VERSE 42

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوَدُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَعَصَوُا الرَّسُولَ لَوْ تُسَوَّىٰ بِهِمُ الْأَرْضُ وَلَا يَكْتُمُونَ اللَّهَ حَدِيثًا {42}

On that Day will those who committed Kufr and disobeyed the Rasool, would desire if only the earth could be levelled with them, and they shall not be (able to) conceal any facts from Allah [4:42]

العياشي: عن مسعدة بن صدقة، عن جعفر بن محمد، عن جده (عليهم السلام)، قال: «قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) في خطبته يصف هول يوم القيامة: ختم على الأفواه فلا تكلم، فتكلمت الأيدي، و شهدت الأرجل، و نطقت الجلود بما عملوا فلا يكتمون الله حديثا

Al Ayyashi, from Mas’ada Bin Sadaqa,

From Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws, from his^-asws grandfather^-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said in his^-asws sermon describing the horrors of the Day of Judgement: ‘There would be a seal over their mouths so they shall not (be able to) speak. So their hands would speak, and their feet would bear witness, and their skins would speak with what they had done. And they shall not be (able to) conceal any facts from Allah [4:42]’.[1]

VERSES 43 & 44

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَعْلَمُوا مَا تَقُولُونَ وَلَا جُنُبًا إِلَّا عَابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّىٰ تَغْتَسِلُوا ۚ وَإِنْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَىٰ أَوْ عَلَىٰ سَفَرٍ أَوْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ مِنَ الْغَائِطِ أَوْ لَامَسْتُمُ النِّسَاءَ فَلَمْ تَجِدُوا مَاءً فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيدًا طَيِّبًا فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَأَيْدِيكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا {43}

O you who believe! Do not approach the Salat while you are Intoxicated until you know what you are saying, nor when you are with sexual impurity – unless (you are) travelling on the road – until you have washed; and if you are sick, or on a journey, or one of you come from the toilet or you have touched the women, and you cannot find water, so perform Tayammum with pure soil and wipe your face and your hands, then wipe your faces and your hands; Allah was always Pardoning, Forgiving [4:43]

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يَشْتَرُونَ الضَّلَالَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا السَّبِيلَ {44}

Are you not seeing those who have been Given a portion of the Book? They are buying the error and are intending to stray you all from the Way [4:44]

عن محمد بن الفضل، عن أبي الحسن (عليه السلام)، في قول الله: لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ أَنْتُمْ سُكارى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا ما تَقُولُونَ قال: «هذا قبل أن يحرم الخمر

From Muhammad Bin Al Fazal,

From Abu Al-Hassan^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj O you who believe! Do not approach the Salat while you are Intoxicated until you know what you are saying [4:43], said: ‘This (was Revealed) before the Prohibition of the wine’.[2]

محمد بن يعقوب: عن محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن الحسين ابن المختار، عن أبي اسامة زيد الشحام، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله (عليه السلام): قول الله عز و جل: لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ أَنْتُمْ سُكارى. فقال: «سكر النوم

Muhammad Bin Yaqoub, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Hamaad Bin Isa, from Al-Husayn ibn Al Mukhtar, from Abu Asama Zayd Al Shahaam who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘(What about) the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic O you who believe! Do not approach the Salat while you are Intoxicated [4:43]?’ So he^-asws said: ‘(It is) the intoxication of the sleep’.[3]

عن الحلبي، قال: سألته عن قول الله: يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ أَنْتُمْ سُكارى حَتَّى تَعْلَمُوا ما تَقُولُونَ. قال: «لا تقربوا الصلاة و أنتم سكارى، يعني سكر النوم، يقول: و بكم نعاس يمنعكم أن تعلموا ما تقولون في ركوعكم و سجودكم و تكبيركم

From Al Halby who said,

‘I asked him^-asws (5^th Imam^-asws) about the Words of Allah^-azwj O you who believe! Do not approach the Salat while you are Intoxicated until you know what you are saying [4:43]. He^-asws said: ‘Do not approach the Salat while you are Intoxicated [4:43] – Meaning the intoxication of the sleep, while there is drowsiness with you, and you should be knowing what you are saying during your Rukus and Sajdahs and your exclamations of Takbeers.

و ليس كما يصف كثير من الناس يزعمون أن المؤمن يسكر من الشراب، و المؤمن لا يشرب مسكرا، و لا يسكر

And it isn’t like what a lot of the people are claiming that the Momin gets intoxicated from the drink. And the Momin neither drinks the intoxicants nor does he get drunk’.[4]

محمد بن يعقوب: عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن جميل، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن الجنب، يجلس في المساجد؟ قال: «لا، و لكن يمر فيها كلها إلا المسجد الحرام، و مسجد الرسول (صلى الله عليه و آله)

Muhammad Bin Yaqoub, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Jameel who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the ‘Junub’ (state of sexual impurity), can he sit in the Masjids?’ He^-asws said: ‘No! But he can pass through all of them except for the Sacred Masjid, and the Masjid of Rasool-Allah^-saww’.[5]

ابن بابويه: عن أبيه، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، قال: حدثنا يعقوب بن يزيد، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زرارة و محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قالا: قلنا له: الحائض و الجنب يدخلان المسجد أم لا؟ قال: «الحائض و الجنب لا يدخلان المسجد إلا مجتازين، إن الله تبارك و تعالى يقول: وَ لا جُنُباً إِلَّا عابِرِي سَبِيلٍ حَتَّى تَغْتَسِلُوا

Ibn Babuwayh, from his father, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Hamaad Bin Isa, from Hareez, from Zarara and Muhammad Bin Muslim,

That they said, ‘We both asked from Abu Ja’far^-asws, ‘The menstruating woman and the man with sexual impurity, can they both enter the Masjid or not?’ He^-asws said: ‘The menstruating woman and the man with sexual impurity cannot enter the Masjid except as passers-by. Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted is Saying nor when you are with sexual impurity – unless (you are) travelling on the road – until you have washed [4:43]’.[6]

عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «أتى رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) عمار بن ياسر، فقال: يا رسول الله، أجنبت الليلة و لم يكن معي ماء؟ قال: كيف صنعت؟ قال: طرحت ثيابي ثم قمت على الصعيد فتمعكت

From Zarara,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Amaar Bin Yasser came to Rasool-Allah^-saww and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! I became with sexual impurity at night and there did not happen to be water with me?’ He^-saww said: ‘How did you deal with it?’ He said, ‘I removed my clothes and rolled upon the ground’.

فقال: هكذا يصنع الحمار، إنما قال الله: فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيداً طَيِّباً، قال: فضرب بيده الأرض، ثم مسح إحداهما على الاخرى، ثم مسح يديه بجبينه، ثم [مسح‏] كفيه، كل واحد منهما على الاخرى

He^-saww said: ‘This is what the donkeys do. But rather, Allah^-azwj is Saying so perform Tayammum with pure soil [4:43]. So strike your hand upon the earth, then wipe one of them upon the other. Then wipe your forehead with your hand, then wipe your hands, each one of them upon the other’.[7]

العياشي، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «لا تقم إلى الصلاة متكاسلا، و لا متناعسا، و لا متثاقلا، فإنها من خلال «1» النفاق، فإن الله نهى المؤمنين أن يقوموا إلى الصلاة و هم سكارى، يعني من النوم

Al Ayyashi, from Zurara,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Do not stand to the Salat sluggishly, nor drowsily, nor (with) heaviness, for these are from the traits of hypocrisy, for Allah^-azwj has Forbidden the Momineen that they should be standing to the Salat and they are intoxicated, meaning from the sleep’’.[8]

و عنه: عن المفيد، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن ابن بكير، عن زرارة، قال: سألت أبا جعفر (عليه السلام) عن التيمم، فضرب بيديه على الأرض، ثم رفعهما فنفضهما، ثم مسح بهما جبهته و كفيه مرة واحدة.

And from him, from Al Mufeed, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Al-Hassan Al Saffar, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Bakeyr, from Zurara who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws about the Tayammum, so he^-asws struck by his^-asws hands upon the ground, then raised them, and shook them, then wiped with them his^-asws forehead and his^-asws palm, once’’.[9]

عن منصور بن حازم، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «اللمس: الجماع

From Mansour Bin Hazim,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The ‘touching’ [4:43] – it is the copulation’.[10]

عن الحلبي، عنه (عليه السلام)، قال: «هو الجماع، و لكن الله ستار يحب الستر، فلم يسم كما تسمون

From Al Halby,

From him^-asws having said: ‘It (touching the women), is the copulation. But, Allah^-azwj is a Concealer, Loves the concealing, so He^-azwj did not Name it (explicitly) just as you are naming’’.[11]

عن أبي أيوب، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «التيمم بالصعيد لمن لم يجد الماء كمن توضأ من غدير من ماء، أليس الله يقول: فَتَيَمَّمُوا صَعِيداً طَيِّباً

From Abu Ayoub,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Tayammum with the soil is for the one who cannot find the water, like the one who performs Wudu from a stream of water. Isn’t Allah^-azwj Saying: so perform Tayammum with pure soil [4:43]?’

قال: قلت: فإن أصاب الماء و هو في آخر الوقت؟ قال: فقال: «قد مضت صلاته

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘So if he attains the water and it is during the last of the times (for Salat)?’ He^-asws said: ‘His Salat has expired’.

قال: قلت له: فيصلي بالتيمم صلاة اخرى؟ قال: «إذا رأى الماء و كان يقدر عليه انتقض التيمم

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘So he should pray another Salat with the Tayammum?’ He^-asws said: ‘When he sees the water, and he is able upon it, the Tayammum is broken’.[12]

الشيخ في (التهذيب): بإسناده عن محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن البرقي، عن سعد بن سعد، عن صفوان، قال: سألت أبا الحسن (عليه السلام) عن رجل احتاج إلى الوضوء للصلاة و هو لا يقدر على الماء، فوجد قدر ما يتوضأ به، بمائة درهم أو بألف درهم، و هو واجد لها يشتري و يتوضأ، أو يتيمم؟

Al Sheykh in Al Tehzeeb, by his chain, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Barqy, from Sa’ad, from Safwan who said,

‘I asked Abu Al-Hassan^-asws about a man needy to the Wudu for the Salat and he is not able upon the water. So he finds (some water), a measurement of what he can perform Wudu with, for one hundred Dirhams, or for a thousand Dirhams, and he can find (the money) for it. Should he buy and perform Wudu, or perform Tayammum (instead)?’

قال: «لا، بل يشتري، قد أصابني مثل هذا فاشتريت و توضأت، و ما يشترى بذلك مال كثير

He^-asws said: ‘No, but he should buy. I^-asws was hit by the likes of this (circumstance), so I^-asws bought and performed Wudu, and he should not buy that with a lot of wealth’.[13]

VERSES 45 & 46

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَىٰ بِاللَّهِ نَصِيرًا {45}

And Allah is more Knowing with your enemies; and suffice with Allah as a Guardian, and suffice with Allah as a Helper [4:45]

مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَٰكِنْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا {46}

From those Jews who are distorting the words away from its places and are saying, ‘We hear and we disobey’, and ‘listening without hearing’, and ‘Raina’, twisting with their tongues as a taunt in the Religion; and if they were to be saying, ‘We hear and we obey’, and, ‘Hear and consider us’, it would be better for them and more straight. But, Allah Cursed them due to their Kufr, therefore they will not be believing except for a little. [4:46]

وَ قَالَ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ ع: وَ كَانَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّفْظَةُ: راعِنا مِنْ أَلْفَاظِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الَّذِينَ يُخَاطِبُونَ بِهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُونَ: رَاعِنَا، أَيْ ارْعَ أَحْوَالَنَا، وَ اسْمَعْ مِنَّا كَمَا نَسْمَعُ مِنْكَ، وَ كَانَ فِي لُغَةِ الْيَهُودِ مَعْنَاهَا: اسْمَعْ، لَا سَمِعْتَ

And Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws said: ‘And it was so that this word, ‘Raina’, is from the words (vocabulary) of the Muslims, those who were addressing Rasool-Allah^-saww by it saying, ‘Raina’, i.e., ‘look at our state and hear from us just as we hear from you^-saww’. And in the language of the Jews it’s meaning is, ‘Listened, (but) not heard you’.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْيَهُودُ، الْمُسْلِمِينَ يُخَاطِبُونَ بِهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُونَ: رَاعِنَا وَ يُخَاطِبُونَ بِهَا، قَالُوا: إِنَّا كُنَّا نَشْتِمُ مُحَمَّداً إِلَى الْآنِ سِرّاً، فَتَعَالَوُا الْآنَ نَشْتِمُهُ جَهْراً. وَ كَانُوا يُخَاطِبُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص وَ يَقُولُونَ: رَاعِنَا، وَ يُرِيدُونَ شَتْمَهُ

When the Jews heard the Muslims addressing Rasool-Allah^-saww with it, saying, ‘Raina’, addressing with it, they said, ‘We used to insult Muhammad^-saww up to now in secret, so come not and let us insult him openly’. And they were addressing Rasool-Allah^-saww and saying, ‘Raina’, and they were intending to insult him^-saww.

فَفَطَنَ‏ لَهُمْ سَعْدُ بْنُ مُعَاذٍ الْأَنْصَارِيُّ، فَقَالَ: يَا أَعْدَاءَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ، أَرَاكُمْ تُرِيدُونَ سَبَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ تَوَهَّمُونَا أَنَّكُمْ تَجُرُّونَ فِي مُخَاطَبَتِهِ مَجْرَانَا، وَ اللَّهِ لَا سَمِعْتُهَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْكُمْ إِلَّا ضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَهُ، وَ لَوْ لَا أَنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَقْدِمَ عَلَيْكُمْ قَبْلَ التَّقَدُّمِ- وَ الِاسْتِئْذَانِ لَهُ وَ لِأَخِيهِ وَ وَصِيِّهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع الْقَيِّمِ بِأُمُورِ الْأُمَّةِ نَائِباً عَنْهُ فِيهَا، لَضَرَبْتُ عُنُقَ مَنْ قَدْ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْكُمْ يَقُولُ هَذَا

Sa’ad Bin Muaz the Helper shrewd to them, and he said, ‘O servants of Allah^-azwj! Upon you is the Curse of Allah^-azwj. I see you all intending to insult Rasool-Allah^-saww, and we are disappointed that you are being audacious in addressing him^-saww audaciously. By Allah^-azwj! I will not hear it from any one of you except I will strike off his neck. And had it not been for me disliking to precede upon you all before seeking his^-saww permission and of his^-saww brother and his^-saww successor Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, the one standing with the affairs of the community as a representative from him^-saww with regards to it, I would have stuck off the neck of the one whom I heard saying this!’

فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ هادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَواضِعِهِ- وَ يَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنا وَ عَصَيْنا وَ اسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَ راعِنا- لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَ طَعْناً فِي الدِّينِ‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‏ فَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Allah^-azwj Revealed: O Muhammad^-saww! From those Jews who are burning the words from its places and are saying: From those Jews who are altering the words away from its places and are saying, ‘We hear and we disobey’, and ‘hear without hearing’, and ‘Raina’, distorting with their tongues as a taunt in the Religion – up to His^-azwj Words – therefore they will not be believing except for a little [4:46].

وَ أَنْزَلَ‏ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَقُولُوا راعِنا يَعْنِي فَإِنَّهَا لَفْظَةٌ يَتَوَصَّلُ بِهَا أَعْدَاؤُكُمْ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ إِلَى شَتْمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ شَتْمِكُمْ

And Revealed O you those who are believing! Do not be saying ‘Raina’ – meaning, it is a word by which your enemies from the Jews are arriving with it to insult Rasool-Allah^-saww, and are insulting you (Muslims as well)’.

وَ قُولُوا انْظُرْنا، أَيْ قُولُوا بِهَذِهِ اللَّفْظَةِ، لَا بِلَفْظَةِ رَاعِنَا، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ فِيهَا مَا فِي قَوْلِكُمْ: رَاعِنَا، وَ لَا يُمْكِنُهُمْ أَنْ يَتَوَصَّلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الشَّتْمِ- كَمَا يُمْكِنُهُمْ بِقَوْلِهِمْ رَاعِنَا وَ اسْمَعُوا إِذَا قَالَ لَكُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص قَوْلًا وَ أَطِيعُوا

And be saying ‘Unzurna’ – i.e., be saying with this word, not with the word ‘Raina’, for there isn’t in it what is in your word ‘Raina’, and you will not be enabling them to arrive with it to the insult just as you are enabling them by your word, ‘Raina’, and listen when Rasool-Allah^-saww says to you some words, and obey.

