Al-Kāfi

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ ذَكَرَ رَجُلاً فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ يُحِبُّ الرِّئَاسَةَ فَقَالَ مَا ذِئْبَانِ ضَارِيَانِ فِي غَنَمٍ قَدْ تَفَرَّقَ رِعَاؤُهَا بِأَضَرَّ فِي دِينِ الْمُسْلِمِ مِنَ الرِّئَاسَةِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Mu’ammar ibn Khallad from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following: “It was mentioned before the Imam that a certain man loves to have leadership. The Imam said, ‘Two fierce wolves in a flock of sheep, whose shepherd is far away, are not more harmful to the flock than seeking leadership to a Muslim’s religion is.’”

2ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جَنَاحٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَبِي عَامِرٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ طَلَبَ الرِّئَاسَةَ هَلَكَ.

2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Sa’id ibn Janah from his brother, Abu ‘Amir from a man from Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: "Whoever seeks leadership is destroyed.”

3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُسْكَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَهَؤُلاءِ الرُّؤَسَاءَ الَّذِينَ يَتَرَأَّسُونَ فَوَ الله مَا خَفَقَتِ النِّعَالُ خَلْفَ رَجُلٍ إِلا هَلَكَ وَأَهْلَكَ.

3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Beware of these leaders who pretend to be leaders. I swear by Allah, shoes (people) have never marched behind a man, but that he destroys (them) and (he) is destroyed.”

4ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ وَغَيْرِهِ رَفَعُوهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ تَرَأَّسَ مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ هَمَّ بِهَا مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ حَدَّثَ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ.

4. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Muhammad ibn Isma’il ibn Bazi’ and others in a marfu’ manner who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Condemned is one who seeks leadership, condemned is one who intends to become a leader and condemned is one who speaks to himself of leadership.’”

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي عَقِيلَةَ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا كَرَّامٌ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِيَّاكَ وَالرِّئَاسَةَ وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَطَأَ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَمَّا الرِّئَاسَةُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْتُهَا وَأَمَّا أَنْ أَطَأَ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ فَمَا ثُلُثَا مَا فِي يَدِي إِلا مِمَّا وَطِئْتُ أَعْقَابَ الرِّجَالِ فَقَالَ لِي لَيْسَ حَيْثُ تَذْهَبُ إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَنْصِبَ رَجُلاً دُونَ الْحُجَّةِ فَتُصَدِّقَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَا قَالَ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Ayyub from abu ‘Aqilah al-Sayrafi who has said that Karram narrated to us from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has said the following: “Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘Beware of leadership and beware of marching behind men (following them).’ I (the narrator) asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I understand what leadership is. However, as far as walking behind men is concerned, I must acknowledge that two thirds of what I know are but from my walking behind and following men.’ The Imam said to me, ‘That is not the way you think. Beware of supporting a man who does not have any (Divine) Authority but you acknowledge whatever he has said.’”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ الشَّامِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِي وَيْحَكَ يَا أَبَا الرَّبِيعِ لا تَطْلُبَنَّ الرِّئَاسَةَ وَلا تَكُنْ ذِئْباً وَلا تَأْكُلْ بِنَا النَّاسَ فَيُفْقِرَكَ الله وَلا تَقُلْ فِينَا مَا لا نَقُولُ فِي أَنْفُسِنَا فَإِنَّكَ مَوْقُوفٌ وَمَسْئُولٌ لا مَحَالَةَ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً صَدَّقْنَاكَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِباً كَذَّبْنَاكَ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from abu al- Rabi’ al-Shami who has said the following: “Once abu Ja’far (a.s.) said to me, ‘Woe upon you, O abu al-Rabi’, do not seek leadership and do not be a wolf, do not eat people (consume their properties) through us so Allah makes you poor, do not say about us what we do not say about ourselves. One day you will be made to stand up (before the Judge) and will inevitably be questioned. Had you been a truthful person, we, approve you and, had you been lying, we will declare you a liar.’”

7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَيَّاحٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَنْ أَرَادَ الرِّئَاسَةَ هَلَكَ.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Mansur ibn al- ‘ Abbas from ibn Mayyah from his father who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Whoever wants leadership is destroyed.’”

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ أَ تَرَى لا أَعْرِفُ خِيَارَكُمْ مِنْ شِرَارِكُمْ بَلَى وَالله وَإِنَّ شِرَارَكُمْ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُوطَأَ عَقِبُهُ إِنَّهُ لا بُدَّ مِنْ كَذَّابٍ أَوْ عَاجِزِ الرَّأْيِ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) asking, ‘Do you think I do not distinguish the bad from good among you? Yes, by Allah, the bad ones among you are those who love people walking behind him. Such a person is inevitably a liar or a helpless one (due to his ignorance) in his opinion.’”