Kitab Al-irshad 1

Supplement

There is, in addition, the account recorded by the historians (ashab al-sira) on various authorities:

One day al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf al-Thaqafi said: "I would like to strike down one of the followers of Abu Turab (derogatory name of 'Ali). Through his blood, I would get closer to God."

"We know of no one who was a companion of Abu Turab for a longer time than Qanbar, his retainer," he was told.

He sent in search of him and he was brought.

"Are you Qanbar?" he asked.

"Yes," he replied

"(Your kunya) is Abu Hamdan?" he asked.

"Yes," he replied

"Is your master 'Ali b. Abi Talib?"

"God is my Master," he replied, "and the Commander of the faithful 'Ali is the master of my provisions."

"Disassociate yourself, from his religion," he ordered him.

"If I disassociate myself from his religion, will you show me another better than it?" he asked.

"I will kill you," he answered. "So choose what sort of death you prefer."

"I leave that to you," he responded.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because in whatever way you kill me, you will be killed in the same way," he said. "The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, told me that my fate would be to be slaughtered unjustly and without right."

Then he ordered him to be slaughtered.

This is also one of the reports which is established with regard to the Commander of the faithful, speaking about the unknown. It has been included in the section concerning the compelling miracles and outstanding evidence and the knowledge which God specially endowed to His proof among His prophets, apostles and chosen ones, peace be on them. Therefore it follows on from what has been presented before.

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[Of a similar kind is the account reported by al-Hasan b. Mahbub on the authority of Thabit al-Thumali, on the authority of Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i, on the authority of Suwayd b. Ghafla, (who said):]

A man came to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. He said: "Commander of the faithful, I have passed through Wadi al-Qarni and I saw that Khalid b. 'Arfata had died there. I asked forgiveness for him."

"Nonsense!" declared the Commander of the faithful. "He has not died and he will not die until he leads an army of error whose standard-bearer will be- Habib b. Himaz."

A man from below the pulpit said: "Commander of the faithful, I belong to your Shi'a and I am one who loves you."

"Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Habib b. Himaz," he replied.

"Beware," he said, "you will carry (that standard). Indeed you will carry it and you will enter from this gate." He pointed with his hand to the Gate of al-Fil.

After the death of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him,,. and al-Hasan, peace be on him, after that, and the events concerning al-Husayn and his revolt, Ibn Ziyad sent 'Umar b. Sa'd against al-Husayn, peace be upon him. He put Khalid b.'Arfata in command of the vanguard and he made Habib b. Himaz the standard-bearer. He went there until he entered the mosque through the gate of al-Fil.

This is also a widespread report which the traditionists (ahl al-'ilm) and the narrators of historical reports (athar) have not refused to acknowledge. It is widespread among the Kufans and well known in their circles. Not even two of them have denied it. It belongs to the class of miraculous (knowledge) which we have mentioned.

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[Another example is the report of Zakariyya b. Yahya al-Qattan, on the authority of Fadl b. al-Zubayr, on the authority of Abu al-Hakam, who said: I heard our shaykhs and our religious scholars say:]

'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, preached. In his sermon, he said:

"Ask me before you lose me. But, by God, do not ask me about a group who will lead a hundred astray and which will guide a hundred, otherwise I will tell you about the screecher of that group and the driver of it until the day of Resurrection."

A man rose before him and said: "Tell me how many pieces of hair there are on my head and my beard?"

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "By God, my bosom friend, the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, told me about what you have asked. For every piece of hair on your beard there is an angel who curses you and for every piece of hair on your beard there is a devil who provokes you. In your house there is a worthless (child) who will kill the (grand)son of the Apostle of God. That will be the proof of the truthfulness of what I have told you. If it was not for the fact that it is difficult to prove what you asked about, I would (simply) have informed you of it. However the proof of (my answer to) that (question) lies in the information I have given about your curse and your cursed worthless (child)."

At that time his son was a small boy still crawling. When the (tragic) events in the affair of al-Husayn, peace be on him, occurred, he took part in killing him. So the event occurred as the Commander of the faithful had described.

