Covenant, Al-Mithaq

Summary:

Allah^-azwj took ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ (Al-Mithaq) Covenant from the souls, prior to their coming to the world while in the ‘صُلْبِ’ (forehead) of Prophet Adam^-as – when people were like tiny particles in the forehead of Prophet Adam^-as.  Upon coming to the world, people forgot about the Covenant. Allah^-azwj Reminded them about the Covenant through His^-azwj Prophets^-as and Messengers^-as as well as through the Divine Manuscripts, but most of people not only rejected it but turned against it.  As a result many Messengers were killed and Divine scripts were altered.  This continued until the time of the last Prophet Mohammed^-saww. As the Islam spread, so Allah^-azwj  Asked Prophet Mohammed^-saww to announce it again (5:67)[1], so Prophet^-saww reminded Muslims about the Covenant at the end of the last pilgrimage at the place called ‘Ghadeer-e-Khum’.

Many new converts, However, decided to accept a part of it but revolted against it’s important condition – related to the successorship of the Prophet^-saww – the ‘Wilayah of Ali^-asws’ (master-ship of Ali^-asws after Prophet^-saww).  The justification came from the distortion of the meanings of ‘Mola’ (master) from the words[2] of the Prophet^-saww at Ghadeer-e-Khum and later through shuffling of the Verses of the Holy Quran – as the subsequent Verse (which is now Verse no. 3 in chapter 5) was placed together with an earlier Verse dealing with the meat of permissible/forbidden animals while the Verse before it, which Commands the Prophet^-saww to Announce the ‘Master-Ship’ (now 5:67) was placed 65 Verses afterward.  The Holy Verses were Revealed in the following order:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ ۚ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكَافِرِينَ {675:}

O you Rasool! Deliver what has been Revealed unto you from your Lord; and if you don’t do so, then you have not delivered His Message, and Allah will Protect you from the people. Surely Allah does not Guide the Kafir people [5:67]

….الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا …..{5:3}

Today I Perfected your Religion for you and Completed My Favour upon you, and am Pleased with Al-Islam as a Religion for you.

For detailed interpretation of these Verses, see Tafseer-e-HubeAli:

http://hubeali.com/tafseerhubeali/

What was the ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ (Al-Mithaq) Covenant

فقال الصادق (عليه السلام): «كان الميثاق مأخوذا عليهم لله بالربوبية، و لرسوله بالنبوة، و لأمير المؤمنين و الأئمة بالإمامة، فقال: أ لست بربكم، و محمد نبيكم، و علي إمامكم، و الأئمة الهادون أئمتكم؟ فقالوا: بلى، شهدنا. فقال الله تعالى: أن تقولوا يوم القيامة- أي لئلا تقولوا يوم القيامة- إنا كنا عن هذا غافلين.

Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘The Covenant was Taken from them in regard to the Lordship of Allah^-azwj, and the Prophet-hood of His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, and with the Imamate of Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws (Ali^-asws Ibn Abi Talib^-asws) and the Imams^-asws, so He^-azwj Said: ‘‘Am I^-azwj not your Lord^-azwj, and Muhammad^-saww your Prophet^-saww, and Ali^-asws your Imam^-asws, and the Imams^-asws of Guidance your Imams^-asws?’‘ So they said, ‘Yes, we do bear witness’. So Allah^-azwj the High Said: ‘‘If you say on the Day of Judgement’‘ – i.e., perhaps you would be saying on the Day of Judgement – ‘‘We were unaware of this!’

ثم أخذ بعد ذلك ميثاق رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) على الأنبياء بالإيمان به، و على أن ينصروا أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، فقال: وَ إِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَما آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتابٍ وَ حِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِما مَعَكُمْ يعني رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَ لَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ يعني أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، تخبروا أممكم بخبره، و خبر وليه من الأئمة (عليهم السلام)».

Then, after that, He^-azwj Took the Covenant of Rasool-Allah^-saww upon the Prophets^-as with the Eman in him^-saww, and upon a stipulation that they^-as would help him^-saww and Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, so He^-azwj Said: ‘And when Allah Took a Covenant of the Prophets: “When I have Given you from a Book and Wisdom – then a Rasool comes to you verifying to what is with you – meaning Rasool-Allah^-saww, you must believe in him, and you must help him” [3:81] – meaning Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, (i.e.,) you^-as will be informing your^-as respective communities of his^-saww news and the news of his^-saww successor^-asws from the Imams^-asws’’ (an extract).^[3]

As per the stipulations (conditions) of the Covenant, some righteousness souls adhered to it in its totality and remained believers while a majority did not and opposed it strongly and therefore became from the astray ones.  Some, however, who remained between these two fractions, remained indecisive as being overtaken by the doubts.  They will be Judged as per the ‘Al-Mashiya’ (Desire/Decision) of Allah^-azwj (see a Hadith on ‘Mashiya’ in Appendix I)

Introduction:

Some Ahadith explaining the holy Verses of the Quran are presented here to further understand the concept of Covenant – Al-Mithaq.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ الصَّحَّافِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمِنْكُمْ كافِرٌ وَ مِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَالَ عَرَفَ اللَّهُ إِيمَانَهُمْ بِوَلَايَتِنَا وَ كُفْرَهُمْ بِهَا يَوْمَ أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ فِي صُلْبِ آدَمَ ( عليه السلام ) وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Al Husayn Bin Nuaym Al Sahhaf who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic He is the One Who Created you all, so from you is a Kafir and from you is a Momin, and Allah Sees what you are doing [64:2]. So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Recognised their Eman by our^-asws Wilayah and their disbelief in it on the day He^-azwj Took the Covenant upon them in ‘صُلْبِ’ the forehead of Adam^-as, and they were particles’.[4]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً قَالَ صَبَغَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالْوَلَايَةِ فِي الْمِيثَاقِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Salma Bin Al Khatab, from Ali Bin Hassan, from Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of the Mighty and Majestic A Dyeing of Allah; and who is better than Allah in dyeing [2:138]? He^-asws said: ‘The Momineen were dyed by the Wilayah during the (Taking of the) Covenant’.[5]

 

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ الصَّحَّافِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِهِ فَمِنْكُمْ كافِرٌ وَ مِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَالَ عَرَفَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِيمَانَهُمْ بِمُوَالَاتِنَا وَ كُفْرَهُمْ بِهَا يَوْمَ أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ فِي صُلْبِ آدَمَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Al Husayn Bin Nuaym Al Sahhaf who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about His^-azwj Words so from you is a Kafir and from you is a Momin, [64:2]. So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Recognised their Eman by their Wilayah for us^-asws and their disbelief with it on the day He^-azwj Took ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ the Covenant upon them, and they were particles in the ‘Sulb’ (forehead) of Adam^-as’.

وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّما عَلى رَسُولِنَا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبِينُ فَقَالَ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَ مَا هَلَكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ حَتَّى يَقُومَ قَائِمُنَا ( عليه السلام ) إِلَّا فِي تَرْكِ وَلَايَتِنَا وَ جُحُودِ حَقِّنَا وَ مَا خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مِنَ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى أَلْزَمَ رِقَابَ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ حَقَّنَا وَ اللَّهُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ .

And I asked him^-asws about the Words of the Mighty and Majestic And obey Allah and obey the Rasool, but if you turn back, then rather, upon Our Rasool is only the clear delivery (of the Message) [64:12]. So he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! The ones before you were not destroyed and the ones who are destroyed until the rising of Al-Qaim^-asws (the 12^th Imam^-asws) will not be destroyed except with regards to neglecting our^-asws Wilayah, and denying our^-asws rights; and Rasool-Allah^-saww did not exit from the world until he^-saww necessitated the necks of this community to our^-asws rights. And Allah Guides the one He so Desires to the Straight Path’[2:213].[6]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ وَ أَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي قَالَ بِوَلَايَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ أُوفِ لَكُمْ بِالْجَنَّةِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Sama’at,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of Allah^-azwj Majestic and Mighty [2:40] and be faithful to (your) Covenant with Me. He^-asws said: ‘By the Wilayah of Amir Al-Momineen^-asws I will Fulfill (My) Covenant with you. I^-azwj shall Fulfil for you with the Paradise’.[7]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَ شِيعَتِنَا بِالْوَلَايَةِ لَنَا وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ يَوْمَ أَخَذَ الْمِيثَاقَ عَلَى الذَّرِّ بِالْإِقْرَارِ لَهُ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) بِالنُّبُوَّةِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from Bukeyr Bin Ayn who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws was saying: ‘Allah^-azwj Took the Covenant of our^-asws Shias with the Wilayah for us^-asws, and they were particles on the day the Covenant was Taken upon the particles with the acknowledgment to Him^-azwj with the Lordship, and to Muhammad^-saww with the Prophet-hood.

وَ عَرَضَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أُمَّتَهُ فِي الطِّينِ وَ هُمْ أَظِلَّةٌ وَ خَلَقَهُمْ مِنَ الطِّينَةِ الَّتِي خُلِقَ مِنْهَا آدَمُ وَ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ أَرْوَاحَ شِيعَتِنَا قَبْلَ أَبْدَانِهِمْ بِأَلْفَيْ عَامٍ وَ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَرَّفَهُمْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ عَرَّفَهُمْ عَلِيّاً وَ نَحْنُ نَعْرِفُهُمْ فِي لَحْنِ الْقَوْلِ .

And Allah^-azwj Majestic and Mighty Presented to Muhammad^-saww, his^-saww community in the clay, and they were shadows. And He^-azwj Created them from the lay from which Adam^-as was created, and Allah^-azwj Created the spirits of our^-asws Shias before their bodies, by two thousand years, and presented them unto him^-saww. And He^-azwj Introduced them to Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Introduced them to Ali^-asws. And we^-asws recognise them in the tone of their speech’.[8]

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 ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ 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 ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ 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’.[9]

Some additional Ahadith and Holy Verses are presented in Appendix II.