وَ لِلْكافِرِينَ‏ يَعْنِي الْيَهُودَ الشَّاتِمِينَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص‏ عَذابٌ أَلِيمٌ‏ وَجِيعٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا إِنْ عَادُوا بِشَتْمِهِمْ، وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ بِالْخُلُودِ فِي النَّارِ

And for the unbelievers – meaning the Jews, the insulting ones to Rasool-Allah^-saww, there is a painful Punishment [2:104] – pain in the world if they repeat with their insults, and in the Hereafter, with the eternity in the Fire’’.[14]

VERSE 47

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ آمِنُوا بِمَا نَزَّلْنَا مُصَدِّقًا لِمَا مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهًا فَنَرُدَّهَا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِهَا أَوْ نَلْعَنَهُمْ كَمَا لَعَنَّا أَصْحَابَ السَّبْتِ ۚ وَكَانَ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ مَفْعُولًا {47}

O you who have been Given the Book! Believe in what We Revealed, Verifying what is with you from before We Alter faces then turn them on their backs, or We Curse them as We Cursed the violators of the Sabbath, and the Command of Allah will always be carried out [4:47]

العياشي: و روي عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر، قال: قال أبو جعفر (عليه السلام): «نزلت هذه الآية على محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله) هكذا: يا أيها الذين أوتوا الكتاب آمنوا بما أنزلت في علي مصدقا لما معكم من قبل أن نطمس وجوها فنردها على أدبارها أو نلعنهم، إلى قوله: مفعولا

Al Ayyashi, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘This Verse was Revealed unto Muhammad like this: O you who have been Given the Book! Believe in what We Revealed regarding Ali^-asws, Verifying what is with you from before We Alter faces then turn them on their backs, or We Curse them [4:47] – up to His^-azwj Words carried out.

و أما قوله: مُصَدِّقاً لِما مَعَكُمْ يعني مصدقا برسول‏ الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)

And as for His^-azwj Words Verifying what you have – it Means ratifying Rasool-Allah^-saww’.[15]

وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ مُنَخَّلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) بِهَذِهِ الْآيَةِ هَكَذَا يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتابَ آمِنُوا بِما نَزَّلْنا فِي عَلِيٍّ نُوراً مُبِيناً

And by this chain, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Ammar Bin Marwan, from Munakhhal,

from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Jibraeel^-as descended unto Muhammad^-saww with this Verse like this O you who have been Given the Book! Believe in what We Revealed regarding Ali^-aswsbeing a clear light [4:47]’.[16]

محمد بن إبراهيم النعماني- المعروف بابن زينب- قال: [أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، عن هؤلاء الرجال الأربعة، عن ابن محبوب و] أخبرنا محمد بن يعقوب الكليني أبو جعفر، قال: حدثني علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، و حدثني محمد بن يحيى بن عمران، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، و حدثني علي ابن محمد و غيره، عن سهل بن زياد، جميعا، عن الحسن بن محبوب، و حدثنا عبد الواحد بن عبد الله الموصلي، عن أبي علي أحمد بن محمد بن أبي ناشر، عن أحمد بن هلال، عن الحسن بن محبوب، قال: حدثنا عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن جابر بن يزيد الجعفي، قال

Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al Numany, well known as Ibn Zaynab, said, ‘It was informed to us by Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Saeed, from those four men, from Ibn Mahboub, and Muhammad B in Yaqoub Al Kulayni Abu Ja’far, from Ali Bin Ibrahim Bin Hashim, from his father and Muhammad Bin Yahya Bin Imran, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, and Ali Bin Muhammad, and someone else, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, altogether from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, and Abdul Wahid Bin Abullah Ao Mowsaly, from Abu Ali Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nashir, from Ahmad Bin Hilal, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Amro Bin Abu Al Mqadam, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Ja’fary who said,

قال أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر (عليهما السلام): «يا جابر، الزم الأرض، و لا تحرك يدا و لا رجلا حتى ترى علامات أذكرها لك إن أدركتها: أولها اختلاف ولد فلان «1» و ما أراك تدرك ذلك، و لكن حدث به من بعدي عني

Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Ali Al Baqir^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Necessitate the ground and neither move a hand nor a leg until you see the signs which I^-asws am mentioning to you, if you come across these. Firstly, the sons of so and so would differ, and I don’t see you coming across that, but you narrate with it to the ones (to come) after me^-asws, on my^-asws behalf.

و مناد ينادي من السماء، و يجيئكم الصوت من ناحية دمشق بالفتح، و تخسف قرية من قرى الشام تسمى الجابية «2»، و تسقط طائفة من مسجد دمشق الأيمن، و مارقة تمرق من ناحية الترك، و يعقبها هرج الروم، و يستقبل إخوان الترك حتى ينزلوا الجزيرة، و سيقبل مارقة الروم حتى ينزلوا الرملة.

And a caller would call from the sky, and there would come to you the sound from around Damascus with the victory, and the land of a town from the towns of Syria named as Al Jabiyat[17] would submerge. And an area from the Masjid of Damascus would fall, and a rogue would pass through an area of Turkey, and there would follow him the agitation of Rome, and the Turkish brothers would come until they encamp at the island[18], and the rogues of Roma would return until they encamp at Al Ramla[19].

فتلك السنة- يا جابر- فيها اختلاف كثير في كل أرض من ناحية المغرب، فأول أرض تخرب أرض الشام، ثم يختلفون عند ذلك على ثلاث رايات: راية الأصهب، و راية الأبقع، و راية السفياني، فيلتقي السفياني بالأبقع، فيقتتلون فيقتله السفياني، و من معه ، ثم يقتل الأصهب، ثم لا يكون له همة إلا الإقبال نحو العراق، و يمر جيشه‏ بقرقيسياء

So, that is the year, O Jabir, in which would be a lot of differing in every land from around the west. The first land to be ruined would be the land of Syria. Then they would be differing at that, three flags – the flag of Al As’hab[20], and the flag of Al Abqa’a[21], and the flag of Al Sufyani. Al-Sufyani would meet (in battle) with Al Abqa’a, and they would be fighting, and Al-Sufyani would kill him and the ones with him. Then he would fight Al As’hab. Then there would not happen to be any encouragement for him except to face around Iraq, and his army would pass by Qarqaysia[22].

فيقتتلون بها، فيقتل بها من الجبارين مائة ألف. و يبعث السفياني جيشا إلى الكوفة، و عدتهم سبعون ألفا، فيصيبون من أهل الكوفة قتلا و صلبا و سبيا، فبينما هم كذلك إذ أقبلت رايات من نحو خراسان تطوي المنازل طيا حثيثا.

They would be fighting at it, and there would be killed at it, a hundred thousand from the tyrants. And Al-Sufyani would send an army to Al-Kufa, and their number would be seventy thousand, and they would be hitting the people of Al-Kufa with the fighting, and crucifixions, and captives. So, while they would be like that, when flags from around Khurasan would come over, trampling the houses with aggressive trampling.

و معهم نفر من أصحاب القائم، ثم يخرج رجل من موالي أهل الكوفة في ضعفاء فيقتله أمير جيش السفياني بين الحيرة و الكوفة، و يبعث السفياني بعثا إلى المدينة، فينفر المهدي (صلوات الله عليه) منها إلى مكة، فيبلغ أمير جيش السفياني بأن المهدي قد خرج إلى مكة، فيبعث جيشا على أثره فلا يدركه حتى يدخل مكة خائفا يترقب على سنة موسى بن عمران (عليه السلام)

And with them would be a number of the companions of Al Qaim^-asws. Then a man would come out from the loyalists of the people of Al-Kufa, among the weak ones, and the commander of the army of Al-Sufyani would kill him between Al-Hira and Al-Kufa. And Al-Sufyan would send a battalion to Al Medina, and Al Mahdi^-asws would flee from it to Makka. The commander of the army of Al-Sufyani would reach when Al Mahdi^-asws would have already fled to Makka. He would send an army upon his^-asws traces, but they would not come across him^-asws until he^-asws does enter Makka, fearful, anticipating upon the Sunnah of Musa Bin Imran^-as’.

قال: «و ينزل أمير جيش السفياني البيداء، فينادي مناد من السماء: يا بيداء، أبيدي القوم، فيخسف بهم، فلا يفلت منهم إلا ثلاثة نفر، يحول الله وجوههم إلى أقفيتهم و هم من كلب، و فيهم نزلت هذه الآية: يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتابَ آمِنُوا بِما نَزَّلْنا مُصَدِّقاً لِما مَعَكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ نَطْمِسَ وُجُوهاً فَنَرُدَّها عَلى أَدْبارِها

He^-asws said: ‘And the commander of the army of Al-Sufyani would encamp at Al Bayda[23]. Then a caller would call out from the sky: ‘O Bayda! Submerge the people!’ So it would submerge with them, and there would not remain from them except for three people. Allah^-azwj would have Transformed their faces to their reverse, and they would be from insane ones. And (it is) regarding them, this Verse was Revealed: O you who have been Given the Book! Believe in what We Revealed, Verifying what is with you from before We Alter faces then turn them on their backs, [4:47]’.[24]

VERSE 48

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَنْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَىٰ إِثْمًا عَظِيمًا {48}

Allah does not Forgive if He is associated with, and He Forgives whatever is besides that to the one He so Desires to; and the one who associates with Allah, so he has fabricated a grievous sin [4:48]

العياشي: عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «أما قوله: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ [يعني أنه لا يغفر] لمن يكفر بولاية علي (عليه السلام).

Al Ayyashi, from Jabir,

from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘As for His^-azwj Words Allah does not Forgive if He is associated with [4:48] – i.e. He^-azwj does not Forgive the one who denies the Wilayah of Ali^-asws.

و أما قوله: وَ يَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ يعني لمن والى عليا (عليه السلام)

And as for His^-azwj Words and He Forgives whatever is besides that to the one He so Desires to [4:48] – i.e., (Forgives) the one who has the Wilayah of Ali^-asws’.[25]

ابن بابويه في (الفقيه)، قال: سئل الصادق (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَ يَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ هل تدخل الكبائر في المشيئة؟. فقال: «نعم، ذاك إليه عز و جل، إن شاء عاقب» عليها، و إن شاء عفا

Ibn Babuwayh in Al Faqeeh, said,

‘Al-Sadiq^-asws was asked about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Allah does not Forgive if He is associated with, and He Forgives whatever is besides that to the one He so Desires to [4:48] – are the major sins included in the Desire (the exclusion)?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Yes, that is up to Him^-azwj, the Mighty and Majestic, if He^-azwj so Desires to, Punishes upon it, and if He^-azwj so Desires to, Pardons’.[26]

عن أبي العباس، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن أدنى ما يكون به الإنسان مشركا. قال: «من ابتدع رأيا فأحب عليه أو أبغض

From Abu Al Abbas who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the least with what the human would happen to be a Polytheist (Mushrik) with’. He^-asws said: ‘The one who begins (forms) an opinion, so he loves upon it or hates (upon it)’.[27]

و عنه: قال: حدثنا محمد بن محمد بن الغالب الشافعي، قال أخبرنا أبو محمد مجاهد بن أعين بن داود، قال: أخبرنا عيسى بن أحمد العسقلاني، قال: أخبرنا النضر بن شميل، قال: أخبرنا إسرائيل، قال: أخبرنا ثوير، عن أبيه، أن عليا (عليه السلام) قال: «ما في القرآن آية أحب إلي من قوله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَ يَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ

And from him (Al Sadouq), from Muhammad Bin Muhammad Bin Al Ghalib Al Shafi’e, from Abu Muhammad Mujahid Bin Ayn Bin Dawood, from Isa Bin Ahmad Al Asqalany, from Al Nazar Bin Shameel, from Israeel, from Suweyr, from his father who said,

‘Ali^-asws said: ‘There is not in the Quran a Verse more beloved to me^-asws than the Words of the Mighty and Majestic Allah does not Forgive if He is associated with, and He Forgives whatever is besides that to the one He so Desires to [4:48]’.[28]

و عنه: بإسناده، عن العباس بن بكار الضبي، عن محمد بن سليمان الكوفي البزاز، قال: حدثنا عمرو بن خالد، عن زيد بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن الحسين، عن أبيه الحسين بن علي، عن أبيه أمير المؤمنين علي ابن أبي طالب (عليهم السلام)، قال: «المؤمن على أي حال مات، و في أي يوم مات و ساعة قبض، فهو صديق شهيد، و لقد سمعت حبيبي رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) يقول: لو أن المؤمن خرج من الدنيا و عليه مثل ذنوب أهل الأرض لكان الموت كفارة لتلك الذنوب

And from him (Al Sadouq), from Al Abaas Bin Bakaar Al Zaby, from Muhammad Bin Suleyman Al Kufy Al Bazaz, from Amro Bin Khalid, from Zayd,

from his father^-asws Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws Al-Husayn^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws Amir Al-Momineen Ali^-asws Ibn Abu Talib^-asws having said: ‘The Momin, whichever state he dies upon, and in whichever day he dies, or hour which he passes away in, so he is a truthful martyr. And I^-asws have heard my^-asws beloved Rasool-Allah^-saww saying: ‘Even if the Momin exits from the world and there are sins the like of the sins of the people of the earth, his death would be an expiation for those sins’.

ثم قال: من قال: لا إله إلا الله بإخلاص، فهو بري‏ء من الشرك، و من خرج من الدنيا لا يشرك بالله شيئا دخل الجنة، ثم تلا هذه الآية: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَ يَغْفِرُ ما دُونَ ذلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ من محبيك و شيعتك، يا علي

Then he^-saww said: ‘The one who says, ‘There is no god except for Allah^-azwj with sincerity, so he would be free from the association (الشرك), and the one who exits from the world without having associated anything with Allah^-azwj, would enter the Paradise’. Then he^-saww recited the Verse Allah does not Forgive if He is associated with, and He Forgives whatever is besides that to the one He so Desires to [4:48], from those that love you^-asws and your^-asws Shias, O Ali^-asws!’

قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «فقلت: يا رسول الله هذا لشيعتي؟» قال: إي و ربي، إنه لشيعتك، و إنهم ليخرجون [يوم القيامة] من قبورهم يقولون: لا إله إلا الله، محمد رسول الله، علي بن أبي طالب حجة الله

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘So I^-asws said: ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! This is for my^-asws Shias (only)?’ Rasool Allah^-saww said: ‘Yes, by my^-saww Lord^-azwj, it is for your^-asws Shias (only). And they would be coming out from their graves on the Day of Judgement and they would be saying, ‘There is no god except for Allah^-azwj, Muhammad^-saww is His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws is the Divine Authority of Allah^-azwj’.

فيؤتون بحلل خضر من الجنة، و أكاليل من الجنة، و تيجان من الجنة، [و نجائب من الجنة] فيلبس كل واحد منهم حلة خضراء، و يوضع على رأسه تاج الملك و إكليل الكرامة، ثم يركبون النجائب فتطير بهم إلى الجنة لا يَحْزُنُهُمُ الْفَزَعُ الْأَكْبَرُ وَ تَتَلَقَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ هذا يَوْمُكُمُ الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ

Then they would be Given green robes from the Paradise, and garlands from the Paradise, and crowns from the Paradise, and rides from the Paradise. So each one of them would be wearing a green robe, and a crown of kings would be placed upon his head, and the garlands of prestige. Then they would be riding the rides and fly with them to the Paradise The great terror shall not grieve them, and the Angels shall meet them: ‘This is your Day which you were Promised’ [21:103]’.[29]

VERSE 49

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يُزَكُّونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ ۚ بَلِ اللَّهُ يُزَكِّي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَلَا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا {49}

Have you not seen those who (claim they) are purifying themselves? But Allah Purifies the one He so Desires to, and they shall not be wronged (by even) the husk of a date stone [4:49]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: هم الذين سموا أنفسهم بالصديق، و الفاروق، و ذي النورين

Ali Bin Ibrahim said,

‘They are the ones who called themselves as Siddique, (Abu Bakr) and Al Farouq (Umar) and Zul-Noorayn (Usman)’.

