أحمد بن إدريس، عن أحمد بن محمّد، عن العباس بن النجاشيّ الأسدي، قال: قلت للرضا عليه السلام: أنت صاحب هذا الأمر؟ قال: إي—والله—على الإنس والجنّ.
Aḥmad b. Idrīs, from Aḥmad b. Muḥammad, from al-ʿAbbās b. al-Najāshī al-Asadī, who narrated: “I said to al-Riḍā (as): “Are you the Master of this Ordinance?,” to which he replied: “Aye, by Allāh, upon both mankind and the jinn.”
محمّد بن يحيى، عن محمّد بن أحمد بن يحيى، عن عبداللّه بن محمّد الشامي، عن الحسن بن موسى، عن علي بن أسباط، عن الحسن مولى أبي عبداللّه، عن أبي الحكم، عن عبداللّه بن إبراهيم الجعفري عن يزيد بن سليط الزيدي، قال: لقينا أبا عبداللّه عليه السلام في طريق مكّة، ونحن جماعة، فقلت له: بأبي أنت واُمي، أنتم الأئمة المطهّرون، والموت لا يعرى منه أحد فأحدث إليّ شيئاً أُلقيه إلى من يخلفني. فقال لي: نعم هؤلاء ولدي، وهذا سيّدهم—وأشار إلى موسى عليه السلام ابنه—، وفيه علم الحكم، والفهم، والسخاء، والمعرفة بما يحتاج الناس إليه فيما اختلفوا—من أمر دينهم—، وفيه حسن الخلق، وحسن الجوار، وهو باب من أبواب الله، وفيه أُخرى هي خير من هذا كلّه. فقال أبي: ما هي بأبي أنت واُمي؟ قال: يخرج الله منه غوث هذه الأُمّة وغياثها، وعلمها، ونورها، وفهمها، وحكمتها، خير مولود، خير ناشئ، يحقن الله به الدماء، ويصلح به ذات البين، ويلمّ به الشعث، ويشعب به الصدع، ويكسو به العاري، ويشبع به الجائع، ويؤمن به الخائف، وينزل به القطر، ويؤمن به العباد. خير كهل، وخير ناشئ، تسر به عشيرته قبل أوان حلمه، قوله حكم، وصمته علم، يبيّن للناس ما يختلفون فيه. قال: فقال أبي: بأبي أنت ولد بعد؟ قال: نعم. ثم قطع الكلام. قال يزيد: ثم لقيت أبا الحسن عليه السلام بعد، فقلت له: بأبي أنت واُمّي، إنّي اُريد أن تخبرني بمثل ما أخبرني به أبوك. قال: فقال: كان أبي في زمن ليس هذا زمانه. قال يزيد: فقلت: من يرض منك بهذا، فعليه لعنة الله! قال: فضحك، ثم قال: أُخبرك يا با عمّارة: إنّي خرجت من منزلي، فأوصت بالظاهر إلى بنيّ، وأشركتهم مع عليّ ابني، وأفردته بوصيّتي في الباطن. ولقد رأيت رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله في المنام، وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام معه، ومعه خاتم وسيف وعصا وكتاب وعمامة. قلت له: ما هذا؟ فقال: أمّا العمامة: فسلطان الله. وأمّا السيف: فعزّة الله. وأمّا الكتاب: فنور الله. وأمّا العصا: فقوّة الله. وأمّة الخاتم: فجامع هذه الأمور. ثمّ قال رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله: والأمر يخرج إلى عليّ—عليه السلام—إبنك. قال: ثمّ قال: يا يزيد، إنّها وديعة عندك، فلا تخبرها إلّا عاقلاً، أو عبداً إمتحن الله قلبه، أو صادقاً، ولا تكفر نعم الله. وإنْ سُئِلْتَ عن الشهادة، فأدّها، فانّ الله—تبارك وتعالى—يقول: ﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَن تُؤَدُّوا۟ ٱلْأَمَـٰنَـٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهْلِهَا﴾ وقال: ﴿وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَـٰدَةً عِندَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ﴾. فقلت: والله ما كنتُ لأَفعل ذلك أبداً. قال: ثمّ قال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: ثمّ وصفه لي رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله، فقال: عليّ إبنك الذي ينظر بنور الله، ويسمع بفهمه وينطق بحكمته، يصيب فلا يخطئ، ويعلم فلا يجهل، يعلم حكماً وعلماً. وما أقلّ مقامك معه، إنّما هو شيء كأَنْ لم يكن، فإذا رجعت من سفرك، فأوص وأصلح أمرك، وافرغ ممّا أردت، فإنّك منتقل عنه ومجاور غيره فاجمع ولدك، وأشهد الله عليهم جميعاً، وكفى بالله شهيداً. ثمّ قال: يا يزيد، إنّي أؤخذ في هذه السنة، والأمر إلى إبني عليّ، سميُّ عليّ وعليّ: أمّا عليّ الأَوّل: فعليّ بن أبي طالب. وأمّا عليّ الآخر: فعليّ بن الحسين. أُعطيّ فهم الأوّل، وحكمته، وبصره وودّه، ودينه ومحنة الآخر، وصبره على ما يكره. وليس له أنْ يتكلّم إلّا بعد هارون بأربع سنين، فإذا مضت أربع سنين، فاسأله عمّا شئت يجبك، إن شاء الله تعالى. ثمّ قال: يا يزيد، فإذا مررت بهذا الموضع، ولقيته، وستلقاه، فبشّره، أنّه سيولد له غلام أمره ميمون مبارك. وسيعلمك: أنك لقيتني، فأخبره عند ذلك: أنّ الجارية التي يكون منها هذا الغلام جارية من أهل بيت مارية القبطيّة، جارية رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله، وإن قدرت أن تُبَلّغها عنّي السلام فافعل ذلك. قال يزيد: فلقيت بعد مضيّ أبي إبراهيم—عليّاً عليه السلام—، فبدأني، فقال لي: يا يزيد، ما تقول في العمرة؟ فقلت: فداك أبي وأُمي، ذلك إليك، وما عندي نفقة. فقال: سبحان الله، ما كنّا نكلّفك ولا نكفيك. فخرجنا حتى إذا انتهينا إلى ذلك الموضع، ابتدأني فقال: يا يزيد، إنّ هذا الموضع لكثيراً ما لقيت فيه خيراً، فقلت: نعم، ثمّ قصصت عليه الخبر. فقال لي: أمّا الجارية فلم تجئ بعد، فإذا دخلت أبلغتها منك السلام. فانطلقت إلى مكّة واشتراها في تلك السنة، فلم تلبث إلّا قليلاً حتى حملت، فولدت ذلك الغلام. قال يزيد: وإنْ كان إخوة عليّ يرجون أنْ يرثوه فعادوني من غير ذنب. فقال لهم إسحاق بن جعفر: والله، لقد رأيته وانّه ليقعد من أبي إبراهيم عليه السلام المجلس الذي لا أجلس فيه أنا.
