Al-Husayn ibn Ali, from his father, the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) sent me to Yemen and, counseling me, said: O Ali, whoever seeks the best from God is never at a loss, and whoever seeks counsel never regrets. Keep to night travel, for the earth is folded up by night in a way it is not folded by day. O Ali, set out early in the name of God, for God has blessed my community in its early mornings. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 136)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) dispatched me to Yemen and counseled me thus: O Ali! Whoever seeks the good from God is never bewildered and lost, and whoever seeks counsel never comes to regret. O Ali! Travel by night, for the earth is traversed by night in a way that it is not by day. O Ali! Begin your tasks early in the morning and in the name of God, for God has placed blessing and good for this community in the early morning.
(We note: some have taken al-duljah to mean travel at the beginning of the night, and some travel at the end of the night, near dawn. Others have said it means night travel in general, not restricted to its beginning or its end. This view seems the best.)
From Salih ibn Maytham al-Tammar (may God have mercy on him), who said: I found in the book of Maytham (may God be pleased with him) that he said: We spent an evening with the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), and he said to us: He who loves the one who hates us will never love us; that cannot come together in a single heart, and 'God has not placed two hearts within any man's breast' [Qur'an 33:4]. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 148)
The son of Maytham al-Tammar relates from his father, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Whoever loves our enemy — his love for us is not genuine.
Isa ibn Abdillah, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Whoever sends greetings of peace upon me from anywhere on earth, it is conveyed to me; and whoever greets me beside my grave, I hear it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 167)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) related from the Messenger of God (PBUH): Whoever greets me from any place on earth, I receive that greeting; and whoever greets me beside my grave, I hear it.
From Isma'il ibn Raja' al-Zubaydi, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): I am not to be threatened with war, nor frightened with the sword. I stand upon what my Lord has promised me of help, support, and victory; I am in certainty from my Lord, and in no doubt about my cause. O people! Death is not escaped by the one who stays, nor outrun by the one who flees. There is no refuge from death: whoever does not die will be slain, and indeed the best of deaths is to be slain. By Him in whose hand is the soul of the son of Abu Talib, a thousand blows of the sword are easier for me than death upon a bed. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 169)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I am neither threatened by war nor afraid of the sword. I believe in God's promise of help, support, and victory for the believers; of this belief I am certain, and I have no doubt about the rightness of my path. O people! Neither going to the battlefield nor fleeing from it wards off death, and there is no escape from death. Whoever is not killed on the field will die soon after; and being killed in the way of God is the best of deaths. By Him in whose hand is the soul of the son of Abu Talib, a thousand strokes of the sword are easier for me than dying in bed.
From al-Harith, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: Whoever loves me will see me on the Day of Resurrection as he would love to; and whoever hates me will see me on the Day of Resurrection as he would detest. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 180)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Whoever loves me will see me on the Day of Resurrection in a form that he loves; and whoever does not love me will see me on the Day of Resurrection in a form that is hateful to him.
Jabr ibn Nawf narrated to us from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Indeed, the person most worthy of this matter [of rule], in the past and in the present, is the one nearest of them to the Messenger of God (PBUH), the most learned of them in the Book, the earliest of them in the religion, the most excellent of them in jihad, the first of them in faith, and the most capable of them in shouldering those affairs of the subjects of which they themselves are ignorant. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 183)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The person most deserving of rule over the Muslims is always the one who is most akin to the Messenger of God, most learned in the Book of God, of longest standing in the religion, most excellent in jihad, highest in faith, and most capable in the matters of which the subjects are unaware.
From Abu Hurayra, who said: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and complained to him of hunger. The Messenger of God (PBUH) sent to the houses of his wives, and they said: We have nothing but water. So the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Who will take charge of this man tonight? Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) said: I will, O Messenger of God. He went to Fatima (AS) and said: What have you, O daughter of the Messenger of God? She said: We have nothing but the children's food, yet we will prefer our guest over ourselves. So Ali (AS) said: O daughter of Muhammad, put the children to sleep and put out the lamp. When morning came, Ali (AS) went to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and told him what had happened; and he had not yet departed when God, the Mighty and Majestic, sent down: 'And they prefer others above themselves, even though they themselves are in need; and whoever is preserved from the avarice of his own soul — it is they who are the successful' [Qur'an 59:9]. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 185)
The narrator says: A man came to the Prophet and complained of hunger. The Prophet of God (PBUH) sent someone to the houses of his wives to fetch food. They said: We have nothing but water. So the Prophet of God (PBUH) said: Who will take responsibility for this man tonight? Ali (AS) said: I will be at his service. He then came to Fatima and said: What do we have at home? Fatima (AS) said: We have nothing but our children's food; but we prefer our guest over ourselves. Then Ali (AS) said: Put the children to sleep, put out the lamp, and bring the food. The next morning God sent down this verse: 'And they prefer others above themselves, even though they themselves are in need. Indeed, those who are kept safe from their own avarice — it is they who are the successful' [Qur'an 59:9].
