Summary:

One cannot guess the intention of someone doing ‘Sajdah’ and should not suspect that his Sajdah was like that of an idol worshiper, as we will learn from the Ahadith that Sajdah of respect and thanks has been performed in front of Masomeen^-asws and/or performed by them^‑asws in the markets thanking Allah^-azwj. Also putting the right and left cheeks on the ground in reverence to Allah^-azwj, e.g.,

The fifth Imam^-asws says that Allah^-azwj Revealed to Prophet Musa^-as: “Do you^-as know why I^-azwj Chose you^-as for My^-azwj Speech rather than My^-azwj other creatures? Prophet Musa^-as said: ‘No, O Lord^-azwj!’

قَالَ لَمْ أَجِدْ أَحَداً أَذَلَّ نَفْساً مِنْكَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّكَ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ وَضَعْتَ خَدَّيْكَ عَلَى التُّرَابِ‏.

Allah^-azwj Said: “I^-azwj did not Find anyone of a humbler soul than you^-as, O Musa^-as! When you^-as pray, you^-as place your^-as cheek upon the soil!^[1]

We also find in Ahadith, devotees of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws performed Sajdah of respect towards them^-asws, which is again in the reverence to Allah^-azwj.

The visitors of the Holy Shrines are instructed in Ahadith to face the Holy Grave in the direction of the Kabah and offer Salat, and do not stand in front of the grave nor parallel to it, but behind the Holy Grave when offering Salat.

Introduction:

In a lengthy Hadith (complete Hadith is given in Appendix I), Imam Ali^-asws Ibn Hussain^-asws said:

يَا جَابِرُ مَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى بِهَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتَ التَّوْحِيدَ لِأَنَّ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةَ مُوَافِقَةٌ لِمَا فِي الْكِتَابِ الْمُنْزَلِ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى‏ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ‏ وَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى‏ لا يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْئَلُونَ‏

O Jabir! One who recognises Allah^-azwj the Exalted by this description, so he has affirmed the Tawheed, because this description is in accordance to what is in the Revealed Book, and that is the Word of the Exalted: Visions cannot comprehend Him, and He Comprehends the visions; and He is the Knower of the subtleties, the Aware [6:103] There isn’t anything like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing [42:11]. And Words of the Exalted: He cannot be questioned about what He Does, but they would be Questioned [21:23].

قَالَ جَابِرٌ يَا سَيِّدِي مَا أَقَلَّ أَصْحَابِي قَالَ ع هَيْهَاتَ هَيْهَاتَ أَ تَدْرِي كَمْ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ قُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ فِي كُلِّ بَلْدَةٍ مَا بَيْنَ الْمِائَةِ إِلَى الْمِائَتَيْنِ وَ فِي كُلِّ مَا بَيْنَ الْأَلْفِ إِلَى الْأَلْفَيْنِ‏ بَلْ كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ فِي أَطْرَافِ الْأَرْضِ وَ نَوَاحِيهِ

Jabir said, ‘O my Chief! How few are my companions’. Far be it! Far be it! Do you know how many of your companions there are upon the surface of the earth?’ I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! I guess in every city, there are between one hundred to two hundred, and in all there are what is between the thousand and two thousand, but I used to think there are more than one hundred thousand in the outskirts of the earth and its areas’.

قَالَ ع يَا جَابِرُ خَالِفْ ظَنَّكَ وَ قَصِّرْ رَأْيَكَ أُولَئِكَ الْمُقَصِّرُونَ وَ لَيْسُوا لَكَ بِأَصْحَابٍ قُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ مَنِ الْمُقَصِّرُ قَالَ الَّذِينَ قَصَّرُوا فِي مَعْرِفَةِ الْأَئِمَّةِ وَ عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ مَا فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَ رُوحِهِ

He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Oppose your guess and shorten your view. They are the reducers and aren’t companions of yours’. I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! And who is the reducer?’ He^-asws said: ‘Those who are deficient in recognition of the Imams^-asws and from recognising what Allah^-azwj has Obligated upon them^-asws from His^-azwj Command and His^-azwj Spirit’.

قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي وَ مَا مَعْرِفَةُ رُوحِهِ قَالَ ع أَنْ يُعْرَفَ كُلُّ مَنْ خَصَّهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِالرُّوحِ فَقَدْ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْهِ أَمْرَهُ يَخْلُقُ بِإِذْنِهِ‏ وَ يُحْيِي بِإِذْنِهِ وَ يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْرَ مَا فِي الضَّمَائِرِ وَ يَعْلَمُ مَا كَانَ وَ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ هَذَا الرُّوحَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى

I said, ‘O my Chief! And what is recognition of His^-azwj Spirit?’ He^-asws said: ‘That one recognises every one whom Allah^-azwj the Exalted has Specialised with the Spirit, for Allah^-azwj has Delegated His^-azwj Command to him^-asws. He^-asws creates by his Permission, and revives by His^-azwj Permission, and he^-asws knows the hidden of what is in the consciences, and he^-asws knows what has happened and what will be happening up to the Day of Qiyamah, and that is because this Spirit is from the Commands of Allah^-azwj the Exalted.

فَمَنْ خَصَّهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِهَذَا الرُّوحِ فَهَذَا كَامِلٌ غَيْرُ نَاقِصٍ يَفْعَلُ مَا يَشَاءُ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ يَسِيرُ مِنَ الْمَشْرِقِ إِلَى الْمَغْرِبِ فِي لَحْظَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ يَعْرُجُ بِهِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ يَنْزِلُ بِهِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ يَفْعَلُ مَا شَاءَ وَ أَرَادَ

The one whom Allah^-azwj the Exalted Specialises with this Spirit, so this one is perfect, not deficient. He^-asws does whatever he^-asws desires by the Permission of Allah^-azwj. He^-asws travels from the east to the west in one moment. He^-asws ascends to the sky by it and descends by it to the earth, and he^-asws does whatever he^-asws so desires, and wants’.

قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي أَوْجِدْنِي بَيَانَ هَذَا الرُّوحِ مِنْ كِتَابِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ إِنَّهُ مِنْ أَمْرٍ خَصَّهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى بِمُحَمَّدٍ ص

I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! Find for me the explanation of this Spirit from the Book of Allah^-azwj the Exalted, and it is from a Command the Exalted Specialised Muhammad^-saww’.

قَالَ نَعَمِ اقْرَأْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ وَ كَذلِكَ أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا ما كُنْتَ تَدْرِي مَا الْكِتابُ وَ لَا الْإِيمانُ وَ لكِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً نَهْدِي بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى‏ أُولئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمانَ وَ أَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ

He^-asws said: ‘Yes. Recite this Verse: And like that We Sent down a Spirit unto you from Our Command. You (people) did not know what the Book was, nor the Eman, but We Made it a ‘Noor’ (Light) We Guide with one We so Desire from Our servants; [42:52]. Words of the Exalted: They, Allah has Written the Eman to be in their hearts and He Aids them with a Spirit from Him [58:22]’.

قُلْتُ فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ كَمَا فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي وَ وَفَّقْتَنِي عَلَى مَعْرِفَةِ الرُّوحِ وَ الْأَمْرِ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ فَأَكْثَرُ الشِّيعَةِ مُقَصِّرُونَ وَ أَنَا مَا أَعْرِفُ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي عَلَى هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ وَاحِداً

I said, ‘May Allah^-azwj Relieve from you^-asws just as you^-asws have relieved from me, and harmonised me upon the Spirit and the Command’. Then I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! May the Salawat of Allah^-azwj be upon you^-asws! Most of the Shias are reducing, and I do not recognise anyone from my companions to be upon this description’.

قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ مِنْهُمْ أَحَداً فَإِنِّي أَعْرَفُ مِنْهُمْ نَفَراً قَلَائِلَ يَأْتُونَ وَ يُسَلِّمُونَ وَ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنِّي سِرَّنَا وَ مَكْنُونَنَا وَ بَاطِنَ عُلُومِنَا

He^-asws said: ‘So if you do not recognise even one from them, so I^-asws do recognise a small number from them. They come and greet and learn from me^-asws (about) our^-asws secrets and our^-asws hidden and esoteric of our^-asws knowledge’.

قُلْتُ إِنَّ فُلَانَ بْنَ فُلَانٍ وَ أَصْحَابَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ الصِّفَةِ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَ ذَلِكَ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ مِنْهُمْ سِرّاً مِنْ أَسْرَارِكُمْ وَ بَاطِناً مِنْ عُلُومِكُمْ وَ لَا أَظُنُّ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ كَمَلُوا وَ بَلَغُوا قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ ادْعُهُمْ غَداً وَ أَحْضِرْهُمْ مَعَكَ

I said, ‘So and so, son of so and so and his companion are from the people of this description, Allah^-azwj Willing, and that is because I heard from them a secret from your^-asws secrets, and esoteric from your^-asws knowledge, and I do not think except and they have perfected and reached’. O Jabir! Invite them tomorrow and present them along with yourself’.

قَالَ فَأَحْضَرْتُهُمْ مِنَ الْغَدِ فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَى الْإِمَامِ ع وَ بَجَّلُوهُ وَ وَقَّرُوهُ وَ وَقَفُوا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ ع يَا جَابِرُ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ إِخْوَانُكَ وَ قَدْ بَقِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَقِيَّةٌ أَ تُقِرُّونَ أَيُّهَا النَّفَرُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى‏ يَفْعَلُ ما يَشاءُ وَ يَحْكُمُ ما يُرِيدُ وَ لا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ‏ وَ لَا رَادَّ لِقَضَائِهِ وَ لا يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْئَلُونَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I presented them the next morning. They greeted unto the Imam^-asws, and honoured him^-asws and revered him^-asws and stood in front of him^-asws. He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! But, they are your brothers, there remains a remainder upon them. O you number! Are you reciting that Allah^-azwj the Exalted: and Allah does whatsoever He so Desires to [14:27] And Allah Judges, there is no Postponement of His Judgment, [13:41], nor any repeller to His^-azwj Judgment, He cannot be questioned about what He Does, and they would be Questioned [21:23].

قَالُوا نَعَمْ‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ ما يَشاءُ وَ يَحْكُمُ ما يُرِيدُ قُلْتُ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ قَدِ اسْتَبْصَرُوا وَ عَرَفُوا وَ بَلَغُوا

They said, ‘Yes, Allah^-azwj Does whatever He^-azwj Desires and Judges whatever He^-azwj Wants’. I said, ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj! They are insightful and recognising and reached’.

قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ لَا تَعْجَلْ بِمَا لَا تَعْلَمُ فَبَقِيتُ مُتَحَيِّراً فَقَالَ ع سَلْهُمْ هَلْ يَقْدِرُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ أَنْ يَصِيرَ صُورَةَ ابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ

He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Do not be hasty with what you don’t know’. So, I remained confused. Ask them, is Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws is able upon becoming in the image of his^-asws son^-asws Muhammad^-asws?’

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَسَأَلْتُهُمْ فَأَمْسَكُوا وَ سَكَتُوا قَالَ ع يَا جَابِرُ سَلْهُمْ هَلْ يَقْدِرُ مُحَمَّدٌ أَنْ يَصِيرَ بِصُورَتِي قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَسَأَلْتُهُمْ فَأَمْسَكُوا وَ سَكَتُوا

Jabir said, ‘I asked them. They withheld and were silent. He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Ask them, ‘Muhammad^-asws is able upon becoming with my^-asws image?’ I asked them and they withheld and were silent.

‏ قَالَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ وَ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ هَذَا مَا أَخْبَرْتُكَ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ بَقِيَ عَلَيْهِمُ بَقِيَّةٌ فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ مَا لَكُمْ مَا تُجِيبُونَ إِمَامَكُمْ فَسَكَتُوا وَ شَكَوْا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ هَذَا مَا أَخْبَرْتُكَ بِهِ قَدْ بَقِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ بَقِيَّةٌ

He (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws looked at me^-asws and said: ‘O Jabir! This is what I^-asws informed you. They, a remainder still remains upon them’. I said to them, ‘What is the matter with you all not answering your Imam^-asws?’ They were silent and doubted. He^-asws looked at them and said: ‘O Jabir! This is what I^-asws informed you with. There has remained a remainder upon them’.

وَ قَالَ الْبَاقِرُ ع مَا لَكُمْ لَا تَنْطِقُونَ فَنَظَرَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ قَالُوا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لَا عِلْمَ لَنَا فَعَلِّمْنَا

And Al-Baqir^-asws said: ‘What is the matter with you all not speaking?’ They looked at each other asking, they said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! There is no knowledge for us, so teach us’.

قَالَ فَنَظَرَ الْإِمَامُ سَيِّدُ الْعَابِدِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع إِلَى ابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَاقِرِ ع وَ قَالَ لَهُمْ مَنْ هَذَا قَالُوا ابْنُكَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ مَنْ أَنَا قَالَ أَبُوهُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘The Imam^-asws, Chief of the worshippers, Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws looked at his^-asws son^-asws Muhammad Al-Baqir^-asws and said to them: ‘Who is this one?’ They said, ‘Your^-asws son^-asws’. He^-asws said to them: ‘Who am I^-asws?’ They said, ‘His^-asws father Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws’.

قَالَ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِكَلَامٍ لَمْ نَفْهَمْ فَإِذَا مُحَمَّدٌ بِصُورَةِ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ إِذَا عَلِيٌّ بِصُورَةِ ابْنِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالُوا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws spoke with a speech we did not understand, and there, Muhammad^-asws was in the image of his^-asws father Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, and there Ali^-asws was in the image of his^-asws son^-asws Muhammad^-asws. They said, ‘There is no god except Allah^-azwj!’

