Al Kafi (volume 4)(part 3)

Chapter 97 : the Angels Come To the Houses of the Imams, Step On Their Furnishings and Bring Them News H 1023, Ch. 97, H 1

A number of our people has narrated has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Sinan from Masma' Kirdin al-Basri who has said the following. "I used to eat one meal in twenty four hours. I would ask permission to see abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) at such time that I would expect that their table cloth is collected and they have fished their meal. When I would arrive he would ask to return the table cloth.

I would find food in it but it would not harm me while if I would eat with others again I could not do so and it would become very difficult for me to sleep because of gases. I complained about it before the Imam (a.s.) and said that if I would eat from your table it does not harm me.

He said, "O abu Sayyar, it is because you eat from the table of the virtuous people. Angels shake hands with them on their furnishings." The narrator has said that I then asked, "Do they (angels) appear to you?" He has said, "The Imam (a.s.) wiped his hand over one of his children and said, 'They are more kind to our children than we ourselves are."

H 1024, Ch. 97, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn al-Qasim from al-Husayn ibn abu al-'Ala' who has said the following. "Once Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) said, 'O Husayn, tapping his hand on a cushion in the house, saying, 'Cushions on which for a long time angels have been leaning and perhaps we pick up some of their fluff around."

H 1025, Ch. 97, h 3

Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam who hassaaid that Malik ibn 'Atiyya al-Ahmasi narrated to him from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has said the following.

"Once I went to see Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) and I became confounded in the room for an hour then I went inside the house while he was picking up things and would give to someone behind the curtain. I then said, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, What was that thing that I saw you picking up?"

The Imam (a.s.) said, "The fuzz from the angels when they come to meet us and we use it amuse our children." I then said, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, do they they come to you?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "O abu Hamza, they become crowded over our furnishings."

H 1026, Ch. 97, h 4

Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn Aslam from Ali ibn abu Hamza who has said the following. "I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) say, 'Every angels that Allah sends down for a task that angel first begins with meeting the Imam to present the task to him. The presence of Imam, Leader with Divine Authority is the scene of great mix of the angels from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High."

Chapter 98 : The Jinns Come to the Imam for Religious Instructions and for Dealing with their Affairs H 1027, Ch. 98, h 1

Certain persons of our people have narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from Yahya ibn Musawir from Sa'd al-Askaf who has said the following. "On one of the occasion of my meeting with abu Ja'far (a.s.) when I went tosee him he asked me to wait until the sun became very hot on me. I tried to follow the shadow from the sun.

No very long thereafter a people came out of his presence that looked like locusts dressed in large gowns and very oale and slim due to extensive worshipping. Their beautiful scene made me to forget other things. When I went in the presence of the Imam (a.s.) he said, "I am afraid I caused you hardships." I said, "Yes, it was difficult but, by Allah, I forgot other things when I saw them.

A people passed by the like of whose beauty I had not seen before. They looked like locusts and pale and slim due to worshipping a great deal." The Imam (a.s.) said, "O Sa'd , did you see them?" I said, "Yes, I saw them." The Imam (a.s.) said, "They are your brethren from Jinns." The narrator has said that he asked The Imam (a.s.), "Do they come to you?" He said, "Yes, they come to us for religious instructions and to learn the lawful and unlawful matters."

H 1028, Ch. 98, h 2

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Hassa'n from Ibrahim ibn 'Isma'il from ibn Jabal who has said the following. "Once we were in front of the door of the house of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) that a people who looked Indian gypsies came out with loin clothe and covering on them. We asked abu ''Abdallah (a.s.) about them and he said, "They were your brethren from Jinns."

H 1029, Ch. 98, h 3

Ahmad ibn Idris and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufiy from ibn al-Faddal from certain person of our people from Sa'd al-Askaf who has said the following.

"Once I to ask permission to meet abu Ja'far (a.s.). I found saddles of camels lined up in front of the door and noises coming very loud and then a people came out with turbans like those of the Indian gypsies.

I asked abu Ja'far (a.s.) about them and said, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause. Today it took a long time to receive permission to meet you. I saw a people coming out with turbans whom I could not recognize." He said, "Do you know, O Sa'd, who they are?" I said, "No, I do not know."

The Imam (a.s.) said, "They were your brethren in religion from Jinns. They come to us for religious instructions, to learn the lawful and unlawful matters and the principles of their religion."

H 1030, Ch. 98, h 4

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ibrahim ibn abu al- Balad from Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said the following. "Abu Ja'far (a.s.) asked me to help him in a few things in Maina. I left and when reached fajj al-Rawha' a man waved to me with his cloths. The narrator has said that I turned to him and I though he was thirsty. I offered the cup but he declined saying, "I do not need it."

