Submission of Intellect and its Excellence

Sign of Perfection of Intellect

Merit of Knowledge and the Scholar and the Obligation of Knowledge

Reward of the Scholar and the Seeker of Knowledge

Attributes of the Scholar

Asking the Scholar and Discussing with Him

Prohibition on Speaking without Knowledge and Ruling based on Opinion

Accountability of the Scholar and its Severity

Miscellaneous from the Book of Intellect and Knowledge‎

Transmitting the Narration Non-Verbatim

Prohibition of Blind Following

Regarding Innovation and Analogical Reasoning

Ruling of Everything is in the Book and the Sunna

Prohibition on Debate and Argumentation

Some of the Reasons for Differences in the Narrations

Fitting Response Appropriate to the Understanding of the Questioner and the Addressee

No Excuse for the Ignorant One who Falls Short

Narration that Contradicts the Qur’an

Prohibition of Giving Fatwa without Knowledge and Evidence

Everything has a Ruling in the Book and the Sunna

Permanence of the Halal and the Haram unto the Day of Judgment

What Can be Used to Infer some General Principles

Authoritativeness of the Book and the Sunna

Principle of Precaution

Authoritativeness of the Solitary Report of a Truthful Narrator

Principle of “Whomsoever it reaches …”

Necessity of Comparing the Hadith with the Qur’an

Judging Conflict between Narrations

Reasons for Differences between Narrations

Invalidation of Analogical Reasoning

Primary Doubts

Principle of Continuity

Legal Injunctions are Predicated on Pubescence

Principle of ’No Harm’

Ijtihad

Lapsing of both Injunctive and Declaratory Rulings in Cases of Necessity

Some Rulings which are Time-Bound

Precedence is Given to what has been Established by the Qur’an over the Sunna

One of the Reasons for Differences between Narrations

Principle of Impartiality

What has been Lifted from the Umma

Aban b. Taghlib

Ibrahim b. Abi Mahmud

Ibrahim b. Abda

Ahmad b. Hammad al-Marwazi and his son Muhammad

Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abi Nasr al-Bazanti

Usama b. Zayd

Ishaq b. Ammar

Ismail b. Ja`far and Abdallah b. Sharik

Bazi`, al-Sarri, Bashshar and Bayan

Bukayr

al-Hakam, Salama, Kathir, Salim and Abu al-Miqdam

Abu Sasan, Ammar, Shatira and Abu Amra

Jabir b. Abdallah al-Ansari and Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju`fi

al-Ash`ath, Jarir and Simak

Ja`far b. Isa, Salih and Abu al-Asad

al-Harith b. al-Mughira

Hariz and Hudhayfa

Hasan al-Muthalath

Abu Ali b. Rashid and Ali b. al-Husayn b. Abd Rabbi

al-Hasan and al-Husayn the two sons of Zurara

al-Husayn b. Qayama

al-Husayn b. Mihran

al-Hakam b. Utayba

Hammad b. Isa

Humran b. A`yan

Hamza b. Bazi`

Hayyan al-Sarraj

Khuzayma b. Thabit

Khayran al-Khadim

Dawud b. Farqad and Harun b. Sa`d

Dharih b. Muhammad al-Muharibi

al-Rayyan b. al-Salt

Zurara b. A`yan

Zakariyya b. Sabur

Ziyad b. Marwan al-Qandi

Ziyad b. al-Mundhir Abu al-Jarud

Zayd b. Ali

Salim b. Mukram

Sukayn al-Nakhai

Simak b. Kharasha

Sahl b. Hunayf

Salih b. Muhammad b. Sahl

Sa`sa`a b. Suhan

Safwan b. Mihran al-Jammal

Safwan b. Yahya

Dhurays b. Abd al-Malik

A`sim b. Umar al-Bajali and Ka`b al-Ahbar

`Amir b. Wathila

`Abbad al-Basri

Abd al-Hamid b. Salim and Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi`

Abd al-Khaliq b. Abd Rabbi

Abdallah b. Abi Ya`fur

Abdallah b. al-Imam al-Sadiq

Abdallah b. Jundab

Abdallah b. al-Hasan b. al-Hasan al-Mujtaba

Abdallah b. Saba

Abdallah b. Shubruma

Abdallah b. Ajlan and Muyassir b. Abd al-Aziz

Abdallah b. Umayr al-Laythi

[1/157] رجال الكشي: حمدان بن أحمد، عن معاوية بن حكيم، عن أبي داود المسترق قال: كنت قائد أبي بصير في بعض جنائز أصحابنا فقلت له: هو ذا زرارة في الجنازة قال لي: اذهب بي إليه قال: فذهبت به إليه، قال: فقال له: السلام عليك أبا الحسن فرد عليه زرارة السلام و قال له: لو علمت أن هذا من رأيك لبدأتك به، قال: فقال له أبو بصير: بهذا أمرت

