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Imam ar-Ridha’, A Historical and Biographical Research

Biography of the 8th Imam (a), his characteristics, role, activities, works, counsels and select traditions (hadith ).

Author(s): Muhammad Jawad Fadlallah

Translator(s): Yasin T. Al-Jibouri

Table of Contents

Introduction. 7

Notes 9

Preface: Our Belief in Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) 10

Notes 21

Historical Aspect of the Imam's Biography  22

His Distinctions and Characteristics 23

Lineage 23

Birth and Demise 23

His Mother 23

Offspring. 23

Personality and Characteristics 24

Government's Attitude Towards the Imam. 25

His Knowledge 26

Ethical and Humane Conduct 28

His Conduct Regarding His Appearance 31

Clemency and Tolerance 32

Swiftness of Response 34

His Patience and Perseverance 35

Generosity. 36

Equity. 38

Reluctance to Cooperate With the Rulers 40

Notes 43

Imam and the Waqfis 44

Pioneers of Waqfism. 44

Objectives of the Waqfis 44

Imam Denounces Waqfism. 45

Advocates of Waqfism Reveal Their Own Nature 45

Imam Musa Ibn Ja’far (a.s.) Warns the Waqfis 46

Materialistic Objectives of Waqfis 46

Imam Reveals the Real Motives of the Waqfis 47

A Leading Waqfi Confesses 48

Waqfism Spreads and Gains Momentum. 49

Confusion of Some Waqfis 49

Notes 51

Imam and the 'Caliphs' 52

Attempts to Eliminate the Imam. 52

Al-Rashid Moves to Eliminate the Imam. 53

Sincere Attempts 53

Vicious Intentions 54

From the Series of Tragedies 55

Imam During al-Amin's Reign. 55

Imam During al-Ma’mun's Regime 56

Al-Ma’mun's Personality. 56

Al-Ma’mun's Inclination Towards Shi'aism. 56

Differences of Personalities of al-Amin and al-Ma’mun. 58

Al-Rashid Evaluates his Sons 58

Differences of Conduct of Both Brothers 58

Dissension Begins 59

Confused Behavior of al-Rashid Towards His Sons 59

Al-Rashid Divides the State 60

Apprehension of the Public Regarding the Division. 60

Ambition of Some Followers Deepens Division. 60

War is Waged and al-Ma’mun Wins 61

Notes 62

The Regency. 63

Regency Between the Imam and al-Ma’mun. 63

Why the Imam Rejected the Regency. 63

Al-Ma’mun Reveals His Intentions 64

Al-Ma’mun and the Astronomer Nawbakhti 64

Al-Ma’mun's Objective Behind Regency. 65

Forcing the Imam to Accept the Regency. 66

Imam's Awareness of al-Ma’mun's Schemes 67

With Ahmed Amin. 67

Comments 67

Imam's Contempt for the Regency. 68

Political Motives Behind the Regency. 69

Abbasides Defy al-Ma’mun. 71

The Abbasides Treat Caliphate Lightly. 71

Al-Ma’mun Backs Off and Apologizes 72

Doubt in al-Ma’mun's Sincerity. 72

Al-Ma’mun Places the Imam Under Surveillance 72

Al-Ma’mun's Motives Behind Enforcing Surveillance 73

Strictness of Followers of the Imams 73

Naive Analyses of the Regency Issues 74

Queries 74

Al-Ma’mun Was the One Who Suggested It 75

Al-Fadl Could Not Have Suggested It 75

Al-Ma’mun Asserts the Idea Was His 76

Historical Analysis of Its Attribution to al-Fadl 76

Al-Fadl Sows Mischief Between the Imam and al-Ma’mun. 77

Subjective Analysis of the Dialogue 78

Imam Foils al-Fadl's Attempt 78

Al-Ma’mun Calls Imam to Him. 79

Al-Ma’mun Determines Imam's Route 79

Imam in Nishapur 79

Story of the Gold Chain. 80

Imam Continues His Trip to Marw. 80

Imam Preconditions 80

Regency Celebrated. 82

Poems in his Praise 83

An Interesting Anecdote 85

Researching History. 86

Silent Opposition. 87

Eid Prayers 87

Sending Imam Back. 88

Analyzing Imam's Handling of Eid Prayers 88

Some of the Imam's Dawah Methods 89

Notes 90

Imam's Role in Eliminating al-Fadl ibn Sahl 92

Al-Fadl Controls the Government 92

Al-Fadl Tests al-Ma’mun's Attitude Towards Him. 92

Ambiguity of al-Ma’mun's Handling of al-Fadl 93

Elimination of Harthama 93

Al-Fadl Incites About Harthama 93

Analysis of Harthama's Stance 94

Leaders Move to Eliminate al-Fadl 94

Imam as Savior 94

Al-Ma’mun is Convinced of the Gravity of the Situation. 96

Al-Fadl Seeks Revenge Against Instigators 96

Al-Ma’mun Pretends to be a Star Gazer 96

Imam Refuses to Go to the Bath-House and Gives a Warning. 97

Al-Fadl is Murdered. 97

Assasins are Close Friends of al-Ma’mun. 97

Imam's Motives for Causing the Elimination of al-Fadl 98

Notes 100

The Tragic Ending. 101

Simplistic Justification of al-Ma’mun's Situation. 102

How the Imam Was Murdered. 102

Imam is Eulogized. 103

Notes 108

Imam and Alawide Revolts 109

Alawide Uprisings 109

Zayd and al-Ma’mun. 110

Imam Rebukes His Brother Zayd. 110

Imam's View of the Alawide Revolutionary Method. 110

Imam's Stance Towards Abul-Saraya's Revolution. 111

Why Did the Imam Refuse to Participate in the Revolution? 111

Why Did the Imam Decline From Demanding Caliphate? 111

Lack of a Popular Front of Confrontation. 112

Imam's Main Responsibility was Disseminating Awareness 112

Governments' Persecution of Imams 112

Imams' Support of Alawide Revolutions 113

Notes 114

Intellectual aspects of the Imam's life 116

His Works 117

Ibn Khaldun Doubts Imams' Knowledge 117

Imams and the Persecution of Rulers 117

Al-Fiqh al-Radawi 118

How the Book Appeared. 118

Doubting the Accuracy of Rendering it to the Imam. 119

Views of Some Scholars About the Book. 120

Al-Risala al-Dahabiyya fil Tibb. 120

Dissertation Was Authored by the Imam. 121

Al-Ma’mun Evaluated Dissertation. 121

Al-Ma’mun Asked the Imam to Write It 122

Commentaries on the Dissertation. 123

Sahifat ar-Ridha’ 124

Al-Saheefa's Musnads 124

Mahd al-Islam. 124

Doubting Its Attribution To The Imam. 124

Ajwibat Masail Ibn Sinan. 125

'Ilal Ibn Shathan. 125

Summary. 125

Notes 127

Altercations 128

Al-Nawfali Warns the Imam. 128

Imam's Debate With the Sabian. 130

Debating al-Maroozi 131

Imam Proves Badaa 132

Eternity Versus Transience of the Will 132

Al-Maroozi's Argumentativeness 132

Imam's Style in Debating. 133

Al-Ma’mun Rebukes al-Maroozi for Fumbling About 133

Imam Debates Ali ibn al-Jahm. 134

Interpreting the Holy Qur'an According to One's Opinion. 134

