Hazrat Bibi Narjis

Hazrat Bibi Narjis (SA) Mother of 12th Imam a.s

Among the attributes of God are the Cherisher, the Sustainer the Discipliner. He is All-seeing and All-knowing, and wherever there is a need for cherish, He cherishes. There is no doubt that good issues, He shall put in the hands of good people. He knows who the best is; He chooses the important issues to give to important people among his servants, so they can accomplish it the best.To cherish His servants and guide them to the right path of salvation, the complete religion, and consummate the mission of prophets from Adam (AS) to Jesus (AS), Almighty God created certain elite of people, Prophet Mohammad and his pure progeny (AS), whom He made pure, pious, faithful, faultless, and disciplined teachers and leaders of humanity. They are the teachers who can fulfill the law of God and nourish with their purity and piety the chosen servants of God. Almighty Allah said about those elite people: ".and surely Allah wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the family (of Mohammad), and to make you pure and spotless." (Quran: Al-Ahzab 33, verse 33) Also, Almighty God chose from among the other nations, some pure and chastised ladies who can be mixed with the pure waters of Imamate (apostle hood), so that immaculate offspring will be born. The Match Maker, makes matches Above the powers of the human? Yes, lies the power of fate When you thought it was astray The beloved made it strait Two examples can be given, one of them is Lady Shahri Banu (SA), the daughter of emperor Yazdojerd of Persia (Iran), who was brought from Madaen (then capital of Persia) to become the wife of Imam Hussain (AS), the master of martyrs, and thus the mother of the 4th apostle, Imam Ali Zainul Abedin (AS). Similarly, Lady Narjis (SA) the daughter of a great Roman Caesar, was chosen by Almighty Allah to become the mother of the 12th apostle (AS). This Lady, the beautiful princess, who was also the descendant of one of the disciples of Jesus the son of Mary (AS), was sent to Samerra in Iraq, to become the wife of the 11th apostle, so she can nourish in her pure womb the shinning joule, the awaited holy spirit, Al-Mehdi (the Guided One) the son of Imam Hasan Al-Askery (AS).

Know your Master the Awaited One (AS)

The master of the oppressed, the master of true believers, the master of the age and the master of Earth before Doomsday.He is the Savior of humanity, the Disposer of justice, the Proof of God, the Awaited One, and the Heir of the Bible, the Torah, the Quran and all other heavenly books. He is none other than the 12th and last apostle (Imam) after Prophet Mohammed (SAW). He has many other titles, among them is also the Guided One (Al-Mehdi in Arabic). His name is Mohammed son of Hasan Al-Askery (AS). He was born in Samerra (Iraq) on Friday 15th of the month of Shabaan in 255 AH. His father the 11th apostle (Imam) Hasan Al-Askery (AS), was imprisoned most of his life by Abbassyd caliphs to prevent him from having a son whom they feared will bring the justice and equity that was promised and remove tyranny and tyrants from the face of the earth. The 11th apostle was poisoned in prison at the age of 29 in the year 260 AH by Al-Motamed, an Abassyd caliph. The Awaited One, the 12th apostle, is the only son of his father, and he was 5 years old at the time of his father's death. His mother was Lady Narjis (SA) for whom this article is being dedicated. Lady Narjis (SA) was a Roman princess. She was the most pure offspring of the then European nations and races. It was destined that she would go to the streets of Baghdad to become owned by the most pure of men, the 11th apostle, Hasan Al-Askery (AS) and become the mother of the 12th apostle, Al-Mehdi (AS). The story of how they met and joined is recorded in many history books as well as sparsely in the scriptures of holy traditions of the infallibles (the Prophet Mohammad, his daughter Fatima and the twelve Imams (apostles)). It is in fact a most amazing love story in history. This story would also give a glimpse of the personality of the offspring of their holy marriage, the master of the world, the Anointed One, the twelfth Imam. So to know better our master, the Awaited One (AS), it would be appropriate to introduce his mother Lady Narjis (AS) and the amazing story of her marriage.

