A Comprehensive Compilation of Reliable Narrations

[Islamic Salvation]

3.98. - 3.99. Faris b. Hatim al-Qazwini and Ali b. Amr al-Qazwini

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/faris-b-hatim-al-qazwini-and-ali-b-amr-al-qazwini

 

[1/217] غيبة الطوسي: باسناده عن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري قال: كتب أبوالحسن العسكري عليه السلام إلى علي بن عمرو القزويني بخطه: إعتقد فيما تدين الله تعالى به أن الباطن عندي حسب ما أظهرت لك فيمن استنبأت عنه، وهو فارس لعنه الله فإنه ليس يسعك إلا الاجتهاد في لعنه، وقصده ومعاداته، والمبالغة في ذلك بأكثر ما تجد السبيل إليه ما كنت آمر أن يدان الله بأمر غير صحيح، فجد وشد في لعنه وهتكه، وقطع أسبابه، وصد أصحابنا عنه، وإبطال أمره وأبلغهم ذلك مني، واحكه لهم عني، وإني سائلكم بين يدي الله عن هذا الامر المؤكد، فويل للعاصي وللجاحد. وكتبت بخطي ليلة الثلاثاء لتسع ليال من شهر ربيع الاول سنة خمسين ومائتين، وأنا أتوكل على الله وأحمده كثيرا

[1/217] Ghayba of al-Tusi: Via his chain to Abdallah b. Ja`far al-Himyari who said: Abu al-Hasan al-Askari [al-Hadi] عليه السلام wrote to Ali b. Amr al-Qazwini in his own hand [the following]: Believe - as part of your religion through which you worship Allah the Elevated - that my true inner feelings for the one you questioned about, that is Faris may Allah curse him, are identical to that which I have manifested to you [i.e. it is not said in Taqiyya]. For nothing else behooves you apart from striving hard in cursing him, targetting him and treating him as an enemy. Intensify doing that as far as is possible for you to do. I could never order that Allah be worshipped through something which is not correct. So strain yourself and show firmness in cursing him, exposing him, disrupting his means, blocking our companions from him and nullifying his schemes. Convey this [stance of mine against him] to them [my companions] and source it on my authority. I will surely ask you in front of Allah about this issue. So woe be upon the disobedient and the opposer. I have written [this letter] in my own hand, being Tuesday night, nine nights having passed from the start of the month of Rabi al-Awwal, in the year two hundred and fifty. I depend on Allah and praise Him profusely.        

NOTES:

This is the text of a letter dated 250 AH containing the excommunication of Faris b. Hatim. Faris was at one point in time the financial agent of the Imam al-Hadi working to collect dues from the Shia of the Jibal [central and western Iran] on his behalf.

There is evidence that he engaged in a power struggle with another agent of the Imam and tried to cement his authority by lying. He also stood accused of misappropriating funds and keeping them for himself. It is in this context that the Imam removed him from office.

Another letter from the Imam with the same theme is reproduced below:

لعنه الله و ضاعف عليه العذاب، فما أعظم ما اجترى على الله عز و جل و علينا في الكذب علينا و اختيان أموال موالينا و كفى به معاقبا و منتقما، فأشهر فعل فارس في أصحابنا الجبليين و غيرهم من موالينا، و لا تتجاوز بذلك إلى غيرهم من المخالفين كيما تحذر ناحية فارس لعنه الله و يتجنبوه و يحترسوا منه، كفى الله مؤنته، و نحن نسأل الله السلامة في الدين و الدنيا، و أن يمتعنا بها، و السلام

May Allah curse him [i.e. Faris] and amplify the punishment on him. What great daring he has shown to Allah Mighty and Majestic and to us in lying about us and being treacherous with the wealth of our followers. This is enough for him to be deserving of our wrath and retribution. So make this act of Faris [where he had embezzled the amount of the Imam] known to our followers who reside in the Jibal and others, but do not let it spread to outsiders who are our opponents. Do this so that they [our followers] can be cautious towards Faris may Allah curse him, avoid him and be on their guard from him. May Allah make us sufficient from needing his assistance. We ask Allah safety in the religion and the world, and that He favour us in them both, greetings.        

It is at this juncture that Faris turned rogue and exploited the sway he had over sections of the Shi’i populace who supported him. He promulgated the extremist belief of the Ghulat and was closely associated with other discredited Wukala such as Ibn Baba and Ibn Nusayr [the eponymous progenitor of the Nusayri movement].

قال نصر بن الصباح: الحسن بن محمد المعروف بابن بابا و محمد بن نصير النميري و فارس بن حاتم القزويني لعن هؤلاء الثلاثة علي بن محمد العسكري عليه السلام

Nasr b. al-Sabah said: al-Hasan b. Muhammad better known as Ibn Baba, Muhammad b. Nusayr al-Numayri and Faris b. Hatim al-Qazwini, these three were cursed by Ali b. Muhammad al-Askari عليه السلام

محمد بن مسعود، قال حدثني علي بن محمد، قال حدثني محمد، عن محمد بن موسى، عن سهل بن خلف، عن سهيل بن محمد: قد اشتبه يا سيدي على جماعة من مواليك أمر الحسن بن محمد بن بابا فما الذي تأمرنا يا سيدي في أمره نتولاه أم نتبرأ عنه أم نمسك عنه فقد كثر القول فيه فكتب بخطه و قرأته ملعون هو و فارس تبرءوا منهما لعنهما الله و ضاعف ذلك على فارس

Muhammad b. Masud – Ali b. Muhammad – Muhammad – Muhammad b. Musa – Sahl b. Khalaf – Suhayl b. Muhammad [who wrote]: the true status of al-Hasan b. Muhammad b. Baba has become disputed among a section of your followers, so what do you order us about him O master? should we associate with him or disassociate from him? should we suspend judgment? [we ask this] because the controversy about him has increased. So he [the Imam] wrote in his own hand and I read it: he is accursed, him and Faris, disassociate from them both, may Allah curse them and may He double it [i.e. the curse] on Faris.  

These figures promoted esoteric notions of Bab-hood [doorship to the Imam] and divinity of the Imam, together with assorted beliefs of antinomianism, doctrine of secret knowledge and crypto-Taqiyya [to explain the Imam’s outward cursing of them].

It is in this context that the Imam speaks of a ‘repulsive belief’ proclaimed by him.

ابن مسعود، قال: حدثني علي بن محمد، قال: حدثني محمدبن أحمد، عن محمدبن عيسى، عن أبي محمد الرازي، قال: ورد علينا رسول من قبل الرجل: أما القزويني فارس فانه فاسق منحرف، وتكلم بكلام خبيث فلعنه

Ibn Masud – Ali b. Muhammad – Muhammad b. Ahmad – Muhammad b. Isa – Abu Muhammad al-Razi who said: A messenger came to us from the man [the Imam] saying: as for al-Qazwini Faris then he is a corrupt deviant, he has proclaimed a repulsive belief, so may Allah curse him.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.100. al-Fadhl b. Abd al-Malik al-Baqbaq

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/al-fadhl-b-abd-al-malik-al-baqbaq

 

[-/1] رجال الكشي: حمدويه و محمد، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن صفوان، عن عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج قال: سأل أبو العباس فضل البقباق لحريز الإذن على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فلم يأذن له، فعاوده فلم يأذن له، فقال: أي شي‏ء للرجل أن يبلغ من عقوبة غلامه؟ قال: على قدر ذنوبه، فقال: قد عاقبت و الله حريزا بأعظم مما صنع قال: ويحك إني فعلت؟ ذلك أن حريزا جرد السيف! ثم قال: أما لو كان حذيفة بن منصور ما عاودني فيه بعد أن قلت لا

[1/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Muhammad [b. Qulawayh] from Muhammad b. Isa from Safwan from Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj who said: Abu al-Abbas Fadhl al-Baqbaq sought permission for Hariz to enter upon [meet] Abi Abdillah عليه السلام but he was refused, he repeated the request a second time and was not given permission, so he [Fadhl] said: what should the punishment of a man to his slave [who has done wrong] be? He [the Imam] said: in proportion to his crime, he said: you have - by Allah - punished Hariz greater than what he did, he said: woe be upon you! am I the one who did that? Hariz unsheathed the sword [took up arms]! Then he said: if it were Hudhayfa b. Mansur he would not have persisted in the request after I had already said no [once].    

NOTES:

Fadhl b. Abd al-Malik is Thiqa and this narration does not contradict that evaluation though it does indicate his impertinence with the Imam in this particular instance as he should have submitted to the Imam's decision without pushing.

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Brilliant thread and work. Please keep it up!!

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3.101. al-Fudhayl b. Yasar

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/al-fudhayl-b-yasar

 

[1/218] رجال الكشي: إبراهيم بن محمد بن عباس، عن أحمد بن إدريس المعلم القمي، عن محمد بن أحمد بن يحيى عن الحسن بن علي بن النعمان، عن العباس بن عامر، عن أبان بن عثمان، عن فضيل بن عثمان قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إن الأرض لتسكن إلى الفضيل بن يسار

[1/218] Rijal al-Kashshi: Ibrahim b. Muhammad b. Abbas from Ahmad b. Idris al-Mu`allim al-Qummi from Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Yahya from al-Hasan b. Ali b. al-Nu`man from al-Abbas b. Amir from Aban b. Uthman from Fudhayl b. Uthman who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: Verily the Earth finds comfort in al-Fudhayl b. Yasar.  

 

[2/219] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن الفضل بن شاذان، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عدة من أصحابنا قال: كان أبو عبد الله عليه السلام إذا نظر إلى الفضيل بن يسار مقبلا قال: بَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ و كان يقول: إن فضيلا من أصحاب أبي و إني لأحب الرجل أن يحب أصحاب أبيه

[2/219] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from al-Fadhl b. Shadhan from Ibn Abi Umayr from a number of our companions who said: When Abu Abdillah عليه السلام used to look at al-Fudhayl b. Yasar approaching he would say: “give glad tidings to the humble” (22:34), and he used to say: Fudhayl was one of the companions of my father and I do love it for a man that he loves the companions of his father.    

NOTES:

Fudhayl b. Yasar al-Nahdi was a companion of both al-Baqir and al-Sadiq. He was originally from Kufa and later settled in Basra. He died in the lifetime of al-Sadiq. al-Najashi gives him Tawthiq and then quotes the following narration from him as a sample of his output: 

عن أبي مسور الفضيل ابن يسار قال: قال لي جعفر بن محمد عليه السلام: رضاع اليهودية والنصرانية خير من رضاع الناصبية

Abi Musawar al-Fudhayl b. Yasar said: Ja’far b. Muhammad عليه السلام said to me: Breast-feeding from a Jewess or a Christian woman is better than the breast milk of a Nasibi woman [who hates the Ahl al-Bayt].

al-Kashshi includes his name among the Ashab al-Ijma saying:

اجتمعت العصابة على تصديق هؤلاء الاولين من أصحاب ابي جعفر عليه السلام، وأصحاب ابي عبد الله عليه السلام، وانقادوا لهم بالفقه. فقالوا: افقه الاولين ستة، زرارة، ومعروف بن خربوذ وبريد، وأبو بصير الاسدي، والفضيل بن يسار

The whole community is agreed in considering truthful these foremost ones among the companions of Abi Ja’far عليه السلام and Abi Abdillah عليه السلام, and they have conceded to them [yielded to their authority] in Fiqh, so they said: the most knowledgeable of the foremost ones are six: … al-Fudhayl b. Yasar …

He is found in the chains to around 254 surviving narrations found in our books.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.102. Qutayba al-A`sha

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/qutayba-al-asha

 

[1/220] الكافي: محمد بن يحيى، عن  أحمد، عن علي بن الحكم، عن قتبية الاعشى قال: سمعت أبا عبدالله عليه السلام يقول: عاديتم فينا الآباء والابناء والازواج وثوابكم على الله عزوجل أما إن أحوج ما تكونون إذا بلغت الانفس إلى هذه - وأومأ بيده إلى حلقه

[1/220] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Yahya from Ahmad from Ali b. al-Hakam from Qutayba al-A`sha who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام say: You [the Shia] have made enemies of your fathers, sons, wives [who are not Shia] because of us [by allying yourself to us] and your reward is upon Allah Mighty and Majestic. Verily the most needful you will be [of our Wilaya] is when the souls will reach here - and he pointed with his hand to his throat i.e. while dying.  

NOTES:

In a variant of this same narration:

عنه، عن أبيه، عن النضر، عن يحيى الحلبي، عن قتيبة الاعشى، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: أما إن أحوج ما تكونون فيه إلى حبنا حين تبلغ نفس أحدكم هذه (وأومى بيده إلى نحره) ثم قال: لا، بل إلى ههنا (وأومى بيده إلى حنجرته)، فيأتيه البشير فيقول: أما ما كنت تخافه فقد أمنت منه

al-Mahasin: Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid – his father – al-Nadhr – Yahya al-Halabi – Qutayba al-A’sha – Abi Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: Verily the most needful you will be to our love is when the soul of one of you will reach – and he pointed with his hand to his upper chest – then he said: No, rather when it will reach here – and he pointed with his hand to his throat, then a messenger of glad tidings will come to him and say: As for that which you used to fear then you have been saved from it.  

This narration indicates how difficult it must have been for the few followers of the ‘Aimma to live in the wider society when even their own families were at best ignorant of their loyalty to the ‘Aimma and at worst inimical to it.

We have a lot of narrations that confirm that the Muwali will be comforted at this most serious of junctures by glimpsing the Imam, and he will congratulate himself for making the right decision.

علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن حماد بن عثمان، عن عيسى بن السري قال: قلت لابي عبدالله عليه السلام: حدثني عما بنيت عليه دعائم الاسلام إذا أنا أخذت بها زكى عملي ولم يضرني جهل ما جهلت بعده، فقال: شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله والاقرار بما جاء به من عند الله وحق في الاموال من الزكاة ; والولاية التي أمر الله عزوجل بها ولاية آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله، فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال: من مات ولا يعرف إمامه مات ميتة جاهلية، قال الله عزوجل: " أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول وأولي الامر منكم " فكان علي عليه السلام، ثم صار من بعده حسن ثم من بعده حسين ثم من بعده علي بن الحسين، ثم من بعده محمد بن علي، ثم هكذا يكون الامر، إن الارض لاتصلح إلا بإمام ومن مات لايعرف إمامه مات ميتة جاهلية وأحوج مايكون أحدكم إلى معرفته إذا بلغت نفسه ههنا قال: وأهوى بيده إلى صدره يقول حينئذ: لقد كنت على أمر حسن

al-Kafi: Ali b. Ibrahim – Muhammad b. Isa – Yunus – Hammad b. Uthman – Isa b. al-Sarri who said: I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: Inform me about those things upon which the mainstays of Islam are built, if I were to hold on to them my deeds would be purified, and my ignorance of anything beyond them would not harm me. He said: To bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; to affirm that which he came with from Allah; [to give out] the obligation which is present in the wealth of Zakat; and the Wilaya which Allah Mighty and Majestic has mandated – the Wilaya of the family of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله, for the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله had said: Whoever dies without recognizing his Imam dies the death of Jahiliyya, Allah Mighty and Majestic says: “Obey Allah, and obey the messenger, and the possessors of authority among you” so it was Ali, then Hasan after him, and Husayn after him, then Ali b. al-Husayn followed by Muhammad b. Ali, and likewise is the affair. The earth is not sustainable except with the presence of an Imam, whoever dies without recognizing his Imam dies the death of Jahiliyya. The most needful one of you is to this “recognition” of his is when his soul reaches here – and he pointed with his hand towards his chest – he will say at that juncture: ‘indeed I was following a good order’

Edited October 9, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.103. Qanbar

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/qanbar

 

[1/221] الفقيه: باسناده عن محمد بن قيس عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام: أن عليا عليه السلام كان في مسجد الكوفة فمر به عبدالله بن قفل التيمي ومعه درع طلحة فقال علي عليه السلام: هذه درع طلحة اخذت غلولا يوم البصرة، فقال ابن قفل: يا أمير المؤمنين اجعل بيني وبينك قاضيك الذي ارتضيته للمسلمين فجعل بينه وبينه شريحا فقال علي عليه السلام: هذه درع طلحة اخذت غلولا يوم البصرة فقال شريح: يا أمير المؤمنين هات على ما تقول بينة فأتاه بالحسن بن علي عليه السلام فشهد أنها درع طلحة اخذت يوم البصرة غلولا فقال شريح: هذا شاهد ولا أقضي بشاهد حتى يكون معه آخر، فأتى بقنبر فشهد أنها درع طلحة اخذت غلولا يوم البصرة، فقال: هذا مملوك ولا أقضى بشهادة المملوك، فغضب علي عليه السلام، ثم قال: خذوا الدرع فإن هذا قد قضى بجور ثلاث مرات فتحول شريح عن مجلسه وقال: لا أقضي بين اثنين حتى تخبرني من أين قضيت بجور ثلاث مرات؟ فقال له علي عليه السلام: إني لما قلت لك: إنها درع طلحة اخذت غلولا يوم البصرة فقلت هات على ما تقول بينة، وقد قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله: حيثما وجد غلول اخذ بغير بينة، فقلت: رجل لم يسمع الحديث، ثم أتيتك بالحسن فشهد فقلت: هذا شاهد واحد ولا أقضي بشاهد حتى يكون معه آخر وقد قضى رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله بشاهد ويمين، فهاتان اثنتان، ثم أتيتك بقنبر، فشهد فقلت: هذا مملوك، وما بأس بشهادة المملوك إذا كان عدلا فهذه الثالثة، ثم قال عليه السلام: يا شريح إن إمام المسلمين يؤتمن من أمورهم على ما هو أعظم من هذا، ثم قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: فأول من رد شهادة المملوك - رمع

[1/221] al-Faqih: Via his chain to Muhammad b. Qays from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام that: Ali عليه السلام was in the Masjid of Kufa when Abdallah b. Kufl al-Taymi passed by with an armour belonging to Talha. Ali عليه السلام said: this is the armour of Talha which was taken by treachery in the battle of Basra [Jamal]. Ibn Kufl said: O Commander of the Faithful - place between us your judge whom you have chosen over the Muslims [to decide the case], so he [Ali] appointed Shurayh to adjudicate between them. Ali عليه السلام said: this is the armour of Talha which was taken by treachery in the battle of Basra. Shurayh said: O Commander of the Faithful - produce evidence for what you say. He [Ali] brought al-Hasan b. Ali عليه السلام who testified that the armour belonged to Talha and was taken treacherously in the battle of Basra. Shurayh said: this is one witness, and I do not rule based on a sole witness unless there is another one with him [to corroborate]. Then he [Ali] brought Qanbar and he too testified that it was the armour of Talha taken treacherously in the battle of Basra. He [Shurayh] said: this one is a slave, and I do not rule based on the testimony of a slave. Thereupon Ali became angry and said: take away the armour [from Abdallah b. Kufl] for this one [Shurayh] has transgressed in his ruling three times! Shurayh abandoned his judgment seat and said: I will not judge between two – ever - unless you inform me how I have transgressed thrice in my rulings? Ali said to him: when I said: ‘this is the armour of Talha which was taken by treachery in the battle of Basra’ you said: ‘produce evidence for what you say’ while the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه واله had said: “wherever a usurped booty is found it is taken without any evidence [required]”, I [Ali] said [to myself]: the man has not heard the Hadith [is unaware of it]. Then I brought al-Hasan who testified so you said: ‘this is one witness, and I do not rule based on a sole witness unless there is another one with him [to corroborate]’ while the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه واله used to give judgment based on [the evidence of] a single witness and an oath [if the witness backs up what he says by swearing an oath]. Finally, I brought Qanbar who testified so you said: ‘this one is a slave’ but there is no problem with the testimony of a slave if he is Adil [possessing moral probity]. This then was the third [transgression you made]. Then he عليه السلام said: O Shurayh the Imam of the Muslims is entrusted to oversee their affairs in regards things which are much  greater than this!

