Those who reached the Imam (A.S.)

Although Imam (A.S.) has not shown himself to anyone during the major occultation period and people have been deprived of seeing him but the pure and pious lovers have sometimes been able to see and talk to him and we point out a few occasions out of those, as specimens.

1. Shamsuddin the son of Hirqili: says about his father, "one day my father narrated to me the story of his leg which was wounded and then cured." In the youth time my thigh got injured and infected. It troubled me. One day I visited a friend "Syed Raziuddin Taus" in Hila Iraq. He gathered the physicians to examine my infected wound and to treat that but when they examined it, they gave a negative response because as per their opinion if they operated upon it, the risk of the vein being cut and consequently my death existed. The next year that Syed (friend) took me to Baghdad and got me inspected and checked by the physician of that place. All of them said the same that the physicians of Hila had previously said.

One of those days, sad, disappointed, and dismayed as I was, I visited the Shrines of my Imams (A.S.) in Samara and stayed there overnight and yearned seeking the help of Imam-e-Zaman (Imam of the age). When the morning dawned I went towards the river Dajla and washed my clothes and took a bath to turn back for Ziarat (visiting Imam's shrine). On the way back two horse riders met me. I thought they were the desert dwellers (nomadic). They saluted me. One of them said, "Come near me." Since, I had cleaned my clothes and did not consider the desert dwellers (Arbs) as clean, I did not go near them. I was afraid that their hands would contaminate my dress, which was still wet. I was thinking about it when suddenly he dragged me towards himself and put his hand upon the wound of my leg so that I yelled with pain. He took his hand off and said, "Ismail you are relieved, now do not be sad and distressed because you will bear no more of pin."

I was surprised how was it that he called me by my name. I was still thinking about it and he went. I said to myself perhaps he might be my Imam-e-Zamana. I followed him and appealed him to stop. Suddenly he turned his face back and said, "Ismail turn back."

I would not listen and continued running after him as before. The other person who was with him said, "Oh Ismail turn back are you not ashamed of it that you do not obey the command of your Imam-e-Zamana?"

Then I was positive that he was the Imam (A.S.) and the guardian of the Ummah.

I stopped and had a look upon him watching him go and after a while they disappeared from my sight.

Shamsuddin says, "From that day onwards my father would frequently and consecutively visit Samarah but he did not see the Imam (A.S.) again and left this world with the aspiration and longing to see him.

2. Syed Mohammad Jabal Amili: described the affair of his journey to his friends saying, "one year I traveled to Mashad and since I did not have sufficient money it was hard and difficult time. Till the time that I learnt a caravan was moving. But as I even did not have money enough to buy one time meal to fill my belly, I went to the (Haram) Shrine of Imam Reza (A.S.) and wept there. Then I decided to reach the caravan, even though I was hungry. Because, if I was left back the winter would set in and I would die of cold.

I was proceeding in the same condition upon the way but I lost my way and found myself in a dry burning and scorching hot desert. I was not able to move on account of hunger. Inspite of wandering in search of any grass or vegetation to eat I could not procure any. Night fell and it became dark. The noise of beasts and desert animals had harassed and frightened me. I was weeping and got prepared to submit myself to death. Not very long after the moon appeared and the voices of roaring of the beasts stopped.

Suddenly my eyes caught the sight of a hillock, the height of a dune, I went there I saw a spring. I was very much happy. I took some water drank it and made ablution and offered my prayers. Thereafter, I did not have the energy to move any more because of hunger. I went to sleep right there and got ready for death.

All of a sudden I saw a person riding a horse, moving towards me. I thought perhaps he may be one of the robbers and since, I did not possess a thing he might kill me, out of anger.

When he reached there he saluted me.

I answered his salutation then I knew he was not one of the robbers.

Then he said, "What are you up to?"

I replied him in a great deal of weakness and handicapped condition that "I am hungry and have lost my way."

He said, "you have a number of melons lying besides you, why are you hungry?"

I who had searched all the places around had not found a thing, thought he was just joking. I said to him "do not make fun of me, and leave me alone to die."

He said, "I am not joking look at the back of you."

When I had a look I saw three melons.

He said, "Eat one of those and keep the other two with you and go straight upon this way. Near about the sunset you will reach a tent, they will guide you to the caravan".

Then he disappeared.

I came to my senses at once and knew that he was the Imam-e-Zamana.

According to his order I ate one of the melons and when I was fit enough I picked up the other two and proceeded on my way.

On the noon of the next day I ate the other melon and proceeded again and as he had said, I reached a tent, near the sunset time. They showed me in to the tent and treated me well and then made me connect the caravan.