1. [1/157] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamdan b. Ahmad from Muawiya b. Hukaym from Abi Dawud al-Mustariq who said: I was the attendant leading Abi Basir [who was blind] in the funeral procession of one of our companions when I said to him: there is Zurara in the procession, he [Abi Basir] said to me: take me to him [Zurara], so I took him to him, he said: peace be upon you O Aba al-Hasan [Zurara], Zurara returned the greeting to him and said to him: if I thought that this was of your own volition I would have preceded you in it [greeted you first], so Abu Basir said to him: this is what I have been ordered to do. 

[2/158] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن جميل بن دراج قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: بشر المخبتين بالجنة بريد بن معاوية العجلي و أبو بصير ليث بن البختري المرادي و محمد بن مسلم و زرارة، أربعة نجباء أمناء الله على حلاله و حرامه، لو لا هؤلاء انقطعت آثار النبوة و اندرست

2. [2/158] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Ya`qub b. Yazid from Muhammad b. Abi Umayr from Jamil b. Darraj who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام say: give glad tidings of paradise to the humble: Burayd b. Muawiya al-Ijli, Abu Basir Layth b. al-Bukhtari al-Muradi, Muhammad b. Muslim and Zurara. Four possessors of nobility and the trustees of Allah upon his Halal and Haram, if it wasn’t for them the traces of prophethood would have perished and been destroyed.

[3/159] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن بن فضال، عن أخواي محمد و أحمد ابنا الحسن، عن أبيهما الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن ابن بكير، عن زرارة قال: قال أبا عبد الله عليه السلام: يا زرارة إن اسمك في أسامي أهل الجنة بغير ألف، قلت: نعم جعلت فداك اسمي عبد ربه و لكني لقبت بزرارة

3. [3/159] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan b. Fadhal from his two brothers Muhammad and Ahmad from their father al-Hasan b. Ali b. Fadhal from Ibn Bukayr from Zurara who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: O Zurara, your name is among the names of the people of paradise without the letter Alif in it. I said: yes, may I be made your ransom, my name is Abd Rabbi, Zurara was just a nick-name given to me.

[4/160] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن يعقوب بن يزيد و محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد و غيره قالوا: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: رحم الله زرارة بن أعين لو لا زرارة و نظراؤه لاندرست أحاديث أبي عليه السلام

4. [4/160] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Ya`qub b. Yazid and Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Abi al-Khattab from Muhammad b. Abi Umayr from Ibrahim b. Abd al-Hamid and others apart from him – they all said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: may Allah have mercy on Zurara b. A`yan, if it was not for Zurara and his peers the narrations of my father عليه السلام would have perished. 

[5/161] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم، عن سليمان بن خالد الأقطع قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: ما أحد أحيا ذكرنا و أحاديث أبي عليه السلام إلا زرارة و أبو بصير ليث المرادي و محمد بن مسلم و بريد بن معاوية العجلي و لو لا هؤلاء ما كان أحد يستنبط هذا، هؤلاء حفاظ الدين و أمناء أبي عليه السلام على حلال الله و حرامه، و هم السابقون إلينا في الدنيا و السابقون إلينا في الآخرة

5. [5/161] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Ya`qub b. Yazid from Ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham b. Salim from Sulayman b. Khalid al-Aqta who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: there is no one who has enlivened our remembrance and the narrations of my father عليه السلام except for Zurara, Abu Basir Layth al-Muradi, Muhammad b. Muslim and Burayd b. Muawiya al-Ijli. If it wasn’t for them there wouldn’t be anyone who could derive these (i.e. the Ahkam). They are the protectors of the religion and the trustees of my father عليه السلام upon the Halal of Allah and His Haram. They are the foremost to us in this world, and the foremost to us in the hereafter.

