Selected Narrations about the Twelfth Imam chapter2

231. Kamaal al-Deen [2]: Imam al-Sadeq (a. s. ) narrates from his forefathers that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “Surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, chose Friday from the days, the month of Ramazaan from the months, the Night of Power (ﻟﻴﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺪﺭ) from the nights, chose me from all the Prophets and chose Ali (a. s. ) from me. He granted him (Ali (a. s. ) ) superiority over all the successors. From Ali (a. s. ) He chose Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) and from Husain (a. s. ) , He chose the successors from his descendants. They p: 133 

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(descendants) will dispel the distortion of the exaggerators (ﻏﺎﻟﻴﻦ) from the Quran, the plagiarism of the liars and the interpretation of the deviated ones. The ninth of them is their Qaem (a. t. f. s. ) and he is their apparent and their concealed. ” 232. Al-Ikhtesaas [1]: Salmaan al-Faarsi (r. a. ) recounts, ‘I saw Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) in the Prophet’s (s. a. w. a. ) room, who was kissing his eyes and lips, saying, “You are a chief, the son of a chief and the father of chiefs. You are a proof, the son of a proof and the father of proofs. You are an Imam, the son of an Imam and the father of nine Imams from your progeny. The ninth of them is their Qaem (a. t. f. s. ) ”. ’ 233. Kefaayah al-Asar [2]: Imam Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) informs that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) declared, “O Husai! You are an Imam, the brother of an Imam, the son of an Imam and nine of your descendants will be trustees, infallible. The ninth of them is their Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ). Then congratulations to the one who loves them and woe unto the one who bears malice against them. ” 234. Al-Ghaibah of Fazl Ibn Shaazaan [3]: Imam Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) chronicles, “Ameer al-Momineen (a. s. ) was asked concerning the saying of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , ‘Surely I leave amongst you two weighty things, the Book of Allah and my progeny’, who is the progeny? He (a. s. ) replied, ‘I, Hasan, Husain and the nine Imams from the descendants of Husain (a. s. ). The ninth of them is their p: 134 

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Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ). They shall not separate from the Book of Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, and it shall not separate from them till they call upon the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) at his Hauz’. ” 235. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Abu Maryam Abd al-Ghaffaar Ibn al-Qasim narrates, ‘I went to my master, al-Baaqer (a. s. ) , while there were a number of his companions with him. When the discussion of Islam arose, I asked, ‘O my maste! Which Islam is the best? ’ He (a. s. ) replied, “In which the believers are safe from the tongue and hands of the Muslim. ” ‘Which of the ethics is the best? ’ “Patience and forgiveness. ” ‘Which believer is the most complete in belief? ’ “The best of them in morality. ” ‘Which is the best struggle? ’ “Where generosity is a habit and blood is spilled. ” ‘Which is the best prayer? ’ “Prolonging the Qunoot (supplication in prayers). ” ‘Which is the best charity? ’ “That you abstain from what Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has prohibited for you. ” ‘What is your opinion vis-à-vis calling upon the rulers? ’ “I don’t deem it proper. ” ‘But I travel quite often to Syria and pay a visit to (governor) Ibraheem Ibn al-Waleed. ’ “O Abd al-Ghaffaa! Certainly your paying a visit to the rulers invites three consequences: (a) the love of the world, (b) forgetting death and (c) decrease in satisfaction of what Allah has destined for you. ” ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! I have a large family and I go to them only to obtain some benefits for myself. What is your view in this regard? ’ “O servant of Alla! For sure, I don’t order you p: 135 

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to forsake the world. I am only commanding you to abstain from sins, because forsaking the world is a virtue (recommended) but abstaining from sins is obligatory. You are more in need of performing the obligations than acquiring the virtues. ” I kissed his (a. s. ) hands and his feet and asked, ‘May my father and my mother be sacrifice for you, O son of Allah’s Messenge! We do not find correct knowledge but from you (Ahle Bait a. s. ). Now I have become old, my bones have become fragile and the state I see you (Ahle Bait a. s. ) in, does not please me. I see you being killed, expelled and fearful while I have been waiting for your Qaem (a. t. f. s. ) since a long time, thinking he will appear today or tomorrow. ’ “O Abd al-Ghaffaa! Surely our Qaem, he is the seventh from my descendants and now is not the time of his emergence. Indeed, my ancestors have narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘Certainly the Imams after me are twelve, equal to the number of the chiefs of Bani Israel. Nine of them are from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ) and the ninth of them is their Qaem (a. t. f. s. ). He will appear in the last era and shall fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. ” ‘So, if this is the case, O son of Allah’s Messenger, who will be your successor? ’ “Jafar (my son). He is the chief of my sons and the father of p: 136 

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Imams. He is truthful in word and deed. Indeed, you have asked a big question O Abd al-Ghaffaar, and you deserves to be answered. For sure, the keys of knowledge are questions. ” Then he (a. s. ) recited a couplet whose theme runs as follows: The cure of blindness is prolonging the question and all of blindness is to keep quiet despite being ignorant. ’ 236. Al-Kaafi [1]: Abu Baseer narrates from Imam Baaqer (a. s. ) , “After Husain (a. s. ) , there will be nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaem. ” 237. Kamaal al-Deen [2] Abu Baseer narrates from Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) , “After Husain (a. s. ) , there will be nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaem. ” 238. Muqtazab al-Asar [3]: Salmaan al-Faarsi (r. a. ) recollects, ‘We were with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) while Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) was sitting on his lap. Then the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) became a mount for him (a. s. ) and said to him, “O Aba Abdillah (Husain)! You are the chief from the chiefs and you are an Imam, the son of an Imam, the brother of an Imam and the father of nine Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaem, their Imam, the most knowledgeable of them, the most judicious of them and the most superior of them”. ’ 239. Kashf al-Yaqeen [4]: Ahmad Ibn Hanbal in his Musnad records that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said for Husain (a. s. ) , “This son of mine is an Imam, the brother of an Imam and the father of Imams. The ninth of them is their Qaem (a. t. f. s. ). ” 240. Muqtazab al-Asar [5]: Jaaber p: 137 

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Ibn Abdullah al-Ansaari narrates, ‘The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) informed, “Surely, Allah chose Friday from the days, the Night of Power from the nights and the month of Ramazaan from the months. Then He chose me and Ali (a. s. ) and selected from Ali (a. s. ) , Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ). Thereafter, He chose from Husain (a. s. ) , the proofs of the universe, the ninth of them is their Qaem (a. t. f. s. ) who is the most knowledgeable and the most judicious amongst them”. ’ 241. Al-Nukat al-Eteqaadiyyah [1]: The author of this book, while talking about Imamate argues, ‘The proof of their Imamate is that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has successively endorsed their caliphate like his saying for Husain (a. s. ) , “This son of mine is an Imam, the son of an Imam, the brother of an Imam and the father of Imams. Their ninth is their Qaem who will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be filled with injustice and oppression”. ’ 242. Faraaed al-Simtain [2]: Ibn Abbas (r. a. ) chronicles that a Jew named Na’sal came to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and said, ‘O Muhamma! I want to ask you a few things that have been troubling me for quite some time. If you answer me concerning them, I will accept Islam at your hands. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Ask, O Abu Amaara! ” He requested, ‘O Muhamma! Describe unto me your Lord. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) responded, “Surely the Creator cannot be described except by what He has described Himself. How can the Creator be described, Whom p: 138 

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the attributes are helpless from comprehending, imaginations from reaching Him, thoughts from confining Him and intellects from encompassing Him? He is more Majestic than the description of those who describe Him. He is Far in His nearness and Near in His remoteness. He has made ‘how’ so the question ‘how’ is not applicable for Him. He has made ‘where’ so the question ‘where’ cannot be used for Him. He is distinct from ‘how-ness’ and ‘where-ness’. Then, He is One, He is Needless as He has described Himself. Those who describe Him cannot reach unto His attribute. He is neither born nor does He give birth. And none is equal to Him. ” He said, ‘You have said the truth, O Muhamma! Inform me about your statement, ‘He is One, there is nothing similar to Him’. Is not Allah, the High, One like man is one? ’ So, surely, His Oneness is similar to the oneness of man. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) explained, “Allah, the High, is One in the actual meaning of oneness. But man is one in the meaning of compound i. e. he is made of substance, accident, soul and body. So, the similarity is only literal, nothing more. ” He confessed: You have spoken the truth, O Muhamma! Inform me about your successor, who is he? For, there has been no Prophet but that he had a successor. Indeed, our Prophet Moosa Ibn Imran (a. s. ) appointed Yoosha’ Ibn Nun (a. s. ) as his successor. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) clarified, “Yes. Surely my successor and caliph after me is Ali Ibn p: 139 

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Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , followed by my two grandsons, Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) , who will be followed by nine of his descendants, righteous Imams, from his progeny. ” He requested, ‘O Muhamma! Name them for me. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) agreed, “Yes. When Husain (a. s. ) dies, his son Ali (a. s. ) will succeed him. And when Ali (a. s. ) dies, his son Muhammad (a. s. ) , then his son Ja’far (a. s. ) , then his son Moosa (a. s. ) , then his son Ali (a. s. ) , then his son Muhammad (a. s. ) , then his son Ali (a. s. ) , then his son Hasan (a. s. ) and then, al-Hujjah Ibn al-Hasan (a. t. f. s. ). These are the twelve Imams, their number being equal to the chiefs of Bani Israel. ” He asked, ‘So, where is their place in Paradise? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) retorted, “With me at my level. ” He acknowledged, ‘I witness that there is no god but Allah and that surely you are the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). I also witness that they are the successors after you. Indeed, I have found them in the previous books. In his covenant unto us, Moosa Ibn Imran (a. s. ) prophesied, ‘With the advent of the last era, there will emerge a Prophet named Ahmad, the seal of the Prophets. There will be no Prophet after him. From his progeny, nine righteous Imams will come forth, equal to the number of the grandsons. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) inquired, “O Abu Amaara! Do you know the grandsons? ” He replied, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! They were twelve. The first of them was Laavi Ibn Barkhiyaa and he is the one who had gone p: 140 

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into a prolonged occultation from the Bani Israel. Then he returned and Allah manifested His Shariah through him after its learning. He fought against the King Firishtiaa till he killed him. ’ The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) responded, “Whatever occurred in the Bani Israel will happen in my Ummah, step by step, in toto. The twelfth of my successors will go in occultation till he is not seen. A time will come upon my Ummah when nothing will remain from Islam except its name, and nothing shall remain from Quran but its image. Only then will Allah permit him to reappear, and (after his reappearance) , he will make Islam prevail and renew religion. ” Then he (s. a. w. a. ) declared, “Congratulations to the one who loves them and woe unto the one who bears malice against them. Congratulations to the one who fastens unto them. ” 

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[2]: Kamaal al-Deen, vol. 2, pg. 350, Chap. 33, Tr. No. 45; Al-Seraat al-Mustaqeem, vol. 2, pg. 134, Chap. 10, Sec. 4; Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 36, pg. 391, Chap. 46, Tr. No. 5; Al-Insaaf, pg. 29, Tr. No. 24; Isbaat al-Hudaat, vol. 1, pg. 518, Chap. 9, Tr. No. 258. 

Shivering, Na’sal stood up before the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and started recited a poem in his glorification. 243. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrates, ‘I went to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , while Hasan (a. s. ) was sitting on his shoulder and Husain (a. s. ) was on his lap. He (s. a. w. a. ) was kissing both of them and praying, “O Alla! Befriend him who befriends these two and be enemy of the one who takes them as enemy. ” Then he (s. a. w. a. ) prophesied, “O Ibn Abba! As if I am seeing his (Husain) beard being dyed in his blood. He will call out (for help) but none will respond to his call. He will seek help p: 141 

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but nobody will come to his help. ” I asked, ‘Who will do this, O Messenger of Allah? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) responded, “The worst of my Ummah. Allah will not make my intercession reach unto them. O Ibn Abba! Whoever visits him (his grave) , while being cognizant of his rights, a reward of a thousand Hajj and a thousand Umrah will be recorded for him. Know that whoever visits him, it is as if he has visited me, and whoever visits me it is as if he has visited Allah. And the right of Allah’s visitor (on Him) is that He will not punish him with hell-fire. Know that prayers will be answered beneath his tomb and cure will be found in the soil of his grave and that of the Imams (a. s. ) from his progeny. ” Ibn Abbas says, ‘I asked, ‘O Messenger of Alla! How many Imams will be there after you? ’’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “They will be equal to the number of the companions (ﺣﻮﺍﺭﻳّﻮﻥ) of Hazrat Eesa (a. s. ) , the grandsons of Hazrat Moosa (a. s. ) and the chiefs of Bani Israel? ” I enquired, ‘O Messenger of Alla! How many will they be? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) informed, “They were twelve and the Imams after me will be twelve in number. The first of them is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , followed by my two grandsons, Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ). When Husain (a. s. ) will die, his son Ali (a. s. ) will succeed him, followed by his son Muhammad (a. s. ). When Muhammad (a. s. ) expires, p: 142 

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his son Ja’far (a. s. ) will succeed him, followed by his son Moosa (a. s. ). After the martyrdom of Moosa (a. s. ) , his son Ali (a. s. ) will succeed him, followed by his son Muhammad (a. s. ). When Muhammad (a. s. ) expires, his son Ali (a. s. ) will be his heir, followed by his son Hasan (a. s. ) , who finally, will be succeeded by his son al-Hujjah (a. t. f. s. ). ” Ibn Abbas recounts, ‘I questioned, ‘O Messenger of Alla! These are names that I have never heard befor! ’’ He (s. a. w. a. ) prophesied, “O Ibn Abba! They are the Imams after me even if they are subjugated and oppressed. They are trustees, infallible, chosen ones and the best (among the people). O Ibn Abba! One who comes on the day of judgement cognizant of their rights, I will take his hand and make him enter the paradise. O Ibn Abba! Whoever denies them or rejects even one of them, then it is as if he has denied and rejected me. And, whosoever denies and rejects me, then he has denied and rejected Allah. O Ibn Abba! Soon the people will be divided into factions. When this is the case, you follow Ali (a. s. ) and his party for surely, he is with truth and truth is with him and they will not separate from each other till they meet me at the Hauz. O Ibn Abba! Their mastership is my mastership and my mastership is the mastership of Allah. War with them is war with me and war with me is war with p: 143 

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Allah. Their peace is my peace and my peace is Allah’s peace. ” Then the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) recited the Quranic verse, ﻳُﺮِﻳﺪُﻭﻥَ ﺃَﻥ ﻳُﻄْﻔِﺆُﻭﺍْ ﻧُﻮﺭَ ﺍﻟﻠﻪِ ﺑِﺄَﻓْﻮَﺍﻫِﻬِﻢْ ﻭَﻳَﺄْﺑَﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪُ ﺇِﻟﺎﱠﱠ ﺃَﻥ ﻳُﺘِﻢﱠﱠ ﻧُﻮﺭَﻩُ ﻭَﻟَﻮْ ﻛَﺮِﻩَ ﺍﻟْﻜَﺎﻓِﺮُﻭﻥَ They intend to extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths and Allah will not allow but to complete His light even if the unbelievers dislike it. (Qur’an Surah Taubah 9: 32) 244. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Salmaan al-Faarsi chronicles, ‘The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) addressed us thus, “O peopl! Soon I will depart from you and go into the unseen (world). I advise you to be good to my progeny. Keep away from innovations, for surely, every innovation is a deviation and every deviation and its initiator will be in hell-fire. O peopl! O whoever loses the sun must fasten to the moon, and whoever loses the moon must hold on to the two bright stars of the Ursa Minor. And whoever loses the two bright stars of the Ursa Minor must fasten to the brilliant stars after me. I say this unto you and seek forgiveness from Allah for me and for you. ’ When he (s. a. w. a. ) descended from the pulpit, I trailed him (s. a. w. a. ). He (s. a. w. a. ) entered the house of Ayesha and I followed suit. Then I asked, ‘May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! I heard you say that whoever loses the sun, must fasten to the moon, and whoever loses the moon must hold on to the p: 144 

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two bright stars of the Ursa Minor. And whoever loses the two bright stars of the Ursa Minor must fasten to the brilliant stars after me. So, who is the sun, the moon, the two bright stars of the Ursa Minor and the brilliant stars? ” He (s. a. w. a. ) elaborated, “As for the sun, then it’s me, while the moon is Ali (a. s. ). So if you lose me, then fasten unto him after me. Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) are the two bright stars of the Ursa Minor, so if you lose the moon, then hold on to these two. The brilliant stars are the nine infallible Imams (a. s. ) from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ) and the ninth of them is their Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ). ” Then he (s. a. w. a. ) continued, “They are the successors and the caliphs after me, the Imams, the righteous, equal to the grandsons of Yaqub (a. s. ) and the companions of Eesa (a. s. ). ” I requested, ‘Name them for me, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) complied, “The first and the chief of them is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) followed by my two grandsons. After them is Zain al-Aabedeen Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ) , followed by Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Baaqer (a. s. ) , the splitter of the knowledge of the Prophets (a. s. ). He will be succeeded by Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, his son al-Kaazem (a. s. ) the namesake of Moosa Ibn Imran (a. s. ) , who will be followed by his son, who will be martyred in Khorasan while being away from his homeland. His son Muhammad p: 145 

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and the two truthful ones, Ali and Hasan will succeed him. Finally the Hujjah, the Qaem, the Awaited One during his occultation, will succeed them. Surely, they are my progeny from my blood and my flesh. Their knowledge is my knowledge and their judgement is my judgement. Whoever tortures me concerning them, Allah will not make my intercession reach unto them. ”’ 245. Kamaal al-Deen [1]: Jaaber Ibn Yazeed al-Jo’fi narrates that I heard Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansaari say, ‘When Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, revealed upon His Prophet Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) , ﻳَﺎ ﺃَﻳﱡﱡﻬَﺎ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺁﻣَﻨُﻮﺍْ ﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﻠﻪَ ﻭَﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﺮﱠﱠﺳُﻮﻝَ ﻭَﺃُﻭْﻟِﻲ ﺍﻟﺄَﻣْﺮِ ﻣِﻨﻜُﻢْ O ye who believ! Obey Allah and obey the messenger and those possessing authority among you. (Qur’an Surah Nisaa 4: 59) I said, ‘O Messenger of Alla! We know Allah and His Messenger. But who are the possessors of authority whose obedience Allah has accompanied with your obedience? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) explained, “They are my caliphs, O Jaaber, and the Imams of the Muslims after me. The first of them is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , then Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) , then Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ) , then Muhammad Ibn Ali (a. s. ) the one who is famous as al-Baaqer in the Old Testament. Soon, you will meet him, O Jaaber, so when you face him, convey my salutation to him. He will be followed by Sadeq, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, then Moosa Ibn Ja’far, then Ali Ibn Moosa, then Muhammad Ibn Ali, then Ali Ibn Muhammad, then al-Hasan Ibn Ali, then the one who p: 146 

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will be my namesake and bear my agnomen, the proof of Allah in His earth and His remainder among His servants, the son of Hasan Ibn Ali. He (a. t. f. s. ) is the one at whose hands Allah, High be His remembrance, will open the east of the earth and its west. He (a. t. f. s. ) is the one who will be concealed from his Shias and his friends, an occultation in which none will be steadfast on the belief of his Imamate except the one whose heart has been tested by Allah for faith. ” Jaaber says that he asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Will the Shias benefit from him during the occultation? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Yes, by the One Who sent me with Prophethoo! Surely they will benefit with his light and gain from his mastership in his occultation like the people derive benefit from the sun when the clouds hide it. O Jaabe! This is from the hidden secrets of Allah and the treasures of His knowledge, so hide it except from the ones worthy of it. ” Jaaber Ibn Yazeed recounts: When Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansaari paid a visit to Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ) and was conversing with him, Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Baaqer (a. s. ) emerged from the ladies room while he was a small boy and a forelock was dropping on his forehead. The moment his eyes fell on him, Jaaber trembled all over with every strand of hair on his body being raised in amazement. Jaaber stared at him for a p: 147 

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long time and then asked, ‘So! Come forward’, he came forward. Then he said, ‘Go back’ and he duly obliged. Jaaber exclaimed, ‘By the Lord of the Ka’ba! His traits are exactly like those of the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ). ’ Jaaber stood up and going near him, asked, ‘So! What is your name? ’ He replied, “Muhammad. ” ‘Whose son? ’ “Ali Ibn Husain” was the response. Jaaber queried, ‘Son, may my life be sacrificed for you, are you al-Baaqer? ’ He replied in the affirmative and said, “Convey to me what you are carrying from the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). ” Jaaber responded, ‘O my maste! The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) gave me glad tidings of survival till I meet you and to convey his salutations to you. O my maste! The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) conveys salutations to yo! ’ Abu Ja’far (a. s. ) remarked, “O Jaabe! May the salutations be on the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) till the heavens and the earth subsist. And may the salutations be on you for conveying the salutations. ” Thereafter, Jaaber used to frequent him and learn things from him. Once, Imam Baaqer (a. s. ) asked him some question. At this, Jaaber pleaded, ‘By Alla! I don’t intend to violate the prohibition of Allah’s Messenger (s. a. w. a. ). For certainly, he (s. a. w. a. ) has informed me that you are the Imams, the guides from his Ahle Bait (a. s. ) after him (s. a. w. a. ). The most forbearing of the people in childhood and the most knowledgeable of them in old age. And he (s. a. w. a. ) warned, “Don’t teach them for p: 148 

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they are more knowledgeable than you. ” Hearing this, Abu Ja’far (a. s. ) retorted, “Indeed my grandfather (s. a. w. a. ) has spoken the truth. Certainly, I am more informed than you of what I asked you, as I have been granted wisdom in childhood. All this is due to the grace of Allah and His mercy upon us Ahle Bait (a. s. ). ” 246. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansari narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said to Husain (a. s. ) , “O Husai! Nine Imams will emerge from your loins. From them, is the Mahdi of this Ummah. So, when your father is martyred, Hasan will succeed him and when Hasan is poisoned, you will follow him. When you will be martyred, your son Ali will succeed you. When Ali dies, his son Muhammad, and when Muhammad dies, his son Ja’far will succeed him. When Ja’far dies, his son Moosa, and when Moosa dies, his son Ali will follow him. When Ali dies, his son Muhammad and when Muhammad expires, his son Ali will be his heir. When Ali dies, his son Hasan will take charge and when Hasan departs, his son, al-Hujjah will succeed him. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be filled with injustice and oppression. ” 247. Kefaayah al-Asar [2]: Anas Ibn Maalik recounts, ‘I, Abuzar, Salman, Zaid Ibn Saabit and Zaid Ibn Arqam were with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) when Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) entered. The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) kissed them. Then Abuzar turned enthusiastically towards them, p: 149 

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kissed their hands, returned and sat with us. We whispered to him, ‘O Abuza! You are an old companion of the Prophet, yet you stand up for the two children of Bani Hashim, move enthusiastically towards them and kiss their hands?! ’ He retorted, ‘Yes. Had you heard what I heard concerning these two from the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , you would have done more than what I do. ’ We inquired, ‘What did you hear, O Abuzar? ’ He replied, ‘I heard him (s. a. w. a. ) say to Ali (a. s. ): O Al! By Allah, if a person prays and fasts till he becomes like a decomposed skin waterbag, yet his prayers and fasting will not benefit him without your love and hatred towards your enemies. O Al! Whoever pleads to Allah through the medium of your love, it becomes a right upon Allah not to return him disappointed. O Al! Whoever loves you and fastens unto you, then indeed he has fastened unto the strong rope’. ’ Thereafter Abuzar stood up and left. We went to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and verified, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Abuzar has narrated to us from you such and such things. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) confirmed, “Abuzar has spoken the truth, indeed he has spoken the truth, by Allah. There is nobody on the face of the earth more truthful than Abuzar. ” He (s. a. w. a. ) continued, “Allah, Blessed and High Be He, created me and my Ahle Bait (a. s. ) from one light, seven thousand years before He created Adam (a. s. ). p: 150 

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Thereafter, He transferred us from his loin to the loins of the pure men and the wombs of the pure women. ” 

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I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Where were you and in which form were you? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “We were shadows of light beneath the Throne (arsh) , glorifying Allah and declaring His Majesty. ” He (s. a. w. a. ) proceeded, “When I was taken to the heavens for ascension (ﻣﻌﺮﺍﺝ) and reached the lotus tree (ﺳﺪﺭﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻨﻬﻲ) , Jibraeel left me alone. I cried, ‘My friend, Jibraeel, are you forsaking me in such a place? ’ He (a. s. ) replied, ‘O Muhamma! I am not permitted to cross this limit lest my wings be burnt. ’ From there, I was taken to in the light till Allah pleased, when Allah revealed unto me, ‘O Muhamma! I glanced through the earth, selected you from it and appointed you as a Prophet. For the second time, I glanced through the earth, chose Ali from it and nominated him as your successor, the inheritor of your knowledge and the Imam after you. I will bring forth from the loins of you two, pure progeny and infallible Imams and the treasurers of My knowledge. Had you not been there, I would not have created the world, the hereafter, the paradise and the hell. O Muhamma! Do you like to see them (the Imams)? ’ I replied in the affirmative. I was called, ‘O Muhamma! Raise your hea! I raised my head and I saw the lights of Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali p: 151 

