Ali bin Mahziyar Ahwazi

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Ghaibat Tusi: It is narrated from a group of scholars from Talakbari fromAhmad bin Ali Raazi from Ali bin Husain from a man from Qazwin from Habib binMuhammad bin Yunus bin Shazan Sanani that he said:

“I came to Ali bin Ibrahim bin Mahziyar Ahwazi and asked him aboutthe progeny of Abu Muhammad (a.s.) and he replied: “Brother, you haveindeed asked me about a great matter. Listen, I performed twenty Hajjshoping to meet Imam Zamana (a.s.) but I was not successful. One night Idreamt that a caller was saying: O Ali bin Ibrahim, the Almighty Allah haspermitted me to perform the Hajj.

I could not understand that statement that night but in the morning, whenI got the import of it, I began to wait eagerly for the Hajj season.

When the Hajj season arrived, I prepared for the journey and set out toMedina. When I reached Medina, I inquired from the people about thedescendants of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) but could not get any information. Iwas very much worried and at last set out for Mecca. On the way, one day atJohfa when I headed for Ghadeer, which is at a distance of four miles fromJohfa. I reached there and prayed in the Masjid and after that I supplicated the Almighty Allah very fervently; but the aim was not fulfilled there also. So I went to Asqalan and thus passing each stage in turn, reached Mecca. I stayed there for some days and remained busy in performing the Tawaf and other devotions.

One  night,  when  I  was  doing  the  Tawaf,  I  noticed  an  extremelyhandsome and fragrant young man walking about and doing the Tawaf of theKaaba. Some feelings arose in my heart; I moved towards him and touchedhim.  He asked: Where do you belong to? I said: Iraq.

He asked: Where in Iraq? I said: Ahwaz.

He asked: Do you know Ibne Khazib.

I said: May Allah have mercy on him, he has passed away.

He also expressed regret and said: May Allah have mercy on him, heused to spend the nights in worship and was a sincere supplicant. Do youknow Ali bin Ibrahim Mahziyar also?

I said: I am Ali bin Ibrahim.

He said: O Abul Hasan, may Allah keep you in health. Where is the signthat you received from Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.)?

I said: It is with me.

He said: All right, take it out.

When I took it out and he saw it, he was moved by it.

After that he said: O Mahziyar, the order for you is that you go on yourway and make preparations. When a part of the night has passed, you shouldcome to the pass of Bani Aamir. You will find me there.

Thus, I returned to my lodging and when it was past midnight, I prepared my mount, loaded my belongings and sat astride the animal to set out for the pass of Bani Aamir. On reaching there, I found that same youth calling out for me, saying: O Abul Hasan, come this side.

I turned my mount in that direction. When I reached him, he greeted meand said: Follow me, brother.

We set out from there making conversation, passing the mountains ofArafat and finally reached the mountains of Mina. The dawn was about tobreak when we were between the hills of Taif.

That youth asked me to dismount and recite the Midnight Prayer.

I recited the Midnight Prayer and he asked me to recite the Watr Prayer;which I also performed. Then he said: Recite the dawn recitations and perform the prostration ofthanks, which I also completed.

After that he mounted and asked me also to mount my beast. Then we set out from there till we reached the mountain peaks of Taif. He asked: Can you see anything?

I replied: Yes, I can see a sand dune on which a woolen tent is fixedthrough which light is filtering and this sight is pleasing to me.

He said: That is our destination. Then he said: All right brother, move on. He started and I followed him till we came down from the mountains and he said: Now dismount from your beast as even tyrants have to show humility here. And leave the rein free.

I asked: Who is there to take care of my beast?

He said: This is the sanctuary of Imam Qaim (a.s.) and none but abeliever can enter and neither will anyone leave it except for a believer.

I left the rein and the two of us began to walk till that youth reached theentrance of the tent asking me to wait outside. He returned after a fewmoments and asked me to enter the tent. When I entered, I saw a persondressed in a waist cloth, with a sheet that was covering him. He was wheatencomplexion, medium height, round head, wide forehead, eyebrows joined, prominent nose, full cheeks, and a mole on his right cheek; it seemed as if agrain of musk was placed on Amber.

When I noticed His Eminence, I greeted him and he replied to me andasked me about the people of Iraq.

I said: Maula, the people of Iraq are living a life of disgrace and they arethe most degraded of all.

He said: O Ibne Mahziyar, one day you will rule them just as they areruling you today and that day, they shall be humiliated.

I said: Master, you are very remote from your country and this will take a long time.

He said: O Ibne Mahziyar, my father, His Eminence, Abu Muhammad (a.s.) has told me not to live in the community on which the Almighty Allah isinfuriated and that which is failure in the world as well as the hereafter; and apainful chastisement is reserved for them.

He has also told me to live in inaccessible mountains away fromhabitations. Allah is your helper, live in dissimulation till the Almighty Allahallows me to reappear.

I asked: When will this reappearance be?

He replied: When you would be denied access to Kaaba. When the sunand the moon come together and will be surrounded by planets and stars.

I asked: Son of the Messenger of Allah, when will this come about?

He replied: In so-and-so year, when Dabbatul Ardh will appear between Safa and Marwah. Who would be having the staff of Prophet Musa (a.s.), thering of Prophet Sulaiman (a.s.). He will usher the people to the field ofgathering.

The narrator says: I stayed there for some days, after which I was ordered to return. I came back to my lodge and then set out from Mecca to Kufa. My servant was present to serve me on the way and throughout the journey I was in absolute comfort. May the Almighty Allah bless Muhammad and his

Purified Progeny.”

Reference : Beharul anwar vol 51.52.53 , Part 1 , The Promised Mahdi