Abu Ja’far عليه السلام said: The first to reject the testimony of slaves was RUMA      

NOTES:

This report is included here because it shows that Qanbar - the long time slave of Ali and much beloved by his master - was Adil [as the Imam declares]. Adala is that power which inclines someone towards fulfilling the obligations of the religion and safeguards him from sins. A person with this power is not known to commit Kabair in public. It is an important condition required of a witness in court, a leader of prayers in congregation and a narrator of Hadith.

Muhammad b. Qays al-Bajali (d. 151), a Kufan narrator described as ‘Ayn’ and ‘Thiqa’ by al-Najashi, authored a very famous book of the Qadha [judgments in disputes] given by the Commander of the Faithful. Muhammad compiled it by asking questions from the Imam al-Baqir who transmitted examples from Ali’s handling of cases in his rule. There is no doubt that this narration goes back to this same book.

al-Saduq is quoting directly from this book and his reliable chain to it is as follows:

وما كان فيه عن محمد بن قيس فقد رويته عن أبي رحمه الله عن سعد بن عبدالله عن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن عبدالرحمن بن أبي نجران، عن عاصم بن حميد، عن محمد بن قيس

Whatever is in it [my book al-Faqih] from Muhammad b. Qays then I have narrated it from my father – may Allah have mercy on him – from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Ibrahim b. Hashim from Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Najran from A’sim b. Humayd from Muhammad b. Qays

غلول Ghulul refers to a piece of war booty which has been taken treacherously (i.e. stolen before booty is divided legally).

Talha was killed while turning back after the Kufans started gaining the upper hand at the battle of Jamal. It is most likely Marwan who hit him from behind with an arrow - avenging him for his role in the death of Uthman. Continued attempts to stop the bleeding failed and Talha died in a house of the Banu Sa'd Tamim. This being the case, his armour was not part of the war booty in the field of action nor was he killed by the supporters of Ali who were on the side of truth.

It should also be known that Ali did not treat his defeated opponents as apostates or apply the common rules of warfare to them. He ordered at the beginning of the battle that wounded or captured enemies should not be killed, those throwing away their arms should not be fought, and those fleeing from the battleground should not be pursued. Only captured weapons and animals were to be considered war booty. After the battle he announced a general pardon and the prisoners of war were set free by Ali after they pledged allegiance. Thus, no war prisoners, women or children were to be enslaved and the property of slain enemies was to go to their legal Muslim heirs. As a compensation he paid 500 dirhams to each of his men out of the Basran treasury. These rules were to become authoritative in Islam for the warfare against Muslim rebels (bughat).

The prophet said: ‘Wherever a usurped booty is found it is taken without any evidence [required]’. This is in need of explanation. Normally, possession is considered a decisive factor in the Law. The one in possession of something is considered its default owner unless evidence to the contrary is brought forward. However, in the case of war-booty, especially when the original owner is widely known and when there is suspicion about how exactly someone has come to possess it, then the onus falls on the current possessor to explain how he came to it.

RUMA is an anagram of the second Caliph UMAR. His name was written in this way - either by al-Saduq or transmitters before him - for the sake of Taqiyya. Umar had a very pro-Arab nationalistic racial policy in which converted foreigners [most of them Mawali slaves] were not treated on the same level as Arab Muslims. This report indicates that he even refused such individuals to give testimony in the court contrary to the actual position of the Divine Law. This can be added to the long list of innovations that were officially mandated after the death of the prophet. It is such grievances among others that led to his death at the hand of the Persian Abu Lulu. 

Finally, when Ali says that ‘the Imam of the Muslims is entrusted to oversee their affairs in regards things which are much  greater than this!’ he has the Ma’sumin in mind. It is these who are responsible for the preservation of the religion and guidance of the believers by teaching them the true creed and rituals. This is a much more important task in which they are to be followed without reservation. What is a lowly case like this in comparison? and why should undue doubts be raised against someone of such a caliber?

Edited October 11, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.104. Qays

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/qays

 

[1/222] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن، عن معمر بن خلاد قال: قال أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام: إن رجلا من أصحاب علي عليه السلام يقال له قيس كان يصلي فلما صلى ركعة أقبل أسود (سالخ) فصار في موضع السجود، فلما نحى جبينه عن موضعه تطوق الأسود في عنقه ثم أنساب في قميصه (وذهب ولم يقطع صلاته)، و إني أقبلت يوما من الفرع، فحضرت الصلاة فنزلت فصرت إلى ثمامة، فلما صليت ركعة أقبل أفعى نحوي، فأقبلت على صلاتي لم أخففها و لم ينتقص منها شي‏ء فدنا مني ثم رجع إلى ثمامة، فلما فرغت من صلاتي و لم أخفف دعائي دعوت بعضهم معي فقلت دونك الأفعى تحت الثمامة، و من لم يخف إلا الله كفاه

[1/222] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan from Mu’ammar b. Khallad who said: Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام said: A man from among the companions of Ali عليه السلام called Qays was praying, after he finished the first unit a large black snake came and crawled onto the place of prostration, when he [Qays] lowered his forehead near it the snake latched onto his neck, encircled it and left slithering through his inner garment [but he did not break his prayer]! I [the Imam] was returning one day from al-Fur` [a place between Makka and Madina] when the time of prayer entered. I dismounted and proceeded near a Thumama [panic grass] shrub. When I completed a single unit a snake came near me, but I continued with my prayer and did not shorten it in any way nor did I allow any deficiencies to come into it. It came near me then returned to the shrub. Only when I had completed my prayer and followed it up by my normal supplication did I call the one who was with me and said: Keep away from the snake under the shrub. Whoever fears none except Allah then He suffices for him.   

قال أبو عمرو محمد بن عمر الكشي: في أصحاب أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام أربعة نفر و أكثر يقال لكل واحد قيس فلا أعلم أيهم هذا، أول الأربعة: قيس بن سعد بن عبادة و هو أميرهم و أفضلهم، و قيس بن عباد البكري و هو خليق أيضا بهذا إن كان، و قيس بن قرة بن حبيب غير خليق به لأنه هرب إلى معاوية، و قيس بن مهران أيضا خليق ذلك به، فكل هؤلاء صحبوا أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام و لا أدري أيهم أراد أبو الحسن الرضا عليه السلام

Abu Amr Muhammad b. Umar al-Kashshi said: Among the companions of the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام there were four or more going by the name of Qays, so I do not know which one of them is meant [in this narration]. The first of the four was Qays b. Sa’d b. Ubada who was their leader and the best out of them. Then Qays b. Abbad al-Bakri who is a plausible candidate for this if it is indeed him [his conduct matches with what has been described]. Qays b. Qurra b. Habib is not a viable candidate for this because he deserted and ran away to Muawiya. Lastly, Qays b. Mihran who is also suited to be identified as the person in question. All these were companions of the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام and I do not know which one them Abu al-Hasan al-Ridha عليه السلام had in mind.

Edited October 14, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.105. - 3.106. Kathir al-Nawwa, his companions and Umm Khalid

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/kathir-al-nawwa-his-companions-and-umm-khalid

 

[1/223] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن بن فضال، عن العباس بن عامر و جعفر بن محمد بن حكيم، عن أبان بن عثمان الأحمر، عن أبي بصير قال: كنت جالسا عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام إذ جاءت أم خالد التي كان قطعها يوسف تستأذن عليه، قال، فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أيسرك أن تشهد كلامها قال: فقلت: نعم جعلت فداك، فقال: أما الان فأدن، قال: فأجلسني على الطنفسة، ثم دخلت فتكلمت فإذا هي امرأة بليغة، فسألته عن فلان و فلان، فقال لها: توليهما قالت: فأقول لربي إذا لقيته إنك أمرتني بولايتهما؟ قال: نعم قالت: فإن هذا الذي معك على الطنفسة يأمرني بالبراءه منهما، و كثير النواء يأمرني بولايتهما فأيهما أحب إليك؟ قال: هذا و الله و أصحابه أحب إلي من كثير النواء و أصحابه، إن هذا يخاصم فيقول مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْكافِرُونَ، وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ، وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِما أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفاسِقُونَ، فلما خرجت قال: إني خشيت أن تذهب فتخبر كثيرا فيشهرني بالكوفة، اللهم إني إليك من كثير بري‏ء في الدنيا و الآخرة

[1/223] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan b. Fadhal from al-Abbas b. A’mir and Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Hukaym from Aban b. Uthman al-Ahmar from Abi Basir who said: I was seated at Abi Abdillah’s عليه السلام place when Umm Khalid – whose hand had been cut by Yusuf [b. Umar] – came seeking permission to see him. Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said [to me]: Would you like to hear her speech? I said: Yes, may I be made your ransom. He said: Then draw near, and he made me sit upon the rug [which he was seated on]. She entered and spoke and I found her to be a very eloquent woman. She asked him about so and so [Abu Bakr and Umar], so he said to her: Deem them to be your leaders, she said: Do you allow me to say to my Lord when I meet Him that you ordered me to take them as my authorities? He said: Yes. She said: [I ask this] because this one who is with you on the rug [i.e. Abu Basir] orders me to disassociate from them while Kathir al-Nawwa orders me to take them as authorities, so which one is more beloved to you? He [the Imam] said: This one [i.e. Abu Basir] and his companions are by Allah more beloved to me than Kathir al-Nawwa and his fellows. This one [i.e. Abu Basir] argues by saying: “whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers” (5:44), “and whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers” (5:45), “and whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient” (5:47). So when she had departed he said: I feared that she will go and inform Kathir [if I would have answered her to disassociate from the two directly] who would then make this infamous about me in Kufa. O Allah I resort to you in disassociating myself from Kathir in this world and the hereafter.       

NOTES:

Umm Khalid was a pious and learned lady who was implicated for supporting Zayd’s revolt. She paid for her Tashayyu by having a hand cut by the tyrant Yusuf b. Umar [the governor of Kufa].

It comes as no surprise that she knew of Kathir al-Nawwa [the date-pit seller] - a “Shi’i” narrator of Hadith active in Kufa and a fellow supporter of Zayd. The Zaydiyya believed in armed insurrection and held that the most deserving of political rule was any qualified descendant of Ali who came out in revolt.

It must be understood that early Shi’ism was a spectrum. It contained those who possessed only an emotional attachment to the Ahl al-Bayt, those who saw them as the rightful candidates for political authority and nothing more, and those who gave them their rightful status. 

It is in this context that Kathir's Tashayyu should be seen. Specifically, he is identified with the so-called Shia Zaydi Butriyya. In fact, one opinion for the origin of the word Butri is that it derives from al-Abtar, a pejorative Laqab for Kathir, making him the eponymous founder after whom this sub-sect is named.

The Butriyya reconciled their belief in the supremacy of Ali with the historical reality of the first two Caliphs by admitting Saqifa as an error but continuing to consider the two as legitimate leaders and extolling their rule [hence you find Kathir instructing Umm Khalid to consider the two Caliphs as leaders]. This was a form of having your cake and eating it. Consequently, the Butriyya were seen as a diluted form of the Amma [Sunnis] by the true followers of al-Sadiqayn, and they in turn had a fierce rivalry towards those they labelled Rafidha [because they reviled the first two Caliphs], considering them to be exaggerators of the status of the Imam [e.g. in believing in the Infallibility of the Imam]

Proto-Sunni scholars who were always on the lookout for any deviation from what they saw as orthodoxy did not fail to anathematize Kathir and his narrations despite lacking the nuance to identify his exact form of Shi’ism.

قال ابن عدي: كان غاليا في التشيع مفرطا فيه

Ibn Adi said: He was an extremist [Ghali] in Tashayyu and went over-board in it

The Imam clarifies to Abu Basir [in private] that his answer given to Umm Khalid [that she deem them as legitimate authorities] was in Taqiyya because he did not feel safe from the negative consequences of his disassociation from the two making its way to a harmful person such as Kathir who would spread it in Kufa. This shows how strict Taqiyya was as far as this sensitive topic is concerned and how only a few of the closest companions were trusted in it.   

Despite this, there are enough clues in the answer of the Imam to have indicated what his true position is. First, he explicitly prefers Abu Basir and his Rafidi companions when asked to choose between them and Kathir and his fellows. Second, he even alludes to the true status of the two by putting into the mouth of Abu Basir his putative quotation of the verses which describes those who do not rule by what Allah has revealed to be Kafir, Dhalim and Fasiq.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.107. Kumayt b. Zayd

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/kumayt-b-zayd

 

 [1/224] حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن حنان، عن عبيد بن زرارة، عن أبيه قال: دخل الكميت بن زيد على أبي جعفر عليه السلام و أنا عنده، فأنشده من لقلب متيم مستهام، فلما فرغ منها قال للكميت: لا تزال مؤيدا بروح القدس ما دمت تقول فينا

[1/224] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from Hanan from Ubayd b. Zurara from his father who said: al-Kumayt b. Zayd entered in to see Abi Ja’far عليه السلام while I was with him. He [Kumayt] proceeded to recite the poetry which begins ‘Who will be [a help] for [my] ensnared and infatuated heart [madly in love] …’ so when he had completed it - he [the Imam] said to Kumayt: You will not stop being aided by the Holy Spirit so long as you speak [compose] about us.

NOTES:

Kumayt b. Zayd was a famous Arab poet in Kufa known for his love of the Ahl al-Bayt. The above stanza is the beginning of his Qasida al-Mimiyya, part of his well-known epic dubbed Hashimiyyat, which he had composed in their honour.

It can be read in full at the following page: الكميت بن زيد » من لقلب متيم مستهام

The ‘Aimma extended great generosity and patronage to poets because they understood how effective a medium poetry was for spreading the truth in that age.

قال صاعد مولى الكميت: دخلنا يوما على أبي جعفر محمد بن علي فأعطانا ألف دينار وكسوة فقال له الكميت والله ما أحببتكم للدنيا ولو أردت الدنيا لأتيت من هي في يديه ولكني أحببتكم للآخرة فأما الثياب التي أصابت أجسامكم فأنا أقبلها لبركاتها وأما المال فلا أقبله فرده وقبل الثياب

[al-Aghani] Sa’id the Mawla of Kumayt said: We entered once [with Kumayt] to meet Abi Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali, so he [the Imam] gave us a thousand gold coins and some clothes [as a reward for his poems of praise] but Kumayt said to him: by Allah! I have not loved you for the world, if I had desired the world I would have gone to the one in whose hands it is [possesses material riches], rather, I have loved you for the hereafter. As for the clothes which your bodies have touched then I will take them because of the blessings found in them, but as for the wealth then I will not accept it and he returned it and accepted the clothes. 

مناقب ابن شهرآشوب: بلغنا أنّ الكميت أنشد الباقر عليه السلام «من لقلب متيمّ مستهام» فتوجّه الباقر عليه السلام إلى الكعبة فقال: اللّهمّ ارحم الكميت واغفر له. ثلاث مرّات. ثمّ قال: ياكميت، هذه مائة ألف، قد جمعتها لك من أهل بيتي، فقال الكميت: لا والله لايعلم أحد إنّي آخذ منها حتّى يكون الله عزّوجلّ الّذي يكافيني، ولكن تكرمني بقميص من قمصك فأعطاه

[Manaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashub] It has reached us that Kumayt recited the poem to al-Baqir  عليه السلامwhich begins ‘Who will be [a help] for an ensnared and infatuated heart …’’ so al-Baqir  عليه السلامturned to face the Ka’ba and said: O Allah have mercy on Kumayt and forgive him - thrice. Then he said: O Kumayt take this hundred thousand [gold coins], I have gathered it for you from the people of my household. Kumayt said: No by Allah! No one will come to know that I have taken it [i.e. I will never take it] for it is Allah Mighty and Majestic who will compensate me, but grant me one of your shirts - so he [the Imam] gave it to him.

Edited October 18, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.108. Layth b. al-Bukhtari

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/layth-b-al-bukhtari

 

Introduction

Abu Basir Layth b. al-Bukhtari al-Muradi was one of the most important narrators of Hadith. He is considered one of the ‘Big Four’ - those veritable guardians of the Knowledge of the Ahl al-Bayt and the foremost students of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq عليهما السلام 

In spite of this, it is sometimes difficult to identify which Abu Basir is meant in narrations given it is a Kuniyya shared with another Abu Basir: Yahya b. al-Qasim al-Asadi. The problem is even encountered in the narrations below [See: 3/226 and 4/227]. Both men lived in roughly the same period and narrated from the same Imams. Even the list of Ashab al-Ijma is not free of controversy where they are concerned. al-Kashshi includes Abu Basir al-Asadi at the first instance but goes on to note that “some” name Abu Basir al-Muradi in place of Abu Basir al-Asadi.

Abu Basir al-Muradi occurs in about 57 chains in the Four Books with the name “Layth b. al-Bukhtari”. The remainder of the count will depend on identifying which chains among the 2533 in Wasail al-Shia that contain “Abu Basir” refer to him and not Yahya. It is clear however, looking at what survives of their output, that Abu Basir Yahya was vastly more prolific than Abu Basir Layth. It is even argued that Yahya is the one referred to in these instances by default, unless the opposite can be demonstrated.

Generally, there exist some indicators which are used to tell them apart when it is not explicit which one is meant. These include the fact that Abu Basir Yahya was blind and more senior in age. Another approach is identifying the common students of each, for example, if Ali b. Abi Hamza narrates from Abu Basir then this one is Yahya because Ibn Abi Hamza was his guide etc.

The best and most comprehensive treatise which delves into this issue is “al-Risala al-Mubsira fi Ahwal al-Basiriyya” by the Allamah Muhammad Taqi al-Tusari. See also “Risala Adima al-Nadhir fi Ahwal Abi Basir” by Sayyid Mahdi al-Khwansari with footnotes by Sayyid Musa Shubayri al-Zanjani for additional material.

 

[-/1] 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

[1/-] 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 then 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.

 

[2/225] 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

[2/225] 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 noble-ones and trustees of Allah upon his Halal and Haram. If it wasn’t for them the traces of prophethood would have perished and been destroyed.

NOTES:

This narration has already come before and was given a number there [See: No. 2/158], thus, it is a mistake for al-Muhsini to give it a number here as it messes with the overall count.

 

[3/226] رجال الكشي: الحسين بن إشكيب، عن محمد بن خالد البرقي، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم و أبي العباس قال: بينا نحن عند أبي عبد الله إذ دخل أبو بصير، فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: الحمد لله الذي لم يقدم أحد يشكو أصحابنا العام، قال هشام: فظننت أنه يعرض بأبي بصير

[3/226] Rijal al-Kashshi: al-Husayn b. Ishkib from Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi from Ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham b. Salim and Abi al-Abbas who said: We were together with Abi Abdillah when Abu Basir entered so Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: All praise be to Allah who did not bring forth anyone who complains about our companions [to me] this year [so far]. So I [Hisham] thought that he was alluding to Abi Basir [by saying this].

NOTES:

al-Kashshi does not narrate from al-Husayn b. Ishkib directly. It is being assumed that Muhammad b. Masud is the intermediary between them as has occurred previously in the book. Furthermore, their teacher-student relation is confirmed in their respective entries in the books of Rijal.

Hisham b. Salim could be wrong in assuming that the Imam said these words having Abu Basir in mind. However, if we consider his understanding to be accurate, one interpretation for the words of the Imam is to consider them a veiled barb at Abi Basir i.e. the period of non-complaint against his companions is over with the coming of Abu Basir, who is being excluded from the circle of the companions of the Imam [he is not being referred to as one]. This would mean that Abu Basir is being chastised indirectly for his proclivity towards complaining to the Imam about the companions. The rivalries between some of the Ashab is well documented in the sources.

