Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation

Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation9%

Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation Author:
: Abdullah al-Shahin
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
Category: Imam al-Mahdi

Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation
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Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation

Kitab al-Ghayba: The Book of Occultation

Author:
Publisher: Ansariyan Publications – Qum
English

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Chapter 6: The traditions narrated by the Sunni

The Traditions Of Abdullah Bin Mas’ood

    1 - أخبرنا محمد بن عثمان الدهني قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الرقي، قال: حدثنا عيسى بن يونس، عن مجالد بن سعيد، عن الشعبي، عن مسروق قال: كنا عند ابن مسعود فقال له رجل: أحدثكم نبيكم كم يكون بعده من الخلفاء؟ فقال: نعم، وما سألني أحد قبلك، وإنك لأحدث القوم سناً، سمعته يقول :

    يكون بعدي عدّة نقباءِ موسى .

(1) Muhammad bin Uthman ad-Duhni narrated from Abdullah bin Ja'far ar-Riqqi from Eessa bin Younus from Mujalid bin Sa'eed from ash-Shi’bi that Massrooq had said: Once we were with Ibn Mass’ood in his house when someone asked him: “Had your prophet told you how many caliphs would be after him?” Ibn Mass’ood said: “Yes, he had. But no one has asked me such a question before you. You are the youngest of these people. I have heard the Prophet (S) saying:

“After me there will be (caliphs) as the number of the chieftains of Prophet Moses (as).”1

    2 - ورواه جماعة عن عثمان بن أبي شيبة، وعبد الله بن عمر بن سعيد الأشج وأبى كريب ومحمود بن غيلان وعلي بن محمد وإبراهيم بن سعيد قالوا جميعاً حدثنا أبو أسامة، عن مجالد، عن الشعبي، عن مسروق، قال: جاء رجل إلى عبد الله بن مسعود فقال: أحدّثكم نبيُّكم عليه وآله السلام كم يكون بعده من الخلفاء؟ قال: نعم وما سألني عنها أحد قبلك، وإنك لأحدث القوم سناً، قال :

    يكون بعدي عدة نقباء موسى .

(2) Some ones narrated from Uthman bin Abu Shayba, Abdullah bin Umar bin Sa'eed al-Ashajj, Abu Kurayb, Mahmood bin Ghaylan, Ali bin Muhammad and Ibraheem bin Sa'eed all from Abu Ussama from Mujalid from ash-Shi’bi that Massrooq had said: “A man came to Abdullah bin Mass’ood and asked him: “Had your prophet told you how many caliphs would be after him?” Ibn Mass’ood said: “Yes, he had. But no one has asked me about this matter before you whereas you are too young. The Prophet (S) said:

“There will be as the number of the chieftains of Moses (as).”2

    3 - أبو كريب وأبو سعيد قالا: حدثنا أبو أسامة، قال: حدثنا الأشعث عن عامر، عن عمه، عن مسروق، قال: كنا جلوساً عند عبد الله بن مسعود يقرئنا القرآن، فقال رجل: يا أبا عبد الرحمن هل سألتم رسول الله كم يملك هذه الأمة من خليفة بعده؟ فقال: ما سألني عنها أحد منذ قدمت العراق! نعم سألنا رسول الله فقال :

    إثنا عشر عدّة نقباء بني إسرائيل .

(3) Abu Kurayb and Abu Sa'eed narrated from Abu Ussama from al-Ash’ath from Aamir from his uncle that Massrooq had said: One day we were sitting with Abdullah bin Mass’ood in his house. He was reciting Qur'an for us. A man asked him: “O Abu Abdurrahman,3 have you asked the messenger of Allah (as) about how many caliphs will rule this umma after him?” Ibn Mass’ood said: “No one has asked about this since I have come from Iraq. Yes, we have asked him and he said:

“They are twelve as the number of the chieftains of the Israelites.”4

    4 - وعن عثمان بن أبي شيبة وأبي أحمد، ويوسف بن موسى القطان وسفيان بن وكيع قالوا: حدثنا جرير عن الأشعث بن سوار، عن عامر الشعبي، عن عمه قيس بن عبد قال: جاء أعرابي فأتى عبد الله بن مسعود، وأصحابه عنده، فقال: فيكم عبد الله بن مسعود؟ فأشاروا إليه، قال له عبد الله: قد وجدته فما حاجتك؟ قال: إني أريد أن أسألك عن شيء إن كنتَ سمعته من رسول الله فنبئنا به، أحدَّثكم نبيكم كم يكون بعده من خليفة؟ قال: وما سألني عن هذا أحد منذ قدمت العراق! نعم قال :

    الخلفاء بعدي أثنا عشر خليفة كعدة نقباء بني إسرائيل .

(4) Uthman bin Abu Shayba, Abu Ahmad, Yousuf bin Musa al-Qattan and Sufyan bin Wakee’ narrated from Jareer from al-Ash’ath bin Sawwar from Aamir ash-Shi’bi that his uncle Qayss bin Abd had said: “One day a nomad came when Abdullah bin Mass’ood was among his companions. The nomad asked: “Is Abdullah bin Mass’ood among you?” Bin Mass'ood said: “Here I am. What do you want?” The nomad said: “I want to ask you if you have heard the Prophet (S) talking about how many caliphs will be after him.” Bin Mass'ood said: “No one asked me about this since I had come from Iraq. Yes, he (the Prophet (S)) said:

“The caliphs are twelve like the number of the chieftains of the Israelites.”5

    5 - وعن مسدد بن مستورد قال: حدثني حماد بن زيد، عن مجالد، عن مسروق قال: كنا جلوساً إلى ابن مسعود بعد المغرب وهو يعلّم القرآن، فسأله رجل فقال: يا أبا عبد الرحمن أسألتَ النبي كم يكون لهذه الأمة من خليفة؟ فقال: ما سألني عنها أحد منذ قدمت العراق، نعم وقال :

    خُلفاؤكم أثنا عشر عدّة نقباء بني إسرائيل .

(5) Musaddad bin Mustawrid narrated from Hammad bin Zayd from Mujalid that Massrooq had said: “While we were sitting with ibn Mass'ood after the sunset and he was teaching us the Qur'an, a man asked him: “O Abu Abdurrahman, have you asked the Prophet (S) how many caliphs this umma will have?” Ibn Mass'ood said: “No one asked me about this since I had come from Iraq. Yes, he (the Prophet (S)) said:

“Your caliphs are twelve as the number of the chieftains of the Israelites.”6

The Tradition Of Anass Bin Malik

    6 - ما رواه عبد السلام بن هاشم البزار قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن أبي أمية مولى بني مجاشع، عن يزيد الرقاشي، عن أنس بن مالك قال: قال رسول الله :

    لن يزال هذا الأمر قائماً إلى أثني عشر قيّماً من قريش .

    ثم ساق الحديث إلى آخره .

(6) Abdus-Salam bin Hashim al-Bazzar narrated from Abdullah bin Abu Umayya, the freed slave of bani Mujashi’, from Yazeed ar-Raqashi from Anass bin Malik that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This matter (the religion) is still prevailing until twelve guardians of Quraysh (pass away).” Then he mentioned the rest of the tradition.7

The Tradition Of Jabir Bin Samra As-Sawwa’iy

    7 - عمرو بن خالد بن فروخ الحراني قال: حدثنا زهير بن معاوية، قال: حدثنا زياد بن خيثمة، عن الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: قال رسول الله :

    لا تزالُ هذه الأمّة مستقيماً أمرُها ظاهرةً على عدوها حتى يمضيَ أثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش .

    فلما رجع إلى منْزله أتته وفودُ قريش فقالوا له: ثم يكون ماذا؟ قال: يكون الهرج .

    وقال: حدثنا زهير بن معاوية قال: حدثنا زياد بن خيثمة، عن ابن جريج، عن الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: قال رسول الله و ذكر مثله .

(7) Amr bin Khalid bin Farrookh al-Harrani narrated from Zuhayr bin Mo’awiya from Ziyad bin Khaythama from al-Aswad bin Sa'eed al-Hamadani from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This umma will still prevail over its enemies until twelve caliphs, all of whom are from Quraysh, will pass away.” When the Prophet (S) went back home, some people of Quraysh came to him asking: “Then what will happen?” He said: “Then commotion will happen.”

The same was narrated by Zuhayr bin Mo’awiya from Ziyad bin Khaythama from ibn Jurayj from al-Aswad bin Sa'eed al-Hamadani from Jabir bin Samra.8

    8 - عثمان بن أبي شيبة قال حدثني جرير، عن حصين بن عبد الرحمن، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول :

    يقوم مِن بعدي اثنا عشر أميراً .

    قال: ثم تكلم بشيء لم أسمعه، فسألت القوم وسألت أبي وكان أقرب إليه مني، فقال قال :

    كلّهم من قريش .

(8) Uthman bin Abu Shayba narrated from Jareer from Hussayn bin Abdurrahman that Jabir bin Samra had said:

I heard the Prophet (S) saying: “After me twelve emirs will rule.” Then he said something that I could not understand. I asked some people and asked my father, who was nearer to the Prophet (S) than me. My father said that the Prophet (S) had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”

    9 - عثمان بن أبي شيبة قال: حدثنا حاتم بن إسماعيل، عن مهاجر بن مسمار، عن عامر بن سعد قال: كتبت مع غلامي نافع إلى جابر بن سمرة: أخبرني بشيء سمعته من رسول الله قال فكتب إلي: سمعت رسول الله يقول عشية جمعة رجم الأسلمي :

    لا يزال هذا الدين قائماً حتى تقوم الساعة أو يكون على الناس اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش .

    وذكر الحديث إلى آخره .

    وعن عباد بن يعقوب قال: حدثنا حاتم بن إسماعيل بإسناده مثله. وعن محمد بن عبد الله بن عبد الحكم قال: حدثنا ابن أبي فديك، عن ابن أبي - ذئب، عن مهاجر بن مسمار بإسناده مثله .

(9) Uthman bin Abu Shayba narrated from Hatam bin Issma’eel from Muhajir bin Missmar that Aamir bin Sa’d had said: I sent a letter with my servant Nafi’ to Jabir bin Samra asking him to tell me of something he had heard from the Prophet (S). He wrote to me: “I have heard the Prophet (S) saying on the eve of the Friday, in which al-Aslami has been stoned:

“This religion is still prevailing until the Day of Resurrection or until twelve caliphs, who are all from Quraysh, will rule over the people.”

The same was narrated by Abbad bin Ya'qoob from Hatam bin Issma’eel. Another one was narrated by Muhammad bin Abdullah bin al-Hakam from ibn Abu Fudayk from ibn Abu Thi’b from Muhajir bin Missmar.9

    10 - وعن غندر عن شعبة قال: حدثنا أبو عوانة، عن عبد الملك بن عمير، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول :

    لا يزال هذا الدين مستقيماً حتى يقوم اثنا عشر خليفة .

    ثم قال كلمة لم أفهمها، فسألت أبي فقال قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(10) Ghundur narrated from Shu’ba from Abu Owana from Abdul Melik bin Omayr from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This religion is still prevailing until twelve caliphs will have ruled.”

Then he said something that I could not understand. I asked my father and he said that the Prophet (S) had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”

    11 - وعن إبراهيم بن محمد بن مالك بن زيد قال: حدثنا زياد بن علاقة قال: حدثنا جابر بن سمرة السوائي قال: كنت مع أبي عند رسول الله فقال :

    يكون بعدي اثنا عشر أميراً .

    ثم أخفى صوته، فسألت أبي، فقال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(11) Ibraheem bin Malik bin Zayd narrated from Ziyad bin Olaqa that Jabir bin Samra as-Sawwa’iy had said: “Once I was with my father near the Prophet (S). He said:

“There will be twelve emirs after me.”

Then he lowered his voice and said:

“All of them are from Quraysh.”10

    12 - وعن خلف بن الوليد اللؤلؤي عن إسرائيل، عن سماك، قال: سمعت جابر بن سمرة يقول: سمعت رسول الله قال: يقوم بعده - أو من بعده - اثنا عشر أميراً .

    ثم تكلم بكلمة لم أفهمها فسألت القوم ما قال؟ فقالوا: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(12) Khalaf bin al-Waleed al-Lu’lu’iy narrated from Sammak that Jabir bin Samra had said:

“I heard the Prophet (S) saying that there would be twelve emirs after him. Then he said something that I could not understand. I asked some people what he had said. They told me that he had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”11

    13 - ومن حديث خلف بن هشام البزار قال: حدثنا حماد بن زيد، عن مجالد بن سعيد، عن الشعبي، عن جابر بن سمرة السوائي قال: خطب بنا رسول الله بعرفة فقال :

    لا يزال هذا الدين قوياً عزيزاً ظاهراً على مَن ناواه لا يضرّه مَن فارقه أو خالفه حتى يملك اثنا عشر .

    قال: وتكلم الناس فلم أفهم، فقلت لأبي: يا أبت أرأيت قول رسول الله “كلهم “ما هو؟ قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(13) Khalaf bin Hisham al-Bazzar narrated from Hammad bin Zayd from Mujalid bin Sa'eed from ash-Shi’bi that Jabir bin Samra as-Sawwa’iy had said: “The Prophet (S) made a speech in Arafa12 and said:

“This religion will still be strong and prevailing over its opponents. It will not be harmed by the apostates or the opponents until twelve (emirs) will have ruled.”

The people began to talk and I could not understand what the Prophet (S) had said. I asked my father: “O father, the Prophet (S) said: all of them…what then?” My father said:

“He said: all of them are from Quraysh.”13

    13- ومن حديث النفيلي الحراني قال حدثنا زهير بن معاوية قال حدثنا زياد بن خيثمة قال: حدثنا الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني عن جابر بن سمرة قال: قال رسول الله :

    لا تزال هذه الأمة مستقيماً أمرُها ظاهرة على عدوها حتى يمضي اثنا عشر خليفة، كلهم من قريش .

    فلما رجع إلى منْزله أتته وفودُ قريش فقالوا له: ثم يكون ماذا؟ قال: يكون الهرج .

(14) An-Nufayly al-Harrani narrated from Zuhayr bin Mo’awiya from Ziyad bin Khaythama from al-Aswad bin Sa'eed al-Hamadani from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This umma will still be strong and prevailing over its enemies until twelve caliphs, who all are from Quraysh, will have passed away.”

When he went back home, some people of Quraysh came to him asking: “And then what will happen?” He said: “Commotion will happen then.”14

    15 - ومن حديث علي بن الجعد قال: حدثنا زهير، عن زياد بن علاقة، وسماك وحصين كلهم، عن جابر بن سمرة أن رسول الله قال :

    يكون بعدي اثنا عشر أميراً .

