٢٦٣- أخبرني محمد بن محمد بن النعمان والحسين بن عبيد الله، عن محمد بن أحمد الصفواني رحمه الله قال: رأيت القاسم بن العلاء وقد عمر مائة سنة وسبع عشرة سنة منها ثمانون سنة صحيح العينين، لقي مولانا أبا الحسن وأبا محمد العسكريين عليهما السلام. وحجب بعد الثمانين، وردت عليه عينـاه قبل وفاته بسبـعة أيـام. وذلك أنـي كنت مقيمـا عنده بمدينة الران من أرض آذربايجان، وكان لا تنقطع توقيعات مولانا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام على يد أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري وبعده على [يد] أبي القاسم [الحسين] بن روح قدس الله روحهما، فانقطعت عنه المكاتبة نحوا من شهرين، فقلق رحمه الله لذلك. فبينا نحن عنده نأكل إذ دخل البواب مستبشرا، فقال له: فيج العراق لا يسمى بغيره- فاستبشر القاسم وحول وجهه إلى القبلة، فسجد ودخل كهل قصير يرى أثر الفيوج عليه، وعليه جبة مصرية، وفي رجله نعل محاملي، وعلى كتفه مخلاة. فقام القاسم فعانقه ووضع المخلاة عن عنقه، ودعا بطشت وماء فغسل يده وأجلسه إلى جانبه، فأكلنا وغسلنا أيدينا، فقام الرجل فأخرج كتابا أفضل من النصف المدرج ، فناوله القاسم، فأخذه وقبله ودفعه إلى كاتب له يقال له ابن أبي سلمة، فأخذه أبو عبد الله ففضه وقرأه حتى أحس القاسم بنكاية. فقال: يا أبا عبد الله خير، فقال: خير، فقال: ويحك خرج في شئ فقال أبو عبد الله: ما تكره فلا، قال القاسم: فما هو؟ قال: نعي الشيخ إلى نفسه بعد ورود هذا الكتاب بأربعين يوما، وقد حمل إليه سبعة أثواب فقال القاسم: في سلامة من ديني؟ فقال: في سلامة من دينك، فضحك رحمه الله فقال:ما أؤمل بعد هذا العمر. فقال الرجل الوارد: فأخرج من مخلاته ثلاثة أزر وحبرة يمانية حمراء وعمامة وثوبين ومنديلا فأخذه القاسم، وكان عنده قميص خلعه عليه مولانا الرضا أبو الحسن عليه السلام، وكان له صديق يقال له عبد الرحمن بن محمد البدري ، وكان شديد النصب، وكان بينه وبين القاسم نضر الله وجهه مودة في أمور الدنيا شديدة، وكان القاسم يوده، و (قد) كان عبد الرحمن وافى إلى الدار لاصلاح بين أبي جعفر بن حمدون الهمداني وبين ختنة ابن القاسم. فقال القاسم لشيخين من مشايخنا المقيمين معه أحدهما يقال له أبو حامد عمران بن المفلس والآخر أبو علي بن جحدر: أن اقرئا هذا الكتاب عبد الرحمن بن محمد فإني أحب هدايته وأرجو [أن] يهديه الله بقراءة هذا الكتاب، فقالا له: الله الله الله فإن هذا الكتاب لا يحتمل ما فيه خلق من الشيعة فكيف عبد الرحمن بن محمد.فقال: أنا أعلم أني مفش لسر لا يجوز لي إعلانه، لكن من محبتي لعبد الرحمن بن محمد وشهوتي أن يهديه الله عز وجل لهذا الأمر هوذا، إقرأه الكتاب. فلما مر [في] ذلك اليوم- وكان يوم الخميس لثلاث عشرة خلت من رجب- دخل عبد الرحمن بن محمد وسلم عليه، فأخرج القاسم الكتاب فقال له: إقرأ هذا الكتاب وانظر لنفسك، فقرأ عبد الرحمن الكتاب فلما بلغ إلى موضع النعي رمى الكتاب عن يده وقال للقاسم: يا با محمد اتق الله فإنك رجل فاضل في دينك، متمكن من عقلك، والله عز وجل يقول: ﴿وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَداً وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ﴾ .وقال: ﴿عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاَ يظْهرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً﴾. فضحك القاسم وقال له: أتم الآية: ﴿إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِنْ رَسُولٍ﴾ ومولاي عليه السلام هو الرضا من الرسول، وقال: قد علمت أنك تقول هذا ولكن أرخ اليوم، فإن أنا عشت بعد هذا اليوم المؤرخ في هذا الكتاب فاعلم أني لست على شئ، وإن أنا مت فانظر لنفسك، فورخ عبد الرحمن اليوم وافترقوا. وحم القاسم يوم السابع من ورود الكتاب، واشتدت به في ذلك اليوم العلة، واستند في فراشه إلى الحائط، وكان ابنه الحسن بن القاسم مدمنا على شرب الخمر، وكان متزوجا إلى أبي عبد الله بن حمدون الهمداني، وكان جالسا ورداؤه مستورعلى وجهه في ناحية من الدار، وأبو حامد في ناحية، وأبو علي بن جحدر وأنا