و قوله تعالى: وَ لا يُظْلَمُونَ فَتِيلًا قال: القشرة التي تكون على النواة [ثم كنى عنهم‏]، فقال: انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ و هم هؤلاء الثلاثة

And the Words of the Exalted: and they shall not be wronged (by even) the husk of a date stone [4:49] – the crust that happens to be upon the core (of a date). Then He^-azwj Metaphored about them, so He^-azwj Said: Look how they are fabricating the lie upon Allah – and they are those three’. [30]

VERSE 50

انْظُرْ كَيْفَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ ۖ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ إِثْمًا مُبِينًا {50}

Look how they are fabricating the lie upon Allah, and it shall be sufficed with as a manifest sin [4:50]

فِي كِتَابِ كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَ تَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ بِإِسْنَادِهِ إِلَى عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَمُرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ حَدِيثٍ طَوِيلٍ يَقُولُ فِيهِ: وَ مَنْ فَسَّرَ الْقُرْآنَ بِرَأْيِهِ فَقَدِ افْتَرَى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ

In the book Kamal Al Deen Wa Tamam Al Ni’ma, by his chain up to Abdul Rahman Bin Samrat,

From the Prophet^-saww, a lengthy Hadeeth, he^-saww is saying in it: ‘And the one who interprets the Quran by his opinion, so he has fabricated the lie upon Allah^-azwj’’.[31]

VERSES 51 to 53

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هَٰؤُلَاءِ أَهْدَىٰ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلًا {51}

Have you not seen those Given a portion of the Book? They are believing in the false god and the tyrant, and they are saying to those who are committing Kufr, ‘They are more guided of the way than those who are believing’. [4:51]

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَمَنْ يَلْعَنِ اللَّهُ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيرًا {52}

They are those whom Allah has Cursed; and the one whom Allah Curses, so you will never find there being a helper for him [4:52]

أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ فَإِذًا لَا يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيرًا {53}

Or is there for them a share in the Kingdom? (If) So, they would not be giving the people (even) the speck of the date stone [4:53]

عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ كُلُّ رَايَةٍ تُرْفَعُ قَبْلَ قِيَامِ الْقَائِمِ فَصَاحِبُهَا طَاغُوتٌ يُعْبَدُ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

From him, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Hammaad Bin Isa, from Al-Husayn Bin Al-Mukhtar, from Abu Baseer, who has narrated the following:

Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Every flag raised before the rising of Al-Qaim^-asws, so its owner is a tyrant (طَاغُوتٌ) who worships someone besides Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’.[32]

حدثنا يعقوب بن يزيد عن محمد بن ابى عمير عن ابن اذينه عن بريد العجلى عن ابى جعفر عليه السلام في قول الله تبارك وتعالى الم تر إلى الذين اوتو نصيبا من الكتاب يؤمنون بالجبت والطاغوت فلان وفلان

Narrated to us Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Bureyd Al-Ajaly:

‘From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted: Have you not seen those Given a portion of the Book? They are believing in the false god and the tyrant [4:51]: ‘So and so, and so and so (Abu Bakr and Umar).’

ويقولون للذين كفروا هؤلاء اهدى من الذين آمنوا سبيلا يقولون لائمة الضلال والدعاة إلى النار هؤلاء اهدى من آل محمد واوليائهم سبيلا

and they are saying to those who are committing Kufr, ‘They are more guided of the way than those who are believing’. [4:51]. They are saying for the leaders of misguidance and the callers to the Fire, ‘They are better guides than the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww and their^-asws friends, of the way.

اولئك الذين لعنهم الله ومن يلعن الله فلن تجد له نصيرا ام لهم نصيب من الملك يعنى الامام والخلافة فإذا لا يؤتون الناس نقيرا عن الناس الذين عنى الله.

They are those whom Allah has Cursed; and the one whom Allah Curses, so you will never find there being a helper for him [4:52]. Or is there for them a share in the Kingdom? – meaning the Imam^-asws (Imamate) and the Caliphate. (If) So, they would not be giving the people (even) the speck of the date stone [4:53] – about the people, those whom Allah^-azwj Meant (Imams^-asws)’.[33]

وما أنت وطلحة والزبير بأحقر جرما ولا أصغر ذنبا وأهون بدعة وضلالة ممن استنالك ولصاحبك الذي تطلب بدمه ووطئا لكم ظلمنا أهل البيت وحملاكم على رقابنا

(Amir Al-Momineen^-asws) said: ‘And neither are you, or Talha and Al-Zubayr, any less criminal, nor are your sins any smaller, and any lesser in your heresies (innovations) and straying from the ones who facilitated these for you (Abu Bakr and Umar) and for your companion (Usman) whose blood that you seek, and made it easy for you to oppress us^-asws, the People^-asws of the Household, and (they) burdened you upon our^-asws necks.

فإن الله يقول: (ألم تر إلى الذين أوتوا نصيبا من الكتاب يؤمنون بالجبت والطاغوت ويقولون للذين كفروا هؤلاء أهدى من الذين آمنوا سبيلا أولئك الذين لعنهم الله ومن يلعن الله فلن تجد له نصيرا

Allah^-azwj is Saying: Have you not seen those Given a portion of the Book? They are believing in the false god and the tyrant, and they are saying to those who are committing Kufr, ‘They are more guided of the way than those who are believing’. [4:51] They are those whom Allah has Cursed; and the one whom Allah Curses, so you will never find there being a helper for him [4:52].

أم لهم نصيب من الملك فإذا لا يؤتون الناس نقيرا أم يحسدون الناس على ما آتاهم الله من فضله)، فنحن الناس ونحن المحسودون

Or is there for them a share in the Kingdom? (If) So, they would not be giving the people (even) the speck of the date stone [4:53] Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? So we^-asws are the people and we^-asws are the envied ones’.

قال الله عز وجل: (فقد آتينا آل إبراهيم الكتاب والحكمة وآتيناهم ملكا عظيما فمنهم من آمن به ومنهم من صد عنه وكفى بجهنم سعيرا)

Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Says: Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54] From them is one who believes in him, and of them is he who turns away from him and would be sufficed with Hell as a Blazing Fire [4:55].

فالملك العظيم أن جعل الله فيهم أئمة من أطاعهم أطاع الله ومن عصاهم عصى الله والكتاب والحكمة النبوة. فلم تقرون بذلك في آل إبراهيم وتنكرونه في آل محمد؟

The grand kingdom is that Allah^-azwj Made Imams^-asws to be among them. The one who obeys them^-asws has obeyed Allah^-azwj, and the one who disobeys them^-asws has disobeyed Allah^-azwj, and the Book, and the Wisdom, and the Prophet-hood. So why are they accepting with that regarding the Progeny of Ibrahim^-as, and are denying it with regards to the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww?’[34]

VERSES 54 & 55

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَا آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ۖ فَقَدْ آتَيْنَا آلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا {54}

Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]

فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ صَدَّ عَنْهُ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيرًا {55}

From them is one who believes in him, and of them is he who turns away from him and would be sufficed with Hell as a Blazing Fire [4:55]

وفيما يكذب قولكم على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قوله تعالى: (أم يحسدون الناس على ما آتاهم الله من فضله فقد آتينا آل إبراهيم الكتاب والحكمة وآتيناهم ملكا عظيما) ، فالكتاب النبوة، والحكمة السنة، والملك الخلافة، ونحن آل إبراهيم

(Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said): ‘And among what belies your words against Rasool-Allah^-saww are the Words of Allah^-azwj the High Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]. So the Book is the Prophet-hood, and the Wisdom is the Sunnah, and the kingdom is the Caliphate, and we^-asws are the Progeny^-asws of Ibrahim^-as’.[35]

حدثنا احمد بن محمد عن الحسين بن سعيد عن محمد بن الفضيل عن ابي جعفر عليه السلام في قول الله تعالى ام يحسدون الناس على ما اتيهم الله من فضله قال نحن المحسودون

Narrated to us Ahmad Bin Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Muhammad Bin Al-Fazeyl has reported the following:

Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj the High ‘Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? [4:54]. (Imam^-asws) said: ‘We^-asws are the envied ones.’[36]

حدثنا يعقوب بن يزيد عن محمد بن الحسين عن محمد بن ابى عمير عن عن ابن اذينة عن بريد بن معاوية عن ابي جعفر عليه السلام في قول الله تبارك وتعالى ام يحسدون الناس على ما اتيهم الله من فضله فنحن الناس المحسودون على ما اتانا الله الامامة دون خلق الله

Narrated to us Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Muhammad Bin Al-Husayn, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Abu Azina, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya, who has reported:

Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? [4:54] (Imam^-asws said): ‘We^-asws are the envied people due what Allah^-azwj has Given to us^-asws the Imamate, from besides the Creation of Allah^-azwj.’[37]

و عنه: عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن عمر بن أذينة، عن بريد العجلي، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قول الله عز و جل: فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً، قال: «جعل منهم الرسل و الأنبياء و الأئمة، فكيف يقرون في آل إبراهيم و ينكرونه في آل محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله)

And from him, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Azina, from Bureyd Al Ajaly,

from Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54], having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Made from them^-as the Rasools^-as and the Prophets^-as, so how are they (people) accepting with regards to the Progeny of Ibrahim^-as and are denying with regards to the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww?’

قال: قلت: وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً؟ قال: «الملك العظيم أن جعل فيهم أئمة، من أطاعهم أطاع الله، و من عصاهم عصى الله، فهو الملك العظ

(The narrator) says, ‘I asked, ‘and We have Given them a grand kingdom?’ He^-asws said: ‘The grand kingdom – He^-azwj Made among them the Imams^-asws, so the one who obeys them^-asws has obeyed Allah^-azwj, and the one who disobeys them^-asws has disobeyed Allah^-azwj. So it is the grand kingdom’.[38]

Narrated to us Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Muhammad Bin Al-Husayn, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Abu Azina, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya, who has reported the following:

Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Statement of Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? [4:54]: ‘We^-asws are the envied people on what Allah^-azwj has Given to us^-asws the Imamate, apart from the Creation of Allah^-azwj.’[39]

و عنه: عن محمد بن عبد الحميد العطار، عن منصور بن يونس، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: قلت له: قول الله عز و جل: فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَ الْحِكْمَةَ وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً. قال: قال: «تعلم ملكا عظيما، ما هو؟». قلت: أنت أعلم جعلني الله فداك، قال: «طاعة الإمام مفروضة

And from him, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Hameed Al Ataar, from Mansour Bin Yunus, from Abu Baseer,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I said to him^-asws, ‘The Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]’. He^-asws said: ‘Do you know the grand kingdom, what it is?’ I said, ‘You^-asws are more knowing, may Allah^-azwj Make me to be sacrificed for you^-asws!’ He^-asws said: ‘The obedience to the Imam^-asws being obligatory’’.[40]

[ الثعلبي ] أخبرنا الحسين بن محمد بن فنجويه، حدثنا محمد بن خلف، حدثنا إسحاق بن محمد، حدثنا أبي، حدثنا إبراهيم بن عيسى، حدثنا علي بن علي، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي في قوله تعالى: * (أم يحسدون الناس على مآ ءاتهم الله من فضله) * يعني بالناس في هذه الآية نبي الله. قالت اليهود: انظروا إلى هذا الفتى والله لا يشبع من الطعام، لا والله ما له هم إلا النساء ! لو كان نبيا لشغله أمر النبوة من النساء

Al Sa’alby – Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad Bin Fanjawayh, from Muhammad Bin Khalaf, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from his father, from Ibrahim Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Ali, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly,

regarding the Words of the High Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? [4:54]? What is Meant by ‘the people’ in this Verse is the Prophet^-saww of Allah^-saww. The Jews said, ‘Look at this youth. By Allah^-azwj, he^-saww is neither satiated from the food, nor, by Allah^-azwj, is there anything for him^-saww except for the women! If he^-saww was a Prophet^-saww, he^-saww would occupy himself^-saww with the affairs of the Prophet-hood rather than the women’.

حسدوه على كثرة نسائه وعابوه بذلك وقالوا: لو كان نبيا ما رغب في كثرة النساء، فأكذبهم الله فقال: * (فقد ءاتينآ ءال إبرهيم الكتب والحكمة) * يعني الحكمة النبوة * (وءاتينهم ملكا عظيما) * فأخبرهم بما كان لداود وسليمان (عليهما السلام) من النساء يوبخهم بذلك

They envied him^-saww over the abundance of his^-saww wives, and faulted him^-saww with that, and said, ‘If he^-saww was a Prophet^-saww, he^-saww would not have wished for an abundance of the women’. So Allah^-azwj Belied them, and Said So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom – Meaning by the Wisdom, Prophet-hood. and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]. So He^-azwj Informed them with was used to be for Dawood^-as and Suleyman^-as, from the wives, Rebuking them with that.

فأقرت اليهود لنبي الله انه اجتمع عند سليمان ألف امرأة ثلثمائة مهرية وسبعمائة سرية وعند داود مائة امرأة. فقال لهم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله): ألف امرأة عند رجل ومائة امرأة عند رجل أكثر أو تسع نسوة وكان يومئذ تسع نسوة عند رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) فسكتوا

The Jews used to agree upon the Prophet^-as of Allah^-azwj and formed a consensus upon Suleyman^-as having a thousand wives, three hundred being dowered, and seven hundred in secret, and upon Dawood^-as having a hundred wives. So Rasool-Allah^-saww said to them: ‘A thousand wives with a man, and a hundred wives with a man is more, or nine wives?’ And in that day, there were nine wives with Rasool-Allah^-saww. So they were silenced’.[41]

[ الصفار القمي ] حدثنا أبو محمد، عن عمران بن موسى، عن موسى بن جعفر وعلي بن اسباط، عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) في هذه الآية: * (أم يحسدون الناس على مآ ءاتهم الله من فضله فقد ءاتينآ ءال إبرهيم الكتب والحكمة وءاتينهم ملكا عظيما) * قال: نحن والله الناس الذين قال الله تبارك وتعالى، ونحن والله المحسودون، ونحن أهل هذا الملك الذي يعود إلينا

Al Saffar Al Qummy – Abu Muhammad narrated to us, from Imran Bin Musa, from Musa Bin Ja’far and Ali Bin Asbaat, from Muhammad Bin Al Fazeyl, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly,

from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding this Verse Or are they envying the people upon what Allah has Given them from His Grace? So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book and the Wisdom, and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]. He^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! We^-asws are the people about whom Allah^-azwj the Blessed and Exalted Speaks of, and by Allah^-azwj, we^-asws are the envied ones, and we^-asws are the rightful ones of the kingdom which will (eventually be) Restored to us^-asws’.[42]

[ العياشي ] عن أبي حمزة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) في تفسير قوله تعالى: * (فقد ءاتينآ ءال إبرهيم الكتب) * فهو النبوة * (والحكمة) * فهم الحكماء من الأنبياء من الصفوة، واما الملك العظيم فهم الأئمة الهداة من الصفوة

Al Ayyashi, from Abu Hamza,

from Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the interpretation of the Words of the High So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book [4:54], so it is the Prophet-hood; and the Wisdom, so they^-as are the wise ones from the Prophets^-as from the elites. And as for the grand kingdom, so they^-asws are the Imams^-asws of the Guidance from the elites’.[43]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسين، عن أحمد بن أبي عبد الله، عن أبيه، عن يونس، عن أبي جعفر الأحوال مؤمن الطاق، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: قلت له: فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ؟ قال: «النبوة» قلت: وَ الْحِكْمَةَ؟ قال: «الفهم و القضاء». قلت: وَ آتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً؟ قال: «الطاعة المفروض

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘It was narrated t us by Ali Bin Al-Husayn, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abullah, from his father, from Yunus, from Abu Ja’far Al Ahwal Momin Al Taq,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I said to him^-asws, ‘So We have Given the Progeny of Ibrahim, the Book [4:54]?’ He^-asws said: ‘The Prophet-hood’. I said, ‘and the Wisdom?’ He^-asws said: ‘The understanding and the judgment’. I said, ‘and have Given them a grand kingdom [4:54]?’ The Imposed (Obligatory) obedience’’.[44]

عن يونس بن ظبيان، قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «بينما موسى بن عمران يناجي ربه و يكلمه إذ رأى رجلا تحت ظل عرش الله تعالى، فقال: يا رب، من هذا الذي قد أظله عرشك؟ فقال: يا موسى، هذا ممن لا يحسد الناس على ما آتاهم الله من فضله

From Yunus Bin Zabyan who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘While Musa Bin Imran^-as was whispering to his^-as Lord^-azwj and speaking to Him^-azwj, when he^-as saw a man beneath the shadow of the Throne of Allah^-azwj the Exalted, so he^-as said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! Who is this whom Your^-azwj Throne has shaded?’ So He^-azwj Said: “O Musa^-as! This is from the ones who did not envy the people upon what Allah^-azwj had Given them from His^-azwj Grace”’.[45]

VERSES 56 & 57

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ نَارًا كُلَّمَا نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْنَاهُمْ جُلُودًا غَيْرَهَا لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا {56}

(As for) those who disbelieve in Our Signs, soon We shall Make them arrive to the Fire; Every time their skins are thoroughly burned, We will Replace them for other skins, so that they would be (re) tasting the Punishment; surely Allah was always Mighty, Wise [4:56]

وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَنُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا ۖ لَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ ۖ وَنُدْخِلُهُمْ ظِلًّا ظَلِيلًا {57}

And (as for) those who are believing and doing righteous deeds, We shall Enter them into Gardens beneath which the rivers flow, abiding therein for ever. For them would be clean wives therein, and We shall Enter them to be in dense shade [4:57]

ابن بابويه، في (الفقيه)، قال: سئل الصادق (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: لَهُمْ فِيها أَزْواجٌ مُطَهَّرَةٌ. قال: «الأزواج المطهرة: اللاتي لا يحضن و لا يحدثن

Ibn Babuwayh in Al Faqeeh, said,

‘Al-Sadiq^-asws was asked about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic For them would be clean wives therein [4:57]. He^-asws said: ‘The pure wives – The ones who neither menstruate nor defecate’.[46]

الشيخ في (مجالسه)، قال: أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي المفضل، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن عاصم الزفري، قال: حدثنا سليمان بن داود أبو أيوب الشاذكوني المنقري، قال: حدثنا حفص بن غياث القاضي، قال: كنت عند سيد الجعافرة جعفر بن محمد (عليهما السلام) لما أقدمه المنصور، فأتاه ابن أبي العوجاء، و كان ملحدا، فقال له: ما تقول في هذه الآية: كُلَّما نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْناهُمْ جُلُوداً غَيْرَها لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذابَ هب هذه الجلود عصت فعذبت، فما بال الغير؟

Al Sheykh in his Majaalis, said, ‘A group informed us, from Abu Al Mufazzal who said, ‘It was narrated to us by Al-Hassan Bin Ali Bin Aasim Al Zafary, from Suleyman Bin Dawood Abu Ayoub Al Shazkouny Al Munqary, from Hafs Bin Giyas the judge who said,

‘I was in the presence of Syed Al Ja’fra, Ja’far Bin Muhammad^-asws when he^-asws proceeded to Al Mansour (the Caliph). So there came to him^-asws Ibn Abu Al Awja, and he was an atheist, and he said to him^-asws, ‘What are you^-asws saying regarding this Verse Every time their skins are thoroughly burned, We will Replace them for other skins, so that they would be (re) tasting the Punishment [4:56]. Assuming this skin has disobeyed, so it is Punished. Then what is the matter (fault) of the other (replaced ones)?’

قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «ويحك، هي هي، و هي غيرها». قال: أعقلني هذا القول. فقال له: «أ رأيت لو أن رجلا عمد إلى لبنة فكسرها، ثم صب عليها الماء و جبلها، ثم ردها إلى هيئتها الاولى، ألم تكن هي هي، و هي غيرها»؟ فقال: بلى، أمتع الله بك

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Woe be unto you! It is it, and it is another’. He said, ‘Make me understand these words’. So he^-asws said to him: ‘What is your view, if a man was to deliberate to a brick, so he breaks it. Then he pours the water over it and moulds it, then returns it to its former body (shape), would it not happen to be it, and it is another (as well)?’ So he said, ‘Yes, may Allah^-azwj be Happy with you^-asws!’.[47]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: قيل لأبي عبد الله (عليه السلام): كيف تبدل جلودا غيرها؟ قال: «أ رأيت لو أخذت لبنة فكسرتها و صيرتها ترابا، ثم ضربتها في القالب التي كانت، أ هي التي كانت، إنما هي تلك و حدث تغيير آخر، و الأصل واحد

Ali Bin Ibrahim said,

‘It was said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘How would the skins be replaced for others?’ He^-asws said: ‘What is your view if I^-asws was to take a brick and break it, and it becomes dust, then I^-asws reconstruct it in the template in which it used to be, would it (still) be that which it was? But rather, it is that, and it is changed to a newly occurring other, and the origin is one’’.[48]

VERSE 58

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا {58}

Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice; surely Allah Advises you with what is good; Allah was always Hearing, Seeing [4:58]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنِ الْمُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها قَالَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ الْإِمَامَ الْأَوَّلَ أَنْ يَدْفَعَ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ عِنْدَه

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Is’haq Bin Ammar, from Ibn Abu Yafour, from Al Moalla Bin Khunays who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners [4:58]. Allah^-azwj Commanded the former Imam^-asws that he^-asws should hand over to the Imam^-asws who is to be from after him^-asws, everything which is with him^-asws’.[49]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ قَالَ إِيَّانَا عَنَى أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ الْأَوَّلُ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ الْكُتُبَ وَ الْعِلْمَ وَ السِّلَاحَ وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ الَّذِي فِي أَيْدِيكُمْ

Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al Washha, from Ahmad Bin Aiz, from Ibn Azina, from Bureyd Al Ijaly who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice [4:58]. He^-asws said: ‘It Means us^-asws, that the first one^-asws should hand over to the Imam^-asws who is to be after him^-asws, the Books, and the knowledge and the weapons. and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice which is in your^-asws hands’.[50]

محمد بن إبراهيم النعماني، قال: أخبرنا أبو العباس أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد، قال: حدثني أحمد بن يوسف بن يعقوب الجعفي من كتابه، قال: حدثنا إسماعيل بن مهران، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، و وهيب بن حفص، جميعا، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قوله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ. قال: «هي الوصية يدفعها الرجل منا إلى الرجل

Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Al Numany who said, ‘It was informed to us by Abu Al Abbas Ahmad Bin Muhammad bin Saeed, from Ahmad Bin Yusuf Bin Yaqoub Al Ju’fy from his books, from Ismail Bin Mahran, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, and Waheyb Bin Hafs, altogether from Abu Baseer,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice; surely Allah Advises you with what is good [4:58]. He^-asws said: ‘It is regarding the bequest. The man^-asws from us^-asws hands is over to the man^-asws’’.[51]

و عنه: أخبرنا علي بن أحمد، عن عبيد الله بن موسى، عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي (عليهما السلام)، قال: سألته عن قول الله عز و جل: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ

And from him, ‘It was informed to us by Ali Bin Ahmad, from Ubeydullah Bin Musa, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hamaad Bin Isa, from Hareyz, from Zurara,

From Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Ali^-asws, said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice [4:58].

فقال: «أمر الله الإمام منا أن يؤدي الإمامة إلى الإمام الذي بعده، ليس له أن يزويها عنه، ألا تسمع إلى قوله تعالى: وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ هم الحكام- يا زرارة- أو لا ترى أنه خاطب بها الحكام؟

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Commands the Imam^-asws from us^-asws that he^-asws renders the Imamate to the Imam^-asws who is to be after him^-asws. It isn’t for him^-asws that he^-asws Impedes it from him^-asws. Have you not hearkened to the Words of the Exalted: and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice; surely Allah Advises you with what is good [4:58]? They^-asws are the judges, O Zuraera! Or, do you not see that He^-azwj has Addressed the judges with it?’’[52]

حدثنا احمد بن محمد عن ابن فضال عن ابى جميلة عن محمد بن الحلبي عن ابى عبد الله عليه السلام قال الامام يعرف بثلث خصال انه اولى الناس بالذى كان قبله و عنده سلاح رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعنده الوصية وهو الذى قال الله تعالى ان الله يأمركم ان تؤدوا الامانات إلى اهلها

It has been narrated to us by Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Fazaal, from Abu Jameela, from Muhammad Bin Al-Halby, who has said:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘The Imam^-asws is known by three characteristics. He^-asws is the first of the people by the ones who were before him^-asws, and with him^-asws would be the weapons of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and with him^-asws would be the will, and he^-asws is the one about whom^-asws Allah^-azwj the Exalted Says Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners [4:58]’.

وقال السلاح فينا بمنزلة التابوت في بنى اسرائيل يدور الملك حيث دار السلاح كما كان يدور حيث دار التابوت

And he^-asws said: ‘The weapons with us^-asws are at the status of the casket which was with the Children of Israel. The Kingdom will follow wherever the weapons are, just like where the casket did’.[53]

أبو جعفر (عليه السلام) إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ، قال: «فينا نزلت، و الله المستعان

Abu Ja’far^-asws said regarding surely Allah Advises you with what is good [4:58]: ‘It was Revealed regarding us^-asws, and Allah^-azwj is the Helper’.[54]

و في رواية ابن أبي يعفور، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها وَ إِذا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ، قال: «أمر الله الإمام أن يدفع ما عنده إلى الإمام الذي بعده، و أمر الأئمة أن يحكموا بالعدل، و أمر الناس أن يطيعوهم

And in a report of Abu Yafour,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said regarding Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice [4:58]: ‘Allah^-azwj Commands the Imam^-asws that he^-asws should hand over what is with him^-asws to the Imam^-asws who is after him^-asws, and Commands the Imams^-asws that they should judge with the justice, and Commands the people that they should follow them^-asws’.[55]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى أَهْلِها قَالَ هُمُ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ الْإِمَامُ الْأَمَانَةَ إِلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُ وَ لَا يَخُصَّ بِهَا غَيْرَهُ وَ لَا يَزْوِيَهَا عَنْهُ

Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al Washha, from Ahmad Bin Umar who said,

‘I asked Al-Reza^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners [4:58]. He^-asws said: ‘They^-asws are the Imams^-asws from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww that the Imam^-asws should render the entrustments to the one (Imam^-asws) after him^-asws, and He^-azwj did no Particularise with it other than him^-asws, nor should he^-asws impede it from him^-asws’’.[56]

فِي كِتَابِ مَعَانِي الْأَخْبَارِ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ ابْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْبَرْقِيِّ قَالَ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَماناتِ إِلى‏ أَهْلِها

In the book Ma’any Al Akhbaar: ‘It was narrated to us by Ali Bin Ahmad bin Abdullah Bin Ahmad Ibn Abu Abdullah Al Barqy, from his father, from his grandfather Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman who said,

‘I asked Musa Bin Ja’far^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners [4:58].

فَقَالَ: هَذِهِ مُخَاطَبَةٌ لَنَا خَاصَّةً أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى كُلَّ إِمَامٍ مِنَّا أَنْ يُؤَدِّيَ الْإِمَامَ الَّذِي بَعْدَهُ يُوصِيَ إِلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ هِيَ جَارِيَةٌ فِي سَائِرِ الْأَمَانَاتِ،

He^-asws said: ‘This is Addressed to us^-asws in particular. Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Commands the Imam^-asws from us^-asws that he^-asws renders to the Imam^-asws who is to be after him^-asws, bequeathing to him^-asws. Then it flows regarding the rest of the entrustments.

وَ لَقَدْ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ قَالَ لِأَصْحَابِهِ: عَلَيْكُمْ بِأَدَاءِ الْأَمَانَةِ فَلَوْ أَنَّ قَاتِلَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ائْتَمَنَنِي عَلَى السَّيْفِ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ بِهِ لَأَدَّيْتُهُ إِلَيْهِ.

And my^-asws father^-asws has narrated to me^-asws from his^-asws father^-asws that Ali Bin Al-Husayn^-asws said to his^-asws companions: ‘(It is) upon you all with the rendering of the entrustments. So even if the murderer of Al-Husayn^-asws Bin Ali^-asws had entrusted to me^-asws the very sword which he killed him^-asws with, I^-asws would give it back to him’’.[57]

VERSE 59

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ ۖ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا {59}

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you. Thus, if you were to quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Rasool if you were believing in Allah and the Last Day, that would be better and of excellent interpretation [4:59]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي، عن حماد، عن حريز، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «نزلت: فإن تنازعتم في شي‏ء فارجعوه إلى الله و إلى الرسول و إلى اولي الأمر منكم

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Hamad, from Hareyz,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘It was Revealed as: Thus, if you were to quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Rasool, and to the ones with (Divine) Authority among you [4:59]’’.[58]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ تَلَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ تَنَازُعاً فِي الْأَمْرِ فَأَرْجِعُوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَ إِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Uman Bin Azina, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws recited O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you. Thus, if you were to quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Rasool, and to the ones with (Divine) Authority among you [4:59]’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ كَيْفَ يَأْمُرُ بِطَاعَتِهِمْ وَ يُرَخِّصُ فِي مُنَازَعَتِهِمْ إِنَّمَا قَالَ ذَلِكَ لِلْمَأْمُورِينَ الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ

Then he^-asws said: ‘How can He^-azwj Command for their^-asws obedience and then allow them (the people) to dispute with them^-asws? But rather, He^-azwj has Said that to the Commanded ones when He^-azwj Said to them (the people): Obey Allah and obey the Rasool”.[59]

Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al Washha, from Ahmad Bin Aiz, from Ibn Azina, from Bureyd Al Ijaly who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Allah Commands you to render the entrustments to their owners, and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice [4:58]. He^-asws said: ‘It Means us^-asws, that the first one^-asws should hand over to the Imam^-asws who is to be after him^-asws, the knowledge and the weapons and when you judge between the people you should be judging with the justice which is in your^-asws hands’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلنَّاسِ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ إِيَّانَا عَنَى خَاصَّةً أَمَرَ جَمِيعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ بِطَاعَتِنَا فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ تَنَازُعاً فِي أَمْرٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَ إِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ كَذَا نَزَلَتْ وَ كَيْفَ يَأْمُرُهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِطَاعَةِ وُلَاةِ الْأَمْرِ وَ يُرَخِّصُ فِي مُنَازَعَتِهِمْ إِنَّمَا قِيلَ ذَلِكَ لِلْمَأْمُورِينَ الَّذِينَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ

Then He^-azwj Said to the people O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. It Means us^-asws in particular, the affairs of the entirety of the Momineen up to the Day of Judgment, by them being obedient to us^-asws, Thus, if you were to quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Rasool, and to the ones with (Divine) Authority among you [4:59], like this is how it was Revealed. And how can Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic with obedience to the Master^-asws of the Command and Allow them to quarrel with them^-asws. But rather, that was Said to the Commanded ones for whom^-asws He^-azwj Said to them O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]’.[60]

Circumstances of the Revelation

(تفسير مجاهد): إنها نزلت في أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) حين خلفه رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) بالمدينة، فقال: «يا رسول الله، أ تخلفني على النساء و الصبيان»؟ فقال: «يا أمير المؤمنين، أما ترضى أن تكون مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى، حين قال له: اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي وَ أَصْلِحْ». فقال: « [بلى و] الله

Tafseer Mujahid –

‘It was Revealed regarding Amir Al-Momineen^-asws when Rasool-Allah^-saww left him^-asws behind as a Caliph at Al Medina, so he^-asws said: ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Are you^-saww leaving me^-asws behind as a Caliph upon the women and the children?’ He^-saww said: ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Are you^-asws not pleased that you^-asws happen to be from me^-saww at the status of Haroun^-as from Musa^-as, when he^-as said to him^-as: Be my^-as Caliph among my^-as people and rectify [7:142]. So he^-asws said: ‘Yes, by Allah^-azwj!’

وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ قال: علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) ولاه الله أمر الامة بعد محمد، و حين خلفه رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) بالمدينة، فأمر الله العباد بطاعته و ترك خلافه

(For the Verse): and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], he said, ‘Ali Bin Abu Talib^-asws. Allah^-azwj Made him^-asws the ruler of the affairs of the community after Muhammad^-saww, and when Rasool-Allah^-saww left him^-asws behind as a Caliph at Al Medina, so Allah^-azwj Commanded the servants with obeying him^-asws, and leave opposing him^-asws’’.[61]

The ones with Divine Authorisation

عن عمرو بن سعيد، قال: سألت أبا الحسن (عليه السلام)، عن قوله: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ، قال: «علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) و الأوصياء من بعده

From Amro Bin Saeed who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassan^-asws was asked about His^-azwj Words O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. He^-asws said: ‘Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws and the successors^-asws from after him^-asws’.[62]

ابن بابويه، قال: حدثنا أبي (رحمه الله)، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري، قال: حدثنا محمد ابن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن عبد الله بن محمد الحجال، عن حماد بن عثمان، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قول الله عز و جل: يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ، قال: «الأئمة من ولد علي و فاطمة (صلوات الله عليهما) إلى أن تقوم الساعة

Ibn Babuwayh said, ‘My father narrated to us, from Abdullah Bin Ja’far Al Humeyri, from Muhammad Al-Husayn Bin Abu Al Khataab, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Al Hajaal, from Hamaad Bin Usmaan, from Abu Baseer,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], said: ‘The Imams^-asws from the sons^-asws of Ali^-asws and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws up to the Day of Judgement’.[63]

عن جابر الجعفي، قال: سألت أبا جعفر (عليه السلام)، عن هذه الآية: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ، قال: «الأوصياء

From Jabir Al Ju’fy who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’far^-asws about this Verse: Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. He^-asws said: ‘The successors^-asws’’.[64]

عن حكيم، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله (عليه السلام): جعلت فداك، أخبرني من أولي الأمر الذين أمر الله بطاعتهم؟ فقال لي: «أولئك علي بن أبي طالب و الحسن و الحسين و علي بن الحسين و محمد بن علي و جعفر أنا، فاحمدوا الله الذي عرفكم أئمتكم و قادتكم حين جحدهم الناس

From Hakeym who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘May I be sacrifice for you^-asws! Inform me who the ones with (Divine) Authority are, those whom Allah^-azwj Commanded with having their^-asws obedience?’ So he^-asws said to me: ‘They^-asws are Ali Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and Ali Bin Al-Hassan^-asws, and Muhammad Bin Ali^-asws, and Ja’far^-asws, myself^-asws. Therefore, Praise Allah^-azwj Who Made you recognise your Imams^-asws and your leaders when the people rejected them^-asws’’.[65]

عن عبد الله بن عجلان، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قوله: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ. قال: «هي في علي و في الأئمة (عليهم السلام) جعلهم الله مواضع الأنبياء، غير أنهم لا يحلون شيئا و لا يحرمونه

From Abdullah Bin Ajlan,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding His^-azwj Words: Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. He^-asws said: ‘It is regarding Ali^-asws and regarding the Imams^-asws. Allah^-azwj Made them^-asws to be in place of the Prophets^-as, apart from that they^-asws would not be Permitting anything nor Prohibiting (of their^-asws own accord)’.[66]

عن أبان، أنه دخل على أبي الحسن الرضا (عليه السلام)، قال: فسألته عن قول الله: يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ. فقال: «ذلك علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام)» ثم سكت

From Aban,

He had gone over to Abu Al-Hassan Al Reza^-asws. He said, ‘So I asked him^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj: Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. So he^-asws said: ‘That is Ali Bin Abu Talib^-asws’. Then he^-asws was silent.

