AL-KAHF (Chapter 18) Verses 83 – 110

VERSES 83 & 84

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا {83}

And they are asking you about Zulqarnayn. Say: ‘I will recite to you a mention of him [18:83]

إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا {84}

Surely, We Enabled him in the earth and Gave him a course from every thing [18:84]

و عنه، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن الحسين البزاز، قال: حدثنا محمد بن يعقوب بن يوسف، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن عبد الجبار العطاردي، قال: حدثنا يونس بن بكير، عن محمد بن إسحاق بن يسار المدني، عن عمرو بن ثابت، عن سماك بن حرب، عن رجل من بني أسد، قال: سأل رجل عليا (عليه السلام): أ رأيت ذا القرنين، كيف استطاع أن يبلغ المشرق و المغرب؟

And from him (Al Sadooq) who said, ‘It was narrated to us by Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Al Husayn Al Bazaz, from Muhammad Bin Yaqoub Bin Yusuf, from Ahmad Bin Abdul Jabbar Al Ata’ardy, from Yunus Bin Bukeyr, from Muhammad Bin Is’haq Bin Yasar A Madany, from Amro Bin Sabit, from Samak Bin Harb, from a man from (the clan of) Asad who said,

‘A man asked Ali^-asws, ‘What is your^-asws view of Zulqarnayn, how was he able upon reaching the east and the west?’

قال: «سخر الله له السحاب، و مد له في الأسباب، و بسط له النور، فكان الليل و النهار عليه سواء».

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Subjected the clouds for him, and Extended for him in the courses, and Spread out the light for him. So, the night and the day were the same to him’’.[1]

The spring of life

قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «و ذلك قوله عز و جل: إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ آتَيْناهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سَبَباً: أي دليلا، فقيل له: إن لله في أرضه عينا يقال لها: عين الحياة، لا يشرب منها ذو روح إلا لم يمت حتى الصيحة

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘And that His^-azwj Words, of the Mighty and Majestic: Surely We Enabled him in the earth and Gave him a course from every thing [18:84] – i.e. an indication. So it was said to him, ‘For Allah^-azwj in the earth, there is a spring called the spring of life. None with a soul will drink from it except he would not die until the Scream’.

فدعا ذو القرنين الخضر (عليه السلام)، و كان أفضل أصحابه عنده، و دعا بثلاث مائة و ستين رجلا، و دفع إلى كل واحد منهم سمكة، و قال لهم: اذهبوا إلى موضع كذا و كذا، فإن هناك ثلاثمائة و ستين عينا، فليغسل كل واحد منكم سمكته في عين غير عين صاحبه،

Zulqarnayn called Khizr^-as, he was the most superior of his^-as companions in his^-as presence, and called three hundred and sixty men, and handed over a (dead) fish to each one of them, and said to them: ‘Go to such and such a place, for over there, there are three hundred and sixty springs, and let each one of you wash his fish in a spring other than the spring of his companions’.

فذهبوا يغسلون، و قعد الخضر (عليه السلام) يغسل، فانسابت السمكة منه في العين، و بقي الخضر (عليه السلام) متعجبا مما رأى، و قال في نفسه: ما أقول لذي القرنين؟ ثم نزع ثيابه يطلب السمكة، فشرب من مائها، و لم يقدر على السمكة،

They went and washed, and Al-Khizr^-as sat to wash, but the fish slipped from him^-as into the spring, and Al-Khizr^-as remained wondering from what he^-as saw, and said within himself^-as: ‘What shall I^-as say to Zul Qarnayn?’ Then he^-as removed his cloth to seek the fish, and he^-as drank from its water, but was not able upon (finding) the fish.

فرجعوا إلى ذي القرنين، فأمر ذو القرنين بقبض السمك من أصحابه، فلما انتهوا إلى الخضر (عليه السلام) لم يجدوا معه شيئا، فدعاه و قال له: ما حال السمكة؟ فأخبره الخبر. فقال له: فصنعت ماذا؟ فقال: اغتمست فيها، فجعلت أغوص و أطلبها فلم أجدها قال: فشربت من مائها؟ قال: نعم-

Then they returned to Zul Qarnayn, and Zul Qarnayn ordered for taking back the fish from his companions. So when he ended up to Al Khizr^-as, he did not find anything to be with him, and said to him: ‘What is the state of the fish?’ So Al-Khizr^-as informed him. He said to him^-as: ‘So what did you^-as do?’ He^-as said: ‘I^-as immersed into it and went on diving to seek it, but could not find it’. He said: ‘So did you^-as drink from it?’ He^-as said: ‘Yes’.

قال- فطلب ذو القرنين العين فلم يجدها، فقال للخضر (عليه السلام): أنت صاحبها».

He^-asws said: ‘Then Zulqarnayn sought the spring of life, but could not find it, and he said to Al-Khizr^-as: ‘You^-as are its owner’’.[2]

ابن بابويه: عن المظفر بن جعفر بن المظفر العلوي السمرقندي، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن محمد بن مسعود، عن أبيه محمد بن مسعود، عن جعفر بن أحمد، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، قال: سمعت أبا الحسن علي بن موسى الرضا (عليه السلام) يقول: «إن الخضر (عليه السلام) شرب من ماء الحياة، فهو حي لا يموت حتى ينفخ في الصور، و إنه ليأتينا فيسلم علينا، فنسمع صوته و لا نرى شخصه،

Ibn Babuwayh, from Al Mzaffar Bin Ja’far Bin Al Muzaffar Al Alawy Al Samarqandy, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Masoud, from his father Muhammad Bin Masoud, from Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Fazal who said,

‘I heard Abu Al-Hassan Ali^-asws Bin Musa Al-Reza^-asws saying: ‘Al-Khizr^-as drank from the water of life, thus he^-as is alive and will not be dying until the Trumpet is Blown into. And he^-as tends to come to us^-asws and greets us^-asws, so we^-asws hear his^-as voice but do not see his^-as person.

و إنه ليحضر حيثما ذكر، فمن ذكره منكم فليسلم عليه، و أنه ليحضر الموسم كل سنة فيقضي جميع المناسك، و يقف بعرفة فيؤمن على دعاء المؤمنين، و سيؤنس الله به وحشة قائمنا في غيبته، و يصل به وحدته».

And he^-as tends to be present wherever mentioned, so the one from you who mentions him^-as, then let him greet him^-as. And he^-as tends to attend the season (of Hajj) every year, and he^-as fulfils the entirety of the rituals, and he^-as pauses at Arafaat, and he^-as says ‘Ameen’ upon a supplication of the Momineen, and Allah^-azwj by him^-as the loneliness of our^-asws Qaim^-asws during his^-asws Occultation, and maintains relationship with him^-asws alone’’.[3]

VERSES 85 – 87

فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا {85}

He followed a course [18:85]

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا {86}

Until when he reached west of the sun, and found it setting in a muddy spring, and found a people at it. We Said: “O Zulqarnayn! Either you punish or you take to goodness regarding them” [18:86]

قَالَ أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُكْرًا {87}

He said: ‘As for one who is unjust, then soon We will Punish him, then he will return to His Lord and He will Punish him with a terrible Punishment [18:87]

عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: «قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): تغرب الشمس في عين حمئة في بحر دون المدينة التي تلي مما يلي المغرب» يعني جابلق. جابلق:

From Jabir,

‘From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘Setting of the sun in a muddy spring, is in a sea besides the city which follows from what the west follows’, – meaning Jabalqa[4]’.[5]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن أحمد، عن عبد الله بن موسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: سألته عن قول الله وَ يَسْئَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ قُلْ سَأَتْلُوا عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْراً

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, from Abu Baseer,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj: And they are asking you about Zulqarnain. Say: ‘I will recite to you a mention of him [18:83].

قال: «إن ذا القرنين بعثه الله إلى قومه، فضربوه على قرنه الأيمن، فأماته الله خمسمائة عام، ثم بعثه إليهم بعد ذلك فضربوه على قرنه الأيسر، فأماته الله خمسمائة عام، ثم بعثه إليهم، بعد ذلك، فملكه مشارق الأرض و مغاربها، من حيث تطلع الشمس إلى حيث تغرب،

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Sent Zulqarnayn to his people, so they struck upon his right horn, and Allah^-azwj Caused them to die for five hundred years. Then He^-azwj Sent him to them after that, and they struck upon his left horn, so Allah^-azwj Caused them to die for five hundred years, then Sent him to them after that. So he ruled over the east of the earth and its west, from where the sun emerges to where it sets.

فهو قوله: حَتَّى إِذا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَها تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ إلى قوله عَذاباً نُكْراً- قال- في النار، فجعل ذو القرنين بينهم بابا من نحاس و حديد، و زفت و قطران، فحال بينهم و بين الخروج

These are His^-azwj Words: Until when he reached west of the sun, and found it setting in a muddy spring [18:86] – up to His^-azwj Words with a terrible Punishment [18:87] – he^-asws said: ‘In the Fire. So Zulqarnayn built for them a gate of copper and iron, and asphalt and tar, which came to be between them and the exit.

ثم قال: أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «ليس منهم رجل يموت حتى يولد له من صلبه ألف ولد ذكر- ثم قال- هم أكثر خلق خلقوا بعد الملائكة

Then he^-asws said: ‘There was no man among them who died until there were born for him, from his loins, a thousand sons’. Then he^-asws said: ‘They Yajouj and Majouj (Gog and Magog) were more numerous creatures after the Creation of the Angels’.[6]

قال: و جاء في باطن تفسير أهل البيت (عليهم السلام) ما يؤيد هذا التأويل في تأويل قوله تعالى: أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلى رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذاباً نُكْراً، قال: «هو يرد إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)،

He (Sharaf Al-Deen Al-Husayni) said,

‘And it has come in the esoteric of the Tafseer of the People^-asws of the Household what is strengthened by this explanation in the explanation of the Words of the Exalted: ‘As for one who is unjust, then soon We will Punish him, then he will return to His Lord and He will Punish him with a terrible Punishment [18:87] – It refers to (the enemies of) Amir Al-Momineen^-asws.

فيعذبه عذابا نكرا، حتى يقول: يا ليتني كنت ترابا، أي من شيعة أبي تراب، و معنى ربه أي صاحبه

He (the unjust Kafir) would be Punished with a terrible Punishment until he will say Surely We have warned you of a near Punishment on the Day the person would see what his hands had sent ahead, and the Kafir would be saying, ‘O! I wish I was dust!’ [78:40] – i.e., from the Shias of Abu Turab^-asws (Amir Al-Momineen^-asws). And the Meaning of: return to his Lord – i.e., to his Master^-asws’.[7]

VERSE 88

وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزَاءً الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا {88}

And as for him who believes and does (the) righteous deed, for him shall be a goodly Recompense, and We will Speak to him an easy word from Our Command [18:88]

محمد بن العباس، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن عاصم، عن الهيثم بن عبد الله، قال: حدثني مولاي علي بن موسى الرضا، عن أبيه، عن آبائه، عن أمير المؤمنين (عليهم السلام) قال: «قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): أتاني جبرئيل (عليه السلام) عن ربه عز و جل، و هو يقول: ربي يقرئك السلام، و يقول لك: يا محمد بشر المؤمنين الذين يعملون الصالحات و يؤمنون بك و بأهل بيتك بالجنة، فلهم عندي جزاء الحسنى، يدخلون الجنة

Muhammad Bin Al Abbas said, ‘Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Aasim narrated to us, from Al Haysam Bin Abdullah,

(It has been narrated) from my Master Ali^-asws Bin Musa Al-Reza^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws, from Amir Al-Momineen^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Jibraeel^-as came to me^-saww from his^-as Lord^-azwj Mighty and Majestic and he^-as said: ‘My^-as Lord^-azwj Conveys His^-azwj Greetings to you^-saww, and is Saying to you^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Give good news of the Paradise, to the Momineen who are doing (the) righteous deed  and believe in you^-saww and the People^-asws of your^-saww Household. So for them, in My^-azwj Presence is a goodly Recompense [18:88] – entering into the Paradise”.

و جزاء الحسنى و هي ولاية أهل البيت (عليهم السلام)، دخول الجنة، و الخلود فيها في جوارهم (صلوات الله عليهم)

And the ‘goodly Recompense’, it is the Wilayah of the People^-asws of the Household, entering into the Paradise, and the living eternally in their^-asws vicinity’.[8]

VERSES 89 – 91

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا {89}

Then he followed a course [18:89]

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ لَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهَا سِتْرًا {90}

Until when he reached the emergence of the sun, and found it emerging upon a people for whom We had not Made a shelter from below it [18:90]

كَذَٰلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْرًا {91}

Like that! And We have encompassing knowledge of his news [18:91]

عنه، عن أبى يوسف يعقوب بن زيد، عن إبراهيم بن سماك، عن رجل، عن أبى عبد الله (ع) في قول الله: ” فلما بلغ مطلع الشمس وجدها تطلع على قوم لم نجعل لهم من دونها سترا ” قال: لم يعلموا صنعة البناء.

From him, from Abu Yusuf Yaqoub Bin Zayd, from Ibrahim Bin Samaak, from a man,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj: Until when he reached the emergence of the sun, and found it emerging upon a people for whom We had not Made a shelter from below it [18:90]. The Imam^-asws said: ‘They did not know the workmanship of the construction (how to build a house)’.[9]

عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) في قوله: لَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِها سِتْراً كَذلِكَ قال: «لم يعلموا صنعة البيوت

From Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws regarding His^-azwj Words: Then he followed a course [18:89] Until when he reached the emergence of the sun, and found it emerging upon a people for whom We had not Made a shelter from below it [18:90] Like that! [18:91]. He^-asws said: ‘Did not Teach them the building of the houses’.[10]

VERSES 92 – 98

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا {92}

Then he followed a course [18:92]

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا {93}

Until when he reached between the two mountains and found besides these a people who could hardly understand a word [18:93]

قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا {94}

They said, ‘O Zulqarnain! Yajouj and Majouj are making mischief in the land, so can we make a remuneration for you upon that you will make a barrier to be (built) between us and them?’ [18:94]

قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا {95}

He said, ‘What my Lord has Enabled me in it is better, but assist me with a workforce, I shall make a fortified barrier to be between you and them [18:95]

آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انْفُخُوا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا {96}

Bring me blocks of iron!’ Until when he had erected between the two cliffs, he said: ‘Blow!’ Until when He made it a fire, he said: ‘Bring me molten copper to pour upon it!’ [18:96]

فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا {97}

So they were neither able to scale it nor were they able to make a hole in it [18:97]

قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا {98}

He said: ‘This is a Mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He will Make it level, and a Promise of my Lord would always be true [18:97]

The esoteric explanation

عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ رَدْماً قال: «التقية» فَمَا اسْطاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَ مَا اسْتَطاعُوا لَهُ نَقْباً قال: «هو التقية

From Jabir,

‘From Abu Ja’far^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I shall make a fortified barrier to be between you and them [18:95]. He^-asws said: ‘The Taqiyya’. (He the narrator said), ‘So they were neither able to scale it nor were they able to make a hole in it [18:97]’. He^-asws said: ‘It is the Taqiyya’’.[11]

عن المفضل قال: سألت الصادق (عليه السلام) عن قوله أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ رَدْماً قال:  «التقية» فَمَا اسْطاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَ مَا اسْتَطاعُوا لَهُ نَقْباً، قال: «ما استطاعوا له نقبا، إذا عمل بالتقية لم يقدروا في ذلك على حيلة، و هو الحصن الحصين، و صار بينك و بين أعداء الله سدا لا يستطيعون له نق

From Al Mufazzal who said,

‘I asked Al-Sadiq^-asws about His^-azwj Words: I shall make a fortified barrier to be between you and them [18:95]. He^-asws said: ‘The Taqiyya’. (He the narrator said), ‘So they were neither able to scale it nor were they able to make a hole in it [18:97]’. He^-asws said: ‘They were not able to make a hole in it, when they worked in the Taqiyya, they will not able during that upon a means (against you all), and it is the fortresses of the fortresses, and would come to be between you and between the enemies of Allah^-azwj such a barrier, they will not be able to make a hole in it’.

قال: و سألته عن قوله فَإِذا جاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ، قال: «رفع التقية عند الكشف فينتقم من أعداء الله

He (the narrator) said, ‘And I asked him^-asws about His^-azwj Words: ‘but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He will Make it level [18:97]. He^-asws said: ‘The Taqiyya would be lifted (no longer needed) during the uncovering, so he (Al-Qaim^-asws) would take revenge from the enemies of Allah^-azwj’’.[12]

YAJOUJ AND MAJOUJ (GOG AND MAGOG) AND THE BARRIER

الشيخ في أماليه، قال: أخبرنا ابن الصلت، قال أخبرنا ابن عقدة، قال أخبرنا أبو الحسن القاسم بن جعفر بن أحمد بن عمران المعروف بابن الشامي قراءة، قال: حدثنا عباد بن أحمد العرزمي، قال: حدثني عمي عن أبيه، عن جابر، عن الشعبي، عن أبي رافع، عن حذيفة بن اليمان، عن النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله)، عن أهل يأجوج و مأجوج، قال: «إن القوم لينقرون السد بمعاولهم دائبين، فإذا كان الليل، قالوا: غدا نفرغ فيصبحون و هو أقوى منه بالأمس، حتى يسلم منهم رجل حين يريد الله أن يبلغ أمره، فيقول المؤمن: غدا نفتحه إن شاء الله، فيصبحون ثم يغدون عليه فيفتحه الله،

Al Sheykh in his Amaali said, ‘Ibn Salt informed us, from Ibn Uqdat, from Abu Al Hassan Al Qasi, Bin Ja’far Bin Ahmad Bin Umran Al Ma’rouf , from Abaad bin Ahmad Al Arzamy, from his unlce, from his father, from Al Sha’aby, from Abu Ra’fa, from Huzyefa Bin Al Yaman,

(It has been narrated) from the Prophet^-saww about the people Yajouj and Majouj (Gog and Magog), having said: ‘The people who are persistently digging with their shovels at the enclosure (barrier). So when it is the night, they say, ‘Tomorrow we shall be free from it’. But when the morning comes, it turns out to be stronger than what it was the day before, until (such time as) a man from among them would profess to Al-Islam where Allah^-azwj Intends His^-azwj Command to reach him. So the Momin would be saying, ‘Tomorrow I shall open it, if Allah^-azwj so Desires it’. They would come to it and Allah^-azwj would Open it.