The Writing of the Covenant:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِذَا وَقَعَتِ النُّطْفَةُ فِي الرَّحِمِ اسْتَقَرَّتْ فِيهَا أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً وَ تَكُونُ عَلَقَةً أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً وَ تَكُونُ مُضْغَةً أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَلَكَيْنِ خَلَّاقَيْنِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمَا اخْلُقَا كَمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ ذَكَراً أَوْ أُنْثَى صَوِّرَاهُ وَ اكْتُبَا أَجَلَهُ وَ رِزْقَهُ وَ مَنِيَّتَهُ وَ شَقِيّاً أَوْ سَعِيداً وَ اكْتُبَا لِلَّهِ الْمِيثَاقَ الَّذِي أَخَذَهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الذَّرِّ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ فَإِذَا دَنَا خُرُوجُهُ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكاً يُقَالُ لَهُ زَاجِرٌ فَيَزْجُرُهُ فَيَفْزَعُ فَزَعاً فَيَنْسَى الْمِيثَاقَ وَ يَقَعُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ يَبْكِي مِنْ زَجْرَةِ الْمَلَكِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from Zurara Bin Ayn who said,

‘I heard Abu Ja’far^-asws saying: ‘When the seed falls into the womb, it vibrates in it for forty days, it settles in it for forty days, and becomes a cloth for forty days, and becomes a lump for forty days. Then Allah^-azwj Sends two creating Angels, so He^-azwj Says to both of them to create whatever Allah^-azwj Intends, male or female. So they caricature it, and write down its term, and its sustenance, and its death, and whether it is to be miserable or fortunate, and they both write the Covenant for Allah^-azwj which He^-azwj had Taken from it in the (realm of the) particles, to be between its eyes. So when it is near for its exit from the belly of its mother, Allah^-azwj Sends an Angel called Zajira (Rebuker) to it. So he rebukes it with a rebuke, so it panics and forgets the Covenant, and falls to the ground crying from the rebuking of the Angel’.[10]

Covenant of Master-ship (Wilayah)

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ حَدِيثَنَا صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ إِلَّا صُدُورٌ مُنِيرَةٌ أَوْ قُلُوبٌ سَلِيمَةٌ أَوْ أَخْلَاقٌ حَسَنَةٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَخَذَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا الْمِيثَاقَ كَمَا أَخَذَ عَلَى بَنِي آدَمَ أَ لَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ وَفَى لَنَا وَفَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَنَا وَ لَمْ يُؤَدِّ إِلَيْنَا حَقَّنَا فَفِي النَّارِ خَالِداً مُخَلَّداً .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Barqy, from Ibn Sinan, or someonle else,

(It has been narrated) raising it to Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Our^-asws Ahadeeth are difficult, becoming more difficult. None can bear it except for an enlightened chest, or a tranquil heart, or excellent morals.

Allah^-azwj Took ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’the Covenant from our^-asws Shias just as He^-azwj Took upon the Children of Adam^-as [7:172] Am I not your Lord? So the one who was loyal to us^-asws, Allah^-azwj would be Loyal to him with the Paradise, and the one who hates us^-asws and does not fulfil our^-asws rights to us^-asws, so in the Fire he will abide eternally’.[11]

How did they answer and they were particles

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) كَيْفَ أَجَابُوا وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ قَالَ جَعَلَ فِيهِمْ مَا إِذَا سَأَلَهُمْ أَجَابُوهُ يَعْنِي فِي الْمِيثَاقِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from one of our companions, from Abu Baseer who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘How did they answer and they were particles?’ He^-asws said: ‘It (the ability) was Made to be in them what, when they were asked, they could answer with, meaning regarding ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ the Covenant’.[12]

Momineen (Believers) who are Steadfast and those who are not:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ نُصَيْرٍ أَبِي الْحَكَمِ الْخَثْعَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْمِنَانِ فَمُؤْمِنٌ صَدَقَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَ وَفَى بِشَرْطِهِ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رِجالٌ صَدَقُوا ما عاهَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي لَا تُصِيبُهُ أَهْوَالُ الدُّنْيَا وَ لَا أَهْوَالُ الْآخِرَةِ وَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ يَشْفَعُ وَ لَا يُشْفَعُ لَهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Nusayr Abu Al Hakam Al Khash’amy,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Momineen are of two (types of) Momineen. So there is a Momin who ratified with the Covenant of Allah^-azwj and loyal with His^-azwj Stipulation (Condition), and that is in the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic [33:23] From the Believers are men who ratified what Covenant Allah Made with them. So that is the one who would not be hit by the horrors of the world and the Hereafter, and that is from the one would interceded and would (be in no need) to be interceded for.

وَ مُؤْمِنٌ كَخَامَةِ الزَّرْعِ تَعْوَجُّ أَحْيَاناً وَ تَقُومُ أَحْيَاناً فَذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ تُصِيبُهُ أَهْوَالُ الدُّنْيَا وَ أَهْوَالُ الْآخِرَةِ وَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ يُشْفَعُ لَهُ وَ لَا يَشْفَعُ .

And there is a Momin like the stalk (trunk) of the plants, sometimes he is crooked (bent towards sins) and sometimes he is straight. So that is from the one who would be hit by the horrors of the world and the horrors of the Hereafter, and that is from the one who would be interceded for and he would not be interceding (for anyone else)’.[13]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ خَالِدٍ الْعَمِّيِّ عَنْ خَضِرِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْمِنَانِ مُؤْمِنٌ وَفَى لِلَّهِ بِشُرُوطِهِ الَّتِي شَرَطَهَا عَلَيْهِ فَذَلِكَ مَعَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ وَ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ حَسُنَ أُولَئِكَ رَفِيقاً وَ ذَلِكَ مَنْ يَشْفَعُ وَ لَا يُشْفَعُ لَهُ وَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ لَا تُصِيبُهُ أَهْوَالُ الدُّنْيَا وَ لَا أَهْوَالُ الْآخِرَةِ

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Khalid Al Amma, from Khazir Bin Amro,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying: ‘The Momin are (two types of) Momins. A Momin who is loyal to Allah^-azwj with His^-azwj Stipulation which He^-azwj Stipulated upon him. So that one would be with [4:69] the Prophets and the Truthful and the Martyrs and the Righteous, and a goodly company are they!. And that would be the one who would (be able to) intercede and (would not need to be (interceded for), and that one is from the one who would neither be hit by the horrors of the world nor the horrors of the Hereafter.

وَ مُؤْمِنٌ زَلَّتْ بِهِ قَدَمٌ فَذَلِكَ كَخَامَةِ الزَّرْعِ كَيْفَمَا كَفَأَتْهُ الرِّيحُ انْكَفَأَ وَ ذَلِكَ مِمَّنْ تُصِيبُهُ أَهْوَالُ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ يُشْفَعُ لَهُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى خَيْرٍ .

And there is a Momin whose feet waver with him, so that one is like the stalk of the plants. He moves whichever way the wind moves him, and that one is from the ones who would be hit by the horrors of the world and the Hereafter, and he would be interceded for, and he is upon good (Wilayah)’.[14]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ بِالْبَصْرَةِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنِ الْإِخْوَانِ فَقَالَ الْإِخْوَانُ صِنْفَانِ إِخْوَانُ الثِّقَةِ وَ إِخْوَانُ الْمُكَاشَرَةِ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Ismail Bin Mihran, from Yunus Bin Yaqoub, from Abu Maryam Al Ansary,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘A man from Al-Basra stood up to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws and he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Inform us about the brethren’. So he^-asws said: ‘The brethren are of two types – The trustworthy brethren and the friendly brethren.

فَأَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الثِّقَةِ فَهُمُ الْكَفُّ وَ الْجَنَاحُ وَ الْأَهْلُ وَ الْمَالُ فَإِذَا كُنْتَ مِنْ أَخِيكَ عَلَى حَدِّ الثِّقَةِ فَابْذُلْ لَهُ مَالَكَ وَ بَدَنَكَ وَ صَافِ مَنْ صَافَاهُ وَ عَادِ مَنْ عَادَاهُ وَ اكْتُمْ سِرَّهُ وَ عَيْبَهُ وَ أَظْهِرْ مِنْهُ الْحَسَنَ وَ اعْلَمْ أَيُّهَا السَّائِلُ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْكِبْرِيتِ الْأَحْمَرِ

So as for the trustworthy brethren, so they are the palm, and the wing, and the family and the wealth. So when you were with a brother of yours who was upon the limit of trustworthiness, so spend the wealth and (exert) your body for him, and be sincere to those who are sincere to him, and assist those who assist him, and conceal his secrets and his faults and manifest the goodness from him. And know, O you people! They are scarcer than the red Ruby (in nature).

وَ أَمَّا إِخْوَانُ الْمُكَاشَرَةِ فَإِنَّكَ تُصِيبُ لَذَّتَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَقْطَعَنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَا تَطْلُبَنَّ مَا وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ ضَمِيرِهِمْ وَ ابْذُلْ لَهُمْ مَا بَذَلُوا لَكَ مِنْ طَلَاقَةِ الْوَجْهِ وَ حَلَاوَةِ اللِّسَانِ .

And as for the friendly brethren, so you would be attaining your pleasure from them, therefore do no cut that off from them, nor seek what is behind that from their consciences, and exert for them what they are exerting for you, from the relaxedness of the face and the sweetness of the tongue’.[15]

The (Covenant) of Observing of the Patience?

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ فَرْقَدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى أَنْ لَا تُصَدَّقَ مَقَالَتُهُ وَ لَا يَنْتَصِفَ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِ وَ مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ يَشْفِي نَفْسَهُ إِلَّا بِفَضِيحَتِهَا لِأَنَّ كُلَّ مُؤْمِنٍ مُلْجَمٌ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Al numan, from Dawood Bin Farqad, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘Allah^-azwj Took a ‘مِيثَاقَ’ Covenant upon the Momin (to observe patience) when his words are not accepted as true and he does not avenge his enemies.  A Momin will not have any satisfaction without subjecting his soul to disgrace (before his own conscience) every Momin is harnessed (to control his worldly desires)’.[16]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى بَلَايَا أَرْبَعٍ أَيْسَرُهَا عَلَيْهِ مُؤْمِنٌ يَقُولُ بِقَوْلِهِ يَحْسُدُهُ أَوْ مُنَافِقٌ يَقْفُو أَثَرَهُ أَوْ شَيْطَانٌ يُغْوِيهِ أَوْ كَافِرٌ يَرَى جِهَادَهُ فَمَا بَقَاءُ الْمُؤْمِنِ بَعْدَ هَذَا .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, altogether from Ibn Mahboub, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Allah^-azwj Took a Covenant with the Momin to exercise patience in the face of four kinds of misfortunes, the least (serious) of these is the envying of another Momin against him who has the same belief or a hypocrite who follows him (to harm him), or a Satan^-la tempting him, or a disbeliever showing his struggle (against him). So what would remain of the Momin after this?’[17]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام )

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and a number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, altogether from Ibn Mahboub, from Malik Bin Atiyya,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Hamza, from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said…:

وَ إِذَا نَقَضُوا الْعَهْدَ سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوَّهُمْ وَ إِذَا قَطَّعُوا الْأَرْحَامَ جُعِلَتِ الْأَمْوَالُ فِي أَيْدِي الْأَشْرَارِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يَأْمُرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ لَمْ يَنْهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ لَمْ يَتَّبِعُوا الْأَخْيَارَ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي سَلَّطَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ شِرَارَهُمْ فَيَدْعُوا خِيَارُهُمْ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُمْ .

And when they (people) break the Covenant, Allah^-azwj would Cause their enemies to overcome upon them; and when they (people) sever the relationships, the wealth would be Made to be in the hands of the most evil of them; and when they (people) do not enjoin with the good and do not forbid from the evil and do not follow the chosen ones^-asws from the People^-asws of my^-saww Household, Allah^-azwj would Cause the most evil of them to overcome upon them, so their best ones would be supplicating and it would not be Answered for them’’ (an extract).[18]

The Testing for the Covenant:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ السِّجِسْتَانِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَّا أَخْرَجَ ذُرِّيَّةَ آدَمَ ( عليه السلام ) مِنْ ظَهْرِهِ لِيَأْخُذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ لَهُ وَ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ فَكَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَخَذَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله )

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Hisham Bin Salim, from Habeeb Al Sijistany who said,

‘I heard Abu Ja’far^-asws saying: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic. When He^-azwj Extracted the offspring of Adam^-as from his^-as forehead in order to Take ‘الْمِيثَاقَ’ the Covenant with the Lordship for Himself^-azwj, and with the Prophet-hood for every Prohet^-as, so the first one He^-azwj Took the Covenant for Himself^-azwj upon him with his^-saww Prophet-hood was Muhammad^-saww Bin Abdullah^-saww.

ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لآِدَمَ انْظُرْ مَا ذَا تَرَى قَالَ فَنَظَرَ آدَمُ ( عليه السلام ) إِلَى ذُرِّيَّتِهِ وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ قَدْ مَلَئُوا السَّمَاءَ قَالَ آدَمُ ( عليه السلام ) يَا رَبِّ مَا أَكْثَرَ ذُرِّيَّتِي وَ لِأَمْرٍ مَا خَلَقْتَهُمْ فَمَا تُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ بِأَخْذِكَ الْمِيثَاقَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً وَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِرُسُلِي وَ يَتَّبِعُونَهُم

Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said to Adam^-as: “Look! What do you^-as see?” He^-asws said: ‘So Adam^-as looked at his^-as children, and they were particles which had filled up the sky. Adam^-as said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! How abundant are my^-as children and for what matter have You^-azwj Created them? So what do You^-azwj Want from them by Taking the Covenant upon them?’ Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “For them to be worshipping Me^-azwj not associating anything with Me^-azwj, and believing in My^-azwj Rasools^-as and following them^-as”.

قَالَ آدَمُ ( عليه السلام ) يَا رَبِّ فَمَا لِي أَرَى بَعْضَ الذَّرِّ أَعْظَمَ مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ بَعْضَهُمْ لَهُ نُورٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ بَعْضَهُمْ لَهُ نُورٌ قَلِيلٌ وَ بَعْضَهُمْ لَيْسَ لَهُ نُورٌ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كَذَلِكَ خَلَقْتُهُمْ لِأَبْلُوَهُمْ فِي كُلِّ حَالَاتِهِمْ

Adam^-as said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! So what is the matter I^-as see some of the particles to be greater than the others, and some of them have a lot of light for them, and some of them are of little light, and some of them have no light for them?’ So Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “Like that is how I^-azwj Created them in order to Try them in all their states”.

قَالَ آدَمُ ( عليه السلام ) يَا رَبِّ فَتَأْذَنُ لِي فِي الْكَلَامِ فَأَتَكَلَّمَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ تَكَلَّمْ فَإِنَّ رُوحَكَ مِنْ رُوحِي وَ طَبِيعَتَكَ [مِنْ] خِلَافِ كَيْنُونَتِي قَالَ آدَمُ يَا رَبِّ فَلَوْ كُنْتَ خَلَقْتَهُمْ عَلَى مِثَالٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ قَدْرٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ طَبِيعَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَ جِبِلَّةٍ وَاحِدَةً وَ أَلْوَانٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَ أَعْمَارٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَ أَرْزَاقٍ سَوَاءٍ لَمْ يَبْغِ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَهُمْ تَحَاسُدٌ وَ لَا تَبَاغُضٌ وَ لَا اخْتِلَافٌ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْأَشْيَاءِ

Adam^-as said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! So, could You^-azwj Permit me^-as regarding the speech, so I^-as can speak (to them)?’ Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “Speak, for your^-as spirit is from My^-azwj Spirit, but your^-azwj nature is different from My^-azwj Being”. Adam^-as said: ‘O Lord^-azwj! If only You^-azwj had Created them upon one likeness, and of one measurement, and of one clay, and of one constitution, and of one colour, and of one age, and with the equal sustenance, some of them would not rebel against the others, and there would neither happen to be between them any envy, or hatred, or differing with regards to anything from the things’.

قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَا آدَمُ بِرُوحِي نَطَقْتَ وَ بِضَعْفِ طَبِيعَتِكَ تَكَلَّفْتَ مَا لَا عِلْمَ لَكَ بِهِ وَ أَنَا الْخَالِقُ الْعَالِمُ بِعِلْمِي خَالَفْتُ بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِمْ وَ بِمَشِيئَتِي يَمْضِي فِيهِمْ أَمْرِي وَ إِلَى تَدْبِيرِي وَ تَقْدِيرِي صَائِرُونَ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِخَلْقِي

Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “O Adam^-as! By My^-azwj Spirit you^-as speak, and by the weakness is in your^-as nature you^-as made the effort on what there is no knowledge for you^-as in it, and I^-azwj am the Creator, the Knowledgeable. With My^-azwj Knowledge I^-azwj Caused the difference in their Creation, and by My^-azwj Desire do I^-azwj Ordain My^-azwj Command among them, and to My^-azwj Management and My^-azwj Ordainment are they coming into being, there being no alteration in My^-azwj Creation.

إِنَّمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَ الْإِنْسَ لِيَعْبُدُونِ وَ خَلَقْتُ الْجَنَّةَ لِمَنْ أَطَاعَنِي وَ عَبَدَنِي مِنْهُمْ وَ اتَّبَعَ رُسُلِي وَ لَا أُبَالِي وَ خَلَقْتُ النَّارَ لِمَنْ كَفَرَ بِي وَ عَصَانِي وَ لَمْ يَتَّبِعْ رُسُلِي وَ لَا أُبَالِي

But rather, I^-azwj Created the Jinn and the human beings for them to be worshipping Me^-azwj, and I^-azwj Created the Paradise for the one who obeys Me^-azwj and worships Me^-azwj from them, and follows My^-azwj Rasools^-as, and I^-azwj do not Retract; and I^-azwj Created the Fire for the one who disbelieve in Me^-azwj, and disobeys Me^-azwj, and does not follow My^-azwj Rasools^-as, and I^-azwj do not Retract.

وَ خَلَقْتُكَ وَ خَلَقْتُ ذُرِّيَّتَكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ فَاقَةٍ بِي إِلَيْكَ وَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ إِنَّمَا خَلَقْتُكَ وَ خَلَقْتُهُمْ لِأَبْلُوَكَ وَ أَبْلُوَهُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا فِي حَيَاتِكُمْ وَ قَبْلَ مَمَاتِكُمْ فَلِذَلِكَ خَلَقْتُ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةَ وَ الْحَيَاةَ وَ الْمَوْتَ وَ الطَّاعَةَ وَ الْمَعْصِيَةَ وَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ النَّارَ

And I^-azwj Created you^-as and your^-as offspring from without a need of Mine to you^-as and to them, and rather I^-azwj Created you^-as and Created them in order to Test you^-as and Test them, which ones of you is best of deeds in the house of the world during your lifetime and before your deaths. Thus, for that I^-azwj Created the world and the Hereafter, and the life and the death, and the obedience and the disobedience, and the Paradise and the Fire.

وَ كَذَلِكَ أَرَدْتُ فِي تَقْدِيرِي وَ تَدْبِيرِي وَ بِعِلْمِيَ النَّافِذِ فِيهِمْ خَالَفْتُ بَيْنَ صُوَرِهِمْ وَ أَجْسَامِهِمْ وَ أَلْوَانِهِمْ وَ أَعْمَارِهِمْ وَ أَرْزَاقِهِمْ وَ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَ مَعْصِيَتِهِمْ فَجَعَلْتُ مِنْهُمُ الشَّقِيَّ وَ السَّعِيدَ وَ الْبَصِيرَ وَ الْأَعْمَى وَ الْقَصِيرَ وَ الطَّوِيلَ وَ الْجَمِيلَ وَ الدَّمِيمَ وَ الْعَالِمَ وَ الْجَاهِلَ وَ الْغَنِيَّ وَ الْفَقِيرَ وَ الْمُطِيعَ وَ الْعَاصِيَ وَ الصَّحِيحَ وَ السَّقِيمَ وَ مَنْ بِهِ الزَّمَانَةُ وَ مَنْ لَا عَاهَةَ بِهِ

And like that, I^-azwj Intended in My^-azwj Ordainment and My^-azwj Management, and with My^-azwj Knowledge, the Implementation among them of the difference between their chests (consciences), and their bodies, and their colours, and their ages, and their sustenance, and their obedience, and their disobedience. So I^-azwj Made from them, the miserable, and the fortunate, and the seeing and the blind, and the short and the long, and the beautiful and the ugly, and the knowledgeable and the ignorant, and the rich and the poor, and the obedient and the disobedient, and the healthy and the sick, and the one with disabilities and the one with no handicap with him.

فَيَنْظُرُ الصَّحِيحُ إِلَى الَّذِي بِهِ الْعَاهَةُ فَيَحْمَدُنِي عَلَى عَافِيَتِهِ وَ يَنْظُرُ الَّذِي بِهِ الْعَاهَةُ إِلَى الصَّحِيحِ فَيَدْعُونِي وَ يَسْأَلُنِي أَنْ أُعَافِيَهُ وَ يَصْبِرُ عَلَى بَلَائِي فَأُثِيبُهُ جَزِيلَ عَطَائِي وَ يَنْظُرُ الْغَنِيُّ إِلَى الْفَقِيرِ فَيَحْمَدُنِي وَ يَشْكُرُنِي وَ يَنْظُرُ الْفَقِيرُ إِلَى الْغَنِيِّ فَيَدْعُونِي وَ يَسْأَلُنِي وَ يَنْظُرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ إِلَى الْكَافِرِ فَيَحْمَدُنِي عَلَى مَا هَدَيْتُهُ

So the healthy would look at the one with the disability and he would Praise Me^-azwj; and the one with the disability would look at the healthy and he would supplicate to Me^-azwj and ask Me^-azwj for his good health and be patient upon My^-azwj Affliction, so I^-azwj would Grant him a lot of My^-azwj Grants. And the rich would look at the poor and he would Praise Me^-azwj and thank Me^-azwj, and the poor would look at the rich and would suplicate to me and ask Me^-azwj. And the Believer would look at the disbeliever and he would Praise Me^-azwj upon what I^-azwj Guided him.

