and His chosen person in His land, the remover of grief
and the vicegerent of the compassionate Allah,
Imam A]-Mandi, the Imam of the age,
the Lord of the Time
Chapter 1
The Nativity of Imam Al-Mandi
Drawing on reliable documents and relating from Boshr ibn Sulayman (who was one of Abu Ayyub Ansari's descendants and one of Imam Ali Al-Naghi and Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari devout Shiites [he was the I I 1h Imam's neighbor in the city of Samarra(A city in north-central-.Iraq on the Tigris River, north-northwest of Baghdad. It was the capital of the Abbasid dynasty in the ninth century and is today a pilgrimage center for Shiite Muslims.)],
ibn Babewayh and Sheikh Al-Tusi mention that he said: "One day Kafur, Imam Ali Al-Naghi's servant, came to and asked me to go with him to the Imam. When I met Imam Ali AI-Naghi, he said: "You are of Ansaree's descendants. Your family and ancestors have always loved us and believed in our guardianship since the Prophet's time. You have always been confident and I have chosen you and have bestowed on you such honor and grace because of which you will go farther than other Shiites in our guardianship. I inform you of other secrets and assign you to acquire a house maid." Then he wrote a letter in a foreign language and affixed his seal on it and brought a bag, which contained 220 gold coins. In addition, he said: "Take this letter and the bag and go to Baghdad. In the morning of a certain day, you must go to the bridge. When the ships carrying the captives reach the shore, you will see some salve girls on those ships. At that time, some customers who are attorneys of the Abbasid rulers and Arab youths will come to the place of the slave girls. So all the day look at the salve trader who is called Amr Ibn Yazid until a salve girl, whose name is such and such (he explained all her characteristics) and who is wearing a silk dress, will be presented to the customers. That girl will abstain from being touched and viewed by the customers. You will hear that she Litters some words in a Roman language. Be aware that she says: "Oh, my God! My chastity is lost!" Then one of the Customers will propose 300 gold coins for that girl. Her chastity encourages him more to purchase her. Then she will answer that man in Arabic that if you come to me in the shape and appearance of Solomon and be as wealthy as he was, I will never agree to come with you: therefore, do not waste your money for me. Then the slave trader says: "What do I must do with you, for you do not agree to go with any customer? I have no choice but to sell you." The salve girl will say: "Why are you in a hurry? Of course, a customer in whom I can trust must come." At this time you must go to the slave tender and say that You have a letter from the one of important and rich people and it is written out of kindness in a foreign language, and in that letter he has described his generosity, greatness, and loyalty. Then you ask him to give it to the girl. You say that if she agrees with the letter writer, you are his deputy for redeeming her.*'
Boshr ibn Sulayman says; "What ever Imam had said happened. And I did all lie instructed. When she saw the letter, she shed tears a lot and said to Amr ibn Yazid that he had to sell her to the owner of the letter, and if he did not do that, she seriously swore that she would commit suicide. I started bargaining with the man to reduce the price and finally he agreed to sell her for the price Imam Ali AI-Naghi had mentioned. Therefore, I gave him the money. The girl got happy and glad. She came with me to the room I had rented in Baghdad. When she reached the rooms, he took out the Imam's letter. She kissed it and put it on her eyes and rubbed it on her body. 'Then I asked surprisingly that why she kissed a letter whose writer she did not know! She said: "You, poor man, who know his Imam little! By the greatness of the descendants and legatees of prophets, listen to me whole-heartedly to Know my strange story: I am Malikah, daughter of Joshua who is the descendant of Ceasar the Roman emperor. My mother is a descendant-Of Simon, one of Jesus' apostles, the son of Hammon who is the son of Alssafa. When I was thirteen years old, my father wanted to marry me to his nephew. Therefore, he called all Jurist's apostles' issues and the Christian learned people and pious men to come to his palace. They were about 300 people. He also called 700 famous people as well as officers, army commanders and tribes' chiefs, who made up some 4000 people. He ordered to bring a throne decorated with jewels in his reign. That throne was put on forty legs. Idols and crosses were put on