The ''Kitāb al-Ghayba'' (, lit. 'Book of Occultation') is a book by the 10th-century Shia scholar
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Nu'mani on the subject of the
occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. The term is often used in astronomy, but can also refer to any situation in which an object in the foreground blocks f ...
of the last
Twelver
Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...
Imam
Muhammad al-Mahdi
Muhammad al-Mahdi () is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam.
Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam ...
in 873–4 (260
AH). The aim of the book was to refute the existing doubts about the occultation and to support it by reason and narration.
Author
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Nu'mani was reportedly a pupil of
al-Kulayni (–941). He wrote this work around 953, and died in 970.
Motivation
Much doubt and skepticism existed in al-Nu'mani' time about the
occultation
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. The term is often used in astronomy, but can also refer to any situation in which an object in the foreground blocks f ...
() of the last
Twelver
Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...
Imam
Muhammad al-Mahdi
Muhammad al-Mahdi () is believed by the Twelver Shia to be the last of the Twelve Imams and the eschatological Mahdi, who will emerge in the end of time to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam.
Hasan al-Askari, the eleventh Imam ...
in 873–4 (260
AH). In his book al-Nu'mani wrote that, having noticed how the Shia followers were perplexed by the event of the occultation, he wanted to try and save them from this perplexity. He also tried to show that the doubt and ignorance of people originated from the concerns of worldly and mortal aims. There are many references to the characters and symbols occulted to Imam.
See also
*
List of Shia books
A list of religious books of Shia Islam:
Books attributed to Shia Imams
:#Mus'haf of Ali, a Tafseer of the Quran by Imam Ali
:# Al-Jafr (book), Al-Jafr by Imam Ali
:# Nahj al-Balaghah, a collection of sermons, letters and quotes attributed to Ali ...
*
Occultation (Islam)
Occultation (, ') in Shia Islam refers to the Islamic eschatology, eschatological belief that the Mahdi, a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, has already been born and he was subsequently concealed, but he will reemerge and he will esta ...
**
Minor occultation
The Minor Occultation (, '), also known as the First Occultation (, '), refers in Twelver Shia Islam to a period of nearly seventy years (874–941 CE, 260–329 AH) during which the Hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, is believed to have communicat ...
**
Major occultation
In Twelver Shia Islam, the Major Occultation (, ', 329 AH-present, 941 CE-present) is the second occultation of the Hidden Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, which is expected to continue until his rise at the end of time to establish peace and justice ...
References
{{Reflist
Twelver theology
Shia theology books