فَلِذَلِكَ خَلَقْتُهُمْ لِأَبْلُوَهُمْ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَ الضَّرَّاءِ وَ فِيمَا أُعَافِيهِمْ وَ فِيمَا أَبْتَلِيهِمْ وَ فِيمَا أُعْطِيهِمْ وَ فِيمَا أَمْنَعُهُمْ وَ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْقَادِرُ وَ لِي أَنْ أَمْضِيَ جَمِيعَ مَا قَدَّرْتُ عَلَى مَا دَبَّرْتُ وَ لِي أَنْ أُغَيِّرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا شِئْتُ إِلَى مَا شِئْتُ وَ أُقَدِّمَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَخَّرْتُ وَ أُؤَخِّرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا قَدَّمْتُ وَ أَنَا اللَّهُ الْفَعَّالُ لِمَا أُرِيدُ لَا أُسْأَلُ عَمَّا أَفْعَلُ وَ أَنَا أَسْأَلُ خَلْقِي عَمَّا هُمْ فَاعِلُونَ .

Thus, it is for that I^-azwj Created them in order to Test them during the ease and adversity, and regarding what I^-azwj Grant them good health and regarding what I^-azwj Test them, and regarding what I^-azwj Give them and regarding what I^-azwj Prevent them from; and I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj, the King, the Powerful, and for Me^-azwj is that I^-azwj Implement the entirety of what I^-azwj Ordain, and for Me^-azwj is that I^-azwj Change from that whatever I^-azwj so Desire to whatever I^-azwj so Desire, and I^-azwj Bring forward from that whatever I^-azwj had Delayed, and Delay what I^-azwj had Brought forward, and I^-azwj am Allah^-azwj. I^-azwj Do whatever I^-azwj Want. I^-azwj will not be questioned about what I^-azwj Do, and I^-azwj will be Questioning My^-azwj creatures about what they are doing”’.[19]

The Covenant of the Holy Quran:

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْقُرْآنُ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ إِلَى خَلْقِهِ فَقَدْ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَنْظُرَ فِي عَهْدِهِ وَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَ مِنْهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ خَمْسِينَ آيَةً .

Ali, from his father, from Hammad, from Hareyz,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Quran is a Covenant of Allah^-azwj to His^-azwj creatures. Thus, it is befitting for the Muslim person that he looks into his covenant, and that he recites from it, during every day, fifty Verses’.[20]

The preservation of the Covenant in the Black Stone:

حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمَّا أَخَذَ مَوَاثِيقَ الْعِبَادِ أَمَرَ الْحَجَرَ فَالْتَقَمَهَا وَ لِذَلِكَ يُقَالُ أَمَانَتِي أَدَّيْتُهَا وَ مِيثَاقِي تَعَاهَدْتُهُ لِتَشْهَدَ لِي بِالْمُوَافَاةِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim Bin Hashim narrated to me, from his father, and Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazaan, altogether from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Muawiya Bin Ammar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Took the Covenant of the servants, Commanded the (Black) Stone, so it devoured it, and due to that it is said (during Hajj), ‘My entrustment, I have fulfilled it, and my Covenant I promise to you  (The Black Stone) so that you would testify for me with the loyalty’’.[21]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لِمَ جُعِلَ اسْتِلَامُ الْحَجَرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَيْثُ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي آدَمَ دَعَا الْحَجَرَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَأَمَرَهُ فَالْتَقَمَ الْمِيثَاقَ فَهُوَ يَشْهَدُ لِمَنْ وَافَاهُ بِالْمُوَافَاةِ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Al Halby who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘Why was kissing the (Black) Stone made to be?’ So he^-asws said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Took the Covenant of the Children of Adam^-as, Called the (Black) Stone from the Paradise, so He^-azwj Commanded it and it devoured the Covenant. Thus, it would testify for the ones who were loyal to it with the loyalty (to the Wilayah)’.[22]

The Reinstatement of the Covenant for Wilayah (Imams after Prophet):

وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَمِيثَاقَهُ الَّذِي وَاثَقَكُمْ بِهِ إِذْ قُلْتُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ {7}

And recall the Favour of Allah on you and His Covenant which He Bound you with firmly, when you said: ‘We have heard and we obey’, and fear Allah, surely Allah knows what is in the chests [5:7]

الطبرسي، عن أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام): «أن المراد بالميثاق ما بين لهم في حجة الوداع من تحريم المحرمات، و كيفية الطهارة، و فرض الولاية».

Al Tabarsy, from Abu Al Jaroud,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘The Meaning of the Covenant is what was between them during the Farewell Hajj from the Prohibition of the Prohibited (matters), and the mannerisms of the cleanliness, and the Obligation of the Wilayah’.^[23]

وَالَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثَاقِهِ وَيَقْطَعُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ ۙ أُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَلَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ {25}

And those who are breaking the Pact of Allah from after its Covenanting and are cutting off relationships what Allah has Commanded with to be maintained, and they are corrupting in the land. They, for them is the Curse and for them would be the evil abode [13:25]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن أبي الحسن (عليه السلام) قال: «إن رحم آل محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله) معلقة بالعرش تقول: اللهم صل من وصلني و اقطع من قطعني، و هي تجري في كل رحم،

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Muhammad Bin Al Fazeyl,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan^-asws having said: ‘Surely the kinship of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww is attached with the Throne. It is saying: ‘‘Our Allah^-azwj! Maintain good relations with the one who maintains good relations with me, and Cut-off the one who cuts-off from me. And it flows in every kinship.

و نزلت هذه الآية في آل محمد، و ما عاهدهم عليه، و ما أخذ عليهم من الميثاق في الذر من ولاية أمير المؤمنين و الأئمة (عليهم السلام) بعده، و هو قوله: الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَ لا يَنْقُضُونَ الْمِيثاقَ الآية،

And this Verse was Revealed regarding the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww and what they (the people) have been Covenanted with, and what was Taken from them from the Covenanted in the (Realm of the) Particles, from the Wilayah of Amir-ul- Momineen^-asws and the Imams^-asws after him^-asws. And these are His^-azwj Words: [13:20] Those who fulfil the Promise with Allah and do not break the Covenant – the Verse.

ثم ذكر أعداهم، فقال: وَ الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثاقِهِ يعني في أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و هو الذي أخذ الله عليهم في الذر، و أخذ عليهم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) بغدير خم ثم قال: أُولئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ».

Then He^-azwj Mentioned their^-asws enemies: And those who are breaking the Pact of Allah from after its Covenanting [13:25] – Meaning (breaking) with regards to Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws, and this is what was Taken against them in the (Realm of the) Particles, and Rasool-Allah^-saww took it against them at Ghadeer Khumm: They, for them is the Curse and for them would be the evil abode [13:25]’.[24]

محمد بن يعقوب: عن عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن عبد العظيم بن عبد الله الحسني، قال: حدثني أبو جعفر الثاني (عليه السلام)، [قال: «سمعت أبي‏] يقول: سمعت أبي موسى بن جعفر (عليه السلام) يقول: دخل عمرو بن عبيد على أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، فلما سلم و جلس تلا هذه الآية الَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبائِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَ الْفَواحِشَ ثم أمسك، فقال له أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): ما أسكتك؟ قال: أحب أن أعرف الكبائر من كتاب الله عز و جل.

Muhammad Bin Yaqoub, from a number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Abdul Azeem Bin Abdullah Al-Hasany who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws the Second narrated to me saying: ‘I^-asws heard my^-asws father^-asws saying, ‘I^-asws heard my^-asws father^-asws Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws saying; ‘Amro Bin Ubeyd came up to Abu Abdullah^-asws. So when he had greeted, and was seated, he recited this Verse: Those who are shunning the major sins and the immoralities [53:32], then held back. So Abu Abdullah^-asws said to him: ‘What made you withhold?’ He said, ‘I would love to understand the major sins from the Book of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’.

فقال: نعم- يا عمرو-  ………و نقض العهد و قطيعة الرحم، لأن الله عز و جل يقول: أُولئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ.

So he^-asws said: ‘Yes – O Amro – …….. And the breaking of the Covenant, and the boycotting of the relatives, because Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying: They, for them is the Curse and for them would be the evil abode [13:25]’.

قال: فخرج عمرو و له صراخ من بكائه، و هو يقول: هلك من يقول برأيه، و نازعكم في الفضل و العلم».

He (the narrator) said, ‘Amro went out screaming from his crying, and he was saying, ‘Destroyed is the one who is speaking from his opinion, and disputes with regards to your^-asws merits and the Knowledge’.[25]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُذَافِرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ أَوْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ( عليهما السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ لِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ( صلوات الله عليه )  يَا بُنَيَّ انْظُرْ خَمْسَةً فَلَا تُصَاحِبْهُمْ وَ لَا تُحَادِثْهُمْ وَ لَا تُرَافِقْهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَبَهْ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ إِيَّاكَ وَ مُصَاحَبَةَ الْكَذَّابِ فَإِنَّهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ السَّرَابِ يُقَرِّبُ لَكَ الْبَعِيدَ وَ يُبَاعِدُ لَكَ الْقَرِيبَ

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Amro Bin Usman, from Muhammad Bin Uzafar, from one of his companions, from Muhammad Bin Muslim, from Abu Hamza,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws having said: ‘Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws said to me: ‘O my^-asws son^-asws! Watch out for five, so neither accompany them, nor discuss with them, nor befriend them in a road’. So I^-asws said: ‘O father^-asws! Who are they?’ He^-asws said: ‘Beware of accompanying the liar, for he is at the status of the mirage. He brings near to you^-asws the remote, and distances to you^-asws the near one.

وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ مُصَاحَبَةَ الْفَاسِقِ فَإِنَّهُ بَائِعُكَ بِأُكْلَةٍ أَوْ أَقَلَّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ مُصَاحَبَةَ الْبَخِيلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَخْذُلُكَ فِي مَالِهِ أَحْوَجَ مَا تَكُونُ إِلَيْهِ وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ مُصَاحَبَةَ الْأَحْمَقِ فَإِنَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْفَعَكَ فَيَضُرُّكَ

And beware of accompanying the immoral, for he would sell you^-asws for a meal or less than that. And beware of accompanying the stingy, for he would abandon you regarding his wealth in a dire (critical) a need faced by you from him. And beware of accompanying the stupid, for he would intend to benefit you but he would (actually) harm you.