[6/162] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن زرارة قال: كنت قاعدا عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنا و حمران، فقال له حمران: ما تقول فيما يقول زرارة فقد خالفته فيه قال: فما هو؟ قال: يزعم أن مواقيت الصلاة مفوضة إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم و هو الذي وضعها، قال: فما تقول أنت؟ قال: قلت: إن جبريل عليه السلام أتاه في اليوم الأول بالوقت الأول و في اليوم الثاني بالوقت الآخر ثم قال جبريل: يا محمد ما بينهما وقت فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يا حمران إن زرارة يقول إنما جاء جبريل مشيرا على محمد عليه السلام، صدق زرارة، جعل الله ذلك إلى محمد عليه السلام فوضعه و أشار جبريل عليه

6. [6/162] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Ibn Abi Umayr from Ibn Udhayna from Zurara who said: I was seated in the presence of Abi Abdillah عليه السلام together with Humran when Humran said to him: what do you say about what Zurara says – and I have opposed him in it? Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: and what is that? He (Humran) said: he (Zurara) believes that the timings of the prayers were delegated to the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله and that he صلى الله عليه وآله was the one who fixed them. Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: and what do you say? I (Humran) said: Jibril عليه السلام came to him the first day with the starting time and on the second day with the ending time – and then Jibril said [to the messenger]: what is between these two points is the time. So Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: O Humran, verily what Zurara means is that Jibril came to the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله to indicate to him, and Zurara has spoken the truth, for that was given to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله, and he was the one who fixed them, Jibril gave only indications about it.

[7/163] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه، عن سعد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى ومحمد بن عبد الله المسمعي، عن علي بن أسباط، عن محمد بن عبد الله بن زرارة، عن أبيه قال: بعث زرارة عبيدا ابنه يسئل عن خبر أبي الحسن عليه السلام فجائه الموت قبل رجوع عبيد إليه فأخذ المصحف فأعلاه فوق رأسه وقال: ان الامام بعد جعفر بن محمد من اسمه بين الدفتين في جملة القرآن منصوص عليه من الذين أوجب الله طاعتهم على خلقه، أنا مؤمن به قال: فأخبر بذلك أبو السحن الأول عليه السلام فقال: والله كان زرارة مهاجرا إلى الله تعالى

7. [7/163] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh from Sa`d from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa and Muhammad b. Abdallah al-Mismai from Ali b. Asbat from Muhammad b. Abdallah b. Zurara from his father (Abdallah b. Zurara) who said: Zurara sent Ubayd his son to ask about the affair [Imama] of Abi al-Hasan عليه السلام but death came to him (Zurara) before his son Ubayd could come back to him [with the answer]. So he (Zurara) took a Mushaf [just before he died] and put it above his head and said: the Imam after Ja`far b. Muhammad is the one whose name is between the two covers in the generality of the Qur`an, appointed in a clear designation by those whose obedience has been made obligatory by Allah upon His creation – and I am a believer in him. Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام – the first – was later informed of this so he said: by Allah – Zurara was an emigrant (Muhajir) to Allah the Exalted.

[8/164] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن جميل بن دراج و غيره قال: وجه زرارة عبيدا ابنه إلى المدينة، يستخبر له خبر أبي الحسن عليه السلام و عبد الله بن أبي عبد الله، فمات قبل أن يرجع إليه عبيد … قلت لأبي الحسن الأول عليه السلام و ذكرت له زرارة و توجيهه ابنه عبيدا إلى المدينة، فقال أبو الحسن: إني لأرجو أن يكون زرارة ممن قال الله تعالى وَ مَنْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ مُهاجِراً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ

8. [8/164] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd from Muhammad b. Abi Umayr from Jamil b. Darraj and others apart from him – he (Jamil) said: Zurara sent his son Ubayd to Madina to investigate for him the matter of Abi al-Hasan عليه السلام and Abdallah b. Abi Abdillah [another son of al-Sadiq who had also announced his Imama], but he (Zurara) died before Ubyad (his son) could return to him (with news) … I talked to Abi al-Hasan the first (al-Kadhim) عليه السلام and mentioned to him Zurara and the act of sending his son Ubayd to Madina, so Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام said: I do hope that Zurara is among those about whom Allah the Exalted has said: “and whoever comes out of his home emigrating to Allah and his messenger – and death overtakes him (in such a state) – then he has already secured his reward from Allah” (4:100).