On the other hand, al-Khoei proposes an alternative interpretation of the Imam’s words which show Abu Basir in a positive light as part of the group of companions being targeted by complainants.

الحمد لله الذي لم يقدم أحد يشكو أصحابنا العام

All praise be to Allah who did not bring forth anyone to complain about our companions [i.e. Abu Basir specifically and others like him] this year

Another positive alternative interpretation is to read العام as done below. The implication being that Abu Basir was not a complainer like other companions who disparaged the laity.

All praise be to Allah who did not bring forth someone who complains about our general companions [i.e. the normal followers]

 

[4/227] تهذيب الاحكام: باسناده عن أحمد بن محمد عن ابن أبي عمير عن هشام بن سالم عن محمد بن مسلم قال: صلى بنا أبوبصير في طريق مكة فقال: وهو ساجد وقد كانت ضاعت ناقة لهم اللهم رد على فلان ناقته قال محمد: فدخلت على أبي عبدالله عليه السلام فاخبرته فقال: وفعل؟! فقلت: نعم قال فسكت قلت افاعيد الصلاة؟ قال: لا

[4/227] Tahdhib al-Ahkam: Via his chain to Ahmad b. Muhammad from Ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham b. Salim from Muhammad b. Muslim who said: Abu Basir led us in prayer when we were on the road to Makka and said while in prostration - because a camel of theirs had become lost: ‘O Allah return to so-and-so [naming him] his camel’. Muhammad said: I entered in to see Abi Abdillah عليه السلام and informed him [of what had happened], so he [the Imam] said: Did he really do that?! I [Muhammad b. Muslim] said: Yes. He [the Imam] remained silent. I [Muhammad b. Muslim] said: Should I repeat the prayer? He said: No.

NOTES:

Abu Basir being preferred to lead the prayer in spite of the presence of a Faqih like Muhammad b. Muslim points not only to his Adala [a condition necessary for the prayer leader in our Madhhab] but also to his great status.

Why was the Imam surprised by what Abi Basir had said in the Sajda?

al-Majlisi proposes that it could be because supplicating loudly in prostration is a Shi’i ritual identifier and Abu Basir was contravening Taqiyya by doing it. This is a weak argument because he was chosen to be the Imam most probably because he was leading a group consisting solely of fellow Shia including Muhammad b. Muslim. More importantly, the latter asks if he should repeat the prayer. If Abu Basir was leading in Taqiyya the Shia would be praying with Niyya of Furada and any mistake of the Imam would not affect them.

The correct explanation seems to be that he made a supplication of a very personal nature and more importantly named the one whose camel had been lost. Thus, Muhammad b. Muslim’s concern was whether he had invalidated the Salat by making such a Dua in Sajda and not Qunut [there are rules governing what can be intoned during Qiyam, Ruku and Sujud]. The Imam not requiring him to repeat the prayer means that the prayer is not invalidated by doing that though there may be hint of Karahiyya in it.

Edited October 22, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.109. - 3.14. Muhammad b. Abi Bakr, others and al-Mahdi

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-abi-bakr-others-and-al-mahdi

 

[1/228] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القميان، عن سعد بن عبد الله بن أبي خلف القمي، عن الحسن بن موسى الخشاب و محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن علي بن أسباط، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: كان مع أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام من قريش خمسة نفر و كانت ثلاثة عشر قبيلة مع معاوية فأما الخمسة محمد بن أبي بكر رحمة الله عليه أتته النجابة من قبل أمه أسماء بنت عميس، و كان معه هاشم بن عتبة بن أبي وقاص المرقال، و كان معه جعدة بن هبيرة المخزومي، و كان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام خاله و هو الذي قال له عتبة بن أبي سفيان: إنما لك هذه الشدة في الحرب من قبل خالك فقال له جعدة: لو كان خالك مثل خالي لنسيت أباك، و محمد بن أبي حذيفة بن عتبة بن ربيعة، و الخامس سلف أمير المؤمنين أبي العاص بن الربيع و هو صهر النبي صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

[1/228] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh al-Qummi and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Qummi from Sa’d b. Abdallah b. Abi Khalaf al-Qummi from al-Hasan b. Musa al-Khashshab and Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd from Ali b. Asbat from Abdallah b. Sinan who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: There were five individuals from the Quraysh with the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام while there were thirteen clans [i.e. of the Quraysh] with Muawiya. As for the five [they were]: Muhammad b. Abi Bakr - Allah’s mercy be upon him - his noble descent was from his mother Asma bt. Umays [not his father], and with him was Hashim b. Utba b. Abi Waqqas al-Mirqal, and with him was Ja’da b. Hubayra al-Makhzumi, the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام was his maternal uncle [i.e. Ja’da’s mother - Umm Hani bt. Abi Talib - was the sister of Ali], and he is the one to whom Utba b. Abi Sufyan said: You are undergoing all these hardships in war because of your maternal uncle [i.e. Ali], so Ja’da said to him: If your maternal uncle was like my maternal uncle you would have forgotten your father, and with him also was Muhammad b. Abi Hudhayfa b. Utba b. Rabia, and the fifth was the husband of the sister of the wife of the Commander of the Faithful [i.e. the husband of Zaynab bt. Muhammad - the sister of Fatima]: Abi al-As b. al-Rabi, and he was the son in law of the prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم

 

[2/229] رجال الكشي: حمدويه و إبراهيم ابنا نصير، عن أيوب، عن صفوان، عن معاوية بن عمار و غير واحد، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كان عمار بن ياسر و محمد بن أبي بكر لا يرضيان أن يعصي الله عز و جل

[2/229] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr and Ibrahim b. Nusayr from Ayyub from Safwan from Mu`awiya b. Ammar and more than one from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: Ammar b. Yasir and Muhammad b. Abi Bakr could never tolerate that Allah Mighty and Majestic be disobeyed.

NOTES:

See the discussion under No. [1/-] in 3.95 for the context behind this declaration of the Imam.

 

[3/230] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن عمر بن أذينة، عن زرارة بن أعين، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام: أن محمد بن أبي بكر بايع عليا عليه السلام على البراءة من أبيه

[3/230] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from Muhammad b. Abi Umayr from Umar b. Udhayna from Zurara b. A’yan from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام that: Muhammad b. Abi Bakr gave the pledge of allegiance to Ali عليه السلام upon the condition of disassociating from his father [Abu Bakr].

NOTES:

The pledge of allegiance [Bay’a], like any other agreement, entailed certain conditions either on the one receiving the Bay’a or the one giving the Bay’a, which are normally declared vocally before the act is sealed with the placing of hands one on top of the other.

For example, those giving the pledge to the prophet at Aqaba swore to uphold certain things, Abd al-Rahman b. al-Awf was willing to swear fealty to Ali on the condition that he follow the example of the two previous Caliphs, the Khawarij were willing to give Bay’a to al-Hasan with the condition that he fight their enemy.

In this case, Muhammad  b. Abi Bakr gave the pledge while imposing on himself ‘disassociation from his father’ as a part of the pledge because he knew that Ali was the most rightful from the beginning.

 

[-/4] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن، عن عباس بن عامر، عن أبان بن عثمان، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام: أن المهدي مولى عثمان أتى فبايع أمير المؤمنين و محمد بن أبي بكر جالس، قال أبايعك على أن الأمر كان لك أولا و أبرأ من فلان و فلان و فلان، فبايعه

[4/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan from Abbas b. A’mir from Aban b. Uthman from Zurara from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام who said: al-Mahdi the client of Uthman came to pledge allegiance to the Commander of the Faithful [Ali] while Muhammad b. Abi Bakr was seated. He [al-Mahdi] said: I pledge allegiance to you that the matter [Khilafa] was for you from the start and I disassociate myself from Fulan, Fulan, and Fulan, then he pledged allegiance to him.

NOTES:

The three Fulans are well-known. Their names expunged because of Taqiyya.

This should be considered a reliable narration but al-Muhsini claims that Ali b. al-Hasan b. Fadhal cannot narrate from Aban - a companion of al-Sadiq - via one intermediary [Abbas b. A’mir], but this is quite strange because there is nothing preventing it from happening. Further, al-Muhsini himself has graded this same chain as reliable in other instances.

Edited October 24, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.15. - 3.127 Muhammad b. Abi Zaynab Miqlas Abu al-Khattab, Hafs, Ja’far b. Waqid, Hashim, Musaylama, Mukhtar, Sa’id, Hamza, Abu al-Ghamr and Others

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-abi-zaynab-miqlas-abu-al-khattab-hafs-jafar-b-waqid-hashim-musaylama-mukhtar-said-hamza-abu-al-ghamr-and-others

 

Introduction

Abu al-Khattab, Muhammad b. Miqlas of the Bani Asad, was initially a close companion of al-Sadiq and even performed some official duties on his behalf. He then fell from grace and became the chief heresiarch of the so-called Khattabiyya, a sect of extremist esoterics [Ghulat] in Kufa. This caused considerable consternation among some of the Shia because they could not reconcile it with his previous status [See Nos. 4/233 and 7/236 below]

The reason for the Imam’s public cursing of Abu al-Khattab was his ascribing of falsities to the Imam while spreading  perverted teachings which included elevating the Imam to divinity, claiming prophethood, and libertinism [considering the prohibited to be licit]. The Imam’s stern language should be seen in light of these grave beliefs and his desire to save the Shia from falling into them.

A major technique of such groups was to substantiate their claims by resorting to allegorical interpretation of the verses of the Qur’an.

حمدويه، قال حدثني محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن عن بشير الدهان، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كتب أبو عبد الله عليه السلام إلى أبي الخطاب بلغني أنك تزعم أن الزنا رجل و أن الخمر رجل و أن الصلاة رجل و أن الصيام رجل و أن الفواحش رجل، و ليس هو كما تقول أنا أصل الحق و فروع الحق طاعة الله، و عدونا أصل الشر و فروعهم الفواحش، و كيف يطاع من لا يعرف و كيف يعرف من لا يطاع

Hamduwayh – Muhammad b. Isa – Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman – Bashir al-Dahhan – Abi Abdillah. He [Bashir] said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام wrote to Abi al-Khattab saying: It has reached me that you claim that Zina [adultery] is a man, Khamr [wine] is a man, that Salat [daily prayer] is a man, Sawm [fasting] is a man, and the Fawahish [abominable acts] is a man, but it is not as you say! Verily I am the root of truth and its branches is obedience to Allah [by performing all the Wajibat and abstaining from the Muharramat], and our enemy is the root of falsehood and its branches are the abominable acts. How can One who is not recognized be obeyed? How can He be recognized One who is not obeyed?

Abu al-Khattab and other like-minded Gnostics claimed that the true meaning of negative words in the Qur’an such  ‘adultery’ and ‘wine’ is a ‘man’. Similarly, the true meaning of positive words in the Qur’an like ‘prayer’ and ‘fasting’ is another ‘man’. What they mean by this is that: Provided you are initiated to the higher reality of recognizing the ‘man of light’ and allying with him, and disassociate yourself from his enemy the ‘man of darkness’ then you have no need to adhere to the Sharia which is a lowly subjugation for the ignorant masses. In this understanding, there is nothing forbidden in the acts of adultery or drinking wine [the literal meaning].

The last statement of the Imam is the most beautiful summation of belief + deed as being essential components for salvation. Tawalla is the root which must be translated into devotional acts as its branches. Tabarra is the root which must be translated into keeping away from the shameless acts of the enemies as its branches.

 

[-/1] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القمي، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن - أن بعض أصحابنا سأله و أنا حاضر ... قال لي: إن أبا الخطاب كذب على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام لعن الله أبا الخطاب و كذلك أصحاب أبي الخطاب يدسون هذه الأحاديث إلى يومنا هذا في كتب أصحاب أبي عبد الله عليه السلام ...

[1/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Qummi from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd from Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman - One of our companions asked him [i.e. Yunus] while I was present … He [i.e. al-Ridha] said: Verily Aba al-Khattab lied about Abi Abdillah عليه السلام - may Allah curse Aba al-Khattab, and likewise, the companions of Aba al-Khattab do insert these narrations into the books of the companions of Aba Abdillah عليه السلام to this day of ours …

NOTES:

Abu al-Khattab’s followers succeeded in introducing spurious narrations into the books of Hadith that were in circulation at that time. This should be enough to dispense with the claim that all our narrations are reliable and should be accepted without scrutiny.

 

[2/231] رجال الكشي: حمدويه و إبراهيم ابنا نصير، عن الحسن بن موسى، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد، عن عيسى بن أبي منصور قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام و ذكر أبا الخطاب فقال: اللهم العن أبا الخطاب فإنه خوفني قائما و قاعدا و على فراشي اللهم أذقه حر الحديد 

[2/231] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Ibrahim the sons of Nusayr from al-Hasan b. Musa from Ibrahim b. Abd al-Hamid from Isa b. Abi Mansur who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying - and Aba al-Khattab had just been mentioned: O Allah curse Aba al-Khattab for he has made me fearful whilst standing, sitting and lying down. O Allah make him taste the heat of the iron [i.e. die by the sword].

NOTES:

How could the Imam not fear when Abu al-Khattab was uttering such serious things about him while he is not but a slave of Allah. The supplication of the Imam was answered for Abu al-Khattab was indeed put to the sword.

 

[3/232] رجال الكشي: حمدويه و إبراهيم ابنا نصير، عن الحسن بن موسى، عن إبراهيم بن عبد الحميد، عن أبي أسامة قال: قال رجل لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: أؤخر المغرب حتى تستبين النجوم؟ قال: فقال: خطابية، إن جبريل أنزلها على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حين سقط القرص 

[3/232] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Ibrahim the sons of Nusayr from al-Hasan b. Musa from Ibrahim b. Abd al-Hamid from Abi Usama who said: A man said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: Should I postpone the Maghrib until after the stars can be seen? So he عليه السلام said: [this is the belief of the] Khattabiyya! Verily Jibrail brought it [i.e. the start time of Maghrib] to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله when the disk [of the sun] disappears.

NOTES:

A distinctive feature held by the Khattabiyya and for which they became notorious was delaying to pray the Maghrib until the stars could be seen

 

[4/233] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن، عن معمر بن خلاد قال: قال أبو الحسن عليه السلام: إن أبا الخطاب أفسد أهل الكوفة فصاروا لا يصلون المغرب حتى يغيب الشفق و لم يكن ذلك إنما ذاك للمسافر و صاحب العلة، و قال: إن رجلا سأل أبا الحسن عليه السلام فقال: كيف قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام في أبي الخطاب ما قال ثم جاءت البراءة منه؟ فقال له: أكان لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام أن يستعمل و ليس له أن يعزل

[4/233] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan from Muammar b. Khallad who said: Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام said: Verily Aba al-Khattab corrupted the people of Kufa so they used not to pray the Maghrib until the redness of the sky disappears, but that is not appropriate except for the traveller or someone who has a problem. He [al-Ridha] also said: A man asked Aba al-Hasan [al-Kadhim] عليه السلام and said: How did it happen that Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said about Abi al-Khattab what he said about him at first [in commissioning him] and then came the command to disassociate from him? So he said to him: Is it only for Abi Abdillah عليه السلام to appoint but not to depose!

NOTES:

It is clear that Abu al-Khattab was teaching that Maghrib should be delayed until the redness in the western horizon disappears and the stars appear. This is contrary to the position of the Madhhab which advices waiting until the redness in the eastern horizon disappears as a precaution. .

 

[5/234] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن النضر بن سويد، عن يحيى الحلبي، عن أبيه عمران بن علي قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: لعن الله أبا الخطاب و لعن من قتل معه و لعن من بقي منهم و لعن الله من دخل قلبه رحمة لهم 

[5/234] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from al-Nadhr b. Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from his father Imran b. Ali who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: May Allah curse Aba al-Khattab, may He curse those who were killed with him, may He curse those who are remaining [alive] from them, and may He curse the one to whose heart enters mercy for them.

NOTES:

Abu al-Khattab convinced his followers to revolt and they barricaded themselves in the mosque of Kufa. The governor of Kufa on behalf of al-Mansur [the second Abbasid Caliph] i.e. Isa b. Musa b. Ali b. Abdallah b. al-Abbas sent forces against them which resulted in their massacre. It is in this context that we see the Imam speaking of  ‘those who were killed with him’. 

 

[6/235] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن أيوب بن نوح، عن حنان بن سدير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كنت جالسا عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام و ميسر عنده، و نحن في سنة ثمان و ثلاثين و مائة، فقال ميسر بياع الزطي جعلت فداك عجبت لقوم كانوا يأتون معنا إلى هذا الموضع فانقطعت آثارهم و فنيت آجالهم قال و من هم قلت أبو الخطاب و أصحابه، و كان متكئا فجلس فرفع إصبعه إلى السماء ثم قال على أبي الخطاب لعنة الله و الملائكة و الناس أجمعين، فأشهد بالله أنه كافر فاسق مشرك، و أنه يحشر مع فرعون في أشد العذاب غدوا و عشيا، ثم قال أما و الله إني لأنفس على أجساد أصيبت معه النار

[6/235] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Ayyub b. Nuh from Hanan b. Sadir from Abi Abdillah. He [Hanan] said: I was seated at Abi Abdillah’s عليه السلام together with Muyassir - this was in the year one hundred and thirty eight - when Muyassir the seller of clothes made by Jats [of India] said: May I be made your ransom, I am bewildered at a group who used to come with us to this place but their traces have been cut-off and their terms have ended. He [the Imam] said: Who are they? I said: Abu al-Khattab and his fellows [who had been massacred]. He [the Imam] was resting on a cushion but sat up-straight [when he heard me say this] and raised his fingers to the sky and said: Upon Abi al-Khattab be the curse of Allah, His angels and all the people together, for I swear by Allah that he is a Kafir, Fasiq and Mushrik. He will be resurrected with Firaun in the most severe punishment by morning and night [allusion to 40:46]. Then he said: by Allah - I feel pity on the bodies that have entered the fire with him.

 

[7/236] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن، عن ابن مسكان، عن عيسى شلقان قال: قلت لأبي الحسن عليه السلام و هو يومئذ غلام قبل أوان بلوغه: جعلت فداك ما هذا الذي يسمع من أبيك أنه أمرنا بولاية أبي الخطاب ثم أمرنا بالبراءة منه؟ قال: فقال أبو الحسن عليه السلام من تلقاء نفسه: إن الله خلق الأنبياء على النبوة فلا يكونون إلا أنبياء و خلق المؤمنين على الإيمان فلا يكونون إلا مؤمنين و استودع قوما إيمانا فإن شاء أتمه لهم و إن شاء سلبهم إياه، و إن أبا الخطاب كان ممن أعاره الله الإيمان فلما كذب على أبي سلبه الله الإيمان، قال: فعرضت هذا الكلام على أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال: لو سألتنا عن ذلك ما كان ليكون عندنا غير ما قال

[7/236] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus b. Abd al-Rahman from Ibn Muskan from Isa Shalqan who said: I said to Abi al-Hasan [al-Kadhim] عليه السلام when he was still a boy before he reached puberty: May I be made your ransom, what is this we hear from you father, first he ordered us to associate with Abi al-Khattab then he ordered us to disassociate from him? So Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام said of his own volition: Allah created the prophets on prophethood, so they do not become except prophets. He created the believers on belief, so they do not become except believers. But he deposited belief in a group, so if He wishes He completes it for them, and if He wishes He takes it away from them. Abu al-Khattab was one of those to whom faith was loaned out by Allah, so when he lied about my father - Allah took away that faith from him. He [Isa] said: I repeated these words to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام so he said: If you had asked us about that [the same question] we would not have anything different to say to you.      