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Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and al-Hujjah. The last named was shining amongst them like a brilliant star. ’ I asked, ‘Who are these and who is he? ’ He replied, ‘O Muhamma! They are the Imams after you, the infallible from your progeny. He is the Hujjah, who will fill the earth with justice and equity and pacify the hearts of the believers’. ” We (the companions) remarked, ‘May our fathers and mothers be sacrificed for yo! Indeed you have said a strange thing, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) retorted, “Stranger than this is the fact that some people will hear these things from me and yet turn their backs after Allah has guided them and trouble me concerning these Imams. May Allah not make my intercession reach unto the! ”’ 248. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Anas Ibn Maalik chronicles that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “When I was taken to the heavens (ﻣﻌﺮﺍﺝ) , I saw transcribed on the leg of the throne (ﻋﺮﺵ) , ‘There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have assisted and helped him through Ali. ’ I saw twelve names written with light. They were of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, my two grandsons and nine names after them, of which three were Ali, two were Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Hasan and al-Hujjah, who shone from amongst them. I asked, ‘O Lor! Whose names are these? ’ My Lord, mighty p: 152 

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be His Majesty, called out, ‘They are the successors from your progeny. Through them, I will reward and I will chastise. ’” 249. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Abu Hurairah reports, ‘I, Abu Bakr, Umar, Fazl Ibn Abbas, Zaid Ibn Haaresah and Abdullah Ibn Mas’ood were with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) when Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) , (a child learning to walk) entered. The Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) held him and kissed him, saying, “Come on, come on, take small steps. ” Then, the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) placed his mouth on his mouth and prayed, “O Alla! Surely I love him, so you love him too, and love the one who loves him. O Husai! You are an Imam, the son of an Imam and the father of nine Imams from your righteous progeny. ” At this, Abdullah Ibn Masood asked, ‘Who are these Imams, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , whom you just mentioned, from the progeny of Husain? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) bowed his head for a long time, then he (s. a. w. a. ) raised it and said, “O Abdulla! You have asked a great question but I will inform you of it. Certainly, this son of mine - and he (s. a. w. a. ) placed his hand on the shoulder of Husain - will have a son who will be the namesake of his grandfather, Ali (a. s. ). He will be called as Abid and the light of the puritans. Allah will bring forth from the loin of Ali, whose name will be my name [2] and he will bear utmost similarity to me from the people. p: 153 

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He will split the knowledge, as it ought to be split, speak with truth and command only for the right things. Thereafter, Allah will cause to emerge from his offspring the word of right and the tongue of truth [1] , the truthful in his word and speech. He who doubts about him is like the one who has doubted about me and the one who rejects him is as if he has rejected me. ” At this juncture, Hassaan Ibn Saabit entered, recited a few poems glorifying the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and the tradition was discontinued. On the morrow, we prayed along with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). After the prayers, he (s. a. w. a. ) entered the house of Ayesha. Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) Abdullah Ibn Abbas and I (Abu Hurairah) followed him. It was his (s. a.. w. a. ) habit that when he was asked, he answered and when he was not questioned, he initiated the talk. I asked him, ‘May my father and my mother be held your ransom, O Messenger of Alla! Will you not inform me of the remaining Caliphs from the progeny of Husain (a. s. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) said, “Yes, O Abu Huraira! Allah will bring forth from the progeny of Ja’far, a pure, immaculate son, a namesake of (Prophet) Moosa Ibn Imran (a. s. ). ” Ibn Abbas inquired, ‘Then who, O Messenger of Allah? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) responded, “From the offspring of Moosa will emerge his son Ali, called Reza (a. s. ). He will be the place of knowledge and the mine of forbearance. By my p: 154 

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fathe! He will be martyred as a stranger (far away from his homeland). From the progeny of Ali will come out his son Muhammad (a. s. ) , the praised one, the purest of the people in creation and the best of them in ethics. Then, from the progeny of Muhammad will emerge his son Ali, pure of heart and truthful in speech. From the loin of Ali will come out Hasan, the blessed, the pure, the immaculate, the speaker from Allah and the father of His proof. Finally, from the offspring of Hasan, the Qaem of us Ahle Bait (a. s. ) will emerge. He will fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. He will bear the awe of (Prophet) Moosa, the judgement of Dawood and the brightness of Eesa. Then he (s. a. w. a. ) recited the verse, ﺫُﺭﱢﱢﻳﱠﱠﺔً ﺑَﻌْﻀُﻬَﺎ ﻣِﻦ ﺑَﻌْﺾٍ ﻭَﺍﻟﻠّﻪُ ﺳَﻤِﻴﻊٌ ﻋَﻠِﻴﻢٌ Offspring, one of the other. And Allah is the Hearing, the Knowing. (Qur’an Surah Aale Imran 3: 34) Here, Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) asked him, “May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Alla! Who are these whose names you have just mentioned? ” He (s. a. w. a. ) informed, “O Al! These are the names of the successors after you, a pure progeny and a blessed offspring. ” He (s. a. w. a. ) continued, “I swear by the One in Whose hands is the life of Muhamma! Even if a person worships Allah for a thousand years, then another thousand years between the Rukn (al-Yamaani) p: 155 

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and the Maqaam (-e-Ibraheem) but comes to me denying their mastership, Allah will throw him in the hell-fire, whoever he may be. ”’ Abu Ali Ibn Humaam (one of the links in the chain of narrators of this tradition) remarks, ‘Amazing, very amazing, indeed from Abu Huraira! He narrates such traditions but denies the virtues of the Ahle Bait (a. s. ). ’ 250. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Abu Amaamah recounts that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “When I was taken to the heavens (ﻣﻌﺮﺍﺝ) , I saw written with light on the leg of the throne (ﻋﺮﺵ) , ‘There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I assisted him with Ali and helped him with Ali. After him, will be Hasan and Husain. I saw Ali written thrice, Muhammad twice, Ja’far, Moosa, Hasan and Hujjah; twelve names written with light. I asked, ‘O Lor! Whose names are these that you have accompanied with me? ’ I was called out, ‘O Muhamma! They are the Imams after you and the best ones from your progeny. ’” 251. Kefaayah al-Asar [2]: Yazeed Ibn Haroon reports that our teachers and our scholars informed us from Abd al-Qays (in a lengthy tradition in which the Battle of Jamal is discussed) that, ‘…then the woman (Ayesha) was caught and taken to the fort of Bani Halaf where Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ammaar, Zaid and Abu Ayyub Khalid Ibn Zaid al-Ansaari arrived. When Abu Ayyub went to the houses of the Hashemiites, thirty of us from the elders of Basrah gathered, went to him, saluted him p: 156 

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and asked, ‘You have fought with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) in (the battles of) Badr and Ohod against the polytheists and now you have come to fight against the Muslims? ’ He replied, ‘By Alla! I have heard the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) say to Ali (a. s. ) , “Surely you will fight against the Naakeseen (the people of Jamal- Ayesha, Talha, Zubair, etc. ) , the Qaaseteen (the people of Siffeen viz. Moaviyah and his sycophants) and the Maareqeen (the people of Naharwan- the Kharijiites). ” We asked, ‘By Alla! Did you hear this from the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) concerning Ali?! ’ He said, ‘I heard him (s. a. w. a. ) say, “Ali is with the truth and truth is with Ali. He is the Imam and the Caliph after me. He will fight for the interpretation of the Quran as I fought for its revelation. His two sons, Hasan and Husain, my two grandsons from this Ummah, are Imams, whether they stand or sit, and their father is better than they are. The Imams after Husain are nine from his progeny and from them is the Qaem, who will rise in the last era just as I stood up in its beginning and he will conquer the forts of deviation. ” We asked, ‘Who are these nine (Imams)? ’ He replied, ‘They are the Imams after Husain, one after the other. ’ We inquired, ‘How many Imams did the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) promise you that would succeed him (s. a. w. a. )? ’ He retorted, ‘Twelve. ’ We requested, ‘Can you name them p: 157 

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for us? ’ He responded, ‘Yes. Surely the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) informed us, “When I was taken to the skies for ascension, I looked at the leg of the Throne (arsh) where it was written with light: There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have supported him with Ali and assisted him with Ali. Moreover, I saw eleven names transcribed with light on the leg of the Throne after Ali. They were Hasan, Husain, Ali (thrice) , Muhammad (twice) , Ja’far, Moosa, Hasan and Hujjah. I asked, ‘My Lord and my maste! Whose are these whom You have honoured and associated their names with Your Name? ’ I was told, ‘O Muhamma! They are the successors after you and the Imams. So, congratulations to their lovers and woe unto those who bear malice against them…”’ 252. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Huzaifah Ibn Yamaan reports that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) prayed with us. Then he (s. a. w. a. ) turned towards us and addressed us thus, “O my companion! I advise you to fear Allah and act in accordance with His obedience. Whoever does so will be successful and triumphant. But whosoever forsakes it will regret and lament. So, fasten unto piety and you will be safe and secure from the fears of the Day of Judgement. I have been called for (i. e. I am going to die) and I have responded. Thus, I leave behind you two weighty things, the Book of Allah and my progeny the Ahle Bait (a. s. ). If you p: 158 

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hold on to them, you will not deviate. And whoever fastens unto my progeny after me will be among the successful ones. But whoever lags behind will be from the destroyed ones. ” I asked, “O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Whom will you depute among us? ” He (s. a. w. a. ) questioned, “Whom did Moosa Ibn Imran (a. s. ) depute among his nation? ” I said, ‘His successor, Yoosha’ Bin Nun. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) retorted, “Then certainly my successor and my caliph after me will be Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the leader of the righteous and the killer of the transgressors. Who helps him will be helped (by Allah) and who forsakes him will be forsaken. ” I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! How many Imams will succeed you? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Equal to the number of Bani Israaeel, of which, nine will be from the descendants of Husain (a. s. ). Allah will give them my knowledge and my understanding. They will be the treasures of Allah’s knowledge and the mine of His revelation. ” I inquired, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Then what about the descendants of Hasan (a. s. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) argued, “Indeed, Allah, Blessed and High be He, has placed Imamat in the progeny of Husain (a. s. ) and this is His saying, Mighty and Glorified be He, ﻭَﺟَﻌَﻠَﻬَﺎ ﻛَﻠِﻤَﺔً ﺑَﺎﻗِﻴَﺔً ﻓِﻲ ﻋَﻘِﺒِﻪِ And He made it a remaining word in his posterity. (Qur’an Surah Zukhruf 43: 28) I pleaded, ‘Will you not name them for me, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Yes. When I was p: 159 

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taken to the heavens for ascension (me’raaj) , I saw that it was transcribed with light on the leg of the throne: There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have assisted him and helped him with Ali. I saw the lights of Hasan, Husain and Fatemah. I observed Ali written in three places, Muhammad in two places, Moosa, Ja’far, Hasan and Hujjah, who was shining amongst them like a brilliant star. I asked, ‘O Lor! Who are these whose names You have associated with Your Name? ’ He answered, ‘O Muhamma! Surely these are successors and Imams after you. I have created them from your soil (ﻃﻴﻨﺖ). Then congratulations to the one who loves them and woe unto the one who bears enmity against them. For, due to them I send down the rains and through them I reward and I punish. ”’ Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) raised his hands towards the sky and prayed a few supplications. I heard him (s. a. w. a. ) say, “O Alla! Place information and deep knowledge in my posterity and the posterity of my posterity, in my progeny [1] and the progeny of my progeny. ” 253. Kamaal al-Deen [2]: Imam Ja’far Sadeq (a. s. ) narrates on the authority of his ancestors that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “Jibraeel (a. s. ) has reported to me from the Lord of the Might, may His Majesty be Mighty, that He said, ‘Whoever knows (believes) that there is no god but Me alone, Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) is My servant and 

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--------------------

[2]: Imam Muhammad al-Baqer (a. s. ) 

[1]: Imam Ja’far al-Sadeq (a. s. ) 

[1]: lit.: crop – Tr. 

p: 160 

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My messenger, Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) is My caliph and that surely the Imams form his progeny are My proofs, I will make him enter the paradise on account of My mercy, save him from My hell due to My forgiveness and allow him to reside in My neighbourhood. I will make My honour obligatory on him, complete My bounties on him and make him from My special and pure (servants). If he calls Me, I will answer him, if he invokes Me, I will accept his invocation and if he asks Me, I will grant him. If he is silent, I will initiate the talk with him and if he errs, I will have mercy on him. If he flees from Me, I will call him and if he returns unto Me, I will accept him. If he knocks on My door, I will open it. But one who does not witness that there is no god but Me alone; or bears testimony for the same but does not bear witness that Muhammad is My servant and My messenger; or testifies for the above two but does not acknowledge that Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) is My caliph; or witnesses for all the above but refuses to confess that the Imams (a. s. ) from his progeny are My proofs, then indeed He has denied My bounties, belittled My greatness and disbelieved in My signs and My books. If he desires Me, I will veil Myself from him and if he p: 161 

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asks Me, I will deprive him. When he calls Me, I will not hear his call and when he invokes Me, I will not accept his invocation. If he expects from Me, I will disappoint him. This is my retribution for him and I am not unjust unto My servants. ’” At this juncture, Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansaari stood up and asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Who are the Imams from the progeny of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) informed, “Hasan and Husain, the two leaders of the youth of paradise. Then, the chief of the worshippers in his time, Ali Ibn Husain, then Baaqer, Muhammad Ibn Ali; soon you will reach unto him O Jaaber, so when you meet him, convey my salutations unto him. He will be followed by Sadeq, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, then Kaazem, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, then Reza, Ali Ibn Moosa, then Taqi, Muhammad Ibn Ali, then Naqi, Ali Ibn Muhammad, then Zaki, Hasan Ibn Ali, then his son, the one who will rise with the truth, the Mahdi of this Ummah. He will fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. These, O Jaaber, are my caliphs, my successors, my descendants and my progeny. Whoever obeys them has obeyed me and whoever disobeys them has defied me. Whoever denies them or denies even one of them, then indeed he has denied me. Through them, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will prevent the skies from falling p: 162 

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on the earth, of course, with His permission. Due to them, Allah protects the earth from swallowing up its inhabitants. ” 254. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Ali (a. s. ) chronicles, “I was with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) in the house of Umm Salmah (r. a. ) {and the tradition is a lengthy one concerning the successors of the Prophets (a. s. ) and it reaches till} when the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘And I am handing over the succession to you and you hand it over to your son Hasan, who in turn will hand it over to his brother Husain. He will hand it over to his son Ali, Ali to his son Muhammad, Muhammad to his son Ja’far, Ja’far to his son Moosa, Moosa to his son Ali, Ali to his son Muhammad, Muhammad to his son Ali, Ali to his son Hasan and Hasan will hand it over to his son al-Qaem. Thereafter, their Imam will disappear from them till Allah pleases and he will have two occultations, of which one will be greater than the other. ’ Then he (s. a. w. a. ) turned to us and addressed us in a raised voice, ‘Bewar! Bewar! When the fifth descendant of my seventh offspring goes in occultatio! ” I asked, “O Messenger of Alla! What will happen after his occultation? ” He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “He will be patient till Allah grants him permission to emerge. He will reappear from a village called ‘Kar’ah’. He will wear a turban (amaamah) on his head, sport my armour and don my sword the p: 163 

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Zulfiqaar. Then, a caller will call out, ‘This is Mahdi, the Caliph of Allah, so obey him. ’ He will fill the earth with justice and equity, as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. This will be at a time when the world will become a place of confusion, chaos and disorder and people will envy each other. Neither the elder will have mercy on the younger nor will the strong deal the weak with compassion. Only then will Allah permit him to reappear. ’” 255. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) cites on the authority of his ancestors till Ameer al-Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “When I was taken to heavens, my Lord, mighty be His Majesty, revealed unto me, ‘O Muhamma! I scanned the earth thoroughly, selected you from it, appointed you as a Prophet and derived for you a name from My Name. So I am Mahmood while you are Muhammad. Then, I scanned for the second time, chose Ali from it, made him as your successor and your caliph, the husband of your daughter, the father of your progeny and derived his name from among My Names. So I am al-Ali al-A’laa while he is (named) Ali. I have made Fatemah, Hasan and Husain from the lights of you two and presented their mastership to the angels. So, whoever accepted it (mastership) became among My close angels. O Muhamma! If a person worships Me till he breaks down and becomes p: 164 

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like a decomposed skin waterbag but approaches Me denying their mastership, I will not make him reside in My Paradise nor will I grant him a shadow beneath My Throne (ﻋﺮﺵ). O Muhamma! Do you love to see them? ’ I replied in the affirmative. He, Mighty and Glorified be He, ordered, ‘Raise your head. ’ So I raised my head and saw the lights of Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and Muhammad (ﻡ. ﺡ. ﻡ. ﺩ. ) , the son of Hasan, the Qaem was standing between them like a brilliant star. I asked, ‘O Lor! Who are these? ’ He replied, ‘These are the Imams and this is the Qaem who will make My permissible, permissible and My prohibited, prohibited. Through him, I will take revenge from My enemies. He will be a source of comfort for My friends. He is the one who will cure the hearts of your Shias from the oppressors, the deniers and the unbelievers’. ” 256. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Ameerul Momineen Ali (a. s. ) recounts, “I went to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) in the house of Umm Salmah (r. a. ) when the verse, ﺇِﻧﱠﱠﻤَﺎ ﻳُﺮِﻳﺪُ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﱠﻪُ ﻟِﻴُﺬْﻫِﺐَ ﻋَﻨﻜُﻢُ ﺍﻟﺮﱢﱢﺟْﺲَ ﺃَﻫْﻞَ ﺍﻟْﺒَﻴْﺖِ ﻭَﻳُﻄَﻬﱢﱢﺮَﻛُﻢْ ﺗَﻄْﻬِﻴﺮًﺍ Surely Allah intends to keep all the filth away only from you, O Ahl al-Bait, and purify you, a purification. (Qur’an Surah Ahzaab 33: 33. ) was revealed. The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘O Al! This verse was revealed concerning you p: 165 

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and my two grandsons, who are the Imams from your progeny. ’ I asked, ‘O Messenger of Alla! How many Imams will be there after you? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, ‘You, O Ali, then your two sons Hasan and Husain, after Husain his son Ali, after Ali his son Muhammad, after Muhammad his son Ja’far, after Ja’far his son Moosa, after Moosa his son Ali, after Ali his son Muhnammad, after Muhammad his son Ali, after Ali his son Hasan and the Hujjah is the son of Hasan. Thus I found their names written on the leg of the Throne (arsh). I asked Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, about them. He informed, ‘O Muhamma! These are the Imams after you, pure and infallible, and their enemies are cursed’. ” 257. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s. ) chronicles, “The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) addressed us thus, after praising and glorifying Allah, ‘O peopl! I have been invited (to die) and I have accepted the invitation. Surely, I leave behind you two weighty things, the Book of Allah and my progeny, my Ahle Bait (a. s. ). If you fasten unto both of them, you will never go astray. Learn from them and do not teach them because they are more learned than you. The earth cannot be devoid from them. If it ever does, it will be destroyed along with its inhabitants. ’ Then he (s. a. w. a. ) invoked, ‘O Alla! I know that knowledge is neither destroyed nor terminated. You will not leave Your earth without a p: 166 

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proof upon Your creation, whether he is apparent but disobeyed or fearful and concealed, so that Your proof is not invalidated nor do Your friends go astray after You have guided them. They are (Your friends) less in number but high in value before Allah. ’ When he (s. a. w. a. ) descended from the pulpit, I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Aren’t you the proof (of Allah) upon the creation, all of them? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, ‘O Hasa! Verily Allah says, ﺇﻧّﻤﺎ ﺍَﻧْﺖَ ﻣُﻨْﺬِﺭٌ ﻭَ ﻟﻜُﻞِّ ﻗَﻮْﻡٍ ﻫَﺎﺩ You are only a warner and for every nation there is a guide. (Surah Ra’d (13): Verse 7) So, I am the warner while Ali is the guide. ’ I inquired, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Then what about your saying that the earth cannot exist without a proof? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) retorted, ‘Yes, Ali is the Imam and the proof after me and you are the proof and the Imam after him. Husain is the Imam and the proof after you. Indeed, the Gracious, the Knower, has informed me that He will bring forth from the loin of Husain, a son called Ali, the namesake of his grandfather. When Husain dies, his son Ali will succeed him and he will be the proof and the Imam. Then, Allah will bring out from the progeny of Ali a son, who will be my namesake and the most similar of the people to me. His knowledge is my knowledge and his judgment is my judgment. He is the Imam p: 167 

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and the proof after his father. Thereafter, Allah will bring forth from his posterity a son called Ja’far. He will be the most truthful of the people in word and deed and he is the Imam and the proof after his father. Then Allah, the High, will cause to emerge from the loin of Ja’far a son, who will be the namesake of (Prophet) Moosa Ibn Imraan. He will be the best of worshippers among the people and he is the Imam and the proof after his father. Later, Allah will bring forth from the progeny of Moosa a son called Ali. He will be the mine of Allah’s Knowledge and the station of His Wisdom. He is the Imam and the proof after his father. Thereafter, Allah will cause to emerge from the posterity of Ali a child called Muhammad. He is the Imam and the proof after his father. Then, Allah will bring out from the posterity of Muhammad a son called Ali. He is the Imam and the proof after his father. Later, Allah will bring forth from the progeny of Ali a son called Hasan. He is the Imam and the proof after his father. Finally, from the progeny of Hasan, Allah will bring forth the Hujjah, the Qaem, the Imam of his time and the liberator of his friends. He will go in occultation and remain unseen. A group of people will turn away from believing in him while others will remain steadfast ﻭَ ﻳَﻘُﻮْﻟُﻮْﻥَ ﻣَﺘﻰ p: 168 

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ﻫﺬَﺍ ﺍﻟْﻮَﻋْﺪُ ﺍِﻥْ ﻛُﻨْﺘُﻢْ ﺻَﺎﺩِﻗِﻴْﻦِ And they say when is this promise, if you were truthful? (Qur’an Surah Yunus 10: 48; Qur’an Surah Anbiya 21: 38; Qur’an Surah Naml 27: 71; Qur’an Surah Sabaa 34: 29; Qur’an Surah Yaasin 36: 48. ) Even if one day remains for the world to come to an end, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will prolong this day till He brings forth our Qaem. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. So, the earth cannot exist without you. Allah has given you my knowledge and my understanding. Indeed, I had prayed to Allah that He should place the knowledge and understanding in my posterity, the posterity of my posterity, my progeny and the progeny of my progeny. ” 258. Muqtazab al-Asar [1]: From the most precise, strange and amazing traditions, and from the protected, unseen (knowledge) concerning the number of the Imams and their names from the Sunni channel, without the chain of narrators (ﻣﺮﻓﻮﻋًﺎ) is the narration of al-Jaarood Ibn al-Munzir from Qass Ibn Saaedah {then its chain is mentioned till al-Jaarood and it is stated that he was a scholar before the Prophet’s (s. a. w. a. ) declaration (ﺑﻌﺜﺖ) , who was aware of the names of his (s. a. w. a. ) successors. The narration is lengthy, in which it is mentioned that al-Jaarood al-Abdi was a Christian and accepted Islam in the year of the treaty of Hudaibiyyah. His Islam was sincere and he used to recite the heavenly books. p: 169 

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He narrated this tradition for us during the caliphate of Umar Ibn Khattaab, till it reaches to this point}. I requested, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Please inform me- may Allah inform you with goodness- of these names which we have not seen but only in the narration of Qass. ’ The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “O Jaaroo! The night in which I was taken to the heavens, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, revealed unto me, ‘Ask the Messengers whom We have sent before you on what were they raised? ’ I asked them, ‘On what were you raised? ’ They replied, ‘On your prophethood and the mastership of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) and the Imams from you two. ’ Then it was revealed to me 

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that I should turn to the right of the Throne (arsh). I turned and there I saw Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Mahdi in the flickers of light, praying. ’ The Lord, the High, informed me, ‘These are the proofs, My friends. And he (Mahdi) is the avenger from My enemies’. ” 259. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s. ) narrates, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) say to Ali (a. s. ) , ‘O Al! You are the heir of my knowledge, the treasure-chest of my wisdom and the Imam after me. When you will be martyred, your son Hasan (will succeed you). When Hasan p: 170 