Abd al-Rahman ibn Jundab, from his father, who said: When agreement was reached to write the arbitration document between the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan, Amr ibn al-As attended with men of Syria, and Abdullah ibn Abbas with men of Iraq. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to the scribe: Write: 'This is what the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan have agreed upon.' Amr ibn al-As said: Write his name and his father's name, and do not title him Commander of the Faithful, for he is only the commander of these people and is not our commander. Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays said: Do not erase this title, for I fear that if you erase it, it will never return to you. So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) refused to erase it, and the dispute over it went back and forth for a good part of the day. Then al-Ash'ath ibn Qays said: Erase this title, may God efface it. The Commander of the Faithful said: God is greatest! Precedent matches precedent, and like matches like! By God, I was the scribe of the Messenger of God (PBUH) on the day of Hudaybiyya, and he dictated to me: 'This is what Muhammad, the Messenger of God, has agreed upon with Suhayl ibn Amr.' Suhayl said to him: Erase 'the Messenger of God', for we do not acknowledge that of you, nor do we bear witness to it for you; write your name and your father's name. I refused to erase it, but the Prophet (PBUH) said: Erase it, O Ali; you too will one day be called to the like of it, and you will comply, though in anguish. Then Amr ibn al-As said: Glory be to God! Is such a thing to be likened to that — when we are believers and those men were unbelievers?! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: O son of the notorious woman! When were you ever anything but an ally of the wicked and an enemy of the Muslims? And do you resemble anyone but your mother, who cast you forth? Amr said: Then assuredly no gathering shall ever bring me and you together again. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: By God, I hope that God will purify my gathering of you and of your like. Then the document was written, and the people dispersed. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 187)
The narrator says: When it was decided that a peace treaty should be written between the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and Mu'awiya, 'Amr ibn al-'As, among men of the people of Syria, and 'Abdullah ibn 'Abbas, among men of the people of Iraq, were present. Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to the scribe: Write! This is the peace treaty upon which the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan have agreed. Then 'Amr ibn al-'As said: Write his name and the name of his father, and do not mention him as Commander of the Faithful! He is the commander of this group, but he is not our commander! Then al-Ahnaf ibn Qays said: O Ali! Do not erase this title; I fear it will never return to you again! So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) refrained from erasing that title. The argument over this matter grew heated, and for several hours no result was reached. At last al-Ash'ath said: Erase this title! May God grieve him ['Amr ibn al-'As]! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God is greatest! I was the scribe of the Messenger of God (PBUH) on the day of Hudaybiyya, and he dictated to me thus: This is the peace treaty upon which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, and Suhayl ibn 'Amr have agreed with one another. Then Suhayl said to him: Remove the words 'Messenger of God'! We do not regard you as the Messenger of God. Write only your name and the name of your father. But I refused to remove those words. Thereupon the Prophet (PBUH) said: Erase it! You too, like me, will be called to the like of this matter, and you will accept it unwillingly! Then 'Amr ibn al-'As said: Glory be to God! Is this like that, when we are people of faith while they were unbelievers?! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) turned to 'Amr ibn al-'As and said: O son of al-Nabigha! When have you ever not been a friend and helper of evildoers and an enemy of the Muslims!? Are you anything but the likeness of your mother who bore you?! Then 'Amr ibn al-'As said: Since it has come to this, our next meeting shall be on the Day of Resurrection! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: By God, I wish never to see you or the likes of you! Then he wrote the peace treaty, and the people dispersed.
Muhammad ibn Muhammad informed us, saying: Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Bilal al-Muhallabi related to us, saying: Ali ibn Abdullah ibn Asad al-Isbahani informed us, saying: Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Thaqafi related to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Uthman related to me, saying: Ali ibn Abi Sayf related to me, from Ali ibn Khabbab, from Rabi'a and 'Umara and others: A group of the companions of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), came to him when the people were scattering from him and many of them were fleeing to Mu'awiya, seeking what was in his hands of this world. They said: O Commander of the Faithful, give out these funds, and prefer these nobles of the Arabs and of Quraysh over the clients (mawali) and the non-Arabs, and over anyone of the people who might be feared to flee to Mu'awiya. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to them: Do you command me to seek victory through injustice? No, by God, I shall not do so as long as a sun rises and a star gleams in the sky. By God, even if this wealth were my own, I would share it out equally among them — how then, when it is only their own wealth! He said: Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) remained silent for a long while, then said: Whoever has wealth, let him beware of corruption, for giving wealth where it is not due is squandering and extravagance. Even though it raises the renown of its doer in this world, it lowers him before God (Almighty and Exalted). No man ever placed his wealth where it was not due and with those unworthy of it, but that God deprived him of their gratitude, and their affection went to another. And if there remains with him anyone who shows him affection and displays gratitude, it is only flattery and lying: he seeks thereby to draw near to him in order to obtain from him the like of what he used to receive before. Then if his benefactor's foot slips and he needs his help or requital, he proves the worst of friends and the basest of companions. Whoever fails to use rightly the good he has been given, let him with it maintain the bonds of kinship, offer generous hospitality, set free the captive, and aid the debtor, the wayfarer, the poor, and those who strive in the way of God; and let him train himself to patience in the face of misfortunes and obligations. For success in these qualities is the honor of the noble deeds of this world and the attainment of the merits of the hereafter. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 194)
The narrator says: At the time when the people were scattering from around the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and a great number were fleeing to Mu'awiya in pursuit of this world, a group of the Imam's companions met with him in private and said: O Commander of the Faithful! Spend these funds to win over supporters — the nobles and the wealthy of the Arabs, and those you fear may flee to Mu'awiya — and give them preference over the non-Arabs! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to them: Shall I seek victory through injustice?! By God, as long as the sun rises and a star shines in the sky, I will not do so. By God, even if this wealth were my own personal property, I would divide it equally among the Muslims — let alone when it is the public treasury. The narrator says: Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) remained silent for a long while, and then said: Whoever possesses wealth, let him beware of corruption! Truly, giving away wealth outside the path of what is right is wasting and squandering it; and such unjustified giving, though it exalts a person's name in this world, makes him small before God. No one ever placed his wealth outside the path of right and in the hands of those unworthy of it, but that God deprived him of their gratitude and turned their affection toward someone else. And if anyone remains with him who professes friendship and thanks, he is a flatterer and a liar who wants to profit from him. And whenever that wealthy man's foot slips and he falls into hardship and needs help, these very people prove the worst of friends and the most reproachful of companions. Then he said: With your wealth maintain the bonds of kinship with your relatives, practice hospitality, set captives free, help debtors, stranded travelers, the destitute, and those who strive in God's way, and train yourselves with patience in fulfilling the obligations you must meet. Attaining these qualities is the honor of this world and the virtue of the hereafter.
Isa ibn Humayd al-Ta'i said: My father, Humayd ibn Qays, related to us, saying: I heard Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn say: I heard my father say: I heard Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS) say: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) returned from the battle against the Kharijites, he passed by al-Zawra' and said to the people: This is al-Zawra' — keep moving and steer clear of it, for the sinking of the earth comes swiftly upon it. When he came to the right side of the Sawad, he found a monk there in his hermitage and said to him: O monk, may I alight here? The monk said to him: None alights here save a prophet, or the legatee (wasi) of a prophet with his army, fighting in the way of God (Almighty and Exalted) — thus do we find it in our books. The Commander of the Faithful said to him: Then I am the legatee of the master of the prophets. So the monk came down to him and said: Teach me the laws of Islam, for I have found your description in the Gospel, and that you would alight in the land of Baratha, the house of Mary and the land of Jesus (AS). Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Halt. He then came to a spot and said: Strike this. And he struck it with his foot (AS), and a gushing spring burst forth. He said: This is the spring of Mary, which welled up for her. Then he said: Dig here to seventeen cubits. It was dug open, and there was a white rock. Ali (AS) said: Upon this rock Mary laid down Jesus, and here she prayed. So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) set the rock upright and prayed toward it, and he stayed there four days, performing the prayer in full. Then he said: The land of Baratha — this is the house of Mary (AS); this is the sacred place where the prophets prayed. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 199)
The narrator relates from his forefathers, from Imam al-Baqir (AS), that on his return from Nahrawan the Commander of the Faithful (AS) reached a certain place and asked: What is this place called? They said: Zawra'. He said: Let us pass quickly and keep our distance; this land is prone to sinking. Then he reached Yamnat al-Sawad and asked a monk who was in a monastery: May we camp here? The monk said: Only a prophet, or the legatee of a prophet, together with an army that wages jihad in the way of truth, have the right to camp here. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: We are they! The monk came out of the monastery and embraced Islam at the hand of the Commander of the Faithful. Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: You hold a trust of mine! He took the monk's hand and, in that vicinity, moved a stone aside with his foot. Beneath the stone a spring gushed forth. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: This is the spring that gushed for Mary. Then he said: Dig seventeen cubits farther on. The soldiers dug and reached a white rock. He said: Mary gave birth to Jesus upon this rock and used to pray upon it. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) set that rock up there and prayed upon it, and he stayed four days in Baratha, occupied mostly with worship. He would say: Many prophets have prayed here.
