Al-Sayyid al-Radi, in al-Manaqib al-Fakhira fi al-Itra al-Tahira: from Abd Allah ibn Umar, who relates it from Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), who said: Rain fell in Medina, and the Messenger of God (PBUH) said to me: Rise, O Abu al-Hasan, that we may look upon the traces of the mercy of God the Exalted. I said: O Messenger of God, shall I not prepare some food to take with us? He said: The One whose guests we are is more generous. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 340)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) relates that on a rainy day in Medina the Messenger of God (PBUH) came to me and said: Rise, that we may go out and behold the traces of God's mercy! I said: Shall I take some food or something with us? He said: No; we are the guests of God, and God is generous and will Himself host us.
Al-Sayyid al-Radi, in al-Manaqib al-Fakhira, said: Anas ibn Malik related, saying: The Prophet (PBUH) mounted his mule and went out to the outskirts of Medina, and I went out with him. He alighted at a hill there and said to me: O Anas, take the mule and make for such-and-such a place; you will find Ali sitting there glorifying God with pebbles - bring him to me. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 347)
The narrator says: The Messenger of God (PBUH) mounted his steed and went out of Medina, and I was with him. Outside the city he halted beside a hill and said to me: Mount my steed and go to such-and-such a place! You will see that Ali is sitting there glorifying God with the pebbles on the ground; come to me together with him.
(We say: The remarkable point in this report is the phrase 'yusabbihu bi al-hasa' - that is, instead of a prayer-bead string the Commander of the Faithful (AS) had picked up pebbles from the ground and was using them to glorify God. In some reports it is stated that he also used the pebbles for seeking guidance through istikhara.)
Al-Husayn ibn Hamdan al-Khasibi in his Hidaya: with his chain of transmission from Muhammad ibn Sinan al-Zahiri, who said: We performed the pilgrimage, and when we came to Medina, where our master al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad (peace be upon them) was, we came in to him. We found before him a platter containing dates of Medina, from which he was eating and giving to eat to those present. He said to me: Take, O Muhammad ibn Sinan, these Sayhani dates; eat of them and seek blessing through them, for they heal our Shi'a of every ailment if they know them. I said: My master, if they know them by what? He said: If they knew them, they would not be called Sayhani. I said: No, by God, my master, our master, we have not learned this matter except from you. He said: Know, O Ibn Sinan, that it is among the signs of my grandfather the Commander of the Faithful (may God's blessings be upon him) and of the Messenger of God (PBUH). I said: O son of the Messenger of God, favour us with knowledge of it, may God favour you. He said: My grandfather the Messenger of God (PBUH) went out holding the hand of the Commander of the Faithful (AS), heading for some orchards on the outskirts of Medina. Everyone who met him asked leave to accompany him, but the Messenger of God did not permit them, until he reached the first orchard. Then the first palm tree of it called out to the one next to it: O sister, this is Muhammad the Messenger of God and his legatee, they are coming! And the palm trees of the orchards called this out to one another. So the Messenger of God (PBUH) said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): May my father and mother be your ransom; this is God's honouring of us. Let us sit at the first palm tree we come to. When we reached it, we sat down, and it was a season in which the palms bore no fruit. The Prophet (PBUH) said: O Abu al-Hasan, command this palm tree to bend toward you - and the palm was tall and lofty. So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) called to it and said: O palm tree, this is the Messenger of God (PBUH), who tells you to bend your crown to the ground. And it bent, laden with fresh, ripe dates. He said to him: Gather, O Abu al-Hasan, and eat, and feed me. So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) gathered of its fresh dates and they both ate of them. Then the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: O Abu al-Hasan, these dates and these palms ought to be named Sayhani because of their calling out and their likening of me and you to the prophets and messengers. And here is my brother Gabriel, who says that God, Mighty and Majestic, has made it a healing for our Shi'a in particular. So command them, O Abu al-Hasan, to recognize it, to seek healing through it, and to seek blessing in eating it. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 401)
The narrator says: We went on pilgrimage, and when we reached Medina we went to Imam al-Sadiq (AS). We saw before him a tray full of Medinan dates from which he was eating and which he was also offering to his guests. He said to me: O Muhammad ibn Sinan, these are Sayhani dates; eat of them and seek blessing through them! These dates heal our Shi'a of illness, if they know them. I said: Know them by what? He said: One day the Messenger of God (PBUH), together with Ali (AS), went out toward some orchards in the environs of Medina. On the way certain people asked leave to accompany him, but the Messenger of God (PBUH) permitted no one, wishing to be alone with Ali (AS). They came to an orchard. The first palm tree of that orchard called out to the next tree: O sister, Muhammad the Messenger of God and his legatee are coming. Then all the trees of the orchard passed this call along one to another. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Let us sit beside this very tree. So they sat down. At that time it was not the season for dates. Yet the Prophet (PBUH) said: O Abu al-Hasan, tell this tree to bend toward you. So Ali (AS) said so, and that tall, towering tree bent down, laden with fresh, ripe dates. Then both of them ate from it. Then the Messenger of God (PBUH) said: These dates and this palm must be named Sayhani, because it cried out on our account and recognized us. Then he said: Gabriel says that God has made these dates a healing for our Shi'a. So tell the Shi'a to know them and to seek blessing by eating them.
(We say: These dates have been held in honour by the Shi'a of Medina since the earliest days of Islam and were cultivated by them. Because of the reverence the Shi'a had for these dates, they came to be popularly known as Safavid dates, since in recent centuries the Shi'a have been called Safavids by way of derision. These dates are entirely black in colour, soft, semi-dry, and larger and more elongated than the Ajwa date, which is the famous date of Medina. Such is the favour and the indication of the Commander of the Faithful (AS).)
Al-Bursi said: And on that day, when he cleft Marhab into two halves and cast him down prostrate, Gabriel came from heaven in astonishment. The Prophet (PBUH) said to him: At what are you astonished? He said: The angels are calling out in the cells and assemblies of the heavens: There is no youth but Ali, there is no sword but Dhu al-Fiqar. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 426)
On the day of the battle of Khaybar, when Ali (AS) tore off the gate of Khaybar and conquered its fortresses, Gabriel descended upon the Messenger of God (PBUH) and said: The angels in the cloisters and mosques of heaven are astonished at what Ali has done, and their voices are raised with: There is no youth but Ali, there is no sword but Dhu al-Fiqar.