فو الذي نفسي بيده ليمرن الرجل منهم على شاطئ الوادي الذي بكوفان، و قد شربوه حتى نزحوه، فيقول و الله لقد رأيت هذا الوادي مرة، و إن الماء ليجري في عرضه». قيل: يا رسول الله، و متى هذا؟ قال: «حين لا يبقى من الدنيا إلا مثل صبابة الإناء

By the One in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul, the man from among them would pass by the valley on the shores at Kowfan, and would drink from it until he drains it. So he would be saying, ‘By Allah^-azwj! I have seen this valley once, and the water was flowing in its ground’. It was said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! And when will this be?’ He^-saww said: ‘When there would not remain in the world except the like of leftovers in a container’.[13]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عليه السلام) عَنِ الْخَلْقِ فَقَالَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ أَلْفاً وَ مِائَتَيْنِ فِي الْبَرِّ وَ أَلْفاً وَ مِائَتَيْنِ فِي الْبَحْرِ وَ أَجْنَاسُ بَنِي آدَمَ سَبْعُونَ جِنْساً وَ النَّاسُ وُلْدُ آدَمَ مَا خَلَا يَأْجُوجَ وَ مَأْجُوجَ

Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad Al-Ashary, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Al-Abbas Bin Al-A’ala, from Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas who said:

I asked Amir Al-Momineen^-asws about the creatures’. He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Created one thousand two hundred (species) in the land, and one thousand two hundred (species) in the sea, and Made seventy species (races) of the Children of Adam^-as, and the people are the Children of Adam^-as, except for the Yajouj and Majouj (Gog and Magog)’.[14]

و روى بعض علمائنا الإمامية في كتاب له سماه: (منهج التحقيق إلى سواء الطريق): عن سلمان الفارسي (رضي الله عنه) قال: كنا جلوسا مع أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) بمنزله لما بويع عمر بن الخطاب، قال: كنت أنا، و الحسن و الحسين (عليهما السلام)، و محمد بن الحنفية، و محمد بن أبي بكر، و عمار بن ياسر، و المقداد بن الأسود الكندي (رضي الله عنهم)،

And one of our Imamiya scholars has reported in a book of his called Manhaj Al Tehqeeq Ila Sawa’ Al Tareeq,

(It has been narrated) from Salman Al-Farsy^-as having said, ‘We were seated with Amir Al-Momineen^-asws at his^-asws house when they (the people) pledged their allegiances to Umar Bin Al-Khattab. It was I^-as, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and Muhammad Bin Hanafiyya, and Muhammad Bin Abu Bakr, and Ammar Bin Yaasir, and Al-Miqdad Bin Al-Aswad Al-Kindy^-as.

فقال: قال له ابنه الحسن (عليه السلام): «يا أمير المؤمنين، إن سليمان (عليه السلام) سأل ربه ملكا لا ينبغي لأحد من بعده، فأعطاه ذلك، فهل ملكت مما ملك سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام)»؟

His^-asws son^-asws Al-Hassan^-asws said to him^-asws: ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Suleyman^-as asked his^-as Lord^-azwj for a kingdom which was not befitting for anyone after him^-as, so he^-as was Given that. So do you^-asws possess from what Sulayman^-as Bin Dawood possessed?’

فقال (عليه السلام): «و الذي فلق الحبة و برأ النسمة، إن سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام) سأل الله عز و جل الملك فأعطاه، و إن أباك ملك ما لم يملكه بعد جدك رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) أحد قبله، و لا يملكه أحد بعده

He^-asws said: ‘By the One Who Split the seed and Formed the person, Sulayman Bin Dawood^-as asked Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic for the kingdom, so He^-azwj Gave it to him^-as, and your^-asws father^-asws possesses what no one possesses after Rasool-Allah^-saww, before him^-asws, nor will anyone possess after him^-asws’.

فقال الحسن (عليه السلام): «نريد أن ترينا مما فضلك الله تعالى به من الكرامة»؟ فقال: «أفعل، إن شاء الله تعالى

Al-Hassan^-asws said: ‘We would like you^-asws to show us from what Allah^-azwj has Graced you^-asws with, from the prestige’. So he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws shall do it, if Allah^-azwj so Desires it’.

فقام أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) فتوضأ و صلى ركعتين، و دعا الله عز و جل بدعوات لم يفهمها أحد، ثم أومأ الى جهة المغرب، فما كان بأسرع من أن جاءت سحابة، فوقعت على الدار، و إذا بجانبها سحابة أخرى،

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws stood up, performed ablution and prayed two Cycles Taqiyya, and supplicated to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic with a supplication, which no one understood. Then he^-asws gestured towards the west. So it was not long before a cloud came across, and stopped at the house. And by its side was another cloud.

فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «أيتها السحابة، اهبطي بإذن الله تعالى»، فهبطت، و هي تقول أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، و أن محمدا رسول الله، و أنك خليفته و وصيه، من شك فيك فقد ضل سبيل النجاة

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘O you cloud! Descend by the Permission of Allah^-azwj!’ So it descended, and it was saying, ‘There is no god except for Allah^-azwj, and that Muhammad is Rasool-Allah^-saww, and you^-asws are his^-saww Caliph and his^-saww successor. The one doubts regarding you^-asws has strayed from the way of the salvation’.

قال: ثم انبسطت السحابة على وجه الأرض حتى كأنها بساط موضوع، فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام):  «اجلسوا على الغمامة» فجلسنا، و أخذنا مواضعنا، فأشار إلى السحابة الاخرى فهبطت، و هي تقول كمقالة الأولى، و جلس أمير المؤمنين عليها ثم تكلم بكلام، و أشار إليهما بالمسير نحو المغرب، و إذا بالريح قد دخلت تحت السحابتين، فرفعتهما رفعا رفيقا، فتمايلت نحو أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و إذا به على كرسي، و النور يسطع من وجهه، و وجهه أنور من القمر.

Then the cloud stuck to the ground as if it was a sticky mat. So Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘Be seated upon the cloud!’ So we sat upon it, and it took us from our places. Then he^-asws gestured towards the other cloud, so it descended, and it was saying the speech of the first cloud, and Amir Al-Momineen^-asws seated himself^-asws upon it, then spoke some words, and gestured to the two clouds to travel towards the west. So there was the wind, which entered underneath the two clouds, and it raised the two clouds along with their passengers. We swayed towards Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws and saw him^-asws seated upon a chair, and the Light was radiating from his^-asws face, and his^-asws face was more radiant than the moon’.

فقال الحسن (عليه السلام) «: يا أمير المؤمنين، إن سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام) كان مطاعا بخاتمه، و أمير المؤمنين بماذا يطاع؟

Al-Hassan^-asws said: ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Sulayman Bin Dawood^-as was obeyed due to his^-as ring, and with what does Amir Al-Momineen^-asws get obeyed?’

فقال (عليه السلام): «أنا عين الله في أرضه، و لسانه الناطق في خلقه، أنا نور الله الذي لا يطفأ، أنا باب الله الذي يؤتى منه، و حجته على عباده

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws am the Eyes of Allah^-azwj in His^-azwj earth, and His^-azwj Speaking Tongue among His^-azwj creatures, and I^-asws am the Light of Allah^-azwj which does not get extinguished. I^-asws am the Door, which comes from Him^-azwj, and a Divine Authority over His^-azwj creatures’.

ثم قال: «أ تحبون أن أريكم خاتم سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام)؟» قلنا: نعم، فأدخل يده إلى جيبه، فأخرج خاتما من ذهب فصه من ياقوتة حمراء، عليه مكتوب: محمد و علي، قال سلمان: فتعجبنا من ذلك، فقال: «من أي شي‏ء تعجبون؟ و ما العجب من مثلي؟ أنا أريكم اليوم ما لم تروه أبدا

Then he^-asws said: ‘Would you all like me^-asws to show you the ring of Sulayman Bin Dawood^-as?’ We said, ‘Yes’. So he^-asws entered his^-asws hand into his^-asws pocket, and brought out a ring of gold, embedded with red sapphire, upon which was inscribed: ‘Muhammad^-saww and Ali^-asws’. Salman^-as said, ‘We were astounded from that’. So he^-asws said: ‘From which thing are you astounded? And what is so strange from my^-asws example? I ^-asws will show you all today, what no one else would ever see’.

فقال الحسن (عليه السلام): «أريد أن تريني يأجوج و مأجوج و السد الذي بيننا و بينهم»، فسارت الريح تحت السحاب، فسمعنا لها دويا كدوي الرعد، و علت في الهواء، و أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) يقدمنا، حتى انتهينا إلى جبل شامخ في العلو، و إذا شجرة جافة قد تساقطت أوراقها، و جفت أغصانها

Al-Hassan^-asws said: ‘I^-asws want you^-asws to show us Yajouj and Majouj (Gog and Magog), and the barrier which is in between us and them’. So the wind came underneath the cloud, and we heard its bang like the bang of the thunder, and it floated in the air, and Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was in front of us, until we ended up to a mountain which was lofty in its height. And there was a tree the leaves of which had fallen off, and its branches had dried up.

فقال الحسن (عليه السلام): «ما بال هذه الشجرة قد يبست؟» فقال له: «سلها، فإنها تجيبك»، فقال الحسن (عليه السلام): «أيتها الشجرة، مالك قد حدث بك ما نراه من الجفاف؟» فلم تجبه؟ فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «إلا ما أجبته

Al-Hassan^-asws said: ‘What is the matter with this tree which had dried up?’ So he^-asws said to him^-asws: ‘Ask it, for it would answer you^-asws’. So Al-Hassan^-asws said: ‘O you tree! What is the matter with you, and what has happened with you what we see from the drought?’ But it did not answer him^-asws. So Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said: ‘But why are you not answering him^-asws?’

قال الراوي: و الله لقد سمعتها تقول لبيك لبيك يا وصي رسول الله و خليفته، ثم قالت: يا أبا محمد، إن أباك أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) كان يجيئني في كل ليلة وقت السحر، و يصلي عندي ركعتين، و يكثر من التسبيح، فإذا فرغ من دعائه جاءته غمامة بيضاء، ينفح منها رائحة المسك، و عليها كرسي، فيجلس عليه فتسير به، فكنت أعيش بمجلسه و بركته، فانقطع عني منذ أربعين يوما، فهذا سبب ما تراه مني

The narrator said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! We heard it saying, ‘At your^-asws service! At your^-asws service! O successor^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww and his^-saww Caliph!’ Then it said, ‘O Abu Muhammad^-asws! Your^-asws father^-asws Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws comes to me every night at the time of dawn, and pray two Cycles Taqiyyain my presence, and with abundant Glorification. So when he^-asws is free from his^-asws supplication, a white cloud comes to him^-asws, blowing out from it the aroma of Musk, and upon it is a chair, so he^-asws sits himself^-asws upon it so travel by it. I was alive due to his^-asws presence and his^-asws Blessings. This has been cut off from me for forty days, so this is the reason what you^-asws are seeing from me’.

فقام أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و صلى ركعتين، و مسح بكفه عليها، فاخضرت و عادت إلى حالها

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws stood up, and prayed two Cycles Taqiyya, and wiped his^-asws hand upon it, and it became green and returned to its (previous) condition’.

و أمر الريح فسارت بنا، و إذا نحن بملك يده في المغرب، و الاخرى بالمشرق، فلما نظر الملك إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، قال أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وحده لا شريك له، و أشهد أن محمدا عبده، و رسوله، أرسله بالهدى و دين الحق، ليظهره على الدين كله و لو كره المشركون، و أشهد أنك وصيه و خليفته حقا و صدقا

And he ordered the wind, so it went with us, and we were with an Angel whose one hand) is in the West, and the other, in the East. When the Angel look at Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, he said, ‘I testify that there is no god except for Allah^-azwj, One with no associates to Him^-azwj, and I testify that Muhammad^-saww is His^-azwj servant and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww. He^-azwj Sent him^-saww with the Guidance and the Religion of the Truth, so that He^-azwj may Make it to prevail over all the Religion even though the Polytheists may be averse to it. And I testify that you^-asws are his^-saww successor, and his^-saww true Caliph, truly’.

فقلت: يا أميرالمؤمنين، من هذا الذي يده في المغرب، و يده الاخرى في المشرق؟ فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «هذا الملك الذي وكله الله تعالى بظلمة الليل وضوء النهار، و لا يزول إلى يوم القيامة، و إن الله تعالى جعل أمر الدنيا إلي، و إن أعمال العباد تعرض علي في كل يوم، ثم ترفع إلى الله تعالى».

I said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Who is this one whose one hand is in the west, and the other hand is in the east?’ So Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘This is the Angel whom Allah^-azwj the Exalted has Made responsible (to bring in) the darkness of the night and the brightness of the day, and he will not stop until the Day of Judgement. And that Allah^-azwj the Exalted has Made the Command of the world for me^-asws, and that the deeds of the servants as presented to me^-asws during every day, then these are raised to Allah^-azwj the Exalted’.

ثم سرنا حتى وقفنا على سد يأجوج و مأجوج فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) للريح «اهبطي بنا مما يلي هذا الجبل» و أشار بيده إلى جبل شامخ في العلو، و هو جبل الخضر (عليه السلام)، فنظرنا إلى السد، و إذا ارتفاعه ما يحد البصر، و هو أسود كقطعة الليل الدامس يخرج من أرجائه الدخان،

Then we went until we paused upon the barrier of Yajouj and Majouj (Gog and Magog). Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said to the wind: ‘Descend with us from what follows this mountain’, and he^-asws gestured by his^-asws hand to a mountain which was lofty in its height, and it was the mountain of Al-Khizr^-as. We looked at the barrier, and when he^-asws lifted it to the limit of the sight, and it was black like a piece of the dark night, the smoke emitting from its edges.

فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «يا أبا محمد، أنا صاحب هذا الأمر على هؤلاء العبيد»، قال سلمان: فرأيت أصنافا ثلاثة طول أحدهم مائة و عشرون ذراعا، و الثاني طول كل واحد منهم ستون ذراعا، و الثالث يفرش أحد أذنيه تحته، و الاخرى يلتحف بها

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘O Abu Muhammad^-asws! I^-asws am the Master of this command over these servants’. Salman^-ra said, ‘So I^-as saw three types (of people) – the length of one of them was of one hundred and twenty cubit; and the second, each one of them was of sixty cubits; and third, they (had such large ears that) they lie down upon one of their ears using it as a bed, and cover themselves with the other ear’.

ثم إن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) أمر الريح فسارت بنا إلى جبل قاف ، فانتهينا إليه و إذا هو من زمردة خضراء، و عليها ملك على صورة النسر، ثم نظر إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، قال الملك: السلام عليك، يا وصي رسول رب العالمين و خليفته، أ تأذن لي في الرد؟ فرد (عليه السلام)، و قال له: «إن شئت تكلم، و إن شئت أخبرتك عما تسألني عنه». فقال الملك: بل تقول يا أمير المؤمنين. قال: «تريد أن آذن لك أن تزور الخضر (عليه السلام)». فقال: نعم. قال: «قد أذنت ل

Then Amir Al-Momineen^-asws ordered the wind, so it went with us to Mount Qaf. So we ended up at it, and it was emerald green, and over it was an Angel of the image of an eagle. Then he looked at Amir Al-Momineen^-asws. The Angel said, ‘Peace be upon you^-asws, O successor^-asws of the Rasool^-as of the Lord^-azwj of the Worlds, and his^-saww Caliph, do you^-asws permit me regarding the response?’ So he^-asws responded, and said to him: ‘If you wish, speak, and if you so wish, I^-asws shall inform you about what you are to ask me^-asws about’. The Angel said, ‘But, you^-asws should be speaking, O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws’. He^-asws said: ‘You want, that I^-asws should allow you to visit Al-Khizr^-as’. So he said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws have allowed you’.

فأسرع الملك بعد أن قال: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، ثم تمشينا على الجبل هنيئة، فإذا بالملك قد عاد إلى مكانه بعد زيارة الخضر (عليه السلام)، فقال سلمان: يا أمير المؤمنين، رأيت الملك ما زار الخضر إلا حين أخذ إذنك؟

The Angel ascended after it said, ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful’. Then we strolled to the mountain pleasantly, and there was the Angel who had returned to his place after having visited Al-Khizr^-as. Salman^-as said: ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! I saw that the Angel did not visit Al-Khizr^-as unless he had taken your^-asws permission?’

