Chapter 1
The necessity of the presence of Divine Authority among the people Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni, the author of this book, may Allah grant him blessings has said the following.
H 412, Ch. 1, h 1
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-‘Abbass ibn ‘Umar al-Qummi from Hisham ibn al-Hakam from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following.
“An atheist asked the Imam (a.s.), ‘How do you prove the truthfulness of the prophets and the messengers?’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is a fact that we have established with sufficient evidence the existence of our Creator, the Most Holy, the Most High and Exalted above all creatures. It is a fact that this Creator is All wise and Most High. His creatures can not see, touch, associate and directly communicate with Him. It proves that His deputies must be present among His creatures. It is His deputies and ambassadors who speak to people for Him and provide them guidance to protect their interests, to tell them what is beneficial to them and what are the best means of survival and what may cause their destruction. This proves the presence among people of those who conveys the commandments of the Creator, Who is All wise and All knowing Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, to people. Such people are the prophet (a.s.) the chosen ones from among His creatures. They are the people of wisdom, disciplined with wisdom and sent to people with the message of wisdom. They are different from other people – although are like them in physical form and shape – in their conditions of discipline and their receiving direct support from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High and All-Wise. This also proves their presence among people in all times to ensure the availability of the people with Divine authority who would have the kind of knowledge that would establish their truthfulness and trustworthiness.”
H 413, Ch. 1, h 2
Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya from Mansur ibn Hazim who has said the following.
“I said to Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Allah by far above Majestic and Gracious to be known through His creatures. In fact, the creatures are known through Allah.’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “You have spoken the truth.” I said, “One who knows that he has a Lord, he must also learn that his Lord agrees with certain things and disagrees with certain other things. The only way he would know what his like and dislikes is revelation or a messenger. On e does not receive revelation he must find the messengers and when finds the messengers he will know that they the Divine authority and that obedience to them is necessary.
I say to people, “Do you know that the messenger of Allah was the Divine authority over His creatures?” They say, “Yes, he was the Divine authority.” I then ask, “After the messenger of Allah who was the Divine authority over His creatures?” They said, “After the messenger of Allah the Divine authority is the Holy Quran.” I considered the Holy Quran and found out that various kinds of people consider this Holy Book as support for their beliefs. For example the Murji’a (people who say Allah has postponed punishment), the pre-determinists and the atheist who even do not believe in it but take it as the basis for their arguments against the others. I then learned that the Holy Quran can not serve as Divine authority without a guardian whose words from the Holy Quran would be the truth. I then ask the people, “Who is the guardian of the Holy Quran?” They say, “Ibn Mas‘ud knew the Holy Quran, ‘Umar knew it and Hudhayfa knew the Holy Quran.” I ask them, “Did they know all of the Holy Quran?” The people say, “No, they did not know all of it.” I have not found anyone who would know all of the Holy Quran except Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.). It is a fact that if any issue would emerge that needed a Quranic solution, except for Imam Ali (a.s.) every one of the others would, in many cases, say, “I do not know.” Only Imam Ali (a.s.) would say, “I know.” I then acknowledge that Imam Ali (a.s.) is the guardian of the Holy Quran and obedience to him is obligatory and he is the Divine authority over the people after the Holy Prophet (s.a.). Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has said from the Holy Quran is the truth.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “May Allah grant you blessing.”
H 414, Ch. 1, h 3
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Ibrahim from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub who has said the following.
“In the presence of Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) once there was a group of his followers consisting of Humran ibn ’Ayun, Muhammad ibn al-Ni‘man, Hisham ibn Salim, al-Tayyar and others among whom was also Hisham ibn al-Hakam, a young man. Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, “O Hisham can you tell us what did you do to ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and how did you ask him questions?” Hisham said, “O descendant of the Holy Prophet Your greatness makes me feel shy and my tongue does not work in your presence.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “When I would order you something you should do it.” Hisham, then said, “I came to learn about the gathering of ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and sessions of speeches for people in the Mosque of Basra. It disturbed me a great deal and I went to Basra. It was a Friday. I went to the Mosque and found a large circle of people among was ‘Arm ibn ‘Ubayd with a black piece of woolen cloth used as a loin cloth and another piece over him as a gown and people would ask him questions. I asked people for room, which they made for me. I sat in front of the people with my legs folded beneath and said, “O scholar, I come from out of town. Can I ask you questions?” He said, “Yes, you may ask.” I asked, “Do you have eyes?” He said, “Son, what kind of question is this? Something that you can see why then do you ask?” I said, “That is how my questions are.” He said, “Son, you may ask your questions even if they would be foolish ones.” I asked, “Do you have eyes?” He said, “Yes, I have eyes.” I asked, “What do you do with them?” He said, “I see with them the colors and persons.” I asked, “Do you have a nose?” He said, “Yes, I have a nose.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, ” I use it to smell things.” I asked, “Do you have a mouth?” He said, “Yes, I have a mouth.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, “I test things with it.” I asked, “Do you have ears?” He said, “Yes, I have ears.” I asked, “What do you do with them?” He said, “I hear sounds with them.” He I asked, “Do you have a heart?” He said, “Yes, I have a heart.” I asked, “What do you do with it?” He said, “I distinguish and discern things that come to it from the other senses.” I asked, “Why are your others senses independent of your heart and why do they need it?” He said, “They are not independent of my heart.” I said, “Why do they need your heart when they are all healthy and sound?” He said, “Son, when the other senses face a doubt about something, such as smell, test, etc., I send it to my heart and it ascertains certainty and discards doubts.” I asked him, “Do you mean that Allah has set up the heart to remove doubts from the other senses?” He said, “Yes, that is true.” I asked, “Is then the existence of the heart necessary to remove the doubts of the other senses?” He said, “Yes, it is necessary.”
I then said, “O abu Marwan, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, as you say, has not left your senses without an Imam to correct the doubts and the mistakes of the other senses in you and remove doubts therefrom, how would He leave all the people with doubts and confusions without an Imam who would remove their doubts and settle their disputes?” He remained quite and did not say anything for a while. He then asked, “Are you Hisham ibn al-Hakam?” I said, “No, I am not.” He asked, “Are you of his associates?” I said, “No.” He asked, “Wherefrom are you?” I said, “I am from Kufa.” He said, “You then must be Hisham ibn al-Hakam.” He then took to himself and gave me room nearby. He discontinued his speech until I left.” Imam abu ‘abdallah (a.s.) smiled and said, “O Hisham who has taught you this?”
I replied, “I learned something from you and added something of my self.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “This, I swear by Allah, is written in the books of Abraham and Moses.”
H 415, Ch. 1, h 4
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from those whom mentioned from Yunus ibn Ya’qub who has said the following.
“I was in the presence of Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) that a man from Sham (Syria) came to him and said, ‘I am a man of Kalam (meaningful words) Fiqh (laws) and rules of obligations and I have come to debate your people.” Imam abu ‘Abdallah asked, ” Are your meaningful words those of the Messenger of Allah or your own words?” He replied, “Somme of them are from the Messenger of Allah and some of them are my own words.” The Imam said, “Are then you a partner of the Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, I am not.” The Imam (a.s.) asked, “Have you received any revelation from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High ?” He said, “No, I have not.” The Imam then asked, “Is it obligatory to obey you just as it is obligatory to obey the Messenger of Allah?” He said, “No, it is not.” The Imam (a.s.) then turned to me and said, “O Yunus, this man has just defeated himself before debating others.”
The Imam then said, “O Yunus, why do you not speak to him if you do well in debate?” I said, “I wish I could but, may Allah take my soul in the service for your cause, I have heard that you do not allow debating and say that wayl (a place in hell) is for those who debate. Some of them say, ‘This is accepted and that is not accepted and this is alright to say but that is not alright to say that this we understand and that we do not understand.’ The Imam (a.s.) said, “I said so if they would ignore what I say and follow what they themselves want.”
The Imam then said, “find out who is outside who could debate and bring them in. The reporter has said, “I then brought in Humran ibn ’Ayun who was good in debating, Ahwal who also was good in debate. I brought Hisham ibn Salim who debated well. Another person I brought was Qays ibn Masir who the best of them to me. He had learned Kalam (theology) from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) Our gathering took place in Makka before Hajj. Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) would stay near the Holy Mosque for few days in a small tent. Once the Imam (a.s.) looked outside the tent and there was a camel growling and said, “By the Lord of the Ka‘ba, it is Hisham.” We thought it must be Hisham, the man from the family of ‘Qil who was very beloved to the Imam (a.s.). It was Hisham ibn al-Hakam who came in. He had just grown a small beard and all of us were older than him. The Imam (a.s.) made room for him and said, “He is our supporter with his heart, tongue and hands.” The Imam then asked Humran to debate the man. Humran came out strong. Then the Imam asked Taqi to debate the man. Ahwal also came strong. Then the Imam asked Hisham ibn Salim to debate the man. They both remained the same. The Imam (a.s.) then asked Qasys al-Masir to debate the man. When they debated the Imam (a.s.) laughed because of the man from Sham sometimes saying the right thing.
The Imam then asked the man from to speak with Hisham ibn al-Hakam. The man said, “O boy, ask me about the Imamat (spiritual leadership) of this man.” Hisham become angry and began to shake and said, “O you, is your Lord more protective of His people or people themselves?” The man said, “It is My Lord Who is more protective of His creatures.” Hisham then asked, “What then He in His opinion has done for them?” The Man said, “He has established His authority and guidance so that they would not differ and disunite and be united to support each other and remind them of their duties towards Allah.” Hisham asked, “Who is he?” The man said, “He is the Messenger of Allah.” Hisham then asked, “Who is the Divine authority after the Messenger of Allah?” The man replied, “It is the book if Allah and the Sunnah.” Hisham then said, “Have the Book and Sunnah helped us today in removing our differences?” The man said, “Yes, they have helped us.” Hisham then asked, “Why then do we have differences among us. You have come all the way from Sham to oppose and debate us?” The man then remained quite. The Imam asked him, “Why do not speak?” The man said, “If I were to say that we have no differences I would speaking lies. Were I to say that the Book and Sunnah solves our differences it would be invalid because they can be interpreted in so many ways. Were I to say that we do have differences and each claims to be the rightful party then the Book and the Sunnah would have been proved of no help. However, I can ask the same question from him also.” The Imam (a.s.) then said to man from Sham, “Why do not then ask him this question?”
The man from Sham (Syria) then turned to Hisham and asked, “O you, is your Lord more protective of His people or people themselves?” Hisham said, “It is My Lord Who is more protective of His creatures.” The man then asked, “Has He then established for them a means that would remove their differences, unite them, remove their difficulties and show them the right from wrong?” Hisham asked, “Do you mean for the time of the Messenger of Allah or at this time?”
The man from Sham said, “At the time of the Messenger of Allah was the Messenger of Allah. Who is the (Divine) authority at this time?” Hisham said, “(The Divine authority) at this time is this person sitting among us. To him people journey long distance to find answer to their questions. He tells us about the news of the heavens and the earth as he has inherited it from his father and grand father.” The man from Sham said, “How would I know that?” Hisham then said, “Ask him whatever you would like.” The man from Sham said, “You have left no excuse for me and I must ask.”
Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then said, “O man from Sham, “I can tell you how was your journey and how was your road. It was so and so.” The Imam (a.s.) informed him with details. The man agreed and acknowledged the details and said, “Now I have become a Muslim.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “In fact, you have become a believer in Allah now. Islam is before Iman (faith). Because of Islam people inherit each other and marry. Because of faith people receive rewards.” The man then said, “You have spoken the truth. At this time I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His Messenger and that you are the executor of the will of the Executor of wills of the Messengers of Allah.”
The Imam (a.s.) then turned to Humran and said, “When you speak on the basis of Hadith you speak the truth.” Turning to Hisham ibn Salim the Imam (a.s.) said, “You want the Hadith but you do not know them.” About the al-Ahwal the Imam said, “You analogized and use a great deal of cunning ways and break falsehood with falsehood but your falsehood is stronger.” To Qays al-Masir the Imam (a.s.) said, “You speak of something very near to the Hadith of the Holy Prophet (s.a) but use something very far from the Hadith of the Holy Prophet. You mix the truth with falsehood while a small degree of truth is enough to remove falsehood. You and Ahwal are experts in jumping here and there.” Yunus has said, “I thought the Imam will say about Hisham something similar to those he said about the other two.” The Imam then said, “O Hisham, you sometimes almost fall but you spring up like a bird on take-off. People like you should speak but be careful of slipping and intercession will follow, Allah willing.”
H 416, Ch. 1, h 5
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban who has that al-Ahwal reported to him the following.
“Zayd ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) sent called up on to meet him when he was in hiding. When I met him, Zayd said, “O abu Ja‘far, what would say if someone will from us would come to you asking to join us? Will you rise up with him (against the enemies)?” I said, “Would it be your father or brother I would have joined them.” He then said, “I want to rise up against these people. Come and join me.” I then said, “No, may Allah my soul of service to you.” He then said, “Is it that you keep yourself away from me?” I said, ” It is only one soul. If Allah’s authority on earth exists, then those keeping away from you would have saved themselves and those joining you would have faced their destruction. If there would Divine authority exist one earth then people joining and keeping away from would be the same.” He then said, “O abu Ja‘far, I would sit with my father at the same table he would feed me chunky morsels and cool off for me the hot one out kindness and diligent care. Do you think he was not afraid for me from the fire of hell? So he has informed you about religion and did not inform me?” I said, ” May Allah make my soul of service to you, it is also because of the kindness of your father to you that to save you from the fire he did not inform you. He was afraid for you that after having the information you would ignore his guidance and so you become subject of fire He informed me also and if I would follow I will be safe and become destroyed if disobeyed for he which he was not that much concerned. Then I told him, “..” May Allah make my soul of service to you, are you of a higher degree of excellence or the prophets?” He said, “It is the prophets.” I said, “Consider that Ya‘qub has said to Joseph, ‘My son do not tell your dream to your brothers. They may plot against you. Why he not inform the brothers so that they would not plot against Josephe?.He hid it from them such the way your father has done because he was afraid about you.” Then He said, “When you say that, I swear to Allah that your friend (the Imam (a.s.) told me in Madina that I will be killed and crucified in al-Kunnasa and that he has a book with him that lists the people killed and crucified.” I then went for Hajj and reported the story of Zayd to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and what I said to Zayd. The Imam (a.s.) said, “You surrounded him from his fron, back, left, right, above and below and did not leave for any way out.
