Abu Saeed Aqeesa narrates that when Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) signed the peace treaty with Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufiyan, people came to him and some of them condemned him for signing the peace treaty with Muawiyah. Imam (peace be upon him) replied:
“Woe unto you! Do you realize the merits of my act? By Allah the Almighty whatever I did for my Shias is better than on what the sun rises and sets. Do you not know that I am your Imam whose obedience has been made obligatory upon you and according to the tradition of Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny,) I am one of the leaders of the youths of the paradise?
They said, “Yes”.
Then Imam (peace be upon him) said:
“Do you not know that when Hazrat Khizr (peace be upon him) made a hole in the boat, killed the child and repaired the wall, on which Hazrat Musa ibn Imran (peace be upon him) objected as the wisdom behind his acts was hidden from him while there was purpose and aim behind this from the side of Allah the Almighty. Do you not know that apart from our Qaem (may Allah hasten his reappearance), behind whom the Spirit of Allah Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) will establish prayers, all of us will be under the vigilance of the unjust rulers? Therefore, surely Allah the Almighty will conceal his (Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his reappearance)) birth and personality (from the people) so that when he (may Allah hasten his reappearance) reappears there shall not be anyone ruling over him. He will be the ninth son from the progeny of my brother Husain (peace be upon him), son of Janabe Narjis (s.a), whom Allah the Almighty will give long life in his occultation, then Allah the Almighty through his power will raise him like a young men of forty years so that people realise that Allah has power over all things.”
(Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 51, p. 132, H. 1 narrating from Kamaluddin, vol. 1, pg. 312)
Asbagh narrates that I heard Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace be upon him) saying:
“After Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny), there will be twelve Imams, nine will be from the progeny of my brother Husain (Peace be upon him) and from amongst them will be the Mahdi of this nation.”
(Kifaayatul Asar, pg. 223)
Jabir ibn Yazid Jo’fi narrates from Imam Muhammad Baaqir (peace be upon him) who narrates from his father Imam Ali ibn Husain (peace be upon both) who narrates from Imam Hasan al-Mujtaba (peace 1be upon him) that:
“The number of Imams will be similar to that of chiefs of Bani Israel, and from amongst us will be Mahdi of this nation.”
(Kifaayatul Asar, pg. 224)