فقال (عليه السلام): «و الذي رفع السماء بغير عمد، لو أن أحدهم رام أن يزول من مكانه بقدر نفس واحد لما زال حتى آذن له، و كذلك يصير حال ولدي الحسن، و بعده الحسين، و تسعة من ولد الحسين، تاسعهم قائمهم». فقلنا: ما اسم الملك الموكل بقاف؟ فقال (عليه السلام): «ترجائيل».

He^-asws said: ‘By the One Who Raised the sky without any pillars, if one of them aspired to disappear from its place for a single breath, it would not do so until I^-asws permit it. And similar to that is condition of my^-asws son^-asws Al-Hassan^-asws, and after him^-asws, of Al-Husayn^-asws, and nine from the sons^-asws of Al-Husayn^-asws, the ninth of them^-asws being Al-Qaim^-asws’. We said, ‘What is the name of the Angel allocated to Qaf?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Tarjaeel’.

فقلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، كيف تأتي كل ليلة إلى هذا الموضع و تعود؟ فقال: «كما أتيت بكم، و الذي فلق الحبة و برأ النسمة، إني لأملك ملكوت السماوات و الأرض، ما لو علمتم ببعضه لما أحتمله جنانكم،

We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! How do you^-asws come to this place every night and return?’ He^-asws said: ‘Just as I^-asws have come with you all. By the One Who Split the seed and Formed the person, I^-asws own the kingdoms of the skies and the earth. What if you were to know some of it, you would not be able to bear it in your minds.

إن اسم الله الأعظم ثلاث و سبعون حرفا، و كان عند آصف بن برخيا حرف واحد، فتكلم به فخسف الله تعالى ما بينه و بين عرش بلقيس، حتى تناول السرير، ثم عادت الأرض كما كانت أسرع من طرف النظر،

The Magnificent Names of Allah^-azwj are seventy-three Letters, and in the possession of Aasif Bin Barkhiya was one Letter. He spoke by it, and Allah^-azwj the High Submerged what was between him and the throne of Bilquees, due to it, until he grabbed the bed. Then the earth returned to what it was, quicker than the blink of an eye.

و عندنا نحن- و الله- اثنان و سبعون حرفا، و حرف واحد عند الله تعالى أستأثر به في علم الغيب، و لا حول و لا قوة إلا بالله العلي العظيم، عرفنا من عرفنا، و أنكرنا من أنكرنا».

And in our^-asws possession – by Allah^-azwj – are seventy-two letters, and one Letter is with Allah^-azwj the Exalted, by which He^-azwj Accounts for in the Hidden Knowledge. And there is no Power and no Strength except by Allah^-azwj, the Exalted, the Magnificent. The one who recognises us^-asws, recognises us^-asws, and the one who denies us^-asws, denies us^-asws’.

ثم قام (عليه السلام): و قمنا، و إذا نحن بشاب في الجبل يصلي بين قبرين، فقلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، من هذا الشاب؟ فقال (عليه السلام): «صالح النبي (عليه السلام)، و هذان القبران لامه و أبيه، و إنه يعبد الله بينهما، فلما نظر إليه‏ صالح، لم يتمالك نفسه حتى بكى، و أومأ بيده إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)،

Then he^-asws stood up, and we stood up, and there was a young man in the mountain praying Taqiyya in between two graves. We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Who is this young man?’ He^-asws said: ‘Salih^-as, the Prophet^-as. And these two graves are of his^-as mother and his^-as father, and he^-as worship Allah^-azwj in between the two. When Salih^-as looked at him^-asws, he^-as could not control himself^-as until he^-as wept, and gestured by his^-as hand towards Amir Al-Momineen^-asws.

ثم عاد إلى صلاته و هو يبكي، فوقف أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) عنده حتى فرغ من صلاته، فقلنا له: مم بكاؤك؟ فقال صالح: «إن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) كان يمر بي عند كل غداة، فيجلس، فتزداد عبادتي بنظري إليه، فقطع ذلك منذ عشرة أيام، فأقلقني ذلك» فتعجبنا من ذلك.

Then he^-as returned to his^-as Taqiyya and he^-as was weeping. Amir Al-Momineen^-asws paused in his^-as presence until he^-as was free from his^-as Taqiyya. We said to him^-as, ‘What makes you^-as to weep?’ So Salih^-as said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was passing by me^-as every day, he^-asws sat, and my worship increased by looking at him^-asws. That has been cut-off from me^-as for the past ten days, so that worried me^-as’. We were astounded from that.

فقال (عليه السلام): «تريدون أن أريكم سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام)»؟ فقلنا: نعم فقام و نحن معه، فدخل بنا بستانا ما رأينا أحسن منه، و فيه من جميع الفواكه و الأعناب، و أنهاره تجري، و الأطيار يتجاوبن على الأشجار، فحين رأته الأطيار، أتت ترفرف حوله حتى توسطنا البستان، و إذا سرير عليه شاب ملقى على ظهره، واضع يده على صدره،

He^-asws said: ‘Do you all want me^-asws to show you Sulayman^-as Bin Dawood^-as?’ We said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws stood up, and we stood up with him^-asws. He^-asws entered with us into an orchard, which we had never seen one more better than it. And in it were all the fruits and the grapes, and rivers flowing, and birds chirping upon the trees. When the birds saw him^-asws, they came fluttering around him^-asws until we were in the middle of the orchard. And there was a couch upon which was a young man, reclining upon his back, and his hands were placed upon his chest.

فأخرج أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) الخاتم من جيبه و جعله في إصبع سليمان (عليه السلام)، فنهض قائما، و قال: «السلام عليك يا أمير المؤمنين، و وصي رسول رب العالمين، أنت و الله الصديق الأكبر، و الفاروق الأعظم، قد أفلح من تمسك بك، و قد خاب و خسر من تخلف عنك، و إني سألت الله تعالى بكم أهل البيت، فأعطيت ذلك الملك».

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws brought out the ring from his^-asws pocket, and made it to be in the finger of Sulayman^-as. He^-as got up and said: ‘Peace be upon you^-asws, O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and successor^-asws of the Rasool^-saww of the Lord^-azwj of the Worlds. By Allah^-azwj! You^-asws are the greatest truthful, and the magnificent distributor. The one who attaches himself to you^-asws has succeeded, and disappoint is the one who opposes you^-asws. And I^-asws asked Allah^-azwj the Exalted by you the People^-asws of the Household, so I^-as was Given that kingdom’.

قال سلمان: فلما سمعنا كلام سليمان بن داود (عليه السلام)، لم أتمالك نفسي حتى وقعت على أقدام أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) أقبلها، و حمدت الله تعالى على جزيل عطائه، بهدايته إلى ولاية أهل البيت (عليهم السلام)، الذين أذهب الله عنهم الرجس و طهرهم تطهيرا، و فعل أصحابي كما فعلت، ثم سألت أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): و ما وراء قال؟ قال (عليه السلام): «وراءه مالا يصل إليكم علمه».

Salman^-as said, ‘So when we heard the speech of Sulayman^-as Bin Dawood^-as, I^-as could not control myself^-as until I^-as fell down at the feet of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, kissing them. And I^-as praised Allah^-azwj the Exalted for the abundance of His^-azwj Grace, and for His^-azwj Gift of the Wilayah of the People^-asws of the Household, the ones from whom^-asws Allah^-azwj has Kept away the uncleanness and Purified them with a Purifying. And my^-as companions did what I^-as did. Then I^-as asked Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, ‘And what did he^-as say afterwards?’ He^-asws said: ‘After it is the knowledge which did not arrive (known) to you^-as’.

فقلنا: تعلم ذلك يا أمير المؤمنين؟ فقال (عليه السلام): «علمي بما وراءه كعلمي بحال هذه الدنيا و ما فيها» و إني الحفيظ الشهيد عليها بعد رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و كذلك الأوصياء من ولدي بعدي.

We said, ‘Can you teach us that, O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws?’ So he^-asws said: ‘My^-asws knowledge, after it, is like my^-asws knowledge of the condition of this world and what is in it’. And I^-asws am the protector, the witness over it, after Rasool-Allah^-saww, and similar to that are the successors^-asws from my^-asws sons^-asws’.

ثم قال (عليه السلام): «إني لأعرف بطرق السماوات من طرق الأرض، نحن الاسم المخزون المكنون، نحن الأسماء الحسنى التي إذا سئل الله تعالى به أجاب، نحن الأسماء المكتوبة على العرش و الكرسي و الجنة و النار، و منا تعلمت الملائكة التسبيح و التقديس، و التوحيد و التهليل و التكبير، و نحن الكلمات التي تلقاها آدم (عليه السلام) من ربه، فتاب عليه

Then he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws am more aware of the ways of the skies than the ways of the earth. We^-asws are the Names, which are the hidden treasures. We^-asws are the beautiful Names by which if Allah^-azwj is asked by, gets Answered. We^-asws are the Names, which are inscribed upon the Throne, and the Chair, and the Paradise and the Fire. And it is from us^-asws that the Angels learnt the Glorification and the Sanctification, and the Oneness, and the Extollation of the Holiness and the Greatness. And we^-asws are the Words, which Adam^-as received from his^-as Lord^-azwj, so He^-azwj Turned to him^-as’.

قال: «أ تريدون أن أريكم عجبا؟» قلنا: نعم. قال: «غضوا أعينكم» ففعلنا، ثم قال: «افتحوها»، ففتحناها، فإذا نحن بمدينة ما رأينا أكبر منها، الأسواق فيها قائمة، و فيها أناس ما رأينا أعظم من خلقهم، على طول النخل،

He^-asws said: ‘Do you all want me^-asws to show you a strange (thing)?’ We said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws said: ‘Close your eyes’. We closed them. Then he^-asws said: ‘Open them!’ So we opened them, and we were in a city, which we had not seen greater than it. The markets had been established in it, and there were people therein which we had not seen creatures greater than them, tall as the palm tree.

قلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، من هؤلاء؟ قال: «بقية قوم عاد، كفار لا يؤمنون بالله تعالى، أحببت أن أريكم إياهم، و هذه المدينة و أهلها أريد أن اهلكهم و هم لا يشعرون»، قلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، تهلكهم بغير حجة؟ قال: «لا، بل بحجة عليهم

We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Who are they?’ He^-asws said: ‘Remnants of the people of Aad. Infidels, not believing in Allah^-azwj the Exalted. I^-asws liked it that I^-asws should show them to you. And this is the city and its people. I^-asws want to destroy them and they are not aware of it’. We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! You^-asws will destroy them without a proof?’ He^-asws said: ‘No, but, by the proof against them’.

فدنا منهم، و تراءى لهم، فهموا أن يقتلوه، و نحن نراهم و هم يروننا، ثم تباعد عنهم، و دنا منا، ثم مسح بيده على صدورنا، و صعق فيهم صعقة، قال سلمان: لقد ظننا أن الأرض قد انقلبت، و السماء قد سقطت و أن الصواعق من فيه قد خرجت، فلم يبق منهم في تلك الساعة أحد، قلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، ما صنع الله بهم؟ قال: «هلكوا، و صاروا كلهم في النار» قلنا: هذا معجز ما رأينا و لا سمعنا بمثله.

He^-asws approached them, and appeared to them, so they understood that he^-asws would be killing them. And we could see them, and they could see us. Then he distanced himself^-asws from them, and approached us. Then he^-asws wiped his^-asws hand upon our chests, and we were shocked. Salman^-as said, ‘We thought that the earth had overturned, and the sky had fallen, and that the lightning which was in it has gone out. So, not a single one of them remained in that time. We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! What did Allah^-azwj do with them?’ He^-asws said: ‘Destroyed, and all of them have gone into the Fire’. We said, ‘This is a miracle which we have neither seen nor heard the like of it’.

فقال (عليه السلام): «أ تريدون أن أريكم أعجب من ذلك؟» قلنا: لا نطيق بأسرنا على احتمال شي‏ء آخر، فعلى من لا يتولاك و يؤمن بفضلك و عظيم قدرك عند الله تعالى لعنة الله، و لعنة اللاعنين، و الناس و الملائكة أجمعين إلى يوم الدين.

He^-asws said: ‘Do you all want me^-asws to show you (something) stranger than that?’ We said, ‘No! We cannot tolerate the impacts of another thing. Thus, upon the one who does not befriend you^-asws, and believe in your^-asws merits, and the greatness of your^-asws worth in the Presence of Allah^-azwj the Exalted, be Curses of Allah^-azwj, and the Curses of the cursers, and the people, and the Angels altogether up to the Day of the Religion (Judgement)’.

ثم سألناه الرجوع إلى أوطاننا، فقال: «أفعل ذلك، إن شاء الله تعالى»، و أشار إلى السحابتين فدنتا منا، فقال: «خذوا مواضعكم» فجلسنا على سحابة، و جلس (عليه السلام) على اخرى، و أمر الريح فحملتنا حتى صرنا في الجو، حتى رأينا الأرض كالدرهم،

Then we asked him^-asws about the return journey back to our homelands, so he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws shall do that, if Allah^-azwj the Exalted so Desires it’. And he^-asws gestured to the two clouds, so they approached us. He^-asws said: ‘Take your places (upon these)’. We sat upon one cloud, and he^-asws sat upon the other, and ordered the wind, so it carried us until we went in the air, to the extent that we saw the earth like the Dirham (coin).

ثم حطتنا في دار أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، في أقل من طرف النظر، و كان وصولنا إلى المدينة وقت الظهر و المؤذن يؤذن، و كان خروجنا منها وقت علت الشمس، فقلت: أيا لله العجب، كنا في جبل قاف، مسيرة خمس سنين، وعدنا في خمس ساعات من النهار؟

Then these descended us in the house of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, in less than the blink of the eye. And we had reached Al-Medina at the time of Al-Zohar, and the Muezzin was making the call (for the Taqiyya), and we had gone out from it at the time of the emergence of the sun. I^-as said, ‘To Allah^-azwj are the wonders! We were at the Mount Qaf which is of the travel distance of five years, and we returned in five hours of the day?’

فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «لو أنني أردت أن أخرق الدنيا بأسرها و السماوات السبع و أرجع في أقل من الطرف لفعلت، بما عندي من اسم الله الأعظم

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘If I^-asws had wanted to, I^-asws could go through the world and the seven skies easily and return in less than a blink, I^-asws can do so, with what is in my^-asws possession from the Magnificent Names of Allah^-azwj’.

فقلنا: يا أمير المؤمنين، أنت و الله الآية العظمى، و المعجزة الباهرة، بعد أخيك و ابن عمك رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله).

We said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! By Allah^-azwj, you^-asws are the Great Sign, and the remarkable miracle, after your^-asws brother^-saww and son^-saww of your^-asws uncle^-asws, Rasool-Allah^-saww’.[15]

An example of Zulqarnayn in Ali^-asws

ابن بابويه: عن أبيه، عن محمد بن يحيى العطار ، عن الحسين بن الحسن بن أبان، عن محمد ابن اورمة، قال: حدثني القاسم بن عروة، عن بريد العجلي، عن سعد بن طريف، عن الأصبغ بن نباتة، قال: قام ابن الكواء إلى علي (عليه السلام) و هو على المنبر، فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين، أخبرني عن ذي القرنين، أنبياء كان أم ملكا؟ و أخبرني عن قرنيه، أمن ذهب أم من فضة؟

Ibn Babuwayh, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Ataar, from Al Husayn Bin Al Hassan Bin Aban, from Muhammad Ibn Owramat, from Al Qasim Bin Owramat, from Bureyd Al Ajaly, from Sa’d Bin Tareyf, from Al Asbagh Ibn Nabata who said,

‘Ibn Al-Kawa stood up to Ali^-asws whilst he^-asws was upon the Pulpit, so he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Inform me about Zulqarnayn, was he as Prophet^-as or a king? And inform me about his two horns (قرنيه), were these from gold or from silver?’

فقال له (عليه السلام): «لم يكن نبيا و لا ملكا و لم يكن قرناه من ذهب و لا فضة، و لكنه كان عبدا أحب الله فأحبه الله، و نصح لله فنصحه الله، و إنما سمي ذا القرنين لأنه دعا قومه إلى الله عز و جل فضربوه على قرنه، فغاب عنهم حينا، ثم عاد إليهم، فضرب على قرنه الآخر، و فيكم مثله». يعني نفسه.

He^-asws said to him: ‘He was neither a Prophet^-as nor a king, and his two horns were neither from gold nor silver, but he was a servant who loved Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj Loved him, and he advised for the Sake of Allah^-azwj, so Allah^-azwj Advised him. But rather, he was named as Zulqarnayn because he called his people to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, so they struck upon his horn. He was absent from them for a time, then returned to them, so they struck upon his other horn. And among you is his example’. Meaning himself^-asws’.[16]

و في كتاب (الاختصاص) للشيخ المفيد: عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن سنان، عمن حدثه، عن عبد الرحيم  القصير، قال: ابتدأني أبو جعفر (عليه السلام) فقال: «أما إن ذا القرنين قد خير السحابتين فاختار الذلول، و ذخر لصاحبكم الصعب».

And in the book Al Ikhtisas of the Sheykh Al Mufeed, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from the one who narrated it, from Abdul Raheem Al Quseyr who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws initiated me, and he^-asws said: ‘As for Zulqarnayn, so he had the choice of the two clouds, and he chose Al-Zaloul, and (the cloud) Al-Sa’ab was treasured for your Master^-asws’.