[9/165] كمال الدين: أحمد بن زياد بن جعفر الهمداني، عن علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن إبراهيم بن محمد الهمداني قال: قلت للرضا عليه السلام: يا ابن رسول الله أخبرني عن زرارة هل كان يعرف حق أبيك؟ فقال عليه السلام: نعم، فقلت له: فلم بعث ابنه عبيدا ليتعرف الخبر إلى من أوصى الصادق جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام؟ فقال: إن زرارة كان يعرف أمر أبي عليه السلام، ونص أبيه عليه، وإنما بعث ابنه ليتعرف من أبي هل يجوز له أن يرفع التقية في إظهار أمره، ونص أبيه عليه؟ وأنه لما أبطأ عنه طولب باظهار قوله في أبي عليه السلام، فلم يحب أن يقدم على ذلك دون أمره فرفع المصحف وقال: اللهم إن إمامي من أثبت هذا المصحف إمامته من ولد جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام

9. [9/165] Kamal al-Diin: Ahmad b. Ziyad b. Ja`far al-Hamdani from Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim from Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd from Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Hamdani who said: I said to al-Rida عليه السلام: O the son of the messenger of Allah inform me about Zurara – did he know of the right of your father [al-Kadhim to be the Imam]? He عليه السلام said: yes he did. I said: then why did he send his son Ubayd to investigate the question of the succession to al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad? He said: Zurara knew of the affair of my father [his Imama] and the designation of his father [al-Sadiq] to him, he only sent his son to know from my father [al-Kadhim] whether it was permitted for him to lift the Taqiyya in announcing the affair [Imama] and the designation of his father to him. When the answer delayed he was asked to declare his opinion about my father but he did not wish to proceed in doing so without his instruction so he raised the Mushaf and said: O Allah my Imam is the one whose Imama this Mushaf establishes among the sons of Ja`far b. Muhammad عليهما السلام 

[10/166] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن الفضل، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد، عن عيسى بن أبي منصور و أبي أسامة الشحام و يعقوب الأحمر قالوا: كنا جلوسا عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فدخل عليه زرارة فقال: إن الحكم بن عتيبة حدث عن أبيك أنه قال صل المغرب دون المزدلفة، فقال له أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أنا تأملته ما قال أبي هذا قط! كذب الحكم على أبي! قال: فخرج زرارة و هو يقول ما أرى الحكم كذب على أبيه

10. [10/166] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from al-Fadhl from Ibn Abi Umayr from Ibrahim b. Abd al-Hamid from Isa b. Abi Mansur, Abi Usama al-Shahham and Ya`qub al-Ahmar who said: we were seated with Abi Abdillah عليه السلام when Zurara entered and said: al-Hakam b. Utayba narrates from your father that he [al-Baqir] said: pray the Maghrib before reaching Muzdalifa [in the Hajj], Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to him: I have thought about this – my father never said that ever! al-Hakam has lied about my father! he said: so Zurara came out saying: I don’t think al-Hakam has lied about his father. 

[11/167] رجال الكشي: حمدويه و إبراهيم ابنا نصير، عن العبيدي، عن هشام بن إبراهيم الختلي و هو المشرقي قال: قال لي أبو الحسن الخراساني عليه السلام: كيف تقولون في الاستطاعة بعد يونس؟ تذهب فيها مذهب زرارة؟ و مذهب زرارة هو الخطاء! فقلت: لا و لكنه بأبي أنت و أمي ما تقول في الاستطاعة و قول زرارة فيمن قدر و نحن منه براء و ليس من دين آبائك، و قال الآخرون بالجبر و نحن منه براء و ليس من دين آبائك، قال: فبأي شي‏ء تقولون؟ قلت: بقول أبي عبد الله عليه السلام و سأل عن قول الله عز و جل وَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ما استطاعته؟ قال: فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: صحته و ماله فنحن بقول أبي عبد الله عليه السلام نأخذ قال: صدق أبو عبد الله عليه السلام هذا هو الحق

