Hakīmeh Continued:
I returned to my house quickly, and prepared her [Narjis Khātūn][1] to marry that source of magnanimity and felicity [ his majesty Imām Haṣan Askarī (pbuh)].
After some days, I took those Sa’d Akbar[2] and the Venus- face girl to the house of the glittering sun, his pure father “Imām ʿAlī al- Naqī (pbuh)”. But few days later, that sun who had rose in the Imamate east, set [3] in the west of the world of Eternity.
So, the moon of Imamate “Imām Haṣan Askarī (pbuh)” became his successor, as an Imām. Well, I got used to visiting that Imām of mankind; the same I did with his father when he was alive.
One day, Narjis Khātūn came to me and said, ‘O’ Khātūn, stretch your leg, and let me take your shoes off!’ I reacted, ‘[Never!] You are the Khātūn and You are my lady.
. I will never dare let you take my shoes off and serve me. But it’s my pleasure to serve you!’
When Imām Haṣan Askarī (pbuh) heard that from me, he stated: O’ aunt! God bless you with his best. After that, I sat in the service of that Excellency till sunset. Then, I called my servant to bring my clothes and I was about to leave,
but The Excellency stated:
O’ Aunt! Stay with us tonight. Because at night, [she] will give birth to a blessed son. [He is the one] by whom, The Almighty God will revive the world with knowledge, faith and guidance. [The world] which will have been ruined by the spread of disbelief and misguidance.
I said, ‘My Sayyid! Who will give birth to this baby? I haven’t seen any signs of pregnancy in Narjis!” He stated, ‘Just Narjis (rah) will give birth to him; No one else!’
Then I looked closely at Narjis (rah)’s back and belly, but I couldn’t find any sign. So, I came to him again and told him about it [that I didn’t see any sign]. His Excellency smiled and stated:
In the morning, she will show the signs of pregnancy. Well, her case is like Moses (pbuh)’s mother’s; she hadn’t had changed at all, till she gave birth to the child. And no one had known that she was pregnant. Yet, Pharaoh would tear the pregnant women’s bellies to find Moses (pbuh). Now, this son is similar to His Excellency Moses (pbuh), in this situation.
Based on another narration, His Excellency stated:
The mothers of us, prophets (pbu th)’s successors don’t bear us in their wombs. But they bear us in their flanks. We don’t come out of the wombs, but [as a miracle] of the thighs. Hence, we are The Almighty God’s lights and we are kept, far from filth and ordure.
Hakīmeh continued, ‘I went to Narjis, and I explained the miracle to her. She said, ‘O, Khātūn! I haven’t felt any signs of pregnancy in myself!’
However, I stayed there for the night and I broke my fast there. I slept beside Narjis and I checked her conditions hour by hour, while she was deeply sleeping. The more time passed, the more I was surprised.
At that night, I prayed and performed Night Prayer[4] more than other nights. But when I performed Witr, Narjis was jolted awake. Then she made ablution and prayed Night Prayer.
I came to myself, when it was False Dawn. I was about to doubt about the promise, His Excellency stated to me. All of a sudden, His Excellency Imām Haṣan Askari (PBUH), ‘Don’t doubt! Its time…’ There I saw Narjis was anxious, so I hugged her and called the Divine name.
Again, His Excellency called, ‘Recite the Surah, [5]اِنّا اَنْزَلْناهُ فى لَیْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ. However, I asked her [Narjis], ‘How do you feel?’ [She] said, ‘The thing my Mawlā[6] stated, is about to happen.’ Then as I started reciting Surah Qadr, I heard the fetus started reading with me. As he also said hello to me, I was scared.
There His Excellency called me, ‘Don’t be shocked! It’s of The Almighty God’s power! He makes our children articulate by his wisdom. And he makes our adults his ‘hujat'[7] on the earth.
When His Excellency Imām Haṣan Askarī (pbuh)’s finished talking, Narjis disappeared from my sight; It’s as if a veil has been drawn between me and her!
then as I was shouting, I ran to His Excellency Imām Haṣan Askarī (pbuh). His Excellency stated, ‘Come back, aunt! You will see her, where she was before!’
When I returned, the curtain went back and I saw Narjis; having a light which made me stare at her. Yes, I saw His Excellency Sahib[8] (mgehr), He prostrated himself on his knees facing the Qibla. And he was raising his pointing fingers to the sky and saying:
اشهد ان لا اله الا الله ،وحده لا شریک له واشهد ان جدی رسول الله و ان ابی امیرالمومنین وصی رسول الله
I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, alone has no partner. And I testify that my grandfather is the Messenger of God [pbuh&h]. And my father [ancestor] is Amir al-Mu’menīn [pbuh], the successor of The Messenger of God.
After that, he expressed the names of all [Shiite’s] Imāms (pbu th) one after another, till he came to his own turn. Then he stated,
اللهم انجز لی وعدی و اتمم لی امری و ثبت و طاعتی و املا الارض بی عدلا و قسطا
‘O, God! Fulfill my promise and fulfill my commandment and prove my obedience, and fill the Earth with equity and justice.’’
It connotes, ‘O, God! [Please] fulfill your promise of victory; you stated to me before. And, let the importance “Caliphate” and “Imāmate” be complete. Make my steadfastness and revenge against the enemies, and fill the earth with justice for my sake.
According to another narration, [Hakīmeh (rah) said], ‘When His Excellency Sahib al- Amr (mgehr) was born, a light was from his face that covered the sky. Also, I saw some white birds that were flying down from the sky. They rubbed their wings to The Excellency’s head, face and body. Then they flew up.
However, His Excellency Imām Haṣan Askari (pbuh) called me out, ‘O, aunt! Take my child and bring him to me.’ [Surprisingly] when I took him, I found him having been Circumcised. His umbilicus was cut, and he was pure and clean! On his right arm, it read…
To be continued …
1- It is a female title of nobility.
2- Sa’d Akbar refers to a benevolent day. Based on astrology, sometimes the moon and planets have effects on the Earth. Some of them are benevolent.
3- Here, set refers to Imām ʿAlī al- Naqī (PBUH) martyrdom.
4 – Night Prayer is the most important recommended prayer with 11 Rak’ahs. The period of time in which it should be performed is after the midnight until break of dawn. According to the Qur’an 17:79, “as for the night there is a voluntary deed for you to keep vigil in part it”, performing the night prayer is obligatory for the Prophet Muḥammad (pbuh&h) and is recommended for the rest of believers. Many Aḥādīth have emphasized its importance, taking it to be an honor for believers, expiation for one’s sins committed during the day, preventing the horrors of the grave, and guaranteeing one’s livelihood. It is recommended in Aḥādīth that its Missed Prayer be performed if its valid time is passed. It is not obligatory to say all its 11 Rak’ahs. One may as well say fewer than that, in which case it is more rewarding to say its last three Rak’ahs (that is, two Rak’ahs of Shaf’ prayer and one Rak’ahs of Witr prayer).
5- Al-Qadr (“Power, Fate”) is the 97th chapter (Sūrah) of the Qur’an with 5 verses (āyāt). It is a Meccan Surah which celebrates the night when the first revelation of what would become the Qur’an was sent down. The surah has been so designated after the word al-Qadr in the first verse
The Surah is:
We have indeed revealed this [Message] in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit by Allah’s permission, on every
errand:
. Peace! … This until the rise of morn!
6- Mawlā means “guardian”, “being more appropriate than the believers”
7- God’s proof.
8- Sahib al- Amr means refers to Imām Mahdi (mgehr), and it means “The master of the authority”.