وَ إِيَّاكَ وَ مُصَاحَبَةَ الْقَاطِعِ لِرَحِمِهِ فَإِنِّي وَجَدْتُهُ مَلْعُوناً فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي ثَلَاثَةِ مَوَاضِعَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَهَلْ عَسَيْتُمْ إِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ أَنْ تُفْسِدُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ تُقَطِّعُوا أَرْحامَكُمْ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ فَأَصَمَّهُمْ وَ أَعْمى أَبْصارَهُمْ

And beware of accompanying the severer of his relationships, for I^-asws find him to be an Accursed one in the Book of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic in three places – Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Says: So perhaps you were to assume rule, you would make mischief in the land and cut off your relationships [47:22] They are those Allah has Cursed, so He Made Deafened them and Blinded their visions [47:23].

وَ قَالَ الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثاقِهِ وَ يَقْطَعُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ

And He^-azwj Said: And those who are breaking the Pact of Allah from after its Covenanting and are cutting off relationships what Allah has Commanded with to be maintained, and they are corrupting in the land. They, for them is the Curse and for them would be the evil abode [13:25].

وَ قَالَ فِي الْبَقَرَةِ الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثاقِهِ وَ يَقْطَعُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْخاسِرُونَ .

And He^-azwj Said in (Surah) Al-Baqarah: Those who are breaking the Pact of Allah from after Covenanting it and are cutting asunder what Allah has Commanded to be joined, and are making mischief in the land; those are the losers [2:27]’.[26]

Appendix I: Al-Mashiya (Will of Allah^-azwj)

يُونُسُ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً ( عليه السلام ) بَابٌ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْجَنَّةِ فَمَنْ دَخَلَ بَابَهُ كَانَ مُؤْمِناً وَ مَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَابِهِ كَانَ كَافِراً وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ فِيهِ وَ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْهُ كَانَ فِي الطَّبَقَةِ الَّتِي لِلَّهِ فِيهِمُ الْمَشِيئَةُ .

Yunus, from Musa Bin Bakr,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ibrahim^-asws (7^th Imam^-asws) having said that Ali^-asws is a door from the doors of the Paradise. So the one who enters his^-asws door would be a Momin, but the one who exits from his^-asws door would be a Unbeliever (Kafir), and the one who does not enter into it and does not exit from it would be in the category whose (fate would depend on) Allah^-azwj ‘s ‘الْمَشِيئَةُ’ Will (Desire/Decision) regarding them’.[27]

Appendix II Additional Verses and Ahadith on Covenant:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَمَا آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتَابٍ وَحِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جَاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِمَا مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَلَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ ۚ قَالَ أَأَقْرَرْتُمْ وَأَخَذْتُمْ عَلَىٰ ذَٰلِكُمْ إِصْرِي ۖ قَالُوا أَقْرَرْنَا ۚ قَالَ فَاشْهَدُوا وَأَنَا مَعَكُمْ مِنَ الشَّاهِدِينَ {813:}

And when Allah Took a ‘مِيثَاقَ’ Covenant of the Prophets: “When I have Given you from a Book and Wisdom – then a Rasool comes to you verifying to what is with you, you must believe in him, and you must help him”. He said: “Do you affirm and accept My Pact upon that?” They said: ‘We do accept’. He said: “Then bear witness, and I (too) am of the Bearers of Witness with you [3:81]

تَفْسِيرُ النُّعْمَانِيِّ، فِيمَا رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ: وَ أَمَّا الرَّدُّ عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ الرَّجْعَةَ فَقَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ يَوْمَ نَحْشُرُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ فَوْجاً مِمَّنْ يُكَذِّبُ بِآياتِنا فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ‏- أَيْ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا

Tafseer Al Numany –

‘Among what it reported from Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws having said: ‘And as for the rebuttal against the one who denies the Raj`a are the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: And on the Day We will Gather batches from every community, from the ones who belied Our Signs, so they would be assembled in rows [27:83], i.e., to the world.

فَأَمَّا مَعْنَى حَشْرِ الْآخِرَةِ فَقَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ حَشَرْناهُمْ فَلَمْ نُغادِرْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً- وَ قَوْلُهُ سُبْحَانَهُ‏ وَ حَرامٌ عَلى‏ قَرْيَةٍ أَهْلَكْناها أَنَّهُمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ‏ فِي الرَّجْعَةِ

As for the meaning of the Gathering of the Hereafter, these are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: and We will Gather them, so We will not Leave anyone of them [18:47], and the Words of the Glorious: And it is Prohibited upon a town which We Destroyed that they will not be returning [21:95] – during the Raj`a[28].

فَأَمَّا فِي الْقِيَامَةِ فَهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ وَ مِثْلُ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ وَ إِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَما آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتابٍ وَ حِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِما مَعَكُمْ لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَ لَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ‏- وَ هَذَا لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا فِي الرَّجْعَةِ

As for the Qiyamah, they will be returning. And the like of the Words of the Exalted: And when Allah Took a Covenant of the Prophets: “When I have Given you from a Book and Wisdom – then a Rasool comes to you verifying to what is with you, you must believe in him, and you must help him”. [3:81] – and this cannot happen except during the Raj`a.

وَ مِثْلُهُ مَا خَاطَبَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْأَئِمَّةَ وَ وَعَدَهُمْ مِنَ النَّصْرِ وَ الِانْتِقَامِ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِمْ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَهُ‏ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‏ لا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئاً وَ هَذَا إِنَّمَا يَكُونُ إِذَا رَجَعُوا إِلَى الدُّنْيَا

And the like of what Allah^-azwj Addressed the Imams^-asws with and Promised them^-asws of the help and the revenge from their^-asws enemies, so the Glorious Said: Allah Promises those of you who believe and do righteous deeds – up to His^-azwj Words: and do not associate anything with Me! [24:55] – and this rather can (only) happen when they^-asws return to the world.

وَ مِثْلُ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‏ وَ نُرِيدُ أَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَ نَجْعَلَهُمْ أَئِمَّةً وَ نَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوارِثِينَ‏-

And the like of the Words of the Exalted: And We Intend to Confer (Award) upon those who were weakened in the land, and to Make them Imams, and Make them the inheritors [28:5].

وَ قَوْلِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ‏ إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرادُّكَ إِلى‏ مَعادٍ أَيْ رَجْعَةِ الدُّنْيَا

And the Words of the Glorious: Surely, the One Who Imposed the Quran upon you would Take you back to the Return. [28:85] – i.e., (Raj`a) return to the world.

وَ مِثْلُهُ قَوْلُهُ‏ أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ خَرَجُوا مِنْ دِيارِهِمْ وَ هُمْ أُلُوفٌ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ فَقالَ لَهُمُ اللَّهُ مُوتُوا ثُمَّ أَحْياهُمْ‏-

And like His^-azwj Words: Have you not seen those who exited from their homes fearing death, and they were thousands, so Allah Said to them: “Die!” Then He Revived them; [2:243].

وَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‏ وَ اخْتارَ مُوسى‏ قَوْمَهُ سَبْعِينَ رَجُلًا لِمِيقاتِنا فَرَدَّهُمُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَ شَرِبُوا وَ نَكَحُوا وَ مِثْلُهُ خَبَرُ الْعُزَيْرِ.

And the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: And Musa chose seventy men of his community for Our Appointment. [7:155]. Allah^-azwj the Exalted Returned them to the world after the death, and they drank and married; and the like it from the News of the Mighty’’.[29]

The Ones who adhered to the Covenant and those who didn’t:

الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَلَا يَنْقُضُونَ الْمِيثَاقَ {20}

Those who are fulfilling the Pact with Allah and are not breaking the Covenant [13:20]

وَالَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَيَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَيَخَافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسَابِ {21}

And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining, and are in awe of their Lord and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن أبي الحسن (عليه السلام) قال: «إن رحم آل محمد (صلى الله عليه و آله) معلقة بالعرش تقول: اللهم صل من وصلني و اقطع من قطعني، و هي تجري في كل رحم،

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Muhammad Bin Al Fazeyl,

‘Abu Al-Hassan^-asws having said: ‘Surely the kinship of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww is attached with the Throne. It is saying: ‘‘Our Allah^-azwj! Maintain good relations with the one who maintains good relations with me, and Cut-off the one who cuts-off from me. And it flows in every kinship.

و نزلت هذه الآية في آل محمد، و ما عاهدهم عليه، و ما أخذ عليهم من الميثاق في الذر من ولاية أمير المؤمنين و الأئمة (عليهم السلام) بعده، و هو قوله: الَّذِينَ يُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِ اللَّهِ وَ لا يَنْقُضُونَ الْمِيثاقَ الآية،

And this Verse was Revealed regarding the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww and what they (the people) have been Covenanted with, and what was Taken from them from the Covenanted in the (Realm of the) Particles, from the Wilayah of Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws and the Imams^-asws after him^-asws. And these are His^-azwj Words: Those who are fulfilling the Pact with Allah and are not breaking the Covenant [13:20] – the Verse.

ثم ذكر أعداهم، فقال: وَ الَّذِينَ يَنْقُضُونَ عَهْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مِيثاقِهِ يعني في أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، و هو الذي أخذ الله عليهم في الذر، و أخذ عليهم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) بغدير خم ثم قال: أُولئِكَ لَهُمُ اللَّعْنَةُ وَ لَهُمْ سُوءُ الدَّارِ ».

Then He^-azwj Mentioned their^-asws enemies: And those who are breaking the Pact of Allah from after its Covenanting [13:25] – Meaning with regards to Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws, and this is what was Taken against them in the (Realm of the) Particles, and Rasool-Allah^-saww took it against them at Ghadeer Khumm, They, for them is the Curse and for them would be the evil abode [13:25]’.^[30]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ فَقَالَ قَرَابَتُكَ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Ibn Fazzal, from Ibn Bukeyr, from Umar Bin Yazeed who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘Your relatives’.^[31]

القاسم عن عبد الصمد بن بشير عن معاوية قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: ان صلة الرحم تهون الحساب يوم القيامة ثم قرأ: يصلون ما أمر الله به ان يوصل ويخشون ربهم ويخافون سوء الحساب

Al Qasim, from Abdul Samad Bin Bashir, from Muawiya who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said to me: ‘The maintaining of the relationships would ease the Reckoning on the Day of Judgment’. Then he^-asws recited: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining, and are in awe of their Lord and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]’.^[32]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الرَّحِمَ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِالْعَرْشِ تَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ صِلْ مَنْ وَصَلَنِي وَ اقْطَعْ مَنْ قَطَعَنِي وَ هِيَ رَحِمُ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ رَحِمُ كُلِّ ذِي رَحِمٍ .