فَقَالَ الْإِمَامُ ع- لَا تَعْجَبُوا مِنْ قُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ أَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَنَا وَ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ يَا قَوْمُ لَا تَعْجَبُوا مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ أَنَا عَلِيٌّ وَ عَلِيٌّ أَنَا وَ كُلُّنَا وَاحِدٌ مِنْ نُورٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ رُوحُنَا مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَ أَوْسَطُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَ آخِرُنَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَ كُلُّنَا مُحَمَّدٌ

The Imam^-asws said: ‘Do not be astounded from the Power of Allah^-azwj. I^-asws am Muhammad^‑saww and Muhammad^-asws is me^-asws’. And Muhammad^-asws said: ‘O people! Do not be astounded from the Command of Allah^-azwj. I^-asws am Ali^-asws and Ali^-asws is me^-asws, we^-asws are all one from one Noor, and our^-asws souls are from Commands of Allah^-azwj. The first of us^-asws is Muhammad^-saww, and our^-asws middle one is Muhammad^-asws, and our^-asws last one is Muhammad^-asws, and all of us^-asws are Muhammad^-saww’.

قَالَ فَلَمَّا سَمِعُوا ذَلِكَ خَرُّوا لِوُجُوهِهِمْ سُجَّداً وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِوَلَايَتِكُمْ وَ بِسِرِّكُمْ وَ بِعَلَانِيَتِكُمْ وَ أَقْرَرْنَا بِخَصَائِصِكُمْ

He (the narrator) said, ‘When they heard that, they fell down to their faces in Sajdah, and they were saying, ‘We believe in your^-asws Wilayah, and your^-asws secrets, and your^-asws announcements, and we acknowledge your^-asws specialisations’.

فَقَالَ الْإِمَامُ زَيْنُ الْعَابِدِينَ يَا قَوْمُ ارْفَعُوا رُءُوسَكُمْ فَأَنْتُمُ الْآنَ الْعَارِفُونَ الْفَائِزُونَ الْمُسْتَبْصِرُونَ وَ أَنْتُمُ الْكَامِلُونَ الْبَالِغُونَ اللَّهَ اللَّهَ لَا تُطْلِعُوا أَحَداً مِنَ الْمُقَصِّرِينَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ عَلَى مَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنِّي وَ مِنْ مُحَمَّدٍ فَيُشَنِّعُوا عَلَيْكُمْ وَ يُكَذِّبُوكُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنا وَ أَطَعْنا قَالَ ع فَانْصَرِفُوا رَاشِدِينَ كَامِلِينَ فَانْصَرَفُوا

The Imam^-asws, adornment of the worshippers, said: ‘O people! Raise your heads, for now you are recognisers, the insightful, and you are perfected, reached. Allah^-azwj, Allah^-azwj! Do not notify anyone from the reducers, the weak ones, upon what you have seen from me^-asws, and from Muhammad^-asws, for they would be disgraceful upon you and belie you’. They said, ‘We hear and we obey’. He^-asws said: ‘So leave being rightly guided, perfected’. They left.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ قُلْتُ سَيِّدِي وَ كُلُّ مَنْ لَا يَعْرِفُ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ عَلَى الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي صَنَعْتَهُ وَ بَيَّنْتَهُ إِلَّا أَنَّ عِنْدَهُ مَحَبَّةً وَ يَقُولُ بِفَضْلِكُمْ وَ يَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكُمْ مَا يَكُونُ حَالُهُ

Jabir says, ‘I said, ‘My Chief! And everyone who does not recognise this matter upon the aspect which you^-asws did and explained, except that with him is love, and he speaks with your^-asws merits and disavows from your^-asws enemies, what would be his state?’

قَالَ ع يَكُونُ فِي خَيْرٍ إِلَى أَنْ يَبْلُغُوا قَالَ جَابِرٌ قُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ هَلْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ شَيْ‏ءٌ يُقَصِّرُهُمْ قَالَ ع نَعَمْ إِذَا قَصَّرُوا فِي حُقُوقِ إِخْوَانِهِمْ وَ لَمْ يُشَارِكُوهُمْ فِي أَمْوَالِهِمْ وَ فِي سِرِّ أُمُورِهِمْ وَ عَلَانِيَتِهِمْ‏ وَ اسْتَبَدُّوا بِحُطَامِ الدُّنْيَا دُونَهُمْ

He^-asws said: ‘He would happen to be in good until he reaches (this point)’. Jabir said, ‘I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Is there anything after that they would be deficient?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes, when they are deficient regarding the rights of their brethren and do not participate them in their wealth, and in the secrets of their affairs and their public (affairs), and be enslaved with the debris of the world besides them.

فَهُنَالِكَ يُسْلَبُ الْمَعْرُوفُ وَ يُسْلَخُ مِنْ دُونِهِ سَلْخاً وَ يُصِيبُهُ مِنْ آفَاتِ هَذِهِ الدُّنْيَا وَ بَلَائِهَا مَا لَا يُطِيقُهُ وَ لَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مِنَ الْأَوْجَاعِ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَ ذَهَابِ مَالِهِ وَ تَشَتُّتِ شَمْلِهِ لِمَا قَصَّرَ فِي بِرِّ إِخْوَانِهِ

So, over there, the good is confiscated, and he is stripped off from besides it with a stripping, and is hit from the afflictions of this world and its scourges what he cannot tolerate nor bear it, of the pains within himself, and the loss of his wealth, and dispersion of his family due to what he had been deficient in the righteousness of his brethren’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَاغْتَمَمْتُ وَ اللَّهِ غَمّاً شَدِيداً وَ قُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا حَقُّ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ

Jabir said, ‘So I was gloomy, by Allah^-azwj, with severe gloom, and I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is a right of the Momin upon his Momin brother?’

قَالَ ع يَفْرَحُ لِفَرَحِهِ إِذَا فَرَحَ وَ يَحْزَنُ لِحُزْنِهِ إِذَا حَزِنَ وَ يُنْفِذُ أُمُورَهُ كُلَّهَا فَيُحَصِّلُهَا وَ لَا يَغْتَمُّ لِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ حُطَامِ الدُّنْيَا الْفَانِيَةِ إِلَّا وَاسَاهُ حَتَّى يَجْرِيَانِ فِي الْخَيْرِ وَ الشَّرِّ فِي قَرْنٍ وَاحِدٍ

He^-asws said: ‘He is happy to his happiness when he is happy, and grieves to his grief when he grieves, and he implements his affairs, all of it, and attains it, and he is not distressed to anything from the debris of the perishable world until he equalises him and they both flow in the good and the evil as one unit’.

قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي فَكَيْفَ أَوْجَبَ اللَّهُ كُلَّ هَذَا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ

I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! How come Allah^-azwj Obligated all this for the Momin upon his Momin brother?’

قَالَ ع لِأَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ أَخُو الْمُؤْمِنِ لِأَبِيهِ وَ أُمِّهِ عَلَى هَذَا الْأَمْرِ لَا يَكُونُ أَخَاهُ وَ هُوَ أَحَقُّ بِمَا يَمْلِكُهُ

He^-asws said: ‘Because the Momin is a brother of the Momin of his brother and his mother upon this matter. He does not happen to be his (biological) brother, and he is more rightful with whatever he owns’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَالَ ع مَنْ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَقْرَعَ أَبْوَابَ الْجِنَانِ وَ يُعَانِقَ الْحُورَ الْحِسَانَ وَ يَجْتَمِعَ مَعَنَا فِي دَارِ السَّلَامِ

Jabir said, ‘Glory be to Allah^-azwj! And who is able upon that?’ He^-asws said: ‘One who wants to knock on the doors of the Gardens, and hug the beautiful Houries, and be gathered with us^-asws in the House of Peace’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَقُلْتُ هَلَكْتُ وَ اللَّهِ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ لِأَنِّي قَصَّرْتُ فِي حُقُوقِ إِخْوَانِي وَ لَمْ أَعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ يَلْزَمُنِي عَلَى التَّقْصِيرِ كُلُّ هَذَا وَ لَا عُشْرُهُ وَ أَنَا أَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مِمَّا كَانَ مِنِّي مِنَ التَّقْصِيرِ فِي رِعَايَةِ حُقُوقِ إِخْوَانِيَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏.

Jabir said, ‘I said, ‘I am destroyed, by Allah^-azwj, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, because I have been deficient regarding the rights of my brethren, and I did not know that it would necessitate me upon the reduction. All this and not even a tenth of it, and I repent to Allah^‑azwj the Exalted, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, from what has happened from me, from the reduction in consideration of the rights of my brethren, the Momineen’’.^[2]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) نَاوِلْنِي يَدَكَ أُقَبِّلْهَا فَأَعْطَانِيهَا فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رَأْسَكَ فَفَعَلَ فَقَبَّلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رِجْلَاكَ فَقَالَ أَقْسَمْتُ أَقْسَمْتُ أَقْسَمْتُ ثَلَاثاً وَ بَقِيَ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ بَقِيَ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ بَقِيَ شَيْ‏ءٌ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hajjal, from Yunus bin Yaqoub who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘Give me your^-asws hand, so I can kiss it’. So he^-asws gave it to me. So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! Your^-asws (fore) head (as well)’. So he^-asws did. So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! Your^-asws feet (as well)’. So he^-asws said: ‘You oathed, you oathed you oathed’, three times; ‘And there remains something, there remains something, there remains something’.^[3]

و عن محمد بن إسحاق قال‏ حاصر رسول الله ص أهل الطائف ثلاثين ليلة أو قريبا من ذلك ثم انصرف عنهم و لم يؤذن فيهم فجاءه وفده في شهر رمضان فأسلموا.

And from Muhammad Bin Is’haq who said, ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww besieged the people of Al-Taif for thirty nights or near from that, then he^-saww left from them and did not permit regarding them. Then its delegate came to him^-saww during the Month of Ramazan and they became Muslims.

ثم رجع رسول الله إلى الجعرانة بمن معه من الناس و قسم بها ما أصاب من‏ الغنائم‏ يوم حنين في المؤلفة قلوبهم من قريش و من سائر العرب و لم يكن في الأنصار منها شي‏ء قليل و لا كثير قيل إنه جعل للأنصار شيئا يسيرا و أعطى الجمهور للمتألفين‏.

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww returned to Al-Ja’rana with the ones with him^-asws from the people, and distributed at it what he^-saww had attained from the booty on the day of Hunayn in inclining their hearts from Quraysh and from the rest of the Arabs, and there did not happen to be anything for the Helpers from it, neither little nor more. It is said he^-saww made something little to be for the Helpers and gave to the crowd for inclining them’.

قال محمد بن إسحاق‏ و أعطى‏ أبا سفيان بن حرب مائة بعير و معاوية ابنه مائة بعير و حكيم بن حزام من بني أسد بن عبد العزى‏ مائة بعير و أعطى النضر بن الحارث بن كلدة مائة بعير و أعطى العلاء بن حارثة الثقفي حليف بني وهدة مائة بعير و أعطى الحارث بن هشام من بني مخزوم مائة

Muhammad Bin Is’haq said, ‘And he^-saww gave Abu Sufyan Bin Harb one hundred camels, to his son Muawiya one hundred camels, and hakeem Bin Hazam from the clan of Asad Bin Abdul Uzza one hundred camels, and gave Al-Nazar Bin Al-Haris Bin Kaladah one hundred camels, and gave Al-A’ala Bin Haris Al-Saqafi, an ally of the clan of Wahda one hundred camels, and gave Al-Haris Bin Hisham from the clan of Makhzum one hundred (camels).

و جبير بن مطعم من بني نوفل بن عبد مناف مائة و مالك بن عوف النصري‏ مائة فهؤلاء أصحاب المائة و قيل إنه أعطى علقمة بن علاثة مائة و الأقرع بن حابس مائة و عيينة بن حصن مائة و أعطى العباس بن مرداس‏ أربعا فتسخطها و أنشأ يقول‏

أ تجعل نهبي‏ و نهب العبيد		بين عيينة و الأقرع‏
فما كان حصن و لا حابس‏		يفوقان مرداس في مجمع‏
و ما كنت دون امرئ منهما		و من تضع اليوم لا يرفع‏
و قد كنت في الحرب ذا تدرأ		فلم أعط شيئا و لم أمنع.

And to Jubeyr Bin Mat’am from the clan of Nowfal Bin Abd Manaf one hundred (camels), and to Malik Bin Awf Al-Nasry one hundred (camels). They are the companions of the hundred (camels), and it is said he^-saww gave Alqamah Bin Alata one hundred (camels), and Al-Aqra Bin Habis one hundred (camels), and Uyayna Bin Hasan one hundred (camels), and gave Al-Abbas Bin Mardaas four (camels), so they were both angered and prosed saying, ‘Are you^-saww making the loot and the loot is of the slaves between Uyayna and Al-Aqra, so there was not fort nor locked up and they surpassed Mardaas in the forces, and I was not below any person from them, and the one placed down today will not rise, and I had been in the war lying in wait, but I was not given anything and was not conferred upon’.

