Kitab Al-irshad 1

Reports of His Priority in Belief in God and His Apostle and of His Being the First of All Responsible Men in (faith)

[Abu al-Jaysh al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Balkhi informed me: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi Thalj informed us: Abu al-Hasan Ahmad b. (Muhammad b.) al-Qasim al-Barqi told us: 'Abd al-Rahman b. Salih al-Azdi told me: Asad b. 'Ubayda told us on the authority of Yahya b. °Afif b. Qays, on the authority of his father ('Afif b. Qays),2 who said:)

I was sitting with al-'Abbas b. 'Abd al-Muttalib, may God be pleased with him, in Mecca, before the affairs of the Prophet became known to the public. A man came and looked up towards the sky where the sun hovered above. He turned in the direction of the Ka'ba and stood to pray. Then a youth came and stood at his right and a woman came and stood behind them both. The man bowed, and the youth and the woman bowed. The man raised his hands and the youth and the woman raised their hands. Then he prostrated and they both prostrated.

"'Abbas!" I exclaimed, "it is a fantastic affair!"

"Indeed, it is a fantastic affair," replied al-'Abbas. "Do you know who that man is? He is Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Abd al-Muttalib, my cousin. Do you know who that youth is? He is 'Ali b. Abi Talib, my cousin. Do you know who that woman is? She is Khadija, daughter of Khuwaylid. This cousin of mine (i.e. Muhammad) has told me that his Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who has ordered him to carry out this religion (din) which he is practising. No, by God, there are not any on the face of the earth, who practise this religion except these three."

[Abu Hafs 'Umar b. Muhammad al-Sayrafi informed me: Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi Thalj told me on the authority of Ahmad b. Muhammad b. al-Qasim al-Barqi, on the authority of Abu Salih Sahl b. Salih - it was about the year 100 (A. H.) - who said I heard Abu al-Mu'ammar 'Abbad b. 'Abd al-Samad who said: I heard Anas b. Malik say:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said: "The angels bless me and 'Ali for seventy years, because (for a time) only 'Ali and I raised the testimony to heaven that there is no god but God and Muhammad is the Apostle of God."

[By the same chain of transmitters on the authority of Ahmad b. (Muhammad b.) al-Qasim al-Barqi: Ishaq told us: Nuh b. Qays told us: Sulayman b. 'Ali al-Hashimi Abu Fatima told us: I heard Muadha al-'Adawiyya say:]

I heard 'Ali b. Abi Talib say on the pulpit at Basra: "I am the greater testifier of truth (siddiq) for I believed before Abu Bakr believed; I became a Muslim before he became a Muslim."

[Abu Nasr Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Muqri al-Basri al-Sayrawani informed : Abu Bakr Muhammad b. (Ahmad b.) Abi Thalj told us: Abu Muhammad al-Nawfali told us on the authority of Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Hamid, on the authority of 'Umar b. 'Abd al-Ghiffar al-Faqimi who said: Ibrahim b. Hayyan reported to me on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah, retainer of Banu Hashim, on the authority of Abu Sukhayla, who said:]

I and 'Ammar went on the pilgrimage. We stopped at the house of Abu Dharr, may God be pleased with him, and stayed with him for three days. When the time of our departure was at hand, I said to him: "Abu Dharr, we consider that nothing except confusion has come over the people. What is your view?"

"Cleave to the Book and 'Ali b. Abi Talib," he replied, "then bear witness to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, who said: "'Ali was the first to believe in me and will be the first to shake my hand in greetings on the Day of Resurrection. He is the greatest testifier of the truth (siddiq) and discerner of truth and falsehood. He is the chief of the believers and money is the chief cause of wrong-doing.'

Al-Shaykh al-Mufid, may God be pleased with him, comments: The reports with this meaning are numerous as testimonies (of it) are bulky.

[Among such are the words of Khuzayma b. Thabit al-Ansari, the man who gave two testimonies, in what was reported to me by Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Imran al-Marzubani on the authority of Muhammad b. al-'Abbas who said:]

Muhammad b. Yazid al-Nahwi recited to us on the authority of Ibn 'A'isha (the words) of Khuzayma b. Thabit al-Ansari, may God be pleased with him:

I never thought that this affair would leave the clan of Hashim, and then within it (that) it would leave Abu Hasan (i.e. 'Ali).

Was he not the first to pray with their (i.e. the Muslims') qibla (direction of prayer), and the most knowledgeable man in traditions and practice?

