Al-Kāfi

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَرْسَلَ النَّجَاشِيُّ إِلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَأَصْحَابِهِ فَدَخَلُوا عَلَيْهِ وَهُوَ فِي بَيْتٍ لَهُ جَالِسٌ عَلَى التُّرَابِ وَعَلَيْهِ خُلْقَانُ الثِّيَابِ قَالَ فَقَالَ جَعْفَرٌ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَأَشْفَقْنَا مِنْهُ حِينَ رَأَيْنَاهُ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى مَا بِنَا وَتَغَيُّرَ وُجُوهِنَا قَالَ الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي نَصَرَ مُحَمَّداً وَأَقَرَّ عَيْنَهُ أَ لا أُبَشِّرُكُمْ فَقُلْتُ بَلَى أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ جَاءَنِي السَّاعَةَ مِنْ نَحْوِ أَرْضِكُمْ عَيْنٌ مِنْ عُيُونِي هُنَاكَ فَأَخْبَرَنِي أَنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ نَصَرَ نَبِيَّهُ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) وَأَهْلَكَ عَدُوَّهُ وَأُسِرَ فُلانٌ وَفُلانٌ وَفُلانٌ الْتَقَوْا بِوَادٍ يُقَالُ لَهُ بَدْرٌ كَثِيرِ الأرَاكِ لَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ حَيْثُ كُنْتُ أَرْعَى لِسَيِّدِي هُنَاكَ وَهُوَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي ضَمْرَةَ فَقَالَ لَهُ جَعْفَرٌ أَيُّهَا الْمَلِكُ فَمَا لِي أَرَاكَ جَالِساً عَلَى التُّرَابِ وَعَلَيْكَ هَذِهِ الْخُلْقَانُ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا جَعْفَرُ إِنَّا نَجِدُ فِيمَا أَنْزَلَ الله عَلَى عِيسَى (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ مِنْ حَقِّ الله عَلَى عِبَادِهِ أَنْ يُحْدِثُوا لَهُ تَوَاضُعاً عِنْدَ مَا يُحْدِثُ لَهُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ فَلَمَّا أَحْدَثَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِي نِعْمَةً بِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) أَحْدَثْتُ لله هَذَا التَّوَاضُعَ فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) قَالَ لأصْحَابِهِ إِنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ تَزِيدُ صَاحِبَهَا كَثْرَةً فَتَصَدَّقُوا يَرْحَمْكُمُ الله وَإِنَّ التَّوَاضُعَ يَزِيدُ صَاحِبَهُ رِفْعَةً فَتَوَاضَعُوا يَرْفَعْكُمُ الله وَإِنَّ الْعَفْوَ يَزِيدُ صَاحِبَهُ عِزّاً فَاعْفُوا يُعِزَّكُمُ الله.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqa from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Once al-Najashi (a king of Abyssinia) called to his presence Ja’far ibn abu Talib and his companions. When they came in, they found the king sitting on the ground wearing two old pieces of cloth.’ The Imam said that Ja’far has said, ‘We felt compassion for him in our hearts when we saw him in that condition. When he noticed our feelings from our faces he said, “All praise is due to Allah for his giving victory to Muhammad and delight to his heart. Should I give you good news?” I said, “Yes, O King.” He then said, “This hour my informant people have come from your land and have informed me that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has granted victory to His prophet, Muhammad (a.s.) and has destroyed his enemies. So and so are taken captive when they met each other in a land called Badr, which has a great many bushes of Arak as if I can see it, because I was a shepherd grazing the herd for my master who was from the tribe of Damrah.” Ja’far then said to him, “O king, why do you sit on the ground wearing two pieces of old cloth?” He then said, “O Ja’far, we find in what Allah had revealed to Jesus that of the rights of Allah on his servants is to show humbleness when He does a favor for them. Since Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has done a favor for me by means of granting victory to Muhammad (a.s.) 1 show humility.’” When this was mentioned to the Holy Prophet he said to his companions, ‘Charity increases the wealth of the donor, therefore, give charity. Humbleness elevates the position of a person, therefore, be humble, Allah will raise your degree in meritorious status. Forgiveness increases the respect of a person, therefore, forgive, Allah will grant you respect.’”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي السَّمَاءِ مَلَكَيْنِ مُوَكَّلَيْنِ بِالْعِبَادِ فَمَنْ تَوَاضَعَ لله رَفَعَاهُ وَمَنْ تَكَبَّرَ وَضَعَاهُ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu’awiyah ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “I heard the Imam saying, ‘In heaven there are two angels who guard the servants (of Allah). Whoever is humble before Allah, they raise him up, and whoever is arrogant, they bring him low.’”

