The Issue of Disappearance (of the twelfth Imam  عليه السلام from Public Sight — report 29

29. Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad has narrated from from Ahmad ibn Hilal who has said that ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa narrated to us from Khalid ibn Najih from Zurara ibn A‘yan that abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام has said the following. “It will be necessary for the young boy to diappear from the public sight.” I then asked, “Why it will be necessary?” He said, “Because he will have fear- he then pointed towards his midsection. He will be the one whose reappearance will be intensely expected. It will be he in whose being born people will have doubts. Certain people will say, “His mother has just conceived him.” Others will say, “His father died but left no surviving son.” Certain others will say, “He was born two years before the death of his father.” Zurara has said, “I said to him, ‘What do you command me if will attain that time?” The Imam عليه السلام said, “Pray to Allah in the following words. “O Lord, make me know You for if you would not make me know You I will not know You. O Lord, make me know Your prophet, for if You would not make me know your Messenger I will never know him. O Lord, make me know the one who possesses Your authority over the creatures for if You will not make me know him I will stray away from my religion.” Ahmad ibn Hilal has said, “I had heard this hadith fifty six years ago.”