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[In the same way Isma'il b. Sabih reported on the authority of Yahya b. al-Musawir al-'Abdi, on the authority of Isma'il b. Ziyad, who said;

One day 'Ali, peace be on him, said to al-Bara' b. 'Azib: "Bara', my son al-Husayn, peace be on him, will be killed while you are alive and you will not help him."

After al-Husayn, peace be on him, was killed, al-Bara' b. 'Azib used to say: "By God, 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, spoke the truth about al-Husayn being killed and my not helping him."

He showed (much) grief and regret about that.

This belongs to what we have mentioned about him giving information about the unknown and the prevailing attitudes of men's hearts.

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[Another account is reported by 'Uthman b. 'Isa al-'Amiri on the authority of Jabir b. al-Hurr, on the authority of Juwayriyya b Mishar al-'Abdi, who said:]

When we set out with the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, to Siffin. We reached the plains of Karbala'. He stood at the side of the camp and looked right and left. He cried and he said: "By God, this is the place where the camels will kneel for their riders. This is the place of their fate."

"Commander of the faithful, what is this place?" he was asked.

"This is Karbala'," he said. "Here people will be killed who will enter heaven without any reckoning (against them)."

Then he went on and the people did not understand the explanation of what he had said until the tragedy of al-Husayn b.'Ali, peace be on them, and his followers took place on the plain. Then those who had heard his words recognised the truthfulness of what he had told them.

This has been (a summary) of his knowledge of the unknown and his telling what would happen before it happened. It is clearly miraculous in nature and wonderful knowledge as we have mentioned. Reports conveying the same sense are so numerous that their explanation would make the book unduly long. What we have presented is sufficient for our intention.

**His Miraculous Strength at Khaybar ** Among his wonderful signs is the ability by which God set him apart and the strength which he specially endowed to him, and the transcendence of normal events through miracles.

Of that kind is that which has been handed down in the historical reports and has become well-known through accounts. The religious scholars have agreed on it and both opponents and friends accept it, (namely) the story of Khaybar and of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, removing the gate of the fortress with his own hand, and laying it on the ground with, his own hand, while it was of such a weight that (it took) not less than fifty men to carry it.

['Abd Allah b. Ahmad b. Hanbal has mentioned that in what he reports on the authority of his transmitter. The latter reported: Isma'il b. Ishaq, the qadi, told us: Ibrahim b. Hamza told us: 'Abd al-'Aziz b. Muhammad told us on the authority of Hizam, on the authority of Abu 'Atiq on the authority of Jabir:]

At the battle of Khaybar, the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, gave the standard to 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. After he had prayed for him, 'Ali, peace be on him, began to rush forward while his comrades were telling him to go slowly. He came to the fortress, and pulled away its gate throwing it to the ground. Then seventy of us gathered around it. It was only as a result of their (combined) effort that they could lift the door.3

This is an example of the special strength with which God endowed him. Through it the normal (human) qualities were transcended and it became a miraculous sign as we have said before.

**The Miracle of Moving the Rock and the Water under it **

Another example is reported by the historians (ashab al-siyar) and the account of it is widespread among both the non-Shi'a ('amma) and the Shi'a (khassa) so that poets have written verses about it; rhetoricians have compiled sermons on it and men of understanding and learning have reported it. (It is) the story of the monk in the area of Karbala' and the stone. Its reputation (is such) that it does not need the presentation of its chain of authorities (isnad).

[It is that the whole group (of scholars) report.]

When the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, headed toward Siffin, a terrible thirst came on his followers. The water with them had been used up. They began to search for water to right and left but they did not find any trace of it. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, turned off the main road with them and went a little way. A hermitage appeared before them in the middle of the desert. He went with them towards it. When he reached its courtyard, he ordered those (with him) to call for its occupant to come before them. They called him and he came. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, asked him: "Is this residence of yours near water, which will quench the thirst of these people?"

"There is more than six miles between me and water," he answered.

"There is no water nearer than that to me. If it was not for the fact that I am brought enough water for each month to sustain me, I would be destroyed by thirst."

"Did you hear what the monk said?" the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, asked.