    غيرَ أن حصين قال: اثنا عشر خليفة، ثم تكلم بشيء لم أفهمه - وقال بعضهم في حديثه: فسألت أبي. وقال بعضهم: فسألت القومَ، فقالوا: قال :

    كلّهم من قريش .

(15) Ali bin al-Ja’d narrated from Zuhayr from Ziyad bin Olaqa, Sammak and Hussayn and all from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“There will be twelve emirs after me.” But Hussayn said: “There will be twelve caliphs…” Then the Prophet (S) said something that I could not understand. I asked some people and asked my father. He said that the Prophet (S) had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”15

    16 - وعن عمرو بن خالد الحراني قال: حدثنا زهير بن معاوية، قال: حدثنا زياد بن خيثمة، عن الأسود بن سعيد الهمداني، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: قال رسول الله :

    لا تزال هذه الأمة مستقيماً أمرُها ظاهرةً على عدوها حتى يمضي منها اثنا عشر خليفة .

(16) Amr bin Khalid al-Harrani narrated from Zuhayr bin Mo’awiya from Ziyad bin Khaythama from al-Aswad bin Sa'eed al-Hamadani from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This umma will still be strong and prevailing over its enemy until twelve caliphs will have passed away.”

    17 - ومن حديث معمر بن سليمان قال: سمعت إسماعيل بن أبي خالد، يروي عن مجالد، عن الشعبي، عن جابر بن سمرة عن النبي قال :

    لا يزال هذا لدين ظاهراً لا يضره مَن ناواه حتى يمضي اثنا عشر خليفة .

    ثم قال كلمة لم أفهمها، فقلت لأبي: ما قال؟ قال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(17) Ma’mar bin Sulayman narrated from Issma’eel bin Abu Khalid from Mujalid from ash-Shi’bi from Jabir bin Samra that the Prophet (S) had said:

“This religion will still be strong and prevailing without being harmed by its opponents until twelve caliphs will have passed away.”

Then the Prophet (S) said something that I could not understand. I asked my father what the Prophet (S) had said. My father said that the Prophet (S) had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”16

    18 - وعن يزيد بن سنان وعثمان بن أبي شيبة قالا: حدثنا موسى بن إسماعيل، قال: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة، عن سماك بن حرب، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت النبي يقول :

    لا يزال هذا الإسلام عزيزاً إلى اثني عشر خليفة .

    ثم قال كلمة لم أفهمها، فقلت لأبي: ما قال؟ فقال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(18) Yazeed bin Sinan and Uthman bin Abu Shayba narrated from Musa bin Issma’eel from Hammad bin Salama from Sammak bin Harb that Jabir bin Samra had said: I heard the Prophet (S) saying:

“Islam will still be strong until twelve caliphs (pass away).”

Then he said something that I could not understand. I asked my father what the Prophet (S) had said. He said to me: “He said:

All of them are from Quraysh.”17

    19 - ومن حديث يزيد بن سنان قال: حدثنا أبو الربيع الزهراني قال: حدثنا حماد بن زيد، قال: حدثنا مجالد بن سعيد، عن الشعبي، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: خطب بنا رسول الله فسمعته يقول :

    لا يزال هذا الأمر عزيزاً منيعاً ظاهراً على مَن ناواه حتى يملك اثنا عشر كلهم ...

    - ثم لغط القوم وتكلموا، فلم أفهم قوله بعد “كلهم "، فقلت لأبي يا أبتاه ما قال بعد “كلهم “؟ قال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(19) Yazeed bin Sinan narrated from Abur-Rabee’ az-Zahrani from Hammad bin Zayd from Mujalid bin Sa'eed from ash-Shi’bi that Jabir bin Samra had said: Once the Prophet (S) made a speech before us and I heard him saying:

“This matter (the religion) will remain strong and prevailing over its opponents until twelve (caliphs) will have ruled. All of them…”

Then people began talking and I could not understand what the Prophet (S) had said after “all of them”. I asked my father what the Prophet (S) had said after that and he told me that he had said: “All of them are from Quraysh.”18

    20 - ومن حديث يزيد بن سنان قال: حدثنا عبد الحميد بن موسى قال: حدثنا عبيد الله بن عمرو، عن عبد الملك بن عمير، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: دخلت مع أبي علي النبي فسمعته يقول :

    لن تزال الأمة على هذا متمسكين حتى يقوم اثنا عشر أميراً أواثنا عشر خليفة .

    قال: وخافت بكلمة وكان أبي أدنى مني، فلما خرجت قلت: ما الذي خافت به؟ قال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(20) Yazeed bin Sinan narrated from Abdul-Hameed bin Musa from Obaydillah bin Umar from Abdul-Melik bin Omayr that Jabir bin Samra had said: My father and I went to the Prophet (S). I heard him saying:

“This umma will still keep to this (religion) until twelve emirs (or twelve caliphs) will have ruled.”

Then he lowered his voice and I could not understand what he had said after that. My father was nearer to him than me. When we went out, I asked my father what the Prophet (S) had said after that. He told me that the Prophet (S) had said:

“All of them are from Quraysh.”19

    21 - ومن حديث يزيد بن سنان قال: حدثنا الحسن بن عمر بن شقيق قال: حدثنا جرير بن عبد الحميد، عن حصين بن عبد الرحمن، عن جابر بن سمرة قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول :

    يقوم في أمّتي بعدي اثنا عشر أميراً .

    قال: ثم تكلم بشيء لم أسمعه، قال: فسألت القوم وسألت أبي وكان أقرب مني، فقال: قال :

    كلهم من قريش .

(21) Yazeed bin Sinan narrated from al-Hasan bin Umar bin Shaqeeq from Jareer bin Abdul-Hameed from Hussayn bin Abdurrahman that Jabir Bin Samra had said: I heard the Prophet (S) saying:

“After me, there will be twelve emirs ruling my umma.”

Then he said something that I could not hear. I asked some people and asked my father, who was nearer to the Prophet (S) than me. My father said that the Prophet (S) had said:

“All of them are from Quraysh.”20

    22 - وعن ابن أبي فديك، قال: حدثني ابن أبي ذئب، عن مهاجر بن مسمار، عن عامر بن سعد أنه أرسل إلى ابن سمرة حدثنا ما سمعت من رسول الله ؟ قال: سمعت رسول الله يقول :

    لا يزال هذا الدين قائماً حتى يكون اثنا عشر خليفة من قريش .

    وساق الحديث إلى آخره .

(22) Ibn Abu Fudayk narrated from ibn Abu Thi’b from Muhajir bin Missmar that Aamir bin Sa'eed had sent a letter to Jabir bin Samra asking to tell him of what he had heard from the Prophet (S). Jabir bin Samra said: I have heard the Prophet (S) saying:

“This religion will remain firm until there will be twelve caliphs from Quraysh.”

And he mentioned the rest of the tradition.21

The Tradition Of Abu Juhayfa

    23 - وعن عثمان بن أبي شيبة قال: حدثنا سهل بن حماد أبو عتاب الدلال قال: حدثنا يونس بن أبي يعفور قال: حدثنا عون بن أبي جحيفة، عن أبيه قال: كنت عند رسول الله وهو يخطب وعمّي جالس بين يديه، فقال رسول الله :

    لا يزال أمرُ أمّتي صالحاً حتى يمضي اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش .

(23) Uthman bin Abu Shayba narrated from Sahl bin Hammad Abu Attaab ad-Dallal from Younus bin Abu Ya’foor from Abu Juhayfa that his father had said: Once I was with the Prophet (S) while he was making a speech. My uncle was sitting near the Prophet (S). The Prophet (S) said:

“The religion of my umma will remain firm until twelve caliphs, who all are from Quraysh, will have passed away.”22

The Tradition Of Samra Bin Jundub

(24) Abdul Wahab bin Abdul Majeed narrated tradition from Dawood from his father from ash-Shi'bi from Samra bin Jundub from the Prophet (S). (The same tradition narrated by Anass bin Malik that we have mentioned at the beginning of this chapter; tradition no.6 ).

The Tradition Narrated By Abdullah Bin Amr Bin Al-Aass

    25 - ومن حديث سويد بن سعيد قال: حدثنا معتمر بن سليمان، عن هشام، عن ابن سيرين، عن أبي الخير، عن عبد الله بن عمرو :

    لا جرمَ مكتوب في كتاب الله ، اثنا عشر يملكون الناس .

(25) Suwayd bin Sa’eed narrated from Mu’tamir bin Sulayman from Hisham from ibn Seereen from Abul Khayr from Abdullah bin Amr:

“There is no doubt that it has been mentioned in the Book of Allah that twelve (caliphs) will rule over people.”

    26 - محمد بن عثمان الدهني قال: حدثنا ابن أبي خيثمة، قال: حدثنا يحيى بن معين، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن صالح، قال: حدثنا الليث بن سعد، عن خالد بن يزيد، عن سعيد بن أبي هلال، عن ربيعة بن سيف، قال: كنا عند شفيّ الأصبحي فقال: سمعت عبد الله بن عمرو يقول: سمعت رسول الله يقول :

    يكون خلفي اثنا عشر خليفة .

(26) Muhammad bin Uthman ad-Duhni narrated from ibn Abu Khaythama from Yahya bin Mo’een from Abdullah bin Salih from al-Layth bin Sa’d from Khalid bin Yazeed from Sa'eed bin Abu Hilal that Rabee’a bin Sayf had said:

“We were with Shufiy al-Asbahi when he said that he had heard Abdullah bin Amr saying: “I heard the Prophet (S) saying: “There will be twelve caliphs after me.”23

    27 - وعن ابن أبي خيثمة قال: حدثنا عفان، ويحيى بن إسحاق السيلحيني، قالا: حدثنا حماد بن سلمة، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن عثمان، عن أبي الطفيل، قال: قال عبد الله بن عمرو :

    يا أبا الطفيل اعدد اثني عشر من بنى كعب بن لؤي ثم يكون النقف والنقاف .

    والروايات في هذا المعنى من طرق العامة كثيرة تدل على أن رسول الله يذكر الإثني عشر وأنهم خلفاؤه .

(27) Ibn Abu Khaythama narrated from Affan and Yahya bin Iss’haq as-Saylaheeni from Hammad bin Salama from Abdullah bin Uthman from Abut-Tufayl that Abdullah bin Amr had said to him:

“O Abut-Tufayl, count twelve ones from bani Ka’b bin Lu’ay and then fighting and killing occur.”24

The traditions narrated by the Sunni concerning this subject are so many. They confirm that the Prophet (S) has mentioned twelve men to be the caliphs after him.

Notes

1. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.233, 298, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.101, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi, vol.2 p.262.

2. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.233, 299, Awalim al-Uloom, vol. 15/3 p.101, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi, vol.2 p.262.

3. The surname of ibn Mass’ood.

4. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.233, 299, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi, vol.2 p.262.

5. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.233, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.102, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi, vol.2 p.262.

6. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.233, 299, Awalim al-Uloom, vol. 15/3 p.102, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi, vol.2 p.262.

7. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.281, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.136.

8. Al-Khissal p.470-471, Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.235, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.106.

9. Sahih of Muslim, vol.3 p.1453, al-Khissal p.473, al-Omda p.420, Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.239, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.113.

10. Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.107.

11. Al-Mo’jam al-Kabeer, vol.2 p.248, Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.241, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.116.

12. A place near Mecca.

13. Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.116.

14. Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.106.

15. Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.107.

16. Ahmad’s Musnad, vol.5 p.87, 88, 90, 96, 97.

17. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.266, Awalim al-Uloom, vol. 15/3 p.266.

18. Ahmad’s Musnad, vol.5 p.99.

19. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.230, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.95.

20. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.236, Awalim al-Uloom, vol. 15/3 p.107.

21. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.297, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.150.

22. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.299, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.152.

23. Al-Ghayba by at-Toossi p. 130, I’lam al-Wara p.365, Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.237, 300, 371, Ghayatul Maram p.201.

24. Al-Ghayba by at-Toossi p.131, al-Fa’iq by az-Zamakhshari, vol.4 p.21, Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.237, Ithbat al-Hudat, vol.1 p.546, Awalim al-Uloom, vol.15/3 p.109.

Chapter 2: Keeping to the “Rope” Of Allah

    1 - حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن المعمر الطبراني بطبرية سنة ثلاث وثلاثين وثلاثمائة - وكان هذا الرجل من موالي يزيد بن معاوية ومن النصاب - قال: حدثني أبي، قال: حدثني علي بن هاشم والحسين بن السكن معا قالا: حدثنا عبد الرزاق بن همام قال: أخبرني أبي، عن مينا مولى عبد الرحمن بن عوف، عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري قال: وفد على رسول الله أهل اليمن فقال النبي :

    جاءَكُم أهلُ اليمَنِ يبُسّونَ بَسيساً .

(1) Muhammad bin Abdullah bin al-Mu’ammar at-Tabarani, who was a freed slave of Yazeed bin Mo’awiya and was one of the opponents of Ahlul Bayt,1 narrated in Tabariya in 333 AH. from his father from Ali bin Hashim and al-Husayn bin as-Sakan together from Abdur-Razak bin Hammam from his father from Meena, the freed slave of Abdurrahman bin Ouff, that Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari had said: “Once, some people of Yemen came to Medina. The Prophet (S) said:

“They come to you gently.”

    فلما دخلوا على رسول الله قال: قَومٌ رقيقَةٌ قلوبُهُم، راسِخٌ إيمانُهُم. وَمِنهُم المَنصورُ؛ يخرُجُ في سَبعينَ ألفاً يَنصُر خَلَفي وَخَلَف وَصِيّي. حمَائِلُ سُيوفِهمُ المِسكُ. فقالوا: يا رسول الله ومن وصيك؟

    فقال: هُو الّذي أمَرَكمُ اللهُ بالاعتِصامِ به فقَالَ: وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا  

    فقالوا: يا رسول الله بيّن لنا ما هذا الحبل .

When they came to the Prophet (S), he said:

“They are people of gentle hearts and deep-rooted faith. From among them there will be al-Mansoor. He will come with seventy thousand soldiers. He will support my descendant and my guardian’s descendant. The sheaths of their swords are from musk.”

They said: “O messenger of Allah, who is your guardian?” The Prophet (S) said:

“It is he, whom Allah has ordered you to keep to when He has said: (And hold fast by the covenant (rope) of Allah all together and be not disunited).”

They said: “O messenger of Allah, will you declare to us what this rope is?”

    فقال: هوَ قولُ اللهِ: ضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الذِّلَّةُ أَيْنَ مَا ثُقِفُوا إِلَّا بِحَبْلٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَحَبْلٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَضُرِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَسْكَنَةُ   ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الْأَنْبِيَاءَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ   ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ فالحَبلُ مِن اللهِ كِتابُه، والحَبلُ مِن النّاسِ وَصِيّي .