(We say: The transmitter of this report, and of certain other reports that we shall cite hereafter from Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, is Hafiz Rajab al-Bursi. Madinat al-Ma'ajiz relates a great deal from al-Bursi. Al-Bursi was a Shi'i traditionist, gnostic and Sufi of the eighth century (Hijri). His well-known book is Mashariq Anwar al-Yaqin fi Haqa'iq Asrar Amir al-Mu'minin. Some have accused him of exaggeration, and some have deemed his views anomalous. Shaykh Hurr al-Amili, on account of the charge of exaggeration, does not attest to his reliability. Al-Majlisi speaks of material in his book that 'gives the impression of confusion, conflation and extremism', and considers the reports that he alone has recorded to be unreliable. In al-Bursi's works, and especially in the Mashariq, reports are found that occur in no other Shi'i hadith text, such as the Sermon of Glorying and the Sermon of the Gulfs (Tutunjiyya). Al-Bursi had access to noteworthy early Shi'i sources, such as al-Wahida of Ibn Jumhur, which did not come into the hands of others. Al-Bursi was accused and criticized even in his own time, and he himself states this explicitly in his books. Burs is a village in Kadkan in Khurasan, and the abundant use of Persian expressions in his works shows that he was Iranian. Al-Bursi had a complete mastery of theoretical gnosis and was influenced by Sayyid Haydar Amuli, Fadl Allah Hurufi, al-Hallaj, and Ibn Arabi. Ma'sum Ali Shah places his grave in Mashhad, beside the grave of al-Tabrisi; in Zavareh of Ardestan too a grave is attributed to him. Al-Bursi also composed poetry, in which he uses the pen name Hafiz; he likewise has books on the occult sciences and the science of the secrets of letters. Al-Bursi has many supporters among the Shaykhis and is regarded in a sense as their spiritual father. At the beginning of the Arabic text of the reports we have cited from him in this book, his name is expressly stated.)
Al-Bursi said: The author of Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (AS) related, saying: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was passing along a road when a man of Khaybar accompanied him. They came upon a valley through which a torrent was flowing. The Khaybari mounted upon his cloak and crossed over the water, then called out to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): O you, if you knew what I know, you would cross as I have crossed. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: Stay where you are. Then he gestured with his hand toward the water and it froze, and he passed over it. When the Khaybari saw this, he threw himself at his feet and said to him: O youth, what did you say, that you turned the water into stone? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: And what did you say, that you crossed over the water? The Khaybari said: I called upon God by His Greatest Name. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: And what is it? He said: I asked Him by the name of the legatee of Muhammad. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I am the legatee of Muhammad. The Khaybari said: This is indeed the truth. And then he embraced Islam. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 430)
The narrator says: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was passing along a road when a Jew accompanied him. The two came to a valley in which a torrent was flowing. The Jew spread his cloak upon the water, mounted upon it, and crossed the water. Then he said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): O man, if you too knew what I know, you would cross the water as I have! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: Wait! Then he gestured with his hand toward the water, and in an instant the water froze, and he passed over it. The Jew, seeing this scene, threw himself at the feet of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: O youth, what did you say that you turned the water into stone?! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: And what did you say that you were able to cross over the water? The Jew answered: I called upon God by His Greatest Name. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: And what is it? The Jew said: I asked God by the right of the legatee of Muhammad (PBUH). The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I am the legatee of Muhammad. The Jew said: Truly?! And then he embraced Islam.
Al-Bursi, from Ammar ibn Yasir, who said: I came to my master one day, and he saw gloom upon my face. He said: What is the matter with you? I said: A debt whose creditor has come demanding it. So he pointed to a stone lying there and said: Take this and settle your debt with it. Ammar said: But it is a stone. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: Call upon God by me, and it will be turned to gold for you. Ammar said: So I called upon Him by his name, and the stone became gold. He said to me: Take from it what you need. I said: But how is it to be made soft? He said: O you of weak certainty, call upon God by me and it will become soft, for it was by my name that God made iron soft for David. Ammar said: So I called upon God by his name, and it became soft, and I took from it what I needed. Then he said: Call upon God by my name so that the rest of it may become stone again, as it was. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 431)
Ammar ibn Yasir said: One day I went to the Commander of the Faithful (AS). He saw the mark of sorrow on my face and said: What has happened? I said: I am in debt, and my creditor is demanding what he is owed. So he pointed to a stone that had fallen on the ground and said: Pick this up and pay your debt! I said: But this is a stone! He said: Call upon God by my name, and it will become gold for you. Ammar said: I called upon God by his name, and that stone became gold. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Take from it as much as you need. I said: How can it be made soft? He said: O you of weak faith! Call upon God by my name, and it will become soft, for God made iron soft for David by my name. Ammar said: I did so, and the stone of gold became soft, and I separated from it as much as I needed. Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Now call upon God by my name, so that what remains of it may turn back into stone, just as it was.
(We say: the expression used in the report is 'ud'u Allaha bi' — that is, say: O God, I adjure You by Ali; or O God, by the right of Ali; or O God, by Ali.)
Al-Bursi said: Among his virtues, with which God Most High singled him out to the exclusion of all others, is what one whom I trust related to me from Ammar ibn Yasir — may God Most High be pleased with him — who said: I came to Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) and said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, for three full days I have been fasting and going hungry, and I have had no food today, which is the fourth. He (AS) said to me: Follow me, O Ammar. So my master went out to the open country (and I was behind him), until he halted at a spot and dug, and there appeared a jar filled with dirhams. He took two dirhams from those dirhams, handed me one of them and took the other himself. Ammar ibn Yasir said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, if you took enough to make you free of need and to give alms from it, there would be no harm in that. He said: O Ammar, this is the measure of our need for this day. Then he covered it over and filled in the ground and they departed from it. Then Ammar parted from him and was absent a good while, and afterwards returned to the Commander of the Faithful (AS), who said: O Ammar, it is as though I see you having gone to the treasure to seek it! He said: O Commander of the Faithful, by God, I made for the place to take something from the treasure, but I found no trace of it. He said: O Ammar, when God Most High knew that we have no desire for this world, He disclosed it to us; and when God, Mighty and Majestic, knew that you have a desire for it, He put it far away from you. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 1, p. 511)
Ammar ibn Yasir relates: I went to Ali (AS) and said: O Commander of the Faithful, for four days I have been fasting and have had nothing with which to break my fast. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Follow me! Together we went out to the open country. He stopped at a certain place and dug up the ground, and a vessel full of dirhams appeared. From those dirhams he took two: one he gave to me and the other he kept for himself. I said: Would that you had taken more, so that we might be free of need and might also give alms from it. There would have been no harm in that! He said: We take only the measure of today's need. Then he buried the treasure again, levelled the place, and we returned from there. Ammar said: A few days later, when I went to visit the Commander of the Faithful (AS), he said: Ammar! It seems you went after that treasure and searched for it! I said: Yes, but I found no trace of it. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: O Ammar, when God Most High knew that we have no inclination toward this world, He gave us such knowledge and disclosed such treasures to us. But you, because of your inclination toward this world, are veiled from such things.