فقال له رسول الله ص أنت القائل أ تجعل نهبي و نهب العبيد بين الأقرع و عيينة فقال أبو بكر بأبي أنت و أمي لست بشاعر قال كيف قال فأنشده أبو بكر فقال رسول الله ص يا علي قم إليه فاقطع لسانه

Rasool-Allah^-saww said to him: ‘Are you the speaker of, ‘Are you^-saww making the loot and the loot is of the slaves between Uyayna and Al-Aqra’?’ Abu Bakr said, ‘May my father and my mother (be sacrificed) for you^-saww! He isn’t a poet’. He^-saww said: ‘How’. He said, ‘I prosed it, Abu Bakr’. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘O Ali^-asws! Arise and cut off his tongue’.

قال عباس فو الله لهذه الكلمة كانت أشد علي من يوم خثعم فأخذ علي بيدي فانطلق بي و قلت يا علي إنك لقاطع لساني قال إني ممض فيك ما أمرت حتى أدخلني الحظائر فقال اعقل ما بين أربعة إلى مائة

Abbas (Bin Madras) said, ‘By Allah^-azwj this phrase was more severe upon me than the day of Khas’am. Ali^-asws grabbed my hand and went with me, and I said, ‘O Ali^-asws! You^-asws are going to cut off my tongue?’ He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws shall accomplish regarding you until the prevention enters into me^-asws’. He said, ‘Be reasonable between four to a hundred’.

قال قلت بأبي أنتم و أمي ما أكرمكم و أحلمكم و أجملكم و أعلمكم فقال لي إن رسول الله ص أعطاك أربعا و جعلك مع المهاجرين فإن شئت فخذها و إن شئت فخذ المائة و كن مع أهل المائة

He said, ‘I said, ‘May my father and my mother be (sacrificed for) you^-asws! how much is your^-asws benevolence, and your^-asws forbearance, and your^-asws knowledge’. He^-saww said: ‘For me^-asws is that Rasool-Allah^-saww has already given you four and made you to be with the Emigrants, so if you like take it and if you like then take the hundred and be with the people of the hundred’.

فقال فقلت لعلي ع أشر أنت علي قال فإني آمرك أن تأخذ ما أعطاك و ترضى قال فإني أفعل.

He said, ‘I said to Ali^-asws, ‘You^-asws are indicating upon me’. He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws instruct you to take what I^-asws give you and be pleased (with it)’. He said, ‘I shall do so’.

قال و غضب قوم من الأنصار لذلك و ظهر منهم كلام‏ قبيح حتى قال قائلهم لقي الرجل أهله و بني عمه و نحن أصحاب كل كريهة.

He said, ‘And a group from the Helpers were angered at that and ugly talk appeared from them until their speaker said, ‘The man met his family, and a son his uncle, and we are the companions of all misfortunes’.

فلما رأى رسول الله ص ما دخل على الأنصار من ذلك أمرهم أن يقعدوا و لا يقعد معهم غيرهم ثم أتاهم شبه المغضب يتبعه علي ع حتى جلس وسطهم فقال أ لم آتكم و أنتم على شفا حفرة من النار فأنقذكم الله منها بي‏ قالوا بلى و لله و لرسوله المن و الطول و الفضل علينا

When Rasool-Allah^-saww saw what had entered from that upon the Helpers, he^-sawwinstructed them that they should be seated and no one from the others should sit, then came to them resembling the anger. Ali^-asws followed him^-saww until he^-saww sat in their midst and said: ‘Did I^-saww not come to you and you were upon the edge of a pit of the Fire, and Allah^-azwj Saved you all from it through me^-saww?’ They said, ‘Yes, and for Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Rasool^-saww is the favour, and the forbearance and the grace upon us’.

قال أ لم آتكم و أنتم أعداء فألف الله بين قلوبكم بي قالوا أجل ثم قال أ لم آتكم و أنتم قليل فكثركم الله بي و قال ما شاء الله أن يقول ثم سكت ثم قال أ لا تجيبوني قالوا بم نجيبك يا رسول الله فداك أبونا و أمنا لك المن و الفضل و الطول

He^-saww said: ‘Did I^-saww not come to you and you were enemies, so Allah^-azwj harmonised between your heart through me^-saww?’ Then he^-saww said: ‘Did I^-saww not come to you and you were few, so Allah^-azwj Multiplied you through me^-saww?’ – and he^-saww said whatever Allah^-azwj so Desired him^-saww to say, then he^-saww was silent, then said: ‘Will you not answer me^-saww?’ They said, ‘With what should we answer you, O Rasool-Allah^-saww, may our fathers and our mother be (sacrificed) for you^-saww, and the conferment, and the grace and the forbearance’.

قال بل لو شئتم قلتم جئتنا طريدا مكذبا فآويناك و صدقناك و جئتنا خائفا فآمناك فارتفعت أصواتهم‏ و قام إليه شيوخهم فقبلوا يديه و رجليه و ركبتيه ثم قالوا رضينا عن الله و عن رسوله و هذه أموالنا أيضا بين يديك فاقسمها بين قومك إن شئت

He^-saww said: ‘If you like you can say, ‘You^-saww came to us as a fugitive and we sheltered you^-saww and ratified you^-saww and you^-saww came to us fearing and we granted you safety’. So, their voices were raised and their elders stood to him^-saww and they kissed his^-saww hands and his^‑saww feet and his^-saww shoulder, then said, ‘We are pleased from Allah^-azwj and from His^-azwj Rasool^‑saww, this here is our wealth as well in front of you^-saww, so distribute it between your^-saww people if you^-saww so like’ (an extract, complete Hadith is cited in Appendix II).^[4]

NB: A Hadith is occasionally presented (Appendix III) where Imam Zain ul-Abadeen^-asws stopped Abu Hamza Sumali from prostrating to him^-asws, Imam^-asws knew well what he was doing and what his intentions were.

Allah^-azwj is Closer than anyone else in Sajdah:

وَ فِي كِتَابِ التَّوْحِيدِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ زِيَادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْهَمَذَانِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ: رَأَى سُفْيَانُ‏ الثَّوْرِيُ‏ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ ع- وَ هُوَ غُلَامٌ يُصَلِّي وَ النَّاسُ يَمُرُّونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَمُرُّونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَ هُمْ فِي الطَّوَافِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الَّذِي أُصَلِّي لَهُ أَقْرَبُ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ.

And in the Book of Touheed, on the authority of Ahmad bin Ziyad bin Jaafar Al-Hamdhani, on the authority of Ali bin Ibrahim, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn Abi Umair Q. A:

Sufyan Souwri saw Aba Al-Hassan Musa^-asws bin Jaafar^-asws, who was a boy (at that time) praying, and people were passing in front of him^-asws, and he (Sufyan) told him^-asws that the people they pass between your hands (in front of yourself) while they were performing Touwaf, so he^-asws said to him, “The One^-azwj for whom I^-asws pray is closer (to me^-asws) than them.”^[5]

وَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الطَّالَقَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الرُّمَيْحِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ هَارُونَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا الْمَكِّيِّ عَنْ مُنِيفٍ‏ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ ع قَالَ: كَانَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع يُصَلِّي فَمَرَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَنَهَاهُ بَعْضُ جُلَسَائِهِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ قَالَ لَهُ لِمَ نَهَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ- خَطَرَ فِيمَا بَيْنَكَ وَ بَيْنَ الْمِحْرَابِ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ يَخْطُرَ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَهُ أَحَدٌ.

And on the authority of Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Bin Ishaq Al-Talqani, on the authority of Abi Saeed Al-Rumaihi, on the authority of Abd Al-Aziz Bin Ishaq, on the authority of Muhammad Bin A. Yassa bin Harun, on the authority of Muhammad bin Zakariya al-Makki, on the authority of Munif, on the authority of Jaafar^-asws bin Muhammad^-asws, on the authority of his father^-asws, on the authority of his grandfather^-asws:

Al-Hussain^-asws bin Ali^-asws was praying, when a man passed in front of him^-asws, and some of his^-asws guests interrupted him, and when he^-asws finished his^-asws prayer, he^-asws said to him why did you forbade the man, and he said, “O son of Rasool Allah^-asws, he was interrupting (walking) between you^-asws and the mihrab.” He^-asws replied, “Woe to you! The One^-azwj (I^-asws am praying to) is closer than the one (walking) between me^-asws and Him^-azwj.^[6]

Imam^-asws Performs Sajdah of Shukar in a Market:

الْبَصَائِرُ، عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَ هُوَ رَاكِبٌ حِمَارَهُ فَنَزَلَ وَ قَدْ كُنَّا صِرْنَا إِلَى السُّوقِ أَوْ قَرِيباً مِنَ السُّوقِ

(The book) ‘Al Basaair’ – From Al Haysam Bin Al Nahdy, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Muawiya Bin Wahb who said,

‘I was with Abu Abdullah^-asws at Al-Medina and he^-asws was riding his^-asws donkey. He^-asws descended, and we had come to the market, or nearby to the market’.

قَالَ فَنَزَلَ وَ سَجَدَ وَ أَطَالَ السُّجُودَ وَ أَنَا أَنْتَظِرُهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws descended and did Sajdah, and prolonged the Sajdah, and I was awaiting him. Then he^-asws raise his^-asws head’.

قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رَأَيْتُكَ نَزَلْتَ فَسَجَدْتَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! I saw, you^-asws descended and did Sajdah!’

قَالَ إِنِّي ذَكَرْتُ نِعْمَةً لِلَّهِ عَلَيَّ

He^-asws said: ‘I^-asws recalled a bounty of Allah^-azwj upon me’.

قَالَ قُلْتُ قُرْبَ السُّوقِ وَ النَّاسُ يَجِيئُونَ وَ يَذْهَبُونَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘Nearby the market while the people are coming and going?’

قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَرَنِي أَحَدٌ.

He^-asws said: ‘Surely no one saw me^-asws!’’^[7]

Imam-e-Zaman^-ajfj’s reply on Sajdah

وَ سَأَلَ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَزُورُ قُبُورَ الْأَئِمَّةِ ع هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ أَمْ لَا وَ هَلْ يَجُوزُ لِمَنْ صَلَّى عِنْدَ بَعْضِ قُبُورِهِمْ ع أَنْ يَقُومَ وَرَاءَ الْقَبْرِ وَ يَجْعَلَ الْقَبْرَ قِبْلَةً أَمْ يَقُومُ عِنْدَ رَأْسِهِ أَوْ رِجْلَيْهِ وَ هَلْ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ الْقَبْرَ وَ يُصَلِّيَ وَ يَجْعَلَ الْقَبْرَ خَلْفَهُ أَمْ لَا

And he asked about the man, ‘Can he visit the graves of the Imams^-asws? Is it allowed that he performs Sajdah at the grave or not? And is it allowed for the one who prays Salat at one of their^-asws graves that he stands behind the grave and make the grave to be a Qiblah, or stand by his^-asws head, or his^-asws feet. And is it allowed that he goes ahead of the grave and prays Salat and makes the grave to be behind him, or not?’

فَأَجَابَ ع أَمَّا السُّجُودُ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ فَلَا يَجُوزُ فِي نَافِلَةٍ وَ لَا فَرِيضَةٍ وَ لَا زِيَارَةٍ وَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ الْعَمَلُ أَنْ يَضَعَ خَدَّهُ الْأَيْمَنَ عَلَى الْقَبْرِ وَ أَمَّا الصَّلَاةُ فَإِنَّهَا خَلْفَهُ وَ يَجْعَلُ الْقَبْرَ أَمَامَهُ وَ لَا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ لَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ لَا عَنْ يَسَارِهِ لِأَنَّ الْإِمَامَ ع لَا يُتَقَدَّمُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا يُسَاوَى

He^-ajfj answered: ‘As for the Sajdahs at the grave, these are neither allowed in an optional (Salat) nor obligatory (Salat), nor visitation, and that which he can act upon is to place his right cheek upon the grave. And as for the Salat, it should be behind it, and he should make the grave to be in front of him, and it is not allowed for him to pray (Salat) in front of it, nor on its right, nor on its left, because the Imam^-asws is such, he^-asws cannot be preceded upon nor equated’ (an extract).^[8]

عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام أَبِي عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ قَالَ: رَأَيْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع وَ هُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُوَدِّعَ لِلْخُرُوجِ إِلَى الْعُمْرَةِ فَأَتَى الْقَبْرَ مِنْ مَوْضِعِ رَأْسِ النَّبِيِّ ص بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ص وَ لَزِقَ بِالْقَبْرِ

(The book) ‘Uyoun Akhbar Al-Reza^-asws’, may the greeting be upon him^-asws – My father, from Sa’ad, from Ibn Isa, from Ibn Fazzal who said,

‘I saw Abu Al-Hassan^-asws and he^-asws wanted to bid farewell for the going out to the Umrah. He^-asws came to the grave from the place of head of the Prophet^-saww after Al-Maghrib. He^-asws greeted unto the Prophet^-as and adhered with the grave.

ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ حَتَّى أَتَى الْقَبْرَ فَقَامَ إِلَى جَانِبِهِ يُصَلِّي فَأَلْزَقَ مَنْكِبَهُ الْأَيْسَرَ بِالْقَبْرِ قَرِيباً مِنَ الْأُسْطُوَانَةِ الَّتِي دُونَ الْأُسْطُوَانَةِ الْمُخَلَّقَةِ عِنْدَ رَأْسِ النَّبِيِّ ص فَصَلَّى سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ أَوْ ثَمَانَ رَكَعَاتٍ فِي نَعْلَيْهِ

Then he^-asws left until he^-asws came to the grave. He^-asws stood to its side and adhered his^-asws left shoulder with the grave, nearby to the pillars which other than the perfumed pillars by the head of the Prophet^-saww. He^-asws prayed six or eight units in his^-asws slippers’.