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is martyred, then your son Husain and when Husain is martyred, his son Ali will succeed him. Nine infallible Imams will come successively from the progeny of Husain. ’ I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! What are their names? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, ‘Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Mahdi from the posterity of Husain. Allah, the High, will fill the earth through him (Mahdi) with justice as it would be replete with injustice and oppression’. ” 260. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Husain (a. s. ) chronicles that the Holy Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) said, “Jibraeel informed me, ‘When Allah, Blessed and High be He, transcribed the name of Muhammad on the leg of the Throne, I asked him, ‘O Lor! This name that I see written on the leg of the Throne is the most honourable of Your creatures. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) says, ‘Then Allah showed him (Jibraeel) twelve shadows, bodies without souls between the heaven and the earth. ’ He requested, ‘O Lor! For the sake of their right upon You, inform me about them. ’ Allah responded, ‘This is the light of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , this is the light of Hasan (a. s. ) , this is the light of Husain (a. s. ) , this is the light of Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ) , this is the light of Muhammad Ibn Ali (a. s. ) , this is the light of Ja’far Ibn Muhammad (a. s. ) , this is the light of Moosa Ibn Ja’far (a. s. ) , this is the light of Ali Ibn Moosa (a. s. ) , this is the light of Muhammad Ibn Ali p: 171 

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(a. s. ) , this is the light of Ali Ibn Muhammad (a. s. ) , this is the light of Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s. ) and this is the light of the Hujjah, the Qaem, the awaited one. ’ Imam Husain (a. s. ) says, ‘The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) used to say that none shall gain proximity and closeness to Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, through these people but that Allah will free his neck from the fire’. ” 261. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) recounts, “When the verse of the Holy Quran ﻭَ ﺍُﻭْﻟُﻮْﺍ ﺍﻟْﺎَﺭْﺣَﺎﻡِ ﺑَﻌْﻀُﻬُﻢْ ﺍَﻭْﻟﻲ ﺑِﺒَﻌْﺾٍ And the possessors of relationships, some of them are worthier than the others, (Qur’an Surah Anfaal 8: 75) was revealed, I asked the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) about its interpretation. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) explained, ‘By Alla! It does not imply anyone but you (Imams) and you are the possessors of relationships. When I die, your father Ali is the closest to me and my position. When your father dies, your brother Hasan is closest to him and when he dies, you will be most worthy to take his position. ’ I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Then who will be worthy (of this position) after me? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) elaborated, ‘Your son Ali will be the most worthy after you. When he dies, his son Muhammad will be the most worthy after him. When Muhammad dies, his son Ja’far will be the most worthy after him to take his place (of Imamat). When Ja’far dies, his son Moosa will be the most worthy p: 172 

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after him. When Moosa dies, his son Ali will be the most worthy after him. When Ali dies, his son Muhammad will be the most worthy after him. When Muhammad dies, his son Ali will be the most worthy after him. When Ali dies, his son Hasan will be the most worthy after him. When Hasan dies, your ninth descendant will go in occultation. These are the nine Imams from your progeny. Allah has granted them my knowledge and my understanding, their soil (teenat) is my soil. As for the nation that troubles me concerning them, may Allah not make my intercession reach unto the! ’” 262. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Imam Husain Ibn Ali (a. s. ) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said to Ali (a. s. ) , “I have more rights on the believers than they themselves. Then you, O Ali, have more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After you, Hasan has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Husain has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Ali has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Muhammad has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Ja’far has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Moosa has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Ali has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Muhammad has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. After him, Ali has more rights upon the p: 173 

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believers than they themselves. After him, Hasan has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. And al-Hujjah Ibn al-Hasan has more rights upon the believers than they themselves. They are the righteous Imams. They are with the Truth and the Truth is with them. ” 263. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Umm Salmah (r. a. ) recounts that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “When I was taken to the skies (me’raj) , I saw written on the Throne, ‘There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I supported him with Ali and helped him with Ali. ’ I saw the lights of Ali, Fatemah, Hasan and Husain. And the lights of Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and I saw the light of al-Hujjah shining amongst them like a brilliant star. I asked, ‘O Lor! Who is this? And who are these? ’ I was told, ‘O Muhamma! This is the light of Ali and Fatemah and this is the light of your two grandsons, Hasan and Husain and these are the lights of the Imams after you from the progeny of Husain, purified and infallible. And this is the Hujjah who will fill the earth with justice and equity. ’” 264. Kefaayah al-Asar [2]: Sahl Ibn Sa’d al-Ansaari says, ‘I asked Fatemah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , about the Imams. ’ She replied, “The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) used to say, ‘O Al! You are the p: 174 

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Imam and the caliph after me and you have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After you die, your son Hasan will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Hasan dies, your son Husain will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Husain dies, his son Ali will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Ali dies, his son Muhammad will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Muhammad dies, his son Ja’far will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Ja’far dies, his son Moosa will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Moosa dies, his son Ali will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Ali dies, his son Muhammad will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Muhammad dies, his son Ali will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Ali dies, his son Hasan will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. After Hasan dies, the Qaem, the Mahdi will have more right upon the believers than they themselves. Through him, Allah, the High, will conquer the easts of the earth and its wests. Then they are the rightful Imams and the truthful tongues. Whoever helps them will be helped and whoever forsakes them will be forsaken’. ” 265. Al-Fazaael [1]: Abdullah Ibn Aufaa narrates on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) that he said, “When p: 175 

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Allah created Ibraheem (a. s. ) , His friend, He removed the veils of his vision. Hence, when he looked towards the Throne, he saw a light and asked, ‘My God and my Maste! What is this light? ’ He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! This is Muhammad, My chosen and selected one. ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) enquired, ‘My God and my Maste! I see next to him another light. ’ He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! This is Ali, the helper of My religion. ’ Again he asked, ‘My God and my Maste! I see next to these two a third light, following the two lights. ’ He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! This is Fatemah following her father and her husband. I have separated her followers from the fire. ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) asked, ‘My God and my Maste! I see two lights following the third light. ’ He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! These two are Hasan and Husain following their father, their mother and their grandfather. ’ He asked, ‘My God and my Maste! I see nine lights encircled by these five lights. ’ He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! These are the Imams from their progeny. ’ He asked, ‘My God and my Maste! Through whom are they recognized (i. e. How should I know them)? He replied, ‘O Ibrahee! The first of them is Ali Ibn Husain then Muhammad the son of Ali, Ja’far the son of Muhammad, Moosa the son of Ja’far, Ali the son of Moosa, Muhammad the son of Ali, Ali the son of Muhammad, Hasan the son of Ali and the Muhammad the son of Hasan, p: 176 

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the Qaem, the Mahdi. ’ He asked, ‘My God and my Maste! I see a number of lights around them that cannot be enumerated except by You. ’ He answered, ‘O Ibrahee! These are their Shias and their lovers. ’ Ibraheem asked, ‘My God and my Maste! How will their Shias and their lovers be recognized? ’ He informed, ‘They will perform fifty-one rak’ats of namaz (everyday) , recite ﺑﺴﻢ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻴﻢ loudly (in their prayers) , read the Qunoot before the ruku’ (of the second rak’at) , perform two prostrations of thanks giving (sajdatayy al-shukr) and will wear their rings in their right hands. ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) implored, ‘My Go! Make me from their Shias and lovers. ’ Allah responded, ‘I have made you. ’ Thereafter, Allah, the High, revealed concerning him, ﻭﺍﻥ ﻣﻦ ﺷﻴﻌﺘﻪ ﻟﺎﺑﺮﺍﻫﻴﻢ. ﺍﺫ ﺟﺎﺀ ﺭﺑﻪ ﺑﻘﻠﺐ ﺳﻠﻴﻢ And surely from his Shias is Ibraheem. When he came to his Lord with a secure heart. (Qur’an Surah Saaffaat 37: 83-84) Allah, the High, and His Messenger have spoken the truth. Mufazzal Ibn Umar narrates, ‘When Ibraheem felt death approaching him, he narrated this tradition, went into prostration and his soul was captured in this very state’. ” 266. Muqtazab al-Asar [1]: Abu Salmaa, the caretaker of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ’s camel narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) say, “When I was taken to the skies, (Allah) the Mighty, majestic be His praise, said, ﺁﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻮﻝ ﺑﻤﺎ ﺍﻧﺰﻝ ﺍﻟﻴﻪ ﻣﻦ ﺭﺑّﻪ The Messenger believed on what was revealed to him from his Lord. (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 285. ) I p: 177 

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said, ‘And the believers (also believed). ’ He affirmed, ‘You spoke the truth, O Muhammad. Who did you depute (as your caliph) for your nation? ’ I replied, ‘The best of them. ’ He enquired, ‘Ali Ibn Abi Taalib? ’ I answered, ‘Yes, O Lord. ’ He said, ‘O Muhamma! I scanned the earth as it ought to be scanned, chose you from it and derived for you a name from My names. So, I am not remembered in any place but that you are mentioned with Me. Thus, I am the Mahmood while you are Muhammad. Later, I scanned (again) and chose from it Ali. I derived for him a name from My names. So, I am the Highest (al-A’laa) while he is Ali. O Muhamma! Surely I have created you and created Ali, Fatemah, Hasan and Husain from the type of My light. I presented the mastership of you (all) to the people of the heavens and the earths. Then whoever accepted it was a believer before Me and whoever denied it was from the unbelievers before Me. O Muhamma! If a person from My slaves worships Me till he is cut into pieces or becomes like a decomposed skinbag but comes to Me denying your mastership, I will not forgive him unless he confesses to your mastership. O Muhamma! Do you like to see them? ’ I replied, ‘Yes, O Lord. ’ He ordered me, ‘Look to the right of the Throne. ’ I turned and there were Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, p: 178 

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Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Mahdi. They will be in the flickers of light, standing and praying. The Mahdi will be right in the middle amongst them shining like a brilliant star. ’ He declared, ‘O Muhamma! These are the proofs and he (Mahdi) will avenge the blood of your progeny. I swear by My Might and My Majesty, he is the essential proof for My friends and the avenger from My enemies’. ” 267. Al-Manaaqeb [1]: Abdullah Ibn Umar informs on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) who said, “O Al! I am the warner of my nation, you are its guide, Hasan is its leader, Husain is its impeller, Ali Ibn Husain is its gatherer, Muhammad Ibn Ali is its knower, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad is its writer, Moosa Ibn Ja’far is its enumerator, Ali Ibn Moosa is its interpreter, saviour and the repeller of its enemies, and who will bring its believers nearer, Muhammad Ibn Ali is its leader and its impeller, Ali Ibn Muhammad is its traveler and scholar, Hasan Ibn Ali is its announcer and its endower and the Qaem, the (last) successor is its quencher, implorer and its witness. Surely in these are the signs for the believers. ” Ibn Shahr Aashob says that a group of narrators has narrated this tradition from Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansaari on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). 

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268. Meah Manqebah [2]: Ali Ibn p: 179 

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Abi Taalib (a. s. ) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, “I will meet you at the Hauz (pond of Kausar) while you, O Ali, will be its distributor, Hasan will be the protector, Husain will be the commander, Ali Ibn Husain will be the allocator, Muhammad Ibn Ali will be the dispenser, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad will be the impeller, Moosa Ibn Ja’far will be the enumerator of the lovers and the malicious and the uprooter of the hypocrites, Ali Ibn Moosa will adorn the believers, Muhammad Ibn Ali will take the people of paradise to their levels, Ali Ibn Muhammad will address his Shias and get them married to the Hoor al-Een, Hasan Ibn Ali will be the lamp of the people of paradise from which they gain light and the Qaem, the Haadi, the Mahdi will be their intercessor on the Day of Judgment when Allah will not permit except whomsoever He pleases and is satisfied with. ” 269. Al-Ghaibah of Shaikh Toosi (r. a. ) [1]: Imam Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Naqi (a. s. ) narrates on the authority of his ancestors that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said to Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , “Whoever desires that he should meet Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, in a state of safety and purity and that the Great Fear (ﻓﺰﻉ ﺍﻛﺒﺮ) , then he must befriend you and befriend your sons Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Mahdi, who will p: 180 

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be their seal. In the last era, there will be a group who will befriend you, O Ali. People will hate them although had they loved them (the Shias) , it would have been better for them, if they were knowing. They (Shias) will give preference to you and your sons over their fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and kin, blessings of Allah be on them, the best of blessings. They will be gathered beneath the Standard of Praise (Lewaa al-Hamd) , their sins will be overlooked and their grades will be raised as a reward for what they were doing’. ” 270. Muqtazab al-Asar [1]: Abdullah Ibn Umar recounts that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a) said, “Surely Allah, the High, revealed to me when I was taken to the sky, ‘O Muhamma! Whom did you depute (as your representative) in the earth, who is the most knowledgeable about that? I replied, ‘My brother. ’ He asked, ‘O Muhamma! Ali Ibn Abi Taalib? ’ I answered, ‘Yes, O Lord. ’ He informed, ‘O Muhamma! Indeed I scanned the earth as it ought to be scanned, then chose you from it. So, I am not remembered till you are remembered with Me. I am the Mahmood and you are Muhammad. Again, I scanned the earth as it ought to be scanned, then chose from it Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ). I made him your successor. So, you are the chief of the Prophets while Ali is the chief of successors. Then I derived for him a name from My p: 181 

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Names. Thus, I am the Highest (al-A’laa) and he is Ali. O Muhamma! Verily, I created Ali, Fatemah, Hasan and Husain and the Imams from one light. Thereafter, I presented their mastership for the angels. So, whoever accepted, was from the proximate ones and whoever denied, was from the disbelievers. O Muhamma! If a person from My slaves worships Me till his last breath but meets Me in a state of denial of their mastership, I will make him enter My fire. O Muhamma! Would you like to see them? ’ I replied in the affirmative. He ordered me to come forward. I came forward and there were Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Hujjah, the Qaem who was like a brilliant star in their midst. I asked, ‘O Lor! Who are these? ’ He replied, ‘These are the Imams and this is the Qaem. He will make My permissible, permissible and My prohibited, prohibited and take revenge from My enemies. O Muhamma! Love him and love the one who loves him’. ” 271. Al-Arbaeen of Al-Haafez Abu al-Fath Muhammad Ibn Abi al-Fawaares [1]: Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) informs that my brother, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said to me, “One who loves that he should meet Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while He is turning to him and not away from him, then he p: 182 

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should befriend Ali (a. s. ). Whoever desires that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while He is satisfied with him, then he should befriend your son Hasan (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, while he is absolutely fearless, then he should befriend your son Husain (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, while He is purified and cleansed of his sins, then he should befriend Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ). For surely, it is like Allah, the High, has said

, ﺳِﻴﻤَﺎﻫُﻢْ ﻓِﻲ ﻭُﺟُﻮﻫِﻬِﻢ ﻣﱢﱢﻦْ ﺃَﺛَﺮِ ﺍﻟﺴﱡﱡﺠُﻮﺩِ 

Their marks are on their faces due to the effects of prostration. (Surah Fath (48): Verse 29) Whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while his eyes are soothed, then he should befriend Muhammad Ibn Ali (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while his book is given in his right hand, then he should befriend Ja’far Ibn Muhammad al-Sadeq (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, pure and purified, then he should befriend Moosa Ibn Ja’far, the light, the Kaazem (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, while he is laughing, then he should befriend Ali Ibn Moosa al-Reza (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, while his grades are raised and his sins are replaced with good deeds, then he must befriend his son Muhammad (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while his accounting is done very lightly and he enters the p: 183 

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paradise whose breadth is equal to the heavens and the earth, prepared for the pious ones, then he must befriend his son Ali (a. s. ). Whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while he is from the successful ones, then he must befriend his son Hasan al-Askari (a. s. ). And whoever loves that he meets Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, while his belief is complete, his Islam is excellent, then he must befriend his son Saaheb al-Zamaan, the Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ). These are the lamps in darkness, the Imams of guidance and the standards of piety. Then whoever loves them and befriends them, I am his guarantor before Allah for paradise’. ” 272. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Alqamah Ibn Qais chronicles that when Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) was delivering a beautiful sermon in Masjid al-Kufa, he (a. s. ) remarked, “Know that soon I will depart from you…” A person called Aamer Ibn Kaseer stood up and pleaded, ‘O Ameerul Momineen (a. s. )! You have informed us about the Imams of disbelief and the caliphs of falsehood. Please inform us about the rightful Imams and truthful tongues after you. ’ He (a. s. ) responded, “Yes. Certainly it is a covenant which the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has promised to me that this affair (Islam) will be ruled by twelve Imams. Nine of these will be from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ). Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has informed, ‘When I was taken to the sky, I looked at the leg of the Throne, where it was written, p: 184 

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‘There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. I have supported him with Ali and helped him with Ali. ’ I saw twelve lights and asked, ‘O Lor! Whose lights are these? ’ I was told, ‘O Muhamma! These lights are the Imams from your progeny. ’ I (Ali a. s. ) requested, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Name them for me. He said, ‘Yes. You are the Imam and the caliph after me. You will repay my debts and fulfil my promises. After you, your two sons Hasan and Husain (will be the Imams). Husain will be succeeded by his son, Ali, after him, his son Muhammad called as Baaqer, after Muhammad, his son Ja’far, called Sadeq, after Ja’far, his son, Moosa called al-Kazem, after Moosa, his son Ali called Reza, after Ali, his son Muhammad called Zaki, after Muhammad, his son Ali called Naqi, after Ali, his son Hasan called Ameen, Askari. The Qaem will be from the descendants of Husain. He will be my namesake and the most similar of the people to me. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be replete with injustice and oppression…’” 273. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Yahya Ibn No’maan narrates, ‘I was with Husain (a. s. ) when a veiled dark-brown skinned Arab entered and saluted him. Husain (a. s. ) replied to his salaam. The Arab said, ‘O son of Allah’s messenge! (I have a) question. ’ He (a. s. ) said, “Bring it forth. ” The Arab enquired, ‘How much is the difference between belief (ﺍﻳﻤﺎﻥ) and certitude (ﻳﻘﻴﻦ)? ’ He p: 185 

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(a. s. ) responded, “Four fingers. ” ‘How? ’ “Belief is what we hear, while certitude is what we see and the distance between the eyes and the ears is four fingers. ” ‘What is the distance between the sky and the earth? ’ ‘An accepted prayer. ” ‘What is the distance between the east and the west? ’ “The distance of a day for the sun. ” ‘What is the respect of a man? ’ “His needlessness from the people. ” ‘What is the most evil thing? ’ “Sins by an old man is evil, anger by a king is evil, lies by a noble is evil, miserliness by a wealthy person is evil and greed by a scholar is evil. ” ‘You have spoken the truth, O son of Allah’s messenger. Then inform me about the number of the Imams after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). ’ “Twelve, equal to the number of chiefs of Bani Israael. ” ‘Name them for me. ’ Imam Husain (a. s. ) lowered his head for a while, then raised it and said, “Yes. I will inform you, O Arab brother. Surely, the Imam and the caliph after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) was my father, Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , my brother Hasan, myself and nine of my descendants. From them is Ali, my son followed by his son, Muhammad. After him, his son Ja’far followed by his son, Moosa, his son, Ali, his son, Muhammad, his son, Ali, his son, Hasan and after him the Caliph, the Mahdi. He is the ninth of my descendants and he will establish the religion in the last era. ” The Arab stood up and left, p: 186 

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glorifying the Prophet and his ancestors. 274. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Ghaalib al-Johni narrates that Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali, al-Baaqer (a. s. ) said, “Surely the Imams after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) are like the number of the Bani Israel chiefs and they were twelve. Whoever takes them as their masters will be successful and whoever bears enmity against them will be destroyed. Indeed, my father has narrated from his ancestors that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘When I was taken to the skies, I looked at the leg of the Throne where it was written, ‘There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I have supported him with Ali and I have helped him with Ali. ’ I saw written in places Ali, Ali, Ali, Muhammad, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Hasan and Husain and the Hujjah. I have enumerated them for you and they are twelve. I asked, ‘O Lor! Who are these whom I am seeing? ’ He replied, ‘O Muhamma! This is the light of your successor and your two grandsons and these are the lights of the Imams from their progeny. Through them I will reward and through them I will punish’. ” 275. Kefaayah al-Asar [2]: Kumayt Ibn Abi Al-Mustahil narrates, ‘I went to my master, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Baaqer (a. s. ) and asked, ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! I have written a few poems in your eulogy. Do you permit me to recite them for you? ’ Imam (a. s. ) replied, “These are the days of Beez. ” [3] I argued, p: 187 

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‘But these (verses) are exclusively for you. ’ Imam (a. s. ) said, “Bring them forth. ” The first four verses that I recited were on the changing of times, the fickleness of fortunes and that the ultimate robe of every man is his shroud (ﻛﻔﻦ). Hearing these two couplets, Imam (a. s. ) cried and so did his son, Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) and I also heard his slave girl sobbing from behind the curtain. The next two couplets talked as to how even their close ones had forsaken the Imams and how their remembrance stimulates grief and restlessness in our existence. Again, Imam (a. s. ) cried and said, “When a person remembers us or we are mentioned before him and tears flow from his eyes, even if they are equal to the size of a fly’s wing, Allah will build a house for him in paradise and will make it as a barrier between him and the hell. ” The following two couplets were about the joy of being associated with the Imams (a. s. ) and about the injustices meted out to them. Imam (a. s. ) took my hand and prayed, “O Alla! Forgive all the sins of Kumayt, past and present. ” 

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[3]: The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth of every month are called as ‘Ayyam-e-Beez’. Apparently, Imam (a. s. ) has hinted that recitation of poems on these days are abominable (makrooh). 

The last couplet went as follows When will the truth be established concerning you and When will your second Mahdi uprise. Imam (a. s. ) exclaimed, “Soon, Inshallah, soon. O Aba Mustahi! Our Qaem is the ninth descendant of Husain (a. s. ). For, the Imams after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) are twelve and the twelfth is the Qaem. ” I asked, ‘Maste! Who are these twelve? ’ He (a. s. ) p: 188 

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replied, “The first of them is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) followed by Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain and myself. After me, this son of mine – and he kept his hand on the shoulder of Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) – Ja’far. ” I enquired, ‘And after him? ’ He (a. s. ) explained, “His son Moosa followed by the son of Moosa, Ali, then the son of Ali, Muhammad, followed by the son of Muhammad, Ali. Then the son of Ali, Hasan and he is the father of the Qaem, who will emerge and fill the world with justice and equity and cure the hearts of our Shias. ” I asked, ‘When will he reappear, O son of Allah’s Messenger? ’ He (a. s. ) answered, “Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) was asked the same question and he (s. a. w. a. ) had replied that the likeness of Mahdi is the likeness of the Hour. It will not come to you but suddenly. ” 276. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Jaaber Ibn Yazeed al-Jo’fi reports, ‘I asked Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali al-Baaqer (a. s. ) , ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! Verily, a group thinks that Allah, the High, has placed Imamat in the posterity of (both) Hasan and Husain. ’ He (a. s. ) denied, “They lie, by Allah, did they not hear Allah, high be His remembrance, says, 

ﻭﺟﻌﻠﻬﺎ ﻛﻠﻤﺔ ﺑﺎﻗﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﻘﺒﻪ

 And he made it a word to continue in his posterity. (Qur’an Surah Zukhruf 43: 28. ) Then, did he make it but in the posterity of Husain (a. s. )? O Jaabe! Surely the Imams are those whose Imamat p: 189 

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has been documented by the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). They are those about whom the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) says, ‘When I was taken to the sky for ascension, I found their names written on the leg of the Throne with light, twelve names. From them were Ali, his (Prophet’s) two grandsons, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and al-Hujjah, al-Qaem. These are the Imams from the chosen and purified Ahle Bait (a. s. ). By Alla! None can claim Imamat except us but that Allah, the High, will gather him alongwith Iblees and his army. ’ Then Imam (a. s. ) took a deep breath and said, ‘May Allah not observe the rights of this nation as they have not observed the rights of their Prophet. By Alla! Had the truth been left for those worthy of it, no two persons would have disputed concerning Allah. Then Imam (a. s. ) recited a couplet whose meaning went as follows, ‘Surely the Jews for the love of their Prophet believed in the calamities of various eras, but the believers due to the love of Muhammad’s progeny were thrown in the fire as punishment. ’ I asked, ‘Maste! Is not this affair for you? ’ Imam (a. s. ) replied in the affirmative. I enquired again, ‘Then why are you sitting upon your rights and your claims, while Allah, Blessed and High be He, orders

, ﻭ ﺟﺎﻫﺪﻭﺍ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺣﻖ ﺟﻬﺎﺩﻩ ﻫﻮ ﺍﺟﺘﺒﺎﻛﻢ 

And strive hard in the way of Allah, a striving as is due to Him. He has chosen you. (Qur’an p: 190 

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Surah Hajj 22: 28. ) He (a. s. ) retorted, “Why did Ameerul Momineen Ali (a. s. ) sit upon his right? Because he did not find any helper. Did you not hear Allah say in the story of Lut, 

ﻗﺎﻝ ﻟﻮ ﺍﻥ ﻟﻲ ﺑﻜﻢ ﻗﻮﺓ ﺍﻭ ﺁﻭﻱ ﺍﻟﻲ ﺭﻛﻦ ﺷﺪﻳﺪ

 He said: A! That I had power to suppress you, rather I shall have recourse to a strong support. (Qur’an Surah Hud 11: 80) Or did you not hear Allah say in the incident of Nuh,