قال: فلما طال سكوته، قلت: ثم من قال: «ثم الحسن». ثم سكت

He (the narrator) said, ‘So when his^-asws silence was prolonged, I said, ‘Then who?’ He^-asws said: ‘Then Al-Hassan^-asws’. Then he^-asws was silent.

فلما طال سكوته، قلت: ثم من؟ قال: «ثم الحسين» قلت: ثم من؟ قال: «علي بن الحسين» و سكت، فلم يزل يسكت عند كل واحد حتى أعيد المسألة فيقول، حتى سماهم إلى آخرهم (صلوات الله عليهم)

When his^-asws silence was prolonged, I said, ‘Then who?’ He^-asws said: ‘Then Al-Husayn^-asws?’ I said, ‘Then who?’ He^-asws said: ‘Ali Bin Al-Husayn^-asws’, and was silent. Thus his^-asws silence did not cease during each one^-asws until I repeated the question, so he^-asws was saying, until he^-asws had named them^-asws up to the last of them^-asws’’.[67]

The infallibility is assigned in the obedience to the Prophet^-saww and the Imams^-asws

إنما الطاعة لله ولرسوله ولولاة الأمر الذين قرنهم الله بنفسه ونبيه فقال: (أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الأمر منكم)، لأن الله إنما أمر بطاعة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لأنه معصوم مطهر لا يأمر بمعصية الله، وإنما أمر بطاعة أولي الأمر لأنهم معصومون مطهرون لا يأمرون بمعصية الله

‘But rather, the obedience to Allah^-azwj and to His^-azwj Rasool^-saww and the Masters^-asws of the Command are those^-asws whom^-asws Allah^-azwj has Joined with Himself^-azwj, and His^-azwj Prophet^-saww, so He^-azwj Said: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. The reason why Allah^-azwj Commanded the obedience to Rasool-Allah^-saww is because he^-saww is Infallible, pure. He^-saww will not order for the disobedience to Allah^-azwj. And the reason why He^-azwj Commanded obedience to the ones with (Divine) Authority because they^-asws are Infallible, pure, and they^-asws will not order for the disobedience to Allah^-azwj’.[68]

The eleven Imams^-asws are associates of Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws

قلت: يا نبي الله، ومن شركائي؟ قال: الذين قرنهم الله بنفسه وبي معه، الذين قال في حقهم: (يا أيها الذين آمنوا أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الأمر منكم) فإن (خفتم التنازع في شيئ فارجعوه إلى الله وإلى الرسول وإلى أولي الأمر منكم

I^-asws said: ‘O Prophet^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and who are my^-asws associates?’ He^-saww said: ‘The ones^-asws whom Allah^-azwj has Made to be in His^-azwj Proximity and with Him^-azwj, regarding whom He^-azwj has Said O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you. Thus, if you were to quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Rasool.

قلت: يا نبي الله، ومن هم؟ قال: الأوصياء إلى أن يردوا علي حوضي كلهم هاد مهتد لا يضرهم كيد من كادهم ولا خذلان من خذلهم. هم مع القرآن والقرآن معهم، لا يفارقونه ولا يفارقهم. بهم ينصر الله أمتي وبهم يمطرون، ويدفع عنهم بمستجاب دعوتهم

I^-asws said: ‘O Prophet^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and who are they?’ He^-saww said: ‘The successors^-asws until they^-asws come to me^-saww at the Fountain. All of them^-asws are Guides and Guided ones^-asws. Neither will the plots of the plotters harm them^-asws, nor the betrayal of those that abandon them^-asws. They^-asws are with the Quran and the Quran is with them^-asws. Neither will they separate from it nor will it separate from them^-asws. It is due to them^-asws that Allah^-azwj will Help my^-saww community, and due to them^-asws that He^-azwj will Make it rain, and Remove from them (calamities) due to the Answering of their^-asws supplications.

فقلت: يا رسول الله، سمهم لي. فقال: ابني هذا – ووضع يده على رأس الحسن عليه السلام – ثم ابني هذا – ووضع يده على رأس الحسين عليه السلام – ثم ابن ابني هذا – ووضع يده على رأس الحسين عليه السلام – ثم ابن له على اسمي، اسمه (محمد) باقر علمي وخازن وحي الله، وسيولد (علي) في حياتك يا أخي، فاقرأه مني السلام. ثم أقبل على الحسين عليه السلام فقال: سيولد لك (محمد بن علي) في حياتك فاقرأه مني السلام. ثم تكملة الاثني عشر إماما من ولدك يا أخي

I^-asws said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww, name them^-asws for me^-asws’. He^-saww said: ‘This son of mine^-saww’ – and he^-saww placed his^-saww hand upon the head of Al-Hassan^-asws – ‘then this son of mine^-saww’ – and he^-saww placed his^-saww hand upon the head of Al-Husayn^-asws’ – then the son of this son of mine^-saww’ – and placed his^-saww hand upon the head of Al-Husayn^-asws – ‘then the son of his^-asws son whose name is Ali^-asws, his^-asws name is my^-saww name (Muhammad), spreader of my^-saww knowledge and treasurer of the Revelation of Allah^-azwj, and he^-asws will come to this (world) during your^-asws lifetime, my^-saww brother, so convey my^-saww greetings to him^-asws’. Then he^-saww turned towards Al-Husayn^-asws and said: ‘Then will come to you^-asws son (Muhammad Bin Ali^-asws) in your^-asws lifetime, so convey my^-saww greetings to him^-asws’. Then twelve Imams^-asws will be completed from your^-asws sons, O my^-saww brother’.

فقلت: يا نبي الله، سمهم لي. فسماهم لي رجلا رجلا. منهم – والله يا أخا بني هلال – مهدي هذه الأمة الذي يملأ الأرض قسطا وعدلا كما ملئت ظلما وجورا. والله إني لأعرف جميع من يبايعه بين الركن والمقام وأعرف أسماء الجميع وقبائلهم

I said, ‘O Prophet^-saww of Allah^-azwj, name them^-asws for me^-asws’. He^-saww named them^-asws for me^-asws, person by person. Among them – by Allah^-azwj, O brother of the Clan of Hilal-– is the Mahdi^-asws of this community who will fill the earth with peace and justice just as it would have been filled with injustice and tyranny. By Allah^-azwj, I^-saww recognise all the ones who will be pledging their allegiances to him^-asws between the Rukn and Al-Maqaam (Places by Kaaba), and recognise all their names and their tribes’.[69]

Why the Imams^-asws were not Named explicitly

و عنه: عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس و علي بن محمد، عن سهل بن زياد أبي سعيد، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن ابن مسكان، عن أبي بصير، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ. فقال: «نزلت في علي بن أبي طالب، و الحسن، و الحسين (عليهم السلام)

And from him (Al Kulayni), from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, and Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad Abu Saeed, from Yunus, from Ibn Muskan, from Abu Baseer who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. He^-asws said: ‘It was Revealed regarding Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws’.

فقلت له: إن الناس يقولون: فما له لم يسم عليا و أهل بيته (عليهم السلام) في كتاب الله عز و جل

I said to him^-asws, ‘The people are saying, ‘So why did Allah^-azwj not Name Ali^-asws and his^-asws Family in the Book of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic?’

قال: «فقولوا لهم: إن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) نزلت عليه الصلاة و لم يسم الله لهم ثلاثا و لا أربعا، حتى كان رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) هو الذي فسر ذلك لهم، و نزلت عليه الزكاة و لم يسم لهم من كل أربعين درهما درهما، حتى كان رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) هو الذي فسر ذلك لهم، و نزل الحج فلم يقل لهم: طوفوا أسبوعا، حتى كان رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) هو الذي فسر ذلك لهم

He^-asws said: ‘So say to them, ‘The Salat was Revealed unto Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Allah^-azwj did not Specify for them, whether it was three or four, until it was Rasool-Allah^-saww who interpreted that for them. And the Zakat was Revealed unto him^-saww, but it was not specified for them that it was one Dirham out of forty Dirhams, until it was Rasool-Allah^-saww who interpreted that for them. And the Hajj was Revealed and it was not Said to them: “Perform Tawaaf seven times”, until it was Rasool-Allah^-saww who interpreted that for them.

و نزلت أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ و نزلت في علي و الحسن و الحسين، فقال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) في علي (عليه السلام): ألا من كنت مولاه فعلي مولاه. و قال (عليه السلام): أوصيكم بكتاب الله‏ و أهل بيتي، فإني سألت الله عز و جل أن لا يفرق بينهما حتى يوردهما علي الحوض، فأعطاني ذلك

And it was Revealed Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. It was Revealed regarding Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws. So, Rasool-Allah^-saww said regarding Ali^-asws: ‘Indeed! Whosoever I^-saww was the Master of, so Ali^-asws is his Master’. And he^-saww said: ‘I^-saww bequeath to you with the Book of Allah^-azwj and the People^-asws of my^-saww Household. I^-saww asked Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic that there should be no separation between these two until they both return to me^-saww at the Fountain, so He^-azwj Gave me^-saww that’.

و قال لا تعلموهم فإنهم أعلم منكم

And he^-saww said: ‘Do not (try to) teach them^-asws for they^-asws are more knowledgeable than you’.

و قال: إنهم لن يخرجوكم من باب هدى، و لن يدخلوكم في باب ضلالة، فلو سكت رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) فلم يبين من أهل بيته لادعاها آل فلان و آل فلان، و لكن الله عز و جل أنزل في كتابه تصديقا لنبيه (صلى الله عليه و آله): إِنَّما يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيراً

And he^-saww said: ‘They^-asws would never exit you from the door of Guidance and would never enter you into the door of straying’. Had Rasool-Allah^-saww remained silent, it would not have been clarified to them who the People^-asws of his^-saww Household were, for them to allege it for the progeny of so and so, and the progeny of so and so. But, Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed in His^-azwj Book, in Verification of His^-azwj Prophet^-saww But rather, Allah Desires to Keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to Purify you a with a Purification [33:33].

فكان علي و الحسن و الحسين و فاطمة (عليهم السلام)، فأدخلهم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) تحت الكساء في بيت أم سلمة، و قال: اللهم إن لكل نبي أهلا و ثقلا، و هؤلاء أهلي و ثقلي، فقالت ام سلمة: أ لست من أهلك؟ فقال لها: إنك إلى خير، و لكن هؤلاء أهلي و ثقلي

Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and Fatima^-asws were in the house of Umm Salma^-as, and Rasool-Allah^-saww included them^-asws underneath the Cloak, and said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! For every Prophet^-as there is a family and a weighty thing, and these^-asws are my^-saww family and weighty thing’. So Umm Salma^-as said: ‘Am I^-as not from your^-saww family?’ So he^-saww said to her^-as: ‘You^-as are upon good, but they^-asws are my^-saww family and my^-saww weighty thing’.

فلما قبض رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) كان علي أولى الناس بالناس لكثرة ما بلغ فيه رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و إقامته للناس و أخذه بيده، فلما مضى علي (عليه السلام) لم يستطع علي، و لم يكن ليفعل، أن يدخل محمد بن علي و العباس بن علي و لا واحدا من ولده

When Rasool-Allah^-saww passed away, Ali^-asws was foremost to the people than the people themselves, due to the frequency of what Rasool-Allah^-saww had delivered with regards to him^-asws, and established him^-asws for the people and grabbed him^-asws by the hand (At Ghadeer Khumm). When Ali^-asws passed away, he^-asws did not have the leeway, nor did he^-asws do that, that he^-asws should include Muhammad Bin Ali and Al Abbas Bin Ali^-as, or any one from his^-asws sons (into the Imamate).

إذن لقال الحسن و الحسين: إن الله تبارك و تعالى أنزل فينا كما أنزل فيك، و أمر بطاعتنا كما أمر بطاعتك، و بلغ فينا رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) كما بلغ فيك، و أذهب عنا الرجس كما أذهب عنك

Thus, Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws said: ‘Surely Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Revealed regarding us^-asws just as He^-azwj Revealed regarding you^-asws, and Commanded the obedience to us^-asws just as He^-azwj Commanded the obedience to you^-asws. And Rasool-Allah^-saww delivered regarding us^-asws just as he^-saww delivered regarding you^-asws. And He^-azwj Kept the uncleanness from us^-asws just as He^-azwj Kept it away from you^-asws’.

فلما مضى علي (عليه السلام) كان الحسن (عليه السلام) أولى بها لكبره، فلما توفي لم يستطع أن يدخل ولده، و لم يكن ليفعل ذلك، و الله عز و جل يقول: وَ أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتابِ اللَّهِ فيحلها في ولده

When Ali^-asws passed away, Al-Hassan^-asws was the foremost for it due to his^-asws age. So when he^-asws passed away, he^-asws did not have the leeway to include his^-asws sons, nor did he^-asws do that, and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying and the possessors of relationships some of them are closer to others in the Book of Allah [33:6]. Thus it was Permissible regarding his^-asws sons.

إذن لقال الحسين (عليه السلام): أمر الله تبارك و تعالى بطاعتي كما أمر بطاعتك و طاعة أبيك، و بلغ في رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) كما بلغ فيك و في أبيك، و أذهب عني الرجس كما أذهب عنك و عن أبيك

Al-Husayn^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj has Commanded for the obedience to me^-asws just as He^-azwj had Commanded for the obedience to your^-asws father^-asws. And Rasool-Allah^-saww has delivered regarding me^-asws just as he^-saww had delivered regarding you^-asws and regarding your^-asws father. And He^-azwj Kept the uncleanness away from me^-asws just as He^-azwj has Kept it away from you^-asws and your^-asws father^-asws’.

فلما صارت إلى الحسين لم يكن أحد من أهل بيته يستطيع أن يدعي عليه كما كان هو يدعي على أخيه و على أبيه لو أرادا أن يصرفا الأمر عنه، و لم يكونا ليفعلا، ثم صارت حين أفضت إلى الحسين (عليه السلام) فجرى تأويل هذه الآية: وَ أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتابِ اللَّهِ ثم صارت من بعد الحسين لعلي بن الحسين، ثم صارت من بعد علي بن الحسين إلى محمد بن علي

When it went to Al-Husayn^-asws, no one from his^-asws family had the leeway to make a claim for it just as he^-asws had made the claim to his^-asws brother^-asws and to his^-asws father^-asws, to take the matter, nor did anyone do that. So when it went to Al-Husayn^-asws, the explanation of this Verse flowed and the possessors of relationships some of them are closer to others in the Book of Allah [33:6]. Them from after Al-Husayn^-asws it came to Ali Bin Al-Husayn^-asws. Then it went from Ali Bin Al-Husayn^-asws to Muhammad Bin Ali^-asws’.

