“You shall certainly pass through one state after another”
Imam Sadiq (as) said, Our Qaem (as) will have a lengthy occultation. The narrator asked, O son of the Messenger of Allah! Why is that?
Imam (as) replied, This is because Allah has forbidden everything but applying the traditions of the (previous) prophets in the occultation of the Qaem (as) O Sadeer! It is imperative for the occultation to be fulfilled, for Allah says, “You shall certainly pass through one state after another” which means passing through the traditions of the previous (nations). (Kamaluddin volume 2 page 480)