Watchful Presence of our beloved Mahdi (PBUH)

Last Part (8)

Then our Mawla Hasan son of Ali (PBUT) rose for Salaat [Allah Commanded Prayer] and rose Qaa’em [Hadrat Mahdi (PBUH)] with him. So I left their presence and went to look for Ahmad son of Eshaaq; he [Ahmad] then came toward me while crying. So I said: What caused you to delay [let us remember that as we said in part 2 of this story Imam Askari (PBUH) had sent him to bring a certain garment which was from a pious old lady] and what made you cry?

He said: I’ve lost the garment that my Mawla had asked me to present. So I told him: Worry not and inform him. He went to him (PBUH) and then came out smiling while he was saying Salawaat to Mohammad and his AhlulBayt (PBUT). So I asked him: What is the news?

He said: I found the garment laid open under the two feet of our Mawla, Praying on it!

[In this manner, with Ahmad’s delay, a very blessed private and personal time was provided for Sa’d son of Abdullah so that his broken and sincere heart would be healed. May the hearts of all who today sincerely seek the Truth be healed by the loving guidance of our beloved living Imam of Time (PBUH) … .

By the way: Ahhhh! Do you not wish that you were in place of that old lady? Her simple offering was so accepted and considered Halaal that the Infallible Imam (PBUH) Prayed upon it, while some of the worldly valuable offerings of others was not considered clean enough to even be touched!!!]

Sa’d said: We praised Allah -Magnificent is His Remembrance- for that. After that day, we went to our Mawla’s (PBUH) house other days, but we did not see the boy in front of him.

Then  when it was the day to say farewell, I and Ahmad son of Eshaaq and two of the elders from our city entered our Mawla. And Ahmad son of Eshaaq stood in front of the Imam and said: O son of the Rasool of Allah! Time for leaving has arrived, and sadness has intensified; and we request Allah to say Salawaat upon Mostapha, your forefather, and upon Ali al Mortada, your father, and upon the Lady of ladies, Fatemah al Zahra, your mother, and upon my two lords, the youth of Paradise, your uncle and your father, and upon the Pure Imams after them, your fathers, and to say Salawaat upon you and your son; and we wish that Allah may exalt you and abolish your enemies; and [we ask] Allah not to set this our last time to see you!

He [Sa’d] said that when he [Ahmad] said those words, our Mawla became so sad that his tears gathered and his teardrops fell. Then he (PBUH) said: O son of Eshaaq! Worry not at all in your request! For surely in this same trip you will meet Allah! Ahmad then lost consciousness and fell. When he regained consciousness he said: I ask you by Allah and by the honor of your forefather, to honor me with a piece of cloth so that I use it as shroud.

So our Mawla inserted his hand beneath the rug, and took out thirteen Derhams. Then he said: Take this [money] and do not spend it for anyone but yourself, certainly you are not at all deprived of what you have requested, and the Sublime Allah does not waste the reward of he who does good.

Sa’d said: When we left our Mawla’s (PBUH) presence, three parasangs before Holwan, Ahmad son of Eshaaq came down with a fever and an intense illness overcame him, due to which he lost hope of living. When we arrived in Holwan and went to an inn, Ahmad called for a man from his hometown who was residing there. Then he said: Part from me this night and live me to myself. So we all left and each of us went to his bed.

Sa’d said:  When the night was uncovering the morning, a thought came to my mind, so I opened my eyes. I then [suddenly] saw Kaafoor, the servant of my Mawla Abi Mohammad [Imam Hasan Askari] (PBUH)! And he said: May Allah make better (in terms of acceptableness …) your mourning in the best way, and  bring to end your anguish of grief in the best manner; we have just finished the ablution and shrouding of your companion, get up for burying him! Indeed his position with your Master [Imam Askari (PBUH)] is of the most honored among you. Then he disappeared from our sight!

[Let us pay careful attention that the servant said: “We have just finished the ablution and shrouding of your companion …”; from Sa’d’s statements it seems that none of Ahmad’s friends were with him when he passed away, thus this “We” can very well mean the servant and the Imam (PBUH) himself who miraculously had come to be with Ahmad son of Eshaaq at moment of his need … .

O our beloved Mahdi, our Imam of Time (May Allah hasten your glorious Emergence)! We implore you in the Name of your mother, Fatemah al Zahra (PBUH), leave us not alone at our moments of need … .]

Then we gathered around him [Ahmad] while crying and wailing and lamenting till we fulfilled his right [upon us] and finished his [burying] matter; may Allah have Mercy on him.

[Aameen]

[Document: Ehtejaaj Tabresi, vol. 2, p. 563-580; …]