Setting-up a Time Limit for the Reappearance of the Twelfth Imam 
an Antipathetic Issue
7 Aḥadīth
Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has said the following. “I heard abu Ja’far say, “O Thabit, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, had set up a time limit for it in the year seventy but when al-Husayn was murdered Allah’s anger became more intense on the people on earth. He delayed it until one hundred forty. When then spoke to you about it and you publicized this hadith and disclosed the secret. Allah thereafter has not set up a time limit for it available with us. Allah deletes whatever He wants and establishes whatever He wants, with Him is the original book. Abu Hamza has said, “I narrated the above Hadith to abu ‘Abdallah and he said, “It was as you said.”
عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ يَقُولُ يَا ثَابِتُ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَدْ كَانَ وَقَّتَ هَذَا الامْرَ فِي السَّبْعِينَ فَلَمَّا أَنْ قُتِلَ الْحُسَيْنُ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِ اشْتَدَّ غَضَبُ الله تَعَالَى عَلَى أَهْلِ الارْضِ فَأَخَّرَهُ إِلَى أَرْبَعِينَ وَمِائَةٍ فَحَدَّثْنَاكُمْ فَأَذَعْتُمُ الْحَدِيثَ فَكَشَفْتُمْ قِنَاعَ السَّتْرِ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلِ الله لَهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَقْتاً عِنْدَنَا وَيَمْحُو الله مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ فَحَدَّثْتُ بِذَلِكَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله فَقَالَ قَدْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ.
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salma ibn al-Khattab from Ali ibn Hassa’n from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Kathir who has said the following. “Once I was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah that Mihzam came in and to The Imam , ‘May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, enlighten me about this matter that we wait for (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine authoriiity). When it will take place?” The Imam said, “O Mihzam, those who give it d definite time have lied, the expediting ones perish and salvation is for those who are submissive.”
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ مِهْزَمٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ هَذَا الامْرِ الَّذِي نَنْتَظِرُ مَتَى هُوَ فَقَالَ يَا مِهْزَمُ كَذَبَ الْوَقَّاتُونَ وَهَلَكَ الْمُسْتَعْجِلُونَ وَنَجَا الْمُسَلِّمُونَ.
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father form al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah , ‘I asked abu ‘Abdallah about al-Qa’im ((the one who will rise with Divine Authority) with divine power).’ He said, “Those who give it a definite time have spoken lies. We, Ahl al-Bayt, do not set a definite time.”
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْقَائِمِ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ الْوَقَّاتُونَ إِنَّا أَهْلُ بَيْتٍ لا نُوَقِّتُ.
Ahmad has narrated through his chain of narrators from the Imam the following. “Allah disdains to make the people’s time set for it (reappearance of the one who will rise with Divine Authority) to come true.”
أَحْمَدُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبَى الله إِلا أَنْ يُخَالِفَ وَقْتَ الْمُوَقِّتِينَ.
Al-Husayn ibn mmd has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Khazzaz from ‘Abd al-Karim ibn ‘Umar al-Khath‘ami from al-Fadl ibn Yasar who has said the following. “I asked abu Ja’far , ‘Is there a definite time for this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority)?” He said, “Those who set a definite time have lied, those who set a definite time have lied, those who set a definite time have lied. When Musa (Moses) came out to delegate before his lord and gave the people a definite time for his return and Allah added an other ten days his people said, ‘He has broken his promise.’” They then did what they did. When we say a hadith (make a statement to you) and if our hadith comes true you should say, “Allah has spoken the truth.” If we say a hadith to you ( make a statement) and if doe not come true, you should say, “Allah has spoken the truth.” You will be rewarded twice.”
