The Continuity of the Divine Testament Since the Time of Adam عليه السلام
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 22
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma
Book 2, Chapter 22
The Continuity of the Divine Testament Since the Time of Adam عليه السلام
69 hadiths · 4 commentaries
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ وَ الْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ النَّهْدِيُّ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ السَّرَّادِ عَنْ مُقَاتِلِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دُوَالَ دُوزَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنَا سَيِّدُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ وَصِيِّي سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَ أَوْصِيَاؤُهُ سَادَةُ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ إِنَّ آدَمَ عليه السلام سَأَلَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ لَهُ وَصِيّاً صَالِحاً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنِّي أَكْرَمْتُ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ ثُمَّ اخْتَرْتُ خَلْقِي فَجَعَلْتُ خِيَارَهُمُ الْأَوْصِيَاءَ فَقَالَ آدَمُ عليه السلام يَا رَبِّ فَاجْعَلْ وَصِيِّي خَيْرَ الْأَوْصِيَاءِ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ يَا آدَمُ أَوْصِ إِلَى شَيْثٍ وَ هُوَ هِبَةُ اللَّهِ بْنُ آدَمَ فَأَوْصَى آدَمُ إِلَى شَيْثٍ وَ أَوْصَى شَيْثٌ إِلَى ابْنِهِ شَبَّانَ وَ هُوَ ابْنُ نَزْلَةَ الْحَوْرَاءِ الَّتِي أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى آدَمَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَزَوَّجَهَا شَيْثاً وَ أَوْصَى شَبَّانُ إِلَى ابْنِهِ مجلث وَ أَوْصَى مجلث إِلَى محوق وَ أَوْصَى محوق إِلَى غثميشا وَ أَوْصَى غثميشا إِلَى أَخْنُوخَ وَ هُوَ إِدْرِيسُ النَّبِيُّ عليه السلام وَ أَوْصَى إِدْرِيسُ إِلَى ناخور وَ دَفَعَهَا ناخور إِلَى نُوحٍ عليه السلام وَ أَوْصَى نُوحٌ إِلَى سَامٍ وَ أَوْصَى سَامٌ إِلَى عثامر وَ أَوْصَى عَثَامِرُ إِلَى بَرْعَيْثَاشَا وَ أَوْصَى بَرْعَيْثَاشَا إِلَى يَافِثَ وَ أَوْصَى يَافِثُ إِلَى بَرَّةَ وَ أَوْصَى بَرَّةُ إِلَى جَفِيسَةَ وَ أَوْصَى جَفِيسَةُ إِلَى عِمْرَانَ وَ دَفَعَهَا عِمْرَانُ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْخَلِيلِ عليه السلام وَ أَوْصَى إِبْرَاهِيمُ إِلَى ابْنِهِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَ أَوْصَى إِسْمَاعِيلُ إِلَى إِسْحَاقَ وَ أَوْصَى إِسْحَاقُ إِلَى يَعْقُوبَ وَ أَوْصَى يَعْقُوبُ إِلَى يُوسُفَ وَ أَوْصَى يُوسُفُ إِلَى بَثْرِيَاءَ وَ أَوْصَى بَثْرِيَاءُ إِلَى شُعَيْبٍ وَ أَوْصَى شُعَيْبٌ إِلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ وَ أَوْصَى مُوسَى إِلَى يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ وَ أَوْصَى يُوشَعُ إِلَى دَاوُدَ وَ أَوْصَى دَاوُدُ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ وَ أَوْصَى سُلَيْمَانُ إِلَى آصَفَ بْنِ بَرْخِيَا وَ أَوْصَى آصَفُ بْنُ بَرْخِيَا إِلَى زَكَرِيَّا وَ دَفَعَهَا زَكَرِيَّا إِلَى عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ عليه السلام وَ أَوْصَى عِيسَى إِلَى شَمْعُونَ بْنِ حَمُّونَ الصَّفَا وَ أَوْصَى شَمْعُونُ إِلَى يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا وَ أَوْصَى يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا إِلَى مُنْذِرٍ وَ أَوْصَى مُنْذِرٌ إِلَى سُلَيْمَةَ وَ أَوْصَى سُلَيْمَةُ إِلَى بُرْدَةَ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ دَفَعَهَا إِلَيَّ بُرْدَةُ وَ أَنَا أَدْفَعُهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا عَلِيُّ وَ أَنْتَ تَدْفَعُهَا إِلَى وَصِيِّكَ وَ يَدْفَعُهَا وَصِيُّكَ إِلَى أَوْصِيَائِكَ مِنْ وُلْدِكَ وَاحِداً بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ حَتَّى تُدْفَعَ إِلَى خَيْرِ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بَعْدَكَ وَ لَتَكْفُرَنَّ بِكَ الْأُمَّةُ وَ لَتَخْتَلِفَنَّ عَلَيْكَ اخْتِلَافاً شَدِيداً الثَّابِتُ عَلَيْكَ كَالْمُقِيمِ مَعِي وَ الشَّاذُّ عَنْكَ فِي النَّارِ وَ النَّارُ مَثْوًى لِلْكَافِرِينَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar and Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them said: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa; and Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab; and Haitham bin Abi Masruq Nahdi; and Ibrahim bin Hashim from Hasan bin Mahboob Sarrad from Muqatil bin Sulaiman ibn Dawal Doz from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said:
“I am the chief (Sayyid) of the prophets, and my successor is a chief and the greatest among the successors of prophets. My successors are the best among the successors of prophets. Indeed Adam عليه السلام implored Allah to bestow him with a noble successor. Allah revealed to him, ‘I have exalted My prophets with Messengership for testing the faith of the creatures. And from the righteous people chose successors of the prophets. O Adam! Make a bequest to your son Sheeth.’ He was Hibtullah the son of Adam عليه السلام. Adam عليه السلام appointed him as his successor. Sheeth عليه السلام appointed Shaban as his vicegerent.
Shaban was born through the Hoori sent by Allah from Paradise as a wife for Sheeth عليه السلام. Shaban bequeathed the vicegerency to his son Mohhith. Mohhith to Mahooq, Mahooq to Ameesha, Ameesha to Akhnooh. Akhnooh is known as Idrees عليه السلام. Idrees عليه السلام appointed Nahoor as his legatee, Nahoor’s bequest was for Nuh عليه السلام. Saam was the vicegerent of Nuh عليه السلام Saam delegated to Athamar, Athamar to Bareeshasha, Bareeshasha to Yaafith, Yaafith to Baraa, Baraa to Jafeena, Jafeena to Imran. Imran transferred the legacy to Ibrahim عليه السلام, Ibrahim to Ismail, Ismail to Ishaq, Ishaq to Yaqoob, Yaqoob to Yusuf, Yusuf to Bathariya, Bathariya to Shuaib. Shuaib entrusted the legacy to Musa عليه السلام, the son of Imran. Musa عليه السلام to Yusha bin Nun. Yusha to Dawood; Dawood to Sulaiman, Sulaiman to Asif bin Barkhiya.
Asif to Zakariya, Zakariya to Sayaa, Sayaa to Isa son of Maryam عليه السلام. Isa عليه السلام bequeathed to Shamoon, Shamoon to Yahya bin Zakariya. Yahya bin Zakariya to Mundar, Mundar to Saleema, Saleema to Burda, Burda entrusted the legacies to me. And O Ali! I make the bequest to you. You entrust the legacy to your vicegerent and he would pass it to his successors. All of them are from your progeny. One after the other, this series shall reach the best inhabitants of this Earth. He shall be the last of the Imams. People shall have serious disagreements regarding your successorship. Anyone from the people who believes in your successorship shall be like one who has a firm faith. And one who dissociates with you and does not follow you, shall be in the Hell fire. And it is the abode of disbelievers.”
“I am the chief (Sayyid) of the prophets, and my successor is a chief and the greatest among the successors of prophets. My successors are the best among the successors of prophets. Indeed Adam عليه السلام implored Allah to bestow him with a noble successor. Allah revealed to him, ‘I have exalted My prophets with Messengership for testing the faith of the creatures. And from the righteous people chose successors of the prophets. O Adam! Make a bequest to your son Sheeth.’ He was Hibtullah the son of Adam عليه السلام. Adam عليه السلام appointed him as his successor. Sheeth عليه السلام appointed Shaban as his vicegerent.
Shaban was born through the Hoori sent by Allah from Paradise as a wife for Sheeth عليه السلام. Shaban bequeathed the vicegerency to his son Mohhith. Mohhith to Mahooq, Mahooq to Ameesha, Ameesha to Akhnooh. Akhnooh is known as Idrees عليه السلام. Idrees عليه السلام appointed Nahoor as his legatee, Nahoor’s bequest was for Nuh عليه السلام. Saam was the vicegerent of Nuh عليه السلام Saam delegated to Athamar, Athamar to Bareeshasha, Bareeshasha to Yaafith, Yaafith to Baraa, Baraa to Jafeena, Jafeena to Imran. Imran transferred the legacy to Ibrahim عليه السلام, Ibrahim to Ismail, Ismail to Ishaq, Ishaq to Yaqoob, Yaqoob to Yusuf, Yusuf to Bathariya, Bathariya to Shuaib. Shuaib entrusted the legacy to Musa عليه السلام, the son of Imran. Musa عليه السلام to Yusha bin Nun. Yusha to Dawood; Dawood to Sulaiman, Sulaiman to Asif bin Barkhiya.
Asif to Zakariya, Zakariya to Sayaa, Sayaa to Isa son of Maryam عليه السلام. Isa عليه السلام bequeathed to Shamoon, Shamoon to Yahya bin Zakariya. Yahya bin Zakariya to Mundar, Mundar to Saleema, Saleema to Burda, Burda entrusted the legacies to me. And O Ali! I make the bequest to you. You entrust the legacy to your vicegerent and he would pass it to his successors. All of them are from your progeny. One after the other, this series shall reach the best inhabitants of this Earth. He shall be the last of the Imams. People shall have serious disagreements regarding your successorship. Anyone from the people who believes in your successorship shall be like one who has a firm faith. And one who dissociates with you and does not follow you, shall be in the Hell fire. And it is the abode of disbelievers.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَمَدَانِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرِ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَهِدَ إِلَى آدَمَ عليه السلام أَنْ لَا يَقْرَبَ الشَّجَرَةَ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ الْوَقْتُ الَّذِي كَانَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهَا نَسِيَ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهَا وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَ لَقَدْ عَهِدْنا إِلى آدَمَ مِنْ قَبْلُ فَنَسِيَ وَ لَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ عَزْماً فَلَمَّا أَكَلَ آدَمُ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أُهْبِطَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ فَوُلِدَ لَهُ هَابِيلُ وَ أُخْتُهُ تَوْأَماً وَ وُلِدَ لَهُ قَابِيلُ وَ أُخْتُهُ تَوْأَماً ثُمَّ إِنَّ آدَمَ أَمَرَ هَابِيلَ وَ قَابِيلَ أَنْ يُقَرِّبَا قُرْبَاناً وَ كَانَ هَابِيلُ صَاحِبَ غَنَمٍ وَ كَانَ قَابِيلُ صَاحِبَ زَرْعٍ فَقَرَّبَ هَابِيلُ كَبْشاً وَ قَرَّبَ قَابِيلُ مِنْ زَرْعِهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَقَّ وَ كَانَ كَبْشُ هَابِيلَ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ غَنَمِهِ وَ كَانَ زَرْعُ قَابِيلَ غَيْرَ مُنَقًّى فَتُقُبِّلَ قُرْبَانُ هَابِيلَ وَ لَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ قُرْبَانُ قَابِيلَ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ اتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبا قُرْباناً فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِما وَ لَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ مِنَ الْآخَرِ الْآيَةَ وَ كَانَ الْقُرْبَانُ إِذَا قُبِلَ تَأْكُلُهُ النَّارُ فَعَمَدَ قَابِيلُ إِلَى النَّارِ فَبَنَى لَهَا بَيْتاً وَ هُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ بَنَى لِلنَّارِ الْبُيُوتَ وَ قَالَ لَأَعْبُدَنَّ هَذِهِ النَّارَ حَتَّى يُتَقَبَّلَ قُرْبَانِي ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ إِبْلِيسَ قَالَ لِقَابِيلَ إِنَّهُ قَدْ تُقُبِّلَ قُرْبَانُ هَابِيلَ وَ لَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ قُرْبَانُكَ فَإِنْ تَرَكْتَهُ يَكُونُ لَهُ عَقِبٌ يَفْتَخِرُونَ عَلَى عَقِبِكَ فَقَتَلَهُ قَابِيلُ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَى آدَمَ عليه السلام قَالَ لَهُ يَا قَابِيلُ أَيْنَ هَابِيلُ فَقَالَ مَا أَدْرِي وَ مَا بَعَثْتَنِي لَهُ رَاعِياً فَانْطَلَقَ آدَمُ فَوَجَدَ هَابِيلَ مَقْتُولًا فَقَالَ لُعِنْتِ مِنْ أَرْضٍ كَمَا قَبِلْتِ دَمَ هَابِيلَ فَبَكَى آدَمُ عَلَى هَابِيلَ أَرْبَعِينَ لَيْلَةً ثُمَّ إِنَّ آدَمَ عليه السلام سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَهَبَ لَهُ وَلَداً فَوُلِدَ لَهُ غُلَامٌ فَسَمَّاهُ هِبَةَ اللَّهِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَهَبَهُ لَهُ فَأَحَبَّهُ آدَمُ حُبّاً شَدِيداً فَلَمَّا انْقَضَتْ نُبُوَّةُ آدَمَ عليه السلام وَ اسْتُكْمِلَتْ أَيَّامُهُ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَا آدَمُ إِنَّهُ قَدِ انْقَضَتْ نُبُوَّتُكَ وَ اسْتَكْمَلْتَ أَيَّامَكَ فَاجْعَلِ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ وَ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الِاسْمَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ مِيرَاثَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارَ النُّبُوَّةِ فِي الْعَقِبِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ عِنْدَ ابْنِكَ هِبَةِ اللَّهِ فَإِنِّي لَنْ أَقْطَعَ الْعِلْمَ وَ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الِاسْمَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ مِيرَاثَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارَ النُّبُوَّةِ فِي الْعَقِبِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ لَنْ أَدَعَ الْأَرْضَ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا عَالِمٌ يُعْرَفُ بِهِ دِينِي وَ يُعْرَفُ بِهِ طَاعَتِي وَ يَكُونُ نَجَاةً لِمَنْ يُولَدُ فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ نُوحٍ وَ ذَكَرَ آدَمُ عليه السلام نُوحاً عليه السلام وَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بَاعِثٌ نَبِيّاً اسْمُهُ نُوحٌ وَ إِنَّهُ يَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَيُكَذِّبُونَهُ فَيَقْتُلُهُمُ اللَّهُ بِالطُّوفَانِ وَ كَانَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَ بَيْنَ نُوحٍ عليه السلام عَشَرَةُ آبَاءٍ كُلُّهُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ اللَّهِ وَ أَوْصَى آدَمُ إِلَى هِبَةِ اللَّهِ أَنَّ مَنْ أَدْرَكَهُ مِنْكُمْ فَلْيُؤْمِنْ بِهِ وَ لْيَتَّبِعْهُ وَ لْيُصَدِّقْ بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يَنْجُو مِنَ الْغَرَقِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ آدَمَ عليه السلام لَمَّا مَرِضَ الْمَرْضَةَ الَّتِي قُبِضَ فِيهَا أَرْسَلَ إِلَى هِبَةِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنْ لَقِيتَ جَبْرَئِيلَ أَوْ مَنْ لَقِيتَ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَأَقْرِئْهُ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ وَ قُلْ لَهُ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ إِنَّ أَبِي يَسْتَهْدِيكَ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الْجَنَّةِ فَفَعَلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ يَا هِبَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَاكَ قَدْ قُبِضَ وَ مَا نَزَلْتُ إِلَّا لِلصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْهِ فَارْجِعْ فَرَجَعَ فَوَجَدَ أَبَاهُ قَدْ قُبِضَ فَأَرَاهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ عليه السلام كَيْفَ يُغَسِّلُهُ فَغَسَّلَهُ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ الصَّلَاةَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ هِبَةُ اللَّهِ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ تَقَدَّمْ فَصَلِّ عَلَى آدَمَ فَقَالَ لَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ عليه السلام يَا هِبَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَنَا أَنْ نَسْجُدَ لِأَبِيكَ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَلَيْسَ لَنَا أَنْ نَؤُمَّ أَحَداً مِنْ وُلْدِهِ فَتَقَدَّمَ هِبَةُ اللَّهِ فَصَلَّى عَلَى آدَمَ وَ جَبْرَئِيلُ خَلْفَهُ وَ حِزْبٌ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ كَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثِينَ تَكْبِيرَةً بِأَمْرِ جَبْرَئِيلَ فَرُفِعَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ خَمْساً وَ عِشْرِينَ تَكْبِيرَةً وَ السُّنَّةُ فِينَا الْيَوْمَ خَمْسُ تَكْبِيرَاتٍ وَ قَدْ كَانَ ص يُكَبِّرُ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ سَبْعاً وَ تِسْعاً ثُمَّ إِنَّ هِبَةَ اللَّهِ لَمَّا دَفَنَ آدَمَ أَبَاهُ أَتَاهُ قَابِيلُ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا هِبَةَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي قَدْ رَأَيْتُ آدَمَ أَبِي- خَصَّكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ بِمَا لَمْ أُخَصَّ بِهِ وَ هُوَ الْعِلْمُ الَّذِي دَعَا بِهِ أَخُوكَ هَابِيلُ فَتُقُبِّلَ قُرْبَانُهُ وَ إِنَّمَا قَتَلْتُهُ لِكَيْلَا يَكُونَ لَهُ عَقِبٌ فَيَفْتَخِرُونَ عَلَى عَقِبِي فَيَقُولُونَ نَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ الَّذِي تُقُبِّلَ قُرْبَانُهُ وَ أَنْتُمْ أَبْنَاءُ الَّذِي لَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ قُرْبَانُهُ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أَظْهَرْتَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي اخْتَصَّكَ بِهِ أَبُوكَ شَيْئاً قَتَلْتُكَ كَمَا قَتَلْتُ أَخَاكَ هَابِيلَ فَلَبِثَ هِبَةُ اللَّهِ وَ الْعَقِبُ مِنْهُ مُسْتَخْفِينَ بِمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ الِاسْمِ الْأَكْبَرِ وَ مِيرَاثِ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارِ عِلْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ حَتَّى بُعِثَ نُوحٌ وَ ظَهَرَتْ وَصِيَّةُ هِبَةِ اللَّهِ حِينَ نَظَرُوا فِي وَصِيَّةِ آدَمَ فَوَجَدُوا نُوحاً عليه السلام قَدْ بَشَّرَ بِهِ أَبُوهُمْ آدَمُ فَآمَنُوا بِهِ وَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَ صَدَّقُوهُ وَ قَدْ كَانَ آدَمُ وَصَّى هِبَةَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَتَعَاهَدَ هَذِهِ الْوَصِيَّةَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ كُلِّ سَنَةٍ فَيَكُونَ يَوْمَ عِيدٍ لَهُمْ فَيَتَعَاهَدُونَ بَعْثَ نُوحٍ عليه السلام فِي زَمَانِهِ الَّذِي بُعِثَ فِيهِ وَ كَذَلِكَ جَرَى فِي وَصِيَّةِ كُلِّ نَبِيٍّ حَتَّى بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّداً ص وَ إِنَّمَا عَرَفُوا نُوحاً بِالْعِلْمِ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُمْ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنا نُوحاً إِلى قَوْمِهِ الْآيَةَ وَ كَانَ مَا بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَ نُوحٍ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مُسْتَخْفِينَ وَ مُسْتَعْلِنِينَ وَ لِذَلِكَ خَفِيَ ذِكْرُهُمْ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فَلَمْ يُسَمَّوْا كَمَا سُمِّيَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَنَ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ رُسُلًا قَدْ قَصَصْناهُمْ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ رُسُلًا لَمْ نَقْصُصْهُمْ عَلَيْكَ يَعْنِي مَنْ لَمْ يُسَمِّهِمْ مِنَ الْمُسْتَخْفِينَ كَمَا سَمَّى الْمُسْتَعْلِنِينَ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَمَكَثَ نُوحٌ عليه السلام فِي قَوْمِهِ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ إِلَّا خَمْسِينَ عاماً لَمْ يُشَارِكْهُ فِي نُبُوَّتِهِ أَحَدٌ وَ لَكِنَّهُ قَدِمَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مُكَذِّبِينَ لِلْأَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ يَعْنِي مَنْ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ إِلَى أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الرَّحِيمُ ثُمَّ إِنَّ نُوحاً لَمَّا انْقَضَتْ نُبُوَّتُهُ وَ اسْتُكْمِلَتْ أَيَّامُهُ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ يَا نُوحُ إِنَّهُ قَدِ انْقَضَتْ نُبُوَّتُكَ وَ اسْتَكْمَلْتَ أَيَّامَكَ فَاجْعَلِ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ وَ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الِاسْمَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ مِيرَاثَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارَ النُّبُوَّةِ فِي الْعَقِبِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ عِنْدَ سَامٍ فَإِنِّي لَنْ أَقْطَعَهَا مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَ لَنْ أَدَعَ الْأَرْضَ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا عَالِمٌ يُعْرَفُ بِهِ دِينِي وَ تُعْرَفُ بِهِ طَاعَتِي وَ يَكُونُ نَجَاةً لِمَنْ يُولَدُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ قَبْضِ النَّبِيِّ إِلَى خُرُوجِ النَّبِيِّ الْآخَرِ وَ لَيْسَ بَعْدَ سَامٍ إِلَّا هُودٌ فَكَانَ مَا بَيْنَ نُوحٍ وَ هُودٍ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مُسْتَخْفِينَ وَ مُسْتَعْلِنِينَ وَ قَالَ نُوحٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى بَاعِثٌ نَبِيّاً يُقَالُ لَهُ هُودٌ وَ إِنَّهُ يَدْعُو قَوْمَهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَيُكَذِّبُونَهُ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مُهْلِكُهُمْ بِالرِّيحِ فَمَنْ أَدْرَكَهُ مِنْكُمْ فَلْيُؤْمِنْ بِهِ وَ لْيَتَّبِعْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يُنَجِّيهِ مِنْ عَذَابِ الرِّيحِ وَ أَمَرَ نُوحٌ ابْنَهُ سَامَ أَنْ يَتَعَاهَدَ هَذِهِ الْوَصِيَّةَ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ كُلِّ سَنَةٍ وَ يَكُونَ يَوْمَ عِيدٍ لَهُمْ فَيَتَعَاهَدُونَ فِيهِ بَعْثَ هُودٍ وَ زَمَانَهُ الَّذِي يَخْرُجُ فِيهِ فَلَمَّا بَعَثَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى هُوداً نَظَرُوا فِيمَا عِنْدَهُمْ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ مِيرَاثِ الْعِلْمِ وَ الِاسْمِ الْأَكْبَرِ وَ آثَارِ عِلْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ فَوَجَدُوا هُوداً نَبِيّاً وَ قَدْ بَشَّرَهُمْ بِهِ أَبُوهُمْ نُوحٌ فَآمَنُوا بِهِ وَ صَدَّقُوهُ وَ اتَّبَعُوهُ فَنَجَوْا مِنْ عَذَابِ الرِّيحِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ إِلى عادٍ أَخاهُمْ هُوداً وَ قَوْلُهُ كَذَّبَتْ عادٌ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِذْ قالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ هُودٌ أَ لا تَتَّقُونَ وَ قَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ وَصَّى بِها إِبْراهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَ يَعْقُوبُ وَ قَوْلُهُ وَ وَهَبْنا لَهُ إِسْحاقَ وَ يَعْقُوبَ كُلًّا هَدَيْنا لِنَجْعَلَهَا فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ نُوحاً هَدَيْنا مِنْ قَبْلُ لِنَجْعَلَهَا فِي أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ فَآمَنَ الْعَقِبُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ قِبَلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ عليه السلام وَ كَانَ بَيْنَ هُودٍ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَشَرَةُ أَنْبِيَاءَ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ ما قَوْمُ لُوطٍ مِنْكُمْ بِبَعِيدٍ وَ قَوْلُهُ فَآمَنَ لَهُ لُوطٌ وَ قالَ إِنِّي مُهاجِرٌ إِلى رَبِّي وَ قَوْلُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ إِنِّي ذاهِبٌ إِلى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ وَ قَوْلُهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ إِبْراهِيمَ إِذْ قالَ لِقَوْمِهِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَ اتَّقُوهُ ذلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ فَجَرَى بَيْنَ كُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَ نَبِيٍّ عَشَرَةُ آبَاءٍ وَ تِسْعَةُ آبَاءٍ وَ ثَمَانِيَةُ آبَاءٍ كُلُّهُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ وَ جَرَى لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ مَا جَرَى لِنُوحٍ وَ كَمَا جَرَى لِآدَمَ وَ هُودٍ وَ صَالِحٍ وَ شُعَيْبٍ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عليه السلام حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى يُوسُفَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عليه السلام ثُمَّ صَارَتْ بَعْدَ يُوسُفَ فِي الْأَسْبَاطِ إِخْوَتِهِ حَتَّى انْتَهَتْ إِلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ وَ كَانَ بَيْنَ يُوسُفَ وَ مُوسَى عليه السلام عَشَرَةٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَأَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مُوسَى