Bayt Al-Mamour, Masjid Al-Aqsa and Bayt Al-Maqdis

Summary:

Generally, most Muslims assume that the ‘Bayt Al-Maqdis’, ‘Bayt Al-Mamour’ and Masjid Al-Aqsa represent the same holy site, located in Jerusalem (Palestine).  However, Ahadith from Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws, reveal that this assumption is untrue, Bayt Al-Maqdis is in Jerusalem whereas Bayt Al-Mamour and Masjid Al-Aqsa are the two names of the same holy place which is establish in the fourth sky.

In Bayt Al-Maqdis, Prophet Yusuf^-as buried his^-as father Prophet Yaqoub^-as, and also Prophet Zakariya^-as had a Masjid in Jerusalem and so was the house of Prophet Isa^-as Ibn Maryam^-as.[1]

During the time of Rasool Allah^-saww, Imam Hassan Al-Askari^-asws, says: When Rasool-Allah^-saww was in Makkah, Allah^-azwj Commanded him^-saww to face Kabah in the direction of Bayt Al-Maqdis during Salat.  Likewise are the instructions of Masomeen^-asws regarding offering salat when visiting a holy shrine – one must keep the holy grave in front of him in the direction of Kabah during Salat.

Rasool Allah^-saww faced Bayt Al-Maqdis when it was not possible to keep Kabah in the direction of Bayt Al-Maqdis.  Rasool-Allah^-saww used to offer salat like that for the length of his^-saww stay in Makka for ten years.  Upon emigrating to Al-Medina, Rasool Allah^-saww was offering Salat by facing towards Bayt Al-Maqdis – which was towards Bayt Al-Maqdis but away from the Kabah for seventeen months.  As it was not possible from Al-Medina to align Kabah and Bayt Al-Maqdis along the same direction.

As time passed, a group of the renegade Jews from Medina started objecting to this practice by saying Prophet of Islam prays towards their direction and follows their rituals and ways. That was grievous upon Rasool-Allah^-saww so, Jibraeel^-as descended with the holy Verse: We have Seen the turning of your face towards the sky, so We will be Turning you towards a Qiblah you will be pleased with; So turn then your face towards     ‘الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ’ the Sacred Masjid (Kabah); and wherever you are, turn your face towards it. And those who have been Given the Book are knowing that it is the Truth from their Lord; and Allah is not heedless of what they are doing [2:144]

(In a Hadith it is narrated) when Rasool Allah^-saww had already offered two Raka’at (Cycles) from Salat Al-Zohr in the Masjid of the Clan of Salim, Jibraeel^-as descended and grabbed his^-saww shoulders and turned him^-saww towards the Kabah, and Revealed unto him^saw [2:144]. The Masjid of the Clan of Salim these days is known as Masjid of Al-Qiblatayn (the Masjid of two Qiblahs). Ahadith with Arabic text are included in Appendix I.

Allah^-azwj has also Mentioned Masjid Al-Aqsa and Bayt Al-Mamour in the holy Quran for example in the Verses of Ascension.  Allah^-azwj Modelled for mankind the Bayt Al-Haram (Kabah) beneath the Bayt Al-Mamoor, to be a resort and a sanctuary, several Ahadith are quoted below showing the holy site ‘Masjid Al-Aqsa/Bayt Al-Mamour’ is in the Heavens.

As for offering Salat and visiting Bayt Al-Maqdis (the masjid in Jerusalam also called Masjid Al-Aqsa), Masomeen^-asws say Masjid Al-Kufa offers more rewards for the Salat than offering Salat in the Masjid Al-Aqsa which is in Jerusalem.  A Hadith below summarises the merits of Masajids (plural of Masjid/Mosque):

عن سالم الحناط، عن رجل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: سألته عن المساجد التي لها الفضل، فقال: «المسجد الحرام، و مسجد الرسول».

From Salim Al Hanat, from a man,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the Masajids for which there are merits. He^-asws said: ‘The Sacred Masjid and Masjid of the Rasool^-saww’.

قلت: و المسجد الأقصى، جعلت فداك؟ فقال: «ذاك في السماء، إليه أسري برسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)».

I said, ‘And (what about) Masjid Al-Aqsa, may I be sacrificed for you^-asws!?’ He^-asws said: ‘That is in the sky. To it journeyed Rasool-Allah^-saww’.

فقلت: إن الناس يقولون: إنه بيت المقدس؟ فقال: «مسجد الكوفة أفضل منه».

So I said, ‘But the people are saying, it is Bayt Al-Maqdis?’ He^-asws said: ‘Masjid Al-Kufa is superior than it’’.[2]

Introduction:

We present some Ahadith below to explain the merits of the above holy sites.

Masjid Al-Aqsa

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ {1}

Glorified is He Who Journeyed His Servant on a night from the Sacred Masjid to Masjid Al-Aqsa Which We have Blessed its precincts, in order to Show him from Our Signs. Surely, He is the Hearing, the Seeing [17:1]

Imam ‘Al-Sadiq^-asws says: Rasool-Allah^-saww said to Qureysh: ‘O group of Qureysh! Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Made me^-saww to ascend last night from the Sacred Masjid to the Masjid Al-Aqsa – meaning Bayt Al-Maqdas – and I^-saww rode upon Al-Buraaq which Jibraeel^-as had come with, and it is an animal which is larger than the donkey and small than a mule and its steps were as extensive as the eye could see. So when I^-saww journeyed upon it, it ascended to the sky, and I^-saww prayed Salat with all the Prophets^-as, and all the Angels. And I^-saww saw the Paradise and whatever was in it and the Fire and whatever was in it, and looked at whole Kingdom’. (Complete Hadith and a similar Hadith is given in Appendix II).[3]

Salat in Masjid of Al-Kufa has more Rewards than Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem):

عن سالم الحناط، عن رجل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: سألته عن المساجد التي لها الفضل، فقال: «المسجد الحرام، و مسجد الرسول».

From Salim Al Hanat, from a man,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I asked him^-asws about the Masjids for which there are merits. He^-asws said: ‘The Sacred Masjid and Masjid of the Rasool^-saww’.

قلت: و المسجد الأقصى، جعلت فداك؟ فقال: «ذاك في السماء، إليه أسري برسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)».

I said, ‘And (what about) Masjid Al-Aqsa, may I be sacrificed for you^-asws!?’ He^-asws said: ‘That is in the sky. To it journeyed Rasool-Allah^-saww’.

فقلت: إن الناس يقولون: إنه بيت المقدس؟ فقال: «مسجد الكوفة أفضل منه».

So I said, ‘But the people are saying, it is Bayt Al-Maqdis?’ He^-asws said: ‘Masjid Al-Kufa is superior than it’’.[4]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي يُوسُفَ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مِنْ وُلْدِ أَبِي فَاطِمَةَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْكَاهِلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( صلوات الله عليه ) وَ هُوَ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْكُوفَةِ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَرَدْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ الْأَقْصَى فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْكَ وَ أُوَدِّعَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ أَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَرَدْتَ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ الْفَضْلَ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abu Yusuf Yaqoub Bin Abdullah Bin Wulid Abu Fatima, from Ismail Bin Zayd, a slave of Abdullah Bin Yahya Al Kahily,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘A man came over to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and he^-asws was in Masjid Al-Kufa. So he said, ‘The greetings be upon you^-asws, O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and the Mercy of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Blessings’. So he^-asws returned (the greeting). So he said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! I intend (to go to) Masjid Al-Aqsa, so I wanted to greet upon you^-asws, and bid you^-asws farewell’. So he^-asws said to him: ‘And which thing do you want with that?’ So he said, ‘The merit, may I be sacrificed for you^-asws’.

قَالَ فَبِعْ رَاحِلَتَكَ وَ كُلْ زَادَكَ وَ صَلِّ فِي هَذَا الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِنَّ الصَّلَاةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ فِيهِ حَجَّةٌ مَبْرُورَةٌ وَ النَّافِلَةَ عُمْرَةٌ مَبْرُورَةٌ وَ الْبَرَكَةَ فِيهِ عَلَى اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ مِيلًا يَمِينُهُ يُمْنٌ وَ يَسَارُهُ مَكْرٌ وَ فِي وَسَطِهِ عَيْنٌ مِنْ دُهْنٍ وَ عَيْنٌ مِنْ لَبَنٍ وَ عَيْنٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ شَرَابٍ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ عَيْنٌ مِنْ مَاءٍ طُهْرٍ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ

He^-asws said: ‘So sell your riding animal and all of your provisions, and go to this Masjid Grand Mosque of Al-Kufa), for the Obligatory Salāt therein (equates to) a correct Hajj, and the optional (Salāt equates to) a correct Umra, and the Blessings in it are upon twelve miles to its right, but its left is disliked, and in the middle of it is a spring of oil, and a spring of milk, and a spring of water, being a drink for the Believers, and a spring of water for the Believers to clean from.

سَارَتْ سَفِينَةُ نُوحٍ وَ كَانَ فِيهِ نَسْرٌ وَ يَغُوثُ وَ يَعُوقُ وَ صَلَّى فِيهِ سَبْعُونَ نَبِيّاً وَ سَبْعُونَ وَصِيّاً أَنَا أَحَدُهُمْ

The ship of Noah^-as sailed from here. And (unfortunately) in it were (placed the idols of) Nasr, and Yagous, and Yaouq and seventy Prophets^-as prayed Salāt therein, and seventy successors^-as. I^-asws am one of them^-as’.

وَ قَالَ بِيَدِهِ فِي صَدْرِهِ مَا دَعَا فِيهِ مَكْرُوبٌ بِمَسْأَلَةٍ فِي حَاجَةٍ مِنَ الْحَوَائِجِ إِلَّا أَجَابَهُ اللَّهُ وَ فَرَّجَ عَنْهُ كُرْبَتَهُ .

And he^-asws said with his^-as hand upon his^-asws chest: ‘A worried one will not supplicate in it with asking for a need from the needs except that Allah^-azwj would Answer him and Relive him from his worries’.[5]

Bayt Al-Mamour/Masid Al-Aqsa is in the Skies:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَ الْفَضْلِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ لَمَّا أُسْرِيَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَبَلَغَ الْبَيْتَ الْمَعْمُورَ وَ حَضَرَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَأَذَّنَ جَبْرَئِيلُ وَ أَقَامَ فَتَقَدَّمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ صَفَّ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ النَّبِيُّونَ خَلْفَ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Azina, from Zurara and Al Fazl,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘When Rasool-Allah^-saww was Ascended with to the sky, so he^-saww reached [52:4] the frequented House (Bayt Al-Mamour), and the Salāt presented itself, Jibraeel^-as called the Azān and the Iqamah. So Rasool-Allah^-saww moved forward (to lead), and the Angels and the Prophets^-as formed rows behind Muhammad^-saww’.[6]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ السَّلَامِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) فِي الَّذِي تُدْرِكُهُ الصَّلَاةُ وَ هُوَ فَوْقَ الْكَعْبَةِ قَالَ إِنْ قَامَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ قِبْلَةٌ وَ لَكِنَّهُ يَسْتَلْقِي عَلَى قَفَاهُ وَ يَفْتَحُ عَيْنَيْهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ يَعْقِدُ بِقَلْبِهِ الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي فِي السَّمَاءِ الْبَيْتَ الْمَعْمُورَ وَ يَقْرَأُ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ غَمَّضَ عَيْنَيْهِ فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَتَحَ عَيْنَيْهِ وَ السُّجُودُ عَلَى نَحْوِ ذَلِكَ .

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Is’haq Bin Muhammad, from Abdul Salaam Bin Salih,

(It has been narrated) from Al-Reza^-asws regarding the one who comes across a Salāt (timing) while he is on top of the Kabah. He^-asws said: ‘If he is standing, there would not happen to be a Qiblah for him. But, he lies down upon the scruff of his neck (back) and opens his eyes towards the sky, and he should hold the Qiblah by his heart, that which is in the sky, Bayt Al-Mamour (The Frequented House), and he should recite. So when he intends to perform Rukū, he should shut his eyes, and when he intends to raise his head from the Rukū, he should open his eyes. And the Sajdah would (also) be upon that’.^[7]

There are several Ahadith on Ascension of Rasool Allah^-saww where Bayt Al-Mamour is mentioned in the skies, for example one long Hadith is given in Appendix II.

[ الصدوق ] حدثنا علي بن حاتم قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد قال: حدثنا حمدان بن الحسين، عن الحسين بن الوليد، عن أبي بكر، عن حنان بن سدير، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن علي بن الحسين (عليه السلام) قال: قلت: لم صار الطواف سبعة أشواط ؟ قال: لأن الله تبارك وتعالى قال للملائكة: * (إنى جاعل في الارض خليفة) * فردوا على الله تبارك وتعالى و * (قالوا أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماء ونحن نسبح بحمدك ونقدس لك قال إنى أعلم ما لا تعلمون) * وكان لا يحجبهم عن نوره سبعة آلاف عام، فلاذوا بالعرش سبعة آلاف سنة، فرحمهم وتاب عليهم وجعل لهم البيت المعمور الذي في السماء الرابعة وجعله مثابة ووضع البيت الحرام تحت البيت المعمور، فجعله مثابة للناس وأمنا، فصار الطواف سبعة أشواط واجبا على العباد لكل ألف سنة شوطا واحدا.

(Al-Sadooq) Narrated from Ali Bin Hatim from Al-Qasim Bin Muhammad from Hamdan Bin Al-Husayn from Al-Husayn Bin Al-Waleed from Abu Bakr from Hannan Bin Sudeyr from Abu Hamza Al-Thumaly:

‘Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws said when he^-asws was asked: ‘Why is he performing Tawaaf seven times?‘ He^-asws said: ‘Because Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Said to the Angels “I am going to place in the earth a Caliph” they retorted to Allah^-azwj Blessed the High “they said: What! Will You place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Your Praise and extol Your Holiness?” And they had not been Veiled from His^-azwj Light for seven thousand years, they sought to be excused for seven thousand years, He^-azwj was Merciful to them and Turned to them, and Made for them the Bayt Al-Mamoor which is located on the fourth Heaven, and Modelled for mankind the Bayt Al-Haram (Kabah) beneath the Bayt Al-Mamoor, a resort and a sanctuary. The ‘Tawaf’ (circumambulation) is for seven runs obligatory for the servants, one run for each of the thousand years (of the Angels)‘.[8]

ومن حضر مجلسا وقد حضر فيه كلب يفترس عرض أخيه الغائب واتسع جاهه فاستخف به، ورد عليه، وذب عن عرض أخيه الغائب، قيض الله الملائكة المجتمعين عند البيت المعمور لحجهم، وهم شطر ملائكة السماوات، وملائكة الكرسي والعرش، وملائكة الحجب، فأحسن كل واحد منهم بين يدي الله تعالى محضره، يمدحونه ويقربونه ويسألون الله تعالى له الرفعة والجلالة. فيقول الله تعالى: أما أنا فقد أوجبت له بعدد كل واحد من ما دحيكم مثل عدد جميعكم من درجات ـ و ـ قصور، وجنان، وبساتين، وأشجار، وما شئت، مما لا يحيط به المخلوقون.

‘And if any person is present in a sitting where a dog (person) backbites an absent believer, and he rebuffs that person (the backbiter), and returns the (bad) comments back to him (the backbiter), and adorns his absent brother’s prestige by good words, then Allah^-azwj Orders each one of the Angels who gather at the ‘Bayt Al-Mamour’ for Pilgrimage, and they are only a part of the Angels of the skies, and the Angels of the Chair, and the Angels of the Veils, to supplicate for this person (the defender of a true Believer) and extol his praise and ask Allah^-azwj to elevate his position and increase his magnificence.’ Allah^-azwj Says to them: ‘To the equal of each of your number (the angels), I shall Grant him levels, and palaces and gardens, and orchards, and trees, and anything else that I^-azwj Wish from My creation’.[9]

Bayt Al-Mamour is also referred to as Al-Zurah

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ وَ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي فِي الْحِجْرِ فَبَيْنَمَا هُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي إِذْ أَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَجَلَسَ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلَاثَةِ أَشْيَاءَ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَ رَجُلٌ آخَرُ قَالَ مَا هِيَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr and Ibn Mahboub, altogether from Al Mufazzal Bin Salih, from Muhammad Bin Marwan who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘I^-asws was with my^-asws father^-asws at the (Black) Stone. So whilst he^-asws was standing Praying, a man came over to him^-asws, and he sat (near) him^-asws. So when he^-asws finished, he greeted him^-asws, then said, ‘I ask you^-asws about three things, none knows these except you^-asws, and another man’. He^-asws said: ‘What are these?’

قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي أَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ سَبَبُ الطَّوَافِ بِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَّا أَمَرَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ أَنْ يَسْجُدُوا لآِدَمَ ( عليه السلام ) رَدُّوا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالُوا أَ تَجْعَلُ فِيها مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيها وَ يَسْفِكُ الدِّماءَ وَ نَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ نُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ

He said, ‘Inform me, which thing was the cause of the Tawaaf of the House (Kabah)?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, when He^-azwj Commanded the Angels that they should Prostrate to Adam^-saww they responded to Him^-azwj, so they said Are You going to Make in it one who will make mischief therein and shed the blood, and we Glorify with Your Praise and we extol Your Holiness? [2:30] Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted said: He said: I Know what you do not know [2:30].

فَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ سَأَلُوهُ التَّوْبَةَ فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَطُوفُوا بِالضُّرَاحِ وَ هُوَ الْبَيْتُ الْمَعْمُورُ وَ مَكَثُوا يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ سَبْعَ سِنِينَ وَ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِمَّا قَالُوا

Thus, He^-azwj was Angered upon them. Then, they pleaded Him^-azwj for the Forgiveness, so He^-azwj Commanded them that (to attain it) they should be performing tawaaf by Al-Zurah, and it is the Bayt Al-Mamour (The Oft-Frequented House). And they remained performing tawaaf by it for seven years, seeking Forgiveness of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, due to what they had said.

ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ وَ رَضِيَ عَنْهُمْ فَهَذَا كَانَ أَصْلُ الطَّوَافِ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ حَذْوَ الضُّرَاحِ تَوْبَةً لِمَنْ أَذْنَبَ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ وَ طَهُوراً لَهُمْ فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ .

Then He^-azwj Turned towards them (with Mercy) and was Pleased with them. So this was the origin of the circumambulation. Then Allah^-azwj Made the Sacred House facing Al-Zurah, as (a means of) repentance for the ones from the Children of Adam^-as who sin, and (as a means of) Purification for them’. So he said, ‘You^-asws speak the truth’.^[10]

Miraj of Rasool Allah^-saww

وَلَقَدْ بَوَّأْنَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مُبَوَّأَ صِدْقٍ وَرَزَقْنَاهُمْ مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ فَمَا اخْتَلَفُوا حَتَّىٰ جَاءَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ يَقْضِي بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِيمَا كَانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ {93}

 

And We had Lodged the Children of Israel in respectable dwellings and We Sustained them from the good things; but they did not differ until the Knowledge came to them. Surely your Lord will Judge between them on the Day of Judgement with regards to what they were differing in [10:93]

فَإِنْ كُنْتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا أَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ فَاسْأَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقْرَءُونَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ ۚ لَقَدْ جَاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ {94}

But if you are in doubt of what We Revealed to you, then ask those who have read the Book from before you. The Truth has come to you from your Lord, therefore do not become from the doubters [10:94]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي، عن عمرو بن سعيد الراشدي، عن ابن مسكان، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «لما أسري برسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) إلى السماء، فأوحى الله إليه في علي (صلوات الله عليه) ما أوحى من شرفه و عظمه عند الله، و رد إلى البيت المعمور، و جمع له النبيين فصلوا خلفه، عرض في نفس رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) من عظم ما أوحى الله إليه في علي (عليه السلام)،

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Amro Bin Saeed Al Raashidy, from Ibn Muskaan,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘When Rasool-Allah^-saww was ascended with to the sky, Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww with regards to Ali^-asws, what He^-azwj Revealed from his^-asws nobility and greatness in the Presence of Allah^-azwj, and he^-saww returned to Bayt Al-Mamour, and the Prophets^-as had gathered there for him^-saww. So they^-as all Prayed Salat behind him^-saww. It was displayed within the self of Rasool-Allah^-saww from the greatness of what Allah^-azwj Had Revealed unto him^-saww with regards to Ali^-asws.

فأنزل الله: فَإِنْ كُنْتَ فِي شَكٍّ مِمَّا أَنْزَلْنا إِلَيْكَ فَسْئَلِ الَّذِينَ يَقْرَؤُنَ الْكِتابَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يعني الأنبياء، فقد أنزلنا عليهم في كتبهم من فضله ما أنزلنا في كتابك لَقَدْ جاءَكَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ فَلا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ المُمْتَرِينَ، وَ لا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا بِآياتِ اللَّهِ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الْخاسِرِينَ». فقال الصادق (عليه السلام): «فوالله ما شك و ما سأل».

Allah^-azwj Revealed: But if you are in doubt of what We Revealed to you, then ask those who have read the Book from before you [10:94] – Meaning the Prophets^-as, for We^-azwj had Revealed unto them^-as in their^-as Books from his^-asws merits which We^-azwj Revealed in your^-saww Book:  The Truth has come to you from your Lord, therefore do not become from the doubters [10:94] And do not become from those who are belying the Signs of Allah, for you would become from the losers [10:95]’. So Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘So, by Allah^-azwj! He^-saww did not doubt and did not question’.[11]

Bayt Al-Mamour will be brought Down to the earth:

بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ الرَّقِّيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَا مَعْنَى السَّلَامِ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمَّا خَلَقَ نَبِيَّهُ وَ وَصِيَّهُ وَ ابْنَتَهُ وَ ابْنَيْهِ وَ جَمِيعَ الْأَئِمَّةِ وَ خَلَقَ شِيعَتَهُمْ أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ وَ أَنْ يَصْبِرُوا وَ يُصَابِرُوا وَ يُرَابِطُوا وَ أَنْ يَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ

Some of our companions, raising it, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from DAwood Bin Kaseer Al Raqqy who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘What is the Meaning of the greetings upon Rasool-Allah^-saww?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Blessed and High, when He^-azwj Created His^-azwj Prophet^-saww and his^-saww successor^-asws and his^-saww daughter, and his^-saww two (grand) sons^-asws, and the entirety of the Imams^-asws, and Created their^-asws Shias, Took the Covenant upon them that they would be patient, and (make others to) observe patience, and that they would fear Allah^-azwj.

وَ وَعَدَهُمْ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ لَهُمُ الْأَرْضَ الْمُبَارَكَةَ وَ الْحَرَمَ الْآمِنَ وَ أَنْ يُنَزِّلَ لَهُمُ الْبَيْتَ الْمَعْمُورَ وَ يُظْهِرَ لَهُمُ السَّقْفَ الْمَرْفُوعَ وَ يُرِيحَهُمْ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ وَ الْأَرْضِ الَّتِي يُبَدِّلُهَا اللَّهُ مِنَ السَّلَامِ وَ يُسَلِّمُ مَا فِيهَا لَهُمْ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا

And He^-azwj Promised them that He^-azwj would Submit the Blessed earth to them, and the ‘الْحَرَمَ الْآمِنَ’ Just Al-Harrum, and that He^-azwj would Bring down the Oft-Frequented House (Bayt Al-Mamour) to them, and He^-azwj would Manifest the Raised Ceiling to them, and Given them rest/respite from their enemies, and the earth Which Allah^-azwj would Change for them from the peace and safety for whatever it therein for them there being no blemish in it’.

قَالَ لَا خُصُومَةَ فِيهَا لِعَدُوِّهِمْ وَ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمْ فِيهَا مَا يُحِبُّونَ وَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْأَئِمَّةِ وَ شِيعَتِهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ بِذَلِكَ وَ إِنَّمَا السَّلَامُ عَلَيْهِ تَذْكِرَةُ نَفْسِ الْمِيثَاقِ وَ تَجْدِيدٌ لَهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُ أَنْ يُعَجِّلَهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ يُعَجِّلَ السَّلَامَ لَكُمْ بِجَمِيعِ مَا فِيهِ .

He^-asws said: ‘There will be no disputes therein of their enemies, and there would happen to be for them in it what they would be loving. And Rasool-Allah^-saww took the Covenant upon the entirety of the Imams^-asws and their^-asws Shias with that. And rather, the greetings upon him^-saww is a reminder to the self of the Covenant and the renewal of it upon Allah^-azwj, perhaps He^-azwj the Majestic and Mighty might Hasten the peace for you all with the entirety of whatever is in it’.^[12]

Where is Bayt Al-Maqdas?

ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ صَبِيحٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ (عليهما السلام) أَنَّ آيَةَ مَوْتِكَ أَنَّ شَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَالَ فَنَظَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ يَوْماً فَإِذَا الشَّجَرَةُ الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَدْ طَلَعَتْ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا اسْمُكِ قَالَتِ الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَالَ فَوَلَّى سُلَيْمَانُ مُدْبِراً إِلَى مِحْرَابِهِ فَقَامَ فِيهِ مُتَّكِئاً عَلَى عَصَاهُ فَقُبِضَ رُوحُهُ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ قَالَ

Ibn Mahboub, from Jameel Bin Saleh, from Al-Waleed Bin Sabeeh, who has reported the following:

Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto Suleiman Bin Dawood^-as that: “The sign of your^-as death is a tree which will come out from Bayt Al-Maqdas called Al-Kharnouba”. Suleiman^-as looked around one day and there was Al-Kharnouba tree which had emerged from Bayt Al-Maqdas. So he^-as said to it: ‘What is your name?’ It said, ‘Al-Kharnouba’. Suleiman^-as turned back to his^-as Prayer Niche and stood leaning upon his staff. His^-as soul was Captured (passed away) in that moment.

فَجَعَلَتِ الْجِنُّ وَ الْإِنْسُ يَخْدُمُونَهُ وَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي أَمْرِهِ كَمَا كَانُوا وَ هُمْ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُ حَيٌّ لَمْ يَمُتْ يَغْدُونَ وَ يَرُوحُونَ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ ثَابِتٌ حَتَّى دَبَّتِ الْأَرَضَةُ مِنْ عَصَاهُ فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْسَأَتَهُ فَانْكَسَرَتْ وَ خَرَّ سُلَيْمَانُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ لِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ ما لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذابِ الْمُهِينِ.

The Jinn and the human beings kept on serving him^-as and were striving in his^-as command as before, and they were thinking that he^-as was alive and had not died. The morning came and passed, and he^-as was still standing still, until the woodworm gnawed away at his^-as staff and it broke, and Suleiman^-as fell down upon the ground. Have you not heard the Statement of the Mighty and Majestic: “[34:14] and when it fell down, the jinn came to know plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in abasing torment”.[13]

Interpretation of Verses 95-1-3:

وَالتِّينِ وَالزَّيْتُونِ {1}

(I Swear) by the fig and the olive [95:1]

وَطُورِ سِينِينَ {2}

And (mount) Toor of Sinai [95:2]

وَهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ {3}

And this secure city [95:3] 

A tradition from Sheikh Sadduq, interpret’ و الزيتون’ to Bayt Al-Maqdis, but other Ahadith interpret و الزيتون as Imam Hussain^-asws , the later interpretation is consistent with other Ahadith describing Bayt Al-Maqdis.

ابن بابويه، قال: حدثنا أبي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد ابن خالد، قال: حدثني أبو عبد الله الرازي، عن الحسين بن علي بن أبي عثمان، عن موسى بن بكر، عن أبي الحسن موسى بن جعفر، عن أبيه، عن آبائه (عليهم السلام)، قال: «قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): إن الله تبارك و تعالى اختار من البلدان أربعة، فقال عز و جل: وَ التِّينِ وَ الزَّيْتُونِ وَ طُورِ سِينِينَ وَ هذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ التين: المدينة، و الزيتون: بيت المقدس، و طور سينين: الكوفة، و هذا البلد الأمين: مكة».

Ibn Babuwayh, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Yahya Al-Ataar, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Ibn Khalid, from Abu Abdullah Al-Razy, from Al-Husayn Bin Ali Bin Abu Usman, from Muham Bin Bakr, who has said:

‘Abu Al-Hassan Musa Bin Ja’far^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Allah ^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Chose four from the cities, so the Mighty and Majestic Said: (I Swear) by the fig and the olive [95:1] And (mount) Toor of Sinai [95:2] And this secure city [95:3]. The fig is Al-Medina, and the: olive is Bayt Al-Maqdis, and: (mount) Toor of Sinai is Al-Kufa, and: this secure city is Makkah’.[14]

محمد بن العباس، قال: حدثنا محمد بن همام، عن عبد الله بن العلاء، عن محمد بن شمون، عن عبد الله بن عبد الرحمن الأصم، عن البطل، عن جميل بن دراج، قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) يقول: «قوله تعالى: وَ التِّينِ وَ الزَّيْتُونِ التين: الحسن، و الزيتون: الحسين (عليهما السلام)».

Muhammad Bin Al-Abbas, from Muhammad Bin Hamaam, from Abdullah Bin Al-A’la, from Muhammad Bin Shamoun, from Abdullah Bin Abdul Rahman Al-A’sam, from Al-Batal, from Jameel Bin Daraaj who said:

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘The Words of the Exalted: (I Swear) by the fig and the olive [95:1]. The: fig is Al-Hassan^-asws, and the: olive is Al-Husayn^-asws’.[15]

و عنه، قال: حدثنا الحسين بن أحمد، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن يحيى الحلبي، عن‏ بدر بن الوليد، عن أبي الربيع الشامي، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قوله تعالى: وَ التِّينِ وَ الزَّيْتُونِ وَ طُورِ سِينِينَ، قال: «التين و الزيتون: الحسن و الحسين، و طور سينين: علي بن أبي طالب (عليهم السلام

And from him, from Al-Husayn Bin Ahmad, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Yahya Al-Halby, from Badr Bin Al-Waleed, from Abu Al-Rabi’e Al-Shamy, who said:

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of the Exalted: (I Swear) by the fig and the olive [95:1] And (mount) Toor of Sinai, said: ‘The: the fig and the olive are Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and (mount) Toor of Sinai is Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws’’.[16]

علي بن إبراهيم أيضا: قوله: وَ التِّينِ وَ الزَّيْتُونِ وَ طُورِ سِينِينَ وَ هذَا الْبَلَدِ الْأَمِينِ، قال: التين: رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و الزيتون: أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و طور سينين: الحسن و الحسين (عليهما السلام)، و البلد الأمين: الأئمة (عليهم السلام)

Ali Bin Ibrahim (Tafseer Qummi) has narrated a similar one:

His^-azwj Words: (I Swear) by the fig and the olive [95:1] And (mount) Toor of Sinai [95:2] And this secure city [95:3]. He^-asws said: ‘The: fig is Rasool-Allah^-saww, and the: olive is Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws, and the: (mount) Toor of Sinai is Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws, and the: secure city are the Imams^-asws’’.[17]

Prophet Yaqoub^-as was buried in Bayt Al-Maqdis

عن محمد بن مسلم، قال: قلت لأبي جعفر (عليه السلام): كم عاش يعقوب مع يوسف بمصر بعد ما جمع الله ليعقوب شمله، و أراه تأويل رؤيا يوسف الصادقة؟ قال: «عاش حولين».

From Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I said to Abu Ja’far^-asws, ‘For how long did Yaqoub^-as live with Yusuf^-as in Egypt after Allah^-azwj had Brought together his^-as family, and Shown him^-as the interpretation of the dream of Yusuf^-as to be true?’ He^-asws said: ‘Lived for two years’.

قلت: فمن كان يومئذ الحجة لله في الأرض، يعقوب أم يوسف؟ قال: «كان يعقوب الحجة، و كان الملك ليوسف، فلما مات يعقوب حمل يوسف عظام يعقوب في تابوت إلى أرض الشام، فدفنه في بيت المقدس، ثم كان يوسف بن يعقوب الحجة».

I said, ‘So who was the Proof of Allah^-azwj in the earth, Yaqoub^-as or Yusuf^-as?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yaqoub^-as was the Proof, and the kingdom was for Yusuf^-as. So when Yaqoub ^-as died, Yusuf carried his^-as body in a coffin to the land of Syria, and had him^-as buried in Bayt Al-Maqdis. Then, Yusuf^-as Bin Yaqoub^-as was the Proof’.[18]

ابن شهر آشوب: عن تفسيري أبي عبيدة، و علي بن حرب الطائي، قال عبد الله بن مسعود: الخلفاء أربعة: آدم: إِنِّي جاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً و داود: يا داوُدُ إِنَّا جَعَلْناكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ يعني بيت المقدس، و هارون، و قال موسى: اخْلُفْنِي فِي قَوْمِي، و علي (عليه السلام): وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ يعني عليا (عليه السلام) لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ.

Ibn Shehr Ashub, from Tafseer Abu Ubeyda and Ali Bin Harb Al Ta’iy –

Abdullah Bin Mas’oud said: ‘The Caliphs are four – Adam^-as [2:30] I am going to place a Caliph in the earth; and Dawood^-as [38:26] O Dawood ! Surely We have Made you a Caliph in the land Meaning Bayt Al-Maqdis; and Haroun^-as – And Musa^-as said [7:142] Be my Caliph in my people; And Ali^-asws [24:55] Allah has Promised to those of you who believe and do righteous deeds Meaning Ali^-asws that He will Make them to be Caliphs in the earth’.

و قوله: كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ آدم و داود و هارون، وَ لَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضى لَهُمْ يعني الإسلام، وَ لَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْناً يعني أهل مكة، يَعْبُدُونَنِي لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً وَ مَنْ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ بولاية علي بن أبي طالب، فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفاسِقُونَ يعني العاصين لله و لرسوله.

And His^-azwj Words as He Made Caliphs those who were before them Adam^-as and Dawood^-as and Haroun^-as, [24:55] and that He will Establish for them their Religion which He has Chosen for them Meaning Al-Islam, and that He will, after their fear, Give them security in exchange, Meaning the people of Makkah they shall worship Me, not associating anything with Me; and whoever denies after that, the Wilayah of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws, these are the transgressors, Meaning the ones disobedient to Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww.

و قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «من لم يقل إني رابع الخلفاء، فعليه لعنة الله».

And Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said: ‘The one who does not say that I^-asws am the fourth Caliph (Divine), so upon him is the Curse of Allah^-azwj’.[19]

ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ صَبِيحٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ (عليهما السلام) أَنَّ آيَةَ مَوْتِكَ أَنَّ شَجَرَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ يُقَالُ لَهَا الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَالَ فَنَظَرَ سُلَيْمَانُ يَوْماً فَإِذَا الشَّجَرَةُ الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَدْ طَلَعَتْ مِنْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا اسْمُكِ قَالَتِ الْخُرْنُوبَةُ قَالَ فَوَلَّى سُلَيْمَانُ مُدْبِراً إِلَى مِحْرَابِهِ فَقَامَ فِيهِ مُتَّكِئاً عَلَى عَصَاهُ فَقُبِضَ رُوحُهُ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ قَالَ

Ibn Mahboub, from Jameel Bin Saleh, from Al-Waleed Bin Sabeeh, who has reported the following:

Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto Suleiman Bin Dawood^-as that: “The sign of your^-as death is a tree which will come out from Bayt Al-Maqdas called Al-Kharnouba”. Suleiman^-as looked around one day and there was Al-Kharnouba tree which had emerged from Bayt Al-Maqdas. So he^-as said to it: ‘What is your name?’ It said, ‘Al-Kharnouba’. Suleiman^-as turned back to his^-as Prayer Niche and stood leaning upon his staff. His^-as soul was Captured (passed away) in that moment.

فَجَعَلَتِ الْجِنُّ وَ الْإِنْسُ يَخْدُمُونَهُ وَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي أَمْرِهِ كَمَا كَانُوا وَ هُمْ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُ حَيٌّ لَمْ يَمُتْ يَغْدُونَ وَ يَرُوحُونَ وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ ثَابِتٌ حَتَّى دَبَّتِ الْأَرَضَةُ مِنْ عَصَاهُ فَأَكَلَتْ مِنْسَأَتَهُ فَانْكَسَرَتْ وَ خَرَّ سُلَيْمَانُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ أَ فَلَا تَسْمَعُ لِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ ما لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذابِ الْمُهِينِ.