Al-Bursi: It happened concerning the army that it was broken and the people fled from the Messenger of God (PBUH). Then Gabriel descended and said: O Prophet of God, God sends you greetings of peace and gives you glad tidings of victory, and informs you: if you wish, I will send down the angels to fight; and if you wish, then Ali — summon him and he will come to you. So the Prophet (PBUH) chose Ali. Gabriel said: Turn your face toward Medina and call out: O Abu al-Ghayth, come to my aid; O Ali, come to my aid; come to my aid, O Ali! Salman al-Farisi said: I was among those who had remained behind with Ali (AS). One day he went out intending the orchard, and I went along with him. He climbed the palm tree to bring down the fronds; he was throwing them down and I was gathering them, when I heard him say: At your service, at your service! Here I have come to you! And he came down with grief plain upon him and his tears flowing. I said: What is the matter with you, O Abu al-Hasan? He said: O Salman, the army of the Messenger of God (PBUH) has been broken, and he is calling me and seeking my aid. Then he went and entered the house of Fatima (AS), told her, and came out. He said: O Salman, set your foot in the place of my foot and depart from it in nothing. Salman said: So I followed him step for step, sandal in the print of sandal, seventeen paces; then I beheld the two armies and the hosts and the troops. The Imam gave a cry at which the two armies blazed, and they scattered; and Gabriel descended to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and greeted him, and he returned the greeting and rejoiced at it. Then the Imam turned upon the brave warriors, and the host was routed and they turned their backs; and God turned back those who disbelieved in their rage, having gained no good, and God spared the believers the fighting — through Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, and his might, his resolve and his eminence. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 9)
In one of the battles the army of Islam was defeated and the people scattered from around the Messenger of God (PBUH). Then Gabriel descended and said: God sends you greetings of peace and gives you glad tidings of victory. Only, choose between two things: if you wish, God will send down the angels to fight; and if you wish, summon Ali to come to your aid. So the Prophet (PBUH) chose Ali (AS). Gabriel said: Then turn your face toward Medina and call out: Ya Aba al-Ghayth adrikni, ya Ali adrikni, adrikni ya Ali! (O Father of Succour, come to my aid; O Ali, come to my aid; come to my aid, O Ali!) Salman al-Farisi relates: I was among those who had remained with Ali (AS) in Medina. One day he left the house to go toward an orchard, and I went with him. He climbed a palm tree and was shaking down the clusters of dates while I gathered them. Just then I heard him say: At your service, at your service! Here I have come to you! Then he came down from the tree with the marks of grief plain upon his face and tears flowing from his eyes. I said: O Abu al-Hasan, what has happened? He said: The army of the Messenger of God (PBUH) has been defeated, and he is calling me and seeking my aid. Then he went to the house of Fatima (AS), informed her of the matter, and came out. He said to me: O Salman, set your foot exactly in the place of my foot and do not stray from the path. Salman said: Step by step, exactly in his footprints, I took seventeen paces. Then suddenly I saw before me the two armies, the hosts and the troops. The Imam (AS) gave a great cry and charged upon the brave warriors of the enemy...
(We say: leaving aside whether or not such an event took place, the cry for help used in this report is remarkable, and for that reason we have cited the report: Ya Aba al-Ghayth adrikni, ya Ali adrikni, adrikni ya Ali — O Father of Succour, come to my aid; O Ali, come to my aid; come to my aid, O Ali.)
Al-Bursi said: I have related the account of Salman, that when a lion came out upon him he said: O Horseman of the Hijaz, come to my aid! Then a horseman appeared to him and delivered him from it, and said to the lion: From now on you are his mount. So it went back to carrying firewood for him to the gate of the city, in compliance with the command of Ali (AS). (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 11)
Salman al-Farisi said: Once a lion attacked me. I cried out: Ya Faris al-Hijaz adrikni! (O Horseman of the Hijaz, come to my aid!) Suddenly a horseman appeared and delivered me from the lion's claws. Then he said to the lion: From this moment on, you are his mount. So the lion, in obedience to the command of Ali (AS), used to carry firewood for me and bring it as far as the gate of Medina.
