The Sufficient (Vol 1) · Hadith 721 (#Ḥadīth #3)

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ الامَامُ مَتَى يَعْرِفُ إِمَامَتَهُ وَيَنْتَهِي الامْرُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ فِي آخِرِ دَقِيقَةٍ مِنْ حَيَاةِ الاوَّلِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Ali ibn Asbat from certain persons of his people who has said that I asked abu ‘Abdallah the following. “When does the Imam come to know that he has become the Imam and position is transferred to him?” The Imam replied, “At the last minute of the life of the preceding Imam .”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).