وجماعة من أهل البلد نبكي، إذ اتكى القاسم على يديه إلى خلف وجعل يقول: يا محمد يا علي يا حسن يا حسين يا موالي كونوا شفعائي إلى الله عز وجل وقالها الثانية، وقالها الثالثة. فلما بلغ في الثالثة: يا موسى يا علي تفرقعت أجفان عينيه كما يفرقع الصبيان شقائق النعمان، وانتفخت حدقته، وجعل يمسح بكمه عينيه، وخرج من عينيه شبيه بماء اللحم مد طرفه إلى ابنه، فقال: يا حسن إلي يا با حامد [إلي] يا با علي (إلي)، فاجتمعنا حوله ونظرنا إلى الحدقتين صحيحتين، فقال له أبو حامد: تراني وجعل يده على كل واحد منا، وشاع الخبر في الناس والعامة، و(انتابه) الناس من العوام ينظرون إليه. وركب القاضي إليه وهو أبو السائب عتبة بن عبيد الله المسعودي وهو قاضي القضاة ببغداد ، فدخل عليه فقال له: يا با محمد ما هذا الذي بيدي وأراه خاتما فصه فيروزج، فقربه منه فقال:عليه ثلاثة أسطر فتناوله القاسم رحمه الله فلم يمكنه قراءته وخرج الناس متعجبين يتحدثون بخبره، والتفت القاسم إلى ابنه الحسن فقال له: إن الله منزلك منزلة ومرتبك مرتبة فاقبلها بشكر، فقال له الحسن: يا أبه قد قبلتها، قال القاسم: على ماذا؟ قال:على ما تأمرني به يا أبه، قال: على أن ترجع عما أنت عليه من شرب الخمر، قال الحسن: يا أبه وحق من أنت في ذكره لأرجعن عن شرب الخمر، ومع الخمر أشياء لا تعرفها، فرفع القاسم يده إلى السماء وقال: اللهم ألهم الحسن طاعتك، وجنبه معصيتك ثلاث مرات، ثم دعا بدرج فكتب وصيته بيده رحمه الله وكانت الضياع التي في يده لمولانا وقف وقفه (أبوه). وكان فيما أوصى الحسن أن قال: يا بني إن أهلت لهذا الأمر يعني الوكالة لمولانا فيكون قوتك من نصف ضيعتي المعروفة بفرجيذه، وسائرها ملك لمولاي، وإن لم تؤهل له فاطلب خيرك من حيث يتقبل الله، وقبل الحسن وصيته على ذلك.فلما كان في يوم الأربعين وقد طلع الفجر مات القاسم رحمه الله، فوافاه عبد الرحمن يعدو في الأسواق حافيا حاسرا وهو يصيح:وا سيداه، فاستعظم الناس ذلك منه وجعل الناس يقولون: ما الذي تفعل بنفسك، فقال: اسكنوا فقد رأيت ما لم تروه، وتشيع ورجع عما كان عليه، ووقف الكثير من ضياعه. وتولى أبو علي بن جحدر غسل القاسم وأبو حامد يصب عليه الماء، وكفن في ثمانية أثواب على بدنه قميص مولاه أبي الحسن وما يليه السبعة الأثواب التي جاءته من العراق. فلما كان بعد مدة يسيرة ورد كتاب تعزية على الحسن من مولانا عليه السلام في آخره دعاء "ألهمك الله طاعته وجنبك معصيته" وهو الدعاء الذي كان دعا به أبوه، وكان آخره "قد جعلنا أباك إماما لك وفعاله لك مثالا".
H 263 - Narrated to me Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Noman (Shaykh Mufeed) and Husain bin Ubaidullah from Muhammad bin Ahmad Safwani that: “I had seen Qasim Ibn Ala, who lived for a hundred and seventeen years, and till he was eighty, his eyesight was intact. He had met our Master Abul Hasan Askari and Abu Muhammad Askari . At eighty, he lost his eyesight. However, it was returned to him seven days before his death. This happened when I was staying with him in the town of Ran in Azerbaijan. Letters were constantly coming from our master, the Master of the Age  through Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari and after him through Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh, blessed be their souls. Then for two months the letters stopped. This made him angry. We were eating with him one day, when the doorman came, bringing the joyous news and said that the messenger of Iraq, the only name by which he was identified with, has come. Qasim became much happy and turned to Qibla and prostrated. A short old man, who bore marks of messengers, wearing an Egyptian dress and special shoes and having a bag over his shoulder, came in. Qasim arose and hugged him and took off the bag from his shoulder. He asked