 

[8/237] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القمي، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن إبراهيم بن مهزيار و محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن علي بن مهزيار قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يقول و قد ذكر عنده أبو الخطاب: لعن الله أبا الخطاب و لعن أصحابه و لعن الشاكين في لعنه و لعن من قد وقف في ذلك و شك فيه، ثم قال: هذا أبو الغمر و جعفر بن واقد و هاشم بن أبي هاشم استأكلوا بنا الناس و صاروا دعاة يدعون الناس إلى ما دعي إليه أبو الخطاب، لعنه الله و لعنهم معه و لعن من قبل ذلك منهم، يا علي لا تتحرجن من لعنهم لعنهم الله فإن الله قد لعنهم، ثم قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: من تأثم أن يلعن من لعنه الله فعليه لعنة الله

[8/237] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Qummi from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Ibrahim b. Mahziyar and Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd from Ali b. Mahziyar who said: I hear Aba Ja’far [al-Jawad] عليه السلام say when Abu al-Khattab was mentioned in his presence: May Allah curse Aba al-Khattab, curse his companions, curse those who question his cursing, and curse those who abstain from doing it [cursing him] doubting its propriety. Then he said: Here are Abu al-Ghamr, Ja’far b. Waqid and Hashim b. Abi Hashim! They have used us [our name] to take wealth from the people and have become callers calling the people to what Abu al-Khattab used to call to! May Allah curse him [Abu al-Khattab] and curse them with him, may He curse whoever accepts that [their doctrine] from them. O Ali - do not feel any discomfort in cursing them - may Allah curse them - for they have been cursed by Allah. Then he said: the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله said: Whoever refrains from cursing the one who is cursed by Allah [considering it a sin] then upon him be the curse of Allah.   

NOTES:

Abu al-Khattab's influence did not die with him, rather the heresiographers record a number of splinters that post-date him, these continued to cherish his memory and develop his heretical ideas further. They included some contemporaries of al-Jawad عليه السلام mentioned above.

 

[-/9] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القمي، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن خالد الطيالسي، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران، عن ابن سنان قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إنا أهل بيت صادقون لا نخلو من كذاب يكذب علينا فيسقط صدقنا بكذبه علينا عند الناس، كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم أصدق البرية لهجة و كان مسيلمة يكذب عليه، و كان أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام أصدق من برأ الله من بعد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم و كان الذي يكذب عليه و يعمل في تكذيب صدقه بما يفتري عليه من الكذب عبد الله بن سبإ لعنه الله، و كان أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي عليه السلام قد ابتلى بالمختار، ثم ذكر أبو عبد الله الحارث الشامي و بيان، فقال: كانا يكذبان على علي بن الحسين عليه السلام ثم ذكر المغيرة بن سعيد و بزيعا و السري و أبا الخطاب و معمرا و بشارا الشعيري و حمزة البربري و صائد النهدي فقال: لعنهم الله إنا لا نخلو من كذاب أو عاجز الرأي، كفانا الله مؤنة كل كذاب و أذاقهم الله حر الحديد

[9/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Qummi from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Muhammad b. Khalid al-Tayalisi from Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Najran from Ibn Sinan who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: We the Ahl al-Bayt are always truthful but do not lack a liar lying against us and degrading our truthfulness by his lies to the masses. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم was the most truthful of people in speech but Musaylama used to lie about him. The Commander of the Faithful  عليه السلام was the most truthful of men created by Allah after the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم, but the one who used to lie against him and work in negating his truthfulness by forging things against him was Abdallah b. Saba - may Allah curse him. Abu Abdillah al-Husayn b. Ali عليه السلام was put to trial [afflicted] by al-Mukhtar. Then Abu Abdillah mentioned al-Harith the Syrian and Bayan [b. Sam’an] and said: they used to lie upon Ali b. al-Husayn عليه السلام. Then he mentioned al-Mughira b. Sa’id, Bazi`, al-Sarri, Aba al-Khattab, Muammar, Bashshar the barley seller, Hamza the Berber and Sa’id al-Nahdi and said: May Allah curse them - we do not lack a liar or one deficient in intellect [tormenting us]. May Allah suffice us against ever needing the help of any liar and may Allah make them taste the heat of the sword [put them to the sword].

NOTES:

A list of Imams with their corresponding opponents is given in this narration.

Each divinely appointed envoy had enemies who opposed him. This is a dualistic principle attested to in the Qur'an. 

 وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نِبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيَاطِينَ الإِنسِ وَالْجِنِّ

“And thus did We assign for every prophet an enemy, the satans from humans and jinn ...” (6:112)

The inescapable conclusion from studying the narration must be that the Ghulat were a perennial bane to all the Imams.

The chain has only been considered unreliable because of Muhammad b. Khalid al-Tayalisi [the father of the Thiqa Abdallah] being Majhul. I would still give it some credence in spite of this. It has wide-reaching ramifications because it identifies Mukhtar b. Abi Ubayda al-Thaqafi as an impostor and the main thorn to al-Husayn’s عليه السلام legacy. A notion that is also found in other narrations.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.128. - 3.130. Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Hammad Abu Ali al-Mahmudi, his father and al-Bilali

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ahmad-b-hammad-abu-ali-al-mahmudi-his-father-and-al-bilali

 

[1/238] رجال الكشي: حكى بعض الثقات بنيسابور: أنه خرج لإسحاق بن إسماعيل من أبي محمد عليه السلام توقيع: ... و يا إسحاق اقرأ كتابنا على البلالي رضي الله عنه فإنه الثقة المأمون العارف بما يجب عليه، و اقرأه على المحمودي عافاه الله فما أحمدنا له لطاعته ...

[1/238] Rijal al-Kashshi: One of the Thiqat in Naysabur relayed that: there came out a signed rescript from Abi Muhammad عليه السلام to Ishaq b. Ismail saying: ... O Ishaq - read this letter of ours to al-Bilali - may Allah be well pleased with him - for he is the Thiqa and trusted one, the one who recognizes what is incumbent on him, and read it too to al-Mahmudi - may Allah grant him health - our praise of him [even in referring to him as al-Mahmudi i.e. ‘the praised one’] is because of his obedience …

NOTES: 

Abu Tahir Muhammad b. Ali b. Bilal, famously called al-Bilali, was at one point in time a highly trusted agent for al-Askari [as indicated in the above Tawqi].

To get a glimpse of his elevated status one need only note that al‑‘Askari revealed to al‑Bilali the birth of his son, the Twelfth Imam, not less than two times.

عليّ بن محمّد، عن محمّد بن عليّ بن بلال قال: خرج إليّ من أبي محمّد عليه السّلام قبل مضيّه بسنتين يخبرني بالخلف من بعده، ثمّ خرج إليّ من قبل مضيّه بثلاثة أيام يخبرني بالخلف من بعده.

[al-Kulayni] Ali b. Muhammad from Muhammad b. Ali b. Bilal who said: It came to me [a letter] from Abi Muhammad [al-Askari] عليه السّلام two years before his death [in the year 258] informing me of the identity of the successor after him, then it came out to me three days before his death, informing me of the successor after him.

In spite of this, we have evidence that al‑Bilali went on to deny that Abu Ja’far al-Amri was the Safir of the lesser occultation and claimed the position for himself. He kept the money of the Twelfth Imam in his own hands and refused to relinquish it to Abu Ja’far. al-Bilali’s claim led to a serious split among the Imamis, since a considerable number of them accepted his claim and followed him.

This explains why we find him named together with other disparaged figures in a Tawqi of the Twelfth Imam concerning al-Shalmaghani:

و أعلمهم أنّنا في التوقّي و المحاذرة منه يعني الشلمغاني على مثل ما كنّا عليه ممّن تقدّمه من نظرائه من الشريعي و النميري و الهلالي و البلالي ...

Inform them that we are on guard against him, that is al-Shalmaghani, the same way we were towards those who came before him such as al-Shari`i, al-Numayri, al-Hilali, al-Bilali …

al-Tusi reveals in his Ghayba that Abu Ja’far had to arrange a secret meeting with the Twelfth Imam in Baghdad to put an end to the doubts raised by al‑Bilali about his candidacy.

It is because of this that al-Bilali’s life was divided into two phases, as encountered in the terminology used below:

ففي الغيبة: روى الحسين بن روح عن أبي طاهر بن بلال في حال استقامته ...

al-Husayn b. Ruh al-Nawbakhti narrated from Abi Tahir b. Bilal in the period of his steadfastness [i.e. before his deviation] …

 

 [2/239] رجال الكشي: ابن مسعود، عن أبو علي المحمودي قال: كتب أبو جعفر عليه السلام إلي بعد وفاة أبي: قد مضى أبوك رضي الله عنه و عنك، و هو عندنا على حال محمودة و لم يتعد من تلك الحال

[2/239] Rijal al-Kashshi: Ibn al-Masud from Abu al-Mahmudi who said: Abu Ja’far [al-Jawad] عليه السلام wrote to me after the death of my father: Your father passed away - may Allah be pleased with him and with you - having a praiseworthy position in our estimation, you too are not far-off from that position.

NOTES:

Refer to No. 2/121 and the comments found therein. It was seen that the Imam’s words of praise in this narration were the basis for the Laqab al-Mahmudi (praiseworthy one) to be applied to Ahmad b. Hammad and his son Abu Ali Muhammad b. Ahmad b. Hammad.

Edited November 6, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.131. Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi`

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ismail-b-bazi

 

[1/240] تهذيب الاحكام: باسناده عن سعد بن عبدالله عن أحمد بن محمد عن محمد بن اسماعيل ابن بزيع قال سألت أبا جعفر عليه السلام ان يأمر لي بقميص أعده لكفني فبعث به إلى فقلت كيف أصنع؟ فقال انزع ازراره

[1/240] Tahdhib al-Ahkam: Via his chain to Sa’d b. Abdallah from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi` who said: I asked Aba Ja’far [al-Jawad] عليه السلام to send me a long shirt [of his] which I could use as my shroud which he proceeded to do. I asked: how should I prepare it? he said: remove its buttons.

NOTES: 

The clothes which have touched the holy bodies of the `Aimma were very prized by their Shia for their blessing. Being buried with a relic of the Imam was seen as a safeguard against fire. Not everyone had access to such items apart from the most intimate companions.

Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi` was a companion of Abi al-Hasan Musa عليه السلام and lived to the times of Abi Ja’far al-Jawad عليه السلام

al-Najashi records that Abu al-Abbas b. Sai’d [Ibn Uqda] says in his Ta’rikh that he asked Ali b. al-Hasan [b. Ali b. Fadhal] about his opinion of him [i.e. Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi’] and the latter replied:

ثقة، ثقة عين

Which is the highest grading in terms of Rijal.

أخبرنا والدي رحمه الله، قال: أخبرنا محمد بن علي بن الحسين، قال: حدثنا محمد بن علي ماجيلويه، عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن علي بن معبد، عن الحسين بن خالد الصيرفي قال: كنا عند الرضا عليه السلام ونحن جماعة فذكر محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع، فقال عليه السلام: وددت أن فيكم مثله

[al-Najashi] My father may Allah have mercy on him – Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn – Muhammad b. Ali b. Majilwayh – Ali b. Ibrahim – his father – Ali b. Ma’bad – al-Husayn b. Khalid al-Sayrafi who said: A group of us were assembled at al-Ridha’s عليه السلام place when Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi` was mentioned so he [the Imam] said: I would love it if there were [more] like him among you.

Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi’ was known for his book on Hajj among other authored works. He occurs in about 229 chains of the narrations found in Wasail al-Shia.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.133. Muhammad b. Ismail b. Ja’far al-Sadiq

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ismail-b-jafar-al-sadiq

 

[-/1] الكافي: علي بن إبراهيم، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن موسى بن القاسم البجلي، عن علي بن جعفر قال: جاء ني محمد بن إسماعيل وقد اعتمرنا عمرة رجب ونحن يومئذ بمكة، فقال: يا عم إني أريد بغداد وقد أحببت أن اودع عمي أبا الحسن - يعني موسى بن جعفر عليه السلام - وأحببت أن تذهب معي إليه، فخرجت معه نحو أخي وهو في داره التي بالحوبة وذلك بعد المغرب بقليل، فضربت الباب فأجابني أخي فقال: من هذا فقلت: علي، فقال: هوذا أخرج - وكان بطئ الوضوء - فقلت: العجل قال: وأعجل، فخرج وعليه إزار ممشق قد عقده في عنقه حتى قعد تحت عتبة الباب، فقال علي بن جعفر: فانكببت عليه فقبلت رأسه وقلت: قد جئتك في أمر إن تره صوابا فالله وفق له، وإن يكن غير ذلك فما أكثر ما نخطي قال: وما هو؟ قلت: هذا ابن أخيك يريد أن يودعك ويخرج إلى بغداد، فقال لي: ادعه فدعوته وكان متنحيا، فدنا منه فقبل رأسه وقال: جعلت فداك أوصني فقال: اوصيك أن تتقي الله في دمي فقال مجيبا له: من أرادك بسوء فعل الله به وجعل يدعو على من يريده بسوء، ثم عاد فقبل رأسه، فقال: يا عم أوصني فقال: اوصيك أن تتقي الله في دمي فقال: من أرادك بسوء فعل الله به وفعل، ثم عاد فقبل رأسه، ثم قال: يا عم أوصني، فقال: اوصيك أن تتقي الله في دمي فدعا على من أراده بسوء، ثم تنحى عنه ومضيت معه فقال لي أخي: يا علي مكانك فقمت مكاني فدخل منزله، ثم دعاني فدخلت إليه فتناول صرة فيها مائة دينار فأعطانيها وقال: قل لابن أخيك يستعين بها على سفره قال علي: فأخذتها فأدرجتها في حاشية ردائي ثم ناولني مائة اخرى وقال: أعطه أيضا، ثم ناولني صرة اخرى وقال: أعطه أيضا فقلت: جعلت فداك إذا كنت تخاف منه مثل الذي ذكرت، فلم تعينه على نفسك؟ فقال: إذا وصلته وقطعني قطع الله أجله، ثم تناول مخدة أدم، فيها ثلاثة آلاف درهم وضح وقال: أعطه هذه أيضا قال: فخرجت إليه فأعطيته المائة الاولى ففرح بها فرحا شديدا ودعا لعمه، ثم أعطيته الثانية والثالثة ففرح بها حتى ظننت أنه سيرجع ولا يخرج، ثم أعطيته الثلاثة آلاف درهم فمضى على وجهه حتى دخل على هارون فسلم عليه بالخلافة وقال: ما ظننت أن في الارض خليفتين حتى رأيت عمي موسى بن جعفر يسلم عليه فالخلافة، فأرسل هارون إليه بمائة ألف درهم فرماه الله بالذبحة فما نظر منها إلى درهم ولا مسه

[1/-] al-Kafi: Ali b. Ibrahim from Muhammad b. Isa from Musa b. al-Qasim al-Bajali from Ali b. Ja’far who said: Muhammad b. Ismail [b. Ja’far] approached me when we were in Makka and had just completed the Umra in the month of Rajab - he said: O uncle, I want to travel to Baghdad but  first I wish to bid farewell to my uncle Aba al-Hasan - that is Musa b. Ja’far. I would like it if you accompany me to meet him.

I came out with him heading towards my brother who was in his house in Huba. We reached a little after Maghrib. I knocked the door and was answered by my brother who said: who is that? I said: Ali, he said: I am just coming - he was someone who took long in making the ablution - so I said: make haste, he said: I will. Eventually he came out wearing a lower garment [waist-wrapper] dyed in an earthish hue, knotted at his neck and proceeded to sit at the threshold [step] of the door.

Ali b. Ja’far said: I bent towards him, kissed his forehead and said: I have come to you concerning a matter, if you find it to be appropriate then it is Allah who facilitated it, and if it is not [if you find it disagreeable] then how often do we err [as humans]. He said: what is it? I said: this is the son of your brother, he wishes to bid you farewell and depart towards Baghdad. He [the Imam] said to me: call him [Muhammad b. Ismail]. I called him and he was close by.

He [Muhammad b. Ismail] came near him, kissed his forehead and said: May I be made your ransom, advise me, he [the Imam] said: I advise you to fear Allah concerning my blood, he replied to him: May Allah do such to whoever wishes ill for you, and he began supplicating against the one who harbors ill-feeling towards him. Then he kissed his forehead a second time and said: O uncle, advise me, he said: I advise you to fear Allah concerning my blood, he said: May Allah do such and such to whoever wishes ill for you [and He has already done so]. Then he kissed his forehead a third time and said: O uncle, advise me, he said: I advise you to fear Allah concerning my blood, so he supplicated against the one who wishes ill towards him, then he turned away from him [to depart], I too began walking away with him, but my brother said to me: O Ali, [stop] where you are.  

I halted, he called me and I entered [the house]. He outstretched a pouch which contained a hundred gold coins and handed it to me and said: tell the son of your brother [nephew] to make use of it on his journey. Ali said: I took it and twisted it around the hem of my cloak, then he handed me another hundred and said: give it to him, then he handed me another pouch and said: give it to him also.

I said: may I be made your ransom, if you fear him doing what you described then why are you aiding him against yourself [by helping him]? he said: If I maintain my ties with him and he cuts me off then Allah will cut off his life-time. Then he took to hand a tanned leather pillow [hollowed out to store money] in which were three thousand fine silver coins and said: give this to him as well.

He [Ali b. Ja’far] said: I came out and gave him the first hundred whereupon he became extremely delighted and supplicated for his uncle, then I gave him the second and the third. He became so happy that I thought he will turn back and not depart [for Baghdad]. Lastly I gave him the three thousand silver coins.

Nevertheless, he departed on his mission until he went in to see Harun [the Abbasid Caliph] and greeted him by acknowledging his Caliphate [said: peace be upon you O Commander of the Faithful]. Then he said: I never thought that there could be two Caliphs on earth [at the same time] until I saw my uncle Musa b. Ja’far being greeted with the Caliphate [people referring to him as the Caliph when greeting him]. Harun sent him one hundred thousand silver coins [as a reward for his reporting about his uncle] but Allah afflicted him [Muhammad b. Ismail] with an ailment [in which an ulcer grows and chokes the passage in the throat] and he did not get the chance to even take a look at a single silver coin [that he had been gifted] let alone touch it.

NOTES: 

This Muhammad is the seventh “Imam” of the Ismailiyya about whose life very little is known even in their own sources. This narrations fills in some pieces of the puzzle. The picture it reveals is of an ambitious fellow who was instrumental in heightening Harun’s suspicion towards Musa al-Kadhim leading to the latter’s summons, arrest and eventual killing. Muhammad sold his Akhera for the Dunya, despite the Imam supporting him with his own wealth to alleviate his evil and fulfill the ties of kinship. He faced the consequences of this betrayal.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.134. Muhammad b. Hukaym

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-hukaym

 

[1/241] رجال الكشي: عن حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسي، عن يونس، عن حماد قال: كان أبو الحسن عليه السلام يأمر محمد بنحكيم أن يجالس أهل المدينة في مسجد رسول الله صلى الله عليه واله وأن يكلمهم ويخاصمهم حتى كلمهم في صاحب القبر وكان إذا انصرف إليه قال: ما قلت لهم وما قالوا لك ويرضى بذلك منه

[1/241] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus from Hammad who said: Abu al-Hasan عليه السلام used to order Muhammad b. Hukaym to sit with the people of Madina in the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه واله and talk to them and debate with them - such that he even debated with them regarding the companion of the grave [i.e. Abu Bakr] - and when he [Muhammad b. Hukaym] used to go to meet him [the Imam] - he [the Imam] would ask: How did you argue with them [which points did you use]? How did they argue with you? and he used to be pleased with that from him.

NOTES:

Debates required on the spot reasoning. It would be easy to stray from the firm groundings of revelatory knowledge into error. This explains the 'Aimma’s general disapproval  of them. 

