What the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام Informed Regarding the Occurrence of the Occultation
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 26
Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma
Book 2, Chapter 26
What the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام Informed Regarding the Occurrence of the Occultation
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الْمُذَكِّرُ بِنَيْسَابُورَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو يَحْيَى زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْحَارِثِ الْبَزَّازُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْأَسْلَمِيُّ الْمَدِينِيُّ عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ جُوَيْنٍ عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ عَامِرِ بْنِ وَاثِلَةَ قَالَ: شَهِدْنَا الصَّلَاةَ عَلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعْنَا إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فَبَايَعْنَاهُ وَ أَقَمْنَا أَيَّاماً نَخْتَلِفُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ إِلَيْهِ حَتَّى سَمَّوْهُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَبَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَهُ جُلُوسٌ يَوْماً إِذْ جَاءَهُ يَهُودِيٌّ مِنْ يَهُودِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَ هُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ مِنْ وُلْدِ هَارُونَ أَخِي مُوسَى عليه السلام حَتَّى وَقَفَ عَلَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَيُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِعِلْمِ نَبِيِّكُمْ وَ بِكِتَابِ رَبِّكُمْ حَتَّى أَسْأَلَهُ عَمَّا أُرِيدُ قَالَ فَأَشَارَ عُمَرُ إِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عليه السلام فَقَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَ كَذَلِكَ أَنْتَ يَا عَلِيُّ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ سَلْ عَمَّا تُرِيدُ قَالَ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ وَ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ وَ عَنْ وَاحِدَةٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام لِمَ لَا تَقُولُ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ سَبْعٍ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلَاثٍ فَإِنْ أَصَبْتَ فِيهِنَّ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنِ الثَّلَاثِ الْأُخْرَى فَإِنْ أَصَبْتَ فِيهِنَّ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنِ الْوَاحِدَةِ وَ إِنْ أَخْطَأْتَ فِي الثَّلَاثِ الْأُولَى لَمْ أَسْأَلْكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وَ مَا يُدْرِيكَ إِذَا سَأَلْتَنِي فَأَجَبْتُكَ أَخْطَأْتُ أَمْ أَصَبْتُ قَالَ فَضَرَبَ يَدَهُ إِلَى كُمِّهِ فَأَخْرَجَ كِتَاباً عَتِيقاً فَقَالَ هَذَا وَرِثْتُهُ عَنْ آبَائِي وَ أَجْدَادِي إِمْلَاءُ مُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ وَ خَطُّ هَارُونَ وَ فِيهِ الْخِصَالُ الَّتِي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ عَنْهَا فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام عَلَى أَنَّ لِي عَلَيْكَ إِنْ أَجَبْتُكَ فِيهِنَّ بِالصَّوَابِ أَنْ تُسْلِمَ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ وَ اللَّهِ لَئِنْ أَجَبْتَنِي فِيهِنَّ بِالصَّوَابِ لَأُسْلِمَنَّ السَّاعَةَ عَلَى يَدَيْكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام سَلْ قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَوَّلِ حَجَرٍ وُضِعَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ وَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَوَّلِ شَجَرَةٍ نَبَتَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ وَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَوَّلِ عَيْنٍ نَبَعَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام يَا يَهُودِيُّ أَمَّا أَوَّلُ حَجَرٍ وُضِعَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّ الْيَهُودَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهَا صَخْرَةُ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَ كَذَبُوا وَ لَكِنَّهُ الْحَجَرُ الْأَسْوَدُ نَزَلَ بِهِ آدَمُ عليه السلام مَعَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَوَضَعَهُ فِي رُكْنِ الْبَيْتِ وَ النَّاسُ يَتَمَسَّحُونَ بِهِ وَ يُقَبِّلُونَهُ وَ يُجَدِّدُونَ الْعَهْدَ وَ الْمِيثَاقَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وَ أَمَّا أَوَّلُ شَجَرَةٍ نَبَتَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّ الْيَهُودَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهَا الزَّيْتُونَةُ وَ كَذَبُوا وَ لَكِنَّهَا النَّخْلَةُ مِنَ الْعَجْوَةِ نَزَلَ بِهَا آدَمُ عليه السلام مَعَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ بِالْفَحْلِ فَأَصْلُ النَّخْلِ كُلِّهِ مِنَ الْعَجْوَةِ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وَ أَمَّا أَوَّلُ عَيْنٍ نَبَعَتْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ فَإِنَّ الْيَهُودَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهَا الْعَيْنُ الَّتِي نَبَعَتْ تَحْتَ صَخْرَةِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَ كَذَبُوا وَ لَكِنَّهَا عَيْنُ الْحَيَاةِ الَّتِي نَسِيَ عِنْدَهَا صَاحِبُ مُوسَى السَّمَكَةَ الْمَالِحَةَ فَلَمَّا أَصَابَهَا مَاءُ الْعَيْنِ عَاشَتْ وَ سَرَبَتْ فَاتَّبَعَهَا مُوسَى عليه السلام وَ صَاحِبُهُ فَلَقِيَا الْخَضِرَ قَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام سَلْ عَنِ الثَّلَاثِ الْأُخْرَى قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ كَمْ لَهَا بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا مِنْ إِمَامٍ عَدْلٍ وَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ مَنْزِلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَيْنَ هُوَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ مَنْ يَسْكُنُ مَعَهُ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام يَا يَهُودِيُّ يَكُونُ لِهَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ إِمَاماً عَدْلًا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ خِلَافُ مَنْ خَالَفَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وَ أَمَّا مَنْزِلُ مُحَمَّدٍ ص مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فِي جَنَّةِ عَدْنٍ وَ هِيَ وَسَطُ الْجِنَانِ وَ أَقْرَبُهَا مِنْ عَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام وَ الَّذِينَ يَسْكُنُونَ مَعَهُ فِي الْجَنَّةِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْأَئِمَّةُ الِاثْنَا عَشَرَ قَالَ لَهُ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَدَقْتَ قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام سَلْ عَنِ الْوَاحِدَةِ قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ وَصِيِّ مُحَمَّدٍ فِي أَهْلِهِ كَمْ يَعِيشُ بَعْدَهُ وَ هَلْ يَمُوتُ مَوْتاً أَوْ يُقْتَلُ قَتْلًا قَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عليه السلام يَا يَهُودِيُّ يَعِيشُ بَعْدَهُ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً وَ تُخْضَبُ مِنْهُ هَذِهِ مِنْ هَذَا وَ أَشَارَ إِلَى رَأْسِهِ قَالَ فَوَثَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْيَهُودِيُّ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ.
Narrated to us Abu Saeed Muhammad bin Fadl bin Muhammad bin Ishaq Mudakkar in Nishapur: Narrated to us Abu Yahya Zakariya bin Yahya bin Harith Bazzaz: Narrated to us Abdullah bin Muslim Damishqi: Narrated to us Ibrahim bin Yahya Aslami Madani from Ammara bin Juwain from Abi Tufayl Aamir bin Wathila that he said:
“We witnessed the funeral prayer of Abu Bakr after that we gathered around Umar bin Khattab and paid allegiance to him and visited him in the masjid for some days, till we addressed him by the title of chief of believers. One day we were seated with him when a Jew, who imagined to be a descendant of Harun, brother of Musa عليه السلام came and stood before Umar and said: O chief of believers, who among you is most knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah of your Prophet and the Book of your Lord so that I can ask my questions? The narrator says: Umar pointed out towards Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام. The Jew said: O Ali, are you such? He replied: Yes, ask me whatever you want. The Jew said: I have three, three and one question. Ali عليه السلام said: Why don’t you say that you have seven questions? He replied: If you reply the first three questions correctly I will ask the next three and if you reply to them also correctly I will ask the remaining one. But if you answer the first three questions wrongly, I will not ask any more questions. Ali عليه السلام asked: How would you know whether the replies I have given are right or wrong? The narrator says: The Jew put his hand inside his garment and took out an old book and said: I have inherited this book from my forefathers.
It was dictated by Musa عليه السلام and written down by Harun عليه السلام. It contains replies to all the questions I am going to ask you. Ali عليه السلام said: If I reply to all your questions correctly, will you accept Islam? “Yes,” he said, by Allah, if you reply to my questions I will immediately embrace Islam at your hands. Ali عليه السلام said: You may ask. He said: Which was the first stone to come down to the earth? Which was the first spring of water that gushed out on the earth? And which was the first tree that grew on the earth? Ali عليه السلام said: O Jew, you people say that the first stone is that of Baitul Maqdas. It is a lie. The first stone is the Black Stone which came with Prophet Adam عليه السلام from Paradise. Which he placed at the Rukn of the House of Allah. People touch and kiss it and through it renew their covenant with Allah. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام said: Jews say that the first tree that grew on the earth is that of olive.
It is a lie. The first tree is that of Ajwa dates that came down with Adam عليه السلام and his wife. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام said: You people say that the first spring that gushed forth is the spring of Baitul Maqdas. You lie. The first spring is that in which the companion of Musa عليه السلام forgot the salted fish and when the water of the spring of life reached it, it became alive and swam away and Musa and his companion followed it and met Khizr. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام asked: Ask the next three questions? He said: How many just Imams are there after the Prophet in this nation? What is the place of Muhammad in Paradise? And who all will stay with him in his house in Paradise? Ali عليه السلام said: O Jew, there are twelve Imams in this nation and their enemies cannot do them any harm. The Jew said: By Allah, You are right.
Ali عليه السلام said: The house of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم in Paradise is in the Jannat of Adn. It is at the center of Paradise and nearest place to the throne of the Beneficent. The Jews said: By Allah, You are right. Ali عليه السلام said: And those who will stay with him in his house are the twelve Imams. The Jew said: By Allah, You are right. Ali عليه السلام said: You may ask the remaining question also. He asked: For how many years will the successor of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم live? Would he have a natural death or will be murdered? Ali عليه السلام replied: O Jew, he would live for thirty years after the Prophet. This will be dyed with this. Saying this he pointed towards his beard and his blessed head. The narrator says: At that moment the Jew got up from his place and said: I bear witness that there is no god, except Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and you are the successor of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.”
“We witnessed the funeral prayer of Abu Bakr after that we gathered around Umar bin Khattab and paid allegiance to him and visited him in the masjid for some days, till we addressed him by the title of chief of believers. One day we were seated with him when a Jew, who imagined to be a descendant of Harun, brother of Musa عليه السلام came and stood before Umar and said: O chief of believers, who among you is most knowledgeable regarding the Sunnah of your Prophet and the Book of your Lord so that I can ask my questions? The narrator says: Umar pointed out towards Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام. The Jew said: O Ali, are you such? He replied: Yes, ask me whatever you want. The Jew said: I have three, three and one question. Ali عليه السلام said: Why don’t you say that you have seven questions? He replied: If you reply the first three questions correctly I will ask the next three and if you reply to them also correctly I will ask the remaining one. But if you answer the first three questions wrongly, I will not ask any more questions. Ali عليه السلام asked: How would you know whether the replies I have given are right or wrong? The narrator says: The Jew put his hand inside his garment and took out an old book and said: I have inherited this book from my forefathers.
It was dictated by Musa عليه السلام and written down by Harun عليه السلام. It contains replies to all the questions I am going to ask you. Ali عليه السلام said: If I reply to all your questions correctly, will you accept Islam? “Yes,” he said, by Allah, if you reply to my questions I will immediately embrace Islam at your hands. Ali عليه السلام said: You may ask. He said: Which was the first stone to come down to the earth? Which was the first spring of water that gushed out on the earth? And which was the first tree that grew on the earth? Ali عليه السلام said: O Jew, you people say that the first stone is that of Baitul Maqdas. It is a lie. The first stone is the Black Stone which came with Prophet Adam عليه السلام from Paradise. Which he placed at the Rukn of the House of Allah. People touch and kiss it and through it renew their covenant with Allah. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام said: Jews say that the first tree that grew on the earth is that of olive.
It is a lie. The first tree is that of Ajwa dates that came down with Adam عليه السلام and his wife. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام said: You people say that the first spring that gushed forth is the spring of Baitul Maqdas. You lie. The first spring is that in which the companion of Musa عليه السلام forgot the salted fish and when the water of the spring of life reached it, it became alive and swam away and Musa and his companion followed it and met Khizr. The Jew said: By Allah, you are right. Ali عليه السلام asked: Ask the next three questions? He said: How many just Imams are there after the Prophet in this nation? What is the place of Muhammad in Paradise? And who all will stay with him in his house in Paradise? Ali عليه السلام said: O Jew, there are twelve Imams in this nation and their enemies cannot do them any harm. The Jew said: By Allah, You are right.
Ali عليه السلام said: The house of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم in Paradise is in the Jannat of Adn. It is at the center of Paradise and nearest place to the throne of the Beneficent. The Jews said: By Allah, You are right. Ali عليه السلام said: And those who will stay with him in his house are the twelve Imams. The Jew said: By Allah, You are right. Ali عليه السلام said: You may ask the remaining question also. He asked: For how many years will the successor of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم live? Would he have a natural death or will be murdered? Ali عليه السلام replied: O Jew, he would live for thirty years after the Prophet. This will be dyed with this. Saying this he pointed towards his beard and his blessed head. The narrator says: At that moment the Jew got up from his place and said: I bear witness that there is no god, except Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah and you are the successor of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم.”