فقلت: و ما الصعب؟ فقال: «و ما كان من سحاب فيه رعد و صاعقة و برق، فصاحبكم يركبه، أما إنه سيركب السحاب و يرقي في الأسباب، أسباب السماوات السبع و الأرضين السبع، خمس عوامر، و اثنتان خراب

I said, ‘And what is Al-Sa’ab?’ He^-asws said: ‘And whatever was from a cloud wherein was thunder, and thunderbolt, and lightning, so your Master^-asws would ride it. But, he^-asws would be riding the cloud and ascend into the courses (paths) of the seven skies and the seven earths – five built and two of each ruined’’.[17]

و في (الاختصاص) أيضا: عن المعلى بن محمد البصري، عن سليمان بن سماعة. عن عبد الله ابن القاسم، عن سماعة بن مهران، قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) فأرعدت السماء و أبرقت، فقال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «أما أنه ما كان من هذا الرعد و من هذا البرق فإنه من أمر صاحبكم». قلت: من صاحبنا؟ قال: «أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)

And in (the book) Al Ikhtisas, as well, from Al Moala Bin Muhammad Al Basry, from Suleyman Bin Sama’at, from Abdullah Ibn Al Qasim, from Sama’at Bin Mihran who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdullah^-asws, and in the sky there was thunder and lightning. Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘But, it is so, whatever was from this thunder and from this lighting, so it is from the orders of your Master^-asws’. I said, ‘Who is our Master^-asws?’ He^-asws said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws’’.[18]

Sunnah of Zulqarnayn to flow in Al-Qaim^-asws

و عنه، قال: حدثنا أبو طالب المظفر بن جعفر بن المظفر العلوي السمرقندي، قال: حدثنا جعفر ابن محمد بن مسعود، عن أبيه، قال: حدثني محمد بن نصير، قال: حدثني محمد بن عيسى، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر بن يزيد الجعفي، عن جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري، قال: سمعت رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) يقول: «إن ذا القرنين كان عبدا صالحا، جعله الله حجة على عباده فدعا قومه إلى الله عز و جل، و أمرهم بتقواه، فضربوه على قرنه فغاب عنهم زمانا حتى قيل: مات أو هلك، بأي واد سلك؟

And from him, from Abu Talib Al Muzaffar Al Alawy Al Samarqandy, from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Bin Masoud, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Nusayr, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Hamaad Bin Isa, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Ju’fy, from Jabir bin Abdullah Al Ansary who said,

‘I heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying: ‘Zulqarnayn was a righteous servant. Allah^-azwj Made him to be a Divine Authority over His^-azwj servants, so he called his people to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and ordered them for the piety. So they struck upon his (head which caused a sign of horn), and he remain absent from them for a time, until it was said, ‘He has either died or has been destroyed. By which valley has he travelled?’

ثم ظهر و رجع إلى قومه، فضربوه على قرنه الآخر، و فيكم من هو على سنته، و إن الله عز و جل مكن له في الأرض، و آتاه من كل شي‏ء سببا، و بلغ المشرق و المغرب،

Then he appeared and returned to his people. So they struck upon his other side of head (horn). And among you is one^-asws upon his Sunnah, and that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Enabled for him in the earth, and Gave him a way from every thing, and he reached the east and the west.

و إن الله تبارك و تعالى سيجري سنته في القائم من ولدي، و يبلغه شرق الأرض و غربها حتى لا يبقى سهل و لا موضع من سهل و لا جبل وطئه ذو القرنين إلا يطؤه و يظهر الله له كنوز الأرض و معادنها، و ينصره بالرعب، فيملأ الأرض به عدلا و قسطا كما ملئت جورا و ظلما.»

And Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted would be Making his Sunnah to flow regarding Al-Qaim^-asws from my^-asws sons^-asws, and he^-asws would reach the east of the earth and its west to the extent that there would not remain any coast, nor a place from the coast, and no mountain trodden by Zulqarnayn except that he^-asws would tread upon it. And Allah^-azwj would Manifest for him^-asws the treasures of the earth and its mines, and Help him^-asws with the awe, so he^-asws would fill the earth with justice and equity just as it had been filled with inequity and injustice’.[19]

Kingship of Zulqarnayn

أحمد بن محمد بن خالد البرقي، عن محمد بن عيسى اليقطيني، عن عبيد الله الدهقان، عن درست بن أبي منصور الواسطي، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد، عن أبي الحسن موسى بن جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: «ملك ذو القرنين و هو ابن اثنتي عشرة سنة، و مكث في ملكه ثلاثين سنة».

Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid Al Barqi, from Muhammad Bin Isa Al Yaqtayni, from Ubeydullah Al Dahqan, from Darsat Bin Abu Mansour Al Wasity, from Ibrahim Bin Abdul Hameed,

‘Abu Al-Hassan Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘He was a boy of twelve years of age, and remained in his kingship for thirty years’.[20]

[ العياشي ] عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: ان الله لم يبعث أنبياء ملوكا في الأرض إلا أربعة بعد نوح، أولهم ذو القرنين واسمه عياش، وداود، وسليمان، ويوسف،

Al Ayyashi, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws: ‘Allah^-azwj never Sent Prophets^-as as kings in the earth except for four, after Noah^-as. The first of them was Zulqarnayn^-as and his^-as name is Ayash^-as, and Dawood^-as, and Suleyman^-as, and Yusuf^-as.

فاما عياش فملك ما بين المشرق والمغرب، واما داود فملك ما بين الشامات إلى بلاد إصطخر، وكذلك كان ملك سليمان، فاما يوسف فملك مصر وبراريها لم يجاوزها إلى غيرها.

So, as for Ayash^-as, so he^-as ruled over what is between the East and the West, and as for Dawood^-as so he^-as ruled was is between Al-Shamaat to the land of Persia, and such was the kingdom of Suleyman^-as. So, as for Yusuf^-as, so it was the kingdom of Egypt and its outskirts, not exceeding it to others’.[21]

The quest of Zulqarnayn

عن الأصبغ بن نباتة، عن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، قال: سئل عن ذي القرنين؟ قال: «كان عبدا صالحا و اسمه عياش، و اختاره الله و ابتعثه إلى قرن من القرون الاولى في ناحية المغرب، و ذلك بعد طوفان نوح (عليه السلام)،

From Al Asbagh Bin Nubata,

‘From Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws was asked about Zulqarnayn. He^-asws said: ‘He was a righteous servant, and his name was Ayaash, and Allah^-azwj Chose him and Sent him to a generation from the former generations in an area around the west, and that was after the flood of Noah^-as.

فضربوه على قرن رأسه الأيمن، فمات منها، ثم أحياه الله بعد مائة عام، ثم بعثه إلى قرن من القرون الأولى في ناحية المشرق (عليه السلام)، فكذبوه فضربوه ضربة على قرنه الأيسر فمات منها، ثم أحياه الله بعد مائة عام، و عوضه من الضربتين اللتين على رأسه قرنين في موضع الضربتين أجوفين، و جعل عز ملكه آية نبوته في قرنيه.

But they struck him upon a top on the right side of his head, and he died from it. Then Allah^-azwj Revived him after a hundred years. Then He^-azwj Sent him to a generation from the former generation in an area around the east. But they belied him and struck him with a strike upon a top on the left, and he died from it. Then Allah^-azwj Revived him after a hundred years, and Remedied him from the two strikes which were struck upon his head, two tops in place of the two interior wounds, and Made the might of his kingdom to be a Sign of his Prophet-hood in his generation.

ثم رفعه الله إلى السماء الدنيا، فكشط له عن الأرض كلها، جبالها و سهولها و فجاجها حتى أبصر ما بين المشرق و المغرب، و آتاه الله من كل شي‏ء علما يعرف به الحق و الباطل، و أيده في قرنيه بكسف من السماء فيه ظلمات و رعد و برق،

Then Allah^-azwj Raised him to the sky of the world and Peeled off from the earth, all of it – its mountains, and its coasts, and its mountain ranges, until he saw what is between the east and the west. And Allah^-azwj Gave him from all things, knowledge by which he recognised the truth and the falsehood, and Aided him in his generation by an eclipse from the sky wherein was darkness, and thunder and lightning.

ثم اهبط إلى الأرض، و أوحى الله إليه: أن سر في ناحية غرب الأرض و شرقها، و قد طويت لك البلاد، و ذللت لك العباد، و أرهبتهم منك.

Then He^-azwj Sent him down to the earth and Revealed unto him: “Travel in the areas of the west of the earth and its east, and the cities have been folded up for you (brought closer), and the servants have been Made humbled to you, and to be awed from you!”

فسار ذو القرنين إلى ناحية المغرب، فكان إذا مر بقرية زأر فيها كما يزأر الأسد المغضب، فينبعث من قرنيه ظلمات و رعد و برق، و صواعق تهلك من ناوأه و خالفه، فلم يبلغ مغرب الشمس حتى دان له أهل المشرق و المغرب-

Zulqarnayn travelled to the areas of the west, and it so happened that whenever he passed by a town, he visited therein just as the angry lion would visit it. So, from one of his horns emitted the darkness, and the thunder, and lightning, and thunderbolts destroying the ones around it and behind it. He did not reach the west of the sun until the people of the east and the west professed (Religion) to him’.

قال- و ذلك قول الله: إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ آتَيْناهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سَبَباً فسار حَتَّى إِذا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَها تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ إلى قوله أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ و لم يؤمن بربه فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ في الدنيا بعذاب الدنيا ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلى رَبِّهِ في مرجعه فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذاباً نُكْراً إلى قوله: وَ سَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنا يُسْراً ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ ذو القرنين من الشمس سَبَباً

He^-asws said: ‘And that is in the Words of Allah^-azwj: Surely We Enabled him in the earth and Gave him a course from everything [18:84] Until when he reached west of the sun, and found it setting in a muddy spring [18:86] – up to His^-azwj Words: ‘As for one who is unjust, – and does not believing in his Lord^-azwj, then soon We will Punish him, – in the world, with a Punishment of the world, then he will return to His Lord – during his return, and He will Punish him with a terrible Punishment [18:87] – up to His^-azwj Words: and We will Speak to him an easy word from Our Command [18:88] Then he – Zulqarnayn, followed – from the sun, a course [18:89].

ثم قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «إن ذا القرنين لما انتهى مع الشمس إلى العين الحمئة، وجد الشمس تغرب فيها، و معها سبعون ألف ملك يجرونها بسلاسل الحديد و الكلاليب، يجرونها من قعر البحر في قطر الأرض الأيمن كما تجري السفينة على ظهر الماء، فلما انتهى معها إلى مطلع الشمس سببا وَجَدَها تَطْلُعُ عَلى قَوْمٍ إلى قوله بِما لَدَيْهِ خُبْراً

Then Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘Zulqarnayn, when he ended up with (following) the sun to the muddy spring, he found the sun setting therein, and with it were seventy thousand Angels flowing it by chains of iron and the hooks, flowing it from a depth of the sea in a drop of the right land, just as the ship flows upon the surface of the water. So when he reached the emergence of the sun, and found it emerging upon a people [18:90] – up to His^-azwj Words: knowledge of his news [18:91].

فقال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «إن ذا القرنين ورد على قوم، قد أحرقتهم الشمس، و غيرت أجسادهم و ألوانهم حتى صيرتهم كالظلمة، ثم أتبع ذو القرنين سببا في ناحية الظلمة: حَتَّى إِذا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِما قَوْماً لا يَكادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا قالُوا يا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَ مَأْجُوجَ خلف هذين الجبلين، و هم يفسدون في الأرض

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘When Zulqarnayn arrived to a people, the sun had burnt them, and their bodies and their colour had changed until they had become like the darkness. Then he followed a course [18:92] – in an area of the darkness: Until when he reached between the two mountains and found besides these a people who could hardly understand a word [18:93] They said, ‘O Zulqarnain! Yajouj and Majouj – who are behind these two mountains, are making mischief in the land.

إذا كان إبان زروعنا و ثمارنا خرجوا علينا من هذين السدين فرعوا في ثمارنا و زروعنا، حتى لا يبقوا منها شيئا فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجاً نؤديه إليك في كل عام عَلى أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنا وَ بَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا إلى قوله: زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ

Whenever it was during our plantation (harvest) and our fruit (picking), they come out against us from these two cliffs. They devour from our fruits and our plantations until there does not remain anything from these. so shall we make a remuneration for you  – we could be paying it to you during every year, if you will make a barrier to be (built) between us and them?’ [18:94] – up to His^-azwj Words: Bring me blocks of iron!’ [18:96]’.

قال: «فاحتفر له جبل حديد، فقلعوا له أمثال اللبن، فطرح بعضه على بعض فيما بين الصدفين، و كان ذو القرنين هو أول من بنى بناء على الأرض، ثم جمع عليه الحطب و ألهب فيه النار، و وضع عليه المنافيخ، فنفخوا عليه،

He^-asws said: ‘They dug up for him a mountain of iron (ore), and they took it out for him like the milk. He placed parts of it upon (other) parts in what is between the two cliffs. And it was so that Zulqarnayn, he was the first one who built a construction (of a fortified barrier) upon the earth. Then the firewood was gathered for him, and the fire was ignited in it, and the bellows were placed upon it, and they blew into it.

فلما ذاب قال: آتوني بقطر- و هو المس الأحمر، قال- فاحتفروا له جبلا من مس فطرحوه على الحديد، فذاب معه و اختلط به- قال- فَمَا اسْطاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَ مَا اسْتَطاعُوا لَهُ نَقْباً يعني يأجوج و مأجوج قالَ هذا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي فَإِذا جاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ وَ كانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا». إلى ها هنا رواية علي بن الحسين و رواية محمد بن نصر.

When it melted, he said, ‘Bring me with molten copper!’ – and it is the red brass. So they dug up a mountain for him from brass, and they placed it upon the iron, and it melted along with it, and mingled with it. So they were neither able to scale it nor were they able to make a hole in it [18:97] – meaning Yajouj and Majouj. He said: ‘This is a Mercy from my Lord, but when the Promise of my Lord comes, He will Make it level, and a Promise of my Lord would always be true [18:97]’.

Up to here is the report of Ali Bin Al Husayn and report of Muhammad Bin Nasr. And there is an addition by Jibraeel Bin Ahmad, in his Hadeeth, by chains from Al Asbagh Bin Nubata: –

و زاد جبرئيل بن أحمد، في حديثه بأسانيد عن الأصبغ بن نباتة، عن علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام): «وَ تَرَكْنا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ يعني يوم القيامة، و كان ذو القرنين عبدا صالحا، و كان من الله بمكان، نصح لله فنصح له و أحب الله فأحبه، و كان قد سبب له في البلاد، و مكن له فيها حتى ملك ما بين المشرق و المغرب،

‘From Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws (having said): ‘And We will Forsake some of them on that Day surging among others [18:99] – Meaning the Day of Judgment. And Zulqarnayn was a righteous servant, and he had a position from Allah^-azwj. He advised for the Sake of Allah^-azwj, So He^-azwj Advised him, and he loved Allah^-azwj, Al He^-azwj Loved him. And He^-azwj had (Given him a) course in the cities, and Enabled for him in these until he ruled whatever is between the east and the west.

و كان له خليلا من الملائكة يقال له: رقائيل، ينزل إليه فيحدثه و يناجيه، فبينا هو ذات يوم عنده إذ قال له ذو القرنين: يا رقائيل، كيف عبادة أهل السماء، و أين هي من عبادة أهل الأرض؟ قال رقائيل: يا ذا القرنين، و ما عبادة أهل الأرض؟ فقال: أما عبادة أهل السماء، ما في السماوات موضع قدم إلا و عليه ملك قائم لا يقعد أبدا، أو راكع لا يسجد أبدا أو ساجد لا يرفع رأسه أبدا

And there was a friend for him from the Angels called Rafaeel, descending to him, and he would discuss with him and whisper to him. So one day while he was in his presence, Zulqarnayn said to him: ‘O Rafaeel! How is the worship of the inhabitants of the sky, and where is it from the worship of the inhabitants of the earth?’ Rafaeel said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! And what is the worship of the inhabitants of the earth? ‘As for the worship of the inhabitants of the sky, there is no place in the skies for a foot except and upon it is an Angels standing, not sitting down ever, or performing Ruku, not raising his head, ever!’

فبكى ذو القرنين بكاء شديدا، و قال: يا رقائيل، إني أحب أن أعيش حتى أبلغ من عبادة ربي و حق طاعته بما هو أهله.

Zulqarnayn wept with an intense weeping, and said: ‘O Rakaeel! I would love to live until I reach from the worship of my Lord^-azwj and right of His^-azwj obedience with what He^-azwj is Rightful of’.

قال رقائيل: يا ذا القرنين، إن لله في الأرض عينا تدعى عين الحياة، فيها عزيمة من الله أنه من يشرب منها لم يمت حتى يكون هو الذي يسأل الله الموت، فإن ظفرت بها تعيش ما شئت. قال: و أين تلك العين، و هل تعرفها؟ قال: لا، غير أنا نتحدث في السماء أن لله في الأرض ظلمة لم يطأها إنس و لا جان. فقال ذو القرنين: و أين تلك الظلمة؟ قال رقائيل: ما أدري.

Rafaeel said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Surely for Allah^-azwj, in the earth, there is a spring called ‘the spring of life’ wherein is a Determination from Allah^-azwj that the one who drinks from it would not die until he is the one who happens to ask Allah^-azwj for the death. So if you were to succeed with it, you will live for as long as you desire to’. He said, ‘And where is that spring, and do you recognise it?’ He said, ‘No, apart from that, we discussed in the sky that for Allah^-azwj, in the earth, there is a darkness, none has trodden it, neither a human nor Jinn’. So Zulqarnayn said, ‘And where is a that darkness?’ Rafaeel said, ‘I don’t know’.

