Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ya'qub al- Sarraj and Ali ibn Ri'ab from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "When people pledged
allegiance to Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) after the assassination of 'Uthman he addressed the people from the pulpit and delivered a sermon (that abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) mentioned).
In this sermon he has said, "The time for your trial has returned in the same conditions as those of the day Allah sent his Prophet (s.a.). By the One Who has sent him with the truth that
you will suffer hideous confusions, will be sifted thoroughly and turned upside down.
Of the contestants those who were behind of others will overtake those who were ahead and those who were ahead of others (because of their shortcomings) will be left behind of those who
once were behind of others. By Allah I have not concealed any of the marks therein nor have I spoken a lie. I was certainly, told about this place and this day."
H 946, Ch. 83, h 2
Muhammad Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from al-Qasim ibn 'Isma'il al-Anbari from al-Husayn ibn Ali from abu al-Mighra' from abu Yah Ya'fur who has said the following. "I
heard abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) say as herein below, 'Woe to the rebellious Arabs from the matter that is coming closer.
'0" I then asked, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, "How many people will be there with Al-Qa'im (the one who will rise with Divine Authority)?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "just
a very few persons." I then said, "Those who speak of this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) are quite many in number." The Imam (a.s.) said, "People must be refined,
distinguished and sifted. In the sifting process a great deal is taken out."
H 947, Ch. 83, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Muhammad have narrated from Ja'far ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Sayrafi from Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sayqal from his father from Mansur
who has said the following.
"Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, "O Mansur, this matter (the rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority) will not come to you before despair, and not, by Allah, before (your good ones are)
distinguished (from evil ones) and not, by Allah, before you are refined and not, by Allah, before tuning to misfortune of those who act in evil and before reaching salvation of those who seek
salvation."
H 948, Ch. 83, h 4
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu'ammar ibn al- Khallad who has said the following. "I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) say, "Do people think they will not be
tested because they say, "We have faith?" (29:2).
Then he said, "Do you know what al-Fitna, trial is?" I said, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, in our opinion it is the trial and test in religion. The Imam (a.s.) said,
"They will be test and refined as gold is tested." He then said, "They will be purified as gold is purified and refined."
H 949, Ch. 83, h 5
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Yunus from Sulayman ibn Salih in a Marfu' manner from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following. "Abu Ja'far (a.s.) has said,
'Your story (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) causes apprehension in the hearts of people.
Those who acknowledge it (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) you should enlighten him further and those who would deny it you should leave them alone. There must come a
period of trial in which all secrets and privacy will be no more even those who would like to split one piece of hair into two pieces to find a better argument would fall until no one would be
left except we and our Shi'a."
H 950, Ch. 83, h 6
Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Ali ibn Muhammad have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn Mansur al-Sayqal from his father who has said the following. "Once I,
al-Harith ibn al-Mughira and a group of our people were in the presence of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who could hear our conversations.
He asked ask us, "What is the issue in your dialogue? It will not happen and it will never happen. By Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before you are sifted, by Allah,
what you are longing for will not happen until you are refined, by Allah, what you are looking will not happen before you are distinguished, by Allah, what you looking for will not take place
before you despair,
by Allah, what you are looking to will not take place before misfortune would strike those who become unfortunate and before the fortunate ones attain salvation."
