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  • Veteran Member
Posted

The earliest Imamite scholar to give an account of the Twelfth Imam's mother is al-Mas'udi. He reports that she was a slave-girl called Narjis [ithbat, 248. For the later authors who named her as Narjis see al-Irshad, 390; T. al-Ghayba, 153, 158; ‘Uyun, 32-3.]. Al-Shahid (d. 786/1384) states that her name was Maryam b. Zayd al-`Alawiyya [bihar, LI, 28, quoted from al-Dirus.], and other reports give her name as Rayhana, Saqil and Sawsan.ss It is possible that her name was in fact Narjis and the other names, except Saqil, were given to her by her owner Hakima bint Muhammad al-Jawad. People at that time used to call their slave-girls by different names as a form of flattery, and Narjis, Rayhana and Sawsan are all names of flowers.

The earliest report concerning the nationality of the Twelfth Imam's mother goes back to the year 286/899. This was written down for the first time by al-Saduq, on the authority of Muhammad b. Bahr al-Shaybani, who attributed his narration to Bishr b. Sulayman al-Nakhkhas. According to this report she was a Christian from Byzantium who had been captured by Islamic troops[Kama’l, 431-2].

She was sold as a slave and bought by al-Nakhkhas in the slave-market in Baghdad. Al-Nakhkhas sent her to the tenth Imam, `Ali al-Hadi, in Samarra. After this, however, the narration begins` to lose much of its credibility and becomes hagiographical. It is related that she was Malika b. Yashshu', the granddaughter of the Emperor of Byzantium, whose mother was a descendant of Simon (Sham' un) the disciple of Jesus. When Malika was in her grandfather's palace, she dreamt that she saw Jesus's mother, Mary, and Muhammad's daughter, Fatima. In this dream Fattima converts her to Islam and persuades her to allow herself to be captured by Islamic troops [Kama’l, 317-23.].

The authenticity of this narration is questionable in many aspects, the most doubtful points being found in the last part.

Firstly there was no major battle between the `Abbasids and the Byzantines after 242/856 [Tabari, III, 1434] and there is no indication in the sources that the Emperor of Byzantium appealed to the `Abbasids to liberate his granddaughter.

Secondly, the early Imamite authors, particularly al-Qummi, al-Nawbakhti, al-Kulayni and al-Mas'udi, who were contemporaries of al-Shaybani, the narrator of this report, do not refer to it in their works. In addition, al-Kashshi, who was a companion of al-Shaybani, and the later scholars al-Najashi and Ibn Dawud claim that he was an extremist [ikhtiyar, 147-8; al-Najashi, 298; Ibn Dawud, al-Rijal, 541].

Thirdly, al-Kulayni states that al-Qa’im's mother was a slave-girl from al-Nawba, the northern province of Sudan [al-Kafi, I, 323]. Moreover al-Nu'mani and al-Saduq related other narrations which indicate that al-Qa’im's mother was to be a black slave-girl [N. al-Ghayba, 84, 85, 120; Kama’l, 329]. It may be that the later Imamites ignored these transmissions and considered the narration of al-Shaybani as authentic because the latter makes al-Qa’im’s mother of noble ancestry and high social status.

They would have been particulary attracted by the connection the report establishes between the Twelfth Imam, al-Qa’im, and Jesus, since prophetic traditions state that the two of them will rise together to rid the world of tyranny [Kama’l, 280, 345; al-Marwazi, Kitab al-Fitan, Mss fol, 150-63.].

In the light of these three points the narration of-Muhammad b. Bahr al-Shaybani can be rejected despite the fact that al-Tusi and Ibn Rustam al-Tabari consider it reliable [T. al-Ghayba, 134-9; Dala'il, 262-4]. Possibly the correct account of the origin of al-Qa’im's mother is given by al-Mufid, who states that she was a slave-girl brought up in the house of Hakima, the sister of the tenth Imam. According to his report the Imam saw her one day and predicted that she would give birth to someone with special Divine blessing [al-Irshad, 390-1].

According to al-Saduq she died before the death of her husband, al-Hasari al-`Askari, in 260/874.[Kama’l, 431] But al-Najashi's report indicates that she was alive after this year hiding at the house of Muhammad b. `Ali b. Hamza, one of the close associates of her husband al-`Askari [al-Najashi, 268].