Al-Bursi and others: In the hadith of the death of Salman — may God have mercy upon him — which is among the well-known reports, from al-Asbagh ibn Nubata — and the report is long — and at its end: Al-Asbagh ibn Nubata said: While we were in that state, a man came upon a grey mule with his face veiled. He greeted us and we returned his greeting. He said: O Asbagh, be quick in the affair of Salman. So we set about his affair. He had brought with him embalming camphor and a shroud, and said: Come, for with me is what will serve in its place. We brought him water and the means of washing, and he did not cease to wash him with his own hand until he had finished; he shrouded him and we prayed over him, and we buried him, and he (Ali, AS) laid him in the grave-niche with his own hand. When he had finished the burial and was about to depart, I clung to his garment and said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, how did you come? And who informed you of Salman's death? He turned to me (AS) and said: I take from you, O Asbagh, the covenant of God and His pledge that you will relate this to no one so long as you remain alive in this world. I said: O Commander of the Faithful, shall I die before you? He said: No, O Asbagh; rather your life will be long. I said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, take from me a covenant and a pledge, for I hear and obey you: I shall relate it to no one until God Most High decrees concerning your affair what He decrees, and He has power over all things. He said to me: O Asbagh, of this the Messenger of God (PBUH) made a covenant with me. I prayed this past hour in Medina and went out intending my house; and when I reached my house I lay down, and one came to me in my sleep and said: O Ali, Salman has fulfilled his term. So I mounted my mule and took with me what is fitting for the dead and set out, and God Most High brought the far near for me, and I came as you see me; and of this the Messenger of God (PBUH) informed me. (Then he buried him and covered him over, and I did not see whether he ascended to heaven or descended into the earth. Then he came to Medina) while the caller was calling to the sunset prayer, and Ali (AS) was present among them. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 12)
Al-Asbagh ibn Nubata said: After the passing of Salman, while we were occupied with the preparations for his shrouding and burial in Mada'in, suddenly a man appeared, mounted on a white mule, with his face covered. He greeted us and we returned his greeting. Then he said: O Asbagh, be quick in the affair of Salman. So we set about the washing and shrouding. That man also had with him embalming camphor and a shroud, and he said: Come! What is needed is with me. So we prepared water and the means of washing for him. With his own hands he washed Salman, then shrouded him, and we prayed over him. Then he buried him and with his own hands laid him in the grave. When the burial was finished and he intended to return, I seized his garment and said: O Commander of the Faithful, how did you come here, and who informed you of Salman's passing? Ali (AS) looked at me and said: O Asbagh, I take a covenant and pledge from you that you will relate this event to no one so long as you are in this world. I said: O Commander of the Faithful, shall I depart this world before you? He said: No, O Asbagh! Your life will be long. I said: Then, O Commander of the Faithful, take a covenant and pledge from me that I shall tell no one of this event so long as you are alive. So he said: O Asbagh, the Messenger of God (PBUH) had informed me of this matter. An hour ago I prayed in Medina and set off toward my house. When I reached the house, I lay down for a little. In my sleep someone came to me and said: Salman has passed away! So I mounted my mule, took the things needed for preparing the dead, and set out. God brought the far distances near for me, and, as you see, I came here. Indeed, my praying over Salman had already been foretold to me by the Messenger of God (PBUH). Al-Asbagh said: Then the Commander of the Faithful (AS) laid Salman in the earth and covered over the grave. I did not see whether he ascended to heaven or sank into the earth; but it has been said that when he reached Medina it was the call to the sunset prayer, and Ali (AS) was present among the people.
Thaqib al-Manaqib: from Rabi'a, in a long hadith, he said: I had not finished the supplication when suddenly there was a riding-crop between my shoulders. I turned, and there was the Commander of the Faithful (AS) upon the mule [of the Messenger of God (PBUH)], with the short spear of the Messenger of God (PBUH) in his hand, and his face was like the orb of the moon when it is full. He said to me: O Rabi'a, how greatly you grieve! People are only either travellers or those who stay. The traveller is he whom this meeting brings to the Garden of Refuge, to the Lote-tree of the Farthest Boundary, and to a Garden whose breadth is as the breadth of the heaven and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing. And he who stays is between two things: either a blessing that dwindles, or a trial that leads astray. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 35)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: People are either wayfarers or settlers. As for the wayfarer, the meeting with death gladdens him, for he is bound for the Garden of Refuge, the Lote-tree of the Farthest Boundary, and a Garden whose expanse is greater than the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing. As for the settler, he is constantly afflicted by two things: a blessing that is dwindling, and a trial that may lead him astray.
Al-Bursi said: Al-Qadi ibn Shadhan related from Aban ibn Taghlib, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was upon the pulpit of Kufa delivering a sermon with the people around him, when a serpent came hissing at the people, and they were shrinking away from it. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Make way for it. So it came forward until it climbed the pulpit while the people looked on. Then it kissed the feet of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and began to rub itself upon them, and hissed three times. Then it descended and slithered away, and the Commander of the Faithful did not interrupt the sermon. They asked him about that, and he said: This is a man of the jinn who mentioned that his child was killed by a man of the Ansar named Jabir ibn Sami', at Khaffan, without the child having done him any harm; and I asked him to forgive the blood of his child. Then a tall man among the people stood up and said: I am the man who killed the snake in the place indicated, and since I killed it I have not been able to settle anywhere because of the shouting and screaming; so I fled to the congregational mosque, and I have been here for seven days. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: Take your camel and sacrifice it in the place where you killed the snake, then go your way; no harm will come to you. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 40)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was delivering a sermon upon the pulpit of Kufa when a snake appeared. The snake moved among the people, and out of fear they drew away from it. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Make way for it. So the snake came forward and, before everyone's eyes, climbed the pulpit. Then it kissed the foot of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and rolled upon it, made a sound three times, then came down and vanished. The people asked: What was that? He said: This snake was one of the jinn, and he was saying that his child had been killed without cause by a man of the Ansar named Jabir ibn Sumay', in the territory of the tribe of Khaffan. And I have forgiven the blood of his child. At that moment a tall man rose from among the people and said: I am the very one who killed the snake there, and from that time until now I have had no rest from wailing and cries! I can settle nowhere, and for these seven days I have taken refuge in the mosque. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: Take your camel, sacrifice it in the very place where you killed the snake, then go, and no harm will come to you.
(We say: the point of this hadith is the offering of a sacrifice as a ransom and expiation, and as a means of remaining safe from the harm of the jinn. Another point is that killing animals, even snakes, without a valid reason is not permissible and brings ill consequences.)
Al-Bursi: that he (AS) said to Rumayla, who had fallen ill and been afflicted, and who was among the elite of his Shi'a: You were feverish, O Rumayla; then you felt some relief and came to the prayer? He said: Yes, my master — and how did you know? He said: O Rumayla, no believing man or woman falls ill but that we are pained by his illness; none grieves but that we grieve at his grief; none supplicates but that we say amen to his supplication; and none is silent but that we supplicate for him. There is no believing man or woman in the easts or the wests but that we are with him. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 41)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to Rumayla, who had fallen ill and was afflicted and who was counted among the elite of his Shi'a: O Rumayla, though you were ill, you came to the prayer with difficulty? Rumayla said: Yes, my master; but how did you know? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: O Rumayla, no believing man or woman falls ill but that we too suffer because of his illness; no believer grieves but that we too are saddened by his grief; he makes no supplication but that we say amen for him; and if he is silent, we supplicate for him. There is no believing man or woman in the east or the west of the world but that we are with him.