(We say: The battle of Nahrawan took place in an area northeast of present-day Baghdad, near Mada'in. Therefore, on his return from that region, the Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed through the area where Baghdad now stands, and most probably Zawra' is Baghdad itself. In Arabic, "Zawra'" derives from the root "zawr," meaning crookedness and deviation. Baghdad was called Zawra' because the course of the river Tigris bends before reaching this city. Old Baghdad, which forms part of the southeast of the present city, is called Zawra' in several historical sources.
In some sources there is a report attributed to Ka'b al-Ahbar that identifies Zawra' with Rayy; this report does not go back to an infallible. There is also a narration in al-Kafi from Sahl ibn Ziyad saying that Zawra' is Rayy; but Sahl is an extremist (ghali) and his narration is not to be relied upon. Therefore, with near-certain probability, Zawra' is Baghdad, not Tehran!
The holy mosque of Baratha is located in an area in the center of present-day Baghdad, southeast of Kazimayn, in the 'Atifiyya district. Ibn Hawqal attributes the original construction of the mosque to Ali (AS) himself. This mosque later became the teaching seat of Shaykh al-Mufid. In the year 313 AH, the Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadir razed the mosque — which had become a stronghold of the Shia in Baghdad — to the ground. But in the time of al-Radi bi-llah the Shia were permitted to rebuild the mosque anew and larger. In the era of the Buyids the Baratha mosque acquired great importance, and Friday prayer was held in it. After the Buyids the mosque again fell out of use, and for centuries no one held prayer in it; only those who were aware of its importance would visit it. For example, the First Martyr (al-Shahid al-Awwal) mentions somewhere that he visited this mosque in Baghdad. I myself was blessed to visit the Baratha mosque in the days of Saddam. After Saddam, the Shia used to hold a well-attended prayer in this mosque, and it was there that the suicide bombing occurred in which many people were killed. After that the mosque declined once more, and at present pilgrims to the holy shrines do not visit it. Note, in the narration above, the four-day stay of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) at the Baratha mosque. This mosque is probably a place for the forty-day retreat for the people of the spiritual path. In the narrations concerning i'tikaf (devotional retreat), Baratha is one of the six mosques in which i'tikaf may be performed.)
Isma'il ibn Marthad, from his grandfather, from Ali (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The right of Ali over the people is the right of a father over his children. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 270)
The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The right of Ali over the people is the right of a father over his child.
Abu Muhammad al-Fahham said: Abu al-Hasan al-Mansuri related to me, saying: My father's uncle related to me, saying: Imam Ali ibn Muhammad related to me, saying: My father Muhammad ibn Ali related to me, saying: My father Ali ibn Musa related to me, saying: My father Musa ibn Ja'far related to me, saying: My father Ja'far ibn Muhammad related to me, saying: My father Muhammad ibn Ali related to me, saying: My father Ali ibn al-Husayn related to me, saying: My father al-Husayn ibn Ali related to me, saying: The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), related to me, saying: I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: Whoever performs an obligatory prayer for God has, in its wake, one supplication that will be answered. Ibn al-Fahham said: By God, I saw the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in a dream and asked him about this report. He said: It is sound. When you have finished the obligatory prayer, say while prostrating: "O God, by the right of him who narrated it and of him from whom it was narrated, bless them all together, and do for me such-and-such." (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 289)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I heard the Noble Prophet (PBUH) say: Whoever performs an obligatory prayer has, after the prayer, one supplication that will be answered. Ibn Fahham says: I saw the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in a dream and asked him about this narration. He said: It is sound; when you have finished your obligatory prayer, say while in prostration: O God! By the right of those who narrated this hadith and of those from whom it was narrated, send blessings upon them all, and do such-and-such for me (and mention your request).
From al-Mansuri, from his father's uncle, who said: Imam Ali ibn Muhammad (AS) related to me, with his chain of transmission going back to al-Baqir (AS), from Jabir, who said: I was walking with the Commander of the Faithful (AS) along the Euphrates when a great wave rose up and covered him so that he was hidden from me; then it receded from him, and there was no wetness upon him. I was struck dumb at this and amazed, and I asked him about it. He said: So you saw that? He said: Yes. I said: (What was it?) He said: It was only the angel entrusted with the water; he came out, greeted me, and embraced me. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 298)
The narrator says: We were walking with the Commander of the Faithful (AS) beside the Euphrates when suddenly a great wave rose from the river and enveloped the Imam, hiding him from my sight. Then the wave withdrew, while no moisture or wetness was upon the Imam. At this my tongue was tied and I was astonished, and I asked the Imam the reason. He said: Just what you saw. I said: What was it? The Imam said: It was the angel entrusted with the water; he came out, greeted me, and embraced me.
The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), said: I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: When the people are gathered on the Day of Resurrection, a herald will call: O Messenger of God! God, exalted is His name, has empowered you to reward those who love you and those who love your Ahl al-Bayt — those who befriended them for your sake and those who bore enmity for your sake — so recompense them as you wish. And I shall say: O Lord — Paradise! Then I shall be called: Settle them in it wherever you wish. That is the Praised Station (al-Maqam al-Mahmud) that I was promised. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 298)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I heard from the Messenger of God (PBUH): On the Day of Resurrection it will be proclaimed: O Messenger of God! We have entrusted to you the reward of those who love you and those who love your Ahl al-Bayt, and likewise of those who showed friendship and enmity for your sake. I shall say: Only Paradise! The call will come: Place each of them wherever in Paradise you wish! The Messenger of God (PBUH) used to say: The Praised Station that was promised to me is this very intercession.