وَ هَارُونَ إِلَى فِرْعَوْنَ وَ هَامَانَ وَ قَارُونَ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الرُّسُلَ تَتْرَى كُلَّ ما جاءَ أُمَّةً رَسُولُها كَذَّبُوهُ فَأَتْبَعْنا بَعْضَهُمْ بَعْضاً وَ جَعَلْناهُمْ أَحادِيثَ وَ كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ تَقْتُلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ نَبِيَّيْنِ وَ ثَلَاثَةً وَ أَرْبَعَةً حَتَّى إِنَّهُ كَانَ يُقْتَلُ فِي الْيَوْمِ الْوَاحِدِ سَبْعُونَ نَبِيّاً وَ يَقُومُ سُوقُ قَتْلِهِمْ فِي آخِرِ النَّهَارِ فَلَمَّا أُنْزِلَتِ التَّوْرَاةُ عَلَى مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ عليه السلام تُبَشِّرُ بِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ كَانَ بَيْنَ يُوسُفَ وَ مُوسَى عليه السلام مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ عَشَرَةٌ وَ كَانَ وَصِيُّ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ يُوشَعَ بْنَ نُونٍ وَ هُوَ فَتَاهُ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ فَلَمْ تَزَلِ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ عليه السلام تُبَشِّرُ بِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ يَجِدُونَهُ يَعْنِي الْيَهُودَ وَ النَّصَارَى مَكْتُوباً يَعْنِي صِفَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اسْمَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْراةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ يَنْهاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَحْكِي عَنْ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ وَ مُبَشِّراً بِرَسُولٍ يَأْتِي مِنْ بَعْدِي اسْمُهُ أَحْمَدُ فَبَشَّرَ مُوسَى وَ عِيسَى عليه السلام بِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص كَمَا بَشَّرَتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً حَتَّى بَلَغَتْ مُحَمَّداً ص فَلَمَّا قَضَى مُحَمَّدٌ ص نُبُوَّتَهُ وَ اسْتُكْمِلَتْ أَيَّامُهُ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قَدْ قَضَيْتَ نُبُوَّتَكَ وَ اسْتَكْمَلْتَ أَيَّامَكَ فَاجْعَلِ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي عِنْدَكَ وَ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الِاسْمَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ مِيرَاثَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارَ عِلْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام فَإِنِّي لَنْ أَقْطَعَ الْعِلْمَ وَ الْإِيمَانَ وَ الِاسْمَ الْأَكْبَرَ وَ مِيرَاثَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارَ عِلْمِ النُّبُوَّةِ مِنَ الْعَقِبِ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِكَ كَمَا لَمْ أَقْطَعْهَا مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ أَبِيكَ آدَمَ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفى آدَمَ وَ نُوحاً وَ آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ وَ آلَ عِمْرانَ عَلَى الْعالَمِينَ ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُها مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ اللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَجْعَلِ الْعِلْمَ جَهْلًا وَ لَمْ يَكِلْ أَمْرَهُ إِلَى مَلَكٍ مُقَرَّبٍ وَ لَا نَبِيٍّ مُرْسَلٍ وَ لَكِنَّهُ أَرْسَلَ رَسُولًا مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِهِ إِلَى نَبِيِّهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ أَمَرَهُ بِمَا يُحِبُّ وَ نَهَاهُ عَمَّا يُنْكِرُ فَقَصَّ عَلَيْهِ مَا قَبْلَهُ وَ مَا خَلْفَهُ بِعِلْمٍ فَعَلَّمَ ذَلِكَ الْعِلْمَ أَنْبِيَاءَهُ وَ أَصْفِيَاءَهُ مِنَ الْآبَاءِ وَ الْإِخْوَانِ بِالذُّرِّيَّةِ الَّتِي بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً فَأَمَّا الْكِتَابُ فَالنُّبُوَّةُ وَ أَمَّا الْحِكْمَةُ فَهُمُ الْحُكَمَاءُ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الْأَصْفِيَاءِ مِنَ الصَّفْوَةِ وَ كُلُّ هَؤُلَاءِ مِنَ الذُّرِّيَّةِ الَّتِي بَعْضُها مِنْ بَعْضٍ الَّذِينَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِمُ النُّبُوَّةَ وَ فِيهِمُ الْعَاقِبَةُ وَ حِفْظُ الْمِيثَاقِ حَتَّى تَنْقَضِيَ الدُّنْيَا فَهُمُ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَ وُلَاةُ الْأَمْرِ وَ أَهْلُ اسْتِنْبَاطِ الْعِلْمِ وَ الْهُدَاةُ فَهَذَا بَيَانُ الْفَضْلِ فِي الرُّسُلِ وَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الْحُكَمَاءِ وَ أَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَى وَ الْخُلَفَاءِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ وُلَاةُ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلُ اسْتِنْبَاطِ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلُ آثَارِ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنَ الذُّرِّيَّةِ الَّتِي بَعْضُهَا مِنْ بَعْضٍ مِنَ الصَّفْوَةِ بَعْدَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنَ الْآلِ وَ الْإِخْوَانِ وَ الذُّرِّيَّةِ مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَمَنْ عَمِلَ بِعَمَلِهِمْ وَ انْتَهَى إِلَى أَمْرِهِمْ نَجَا بِنَصْرِهِمْ وَ مَنْ وَضَعَ وَلَايَةَ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلَ اسْتِنْبَاطِ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ فِي غَيْرِ أَهْلِ الصَّفْوَةِ مِنْ بُيُوتَاتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ فَقَدْ خَالَفَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ جَعَلَ الْجُهَّالَ وُلَاةَ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى وَ زَعَمُوا أَنَّهُمْ أَهْلُ اسْتِنْبَاطِ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ فَكَذَّبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ زَاغُوا عَنْ وَصِيَّةِ اللَّهِ وَ طَاعَتِهِ فَلَمْ يَضَعُوا فَضْلَ اللَّهِ حَيْثُ وَضَعَهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فَضَلُّوا وَ أَضَلُّوا أَتْبَاعَهُمْ فَلَا تَكُونُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حُجَّةٌ إِنَّمَا الْحُجَّةُ فِي آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً فَالْحُجَّةُ الْأَنْبِيَاءُ وَ أَهْلُ بُيُوتَاتِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ حَتَّى تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ لِأَنَّ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ يَنْطِقُ بِذَلِكَ وَ وَصِيَّةَ اللَّهِ جَرَتْ بِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَقِبِ مِنَ الْبُيُوتِ الَّتِي رَفَعَهَا اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَى النَّاسِ فَقَالَ فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَ يُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ وَ هِيَ بُيُوتَاتُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الرُّسُلِ وَ الْحُكَمَاءِ وَ أَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَى فَهَذَا بَيَانُ عُرْوَةِ الْإِيمَانِ الَّتِي بِهَا نَجَا مَنْ نَجَا قَبْلَكُمْ وَ بِهَا يَنْجُو مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الْأَئِمَّةَ وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ وَ نُوحاً هَدَيْنا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ داوُدَ وَ سُلَيْمانَ وَ أَيُّوبَ وَ يُوسُفَ وَ مُوسى وَ هارُونَ وَ كَذلِكَ نَجْزِي الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَ زَكَرِيَّا وَ يَحْيى وَ عِيسى وَ إِلْياسَ كُلٌّ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ إِسْماعِيلَ وَ الْيَسَعَ وَ يُونُسَ وَ لُوطاً وَ كُلًّا فَضَّلْنا عَلَى الْعالَمِينَ وَ مِنْ آبائِهِمْ وَ ذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ وَ إِخْوانِهِمْ وَ اجْتَبَيْناهُمْ وَ هَدَيْناهُمْ إِلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ ذلِكَ هُدَى اللَّهِ يَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِهِ وَ لَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ ما كانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحُكْمَ وَ النُّبُوَّةَ فَإِنْ يَكْفُرْ بِها هؤُلاءِ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنا بِها قَوْماً لَيْسُوا بِها بِكافِرِينَ فَإِنَّهُ وَكَّلَ بِالْفَضْلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مِنَ الْآبَاءِ وَ الْإِخْوَانِ وَ الذُّرِّيَّةِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَإِنْ يَكْفُرْ بِها أُمَّتُكَ فَقَدْ وَكَّلْنا أَهْلَ بَيْتِكَ بِالْإِيمَانِ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتُكَ بِهِ فَلَا يَكْفُرُونَ بِهَا أَبَداً وَ لَا أُضِيعُ الْإِيمَانَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلْتُكَ بِهِ وَ جَعَلْتُ أَهْلَ بَيْتِكَ بَعْدَكَ عَلَماً عَلَى أُمَّتِكَ وَ وُلَاةً مِنْ بَعْدِكَ وَ أَهْلَ اسْتِنْبَاطِ عِلْمِيَ الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِيهِ كَذِبٌ وَ لَا إِثْمٌ وَ لَا وِزْرٌ وَ لَا بَطَرٌ وَ لَا رِيَاءٌ فَهَذَا تِبْيَانُ مَا بَيَّنَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ أَمْرِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى طَهَّرَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِ نَبِيِّهِ وَ جَعَلَ لَهُمْ أَجْرَ الْمَوَدَّةِ وَ أَجْرَى لَهُمُ الْوَلَايَةَ وَ جَعَلَهُمْ أَوْصِيَاءَهُ وَ أَحِبَّاءَهُ وَ أَئِمَّتَهُ بَعْدَهُ فِي أُمَّتِهِ فَاعْتَبِرُوا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فِيمَا قُلْتُ وَ تَفَكَّرُوا حَيْثُ وَضَعَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَلَايَتَهُ وَ طَاعَتَهُ وَ مَوَدَّتَهُ وَ اسْتِنْبَاطَ عِلْمِهِ وَ حُجَّتَهُ فَإِيَّاهُ فَتَعَلَّمُوا وَ بِهِ فَاسْتَمْسِكُوا تَنْجُوا وَ تَكُونُ لَكُمْ بِهِ حُجَّةٌ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ الْفَوْزُ فَإِنَّهُمْ صِلَةُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ رَبِّكُمْ وَ لَا تَصِلُ الْوَلَايَةُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَّا بِهِمْ فَمَنْ فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ كَانَ حَقّاً عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُكْرِمَهُ وَ لَا يُعَذِّبَهُ وَ مَنْ يَأْتِ اللَّهَ بِغَيْرِ مَا أَمَرَهُ كَانَ حَقّاً عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُذِلَّهُ وَ يُعَذِّبَهُ. و إن الأنبياء بعثوا خاصة و عامة فأما نوح فإنه أرسل إلى من في الأرض- بنبوة عامة و رسالة عامة و أما هود فإنه أرسل إلى عاد بنبوة خاصة و أما صالح فإنه أرسل إلى ثمود و هي قرية واحدة لا تكمل أربعين بيتا على ساحل البحر صغيرة و أما شعيب فإنه أرسل إلى مدين و هي لا تكمل أربعين بيتا و أما إبراهيم نبوته بكوثى ربى و هي قرية من قرى السواد فيها بدأ أول أمره ثم هاجر منها و ليست بهجرة قتال و ذلك قوله عز و جل إِنِّي ذاهِبٌ إِلى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ فكانت هجرة إبراهيم بغير قتال و أما إسحاق فكانت نبوته بعد إبراهيم و أما يعقوب فكانت نبوته بأرض كنعان ثم هبط إلى أرض مصر فتوفي بها ثم حمل بعد ذلك جسده حتى دفن بأرض كنعان و الرؤيا التي رأى يوسف الأحد عشر كوكبا و الشمس و القمر له ساجدين فكانت نبوته في أرض مصر بدؤها ثم إن الله تبارك و تعالى أرسل الأسباط اثني عشر بعد يوسف ثم موسى و هارون إلى فرعون و ملئه إلى مصر وحدها ثم إن الله تبارك و تعالى أرسل يوشع بن نون إلى بني إسرائيل من بعد موسى فنبوته بدؤها في البرية التي تاه فيها بنو إسرائيل ثم كانت أنبياء كثيرون منهم من قصه الله عز و جل على محمد ص و منهم من لم يقصه على محمد ثم إن الله عز و جل أرسل عيسى عليه السلام إلى بني إسرائيل خاصة فكانت نبوته ببيت المقدس و كان من بعده الحواريون اثنا عشر فلم يزل الإيمان يستسر في بقية أهله منذ رفع الله عز و جل عيسى عليه السلام و أرسل الله عز و جل محمدا ص إلى الجن و الإنس عامة و كان خاتم الأنبياء و كان من بعده الاثنا عشر الأوصياء منهم من أدركنا و منهم من سبقنا و منهم من بقي فهذا أمر النبوة و الرسالة فكل نبي أرسل إلى بني إسرائيل خاص أو عام له وصي جرت به السنة و كان الأوصياء الذين بعد النبي ص على سنة أوصياء عيسى عليه السلام و كان أمير المؤمنين ص على سنة المسيح عليه السلام فهذا تبيان السنة و أمثال الأوصياء بعد الأنبياء ع
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ishaq رضي الله عنه that: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad Hamadani: Narrated to us Ali bin Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal from his father from Muhammad bin Fudhail from Abi Hamza Thumali from Abi Ja’far Muhammad bin Ali al-Baqir عليه السلام that he said:
Allah, the Blessed and the Mighty, had taken an oath from Adam عليه السلام that he shall not approach the prohibited tree. But he approached it and also tasted its fruit. As mentioned by Allah: «And certainly We gave a commandment to Adam before, but he forgot; and We did not find in him any determination» (20:115). When the Almighty sent Adam عليه السلام to the earth, Habeel and his sister were born as twins. Then Qabeel and his sister were born together. Adam عليه السلام commanded both of his sons to perform a sacrifice for the Almighty.
Habeel owned a flock of sheep while Qabeel was a farmer. Habeel sacrificed the best ram from his flock. Qabeel, on the other hand, was careless of his occupation and offered uncleaned ears of corn and bad quality crop as gifts to Allah. Consequently, the sacrifice of Habeel was accepted and that of Qabeel wasn’t. In the words of Quran: «And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other» (5:27).
During those days, whenever an offering was accepted by Allah, a fire used to appear and consume it. So Qabeel made a fireplace. He was the first person who constructed a place to contain a fire. He said, “I shall worship the fire so that it accepts my offering.” Satan, the enemy of Allah, told him that the offering of Habeel had been accepted and his own rejected. “If you let him live he would beget children who would pride upon your children for the superiority he has gained over you.” Qabeel accepted the suggestion and killed Habeel.
He came to Adam عليه السلام who asked him where Habeel was. Qabeel said, “I don’t know, you did not entrust him to me.” When Adam عليه السلام learnt that Habeel was murdered he exclaimed, “O Earth! Curse of Allah be on you! For you have accepted the blood of Habeel,” and continued to weep for forty days and supplicated Allah to grant him another son. He was granted a son whom he named Hibtullah because he was a gift (Hiba) from Allah.
Adam عليه السلام was very affectionate towards him. When the Prophethood of Adam عليه السلام neared its end and he reached old age, the Almighty revealed to him that time had come for him to transfer the Prophetic knowledge and relics to his son Hibtullah. “Indeed We shall never take away from the progeny of Hibtullah the relics and prophetic science till the day of judgment,” said Allah. “I shall never leave the Earth devoid of a scholar from his progeny.
People will derive religious knowledge and spiritual guidance through this scholar. Anyone who follows him or Nuh عليه السلام will be assured deliverance.” Adam عليه السلام was reminded of Nuh عليه السلام at this juncture and said, “The Almighty shall send a Prophet who will call the people towards Allah. People would reject him and Allah shall destroy them through the flood.” There was a gap of ten generations between Adam and Nuh عليه السلام. All the ancestors of Nuh عليه السلام were Prophets.
Adam عليه السلام made a bequest to Hibtullah and told him that if anyone of them met Nuh عليه السلام he should believe in him and follow him in order to be saved from the deluge. When Adam عليه السلام was on his deathbed he summoned Hibtullah and told him to convey his regards to Jibraeel عليه السلام or any other angel if he happened to see them. “And tell them that your father requests them for a fruit of Paradise.” Hibtullah met Jibraeel عليه السلام and conveyed the message of his respected father.
Jibraeel said, “O Hibtullah! Your father has departed to meet his Creator and I have come to perform his prayers (of dead).” When Hibtullah returned home, he saw that Adam عليه السلام had departed for his heavenly abode. Jibraeel عليه السلام taught him the method of bath of dead body. Hibtullah bathed Adam عليه السلام and when it was the time of prayers of dead Hibtullah told Jibraeel عليه السلام to stand in front and pray.
Jibraeel عليه السلام said, “As Allah had once ordered us to prostrate before Adam عليه السلام it is not proper that we lead (Imamate) any of his sons.” Hibtullah stood before Jibraeel عليه السلام and prayed prayer of the dead. Jibraeel عليه السلام stood behind him with a group of angels and recited thirty takbeers (Allahu Akbar). The Almighty Allah then commanded Jibraeel عليه السلام to reduce 25 takbeers for the progeny of Adam عليه السلام.
Consequently, it is the practice among us to recite five takbeers, although the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has recited seven and nine takbeers for the martyrs of battle of Badr. Hibtullah buried Adam عليه السلام. Qabeel approached him and said, “I know my father has entrusted you specially with the knowledge that he kept away from me. And it is the same knowledge with which Habeel prayed and made his offering that was honored.
I killed him so that he would not have children to pride over my children. If you do not give me a little of that knowledge bequeathed by our father I shall kill you too.” Thus Hibtullah and his sons used to fervently guard the Prophetic knowledge and divine relics till the time of Nuh عليه السلام. During the time of Nuh عليه السلام people were shown the will of Adam عليه السلام and it was learnt that Adam عليه السلام had prophesied the advent of Nuh عليه السلام.
The people believed in Nuh عليه السلام, testified to the veracity of his claim and obeyed him. Adam عليه السلام had also commanded Hibtullah to read his will at the beginning of every year and renew their oath. That particular day became the day of Eid (feast) for them. They continued the ritual year after year. Every succeeding prophet made similar bequests till the advent of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.
People recognized Nuh عليه السلام through prior knowledge. And that is exactly the meaning of the verse: «Certainly, We sent Nuh to his people» (7:59). There were some Prophets between Adam عليه السلام and Nuh عليه السلام but they did not declare their Prophethood to the people. That is the reason why Quran is too silent about them and does not mention their names.
Some Prophets however declared their Prophethood as their names are stated in Quran: «And (We sent) apostles We have mentioned to you before and apostles we have not mentioned to you» (4:164). Imam عليه السلام explains that Prophets mentioned by name were those who declared their Prophethood and Prophets not mentioned by name were those who kept their mission secret. Nuh عليه السلام propagated religion among his people for 950 years. Nuh عليه السلام did not have any assistant prophet. People rejected all the Prophets between Adam and Nuh عليه السلام, as mentioned by Allah: «The people of Nuh rejected the apostles» (26:105).
When the time of Nuh’s Prophethood approached its end, the Almighty sent a revelation to Nuh عليه السلام and commanded him to bequeath the prophetic sciences, the relics and other trophies to his son. “Indeed, We shall never take away from the progeny of Saam the prophetic inheritance like I had caused it to remain from Adam عليه السلام to your generation I shall never leave the earth devoid of a scholar from your progeny.
People will understand religion through him and he shall be the means of their salvation. Especially for the people who are born between the time of two Prophets. Hud عليه السلام became the Prophet after Saam. There were some apparent as well as some concealed Prophets between Nuh and Hud عليه السلام. Nuh عليه السلام had already predicted that Allah the Almighty shall send a Prophet by name of Hud عليه السلام.
“He shall invite his people towards Allah while they will reject him. So Allah will destroy the people. Therefore one who lives until that time must believe in him and follow him. The Almighty shall deliver you from His chastisement.” Nuh عليه السلام commanded Saam to read this will and renew the vow at the beginning of each year on the day of Eid.
When Hud عليه السلام arrived the people saw the will of Nuh عليه السلام regarding him. So the people believed in him, confessed to his truth and followed him. They obtained security from divine punishment. Allah the Almighty says: «Ad gave the lie to the apostles. When their brother Hud said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?» (26:123-124) And Allah says: «And to Aad (We sent) their brother Hud» (7:65).
Then He said: «And the same did Ibrahim enjoin on his sons and (so did) Yaqoob» (2:132). Then He said: «And We gave to him Ishaq and Yaqoob; each did We guide, and Nuh did We guide before» (6:84). Some from the progeny of Hud عليه السلام were appointed to keep them informed about the advent of Ibrahim عليه السلام and to take oaths regarding him.
There was a gap of ten generations between Hud and Ibrahim عليه السلام. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Nor are the people of Lut far off from you» (11:89). Allah also says: «And Lut believed in Him, and he said: I am fleeing to my Lord» (29:26). And the words of Ibrahim عليه السلام: «Surely I fly to my lord; He will guide me» (37:99).
All (ancestors of Ibrahim) were Prophets. Thus it is divine practice that between two great Prophets there is a gap of ten or nine or eight generations. All of them used to be Prophets and they used to prophesize the advent of the coming Prophet. They also took the vow from their legatees that they would believe and obey him.
All the Prophets took such oaths of fealty like Adam, Nuh, Salih, Shuaib and Ibrahim عليه السلام. This continued till the time of Yusuf عليه السلام. After Yusuf عليه السلام it was transferred to the progeny of his brother, Asbat. The series reached Musa the son of Imran. Between Yusuf and Musa عليه السلام also was a gap of ten generations.
Then Allah sent them towards Firon, Hamaan and Qaroon. The Almighty sent Prophets one after the other to every people: «Whenever there came to a people their apostle, they called him a liar, so We made some of them follow others and We made them stories» (23:44). People continued to reject the Prophets and continued to perish due to divine chastisement.
This continued till the time of Bani Israel. These people murdered as many as two, three or four Prophets every day. Sometimes as many as seventy Prophets were slain together and the Bani Israel did not care. They remained busy in their occupations all day.
When Torah was revealed on Musa عليه السلام he gave glad-tidings of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Yusha bin Nun was the successor of Musa عليه السلام and Qata was the successor of Yusha bin Nun. As mentioned in the Holy Quran: «And when Musa said to his servant: I will not cease until I reach the junction of the two rivers» (18:60).
Thus all the Prophets continued to prophesize the advent of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. As mentioned by Allah in Quran: «Whom they find written down with them in the Taurat and the Injeel, (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil» (7:157). And in the words of Isa عليه السلام: «And giving the good news of an Apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad» (61:6).