و قال: «الرجس: هو الشك، و الله لا نشك في ربنا أبدا

And he^-asws said: ‘The uncleanness – it is the doubt. By Allah^-azwj! We^-asws do not doubt regarding our^-asws Lord^-azwj, ever!’[70]

The obedience to the Imams^-asws is Obligatory

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ ذَكَرْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَوْلَنَا فِي الْأَوْصِيَاءِ إِنَّ طَاعَتَهُمْ مُفْتَرَضَةٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Al-Husayn Bin Abu Al A’ala who said,

‘I mentioned to Abu Abdullah^-asws our words regarding the successors^-asws, ‘Is obedience to them^-asws a necessity?’. So he^-asws said: ‘Yes. They^-asws are the ones for whom Allah^-azwj the Exalted Said O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]; and they^-asws the ones for whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said But rather, only Allah is your Guardian and His Rasool and those who believe [5:55]’.[71]

و في (الاختصاص) للشيخ المفيد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن خالد البرقي، عن القاسم بن محمد الجوهري، عن الحسين بن أبي العلاء، قال: قلت: لأبي عبد الله (عليه السلام): الأوصياء طاعتهم مفترضة؟ فقال: «هم الذين قال الله: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ، و هم الذين قال الله: إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلاةَ وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكاةَ وَ هُمْ راكِعُونَ

And in Al Ikhtisaas of Al Sheykh Al Mufeed, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Khalid Al Barqy, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad Al Jowhary, from Al-Husayn Bin Abu Al A’ala who said,

I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘The successors^-asws, is obeying them Obligatory?’ ‘So he^-asws said: ‘Yes. They^-asws are the ones for whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], and they^-asws are the ones for whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: But rather, only Allah is your Guardian and His Rasool and those who are believing, those who are establishing the Salat and are giving the Zakat while they are performing Ruku [5:55]’’.[72]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ السَّرِيِّ أَبِي الْيَسَعِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَخْبِرْنِي بِدَعَائِمِ الْإِسْلَامِ الَّتِي لَا يَسَعُ أَحَداً التَّقْصِيرُ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْهَا الَّذِي مَنْ قَصَّرَ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْهَا فَسَدَ دِينُهُ وَ لَمْ يَقْبَلِ [اللَّهُ] مِنْهُ عَمَلَهُ وَ مَنْ عَرَفَهَا وَ عَمِلَ بِهَا صَلَحَ لَهُ دِينُهُ وَ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ عَمَلَهُ وَ لَمْ يَضِقْ بِهِ مِمَّا هُوَ فِيهِ لِجَهْلِ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْأُمُورِ جَهْلُهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Isa Bin Al Sariy Abu Al Yas’a who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘Inform me of the foundation of Al-Islām which no one has the capacity to be deficient from recognising anything from it, which if one was to be deficient from recognising anything from it, would spoil his Religion, and Allah^-azwj would not Accept his deeds from him; and the one who recognizes it and acts accordingly with it, his Religion would be correct for him, and his deeds would be Accepted from him, and he would not be constricted by it from what he would be in due to the ignorance of something from the matters of his ignorance’.

فَقَالَ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الْإِيمَانُ بِأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَ حَقٌّ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ الزَّكَاةُ وَ الْوَلَايَةُ الَّتِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهَا وَلَايَةُ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله )

He^-asws said: ‘The testimony that there is no god except for Allah^-azwj, and the Emān (belief) that Muhammad^-saww is Rasool^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and the acknowledgement with whatever he^-saww came with from the Presence of Allah^-azwj, and the right of Zakāt in the wealth, and the Wilayah which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Commanded with, the Wilayah of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww’.

قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ هَلْ فِي الْوَلَايَةِ شَيْ‏ءٌ دُونَ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَضْلٌ يُعْرَفُ لِمَنْ أَخَذَ بِهِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَنْ مَاتَ وَ لَا يَعْرِفُ إِمَامَهُ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً وَ كَانَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ كَانَ عَلِيّاً ( عليه السلام ) وَ قَالَ الْآخَرُونَ كَانَ مُعَاوِيَةَ ثُمَّ كَانَ الْحَسَنَ ( عليه السلام ) ثُمَّ كَانَ الْحُسَيْنَ ( عليه السلام ) وَ قَالَ الْآخَرُونَ يَزِيدَ بْنَ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَ حُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَ لَا سِوَاءَ وَ لَا سِوَاءَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I said to him^-asws, ‘Is there anything regarding the Wilayah besides the thing which the one who takes to it can be recognised with?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. And Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The one who dies and does not recognise his^-asws Imam^-asws has died the death of ‘جَاهِلِيَّةً’ (Kufr – the Pre-Islāmic period), and it was Rasool-Allah^-saww and it was Ali^-asws, and the others said it was Muawiya. Then it was Al-Hassan^-asws, then it was Al-Husayn^-asws, and the others said (it was) Yazeed Bin Muawiya and Al-Husayn Bin Ali^-asws. And they were not equal, and they were not equal’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ سَكَتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَزِيدُكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ حَكَمٌ الْأَعْوَرُ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ثُمَّ كَانَ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ وَ كَانَتِ الشِّيعَةُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ وَ هُمْ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ مَنَاسِكَ حَجِّهِمْ وَ حَلَالَهُمْ وَ حَرَامَهُمْ حَتَّى كَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ فَفَتَحَ لَهُمْ وَ بَيَّنَ لَهُمْ مَنَاسِكَ حَجِّهِمْ وَ حَلَالَهُمْ وَ حَرَامَهُمْ حَتَّى صَارَ النَّاسُ يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا كَانُوا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَى النَّاسِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws was silent. Then he^-asws said: ‘Shall I^-asws increase it for you?’ So Hakam Al-Awro said to him^-asws, ‘Yes, May I be sacrificed for you^-asws!’. He^-asws said: ‘Then it was Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, then it was Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws Abu Ja’far^-asws. And the Shias before Abu Jafar^-asws did not know the rituals of their Hajj, and their Permissible and their Prohibitions until it was Abu Ja’far^-asws (as the Ul Al-Amr). So he^-asws opened (the knowledge) for them and explained to them the rituals of their Hajj, and their Permissible and their Prohibitions, to the extent that the people came to be needy to them from after their being needy to the people.

وَ هَكَذَا يَكُونُ الْأَمْرُ وَ الْأَرْضُ لَا تَكُونُ إِلَّا بِإِمَامٍ وَ مَنْ مَاتَ لَا يَعْرِفُ إِمَامَهُ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً وَ أَحْوَجُ مَا تَكُونُ إِلَى مَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِ إِذْ بَلَغَتْ نَفْسُكَ هَذِهِ وَ أَهْوَى بِيَدِهِ إِلَى حَلْقِهِ وَ انْقَطَعَتْ عَنْكَ الدُّنْيَا تَقُولُ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ عَلَى أَمْرٍ حَسَنٍ

And that is how the matter happens to be, and the earth will not happen to be except with an Imam^-asws, and the one who dies not having recognised his Imam^-asws would have died the death of ‘جَاهِلِيَّةً’ (the Pre-Islāmic period); and the neediest what you will happen to be, what you are upon, is when your soul reaches this here’ – and he^-asws pointed with his^-asws hand to his^-asws throat – ‘and the world would be cut-off from you, and you would be saying, ‘We were upon a beautiful matter’’.[73]

ابن بابويه، قال: حدثنا غير واحد من أصحابنا، قالوا: حدثنا محمد بن همام، عن جعفر بن محمد الفزاري، عن الحسن بن محمد بن سماعة، عن أحمد بن الحارث، قال: حدثني المفضل بن عمر، عن يونس ابن ظبيان، عن جابر بن يزيد الجعفي، قال: سمعت جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري يقول:

Ibn Babuwayh said, ‘It was narrated to us by someone else from our companions, from Muhammad Bin Hamam, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Fazary, from Al-Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Sama’at, from Ahmad Bin Al Haris, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar, from Yunus Ibn Zabyan, from Jabir Bin Yazeed who said, ‘I hard Jabir Bin Abdullah Al Ansary saying,

لما أنزل الله عز و جل على نبيه محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله): يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ قلت: يا رسول الله، عرفنا الله و رسوله، فمن أولو الأمر الذين قرن الله طاعتهم بطاعتك؟

‘When Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto His^-azwj Prophet^-saww: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], I said, ‘We recognise Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, so who are the ones with (Divine) Authority, those whom Allah^-azwj has Paired obedience to them^-asws with obedience to Him^-azwj?’

فقال (صلى الله عليه و آله): «هم خلفائي- يا جابر- و أئمة المسلمين من بعدي، أولهم علي بن أبي طالب، ثم الحسن، ثم الحسين، ثم علي بن الحسين، ثم محمد بن علي المعروف في التوراة بالباقر، ستدركه- يا جابر- فإذا لقيته فاقرأه مني السلام

Rasool Allah^-saww said: ‘They^-asws are my^-saww Caliphs, O Jabir, and the Imams^-asws of the Muslims from after me^-saww. The first of them^-asws is Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, then Al-Hassan^-asws, then Al-Husayn^-asws, then Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, then Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, well known in the Torah as Al-Baqir^-asws. You will come across him^-asws, O Jabir. So when you^-asws do meet him^-asws, convey the greetings from me^-saww.

ثم الصادق جعفر بن محمد، ثم موسى بن جعفر، ثم علي بن موسى، ثم محمد بن علي، ثم علي بن محمد، ثم الحسن بن علي، ثم سميي و كنيي حجة الله في أرضه، و بقيته في عباده ابن الحسن بن علي

Then Al-Sadiq Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws, then Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws, then Ali^-asws Bin Musa^-asws, then Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, then Ali^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws, then Al-Hassan^-asws Bin Ali^-asws, then (the one with) my^-saww name and my^-saww teknonym would be the Divine Authority of Allah^-azwj in His^-azwj earth, and His^-azwj remaining one among His^-azwj servant, the son^-asws of Al-Hassan Bin Ali^-asws.

ذاك الذي يفتح الله تعالى ذكره على يديه مشارق الأرض و مغاربها، ذاك الذي يغيب عن شيعته و أوليائه غيبة لا يثبت فيها على القول بإمامته إلا من امتحن الله قلبه للإيمان

That is the one^-asws whom Allah^-azwj, Exalted is His^-azwj Mention, would Make conquer upon his^-asws hands, the east of the earth and the west of it. That is the one^-asws who would be hidden from his^-asws Shias and his^-asws friends. None would be steadfast upon the word with his^-asws Imamate except the one whose heart Allah^-azwj would have Tested for the Eman’.

قال جابر: فقلت له: يا رسول الله، فهل يقع لشيعته الانتفاع به في غيبته؟

Jabir said, ‘So I said to him^-saww, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Would there be any benefits for his^-asws Shias with him^-asws during his^-asws Occultation?’

فقال (عليه السلام): «إي و الذي بعثني بالنبوة، إنهم يستضيئون بنوره و ينتفعون بولايته في غيبته كانتفاع الناس بالشمس، و إن تجلاها سحاب

He^-saww said: ‘Yes, by the One^-azwj Who Sent me^-saww with the Prophet-hood! They would be illuminated by his^-asws light and they would be benefitting by his^-asws Wilayah during his^-asws Occultation like the benefitting of the people with the sun, and even the clouds cover it.

يا جابر، هذا، من مكنون سر الله، و مخزون علم الله، فاكتمه إلا عن أهله

O Jabir! This is from the concealed secrets of Allah^-azwj and the treasured Knowledge of Allah^-azwj, therefore conceal it except from its deserving ones’’.[74]

The need for the remaining of the Imams^-asws

حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن اسحاق الطالقاني رضى الله عنه قال حدثنا عبد العزيز بن يحيى قال حدثنا المغيرة بن محمد قال حدثنا رجاء بن سلمة عن عمرو ابن شمر، عن جابر بن يزيد الجعفي، قال: قلت لابي جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر عليهما السلام لاي شئ يحتاج إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله والامام؟ فقال لبقاء العالم على صلاحه وذلك ان الله عزوجل يرفع العذاب عن أهل الارض إذا كان فيها نبي أو أمام قال الله عزوجل وما كان الله ليعذبهم وأنت فيهم

Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Bin Is’haq Al Talaqany narrated to us, from Abdul Aziz Bin Yahya, from Al Mugheira Bin Muhammad, from Raja’a Bin Salma, from Amro Ibn Shimr, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Ju’fy who said,

‘I said to Abu Ja’far Bin Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali Al-Baqir^-asws, ‘For which thing is there a need to the Prophet^-saww and the Imam^-asws?’ So he^-asws said: ‘For the remaining of the knowledgeable one for his correctness, and that is the (reason that) Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Raised the Punishment from the people of the earth if there was a Prophet^-as or an Imam^-asws in it. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said But Allah was not going to Punish them whilst you were among them [8:33].

وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وآله النجوم أمان لاهل السماء وأهل بيتي أمان لاهل الارض فإذا ذهبت النجوم اتى اهل السماء ما يكرهون وإذا ذهب اهل بيتي اتى أهل الارض ما يكرهون يعني باهل بيته الائمة الذين قرن الله عزوجل طاعتهم بطاعته فقال (يا أيها الذين آمنوا اطيعوا الله واطيعوا الرسول وأولى الامر منكم) وهم المعصومون المطهرون الذين لا يذنبون ولا يعصون وهم المؤيدون الموفقون المسددون بهم يرزق الله عباده وبهم تعمر بلاده وبهم ينزل القطر من السماء وبهم يخرج بركات الارض وبهم يمهل اهل المعاصي ولا يعجل عليهم بالعقوبة والعذاب لا يفارقهم روح القدس ولا يفارقونه ولا يفارقون القرآن ولا يفارقهم صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين

And the Prophet^-saww said: ‘The stars are a security for the inhabitants of the sky, and the People^-asws of my^-saww Household are a security for the inhabitants of the earth. So if the stars were to go away, there would come to the inhabitants of the sky what they dislike, and if the People^-asws of my^-saww Household go away, there would come to the inhabitants of the earth what they dislike’ – meaning by the People^-asws of the Household, the Imams^-asws, the obedience to whom Allah^-azwj has Paired as being obedience to Him^-azwj, so He^-azwj Said O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], and they^-asws are the Infallible, the Purified who are not committing any sins nor are they^-asws disobeying (Allah^-azwj), and they^-asws are the supporters, the conciliators, the Guides due to whom Allah^-azwj Sustains His^-azwj servants. It is due to them^-asws that His^-azwj Countries survive, and it is due to them^-asws that there are drops (of rain) from the sky, and it is due to them^-asws that the Blessings come out from the earth, and it is due to them^-asws that the Torment and the Punishment is delayed and is not hastened upon the people of the disobedience. Neither will the Holy Spirit separate from them nor would they^-asws separate from it. Neither will they^-asws separate from the Quran, nor would it separate from them^-asws’.[75]

For those who do not accept the Imamate is the imprecation

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّا نُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ فَنَحْتَجُّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ نَزَلَتْ فِي أُمَرَاءِ السَّرَايَا

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Muhammad Bin Hakeym, from Abu Masrouq,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I said, ‘We speak to the people, so we argue against them by the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]. But, they are saying, ‘It was Revealed regarding the commanders of the battalions’.

فَنَحْتَجُّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّما وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ فَيَقُولُونَ نَزَلَتْ فِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ نَحْتَجُّ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبى فَيَقُولُونَ نَزَلَتْ فِي قُرْبَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ

We argue against them by the Words of the Mighty and Majestic But rather, only Allah is your Guardian and His Rasool [5:55] – up to the end of the Verse. But they are saying, ‘It was Revealed regarding the Momineen’. And we are arguing against them by the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Say: I do not ask of you any Recompense for it except for the cordiality for my near relatives [42:23]. But they are saying, ‘It was Revealed regarding the relatives of the Muslims’.

قَالَ فَلَمْ أَدَعْ شَيْئاً مِمَّا حَضَرَنِي ذِكْرُهُ مِنْ هَذِهِ وَ شِبْهِهِ إِلَّا ذَكَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ لِي إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَادْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْمُبَاهَلَةِ قُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I did not leave anything for whatever presented to me, remembering it from these (arguments) and the likes of it, except that I mentioned it. So he^-asws said to me: ‘When it was like that, so call them to the (Mubahila) imprecation’. I said, ‘And how should I deal with it?’

قَالَ أَصْلِحْ نَفْسَكَ ثَلَاثاً وَ أَظُنُّهُ قَالَ وَ صُمْ وَ اغْتَسِلْ وَ ابْرُزْ أَنْتَ وَ هُوَ إِلَى الْجَبَّانِ فَشَبِّكْ أَصَابِعَكَ مِنْ يَدِكَ الْيُمْنَى فِي أَصَابِعِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْصِفْهُ وَ ابْدَأْ بِنَفْسِكَ وَ قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَ رَبَّ الْأَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَ الشَّهَادَةِ الرَّحْمَنَ الرَّحِيمَ إِنْ كَانَ أَبُو مَسْرُوقٍ جَحَدَ حَقّاً وَ ادَّعَى بَاطِلًا فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِ حُسْبَاناً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً

He^-asws said: ‘Correct soul for three (days)’, and I think he^-asws said: ‘And Fast, wash, and you and him go to the mountain, so intertwine (crisscross) your fingers from your right hand in his fingers, then be fair with him, and begin with yourself and say, ‘O Allah^-azwj! Lord^-azwj of the seven skies and Lord^-azwj of the seven earths, Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Beneficent, the Merciful. If Abu Masrouq (the narrator himself) is denying the Truth and is claiming falsehood, so Send down upon him a thunderbolt from the sky, or a painful Punishment’.

ثُمَّ رُدَّ الدَّعْوَةَ عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ فُلَانٌ جَحَدَ حَقّاً وَ ادَّعَى بَاطِلًا فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِ حُسْبَاناً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوْ عَذَاباً أَلِيماً

Then return the supplication upon him, so say, ‘And if so and so is denying the truth and claiming falsehood, so Send down upon him a thunderbolt from the sky or a painful Punishment’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي فَإِنَّكَ لَا تَلْبَثُ أَنْ تَرَى ذَلِكَ فِيهِ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا وَجَدْتُ خَلْقاً يُجِيبُنِي إِلَيْهِ

Then he^-asws said to me: ‘So it won’t be long before you see that in him, for by Allah^-azwj, I^-asws have not found any creature who will answer me^-asws to it (the imprecation)’.[76]

Not accepting the ones with Divine Authority is Kufr

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً ( صلوات الله عليه ) يَقُولُ وَ أَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ مُؤْمِناً وَ أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ كَافِراً وَ أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ ضَالًّا

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Ibrahim Bin Umar Al Yamani, from Ibn Azina, from Aban Bin Ayyash, from Suleym Bin Qays who said,

‘I heard Ali^-asws saying and a man had come over to him^-asws, and he said to him^-asws: ‘What is the least of that with which the servant (of Allah^-azwj) becomes a Momin (believer), or a Kafir (unbeliever), or a straying one?’