Chapter 2
The Categories of the Prophets, the Messengers and the Imams (a.s.)
H 417, Ch. 2, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from abu Yahya al-Wasiti from Hisham ibn Salim and Durust ibn abu Mansur from him the following.
“Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said that the prophets and the messengers are of four categories. There were prophets who were given Divine news in their souls just for their own-selves and for no one else. There were also prophets who were given Divine news in their dreams and would hear the voice but would not see anyone when awake and they were not sent to other people with such news. They had to follow and Imam just as it happened with Lot who followed Abraham.. There were prophets who would experience in their dreams, hear the voice and see the angel and were sent to a group of people small or large like Jonas (we sent him to a hundred thousand people or a few more). The Imam said that there were thirty thousand more people lead by an Imam. Those who saw in their dreams heard the voice and saw the angel when awake and were also Imams like ’Ulul ‘Azm ones, such as Abraham were prophets but not Imams until Allah said, “I want to appoint you as the Imam for people.” He said, “Also please from my descendents, to which He said, ‘My covenant does not go to the unjust ones, those who have worshipped idols or statues will not become Imams.”
H 418, Ch. 2, h 2
Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated those whom he mentioned from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following.
“I heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah saying, ‘Allah chose Abraham as a servant before choosing him as a prophet. Allah chose him as a prophet before choosing him as a messenger. Allah chose him as a messenger before choosing him as a friend of His. Allah chose him as a friend of His before choosing him as an Imam. When all of the above things were gathered in Abraham, Allah said, “I have certainly appointed you as the Imam for the people.” Because to Abraham it was so great he asked, “Can this (Imamat, leadership) be in my descendents also?” Allah said, “The feeble-minded can become the leaders of the pious ones.”
H 419, Ch. 2, h 3
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khath‘ami from Hisham from abu Ya‘qub who has said the following “I heard abu ‘Abdallah saying, ‘The leaders and masters of the prophets and the messengers are five who are called ’ulul ‘Azm (people with determination) among the messengers who have the central role. They are Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (s.a.).”
H 420, Ch. 2, h 4
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ishaq ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz from abu al-Saffah from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said the following.
“I heard the Imam saying, ‘Allah chose Abraham as a servant before He chose him as a prophet. He chose him as a prophet before He chose him as a messenger. He chose him as a messenger before He chose him as a friend of His. He chose him as a friend of His before He chose him as an Imam. When all of these things gathered in him (the Imam holding his hands said, “Allah said, ‘O Ibrahim I have appointed you as the Imam (leader) of the people.” Because of the greatness of the position Abraham them asked, “O Lord, can it be in my descendants also?” The Lord said, ‘My covenant does not go to the unjust ones.”
Chapter 3
The Difference among he Messengers, the Prophets and the al-Muhaddath
H 421, Ch. 3, h 1
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from Zurara who has said the following
“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘He was a messenger, a prophet’. What is a messenger and what is a prophet?’” The Imam said, “A prophet is one who sees things in his dream and hears the voice but does not see the angel. The messenger is one who hears the voice, in his dreams and sees the angel.” I then said, “What is the position of the Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He hears the voice but does not see and observe the angel” Then he recited the following verse of the Holy Quran. ‘Satan would try to tamper with the desires of every Prophet or Messenger or Muhaddith (Muhaddith is a commentary of Imam (a.s.), whom We sent . . .’” (22:52)Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Isma‘il ibn Marrar who has said the following “Al-Hassan ibn al-‘Abbass al-Ma‘rufi wrote to Imam al-Rida (a.s.). “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, explain to me the difference between the messengers, the prophets and the Imams.” The Imam said or wrote, ” The difference between the messengers, the prophets and the Imams is that a messenger is one to whom Jibril (Gabriel) comes. He sees Jibril and hears his speech and Jibril (the angel) brings him (Divine) revelation and sometimes he may see in his dream like the dream of Abraham (a.s.). A prophet is one who may hear the speech and may see the person or may not hear. The Imam is the one who hears the speech but does not see the person.”
H 422, Ch. 3, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from al-Ahwal who has said the following.
“I Asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the messenger, the prophet and al-Muhaddith (one who reports Divine guidance).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “A messenger is one to whom Jibril (angel) comes openly he sees him (the angel) and speaks to him. Such person is a messenger. A prophet is one who sees in his dream something like the dream of Abraham (a.s.) or the dream of our Prophet (s.a.) about reasons for prophethood before the coming of revelation until Jibril came from Allah with to inform him that he was to be a messenger. In the case of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) when prophethood was established in him then Jibril brought him the message that he was to be a messenger. Jibril would come and speak to him openly. Some of the prophets in whom prophethood is established they see in their dreams, the spirit comes to them, speaks and reports to them but they do not see the spirit when awake. Al-Muhaddith is one to who is reported to and he hears the reporting but does not see openly or in his dream.”
H 423, Ch. 3, h 3
Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ali ibn Hassan from Faddal from Ali ibn Ya’qub al-Hashimi from Marwan ibn Muslim from Burayd who has said the following.
“I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Satan would try to tamper with the desires of every Prophet or Messenger or Muhaddith (Muhaddith is a commentary of Imam (a.s.), whom We sent . . .’” (22:52). I said, “”May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, the word Muhaddith does not exist in our reading. What then is the meaning of The Messenger, Prophet and Muhaddith?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “A messenger is one to whom the angel comes openly and speaks to him. A prophet is one who sees in his dream. Sometimes prophethood and messengership may exist in one person. Al-Muhaddith is one who hears the voice but does not see the person (of the angel).” I then asked, may Allah keep you well, “How would one know that what one sees in his dream is true and that it is from the angel?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He receives help for success to know the angel. Allah has your book the last book and your Prophet the last of prophets.”
“I Asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the messenger, the prophet and al-Muhaddith (one who reports Divine guidance).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “A messenger is one to whom Jibril (angel) comes openly he sees him (the angel) and speaks to him. Such person is a messenger. A prophet is one who sees in his dream something like the dream of Abraham (a.s.) or the dream of our Prophet (s.a.) about reasons for prophethood before the coming of revelation until Jibril came from Allah with to inform him that he was to be a messenger. In the case of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) when prophethood was established in him then Jibril brought him the message that he was to be a messenger. Jibril would come and speak to him openly. Some of the prophets in whom prophethood is established they see in their dreams, the spirit comes to them, speaks and reports to them but they do not see the spirit when awake. Al-Muhaddith is one to who is reported to and he hears the reporting but does not see openly or in his dream.”
“I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Satan would try to tamper with the desires of every Prophet or Messenger or Muhaddith (Muhaddith is a commentary of Imam (a.s.), whom We sent . . .’” (22:52). I said, “”May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, the word Muhaddith does not exist in our reading. What then is the meaning of The Messenger, Prophet and Muhaddith?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “A messenger is one to whom the angel comes openly and speaks to him. A prophet is one who sees in his dream. Sometimes prophethood and messengership may exist in one person. Al-Muhaddith is one who hears the voice but does not see the person (of the angel).” I then asked, may Allah keep you well, “How would one know that what one sees in his dream is true and that it is from the angel?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He receives help for success to know the angel. Allah has your book the last book and your Prophet the last of prophets.”
Chapter 4
The issue that Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam
H 424, Ch. 4, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya al-‘Attar has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn abu ‘Amayr from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Dawud al-Riqqi from the pious man (a.s.) the following “Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam who would teach people about Him.”
H 425, Ch. 4, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ who has said the following.
“Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam who would teach people about Him.”
H 426, Ch. 4, h 3
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from ‘Abbad ibn Sulayman from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d from Muhammad ibn ‘Ammara from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam who would teach people about Him.”
H 427, Ch. 4, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from Khalaf ibn Hammad from ’Aban ibn Taghlib from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“A person with Divine authority is before the people, with the people and after the people.”
Chapter 5
The Issue that the Earth at no time is without a Person with Divine Authority
H 428, Ch. 5, h 1
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ who has said the following.
“I abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Can there be a time on earth without Imam?” The Imam said, “No, it can not be without Imam.” I asked, “Can there be two Imams at a time?” He said, “No, unless one is quite.”
H 429, Ch. 5, h 2
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Yunus and Su‘dan ibn Muslim from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammara from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“I heard the Imam (a.s.) saying, ‘The earth is never left without an Imam so that if the believers would add any thing it would be brought back and if they would reduce anything it would be completed.”
H 430, Ch. 5, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Rabi‘ ibn Muhammad al-Musalliy from ‘Abdallah ibn Sulayman al- ‘Amiriy from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“The earth has never been without a person with Divine authority who would teach people about the lawful and unlawful matters and call them to the path of Allah.”
H 431, Ch. 5, h 4
Ahmad ibn Mihran has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from al-Husayn ibn abu ‘Ala’ from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Can the earth be without Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “No, it can be without Imam.”
H 432, Ch. 5, h 5
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn Muskan from abu Basir from one of them (Imams (a.s.), who has said the following
“Allah does not leave the earth without a ‘Alim (scholar). Without this the truth would not be distinguished from falsehood.”
H 433, Ch. 5, h 6
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following
“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is far greater and above leaving the earth without an Imam of justice.”
H 434, Ch. 5, h 7
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu ’Usama and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu ’Usama and Hisham ibn salim from abu Hamza from abu Ishaq from those reliable among the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) who has said the following.
“O Lord. You do not leave your earth without a person who would represent Your authority among the people.”
H 435, Ch. 5, h 8
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamza from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following.
“I swear to Allah that He has not, from the day Adam died, left the earth without an Imam who would guide people to the Lord as with divine authority over the servants of the Lord. The earth will never remain without an Imam with Divine authority over His servants.”
H 436, Ch. 5, h 9
Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from some of our people from abu Ali ibn Rashid from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following.
” The earth is never without a person with divine authority and I swear to Allah that I am the person with Divine authority.”
H 437, Ch. 5, h 10
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Fudayl from ibn abu Hamza who has said the following.
“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Can the earth be left without the Imam?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, ” Were to remain without Imam it would obliterate its inhabitants.”
H 438, Ch. 5, h 11
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘isa from Muhammad al-Fudayl who has said the following.
“I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘Can the remain without Imam?’” He replied, “No, it will not remain so.” I then said, “We narrate from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) that the earth will not remain without Imam unless Allah becomes extremely angry with the people of the earth or with His servants.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “In such condition it will not remain but it would obliterate with its inhabitants.”
H 439, Ch. 5, h 12
Ali has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from abu ‘Abd al_Mu’min from abu Harassa from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Would the Imam be taken away from the earth it will create waves against her inhabitants just like what the inhabitants of the ocean face.”
H 440, Ch. 5, h 13
Al-Husayn ibn Ali has narrated from Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said the following.
“I asked al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), “I can the earth remain without Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “No, it will not remain so.” I said, “We narrate that it will not remain without the Imam unless Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, becomes angry with the people.” The Imam said, “In such condition it will not remain but it will obliterate its inhabitants.”
Chapter 6
The Issue that even if only two people would remain on earth one of them would certainly be the Imam, the person with divine authority
H 441, Ch. 6, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ibn al-Tayyar who has said the following.
“I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, ‘Would there remain no one on earth except two persons one of them would certainly be the person with Divine authority.”
H 442, Ch. 6, h 2
Ahmad ibn Idris and Muhammad ibn Yahya together have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from abu ‘Ubayd from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu Hamza ibn al-Tayyar from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Would there remain only two people on earth, one of them would the person with divine authority over the other.”
Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa a similar Hadith.
H 443, Ch. 6, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from those who he has mentioned from al-Hassan ibn Musa al-Khashshab from Ja’far ibn Muhammad from Kiram from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“If of all the people there will remain only two man one of them will be the Imam. He also said, ‘The last person to die will be the Imam (a.s.) so that no one could complain against Allah leaving him without Imam, the person with Divine authority over him.’”
H 444, Ch. 6, h 4
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Ali ibn Isma‘il from ibn Sinan from Hamza ibn al-Tayyar who has said the following.
“I heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, ‘Would there remain on earth no one except two people one of them will be the person with Divine authority or the second one will be the person with Divine authority (uncertainty is from the narrator).”
H 445, Ch. 6, h 5
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from al-Nahdi from his father from Yunus ibn ya‘qub from abu ‘Abdallah who has said the following. “Would there remain no one except two people one of them will certainly be the Imam.”
Chapter 7
Knowing the Imam (a.s.) and Belief in His Divine Authority
H 446, Ch. 7, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ who has said that Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl narrated to me from abu Hamza from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Only those who know Allah worship Him. Those who do not know Allah they worship Him just like that in misguidance.” I then asked, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what the knowledge about Allah?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Knowledge about Allah means is to acknowledge the existence of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, to acknowledge His messenger and to love Imam Ali (a.s.). Of such knowledge is to follow him and the Imams of guidance and to denounce before Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, their (Imams’) enemies. This is how the knowledge about Allah is.”
H 447, Ch. 7, h 2
Al-Husayn has narrated from Mu‘alla al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from his father from ’Udhayna who has said that more than one person has narrated to us from one the two Imams (a.s.) who has said the following.
“One will not be considered a Mu‘min until he knows Allah, His Messenger and all of the Imams and the Imam of ones time, acknowledges his Divine authority and submits his affairs to the Imam (a.s.).” He then said, “How would one know the last one when one is ignorant of the first one.”
H 448, Ch. 7, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Zurara who has said the following.
