Statement of Saduq
He writes in his book of Kamaluddin:1
“Sayyid remained misguided in the matter of occultation and related it to
Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah only till he met Imam Ja’far bin Muhammad alSadiq (a.s.). He saw the signs of Imamate in the Imam and asked him about
occultation. Imam replied: It is true, but it is for the twelfth among holy Imams.
Imam (a.s.) informed the Sayyid about the death of Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah
and told him that his father, Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain bin Ali (a.s.)
witnessed his burial. Thus, Sayyid turned away from his previous faith and
repented much. He returned to the truth when it became manifest and became
very close to Imamate.”
Statement of Marzabani
He writes in his book of Akhbar Sayyid2
“Doubtlessly, Sayyid bin Muhammad followed the Kaisaniya religion and
believed that Muhammad bin Hanafiyyah was the Mahdi and Qaim and that he
lived in Mt. Razwa. But he gave up this belief and started believing in the
Imamate of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.). He says:
و ايقنت ان الله يعفو ويغفر
ويمحو و يقضى في الامور ويقدر
تجعفرت باسم الله والله اكبر
و يثبت مهما شاء ربی بامره
‘I have, by the name of God, adopted the Ja’fari religion and God is
great; and I am certain that God will forgive me and give me salvation.’”
Whoever says that the Sayyid remained a believer in Kaisaniya religion has
attributed falsehood to him. The most obvious proof for the falsification of this
statement is the supplication of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) in his favor and the Imam’s praise about him. Among them being the report of Ibaad bin Suhaib that
he said:
“I was in the company of Abu Abdullah Ja’far bin Muhammad (a.s.). He
mentioned the Sayyid and prayed for him saying: My father has narrated from his
father, Ali bin Husain that the followers of Aale Muhammad (a.s.) do not die,
except after repenting and he (Sayyid) had repented.”
Caliphs during his period
The Sayyid lived during the tenures of ten caliphs: five from Bani Umayyah
and five from Bani Abbas. The first was Hisham bin Abdul Malik (d. 125) after
nineteen years and nine months of Caliphate. The Sayyid was born at the
beginning of his Caliphate and the reigning caliph at the end of his life was
Rashid, who ruled for twenty-three years.
Birth and demise
The chief of the poets, Himyari was born in Oman,3
in the year 105 A.H.
and grew up in Basra under the care of his parents, who were followers of Ibaadi
sect. When he gained understanding and maturity, he left them and lived with
Uqbah bin Muslim till his parents died and he inherited them. After that he left
Basra and traveled to Kufa and studied the science of traditions from Amash. He
used to travel between Basra and Kufa. He died at Rumaila in Baghdad during
the Caliphate of Rashid.