Thus Musa and Isa عليه السلام had clearly prophesied about Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم just as the previous Prophets had informed about the Prophets to come after them. This continued till the time of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. When the last moments of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم arrived the Almighty revealed to him to entrust all the knowledge and relics to Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and promised that they shall remain in his progeny forever just as they had remained from the time of Adam عليه السلام.
And this is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: «Surely Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the descendants of Ibrahim and the descendants of Imran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing» (3:33-34). “Indeed Allah has not made the knowledge as ignorance. He did not leave the question of scholars in dark. He has provided express authentication for each Prophet or Imam.
And He has introduced them fully to the people. It has never been the case that Allah has created a person to be appointed as a Prophet on people and the people do not accept his authority and that he is not conversant with the divine commands and secrets of creation. Allah has never entrusted the affairs of this religion to a proximate angel or a Prophet.
He selects an angel as a messenger and through him conveys His likes and dislikes to the Prophet. He also conveys through this angel the past and future knowledge. So the Prophets learnt of this knowledge through their predecessors and the holy people and those who were specially selected by Allah.”
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Indeed We have given the book and wisdom to the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. And gave them a great kingdom» (4:54). ‘Book’ denotes Prophethood, ‘Wisdom’ indicates the great intellectual position of those personalities. And all of them are from this progeny.
Some excelling over others. The Almighty Allah has appointed Prophethood among them and ordained that His message shall be conveyed and protected by these people alone. After Prophets, themselves, comes their progeny, their brothers and people of their family.
One who acts with faith in the message of these Prophets achieves salvation. But one who considers that the bearers of Allah’s message and holders of exalted station are not these personalities but some other non-deserving relatives, he has acted against the divine sciences without the medium of Prophets actually falsified Allah.
They have gone against the will and obedience of Allah. They have not acknowledged the repositories of the Divine message that Allah has appointed. Thus they are misguided souls and they misguide their followers. They shall have no excuse on Judgment Day (Qiyamat).
There is no proof except that of the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. The Almighty Allah has said: «Indeed We have given the book and wisdom to the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. And gave them a great kingdom» (4:54). The proof is only for the Prophets and their family, and it shall remain so till the day of Judgment.
As mentioned in the Book of Allah: «In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them» (24:36). These are our houses and the houses of Prophets, guides and wise people.
This is the rope of faith by catching hold of which people before you achieved success. And through the same connection people would attain salvation in the future.
Indeed the Almighty has stated in His book: «And Nuh did we guide before, and of his descendants, Dawood and Sulaiman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Harun; and thus do we reward those who do good (to others). And Zakariya and Yahya and Isa and Ilyas; everyone was of the good; And Ismail and Al-Yasha and Yunus and Lut; and everyone we made to excel (in) the worlds; And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and we chose them and guided them to the right way.
This is Allah’s guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them. These are they to whom we gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it we have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it» (6:84-89).
Thus even if the whole community rejects the Prophet, the people of his house (Ahlul Bayt) will remain firm in their faith and the message of Prophet. This is what the words of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime convey: «Therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it» (6:89).
They shall also be the legatees and successors of Prophets. They shall be the repositories of Divine sciences and under no circumstances would they be fallible. Neither shall they be contaminated with falsehood, evil designs and show-off.
There is no doubt in whatever Allah has stated regarding the successors of His Prophets. They are infallible and to love them is to recompense for the Prophet’s labor in conveying the Divine message.
They are bestowed with Wilayat and Imamate (Guardianship and guidance). They are the legatees of the Prophet. “O people! Derive lessons from this. Ponder upon my words. Align yourself with the knowledge and Imamate that Allah has bestowed upon us.
And attain salvation through these means. So that on the day of Judgment you would have proof, and gain success from it. These personalities are your intercessors with Allah. Your Wilayat shall not reach Allah but through them.
Thus it is incumbent on Allah to befriend and not punish those who act upon this. On the other hand it is certain that Allah shall degrade and punish those who do not act upon this.
The mission of some Prophets was confined to a particular group of people. And the Prophethood of other Prophets was general. Nuh عليه السلام was sent for the people of the whole world. His Prophethood was general and included Messengership (Risalat).
Hud عليه السلام was appointed specially for the people of Aad. Salih عليه السلام was given the responsibility of guiding the people of Samood, a tiny village on the banks of a river. This hamlet consisted of only forty odd houses.
Shuaib عليه السلام was designated as the Prophet for Madayn, a habitation of less than forty families. Initially the Prophethood of Ibrahim عليه السلام was for the people of Kosariya, a district in Iraq. Later he migrated from there. But this migration was not due to war or conflict, As Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Surely I fly to my lord, He will guide me» (37:99).
Thus the flight (Hijrah) of Ibrahim عليه السلام was not due to war. Ishaq عليه السلام was the Prophet after Ibrahim عليه السلام. Yaqoob عليه السلام was appointed Prophet for the Canaan region. He later moved to Egypt and spent the rest of his life there.
But after his demise his mortal remains were brought to Canaan and buried there. As regards the dream of Yusuf عليه السلام wherein he saw eleven stars and the Sun and Moon prostrating before him, it is certain that his Prophethood was for the people of Egypt.
He had twelve successors. Later, the Almighty appointed Musa and Harun عليه السلام in Egypt. Yusha bin Nun was the vicegerent of Musa عليه السلام for Bani Israel. There are many other Prophets in Bani Israel some of whom have been mentioned by Allah in Quran and some are not.
Then the Almighty sent Isa ibn Maryam for Bani Israel. His Prophethood was confined to the area of Baitul Muqaddas. Isa عليه السلام had twelve disciples and the faith remained concealed in his family members.
After Isa عليه السلام was raised to the heavens, the Almighty sent Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم for all the creatures. He was the final Prophet. He was also succeeded by twelve successors appointed by Allah.
We have seen some of them and some shall come in the future. This is an account of Prophethood and Messengership. Every Prophet of Bani Israel, whether special or general had twelve successors.
The practice of Isa’s twelve successors is replicated in the successorship of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. The appointment of Ali عليه السلام was on the practice of Isa عليه السلام. This is a brief account of Prophets and the Divine practice of sending Prophets and Messengers. Peace of Allah be upon all of them.
Allah, the Blessed and the Mighty, had taken an oath from Adam عليه السلام that he shall not approach the prohibited tree. But he approached it and also tasted its fruit. As mentioned by Allah: «And certainly We gave a commandment to Adam before, but he forgot; and We did not find in him any determination» (20:115). When the Almighty sent Adam عليه السلام to the earth, Habeel and his sister were born as twins. Then Qabeel and his sister were born together. Adam عليه السلام commanded both of his sons to perform a sacrifice for the Almighty.
Habeel owned a flock of sheep while Qabeel was a farmer. Habeel sacrificed the best ram from his flock. Qabeel, on the other hand, was careless of his occupation and offered uncleaned ears of corn and bad quality crop as gifts to Allah. Consequently, the sacrifice of Habeel was accepted and that of Qabeel wasn’t. In the words of Quran: «And relate to them the story of the two sons of Adam with truth when they both offered an offering, but it was accepted from one of them and was not accepted from the other» (5:27).
During those days, whenever an offering was accepted by Allah, a fire used to appear and consume it. So Qabeel made a fireplace. He was the first person who constructed a place to contain a fire. He said, “I shall worship the fire so that it accepts my offering.” Satan, the enemy of Allah, told him that the offering of Habeel had been accepted and his own rejected. “If you let him live he would beget children who would pride upon your children for the superiority he has gained over you.” Qabeel accepted the suggestion and killed Habeel.
He came to Adam عليه السلام who asked him where Habeel was. Qabeel said, “I don’t know, you did not entrust him to me.” When Adam عليه السلام learnt that Habeel was murdered he exclaimed, “O Earth! Curse of Allah be on you! For you have accepted the blood of Habeel,” and continued to weep for forty days and supplicated Allah to grant him another son. He was granted a son whom he named Hibtullah because he was a gift (Hiba) from Allah.
Adam عليه السلام was very affectionate towards him. When the Prophethood of Adam عليه السلام neared its end and he reached old age, the Almighty revealed to him that time had come for him to transfer the Prophetic knowledge and relics to his son Hibtullah. “Indeed We shall never take away from the progeny of Hibtullah the relics and prophetic science till the day of judgment,” said Allah. “I shall never leave the Earth devoid of a scholar from his progeny.
People will derive religious knowledge and spiritual guidance through this scholar. Anyone who follows him or Nuh عليه السلام will be assured deliverance.” Adam عليه السلام was reminded of Nuh عليه السلام at this juncture and said, “The Almighty shall send a Prophet who will call the people towards Allah. People would reject him and Allah shall destroy them through the flood.” There was a gap of ten generations between Adam and Nuh عليه السلام. All the ancestors of Nuh عليه السلام were Prophets.
Adam عليه السلام made a bequest to Hibtullah and told him that if anyone of them met Nuh عليه السلام he should believe in him and follow him in order to be saved from the deluge. When Adam عليه السلام was on his deathbed he summoned Hibtullah and told him to convey his regards to Jibraeel عليه السلام or any other angel if he happened to see them. “And tell them that your father requests them for a fruit of Paradise.” Hibtullah met Jibraeel عليه السلام and conveyed the message of his respected father.
Jibraeel said, “O Hibtullah! Your father has departed to meet his Creator and I have come to perform his prayers (of dead).” When Hibtullah returned home, he saw that Adam عليه السلام had departed for his heavenly abode. Jibraeel عليه السلام taught him the method of bath of dead body. Hibtullah bathed Adam عليه السلام and when it was the time of prayers of dead Hibtullah told Jibraeel عليه السلام to stand in front and pray.
Jibraeel عليه السلام said, “As Allah had once ordered us to prostrate before Adam عليه السلام it is not proper that we lead (Imamate) any of his sons.” Hibtullah stood before Jibraeel عليه السلام and prayed prayer of the dead. Jibraeel عليه السلام stood behind him with a group of angels and recited thirty takbeers (Allahu Akbar). The Almighty Allah then commanded Jibraeel عليه السلام to reduce 25 takbeers for the progeny of Adam عليه السلام.
Consequently, it is the practice among us to recite five takbeers, although the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has recited seven and nine takbeers for the martyrs of battle of Badr. Hibtullah buried Adam عليه السلام. Qabeel approached him and said, “I know my father has entrusted you specially with the knowledge that he kept away from me. And it is the same knowledge with which Habeel prayed and made his offering that was honored.
I killed him so that he would not have children to pride over my children. If you do not give me a little of that knowledge bequeathed by our father I shall kill you too.” Thus Hibtullah and his sons used to fervently guard the Prophetic knowledge and divine relics till the time of Nuh عليه السلام. During the time of Nuh عليه السلام people were shown the will of Adam عليه السلام and it was learnt that Adam عليه السلام had prophesied the advent of Nuh عليه السلام.
The people believed in Nuh عليه السلام, testified to the veracity of his claim and obeyed him. Adam عليه السلام had also commanded Hibtullah to read his will at the beginning of every year and renew their oath. That particular day became the day of Eid (feast) for them. They continued the ritual year after year. Every succeeding prophet made similar bequests till the advent of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.
People recognized Nuh عليه السلام through prior knowledge. And that is exactly the meaning of the verse: «Certainly, We sent Nuh to his people» (7:59). There were some Prophets between Adam عليه السلام and Nuh عليه السلام but they did not declare their Prophethood to the people. That is the reason why Quran is too silent about them and does not mention their names.
Some Prophets however declared their Prophethood as their names are stated in Quran: «And (We sent) apostles We have mentioned to you before and apostles we have not mentioned to you» (4:164). Imam عليه السلام explains that Prophets mentioned by name were those who declared their Prophethood and Prophets not mentioned by name were those who kept their mission secret. Nuh عليه السلام propagated religion among his people for 950 years. Nuh عليه السلام did not have any assistant prophet. People rejected all the Prophets between Adam and Nuh عليه السلام, as mentioned by Allah: «The people of Nuh rejected the apostles» (26:105).
When the time of Nuh’s Prophethood approached its end, the Almighty sent a revelation to Nuh عليه السلام and commanded him to bequeath the prophetic sciences, the relics and other trophies to his son. “Indeed, We shall never take away from the progeny of Saam the prophetic inheritance like I had caused it to remain from Adam عليه السلام to your generation I shall never leave the earth devoid of a scholar from your progeny.
People will understand religion through him and he shall be the means of their salvation. Especially for the people who are born between the time of two Prophets. Hud عليه السلام became the Prophet after Saam. There were some apparent as well as some concealed Prophets between Nuh and Hud عليه السلام. Nuh عليه السلام had already predicted that Allah the Almighty shall send a Prophet by name of Hud عليه السلام.
“He shall invite his people towards Allah while they will reject him. So Allah will destroy the people. Therefore one who lives until that time must believe in him and follow him. The Almighty shall deliver you from His chastisement.” Nuh عليه السلام commanded Saam to read this will and renew the vow at the beginning of each year on the day of Eid.
When Hud عليه السلام arrived the people saw the will of Nuh عليه السلام regarding him. So the people believed in him, confessed to his truth and followed him. They obtained security from divine punishment. Allah the Almighty says: «Ad gave the lie to the apostles. When their brother Hud said to them: Will you not guard (against evil)?» (26:123-124) And Allah says: «And to Aad (We sent) their brother Hud» (7:65).
Then He said: «And the same did Ibrahim enjoin on his sons and (so did) Yaqoob» (2:132). Then He said: «And We gave to him Ishaq and Yaqoob; each did We guide, and Nuh did We guide before» (6:84). Some from the progeny of Hud عليه السلام were appointed to keep them informed about the advent of Ibrahim عليه السلام and to take oaths regarding him.
There was a gap of ten generations between Hud and Ibrahim عليه السلام. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Nor are the people of Lut far off from you» (11:89). Allah also says: «And Lut believed in Him, and he said: I am fleeing to my Lord» (29:26). And the words of Ibrahim عليه السلام: «Surely I fly to my lord; He will guide me» (37:99).
All (ancestors of Ibrahim) were Prophets. Thus it is divine practice that between two great Prophets there is a gap of ten or nine or eight generations. All of them used to be Prophets and they used to prophesize the advent of the coming Prophet. They also took the vow from their legatees that they would believe and obey him.
All the Prophets took such oaths of fealty like Adam, Nuh, Salih, Shuaib and Ibrahim عليه السلام. This continued till the time of Yusuf عليه السلام. After Yusuf عليه السلام it was transferred to the progeny of his brother, Asbat. The series reached Musa the son of Imran. Between Yusuf and Musa عليه السلام also was a gap of ten generations.
Then Allah sent them towards Firon, Hamaan and Qaroon. The Almighty sent Prophets one after the other to every people: «Whenever there came to a people their apostle, they called him a liar, so We made some of them follow others and We made them stories» (23:44). People continued to reject the Prophets and continued to perish due to divine chastisement.
This continued till the time of Bani Israel. These people murdered as many as two, three or four Prophets every day. Sometimes as many as seventy Prophets were slain together and the Bani Israel did not care. They remained busy in their occupations all day.
When Torah was revealed on Musa عليه السلام he gave glad-tidings of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Yusha bin Nun was the successor of Musa عليه السلام and Qata was the successor of Yusha bin Nun. As mentioned in the Holy Quran: «And when Musa said to his servant: I will not cease until I reach the junction of the two rivers» (18:60).
Thus all the Prophets continued to prophesize the advent of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. As mentioned by Allah in Quran: «Whom they find written down with them in the Taurat and the Injeel, (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil» (7:157). And in the words of Isa عليه السلام: «And giving the good news of an Apostle who will come after me, his name being Ahmad» (61:6).
Thus Musa and Isa عليه السلام had clearly prophesied about Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم just as the previous Prophets had informed about the Prophets to come after them. This continued till the time of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. When the last moments of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم arrived the Almighty revealed to him to entrust all the knowledge and relics to Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and promised that they shall remain in his progeny forever just as they had remained from the time of Adam عليه السلام.
And this is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: «Surely Allah chose Adam and Nuh and the descendants of Ibrahim and the descendants of Imran above the nations. Offspring, one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing» (3:33-34). “Indeed Allah has not made the knowledge as ignorance. He did not leave the question of scholars in dark. He has provided express authentication for each Prophet or Imam.
And He has introduced them fully to the people. It has never been the case that Allah has created a person to be appointed as a Prophet on people and the people do not accept his authority and that he is not conversant with the divine commands and secrets of creation. Allah has never entrusted the affairs of this religion to a proximate angel or a Prophet.
He selects an angel as a messenger and through him conveys His likes and dislikes to the Prophet. He also conveys through this angel the past and future knowledge. So the Prophets learnt of this knowledge through their predecessors and the holy people and those who were specially selected by Allah.”
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Indeed We have given the book and wisdom to the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. And gave them a great kingdom» (4:54). ‘Book’ denotes Prophethood, ‘Wisdom’ indicates the great intellectual position of those personalities. And all of them are from this progeny.
Some excelling over others. The Almighty Allah has appointed Prophethood among them and ordained that His message shall be conveyed and protected by these people alone. After Prophets, themselves, comes their progeny, their brothers and people of their family.
One who acts with faith in the message of these Prophets achieves salvation. But one who considers that the bearers of Allah’s message and holders of exalted station are not these personalities but some other non-deserving relatives, he has acted against the divine sciences without the medium of Prophets actually falsified Allah.
They have gone against the will and obedience of Allah. They have not acknowledged the repositories of the Divine message that Allah has appointed. Thus they are misguided souls and they misguide their followers. They shall have no excuse on Judgment Day (Qiyamat).
There is no proof except that of the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. The Almighty Allah has said: «Indeed We have given the book and wisdom to the progeny of Ibrahim عليه السلام. And gave them a great kingdom» (4:54). The proof is only for the Prophets and their family, and it shall remain so till the day of Judgment.
As mentioned in the Book of Allah: «In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them» (24:36). These are our houses and the houses of Prophets, guides and wise people.
This is the rope of faith by catching hold of which people before you achieved success. And through the same connection people would attain salvation in the future.
Indeed the Almighty has stated in His book: «And Nuh did we guide before, and of his descendants, Dawood and Sulaiman and Ayyub and Yusuf and Harun; and thus do we reward those who do good (to others). And Zakariya and Yahya and Isa and Ilyas; everyone was of the good; And Ismail and Al-Yasha and Yunus and Lut; and everyone we made to excel (in) the worlds; And from among their fathers and their descendants and their brethren, and we chose them and guided them to the right way.
This is Allah’s guidance, He guides thereby whom He pleases of His servants; and if they had set up others (with Him), certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them. These are they to whom we gave the book and the wisdom and the prophecy; therefore if these disbelieve in it we have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it» (6:84-89).
Thus even if the whole community rejects the Prophet, the people of his house (Ahlul Bayt) will remain firm in their faith and the message of Prophet. This is what the words of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime convey: «Therefore if these disbelieve in it We have already entrusted with it a people who are not disbelievers in it» (6:89).
They shall also be the legatees and successors of Prophets. They shall be the repositories of Divine sciences and under no circumstances would they be fallible. Neither shall they be contaminated with falsehood, evil designs and show-off.
There is no doubt in whatever Allah has stated regarding the successors of His Prophets. They are infallible and to love them is to recompense for the Prophet’s labor in conveying the Divine message.
They are bestowed with Wilayat and Imamate (Guardianship and guidance). They are the legatees of the Prophet. “O people! Derive lessons from this. Ponder upon my words. Align yourself with the knowledge and Imamate that Allah has bestowed upon us.
And attain salvation through these means. So that on the day of Judgment you would have proof, and gain success from it. These personalities are your intercessors with Allah. Your Wilayat shall not reach Allah but through them.
Thus it is incumbent on Allah to befriend and not punish those who act upon this. On the other hand it is certain that Allah shall degrade and punish those who do not act upon this.
The mission of some Prophets was confined to a particular group of people. And the Prophethood of other Prophets was general. Nuh عليه السلام was sent for the people of the whole world. His Prophethood was general and included Messengership (Risalat).
Hud عليه السلام was appointed specially for the people of Aad. Salih عليه السلام was given the responsibility of guiding the people of Samood, a tiny village on the banks of a river. This hamlet consisted of only forty odd houses.
Shuaib عليه السلام was designated as the Prophet for Madayn, a habitation of less than forty families. Initially the Prophethood of Ibrahim عليه السلام was for the people of Kosariya, a district in Iraq. Later he migrated from there. But this migration was not due to war or conflict, As Allah, the Mighty and Sublime says: «Surely I fly to my lord, He will guide me» (37:99).
Thus the flight (Hijrah) of Ibrahim عليه السلام was not due to war. Ishaq عليه السلام was the Prophet after Ibrahim عليه السلام. Yaqoob عليه السلام was appointed Prophet for the Canaan region. He later moved to Egypt and spent the rest of his life there.
But after his demise his mortal remains were brought to Canaan and buried there. As regards the dream of Yusuf عليه السلام wherein he saw eleven stars and the Sun and Moon prostrating before him, it is certain that his Prophethood was for the people of Egypt.
He had twelve successors. Later, the Almighty appointed Musa and Harun عليه السلام in Egypt. Yusha bin Nun was the vicegerent of Musa عليه السلام for Bani Israel. There are many other Prophets in Bani Israel some of whom have been mentioned by Allah in Quran and some are not.
Then the Almighty sent Isa ibn Maryam for Bani Israel. His Prophethood was confined to the area of Baitul Muqaddas. Isa عليه السلام had twelve disciples and the faith remained concealed in his family members.
After Isa عليه السلام was raised to the heavens, the Almighty sent Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم for all the creatures. He was the final Prophet. He was also succeeded by twelve successors appointed by Allah.
We have seen some of them and some shall come in the future. This is an account of Prophethood and Messengership. Every Prophet of Bani Israel, whether special or general had twelve successors.
The practice of Isa’s twelve successors is replicated in the successorship of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. The appointment of Ali عليه السلام was on the practice of Isa عليه السلام. This is a brief account of Prophets and the Divine practice of sending Prophets and Messengers. Peace of Allah be upon all of them.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ يَعْنِي مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام قَالَ: مَا تَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْأَرْضَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَطُّ مُنْذُ قُبِضَ آدَمُ عليه السلام يَهْتَدِي بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ هُوَ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ ضَلَ وَ مَنْ لَزِمَهُ نَجَا حَقّاً عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - may Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Isa from Safwan bin Yahya from Abil Hasan al-Awwal - that is Musa bin Ja’far عليه السلام, that he said: “Allah, the Mighty and Sublime has not left this earth without an Imam ever since the death of Adam; through whom people are guided towards Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and he is a Proof for His servants. Thus one who leaves him, is deviated and one who serves him, gets salvation and it is the right on Allah.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مُوسَى السَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ لَمْ تَخْلُ الْأَرْضُ مُنْذُ كَانَتْ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ عَالِمٍ يُحْيِي فِيهَا مَا يُمِيتُونَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْواهِهِمْ وَ اللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْكافِرُونَ
Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal from Amr bin Saeed Madaini from Musaddiq bin Sadaqah from Ammar bin Musa Sabati from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Since the creation of the earth it has never been devoid of a Learned and Divine Proof, who may enliven the matters of truth that the people may kill (destroy).” Then he recited the following verse: «They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths, and Allah will not consent save to perfect His light, though the unbelievers are averse» (9:32)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الْحُجَّةُ قَبْلَ الْخَلْقِ وَ مَعَ الْخَلْقِ وَ بَعْدَ الْخَلْقِ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan -May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah from Haitham bin Abi Masruq Nahdi from Muhammad bin Khalid Barqi from Khalaf bin Hammad from Aban bin Taghlib from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “The Divine Proof is there before the creation, with the creation and after the creation.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمٍ مَوْلَى طِرْبَالٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَمْ تَخْلُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا عَالِمٌ كَيْمَا إِنْ زَادَ الْمُسْلِمُونَ شَيْئاً رَدَّهُمْ إِلَى الْحَقِّ وَ إِنْ نَقَصُوا شَيْئاً تَمَّمَهُ لَهُمْ.