 ﻓﺪﻋﺎ ﺭﺑّﻪ ﺍﻧﻲ ﻣﻐﻠﻮﺏٌ ﻓﺎﻧﺘﺼﺮ

 Then he called out to his Lord, I have been overpowered, so grant me victory. (Qur’an Surah Qamar 54: 10. ) And He says in the story of Moosa,

 ﺭﺏّ ﺍﻧﻲّ ﻟﺎ ﺍﻣﻠﻚ ﺇﻟﺎّ ﻧﻔﺴﻲ ﻭ ﺍﺧﻲ ﻓﺎﻓﺮﻕ ﺑﻴﻨﻨﺎ ﻭ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﻘﻮﻡ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺳﻘﻴﻦ

 He said: My Lor! Surely I have not control but my ownself and my brother; therefore make a separation between us and the nation of transgressors. (Qur’an Surah Maaedah 5: 25. ) So, when this is the state of the Prophet, then the successor is definitely more excusable. O Jaabe! Surely, the likeness of the Imam is the likeness of the Ka’bah, the people go to it and it does not go to the people. ” 277. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Yunus Ibn Zibyaan has narrated a lengthy tradition from Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) containing plenty of Divine Realities and true knowledge. In a part of that tradition, Imam (a. s. ) says, “O Yunu! If you desire correct knowledge, then it is with us, Ahle Bait (a. s. ). For surely, we have inherited and p: 191 

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have been granted the path of wisdom (ﺷﺮﻉ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻤﺔ) and the desicive statement (ﻓﺼﻞ ﺍﻟﺨﻄﺎﺏ). ’ I enquired, ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! Has everybody, who is from the Ahle Bait (a. s. ) , inherited like you, the children of Ali (a. s. ) and Fatemah (s. a. ) , have done? ’ Imam (a. s. ) replied, “None has inherited it except the twelve Imams. ” I requested, ‘Name them for me, O son of Allah’s Messenger. ’ He (a. s. ) answered, “The first of them is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, followed by Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, then myself and after me, my son, Moosa, followed by his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ali, then his son Hasan and after Hasan, the Hujjah. Allah has chosen us, purified us and granted us what none in the universe has been granted. ” 278. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Muhammad Ibn Abi Umair narrates from Heshaam, ‘I was with Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Sadeq (a. s. ) when Moawiyah Ibn Wahb Ibn Abd al-Malik Ibn A’yan entered. (This tradition comprises of the discussions of Allah’s recognition and other extremely important topics, till it reaches to. ) Then Imam (a. s. ) said, “Verily, the most obligatory and essential of the duties on mankind is the recognition of the Lord and acknowledgement of slavery to Him. The (minimum) limit of recognition is to know that there is no god but Him and there is none similar or like Him. Also, he should know that Allah is Eternal, Present, Existent, not absent, Described but without any similar or parallel. p: 192 

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There is nothing like Him and He is the Hearing, the Seeing. After this, he should have the recognition of the Messenger and testify for his prophethood. The minimum recognition of the Messenger is to confess to his prophethood, and whatever he has brought from the Book or the commands or the prohibitions are all from Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He. After this, he should have the recognition of the followed Imam, by his attributes, characteristics and his name in the states of difficulty and comfort. The minimum recognition of the Imam is that he is equal to a prophet, except the status of Prophethood, and his heir. And that his obedience is the obedience of Allah and His Messenger (s. a. w. a. ). And that one should submit to him in every affair, refer to him and take from his sayings. Also, one should know that the Imam after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) is Ali Ibn Abi Taalib followed by Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, myself, then after me my son Moosa, after him his son, Ali, after him his son, Muhammad, after him his son, Ali, after him his son, Hasan and the Hujjah is the son of Hasan…” 279. Kamaal al-Deen [1]: Tameem Ibn Bohlool reports that I asked Abdullah Ibn Abi Huzail about Imamat on whom is it obligatory and what are the signs of an Imam? He said to me, ‘Surely, its evidence is that he is the proof upon the believers, the establisher of the affairs p: 193 

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of the Muslims, speaks with the Quran, knower of Divine Laws, brother of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , his caliph upon his nation, his successor upon them and his administrator who is unto the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) as Haroon (a. s. ) was to Moosa (a. s. ). His obedience is obligatory as per the saying of Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He,

 ﻳَﺎ ﺃَﻳﱡﱡﻬَﺎ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺁﻣَﻨُﻮﺍْ ﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪَ ﻭَﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﺮﱠﱠﺳُﻮﻝَ ﻭَﺃُﻭْﻟِﻲ ﺍﻟﺄَﻣْﺮِ ﻣِﻨﻜُﻢْ 

O you who believ! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you. (Qur’an Surah Nisaa 4: 59) And Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, said,

 ﺇِﻧﱠﱠﻤَﺎ ﻭَﻟِﻴﱡﱡﻜُﻢُ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪُ ﻭَﺭَﺳُﻮﻟُﻪُ ﻭَﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺁﻣَﻨُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﻳُﻘِﻴﻤُﻮﻥَ ﺍﻟﺼﱠﱠﻠﺎَﺓَ ﻭَﻳُﺆْﺗُﻮﻥَ ﺍﻟﺰﱠﱠﻛَﺎﺓَ ﻭَﻫُﻢْ ﺭَﺍﻛِﻌُﻮﻥَ 

Only Allah is your Master and His Messenger and those who believe, who establish prayer and give zakaat while they are in a state of genuflection (ruku’). (Qur’an Surah Maaedah 5: 55) He is entitiled for mastership and Imamat was confirmed for him on the day of Ghadeer-e-Khumm by the saying of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) on the command of Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, “Do I not have more authority upon you than you yourselves? ” They all replied in the affirmative. He (s. a. w. a. ) declared, “Then, of whomsoever I am his master, Ali is his master. O Alla! Take him as Your slave, who takes him (Ali) as his master and take him as Your enemy, who takes him as his enemy. Help him who helps him and forsake him who forsakes him. Honour him who supports him. ” This was Ali p: 194 

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Ibn Abi Taalib, the chief of the faithfuls, the leader of the pious, the chief of the handsome, the most superior of the successors and the best of all creation after the Messenger of the Lord of the worlds. After him are Hasan and Husain, the two grandsons of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and the sons of the best of the women. They will be followed by Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and Muhammad Ibn Hasan (peace be upon them all) , one after the other. They are the progeny of the Messenger (s. a. w. a. ) , the known ones through successorship and Imamat. The earth cannot exist without a proof from them in every era and in every time. They are the strong rope, the Imams of guidance, and the proof upon the people of the world till Allah inherits the earth and whoever is on it. Whoever opposses them, is deviated and has left the truth and guidance. Indeed, they have been talked about by the Quran and the Messenger has spoken concerning them elaborately. Surely, one who dies without recognizing them dies the death of ignorance. Verily, in them their religion are the traits of precautious piety, chastity, truthfulness, betterment (of the people) , striving hard (in the way of Allah) , repaying the trust to the good doer as well as the transgressor, prolonging the prostration, performing the night prayers, abstaining from p: 195 

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the prohibited, awaiting the reappearance with patience and keeping good company and good neighbourhood. 280. Amaali al-Sadooq [1]: Shah Abdul Azeem al-Hasani (r. a. ) narrates, ‘I went to meet my master (the tenth Imam) Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Naqi (a. s. ). ’ When he (a. s. ) saw me, he (a. s. ) remarked, “Welcome, O Aba Qaasi! You are our real follower. ” I asked, ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! I intend to present my religion before you. If it is right, then I will remain steadfast on it till I meet Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He (i. e. till my death). ’ Imam (a. s. ) ordered, “Come forth with it, O Abul Qaasim. ” I said, ‘Verily, I believe that Allah, the High, is One. There is nothing like Him. He is removed from the two limits, the limit of negation (ﺍﺑﻄﺎﻝ) and the limit of immanence (ﺗﺸﺒﻴﻪ). He does not have a body or form or accident [2] or substance. Na! He is the Maker of bodies, the Creator of forms, the Originator of the accidents and the substances and the Lord of everything, its Owner, its Maker and its Initiator. Indeed, Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) is His servant and His Messenger, the seal of the Prophets and there is no Prophet after him, till the Day of Judgment. His Shariah is the last Shariah and there is no Shariah after it till the Day of Judgment. I also believe that the Imam, the Caliph and the Master of the affair after him is Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) followed by Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad p: 196 

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Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, then you O my Master. 

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[2]: Philosophical term for the Arabic equivalent of ‘aradh’. 

He (a. s. ) informed, “After me is my son Hasan (al-Askari). How difficult will be the condition of the people concerning his successor (i. e. the twelfth Imam)? ” I asked, ‘Why will that be so, my master? ’ He (a. s. ) explained, “This is because he will be hidden and it will not be permitted to use his name till he reappears. And when he does so, he will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. ” I said, ‘I believe. ’ Then I said, ‘I also believe that their friend is the friend of Allah and their enemy is the enemy of Allah. Their obedience is the obedience of Allah and their defiance is the defiance of Allah. I also believe that the ascension (ﻣﻌﺮﺍﺝ) is the truth, the questioning in the grave is the truth, paradise is truth, hell is truth, path (ﺻﺮﺍﻁ) is truth, weighing scale (ﻣﻴﺰﺍﻥ) is truth and that the Hour (ﻗﻴﺎﻣﺔ) will come and Allah will raise all those in the graves. I also believe that the obligations after the mastership of the Ahle Bait (a. s. ) are prayers, zakaat, fasting, hajj, jehaad, enjoining good and prohibiting evil. ’ Thereafter, Imam Ali Ibn Muhammad (a. s. ) remarked, “O Aba Qaasi! By Alla! This is the religion of Allah, which He has chosen for His servants. Then be steadfast on it, may Allah keep you steadfast through firm beliefs in this world as p: 197 

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well as the hereafter. ” 281. Al-Khesaal [1]: Saqr Ibn Abi Dalf al-Karkhi reports, ‘When Mutawakkil took away our master Abul Hasan al-Askari (a. s. ) , I came to ask about his well being. Mutawakkil’s doorkeeper, Raazeqi, saw me and ordered that I should come to him. I obliged. He asked, ‘O Saq! How are things with you? ’ I answered, ‘Fine, Sir. ’ He asked me to sit down and talked about the past as well as the future. I thought unto myself that I had erred in coming. After dispersing the people from around him, he asked me, ‘Why have you come? ’ I retorted, ‘Just like that. ’ He enquired, ‘Perhaps you want to know about the well being of your master. ’ I said, ‘My master? My master is Ameerul Momineen (Mutawakkil). ’ He reprimanded, ‘Keep quiet. Your master is the truthful master. Don’t be shy before me because I am on your religion (i. e. I am also a Shia). ’ I exclaimed, ‘All praise is for Allah. ’ He asked, ‘Do you want to see him? ’ I replied in the affirmative. He said, ‘Sit till the courier leaves him. ’ I did so. When the courier left, Raazeqi told his slave, ‘Catch the hand of Saqr and take him to the room where the Alavi (implying Imam Ali Naqi a. s. ) is imprisoned and leave them alone. ’ He took me to the room in which the Alavi was imprisoned and directed me to his cell. I went and saw Imam (a. s. ) sitting on a mat and infront of him was p: 198 

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a dug grave. I saluted him, he (a. s. ) responded to my salutation and ordered me to sit down. I sat down. He (a. s. ) asked, “O Saq! What has brought you here? ” I said, ‘Maste! I came to enquire about your well being. Then I looked at the grave and cried. ’ He (a. s. ) pacified me saying, “O Saq! Don’t cry because no harm is going to reach unto us for the time being. ” I heard a sigh of relief, ‘All praise is for Allah. ’ Then I asked, ‘Maste! There is a tradition narrated on the authority of the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) whose meaning I cannot understand. ’ He (a. s. ) asked, “What is it? ” I said, ‘His (s. a. w. a. ) saying, ‘Do not commit aggression agaisnt the days, lest they assail you. ’ What does it mean? ’ He (a. s. ) replied, “Yes. We are the days. The heavens and the earth subsist due to us, hence, Saturday refers to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , Sunday refers to Ameerul Momineen, Monday refers to Hasan and Husain, Tuesday belongs to Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Wednesday is of Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali and myself. Thursday belongs to my son, Hasan Ibn Ali and Friday is of my grandson, around whom the groups of truth will gather. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be filled with injustice and oppression. This is the meaning of the days. So, do not commit aggression against them in this world, p: 199 

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lest they do so against you in the hereafter. ” Then he (a. s. ) said, “You can leave and I don’t guarantee your safety. ” 282. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Yahya Ibn Zaid [2] says, ‘I asked my father about the Imams. ’ He informed, ‘The Imams are twelve, four have passed away and eight remain. ’ I requested, ‘O Fathe! Name them. ’ He retorted, ‘As for the past Imams, they are Ali Ibn Abi Taalib, Hasan, Husain and Ali Ibn Husain. As for the remaining, they are my brother Baaqer followed by Ja’far al-Sadeq, his son Moosa, his son Ali, his son Muhammad, his son Ali, his son Hasan and finally his son Mahdi. ’ ‘O Fathe! Are you not from them? ’ He answered, ‘No. But I am from the progeny. ’ I enquired, ‘Then how did you know their names? ’ He explained, ‘It is a promised covenant, which the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) pledged to us. ’ 283. Kamaal al-Deen [3]: Imam Husain (a. s. ) chronicles, ‘I went to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) while Ubayy Ibn K’ab was with him. ’ The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) exclaimed, “Welcom! O Aba Abdilla! O adornment of the heavens and the earth. ” Ubayy asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! How somebody other that you can be the adornment of the heavens and earth? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “O Ubay! I swear by the One, Who raised me as a Prophet with truth. Verily, Husain Ibn Ali, in the heaven enjoys a greater position than in the earth. Surely, it is written on the right side of the Throne that p: 200 

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he is the light of guidance, the ark of salvation, the untiring Imam, might, pride, the ocean of knowledge and the treasure-chest. (Is he still not the adornment of the heavens and the earth? ). Certainly, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has carried in his loins pure, blessed and chaste sperm, which was created before the creation came into existence in the wombs of the mothers, or semen flowed in the backs of the fathers, or even before day and night existed. Indeed, Allah inspired the creatures the prayers by which they would invoke but that Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, would gather them with him (Husain). He will be their intercessor in his hereafter and Allah will remove from him, his difficulty, repay his debt, ease his affair, expand his path, strengthen him against his enemy and will not rip apart his veil (i. e. conceal his sins). ” Ubayy enquired, ‘What are these prayers, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) answered, “When you are sitting after finishing your prayers say, 

ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺇﻧﻲ ﺃﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺑﻜﻠﻤﺎﺗﻚ ﻭﻣﻌﺎﻗﺪ ﻋﺮﺷﻚ ﻭﺳﻜﺎﻥ ﺳﻤﺎﻭﺍﺗﻚ (ﻭﺃﺭﺿﻚ) ﻭﺃﻧﺒﻴﺎﺋﻚ ﻭﺭﺳﻠﻚ (ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﺘﺠﻴﺐ ﻟﻲ) ﻓﻘﺪ ﺭﻫﻘﻨﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺃﻣﺮﻱ ﻋﺴﺮ، ﻓﺄﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺼﻠﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺁﻝ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺃﻥ ﺗﺠﻌﻞ ﻟﻲ ﻣﻦ ﻋﺴﺮﻱ ﻳﺴﺮﺍ

 O Alla! Certainly I ask You for the sake of Your Kingdom, the contracting parties of Your Might, the residents of Your heavens (and Your earth) and Your Prophets and Messengers (that You answer me) because difficulty has overcome my affair. Thus, I ask You that You bless Muhammad and p: 201 

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the Progeny of Muhammad and that You make my affair easy for me. Then surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will ease your affair, expand your heart for you and inspire unto you the testimony ﻟﺎ ﺇﻟﻪ ﺇﻟﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ There is no god but Allah’ at the time of your death. ’ Ubayy questioned, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! What is this sperm, which is in the loin of my beloved Husain (a. s. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) elucidated, “The likeness of this sperm is like that of the moon, which throws light and shows the way; whoever follows it will be guided and whoever deviates from it will be led astray. ” He asked, ‘Then, what is his name and what is his supplication? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) explained, “His name is Ali and his supplication is, 

ﻳﺎ ﺩﺍﺋﻢ ﻳﺎ ﺩﻳﻤﻮﻡ، ﻳﺎ ﺣﻲ ﻳﺎ ﻗﻴﻮﻡ، ﻳﺎ ﻛﺎﺷﻒ ﺍﻟﻐﻢ ﻭﻳﺎ ﻓﺎﺭﺝ ﺍﻟﻬﻢ، ﻭﻳﺎ ﺑﺎﻋﺚ ﺍﻟﺮﺳﻞ، ﻭﻳﺎ ﺻﺎﺩﻕ ﺍﻟﻮﻋﺪ

 O Eterna! O Everlastin! O Livin! O Controlle! O Reliever of sorrow! O Remover of grie! O Sender of Messengers and O Truthful in His promis! Whoever invokes through this supplication, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will raise him alongwith Ali Ibn Husain and he (a. s. ) will be his guide to paradise. Ubayy enquired, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Will he have any caliph or successor? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Yes. For him will be the inheritances of the heavens and the earth. ” Ubayy asked, ‘What does ‘the inheritances of the heavens and the earth’ mean? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Decreeing the truth, ordering righteousness, interpretation of the laws and explanation p: 202 

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of what will be. ” Ubayy asked, ‘What is his name? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “His name is Muhammad. Verily, the angels will soon be acquainted with him in the heavens and invoke with his invocation.

 ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺇﻥ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻟﻲ ﻋﻨﺪﻙ ﺭﺿﻮﺍﻥ ﻭﻭﺩ ﻓﺎﻏﻔﺮ ﻟﻲ ﻭﻟﻤﻦ ﺗﺒﻌﻨﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺇﺧﻮﺍﻧﻲ ﻭﺷﻴﻌﺘﻲ ﻭﻃﻴﺐ ﻣﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺻﻠﺒﻲ 

O Alla! If there is any satisfaction or love near You for me, then forgive me and whoever follows me from my brothers or my followers, and purify what is in my loin, O the most Merciful of all mercifuls. Then, Allah will place in his loin a blessed, pure and immaculate sperm. Jibraeel informed me that surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has purified this sperm and named it Ja’far and made him a guide, the guided one, he is satisfied with Allah and Allah is satisfied with him. He prays to his Lord and says in his supplication, 

ﻳﺎ ﺩﻳﺎﻥ ﻏﻴﺮ ﻣﺘﻮﺍﻥ ﻳﺎ ﺃﺭﺣﻢ ﺍﻟﺮﺍﺣﻤﻴﻦ ﺍﺟﻌﻞ ﻟﺸﻴﻌﺘﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺭ ﻭﻗﺎﺀ، ﻭﻟﻬﻢ ﻋﻨﺪﻙ ﺭﺿﺎﺀ، ﻓﺎﻏﻔﺮ ﺫﻧﻮﺑﻬﻢ، ﻭﻳﺴﺮ ﺍﻣﻮﺭﻫﻢ، ﻭﺍﻗﺾ ﺩﻳﻮﻧﻬﻢ، ﻭﺍﺳﺘﺮ ﻋﻮﺭﺍﺗﻬﻢ، ﻭﻫﺐ ﻟﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﻜﺒﺎﺋﺮ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺑﻴﻨﻚ ﻭﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ، ﻳﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻟﺎ ﻳﺨﺎﻑ ﺍﻟﻀﻴﻢ ﻭﻟﺎ ﺗﺄﺧﺬﻩ ﺳﻨﺔ ﻭﻟﺎ ﻧﻮﻡ، ﺍﺟﻌﻞ ﻟﻲ ﻣﻦ ﻛﻞ (ﻫﻢ) ﻭﻏﻢ ﻓﺮﺟﺎ 

O Untiring Provide! O the most Merciful of all merciful! Grant protection for my Shias from the fire and satisfaction near You for them. Then, forgive their sins, ease their affairs, repay their debts, conceal their secrets and forgive their major sins which are between You and them. O He, Who does not fear injustice nor does sleep p: 203 

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and slumber overtake Hi! Grant salvation for me from every grief and sorrow. Whoever prays with this supplication, Allah will raise him with a white (bright) face along with Ja’far Ibn Muhammad to the paradise, O Ubay! Surely Allah, Blessed and High be He, has placed in this sperm a pure, blessed and immaculate sperm, upon which He has sent mercy. He named it Moosa and made him an Imam. Ubayy asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Have each one of them been described in detail, procreate, inherit and describe each other in the aforementioned manner? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Jibraeel (a. s. ) has described them for me on the authority of Allah, the Lord of the worlds, Mighty be His Majesty. ” Ubayy asked, ‘Did Moosa (Ibn Ja’far) have any specific supplication, which he (a. s. ) prayed, other than the supplications of his forefathers? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “Yes. He will say in his supplications 

ﻳﺎ ﺧﺎﻟﻖ ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻖ، ﻭﻳﺎ ﺑﺎﺳﻂ ﺍﻟﺮﺯﻕ، ﻭﻳﺎ ﻓﺎﻟﻖ ﺍﻟﺤﺐ (ﻭﺍﻟﻨﻮﻯ)، ﻭﻳﺎ ﺑﺎﺭﺉ ﺍﻟﻨﺴﻢ ﻭﻣﺤﻴﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺗﻲ ﻭﻣﻤﻴﺖ ﺍﻟﺎﺣﻴﺎﺀ، ﻭ (ﻳﺎ) ﺩﺍﺋﻢ ﺍﻟﺜﺒﺎﺕ، ﻭﻣﺨﺮﺝ ﺍﻟﻨﺒﺎﺕ ﺍﻓﻌﻞ ﺑﻲ ﻣﺎ ﺃﻧﺖ ﺃﻫﻠﻪ O Creator of creatio! 