Al-Bursi: from al-Rida (AS), from his pure forefathers (AS): that a Jew came to Abu Bakr during his rule and said to him: My father has died and left behind treasures, but he did not say where they are. If you disclose them, a third of it shall be yours, another third for the Muslims, and a third for me — and I will enter your religion. Abu Bakr said: None knows the unseen but God. So he went to Umar and said to him the like of what he had said to Abu Bakr, and Umar directed him to Ali (AS). He came and asked him. He said to him: Go to the land of Yemen and ask for the Valley of Barahut in Hadramawt. When you reach the valley, sit there until sunset. Two crows with black beaks will come to you, croaking. Then call out your father's name and say to him: O so-and-so, I am the messenger of the Legatee of the Messenger of God to you; speak with me — and he will speak with you. Then ask him about the treasures, and he will direct you to their places. So the Jew went off to Yemen, was directed to the valley, and sat there. Then the two crows came, and he called out to his father, who answered him and said: Woe to you, what has brought you to this place? For it is one of the abodes of the people of the Fire. He said: I have come to ask you where the treasures are. He said: In such-and-such a place, in such-and-such a wall. And he said to him: Woe to you! Follow the religion of Muhammad and you will be saved, for it is deliverance. Then the two crows departed and the Jew returned, and he found a treasure of gold and a treasure of silver. He loaded a camel with it and brought it to the Commander of the Faithful (AS), saying: I bear witness that there is no god but God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, and that you are the Legatee of the Messenger of God and his brother, and truly the Commander of the Faithful, just as you were named. This is a gift; dispose of it as you wish, for you are God's friend among the worlds. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 46)
Imam al-Rida (AS) relates: A Jew came to Abu Bakr during his caliphate and said: My father has died and left treasures behind, but he did not say where they are! If you show me their place, a third of it is yours, another third for the Muslims and a third for myself, and I too will enter your religion. Abu Bakr said: Only God knows the unseen. So that Jew went to Umar and repeated the same words. Umar gave the same answer, but directed him to Ali (AS). The Jew came to Imam Ali (AS) and asked his help. The Imam said: Go to the land of Yemen and find the Valley of Barahut in Hadramawt. Sit there at sunset. Two black crows with yellow beaks will come and croak. Call your father's name and say: O so-and-so! I am the messenger of the Legatee of the Messenger of God to you. Speak with me! He will speak with you and will show you the place of the treasures. The Jew went to Yemen, and after finding the Valley of Barahut he sat there waiting. Suddenly two crows appeared. He called out to his father, and his father answered: Woe to you! What has drawn you to this place, which is among the abodes of the people of Hell? The Jew said: I have come to ask you about the place of the treasures. His father told him where the treasures were and added: Enter the religion of Muhammad (PBUH) so that you may be saved, for this religion is the path of salvation. The Jew returned and found the treasure, loaded it on a camel and brought it to the Commander of the Faithful (AS), saying: I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and that Muhammad (PBUH) is His Messenger, and that you, O Ali, are the Legatee and brother of the Messenger of God and truly the Commander of the Faithful, just as he named you. Use this gift however you wish, for you are the friend of God.
Al-Bursi: that he (AS) spoke to the Persian dihqan (astrologer), who had warned him against riding out and marching against the Kharijites, saying to him: Know that the risings of the stars have turned inauspicious; those under unlucky stars have become fortunate, and those under lucky stars have become unfortunate, and war is no place for you. He said to him: Are you the one who sets the running stars in motion, and decrees events upon me, and shifts them with the minutes and the hours? Then tell me what lies beneath the right and the left hoof of my horse, of benefits and harms. He said: I am even more deficient in the knowledge of the earth than I am in the knowledge of the heaven! So he ordered that they dig beneath the right hoof, and there came out a treasure of gold. Then he ordered that they dig beneath the left hoof, and there came out a viper, which fastened upon the neck of the sage. He cried out: My master, safety! He said: Safety is through faith. He said: I shall surely prolong my bowing and prostration for you. He said: I have heard good, so say good: prostrate yourself to God and beseech Him through me. Then he said: O Samr Saqil, we are the stars of the pole and the signs of the firmament, and none knows this science but ourselves and one house in India. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 49)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to the Persian astrologer who had warned him against riding out and marching against the Kharijites: Do you know what lies beneath the hoof of this horse and that one? The astrologer said: No! The Imam (AS) ordered that they dig beneath the hoof of the first horse; a treasure of gold came out. Then they dug beneath the hoof of the other horse; a snake came out and fastened upon the astrologer's neck. He cried out: O my master! Safety! The Imam said: Safety is only through faith. He said: I will prolong my bowing and prostration for you! The Imam (AS) said: You have spoken well! Prostrate yourself to God, and beseech God through me. Then he said: We are the stars of the pole and the signs of the heaven, and none knows the science of astrology but ourselves and one household in India.
Al-Sayyid al-Radi in al-Manaqib al-Fakhira: from Ammar ibn Yasir — may God be pleased with him — who said: I was with the Commander of the Faithful (AS) in the congregational mosque of Kufa and there was no one there but us, when suddenly the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Believe him! Believe him! I looked to the right and to the left but saw no one, and I remained astonished. He said: It is as though I see you, O Ammar, saying: To whom is Ali speaking? I said: It is so. He said: Raise your head. So I raised my head and saw two doves conversing. He said: O Ammar, do you know what they are saying? I said: No, by your life, O Commander of the Faithful. He said: The female says to the male: Have you taken another in my place and forsaken me? And he swears and says: I have not done so. She says: I do not believe you. He says to her: By the right of Him who is in this direction of prayer, I have not taken anyone in your place. She was about to call him a liar, so I said to her: Believe him! Believe him! Ammar said: I said: O Commander of the Faithful, I did not know that anyone knew the speech of birds except Solomon son of David (AS). He said: O Ammar, Solomon asked God by us, the People of the House, and so he came to know the speech of the birds. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 121)
Ammar ibn Yasir said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) and I were in the congregational mosque of Kufa, and there was no one there but us. Suddenly the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Believe him! Believe him! I looked right and left but saw no one. I remained in wonder as to whom the Imam was speaking. Then the Imam (AS) said: It seems you are astonished, Ammar, as to whom I am speaking! I said: Yes. He said: Raise your head! I raised my head and saw two doves conversing with each other. The Imam (AS) said: One of them is saying to the other: You have left me and turned to another? And that dove swears and says: I have not done so! But the first dove says: I do not believe it! Then the second dove swears: By the right of Him who is in the direction of prayer (God), I have not preferred anyone over you! The first dove was about to call him a liar, so I said: Believe him! Believe him! Ammar said: I said: I did not think that anyone other than Solomon (AS) knew the language of birds.
