H 378 - Husain Ibn Ibrahim narrated to me from Ahmad Ibn Ali Ibn Nuh from Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ahmad ­Katib, son of binte Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far Amari saying, Lady Umme Kulthum (the daughter of the second deputy of the Imam of the Age) narrated to me, Abu Ja’far Ibn Abul Azaqir was a respectable man before the progeny of Bistam. That is because Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh had conferred much esteem and respect on him in front of the people. After his apostasy, Ibn Abul Azaqir would tell every lie, mischief and heresy to the progeny of Bistam, falsely quoting Shaykh Abul Qasim all the time. The house of Bistam would accept that from him and believe in him, until this came to the knowledge of Abul Qasim and he denied that and called attention to the enormity of the blasphemy and prohibited the progeny of Bistam from listening to him and ordered them to damn and denounce him. However, they did not listen and persisted on following Ibn Abi Azaqir. That was because he would tell them, “I have manifested the secret I had been sworn to secrecy. Therefore, I am being punished to be castigated from position of proximity, because this is a great position that only an Archangel or a great apostle or a tested believer can bear.” He would thus magnify his position and importance in their eyes. When Abul Qasim was informed of this, he wrote to the Bistams to curse him and express their disdain for him, his followers and devotees. When they received the letter, they showed it to him, but he wept profusely and said: “This message has a very profound secret dimension. The curse is banishment. The meaning of his word, May Allah curse him, is May Allah banish him from punishment and Fire. Now you know my position.” He touched the ground with his cheeks and said: “You must keep this matter a secret.” The lady said: I informed Shaykh Abul Qasim what the mother of Abu Ja’far Ibn Bistam had said one day when we were visiting her and she had received me with reverence and veneration, so much so that she fell on my feet to kiss them. I did not let her do that. I said: “Easy, my mistress, this is too much.” I fell on her hands and she cried. Then she said: “How would I not do that to you, while you are my mistress Fatima?” I asked, “How is that?” She said: “The Shaykh,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali “has confided a secret in us.” “And what is the secret’?” I asked her. “He asked us to hide it and I fear if I reveal it, I will be chastised.” I gave her my most solemn promises that I will not reveal it to anyone, while maintaining in my heart an exception for Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. She said: “The Shaykh Abu Ja’far told us that the spirit of the Messenger of Allah (s) has transferred into you father,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman . “And the spirit of Amirul Momineen Ali has transferred into the body of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh; and the spirit of our mistress Fatima has transferred into you. So how may I not revere you, O our lady?” I said: “Easy! Do not do this, for this is false, my lady.” “This is a great secret and we have been sworn not to reveal this to anyone. For Allah’s sake! For Allah’s sake! May I not deserve punishment!” She beseeched me, “My lady, if you hadn’t insisted, I would not have disclosed this to you or anyone.” Lady Umme Kulthum said: When I returned from her, I went to Shaykh Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh and recounted the event to him. He trusted my word and had confidence in my truthfulness. He said: “My daughter, beware not to go to this woman after this, and don’t accept any letter from her if she writes to you; or a messenger if she sends you one. Do not meet her after she said this. It is blasphemy against Allah and disbelief, which this accursed man has planted and strengthened in their hearts to pave way to the belief that Allah, the Sublime, has unified with him and has diffused into his body, as Christians say about Isa and this amounts to the claim of Hallaj, may Allah curse him. I disassociated myself from the Bistams and stopped visiting them. I did not accept any pretense they offered, nor met their mother afterwards. Then this drift began in the children of Naubakht. Shaykh Abul Qasim approached and wrote to each and every one of them to curse Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani (Ibn Abil Azaqir) and express disdain for him and anyone who follows him, is pleased with his word, or converses with him, let alone loves him. Then the holy letter from the Master of the Age came, having damnation for Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali, denunciation for him and anyone who followed him, abided by him and was pleased with his word and maintained his service after learning about this holy letter. There are many ugly stories and repulsive incidents about him that are not worthy of our book. Ibn Nuh and others have recorded these events. What led to Shalmaghani’s murder was that when Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh expressed his curse and made his farce public and denounced him and ordered all Shia to do the same, Ibn Abil Azaqir no longer was able to continue his trickery. In a gathering in which the chiefs of the Shia were present, and everyone was reporting his damnation and denunciation from Shaykh Abul Qasim, he said: “Bring me and him together, so I may hold his hand and he may hold my hand and we will see whether a fire does not descend from the heavens and sets him ablaze. Otherwise, everything he has said about me is true.” The news reached Razibillah, because this was in the house of Ibn Muqillah. He ordered his arrest and execution. Thus, he was killed and the Shia got relief from his mischief.