Some Foreseen Events

Shaikh Tabarsi, one of the great scholars and traditionists of the fifth century, in his book titled Al-Gaiba (Seclusion ) reported Bishr Al-Ansari (a servant of Imam Ali Al-Naqi, the 10th apostle (AS)) as saying that one day, the Imam called him and said: "O' Bishr, you are from the Ansars (inhabitants of Madina who believed in and supported Prophet Mohammad (SAW) when he migrated from Mecca to Madina in the early years of Islam) who have always been our loyal and our trustworthy through generations, therefore I want to exalt you and chasten you with the honor of carrying out a furtive mission."Bishr said that he became very anxious as the Imam wrote a letter in Roman language, closed it and affixed his seal on it. Then he took out a yellow bundle containing 220 golden Dinars. He handed me the gold bundle and the letter telling me to go to Baghdad and to be near the crossing of Euphrates there in the morning of so and so day. He said: "when you see the arrival of ships with many captive women brought in for sale as slave girls, stay put as various panders for the Abbasyds and a number of young Arab buyers gather around. Watch from distance a slave trader by the name of Umar bin Yazid Al-Nakhas, until he brings out a slave girls wearing silk and looks so and so. She will refuse to take the veil off her face, she will decline to show herself off or even let anyone touch her. She will cry out in Roman language to save her chastity from being attacked." He added: "One buyer will admire her chastity and offers the salve trader 300 Dinars to buy her from him. She will say to him: I have no desire for you even if you wore King Solomon's clothes and owned a kingdom like his, so do not waste your money on me. The slave trader will say to her: What's the idea? You are to be sold anyhow. She would reply: Why the hurry? I will choose a buyer whom my heart likes and accepts his loyalty and honesty. Then you approach the slave trader and tell him that you have a letter from a nobleman written in Roman language and inscription describing his generosity, loyalty, benevolence and noblesse. Show her this letter, and that if she tends to accept the vices of the writer, then you could buy her for him."

The Foreseen Events Fulfilled One By One

Bishr said that he followed all the instructions as given to him by his master with regard to this slave girl. All the events that his master foretold materialized. He added: When she read the letter, she started to cry and said to Umar bin Yazid sell me to the writer of this letter, swearing and threatening to kill herself if he did not. Bishr started to bargain with the slave trader on the price until he agreed to sell her at amount given to Bishr by his master. Bishr received the cheering and happy slave girl and accompanied her to the little room where he stayed in Baghdad. As she sat down, she took out the letter and started kissing it and swabbing with it her eyes, face and body.

Failure Attempts of Marriage

Astounded, Bishr asked: You are kissing a letter of someone you do not know? She replied promptly: "You are incapable and little-knowing the position of descendants of prophets. Listen to me carefully; I am Malika daughter of Yashoa, the son of Caesar the King of the Romans. My mother is a descendant of Shimeon the disciple of Jesus the son of Mary (SA). I shall reveal to you my incredible story.She said: "My grandfather the Caesar wanted to marry me off to his nephew when I was 13 years old. He summoned to his palace the descendants of the disciples of Jesus, three hundred of them were monks and priests, and a further seven hundred were high dignitaries. He also called four thousand men of his high ranking officers, generals, knights, noblemen and tribal chiefs. A magnificent throne, adorned with jewels and gems, was erected in the palace and raised forty steps high." She added: "As my grandfather's nephew went up the throne, surrounded by huge crosses and the bishops stood up and opened their bibles, the palace started to shake, the crosses fell to the ground and the throne crashed down as its pillars shattered. His nephew was knocked down unconscious. The bishops turned pale and trembled. A senior bishop said to my grand father: O' King, relieve us from attending this ceremony and witness these signs which augur an evil omen of the end of Christianity and the Royal religion." She said: "My grandfather was annoyed and severely disturbed by this. He angrily commanded that the crosses be lifted and the pillars fixed. He ordered to continue the ceremony and called upon the brother of his nephew to marry me instead, so that the good fortunes of the latter nephew would stave off the jinx of his brother. Once again a tremor hit the palace causing great fear among the guests who ran away leaving the palace. My grandfather was saddened by this and returned to his sleeping chamber."

The Marriage of the Princess

She said: "That night, I had a vision as I saw Jesus (AS) with Shimeon and a number of other disciples gathered in my grandfather's palace, where a high tribune of bright light was erected in the same place where my grandfather was enthroned. I saw Prophet Mohammad (SAW), his son-in-law and apostle Ali Al-Mortadha (AS) with eleven of his sons entering the place. Jesus (AS) advanced to receive them and embraced Prophet Mohammad (SAW). Prophet Mohammad (SAW) said to Jesus: "O' spirit of God, I came to you to betroth and engage your disciple Shimeon's daughter Malika to this son of mine, pointing out to Hasan Al-Askery (AS), and the writer of this letter." Jesus (AS) looked at Shimeon and said: "Honor has marched towards you. Relate your kin to the kinship of the progeny of Mohammad (SAW)." Shimeon replied: "I did". Then Prophet Mohammad (SAW) ascended the tribune and gave an eloquent speech and conducted my marriage ceremony to his son. Jesus (AS) bore witness as well as Prophet Mohammad (SAW) and the present disciples of Jesus (AS).

