Muhammad b. Musa b. al-Mutawakkil narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Yahya al-`Attar narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Abi’l Khattab narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Sinan narrated to us from al-Mufaddal b. `Umar from Yunus b. Thibyan from Sa`d b. Turayf from al-Asbagh b. Nubata. He said: Darrar b. Damra al-Nahshali visited Mu`awiya b. Abi Sufyan. He said to him: Describe `Ali to me. He said: Rather, excuse me. So, he said: No, rather, describe him to me. So, Darrar said to him: May Allah have mercy on `Ali. By Allah, when he was with us, he was like one of us. He would come close to us when we came to him. He would answer us when we would ask him. He would bring us near when we visited him. He never locked his door from us, nor did he place a barrier between us and him. By Allah, when he was close to us and near us, we could not speak to him because of his aura, nor could we precede him [in discussion] due to his greatness. When he smiled, it was like a [glistening] row of pearls. So, Mu`awiya said: Tell me more about his description. So, Darrar said: May Allah have mercy on `Ali. By Allah, he prolonged his sleeplessness and he relaxed little. He would recite the Book of Allah throughout the night and at the peripheries of the day. He was gracious for Allah and would seek His proximity through His lessons. He would not shut his curtains, and he would not hide full moons from us. He would not recline in our presence, and he would not make coarseness rougher. When you would see him, he would be in his prayer-niche. Even when the night would loosen its slumber and when the stars would set, he would be clutching his beard restlessly and weeping grievously, saying: “O world! You have presented yourself to me. Is it me that you desire? Go far, far away! I have no need for you. I have divorced you thrice, so you cannot return to me.” Then, he would say: “Oh, how distant is the journey, how few are our supplies, and how harsh is the path!” He said: So, Mu`awiya wept, and said: That is enough for you, Darrar. By Allah, that is how `Ali was. May Allah have mercy on Aba’l Hasan.

Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ahmad b. al-Walid narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Abi `Abdillah al-Barqi narrated to us from his father from Ahmad b. al-Nadr al-Khazzaz from `Amr b. Shimr from Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju`fi. He said: Abu Ja`far Muhammad b. `Ali al-Baqir said: O Jabir! Is one who pretends to uphold Shiism (tashayyu`) satisfied with the claim that he loves us, the Ahl al-Bayt? By Allah, our Shi`a are only those who fear and obey Allah. They would not be recognized except by their humility, meekness, trustworthiness, frequent remembrance of Allah, fasting, praying, being good to parents; supporting the neighbours who are poor, less fortunate, in debt, and orphaned; honesty, recitation of the Quran, and holding their tongues regarding the people except in goodness. They are the trustees of their people in the matters. Jabir said: O son of the Messenger of Allah! We do not know anyone today with these qualities. So, he said: O Jabir, do not be carried away by the sects – a man says: “I love `Ali, and I align with him”, then he does not follow that up with action. If he were to say “Surely, I love the Messenger of Allah” – for the Messenger of Allah (s) is better than `Ali – then he does not follow his way or act by his Sunna, then his love for him would not benefit him at all. So, fear Allah, and act by that which is with Allah. There is no relationship between anyone and Allah. The most beloved and most noble of servants to Allah are those who are the most Godfearing and obedient to Him. One does not get closer to Allah except through obedience. Without it, one is not prevented from the Fire, nor does he have a legitimate argument with Allah. Whomever obeys Allah is our friend, and whomever opposes Allah is our enemy. Our wilaya is only upheld by actions and piety.”

Muhammad b. al-Hasan narrated to us. He said: Al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Aban from al-Husayn b. Sa`id from Muhammad b. Abi `Umayr from `Ali b. Abi Hamza from Abi Basir from Abi `Abdillah al-Sadiq . He said: I went out with my father until we were between the grave [of the Prophet] and the pulpit. He was with people from the Shi`a, so he gave his salaam, and they returned their salaam. Then, he said: By Allah, I love your fragrance and your spirits. So, support me in that through piety and striving, and know that our wilaya can only be reached through good deeds and striving. Whoever of you is a worshiper should do his deeds. You are the Shi`a of Allah and you are the supporters of Allah. You are the foremost of the former and latter peoples. You are the forerunners of this world toward our wilaya, and you are the forerunners of the Hereafter toward Paradise. We have assured you of Paradise with the assurance of Allah and His Messenger. There is none in the ranks of Paradise that has more wives than you, so compete with one another in attaining the ranks. You are pure men, and your women are pure women. Every believing woman is a houri and every believing man is a saint. Amir al-Mu’minin said to Qanbar: “O Qanbar! Be glad, give glad tidings, and rejoice, for the Messenger of Allah (s) died angry with his [whole] Nation except the Shi`a.” Surely, for everything there is a firm handle, and the firm handle of Islam is the Shi`a. Surely, for everything there is a foundation, and the foundation of Islam is the Shi`a. Surely, for everything there is a nobility, and the nobility of Islam is the Shi`a. Surely, for everything there is a master, and the master of gatherings (sayyid al-majalis) are the gatherings of the Shi`a. Surely, for everything there is an Imam, and the Imam of the Earth is the earth that the Shi`a live upon. By Allah, had none of you been upon the Earth, Allah would not have bestowed blessings upon your opponents, nor would they gain goodly things. They have no claim to this world or the Hereafter. Every opponent (nasib) – even if he worships and strives – will have this verse apply to them, “Overburdened and exhausted, they will burn in a raging Fire and left to drink from a scalding spring. They will have no food except a foul, thorny shrub, neither nourishing nor satiating them from hunger.” (88:3-7) The deeds of every striving opponent will be in vain. Our Shi`a see by the light of Allah, and their opponents toil in the wrath of Allah. By Allah, there is not one worshiper from our Shi`a except that, when he sleeps, Allah raises his spirit to heaven. If his time has come, He brings him into the treasures of His grace, the Gardens of His Paradise, and the shade of His Throne. If his time is prolonged, He sends him with His trustworthy angels to the body that he came out of to settle him in it. By Allah, your pilgrims of Hajj and `Umra are the elite of Allah. Your poor ones are the truly rich ones, and your rich ones are the truly contented ones. Surely, all of you are those whom Allah called to and those who answered the call.