The narration confirms however that this was not an absolute stance but that there were some companions like Muhammad b. Hukaym who were allowed to engage in them because of their knowledge [mastery of the subject] and ability to negotiate tricky aspects without contravening Taqiyya. The Imam trusted Muhammad b. Hukaym to represent authentically the Imami positions on a wide range of issues including controversial ones.

This narration had already been numbered before [See: No. 4/69] and should not have been given one here.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.135. - 3.138. Muhammad b. Sinan al-Zahiri, Safwan b. Yahya, Zakariyya b. Adam, and Sa’d b. Sa’d

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-sinan-al-zahiri-safwan-b-yahya-zakariyya-b-adam-and-sad-b-sad

 

[-/1] رجال الكشي: عن أبي طالب عبد الله بن الصلت القمي قال: دخلت على أبي جعفر الثاني عليه السلام في آخر عمره فسمعته يقول: جزى الله صفوان بن يحيى و محمد بن سنان و زكريا بن آدم عني خيرا فقد وفوا لي و لم يذكر سعد بن سعد، قال: فخرجت فلقيت موفقا، فقلت له: إن مولاي ذكر صفوان و محمد بن سنان و زكريا بن آدم و جزاهم خيرا، و لم يذكر سعد بن سعد قال: فعدت إليه فقال: جزى الله صفوان بن يحيى و محمد بن سنان و زكريا بن آدم و سعد بن سعد عني خيرا فقد وفوا لي

[1/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: From Abi Talib Abdallah b. al-Salt al-Qummi who said: I entered in to see Abi Ja’far the Second [al-Jawad] عليه السلام towards the end of his life. I heard him saying: ‘May Allah grant a goodly recompense to Safwan b. Yahya, Muhammad b. Sinan and Zakariyya b. Adam on my behalf - for they have been loyal to me’, but he did not name Sa’d b. Sa’d. He [Abu Talib] said: I encountered Muwaffaq [a servant of al-Jawad] while leaving and said to him: My master mentioned Safwan, Muhammad b. Sinan and Zakariyya b. Adam supplicating for their good, but he did not name Sa’d b. Sa’d. He [Abu Talib] said: then I returned to him [i.e. the Imam] a second time and he said: ‘May Allah grant a goodly recompense to Safwan b. Yahya, Muhammad b. Sinan, Zakariyya b. Adam and Sa’d b. Sa’d on my behalf - for they have been loyal to me’.

NOTES:

• Is this narration reliable?

The chain as provided by al-Kashshi contains only the primary narrator [Abu Talib al-Qummi] who is narrating directly from the Imam. Scholars who argue for its reliability [such as al-Khoei among others] contend that the lower part of the chain is identical to the one found in the previous narration [al-Kashshi has been known to truncate his chains in this way].

al-Muhsini does not consider it reliable because he cannot rule out the possibility that it is an entirely independent narration whose narrators are missing. He points to the fact that al-Kashshi begins the chain saying: عن أبي طالب عبد الله بن الصلت القمي instead of وعن أبي طالب. That is, he begins without a connective ‘و’ which you would expect if he wanted to indicate that the second chain is based on the first chain.

• How do we reconcile the import of the narration with the negative assessment of Muhammad b. Sinan in the books of Rijal?

The narration seems to contain straight-forward praise for the four individuals mentioned. The first thing to note is that all four happen to be Wakils [agents of the Imam].

A similar themed narration which mentions Safwan b. Yahya and Muhammad b. Sinan together puts it as follows:

محمد بن مسعود، قال: حدثني علي بن محمد، قال: حدثني أحمد بن محمد، عن رجل، عن علي بن الحسين بن داود القمي قال: سمعت أبا جعفر عليه السلام يذكر صفوان بن يحيى ومحمد بن سنان بخير وقال: رضي الله عنهما برضاي عنهما، فما خالفاني وما خالفا أبي عليه السلام قط

Muhammad b. Masud – Ali b. Muhammad – Ahmad b. Muhammad – a man – Ali b. al-Husayn b. Dawud al-Qummi who said: I heard Aba Ja’farعليه السلام mention Safwan b. Yahya and Muhammad b. Sinan with positive words, and he [the Imam] said: may Allah be pleased with them because of my pleasure with them, for they never disobeyed me or my father ever.

The picture that emerges from both narrations is that these men were loyal agents of the Imam. So far so good, but there follows a parenthetical statement, presumably belonging to al-Kashshi, whose interpretation had always eluded me.

He says:

   بعد ما جاء فيهما ما قد سمعه غير واحد

This [praise] after it had come about them that which was heard by more than one

What had come about them [from the Imam] which was heard by more than one?

An answer to this question was only obtained when parts of the parenthetical statement above was found in another narration, proving the importance of scrutinizing the inter-textuality between narrations [i.e. reading them together].

محمد بن مسعود، قال حدثني علي بن محمد القمي، قال حدثني أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى (عن ابيه محمد بن عيسى القمي) قال: بعث إلي أبو جعفر عليه السلام غلامه و معه كتابه، فأمرني أن أصير إليه فأتيته فهو بالمدينة نازل في دار بزيع، فدخلت عليه و سلمت عليه، فذكر في صفوان و محمد بن سنان و غيرهما مما قد سمعه غير واحد، فقلت في نفسي أستعطفه على زكريا بن آدم لعله أن يسلم مما قال في هؤلاء، ثم رجعت إلى نفسي فقلت من أنا أن أتعرض في هذا و في شبهه مولاي هو أعلم بما يصنع، فقال لي يا أبا علي ليس على مثل أبي يحيى يعجل، و قد كان من خدمته لأبي عليه السلام و منزلته عنده و عندي من بعده، غير أني احتجت إلى المال الذي عنده (فلم يبعث) فقلت جعلت فداك هو باعث إليك بالمال، و قال لي إن وصلت إليه فأعلمه أن الذي منعني من بعث المال اختلاف ميمون و مسافر، فقال احمل كتابي إليه و مره أن يبعث إلي بالمال فحملت كتابه إلى زكريا، فوجه إليه بالمال، قال، فقال لي أبو جعفر عليه السلام ابتداء منه ذهبت الشبهة ما لأبي ولد غيري فقلت صدقت جعلت فداك

Muhammad b. Masud – Ali b. Muhammad al-Qummi – Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa – his father Muhammad b. Isa al-Qummi who said: Abu Ja’far [al-Jawad] عليه السلام sent a servant to me with a letter ordering me to go to him. I came to him while he was in Madina residing in the house of Bazi`. I entered in to see him and greeted him. He [the Imam] spoke about Safwan, Muhammad b. Sinan and others in the way which more than one had heard from him. I said to myself:  I will try to excuse Zakariyya b. Adam so that he may be saved from being included in that which he says about these others. Then I reproached myself saying: who am I to intervene in this matter and its like, my master is more aware of what he is doing. He [the Imam] said to me: O Aba Ali, the likes of Abi Yahya [Zakariyya] are not to be hurried [in normal circumstances], for he has a long record of serving my father and had an esteemed status with him, and with me after him, but I have a need of the money which is with him [but he hasn’t sent it]. I [Muhammad] said: may I be made your ransom, he is sending you the amount! he [Zakariyya] had said to me ‘if you reach him [the Imam] then inform him that the thing which prevented me from sending the money to him [before] was the controversy between Maymun and Musafir [two servants of the Imam]’. He [the Imam] said: carry this letter of mine to him and order him to send me the amount. I carried his letter to Zakariyya and he went on to send him the amount. He [Muhammad] said: Abu Ja’far عليه السلام also said to me without my prompting him: the doubt has abated, my father did not have any other son except me, I said: you have spoken the truth may I be made your ransom.   

The narration holds the key to unlocking the whole puzzle by providing context for the Imam’s praise of Muhammad b. Sinan and the others. It becomes clear that the Imam was initially angry at Muhammad b. Sinan, Safwan b. Yahya and the other agents including Zakariyya because of their delay in sending him the collected amount. This is why Muhammad b. Isa al-Qummi wanted to intervene to defend Zakariyya [who happens to be his relative] and make an excuse for him. al-Kashshi’s motive to include the parenthetical statement was to note that the praise of the Imam was coming after what had come before i.e. criticism from the Imam ‘which had been heard by more than one’.

The historical context shows that Imam al-Jawad assumed the position of Imama at a very young age and there was controversy about his succession. Furthermore, the Imam was called away to the court of Ma’mun in Baghdad and returned to Madina many years later. Throughout this period, the Wikala continued its activities as independently as it could. Many agents had got used to the long years of relative non-interference and did not want to relinquish their autonomy.

When the Imam was allowed to return to Madina he wished to assume full command of the machinery and demanded his dues from Safwan b. Yahya, Muhammad b. Sinan and the other agents. They were tardy in meeting this instruction. This led to the Imam’s criticism of them at first, but they soon sent it to the Imam who became pleased with their conduct. Since the companions took the words of the Imam very seriously, his initial criticism became widespread, and the Imam had to go out of his way to praise them to show that they had not rebelled outright. 

Thus, the narrations of praise have to be understood in the context of rapprochement between al-Jawad and his Wukala who ultimately proved loyal to him.

Confirmation that the Imam was initially displeased with these agents is found in another narration:

حدثني محمد بن قولويه، قال: حدثني سعد، عن أحمد بن هلال، عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع أن أبا جعفر عليه السلام كان يخبرني بلعن صفوان ابن يحيى، ومحمد بن سنان فقال: إنهما خالفا أمري، وقال: فلما كان من قابل قال أبو جعفر عليه السلام لمحمد بن سهل البحراني: تول صفوان بن يحيى ومحمد بن سنان فقد رضيت عنهما

Muhammad b. Qulawayh – Sa’d – Ahmad b. Hilal – Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi` that: Abu Ja’far عليه السلام used to inform me about his cursing of Safwan b. Yahya and Muhammad b. Sinan and say: they disobeyed my command. He [Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi`] said: when it was a new year Abu Ja’far عليه السلام said to Muhammad b. Sahl al-Bahrani: associate [consider your ally] with Safwan b. Yahya and Muhammad b. Sinan for I am pleased with them. 

In conclusion, the Imam’s subsequent praise of Muhammad b. Sinan and the other agents should be seen solely in context of their obedience in delivering the dues after an initial delay. It has nothing to do with their status as narrators. Trying to exonerate the weak status of Muhammad b. Sinan [as found in the books of Rijal] on the basis of this narration is misplaced. Being a loyal Wakil does not necessitate being a reliable narrator, especially if one is accused of lying and Ghulu.

Edited November 17, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.139. - 3.140. Muhammad b. Salih b. Muhammad al-Hamdani al-Wakil al-Dihqan and his father

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-salih-b-muhammad-al-hamdani-al-wakil-al-dihqan-and-his-father

 

[-/1] رجال الكشي: حكى بعض الثقات بنيسابور أنه خرج لإسحاق بن اسماعيل من أبي محمد عليه السّلام توقيع: يا اسحاق بن اسماعيل سترنا اللّه و اياك بستره ... فإذا وردت بغداد فاقرأه على الدهقان وكيلنا و ثقتنا و الذي يقبض من موالينا ...

[1/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: One of the trustworthy narrators in Naysabur reported that a Tawqi [signed rescript] came out addressed to Ishaq b. Ismail from Abi Muhammad عليه السلام saying: O Ishaq b. Ismail, may Allah protect both you and us with His protection … so when you reach Baghdad then read it [this Tawqi] to al-Dihqan, our Wakil [agent], our Thiqa [trustworthy one], and the one who receives from our followers [the dues] …

NOTES:

This narration has already come under Urwa b. Yahya al-Nakhkhas. It is being repeated here because it is not clear whether the al-Dihqan mentioned references Urwa or Muhammad b. Salih, both of whom were Wukala and shared the same descriptor.

al-Muhsini assumes that it is Muhammad thereby establishing his Wathaqa. He is then free to accept Muhammad’s personal testimony as in the two narrations below.

 

[2/242] الكافي: علي بن محمد، عن محمد بن صالح قال: لما مات أبي وصار الامر لي، كان لابي على الناس سفاتج من مال الغريم، فكتبت إليه اعلمه فكتب: طالبهم واستقض عليهم، فقضاني الناس إلا رجل واحد كانت عليه سفتجة بأربعمائة دينار فجئت إليه اطالبه فماطلني واستخف بي ابنه وسفه علي، فشكوت إلى أبيه فقال: وكان ماذا؟ فقبضت على لحتيه وأخذت برجله وسحبته إلى وسط الدار وركلته ركلا كثيرا، فخرج ابنه يستغيث بأهل بغداد ويقول: قمي رافضي قد قتل والدي، فاجتمع علي منهم الخلق فركبت دابتي وقلت: أحسنتم يا أهل بغداد تميلون مع الظالم على الغريب المظلوم، أنا رجل من أهل همدان من أهل السنة وهذا ينسبني إلى أهل قم والرفض ليذهب بحقي ومالي، قال: فمالوا عليه وأرادوا أن يدخلوا على حانوته حتى سكنتهم وطلب إلي صاحب السفتجة وحلف بالطلاق أن يوفيني مالي حتى أخرجتهم عنه

[2/242] al-Kafi: Ali b. Muhammad from Muhammad b. Salih who said: When my father died and the matter [i.e. Wikala] devolved to me - I found to have been in his possession bills of exchange [given] by some people [instead of money] as part of the wealth owed to al-Gharim [i.e. the Twelfth Imam]. I wrote to him [the Imam] informing him of that so he wrote: ‘Seek them out and demand  payment from them’. All of them paid me except a single individual who had a bill worth four hundred gold coins. I went to him to request it [the amount] but he put me off [sought postponement] while his son made light of me and ridiculed me. I complained to his father but he said: What was that? I grabbed his beard, took hold of him by his legs and dragged him to the middle of the house and began kicking him quite a number of times. His son came out shouting for help from the people of Baghdad saying: A Qummi Rafidhi has killed my father! A large number of them gathered around me so I got on my horse and said [sarcastically]: Well done O people of Baghdad! You side with the oppressor against an oppressed stranger! I am a man from the people of Hamadan and of the Ahl al-Sunnah, this one is ascribing me to the people of Qum and Rafdh as a pretext to usurp my rights and wealth. He said: they [the crowd] turned against him and wanted to enter his shop until I quietened them down. The man whose bill of exchange it was sought me out and swore at the point of divorce that he will return the wealth to me if I could take them away from him.

NOTES:

al-Gharim was a code-word for the Twelfth Imam. It was widely used by the Shia instead of the personal name to keep the Imam's identity secret for the purposes of Taqiyya [Refer to al-Mufid in his Irshad]. Al-Gharim literally means the one who owes a debt [creditor], the twelfth Imam was given this name because to him belongs a portion of the wealth of the Shia e.g. Khums etc. Note how strongly Qum was linked to Rafdh even in that time. Muhammad b. Salih did not lie but made Tawriyya for he was originally from Hamdan and we the Shia are the true followers of the Sunna.

 

[3/243] كمال الدين: أبي و ابن الوليد معا، عن الحميري، عن محمد بن صالح الهمداني قال: کتبت إلي صاحب الزمان عليه السلام إن أهل بيتي يؤذونني و يقرعونني بالحديث المروي عن آبائک عليهم السلام أنهم قالوا: قوامنا و خدامنا شرار خلق الله فکتب عليه السلام: ويحکم أما قرأتم قول الله عز و جل وَ جَعَلْنا بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ الْقُرَى الَّتِي بارَكْنا فِيها قُرىً ظاهِرَةً و نحن و الله القري التي بارک الله فيها و أنتم القري الظاهرة

[3/243] Kamal al-Diin: My father and Ibn al-Walid together from al-Himyari from Muhammad b. Salih al-Hamdani who said: I wrote to the Master of the Age عليه السلام: the people of my household disturb and rebuke me using the narration narrated on the authority of your forefathers that they said: ‘Our managers [who oversee the wealth i.e. agents] and servants are the worst creatures of Allah’. He wrote: Woe be upon you! have you not read the words of Allah Mighty and Majestic: “and We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities” (34:18) – We are by Allah the cities that Allah has blessed and you [i.e. our agents] are the cities that are visible.   

NOTES:

While it is undeniable that proximity to power and influence corrupted a number of the Wukala of the Imam, who became deceived by this lowly world and sold guidance to buy perdition, not all of them succumbed in this way. There was a core of very faithful servants of the ‘Aimma who served them loyally, achieving through this an incomparable status. As the Imam points out using an allegorical interpretation of a Qur’anic verse, if the Imams are the ‘blessed cities’ then they need interfaces through whom they can get their message across to the believers, these are the ‘cities which are visible’, the agents who perform the irreplaceable work of taking their teaching to the laity.

Edited November 20, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.141. Muhammad b. Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Layla al-Ansari al-Qadhi

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-abd-al-rahman-b-abi-layla-al-ansari-al-qadhi

 

[1/244] معاني الاخبار: عن أبيه، عن سعد بن عبدالله، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن علي بن الحكم، عن أبان الاحمر، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن امرأة أوصت بثلثها يقضى به دين ابن أخيها وجزء منه لفلان وفلانة، فلم أعرف ذلك، فقدّماني إلى ابن أبي ليلى فقال: ليس لهما شيء، فقال: كذب والله، لهما العشر من الثلث

[1/244] Ma’ani al-Akhbar: His father from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Ali b. al-Hakam from Aban al-Ahmar from Abdallah b. Sinan who said: I asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام about a woman who wills that one-third [of her inheritance] should be used to pay off her debt and a “portion” of it should be given to a man and a woman [her relatives]. I [Abdallah b. Sinan] did not know that [i.e. what “portion” meant]. They took me to Ibn Abi Layla who said: they are to be given nothing. He [the Imam] said: He has lied by Allah! they are to be given one-tenth of the one-third.   

NOTES:

Muhammad b. Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Layla (d. 148) was a contemporary of al-Sadiq who was appointed to be the judge of Kufa by the Abbasids. His father was a Tabi’i who fought on the side of Ali in the battles. Ibn Abi Layla had a tinge of Tashayyu [in the sense of love towards Ali and his descendants] like most Kufans of his time.  Despite this, he set himself up as an independent authority in the religion. He based his rulings on considered opinion [Ra’y] which was denounced by the ‘Aimma.

According to Islamic law, a person who dies and leaves inheritance may apportion one-third of their estate as per their wishes, and the remaining two-thirds are distributed automatically according to pre-set inheritance laws. The narration has to do with a woman who instructs that her one-third be used to pay off her debt and a “portion” of it to be given to someone.

Words are very significant in Islam especially in the context of oaths and pledges. What does it mean when someone says a جزء i.e. “portion” of my wealth should be given to someone. How do we quantify this numerically? It is a question that has implication in real-life scenarios. The answer cannot be based on guess-work but linguistic analysis grounded in revelation.

A more detailed variant of this narration is found in al-Kafi. It expands further on the reasoning behind the Imam's answer that “portion” equals one-tenth.

Note that Abdallah b. Sinan is narrating from Abd al-Rahman b. Sayyaba [indicating that the above chain in Ma’ani is not complete].