Narrated to us my father and Muhammad bin Hasan -May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Muhammad bin Husain from Ali bin Asbat from Sulaym, slave of Tirbal from Ishaq bin Ammar that he said: I heard Abi Abdullah عليه السلام say: “The earth never remains devoid of a scholar so that if the Muslims exceed in some matter he may bring them back to truth and if they are deficient in some matter he may complete for them.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ اللَّيْثِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي جَعْفَرٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عليه السلام أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَالَ: إِنَّ فِي كُلِّ خَلَفٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي عَدْلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يَنْفِي عَنْ هَذَا الدِّينِ تَحْرِيفَ الْغَالِينَ وَ انْتِحَالَ الْمُبْطِلِينَ وَ تَأْوِيلَ الْجَاهِلِينَ وَ إِنَّ أَئِمَّتَكُمْ قَادَتُكُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَانْظُرُوا بِمَنْ تَقْتَدُونَ فِي دِينِكُمْ وَ صَلَاتِكُمْ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Harun bin Muslim from Abil Hasan Laithi that he said: Narrated to me Ja’far bin Muhammad from his ancestors that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “In every generation of my people there is a just one from my Ahlul Bayt who will negate the deviation of the extremists, the false claims of the people of falsehood and the wrong interpretations of the ignorant in this religion. Indeed your Imams are those who will take you to Allah; thus you must follow them in your religion and your ritual prayer.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ قَالَ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ عَلِيٍّ وَ فَاطِمَةَ عليه السلام إِلَى أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ.
Narrated to us my father: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Abdullah bin Muhammad Hajjal from Hammad bin Uthman from Abi Baseer from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام regarding the words of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. (4:59) He replied: “(It denotes) the Imams from the progeny of Ali and Fatima عليه السلام till the Judgment Day.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى مَوْلَانَا أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ عليه السلام فَقَالَ يَا أَحْمَدُ مَا كَانَ حَالُكُمْ فِيمَا كَانَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ مِنَ الشَّكِّ وَ الِارْتِيَابِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا سَيِّدِي لَمَّا وَرَدَ الْكِتَابُ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَّا رَجُلٌ وَ لَا امْرَأَةٌ وَ لَا غُلَامٌ بَلَغَ الْفَهْمَ إِلَّا قَالَ بِالْحَقِّ فَقَالَ احْمَدِ اللَّهَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ يَا أَحْمَدُ أَ مَا عَلِمْتُمْ أَنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ حُجَّةٍ وَ أَنَا ذَلِكَ الْحُجَّةُ أَوْ قَالَ أَنَا الْحُجَّةُ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Ishaq: I went to our master, Abi Muhammad Hasan bin Ali al-Askari عليه السلام and he asked: “O Ahmad what is your condition regarding which people are confused?” I said, “O my Chief, none of us including men, women and even youths have any scope in doubting those matters that are clearly mentioned in the Quran.” The Imam said, “Thanks to Allah for this, O Ahmad; don’t you know that the earth is never devoid of the Divine Proof? And I am that Divine Proof” or he said, “I am the Divine Proof.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ قَالَ: خَرَجَ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ عليه السلام إِلَى بَعْضِ رِجَالِهِ فِي عَرْضِ كَلَامٍ لَهُ مَا مُنِيَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ آبَائِي عليه السلام بِمَا مُنِيتُ بِهِ مِنْ شَكِّ هَذِهِ الْعِصَابَةِ فِيَّ فَإِنْ كَانَ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ أَمْراً اعْتَقَدْتُمُوهُ وَ دِنْتُمْ بِهِ إِلَى وَقْتٍ ثُمَّ يَنْقَطِعُ فَلِلشَّكِّ مَوْضِعٌ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مُتَّصِلًا مَا اتَّصَلَتْ أُمُورُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمَا مَعْنَى هَذَا الشَّكِّ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Ishaq that: Imam Hasan al-Askari عليه السلام wrote a letter to a person in which it was mentioned: “Such doubt as was observed in my Imamate, was not present in the case of any of my forefathers. Thus if this matter of Imamate is as you believe, there is scope for doubt in it, but if this matter is related to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime there is no scope for doubt.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْأَشْعَثِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام يَقُولُ أَ تَرَوْنَ الْأَمْرَ إِلَيْنَا نَضَعُهُ حَيْثُ نَشَاءُ كَلَّا وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّهُ لَعَهْدٌ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِلَى رَجُلٍ فَرَجُلٍ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far, all of them from Muhammad bin Husain bin Abil Khattab from Ali bin Asbat from Abdullah bin Bukair from Amr bin Ashath that he said: I heard Aba Abdullah عليه السلام say: “You people think that we have discretion in the matter of Imamate and that we can appoint anyone we like as Imam. It is never so by Allah, it is the covenant of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم to a person and after him to another till it reaches to its rightful owner.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ وَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ لَنْ تَخْلُوَ الْأَرْضُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا رَجُلٌ مِنَّا يَعْرِفُ الْحَقَّ فَإِذَا زَادَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ قَالَ قَدْ زَادُوا وَ إِذَا نَقَصُوا مِنْهُ قَالَ قَدْ نَقَصُوا وَ إِذَا جَاءُوا بِهِ صَدَّقَهُمْ وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ كَذَلِكَ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْحَقُّ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ قَالَ عَبْدُ الْحَمِيدِ بْنُ عَوَّاضٍ الطَّائِيُّ بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَسَمِعْتُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مِنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام بِاللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ لَسَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar and Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Ibrahim bin Mahziyar from Ali bin Hadid from Ali bin Noman and Hasan bin Ali Washa all of them from Hasan bin Abi Hamza Thumali from his father that he said: I heard Aba Ja’far عليه السلام say: “The earth is never devoid of a person who is aware of the truth so that when people resort to excess in religion he may inform that it is excess and when they are deficient he may warn that it is a deficiency. If they bring him the truth, he testifies it. If it had not been so, it will be difficult to discriminate between truth and falsehood.” Abdul Hameed bin Awaaz Tai says: By Allah, except whom there is no deity, I have heard this tradition from him.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالا حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَخِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ وَ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ عَلِيّاً عليه السلام عَالِمُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ الْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ وَ لَيْسَ يَهْلِكُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ إِلَّا تَرَكَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari that they said: Narrated to us Ibrahim bin Mahziyar from his brother from Nazr bin Suwaid from Asim bin Hameed and Faddala bin Ayyub from Aban bin Uthman from Muhammad bin Muslim from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام that he said: “Indeed Ali عليه السلام is the scholar of this nation and knowledge is transferred to him through inheritance. None of us passes away, except leaving someone from his family who has similar knowledge or as Allah wills.”
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام يَقُولَانِ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُهْبِطَ مَعَ آدَمَ لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَ الْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ وَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَ آثَارِ الرُّسُلِ وَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ وَ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً عليه السلام عَالِمُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمُتْ مِنَّا عَالِمٌ إِلَّا خَلَّفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ.
And from the same chain of narrators from Ali bin Mahziyar from Hammad bin Isa from Rabi from Fudhail bin Yasar that he said: I heard Aba Abdillah and Aba Ja’far عليه السلام say: “Verily, the Knowledge that was brought down with Adam عليه السلام was not taken back, it was transferred through inheritance. The knowledge and heritage of prophethood and messengership not related from Ahlul Bayt عليه السلام is false. And Ali عليه السلام is the scholar of the community. And none of us (scholars) passes away but that he leaves behind an inheritor who has similar knowledge or as Allah wills.”
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تُتْرَكُ إِلَّا بِعَالِمٍ يَعْلَمُ الْحَلَالَ وَ الْحَرَامَ وَ مَا يَحْتَاجُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ وَ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى النَّاسِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ عَلِمَ مَا ذَا [بِمَا ذَا] قَالَ وِرَاثَةً مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ عَلِيٍّ ع.
And from the same chain of narrators from Ali bin Mahziyar from Faddala bin Ayyub from Aban bin Uthman from Harith bin Mughaira that he said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام say: “The earth is never without a scholar who is aware of the lawful and the prohibited and what the people are needful of. And he is not in need of the people.” I asked: “May I be sacrificed on you, what is the source of his knowledge?” He replied: “From the inheritor of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and Ali عليه السلام.”
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام هَلْ تَكُونُ الْأَرْضُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ قَالَ لَا تَكُونُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ عَالِمٌ بِحَلَالِهِمْ وَ حَرَامِهِمْ وَ مَا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ.
And from the same chain of narrators from Ali bin Mahziyar from Faddala from Aban bin Uthman from Hasan bin Ziyad that he said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام: “Can the earth be such that there is no Imam in it?” He replied: “It can never be so, except that there is an Imam in it who is aware of the lawful and the prohibited and what the people are needful of.”
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ تَكُونُ الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ أَ فَيَكُونُ إِمَامَانِ فِي وَقْتٍ وَاحِدٍ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا وَ أَحَدُهُمَا صَامِتٌ قُلْتُ فَالْإِمَامُ يَعْرِفُ الْإِمَامَ الَّذِي مِنْ بَعْدِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ الْقَائِمُ إِمَامٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِمَامُ بْنُ إِمَامٍ قَدِ اؤْتُمَّ بِهِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ.
And from the same chain of narrators from Ali bin Mahziyar from Faddala from Aban bin Uthman from ibn Abi Umair from Husain bin Abi Alaa from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he asked him: “Can the earth remain without an Imam?” He replied: “No.” I asked: “Can there be two Imams at one time?” He said: “No, unless one of them is silent.” I asked: “Does the Imam know about the Imam who will succeed him?” “Yes.” I asked, “Is the Qaim an Imam?” “Yes, he is an Imam, son of Imam and before his reappearance he has been followed.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً قَالا حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ لَمْ يَتْرُكِ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ الْأَرْضَ بِغَيْرِ عَالِمٍ يَحْتَاجُ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ وَ لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِمْ بِعِلْمِ الْحَلَالِ وَ الْحَرَامِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ بِمَا ذَا يَعْلَمُ قَالَ بِوَرَاثَةٍ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ مِنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ص.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Yunus bin Abdur Rahman from Harith bin Mughaira from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Allah, the Mighty and Sublime never leaves the earth without a scholar whom the people need. And he is not needful of the people as regards the knowledge of the lawful and the prohibited.” I asked, “May I be sacrificed on you, from where does he get knowledge?” He replied: “From the inheritance of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام.”
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَ آدَمَ عليه السلام لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَ مَا مَاتَ مِنَّا عَالِمٌ إِلَّا وَرَّثَ عِلْمَهُ مَنْ بَعْدَهُ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَبْقَى بِغَيْرِ عَالِمٍ.
And from the same chain of narrators from Harith bin Mughaira from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Indeed the knowledge brought down with Adam عليه السلام was not taken back. None of us passes away without bequeathing his knowledge (to one after him). Indeed the earth is never without a scholar.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْقُرَشِيِّ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَبِي رَافِعٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّ جَبْرَئِيلَ عليه السلام نَزَلَ عَلَيَّ بِكِتَابٍ فِيهِ خَبَرُ الْمُلُوكِ مُلُوكِ الْأَرْضِ قَبْلِي وَ خَبَرُ مَنْ بُعِثَ قَبْلِي مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ الرُّسُلِ وَ هُوَ حَدِيثٌ طَوِيلٌ أَخَذْنَا مِنْهُ مَوْضِعَ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ لَمَّا مَلَكَ أَشَجُّ بْنُ أَشْجَانَ وَ كَانَ يُسَمَّى الْكَيِّسَ وَ كَانَ قَدْ مَلَكَ مِائَتَيْنِ وَ سِتّاً وَ سِتِّينَ سَنَةً فَفِي سَنَةِ إِحْدَى وَ خَمْسِينَ مِنْ مُلْكِهِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ عليه السلام وَ اسْتَوْدَعَهُ النُّورَ وَ الْعِلْمَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ جَمِيعَ عُلُومِ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلَهُ وَ زَادَهُ الْإِنْجِيلَ وَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ إِلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ يَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَى كِتَابِهِ وَ حِكْمَتِهِ وَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ فَأَبَى أَكْثَرُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْيَاناً وَ كُفْراً فَلَمَّا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِهِ دَعَا رَبَّهُ وَ عَزَمَ عَلَيْهِ فَمَسَخَ مِنْهُمْ شَيَاطِينَ لِيُرِيَهُمْ آيَةً فَيَعْتَبِرُوا فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا طُغْيَاناً وَ كُفْراً فَأَتَى بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَمَكَثَ يَدْعُوهُمْ وَ يُرَغِّبُهُمْ فِيمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ثَلَاثاً وَ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً حَتَّى طَلَبَتْهُ الْيَهُودُ وَ ادَّعَتْ أَنَّهَا عَذَّبَتْهُ وَ دَفَنَتْهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَيّاً وَ ادَّعَى بَعْضُهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ قَتَلُوهُ وَ صَلَبُوهُ وَ مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَجْعَلَ لَهُمْ سُلْطَاناً عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنَّمَا شُبِّهَ لَهُمْ وَ مَا قَدَرُوا عَلَى عَذَابِهِ وَ دَفْنِهِ وَ لَا عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَ صَلْبِهِ لِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ إِنِّي مُتَوَفِّيكَ وَ رافِعُكَ إِلَيَّ وَ مُطَهِّرُكَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى قَتْلِهِ وَ صَلْبِهِ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَوْ قَدَرُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ كَانَ تَكْذِيباً لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى بَلْ رَفَعَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ تَوَفَّاهُ عليه السلام فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهُ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ نُورَ اللَّهِ وَ حِكْمَتَهُ وَ عِلْمَ كِتَابِهِ شَمْعُونَ بْنَ حَمُّونَ الصَّفَا خَلِيفَتَهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ شَمْعُونُ يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ يَحْتَذِي بِجَمِيعِ مَقَالِ عِيسَى عليه السلام فِي قَوْمِهِ مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَ يُجَاهِدُ الْكُفَّارَ فَمَنْ أَطَاعَهُ وَ آمَنَ بِهِ وَ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ كَانَ مُؤْمِناً وَ مَنْ جَحَدَهُ وَ عَصَاهُ كَانَ كَافِراً حَتَّى اسْتَخْلَصَ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَ بَعَثَ فِي عِبَادِهِ نَبِيّاً مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ هُوَ يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا ثُمَّ قُبِضَ شَمْعُونُ وَ مَلَكَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ أَرْدَشِيرُ بْنُ بَابَكَانَ أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً وَ عَشَرَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ فِي ثَمَانِيَ سِنِينَ مِنْ مُلْكِهِ قَتَلَتِ الْيَهُودُ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَكَرِيَّا عليه السلام فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ الْوَصِيَّةَ فِي وُلْدِ شَمْعُونَ وَ يَأْمُرَ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ وَ أَصْحَابَ عِيسَى بِالْقِيَامِ مَعَهُ فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ وَ عِنْدَهَا مَلَكَ سَابُورُ بْنُ أَرْدَشِيرَ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً حَتَّى قَتَلَهُ اللَّهُ وَ عِلْمُ اللَّهِ وَ نُورُهُ وَ تَفْصِيلُ حِكْمَتِهِ فِي ذُرِّيَّةِ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ شَمْعُونَ وَ مَعَهُ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ عِيسَى عليه السلام وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ بُخْتَنَصَّرُ مِائَةَ سَنَةٍ وَ سَبْعاً وَ ثَمَانِينَ سَنَةً وَ قَتَلَ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ مُقَاتِلٍ عَلَى دَمِ يَحْيَى بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا وَ خَرَّبَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ وَ تَفَرَّقَتِ الْيَهُودُ فِي الْبُلْدَانِ وَ فِي سَبْعٍ وَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً مِنْ مُلْكِهِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ جَلَّ الْعُزَيْرَ نَبِيّاً إِلَى أَهْلِ الْقُرَى الَّتِي أَمَاتَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَهْلَهَا ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُمْ لَهُ وَ كَانُوا مِنْ قُرًى شَتَّى فَهَرَبُوا فَرَقاً مِنَ الْمَوْتِ فَنَزَلُوا فِي جِوَارِ عُزَيْرٍ وَ كَانُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ وَ كَانَ عُزَيْرٌ يَخْتَلِفُ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ يَسْمَعُ كَلَامَهُمْ وَ إِيمَانَهُمْ وَ أَحَبَّهُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ وَاخَاهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَغَابَ عَنْهُمْ يَوْماً وَاحِداً ثُمَّ أَتَاهُمْ فَوَجَدَهُمْ صَرْعَى مَوْتَى فَحَزِنَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ قالَ أَنَّى يُحْيِي هذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها تَعَجُّباً مِنْهُ حَيْثُ أَصَابَهُمْ وَ قَدْ مَاتُوا أَجْمَعِينَ فِي يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ فَلَبِثَ فِيهِمْ مِائَةَ سَنَةٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ وَ إِيَّاهُمْ وَ كَانُوا مِائَةَ أَلْفِ مُقَاتِلٍ ثُمَّ قَتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَجْمَعِينَ لَمْ يُفْلِتْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ عَلَى يَدَيْ بُخْتَنَصَّرَ وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ مهرقيه [مَهْرَوَيْهِ] بْنُ بُخْتَنَصَّرَ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً وَ عِشْرِينَ يَوْماً وَ أَخَذَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ دَانِيَالَ وَ حَفَرَ لَهُ جُبّاً فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ طَرَحَ فِيهِ دَانِيَالَ عليه السلام وَ أَصْحَابَهُ وَ شِيعَتَهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَأَلْقَى عَلَيْهِمُ النِّيرَانَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَنَّ النَّارَ لَيْسَتْ تَقْرَبُهُمْ وَ لَا تُحْرِقُهُمْ اسْتَوْدَعَهُمُ الْجُبَّ وَ فِيهِ الْأُسُدُ وَ السِّبَاعُ وَ عَذَّبَهُمْ بِكُلِّ لَوْنٍ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ حَتَّى خَلَّصَهُمُ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ مِنْهُ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ ذَكَرَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ الْعَزِيزِ فَقَالَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ قُتِلَ أَصْحابُ الْأُخْدُودِ النَّارِ ذاتِ الْوَقُودِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَقْبِضَ دَانِيَالَ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ نُورَ اللَّهِ وَ حِكْمَتَهُ مكيخا بْنَ دَانِيَالَ فَفَعَلَ وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ هُرْمُزُ ثَلَاثاً وَ سِتِّينَ سَنَةً وَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ أَرْبَعَةَ أَيَّامٍ وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ بَهْرَامُ سِتّاً وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ مكيخا بْنُ دَانِيَالَ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَ شِيعَتُهُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ أَنْ يُظْهِرُوا الْإِيمَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانِ وَ لَا أَنْ يَنْطِقُوا بِهِ وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ بَهْرَامُ بْنُ بَهْرَامَ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ وَ فِي زَمَانِهِ انْقَطَعَتِ الرُّسُلُ فَكَانَتِ الْفَتْرَةُ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مكيخا بْنُ دَانِيَالَ وَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ نُورَ اللَّهِ وَ حِكْمَتَهُ ابْنَهُ أنشو بْنَ مكيخا وَ كَانَتِ الْفَتْرَةُ بَيْنَ عِيسَى وَ بَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص أَرْبَعَمِائَةٍ وَ ثَمَانِينَ سَنَةً وَ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ ذُرِّيَّةُ أنشو بْنِ مكيخا يَرِثُ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ مِمَّنْ يَخْتَارُهُ الْجَبَّارُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ سَابُورُ بْنُ هُرْمُزَ اثْنَتَيْنِ وَ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً وَ هُوَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ عَقَدَ التَّاجَ وَ لَبِسَهُ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ أنشو بْنُ مكيخا وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَرْدَشِيرُ أَخُو سَابُورَ سَنَتَيْنِ وَ فِي زَمَانِهِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ الْفِتْيَةَ أَصْحَابَ الْكَهْفِ وَ الرَّقِيمِ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ دسيخا بْنُ أنشو بْنِ مكيخا وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ سَابُورُ بْنُ أَرْدَشِيرَ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ دسيخا بْنُ أنشو بْنِ مكيخا وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ يَزْدَجَرْدُ بْنُ سَابُورَ إِحْدَى وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَ خَمْسَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ تِسْعَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ دسيخا عليه السلام فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَقْبِضَ دسيخا أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ عِلْمَ اللَّهِ وَ نُورَهُ وَ تَفْصِيلَ حِكْمَتِهِ نسطورسَ بْنَ دسيخا فَفَعَلَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ بَهْرَامُ جُورَ سِتّاً وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ نسطورس بْنُ دسيخا وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ يَزْدَجَرْدُ بْنُ بَهْرَامَ ثَمَانِيَ وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ نسطورس بْنُ دسيخا وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ فَيْرُوزُ بْنُ يَزْدَجَرْدَ بْنِ بَهْرَامَ سَبْعاً وَ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ نسطورس بْنُ دسيخا وَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهُ إِلَيْهِ أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ عِلْمَ اللَّهِ وَ نُورَهُ وَ حِكْمَتَهُ وَ كُتُبَهُ مرعيدا وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ بلاش بْنُ فَيْرُوزَ أَرْبَعَ سِنِينَ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مرعيدا وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ قُبَادُ بْنُ فَيْرُوزَ ثَلَاثاً وَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَ مَلَكَ بَعْدَهُ جَامَاسْفُ أَخُو قُبَادَ سِتّاً وَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ مرعيدا وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ كِسْرَى بْنُ قُبَادَ سِتّاً وَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَشْهُرٍ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ مرعيدا عليه السلام وَ أَصْحَابُهُ وَ شِيعَتُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يَقْبِضَ مرعيدا أَوْحَى إِلَيْهِ فِي مَنَامِهِ أَنْ يَسْتَوْدِعَ نُورَ اللَّهِ وَ حِكْمَتَهُ بَحِيرَى الرَّاهِبَ فَفَعَلَ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ هُرْمُزُ بْنُ كِسْرَى ثَمَانِيَ وَ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَحِيرَى وَ أَصْحَابُهُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَ شِيعَتُهُ الصِّدِّيقُونَ وَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ مَلَكَ كِسْرَى بْنُ هُرْمُزَ أَبَرْوِيزُ وَ وَلِيَ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَئِذٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ بَحِيرَى حَتَّى إِذَا طَالَتِ الْمُدَّةُ وَ انْقَطَعَ الْوَحْيُ وَ اسْتُخِفَّ بِالنِّعَمِ وَ اسْتُوجِبَ الْغِيَرُ وَ دُرِسَ الدِّينُ وَ تُرِكَتِ الصَّلَاةُ وَ اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَ كَثُرَتِ الْفِرَقُ- وَ صَارَ النَّاسُ فِي حَيْرَةٍ وَ ظُلْمَةٍ وَ أَدْيَانٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَ أُمُورٍ مُتَشَتِّتَةٍ وَ سُبُلٍ مُلْتَبِسَةٍ وَ مَضَتْ تِلْكَ الْقُرُونُ كُلُّهَا فَمَضَى صَدْرٌ مِنْهَا عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ نَبِيِّهَا عليه السلام وَ بَدَّلَ آخَرُونَ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ كُفْراً وَ طَاعَتَهُ عُدْوَاناً فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ اسْتَخْلَصَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِنُبُوَّتِهِ وَ رِسَالَتِهِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الْمُشَرَّفَةِ الطَّيِّبَةِ وَ الْجُرْثُومَةِ الْمُثْمِرَةِ الَّتِي اصْطَفَاهَا اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ فِي سَابِقِ عِلْمِهِ وَ نَافِذِ قَوْلِهِ قَبْلَ ابْتِدَاءِ خَلْقِهِ وَ جَعَلَهَا مُنْتَهَى خِيَرَتِهِ وَ غَايَةَ صَفْوَتِهِ وَ مَعْدِنَ خَاصَّتِهِ مُحَمَّداً ص اخْتَصَّهُ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ وَ اصْطَفَاهُ بِالرِّسَالَةِ وَ أَظْهَرَ بِدِينِهِ الْحَقَّ لِيَفْصِلَ بَيْنَ عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الْقَضَاءَ وَ يُعْطِيَ فِي الْحَقِّ جَزِيلَ الْعَطَاءِ وَ يُحَارِبَ أَعْدَاءَ رَبِّ الْأَرْضِ وَ السَّمَاءِ وَ جَمَعَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ رَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لِ مُحَمَّدٍ ص عِلْمَ الْمَاضِينَ وَ زَادَهُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ الْقُرْآنَ الْحَكِيمَ بِلِسانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ لا يَأْتِيهِ الْباطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَ لا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ فِيهِ خَبَرُ الْمَاضِينَ وَ عِلْمُ الْبَاقِينَ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Abbas bin Maroof from Ali bin Mahziyar from Hasan bin Saeed from Muhammad bin Ismail Quraishi from those who have narrated from Ismail bin Abi Rafe from his father Abi Rafe that he said:
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: Jibraeel عليه السلام once brought a writing for me, which contained information about worldly kings. It was mentioned therein that when Ashanj ibn Ash-haan became a king he ruled for 266 years. After he completed 51 years of his rule Isa عليه السلام was made a Prophet (by Allah). Allah had bestowed on him (Isa a.s.) light, and knowledge and wisdom along with the knowledge of all the past Prophets. Isa عليه السلام began his mission with all this God-given sciences (awareness) for propagation of Allah’s word. Allah gave him Injeel and guided him toward Baitul Maqdas (Jerusalem). He was sent to guide the people of Bani Israel but they became deniers and rebelled.