for a basin and water, washed his hands and led him to sit on his side. We ate and washed our hands. The man rose and took out a letter that was longer than half of page. Qasim took the letter, kissed it and handed it over to a transcriber called Ibn Abi Salama. Abu Abdullah took the letter, broke its seal, and read it. As he read it, Qasim sensed something. He asked: “Abu Abdullah; is everything all right?” He replied, “It is alright.” “Watch it you. Is there anything written about me?” “Not something you dislike.” “Then what is it’?” “It the news of your final departure, forty days after the arrival of this letter. And seven garments are sent to you.” Qasim asked, “With my faith secure?” He replied, “With your faith secure.” He laughed and said: “What else can I hope for after this age’?” The messenger took out three undergarments, one red Yemeni cloak, two shirts, and a turban. Qasim took them. He also had a garment that our Master Imam Ridha Abul Hasan  had given to him. Qasim had a friend called Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad Sunaizi, who was a Sunni and had very strict religious views. There was a very strong affinity between him and Qasim in ordinary matters and Qasim loved him very much. Abdur Rahman had undertaken some toils to reconcile Abu Ja’far Ibn Hamdun Hamadani and his son-in-law, the son of Qasim. Considering this, Qasim asked two of our Shaykhs who were staying with him – Abu Hamid Imran Ibn Muflis and Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar – to read this letter to Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad, “because I love him to be guided and I hope that Allah will guide him by reading this letter.” The two Shaykhs replied, “La ilaha illa Allah. Many Shia cannot bear the content of this letter. How do you expect that Abdul Rahman Ibn Muhammad will?” Qasim replied, “I know that I am disclosing a secret that is not permissible for me to disclose. However, due to my love for Abdur Rahman Ibn Muhammad and my desire that Allah, the Exalted, may guide him to this faith, it is that I want you to read this letter to him.” When that day passed, and it was Thursday and thirteen days were left from Rajab, Abdur­ Rahman came and greeted Qasim. Qasim took out the letter and asked his guest to read it, “and look for yourself.” Abdur Rahman read the letter and when he reached where Qasim’s death had been predicted, he threw the letter from his hand and said to Qasim, “Abu Muhammad, fear God. You are a pious man, you are wise. Allah says: “…and no one knows what he shall earn on the morrow; and no one knows in what land he shall die…” (31:34) And He says: “The Knower of the unseen! So He does not reveal His secrets to any.” (72:26) Qasim laughed and said: “Read the next verse also: “Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle...” (72:27) And my Master is a well-pleased messenger.” Qasim said: “I know what you are saying. Mark today’s date. If I outlive the date predicted in this letter, my creed is false and if I die on that date, then you assess your condition.” Abdur Rahman noted the date and left. Qasim got a fever seven days after the arrival of the letter. On that day, his malady worsened. He was lying on his bed on the side of the wall. His son Hasan, who was an alcoholic and was married to the daughter of Abu Ja’far Ibn Hamadan Hamadani, was