My father narrated to us. He said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to me. He said: Muhammad b. `Isa b. `Ubayd narrated to us from Muhammad b. Shu`ayb al-Sayrafi from al-Haytham Abi Kahmas from Abi `Abdillah al-Sadiq . He said: A believer will benefit from six things after his death: (1) a righteous child that seeks repentance on his behalf, (2) a mus`haf that he recited from, (3) wells that he built, (4) plants that he grew, (5) running water that he gave in charity, and (6) [establishing] a beautiful tradition that is practiced after him.

Muhammad b. Musa b. al-Mutawakkil narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sa`d Abadi narrated to us from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid from his father. He said: Abu Ahmad Muhammad b. Ziyad al-Azdi narrated to us. He said: I heard Malik b. Anas the jurist of Medina say: I would visit al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad , and he would give me a pillow, exalt me, and say: O Malik, surely, I love you. I would become happy with that and praise Allah for it. He was always upon three conditions: either he was fasting, standing in prayer, or remembering Allah. He was from the greatest worshipers and the greatest ascetics who were in awe of Allah. He would speak much, his gatherings were good, and he was of much benefit. Whenever he would say “the Messenger of Allah (s) said”, his colour would change from blue to pale, to the extent that one who knew him would deny him [because of how different he looked]. I performed Hajj with him one year. When I prepared his ride at the Sanctuary, he recited the talbiyya until he lost his voice and almost fell off his ride. So, I said: “Say it, O son of the Messenger of Allah, but not in that way.” So, he said: “O Ibn Abi `Amer! How can I dare say ‘I am at Your service, O Allah, I am at Your service!’ while I fear that He may reply to me with ‘I am not here for you, nor for your pleasure?!’”

Muhammad b. Musa b. al-Mutawakkil narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sa`d Abadi narrated to us from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid from his father from Abi Ahmad Muhammad b. Ziyad al-Azdi from Malik b. Anas. He said: al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad said: I am astonished at one who is stingy in this world when it presents itself to him or is stingy in it when it turns away from him. Spending when it presents itself will not harm him and withholding when it turns away will not benefit him.

Malik b. Anas said: And I heard al-Sadiq say: It was said to Amir al-Mu’minin : Why do you not purchase a highborn horse? He said: I have no need for it, for I do not flee from one who attacks me, nor do I attack one who flees from me.

Ahmad b. Muhammad the fair goldsmith narrated to us. He said: `Isa b. Muhammad al-`Alawi narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Salim al-Kufi narrated to us. He said: al-Husayn b. `Abd al-Wahid narrated to us. He said: Harb b. al-Hasan narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Isma`il b. Sadaqa narrated to us from Abi’l Jarud from Abi Ja`far Muhammad b. `Ali al-Baqir . He said: When this verse, “And We have recorded everything in a Manifest Imam” (36:12), was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (s), two men stood from their sitting and said: O Messenger of Allah! Is it the Torah? He said: No. They said: Is it the Gospel? He said: No. They said: Is it the Quran? He said: No. Then, Amir al-Mu’minin `Ali came forward; so, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: It is he – he is the Imam in whom Allah has recorded the knowledge of everything.