So Isa عليه السلام cursed them and prayed to Allah against them. Consequently some of them were disfigured in the shape of Shaitans so that he may show them one of the signs of his Prophethood and they may take admonition. Anyhow, Isa عليه السلام continued to propagate among them for 33 years in Baitul Maqdas and gave them encouragement to rush toward Divine rewards. But their rebellion only increased. (At last Allah raised him up to heaven). Then the people began to look for him. Some claimed that they had punished him and buried him alive and some said they had killed and crucified him. But all of them were speaking untruths. Allah never allowed them to gain control over Isa عليه السلام and this matter became doubtful for them.
But as mentioned in the Holy Quran: I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve. (3:55) Thus they never had enough power to kill or bury alive or punish Isa عليه السلام. Because if they had succeeded in this, the word of Allah would have been disproved that: Nay! Allah took him up to Himself. (4:158) Allah lifted him up into the heavens after he had completed his tenure and when He decided to take him up He revealed to him to entrust his light and wisdom and the knowledge of the Divine scripture to Shamoon bin Hamoon who is called Safaa.
Isa عليه السلام willed him as his caliph on the believers. Then Shamoon kept on propagating Allah’s Word and continued to give the directives of Isa عليه السلام to his community and to struggle against the disbelievers. Whoever obeyed him and believed (put faith) in the things which he possessed from Allah became a believer and whoever denied and disobeyed him became an infidel until Allah called Shamoon back to Him. Then He sent another Messenger from His virtuous slaves to guide the people. He was Yahya, son of Zakariya عليه السلام.
When Shamoon passed away from this world, Urdeshir son of Scotish became king and ruled for 14 years and ten months. When he completed 14 years of his rule the Jews martyred Yahya عليه السلام son of Zakariya عليه السلام. At the time of the martyrdom of Yahya عليه السلام Allah sent a revelation (revelation) to him that he should bestow his will (Wasiyyat) and leadership (Imamate) to the progeny of Shamoon and to order the disciples (hawaries) and companions of Isa عليه السلام to remain with them and to obey them. They did so.
At that time Saboor bin Urdeshir was in power. He ruled for thirty years till the Almighty Allah killed him and appointed knowledge, effulgence, wisdom and excellence in the progeny of Yaqoob bin Shamoon and the disciples of Prophet Isa عليه السلام followed him. After that Bakht Nassar ruled for 187 years. After 47 years of his rule Allah Almighty appointed Uzair عليه السلام as a Messenger (Divine) for those city-dwellers who were made alive after a hundred year death. They were residents of different townships who had fled for fear of death and had resided near about Uzair عليه السلام.
All of them were believers. Uzair عليه السلام talked pleasantly with them and heard them with interest. He loved them due to their faith and tied the knot of brotherhood-in-faith with them. One day he had gone away from them for some reason. When he returned the next day he saw all of them lying dead. He became very sorry and surprisingly exclaimed: When will Allah give it life after its death? (2:259) So Allah retrieved his soul also then and there. Thus all of them remained there in the same state for one hundred years.
After a hundred years Allah made Uzair عليه السلام alive along with the others. They were warriors numbering 1,00,000. But Bakht Nassar overpowered them and killed each and every one. Thereafter Bakht Nassar died and his son Mehrooyah became king. After ruling for 16 years and 20 days Mehrooyah dug a very huge pit and threw Daniyal عليه السلام and his Shias in it and torched it. But nobody was harmed.
When Mehrooyah saw that the flames of fire did not touch them he imprisoned all of them and released many beasts of prey therein and tortured them in various methods till Allah Almighty released them from his clutches. The group referred to as ‘Ashaab al Ukhdood’ (people of the pit) in the holy Quran were these people. Killed were the makers of the pit, Of the fire (kept burning) with fuel. (85:4-5) When Allah desired to call back Daniyal عليه السلام to His Mercy, He commanded him to turn over his Divine light of wisdom to his son Makeekha and to make him his caliph and he obeyed the command of Allah.
At that time Hormuz was the king. He ruled for 33 years, 3 months and 4 days. Thereafter Behram ruled for 26 years. At that time the custodian of religion and Shariat (religious code) was Makeekha ibn Daniyal عليه السلام. His companions were among the believers and testifiers. But they could not express their faith and were not able to tell the truth openly. After Behram, his son ruled for 7 years. Thereafter the chain of Prophets was broken and the age of Fitrat (intermission) began and the Wali-e-Amr (Divine Commander) and Imam (leader) and legatee was Makeekha عليه السلام.He had his companions with him. When the time of his death approached, Allah asked him to hand over the Divine Light of Wisdom to Inshoo bin Makeekha and to make him his legatee. And the period of Fatra (without prophet) between Isa عليه السلام and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was of four hundred and eighty years and a number of persons in the progeny of Inshoo became religious leaders one after another as Allah wished.
After Behram, Hormuz’s son Shapoor came to throne and he ruled for 92 years. He was the first king who made a crown and adorned it on his head. At that time too the legatee was Inshoo. After Shapoor his brother Urdeshir ruled for 2 years. It was in his time that Allah made Ashaab Kahf-O-Raqeem (people of the Pit and the Sheet) alive. At that time Allah’s caliph was Inshoo’s son Waseehaa عليه السلام.
After Urdeshir his son Shapoor became king and ruled for 50 years. In his time too Waseehaa عليه السلام was the leader of Allah’s creation. After Shapoor, his son Yezdjard came to throne and ruled for 21 years, five months and 19 days. In his time also Waseehaa عليه السلام was the Divine caliph. When Allah willed to call Waseeha back to Him he revealed through a dream to Waseehaa عليه السلام that he should hand over the divine Light, wisdom, commandments and intelligence to his son Nastooras عليه السلام.
After Yezdjard, Behram ruled for 26 years and 18 days. In that time also the Hujjat (Divine Proof) was Nastooras عليه السلام. After Behram, Firoz, son of Yezdjard, got kingship who ruled for 70 years. In his time also Nasturas عليه السلام remained the Proof of Allah (Hujjat) and the believers of that period were with him. When Allah intended to call Nasturas عليه السلام back to His Mercy, He asked him in a dream to appoint Maal-Ridha عليه السلام as his legatee and to hand over the knowledge and wisdom to him.
Then, after Firoz, his son Falaas ruled for 40 years and during this time Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the viceroy of Allah. Thereafter his brother (Falas’s brother) Qabaad ruled for 43 years and after him his brother Jamaasp ruled for 46 or 66 years. At that time also Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the Caliph of Allah (protector of faith and Shariat). After Jamasp, Qabad’s son Kisri became king and he ruled for 46 years and 8 months.
In his time also Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the protector of Religion and Code of Life. Then Allah desired to call him back to His Mercy and ordered him in a dream to pass the Divine light of wisdom to Baheera عليه السلام the Rahib and to make him his Khalifah. After Kisrai his son Hurmun came to throne and ruled for 38 years. In his time also Baheera عليه السلام was the protector of religion and Shariat who also had believers who put faith in him and testified in him.
After Hurmumz Kisra e Parvez got kingship. In his time also Baheera عليه السلام was the caliph of Allah until the time when the period of the occultation of the Hujjats of Allah became lengthy and Divine Revelation was stopped. The people became ungrateful with Allah’s blessings and devalued them, they became prey to Allah’s anger. They weakened religion. They left prayers and Qiyamat came nearer.
Religion was torn into pieces and people drowned in the darkness of ignorance and became bewildered with various religions and fell in doubt about the true path. Affairs were dispersed. Long period passed since the arrivals of Prophets. Some remained on the religion of their Prophets and some became ungrateful to Allah. They became oppressive instead of thankful and obedient to Allah.
Then Allah for his Messengership selected from the holy pious family tree, the one whom He had given the highest status over all the past tribes and whom He had made the fountainhead of all holy personalities and the mine of sacred souls, that is, He chose Muhammad Mustafa صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم for His Messengership and bestowed on him His choice for Prophethood and exposed His Religion fully through him so that he could decide matters with justice between His slaves and fight against His enemies and He also gave all the knowledge and wisdom of all the past Prophets and their legatees.
Moreover He gave the holy Quran to him in the rich language of Arabic wherein falsehood can never find a way and he provided information about both the past and the future in it.
The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: Jibraeel عليه السلام once brought a writing for me, which contained information about worldly kings. It was mentioned therein that when Ashanj ibn Ash-haan became a king he ruled for 266 years. After he completed 51 years of his rule Isa عليه السلام was made a Prophet (by Allah). Allah had bestowed on him (Isa a.s.) light, and knowledge and wisdom along with the knowledge of all the past Prophets. Isa عليه السلام began his mission with all this God-given sciences (awareness) for propagation of Allah’s word. Allah gave him Injeel and guided him toward Baitul Maqdas (Jerusalem). He was sent to guide the people of Bani Israel but they became deniers and rebelled.
So Isa عليه السلام cursed them and prayed to Allah against them. Consequently some of them were disfigured in the shape of Shaitans so that he may show them one of the signs of his Prophethood and they may take admonition. Anyhow, Isa عليه السلام continued to propagate among them for 33 years in Baitul Maqdas and gave them encouragement to rush toward Divine rewards. But their rebellion only increased. (At last Allah raised him up to heaven). Then the people began to look for him. Some claimed that they had punished him and buried him alive and some said they had killed and crucified him. But all of them were speaking untruths. Allah never allowed them to gain control over Isa عليه السلام and this matter became doubtful for them.
But as mentioned in the Holy Quran: I am going to terminate the period of your stay (on earth) and cause you to ascend unto Me and purify you of those who disbelieve. (3:55) Thus they never had enough power to kill or bury alive or punish Isa عليه السلام. Because if they had succeeded in this, the word of Allah would have been disproved that: Nay! Allah took him up to Himself. (4:158) Allah lifted him up into the heavens after he had completed his tenure and when He decided to take him up He revealed to him to entrust his light and wisdom and the knowledge of the Divine scripture to Shamoon bin Hamoon who is called Safaa.
Isa عليه السلام willed him as his caliph on the believers. Then Shamoon kept on propagating Allah’s Word and continued to give the directives of Isa عليه السلام to his community and to struggle against the disbelievers. Whoever obeyed him and believed (put faith) in the things which he possessed from Allah became a believer and whoever denied and disobeyed him became an infidel until Allah called Shamoon back to Him. Then He sent another Messenger from His virtuous slaves to guide the people. He was Yahya, son of Zakariya عليه السلام.
When Shamoon passed away from this world, Urdeshir son of Scotish became king and ruled for 14 years and ten months. When he completed 14 years of his rule the Jews martyred Yahya عليه السلام son of Zakariya عليه السلام. At the time of the martyrdom of Yahya عليه السلام Allah sent a revelation (revelation) to him that he should bestow his will (Wasiyyat) and leadership (Imamate) to the progeny of Shamoon and to order the disciples (hawaries) and companions of Isa عليه السلام to remain with them and to obey them. They did so.
At that time Saboor bin Urdeshir was in power. He ruled for thirty years till the Almighty Allah killed him and appointed knowledge, effulgence, wisdom and excellence in the progeny of Yaqoob bin Shamoon and the disciples of Prophet Isa عليه السلام followed him. After that Bakht Nassar ruled for 187 years. After 47 years of his rule Allah Almighty appointed Uzair عليه السلام as a Messenger (Divine) for those city-dwellers who were made alive after a hundred year death. They were residents of different townships who had fled for fear of death and had resided near about Uzair عليه السلام.
All of them were believers. Uzair عليه السلام talked pleasantly with them and heard them with interest. He loved them due to their faith and tied the knot of brotherhood-in-faith with them. One day he had gone away from them for some reason. When he returned the next day he saw all of them lying dead. He became very sorry and surprisingly exclaimed: When will Allah give it life after its death? (2:259) So Allah retrieved his soul also then and there. Thus all of them remained there in the same state for one hundred years.
After a hundred years Allah made Uzair عليه السلام alive along with the others. They were warriors numbering 1,00,000. But Bakht Nassar overpowered them and killed each and every one. Thereafter Bakht Nassar died and his son Mehrooyah became king. After ruling for 16 years and 20 days Mehrooyah dug a very huge pit and threw Daniyal عليه السلام and his Shias in it and torched it. But nobody was harmed.
When Mehrooyah saw that the flames of fire did not touch them he imprisoned all of them and released many beasts of prey therein and tortured them in various methods till Allah Almighty released them from his clutches. The group referred to as ‘Ashaab al Ukhdood’ (people of the pit) in the holy Quran were these people. Killed were the makers of the pit, Of the fire (kept burning) with fuel. (85:4-5) When Allah desired to call back Daniyal عليه السلام to His Mercy, He commanded him to turn over his Divine light of wisdom to his son Makeekha and to make him his caliph and he obeyed the command of Allah.
At that time Hormuz was the king. He ruled for 33 years, 3 months and 4 days. Thereafter Behram ruled for 26 years. At that time the custodian of religion and Shariat (religious code) was Makeekha ibn Daniyal عليه السلام. His companions were among the believers and testifiers. But they could not express their faith and were not able to tell the truth openly. After Behram, his son ruled for 7 years. Thereafter the chain of Prophets was broken and the age of Fitrat (intermission) began and the Wali-e-Amr (Divine Commander) and Imam (leader) and legatee was Makeekha عليه السلام.He had his companions with him. When the time of his death approached, Allah asked him to hand over the Divine Light of Wisdom to Inshoo bin Makeekha and to make him his legatee. And the period of Fatra (without prophet) between Isa عليه السلام and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was of four hundred and eighty years and a number of persons in the progeny of Inshoo became religious leaders one after another as Allah wished.
After Behram, Hormuz’s son Shapoor came to throne and he ruled for 92 years. He was the first king who made a crown and adorned it on his head. At that time too the legatee was Inshoo. After Shapoor his brother Urdeshir ruled for 2 years. It was in his time that Allah made Ashaab Kahf-O-Raqeem (people of the Pit and the Sheet) alive. At that time Allah’s caliph was Inshoo’s son Waseehaa عليه السلام.
After Urdeshir his son Shapoor became king and ruled for 50 years. In his time too Waseehaa عليه السلام was the leader of Allah’s creation. After Shapoor, his son Yezdjard came to throne and ruled for 21 years, five months and 19 days. In his time also Waseehaa عليه السلام was the Divine caliph. When Allah willed to call Waseeha back to Him he revealed through a dream to Waseehaa عليه السلام that he should hand over the divine Light, wisdom, commandments and intelligence to his son Nastooras عليه السلام.
After Yezdjard, Behram ruled for 26 years and 18 days. In that time also the Hujjat (Divine Proof) was Nastooras عليه السلام. After Behram, Firoz, son of Yezdjard, got kingship who ruled for 70 years. In his time also Nasturas عليه السلام remained the Proof of Allah (Hujjat) and the believers of that period were with him. When Allah intended to call Nasturas عليه السلام back to His Mercy, He asked him in a dream to appoint Maal-Ridha عليه السلام as his legatee and to hand over the knowledge and wisdom to him.
Then, after Firoz, his son Falaas ruled for 40 years and during this time Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the viceroy of Allah. Thereafter his brother (Falas’s brother) Qabaad ruled for 43 years and after him his brother Jamaasp ruled for 46 or 66 years. At that time also Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the Caliph of Allah (protector of faith and Shariat). After Jamasp, Qabad’s son Kisri became king and he ruled for 46 years and 8 months.
In his time also Maal-Ridha عليه السلام was the protector of Religion and Code of Life. Then Allah desired to call him back to His Mercy and ordered him in a dream to pass the Divine light of wisdom to Baheera عليه السلام the Rahib and to make him his Khalifah. After Kisrai his son Hurmun came to throne and ruled for 38 years. In his time also Baheera عليه السلام was the protector of religion and Shariat who also had believers who put faith in him and testified in him.
After Hurmumz Kisra e Parvez got kingship. In his time also Baheera عليه السلام was the caliph of Allah until the time when the period of the occultation of the Hujjats of Allah became lengthy and Divine Revelation was stopped. The people became ungrateful with Allah’s blessings and devalued them, they became prey to Allah’s anger. They weakened religion. They left prayers and Qiyamat came nearer.
Religion was torn into pieces and people drowned in the darkness of ignorance and became bewildered with various religions and fell in doubt about the true path. Affairs were dispersed. Long period passed since the arrivals of Prophets. Some remained on the religion of their Prophets and some became ungrateful to Allah. They became oppressive instead of thankful and obedient to Allah.
Then Allah for his Messengership selected from the holy pious family tree, the one whom He had given the highest status over all the past tribes and whom He had made the fountainhead of all holy personalities and the mine of sacred souls, that is, He chose Muhammad Mustafa صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم for His Messengership and bestowed on him His choice for Prophethood and exposed His Religion fully through him so that he could decide matters with justice between His slaves and fight against His enemies and He also gave all the knowledge and wisdom of all the past Prophets and their legatees.
Moreover He gave the holy Quran to him in the rich language of Arabic wherein falsehood can never find a way and he provided information about both the past and the future in it.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام قَالَ قَالَ: يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَنْ تَخْلُوَ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا مِنَّا عَالِمٌ إِنْ زَادَ النَّاسُ قَالَ قَدْ زَادُوا وَ إِنْ نَقَصُوا قَالَ قَدْ نَقَصُوا وَ لَنْ يُخْرِجَ اللَّهُ ذَلِكَ الْعَالِمَ حَتَّى يَرَى فِي وُلْدِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَهُ عِلْمَهُ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Hasan bin Ali Khazzaz from Amr bin Aban from Hasan bin Abi Hamza from his father from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام that he said: “O Abu Hamza, the earth does not remain empty from a scholar from us Ahlul Bayt who may point out if the people commit excess in religion and if they are deficient he may point out that also. And the Almighty Allah does not let this scholar leave the world till he does not leave a successor from his progeny who has the same knowledge.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْغِفَارِيِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عليه السلام قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص لَا يَزَالُ فِي وُلْدِي مَأْمُونٌ مَأْمُولٌ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Yaqoob bin Yazid from Abdullah Ghiffari from Ja’far bin Ibrahim and Hasan bin Zaid, all of them from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام from his ancestors from Amirul Momineen عليه السلام that he said: “There is no decline for my descendants. They shall remain in security.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا عليه السلام يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ لَا تَخْلُو مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ مِنَّا.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Yaqoob bin Yazid from Safwan bin Yahya that he said: I heard al-Ridha عليه السلام say: “The earth can never remain devoid of an Imam from among us.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ نُوحٍ عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُسْلِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ الْعَامِرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: مَا زَالَتِ الْأَرْضُ إِلَّا وَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ فِيهَا حُجَّةٌ يَعْرِفُ الْحَلَالَ وَ الْحَرَامَ وَ يَدْعُو إِلَى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ لَا يَنْقَطِعُ الْحُجَّةُ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً قَبْلَ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَإِذَا رُفِعَتِ الْحُجَّةُ أُغْلِقَ بَابُ التَّوْبَةِ وَ لَنْ يَنْفَعَ نَفْساً إِيمانُها لَمْ تَكُنْ آمَنَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ الْحُجَّةُ أُولَئِكَ شِرَارُ مَنْ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ تَقُومُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْقِيَامَةُ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Ayyub bin Nuh from Rabi bin Muhammad bin Musli from Abdullah bin Sulaiman Aamiri from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “There is always a Divine Proof on the earth who is aware of the lawful and the prohibited and who calls the people to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. And the earth shall not be without Divine Proof but forty days prior to the Judgment Day. When that Divine Proof will be taken up by Allah the door of repentance shall be closed and the faith of those who accept it after the going away of Divine Proof will be of no use. They shall be the worst of creatures. After that the Judgment Day will be established for them.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عليه السلام قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مَا بَلَغْتَ وَ لَيْسَ لَكَ وَلَدٌ فَقَالَ يَا عُقْبَةَ بنَ جَعْفَرٍ إِنَّ صَاحِبَ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ لَا يَمُوتُ حَتَّى يَرَى وَلَدَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to me Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Uqbah bin Ja’far that he said: I asked Abul Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام: “You have reached this stage, but you don’t have an issue?” He replied: “O Uqbah bin Ja’far, the Imam does not pass away before seeing his descendants.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ الْأَرْضَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ عَدْلٍ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Mahboob from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abi Baseer from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Indeed Allah, the Mighty and Sublime is much above the fact that He should keep the earth without a just Imam.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ سَالِمَ بْنَ أَبِي حَفْصَةَ يَلْقَانِي وَ يَقُولُ لِي أَ لَسْتُمْ تَرْوُونَ أَنَّ مَنْ مَاتَ وَ لَيْسَ لَهُ إِمَامٌ فَمَوْتَتُهُ مَوْتَةُ جَاهِلِيَّةٍ فَأَقُولُ لَهُ بَلَى فَيَقُولُ لِي قَدْ مَضَى أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ فَمَنْ إِمَامُكُمُ الْيَوْمَ فَأَكْرَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَنْ أَقُولَ لَهُ جَعْفَرٌ فَأَقُولُ لَهُ أَئِمَّتِي آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ فَيَقُولُ لِي مَا أَرَاكَ صَنَعْتَ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ عليه السلام وَيْحَ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِي حَفْصَةَ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ وَ هَلْ يَدْرِي سَالِمٌ مَا مَنْزِلَةُ الْإِمَامِ إِنَّ مَنْزِلَةَ الْإِمَامِ أَعْظَمُ مِمَّا يَذْهَبُ إِلَيْهِ سَالِمٌ وَ النَّاسُ أَجْمَعُونَ وَ إِنَّهُ لَنْ يَهْلِكَ مِنَّا إِمَامٌ قَطُّ إِلَّا تَرَكَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ وَ يَسِيرُ مِثْلَ سِيرَتِهِ وَ يَدْعُو إِلَى مِثْلِ الَّذِي دَعَا إِلَيْهِ وَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمْنَعِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا أَعْطَى دَاوُدَ أَنْ أَعْطَى سُلَيْمَانَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْهُ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar; and Saad bin Abdullah; and Abdullah bin Ja’far al-Himyari that they all narrated from Muhammad bin Husain ibn Abil Khattab, from Ali bin Noman from Fudail bin Uthman from Abi Ubaidah that he said: I asked Abi Abdullah عليه السلام: “May I be sacrificed on you, Salim bin Abi Hafsa Yalqani asked me if we believed that if a person dies without recognizing the Imam (of his time) his death is that of ignorance?” I replied, “Yes it is our belief.” He said, “Who is your Imam after the passing away of Abu Ja’far?” I, may I be sacrificed on you felt averse to say: Ja’far عليه السلام, so I said, “My Imams are the descendants of Muhammad.” He said, “I don’t think you are following the right Imam.” The Imam said: “Woe be to Salim bin Abi Hafsa – may Allah curse him – does Salim know what is the position of the Imam? The position of the Imam is much above than what Salim and all people think. None one of us (Imams) passes away but that he leaves behind one who is having similar knowledge and who is like him in manners. Who invites to matters like he invited. And nothing prevents Allah, the Mighty and Sublime from bestowing to Prophet Sulaiman better than what He bestowed to Prophet Dawood عليه السلام.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا تَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْأَرْضَ قَطُّ مُنْذُ قُبِضَ آدَمُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ يُهْتَدَى بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ هُوَ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ هَلَكَ وَ مَنْ لَزِمَهُ نَجَا حَقّاً عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.
حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر عن محمد بن عيسى عن جعفر بن بشير و صفوان بن يحيى جميعا عن ذريح عن أبي عبد الله ع مثله سواء.
حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر عن محمد بن عيسى عن جعفر بن بشير و صفوان بن يحيى جميعا عن ذريح عن أبي عبد الله ع مثله سواء.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far [he said: Narrated to us Ibrahim bin Hashim from Abi Ja’far from Uthman bin Aslam from Dharih from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: I heard him say: “By Allah, after Adam عليه السلام Allah, the Mighty and Sublime did not leave the earth without an Imam, who may guide the people to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and who is the Proof of Allah on the people. One who leaves him is destroyed and one who remains attached to him gets salvation. And it is the right upon Allah (the Mighty and Sublime).”
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far from Muhammad bin Isa from Ja’far bin Bashir and Safwan bin Yahya, all of them from Dharih from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام the same tradition.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far from Muhammad bin Isa from Ja’far bin Bashir and Safwan bin Yahya, all of them from Dharih from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام the same tradition.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا تَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ يَوْماً وَاحِداً بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ مِنَّا تَفْزَعُ إِلَيْهِ الْأُمَّةُ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from ibn Mahboob from Alaa from ibn Abi Yafoor that he said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: “The world cannot exist even for a day without an Imam from us Ahlul Bayt, due to whom the Ummah is safe.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام يَقُولُ لَوْ لَمْ يَبْقَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا اثْنَانِ لَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا الْحُجَّةَ أَوْ كَانَ الثَّانِي الْحُجَّةَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه : Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Muhammad bin Husain from ibn Abi Umair from Hamza bin Humran that he said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام say: “If only two persons survive on the earth, one of them would be the Divine Proof or the second.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ نَوْفَلٍ قَالَ: قَالَ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام لِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص أَ مِنَّا الْهُدَاةُ أَمْ مِنْ غَيْرِنَا قَالَ بَلْ مِنَّا الْهُدَاةُ إِلَى اللَّهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ بِنَا اسْتَنْقَذَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْ ضَلَالَةِ الشِّرْكِ وَ بِنَا يَسْتَنْقِذُهُمْ مِنْ ضَلَالَةِ الْفِتْنَةِ وَ بِنَا يُصْبِحُونَ إِخْوَاناً بَعْدَ ضَلَالَةِ الْفِتْنَةِ كَمَا بِنَا أَصْبَحُوا إِخْوَاناً بَعْدَ ضَلَالَةِ الشِّرْكِ وَ بِنَا يَخْتِمُ اللَّهُ كَمَا بِنَا فَتَحَ اللَّهُ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Muhammad bin Abdul Hameed from Mansur bin Yunus from Abdur Rahman bin Sulaiman from his father from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام from Harith bin Naufal that he said: Ali عليه السلام asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم: “O Messenger of Allah, would the guides be from us or others?” He replied: “From us are the guides to Allah till the Judgment Day. Through us has Allah, the Mighty and Sublime saved the people from the deviation of polytheism and through He saved them from the deviation of evil. Through us have the people become brothers after being in the deviation of evil just as they became brothers after being in the deviation of polytheism. Through us will Allah conclude like He initiated through us.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالا حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ وَ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام هَلْ كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهِمْ مَنْ قَدْ أُمِرُوا بِطَاعَتِهِ مُنْذُ كَانَ نُوحٌ عليه السلام قَالَ لَمْ يَزَلْ كَذَلِكَ وَ لَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ.
Narrated to us my father; and Muhammad bin Hasan - May Allah be pleased with them - they said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Husain bin Saeed from Ja’far bin Basheer; and Safwan bin Yahya, all of them from Moalla bin Uthman from Moalla bin Khunais that he said: I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام: “Did it become necessary after Prophet Nuh عليه السلام that there should be a person among the people, to obey whom is incumbent on them?” He replied: “It is so, but most people do not believe.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ جَلِيسٍ لَهُ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام قَالَ: قُلْتُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ قَالَ يَا فُلَانُ فَيَهْلِكُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَ يَبْقَى وَجْهُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ اللَّهُ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ وَ لَكِنْ مَعْنَاهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا دِينَهُ وَ نَحْنُ الْوَجْهُ الَّذِي يُؤْتَى اللَّهُ مِنْهُ وَ لَنْ يَزَالَ فِي عِبَادِ اللَّهِ مَا كَانَتْ لَهُ فِيهِمْ رُوبَةٌ قُلْتُ وَ مَا الرُّوبَةُ قَالَ الْحَاجَةُ فَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ فِيهِمْ رُوبَةٌ رَفَعَنَا اللَّهُ فَصَنَعَ مَا أَحَبَّ.
Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Yahya al-Attar رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid from Muhammad bin Ismail bin Bazee from Mansur bin Yunus from a companion of his from Abi Hamza that he asked from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام regarding the verse: Everything is perishable except His face. (28:55) The Imam said: “O so and so, (do you think that) everything will be destroyed and only the face of Allah will remain? Allah is much above than what is attributed to Him. It actually means that everything will be destroyed except His religion and we are that face through which Allah is reached. And there is always someone among the people who is Rubah.” I asked: “What is Rubah?” He replied: “Need, thus when the people don’t need the Divine Proof anymore Allah will take us up and will do what He likes.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنْ ضُرَيْسٍ الْكُنَاسِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ قَالَ نَحْنُ الْوَجْهُ الَّذِي يُؤْتَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْهُ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar from Muhammad bin Husain ibn Abil Khattab from Ja’far bin Basheer from Amr bin Aban from Dhuraith Kunnasi from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام regarding the words of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: Everything is perishable except His face. (28:55) “We are that face through which Allah can be reached (is recognized).”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ وَ سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْقَاسِمِ الْهَاشِمِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ بْنُ نَفِيسٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عليه السلام عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص بِصَحِيفَةٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ لَمْ يُنْزِلِ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مِنَ السَّمَاءِ كِتَاباً مِثْلَهَا قَطُّ قَبْلَهَا وَ لَا بَعْدَهَا مَخْتُوماً فِيهِ خَوَاتِيمُ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذِهِ وَصِيَّتُكَ إِلَى النَّجِيبِ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ قَالَ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ وَ مَنِ النَّجِيبُ مِنْ أَهْلِي قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ مُرْهُ إِذَا تُوُفِّيتَ أَنْ يَفُكَّ خَاتَماً مِنْهَا وَ يَعْمَلَ بِمَا فِيهِ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَكَّ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام خَاتَماً ثُمَّ عَمِلَ بِمَا فِيهِ مَا تَعَدَّاهُ ثُمَّ دَفَعَ الصَّحِيفَةَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام فَفَكَّ خَاتَماً وَ عَمِلَ بِمَا فِيهِ مَا تَعَدَّاهُ ثُمَّ دَفَعَهَا إِلَى الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام فَفَكَّ خَاتَماً فَوَجَدَ فِيهِ أَنِ اخْرُجْ بِقَوْمٍ إِلَى الشَّهَادَةِ لَا شَهَادَةَ لَهُمْ إِلَّا مَعَكَ وَ اشْرِ نَفْسَكَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَعَمِلَ بِمَا فِيهِ مَا تَعَدَّاهُ ثُمَّ دَفَعَهَا إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدَهُ فَفَكَّ خَاتَماً فَوَجَدَ فِيهِ أَطْرِقْ وَ اصْمُتْ وَ الْزَمْ مَنْزِلَكَ وَ اعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ الْيَقِينُ ثُمَّ دَفَعَهَا إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدَهُ فَفَكَّ خَاتَماً فَوَجَدَ فِيهِ أَنْ حَدِّثِ النَّاسَ وَ أَفْتِهِمْ وَ انْشُرْ عِلْمَ آبَائِكَ وَ لَا تَخَافَنَّ أَحَداً إِلَّا اللَّهَ فَإِنَّكَ فِي حِرْزِ اللَّهِ وَ ضَمَانِهِ وَ أَمَرَ بِدَفْعِهَا فَدَفَعَهَا إِلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُ وَ يَدْفَعُهَا مَنْ بَعْدَهُ إِلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar; and Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Humyari, all of them said: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Isa bin Ubaid: Narrated to us Abul Qasim Hashimi: Narrated to me Ubaid bin Nafees Ansari: Informed us Hasan bin Samaa-a from Ja’far bin Samaa-a from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Jibraeel عليه السلام descended on the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم with a scroll from the heavens, which was such that Allah, to Whom belong Might and Majesty, had never sent down such a writing before or after that. It had a number of gold seals. Jibraeel عليه السلام said: ‘O Muhammad, this is your instruction concerning successorship to the noble among your household.’ He said: ‘Who are the noble ones, O Jibraeel?’ He said: ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and his sons عليه السلام.’ The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم handed it on to Amirul Momineen عليه السلام commanding him to break open one of its seals and carry out what (was written) in it. After the passing away of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم Amirul Momineen عليه السلام broke open a seal and carried out what was in it. Then he handed it on to Hasan ibn Ali عليه السلام, and he broke open one seal and carried out what was in it. Then he handed it on to Husain ibn Ali عليه السلام, and he broke open one seal and found in it: ‘Go forth with a group of men to martyrdom, for there is no martyrdom for them except with you; and sell yourself to Allah, to Whom belong Might and Majesty.’ So he did (this). Then he handed it on to a man after him [Ali ibn Husain عليه السلام], and he broke open one seal and found in it: ‘Lower your head in silence, do not speak out, stay in your house, and worship your Lord till what is certain (death) carries you away.’ So he did (this). Then he handed it on to his son [Muhammad ibn Ali عليه السلام], and he broke open one seal and found in it: ‘Speak to the people, give them legal rulings, and disseminate the knowledge of your ancestors.’ So he did (this). Then he handed it on to his son [Ja’far ibn Muhammad عليه السلام], and he broke open one seal and found in it: ‘Speak to the people, give them legal rulings and testify for your ancestors. And do not fear other than Allah, indeed you are in the protection of Allah and in His guarantee. And he was ordered to transfer it and he transferred it to one after him and so on till [the rising of Mahdi and] the Judgment Day.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الزَّيْتُونِيُّ عَنِ ابْنِ هِلَالٍ عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: الْحُجَّةُ قَبْلَ الْخَلْقِ وَ مَعَ الْخَلْقِ وَ بَعْدَ الْخَلْقِ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Hasan bin Ali Zaitooni from ibn Hilal from Khalaf ibn Hammad from ibn Muskan from Muhammad bin Muslim from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “The Divine Proof is there before the creation, with the creation and after the creation.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ شَعِرٍ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ الْغَنَوِيِّ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام هَلْ كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا وَ فِيهِمْ مَنْ قَدْ أُمِرُوا بِطَاعَتِهِ مُنْذُ كَانَ نُوحٌ عليه السلام قَالَ لَمْ يَزَالُوا كَذَلِكَ وَ لَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain from Yazid bin Ishaq Sha-ar from Harun bin Hamza Ghanwi that he said: I asked Abi Abdullah عليه السلام: “Did it become necessary after Prophet Nuh عليه السلام that there should be a person among the people, to obey whom is incumbent on them?” He replied: “It is so, but most people do not believe.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا اثْنَانِ لَكَانَ أَحَدُهُمَا الْحُجَّةَ وَ لَوْ ذَهَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا بَقِيَ الْحُجَّةُ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه that: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far, all of them from Muhammad bin Husain from Muhammad bin Sinan from Hamza bin Humran from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “If only two persons remain on the earth one of them will be the Divine Proof and if one of them dies, the remaining one will be the Divine Proof.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ الْكُنَاسِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع لَيْسَ تَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ يَوْماً وَاحِداً بِغَيْرِ حُجَّةٍ لِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَ لَمْ تَبْقَ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ آدَمَ عليه السلام وَ أَسْكَنَهُ الْأَرْضَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Musa bin Mutawakkil رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Hasan bin Mahboob from Hisham bin Saalim from Yazid Kunnasi that he said: Abu Ja’far عليه السلام said: “O Aba Khalid, the earth cannot remain without the Proof of Allah on the people even for a day since the time Allah, the Mighty and Sublime created Adam عليه السلام and settled him on the earth.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ نُوحٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ خِدَاشٍ الْبَصْرِيِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ سَاعَةً لَا يَكُونُ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ قَالَ لَا تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan رضي الله عنه that: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari, all of them from Ayyub bin Nuh from Safwan bin Yahya from Abdullah bin Khidaish Basri that a man asked Abi Abdullah عليه السلام: “Can the earth remain without an Imam even for a moment?” He replied: “The earth can never be without truth (Imam).”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام هَلْ تُتْرَكُ الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَيَكُونُ إِمَامَانِ قَالَ لَا إِلَّا وَ أَحَدُهُمَا صَامِتٌ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Idrees: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Abi Nasr from Hammad bin Uthman from Abdullah bin Abi Yafur that he asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام: “Can the earth remain without an Imam?” He replied: “No.” Then he was asked, “Can there be two Imams at one and the same time?” “No,” he replied, “Except that one of them is silent (and he does not announce his Imamate).”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَخِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ بَشَّارٍ الْوَاسِطِيِّ قَالَ: قَالَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ لِلرِّضَا عليه السلام وَ أَنَا حَاضِرٌ أَ تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنْ إِمَامٍ فَقَالَ لَا.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه that he said: Narrated to us Saad bin Abdullah from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Abbas bin Maroof from Ibrahim bin Mahziyar from his brother Ali bin Mahziyar from Hasan bin Bashshar Wasiti that he said: Husain bin Khalid asked al-Ridha عليه السلام in our presence: “Can the earth remain without an Imam?” He replied: “No.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ الْأَرْضَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ عَدْلٍ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Ja’far Himyari: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Isa from ibn Mahboob from Ali bin Abi Hamza from Abi Baseer from Abi Abdullah عليه السلام that he said: “Indeed, Allah is greater and more sublime than that He should leave the earth without a just Imam.”
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْقَطَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْمُقْرِي قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَوْنٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Ahmad bin Hasan al-Qattan: Narrated to us Abbas bin Fadl Muqri: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ali bin Mansur: Narrated to us Amr bin Aun: Narrated to us Hasan ibn Ubaidullah from Abi Zuha from Zaid bin Arqam that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two heavy (very important) things, the Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ يُونُسَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْعَبَّاسُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ عَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى أَبِي مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ: لَمَّا رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مِنْ حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ نَزَلَ بِغَدِيرِ خُمٍّ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ بِدَوْحَاتٍ فَقُمَّ مَا تَحْتَهُنَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَأَنِّي قَدْ دُعِيتُ فَأَجَبْتُ إِنِّي تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ تَخْلُفُونِّي فِيهِمَا فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَوْلَايَ وَ أَنَا مَوْلَى كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام فَقَالَ- مَنْ كُنْتُ وَلِيَّهُ فَهَذَا وَلِيُّهُ اللَّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالاهُ وَ عَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لِزَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ فِي الدَّوْحَاتِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ رَآهُ بِعَيْنَيْهِ وَ سَمِعَهُ بِأُذُنَيْهِ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Ahmad bin Yunus: Narrated to us Abbas bin Fadl from Abi Ruz-aa from Kathir bin Yahya Abi Malik from Abi Awana from Amash from Habib bin Abi Thabit from Aamir bin Wathila from Zaid bin Arqam that he said: “When the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم returned from the Farewell Hajj he halted at Ghadeer Khumm. Then he ordered a shade to be put up under some tall trees. Then he went to it and said: I have received summons from Allah and I have accepted them. Thus I leave among you two heavy (very important) things. One of them is greater than the other. The Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – so you take care how you behave with them after me. The two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar). Then he said: Allah is my master and I am the master of all the believers. Then he raised up the hand of Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and said: Of whomsoever I am the master, this Ali is also his master. O Allah love one who loves him and be inimical to one who is inimical to him.
The narrator asked Zaid bin Arqam, “Have you heard this statement from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم directly?” Zaid replied, “All who were present there, heard and witnessed it directly.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ إِمْلَاءً قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَلْحَةَ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَالَ: إِنِّي أَوْشَكَ أَنْ أُدْعَى فَأُجِيبَ وَ إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ عِتْرَتِي كِتَابُ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلُ بَيْتِي وَ إِنَّ اللَّطِيفَ الْخَبِيرَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ فَانْظُرُوا بِمَا ذَا تَخْلُفُونِّي فِيهِمَا.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ja’fra bin Husain Baghdadi: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz by dictation: Narrated to us Bishr bin Walid: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Talha from Amash from Atiyyah bin Saad from Abi Saeed Khudri that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I feel that I shall be summoned (to Allah soon) and I will accept the call. And I leave among you two important things. The Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and my progeny. The Book of Allah is a rope stretching between the heavens and the earth – and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – indeed, the Kind and the Informed One has informed me that the two of them shall not separate from each other till they arrive to me at the Pool (of Kauthar). So be careful how you take them as my successors.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ الْخَثْعَمِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ رَفِيعٍ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي قَدْ خَلَّفْتُ فِيكُمْ شَيْئَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي أَبَداً مَا أَخَذْتُمْ بِهِمَا وَ عَمِلْتُمْ بِمَا فِيهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ سُنَّتِي وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar Baghdadi: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Husain bin Hafs Khathami: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ubaid: Narrated to us Salih bin Musa: Narrated to us Abdul Aziz bin Rafi from Abi Salih from Abi Huraira that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two things. You will never deviate after me if you remain attached to them and act according to them: The Book of Allah and my Sunnah. And the two of them shall not separate from each other till they arrive to me at the Pool.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْحَافِظُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْقَاسِمُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُوَيْدٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ صَالِحٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar al-Hafiz: Narrated to us Qasim bin Abbad: Narrated to us Suwaid: Narrated to us Amr bin Salih from Zakariya from Atiyyah from Abi Saeed that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you that which if you remain attached to, you will never be deviated. The Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, which is a stretching rope and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate from each other till they arrive to me at the Pool.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَمْدَانَ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَخِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ الدَّهَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعَّادٌ وَ هُوَ ابْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي امْرُؤٌ مَقْبُوضٌ وَ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ أُدْعَى فَأُجِيبَ وَ قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Abdullah bin Saeed: Informed us Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Hamdan Qushairi: Narrated to us Husain bin Hameed: Narrated to me my brother Hasan bin Hameed: Narrated to me Ali bin Thabit Dahhan: Narrated to me Suaad - and he is ibn Sulaiman - from Abi Ishaq from al-Harith from Ali عليه السلام that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “The time of my summons (of death) is near and I will accept it. Thus I leave among you two heavy things. One of them is superior to the other: the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا الْقُشَيْرِيُّ عَنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُهَلَّبِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ مَرْزُوقٍ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ الْعَوْفِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَطْوَلُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ طَرَفٌ بِيَدِ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَلَا وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي سَعِيدٍ مَنْ عِتْرَتُهُ قَالَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ ع.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Abdullah bin Saeed: Informed us Qushairi from Mughirah bin Muhammad bin Muhallab: Narrated to me my father from Abdullah bin Dawood from Fudhail bin Marzuq from Atiyyah Aufi from Abi Saeed Khudri that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two matters, one of them being longer than the other: the Book of Allah, which is a rope drawn from the heavens to the earth, an end of which is with Allah; and my progeny. The two shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool. I asked Abi Saeed: ‘Who are his progeny?’ He replied: ‘His Ahlul Bayt عليه السلام.’”
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عُمَرَ صَاحِبَ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ ثَعْلَبٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ ثَعْلَبَ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ لِمَ سُمِّيَا الثَّقَلَيْنِ قَالَ لِأَنَّ التَّمَسُّكَ بِهِمَا ثَقِيلٌ.
Narrated to us Ali bin Fadl Baghdadi: I heard Aba Amr associate of Abu Abbas Thalab saying: I heard Abu Abbas Thalab being asked about the meaning of the Prophet’s statement: “I leave among you two heavy things.” That why they are called two heavy things. He replied: “Because remaining attached to them is ‘heavy’ (difficult).”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَلَوِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمْرٍو أَحْمَدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَازِمٍ الْغِفَارِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ شَرِيكٍ عَنْ رَكِينِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي أَلَا وَ هُمَا الْخَلِيفَتَانِ مِنْ بَعْدِي وَ لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Ali bin Shuaib Abu Muhammad Jauhari: Narrated to us Isa bin Muhammad Alawi: Narrated to us Abu Amr Ahmad bin Abi Hazim Ghiffari: Narrated to us Ubaidullah bin Musa from Shareek from Rukain bin Rabi from Qasim bin Hassan from Zaid bin Thabit that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two heavy things: the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime and my progeny -my Ahlul Bayt. Know that they are my successors after me and they shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْجَوْهَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَلَوِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْحِيرِيُ بِالْكُوفَةِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ الْعُرَنِيُ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ جُمَيْعٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عليه السلام قَالَ: أَتَيْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقُلْتُ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ حِجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ فَذَكَرَ حَدِيثاً طَوِيلًا ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ اشْهَدْ ثَلَاثاً.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Ali bin Shuaib Abu Muhammad Juhari: Narrated to us Isa bin Muhammad Alawi: Narrated to us Husain bin Hasan Hairi in Kufa: Narrated to us Hasan bin Husain Arni from Amr bin Jumai from Amr bin Abi Miqdam from Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father عليه السلام that he said: “One day when Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari arrived, I asked him to tell me something about the Farewell Hajj. So He narrated a lengthy tradition and then said that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you that which if you remain attached to, you will never be deviated after me: the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. Then he said thrice: O Allah be a witness to this.”
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَمْدَانَ الْقُشَيْرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْحَاتِمِ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُهَلَّبِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْغَفَّارِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ الْكِلَابِيُّ الْكُوفِيُّ عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Ubaidullah bin Saeed: Informed us Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Hamdan Qushairi: Narrated to us Abul Hatim Mughirah bin Muhammad bin Muhallab: Narrated to us Abdul Ghaffar bin Muhammad bin Kathir Kilabi Kufi from Jareer bin Abdul Hameed from Hasan bin Ubaidullah from Abi Zuha from Zaid bin Arqam that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you that which if you remain attached to, you will never be deviated: the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. And they shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool.”
حدثنا الحسن بن عبد الله قال: أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن حمدان القشيري قال: حدثنا الحسين بن حميد قال: حدثني أخي الحسن بن حميد قال: حدثنا علي بن ثابت الدهان قال: حدثنا سعاد وهو ابن سليمان، عن أبي إسحاق، عن الحارث، عن علي عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إني امرء مقبوض وأوشك أن ادعى فأجيب، وقد تركت فيكم الثقلين، أحدهما أفضل من الاخر: كتاب الله عز وجل وعترتي أهل بيتي فإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Abdullah: Informed us Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Hamdan Qushairi: Narrated to us Husain bin Hameed: Narrated to me my brother Hasan bin Hameed: Narrated to us Ali bin Thabit Dahhan: Narrated to us Suaad - and he is Ibne Sulaiman - from Abi Ishaq from al-Harith from Ali عليه السلام that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “Very soon I am going to receive the summons (of death) and I will accept it. Thus I leave among you two heavy things. One of them is superior to the other: the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool.”