O Giver of sustenanc! O Splitter of grai! O Creator of wind! O Giver of life to the dead and Who causes death to the livin! O Everlasting and Who brings forth the vegetatio! Do unto me as You are worthy of doing. One who invokes in this manner, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will fulfill his needs and raise him on the Day of Judgment along with Moosa Ibn Ja’far. Surely, Allah has p: 204 

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placed in his loin a pure and immaculate sperm with which He is satisfied. He has named it Ali and Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, in His knowledge and His wisdom, was satisfied with his creation. He made him a proof for his Shias, through which they will demonstrate on the Day of Judgment. He has an invocation by which he invokes 

ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺃﻋﻄﻨﻲ ﺍﻟﻬﺪﻯ، ﻭﺛﺒﺘﻨﻲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ، ﻭﺍﺣﺸﺮﻧﻲ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺁﻣﻨﺎ ﺃﻣﻦ ﻣﻦ ﻟﺎ ﺧﻮﻑ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﻟﺎ ﺣﺰﻥ ﻭﻟﺎ ﺟﺰﻉ، ﺇﻧﻚ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻮﻯ ﻭﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﻤﻐﻔﺮﺓ 

O Alla! Grant me guidance, make me firm on it, and raise me on it in a state of security, like the safety of the one who has neither fear nor grief nor sorrow. Surely, You are Worthy of fear and Worthy of forgiveness. And verily, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has put in his sperm a blessed, pure and immaculate sperm, with which He is satisfied and named him Muhammad Ibn Ali. He is the intercessor of his Shias and the inheritor of his grandfather’s knowledge. He has clear signs and apparent arguments. When he will be born, he will declare,

 ﻟﺎ ﺇﻟﻪ ﺇﻟﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺭﺳﻮﻝ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺁﻟﻪ 

There is no god but Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. And he will recite in his supplications

 ﻳﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻟﺎ ﺷﺒﻴﻪ ﻟﻪ ﻭﻟﺎ ﻣﺜﺎﻝ، ﺃﻧﺖ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻟﺎ ﺇﻟﻪ ﺇﻟﺎ ﺃﻧﺖ ﻭﻟﺎ ﺧﺎﻟﻖ ﺇﻟﺎ ﺃﻧﺖ ﺗﻔﻨﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺨﻠﻮﻗﻴﻦ ﻭﺗﺒﻘﻲ ﺃﻧﺖ، ﺣﻠﻤﺖ ﻋﻤﻦ ﻋﺼﺎﻙ، ﻭﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﻐﻔﺮﺓ ﺭﺿﺎﻙ 

O the One Who has neither any similar nor any 

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[2]: Zaid Ibn Ali Ibn Husain (a. s. ). 

p: 205 

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example. You are Allah, there is no god but You and there is no creator but You. You will annihilate the creatures while You will remain. You are forebearing with the one who disobeys You and in forgiveness is Your satisfaction. Whoever prays with this supplication, Muhammad Ibn Ali will be his intercessor on the Day of Judgment. Surely Allah, Blessed and High be He, has placed in his loin a pure, bright, blessed, immaculate and clean sperm. He has named it Ali Ibn Muhammad. He has clothed him with contentment and dignity, and deposited in him sciences and secrets of every hidden thing. Whoever meets him, he will inform him of what is in his heart and caution against his enemy and he will supplicate in this manner

 ﻳﺎ ﻧﻮﺭ ﻳﺎ ﺑﺮﻫﺎﻥ ﻳﺎ ﻣﻨﻴﺮ ﻳﺎ ﻣﺒﻴﻦ ﻳﺎ ﺭﺏ ﺍﻛﻔﻨﻲ ﺷﺮ ﺍﻟﺸﺮﻭﺭ ﻭﺁﻓﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺪﻫﻮﺭ، ﻭﺃﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺍﻟﻨﺠﺎﺓ ﻳﻮﻡ ﻳﻨﻔﺦ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺼﻮﺭ

 O Light of all light! O Proo! O Illuminato! O Explanato! O Lor! Protect me from the evil of the evil ones and the calamities of the times. I ask You salvation on the Day when the trumpet is blown. Whoever recites this supplication, Ali Ibn Muhammad will be his intercessor and his leader to paradise. Surely Allah, Blessed and High be He, has placed in his loin a sperm and named it Hasan Ibn Ali. He made him a light in His cities, a caliph in His earth, an honour for His nations, a guide for His Shias, an intercessor for them near p: 206 

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their Lord, a punishment for those who oppose him, a proof for whoever befriends him and a clear argument for whoever takes him as an Imam. He will say in his supplication, ﻳﺎ ﻋﺰﻳﺰ ﺍﻟﻌﺰ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺰﻩ، ﻳﺎ ﻋﺰﻳﺰﺍ ﻋﺰﻧﻲ ﺑﻌﺰﻙ، ﻭﺃﻳﺪﻧﻲ ﺑﻨﺼﺮﻙ ﻭﺃﺑﻌﺪ ﻋﻨﻲ ﻫﻤﺰﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﺸﻴﺎﻃﻴﻦ، ﻭﺍﺩﻓﻊ ﻋﻨﻲ ﺑﺪﻓﻌﻚ ﻭﺍﻣﻨﻊ ﻋﻨﻲ ﺑﻤﻨﻌﻚ ﻭﺍﺟﻌﻠﻨﻲ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻴﺎﺭ ﺧﻠﻘﻚ، ﻳﺎ ﻭﺍﺣﺪ ﻳﺎ ﺃﺣﺪ ﻳﺎ ﻓﺮﺩ ﻳﺎ ﺻﻤﺪ O Mighty of reverence in His Migh! O Might! Grant me might for the sake of Your Might, assist me with Your help, keep far from me the whisperings of the devils, defend me with Your defence, protect me with Your protection and make me from the chosen ones of Your creatures. O On! O Uniqu! O Singula! O Needles! Whoever invokes with this supplication, Allah, the High, will raise him with him (Hasan Ibn Ali) and for him is salvation from hell even if it was obligatory on him. Surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has placed in the loin of Hasan, a blessed, pure, clean, immaculate and purified sperm. Every believer from whom Allah has taken the covenant of mastership (ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ) is satisfied with it and only the deniers will disbelieve in him. He is the pure, immaculate, righteous, guide and guided Imam. He is the beginning of justice and its end. He will verify Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, and Allah will verify him in his saying. He will emerge from Mecca till the proofs and signs are manifested. In Taaleqaan [1] , he will p: 207 

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have treasures that are neither gold nor silver but beautiful war-horses and imposing men. Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, will gather for him three hundred and thirteen men from distant cities equal to the number of the Muslim soldiers in Badr. With him is a sealed book, which comprises the number of his companions along with their names, their geneology, their cities, their business, their speech and their agnomen. They will be steadfast and will strive hard in his obedience. Ubayy asked, ‘And what will be his proofs and his signs, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, ‘He will have a standard. When the time of his reappearance nears, this standard will unfurl on its own and Allah, Blessed and High be He, will give it the power of speech. The standard will call out, ‘Emerge, O friend of Allah, and kill the enemies of Allah. ’ He will also have two flags and two marks, besides a sheathed sword, which will call out, ‘Come forth, O friend of Allah, as it is not permitted for you to sit (quietly) before the enemies of Allah. ’ Then he will reappear and kill the enemies of Allah wherever he will find them. He will uphold the laws of Allah and judge by the judgment of Allah. Jibraeel will appear from his right side, Mikaaeel from his left, (Prophets) Shoaib and Saaleh infront of him. Soon, you will remember what I am telling you and I entrust my affairs to Allah, Mighty and p: 208 

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Glorified be He, even if it is after a long time. O Ubay! Congratulations to the one who meets him, congratulations to the one who loves him and congratulations to the one who believes in him. Allah will save him from destruction because of his acknowledgement in Him, in the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and in all the Imams (a. s. ). Allah will open for them the paradise. Their likeness in the earth is like that of the (perfume) musk, the fragrance of which never diminishes after diffusion. Their similarity in the heavens is like that of an illuminated moon, the light of which never extinguishes. Ubayy asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! How has Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, explained the condition of these Imams? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) answered, “Surely Allah, Blessed and High be He, sent down upon me twelve seals and twelve books. The name of each Imam is on his seal and his attribute is in his book, may Allah bless them all. 284. Kamaal al-Deen [1]: Ibn Abbas reports, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) say, “Surely for Allah, Blessed and High be He, there is an angel called Dardaaeel {the tradition has a lengthy narration about this angel, the greatness of the world of creation, its expanse, the virtues of our master Imam Husain (a. s. ) and the gravity of the crime of his murder, etc. till it reaches to}… the Imams after me are Ali – the guide, Hasan – the recipient of guidance, Husain – the helper, p: 209 

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Ali Ibn Husain – the helped one, Muhammad Ibn Ali – the intercessor, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad – the benefactor, Moosa Ibn Ja’far – the trustee, Ali Ibn Moosa – the satisfied one, Muhammad Ibn Ali – the active, Ali Ibn Muhammad – the trusted one, Hasan Ibn Ali – the knowing and the Qaem – behind whom Eesa Ibn Maryam (a. s. ) will pray…”. ’ 285. Kefaayah al-Asar [1]: Alqamah Ibn Muhammad al-Khuzrami chronicles that Ja’far Ibn Muhammad al-Sadeq (a. s. ) said, “The Imams are twelve. ” I requested, ‘O son of Allah’s Messenge! Name them for me. ’ He (a. s. ) obliged, “From the past, Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali and myself. ” I asked, ‘And after you, O son of Allah’s Messenger? ’ He (a. s. ) answered, “Verily, I have willed unto my son, Moosa and he is the Imam after me. ” I questioned, ‘Who will succeed Moosa? ’ He (a. s. ) replied, “His son Ali, called as Reza. He will be buried in the land of Khurasan, a stranger. His son Muhammad will succeed him followed by his son Ali. After Ali, his son Hasan will succeed him followed by Mahdi the son of Hasan. ” Then he (a. s. ) stated, “My father has narrated to me from his ancestors that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘O Al! When our Qaem emerges three hundred and thirteen men, equal to the number of Muslim soldiers at Badr, will gather around him. When the time of his reappearance nears, his sheathed sword will call out, p: 210 

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‘Stand up, O friend of Allah and kill the enemies of Allah’. ” 286. Oyoon Akhbaar al-Reza (a. s. ) [1]: Abu Baseer reports that Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) said, “My father (a. s. ) said to Jaaber Ibn Abdullah Ansaari, ‘I have some work with you. So, when is it possible for you to give me some time that I may ask you something? ’ Jaaber replied, ‘Whenever you wish. ’ Thus, when my father (a. s. ) met him in privacy, he (a. s. ) asked him, “O Jaabe! Inform me about the Tablet which you saw in the hand of my mother, Fatemah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and what did she tell you as to what was written in it? ” Jaaber replied, ‘I hold Allah as Witness that I went to visit your mother, Fatemah (a. s. ) during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) to congratulate her for Husain (a. s. ) ’s birth. I saw in her hand a green Tablet, which I thought to be of emerald and its writing was as bright as sunlight. I asked her, ‘May my father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O daughter of Allah’s Messenger (s. a. w. a. )! What is this Tablet? ’ She (s. a. ) replied, “This is the Tablet, which Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has gifted to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). In it is the name of my father, the name of Ali, the name of my two sons and the names of the successors from my progeny. In turn, my father gave it to me that I p: 211 

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may rejoice through it. ” Jaaber said, ‘Thus, your mother Fatemah (a. s. ) gave it to me. I read it and copied it. ’ My father (a. s. ) asked, “O Jaabe! Can you show it (the copied manuscript) to me? ” He replied in the affirmative. My father (a. s. ) accompanied Jaaber to his house where he took out a book from a parchment and giving it to my father he said, ‘I hold Allah as Witness that this is what I saw written in the Tablet: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a Book from Allah, the Mighty, the Wise to Muhammad, His light, His ambassador, His veil and His proof. The trustworthy spirit (Jibraeel) has descended with it from the Lord of the worlds. O Muhamma! Magnify my names, be grateful for My bounties and do not deny My endowments. Verily I am Allah, there is no god but Me, the Destroyer of the oppressors, the Degrader of the tyrants and the Establisher of the Day of Judgment. Verily I am Allah, there is no god but Me. Whoever expects grace from other than Me or fears other than My justice and My punishment, I will punish him in such a way that I will not punish anybody in this manner in the worlds. Hence, worship only Me and rely only on Me. Indeed, I did not raise a messenger, completed his days and terminated his duration but that I appointed for him a successor. Certainly, I made you superior over p: 212 

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all other Prophets and made your successor superior over all other successors. After him, I honoured you with your two grandsons, Hasan and Husain. I made Hasan the mine of My knowledge after the end of the days of his father and I made Husain the treasurechest of My revelation, honoured him with martyrdom and sealed it for him with eternal bliss. So, he is the best of the martyrs and the highest of them in grade before Me. I have placed My perfect word with him and the complete proof near him. Through his progeny, I shall reward and I shall punish. The first of them is the chief of the worshippers and the adornment of My past friends, then his son (Muhammad) who resembles his grandfather al-Mahmood [1] , the splitter of My knowledge and the mine of My wisdom. Soon, those who doubt concerning his son Ja’far will be destroyed. He who rejects him has rejected Me. I speak the truth, I will indeed honour the position of Ja’far and make him happy vis-à-vis his Shias, his helpers and his friends. After him, I have selected Moosa and there will be a blinding, dark corruption so that the spark of My obedience is not terminated, My proof is not hidden and My friends are not afflicted with misfortune. Bewar! Whoever denies even one of them, he has denied My bounty. Whoever changes one verse from My Book, then indeed he has attributed a lie unto Me. Then woe unto the liars, p: 213 

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the deniers with the termination of the duration of My servant, My beloved and My chosen one, Moosa. Verily, the one who denies the eighth is as if he has denied all My friends (Imams). Ali is My friend, My helper and the one upon whom I have placed Prophethood’s burden of proof and conferred upon him mastership. An arrogant devil [1] will murder him. He will be buried in a city, which the righteous servant [2] has built, next to the worst of My creatures. I speak the truth, I will soothe his eyes with Muhammad, his son and his successor after him. He is the heir of My knowledge, the mine of My wisdom, the place of My joy and My proof upon My creatures. None shall believe in him but that the paradise will be his abode and I will allow him to intercede for seventy of his family members, even if all of them are eligible for hell. I will complete his bliss with his son Ali, My friend, My helper, My witness amongst My creatures and My trustee upon My revelation. From him, I will bring forth Hasan, the caller to My path and the treasurer of My knowledge. Thereafter, I will complete this (chain of Imamat) with his son, ﻡ. ﺡ. ﻡ. ﺩ. mercy for the worlds. He will possess the perfection of Moosa, the brightness of Eesa and the patience of Ayyub. Soon, My friends will be humiliated in his time and their heads will be gifted as trophies p: 214 

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like the heads of the Turks and the Dylamites. They will be killed, they will be burnt, they will live in a state of fear, terror and trepidation. The earth will be coloured with their blood and wailing and sobbing will be commonplace among their womenfolk. They are My true friend! Through them I will repel all blinding and dark mischief, remove the earthquakes and do away with the burdens and the chains

. ﺃُﻭﻟَﺌِﻚَ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻬِﻢْ ﺻَﻠَﻮَﺍﺕٌ ﻣﱢﱢﻦ ﺭﱠﱠﺑﱢﱢﻬِﻢْ ﻭَﺭَﺣْﻤَﺔٌ ﻭَﺃُﻭﻟَﺌِﻚَ ﻫُﻢُ ﺍﻟْﻤُﻬْﺘَﺪُﻭﻥَ 

They are those upon them is the blessings of their Lord and mercy. And they are the guided ones. (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 157) Abu Baseer says, ‘If you do not hear in your time anything but this tradition, it will suffice for you. Hence, conceal it except from those who are worthy of it. ’ 

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--------------------

[1]: A state in modern Iran. 

[1]: A title of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). 

[1]: Ma’moon al-Abbasi. 

[2]: Implying Prophet Zulqarnain (a. s. ) as he was the one who had built the city of Khorasan during his rule. 

287. Muqtazab al-Asar [1]: Salmaan narrates, ‘One day I went to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). When he (s. a. w. a. ) looked at me, he (s. a. w. a. ) said, “O Salmaa! Surely Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, did not raise a Prophet or a Messenger but that He has placed in him twelve successors. ” I acknowledged, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! I came to know about this from the People of the Book’ He (s. a. w. a. ) questioned, “O Salmaa! Do you recognise my twelve successors, whom Allah has chosen for Imamat after me? ” I answered, ‘Allah and His Messenger know the best. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) informed, “O Salmaa! Allah created me from His chosen Light. He called me and I obeyed Him. p: 215 

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From my light, He created Ali. He called him to His obedience, so he obeyed Him. From my light and the light of Ali, He created Fatemah. He called her and she obeyed Him. From my light and the from the lights of Ali and Fatemah, He created Hasan and Husain. He called both of them and they obeyed Him. So, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, named us with five names from His names. Hence, Allah is Mahmood and I am Muhammad; Allah is al-Ali (the High) and he is Ali. Allah is Faatir (Creator) and she is Fatemah. Allah is Zu al-Ehsaan (the Owner of goodness) and this is Hasan. Allah is Mohsin (Obliger) and this is Husain. Thereafter, He created from us and from the light of Husain, nine Imams. He called them and they obeyed Him. Before Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, created the established sky, the vast earth, the air, the water, the angels and the humans, we were in His knowledge lights, glorifying Him, listening to and obeying Him. ” Salmaan asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! May my father and my mother be sacrifice for you, what is the reward of the one who recognizes them? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) prophesied, “Whoever recognizes them as they ought to be recognized, follows them, befriends their friends and bears enmity against their enemies, then by Allah, he is from us, he will enter where we enter and he will reside where we reside. ” I asked, ‘O Messenger of p: 216 

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Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Is it possible to believe in them without knowing their names and geneology? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “No, O Salmaa! ” I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Please introduce them unto me. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) elaborated, “You know till Husain. After him is the chief of the worshippers Ali Ibn Husain followed by his son, Muhammad Ibn Ali, the splitter of the knowledge of the Prophets and the Messengers, from the beginning till the end. After him will be Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, the truthful tongue of Allah. Then, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, the controller of anger, the forbearing in the way of Allah. Then, Ali Ibn Moosa, the one who is satisfied with the command of Allah. Then, Muhammad Ibn Ali, the generous, the chosen one of Allah’s creation. Then, Ali Ibn Muhammad, the guide towards Allah. Then, Hasan Ibn Ali, the silent, the trustee of Allah’s secret. Then his son, the proof of Allah, so and so and he took his name, the son of Hasan, the Mahdi, one who will speak and rise with Allah’s right…” 288. Dalaael al-Imaamah [1]: Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) reports, “The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said to me, ‘The night when I was taken for ascension, I saw palaces made of ruby, green chrysolite, pearls, corals and pure gold. Its floors were of pungent musk and its soil was of saffron. In them were fruits, dates, pomegranates, fairies, beautiful women, rivers of milk, rivers of honey flowing on pearls and jewels. There were domes on the two shores p: 217 

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of these rivers and rooms, tents, servants and young ones. Its carpets were of brocades and silk and birds were in it. I asked, ‘O my friend Jibraee! For whom are these palaces and what’s their status? ’ Jibraeel (a. s. ) informed me, ‘These palaces and whatever are in them, Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He, has created them thus and prepared in them as you see and their multiples, for the Shias of your brother, Ali, your caliph after you upon your nation. They (Shias) will be called in the last era as ‘Raafezis’ [1] , an appellation more apt for other (than them). Yet, it will be an adornment for them because they will abandon falsehood and fasten unto truth. They are the real majority. (Also, these palaces are created) for the Shias of his son Hasan after him, for the Shias of Husain after him, for the Shias of his son Ali Ibn Husain after him, for the Shias of his son Muhammad Ibn Ali after him, for the Shias of his son Ja’far Ibn Muhammad after him, for the Shias of his son Moosa Ibn Ja’far after him, for the Shias of his son Ali Ibn Moosa after him, for the Shias of his son Muhammad Ibn Ali after him, for the Shias of his son Ali Ibn Muhammad after him, for the Shias of his son Hasan Ibn Ali after him and for the Shias of his son Muhammad al-Mahdi after him. O Muhamma! These are the Imams after p: 218 

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you, the standards of guidance and the lamps in darkness. Their Shias and the Shias of your progeny and their lovers are the truthful Shias. They are the friends of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , who will abandon falsehood and keep away from it. They will aim for the truth and follow it. They will befriend them (the Imams) in their lives, visit their graves after their death, support them and strive for their love. Allah’s Mercy is upon them. Surely, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful’. ” 289. Al-Ghaibah of Shaikh Toosi (r. a. ) [1]: Jaaber al-Jo’fi chronicles, ‘I asked Abu Ja’far (Imam Baaqer) (a. s. ) concerning the interpretation of the saying of Allah, Mighty and Glorified be He

, ﺇِﻥﱠﱠ ﻋِﺪﱠﱠﺓَ ﺍﻟﺸﱡﱡﻬُﻮﺭِ ﻋِﻨﺪَ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪِ ﺍﺛْﻨَﺎ ﻋَﺸَﺮَ ﺷَﻬْﺮًﺍ ﻓِﻲ ﻛِﺘَﺎﺏِ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪِ ﻳَﻮْﻡَ ﺧَﻠَﻖَ ﺍﻟﺴﱠﱠﻤَﺎﻭَﺍﺕ ﻭَﺍﻟﺄَﺭْﺽَ ﻣِﻨْﻬَﺎ ﺃَﺭْﺑَﻌَﺔٌ ﺣُﺮُﻡٌ ﺫَﻟِﻚَ ﺍﻟﺪﱢﱢﻳﻦُ ﺍﻟْﻘَﻴﱢﱢﻢُ ﻓَﻠﺎَ ﺗَﻈْﻠِﻤُﻮﺍْ ﻓِﻴﻬِﻦﱠﱠ ﺃَﻧﻔُﺴَﻜُﻢْ 

Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah’s ordinance since the day He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred; that is the right reckoning; therefore be not unjust to yourselves regarding them. (Qur’an Surah Taubah 9: 36) My master (a. s. ) heaved a deep sigh and said, “O Jaabe! As for the year, it is my grandfather the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and its months are twelve months. They are from Ameerul Momineen till myself, and from me to my son Ja’far, followed by his son Moosa, then his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ali, then his son Hasan p: 219 

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and then his son Muhammad, al-Haadi, al-Mahdi. These are the twelve Imams, the proofs of Allah upon His creation and the trustees of His revelation and His knowledge. As for the four sacrosanct [1] months, which are the strong religion, they are the four (of the twelve) who bear one name Ali and they are Ameerul Momineen Ali, my father Ali Ibn Husain, Ali Ibn Moosa al-Reza and Ali Ibn Muhammad (al-Naqi). Acknowledging the Imamat of these four, it is a strong religion. ‘And do not oppress yourselves’ means believe in all of them that you may be guided. ” 290. Taweel al-Aayaat al-Zaaherah [2]: Jaaber Ibn Yazeed al-Jo’fi enquired from Imam Ja’far Ibn Muhammad al-Sadeq (a. s. ) regarding the interpretation of the verse ﻭَﺇِﻥﱠﱠ ﻣِﻦ ﺷِﻴﻌَﺘِﻪِ ﻟَﺈِﺑْﺮَﺍﻫِﻴﻢَ And surely from his Shias is Ibraheem. (Qur’an Surah Saaffaat 37: 83) He (a. s. ) explained, “Verily, when Allah, Glorified be He, created Ibraheem (a. s. ) , the veil from his vision was raised and he saw a light on the side of the Throne. ” He asked, ‘My Go! What is this light? ’ He was told, ‘This is the light of Muhammad, the chosen one of My creation. ’ He saw a light next to him (s. a. w. a. ). Again he enquired, ‘My Go! What is this light? ’ He was told, ‘This is the light of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the helper of My religion. ’ Again, he saw three lights next to them and asked, ‘My Go! What are these lights? ’ He was told, ‘This is the light of Fatemah (s. a. ) , I have separated her p: 220 

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followers from the hell-fire and the lights of her two sons, Hasan and Husain. ’ He exclaimed, ‘My Go! I also see nine lights encircling them. ’ He was told, ‘O Ibrahee! These are the Imams from the progeny of Ali and Fatemah. ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) pleaded, ‘My Go! For the sake of these five, let me know who are these nine (Imams)? ’ He was told, ‘O Ibrahee! The first of them is Ali Ibn Husain, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ja’far, then his son, Moosa, then his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ali, then his son al-Hasan and then his son, the Hujjah, the Qaem. ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) remarked, ‘My God and my Maste! I also see more lights that are encircling these lights and who cannot be enumerated but by You. ’ He was told, ‘O Ibrahee! These are their Shias, the Shia of Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ). ’ Ibraheem (a. s. ) enquired, ‘How will their Shias be recognized? ’ He (Allah) replied, ‘They will perform fifty-one rakats of prayers (daily) , recite ‘In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful’ loudly (in their prayers) , recite Qunoot before Ruku’ (genuflection) [1] and wear their rings in their right hand. ’ Hearing this, Ibraheem (a. s. ) pleaded, ‘O Alla! Make me from the Shias of Ameerul Mominee! ’” Imam (a. s. ) says, “Then Allah, the High, informed about this in His Book through the verse, ‘And surely from his Shias is Ibraheem. ” 291. Al-Kaafi [2]: Imam Ali Ibn Muhammad al-Naqi (a. s. ) narrates, ‘Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) p: 221 

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was in Masjid al-Haraam (Kaabah) along with his son, Imam Hasan (a. s. ) and Salmaan. He was reclining on the shoulder of the latter, when a handsome and well-dressed man entered and saluted him. Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) replied to his salutation. The person sat down and said, ‘O Ameerul Momineen (a. s. )! I ask you three questions. If you answer them correctly, I will know that people have failed in their duty concering you, which was imposed upon them and that they will not be safe in this world as well as the hereafter. But, if you fail to answer my questions, I will understand that you and they are both one and the same. ’ Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) told him, “Ask whatever you desire. ” He said, ‘Inform me that when a person sleeps, where does his soul go? What is the cause of remembrance and forgetfulness? How come one person resembles his paternal uncles while another is similar to his maternal uncles? Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) turned to his son, Hasan and ordered, “O Aba Muhamma! Answer him. ” Imam Hasan (a. s. ) answered his questions. Hearing the answers, the man exclaimed, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I always believed this. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and I always believed this. I bear witness that you are the successor of Allah’s Messenger and the upholder of His testimony and I always believed it. ” Then he turned to Imam Hasan and said, ‘I bear witness that you are his p: 222 

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successor and the upholder of His testimony and I bear witness that Husain Ibn Ali is the successor of his brother. I bear witness that Ali Ibn Husain is the successor of Husain after him. I bear witness that Muhammad Ibn Ali is the successor of Ali after him. I bear witness that Ja’far Ibn Muhammad is the successor of Muhammad after him. I bear witness that Moosa Ibn Ja’far is the successor of Ja’far after him. I bear witness that Ali Ibn Moosa is the successor of Moosa after him. I bear witness that Muhammad Ibn Ali is the successor of Ali after him. I bear witness that Ali Ibn Muhammad is the successor of Muhammad after him. I bear witness that Muhammad Ibn Ali is the successor of Ali after him. I bear witness that Hasan Ibn Ali is the successor of Ali after him. I also bear witness that a person from the progeny of Hasan will neither have an agnomen nor will he be named till he manifests his affair. He will fill the earth with justice as it would be filled with injustice. Salutations be upon you, O Ameerul Momineen and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. ’ Then he stood up and went away. Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) said, “O Aba Muhamma! Follow him and see where he goes. ” Imam Hasan Ibn Ali (a. s. ) went after him, and reports, ‘The moment he kept his foot out of the Mosque, I did not comprehend where he p: 223 

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disappeared from the earth of Allah. I returned to Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) and upprised him of the same. ’ He (a. s. ) asked, “O Aba Muhamma! Did you recognize him? ” I retorted, ‘Allah, His Messenger and Ameerul Momineen know the best. ’ He (a. s. ) answered, “He was (Prophet) Khizr. ” 292. ManLaa Yahzoroh al-Faqih [1]: Abdullah Ibn Jandab reports that Imam Moosa Ibn Ja’far (a. s. ) said, “You pray in the prostration of thanksgiving (sajdah al-shukr) thus,

 ﺃﻟﻠّﻬﻢّ ﺇﻧّﻰ ﺃُﺷﻬﺪﻙ ﻭ ﺍُﺷﻬِﺪُ ﻣﻠﺎﺋﻜﺘَﻚَ ﻭَ ﺃﻧﺒﻴﺎﺀَﻙَ ﻭَ ﺭُﺳُﻠﻚ ﻭ ﺟﻤﻴﻊَ ﺧَﻠْﻘِﻚَ ﺍﻟﻠﻪَ ﺭَﺑّﻰ ﻭَﺍﻟﺈﺳﻠﺎﻡَ ﺩﻳﻨﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪًﺍ ﻧﺒﻴّﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻴًّﺎ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻦ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﺋﻤﺘﻲ، ﺑﻬﻢ ﺍﺗﻮﻟّﻰ ﻭ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻋﺪﺍﺋﻬﻢ ﺍﺗﺒﺮﺍ.