فَقَالَ لَهُ قَدْ سَأَلْتَ فَافْهَمِ الْجَوَابَ أَمَّا أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ مُؤْمِناً أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى نَفْسَهُ فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَ يُعَرِّفَهُ نَبِيَّهُ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَ يُعَرِّفَهُ إِمَامَهَ وَ حُجَّتَهُ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَ شَاهِدَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ

He^-asws said to him: ‘You have asked so now try to understand the answer. As for the least of that with which the servant (of Allah^-azwj) can be a Momin is that he recognises Allah^-azwj Blessed and High himself, so he acknowledges to Him^-azwj with the obedience, and he recognises His^-azwj Prophet^-saww, so he acknowledges to him^-saww with his^-saww obedience, and he recognises His^-azwj Imam^-asws and His^-azwj Proof in His^-azwj earth, and His^-azwj Witness over His^-azwj creatures, so he acknowledges to him^-asws with the obedience’.

قُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ إِنْ جَهِلَ جَمِيعَ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَّا مَا وَصَفْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا أُمِرَ أَطَاعَ وَ إِذَا نُهِيَ انْتَهَى

I said to him^-asws, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! And even if he was ignorant of the entirety of the things except what you^-asws have described?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes. Whenever he^-asws orders, he obeys, and whenever he^-asws forbids, he keeps away.

وَ أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ كَافِراً مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ شَيْئاً نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ بِهِ وَ نَصَبَهُ دِيناً يَتَوَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ يَعْبُدُ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ بِهِ وَ إِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُ الشَّيْطَانَ

And the least of that with which the servant (of Allah^-azwj) can be a Kafir (unbeliever) is the one who alleges that the things Allah^-azwj has Forbidden from is what Allah^-azwj has Commanded with, and establishes it as a religion, and pretends that he is worshipping the One^-azwj Who has Commanded with it, and rather he is worshipping the Satan^-la.

وَ أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ ضَالًّا أَنْ لَا يَعْرِفَ حُجَّةَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَ شَاهِدَهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الَّذِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ فَرَضَ وَلَايَتَهُ

And the least of that with which the servant (of Allah^-azwj) happen to be straying one is that he does not recognise the Proof^-asws of Allah^-azwj Blessed and High and His^-azwj Witness upon His^-azwj servants whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Commanded with his^-asws obedience and Imposed his^-asws Wilayah’.

قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صِفْهُمْ لِي فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ قَرَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِنَفْسِهِ وَ نَبِيِّهِ فَقَالَ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ

I said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Describe them^-asws to me’. So he^-asws said: ‘Those^-asws whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Paired with Himself^-azwj and His^-azwj Prophet^aw, so He^-azwj Said Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59]’.

قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ أَوْضِحْ لِي فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فِي آخِرِ خُطْبَتِهِ يَوْمَ قَبَضَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ إِنِّي قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَ عِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّ اللَّطِيفَ الْخَبِيرَ قَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ كَهَاتَيْنِ وَ جَمَعَ بَيْنَ مُسَبِّحَتَيْهِ وَ لَا أَقُولُ كَهَاتَيْنِ وَ جَمَعَ بَيْنَ الْمُسَبِّحَةِ وَ الْوُسْطَى فَتَسْبِقَ إِحْدَاهُمَا الْأُخْرَى فَتَمَسَّكُوا بِهِمَا لَا تَزِلُّوا وَ لَا تَضِلُّوا وَ لَا تَقَدَّمُوهُمْ فَتَضِلُّوا

I said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! May Allah^-azwj Make me to be sacrificed for you^-asws! Clarify it to me’. He^-asws said: ‘Those^-asws for whom Rasool-Allah^-sawwspoke of at the end of his^-saww sermon on the day Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Caused him^-saww to pass away: ‘I^-saww am leaving behind two matters among you all. You will never stray after me^-saww for as long as you attach yourselves with these two – the Book of Allah^-azwj and my^-sawwoffspring, the People^-asws of my^-saww Household, for the Knower of the subtleties and the All-Aware has Informed me^-sawwand has Covenanted to me^-sawwthat these two will never separate until they both come to me^-sawwat the Fountain, like these two’ – and he^-saww gathered between his^-saww ‘Tasbeeh fingers’ (the forefinger and the thumb), ‘And I^-saww am not saying like this’ – and he^-saww gathered between the thumb and the middle finger, ‘So that one of the two would precede the other. Therefore, attach yourselves with these two and you will neither be deceived nor stray, and do not precede them^-asws, for you will go astray’.[77]

Final advice to the Shias

عن عمران الحلبي، قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) يقول: «إنكم أخذتم هذا الأمر من جذوه- يعني من أصله- عن قول الله: أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ و من قول رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): ما إن تمسكتم به لن تضلوا، لا من قول فلان، و لا من قول فلان

From Imran Al Halby who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘You all (Shias) have taken this matter from its flame – meaning from its origin – from the Words of Allah^-azwj O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Rasool and those with (Divine) Authority from you [4:59], and from the words of Rasool-Allah^-saww: ‘If you attach yourselves to them^-asws you will never go astray’ – neither from the words of so and so nor from the words of so and so (the enemies of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws)’.[78]

VERSE 60

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا {60}

Have you not seen those who are alleging that they do believe in what is Revealed unto you and what was Revealed from before you? They are intending to summon each other to the judgment of the tyrant, although they have been Commanded to disbelieve in him, and the Satan intends to stray them with a far straying [4:60]

العياشي: عن يونس مولى علي، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «من كانت بينه و بين أخيه منازعة فدعاه إلى رجل من أصحابه يحكم بينهما، فأبى إلا أن يرافعه إلى السلطان، فهو كمن حاكم إلى الجبت و الطاغوت، و قد قال الله: يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ إلى قوله: بَعِيداً

Al Ayyashi, from Yunus a slave of Ali,

from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘One who has a dispute between himself and his brother, so he should invite him to a man from his companions to judge between the two of them. So if he refuses except that he would raise the matter with the authorities, so he is like the one who wants the judgement of the idols and the tyrants. And Allah^-azwj has Said They are intending to summon each other to the judgment of the tyrant up to His^-azwj Words a far straying [4:60]’.[79]

أبو بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قول الله: أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَ ما أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ

Abu Baseer,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj: Have you not seen those who are alleging that they do believe in what is Revealed unto you and what was Revealed from before you? They are intending to summon each other to the judgment of the tyrant [4:60].

فقال: «يا أبا محمد إنه لو كان لك على رجل حق، فدعوته إلى حكام أهل العدل، فأبى عليك إلا أن يرافعك إلى حكام أهل الجور ليقضوا له، كان ممن حاكم إلى الطاغوت

So he^-asws said: ‘O Abu Muhammad! It is so, if there was a right for you upon a man, and you call him to a judge of the people of justice, but he refuses unto you except that he would raise it to judges of the people of tyranny in order to judge for him, he would be from the ones who summon each other to the judgment of the tyrant [4:60]’’.[80]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ رَجُلَيْنِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا بَيْنَهُمَا مُنَازَعَةٌ فِي دَيْنٍ أَوْ مِيرَاثٍ فَتَحَاكَمَا إِلَى السُّلْطَانِ وَ إِلَى الْقُضَاةِ أَ يَحِلُّ ذَلِكَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al-Husayn, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Dawood Bin Al-Husayn, from Umar Bin Hanzala who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about two men from our companions between who there was a dispute regarding a debt or an inheritance. So they both adjudicated it to the ruling authority and to the judges. Is that permissible?’

قَالَ مَنْ تَحَاكَمَ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي حَقٍّ أَوْ بَاطِلٍ فَإِنَّمَا تَحَاكَمَ إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَ مَا يَحْكُمُ لَهُ فَإِنَّمَا يَأْخُذُ سُحْتاً وَ إِنْ كَانَ حَقّاً ثَابِتاً لِأَنَّهُ أَخَذَهُ بِحُكْمِ الطَّاغُوتِ وَ قَدْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُكْفَرَ بِهِ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَ قَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ

He^-asws said: ‘The one who adjudicates to them regarding a right or a wrong, so rather he has adjudicated to the tyrant, and whatever they adjudicate to him, so rather he has taken an ill-gotten gain, and even though it may be a proven right, because he has taken it by a judgment of the tyrant, and Allah^-azwj has Commanded that he disbelieves in it. They are intending to summon each other to the judgment of the tyrant, although they have been Commanded to disbelieve in him [4:60].

قُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ يَصْنَعَانِ قَالَ يَنْظُرَانِ إِلَى مَنْ كَانَ مِنْكُمْ مِمَّنْ قَدْ رَوَى حَدِيثَنَا وَ نَظَرَ فِي حَلَالِنَا وَ حَرَامِنَا وَ عَرَفَ أَحْكَامَنَا فَلْيَرْضَوْا بِهِ حَكَماً فَإِنِّي قَدْ جَعَلْتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ حَاكِماً فَإِذَا حَكَمَ بِحُكْمِنَا فَلَمْ يَقْبَلْهُ مِنْهُ فَإِنَّمَا اسْتَخَفَّ بِحُكْمِ اللَّهِ وَ عَلَيْنَا رَدَّ وَ الرَّادُّ عَلَيْنَا الرَّادُّ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى حَدِّ الشِّرْكِ بِاللَّهِ

I said, ‘So how should they both be dealing with it?’ He^-asws said: ‘They should both take it for consideration to the one who was from you, from the one who have reported our^-asws Ahadeeth and looks into our^-asws Permissible and our^-asws Prohibition, and he recognises our^-asws regulations. So let them both be pleased with him as a judge, for I^-asws have made him to be a judge upon you (to settle their dispute). So when he does judge by our^-asws judgment and it is not accepted from him, so rather you would have taken lightly with the Judgment of Allah^-azwj, and upon us^-asws is the rejection. And the rejection upon us^-asws, is the rejection upon Allah^-azwj, and he would be upon the boundary of the Shirk (association) with Allah^-azwj’.

قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ اخْتَارَ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا فَرَضِيَا أَنْ يَكُونَا النَّاظِرَيْنِ فِي حَقِّهِمَا وَ اخْتَلَفَا فِيمَا حَكَمَا وَ كِلَاهُمَا اخْتَلَفَا فِي حَدِيثِكُمْ قَالَ الْحُكْمُ مَا حَكَمَ بِهِ أَعْدَلُهُمَا وَ أَفْقَهُهُمَا وَ أَصْدَقُهُمَا فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَ أَوْرَعُهُمَا وَ لَا يَلْتَفِتْ إِلَى مَا يَحْكُمُ بِهِ الْآخَرُ

I said, ‘Supposing it was so that each man chooses a man each from our companions, so they are both pleased for them both to look into their rights, and they both differ in their respective judgments, and both of them differ regarding your^-asws Hadeeth?’ He^-asws said: ‘The judgment would what is judged by the one who is more just of the two, and more understanding of the two, or the more truthful of the two regarding the Hadeeth, or the more pious of the two, and he would not turn to what the other one judged with’.

قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّهُمَا عَدْلَانِ مَرْضِيَّانِ عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِنَا لَا يُفَضَّلُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهُمَا عَلَى الْآخَرِ قَالَ فَقَالَ يُنْظَرُ إِلَى مَا كَانَ مِنْ رِوَايَتِهِمْ عَنَّا فِي ذَلِكَ الَّذِي حَكَمَا بِهِ الْمُجْمَعُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِ مِنْ حُكْمِنَا وَ يُتْرَكُ الشَّاذُّ الَّذِي لَيْسَ بِمَشْهُورٍ عِنْدَ أَصْحَابِكَ فَإِنَّ الْمُجْمَعَ عَلَيْهِ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘Supposing both of them are just, agreeable in the presence of our companions, not one of the two having any merit upon the other?’ So he^-asws said: ‘You would look at what was from their reports from us^-asws regarding that (issue) which they are judging with, and consensus upon it from your companions. So they should be taking with our^-asws judgment and neglect the abnormal which is not well-known among your companions. So the consensus would be upon which there is no doubt in it.

وَ إِنَّمَا الْأُمُورُ ثَلَاثَةٌ أَمْرٌ بَيِّنٌ رُشْدُهُ فَيُتَّبَعُ وَ أَمْرٌ بَيِّنٌ غَيُّهُ فَيُجْتَنَبُ وَ أَمْرٌ مُشْكِلٌ يُرَدُّ عِلْمُهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ إِلَى رَسُولِهِ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) حَلَالٌ بَيِّنٌ وَ حَرَامٌ بَيِّنٌ وَ شُبُهَاتٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ تَرَكَ الشُّبُهَاتِ نَجَا مِنَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ وَ مَنْ أَخَذَ بِالشُّبُهَاتِ ارْتَكَبَ الْمُحَرَّمَاتِ وَ هَلَكَ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُ

And rather, the matters are three (types) – a matter which is clearly righteous guidance, so you would follow it, and a matter which is clearly wrong, so you would keep aside from it, and a matter which is difficult, you would return its knowledge to Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The Permissible are clear, and the Prohibitions are clear, and the doubtful ones are between that. So the one who neglects the doubtful would be saved from the Prohibitions, and the one who takes the doubtful would indulge in the Prohibitions and be destroyed from where he does not even know’.

قُلْتُ فَإِنْ كَانَ الْخَبَرَانِ عَنْكُمَا مَشْهُورَيْنِ قَدْ رَوَاهُمَا الثِّقَاتُ عَنْكُمْ قَالَ يُنْظَرُ فَمَا وَافَقَ حُكْمُهُ حُكْمَ الْكِتَابِ وَ السُّنَّةِ وَ خَالَفَ الْعَامَّةَ فَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِ وَ يُتْرَكُ مَا خَالَفَ حُكْمُهُ حُكْمَ الْكِتَابِ وَ السُّنَّةِ وَ وَافَقَ الْعَامَّةَ

I said, ‘Supposing there are two Ahadeeth from you, both well known, both having been reported by the trustworthy ones from you^-asws?’ He^-asws said: ‘It would be looked into. So whatever judgment was in accordance with the Judgment of the Book and the Sunnah, and differs from the general Muslims, so it would be taken with, and whatever judgment was different from the Judgment of the Book and the Sunnah, and in accordance with the general Muslims, would be neglected’.

قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَ رَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ الْفَقِيهَانِ عَرَفَا حُكْمَهُ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَ السُّنَّةِ وَ وَجَدْنَا أَحَدَ الْخَبَرَيْنِ مُوَافِقاً لِلْعَامَّةِ وَ الْآخَرَ مُخَالِفاً لَهُمْ بِأَيِّ الْخَبَرَيْنِ يُؤْخَذُ قَالَ مَا خَالَفَ الْعَامَّةَ فَفِيهِ الرَّشَادُ

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! What is your^-asws view if they were both understanding ones, both recognising its judgment from the Book and the Sunnah, and we find one of the two Ahadeeth in accordance with the general Muslims and the other one opposed to them. With which of the two Ahadeeth would be it taken?’ He^-asws said: ‘Whatever opposes the general Muslims, for there would be righteous guidance therein’.

فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَإِنْ وَافَقَهُمَا الْخَبَرَانِ جَمِيعاً قَالَ يُنْظَرُ إِلَى مَا هُمْ إِلَيْهِ أَمْيَلُ حُكَّامُهُمْ وَ قُضَاتُهُمْ فَيُتْرَكُ وَ يُؤْخَذُ بِالْآخَرِ

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! Supposing if both of the two Ahadeeth are in accordance together?’ He^-asws said: ‘It would be looked at what their rulers and their judges are inclined towards, so you would leave it, and be taking with the other one’.

