Ahmad: “Oson of the Prophet! Whois the successorandthe Imam
after you?”
Imam Hasan al-‘Askari immediately went inside the house and re-
turnedwithathreeyearoldchildinhishands,andsaid,“OAhmadbin
Ishāq,ifyouwerenothonourableinthe sightof AllāhandHisrepres-
entatives,Iwouldnothaveshownthissonofminetoyou.Hisnameand
agnomenisthesameasthatoftheProphet;heistheonewhowillfillthe
earth with justice andequality just as it would be filled with injustice
and tyranny.
“OAhmad,hisexampleisthatofKhizrandDhulQarnayn[whoare
believedbyMuslimstobestillliving].ByAllāh,hewillgointoOcculta-
tioninsuchamannerthatnonewillgainsalvationexcepttheonewhom
Allāh blesses with the belief in his imamate... ”