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, from Ali (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: I am the city of Paradise and you are its gate, O Ali. He lies who claims to enter it by other than its gate. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 309)
The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: I am the city of Paradise and Ali is its gate, and no one can enter Paradise except through the gate.
Ja'far ibn Muhammad ibn Isa said: Abdullah ibn Ali related to us, saying: Ali ibn Musa related to us, from his father, from his grandfather, from his forefathers, from Ali (AS), who said: Everything that distracts from the remembrance of God belongs to gambling (maysir). (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 336)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Whatever keeps one from the remembrance of God is in the category of gambling.
Isma'il ibn Hammam, from Ali ibn Musa, from his father, from his grandfather (AS): Ali (AS) said: O Messenger of God, when you send me on a mission, shall I be in it like a heated ingot [carrying out the letter of the order], or shall the witness see what the absent one does not see? He said: Rather, the witness sees what the absent one does not see. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 338)
Imam al-Rida (AS) relates from his forefathers, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS), that he asked the Prophet (PBUH): When you send me on a task, should I act exactly according to what you have said, or should I decide according to the situation? The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Decide for yourself, for you are the witness of the affair, while I am not there and am unaware of its details.
From Ali ibn Abi Talib, who said: Whatever man does a kindness to one of my descendants and is not repaid for it, I shall be the one who repays him for it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 355)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: If someone does good to one of my descendants and he does not repay it, I shall repay it.
Di'bil ibn Ali al-Khuza'i, from Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS), at Tus in the year one hundred and ninety-eight, who said: My father Musa ibn Ja'far related to us, saying: My father Ja'far ibn Muhammad related to me, saying: My father Muhammad ibn Ali related to us, saying: My father Ali ibn al-Husayn related to us, saying: My father al-Husayn ibn Ali related to us, saying: My father Ali ibn Abi Talib (God's blessings upon them all) related to us, saying: Whoever regularly eats twenty-one red raisins on an empty stomach will not fall ill, except with the illness of death. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 359)
Imam al-Rida (AS) relates from his forefathers, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Whoever eats twenty-one red raisins every day on an empty stomach will not fall ill — except with the illness that is destined to seal his death.
(We say: This narration appears in this same book with another chain of transmission, as follows: From al-Nazzal ibn Sabra, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: "Whoever eats twenty-one red raisins will see nothing in his body that he dislikes" — that is, whoever eats twenty-one red raisins will not fall ill. In this version neither eating every day nor eating on an empty stomach is mentioned, and it has a case-by-case application; that is, to remedy many ailments one may eat raisins in a single serving.)
From the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Ali ibn Abi Talib is a trial (mihna) for the world; by him God distinguishes the hypocrites from the believers. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 363)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said concerning me: Ali ibn Abi Talib is a trial (a test) for the world: by him God separates the believers from the hypocrites.
From Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS), who said: When Ibn Muljam (may God curse him) struck the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) — there was another man with him whose blow fell upon the wall, but as for Ibn Muljam, he struck him while he was prostrating, and the blow fell upon his head, upon the wound that was already there — al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS) went out, seized Ibn Muljam, and bound him fast. The Commander of the Faithful was carried and brought into his house. Lubaba sat at his head and Umm Kulthum sat at his feet. He opened his eyes, looked at them both, and said: The Highest Companion is the best abode and the finest resting place. A blow for a blow, or pardon, if that be possible. Then he broke into a sweat, then came to himself, and said: I saw the Messenger of God (PBUH) commanding me to come to him this evening — three times. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 365)
Imam al-Sajjad (AS) said: When Ibn Muljam struck the Commander of the Faithful (AS), there was another man with him whose blow landed on the wall. But the blow of Ibn Muljam, while the Imam was in prostration, landed on his head, upon a wound that was there from before. Then Hasan and Husayn (AS) came out, seized Ibn Muljam, and bound him tightly. Then they bore the Commander of the Faithful on their shoulders and brought him home. Lubaba sat by his head and Umm Kulthum by his feet, and the Imam opened his eyes, looked at the two of them, and said: "The Highest Companion is the best abode and the finest resting place." Then he said: One blow in return for one blow, or pardon — if pardon be possible. Then he lost consciousness, and when he came to, he said three times: I saw the Messenger of God (PBUH), and he told me to come to him.
From the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: A single man of true understanding in religion (faqih) is harder upon Iblis than a thousand worshippers. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 366)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: One who truly knows the religion is worse for Satan than a thousand worshippers.
From Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: God (Almighty and Exalted) says: Whoever believes in Me and in My Prophet, and takes Ali as his guardian, I shall admit him to Paradise, whatever his deeds may have been. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 366)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: God has promised me that whoever believes in me and is a follower of Ali will in the end enter Paradise — even if he has done certain deeds!
(We say: Perhaps the meaning of this hadith is this: he will enter Paradise, but his rank in Paradise will depend upon his deeds.)
From the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: Four things came down from Paradise: the raziqi grape, the mushani date, the imlasi pomegranate, and the sha'sha'ani apple. And in another report: and the quince. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 369)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: These four fruits have come from Paradise: the raziqi grape, the mushani date, the imlasi pomegranate, and the sha'sha'ani apple. And in another narration the quince is added as well.
The Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The best of your women are the five. It was asked: What are the five? He said: The easygoing, the gentle, the agreeable; she who, when her husband is angry, does not let sleep touch her eye until he is pleased; and she who, when her husband is away, guards him in his absence. Such a woman is a worker among the workers of God, and the worker of God is not disappointed. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 370)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS), quoting the Messenger of God (PBUH), said: The best woman is one who is content and mild-tempered and grows intimate with her husband; who, if her husband becomes angry with her, seeks to win back her husband's good pleasure; a woman who, in her husband's absence, guards his property and his honor. Such a woman is an agent among the agents of God, and her end will be blessed.
From the Commander of the Faithful (AS), who said: Perfume yourselves with the seeking of forgiveness (istighfar), lest the odors of sins disgrace you. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 372)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Perfume yourselves with istighfar (seeking God's forgiveness), so that the foul odor of sins may not disgrace you.