على بن ابراهيم، عن أبيه، ومحمد بن يحيى، عن احمد بن محمد جميعا، عن ابن محبوب، عن عبدالله بن سنان، عن عبدالرحمن بن سيابة قال: ان امرأة أوصت الي فقالت: ثلثى يقضى به دينى وجزء منه لفلانة فسألت عن ذلك ابن أبى ليلى فقال: ماأرى لها شيئا ما ادرى ما الجزء فسألت عنه أبا عبدالله عليه السلام بعد ذلك وخبرته كيف قالت المرأة وما قال ابن أبى ليلى فقال: كذب ابن أبى ليلى لها عشر الثلث إن الله عزوجل أمر ابراهيم عليه السلام فقال: اجْعَلْ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِّنْهُنَّ جُزْءًا وكانت الجبال يومئذ عشرة والجزء هو العشر من الشئ

Ali b. Ibrahim from his father and Muhammad b. Yahya from Ahmad b. Muhammad all together from Ibn Mahbub from Abdallah b. Sinan from Abd al-Rahman b. Sayyaba who said: A woman willed to me saying: My one-third should be used to pay off my debts and a portion of it is for such and such woman. I asked Ibn Abi Layla about that so he said: I do not think the woman is to be given anything for I do not know what the “portion” is [should be]. I then asked Aba Abdillah عليه السلام about it. I informed him what the woman had said and what Ibn Abi Layla had said. He [the Imam] said: Ibn Abi Layla has lied, she is to be given one-tenth of the third. Allah Mighty and Majestic ordered Ibrahim عليه السلام saying: “place on each hill a portion of them” (2:260), and there were ten hills, thus a “portion” is one-tenth of something [whole].

Observe how the Imam is able to derive the answer from the Qur’an and the History of the Prophets. They truly were treasure-troves of knowledge to give such an answer without hesitation.

When the Imam says Ibn Abi Layla has كذب ابن أبى ليلى he does not necessarily mean that Ibn Abi Layla has consciously spoken a falsity, ratherكذب  in Arabic is nuanced and can mean - has got it wrong. 

Edited November 23, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.142. Muhammad b. Abdallah b. al-Hasan b. al-Hasan al-Mujtaba al-Nafs al-Zakiyya

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-abdallah-b-al-hasan-b-al-hasan-al-mujtaba-al-nafs-al-zakiyya

 

[-/1] بصائر الدرجات: عبد الله بن جعفر، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن صفوان، عن العيص، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ما من بني ولا وصي ولا ملك إلا في كتاب عندي، لا والله ما لمحمد بن عبد الله بن الحسن فيه اسم

[1/-] Basair al-Darajat: Abdallah b. Ja’far from Muhammad b. Isa from Safwan from al-Iys [b. al-Qasim] from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: there is not a prophet or a successor or a king except that he is found in a book which is with me. No by Allah! the name of Muhammad b. Abdallah b. al-Hasan is not in there.

NOTES:

This is one of the signs of the Imama of al-Sadiq for he prophesied that the revolt of Muhammad b. Abdallah b. al-Hasan [a descendant of Imam al-Hasan] would end in failure and that this pretender who claimed to be the Mahdi would be put to death by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur.

The Imam repeated this prediction a number times, many years before the actual occurrence, most prominently at the meeting of the Hashimis at Abwa. This became widely known from him, such that even a Sunni authority like Ibn Khaldun makes a mention of it in his Muqadimma.

al-Muhsini: Perhaps what is meant by ‘kings’ are those up to the time of the ‘Aimma. To have the names of all kings from the beginning of creation to the end of the world, over all countries and for all time, would require several volumes, how large would this book be in size?

In any case, al-Muhsini does not accept the reliability of this particular narration because of his doubts about Basair as a source.

Edited November 24, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.143. Muhammad b. Abdallah al-Tayyar

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-abdallah-al-tayyar

 

[1/245] رجال الكشي: حمدويه ومحمد، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن الحكم قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: ما فعل ابن الطيار؟ قال: قلت: مات قال: رحمه الله ولقاه نضرة وسرورا فقد كان شديد الخصومة عنا أهل البيت 

[1/245] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Muhammad from Muhammad b. Isa from Ibn Abi Umayr from Hisham b. al-Hakam who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to me: What happened to Ibn al-Tayyar? I said: he died. He said: May Allah have mercy on him and grant him radiance and joy, for he was an intensely vocal defender on our behalf - the Ahl al-Bayt.

 

[2/246] رجال الكشي: حمدويه ومحمد، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن أبي جعفر الأحول عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ما فعل ابن الطيار؟ فقلت: توفي فقال: رحمه الله أدخل الله عليه الرحمة والنضرة فإنه كان يخاصم عنا أهل البيت

[2/246] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Muhammad from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus from Abi Ja’far al-Ahwal from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: What happened to Ibn al-Tayyar? I said: he died. He said: May Allah have mercy on him and make mercy and radiance enter upon him, for he used to verbally defend us the Ahl al-Bayt.

 

[-/3] رجال الكشي: حمدويه ومحمد ابنا نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن علي بن الحكم، عن أبان الأحمر، عن الطيار قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: بلغني أنك كرهت مناظرة الناس فقال: أما كلام مثلك فلا يكره، من إذا طار يحسن أن يقع، وإن وقع يحسن أن يطير، فمن كان هكذا لا نكرهه

[3/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh and Muhammad the two sons of Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from Ali b. al-Hakam from Aban al-Ahmar from al-Tayyar who said: I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام: It has reached me that you dislike us debating the people? He said: As for the speaking of someone like you then it is not disliked. The one who if he flies is able to land well, and when he lands is able to fly well. Whomever is like this then we do not dislike him [to debate].

NOTES:

Ibn al-Tayyar and al-Tayyar both refer to the same man Muhammad b. Abdallah, who was one of the companions of al-Baqir and al-Sadiq. He was not just an average narrator of Hadith but was a scholar in his own right. He was an expert in fields such as the Qur’an, inheritance laws [Fiqh] and Kalam [theology]. The Imam was so confident of his abilities that he excluded him from the general ban against debating [See No. 3/- above] and even wanted to show him off to others - as if to say: ‘whom do you have who is good as this student of mine’ [See below]

قال محمد بن مسعود حدثني محمد بن نصير، قال حدثني محمد بن الحسين، عن جعفر بن بشير، عن ابن بكير، عن حمزة بن الطيار قال: سألني أبو عبد الله عليه السلام عن قراءة القرآن فقلت: ما أنا بذلك، قال: لكن أبوك، قال: فسألني عن الفرائض فقلت أنا: و ما أنا بذلك فقال: لكن أبوك، قال: ثم قال: إن رجلا من قريش كان لي صديقا و كان عالما قارئا، فاجتمع هو و أبوك عند أبي جعفر عليه السلام، فقال ليقبل كل واحد منكما على صاحبه و يسائل كل واحد منكما صاحبه ففعلا، فقال القرشي لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: قد علمت ما أردت أردت أن تعلمني أن في أصحابك مثل هذا، قال: هو ذاك كيف رأيت

Muhammad b. Masud – Muhammad b. Nusayr – Muhammad b. al-Husayn – Ja’far b. Bashir – Ibn Bukayr – Hamza b. al-Tayyar who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام asked me about the recitation of the Qur'an [how good was I in it], I said: I am not all that [proficient in it], he عليه السلام said: but your father was. He [Hamza] said: then he asked me about my knowledge of the inheritance laws, so I said: I am not all that [good at it], he عليه السلام said: but your father was. Then he [Abu Abdillah] said: there was a man from the Quraysh who was a friend of mine, he was both knowledgeable and a scholar of the Qur’an, it happened once that he and your father gathered together at Abu Ja'far's عليه السلام, he [Abu Ja'far] said: let the both of you face each other and begin questioning one another [about different Masail], so they did as they were told, afterwards the Qurayshi man said to Abi Ja’far عليه السلام - I have realized what you wanted by this, you wanted to show me that among your companions there is someone like him [i.e. Hamza's father - Muhammad b. Abdallah al-Tayyar], he [Abu Ja'far] said: that is so - how did you find [him]?

Edited November 25, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.144. - 3.145. Muhammad b. Uthman b. Sa’id al-Amri and his father, the two Envoys of the Hujja, the Qaim

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-uthman-b-said-al-amri-and-his-father-the-two-envoys-of-the-hujja-the-qaim

 

[-/1] الكافي: محمد بن عبدالله ومحمد بن يحيى جميعا، عن عبدالله بن جعفر الحميري قال: اجتمعت أنا والشيخ أبوعمرو رحمه الله عند أحمد بن إسحاق فغمزني أحمد بن إسحاق أن أسأله عن الخلف فقلت له: يا أبا عمرو إني اريد أن أسألك عن شئ  ... وأخبرني أبوعلي أنه سأل ابا محمد عليه السلام عن مثل ذلك، فقال له: العمري وابنه ثقتان، فما أديا إليك عني فعني يؤديان وما قالا لك فعني يقولان، فاسمع لهما وأطعمها فإنهما الثقتان المأمونان ... 

[1/-] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Abdallah and Muhammad b. Yahya from Abdallah b. Ja’far al-Himyari who said: We gathered - myself and the Shaykh Abu Amr [al-Amri] رحمه الله at Ahmad bin Ishaq’s place. Ahmad b. Ishaq gestured at me to ask him [al-Amri] about the Successor [al-Mahdi] so I said to him: O Aba Amr - I want to ask you something … Abu Ali [Ahmad b. Ishaq] also informed me that he had asked Aba Muhammad [al-Hasan b. Ali al-Askari] عليه السلام about the same matter and he [the Imam] said to him: al-Amri and his son are two trustees. What they give to you on my behalf then their giving is truly on mine behalf, and what they say to you on my behalf then their saying is truly on mine behalf. Therefore listen to them and obey them, for they are both trustworthy and reliable …

 

[2/247] غيبة الطوسي: باسناده عن عبد الله بن جعفر قال: خرج التوقيع إلى الشيخ أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان بن سعيد العمري قدس الله روحه في التعزية بأبيه رضي الله تعالى عنه وفيه: ... أجزل الله لك الثواب وأحسن لك العزاء، رزيت ورزينا، وأوحشك فراقه وأوحشنا، فسره الله في منقلبه، كان من كمال سعادته أن رزقه الله تعالى ولدا مثلك، يخلفه من بعده، ويقوم مقامه بأمره، ويترحم عليه، وأقول الحمد الله فإن الأنفس طيبة بمكانك، وما جعله الله عز وجل فيك وعندك، وأعانك الله وقواك، وعضدك ووفقك، وكان لك وليا وحافظا، وراعيا، وكافيا

[2/247] Ghayba of al-Tusi: Via his chain to Abdallah b. Ja’far who said: A Tawqi [signed rescript] came out to the Shaykh Abi Ja’far Muhammad b. Uthman b. Sai’d al-Amri قدس الله روحه condoling him for the death of his father رضي الله تعالى عنه. In it was written: … May Allah amplify your reward and beautify your mourning. We grieve just as you grieve. It [his death] has left you bereft just as it has left us bereft. May Allah delight him after his return [to Him]. One aspect of the perfect felicity [he attained] is that Allah the Exalted granted him a son like you, who succeeds him after his departure, stands in his place as per his command, and supplicates for mercy for him. I say ‘All praise belongs to Allah’ for the souls are comforted due to the position you have assumed [after him] and because of what Allah Mighty and Majestic has bestowed in you and with you. May Allah support and strengthen you. May He aid you and facilitate you. May He be a Guardian over you, a Protector, a Guide and Sufficient [for you].          

NOTES:

This is the letter which officially appointed Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Uthman b. Sa’id al-Amri as the second Envoy [Naib Khass] of the Twelfth Imam after his father.

 

[-/3] الفقيه: باسناده عن عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري قال: سألت محمد بن عثمان العمري رضي الله عنه فقلت له: رأيت صاحب هذا الامر عليه السلام؟ فقال: نعم، وآخر عهدي به عند بيت الله الحرام وهو يقول: اللهم أنجز لي ما وعدتني، قال محمد بن عثمان رضي الله عنه وأرضاه: ورأيته صلوات الله عليه متعلقا بأستار الكعبة في المستجار وهو يقول: اللهم انتقم لي من أعدائك

[3/-] al-Faqih: Via his chain to Abdallah b. Ja’far al-Himyari who said: I asked Muhammad b. Uthman al-Amri رضي الله عنه: Have you seen the Master of this Order عليه السلام? He said: Yes. My last meeting with him was at the Sanctified House of Allah [Ka’ba], he was saying: ‘O Allah - fulfill for me what you promised me’. Muhammad b. Uthman رضي الله عنه وأرضاه said: I also saw him صلوات الله عليه clinging to the covering of the Ka’ba at the Mustajar [place of refuge - wall opposite the Yamani corner of the Ka’ba] saying: ‘O Allah - seek revenge for me from your enemies’.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.146. Muhammad b. Ali the Commander of the Faithful

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-the-commander-of-the-faithful

 

[1/248] توحيد الصدوق: ابن الوليد، عن الصفار، عن ابن أبي الخطاب، عن ابن بشير، عن الحسين بن أبي حمزة قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: قال أبي عليه السلام: إن محمد بن الحنفية كان رجلا رابط الجأش - وأشار بيده - وكان يطوف بالبيت فاستقبله الحجاج، فقال: قد همت أن أضرب الذي فيه عيناك، قال له محمد: كلا إن الله تبارك اسمه في خلقه في كل يوم ثلاثمائة لحظة أو لمحة، فلعل إحداهن تكفك عني

[1/248] Tawhid al-Saduq: Ibn al-Walid from al-Saffar from Ibn Abi al-Khattab from Ibn Bashir from al-Husayn b. Abi Hamza who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: My father [al-Baqir] عليه السلام said: Muhammad b. al-Hanafiyya was a man with a fearless heart - and he [the Imam] pointed with his hand [to his chest]. He [Ibn al-Hanafiyya] was making Tawaf around the House [Ka’ba] when Hajjaj encountered him. He [Hajjaj] said: I desire to strike that which holds your eyes [i.e. cut off your head]! Muhammad said to him: Never! Verily Allah - Blessed is His Name - has three hundred moments each day over His creatures [in which his decree is enacted], perhaps one of them [these moments] can get rid of you for me.  

NOTES:

Hajjaj was the murderous tyrant who was appointed by the Umayyads to rule Iraq. The bravery of Muhammad b. Ali [Ibn al-Hanafiyya] is well attested in the annals of history [see especially his exploits in the battle of Siffin]. 

Edited December 3, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.147. Muhammad b. Ali b. Bilal

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-b-bilal

 

[-/1] رجال الكشي: حكى بعض الثقات بنيسابور: أنه خرج لإسحاق بن إسماعيل من أبي محمد عليه السلام توقيع: يا إسحاق بن إسماعيل ... و يا إسحاق اقرأ كتابنا على البلالي رضي الله عنه فإنه الثقة المأمون العارف بما يجب عليه ...

[1/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: One of the Thiqat in Naysabur relayed to us that: There came out a signed rescript [Tawqi] from Abi Muhammad عليه السلام to Ishaq b. Ismail saying: O Ishaq b. Ismail … and O Ishaq - read this letter of ours to al-Bilali - may Allah be well pleased with him - for he is the Thiqa and the trusted one, the one who recognizes what is incumbent on him …

 

[2/249] الكافي: علي بن محمد، عن محمد بن علي بن بلال قال: خرج إلي من أبي محمد عليه السلام قبل مضيه بسنتين يخبرني بالخلف من بعده، ثم خرج إلي من قبل مضيه بثلاثة أيام يخبرني بالخلف من بعده

[2/249] al-Kafi: Ali b. Muhammad from Muhammad b. Ali b. Bilal who said: There came to me from Abi Muhammad [al-Askari] عليه السلام [a letter] informing me of the identity of the successor after him two years before his [al-Askari’s] death. Then there came to me [a letter] informing me of the successor after him three days before his death.

NOTES:

al‑Bilali was a highly trusted agent at first, but he went on to deny that Abu Ja’far al-Amri was the Safir of the lesser occultation and claimed the position for himself, leading to his downfall. al-Tusi says about him in his book al-Ghayba in a section titled - المذمومين الذين ادعوا البابية لعنهم الله - ‘the disparaged individuals who claimed Babhood [deputyship to the Final Imam] may Allah curse them’:

ومنهم أبوطاهر محمد بن علي بن بلال وقصته معروفة فيما جرى بينه وبين أبي جعفر محمد بن عثمان العمري نضر الله وجهه وتمسكه بالاموال التي كانت عنده للامام وامتناعه من تسليمها وادعاؤه أنه الوكيل حتى تبرأت الجماعة منه ولعنوه وخرج من صاحب الزمان عليه السلام ماهو معروف

Among them also was Abu Tahir Muhammad b. Ali b. Bilal. The story of what occurred between him and Abi Ja’far Muhammad b. Uthman al-Amri [the second Safir] is famous. He withheld the wealth which was with him for the Imam and refused to hand it over. He claimed that he was the Wakil. This caused a large number to disassociate from him and curse him. There came out from the Master of the Age عليه السلام that which is well-known [i.e. a Tawqi exposing him].

al-Muhsini: This fall from grace, if it occurred, while not far-fetched in of itself, casts doubt on the authenticity of the Tawqi above [No. 1/-]. There we have him described as ‘Thiqa and trusted one’ despite the Imam having fore-knowledge of his coming deviation. This is improbable. Unless it is said that the Bilali in the Tawqi is different from the one described by al-Tusi. This too is improbable. Another way to reconcile the two would be to hold the position that the ‘Aimma do not know the specifics of every event that is to occur in the future.

Edited December 6, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Ashvazdanghe]

On 12/4/2017 at 10:54 PM, FourShiaBooks said:

Salam alaykum all,

To help the Shia community more readily access our own books' information, I made a website with the four major Shia Hadith books. The site allows you to browse, search and share Shia Hadith. Please check it out and let me know any feedback. 

http://www.fourshiabooks.com

Hi if can corporate with four shia books user for adding this book to that  site it will be a great work

[Islamic Salvation]

3.148. Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn b. Musa b. Babawayh (Shaykh al-Saduq)

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-b-al-husayn-b-musa-b-babawayh-shaykh-al-saduq

 

[1/250] غيبة الطوسي: جماعة، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين بن موسى بن بابويه وأبي عبدالله الحسين بن علي أخيه عن أبوجعفر محمد بن علي الاسود رحمه الله قال: سألني علي بن الحسن بن موسى بن بابويه رضي الله عنه بعد موت محمد بن عثمان العمري قدس سره أن أسأل أبا القاسم الروحي قدس الله روحه أن يسأل مولانا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام أن يدعو الله أن يرزقه ولدا ذكرا قال: فسألته فأنهى ذلك، ثم أخبرني بعد ذلك بثلاثة أيام أنه قد دعا لعلي بن الحسين رحمه الله فإنه سيولد له ولد مبارك ينفع الله به، وبعده أولاد ... قال: فولد لعلي بن الحسين رضي الله عنه تلك السنة إبنه محمد بن علي وبعده أولاد ... 

قال أبو جعفر بن بابويه: وكان أبو جعفر محمد بن علي الأسود كثيرا ما يقول لي - إذا رآني أختلف إلى مجلس شيخنا محمد بن الحسن بن الوليد رضي الله عنه وأرغب في كتب العلم وحفظه - ليس بعجب أن تكون لك هذه الرغبة في العلم وأنت ولدت بدعاء الإمام عليه السلام

[1/250] Ghayba of al-Tusi: A large number from Abi Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn b. Musa b. Babawayh and his brother Abi Abdallah al-Husayn b. Ali both of them from Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali al-Aswad رحمه الله who said: Ali b. al-Husayn b. Musa b. Babawayh رضي الله عنه asked me - after the death of Muhammad b. Uthman al-Amri قدس سره - to request Aba al-Qasim al-Ruhi قدس سره to implore our Leader the Master of the Age عليه السلام to supplicate to Allah that He grant him a male child. He [al-Aswad] says: I asked him [al-Ruhi] but he refused it. Then he informed me after three days that he [the Imam] had supplicated for Ali b. al-Husayn رحمه الله and ‘will be born to him a blessed son through whom Allah will benefit many and after him other sons’. He [al-Aswad] said: Muhammad b. Ali was born to Ali b. al-Husayn رضي الله عنه that same year and after him other children …

Abu Ja’far b. Babawayh (al-Saduq) said: Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali al-Aswad would always say to me - when he sees me going to the study session of our Shaykh Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. al-Walid رضي الله عنه and after observing my motivation for studying the books of knowledge and gaining mastery over them: it is not strange that you have this desire for knowledge for you were born because of the supplication of the Imam عليه السلام  

NOTES:

Shaykh al-Saduq was born through the supplication of the Twelfth Imam. His father Ali b. al-Husayn was not granted off-spring for many years. He decided to send a plea to the Imam via the Third Safir [Na'ib Khass] Abu al-Qasim b. al-Ruh. The reply was that he will be granted a son who would grow up to become a learned scholar of the religion who benefits many through his knowledge. This was indeed fulfilled for the believers gain benefit from the books authored by him to this day.