“I said to abu Ja’far (a.s.), ‘Is knowing the Imam from among you obligatory on all creatures?’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent Muhammad to all people as His Messenger and as His authority over all creatures on earth. Those who have faith in Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger and have followed him and have acknowledged his message on such people it is obligatory to the Imam from us. Those who do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger and who do not follow him and do not acknowledge him and do not acknowledge the rights of Allah and His messenger then knowing the Imam (a.s.) would be obligatory on them? They do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger, do not follow him and do not acknowledge their rights.” I then asked, “What would you say about those who have faith in Allah and His messenger who acknowledge His messenger in all the matters that have come from Allah, is it obligatory for them to know the Imam (a.s.) from you?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, it is obligatory. Do they not know so and so?” I said, “yes, they do.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Do you think Allah is the one who has placed such knowledge in their hearts? No, I swear to Allah that no one other than Satan has placed such knowledge in their hearts. I swear to Allah that no one other than Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has inspired our rights in hearts of the believers.”
H 449, Ch. 7, h 4
From the narrator of the previous Hadith from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Amr ibn abu al-Miqdam from Jabir who has said the following.
“I heard imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Only those who know Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and worship Him. It is such people who know Him and know the Imam from the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a). Those who do not know Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and do not know the Imam from us, Ahlul Bayt, such people only know and worship something other than Allah just like that in error.”
H 450, Ch. 7, h 5
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jaumhur from Faddala ibn Ayyub from Mu‘awiya ibn Wahab from Dhurayh who has said the following.
“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the Imams after the Holy Prophet (s.a.).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali) (a.s.) was the Imam. Then al-Hassan (a.s.) was the Imam. Then al-Husayn (a.s.) was the Imam. Then Ali ibn Al-Husayn (a.s.) was the Imam. Then Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) was the Imam. One who would deny this would be as if he has denied the existence of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and the truthfulness of Prophet Muhammad (s.a).” I asked, “may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, are you then the Imam? I repeated it three times.” The Imam said, “I only said it to you so that you will be of the witnesses before Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, on His earth.”
H 451, Ch. 7, h 6
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from those whom he mentioned from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Layla from his father from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“You will not be of the people of good deeds until you will know. You will not know until you acknowledge. You will not acknowledge until you safeguard the four doors and the first of these doors will not do any good without the last. The people of the three strayed far away from the (right) path. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, accepts only the righteous deeds. Allah does not accept with one’s fulfilling the conditions of the covenant. Those who remain faithful to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, about His condition and follow what is prescribed in the covenant he will receive blessings from Him and He will keep His promise. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has informed the people of the path of guidance and has sanctioned for them the laws of Shari‘a as beacons. He has informed them how to follow the laws. He has said, “I am All-forgiving to the righteously striving believers who repent and follow the right guidance.” (20:82) “Allah (God) only accepts the offerings of the pious ones.” (5:27)
Those who are pious before Allah about His commandments they meet Allah as believers in in whatever Prophet has brought to them from Allah. It is unfortunate that people died before finding guidance. They thought that they were believers but they became polytheist without realizing it.
Those who enter the house through the door they are rightly guided. Those who go other ways they are on the path to destruction. Allah has connected the obedience to the people of Divine authority with the obedience to His Messenger and the obedience to His messenger with obedience to His Own-self. Those who would disregard obedience to the people of Divine authority they have not obeyed Allah and His Messenger. This obedience is the acknowledgment of what Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has sent. (That you) be well dressed with means of beauty near every mosque; that you should enter the doors of the houses that Allah has given permission to be uplifted wherein His names be mentioned. Allah has certainly informed you that there are certain man whose attentions and mind do not deviate from speaking about Allah, prayer and paying charity because of business and trade attractions. They only fear the Day in which the hearts and eyes turn upside down.
Allah has appointed the messengers for commands. He then chose them to acknowledge in His Warning and said, “No nation who lived before was left without a Warner . . .” (35:25) Stray those who are ignorant and find the right guidance those who think and understand. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “It is their hearts in the center which are blind, not their ears.” (22:46) How can one does not see find guidance and how would one understand without thinking? Follow the Messenger of Allah and his Ahlul Bayt (family) and acknowledge what Allah has sent and follow the traces of guidance. They (Ahlul Bayt) are the signs of trust and piety. Know that if a person would deny Jesus, the son of Mary (a.s.) and acknowledge all the other prophets such person will not be considered a believer. Follow the path by the help of the lighthouses and follow the signs from behind the barriers. Try to perfect the matters of your religion and have faith in Allah, your Lord.”
H 452, Ch. 7, h 7
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Saghir from whom he has narrated from Rib‘i ibn ‘Abdallah from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Allah did not want to let things work except through their means and reasons. For everything He made a cause, for every cause an explanation, for every explanation a science, for every science a speaking chapter. Some people know it and some do not know. It is the messengers of Allah and we.”
H 453, Ch. 7, h 8
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following.
“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever would worship Allah in the expectation for reward and work hard but without having an Imam for himself his efforts would not be received acceptance. Such person is last and straying and Allah would dislike his deeds. The example of such person is like that of a lost sheep who would stray away from her herd. She would wonder around during the day and at nightfall she would see a different flock of sheep with a shepherd and she would glad and affectionately join it thinking it to be like her own flock. She would pass the night in their barn but in the morning when the shepherd let the flock out she could not recognize her flock and shepherd and begin to wonder in search for her own flock and shepherd and saw a flock and a shepherd. She then would rush to the flock with great interest but the shepherd shouted, ‘Go to your own flock and shepherd because you are lost and wondering.’ She then would run back and forth lost and wondering without a shepherd to show her the grazing areas and the barn. At such time a wolf would seize the opportunity and would kill her to eat. Just the same is the case, O Muhammad, those people of this ’Ummah (nation) who has no Imam from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, who is in public and possessing the noble quality of justice. Such people are lost and straying. If such people would in such a condition their death would be like that of an unbeliever and hypocrite. O Muhammad, take notice that the unjust Imams and their followers are far away from the religion of Allah. They have lost the right path and have mislead the others. The deeds that they are like dust blown away by the winds in a stormy day. They would remain helpless and unable to benefit from their deeds. Such is straying far away from the right path.”
H 454, Ch. 7, h 9
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from al-Haytham ibn Waqid from Muqrin who has said the following.
“I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, ‘Ibn al-Kawwa came to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and asked, “O Amir al-Mu’minin,(what do you say about; “There will be people on the Heights who know everyone by their faces . . .” (7:46). The Imam said, “we will be on the Heights. We will recognize our supporters from their faces. We are the Heights without whose knowing there is no other way to know Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. We are the Heights that Allah on the Day of Judgment will make known to everyone on the bridge. No one will enter paradise without knowing us and our knowing them. No one will enter hell except those would not know us and we will ignore them.
If Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would want to let people know Him He may do so but He has made us the door to knowing Him, the bridge, the path and the aspect to Him. Whoever would deviate from our authority and guardianship or would consider others more excellent than us such people will down off the bridge. People are the same in following guidance. They are not equal with those who have found the sparkling fountains with those who have gathered around polluted waters that fall over other such waters. Such are not equal with those who have found the sparkling fountains that flow by the order of the Lord without ceasing and reduction.”
H 455, Ch. 7, h 10
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn muhammad from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Rayyan ibn Shabib from yunus from abu Ayyub al-Khazziz from abu Hamza who has narrated from Imam abu Ja’far‘far (a.s.) the following.
“O abu Hamza, when one of decide to travel for just a few miles he first finds a guide and direction for himself. Your knowledge of the paths of heavens is much less than your knowledge of the paths of earth. You must find a guide for yourself.”
H 456, Ch. 7, h 11
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Ayyub al-Hurr from abu Basir from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah
‘Whoever is given wisdom he has received a great deal of goodness’ (2:273) “It means obedience to Allah and knowin who one’s Imam is.”
H 457, Ch. 7, h 12
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from aban from abu Basir saying that Imam abu Ja’far‘far (a.s.) said to him the following.
“Have you found out who your Imam is?” I said, “Yes, I swear by Allah, I did so before I left Kufa.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Then it is sufficient for you.”
H 458, Ch. 7, h 13
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Mansur ibn Yunus from Burayd who has said that he heard Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) said the following about the words of Allah,
“Can the dead to whom We have given life and light so that they may walk among the people, be considered equal to those who can never come out of darkness?” (6:122) The dead do not understand anything ‘The light by the help of which they walk’ is the Imam that they follow.’ “be considered equal to those who can never come out of darkness” applies to those who do not know who their Imam is.”
H 459, Ch. 7, h 14
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’warma and Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from Ali ibn Hassan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘Abu ‘Abdallah al-Jadali once came to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.). Amir al-mu’minin said to him, “O abu ‘Abdallah may I say something to you about the words of Allah, ‘Whoever does a good deed will receive a better reward than what he has done. He will be secure from the terror of the Day of Judgment (27:89). Those who commit evil will be thrown headlong into hell fire. (It will be said to them) can you expect any recompense other than what you deserve for your deeds?’ (27:90) The man said, “yes, O Amir al-Mu’minin, please tell me, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause.” Amir al-Mu’mini said, “A good deed means is to acknowledge our Divine authority and have our love in one’s heart. Evil means denying our Divine authority and harboring in one’s heart hatered towards us.” Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) then read the verses to him.
Chapter 8
The obligation to obey the Imams (a.s.)
H 460, Ch. 8, h 1
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurara from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following.
“The top most matter (in religion) the most noble, the key issue, the gateway to all affairs and the pleasure of the Most Beneficent , the Most Holy, the Most High, is obedience to the Imam after finding out who the Imam is.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, ‘One who obeys the Messenger has certainly obeyed God. You have not been sent to watch over those who turn away from you (4:80)’”
H 461, Ch. 8, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from abu al-Sabah who has said that he heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, “I testify that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah, that al-Hassan (a.s.) is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah, that al-Husayn is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah, that Ali ibn al-Husayn is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah and that Muhammad ibn Ali is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah.”
H 462, Ch. 8, h 3
Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali who has said that Hammad ibn ‘Uthman narrated to us from Bashir al-‘Attar who has said that he heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, “We are the people obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah and you follow those that people’s responsibility to obey them does not cease because of ignorance and not knowing them.”
H 463, Ch. 8, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al_Mukhtar from some of our people from Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “We gave them a great kingdom” 4:58, it means the obedience that is obligatory.”
H 464, Ch. 8, h 5
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu Khalid al-Qammat from abu al_hassan al-‘Attar who has said that he heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, “Of the matters common among the successors and the messengers themselves one is that to obey them all is obligatory.”
H 465, Ch. 8, h 6
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from Sayf ibn ibn ‘Umayr from abu al-Sabah al-Kinani who has said that Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“We are a people obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. The Anfal (twenty percent in tax) is for us and we have been given the authority to choose the best out of the property seized from the enemy. We are the people very firmly established in knowledge. We are the ones who are considered as subject to the jealousy of people in the following verse of the holy Quran, “Are they jealous of the favors that God has done to some people? . . . (4:54)
H 466, Ch. 8, h 7
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ whos has said that I mentioned to Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) our expression about the successors (of the Prophets (s.a.)) “That obedience to them is obligatory”, the Imam (a.s.) said, ‘It is very true because they are the people about whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your (qualified) leaders. . . .’ (4:59) It is they about whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has also said, ‘Only God, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer and pay alms, while they kneel during prayer, are your guardians (5:55)’”
H 467, Ch. 8, h 8
Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Mu‘ammar ibn Khallad who has said that a man from Persia asked Imam abu al-Hassan (a.s.) “Is obedience to you obligatory?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “Yes, it is obligatory.” The man then asked is in the same way as obedience to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.)?” The Imam (a.s.) replied “Yes, it is obligatory in the same way,”
H 468, Ch. 8, h 9
Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir who has said that I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the Imams whether in the matters of the obligation of obedience to them they are all the same or not. The Imam (a.s.) replied, “Yes, they are all the same.”
H 469, Ch. 8, h 10
Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Marwak ibn ‘Ubayd from Muhammad ibn Zayd al-Tabari who has said the following.
“I was in the presence of Imam al-Rida (a.s.) in Khurasan with a group of Hashimite people among them was Issshaq ibn Musa ibn ‘Isa from Abbasides and the Imam (a.s.) said to Ishaq, “I hear that people say we think they are our slaves. I swear upon my close relation with the holy Prophet (s.a.) that I have never said such a thing nor Have I ever heard any such thing from my father and grandfather nor I have received any such report from my (holy and noble) ancestors who may have said any such thing. But I must say that people are our slaves in the matters of obedience to us. They are our friends in religion. Those present here must tell this to those who are not present here.”
H 470, Ch. 8, h 11
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn al-Sindi from Ja’far ibn Bashir from abu Salma who has said that I heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah say the following.
“We are the ones obedience to whom is obligatory by the commands of Allah. People have no other choice except to know us and they will not be excused for not knowing us. Those who know us are the true believers and those who would refuse to acknowledge our Divine authority are unbelievers. Those who would not know us and would not acknowledge us are straying and lost until they return to guidance and affirm the fact that Allah has made obedience to us obligatory. But if they would die in their straying condition Allah will deal with the way He would will.”
H 471, Ch. 8, h 12
Ali has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Muhammad ibn Fudayl who has said that I asked the Imam (a.s.) about such a matter that would take people closer to Allah. The Imam (a.s.) said, “Of the matters that can take people closer to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, the best one is to obey Him, His messenger and those who posses Divine authority.” Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said, “To love us if faith and to harbor hatred towards us is disbelief.”
H 472, Ch. 8, h 13
Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Fadala ibn Ayyub from Aban from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan from ’isma‘il ibn Jabir who has said the I asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) if I may state before him my religion and faith in Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. The Imam (a.s.) said, “Say it and let us hear them.” I said, “I testify that there is no god other than Allah Who is One and has no partner. I testify that Muhammad (s.a.) is the servant and messenger of Allah. I acknowledge the truth of all that he has brought from Allah. I testify that Imam (a.s.) was the Imam obedience was and is obligatory by the command of Allah. After him Imam al-Hassan was the Imam obedience to whom was and is obligatory by the command of Allah. After him Imam al-Husayn was and is the Imam obedience to whom was and is obligatory by the command of Allah. After him Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn was and is the Imam obedience to whom is obligatory by the command of Allah. I continued until it was the turn for him and I said, “Then yourself, may Allah have you in His blessings are such Imam.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “This is the religion that belongs to Allah and it is the religion of His angels.”
