Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari is reported to have said, “I asked the Holy Prophet (s): We know Allah and His Messenger, but who are those with authority, the obedience to whom Allah has attached to Him and to His Messenger?” The Holy Prophet (saww) replied, “O Jabir, Those with authority are my successors. The first of them is Ali ibn Abi Talib (a), followed by al-Hasan (a) and then al-Husayn (a). Then comes Ali ibn al-Husayn (a) and Muhammad ibn Ali (a) [also known as al-Baqir (a)]. You, Jabir, will live to meet him. When you do meet him, convey my salaams to him. After him comes, al-Sadiq (a), followed by al-Kadhim (a). Then comes al-Ridha (a), al-Taqi (a), al-Naqi (a) and al-Askari (a). The last of them is the one who will have the same name as me. And it is he, al-Mahdi (ajtf). whose occultation (ghaybat) will take a long time. No one will believe in him except the true believers.”