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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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. [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.