H 473, Ch. 8, h 14
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Hamza from abu Ishaq from some of the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) who has narrated the following from Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.).
“Know that to establish companionship with the scholar and to follow him is a religion on account of which Allah will grant rewards. Obedience to the scholar is the means to gain goodness and to delete evil deeds. It is the most valuable treasure for the believers. It is dignifying progress in their life time and after their death because of it people will speak of him with praise and virtue .”
H 474, Ch. 8, h 15
Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya from Mansur ibn Hazim who has the following.
“I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Allah is the Most Holy, the Most High to be recognized through His creatures. In fact, it is the creature who are recognized through Allah.’” The Imam (a.s.) said you have is very true.” I then said, “One who knows that he has a creator he must also know that his creator becomes with certain things and displeased with certain other things. That the only way to know what is pleases the creator and what displeases Him is through divine revelation or a messengers. One who does not receive Divine revelation must find the messenger and when one would find the messengers and upon finding the messenger one would learn that they are the Divine authorities and obedience to them is obligatory. I say it to people, “Do you not acknowledge that obedience to the holy Prophet possessed Divine authority from Allah over His creatures?” They say, “Yes, it is true.” I then say to them, “When the holy Prophet left this world who possessed Divine authority over the people?” The say, “The holy Quran.” I then looked in the holy Quran and I found out that all kinds of people consider this holy as the basis for their beliefs. The group called al-Murji’a consider it as the basis for whatever it believes. Those who believe in predestination also consider this holy Book as the basis for whatever they believe in. Even the atheists who do not even believe in it at all refer to this holy book to defeat the others. This proves that the holy Quran can not be considered a Divine authority without a guardian whose words about the Quran would be the true ones. I then ask them, “Who is the guardian of the Quran?” They reply, “Ibn Mas‘ud knew the Quran. ‘Umar knew the Quran. Hudhayfa knew the Quran.” I then ask them, “Did these people know all of the Quran?” They say, “No, they did not know all of the Quran.” I do not find anyone who would say that he knows all of the Quran. The only one who says that he knows all of the Quran is Ali, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. If any question would arise in these people, that one would say that he did not know. The other one would say that he did not know and so on except Ali that would say that he did know. That gives enough proof to say that Ali was the guardian of the Quran. Obedience to Ali was obligatory by the command of
Allah and he possessed Divine authority over the people after the holy Prophet (s.a.). Whatever Ali (a.s.) said about the holy Quran is true.” The Imam said, “May Allah’s blessings be with you.” I then said, “Imam Ali (a.s.) did not leave this world without introducing the person who possessed Divine authority over the people after him just as the holy Prophet (s.a.) had done. The person who possessed Divvine authority over the people after Imam Ali (a.s.)_ was Imam al-Hassan (a.s.). I testify that Imam al-Hassan (a.s.) also did not leave this world without introducing the person who would possess Divine authority over the people after him just as his father and grandfather had done. The person who after Imam al-Hassan possessed Divine authority over the people was Imam al-Husayn (a.s.). Obedience to him was obligatory by the command of Allah.” The Imam said, “May Allah’s blessings be with you.” I then kissed his head and said, “I testify that Imam al-Husayn did not leave this world without introducing the person who would possess Divine authority over the people after him. That person was Imam ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) obedience to whom was obligatory by the command of Allah. The Imam said, “May Allah’s blessings be with you.” I then kissed his head and said, “I testify that Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn did not leave this world without introducing the person who would possess divine authority over the people after him. That person was Imam abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) , obedience to whom was obligatory by the commad of Allah. The Imam said, “May Allah’s blessings be with you.” I then said, “Please let me kiss your head again.” The Imam (a.s.) smiled. I then said, may Allah grand you success. I know that your holy father did not leave this world without introducing the person who would possess Divine authrity over the people after him just his father had done. I testify that yourself are the person who possess Divine authrity over the people after your holy father and that obedience to you is obligatory by the command of Allah.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is true enough, The Imam said, “May Allah’s blessings be with you.” I then asked for his permission to kiss hiis head and the Imam (a.s.) smiled. I kissed his head. The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Ask whatever you want. I, from this day on, will never deny you anything.”
H 475, Ch. 8, h 16
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Jawhari from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ who has said the following.
“I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Is obedience to the successor (of the holy Prophet) obligatory?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, it is they about whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your (qualified) leaders. . . (4:59) It is they about whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “Only God, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer and pay alms, while they kneel during prayer, are your guardians (5:55).”
H 476, Ch. 8, h 17
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated fromMuhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahamn from Hammad from ‘Abd al-A‘la’ who has said that he hear Imam abu ‘Abdalla (a.s.) saying. “Listening and obeying are the gates to goodness. One who listens and is obedient has all the authority in his favor. One who listens but disobeys will have no authority in his favor. The leader, the Imam of the Muslims, on the Day of Judgment, in the presence of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, will have complete authoritative support and rightful arguments in his favor.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, ” Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says, ‘On the day when We call every nation with their leaders, . . . (17:71).”
Chapter 9
The Imams (a.s.) are witness for Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, over His creature
H 477, Ch. 1, h
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ya‘qub ibn Yazid from Ziyad al-Qandi from Suma‘a who has said that Imam abu ‘Abdallah has said the following about the words of Allah in the Holu Quran.
“How will it be when We call for a witness from every nation and have you, (Muhammad), testify against them all?” (4:41) The Imam (a.s.) said that this verse is was revealed about the followers of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) in particular. In every generation of these people there will an Imam from our family who would bear witness over their activities and Prophet Muahammad himself will bear witness over us.”
H 478, Ch. 9, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhayna from Buarayd al-‘Ili who has said that I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah: “We have made you (true Muslims) a moderate nation so that you could be (witness) an example for all people and the Prophet (a witness) an example for you. . . .” (2:143) The Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the moderate nation and we bear witness to the activities of the people for Allah and we possess Divine authority on earth.” I then asked about the meaning following verse of the holy Quran: “. . . the noble religion of your father, Abraham. God named you Muslims before and in this Book, so that the Messenger will witness (your actions). . .” (22:78) The word ‘your father’ refers to us particularly we were called Muslims in the heavenly books that were sent before as well as this book. The messenger of Allah bears witness over us by means of teaching us the guidance of Allah and bear witness over the people. Those who would acknowledge our authority, on the Day of Judgment, we will acknowledge their faith and those who would reject our Divine authority, one the Day of Judgment, we will refuse to acknowledge their faith.”
H 479, Ch. 9, h 3
Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Mu‘allah ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Hallal who has said that he asked Imam abu al-Hassan (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the holy Quran: “Should they be compared with those whose Lord has given them a guidance which is testified by a witness from among their own people . . .” (11:17) The Imam (a.s.) said, “Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) testified to support the holy Prophet (s.a.) and the holy Prophet received supporting evidence from his Lord.”
H 480, Ch. 9, h 4
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from ibn ’dhayna from Yazid al-‘Ijli who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran.
“We have made you (true Muslims) a moderate nation so that you could be (witness) an example for all people and the Prophet (a witness) an example for you. . . .” (2:143) The Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the moderate nation and we are the witness for Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, over the activities of His creatures and possess His authority on earth.” I then asked about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran that says, “Believers, worship your Lord, bow down and prostrate yourselves before Him and do virtuous deeds so that perhaps you will have everlasting happiness. (22:77)
Strive steadfastly for the Cause of God. He has chosen you . . Believers, worship your Lord, bow down and prostrate yourselves before Him and do virtuous deeds so that perhaps you will have everlasting happiness. (22:77)
Strive steadfastly for the Cause of God. He has chosen you but has not imposed on you hardship in your religion, the noble religion of your father, Abraham. God named you Muslims before and in this Book, so that the Messenger will witness (your actions) and you will be the witness over mankind. The noble religion also is a reference to us. Allah has called us as Muslims in the heaven books that were revealed before and in this holy book (the Holy Quran) The Holy Prophet (s.a.) has testified in our favor by conveying the message of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. We bear witness to the activities and on the Day of Judgment certify the faith of those who have acknowledged our Divine authority and reject those who have rejected our Divine authority.”
H 481, Ch. 9, h 5
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar al-Yamani from Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali from Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) who has said the following.
“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, cleansed us, granted us protection against sins, made us to bear witness to the activities of His creatures and granted us Divine authority on earth. He made us to be with the holy Quran and the Holy Quran to be with us. We do not depart the Holy Quran and the Holy Quran does not depart us.”
Chapter 10
The Imams (a.s.) are the only true guides
H 482, Ch. 10, h 1
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd and Fudala ibn Ayyub from Musa ibn Bakr from al-Fudayl who has said that he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah: “For every nation there is a guide.” (13:7) The Imam (a.s.) said that every Imam is the guide in his own time.”
H 483, Ch. 10, h 2
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Buray al-‘Ijli from Ima abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah.
“(Muhammad), you are only a Warner. For every nation there is a guide. (13:7)” The Imam (a.s.) said that at all times there is a guide from us who guides people to the teachings of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) Of the guides who possess Divine authority after the holy Prophet (s.a.) is Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and his successors one after the other.”
H 484, Ch. 10, h 3
Al-Husaym ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Sa‘dan from abu Basir who has said that he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah. “(Muhammad), you are only a Warner. For every nation there is a guide.” (13:7) The Imam (a.s.) said, “The Holy Prophet is the Warner and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) is the guide. O abu Muhammad, is there a guide today?” I said, “Yes, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, there has always been a guide from you one after the other until this (noble task) is being carried on by your own self.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “O abu Muhammad, may Allah grand you blessings. Had it been like the coming of guidance to man and then he would die with his death the guidance would also die and the whole book would die, but it lives and it continues with new generations as it has done so with the people in the past.”
H 485, Ch. 10, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Safwan from Mansur from ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Qusayr who has said that asked Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, “. . . For every nation there is a guide. (13:7)” The Imam (a.s.) said, “The Holy Prophet (s.a.) is the Warner and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) is the guide. Let it be known, I swear by Allah, that guidance never departed us, it is with us and will always be with us until the Day of Judgment.”
Chapter 11
The Imam (a.s.) Possess Divine Authority and the Treasure of Divine Knowledge
H 486, Ch. 11, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya al-‘Attar has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu Zahir from al-Hassan ibn Musa from Ali ibn Hassan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir who has said that he heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “We are the ones who has said the following possess Divine authority of the command of Allah, we are the treasury of the knowledge of Allah and the repository of the revelations of Allah.”
H 487, Ch. 11, h 2
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Ali ibn Asbat from his father, Asbat from Sawra ibn Kulayb who has said that Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) said to him the following. “I swear to Allah that we are the treasurers of Allah in His heavens and on His earth but the treasurers of gold or the treasurers of silver but the treasurers of His knowledge.”.
H 488, Ch. 11, h 3
Ali ibn Musa has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id and Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd in a marfu‘ manner from Sudayr who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) the following. “may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what are you?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the treasurers of the knowledge of Allah. We are the translators of the revelations of Allah. We possess complete Divine authority over all that is under the heavens and those above the earth.”
H 489, Ch. 12, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from mmd al-Husayn from al-Nadr ibn Shu‘ayb from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamza who has said that he hear Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) say the following. “The Holy Prophet (s.a.) has said that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “My authority is completely established among the unfortunate ones of your followers. Those who would refuse to acknowledge the Divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) the his successors, (they have rejected My authority). Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and his successors have with your traditions and the traditions of the prophets before you. They are the treasurers of My knowledge after you. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) then said, ” Jibril (Gabrael) has informed me of the successors of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and the names of their fathers.”
H 490, Ch. 11, h 5
Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Fudala ibn Ayyub from ‘Abdallh ibn ya‘fur who has said that Imam abu ‘Abdallh (a.s.) said him the following. “O ibn abu ya‘fur, Allah is One and is the only One in His Oneness. He alone issues His command. He created a creature and appointed and measured them for that command (Amr, task). We are, O ibn abu ya‘fur are that creature. We are the authority of Allah over His creatures, the treasurers of His knowledge and the guardians of it.”
H 491, Ch. 11, h 6
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Musa ibn al-Qasim ibn Mu‘awiya and Muhammad ibn Yahya from al-‘Amrakiy ibn Ali altogether from Ali ibn Ja’far from abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) who has said the following. “Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, created us and He made our creation the best. He formed us and made our the best. He made us the treasurers of in His heavens and His earth. For us the tree spoke and with our worship Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is worshipped. Had we not been in existence Allah would have been worshipped.”
Chapter 12
The Imams (a.s.) are the Deputies of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, on earth and the Gates through which people go nearer to Allah
H 492, Ch. 12, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from abu Mas‘ud from al-Ja’fari who has said that he heard abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) say the following. ” The Imams (a.s.) are the deputies of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, on earth.”
H 493, Ch. 12, h 2
Mu‘alla has narrated from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Sulayman ibn Suma‘a from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Qasim from abu Basir who has said that Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said the following. “The successors (of the holy Prophet (s.a.) are the gates to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, through which people go to Him. Had they not existed, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would not have been recognized. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, will present these successors as evidence against His creatures.”
H 494, Ch. 12, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. “God has promised the righteously striving believers to appoint them as His deputies on earth, as He had appointed those who lived before. . . .” (24:55) The Imams (a.s.) said, “The people referred to in this verse are the Imams (a.s.).”