قَالَ وَ كَانَ مِقْدَارُ رُكُوعِهِ وَ سُجُودِهِ ثَلَاثَ تَسْبِيحَاتٍ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ سَجَدَ سَجْدَةً أَطَالَ فِيهَا حَتَّى بَلَّ عَرَقُهُ الْحَصَى

He (the narrator) said, ‘And a measurement of his^-asws Ruk’u and his^-asws Sajdah was of three glorifications or more. When he^-asws was free, he performed a Sajdah prolonging in it until his^‑asws swear wetted the pebbles’.

قَالَ وَ ذَكَرَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا أَنَّهُ أَلْصَقَ خَدَّيْهِ بِأَرْضِ الْمَسْجِدِ.

He (the narrator) said, ‘And some of our companions mentioned he^-asws adhered his^-asws cheek with the ground of the Masjid’.^[9]

Allah^-azwj Loves when the cheek is placed on the ground in His^-azwj Reverence:

عَنِ ابْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ‏ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ص قَالَ: أَوْحَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَى مُوسَى ع أَ تَدْرِي لِمَ اصْطَفَيْتُكَ بِكَلَامِي مِنْ دُونِ خَلْقِي

And from Ibn Babuwayh, from his father, ‘It is narrated to us by Ali Bin Ibrahim Bin Hashim, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Abu Umeyr, from Ali Bin Yaqteen, from a man,

From Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘Allah^-azwj the Exalted Revealed to Musa^-as: “Do you^-as know why I^-azwj Chose you^-as for My^-azwj Speech rather than My^-azwj other creatures?”

قَالَ لَا يَا رَبِّ

He^-as said: ‘No, O Lord^-azwj!’

He^-azwj Said: “I^-azwj did not Find anyone of a more humble soul than you^-as, O Musa^-as! When you^-as pray, you^-as place your^-as cheek upon the soil!^[10]

In a length Hadith,

فَخَرَجَ وَ نَزَلَ عَلِيٌّ ع فَكَشَفَ عَنْ وَجْهِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ وَضَعَ خَدَّهُ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ مُوَجِّهاً إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ عَلَى يَمِينِهِ

(When the holy body of Rasool Allah^-saww was lowered in the grave) Imam Ali^-asws descended (in the grave). Imam Ali^-asws uncovered from the face of Rasool-Allah^-saww and placed his^-saww cheek upon the group facing towards the Qiblah upon his^-saww right.

ثُمَّ وَضَعَ عَلَيْهِ اللَّبَنُ وَ هال عَلَيْهِ التُّرَابُ وَ انتهزت الْجَمَاعَةِ الْفُرْصَةَ لاشتغال بَنِي هَاشِمٍ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ جُلُوسٍ عَلِيِّ ع لِلْمُصِيبَةِ.

Then he^-saww placed the bricks upon it and covered the soil upon him^-saww, and the group seized the opportunity due to the pre-occupation of the clan of Hashim^-as with Rasool-Allah^-saww, and Ali^-asws sat for the calamity (mourning)’.^[11]

قَالَ وَ كَانَ مُوسَى ع إِذَا صَلَّى لَمْ يَنْفَتِلْ حَتَّى يُلْصِقَ خَدَّهُ الْأَيْمَنَ بِالْأَرْضِ وَ الْأَيْسَرَ.

The 6^th Imam^-asws said: ‘And it was so, whenever Musa^-as prayed Salat, he^-as did not finish until he^-as had adhered his^-as right cheek and (then) the left (cheek) with the ground (and extract).^[12]

Imam^-asws Supplicated while keeping his^-asws right and then left Cheek on the ground:

وَ مِنْهُ‏، وَ الْكَافِي، عَنِ الْعِدَّةِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ: خَرَجْتُ مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ ع إِلَى بَعْضِ أَمْوَالِهِ فَقَامَ إِلَى صَلَاةِ الظُّهْرِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ خَرَّ لِلَّهِ سَاجِداً فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ بِصَوْتٍ حَزِينٍ وَ تَغَرْغَرُ دُمُوعُهُ وَ هُوَ

And from him, and ‘Al Kafi’ from the number, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Muhammad Bin Suleyman, from his father who said,

‘I went out with Abu Al-Hassan Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws to one of his^-asws estates. He^-asws stood to pray Al-Zohr Salat. When he^-asws was free, he^-asws fell in Sajdah to Allah^-azwj. I heard him^-asws saying in a grief-stricken voice while his^-asws tears were flowing, and he^-asws (was saying): –

رَبِّ عَصَيْتُكَ بِلِسَانِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَأَخْرَسْتَنِي وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِبَصَرِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَكَمَّهْتَنِي وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِسَمْعِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَأَصْمَمْتَنِي

‘Lord^-azwj! I have disobeyed You^-azwj with my tongue and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^‑azwj Might, You^-azwj could have Muted me! And I disobeyed You^-azwj with my sight, and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^-azwj Mighty, You^-azwj could have Blinded me! And I disobeyed You^-azwj with my ears, and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^-azwj Might, You^-saww could have Deafened me!

وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِيَدِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَكَنَّعْتَنِي وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِرِجْلِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَجَذَمْتَنِي‏ وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِفَرْجِي وَ لَوْ شِئْتَ وَ عِزَّتِكَ لَعَقَمْتَنِي وَ عَصَيْتُكَ بِجَمِيعِ جَوَارِحِيَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ بِهَا عَلَيَّ وَ لَيْسَ هَذَا جَزَاؤُكَ مِنِّي

And I disobeyed You^-azwj with my hands, and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^-azwj Might, You^-azwj could have Lamed me! And I disobeyed You^-azwj with my legs, and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^-azwj Might, You^-azwj could have Made me a leper! And I disobeyed You^-azwj with my private parts, and had You^-azwj so Desired and by Your^-azwj Might, You^-azwj could have Sterilised me! And I disobeyed You^-azwj with entirety of my limbs which You^-azwj have Favoured with upon me, and this isn’t (shouldn’t have been) Your^-azwj recompense from me!’

قَالَ ثُمَّ أَحْصَيْتُ لَهُ أَلْفَ مَرَّةٍ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ الْعَفْوَ الْعَفْوَ ثُمَّ أَلْصَقَ خَدَّهُ الْأَيْمَنَ بِالْأَرْضِ فَسَمِعْتُهُ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ بِصَوْتٍ حَزِينٍ بُؤْتُ إِلَيْكَ بِذَنْبِي عَمِلْتُ سُوءاً وَ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِي فَاغْفِرْ لِي فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ غَيْرُكَ يَا مَوْلَايَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then I counted for him a thousand times, and he^-asws was saying: ‘The Pardon! The Pardon!’ Then he^-asws adhered his^-asws right cheek with the ground. I heard him^‑asws and he^-asws said in a grief-stricken voice: ‘I confess to You^-azwj of my sins. I have done evil and have been unjust to myself, therefore Forgive (my sins) for me, for no one forgives the sins apart from You^-azwj, O my Master^-azwj!’ – three times.

ثُمَّ أَلْصَقَ خَدَّهُ الْأَيْسَرَ بِالْأَرْضِ فَسَمِعْتُهُ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ ارْحَمْ مَنْ أَسَاءَ وَ اقْتَرَفَ وَ اسْتَكَانَ وَ اعْتَرَفَ ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ‏.

Then he^-asws adhered his^-asws left cheek with the ground. I heard him^-asws and he^-asws was saying: ‘Mercy the one having done wrong, and committed, and submitted, and acknowledged!’ – three times. Then he^-asws raised his^-asws head’’.^[13]

Supplications after putting the right cheek on the ground:

– فَلَاحُ السَّائِلِ، صَلَاةُ الْفَرَجِ بِالْإِسْنَادِ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ قَالَ: شَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع كَرْباً أَصَابَنِي قَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ الْعِشَاءَ الْآخِرَةَ فَصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ ضَعْ خَدَّكَ الْأَيْمَنَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ ثُمَّ قُلْ يَا مُذِلَّ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ وَ مُعِزَّ كُلِّ ذَلِيلٍ قَدْ وَ حَقِّكَ بَلَغَ مَجْهُودِي

(The book) ‘Falah Al Saail’ – Salat Al Faraj, by the chain to Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Bin Al Waleed, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Al Saffar, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Al Mugheira, from Ali Bin Hassan, from Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer who said,

‘I complained to Abu Abdullah^-asws of stress which had afflicted me. He^-asws said: ‘O Abdul Rahman! When you have prayed Al-Isha the last, then pray two Cycles, then place your right cheek upon the ground, then say,

يَا مُذِلَّ كُلِّ جَبَّارٍ وَ مُعِزَّ كُلِّ ذَلِيلٍ قَدْ وَ حَقِّكَ بَلَغَ مَجْهُودِي

‘O Humiliator of every tyrant and Honourer of every humiliated! It is so and Your^-azwj rights have reach my (utmost) efforts!’

قَالَ فَمَا قُلْتُهُ إِلَّا ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ حَتَّى جَاءَ لِيَ الْفَرَجُ‏.

He (the narrator) said, ‘I had not said it except three nights until the relief came to me’’.^[14]

Mercy for those who turn their cheeks on the grave of Imam Hussain^-asws:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ أَعْدَاءَنَا عَابُوا عَلَيْهِمْ خُرُوجَهُمْ فَلَمْ يَنْهَهُمْ ذَلِكَ عَنِ النُّهُوضِ وَ الشُّخُوصِ إِلَيْنَا خِلَافاً عَلَيْهِمْ فَارْحَمْ تِلْكَ الْوُجُوهَ الَّتِي غَيَّرَتْهَا الشَّمْسُ وَ ارْحَمْ تِلْكَ الْخُدُودَ الَّتِي تَقَلَّبُ عَلَى قَبْرِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع وَ ارْحَمْ تِلْكَ الْأَعْيُنَ الَّتِي جَرَتْ دُمُوعُهَا رَحْمَةً لَنَا وَ ارْحَمْ تِلْكَ الْقُلُوبَ الَّتِي جَزِعَتْ وَ احْتَرَقَتْ لَنَا وَ ارْحَمْ تِلْكَ الصَّرْخَةَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ لَنَا

O Allah^-azwj! Our^-asws enemies have criticised them of their going out (for Ziyarat), but that did not prevent them from the getting up and the coming to us in opposition to them. So, Mercy these faces which the sun has made dusty, and Mercy these cheeks which turn upon the grave of Abu Abdullah^-asws, and Mercy these eyes which flow their tears in mercy for us^-asws, and Mercy these hearts which have panicked and burned for us^-asws, and Mercy these shrieks which have been for us^-asws! (an extract)^[15]

Appendix I: Miracle of Ali^-asws Ibn Hussain^-asws

وَ حَدَّثَنِي وَالِدِي مِنَ الْكِتَابِ الْمَذْكُورِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي عَنْ خَالِدٍ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيِّ وَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سُلَيْمَانَ أَحْمَدُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيِّ قَالَ: لَمَّا أَفْضَتِ الْخِلَافَةُ إِلَى بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ سَفَكُوا فِيهَا الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ وَ لَعَنُوا فِيهَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَلَى الْمَنَابِرِ أَلْفَ شَهْرٍ وَ تَبَرَّءُوا مِنْهُ وَ اغْتَالُوا الشِّيعَةَ فِي كُلِّ بَلْدَةٍ وَ اسْتَأْصَلُوا بُنْيَانَهُمْ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لِحُطَامِ دُنْيَاهُمْ فَخَوَّفُوا النَّاسَ فِي الْبُلْدَانِ وَ كُلُّ مَنْ لَمْ يَلْعَنْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ لَمْ يَتَبَرَّأْ مِنْهُ قَتَلُوهُ كَائِناً مَنْ كَانَ

And it is narrated to me by my father, from the mentioned book, said, ‘It is narrated to us by Ahmad Bin Ubeydullah who said, ‘It is narrated to us by Suleyman Bin Ahmad who said, ‘It is narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Ja’far who said, ‘It is narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Ibrahim Bin Muhammad al Nawsily who said, ‘It was informed to be by my father, from Khalid, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Jufy and said, ‘It was narrated to us by Abu Suleyman Ahmad who said, ‘It was narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Saeed, from Abu Aseed, from Sahl Bin Ziyad who said, ‘It was narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Jufy who said,

‘When the caliphate went to clan of Umayya they spill the prohibited blood in it and they cursed Amir Al-Momineen^-asws upon the pulpits for a thousand months, and disavowed from him^-asws, and they seized the Shias in every city, and they uprooted their structures from the world and wrecked their world. They scared the people in their cities and every one who did not curse Amir Al-Momineen^-asws and did not disavow from him^-asws, they killed him, whoever it was.

قَالَ جَابِرُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيُّ فَشَكَوْتُ مِنْ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَ أَشْيَاعِهِمْ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الْمُبِينِ أَطْهَرِ الطَّاهِرِينَ زَيْنِ الْعِبَادِ وَ سَيِّدِ الزُّهَّادِ وَ خَلِيفَةِ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمَا فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ قَدْ قَتَلُونَا تَحْتَ كُلِّ حَجَرٍ وَ مَدَرٍ وَ اسْتَأْصَلُوا شَأْفَتَنَا وَ أَعْلَنُوا لَعْنَ مَوْلَانَا أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ عَلَى الْمَنَابِرِ وَ الْمَنَارَاتِ وَ الْأَسْوَاقِ وَ الطُّرُقَاتِ وَ تَبَرَّءُوا مِنْهُ حَتَّى إِنَّهُمْ لَيَجْتَمِعُونَ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَيَلْعَنُونَ عَلِيّاً ع عَلَانِيَةً

Jabir Bin Yazeed Al-Jufy said, ‘I complained of the clan of Umayya and their loyalists to the manifest Imam^-asws, purest of the pure, and chief of the ascetics, and caliph of Allah^-azwj upon the servants, Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws. I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! They are killing us from beneath every stone and clod, and they are uprooting our foundations, and they are openly cursing our Master^-asws Amir Al-Momineen^-asws upon the pulpits and the minarets and the markets and the streets, and they are disavowing from him^-asws to the extent they are gathering in the Masjid of Rasool-Allah^-saww and are cursing Ali^-asws openly.