Abdullah ibn Ali ibn Abi Rafi', from his father, from Salma, the wife of Abu Rafi', who said: Fatima (AS) fell ill. When the day came on which she died, she said: Prepare water for me. I poured it for her, and she washed herself as finely as she had ever washed. Then she said: Bring me my new garments — and she put them on. Then she came to the room in which she stayed and said: Spread my bedding for me in the middle of it. Then she lay down, faced the qibla, placed her hand under her cheek, and said: I am about to be taken now; let me not be uncovered, for I have already performed my washing. She said: And she died. When Ali (AS) came, I informed him. He said: She shall not be uncovered. So he bore her away with that washing of hers (AS). (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 400)
The narrator says: Fatima (AS) fell ill, and when the day of her death arrived she said: Bring me some water. I poured the water, and she performed the washing in the finest manner; then she said: Give me my new garments. Then she came to the room she was in and said: Spread my bed in the middle of the room. Then she lay down facing the qibla, placed her hand under her cheek, and said: I shall give up my soul this very moment. Do not remove my garments, for I have performed my own washing. And then she passed away. When Ali (AS) came, I told him the news. He said: Her garments shall not be removed. Then he lifted her from the ground with the washing she herself had performed.
From Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: I complained to the Messenger of God (PBUH) of a debt that was upon me. He said: O Ali, say: "O God, make me needless of Your unlawful through Your lawful, and needless of all besides You through Your bounty." Then even if you owed a debt the size of Sabir, God would settle it for you. And Sabir is a mountain in Yemen; there is in Yemen no mountain more majestic or greater than it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 430)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) says: I complained to the Messenger of God (PBUH) of a debt I owed. He said: O Ali, say: "O God, through Your lawful make me needless of Your unlawful, and through Your kindness make me needless of all besides You." For even if you owed a debt as great as Mount Sabir, God would pay it off.
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: There is no household among whom there is the name of a prophet, but that God (Almighty and Exalted) sends to them an angel who sanctifies them morning and evening. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 453)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) says: Every family in which one of its members bears the name of a prophet is sanctified morning and evening by an angel whom God sends.
Isa ibn Abdullah, from his father, from his grandfather, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: A man came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said: O Messenger of God, I have a dinar — what do you command me to do with it? He said: Spend it on your mother. He said: I have another — what do you command me to do with it? He said: Spend it on your father. He said: I have another — what do you command me to do with it? He said: Spend it on your brother. He said: I have another — what do you command me to do with it? And no, by God, I have none besides it. He said: Spend it in the way of God — and that is the least of them in reward. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 454)
The narrator asked the Commander of the Faithful (AS): I have a dinar; how should I give it away? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Give it to your mother! He asked: And if I had a second dinar? He said: Give it to your father! He asked: The third? He said: To your brother! He asked: And the fourth, which is my last dinar? He said: Give it as charity in the way of God! Then he said: This last is the least in reward.
From Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father, from his grandfather, from al-Husayn ibn Ali (God's blessings upon them), from Ali (AS), who said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Looking at the scholar is worship; looking at the just leader is worship; looking at one's parents with tenderness and mercy is worship; looking at a brother whom you love for the sake of God (Almighty and Exalted) is worship. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 454)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I heard from the Messenger of God (PBUH): Looking at a scholar is worship; looking at a just ruler is worship; looking at one's parents with tenderness and mercy is worship; looking at a brother in faith with love for the sake of God is worship.
(We say: And in this same book it is narrated from Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, from the Messenger of God (PBUH):
Looking at Ali is worship; looking into the Scripture is worship; looking at the Ka'ba is worship.
That is: looking at Ali (AS) is worship; looking at the Qur'an is worship; looking at the Ka'ba is worship.)
From al-Harith, from Ali (AS), from the Prophet (PBUH), who said: Every act of kindness is charity, whether to the rich or the poor. So give charity, even if with half a date; and shield yourselves from the Fire, even if with half a date. For God (Almighty and Exalted) nurtures it for its giver until He renders it back to him in full on the Day of Resurrection — until it becomes greater than a mighty mountain. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 458)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) narrates from the Messenger of God (PBUH): Doing good to anyone — whether to the poor or to the rich — is charity. Give charity, even if with a single date! Save yourselves from the Fire, even if with a single date! God makes the charity grow and makes it great for its giver, so that on the Day of Resurrection it will have become greater than a mountain.
Ja'far ibn Muhammad (AS) said: My father related to me, from his father, from his grandfather, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): When a servant swears an oath in which he glorifies God's transcendence while he is lying, God refrains from punishing him for it in this immediate life, because of his having glorified God. So administer the oath in this way: "May I be quit of God's power and strength, and take refuge in my own power and strength, if I did not hear or did not do such-and-such." (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 461)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) relates from his forefathers, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS), that when someone, while swearing an oath, glorifies God (saying, for example: I swear by the God besides whom there is no god), then even if he is a liar, the punishment of the false oath will not overtake him so soon, because he has glorified God. So when you wish to put someone on oath, make him say, without glorifying God: May I be quit of the power and strength of God and be consigned to my own power and strength, if I did not hear such-and-such or did not do such-and-such.
'Amr ibn Ma'mar said: Ali ibn Ja'far related to us, from his brother Musa, from his father Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father Muhammad ibn Ali, from Jabir ibn Abdullah, who said: The Prophet (PBUH) sent Khalid ibn al-Walid as collector over the alms of Banu al-Mustaliq, a clan of Khuza'a. Between him and them there had been a blood grudge from the Age of Ignorance. Khalid fell upon them, killed some of them, and drove off their property. When what he had done reached the Prophet (PBUH), he said: O God, I declare myself quit before You of what Khalid has done. And he sent Ali ibn Abi Talib (God's blessings upon him) to them with money, commanding him to pay them the blood money for those of their men who had been killed. So Ali (AS) set out and paid them the blood money for their men and for what had been taken of their property, and a small remainder of the money was left with him. He said to them: Do you miss anything of your property and your goods? They said: We miss nothing except the drinking bowl of our dogs. So he handed over to them what remained of the money and said: This is for your dogs' drinking bowl and for whatever of your goods has been forgotten. And he returned to the Prophet. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 498)
Jabir ibn Abdullah said: The Prophet (PBUH) sent Khalid ibn al-Walid as supervisor of the alms of Banu al-Mustaliq, who were a clan of Khuza'a. Between him and them there was a grudge from the Age of Ignorance. So Khalid attacked them, killed several of them, and carried off their property. When the Prophet (PBUH) heard what he had done, he said: O God! I declare my innocence before You of what Khalid has done. Then he sent Ali (AS) with funds to Banu al-Mustaliq and commanded him to pay them the blood money of the men who had been killed. Ali (AS) went to them and paid the blood money of the men and the value of their lost property, and a little of it remained. Then he said to them: Is anything of your belongings and property missing? They said: No — only the bowl of our dogs is missing. Ali (AS) gave them the remainder of that money and said: This is the price of your dogs' bowl as well. And he returned to the Prophet.
From Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir, from Muhammad ibn Ali (AS), from his father, from his grandfather, who said: Ali (AS) said: It is a duty upon one who has been shown a favor to repay the benefactor well; if his means fall short of that, then let him offer fine praise; if his tongue is unequal even to that, then let him at least recognize the blessing and love its giver; and if he falls short even of that, then he is not worthy of the blessing. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 501)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: It befits one to whom a blessing has been given to repay it well; and if that is not within his power, he should praise the giver well; and if his tongue falls short of that, he should at least recognize the blessing and love the benefactor; and if he falls short even of this, he is not worthy of the blessing.
Abu Umama al-Bahili: that he heard Ali ibn Abi Talib (God's blessings upon him) say: I do not think that any man whose reason has grasped Islam, and who was born in Islam, would sleep through a night — its blackness — (I asked: And what is its blackness, O Abu Umama? He said: The whole of it) — without reciting this verse: "God — there is no god but He, the Living, the Self-Subsisting" — and he recited the verse up to His words "the Most High, the Tremendous." Then he said: If you but knew what it is — or he said: what is in it — you would never abandon it under any circumstance. The Messenger of God (PBUH) informed me, saying: I was given the Verse of the Throne (Ayat al-Kursi) from a treasure beneath the Throne, and it was not given to any prophet before me. Ali (AS) said: And since I heard it from the Messenger of God (PBUH), I have never passed a night without reciting it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 508)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I do not think that a man who has grasped Islam with his reason and was born a Muslim would sleep the whole night through! They asked: If he cannot keep the night vigil, what should he do? He said: Let him at least recite Ayat al-Kursi before sleeping. Then he recited Ayat al-Kursi up to "huwa al-'Aliyy al-'Azim" (that is, verse 255 only [Qur'an 2:255]) and said: If you knew what effects this verse has, you would never abandon it. The Messenger of God (PBUH) told me: Ayat al-Kursi was given to me from a treasure beneath the Throne, and it was given to no prophet before me. Ali (AS) said: From the time I heard this word from the Messenger of God, I have never gone to sleep without first reciting it.
Abu al-Mufaddal said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa al-'Arrad related to us, saying: Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar al-Sadusi related to us, saying: Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn 'Awn ibn Abi Harb ibn Abi al-Aswad al-Du'ali related to us, saying: My father related to me, from his father, from Abu Harb ibn Abi al-Aswad, from his father Abu al-Aswad: A man asked the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), a question. He hurried into his house, then came out and said: Where is the questioner? The man said: Here I am, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: What is your question? He said: Such-and-such — and he answered his question. It was said: O Commander of the Faithful, we have always known you, when asked a question, to be like a heated ingot in answering [instantly]. Why then were you slow today in answering this man, entering the chamber and then coming out and answering him? He said: I was holding back my urine. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 514)
The narrator says: A man put a question to the Commander of the Faithful (AS). The Imam hurried into the house and then came out and said: Who was it that had a question? The man said: O Commander of the Faithful! It was I. The Imam said: What is your question? He said: Such-and-such. Then the Imam answered him. The companions said: O Commander of the Faithful! We had seen before that whenever you were asked about something, you were like a red-hot ingot in answering [you would answer at once]. But what happened today that you were slow in answering this man, so that you went into the house and then came back and answered him? The Imam said: I needed to urinate!
(We say: I have related this hadith deliberately, so that the limitations and human aspects of the Imam may also be touched upon.)
From Nawf ibn Abdullah al-Bikali, who said: Ali (AS) said to me: O Nawf, we were created from a goodly clay, and our Shia were created from our clay; so when the Day of Resurrection comes, they will be joined to us. Then he said: O Nawf, my Shia, by God, are the forbearing, the knowers of God and of His religion, those who act in obedience to Him and at His command; godliness is recognized in their faces, and asceticism in their bearing. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 576)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: We were created from a pure clay, and our Shia too were created from that same clay, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be joined to us. Then he said: My Shia are forbearing in the utmost degree; they are knowers of God and of God's religion; they act in obedience to God and to God's command; in their faces godliness, and in their conduct asceticism, is manifest.
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God bestows no blessing upon a servant for which he gives thanks in his heart, but that he deserves its increase before he ever expresses its thanks upon his tongue. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 579)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: When God grants a servant a blessing and he gives thanks for it in his heart, he becomes deserving of an increase in the blessing even before the thanks flows upon his tongue.
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Whoever rises in the morning with the hereafter as his chief concern becomes rich without wealth, finds intimacy without kin, and is honored without a clan. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 580)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Whoever lives in such a way that the hereafter is his chief concern becomes needless without wealth, is intimate with God without companions, and is honored without a tribe.
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The believer does not wrong the one he hates, and does not sin for the sake of the one he loves; and if he is wronged, he bears it patiently until God (Almighty and Exalted) is Himself the One who grants him victory. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 580)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: If a believer becomes angry with someone, he does not go to excess; and if he loves someone, he does not commit sin for his sake. If people wrong him, he is patient until God Himself comes to his aid.
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) heard a man say: O God, I seek refuge in You from trial (fitna). He said: I see you seeking refuge from your wealth and your children! God (Exalted) says: "Your wealth and your children are only a trial" [Qur'an 64:15]. Rather say: O God, I seek refuge in You from the misguiding trials. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 580)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) heard someone say: O God, refuge in You from trial (the test)! He said: Are you taking refuge in God from your wealth and children?! God has made wealth and children a trial (a means of testing). Pray in this way and say: O God, I take refuge in You from the tests that lead one astray.
Al-Fadl ibn al-Rabi', from his father al-Rabi', from Abu Abdillah Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father Abu Ja'far, from Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to a man of his Shia: Strive that no hypocrite should hold a favor over you, for the One who recompenses on your behalf — and on theirs — is God with His Paradise, and the Chosen One, Muhammad (PBUH), with his intercession. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 587)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to one of his Shia: Strive not to be under obligation to anyone who has no sound religion! For you have God, who has made Paradise binding for you, and you have the Messenger of God (PBUH), who intercedes for you.