Chapter 13
The Imams (a.s.) are the light of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High
H 495, Ch. 13, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Mirdas who has said that Saffron ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Mahbub have narrated from abu Ayyub from abu Khalid al-Kabuli who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah e following. “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:157) The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah that it is the Imams from the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) up to the Day of judgment who are called light in the above verse. They, I swear by Allah, are the light of Allah whom He sent down. It is they, I swear by Allah, who are the light of Allah in the heavens and in the earth. O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah, that the light of the Imams (a.s.) in the hearts of the true believers is more bright than the light of the sun in the midday. They, I swear by Allah, give light to the hearts of the true believers and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, may block such light from reaching the hearts of whoever He may will, thus their hearts remain dark. O abu Khalid, no one would believe in our Divine authority except that Allah will cleanse his heart. Allah will not cleanse the heart of a person until he or she will acknowledge our Divine authority and live in peace with us. When one lives in peace with us Allah will safe guard him against the severity of the day of recockning and grant him security against the great terror on the Day of Judgment”
H 496, Ch. 13, h 2
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated through his chain of narrators from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah that say,
There are those who follow the Messengers, the illiterate Prophet (not conventionally educated), whose description they find written in the Torah and the Gospel. [He (the Messengers) enjoins them to do good and forbids them to do all that is unlawful, makes lawful for them all that is pure and unlawful all that is filthy, removes their burdens and the entanglements in which they are involved]. Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:157)
The Imams (a.s.) said, “It is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) and the Imams (a.s.) after him who are called ‘light’ in the above verse of the Holy Quran.”
H 497, Ch. 13, h 3
Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Fudala from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from abu al-Jarud who has said that he said the following to Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.). “Allah has given a great deal of good to the people of the heavenly books.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “What is it?” I then said it said in Holy Quran, “We sent Our guidance to them so that perhaps they might take heed. (28:51) (Some of) the followers of the Bible believe in the Quran (28:52).
When it is recited to them, they say, “We believe in it. It is the Truth from our Lord. We were Muslims before it was revealed” (28:53). These will receive double reward for their forbearance, replacing evil by virtue, and for their spending for the cause of God.” (28:54)
The Imam (a.s.) said, “Allah has given you also a great deal of good as He has given to them and he recited, ‘Believers, have fear of God and believe in His Messenger. God will grant you a double share of mercy, a light by which you can walk, and forgive your sins. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.’ (57:28) The light mentioned in this verse mean the Imam (a.s.) who you follow.’”
H 498, Ch. 13, h 4
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hassani from Ali ibn Asbat and al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from abu Khalid al-kabuli who has said that he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:157) The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu Khalid, the light in this verse, I swear by Allah, means the Imams. O abu Khalid the light of the Imam (a.s.) in the hearts of the true believers is more bright than the light of the sun in midday. It is they who brighten the hearts of the true believers and Allah withholds their light from reaching whomever He would will, thus, their hearts become dark and Allah covers them with the darknesss.”
H 499, Ch. 13, h 5
Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn sham?? From ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmanal-Asamm from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Qasim from salih ibn Sahl al-Hamadani who has said that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said the following about the verse of the Holy Quran below. “God is the light of the heavens and the earth. A metaphor for His light is a lantern in which there is a lamp placed in a glass. The glass is like a shining star which is lit from a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern nor western. Its oil almost lights up even though it has not been touched by the fire. It is light upon light. God guides to His light whomever He wants. God uses various metaphors. He has the knowledge of all things.” (24:35) The Imam (a.s.) said that the lantern metaphorically stands for the Holy lady, Fatima (a.s.), the lamp stands for Imam al-Hassan (a.s.) and the glass stands for Imam al-Husayn (a.s.). The shining star stands for the Holy lady Fatima (a.s.) who shines among the ladies of the world. The blessed olive tree stands for Prophet Abraham. Neither eastern nor western means not Jewish nor Christian. ‘Its oil almost lights up’ means that it almost bursts up with knowledge. ‘Light up on light’ means that there will one Imam after the other Imam (a.s.) ‘God guides to His light who ever He wants’ means that Allah guides through the Imams whomever He wants.” About ‘God uses various metaphors’ I said, “Or it (the deeds of the unbelievers) are like the darkness of a deep, stormy sea with layers of giant waves, covered by dark clouds. It is darkness upon darkness whereby even if one stretches out his hands he can not see them. One can have no light unless God gives him light. (24:40)
The Imam (a.s.) said, ” ‘darkness’ refers to the first and his friend, ‘with layers of giant waves’ refers to the third, ‘covered with darkness’ refers to the second. ‘it is darkness up on darkness’ refers to Mu‘awiya and the disasters caused by the Amavides. ‘even if one stretches out his hands’ means that even if a true believer would stretch his hands in such disastrous condition ‘he can not see them’. ‘One can have no light unless God gives him light, means the light from the children of the Holy Lady, Fatima (a.s.) ‘Can have no light’ means an Imam on the Day of Judgment.” The Imam (a.s.) said that, “On the Day of Judgment you will see the believers with their light shining in front of them and to their right. They will be told, “Paradise wherein streams flow is the glad news for you today. You will live therein forever. This is the greatest triumph.” (57:12), the shining light in front . . .’ is a reference to the Imams (a.s.) whom would walk in front and on the right of the true believers until they all enter paradise.”
Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Musa ibn al-Qasim al-Bajali and Muhammad ibn yahya from al-‘Amrakiy ibn Ali altogether from Ali ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) from his brother a similar Hadith.
H 500, Ch. 13, h 6
Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from al-husayn ibn ‘Ubadallah from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Musa ibn ‘umar from al-hassan ibn Mahbub from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “They want to put out the light of God with their mouths, but God will certainly make His light shine forever – even though the unbelievers may dislike this.” (61:8) The Imam (a.s.) said, “They want to put out the divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) with their mouths. ‘but Allah completes His light’ means the Imams (a.s.) as mentioned in, “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:157) The light stands for Imam (a.s.).”
Chapter 14
The Imams are the corner stone on earth
H 501, Ch. 14, h 1
Ahmad ibn Mahran from Muhammad ibn Ali and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad altogether from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has brought I follow them entirely and whatever he has forbidden I desist from them altogether. Whatever virtue that were found in the Holy Prophet (s.a.) were found in Imam Ali (a.s.) also. The Holy Prophet was more virtuous than all of the creatures of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Those turning away from any item of his (Imam Ali) guidance would be like one turning away from the guidance of Allah and His Prophet. Rejecting him in small or a great one matters would like considering things like Allah (shirk). Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate to Allah through which only, people could go closer to Him. Imam Ali (a.s.) was the path that if one would ignore it he would have been destroyed. This is also true of all the Imams of guidance one after the other. Allah has made them as the cornerstones of the earth so that people on it would not be destroyed. They possess the doubtless Divine authority over the inhabitants of earth and those below the earth.
Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) would very often say, “I am the supervisor for Allah to see who should go to Paradise and who should go to Hell. I am the greatest criterion, the possessor of the staff and the (marking) seal Miysam All the angels and the spirit have acknowledged the existence in me of all the matters that they had acknowledge in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). I am held responsible for all such matters that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was held responsible. Such responsibilities are the duties to Allah, the Lord. The Holy Prophet will be called upon and his call will be accepted. I will be called up on and my call will be accepted. The Holy Prophet will be made to speak and I will be made to speak and I will speak just the way he would speak. I have been given certain distinctions which are given to no one before me. I was taught all about the deaths, the sufferings, the genealogy of people and clear speech. I have not missed any of the knowledge that have passed me by and nothing of the future is unseen or unknown to me. I give good news by the permission of Allah and do my duty towards Allah. All of these is from Allah Who has made it possible for me through His knowledge.”
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur al-‘Ammi from Muhammad ibn Sinan who has said that al-Mufaddal narrated to us from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). He then narrated the above Hadith.
H 502, Ch. 14, h 2
Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid Shabab al-Sayrafi who has said that Sa‘id’ al-A‘raj has said that he and Sulayman ibn Khalid once went to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and al-A‘raj began the conversation as follows. “Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has brought is followed entirely and whatever he has forbidden is desisted from altogether. Whatever virtue that were found in the Holy Prophet (s.a.) were found in Imam Ali (a.s.) also. The Holy Prophet was more virtuous than all of the creatures of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Those who would find faults any item of his (Imam Ali) guidance would be like one finding faults in the guidance of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High and His Prophet. Rejecting him in small or a great matters would be like considering things similar to Allah (shirk). Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate to Allah through which only, people can get closer to Him. Imam Ali (a.s.) was the path that if one would ignore it he would have been destroyed. This is also true of all the Imams of guidance one after the other. Allah has made them as the cornerstones of the earth so that people on it would not be destroyed. They possess the doubtless Divine authority over the inhabitants of earth and those below the earth.
Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) has said, “I am the supervisor for Allah to see who should go to Paradise and who should go to Hell. I am the greatest criterion, the possessor of the staff and the (marking) seal Miysam All the angels and the spirit have acknowledged the existence in me of all the matters that they had acknowledge in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). I am held responsible for all such matters that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was held responsible. Such responsibilities are the duties to Allah, the Lord. The Holy Prophet will be called upon and his call will be accepted. I will be called up on and I my call will be accepted. The Holy Prophet will be made to speak, and I will be made to speak and I will speak just the way he would speak. I have been given certain distinctions which, are given to no one before me. I was taught all about the deaths, the sufferings, the genealogy of people and clear speech. I have not missed any of the knowledge that have passed me by and nothing of the future is unseen or unknown to me. I give good news by the permission of Allah and do my duty towards Allah. All of these is from Allah Who has made it possible for me through His knowledge.”
H 503, Ch. 14, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad both have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn Hassa’n who has said that abu ‘Abdallah al-Riyahi narrated to him from abu al-Samit al-Hulwani from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the virtue of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) the following Hadith. “Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has brought I follow them entirely and whatever he has forbidden I desist from them altogether. All that is true of the obedience to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) is true of the obedience to Imam Ali (a.s.) after the Holy Prophet (s.a.) but virtue belongs to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). Those who would try to be ahead of Imam Ali (a.s.) would be considered as trying to be ahead of Prophet (s.a.). Those who would to show themselves as more virtuous than Imam Ali (a.s.) would be considered as trying to show themselves as more virtuous than the Holy Prophet (s.a.). Whoever would reject any of the small or great items of the guidance of Imam Ali (a.s.) he would be like considering things as similar (shirk) to Allah. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) is the gate through which people can go to Allah. He is the path that if chosen would lead to Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. The same was true of Imam Ali (a.s.) after the Holy Prophet (s.a.). All such matters were true of the Imams (a.s.) one after the other. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has made them the cornerstone of the earth so that its inhabitants would not be destroyed. They were the pillars of Islam and the connection in the path of guidance. No guide can be a guide without their guidance and one would go astray unless he would ignore the rights of these Imams (a.s.). They are the trustees of Allah over whatever knowledge, warning and excuses that have been revealed to them (from the heavens). They possess the doubtless Divine authority over those on earth. Whatever, (virtue and authority) is found in one of them is true of all of them and no one can reach such a stage without support from Allah.
Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) has said, “I am the supervisor for Allah over Paradise and Hell. No one would go either one without my supervision. I am the greatest criterion and the Imam for those after me the provider of relief for those before me. No one is permitted to be ahead of me except Ahmad (s.a.). I and he are on the same path except that he is called Ahmed (the most praiseworthy). I have been given six things. I have been the knowledge of deaths, that of the sufferings, that of the wills and the clear speech. That I have been give the power to attack the enemy, the power subdue the adversary, that I am the owner of the staff and Maysam and the being that would speak to people.” (a reference to verse 82 of chapter 27 of Quran)
“When the word about them comes true We shall make a creature appear to them on earth who will tell them that people had no faith in Our revelations.” (27:82)
Chapter 15
The Unique Ahadith that sums up the Virtue and Qualifications of the Imam (a.s.)
H 523, Ch. 15, h 1
Abu Muhammad al-Qasim ibn al-’Ala’, may Allah grant him blessings, in a marfu‘ manner (rafa’abu), has narrated from ‘Ad al-’Aziz ibn Muslim the following.
“We had been with al-Rida (a.s.) at Marw. During an assembly in the central mosque on Friday, we attended the gathering. It was when we had just arrived (in Marw). People spoke and discussed about the issue of Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority). All the differing opinions among people in this matter came up. I then went to see my leader (a.s.) and informed him of the people’s controversies over the issue (leadership).
The Imam (a.s.) smiled and then said the following. “O ‘Abd al-’Aziz, people are ignorant and their opinions have mislead and deceived them. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, did not cause His Holy Prophet to leave this world before completing for him the religion. Allah sent him the Holy Quran in which all things are clearly explained. Allah has explained in the Holy Quran what is lawful and what is unlawful. He has explained totally the limits and the rules for all issues that people may face in the affairs of life. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “We have left nothing without a mention of it in the Book. . . .” (6:38)
During the last visit of the Holy Prophet to Makka for pilgrimage towards the end of his life the following verse of the Holy Qauran was sent to him. “On this day I have perfected your religion, completed My favors to you, and have chosen Islam as your religion. . . .” (5:3) The issue of Imamat (leadership) is part of the completion of religion. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) did not leave this world before explaining to his followers the principles of their religion and show them the path clearly, and he left them on a point of a path that faced the direction of the truth. He raised Ali (a.s.) among them as a flag and Imam (a leader). He did not leave anything that his followers needed without full explanation. Those who think that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has not completed His religion, they rejected the book of Allah and those who reject the book of Allah they have become expressed unbelievers in it.
“Do they realize the value and the status of the Imamat (leadership) of the ’Umma (the nation) to justify their selection? Imamat (leadership) in fact, is far sublime in values, greatest in position, highest in status, the most exclusive issue in all aspects, the most profound and deep for the intellect of the people to reach and grasp it in their opinions, or to appoint an Imam through their selection. T
Imamat (leadership) is that particular distinction which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has distinguished Ibrahim, the very close friend (al-Khalil), after Prophethood. This close friendship is the third stage (in the progression of spiritual degrees). It is a virtue with which, He honored him and established his fame. He then said, “Behold! I have made you an Imam for the people”. Abraham, the close friend, then out of delight pleaded “Please let it be in my offspring also.” Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, said, “My covenant does not go to the unjust ones.” (2:124)
Thus, this verse has declared the leadership (Imamat) of all the unjust ones as unlawful till the Day of Judgment and it has established it for those clean and free of evil and injustice. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, bestowed him more honors in establishing Imamat (leadership) in purified and clean persons of his offspring. “We granted him Isaac and Jacob as a gift and helped both of them to become righteous people (21:72). We appointed them as leaders to guide the people through Our command and sent them revelation to strive for good deeds, worship their Lord, and pay religious tax. Both of them were Our worshipping servants.” (21:73)
“So the Imamat (leadership) remained in his offspring inheriting it from each other, generation after generation, until Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, made Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) to inherit it. And He, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, said, “The nearest people to Abraham, among mankind, are those who followed him, and this Prophet (Muhammad) and the true believers. God is the Guardian of the true believers.” (3:68)
So the Imamat belonged to him particularly, and he (s.a.), then, entrusted Imam Ali ((a.s.) with it by the command of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, as He had made it obligatory. It then came to be in his (Ali’s) purified and clean of sins offspring, to whom Allah has given knowledge and faith, as in the words of He Who is Most High. “Those who have received knowledge and have faith will say, “By the decree of God, you have remained for the exact period which was mentioned in the Book of God about the Day of Resurrection. This is the Day of Resurrection, but you did not know.” (30:56)
Imamat (leadership) will remain in the sons of Imam Ali (a.s.) exclusively, till the Day of Judgment and there will no prophet after Muhammad (s.a.). Wherefrom then have these ignorant people received the right to select Imams?
