Al Kafi (volume 4)(part 1)

Chapter 24 : the People Whom Allah Has Chosen and Has Made the Heirs of His Book Are the Imams (a.s.) H 562, Ch. 24, H 1

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Hammad ibn 'Isa from 'Abd al-Mu'min from Salim who has said that he asked abu Ja'far (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High.

"We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants, among whom some are unjust against their souls, some are moderate, and some are exceedingly virtuous by the permission of God. . . ." (35:31) The exceedingly virtuous is the Imam (a.s.), the moderateones are those who know the Imams (a.s.) and the unjust ones are those who do not know the Imams (a.s.)."

H 563, Ch. 24, h 2

Al-Husayn has narrated from Mu'alla from al-Washsha' from 'Abd al-Karim from Sulayman who has said that he asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse of the Holy Quran. "We gave the book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,.. . ." (35:31)

The Imam (a.s.) asked, "What do you say about it?" I said, "We say that they are the Fatimid (descendents of Fatima, Daughter of the Holy Prophet (s.a.)" The Imam (a.s.) said, "It is not as you say. No one who would point out his sword and call people into schism and misguidance comes in this (category of people exceeding in virtue)."

I then asked, "Who then are the ones doing wrong to themselves?" The Imam (a.s.) replied, "It is those who sit in their homes and do not know the rights of his Imam (a.s.). The moderate ones are those who know the rights of their Imam and the ones exceeding in virtue are the Imams (a.s.)"

H 564, Ch. 24, h 3

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan from Ahmad ibn 'Umar 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.

"We gave the book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants. . ." (35:31). The Imam (a.s.) said such people are the children of Fatima (a.s.), those exceeding in virtue are the Imams (a.s.), the moderate ones are those who know the Imam (a.s.) and those who do injustice to themselves are the ones who do not know their Imam (a.s.)."

H 565, Ch. 24, h 4

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from abu Wallad who has said that he asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. "The people who have received Our Book (Quran), and read it thoroughly, believe in it. Those who disbelieve the Book are certainly losers." (2:121) The Imams (a.s.) said that such people are the Imams (a.s.)."

Chapter 25 : Two Kinds of Imam are mentioned in the Holy Quran: the Imams (a.s.) who call to Allah and the Imams who call to Fire H 566, Ch. 25, h 1

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from 'Abdallah ibn Ghalib from Jabir from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"When the following verse of the Holy Quran was revealed, "On the day when We call every nation with their leaders, (Imams) . . ." (17:71), people asked the Holy Prophet (s. a.), 'Are you not the Imam of all the people altogether?' The Holy Prophet (s.a.) said, "I am the Messenger of Allah to all the people but after me there will the Imams for the people from my family.

They will rise among the people but they will be rejected. The leaders of the unbelievers and misguidance and their followers will do injustice to them. Those who support, love, follow and acknowledge their authority they are from me, with me and will meet me. Let it be known that those who would do injustice to the Imams (a.s) and reject them they are not from me and with me. I denounce them and all associations with them."

H 567, Ch. 25, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al- Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talha ibn Zayd from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "The Imams mentioned in the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are of two kinds.

Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has said, 'We appointed them as leaders (Imams) to guide the people through Our command . . ." (21:73) They do so but not because of the commads of the people.

They allow our command to come first and before their own orders, and our laws before their own laws and judgment. "We made them the kinds of leaders (Imams) who would invite people to the fire . . ." (28:41) 'They let their own commands to come before the commands of Allah and their laws before the laws of Allah. They follow their desires against what the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High requires.'"