Excerpt from 'The Life of Imam Al-Mahdi':
[Major Occultation]
The major occultation began after the death of Ali bin Muhammad Samari in 328 A.H. and the point of referral and general deputyship of His Eminence, the Master of the Age (a.s.) reached the great jurists. Throughout the period of the major occultation attention and written communications have come from His Eminence (a.s.), to the prominent and knowledgeable Shia personalities.
[Certain Signs]
Imam Jaffer (A) has said:
'Do you not know that one who is in anticipation of our affair and are patient on difficulties they face, tomorrow he shall be in our army. Thus whenever you see that truth is extinct and inhabitants of the earth are destroyed and injustice and oppression have surrounded from all sides and Quran has become old-fashioned and those things become apparent in it that are not in it and you see Quran interpreted by selfish motives and see that religion is inverted like a bowl.
And you see people of falsehood dominating over people of truth and see mischief becoming common but no one restraining it. Rather the mischief-makers shall be defended and you will see that transgression is openly committed... You will see that the believer assumes silence, as his advice will not be accepted. You will see the transgressor lying and also see that his lies are being accepted and no one is refuting and falsifying his words.
You will see the young insulting the elders. You will see that dissociating with relatives has become common. You will see that when a person praises sin he would do it laughingly and one who says it will not be refuted... You will see that praise and extolling would increase.
You will see that people spending their wealth on the way of other that God and there would be none to restrain them and hold back their hands. You will see that when people see a believer making effort and searching, they would seek the refuge of Allah (SwT) that they may not become like him. You will see a neighbor harassing other neighbor and no one would stop him.
You will see that when a disbeliever sees the poor condition of the believer he would be elated by his own condition and when he sees corruption widespread on the earth he would be happy. And you will see that wine is openly imbibed and people who are gathered around tables do not care about Allah (SwT), the Mighty and the Sublime.
You will see that enjoining good has become extinct. You will see that the transgressor is powerful and is being defended and praised in deeds disliked by Allah (SwT). You will see that those having the signs would also face humiliation. You will see that the path of good is closed and the path of mischief is open and full of people who walk upon it.
You will see that the Holy Kaba is rendered empty and people shall be prevented from its visitation and encouraged to leave it. You will see each one advising others what he himself hasn’t done...
You will see that one possessing wealth is more respected than a believer. Usury would be openly practiced and none shall be chastised about it...
You will see the believer always in sorrow, degradation and humiliation. You will see innovations... common. You will see people competing with each other in testifying falsely. You will see that the prohibited has become permissible, the permissible has become prohibited. You will see people justifying their religion on the basis of their personal views and opinions and the Book of God and its commands are rendered useless.
You will see that no one is committing sins in the darkness of the night. Rather you will see them committing sins in broad daylight. You will see the believer, except by his heart, cannot refute the evils. You will see unprecedented wealth being squandered on activities hated by God. You will see wealthier people more deserving of leadership of the people...
You will see people killed merely on allegations and doubts...
And you will see that false oath is common, chess is played openly and wine is sold openly and no one is prohibiting it...
And you will see music and singing very open and common. Muslims would go beyond that and none shall refrain the other and none shall dare to prevent him. You will see respectable people humiliated by those whose power they dread. You will see that the closest people to their leaders shall be those who speak ill of us, Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and praise those leaders. You will see that people would find it very difficult to listen to Quranic recitation while on the other hand; it would be easy and acceptable for them to listen to impermissible sounds.
You will see people respecting a neighbor for fear of his sharp tongue. You will see the most truthful people lying. You will see that mischief is open and tale telling is common. You will see that rebellion and injustice has come out in open. You will see backbiting has become a sort of good and jovial manner and people would give glad-tidings to each other through it.
You will see that the aspect of other than Allah (SwT) would be found in Hajj and Jihad. You will see the ruler humiliating a believer because of a disbeliever. You will see destructions dominating their lives. You will see that human life would become a saleable commodity. You will see that bloodshed would become an easy and very common matter.
You will see that someone is standing up for leadership while his sole aim will be the world and he would introduce himself to be a harsh-tongued person so that none may dare to oppose him and through it he may have his purpose solved. You will see that carelessness is exercised with the Prayer.
You will see that the rich has much wealth collected with him and since he has started hoarding it he has not paid Zakat on it. You will see that they would take out the corpse out of the grave, hurt it and sell off its shroud. You will see that there is too much of topsy-turvy. You will see that people are intoxicated in the morning and late afternoon without any care for anyone or anything... You will see animals fighting and killing each other.