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moallah Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Washa, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying: ‘The kinship (of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww) would attach itself with the Throne saying, ‘O Allah^-azwj! Maintain with the one who maintained me and Cut off the one who cut me off, and it is the relationship with the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, and these are the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21] – and the relative is every one with the relationship’.^[33]

و عنه: عن محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن عثمان بن عيسى، عن سماعة بن مهران، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) قال: «و مما فرض الله عز و جل أيضا في المال من غير الزكاة، قوله عز و جل: الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ».

And from him, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Usman Bin Isa, from Sama’at Bin Mahran,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘And from what Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Obligated as well in the wealth from other than the Zakat, are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]’.^[34]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ وَ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ وَ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ قَالَ نَزَلَتْ فِي رَحِمِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ السَّلَامُ وَ قَدْ تَكُونُ فِي قَرَابَتِكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِمَّنْ يَقُولُ لِلشَّيْ‏ءِ إِنَّهُ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ وَاحِدٍ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hammad Bin Usman, and Hisham Bin Al Hakam, and Dorost Bin Abu Mansour, from Umar Bin Yazeed who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘It was Revealed regarding the kinship of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, and has come to be regarding your relatives’. Then he^-asws said: ‘Therefore, do not become from the ones who are saying for the thing, that it is regarding the one thing (i.e. only for your relatives)’.^[35]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ قَالَ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ فَلَمْ يَلْبَثْ أَنْ جَاءَ الْمَشْكُوُّ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) مَا لِفُلَانٍ يَشْكُوكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَشْكُونِي أَنِّي اسْتَقْضَيْتُ مِنْهُ  حَقِّي

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Ali, from Hammad Bin Usman who said,

‘A man came over to Abu Abdullah^-asws, so he complained about a man from his^-asws companions. It was not long before the one complained against, came over. So Abu Abdullah^-asws said to him: ‘What is the matter so and so is complaining against you?’ So he said to him^-asws, ‘He is complained about me that I collected my right from him’.

قَالَ فَجَلَسَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) مُغْضَباً ثُمَّ قَالَ كَأَنَّكَ إِذَا اسْتَقْضَيْتَ حَقَّكَ لَمْ تُسِئْ أَ رَأَيْتَ مَا حَكَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي كِتَابِهِ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ أَ تَرَى أَنَّهُمْ خَافُوا اللَّهَ أَنْ يَجُورَ عَلَيْهِمْ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا خَافُوا إِلَّا الِاسْتِقْضَاءَ فَسَمَّاهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ سُوءَ الْحِسَابِ فَمَنِ اسْتَقْضَى بِهِ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘So Abu Abdullah^-asws sat up in anger, then said: ‘It is as if when you collected your right, you did not offend! Do you not see what Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is Relating in His^-azwj Book: and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]. Do you not see they are fearing the evil Reckoning? Do you not see their fearing Allah^-azwj would be Inequitable (Unfair) upon them? No, by Allah^-azwj! They are not fearing except for the collection (of the debts), so Allah^-azwj has Named it as the evil Reckoning. So the one who collects by it so he has offended’.^[36]

عن الحسن بن موسى قال: روى أصحابنا أنه سئل أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول تعالى: وَ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ. قال: «هو صلة الامام في كل سنة بما قل أو كثر» ثم قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «و ما أريد بذلك إلا تزكيتكم».

From Al Hassan Bin Musa who said,

‘It has been reported from our companions who asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of the Exalted: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘It is the maintenance of good relations with the Imam^-asws during every year with little or more’. Then Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘And nothing is meant by that except for cleansing you all’.^[37]

عن هشام بن سالم، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام) في قوله: وَ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ قال: «تحسب عليهم السيئات، و لا تحسب لهم الحسنات».

From Hisham Bin Saalim,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding His^-azwj Words: and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘Their evil would be Counted against them, and their good deeds would not be Counted for them’.^[38]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ الْجَمَّالِ قَالَ وَقَعَ بَيْنَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) وَ بَيْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ كَلَامٌ حَتَّى وَقَعَتِ الضَّوْضَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَافْتَرَقَا عَشِيَّتَهُمَا بِذَلِكَ وَ غَدَوْتُ فِي حَاجَةٍ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَلَى بَابِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ يَا جَارِيَةُ قُولِي لِأَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ يَخْرُجُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Safwan Al Jammal who said,

‘There occurred (heated) words between Abu Abdullah^-asws and Abdullah Bin Al-Hassan and the clamour occurred between them, and the people gathered. So they both separated with their respective adherents due to that, and in the morning I went regarding the need, and there was Abu Abdullah^-asws at the door of Abdullah Bin Al-Hassan, and he^-asws was saying: ‘O maid! Tell Abu Muhammad to come out’.

قَالَ فَخَرَجَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ مَا بَكَّرَ بِكَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي تَلَوْتُ آيَةً مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْبَارِحَةَ فَأَقْلَقَتْنِي قَالَ وَ مَا هِيَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘So he came out as said, ‘O Abu Abdullah^-asws, what made you^-asws come so early?’ So he^-asws said: ‘I^-asws recited a Verse from the Book of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic yesterday so it worried me^-asws’. He said, ‘And what is it?’

قَالَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ فَقَالَ صَدَقْتَ لَكَأَنِّي لَمْ أَقْرَأْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ قَطُّ فَاعْتَنَقَا وَ بَكَيَا .

He^-asws said ‘The Words of Allah^-azwj, Majestic and Mighty is His^-azwj Mention: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining, and are in awe of their Lord and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]’. So he said, ‘You^-asws speak the truth. It is as if I never read this Verse from the Book of Allah^-azwj Majestic and Mighty at all’. So they both hugged and wept’.^[39]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ أَحْمَرَ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ جَمِيعاً عَنْ سَالِمَةَ مَوْلَاةِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَتْ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) حِينَ حَضَرَتْهُ الْوَفَاةُ فَأُغْمِيَ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَفَاقَ قَالَ أَعْطُوا الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ هُوَ الْأَفْطَسُ سَبْعِينَ دِينَاراً وَ أَعْطُوا فُلَاناً كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ فُلَاناً كَذَا وَ كَذَا

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Jameel Bin Salih, from Hisham Bin Ahmad and Ali Bn Ibrahim, from his father and Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazaan, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibrahim Bin Abdul Hameed altogether,

(It has been narrated) from Salima, a slave girl of Abu Abdullah^-asws who said, ‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdullah^-asws when death presented itself to him^-asws. So he^-asws fell unconscious, then woke up, said: ‘Give seventy Dinars to Al-Hassan son of Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, and he was Al-Aftas, and give so and so such and such, and to so and so such and such’.

فَقُلْتُ أَ تُعْطِي رَجُلًا حَمَلَ عَلَيْكَ بِالشَّفْرَةِ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكِ أَ مَا تَقْرَءِينَ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ أَ مَا سَمِعْتِ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ

I said, ‘You^-asws want to give a man who attacked you^-asws with a blade?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Woe be unto you! Have you not read the Quran?’ I said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws said: ‘Have you not heard the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining, and are in awe of their Lord and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]’.

قَالَ ابْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ حَمَلَ عَلَيْكَ بِالشَّفْرَةِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَقْتُلَكَ فَقَالَ أَ تُرِيدِينَ عَلَى أَنْ لَا أَكُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ وَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ وَ يَخافُونَ سُوءَ الْحِسابِ نَعَمْ يَا سَالِمَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ الْجَنَّةَ وَ طَيَّبَهَا وَ طَيَّبَ رِيحَهَا وَ إِنَّ رِيحَهَا لَتُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَلْفَيْ عَامٍ وَ لَا يَجِدُ رِيحَهَا عَاقٌّ وَ لَا قَاطِعُ رَحِمٍ .

Ibn Mahboub said in his Hadeeth – ‘One who attacked you with a blade intending to kill you^-asws?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Are you wanting that I^-asws should happen to be from the ones about whom Allah^-azwj Blessed and Exalted Said: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining, and are in awe of their Lord and are fearing the evil Reckoning [13:21]? Yes, O Salima! Allah^-azwj Created the Paradise and its perfume, and aromatised its aroma, and its aroma can be found (smelt) from a travel distance of two thousand years, and it would not be smelt by one disobedient to his parents (Aaq), and one who has cut-off relationships’.^[40]

عن عمر بن مريم، قال سألت أبا عبد الله (عليه السلام) عن قول الله: الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ. قال: «من ذلك، صلة الرحم، و غاية تأويلها صلتك إيانا».

From Umar Bin Maryam who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘From that is the maintenance with relationships, and the peak of its interpretation is your maintaining it with us^-asws’’.^[41]

ابن شهر آشوب: عن محمد بن الفضيل، عن موسى بن جعفر (عليهما السلام) في قوله تعالى: وَ الَّذِينَ يَصِلُونَ ما أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ يُوصَلَ، قال: «هي رحم آل محمد (عليهم السلام)».

Ibn Shehr Ashub, from Muhammad Bin Al Fazeyl,

‘From Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws regarding the Words of the Exalted: And those who are maintaining the relationships what Allah has Commanded with maintaining [13:21]. He^-asws said: ‘It is the kinship of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww’’.^[42]

ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ ع: أَ وَ تَدْرِي مَا هَذِهِ الرَّحِمُ- الَّتِي مَنْ وَصَلَهَا وَصَلَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ، وَ مَنْ قَطَعَهَا قَطَعَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ فَقِيلَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ: حَثَّ بِهَذَا كُلَّ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُكْرِمُوا أَقْرِبَاءَهُمْ‏  وَ يَصِلُوا أَرْحَامَهُمْ.

(Imam Hassan Al-Askari^-asws said): ‘Then Ali^-asws said: ‘Do you know what this Mercy is that whoever connects to it is connected to the Beneficent?’ They said: ‘O Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws! ‘Every community has been urged by this to honour their relatives and maintain good relations with them.’

فَقَالَ لَهُمْ: أَ يَحُثُّهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ يَصِلُوا أَرْحَامَهُمُ الْكَافِرِينَ، وَ أَنْ يُعَظِّمُوا مَنْ حَقَّرَهُ اللَّهُ، وَ أَوْجَبَ احْتِقَارَهُ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ قَالُوا: لَا-، وَ لَكِنَّهُ حَثَّهُمْ عَلَى صِلَةِ أَرْحَامِهِمُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. قَالَ: فَقَالَ: أَوْجَبَ حُقُوقَ أَرْحَامِهِمْ، لِاتِّصَالِهِمْ بِآبَائِهِمْ وَ أُمَّهَاتِهِمْ قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا أَخَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: فَهُمْ إِذَنْ إِنَّمَا يَقْضُونَ فِيهِمْ‏ حُقُوقَ الْآبَاءِ وَ الْأُمَّهَاتِ.

