01 May Birth Of Imam Mahdi (a.t.f.s)
Hakimah Khatoon, the daughter of Imam Muhammad Taqi al-Javaad (a.s.), and the aunt of Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) narrates the conditions of the birth of Hazrat Mahdi (a.s.) as follows:
Abu Muhammad Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (al-Askari) (a.s.) sent for me and said,
“O Aunt! Break your fast with us tonight. This is the eve of 15th of Shabaan and Allah, the High, will bring forth the Hujjah on this night. He will be his Proof on His earth.”
Lady Hakimah says that she asked him, “Who is his mother?” He (a.s.) replied, “Narjis”. On this she said, “May Allah make me your ransom! There is no sign (of pregnancy) in her.” He (a.s.) said, “It is as I tell you.” Lady Hakimah continues, “I came and when I greeted and sat, she came to take off my shoes and wished me, saying “My lady! How are you this evening?” “Rather, you are my lady,” said I, “and the lady of my household”. She turned my word down and said, “What is this dear aunt?” “Dear child! Allah, the Exalted, will grant you tonight a boy, the master of this world and the hereafter.” She sat and felt shy. When I finished the evening breaking the fast, I went to bed and slept. It was in the middle of the night when I got up to perform prayers. I finished my prayers while Narjis was still sleeping and there was still no sign (of pregnancy) in her. I sat up performing the post prayers supplications and then I went to bed. All of a sudden I woke up. She was still asleep. She then woke up and performed prayers.
Lady Hakimah says, “As doubts arose in my mind, Abu Muhammad (Imam Hasan al-Askari) (a.s.) called out, “Do not haste, O aunt, the affair has come near.” I recited the Surahs Alif Laam Mim Sajdah and Yasin. As I was doing that she woke up suddenly. I rushed towards her and read the name of Allah on her and asked “Are you alright?” “Yes” she replied. “Pull yourself together and gather your heart. It will be as I told you”. Lady Hakimah continues, “And then I fainted as parturition seized her. I was brought back to my senses by my Master (a.s.). I removed the sheet from him, and there he was, prostrating on the earth with his forehead, palms, knees and toes. I pulled him to myself and he was pure and clean. Abu Muhammad (a.s.) called on me, “Bring my son to me, aunt.” I took his son to him. He put his hands under his thighs and back and put the infant’s feet on his chest. He then put his tongue in his mouth and touched his eyes, ears and joints with his hands. “My son, speak”, he said.
The infant said,
“I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah, He is the One without a partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) is Allah’s Messenger.”
He then sent salutations upon Amirul Momeneen (a.s.) and the other Imams (a.s.) till he reached his father and then stopped on account of reverence.
Abu Muhammad (a.s.) said, “Take him to his mother so he may greet her and then bring him back to me”. I took him to his mother and he greeted her. Then I brought him back and put him in the sitting room. He then said, “Aunt, come to us on the seventh day.”
Lady Hakimah says, “In the morning, I came to offer my greetings to Abu Muhammad (a.s.). I removed the curtain looking for my Master. On failing to find him, I asked his father, “May I be your ransom, where is my Master?”
He (a.s.) said, “We entrusted him to the one that the mother of Moses (a.s.) had entrusted him to.” When it was the seventh day, I came and greeted and sat down. He (a.s.) said, “Bring my son to me.” I brought my master wrapped in a diaper. He did to his son what he had done earlier. Then he put his tongue into his mouth, as if he was feeding him milk or honey. Then he said, “Talk, O my son.”
The blessed infant said, “I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah.” He then praised and beseeched blessings for Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) and Ameerul Momeneen Ali (a.s.), and every one of the Imams (a.s.) till he reached his father. Then he recited this verse,
وَنُرِيدُ أَن نَّمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِيْنَ. وَنُمَكِّنَ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَنُرِيَ فِرْعَوْنَ وَهَامَانَ وَجُنُوْدَهُمَا مِنْهُم مَّا كَانُوْا يَحْذَرُوْنَ
“And We desire to confer kindness upon those who have been enfeebled on the earth and make them Imams and make them heirs and give them power on earth and show Pharoah and Haman and their armies what they have been averting.[1]”[2]
Other narrations mention that, “When Hazrat Saaheb ul Amr (a.s.) was born, a light beamed from his forehead towards the heights of the heaven. I saw white birds descending from the sky, rubbing their wings on his head and body and then flying off. Hazrat Imam Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) told me,
“O aunt! Bring my son to me. …… On his arm, the Quranic verse was written,
جَاءَ الْحَقُّ وَ زَهَقَ الْبَاطِلُ اِنَّ الْبَاطِلَ كَانَ زَهُوْقًا
“Say: Truth has arrived and falsehood vanished. Surely, falsehood was bound to vanish.[3]”[4]