 O Alla! Verily, I hold You as a witness and I hold Your angels, Your Prophets, Your Messengers and all Your creation as witnesses that Allah is my Lord, Islam is my religion, Muhammad is my Prophet, Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and al- Hujjah, the son of Hasan are my Imams. I take them as my masters and express disgust from their enemies. 

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[1]: Literally, Raafezi means one who discards and abandons religion. – Translator. 

[1]: Literally, Horom is the pl. of Haraam which means prohibited. 

[1]: In the second rakat of each prayer. 

293. Oyoon Akhbaar al-Reza (a. s. ) [2]: Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) narrates, “The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said, ‘When I was taken to the heaven for ascension, p: 224 

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my Lord, mighty is His Majesty, revealed unto me, ‘O Muhamma! I glanced to the earth, chose you from it, appointed you as a Prophet and derived your name from My Name. So, I am the Praised One (ﺍﻟﻤﺤﻤﻮﺩ) while you are Muhammad. I glanced for the second time, chose Ali from it, appointed him as your successor, your caliph, the husband of your daughter and the father of your progeny. I derived his name from My Name. So, I am the High (ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻰ) , the Highest (ﺍﻟﺎﻋﻠﻰ) while he is Ali. I created Fatemah, Hasan and Husain from the lights of you two. Thereafter, I presented their mastership before the angels. Whoever accepted it became from My close ones. O Muhamma! If a person worships Me till he breaks and becomes like a decomposed skin-bag but comes to me denying their mastership, I will not allow him to stay in My paradise nor will I provide him shadow beneath My Throne (arsh). O Muhamma! Do you like to see them? ’ I replied, ‘Yes, O my Lor! ’ Then He, Mighty and Glorified be He, ordered, ‘Raise your head. ’ I raised my head and saw the lights of Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, al-Hasan Ibn Ali and al-Hujjah Ibn al-Hasan, the Qaem, was right in the middle amongst them like a brilliant star. I asked, ‘My Lor! Who are they? ’ He informed, p: 225 

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‘They are the Imams and he is the Qaem, who will implement My permitted and prohibit My prohibitions. Through him I will take revenge from My enemies. He is the comfort for My friends and he is the one who will cure the hearts of your Shias from the oppressors, the deniers and the unbelievers…’” 294. Oyoon Akhbaar al-Reza (a. s. ) [1]: Fazl Ibn Shaazaan reports, ‘Mamoon asked Ali Ibn Moosa al-Reza (a. s. ) to write for him the core of Islam in a brief and eloquent manner. Imam (a. s. ) wrote to him thus, “Verily, the core of Islam is the testimony that there is no god but Allah, there is no partner for Him, the Lord, the One, the Unique, the Solitary, the Needless, the Controller, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Powerful, the Eternal, the Existing, the Surviving, the Knowing Who is not ignorant, the Powerful Who is not helpless, the Self-Sufficient Who is not needy and the Just Who does not oppress. He is the Creator of everything and there is nothing like Him. He has neither any similar nor opposite nor alike nor equal. He is the objective of worship, supplication, inclination and fear. And that verily Muhammad is His servant, His messenger, His trustee, His purified one and His chosen one from among His creation, the chief of the Messengers, the seal of the Prophets and the most superior in the entire universe. There is no prophet after him, there is no change in his nation (ﻣﻠّﺖ) and there is no p: 226 

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alteration for his shariat. And (to believe) that whatever Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s. a. w. a. ) has brought is the clear truth. To testify for him (s. a. w. a. ) and for all the past Prophets, Messengers and Proofs of Allah (peace be on them all) , who preceded him. To testify for his truthful, mighty Book which, ‘Falsehood cannot reach unto it from in front or from behind, a descent from the Wise, the Praiseworthy. ’ [1] And that it (the Holy Quran) is dominant over all the books and it is the truth from its beginning till its end. We believe in its clear as well as ambiguous verses, particular as well as general verses, promises as well as threats, abrogating as well as abrogated verses, its stories and its news. None among the creatures has the power to bring its like. The guide after him (s. a. w. a. ) , the proof upon the believers, the upholder of the affairs of the Muslims, the interpretor of the Quran and the cognizant of its laws, is his brother, his caliph, his successor and his friend, the one who was unto him as Haroon was unto Moosa (a. s. ) , Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the chief of the faithfuls, the leader of the pious, the guide of the handsome (in faith) , the most superior of the successors and the heir of the knowledge of the Prophets and the Messengers. After him are his two sons, Hasan and Husain, the chief of the youth of paradise. After him is Ali Ibn Husain, the adornment of the worshippers, Muhammad Ibn p: 227 

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Ali, the splitter of the knowledge of the Prophets, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, the heir of the knowledge of the successors, Moosa Ibn Ja’far al-Kaazim, Ali Ibn Moosa al-Reza, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Hujjah, the Qaem and the awaited one (blessings of Allah be on them all). I bear witness for them vis-à-vis successorship and Imamat. And that the earth will not be devoid of a proof of Allah, the High, upon His creatures in every time and era. They are the strong rope (al-urwah al-wusqaa) , the Imams of guidance and the proof upon the people of the world till Allah inherits the earth and whosoever is upon it. Whoever opposes them is the deviator, who leads others astray, false and the forsaker of truth and guidance. They (Imams) speak from the Quran and explain on the authority of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). One who dies without recognizing them has died the death of ignorance. And that from their religion is precautious piety, chastity, truthfulness, righteousness, steadfastness, struggle, repaying the trust to the good as well as the transgressor, prolonging the prostration, fasting during the day, praying during the night, abstaining from the prohibited, awaiting salvation with patience, being a good neighbour, being a noble friend and (finally, always being with) ablutions (ﻭﺿﻮ) like Allah, the High, has commanded in His Book…’ 295. Kitaab al-Fazl Ibn Shaazaan [1]: Sulaym Ibn Qais al-Hilaali reports, ‘I enquired from Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) , ‘Surely I have heard from Salmaan, Miqdaad and p: 228 

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Abuzar things vis-à-vis the interpretation of Quran and the tradition of the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) , other than what is available with the people. I also heard from you things that endorse what I have heard from these three. I see many things concerning the exegesis of the Quran and the interpretation of the Prophetic traditions while you oppose them in these and consider all of these as false and incorrect. Do you think that the people are attributing lies unto Allah and His Messenger (s. a. w. a. ) deliberately and are indulging in the whimsical interpretation of the Holy Quran? ’’ Ali (a. s. ) replied, “Since you have asked, then understand the answer. Certainly, in the hands of the people, there is right as well as wrong, truth as well as lies, abrogating as well as abrogated, particular as well as general, clear as well as the ambiguous, and preserved as well as the imaginary. Indeed, lie was attributed unto the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) during his lifetime so much so that he (s. a. w. a. ) had to deliver a sermon saying, ‘O peopl! Many lies have been attributed unto me. So, whoever ascribes anything falsely unto me intentionally, his seat will be in the hell fire. ’ Therefore, (obviously) the lies attributed to him (s. a. w. a. ) after his death will be much more than those ascribed to him (s. a. w. a. ) in his lifetime. Any tradition that comes to you can originate only from four sources and there cannot be a fifth source for it: A hypocrite, who professes faith apparently and feigns to p: 229 

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believe in Islam, does not consider it as a sin or does not hesitate to attribute a lie to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) deliberately. Had the people known that he is a hypocrite, a liar, they would neither accept from him nor verify in him. But they said, ‘He is from the companions of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , he has seen and heard him (s. a. w. a. ). Hence they took from him without being aware of his condition. While Allah has informed about the hypocrites and described them in no uncertain terms as follows,

 ﻭَﺇِﺫَﺍ ﺭَﺃَﻳْﺘَﻬُﻢْ ﺗُﻌْﺠِﺒُﻚَ ﺃَﺟْﺴَﺎﻣُﻬُﻢْ ﻭَﺇِﻥ ﻳَﻘُﻮﻟُﻮﺍ ﺗَﺴْﻤَﻊْ ﻟِﻘَﻮْﻟِﻬِﻢْ ﻛَﺄَﻧﱠﱠﻬُﻢْ ﺧُﺸُﺐٌ ﻣﱡﱡﺴَﻨﱠﱠﺪَﺓٌ

 And when you see them, their persons will please you, and If they speak, you will listen to their speech; (they are) as if they were big pieces of wood clad with garments. (Qur’an Surah Munaafeqoon 63: 4) After him, they became close to the leaders of deviation and the callers towards the hell fire through vanity, lies and slander, who ordained actions for them, imposed them on the necks of the people and acquired the world through them. The masses merely follow the rulers and the world except the one whom Allah, the High has protected. This was the first of the four. The second is the one who has heard a thing from the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , could not memorize the exact wordings and developed a wrong notion about it but did not lie deliberately. So, he believes in whatever is with him, acts upon p: 230 

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it, narrates it and says, ‘I have heard it from the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). ’ Had the Muslims known that this is just his notion, they would not accept it. Even if he himself had known that this is his own imagination, he would have rejected it. The third is he who heard that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has ordered something and later prohibited it or prohibited a thing and later ordered for it, but he is not aware of it. Hence, he has memorized only the abrogated part but is ignorant of the abrogating command. Had he known that this order has been abrogated, he would have rejected it and had the Muslims known, when they heard it from him, that it is abrogated, they too would have dispelled it. The fourth is he who did not ascribe a lie to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) as he hates lies due to fear of Allah, the High, and respect for His Messenger (s. a. w. a. ). He did not forget, rather, he memorized the exact wordings. Whenever he reproduced it, he did it in toto without adding anything to it or reducing a part of it. He was aware of the abrogating as well as the abrogated, while keeping away the abrogated one. He also knew that the tradition of the prophet is like the Quran, bearing the abrogating as well as the abrogated, the particular and the general and the clear and the ambiguous. Indeed, the sayings of the Messenger of Allah p: 231 

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(s. a. w. a. ) , like the Holy Quran, were of two kinds, general and particular. Allah, Blessed and High be He, says, ﻭَﻣَﺎ ﺁﺗَﺎﻛُﻢُ ﺍﻟﺮﱠﱠﺳُﻮﻝُ ﻓَﺨُﺬُﻭﻩُ ﻭَﻣَﺎ ﻧَﻬَﺎﻛُﻢْ ﻋَﻨْﻪُ ﻓَﺎﻧﺘَﻬُﻮﺍ And whatever the Apostle gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back. (Qur’an Surah Hashr (59): Verse 7. ) Thus whoever did not know and did not follow what Allah and His Messenger (s. a. w. a. ) implied with it became confused. All the companions of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) were not asking questions about everything. Whoever asked him, understood and whoever understood preserved it. There was a group amongst them who never asked him (s. a. w. a. ) a question. They preferred that a bedouin or a desert-folk comes and asks the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) a question and they listen to the answer. But I used to go to him (s. a. w. a. ) everyday atleast once and every night atleast once, when he (s. a. w. a. ) used to give me an absolutely private hearing. He (s. a. w. a. ) answered what I asked and I went with him (s. a. w. a. ) wherever he (s. a. w. a. ) went. The companions of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) were aware that he (s. a. w. a. ) did not treat anybody from the people in this manner as he (s. a. w. a. ) dealt with me. Often, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) used to come to my house. I too, used to go to some of his (s. a. w. a. ) houses, when he (s. a. w. a. ) used to ask his wives to leave that we could talk in private, and none remained there but me. On the other hand, when a visitor p: 232 

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came and demanded privacy, he (s. a. w. a. ) did not ask me, Fatemah or our two sons to leave. Whenever I asked him (s. a. w. a. ) a question, he (s. a. w. a. ) answered and when I was silent or my questions were exhausted, he (s. a. w. a. ) commenced talking with me. So, no single verse of the Holy Quran descended upon the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) but that he (s. a. w. a. ) read it for me and dictated it to me. I wrote it in my own hand-writing. He (s. a. w. a. ) taught me its exegesis, its interpretation, its abrogating and abrogated verses, its clear and ambiguous verses, its particular and general verses, its apparent and concealed. He (s. a. w. a. ) invoked Allah to grant me its understanding and its memorization. Consequently, I did not forget a single verse from the Book of Allah or any knowledge which he (s. a. w. a. ) dictated to me. Whatever Allah taught him (s. a. w. a. ) from the permissible or prohibited, command or prohibition, obedience or disobedience, past or present or any other book that was revealed before us, he (s. a. w. a. ) taught it to me and I memorized it. I did not forget a single alphabet from it. Whenever the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) informed me of these things, he (s. a. w. a. ) placed his hand on my chest and prayed that He fills my heart with knowledge, understanding, wisdom and light. He used to supplicate, “O Alla! Teach him, make him memorise and do not cause him to forget anything of what I have informed him and taught him. ” One day, I said to him p: 233 

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(s. a. w. a. ) , “O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! May my father and my mother be held ransom for you, from the time you have invoked Allah what you invoked, I did not forget anything nor whatever you have taught me, has escaped from me. Whatever you taught me, I wrote it down. Did you fear forgetfulness on my part? ” He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “O brothe! I did not 

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[1]: Surah Fusselat (41): Verse 42. 

fear forgetfulness on your part. I only loved to pray for you for, Allah, the High, had informed me that He will answer my prayers concerning you and your partners, whose obedience He has associated with my obedience, when He ordered concerning them,

 ﻳَﺎ ﺃَﻳﱡﱡﻬَﺎ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺁﻣَﻨُﻮﺍْ ﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪَ ﻭَﺃَﻃِﻴﻌُﻮﺍْ ﺍﻟﺮﱠﱠﺳُﻮﻝَ ﻭَﺃُﻭْﻟِﻲ ﺍﻟﺄَﻣْﺮِ ﻣِﻨﻜُﻢْ 

O you who believ! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you. (Qur’an Surah Nisaa 4: 59) I asked, ‘Who are they, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) answered, ‘They are the successors after me. One who forsakes them will not harm them. They are with the Quran and the Quran is with them, neither will they part from it nor will it separate from them till they meet me at the Hauz (of Kausar). Through them, my nation shall gain victory, and through them, it will rain. Through them, calamities will be repelled and supplications will be accepted. ’ I requested, ‘Name them for me, O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) obliged, ‘O Al! You are the first of them, then this son of mine p: 234 

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– and he (s. a. w. a. ) placed his hand on the head of Hasan. Then, this son of mine - and he (s. a. w. a. ) placed his hand on the head of Husain, followed by his son, your namesake, Ali, the adornment of the worshippers. O brothe! He will be born in your lifetime, so convey my salutations unto him. He will be followed by his son, Muhammad al-Baaqer, the splitter of my knowledge and the treasurer of the revelation of Allah, the High. Then his son, Ja’far al-Sadeq, then his son, Moosa al-Kazem, then his son, Ali al-Reza, then his son, Muhammad al-Taqi, then his son, Ali al-Naqi, then his son, Hasan al-Zaki and finally his son the Hujjah, the Qaem, the seal of my successors and my caliphs and the avenger from my enemies. He will fill the earth with justice and equity as it will be replete with injustice and oppression. ” Then Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) says, “O Sulay! By Allah, I recognize him when he is taking allegiance between the Rukn and the Maqaam. I also know the names of his helpers and the names of their tribes…” 296. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [1]: In a supplication (it has come) 

ﻳﺎ ﺭﺑﺎّﻩ ﻳﺎ ﺳﻴّﺪﺍﻩ ﻳﺎ ﻏﺎﻳﺔ ﺭﻏﺒﺘﺎﻩ ﺃﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺑﻚ ﻭ ﺑﻤﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻓﺎﻃﻤﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﻘﺎﺋﻢ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﺪﻱ ﺍﻟﺎﺋﻤّﺔ ﺍﻟﻬﺎﺩﻳﺔ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺼﻠّﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺁﻝ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ، ﻭﺃﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺃﻥ ﻟﺎ ﺗﺸﻮّﻩ ﺧﻠﻘﻲ ﺑﺎﻟﻨّﺎﺭ و 

ﺃﻥ ﺗﻔﻌﻞ ﺑﻲ ﻣﺎ ﺃﻧﺖ ﺃﻫﻠﻪ 

‘O Lor! O Chie! O Pinacle of desir! I ask You for Your sake and for the sake of Muhammad, Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Qaem, the Mahdi, the guiding Imams (peace be on them all) that You bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad. I ask You, O Allah, that You do not roast me in the hell fire and deal with me as You are worthy of. ’ 297. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [1]: Amongst the supplications that are to be recited after the morning prayers, the following has been highly recommended. 

ﺭﺿﻴﺖ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻪ ﺭﺑّﺎ ﻭ ﺑﺎﻟﺈﺳﻠﺎﻡ ﺩﻳﻨﺎً ﻭ ﺑﻤﺤﻤﺪ ﺻﻠّﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﺁﻟﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠّﻢ ﻧﺒﻴّﺎ ﻭ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﻛﺘﺎﺑﺎً ﻭ ﺑﻌﻠﻲ ﺇﻣﺎﻣًﺎ ﻭ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﺨﻠﻒ ﺍﻟﺼﺎﻟﺢ ﺍﺋﻤﱠﱠﺔ ﻭﻗﺎﺩﺓ...

 ‘I am satisfied with Allah as (my) Lord, with Islam as (my) religion, with Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) as Prophet, with Quran as Book, with Ali as Imam and with Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the righteous successor as Imams and leaders…’ 298. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [2]: Aasim Ibn Humaid reports that Abu Abdillah p: 236 

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Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite the following supplication after the prayers of need (ﺻﻠﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺟﺔ) on Friday

: ﺍﻟﻠّﻬﻢ ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﻮﻟﻴّﻚ ﻭ ﺧﻴﺮﺗﻚ ﻣﻦ ﺧﻠﻘﻚ ﻭ ﻭﺻﻲّ ﻧﺒﻴّﻚ ﻣﻮﻟﺎﻱ ﻭ ﻣﻮﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﺎﺕ ﻗﺴﻴﻢ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺭ ﻭ ﻗﺎﺋﺪ ﺍﻟﺎﺑﺮﺍﺭ

 O Alla! I seek proximity to You through Your friend, the chosen one from Your creation, the successor of Your Prophet, my master and the master of the believing men and women, the separator from the hell fire and the leader of the righteous – till he (a. s. ) said

 ﺍﻟﻠّﻬﻢ ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﻮﻟﻲّ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﺭّ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻲّ ﺍﻟﻄﻴّﺐ ﺍﻟﺰﻛﻲّ ﺍﻟﺈﻣﺎﻡ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺈﻣﺎﻡ، ﺍﻟﺴﻴّﺪ ﺍﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺴﻴّﺪ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﻘﺘﻴﻞ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻮﺏ ﻗﺘﻴﻞ ﻛﺮﺑﻠﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺴﻴّﺪ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﺑﺪﻳﻦ ﻭ ﻗﺮّﺓ ﻋﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﺼﺎﻟﺤﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺒﺎﻗﺮ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻢ، ﺻﺎﺣﺐ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻤﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺎﻥ ﻭ ﻭﺍﺭﺙ ﻣَﻦ ﻛﺎﻥ ﻗﺒﻠﻪ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺼﺎﺩﻕ ﺍﻟﺨﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺿﻞ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﻜﺮﻳﻢ ﺍﻟﺸﻬﻴﺪ ﺍﻟﻬﺎﺩﻱ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﻟﻲ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺸﻬﻴﺪ ﺍﻟﻐﺮﻳﺐ ﺍﻟﺤﺒﻴﺐ ﺍﻟﻤﺪﻓﻮﻥ ﺑﻄﻮﺱ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ، ﻭﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺰﻛﻲّ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻲ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﻄﻬﺮ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻫﺮ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﻲ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﻮﻟﻴّﻚ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ، ﻭ ﺃﺗﻘﺮّﺏ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺒﻘﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﻗﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﻘﻴﻢ ﺑﻴﻦ ﺃﻭﻟﻴﺎﺋﻪ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺭﺿﻴﺘﻪ ﻟﻨﻔﺴﻚ ﺍﻟﻄﻴّﺐ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻫﺮ ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺿﻞ ﺍﻟﺨﻴّﺮ ﻧﻮﺭ ﺍﻟﺎﺭﺽ ﻭ ﻋﻤﺎﺩﻫﺎ ﻭ ﺭﺟﺎﺀ ﻫﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺎُﻣّﺔ ﻭ ﺳﻴّﺪﻫﺎ ﺍﻟﺂﻣﺮ ﺑﺎﻟﻤﻌﺮﻭﻑ ﻭﺍﻟﻨﺎﻫﻲ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻜﺮ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺻﺢ ﺍﻟﺎﻣﻴﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﺆﺩّﻱ ﻋﻦ ﺍﻟﻨﺒﻴّﻴﻦ ﻭ ﺧﺎﺗﻢ ﺍﻟﺎﻭﺻﻴﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻨﺠﺒﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻫﺮﻳﻦ ﺻﻠﻮﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺃﺟﻤﻌﻴﻦ...

 O Alla! I seek proximity to you through the master, the p: 237 

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virtuous, the pure, the good, the immaculate, the Imam and the son of an Imam, the Sayyid and the son of a Sayyid, Hasan Ibn Ali. And I seek nearness to You through the Martyr, the crucified and the martyr of Karbala, Husain Ibn Ali. And I seek nearness to You through the chief of the worshippers and the beloved of the righteous, Ali Ibn Husain. And I seek nearness to You through the splitter of knowledge, the owner of wisdom and explanation, and the inheritor of what was before him, Muhammad Ibn Ali. And I seek nearness to You through al-Sadeq, the virtuous and the scholar, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad. And I seek nearness to You through the noble, the martyr, the guide and the master, Moosa Ibn Ja’far. And I seek nearness to You through the martyr, the stranger, the beloved who is buried in Toos [1] , Ali Ibn Moosa. And I seek nearness to You through the pure and the immaculate, Muhammad Ibn Ali. And I seek nearness to You through the clean, the pure and the immaculate, Ali Ibn Muhammad. And I seek nearness to You through Your friend, Hasan Ibn Ali. And I seek nearness to You through the remainder, the surviving one, the resider amongst his friends with whom You are satisfied, the pleasant, the pure, the scholar, the chosen one, the light of the earth and its pillar, the hope of this nation and its chief, the enjoiner of good, the prohibitor of evil, the p: 238 

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advisor, the trustworthy, the conveyer from the Prophets and the seal of the successors, the chosen ones and the purified ones, blessings of Allah be on them all…’ 299. Mohij al-Da’waat [1]: A supplication which Abu Hamzah al-Sumaali heard from Imam Zain al-Abedin (a. s. ) contained the following:

... ﻭ ﺃﺗﻮﺳّﻞ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﻭ ﺃﺳﺘﺸﻔﻊ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﺑﻨﺒﻴّﻚ ﻧﺒﻲ ﺍﻟﺮﺣﻤﺔ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺻﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺁﻟﻪ ﻭ ﺳﻠﻢ ﺗﺴﻠﻴﻤًﺎ ﻭ ﺑﺄﻣﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻃﺎﻟﺐ ﻭ ﻓﺎﻃﻤﺔ ﺍﻟﺰﻫﺮﺍﺀ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﺒﺪﻳﻚ ﻭ ﺃﻣﻴﻨﻚ ‘…

and I seek to reach unto You and Your intercession through the medium of Your Prophet, the Prophet of mercy, Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) and through Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , Fatemah al-Zahra (a. s. ) , Hasan (a. s. ) and Husain (a. s. ) , Your servant and Your trustee (and in it are the names of the Imams, all of them, till he (a. s. ) said)

 ﻭ ﺑﺤﻖّ ﺧﻠﻒ ﺍﻟﺎﺋﻤﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺿﻴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺎﻣﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺰﻛﻲ ﺍﻟﻬﺎﺩﻱ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﺪﻱ

ّ. And for the sake of the caliph of the past Imams, the Imam, the pure, the guide and the guided. ’ 300. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [2]: Abaan Ibn Taghlib reports that Abu Abdillah Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite the following supplication after the prayers of need

 (ﺻﻠﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺟﺔ) ﻭ ﺑﺎﻟﺎﺳﻢ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺟﻌﻠﺘﻪ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺻﻠﻮﺍﺗﻚ (ﻭﺭﺣﻤﺘﻚ) ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺁﻟﻪ ﻭ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺼﻠّﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭﺁﻝ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺃﻥ ﺗﻘﻀﻲ ﻟﻲ ﺣﺎﺟﺘﻲ... ‘

And for the sake of the name which You have placed with Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) p: 239 

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and with Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and Hujjah (peace be on them all) that You bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and that You fulfil for me my need…’ 301. Jamaal al-Usboo’ [1]: Shaikh Toosi (a. r. ) narrates through his chain of narrators that Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite the following supplication 

ﺑﻤﺤﻤﺪ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻌﻠﻲ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻔﺎﻃﻤﺔ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻌﻠﻲ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻤﺤﻤﺪ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﺠﻌﻔﺮ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻤﻮﺳﻰ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻌﻠﻲ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻤﺤﻤﺪ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﻌﻠﻲ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺑﺤﺠّﺘﻚ ﻭ ﺧﻠﻴﻔﺘﻚ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻠﺪﻙ ﻳﺎ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﺻﻞﱢﱢ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺁﻟﻪ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ... 