Edited December 11, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.149. - 3.153. Muhammad b. Ali al-Shalmaghani, al-Sari`i, al-Bilali, al-Hilali, and al-Numayri

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-al-shalmaghani-al-sarii-al-bilali-al-hilali-and-al-numayri

 

al-Tusi transmits the Tawqi below on the authority of four different narrators. Naturally there are some variants between them. These are given in square brackets and the version agreed by all is left un-bracketed.

 

[1/251] غيبة الطوسي: أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمّد هارون بن موسى قال: حدثنا محمّد بن همام قال: خرج على يد الشيخ أبي القاسم الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة في ابن أبي العزاقر، والمداد رطب لم يجف 

وأخبرنا جماعة، عن ابن أبي داود قال: خرج التوقيع من الحسين بن روح في الشلمغاني، وأنفذ نسخته إلى أبي علي بن همام، في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة

قال ابن نوح: وحدثنا أبو الفتح أحمد بن ذكا - مولى علي بن محمّد بن الفرات رحمه الله - قال: أخبرنا أبو علي بن همام بن سهيل بتوقيع خرج في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة 

وقال محمّد بن الحسن بن جعفر بن إسماعيل بن صالح الصيمري: انفذ الشيخ الحسين بن روح رضي الله عنه من محبسه في دار المقتدر إلى شيخنا أبي علي بن همام في ذي الحجة سنة اثنتي عشرة وثلاثمائة، وأملاه أبو علي وعرفني أنّ أبا القاسم رضي الله عنه راجع في ترك إظهاره، فإنّه في يد القوم وحبسهم، فأمر باظهاره، وأن لا يخشى ويأمن، فتخلص وخرج من الحبس بعد ذلك بمدة يسيرة والحمد لله

التوقيع: عرّف [قال الصيمري: عرّفك الله الخير] أطال الله بقاءك، وعرّفك الخير كلّه، وختم به عملك، من تثق بدينه وتسكن إلى نيته من إخواننا، أسعدكم الله [وقال ابن داود: أدام الله سعادتكم، من تسكن إلى دينه وتثق بنيّته] [جميعاً] بأنّ محمّد بن علي المعروف بالشلمغاني [زاد ابن داود: وهو ممّن عجّل الله له النقمة ولا أمهله] قد ارتد عن الإسلام وفارقه [اتفقوا] والحد في دين الله، وادعى ما كفر معه بالخالق [قال هارون: فيه بالخالق] جلّ وتعالى، وافترى كذباً وزوراً وقال بهتاناً واثماً عظيماً [قال هارون: وأمرا عظيماً] كذب العادلون بالله وضلّوا ضلالاً بعيداً، وخسروا خسراناً مبيناً، وإنّنا قد تبرأنا إلى الله تعالى وإلى رسوله وآله صلوات الله وسلامه ورحمته وبركاته عليهم منه، ولعنّاه عليه لعائن الله [اتفقوا] [زاد ابن داود: تترى] في الظاهر منّا والباطن، في السرّ والجهر، وفي كلّ وقت، وعلى كلّ حال، وعلى كلّ من شايعه وتابعه أو بلغه هذا القول منا وأقام على تولّيه بعده، وأعلمهم [قال الصيمري: تولاكم الله] [قال ابن ذكا: أعزّكم الله] إنّا من التوقي [قال ابن داود: اعلم إنّنا من التوقي له] [قال هارون: وأعلمهم إنّنا في التوقي] والمحاذرة منه، [قال ابن داود وهارون: على مثل (ما كان) من تقدمنا لنظرائه] [قال الصيمري: على ما كنا عليه ممن تقدمه من نظرائه] [وقال ابن ذكا: على ما كان عليه من تقدمنا لنظرائه] [اتفقوا] من الشريعي والنميري والهلالي والبلالي وغيرهم، وعادة الله [قال ابن داود وهارون: جل ثناؤه] [واتفقوا] مع ذلك قبله وبعده عندنا جميلة، وبه نثق، وإياه نستعين، وهو حسبنا في كلّ أمورنا ونعم الوكيل 

قال هارون: وأخذ أبو علي هذا التوقيع، ولم يدع أحداً من الشيوخ إلّا واقرأه إيّاه، وكوتب من بعد منهم بنسخته في سائر الأمصار، فاشتهر ذلك في الطائفة، فاجتمعت على لعنه والبراءة منه

[1/251] Ghayba of al-Tusi: A large number from Abi Muhammad Harun b. Musa from Muhammad b. Hammam who said: There came out [a Tawqi] in the hand of the Shaykh Abi al-Qasim al-Husayn b. Ruh رضي الله عنه regarding Ibn Abi al-Azaqir [al-Shalmaghani] in the month of Dhul-Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve, and the ink is still wet and has not dried.  

A large number from Ibn Dawud who said: A Tawqi came out from al-Husayn b. Ruh about al-Shalmaghani, its copy was sent to Abi Ali b. Hammam in Dhil Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve.  

Ibn Nuh from Abu al-Fath Ahmad b. Dhaka - the client of Ali b. Muhammad b. al-Furat رحمه الله - who said: Abu Ali b. Hammam b. Suhayl informed us of the Tawqi which came out in Dhi al-Hijja in the year three hundred and twelve.

Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ja’far b. Ismail b. Salih al-Saymari who said: the Shaykh al-Husayn b. Ruh رضي الله عنه sent [a Tawqi] from his detention at the palace of al-Muqtadir to our Shaykh Abi Ali b. Hammam in Dhi al-Hijja the year three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali proceeded to dictate it to me and informed me that Aba al-Qasim had retracted his original decision not to publicize it, for even though he was in the hands of the group and under arrest but he was ordered [by the Twelfth Imam] to publicize it, and that he should not fear but feel secure, consequently he was freed and was released from detention a short while after that and all praise belongs to Allah. 

The text of the Tawqi (of the Twelfth Imam): (O Abu Ali b. Hammam) may He (Allah) lengthen your stay, make you know good in its totality and end by it (good) your works [al-Saymari: may He make you know good] - Inform the one whose religion you trust and whose intention you are confident of among our brothers - may Allah make you (pl.) successful [Ibn Dawud: may Allah perpetuate your (pl.) successes] that Muhammad b. Ali famously known as al-Shalmaghani [Ibn Dawud added: and he is one of those to whom Allah has hastened the wrath and has not given any respite] has apostasized from Islam and left it. He has introduced heresy in the religion of Allah and has disbelieved in the Creator Mighty and Elevated because of what he has claimed [Harun: in what he has claimed]. He has foisted a lie and a falsehood. He has uttered a mendacious imputation and a grievous sin [Harun: grievous matter].

The comparers with Allah have lied and have have gone far astray and have suffered a manifest loss. We have disassociated to Allah the Elevated and His messenger and his family صلوات الله وسلامه ورحمته وبركاته عليهم from him, and have cursed him - the curses of Allah be upon him [Ibn Dawud added: one after the other in succession] - both in the apparent and internally, in secret and in open, all the time, and in all conditions. May it also be upon anyone who allies with him or follows him or to whom reaches this statement and yet continues considering him an authority.      

Inform them [al-Saymari: may Allah be your guardian] [Ibn Dhaka said: may Allah strengthen you] that we are on our guard [Ibn Dawud: know that we are on guard towards him] [Harun said: inform them that we are on guard] and precautious of him [Ibn Dawud and Harun then add: the way those who came before us had been towards his predecessors] [al-Saymari: the way we were towards the likes of him who preceded him] [Ibn Dhaka said: the way one of us who came before was towards his ilk] such as al-Shari’i, al-Numayri, al-Hilali, al-Bilali and others. Despite this, the practice of Allah [Ibn Dawud and Harun added: Majestic is His praise] in our estimation has always been beautiful, both before him and after him, in Him we trust, and from Him do we seek aid, and He is sufficient for us in all our affairs and the best disposer.

Harun said: Abu Ali took this Tawqi and did not leave a single one of the Shuyukh except that he read it to him, and it was written down from them from his copy in the rest of the towns. It became famous in the sect which united in cursing and disavowing him [i.e. al-Shalmaghani].

NOTES:

Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali b. Abi al-Azaqir al-Shalmaghani was a Shi’i scholar who authored a number of popular books and had an esteemed status in the community.

When Abu al-Qasim al-Husayn b. Ruh [the Third Safir] was imprisoned by the Abbasid Caliph al-Muqtadir, al-Shalmaghani took it as an opportunity to advance his own cause and declared himself as the special deputy [Bab] of the Twelfth Imam. He went on to make more extreme claims and began spreading Gnostic esoteric beliefs such as the cycle of seven Adams, cosmic Dualism, transmigration of souls [Hulul] of the Prophet, Ali and Fatima into other persons etc. In propagating these repulsive beliefs he was just the next in line in a long list of figures who came before him such as al-Sari`i (or al-Shari`i), al-Bilali, al-Hilali and al-Numayri.

al-Shalmaghani nullified all criticisms against himself by claiming that any repudiation from the elite scholars was just Taqiyya, a consequence of him initiating the masses into a great secret which was being hidden from them. This confused the matter further and caused a schism among the Shia with the more gullible siding with him.

It was only the efforts of the Third Safir which led him to be discredited and exposed. This Tawqi from the Master of the Age marked his official excommunication. The Shia were finally freed of his machinations when was he apprehended by Abbasid authorities and executed in 323.

Edited December 18, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.154. Muhammad b. Ali b. Mahziyar

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-b-mahziyar

 

[1/252] غيبة الطوسي: جماعة، عن جعفر بن محمد بن قولويه وأبي غالب الزراري وغيرهما، عن محمد بن يعقوب الكليني، عن إسحاق بن يعقوب قال: سألت محمد بن عثمان العمري رحمه الله أن يوصل لي كتابا قد سألت فيه عن مسائل أشكلت علي، فورد التوقيع بخط مولانا صاحب الزمان عليه السلام: أما ما سألت عنه أرشدك الله وثبتك من أمر المنكرين لي من أهل بيتنا وبني عمنا، فاعلم أنه ليس بين الله عزوجل وبين أحد قرابة، من أنكرني فليس مني وسبيله سبيل ابن نوح، وأما سبيل عمي جعفر وولده، فسبيل إخوة يوسف عليه السلام وأما الفقاع فشربه حرام ولا بأس بالشلماب وأما أموالكم فما نقبلها إلا لتطهروا فمن شاء فليصل، ومن شاء فليقطع فما آتانا الله خير مما آتاكم. وأما ظهور الفرج فانه إلى الله وكذب الوقاتون. وأما قول من زعم أن الحسين عليه السلام لم يقتل، فكفر وتكذيب وضلال. وأما الحوادث الواقعة فارجعوا فيها إلى رواة حديثنا فانهم حجتي عليكم وأنا حجة الله عليكم ... وأما محمد بن علي بن مهزيار الأهوازي فسيصلح الله قلبه، ويزيل عنه شكه ...

[1/252] Ghayba of al-Tusi: A large number from Ja’far b. Muhammad b. Qulawayh and Abi Ghalib al-Zurari and others from Muhammad b. Ya’qub al-Kulayni from Ishaq b. Ya’qub who said: I asked Muhammad b. Uthman al-Amri رحمه الله to relay my letter in which I had asked questions that had troubled me. A Tawqi came out in the handwriting of the Master of the Age عليه السلام: 

As for what you have asked about - may Allah guide you and make you firm - regarding those who reject me from among our family members and the sons of our uncle then know that there is no relation between Allah Mighty and Majestic and anyone else. Whoever rejects me then he is not from me and his similitude is like the similitude of the son of Noah. As for the similitude of my paternal uncle Ja’far and his sons then it is like the brothers of Joseph عليه السلام. 

As for beer then drinking it is forbidden but there is no harm in drinking rye-drink. 

As for your wealth then we do not accept it except that you become purified, so whoever wishes let him send it and whoever wishes let him withhold it, for what has been given to us by Allah is better than what has been given to you. 

As for the appearance of the relief then it is up to Allah and the predictors [who put a time to it] have lied! 

As for the belief of the one who claims that al-Husayn عليه السلام was not killed then it is disbelief, falsehood and misguidance. 

As for the events which arise then return in them to the narrators of our Hadith for they are my proof over you and I am the proof of Allah over you … 

As for Muhammad b. Ali b. Mahziyar al-Ahwazi then Allah will rectify his heart and will remove his doubt from him …

NOTES:

This is a famous Tawqi of the Twelfth Imam which commands the believers to refer to the ‘narrators of Hadith’ anytime they are confronted with novel situations to which they require a solution.

This Ja’far is the infamous Ja’far al-Kadhhab [the liar], the son of Imam al-Hadi عليه السلام who disputed the Imama of al-Askari عليه السلام and later denied the existence of a son so as to usurp the estate of his late brother. 

الفقاع was a malt-based beverage which was considered permissible by some of the Sunni scholars but was always forbidden by our `Aimma because it caused intoxication after fermentation.

الشلماب is derived from a Persian loan-word and refers to a drink which contained rye. It does not intoxicate but was used as an appetizer.

There were some of the Ghulat, specifically the Nusayriyya, who claimed that al-Husayn was not killed at Karbala, rather he was raised to the heavens like Isa b. Maryam. They further assert that the one who was made to appear like him and killed in his place was Handhala b. As’ad al-Shami. They used the verse “and Allah does not give to the disbelievers a way over the believers …” (4:141) to substantiate this. This is a variant of the typical Docetic substitution theory which was held by many Christian sectarians and adds weight to the assertion that the Ghulat were influenced by the Gnostic milieu of Iraq. 

Muhammad b. Ali b. Mahziyar was the son of the well-known companion Ali b. Mahziyar. He is considered Thiqa by al-Tusi in his Rijal. Ibn Tawus says about him:

 انه من السفراء والأبواب المعروفين الذين لا تختلف الإمامية القائلون بإمامة الحسن بن علي عليه السلام فيهم

He was among the well-known Sufara and Abwab about whom there is no difference among the Imamiyya who acknowledge the Imama of al-Hasan b. Ali [al-Askari] عليه السلام 

He might have undergone a period of doubt but the tone of the Imam’s words indicate that he considered him sincere and awaited his return to the fold.

Edited December 21, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.155. Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Nu’man Mu’min al-Taq

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-ali-b-al-numan-mumin-al-taq

 

[1/173] رجال الكشي: حمدويه، عن محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد و يعقوب بن يزيد، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن أبي العباس البقباق عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: أربعة أحب الناس إلي أحياء و أمواتا، بريد بن معاوية العجلي و زرارة بن أعين و محمد بن مسلم و أبو جعفر الأحول، أحب الناس إلي أحياء و أمواتا

[1/173] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh from Muhammad b. Isa b. Ubayd and Yaqub b. Yazid from Ibn Abi Umayr from Abi al-Abbas al-Baqbaq from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: The most beloved persons to me - whether alive or dead - are four: Burayd b. Muawiya al-Ijli, Zurara b. A’yan, Muhammad b. Muslim and Abu Ja’far al-Ahwal. They are the most beloved persons to me - alive or dead.

 

[2/174] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن يونس، عن إسماعيل بن عبد الخالق قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام ليلا فدخل عليه الأحول فدخل به من التذلل و الاستكانة أمر عظيم، فقال له أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: ما لك؟ و جعل يكلمه حتى سكن، ثم قال له: بما تخاصم الناس؟ قال: فأخبره بما يخاصم الناس، و لم أحفظ منه ذلك فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: خاصمهم بكذا و كذا

[2/174] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from Yunus from Ismail b. Abd al-Khaliq who said: I was at Abi Abdillah’s عليه السلام place one night when al-Ahwal came in to see him. There overcame him [al-Ahwal] an extreme state of humility and submissiveness [in the presence of the Imam]. Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said to him: what is the matter with you? and he [the Imam] began conversing with him until he [al-Ahwal] returned to normal. Then he [the Imam] said to him: how do you debate with the people [what points do you use]? he [Ismail] said: so he [al-Ahwal] described to him how he argues against the people and I did not memorize that from him, then Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: debate them using such and such [points]. 

NOTES:

al-Ahwal [Mu’min al-Taq] was one of the most knowledgeable companions of al-Sadiq عليه السلام and had an extremely high status with him [See 1/173 above]. His specialization was as a theologian well-versed in debate.

A few snippets found in his biographical entry are provided below:

محمد بن علي بن النعمان بن أبي طريفة البجلي، مولى الأحول أبو جعفر: كوفي، صيرفي، يلقب مؤمن الطاق، وصاحب الطاق، ويلقبه المخالفون شيطان الطاق ... وكان دكانه في طاق المحامل بالكوفة، فيرجع إليه في النقد فيرد ردا يخرج كما يقول فيقال شيطان الطاق. فأما منزلته في العلم وحسن الخاطر فأشهر ... وكانت له مع أبي حنيفة حكايات كثيرة، فمنها أنه قال له يوما: يا أبا جعفر تقول بالرجعة؟ فقال له: نعم، فقال له: أقرضني من كيسك هذا خمس مائة دينار، فإذا عدت أنا وأنت رددتها إليك، فقال له في الحال: أريد ضمينا يضمن لي أنك تعود إنسانا، فإني أخاف أن تعود قردا، فلا أتمكن من استرجاع ما أخذت مني

al-Najashi: Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Nu’man b. Abi Turayfa al-Bajali al-Ahwal. Client. Kufan. Money-changer. Known as the Believer of Taq or the Man of Taq, however the opponents call him the Devil of Taq … His stall was in Taq al-Muhamil in Kufa. He was an authority in checking the authenticity of coins, so if he rejects one it would turn out [counterfeit] as he had said - thus they called him the Devil of Taq [because of his wondrous ability in telling forgeries]. As for his station in knowledge and quickness of mind then it is more famous than needs elaboration … He had many encounters with Abi Hanifa. In one of them - he [Abu Hanifa] said to him one day: O Aba Ja’far do you believe in Raj’a [return of the dead]? He said: Yes. He said to him: lend me five hundred gold coins from your pocket and I will pay you back when you and me are brought back to life again! He [al-Ahwal] said to him without hesitation: I want a guarantor to guarantee for me that you are going to return as a human-being, for I fear that you will be returned in the form of a monkey and I will not be able to recover what I had lent to you!

محمد بن النعمان الأحول، يلقب عندنا مؤمن الطاق، ويلقبه المخالفون بشيطان الطاق، وهو من أصحاب الإمام جعفر الصادق عليه السلام، وكان ثقة، متكلما، حاذقا، حاضر الجواب ...

al-Tusi: Muhammad b. al-Nu’man al-Ahwal. Called the Believer of Taq by us but the opponents call him the Devil of Taq. He was one of the companions of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq عليه السلام. He was Thiqa. A theologian [who could debate with others]. Very intelligent. Quick-witted in responding …

أبو جعفر الأحول محمد بن علي بن النعمان، مؤمن الطاق، مولى بجيلة، ولقبه الناس شيطان الطاق، وذلك أنهم شكوا في درهم فعرضوه عليه - وكان صيرفيا - فقال لهم: ستوق، فقالوا: ما هو إلا شيطان الطاق

al-Kashshi: Abu Ja’far al-Ahwal Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Nu’man. The Believer of Taq. The Client of Bajila. The people referred to him as the Devil of Taq and that was because they doubted the authenticity of a coin so they presented it to him – and his profession was as a money-changer – [he threw one glance at it] and said to them: forgery! They said: he is not but the Devil of Taq.   