Muḥammad b. Yaḥyā, from Muḥammad b. Aḥmad b. Yaḥyā, from ʿAbd Allāh b. Muḥammad al-Shāmī, from al-Ḥasan b. Mūsā, from ʿAlī b. Asbāṭ, from al-Ḥasan, the client of Abī ʿAbd Allāh, from Abī’l-Ḥakam, from ʿAbd Allāh b. Ibrāhīm al-Jaʿfarī from Yazīd b. Sulayṭ al-Zaydī, who narrated: “Abū ʿAbd Allāh (as) met us while on the road to Mecca, and we were a multitude. I said to him: “May my father and my mother be made your ransom. You are the immaculate Imams, but death spares nobody. Would you narrate to me something that I may pass along to whoever will succeed me?” He responded: “Yes. These are my sons, and this one”—and he pointed at his son, Mūsā (as)—“is their master, who has the knowledge to issue verdicts, understanding, and generosity, and the cognisance of what people are in need of with regard to what they differ over, in the matter of their religion, and he has the most excellent manners and sense of neighbourliness, and he is a door among the doors to Allāh. And there is another quality of his that is fairer than all this (that I have mentioned).” So, my [1] father said: “May my father and my mother be made your ransom, what is it?” Imam al-Ṣādiq replied: “It is from him that Allāh will draw out the imminent deliverance for this community and its deliverer, and (the locus of) its knowledge, its light, its understanding and its wisdom. (He will be) the best of the newborn and the best of those who grow up, through whom Allāh will staunch the flow of blood from its being shed, rectify what is between people, mend that which is scattered, repair the breach, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, provide security to the fearful, bring rain down, and grant security to Allāh’s servants. He is the best mature man and the best youth, on account of whom his clan will be pleased before he reaches the age of majority, and his statement is a verdict, his quietness is knowledge, and he will explain to people what they differ over.” My father asked of Imam al-Ṣādiq: “May my father and my mother be made your ransom, has he yet to be born?,” to which the Imam responded: “Yes.” This exchange is cut off (i.e. ends) at this point. Yazīd (b. Sulayṭ al-Zaydī) picked the narration back up again: “Then, I met Abā’l-Ḥasan (al-Kāẓim (as)) afterwards, and said to him: “May my father and my mother be made your ransom. Indeed, I wish for you to inform me of something like that which your father informed me of.” He replied: “The era my father lived in is not like this one.” I followed up: “Whoever is content with this from you, then upon him be the curse of Allāh!” He laughed, and then said: “I will inform you, o’ Abā ʿAmmāra! Once, I departed from my house and made a public will to my sons, in which I made them equal to my son ʿAlī, while singling him out in my private will. And I saw, in a dream, the Apostle of Allāh (sawa), and Amīr al-Muʾminīn (as) with him, and he had a ring, a sword, a staff, a book and a turban. I said to him: “What is this?,” to which he replied: “As for the turban, it is the authority of Allāh. As for the sword, it is the majesty of Allāh. As for the book, it is the light of Allāh. As for the staff, it is the strength of Allāh, and as for the ring, it gathers together all of these regalia.” Then, the Apostle of Allāh (sawa) said: “The Divine ordinance will pass (from you) to your son, ʿAlī (b. Mūsā al-Riḍā (as)).” Imam al-Kāẓim (as) then said: “O’ Yazīd, indeed it is a trust deposited to you, so do not inform anyone of it except he who is of sound mind, or a servant whose heart has been tested (for faith) by Allāh, or a truthful one, and do not be ungrateful for the blessings of Allāh. And if you are asked for a testimony, then provide it, for Allāh (twt) has said: ﴾Indeed Allāh commands you to deliver the trusts to their [rightful] owners﴿ [4:58], and He also said: ﴾And who is a greater wrongdoer than someone who conceals a testimony that is with him from Allāh?﴿ [2:140].” I responded: “By Allāh, I would never do that.” Abū’l-Ḥasan al-Kāẓim (as) then said: “The Apostle of Allāh (sawa) then described him to me, saying: “Your son, ʿAlī, is he who sees with Allāh’s light, and listens with His understanding, and speaks with His wisdom, adheres to what is correct without ever erring, knows without ever being ignorant, and he knows with a great wisdom and knowledge. And how little will be the time you have spent with him! It is only as though it has not been. So, when you return from your journey, bequeath (to him) and put your affairs in order, and complete what you have intended, for you will (soon) be departing from him and dwelling in another’s neighbourhood,[2] so gather together all your sons, invoke Allāh as a witness against them, and Allāh suffices as a witness.” The Imam then said: “O’ Yazīd! I will be overtaken (by death) this year, and the Ordinance will pass to my son, ʿAlī, who has been named in honour of ʿAlī—the first ʿAlī, who is ʿAlī b. Abī Ṭālib, and ʿAlī—the other ʿAlī, who is ʿAlī b. al-Ḥusayn. He has been given the understanding of the first one, and his wisdom, his insight, his affection and his religion, while he will suffer the same ordeal as the other,[3] while having the same sort of patience to bear what he detests. He is not to speak publicly, until four years after Hārūn.[4] So, when four years have passed, ask of him whatever you will, and he will answer you, if Allāh (taa) wills.” Imam al-Kāẓim said: “O’ Yazīd, when you pass by this place and meet him, and you will meet him, then give him glad tidings of a boy who will be born to him, whose affair is auspicious and blessed. He will let you know that (he knows) you met me, so inform him that the bondswoman to whom that boy will be born is a bondswoman from the people of the house of Maria the Copt, the bondswoman of the Apostle of Allāh (sawa), and, if you can convey to her my greetings of peace, do that.” Yazīd b. Sulayṭ al-Zaydī continued to narrate: “After Abū Ibrāhīm died, I met with ʿAlī (al-Riḍā (as)). He began to speak to me first, saying to me: “O’ Yazīd, what do you say about the lesser pilgrimage (ʿumra)?” I said: “May my father and mother be sacrificed for your sake. That is for you (to decide), and I have no allotment of money.” He said: “Glory be to Allāh! We would not burden you without also providing for you.” We went out until we reached that place, whereupon he began by saying: “O’ Yazīd, this is the place where you have been met with much good!,” so I replied: “Yes,” and then shared the information (passed down to me by his father) with him. He told me: “As for the bondswoman, she has not yet come, but I will convey your greetings of peace to her when she does.” I made my way to Mecca, and in that same year he purchased her, and she did not tarry for long before she got pregnant, and then gave birth to that boy.” Yazīd commented: “The brothers of ʿAlī (b. Mūsā al-Riḍā) had hoped that they would inherit him, so they became hostile to me without any fault on my part,” whereupon Isḥāq b. Jaʿfar said to them: “By Allāh! I have seen him (ʿAlī al-Riḍā) sitting with Abū Ibrāhīm (al-Kāẓim) (as) in gatherings in which I myself would not participate.”[5]