لَا يُنْكِرُ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ وَ لَا يَنْهَرُ فَإِنْ أَنْكَرَ ذَلِكَ أَحَدٌ مِنَّا حَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ بِأَجْمَعِهِمْ وَ قَالُوا هَذَا رَافِضِيٌّ أَبُو تُرَابِيٌّ وَ أَخَذُوهُ إِلَى سُلْطَانِهِمْ وَ قَالُوا هَذَا ذَكَرَ أَبَا تُرَابٍ بِخَيْرٍ فَضَرَبُوهُ ثُمَّ حَبَسُوهُ ثُمَّ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قَتَلُوهُ

So, neither anyone is denying that nor forbidding. If anyone from us denies that, they attack upon him in their entirety, and they said, ‘This one is a rejector (Rafizi), Abu Turabi (Partisan of Ali^-asws), and they take him to their ruler and say, ‘This one mentioned Abu Turab (Ali^-asws) with good. So they hit him, then they imprison him, then after that, they kill him’.

فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ الْإِمَامُ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ مِنِّي نَظَرَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ سَيِّدِي مَا أَحْلَمَكَ وَ أَعْظَمَ شَأْنَكَ فِي حِلْمِكَ وَ أَعْلَى سُلْطَانَكَ يَا رَبِّ قَدْ أَمْهَلْتَ‏ عِبَادَكَ فِي بِلَادِكَ حَتَّى ظَنُّوا أَنَّكَ أَمْهَلْتَهُمْ أَبَداً وَ هَذَا كُلُّهُ بِعَيْنِكَ لَا يُغَالَبُ قَضَاؤُكَ وَ لَا يُرَدُّ الْمَحْتُومُ مِنْ تَدْبِيرِكَ كَيْفَ شِئْتَ وَ أَنَّى شِئْتَ وَ أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنَّا

When the Imam^-asws heard that from me, he^-asws looked towards the sky and said: ‘Glory be to You^-azwj O Allah^-azwj, my Master^-azwj! How Forbearing You^-azwj are, and how Magnificent is Your^-azwj Glory in Your^-azwj Forbearance, and Lofty is Your^-azwj Authority! O Lord^-azwj! You^-azwj have Respited Your^-azwj servants in Your^-azwj city to the extent that they think You^-azwj will be Respiting them forever, and all this is in Your^-azwj Eyes. It neither overcomes Your^-azwj Judgment nor repel the Decrees from Your^-azwj Management however You^-azwj Desire, and I^-asws desire, and You^-azwj are more Knowing with it than I^-asws am’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ دَعَا صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ ابْنَهُ مُحَمَّداً ع فَقَالَ يَا بُنَيَّ قَالَ لَبَّيْكَ يَا سَيِّدِي قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ غَداً فَاغْدُ إِلَى مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ خُذْ مَعَكَ الْخَيْطَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَ جَبْرَئِيلَ عَلَى جَدِّنَا ص فَحَرِّكْهُ تَحْرِيكاً لَيِّناً وَ لَا تُحَرِّكْهُ شَدِيداً اللَّهَ اللَّهَ فَيَهْلِكُ النَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws called his^-asws son^-asws Muhammad^-asws and said: ‘O my^-asws son^-asws!’ He^-asws said: ‘Here I^-asws am, O my^-asws Master^-asws!’ He^-asws said: ‘When it will be tomorrow, then go to Masjid of Rasool^-saww and take with you^-asws the thread which descended with Jibraeel^-as upon our^-asws grandfather^-saww, and move it with a soft movement, and do not move it intensely, Allah^-azwj, Allah^-azwj, the people would be destroyed, all of them!’

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَبَقِيتُ مُتَفَكِّراً مُتَعَجِّباً مِنْ قَوْلِهِ فَمَا أَدْرِي مَا أَقُولُ لِمَوْلَايَ ع فَغَدَوْتُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ع وَ قَدْ بَقِيَ عَلَيَّ لَيْلٌ حِرْصاً أَنْ أَنْظُرَ إِلَى الْخَيْطِ وَ تَحْرِيكِهِ فَبَيْنَمَا أَنَا عَلَى دَابَّتِي إِذْ خَرَجَ الْإِمَامُ ع فَقُمْتُ وَ سَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيَّ السَّلَامَ وَ قَالَ مَا غَدَا بِكَ

Jabir said, ‘I remained thinking, wondering from his^-asws words. I did not know what I should be saying to my Master^-asws. In the morning I went to Muhammad^-asws, and eagerness had remained upon me at night to look at the thread and its movement. While I was upon my animal when the Imam^-asws came out. So, I stood up and greeted unto him^-asws, and he^-asws returned the greeting unto me and said: ‘What made you come in the morning?’

فَلَمْ تَكُنْ تَأْتِينَا فِي هَذَا الْوَقْتِ فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ سَمِعْتُ أَبَاكَ ص يَقُولُ بِالْأَمْسِ خُذِ الْخَيْطَ وَ سِرْ إِلَى مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَحَرِّكْهُ تَحْرِيكاً لَيِّناً وَ لَا تُحَرِّكْهُ تَحْرِيكاً شَدِيداً فَتُهْلِكَ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ

And I did not used to come during this time, so I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! I heard your^-asws father^-asws saying yesterday: ‘Take the thread and travel to the Masjid of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and move it with a soft movement and do not move it with intense movement, for the people would be destroyed, all of them’’.

فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ لَوْ لَا الْوَقْتُ الْمَعْلُومُ وَ الْأَجَلُ الْمَحْتُومُ وَ الْقَدَرُ الْمَقْدُورُ لَخَسَفْتُ وَ اللَّهِ بِهَذَا الْخَلْقِ الْمَنْكُوسِ فِي طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ لَا بَلْ فِي لَحْظَةٍ لَا بَلْ فِي لَمْحَةٍ وَ لَكِنَّنَّا عِبادٌ مُكْرَمُونَ لا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَ هُمْ بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ‏

He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Had it not been for the known time, and the Decreed term, and the Pre-determined Determination, and by Allah^-azwj these creatures would have been overturned in the blink of an eye! No, but in a moment. No, but in a flash, But, they are honoured servants [21:26] They do not precede Him in speech and they are only acting by His Command [21:27]’.

قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ يَا سَيِّدِي وَ لِمَ تَفْعَلُ هَذَا بِهِمْ قَالَ مَا حَضَرْتَ أَبِي بِالْأَمْسِ وَ الشِّيعَةُ يَشْكُونَ إِلَيْهِ مَا يَلْقَوْنَ مِنَ النَّاصِبِيَّةِ الْمَلاعِينِ وَ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ الْمُقَصِّرِينَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said to him^-asws, ‘O my Master^-asws! And why are you doing this with them?’ He^-asws said: ‘What was presented to my^-asws father^-asws yesterday and the Shias complaining to him^-asws of what they are facing from the Nasibis, the accursed, and the Qadirites, and the reducers’.

فَقُلْتُ بَلَى يَا سَيِّدِي قَالَ فَإِنِّي أُرْعِبُهُمْ وَ كُنْتُ أُحِبُّ أَنْ يَهْلِكَ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ وَ يُطَهِّرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمُ الْبِلَادَ وَ يُرِيحَ الْعِبَادَ

I said, ‘Yes, O my Master^-asws!’ I^-asws shall terrify them, and I^-asws had loved to destroy a group from them, and Allah^-azwj to Clean the city from them, and Give rest to the servants’.

قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي فَكَيْفَ تُرْعِبُهُمْ وَ هُمْ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُحْصَوْا قَالَ امْضِ بِنَا إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ لِأُرِيَكَ قُدْرَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى

I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! How will you^-asws terrify them and they are more than (that) can be counted?’ He^-asws said: ‘Come with me^-asws to the Masjid and I^-asws will show you the Power of Allah^-azwj the Exalted’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَمَضَيْتُ مَعَهُ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ خَدَّهُ فِي التُّرَابِ وَ كَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَاتٍ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ وَ أَخْرَجَ مِنْ كُمِّهِ خَيْطاً دَقِيقاً يَفُوحُ مِنْهُ رَائِحَةُ الْمِسْكِ وَ كَانَ‏ أَدَقَّ فِي الْمَنْظَرِ مِنْ خَيْطِ الْمَخِيطِ

Jabir said, ‘I went with him^-asws to the Masjid. He^-asws prayed two Cycles Salat, then placed his^-asws cheek in the dust and spoke (certain) phrases, then raised his^-asws head and brought out a thin thread from his^-asws sleeve, and aroma of musk could be smelt from it, and it was thinner in looks than a thread of the tailor.

ثُمَّ قَالَ خُذْ إِلَيْكَ طَرَفَ الْخَيْطِ وَ امْشِ رُوَيْداً وَ إِيَّاكَ ثُمَّ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُحَرِّكَهُ قَالَ فَأَخَذْتُ طَرَفَ الْخَيْطِ وَ مَشَيْتُ رُوَيْداً فَقَالَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ قِفْ يَا جَابِرُ فَوَقَفْتُ فَحَرَّكَ الْخَيْطَ تَحْرِيكاً لَيِّناً فَمَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ حَرَّكَهُ مِنْ لِينِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ نَاوِلْنِي طَرَفَ الْخَيْطِ

Then he (the narrator) said, ‘Take an end of the thread and walk slowly, and beware, then beware of moving it!’ So I took an end of the thread and walked slowly. He^-saww said: ‘Stop, O Jabir!’ So, I stopped. He^-asws moved the thread with a soft movement, and I did not think he^-asws had moved it due to the slightness of its movement. Then he^-asws said: ‘Give me^-asws an end of the thread’.

قَالَ فَنَاوَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَا فَعَلْتَ بِهِ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ قَالَ وَيْحَكَ اخْرُجْ إِلَى النَّاسِ وَ انْظُرْ مَا حَالُهُمْ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I gave it to him^-asws and I said, ‘What did you^-asws do with it, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! He^-asws said: ‘Woe be to you! Go out and look at the people, and look at what their state is’.

قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِذَا صِيَاحٌ وَ وَلْوَلَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ وَ زَاوِيَةٍ وَ إِذَا زَلْزَلَةٌ وَ هَدَّةٌ وَ رَجْفَةٌ وَ إِذَا الْهَدَّةُ أَخْرَبَتْ عَامَّةَ دُورِ الْمَدِينَةِ وَ هَلَكَ تَحْتَهَا أَكْثَرُ مِنْ ثَلَاثِينَ أَلْفَ رَجُلٍ وَ امْرَأَةٍ وَ إِذَا بِخَلْقٍ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ السِّكَكِ لَهُمْ بُكَاءٌ وَ عَوِيلٌ وَ ضَوْضَاةٌ وَ رَنَّةٌ شَدِيدَةٌ وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ‏ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَ إِنَّا إِلَيْهِ راجِعُونَ‏ قَدْ قَامَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَ وَقَعَتِ الْوَاقِعَةُ وَ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ وَ آخَرُونَ يَقُولُونَ الزَّلْزَلَةُ وَ الْهَدَّةُ وَ آخَرُونَ يَقُولُونَ الرَّجْفَةُ وَ الْقِيَامَةُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘I went out from the Masjid, and there was shouting and howling from every area and corner, and there was an earthquake, and crash, and a tremor, and then the crash. The general houses of Al-Medina were ruined and there were destroyed under it more than thirty thousand men and women, and there the people were coming out from the markets, crying and howling and noise being for them and there was severe humming, and they were saying: We are for Allah and we are returning to Him [2:156], the Hour has been established, and the even has occurred and the people are destroyed!’ And others were saying, ‘The earthquake, and the crash!’ And others were saying, ‘The tremor, and the Day of Qiyamah!’

هَلَكَ فِيهَا عَامَّةُ النَّاسِ وَ إِذَا أُنَاسٌ قَدْ أَقْبَلُوا يَبْكُونَ يُرِيدُونَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَ بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُونَ لِبَعْضٍ كَيْفَ لَا يُخْسَفُ بِنَا وَ قَدْ تَرَكْنَا الْأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ ظَهَرَ الْفِسْقُ وَ الْفُجُورُ وَ كَثُرَ الزِّنَا وَ الرِّبَا وَ شُرْبُ الْخَمْرِ وَ اللِّوَاطَةُ وَ اللَّهِ لَيَنْزِلَنَّ بِنَا مَا هُوَ أَشَدُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ أَعْظَمُ أَوْ نُصْلِحَ أَنْفُسَنَا

The generality of the people were destroyed during it, and there were a people coming, crying, intending the Masjid, and they were saying to each other, ‘How can there be no submergence with us and we have neglected enjoining with the good and forbidding from the evil, and corruption and immorality have appeared, and the adultery is abundant, and the usury, and drinking of the wine, and the sodomy. By Allah^-azwj! There will be descending with us what is severer than that, and more grievous, and we should correct ourselves’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَبَقِيتُ مُتَحَيِّراً أَنْظُرُ إِلَى النَّاسِ يَبْكُونَ وَ يَصِيحُونَ وَ يُوَلْوِلُونَ وَ يَغْدُونَ زُمَراً إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَرَحِمْتُهُمْ حَتَّى وَ اللَّهِ بَكَيْتُ لِبُكَائِهِمْ وَ إِذَا لَا يَدْرُونَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أُتُوا وَ أُخِذُوا

Jabir said, ‘I remained confused, looking at the people crying and shouting and howling and coming to the Masjid in groups. I felt pity on them until by Allah^-azwj, I cried to their crying, and they did not know from where it had come and seized.