From Jabir ibn Yazid, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali (AS), who said: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was on his deathbed, he gathered his sons — Hasan, Husayn, Ibn al-Hanafiyya, and the younger ones of his children — and counseled them. At the end of his counsel he said: O my sons, live among people in such a way that if you are absent they long for you, and if you are lost they weep over you. When you love a man without any prior good having come from him to you, place your hope in him; and when you dislike a man without any prior evil having come from him to you, be wary of him. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 595)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said on his deathbed: My children! Conduct yourselves with people in such a way that their hearts yearn for you, and that when you die, they weep over you. Then he said: Whenever you love someone without his having done you any prior good, set your hope on him; and if you dislike someone without his having done you any prior wrong, keep away from him!
Al-Husayn ibn 'Ulwan al-Katib related to us, saying: I heard Ja'far ibn Muhammad (AS) relate from his forefathers (AS), from Ali (God's blessings upon him), tracing it back [to the Prophet], who said: A cheerful countenance toward people is half of reason. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 614)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Good nature toward people is half of reason.
From Abdullah ibn Ja'far, who said: Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) taught me the Words of Relief (kalimat al-faraj) and informed me that the Messenger of God (PBUH) had taught them to him and commanded him, whenever grief or hardship befell him, to say: "There is no god but God, the Forbearing, the Generous; there is no god but God, the Most High, the Tremendous; glory be to God, and blessed is God, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the seven earths and Lord of the mighty Throne; and praise be to God, Lord of the worlds." (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 622)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: This formula is the Words of Relief which the Messenger of God (PBUH) taught me, to say in times of hardship and distress: There is no god but God, the Forbearing, the Generous; there is no god but God, the Most High, the Tremendous; glory be to God, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the seven earths and Lord of the mighty Throne; and praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said: Al-Harith al-Hamdani came in to the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), among a group of the Shia, and I was among them. He — that is, al-Harith — swayed as he walked, striking the ground with his hooked staff, for he was ill. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) turned to him — he held a station with him — and said: How do you find yourself, O Harith? He said: Time has taken its toll on me, O Commander of the Faithful, and the quarreling of your companions at your door has added to my burning and inner anguish. He said: And what is their quarrel about? He said: About your station. Ali (AS) said: O Harith, I have been given the Book and the decisive speech, and the knowledge of the ages and of the causes; and a thousand keys were entrusted to me, each key opening a thousand doors, each door leading to a thousand thousand covenants; and I was aided — or he said: supported — by the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr) as a special gift. And that will run for me and for those of my offspring who are entrusted with its keeping, as long as night and day endure, until God inherits the earth and all who are upon it. I give you good tidings, O Harith: by Him who split the seed and created the soul, my friend and my enemy shall surely know me in various stations: they shall know me at death, at the Bridge (Sirat), and at the Apportioning. I said: And what is the Apportioning, my master? He said: The apportioning of the Fire. I shall apportion it exactly, saying: This one is my friend, and this one is my enemy. Take this from me, O Harith, as a short word from a long one: you are with the one you love, and yours is what you hope for — he said it three times. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 625)
The narrator says: Together with a group of the Shia of the Commander of the Faithful (AS), we came into his presence. Among us was al-Harith al-Hamdani, who held a station with Ali (AS). The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Harith, what has happened, that I see you distressed? Harith said: Time has done this to me! And now I am also worn out by the disputes of your companions with one another. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: What is their dispute about? Harith said: About your station; some have taken the path of excess and some the path of neglect. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God has given me certain things! Among them is knowledge of the Book of God. Among them is the decisive speech. Among them is the knowledge of the ages and of the causes. Among them are a thousand keys that are in my keeping, each of which opens a thousand doors. Among them is that I have been aided by the Night of Power, and this excellence will remain, until the rising of the Resurrection, in whichever of my descendants is worthy of the Imamate. And good tidings to you, O Harith, for my friend and my enemy shall see me in several places: at the moment of death, on the Sirat (the Bridge), and at the time of the Apportioning (muqasama). They asked: What is the Apportioning? He said: The apportioning over the Fire: I shall say to the Fire, this one is my enemy — seize him! And this one is my friend — release him! Then he said: Harith, I shall put it briefly: you are forever with the one you love, and you shall attain that which you hope for: "You are with the one you love, and yours is what you hope for." Then he repeated this sentence three times.
Then he recited:
O Harith of Hamdan, whoever dies shall see me face to face, be he believer or hypocrite. His eye shall know me, and I shall know him by his attributes, his name, and what he has done. And you, at the Sirat, shall know me — so fear no stumble and no slip. I shall give you to drink of cool water upon your thirst, so sweet you would take it for honey. I shall say to the Fire, when he is brought before it for the presentation: Leave him — do not take this man! Leave him, do not come near him, for his rope is joined to the rope of the Legatee (the Wasi)!
From al-Husayn ibn Ali, from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: Whenever he saw the new crescent moon, he would say: O God, grant us its good, its help, its blessing, and its opening; and we take refuge in You from its evil and from the evil of what comes after it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 647)
Imam Husayn (AS) relates from the Commander of the Faithful (AS): When you see the new moon, say: O God! Grant me as provision its benefit, its help, its blessing, and its opening; and I take refuge in You from its harm and from the harm of what comes after it.
From Shurayh the judge, who said: One day the Commander of the Faithful (AS), while exhorting his companions, said to them: Watch for the appointed times of death, and go to meet them with the beauties of good deeds. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 652)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: With a provision of beautiful deeds, be ever watchful for your appointed hour of death!
From Hisham, from Abu Abdillah (AS), who said: A group came to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: "Peace be upon you, O our Lord!" He called on them to repent, but they did not repent. So he dug a pit for them and kindled a fire in it, and dug another pit beside it and connected the two. When they still did not repent, he cast them into the pit and kindled the fire in the other pit until they died. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 662)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: A group came to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: Peace be upon you, O our Lord! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Repent of this saying! They did not repent. So he dug a large pit and kindled a fire in it, then dug another pit beside it and connected the two pits to each other. When they did not repent, he cast them into the second pit, until they suffocated and died.