ثم صعد رقائيل فدخل ذا القرنين حزن طويل من قول رقائيل، و مما أخبره عن العين و الظلمة، و لم يخبره بعلم ينتفع به منها فجمع ذو القرنين فقهاء أهل مملكته و علماءهم و أهل دراسة الكتب و آثار النبوة،

Then Rafaeel ascended and Zulqarnayn entered into a lengthy grief from the words of Rafaeel, and from what he had informed him about the spring and the darkness, and did not inform him with knowledge he could benefit with from it. So Zulqarnayn gathered the jurists of the people of his kingdom, and their scholars, and the people studying the Books, and the Ahadeeth of the Prophet-hood.

فلما اجتمعوا عنده، قال ذو القرنين: يا معشر الفقهاء، و أهل الكتب و آثار النبوة، هل وجدتم فيما قرأتم من كتب الله أو في كتب من كان قبلكم من الملوك أن لله عينا تدعى عين الحياة، فيها من الله عزيمة أنه من يشرب منها لم يمت حتى يكون هو الذي يسأل الله الموت؟ قالوا: لا، يا أيها الملك.

When they had gathered in his presence, Zulqarnayn said: ‘O group of the jurists, and the people of the Books and the Ahadeeth of the Prophet-hood! Did you find in what you read from the Books of Allah^-azwj, or in Books of the ones who were before you from the kings, that for Allah^-azwj there is a spring called ‘The spring of life’, wherein there is a Determination from Allah^-azwj that the one who drinks from it would not die until it so happens he is the one who asks Allah^-azwj for the death?’ They said, ‘No, O king!’

قال: فهل وجدتم فيما قرأتم من الكتب أن الله في الأرض ظلمة لم يطأها إنس و لا جان؟ قالوا: لا، يا أيها الملك. فحزن ذو القرنين حزنا شديدا و بكى إذ لم يخبر عن العين و الظلمة بما يحب.

He said, ‘So, did you find in what you read from the Books, that for Allah^-azwj in the earth, there is a darkness none has trodden it, neither a human nor a jinn?’ They said, ‘No, O king!’ Zulqarnayn grieved with an intense grief, and wept when he was not informed about the spring and the darkness with what he loved.

و كان فيمن حضره غلام من الغلمان من أولاد الأوصياء، أوصياء الأنبياء و كان ساكتا لا يتكلم حتى إذا أيس ذو القرنين منهم. قال له الغلام: أيها الملك، إنك تسأل هؤلاء عن أمر ليس لهم به علم، و علم ما تريد عندي، ففرح ذو القرنين فرحا شديدا، حتى نزل عن فراشه، و قال له: ادن مني. فدنا منه،

And there was among the ones who were present, a boy from the boys from the children of the successors^-as, successors^-as of the Prophets^-as, and he was silent, not speaking until when Zulqarnayn had despaired from them. The boy said to him, ‘O king! You asked them about a matter for which there is no knowledge with them, and there is with men knowledge of what you want’. So Zulqarnayn rejoiced with an intense happiness, until he descended from his throne and said to him: ‘Come near me!’ So he went near him.

فقال: أخبرني. قال: نعم أيها الملك، إني‏ وجدت في كتاب آدم (عليه السلام) الذي كتب يوم سمي له ما في الأرض من عين أو شجر، فوجدت فيه أن الله عينا تدعى عين الحياة، فيها من الله عزيمة أنه من يشرب منها لم يمت حتى يكون هو الذي يسأل الله الموت، بظلمة لم يطأها إنس و لا جان.

He said, ‘Inform me’. He said, ‘Yes, O king! I found in the Book of Adam^-as which he wrote on the day there were named for him^-as whatever is in the earth, from a spring or tree. I found in it that for Allah^-azwj there is a spring called ‘The spring of life’, wherein from Allah^-azwj is a Determination that the one who drinks from it would not die until it so happens that he is the one who asks Allah^-azwj for the death, (and) a darkness none has trodden it, neither a human nor a Jinn’.

ففرح ذو القرنين، و قال: ادن مني أيها الغلام، تدري أين موضعها؟ قال: نعم، وجدت في كتاب آدم (عليه السلام) أنها على قرن الشمس،- يعني مطلعها- ففرح ذو القرنين و بعث إلى أهل مملكته، فجمع أشرافهم و فقهاءهم و علماءهم و أهل الحكم منهم، و اجتمع إليه ألف حكيم و عالم و فقيه،

Zulqarnayn rejoiced and said: ‘Come near me, o boy! Do you know where its place is?’ He said, ‘Yes. I found in the Book of Adam^-as that it is upon a horn of the sun – meaning its emergence’. Zulqarnayn was happy and sent a message to the people of his kingdom, and he gathered their noble ones, and their jurists, and their scholars, and the people of the wisdom from them, and there gathered to him a thousand wise ones, and scholars and jurists.

فلما اجتمعوا إليه تهيأ للمسير و تأهب له بأعد العدة و أقوى القوة، فسار بهم يريد مطلع الشمس، يخوض البحار و يقطع الجبال و الفيافي و الأرضين و المفاوز، فسار اثنتي عشرة سنة، حتى انتهى إلى طرف الظلمة، فإذا هي ليست بظلمة ليل و لا دخان، و لكنها هواء يفور مد ما بين الأفقين،

When they gathered to him, he prepared for the journey and they prepared for him by the assistance of the numbers and the strength of the strongest ones. He travelled with them intending the emergence of the sun, crossing the sea and cutting the mountain (passes), and the plains, and the lands, and the wilderness. He travelled for twelve years until he ended up to the edge of the darkness, and he wasn’t in a darkness of a night or of smoke, but it was air which had spread to what is between the two horizons.

فنزل بطرفها و عسكر عليها، و جمع علماء أهل عسكره و فقهاءهم و أهل الفضل منهم، و قال يا معشر الفقهاء، و العلماء، إني أريد أن أسلك هذه الظلمة.

He encamped one its verge, and the soldiers were upon it. And he gathered the scholars, and the people of his army, and their jurists, and the people of the merits from them, and he said, ‘O group of the jurists and the scholars! I want to ask you about this darkness!’

فخروا له سجدا، و قالوا: أيها الملك، إنك لتطلب أمرا ما طلبه و لا سلكه أحد ممن كان قبلك من النبيين و المرسلين و لا من الملوك. قال: إنه لا بد لي من طلبها.

They fell down prostate to him and they said, ‘O king! You sought a matter what was not sought nor travelled to by anyone from the ones who were before you from the Prophets^-as and the Mursils^-as, not from the kings’. He said, ‘It is inevitably for me to seek it’.

قالوا: يا أيها الملك، إنا لنعلم أنك إذا سلكتها ظفرت بحاجتك بغير منة عليك لأمرنا، و لكنا نخاف أن يعلق بك منها أمر يكون فيه هلاك ملكك و زوال سلطانك، و فساد من في الأرض؟

They said, ‘O king! We know that you, when you travelled it, you would succeed with your need without exhaustion upon you of our matter, but we fear that there might attach with you, from it, a matter there would happen to be destruction of your kingdom in it, and decline of your authority, and mischief of the ones in the earth?’

فقال: لا بد من أن أسلكها. فخروا سجدا لله، و قالوا: إنا نتبرأ إليك مما يريد ذو القرنين.

He said, ‘It is inevitable that I travel it’. So they fell down in Sajdah to Allah^-azwj, and they said, ‘We disavow to You^-azwj from what Zulqarnayn wants’.

فقال: ذو القرنين: يا معشر العلماء، أخبروني بأبصر الدواب؟ قالوا: الخيل الإناث الأبكار أبصر الدواب، فانتخب من عسكره، فأصاب ستة آلاف فرس إناثا أبكارا، و انتخب من أهل العلم و الفضل و الحكمة ستة آلاف رجل، فدفع إلى كل رجل فرسا، و عقد لافسحر- و هو الخضر- على ألف فرس، فجعلهم على مقدمته، و أمرهم أن يدخلوا الظلمة،

Zulqarnayn said, ‘O group of the scholars! Inform me of the insightful of the animals?’ They said, ‘The female virgin horses are the most insightful of the animals’. So he chose from his army, and attained six thousand horses, female virgins, and choose from the people of the knowledge, and the merit, and the wisdom, six thousand men, and he handed over a horse to each man – and tied up the beautiful – and it is the greenery (vegetables) – upon a thousand horses. So he made them to be at the forefront and ordered them that they enter the darkness.

و سار ذو القرنين في أربعة آلاف، و أمر أهل عسكره أن يلزموا معسكره اثنتي عشرة سنة، فإن رجع هو إليهم إلى ذلك الوقت، و إلا تفرقوا في البلاد، و لحقوا ببلادهم، أو حيث شاءوا،

And Zulqarnayn travelled among four thousand, and ordered the people of his army that they sit encamped for twelve years. So if he return to them by that time (fine), or else they disperse in the cities, and join up in their cities, or wherever they so desires to.

فقال الخضر (عليه السلام): أيها الملك، إنا نسلك في الظلمة، لا يرى بعضنا بعضا كيف نصنع بالضلال إذا أصابنا؟ فأعطاه ذو القرنين خرزة حمراء كأنها مشعلة لها ضوء، و قال: خذ هذه الخرزة فإذا أصابكم الضلال فارم بها إلى الأرض فإنها تصيح، فإذا صاحت رجع أهل الضلال إلى صوتها.

Al-Khizr^-as said: ‘O king! We travel in the darkness, not seeing each other, how should we deal with the straying, when it hits us?’ So Zulqarnayn gave him^-as a red bead, as if it was a torch having illumination for it, and said: ‘Take this bead. So when the straying hits you, throw it to the ground, so it would shriek. So when it shrieks, the strayed people would return to its sound’.

فأخذها الخضر (عليه السلام) و مضى في الظلمة، و كان الخضر (عليه السلام): يرتحل، و ينزل ذو القرنين، فبينما الخضر يسير ذات يوم، إذا عرض له واد في الظلمة، فقال لأصحابه: قفوا في هذا الموضع، لا يتحركن أحد منكم من موضعه

Al-Khizr^-as took it and went into the darkness, and it was so that Al-Khizr^-as would travel and Zulqarnayn would descend (take turns). So while Al-Khizr^-as was travelling one day, when a valley appeared to him in the darkness, so he^-as said to his^-as companions: ‘Pause in this place. Not one of you should move from his place’.

و نزل عن فرسه، فتناول الخرزة، فرمى بها في الوادي، فابطأت عنه بالإجابة حتى ساء ظنه أو خاف أن لا تجيبه، ثم أجابته، فخرج إلى صوتها فإذا هي على جانب العين التي يقفوها، و إذا ماؤها أشد بياضا من اللبن، و أصفى من الياقوت، و أحلى من العسل،

And he^-as descended from his horse and grabbed the bead, and threw it in the valley, but the response was delayed from it, to the extent that he almost thought, or feared that it would not respond. Then it responded, and he^-as came out to its sound, and there it was upon a side of the spring at which it had paused. And its water was more intensely whiter than the milk, and clear than the sapphire, and sweeter than the honey.

فشرب منه، ثم خلع ثيابه و اغتسل منها، ثم لبس ثيابه ثم رمى بالخرزة نحو أصحابه، فأجابته فخرج إلى أصحابه، و ركب و أمرهم بالمسير فساروا.

He^-as drank from it, then took off his^-as clothes and washed from it, then wore his clothes. Then he^-as threw the bead around his^-as companions, and it responded. So he^-as came out to his^-as companions and rode, and ordered them with the travelling. So they travelled.

و مر ذو القرنين بعده، فأخطؤوا الوادي، و سلكوا تلك الظلمة أربعين يوما و أربعين ليلة، ثم خرجوا بضوء ليس بضوء نهار و لا شمس و لا قمر، و لكنه نور، فخرجواإلى أرض حمراء  رملة خشخاشة فركة كأن حصاها اللؤلؤ، فإذا هو بقصر مبني على طول فرسخ،

And Zulqarnayn passed by after it, but he mistook the valley, and he travelled that darkness for forty days and forty nights. Then he came out to an illumination which wasn’t the illumination of the day, nor of the sun, nor moon, but it was a light. Then they came out to a land of red soil, dry, soft, as if its pebbles were like pearls, and there was a castle built upon the length of a Farsakh (3 miles).

فجاء ذو القرنين إلى الباب فعسكر عليه، ثم توجه بوجهه وحده إلى القصر، فإذا طائر و إذا حديدة طويلة قد وضع طرفاها على جانبي القصر، و الطير الأسود معلق في تلك الحديدة بين السماء و الأرض مزموم، كأنه الخطاف أو صورة الخطاف أو شبيه بالخطاف، أو هو خطاف،

Zulqarnayn came to the door and encamped at it. Then he diverted his face alone to the castle, and there was a bird, and there was a long iron bar placed upon its end upon a side of the castle, and the bird was black, hanging in that iron bar between the sky and the earth, as if it was a swallow, or an image of the swallow, or it resembled the swallow, or it was a swallow.

فلما سمع خشخشة ذي القرنين، قال: من هذا؟ قال: أنا ذو القرنين، فقال الطائر: يا ذا القرنين، أما كفاك ما وراءك حتى وصلت إلى حد بابي هذا؟ ففرق ذو القرنين فرقا شديدا، فقال: يا ذا القرنين، لا تخف و أخبرني. قال سل قال: هل كثر بنيان الآجر و الجص في الأرض؟ قال: نعم،

When the clinks of Zulqarnayn were heard, it said, ‘Who is this?’ He said: ‘I am Zulqarnayn’. The bird said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Does it not suffice you what is behind you until you arrive to a limit of this door of mine?’ Zulqarnayn panicked with an intense panic, so it said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Do not fear, and inform me’. He said: ‘Ask’. It said, ‘Is there a lot of brick and plaster in the ground?’ He said: ‘Yes’.

قال: فانتفض الطير، و امتلأ حتى ملأ من الحديدة ثلثها، ففرق ذو القرنين، فقال: لا تخف، و أخبرني. قال: سل. قال: هل كثرت المعازف؟ قال: نعم. قال: فانتفض الطير و امتلأ حتى امتلأ من الحديدة ثلثيها، ففرق ذو القرنين، فقال: لا تخف، و أخبرني. قال: سل. قال: هل ارتكب الناس شهادة الزور في الأرض؟ قال: نعم. فانتفض انتفاضة و انتفخ، فسد ما بين جداري القصر،

He^-asws said: ‘So the bird turned away, and fill it until a third of the iron bar was filled. So Zulqarnayn panicked, and it said, ‘Do not fear and inform me’. He said: ‘Ask’. It said, ‘Do the people swear the false testimony in the land?’ He said, ‘Yes’. So the upperpart surged and it swelled, and it blocked between the two walls of the castle’.

قال: فامتلأ ذو القرنين عند ذلك فرقا منه، فقال له: لا تخف و أخبرني. قال: سل: قال: هل ترك الناس شهادة ان لا إله إلا الله؟ قال: لا. فانضم ثلثه، ثم قال: يا ذا القرنين، لا تخف و أخبرني. قال: سل. قال: هل ترك الناس الغسل من الجنابة؟ قال: لا.

He^-asws said: ‘So during that, Zulqarnayn filled a section from it. It said, ‘Do not fear and inform me’. He said: ‘Ask’. It said, ‘Do the people neglect the testimony that there is no god except Allah^-azwj?’ He said: ‘Yes’. So it joined a third, then said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Do not fear and inform me’. He said, ‘Ask’. It said, ‘Do the people neglect the washing from the sexual impurity?’ He said: ‘No’’.

قال: فانضم حتى عاد إلى الحالة الاولى، فإذا هو بدرجة مدرجة إلى أعلى القصر، فقال الطير: يا ذا القرنين، اسلك هذه الدرجة فسلكها و هو خائف لا يدري ما يهجم عليه، حتى استوى على ظهرها، فإذا هو بسطح ممدود مد البصر، و إذا رجل شاب أبيض مضي‏ء الوجه، عليه ثياب بيض، كأنه رجل، أو في صورة رجل، أو شبيه بالرجل، أو هو رجل،

He^-asws said: ‘So it joined until it returned to its former state, and there he was with a staircase ascending to the top of the castle. The bird said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Climb these stairs’. So, he climbed, and he was fearful, not knowing what might attack upon him, until he was established upon the top of it, and there he was by a roof extending to the extent of the sight, and there was a white youth, luminous of face. Upon him were white clothes, as if he was a man, or in an image of a man, or resembling with a man, or he was a man.

و إذا هو رافع رأسه إلى السماء ينظر إليها، واضع يده على فيه، فلما سمع خشخشة ذي القرنين، قال: من هذا؟ قال: أنا ذو القرنين. قال: يا ذا القرنين، ما كفاك ما وراءك حتى وصلت إلي؟ قال ذو القرنين: ما لي أراك واضعا يدك على فيك؟ قال: يا ذا القرنين، أنا صاحب الصور، و إن الساعة قد اقتربت، و أنا أنتظر أن أؤمر بالنفخ فأنفخ

And he was raising his head towards the sky looking towards it, and his hand was placed in his mouth. So when he heard the clinks of Zulqarnayn, he said, ‘Who is this?’ He said, ‘I am Zulqarnayn’. He said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! I am the owner of the Trumpet, and surely the Hour has drawn near, and I am awaiting to be Commanded with the blowing, so I can blow’.

ثم ضرب بيده، فتناول حجرا فرمى به إلى ذي القرنين، كأنه حجر، أو شبه حجر، أو هو حجر، فقال: يا ذا القرنين، خذها، فإن جاع جعت، و إن شبع شبعت، فارجع.