Interpreting Verses Whose Superficial Meaning Suggests Prophet's Fallibility  134

An Artificial Argument 135

Notes 137

Basic Beliefs 138

Misconception of the Similitude of God to His Creation. 138

God's Attributes are His Own Essence 139

Belief in Plurality of the Essence and Attributes is Shirk. 139

The Difference Between God's Will and People's 140

Seeing God. 141

Compulsion and Empowerment 142

Notes 143

The Approach Adopted by Ahl al-Bayt 144

Empowerment 144

Imam Warns 144

Imams Did Not Endorse Making Similitudes With God. 145

Transmigration of Souls 145

Imamate 146

Imam's Qualifications 146

Selection of the Imam is Done by God. 146

An Imam's Attributes 147

Indications of Imamate 148

Notes 149

Exegesis 150

Exegesis (Tafsir) According to the Ahl al-Bayt 150

An Exegesis Phenomenon Regarding Ahl al-Bayt 150

Exegesis of Imam ar-Ridha’ 150

The Holy Qur'an and the Infallibility of the Prophets 152

Adam. 152

Ibrahim, the Friend of God. 153

Messengers and Despair 154

God's "Hand" is His Might 154

Notes 156

Shari'a (Islamic Legislative System) 157

Their Hadith is Muhkam and Mutashabih. 157

Justifying the Mutashabih in the Qur'an. 157

Justifying the Mutashabih in the Hadith. 158

Genuineness of the Creed of Ahl al-Bayt 158

Independence of the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.) From Qiyas and Others 158

Imam ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)'s Hadith Regarding Legislation  160

His Hadith Regarding Causations 160

Our View Regarding Causes 160

Questioning the Causes is Human Nature 160

Imam's Answers are Harmonious With the Nature of Legislation. 160

Select Hadith of the Imam. 164

His Morals and Counsels 174

Notes 180

Supplement: Regency Document 181

Notes 186

Introduction

Imam Abul-Hasan II, Ali ibn Musa ar-Ridha’, is the eighth in the series of the Imams from the Household of the Prophet in whose personalities all the standards of greatness have been personified; so, they became its most magnificent example and most genuine fountainhead.

His life was characterized by a somber tragic stamp from its grievous beginning till its painful end. Bitterness seldom parted from his soul during the periods he lived, i.e. the reign of Harun al-Rashid and the beginning of the regime of al-Ma’mun, the latter's son.

At the outset of his life, he witnessed the norms of trials and tribulations which filled the life of his father Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.)1 , the patient Imam whose mere existence was the cause of worry for the ruling government and the source of its suspicious doubts despite his peaceful stance, distancing himself from any causes for a direct confrontation therewith.

The Abbaside caliph al-Mahdi III ordered the Imam (a.s.) to go to Baghdad so that the caliph would secure from him promises and pledges that he would not oppose his authority or mobilize a revolution against him to put an end to his regime, and the Imam (a.s.) did not go back home till al-Mahdi joined his Lord and his shoulders bent by the load of the regime's sins and immoral actions to be succeeded by al-Hadi.

The latter tried to put an end to the life of the Imam, but he did not live long enough, so al-Rashid acceded to the throne, thus the parching flames of the tragedy started incinerating the existence of the Alawis headed by Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.), and the dungeons of Baghdad, Basrah, Wasit and other cities could not limit the regime's passion for seeking revenge against its opponents.

Its antagonistic attitudes caused it to invent norms of revenge worse than what those dungeons could provide, such that humanity shudders from. Instructions issued by the government required the builders to fill the hollow building cylinders and columns with the still alive bodies of the elite among Alawi youths and non-Alawi sympathizers and to cause them to die thus out of suffocation.

This ugly method of eliminating the government's opponents was not something invented by al-Rashid, but it was a continuation of a custom started by al-Mansour to seek revenge against some Alawi youths as history tells us.2

Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) received the lion's share of the atrocities suffered by the Alawis during that period of time. Al-Rashid imprisoned him due to his being the top Alawi leader, subjecting him to extreme pressures at his horrible dungeons for fourteen years according to some accounts till he became tired of thinking of methods and means of inflicting pain on him; therefore, he ordered al-Sindi ibn Shahik, through his minister Yahya ibn Khalid, who was in charge of the last prison in which the Imam was imprisoned, to poison him and rid him of the presence of one who robbed him of his tranquility and peace of mind. Meanwhile, the Imam (a.s.) was painfully and bitterly watching closely the bloody events which consumed many of his own family and kin.

He was destined to relive the tragedy through which his father had lived from its beginning to the end without being able to decrease its intensity, for he was powerless to do so. Maybe he even awaited the same fate at the hands of the ruling gang, for the dispute was one of a conflict of principles between the rulers on one hand and the Alawis on the other; it was not a personality conflict.

After the martyrdom of his father and the perishing of al-Rashid, then the ending of the days of al-Amin in the way they ended, and al-Ma’mun receiving the reins of government, the winds of yet another tragedy of a different type started blowing at the Imam (a.s.). It was a tragedy the Imam (a.s.) lived with extreme bitterness.

Al-Ma’mun, due to certain political reasons which we will discuss separately in this research, decided to use the Imam (a.s.) as a bargaining chip between him and the Abbasides in Baghdad on one hand, and between him and the Alawis on the other, and also between him and the Shi'as of Khurasan as well.