"Yes," they answered. "Order us to go to the place which he indicated. Perhaps we will reach water while we still have strength."

"There is no need for you to do that," the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, told them. He turned the neck of his mule in the direction of the qibla (i.e. towards Mecca) and he directed them to a place near the hermitage. "Uncover the ground in this place," he ordered them.

A group of them went straight to the place and uncovered it with iron shovels. A great shiny rock appeared. They said: "Commander of the faithful, here is a great rock on which the shovels are useless."

"This rock is over water," he told them. "If it moves. from its position, you will find the water."

They struggled to remove it. All the people gathered together and tried to move it but they could find no way to do that. It was too difficult for them. When he, peace be on him, saw that they had gathered together and striven to remove the rock but it was too difficult for them, he put his leg over his saddle until it reached the ground. Then he rolled up his sleeves. He put his fingers under the side of the rock and he moved it. He removed it with his hand and pushed it many yards away. When it had moved from its position, the white (glitter) of water appeared before them. They hurried to it and drank from it. It was the sweetest, coldest and purest water that they had ever drunk from on their journey.

"Get supplies and quench your thirst," he told them.

They did that. Then he went to the rock and took it with his hand and put it back where it had been. He ordered that its traces be removed with earth. The hermit had been watching from on top of his hermitage. When he realised what had happened, he called out: "People, help me down, help me down."

They helped him to get down. He stood in front of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him and said: "Man, are you a prophet sent (by God)?"

"No," he replied.

"(Then are you) an angel who is close to God?" he asked.

"No," was the answer.

"Then who are you?" asked (the hermit).

"I am the testamentary trustee of the Apostle of God, Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah, the seal of the prophets, may God bless him and his family," he replied.

"Stretch out your hand," said the hermit, "so that I may submit to God, the Blessed and Exalted, at your hands."

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, stretched out his hand and told him: "Make the twofold testimony."

He said: "I testify that there is no god but God alone without any partner. I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Apostle. I testify that you are the testamentary trustee of the Apostle of God, the one with most right among the people to authority after him."

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, made him understand the conditions of being a Muslim and then asked him: "What is it that has prompted you to enter Islam after your long residence in this hermitage in opposition to it?"

"I will tell you, Commander of the faithful," he said. -"This hermitage was built to seek out the one who would remove that rock and then water would come from underneath it. Scholars before me died and they did not attain that (knowledge) but God, the Mighty and High, has provided me with it. We find in one of our books and a prose writer of our scholars that in this land there is a spring with a rock over it. No one knows its place except a prophet or the testamentary trustee of a prophet. He must be a friend of God who calls (men) to truth, whose sign is the knowledge of the place of this rock and his ability to remove it. When I saw you do that, I realised what we had been waiting for. The object of desire had been attained. Today I am a Muslim (converted) at your hands, a believer in your right and your servant (mawla)."

When he heard that, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, wept until his beard became moist with tears. He said: "Praise be to God, by Whom I have not been forgotten. Praise be to God in Whose books I have been mentioned."

Then he summoned the people and told them: "Listen to what your brother Muslim says."

They listened to his words. Then they gave much praise to God and thanks for the blessing which he had bestowed upon them in giving them knowledge of the right of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. Then they went on and the hermit went before him amid a group of his followers until he met the Syrians. The hermit was among a group of those who were martyred there. He, peace be upon him, carried out the prayer over him. He buried him and sought much forgiveness for him. Whenever he was mentioned, ('Ali) would say: "That was my servant (mawla)."

In this report there are (several) kinds of miracle. One of them is knowledge of the unknown, a second is the strength by which normal human capabilities were transcended, and (another) is the distinction (of him) from other men through the confirmation of the message about him in the first Books of God. This is validated by the words of God, the Exalted: That is their example in the Torah and their example in the Gospels (XLVII 29).

Al-Sayyid Isma'il b. Muhammad al-Himyari, may God have mercy on him, speaks of the same thing in his glorious golden ode:

During his journey he went by night after the evening prayer to Karbala' in a procession.

Until he came to one who devoted himself to God on a piece of raised ground. He made his camp on inhospitable land.