Then he struck his hand and grabbed a stone, and threw it towards Zulqarnayn, as if it was a rock, or resembling a rock, or it was a rock, and he said, ‘O Zulqarnayn! Take it. So if it is hungry, you will be hungry, and if it is satiated, you will be satiated’.

فرجع ذو القرنين بذلك الحجر، حتى خرج به إلى أصحابه، فأخبرهم بالطير و ما سأله عنه، و ما قال له و ما كان من أمره، و أخبرهم بصاحب الصور، و ما قال له، و ما أعطاه، ثم قال لهم: إنه أعطاني هذا الحجر، و قال لي إن جاع جعت، و إن شبع شبعت.

Zulqarnayn returned with that rock, until he came out with it to his companions, and he informed them of the bird and what it had asked him about, and what he had said to it, and what was from its matter, and informed them of the owner of the trumpet, and what he has said to him, and what he gave him. Then he said to them: ‘He gave me this rock, and said to me, ‘So if it is hungry, you will be hungry, and if it is satiated, you will be satiated’.

قال: أخبروني بأمر هذا الحجر فوضع الحجر في إحدى الكفتين، و وضع حجرا مثله في الكفة الاخرى، ثم رفع الميزان، فإذا الحجر الذي جاء به أرجح بمثل الآخر، فوضعوا آخر، فمال به، حتى وضعوا ألف حجر كلها مثله، ثم رفعوا الميزان فمال بها و لم يمل به الألف حجر،

He said: ‘Inform me with the matter of this stone’, and he placed the stone in one of the two hands (of a scale), and placed a stone similar to it in the other hand (of the scale), then raised the scale, and the stone which he had come with, outweighed the other similar one. So he placed another, but it still inclined towards it, until he placed a thousand stones, all of them like it, and then raised the scale, but it (still) inclined with these and the thousand stones could not tilt it.

فقالوا: يا أيها الملك، لا علم لنا بهذا، فقال: له الخضر (عليه السلام): يا أيها الملك، إنك تسأل هؤلاء عما لا علم لهم به،. قد أتيت على هذا الحجر. فقال ذو القرنين: فأخبرنا به، و بينه لنا فتناول الخضر (عليه السلام) الميزان، فوضع الحجر الذي جاء به ذو القرنين في كفة الميزان، ثم وضع حجرا آخر في كفة اخرى، ثم وضع كفا من تراب على حجر ذي القرنين يزيده ثقلا، ثم رفع الميزان فاعتدل،

They said, ‘O king! There is no knowledge for us about this’. Then Al Khizr^-as said to him: ‘O King! You asked them about what there is no knowledge for them of it. I^-as have come across this rock’. Zulqarnayn said: ‘Then inform about it, and explain it to us’. So Al-Khizr^-as grabbed the scale, and placed the rock which Zulqarnayn had come with, in a hand of the scale, then placed another rock in a hand of the other, then placed a handful of soil upon the rock of Zulqarnayn, increasing it in weight. Then he^-as raised the scale, and it balanced.

و عجبوا و خروا سجدا لله، و قالوا: يا أيها الملك، هذا أمر لم يبلغه علمنا، و إنا لنعلم أن الخضر ليس بساحر، فكيف هذا و قد وضعنا معه ألف حجر كله مثله فمال بها، و هذا قد اعتدل به و زاده ترابا؟!

And they were astonished and fell down in Sajdah to Allah^-azwj, and they said, ‘O king! This is a matter our knowledge does not reach, and we know that Al Khizr^-as isn’t a sorcerer. So how can this be, and he had placed a thousand stones, all of them similar to it, but it tilted with it, and this has balanced with it, and it has been increased with soil?’

قال ذو القرنين: بين- يا خضر- لنا أمر هذا الحجر، قال الخضر: أيها الملك، إن أمر الله نافذ في عباده، و سلطانه قاهر و حكمه فاصل، و إن الله ابتلى عباده بعضهم ببعض، و ابتلى العالم بالعالم، و الجاهل بالجاهل، و العالم بالجاهل، و الجاهل بالعالم، و إنه ابتلاني بك، و ابتلاك بي.

Zulqarnayn said: ‘O Khizr^-as! For us there is the matter of this rock’. Al Khizr^-as said: ‘O king! Surely the Command of Allah^-azwj will be accomplished among His^-azwj servants, and His^-azwj Authority will conquer, and His^-azwj Wisdom is detailed. And surely Allah^-azwj Tries His^-azwj servants with each other, and Tries the scholar with a scholar, and the ignorant one with an ignorant one, and the scholar with the ignorant one, and the ignorant one with the scholar, and He^-azwj Tried me^-as with you, and Tried you with me^-as’.

فقال ذو القرنين: يرحمك الله يا خضر، إنما تقول: ابتلاني بك حين جعلت أعلم مني، و جعلت تحت يدي، أخبرني- يرحمك الله- عن أمر هذا الحجر.

Zulqarnayn said, ‘May Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, O Khizr^-as! But rather, you^-as are saying He^-azwj Tried me with you^-as where He^-azwj Made you more knowledgeable than me, and Made you^-as to be under my hand. Inform me, may Allah^-azwj have Mercy on you, about the matter of this rock’.

فقال الخضر (عليه السلام): أيها الملك، إن هذا الحجر مثل ضربه لك صاحب الصور، يقول: إن مثل بني آدم مثل هذا الحجر الذي وضع و وضع معه ألف حجر فمال بها، ثم إذا وضع عليه التراب، شبع و عاد حجرا مثله،

Al-Khizr^-as said: ‘O king! This rock is an example which the owner of the Trumpet stuck for you. He was saying, ‘An example of the children of Adam^-as is an example of this rock which you placed, and placed a thousand stones with it, but it tilted with these. Then when the soil was placed upon it, it was satisfied and returned to be a rock the like of it’.

فيقول: كذلك مثلك، أعطاك الله من الملك ما أعطاك، فلم ترض به حتى طلبت أمرا لم يطلبه أحد كان قبلك، و دخلت مدخلا لم يدخله إنس و لا جان، يقول: كذلك ابن آدم، لا يشبع حتى يحثى عليه التراب.

He is saying, ‘Similar to that is your example. Allah^-azwj Gave you from the kingdom what He^-azwj Gave you, but you were not pleased with it until you sought a matter no one had sought it before you, and you entered an entrance neither a human nor Jinn had entered’. He is saying, ‘Similar to that is a son of Adam^-as. He is not satisfied until the soil is pushed upon him’.

قال: فبكى ذو القرنين بكاء شديدا، و قال: صدقت يا خضر، يضرب لي هذا المثل، لا جرم أني لا أطلب أثرا في البلاد بعد مسلكي هذا.

He^-asws said: ‘So he (Zulqarnayn) wept with an intense weeping, and said: ‘You^-as speak the truth, O Khizr^-as! He did strike this example for me. There is no doubt that I will not seek the traces in the city after this travel of mine’.

ثم انصرف راجعا في الظلمة، فبينما هم يسيرون، إذ سمعوا خشخشة تحت سنابك خيلهم، فقالوا أيها الملك، ما هذا؟ فقال: خذوا منه، فمن أخذ منه ندم، و من تركه ندم فأخذ بعض، و ترك بعض، فلما خرجوا من الظلمة إذا هم بالزبرجد، فندم الآخذ و التارك، و رجع ذو القرنين إلى دومة الجندل، و كان بها منزله، فلم يزل بها حتى قبضه الله إليه».

Then he left returning into the darkness. So while they were travelling, when they heard clinks under the hooves of their horses, and they said, ‘O king! What is this?’ He said, ‘Take from it. So the one who takes from it would regret, and one who leaves it would regret’. Some of them took and some left. So when they came out from the darkness, they were with the aquamarines, so the taker and the leaver both regretted, (the taker from not having taken enough, and the leaver from not having taken any). And Zulqarnayn returned to Dowmat Al-Jandal (a kingdom), and his house was at it, and he did not cease to be in it until Allah^-azwj Captured him to Him^-azwj’.

قال: «و كان (صلى الله عليه و آله) إذا حدث بهذا الحديث، قال: رحم الله أخي ذا القرنين، ما كان مخطئا إذ سلك ما سلك، و طلب ما طلب، و لو ظفر بوادي الزبرجد في مذهبه، لما ترك فيه شيئا إلا أخرجه للناس لأنه كان راغبا، و لكنه ظفر به بعد ما رجع، و قد زهد عن الدنيا بعد».

He^-asws said: ‘And he^-saww, when he^-saww narrated with this Hadeeth, said: ‘May Allah^-azwj have Mercy on my^-saww brother Zulqarnayn! He was not mistaken when travelled what he travelled, and sought what he sought, and had he succeeded at the valley of the aquamarines in his sect, when he left something in it, except he would have brought it out for the people because he was desirous, but he (actually) succeeded with it after having returned, and he had become abstemious from the world afterwards’’.[22]

VERSE 99

وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ ۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا {99}

And We will Forsake some of them on that Day surging among others, and We shall Blow in the Trumpet, so We will Gather them altogether [18:99]

العياشي: عن الأصبغ بن نباتة، عن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، قال: وَ تَرَكْنا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ «يعني يوم القيامة».

Al Ayyashi, from Al Asbagh Bin Nabata,

(It has been narrated) from Amir Al-Momineen^-asws having said: ‘And We will Forsake some of them on that Day surging among others [18:99] – it Means the Day of Judgement’.[23]

VERSE 100

وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَرْضًا {100}

And We will Display Hell on that Day to the Kafirs with an exposure [18:100]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (صلى الله عليه وآله) أَخْبَرَنِي الرُّوحُ الْأَمِينُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ إِذَا وَقَفَ الْخَلَائِقَ وَ جَمَعَ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَ الْآخِرِينَ أُتِيَ بِجَهَنَّمَ تُقَادُ بِأَلْفِ زِمَامٍ أَخَذَ بِكُلِّ زِمَامٍ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ مَلَكٍ مِنَ الْغِلَاظِ الشِّدَادِ وَ لَهَا هَدَّةٌ وَ تَحَطُّمٌ وَ زَفِيرٌ وَ شَهِيقٌ وَ إِنَّهَا لَتَزْفِرُ الزَّفْرَةَ فَلَوْ لَا أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَخَّرَهَا إِلَى الْحِسَابِ لَأَهْلَكَتِ الْجَمِيعَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Mufazzal Bin Salih, from Jabir, who has said:

Abu Ja’far^-asws says that the Prophet^-saww said: ‘The Trustworthy Spirit informed me^-saww that Allah^-azwj, there is no god apart from Him^-azwj, when He^-azwj Pauses the creatures and Gathers the former ones and the later ones, Hell will be brought by a thousand reins, each rein grabbed by a hundred thousand Angels from the strong and harsh ones, making crushing, and shattering sounds with its exhalation and inhalation, sighing in its exhalation. And if Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic does not Delay it until the Reckoning is dealt with, it would destroy all.

ثُمَّ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا عُنُقٌ يُحِيطُ بِالْخَلَائِقِ الْبَرِّ مِنْهُمْ وَ الْفَاجِرِ فَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً مِنْ عِبَادِهِ مَلَكٍ وَ لَا نَبِيٍّ إِلَّا وَ يُنَادِي يَا رَبِّ نَفْسِي نَفْسِي وَ أَنْتَ تَقُولُ يَا رَبِّ أُمَّتِي أُمَّتِي

Then a neck would come out from it, which would encompass the creatures, be they righteous or be they tyrants from among them. So there is no creature of Allah^-azwj, a servant from His^-azwj servants, Angel, or Prophet^-as except that he would call out, ‘O Lord^-azwj, (save) my soul! (save) my soul! Whilst you^-saww would be saying: ‘O Lord^-azwj, (save) my^-saww community! (save) My^-saww community!

ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ عَلَيْهَا صِرَاطٌ أَدَقُّ مِنَ الشَّعْرِ وَ أَحَدُّ مِنَ السَّيْفِ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثُ قَنَاطِرَ الْأُولَى عَلَيْهَا الْأَمَانَةُ وَ الرَّحْمَةُ وَ الثَّانِيَةُ عَلَيْهَا الصَّلَاةُ وَ الثَّالِثَةُ عَلَيْهَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ لَا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ فَيُكَلَّفُونَ الْمَمَرَّ عَلَيْهَا فَتَحْبِسُهُمُ الرَّحْمَةُ وَ الْأَمَانَةُ فَإِنْ نَجَوْا مِنْهَا حَبَسَتْهُمُ الصَّلَاةُ فَإِنْ نَجَوْا مِنْهَا كَانَ الْمُنْتَهَى إِلَى رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصادِ

Then a Bridge would be placed over it, thinner than the hair, and sharper than the sword. It would have three hurdles for it. The first one being the fulfilment of the trusts and the mercy; and the second being the Taqiyya, and the third being the Lord^-azwj of the Words, there is no god apart from Him^-azwj. So they will be encumbered to cross over it. They would be captivated by the mercy and the fulfilment of the trust stage. So if they can be rescued from it, the Taqiyya stage would capture them. So if they can be rescued from it, they would end up to the Lord^-azwj of the Worlds, Majestic is His^-azwj Mention, and these are the Words of Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted: Surely your Lord is Watchful [89:14].

وَ النَّاسُ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ فَمُتَعَلِّقٌ تَزِلُّ قَدَمُهُ وَ تَثْبُتُ قَدَمُهُ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ حَوْلَهَا يُنَادُونَ يَا كَرِيمُ يَا حَلِيمُ اعْفُ وَ اصْفَحْ وَ عُدْ بِفَضْلِكَ وَ سَلِّمْ وَ النَّاسُ يَتَهَافَتُونَ فِيهَا كَالْفَرَاشِ فَإِذَا نَجَا نَاجٍ بِرَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي نَجَّانِي مِنْكِ بَعْدَ يَأْسٍ بِفَضْلِهِ وَ مَنِّهِ إِنَّ رَبَّنَا لَغَفُورٌ شَكُورٌ.

And the people would be upon the Bridge, (some) of their feet slipping and (some) of their feet firm; and the Angels would be around them Calling out: ‘O Benevolent! O Lenient! Excuse them, and Forgive them, and Return by Your^-azwj Grace, and Secure them while the people would be flocking on it like moths. So the one who is saved would be so by the Mercy of Allah^-azwj Blessed and High would look at it (the Bridge) and say, ‘The Praise is due to Allah^-azwj Who Rescued me from you (the Bridge) after finding me lost and in desperation, by His^-azwj Grace. Surely, our Lord^-azwj is Forgiving, Appreciative’.[24]

VERSES 101 & 102

الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطَاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَكَانُوا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعًا {101}

Those whose eyes were under a cover from My Zikr (Mention) and they were unable to hear [18:101]

أَفَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا عِبَادِي مِنْ دُونِي أَوْلِيَاءَ ۚ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ نُزُلًا {102}

Do they reckon, those who commit Kufr, that they can take My servants as guardians from besides Me? Surely, We have Prepared Hell as a lodging [18:102]

ابن بابويه، قال: حدثنا تميم بن عبد الله بن تميم القرشي، بفرغانة، قال: حدثنا أبي، عن أحمد ابن علي الأنصاري، عن أبي الصلت عبد السلام بن صالح الهروي، قال: سأل المأمون الرضا علي بن موسى (عليه السلام) عن قول الله عز و جل: الَّذِينَ كانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَ كانُوا لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً.

Ibn babuwayh said, ‘Tameem Bin Abdullah Bin Tameem Al Qarshy narrated to us at Farghana (in Turkey), from his father, from Ahmad Ibn Ali Al Ansary, from Abu Al Salt Abdul Salaam Bin Salih Al Harawy who said,

‘Al-Mamoun asked Al-Reza Ali^-asws Bin Musa^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Those whose eyes were under a cover from My Zikr (Mention) and they were unable to hear [18:101].

فقال (عليه السلام): «إن غطاء العين لا يمنع من الذكر، و الذكر لا يرى بالعيون، و لكن الله عز و جل شبه الكافرين بولاية علي بن أبي طالب (عليه السلام) بالعميان، لأنهم كانوا يستقلون قول النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله) فيه، فلا يستطيعون له سمعا». فقال المأمون: فرجت عني، فرج الله عنك.

He^-asws said: ‘The closing of the eyes does not prevent from the Zikr, and the Zikr cannot be seen with the eyes. But, Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made a Resemblance of the Kafirs with the Wilayah of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws with the eyes, because they were belittling the words of the Prophet^-saww with regards to it, so they were not able to hear it’. So Al-Mamoun said, ‘You^-asws have relieved me, may Allah^-azwj Relieve you’.[25]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن أحمد، عن عبد الله بن موسى، عن الحسين بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، و الحسين بن أبي العلاء، و عبد الله بن وضاح و شعيب العقرقوفي جميعهم: عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قلت: قوله: الَّذِينَ كانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي؟ قال: «يعني بالذكر ولاية علي‏ أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و هو قوله: ذِكْرِي» قلت: قوله لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً؟ قال: «كانوا لا يستطيعون إذا ذكر علي (عليه السلام) عندهم أن يسمعوا ذكره لشدة بغض له، و عداوة منهم له و لأهل بيته

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘Ja’far Bin Ahmad narrated to us, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Al Husayn Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, and Al Husayn Bin Abu Al A’la, from Abdullah Bin Wazah and Shuayb Al Aqarqufy altogether, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws. I said, ‘(What about) His^-azwj Words Those whose eyes were under a cover from My Zikr (Mention) [18:101]?’ He^-asws said: ‘What is Meant by the Zikr is the Wilayah of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and it is His^-azwj Words: My Zikr’. I said, ‘(What about) His^-azwj Words: and they were unable to hear [18:101]?’ He^-asws said: ‘They could not (bear to) hear, whenever there was a mention of Ali^-asws in their presence due to the severity of their hatred for him^-asws, and their enmity for him^-asws the his^-asws family^-asws’.

