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@afar 2, 1330
Yes, we will narrate to you consecutively reported a<ádíth with which the Sunnis are not familiar. These are narrated by members of the purified progeny of Mu<ammad (pbuh), of which we relate forty:[1]
1) Al@adúq Mu<ammad ibn `Ali ibn al\usayn ibn Babawayh alQummi has included in his book Ikmál adDín wa Itmám alNi`mah, as transmitted by `AbdulRa<man ibn Samrah, one particular <ádíth in which the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, addresses `AbdulRa<mán thus: "O Abu Samrah! If views differ and opinions vary, then refer to `Ali ibn Abu ^álib, for he is my nation's Imám, and my successor over them after me."
2) In the same reference, i.e. the Ikmál, al@adúq quotes Ibn `Abbás narrating one <ádíth in which the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, says: "Alláh, the Praised One and the Sublime, cast a scrutinizing look at the inhabitants of the earth and chose me from among them to be the Prophet, then he cast another look and chose `Ali as the Imám and commanded me to take him as my brother, and appoint him as the wali and vizier."
3) Al@adúq, also in the Ikmál, traces one <ádíth to Imám al@ádiq (as) who quotes his father and ancestors citing the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: "Gabriel has told me that the Lord of Power, exalted is His Greatness, has said: `Whoever comes to know that I am the Lord without any partner, and that Mu<ammad is my Servant and Messenger, that Ali ibn Abu ^álib is Mu<ammad's successor, and that the Imáms from his descendants are My Arguments, then I would let him enter Paradise through My Mercy.'"
4) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, traces another <ádíth to Imám al@ádiq (as) who quotes his father and grandfather citing the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: "The Imáms after me are twelve: The first is `Ali and the last is alQa'im [alMahdi]; they are my successors and the executors of my will."
5) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, traces yet another <ádíth to alAsbagh ibn Naba>ah who says that the Commander of the Faithful `Ali ibn Abu ^álib (as) once approached, his hand in the hand of his son al\asan, and said: "The Messenger of Alláh once came to us and his hand was in mine like this, saying: `The best of creation after me, and their master, is this brother of mine who is the Imám of every Muslim, the prince of every believer after me.'"
6) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, tracing one <ádíth to Imám alRi_a (as) who quotes his forefathers citing the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: "Whoever likes to uphold my religion and embark upon the Ark of Salvation after me, let him follow the example of `Ali ibn Abu ^álib, for he is the executor of my will, and my vicegerent over my nation during my lifetime and after my demise."
7) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, attributes another <ádíth by the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, to Imám alRi_a (as) who quotes his ancestors stating that the Prophet (pbuh) once said: "I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Alláh, and whoever denies us also denies Alláh, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali's descendants are my grandsons al\asan and al\usayn, who are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from alHusayn's descendants shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qá'im and Mahdi."
8) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, traces another <ádíth through isnad to Imám al\asan al`Askari (as) who quotes his ancestors up to the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, addressing Ibn Mas`úd thus: "O Ibn Mas`úd! `Ali ibn Abu ^álib is your Imám after me; he is my successor over you."
9) Quoting one <ádíth related by Salmán, al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, says that once Salmán visited the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, and found alHusayn ibn `Ali (as) sitting on his lap, and the prophet was kissing him and saying: "You are a master, son of a master, an Imám and son of an Imám, brother of an Imám, father of Imáms, and you are Alláh's Argument, the son of His Argument (\ujjah), and father of nine Arguments from your loins, the ninth of them is their Qá'im."
10) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, quotes another <ádíth traced also to Salmán who quotes a lengthy <ádíth by the Messenger of Alláh in which he (pbuh) says: "O Fá>ima! Have you not come to know that we are Ahl alBayt? Alláh has made the Hereafter dearer to us than this life, and Alláh the Exalted, Praised is His Name, cast a look at the inhabitants of the earth and chose me from among His creation; then he cast a second look and chose your husband and inspired me to marry you to him and take him as wali and vizier, and to make him my successor over my nation. So, your father is the best of prophets, your husband is the best of wa#is, and you are the first to join me."
11) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, quotes a lengthy <ádíth and mentions in it that a meeting of over two hundred men from the Muhajirún (Meccan Immigrants) and the An#ár (Medenite Supporters) were seeking knowledge and studying jurisprudence, and that each one of them started bragging about himself, while `Ali (as) remained silent. They asked him: "O father of al\asan, what stops you from saying something?" In response to their question, he (as) only reminded them of a statement made by the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) in which he said: "`Ali is my brother, vizier, heir, executor of my will, successor over my nation, and the wali of every believer after me; so, admit all of this about him."
12) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, quotes a lengthy <ádíth narrated by `Abdullah ibn Ja`fer, al\asan, al\usayn, `Abdulllah ibn `Abbás, `Umer ibn Abu Salamah, Usámah ibn Ziyád, Salmán, Abu Tharr al-Ghifari, and alMiqdád who all say that they heard the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: "I have more authority over the believers than the believers themselves have; my brother `Ali has after me more authority over the believers than the believers themselves have."
13) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál ad-Dín wa Itmám al-Ni`mah, quotes alAsbagh ibn Naba>ah who cites Ibn `Abbás saying that he heard the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying, "I, `Ali, al\asan, al\usayn, and nine from the progeny of \usayn are Purified."
14) Al@adúq has also quoted in his Ikmál Ibn Abáyah ibn Rab`i citing Ibn `Abbás saying that the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "I am the master of the Prophets, while `Ali is the master of the wa#is."
15) Al@adúq has also quoted in his Ikmal one <ádíth transmitted by Imám al@ádiq (as) through isnad stating that the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) has said: "Alláh, the Exalted, the Almighty, favoured me over all other prophets, and favoured `Ali over all other wa#is, and favoured from `Ali's descendants al\asan and al\usayn, and chose from al\usayn's progeny the wa#is who safeguard the faith against the distortion of extermists, the adulteration of liars, and the misinterpretations of those who have strayed."
16) Al@adúq, also in his Ikmál, has quoted `Ali (as) citing the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, saying: "The Imáms after me are twelve: the first of them is `Ali, and the last is alQá'im through whom Alláh, the Exalted and the Mighty, shall open the east of the earth as well as the west."[2]
17) Al@adúq has also quoted in his Ámáli a lengthy <ádíth narrated by `Ali (as) in which the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, says, "`Ali is of me, and I am of `Ali who is created of my own mould; he solves people's disputes regarding my Sunnah; he is the Commander of the Faithful, the leader of the foremost among all men, and the best of wa#is."
18) Al@adúq, also in his Ámáli, has quoted another lengthy <ádíth reported by `Ali (as) in which the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, says: "`Ali is the Commander of the Faithful according to the Wilayat of Alláh, the Exalted and the Mighty, which He tied in a knot upon His Throne and required the angels to witness; `Ali is Alláh's Vicegerent and Proof [\ujjatulláh]; he is the Imám of the Muslims."
19) Al@adúq, also in his Ámáli, has quoted Ibn `Abbás relating that the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "O `Ali! You are the Imám of the Muslims, the Commander of the Faithful, the leader of the foremost renown of all men, Alláh's Proof after me, and the master of all wasis."
20) Al@adúq, also in his Ámáli, has cited Ibn `Abbás quoting the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: "O `Ali! You are my successor over my nation, and you are to me like Seth to Adam."
21) Al@adúq, also in his Ámáli, has quoted Abu Tharr alGhifári saying, ""We were once in the company of the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) at his mosque when he said: `A man will enter through this door who is the Commander of the Faithful and the Imám of the Muslims,' whereupon `Ali ibn Abu ^álib came in, and the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) welcomed him, turned his glorious face to us and said: `This is your Imám after me.'"
22) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has cited Jábir ibn `Abdulláh alAn#ári quoting the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: "`Ali ibn Abu ^álib is the foremost among them in accepting Islam, and he is the most learned... He is the Imám and successor after me."
23) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has also quoted one <ádíth correct through isnád related by Ibn `Abbás who quotes the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: "O people! Whose words are better than Alláh's? Your Lord, Mighty is His Grace, has commanded me to assign `Ali over you as the most outstanding Imám, as my own successor and executor of my will, and that you should regard him as my brother and vizier."