فَانْصَرَفْتُ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ الْبَاقِرِ ع وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ لَهُ وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا تَرَى مَا نَزَلَ بِنَا بِحَرَمِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ قَدْ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ وَ مَاتُوا فَادْعُ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَنَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ افْزَعُوا إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الصَّدَقَةِ وَ الدُّعَاءِ ثُمَّ سَأَلَنِي

I went to the Imam Al-Baqir^-asws, and the people had gathered to him^-asws and they were saying, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What do you^-asws see what has befallen with us with the sanctity of Rasool-Allah^-saww, and the people are destroyed and they have died. Supplicate to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic for us’. He^-asws said to them: ‘Panic to the Salat and the charity and the supplications (first) then ask me^-asws’.

فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ مَا حَالُ النَّاسِ فَقُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي لَا تَسْأَلْ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ خَرِبَتِ الدُّورُ وَ الْقُصُورُ وَ هَلَكَ النَّاسُ وَ رَأَيْتُهُمْ بِغَيْرِ رَحْمَةٍ فَرَحِمْتُهُمْ فَقَالَ‏ لَا رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَبَداً أَمَا إِنَّهُ قَدْ بَقِيَ عَلَيْكَ بَقِيَّةٌ لَوْ لَا ذَلِكَ مَا رَحِمْتَ أَعْدَاءَنَا وَ أَعْدَاءَ أَوْلِيَائِنَا

He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! What is the state of the people?’ I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! Do not ask O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! The houses are ruined, and the castles, and the people are dead, and I saw them being without mercy, so be merciful to them’. He^-asws said: ‘May Allah^-azwj not Mercy them, ever! A remainder have been left upon you. Had it not been that, I^-asws would not have mercy of our^-asws enemies and enemies of our^-asws friends’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ ع سُحْقاً سُحْقاً بُعْداً بُعْداً لِلْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ‏ وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ حَرَّكْتُ الْخَيْطَ أَدْنَى تَحْرِيكَةٍ لَهَلَكُوا أَجْمَعِينَ وَ جَعَلَ أَعْلَاهَا أَسْفَلَهَا وَ لَمْ يَبْقَ دَارٌ وَ لَا قَصْرٌ وَ لَكِنْ أَمَرَنِي سَيِّدِي وَ مَوْلَايَ أَنْ لَا أُحَرِّكَهُ شَدِيداً

Then he^-asws said: ‘Crushing, crushing, remoteness, “Away with the unjust people!” [11:44]. By Allah^-azwj! Had I^-asws moved a small movement, they would have all been destroyed, and its top would have been made to be its bottom, and there would have neither remained a house, nor a castle’. But my chief and my Master^-asws had instructed me not to move it severely.

ثُمَّ صَعِدَ الْمَنَارَةَ وَ النَّاسُ لَا يَرَوْنَهُ فَنَادَى بِأَعْلَى صَوْتِهِ أَلَا أَيُّهَا الضَّالُّونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ فَظَنَّ النَّاسُ أَنَّهُ صَوْتٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَخَرُّوا لِوُجُوهِهِمْ وَ طَارَتْ أَفْئِدَتُهُمْ وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ فِي سُجُودِهِمْ الْأَمَانَ الْأَمَانَ فَإِذَا هُمْ‏ يَسْمَعُونَ الصَّيْحَةَ بِالْحَقِ‏ وَ لَا يَرَوْنَ الشَّخْصَ

Then he^-asws ascended the minaret and the people could not see him^-asws, and called out at the top of his^-asws voice: ‘O you strayers, the beliers!’ The people thought it was a voice from the sky, and they fell down to their faces and their hearts flew, and they were saying in their Sajdahs, ‘The safety! The safety!’ There they were hearing the Scream with the Truth, [50:42], and they were not seeing the person.

ثُمَّ أَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ وَ أَنَا أَرَاهُ وَ النَّاسُ لَا يَرَوْنَهُ فَزَلْزَلَتِ الْمَدِينَةُ أَيْضاً زَلْزَلَةً خَفِيفَةً لَيْسَتْ كَالْأُولَى وَ تَهَدَّمَتْ فِيهَا دُورَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ ذلِكَ جَزَيْناهُمْ بِبَغْيِهِمْ‏

Then he^-asws gestured by his^-asws hand, and I saw him^-asws and the people were not seeing him^‑asws. Al-Medina experienced an earthquake again, a slight tremor, unlike the first, and a lot of houses were demolished during it. Then he^-asws recited this Verse: That was Our Recompense due to their rebellion, [6:146].

ثُمَّ تَلَا بَعْدَ مَا نَزَلَ‏ فَلَمَّا جاءَ أَمْرُنا جَعَلْنا عالِيَها سافِلَها وَ أَمْطَرْنا عَلَيْهِمْ‏ حِجارَةً مِنْ طِينٍ مُسَوَّمَةً عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ لِلْمُسْرِفِينَ‏ وَ تَلَا ع‏ فَخَرَّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّقْفُ مِنْ فَوْقِهِمْ وَ أَتاهُمُ الْعَذابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَشْعُرُونَ‏

Then he^-asws recited afterwards what was Revealed: So when Our Command came, We Made its upper part to be its lower part and Rained upon them stones of clay, Marked (for Punishment) in the Presence of your Lord, to the extravagant (people) [51:34]. And he^-asws recited: and the roof fell upon them from above them, and the Punishment came to them from where they were not aware of [16:26].

قَالَ وَ خَرَجَتِ الْمُخَدَّرَاتُ فِي الزَّلْزَلَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ مِنْ خُدُورِهِنَّ مُكَشَّفَاتِ الرُّءُوسِ وَ إِذَا الْأَطْفَالُ يَبْكُونَ وَ يَصْرُخُونَ فَلَا يَلْتَفِتُ أَحَدٌ فَلَمَّا بَصُرَ الْبَاقِرُ ع ضَرَبَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى الْخَيْطِ فَجَمَعَهُ فِي كَفِّهِ فَسَكَنَتِ الزَّلْزَلَةُ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ بِيَدِي وَ النَّاسُ لَا يَرَوْنَهُ وَ خَرَجْنَا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِذَا قَوْمٌ قَدِ اجْتَمَعُوا إِلَى بَابِ حَانُوتِ الْحَدَّادِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘And the veiled women came out during the second earthquake from their veils, uncovering the heads, and the children were crying and shouting and no one turned around. When Al-Baqir^-asws sighted, he^-asws hit his^-asws hand to the thread and gathered it in his^-asws palm, and the earthquake settled. Then he^-asws grabbed my hand, and the people were not seeing him^-asws, and we exited from the Masjid, and there were people who had gathered to a door of the blacksmith’s shop.

وَ هُمْ خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ يَقُولُونَ مَا سَمِعْتُمْ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا الْمَدَرَةِ مِنَ‏ الْهِمَّةِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَلَى لَهَمْهَمَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ وَ قَالَ آخَرُونَ بَلْ وَ اللَّهِ صَوْتٌ وَ كَلَامٌ وَ صِيَاحٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ لَكُنَّا وَ اللَّهِ لَمْ نَقِفْ عَلَى الْكَلَامِ

And they were a lot of people and they were saying, ‘We have not heard the like of this period from the activeness’. One of them said, ‘Yes, it has been active a lot’. And others said, ‘Yes, by Allah^-azwj! There are a lot of voices, and speech, and shouting, but by Allah^-azwj we will not stop upon the speech’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَنَظَرَ الْبَاقِرُ ع إِلَى قِصَّتِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا جَابِرُ دَأْبُنَا وَ دَأْبُهُمْ إِذَا بَطِرُوا وَ أَشِرُوا وَ تَمَرَّدُوا وَ بَغَوْا أَرْعَبْنَاهُمْ وَ خَوَّفْنَاهُمْ فَإِذَا ارْتَدَعُوا وَ إِلَّا أَذِنَ اللَّهُ فِي خَسْفِهِمْ

Jabir said, ‘Al-Baqir^-asws looked at their story, then said, ‘O Jabir! We preserved and they preserved. When they were careless and were evil, and disobeyed, and rebelled, we terrified them and scared them. So, if they are deterred, (then fine), or else Allah^-azwj has Permitted regarding their submergence’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا هَذَا الْخَيْطُ الَّذِي فِيهِ الْأُعْجُوبَةُ

Jabir said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is this thread in which are the wonders?’

قَالَ هَذِهِ‏ بَقِيَّةٌ مِمَّا تَرَكَ آلُ مُوسى‏ وَ آلُ هارُونَ تَحْمِلُهُ الْمَلائِكَةُ إِلَيْنَا يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّ لَنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَنْزِلَةً وَ مَكَاناً رَفِيعاً وَ لَوْ لَا نَحْنُ لَمْ يَخْلُقِ اللَّهُ أَرْضاً وَ لَا سَمَاءً وَ لَا جَنَّةً وَ لَا نَاراً وَ لَا شَمْساً وَ لَا قَمَراً وَ لَا بَرّاً وَ لَا بَحْراً وَ لَا سَهْلًا وَ لَا جَبَلًا وَ لَا رَطْباً وَ لَا يَابِساً وَ لَا حُلْواً وَ لَا مُرّاً وَ لَا مَاءً وَ لَا نَبَاتاً وَ لَا شَجَراً

He^-asws said: ‘This is a remnant of what the progeny of Musa and the progeny of Haroun have left, the Angels would be carrying it; [2:248], to us^-asws. O Jabir! There is a status for us^-asws in the Presence of Allah^-azwj and a high position, and had it not been for us^-asws, Allah^-azwj would have neither Created an earth, nor a sky, nor Paradise, nor Fire, nor sun, nor moon, nor land, nor sea, nor coast, nor mountain, nor wet, nor dry, nor sweet, nor bitter, nor water, nor vegetation, nor tree.

اخْتَرَعَنَا اللَّهُ مِنْ نُورِ ذَاتِهِ لَا يُقَاسُ بِنَا بَشَرٌ بِنَا أَنْقَذَكُمُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ بِنَا هَدَاكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ نَحْنُ وَ اللَّهِ دَلَلْنَاكُمْ عَلَى رَبِّكُمْ فَقِفُوا عَلَى أَمْرِنَا وَ نَهْيِنَا وَ لَا تَرُدُّوا كُلَّ مَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَّا فَأَنَا أَكْبَرُ وَ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعْظَمُ وَ أَرْفَعُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ مَا يَرِدُ عَلَيْكُمْ

Allah^-azwj Contrived us^-asws from Noor of His^-azwj Self. No mortal can be compared with us^-asws. By us^-asws Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Saved you, and by us^-asws Allah^-azwj Guided you, and by Allah^-azwj we^-asws pointed you all to your Lord^-azwj, therefore stand upon our^-asws orders and our^-asws forbiddances, and do not reject all what is referred to you from us^-asws, for we^-asws are greater, and more majestic, and more magnificent, and higher than the entirety of whatever is referred to you.

مَا فَهِمْتُمُوهُ فَاحْمَدُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَا جَهِلْتُمُوهُ فَكِلُوا أَمْرَهُ إِلَيْنَا وَ قُولُوا أَئِمَّتُنَا أَعْلَمُ بِمَا قَالُوا

Whatever you understand, praise Allah^-azwj upon it, and whatever you are ignorant of, so allocates its matter to us^-asws and say, ‘Our Imams^-asws are more knowing with what they^-asws are saying’’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمَدِينَةِ رَاكِباً وَ حَوَالَيْهِ حُرَّاسُهُ وَ هُمْ يُنَادُونَ فِي النَّاسِ مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ احْضُرُوا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ تَقَرَّبُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يَصْرِفُ عَنْكُمُ الْعَذَابَ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then the governor of Al-Medina came riding to us and around him were his guards and they were calling us among the people, ‘Community of people! Presence the son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww, Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws, and draw closer to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, perhaps Allah^-azwj would Turn the Punishment away from you all!’

فَلَمَّا بَصُرُوا بِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرِ ع تَبَادَرُوا نَحْوَهُ وَ قَالُوا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أَ مَا تَرَى مَا نَزَلَ بِأُمَّةِ جَدِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ ص هَلَكُوا وَ فَنُوا عَنْ آخِرِهِمْ أَيْنَ أَبُوكَ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَهُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ وَ نَتَقَرَّبَ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ لِيَرْفَعَ اللَّهُ بِهِ عَنْ أُمَّةِ جَدِّكَ هَذَا الْبَلَاءَ

When they sighted Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali Al-Baqir^-asws, they rushed towards him^-asws and said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Do you^-asws not see what has befallen with the community of Muhammad^-saww? They are destroyed and perished to their last one! Where is your^-asws father^‑asws, until we ask him^-asws to come out to the Masjid and we can draw closer to Allah^-azwj by him^-asws, for Allah^-azwj to Raise from the community of your^-asws grandfather^-saww, this affliction’.

