Ghaybat of Prophet Musa (as)

In the book Kamaluddin, Shaykh Sudooq (ar) writes, Imam Sadiq (as) said, “At the time of his death Yusuf bin Yaqoob (as) assembled the descendants of Yaqoob (as) who were eighty men. Then he said: These Copts will dominate you and put you to great trouble. One who will save you from them will be a descendant of Laavi bin Yaqoob, whose name will be Musa bin Imran. He shall be a tall young man and will have curly hair. He would be wheat complexioned. Thus every man of Bani Israel began to name his child Imran. And all those who were named Imran began to name their sons Musa.”

Imam Baqir (as) said, “Musa (as) did not reappear till before him appeared forty false claimants from Bani Israel each of whom claimed to be Musa Ibne Imran.”

Imam Sadiq (as) told his companions, “You should be such that you are more hopeful for something about which you don’t have hope. Musa (as) went to get fire for his wife and he returned as a Messenger Prophet. Thus Allah reformed the condition of His servant and Prophet in a single night. He shall do the same in the case of His second Qaem; that is the twelfth of the Imams. And He shall reform his affairs in a single night as He reformed the affair of His Prophet Musa (as) and brought him out from confusion and occultation into the light of deliverance and reappearance.”

Imam Sadiq (as) said, “In the Qaem there is resemblance to Musa bin Imran. I asked: What is the resemblance to Musa bin Imran? He replied: Secret birth and occultation from his people. I asked: How long was Musa in occultation from his family and followers? He replied: For twenty-eight years.”

Traditions inform us that Bani Israel were so fed up with the tortures they were facing from Firaun and his ilk that they used to go to the desert and pray collectively for the coming of their saviour. Allah accepted their prayers and brought forward the coming of Hazrat Musa (as) by 170 years. This shows us the power of collective prayer of the people for the Divine representative.

Read more about Ghaybat of:
Hazrat Ibrahim (as) | Hazrat Idrees (as) | Hazrat Musa (as) | Hazrat Saleh (as) | Hazrat Yusuf (as)