You will see people going to places of worship and coming back in condition of having their garments looted. You will see that the hearts of the people have become hard and their eyes have no shame and the remembrance of Allah (SwT) is hard on them and consumption of prohibited would become open and they would compete with each other in this.
You will see that if a worshipper goes to the worship house he does so with the intention of showing off, that people may see him. If you see a jurisprudent is contemplating something other than religious aim it is that he intends to obtain material gains and worldly power. You will see that people are supporting only those who are powerful and those who are victorious without any thought of whether he had been on the right or wrong.
You will see that those who try to earn through lawful means are denounced and criticized and those who seek through unlawful means are respected and praised. You will see such activities in the two holy sanctuaries of Kaba and Medina, that the Almighty Allah (SwT) does not like and none would be there to stop it. Rather there would be no obstacle between them and their ignorance.
You will see that music is played openly in the two sanctuaries. You will see a person issuing good exhortation but someone would stand up and say that Allah (SwT) does not want him to say these things; while he would be considered a well-wisher of this man. You will see people united in following the people of mischief. You will see that paths of good are deserted and no one walks upon them.
You will see that they shake up the dead body and no one would be disturbed by it. You will see that every year there is increase in innovations and mischief would increase. You will see that people and groups do not follow anyone except the rich. You will see that the needs of the needy are fulfilled laughingly and mockingly and their kindness shall be for ulterior motives.
You will see that the heavenly signs shall become apparent but none would be afraid of them. You will see people clinging to each other like animals and none would consider it bad. Even if they consider it bad, they would not say anything against it due to the fear of the people. You will see people spending most of their wealth in ways other than Allah’s (SwT) and they would be unwilling to spend even a little on the way of Allah (SwT).
And you will see that hurting parents, being disowned by them or insulting the parents would be common. Parents would be considered the worst of the people in view of their children. So much so, children will be pleased when allegations are made against their parents...
You will see children making allegations against their parents and criticizing them. They would be elated on hearing the news of their demise. You will see that the conditions reach to such a stage that if a day passes for a man without having committed any sin, short-selling, misappropriation, usurpation and wine-drinking he would think that a day of his life is wasted. You will see the ruler hoarding essential commodities and the property of the near kindred of the Prophet (S) being distributed unjustly. And he will spend it in gambling and drinking.
You will see him seeking cure through wine, and he would praise and recommend it for those who are sick. He would say: Such and such wine is beneficial for you. He would seek cure from alcohol. You will see people united in leaving off the enjoining of good and restraining from evil. You will see that the flag of hypocrites is flying high and the flag of people of truth missing. You will see callers to Prayer and worshippers calling Azan and performing prayers for money.
You will see the mosques full of people who do not fear God. They have gathered to backbite and consume the flesh of the people of truth. They shall discuss about wine-drinkers. You will see the prayer leader leading prayer in a state of intoxication. Such that he would not understand what he is reciting and none would denounce him. Rather if he is intoxicated, people would respect him due to fear and leave him alone. They would not pursue him; rather they would consider him worthy of being excused.
You will see people who usurp the property of orphans praised. You will see judges issuing judgments against divine commands. You will see rulers, because of greed, seeking refuge of those who misappropriate.
You will see the guardians giving off the wealth to transgressors and sinners against Allah (SwT) rather than pay the inheritance according to religious law. They would accept their bribes as fees. And they shall leave him free so that inheritors may do whatever they like. You will see people advising good from the pulpit but themselves not acting upon it.
You will see that Prayer is not recited on time and preference will not be accorded for praying at the earliest hour. You will see charity (Sadaqah) and alms are being paid on the basis of recommendation. And in it there would be no intention of seeing Allah’s (SwT) pleasure but it would be only because people are petitioning... You will see that the world is moving towards the people.
You will see that the signs of religion have become outdated, antiquated and old. Then beware of such a day for the sake of Allah (SwT) and beseech the Almighty for salvation. Know that in such days people shall be deep in divine chastisement. And if the Almighty Allah (SwT) has given them respite it is because you must wait for the time Allah (SwT) has appointed for a matter.
You must try to be such that you are opposed to these types of people so that if chastisement descends upon them, you may soon reach the mercy of Allah (SwT). If their chastisement is delayed and they fall into it, you may be out of their midst; you must not be the one who has dared to disobey Allah (SwT). You should know that the Almighty Allah (SwT) does not waste the rewards of the good doers. And the mercy of Allah (SwT) is near to the righteous ones.'