قَالَ لَهُمْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ ع يَفْعَلُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَصْلِحُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّضَرُّعِ وَ التَّوْبَةِ وَ الْوَرَعِ وَ النَّهْيِ عَمَّا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَأْمَنُ‏ مَكْرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْخاسِرُونَ‏

Muhammad^-asws Bin Ali^-asws said to them: ‘Allah^-azwj will do so, Allah^-azwj Willing! Correct yourselves and upon you is with the beseeching, and the repentance, and the piety, and the shunning from what you are upon, But no one feels secure from the Plan of Allah only the people (who are) losers [7:99]’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَأَتَيْنَا عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ع وَ هُوَ يُصَلِّي فَانْتَظَرْنَاهُ حَتَّى فَرَغَ مِنْ‏ صَلَاتِهِ وَ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ مَا خَبَرُ النَّاسِ فَقَالَ ذَلِكَ لَقَدْ رَأَى مِنْ قُدْرَةِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَا لَا زَالَ مُتَعَجِّباً مِنْهَا

Jabir said, ‘We came to Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws and he^-asws was praying Salat. So we waited for him^-asws until he^-asws was free from his^-asws Salat, and turned to face us. He^-asws said: ‘O Muhammad^-asws! What is the news of the people?’ He^-asws said: ‘That has been Shown from the Power of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic what they have not ceased to be astonished from it’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ إِنَّ سُلْطَانَهُمْ سَأَلَنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَكَ أَنْ تَحْضُرَ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ حَتَّى يَجْتَمِعَ النَّاسُ يَدْعُونَ وَ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ يَسْأَلُونَهُ الْإِقَالَةَ

Jabir said, ‘Their ruler has asked us to ask you^-asws to be present at the Masjid until the people gather and are supplicating and beseeching to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic and are asking Him^-azwj for the removal’ (of tremor).

قَالَ فَتَبَسَّمَ ع ثُمَّ تَلَا أَ وَ لَمْ تَكُ تَأْتِيكُمْ رُسُلُكُمْ بِالْبَيِّناتِ قالُوا بَلى‏ قالُوا فَادْعُوا وَ ما دُعاءُ الْكافِرِينَ إِلَّا فِي ضَلالٍ‏ وَ لَوْ أَنَّنا نَزَّلْنا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلائِكَةَ وَ كَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتى‏ وَ حَشَرْنا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قُبُلًا ما كانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّهُ وَ لكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ‏

He (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws smiled, then recited: ‘Or, did not the Rasools come to you with the clear proofs?’ They would say, ‘Yes’. They will say: ‘Then (you) supplicate’. And a supplication of the Kafirs is only during straying [40:50] And even if We had Sent down to them the Angels, and the dead had spoken to them, and We had Gathered all things in front of them, they would not have believed except if Allah had so Desired, but most of them are ignorant [6:111]’.

فَقُلْتُ سَيِّدِي الْعَجْبُ أَنَّهُمْ لَا يَدْرُونَ مِنْ أَيْنَ أُتُوا

I said, ‘My Master^-asws! Strange, they don’t know from where it came’.

قَالَ أَجَلْ ثُمَّ تَلَا فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْساهُمْ كَما نَسُوا لِقاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هذا وَ ما كانُوا بِآياتِنا يَجْحَدُونَ‏ وَ هِيَ وَ اللَّهِ آيَاتُنَا وَ هَذِهِ أَحَدُهَا وَ هِيَ وَ اللَّهِ وَلَايَتُنَا يَا جَابِرُ مَا تَقُولُ فِي قَوْمٍ أَمَاتُوا سُنَّتَنَا وَ تَوَالَوْا أَعْدَاءَنَا وَ انْتَهَكُوا حُرْمَتَنَا فَظَلَمُونَا وَ غَصَبُونَا وَ أَحْيَوْا سُنَنَ الظَّالِمِينَ وَ سَارُوا بِسِيرَةِ الْفَاسِقِينَ

He^-asws said: ‘Yes’. Then he^-asws recited: So, today We will Forsake them just as they forgot the meeting of this Day of theirs, and what they were rejecting of our Signs [7:51], and by Allah^-azwj, it is our^-asws Signs, and this is one of these, is by Allah^-azwj, our^-asws Wilayah, O Jabir! What are you saying regarding a people who killed our^-asws Sunnahs and befriended our^-asws enemies, and violated our^-asws sanctities. They oppressed us, and usurped us^-asws, and revived the ways of the unjust ones and travelled the ways of the transgressors’.

قَالَ جَابِرٌ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي مَنَّ عَلَيَّ بِمَعْرِفَتِكُمْ وَ أَلْهَمَنِي فَضْلَكُمْ وَ وَفَّقَنِي لِطَاعَتِكُمْ مُوَالاةَ مَوَالِيكُمْ وَ مُعَادَاةَ أَعْدَائِكُمْ

Jabir said, ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj Who Conferred upon me with your^-asws recognition and Inspired me your^-asws merits and Harmonised me^-asws for obeying you^-asws, and be a friend to your^-asws friends and an enemy to your^-asws enemies’.

قَالَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ يَا جَابِرُ أَ وَ تَدْرِي مَا الْمَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعْرِفَةُ إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ أَوَّلًا ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعَانِي ثَانِياً ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الْأَبْوَابِ ثَالِثاً ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الامام رَابِعاً ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ الْأَرْكَانِ خَامِساً ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ النُّقَبَاءِ سَادِساً ثُمَّ مَعْرِفَةُ النُّجَبَاءِ سَابِعاً

He^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Or don’t you know what the recognition is? The recognition is affirmation of the Tawheed first, then recognition of the meaning secondly, then recognition of the doors thirdly, then recognition of the Imam^-asws fourthly, the recognition of the elements fifthly, then recognition of the captains sixthly, then recognition of the excellent ones (Al-Nujaba).

وَ هُوَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى‏ لَوْ كانَ الْبَحْرُ مِداداً لِكَلِماتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَنْ تَنْفَدَ كَلِماتُ رَبِّي وَ لَوْ جِئْنا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَداً وَ تَلَا أَيْضاً وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ كَلِماتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ‏

And it is the Word of the Exalted: ‘If the sea was ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be depleted before the Words of my Lord are depleted, and even if We were to bring the like of it as ink’ [18:109]’. And He^-azwj recited as well: And even if every tree in the earth was a pen and the oceans to ink it, from after it seven (more) oceans, the Words of Allah would not be depleted. Surely, Allah is Mighty, Wise [31:27]’.

يَا جَابِرُ إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ وَ مَعْرِفَةُ الْمَعَانِي أَمَّا إِثْبَاتُ التَّوْحِيدِ مَعْرِفَةُ اللَّهِ الْقَدِيمِ الْغَائِبِ الَّذِي‏ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ وَ هُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْبٌ بَاطِنٌ سَتُدْرِكُهُ كَمَا وَصَفَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ

O Jabir! Affirmation of the Tawheed and recognition of the meaning. As for affirmation of the Tawheed, (it is) recognition of Allah^-azwj as the Ancient, the Hidden Who, Visions cannot comprehend Him, and He Comprehends the visions; and He is the Knower of the subtleties, the Aware [6:103]. And He^-azwj is Hidden, Esoteric. You can only comprehend Him^-azwj as He^-azwj has Described Himself^-azwj with.

وَ أَمَّا الْمَعَانِي فَنَحْنُ مَعَانِيهِ وَ مَظَاهِرُهُ فِيكُمْ اخْتَرَعَنَا مِنْ نُورِ ذَاتِهِ وَ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْنَا أُمُورَ عِبَادِهِ فَنَحْنُ نَفْعَلُ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا نَشَاءُ وَ نَحْنُ إِذَا شِئْنَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ إِذَا أَرَدْنَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ

And as for the meaning, so we^-asws are its meaning, and its manifestation among you all. He^‑azwj Contrived us^-asws from Noor of His^-azwj Self, and Delegated the affairs of His^-azwj servants to us^-asws. Thus, we^-asws are doing whatever we^-asws desire by His^-azwj Permission, and when we^-asws desire, Allah^-azwj so Desires (as well), and we intend, Allah^-azwj so Intends.

وَ نَحْنُ أَحَلَّنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هَذَا الْمَحَلَّ وَ اصْطَفَانَا مِنْ بَيْنِ عِبَادِهِ وَ جَعَلَنَا حُجَّتَهُ فِي بِلَادِهِ فَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ شَيْئاً وَ رَدَّهُ فَقَدْ رَدَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ وَ كَفَرَ بِآيَاتِهِ وَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ

And Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Settled us^-asws in this position and Chose us^-asws from between His^-azwj servants, and Made us^-asws His^-azwj Divine Authorities in His^-azwj country. So, the one who denies anything and rejects it, and rejects upon Allah^-azwj, Majestic is His^-azwj Name, and disbelieves in His^-azwj Signs, and His^-azwj Prophets^-as, and His^-azwj Rasools^-as.

I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! Find for me the explanation of this Spirit from the Book of Allah^-azwj the Exalted, and it is from a Command the Exalted Specialised Muhammad^-saww’.

They said, ‘Yes, Allah^-azwj Does whatever He^-azwj Desires and Judges whatever He^-azwj Wants’. I said, ‘The Praise is for Allah^-azwj! They are insightful and recognising and reached’.

The Imam^-asws said: ‘Do not be astounded from the Power of Allah^-azwj. I^-asws am Muhammad^-saww and Muhammad^-asws is me^-asws’. And Muhammad^-asws said: ‘O people! Do not be astounded from the Command of Allah^-azwj. I^-asws am Ali^-asws and Ali^-asws is me^-asws, we^-asws are all one from one Noor, and our^-asws souls are from Commands of Allah^-azwj. The first of us^-asws is Muhammad^-saww, and our^-asws middle one is Muhammad^-asws, and our^-asws last one is Muhammad^-asws, and all of us^-asws are Muhammad^-saww’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘When they heard that, they fell down to their faces in Sajdah and they were saying, ‘We believe in your^-asws Wilayah, and your^-asws secrets, and your^-asws announcements, and we acknowledge your^-asws specialisations’.

Jabir said, ‘So I was gloomy, by Allah^-azwj, with severe gloom, and I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What is a right of the Momin upon his Momin brother?’

قُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي فَكَيْفَ أَوْجَبَ اللَّهُ كُلَّ هَذَا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى أَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ

I said, ‘O my Master^-asws! How come Allah^-azwj Obligated all this for the Momin upon his Momin brother?’

Appendix II: Kissing the hand and feet of Imam^-asws

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hajjal, from Yunus bin Yaqoub who said,

أ تجعل نهبي‏ و نهب العبيد		بين عيينة و الأقرع‏
فما كان حصن و لا حابس‏		يفوقان مرداس في مجمع‏
و ما كنت دون امرئ منهما		و من تضع اليوم لا يرفع‏
و قد كنت في الحرب ذا تدرأ		فلم أعط شيئا و لم أمنع.

فقال فقلت لعلي ع أشر أنت علي قال فإني آمرك أن تأخذ ما أعطاك و ترضى قال فإني أفعل.

He^-saww said: ‘If you like you can say, ‘You^-saww came to us as a fugitive and we sheltered you^-saww and ratified you^-saww and you^-saww came to us fearing and we granted you safety’. So, their voices were raised and their elders stood to him^-saww and they kissed his^-saww hands and his^-saww feet and his^-saww shoulder, then said, ‘We are pleased from Allah^-azwj and from His^-azwj Rasool^-saww, this here is our wealth as well in front of you^-saww, so distribute it between your^‑saww people if you^-saww so like’.

فقال يا معشر الأنصار أ وجدتم في أنفسكم إذ قسمت مالا أتألف به قوما و وكلتم إلى إيمانكم أ ما ترضون أن يرجع غيركم بالشاء و النعم و رجعتم أنتم و رسول الله في سهمكم

He^-saww said: ‘O community of the Helpers! Will you find within yourself (any objection) when I^-saww distribute wealth to incline people with it, and you are to your Eman, are you pleased if others return with livestock and the bounties, while you return and Rasool-Allah^-saww is in your share?’

ثم قال ص الأنصار كرشي و عيبتي لو سلك الناس واديا و سلك الأنصار شعبا لسلكت شعب الأنصار اللهم اغفر للأنصار و لأبناء الأنصار و لأبناء أبناء الأنصار

Then he^-saww said: ‘The Helpers are like my^-saww hands and my^-saww feet. If the people were to travel a valley and the Helpers travel a mountain pass, I^-saww would travel the mountain pass of the Helpers. O Allah^-azwj! Forgive the Helpers and the sons of the Helpers and the sons of the sons of the Helpers’.

وَ رُوِيَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص قَالَ: مَنْ أَمْسَكَ مِنْكُمْ بِحَقِّهِ فَلَهُ بِكُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ سِتُّ فَرَائِضَ مِنْ أَوَّلِ فَيْ‏ءٍ يُصِيبُهُ فردوا إلى الناس نساءهم و أبناءهم قال و كلمته أخته في مالك بن عوف فقال إن جاءني فهو آمن فأتاه فرد عليه ماله و أعطاه مائة من الإبل.

And in a report, ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘One from you who withholds his right, for him would be, for every human being, six Obligatory (portions) from the first ‘Fey’ he attains’. So they returned to the people, their women and their sons. And his^-saww sister (from breast-feeding) spoke to him^-saww regarding Malik Bin Awf. He^-saww said: ‘If he comes to me^-saww, then he is safe’. He came to him^-saww, and he^-saww returned to him his wealth and gave him one hundred camels’.