The Jinn and the human beings kept on serving him^-as and were striving in his^-as command as before, and they were thinking that he^-as was alive and had not died. The morning came and passed, and he^-as was still standing still, until the woodworm gnawed away at his^-as staff and it broke, and Suleiman^-as fell down upon the ground. Have you not heard the Statement of the Mighty and Majestic: “[34:14] and when it fell down, the jinn came to know plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in abasing torment”.[20]

فَخَرَجَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَ مَعَهُ لُوطٌ لَا يُفَارِقُهُ وَ سَارَةُ وَ قَالَ لَهُمْ إِنِّي ذاهِبٌ إِلى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ يَعْنِي بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَتَحَمَّلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) بِمَاشِيَتِهِ وَ مَالِهِ وَ عَمِلَ تَابُوتاً وَ جَعَلَ فِيهِ سَارَةَ وَ شَدَّ عَلَيْهَا الْأَغْلَاقَ غَيْرَةً مِنْهُ عَلَيْهَا وَ مَضَى حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِ نُمْرُودَ وَ صَارَ إِلَى سُلْطَانِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقِبْطِ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَرَارَةُ

So Ibrahim^-as went out, and with him^-as was Lut^-as who would not separate from him^-as, and Sara, and said to them: ‘I am going to my Lord. He would be Guiding me’ [37:99]’ – meaning Bayt Al-Maqdis. So Ibrahim^-as took his^-as assets, and his^-as wealth, and constructed a carriage, and made Sara to be in it, and locked it with locks, due to his^-as honour from it, and went until he^-as exited from the authority of Nimrod^-la and went to the authority of a man from the Coptics called Araarat. (See the complete Hadith in Appendix III).

Iblis^-la will be slaughtered at Bayt Al-Maqdis:

قَالَ رَبِّ فَأَنْظِرْنِي إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ {79}

He said, ‘Lord! Then respite me up to the Day they would be Resurrected’ [38:79]

قَالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ {80}

He Said: “So you are of the Respited ones [38:80]

إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ {81}

Up to the Day of the known time!” [38:81]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: أخبرنا أحمد بن إدريس، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد، عن محمد بن يونس، عن رجل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) في قول الله تبارك و تعالى: فَأَنْظِرْنِي إِلى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ قالَ فَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الْمُنْظَرِينَ إِلى يَوْمِ الْوَقْتِ الْمَعْلُومِ.

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘Ahmad Bin Idrees informed us, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Yunus, from a man,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of the Blessed and Exalted: Then respite me up to the Day they would be Resurrected’ [38:79] He Said: “So you are of the Respited ones [38:80] Up to the Day of the known time!” [38:81]’.

قال: «يوم الوقت المعلوم، يوم يذبحه رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) على الصخرة التي في بيت المقدس».

He^-asws said: ‘The Day of the known time!” [38:81] – the day in which Rasool-Allah^-saww would slaughter him^-la upon the rock which is in Bayt Al-Maqdis’.[21]

Masjid Al-Aqsa cannot be Interpreted at Bayt Al-Maqdis:

ثم‏ قال علي بن إبراهيم: حدثني خالد، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن محمد بن سنان، عن أبي‏ مالك الأسدي، عن إسماعيل الجعفي، قال: كنت في المسجد الحرام قاعدا، و أبو جعفر (عليه السلام) في ناحية، فرفع رأسه فنظر إلى السماء مرة، و إلى الكعبة مرة، ثم قال: سُبْحانَ الَّذِي أَسْرى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بارَكْنا حَوْلَهُ، و كرر ذلك ثلاث مرات، ثم التفت إلي، فقال: «أي شي‏ء يقول أهل العراق في هذه الآية، يا عراقي؟»

Then Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘Khalid narrated to me, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Abu Malik Al Asady, from Ismail Al Ju’fy who said,

‘I was seated in the Sacred Masjid, and Abu Ja’far^-asws was in a corner, so he^-asws raised his^-asws head and looked towards the sky once, and to the Kabah once, then said: ‘Glorified is He Who Journeyed His Servant on a night from the Sacred Masjid to Masjid Al-Aqsa Which We have Blessed its precincts [17:1]’, and he^-asws repeated that three times. Then he^-asws turned towards me and said: ‘Which thing are the people of Al-Iraq saying regarding this Verse?’

قلت: يقولون أسرى به من المسجد الحرام إلى البيت المقدس. فقال: «ليس كما يقولون، و لكنه أسرى به من هذه إلى هذه»- و أشار بيده إلى السماء- و قال: «ما بينهما حرم»

I said, ‘They are saying, he^-saww was ascended with from the Sacred Masjid to Bayt Al-Maqdis’. So he^-asws said: ‘It isn’t as they are saying. But, he^-saww was ascended with from this to these’ – and he^-asws indicated by his^-asws hand towards the sky, and said: ‘There is no Sanctuary (Harrum) between the two’.

قال: «فلما انتهى به إلى سدرة المنتهى تخلف عنه جبرئيل، فقال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): يا جبرئيل في هذا الموضع تخذلني؟ فقال: تقدم أمامك، فو الله لقد بلغت مبلغا لم يبلغه أحد من خلق الله قبلك،

He^-asws said: ‘So when he^-saww was ended with to Sidrat Al-Muntaha, Jibraeel^-as stayed back from him^-saww. Rasoo-Allah^-saww said: ‘O Jibraeel^-as! You^-as are abandoning me^-saww in this place?’ He^-as said: ‘Proceed in front of you^-saww, for, by Allah^-azwj, you^-saww have reached a place not reached by anyone from the creatures of Allah^-azwj before you^-saww’.

قال: فرأيت من نور ربي و حال بيني و بينه السبحة».

He^-saww said: So I^-saww saw from a Light of My^-azwj Lord^-azwj, and ‘Al-Sab’hat’ formed a barrier between me^-saww and Him^-azwj’.

قال: قلت: و ما السبحة، جعلت فداك؟ فأومأ بوجهه إلى الأرض، و أومأ بيده إلى السماء، و هو يقول: «جلال ربي جلال ربي» ثلاث مرات.

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘And what is ‘Al-Sab’hat’? May I be sacrificed for you^-asws!’ So he^-asws gestured by his^-asws face towards the ground, and gestured by his^-asws hand towards the sky, and he^-asws was saying: ‘جلال ربي جلال ربي’ ‘Majesty of my^-asws Lord^-azwj! Majesty of my^-asws Lord^-azwj!’ – three times.

[قال‏]: «قال: يا محمد، قلت: لبيك يا رب، قال: فيم اختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قلت: سبحانك لا علم لي إلا ما علمتني،

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Said: “O Muhammad^-saww!” I^-saww said: ‘Here I^-saww am, O Lord^-azwj!’ He^-azwj Said: “Regarding what did the exalted Assembly wrangle?” I^-saww said: ‘Glory be to You^-azwj! There is no knowledge for me^-saww except what You^-azwj Teach me^-saww’.

قال: فوضع يده- أي يد القدرة- بين ثديي، فوجدت بردها بين كتفي، [قال:] فلم يسألني عما مضى، و لا عما بقي إلا أعلمته، قال: يا محمد فيم اختصم الملأ الأعلى؟ قال: قلت: يا رب، في الدرجات، و الكفارات، و الحسنات،

He^-saww said: ‘So He^-azwj Placed His^-azwj Hand – i.e., the Hand of Power – in between my^-saww chest, and I^-saww found its coolness between my^-saww shoulders. So He^-azwj did not Ask me^-saww about what is past, nor about what remains except I^-saww knew it. He^-azwj said: “O Muhammad^-saww! Regarding what did the Exalted Assembly wrangle?’ I^-saww said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! Regarding the Levels, and the expiations, and the good deeds’.

فقال: يا محمد، قد انقضت نبوتك، و انقطع أجلك، فمن وصيك؟ [فقلت: يا رب، قد بلوت خلقك، فلم أر من خلقك أحدا أطوع لي من علي. فقال: ولي يا محمد].

He^-azwj Said: “O Muhammad^-saww! Your^-saww Prophet-hood has expired, and your^-saww term is terminated, so who is your^-saww successor^-asws?’ So I^-saww said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! I^-saww surveyed Your^-azwj creatures, and I^-saww did not find anyone from Your^-azwj creatures more obedient to me^-saww than Ali^-asws’. So He^-azwj Said: “And to Me^-azwj, O Muhammad^-saww!”

و قلت: يا رب، إني قد بلوت خلقك، فلم أر في خلقك أحدا أشد حبا لي من علي، قال: و لي يا محمد، بشره بأنه راية الهدى، و إمام أوليائي، و نور لمن أطاعني، و الكلمة التي ألزمتها المتقين، من أحبه أحبني، و من أبغضه أبغضني، مع ما أني أخصه بما لم أخص به أحدا،

And I^-saww said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! I^-saww have surveyed Your^-azwj creatures, and I^-saww did not find anyone more intense in love for me^-saww than Ali^-asws’. He^-azwj Said: “And for Me^-azwj, O Muhammad^-saww! Therefore give him^-asws the glad tidings that he^-asws is the Flag of Guidance, and Imam^-asws of My^-azwj friends, and a Light for the ones who obey Me^-azwj, and the Word which I^-azwj have Necessitated for the Momineen. One loves him^-asws, Loves Me^-azwj, and one who hates him^-asws, hates Me^-azwj, along with what I^-azwj have Specialised him^-asws with what I^-azwj have not Specialised anyone (else) with”.

ففقلت: يا رب، أخي و صاحبي و وزيري و وارثي».

So I^-saww said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! My^-saww brother, and my^-saww companion, and my^-saww Vizier, and my^-saww inheritor’’.[22]

Appendix I: Changing to the Direction of Qabah.

قَالَ ع‏ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَمَّا كَانَ بِمَكَّةَ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَنْ يَتَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فِي صَلَاتِهِ، وَ يَجْعَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَهَا إِذَا أَمْكَنَ، وَ إِذَا لَمْ يَتَمَكَّنْ اسْتَقْبَلَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ كَيْفَ كَانَ.

He (Imam Hassan Al-Askari^-asws) said: ‘And that is, that when Rasool-Allah^-saww was in Makkah, Allah^-azwj the Exalted Commanded him^-saww that he^-saww diverts towards Bayt Al-Maqdis during his^-saww Salat, and make the Kabah to be between him^-saww and it, whenever possible. And when it is not possible, he^-saww should face Bayt Al-Maqdis however he^-saww can.

وَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ- طُولَ مُقَامِهِ بِهَا ثَلَاثَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً.

And Rasool-Allah^-saww used to do that – for the length of his^-saww stay in it for ten years.

فَلَمَّا كَانَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، وَ كَانَ مُتَعَبِّداً بِاسْتِقْبَالِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ اسْتَقْبَلَهُ وَ انْحَرَفَ عَنِ الْكَعْبَةِ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْراً، وَ جَعَلَ قَوْمٌ مِنْ مَرَدَةِ الْيَهُودِ يَقُولُونَ: وَ اللَّهِ مَا دَرَى مُحَمَّدٌ كَيْفَ صَلَّى- حَتَّى صَارَ يَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَى قِبْلَتِنَا، وَ يَأْخُذَ فِي صَلَاتِهِ بِهَدْيِنَا وَ نُسُكِنَا.

So when he^-saww was in Al-Medina, and was worshipping by facing towards Bayt Al-Maqdis, faced it and away from the Kabah for seventeen months, and a group of the renegade Jews went on saying, ‘By Allah^-azwj! Muhammad^-saww does not know how to pray, until he^-saww becomes facing towards our direction, and he takes to, during his^-saww Salat, by our ways and our rituals’.

فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص لَمَّا اتَّصَلَ بِهِ عَنْهُمْ، وَ كَرِهَ قِبْلَتَهُمْ وَ أَحَبَّ الْكَعْبَةَ فَجَاءَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ لَوَدِدْتُ لَوْ صَرَفَنِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ، فَقَدْ تَأَذَّيْتُ بِمَا يَتَّصِلُ بِي مِنْ قِبَلِ الْيَهُودِ مِنْ قِبْلَتِهِمْ.

So that was grievous upon Rasool-Allah^-saww when it was transmitted with to him^-saww, from them, and he^-saww disliked their direction and loved the Kabah. So Jibraeel^-as came to him^-saww. So Rasool-Allah^-saww said to him: ‘O Jibraeel^-as! I^-saww would love it if Allah^-azwj would Change me^-saww away from Bayt Al-Maqdis to the Kabah, for I^-saww have been hurt by what has been transmitted to be from the direction of the Jews, of their direction’.

فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع: فَاسْأَلْ رَبَّكَ أَنْ يُحَوِّلَكَ‏ إِلَيْهَا- فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَرُدُّكَ عَنْ طَلِبَتِكَ، وَ لَا يُخَيِّبُكَ عَنْ بُغْيَتِكَ.

Jibraeel^-as said: ‘I^-as shall ask your^-saww Lord^-azwj to Transfer you^-saww towards it, for He^-azwj will neither Reject you^-saww from your^-saww seeking nor Disappoint you^-saww from your^-saww wish’.

فَلَمَّا اسْتَتَمَّ دُعَاءَهُ صَعِدَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع ثُمَّ عَادَ مِنْ سَاعَتِهِ فَقَالَ: اقْرَأْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ: قَدْ نَرى‏ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّماءِ- فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضاها- فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ وَ حَيْثُ ما كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ‏الْآيَاتِ.

So, when his^-saww supplication was completed, Jibraeel^-as ascended, then returned within a moment and he^-as said: ‘O Muhammad^-saww! Read: We have Seen the turning of your face towards the sky, so We will be Turning you towards a Qiblah you will be pleased with; So turn then your face towards the Sacred Masjid; and wherever you are, turn your face towards it. [2:144] – the Verse.

فَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: ما وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كانُوا عَلَيْها فَأَجَابَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ جَوَابٍ فَقَالَ: قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ‏ وَ هُوَ يَمْلِكُهُمَا وَ تَكْلِيفُهُ التَّحَوُّلَ إِلَى جَانِبٍ كَتَحْوِيلِهِ لَكُمْ إِلَى جَانِبٍ آخَرَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ إِلى‏ صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ‏ وَ هُوَ مَصْلَحَتُهُمْ، وَ تُؤَدِّيهِمْ طَاعَتُهُمْ إِلَى جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ.

So the Jews said during that, ‘‘What has turned them away from their Qiblah which they were upon?’. – So Allah^-azwj Answered them (with) an excellent Answer, so He^-azwj Said: Say: ‘For Allah is the East and the West; – and He^-azwj Owns both of them, and His^-azwj Encumbering the transfer to a side is like His^-azwj Transferring it for you to another side, He Guides the one He so Desires to, to the Straight Path [2:142] – and it is their betterment and their obedience leading them to the Gardens of Bliss.

[قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ ع:] وَ جَاءَ قَوْمٌ مِنَ الْيَهُودِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالُوا: يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذِهِ الْقِبْلَةُ بَيْتُ الْمَقْدِسِ قَدْ صَلَّيْتَ إِلَيْهَا أَرْبَعَ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ تَرَكْتَهَا الْآنَ أَ فَحَقّاً كَانَ مَا كُنْتَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ تَرَكْتَهُ إِلَى بَاطِلٍ، فَإِنَّ مَا يُخَالِفُ الْحَقَّ فَهُوَ بَاطِلٌ. أَوْ بَاطِلًا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ كُنْتَ عَلَيْهِ طُولَ هَذِهِ الْمُدَّةِ، فَمَا يُؤْمِنُنَا أَنْ تَكُونَ [إلى‏] الْآنَ عَلَى بَاطِلٍ

Abu Muhammad^-asws said: ‘And a group of Jews came over to Rasool-Allah^-azwj and they said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! This Qiblah, Bayt Al-Maqdas, you^-saww have prayed Salat towards it for fourteen years, then you^-saww are leaving it now? Was is Truth that you^-saww were upon? Then you^-saww have left it to a falsehood, for whatever opposes the Truth, so it is false. Or was that falsehood before? Then you^-saww were upon it for this lengthy period. So what must we believe in, that you^-saww have come to be now, were upon the falsehood (before)?’

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: بَلْ ذَلِكَ كَانَ حَقّاً، وَ هَذَا حَقٌّ، يَقُولُ اللَّهُ: قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ- يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ إِلى‏ صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ‏ إِذَا عَرَفَ صَلَاحَكُمْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْعِبَادُ- فِي اسْتِقْبَالِ الْمَشْرِقِ أَمَرَكُمْ بِهِ، وَ إِذَا عَرَفَ صَلَاحَكُمْ فِي اسْتِقْبَالِ الْمَغْرِبِ أَمَرَكُمْ بِهِ، وَ إِنْ عَرَفَ صَلَاحَكُمْ فِي غَيْرِهِمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِهِ فَلَا تُنْكِرُوا تَدْبِيرَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فِي عِبَادِهِ- وَ قَصْدَهُ إِلَى مَصَالِحِكُمْ‏.

So Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘But that was right, and this is right (as well). Allah^-azwj is Saying Say: ‘For Allah is the East and the West; He Guides the one He so Desires to, to the Straight Path [2:142]. When He^-azwj Recognises your betterment, O you servants, in facing the east, He^-azwj would Command you with it, and when He^-azwj Recognises your betterment in facing the west, He^-azwj would Command you with it, and if He^-azwj Recognises your betterment in something else, He^-azwj would Command you with it. Therefore, you should not be denying the Management of Allah^-azwj the Exalted regarding His^-azwj servants, and His^-azwj Purpose to their betterment’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: لَقَدْ تَرَكْتُمُ الْعَمَلَ يَوْمَ السَّبْتِ، ثُمَّ عَمِلْتُمْ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ سَائِرِ الْأَيَّامِ، ثُمَّ تَرَكْتُمُوهُ فِي السَّبْتِ، ثُمَّ عَمِلْتُمْ بَعْدَهُ، أَ فَتَرَكْتُمُ الْحَقَّ إِلَى الْبَاطِلِ‏ أَوِ الْبَاطِلَ إِلَى حَقٍّ أَوِ الْبَاطِلَ إِلَى بَاطِلٍ أَوِ الْحَقَّ إِلَى حَقٍّ قُولُوا كَيْفَ شِئْتُمْ فَهُوَ قَوْلُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ جَوَابُهُ لَكُمْ.

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww said to them: ‘You had left the work on the day of Saturday, then you worked after if from the rest of the days, then you left it during the Saturday, then you worked after it. Were you leaving the truth to the falsehood, or the falsehood to a truth? Or the falsehood to a falsehood, or the truth to a truth? Therefore turn wherever you so like to, for it is the speech of Muhammad^-saww and his^-saww answer to you all’.

قَالُوا: بَلْ تَرْكُ الْعَمَلِ فِي السَّبْتِ حَقٌّ وَ الْعَمَلُ بَعْدَهُ حَقٌّ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: فَكَذَلِكَ قِبْلَةُ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فِي وَقْتِهِ حَقٌّ، ثُمَّ قِبْلَةُ الْكَعْبَةِ فِي وَقْتِهِ حَقٌّ.

They said, ‘But, leaving the work during the Saturday was right, and the working after it was right’. So Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘So, similar to that, the Qiblah of Bayt Al-Maqdas during its time, was right, then Qiblah of the Kabah during its time is right’.