قلت قوله: أَ فَحَسِبَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا عِبادِي مِنْ دُونِي أَوْلِياءَ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكافِرِينَ نُزُلًا؟

I said, ‘(What about) His^-azwj Words: Do they reckon, those who commit Kufr, that they can take My servants as guardians from besides Me? Surely We have Prepared Hell as a lodging [18:102]?’

قال (عليه السلام): «يعنيهما و أشياعهما الذين اتخذوهما من دون الله أولياء، و كانوا يرون أنهم بحبهم إياهما، أنهما ينجيانهم من عذاب الله، و كانوا بحبهما كافرين

He^-asws said: ‘It Means those two (Abu Bakr and Umar) and the adherents of those two, whom they took as guardians besides Allah^-azwj, and they used to see the two of them with they love for them, that these two would Rescue them from the Punishment of Allah^-azwj, and they were Kafirs due to their love for those two’.

قلت: قوله إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكافِرِينَ نُزُلًا؟ قال: «أي منزلا، فهي لهما و لأشياعهما عتيدة عند الله

I said, ‘(What about) His^-azwj Words: Surely We have Prepared Hell as a lodging [18:102]?’ He^-asws said: ‘i.e., a house. So it is Prepared for the both of them (Abu Bakr and Umar), and the adherents of these two, in the Presence of Allah^-azwj’.[26]

العياشي: عن محمد بن حكيم، قال: كتبت رقعة إلى أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) فيها: أ تستطيع النفس المعرفة؟ قال: فقال: «لا

Al Ayyashi, from Muhammad Bin Hakeym who said,

‘Raqa’a wrote to Abu Abdullah^-asws, in it (he asked), ‘Is the person able upon the recognition?’ So he^-asws said: ‘No’.

فقلت: يقول الله عز و جل: الَّذِينَ كانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَ كانُوا لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً؟ قال: «هو كقوله: ما كانُوا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ السَّمْعَ وَ ما كانُوا يُبْصِرُونَ.

I said, ‘(But) Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is saying: Those whose eyes were under a cover from My Mention and they were unable to hear [18:101]?’ He^-asws said: ‘It is like His^-azwj Words: They could not bear the listening and they were not seeing [11:20]’.

قلت: فعابهم؟ قال: «لم يعبهم بما صنع في قلوبهم، و لكن عابهم بما صنعوا، و لو لم يتكلفوا لم يكن عليهم شي‏ء

I said, ‘So He^-azwj Rebuked them?’ He^-asws said: ‘He did not Fault them due to what they did in their hearts, but He^-azwj Faulted them due to what they did, and had they not been Encumbered (to accept the Wilayah of Ali^-asws), there would not happen to be anything against them’’.[27]

VERSES 103 & 104

قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمَالًا {103}

Say: ‘Shall We Inform you of the greatest losers in deeds [18:103]

الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا {104}

Those, whose striving is lost in the life of the world and they are reckoning that they are good in what they do?’ [18:104]

علي بن إبراهيم: و في رواية أبى الجارود، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: «هم النصارى، و القسيسون، و الرهبان، و أهل الشبهات و الأهواء من أهل القبلة، و الحرورية، و أهل البدع

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘And in a report of Abu Al Jaroud,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘They are the Christians, and the Priests, and the Monks, and the people of the doubts and the whims from the people of the Qiblah (Muslims), and the Harouriya[28], and the people of the innovations’.[29]

الطبرسي في (الاحتجاج): عن أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) و قد سأله سائل، قال: يا أمير المؤمنين، أخبرني عن قول الله عز و جل: قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمالًا الآية

Al-Tabarsy, in Al Ihtijaj,

(It has been narrated) from Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and a questioner asked him^-asws, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Inform me about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Say: ‘Shall We Inform you of the greatest losers in deeds? [18:103] – The Verse’.

قال: «كفرة أهل الكتاب، اليهود و النصارى، و قد كانوا على الحق، فابتدعوا في أديانهم، و هم يحسبون أنهم يحسنون صنعا

He^-asws said: ‘The People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians disbelieved, and they had been upon the Truth, but they innovated in their Religions, and they were reckoning that what they were doing was good’.[30]

العياشي: عن إمام بن ربعي، قال: قام ابن الكواء إلى أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، فقال: أخبرني عن قول الله: قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمالًا الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا وَ هُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً.

Al Ayyashi, from Imam Bin Rabie who said,

‘Ibn Al-Kawa stood up to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws and he said, ‘Inform me about the Words of Allah^-azwj: Say: ‘Shall We Inform you of the greatest losers in deeds? [18:103]?’

قال: «أولئك أهل الكتاب، كفروا بربهم، و ابتدعوا في دينهم، فحبطت أعمالهم، و ما أهل النهر- أي النهروان- منهم ببعيد

He^-asws said: ‘They are the People of the Book. They committed Kufr with their Lord^-azwj, and innovated in their religions, so He^-azwj Nullified their deeds, and the people of Al-Nahr – i.e., Al-Nahrwan – are not far from them’’.[31]

قَالَ‏ وَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ بِلَالًا كَانَ يُنَاظِرُ الْيَوْمَ فُلَاناً، فَجَعَلَ [بِلَالٌ‏] يَلْحَنُ فِي كَلَامِهِ، وَ فُلَانٌ يُعْرِبُ، وَ يَضْحَكُ مِنْ بِلَالٍ.

He^-asws (Imam Hassan Al-Askari^-asws) said: ‘A man came over to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws and he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Bilal was debating with so and so today, and Bilal went on mispronouncing in his speech, and so and so was being articulate in Arabic and was laughing at Bilal’.

فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع: يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّمَا يُرَادُ إِعْرَابُ الْكَلَامِ وَ تَقْوِيمُهُ لِتَقْوِيمِ الْأَعْمَالِ وَ تَهْذِيبِهَا، مَا ذَا يَنْفَعُ فُلَاناً إِعْرَابُهُ وَ تَقْوِيمُهُ لِكَلَامِهِ- إِذَا كَانَتْ أَفْعَالُهُ مَلْحُونَةً أَقْبَحَ لَحْنٍ وَ مَا يَضُرُّ بِلَالًا لَحْنُهُ فِي كَلَامِهِ- إِذَا كَانَتْ أَفْعَالُهُ مُقَوَّمَةً أَحْسَنَ تَقْوِيمٍ، مُهَذَّبَةً أَحْسَنَ تَهْذِيبٍ

Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘O servant of Allah^-azwj! But rather, the expression of the speech and its straightness is for straightening the deeds and their refinement. What is that which would benefit so and so by his expression and his straightness in his speech, when his deeds are corrupted, of an ugly nature, and what would harm Bilal of his mispronouncing in his speech, when his deeds are straight and of the best stature, and his politeness is better refined?’.

قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ قَالَ: حَسْبُ (بِلَالٍ) مِنَ التَّقْوِيمِ لِأَفْعَالِهِ وَ التَّهْذِيبِ لَهَا- أَنَّهُ لَا يَرَى أَحَداً نَظِيراً لِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص ثُمَّ لَا يَرَى أَحَداً بَعْدَهُ نَظِيراً لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَ أَنَّهُ يَرَى أَنَّ كُلَّ مَنْ عَانَدَ عَلِيّاً فَقَدْ عَانَدَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ، وَ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ.

The man said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! And how can that be so?’ He^-asws said: ‘Bilal would be Reckoned from the straightness of his deeds and the refinement of these – he does not see anyone as an equal to Muhammad^-saww Rasool-Allah^-saww. Then he does not see anyone after him^-saww as an equal to Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, and he sees that everyone who is inimical to Ali^-asws, so he has been inimical to Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, and the one who obeys him^-asws so he has obeyed Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww.’

وَ حَسْبُ فُلَانٍ مِنَ الِاعْوِجَاجِ وَ اللَّحْنِ فِي أَفْعَالِهِ- الَّتِي لَا يَنْتَفِعُ مَعَهَا بِإِعْرَابِهِ لِكَلَامِهِ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ، وَ تَقْوِيمِهِ لِلِسَانِهِ- أَنْ يُقَدِّمَ الْأَعْجَازَ عَلَى الصُّدُورِ، وَ الْأَسْتَاهَ عَلَى الْوُجُوهِ‏ وَ أَنْ يُفَضِّلَ الْخَلَّ فِي الْحَلَاوَةِ عَلَى الْعَسَلِ، وَ الْحَنْظَلَ فِي الطِّيبِ، وَ الْعُذُوبَةِ عَلَى اللَّبَنِ يُقَدِّمُ عَلَى وَلِيِّ اللَّهِ عَدُوَّ اللَّهِ- الَّذِي لَا يُنَاسِبُهُ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْخِصَالِ‏ [وَ] فَضْلِهِ.

And so and so would be Reckoned from the crookedness and the corruption in his deeds – which he would not benefit with these by his articulation of his speech with the Arabic, and the straightness of his language – if he was to give preference to his back over his chest, and the back of his head over his face, and that he prefers the vinegar among the sweets over the honey, and the colocynth among the perfumes as being fresher than the milk. He gives precedence to the enemies of Allah^-azwj over the friends of Allah^-azwj, those (enemies) for whom it is not appropriate, anything from the characteristics and his^-asws merits’.

هَلْ هُوَ إِلَّا كَمَنْ قَدَّمَ مُسَيْلَمَةَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ فِي النُّبُوَّةِ وَ الْفَضْلِ مَا هُوَ إِلَّا مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: «قُلْ هَلْ نُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِالْأَخْسَرِينَ أَعْمالًا- الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا- وَ هُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً». (هَلْ هُوَ إِلَّا مِنْ إِخْوَانِ) أَهْلِ حَرُورَا.

Is he anything except like the one who gave precedence to Musaylama^-la over Muhammad^-saww regarding the Prophet-hood and the merits. He is not except from those for whom Allah^-azwj the Exalted Said: Say: ‘Shall We Inform you of the greatest losers in deeds [18:103] Those, whose striving is lost in the life of the world and they are reckoning that they are good in what they do?’ [18:104]. Is he anything except from the brethren of the people of Haroura[32]?’[33]

 

VERSES 105 & 106

أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ وَلِقَائِهِ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمَالُهُمْ فَلَا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَزْنًا {105}

These are they who commit Kufr with the Signs of their Lord and their Meeting Him, so their deeds would be Nullified, therefore We will not Establish a Scale for them on the Day of Judgment [18:105]

ذَٰلِكَ جَزَاؤُهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ بِمَا كَفَرُوا وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَرُسُلِي هُزُوًا {106}

That is their Recompense, Hell, due to their committing Kufr and taking My Signs and My Rasool in mockery [18:106]

فِي عُيُونِ الْأَخْبَارِ فِي بَابِ مَا كَتَبَهُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لِلْمَأْمُونِ مِنْ مَحْضِ الْإِسْلَامِ وَ شَرَائِعِ الدِّينِ‏ وَ الْبَرَائَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الِاسْتِيشَارِ وَ مِنْ أَبِي مُوسَى الْأَشْعَرِيِّ وَ أَهْلِ وَلَايَتِهِ‏ الَّذِينَ ضَلَّ سَعْيُهُمْ فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا وَ هُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعاً أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآياتِ رَبِّهِمْ‏ بِوَلَايَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ لِقَائِهِ كَفَرُوا بِأَنْ لَقُوا اللَّهَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامَتِهِ‏ فَحَبِطَتْ أَعْمالُهُمْ فَلا نُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ‏ الْقِيمَةِ وَزْناً فَهُمْ كِلَابُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ.

In (the book) Uyoon Al-Akhbar, in the chapter about what Al Reza^-asws wrote to Al Mamoun, from the pure Al Islam and Laws of the Religion, and the disavowing from the people of the counsel, (appointed by Umar), and from Abu Musa Al-Ashari and the people of his rule, their Those, whose striving is lost in the life of the world and they are reckoning that they are good in what they do?’ [18:104] These are they who commit Kufr with the Signs of their Lord – the Wilayah of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and their Meeting Him – are committing Kufr with, that they would be meeting Allah^-azwj without his^-asws Imamate, so their deeds would be Nullified, therefore We will not Establish a Scale for them on the Day of Judgment [18:105]. Thus, they would be the dogs of Fire’’.[34]

فِي أُصُولِ الْكَافِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلَّالِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْعُجْبِ الَّذِي يُفْسِدُ الْعَمَلَ؟

In Usool Al Kafi – Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ali Bin Asbat, from Ahmad Bin Umar Al Hallal, from Ali Bin Suweyd,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the self-conceitedness, is it which spoils the deeds?’

فَقَالَ: الْعُجْبُ دَرَجَاتٌ، مِنْهَا أَنْ يُزَيَّنَ لِلْعَبْدِ سُوءُ عَمَلِهِ فَيَرَاهُ حَسَناً، وَ يَحْسَبُ أَنَّهُ يُحْسِنُ صُنْعاً، وَ مِنْهَا أَنْ يُؤْمِنَ الْعَبْدُ بِرَبِّهِ فَيَمُنَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ، وَ لِلَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ الْمِنَّةُ.

He^-asws said: ‘The self-conceitedness has levels – from these is that for the servant, the evil of his deeds is adorned for him, so he sees it as good, and he reckons that he is doing (something) good; and from these is that the servant believes in his Lord^-azwj, so he confers upon Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic (his deed), and (considers that) for Allah^-azwj, there is a Favour upon Him^-azwj regarding it’’.[35]

فِي كِتَابِ الْإِحْتِجَاجِ لِلطَّبْرِسِيِّ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ حَدِيثٌ طَوِيلٌ يَذْكُرُ فِيهِ أَهْلَ الْمَوْقِفِ وَ أَحْوَالَهُمْ وَ فِيهِ: وَ مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الْكُفْرِ وَ قَادَةُ الضَّلَالَةِ فَأُولَئِكَ لَا يُقِيمُ لَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ وَزْناً وَ لَا يُعْبَأُ بِهِمْ، لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَعْبَئُوا بِأَمْرِهِ وَ نَهْيِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ فَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ، تَلْفَحُ وُجُوهَهُمُ النَّارُ وَ هُمْ فِيهَا كَالِحُونَ.

In the book Al Ihtijaj Al Tabarsy –

‘From Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, there is a lengthy Hadeeth, in which is (the mention of) the people of the Pausing (during the Day of Judgment) and their states, and in it (he^-asws said): ‘And from them are the imams (leaders) of the Kufr, and the guides of the straying, so they are the ones for whom no Scale would be Established on the Day of Judgment nor would they be Fulfilled with on the Day of Judgment, because they did not fulfil His^-azwj Commands and His^-azwj Prohibitions (in the world). Therefore, they would be in Hell eternally, the Fire would be burning their faces and they would be therein like the weapons (swords being forged in a fire)’’.[36]

VERSES 107 & 108

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا {107}

Surely those who believe and do (the) righteous deed, for them would be Gardens of Al-Firdows as a lodging [18:107]

خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا لَا يَبْغُونَ عَنْهَا حِوَلًا {108}

Abiding therein eternally. They will not be seeking a transfer from it [18:108]

محمد بن العباس، قال: حدثنا محمد بن همام بن سهيل، عن محمد بن إسماعيل العلوي، عن عيسى بن داود النجار، قال: حدثنا مولاي موسى بن جعفر (عليهما السلام) قال: سألت أبي عن قول الله عز و جل: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ كانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا خالِدِينَ فِيها لا يَبْغُونَ عَنْها حِوَلًا. قال: «نزلت في آل محمد (صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين)

Muhammad Bin Al Abbas, from Muhammad Bin Hamam Bin Saheyl, from Muhammad Bin Ismail Al Alawy, from isa Bin Dawood Al Najaar,

(It has been narrated) from my Master Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘I^-asws asked my^-asws father^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Surely those who believe and do (the) righteous deed , for them would be Gardens of Al Firdows as a lodging [18:107] Abiding therein eternally. They will not be seeking a transfer from it [18:108]. He^-asws said: ‘It was Revealed regarding the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww’.[37]

و عنه، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسين الخثعمي، عن محمد بن يحيى الحجري، عن عمر بن صخر الهذلي، عن الصباح بن يحيى، عن أبي إسحاق، عن الحارث، عن علي (عليه السلام) أنه قال: «لكل شي‏ء ذروة، و ذروة الجنة الفردوس، و هي لمحمد و آل محمد (صلوات الله عليه و عليهم أجمعين)

And from him, who said, ‘Muhammad Bin Al Husayn Al Khash’amy narrated o us, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Hijry, from Umar Bin Sakhar Al Hazly, from Al Sabah Bin Yahya, from Abu Is’haq, from Al Haris,

(It has been narrated) from Ali^-asws having said: ‘For everything is a zenith, and the zenith of the Paradise is Al-Firdows, and it is for Muhammad^-saww and the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww’.[38]

في المجمع عن النّبي صلَّى اللَّه عليه و آله: الجنّة مائة درجة ما بين كلّ درجتين كما بين السّماء و الأرض‏ الْفِرْدَوْسِ‏ أعلاها درجة منها تفجر أنهار الجنّة فإذا سألتم اللّه فاسألوه‏ الْفِرْدَوْسِ‏

In (the book) Al-Majma –

From the Prophet^-saww (having said): ‘The Paradise is of one hundred levels. What is between the two levels is as what is between the sky and the earth. Al-Firdows is its uppermost level. From it do the rivers of the Paradise burst forth. Thus, whenever one of you asks Allah^-azwj, so ask for Al-Firdows’’.[39]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن أحمد، عن عبد الله بن موسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبى عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قوله: خالِدِينَ فِيها لا يَبْغُونَ عَنْها حِوَلًا، قال:  «خالدين فيها لا يخرجون منها» و لا يَبْغُونَ عَنْها حِوَلًا، قال: «لا يريدون بها بدلا

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘It was narrated to us by Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, from Abu Baseer,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding His^-azwj Words: Abiding therein eternally. They will not be seeking a transfer from it [18:108]. He^-asws said: ‘Abiding therein eternally, not exiting from it’. They will not be seeking a transfer from it [18:108]. He^-asws said: ‘Not wanting a replacement with it’.

