That which proves this – in addition to what will come, that it is the source of perfection of faith and what has been mentioned previously that it is a cause of distancing of Satan – is a tradition that the great traditionist, Shaykh Sadooq has quoted in Kamaluddin from Ali bin Abdullah Warraaq that Saad bin Abdullah reports from Ahmad bin Ishaq bin Saad Ashari that he said:
I went to Imam Hasan Askari (as) and wanted to inquire about his successor. His Eminence, preceded me in the matter and said as follows:
“O Ahmad bin Ishaq! The Almighty Allah has not left the earth without a Divine Proof since the creation of Adam (as) and would not leave it without a Divine Proof till the hour shall be established (Day of Judgment). Through the Divine Proof calamities are repelled from the inhabitants of the Earth, rain falls and the bounties of the earth come out.”
After hearing these words Ahmad asked His Eminence: “Who is the Imam and Caliph after you?” Imam Hasan Askari arose from his seat and hurried inside his house and returned after a short while in such a way that upon his neck on his shoulders sat a boy, whose face seemed to be like the full moon and it seemed that he was three years old. After that, His Eminence, Imam Hasan Askari (as) said:
“O Ahmad! If you were not having a special and exalted position before Allah and the Proof of Allah, I would not have shown this son of mine to you. His name and patronymic is the same as that of the Messenger of Allah (S). He would fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppressions. O Ahmad! In this community his example is like that of Khizr and Dhulqarnain. By Allah! He will have an occultation and none shall be safe from destruction but one whom Allah has kept steadfast in the belief of his Imam and given the divine opportunity (Tawfeeq) to pray for his reappearance.”1
- 1.Kamaluddin, Vol. 2, Pg. 384