    فقالوا: يا رسول الله من وصيك؟

    فقال: هُو الّذي أنزَلَ اللهُ فيهِ: أَنْ تَقُولَ نَفْسٌ يَا حَسْرَتَا عَلَىٰ مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي جَنْبِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتُ لَمِنَ السَّاخِرِينَ فقالوا: يا رسول الله وما جنب الله هذا؟

He said: “It is the saying of Allah, ‘save (where they grasp) a rope from Allah and a rope from men.’2 The rope from Allah is His Book and the rope from people is my guardian.”

They asked: “O messenger of Allah, who is your guardian?” He said:

“It is he about whom Allah has revealed, ‘Lest a soul should say: O woe to me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah.’3 ”

They asked: “O messenger of Allah, what is this duty to Allah?”

    فقال: هوَ الّذي يقولُ اللهُ فيه: ﴿وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا( هو وصِيّي والسّبيلُ إليَّ مِن بَعدي .

    فقالوا: يا رسول الله بالذي بعثك بالحق نبياً أرناه فقد اشتقنا إليه .

    فقال: هو الّذي جَعلَهُ اللهُ آيَةً لِلمؤمِنين المُتوسّمينَ، فإنْ نَظرتُم إلَيه نَظَرَ مَن كانَ لهُ قَلبٌ أو ألْقَى السّمعَ وهوَ شَهيدٌ عَرفتُم أنّه وصِيّي كمَا عرفتُم أنيّ نَبيُّكم، فَتخلّلوا الصّفوفَ وتَصَفّحوا الوجوهَ فمَن أهوَتْ إليهِ قُلوبُكم فإنّه هوَ، لأنَّ الله يَقول في كِتابِه: رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ أي إلَيه وإلى ذُرّيّتهِ .

He said: “It is what Allah has said about, ‘And the day when the unjust one shall bite his hands saying: O! would that I had taken a way with the Messenger.’4 It is my guardian and the way that leads to me.”

They said: “O messenger of Allah! By Him, Who has sent you with the truth, declare him to us. We are so eager to know who he is.” He said:

“It is he, whom Allah has made as a sign for the true believers. If you look at him with a look of (him who has a heart, or gives ear with full intelligence), you will know that he is my guardian as you have known that I am your prophet. Go through the rows and stare at the faces then see towards whom your hearts incline. It will be him because Allah has said: (therefore make the hearts of some people yearn towards them).5 It means towards him and his progeny (as).”

    ثم قال: فقام أبو عامر الاشعري في الاشعريين، وأبو غرة الخولاني في الخولانيين، وظبيان، وعثمان بن قيس في بني قيس، وعرنة الدوسي في الدوسيين، ولاحق بن علاقة، فتخللوا الصفوف وتصفحوا الوجوه وأخذوا بيد الأنزع الأصلع البطين وقالوا: إلى هذا أهوت أفئدتنا يا رسول الله .

    فقال النبي: أنتُم نجَبَةُ اللهِ حينَ عرفتُم وصِيَّ رَسولِ اللهِ قَبلَ أن تَعرفوهُ، فَبِمَ عَرفتُم أنّهُ هوَ؟

Then Abu Aamir al-Ash’ari, Abu Ghurra al-Khawlani, Dhabyan, Uthman bin Qays, Arana ad-Dousi and Lahiq Bin Alaqa from among their tribes went through the rows, stared at the faces and held the hand of (the bald, potbellied man)6 and said: “O messenger of Allah, towards this man our hearts yearned.” The Prophet (S) said:

“You are the elite of Allah where you recognized the Prophet’s guardian before you have been told about him. How did you know that he was him?”

    فرفعوا أصواتهم يبكون ويقولون: يا رسول الله نظرنا إلى القوم فلم تحن لهم قلوبنا ولما رأيناه رجفت قلوبنا ثم اطمأنت نفوسنا، وانجاشت أكبادنا، وهملت أعيننا، وانثلجت صدورنا حتى كأنه لنا أب ونحن له بنون .

    فقال النبي: )هُوَ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ   فَ أَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ   وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ  وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا  وَم َا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ( أنتُم منهُم بالمَنْزلَةِ الّتي سبَقتْ لكُم بها الحُسنى، وأنتُم عَن النّار مُبعَدونَ .

They began crying and said: “O messenger of Allah, we looked at the people but our hearts did not incline to any of them. When we saw this man our hearts trembled and then our souls felt assured, our eyes shed tears and our chests became pleased as if he was our father and we were his children.” The Prophet (S) recited:

“But none knows its interpretation except Allah and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge.”7 You are near them in your good position and you are far away from Hell.

    قال: فبقي هؤلاء القوم المسمون حتى شهدوا مع أمير المؤمنين الجمل وصفين فقتلوا بصفين رحمهم الله، وكان النبي بشرهم بالجنة وأخبرهم أنهم يستشهدون مع علي بن أبي طالب .

These men remained loyal until they fought with Imam Ali (as) in the battles of al-Jamal (the camel) and Siffeen, in which they were martyred. May Allah have mercy upon them. The Prophet (S) had brought them good news to be in Paradise and had predicted that they would have been martyred with Imam Ali (as).”8

    2 - أخبرنا محمد بن همام بن سهيل قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله جعفر بن محمد الحسني قال: حدثنا أبو إسحاق إبراهيم بن إسحاق الحميري، قال: حدثنا محمد بن يزيد بن عبد الرحمن التيمي، عن الحسن بن الحسين الأنصاري، عن محمد بن الحسين، عن أبيه، عن جده قال: قال علي بن الحسين: كانَ رسولُ اللهِ ذاتَ يَومٍ جالِساً ومعَهُ أصحابُه في المَسجِدِ فقالَ :

    يَطلُعُ عَليكُم مِن هذا البابِ رجُلٌ مِن أهلِ الجنَّةِ يسألُ عمّا يَعنيهِ .

(2) Muhammad bin Hammam bin Suhayl narrated from Abu Abdullah Ja'far bin Muhammad al-Hasani from Abu Iss’haq Ibraheem bin Iss’haq al-Khaybari9 from Muhammad bin Yazeed bin Abdurrahman at-Taymi from al-Hasan bin al-Husayn al-Ansari from Muhammad bin al-Husayn al-Ansari from his father from his grandfather that Ali bin al-Husayn (Imam as-Sajjad10 (as)) had said: “One day the Prophet (S) was sitting with his companions in the mosque. He said:

“A man will come to you from this gate. He will be one of the people of Paradise. He asks about what concerns him.”

    فطَلعَ رجُلٌ طَويلٌ يٌشبِهُ برِجالِ مُضرَ. فتقَدّمَ فسَلَّمَ عَلى رسولِ الله وجلَس، فقالَ: يا رسولَ الله إنيّ سَمِعتُ اللهَ يقولُ فيما أنزَلَ: )وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ﴾ فَما هذا الحَبلُ الّذي أمرَنا اللهُ بالاعتِصامِ بهِ وألاّ نتَفَرَّقَ عنهُ؟ فأطْرقَ رسولُ الله مَليّاً، ثمّ رفعَ رأسَه وأشارَ بيدِه إلى عَليّ بنِ أبي طالبٍ وقالَ :

    هذا حَبلُ اللهِ الّذي مَن تمَسّكَ به عُصِمَ بهِ في دُنياهُ ولم يَضِلَّ بهِ في آخِرتِه .

Then a tall man looking like the people of Mudhar11 came in. He advanced, greeted the Prophet (S) and sat down. He said: “O messenger of Allah, I have heard Allah saying in His Book: (And hold fast by the covenant (rope) of Allah all together and be not disunited). Then what is this “rope” that Allah has ordered us to keep to and not to separate from?” The Prophet (S) pondered long and then raised his head and pointed with his hand to Ali bin Abu Talib (as) saying:

“This is the “rope” of Allah. He, who keeps to him, will be saved in his life and will not be deviant in his afterlife.”