From Ahmad ibn Rizq, from Yahya ibn al-Ala al-Razi, who said: I heard Abu Ja'far (AS) say: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) set out for Nahrawan, they entered the edge of the land of Babylon as the time of the afternoon prayer came in, and they had not crossed it before the sun set. So the people dismounted right and left to pray — all except al-Ashtar alone, who said: I shall not pray until I see the Commander of the Faithful dismount and pray. He said: When he dismounted, he said: O Malik, this is salt-marsh land, and prayer upon it is not permitted; whoever has prayed must repeat his prayer. Then he faced the qibla and spoke three words that were neither Arabic nor Persian — and behold, the sun appeared, white and clear, until, when he had led us in prayer and it sank away, we heard from it a rasping sound like the rasping of a saw. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 671)
The narrator says: When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) set out toward Nahrawan, the army reached the edge of the land of Babylon at the time of the afternoon prayer, and before they could pass through that land the sun was setting. So the people dismounted to the right and to the left and prayed — all except Malik al-Ashtar, who said: I will not pray until I see that the Commander of the Faithful (AS) has come and is praying. When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) dismounted, he said: O Malik! This land is a salty marsh, and prayer upon it is not permissible; whoever has prayed must make it up. Then he faced the qibla and uttered three words that were neither Arabic nor Persian; suddenly the sun appeared, shining and clear, and we prayed with him leading. As the sun was passing away, we heard from it a rasping sound like the rasping of a saw.
(We say: the story of radd al-shams — the returning of the sun — indicates the wali's power of disposal over time. In some Islamic narrative sources it is related that the event of radd al-shams also occurred before Islam, in the time of three prophets of the Children of Israel, namely Joshua, David, and Solomon. Probably the verse "Return them to me! Then he set about stroking their legs and necks" [Qur'an 38:33] likewise refers to radd al-shams for Solomon. In the Bible, too, it is recorded that in one of the wars of the Children of Israel, Joshua commanded the sun not to set and to stand still in the sky so that the Children of Israel could take vengeance on their enemies (Book of Joshua, chapter 10, verse 12).
In the history of Islam, radd al-shams occurred once in Medina for the Messenger of God (PBUH), through his supplication, and the Mosque of Radd al-Shams in Medina is a memorial of that event. In the year 1378 of the solar hijri calendar, I myself prayed in that abandoned mosque, which was also known as the Fadikh Mosque. But on later journeys I saw that the said mosque had been torn out by the roots and no trace of it remains. The event of radd al-shams in Medina is related by most Shia books. Among the Sunnis, al-Haskani, Abu Abdillah al-Basri, al-Suyuti, al-Mas'udi, and Ibn Sa'd have reported this event. According to some Shia sources, during the caliphate of Imam Ali (AS) the event of radd al-shams also occurred once through his supplication. According to this account, when Ali (AS) and his companions intended to move toward Babylon by the route of the Euphrates, he prayed the afternoon prayer with some of his companions; but a number of the soldiers, who were busy taking their horses across the Euphrates, could not perform the prayer within its time. So he asked God to bring the sun back so that they could offer their prayer. Some Sunni religious scholars, such as al-Tahawi, Qadi Iyad, and Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, have accepted the account of radd al-shams in the era of Imam Ali's (AS) caliphate; others, however, have doubted it. Ibn Taymiyya and Ibn al-Jawzi deny it and consider it fabricated.
In the north of the city of Hilla in Iraq there is a well-known shrine called Mashhad al-Shams, or Mashhad Radd al-Shams. According to Shia belief, this shrine was built on the spot where radd al-shams occurred in the time of Ali (AS). It is sometimes also referred to as the Mosque and Station of Imam Ali (AS) or the Mosque of Radd al-Shams.
In our view, radd al-shams is a disposal over time for the inhabitants of a particular place, and there is no need for it to be witnessed by the people of other horizons as well. In reality, radd al-shams is the creation of time for a particular land, or a disposal over the perception of the people of that land.)
From Asim ibn Abd al-Wahid al-Mada'ini, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (AS) say: Mecca is the sanctuary of Abraham (AS), Medina is the sanctuary of Muhammad (PBUH), and Kufa is the sanctuary of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). Indeed, Ali (AS) declared sacred of Kufa what Abraham declared sacred of Mecca and what Muhammad (PBUH) declared sacred of Medina. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 672)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: Mecca is the sanctuary of Abraham (AS), Medina is the sanctuary of Muhammad (PBUH), and Kufa is the sanctuary of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). Just as Abraham (AS) made Mecca a sanctuary and Muhammad (PBUH) made Medina a sanctuary, so too Ali (AS) made Kufa a sanctuary.
(We say: the sanctuary is, in essence, Najaf, which is the present resting place and shrine of the Commander of the Faithful (AS); and this sanctuary also encompasses the region of Kufa and its blessed mosques.)
From Ruzayq, who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (AS) say: It was reported to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in Kufa that a group of the mosque's neighbors were not attending the congregational prayer in the mosque. He (AS) said: They shall either attend our congregational prayer with us, or they shall move away from us; they shall not be our neighbors, nor shall we be theirs. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 672)
A report reached the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in Kufa that some of the mosque's neighbors were not attending the congregational prayer. So he said: They must either join us in the congregational prayer or leave this place and not live in our neighborhood; nor will we go near them.
Zayd ibn Ali, from his father (AS), said: Ali (AS) said: Let not your love be infatuation, nor your hatred destruction. Love your beloved with moderation, and hate the one you hate with moderation. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 703)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Let not your love be infatuation, nor your enmity madness. Love your beloved in due measure, and bear your grudge against your enemy in due measure.
Al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, from Fatima bint Asad ibn Hashim, the mother of the Commander of the Faithful (AS), who said: My child was in my hands when an unseen voice called out to me and said: O Fatima, name him Ali, for I am the Most High (al-Ali al-A'la). Indeed I created him from My power, from the might of My majesty, and from the equity of My justice; I derived his name from My own name, I trained him with My own discipline, and I have entrusted My affair to him. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 706)
Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, relates from Fatima bint Asad, the mother of the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Ali had just been born when I heard the voice of an unseen caller saying: Name him Ali! I am the Most High (al-Ali al-A'la). I created him from My power, from the might of My majesty, and from the equity of My justice, and I derived his name from My own name; and I shall raise him until I entrust to him the affair of My wilaya.
Ali (AS) said: May God have mercy on a servant who sees a truth and aids it, or sees an injustice and repels it, and who is a helper of the truth against whoever opposes it. (al-Amali of al-Tusi, vol. 1, p. 727)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God's mercy be upon the servant who, when he sees a right, helps it, and when he sees a wrong, does not accept it — one who is ever a helper of the truth and stands against those who devour what is rightfully others'.