” Imamat (leadership) is, certainly, the position of the prophets, and the inheritance of the successors. Imamat (leadership) indeed, is the representation (khilafa) of Allah and the deputy of the Messenger (s.a.), and the office of Amir al-mu’minin (a.s.) and the inheritance of Imam al-Hasan and al-Husayn (a.s.)
“Imamat (leadership) is, in fact, the reins of the religion, the social system of the Muslims. It is best for the world, and honor for the believers. Imamat (Islamic leadership) is Islam’s maturing root, and its towering branch. Through the Imam (a.s.) prayers are complete, Zakat, (charity) is paid, fasting, is maintained, Hajj is performed and Jihad, proper defense is exercised, the wealth of the nation (fay’) and charity (sadaqat) are increased, the laws are enforced and the frontiers are protected and defended.
“The Imam declares as lawful what Allah has done so and prohibits what Allah has prohibited. He enforces the criminal laws of Allah, defends the religion of Allah and he provides guidance with wisdom, good advice and with the topmost strong evidence.
“The Imam is like the risen sun that beautifies the world with its light and is in the horizon above the harm of hands and eyes. The Imam is as the bright moon, the shining lamp, the brilliant light, and the guiding star in the depth of darkness, in the middle of the towns, in the wilderness and the high seas. The Imam is as crystal-clear water to thirst, an indicator of true guidance and the protector against destruction. The Imam is as fire of a lighthouse that provides warmth and guidance for those who seek heat protection against fatalities. Whoever would depart him would perish.
“The Imam (in terms of blessings) is as the rain-bearing cloud, the drenching rainfall, the shining sun, the shadow providing sky, the open fields, the gushing forth spring, as a pond and a garden. The Imam is as a comforting friend, a very kind father, a real brother, a tender-hearted mother of a small child, a refuge for people in disastrous conditions. The Imam is Allah’s trustee over His creatures, His authority over His servants, His representative in His lands, the preacher of His cause and the defender of His sanctuary.
“The Imam is clean of sins, free of faults, possesses special knowledge and is distinguished in forbearance. The Imam maintains law and order in religion. He is the might of the Muslims to enrages the hypocrites, and futile to unbelievers. The Imam is the peerless person of his time, no-one can reach even near his rank in virtue and no scholar is comparable to him. No one can become A number of our people has narrated from alternative for him, nor is there anyone similar to him or just like him. His is exclusive in all virtues of which none is acquired or is sought after, in fact, his virtues are all from bestowed up on him by the source of all virtue, the Generous One.
Who is he that can know all about the Imam, or can select him? To affirm the ability of selection is very far from the truth. Intellects have become confused, understanding has lost the meaning, awareness is frustrated, eyes have become dull and tired, the great ones have become humble, the sagacious ones have become bewildered and people of forbearance have lost patience. The orators have become speechless, the intelligent ones have become ignorant and the poets have become exhausted. The man-of-letter have become helpless, people of eloquence have turned wordless to speak of any of the aspects of his status or a virtue of his virtues and instead have confessed their helplessness in the matter. How can one speak of him in full, or describe him in the real sense or understand anything of his affairs or find an alternative for him sufficient for what he sufficed. There is no such thing and no where such is found. He is like a star away from the reach of those who try to reach, or those who try to describe. Where does the idea of selecting him would then stand in such case? How can then reasons and intellects reach him and where can one find a person like the Imam?
“Would they think that such a person can be found outside the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.)? Their souls, I swear by Allah, have told them a lie. Falsehood has induced in them evil hopes. Be on your guard against A number of our people has narrated from uphill and crushing battle in which they would slip back to their first foothold. They intend to raise the Imam by their confused, fruitless and faulty intellects and their misleading opinions. It would do to nothing god except taking them away from the truth. (May Allah be their adversary. Where are they headed.) (Holy Quran 9:30) They have aimed at a difficult task and have spoken something meaningless. They have strayed far away from the truth and have faced huge confusions. They have knowingly ignored the Imam (a.s.). It is Satan who, has made their deeds to seem attractive to them and has blocked them from reaching the path (of guidance) when they know it fully.
They have turned from the choice that Allah and His Messenger and his family of to accept their own choice. The Holy Quran calls up on them, “Your Lord creates and chooses (to grant mercy) to whomever He wants. (In matters of guidance) they (unbelievers) do not have the choice to choose whatever they want. God is too exalted to be considered equal to anything else.” (28:68) It also says, “The believing men and women must not feel free to do something in their affairs other than that which has been already decided for them by God and His Messenger. One who disobeys God and His Messenger is in plain error. (33:36)
It further says, “What is the matter with you? How could you judge this to be so? (68:36). Do you have a book from which you study (68:37) that tells you to do whatever you want? (68:38). Do you have a covenant with Us which allows you to do whatever you want until the Day of Judgment? (68:39).
(Muhammad), ask which of them can guarantee that on the Day of Judgment (68:40). they will receive the same thing that the Muslims will? Do they have any witness to such an agreement? Let them bring out such witness, if they are truthful.”(68:41).
Again the Holy Quran says, “Is it that they do not think about the Quran or are their hearts sealed?” (47:24) Or as it says, “. . . their hearts were sealed and they were left with no understanding.” (9:87) or like, “Do not be like those who said that they have heard (the Messenger’s commands) but do not pay any attention to them (8:21). The most wicked beasts in the sight of God are the deaf and the dumb who have no understanding (8:22). Had they possessed any virtue, God would certainly have made them hear. Even if God were to make them hear, they would still turn away from (the words of God).” (8:23) or like, “you said that you had listened but you disobeyed.. . .” (2:93) It is the grace from Allah and He gives to whoever He wills. Allah is possesses great generosity.
How would they have the right to choose the Imam (a.s.)? The Imam (a.s.) is a scholar that is not ignorant of any thing, a shepherd who does not become, the mine of holiness purity, of worship and restraint from sins and Knowledge and worship. He (enjoys) the blessings of the exclusive prayers of the Messenger of Allah and of being of the progeny of the Holy Lady, al-Batul. There is not question about their genealogical purity. He is of the house of Quraysh and the top most in clan of Hashim and of the family of the Messenger of Allah, enjoying the happiness of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is the honor of all nobility. He is of the offspring of ‘Abd al-Manaf. He possesses (a body of) increasing knowledge. He is perfect in forbearance, the only one to qualify for the position of Imamat (leadership). He has full knowledge of the politics, whose obedience is obligatory by the command of Allah. He is appointed for Imamat by the command of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High to give good advice to the servants of Allah and to protect the religion of Allah.
Allah grants success and support to the prophets and the Imams (a.s.) through His treasured knowledge and command in a way that is granted to no one else. Thus, their knowledge is above the knowledge of the people of their times as mentioned in the following words of Allah. “Is the one who guides to the Truth a proper guide or one who himself cannot find guidance unless he is guided (by others)? What is wrong with you that you judge (so unjustly)?” (10:35) and in, “Whoever is given wisdom, certainly, has received much good. . . .”(2:269). Or as about Talut in the following words, “God has chosen him as your ruler and has given him physical power and knowledge. God grants His authority to anyone whom He wants. God is Provident and All-knowing. (2:247) or as He has said about His Prophet (a.s.),
“God has revealed the Book to you, has given you wisdom, and has taught you what you did not know. Certainly God’s favor to you has been great.” (4:113) He also said about the Imams from the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) “Are they jealous of the favors that God has done to some people? We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom (4:54). Some have believed, others have disbelieved and tried to prevent people from believing. For these people, only the intense fire of hell is a sufficient punishment.” (4:55)
When Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, chooses a person for the affairs of His servants, He opens his heart for the task, places in it the fountains of wisdom and inspires him with knowledge. He then never becomes tired of answering questions and never becomes confused to miss the right answer. He is infaliable, Divinely supported, successful and gaurded. He is immune from sins and shortcomings and faults. Allah has granted him this exclusively so that he would serve as the Divine authority over His servant, as a witness over them and this is grace of Allah that He grant to whoever He wills and Allah’s grace is the greatest.
Can one among the people have such things so they would choose him as the Imam or can their selected person have such distinctions to be preferred over the others?
They, swearing to the house of Allah, have transgressed against the truth and have thrown the book of Allah behind their backs as if they do not know. In the book of Allah there is guidance and cure but they have ignored it and have followed their own desires. For this reason Allah has criticised, expressed anger and condemmned them in His words as follows. “Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from God? God does not guide the unjust people.” (28:50) .
“The fate of the unbelievers will be to stumble and their deeds will have no virtuous results;” (47:8)
“This act greatly angers God and the believers. Thus does God seal the hearts of every arrogant oppressor.” (40:35).
May Allah grant blessings up on Prophet Muhammad and his family and may He grant them peace, a great deal of peace.”
H 524, Ch. 15, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hasan ibn Mahbub from Ishaq ibn Ghalib from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has described the condition of the Imams (a.s.) and their attributes in one of his sermons.
“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has explained His religion through the Imams of (true) guidance from the family of our Prophet (s.a.) the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), and has clear through them the path of His system and plan. He has opened through them the inside of the springs of His knowledge. Whoever of the followers of Muhammad (s.a.) has recognized his obligation towards the rights of his Imam he has realized the taste of the sweetness of his faith and the superior beauty of his Islam. It is because Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has appointed the Imam the torchbearer for His creatures and authority over those who receive His blessings of His world. He has crowned him with dignity and has encompassed him in the Light of His Omnipotence. He extends a means to the heavens. The blessings do not discontinue from him. Nothing from what is with Allah is achieved except through its right means. Allah does not accept the good deeds of His servants without one’s recognition of the Imam (a.s.). The Imam (a.s.) knows how to sort out the dark confusing matters and whatever obscures the Sunnah (tradition of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and the confounding matters in mischievous conditions. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has always been choosing the Imams from the descendants of al-Husayn (a.s.) one after the other Imam. He would select and choose them for the leadership of His creatures delightfully and well satisfied with them. Whenever one Imam would leave this world He would appoint for His creatures his successor as a clear beacon and a shining guide, a guarding leader, a knowledgeable Divine authority. The Imams from Allah guide people with the truth and with the truth they judge. They are Allah’s authority calling people to Him and as shepherds of His creatures. With their guidance people follow the religion and from them the land receive light. Through their holiness the bounties increase. Allah has made them life for the people and the torches in the darkness, the keys to communication and the strongholds for Islam. Thus, has the measures of Allah continued in them towards His final decision.
“The Imam is the outstanding amicable person, the most trusted guide and the guardian who can make hopes come true. Allah has chosen him with such distinctions. He choose him as such in the realm when all things were in the form of particles in the instance that He made him made him a particle and in the realm in which all things were designed as He had designed him (well-protected) as a shadow??, before He made the organisms, on the right side of His throne, gifted with wisdom in the unseen knowledge with Him. He chose him in His knowledge and granted him outstanding nobility for his purity. He is a heir of Adam, the best one among the descendents, the chosen one of the family of Abraham, a descendent of Ismael and of the most preferred ones in the family of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). He has always been looked after by the watchful eyes of Allah Who would provide him security and guard him with His shield, well protected against the evil nets of Satan and his armies. He is well defended against the approaching dark nights and the false accusations of the evil doers. All wickedness is kept away from him and he kept safe against all forms of defects and flaws. He is veiled against all the scourge and infallible in the case of sins. He is kept safe and sound against all indecencies. He is well known for his forbearance and virtuousness in the early days of his life and great knowledge, chastity and excellence are ascribed to him towards the end of his life. The task of Imamt (leadership) of his father rests with him while in the lifetime of his father he remained silent.
When the time of the Imamat (leadership) of his father ends it is the time when the measures of Allah ends up with him to His wish, the will from Allah brings him to His love, thus, the end of the Imamat of his father comes and he passes away. The authority from Allah shifts to him after his father. He then is made in charge of His religion and the Divine authority over His servants, the guardian over His lands, supported with His spirit and is given of His knowledge. He raises him as a beacon for His creatures, makes him to have His authority over the people of his world and as the light for the people of His religion and a guardian for His servants. Allah will agree to have him as Imam of the people, entrust him with His secret, makes him a safe-keeper of His knowledge, and makes him to hide His wisdom in him. He protects him for His religion calls up on him to serve His great task, revives through him the phases of His system (of religion) and the obligations in His laws.
The Imam then enforces justice, when the people of ignorance are confused and the disputing and quarrelling people are frustrated, with shining light, the beneficial cure and radiant truth. He would do so with clear explanations of all aspects and just in the manner and practice his truthful father and forefathers would do before him. No one would ignore the rights of such scholar except the wicked ones. No one would struggle against him except those who have strayed away from the right path. No one would keep away from him except those who keep a bold face against Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High.