24) In his Ámáli, al@adúq also quotes one <ádíth correct through isnad narrated by Abu `Ayyásh who says: "The Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) once ascended the pulpit and delivered a sermon in which he said: `My cousin `Ali is also my brother, vizier, successor, and the one who pays my dues on my own behalf.'"[3]
25) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has also quoted one <ádíth correct through isnád reported by the Commander of the Faithful who says: "Once, the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) delivered a sermon in which he said: `O people! The month of Alláh has approached,' and he continued his sermon recounting the attributes of the month of Rama_án. I asked: `O Messenger of Alláh! What is the best of deeds in this month?' He replied: `It is staying away from whatever Alláh has forbidden you,' then he burst weeping, so I inquired: `What grieves you, O Messenger of Alláh?' and he answered: `O `Ali! I am grieving at what horrible forbidden things that will happen to you in the same month,' adding, `You are my wa#i, the father of my descendants, and my successor over my nation during my lifetime and after my death; your bidding is as good as mine, and so is your forbidding.'"
26) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has quoted another <ádíth narrated by `Ali, peace be upon him, thus: "The Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) has said: `O `Ali! You are my brother and I am yours; I have been chosen to be the Prophet while you have been chosen to be the Imám; I take charge of the revelation [of the Holy Qur'án] while you take charge of its implementation; you are the father of this nation. O `Ali! You are my wa#i and vicegerent, my vizier and heir, and the father of my offspring.'"
27) In his Ámali, al@adúq has also quoted one <ádíth the isnád of which is authentic as transmitted by Ibn `Abbás who says: "While the An#ár were assembling at Qubá' Mosque, the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) said: `O `Ali! You are my brother and I am yours; you are the executor of my will and my own successor, and the Imám of my nation after me: Alláh will assist whoever assists you, and He will be the enemy of whoever antagonizes you.'"
28) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has also quoted a lengthy <ádíth narrated by Ummu Salamah in which the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) addresses her thus: "O Ummu Salamah! Listen and bear witness: This `Ali ibn Abu ^lib is the executor of my will; he is my successor, the one who tries my enemies, and the one who safeguards my Pool [of alKawthar]."
29) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has also quoted Salmán al-Fárisi saying, "I have heard the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: `O Muhajirún and An#ár! Shall I lead you to that which, as long as you adhere to, shall never let you stray after me?' They said: `O yes, Messenger of Alláh!' He (pbuh) said: `This `Ali is my brother and the executor of my will, my vizier, heir and successor; he is your Imám; therefore, love him as much as I love him, and respect him as much as I respect him, for Gabriel has enjoined me to say so to you.'"
30) In his Ámali, al@adúq has also quoted through isnád one <ádíth related by Zayd ibn Arqam in which the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) is quoted saying: "Shall I lead you to that which, as long as you adhere to, will protect you against annihilation and straying? Your Imám and wali is `Ali ibn Abu ^álib (as); therefore, do support him, listen to his counsel, and believe in him, for Gabriel has ordered me to say so to you."
31) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has quoted Ibn `Abbás relating one <ádíth in which the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) says: "Alláh, the Praised, the Sublime, has inspired to me: `I have selected from your nation a brother and heir for you, a successor and executor of your will.' I inquired: `O Lord! Who is he?' He replied: `It is he who loves me and I love him...,' till He said in His divine statement: `It is `Ali ibn Abu ^álib.'"
32) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has quoted Ibn `Abbás citing another <ádíth related by his ancestors in which the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) says: "During my isrá' (night journey), my Lord, Exalted is His Might, promised me that `Ali is the Imám of the pious, the leader of the foremost among renown men, the religion's chief."
34) In his Ámáli, al@adúq has quoted one <ádíth through isnad to Imám alRi_a (as) who quotes his ancestors citing the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying: "`Ali is of me, and I am of `Ali; may Alláh wage war against those who fight `Ali; `Ali, indeed, is the Imám of creation after me."
35) Abu Ja`fer Mu<ammad ibn al\asan al^úsi, the sect's shaykh, in his Ámál quotes one <ádíth narrated by `Ammár ibn Yásir in which the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) is quoted telling `Ali, "Alláh has decorated you in a way that is most dear to Him: through asceticism to the extent that you do not feel deprived of any of this life's pleasures, and none of them feels deprived of you, and He has endowed you with the love for the destitute, making their fellowship welcomed by you, and they welcome you as their Imám; therefore, congratulations to whoever loves you and believes in you, and woe unto whoever hates you and tells lies about you."