    فوَثبَ الرّجلُ إلى عَليٍّ فاحتَضَنهُ مِن وَراءِ ظَهرِه وهو يقولُ: اِعتَصَمْتُ بحَبلِ اللهِ وَحبلِ رسولِه، ثمّ قامَ فَولىّ وخَرجَ، فقامَ رجُلٌ مِن النّاسِ فقالَ: يا رسولَ اللهِ، ألحَقُهُ فأسألُه أن يَستغفِرَ لي؟ فقالَ رسولُ اللهِ: إذاً تجِدُه مُوفّقاً. فقال: فلحِقَه الرّجلُ فسأله أن يَستغفِر اللهُ لهُ .

The man jumped and embraced Imam Ali (as). He said: “I have kept to the rope of Allah and the rope of His messenger.” Then he left. A man from among the people got up and said: “O messenger of Allah, do I follow after him and ask him to pray Allah to forgive me?” The Prophet (S) said:

“Then you find him pleased.”

He followed him and asked him to pray Allah for him.

    فقالَ له: أفهِمتَ ما قالَ لي رسولُ الله وما قلتُ لهُ؟ قال: نعم. قال :

    فإن كُنتَ مُتمسّكاً بذلِك الحبلِ يغفرِ اللهُ لكَ وإلاّ فلا يَغفرِ اللهُ لكَ .

He said to him: “Did you understand what the Prophet (S) said to me and what I said to him?”

He said: “Yes, I did.” He said:

“If you keep to that rope, then Allah will forgive you; otherwise He will not forgive you.”12

If the Prophet (S) had not declared for us the rope of Allah that He had ordered us in His Book to keep to and not to separate from, then the opponents would have interpreted it according to their fancies and turned it away to other than what Allah and his messenger had meant. But the Prophet (S) had said in his speech he made in the mosque of al-Khayf during the last hajj (farewell hajj):

    إنيّ فَرطُكم وإنّكم وارِدونَ عليَّ الحوضَ، حَوضاً عرضُه ما بَين بُصرى إلى صَنعاء، فيهِ قِدحان عدَدَ نجُومِ السّماء. ألا وإنيّ مُخَلّفٌ فيكُم الثّقَلينِ، الثّقلُ الأكبرُ القُرآنُ، والثّقلُ الأصغَرُ عِترتي أهلَ بَيتي، هما حَبلُ اللهِ ممَدودٌ بينَكم وبينَ الله ، ما إنْ تمسّكتُم به لنْ تضِلوا، سَببٌ مِنه بِيدِ اللهِ وسَببٌ بأيديكُم .

“I shall precede you (to Paradise) and you will come to me at the pond, whose width is as between Busra and San’aa.13 It has cups as much as the stars of the sky. I have left to you the two weighty things; the great one is the Qur'an and the minor one is my family. They both are the rope of Allah. It is extended between you and Almighty Allah. If you keep to it, you will never go astray at all. One of its ends is in the hand of Allah and the other is in your hands.”

It has this addition according to another tradition:

    إنّ اللّطيفَ الخبيرَ قَد نبّأني أنهّما لَن يفترِقا حتىّ يرِدا عليَّ الحوضَ كإصبِعَيَّ هاتَين -وجمَع بين سبّابَتيهِ- ولا أقولُ كَهاتَينِ - وجمَع بَين سبّابتِه والوُسطى- فَتفضُلَ هذِه على هَذه .

“The Most Kind has told me that they will not separate until they come to me at the pond (of Paradise) together like these two forefingers. (He gathered his two fingers).”14

The same was narrated by Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah bin Younus al-Moossili from Muhammad bin Ali bin Ibraheem bin Hashim from his father from his grandfather from Muhammad bin Abu Omayr from Hammad bin Eessa from Hurayz from Abu Abdullah Ja'far bin Muhammad bin Ali (as-Sadiq) from his father from his forefathers from Imam Ali (as).

Also it was narrated by Abdul Wahid bin Abdullah from Muhammad bin Ali from his father from his grandfather from al-Hasan bin Mahboob and al-Hasan bin Ali bin Fadhdhal from Ali bin Aqaba from Abu Abdullah (Imam as-Sadiq).

And the same was narrated by Abdul Wahid bin Muhammad bin Ali from his father from his grandfather from al-Hasan bin Mahboob from Ali bin Ri’ab from Abu Hamza ath-Thimali from Abu Ja'far Muhammad bin Ali al-Baqir (as).

The holy Qur'an always has been with Ahlul Bayt and they always have been with the holy Qur'an. They both are the rope of Allah. They never separate as the Prophet (S) has told. This is an evidence for any one, whom Allah has guided to His true religion, showing that whoever resorts to other than the holy Qur'an and Ahlul Bayt, whom Allah has made the guardians after the Prophet (S) and made obeying them as one of the necessary obligations of religion, in looking for knowledge and orders of the Qur'an and all the religious affairs, definitely will go astray and perish and cause others to perish.

Ahlul Bayt were those, whom the Prophet (S) had offered as the highest examples to his umma. He said:

    مَثَلُ أهلِ بَيتي فيكُم كَمثَلِ سَفينَةِ نوحٍ مَن رَكِبها نجَا ومَن تخَلّفَ عَنها غَرِقَ .

“My family to you is like the Ark of Noah. Whoever rides on it will be safe and whoever lags behind it will drown.”

He also said:

    مَثَلُ أهلِ بَيتي فيكُم كَمثَلِ بابِ حِطّة في بَني إسرائِيلَ الّذي مَن دخَلهُ غُفرَت ذُنوبُه واستَحَقّ الرّحمةَ والزّيادَة مِن خالِقِه .

“The example of my family to you is like the Gate of Forgiveness of the Israelites. Whoever enters it his sins will be forgiven and will deserve mercy and blessing of Allah.”

Allah has said:

    وَإِذْ قُلْنَا ادْخُلُوا هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةَ فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمْ رَغَدًا وَادْخُلُوا الْبَابَ سُجَّدًا وَقُولُوا حِطَّةٌ نَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ خَطَايَاكُمْ   وَسَنَزِيدُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

“…And enter the gate making obeisance, and say, forgiveness. We will forgive you your wrongs and give more to those who do good (to others).”15

Imam Ali (as) said in one of his speeches:

    ألا إنّ العِلمَ الّذي هَبطَ بهِ آدَمُ مِن السّماءِ إلى الأرضِ وجمِيع ما فُضّلَت بهِ النّبيّونَ إلى خَاتم النَّبِيّينَ في عِترَة خاتمِ النّبِيّينَ. فأينَ يُتاهُ بِكم؟ بَل أينَ تَذهَبونَ؟ يا مَن نَسخَ مِن أصلابِ أصْحابِ السّفينَةِ هذا مِثلها فِيكُم. فَكما نجَا في هاتَيكَ مَن نجَا فَكذلِكَ يَنجو مِن هذِه مَن يَنجو. وَيلٌ لمَِن تخَلّف عَنهُم .

“The knowledge that Adam has brought from the Heaven to the earth and all the virtues of the prophets until the last of them, Prophet Muhammad, have been granted to Ahlul Bayt. So whereto do you go astray? Where do you go, O you, who have been derived from the people of the Ark? As some only had been saved there, here also some only will be saved. Woe to one, who opposes them (the infallible imams).”