sitting. Qasim’s sheet was covering his face, as he was lying in one side of the room. Abu Hamid was sitting on one side, as Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar and I and a group of other men of the locality were crying. Suddenly, Qasim rose and sat resting on his hands on his back and said, “O Muhammad, O Ali, O Hasan, O Husain, O my Masters, be my intercessors before God, the Exalted.” He said this again and then a third time. When he reached the third time, saying, “O Musa, O Ali,” his eyelid popped open like children crack windflowers. His eyes opened and he rubbed them with his sleeves. A soupy fluid came out from his eyes. Then he glanced at his son and said: “O Hasan.” He looked at each one of us and was saying, “O Abu Hamid, O Abu Ali.” We crowded around him and looked at his perfect eyeballs. Abu Hamid asked, “Can you see me?” as he was pointing at each of us. The news spread amongst the people and Ahle Sunnat. Individuals from Ahle Sunnat started coming and examining him. The judge, Abu Saib Ataba Ibn Ubaidullah Masudi, who was the chief justice at Baghdad, came and met Qasim and asked, “What is in my hand?” as he was showing him a ring the stone of which was turquoise. He brought the ring near. Qasim told him what it had and said it has three lines. The judge brought it closer, but he could not read the lines. People left as they were amazed at him and talking about him. Qasim said to his son Hasan, “Allah will grant you a great position, so accept it with gratitude.” Hasan said: “Father, I accept it.” Qasim said: “How?” “As you order me father.” He said: “Give up drinking.” Hasan said: “You are right father. I will give it up and many other things you don’t know about.” Qasim raised his hands to the sky and said: “God, cast Your obedience into Hasan’s heart and prevent him from sins.” He said this three times. Then he asked for a paper and wrote his final will in his own hands. He endowed the orchards and properties he owned to our Master. Amongst the things he confided in his final will to his son Hasan, was “My son, if you become eligible for this position [meaning representation from the Master], your livelihood should be from the half of my bequeathals in Farjida. The rest of them will belong to my Master. If you were not eligible for this, seek your goodness from a venue that Allah desires.” Hasan accepted his final will. Qasim died on the fortieth day after dawn. Abdur Rahman received the news of his departure with great grief and he was running in the streets barefoot and bare head, screaming, “O my master!” People viewed his actions as odd and asked him, “What are you doing?” He said, “Quiet. I have seen what you have not.” Abdur Rahman became a Shia and forsook his previous creed. He left his orchards and properties as endowments. Abu Ali Ibn Jahdar gave Qasim his funeral bath as Abu Hamid poured water. Qasim was shrouded in eight dresses, with the shirt of his Master Abul Hasan  on his body and the other seven that came from Iraq over them. A short while after that, a letter of consolation came to his son from our Master , at the end of which was a Dua for him, “May God cast His obedience into your heart and may He prevent you from sins,” the Dua his father had prayed for him. At the end it stated, “We made your father an Imam for you and his actions an example for you.”