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْكَرِيمِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْخَثْعَمِيِّ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر قَالَ قُلْتُ لِهَذَا الامْرِ وَقْتٌ فَقَالَ كَذَبَ الْوَقَّاتُونَ كَذَبَ الْوَقَّاتُونَ كَذَبَ الْوَقَّاتُونَ إِنَّ مُوسَى لَمَّا خَرَجَ وَافِداً إِلَى رَبِّهِ وَاعَدَهُمْ ثَلاثِينَ يَوْماً فَلَمَّا زَادَهُ الله عَلَى الثَّلاثِينَ عَشْراً قَالَ قَوْمُهُ قَدْ أَخْلَفَنَا مُوسَى فَصَنَعُوا مَا صَنَعُوا فَإِذَا حَدَّثْنَاكُمُ الْحَدِيثَ فَجَاءَ عَلَى مَا حَدَّثْنَاكُمْ بِهِ فَقُولُوا صَدَقَ الله وَإِذَا حَدَّثْنَاكُمُ الْحَدِيثَ فَجَاءَ عَلَى خِلافِ مَا حَدَّثْنَاكُمْ بِهِ فَقُولُوا صَدَقَ الله تُؤْجَرُوا مَرَّتَيْنِ.
Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ’Idris have narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from al-Sayyari from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin from his brother from his father Ali ibn Yaqtin who has said the following. “Abu al-Hassan said to me, ‘The Shi‘a have live on hopes for two hundred years.’” The narrator has said that Yaqtin said to his son, Ali ibn Yaqtin, “We did not have to worry. What was said to us came true. What is said to you has not come true yet” Ali then said to him, “What was said to you and what is said to us all come from one source except that good news for you have come true and you received it pure. It was just as was said to be. The good news for us has not yet come true. We thus, entertain ourselves with hopes. If we would be told that it will take place after two or three hundred years our hearts will harden and the masses will turn back from Islam. However, they have said that it will come very soon and in near future to encourage people about the coming of the relief.”
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ السَّيَّارِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الشِّيعَةُ تُرَبَّى بِالامَانِيِّ مُنْذُ مِائَتَيْ سَنَةٍ قَالَ وَقَالَ يَقْطِينٌ لابْنِهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ مَا بَالُنَا قِيلَ لَنَا فَكَانَ وَقِيلَ لَكُمْ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ إِنَّ الَّذِي قِيلَ لَنَا وَلَكُمْ كَانَ مِنْ مَخْرَجٍ وَاحِدٍ غَيْرَ أَنَّ أَمْرَكُمْ حَضَرَ فَأُعْطِيتُمْ مَحْضَهُ فَكَانَ كَمَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ وَإِنَّ أَمْرَنَا لَمْ يَحْضُرْ فَعُلِّلْنَا بِالامَانِيِّ فَلَوْ قِيلَ لَنَا إِنَّ هَذَا الامْرَ لا يَكُونُ إِلا إِلَى مِائَتَيْ سَنَةٍ أَوْ ثَلاثِمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ لَقَسَتِ الْقُلُوبُ وَلَرَجَعَ عَامَّةُ النَّاسِ عَنِ الاسْلامِ وَلَكِنْ قَالُوا مَا أَسْرَعَهُ وَمَا أَقْرَبَهُ تَأَلُّفاً لِقُلُوبِ النَّاسِ وَتَقْرِيباً لِلْفَرَجِ.
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja’far ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn ’Isma‘il al-Anbari from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ibrahim ibn Mihzam from his father who has said the following. “We mention before abu ‘Abdallah the Kings from the descendants of so and so. The Imam said, “People have perished due to their haste for this matter ((the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority). Allah does not expedite it because of the haste of people. For this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) there is a goal towards which it proceeds, Once they will reach that goal they then will not be able to move it forwards or backwards even by one hour.”
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الانْبَارِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مِهْزَمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ ذَكَرْنَا عِنْدَهُ مُلُوكَ آلِ فُلانٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ النَّاسُ مِنِ اسْتِعْجَالِهِمْ لِهَذَا الامْرِ إِنَّ الله لا يَعْجَلُ لِعَجَلَةِ الْعِبَادِ إِنَّ لِهَذَا الامْرِ غَايَةً يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهَا فَلَوْ قَدْ بَلَغُوهَا لَمْ يَسْتَقْدِمُوا سَاعَةً وَلَمْ يَسْتَأْخِرُوا.