Al Kafi (volume 4)(part 1)

Chapter 18 : the Signs of Which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, Has Spoken in the Holy Quran Are the Imams (a.s.) H 533, Ch. 18, H 1

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abdallah from Ahmad ibn Hilal from 'Umayyah ibn Ali from Dawud al- Riqqi who has said that he asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah in the following verse.

"The signs and warnings are of no avail to the disbelieving people." (10:101) The Imams (a.s.) said, "Signs are the Imams (a.s.) and warnings are the prophets (s.a.)."

H 534, Ch. 18, h 2

Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from 'Abd al-'Azim ibn 'Abdallah al-Hasani from Musa ibn Muhammad al-'Ijli from Yunus ibn Ya'qub (in a marfu' manner) that abu Ja'far (a.s.) has said about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ". . . but they rejected all Our signs. . ." (54:42) 'The signs are all the successors (of the prophets (s.a.)

H 535, Ch. 18, h 3

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn abu 'Umayr or someone other than him from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah who has that he said to abu Ja'far (a.s.), "May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, the Shi'a (your followers) ask about the meaning of the words of Allah, "Of what do they ask one another? (78:1).

Do they ask about the great news?"The Imams (a.s.) said, "It depends up on my decision. I may tell them or may not tell them. Then he said: "I like, however, to tell you the meaning thereof."

I then asked what is the meaning of, "Of what do they ask one another?" The Imams (a.s.) said, "It means Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.). Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) used to say, "None of the signs of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is bigger than I and none of the news of Allah is greater than I."

Chapter 19 : The matters that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and His Messenger (s.a.) have sanctioned as obligatory of the beings with the Imams (a.s.) H 539, Ch. 19, h 1

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad from al-Washfiha' from Ahmad ibn 'A'idh from ibn 'Udhayna from t Burayd ibn Mu'awiya al-'Ijli who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja'far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. "Believers, be pious before God and always be friends with the truthful ones." (9:119) The Imam (a.s.) replied, " 'The truthful ones' is a reference to us."

H 537, Ch. 19, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse. "Believers, be pious before God and always be friends with the truthful ones." (9:119) The Imams (a.s.) said, "The truthful ones are the Imams (a.s.) who, are truthful in their obedience (to Allah)."

H 538, Ch. 19, h 3

Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn al- Husayn from Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Hamid from Mansur ibn Yunus from Sa'd ibn Tarayf from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has narrated the following from the Holy Prophet (s.a.).

"Whoever would like to live a life similar to those of the prophets, die in a similar manner as the martyrs do and live in the garden which is planted by the Beneficent, they must love Imam Ali (a.s.) (acknowledge his Divine authority) and love those who love and support him and follow the Imams after him who are of my family and are created of the substance that I was created.

O Lord, give them my understand and knowledge. Send those of my people to Wayl (a place in Hell) who oppose them and do not give them the chance to benefit from my intervention on their behalf.

H 539, Ch. 19, h 4

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from al-Nadr ibn Shu'ayb from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamzah al-Thamali who has said that he heard abu Ja'far (a.s.) say, "The Messenger of Allah (s.a.) said: " Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says, "It is to establish my authority over the wicked ones of your people that those who would refuse to acknowledge the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.) and become friend and supporters of the enemies of Ali (a.s.), refuse to acknowledge his virtuous qualities and the such qualities of his successors after him (Imam Ali (a.s).

Indeed your excellence and virtues are their excellence and virtues, obedience to you is like obedience to them, your right is like their right and disobedience to you is disobedience to them. They will be the Imams who possess the right guidance after you.

Your spirit flows in them and so does the spirit of that which your Lord has made to flow in you. They are members of your family of the substance of which you are made. They are your flesh and blood.

Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has made your traditions and the traditions of the prophets before to continue with them (the Imams). They (Imams) are the treasurers of My knowledge after you. It is a right that owe them.

I have chosen and give to them nobility exclusively with satisfaction. Salvation will be for those who would love them acknowledge their Divine authority and accept their excellence and virtues. The angel, Jibril has brought for their (Imam's) names and the names of their fathers, the names of those who would love them and those who would accept their virtues and excellence."

H 540, Ch. 19, h 5

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa'id from Fudala ibn Ayyub from abu a1-Maghra from Muhammad ibn Salim from Aban ibn Taghlib from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"The Messenger of Allah has said, 'Whoever would want to live like my living, die like I will die and enter the garden of Eden that my Lord has planted with His own hands, he must love (acknowledge the Divine authority of) Ali (a.s.) ibn abu Talib.

He must love (acknowledge the Divine authority of his successor) those who love him, be the enemy of his enemies and submit in obedience to his successors after him because they are of my family and my flesh and blood. Allah has given them my understanding and knowledge.

I appeal to Allah and complain to Him about the case of my people's dealings, their denying the virtue and excellence of the Imams from my family. I complain to Allah for their disregard of my relation with them. By Allah, they will murder my son (al-Husayn (a.s.). May Allah deprive them of my intercession.'"

H 541, Ch. 19, h 6

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Musa ibn Sa'dan from 'Abdallah ibn al-Qasim from 'Abd al-Qahhar from Jabir al-Ju'fi from abu Ja'far ( a.s.) who has said that the Messenger of Allah has said the following.

"Whoever would like to live as I have lived and die as will do and enter the garden that my Lord has promised to me and hold in hands the stick that Allah has planted with His own hands he then must love and acknowledge (Leadership with Divine Authority of) Ali (a.s.) and his successors after him because they do not lead you into the gates of misguidance or take you out the gate of true guidance.

Thus, do not try to teach them because they know more then you do. I have asked my Lord not to cause any separation between them and the Holy Quran until the time they will arrive in my presence near the al-Kawthar in paradise like this (showing his two fingers stretched side by side). The pond of al-Kawthar which is as big as from San'a' to 'Ayla (a place between Makka and Madina) with cups of gold and silver around it as many as the stars.

H 542, Ch. 19, h 7

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Fadala ibn Ayyub from al-Hassan ibn Ziyad from Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said that abu Ja'far (a.s.) has said the following.

"Tranquillity, comfort, victory, support, success, blessings, honor, forgiveness, relief, ease, glad news, satisfaction, nearness, triumph, capabilities, hope and love from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are for those who love (acknowledge the Divine authority of) Ali (a.s.) and follow him, disavows the enemies of Ali (a.s.) and accept in submission the virtues of Ali and his successors after him. I am obligated to include them in my task of intervention on their behalf.

It will be a truth before my Lord, the Most Holy, the Most High, to approve my intervention on their behalf. They are my followers and those who would follow me they will be of me."

  1. In M`r'atu 'I- ' uqul (vol. 2, p.425) al- Aliamah al-Majlisi has pointed out that this phrase has been omitted, and that the reason for this becomes evident at the end of the hadith.