فَقَالُوا لَهُ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَ فَبَدَا لِرَبِّكَ فِيمَا كَانَ أَمَرَكَ بِهِ بِزَعْمِكَ- مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ حِينَ نَقَلَكَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ

So they said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! Was there a change of mind for your^-saww Lord^-azwj in what He^-azwj has Commanded with, by your^-saww claim, from the Salat towards Bayt Al-Maqdas when He^-azwj Transferred you^-saww toward the Kabah?’

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: مَا بَدَا لَهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّهُ الْعَالِمُ بِالْعَوَاقِبِ، وَ الْقَادِرُ عَلَى الْمَصَالِحِ، لَا يَسْتَدْرِكُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ غَلَطاً، وَ لَا يَسْتَحْدِثُ رَأْياً بِخِلَافِ الْمُتَقَدِّمِ، جَلَّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، وَ لَا يَقَعُ أَيْضاً عَلَيْهِ مَانِعٌ يَمْنَعُهُ مِنْ مُرَادِهِ، وَ لَيْسَ يَبْدُو إِلَّا لِمَنْ كَانَ هَذَا وَصْفَهُ وَ هُوَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَتَعَالَى عَنْ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتِ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

So, Rasool-Allah^-azwj said: ‘There was no change of mind for Him^-azwj about that, for He^-azwj is the Knower of the consequences, and the Powerful upon the betterment. A mistake cannot be comprehended upon Himself^-azwj, nor does He^-azwj have a new opinion with opposite to the preceding one. He^-azwj is more Majestic than that; and there does not occur upon Him^-azwj, as well, a preventer preventing Him^-azwj from His^-azwj Purpose, and it isn’t a change of mind except for the one who was upon these qualities, and He^-azwj is Mightier, and more Majestic and Exalted from these qualities, Loftier, Greater’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: أَيُّهَا الْيَهُودُ أَخْبِرُونِي عَنِ اللَّهِ، أَ لَيْسَ يُمْرِضُ ثُمَّ يُصِحُّ، وَ يُصِحُّ ثُمَّ يُمْرِضُ أَ بَدَا لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ أَ لَيْسَ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيتُ أَ بَدَا لَهُ أَ لَيْسَ يَأْتِي بِاللَّيْلِ فِي أَثَرِ النَّهَارِ، وَ النَّهَارِ فِي أَثَرِ اللَّيْلِ أَ بَدَا لَهُ فِي كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالُوا: لَا.

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww said to them: ‘O you Jews! Inform me about Allah^-azwj. Doesn’t He^-azwj Cause illness then Grants health, and Grants health then Causes illness? Is there a change of mind for Him^-azwj regarding that? Doesn’t He^-azwj Cause to live and Cause to die, is it a change of mind for Him^-azwj? Doesn’t He^-azwj Come with the night in the footsteps of the day, and the day in the footsteps of the night? Is it a change of mind for Him^-azwj in each one from that?’ So they said, ‘No’.

قَالَ: فَكَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى تَعَبَّدَ نَبِيَّهُ مُحَمَّداً بِالصَّلَاةِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ بَعْدَ أَنْ [كَانَ‏] تَعَبَّدَهُ بِالصَّلَاةِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، وَ مَا بَدَا لَهُ فِي الْأَوَّلِ.

He^-saww said: ‘So, like that is Allah^-azwj the Exalted. His^-azwj Prophet^-saww, Muhammad^-saww worshipped with the Salat towards the Kabah after having worshipped Him^-azwj with the Salat towards Bayt Al-Maqdas, and there was no change of mind for Him^-azwj regarding the first’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَ لَيْسَ اللَّهُ يَأْتِي بِالشِّتَاءِ فِي أَثَرِ الصَّيْفِ، وَ الصَّيْفِ فِي أَثَرِ الشِّتَاءِ أَ بَدَا لَهُ فِي كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالُوا: لَا. قَالَ: فَكَذَلِكَ لَمْ يَبْدُ لَهُ فِي الْقِبْلَةِ.

Then he^-saww said: ‘Doesn’t Allah^-azwj Come with the winter in the footsteps of the summer, and the summer in the footsteps of the winter? Is it a change of mind for Him^-azwj in each of that?’ They said, ‘No’. He^-saww said: ‘Similar to that, there was no change of mind for Him^-azwj regarding the Qiblah’.

قَالَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ أَلْزَمَكُمْ فِي الشِّتَاءِ- أَنْ تَحْتَرِزُوا مِنَ الْبَرْدِ بِالثِّيَابِ الْغَلِيظَةِ وَ أَلْزَمَكُمْ فِي الصَّيْفِ أَنْ تَحْتَرِزُوا مِنَ الْحَرِّ أَ فَبَدَا لَهُ فِي الصَّيْفِ- حَتَّى أَمَرَكُمْ بِخِلَافِ مَا كَانَ أَمَرَكُمْ بِهِ فِي الشِّتَاءِ قَالُوا: لَا.

He^-asws said: ‘Then he^-saww said: ‘Hasn’t Allah^-azwj Necessitated you during the winter, or you should be protecting from the cold with the thick clothes? And necessitated you during the summer that you should be protecting from the heat? Is it a change of mind for Him^-azwj during the summer until He^-azwj Commanded you with the opposite of what He^-azwj had Commanded you with during the winter?’ They said, ‘No’.

فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: فَكَذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى- تَعَبَّدَكُمْ فِي وَقْتٍ لِصَلَاحٍ يَعْلَمُهُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ ثُمَّ بَعْدَهُ- فِي وَقْتٍ آخَرَ لِصَلَاحٍ آخَرَ يَعْلَمُهُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ آخَرَ، فَإِذَا أَطَعْتُمُ اللَّهَ فِي الْحَالَيْنِ‏ اسْتَحْقَقْتُمْ ثَوَابَهُ. وَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ: وَ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ- فَأَيْنَما تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ‏. أَيْ إِذَا تَوَجَّهْتُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ، فَثَمَّ الْوَجْهُ الَّذِي تَقْصِدُونَ مِنْهُ اللَّهَ وَ تَأْمُلُونَ ثَوَابَهُ.

Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘So, similar to that, Allah^-azwj the Exalted Wanted your worship during a time for betterment, He^-azwj Taught something, then after it, during another time, for another betterment, Taught something other. So when you obey Allah^-azwj in both the states, you would be deserving of His^-azwj Rewards. And Allah^-azwj Revealed And for Allah is the East and the West; therefore wherever you turn to, so there would be the Face of Allah [2:115]. When you are diverting by His^-azwj Command, so there would be the Face of Allah^-azwj you are aiming Allah^-azwj from, and are working for His^-azwj Rewards’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ- أَنْتُمْ كَالْمَرِيضِ‏ وَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ كَالطَّبِيبِ فَصَلَاحُ الْمَرِيضِ فِيمَا يَعْلَمُهُ الطَّبِيبُ وَ يُدَبِّرُهُ بِهِ، لَا فِيمَا يَشْتَهِيهِ الْمَرِيضُ وَ يَقْتَرِحُهُ أَلَا فَسَلِّمُوا لِلَّهِ أَمْرَهُ تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْفَائِزِينَ.

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O servants of Allah^-azwj! You are like patients, and the Lord^-azwj of the world is like the doctor. So the wellbeing of the patient is in what the doctor knows and plans with it. It is not in what the patient desires and suggests it. Indeed! So be submitting to Allah^-azwj to His^-azwj Commands, you will become from the successful ones’’.

فَقِيلَ: يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص، فَلِمَ أَمَرَ بِالْقِبْلَةِ الْأُولَى فَقَالَ: لَمَّا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْها وَ هِيَ بَيْتُ الْمَقْدِسِ‏ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلى‏ عَقِبَيْهِ‏ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ ذَلِكَ [مِنْهُ‏] مَوْجُوداً بَعْدَ أَنْ عَلِمْنَاهُ سَيُوجَدُ.

So, it was said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! So why did He^-azwj Commanded with the first Qiblah?’ He^-asws said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: And We did not Make the Qiblah which you were upon  – and it is Bayt Al-Maqdas – except for Us to Know who follows the Rasool from the one turns upon his heels [2:143]  except for Us^-azwj to Know that – from it – they remain after having Taught them, so they would be found to be on it.

وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ هَوَى أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ كَانَ فِي الْكَعْبَةِ، فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُبَيِّنَ مُتَّبِعَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنْ مُخَالِفِهِ- بِاتِّبَاعِ الْقِبْلَةِ الَّتِي كَرِهَهَا، وَ مُحَمَّدٌ يَأْمُرُ بِهَا، وَ لَمَّا كَانَ هَوَى أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ فِي بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، أَمَرَهُمْ بِمُخَالَفَتِهَا وَ التَّوَجُّهِ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ لِيَتَبَيَّنَ مَنْ يُوَافِقُ مُحَمَّداً فِيمَا يَكْرَهُهُ، فَهُوَ مُصَدِّقُهُ وَ مُوَافِقُهُ.

And that was, that the desire of the people of Makkah was regarding the Kabah. So Allah^-azwj Intended that it be manifested for Muhammad^-saww, the one who opposes him^-as, by following the Qiblah, which they disliked it, and Muhammad^-saww ordered with it. And when it was the desire of the people of Al-Medina regarding Bayt Al-Maqdas, He^-azwj Commanded them with the opposite to it and to divert towards the Kabah in order to manifest the one who is concordant with Muhammad^-saww in what he dislikes, so his ratification would be his concordance.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: وَ إِنْ كانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ‏ أَيْ كَانَ التَّوَجُّهُ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْوَقْتِ كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى مَنْ يَهْدِي اللَّهُ، فَعَرَفَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَتَعَبَّدُ بِخِلَافِ مَا يُرِيدُهُ الْمَرْءُ- لِيَبْتَلِيَ طَاعَتَهُ فِي مُخَالَفَةِ هَوَاهُ‏.

Then He^-azwj Said: And even though it may be grievous, except upon those Guided by Allah. [2:143] – It was so that the turning (facing) towards Bayt Al-Maqdas during that time was grievous, except upon the one Guided by Allah^-azwj, for he recognised that Allah^-azwj would be worshipped with opposite to what the man is intending, in order to Test him of his obedience in opposing his own desires’’.

قوله عز و جل‏ أَمْ تُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَسْئَلُوا رَسُولَكُمْ كَما سُئِلَ مُوسى‏ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَ مَنْ يَتَبَدَّلِ الْكُفْرَ بِالْإِيمانِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ سَواءَ السَّبِيلِ‏

Or are you intending that you would be questioning your Rasool, just as Musa was questioned from before; and the one who is (adopting) the Kufr, replacing the Eman with it, so he has strayed (from) the right Way [2:108].[23]

أبو علي الطبرسي عن علي بن إبراهيم، بإسناده عن الصادق (عليه السلام)، قال: «تحولت القبلة إلى الكعبة بعد ما صلى النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله) بمكة ثلاث عشرة سنة إلى بيت المقدس، و بعد مهاجرته إلى المدينة صلى إلى بيت المقدس سبعة أشهر-

Abu Ali Al Tabarsy, from Ali Bin Ibrahim by his chain,

From Al-Sadiq^-asws having said: ‘The Qiblah was transferred to the Kabah after the Prophet^-saww had prayed Salat at Makkah for thirteen years (facing) towards Bayt Al-Maqdas, and after having emigrated to Al-Medina, (facing) towards Baytal Maqdas for seven months’.

قال-: ثم وجهه الله إلى الكعبة، و ذلك أن اليهود كانوا يعيرون رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و يقولون له: أنت تابع لنا، تصلي إلى قبلتنا فاغتم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) من ذلك غما شديدا، و خرج في جوف الليل ينظر إلى آفاق السماء، ينتظر من الله في ذلك أمرا،

He^-asws said: ‘Then Allah^-azwj Diverted him^-saww to the Kabah, and that is because the Jews were taunting Rasool-Allah^-saww and they were saying to him^-saww, ‘You^-saww are obedient to us. You^-saww are praying Salat to our Qiblah’. So Rasool-Allah^-saww was gloomy due to that with an intense gloom, and he^-saww went out in the middle of the night looking at the horizon of the sky, awaiting a Command from Allah^-azwj regarding that.

فلما أصبح و حضر وقت صلاة الظهر، كان في مسجد بني سالم قد صلى من الظهر ركعتين، فنزل عليه جبرئيل و أخذ بعضديه و حوله إلى الكعبة، و أنزل عليه: قَدْ نَرى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّماءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضاها فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ و كان قد صلى ركعتين إلى بيت المقدس، و ركعتين إلى الكعبة، فقالت اليهود و السفهاء: ما وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كانُوا عَلَيْها».

So when it was morning and the time for Salat Al-Zohr presented, he^-saww was in the Masjid of the Clan of Salim, and had already prayed two Cycles from Salat Al-Zohr, Jibraeel^-as descended and grabbed his^-saww shoulders and turned him^-saww towards the Kabah, and Revealed unto him^-saww: We have Seen the turning of your face towards the sky, so We will be Turning you towards a Qiblah you will be pleased with; So turn then your face towards the Sacred Masjid [2:144]. And he^-saww prayed two Cycles towards Bayt Al-Maqdas, and two Cycles towards the Kabah. So the Jews said, ‘‘What has turned them away from their Qiblah which they were upon?’ [2:142]’’.[24]

الشيخ بإسناده عن الطاطري، عن وهيب، عن أبي بصير، عن أحدهما (عليهما السلام)، في قوله: سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ ما وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كانُوا عَلَيْها قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَ الْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ إِلى صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ. فقلت له: أمره الله أن يصلي إلى بيت المقدس؟

Al Sheykh, by his chain from Al Taatary, from Waheyb, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from one of them^-asws (5^th or 6^th Imam^-asws), regarding His^-azwj Words [2:142] The fools among the people will say: What has turned them from their Qiblah which they had? Say: For Allah is the East and the West; He Guides whom He so Desires to, to the Straight Path. I said to him^-asws, ‘Allah^-azwj Commanded him^-saww that he^-saww should Pray towards Bayt Al-Maqdas?’

قال: «نعم، ألا ترى أن الله تعالى يقول: وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْها إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلى عَقِبَيْهِ وَ إِنْ كانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَ ما كانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحِيمٌ؟

He^-asws said: ‘Have you not see that Allah^-azwj the High is Saying [2:143] and We did not Make the Qiblah which you are towards except that We might Distinguish him who follows the Rasool from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has Guided aright; and Allah was not going to Waste your faith; surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful with the people?’

قال: «إن بني عبد الأشهل أتوهم و هم في الصلاة، و قد صلوا ركعتين إلى بيت المقدس، فقيل لهم: إن نبيكم‏ قد صرف إلى الكعبة، فتحول النساء مكان الرجال، و الرجال مكان النساء، و صلوا الركعتين الباقيتين إلى الكعبة، فصلوا صلاة واحدة إلى قبلتين، فلذلك سمي مسجدهم مسجد القبلتين».

The Imam^-asws said: ‘The Clan of Al-Ashal came to them and they were in the Salats, and had Prayed two Cycles towards Bayt Al-Maqdas, so they said to them, ‘Your Prophet^-saww has changed towards the Kabah, so the women have turned to be in the place of men, and the men in place of the women. And they Prayed the remaining two Cycle towards the Kabah, Thus they Prayed one Salat to two Qiblahs, so it is due to that, that Masjid is named as Masjid Qiblatain (Two Qiblahs)’.[25]

Appendix II:  Ahadith on Ascension

الخصيبي في (هدايته): بإسناده عن الصادق (عليه السلام) أنه قال: «لما أسري برسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، رأى في طريق الشام عيرا لقريش بمكان، فقال لقريش حين أصبح: يا معشر قريش، إن الله تبارك و تعالى قد أسرى بي في هذه الليلة من المسجد الحرام إلى المسجد الأقصى- يعني بيت المقدس- حتى ركبت على البراق، و قد أتاني به جبرئيل (عليه السلام)، و هو دابة أكبر من الحمار و أصغر من البغل و خطوتها مد البصر، فلما صرت عليه صعدت إلى السماء و صليت بالنبيين أجمعين، و الملائكة كلهم و رأيت الجنة و ما فيها، و النار و ما فيها، و اطلعت على الملك كله.

Al Khusaybi, is his Hidaaya, by his chain,

‘Al-Sadiq^-asws has said: ‘When Rasool-Allah^-saww was journeyed with, he^-saww saw on the road to Damascus a camel of the Qureysh at a place. So he^-saww said to the Qureysh in the morning: ‘O group of Qureysh! Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Made me^-saww to ascend last night from the Sacred Masjid to the Masjid Al-Aqsa – meaning Bayt Al-Maqdas – and I^-saww rode upon Al-Buraaq which Jibraeel^-as had come with, and it is an animal which is larger than the donkey and small than a mule and its steps were as extensive as the eye could see. So when I^-saww journeyed upon it, it ascended to the sky, and I^-saww prayed Salat with all the Prophets^-as, and all the Angels. And I^-saww saw the Paradise and whatever was in it and the Fire and whatever was in it, and looked at whole Kingdom’.

فقالوا: يا محمد، كذب بعد كذب يأتينا منك مرة بعد مرة، لئن لم تنته عما تقول و تدعي لنقتلنك شر قتلة، تريد أن تأفكنا عن آلهتنا، و تصدنا عما كان يعبد آباؤنا الشم الغطاريف؟ فقال: يا قوم، إنما أتيتكم بالخير، إن قبلتموه، فإن لم تقبلوه فارجعوا، و تربصوا بي، إني متربص بكم، و إني لأرجوا أن أرى فيكم ما آمله من الله، فسوف تعلمون.

So they said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! Lies after lies keep coming from you^-saww to us, time after time. If you^-saww do not end what you^-saww are saying and calling for, we will kill you^-saww with an evil killing. You^-saww are intending to restrain us from our gods, and turn us away from what our noble and high forefathers have been worshipping?’ So he^-saww said: ‘O people! But rather, I^-saww come to you with the good if you were to accept it. And if you were not to accept it, so return, and you wait for me^-saww and I^-saww wait for you, and I^-saww have seen among you what your deeds are, from Allah^-azwj, so very soon you shall come to know’.

فقال له أبو سفيان: يا محمد، إن كنت صادقا فيما تقول، فإنا قد دخلنا الشام و مررنا على طريق الشام، فخبرنا عن طريق الشام و ما رأيت فيه، و نحن نعلم أنك لم تدخل الشام، فإن أنت أعطيتنا علامته علمنا أنك نبي و رسول.