Muhammad b. Ibrahim b. Ishaq al-Talaqani narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Muhammad al-Hamadani narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. al-Hasan b. `Ali b. Faddal narrated to us from his father from Marwan b. Muslim from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . He said: My father narrated to me from his father from his grandfather . He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Sha`ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of Allah. Whoever fasts a day in my month, I will intercede for him on the Day of Resurrection. He who fasts the month of Ramadan shall be delivered from the Fire.

Al-Husayn b. Ibrahim b. Natana narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim narrated to us from his father from al-Rayyan b. al-Salt. He said: I heard Aba’l Hasan `Ali b. Musa al-Rida say: Whoever says “I seek the forgiveness of Allah and I ask him to pardon me (istaghfirallah wa as’alahul tawba)” seventy times a day in Sha`ban, Allah will record a dissociation for him from the Fire, a permit upon the Path; and He will grant him the Resolute Abode.

Ahmad b. Ziyad b. Ja`far al-Hamadani narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. `Isa b. `Ubayd al-Yaqtini narrated to us from Yunus b. `Abd al-Rahman from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . He said: Whoever gives charity in Sha`ban, Allah will nurture it just as one of you nurtures a child; until it becomes the like of [Mount] Uhud on the Day of Resurrection.

My father narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Ibrahim narrated to us from his father Ibrahim b. Hashim from Muhammad b. Abi `Umayr from Ishaq b. `Ammar. He said: Al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad said: O Ishaq! Be good to the hypocrite with your tongue and show the believer your complete affection. Even if you gather with a Jew, beautify your gathering for him.

Ja`far b. Muhammad b. Masrur narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. `Abdullah b. Ja`far b. Jami` al-Himyari narrated to us from his father from Muhammad b. `Abd al-Jabbar from Abi Ahmad Muhammad b. Ziyad al-Azdi from Aban b. `Uthman al-Ahmar from Aban b. Taghlub from `Ikrama from Ibn `Abbas. He said: I heard Amir al-Mu’minin `Ali b. Abi Talib say: The seekers of knowledge are of three types. You can distinguish them from each other by their characteristics and signs. (1) One group are those who learn for insincere argumentation. (2) One group are those who learn for stonewalling and deception. (3) One group are those who learn for understanding and for acting by it. As for those of insincere argumentation, they bring harm and doubt to groups of men. They gown themselves in reverence, but they are void of piety. May Allah knock their chests and cut their noses. As for those who learn for stonewalling and deception, they obstruct those like them, and they humble themselves for the rich. Thus, they consume those for their sweetness, and they destroy their religion. May Allah blind them from their sight and sever their affect on the legacy of the scholars. As for the group who learn for understanding and for acting by it, they are seen melancholy and grieving. They stand in prayer in the darkness of the night, and they bow in their evening robes. They work [in good deeds], and they are cautious and afraid of everyone except their trusted brethren. May Allah strengthen their foundations and grant them safety on the Day of Resurrection.

Ahmad b. Harun al-Fami narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. `Abdullah b. Ja`far narrated to us from his father from Ya`qub b. Yazid al-Anbari. He said: Al-Hasan b. `Ali b. Faddal narrated to us from Isma`il b. al-Fadl al-Hashimi from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad from his father Muhammad b. `Ali from his father `Ali b. al-Husayn from his father a-Husayn b. `Ali from his father Amir al-Mu’minin `Ali b. Abi Talib . He said: I said to the Messenger of Allah (s): Inform me of the number of Imams after you. So, he said: O `Ali! They are twelve. You are the first of them, and the Qa’im is the last of them.