O wilderness, it is not (a place) where he meets a living soul other than the wild animals and the balding white haired man (i.e.'Ali).

He approaches and cries out at it. (The holy man) looks down as he stands, like the defender (looks down) over his bow from a watchtower.

Is there water which can be attained near the position which you have settled at. He answers: There is nothing to drink,

Except at a distance of six miles and the water I have with me (here) between the sandy hill and the vast desert.

He turns the reins towards the flat ground. He uncovers a smooth rock which shines like golden leaf-paste for camels.

He says: Turn it around. If you turn it around, you will see. You; will not see if it is not turned around.

They gang together to remove it. It is impossible for them. It is a difficult impossible task which cannot be performed.

When it had weakened them, he stretched a hand towards it when the conqueror comes, it is conquered.

It was as if it was a ball of fallen cotton in a skein, which he pushed in a playground.

He gave them sweet delicious water to drink from under it, which was better than the most delicious, the sweetest.

Then when they had all drunk, he put it back and went away. Its position is left alone. It cannot be approached.

Ibn Maymun added these words concerning that:

The signs for the monk were a miraculous secret there and he believed in the noble born testamentary trustee of authority (wasi).

He died a martyr, truthful in his (statement of) support, most noble of monks who have become fearful (of God).

I mean that the son of Fatima is the testamentary trustee of authority. Whoever declares (their belief in) his outstanding merit and his (illustrious) actions does not lie.

He is a man both of whose sides are (descended) from Shem, without any father from Ham, nor a father of a father.

He is one who does not flee and in battle only the striking of his sword dyed red (with blood) can be seen.

**His Miraculous Victory over the Jinn **

Another example is the tradition which has become well-known about the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, sending him to the valley of the jinn. Gabriel, peace be on him, had told him that groups of them had gathered to plot against him. (The Commander of the faithful) took the place of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and through God was sufficient for the believers against the plotting (of the jinn). He repelled them from the believers through his strength by which he was set apart from the rest of them.

[Muhammad b. Abi al-Sirri al-Tamimi reported on the authority of Ahmad b. al-Faraj, on the authority of al-Hasan b. Musa al-Nahdi, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Wabira b. al-Harith, on the authority of Ibn al-'Abbas, may God have mercy on him, who said:]

When the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, set out against the Banu al-Mustaliq, he avoided the road. Night came and he stopped near a rugged valley. Towards the end of the night, Gabriel, peace be on him, came down to tell him that a group of unbelieving jinn had gone into the valley with the intention of plotting against him, peace be on him, and causing harm to his Companions. He called for the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and told him: "Go to this valley, those of the jinn who are enemies of God, who want (to attack) you, will come against you. Repel them with the strength which God, the Mighty and High, has given you. You will be protected by the names of God, the Mighty and High, which He has specially endowed you with knowledge of."

He sent with him a hundred men from different groups among the people. He told them: "Stay with him and obey his orders."

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, set out for the valley. When he was near the side of the valley, he ordered the hundred men who had accompanied him to stand close to the side and not to do anything until he gave them permission. He went forward and stood at the edge of the valley. He sought refuge with God from his enemies and he named God, may His name be magnified. He signalled to the people who had followed him to come closer. They came closer and there was a gap between him and them of the distance of a bow-shot. Then he began to go down into the valley when a hurricane arose, which almost made the people fall on their faces because of its violence. They could not keep their feet on the ground because of terror of opposition and terror of what would come upon them. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him shouted: "I am 'Ali b. Abi Talib b.'Abd al-Muttalib, the testamentary trustee of authority (wasi) of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and his cousin. Defy (us) is if you want to." Persons in the form of gipsies appeared before the people who seemed to have torches of fire in their hands and they dried up (all) the sides of the valley. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, penetrated deep into the valley, while reciting the Qur'an and signalling to right and left with his sword. It was not long before the persons became like black smoke. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, magnified God. Then he climbed back the way he had come down. He stood with the people who had accompanied him. The place became yellow as a result of what had happened to it. The Companions of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said to him: "Abu al-Hasan ('Ali), we almost died of fear and anxiety for you because of what you met. It was worse than (anything else) that has happened to us."