So Abu Sufyan said to him^-saww, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! If you^-saww were truthful regarding what you^-saww are saying, so we have entered Damascus and passed by the roads of Damascus. So, inform us about the road of Damascus and what you^-saww have seen in it, and we know very well that you^-saww have never entered Damascus. So, if you^-saww were to come to us with its signs, we would know that you^-saww are a Prophet^-saww, and a Rasool^-saww’.

فقال: و الله لأخبرنكم بما رأت عيناي الساعة، رأيت عيرا لك يا أبا سفيان، و هي ثلاثة و عشرون جملا يقدمها جمل أرمك، عليه عباءتان قطوانيتان، و فيهما غلامان لك: أحدهما صبيح، و الآخر رياح، في موضع كذا و كذا، و رأيت لك يا هشام بن المغيرة عيرا في موضع كذا و كذا، و هي ثلاثون بعيرا يقدمها جمل أحمر، فيها ثلاثة مما ليك: أحدهم ميسرة، و الآخر سالم و الثالث يزيد، و قد وقع لهم بعير، و يأتونكم يوم كذا و كذا في ساعة كذا و كذا، و وصف لهم جميع ما رأوه في بيت المقدس.

So he^-saww said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! I^-saww shall inform you all with what I^-saww saw with my^-saww own eyes, this very moment. I^-saww saw your caravan, O Abu Sufyan, and it is of twenty three camels, led by a camel upon which is a short white cloak, wherein are two young boys of yours – one of them Sabeeh, and the other one Rayaah, in such an such a place. And I^-saww saw for you, O Hisham Bin Al-Mugheira, a caravan in such and such a place, and it is of thirty camels, led by a red camel, wherein are three herders – one of them is Maysara, and the other Saalim, and the third Yazeed. And the caravan would be coming to you on such and such a day in such and in such a time’ – and he^-saww described for them all of what he^-saww had seen in Bayt Al-Maqdas.

قال أبو سفيان: أما في بيت المقدس فقد وصفت لنا إياه، و أما العير فقد ادعيت أمرا، فإن لم يوافق قولك، علمنا أنك كذاب، و أن ما تدعيه الباطل.

Abu Sufyan said, ‘As for with regards to Bayt Al-Maqdas, so you^-saww have described it for us, and as for the caravan, so you^-saww have made a claim for its matter, so if it is not compatible with your^-saww speech, we will know that you^-saww are a liar, and that your^-saww claim is false’.

فلما كان ذلك اليوم الذي أخبرهم أن العير تأتيهم فيه، خرج أبو سفيان و هشام بن المغيرة حتى لقيا العير و قد أقبلت في الوقت الذي وعده النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله)، فسألا غلمانهم عن جميع ما كانوا فيه، فأخبروهم مثل ما أخبرهم به النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله).

So, when it was that day which he^-saww had informed them that the caravan would be reaching them, Abu Sufyan and Hisham Bin Al-Mugheira went out until they met up with the caravan, and it had arrived at the time which the Prophet^-saww had promised that it would. So, they asked the boys about all what they had been through, so they informed them similar to what the Prophet^-saww had informed them of’.

فلما أقبلا قال لهما: ما صنعتما؟ فقالا جميعا: لقد رأينا جميع ما قلت، و ما يعلم أحد السحر إلا إياك، و إن لك شيطانا عالما يخبرك بجميع ذلك، و الله لو رأينا ملائكة من السماء تنزل عليك ما صدقناك و لا قلنا إنك رسول الله و لا آمنا بما تقول، فهو علينا سواء، أو عظت أم لم تكن من الواعظين».

So when the caravan arrived, he^-saww said to the two of them: ‘What will you do now?’ so they both said, ‘We have seen all of what you^-saww have said, and no one knows the sorcery except what you^-saww do, and for you^-saww are Satans^-la who inform you^-saww of all that. By Allah^-azwj! Even if we were to see the Angels from the sky descending upon you^-saww, we would not ratify you^-saww, nor would we ever say that you^-saww are Rasool-Allah^-saww, nor believe in what you^-saww are saying, for it is the same to us, whether you preach or do not become from the preachers’.[26]

ج، الإحتجاج عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ ع‏ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ فِي جَوَابِ الْيَهُودِيِّ الَّذِي سَأَلَ عَنْ مُعْجِزَاتِ الرَّسُولِ ص إِنَّهُ أُسْرِيَ بِهِ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى‏ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ وَ عُرِجَ بِهِ فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ مَسِيرَةَ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ عَامٍ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ ثُلُثِ لَيْلَةٍ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَاقِ الْعَرْشِ

The argumentation from Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws, that Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws, in answer to the Jew who has asked him^-asws about the miracles of the Rasool^-saww: ‘He^-saww was ascended with from the Sacred Masjid to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, being a travel distance of a month, and he^-asws was Taken high into the Kingdoms of the skies a travel distance of fifty thousand years in less than a third of the night, until he^-saww ended up at the Base of the Throne.

فَدَنَا بِالْعِلْمِ فَتَدَلَّى فَدُلِّيَ لَهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ رَفْرَفٌ أَخْضَرُ وَ غَشِيَ النُّورُ بَصَرَهُ فَرَأَى عَظَمَةَ رَبِّهِ بِفُؤَادِهِ وَ لَمْ يَرَهَا بِعَيْنِهِ فَكَانَ كَقَابِ قَوْسَيْنِ بَيْنَهَا وَ بَيْنَهُ أَوْ أَدْنَى الْخَبَرَ..

He^-saww approached with the knowledge, and bowed, so there floated down to him^-saww from the Paradise, a green rug, and his^-saww vision was overwhelmed, and he^-saww saw the Magnificent of his^-saww Lord^-azwj by his^-saww heart, and did not see it with his^-saww eyes, and there was a (measurement of) two bow between him^-saww and Him^-azwj, or even less’. – The News (Hadeeth).[27]

Bayt Al-Mamour is in the Skies:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ مَا تَرْوِي هَذِهِ النَّاصِبَةُ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فِيمَا ذَا فَقَالَ فِي أَذَانِهِمْ وَ رُكُوعِهِمْ وَ سُجُودِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ أُبَيَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ رَآهُ فِي النَّوْمِ فَقَالَ كَذَبُوا فَإِنَّ دِينَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَعَزُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُرَى فِي النَّوْمِ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘What are these Hostile Ones (Nasibis) reporting?’ So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! With regards to what?’ So he^-asws said: Regarding their Azans, and their Rukū and their Sajud (plural of Sajdah)’. So I said, ‘They are saying that Abayy Bin Ka’ab saw it during the sleep (dream)’. So he^-asws said: ‘They are lying, for the Religion of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is more Honourable than for it to be seen during the sleep (dream)’.

قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ سَدِيرٌ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَأَحْدِثْ لَنَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ ذِكْراً فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَّا عَرَجَ بِنَبِيِّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِلَى سَمَاوَاتِهِ السَّبْعِ أَمَّا أُولَاهُنَّ فَبَارَكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ الثَّانِيَةَ عَلَّمَهُ فَرْضَهُ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مَحْمِلًا مِنْ نُورٍ فِيهِ أَرْبَعُونَ نَوْعاً مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ النُّورِ كَانَتْ مُحْدِقَةً بِعَرْشِ اللَّهِ تَغْشَى أَبْصَارَ النَّاظِرِينَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘So Sudeyr Al-Sayrafi said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! So narrate to us a reminder of that’. So Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Ascended His^-azwj Prophet^-saww to the seven skies, so as for the first of these, He^-azwj Blessed upon him^-saww, and (in) the second, Taught him^-saww his^-saww Obligations. So Allah^-azwj Sent down a carriage of Light wherein were forty varieties from the varieties of Light which engulf the Throne of Allah^-azwj, overwhelming the sights of the onlookers.

أَمَّا وَاحِدٌ مِنْهَا فَأَصْفَرُ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ اصْفَرَّتِ الصُّفْرَةُ وَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهَا أَحْمَرُ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ احْمَرَّتِ الْحُمْرَةُ وَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْهَا أَبْيَضُ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ ابْيَضَّ الْبَيَاضُ وَ الْبَاقِي عَلَى سَائِرِ عَدَدِ الْخَلْقِ مِنَ النُّورِ وَ الْأَلْوَانِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْمَحْمِلِ حَلَقٌ وَ سَلَاسِلُ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ

As for one of these, so it was yellow, and due to that is the yellowness of the yellow; and one of these was red, and due to that is the redness of the red; and one of these was white, and due to that is the whiteness of the white; and the remainder were upon the number of the rest of the creatures of light; and the colours in that carriage, the ring, and the chain were from silver.

ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَنَفَرَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِلَى أَطْرَافِ السَّمَاءِ وَ خَرَّتْ سُجَّداً وَ قَالَتْ سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ مَا أَشْبَهَ هَذَا النُّورَ بِنُورِ رَبِّنَا فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ ثُمَّ فُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَسَلَّمَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَفْوَاجاً وَ قَالَتْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ كَيْفَ أَخُوكَ إِذَا نَزَلْتَ فَأَقْرِئْهُ السَّلَامَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَ فَتَعْرِفُونَهُ قَالُوا وَ كَيْفَ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَ قَدْ أُخِذَ مِيثَاقُكَ وَ مِيثَاقُهُ مِنَّا وَ مِيثَاقُ شِيعَتِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْنَا وَ إِنَّا لَنَتَصَفَّحُ وُجُوهَ شِيعَتِهِ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَ لَيْلَةٍ خَمْساً يَعْنُونَ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتِ صَلَاةٍ وَ إِنَّا لَنُصَلِّي عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَيْهِ

Then he^-saww was ascended with to the sky, so the Angels alienated towards the horizons of the sky and fell down in Sajdah and said, ‘Glorious One! Holy One! How resembling is this light with the Light of our Lord^-azwj!’ So Jibraeel^-as said: ‘Allah^-azwj is the Greatest!’ Then the door of the sky were opened and the Angels gathered around. So they greeted upon the Prophet^-saww in droves, and said, ‘O Muhammad^-saww! How is your^-saww brother^-as? When you^-saww descend, so convey the greetings to him^-asws’. The Prophet^-saww said: ‘Do you all recognise him^-asws?’ They said, ‘And how can we not recognise him^-asws, and he^-asws has taken your^-saww Covenant and his^-saww own Covenant from us, and the Covenant of his^-asws Shias upon us up to the Day of Judgement, and we browse through the faces of his^-asws Shias five times during every day and night, meaning during every time for Salāt, and we send Blessings upon you^-saww and upon him^-asws’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ زَادَنِي رَبِّي أَرْبَعِينَ نَوْعاً مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ النُّورِ لَا يُشْبِهُ النُّورَ الْأَوَّلَ وَ زَادَنِي حَلَقاً وَ سَلَاسِلَ وَ عَرَجَ بِي إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَلَمَّا قَرِبْتُ مِنْ بَابِ السَّمَاءِ الثَّانِيَةِ نَفَرَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِلَى أَطْرَافِ السَّمَاءِ وَ خَرَّتْ سُجَّداً وَ قَالَتْ سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ الرُّوحِ مَا أَشْبَهَ هَذَا النُّورَ بِنُورِ رَبِّنَا فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ فَاجْتَمَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ قَالَتْ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ مَنْ هَذَا مَعَكَ قَالَ هَذَا مُحَمَّدٌ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قَالُوا وَ قَدْ بُعِثَ قَالَ نَعَمْ

He^-saww said: ‘Then my^-saww Lord^-azwj Increased for me^-saww forty types from the verities of the Light, non resembling the earlier Lights (Given to me^-saww before), and Increased me^-saww with a ring, and chain, and Ascended with me to the second sky. So when I^-saww was near to the door of the second sky, the Angels alienated towards the horizons of the sky and fell down in Sajdah, and said: ‘Glorious One! Holy One! Lord^-azwj of the Angels and the Spirit! How resembling is this light with the Light of our Lord^-azwj!’ So Jibraeel^-as said: ‘I testify that there is no god except for Allah^-azwj’. So the Angels gathered around and said, ‘O Jibraeel^-as! Who is this one with you^-as?’ He^-as said: ‘This is Muhammad^-saww’. They said: ‘And he^-saww has (already) been sent (with the Prophet-hood)?’ He^-as said: ‘Yes’.

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَخَرَجُوا إِلَيَّ شِبْهَ الْمَعَانِيقِ فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيَّ وَ قَالُوا أَقْرِئْ أَخَاكَ السَّلَامَ قُلْتُ أَ تَعْرِفُونَهُ قَالُوا وَ كَيْفَ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَ قَدْ أُخِذَ مِيثَاقُكَ وَ مِيثَاقُهُ وَ مِيثَاقُ شِيعَتِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَيْنَا وَ إِنَّا لَنَتَصَفَّحُ وُجُوهَ شِيعَتِهِ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ وَ لَيْلَةٍ خَمْساً يَعْنُونَ فِي كُلِّ وَقْتِ صَلَاةٍ

The Prophet^-saww said: ‘So they came out towards me^-saww resembling the swarms. So they greeted upon me^-saww and said: ‘Convey the greetings to your^-saww brother^-asws’. I^-saww said: ‘Do you all recognise him^-asws?’ They said: ‘How can we not recognise him^-asws, and he^-asws has taken your^-saww Covenant, and his^-asws own Covenant, and the Covenant of his^-asws Shias upon us up to the Day of Judgement, and we browse through the faces of the Shias five times during every day and night, meaning during every time for Salāt’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ زَادَنِي رَبِّي أَرْبَعِينَ نَوْعاً مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ النُّورِ لَا تُشْبِهُ الْأَنْوَارَ الْأُولَى ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِي إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الثَّالِثَةِ فَنَفَرَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ خَرَّتْ سُجَّداً وَ قَالَتْ سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ الرُّوحِ مَا هَذَا النُّورُ الَّذِي يُشْبِهُ نُورَ رَبِّنَا فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ فَاجْتَمَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ قَالَتْ مَرْحَباً بِالْأَوَّلِ وَ مَرْحَباً بِالْآخِرِ وَ مَرْحَباً بِالْحَاشِرِ وَ مَرْحَباً بِالنَّاشِرِ مُحَمَّدٌ خَيْرُ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ عَلِيٌّ خَيْرُ الْوَصِيِّينَ

He^-saww said: ‘Then my^-saww Lord^-azwj Increased me with forty types from the varieties of the Light, non resembling the earlier Lights (Given to me^-saww before). Then I^-saww was ascended with to the third sky. So the Angels alienated and fell down Sajdah, and said: ‘Glorious One! Holy One! Lord^-azwj of the Angels and the Spirit! What is this light which resembles the Light of our Lord^-azwj?’ So Jibraeel^-as said: ‘I^-as testify that Muhammad^-saww is Rasool-Allah^-saww! I^-as testify that Muhammad^-saww is Rasool-Allah^-saww! So the Angels gathered around and said: ‘Welcome to the first one! And welcome to the last one! And welcome to the Resurrector (of souls)! And welcome to the Publisher (of the deeds), Muhammad^-saww, the best of the Prophets^-as, and Ali^-asws the best of the successors^-as’.

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) ثُمَّ سَلَّمُوا عَلَيَّ وَ سَأَلُونِي عَنْ أَخِي قُلْتُ هُوَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَ فَتَعْرِفُونَهُ قَالُوا وَ كَيْفَ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ وَ قَدْ نَحُجُّ الْبَيْتَ الْمَعْمُورَ كُلَّ سَنَةٍ وَ عَلَيْهِ رَقٌّ أَبْيَضُ فِيهِ اسْمُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اسْمُ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ الْأَئِمَّةِ ( عليهم السلام ) وَ شِيعَتِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ إِنَّا لَنُبَارِكُ عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَ لَيْلَةٍ خَمْساً يَعْنُونَ فِي وَقْتِ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ وَ يَمْسَحُونَ رُءُوسَهُمْ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ

The Prophet^-saww said: ‘Then they greeted upon me^-saww and asked me^-asws about my^-saww brother^-asws. I^-saww said: ‘He^-asws is in the earth. Do you all recognise him^-asws?’ They said: ‘And how can we not recognise him^-asws and we perform the Hajj of the Bayt Al-Mamour (The Oft-frequented House) every year, and upon it is a while Parchment wherein is the name of Muhammad^-saww, and name of Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and the Imams^-asws, and their^-asws Shias up to the Day of Judgement, and we Bless upon them five times during every day and night, during the time for every Salāt, and we wipe their heads by their hands’ (while performing Wuzu).

قَالَ ثُمَّ زَادَنِي رَبِّي أَرْبَعِينَ نَوْعاً مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ النُّورِ لَا تُشْبِهُ تِلْكَ الْأَنْوَارَ الْأُولَى ثُمَّ عَرَجَ بِي حَتَّى انْتَهَيْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الرَّابِعَةِ فَلَمْ تَقُلِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ شَيْئاً وَ سَمِعْتُ دَوِيّاً كَأَنَّهُ فِي الصُّدُورِ فَاجْتَمَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ فَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ السَّمَاءِ وَ خَرَجَتْ إِلَيَّ شِبْهَ الْمَعَانِيقِ فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام )

He^-saww said: ‘Then my^-saww Lord^-azwj Increased for me forty types from the varieties of Light non resembling the earlier Lights (Given to me^-saww before). Then I^-saww was ascended with to the sky until I^-saww ended up to the fourth sky. Where the Angels were quiet, and I heard a vibration as if it is in the chests. So the Angels gathered around, and the doors of the sky were open, and they came out towards me^-saww resembling the hordes. So Jibraeel^-as said:

حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ حَيَّ عَلَى الْفَلَاحِ فَقَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ صَوْتَانِ مَقْرُونَانِ مَعْرُوفَانِ فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ قَدْ قَامَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَقَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ هِيَ لِشِيعَتِهِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

‘Hasten to the Salāt! Hasten to the Salāt! Hasten to the success! Hasten to the success!’. So the Angels said: ‘These two voices are paired and well-known’. So Jibraeel^-as said: ‘The Salāt has been established! The Salāt has been established!’ So the Angels said: ‘It is for his^-saww Shias up to the Day of Judgement’.