‘For the sake of Muhammad, O Alla! For the sake of Ali, O Alla! For the sake of Fatemah, O Alla! For the sake of Hasan, O Alla! For the sake of Husain, O Alla! For the sake of Ali, O Alla! For the sake of Muhammad, O Alla! For the sake of Ja’far, O Alla! For the sake of Moosa, O Alla! For the sake of Ali, O Alla! For the sake of Muhammad, O Alla! For the sake of Ali, O Alla! For the sake of Hasan, O Alla! For the sake of Your Proof and Your Caliph in Your city, O Alla! Bless Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad…’ 302. Al-Iqbaal [2]: Abu Muhammad Haroon Ibn Moosa al-Tal’akbari narrates through his chain of narrators that when the month of Ramazaan approached, Abu Abdillah Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite the following p: 240 

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supplication:

 ﺍﻟﻠّﻬﻢ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺷﻬﺮ ﺭﻣﻀﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺒﺎﺭﻙ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺃﻧﺰﻟﺖ ﻓﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﻘﺮﺁﻥ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻠﺘﻪ ﻫﺪﻯ ﻟﻠﻨﺎﺱ

 O Alla! This is the blessed month of Ramazaan in which You have sent the Quran and made it (Quran) as a guidance for the people – till he (a. s. ) said after a lengthy invocation 

ﻓﺄﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺑﺤﻖّ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻓﺎﻃﻤﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲّ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲّ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺋﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖّ ﺻﻠﻮﺍﺗﻚ ﻳﺎ ﺭﺏّ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺃﺟﻤﻌﻴﻦ... 

Then I ask You for the sake of Muhammad, Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Moosa, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Hasan Ibn Ali and the Hujjah, the upriser with truth. O Lor! Your blessings be on them all…’ 303. Al-Iqbaal [1]: In the supplications of the thirteenth day of Imam Zain al-Abedin (a. s. ) , it has been reported: ﺍﻟﻠّﻬﻢ ﺇﻥّ ﺍﻟﻈﻠﻤﺔ ﺟﺤﺪﻭﺍ ﺁﻳﺎﺗﻚ

 O Alla! Surely the oppressors denied Your signs – till he (a. s. ) said

 ﺍﻟﻠّﻬﻢ ﺇﻧّﻲ ﺃﺩﻳﻨﻚ ﻳﺎ ﺭﺏّ ﺑﻄﺎﻋﺘﻚ ﻭ ﻟﺎ ﻧﻨﻜﺮ ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺻﻠّﻰ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺑﻴﺘﻪ ﻭ ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ ﺃﻣﻴﺮ ﺍﻟﻤﺆﻣﻨﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺃﺑﻲ ﻃﺎﻟﺐ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﻭ ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﺳﺒﻄﻲ ﻧﺒﻴّﻚ ﻭ ﻭﻟﺪﻱ ﺭﺳﻮﻟﻚ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﻭ ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻫﺮﻳﻦ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺼﻮﻣﻴﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺫﺭﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﺑﻦ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ

ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺑﻦ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﺑﻦ ﻋﻠﻲ ﺳﻠﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻭ ﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺃﺟﻤﻌﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻭﻟﺎﻳﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺎﺋﻢ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﺑﻖ ﻣﻨﻬﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺨﻴﺮﺍﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﻔﺘﺮﺽ ﺍﻟﻄﺎﻋﺔ ﺻﺎﺣﺐ ﺍﻟﺰﻣﺎﻥ.

 O Alla! Surely I believe in Your obedience, O Lord, and we do not deny the mastership of Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) , the mastership of Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the mastership of Hasan and Husain (a. s. ) , the two grandsons of Your Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) and the sons of Your Messenger, the mastership of the pure and infallible (Imams) from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ) , (namely) Ali Ibn Husain, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ja’far Ibn Muhammad, Moosa Ibn Ja’far, Ali Ibn Muhammad, Muhammad Ibn Ali, Ali Ibn Muhammd, Hasan Ibn Ali (salutations of Allah and His blessings be on them all) and the mastership of the Qaem, the foremost amongst them in goodness, the one whose obedience is obligatory and the master of the time. 304. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [1]: Ibraheem Ibn Umar al-San’aani reports that in frightening circumstances Abu Abdillah Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite a supplication after prayers. It is the same supplication that was recited by Hazrat Zahra (s. a. ) and it is as follows:

 ﺃﺳﺄﻟﻚ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺼﻠّﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺁﻟﻪ ﻭ ﺃﻥ ﺗﻘﻀﻲ ﻟﻲ ﺣﻮﺍﺋﺠﻲ ﻭ ﺗُﺴﻤﻊ ﻣﺤﻤﺪًﺍ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻴّﺎ ﻭ ﻓﺎﻃﻤﺔ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻴّﺎ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪﺍ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮًﺍ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻴًﺎ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪًﺍ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻴّﺎ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﺻﻠﻮﺍﺗﻚ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﻭ ﺭﺣﻤﺘﻚ ﻭ ﺑﺮﻛﺎﺗﻚ ﻭ ﺭﺣﻤﺘﻚ ﺻﻮﺗﻲ، ﻓﻴﺸﻔﻌﻮﺍ ﻟﻲ ﺇﻟﻴﻚ ﻭ ﺗﺸﻔّﻌﻬﻢ ﻓﻲّ ﻭ ﻟﺎ ﺗﺮﺩّﻧﻲ ﺧﺎﺋﺒًﺎ... 

I ask You that You bless p: 242 

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Muhammad and his progeny, fulfil my needs, make Muhammad, Ali, Fatemah, Hasan, Husain, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Hujjah (Your salutations, Your blessings and Your mercy be on them all) hear my voice that they may intercede on my behalf before You and You accept their intercession for me and do not return me disappointed… 305. Kitaab al-Fazl Ibn Shaazaan [1]: Abu Khalid al-Kabuli chronicles, ‘I went to my master Ali Ibn Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) and saw a book in his hand which he was looking at and crying profusely. ’ I enquired, ‘May my father and my mother be held ransom for you, O son of Allah’s Messenge! What is this book? ’ He (a. s. ) informed, “This is the copy of the tablet which Allah, the High, gifted to the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). In it is the name of Allah, the High, His Messenger, Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) , my uncle Hasan Ibn Ali and my father (peace be on them all) , my name, the name of my son Muhammad al-Baaqer, his son Ja’far al-Sadeq, his son Moosa al-Kazem, his son Ali al-Reza, his son Muhammad al-Taqi, his son Ali al-Naqi, his son Hasan al-Zaki and his son the proof of Allah, the upriser with the command of Allah, the avenger from the enemies of Allah and the one who will go into a long occultation. Thereafter, he will reappear and fill the earth with justice and equity as it would be filled with injustice and 

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--------------------

[1]: In Khorasan province in Iran, popularly known as Mashhad. – Translator. 

p: 243 

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oppression. ”’ 306. Al-Seraat al-Mustaqeem [1]: On the day of Shura, Ibn Abbas argued, ‘How much of our rights will you prevent? By the Lord of the Ka’bah, surely Ali is the Imam and the Caliph. Eleven Imams from his descendants will rule, judging with truth. The first of them is Hasan (nominated) by the will of his father in his favour, followed by Husain by the will of his brother in his favour. Then his son Ali by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Muhammad by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Ja’far by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Moosa by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Ali by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Muhammad by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Ali by the will of his father in his favour, then his son Hasan by the will of his father in his favour. When he (Hasan) expires, the awaited, the occult (will rule). ’ Aleem asked Ibn Abbas, ‘Where did you get this information? ’ He replied, ‘Verily, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) taught Ali (a. s. ) one thousand doors (of knowledge). From each door, another thousand doors opened. Surely, this (what I am saying) is from there. ’ 307. Kitaab al-Fazl Ibn Shaazaan [2]: Muhammad Ibn Muslim reports on the authority of Abu Ja’far (Muhammad al-Baaqer a. s. ) that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) said p: 244 

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to Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , “O Al! I have more right over the believers than they themselves. Then you, O Ali, have more right upon the believers than they themselves. Then Hasan has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Husain has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Ali Ibn Husain has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Muhammad Ibn Ali has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Ja’far Ibn Muhammad has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Moosa Ibn Ja’far has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Ali Ibn Moosa has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Muhammad Ibn Ali has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Ali Ibn Muhammad has more right on the believers than they themselves. Then Hasan Ibn Ali has more right on the believers than they themselves. Finally, (the affair will reach unto) al-Hujjah Ibn al-Hasan, at whom caliphate and successorship will terminate and who will go into prolonged occulation. Thereafter, he will reappear and fill the earth with justice and equality as it would be fraught with injustice and tyranny. ” 308. Kitaab al-Fazl Ibn Shaazaan [1]: Saeed Ibn Jubair reports that Ammaar Ibn Yaasir was asked, ‘What makes you love Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. )? ’ He retorted, ‘Allah and His Messenger have made me love him. Indeed Allah, the High, has revealed a number of verses concerning him and the Messenger p: 245 

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of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has related numerous traditions in his favour. ’ He was asked, ‘Can you convey to us a few traditions that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has stated in his favour? ’ Ammar replied, ‘Why won’t I? Indeed, I hate those who conceal the truth and spread falsehood. ’ He continued, ‘I was with the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) when I saw Ali (a. s. ) kill a number of the elite of Quraish in some of the battles. I asked the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Certainly Ali fights in the way of Allah as one should fight. ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) responded, “And why shouldn’t he? He is from me and I am from him. He is my heir, the repayer of my debts, the fulfiller of my promises and my successor after me. Had he not been there, a pure believer could not be recognized during my lifetime and after my death. His war is my war and my war is Allah’s war. His peace is my peace and my peace is Allah’s peace. Allah will cause to emerge from his loin the rightly guided Imams. O Amma! Know that Allah, Blessed and High be He, gave me a covenant that He will grant me twelve caliphs. From them is Ali and he is the first of them and their chief. ” I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )! Who are the others? ’ He (s. a. w. a. ) replied, “The second from them is Hasan Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the p: 246 

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third from them is Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) , the fourth from them is Ali Ibn Husain, the adornment of the worshippers, the fifth from them is Muhammad Ibn Ali, followed by his son Ja’far, then his son Moosa, then his son Ali, then his son Muhammad, then his son Ali, then his son Hasan and then his son who will be hidden from the people, a prolonged occultation. This is the saying of Allah, Blessed and High be He,

 ﻗﻞ ﺍﺭﺃﻳﺘﻢ ﺃﻥ ﺍﺻﺒﺢ ﻣﺎﺅﻛﻢ ﻏﻮﺭﺍ ﻓﻤﻦ ﻳﺎﺗﻴﻜﻢ ﺑﻤﺎﺀ ﻣﻌﻴﻦ 

Say: Have you considered if your water should go down, who is it then that will bring you flowing water? (Qur’an Surah Mulk 67; 30. ) Thereafter, he will emerge and fill the earth with equality and justice as it would be fraught with injustice and oppression. O Amma! Soon after me, there will be a discord. In this situation you follow Ali and his party because he is with the truth and the truth is with him. Soon you will fight against the ﻧﺎﻛﺴﻴﻦ (the people of Jamal) and the ﻗﺎﺳﻄﻴﻦ (the people of Siffeen) along with him. A rebellious group will murder you. Your last provision of this world will be a glass of milk that you shall drink. ” Saeed Ibn Jubair says, ‘It happened exactly as the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) had prophesied. ’ 309. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid [1]: Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite the following supplication after the prayers of need (ﺻﻠﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺟﺔ) ﻭﺍﺳﺌﻠﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖّ ﺍﻟّﺬﻱ ﺟﻌﻠﺘﻪ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭﺁﻝ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ p: 247 

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ﻋﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﺎﺋﻤّﺔ ﻋﻠﻲّ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺼﻠّﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺑﻴﺘﻪ ﻭ ﺃﻥ ﺗﻘﻀﻲ ﺣﺎﺟﺘﻲ ﻭ ﺗﻴﺴّﺮ ﻋﺴﻴﺮﻫﺎ ﻭ ﺃﻥ ﺗﻜﻔﻴﻨﻲ ﻣﻬﻤّﺎﺗﻬﺎ

 And I ask You for the sake of the right, which You have reposed with Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and with the Imams Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Hujjah that You bless Muhammad and his Ahle Bait (a. s. ) , fulfil my needs, ease its difficulty and protect me from its sorrows. The author Ayatullah Lutfullah Saafi Golpaygani (may Allah prolong his life) says: Documents concerning the Imamat of our leaders, the twelve Imams (a. s. ) , abound to the extent that it is not possible to bring all of them in this book. If we bring all the reliable traditions only, quoted in our books, it would require many volumes. Hence, we have confined ourselves to only a few of these traditions. Those who are interested in acquiring further knowledge on the subject may refer to the books written on the subject. For the benefit of our readers, we cite the names of a few books written by acclaimed scholars, like Abu Abdillah Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdullah al-Ayyaash (exp. 401 A. H. ) , the author of Muqtazab al-Asar Fi Al-Nusoos Alaa al-Aimmah al-Isna Ashar; Shaikh Kamaluddin Maisam Ibn Ali Ibn Maisam al-Bahraani, author of Isteqsaa al-Nazar Fi Imaamate al- Aimmah al-Isna Ashar; Sharho Nahj al-Balaagah (major, medium p: 248 

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and minor) ; Sharho al-Meah Kalemah; Risaalah Fi al-Imaamah; and a number of other books. Moreoever, quite a few poems had been read in their eulogy, in their lifetime, which is a further proof for their truthfulness like the poems of al-Abdi in the era of Imam Sadeq (a. s. ). Those who are interested may refer to Al-Ghadeer by Allamah Amini (a. r. ) , vol. 2, Ghadeeriyah al-Abdi, pg. 290; and other similar books. 310. Misbaah al-Mutahajjid: There is another supplication, which Imam Sadeq (a. s. ) used to recite on Friday after the prayers of need

 (ﺻﻠﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﺟﺔ). It is as follows: ﻭﺍﺳﺌﻠﻚ ﺑﺎﻟﺤﻖ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﺟﻌﻠﺘﻪ ﻋﻨﺪ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺁﻝ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻨﺪ ﺍﻟﺎﺋﻤﺔ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺤﺴﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﺟﻌﻔﺮ ﻭ ﻣﻮﺳﻰ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭ ﻣﺤﻤﺪ ﻭ ﻋﻠﻲ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺴﻦ ﻭﺍﻟﺤﺠّﺔ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﺎﻡ ﺍﻥ ﺗﺼﻠّﻲ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻣﺤﻤّﺪ ﻭ ﺃﻫﻠﺒﻴﺘﻪ ﻭ ﺍﻥ ﺗﻘﻀﻲ ﺣﺎﺟﺘﻲ 

I ask You for the sake of the right which You have reposed in Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad and with the Imams, Ali, Hasan, Husain, Ali, Muhammad, Ja’far, Moosa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, Hasan and the Hujjah (peace be on them all) that You send blessings on Muhammad and his Ahle Bait (a. s. ) and fulfil my need… 

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Appendix To Chapter Two: Who Are The Twelve Caliphs? 

point 

Evidently, the greatest duty of every Muslim is the recognition and knowledge of the established facts of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah, and to learn them with maximum reflection and thorough study. Also, one must seek from these two, guidance towards the goals of the strong religion and the straight path p: 249 

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of Allah. For, these only are the guides that mankind needs to achieve bliss and success in his intellectual, religious, ethical, social and political life. Moreover, from the most important responsibilities of a researcher of traditions that establish the caliphate of the twelve caliphs is to indulge in deep deliberation over these that he may recognize the twelve caliphs, whose caliphate and Imamat has been documented in these traditions that surpass consecutivity. He must ask himself the following questions: Who are they? Who are these caliphs? What did the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) intend through these quotes? With whom are these traditions compatible? Why are the caliphs restricted to this number? And so on and so forth. It is not proper for the one who studies these traditions to be content with their reading and interpretation, and then moving on to the next tradition. It is also not correct for him to simply glance through them as this would lead to negligence in his learning. Yes, it is obligatory on him to stop at them and not to simply speed through them that he recognizes their purpose in detail and with certainty. For, being careless and negligent towards them is tantamount to carelessness and negligence towards the sayings of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , in whose reverence Allah, Blessed and High be He, declares: ﻭَﻣَﺎ ﻳَﻨﻄِﻖُ ﻋَﻦِ ﺍﻟْﻬَﻮَﻯ. ﺇِﻥْ ﻫُﻮَ ﺇِﻟﱠﱠﺎ ﻭَﺣْﻲٌ ﻳُﻮﺣَﻰ Nor does he speak out of desire. It is naught but revelation that is revealed. (Qur’an Surah Najm 53: 4-5. ) Here, in this treatise, in the p: 250 

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company of our thoughtful, researching, learning and cultured readers, we shall place these traditions before us and investigate in it. We will also keep as standard the views that have been expressed earlier concerning them. It should also be known that the aforementioned traditions are not in need of external or whimsical explanations because some of these explain the others and make the researcher needless of interpretation from other than these traditions. A group of these traditions establishes that the first of them is Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) and the last of them is the Mahdi (a. s. ). Another group proves that the first of them is Ali (a. s. ) , the second Hasan (a. s. ) , the third Husain (a. s. ) and the remaining nine are from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ). Yet another batch establishes that the ninth from the progeny of Husain (a. s. ) , is the twelfth Imam, the Mahdi (a. s. ). A number of these traditions guide towards the names of the twelve Imams, and introduction of their personalities. There are numerous another traditions that explain, in brief or in detail, tidings about the twelve Imams (a. s. ). Obviously, the wise and logical approach in comprehending the purpose of these traditions is to derive their meanings and implications. The weakness of the chain of narrators in a few of them shall not affect their validity due to the strength and reliability of others. For, the strong and reliable chains do away with the infirmness of the weak ones. Often, we shall demonstrate this reality in the course of our p: 251 

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explanations, Inshallah. Thereafter, we shall ponder on the group of traditions that establishes that the number of Imams is twelve. With which Islamic sect is this number compatible? Or, is compatibility found at all in any of the sects? Or, shall we say, God forbid, that these traditions did not actually occur in reality? We say: Know that the discussion concerning this group of traditions is divided into two levels: First: The meanings and implications of these traditions. Second: Determination of those on whom these traditions apply. In other words, the recognition of the twelve caliphs along with their personalities. 

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The First Level: The Meanings And Implications Of These Traditions First:

 The number of the caliphs, who shall succeed the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) is confined to twelve. None can increase or decrease any one of them. This is the gist of each one of these traditions. Second: The endurance of the earth and its protection from disorder is dependant on the survival of the Imams (a. s. ). Third: Non-termination of Islam before their (Imams a. s. ) termination i. e. the continuity of Islam depends on them. As long as even one of them lives, Islam will continue to endure and prosper, which proves their prolonged stay on the earth, even if it means the longevity of the twelfth and the last one of them. Fourth: Islam will continue to remain mighty and the devils will be unable to erase it and destroy its effects as long as the twelve Imams (a. s. ) exist. Thus, it will always be mighty and lofty and none can destroy it like the previous Divine laws p: 252 

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and religions were ruined. For example, the Shariah of Prophet Moosa (a. s. ) and Prophet Eesa (a. s. ) , in addition to being abrogated by the Shariah of Islam, were distorted in principles and laws through occurrences, wars, Machiavellian politics, manipulations, etc. Hence, whatever is presently available with the Jews and the Christians is not the actual and original Shariah of Prophet Moosa (a. s. ) and Prophet Eesa (a. s. ) , particularly the principles of religion and matters related to beliefs. As for Islam, then indeed it has remained mighty, lofty and protected from the distortions of the fanatics and the refutation of the deniers. It will continue to be so till the reappearance of the Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ) and the Day of Resurrection. For surely, Allah, the High, has placed it in His fortified protection and appointed twelve Imams (a. s. ) as guides for it and those who will establish His command in all times till the Day of Judgment. The above point does not, by any means, contradict the domination of the disbelievers over the Muslims in the past or in the present at some times and in some places, because of their inability to destroy Islam. The proof of this lies in the fact that Islam is still surviving even after the passage of fourteen long centuries, notwithstanding its enemies who with all their force, number and preparedness, were unanimous in the destruction of Islam and weakening the Muslims with all their material strength, military power and economic muscle. But their conspiracies fail to extinguish the Light p: 253 

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of Allah, the High. Nay, often they dominated the Muslims apparently and ruled over their countries and their wealth but miserably failed to prevent the seeds of this tree from flowering. Nay, on a number of occasions, the prophecies of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) to his nation in the above traditions were manifested, as also the promise of Allah to His Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) and to the Muslims through His sayings like, ﻳُﺮِﻳﺪُﻭﻥَ ﻟِﻴُﻄْﻔِﺆُﻭﺍ ﻧُﻮﺭَ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﱠﻪِ ﺑِﺄَﻓْﻮَﺍﻫِﻬِﻢْ ﻭَﺍﻟﻠﱠﱠﻪُ ﻣُﺘِﻢﱡﱡ ﻧُﻮﺭِﻩِ ﻭَﻟَﻮْ ﻛَﺮِﻩَ ﺍﻟْﻜَﺎﻓِﺮُﻭﻥَ They desire to put out the light of Allah with their mouths but Allah will perfect His light, though the unbelievers may be averse. (Qur’an Surah Saff 61: 8. ) And He says, ﻣَﺜَﻠﺎً ﻛَﻠِﻤَﺔً ﻃَﻴﱢﱢﺒَﺔً ﻛَﺸَﺠَﺮﺓٍ ﻃَﻴﱢﱢﺒَﺔٍ ﺃَﺻْﻠُﻬَﺎ ﺛَﺎﺑِﺖٌ ﻭَﻓَﺮْﻋُﻬَﺎ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﱠﱠﻤَﺎﺀ. ﺗُﺆْﺗِﻲ ﺃُﻛُﻠَﻬَﺎ ﻛُﻞﱠﱠ ﺣِﻴﻦٍ ﺑِﺈِﺫْﻥِ ﺭَﺑﱢﱢﻪَ like a good tree, whose root is firm and whose branches are in heaven, Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? (Qur’an Surah Ibraaheem 14: 24-25. ) Fifth: These traditions do not imply that the might of Islam will be absolute and will not be achieved except through the rule of these Imams (a. s. ). Rather, they mean that Islam will continue to survive till they survive, even if it does not enjoy the esteemed levels which it deserves. Of course, absolute might will not actualize except in their reign and during their apparent rule. This too will not materialize through the governance of only one of them. When we talk of the might of Islam, we mean the implementation p: 254 

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of its laws throughout the universe, a condition that will be achieved only gradually and during the governance of the last of them. Briefly, we are of the opinion that the might of Islam with some of its levels shall survive, which will prevent the destruction of religion and keep it preserved and protected, only through the twelve Imams (a. s. ). And only when its conditions are fulfilled through the government of the twelfth Imam (a. t. f. s. ) that absolute might will prevail. Allah, the High, says , ﻫُﻮَ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻱ ﺃَﺭْﺳَﻞَ ﺭَﺳُﻮﻟَﻪُ ﺑِﺎﻟْﻬُﺪَﻯ ﻭَﺩِﻳﻦِ ﺍﻟْﺤَﻖﱢﱢ ﻟِﻴُﻈْﻬِﺮَﻩُ ﻋَﻠَﻰ ﺍﻟﺪﱢﱢﻳﻦِ ﻛُﻠﱢﱢﻪِ ﻭَﻟَﻮْ ﻛَﺮِﻩَ ﺍﻟْﻤُﺸْﺮِﻛُﻮﻥَ He it is Who sent His Apostle with guidance and the religion of truth, that He might cause it to prevail over all religions, though the polytheists may be averse. (Qur’an Surah Taubah 9: 33. ) Sixth: Verily, the Imamat of these Imams (a. s. ) will be in succession and continuity uninterrupted. This reality can be easily deciphered from the clear concepts of these traditions. Here, there are a few important points that refer to the meanings of the words, ‘Caliph’, ‘Imam’, and ‘Master’, which we shall state for completing the discussion. First Raagheb Isfahaani, the renowned littérateur writes, ‘Caliphate means representation of another, either due to the absence of the represented one or due to his death or due to his inability or due to the eminence of the representative. On account of the last mentioned meaning, Allah has made His friends as His representatives in the earth. ’ [1] I say: Therefore, a Caliph is the representative of the other, p: 255 

