Hadith

 أبي رحمة الله، قال: حدّثني سعد بن عبد الله، عن عباد بن سليمان، عن سدير الصيرفي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: دخلت عليه، وعنده أبو بصير، وميسرة وعدّة من جلسائه، فلمّا أن أخذت مجلسي أقبل عليّ بوجهه، وقال: يا سدير، أما إنَّ وليّنا ليعبد الله قائماً وقاعداً ونائماً وحيّاً وميّتاً. قال: قلت: جعلت فداك، أمّا عبادته قائماً وقاعداً وحيّاً فقد عرفنا، فكيف يعبد الله نائماً وميّتاً؟ قال: إنّ وليّنا ليضع رأسه فيرقد، فإذا كان وقت الصلاة وكّل به ملكين خلقا في الأرض لم يصعدا إلى السماء، ولم يريا ملكوتها، فيصلّيان عنده حتّى ينتبه فيكتب الله ثواب صلاتهما له. والركعة من صلاتهما تعدل ألف صلاة من صلاة الآدميين. وإنّ وليّنا ليقبضه لله إليه، فيصعد ملكاه إلى السماء فيقولان: يا ربّنا عبدك (فلان بن فلان) انقطع واستوفى أجله، ولأنت أعلم منّا بذلك فائذن لنا نعبدك في آفاق سمائك وأطراف أرضك. قال: فيوحي الله إليهما: إنّ في سمائي لمن يعبدني ومالي في عبادته من حاجة، بل هو أحوج إليها. وإنّ في أرضي لمن يعبدني حقّ عبادتي وما خلقت خلقاً أحوج إليّ منه فاهبطا إلى قبر وليّي. فيقولان: يا ربّنا من هذا يسعد بحبّك إيّاه؟ قال: فيوحي الله إليهما: ذلك من أخذ ميثاقه بمحمّد عبدي ووصيّه وذرّيّتهما بالولاية. اهبطا إلى قبر وليّي (فلان بن فلان) فصلّيا عنده إلى أن أبعثه في القيامة. قال: فيهبط الملكان، فيصلّيان عند القبر إلى أن يبعثه الله فيكتب ثواب صلاتهما له، والركعة من صلاتهما تعدل ألف صلاة من صلاة الآدميّين. قال سدير: جعلت فداك يا بن رسول الله فإن وليّكم نائماً وميّتاً أعبد منه حيّاً وقائماً؟ قال: فقال: هيهات يا سدير، إن وليّنا ليؤمن على الله عزّ وجلّ يوم القيامة فيجيز أمانه.

 My father (r) narrated from Sa’d bin Abdullah from Ebbad bin Sulaiman that Sadir as-Sayrafi said: Abu Bassir, Maysara, and other individuals were with Abu Abdullah (a) when I visited him. As soon as I sat, he turned to me and said: O Sadir, our disciple worships Allah while he is standing, sitting, sleeping, alive, and dead. I said: Allah may make me your sacrifice. We can understand how he worships Allah while he is standing, sitting, and alive. But how is it when he is asleep and dead? He (a) said: When the time of the prayer comes while our disciple is asleep, two angels whom were created in the earth and had never ascended to the heavens or seen the kingdom there will offer prayers next to him so as to awaken him. Allah will record the reward of the prayers of these two angels for that disciple. A single rak’a that is offered by these angels is equal to one thousand prayers that are offered by people. When Allah seizes the soul of our disciple, his two angels ascend to the heavens and say: ’O our Lord, Your servant (so-and-so) has withdrawn from worship and taken in full his life. You, however, are more knowledgeable with this matter than we are. Allow us to worship you in the horizons of Your heavens and the extremes of Your lands.’ Allah, then, says to them -in a form of revelation-, ’In My heavens, there are many who worship Me while I am not in need for their worship. In fact, it is they who are in need for worshipping Me. On My lands, likewise, there are many who worship me so properly; yet, I have not created anything that is needier for Me than they are. Hence, descend to the grave of my disciple.’ They will say, ’O our Lord, who is that one who is enjoying Your love for him?’ Allah will answer them -in a form of revelation-, ’That one is he who has put himself under the pledge of being loyal to Mohammed; My servant, his successor, and their descendants. Descend to the grave of My disciple (so-and-so) and offer prayers there until I resurrect him for the Day of Resurrection.’ The angels then descend to offer prayers at the grave until Allah resurrects him. Allah will record the reward of the prayers of these two angels for that disciple. A single rak’a that is offered by these angels is equal to one thousand prayers that are offered by people. I said: "Allah may make me your sacrifice, son of Allah’s Messenger. In his sleep and death, your disciple worships Allah in a way better than it is in his life and waking." He (a) said: No, Sadir. This is too far (from the truth). On the Day of Resurrection, our disciple will seek security -for others, probably- from Allah and Allah will grant him (that security)."

Faḍaʾil al-Shīʿa

Book 1, Chapter 23