حدثنا الحسن بن عبد الله قال: حدثنا القشيري قال: حدثنا المغيرة بن - محمد قال: حدثني أبي قال: حدثني عبد الله بن داود، عن فضيل بن مرزوق، عن عطية العوفي، عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إني تارك فيكم أمرين أحدهما أطول من الاخر كتاب الله حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض طرف بيد الله وعترتي، ألا وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض، فقلت لأبي سعيد: من عترته؟ فقال: أهل بيته عليهم السلام.
Narrated to us Hasan bin Abdullah: Narrated to us Qushairi: Narrated to us Mughirah bin Muhammad: Narrated to me my father: Narrated to me Abdullah bin Dawood from Fudail bin Marzuq from Atiyyah Aufi from Abi Saeed Khudri that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two matters, one of them is longer than the other: the Book of Allah, which is a rope drawn from the heavens to the earth, an end of which is with Allah; and my progeny. The two shall not separate from each other till they reach me at the Pool. I asked Abi Saeed: ‘Who are his progeny?’ He replied: ‘His Ahlul Bayt عليه السلام.’”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْحَافِظُ الْبَغْدَادِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ الْأَشْعَثِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُعَلًّى الْآدَمِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ: لَمَّا رَجَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مِنْ حِجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ نَزَلَ غَدِيرَ خُمٍّ فَأَمَرَ بِدَوْحَاتٍ فَقُمِمْنَ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَقَالَ كَأَنِّي قَدْ دُعِيتُ فَأَجَبْتُ إِنِّي قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ تَخْلُفُونِّي فِيهِمَا فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ مَوْلَايَ وَ أَنَا مَوْلَى كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ وَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام فَقَالَ مَنْ كُنْتُ وَلِيَّهُ فَعَلِيٌّ وَلِيُّهُ فَقُلْتُ لِزَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ أَنْتَ سَمِعْتَهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ مَا كَانَ فِي الدَّوْحَاتِ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ رَآهُ بِعَيْنِهِ وَ سَمِعَهُ بِأُذُنِهِ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar Hafiz Baghdadi: Narrated to me Abdullah bin Sulaiman bin Ashath: Narrated to us Ahmad bin Moalla Adami: Narrated to us Yahya bin Hammad: Narrated to us Abu Awana from Amash from Habib bin Abi Thabit from Aamir bin Wathila from Zaid bin Arqam that he said: “When the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم returned from the Farewell Hajj he halted at Ghadeer Khumm. Then he ordered a shade to be put up under some tall trees. Then he went to it and said: I have received summons from Allah and I have accepted them. Thus I leave among you two heavy (very important) things. One of them is greater than the other. The Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – so you take care how you behave with them after me. The two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar). Then he said: Allah is my master and I am the master of all the believers. Then he raised up the hand of Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and said: Of whomsoever I am the guardian, this Ali is also his guardian. The narrator says that he asked Zaid bin Arqam, “Have you heard this statement from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم directly?” Zaid replied, “All who were present there, heard and witnessed it directly.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يَزِيدَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَجَلِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ طَرِيفٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ عَنِ الْأَعْمَشِ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص كَأَنِّي قَدْ دُعِيتُ فَأَجَبْتُ وَ إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَعْظَمُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَزَالا جَمِيعاً حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ فَانْظُرُوا كَيْفَ تَخْلُفُونِّي فِيهِمَا.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar: Narrated to me Abdullah bin Yazid Abu Muhammad Bajali: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Tareef: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Fudhail from Amash from Atiyyah from Abi Saeed from Habib bin Abi Thabit from Zaid bin Arqam that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I have received the summons of death and I have accepted it. Thus I leave among you two heavy (very important) things. One of them is greater than the other. The Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, which is a rope drawn from the heavens to the earth and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall remain together till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar). So be careful how you consider them as my successors.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي مَالِكٍ عَمْرِو بْنِ هَاشِمٍ الْجَنْبِيِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ يَرْفَعُ ذَلِكَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص قَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّي قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ مَا إِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا مِنْ بَعْدِي الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي أَلَا وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar: Narrated to us Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Husain bin Hafs from Abbad bin Yaqoob from Abi Malik Amr bin Hashim Janbi from Abdul Malik from Atiyyah that he heard Abi Saeed narrating from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم that he said: “O people, I leave among you which if you remain attached to, you will never be deviated after me: the two heavy (very important) things: One of them is greater than the other. The Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, which is a rope drawn from the heavens to the earth and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ التَّمِيمِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَيِّدِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيٍّ ص قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Umar: Narrated to me Hasan bin Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Ali Tamimi: Narrated to me my father: Narrated to me my chief, Ali bin Musa bin Ja’far bin Muhammad: Narrated to me my father from his father Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father Muhammad bin Ali from his father Ali from his father Husain from his father Ali عليه السلام that he said: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two heavy (very important) things: The Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall never separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمِّي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْرَائِيلُ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ حَنَشِ بْنِ الْمُعْتَمِرِ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا ذَرٍّ الْغِفَارِيَّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ آخِذاً بِحَلْقَةِ بَابِ الْكَعْبَةِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ أَلَا مَنْ عَرَفَنِي فَقَدْ عَرَفَنِي وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنِي فَأَنَا أَبُو ذَرٍّ جُنْدَبُ بْنُ السَّكَنِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ إِنِّي خَلَّفْتُ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَ إِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ أَلَا وَ إِنَّ مَثَلَهُمَا فِيكُمْ كَسَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَكِبَ فِيهَا نَجَا وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ.
Narrated to us Abu Muhammad Ja’far bin Nuaym bin Shazan Nishapuri: Narrated to me my uncle Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Shazan from Fadl bin Shazan: Narrated to us Ubaidullah bin Musa: Narrated to us Israel from Abi Ishaq from Hansh bin Motamar that he said: “I saw Abu Tharr Ghiffari رضي الله عنه catching hold of the chain of the door of the Kaaba and saying: Those who know me know me and those who don’t should know that I am Abu Tharr Jundab bin Sakan. I heard the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two heavy (important) things: The Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall never separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar). Know that they are like the Ark of Nuh. One who boarded it was saved and one who left it was drowned.”
حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيفُ الدِّينِ الصَّدُوقُ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِئَارَةَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ص قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُوسَى قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شَرِيكٌ عَنْ رَكِينِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ خَلِيفَتَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Shareefuddin Sadooq Abu Ali Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ziyarah bin Abdullah bin Hasan bin Husain bin Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah: Narrated to us Fadl bin Shazan Nishapuri from Ubaidullah bin Musa: Narrated to us Shareek from Rukain bin Rabi from Qasim bin Hassan from Zaid bin Thabit that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two successors: The Book of Allah and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبْدُوسٍ الْعَطَّارُ النَّيْسَابُورِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ أَبِي زَائِدَةَ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ الْعَوْفِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْآخَرِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us Abdul Wahid bin Muhammad bin Ubdus al-Attar Nishapuri رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah from Fadl bin Shazan: Narrated to us Ishaq bin Ibrahim: Narrated to us Isa bin Yunus: Narrated to us Zakariya bin Abi Zaidah from Atiyyah Aufi from Abi Saeed Khudri that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two heavy (very important) things: One of them is greater than the other. The Book of Allah, which is a rope drawn from the heavens to the earth and my progeny – my Ahlul Bayt – the two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْفَضْلُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ جَرِيرٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِي الضُّحَى عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَرْقَمَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص قَالَ: إِنِّي تَارِكٌ فِيكُمْ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ.
Narrated to us my father رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Ali bin Muhammad bin Qutaibah: Narrated to us Fadl bin Shazan: Narrated to us Ishaq bin Ibrahim from Jareer from Hasan bin Ubaidullah from Abi Zuha from Zaid bin Arqam from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم that he said: “I leave among you the Book of Allah and my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate from each other till they come to me at the Pool (of Kauthar).”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ الْهِلَالِيِّ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى طَهَّرَنَا وَ عَصَمَنَا وَ جَعَلَنَا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَ حُجَجاً فِي أَرْضِهِ وَ جَعَلَنَا مَعَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ جَعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ مَعَنَا لَا نُفَارِقُهُ وَ لَا يُفَارِقُنَا.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Walid رضي الله عنه: Narrated to us Muhammad bin Hasan as-Saffar from Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa from Husain bin Saeed from Hammad bin Isa from Ibrahim bin Umar Yamani from Sulaym bin Qais Hilali from Amirul Momineen, Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام that he said: “Indeed Allah, the Blessed and the Mighty purified us and made us infallible and appointed us as a witness on His creatures and a Proof on His earth. And He kept us with Quran and kept the Quran with us. Neither shall we separate from the Quran nor will the Quran separate from us.”
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زِيَادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ غِيَاثِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عليه السلام قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ص عَنِ مَعْنَى قَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي مُخَلِّفٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي مَنِ الْعِتْرَةُ فَقَالَ أَنَا وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ الْأَئِمَّةُ- التِّسْعَةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ تَاسِعُهُمْ مَهْدِيُّهُمْ وَ قَائِمُهُمْ لَا يُفَارِقُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ لَا يُفَارِقُهُمْ حَتَّى يَرِدُوا عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص حَوْضَهُ.
Narrated to us Muhammad bin Ziyad bin Ja’far Hamdani رضي الله عنه: Narrated to me Ali bin Ibrahim ibn Hashim from his father from Muhammad bin Abi Umair from Ghiyath bin Ibrahim from as-Sadiq Ja’far ibn Muhammad from his father Muhammad bin Ali from his father Ali bin Husain from his father Husain bin Ali عليه السلام that Amirul Momineen, Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام was asked about the statement the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم: “I leave among you two heavy things, the Book of Allah and my progeny.” That who constitute the ‘progeny’? He replied: “I and Hasan and Husain and nine Imams from the progeny of Husain, the ninth of whom shall be their Mahdi and Qaim. They will not separate from the Quran and it will not separate from them till they come to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم at his Pool.”
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ غِيَاثِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام يَا عَلِيُّ أَنَا مَدِينَةُ الْحِكْمَةِ وَ أَنْتَ بَابُهَا وَ لَنْ تُؤْتَى الْمَدِينَةُ إِلَّا مِنْ قِبَلِ الْبَابِ فَكَذَبَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يُحِبُّنِي وَ يُبْغِضُكَ لِأَنَّكَ مِنِّي وَ أَنَا مِنْكَ لَحْمُكَ مِنْ لَحْمِي وَ دَمُكَ مِنْ دَمِي وَ رُوحُكَ مِنْ رُوحِي وَ سَرِيرَتُكَ مِنْ سَرِيرَتِي وَ عَلَانِيَتُكَ مِنْ عَلَانِيَتِي وَ أَنْتَ إِمَامُ أُمَّتِي وَ خَلِيفَتِي عَلَيْهَا بَعْدِي سَعِدَ مَنْ أَطَاعَكَ وَ شَقِيَ مَنْ عَصَاكَ وَ رَبِحَ مَنْ تَوَلَّاكَ وَ خَسِرَ مَنْ عَادَاكَ وَ فَازَ مَنْ لَزِمَكَ وَ هَلَكَ مَنْ فَارَقَكَ مَثَلُكَ وَ مَثَلُ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ وُلْدِكَ بَعْدِي مَثَلُ سَفِينَةِ نُوحٍ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا نَجَا وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا غَرِقَ وَ مَثَلُكُمْ كَمَثَلِ النُّجُومِ كُلَّمَا غَابَ نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجْمٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ.
Narrated to us Ali bin Ahmad bin Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Abi Abdullah Barqi from his father from his grandfather Ahmad bin Abi Abdullah from his father Muhammad bin Khalid from Ghiyath bin Ibrahim from Thabit bin Dinar from Saad bin Tareef from Saeed bin Jubair from ibn Abbas that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said to Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام: “O Ali, I am the city of wisdom and you are its gate and one cannot enter the city except through its gate. Thus lied has one who thinks that he loves me while he hates you. Because you are from me and I am from you. Your flesh is my flesh and your blood is my blood and your soul is my soul. Your secrets are my secrets and your apparent is my apparent. And you are the Imam of my Ummah and my Caliph on it after me. Good is the one who obeys you and evil the one who disobeys you. And profited the one who loved you and made loss the one who bore enmity to you. Saved was the one who remained attached to you and destroyed was one who deserted you. Your simile and the simile of the Imams after you is like the simile of the Ark of Nuh; one who boarded it was saved and one who left it was drowned. And your simile is like the simile of the stars. When one star sets another rises (and this goes on) till the Judgment Day.”
حَدَّثَنَا بِهِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الْقَطَّانُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ السُّكَّرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا الْجَوْهَرِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ص قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنِّي مُخَلِّفٌ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ كَهَاتَيْنِ وَ ضَمَّ بَيْنَ سَبَّابَتَيْهِ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ جَابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ وَ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ عِتْرَتُكَ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ..
Narrated to me Ahmad bin Hasan Qattan from Hasan bin Ali Sukari from Muhammad bin Zakariya Jauhari from Muhammad bin Ummara from his father from as-Sadiq Ja’far bin Muhammad from his father Muhammad bin Ali عليه السلام from his father Ali bin Husain from his father Husain bin Ali from his father Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام that he said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: “I leave among you two important things, the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall not separate till they meet me at the Pool like this,” and saying this he joined his index and middle finger together. Jabir ibn Abdullah Ansari stood up and asked, “O Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, who are your Itrat?” He replied: “Ali, Hasan, Husain and the Imams that will come from the progeny of Husain till Qiyamat.”
وَ حَكَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَحْرٍ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ صَاحِبِ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ ثَعْلَبٍ فِي كِتَابِهِ الَّذِي سَمَّاهُ كِتَابَ الْيَاقُوتَةِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ ثَعْلَبٌ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي ابْنُ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ قَالَ: الْعِتْرَةُ قِطَاعُ الْمِسْكِ الْكِبَارُ فِي النَّافِجَةِ وَ تَصْغِيرُهَا عُتَيْرَةٌ وَ الْعِتْرَةُ الرِّيقَةُ الْعَذْبَةُ وَ تَصْغِيرُهَا عُتَيْرَةٌ وَ الْعِتْرَةُ شَجَرَةٌ تَنْبُتُ عَلَى بَابِ وِجَارِ الضَّبِّ وَ أَحْسَبُهُ أَرَادَ وِجَارَ الضَّبُعِ لِأَنَّ الَّذِي يَكُونُ هُوَ لِلضَّبِّ مَكْوٌ وَ لِلضَّبُعِ وِجَارٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ إِذَا خَرَجَتِ الضَّبُّ مِنْ وِجَارِهَا تَمَرَّغَتْ عَلَى تِلْكَ الشَّجَرَةِ فَهِيَ لِذَلِكَ لَا تَنْمُو وَ لَا تَكْبُرُ وَ الْعَرَبُ تَضْرِبُ مَثَلًا لِلذَّلِيلِ وَ الذِّلَّةِ فَتَقُولُ أَذَلُّ مِنْ عِتْرَةِ الضَّبِّ قَالَ وَ تَصْغِيرُهَا عُتَيْرَةٌ وَ الْعِتْرَةُ وُلْدُ الرَّجُلِ وَ ذُرِّيَّتُهُ مِنْ صُلْبِهِ وَ لِذَلِكَ سُمِّيَتْ ذُرِّيَّةُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص مِنْ عَلِيٍّ وَ فَاطِمَةَ عليه السلام عِتْرَةَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص قَالَ ثَعْلَبٌ فَقُلْتُ لِابْنِ الْأَعْرَابِيِّ فَمَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فِي السَّقِيفَةِ نَحْنُ عِتْرَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ أَرَادَ بَلْدَتَهُ وَ بَيْضَتَهُ، و عترة محمد ص لا محالة ولد فاطمة عليه السلام و الدليل على ذلك رد أبي بكر و إنفاذ علي عليه السلام بسورة براءة و قوله ص أُمِرْتُ أَنْ لَا يُبَلِّغَهَا عَنِّي إِلَّا أَنَا أَوْ رَجُلٌ مِنِّي، فأخذها منه و دفعها إلى من كان منه دونه فلو كان أبو بكر من العترة نسبا دون تفسير ابن الأعرابي أنه أراد البلدة لكان محالا أخذ سورة براءة منه و دفعها إلى علي ع، و قد قيل إن العترة الصخرة العظيمة يتخذ الضب عندها جحرا يأوي إليه و هذا لقلة هدايته و قد قيل إن العترة أصل الشجرة المقطوعة التي تنبت من أصولها و عروقها و العترة في غير هذا المعنى قول النبي ص لا فرعة و لا عتيرة، و قال الأصمعي كان الرجل في الجاهلية ينذر نذرا على شائه إذا بلغت غنمه مائة أن يذبح رجبيته و عتائره فكان الرجل ربما بخل بشائه فيصيد الظباء و يذبحها عن غنمه عند آلهتهم ليوفي بها نذره و أنشد الحارث بن حلزة اليشكري بيتا: عنتا باطلا و ظلما كما تعتر عن حجرة الربيض الظباء، يعني يأخذونها بذنب غيرها كما تذبح أولئك الظباء عن غنمهم، و قال الأصمعي و العترة الريح و العترة أيضا شجرة كثيرة اللبن صغيرة تكون نحو تهامة و يقال العتر الذكر عتر يعتر عترا إذا نعظ و قال الرياشي سألت الأصمعي عن العترة فقال هو نبت مثل المرزنجوش ينبت متفرقا.
Muhammad bin Bajr Shaibani has narrated from Muhammad bin Abdul Jabbar, companion of Abul Abbas Thalab, in his book entitled, Kitabul Yaqoot, Abul Abbas Thalab narrated to me that ibn Arabi narrated to me that Itrat means a big piece of musk and its diminutive is ‘Utira’. And Itra also means sweet water and its diminutive is also ‘Utira’: and Itrat is that tree grows at the edge of a crocodile lair. I think that it denotes the progeny of a man, that is why the progeny of Ali عليه السلام and Fatima عليها السلام is called the progeny of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.
Thalab says that he asked ibn Arabi why on the day of Saqifah Abu Bakr said: We are the Itrat of the Prophet? ibn Arabi replied: Abu Bakr meant to say that we are the townsmen of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and from his tribe. And the Itrat of Muhammad is only the progeny of Fatima صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. What proves this is the fact that Abu Bakr was recalled and Ali عليه السلام was sent to preach the verses of Surah Baraat because the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was commanded to preach the verses himself or send someone from his family. If Abu Bakr was included in Itrah by genealogy he would not have been recalled from delivering the verses of Surah Baraat and Ali عليه السلام would not have been sent in his stead. It is also said that Itra is huge boulder in which the crocodile makes a big hole and lives in it. And this is due to lack of guidance.
And it is said that Itra is the cut off roots of the tree that grows from its roots. And Itrat, according to the statement of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم neither means ‘Fara’ (the first issue of a camel sacrificed as thankfulness for idols) nor ‘Ateera’ (animal sacrificed to idols in Rajab and its blood is applied to the idol’s head). And Asmai has said that during the Age of Ignorance people used to make vows of sacrificing one of their sheep and if the number of their sheep increased to hundred and that it would be included among his sacrifice of Rajab or ‘Ateera’.
And sometimes it so happened that they used to act miserly and instead of sacrificing their sheep they used to catch a deer and sacrifice it before their idols so that his vow is fulfilled. Harith bin HilliTharra Yashkari has composed a line of poetry in this: “An unlawful sin and injustice like a deer which is in refuge, is sacrificed instead of a sheep.”
That is, he is caught due to the sin of others like a deer which is slaughtered instead of sheep. Asmai says that Itrat means breeze and in the same way the word of Itrah is used in the meaning of tree which has many branches while itself is very small. And it is like Tihama . Riyashi says that he asked Asmai about the meaning of Itrat and he said that it was a sapling like mouse-ear that grew in a scattered way.
Thalab says that he asked ibn Arabi why on the day of Saqifah Abu Bakr said: We are the Itrat of the Prophet? ibn Arabi replied: Abu Bakr meant to say that we are the townsmen of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and from his tribe. And the Itrat of Muhammad is only the progeny of Fatima صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. What proves this is the fact that Abu Bakr was recalled and Ali عليه السلام was sent to preach the verses of Surah Baraat because the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was commanded to preach the verses himself or send someone from his family. If Abu Bakr was included in Itrah by genealogy he would not have been recalled from delivering the verses of Surah Baraat and Ali عليه السلام would not have been sent in his stead. It is also said that Itra is huge boulder in which the crocodile makes a big hole and lives in it. And this is due to lack of guidance.
And it is said that Itra is the cut off roots of the tree that grows from its roots. And Itrat, according to the statement of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم neither means ‘Fara’ (the first issue of a camel sacrificed as thankfulness for idols) nor ‘Ateera’ (animal sacrificed to idols in Rajab and its blood is applied to the idol’s head). And Asmai has said that during the Age of Ignorance people used to make vows of sacrificing one of their sheep and if the number of their sheep increased to hundred and that it would be included among his sacrifice of Rajab or ‘Ateera’.
And sometimes it so happened that they used to act miserly and instead of sacrificing their sheep they used to catch a deer and sacrifice it before their idols so that his vow is fulfilled. Harith bin HilliTharra Yashkari has composed a line of poetry in this: “An unlawful sin and injustice like a deer which is in refuge, is sacrificed instead of a sheep.”
That is, he is caught due to the sin of others like a deer which is slaughtered instead of sheep. Asmai says that Itrat means breeze and in the same way the word of Itrah is used in the meaning of tree which has many branches while itself is very small. And it is like Tihama . Riyashi says that he asked Asmai about the meaning of Itrat and he said that it was a sapling like mouse-ear that grew in a scattered way.
قال محمد بن علي بن الحسين مصنف هذا الكتاب: والعترة علي بن أبي طالب وذريته من فاطمة وسلالة النبي ص، وهم الذين نص الله تبارك وتعالى عليهم بالإمامة على لسان نبيه ص، وهم اثنا عشر، أولهم علي بن أبي طالب وآخرهم المهدي ص، على جميع ما ذهبت إليه العرب في معنى العترة، وذلك أن الأئمة عليه السلام من بين جميع بني هاشم، ومن بين جميع ولد أبي طالب كقطاع المسك الكبار في النافجة، وعلومهم العذبة عند أهل الحكمة والعقل، وهم الشجرة التي رسول الله ص أصلها، وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام فرعها، والأئمة من ولده أغصانها، وشيعتهم ورقها، وعلومهم ثمرها، وهم عليه السلام أصول الإسلام على معنى البلدة والبيضة، وهم عليه السلام الهداة على معنى الصخرة العظيمة التي يتخذ الضب عندها جحرا فيأوي إليه لقلة هدايته، وهم أصل الشجرة المقطوعة لأنهم وُتِروا وظُلموا وجُفوا وقُطعوا ولم يواصلوا، فنبتوا من أصولهم وعروقهم، لا يضرهم قطع من قطعهم ولا إدبار من أدبر عنهم، إذ كانوا من قبل الله منصوصا عليهم على لسان نبي الله ص، ومن معنى العترة: هم المظلومون المأخوذون بما لم يجترموه ويذنبوه، ومنافعهم كثيرة، وهم عليه السلام ينابيع العلم على معنى الشجرة الكثيرة اللبن، وهم عليه السلام ذكران غير إناث على معنى قول من قال إن العترة هو الذكر، وهم عليه السلام جند الله جل وعز وحزبه على معنى قول الأصمعي إن العترة الريح، قال النبي ص: الريح جند الله الأكبر، في حديث مشهور عنه، والريح عذاب على قوم ورحمة لآخرين، وهم عليه السلام كذلك كالقرآن المقرون إليهم بقول النبي ص: إني مخلّف فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي، قال الله عز وجل: وننزل من القرآن ما هو شفاء ورحمة للمؤمنين ولا يزيد الظالمين إلا خسارا، وقال عز وجل: وإذا ما أنزلت سورة فمنهم من يقول أيكم زادته هذه إيمانا، فأما الذين آمنوا فزادتهم إيمانا وهم يستبشرون، وأما الذين في قلوبهم مرض فزادتهم رجسا إلى رجسهم وماتوا وهم كافرون، وهم عليه السلام أصحاب المشاهد المتفرقة والبيوت النازحة على معنى الذي ذهب إليه من قال إن العترة هو نبت مثل المرزنجوش ينبت متفرقا، وبركاتهم عليه السلام منبثة في المشرق والمغرب.