Al-Sayyid al-Radi in al-Manaqib al-Fakhira: Ali (AS) said one day: A thousand thousand human beings have been born on this day and night of ours, and the like of them will die — and this man will die, for he is among the number of the dead. And he gestured toward a man called Qays ibn Sa'd, who was a spy for Mu'awiya within the army. The man supposed that he had said 'Seize him!', so his head sank down upon his chest and he fell down dead, and we were struck with amazement. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 153)
The narrator said: One day the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Today and tonight, thousands upon thousands of human beings have been born, and the same number will die. And while pointing to a certain man he continued: And this man too is among the number of the dead. That man was Qays ibn Sa'd, and afterwards we learned that he had long been spying for Mu'awiya. From the Imam's gesture the man supposed that the Imam had said 'Seize him!' So out of the intensity of his terror he collapsed on the spot and fell to the ground. We saw that he had in fact died. We who were present were astounded at this affair.
Mas'ada ibn al-Yasa', from al-Sadiq (AS), in a report: that the Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed by the land of Baghdad and said: What is this land called? [They said:] Baghdad? He said: Yes; a city will be built here — and he described it. And it is said that a whip fell from his hand, and he asked about that land, and they said: Baghdad; and he announced that it would be built, and then a mosque which would be called the Mosque of the Whip. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 185)
The narrator said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was passing through the land of Baghdad and asked: What do they call this land? They said: Baghdad. He said: Yes, before long a great city will be built here. Then he described the features of that city. At that very moment the whip fell from his blessed hand, and he said: Later a mosque will also be built here that will be known as Masjid al-Sawt (the Mosque of the Whip).
(We say: so far as we have investigated, no such mosque has as yet been built in Baghdad; perhaps it will be built in the future.)
Al-Tabarsi in al-Ihtijaj: related from Muhammad ibn Qays, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (AS), who said: While the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was in the public square, with the people thronging about him — some seeking a legal ruling and some seeking redress — a man rose up to him and said: Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy of God and His blessings. He said: And upon you be peace, and the mercy of God and His blessings. Who are you? He said: I am a man of your subjects and of the people of your city. He said: You are not of my subjects nor of the people of my city; and had you greeted me even on a single day, you would not have been unknown to me. He said: Safety, O Commander of the Faithful! I am a man whom Mu'awiya sent to you to spy on you unawares. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 204)
The narrator said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was meeting the people in the main square of Kufa. The people had crowded in from every side — some with a question and some with a need — when suddenly a man reached him and said: Peace be upon you, O Commander of the Faithful, and the mercy of God and His blessings. The Imam (AS) replied: And upon you be peace, and the mercy of God and His blessings. Who are you? The man said: I am one of your subjects and I live right here. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: It is not so; had you greeted me even once, I would have remembered you! The man cried out: Safety, O Commander of the Faithful! I am a man whom Mu'awiya has sent secretly to Kufa.
(We say: the striking point in this report is the Commander of the Faithful's explicit statement that if someone greets him even once, that person will be known to him forever and will never slip from his memory.)
Ibn Shahrashub: from al-Harith ibn al-A'war, Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Jabir ibn Yazid and Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Ja'far (AS), and from Isa ibn Sulayman, from Abu Abdallah (AS) — the reports being interwoven with one another: that he (AS) used to go about the markets of Kufa, and a woman cursed him three times. He said: O daughter of a salqalqiyya, how many of your family have you killed? She said: Seventeen or eighteen. When she went home she told that to her mother, who said: A salqalqiyya is a woman who gives birth after menstruation, and she has no offspring. She said: Mother, are you such a one? She said: Yes — thus the report. And in a narration from al-Baqir (AS): that when he had given judgement against her she said: You have not judged with equity, nor do you deal justly with the subjects, nor is your judgement pleasing before God. So he looked at her and said: You lie, O insolent one, O disgraceful one, O foul-mouthed one, O shameless woman, O vile one, O shameless one! And she turned away wailing and saying: Woe is me! O son of Abu Talib, you have torn away a veil that was covered over. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 213)
The narrator said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was passing through the market of Kufa when a woman insulted him three times and cursed the Imam (AS)! His Eminence said: O daughter of a salqalqiyya! How many of your family have you killed until now? The woman answered: Seventeen or eighteen. When the woman returned and recounted this affair to her mother, the mother said: A salqalqiyya is a woman who has given birth after menstruation and who will never have a child. In astonishment the woman asked: Mother, then are you such a one? The mother answered: Yes; this was my hidden secret.
And in the Khasa'is of al-Natanzi: [Ali] (AS) said: God is greatest! The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: None of Quraysh will hate you but one born of fornication; none of the Ansar but a Jew; none of the Arabs but one falsely claimed as a son; none of the rest of the people but a wretch; and none of the women but a salqalqiyya. So the woman said: O Ali, and what is a salqalqiyya? (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 215)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said to me: None of Quraysh will hate you unless he be of illegitimate birth; none of the Ansar will show enmity to you unless he be a Jew; none of the Arabs will bear you hostility unless he be a falsely claimed son; none of the rest of the people will be your enemy unless he be wretched and ill-fated; and none of the women will hate you unless she be a salqalqiyya.
Al-Tabarsi in al-Ihtijaj: from al-Sadiq (AS) in a hadith, he said: A man of Bakr ibn Wa'il called Abbad ibn Qays, who was contentious and of sharp tongue, rose up before the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: O Commander of the Faithful, by God you have not divided with equity, nor dealt justly with the subjects! He said: And why, woe to you? He said: Because you divided what was in the camp and left aside the properties, the women and the children. He (AS) said: O people, whoever has a wound, let him treat it with clarified butter. Abbad said: We came seeking our spoils, and he comes to us with nonsense! So the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: If you are a liar, may God not cause you to die until the youth of Thaqif overtakes you. It was said: And who is the youth of Thaqif? He said: A man who will leave no sanctity of God unviolated. It was said: Will he die, or will he be killed? He said: The Crusher of tyrants will crush him with a foul death, in which his bowels will burn from the abundance of what runs from his belly! (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 216)
The narrator said: After the Battle of the Camel, a man named Abbad ibn Qays came to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and cried out: By God, O Commander of the Faithful, you have not divided justly, nor dealt equitably with the subjects! The Imam (AS) said: Woe to you! Why do you say such a thing? Abbad answered: Because you divided the property that was in the camp but left aside the women, the children and the rest of the property! The Imam (AS) paid him no heed and said to the people: Whoever has a wound, let him treat it with oil (an allusion to the fact that such words are baseless and unworthy of attention). Abbad said mockingly: We came to take our right, but he has put us off with absurdities! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: If you speak falsely and object unjustly, God will not cause you to die until a youth of the tribe of Thaqif reaches you! The people asked: And who is this youth of Thaqif? He said: A man who holds nothing of God sacred and who will break all the bounds set by God. They asked: Will this man die, or will the Thaqafi kill him? He said: The God who crushes tyrants will destroy him with a hideous death, such that from the severity of his dysentery his bowels will burn!