He also said:

    إنّ مَثلَنا فيكُم كَمَثلِ الكَهفِ لأصحابِ الكَهفِ، وَكبابِ حِطّة وهُو بابُ السِّلْم، فادخُلوا في السّلمِ كافّةً .

“We, to you, are like the cave to the People of the Cave and like the Gate of Forgiveness, which is the gate of peace. So be in peace all of you.”

He also said through his speech:

    ولَقَد علِمَ المُستَحفَظونَ مِن أصْحابِ محَمَّدٍ أنّه قالَ: إنيّ وأهْلَ بَيتي مُطَهّرون؛ فلا تَسبِقوهُم فَتضِلّوا، ولا تَخَلّفوا عَنهُم فَتزِلّوا، ولا تُخالِفوهُم فَتجهَلوا، ولا تُعَلّموهُم فإنهُم أعلَمُ مِنكُم. هُم أعلَمُ النّاسِ صِغاراً، وَأعلَمُ النّاسِ كِباراً، فاتّبِعوا الحَقَّ وأهْلَه حَيثُما كانَ، وزايِلوا الباطِلَ وأهْلَهُ حَيثُما كانَ .

“The loyal companions of Muhammad are certain that he has said: “I and my family are infallible. Do not precede them in order not to go astray, do not lag behind them in order not to fall in mistakes, do not object to them in order not to be ignorant and do not teach them because they are much more aware than you. They are the most aware when young and the most aware when old. Follow the truth and its people wherever they are and be far away from the untruth and its people wherever they are.”

But unfortunately people brushed all that aside. They considered the orders of the Prophet (S) as ridiculous and raving. They refused to follow those, whom Allah and His messengers had ordered to be obeyed. Allah said:

    وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ   فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So, ask the followers of the reminder if you do not know.”16

    يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ   فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ  ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

“Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you.”17

The Prophet (S) confirmed many times that safety was bound by keeping to Ahlul Bayt, doing according to their sayings, submitting to their orders, learning from them and walking in their path; nevertheless people resorted to others than them and ascribed their virtues to those others. They became pleased with those others and so Allah deprived them from the true knowledge. They began to interpret according to their fancies and analogies and they became satisfied with their own minds away from the guidance of Allah, His messenger and the infallible imams, whom Allah had appointed to be the guides for His people. When they brushed all that aside and depended on their own opinions, Allah left them to stray in confusion and deviation and consequently they perished and caused others to perish. Allah said:

    قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا

“Say: Shall We inform you of the greatest losers in (their) deeds. (These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well versed in skill of the work of hands.”18

As if people had not heard the saying of Allah:

    وَيَوْمَ يَعَضُّ الظَّالِمُ عَلَىٰ يَدَيْهِ يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي اتَّخَذْتُ مَعَ الرَّسُولِ سَبِيلًا يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ لَيْتَنِي لَمْ أَتَّخِذْ فُلَانًا خَلِيلًا

“And the day when the unjust one shall bite his hands saying: O! would that I had taken a way with the Messenger. O woe is me! would that I had not taken such a one for a friend.”19

So was that “messenger” but Muhammad (as)? And who was that “one” mentioned in the verse? Immediately after that Allah said:

    لَقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي   وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنْسَانِ خَذُولًا

“Certainly he led me astray from the reminder after it had come to me.”20

It meant after acknowledging Islam and becoming a Muslim. Then what was that “reminder” which that one’s friend had led him astray from? Was it not the holy Qur'an and Ahlul Bayt? Allah had called the Prophet (S) as “reminder” when He said:

    أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا   فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَا أُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا   قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكُمْ ذِكْرًا رَسُولًا يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ مُبَيِّنَاتٍ لِيُخْرِجَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ  وَمَنْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحًا يُد ْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا   قَدْ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ رِزْقًا

“Allah has indeed revealed to you a reminder; a messenger.”21

And when He said:

    وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ   فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ   فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So, ask the followers of the reminder if you do not know.”22

Was the “reminder” mentioned in the verse but the Prophet (S)? And who were the “followers of the reminder” save the Prophet’s family?

Then Allah said:

    لَقَدْ أَضَلَّنِي عَنِ الذِّكْرِ بَعْدَ إِذْ جَاءَنِي   وَكَانَ الشَّيْطَانُ لِلْإِنْس َانِ خَذُولًا

“…And the Satan fails to aid man.”23

Definitely the Satan would lead his followers away from the “reminder” and then they would lose in this life and the afterlife. Allah said expressing the Prophet’s situation:

    وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنَ مَهْجُورًا

“And the Messenger cried out: O my Lord! surely my people have treated this Qur’an as a forsaken thing.”24

They became indifferent to the Qur’an, to which and to Ahlul Bayt Allah had ordered them to keep.

Did this blame not concern the people, to whom the Qur'an had been revealed? Did it not concern the people of this umma, who had wronged their Prophet’s family and left the Qur'an aside? It was they, whom the Prophet (S) would witness against on the Day of Resurrection for they had preferred the pleasures of this life to their religion out of doubting Muhammad (as) and envying his family because Allah had favored them with great excellences.

The Prophet (S) said:

    إنّ قَوماً مِن أصْحابي يختَلِجونَ دوني يَومَ القيامَة مِن ذاتِ اليَمينِ إلى ذاتِ الشّمالِ فأقولُ: يا ربِّ أُصَيحابي أصَيحابي - وفي بعضِ الحديثِ أصحابي أصحابي - فيُقالُ: يا محَمّدُ إنّكَ لا تَدري ما أحدَثوا بعدَكَ. فأقولُ: بُعداً بُعداً، سُحقاً سُحقاً .

“On the Day of Resurrection, some of my companions will quiver right and left. I will say: O my God, they are my companions. It will be said: O Muhammad, you do not know what they have committed after you. Then I will say: Away with them! Away with them!”

Allah confirmed this by saying:

    وَمَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ   أَفَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلَىٰ أَعْقَابِكُمْ  وَمَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئًا  وَسَيَجْزِي الل َّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ {144 }

“And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful.”25

This verse had a certain evidence that there would be some people, who would turn back on their heels after the death of the Prophet (S) and who would deny the orders of Allah and His messenger. Allah said:

    لَا تَجْعَلُوا دُعَاءَ الرَّسُولِ بَيْنَكُمْ كَدُعَاءِ بَعْضِكُمْ بَعْضًا   قَدْ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ يَتَسَلَّلُونَ مِنْكُمْ لِوَاذًا  فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أ َلِيمٌ

“…Then let those beware who withstand the Messenger’s order, lest some trial befall them, or a grievous penalty be inflicted on them.”26

Allah would double torment and disgrace for those, who wronged the Prophet’s family and deprived them of their rights and who changed the orders of Allah when He ordered that they (the Prophet’s family) were to be obeyed, loved and taken as guides. Allah said:

    ذَٰلِكَ الَّذِي يُبَشِّرُ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ   قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَىٰ  وَمَنْ يَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِيهَا حُسْنًا  إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ  

“Say: No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.”27

    قُلْ هَلْ مِنْ شُرَكَائِكُمْ مَنْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ   قُلِ اللَّهُ يَهْدِي لِلْحَقِّ  أَفَمَنْ يَهْدِي إِلَى الْحَقِّ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُتَّبَعَ أَمَّنْ لَا يَهِدِّ ي إِلَّا أَنْ يُهْدَىٰ   فَمَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ

“… Is then He Who gives guidance to truth more worthy to be followed, or he who finds not guidance (himself) unless he is guided? What then is the matter with you? How judge ye?”28

The true believers of the umma had agreed upon that Imam Ali (as) was the guardian of the Prophet (S). He guided the companions to the truth often and always and none of them ever guided him. They all were in need of him but he was not in need of any of them. He knew and taught all kinds of knowledge but none of them ever taught him a bit.

