Al-Kāfi - Volume 8


Book 1, Chapter 381

In praise of Zayd ibn Ali; the rise of Sufyani as a sign of the rise of al-Qa’im
1 Ḥadīth

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عِيصِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ انْظُرُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَكُونُ لَهُ الْغَنَمُ فِيهَا الرَّاعِي فَإِذَا وَجَدَ رَجُلًا هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِغَنَمِهِ مِنَ الَّذِي هُوَ فِيهَا يُخْرِجُهُ وَ يَجِي‏ءُ بِذَلِكَ الرَّجُلِ الَّذِي هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِغَنَمِهِ مِنَ الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهَا وَ اللَّهِ لَوْ كَانَتْ لِأَحَدِكُمْ نَفْسَانِ يُقَاتِلُ بِوَاحِدَةٍ يُجَرِّبُ بِهَا ثُمَّ كَانَتِ الْأُخْرَى بَاقِيَةً فَعَمِلَ عَلَى مَا قَدِ اسْتَبَانَ لَهَا وَ لَكِنْ لَهُ نَفْسٌ وَاحِدَةٌ إِذَا ذَهَبَتْ فَقَدْ وَ اللَّهِ ذَهَبَتِ التَّوْبَةُ فَأَنْتُمْ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْتَارُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ إِنْ أَتَاكُمْ آتٍ مِنَّا فَانْظُرُوا عَلَى أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَخْرُجُونَ وَ لَا تَقُولُوا خَرَجَ زَيْدٌ فَإِنَّ زَيْداً كَانَ عَالِماً وَ كَانَ صَدُوقاً وَ لَمْ يَدْعُكُمْ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ إِنَّمَا دَعَاكُمْ إِلَى الرِّضَا مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عليهم السلام) وَ لَوْ ظَهَرَ لَوَفَى بِمَا دَعَاكُمْ إِلَيْهِ إِنَّمَا خَرَجَ إِلَى سُلْطَانٍ مُجْتَمِعٍ لِيَنْقُضَهُ فَالْخَارِجُ مِنَّا الْيَوْمَ إِلَى أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ يَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى الرِّضَا مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عليهم السلام) فَنَحْنُ نُشْهِدُكُمْ أَنَّا لَسْنَا نَرْضَى بِهِ وَ هُوَ يَعْصِينَا الْيَوْمَ وَ لَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ وَ هُوَ إِذَا كَانَتِ الرَّايَاتُ وَ الْأَلْوِيَةُ أَجْدَرُ أَنْ لَا يَسْمَعَ مِنَّا إِلَّا مَعَ مَنِ اجْتَمَعَتْ بَنُو فَاطِمَةَ مَعَهُ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا صَاحِبُكُمْ إِلَّا مَنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَيْهِ إِذَا كَانَ رَجَبٌ فَأَقْبِلُوا عَلَى اسْمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِنْ أَحْبَبْتُمْ أَنْ تَتَأَخَّرُوا إِلَى شَعْبَانَ فَلَا ضَيْرَ وَ إِنْ أَحْبَبْتُمْ أَنْ تَصُومُوا فِي أَهَالِيكُمْ فَلَعَلَّ ذَلِكَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَقْوَى لَكُمْ وَ كَفَاكُمْ بِالسُّفْيَانِيِّ عَلَامَةً.


381. Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Safwaan Bin Yahya, from Ays Bin Al-Qasim who said: I heard Abu Abdullah (a.s) saying: ‘It is upon you to fear Allah (azwj), One with no associates to Him (azwj), and look into yourselves, for, by Allah (azwj), the man who has sheep and the shepherd for it, if he finds a man who is more knowledgeable about the sheep than him, would let him go and come to that man who is more knowledgeable about his sheep. By Allah (azwj)! If one of you had two souls, he could have fought with one, experimenting by it, then he would have worked with the other one with what has been clarified for it. But, for him there is only one soul, if it goes, by Allah (azwj), the repentance goes (with it). So you are more deserving that you should choose for yourselves the one who comes to you from us (a.s), and upon which matter you are coming out, and do not go around saying that Zayd has come out, for Zayd was a scholar, and he was truthful, and he did not call you for himself. But rather he called to the pleasure (Al-Ridha) from the Progeny (a.s) of Muhammad ﷺ, and had he made an appearance he would have been loyal to what he called you to. But rather, he came out against an authority to break it. So the one who comes out from us (a.s) today for anything, he will call you to the pleasure (Al-Ridha) from the Progeny (a.s) of Muhammad ﷺ. So we (a.s) are testifying to you that we (a.s) are not happy with it, and he has disobeyed us (a.s) today. And there is no one with him and he with the banners and the flags, more worthy that he should listen from us (a.s) except that with him would be gathered the children of Fatima (s.a). By Allah (azwj)! What is your Master (a.s) (Al-Qaim (a.s)) except that there will be gathered around him (a.s) in the month of Rajab. So go towards him (a.s) in the Name of Allah (azwj), and if you would like to delay it to the month of Shabaan, so it is not harmful, and if you would like to Fast in your situations so that would be more strengthening for you, and let Al-Sufyani suffice for you as a sign’.