[Intellectual Resistance]

May Allah greatly reward you for this invaluable work. No doubt this may became , if Allah wills one of the most comprehensively translated works of reliable Hadith into the English language in existence and may stay that way for a very long time. That is a lot of people who are going to be guided through this. 

[Islamic Salvation]

3.156. - 3.157. Muhammad b. Muslim al-Thaqafi and Abu Kurayba

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-muslim-al-thaqafi-and-abu-kurayba

 

[1/175] رجال الكشي: محمد بن قولويه، عن سعد بن عبد الله بن أبي خلف القمي، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن عبد الله بن محمد الحجال، عن العلاء بن رزين، عن عبد الله بن أبي يعفور قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: إنه ليس كل ساعة ألقاك و لا يمكن القدوم، و يجي‏ء الرجل من أصحابنا فيسألني و ليس عندي كلما يسألني عنه، قال: فما يمنعك من محمد بن مسلم الثقفي فإنه قد سمع من أبي و كان عنده وجيها

[1/175] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Qulawayh from Sa’d b. Abdallah b. Abi Khalaf al-Qummi from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa from Abdallah b. Muhammad al-Hajjal from al-Ala b. Razin from Abdallah b. Abi Ya’fur who said: I said to Abi Abdillah عليه السلام - I cannot meet you at all times and it may be impossible to travel [to reach you], it happens that a man from among our companions comes and asks me - but I do not have something [an answer] for everything that he asks me about [what should I do?]. He عليه السلام said: What prevents you from [going to] Muhammad b. Muslim al-Thaqafi - for he had heard [narrations] from my father and had a most favorable position with him.

NOTES:

Even a highly knowledgeable companion like Abdallah b. Abi Ya’fur is referred to Muhammad b. Muslim in cases where his knowledge falls short. This should be enough to get an estimate of the status of Muhammad b. Muslim. 

 

[2/176] رجال الكشي: حمدويه بن نصير، عن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن عبد الله بن بكير، عن زرارة قال: شهد أبو كريبة الأزدي و محمد بن مسلم الثقفي عند شريك بشهادة و هو قاض، فنظر في وجوههما مليا ثم قال جعفريان فاطميان فبكيا، فقال لهما ما يبكيكما قالا له نسبتنا إلى أقوام لا يرضون بأمثالنا أن يكونوا من إخوانهم لما يرون من سخف ورعنا، و نسبتنا إلى رجل لا يرضى بأمثالنا أن يكونوا من شيعته، فإن تفضل و قبلنا فله المن علينا و الفضل، فتبسم شريك، ثم قال إذا كانت الرجال فلتكن أمثالكم، يا وليد أجزهما هذه المرة (ولا یعودا ثانیة) قال فحججنا فخبرنا أبا عبد الله عليه السلام بالقصة فقال ما لشريك شركه الله يوم القيامة بشراكين من نار

[2/176] Rijal al-Kashshi: Hamduwayh b. Nusayr from Muhammad b. Isa from al-Hasan b. Ali b. Fadhal from Abdallah b. Bukayr from Zurara who said: Abu Kurayba al-Azdi and Muhammad b. Muslim al-Thaqafi gave witness in the presence of Sharik while he was the judge [of Kufa]. He [Sharik] looked at their faces for a moment and then said: two Ja’faris and Fatimis! so they began crying. He said: What makes you cry? They said to him: You have attributed us to a group who are not pleased with the likes of us being counted among their fellows because of what they see of the deficiency in our worship, and you have attributed us to a man [Ja’far] who is not pleased that the likes of us be associated among his Shia [followers], but if he [Ja’far] does us a favour and accepts us then he has our gratitude. Sharik smiled and said: If there be men then they should be like you. O slave - permit them this time around [accept their witness] but not next time. They said: We made the pilgrimage [in its season] and recounted to Abu Abdillah عليه السلام the incident so he said: What is with Sharik!? May Allah partner him up [lace him up] with two strips [lit. sandal laces] of fire on the day of judgement.

NOTES:

Sharik wanted to refuse their witness because of their being Ja’faris and Fatimis.

شركه الله يوم القيامة بشراكين من نار  

This is a word play (pun) by the Imam from the word Sharik --> Sharrakahu llahu yawm al-qiayama bi Shirakayni min nar.

Excessive righteousness is what defined the Shia. Even the likes of Muhammad b. Muslim feel deficient to be called with the label, yet we take it lightly.

[Islamic Salvation]

3.158. Muhammad b. Musa al-Sari’i

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muhammad-b-musa-al-sarii

 

[1/257] غيبة الطوسي: أخبرنا جماعة، عن أبي محمد التلعكبري، عن أبي علي محمد بن همام قال: كان الشريعي يكنى بأبي محمد، قال هارون: وأظن اسمه كان الحسن، وكان من أصحاب أبي الحسن علي بن محمد عليه السلام، ثم الحسن بن علي عليه السلام بعده، وهو أول من ادعى مقاما لم يجعله الله فيه، ولم يكن أهلا له، وكذب على الله، وعلى حججه عليهم السلام، ونسب إليهم ما لا يليق بهم، وما هم منه براء، فلعنته الشيعة، وتبرأت منه، وخرج توقيع الإمام عليه السلام بلعنه والبراءة منه، قال هارون: ثم ظهر منه القول بالكفر والإلحاد

[1/257] Ghayba of al-Tusi: A large number from Abi Muhammad [Harun] al-Tali’ukbari from Abi Ali Muhammad b. Hammam who said: al-Shari’i had the Kuniyya Abi Muhammad [Harun said: I think his name was al-Hasan] and he was one of the companions of Abi al-Hasan Ali b. Muhammad [al-Naqi] عليه السلام and then al-Hasan b. Ali [al-Askari] عليه السلام after him. He was the first to claim a station that Allah did not bestow on him and for which he was not suited. He lied upon Allah and His Proofs عليهم السلام and attributed to them that which is not fitting to them and which they are disassociated from. Then the Shia cursed him and disassociated from him. A Tawqi of the Imam عليه السلام came out in cursing and disassociating from him. Harun said: He [Shari’i] ultimately manifested a call to outright disbelief and heresy.   

NOTES:

This al-Shari’i claimed to be the Bab [lit. door] of the Twelfth Imam i.e. the individual through whom the Imam speaks. He took advantage of those who believed him and attributed falsities to the `Aimma [such as elevating them to divinity]. He went on to introduce doctrines into Islam which are totally alien.

Some manuscripts have his appellation (Laqab) as al-Shari’i while others have it as al-Sari’i. This divergence is easy to explain because the two words are orthographically identical except for the dots over the letter س which turns it into ش

Abu Muhammad Harun al-Tali’ukbari hesitantly postulates that al-Shari’i’s first name is al-Hasan, most likely because his tekonym (Kuniyya) is given as Abu Muhammad [Abu Muhammad was a ubiquitous Kunya for those named Hasan]. However, other sources are quite unequivocal that he was called Muhammad b. Musa al-Shari’i.

Evidence for this latter identification is provided by al-Kashshi when he speaks of another influential Ghali Ali b. Haska [see No. 1/206]

علي بن حسكة الحوار القمي كان استاد القاسم الشعراني اليقطينى، وابن بابا ومحمد بن موسى الشريقي كانا من تلامذة علي بن حسكة ملعونون لعنهم اللّه

Ali b. Haska al-Hawar al-Qummi was the teacher of al-Qasim al-Shi`rani al-Yaqtini. Ibn Baba and Muhammad b. Musa al-Shariqi were also students of Ali b. Haska. They were all accursed, may Allah curse them.

It is obvious that this is our man and that al-Shariqi is a textual corruption of al-Shari’i.

He is also the one found in a Tawqi of the Twelfth Imam which came out against al-Shalmaghani:

وأعلمهم إنّا من التوقي والمحاذرة منه، [قال ابن داود وهارون: على مثل (ما كان) من تقدمنا لنظرائه] من الشريعي والنميري والهلالي والبلالي وغيرهم

Inform them that we are on our guard  and cautious of him [the way those who came before us had been towards his predecessors] such as al-Shari’i, al-Numayri, al-Hilali, al-Bilali and others ….

Note how the Imam names him first in the list of al-Shalmaghani’s precursors, this tallies with Abu Ali b. Hammam’s point that he was the first to claim this position in the lesser occultation.

al-Tusi iterates this by including him as the first entry in a section entitled:

ذكر المذمومين الذين ادعوا البابية

An Enumeration of the Disparaged Individuals who Claimed Deputyship [to the Twelfth Imam]

أولهم المعروف بالشريعي ...

The first of them is one famously known as al-Shari’i …

al-Tusi concludes by saying:

وكل هؤلاء المدعين إنما يكون كذبهم أولا على الامام وأنهم وكلاؤه، فيدعون الضعفة بهذا القول إلى موالاتهم، ثم يترقى (الامر) بهم إلى قول الحلاجية، كما اشتهر من أبي جعفر الشلمغاني ونظرائه عليهم جميعا لعائن الله تترى

All these claimants would start out lying about the Imam by claiming that they are his agents. They would use this as a pretext to invite the weak-minded to follow them. Then the matter would progress further and they would make the claim of the Halajiyya [the union of the Divine with certain individuals], as became infamous in the case of Abi Ja’far al-Shalmaghani and his likes. May the curses of Allah be upon them all consecutively.       

Edited December 29, 2017 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.159. al-Mukhtar b. Abi Ubayda al-Thaqafi

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/al-mukhtar-b-abi-ubayda-al-thaqafi

 

PROLOGUE:

Mukhtar is a complex figure. There is no doubt that in avenging the killers of al-Husayn عليه السلام he performed a great act which gave comfort to the Ahl al-Bayt [See 1/258 below]. However, there exists evidence in our books that he might have had opportunistic tendencies in seeking power by using the tragedy of Karbala [See 2/- below]. The picture becomes murkier when taking into account the highly negative caricature of Mukhtar that was perpetuated by the mainly proto-Sunni Arab biographers who were inimical to his Shi’i and Mawali (Persian) sympathies. In any case, doing justice to the subject requires a separate monograph and will not be attempted here. 

 

[1/258] رجال الكشي: إبراهيم بن محمد الختلي، عن أحمد بن إدريس القمي، عن محمد بن أحمد، عن الحسن بن علي الكوفي، عن العباس بن عامر، عن سيف بن عميرة، عن جارود بن المنذر، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ما امتشطت فينا هاشمية و لا اختضبت حتى بعث إلينا المختار برءوس الذين قتلوا الحسين عليه السلام

[1/258] Rijal al-Kashshi: Ibrahim b. Muhammad al-Khatli from Ahmad b. Idris al-Qummi from Muhammad b. Ahmad from al-Hasan b. Ali al-Kufi from al-Abbas b. A’mir from Sayf b. Umayra from Jarud b. al-Mundhir from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: No Hashimite woman who was with us combed her hair or applied dye [colouring] to it - until al-Mukhtar sent to us the heads of those who killed al-Husayn عليه السلام

 

[-/2] رجال الكشي: محمد بن الحسن و عثمان بن حامد، عن محمد بن يزداد الرازي، عن محمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب، عن عبد الله المزخرف، عن حبيب الخثعمي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كان المختار يكذب على علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام

[2/-] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. al-Hasan and Uthman b. Hamid from Muhammad b. Yazdad al-Razi from Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Abi al-Khattab from Abdallah b. Muzakhraf from Habib al-Khath’ami from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: al-Mukhtar used to lie about Ali b. al-Husayn عليهما السلام  

NOTES:

al-Muhsini rejects the reliability of this chain. He does this by citing a more detailed alternative version of the narration:

محمد بن الحسن، عن عثمان بن حامد، قال حدثنا محمد بن يزداد، عن محمد بن الحسين، عن المزخرف، عن حبيب الخثعمي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: كان للحسن عليه السلام كذاب يكذب عليه و لم يسمه، و كان للحسين عليه السلام كذاب يكذب عليه و لم يسمه، و كان المختار يكذب على علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام، و كان المغيرة بن سعيد يكذب على أبي

Muhammad b. al-Hasan from Uthman b. Hamid from Muhammad b. Yazdad from Muhammad b. al-Husayn from al-Muzakhraf from Habib al-Khath’ami from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: there was a liar in time of al-Hasan عليه السلام who used to lie about him - but he did not name him - and there was a liar in time of al-Husayn عليه السلام who used to lie about him - but he did not name him. al-Mukhtar used to lie about Ali b. al-Husayn عليهما السلام while al-Mughira b. Sai’d used to lie about my father.   

In the above variant it is Muhammad b. al-Hasan who is narrating from the Thiqa Uthman b. Hamid and not them narrating together. This would make the chain non-Mu’tabar because there are three individuals named Muhammad b. al-Hasan from whom al-Kashshi narrates in the books of Rijal - none of whom are Thiqa. al-Muhsini raises another potential defect with the chain claiming that Habib al-Khath’ami could be Ibn al-Mualla who is Majhul instead of Ibn al-Mu’allal who is Thiqa.

I have to disagree with al-Muhsini on both points.

A quick search reveals that there are at least ten independent instances in Rijal al-Kashshi where Muhammad b. al-Hasan AND Uthman b. Hamid are narrating together from Muhammad b. Yazdad al-Razi [it is clear that both were transmitters of the latter’s book].

This statistical analysis indicates that

محمد بن الحسن عن عثمان بن حامد

should be corrected to read

 محمد بن الحسن و عثمان بن حامد

as is the case in No. 2/- above.

This resolves the problem by making the status of Muhammad b. al-Hasan irrelevant seeing as Uthman b. Hamid is Thiqa.

As for the question of the identity of Habib al-Khath’ami - Allama al-Tustari indicates in his Qamus the view that Ibn al-Mu’allal and Ibn Mualla are just corruptions of the same name and they go back to the same Thiqa companion of al-Sadiq.

Thus the narration is reliable.

It is further supported by another narration which has come previously [See 9/- in 3.15 - 3.127]

محمد بن قولويه و الحسين بن الحسن بن بندار القمي، عن سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن خالد الطيالسي، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي نجران، عن ابن سنان قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: إنا أهل بيت صادقون لا نخلو من كذاب يكذب علينا فيسقط  صدقنا بكذبه علينا عند الناس ... و كان أبو عبد الله الحسين بن علي عليه السلام قد ابتلى بالمختار ...

Muhammad b. Qulawayh and al-Husayn b. al-Hasan b. Bundar al-Qummi from Sa’d b. Abdallah from Muhammad b. Khalid al-Tayalisi from Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Najran from Ibn Sinan who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: We the Ahl al-Bayt are always truthful but do not lack a liar lying against us and degrading our truthfulness by his lies to the masses ... Abu Abdillah al-Husayn b. Ali عليه السلام was put to trial [afflicted] by al-Mukhtar ...

This narration is not reliable in chain because Muhammad b. Khalid is Majhul. But such slight weakness in chain, especially considering that this Muhammad was the father of the Thiqa Abdallah al-Tayalisi, does not discount it from being used for corroboration. Note that it has al-Mukhtar lying about al-Husayn b. Ali instead of Ali b. al-Husayn [it is possible that one of the copyists interchanged the name].  

Accepting these narrations which are negative about Mukhtar as reliable means that his historical character will have to re-evaluated and his positive evaluation in the eyes of most contemporary Shi’is questioned.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.160. Marthad b. Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/marthad-b-abi-marthad-al-ghanawi

 

[1/259] الفقيه: باسناده عن علي بن رئاب، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وأمير المؤمنين عليه السلام ومرثد بن أبي مرثد الغنوي يعقبون بعيرا بينهم وهم منطلقون إلى بدر 

[1/259] al-Faqih: Via his chain to Ali b. Riab from Abi Basir from Abi Ja’far عليه السلام who said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله, the Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام and Marthad b. Abi Marthad al-Ghanawi shared a camel between themselves while they were on their way to Badr. 

NOTES:

Marthad b. Abi Marthad was one of those who converted to Islam in Makka. He was a Halif [ally] of Hamza b. Abd al-Muttalib [and the Banu Hashim]. The institution of Hilf was established to give protection to ‘strangers’ - individuals far away from their tribe.

He was known for his bravery and was an experienced fighter good at combat. He made the Hijra to Yathrib. He participated in the battle of Badr as the above report confirms.

The Muslims possessed only two horses [one belonging to Zubayr b. al-Awwam and the other to al-Miqdad] and a total of seventy camels when they set out to intercept Abu Sufyan’s trade caravan in Ramadhan of the year 2 AH. This poor material condition meant that the 300 or so fighters had to share the beasts between themselves.

Islamic history records the names of the men who shared a camel on this fated journey because of the significance of Badr as the turning point in the conflict between the Muslims and the Quraysh. Imam al-Baqir عليه السلام confirms that the prophet shared one camel with his cousin Ali and this Marthad b. Abi Marthad [riding it together].

A detailed list is provided by al-Waqidi as quoted by Ibn Abi Hadid in his Sharh: http://www.haydarya.com/maktaba_moktasah/07/book_14/kh0019.htm

Tidbits that stand out include the fact that the usual suspects were together as expected - Abu Bakr shared a camel with Umar and Abd al-Rahman b. Awf.

Marthad went on to participate in the battle of Uhud but was brutally killed in the year 4 AH in the treacherous incident at Raji’. This came about because some men of the Adal and Qara came to the prophet and announced that they had accepted Islam and wanted him to send with them a band of Muslims who could teach their people about the Qur’an. The prophet picked about six men for this mission and appointed Marthad as their leader.

When the Muslim party arrived at Raji’, the delegation took rest for the night. Then an ambush attack with swords was initiated on the six Muslims to extract money from them. They promised not to kill them, but to derive money as ransom. However, the Muslims refused to believe the promise of the polytheists and fought back. Marthad was among those who fought to death.

Edited January 6, 2018 by Islamic Salvation

[Islamic Salvation]

3.161. Muslim the Client of Abi Abdillah

https://sites.google.com/site/mujamalahadith/vol1/book-of-narrators/muslim-the-client-of-abi-abdillah

 

[1/260] رجال الكشي: محمد بن مسعود، عن علي بن الحسن، عن محمد بن الوليد البجلي، عن العباس بن هلال، عن أبي الحسن عليه السلام قال: ذكر أن مسلما مولى جعفر بن محمد سندي و أن جعفرا قال له: أرجو أن تكون قد وفقت الاسم، و أنه علم القرآن في النوم فأصبح و قد علمه

قال محمد بن الوليد: كان من أولاد السند

[1/260] Rijal al-Kashshi: Muhammad b. Masud from Ali b. al-Hasan from Muhammad b. al-Walid al-Bajali from al-Abbas b. Hilal from Abi al-Hasan (al-Ridha) عليه السلام. He [Abbas] said: He [the Imam] mentioned that Muslim the client [slave] of Ja’far bin Muhammad was a Sindhi. Ja’far عليه السلام had said to him: ‘I hope that you live up to your name [i.e. Muslim - submitter]’. He [Muslim] was taught the whole Qur’an in his sleep and woke up having memorized it. 

Muhammad b. al-Walid said: He was from the children [i.e. people] of Sindh

NOTES:

Such was the status of the Mawali who served the Imams. They attained high stations and Karamat by living in the vicinity of the holy ones. 

Sindhi is an attribution to Sindh, a location in the Indian subcontinent. The Imams would train slaves from all over the world before setting some of them free to spread the truth. 

Edited January 8, 2018 by Islamic Salvation