So he^-asws said to them: ‘Have any of them obligated to maintain good relations with the disbelievers, and respect the ones whom He^-azwj Has Belittled, and Enjoined the contempt of the disbelievers?’ They said: ‘No, but we have been urged to have good relations with the Momineen.’ He^-asws said: ‘Has He^-azwj not has Enjoined this due to their connection with their fathers and mothers?’ They said: Yes, O brother^-asws of the Rasool-Allah^-saww.’ He^-asws said: ‘Understand then, that by doing this they are making up the rights of their mothers and fathers.’

قُلْتُ: بَلَى يَا أَخَا رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص. قَالَ: فَآبَاؤُهُمْ وَ أُمَّهَاتُهُمْ- إِنَّمَا غَذَّوْهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا- وَ وَقَوْهُمْ مَكَارِهَهَا، وَ هِيَ نِعْمَةٌ زَائِلَةٌ، وَ مَكْرُوهٌ يَنْقَضِي، وَ رَسُولُ رَبِّهِمْ سَاقَهُمْ إِلَى نِعْمَةٍ دَائِمَةٍ لَا تَنْقَضِي، وَ وَقَاهُمْ مَكْرُوهاً مُؤَبَّداً لَا يَبِيدُ، فَأَيُّ النِّعْمَتَيْنِ أَعْظَمُ قُلْتُ: نِعْمَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص أَعْظَمُ وَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَكْبَرُ.

They said: ‘Yes O brother^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww.’ He^-asws said: ‘Their fathers and mothers provide them with sustenance in this world and prevent them from the abhorrent, and this is a declining bounty, while the Rasool-Allah^-saww gave them everlasting bounties and saved them from eternal difficulties, so which is a greater bounty?’.  I said, ‘The bounty of the Rasool-Allah^-saww is greater and larger.’

قَالَ: فَكَيْفَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَحُثَّ عَلَى قَضَاءِ حَقِّ- مَنْ صَغَّرَ [اللَّهُ‏] حَقَّهُ، وَ لَا يَحُثَّ عَلَى قَضَاءِ حَقِّ مَنْ كَبَّرَ [اللَّهُ‏] حَقَّهُ قُلْتُ: لَا يَجُوزُ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: فَإِذاً حَقُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص أَعْظَمُ مِنْ حَقِّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ، وَ حَقُّ رَحِمِهِ أَيْضاً أَعْظَمُ مِنْ حَقِّ رَحِمِهِمَا، فَرَحِمُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص‏ أَوْلَى بِالصِّلَةِ، وَ أَعْظَمُ فِي الْقَطِيعَةِ.

He^-asws said: ‘How can it be that He^-azwj should Urge the fulfilment of a smaller right and does not Urge the fulfilment of a greater right? That is not possible. The right of the Rasool Allah^-saww is greater than the right of the parents and the right of his^-saww relatives also is greater than the right of their own relatives. So, the maintenance of relations with the relatives of the Rasool Allah^-saww is greater and more highly prohibited to be cut off.

فَالْوَيْلُ كُلُّ الْوَيْلِ لِمَنْ قَطَعَهَا، وَ الْوَيْلُ كُلُّ الْوَيْلِ لِمَنْ لَمْ يُعَظِّمْ حُرْمَتَهَا. أَ وَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ حُرْمَةَ رَحِمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص حُرْمَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ، وَ أَنَّ حُرْمَةَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ حُرْمَةُ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَعْظَمُ حَقّاً مِنْ كُلِّ مُنْعِمٍ سِوَاهُ، وَ أَنَّ كُلَّ مُنْعِمٍ سِوَاهُ إِنَّمَا أَنْعَمَ حَيْثُ قَيَّضَهُ لِذَلِكَ‏ رَبُّهُ، وَ وَفَّقَهُ لَهُ.

So woe and everyone’s woe be on the one who cuts it off, and woe upon woe be on the one does not respect his^-saww relatives. Do you not know that the sanctity of the relatives of the Rasool Allah^-saww is the sanctity of the Rasool Allah^-saww and that the sanctity of the Rasool Allah^-saww is the sanctity of Allah^-azwj? Surely, Allah^-azwj’s Right is greater than all, even from all the Bounties of His^-azwj, and every bounty apart from it. But rather, He^-azwj Chooses where it is destined to be for He^-azwj is it’s Lord^-azwj, and that Bounty is compatible with him’’.

أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ مَا قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى لِمُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ قُلْتُ: بِأَبِي أَنْتَ وَ أُمِّي مَا الَّذِي قَالَ لَهُ‏ قَالَ ع: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: يَا مُوسَى أَ تَدْرِي مَا بَلَغَتْ بِرَحْمَتِي‏ إِيَّاكَ فَقَالَ مُوسَى: أَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ بِي مِنْ أَبِي وَ أُمِّي.

Do you not know what Allah^-azwj Said to Musa^-as Bin Imran^-as?’ I said, ‘May my father and mother be sacrificed for you^-asws, what was it that He^-azwj Said to him^-as?’ He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj the High Said: ‘O Musa^-as! Do you know what has reached to you^-as of My^-azwj Mercy?’ Musa^-as said: ‘You^-azwj are more Merciful to me^-as than my father and mother.’

قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: يَا مُوسَى وَ إِنَّمَا رَحِمَتْكَ أُمُّكَ لِفَضْلِ رَحْمَتِي، فَأَنَا الَّذِي رَقَّقْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ، وَ طَيَّبْتُ قَلْبَهَا لِتَتْرُكَ طَيِّبَ وَسَنِهَا لِتَرْبِيَتِكَ، وَ لَوْ لَمْ أَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ بِهَا لَكَانَتْ هِيَ وَ سَائِرُ النِّسَاءِ سَوَاءً.

Allah^-azwj the High Said: ‘O Musa^-as! But rather, the mercy of your mother to you^-as was a Grace of My^-azwj Mercy, and it was I^-azwj Who inclined her towards you^-as, and Refined her heart to avoid her rest for your upbringing, and if I^-azwj had not Done that with her, then she would have been to you like any other woman’’.^[43]

Covenant from Prophets^-as:

وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنْكَ وَمِنْ نُوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُمْ مِيثَاقًا غَلِيظًا {7}

And when We Took from the Prophets, their Covenants, and from you, and from Noah and Ibrahim and Musa and Isa son of Maryam, and We Took from them a Solemn Covenant [33:7]

علي بن إبراهيم، قال: حدثني أبي، عن النضر بن سويد، عن يحيى الحلبي، عن ابن سنان، قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «أول من سبق إلى الميثاق رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، و ذلك أنه كان أقرب الخلق إلى الله تبارك و تعالى، و كان بالمكان الذي قال له جبرئيل لما أسري به إلى السماء: تقدم- يا محمد- فقد وطئت موطئا لم يطأه ملك مقرب، و لا نبي مرسل، و لولا أن روحه و نفسه كانت من ذلك المكان لما قدر أن يبلغه، فكان من الله عز و جل كما قال الله تعالى: قابَ قَوْسَيْنِ أَوْ أَدْنى، أي بل أدنى، فلما خرج الأمر، وقع من الله إلى‏ أوليائه (عليهم السلام)».

Ali Bin Ibrahim said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Al-Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Yahya Al-Halby, from Ibn Sinan who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘The first one who preceded to the Covenant was Rasool-Allah^-saww, and that he^-saww was the closest of the creatures to Allah^-azwj Blessed and High, and the station at which Jibraeel^-as said to him^-saww, when he^-as ascended with him^-saww to the sky: ‘Go ahead – O Muhammad^-saww – for you^-saww have entered into a foothold where no Angel of Proximity has treaded upon, nor a ‘Mursil’ Prophet^-as’, and that his^-saww spirit and his^-saww self were from that station in accordance to where he^-saww reached. So he^-saww was from Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic like what Allah^-azwj the High Said So he was the measure of two bows or even closer [53:9], yes, but he^-saww was even closer. So when the Command came out, it occurred to His^-azwj Guardians^-asws’.

فقال الصادق (عليه السلام): «كان الميثاق مأخوذا عليهم لله بالربوبية، و لرسوله بالنبوة، و لأمير المؤمنين و الأئمة بالإمامة، فقال: أ لست بربكم، و محمد نبيكم، و علي إمامكم، و الأئمة الهادون أئمتكم؟ فقالوا: بلى، شهدنا. فقال الله تعالى: أن تقولوا يوم القيامة- أي لئلا تقولوا يوم القيامة- إنا كنا عن هذا غافلين.

Al-Sadiq^-asws said: ‘The Covenant was Taken from them in regard to the Lordship of Allah^-azwj, and the Prophet-hood of His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, and with the Imamate of Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws and the Imams^-asws, so He^-azwj Said: ‘‘Am I^-azwj not your Lord^-azwj, and Muhammad^-saww your Prophet^-saww, and Ali^-asws your Imam^-asws, and the Imams^-asws of Guidance your Imams^-asws?’‘ So they said, ‘Yes, we do bear witness’. So Allah^-azwj the High Said: ‘‘If you say on the Day of Judgement’‘ – i.e., perhaps you would be saying on the Day of Judgement – ‘‘We were unaware of this!’

فأول ما أخذ الله عز و جل الميثاق على الأنبياء له بالربوبية، و هو قوله: وَ إِذْ أَخَذْنا مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثاقَهُمْ، فذكر جملة الأنبياء، ثم أبرز عز و جل أفضلهم بالأسامي، فقال: وَ مِنْكَ يا محمد، فقدم رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) لأنه أفضلهم وَ مِنْ نُوحٍ وَ إِبْراهِيمَ وَ مُوسى وَ عِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ فهؤلاء الخمسة أفضل الأنبياء، و رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) أفضلهم،

So the first of what Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Took the Covenant upon the Prophets^-as was for His^-azwj Lordship, and these are His^-azwj Words: And when We Took from the Prophets, their Covenants [33:7], so He^-azwj Mentioned the totality of all the Prophets^-as. Then the Mighty and Majestic the best of them, so He^-azwj Said: and from you, O Muhammad^-saww. Thus, Rasool-Allah^-saww preceded because he^-saww was the best of them, and from Noah and Ibrahim and Musa and Isa son of Maryam. So these five are the superior Prophets^-as, and Rasool-Allah^-saww is the most superior of them^-as.

ثم أخذ بعد ذلك ميثاق رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) على الأنبياء بالإيمان به، و على أن ينصروا أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، فقال: وَ إِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَما آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتابٍ وَ حِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِما مَعَكُمْ  يعني رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَ لَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ يعني أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، تخبروا أممكم بخبره، و خبر وليه من الأئمة (عليهم السلام)».