Al-Mufid in al-Uyun wa al-Mahasin: It has come in the reports by various routes and differing chains, from Zayd ibn Wahb, who said: I heard Ali (AS) say — and he had mentioned the account of Badr: We killed seventy of the polytheists and took seventy captive. The one who captured al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib was a short man of the Ansar. I came upon him, and al-Abbas threw his turban to me so that the Ansari would not take it, and he wished that it should be I who had captured him. The Ansari brought him to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and said: O Messenger of God, I have brought your uncle al-Abbas as a captive. Al-Abbas said: You lie; none captured me but my nephew Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). The Ansari said to him: Man, it was I who captured you. He said: By God, O Muhammad, none captured me but my nephew Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), and it is as though I still see his figure in the dust made plain to me. The Messenger of God (PBUH) said to him: My uncle has spoken the truth; that was a noble angel. Al-Abbas said: O Messenger of God, I recognized him by his figure and the beauty of his form and his face. He said to him: The angels with whom God aided me were in the form of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), so that this might be more awe-inspiring for them in the breasts of the enemies. He said: Then this turban of mine is on the head of Ali (AS); command him to return it to me. He said to him: Woe to you! If God knows any good in you, He will give you the best of recompense. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 305)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: At Badr we killed seventy of the polytheists and took seventy captive. The one who captured al-Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib was a short man of the Ansar. I came up to him, and al-Abbas threw his turban toward me so that the Ansari would not take it. He wished that it were I who had captured him. But that Ansari brought al-Abbas to the Messenger of God (PBUH) and said: O Messenger of God, I have brought your uncle al-Abbas as a captive. Al-Abbas said: You lie! No one captured me but my nephew Ali (AS). The Ansari said: Man! It was I who captured you. Al-Abbas said: By God, O Muhammad, no one captured me but my nephew Ali (AS). The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: My uncle speaks the truth; the one who captured you was a noble angel. Al-Abbas said: O Messenger of God, I recognized him by his mount and the beauty of his form and face. The Prophet said: The angels with whom God aided me had descended in the form of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), so as to strike greater awe into the hearts of the enemies. Al-Abbas said: My turban is with Ali (AS); tell him to return it to me. The Prophet said to him: Woe to you! If God sees any good in you, He will give you a better reward than this.
Ibn Shahrashub: from Abdallah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan, from his father (AS), from his grandfather, [from] the Commander of the Faithful (AS): He was in the mosque of Kufa one day, and when night had fallen a man came in by the Gate of the Elephant, wearing white garments. The guards and the elite police came, and the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to them: What do you want? They said: We saw this man coming toward you, and we feared that he might assassinate you. He said: By no means; go back — may God have mercy on you. Would you guard me from the people of the earth? Then who will guard me from the people of the heaven? The man stayed with him a good while questioning him, and then departed. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) turned to al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS) and said: Do you know him? They said: And who is this, O Commander of the Faithful? He said: This is my brother al-Khidr (AS). (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 2, p. 320)
One night the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was in the mosque of Kufa, and the mosque was empty, when a man in white clothing entered by the Gate of the Elephant. When the guards saw him, they ran toward the Imam (AS). The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: What do you want? They said: This man! We fear he intends to take your life. He said: No! Go — may God have mercy on you. You guard me from the people of the earth; then who will guard me from the people of the heaven? That man remained with the Imam a long while and asked some questions, then went away. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) turned to Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (AS) and said: Did you recognize him? They said: No. He said: He was my brother al-Khidr (AS).
Al-Shadhakuni related, from Hammad, from Yahya, from Ibn Atiq, from Ibn Sirin, who said: If ever anyone knew when his appointed term would come, it was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). Al-Sadiq (AS): that Ali (AS) ordered that a record be written for him of who entered Kufa. People wrote for him, and their names were presented in a scroll, and he read it. When he came upon the name of Ibn Muljam, he placed his finger upon his name and said: May God slay you! And when it was said to him: Since you know that he will kill you, why do you not kill him? he would say: God Most High does not punish a servant until the sin has proceeded from him. And at another time he would say: Then who is to kill me? (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 3, p. 42)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: If anyone knew the time of his own death, that person was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS). Then he said: Ali (AS) had commanded that the names of those who entered Kufa be recorded. So names were written and presented to him in a scroll. When he reached the name of Ibn Muljam, he placed his finger on his name and said: May God slay you! This person is my killer. It was said to him: If you know that this person is your killer, why do you not kill him? He said: God does not punish a servant until the sin has proceeded from him. And he said: If I kill him, then who is to kill me?