11. [11/167] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Ibrahim the sons of Nusayr from al-Ubaydi from Hisham b. Ibrahim al-Khatli [al-Mashraqi] who said: Abu al-Hasan al-Khurasani عليه السلام said to me: what do you say regarding Istita`a after Yunus? Do you subscribe to the opinion of Zurara while the opinion of Zurara is wrong! I said: no, rather – may my father and mother be ransomed for you – [we subscribe to] what you say about Istita`a. As for the opinion of Zurara about the one who is given capacity then we disassociate from it as it is not of the religion of your forefathers. Others believe in pre-destination which we similarly disassociate from as it is not of the religion of your forefathers. He said: what then do you say? I said: we affirm the view of Abi Abdillah عليه السلام when he was asked about the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic “and pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed by Allah to the people – for whoever has the capacity to find a way to it” (3:97) – what is his ‘capacity’? so Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: good-health and having wealth, so we subscribe to the verdict of Abi Abdillah عليه السلام, he said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام spoke the truth, this is how it is. 

[-/12] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه، عن محمد بن أبي القاسم ماجيلويه، عن زياد بن أبي الحلاّل قال: قلت لابي عبد اللّه عليه السلام: إنّ زرارة روى عنك في الاستطاعة شيئاً فقبلنا منه وصدقناه وقدأحببت أن أعرضه عليك فقال: هاته فقلت: يزعم أنه سألك عن قول اللّه عزّ وجلّ: وَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا فقلت: من ملك زاداً وراحلة فقال لك: كلّ من ملك زاداً وراحلة فهو مستطيع للحج وإن لم يحج؟ فقلت: نعم؟ فقال: ليس هكذا سألني ولا هكذا قلت، كذب علي واللّه كذب علي واللّه، لعن اللّه زرارة، لعن اللّه زرارة، لعن اللّه زرارة، إنما قال لى: من كان له زاد وراحلة فهو مستطيع للحج؟ قلت: قد وجب عليه قال: فمستطيع هو؟ فقلت: لا حتى يؤذنله قلت: فأخبر زرارة بذلك؟ قال: نعم قال زياد: فقدمت الكوفة فلقيت زرارة، فأخبرته بما قال أبو عبد اللّه وسكت عن لعنه. قال: أما انه قد أعطاني الاستطاعة من حيث لا يعلم، وصاحبكم هذا ليس له بصر بكلام الرجال

12. [12/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh from Muhammad b. Abi al-Qasim Majluwayh from Ziyad b. Abi al-Hallal who said: I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: Zurara has narrated something on your authority about Istita`a so we accepted it from him and considered him truthful in it, but I wish to present it to you [to confirm its validity], he said: go ahead, I said: he claims that he asked you about the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic “and pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed by Allah to the people – for whoever has the capacity to find a way to it” (3:97) so you said: [capacity means] whoever possesses provision and an animal to carry him, he said to you: whoever possesses provision and an animal then he is capable of performing Hajj even if he does not go on to perform it? you said: yes. He said: that is not what he asked me nor what I replied to him, he has lied about me by Allah, he has lied about me by Allah, may Allah curse Zurara, may Allah curse Zurara, may Allah curse Zurara, he had said to me: the one who possesses provision and an animal does he have the capacity for making the Hajj? I said: it has become obligatory upon him, he said: is he Mustati` [capable – wanting by it to infer a theological signification]? I said: no, until he is given permission [by Allah], I said: can I inform Zurara of this [conversation]? he said: yes, Ziyad said: so I traveled to Kufa and met up with Zurara, I informed him of what Abu Abdillah عليه السلام had said to me but did not include the Imam’s cursing of him, he said: verily, he [the Imam] has given me the doctrine of Istita`a without being aware of having done so, and this man of yours [al-Sadiq] is not familiar with the theological debates of the people. 

[13/168] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، قال: حدّثني محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن مسمع كردين أبي سيار قال: سمعت أبا عبد اللّه عليه السلام يقول: لعن اللّه بريداً! ولعن اللّه زرارة!

13. [13/168] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus from Misma` Kardiyn Abi Sayyar who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام say: may Allah curse Burayd! and may Allah curse Zurara! 

