26-22 In Kufa in the year 354 A.H. (964 A.D.) Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Hashemi al-Kufi narrated that Forat ibn Ibrahim ibn Forat al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ali al-Hamdani, on the authority of Abul Fadhl Al-Abbas ibn Abdullah al-Bukhari, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Al-Qasim ibn Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, on the authority of Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi, on the authority of Ali ibn Musa Al-Ridha (s), on the authority of his father Musa ibn Ja’far (s), on the authority of his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s), on the authority of his father Al-Hussein ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), “God’s Prophet (s) said, ‘God has not created any creature nobler than me and more honored near Himself than me.’ Ali (s) said, ‘O Prophet of God! Are you nobler or is Gabriel nobler?’ The Prophet (s) said, ‘O Ali! The Blessed the Sublime God has made the Messengers nobler than the nearby-stationed angels. He has also made me nobler than all the Prophets and Messengers. O Ali! He has made you and the Divine Leaders after you the noblest after me. O Ali! The angels are at our service and at the service of those who love us. O Ali! They are the same angels ‘... who sustain the Throne (of God) and those around it, and sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him; and implore forgiveness for those who believe’ in our Mastery. Were it not for us, God would not have created Adam (s), Eve, Paradise, Hell, the heavens and the Earth. Then how could we not be nobler than the angels? We recognized our Lord earlier than they did, we sang Glory and Praise be to Him and Sanctified Him before them.

The first things that the Honorable the Exalted God created were our spirits which He made declare His Unity and Exalt Him. Then He created the angels. Once the angels saw our spirits as a single light, they found it to be majestic. We sang Glory be to God the Sublime, so that they realize that we are creatures and that Godis Exalted High above our traits. Then the angels sang Glory be to God the Sublime and declared Him Exalted High above our traits. When the angels saw the majesty of our rank we testified to the Unity of God, so that the angels would know that there is no god but God, that we are only servants, that we are not gods and should not be worshipped along with Him or besides Him. Then the angels declared that there is no god but God. When they saw the greatness of our position we declared God is the Greatest, so that the angels would know that God is Great and no one can attain a high position unless God grants him that position. When they saw the honor and strength that God has granted us, we declared that there is no power nor any strength save in God, so that they would know that whatever power or strength we have is from God. When they saw the blessings granted to us by God - that is our being obliged to obey Him - we declared praise be to God, so that the angels would know that praising God for His Blessings is the right of God - High is His Remembrance - incumbent upon us. Then the angels declared Praise be to God.Thus it was by us that the angels were led to the recognition of the Unity of the Honorable the Exalted God, His Glory, Majesty, Praise, and Exaltation. Then the Blessed the Sublime God created Adam, placed us in his loin and ordered the angels to fall in prostration in order to exult and honor us. Their prostration was indeed equal to their worship of the Honorable the Exalted God and a form of honoring and obedience for Adam due to our being in his loin. How could we then not be nobler than the angels while all the angels have fallen in prostration for Adam?When I (Muhammad (s)) was taken up to the heavens for the Ascension, Gabriel recited the ‘Azan and the ‘Iqamah saying each part twice. Then Gabriel told me, ‘O Muhammad! Stand up in the front.’ Then I said, ’O Gabriel! Should I stand in front of you?’ Gabriel said, ‘Yes because the Blessed the Sublime God has honored His Prophets over all of His angels and He has especially honored you.’

Then I stood in the front and they followed me, but I am not haughty about this. Then we reached a screen of Light. Gabriel told me, ’You go ahead.’ Gabriel himself stood back. I told him, ‘O Gabriel! Will you abandon me here in this position?’ Gabriel said, ‘O Muhammad! This place is the end of the limits which the Honorable the Exalted God has established for me. If I go beyond this point, my wings will burn due to transgressing beyond thelimits set by my Lord - the Exalted the Magnificent.’ At this time the Light pushed me forward until I reached to as close a High Position that the Honorable the Exalted God had willed. Then I was called. I said, ‘Yes, my Lord! You are Blessed and High!’ Then I was called again, ‘O Muhammad! You are My servant and I am your Lord! Then worship Me and rely on Me. You are My Light amongst My creatures, and My Proof amongst the people. I have created Paradise for you and your followers, and created Hell for those who oppose you. I have made it incumbent to honor your Trustees, and have assured reward for their followers.’Then I asked, “O Lord! Who are my Trustees?” Then I was called, “O Muhammad! The names of your Trustees are recorded on the base of My Throne.” When I was in front of my Lord - the Exalted the Magnificent - I looked at the base of the Throne and saw twelve Lights. Over each Light there was a green line on which the name of one of my Trustees was written.

The first of them was Ali ibn Abi Talib. The last one was the Al-Mahdi (Divinely Guided One) of my nation. Then I said, “O Lord! Are these the Trustees after me?” Then I was called, “O Muhammad! They are My Trustees, Loved Ones, Chosen Ones and Proofs for my creatures after you. They are your Trustees and successors and are the best of the people after you. I swear by My Honor and Majesty that I will make my Religion victorious by means of them. I will announce My Word by them. I will cleanse the Earth from My enemies by the last one of them (Imam al-Mahdi). I will Rule the East and the West of the Earth by him. I will make the winds subdued to him. I will debase tough clouds for him. I will raise him up to the heavens and assist him with My Troops. I will assist him with the angels so that he propagates My invitation and unites the people concerning My Unity. Then I will extend his rule and continue the times under the control of my Masters up until the Resurrection Day.”