ثُمَّ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ قَالَتْ كَيْفَ تَرَكْتَ أَخَاكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ وَ تَعْرِفُونَهُ قَالُوا نَعْرِفُهُ وَ شِيعَتَهُ وَ هُمْ نُورٌ حَوْلَ عَرْشِ اللَّهِ وَ إِنَّ فِي الْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ لَرَقّاً مِنْ نُورٍ فِيهِ كِتَابٌ مِنْ نُورٍ فِيهِ اسْمُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيٍّ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ الْأَئِمَّةِ وَ شِيعَتِهِمْ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لَا يَزِيدُ فِيهِمْ رَجُلٌ وَ لَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْهُمْ رَجُلٌ وَ إِنَّهُ لَمِيثَاقُنَا وَ إِنَّهُ لَيُقْرَأُ عَلَيْنَا كُلَّ يَوْمِ جُمُعَةٍ

The Angels gathered around and said: ‘How did you^-saww leave your^-saww brother^-asws?’ So I^-saww said to them: ‘And you all recognise him^-asws?’ They said: ‘We recognise him^-asws, and his^-asws Shias when they were lights around the Throne of Allah^-azwj, and in the Bayt Al-Mamour (The Oft-Frequented House) is a Parchment of light wherein is writing of light, in which are names of Muhammad^-saww, and Ali^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws, and the Imam^-asws, after the Imam^-asws, and their^-asws Shias up to the Day of Judgement. Neither is a man increased among them nor is a man reduced from them; and it is our Covenant which is read out to us every Friday’.

ثُمَّ قِيلَ لِي ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَرَفَعْتُ رَأْسِي فَإِذَا أَطْبَاقُ السَّمَاءِ قَدْ خُرِقَتْ وَ الْحُجُبُ قَدْ رُفِعَتْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي طَأْطِئْ رَأْسَكَ انْظُرْ مَا تَرَى فَطَأْطَأْتُ رَأْسِي فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى بَيْتٍ مِثْلِ بَيْتِكُمْ هَذَا وَ حَرَمٍ مِثْلِ حَرَمِ هَذَا الْبَيْتِ لَوْ أَلْقَيْتُ شَيْئاً مِنْ يَدِي لَمْ يَقَعْ إِلَّا عَلَيْهِ

Then it was Said to me^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Raise your^-saww head!” So I^-saww raised my^-saww head, and there were the layers of the sky which had been pierced and the veils had been raised. Then He^-azwj Said to me^-saww: “Lower your^-saww head, look! What do you^-saww see?” So I^-saww lowered my^-saww head and looked at a house similar to these houses of yours, and a Sanctuary like the Sanctuary of this House (Kabah). If I^-saww had thrown something from my^-saww hand, it would not have fallen except upon it.

فَقِيلَ لِي يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ هَذَا الْحَرَمُ وَ أَنْتَ الْحَرَامُ وَ لِكُلِّ مِثْلٍ مِثَالٌ ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيَّ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ادْنُ مِنْ صَادٍ فَاغْسِلْ مَسَاجِدَكَ وَ طَهِّرْهَا وَ صَلِّ لِرَبِّكَ

So it was Said to me^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! This is the Sanctuary and you^-saww are the sanctimonious, and for every like there is a like”. Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto me^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Approach Sa’ad (a river) and wash your^-saww places of Sajdah, and clean these, and pray Salāt to your^-saww Lord^-azwj”.

فَدَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مِنْ صَادٍ وَ هُوَ مَاءٌ يَسِيلُ مِنْ سَاقِ الْعَرْشِ الْأَيْمَنِ فَتَلَقَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) الْمَاءَ بِيَدِهِ الْيُمْنَى فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَ الْوُضُوءُ بِالْيَمِينِ

So Rasool-Allah^-saww approached Sa’ad (a river), and it is water which flows from the right Pillar of the Throne. So Rasool-Allah^-saww scooped the water with his^-saww right hand, and due to that the Wuzu came to be performed with the right hand.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اغْسِلْ وَجْهَكَ فَإِنَّكَ تَنْظُرُ إِلَى عَظَمَتِي ثُمَّ اغْسِلْ ذِرَاعَيْكَ الْيُمْنَى وَ الْيُسْرَى فَإِنَّكَ تَلَقَّى بِيَدِكَ كَلَامِي ثُمَّ امْسَحْ رَأْسَكَ بِفَضْلِ مَا بَقِيَ فِي يَدَيْكَ مِنَ الْمَاءِ وَ رِجْلَيْكَ إِلَى كَعْبَيْكَ فَإِنِّي أُبَارِكُ عَلَيْكَ وَ أُوطِئُكَ مَوْطِئاً لَمْ يَطَأْهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرُكَ فَهَذَا عِلَّةُ الْأَذَانِ وَ الْوُضُوءِ

Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “Wash your^-saww face for you^-saww would be looking at My^-azwj Magnificence. Then wash your^-saww right arm and the left for you^-saww would be receiving My^-azwj Speech with your^-saww hands. Then wipe your head with the remnants of what remain in your hands from the water, and the feet up to your ankles, for I^-azwj would Bless upon you^-saww, and Make you^-saww to tread upon a place where not one had trod upon before apart from you”. Thus this is the reason for the Azan and the Wuzu’.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ اسْتَقْبِلِ الْحَجَرَ الْأَسْوَدَ وَ كَبِّرْنِي عَلَى عَدَدِ حُجُبِي فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَ التَّكْبِيرُ سَبْعاً لِأَنَّ الْحُجُبَ سَبْعٌ فَافْتَتِحْ عِنْدَ انْقِطَاعِ الْحُجُبِ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَ الِافْتِتَاحُ سُنَّةً وَ الْحُجُبُ مُتَطَابِقَةٌ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِحَارُ النُّورِ وَ ذَلِكَ النُّورُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَ الِافْتِتَاحُ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ لِافْتِتَاحِ الْحُجُبِ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَصَارَ التَّكْبِيرُ سَبْعاً وَ الِافْتِتَاحُ ثَلَاثاً

Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Face the Black Stone and exclaim My^-azwj Greatness upon the number of My^-azwj Veils”. So due to that, the exclamations of Takbīr’ came to be seven, because the Veils are seven. So he^-saww commenced at the intermission of the Veils, and due to that the commencement came to be a Sunnah; and the Veils are layered, there being oceans of Light between them, and that is the Light which descended unto Muhammad^-saww, and due to that, the commencement is three times because of the opening of the Veils three times. Thus the exclamations of the Takbīr’s (altogether before commencement) came to be seven, and the commencement, three.

فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنَ التَّكْبِيرِ وَ الِافْتِتَاحِ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ سَمِّ بِاسْمِي فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ جُعِلَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ فِي أَوَّلِ السُّورَةِ ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ احْمَدْنِي فَلَمَّا قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ فِي نَفْسِهِ شُكْراً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ قَطَعْتَ حَمْدِي فَسَمِّ بِاسْمِي فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ جُعِلَ فِي الْحَمْدِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ مَرَّتَيْنِ

So when you are free from the exclamations of Takbīr’ and the commencement, Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Name Me^-azwj by My^-azwj Name”. So due to that, ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful’ is in the first Chapter. Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Praise Me^-azwj”. So when he^-saww said: ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj, Lord^-azwj of the worlds’, the Prophet^-saww said within himself^-saww: ‘Thanks’. So Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “Now you discontinued speaking of Me^-azwj. Call Me^-azwj by My^-azwj Name”. So due to that ‘The Beneficent, the Merciful’ was Made to be twice in Al-Hamd (Chapter 1).

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ وَ لَا الضَّالِّينَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ شُكْراً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ قَطَعْتَ ذِكْرِي فَسَمِّ بِاسْمِي فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ جُعِلَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ فِي أَوَّلِ السُّورَةِ

So when he^-saww reached ‘nor of those who has strayed’, the Prophet^-saww said: ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj the Lord^-azwj of the worlds, thanks’. So Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Revealed unto him^-saww: “Now you discontinued speaking of Me^-azwj. Call Me^-azwj by My^-azwj Name”. So due to that, ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj the Beneficent, the Merciful was made to be in the first Chapter.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ اقْرَأْ يَا مُحَمَّدُ نِسْبَةَ رَبِّكَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ. اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ. لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ. وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ عَنْهُ الْوَحْيَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) الْوَاحِدُ الْأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ. وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ .

Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “Read, O Muhammad^-saww, a Relationship of your^-saww Lord^-azwj Blessed and High. Read [112:1] Say: He, Allah, is One. [112:2] Allah is He on Whom all depend. [112:3] He begets not, nor is He begotten. [112:4] And none is like Him”. Then the Wahi (Revelation) was Withheld from him, so Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The Alone, the One, the Depended’. So Allah^-azwj Revealed until him^-saww: “[112:1] Say: He, Allah, is One. [112:2] Allah is He on Whom all depend. [112:3] He begets not, nor is He begotten. [112:4] And none is like Him”.

ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ عَنْهُ الْوَحْيَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنَا فَلَمَّا قَالَ ذَلِكَ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ارْكَعْ لِرَبِّكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَرَكَعَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِعٌ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيمِ فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثاً

Then the Wali (Revelation) was Withheld from him^-saww, so Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Like that is our Lord^-azwj! Like that is our Lord^-azwj!’. So when he^-saww said that, Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Perform Rukū to your^-saww Lord^-azwj, O Muhammad^-saww!” So he^-saww went down into Rukū, and Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Say Glorious is my^-saww Lord^-azwj, the Magnificent”. So he^-saww did that three (times).

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَفَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَقَامَ مُنْتَصِباً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اسْجُدْ لِرَبِّكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَخَرَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) سَاجِداً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْأَعْلَى فَفَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلَاثاً

Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Raise your^-saww head, O Muhammad^-saww!” So Rasool-Allah^-saww stood upright and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “ Perform Sajdah to your^-saww Lord^-azwj, O Muhammad^-saww!” So Rasool-Allah^-saww fell down in Sajdah, and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed onto him^-saww: “Say: Glorious is my^-saww Lord^-azwj, the Exalted”. So he^-saww did that three (times).

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ اسْتَوِ جَالِساً يَا مُحَمَّدُ فَفَعَلَ فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنْ سُجُودِهِ وَ اسْتَوَى جَالِساً نَظَرَ إِلَى عَظَمَتِهِ تَجَلَّتْ لَهُ فَخَرَّ سَاجِداً مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِهِ لَا لِأَمْرٍ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسَبَّحَ أَيْضاً ثَلَاثاً فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ انْتَصِبْ قَائِماً فَفَعَلَ فَلَمْ يَرَ مَا كَانَ رَأَى مِنَ الْعَظَمَةِ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَتِ الصَّلَاةُ رَكْعَةً وَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ

Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Sit upright, O Muhammad^-saww!” So he^-saww did. So when he^-saww raised his^-saww head from his Sajdah and sat upright, he^-saww looked at His^-azwj Magnificence being Manifested to him^-saww, so he^-saww fell down in Sajdah from his own self, not to a Command he^-saww been Commanded with, and he Glorified three (times) as well. So Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-as: “Stand upright!” So he^-saww did, but could not see what he^-saww had seen from the Magnificence. Thus, from the reason of that, the Salāt came to be with one Rukū and two Sajdud (plural of Sajdah).

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ اقْرَأْ بِالْحَمْدِ لِلَّهِ فَقَرَأَهَا مِثْلَ مَا قَرَأَ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ اقْرَأْ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ فَإِنَّهَا نِسْبَتُكَ وَ نِسْبَةُ أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ فَعَلَ فِي الرُّكُوعِ مِثْلَ مَا فَعَلَ فِي الْمَرَّةِ الْأُولَى ثُمَّ سَجَدَ سَجْدَةً وَاحِدَةً فَلَمَّا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ تَجَلَّتْ لَهُ الْعَظَمَةُ فَخَرَّ سَاجِداً مِنْ تِلْقَاءِ نَفْسِهِ لَا لِأَمْرٍ أُمِرَ بِهِ فَسَبَّحَ أَيْضاً

Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-saww: “Read the Praise for Allah^-azwj”. So he^-saww recited it similar to what he^-saww had recited firstly. Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him: “Read [97:1] We have indeed revealed it (Chapter 97), for it is your^-saww relationship and the relationship of the People^-asws of your^-saww Household, up to the Day of Judgement”. And he^-saww did in the Rukū the like of what he^-saww had done the first time. Then he went down (and performed) one Sajdah. So when he^-saww raised his^-saww head, the Magnificence Manifested to him^-saww, so he^-saww fell down in Sajdah from his^-saww own self, not to a Command he^-saww had been Commanded with. So he^-saww Glorified, as well.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ ثَبَّتَكَ رَبُّكَ فَلَمَّا ذَهَبَ لِيَقُومَ قِيلَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ اجْلِسْ فَجَلَسَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِذَا مَا أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكَ فَسَمِّ بِاسْمِي فَأُلْهِمَ أَنْ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ وَ بِاللَّهِ وَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى كُلُّهَا لِلَّهِ

Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Raise your^-saww head, O Muhammad^-saww, your^-saww Lord^-azwj has Affirmed you^-saww”. So when he^-saww went on to stand, He^-azwj Said: “O Muhammad^-saww! Be seated”. So he^-saww sat, and Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Whenever I^-azwj Favour upon you^-saww, so Name Me^-azwj by My^-azwj Name”. So he^-saww was inspired that he^-saww should say: ‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj, and by Allah^-azwj, and there is no god except for Allah^-azwj, and the beautiful Names, all of them are for Allah^-azwj’.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ صَلِّ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِكَ فَقَالَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيَّ وَ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِي وَ قَدْ فَعَلَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ فَإِذَا بِصُفُوفٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ النَّبِيِّينَ فَقِيلَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ سَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالَ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ

Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “O Muhammad^-saww! Send Blessings upon yourself^-saww and upon the People^-asws of your^-saww Household”. So he^-saww said: ‘May Allah^-azwj Send Blessings upon me^-saww and upon the People^-asws of my^-saww Household’, and it had been done. Then he^-saww turned, and he^-saww was with rows of Angels, and the Mursil Prophets^-as, and the Prophets^-as. So it was said: “O Muhammad^-saww! Greet upon them!” So he^-saww said: ‘The greetings be upon you, and the Mercy of Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Blessings’.

فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ السَّلَامَ وَ التَّحِيَّةَ وَ الرَّحْمَةَ وَ الْبَرَكَاتِ أَنْتَ وَ ذُرِّيَّتُكَ

So Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “The greetings, and the salutation, and the Mercy, and the Blessings, are you^-saww and your^-saww children^-asws”.

ثُمَّ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنْ لَا يَلْتَفِتَ يَسَاراً وَ أَوَّلُ آيَةٍ سَمِعَهَا بَعْدَ قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ وَ إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَاهُ آيَةُ أَصْحَابِ الْيَمِينِ وَ أَصْحَابِ الشِّمَالِ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ كَانَ السَّلَامُ وَاحِدَةً تُجَاهَ الْقِبْلَةِ وَ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ كَانَ التَّكْبِيرُ فِي السُّجُودِ شُكْراً وَ قَوْلُهُ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ لِأَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) سَمِعَ ضَجَّةَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ بِالتَّسْبِيحِ وَ التَّحْمِيدِ وَ التَّهْلِيلِ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ وَ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلِكَ صَارَتِ الرَّكْعَتَانِ الْأُولَيَانِ كُلَّمَا أَحْدَثَ فِيهِمَا حَدَثاً كَانَ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِمَا إِعَادَتُهُمَا فَهَذَا الْفَرْضُ الْأَوَّلُ فِي صَلَاةِ الزَّوَالِ يَعْنِي صَلَاةَ الظُّهْرِ .

Then Allah^-azwj Revealed unto him^-saww: “Do not turn towards the left!”; and the first Verse he^-saww heard after [112:1] Say He Allah is One (Chapter 112) and [97:1] We have indeed revealed it (Chapter 97), was the Verse of the companions of the right and the companions of the left (Chapter 56).Thus, it was due to that, the Salām is one with you facing the Qiblah, and due to that the exclamation of Takbīr’ in the Sajdah is the thanks, and His^-azwj Words: “Allah^-azwj Hears the one who Praise Him^-azwj”, is because the Prophet^-saww heard the sounds of the Angels with the Glorifications, and the Praises, and the Extolation of Holiness. Thus, it was due to that He^-azwj Said: “Allah^-azwj Hears the one who Praises Him^-azwj; and it was due to that the first two Rak’at of Salāt came to be such that every time your Wuzu breaks in these two, it would be upon its performer that he repeats it. So this is the first necessity during Salāt of midday, meaning Salāt Al-Zohr’.^[28]

(الاحتجاج): عن موسى بن جعفر، عن أبيه، عن آبائه، عن الحسين بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن أبي طالب (عليهم السلام)- في حديث طويل مع يهودي يسأله عن فضائل الأنبياء، و يأتيه أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) بما لرسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) بما هو أفضل مما اوتي الأنبياء (عليهم السلام)، فكان فيما سأله اليهودي، أنه قال له: فإن هذا سليمان قد سخرت له الرياح، فسارت به في بلاده غدوها شهر و رواحها شهر؟

Al Ihtijaj –

From Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws, from Al Husayn Bin Ali^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws Ali Bin Abu Talib^-asws – in a lengthy Hadeeth with a Jews asking him ^-asws about the merits of the Prophets^-as, and Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws gave him (merits) that what Rasool-Allah^-saww had been Given is better than what was Given to the (other) Prophets^-as. So, among what the Jew asked him^-asws was that he said to him^-asws, ‘So this is Suleyman, the wind had been Made to be subservient to him^-as, so he^-as went by it in the country in a day the journeying of going in a month and coming back in a month?’

فقال له علي (عليه السلام): «لقد كان كذلك، و محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله) أعطي ما هو أفضل من هذا: إنه أسري به من المسجد الحرام إلى المسجد الأقصى مسيرة شهر، و عرج به في ملكوت السماوات مسيرة خمسين ألف عام في أقل من ثلث ليلة، حتى انتهى إلى ساق العرش، فدنا بالعلم فتدلى من الجنة رفرف أخضر، و غشي النور بصره، فرأى عظمة ربه عز و جل بفؤاده، و لم يرها بعينه، فكان كقاب قوسين بينها و بينه أو أدنى فَأَوْحى إِلى عَبْدِهِ ما أَوْحى «1» فكان فيما أوحى إليه الآية التي في سورة البقرة، قوله تعالى: لِلَّهِ ما فِي السَّماواتِ وَ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ إِنْ تُبْدُوا ما فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشاءُ وَ يُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ.