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regardless of the represented person being absent, dead, unable or due to the esteemed and lofty position of the representative in the eyes of the represented person. Or the execution of some tasks, the implementation of the authority of the represented one and the manifestation of his position through the representative are appropriate as per the wisdom, aims, purposes, etc. of the represented one. It is irrelevant whether the representative and the represented one are Allah, the High, His Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) or a group of His servants or some of them. Hence, amongst all the literary applications, we cannot take the first three i. e. the absence, death and inability of the represented person as these cannot be applied for the Prophethood of a Prophet or the Imamat of an Imam. Therefore, the term ‘Caliph of Allah’ is truly applicable in its real sense on Adam (a. s. ) , Dawood (a. s. ) and all other Prophets like Nuh (a. s. ) , Ibraheem (a. s. ) , Moosa (a. s. ) , Isaa (a. s. ) , their chief Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) and the twelve Imams about whose caliphate the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) has given tidings to his nations. Moreover, the term ‘Caliph’, as used in the Holy Quran and the traditions, is not related to any added noun, displaying clearly that it implies only for the Caliph of Allah, the High. So, a Prophet or an Imam is a representative and heir of Allah, the High, and Prophethood and Imamat are from the affairs of Allah, the High. None has got the right to stake a claim p: 256 

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to this status but with His permission. Allah has used the word ‘Caliph’ in the Holy Quran, thus: ﺇِﻧﱢﱢﻲ ﺟَﺎﻋِﻞٌ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟﺄَﺭْﺽِ ﺧَﻠِﻴﻔَﺔً I am going to place in the earth a khalif. (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 30. ) And He, Mighty and Glorified be He declared, ﻳَﺎ ﺩَﺍﻭُﻭﺩُ ﺇِﻧﱠﱠﺎ ﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎﻙَ ﺧَﻠِﻴﻔَﺔً ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟْﺄَﺭْﺽِ O Dawoo! Surely We have made you a ruler in the land. (Qur’an Surah Suad 38: 26. ) It has come in the traditions that he was the Caliph of Allah, the High. Then the caliphs are the representatives of Allah upon His servants and His deputies for His creatures. As for the rulers, they are the chiefs regardless of them being Caliphs on earth. Consequently, every Caliph is a ruler and chief, but every ruler and chief is not a Caliph. The words ‘government’, ‘reign’ and ‘authority’ fall much short in comparison with the concept of a ‘caliph’. Caliphate as used by Allah or for that matter by the Prophet, covers all the aspects like majesty, beauty, holiness, governance on the foundations of goodness, justice and human values, handling the weak ones with kindness, etc. , which no other term covers. For, the authority of a caliph is connected to the authority of Allah, the Wise, the Just, the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Overpowering, the Subduer, the Generous, the Holy, the Kind, the Forgiving and the Refuge. A caliph cannot be deprived of his status nor does he divert from the course that Allah has charted for him. He is not ordered but the establishment p: 257 

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of justice, repelling falsehood, purification of the souls and acting upon the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. So, whoever digresses from this path and aim will not be a caliph, as opposed to an emir, a governor or a ruler. Indeed, it’s clear for you now that caliphate is a divine position and Allah’s representation, which cannot be completed nor realized save through divine appointment and none partners Him in this regard. Besides the rational argument that the appointment of Allah’s caliph in the earth necessitates that he should be appointed by Allah only, the verses of the Holy Quran: ﺇﻧّﻰ ﺟﺎﻋِﻞٌ (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 30. ) And ﺇﻧّﺎ ﺟَﻌَﻠﻨﺎﻙَ (Qur’an Surah Suad 38: 26. ) are also evidence enough of the aforementioned fact. For, these two verses clearly suggest that the appointment of a caliph is from the affairs of Allah, the High, and His special acts, in which none partners Him. Hence, nobody else has got any role whatsoever in the appointment of a caliph in the earth. Here, it will not be inappropriate to indicate that caliphate is a general Grace (ﻟﻄﻒ) of Allah, the High, which is not confined to a particular era. Thus, like all other general endowments, which demand His absolute lordship, all encompassing mercy and perfect wisdom, His grace too includes His servants at all times and in all places and is not restricted to a particular time or region. Verily, the sole prerogative of the caliph’s appointment lies with Allah, the Endower, the Generous Who is p: 258 

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not niggardly in His goodness nor does His treasures exhaust and He is the Wise, the Knowing. When the emanation of this Grace is proved to be obligatory in one era, its emergence is automatically established at all times. And there are proofs that the terms caliph and caliphate when used in the Holy Quran and the traditions imply only Allah’s representation, the great divine vicegerency and nothing else. There are a number of traditions in this regard from both Shias and Sunnis like those concerning Al-Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ) that he is the caliph of Allah. [1] And like the advice of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) to Huzaifah, “If there is for Allah a caliph in the earth, obey him even if he whips your back or takes away your wealth. ” [2] Kumail reports that Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Taalib (a. s. ) said, “They are the caliphs of Allah in His cities (in His earth). ” [3] While addressing those responsible for public trusts and wealth, Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) advises them to exercise utmost caution in establishing truth and following the principle of justice in all matters, big or small, significant or otherwise. Then he (a. s. ) orders them to say to the people, “O servants of Alla! The friend of Allah and His caliph has sent me to you. ” [4] The great genius, the master in jurisprudence, tradition, literature and a number of other sciences, Shaikh Bahauddin al-Aameli (a. r. ) , while deriving from the above traditions, has written poems titled ‘Waseelah al-Fauz wa al-Amaan fi madh Saaheb al-Asr wa al-Zamaan’. A p: 259 

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couplet from it goes as follows: ﺧﻠﻴﻔﺔ ﺭﺏﱢﱢ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﻦ ﻭ ﻇﻠّﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺳﺎﻛﻨﻲ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺮﺍﺀ ﻣﻦ ﻛﻞّ ﺩﻳﺎﺭ “The caliph of the Lord of the worlds and His shade On the inhabitants of the earth in every house. ” Objection: Why was the term ‘Caliph’ used for all the rulers after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) till the recent rulers of the Ottoman Empire, although they were neither appointed by 

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[1]: Al-Mufradaat fi Ghareeb al-Quran, p. 156. 

[1]: Sunan Ibn Maajah, vol. 2, pg. 519 The chapter of the Emergence of al-Mahdi (a. t. f. s. ) ; Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5, pg. 277. 

[2]: Sunan Abi Dawood, Kitaab al-Fetan, vol. 2, pg. 200. Musnad Ahmad, vol. 5, pg. 430. 

[3]: Nahj al-Balagah, Saying No. 147; Tazkerah al-Huffaaz, vol. 1, pg. 11 & 12; Dastoor-o-Ma’lem al-Hekam, pg. 84; Al-Amaali al-Khamisiyyah, vol. 1, pg. 66. 

[4]: Nahj al-Balagah, Letter No. 25. 

Allah nor by the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. )? Moreover, their governance were not the carriers of the pure Islamic message nor were they having any legal sanctions from Allah. They were also labeled as oppressive tyrants, whose reign had nothing to do with Islam and who had no qualms in taking the servants of Allah as their slaves and usurping their wealth. Answer: The term ‘Caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ’ was used in early Islam for the rulers immediately after him (s. a. w. a. ) by those who were close to them. Later, the domain of its usage expanded and the above term was used for the oppressive kings as well, fearing their tyranny and barbaric oppressions. After sometime, this term was curtailed to a singular word i. e. ‘The Caliph’. There is no doubt that this term and its application does not lead to the change of words of the Holy Quran and the traditions, from what appears from them at the time of usage nor do they change the words to their new meanings. Also, the usage of this term was historically erroneous because the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) p: 260 

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never appointed Abu Bakr as his caliph. As for Umar, Abu Bakr appointed him [1] , so logically he should be called as the caliph of Abu Bakr (and not the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ). As for the status for the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and his rule over the affairs, then it was not due to the selection of the people or his domination over the affair or his oppression. Na! It was only due to the choice of Allah, the High. Hence, using the terms, ‘emir’, ‘ruler’ and ‘king’ for those called as caliphs would be more appropriate than being called as a ‘caliph’, leave alone the terms ‘Allah’s caliph’ or ‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ’. A right-thinking and sane person, not necessarily a follower of the Ahle Bait (a. s. ) can never permit, condone or overlook the usage of the term ‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ’ for the likes of Usman, Moawiyah, Yazeed, Waleed, the tyrants of Bani Abbas and the progeny of Usman, etc. , who ruled over Syria, Iraq, Spain, etc. Briefly, the epithet ‘Allah’s caliph’ is a lofty and elevated term. The same applies for the term ‘caliph’. It cannot be used, and it is not correct to use it except for Allah’s representative on the earth, whom He has chosen to establish justice, be the highest role model for mankind, implement His laws, inhabit His cities, spread goodness, preserve the laws of Shariah and the signs of truth. Its usage is incorrect for any other p: 261 

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person either due to disregard or carelessness. For the clarification of the falsity of this claim, when he was addressed as, ‘O caliph of Alla! ’ Abu Bakr said, ‘No, I am the caliph of Muhammad (s. a. w. a. ) ’ or ‘I am the caliph of Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). ’ [1] Of course, his conferring the above titles on his own self has no substance of truth in it because as you just read, caliphate is representation of another, and this representation cannot be complete without the appointment by the represented one. Unanimity prevails concerning the fact that the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) did not appoint Abu Bakr as his caliph, nor did he (s. a. w. a. ) make any will to him. None of Abu Bakr’s actions like sitting in the place of the Prophet (s. a. w. a. ) , going on the pulpit, praying in his (s. a. w. a. ) prayer niche (mehraab) , were on his behalf and under his (s. a. w. a. ) representation. There is an opinion that governance and the appointment of a ruler is the duty of the Ummah (Islamic nation) , hence it is obligatory upon it to appoint him. Also, there was consensus in the Ummah – which actually never existed – for the appointment of Abu Bakr, without force or fear. So, using the term ‘Caliph of the nation’ instead of ‘the caliph of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) ’ will be more appropriate and correct. For, in their view, Abu Bakr was the representative of the nation, whose collective responsibility was to implement the laws and protect the system. Needless to p: 262 

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mention, the above idea has been formulated without devoting the slightest of deliberations on the definition of ‘caliphate’ i. e. it’s representation of the other. Second Whatever we have discussed for the word ‘caliph’, is also applicable for the word ‘Imam’ and ‘master’ (ﻭﻟﻲ) , particularly the latter when it is used for other than Allah, the High. So, an Imam implies the owner of an elevated position appointed by Allah, the High, whether he is a Prophet or the successor of a Prophet. This implication by no means contradicts the literal meaning of the word Imam because literally, the word ‘Imam’ is used for anybody who is followed in knowledge, ethics or in any field of art and technology. For example, it is said Khalil Ibn Ahmad is an Imam in literature, Kulaini (r. a. ) is an Imam in traditions, Shaykh Tusi (r. a. ) is is an Imam in exegesis, traditions, jurisprudence and principles of jurisprudence, and Abu Ali Seena is an Imam in philosophy and medicine. All these applications do not contradict the usage of the word ‘Imam’ by Allah, the Holy Quran and the traditions, for the one whom Allah has appointed as an Imam, made them standard for His servants, the minaret in His cities, the one who is to be followed by all and sundry. Thus, the word ‘Imam’ is normally used for the one who is followed as a leader due to excessive usage in the Holy Quran and the traditions and refers to this specially appointed person. Hence, whenever p: 263 

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the word ‘Imam’ is used independently, and the context does not indicate otherwise, it automatically implies the representative of Allah. Due to this very special application of the word ‘Imam’ for Allah’s proof and His appointee, a number of holy personalities refused to attach this title (Imam) before their names despite being apparently worthy of it in at least one context or more. It is worth mentioning that the term ‘Imam’, notwithstanding its numerous imports, is applicable only for the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and his (s. a. w. a. ) successors designated by Allah, the High. But it appears that the excessive use of the word for the holy and infallible Imams of the Ahle Bait (a. s. ) in the traditions has led to its application in the second meaning i. e. for the leaders in other fields. If someone refers to the Holy Quran and the traditions, he will find plenty of testimonies endorsing the above theory. For example, the Holy Quran says, ﻭَﺇِﺫِ ﺍﺑْﺘَﻠَﻰ ﺇِﺑْﺮَﺍﻫِﻴﻢَ ﺭَﺑﱡﱡﻪُ ﺑِﻜَﻠِﻤَﺎﺕٍ ﻓَﺄَﺗَﻤﱠﱠﻬُﻦﱠﱠ ﻗَﺎﻝَ ﺇِﻧﱢﱢﻲ ﺟَﺎﻋِﻠُﻚَ ﻟِﻠﻨﱠﱠﺎﺱِ ﺇِﻣَﺎﻣًﺎ ﻗَﺎﻝَ ﻭَﻣِﻦ ﺫُﺭﱢﱢﻳﱠﱠﺘِﻲ ﻗَﺎﻝَ ﻟﺎَ ﻳَﻨَﺎﻝُ ﻋَﻬْﺪِﻱ ﺍﻟﻈﱠﱠﺎﻟِﻤِﻴﻦَ And when his Lord tried Ibrahim with certain words, he fulfilled them. He said: Surely I will make you an Imam men. Ibrahim said: And of my offspring? My covenant does not include the unjust, said He. (Qur’an Surah Baqarah 2: 124. ) The above verse clearly indicates that Imamat is a covenant of Allah, which does not reach to the oppressors. Moreover, it is an appointment from the side of Allah. It is absolutely clear that the appointment p: 264 

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of Imam for the people is invalid and incorrect except from the side of Allah, the High. Some more verses of the Holy Quran that prove our point are cited hereunder. ﻭَﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎﻫُﻢْ ﺃَﺋِﻤﱠﱠﺔً ﻳَﻬْﺪُﻭﻥَ ﺑِﺄَﻣْﺮِﻧَﺎ ﻭَﺃَﻭْﺣَﻴْﻨَﺎ ﺇِﻟَﻴْﻬِﻢْ ﻓِﻌْﻞَ ﺍﻟْﺨَﻴْﺮَﺍﺕِ And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good. (Qur’an Surah Anbiya 21: 73. ) ﻭَﻧُﺮِﻳﺪُ ﺃَﻥ ﻧﱠﱠﻤُﻦﱠﱠ ﻋَﻠَﻰ ﺍﻟﱠﱠﺬِﻳﻦَ ﺍﺳْﺘُﻀْﻌِﻔُﻮﺍ ﻓِﻲ ﺍﻟْﺄَﺭْﺽِ ﻭَﻧَﺠْﻌَﻠَﻬُﻢْ ﺃَﺋِﻤﱠﱠﺔً And We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, and to make them the Imams (Qur’an Surah Qasas 28: 5. ) ﻭَﺟَﻌَﻠْﻨَﺎ ﻣِﻨْﻬُﻢْ ﺃَﺋِﻤﱠﱠﺔً ﻳَﻬْﺪُﻭﻥَ ﺑِﺄَﻣْﺮِﻧَﺎ ﻟَﻤﱠﱠﺎ ﺻَﺒَﺮُﻭﺍ And We made of them Imams to guide by Our command when they were patient. (Surah Qur’an Sajdah 32: 24. ) There are a plenty of traditions that also support this argument. While talking about his successors and the necessity of their recognition, the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) declared, ﻣﻦ ﻣﺎﺕ ﻭﻟﻢ ﻳﻌﺮﻑ ﺇﻣﺎﻡ ﺯﻣﺎﻧﻪ ﻓﻠﻴﻤﺖ ﺇﻥ ﺷﺎﺀ ﻳﻬﻮﺩﻳًﺎ ﻭ ﺇﻥ ﺷﺎﺀ ﻧﺼﺮﺍﻧﻴﺎً One who dies without recognizing the Imam of his time then he can die as he wishes, either as a Jew or a Christian. [1] Ameerul Momineen (a. s. ) says, ﺑﻨﺎ ﻳﺴﺘﻌﻄﻰ ﺍﻟﻬﺪﻯ ﻭ ﻳﺴﺘﺠﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﻰ ﺇﻥّ ﺍﻟﺄﺋﻤﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺮﻳﺶ ﻏﺮﺳﻮﺍ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﻄﻦ ﻣﻦ ﻫﺎﺷﻢ ﻟﺎ ﺗﺼﻠﺢ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺳﻮﺍﻫﻢ ﻭ ﻟﺎ ﺗﺼﻠﺢ ﺍﻟﻮﻟﺎﺓ ﻣﻦ ﻏﻴﺮﻫﻢ ‘Through us, guidance is granted and darkness is dispelled. Surely the Imams from the Quraish are planted from the Hashemite wombs. None is worthy of it (Imamat) but them and none is eligible for being the p: 265 

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masters except them. ’ [1] In another place he (a. s. ) says, ﻭ ﺇﻧﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺎﺋﻤﺔ ﻗﻮﺍﻡ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺧﻠﻘﻪ ﻭ ﻋﺮﻓﺎﺅﻩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﺒﺎﺩﻩ ﻭ ﻟﺎ ﻳﺪﺧﻞ ﺍﻟﺠﻨّﺔ ﺇﻟﺎّ ﻣﻦ ﻋﺮﻓﻬﻢ ﻭ ﻋﺮﻓﻮﻩ ﻭ ﻟﺎ ﻳﺪﺧﻞ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺭ ﺇﻟﺎّ ﻣﻦ ﺃﻧﻜﺮﻫﻢ ﻭ ﺃﻧﻜﺮﻭﻩ Certainly the Imáms are the vicegerents of Alláh over His creatures and they make the creatures know Alláh. No one will enter Paradise except he who knows them and they know him, and no one will enter Hell except he who denies them and they deny him. [2]. Therefore, there are numerous reliable and consecutive traditions in the books of both Shias and Sunnis, specially the former, that suggest the holy implication of the word Imam and its divine essence. And that whenever it is used independently, it is done in this very meaning, unless the context indicates otherwise. This was regarding the word ‘Imam’. As for the word ‘Master’ (wali) then sometimes it is used as an additive before Allah, the High, or with other than Him, while on other occasions, it is used without any additive. Now, this additive (muzaaf elaihe) has two applications: Sometimes, the additive is the place of manifestation of the mastership of the master and its execution. Like in the examples, ‘Allah is the Master of the people’ or ‘Allah is the Master of those who believe’ or ‘The father is the master of his small son’ or ‘The ruler is the master of the abstaining or absent ones’, the people and those who believe are the place of manifestation of Allah’s p: 266 

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mastership, the mastership of a father is expressed through his son and the mastership of a ruler is manifested through his subjects. In all the aforementioned examples, a master (wali) is used as a subject (ﻓﺎﻋﻞ). For instance, Allah, the High, says, ﺇﻧّﻤﺎ ﻭﻟﻴﻜﻢ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻭ ﺭﺳﻮﻟﻪ ﻭ ﺍﻟﺬﻳﻦ ﺁﻣﻨﻮﺍ Only Allah is your Vali and His Apostle and those who believe (Qur’an Surah Maaedah 5: 55. ) The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) declared, ‘Ali (a. s. ) is the master of every believer after me. ’ Or ‘They are my Caliphs, O Jaabir, and the masters of the affair after me. ’ At other times, the word ‘wali’ is used to denote as an object (ﻣﻔﻌﻮﻝ) of the noun to which it is added. Like, when we say, ‘Ali (a. s. ) is the wali of Allah’, we mean that Ali is appointed as a master from the side of Allah. In all the examples cited above, the thing that comes to the mind that the term ‘wali’, when used before the words ‘people’, ‘those who believe’, ‘Allah’ etc. , it carries the meaning of the words ‘Caliph’ or ‘Imam’ bearing some sort of holiness and spirituality. Its power emanates from the absolute and perfect mastership of Allah, and this is the meaning in which it is used when applied for the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and the infallible Imams (a. s. ) independently, without any additive. When used for Allah, the High, the word ‘wali’ implies His absolute perfection, which is not derived from the mastership of others, with the exclusion of all p: 267 

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other meanings like helper (ﻧﺎﺻﺮ) and lover (ﻣﺤﺐ). Three The terms, ‘Caliph’, ‘Imam’ and ‘Wali’, from the various meanings and connotations expressed above, when used in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah, bear only one external implication (i. e. all the three words are used for one person). Nay, each one of them is perennially applicable to the meaning of the other two except for the fact that each one of them has a special meaning that comes to the mind instantly before the others. Therefore, the word ‘Caliph’ strikes the meaning of the one who is appointed on the command of Allah, the High, as His representative to judge between the people with truth, to establish justice and equity, regulate the affairs, spread safety and security, etc. Similarly, the word ‘Wali’ denotes the one who enjoys absolute control in the affairs of creation as well as legislation from the side of Allah, the High, on the basis of His power and legislation. The word ‘Imam’ implies the one who has been appointed to be followed and obeyed. People receive guidance by accepting his instructions because he is the standard for those who tread the path (ﺳﺎﻟﻚ) , a guide towards divine satisfaction, a protection for those who seek security and a strong rope to which the people fasten. Each one of these terms suggests a special endowment and a particular divine grace, covering His noble servants and confidantes of His secrets, who have His special favours, do not precede Him in saying and 

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[1]: Even this appointment is debatable and not established because it is said that when Usman became busy in writing the will of Abu Bakr, the latter fainted. Usman thought that Abu Bakr had died and wrote the name of Umar on his own. When Abu Bakr regained his senses, Usman informed him of what he had done and Abu Bakr duly endorsed it.

The thing which confounds the researcher is that Abu Bakr died during this very illness and Umar was appointed as his successor on the basis of the writing of Usman. But on this occasion, notwithstanding the serious illness of Abu Bakr, Umar never protested that this man is not in his sense! Nor did he prevent Abu Bakr from dictating his will like he had prevented the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) from making known his wil! Surely, we are from Allah and unto Him shall we return. 

[1]: Musnad of Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, vol. 1, pg. 10. 

[1]: Al-Masaael al-Khamsoon by Fakhruddin al-Raazi, Masalah No. 47. This article was published in the year 1328 A. H. in Egypt along with other articles. Its publisher had named it, ‘Majmooah al-Rasaael’. This tradition can be found on pg. 348. 

[1]: Nahj al-Balagah, Sermon 142. 

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are cognizant of His affair. All the three positions can be conferred on one person along with either messengership or prophethood or both. For example, in the case of Prophet Ibraheem (a. s. ) , Prophethood as well as Imamat were conferred, while Prophet Adam (a. s. ) and Prophet Dawood (a. s. ) , received Prophethood and Caliphate both. There are instances of Prophets about whose Imamat Allah has informed in the Holy Quran. All these elevated divine positions were collectively found in the holy persona of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). Separated from Prophethood, an Imam, Caliph and Wali follows the Prophet like the twelve Imams (a. s. ) because Prophethood and Messengership came to an end with their great ancestors, the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad Ibn Abdullah (s. a. w. a. ) but Caliphate, Imamat and Wilayat remained in his (s. a. w. a. ) nation so that Allah’s proofs and arguments are not invalidated. These are the caliphs who carried the burden of the divine caliphate after the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ). This, by no means, contradicts their being the caliphs of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) as has come in a few traditions like his (s. a. w. a. ) saying, ‘They are my caliphs, O Jaabir’, ‘O Alla! Have mercy on my caliphs’, ‘O Al! You are my successor’; ‘You are the caliph after me’ etc. Whatever we have mentioned here vis-à-vis these terms are in their absolute and independent applications, and not when used along with other additives other than Allah. For, when they are used with an additive other than Allah, undoubtedly it implies the representation p: 269 

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of the other. The caliphate of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) , as mentioned in the above traditions, denotes the representation in the conveyance of laws and what Allah has revealed to him (s. a. w. a. ) for the people. The caliph is his successor in regulating the affairs of this nation, and it is not permissible for the nation to oppose him at any cost. Thus, caliphate, representation, deputation, etc. are only for those who have been specially and exclusively appointed for these positions and nobody else has got any right whatsoever to stake a claim without the requisite permission and order of the represented one. I wish I had known from where this nation has become the caliph and representative of the Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a. ) and what is its proof? How can the mastership of an entire ummah be established when the mastership of any single individual from it cannot be proved? This is nothing but audacity and impudence before Allah, the Almighty and His Messenger (s. a. w. a. ).