Then, after that, Rasool-Allah^-saww took a Covenant upon the Prophets^-as by the belief in him^-saww, and upon that they would be helping Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws, so He^-azwj Said And when Allah Took a Covenant of the Prophets: “When I have Given you from a Book and Wisdom – then a Rasool comes to you verifying to what is with you, you must believe in him – Meaning Rasool-Allah^-saww, you must believe in him and you must help him” [3:81] – Meaning his^-saww successor^-asws Amir-Al-Momineen^-asws, so inform your communities of his^-asws news, and the news of his^-asws successors^-asws from the Imams^-asws’.

ثم أخذ بعد ذلك ميثاق رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) على الأنبياء بالإيمان به، و على أن ينصروا أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، فقال: وَ إِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثاقَ النَّبِيِّينَ لَما آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنْ كِتابٍ وَ حِكْمَةٍ ثُمَّ جاءَكُمْ رَسُولٌ مُصَدِّقٌ لِما مَعَكُمْ يعني رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) لَتُؤْمِنُنَّ بِهِ وَ لَتَنْصُرُنَّهُ يعني أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام)، تخبروا أممكم بخبره، و خبر وليه من الأئمة (عليهم السلام)».

Then, after that, He^-azwj Took the Covenant of Rasool-Allah^-saww upon the Prophets^-as with the Eman in him^-saww, and upon a stipulation that they^-as would help him^-saww and Amir Al Momineen^-asws, so He^-azwj Said: ‘And when Allah Took a Covenant of the Prophets: “When I have Given you from a Book and Wisdom – then a Rasool comes to you verifying to what is with you – meaning Rasool-Allah^-saww, you must believe in him, and you must help him” [3:81] – meaning Amir Al Momineen^-asws, (i.e.) you^-as will be informing your^-as respective communities of his^-saww news and the news of his^-saww successor^-asws from the Imams^-asws’’.^[44]

Appendix III: Sufferings of a Momin in the World:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا أَفْلَتَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مِنْ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ ثَلَاثٍ وَ لَرُبَّمَا اجْتَمَعَتِ الثَّلَاثُ عَلَيْهِ إِمَّا بُغْضُ مَنْ يَكُونُ مَعَهُ فِي الدَّارِ يُغْلِقُ عَلَيْهِ بَابَهُ يُؤْذِيهِ أَوْ جَارٌ يُؤْذِيهِ أَوْ مَنْ فِي طَرِيقِهِ إِلَى حَوَائِجِهِ يُؤْذِيهِ وَ لَوْ أَنَّ مُؤْمِناً عَلَى قُلَّةِ جَبَلٍ لَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ شَيْطَاناً يُؤْذِيهِ وَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ إِيمَانِهِ أُنْساً لَا يَسْتَوْحِشُ مَعَهُ إِلَى أَحَدٍ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from usman Bin Isa, from Ibn Muskan,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘No Momin would escape from one of the three, and perhaps all three would be gathered upon him – either the hatred of the one who happens to be with him in the house, closing the door upon him, bothering him; or a neighbour who would bother him; or the one in his way to his needs, would trouble him. And if a Momin were to be at the top of a mountain, Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic would Send a Satan^-la to him who would harm him, and Allah^-azwj would Make his Emān to be a comfort for him, he would not yearn for anyone with it’.[45]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ أَرْبَعٌ لَا يَخْلُو مِنْهُنَّ الْمُؤْمِنُ أَوْ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ مُؤْمِنٌ يَحْسُدُهُ وَ هُوَ أَشَدُّهُنَّ عَلَيْهِ وَ مُنَافِقٌ يَقْفُو أَثَرَهُ أَوْ عَدُوٌّ يُجَاهِدُهُ أَوْ شَيْطَانٌ يُغْوِيهِ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Dawood Bin Sirhan who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘Four (matters), the Believer would not be devoid of, or one of these – a Momin who would envy him, and it is the most difficult of these upon him; and a hypocrite removing his traces, or an enemy fighting against him, or a Satan^-la tempting him’.[46]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ وَلِيَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا غَرَضاً لِعَدُوِّهِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Sinan, from Ammar Bin Marwan, from Sama’at Bin Mihran,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Sent His^-azwj friend into the world to endure His^-azwj enemy’s (opposition).[47]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَجْلَانَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فَشَكَا إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ الْحَاجَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ اصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ سَيَجْعَلُ لَكَ فَرَجاً

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Usman Bin Isa, from Muhammad Bin Ajlan who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdullah^-asws, and a man complained to him^-asws of his needs. So he^-asws said to him: ‘Be patient, from Allah^-azwj would soon Make a relief to be for you’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ سَكَتَ سَاعَةً ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى الرَّجُلِ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ سِجْنِ الْكُوفَةِ كَيْفَ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ ضَيِّقٌ مُنْتِنٌ وَ أَهْلُهُ بِأَسْوَإِ حَالٍ قَالَ فَإِنَّمَا أَنْتَ فِي السِّجْنِ فَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ فِيهِ فِي سَعَةٍ أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws remained silent for a while, then turned towards the man and he^-asws said: ‘Inform me about the prison of Al-Kufa, how is it?’ So he said, ‘May Allah^-azwj Keep you^-asws well! Narrow, smelly, and its inhabitants are in an evil state’. He^-asws said: ‘So rather, you are in the prison, and you are wanting that you happen to be capacious in it? Do you not know that the world is a prison for the Momin?’[48]

عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ صَغِيرٍ عَنْ جَدِّهِ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَأَيُّ سِجْنٍ جَاءَ مِنْهُ خَيْرٌ .

From him, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Ibrahim Al Haza’a, from Muhammad Bin Sagheer, from his grandfather Shuayb who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘The world is a prison for the Momin, so which prison is it that any good came from it?’.[49]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ أَبِي يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُكَفَّرٌ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hajjal, from Dawood Bin Abu Yazeed,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Momin is unappreciated’.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ مَعْرُوفَهُ يَصْعَدُ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَلَا يُنْشَرُ فِي النَّاسِ وَ الْكَافِرُ مَشْكُورٌ .

And in another report, ‘(He^-asws said): ‘And that is because his good deeds ascend to Allah^-azwj, therefore he is not publicised among the people, and the disbeliever is appreciated’.[50]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ وَكَّلَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَرْبَعَةً شَيْطَاناً يُغْوِيهِ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ وَ كَافِراً يَغْتَالُهُ وَ مُؤْمِناً يَحْسُدُهُ وَ هُوَ أَشَدُّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ مُنَافِقاً يَتَتَبَّعُ عَثَرَاتِهِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Abdullah Bin Sinan,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘There is none from a Momin except that Allah^-azwj has Allocated four Satans^-la with him, tempting him, intending to stray him; and a disbeliever fighting him, and a Momin envying him – and it is the most difficult upon him, and a hypocrite pursuing his tracks’.[51]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِذَا مَاتَ الْمُؤْمِنُ خَلَّى عَلَى جِيرَانِهِ مِنَ الشَّيَاطِينِ عَدَدَ رَبِيعَةَ وَ مُضَرَ كَانُوا مُشْتَغِلِينَ بِهِ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws, said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying: ‘When the Momin dies, the Satans^-la of the number of the (tribes of) Rabi’e and Muzar are freed to be upon his neighbours, who used to be pre-occupied with him’.[52]

سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا كَانَ وَ لَا يَكُونُ وَ لَيْسَ بِكَائِنٍ مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ جَارٌ يُؤْذِيهِ وَ لَوْ أَنَّ مُؤْمِناً فِي جَزِيرَةٍ مِنْ جَزَائِرِ الْبَحْرِ لَابْتَعَثَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مَنْ يُؤْذِيهِ .

Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Yahya Bin Al Mubarak, from Abdullah Bin Jabala, from Is’haq Bin Ammar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Neither has there ever been, nor will there ever be, and there is no Momin existing except that there is a neighbour for him harming him; and if a Momin were to be in an island from the islands of the sea, Allah^-azwj would Send someone (there) who would trouble him’.[53]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا كَانَ فِيمَا مَضَى وَ لَا فِيمَا بَقِيَ وَ لَا فِيمَا أَنْتُمْ فِيهِ مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ جَارٌ يُؤْذِيهِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Abu Ayoub, from Is’haq Bin Ammar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘It has not been in the past, nor in what remains (of the future), nor in (the time) what you are in, any Momin except that there is a neighbour for him troubling him’.[54]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ مَا كَانَ وَ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَى أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّاعَةُ مُؤْمِنٌ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ جَارٌ يُؤْذِيهِ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Muawiya Bin Ammar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying: ‘There has never happened to be, nor will there happen to be up to the Establishment of the Hour any Momin, except that there would be a neighbour for him troubling him’.[55]

 

[1] Quran, Chapter 5, Verse 67

[2] Man kun to Mola ho fa Haza Ali-un-Mola

[3] تفسير القمّي 1: 246

[4] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 4

[5] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 53

[6] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 74

[7] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 89

[8] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 109 H 9

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

[10] Al Kafi – V 6 – The Book of Aqeeqa Ch 6 H 7

[11] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 102 H 3

[12] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 5 H 1

[13] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 104 H 1

[14] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 104 H 2

[15] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 104 H 3

[16] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 1

[17] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 2

[18] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 162 H 2

[19] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 3 H 2

[20] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Merits of the Quran CH 5 H 1

[21] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 1 H 1

[22] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 1 H 2

[23] مجمع البيان 3: 260

[24] تفسير القمّي 1: 363

[25] Al Kafi – H 2454 (Extract)

[26] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 163 H 7

[27] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 165 H 21

[28] More Ahadith are presented on Raj’a in a separate article at www.hubeali.com

[29] Bihar ul Anwar, Vol. 53, Chapter 29, H. 149

[30] تفسير القمّي 1: 363

[31] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 68 H 27

[32] Kitab Al Zohad – Ch 5 H 99

[33] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 68 H 7

[34] الكافي 3: 498/ 8.

[35] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 68 H 28

[36] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Subsistence Ch 25 H 1

[37] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 209/ 34.

[38] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 210/ 39.

[39] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 68 H 23

[40] Al Kafi – V 7 The Book of Bequests Ch 35 H 10

[41] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 208/ 30.

[42] المناقب 2: 168.

[43] Tafseer Imam Hassan Al Askari^asws – S 12

[44] تفسير القمّي 1: 246

[45] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 3

[46] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 4

[47] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 5

[48] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 6

[49] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 7

[50] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 8

[51] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 9

[52] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 10

[53] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 11

[54] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 12

[55] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 105 H 13