Source: http://www.al-islam.org/occultation_12imam/6.htm#10

  • Forum Administrators
Posted

If you look at the earlier Imams whose biographies are more apparent, even their wives and mothers' identities were not fully known. This issue can be paralleled with the example of Zayn al-`Abideen's mother: some narrations say she was the Persian princess, and others indicate that she was a slave. For most of the wives and slaves of the Imams, we know - at best - just their names and maybe some simple details.

In my observation, the story of Narjis as a Roman princess is weak. It's referenced in a lengthy hadith by Saduq and Tusi, which has several weaknesses in the chain. The story itself has historical consistencies. What's stronger is Kulayni's account, which is that she was a Sudanese slave.

I've only found two reliable narrations on the Imam's mother, and they are both prophecies. They are below:

ÃÎÈÑäÇ ÃÍãÏ Èä ãÍãÏ Èä ÓÚíÏ ÇÈä ÚÞÏÉ ÞÇá ÍÏËäÇ ãÍãÏ Èä ÇáãÝÖá Èä ÞíÓ Èä ÑãÇäÉ ÇáÃÔÚÑí æ ÓÚÏÇä Èä ÅÓÍÇÞ Èä ÓÚíÏ æ ÃÍãÏ Èä ÇáÍÓíä Èä ÚÈÏ Çáãáß æ ãÍãÏ Èä ÇáÍÓä ÇáÞØæÇäí ÞÇáæÇ ÌãíÚÇ ÍÏËäÇ ÇáÍÓä Èä ãÍÈæÈ ÇáÒÑÇÏ Úä åÔÇã Èä ÓÇáã Úä íÒíÏ ÇáßäÇÓí ÞÇá ÓãÚÊ ÃÈÇ ÌÚÝÑ ãÍãÏ Èä Úáí ÇáÈÇÞÑ Ú íÞæá Åä ÕÇÍÈ åÐÇ ÇáÃãÑ Ýíå ÔÈå ãä íæÓÝ ÇÈä ÃãÉ ÓæÏÇÁ íÕáÍ Çááå ÚÒ æ Ìá áå ÃãÑå Ýí áíáÉ æÇÍÏÉ

Ahmad b. Muhmmad b. Sa`eed b. `Aqdah said: Muhammad b. al-Fadl b. Qays b. Ramaanih al-Ash`ari and Sa`dan b. Is`haq b. Sa`eed and Ahmad b. al-Husayn b. `Abd al-Malik and Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Qatwaani who said: al-Hasan b. Mahbub al-Zarad from Hashim b. Salim from Yazid al-Kunasi who said:

I heard Abu Ja`far Muhammad b. `Ali al-Baqir Úáíå ÇáÓáÇã say: Verily, in the Patron of this Affair is a resemblance of Yusuf. He is the son of a black bondswoman, and Allah will reform his affair in one night. (Nu`mani’s Ghayba)

(hasan kal-sahih) (ÍÓä ßÇáÕÍíÍ)