[14/169] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم، عن محمد بن حمران، عن الوليد بن صبيح قال: دخلت على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فاستقبلني زرارة خارجا من عنده، فقال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: يا وليد أما تعجب من زرارة؟ يسألني عن أعمال هؤلاء أي شي‏ء كان يريد أيريد أن أقول له لا فيروي ذلك عني ثم قال: يا وليد متى كانت الشيعة تسأل عن أعمالهم؟ إنما كانت الشيعة تقول من أكل من طعامهم و شرب من شرابهم و استظل بظلهم، متى كانت الشيعة تسأل عن مثل هذا!

14. [14/169] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham b. Salim from Muhammad b. Humran from al-Walid b. Sabih who said: I entered to meet Abi Abdillah عليه السلام and found Zurara exiting the place. Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to me: O Walid, don’t you wonder at Zurara? he asks me about [the permissibility of] working for them [the usurping rulers], what did he want? did he want me to say: no [it is not acceptable] so that he can narrate this on my authority? then he reiterated again: O Walid, when did the Shia ever ask about working for them? Rather the Shia used to ask about the permissibility of eating their food, and drinking their drinks, and shading themselves in their shade [living with them], when did the Shia ever ask about that [which Zurara asks]! 

[15/170] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن أيوب، عن حنان بن سدير قال: كتب معي رجل أن أسأل أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عما قالت اليهود و النصارى و المجوس و الذين أشركوا هو مما شاء أن يقولوا قال: فقال: إن ذا من مسائل آل أعين ليس من ديني و لا دين آبائي قال: قلت: ما معي مسألة غير هذه

15. [15/170] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Ayyub from Hanan b. Sadiyr who said: a man entrusted me with a written question to ask Aba Abdillah عليه السلام [which was]: what the Jews, Christians, Magians and those who polythesize profess – is that what Allah willed them to believe [or was it of their own volition]? He said: this is a question that behooves the family of A`yan, it does not belong to my religion or the religion of my forefathers. I said: I do not have any other question apart from this. 

[16/171] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن الوشاء، عن هشام بن سالم، عن زرارة قال: سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام عن جوائز العمال؟ فقال: لا بأس به، قال: ثم قال: انما اراد زرارة أن يبلغ هشاما اني أحرم أعمال السلطان

16. [16/171] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from al-Washsha from Hisham b. Salim from Zurara who said: I asked Aba Ja`far عليه السلام about [accepting] the stipends given to officials [working in the bureaucracy of the Caliphate]? He said: there is no harm in [taking] it, then he said: Zurara wanted that it reach Hisham [the Caliph] that I prohibit working for the Sultan. 

