Ja`far b. Muhammad b. Masrur narrated to us. He said: Al-Husayn b. Muhammad b. `Amer narrated to us from his uncle `Abdullah b. `Amer from Muhammad b. Abi `Umayr. He said: A group of our shaykhs narrated to me, from whom were Aban b. `Uthman, Hisham b. Salim, and Muhammad b. Humran from Al-Sadiq . He said: I am astonished at him who fears four things yet does not seek refuge in four [other] things. (1) I am astonished at him who is afraid of the enemy: why does he not take his concern to His saying, “Allah is sufficient for us, for He is the best trustee” (3:173)? I have heard Allah follow it up with “So they returned by the bounty and the grace of Allah – no harm touched them.” (3:174) (2) I am astonished at him who is anguished: why does he not take his concern to His saying: “There is no god except You, may You be glorified: surely, I was from the wrongdoers.” (21:87)? I have heard Allah follow it up with “We answered his prayer and rescued him from anguish – and like that, We rescue the believers.” (21:88) (3) I am astonished at him who is plotted against: why does he not take his concern to His saying, “I delegate my affairs to Allah. Surely, Allah watches over His servants.” (40:44)? I have heard Allah follow it up with “Allah protected him from their evil plots” (40:45). (4) I am astonished at him who wants this world and its frills: why does he not take his concern to His saying, “Whatever Allah wills; there is no power except by Allah.” (18:39)? I have heard Allah follow it up with “Although you see that I have less wealth and fewer sons than you, perhaps my Lord will grant me something better than your garden.” (18:38-39) – and this “perhaps” was delivered.

Muhammad b. Musa b. al-Mutawakkil narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim narrated to us. He said: My father narrated to us from al-Rayyan b. al-Salt from `Ali b. Musa al-Rida from his father from his forefathers from Amir al-Mu’mineen . He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Allah said: “Whoever interprets My words by his own opinion has not believed in Me. Whoever likens me to My creation has not recognized Me. Whoever utilizes qiyas in My religion is not upon My religion.”

My father narrated to us. He said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to us. He said: Ibrahim b. Hashim narrated from `Ali b. Ma`bad from al-Husayn b. Khalid from `Ali b. Musa al-Rida from his father from his forefathers from Amir al-Mu’minin. He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Whomever does not believe in my Pond, Allah will not direct him to my Pond. Whomever does not believe in my intercession, then I will not intercede to Allah for him. Then, he (s) said: Surely, my intercession is for those of my Nation who have committed major sins. As for the pious, they will have no need for it. Al-Husayn b. Khalid said: So I said to al-Rida : O son of the Messenger of Allah! What is the meaning of the saying of Allah, “They do not intercede except for whom He approves.” (21:28)? He said: They will not intercede except for those whose religion Allah approves of.

Al-Husayn b. Ahmad narrated to us. He said: My father narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Abi al-Sahban narrated to us. He said: Abu Ahmad Muhammad b. Ziyad al-Azdi narrated to us. He said: Aban al-Ahmar narrated to us from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . A man came to him and said to him: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O son of the Messenger of Allah! Teach me a proverb. So, he said: Surely, Allah has guaranteed sustenance, so why are you worried? And if sustenance is allotted, then why be stingy? And if the Judgment is true, then why go to gatherings? And if the reward is from Allah, then why are you lazy? And if the future is truly from Allah, then why be miserly? And if the punishment from Allah is the Fire, then why sin? And if death is true, then why be gleeful? And if the offer of Allah is true, then why plot? And if Satan is the enemy, then why be heedless? And if passing through the Path is true, then why be astonished? And if all things are destined, then why be sorrowful? And if this world is fleeting, then why be content with it?

Al-Hasan b. Muhammad b. Sa`id al-Hashimi narrated to us. He said: Furat b. Ibrahim al-Kufi narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. `Ali b. Mu`ammar narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. `Ali al-Ramli narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Musa narrated to us. He said: Ya`qub b. Is`haq al-Maruzi narrated to us. He said: `Amr b. Mansur narrated to us. He said: Isma`il b. Aban narrated to us from Yahya b. Abi Kathir from his father from Abi Harun al-`Abdi from Jabir b. `Abdullah al-Ansari. He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: `Ali b. Abi Talib is the foremost of my Nation in submission, the most knowledgeable of them, the most correct of them in religion, the best of them in certainty, the most forbearing of them, the most withholding of them, the boldest of them in heart – and he is the Imam and the Caliph after me.

My father narrated to us. He said: Ibrahim b. `Amr al-Hamadani narrated to us in Hamadan. He said: Abu `Ali al-Hasan b. Isma`il al-Qahtani narrated to us. He said: Sa`id b. al-Hakam b. Abi Maryam narrated to us from his father from al-Awza`i from Yahya b. Abi Kathir from `Abdullah b. Marra from Salama b. Qays. He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: `Ali is to the seventh heaven as the Sun is to the Earth during the day and as the Moon is to the Earth during the night. Allah gave `Ali so much virtue that if He had allotted it to the people of the Earth, it would have encompassed them. He gave him so much understanding that if He had allotted it to the people of the Earth, it would have encompassed them. His gentleness is like that of Lut, and his form is like that of Yahya, and his asceticism is like that of Ayyub, and his generosity is like that of Ibrahim, and his joy is like that of Sulayman b. Dawud, and his strength is like that of Dawud. His name is written on every barrier in Paradise. My Lord gave me glad tidings of him, and it was good news to me. `Ali is considered praiseworthy by the truth, and he is considered purified by the angels. He is my elite one, my sincere one, my apparent one, my lantern, my garden, and my friend. My Lord made him amiable to me, so I asked my Lord to not cause him to die before me. I asked Him to cause him to die as a martyr. I entered Paradise, and I saw that `Ali had more houris than the leaves on a tree; and the palaces of `Ali are the number of humans [on Earth]. `Ali is from me, and I am from `Ali. Whoever befriends `Ali has befriended me. The love of `Ali is a blessing and following him is a virtue. The angels are brought near through him, and the righteous jinn walk due to him. No one will walk the Earth after me except that he is better than him in nobility, dignity, and creed. He is never hasty, nor corrupt, nor obstinate. The Earth carried him, yet he gave it honour. No one will come out of a womb after me in a way that is more honourable than his. He will not go to a place except that he would be auspicious. Allah has bestowed wisdom upon him, and He has given him understanding. The angels attend to him, but he does not see them. If revelation were to come to anyone after me, it would have come to him. Allah has ornamented the gatherings by him, and He has ennobled the fortifications by him, and He made the countries fertile by him, and He has given the soldiers glory by him. His example is like that of the Sanctified House of Allah: he is visited, and he does not visit others. His example is like that of the Moon: when he rises, he illuminates the darkness. His example is like that of the Sun: when he rises, he illuminates the world. Allah has described him in His Book, and He has commended him in His verses, and He has described his effects in it, and He maintained his residences. He is noble when alive, and a martyr when dead.