قُلْتُ فَإِنْ وَافَقَ حُكَّامُهُمُ الْخَبَرَيْنِ جَمِيعاً قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَأَرْجِهْ حَتَّى تَلْقَى إِمَامَكَ فَإِنَّ الْوُقُوفَ عِنْدَ الشُّبُهَاتِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الِاقْتِحَامِ فِي الْهَلَكَاتِ

I said, ‘Supposing their rulers and their judges are all concordant?’ He^-asws said: ‘When it was that, so wait until you meet your Imam^-asws, for the pausing during the doubtful matters is better than storming into the destruction’.[81]

VERSES 61 – 63

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ تَعَالَوْا إِلَىٰ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ رَأَيْتَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ يَصُدُّونَ عَنْكَ صُدُودًا {61}

And when it is said to them: ‘Come to what Allah has Revealed and to the Rasool’, you will see the hypocrites hindering (people) from you in aversion [4:61]

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِمَا قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ جَاءُوكَ يَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَدْنَا إِلَّا إِحْسَانًا وَتَوْفِيقًا {62}

But how would it be when misfortune befalls them on account of what their hands have sent before? Then they will come to you swearing by Allah: ‘We did not desire except for good and harmony [4:62]

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ مَا فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَعِظْهُمْ وَقُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغًا {63}

They are those Allah Knows what is in their hearts, therefore turn aside from them and advise them, and speak to them eloquent words regarding themselves [4:63]

العياشي: عن منصور بزرج، عمن حدثه، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قوله: فَكَيْفَ إِذا أَصابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ بِما قَدَّمَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ، قال: «الخسف- و الله- عند الحوض بالفاسقين

Al Ayyahi, from Mansour Barzakh, from the one who narrated it,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding His^-azwj Words: But how would it be when misfortune befalls them on account of what their hands have sent before? [4:62], said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! (It is) the submerging at the Fountain with the mischief makers’’.[82]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَ غَيْرُهُ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ النَّجَاشِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ ما فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ وَ عِظْهُمْ وَ قُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغاً يَعْنِي وَ اللَّهِ فُلَاناً وَ فُلَاناً

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and Muhammad Bin Ismail, and someone else, from Mansour Bin Yunus, from Ibn Azina, from Abdullah Bin Najjashy who said:

I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: They are those Allah Knows what is in their hearts, therefore turn aside from them and advise them, and speak to them eloquent words regarding themselves [4:63]. By Allah^-azwj, it means so and so and so and so (the enemies of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws).[83]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي جُنَادَةَ الْحُصَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخَارِقِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ وَرْقَاءَ بْنِ حَبَشِيِّ بْنِ جُنَادَةَ السَّلُولِيِّ صَاحِبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ (عليه السلام) فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُ اللَّهُ ما فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ فَقَدْ سَبَقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ الشَّقَاءِ وَ سَبَقَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَ قُلْ لَهُمْ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ قَوْلًا بَلِيغاً

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Abu Junada Al-Husayn Bin Al-Mukharaq Bin Abdul Rahmaan Bin Warqa Bin Habashy Bin Junada Al-Saluly,

A companion of the Rasool-Allah^-azwj, from Abu Al-Hassan the First^-asws regarding the Words of Allah Mighty and Majestic: They are those Allah Knows what is in their hearts therefore turn aside from them [4:63]. So the Word of misery has already been Ordained for them and so has the Punishment been Ordained for them and speak to them eloquent words regarding themselves [4:63]’.[84]

VERSES 64 & 65

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ ۚ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جَاءُوكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّابًا رَحِيمًا {64}

And We did not Send any Rasool but for him to be obeyed by the Permission of Allah; and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and sought Forgiveness of Allah and the Rasool had (also) sought Forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-turning (to Mercy), Merciful [4:64]

فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا {65}

But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65]

Seeking Forgiveness is through the Holy Masumeen^-asws

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن زرارة، عن أبي‏ جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُكَ يا علي فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً رَحِيماً فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ يا علي فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ يعني فيما تعاهدوا، و تعاقدوا عليه بينهم من خلافك، و غصبك ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ عليهم يا محمد على لسانك من ولايته وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً لعلي (عليه السلام)

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Zarara,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you [4:64], O Ali^-asws and sought Forgiveness of Allah and the Rasool had (also) sought Forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-turning (to Mercy), Merciful [4:64] But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge, O Ali^-asws regarding what they are quarrelling between them – Meaning what they have agreed between them from behind you^-asws and usurped you^-asws (of your^-asws rights) then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge against them O Muhammad^-saww upon your^-saww tongue of his^-asws Wilayah and they accept submissively [4:65] to Ali^-asws’.[85]

سعد بن عبد الله القمي: عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن عمر بن أذينة، عن عبد الله بن النجاشي، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً.

Sa’ad Bin Abdullah Al Qummi, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Azina, from Abdullah Bin Al Najashy who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65].

قال: «عنى بهذا عليا (عليه السلام)، و تصديق ذلك في قوله تعالى: وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُكَ يعني عليا فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ يعني النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله)

He^-asws said: ‘It Means by this – Ali^-asws, and the verification of that is in the Words of the Exalted ‘and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you [4:64] Meaning Ali^-asws and sought Forgiveness of Allah and the Rasool had (also) sought Forgiveness for them – Meaning the Prophet^-saww’.[86]

Submission to the decisions of the Holy Masumeen^-asws

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْكَاهِلِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لَوْ أَنَّ قَوْماً عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَ آتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَ حَجُّوا الْبَيْتَ وَ صَامُوا شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ قَالُوا لِشَيْ‏ءٍ صَنَعَهُ اللَّهُ أَوْ صَنَعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَلَّا صَنَعَ خِلَافَ الَّذِي صَنَعَ أَوْ وَجَدُوا ذَلِكَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ لَكَانُوا بِذَلِكَ مُشْرِكِينَ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Barqy, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Hammad Bin Usman, from Abdullah Al Kahily who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘If a people were to worship Allah^-azwj as One, there being no associates for Him^-azwj, and establish the Salat, and give the Zakat, and perform the Hajj of the House (Kabah), and Fast the Month of Ramazan, they then say for something which Allah^-azwj has Done or Rasool-Allah^-saww has done, ‘Why did they not do differently to what they did?’, or find that to be in their hearts, they would happen to be Polytheists due to that’.

ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ

Then he^-asws recited this Verse But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65]. Then, Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘It is upon you to be with the submission’.[87]

عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام): فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مما قضى محمد و آل محمد وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً».

From Jabir,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them then not find any objection within themselves from what you [4:65] Muhammad^-saww and the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww judge and they accept submissively [4:65]’.[88]

و عنه: عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن زرارة أو بريد، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: قال: «لقد خاطب الله أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) في كتابه». قال: قلت: في أي موضع؟

And from him (Al Kulayni) from Ali Bin Ibrahim,, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Zarara or Bureyd,

from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj has Addressed Amir Al-Momineen^-asws in His^-azwj Book’. I said, ‘In which place?’

قال: «في قوله تعالى: وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُمْ إِذْ ظَلَمُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ جاؤُكَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا اللَّهَ وَ اسْتَغْفَرَ لَهُمُ الرَّسُولُ لَوَجَدُوا اللَّهَ تَوَّاباً رَحِيماً

The Imam^-asws said: ‘In the Words of the Exalted And We did not Send any Rasool but for him to be obeyed by the Permission of Allah; and had they, when they were unjust to themselves, come to you and sought Forgiveness of Allah and the Rasool had (also) sought Forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-turning (to Mercy), Merciful [4:64].

فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ فيما تعاقدوا عليه، لئن أمات الله محمدا ألا يردوا هذا الأمر في بني هاشم ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ عليهم من القتل أو العفو وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً

But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, regarding what they had agreed against him that if Allah^-azwj Causes Muhammad^-saww to pass away, they would not let this matter (Caliphate) to return among the Clan of Hashim^-as then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge against them from the killing or the forgiveness and they accept submissively [4:65]’.[89]

النضر (بن سويد) عن يحيى الحلبي عن أيوب قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن أشد ما يكون عدوكم كراهية لهذا الامر حين تبلغ نفسه هذه – وأومأ بيده إلى حنجرته

Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Yahya Al Halby, from Ayoub who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘The most intensely abhorrent what your enemy can happen to be to this matter (Al-Wilayah) is when his soul reaches this here’ – and he^-asws gestured by his^-asws hand to his^-asws larynx.

ثم قال: إن رجلا من آل عثمان كان سبابة (أبا) لعلى عليه السلام فحدثتني مولاة له كانت تأتينا قالت: لما احتضر قال: مالي ولهم؟

Then he^-asws said: ‘A man from the family of Usman was pointing (accusing) the father^-as of Ali^-asws. So, a maid of his who used to come to us^-asws, narrated to me^-asws saying, ‘When he was dying, he said, ‘What is it to do with me and them?’

قلت: جعلني الله فداك ماله قال هذا؟ فقال: لما أرى (رأى) من العذاب أما (إنما) سمعت قول الله تبارك وتعالى (فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهم ثم لا يجدوا في أنفسهم حرجا مما قضيت ويسلموا تسليما) هيهات هيهات لا والله حتى يكون ثبات (مات) (هذا) الشئ في القلب وان صلى وصام

I (the narrator) said, ‘May Allah^-azwj Make me to be sacrificed for you^-asws! What is the matter with him saying this?’ He^-asws said: ‘When he saw from the Punishment. But rather, have you not heard the Words of Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65]?’ Far be it! Far be it! No, by Allah^-azwj, until this thing which is affirmed in the heart, dies, and even if he was to pray Salat and Fast’.[90]

The meaning of submission

أحمد بن محمد بن خالد البرقي: عن عدة من أصحابنا، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قول الله: فَلا وَ رَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيما شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ حَرَجاً مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَ يُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيماً. قال: «التسليم: الرضا و القنوع بقضائه

Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid Al Barqy, from a number of our companions, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Abu Al Jaroud,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj: But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65]. He^-asws said: ‘The submission – the pleasure and the contentment with his^-asws judgment’’.[91]

عنه، عن عدة من أصحابنا، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي الجارود، عن أبي – جعفر (ع) في قول الله: ” فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهم ثم لا يجدوا في أنفسهم حرجا مما قضيت، ويسلموا تسليما ” قال: التسليم الرضا والقنوع بقضائه

From him, from a number of our companions, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Abu Al-Jaroud,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj But no! By your Lord! They are not believing until they make you a judge regarding what they are quarrelling between them, then not find any objection within themselves from what you judge and they accept submissively [4:65]. The Imam^-asws said: ‘The submission, and the pleasure, and the satisfaction with his^-saww judgement’.[92]

[و عنه: عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن النضر بن سويد، عن عبد الله بن مسكان، عن ضريس، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: سمعته يقول‏]: «قد أفلح المسلمون، إن المسلمين هم النجباء

An from him, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al-Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Abdullah Bin Muskan, from Zareys,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying: ‘The submitters have succeeded! The submitters, they are the excellent ones’’.[93]

VERSES 66 – 68

وَلَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ أَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيَارِكُمْ مَا فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِنْهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ فَعَلُوا مَا يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَشَدَّ تَثْبِيتًا {66}

And had We Prescribed upon them: “Lay down your lives or go forth from your houses”, they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they were to do what they are being advised with, it would be better for them and stronger in affirmation [4:66]

وَإِذًا لَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مِنْ لَدُنَّا أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا {67} وَلَهَدَيْنَاهُمْ صِرَاطًا مُسْتَقِيمًا {68}

And then We would Give them from Us a great [4:67] And We would Guide them to a Straight Path [4:68]

و عنه: عن أحمد بن مهران، عن عبد العظيم، عن بكار، عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «هكذا نزلت هذه الآية: و لو أنهم فعلوا ما يوعظون به في علي لكان خيرا لهم

And from him, from Ahmad Bin Mahran, from Abdul Azeem, from Bakra, from Jabir,

from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘This Verse was Revealed like this and if they were to do what they are being advised with regarding Ali^-asws, it would be better for them [4:66]’.[94]

العياشي: عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام): «وَ لَوْ أَنَّا كَتَبْنا عَلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ للإمام تسليما أَوِ اخْرُجُوا مِنْ دِيارِكُمْ رضا له ما فَعَلُوهُ إِلَّا قَلِيلٌ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَوْ أن أهل الخلاف فَعَلُوا ما يُوعَظُونَ بِهِ لَكانَ خَيْراً لَهُمْ يعني في علي (عليه السلام)

Al Ayyashi, from Abu Baseer,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘And had We Prescribed upon them: “Lay down your lives for the Imam^-asws in submission or go forth from your houses for his^-asws pleasure, they would not have done it except a few of them; and if they – the people of the opposition, were to do what they are being advised with, it would be better for them and stronger in affirmation [4:66] – Meaning regarding Ali^-asws’.[95]

[1] تفسير العياشي 1: 242/ 133.

[2] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 242/ 135.

[3] الكافي 3: 371/ 15

[4] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 242/ 137.

[5] الكافي 3: 450

[6] علل الشرائع 2: 288/ 1 باب (210)

[7] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 244/ 144.

[8] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 242/ 134.

[9] التهذيب 1: 207/ 601

[10] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 243/ 140.

[11] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 243/ 141.

[12] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 244/ 143.

[13] التهذيب 1: 406/ 1276.

[14] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari^asws– S 305

[15] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 245/ 168

[16] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 27

[17] A town from the business (districts) of Damascus around the Golan Heights «معجم البلدان 2: 91».

[18] The island which is between (the rivers) Dajla and the Euphrates – معجم البلدان 2: 134

[19] A city in Palestine or a place ruined around Al Karkh at Baghdad, or a town in Bahrain – معجم- البلدان 3

[20] Blonde, like the hair of the head الصحاح- صهب- 1: 166

[21] That in which one colour blends in with another

[22] A city near the river Al Jabour near Rahba. «معجم البلدان 4: 328»

[23] A land situated between Makkah and Al Medina – معجم البلدان 1: 523

[24]. الغيبة: 279/ 67.

[25] تفسير العياشي 1: 245/ 149.

[26] من لا يحضره الفقيه 3: 376/ 1780.

[27] تفسير العياشي 1: 246/ 150.

[28] التوحيد: 409/ 8.

[29] من لا يحضره الفقيه 4: 295/ 892

[30] تفسير القمي 1: 140

[31] Tafseer Noor Al Saqalayn V 3 P 93 H 252

[32] الكافي 8: 295/ 452.

[33] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 1 Ch 16 H 3

[34] Kitab Suleym Bin Qays Al Hilali – H 25 (Extract)

[35] Kitab Suleym Bin Qays Al Hilali – H 4 (Extract)

[36] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 1 Ch 17 H 3

[37] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 2 CH 17 H 5

[38] الكافي 1: 160/ 5

[39] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 1 Ch 17 H 5

[40] مختصر بصائر الدرجات: 62.

[41] Tafseer Sa’alby (Sunni source) – Hadeeth No. 60

[42] Basaair Al Arajaat – P 1 Ch 17 H 9

[43] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 248/ 161.

[44] تفسير القمي 1: 140.

[45] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 248/ 156.

[46] من لا يحضره الفقيه 1: 50/ 195.

[47] أمالي الشيخ الطوسي 2: 193.

[48] تفسير القمّي 1: 141.

[49] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 59 H 4

[50] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 59 H 1

[51] الغيبة: 51/ 2.

[52] الغيبة: 54/ 5.

[53] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 4 Ch 4 H 22

[54] تفسير العياشي 1: 249/ 166.

[55] تفسير العياشي 1: 249/ 167.

[56] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 59 H 2

[57] Tafseer Noor Al Saqalayn V 1 P 495 H 318

[58] تفسير القمّي 1: 141.

[59] Al Kafi – H 14660

[60] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 59 H 1

[61] مناقب ابن شهر آشوب 3: 15، شواهد التنزيل 1: 168/ 203، ينابيع المودة: 114 «قطعة منه».

[62] تفسير العيّاشي 1 لا 253/ 176.

[63] كما الدين و تمام النعمة: 222/ 8.

[64] تفسير العياشي 1: 249/ 168.

[65] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 252/ 174.

[66] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 252/ 173.

[67] فسير العيّاشي 1: 251/ 171.

[68] Kitab Suleym Bin Qays Al Hilali – H 54 (Extract)

[69] Kitab Suleym Bin Qays Al Hilali – H 10 (Extract)

[70] الكافي 1: 226/ 1

[71] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 8 H 7

[72] الاختصاص: 277.

[73] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 13 H 6

[74] كمال الدين و تمام النعمة: 253/ 3.

[75] Al Illal Al Sharaie – V 1 Ch 103 H 1

[76] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 34 H 1

[77] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 179 H 1

[78] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 251/ 172.

[79] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 254/ 179.

[80] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 254/ 180

[81] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 20 H 10

[82] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 254/ 181.

[83] Al Kafi – H 14974

[84] Al Kafi – H 14659 (Extract)

[85] تفسير القمّي 1: 142

[86] الكافي 1: 322/ 7.

[87] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 95 H 2

[88] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 256/ 186.

[89] الكافي 1: 322/ 7.

[90] Kitab Al Zohad – Ch 15 H 227

[91] المحاسن: 271/ 364.

[92] Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 5 H 364

[93] مختصر بصائر الدرجات: 74

[94] الكافي 1: 351/ 60.

[95] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 256/ 188.