Al-Bursi said: The traditionists of the people of Kufa related that when al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS) were carrying the Commander of the Faithful (AS) upon his bier to the place of the concealed grave in the Najaf of Kufa, they came upon a horseman from whom the fragrance of musk spread. He greeted them, then said to al-Hasan (AS): Are you al-Hasan ibn Ali, the suckling of revelation and its sending down, nursed on knowledge and lofty nobility, the successor of the Commander of the Faithful and the master of the legatees? He said: Yes. [He said:] And is this al-Husayn ibn Ali, [son of the Commander of the Faithful and master of the legatees,] the grandson of the Prophet of mercy, the suckling of infallibility, [the fosterling of wisdom,] and the father of the Imams? He said: Yes. He said: Deliver him to me, and go in the protection of God. Al-Hasan (AS) said to him: He charged us not to deliver him except to one of two men: Gabriel or al-Khidr. So which of the two are you? Then he uncovered his veil, and behold, it was the Commander of the Faithful (AS) himself. Then he said to al-Hasan (AS): O Abu Muhammad, no soul dies but that he is present at it. [Shall he then not be present at his own body?] (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 3, p. 60)
When al-Hasan (AS) and al-Husayn (AS) were carrying the pure body of the Commander of the Faithful (AS) upon the bier toward the place of burial in Najaf, they saw a horseman from whom the scent of musk came. That horseman greeted the two of them and then said to Imam al-Hasan (AS): Are you al-Hasan ibn Ali, the suckling of revelation and its sending down, nursed on knowledge and nobility, the successor of the Commander of the Faithful and the master of the legatees? Then he said: And is this al-Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Prophet of mercy, the suckling of infallibility, the fosterling of wisdom and the father of the Imams? They said: Yes. Then he said: Entrust your father to me and go with an easy mind. Imam al-Hasan (AS) said: Our father charged us not to entrust him to anyone except one of two persons: Gabriel or al-Khidr. Which of these two are you? The horseman lifted the veil from his face, and suddenly they saw that it was the Commander of the Faithful (AS) himself. Then he said to Imam al-Hasan (AS): O Abu Muhammad! There is no soul but that it sees me at its death. Should my own body then not see me?
Ali ibn al-Ja'd, from Shu'ba, from Qatada and Mujahid, from Ibn Abbas [who said]: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The heaven and the earth weep over the believer when he dies for forty mornings; and they weep over the scholar [when he dies] for forty months; and the heaven and the earth weep over the Messenger for forty years; and the heaven and the earth will weep over you, O Ali, [when you are slain] for forty autumns. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 3, p. 68)
The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: The heaven and the earth weep for the believer at his death for forty mornings; for the scholar they weep forty months; for the Prophet they weep forty years; and for you, O Ali, the heaven and the earth weep for forty ages.
Thaqib al-Manaqib: from Ali ibn al-Husayn, from his father (AS), who said: Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) fell ill and then recovered, and he came in by the step of the Mosque of the Prophet (PBUH) and fell against his breast, and the Prophet (PBUH) embraced him and said: May your grandfather be your ransom — do you desire anything? He said: Yes, I desire a melon. So the Prophet (PBUH) put his hand beneath his wing and then tossed him up toward the ceiling. [Hudhayfa said: I followed him with my eyes but could not catch sight of him, and I kept watching the ceiling] for him to come back through it, and behold, he had come in with his garment folded up at the edge of his lap. He opened it before the Prophet (PBUH), [and in it were] two melons, two pomegranates, two quinces and two apples. The Messenger of God (PBUH) smiled and said: Praise be to God, who has made you like the best of the Children of Israel, to whom their provision came down from the Gardens of Bliss. Go — may your grandfather be your ransom — and eat, you and your brother and your father and your mother, and set aside a share for your grandfather. So al-Hasan (AS) went off, and the People of the House (AS) kept eating from all these fruits and they kept being replenished, until the Messenger of God (PBUH) passed away, whereupon the melons changed; so they ate them and they were not replenished. And they continued thus until Fatima (AS) passed away, whereupon the pomegranates changed; so they ate them and they were not replenished. And they continued thus until the Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed away, whereupon the quinces changed; so they ate them and they were not replenished. And the two apples remained with me and with my brother. Then, on the day that was my last time with al-Hasan, I found his apple at his head, changed, so I ate it; and the other remained with me. [And it is related] from Abu Muhis, who said: I was at Karbala with Umar ibn Sa'd — may God curse him — and when thirst pressed hard upon al-Husayn (AS), he drew it out from his sleeve, smelled it and put it back. When he was struck down (AS), I searched him but did not find it; and I heard a voice from men whom I saw but could not reach, saying that the angels take delight in its fragrance at his grave at the break of dawn and at the rising of the day. The hadith is long; I have taken the part that was needed. And Abu Musa related in his compilation on the virtues of the Immaculate One (AS): He brought the two pomegranates, the two quinces [and the two apples] and gave them to al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS), and the People of the House ate [of them]; and when Fatima (AS) died, the pomegranates and quinces changed, while the two apples remained with the two of them. So whoever of the sincere among his Shi'a visits al-Husayn (AS) at the times before dawn will find their fragrance. And I do not know whether the two accounts are one or two. (Madinat al-Ma'ajiz, vol. 4, p. 21)
The narrator said: There came down from Paradise for the Prophet (PBUH) two melons (at that time the word bitikh was used for watermelon, for sweet melon and for the various kinds of cantaloupe), two pomegranates, two quinces and two apples. The Prophet (PBUH) and the People of the House (AS) used to eat of these fruits and they did not diminish. This state of affairs continued until the Prophet (PBUH) passed away. Then the melons changed, and they ate them and they were finished. When Fatima (AS) passed away, the pomegranates changed, and they ate them and they did not come back. When the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was martyred, the quinces changed, and they ate them and they did not come back. The two apples remained with al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS). Imam al-Husayn (AS) said: On the last day that I was with al-Hasan (AS), I saw that one of the apples had changed, and its place was never filled again. The last apple remained with me. Abu Muhis said: I was at Karbala with Umar ibn Sa'd. When al-Husayn (AS) was in dire straits from thirst, he drew an apple from his collar, smelled it, and put it back in his collar. When he was martyred, I searched for the apple but did not find it. I heard the voices of men saying: The angels take delight in the fragrance of the apple beside the grave of al-Husayn (AS) at the break of dawn and at the rising of the day. Abu Musa recorded in his book on the virtues of Fatima (AS): Whoever of the sincere Shi'a visits al-Husayn (AS) in the hours before dawn will sense the fragrance of that apple.
Qisas al-Anbiya is the work of Sayyid Ni'matullah al-Jaza'iri, who died in 1112 AH and was among the students of Allama al-Majlisi, Fayd al-Kashani and al-Hurr al-Amili. This work contains the life accounts of the prophets whose names are mentioned in the Noble Qur'an. In this book the author has endeavoured to rely only on the text of the verses and on sound reports. The book Qisas al-Anbiya was translated into Persian by the author's son, Sayyid Nur al-Din al-Jaza'iri, and has been printed many times in Iran. Sayyid Ni'matullah al-Jaza'iri was from Basra and spent his life in Shiraz and Isfahan. He collaborated with al-Majlisi in the compilation of Bihar al-Anwar. He eventually settled in Shushtar, and on the way back from Mashhad he died at Pol-e Dokhtar and was buried there. May God have mercy upon him!