The ploy of relinquishing the throne was foiled when the Imam (a.s.) refused to accede to it. Then he was forced to play a role in the masquerade of the succession to the throne. We are here concerned about dispelling some of the ambiguity which shrouded it, the ambiguity which dragged many researchers into a helter-skelter situation the results of which became obscured from their superficial sight the scope of which did not exceed the skimming of the surface, nor did they take the trouble to delve deeply into the depths of their research.

It is worth mentioning here that when the Imam (a.s.) refused to accept the caliphate from the abdicating caliph, al-Ma’mun, or to take charge of the post of heir to the throne, he had no reason except his own awareness of the real depth of the goal al-Ma’mun anticipated to achieve by his plan, and that the desire to abdicate was not genuine enough to be taken seriously; rather, it was a political maneuver whereby al-Ma’mun desired to perfect his game during a particular period of time, a game which was dictated by political circumstances posing serious threats to his seat of government. It was a situation on which the very destiny of al-Ma’mun depended.

The expected finale was thereafter enacted when al-Ma’mun completed his acting part, which he had rehearsed beforehand, perfecting the playing of his intricate role in such dexterity and skill which secured a period of tranquility for his regime, something which he could not have otherwise achieved had he not done so, as we will discuss later in this research.

In addition to the above, we shall attempt to deal with the comprehensive aspects of the life of the Imam (a.s.) so that the picture becomes clear to us when we wish to review the life of a great Imam such as Imam ar-Ridha’ (a.s.).

Muhammad Jawad Fadlallah

Notes

1. Acronyms of Alaihis Salam (peace be upon him).

2. Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 4, p. 375. He said: 'Al-Mansour Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn al-Hasan was brought in, and he was the most handsome man people ever saw. He asked him, `Are you the one nicknamed the yellow silk?' He answered, `Yes.' He said, `I shall certainly kill you in a manner which I have not employed to anyone else,' then he ordered him to be placed in a cylinder and it was built up on him while he was still alive; thus, he died inside it." Maqatil al-Talibiyyin, p. 136, indicates likewise.

Preface: Concerning the Chain of Authorities of the Sahifa

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

1. حَدَّثَنَا السَّيِّدُ الْأَجَلُّ ، نَجْمُ الدِّينِ ، بَهَاءُ الشَّرَفِ ، أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْعَلَوِيٌّ الْحُسَيْنِيٌّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ .

2. قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا الشَّيْخُ السَّعِيدُ ، أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ شَهْرَيَارَ ، الْخَازِنُ لِخِزَانَةِ مَوْلَانَا أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي شَهْرِ رَبِيعٍ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْ سَنَةِ سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ وَ خَمْسِمِائَةٍ قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَ أَنَا أَسْمَعُ .

3. قَالَ سَمِعْتُهَا عَنِ الشَّيْخِ الصَّدُوقِ ، أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ الْعُكْبَرِيِّ الْمُعَدِّلِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْ أَبِي الْمُفَضَّلِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُطَّلِبِ الشَّيْبَانِيِّ

4. قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الشَّرِيفُ ، أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ

5. قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ خَطَّابٍ الزَّيَّاتُ سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ وَ سِتِّينَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ

6. قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي خَالِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ الْأَعْلَمُ

7.قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَيْرُ بْنُ مُتَوَكِّلٍ الثَّقَفِيُّ الْبَلْخِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُتَوَكِّلِ بْنِ هَارُونَ.

8. قَالَ لَقِيتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ هُوَ مُتَوَجِّهٌ إِلَى خُرَاسَانَ بَعْدَ قَتْلِ أَبِيهِ فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ

9. فَقَالَ لِي مِنْ أَيْنَ أَقْبَلْتَ قُلْتُ مِنَ الْحَجِّ

10. فَسَأَلَنِي عَنْ أَهْلِهِ وَ بَنِي عَمِّهِ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَ أَحْفَى السُّؤَالَ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَأخْبَرْتُهُ بِخَبَرِهِ وَ خَبَرِهِمْ وَ حُزْنِهِمْ عَلَى أَبِيهِ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ

11. فَقَالَ لِي قَدْ كَانَ عَمِّي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَشَارَ عَلَى أَبِي بِتَرْكِ الْخُرُوجِ وَ عَرَّفَهُ إِنْ هُوَ خَرَجَ وَ فَارَقَ الْمَدِينَةَ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَيْهِ مَصيرُ أَمْرِهِ فَهَلْ لَقِيتَ ابْنَ عَمِّي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ .

12. قَالَ فَهَلْ سَمِعْتَهُ يَذْكُرُ شَيْئاً مِنْ أَمْرِي قُلْتُ نَعَمْ .

13. قَالَ بِمَ ذَكَرَنِي خَبِّرْنِي ، قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ أَسْتَقْبِلَكَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ .

14. فَقَالَ أَ بِالْمَوْتِ تُخَوِّفُنِي هَاتِ مَا سَمِعْتَهُ ، فَقُلْتُ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّكَ تُقْتَلُ وَ تُصْلَبُ كَمَا قُتِلَ أَبُوكَ وَ صُلِبَ

15. فَتَغَيَّرَ وَجْهُهُ وَ قَالَ يَمْحُوا اللَّهُ ما يَشاءُ وَ يُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتابِ ، يَا مُتَوَكِّلُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَيَّدَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ بِنَا وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا الْعِلْمَ وَ السَّيْفَ فَجُمِعَا لَنَا وَ خُصَّ بَنُو عَمِّنَا بِالْعِلْمِ وَحْدَهُ .

16. فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاءَكَ إِنِّي رَأَيْتُ النَّاسَ إِلَى ابْنِ عَمِّكَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَمْيَلَ مِنْهُمْ إِلَيْكَ وَ إِلَى أَبِيكَ

17. فَقَالَ إِنَّ عَمِّي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَ ابْنَهُ جَعْفَراً عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ دَعَوَا النَّاسَ إِلَى الْحَيَاةِ وَ نَحْنُ دَعَوْنَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمَوْتِ

18. فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَ هُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمْ أَنْتُمْ فَأَطْرَقَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ مَلِيّاً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَ قَالَ كُلُّنَا لَهُ عِلْمٌ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ كُلَّ مَا نَعْلَمُ ، وَ لا نَعْلَمُ كُلَّ مَا يَعْلَمُونَ

19. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي أَ كَتَبْتَ مِنِ ابْنِ عَمِّي شَيْئاً قُلْتُ نَعَمْ

20. قَالَ أَرِنِيهِ فَأَخْرَجْتُ إِلَيْهِ وُجُوهاً مِنَ الْعِلْمِ وَ أَخْرَجْتُ لَهُ دُعَاءً أَمْلَاهُ عَلَيَّ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ حَدَّثَنِي أَنَّ أَبَاهُ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ أَمْلَاهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ دُعَاءِ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ مِنْ دُعَاءِ الصَّحِيفَةِ الْكَامِلَةِ

21. فَنَظَرَ فِيهِ يَحْيَى حَتَّى أَتَى عَلَى آخِرِهِ ، وَ قَالَ لِي أَ تَأْذَنُ فِي نَسْخِهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَ تَسْتَأْذِنُ فِيمَا هُوَ عَنْكُمْ

22. فَقَالَ أَمَا لَأُخْرِجَنَّ إِلَيْكَ صَحِيفَةً مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ الْكَامِلِ مِمَّا حَفِظَهُ أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ إِنَّ أَبِي أَوْصَانِي بِصَوْنِهَا وَ مَنْعِهَا غَيْرَ أَهْلِهَا .

23. قَالَ عُمَيْرٌ قَالَ أَبِي فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقَبَّلْتُ رَأْسَهُ ، وَ قُلْتُ لَهُ وَ اللَّهِ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَدِينُ اللَّهَ بِحُبِّكُمْ وَ طَاعَتِكُمْ ، وَ إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ يُسْعِدَنِي فِي حَيَاتِي وَ مَمَاتِي بِوَلَايَتِكُمْ

24. فَرَمَى صَحِيفَتِيَ الَّتِي دَفَعْتُهَا إِلَيْهِ إِلَى غُلَامٍ كَانَ مَعَهُ وَ قَالَ اكْتُبْ هَذَا الدُّعَاءَ بِخَطٍّ بَيِّنٍ حَسَنٍ وَ اعْرِضْهُ عَلَيَّ لَعَلِّي أَحْفَظُهُ فَإِنِّي كُنْتُ أَطْلُبُهُ مِنْ جَعْفَرٍ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ فَيَمْنَعُنِيهِ .

25. قَالَ مُتَوَكِّلٌ فَنَدِمْتُ عَلَى مَا فَعَلْتُ وَ لَمْ أَدْرِ مَا أَصْنَعُ ، وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ تَقَدَّمَ إِلَيَّ أَلَّا أَدْفَعَهُ إِلَى أَحَدٍ .

26. ثُمَّ دَعَا بِعَيْبَةٍ فَاسْتَخْرَجَ مِنْهَا صَحِيفَةً مُقْفَلَةً مَخْتُومَةً فَنَظَرَ إِلَى الْخَاتَمِ وَ قَبَّلَهُ وَ بَكَى ، ثُمَّ فَضَّهُ وَ فَتَحَ الْقُفْلَ ، ثُمَّ نَشَرَ الصَّحِيفَةَ وَ وَضَعَهَا عَلَى عَيْنِهِ وَ أَمَرَّهَا عَلَى وَجْهِهِ .

27. وَ قَالَ وَ اللَّهِ يَا مُتَوَكِّلُ لَوْ لَا مَا ذَكَرْتَ مِنْ قَوْلِ ابْنِ عَمِّي إِنَّنِي أُقْتَلُ وَ أُصْلَبُ لَمَا دَفَعْتُهَا إِلَيْكَ وَ لَكُنْتُ بِهَا ضَنِيناً .

28. وَ لَكِنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَوْلَهُ حَقٌّ أَخَذَهُ عَنْ آبَائِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ سَيَصِحُّ فَخِفْتُ أَنْ يَقَعَ مِثْلُ هَذَا الْعِلْمِ إِلَى بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ فَيَكْتُمُوهُ وَ يَدَّخِرُوهُ فِي خَزَائِنِهِمْ لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ .

29. فَاقْبِضْهَا وَ اكْفِنِيهَا وَ تَرَبَّصْ بِهَا فَإِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرِي وَ أَمْرِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْقَوْمِ مَا هُوَ قَاضٍ فَهِيَ أَمَانَةٌ لِي عِنْدَكَ حَتَّى تُوصِلَهَا إِلَى ابْنَيْ عَمِّي مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ابْنَيْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ فَإِنَّهُمَا الْقَائِمَانِ فِي هَذَا الْأَمْرِ بَعْدِي .

30. قَالَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ فَقَبَضْتُ الصَّحِيفَةَ فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ يَحْيَى بْنُ زَيْدٍ صِرْتُ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَلَقِيتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ يَحْيَى ، فَبَكَى وَ اشْتَدَّ وَجْدُهُ بِهِ

31. وَ قَالَ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ ابْنَ عَمِّي وَ أَلْحَقَهُ بِآبَائِهِ وَ أَجْدَادِهِ .

32. وَ اللَّهِ يَا مُتَوَكِّلُ مَا مَنَعَنِي مِنْ دَفْعِ الدُّعَاءِ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا الَّذِي خَافَهُ عَلَى صَحِيفَةِ أَبِيهِ ، وَ أَيْنَ الصَّحِيفَةُ فَقُلْتُ هَا هِيَ ، فَفَتَحَهَا وَ قَالَ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ خَطُّ عَمِّي زَيْدٍ وَ دُعَاءُ جَدِّي عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ

33. ثُمَّ قَالَ لِابْنِهِ قُمْ يَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ فَأْتِنِي بِالدُّعَاءِ الَّذِي أَمَرْتُكَ بِحِفْظِهِ وَ صَوْنِهِ ، فَقَامَ إِسْمَاعِيلُ فَأَخْرَجَ صَحِيفَةً كَأَنَّهَا الصَّحِيفَةُ الَّتِي دَفَعَهَا إلَيَّ يَحْيَى بْنُ زَيْدٍ

34. فَقَبَّلَهَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ وَضَعَهَا عَلَى عَيْنِهِ وَ قَالَ هَذَا خَطُّ أَبِي وَ إِمْلَاءُ جَدِّي عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ بِمَشْهَدٍ مِنِّي .

35. فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ أَعْرِضَهَا مَعَ صَحِيفَةِ زَيْدٍ وَ يَحْيَى فَأَذِنَ لِي فِي ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ قَدْ رَأَيْتُكَ لِذَلِكَ أَهْلًا

36. فَنَظَرْتُ وَ إِذَا هُمَا أَمْرٌ وَاحِدٌ وَ لَمْ أَجِدْ حَرْفاً مِنْها يُخَالِفُ مَا فِي الصَّحِيفَةِ الْأُخْرَى

37. ثُمَّ اسْتَأْذَنْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي دَفْعِ الصَّحِيفَةِ إِلَى ابْنَيْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ ، فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها ، نَعَمْ فَادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِمَا .

38. فَلَمَّا نَهَضْتُ لِلِقَائِهِمَا قَالَ لِي مَكَانَكَ .

39. ثُمَّ وَجَّهَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَجَاءَا فَقَالَ هَذَا مِيرَاثُ ابْنِ عَمِّكُمَا يَحْيَى مِنْ أَبِيهِ قَدْ خَصَّكُمْ بِهِ دُونَ إِخْوَتِهِ وَ نَحْنُ مُشْتَرِطُونَ عَلَيْكُمَا فِيهِ شَرْطاً .

40. فَقَالَا رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ قُلْ فَقَوْلُكَ الْمَقْبُولُ

41. فَقَالَ لا تَخْرُجَا بِهَذِهِ الصَّحِيفَةِ مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ

42. قَالَا وَ لِمَ ذَاكَ

43. قَالَ إِنَّ ابْنَ عَمِّكُمَا خَافَ عَلَيْهَا أَمْراً أَخَافُهُ أَنَا عَلَيْكُمَا .

44. قَالَا إِنَّمَا خَافَ عَلَيْهَا حِينَ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ يُقْتَلُ .

45. فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ أَنْتُمَا فَلَا تَأْمَنَّا فَوَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَعْلَمُ أَنَّكُمَا سَتَخْرُجَانِ كَمَا خَرَجَ ، وَ سَتُقْتَلَانِ كَمَا قُتِلَ .

46. فَقَامَا وَ هُمَا يَقُولَانِ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ .

47. فَلَمَّا خَرَجَا قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَا مُتَوَكِّلُ كَيْفَ قَالَ لَكَ يَحْيَى إِنَّ عَمِّي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَ ابْنَهُ جَعْفَراً دَعَوَا النَّاسَ إِلَى الْحَيَاةِ وَ دَعَوْنَاهُمْ إِلَى الْمَوْتِ

48. قُلْتُ نَعَمْ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ قَدْ قَالَ لِيَ ابْنُ عَمِّكَ يَحْيَى ذَلِكَ

 49. فَقَالَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ يَحْيَى ، إِنَّ أَبِي حَدَّثَنِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ أَخَذَتْهُ نَعْسَةٌ وَ هُوَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ .

50. فَرَأَى فِي مَنَامِهِ رِجَالًا يَنْزُونَ عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ نَزْوَ الْقِرَدَةِ يَرُدُّونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمُ الْقَهْقَرَى

51. فَاسْتَوَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ جَالِساً وَ الْحُزْنُ يُعْرَفُ فِي وَجْهِهِ .

52. فَأَتَاهُ جِبْرِيلُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ : { وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الرُّؤْيَا الَّتِي أَرَيْناكَ إِلَّا فِتْنَةً لِلنَّاسِ وَ الشَّجَرَةَ الْمَلْعُونَةَ فِي الْقُرْآنِ وَ نُخَوِّفُهُمْ فَما يَزِيدُهُمْ إِلَّا طُغْياناً كَبِيراً } يَعْنِي بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ .

53. قَالَ يَا جِبْرِيلُ أَ عَلَى عَهْدِي يَكُونُونَ وَ فِي زَمَنِي

54. قَالَ لَا ، وَ لَكِنْ تَدُورُ رَحَى الْإِسْلَامِ مِنْ مُهَاجَرِكَ فَتَلْبَثُ بِذَلِكَ عَشْراً ، ثُمَّ تَدُورُ رَحَى الْإِسْلامِ عَلَى رَأْسِ خَمْسَةٍ وَ ثَلَاثِينَ مِنْ مُهَاجَرِكَ فَتَلْبَثُ بِذَلِكَ خَمْساً ، ثُمَّ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ رَحَى ضَلَالَةٍ هِيَ قَائِمَةٌ عَلَى قُطْبِهَا ، ثُمَّ مُلْكُ الْفَرَاعِنَةِ

55. قَالَ وَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ : { إِنَّا أَنْزَلْناهُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ، وَ ما أَدْراكَ ما لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ ، لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ } تَمْلِكُهَا بَنُو أُمَيَّةَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا لَيْلَةُ الْقَدْرِ .

56. قَالَ فَأَطْلَعَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ نَبِيَّهُ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ تَمْلِكُ سُلْطَانَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ مُلْكَهَا طُولَ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ

57. فَلَوْ طَاوَلَتْهُمُ الْجِبَالُ لَطَالُوا عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِزَوَالِ مُلْكِهِمْ ، وَ هُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ يَسْتَشْعِرُونَ عَدَاوَتَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ بُغْضَنَا .

 58. أَخْبَرَ اللَّهُ نَبِيَّهُ بِمَا يَلْقَى أَهْلُ بَيْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ أَهْلُ مَوَدَّتِهِمْ وَ شِيعَتُهُمْ مِنْهُمْ فِي أَيَّامِهِمْ وَ مُلْكِهِمْ .

59. قَالَ وَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِمْ : { أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ كُفْراً وَ أَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دارَ الْبَوارِ جَهَنَّمَ يَصْلَوْنَها وَ بِئْسَ الْقَرارُ } .

60. وَ نِعْمَةُ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٌ وَ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ ، حُبُّهُمْ إِيمَانٌ يُدْخِلُ الْجَنَّةَ ، وَ بُغْضُهُمْ كُفْرٌ وَ نِفَاقٌ يُدْخِلُ النَّارَ

61. فَأَسَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ ذَلِكَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ .

62. قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مَا خَرَجَ وَ لَا يَخْرُجُ مِنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَى قِيَامِ قَائِمِنَا أَحَدٌ لِيَدْفَعَ ظُلْماً أَوْ يَنْعَشَ حَقّاً إلَّا اصْطَلَمَتْهُ الْبَلِيَّةُ ، وَ كَانَ قِيَامُهُ زِيَادَةً فِي مَكْرُوهِنَا وَ شِيعَتِنَا .