"When the enemy showed themselves to me," he told them, "and I shouted the names of God, the Exalted, among them, they became smaller and I knew the terror which had come upon them. Therefore I went into the valley without any fear of them. If they had remained in substantial forms, I would have attacked them to the last one. God was sufficient (protection) against their plotting and He was sufficient (help) for the Muslims against their wickedness. The rest of them will go ahead of me to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, in order to (confess that they) believe in him."

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, returned with those who had been with him to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. He gave him the news. (The Apostle) was delighted with him and prayed for his well-being. Then he said to him: "'Ali, those whom God filled with fear through you have come ahead of you to me. They submitted to Islam and I accepted their submission."

Then he continued the journey with all the Muslims and they passed through the valley in safety and without fear.

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The non-Shi'a ('amma) report that account as well as the Shi'a (khassa) and they do not refuse to accept it. However, the Mu'tazila because of their inclination to the beliefs of the Brahmins reject it. In addition to that they deny it because of their understanding of traditional reports. However, they are following the methods of atheism in imputing error to the Qur'an and the reports which it includes about the jinn, their believing in God and His Apostle and the information about them which God gives in the Qur'an in the Surat al-Jinn (LXXII) where they say: We heard a wonderful recitation (qur'an) which gave guidance to righteousness and we believed in it (LXXII 1-2) to the end of the contents of the sura which gives information about them. Since the opposition of the atheists to that is invalidated by the possibility of minds (conceiving) the existence of jinn and of their being made responsible (for their action) and the proof of this is through the Qur'an and the glorious wonder in it. In the same way it demonstrates the invalidity of the accusation of the Mu'tazila against the report which we have given, (when they accuse it) of being impossible to be sustained by (human) intellects. Insofar as it is reported by two different chains of authority and by two groups to give evidence for two dissimilar attitudes, that is proof of its validity. There is no substance in its rejection by those who deviate from true justice like the Mu'tazila and the determinists (mujabbara), nor in the denigration of the necessity of using it which we have mentioned, just as there is no substance in the denial by the atheists, and varieties of agnostics, the Jews, the Christians, the Zoroastrians and the Sabians of the validity of the reports of the miracles of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, such as: the splitting of the moon, the bending of the palm trunk, stones speaking in his hand, the camel complaining, wild calves speaking, the tree moving (to him), water coming from his hands at the place for ritual ablution and feeding great crowds of people. (There are indeed no grounds for them) to denigrate the validity, the truthfulness of their narration and the establishment of the proof of them. Indeed their error in rejecting that, even in finding it weak, is much greater than the error of those who deny the miracles of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and their proof. Since such things are not hidden to people capable of considering them, there is no need for us to explain their arguments in this place. Since the special nature of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, apart from (the rest of) the people has been established by what we have described as has his being separate from all others in the knowledge which we have explained, (this) has made clear the statement of his right to precedence over (the rest of) the community with regard to the position of the Imamate and his right to precedence over them in the place of leadership. (It is further confirmed) by what the Wise Words (i.e. the Qur'an) contain concerning the story of David and Talut where He, may His name be exalted, says: Their prophet said to them: God has sent Talut to you as a king. They asked: Shall he have (the right of) kingship over us while we are more entitled to kingship than he is? He has not brought any extent of wealth. He replied: God has chosen him to be over you and increased him extensively in knowledge and substance. God bestows His kingship on whom He wishes. God is (all) embracing, one who knows (II 247). God, the Exalted, gives the proof for Talut's precedence over the community of his people. (Similarly) He gave him a proof of (being) His friend and the brother of His Prophet in having precedence of the rest of the community through choosing (him to be) over them and adding to him a (great) extent knowledge and substance. That is corroborated by similar things which have corroborated the right of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, through his wonderful miraculous nature, in addition to him being separate from the people through the addition of the great extent of his knowledge and substance. God, may He be praised and exalted, said: The sign of his kingship is that he will bring you the ark in which there is assurance from your Lord and the rest of what the family of Moses and the family of Aaron left, which the angels brought. In that there is a sign for you if you would believe (II 248).

