُ كُلُّهُ وَلا يَنْقَطِعُ مَوَادُّهُ وَأَنَّكَ لا تُخْلِي أَرْضَكَ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ لَكَ عَلَى خَلْقِكَ ظَاهِرٍ لَيْسَ بِالْمُطَاعِ أَوْ خَائِفٍ مَغْمُورٍ كَيْلا تَبْطُلَ حُجَجُكَ وَلا يَضِلَّ أَوْلِيَاؤُكَ بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَهُمْ بَلْ أَيْنَ هُمْ وَكَمْ أُولَئِكَ الاقَلُّونَ عَدَداً وَالاعْظَمُونَ عِنْدَ الله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ قَدْراً الْمُتَّبِعُونَ لِقَادَةِ الدِّينِ الائِمَّةِ الْهَادِينَ الَّذِينَ يَتَأَدَّبُونَ بِ‏آدَابِهِمْ وَيَنْهَجُونَ نَهْجَهُمْ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَهْجُمُ بِهِمُ الْعِلْمُ عَلَى حَقِيقَةِ الايمَانِ فَتَسْتَجِيبُ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ لِقَادَةِ الْعِلْمِ وَيَسْتَلِينُونَ مِنْ حَدِيثِهِمْ مَا اسْتَوْعَرَ عَلَى غَيْرِهِمْ وَيَأْنَسُونَ بِمَا اسْتَوْحَشَ مِنْهُ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ وَأَبَاهُ الْمُسْرِفُونَ أُولَئِكَ أَتْبَاعُ الْعُلَمَاءِ صَحِبُوا أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا بِطَاعَةِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَأَوْلِيَائِهِ وَدَانُوا بِالتَّقِيَّةِ عَنْ دِينِهِمْ وَالْخَوْفِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ فَأَرْوَاحُهُمْ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْمَحَلِّ الاعْلَى فَعُلَمَاؤُهُمْ وَأَتْبَاعُهُمْ خُرْسٌ صُمْتٌ فِي دَوْلَةِ الْبَاطِلِ مُنْتَظِرُونَ لِدَوْلَةِ الْحَقِّ وَسَيُحِقُّ الله الْحَقَّ بِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَيَمْحَقُ الْبَاطِلَ هَا هَا طُوبَى لَهُمْ عَلَى صَبْرِهِمْ عَلَى دِينِهِمْ فِي حَالِ هُدْنَتِهِمْ وَيَا شَوْقَاهْ إِلَى رُؤْيَتِهِمْ فِي حَالِ ظُهُورِ دَوْلَتِهِمْ وَسَيَجْمَعُنَا الله وَإِيَّاهُمْ فِي جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ وَمَنْ صَلَحَ مِنْ آبَائِهِمْ وَأَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ.

 3. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from abu ’Usamah from Hisham and Muhammad ibn Yahya from AHmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Hamza from abu Ishaq who has said the following. “Trustworthy reliable men of the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) have said that they heard Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) say in one of his sermons as herein below. “Lord, I know that knowledge will not be erased and its sources will not discontinue altogether and You will not leave your earth without a Leader with Your Authority over Your creatures. (A Leadership with Your Divine Authority over your creatures) who lives among the people well known but is disobeyed or is afraid and in obscurity so that proofs of Your authority are not invalidated and your friends would be mislead after You have granted them guidance. Where, in fact, are they (friends of Allah) and how many are they? They are very few in number but are of great respect before Allah, Majestic is Whose mention. They follow the leaders (Imams) of religion. (They follow) the guiding Imams leaders establish in their own selves the discipline of the Imams and practice their way of life. In such conditions knowledge will lead them to the true faith and their souls then accept the call of the leaders of knowledge. The statements of the leaders (The Imam (a.s.) that are difficult to understand for others are soft an easy for them to understand. They feel comfortable with what is frightening to those who reject (truth) and is disregarded by the transgressors. They are the followers of the scholars. They only accompany the worldly people in obedience to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and His friends. They maintain secrecy to be part of their religion for fear from their enemies. Thus, their souls are clung to the high position (of the realm of existence). Their scholars and their followers live quite and silently in the rule of the government of falsehood waiting for government of the truth. Allah will soon establish truth with His words and banish falsehood. Ha ha , how fortunate it is for them due to their patience in the matters of their religion in their peace time. How strong is the desire to see them in the time of the dominance of their government. Allah will soon bring us together with them in the gardens Eden along with those of their parents, children and spouse who had been of good deeds.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Chapter #79