63. قَالَ الْمُتَوَكِّلُ بْنُ هَارُونَ ثُمَّ أَمْلَى عَلَيَّ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ الْأَدْعِيَةَ وَ هِيَ خَمْسَةٌ وَ سَبْعُونَ بَاباً ، سَقَطَ عَنِّي مِنْهَا أَحَدَ عَشَرَ بَاباً ، وَ حَفِظْتُ مِنْهَا نَيِّفاً وَ سِتِّينَ بَاباً .

64. وَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُفَضَّلِ قَالَ وَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رُوزْبِهَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْمَدَائِنِيُّ الْكَاتِبُ نَزِيلُ الرَّحْبَةِ فِي دَارِهِ

65. قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ الْمُطَهَّرِيُّ

66. قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ عُمَيْرِ بْنِ مُتَوَكِّلٍ الْبَلْخِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ بْنِ هَارُونَ

67. قَالَ لَقِيتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ زَيْدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ بِتَمَامِهِ إِلَى رُؤْيَا النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ الَّتِي ذَكَرَهَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ صَلَواتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ

68. وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ الْمُطَهَّرِيِّ ذِكْرُ الْأَبْوَابِ وَ هِيَ :

التَّحْمِيدُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ .

الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ

الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ

الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى مُصَدِّقِي الرُّسُلِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَ خَاصَّتِهِ

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ الصَّبَاحِ وَ الْمَسَاءِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الْمُهِمَّاتِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِعَاذَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاشْتِيَاقِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي اللَّجَإِ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى

دُعَاؤُهُ بِخَوَاتِمِ الْخَيْرِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاعْتِرَافِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي طَلَبِ الْحَوَائِجِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الظُّلَامَاتِ

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ الْمَرَضِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِقَالَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ عَلَى الشَّيْطَانِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الْمَحْذُورَاتِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِسْقَاءِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي مَكَارِمِ الْأَخْلَاقِ

دُعَاؤُهُ إِذَا حَزَنَهُ أَمْرٌ .

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ الشِّدَّةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ بِالْعَافِيَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ لِأَبَوَيْهِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ لِوُلْدِهِ

دُعَاؤُهُ لِجِيرَانِهِ وَ أَوْلِيَائِهِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ لِأَهْلِ الثُّغُورِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي التَّفَزُّعِ

دُعَاؤُهُ إِذَا قُتِّرَ عَلَيْهِ الرِّزْقُ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الْمَعُونَةِ عَلَى قَضَاءِ الدَّيْنِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ بِالتَّوْبَةِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي صَلَاةِ اللَّيْلِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاسْتِخَارَةِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ إِذَا ابْتُلِيَ أَوْ رَأَى مُبْتَلًى بِفَضِيحَةٍ بِذَنْبٍ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الرِّضَا بِالْقَضَاءِ

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ سَمَاعِ الرَّعْدِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الشُّكْرِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الِاعْتِذَارِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي طَلَبِ الْعَفْوِ .

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي طَلَبِ السَّتْرِ وَ الْوِقَايَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ عِنْدَ خَتْمِهِ الْقُرْآنَ

دُعَاؤُهُ إِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى الْهِلَالِ

دُعَاؤُهُ لِدُخُوْلِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

دُعَاؤُهُ لِوَدَاعِ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي عِيدِ الْفِطْرِ وَ الْجُمُعَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي يَوْمِ عَرَفَةَ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَضْحَى وَ الْجُمُعَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي دَفْعِ كَيْدِ الْأَعْدَاءِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الرَّهْبَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي التَّضَرُّعِ وَ الِاسْتِكَانَةِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي الْإِلْحَاحِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي التَّذَلُّلِ

دُعَاؤُهُ فِي اسْتِكْشَافِ الْهُمُومِ .

69. وَ بَاقِي الْأَبْوَابِ بِلَفْظِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَسَنِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ :

70. حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَسَنِيُّ

71. قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ خَطَّابٍ الزَّيَّاتُ

72. قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي خَالِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ النُّعْمَانِ الْأَعْلَمُ

73. قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُمَيْرُ بْنُ مُتَوَكِّلٍ الثَّقَفِيُّ الْبَلْخِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُتَوَكِّلِ بْنِ هَارُونَ

قَالَ أَمْلَى عَلَيَّ سَيِّدِي الصَّادِقُ ، أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ

قَالَ أَمْلَى جَدِّي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ السَّلَامُ بِمَشْهَدٍ مِنِّي .

1-The greatest sayyid, Najm al-Din Baha' al-Sharaf Abu l-Hasan Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn Muhammad ibn 'Umar ibn Yahya al-'Alawi al-Hasani1 (God have mercy upon him) related to us:2

2-He said: The felicitous shaykh, Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Shahriyar3 , the treasurer of the treasure-house of our master, the Commander of the Faithful, 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (upon him be peace) told us in the month of Rabi' I in the year 516 [May-June 1122 CE] while [the Sahifa] was being read before him and I was listening.

3-He said: I heard it [being read] before the truthful shaykh Abu Mansur Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz al-'Ukbari the Just4 (God have mercy upon him) by Abu l-Mufaddal Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn al-Muttalib al-Shaybani.5

4-He said: Al-Sharif Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Ja'far ibn al-Hasan ibn Ja'far ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali ibn Abi Talib6 (upon them be peace) related to us.

5-He said: 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar ibn Khattab al-Zayyat7 related to us in the year 265 [878-9].

6-He said: My maternal uncle 'Ali ibn al-Nu'man al-A'lam8 related to me.

7-He said: 'Umayr ibn Mutawakkil al-Thaqafi al-Balkhi related to us from his father Mutawakkil ibn Harun.9

8-He said: I met Yahya ibn Zayd ibn 'Ali (upon him be peace) when he was going to Khurasan after his father was slain and I greeted him.10

9-He said to me: From whence are you coming? I said: From the hajj.

10-He asked me about his household and the sons of his paternal uncle in Medina and he pressed me urgently about [Imam] Ja'far ibn Muhammad (upon him be peace), so I gave him news of him and of them and of their sorrow over his father Zayd ibn 'Ali (upon him be peace).

