Excellence of Certainty

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd al-Rahman al-‘Arzami from his father, from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who has said the following: “Qanbar, a worker for Ali عليه السلام loved Ali intensely. Whenever Imam went out he followed him with a sword for protection. Once at night Imam Ali saw Qanbar and asked him, ‘What is the matter with you?’ He said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, I follow you for your protection.’ The Imam said, ‘Qanbar, what is the matter with you, are you protecting me from the people of the heavens or from the people of the earth?’ He said, ‘I do not protect you from the people of the heavens but I protect you from the people of the earth.’ The Imam said, ‘The people of the earth can do nothing to me without permission from Allah from the heavens. Go back home.' And he obeyed.’”