36) In his Ámáli, Shaykh al@adúq has also quoted one <ádíth through isnád to `Ali (as) who has said while preaching from Kúfa's pulpit: "O people! The Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) granted me ten attributes that are dearer to me than anything upon which the sun shines: He (pbuh) has said to me: `O `Ali! You are my brother in this life and the life hereafter, and you are the closest to me among all creation on the Day of Resurrection; your residence in Paradise faces mine; you are my heir, the executor of my will after me, faring with both my foes and family; you protect my family on my own behalf during my absence; you are my nation's Imám; you execute justice among my followers; you are my friend, and my friend is the friend of Alláh; your enemy is my enemy, and my enemy is surely the enemy of Alláh.'"
37) In al@adúq's book titled Al-Nu#ú# `ala al-A'Imma, which contains texts relevant to the Imáms, al\asan ibn `Ali (as) is quoted saying: "I have heard the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) say the following to my father: `And you are the inheritor of my knowledge, the substance of my own judgment, and the Imám after me.'"
38) Also in his work containing texts about the Imáms, al@adúq quotes `Umrán ibn \a#ín saying: "I have heard the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) say to `Ali, `You are the Imám and successor after me.'"
39) Also in his same work, al@adúq quotes `Ali (as) citing the Messenger of Alláh (pbuh) saying to him: "O `Ali! You are the wasi over those who have died among my household, and the caliph of those who are alive among my nation."
40) Also in the same reference cited above, al@adúq quotes al\usayn ibn `Ali (as) saying: "When Alláh revealed the verse: `And those who are kin of each other are more worthy of each other in the Book of Alláh,' I asked the Messenger of Alláh to interpret it, and he said: `You are the kin; when I die, your father `Ali is the most worthy of me and my station; when your father dies, your brother al\asan is most worthy of it; and if al\asan dies, then you are most worthy of his station.'"
This is the conclusion of what we wanted to quote in such a hurry. Its ratio to the remainder of the texts is like that of one bouquet to the remainder of all flowers, or the drop of water to the ocean; yet a portion should suffice; praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Wassalam.
Sincerely,
Sh
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[1] This much suffices due to the fact that we have narrated quite a few a<ádíth from sources such as the Commander of the Faithful `Ali ibn Abu ^álib (as), `Abdulláh ibn `Abbás, `Abdulláh ibn Mas`úd, `Abdulláh ibn `Umer, Abu Sa`íd al-Khudri, Abul-Dardá', Abu Hurayrah, Anas ibn Málik, Ma`áth ibn Jabal, quoting various sources, all stating that the Messenger of Alláh, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "Whoever teaches my nation forty a<ádíth related to its faith, Alláh will resurrect him on the Day of Judgment in the company of the faqíhs and the learned." In another wording of the same <ádíth, "Alláh will resurrect him as a learned faqíh." According to Abul-Dardá', the statement reads: "I will include him in my intercession on the Day of Judgment, and he shall be a witness." According to Ibn Mas`úd, "It will be said to him: `Enter Paradise from whichever gate you please.'" According to Ibn `Umer's narration, "... he will be included with the men of knowledge, and be resurrected in the company of martyrs." Suffices us in learning these forty a<ádíth and others included in all our Letters his statement, peace be upon him and his progeny, "Alláh will look after whoever listens to my statement, comprehends it and conveys it just as he heard it." And also his <ádíth: "Let those of you who witness [my Sunnah] convey it to those who are absent."
[2] This <ádíth and the ones before it exist in a chapter containing what has been narrated about the Prophet (pbuh) regarding the Qá'im, and that he is the twelfth in the line of Imams; it is Chapter Twenty-Four of Ikmal ad-Dín wa Itmám al-Ni`mah, pages 149-167.
[3] This <ádíth, together with the four preceding it, is quoted from al-@adúq's Ghayat al-Marám. These are quite lengthy, and we have quoted from them whatever testifies to our argument. As regarding the a<ádíth which succeed it, they are to be found in Chapter 13 of Ghayat al-Marám.