Chapter 16
The Imams (a.s.) possess Divine authority, they are Envied and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken of them
H 525, Ch. 16, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Amir al-Ash’ari has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad who has said that al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ narrated to him from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd al-‘Ijli who said that he asked abu Ja’far
(a.s.) about the meaning of the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who possess (Divine) authority among you.” (4:59 Holy Quran). The read the following words of Allah. “Have you seen how those who had been given a share of the Book believe in idols and Satan and who say, “The disbelievers are better guided than the believers” (4:51) ‘The say that the leaders of misguidance and those who call people to Hell’ “God has condemned them. No one can help one whomGod has condemned. (4:52) Do they have a share in the Kingdom (Divine authority and Imamat)? Even if they did, they would not have given the smallest thing to the people.” (4:53) ” People is a reference to us and the word ‘Naqir’ means the seed inside the nutt.” The Imams (a.s.) explained and added. “Do they enviey the favors that God has done to some people?” ‘We are the ones who are envied because of the Divine authority that Allah has given us exclusively.’ The Imams (a.s.) commented. “We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom (4:54). Aliah says that from the descendents of Abraham He has made His Messengers, Prophets and Imams. How is it that these people acknowledge the case about the descents of Abraham but they refuse to accept the leadership (Imamat) in the family of Muhammad?’ The Imams (a.s.) further explained. “Some have believed, others have disbelieved and tried to prevent people from believing. For these people, only the intense fire of hell is a sufficient punishment (4:55). We will make those who reject Our revelations suffer in hell fire. As soon as the fire destroys their skins, We will give them new skins so that they may suffer more of the torment. God is Majestic and All-wise.” (4:56 Holy Quran)
H 526, Ch. 15, h 2
A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, Or are they envious of the people whom Allah has granted of His bounties? ( 4:54 Holy Quran) “We are the envied ones.”
H 527, Ch. 15, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from Muhammad al-Ahwal from Humran ibn A‘yan who has said that when he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah that say, “We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom.” (4:54) The Imams (a.s.) said, “It means Prophet-hood.” I then asked about the meaning of ‘wisdom’. The Imams (a.s.) said, “It means understanding and judgment.” I then asked about the meaning of ‘great kingdom.’ The Imams (a.s.) said, “It means obedience.”
H 528, Ch. 16, h 4
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from abu al-Sabah who has said that when asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Or are they envious of the people whom Allah has granted of His bounties? ( 4:54 Holy Quran) The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu al-Sabah, we, I swear by Allah, are the people who are envied.”
H 529, Ch. 16, h 5
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr from ‘Umar ibn Udhayna from Burayd al-‘IJli from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, “”We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom.” (4:54)
“Great kingdom means that He set Imamat (leadership) in the descendants of Abraham, Whoever would obey them he has obeyed Allah and whoever would disobey them has disobeyed Allah and thus is the great kingdom.”
Chapter 17
The Imams (a.s.) are the Sings of whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran
H 530, Ch. 17, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from abu Dawud al-Mustariqq who has said that Dawad al-Jassas who has said that he heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say about the words of Allah, “Through the signs and with the star people do find their way.” (16:16) “Star is the Messenger of Allah (s.a) and the signs are the Imams (a.s.)”
H 531, Ch. 17, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Asbat ibn Salim who has said that Haythamm asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), while I was there, about the meaning of the words of Allah, “Through the signs and with the star people do find their way.” (16:16) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Star is the Messenger of Allah (s.a) and the signs are the Imams (a.s.)”
H 532, Ch. 17, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said that he asked Imam al-Rida (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most High, “Through the signs and with the star people do find their way.” (16:16) The Imams (a.s.) said, “We are the signs and the messenger of Allah is the star,”
Chapter 18
The Signs of which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran are The Imams (a.s.)
H 533, Ch. 18, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from Ahmad ibn Hilal from ’Umayyah ibn Ali from Dawud al-Riqqi who has said that he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah in the following verse. “The signs and warnings are of no avail to the disbelieving people.” (10:101) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Signs are the Imams (a.s.) and warnings are the prophets (s.a.).”
H 534, Ch. 18, h 2
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from ‘Abd al-’Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hasani from Musa ibn Muhammad al-‘Ijli from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub (in a marfu‘ manner) that abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “. . . but they rejected all Our signs. . .” (54:42) ‘The signs are all the successors (of the prophets (s.a.)
H 535, Ch. 18, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn abu ‘Umayr or someone other than him from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah who has that he said to abu Ja’far (a.s.), “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, the Shi‘a (your followers) ask about the meaning of the words of Allah, “Of what do they ask one another? (78:1). Do they ask about the great news?”The Imams (a.s.) said, “It depends up on my decision. I may tell them or may not tell them. Then he said: “I like, however, to tell you the meaning thereof.” I then asked what is the meaning of, “Of what do they ask one another?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “It means Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.). Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) used to say, “None of the signs of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is bigger than I and none of the news of Allah is greater than I.”
Chapter 19
The matters that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and His Messenger (s.a.) have sanctioned as obligatory of the beings with the Imams (a.s.)
H 539, Ch. 19, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from al-Washfiha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from ibn ’Udhayna from t Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya al-‘Ijli who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. “Believers, be pious before God and always be friends with the truthful ones.” (9:119) The Imam (a.s.) replied, ” ‘The truthful ones’ is a reference to us.”
H 537, Ch. 19, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse. “Believers, be pious before God and always be friends with the truthful ones.” (9:119) The Imams (a.s.) said, “The truthful ones are the Imams (a.s.) who, are truthful in their obedience (to Allah).”
H 538, Ch. 19, h 3
Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from Mansur ibn Yunus from Sa’d ibn Tarayf from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has narrated the following from the Holy Prophet (s.a.). “Whoever would like to live a life similar to those of the prophets, die in a similar manner as the martyrs do and live in the garden which is planted by the Beneficent, they must love Imam Ali (a.s.) (acknowledge his Divine authority) and love those who love and support him and follow the Imams after him who are of my family and are created of the substance that I was created. O Lord, give them my understand and knowledge. Send those of my people to Wayl (a place in Hell) who oppose them and do not give them the chance to benefit from my intervention on their behalf.
H 539, Ch. 19, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from al-Nadr ibn Shu’ayb from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah al-Thamali who has said that he heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) say, “The Messenger of Allah (s.a.) said: ” Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says, “It is to establish my authority over the wicked ones of your people that those who would refuse to acknowledge the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.) and become friend and supporters of the enemies of Ali (a.s.), refuse to acknowledge his virtuous qualities and the such qualities of his successors after him (Imam Ali (a.s). Indeed your excellence and virtues are their excellence and virtues, obedience to you is like obedience to them, your right is like their right and disobedience to you is disobedience to them. They will be the Imams who possess the right guidance after you. Your spirit flows in them and so does the spirit of that which your Lord has made to flow in you. They are members of your family of the substance of which you are made. They are your flesh and blood. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has made your traditions and the traditions of the prophets before to continue with them (the Imams). They (Imams) are the treasurers of My knowledge after you. It is a right that owe them. I have chosen and give to them nobility exclusively with satisfaction. Salvation will be for those who would love them acknowledge their Divine authority and accept their excellence and virtues. The angel, Jibril has brought for their (Imam’s) names and the names of their fathers, the names of those who would love them and those who would accept their virtues and excellence.”
H 540, Ch. 19, h 5
A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fudala ibn Ayyub from abu a1-Maghra from Muhammad ibn Salim from Aban ibn Taghlib from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever would want to live like my living, die like I will die and enter the garden of Eden that my Lord has planted with His own hands, he must love (acknowledge the Divine authority of) Ali (a.s.) ibn abu Talib. He must love (acknowledge the Divine authority of his successor) those who love him, be the enemy of his enemies and submit in obedience to his successors after him because they are of my family and my flesh and blood. Allah has given them my understanding and knowledge. I appeal to Allah and complain to Him about the case of my people’s dealings, their denying the virtue and excellence of the Imams from my family. I complain to Allah for their disregard of my relation with them. By Allah, they will murder my son (al-Husayn (a.s.). May Allah deprive them of my intercession.’”
H 541, Ch. 19, h 6
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Musa ibn Sa‘dan from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Qasim from ‘Abd al-Qahhar from Jabir al-Ju‘fi from abu Ja’far ( a.s.) who has said that the Messenger of Allah has said the following.
“Whoever would like to live as I have lived and die as will do and enter the garden that my Lord has promised to me and hold in hands the stick that Allah has planted with His own hands he then must love and acknowledge (Leadership with Divine Authority of) Ali (a.s.) and his successors after him because they do not lead you into the gates of misguidance or take you out the gate of true guidance. Thus, do not try to teach them because they know more then you do. I have asked my Lord not to cause any separation between them and the Holy Quran until the time they will arrive in my presence near the al-Kawthar in paradise like this (showing his two fingers stretched side by side). The pond of al-Kawthar which is as big as from San‘a’ to ’Ayla (a place between Makka and Madina) with cups of gold and silver around it as many as the stars.
H 542, Ch. 19, h 7
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Fadala ibn Ayyub from al-Hassan ibn Ziyad from Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said that abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said the following. “Tranquillity, comfort, victory, support, success, blessings, honor, forgiveness, relief, ease, glad news, satisfaction, nearness, triumph, capabilities, hope and love from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are for those who love (acknowledge the Divine authority of) Ali (a.s.) and follow him, disavows the enemies of Ali (a.s.) and accept in submission the virtues of Ali and his successors after him. I am obligated to include them in my task of intervention on their behalf. It will be a truth before my Lord, the Most Holy, the Most High, to approve my intervention on their behalf. They are my followers and those who would follow me they will be of me.”
1. In M`r’atu ‘I- ‘ uqul (vol. 2, p.425) al- Aliamah al-Majlisi has pointed out that
this phrase has been omitted, and that the reason for this becomes evident at the end of the hadith.
Chapter 20
The people of Dhikr (memory and knowledge) that Allah has commanded the creatures to ask for their questions are the Imams (a.s.)
H 543, Ch. 20, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Ajlan from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.” (16:43, 21: 7 Holy Quran). The Holy Prophet (s.a.) has said, ‘I am the Dhikr and the Imams are the people of Dhikr.’” About the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High that says, “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.) said, “We are his people and we will be questioned.”(It seems that both the Holy Prophet (s.a.) is called Dhikr and the Holy Quran is also called Dhikr although the above passage seems confusing).
H 544, Ch. 20, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Uwarma from Ali ibn Hassa’n from his uncle ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir said that he asked I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following words of Allah. “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.” (16:43, 21: 7 Holy Quran) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) is ‘Dhikr’ and we are the people of ‘Dhikr who will be asked.” I also asked about, “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.) said it is a reference to us. We are the people of Dhikr and we will be asked questions.”
H 545, Ch. 20, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said that said to Imam al-Rida (a.s.), “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what is the meaning of the words of Allah, “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.”? (16:43, 21: 7 Holy Quran) The Imams (a.s.) said, ” ‘Dhikr’ is Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) and we are his family (people) about whom questions will be asked.” I further asked about, “Are you the ones to be questioned and we will be the one to question?” The Imams (a.s.) said yes, that is true.” I then asked, “Will it a right on us to ask you?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, it is so.” I then asked, “Will it be a right on you to answer us?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “No, will decide. We may or may not answer. Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, that say, “This is a gift from us. You may (give to others and) oblige or keep without being held accountable.”(38:39)
H 546, Ch. 20, h 4
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Asim ibn Hamid from abu Basir from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Messenger of Allah is the Dhikr (reminder of Allah) and members of his family (a.s.) are the ones who will be asked questions and they are the people of Dhikr.”
H 547, Ch. 20, h 5
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad from Rib‘iy from Fudayl form abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.)said, “The Holy Quran is the ’Dhikr’ and we are the one who will be asked questions.”
H 548, Ch. 20, h 6
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Mansur ibn Yunus from abu Bakr al-Hadrami who has said the following. “I was in the presence of Imam (a.s.) abu Ja‘far (a.s.) and al-Ward brother of al-Kumayt came to see him. He to the Imams (a.s.) said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I have chosen seventy questions and I do not know the answer even for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Not even one answer, O Ward?” He then said, “Yes, I do know the answer for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) asked, “What is it then?” He replied, “It is the words of Allah that say, ‘Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know’ who are they?” The Imams (a.s.) replied, “We are the people of Dhikr?” I then said, “Must we then ask you?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, you must ask us for answers.” I then asked, “Must you then give us answers?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “We may or may not answer.”
H 549, Ch. 20, h 7
Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-‘Ala‘ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who ha said that he said the who has said the following to abu Ja‘far ( a.s.).
“These are people who think that the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. ‘Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know,’ refers to the Jews and the Christians.” The Imams (a.s.) asked, “Do they call you to their religion?” He (Muhammad ibn Muslim) has aid that the Imams (a.s.) “Said, with his hand (pointing) to his chest, ‘We are the People of Dhikr (reminders of Allah) and we are the ones who must be asked questions.’”
H 550, Ch. 20, h 8
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said that he heard Imam al-Rida say the following. “Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn has said that there are certain obligation for the Imams that are not obligatory for their followers and certain obligation of our followers are not obligatory for us. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has commanded them to ask us their questions saying, “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know,’ Thus, Allah has commanded them to ask us their questions but it is not obligatory for us to answer them. We may answer them or may not answer them if we may so decide.” the is not said:
H 551, Ch. 20, h 9
Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said that he wrote a letter to Imam al-Rida (a.s.). Of the issues for which he requested explanation in the letter one was about the following words of Allah, Most Holy, the Most High. “Ask the people of Dhikr (people who remind of Allah) if you do not know.” The other question was about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Not all believers have to become specialists in religious learning. Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have fear of God.” (9:122)
thus, it is obligatory for them to ask but it is not obligatory for you to answer.”
The Imams (a.s.) has said the following for the answer. “If they would not do what you would ask them, know that they are only following their (evil) desires. Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from God? . . .” (28:50)
Chapter 21
Those whom Allah has called people of knowledge they are the Imams (a.s.)
H 552, Ch. 21, h 1
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Mughirah from ‘Abd al-Mu’min ibn al-Qasim al-Ansari from Sa‘d from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only the people of reason take heed.” (39:9) ‘We are the people of knowledge, the people who and it is our enemies who do not know and our followers are the people who take heed and are the people of reason.’”