So Ali^-asws said to him: ‘Such was that, and Muhammad^-saww was Given what is better than this. He^-saww journeyed from the Sacred Masjid to the Masjid Al-Aqsa, a journey of a month, and ascended into the kingdom of the skies and the earth, a journey of fifty thousand years in less than a third of a night, until he^-as ended up to the Base of the Throne. So he^-saww approached with the knowledge, then a green rug from the Paradise dangled for him^-as, and his^-saww vision was overwhelmed, and he^-saww saw the Magnificence of his^-saww Lord^-azwj Mighty and Majestic by his^-saww heart, and did not see it with his^-saww eyes, so he^-saww was like two bows between him^-saww and it, [53:10] So He Revealed unto His servant what He Revealed. So from what was Revealed to him^-saww was the Verse which is in Surah Al-Baqarah, the Words of the High [2:284] Whatever is in the skies and whatever is in the earth is for Allah; and whether you manifest what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will Call you to account according to it; then He will Forgive whomsoever He so Desires to and Punish whomsoever He so desires to, and Allah has Power over all things.

و كانت الآية قد عرضت على الأنبياء من لدن آدم (عليه السلام) إلى أن بعث الله تبارك اسمه محمدا (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و عرضت على الأمم فأبوا أن يقبلوها من ثقلها، و قبلها رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) و عرضها على أمته فقبلوها، فلما رأى الله تبارك و تعالى منهم القبول علم أنهم لا يطيقونها، فلما أن سار إلى ساق العرش كرر عليه الكلام ليفهمه، فقال: آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ، فأجاب (صلى الله عليه و آله) مجيبا عنه و عن أمته، فقال: وَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَ مَلائِكَتِهِ وَ كُتُبِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ لا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ فقال جل ذكره: لهم الجنة و المغفرة علي إن فعلوا ذلك، فقال النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله): أما إذا فعلت بنا ذلك غُفْرانَكَ رَبَّنا وَ إِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ يعني المرجع في الآخرة.

And the Signs which were Presented to the Prophets^-as since Adam^-as that Allah^-azwj the Blessed would Send one whose name would be Muhammad^-saww, and Presented it to the (other) communities. But, they refused to accept it due to its weight, and Rasool-Allah^-saww accepted it, and it was Presented to his^-saww community, so they accepted it. So when Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Saw the acceptance from them, Knew that they would not tolerate it. So when he^-saww went to the Base of the Throne, Repeated to him^-saww the Speech for his^-saww understanding, so He^-azwj Said [2:285] The Rasool believes in what has been Revealed unto him from his Lord. So he^-saww answered from himself^-saww and on behalf of his^-saww community and (so do) the Believers; they all believe in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Rasools; We make no difference between any of His Rasools. So He^-azwj, Majestic is His^-azwj Mention Said: “For them is the Paradise and the Forgiveness from Me^-saww if they were to do that”. So the Prophet^-saww said: ‘So if You^-azwj were to do that with us Yours is the Forgiveness and to You is the journey – meaning the return in the Hereafter.

قال: فأجابه الله جل ثناؤه: و قد فعلت ذلك بك و بأمتك. ثم قال عز و جل: أما إذا قبلت الآية بتشديدها و عظم ما فيها، و قد عرضتها على الأمم فأبوا أن يقبلوها، و قبلتها أمتك، فحق علي أن أرفعها عن أمتك. و قال: لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْساً إِلَّا وُسْعَها لَها ما كَسَبَتْ من خير وَ عَلَيْها مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ من شر.

He^-asws said: ‘So Allah^-azwj Majestic is His^-azwj Praise, Answered him^-saww: “And I^-azwj have Done that with you^-saww and your^-saww community”. Then the Mighty and Majestic Said: “But if they accept the Signs with its difficulties and magnify what is in these, and I^-azwj has Prsented is to the (other) communities, but they refused to accept it, and your^-saww community accepted it. So it is a right upon Me^-azwj that I^-azwj should Lift it from your^-saww community”. And Said [2:286] Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is what it has earned from the good and upon it what it has wrought from the evil.

فقال النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله) لما سمع ذلك: أما فعلت ذلك بي و بأمتي فزدني. قال: سل. قال: رَبَّنا لا تُؤاخِذْنا إِنْ نَسِينا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنا، قال الله عز و جل: لست او آخذ أمتك بالنسيان و الخطأ لكرامتك علي، و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا نسوا ما ذكروا به فتحت عليهم أبواب العذاب، و قد رفعتذلك عن أمتك، و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا أخطأوا أخذوا بالخطإ و عوقبوا عليه، و قد رفعت ذلك عن أمتك لكرامتك علي.

So the Prophet^-saww said when he^-saww heard that: ‘Since You^-saww have Done that with me^-saww and my^-saww community, therefore Increase it for me^-saww’. He^-azwj Said: “Ask”. He^-saww said [2:286] Our Lord! Do not Punish us if we forget or make a mistake. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “I^-azwj will not Seize your^-saww community for the forgetfulness and the errors due to your^-saww Prestige with Me^-azwj. And the past communities, when they forgot what I^-azwj had Reminded them of, I^-azwj Opened the Gates of Punishment upon them, and I^-azwj have Lifted that from your^-saww community. And when the past communities used to sin, I ^-azwj Seized them due to their sins and Punished them, and I^-azwj have Lifted than from your^-saww community due to your^-saww Prestige with Me^-azwj”.

فقال النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله): اللهم إذا أعطيتني ذلك فزدني. فقال الله تعالى له: سل. قال: رَبَّنا وَ لا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنا إِصْراً كَما حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنا، يعني بالإصر: الشدائد التي كانت على من كان من قبلنا. فأجابه الله عز و جل إلى ذلك، فقال تبارك اسمه: قد رفعت عن أمتك الآصار التي كانت على من كان من قبلنا. فأجابه الله عز و جل إلى ذلك، فقال تبارك اسمه: قد رفعت عن أمتك الآصار التي كانت على الأمم السالفة: كنت لا أقبل صلاتهم إلا في بقاع من الأرض معلومةاخترتها لهم و إن بعدت، و قد جعلت الأرض كلها لامتك مسجدا و ترابها طهورا، فهذه من الآصار التي كانت على الأمم قبلك، فرفعتها عن أمتك كرامة لك.

The Prophet^-saww said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! Since You^-azwj have Granted me^-saww that, therefore Increase it for me^-saww’. So Allah^-azwj the High Said to him^-saww: “Ask”. He ^-saww said: ‘[2:286] Our Lord! Do not lay on us a burden as You did Lay on those before us’ – meaning by the burden, the difficulties which were upon the ones who were before us’. So Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Answered him^-saww to that, so Blessed is His^-azwj Name Said: “I^-azwj have Lifted the burden from your^-saww community which was upon the communities of the past. I^-azwj did not Accept their Salat except a known place in the earth even if it was remote, and Made the whole of the earth a Masjid for your^-saww community, and its sand pure. So this is from the difficulties which was upon the communities before you^-saww. I^-azwj have thus Lifted it from your^-saww community due to your^-saww prestige.

و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا أصابهم أذى من نجاسة قرضوه من أجسادهم، و قد جعلت الماء لامتك طهورا، فهذه من الآصار التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك. و كانت الأمم السالفة تحمل قرابينها على أعناقها إلى بيت المقدس، فمن قبلت ذلك منه أرسلت عليه نارا فأكلته فرجع مسرورا، و من لم أقبل ذلك منه رجع مثبورا، و قد جعلت قربان أمتك في بطون فقرائها و مساكينها، فمن قبلت ذلك منه أضعفت ذلك له أضعافا مضاعفة، و من لم أقبل ذلك منه رفعت عنه عقوبات الدنيا، و قد رفعت ذلك عن أمتك، و هي من الآصار التي كانت على الأمم من قبلك.

And the past communities, whenever the were harmed by the impurities upon their bodies, the had to bite it off, and I^-azwj have Made the water for your^-saww communities for purification. So this is from the difficulties which were upon them. I^-azwj have Lifted it from your^-saww community. And the previous communities had to carry their sacrifices upon their necks to Bayt Al-Maqdas. So from whoever that was Accepted, a fire was sent to it which consumed it, so he returned happy, and the one from whom it was not Accepted, returned miserable. And I^-azwj have Made the sacrificial offerrings of your^-azwj community to go into the stomachs of its poor and the needy ones. So the ones from it who accept that I^-azwj shall Multiply for him with a multiplication, and the ones from it who do not accept that, I^-azwj shall Lift from him the Punishment of the world, and I^-azwj have Lifted that from your^-saww community, and it is from the difficulties which was upon the communities from before you^-saww.

و كانت الأمم السالفة صلاتها مفروضة [عليها] في ظلم الليل و أنصاف النهار، و هي من الشدائد التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك و فرضت صلاتهم في أطراف الليل و النهار، و في أوقات نشاطهم.

And the communities before you^-saww, its Salat were Obligatory upon it in the darkness of the night and Midday, and it is from the difficulties which were upon them, so I^-azwj Lifted it from your^-saww communities, and Obligated their Salat to be in the points (end and the beginning) of the night and the day, and during the times of their activities.

و كانت الأمم السالفة قد فرضت عليهم خمسين صلاة في خمسين وقتا، و هي من الآصار التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك و جعلتها خمسا في خمسة أوقات، و هي إحدى و خمسون ركعة، و جعلت لهم أجر خمسين صلاة.

And the past communities, fifty Salat were Obligated upon them during fifty times, and this is from the difficulties which was upon them, so I^-azwj Lifted it from your^-saww communities and Made it a five (Salat) during five times, and these are fifty one Cycles, and Made the Recompense for them to be of fifty Salat.

و كانت الأمم السالفة حسنتهم بحسنة، و سيئتهم بسيئة، و هي من الآصار التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك، و جعلت الحسنة بعشرة و السيئة بواحدة.

And the past communities had one Reward for each of their good deeds and one sin to be counted as one, and this is from the difficulties which was upon them, so I^-azwj Lifted it from your^-saww community, and Made one good deeds to be Counted as ten, and the sin to be Counted as one.

و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا نوى أحدهم حسنة ثم لم يعملها لم تكتب له، و إن عملها كتبت له حسنة، و إن أمتك إذا نوى أحدهم حسنة ثم لم يعملها كتبت له حسنة و إن لم يعملها، و إن عملها كتبت له عشرة، و هي من الآصار التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك.

And the past communities, when one of them intended a good deed, then did not do it, it was not Writted down for him, and if he did do it, one Reward was Written down for him, whereas whenone of your^-saww community intends a good deed, then does not do it, a good deed is Written down for him even if he has not done it, and if he were to do it, ten are Written down for him. And this is from the difficulties which was upon them, so I Lifted it from your^-saww community.

و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا هم أحدهم بسيئة ثم لم يعملها لم تكتب عليه، و إن عملها كتبت عليه سيئة، و إن أمتك إذا هم أحدهم بسيئة ثم لم يعملها كتبت له حسنة، و هذه من الآصار التي كانت عليهم فرفعتها عن أمتك.

And the past communities, when one of them thought of sinning then did not do it, it was not Writted down for him, and if he did do it, one sin was Written down for him. And if one of your^-saww community thinks of sinning, then does not do it, a good deed is Written down for him, and this is from the difficulties which was upon them, so I^-azwj Lifted it from your^-saww community.

و كانت الأمم السالفة إذا أذنبوا كتبت ذنوبهم على أبوابهم، و جعلت توبتهم من الذنوب: أن حرمت عليهم بعد التوبة أحب الطعام إليهم، و قد رفعت ذلك عن أمتك، و جعلت ذنوبهم فيما بيني و بينهم، و جعلت عليهم ستورا كثيفة، و قبلت توبتهم بلا عقوبة، و لا أعاقبهم بأن احرم عليهم أحب الطعام إليهم.

And the past communities, when they sinned, their sins were written upon their doors, and Made a repentance for them that a seed of food was Prohibited upon them (as a penance if they sinned again), and I^-azwj have Lifted that from your^-saww community, and Made their sins to be between Myself^-azwj and them, and Made a dense Veil to them, and Accepted their repentance without a Punishment, and do not Punish them by Forbidding a seed of food upon them.

و كانت الأمم السالفة يتوب أحدهم من الذنب الواحد مائة سنة، أو ثمانين سنة أو خمسين سنة، ثم لا أقبل توبتهم دون أن أعاقبه في الدنيا بعقوبة، و هي من الآصار التي كانت عليهم، فرفعتها عن أمتك، و إن الرجل من أمتك ليذنب عشرين سنة، أو ثلاثين سنة، أو أربعين سنة، أو مائة سنة، ثم يتوب و يندم طرفة عين، فأغفر له ذلك كله.

And the past communities, one of them used to repent for his sins for a hundred years, or eighty years, or fifty years, then their repentance was not Accepted from them without Punishment in the world, and this is from the difficulties which was upon them, so I^-azwj Lifted it from your^-saww community. And a man from your^-saww community sins for twenty years, or thirty years, or forty years, or a hundred years, then repents and regrets for the blink of an eye, so I^-azwj Forgive that for him, all of it.

فقال النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله): اللهم إذا أعطيتني ذلك كله فزدني. قال: سل. قال: رَبَّنا وَ لا تُحَمِّلْنا ما لا طاقَةَ لَنا بِهِ، فقال تبارك اسمه: قد فعلت ذلك بأمتك، و قد رفعت عنهم جميع  بلايا الأمم، و ذلك حكمي في جميع الأمم: أن لا اكلف خلقا فوق طاقتهم.

So the Prophet^-saww said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! Since You^-azwj have Given all of that to me^-saww, so Increase it for me^-saww’. He ^-azwj Said: “Ask”. He^-saww said: ‘[2:286] Our Lord do not Impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear’ So Blessed is His^-azwj Name, Said: “I^-azwj have Done that with your^-saww community, and have Lifted from them all of the afflictions of the (past) communities, and that is My^-azwj Judgement in all of the communities, that I ^-azwj do not Impose upon a creature above its strength (of toleration)’.

قال (صلى الله عليه و آله): وَ اعْفُ عَنَّا وَ اغْفِرْ لَنا وَ ارْحَمْنا أَنْتَ مَوْلانا، قال الله عز و جل: قد فعلت ذلك بتائبي أمتك. ثم قال (صلى الله عليه و آله): فَانْصُرْنا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكافِرِينَ قال الله عز اسمه: إن أمتك في الأرض كالشامة البيضاء في الثور الأسود، هم القادرون، و هم القاهرون، يستخدمون و لا يستخدمون لكرامتك علي، و حق علي أن اظهر دينك على الأديان حتى لا يبقى في شرق الأرض و غربها دين إلا دينك، و يؤدون إلى أهل دينك الجزية».

He^-saww said: ‘[2:286] and Excuse us and Forgive us and have Mercy on us, You are our Master’. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “I^-azwj have Done that with the penitient ones of your^-saww community”. Then he^-saww said: ‘so Help us against the unbelieving people’. Allah^-azwj, Mighty is His^-azwj Name Said: “Your^-saww community upon the earth is like a white spot upon the black bull, they are the capable ones, and they are the oppressors who would not be serving (you^-saww nor your^-saww prestige for Ali^-asws, and it is a right upon Me^-azwj that I^-azwj should Make your^-saww Religion to overcome all the other religions, until there does not remain in the East of the earth, or in the West of it except a religion except for your^-saww Religion, and they would be paying taxation to the people of your^-saww Religion”.[29]

Appendix III: Bayt Al-Maqdis

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي زِيَادٍ الْكَرْخِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) كَانَ مَوْلِدُهُ بِكُوثَى رُبَا وَ كَانَ أَبُوهُ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا وَ كَانَتْ أُمُّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ أُمُّ لُوطٍ سَارَةَ وَ وَرَقَةَ وَ فِي نُسْخَةٍ رُقَيَّةَ أُخْتَيْنِ وَ هُمَا ابْنَتَانِ لِلَاحِجٍ وَ كَانَ اللَّاحِجُ نَبِيّاً مُنْذِراً وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولًا

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and a number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, together from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Ibrahim Bin Abu Ziyad Al-Karkhy who said:

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying that: ‘Ibrahim^-as was born at Kowsy Ruba, and his^-as father was from its inhabitants, and the mother of Ibrahim^-as, and the mother of Lut^-as were Sara and Warqa’ (and in another copy ‘Ruqayya’), and were sisters, and they were both the daughters of Lahij^-as. And Lahij^-as was a Prophet^-as, a Warner, but was not a Rasool^-as.

وَ كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) فِي شَبِيبَتِهِ عَلَى الْفِطْرَةِ الَّتِي فَطَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْخَلْقَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى هَدَاهُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِلَى دِينِهِ وَ اجْتَبَاهُ وَ إِنَّهُ تَزَوَّجَ سَارَةَ ابْنَةَ لَاحِجٍ وَ هِيَ ابْنَةُ خَالَتِهِ وَ كَانَتْ سَارَةُ صَاحِبَةَ مَاشِيَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ وَ أَرْضٍ وَاسِعَةٍ وَ حَالٍ حَسَنَةٍ وَ كَانَتْ قَدْ مَلَّكَتْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) جَمِيعَ مَا كَانَتْ تَمْلِكُهُ فَقَامَ فِيهِ وَ أَصْلَحَهُ وَ كَثُرَتِ الْمَاشِيَةُ وَ الزَّرْعُ حَتَّى لَمْ يَكُنْ بِأَرْضِ كُوثَى رُبَا رَجُلٌ أَحْسَنُ حَالًا مِنْهُ

And Ibrahim^-as was, in his^-as youth, upon the nature which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created, to the extent that Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Guided him^-as to His^-azwj Religion, and Chose him^-as. And he^-as married Sara, the daughter of Lahij^-as, the daughter of his^-as maternal aunt. And Sara was the owner of a lot of assets, and vast lands, and of good financial condition, and Ibrahim^-as was the owner of all what she had owned. So he^-as managed it, and corrected the affairs, and increased the assets and plantations considerably, to the extent that he^-as became the most affluent man in the land of Kowsy Ruba.

وَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) لَمَّا كَسَرَ أَصْنَامَ نُمْرُودَ أَمَرَ بِهِ نُمْرُودُ فَأُوثِقَ وَ عَمِلَ لَهُ حَيْراً وَ جَمَعَ لَهُ فِيهِ الْحَطَبَ وَ أَلْهَبَ فِيهِ النَّارَ ثُمَّ قَذَفَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) فِي النَّارِ لِتُحْرِقَهُ ثُمَّ اعْتَزَلُوهَا حَتَّى خَمَدَتِ النَّارُ ثُمَّ أَشْرَفُوا عَلَى الْحَيْرِ فَإِذَا هُمْ بِإِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) سَلِيماً مُطْلَقاً مِنْ وَثَاقِهِ فَأُخْبِرَ نُمْرُودُ خَبَرَهُ فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَنْفُوا إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) مِنْ بِلَادِهِ وَ أَنْ يَمْنَعُوهُ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ بِمَاشِيَتِهِ وَ مَالِهِ

And when Ibrahim^-as broke the idols, Nimrod^-la ordered his^-as capture, and they built a platform, and gathered the firewood around it and ignited the fire, and threw Ibrahim^-as via a catapult to be burnt by it. Then they relaxed until the fire burnt out. Then they looked at the platform and there was Ibrahim^-as, safe and sound, but the ropes that he^-as was bound by had been burnt to ashes. So they informed Nimrod^-la of his^-as news, and he^-la ordered them to exile Ibrahim^-as from his^-as city, and prevent him^-as from the taking his^-as assets and his^-as wealth with him^-as.

فَحَاجَّهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنْ أَخَذْتُمْ مَاشِيَتِي وَ مَالِي فَإِنَّ حَقِّي عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تَرُدُّوا عَلَيَّ مَا ذَهَبَ مِنْ عُمُرِي فِي بِلَادِكُمْ وَ اخْتَصَمُوا إِلَى قَاضِي نُمْرُودَ فَقَضَى عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ إِلَيْهِمْ جَمِيعَ مَا أَصَابَ فِي بِلَادِهِمْ وَ قَضَى عَلَى أَصْحَابِ نُمْرُودَ أَنْ يَرُدُّوا عَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) مَا ذَهَبَ مِنْ عُمُرِهِ فِي بِلَادِهِمْ فَأُخْبِرَ بِذَلِكَ نُمْرُودُ فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يُخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ وَ سَبِيلَ مَاشِيَتِهِ وَ مَالِهِ وَ أَنْ يُخْرِجُوهُ وَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ إِنْ بَقِيَ فِي بِلَادِكُمْ أَفْسَدَ دِينَكُمْ وَ أَضَرَّ بِآلِهَتِكُمْ فَأَخْرَجُوا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ لُوطاً مَعَهُ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمَا مِنْ بِلَادِهِمْ إِلَى الشَّامِ

So Ibrahim^-as disputed with them with regards to that. He^-as said: ‘If you^-as are confiscating my^-as assets and my^-as wealth, therefore it is my^-as right against you that you should return to me^-as what has gone from my^-as lifetime in your city’, and he^-as argued against the judge of Nimrod^-la, and he judged that Ibrahim^-as should submit to him^-la all of what he^-as had acquired in their city, and that Nimrod^-la to return what had gone from his^-as life. The news of that reached Nimrod^-la, so he^-la ordered that they should open the way for him^-as and allow him^-as to take his^-as assets, and his^-as wealth, and throw him^-as out from their city to Syria.

فَخَرَجَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَ مَعَهُ لُوطٌ لَا يُفَارِقُهُ وَ سَارَةُ وَ قَالَ لَهُمْ إِنِّي ذاهِبٌ إِلى رَبِّي سَيَهْدِينِ يَعْنِي بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَتَحَمَّلَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) بِمَاشِيَتِهِ وَ مَالِهِ وَ عَمِلَ تَابُوتاً وَ جَعَلَ فِيهِ سَارَةَ وَ شَدَّ عَلَيْهَا الْأَغْلَاقَ غَيْرَةً مِنْهُ عَلَيْهَا وَ مَضَى حَتَّى خَرَجَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِ نُمْرُودَ وَ صَارَ إِلَى سُلْطَانِ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْقِبْطِ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَرَارَةُ

So Ibrahim^-as went out, and with him^-as was Lut^-as who would not separate from him^-as, and Sara, and said to them: ‘I am going to my Lord. He would be Guiding me’ [37:99]’ – meaning Bayt Al-Maqdis. So Ibrahim^-as took his^-as assets, and his^-as wealth, and constructed a carriage, and made Sara to be in it, and locked it with locks, due to his^-as honour from it, and went until he^-as exited from the authority of Nimrod^-la and went to the authority of a man from the Coptics called Araarat.

فَمَرَّ بِعَاشِرٍ لَهُ فَاعْتَرَضَهُ الْعَاشِرُ لِيَعْشُرَ مَا مَعَهُ فَلَمَّا انْتَهَى إِلَى الْعَاشِرِ وَ مَعَهُ التَّابُوتُ قَالَ الْعَاشِرُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) افْتَحْ هَذَا التَّابُوتَ حَتَّى نَعْشُرَ مَا فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) قُلْ مَا شِئْتَ فِيهِ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ أَوْ فِضَّةٍ حَتَّى نُعْطِيَ عُشْرَهُ وَ لَا نَفْتَحَهُ

They passed by a tax collector of his. The tax collector stopped him^-as in order to tax him^-as for what was with him^-as. So when he^-as ended up with the tax collector and with him^-as was the carriage, the tax collector said to Ibrahim^-as, ‘Open this carriage until whatever is in it gets displayed’. But Ibrahim^-as said to him: ‘Say whatever you like with regards to it, from the gold or the silver and I^-as shall pay it as tax, but do not open it’’.

قَالَ فَأَبَى الْعَاشِرُ إِلَّا فَتْحَهُ قَالَ وَ غَضِبَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) عَلَى فَتْحِهِ فَلَمَّا بَدَتْ لَهُ سَارَةُ وَ كَانَتْ مَوْصُوفَةً بِالْحُسْنِ وَ الْجَمَالِ قَالَ لَهُ الْعَاشِرُ مَا هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنْكَ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) هِيَ حُرْمَتِي وَ ابْنَةُ خَالَتِي

He^-asws said: ‘The tax collector refused until he opened it, and Ibrahim^-as was angry over its opening. So when Sara came out, and she had good qualities and was very beautiful, the tax collector said to him^-as, ‘What is (the relationship of) this woman to you^-as?’ Ibrahim^-as said; ‘She is my^-as sanctity and the daughter of my^-as aunt’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَاشِرُ فَمَا دَعَاكَ إِلَى أَنْ خَبَيْتَهَا فِي هَذَا التَّابُوتِ فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) الْغَيْرَةُ عَلَيْهَا أَنْ يَرَاهَا أَحَدٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَاشِرُ لَسْتُ أَدَعُكَ تَبْرَحُ حَتَّى أُعْلِمَ الْمَلِكَ حَالَهَا وَ حَالَكَ قَالَ فَبَعَثَ رَسُولًا إِلَى الْمَلِكِ فَأَعْلَمَهُ

So the tax collector said to him^-as, ‘So what made you^-as to place her in this carriage?’ Ibrahim^-as said: ‘The honour (Ghairat) against anyone looking at her’. So the tax collector said to him^-as, ‘I will not leave you^-as to depart until I let the king know of her condition and yours^-as’.

فَبَعَثَ الْمَلِكُ رَسُولًا مِنْ قِبَلِهِ لِيَأْتُوهُ بِالتَّابُوتِ فَأَتَوْا لِيَذْهَبُوا بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) إِنِّي لَسْتُ أُفَارِقُ التَّابُوتَ حَتَّى تُفَارِقَ رُوحِي جَسَدِي فَأَخْبَرُوا الْمَلِكَ بِذَلِكَ فَأَرْسَلَ الْمَلِكُ أَنِ احْمِلُوهُ وَ التَّابُوتَ مَعَهُ

So he sent a messenger to the king, who let him know, and the king sent a messenger from him telling them to bring him^-as to him. So Ibrahim^-as said to them: ‘I^-as will not separate from the carriage even if my^-as soul separates from my^-as body’. So they informed the king about that, and the king sent a message that they should bring him^-as and the carriage with him^-as.

فَحَمَلُوا إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) و التَّابُوتَ وَ جَمِيعَ مَا كَانَ مَعَهُ حَتَّى أُدْخِلَ عَلَى الْمَلِكِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ افْتَحِ التَّابُوتَ فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ إِنَّ فِيهِ حُرْمَتِي وَ ابْنَةَ خَالَتِي وَ أَنَا مُفْتَدٍ فَتْحَهُ بِجَمِيعِ مَا مَعِي

So they took Ibrahim^-as, and the carriage, and all what was with him^-as until they came up to the king. The king said to him^-as, ‘Open the carriage!’ Ibrahim^-as said: ‘O king! In it is my^-as sanctity, the daughter of my^-as aunt, and I^-as am prepared to ransom all what is with me^-as’.

قَالَ فَغَضِبَ الْمَلِكُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَى فَتْحِهِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى سَارَةَ لَمْ يَمْلِكْ حِلْمُهُ سَفَهَهُ أَنْ مَدَّ يَدَهُ إِلَيْهَا فَأَعْرَضَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) بِوَجْهِهِ عَنْهَا وَ عَنْهُ غَيْرَةً مِنْهُ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ احْبِسْ يَدَهُ عَنْ حُرْمَتِي وَ ابْنَةِ خَالَتِي فَلَمْ تَصِلْ يَدُهُ إِلَيْهَا وَ لَمْ تَرْجِعْ إِلَيْهِ

The king got angry and forced Ibrahim^-as to open it. So when he saw Sara, he could not control his foolishness, and extended his hand towards her. Ibrahim^-as turned his^-as face away from her and from him due to his^-as honour from it, and said: ‘O Allah^-azwj! Withhold his hand from my^-as sanctity and daughter of my^-as aunt!’ Thus his hand could not arrive to her nor would it return back to him.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ إِنَّ إِلَهَكَ هُوَ الَّذِي فَعَلَ بِي هَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُ نَعَمْ إِنَّ إِلَهِي غَيُورٌ يَكْرَهُ الْحَرَامَ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي حَالَ بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ مَا أَرَدْتَ مِنَ الْحَرَامِ

So the king said to him^-as, ‘Was it your^-as Lord^-azwj Who did this to me?’ He^-as said to him: ‘Yes. Surely, my^-as Lord^-azwj is Honourable (Ghayyour). He^-azwj Abhors the Prohibited, and He^-azwj is the One Who Made this situation between you and what you intended from the Prohibited’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ فَادْعُ إِلَهَكَ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ يَدِي فَإِنْ أَجَابَكَ فَلَمْ أَعْرِضْ لَهَا فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) إِلَهِي رُدَّ عَلَيْهِ يَدَهُ لِيَكُفَّ عَنْ حُرْمَتِي قَالَ فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْهِ يَدَهُ

The king said to him^-as, ‘So supplicate to your^-as God that He^-azwj should Return my hand back to me. If He^-azwj Answers you^-as, I will never present (myself) to her’. Ibrahim^-as said: ‘My^-as God! Return his hand back to him, so that he would refrain from my^-as sanctity’. So Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Returned his hand back to him.

فَأَقْبَلَ الْمَلِكُ نَحْوَهَا بِبَصَرِهِ ثُمَّ أَعَادَ بِيَدِهِ نَحْوَهَا فَأَعْرَضَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) عَنْهُ بِوَجْهِهِ غَيْرَةً مِنْهُ وَ قَالَ اللَّهُمَّ احْبِسْ يَدَهُ عَنْهَا قَالَ فَيَبِسَتْ يَدُهُ وَ لَمْ تَصِلْ إِلَيْهَا فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) إِنَّ إِلَهَكَ لَغَيُورٌ وَ إِنَّكَ لَغَيُورٌ فَادْعُ إِلَهَكَ يَرُدَّ عَلَيَّ يَدِي فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ فَعَلَ لَمْ أَعُدْ

The king came near to her and looked at her, then extended his hand around her. So Ibrahim^-as turned his^-as face away from it due to his^-as honour from it, and said; ‘O Allah^-azwj! Withhold his hand from her!’ His hand withered and could not arrive to her. So the king said to Ibrahim^-as, ‘Surely your^-as Lord^-azwj is Honourable (Ghayyour) and so are you, so supplicate to your God that He^-azwj should return my hand back to me, for it is an action that I shall not repeat.

فَقَالَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) أَسْأَلُهُ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَنَّكَ إِنْ عُدْتَ لَمْ تَسْأَلْنِي أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ فَقَالَ الْمَلِكُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ صَادِقاً فَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ يَدَهُ فَرَجَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ يَدُهُ

Ibrahim^-as said to him: ‘I^-as will ask Him^-azwj upon the condition that you will not ask me^-as again to supplicate to Him^-azwj’. The king said, ‘Yes’. So Ibrahim^-as said: ‘Our Allah^-azwj! If he is truthful, Return his hand! His hand returned back to him.

فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ الْمَلِكُ مِنَ الْغَيْرَةِ مَا رَأَى وَ رَأَى الْآيَةَ فِي يَدِهِ عَظَّمَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) وَ هَابَهُ وَ أَكْرَمَهُ وَ اتَّقَاهُ وَ قَالَ لَهُ قَدْ أَمِنْتَ مِنْ أَنْ أَعْرِضَ لَهَا أَوْ لِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِمَّا مَعَكَ فَانْطَلِقْ حَيْثُ شِئْتَ وَ لَكِنْ لِي إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةٌ

So when the king saw that from the honour which he had never seen before, and saw the Sign in (the return of) his hand, he magnified Ibrahim^-as, and endowed him^-as (with gifts), and honoured him^-as, and let him^-as leave and said to him^-as, ‘I grant you^-as safety from displaying her, or for anything else which is with you^-as. So go to wherever you like, but I have a need from you^-as’.

فَقَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) مَا هِيَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَأْذَنَ لِي أَنْ أُخْدِمَهَا قِبْطِيَّةً عِنْدِي جَمِيلَةً عَاقِلَةً تَكُونُ لَهَا خَادِماً قَالَ فَأَذِنَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام)  فَدَعَا بِهَا فَوَهَبَهَا لِسَارَةَ وَ هِيَ هَاجَرُ أُمُّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ (عليه السلام)

Ibrahim^-as said: ‘What is it?’ He said to him^-as, ‘I would love it if you^-as would permit me that I should give her an attendant who is a Coptic woman who has beauty and intellect, who will serve her’. So Ibrahim^-as gave him permission for that. So he called for her, and gifted her to Sara, and she is Hajar, mother of Ismail^-as.

فَسَارَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) بِجَمِيعِ مَا مَعَهُ وَ خَرَجَ الْمَلِكُ مَعَهُ يَمْشِي خَلْفَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) إِعْظَاماً لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) وَ هَيْبَةً لَهُ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنْ قِفْ وَ لَا تَمْشِ قُدَّامَ الْجَبَّارِ الْمُتَسَلِّطِ وَ يَمْشِي هُوَ خَلْفَكَ وَ لَكِنِ اجْعَلْهُ أَمَامَكَ وَ امْشِ وَ عَظِّمْهُ وَ هَبْهُ فَإِنَّهُ مُسَلَّطٌ وَ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ إِمْرَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ بَرَّةٍ أَوْ فَاجِرَةٍ

Ibrahim^-as travelled with all of what was with him^-as, and the king came out with him, walking behind Ibrahim^-as, in respect of Ibrahim^-as and for his^-as prestige. So Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Revealed to Ibrahim^-as: “Pause, and do not walk in front of the domineering tyrant and he walks behind you^-as, but make him to be in front of you^-as and walk, and show him respect, and prestige, for he is domineering, and it is necessary for there to be authorities in the earth, be they righteous or immoral”.

فَوَقَفَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) وَ قَالَ لِلْمَلِكِ امْضِ فَإِنَّ إِلَهِي أَوْحَى إِلَيَّ السَّاعَةَ أَنْ أُعَظِّمَكَ وَ أَهَابَكَ وَ أَنْ أُقَدِّمَكَ أَمَامِي وَ أَمْشِيَ خَلْفَكَ إِجْلَالًا لَكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ بِهَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) نَعَمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمَلِكُ أَشْهَدُ إِنَّ إِلَهَكَ لَرَفِيقٌ حَلِيمٌ كَرِيمٌ وَ إِنَّكَ تُرَغِّبُنِي فِي دِينِكَ قَالَ وَ وَدَّعَهُ الْمَلِكُ

So Ibrahim^-as paused and said to the king: ‘Wait, for my^-as God has revealed unto me^-as at this very moment that I^-as should show you respect, and honour you, and make you to walk in front of me^-as, and I^-as should walk behind you, due to your majesty’. So the king said to him^-as, ‘This has been Revealed unto you^-as?’ Ibrahim^-as said to him: ‘Yes’. So the king said to him^-as, ‘I testify that surely your^-as God is Friendly, Lenient, generous, and that you are making me incline towards your^-as Religion’. And the king bade farewell to them.

فَسَارَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) حَتَّى نَزَلَ بِأَعْلَى الشَّامَاتِ وَ خَلَّفَ لُوطاً (عليه السلام) فِي أَدْنَى الشَّامَاتِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عليه السلام) لَمَّا أَبْطَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَلَدُ قَالَ لِسَارَةَ لَوْ شِئْتِ لَبِعْتِنِي هَاجَرَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَرْزُقَنَا مِنْهَا وَلَداً فَيَكُونَ لَنَا خَلَفاً فَابْتَاعَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ (عليه السلام) هَاجَرَ مِنْ سَارَةَ فَوَقَعَ عَلَيْهَا فَوَلَدَتْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ (عليه السلام).

Ibrahim^-as journeyed until he^-as encamped at the high place of Syria, and left behind Lut^-as in the lower valleys of Syria. Then, when the birth of a son was delayed, Ibrahim^-as said to Sara: ‘If you want, you can sell Hajar to me^-as, perhaps Allah^-azwj would Grant us the sustenance of a son from it, who would become a successor for us’. So Ibrahim^-as bought Hajar from Sara. He^-as went to her, and she gave birth to Ismail^-as’.[30]

 

[1] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 198/ 87.

[2] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 279/ 13

[3] الهداية الكبرى: 57/ 12

[4] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 279/ 13

[5] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Salāt  CH 102 H 2

[6] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 18 H 1

[7] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 58 H 21

[8] Tafseer Abu Hamza Thumaly – H 13

[9] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari ^asws – S 43

[10] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 2 H 2

[11] تفسير القمّي 1: 316.

[12] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 111 H 39

[13] Al Kafi – H 14562

[14] (معاني الأخبار: 364/ 1)

[15] (تأويل الآيات 2: 813/ 1)

[16] (تأويل الآيات 2: 813/ 2) (Extract)

[17] (تفسير القمّي 2: 429)

[18] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 198/ 87.

[19] المناقب 3: 63

[20] Al Kafi – H 14562

[21] تفسير القمّي 2: 245.

[22] تفسير القمّي 2: 243

[23] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al-Askari^asws, Hadith 312

[24] مجمع البيان 1: 413.

[25] التهذيب 2: 43/ 138

[26] الهداية الكبرى: 57/ 12

[27] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج‏3، ص: 320, H. 16

[28] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Salāt  CH 100 H 1

[29] الاحتجاج: 220

[30] Al Kafi – H 15007