وَ رَوَى الزُّهْرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: بَيْنَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ هُوَ يَقْسِمُ إِذْ أَتَاهُ ذُو الْخُوَيْصِرَةِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي تَمِيمٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اعْدِلْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَيْلَكَ مَنْ يَعْدِلُ إِنْ أَنَا لَمْ أَعْدِلْ وَ قَدْ خِبْتُ أَوْ خَسِرْتُ إِنْ أَنَا لَمْ أَعْدِلْ

And it is reported by Al-Zuhry, from Abu Salma, from Abu Saeed Al-Khudry who said, ‘While we were in the presence of Rasool-Allah^-saww and he^-saww was distributing when Zul Khuweysara, a man from the clan of Tameem came to him^-saww, and he said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Be fair’. He^-saww said: ‘Woe be unto you, and who will be fair if I^-saww am not fair (if) I^-saww have swindled or incurred you a loss then I^-saww am not being fair’.

فَقَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ائْذَنْ لِي فِيهِ أَضْرِبْ عُنُقَهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص دَعْهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ أَصْحَاباً يُحَقِّرُ أَحَدُكُمْ صَلَاتَهُ مَعَ صَلَاتِهِ وَ صِيَامَهُ مَعَ صِيَامِهِ‏ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ لَا يُجَاوِزُ تَرَاقِيَهُمْ يَمْرُقُونَ مِنَ الْإِسْلَامِ كَمَا يَمْرُقُ السَّهْمُ مِنَ الرَّمِيَّةِ.

Umar Bin Al-Khattab said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Can you^-saww permit me regarding him, I will strike off his neck’. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Leave him, for there are such companions for him, the Salat of one of you is degraded by his Salat, and his Fast with his Fast. They are reciting the Quran not exceeding their ways, passing from Al-Islam just as the arrow passes from the shooting.

قَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ فَأَشْهَدُ أَنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع قَاتَلَهُمْ وَ أَنَا مَعَهُ وَ أَمَرَ بِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ فَالْتُمِسَ فَوُجِدَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ حَتَّى نَظَرْتُ إِلَيْهِ عَلَى نَعْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي نَعَتَ- رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ.

Abu Saeed said, ‘I testify that I heard this from Rasool-Allah^-saww, and I testify that Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws fought them and I was with him^-asws, and ordered with that man, so he^-asws sought and found and came with him until I looked at him upon the description which Rasool-Allah^-saww had described him with’ – It is reported by Al-Bukhari in Al-Saheeh.

قَالُوا ثُمَّ رَكِبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ اتَّبَعَهُ النَّاسُ يَقُولُونَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ اقْسِمْ عَلَيْنَا فَيْئَنَا حَتَّى أَلْجَئُوهُ إِلَى شَجَرَةٍ فَانْتَزَعَ عَنْهُ رِدَاؤُهُ فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسِ رُدُّوا عَلَيَّ رِدَائِي فَوَ الَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ كَانَ عِنْدِي عَدَدُ شَجَرَتِهَا نَعَماً لَقَسَمْتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ ثُمَّ مَا أَلْفَيْتُمُونِي بَخِيلًا وَ لَا جَبَاناً

They said, ‘Then Rasool-Allah^-saww rode and the people followed him^-saww saying, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Distribute upon us our booty until they backed him^-saww to a tree and snatched his^-saww robe from him^-saww. He^-saww said: ‘O you people! Return my^-saww robe back to me^-saww! By the One^-azwj in Whose Hand is my^-saww soul, if there was with me^-saww bounties of the number of its trees I^-saww would have distributed it upon you all, then you would have neither found me^-saww stingy nor a coward’.

ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى جَنْبِ بَعِيرٍ وَ أَخَذَ مِنْ سَنَامِهِ وَبَرَةً فَجَعَلَهَا بَيْنَ إِصْبَعَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا لِي مِنْ فَيْئِكُمْ هَذِهِ الْوَبَرِةِ إِلَّا الْخُمُسُ وَ الْخُمُسُ مَرْدُودٌ عَلَيْكُمْ فَأَدُّوا الْخِيَاطَ وَ الْمَخِيطَ فَإِنَّ الْغُلُولَ عَارٌ وَ نَارٌ وَ شَنَارٌ عَلَى أَهْلِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Then he^-saww stood to the side of a camel and took fur from its hump and made it to be between his^-saww fingers and said: ‘O you people! By Allah^-azwj, there is not for me from your booty even this fur, except for the fifth, and the fifth it returned to you all, so deliver the sewing and the sewn, for the swindling is a shame, and fire and a disgraceful action upon it doer up to the Day of Qiyamah’.

فَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ بِكُبَّةٍ مِنْ خُيُوطِ شَعْرٍ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذْتُ هَذَا لِأَخِيطَ بِهَا بَرْذَعَةَ بَعِيرٍ لِي فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَمَّا حَقِّي مِنْهَا فَلَكَ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ أَمَّا إِذَا بَلَغَ الْأَمْرُ هَذَا فَلَا حَاجَةَ لِي بِهَا وَ رَمَى بِهَا مِنْ يَدِهِ.

A man from the Helpers came to him^-saww with a ball of hair threads and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^‑saww! I took this to sew with it a saddlecloth of a camel of mine’. Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘As for my^-saww right in it, so it is for you’. The man said, ‘But when the matter has this, so there is no need for me with it’, and he threw it from his hand’.

ثم خرج رسول الله ص من الجعرانة في ذي القعدة إلى مكة فقضى بها عمرته ثم صدر إلى المدينة و خليفته على أهل مكة معاذ بن جبل و قال محمد بن إسحاق استخلف عتاب بن أسيد و خلف معه معاذا يفقه الناس في الدين و يعلمهم و حج بالناس في تلك السنة و هي سنة ثمان عتاب بن أسيد و أقام ص بالمدينة ما بين ذي الحجة إلى رجب‏.

Then Rasool-Allah^-saww went out from Al-Ja’rana during Zil Qadah to Makkah and fulfilled his^‑saww Umrah at it, then went to Al-Medina and he^-saww left behind Muaz Bin Jabal in charge upon the people of Makkah. And Muhammad Bin Is’haq said, ‘He^-saww left behind Ataab Bin Aseyd and left behind with him Muaz to make the people understand regarding the Religion and teach them, and Ataab Bin Aseyd performed Hajj during that year, and it is the year eight, and he^-saww stayed in Al-Medina for what is between Zul Hijjah up to Rajab’’.^[18]

Appendix III: Abu Hamza Al-Thamali Kissed the feet of 4^th Imam^-asws

فرحة الغري ذَكَرَ حَسَنُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ طَحَّالٍ الْمِقْدَادِيُّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ‏ أَنَّ زَيْنَ الْعَابِدِينَ ع وَرَدَ إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ وَ دَخَلَ مَسْجِدَهَا وَ بِهِ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيُّ وَ كَانَ مِنْ زُهَّادِ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ وَ مَشَايِخِهَا فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ

(The book) ‘Farhat Al-Ghary’ –

It is mentioned by Hasan Bin Al-Husayn Bin Tahhal Al-Miqdady, may Allah^-azwj be Pleased with him, that Zayn Al-Abideen^-asws arrived to Al-Kufa and entered its Masjid, and at it was Abu Hamza Al-Sumali, and he was from the ascetics of the people of Al-Kufa and their Sheykhs. He^-asws prayed two units Salat.

قَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ فَمَا سَمِعْتُ أَطْيَبَ مِنْ لَهْجَتِهِ فَدَنَوْتُ لِأَسْمَعَ مَا يَقُولُ فَسَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِلَهِي إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ عَصَيْتُكَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ أَطَعْتُكَ فِي أَحَبِّ الْأَشْيَاءِ إِلَيْكَ الْإِقْرَارِ بِوَحْدَانِيَّتِكَ مَنّاً مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ لَا مَنّاً مِنِّي عَلَيْكَ- وَ الدُّعَاءُ مَعْرُوفٌ ثُمَّ نَهَضَ

Abu Hamza said, ‘I had not heard a tone sweeter than his^-asws, so I went closer to listen to what he^-asws is saying. I heard him^-asws saying: ‘O my God^-azwj! If I have disobeyed You^-azwj, so I have obeyed You^-azwj is the thing most Beloved to You^-azwj, the acknowledgment of Your^-azwj Oneness, as a Conferment from You^-azwj upon me, nor as a conferment from me upon You^-azwj!’ – and the supplication is well-known. Then he^-asws got up (departed).

قَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ فَتَبِعْتُهُ إِلَى مُنَاخِ الْكُوفَةِ فَوَجَدْتُ عَبْداً أَسْوَدَ مَعَهُ نَجِيبٌ وَ نَاقَةٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَسْوَدُ مَنِ الرَّجُلُ

‘Abu Hamza said, ‘I followed him^-asws to the resting place of Al-Kufa. I found a slave having a mule and a she-camel with him. I said, ‘O slave, who is the man?’

فَقَالَ أَ وَ تَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ شَمَائِلُهُ هُوَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ

He said, ‘Is his^-asws family hidden unto you? He^-asws is Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws!’

قَالَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ فَأَكْبَبْتُ عَلَى قَدَمَيْهِ أُقَبِّلُهُمَا فَرَفَعَ رَأْسِي بِيَدِهِ وَ قَالَ لَا يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ إِنَّمَا يَكُونُ السُّجُودُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

Abu Hamza said, ‘I devoted to his^-asws feet, kissing them. He^-asws raised my head by his^-asws hand and said: ‘No, O Abu Hamza! But rather the Sajdah should be to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’.

فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا أَقْدَمَكَ إِلَيْنَا

I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! What made you^-asws come to us?’

قَالَ مَا رَأَيْتَ وَ لم [لَوْ] عَلِمَ النَّاسُ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ لَأَتَوْهُ وَ لَوْ حَبْواً هَلْ لَكَ أَنْ تَزُورَ مَعِي قَبْرَ جَدِّي عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ-

He^-asws said: ‘What have you seen? If people knew the virtues within it, they would come to it even if they had to crawl. Would you like to visit with me^-asws the grave of my^-asws grandfather^-asws Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws?’

I said, ‘Yes!’

قُلْتُ أَجَلْ فَسِرْتُ فِي ظِلِّ نَاقَتِهِ يُحَدِّثُنِي حَتَّى أَتَيْنَا الْغَرِيَّيْنِ وَ هِيَ بُقْعَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ تَلْمَعُ نُوراً فَنَزَلَ عَنْ نَاقَتِهِ وَ مَرَّغَ خَدَّيْهِ عَلَيْهَا وَ قَالَ يَا أَبَا حَمْزَةَ هَذَا قَبْرُ جَدِّي عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع-

I walked in the shade of his^-asws she-camel. He^-asws kept narrating to me until we came to Al-Ghariyeyn, and it is a white spot of shining radiance. He^-asws descended from his^-asws she-camel and rubbed his^-asws cheeks upon it and said: ‘O Abu Hamza! This is the grave of my^-asws grandfather Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws!’

ثُمَّ زَارَهُ‏ بِزِيَارَةٍ أَوَّلُهَا السَّلَامُ عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّضِيِّ وَ نُورِ وَجْهِهِ الْمُضِي‏ءِ

The he^-asws visited him^-asws with a Ziyarat, its beginning is: ‘The greeting be upon the Name of Allah^-azwj, the Pleasing, and the Noor of His^-azwj Face, the illuminating!’

ثُمَّ وَدَّعَهُ وَ مَضَى إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَ رَجَعْتُ أَنَا إِلَى الْكُوفَةِ.

Then he^-asws bade him^-asws farewell and went to Al-Medina, and I returned to Al-Kufa’’.^[19]

[1] Qasas Al Anbiya^-as – H 177 (and) بحار الأنوار( 13/ 8)، برقم:( 8)

[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 14 H 2

[3] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 80 H 4

[4] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^-saww, P 3 Ch 28 H 9

[5] وسائل الشيعة، ج‏5، ص: 133, H. 3

[6] وسائل الشيعة، ج‏5، ص: 133, H., 4

[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 83 – The Book Salat – Ch 66 H 13

[8] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 53 The book of History – Imam Al-Mahdi^-ajfj, Ch 31 H 4

[9] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 97 – The Book of Shrines – Ch 5 H 15

[10] Qasas Al Anbiya^-as – H 177 (and) بحار الأنوار( 13/ 8)، برقم:( 8)

[11] Qasas Al Anbiya^-as – H 465 and بحار الأنوار( 22/ 514) و( 22/ 529- 530) عن أعلام الورى ص( 137- 138).

[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 83 – The Book Salat – Ch 66 H 9

[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 83 – The Book Salat – Ch 66 H 24 a

[14] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 84 – The Book Salat – Ch 74 H 2 a

[15] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 98 – The Book of Shrines – Ch 18 H 30

[16] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 26, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 14 H 2

[17] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 80 H 4

[18] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 19, The book of our Prophet^-saww, P 3 Ch 28 H 9

[19] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 97 – The Book of Shrines – Ch 12 H 31

Summary:

Introduction:

Allah-azwj is Closer than anyone else in Sajdah:

Imam-asws Performs Sajdah of Shukar in a Market:

Imam-e-Zaman-ajfj’s reply on Sajdah

Allah-azwj Loves when the cheek is placed on the ground in His-azwj Reverence:

Imam-asws Supplicated while keeping his-asws right and then left Cheek on the ground: