Ijtihad Network Being Wise and Faithful Muslim in the Contemporary World
The Shia give an account of the tablet which Gabriel, peace be on him, brought down to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, from heaven. (The Apostle) gave it to Fatima, peace be on her. In it are the names of the Imams after (the Apostle) and in it is Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, the Imam after his father.
The Shia also report that God, the Mighty and High, sent down to His Prophet, the blessings and peace of God be on him, a document sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give it to the Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, and to tell him to break the first seal, and he should act according to what is in (that part of the document).
At the time of his death, he should pass it to his son, al-Hasan, peace be on him, and tell him to break the second seal and act according to what is in (that part of) the document. At the time of his death he should pass it to his brother al-Husayn, peace be on him. He should tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it. Then at his death, he should pass it to his son, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn al- Akbar (the elder) and he should instruct him in a similar way. Then Muhammad should pass it to his son right down to the last of the Imams.
They report also numerous designations (nusus) of him for the Imamate after his father on the authority of the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, on the authority of the Commander of the faithful and on the authority of al-Hasan, al-Husayn and ‘Ali ibn al- Husayn, peace be on them.
The people report (accounts) of his outstanding virtues and accomplishments which would be too numerous to include. We will mention what will be sufficient in meaning for our purposes, if God wills.
[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Muhammad informed me: My grandfather (Yahya ibn al-Hasan) told me: Muhammad ibn al- Qasim al-Shaybam told us: Abd al-Rahman ibn Salih al-Azdi told us on the authority of Abu Malik al-Juhni on the authority of Abd Allah ibn Ata’ al-Makki who said:]
I have never seen the scholars with anyone so much younger than them as I saw them with Abu Ja’far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them. I have seen al-Hakam ibn Utayba, despite his eminence among the people, conduct himself before him as if he was a young boy conducting himself before his teacher.
Whenver Jabir ibn Yazid al-Jufi reported anything on his authority, peace be on him, he used to say:
The trustee of the trustees (of the Apostle) and the heir of the knowledge of the prophets, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them, told me.
[Makhul ibn Ibrahim reported on the authority of Qays ibn al-Rabi, who said: I asked Abu Ishaq al-Sabi’i about rubbing the two shoes (in the ritual ablution), he said:]
I used to tell people to rub the two shoes (in the ritual ablution instead of rubbing the feet) until I met a man from the Banu Hashim, whose like I have never seen-Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on him. I asked about the rubbing and he forbade me to do it. He said: “The Commander of the faithful, peace be on him, never used to rub (the shoes). He used to say: ‘The Book (which does not mention the practice) comes before (the introduction of the practice of) rubbing the shoes.’
[Abu Ishaq added: I have never rubbed them since he forbade me to do it. And Qays ibn al-Rabi’i said: I have never rubbed them since I heard Abu Ishaq.]
[Al -Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Muhammad informed me: My grandfather (Yahya ibn al-Hasan) told me on the authority of Yaqub ibn Yazid, who said: Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umayr told us on the authority of Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajja;, on the authority of Abu ‘Abd Allah (Ja’far al-Sadiq), peace be on him, who said:]
Muhammad ibn Munkadir used to say: “I did not use to think that the like of ‘‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them, could leave a successor because of the outstanding merit of ‘‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them, until I saw his son, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali. I wanted to advise him but he advised me.”
My companions asked me: “What did he warn you of?” I told them: I went out to one of the suburbs of Medina at a time when it was hot. There I met Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, peace be on him. He was a well built man and he was leaning on two servant boys. Either they were black slaves of his or they were retainers of his. I said to myself: Here is a venerable leader (shaykh) of Quraysh out at this time and in these circumstances seeking worldly (advantage). I must warn him. So I approached him and greeted him. He returned my greeting with anger. The sweat was pouring down him.
I said: “May God remove you, a venerable leader of Quraysh, out at this time in these circumstances seeking worldly (advantage). If death came upon you while you were in this condition (what would you do)?”
He made the two servant-boys let go of his hand and held himself up. Then he said: “By God, if death came upon me while I was in this condition, it would come upon me while I am (fulfilling) an act of obedience to God, by which I make myself withdraw from you and from the (rest of the) people. I would only fear death if it came upon me while I was performing an act of disobedience against God.”
Then I replied: “May God have mercy on you, I wanted to warn you and you have warned me.”
[Al-Sharif Abu Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Muhammad informed me: My grandfather (Yahya al-Hasan) told me: A shaykh from the people of al-Rayy, who was very old, told me: Yahya ibn ‘Abd al- Hamid al-Himmani told me on the authority of Mu’awiya ibn Ammar al-Duhni, on the authority of Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, peace be on them:]
(Muhammad ibn ‘Ali was asked) about God’s words: Ask the people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr) if you do not know [XVI 43]. He said: “We are the people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr).”
The shaykh from al-Rayy said: I asked Muhammad ibn Muqatil about these (words). He spoke about them according to his opinion and he said: “The people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr) are all the religious scholars (ulama’).”
I mentioned that to Abu Zura. He was astounded at his words. Then I put before him what Yahya ibn Abd al-Hamld had told me. He said: “Muhammad ibn ‘Ali, peace be on them, speaks the truth. They are the people of remembrance (ahl al-dhikr). By my life, Abu Ja’far, peace be on him, is one of the greatest scholars (ulama’).”