H 553, Ch. 21, h 2
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from an-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only the people of reason take heed.” (39:9) ‘We are the people of knowledge, the people who and it is our enemies who do not know and our followers are the people who take heed and are the people of reason.’”
Chapter 22
The People Well-grounded in Knowledge are the Imams (a.s.) alone
H 554, Ch. 22, h 1
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from an-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Ayyub ibn Hurr and ‘Imran ibn Ali from abu Basir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “We are the people well-grounded in knowledge and we are the ones who know how to interpret it.”
H 555, Ch. 22, h 2
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Ali from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq from ‘Adallah ibn Hammad from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has narrated the following from either one of the Imams (a.s.) about the words of Allah, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious. “No one knows its true interpretations except God and those who have a firm grounding in knowledge . . .” (3:7). The Holy Prophet is the best among the people well-grounded in knowledge. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, taught him all that He had revealed to him in the form of original text and in the form of interpretations. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, would not reveal anything to him that he would not know the meaning thereof. The successors of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) after him knew all revelations. As for those who do not know the interpretations thereof, when the scholar speaks to them with knowledge, they say, “We believe in it, for all of this is from our Lord.” The Holy Quran consists of specific, general, clear, not so clear, abrogating and abrogated statements. The people who are well-grounded in knowledge know all of the Holy Quran.”
H %556ch22, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Uwarma from Ali ibn Hassan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from abu ‘bdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “People well-grounded in Knowledge stands for Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) and the Imams after him.”
Chapter 23
The Imams are those who have received Knowledge and it is firmly Established in their Hearts
H 557, Ch. 23, h 1
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from Hammed ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from abu Basir who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following about this verse of the Holy Quran. “In fact, the Quran consists of illustrious verses that exist in the hearts of those who have knowledge. . . .” (29:49) The Imams (a.s.) pointed to his own hear.”
H 558, Ch. 23, h 2
It is narrated from him from Muhammad ibn Ali from ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz al-‘Abdi from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “In fact, the Quran consists of illustrious verses that exist in the hearts of those who have knowledge. . . .” (29:49) ‘They are the Imams (a.s.)’.
H 559, Ch. 23, h 3
It is narrated from him from Muhammad ibn Ali from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘a from abu Basir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following about this verse of the Holy Quran. “In fact, the Quran consists of illustrious verses that exist in the hearts of those who have knowledge. . . .” (29:49) The Imams (a.s.) then said, “O abu Muhammad, for the sake of Allah, be the judge and tell, of who it is spoken (so often) between the two covers of the Holy Quran?” I then asked, “Who are they, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. The Imams (a.s.) said, “Who else can they be other than ourselves?”
H 560, Ch. 23, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Yazid Sha‘ar from Harun ibn Hamza who has said that he hear abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say who has said the following. “In fact, the Quran consists of illustrious verses that exist in the hearts of those who have knowledge. . . .” (29:49) ‘They are the Imams (a.s.) exclusive of all others.’”
H 561, Ch. 23, h 5
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘d from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. “In fact, the Quran consists of illustrious verses that exist in the hearts of those who have knowledge. . . .” (29:49) The Imams (a.s.) said, “They are the Imams (a.s.) exclusive of all others.”
Chapter 24
The people whom Allah has Chosen and has Made the Heirs of His Book are the Imams (a.s.)
H 562, Ch. 24, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from ‘Abd al-Mu’min from Salim who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants, among whom some are unjust against their souls, some are moderate, and some are exceedingly virtuous by the permission of God. . . .” (35:31) The exceedingly virtuous is the Imam (a.s.), the moderateones are those who know the Imams (a.s.) and the unjust ones are those who do not know the Imams (a.s.).”
H 563, Ch. 24, h 2
Al-Husayn has narrated from Mu‘alla from al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd al-Karim from Sulayman who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. “We gave the book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,.. . .” (35:31) The Imam (a.s.) asked, “What do you say about it?” I said, “We say that they are the Fatimid (descendents of Fatima, Daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.)” The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is not as you say. No one who would point out his sword and call people into schism and misguidance comes in this (category of people exceeding in virtue).” I then asked, “Who then are the ones doing wrong to themselves?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “It is those who sit in their homes and do not know the rights of his Imam (a.s.). The moderate ones are those who know the rights of their Imam and the ones exceeding in virtue are the Imams (a.s.)”
H 564, Ch. 24, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We gave the book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants. . .” (35:31). The Imam (a.s.) said such people are the children of Fatima (a.s.), those exceeding in virtue are the Imams (a.s.), the moderate ones are those who know the Imam (a.s.) and those who do injustice to themselves are the ones who do not know their Imam (a.s.).”
H 565, Ch. 24, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from abu Wallad who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “The people who have received Our Book (Quran), and read it thoroughly, believe in it. Those who disbelieve the Book are
Chapter 25
Two Kinds of Imam are mentioned in the Holy Quran: the Imams (a.s.) who call to Allah and the Imams who call to Fire
H 566, Ch. 25, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Abdallah ibn Ghalib from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “When the following verse of the Holy Quran was revealed, “On the day when We call every nation with their leaders, (Imams) . . .” (17:71), people asked the Holy Prophet (s.a.), ‘Are you not the Imam of all the people altogether?’ The Holy Prophet (s.a.) said, “I am the Messenger of Allah to all the people but after me there will the Imams for the people from my family. They will rise among the people but they will be rejected. The leaders of the unbelievers and misguidance and their followers will do injustice to them. Those who support, love, follow and acknowledge their authority they are from me, with me and will meet me. Let it be known that those who would do injustice to the Imams (a.s) and reject them they are not from me and with me. I denounce them and all associations with them.”
H 567, Ch. 25, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talha ibn Zayd from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Imams mentioned in the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are of two kinds. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has said, ‘We appointed them as leaders (Imams) to guide the people through Our command . . .” (21:73) They do so but not because of the commads of the people. They allow our command to come first and before their own orders, and our laws before their own laws and judgment. “We made them the kinds of leaders (Imams) who would invite people to the fire . . .” (28:41) ‘They let their own commands to come before the commands of Allah and their laws before the laws of Allah. They follow their desires against what the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High requires.’”
Chapter 26
The Holy Quran guides people to the Imam (a.s.)
H 568, Ch. 26, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hasan ibn Mahbub who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We have chosen heirs for every legacy that parents and relatives may leave. Let those who have been promised a bequest receive their share of the legacy. . . .” (4:33) It is a refrence to the Imams (a.s.) With the Imams (a.s.) Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has established your covenants.”
1. There have been a variety of interpretations of who are the last group of heirs mentioned in this verse, i.e., those with whom you have sworn compact, and, as a result of this, and so as to reconcile these various interpretations with the law, it has at different times been asserted that this verse was abrogated or that it was not. For example, see at.-Taban, at-Taf~ir, vol.5,
H 569, Ch. 26, h 2
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from Musa ibn ’Ukayl al-Numayri from al-‘Ala’ ibn Sayyaba from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah. “This Quran shows the way to that which is the most upright . . .” (17:9) The Imams (a.s.)said, “It guides to the Imam (a.s.).”
Chapter 27
The Bounty and Blessings that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has mentioned in His book, the Holy Quran are the Imams (a.s.)
H 570, Ch. 27, h 1
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Bistam ibn Murrah from Ishaq ibn Hassa’n from al-Haytham ibn Waqid from Ali ibn al-Husayn al-‘Abdi from Sa‘d al-’Iskaf from al-Asbagh ibn Nubatah from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who has said the following. “What isd wrong with people who changed the Sunnah (traditions) of the Messenger of Allah and deviated from his will? Do they not fear that sever suffering may befall them? He then recited the following verse of the Holy Quran. “Have you not seen (considered) those who changed the blessings (Word) of God through disbelief and led their people to destruction? (14:28). They will suffer in Hell. What a terrible place to stay! (14:29). He then said, “We are the blessings of Allah which He has granted to people. Through us will succede those will be successful on the Day of Judgment.”
H 571, Ch. 27, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad, in a mafu‘ manner, (rafa’ahu) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “(Jinn and mankind) – which of the favors of your Lord do you deny?” (55:13) Will you deny and refuse the Holy Prophet or his successor.” (This verse has come down in ch. 55 al-Rahman.)
H 572, Ch. 27, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from ‘Adallah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from al-Haytham ibn Waqid from abu Yusuf al-Bazzaz who has said that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) recited the following verse, “Keep in mind the bounties of Allah. . .” (7:69) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Do you know what the bounties of Allah are?” I said, “No, I do not know.” He said, “It is the greatest of the bounties of Allah. It is to acknowledge the Divine authority that we possess.”
H 573, Ch. 27, h 4
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Uwarma from Ali ibn Hassa’n from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse. “Have you not seen (considered) those who changed the blessings (Word) of God through disbelief and led their people to destruction?” (14:28) The Imam (a.s.) said it is a reference to all of Quraysh who exercised animosity towards the Holy Prophet (s.a.), created wars against him and rejected his will about his successor.”
Chapter 28
The People whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has called Mutawassimin (distinguished) in His book are the Imams (a.s.) who are also the straight path
H 574, Ch. 28, h 1
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hasani from ibn abu‘Umayr who has said the following.
“Asbat Bayya‘ al-Zattiyy has said that once he was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) when a man asked him about the meaning of the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones. (15:75)
That town lies on a road which still exists (15:76) The Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the distiguished people and the (right) path is with us.”
H 575, Ch. 28, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salamah ibn al-Khattab that Yahya ibn Ibrahim who has said the following. “Asbat ibn Salim has said that once he was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) when a man from the people of Hiyt came and said, ‘May grant yopu well-being, what is the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, “In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones.”? (15:75)
The Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the distiguished people and the (right) path is with us.”
H 576, Ch. 28, h 3
Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Rib’i ibn ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones.” (15:75)
“The Imam (a.s.) said, “The distinguished people are the Imams (a.s.) the Holy Prophet has said, “Be on your guard from the intelligence of the believers. He lookss through the light of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High as mentioned in, “In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones.” (15:75)
H 577, Ch. 28, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Kufi from ‘Ubays ibn Hisham from ‘Adallah ibn Sulayman from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones.” (15:75)
The Imams (a.s.) said, “These people are the Imams (a.s.) and the evidence will never depart us.”
H 578, Ch. 28, h 5
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Aslam from Ibrahim ibn Ayyub from ‘Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) has the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “”In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the distinguished ones.” (15:75) The Holy Prophet (s.a.) was the distinguieshed one and I was as such after him and the Imams from my children are the distinguieshed ones.”
In a different copy it is narrated from Ahmad ibn Mahran from Muhammad ibn Ali from Muhammad ibn Aslam from Ibrahim ibn Ayyub through the chain of his nnarrators a similar Hadith.
Chapter 29
The deeds of the people are presented before the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and the Imams (a.s.)
H 579, Ch. 29, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “All deeds are presented before the Messenger of Allah (s.a.). It is the deeds of the all the virtuous and the evil doing servants (of Allah) that are presented every morning and evenings (before the Messenger of Allah). So pay proper attention to it and be very careful. The following verse of the Holy Quran is a reference to this. “(Muhammad), tell them, “Act as you wish. God will see your deeds and so will do His Messenger. . . .” (9:106) The Imams (a.s.) paused at this point and did not read any further.”
H 580, Ch. 29, h 2
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Ta’i from Ya‘qub ibn Shu‘ayb. He has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Act as you wish. God will see your deeds and so will do His Messenger and the believers. . . .” (9:106) The Imams (a.s.) said, “They (believers) are the Imams (a.s.)”
H 581, Ch. 29, h 3
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Suma‘ who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “What is wrong with you? Why do you disappoint the Messenger of Allah?” A man asked, “How do we disappoint him?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Do you not know that your deeds are presented before him? When he find sins in them it disappoints him. Do not disappoint the Messenger of Allah. Do things that will make him happy.”
H 582, Ch. 29, h 4
Ali from has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from al-Zayyat from ‘Abdallah ibn Aban al-Zayyat who was well placed in the eyes of al-Rida (a.s.). He has said that he asked al-Rida (a.s.) to pray for him and for his family. Am I not praying for them? I swear by Allah that your deeds are presented before me every day and night.” He has said that it seemed extremely great to me. The Imams (a.s.) said to me, “Do you not read in the Holy Quran, ‘Act as you wish. God will see your deeds and so will do His Messenger and the believers. . . .’” (9:106) The Imams (a.s.) then said, “I swear by Allah that he (the believer) is Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.).”
H 583, Ch. 29, h 5
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from abu ‘Abdallah al-Samit from Yahya ibn Musawwir who has said the following. He mentioned this verse to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), “Act as you wish. God will see your deeds and so will do His Messenger and the believers. . . .” (9:106) The Imams (a.s.) then said, “I swear by Allah that he (the believer) is Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.).”
H 584, Ch. 29, h 6
A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said the following. “I heard Imam al-Rida saying, ‘All the deeds: good and bad ones are presented before the Messenger of Allah.’”
Chapter 30
The Path, Urged to be Maintained Steadfastly is Acknowledgement of the Divine Authority of Imam Ali (a.s.)
H 585, Ch. 30, h 1
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hassani from Musa ibn Muhammad from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub from the person whom he mentioned, from abu Ja‘far (a.s.). The Imam (a.s.) said the following about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Had they (jinn and mankind) remained steadfast in their path (religion, Islam), We would certainly have given them abundant water to drink.” (72:16) It means, “Had people maintained steadfastness in respecting the Divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.), and the Divine authority of his successors from his children and agreed to obey their orders and prohibitions He would have given them abundant water. He says, We would drench their hearts with faith. The path (al-Triqa) means to have faith in the Divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) and his successors from his children.”
H 586, Ch. 30, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Fudala ibn Ayyub from al-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from abu Ayyub from Muhammad ibn Muslim. He has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “To those who have said, ‘God is our Lord,’ and who have remained steadfast to their belief. . .” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Those who remain steadfast in respecting the Divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) and his successors, the Imams (a.s.) one after the other then, ‘ the angels will descend saying, “Do not be afraid or grieved. Receive the glad news of the Paradise which was promised to you.’” (41:30)
