Al-Amali, The Dictations of Shaykh al-Mufid

Twenty Fourth Assembly

Met on Wednesday, 22nd of the month of Ramadhan, in the year 408 Hijrah and it was the first assembly of this month in which he dictated. Narrated to us by al-Sheikh al-Mufid, Abu Abdillah, Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Nu’man - may Allah guard him, at the Mosque in the street of Riyah on the dated day.

  1. The Prophet (SAW) reminds of the Day of Judgement

He said: Abu Ghalib Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Zurariy who reported from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abi al-Khattab, from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khazzar, from Ghiyath ibn Ibrahim, from Abu Abdillah al-Sadiq, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon both of them, from his father, from his grandfather, who said:

Whenever the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny stood to address, he would praise Allah and thank Him. Then he would say: "Know you all, that the most veracious and truthful statement is the Book of Allah (i.e. the Qu'ran) and the best guidance is that of Muhammad. The worst things are those which are invented concoctions, and every such innovation is misleading."

Then he would raise his voice, with his cheeks gradually turning red and remind people of the Day of Reckoning and its dawn, in the manner one warns of an advancing army of the enemy. He would say: "It dawns with you every morning and is with you every evening!" Then he would say: "I have been sent to you with the Day of Reckoning like these two (then he would join his two forefingers). Whoever leaves behind him wealth, that will go to its heirs and whoever leaves behind a debt, it is my responsibility."

  1. The Prophet (SAW) spoke to Ummul Fadhl

He said: Abu Nasr Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Muqri reported to me from Abdul Karim ibn Muhammad al-Bijilli, who reported from Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, who reported from Zaid ibn al-Muaddil, from Aban ibn Uthman al-Ajlah, from Zaid ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, from his father, peace be upon him, who said:

In his illness, which ended up with his death, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, laid his head on the laps of Ummul Fadhl, and then he fainted. Tears from Ummul Fadhl's eyes fell on his cheeks, so he opened his eyes and said: "What is the matter with you, O Ummul Fadhl?" She said: "You have told us about your death, so if things are going to remain in our favour, give us good tidings. And if events will turn against us, then counsel us." He said, the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, told her: "You will all be subdued and weakened after I have gone."

  1. Only one sect on the right path

He said: Abul Hasan ‘Ali ibn Khalid al-Maraghi reported to me from Abu Talib Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn al-Bahlool, who reported from Abul Abbas Ahmed ibn al-Hasan al-Dhareer, who reported from Ahmed ibn Muhammad, who reported from Ahmed ibn Yahya, who reported from Abu Harun al-Abdi, from Abi Aqeel, who said:

Once we were with Amirul Mu’mineen, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, peace be upon him, when he said: "This Ummah will definitely be thrown asunder into seventy-three factions. And by He who controls my Soul, all the factions will have gone astray, except the one which followed me and were among my Shi’ahs."

  1. In praise of ‘Ali (as)

He said: Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn reported to me from his father, who reported from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Attar, who reported from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, from ‘Ali ibn Al-Hakam, from Hisham ibn Salim, from Sulaiman ibn Khalid, from Abu Abdillah Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, from his forefathers, peace be upon them, who said:

The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, told ‘Ali, peace be upon him: "O ‘Ali, you are from me and I from you. Your friend is my friend and my friend is Allah's friend. And your enemy is my enemy and my enemy is the enemy of Allah.

O ‘Ali, I am at war with the one who fights you and at peace with one who is at peace with you. O ‘Ali, you have a treasure in the Heaven and you are the master of its both sides. O ‘Ali, you are the divider of heaven and hell. None shall enter the heaven unless he has recognized you, and you have recognized him!

And none shall enter hell unless he has rejected you and you have rejected him. O ‘Ali, you and your descendants shall be on the heights (al-A'araaf) on the Day of Judgment, recognizing the sinners by their marks, and the believers by their signs. O ‘Ali, the believers would not have been distinguished, after I have departed, if you were not there."

  1. If Salman and Abu Dharr fully divulged the secret

He said: Abul Qasim, Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Qawlawayh - may Allah bless him with mercy, reported to me from his father, who reported from Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Idrees together, from ‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Sa'd al-Ashariy, from al-Husayn ibn Nasr ibn Muzahim al-Attar, from his father, from Amru ibn Shimr, from Jabir ibn Yazid al-Jo'afi, from Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said:

I heard Jabir ibn Abdillah ibn Haraam al-Ansari say: 'If Salman and Abu Dharr, may Allah bless them with mercy, were to divulge (the excellence of Ahlul Bayt) to these people who claim to be the partisans of Ahlul Bayt, they would say: "These two are liars." And if these were to see them, they would say: "These are insane."

  1. Man knows best of himself

He said: Abul Hasan Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan reported to me from his father, from Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, from Yunus ibn Abdul Rahman, from Muhammad ibn Yaseen, who said:

I heard Abu Abdillah Ja'far ibn Muhammad, peace be upon both, say: "No benefit is derived by a slave of Allah who makes a show of being good, while inwardly he is vicious and evil. Does his inner self not tell him that he is not what he pretends to be? And (also), Allah, Most High, says (in the Qu'ran): 'Rather, man has a keen insight of himself' (75:14). Surely, when the inner self of a person is reformed, his external self gains strength."

May Allah bless our master Muhammad, the Prophet of Makkan origin and upon his pure progeny, and salutations.