[17/172] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن، عن عبد الله بن زرارة و محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن هارون بن الحسن بن محبوب، عن محمد بن عبد الله بن زرارة و ابنيه الحسن و الحسين، عن عبد الله بن زرارة قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: اقرأ مني على والدك السلام، و قل له: إني إنما أعيبك دفاعا مني عنك، فإن الناس و العدو يسارعون إلى كل من قربناه و حمدنا مكانه لإدخال الأذى في من نحبه و نقربه، و يرمونه لمحبتنا له و قربه و دنوه منا، و يرون إدخال الأذى عليه و قتله، و يحمدون كل من عبناه نحن وإن لم يحمد امره، فإنما أعيبك لأنك رجل اشتهرت بنا و لميلك إلينا، و أنت في ذلك مذموم عند الناس غير محمود الأثر لمودتك لنا و بميلك إلينا، فأحببت أن أعيبك ليحمدوا أمرك في الدين بعيبك و نقصك، و يكون بذلك منا دافع شرهم عنك، يقول الله جل و عز أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَاكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ صَالِحة غَصْبًا، هذا التنزيل من عند الله <صالحة> لا و الله ما عابها إلا لكي تسلم من الملك و لا تعطب على يديه و لقد كانت صالحة ليس للعيب منها مساغ و الحمد لله، فافهم المثل يرحمك الله فإنك و الله أحب الناس إلي و أحب أصحاب أبي عليه السلام حيا و ميتا، فإنك أفضل سفن ذلك البحر القمقام الزاخر، و أن من ورائك ملكا ظلوما غصوبا يرقب عبور كل سفينة صالحة ترد من بحر الهدى ليأخذها غصبا ثم يغصبها و أهلها، و رحمة الله عليك حيا و رحمته و رضوانه عليك ميتا، و لقد أدى إلي ابناك الحسن و الحسين رسالتك، حاطهما الله و كلأهما و رعاهما و حفظهما بصلاح أبيهما كما حفظ الغلامين، فلا يضيقن صدرك من الذي أمرك أبي عليه السلام و امرتك به، و أتاك أبو بصير بخلاف الذي أمرناك به، فلا و الله ما أمرناك و لا أمرناه إلا بأمر وسعنا و وسعكم الأخذ به، و لكل ذلك عندنا تصاريف و معان توافق الحق، و لو أذن لنا لعلمتم أن الحق في الذي أمرناكم به، فردوا إلينا الأمر و سلموا لنا و اصبروا لأحكامنا و ارضوا بها، و الذي فرق بينكم فهو راعيكم الذي استرعاه الله خلقه، و هو أعرف بمصلحة غنمه في فساد أمرها، فإن شاء فرق بينها لتسلم ثم يجمع بينها لتأمن من فسادها و خوف عدوها في ابان ما يأذن الله، و يأتيها بالأمن من مأمنه و الفرج من عنده، عليكم بالتسليم و الرد إلينا و انتظار أمرنا و أمركم و فرجنا و فرجكم، و لو قد قام قائمنا و تكلم متكلمنا ثم استأنف بكم تعليم القرآن و شرائع الدين و الأحكام و الفرائض كما أنزله الله على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لأنكره أهل البصائر منكم ذلك اليوم إنكارا شديدا، ثم لم تستقيموا على دين الله و طريقه إلا من تحت حد السيف فوق رقابكم، إن الناس بعد نبي الله عليه السلام ركب الله بهم سنة من كان قبلكم فغيروا و بدلوا و حرفوا و زادوا في دين الله و نقصوا منه، فما من شي‏ء عليه الناس اليوم إلا و هو منحرف عما نزل به الوحي من عند الله فأجب رحمك الله من حيث تدعى إلى حيث تدعى، حتى يأتي من يستأنف بكم دين الله استئنافا، و عليك بالصلاة الستة و الأربعين، و عليك بالحج أن تهل بالإفراد و تنوي الفسخ إذا قدمت مكة و طفت و سعيت فسخت ما أهللت به و قلبت الحج عمرة أحللت إلى يوم التروية ثم استأنف الإهلال بالحج مفردا إلى منى و تشهد المنافع بعرفات و المزدلفة، فكذلك حج رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم و هكذا أمر أصحابه أن يفعلوا أن يفسخوا ما أهلوا به و يقلبوا الحج عمرة، و إنما أقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم على إحرامه للسوق الذي ساق معه، فإن السائق قارن و القارن لا يحل حتى يبلغ هديه محله، و محله المنحر بمنى، فإذا بلغ أحل، فهذا الذي أمرناك به حج المتمتع فألزم ذلك و لا يضيقن صدرك، و الذي أتاك به أبو بصير من صلاة إحدى و خمسين، و الإهلال بالتمتع بالعمرة إلى الحج، و ما أمرنا به من أن يهل بالتمتع، فلذلك عندنا معان و تصاريف كذلك ما يسعنا و يسعكم و لا يخالف شي‏ء منه الحق و لا يضاده، و الحمد لله رب العالمين