high places. Then he sent his brother's son on the throne. When priests took their Bibles to recite, the idols and crosses all fell down, the legs of the throne were broken, and it fell on the ground. At that time, priests' faces went in fear and trembling. Then their great said to my father: "Your Majesty! Excuse us from this matter, because of which ominousness happens and it indicates that the Christian religion would soon get demolished." So my father deemed this matter evil omen and told the priests to put the Crosses back on their places and to erect the throne. He ordered to bring the brother of this unlucky poor man in order to marry me and therefore the happiness of this brother would take away the other brother's inauspiciousness. When they did so and the priests began to read the Bibles, again the same Napping occurred. The inauspiciousness of both brothers was equal. They did not know its mystery that it is because of eminence felicity not because of the brothers' inauspiciousness. Then people got scattered. Depressed, my father came back to the palace and felt deeply ashamed. At night time, I went to bed. I slept and dreamt that Christ, Simon and some of Apostles have gathered in my father's palace. A pulpit made of light, which was so high that reached the sky was raised. It was put where my father had put the throne. Then the Prophet Muhammad along with Ali ibn Abu Taalib, his friend, groom, and successor, and some of the Imams brought light to the palace with their presence. Then Christ went to welcome the Prophet Muhammad politely and embraced him. The Prophet Muhammad said: "0 Jesus Christ! We have come to seek your permission for marrying Malikah, the daughter of Simon, to my happy issue." And then he pointed to Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari, the son of the person whose letter you gave me. Then he addressed Simon and said: "Honor of both worlds has come to you. Join yourself with the family of the Prophet Muhammad." Then Simon said: "I will do." Then all go up that pulpit and the Prophet Muhammad along with Jesus Christ united Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askari and me in matrimony. The Prophet Muhammad and the Apostles were our
witnesses. Scared of being killed, I never reported that dream to my father, when I got up, and since regarded it as my secret. The warmth of that Imam's kindness was increasingly getting more intense and it made me so impatient that I got reluctant to eat and drink. Everyday my face got paler, I got thinner, and the impression of the hidden love appeared. There remained no physician in Roman cities, unless my father called him up to visit me for medical treatment, but nothing proved effective.
"When they got disappointed at my recovery from disease, my father came to me and said: "My dearest daughter! Is there anything in your dreams that I can materialize for you?" I said: "My dear father! I see all doors of hope closed. If you can, stop bothering and torturing Muslim captives, who are in your prisons, and let them go back to their homes. I hope Jesus Christ and his mother may cure me because of this." When lie did so, I pretended to be a little better and I ate some food. Therefore, he got happy, respected, and showed more hospitality toward other Muslim captives. After fourteen months, I dreamed the best woman of both worlds, Fatemah Zahra. (s.a) and Virgin Mary along with 1000 hOUris who were with her. Addressing me, Mary said: "She is the best woman of both worlds and your mother-in-law." Then I took her garment and shed tears. I complained that Imam Al-Hassan does not come to visit me. She said: "How can my scion come to visit you, when you are polytheist and Christian. Now my sister, Mary, dislikes your religion. If you want that Allah and Mary get pleased with you and, accordingly, Imam Al-Hassan come to meet you, say: "I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah." When I uttered this sentence, the best woman of both worlds embraced me, sympathized with me, and said: "Now wait for my scion I will send him to visit you." Then I got up. I began to repeat that clean and holy sentence and looked forward to see him. The next night I slept and dreamt the sun of his beauty. I said that my dear friend! After you captured my heart with your kindness and love, why do not you come to visit me? He said: "Only because of your polytheism, I did not come to visit you. Now that you are a Muslim, I visit you every night until Allah lets you and me reach each other in reality and this separation changes into union." After that dream, there was no night that he did not cure my separation ache with his coming."