3ـ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَفْطَرَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) عَشِيَّةَ خَمِيسٍ فِي مَسْجِدِ قُبَا فَقَالَ هَلْ مِنْ شَرَابٍ فَأَتَاهُ أَوْسُ بْنُ خَوَلِيٍّ الأنْصَارِيُّ بِعُسِّ مَخِيضٍ بِعَسَلٍ فَلَمَّا وَضَعَهُ عَلَى فِيهِ نَحَّاهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ شَرَابَانِ يُكْتَفَى بِأَحَدِهِمَا مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ لا أَشْرَبُهُ وَلا أُحَرِّمُهُ وَلَكِنْ أَتَوَاضَعُ لله فَإِنَّ مَنْ تَوَاضَعَ لله رَفَعَهُ الله وَمَنْ تَكَبَّرَ خَفَضَهُ الله وَمَنِ اقْتَصَدَ فِي مَعِيشَتِهِ رَزَقَهُ الله وَمَنْ بَذَّرَ حَرَمَهُ الله وَمَنْ أَكْثَرَ ذِكْرَ الْمَوْتِ أَحَبَّهُ الله .

3. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: ‘‘In a Thursday evening the Messenger of Allah had completed his day’s fasting and dinner was served in the Mosque of Quba. He asked, ‘Is there any drink?’ Aws ibn Khuli brought him a bowl of milk mixed with honey. When he touched it with his lips he moved it away saying, ‘There are two drinks each of which is enough drink. I will not drink it and I am not making unlawful to drink it, but I want to be humble before Allah. Whoever is humble before Allah, He raises him up, and whoever is arrogant, Allah brings him low. Whoever economizes in his living Allah grants him sustenance. Whoever is a spendthrift, Allah deprives him. Whoever speaks of death very often, Allah loves him.’”

4ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ دَاوُدَ الْحَمَّارِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ مَنْ أَكْثَرَ ذِكْرَ الله أَظَلَّهُ الله فِي جَنَّتِهِ.

4. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’ alia ibn Muhammad from al- Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Dawud al-Hammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) a similar Hadith in which he has said the following: ‘‘Whoever speaks of Allah very often, Allah will provide him shadow in His paradise.”

5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَذْكُرُ أَنَّهُ أَتَى رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) مَلَكٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُخَيِّرُكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ عَبْداً رَسُولاً مُتَوَاضِعاً أَوْ مَلِكاً رَسُولاً قَالَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ أَنْ تَوَاضَعْ فَقَالَ عَبْداً مُتَوَاضِعاً رَسُولاً فَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ مَعَ أَنَّهُ لا يَنْقُصُكَ مِمَّا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ شَيْئاً قَالَ وَمَعَهُ مَفَاتِيحُ خَزَائِنِ الأرْضِ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ibn Faddal from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Once an angel came to the Messenger of Allah and said, ‘‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, gives you the choice to be a servant and a humble messenger, or to be an angel and a messenger.” He looked to Jibril who made a gesture with his hand to be humble. He (the Messenger of Allah) said, “I want to be a humble servant and a messenger.” The messenger (the angel) said, “Despite this, there is no reduction in what is with your Lord.” The Imam said, “With him were the keys to the treasures of earth.’””

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مِنَ التَّوَاضُعِ أَنْ تَرْضَى بِالْمَجْلِسِ دُونَ الْمَجْلِسِ وَأَنْ تُسَلِّمَ عَلَى مَنْ تَلْقَى وَأَنْ تَتْرُكَ الْمِرَاءَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ مُحِقّاً وَأَنْ لا تُحِبَّ أَنْ تُحْمَدَ عَلَى التَّقْوَى.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “It is of humbleness to be happy with one seat instead of another seat, to initiate the greeting of peace to one who meets him and to avoid extreme argumentation even though one is right, and should not love to be praised for piety.”

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَمَّنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى مُوسَى (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنْ يَا مُوسَى أَ تَدْرِي لِمَ اصْطَفَيْتُكَ بِكَلامِي دُونَ خَلْقِي قَالَ يَا رَبِّ وَلِمَ ذَاكَ قَالَ فَأَوْحَى الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ أَنْ يَا مُوسَى إِنِّي قَلَّبْتُ عِبَادِي ظَهْراً لِبَطْنٍ فَلَمْ أَجِدْ فِيهِمْ أَحَداً أَذَلَّ لِي نَفْساً مِنْكَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّكَ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ وَضَعْتَ خَدَّكَ عَلَى التُّرَابِ أَوْ قَالَ عَلَى الأرْضِ.

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ali ibn Yaqtin from his narrators from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, sent revelation to Moses asking, ‘Moses, do you know why I chose you to speak to instead of My other creatures?’ He asked, ‘My Lord, why did You do so?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, revealed to Moses, “Moses, I turned My creatures upside down and I did not find anyone of a more humble soul than you. O Moses, whenever you prayed you had been placing your cheek on the soil,” or he said, ‘On earth.’”