Muhammad bin Ali bin Husain, the author of this book says: Itrat means the progeny of Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and Lady Fatima عليها السلام and they are the descendants of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and if those who are divinely appointed (Nass) through the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and they are twelve persons. The first of them is Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام and the last is Imam Mahdi عليه السلام. All the Bani Hashim and descendants of Abu Talib are like pieces of musk and their sciences are sweet in the view of scholars.
They are the tree whose root is the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, trunk is Ali عليه السلام and the branches are the Purified Imams عليه السلام. Its leaves are Shia people and their sciences are the fruits of this tree and they are the foundations of religion in the sense of tribesmen and fellow citizens. They are true guides, that is they are a huge boulder in which the crocodile makes its lair and lives in. That is why there is lack of guidance in it. And they are the roots of this cut tree because they are left alone. They are oppressed and their rights trespassed and relations were severed from them.
They were boycotted. Thus they began to grow once again from their roots. One who cut off relations from them could do them no harm because they are appointed by Allah through the words of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Itrat denotes those oppressed ones who were imprisoned for no crime while many benefits accrue from them. They are the source of knowledge like a tree that is full of milk. They are the party of Allah as Asmai said Itrat is a wind and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has said that wind is the army of Allah and there is a famous tradition of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم that wind is a punishment to one community and a blessing to other.
And in the statement of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم: “I leave among you two important things,” these exalted personalities are joined to the Holy Quran and regarding the Holy Quran it is said: «And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the unjust» (17:82) And the Almighty Allah also says: And whenever a chapter is revealed, there are some of them who say: «Which of you has it strengthened in faith? Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice. And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness and they die while they are unbelievers» (9:124-125)
All of them were martyred in different places and remained far away from their original home. From that aspect someone has said: Indeed Itrat is like the mouse-ear sapling which grows far and wide and its blessings are widespread.
They are the tree whose root is the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم, trunk is Ali عليه السلام and the branches are the Purified Imams عليه السلام. Its leaves are Shia people and their sciences are the fruits of this tree and they are the foundations of religion in the sense of tribesmen and fellow citizens. They are true guides, that is they are a huge boulder in which the crocodile makes its lair and lives in. That is why there is lack of guidance in it. And they are the roots of this cut tree because they are left alone. They are oppressed and their rights trespassed and relations were severed from them.
They were boycotted. Thus they began to grow once again from their roots. One who cut off relations from them could do them no harm because they are appointed by Allah through the words of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم. Itrat denotes those oppressed ones who were imprisoned for no crime while many benefits accrue from them. They are the source of knowledge like a tree that is full of milk. They are the party of Allah as Asmai said Itrat is a wind and the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has said that wind is the army of Allah and there is a famous tradition of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم that wind is a punishment to one community and a blessing to other.
And in the statement of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم: “I leave among you two important things,” these exalted personalities are joined to the Holy Quran and regarding the Holy Quran it is said: «And We reveal of the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to the believers, and it adds only to the perdition of the unjust» (17:82) And the Almighty Allah also says: And whenever a chapter is revealed, there are some of them who say: «Which of you has it strengthened in faith? Then as for those who believe, it strengthens them in faith and they rejoice. And as for those in whose hearts is a disease, it adds uncleanness to their uncleanness and they die while they are unbelievers» (9:124-125)
All of them were martyred in different places and remained far away from their original home. From that aspect someone has said: Indeed Itrat is like the mouse-ear sapling which grows far and wide and its blessings are widespread.
و أما الذرية فقد قال أبو عبيدة تأويل الذريات عندنا إذا كانت بالألف الأعقاب و النسل و أما الذي في القرآن وَ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنا هَبْ لَنا مِنْ أَزْواجِنا وَ ذُرِّيَّاتِنا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ قرأها علي عليه السلام وحده بهذا المعنى و الآية التي في يس وَ آيَةٌ لَهُمْ أَنَّا حَمَلْنا ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ و قوله عز و جل كَما أَنْشَأَكُمْ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّةِ قَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ فيه لغتان ذرية و ذرية مثل علية و علية و كانت قراءته بالضم و قرأها أبو عمرو و هي قراءة أهل المدينة إلا ما ورد عن زيد بن ثابت أنه قرأ ذُرِّيَّةَ مَنْ حَمَلْنا مَعَ نُوحٍ بالكسر و قال مجاهد في قوله إِلَّا ذُرِّيَّةٌ مِنْ قَوْمِهِ أنهم أولاد الذين أرسل إليهم موسى و مات آباؤهم فقال الفراء إنما سموا ذرية لأن آباءهم من القبط و أمهاتهم من بني إسرائيل قال و ذلك كما قيل لأولاد أهل فارس الذين سقطوا إلى اليمن الأبناء لأن أمهاتهم من غير جنس آبائهم قال أبو عبيدة يريد الفراء أنهم يسمون ذرية و هم رجال مذكورون لهذا المعنى و ذرية الرجل كأنهم النشء الذين خرجوا منه و هو من ذروت أو ذريت و ليس بمهموز و قال أبو عبيدة و أصله مهموز و لكن العرب تركت الهمزة فيه و هو في مذهبه من ذرأ الله الخلق كما قال الله جل ثناؤه وَ لَقَدْ ذَرَأْنا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيراً مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ و ذرأهم أي أنشأهم و خلقهم و قوله عز و جل يَذْرَؤُكُمْ أي يخلقكم فكان ذرية الرجل هم خلق الله عز و جل منه و من نسله و من إنشاء الله عز و جل من صلبه. قال أبو عبيدة يريد الفراء أنهم يسمون ذرية و هم رجال مذكورون لهذا المعنى و ذرية الرجل كأنهم النشء الذين خرجوا منه و هو من ذروت أو ذريت و ليس بمهموز و قال أبو عبيدة و أصله مهموز و لكن العرب تركت الهمزة فيه و هو في مذهبه من ذرأ الله الخلق كما قال الله جل ثناؤه وَ لَقَدْ ذَرَأْنا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيراً مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ الْإِنْسِ و ذرأهم أي أنشأهم و خلقهم و قوله عز و جل يَذْرَؤُكُمْ أي يخلقكم فكان ذرية الرجل هم خلق الله عز و جل منه و من نسله و من إنشاء الله عز و جل من صلبه.
Abu Ubaidah says regarding ‘Dhurriyat’ (descendants) that when ‘Dharayaat’ is pronounced with Alif and Taa it means offspring and successors and the meaning is implied in the Holy Quran also. As the Almighty Allah says: «And they who say: O our Lord! grant us in our wives and our offspring the joy of our eyes» (25:74) Amirul Momineen عليه السلام has recited it as a singular. And in the following verse also: «And a sign to them is that We bear their offspring» (36:41)
While in the following verse Allah says: «Even as He raised you up from the seed of another people» (6:133) Here we have two words: ‘Dhurriya’ and ‘Dhirriya’. Imam Ali عليه السلام recited it as ‘Dhurriya’ and Abu Amr also did the same. This is the recitation of the people of Medina except for one report which is attributed to Zaid bin Thabit that he recited as ‘Dhirriya’. And Mujahid has recited it to mean: They were from his progeny to whom Musa was sent while their ancestors were dead. Fara says that they are referred to as ‘Dhurriya’ because their fathers were Copts and mothers were from Bani Israel. He says that it just like the people of Fars who are born in Yemen, are called Abna.
Because their mothers and fathers belong to different races. And Abu Ubaida says: Fara means to say that they are called ‘Dhurriya’ and the pure blood are those who are implied in the phrase: Dhurriya ar-rajul (progeny of man). That is ones born through that man. And this is derived from the root ‘Dharoot’ and there is no ‘a’ (Hamza) in it.
But it is the statement of Abu Ubaidah himself that there is Hamza in its root but the Arabs have omitted it. Thus according to Abu Ubaidah it denotes those whom Allah has given in ones progeny. Like the Almighty Allah says: «And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men» (7:179) Thus ‘Dhurriyat’ means: descendants that Allah has given to a person through his loins.
While in the following verse Allah says: «Even as He raised you up from the seed of another people» (6:133) Here we have two words: ‘Dhurriya’ and ‘Dhirriya’. Imam Ali عليه السلام recited it as ‘Dhurriya’ and Abu Amr also did the same. This is the recitation of the people of Medina except for one report which is attributed to Zaid bin Thabit that he recited as ‘Dhirriya’. And Mujahid has recited it to mean: They were from his progeny to whom Musa was sent while their ancestors were dead. Fara says that they are referred to as ‘Dhurriya’ because their fathers were Copts and mothers were from Bani Israel. He says that it just like the people of Fars who are born in Yemen, are called Abna.
Because their mothers and fathers belong to different races. And Abu Ubaida says: Fara means to say that they are called ‘Dhurriya’ and the pure blood are those who are implied in the phrase: Dhurriya ar-rajul (progeny of man). That is ones born through that man. And this is derived from the root ‘Dharoot’ and there is no ‘a’ (Hamza) in it.
But it is the statement of Abu Ubaidah himself that there is Hamza in its root but the Arabs have omitted it. Thus according to Abu Ubaidah it denotes those whom Allah has given in ones progeny. Like the Almighty Allah says: «And certainly We have created for hell many of the jinn and the men» (7:179) Thus ‘Dhurriyat’ means: descendants that Allah has given to a person through his loins.
و معنى السلالة الصفوة من كل شيء، يقال سلالة وسليل، وفي الحديث: قال النبي ص: اللهم اسقِ عبد الرحمن من سليل الجنة، ويقال السليل هو صافي شرابها، وإنما قيل له سليل لأنه سُلَّ حتى خَلُص، وهو فعيل بمعنى المفعول، قالوا في تفسير قول الله عز وجل: ولقد خلقنا الإنسان من سلالة من طين، يعني أنه من صفوة طين الأرض، والسلالة النتاج، سُلَّ من أمه أي نُتِج، وقالت هند بنت أسماء وكانت تحت الحجاج بن يوسف الثقفي: وهل هند إلا مهرة عربية، سليلة أفراس تجللها بغل، فإن نتجت مهرا كريما فبالحري، وإن يك أقرافا فما فعل الفحل، وروي: فما جنى الفحل، والسليل المنتوج، والسليلة المنتوجة كأنه يريد النتاج الخالص الصافي، وقيل للحسن والحسين والأئمة من بعدهما صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين: سلالة رسول الله ص، لأنهم الصفوة من ولده عليه السلام، وهذا معنى العترة والذرية والسلالة في لغة العرب، ونسأل الله التوفيق للصواب في جميع الأمور برحمته.
‘Salaalat’ means the gist of something. It is also called ‘Salaalah’ and ‘Saleel’. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم has said: “O Allah, quench the thirst of Abdur Rahman from the Salil (cold water) of Paradise.” The water in Paradise is called Salil because it is the purest form of drinking thing. Thus this verb is in the form of subject. And the verse: «And certainly We created man of an extract of clay» (23:12) In this verse Salala means the purest soil of the earth. Salalah also means fruit. That is when a person is born from his mother and it is as if he has come as a result of her.
Hind binte Asma wife of Hajjaj bin Yusuf Thaqafi has composed the following: And what can Hinda be except a mare of the Arabian stock? She is from the stock of the pure horses whom a mule has dominated. Thus if this mare of Arabian stock gives birth to a pure blood horse, what a lucky thing it would be. If impure ones are born it is the fault of male. It is also narrated about these couplets that: The male has given birth to it. Saleel means result and Saleelah means a result which is not having any impurity.
Hind binte Asma wife of Hajjaj bin Yusuf Thaqafi has composed the following: And what can Hinda be except a mare of the Arabian stock? She is from the stock of the pure horses whom a mule has dominated. Thus if this mare of Arabian stock gives birth to a pure blood horse, what a lucky thing it would be. If impure ones are born it is the fault of male. It is also narrated about these couplets that: The male has given birth to it. Saleel means result and Saleelah means a result which is not having any impurity.
Commentary #1
والأهل مأخوذ من أهالة البيت، وهم الذين يعمرونه، فقيل لكل من عمر البيت "أهل"، كما قيل لمن عمر البيت "أهله". ولذلك قيل لقريش: "آل الله" لأنهم عمار بيته. والآل هو الأهل؛ قال الله عز وجل في قصة لوط: فأسرِ بأهلك بقطع من الليل، وقال: إلا آل لوط نجيناهم بسحر، فسمى "الآل" أهلاً، والآل في اللغة هو الأهل. وأصل الكلمة أن العرب إذا أرادت تصغير "الأهل" قالت "أهيل"، ثم استثقلت الهاء فقالت "آل" وأسقطت الهاء، فصار معنى "الآل" كل من يرجع إلى الرجل من أهله بنسبه.
ثم استعير هذا المعنى في الأمة، فقيل لمن رجع إلى النبي (ص) بدينه "آل"، قال الله عز وجل: أدخلوا آل فرعون أشد العذاب. وإنما صح أن "الآل" في قصة فرعون هم أتباعه؛ لأن الله عز وجل إنما عذبه على الكفر، لا على النسب. فلم يجز أن يكون المقصود بـ"آل فرعون" أهل بيته. فمتى قال قائل "آل الرجل"، فإنما يرجع بهذا القول إلى أهله، إلا أن تدل عليه دلالة الاستعارة، كما في قوله: أدخلوا آل فرعون. وقد رُوي عن الصادق (عليه السلام) أنه قال: ما عَنى إلا ابنيه.
وأما "الأهل" فهم الذرية من ولد الرجل، وولد أبيه، وجده ودُنِيه على ما تعورف، ولا يقال لولد الجد الأبعد أهل. ألا ترى أن العرب لا تقول للعجم "أهلنا"، وإن كان إبراهيم (عليه السلام) جدهم؟ ولا تقول مضر لأياد "أهلنا"، ولا لربيعة، ولا تقول قريش لسائر ولد مضر "أهلنا". ولو جاز أن يكون سائر قريش أهل الرسول (ص) بالنسب، لكان ولد مضر وسائر العرب أهله. فالأهل أهل بيت الرجل ودُنِيه، فأهل رسول الله (ص) بنو هاشم دون سائر البطون.
فإذا ثبت أن قوله (ص): إني مخلّف فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا: كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي، فسأل سائل: ما العترة؟ فقد فسرها هو (ص) بقوله: أهل بيتي. وهكذا في اللغة، فإن العترة شجرة تنبت على باب جحر الضب، كما قال الهذلي: فما كنت أخشى أن أقيم خلافهم لستة أبيات كما ينبت العتر وقال أبو عبيد في كتاب الأمثال، ناقلًا عن أبي عبيدة: "العتر" و"العطر" أصل الإنسان، ومنه قولهم: عادت لعترها لميس، أي عادت إلى خُلق كانت قد فارقته.
فالعترة في أصل اللغة أهل الرجل. وكذلك قال رسول الله (ص): عترتي أهل بيتي. فتبين أن العترة هم الأهل، والأهل هم الولد وغيرهم. ولو لم تكن العترة الأهل، وكانوا الولد دون سائر أهله، لكان قوله (ص): إني مخلّف فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا: كتاب الله وعترتي أهل بيتي، وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا عليّ الحوض، لا يشمل علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام)، لأنه لم يدخل في العترة، فلا يكون ممن لا يفارقه الكتاب، ولا ممن إن تمسكنا به لن نضل، ولا ممن دخل في هذا القول، فيكون كلام النبي (ص) خاصًا دون عام.
فإن صلح أن يكون خاصًا في الولد، صلح أن يكون في بعض الولد، لأنه ليس في الكلام ما يدل على خصوصية في جنس دون جنس. ومما يدل على أن عليًا (عليه السلام) داخل في العترة، قوله (ص): وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا عليّ الحوض. وقد أجمعت الأمة – إلا من شذ ممن لا يُعتد بخلافه – على أن عليًا (عليه السلام) لم يفارق حكم كتاب الله، وأن رسول الله (ص) لم يخلّف أحدًا أعلم بكتاب الله منه.
وقد كان الحسن والحسين (عليهما السلام) ممن خلّفهما، فهل في الأمة من يقول إنهما كانا أعلم بكتاب الله من علي (عليه السلام)؟ وهل كانا إلا آخذين عنه، مقتديين به؟ ولا يخلو قوله (ص): إني مخلّف فيكم ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا، من أن يكون لكل عصر، أو لعصر دون عصر. فإن كان لكل عصر، فالعصر الذي كان علي (عليه السلام) فيه قائمًا، من كان فيه المخلّف فينا؟ أكان الحسن والحسين (عليهما السلام) هما المرادين؟ فإن قال القائل: هما، فقد أوجب أنهما في وقت مضي النبي (ص) كانا أعلم من أبيهما، وخرج من لسان الأمة.
وإن قال إن النبي (ص) أراد بهذا وقتًا دون وقت، فقد أجاز على نفسه أن يكون أراد بعض العترة دون البعض. لأنه ليس الوقت الذي يدعيه خصمنا أحق بما ندعيه فيه من قول غيره. ولا بد أن يكون النبي (ص) عمم بقوله "التخليف" لكل الأعصار والدهور، أو خصص. فإن عم، فالعصر الذي قام فيه علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) يوجب دخوله في العترة. إلا أن يقال إنه ظُلم، إذ كان بحضرته من ولده من هو أعلم منه، وهذا لا يقول به مسلم، ولا يجيزه مؤمن على رسول الله (ص).
وكان مرادنا بإيراد قول النبي (ص): وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا عليّ الحوض، في هذا الباب، إثبات اتصال أمر حجج الله (عليهم السلام) إلى يوم القيامة، وأن القرآن لا يخلو من حجة مقترن إليه من الأئمة الذين هم العترة (عليهم السلام)، يعلم حكمه إلى يوم القيامة، لقوله (ص): لن يفترقا حتى يردا عليّ الحوض.
وهكذا قوله (ص): إن مثلهم كمثل النجوم، كلما غاب نجم طلع نجم إلى يوم القيامة، هو تصديق لقولنا إن الأرض لا تخلو من حجة لله على خلقه، ظاهر مشهور أو خافٍ مغمور، لئلا تبطل حجج الله عز وجل، وبيناته. وقد بين النبي (ص) من العترة المقرونة إلى كتاب الله عز وجل في هذا الحديث الشريف.
The term "Ahl" (family) is derived from "Ahala al-Bayt", meaning those who inhabit and maintain the house. It is said of those who dwell in a house: they are its "Ahl". Likewise, Quraysh were called the "family of Allah" because they were caretakers of His House. The word "Al" means "Ahl" (family); Allah the Almighty said regarding the story of Lot: "Take your family during a part of the night," and He also said: "Except the family of Lot, We saved them at dawn." So the "Al" was named as "Ahl", and linguistically, "Al" is equivalent to "Ahl". Originally, the Arabs, when wanting to minimize "Ahl", would say "Uhayl", but due to heaviness in pronunciation, the "h" was dropped, and it became "Al", thus referring to everyone related to a man by lineage.
Then this term was borrowed to describe followers of a religion. Hence, those who follow the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم in his religion are called his "Al". Allah said: "Enter the people of Pharaoh into the severest punishment." And it is only correct to understand the "Al" in the story of Pharaoh as his followers, for Allah punished them for disbelief, not for lineage. So it would not be permissible to understand the phrase "Enter the people of Pharaoh" as referring to his household. Therefore, whenever someone says "the Al of a man", he refers to his family unless metaphor is intended, just as Allah used it metaphorically in "Enter the people of Pharaoh." It is also narrated from Imam al-Sadiq عليه السلام: "He only meant his two sons."
As for "Ahl", it refers to the progeny of a man—his children, the children of his father and grandfather, and his close relatives as commonly understood. It does not include distant ancestors. For example, Arabs do not refer to non-Arabs as "our family," even though Ibrahim عليه السلام is their common ancestor. Mudar does not call Iyad or Rabi'ah "our family", and Quraysh does not call the rest of Mudar "our family". If it were valid to consider all of Quraysh the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم family due to lineage, then all of Mudar and the Arabs would be included. But the "Ahl" refers specifically to the household and close kin. Hence, the Ahl of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم are the Banu Hashim, not the other clans.
Once it is established that the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement: "I am leaving among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my ‘Itrah, my Ahl al-Bayt," was followed by a question—what is the ‘Itrah? He صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم himself explained it as his Ahl al-Bayt. Linguistically, "‘Itrah" refers to a shrub that grows at the mouth of a lizard's hole. The poet al-Hudhali said: "I never thought I’d stand opposed to them Six households like the growing of the ‘Itr." Abu Ubayd in his Book of Proverbs, citing Abu Ubaydah, says that "‘Itr" and "‘Itrah" refer to the root of a person. From this comes the saying: "She returned to her ‘Itrah"—meaning to her old character.
Thus, in its original usage, the ‘Itrah means the people of a man. And likewise, the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "My ‘Itrah is my Ahl al-Bayt." This shows that the ‘Itrah is the same as the Ahl, and the Ahl includes children and others. If the ‘Itrah referred only to children and excluded others from the household, then the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement: "Indeed, I am leaving among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and my ‘Itrah, my Ahl al-Bayt. They will never separate until they return to me at the Pond," would not include Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام. Then he would not be among those who are inseparable from the Qur’an, nor among those who guide rightly when followed, nor included in this promise—making the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement limited, not general.
If it were permitted for the statement to be limited to certain descendants, then it could be even more limited to only some among them, since there is no wording that restricts the meaning to one category over another. What proves that Ali عليه السلام is included in the ‘Itrah is the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement: "They will never separate until they return to me at the Pond." The entire Muslim community—except for those whose disagreement is not considered valid—agreed that Ali عليه السلام never departed from the rulings of the Book of Allah, and that no one after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم was more knowledgeable of the Qur’an than he. Even though Hasan and Husayn عليه السلام were appointed successors, can anyone say they were more learned than their father? They only learned and followed through him.
Therefore, the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement: "I am leaving among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray," must either apply to every era or be limited to one. If it applies to all eras, then in the time when Ali عليه السلام was present, who else was left among the ‘Itrah? If someone says: Hasan and Husayn, they would be implying they were more learned than their father—which contradicts consensus. If he claims the statement applies only to a specific time, then he permits partial application of the Hadith, choosing some from the ‘Itrah and excluding others—though no wording specifies such restriction. Therefore, either the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم statement applies to all times and all of the ‘Itrah, or not at all. And if it applies to all times, then Ali عليه السلام must be included. Otherwise, it would mean that someone more learned than him was overlooked, which no Muslim accepts or attributes to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.
Our purpose in citing the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم words: "They will never separate until they return to me at the Pond" is to affirm the unbroken presence of Allah’s proofs (Hujjah) until the Day of Judgment. The Qur’an will always be accompanied by a divinely appointed Imam from the ‘Itrah عليه السلام who understands its rulings until the end of time, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said: "They will never separate until they return to me at the Pond."
Likewise, his saying صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم: "Their example is like the stars: whenever one sets, another rises, until the Day of Judgment," confirms our belief that the earth is never devoid of a divine proof, either well-known and public or hidden and obscure, so that Allah’s arguments and clear signs are never invalidated. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم identified the members of the ‘Itrah who are forever paired with the Book of Allah in this noble narration.