17. [17/172] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus from Abdallah b. Zurara AND Muhammad b. Qulawayh and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan from Sa`d from Harun b. al-Hasan b. Mahbub from Muhammad b. Abdallah b. Zurara and his [Zurara’s] two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn from Abdallah b. Zurara who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to me: convey my salutations of peace to your father and say to him: Verily, I only defame you as a way of defending you, for the masses and the enemy hasten to whomever we draw near and praise his station so as to cause harm to the one we love and bring close. They accuse such a one because of our love for him and his closeness and intimacy with us, and they consider causing him harm and even killing him as justified. On the other hand, they praise every one whom we fault even if his affair is not praiseworthy. Thus, I fault you because you have become notorious as a result of your association with us and your inclination towards us, which have caused you to become blamable in the eyes of the people and your works to be looked upon unfavourably, all this because of your love for us and your inclination towards us. So I wished to fault you so that they can praise your religious stand as a result of my denigrating and diminishing you, and this becomes a way of warding off their evil from you. Allah Majestic and Mighty says: “as for the boat then it belonged to the poor working at sea so I wished to damage it because there was a king after them who seizes every good boat by force” this is a revelation from Allah [including the word] ‘good’. No by Allah! he did not damage it except so that it be saved from the king and is not ruined in his hands. It was a ‘good’ boat which had no question of being defective Allah be praised, so comprehend the parable, may Allah have mercy on you! for you are by Allah! the most beloved of people to me and the most beloved of the companions of my father in my estimation both in life and after death. Indeed you are the best boat in that tumultuous and stormy sea, and there is a tyrannical and usurping king after you, keeping watch for the crossing of every good boat returning from the sea of guidance so that he can take it for himself and seize it and its owners, so may the mercy of Allah be upon you in life and His mercy and pleasure be upon you after death. And your two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn brought me your letter, may Allah guard, defend, watch over and protect them because of the goodness of their father, the way He had protected the two boys (the orphans in Surat al-Kahf). Let not your heart constrict in grief if Abu Basir comes to you with the opposite of that which you were instructed by my father and by me, for by Allah! we did not instruct you and him except with an instruction that is fitting to act upon both for us and for you, and for each [instruction, even if seemingly contradictory] we have diverse expressions and interpretations which all agree with the truth. And if we were allowed [to explain] you would come to know that the truth is in that which we have instructed you. So refer back to us the matter and submit to us and be patient in acting according to our rulings and be satisfied with them. The one who has divided you is your shepherd who has been given authority by Allah over His creation. He [the shepherd] is more aware of what is in the interest of his flock and what can corrupt it. If he wishes he divides between them to safe-guard them, then he unites them once more so that it is secure from destruction and the fear posed by its enemy, in such a time as Allah permits, bringing it thereby safety from His place of safety and relief from Him. Upon you is to submit and to refer back to us and to await our affair and your affair and our relief and your relief. However [if you do not submit wholly then], if our Riser were to rise and our Speaker speak and he recommences teaching you the Qur’an, the Laws of religion, the rulings and inheritance shares the way Allah revealed them to Muhammad the ‘people of insight’ among you will repudiate it on that day a bitter repudiation, then you will not remain steadfast upon the religion of Allah and his path except under the threat of the sword over your necks! The people after the prophet of Allah were left to embark by Allah the same example as those who came before you, so they changed, altered, distorted, and added to the religion of Allah and reduced from it, consequently there is not a thing which the people are upon today [following] except that it is distorted when compared to that which was revealed from Allah. Respond then my Allah have mercy on you away from what you are calling for to what you are being called to, until comes the one who will renew the religion anew. Upon you is the forty six unit prayer and to make the Hajj by reciting the Talbiyya aloud for Ifrad [Hajj alone without Umra] and make an intention to dissolve it [later], when you reach Makka you make the Tawaf and the Sa’i [between Safa and Marwa], then you dissolve what you had made Talbiyya for and change the Hajj to Umra, you are consequently relieved of the state of Ihram up to the day of Tarwiya, then you renew reciting the Talbiyya aloud for Hajj solely [Ifrad] [and go] to Mina, and witness the benefits at Arafat and Muzdalifa, for this was how the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم made the Hajj and this is what he had ordered his companions to do, to dissolve that which they had recited the Talbiyya aloud for and to change the [intention of] Hajj to [that of] Umra, and the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم remained in [the state of] his Ihram because of the animal which he had driven with [accompanying] him, for the Sa`iq [one who drives the animal] is a Qarin [coupler] and the Qarin does not disengage [from the state of Ihram] until his Hadi [sacrificial animal] reaches its appropriate place, and its appropriate place is the sacrificial grounds in Mina, so when it reaches there [and is slaughtered] then he has disengaged [from the sate of Ihram]. This which we have ordered you to comply with is the Hajj of the Mutamati`, so adhere to it and your chest should not be constricted [in grief], that which Abu Basir came to you with in regards the prayer being fifty one [units], and voicing the Talbiyya aloud for Tamattu [enjoying] combining the Umra with the Hajj [at the outset, without the maneuver of having to dissolve the intention] and our instruction to him to recite the Talbiyya for Tamattu, then we have for that different interpretations and expressions which are accommodating for both us and you, and none of them [the seemingly different instructions] oppose the truth nor contradict it, and all praise is due to Allah. 

Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

Book 3, Chapter 33