11-He said to me: My paternal uncle [Imam] Muhammad [al-Baqir] ibn 'Ali (upon him be peace) advised my father not to revolt and he let him know what would be the outcome of his affair if he revolted and left Medina. Have you met the son of my paternal uncle, Ja'far ibn Muhammad (upon him be peace)?

I said: Yes.

12-He said: Did you hear him mention anything about my affair?

I said: Yes.

13-He said: What did he say about me? Tell me!

I said: May I be made your sacrifice! I do not want to confront you with what I heard from him.

14-So he said: Will you frighten me with death? Tell me what you heard!

I said: I heard him saying that you would be slain and crucified as your father was slain and crucified.

15-His face changed colour and he said: God erases whatsoever He will, and He establishes, and with Him is the Mother of the Book!11 O Mutawakkil! God has supported this affair through us and appointed for us knowledge and the sword. These two are combined in us, while the sons of our paternal uncle have been singled out only for knowledge.

16-I said: May I be made your sacrifice! Surely I see people inclining more to the son of your paternal uncle, Ja'far (upon him be peace) than to you and your father.

17-He said: Surely my paternal uncle Muhammad ibn 'Ali and his son Ja'far (upon them both be peace) summon people to life, but we summon them to death.

18-I said: O son of the Messenger of God! Have they more knowledge, or have you?

19-He looked toward the ground for a time. Then he lifted his head and said: All of us have knowledge, but they know everything we know, and we do not know everything they know. Then he said to me: Have you written anything from the son of my paternal uncle?

I said: Yes.

20-He said: Show it to me. So I brought out various kinds of knowledge, and I brought out for him a supplication which had been dictated to me by Abu 'Abd Allah (upon him be peace). He had related to me that his father, Muhammad ibn 'All (upon them both be peace) had dictated it to him and had told him that it was one of the supplications of his father, 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (upon them both be peace), from Al-Sahifat al-Kamila.12

21-Yahya looked at it until he came to its end. He said to me: Will you permit me to copy it?

I said: O son of the Messenger of God! Do you ask permission for that which belongs to all of you?

22-He said: Truly I will bring out for you a sahifa with the Perfect Supplications, which my father had in safekeeping from his father. My father counselled me to safeguard it and to withhold it from those unworthy of it.

23-'Umayr said: My father [Mutawakkil] said: So I stood up before him, kissed him on the head, and said to him: By God, O son of the Messenger of God! I profess the religion of God through love for you and obedience toward you! I hope that He will favour me in my life and my death with your friendship.

24-So he tossed the page of mine which I had given to him to a servant who was with him and said: Write this supplication with a beautiful, clear script, and give it to me. Perhaps I will memorize it, for I had been seeking it from Ja'far (God safeguard him) and he withheld it from me.

25-Mutawakkil said: So I regretted what I had done and did not know what I should do. Abu 'Abd Allah had not ordered me not to hand it over to anyone.

26-Then he called for a box and brought out from it a sahifa locked and sealed.13 He looked at the seal, kissed it, and wept. Then he broke it and undid the lock. He opened the sahifa, placed it upon his eyes, and passed it across his face.

27-He said: By God, O Mutawakkil, were it not for the words you mentioned from the son of my paternal uncle - that I will be slain and crucified - I would not hand this over to you and would be niggardly with it.

28-But I know that his word is the truth which he has taken from his fathers and that it will be verified. So I fear lest knowledge like this fall to the Umayyads and they hide it and store it in their treasuries for themselves.

29-So take it, guard it for me, and wait with it. Then, when God has accomplished in my affair and the affair of those people what He will accomplish, it will be a trust from me with you to be taken to the sons of my paternal uncle, Muhammad and Ibrahim,14 the two sons of 'Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn Ali (upon the [last] two of them be peace). They will undertake this affair after me.

30-Mutawakkil said: So I took the Sahifa. when Yahya ibn Zayd was slain, I went to Medina and met [Imam] Abu 'Abd Allah [Ja'far al-Sadiq] (upon him be peace). I related to him the news of Yahya. He wept and his feeling for him was intense.

31-He said: God have mercy on the son of my paternal uncle and join him to his fathers and grandfathers!

32-By God, O Mutawakkil, the only thing that prevented me from handing the supplication over to him was what he feared for the Sahifa of his father. Where is the Sahifa? I said: Here it is. He opened it and said:

This, by God, is the handwriting of my paternal uncle Zayd and the supplications of my grandfather 'Ali ibn al-Husayn (upon both of them be peace).

33-Then he said to his son: Stand up, O Isma'il,15 and bring out the supplications which I commanded you to memorize and safeguard!

34-So Isma'il stood up, and he brought out a Sahifa just like the Sahifa which Yahya ibn Zayd had handed over to me. Abu 'Abd Allah kissed it and placed it upon his eyes. He said: This is the handwriting of my father and the dictation of my grandfather (upon both of them be peace), while I was a witness.

35-I said: O son of the Messenger of God! Would it be proper for me to compare it to the Sahifa of Zayd and Yahya?

He gave me permission to do that and said: I consider you worthy of that.

36-I looked, and I found the two to be a single thing. I did not find a single letter to differ from what was in the other Sahifa.

37-Then I asked permission from Abu 'Abd Allah to hand over the Sahifa to the two sons of 'Abd Allah ibn al-Hasan.

He said: God commands you to deliver trusts back to their owners.16 Yes, hand it over to them.

38-When I rose to go and meet them, he said to me: Stay in your place.

39-Then he sent for Muhammad and Ibrahim, and they came. He said: This is the inheritance of the son of your paternal uncle, Yahya, from his father. He has singled you out for it instead of his own brothers. But we place upon you a condition concerning it.

40-They said: God have mercy upon you! Tell us, for your word is accepted.

41-He said: Leave not Medina with this Sahifa!

42-They said: And why is that?

43-He said: The son of your paternal uncle feared for it what I fear for you.

44-They said: He only feared for it when he came to know he would be slain.

45-Abu 'Abd Allah (upon him be peace) said: As for you - feel not secure! By God, I know that you will revolt as he revolted, and you will be slain as he was slain!

46-They arose, while they were saying: 'There is no force and no strength save in God, the All-high, the All-mighty!'17

47-When they revolted Abu 'Abd Allah (upon him be peace) said to me: O Mutawakkil! What did Yahya say to you? 'Surely my paternal uncle Muhammad ibn 'Ali and his son Ja'far summon the people to life, but we summon them to death.'