Muhammad b. Harun al-Zanjani narrated to us. He said: Mu`adh b. al-Muthanna al-`Anbari narrated to us. He said: `Abdullah b. Asma’ narrated to us. He said: Juwayriyya narrated to us from Sufyan from Mansur from Abi Wa’il from Wahb. He said: I saw in one of the books of Allah: When Dhul Qarnayn completed working on the wall, he went on his way. He journeyed with his soldiers when they came across an elder praying. So, he and his soldiers halted at him until he completed his prayer. So, Dhul Qarnayn said to him: Why did you not stop [praying] when my soldiers came into your presence? He said: I was speaking to One who has more soldiers than you, who has more glory in His power, and who has more intensity in His strength. Had I turned my face to you, I would not receive My need from Him. So, Dhul Qarnayn said to him: Can you come out with me so that I may seek your assistance and your help in some of my matters? So, he said: Yes. I have been given four characteristics: blessings that do not falter, health that does not deteriorate in illness, youthfulness that does not age, and a life that does not die. So, Dhul Qarnayn said to him: Which creature is able to have these qualities! So, the elder said: Surely, I am with He who is capable of [creating] them; and He rules over them and you. Then, he passed by a sage who said to Dhul Qarnayn: Inform me of two things that have remained established since Allah created them, and two things that move continually, and two things that change [continually], and two things that oppose one another. So, Dhul Qarnayn said to him: As for the two established things, they are the heavens and the Earth. As for the two moving things, they are the Sun and the Moon. As for the two changing things, they are the night and the day. As for the two opposing things, they are death and life. So, he said: Proceed, for you are a sage. So, Dhul Qarnayn went out and journeyed through the lands until he passed by an elder who was turning over the skulls of the dead. So, he and his soldiers halted at him. So, he said: Inform me, elder, for what reason are you turning over these skulls? He said: So that I may distinguish between the noble and the peasant, and the rich and the poor. However, I could not distinguish them, and I have been turning them over for twenty years. So, Dhul Qarnayn went on his way and left him, saying: No one has grieved over this other than me. So, he continued on his journey until he came across a scholarly nation from the people of Musa, who guide to the truth and judge by it. When he saw them, he said to them: O people! Inform me of what you know, for I have gone around the world – its East, its West, its land, its seas, its plains, its mountains, its illuminated areas and its dark areas – and I have not met anyone like you. So, inform me: why do you put the graves of your dead in front of the entrances of your houses? They said: We do that so that we may not forget death and so that its remembrance does not leave our hearts. He said: Then why do your houses not have doors? They said: There is neither thievery nor suspicion among us – there are only trustworthy people among us. He said: Why do you not have governors? They said: We do not persecute one another. He said: Why do you not have judges? They said: We do not prosecute. He said: Why do you not have kings? They said: We do not exalt [one another]. He said: Why do you not give preference to one over the other? They said: Because we are accommodating and compassionate. He said: Why do you not quarrel and differ with one another? They said: Because our hearts have affinity for one another, and we are righteous with one another. He said: Why do you not blame one another and kill one another? They said: Because we have overcome our natures with determination, and we have tamed ourselves with forbearance. He said: Why are you united in agreement, and why is your path straight? They said: Because we do not bely one another, we do not fool one another, and we do not slander one another. He said: So, inform me – why do you not have any needy or poor person among you? They said: Because we redistribute [our resources] evenly. He said: Why do you not have rudeness and roughness among you? They said: Due to meekness and humility. The said: Why did Allah give you the tallest buildings out of all the people? They said: Because we give people their rights and we judge justly. He said: Why do you not suffer drought? They said: Because we never become heedless of repentance. He said: Why do you not become sorrowful? They said: Because we have accustomed ourselves to calamity, so we have consoled ourselves. He said: Why do pests not afflict you? They said: Because we do not rely on other than Allah, and we do not request sustenance from the stars. He said: So, tell me, O people – did you see your forefathers do this? They said: We saw our forefathers showing mercy to their needy, accommodating their poor, forgiving those who wronged them, doing good to those who harmed them, seeking forgiveness for their wrongdoings, connecting with blood-relatives, fulfilling their promises, and trusting and not belying. So, with that, Allah rectified their affairs. So, Dhul Qarnayn remained with them until he passed away; and he was five hundred years old.

Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. al-Walid narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Saffar narrated to us from al-`Abbas b. Ma`ruf from `Ali b. Mahzayar from Fadala b. Ayyub from Aban b. `Uthman from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abi Ja`far al-Baqir . He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) sent Khalid b. al-Walid to a neighbourhood called Banu al-Mustalaq from Bani Judhayma, who had a rivalry with Bani Makhzum in Jahiliyya. When he was sent to them, they had followed the Messenger of Allah (s) and had taken letters from him [but they had yet to fully convert to Islam]. When Khalid was sent to them, he ordered a caller to call to prayer. He prayed and they prayed. When Fajr prayer came, he ordered his caller to call to prayer. So, he prayed and they prayed. Then, he called for a horse and started battling them. He killed and wounded [some of them]. They demanded their letter and they received it. It was given to the Prophet (s), and they had spoken about what Khalid b. al-Walid had done. So, he turned toward the qibla and said: O Allah! To You, I dissociate from what Khalid b. al-Walid has done. He said: Then, the riches and the spoils were brought to the Messenger of Allah. So, he said to `Ali : O `Ali! Go to Bani Jadhima from Bani al-Mustalaq and rectify them from what Khalid has done. Then, he (s) raised his feet and said: O `Ali! Put the judgment of the people of Jahiliyya beneath your feet. So, `Ali went to them. When he got to them, he judged them by the judgment of Allah. When he returned to the Prophet (s), he said: O `Ali! Inform me of what you have done. So, he said: O Messenger of Allah! I gave blood money to everyone affected, a servant to every mother that miscarried, and money to everyone who was robbed. I had extra wealth, so I gave them containers to wash their dogs in and reins for their shepherds. I still had extra wealth, so I gave them until they could be pleased with you, O Messenger of Allah. So, he (s) said: O `Ali! You gave them so that they could be pleased with me. May Allah be pleased with you, O `Ali. You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, except there is no prophet after me.