Trials (fitna) during Ghaybah

Hadith 1:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ صَالِحٍ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: قَالَ إِنَّ حَدِيثَكُمْ هَذَا لَتَشْمَئِزُّ مِنْهُ قُلُوبُ الرِّجَالِ فَمَنْ أَقَرَّ بِهِ فَزِيدُوهُ وَ مَنْ أَنْكَرَهُ فَذَرُوهُ إِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ يَسْقُطُ فِيهَا- كُلُّ بِطَانَةٍ وَ وَلِيجَةٍ حَتَّى يَسْقُطَ فِيهَا مَنْ يَشُقُّ الشَّعْرَ بِشَعْرَتَيْنِ حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى إِلَّا نَحْنُ وَ شِيعَتُنَا

Narrated that Abu Jafar Imam Baqir (عليه السلام) said,

"Your narrating of these Ahadith* (i.e. about Imam Mahdi ع?) causes the hearts of the men to be constricted/annoyed/repulsed with it. So whoever agrees with it, so increase it for him and whoever denies it, leave him. Surely, there must be a trial in which every insider & close friend will fall out, such that even those who are able to split a hair into two (i.e. those having keen observation/sight) will also fall out, until no one remains except We and Our Shia remain."

[Source: al-Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg. 370]

Allamah Majlisi commenting on this hadith says:

والمراد بالحديث غرائب أحوالهم وأسرارهم وشؤونهم ، ومنها أمر الغيبة وامتدادها ، ووقوع البداء فيها ، بل القدح في الخلفاء الغاصبين وإثبات كفرهم وارتداد أكثر الصحابة ، فإنها كانت مما لا تقبله قلوب أكثر الناس في ذلك الزمان ، والظاهر أن المراد بالفتنة الغيبة وامتدادها

"The 'narrating of Ahadith' here refers to the amazing aspects in the Imams situations, their secrets, and their affairs. This includes the matter of occultation (Ghaybah) and its extension, and the occurrence of change (bada) in it. Also includes the criticism of the usurping caliphs and the affirmation of their disbelief (kufr), as well as the turning back from Islam of the majority of the companions. Since this was something that most people's hearts could not accept at that time. And apparently what is meant by the trial is the occultation and its extension."

[Source: Mir'at al-Uqool, Vol. 4, Pg. 185]


Hadith 2:

وَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى الْعَلَوِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَتُمَحَّصُنَّ يَا شِيعَةَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ تَمْحِيصَ الْكُحْلِ فِي الْعَيْنِ‌[2] وَ إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الْعَيْنِ يَدْرِي مَتَى يَقَعَ الْكُحْلُ فِي عَيْنِهِ وَ لَا يَعْلَمُ مَتَى يَخْرُجُ‌ مِنْهَا وَ كَذَلِكَ يُصْبِحُ الرَّجُلُ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا وَ يُمْسِي وَ قَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْهَا وَ يُمْسِي عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا وَ يُصْبِحُ وَ قَدْ خَرَجَ مِنْهَا

Narrated that Abu Jafar Imam Baqir (عليه السلام) said,

"O Shia of Aal-e-Muhammad, you will be tested (closely examined) like the kohl in the eye. The person knows when the kohl is put into his eye, but he does not know when it will come out of his eyes. Similarly, a man would be upon Our matter (i.e. Wilayah) in the morning and while its evening he would be out of it (i.e. he would have left Wilayah). And would be upon Our matter in the evening and by the morning would be out of it."

[Source: al-Ghaybah by al-No’mani, Pg. 206]