The Imams are Similar to those before them and the Dislikeability of Calling them Prophets

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ from abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام who has said the following. “To refer to us (as the Divine authorities) is valid only in finding the lawful and unlawful matters. To refer to us as prophet-hood is not valid.”

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ash’ari has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya ibn ‘Imran al-Halabi from Ayyub ibn al-Hurr who has said that he heard Abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام say the following: "Allah, Majestic is his mention, ended with your prophet the (coming of) the prophets, thus, there will never come any prophet after him and with your book He ended the sending of (heavenly) books, thus, there will never come other heavenly books. In it (your book) He has placed clarifications for all things, such as your creation and the creation of the heavens and the earth. Therein is the news of the beings before you, the laws that help settle your disputes and the news of the beings that come into being after you, the news of the issues of Paradise and Fire and that to which you proceed.”

4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah who has said that abu Ja‘far عليه السلام has said the following. “Ali عليه السلام was a Muhaddith (i.e. those who are spoken to and inspired by the angels).” The narrator said that he then asked the Imam عليه السلام, “Do you mean that he was a prophet?” The narrator said that the Imam عليه السلام then made a gesture of denial with his hand like this, and then said, “Rather, he is like the companion of Solomon, or like the the companion of Moses or like Dhul Qarnayn. Has it not reached you that he [the Prophet] said, “Among you is one similar to him (Dhul Qarnayn).”

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام the following. “What is your position? To who of the people of the past do you resemble?” the Imam عليه السلام said, “I resemble the companion of Moses and Dhul Qarnayn who were two scholars but not two prophets.”

6.Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from abu Talib from Sadir who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام the following. “A certain group of people believe that you are gods. They read to us from the Quran about it. And it is He Who in heaven is God and in earth is God.” (43:84). The Imam عليه السلام said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. I swear by Allah, Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Resurrection. The only thing from Allah to them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he said, “Among us there is a group of people who believe that you are messenger and read to from the Holy Quran. “O Messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness; surely I know the things you do (23:51). The Imam عليه السلام said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah and Hid Messenger also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Judgment. The only thing from Allah towards them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he then asked, “What are you then?” the Imam عليه السلام said, “We are the treasuries of the knowledge of Allah. We are the translators of the commands of Allah. We are infallible people. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has commanded people to obey us and prohibited them to disobey us. We are the complete Divine authority over all that is below the heavens and above the earth.”

7. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ‘Abdallah ibn Bahr from ibn Muskan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام say the following. “The Imams عليه السلام possess the position of the Messenger of Allah except that they are not prophets and the number of wives permissible for the Holy Prophet is not permissible for them. In the aspects other than these they possess the same positions as the Messenger of Allah did.”