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَرَّ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) عَلَى الْمُجَذَّمِينَ وَهُوَ رَاكِبٌ حِمَارَهُ وَهُمْ يَتَغَدَّوْنَ فَدَعَوْهُ إِلَى الْغَدَاءِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي لَوْ لا أَنِّي صَائِمٌ لَفَعَلْتُ فَلَمَّا صَارَ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ أَمَرَ بِطَعَامٍ فَصُنِعَ وَأَمَرَ أَنْ يَتَنَوَّقُوا فِيهِ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُمْ فَتَغَدَّوْا عِنْدَهُ وَتَغَدَّى مَعَهُمْ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once, Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was passing by the lepers while riding his donkey. They were having their lunch so they invited him to join them for food. The Imam said, ‘Had 1 not been fasting I would have joined you.’ When he returned home he asked that good food be prepared. He then invited the lepers for food and he (Ali ibn al-Husayn) (a.s.) joined them at the table.’” (Leprosy is a contagious disease.)

9ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ خَارِجَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ التَّوَاضُعِ أَنْ يَجْلِسَ الرَّجُلُ دُونَ شَرَفِهِ.

Several of our companions narrated from Ahmad ibn Abi Abdullah, from Uthman ibn Isa, from Harun ibn Kharijah, from Abu Abdullah (as), who said: "Verily, humility includes a man sitting below his social rank."

10ـ عَنْهُ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ وَمُحَسِّنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ نَظَرَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ قَدِ اشْتَرَى لِعِيَالِهِ شَيْئاً وَهُوَ يَحْمِلُهُ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ الرَّجُلُ اسْتَحْيَا مِنْهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) اشْتَرَيْتَهُ لِعِيَالِكَ وَحَمَلْتَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ أَمَا وَالله لَوْ لا أَهْلُ الْمَدِينَةِ لأحْبَبْتُ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ لِعِيَالِيَ الشَّيْ‏ءَ ثُمَّ أَحْمِلَهُ إِلَيْهِمْ.

10. It is narrated from him, from Ibn Faddāl and Muḥassin ibn Aḥmad, from Yūnus ibn Yaʿqūb, who said: Abū ʿAbdillāh (AS) looked at a man from the people of Medina who had bought something for his family and was carrying it. When the man saw him, he felt shy from him (the Imam). So Abū ʿAbdillāh (AS) said: "You bought it for your family and carried it to them. By Allah, if it were not for the people of Medina, I would prefer to buy something for my family and then carry it to them."

11ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ فِيمَا أَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى دَاوُدَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَا دَاوُدُ كَمَا أَنَّ أَقْرَبَ النَّاسِ مِنَ الله الْمُتَوَاضِعُونَ كَذَلِكَ أَبْعَدُ النَّاسِ مِنَ الله الْمُتَكَبِّرُونَ.

11. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Abdullah ibn al-Qasim, from Amr ibn Abi al-Miqdam, from Abu Abdullah (a.s.), who said: "In what Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, revealed to David (a.s.): 'O David, just as the closest people to Allah are the humble, likewise the farthest people from Allah are the arrogant.'"

12ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فِي السَّنَةِ الَّتِي قُبِضَ فِيهَا أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا لَكَ ذَبَحْتَ كَبْشاً وَنَحَرَ فُلانٌ بَدَنَةً فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ نُوحاً (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) كَانَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ وَكَانَ فِيهَا مَا شَاءَ الله وَكَانَتِ السَّفِينَةُ مَأْمُورَةً فَطَافَتْ بِالْبَيْتِ وَهُوَ طَوَافُ النِّسَاءِ وَخَلَّى سَبِيلَهَا نُوحٌ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فَأَوْحَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ أَنِّي وَاضِعٌ سَفِينَةَ نُوحٍ عَبْدِي عَلَى جَبَلٍ مِنْكُنَّ فَتَطَاوَلَتْ وَشَمَخَتْ وَتَوَاضَعَ الْجُودِيُّ وَهُوَ جَبَلٌ عِنْدَكُمْ فَضَرَبَتِ السَّفِينَةُ بِجُؤْجُؤِهَا الْجَبَلَ قَالَ فَقَالَ نُوحٌ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَا مَارِي أَتْقِنْ وَهُوَ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ يَا رَبِّ أَصْلِحْ قَالَ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عَرَّضَ بِنَفْسِهِ.

12. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from Ali ibn al-Hakam in a marfu’ manner from abu Basir who has said the following: “I entered upon Abu al-Hasan Musa (a.s.) in the year when Abu Abdullah (a.s.) passed away. I said, 'May I be your ransom, why did you slaughter a ram while so-and-so sacrificed a camel?' He (peace be upon him) said, 'O Abu Muhammad, Noah (a.s.) was in the Ark, and it contained what Allah willed. The Ark was commanded (by Allah), and it circled around the Ka'bah—this was the circumambulation of women—and then Noah (a.s.) let it continue on its way. Allah, the Mighty and Exalted, revealed to the mountains that He would place the Ark of His servant Noah on one of them. So the mountains extended themselves and raised their heads high, while Mount Judi, which is near you, lowered itself. The Ark struck the mountain with its bow. Noah (a.s.) then said at that moment, 'O Mari, secure it!'—in Syriac, 'O Lord, make it sound!'" I then thought that Abu al-Hasan (a.s.) was alluding to himself.