They did wrong to Fatima, the infallible Prophet’s daughter, to a degree that she (as) recommended in her will to be buried secretly at night and that none of her father’s umma was to offer the prayer (prayer for the dead) for her except those few ones she had mentioned.

If there was no calamity in the history of Islam bringing shame and disgrace other than the calamity of Fatima (as) until she left to the better world angry with her father’s umma leaving her bitter will that no one was to attend her burial except very few loyal companions, it would be sufficient evidence for the ignorant and for those, whose hearts were sealed, to see what a great sin they had committed when they wronged Fatima, her husband and her sons (peace be upon them) and when they preferred the oppressors to the Prophet’s family, who were the elite of Allah. Allah said:

    أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ يَعْقِلُونَ بِهَا أَوْ آذَانٌ يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا   فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَٰكِنْ تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ  

“For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts.”29

This blindness will cling to the enemies of the Prophet’s family until the Day of Resurrection. Allah said:

لَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مِنْ هَٰذَا فَكَشَفْنَا عَنْكَ غِطَاءَكَ فَبَصَرُكَ الْيَوْمَ حَدِيدٌ {22 }

“Certainly you were heedless of it, but now We have removed from you your veil, so your sight today is sharp.”30

    يَوْمَ لَا يَنْفَعُ الظَّالِمِينَ مَعْذِرَتُهُمْ  وَلَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ {52

“The day on which their excuse shall not benefit the unjust, and for them is curse and for them is the evil abode.”31

Then how odd it was when those blind and deaf people pretended that the holy Qur'an had not had all things about the obligations and the laws needed by people; therefore when they did not find all things, they used their analogies in deriving the laws and they fabricated lies and ascribed them to the Prophet (S) that he had permitted them to do according to their own derivations whereas Allah had said in His Book:

    وَيَوْمَ نَبْعَثُ فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ   وَجِئْنَا بِكَ شَهِيدًا عَلَىٰ هَٰؤُلَاءِ  وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ تِبْيَانًا لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

“… And We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything.”32

    وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلَّا أُمَمٌ أَمْثَالُكُمْ   مَا فَرَّطْنَا فِي الْكِتَابِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ  ثُمَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ

“We have not neglected anything in the Book.”33

    إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ   وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ  

“And We have recorded everything in a clear writing.”34

    وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا

“And We have recorded everything in a book.”35

    قُلْ لَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ   إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ  قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ   أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ

“I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me.”36

    وَأَنِ احْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ وَاحْذَرْهُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنُوكَ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ   فَإِنْ تَو َلَّوْا فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُصِيبَهُمْ بِبَعْضِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ   وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ لَفَاسِقُونَ

“And that you should judge between them by what Allah has revealed.”37

One, who says that something of the affairs of this life and the afterlife, the laws of religion, the obligations and everything that people need is not available in the Qur'an, about which Allah has said, “… and We have revealed the Book to you explaining clearly everything,” refutes the saying of Allah, ascribes lying to Allah and does not believe in His Book.

By Allah, they showed the reality of themselves and of the imams, whom they imitated, when they said that they had not found everything in the Qur'an because they were not among the people of the Qur'an nor among those, who had been given the knowledge of the Qur'an nor had Allah and His messenger given them a share of that because Allah had granted all the knowledge of the Qur'an to the Prophet’s family, who were the trustees, the heirs and the interpreters of the Qur'an.

If they submitted to the order of Allah when saying:

    وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ   وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ  وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَاتَّبَعْتُم ُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

“…And if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it.”38

    وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ   فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

    وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا قَبْلَكَ إِلَّا رِجَالًا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِمْ   فَاسْأَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“So ask the followers of the reminder if you do not know.”39

Allah would get them to the light of guidance, would teach them what they had not known and would make them not need analogy or derivation according to their own opinions and then the differences between the laws of religion would disappear and they would not need to ascribe fabricated traditions to the Prophet (S) claiming that the Prophet (S) had permitted it (deciding according to one’s analogy) whereas the Qur'an had prohibited it when saying:

     أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ   وَلَوْ كَ انَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا

“And if it were from any other than Allah, they would have found in it many a discrepancy.”40

    وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ   وَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

“And be not like those who separated and disputed after clear arguments had come to them.”41

    وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا   وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنْت ُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُمْ بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِنَ النَّارِ فَأَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنْهَا   كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

“And hold fast by the covenant (rope) of Allah all together and be not disunited.”42

The Qur’anic verses talking about disagreement and separation are innumerable. Disagreement and separation in religion lead to deviation. Nevertheless they permitted that and claimed that the Prophet (S) had permitted it whereas Allah had prohibited it by saying:

    وَلَا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَاخْتَلَفُوا مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَهُمُ الْبَيِّنَاتُ   وَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ

“And be not like those who separated and disputed after clear arguments had come to them.”43

Is there something clearer than this? Do people have any excuse before Allah after that?

We pray Allah not to let us go astray and not to let us submit to our minds and fancies in deciding the matters of our religion. We pray Him to firm our guidance and faith, to keep to His guardians, to do according to what they have ordered and to refrain from what they have prohibited in order to meet Him with our faith and loyalty. We pray Him not to let us precede His guardians nor lag behind them for he, who precedes them, will apostatize, who lags behind them will drown, who opposes them will perish and who keeps to them will succeed as the Prophet (S) has said.

Notes

1. The Prophet’s progeny.

2. Qur'an, 3:112.

3. Qur'an, 39:56.

4. Qur'an, 25:27.

5. Qur'an, 14:37.

6. Imam Ali (as).

7. Qur'an, 3:7.

8. Biharul Anwar, vol.34 p.17, 112, Mo’jam Ahadeeth al-Imam al-Mahdi vol.1 p.293.

9. or al-Himyari but the most correct is al-Ahmary.

10. He is the fourth imam of the Shia.

11. Mudhar was one of the great tribes in Arabia.

12. Biharul Anwar, vol.36 p.16.

13. Busra is a town in Syria and San’aa is the capital of Yemen.

14. Biharul Anwar, vol.92 p.102.

15. Qur'an, 2:58.

16. Qur'an, 21:7.

17. Qur'an, 4:59.

18. Qur'an, 18:103-104.

19. Qur'an, 25:27-28.

20. Qur'an, 25:29.

21. Qur'an, 65:10-11.

22. Qur'an, 21:7, 16:43.

23. Qur'an, 25:29.

24. Qur'an, 25:30.

25. Qur'an, 3:144.

26. Qur'an, 24:63.

27. Qur'an, 42:23.

28. Qur'an, 10:35.

29. Qur'an, 22:46.

30. Qur'an, 50:22.

31. Qur'an, 40:52.

32. Qur'an, 16:89.

33. Qur'an, 6:38.

34. Qur'an, 36:12.

35. Qur'an, 78:29.

36. Qur'an, 6:50.

37. Qur'an, 5:49.

38. Qur'an, 4:83.

39. Qur'an, 16:43, 21:7.

40. Qur'an, 4:82.

41. Qur'an, 3:105.

42. Qur'an, 3:103.

43. Qur'an, 3:105.


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