ÍóÏøóËóäóÇ ÃóÍúãóÏõ Èúäõ ÒöíóÇÏö Èúäö ÌóÚúÝóÑò ÇáúåóãóÏóÇäöíøõ ÑóÖöíó Çááøóåõ Úóäúåõ ÞóÇáó ÍóÏøóËóäóÇ Úóáöíøõ Èúäõ ÅöÈúÑóÇåöíãó Èúäö åóÇÔöãò Úóäú ÃóÈöíåö Úóäú ÃóÈöí ÃóÍúãóÏó ãõÍóãøóÏö Èúäö ÒöíóÇÏò ÇáúÃóÒúÏöíøö ÞóÇáó: ÓóÃóáúÊõ ÓóíøöÏöí ãõæÓóì Èúäó ÌóÚúÝóÑò Ú Úóäú Þóæúáö Çááøóåö ÚóÒøó æó Ìóáó‏ æó ÃóÓúÈóÛó Úóáóíúßõãú äöÚóãóåõ ÙÇåöÑóÉð æó ÈÇØöäóÉð ÝóÞóÇáó Ú ÇáäøöÚúãóÉõ ÇáÙøóÇåöÑóÉõ ÇáúÅöãóÇãõ ÇáÙøóÇåöÑõ æó ÇáúÈóÇØöäóÉõ ÇáúÅöãóÇãõ ÇáúÛóÇÆöÈõ ÝóÞõáúÊõ áóåõ æó íóßõæäõ Ýöí ÇáúÃóÆöãøóÉö ãóäú íóÛöíÈõ ÞóÇáó äóÚóãú íóÛöíÈõ Úóäú ÃóÈúÕóÇÑö ÇáäøóÇÓö ÔóÎúÕõåõ æó áóÇ íóÛöíÈõ Úóä‏ ÞõáõæÈö ÇáúãõÄúãöäöíäó ÐößúÑõåõ æó åõæó ÇáËøóÇäöí ÚóÔóÑó ãöäøóÇ íõÓóåøöáõ Çááøóåõ áóåõ ßõáøó ÚóÓöíÑò æó íõÐóáøöáõ áóåõ ßõáøó ÕóÚúÈò æó íõÙúåöÑõ áóåõ ßõäõæÒó ÇáúÃóÑúÖö æó íõÞóÑøöÈõ áóåõ ßõáøó ÈóÚöíÏò æó íõÈöíÑõ Èöåö ßõáøó ÌóÈøóÇÑò ÚóäöíÏò æó íõåúáößõ Úóáóì íóÏöåö ßõáøó ÔóíúØóÇäò ãóÑöíÏò Ðóáößó ÇÈúäõ ÓóíøöÏóÉö ÇáúÅöãóÇÁö ÇáøóÐöí ÊóÎúÝóì Úóáóì ÇáäøóÇÓö æöáóÇÏóÊõåõ æó áóÇ íóÍöáøõ áóåõãú ÊóÓúãöíóÊõåõ ÍóÊøóì íõÙúåöÑóåõ Çááøóåõ ÚóÒøó æó Ìóáøó ÝóíóãúáóÃó ÇáúÃóÑúÖó ÞöÓúØÇð æó ÚóÏúáðÇ ßóãóÇ ãõáöÆóÊú ÌóæúÑÇð æó ÙõáúãÇ

Ahmad b. Ziyad b. Ja`far al-Hamadani ÑÖí Çááå Úäå narrated. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim narrated from his father from Abu Ahmad Muhammad b. Ziyad al-Azidi.

He said: I asked my master Musa b. Ja`far Úáíå ÇáÓáÇã about the saying of Allah, “…and He lavished upon you His favours, both apparent (thahir) and hidden (batin)…” (31:20). He Úáíå ÇáÓáÇã said: The apparent favour is an apparent Imam, and the hidden favour is an occulted Imam. So I said to him: And will there be any [imam] who is occulted from amongst the Imams? He said: Yes, his person will be occulted from the people’s sight, but his remembrance will not be occulted from the believers’ hearts. And he is the twelfth from us. Allah eases all difficulties for him, helps him overcome all adversities, makes apparent to him the treasures of the Earth, brings close to him all that is remote, eradicates the immensely arrogant through him, and with his hand destroys every disciple of Satan. He is the child of the master of slave women; he is whose birth will be concealed from the people, and whose name is not permissible to be named until Allah makes him apparent and fills the Earth with equity and justice as it would have been fraught with injustice and oppression. (Kamal ad-Deen)

(sahih) (ÕÍíÍ)

http://www.*******.org/hadiths/qiyam-al-qaim/the-birth-of-the-imam

Allah knows best.

Posted

I do not understand. Imam Mahdi existed in the past, but now he is being reborn again in this generation? Did Imam Mahdi exist during the times of Prophet Muhammad pbuh or Imam Ali (as) ? How do we know about Imam Mahdi's mother....she too exists now in the year 2012?

  • Veteran Member
Posted

I do not understand. Imam Mahdi existed in the past, but now he is being reborn again in this generation? Did Imam Mahdi exist during the times of Prophet Muhammad pbuh or Imam Ali (as) ? How do we know about Imam Mahdi's mother....she too exists now in the year 2012?

What?

  • Veteran Member
Posted

I do not understand. Imam Mahdi existed in the past, but now he is being reborn again in this generation? Did Imam Mahdi exist during the times of Prophet Muhammad pbuh or Imam Ali (as) ? How do we know about Imam Mahdi's mother....she too exists now in the year 2012?

(I think the sister is a newcomer to Shiaism so I'll try to answer her.)

We believe that Imam Mahdi (as) will not born a second time rather he is "hidden" like Jesus/'Eesa (as). He will reappear at a time of which only God knows. Therefore, we believe that he has existed for about 1100+ (?) years until now but in obscurity just like Jesus. Together they will bring peace and fill this world with justice as it will be full of injustice. They will also destroy the Anti-Christ, among other evil things, in the process.

  • Veteran Member
Posted

(salam) What made u post this thread is that Imam Zamana (a.s) is topic of a reciter in Lahore (Allama Kamal Haider Rizvi). He presented this report today in Majlis at Imambargah Qasr e Abu Talib a.s. I wonder why Ulamah present those reports which are unauthentic by major ancient scholars.

  • Veteran Member
Posted

Was in lecture yesterday. Very interesting to note that Imam Mahdi a.s. mother was a roman. A lot of people think the Imams are just Arabs, ect. I have even heard that some of the Imams were part black ect.

It was today. But i want to say that this is not authentic report that his a.s mother was Roman. The authentic report is that his a.s mother was a slave woman from northern sudan.

Posted

(I think the sister is a newcomer to Shiaism so I'll try to answer her.)

We believe that Imam Mahdi (as) will not born a second time rather he is "hidden" like Jesus/'Eesa (as). He will reappear at a time of which only God knows. Therefore, we believe that he has existed for about 1100+ (?) years until now but in obscurity just like Jesus. Together they will bring peace and fill this world with justice as it will be full of injustice. They will also destroy the Anti-Christ, among other evil things, in the process.

This makes so much sense now, thank you.

  • Advanced Member
Posted

(salam)

(bismillah)

I have discussed the fabricated story of Imam Mahdi's mother here. Click here: http://www.revivingalislam.com/2010/06/narjis-mother-of-12th-imaam-story-is_20.html

I have also brought out a Mu`tabar hadeeth on who Imam Mahdi's mother is. Click here: http://www.revivingalislam.com/2011/07/mother-of-imam-mahdi.html

(salam)

  • Veteran Member
Posted (edited)

(I think the sister is a newcomer to Shiaism so I'll try to answer her.)

We believe that Imam Mahdi (as) will not born a second time rather he is "hidden" like Jesus/'Eesa (as). He will reappear at a time of which only God knows. Therefore, we believe that he has existed for about 1100+ (?) years until now but in obscurity just like Jesus. Together they will bring peace and fill this world with justice as it will be full of injustice. They will also destroy the Anti-Christ, among other evil things, in the process.

(salam)

Isa rahuallah wa rasulallah ascended bodily. Now, ask yourself the question: if Noah(as) lived about a millenium on Earth, is it not easy for Allah (swt) to have Isa(as) live continuously on the doorstep of jenna?

The Imam's nafs ascended, not his body also --as with Isa(as) nafs and body. It is the Imam's nafs that is sent back to where ever and whenever Allah(swt) so plans.

When Hojatallah and Isa(as) return at their assigned times and places, there is no "peace"...only justice. As Allah (swt) reveals in the Qur'an: "what I say is just"

Neither Isa(as) or the Imam/Hojatallah will destroy Masikh-al-Dajjal. Allah (swt) does that. And a splatter of the Dajjal's blood will cling to Isa's (as) spear.

Edited by hasanhh
Posted

so the mawlana in the lecture i was in like today and a few days ago who said she was a roman princess lied ?

i don't know who to believe right now.

He explained it well i.e she met the 11th Imam in a dream, kept talking to him, how the Imam asked for her to be bought...

i am actually frightened if she is not a roman princess, because i am hearing lies.

  • Advanced Member
Posted

^^

Our mawlana is also talking about the 12th imam in depth and he mentioned the full story in depth about sayida nargis being a roman princess and sold as a slave woman.

Posted

^^

Our mawlana is also talking about the 12th imam in depth and he mentioned the full story in depth about sayida nargis being a roman princess and sold as a slave woman.

Same. He was talking about the birth and the flying angel bird that came today

  • Advanced Member
Posted (edited)

^^ loool..Are you referring to shaykh shahnawaz mahdavi? I'm going to take the accounts of the OP & the post of br Nader regarding the fabrication of the story to the sheikh and see what he thinks of it.

Edited by Labbayk
  • 1 year later...

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