The transcendence of ordinary human behaviour by the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, lies in the knowledge which we have recounted and other things similar to the transcendency of ordinary human behaviour by Talut in bringing the ark. This is clear. May God be the bringer of success.

I still find the ignorant and the obstinate among the anti-Shi'a (nasiba) showing surprise at the report of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, meeting the jinn, and keeping their evil away from the Prophet, may God bless him, his family, and his Companions. They laugh at that and attribute the story to such useless nonsense. They diminish such things concerning reports of similar miracles by him, peace be on him, and say these are forgeries by the Shi'a, and those of them who forge have forged them in order to acquire (prestige) and in order to defend desperately (their beliefs). This is exactly what all the atheists (zanadiqa) and the enemies of Islam say about what the Qur'an mentions with regard to the report of the jinn and their submission to Islam in its words: We have heard a wondrous Qur'an which leads to guidance (LXXII I-2). (They take a similar attitude) about the report of Ibn Mas'ud concerning the story of the night of the jinn and him seeing them like gipsies. (They also have the same view) of the miracles of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family-They show surprise at all of these and laugh when they hear the account of them, dispute their authenticity, mock and talk nonsense in a slanderous way in which they conduct themselves against Islam and its followers, regarding as stupid those who believe in it and support it, accusing the followers of Islam of deficiency and ignorance, and forging false stories. Let the people examine the crime which they have committed against Islam by their hostility to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and their relying on removing his virtues, noble actions and signs by which they resemble the classes of the atheists (zanadiqa) and unbelievers through their departure from the roads of (true) proofs into the gates of deviation and ignorance. In God do we seek help.

**His Sending back the Sun ** Among the wonderful signs which God, the Exalted, has brought forth through the hands of the Commander of the faithful, 'Ali b. Abi Talib, is one, the reports of which have become widespread among the biographers and historians ('ulama' al-siyar wa al-athar) and about which the poets have composed verses (namely) when he, peace be on him, sent back the sun (to its earlier position) on two occasions, once during the life of the Prophet and another time after his death.

The account of it being sent back on the first occasion has been reported by Asma' daughter of 'Umays, Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri and a group of the Companions.

One day the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was in his house and 'Ali, peace be on him, was in front of him when Gabriel, peace be on him, came to him to speak privately to him about God. When inspiration closed in upon him, he used the thigh of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, as a pillow. He did not raise his head from it until the sun had set. Thus he compelled the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, (to remain) in that position. So he prayed the afternoon prayer sitting, giving a nod (with his head) for his bowing and prostration. When (the Apostle) awoke" from his trance, he said to the Commander of the faithful: "Have you missed the afternoon prayer?"

"I could not pray it standing because of your position, Apostle of God, and the circumstances of hearing inspiration which I was in," he answered.

"Ask God to send the sun back for you so that you may pray it standing at its proper time just as (it was) when you missed being able to do it," he told him. "God, the Exalted, will answer you because of your obedience to God and to His Apostle."

The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, asked God to send back the sun. It was sent back for him so that it came into its position in the sky at the time for the afternoon prayer. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, prayed the afternoon prayer at its proper time. Then it set. [Asma' reported:]

By God we heard it at its setting, screeching like the screech of the saw in wood.

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Its being sent back for him after the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was when he wanted to cross the Euphrates at Babylon, many of his followers were occupied in taking their animals and baggage across. He, peace be on him, prayed the afternoon prayer himself with a group who were with him. The people did not finish their crossing and many of them missed the time of the prayer. The people recalled the merit of being together for that (prayer) and they spoke about that. When he heard their talk about it, he asked God to send back the sun so that all his followers might be together to perform the afternoon prayer at its proper time. God, the Exalted, answered him by sending back the sun for him. The horizons became such as they are for the time of the afternoon prayer. When the people had said the final greeting (at the end of the prayer), the sun disappeared and a violent throbbing was heard from it which terrified the people. They became profuse in their glorification of God, in their declarations of His uniqueness, and in seeking forgiveness from him, and in praising God for the favour which he had shown to them.

The reports of that have reached the (distant) horizons and its account is widespread among the people. Concerning that al-Sayyid b. Muhammad al-Himyari, may God have mercy on him, recited:

The sun was sent back for him when he missed the time of the afternoon prayer and sunset had drawn near.

So that its light shone (the same as) at its time for the afternoon. Then it fell like a shooting star.

For him it was sent back another time at Babylon. It has not been sent back for any Arab creature,

Only so that his first (view of it) may be mixed with his later (view of it) and so that it being sent back may be an explanation of a wondrous matter.

**The Miracle of Speaking to the Fish ** Similar to that is (the account) which the historians (ahl al-athar) report and which has become famous among the Kufans because of it being widespread among them. Hence the report has spread to other people in other places. The scholars also confirm it. (It is) that the fish talked to him at the Euphrates by Kufa.

[They report:]

The waters of the Euphrates overflowed and grew so big that the people of Kufa became anxious about drowning. They resorted to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. He rode out on the mule of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and the people went with him until he reached the banks of the Euphrates. He, peace be on him, dismounted and performed the ritual ablution and prayed alone, by himself, while the people watched him. Then he called on God with prayers which most of them heard. He went towards the Euphrates, leaning on a stick which was in his hand. He struck the surface of the water with it and said: "Abate, with God's permission and His will."

The waters sank so that the fish at the bottom (of the flood) appeared. Many of them greeted him with title of the Commander of the faithful. However some kinds of fish did not speak. They were eels, a scaleless fish (marmaliq)and mud fish (zumar). The people were amazed at that and they asked for the reason that the ones who spoke spoke and the ones who were silent were silent. He said: "God made those fish which were ritually pure speak to me and he kept those silent towards me which were forbidden, impure and worse."

This is a widespread report, the fame of which is, through its transmission and narration, like the fame of the wolves speaking to the Prophet, the stones praising God in the palm of his hand, the trunk of the tree bending towards him and the feeding of many with little food. Whoever continues to find fault with ('Ali's miracles) is one who can only find the doubts about it in what the denigrators depend upon, in what we have enumerated of the miracles of the Apostle.

**The Commander of the Faithful and the Jinn **

The historians (hamalat al-athar wa ruwat al-akhbar) have also reported the story of the snake and the sign and miraculous nature of it which is like the story of the fishes and the abating of the waters of the Euphrates.

[They reported:]

One day the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was making a speech on the pulpit at Kufa, when a snake appeared at the side of the pulpit and began to climb up until it was near the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. The people shook with fear at that and were worried about its purpose and about driving it away from the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. He signalled to them to keep away from it. When it reached the raised platform on which the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, was standing, he bent down towards the snake and the snake spread itself up towards him so that it could gobble his ear.

The people fell silent and became distraught at that. It made a croaking sound which many of them heard. Then it went down from its position. The Commander of the faithful moved his lips in a whisper and the snake acted as if it was listening to him. Then it glided away. The ground had swallowed it up. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, went on with his speech and brought it to a close.

When he had finished it and gone down, the people gathered around him, questioning him about the circumstances of the snake and the wonder of it. He told them: "That was not as you had thought. It was only one of the judges of the jinn, whom a case had confused. He came to me to find out from me about it. I informed him about it. He wished me well and departed."

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Often the ignorant among the people regard the appearance of jinn in the form of animals which cannot speak as impossible. However, that was well-known by the Arabs, before the mission (of the Prophet) and after it, and reports from people belonging to Islam corroborate it. Nor is it more unlikely than the report which is agreed on by Muslims (ahl al-qibla) of the appearance of the Devil to the people in the assembly building in the form of an old man from Najd, and his agreement with them to deceive the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and of his appearing to the polytheists at the Battle of Badr in the form of Saraqa b. Ja'sham al-Madliji. He, the Exalted, said: There will be no conqueror of you among the people today. I am one who grants you neighbourly protection (VIII 48). God, the Mighty and High, said: When the two groups looked at each other, he turned on his heels and said: I am innocent of you. I see what you do not see. I fear God. God is violent in His punishment (VIII 48).

All who continue to find fault with the signs which we have mentioned only say about them the same as the atheists and unbelievers among the opponents of religion, say. They find fault with them in the same way as they find fault with the signs of the Prophet in confirmation of his prophethood, and with the validity of the miracles of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family.

**Some other Miracles of the Commander of the Faithful **

[Another example is reported by 'Abd al-Qahir b.'Abd al-Malik b.'Ata` al-Ashja'i on the authority of al-Walid b.'Imran al-Bajali, on the authority of Jami' b.'Umayr, who said:]

'Ali, peace be on him, suspected a man called al-Ghayzar of giving information to Mu'awiya. He denied that and disputed it. The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, said: "Do you swear by God that you have not done so?"

"Yes," he answered and he hurried forward and took the oath.

"If you are a liar," the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, told him, "God will blind you."

The Friday had not come when he was brought out blind, being led. God had taken away his sight.

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[Of the same kind is what is reported by Isma'il b.'Umayr, who said: Mis'ar b. Kidam told me: Talha b.'Umayra told us:]

'Ali, peace be on him, recited the words of the Prophet to the people: To whomsoever I am his master (mawla),'Ali is his master. Twelve men from the Ansar testified to that but Anas b. Malik was among the people who did not give testimony to it. The Commander of the faithful, said to him: "Anas."

"At your service," he replied

"What stopped you from testifying?" he asked. "You have heard what they heard."

"Commander of the faithful," he replied, "I have grown old and I have forgotten."

"O God," the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, prayed, "if he is a liar, strike him with leprosy" [or he said a word for it which is understood by the ordinary people].

[Talha reported:]

"I testify before God, I saw a whiteness (of leprosy) between his eyes."

[Similarly Abu Isra'il has reported on the authority of al-Hakam b. Abi Salman, the mu'adhdhin, on the authority of Zayd b. Arqam, who said:]

'Ali, peace be on him, recited before the people in the mosque and said: "May God adjure to arise any man who heard the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, say: To whomsoever I am his master (mawla),'Ali is his master. O God, be a friend to those who befriend him and an enemy to those who are hostile to him."

Twelve men, who fought at Badr, stood up, six on the right and six on the left, and they testified to that.

[Zayd b. Arqam added:]

I was among those who heard that but I kept it hidden. Then God took away my sight.

He used to regret failing to give testimony and he used to seek forgiveness from God.

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[Another example is what is reported by 'Ali b. Mushir on the authority of al-A'mash, on the authority of Musa b. Tarif, on the authority of 'Abaya and (also it is reported on the authority of) Musa b. Ukayl al-Numayri, on the authority of 'Imran b. Maytham on the authority of 'Abaya. (It is further reported on the authority of) Musa al-Wajihi, on the authority of al-Minhal b. 'Umar, and on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. al-Harith, 'Uthman b. Sa'id, and 'Abd Allah b. Bukayr, on the authority of Hakim b. Jubayr: They (all) said:]

We witnessed 'Ali, the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, on the pulpit saying: "I am the servant of God, the brother of the Apostle of God. I have inherited the blessing from the Apostle. I have married the mistress of the women of Heaven. I am the master of the testamentary trustees of authority, and those who are the last trustees of the Prophet. No one except me can claim that without God striking him with evil."

A man from (the tribe of) 'Abs who was sitting in front of the people said: "Who is not good enough to say this. I am the servant of God, the brother of the Apostle of God."

He had not left his place when the Devil caught hold of him and dragged him by his leg to the door of the mosque. His people asked us about him and we said: "Did you know him to be a man of (stupid) risks before this?"

"O God, no," they answered.

[Al-Shaykh al-Mufid, may God be pleased with him, says:]

The reports about similar things to what we have mentioned are (such) that the book would become too long as a result of them. We have put forward in this book of ours sufficiency in its outline to do without what is similar to them. We ask God for success and we seek help from Him along the path of guidance.

NOTES

1. Same tradition reported in al-Tabari, I, 1800-1, but 'Ikrima is not the authority. 'Abd Allah b. al-'Abbas explains 'Aisha's omission to 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Abd Allah.

2. Cf. al-Tabari, I, 3383-4.

3. This has already been presented, cf 83-88.