He gave a letter with its ink still not dried up. The narrator has said that when looked at it, it had the seal of abu Ja'far (a.s.) on. I asked him when were you in the presence of abu Ja'far (a.s.)?" He said, "Just now I was in his presence." In the letter there were few things that he had commanded me to do.

When looked around there was no one with me." The narrator has said that then I went to meet abu Ja'far (a.s.) and said, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, a man came to me with your letter the ink of which was not yet dried up." He said, "O Sadir, we servants from Jinns. When we would need a thing to happen quickly we send them to do it."

H 1031, Ch. 98, h 5

Alki ibn Muhammad aand Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from the person who he mentioned from Muhammad ibn Jahrash who has said that Halima daughter of Musa has said the following. "Once I saw al-Rida (a.s.) standing at the door of the firewood room and he was whispering but I would not see any9ne ellse around. I then asked him, "My. master, who are you talking to?" He said, "This is 'Amir al-Zahra'i.

He has come to ask a few questions and he has certain complains." I then asked, "My master, I like to hear his words." He said, "If you would hear his words you will have fever for one year." I said, "My master, I like to hear him." He said, "All right, then listen." I listened and I heard something like a whistle. I then felt fever for one year."

H 1032, Ch. 98, h 6

Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad have narrated from Muhammad ibn al- Hassan from Ibrahim ibn Hashim from 'Amr ibn 'Uthman from Ibrahim ibn Ayyub from 'Amr ibn Shimr from Jabir from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following. "Once when Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) was on the pulpit a serpent entered from one of the doors of the mosque. People wanted to kill him. Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) asked them to leave him alone.

They left him alone. The serpent began to crawl to the pulpit. He stretched and saluted to Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.). Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) made a gesture to him to wait until the sermon is completed. When the sermon was completed he came to him and said, "Who are you?" He said, "I am 'Amr ibn 'Uthman, your deputy among the Jinns.

My father has died and he has asked me in his will to come to you and find out your instructions and that is why I am here. What do you command me to do and what do you see." Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) said, "I ask you to be pious before Allah and go back and act as the successor of your father among the Jinns. I appoint you as my deputy over them."

The narrator has said that 'Amr then said farewell to Amir al-Mu'minin (a.s.) and left as his deputy over the Jinns. I asked The Imam (a.s.), may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, does 'Amr fulfill that obligation on him?" He said, "Yes, he does so."

H 1033, Ch. 98, h 7

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad from Muhammad ibn 'Urma from Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from al-Ni'man ibn Bashir who has said the following. "Once I was a companion of Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ja'far'fi on a journey. When reached he went to meet abu Ja'far (a.s.). He said farewell to him and came out very happy until we arrived in al-'Ukhayraja, the first length of journey from Fayd to Madina. It was a Friday. We said our prayers at noon. When the camel rose to leave I saw a tall man brownish with a letter.

He give it to Jabir who kissed it and placed over his eyes. It was from Muhammad ibn Ali to Jabir ibn Yazid. It had a black ink that was still wet. He asked him, "When were you in the presence of my master?" He said, "Just now." He asked, "Were you in his presence before or after the prayer?" He said, "I was there after the prayer."

He then opened the seal and began to read the letter and his face began to look strained until he read it to the end. He held the letter and I did not see him laughing or happy until we arrived in Kufa. In Kufa I spent my night and in the morning I went to see him out of respect for him and I found him coming out to me with a large ring made of anklebones around his neck riding on a twig of reeds saying.

"I see Mansur ibn Jumhur a ruler but no one obeys him" and such other rhymes. He looked at me and I looked at him and he did not say anything to me and did not say anything to him.

I began to weep when I saw him. Children and people gathered around us. He came in al-Rahba and would go in circles with the children and people say, "Jabir has gone mad, Jabir has gone insane. By Allah, only a few days had passed that a letter from Hisham ibn 'Abd al-Malik came to the governor to look for a man called Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ja'far'fi.

It said, "Kill him and send his head to me." The governor turned to the people in his court and asked, "Who is this Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ja'far'fi?" they replied, "May Allah grand well being to the governor, he was a man of knowledge, excellence, hadith and Hajj but now he has become insane. He is there with the children riding on a twig of reeds plays with them."

He went to see him and found him playing with the children while riding a twig of reeds. He said, "Thanks to Allah for saving me from killing him." The narrator has said that just within few days Mansur ibn Jumhur entered Kufa and did what Jabir was speaking of before."