The Princess Falls in Love

She elaborated: When I woke up, I could not relate the vision to my father or grand father in fear of their persecution. I concealed this vision in my heart, but day by day I grew in love with Hasan Al-Askery (AS). I yearned and longed to meet with him. I lost my appetite and stopped eating and drinking. I grew thin and weak and became ill. There was not a doctor in cities of the Roman Empire that my grandfather did not bring to treat my illness and find my cure.Desperate and despondent about my recovery, my grandfather asked if I had any wish or desire to be fulfilled in this life. I said: "Dear grandfather, I see the doors of relief and hope being closed in my face, but if you would stop the torture of Moslem captives and prisoners and promise to release them from your jails and set them free, then may be Jesus and his mother Mary will then grant me good health." When my grand father accepted my request, I forced myself to eat and drink a little and pretended to recover. He was so delighted with these signs of improvement, that he became very kind to Moslem captives and prisoners.

The Princess Embraces Islam

She then said: After fourteen nights, 1 saw another vision where I saw Lady Fatima daughter of Prophet Mohammad (SA) and Mary mother of Jesus (SA) along with a number of maids of honor came to visit me. Mary said to me: "This is Fatima your husband's mother." I embraced her and cried and complained that Hasan Al-Askery did not come to see me. She said that her son would not visit me as long as I was of a different religion. I would have to embrace Islam to see him. She said: "If you were inclined to satisfy God and satisfy Jesus (AS) and Mary (SA) and wanted Hasan Al-Askery (AS) to visit you then you would have to say Ash'hado An La Ilaha Illa Allah, Wa Anna Mohammadan Rasoolul Allah (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and that Mahammad is His messenger).I was willing heart and soul to accept Islam, and spoke those words: Ash'hado An La Ilaha Illa Allah, Wa Anna Mohammadan Rasoolul Allah. Lady Fatima (SA) embraced me and said: "Now expect the visit of Hasan Al-Askery, I will send him to you". I woke up very happy and eager for meeting my beloved. On the following night, I saw as if he came to see me and I am saying O' beloved, you have forsaken me, while I was suffering in your love. He said that my belief was the reason for his delay, but from now on he would visit me every night until Almighty Allah will join us together. He visited every night ever since.

The Captive Princess

Bishr asked: "Then how you became a captive?" She said: "Hasan Al-Askery (AS) told me one night that my grand father will send out a big army to fight the Moslems on day so and so, and then he would join that army later on. When that happens, I am to follow them taking so and so route disguised as a maid with some of my maids. As I did what I was told, I found myself and the maids surrounded by the vanguard of the Moslem army. We were taken captives. No body knew that I was a princess and I never told anyone. Even the old man, in whose bounty I became captive, the one you have bought me from, asked me my name. I said it was Narjis (meaning a narcissus flower). He said that it is a maid's name. The rest of the story you witnessed in the slave market."

A Lady of Letters

Bishr asked: "How come you are a Roman and you speak Arabic?" She said: "Yes, my grand father loved me so much that he wanted me to study literature and languages. He appointed his royal female interpreter as my teacher. She came day and night to teach me Arabic until I became proficient with it."

In the Presence of the 10th Apostle

Bishr said: When I returned with her to Samerra. She met my master Imam Ali Al-Naqi (AS), her husband's father, who asked her: "How Allah showed you the dignity of Islam and the honor of Mohammad and his progeny (AS)?" She said: "What can I say O' son of the Messenger of Allah about what you know better than I do."The Imam said: "I want to honor you. What shall you choose, ten thousand dinars or the news of good tidings of an everlasting honor?" She replied: "The good news of a son from me." The Imam said: "Glad tidings for you, for you shall beget a child who will rule over the East and the West and fill the earth with justice and equity as it is filled with injustice and tyranny." Lady Narjis asked: "By whom (I shall have this son)?" The Imam replied in Roman language: "By the one for whom Prophet Mohammad (SAW) had betrothed you on the night of so and so, the month of so and so, and the year of so and so...." He described in detail the visions that she had. He added: "By the one to whom Jesus (AS) and his disciple gave you in marriage." She said: "Your son Hasan Al-Askery (AS)." The Imam said: "Do you know him?" She replied: "There was not a night, he has not visited me since the time I embraced Islam at the hands of Lady Fatima (SA)."