Boshr ibn Sulayman enquired about the way she joined the prisoners of war. She said: "One night, Imam Al-Hassan informed me that my father would dispatch an army to fight Muslims on a certain day and he would go after them. He said to me to go in disguise with servants and slave girls and go that certain way. I did so and Muslim advance guards saw us and captured us. In addition, the end of my story you yourself saw. Moreover, except you, nobody else knows that I am the daughter of the Roman Emperor. An old man who took me as a captive asked me of my name and I told that my name is Narjes and he said that this is the name of servants." Boshr ibn Sulayman says; "This is strange that you are a foreigner and can speak Arabic very well." She answered; "For my father liked me very much, he wanted me to learn all good customs and things. He ordered a woman who knew both the Arabic language and my language to come to teach me Arabic every day and night so that I picked up this language."
Boshr ibn Sulayman says; "I brought her to Samarra and then to Imam Ali Al-Naghi. Imam asked her: "How does Allah, Almighty and Glorious, show you Islam esteem and Christian degradation, and honor and greatness of the Prophet Muhammad and his family?" She said: "0 scion of the Prophet!
How can I describe for you what you know better than me?" Then he said: "I like to respect you. Do you prefer to have 10000 gold coins or to be eternally happy and respected?" She said: "I do like to be eternally felicitous and respected." He said: "I give you good tidings that you will have a son who will be the king of the world, from east to west. He will bring justice to the world, after it is filled with injustice." She said: "Who will be the father of this child?" He said: "The one whom the Prophet Muhammad united with you in matrimony." Then he asked: "Whom did Jesus Christ and his successor unite with you in matrimony that night?" She said: "Imam Al-Hassan Al¬Askari, your son." He said: "Do you know him?" She said: "Since the night I was converted into Islam by Fatemah (s.a), the best lady, there was no night except I dreamt him." Then he called his servant Kafur and told him to call his sister, Hakimeh Khatun. When Hakimeh Khatun entered, he said to her that she is the girl I told. Hakimeh Khatun embraced and cherished her. Then he said: "Oh the daughter of the Prophet! Take her to your house and teach her the due religions rites and customs, for she is Al-Hassan's wife and the mother of the Command Authority."
Drawing on authoritative documents, Kulayni, ibn Babwayh, Sheikh Al-TUSI, Sayyed Mortaza and other famous hadith ulema relate from Hakimah Khatun that one day Imam Al-Hassan Al¬Askari came to her house and looked at Narjes Khatun harshly. I said: "If you would like to be with her, I will bring her to your house." He said: "My aunt! This looking was out of surprise, for Allah the Almighty will soon make her give birth to a child who will bring justice to the world, after it is filled with injustice." I said: "Do I have to bring her to your house?" He said: "Ask my father about this issue."
Hakimah Khatun said that she wore my clothes and went to her brother's house. After greeting, she sat and before she began to speak, the Imam said: "Take Narjes to my son." She said: "My master! I have come only for this matter. I have come just to take permission." He said: "0 Generous woman who is full of blessings! Allah wills you to have a share in this good deed." She said that she returned to her house very soon and prepared things in her own house for the nuptial ceremony [of that source of happiness and generosity. After some days, she took that great lucky star to the house of sun.] Some days later, Imam Ali Al-Naql passed away Imam Al-Hassan Al-Askarl attained imamate. As usual, she visited Imam Al-Askari everyday. One day Narjes Khatun came and said: "Stretch your legs so that I can take your shoes off." She told her that she is her lady and she would never let her take her shoes off or serve her, but she will serve her and she hold herself indebted for it. When Imam Al-Hassan heard this matter, he said: "May Allah bless you, my aunt."' She was with him until the evening and then she called her servant to bring her clothes. Imam Al-Hassan said: "Oh my aunt! Stay with us tonight, for tonight Allah will bestow us with a great son who will revive the earth by knowledge, faith, and guidance, after it is imbued with blasphemy and error." She enquired how it would be possible. I see no sign of pregnancy in Narjes!" He said: "Narjes will give birth to the child." She checked her body and found no sign in her, so she said again that she found no sign. He smiled and said: "When it gets morning, the effect of pregnancy appears. She is like Moses' mother, who showed no sign of pregnancy until the time of delivery and no one knew it, for Pharaoh tore the belly of women who were heavy with child in order to find Moses. Now in this regard, this child is like Moses."
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