Al-Kāfi - Volume 1


Book 4, Chapter 63

Proof that Imamat (leadership with Divine Authority) Continues in the Descendents of the Preceding Imam but not through his Brother or Paternal Uncle or other such Relatives
5 Aḥadīth

Ḥadīth #1

:749

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ ثُوَيْرِ بْنِ أَبِي فَاخِتَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) قَالَ لا تَعُودُ الامَامَةُ فِي أَخَوَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ أَبَداً إِنَّمَا جَرَتْ مِنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ كَمَا قَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَأُولُوا الارْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلى‏ بِبَعْضٍ فِي كِتابِ الله فَلا تَكُونُ بَعْدَ عَلِيِّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) إِلا فِي الاعْقَابِ وَأَعْقَابِ الاعْقَابِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from al-Husayn ibn Thuwayr ibn abu Fakhita from abu‘Abdallah (a.s) who has said the following. “Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) will never go to two brothers after al-Hassan and al-Husayn (a.s). It has continued from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s) as Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has said, “The relatives are closer to each other, according to the Book of God, . .” (33:6) After Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s) will only be found in the descendents one after the other.”

Ḥadīth #2

:750

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) أَنَّهُ سَمِعَهُ يَقُولُ أَبَى الله أَنْ يَجْعَلَهَا لاخَوَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام )

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Walid from Yunus ibn Ya‘qub who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) say the following. “ Allah has disdained to place Imamat in two brothers after al-Hassan and al-Husayn (a.s).”

Ḥadīth #3

:751

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (a.s) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ أَ تَكُونُ الامَامَةُ فِي عَمٍّ أَوْ خَالٍ فَقَالَ لا فَقُلْتُ فَفِي أَخٍ قَالَ لا قُلْتُ فَفِي مَنْ قَالَ فِي وَلَدِي وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لا وَلَدَ لَهُ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ who has said the following. “Abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s) was once asked, “Can Imamat continue in uncles?” He replied, “No, it can not happen.” The narrator has said that he asked the Imams (a.s), “Can it continue in a brother?” He replied, “No, it can not happen.” I then asked, “With who then it can continues?” He replied, “It will continue with my children.” In those days he hadd no children.”

Ḥadīth #4

:752

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لا تَجْتَمِعُ الامَامَةُ فِي أَخَوَيْنِ بَعْدَ الْحَسَنِ وَالْحُسَيْنِ إِنَّمَا هِيَ فِي الاعْقَابِ وَأَعْقَابِ الاعْقَابِ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al Husayn from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran from Sulayman ibn Ja‘fari from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) who has said the following. “Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) does not take place in two brothers after al-Hassan and al-Husayn (a.s). It only continues in the descendents of the Imam (a.s) generation after the generation.”

Ḥadīth #5

:753

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (a.s) عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنْ كَانَ كَوْنٌ وَلا أَرَانِي الله فَبِمَنْ أَئْتَمُّ فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَى ابْنِهِ مُوسَى قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ حَدَثَ بِمُوسَى حَدَثٌ فَبِمَنْ أَئْتَمُّ قَالَ بِوَلَدِهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ حَدَثَ بِوَلَدِهِ حَدَثٌ وَتَرَكَ أَخاً كَبِيراً وَابْناً صَغِيراً فَبِمَنْ أَئْتَمُّ قَالَ بِوَلَدِهِ ثُمَّ وَاحِداً فَوَاحِداً. وَفِي نُسْخَةِ الصَّفْوَانِيِّ ثُمَّ هَكَذَا أَبَداً.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ibn abu Najran from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Umar ibn Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s) who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) the following. “Would there happen what is to happen, may Allah would not show me such a day (death of the Imam (a.s) who then must I follow as my Imam?” The Imam (a.s) pointed to his son Musa (a.s). The narrator has said that he asked the Imams (a.s), “ What if something will happen to Musa (a.s) who then must I follow?” The Imam (a.s), “Follow a son.” I then asked, “What if something would happen to the son and the Imam would leave behind an elder brother or a small son then who must I follow?” The Imam (a.s) said, “Follow his son and so on one after the other.” In the script of Sawan it says, “. .and so on forever.”