(Was he not) the last of men with whom the Prophet made a covenant (ahd), and the one whose helper was Gabriel in washing and shrouding (the body of the Prophet)?

He it is in whom there is what others are not distinguished by. There is not among the people the good which is in him.

What is it which makes you reject him, for we know him? Yet your pledge of allegiance is made through the greatest cheating.

Reports of his Outstanding Merit, Peace be on him, over Everybody in Religious Knowledge (Ilm)

[Abu al-Hasan Muhammad b. Ja'far al-Tamimi al-Nahwi informed me: Muhammad b. al-Qasim al-Muharibi al-Bazzaz told me: Hisham b. Yunis al-Nahshali told us: 'A'idh b. Habib told us on the authority of Abu al-Sabbah al-Kinani, on the authority of Muhammad b. 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, on the authority of his father, on the authority of 'Ikrima, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas, who said:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said: "Ali b. Abi Talib is the most learned of my community and the most capable of giving legal decisions after me in (matters upon) which (men) differ.

[Abu Bakr Muhammad b. 'Umar al-Ji'abi informed me: Ahmad b. 'Isa Abu Ja'far al-'Ijli told us: Isma'il b. 'Abd Allah b. Khalid told us: 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Umar told us: 'Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. 'Aqil told us on the authority of Hamza b. Abi Said al-Khudri, on the authority of his father (Abu Said al-Khudri), who said:]

I heard the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, say: "I am the city of knowledge and 'Ali is its gate. Therefore whoever wants knowledge should learn it from 'Ali, peace be on him."

[Abu Bakr Muhammad b. 'Umar al-Ji'abi informed me: Yusuf b. al-Hakam al-Hannat told us: Dawud b. Rashid told us: Salama b. Salih al-Ahmar told us on the authority of 'Abd al-Malik b. 'Abd al Rahman, on the authority of al-Ash'ath b. Taliq who said: I heard al-Hasan al-'Arani relating on the authority of Murra, on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. Mas'ud, who said:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, summoned 'Ali and went apart with him. When he returned to us, we asked him: "What covenant (ahd) did he make with you?" He replied: "He taught me a thousand doors of knowledge and he opened from each (of these) doors a thousand (more) doors."

[Abu al-Hasan Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar al-Bazzaz informed me: Abu Malik Kuthayyir b. Yahya told us: Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. Abi al-Sirri told us: Ahmad b. 'Abd Allah b. Yunis told us on the authority of Sa'd al-Kinani, on the authority of al-Asbagh b. Nubata who said:]

When the pledge of allegiance was made to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, for the caliphate, he went out to the mosque wearing the turban and cloak of the Apostle of God, peace be on him and his family. He went up on the pulpit. After praising and glorifying God, and giving admonition and warning, he sat down confidently, knitted his fingers together and placed them on his stomach. Then he said: "Question me before you lose me. Question me, for I have the knowledge of those who came earlier and those who will come later. If the cushion (on which a judge sits) was folded for me (to sit on), I could give judgements to the people of the Torah by their Torah, to the people of the Gospels by their Gospels, to the people of Psalms by their Psalms and to the people of the Furqan (i.e. Qur'an) by their Furqan, so that each one of these books will be fulfilled and will declare, 'O Lord, indeed 'Ali has given judgement according to Your decree.' By God, I know the Qur'an and its interpretation (better) than anyone who claims knowledge of it. If it were not for one verse in the Book of God, most High, I would be able to inform you of what will be until the Day of Resurrection." Then he said: "Question me before you lose me, for by Him Who split the seed and brought the soul into being, if you questioned me about (it) verse by verse, I would tell you of the time of its revelation and why it was revealed, I would inform of the abrogating (verse) and the abrogated, of the specific and general, the clearly defined and the ambiguous, of the Meccan and the Medinan. By God, there is not a party who can lead astray or guide until the Day of Resurrection, without me knowing its leader, the one who drives it forward and the one who urges it on."

Examples of such reports are (so many) that the book would become (unduly) long in (reporting) them.

Reports of his Outstanding Merit, the Blessing of God be on him

[Abu al-Hasan Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar al-Bazzaz informed me: Umar b. 'Abd Allah b. 'Imran told us: Ahmad b. Bashir told us: 'Abd Allah b. Musa told us on the authority of Qays b. Abi Harun who said: I went to Abu Said al-Khudri and asked him whether he had witnessed (the battle of) Badr. He said:]

On that day (the Battle of Badr), I heard the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, speak to Fatima, peace be on her, when she came to him weeping and saying: "O Apostle of God, the women of Quraysh are reviling me because of the poverty of 'AIi peace be on him."

"Aren't you satisfied that I have married you to the first Muslim and the most knowledgeable of them?" the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, asked her. "Indeed, God, the Most High, looked thoroughly over the people of the earth and chose your father from them and made him a Prophet. Then He looked over them a second time and chose your (present) husband (ba'l) and made him a trustee of authority (wasi). God inspired me to marry you to him. Didn't you know, Fatima, that through God's kindness to you, your husband is the greatest of men in clemency, the most knowledgeable of men and the first of them in Islam."

Fatima laughed and rejoiced. Then the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, continued: "Fatima, 'Ali has eight molar teeth. No one before and after him will have the like. He is my brother in the world and the hereafter. No one else of the people has that (rank). Fatima, the mistress of the women of heaven, is his wife. The grandsons of mercy, my grandsons, will be his sons. His brother, who will be adorned by two wings in heaven, will fly with the angels wherever he wishes. He has the knowledge of those who came before and those who will come after. He is the first who believed in me and he will be the last of the people to see me. He is my trustee of authority (wasi) and the inheritor (warith) of (all) the trustees of authority (wasiyyin)."

[AI-Shaykh al-Mufid, may God be pleased with him, said: I have found (the following report) in the book of Abu Ja'far Muhammad b. al--'Abbas al-Razi who said: Muhammad b. Khalid told us: Ibrahim b. 'Abd Allah told us: Muhammad b. Sulayman al-Daylami told us on the authority of Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju'fi, on the authority of 'Adi b. Hakim, on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. al-'Abbas, who said:]

We, (the members) of the house (Ahl al-bayt)have seven qualities none of which the (rest of the) people have;

From us(came)the Prophet may God bless him and his family ;

From us came the trustee of authority (wasi),the best of this community after him (i.e. Prophet),'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him From us came Hamza, the lion of God and of His Apostle ,and the lord of martyrs;

From us came Ja'far b. Abi Talib who is adorned by two wings with which he flies in heaven wherever he wishes;

From us (came) the two grandsons of this community, the two lords of the youth of paradise, al-Hasan and al-Husayn;

From us (came) the (one who will undertake the Imamate for the rest of time) Qa'im of the family of Muhammad, by which God graced His Prophet;

From us (came) the one who was given (final) victory (al-mansur).

[Muhammad b. Ayman related on the authority of Abu Hazim, retainer of Ibn 'Abbas, who said:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, spoke to 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him: "'Ali, you will be engaged in disputes but you will overcome any dispute by seven qualities, the like of which no one else has: you are the first of those who believed with me, the greatest of them in war, the most knowledgeable of them in the battles (ayyam) on behalf of God, the one of them who is most loyal in keeping the covenant (ahd) of God, the most compassionate of them towards subjects, the most capable of giving equal treatment and the greatest of them in distinction before God."

Reports like this and in the same sense as this, which are better known by both the general populace and the Shi'a (khassa) are (so clear) that there is no need to lengthen (matters) with an explanation. Yet if there was only the tradition whose story is well known, whose narration has been spread abroad, of the bird and the words of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family: "O God, bring the creature most lovable to you to eat (some) of this bird with me," and then the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, came, it would be sufficient (to show that) he was the most lovable creature to God, the greatest in reward from Him, the nearest to Him, and the most outstanding in his action. (Similar) is the case of the words of Jabir b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari when he was asked about the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and he said, "He is the best of men. Only an unbeliever could doubt clear proof." Jabir had supported that in a narrative which has come through an uninterrupted chain of transmitters, and is well known to the traditionists (ahl al-naql).,The evidences for the fact that the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, is the most outstanding person after the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, are mutually verifiable. If our purpose was to establish it (by reporting and analysing all the reports) we would have to set aside a book for it. The reports of what we have outlined are sufficient in so far as our intention is to give a summary, and put that in its (appropriate) place in this book.

Reports of Love for him, Peace be on him, Being a Sign of Faith (in a Person) and Hatred of him Being a Sign of Hypocrisy (in a Person)

[Abu Bakr Muhammad b. 'Umar - known as Ibn al-Ji'abi al-Hafiz - told us: Muhammad b. Sahl b. al-Hasan told us: Ahmad b. 'Umar al-Dihqan told us: Muhammad b. Kathir told us: Ismail b. Muslim told us: al-A'mash told us on the authority of 'Adi b. Thabit, on the authority of Zirr b. Hubaysh, who said:]

I saw the Commander of the faithful, 'Ali b. Abi Talib,on the pulpit and I heard him say: "By Him Who split the seed and brought the soul into being, the Prophet made a promise (ahd) to me: 'Only believers will love you and only hypocrites will hate you!"

[Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Imran al-Marzubani informed me: 'Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Baghawi told us: 'Ubayd Allah b. 'Umar al-Qawariri told us: Ja'far b. Sulayman told us: al-Nadr b. Hamid told us on the authority of Abu al-Jarud, on the authority of al-Harith al-Hamdani who said:]

I saw 'Ali, peace be on him. One day he came and went up on the pulpit. He praised and glorified God. Then he said: "A decree which God, the Most High, decreed by the tongue of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was that only believers will love me and only hypocrites will hate me. Whoever forges a lie is lost."

[Abu al-Hasan Muhammad b. al-Muzaffar al-Bazzaz informed me: Muhammad b. Yahya told us: Muhammad b. Musa al-Barbari told us: Khalaf b. Salim told us: Waki' told us: al-A'mash told us on the authority of 'Adi b. Thabit, on the authority of Zirr b. Hubaysh, on the authority of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, who said:]

The Prophet, may God bless him and his family, made a promise (ahd) to me: "Only believers will love you and only hypocrites will hate you."

Reports of him, Peace be on him, and his Shi'a Being the Successful Ones

[Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Imran al-Marzubani informed me: 'Ali b. Muhammad b. 'Abd A11ah al-Hafiz told me: 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ubayd al-Kufi told us: Isma'il b. Aban told us on the authority of Sa'd b. Talib, on the authority of Jabir b. Yazid, on them authority of Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Baqir, peace be on them both, who said:]

Umm Salama, the wife of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was asked about 'Ali- b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, she said: "I heard the Apostle of God say: "Ali and his Shi'a are the successful ones.' "

[Abu 'Abd Allah Muhammad b. 'Imran informed me: Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Jawhari told me: Muhammad b. Harun b. Isa al-Hashimi told me: Tamim b. Muhammad b. al-'Ala told us: 'Abd al-Razzaq told us: Yahya b. al-'Ala told us on the authority of Sa'd b. Tarif, on the authority of al-Asbagh b. Nubata, on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, who said:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family said: "God, the Most High, has a cane of ruby which none will obtain except us and our Shi'a. The rest of the people are excluded from it."

[Abu 'Abd Allah informed me: 'Ali' b. Muhammad b. 'Abd Allah al-Hafiz told me: 'Ali b. al-Husayn b. 'Ubayd al-Kufi told us: Isma'il b. Aban told us on the authority of 'Amr b. Hurayth, on the authority of Dawud b. al-Salil, on the authority of Anas b. Malik, who said:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family said: "Seventy thousand of my community will enter Heaven without any reckoning and punishment against them." Then he turned to 'Ali, peace be on him and said: "They are your Shi'a and you are their Imam."

[Abu 'Abd Allah informed me: Ahmad b. Isa al-Karkhi told me Abu al-'Ayna Muhammad b. al-Qasim told us: Muhammad b. 'A'isha told us on the authority of Isma'il b. 'Amr al-Bajali, who told us: 'Umar b. Musa told me on the authority of Zayd b. 'Ali b. al-Husayn, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his (Zayd's) grandfather, on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on them, who said:]

I complained to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, about the people's envy of me. He said: "'Ali, the first four to enter heaven are myself, you, al-Hasan and al-Husayn. Our progeny (will come) behind us and our loved ones will be behind our progeny. To our right and left will be our Shi'a."

Reports of Friendship to him, Peace be on him, Being a Sign of Good Birth and Enmity to him, Being a Sign of Disgraceful Birth [Abu al-Jaysh al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Balkhi informed me: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi al-Thalj told us: Ja'far b. Muhammad al-'Alawi' told us: Ahmad b. 'Abd al-Mun'im told us: 'Abd Allah b. Muhammad al-Fazari told us on the authority of Ja'far b. Muhammad, on the authority of his father, peace be on them, on the authority of Jabir, b. 'Abd Allah al-Ansari, who said:]

I heard the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, say to 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him: "Shall I not make you happy, give you a gift, tell you good news?"

"Please do, Apostle of God," he replied.

"Both I, myself, and you have been created from one (piece of) clay. Part of it was left over and from that God created our Shi'a. On the Day of Resurrection (all) the people will be summoned by the names of their mothers except our Shi'a. They will be summoned by the names of their fathers because of their good birth."

[Abu al-Jaysh al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad informed me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi al-Thalj who said: Muhammad b. Muslim al-Kufi told us: 'Ubayd Allah b. Kathir told us: Ja'far b. Muhammad b. al-Husayn al-Zuhri told us: 'Ubayd Allah b. Musa told us on the authority of Isra'il, on the authority of Abu Husayn, on the authority of 'Ikrima, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas:]

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, said: "On the Day of Resurrection all the people will be summoned by the names of their mothers except our Shi'a. They will be summoned by the names of' their fathers because of their good birth."

[Abu al-Qasim Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Qummi told us: Abu 'Ali Muhammad b. Hammam b. . Suhayl al-Iskafi told us: Ja'far b. Muhammad b. Malik told me: Muhammad b. Ni'ma al-Saluli told us: 'Abd Allah b. al-Qasim, told us on the authority of 'Abd Allah b. Jabala, on the authority of his father, who said: I heard Jabir b. 'Abd Allah b. Hizan al-Ansari say:]

One day a group of us Ansar were with the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. He said to us: "O people of the Ansar, instill in your children a love for 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. Whoever loves him should know that he is rightly guided and whoever hates him should know that he is in error."

Reports of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his Family Naming him, Peace be on him, Commander of the Faithful during (the Prophet's) Lifetime.

(Abu al-Jaysh Muzaffar b. Muhammad al-Balkhi informed me: Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi al-Thalj informed me: al-Husayn b. Ayyub informed me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ghalib, on the authority of 'Ali b. al-Husayn, on the authority of al-Hasan b. Mahbub, on the authority of Abu Hamza al-Thumali, on the authority of Abu lshaq al-Sabi'i, on the authority of Bashir al-Ghiffari, on the authority of Anas b. Malik, who said:]

I was a servant of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. One night Umm Habiba, daughter of Abu Sufyan, brought water for ablutions to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. He said to me: "Anas, at this moment there will come to you through this door the Commander of the faithful, the best of testamentary trustees of authority (wasiyyin), the foremost of the people in Islam, and the most knowledgeable and most mindful of them."

"O God, make him one of my tribe," I said.

However, almost immediately 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, came through the door. The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, performed his ablutions. Then the Apostle of God threw the water into, the face of the Commander of the faithful, peace be on them both, so that both his eyes were filled with water.

"Apostle of God, has any impurity occurred in me?" asked 'Ali.

"Only good has been occasioned in you," replied the Prophet, may God bless him and his family. "You belong to me and I belong to you. You will act on my behalf, fulfill my duties, wash my (corpse) and bury me in my grave. You will listen to the people's (questions) about me and you will explain to them after me."

"Apostle of God," 'Ali said, "haven't you told them?"

"Yes, but you will explain the things they differ on after me."

[Abu al-Jaysh al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad informed me on the authority of Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Abi al-Thalj who said: My grandfather told me: 'Abd Allah b. Dahir told us: My father, Dahir b. Yahya al-Ahmari al-Muqri told me on the authority of al-A'mash, on the authority of 'Abaya al-Asadi, on the authority of Ibn 'Abbas:]

The Prophet, may God bless him and his family, said to Umm Salama, may God be pleased with her: "Listen and bear witness that this 'Ali is the Commander of the faithful and the master of the testamentary trustees."

[With the same isnad on the authority of Muhammad (b. Ahmad) b. Abi al-Thalj who said: my grandfather told me: 'Abd al-Salam b. Salih told us: Yahya b. al-Yaman told us: Sufyan al-Thawri told us on the authority of Abu al-Jahhaf, on the authority of Mu'awiya b. Tha'laba who said:]

Abu Dharr, may God be pleased with him, was told: "Make a will."

"I have made my will," he answered.

"To whom?" he was asked.

"To the Commander of the faithful," he replied.

"To 'Uthman?"

"No," he said. "To the Commander of the faithful, 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. Indeed he is the pivot of the earth and the master of this community. If you lost him, you would not know the earth and those who were on it."

The report of Burayda b. Husayb al-Aslami is famous and well known among the religious scholars with (so many) isnds that their full elucidation would be very long. He reported:

The Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, ordered me while I was the seventh of a group of seven which included Abu Bakr, 'Umar, Talha and al-Zubayr: "Greet 'Ali with the title of Commander of the faithful."

We greeted him with that title while the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, lived among us.

There are many reports like these which would make the book too long (to report them all). God is the bringer of truth.

His Qualities

As for his many qualities, the fact that they are so famous, so well authenticated and reported by tradition and by the consensus of the religious scholars (means) that they do not need their chains of authority to be put forward; for since they are (also) so numerous their full explanation would make the book too long. In our outline, an extract from them will do instead of reporting them all, in accordance with- the purpose which we set down for this book, God willing.

1. The Meeting of the Banu 'Abd al-Muttalib

Among these is the account that the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, gathered his own family and tribal kin together at the beginning of his mission for Islam. He showed them the faith and sought their help against the people of unbelief and enmity, and guaranteed for them, if they did that, favour and honour in this world and a reward in heaven. None of them answered him except the Commander of the faithful, 'Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him. Because of that he granted him the achievement of brotherhood (with himself), the office of helping him, of being his nominated trustee, his inheritor and his successor, and announced that his going to heaven was inevitable.

This is reported in the account of the (meeting in the) house, whose authenticity the reporters of tradition are agreed upon:3

When the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, gathered members of the clan of 'Abd al-Muttalib in the house of Abu Talib, they were more or less forty men on that day as the reporters mention. He ordered food to be set for them, a leg of a ewe with a measure of wheat. He measured a sa' of milk. Each man of them was known to be able to eat a lamb in one sitting and to drink a farq'4 of drink in the same sitting. He, peace be on him and his family, intended by preparing little food and drink for their gathering, to reveal a clear sign to them through satisfying them and quenching their thirst with what would not normally satisfy and quench the thirst of one of them. He ordered the food and drink to be offered to them. From that little amount the whole group ate (and drank) until they were full and what they had eaten and drunk was not clear. He dazzled them by that and showed them the clear sign of his prophetic mission and the evidence for his truthfulness, through the proof of God, the Exalted, with regard to it. After they had eaten and drunk their fill, he said to them: "Banu 'Abd al-Muttalib, God has sent me to all creation and He has especially sent me to you. He has said: Warn your clan (who are your) kin (XXVI214)I call you to make two statements light to the tongue but heavy in the scales (of God). By them you will be master of Arab and foreigner, by them nations shall submit to you, by them you will enter heaven and by them you will escape from hell. They are the (twofold) testimony that there is no god but God and that I am the Apostle of God. Whoever answers me in this matter, helps me in it and in carrying it out, will be my brother, my trustee, my helper, my inheritor and my successor after me."

None of them answered.

The Commander of the faithful reported: I stood up before him amid them. At that time I was the youngest of them, still with very thin legs and with dirt still in the corners of my eyes. I said: "Apostle of God, I will help you."

"Sit down," he told me. Then he repeated his words to the people again. They were silent and I arose and said the same as I had said the first time. Again he told me to sit down and he repeated his words to the people a third time. None of them spoke a word. I arose and said:

"I will help you, Apostle of God, in this matter."

"Sit down," he said and then he went on, "You are my brother, my trustee, my helper, my inheritor, and my successor after me."

The people got up and they were saying to Abu Talib: "Abu Talib, you should be congratulated today that you have entered the religion of your nephew and he has made your son a commander over you."

This outstanding quality is exclusive to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him. None of the first emigrants or the Ansar share in it, nor does anyone else of the people of Islam. No one else has the equal of it in merit, nor even an approximate in (the) circumstance (of it). What is shown by the report of it is that through him, peace be on him, the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, was able to communicate his message, to make public his mission and declare the truth of Islam. If it had not been for him, the religion would not have been established, the law of Islam (shari'a) would not have been set down and the mission would not have been made public. He, peace be on him, is the support of Islam, the helper of the one who undertook its mission on behalf of God, the Mighty and High. Through his guaranteeing support to the Prophet of guidance, peace be on him and his family, he brought about for (the Prophet) what he wanted with regard to the prophetic mission. In that there is such merit that not even the weight of mountains could outweigh it, nor do all other virtues go beyond it in position and rank.