قلت: قوله: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ كانَتْ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتُ الْفِرْدَوْسِ نُزُلًا، قال: «نزلت في أبي ذر، و سلمان الفارسي، و المقداد، و عمار بن ياسر، جعل الله لهم جنات الفردوس نزلا، أي مأوى و منزلا

I said, ‘His^-azwj Words: Surely those who believe and do (the) righteous deed , for them would be Gardens of Al Firdows as a lodging [18:107]. He^-asws said: ‘It was Revealed regarding Abu Zarr^-ra, and Salman Al-Farsy^-ra, and Al-Miqdad^-ra, and Ammar Bin Yasser^-ra, Allah^-azwj would Make the Gardens of Al-Firdows to be a lodging for them, i.e., a shelter and a residence’’.[40]

VERSE 109

قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدًا {109}

Say: ‘If the sea was ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be depleted before the Words of my Lord are depleted, and even if We were to bring the like of it as ink’ [18:109]

قال أبويعقوب وأبوالحسن: فاتمرا لما أمرا، و ـ قد ـ خرجا وخلفانا هناك، وكنا نختلف إليه، فيتلقانا ببر الآباء وذوي الارحام الماسة

Abu Yaqoub and Abu Al-Hassan said: ‘Our fathers obeyed the order and left us behind while they both left to go back to their city and there was disagreement between them. When they had left, we used to present ourselves to the Imam^-asws (Imam Hassan Al Askari^-asws and he^-asws used to behave with us like how a father and grandfather behaves with their children.

فقال لنا ذات يوم: إذا أتاكما خبر كفاية الله عزوجل أبويكما وإخزائه أعداءهما وصدق وعدي إياهما، جعلت من شكر الله عزوجل أن أفيد كما تفسير القرآن مشتملا على بعض أخبار آل محمد (صلى الله عليه وآله) فيعظم الله تعالى بذلك شأنكما

One day he^-asws said to us: ‘When you receive the news that your fathers are safe from their enemies by Allah the Almighty, and that my^-asws promise to your fathers has come true, I will thank Allah the Almighty by teaching you the commentary of the Quran by some reports of the Progeny of Muhammad^-saww and as a result of which Allah the Exalted will increase your reputation to greatness by it.’

قالا: ففرحنا وقلنا: يابن رسول الله فاذا نأتي (على جميع) علوم القرآن ومعانيه؟ قال (عليه السلام): كلا، إن الصادق (عليه السلام) علم ـ ما أريد أن أعلمكما ـ بعض أصحابه ففرح بذلك، وقال: يابن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه وآله) قد جمعت علم القرآن كله؟ فقال (عليه السلام): قد جمعت خيرا كثيرا، وأوتيت فضلا واسعا، لكنه مع ذلك أقل قليل ـ من ـ أجزاء علم القرآن، إن الله عزوجل يقول: ” قل لو كان البحر مدادا لكمات ربى لنفد البحر قبل أن تنفد كلمات ربى ولو جئنا بمثله مددا “

We were happy to hear that and said: ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! So we will get all the knowledge of the Quran and its meanings?’ He^-asws said: ‘Never! Whatever I am going to teach you is what Al-Sadiq^-asws taught to one of his^-asws companions and he was happy with that and said: ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! So I have now become the recipient of the whole of the Quran?’ He^-asws said: ‘You have collected a lot of good, and extensive grace, but so little of the parts of its knowledge, for Allah the Almighty Says: ‘If the sea was ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be depleted before the Words of my Lord are depleted, and even if We were to bring the like of it as ink’ [18:109].

ويقول: ” ولو أنما في الارض من شجرة أقلام والبحر يمده من بعده سبعة أبحر ما نفدت كلمات الله ” وهذا علم القرآن ومعانيه، وما أودع من عجائبه، فكم ترى مقدار ما أخذته من جميع هذا ـ القرآن ـ ولكن القدر الذي أخذته، قد فضلك الله تعالى به على كل من لا يعلم كعلمك، ولا يفهم كفهمك.

And He^-azwj Says: And even if every tree in the earth was a pen and the oceans to ink it, from after it seven (more) oceans, the Words of Allah would not be depleted [31:27]. And this the knowledge of the Quran and its meanings and extensiveness, see for yourself what you have taken from the whole of the Quran. But what little you have taken, Allah the Exalted has Given you preference over that person does not know what you do and his understanding is not like yours.’[41]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن أحمد، عن عبد الله بن موسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قلت: قوله: قُلْ لَوْ كانَ الْبَحْرُ مِداداً لِكَلِماتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِماتُ رَبِّي وَ لَوْ جِئْنا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَداً؟

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘Ja’far Bin Ahmad narrated to us, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws. I said, ‘(What about) His^-azwj Words: And even if every tree in the earth was a pen and the oceans to ink it, from after it seven (more) oceans, the Words of Allah would not be depleted [31:27]?’

قال: «قد أخبرك أن كلام الله ليس له آخر، و لا غاية، و لا ينقطع أبدا». قال: «ثم قال: قل يا محمد: إِنَّما أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحى إِلَيَّ أَنَّما إِلهُكُمْ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً، فهذا الشرك شرك رياء.

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws am informing you that the Words of Allah^-azwj, there is no end for these, nor a peak, nor would they be terminated ever’. Then he^-asws said: Say: O Muhammad^-saww! Say: ‘But rather, I am a human being like you. He Reveals unto me. But rather, your God is One God. So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed  and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110]. So this is the association, the association of hypocrisy’.[42]

VERSE 110

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ ۖ فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلَا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًا {110}

Say: ‘But rather, I am a human being like you. He Reveals unto me. But rather, your God is One God. So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ جَرَّاحٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً قَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَعْمَلُ شَيْئاً مِنَ الثَّوَابِ لَا يَطْلُبُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا يَطْلُبُ تَزْكِيَةَ النَّاسِ يَشْتَهِي أَنْ يُسْمِعَ بِهِ النَّاسَ فَهَذَا الَّذِي أَشْرَكَ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Al Qasim Bin Suleyman, from Jarrah Al Madainy,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110]. He^-asws said: ‘The man does something from the Reward-able deeds, not seeking the Face of the Allah^-azwj by it, but rather for recommendations of the people desiring that the people would hear him with it (become famous). So this is the one who is associating (committing Shirk) with the worship of his Lord^-azwj’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ أَسَرَّ خَيْراً فَذَهَبَتِ الْأَيَّامُ أَبَداً حَتَّى يُظْهِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ خَيْراً وَ مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يُسِرُّ شَرّاً فَذَهَبَتِ الْأَيَّامُ أَبَداً حَتَّى يُظْهِرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ شَرّاً .

Then he^-asws said: ‘There is none from a servant who does good deeds secretly, so the days go by for ever until Allah^-azwj would Manifest goodness for him, and there is none from a servant who does an evil deed secretly, so the days would go by forever until Allah^-azwj would Manifest the evil for him’.[43]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الْأَحْمَرِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) وَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ إِبْرِيقٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَتَهَيَّأَ مِنْهُ لِلصَّلَاةِ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ لِأَصُبَّ عَلَيْهِ فَأَبَى ذَلِكَ وَ قَالَ مَهْ يَا حَسَنُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ لِمَ تَنْهَانِي أَنْ أَصُبَّ عَلَى يَدِكَ تَكْرَهُ أَنْ أُوجَرَ قَالَ تُؤْجَرُ أَنْتَ وَ أُوزَرُ أَنَا

Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Ibrahim Bin Is’haq Al Ahmar, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Washa who said,

I went over to Al-Reza^-asws and in front of him^-asws was a jug intending to prepare from it for the Salat. So I approached him^-asws to pour it upon him^-asws, but he^-asws refused that and said: ‘No, O Hassan!’ So I said to him^-asws, ‘Why are you^-asws forbidding be to pour upon your^-asws hand? Do you^-asws dislike for me to be Recompensed (for it)?’ He^-asws said: ‘You will be Recompensed and I^-asws would be burdened’.

فَقُلْتُ لَهُ وَ كَيْفَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَ مَا سَمِعْتَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً وَ هَا أَنَا ذَا أَتَوَضَّأُ لِلصَّلَاةِ وَ هِيَ الْعِبَادَةُ فَأَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَشْرَكَنِي فِيهَا أَحَدٌ .

I said to him^-asws, ‘And how can that be?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Have you not heard Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Saying: So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110], and here I^-asws am performing Wudu for the Salat, and it is the (act of) worship, therefore I^-asws dislike for anyone to participate with me therein’.[44]

الإمام أبو محمد العسكري (عليه السلام)، عن أبيه، علي بن محمد (عليهما السلام) في حديث طويل، في مناظرة جماعة من قريش، عن رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ قُلْ إِنَّما أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ‏ يَعْنِي آكُلُ الطَّعَامَ‏ يُوحى‏ إِلَيَّ أَنَّما إِلهُكُمْ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ يَعْنِي قُلْ لَهُمْ: أَنَا فِي الْبَشَرِيَّةِ مِثْلُكُمْ، وَ لَكِنْ رَبِّي خَصَّنِي بِالنُّبُوَّةِ دُونَكُمْ، كَمَا يَخُصُّ بَعْضَ الْبَشَرِ بِالْغَنَاءِ- وَ الصِّحَّةِ وَ الْجَمَالِ دُونَ بَعْضٍ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ، فَلَا تُنْكِرُوا أَنْ يَخُصَّنِي أَيْضاً بِالنُّبُوَّةِ.

The Imam Abu Muhammad Al-Askari^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, Ali Bin Muhammad^-asws, in a lengthy Hadeeth, during a debate with a group from Quraysh, from Rasool-Allah^-saww having said: Then Allah^-azwj the Exalted Revealed unto him^-saww: O Muhammad^-saww! Say: ‘But rather, I am a human being like you [18:110] – meaning, ‘I^-saww eat the food’, He Reveals unto me. But rather, your God is One God – meaning, say them, ‘I^-saww am, with regards to being a human being, am like you all, but my^-saww Lord^-azwj Specialised me^-saww with the Prophet-hood besides you all, just as He^-azwj Specialised some of the human beings with the riches, and the good health, and the beauty besides the other from the humans. Therefore, you should not be denying that He^-azwj can Specialise me^-saww with the Prophet-hood as well’’.[45]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: في رواية أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام) قال: «سئل رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) عن تفسير قول الله عز و جل: فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً.

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘And in a report of Abu Al Jaroud,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww was asked about the explanation of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed  and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110].

فقال: من صلى مراءاة الناس فهو مشرك، و من زكى مراءاة الناس فهو مشرك، و من صام مراءاة الناس فهو مشرك، و من حج مراءاة الناس فهو مشرك، و من عمل عملا مما أمر الله به مراءاة الناس فهو مشرك، و لا يقبل الله عمل مراء».

He^-saww said: ‘The one who prays Taqiyya to be seen by the people, so he is an associator; and the one who gives Zakat to be seen by the people, so he is an associator; and the one who Fasts to be seen by the people, so he is an associator; and the one who goes for Hajj to be seen by the people, so he is an associator; and the one who does deeds from what Allah^-azwj has Commanded for, to be seen by the people, so he is an associator; and Allah^-azwj does not Accept the deeds done to be seen (to show-off)’.[46]

عن العلاء بن فضيل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: سألته عن تفسير هذه الآية فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً.

From Al A’ala Bin Fazeyl,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the interpretation of this Verse: So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed  and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110].

قال: «من صلى، أو صام، أو أعتق، أو حج يريد محمدة الناس، فقد أشرك في عمله، و هو شرك مغفور».

He^-asws: ‘One who prays Taqiyya, or Fasts, or liberates (a slave), or performs Hajj intending the praise of the people, so he has associated in his deed, but it is a Forgivable association’’.[47]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثنا جعفر بن أحمد، عن عبد الله بن موسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبيه، و الحسين بن أبي العلاء، و عبد الله بن وضاح، و شعيب العقرقوفي، جميعهم، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) في قوله تعالى: قُلْ إِنَّما أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ قال: «يعني في الخلق، أنه مثلهم مخلوق». يُوحى إِلَيَّ أَنَّما إِلهُكُمْ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ فَمَنْ كانَ يَرْجُوا لِقاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ja’far Bin Ahmad, from Abdullah Bin Musa, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from his father, and Al Husayn Bin Abu Al A’ala, and Abdullah Bin Wazah, and Shuayb Al Aqarquqy, altogether, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of the Exalted: ‘But rather, I am a human being like you [18:110] – Meaning regarding the Creation, that he^-saww is a creature like them’ He Reveals unto me. But rather, your God is One God. So the one who wishes to meet his Lord, so let him do (the) righteous deed  and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110].

قال: «لا يتخذ مع ولاية آل محمد ولاية غيرهم، و ولايتهم العمل الصالح، فمن أشرك بعبادة ربه أحدا، فقد أشرك بولايتنا، و كفر بها، و جحد أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) حقه و ولايته

He^-asws said: ‘Do not take, along with the Wilayah of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, the Wilayah of others. Their^-asws Wilayah is the righteous deed, so the one who associates anyone with the worship of his Lord^-azwj, so he has associated with our^-asws Wilayah, and disbelieved by it, and fought against Amir Al-Momineen^-asws of his^-asws rights and his^-asws Wilayah’.[48]

عن سماعة بن مهران قال: سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله: فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صالِحاً وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً. قال: «العمل الصالح: المعرفة بالأئمة، وَ لا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَداً: التسليم لعلي (عليه السلام)، لا يشرك معه في الخلافة من ليس ذلك له، و لا هو من أهله

From Sama’at Bin Mahran who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj: so let him do (the) righteous deed  and he should not associate anyone with the worship of his Lord’ [18:110]. He^-asws said: ‘The righteous deed is Recognition of the Imams^-asws and he should not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord is the submission to Ali^-asws, not associating with him^-asws regarding the Caliphate, the one for whom that (Caliphate) is not, nor is he deserving of it’.[49]

[1] كمال الدين و تمام النعمة: 393/ 2.

[2] تفسير القمي 2: 41

[3] كمال الدين و تمام النعمة: 390/ 4.

[4] مدينتان، إحداهما بأقصى المغرب، و الاخرى رستاق بأصفهان. «معجم البلدان 2: 91 – Two cities, one of them being at the furthest west, and the one being Rastaq at Isfahan.

[5] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 350/ 83.

[6] تفسير القمي 2: 40

[7] تأويل الآيات 2: 761/ 11.

[8] تأويل الآيات 1: 297/ 9

[9] Al Mahaasin – V 2 Bk 6 H 16

[10] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 350/ 84.

[11] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 351/ 85

[12] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 351/ 86

[13] الأمالي 1: 355.

[14] الكافي 8: 22/ 274.

[15] المحتضر: 71، مدينة المعاجز: 91

[16] كمال الدين و تمام النعمة: 393/ 3.

[17] الإختصاص: 199

[18] الاختصاص: 327.

[19] كمال الدين و تمام النعمة: 394/ 4.

[20] المحاسن: 193/ 9.

[21] Tafseer Abu Hamza Al Sumaly – H 195

[22] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 341/ 79

[23] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 351/ 87.

[24] Al Kafi – V 8 H 14934

[25] عيون أخبار الرّضا 1: 136/ 33.

[26] تفسير القمّي 2: 47

[27] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 351/ 88.

[28] People of a village behind Al-Kufa where the Kharijites encamped to oppose Ali^asws in the battle of Nahrwan.

[29] تفسير القمي 2: 46.

[30] الاحتجاج 1: 260.

[31] تفسير العياشي 2: 352/ 89.

[32] A village behind Al-Kufa where the Kharijites encamped to oppose Ali^asws in the battle of Nahrwan.

[33] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari^asws – S 50

[34] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج‏3، ص: 312 – H 248

[35] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج‏3، ص: 312 – H 249

[36] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج‏3، ص: 312 – H 253

[37] تأويل الآيات 1: 298/ 10

[38] تأويل الآيات 1: 298/ 11.

[39] تفسير الصافي، ج‏1، ص: 82

[40] تفسير القمّي 2: 46

[41] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari^asws – Preface

[42] تفسير القمي 2: 46.

[43] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 116 H 4

[44] Al Kafi – V 3 – The Book of Cleanliness Ch 46 H 1

[45] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari^asws – S 314

[46] تفسير القمّي 2: 47.

[47] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 352/ 92.

[48] تفسير القمّي 2: 47.

[49] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 353/ 97