People Who saw Imam Mahdi in his early days
Some close companions of Imam Askari (a.s.) had seen his son or heard the news about him:
Hakimah Khatun, the paternal aunt of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.), has said, “On the birth night of Imam Qa’im (a.j.), I was in the house of Imam Hasan (a.s.) and present at the birth time. I saw the newborn son then and several times after that night.”[^3]
Fat’h –Mulla Zarari– has said, “I heard from Abu Ali Ibn Mutahhar, ‘I saw the son of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.).’ He also described the height of Imam’s (a.s.) son.”[^4]
‘Amr Ahwazi has said, “Imam Abu Muhammad (a.s.) showed his son to me and told me, ‘He is your guardian.’”[^5]
‘Ibrahim Ibn Muhamamd has narrated from Abu Nasr Tarif, the servant, “I saw the son of Imam Hasan (a.s.).”[^6] Nasim, the servant of Imam Hasan (a.s.), has said, “Two nights after the birth of Sahib Al-Zaman (a.j.), I saw him. I sneezed, so he told me, ‘Allah bless you!’ And I became happy.”[^7]
Abu Ja’far ‘Amri has said, “When our master was borne, Imam Abu Muhammad (a.s.) called Abu ‘Umar. When he came, Imam (a.s.) told him, ‘Buy ten thousand trays of dates and ten thousand trays of meat and divide them among Bani Hashim. Buy a certain number of sheep and give away as ‘aqiqah for my son.’”[^8]
Abu Ghanim, the servant, has said, “The child of Abu Muhammad (a.s.) was borne. Abu Muhammad named him Muhammad. On the third day after the birth, Abu Muhammad (a.s.) showed his son to his companions and told them, ‘He is your guardian after me and the caliph after me. He is the Qa’im, who is waited for by the world people, and will fill the world with justice, after being filled with oppression.’”[^9]
Muhammad Ibn Hasan Karkhi said that he heard from Abu Harun, “I saw Sahib Al-Zaman; his birth was on a Friday in the year 256 A.H.”[^10]
Muhammad Ibn ‘Ibrahim Kufi has said, “Abu Muhammad (a.s.) sent a slain sheep for one of his companions with this message, ‘This is ‘aqiqah for my son, Muhammad.’”[^11]
Hasan Ibn Mandhar has said, “One day Hamzah Ibn Abul Fat’h came to me and told me, ‘Good tidings! Last night the child of Abu Muhammad (a.s.) was born and he ordered that we hide the news of it.’ I asked about his name. He answered, ‘His name is Muhammad and his nickname is Ja’far.’”[^12]
Hasan Ibn Husayn ‘Alawi has said, “I went to meet Imam Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s.) in Samirra’ and congratulated him on the birth of his son, Qa’im.”[^13]
‘Ibrahim, a friend of Imam Abu Muhammad (a.s.) has said, “My master, Abul Hasan (a.s.), sent four sheep for me with this message, ‘Give them away as ‘aqiqah for my son, Mahdi. Eat from them and feed other Shi’ahs with them.’”[^14]
[^3]: Al-‘Irshad, Vol 2, p. 351.
[^4]: Al-‘Irshad, Vol 2, p. 352.
[^5]: Al-‘Irshad, p. 353.
[^6]: Al-‘Irshad, p. 354.
[^7]: ‘A’lamul Wura, Vol 2, p. 217.
[^8]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 5.
[^9]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 5.
[^10]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 15.
[^11]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 15.
[^12]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 15.
[^13]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 16.
[^14]: Biharul Anwar, Vol 51, p. 28.
Source: https://www.shiavault.com/books/imamate-and-the-imams/chapters/18-the-twelfth-imam-al-mahdi/