48-I said: Yes, God set you right! The son of your paternal uncle Yahya said that to me.

49-He said: God have mercy upon Yahya! My father related from his father from his grandfather from 'Ali (upon him be peace) that the Messenger of God (God bless him and his Household) was seized from his senses for an instant while he was on the pulpit.

50-He saw in a vision some men leaping upon his pulpit like monkeys and making the people retrace their steps.

51-So the Messenger of God sat down (God bless him and his Household), and sorrow was apparent on his face.

52-Then Gabriel (upon him be peace) came to him with this verse: And We made the vision that We showed thee and the tree cursed in the Qur'an, that is, the Umayyads, to be only a trial for men; and We frighten them, but it only increases them in great insolence.18

53-He said: O Gabriel! Will they be in my period and my time?

54-He said: No, but the mill of Islam will turn from your migration, and it will come to a halt ten [years] after that. Then it will begin turning exactly thirty-five years after your migration, and come to a halt five [years] after that. Then there is no avoiding a mill at whose axis stands error. Then there will be the kingdom of the pharoahs.

55-He said: God sent down concerning that: Surely We sent it down on the Night of Decree. And what will teach thee what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months19 in which the Umayyads rule, during which time there will be no Night of Decree.

56-He said: So God gave news to His Prophet (upon him be peace) that the Umayyads would own sovereignty over this community and that their kingdom would last this period of time.

57-Were the mountains to vie with them, they would tower over the mountains until God (exalted is He) gave permission for the disappearance of their kingdom; and during this time they have made their banner enmity and hatred for us, the Folk of the House.

58-God gave news to His Prophet concerning what the Folk of the House of Muhammad, the people of love for them, and their partisans would meet from the Umayyads during their days and their kingdom.

59-He said: God sent down concerning them: Hast thou not seen those who exchanged the favour of God for unbelief, and caused the people to dwell in the abode of ruin? Gehenna, wherein they are roasted; an evil resting place!2 0

60-The 'favour of God' is Muhammad and the People of his House. Love for them is a faith that takes into the Garden, and hate for them is an unbelief and a hypocrisy that takes into the Fire.

61-So the Messenger of God (God bless him and his Household) confided that to 'Ali and the Folk of his House.

62-He said: Then Abu 'Abd Allah said (upon him be peace): Before the rise of our Qa'im21 not one of us Folk of the House has revolted or will revolt to repel an injustice or to raise up a right, without affliction uprooting him and without his uprising increasing the adversity of us and our partisans.

63-Al-Mutawakkil ibn Harun said: Then Abu 'Abd Allah dictated to me the supplications, which are seventy-five chapters. Of them eleven chapters have escaped me, while I have safeguarded sixty-some.

64-Abu l-Mufaddal related to us.22 He said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ruzbih Abu Bakr al-Mada'ini23 the scribe, who lived in Rahba, related to us in his house.

65-He said: Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Muslim al-Mutahhari24 related to me.

66-He said: My father related to me from 'Umayr ibn Mutawakkil al-Balkhi from his father al-Mutawakkil ibn Harun.

67-He said: I met Yahya ibn Zayd ibn 'Ali (upon them both be peace). Then he mentioned the whole hadith including the vision of the Prophet (God bless him and his Household) which was mentioned by Ja'far ibn Muhammad from his fathers (God's blessings be upon them).

68-In al-Mutahhari's version, the chapter headings are mentioned. They are:

1) Praise of God

2) Blessing upon Muhammad and his Household

3) Blessing upon the Bearers of the Throne

4) Blessing upon the Attesters to the Messengers

5) 5.His Supplication for himself and the People under his Guardianship

6) His Supplication in the Morning and Evening

7) His Supplication in Worrisome Tasks

8) His Supplication in Seeking Refuge

9) His Supplication in Yearning

10) His Supplication in Seeking Asylum with God

11) His Supplication for Good Outcomes

12) His Supplication in Confession

13) His Supplication in Seeking Needs

14) His Supplication in Acts of Wrongdoing

15) His Supplication When Sick

16) His Supplication in Asking for Release from Sins

17) His Supplication Against Satan

18) His Supplication in Perils

19) His Supplication in Asking for Rain during a Drought

20) His Supplication on Noble Moral Traits

21) His Supplication when Something made him Sorrowful

22) His Supplication in Hardship

23) His Supplication for Well-Being

24) His Supplication for his Parents

25) His Supplication for his Children

26) His Supplication for his Neighbours and Friends

27) His Supplication for the People of the Frontiers

28) His Supplication in Fleeing

29) His Supplication when his Provision was Stinted

30) His Supplication for Help in Repaying Debt

31) His Supplication in Repentance

32) His Supplication in the Night Prayer

33) His Supplication in Asking for the Best

34) His Supplication when Afflicted

35) His Supplication in Satisfaction with the Decree of God

36) His Supplication upon Hearing Thunder

37) His Supplication in Giving Thanks

38) His Supplication in Asking for Pardon

39) His Supplication in Seeking Pardon

40) His Supplication when Death was Mentioned

41) His Supplication in Asking for Covering and Protection

42) His Supplication upon completing a Reading of the Qur'an

43) His Supplication when he looked at the New Crescent Moon

44) His Supplication for the Coming of the Month of Ramadan

45) His Supplication in Bidding Farewell to the Month of Ramadan

46) His Supplication for the Day of Fast-Breaking and Friday

47) His Supplication on Day of 'Arafa

48) His Supplication on the Day of Sacrifice and Friday

49) His Supplication in Repelling the Trickery of Enemies

50) His Supplication in Fear

51) His Supplication in Pleading and Abasement

52) His Supplication in Imploring

53) His Supplication in Abasing himself

54) His Supplication for the Removal of Worries

69-The remaining chapter headings are in the words of Abu 'Abd Allah al-Hasani (God have mercy upon him).25

70-Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Hasani related to us.26

71-He said: 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar ibn Khattab al-Zayyat related to us.

72-He said: Khali ibn al-Nu'man al-A'lam related to us.

73-He said: 'Umayr ibn Mutawakkil al-Thaqafi al-Balkhi related to us from his father Mutawakkil ibn Harun.

74-He said: My truthful master, Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far ibn Muhammad dictated to me.

75-He said: My grandfather 'Ali ibn al-Husayn dictated to my father Muhammad ibn 'Ali (upon them all be peace) while I was witness: