Al-Kafi · Hadith 3

The Book about people with Divine Authority · Manners of the Imams in the Matters of Food and Clothes as Leaders with Divine Authority · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 106, Hadith 3

Original Arabic text

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَغَيْرُهُمَا بِأَسَانِيدَ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ فِي احْتِجَاجِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَلَى عَاصِمِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ حِينَ لَبِسَ الْعَبَاءَ وَتَرَكَ الْمُلاءَ وَشَكَاهُ أَخُوهُ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَدْ غَمَّ أَهْلَهُ وَأَحْزَنَ وُلْدَهُ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَلَيَّ بِعَاصِمِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ فَجِي‏ءَ بِهِ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ عَبَسَ فِي وَجْهِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ مَا اسْتَحْيَيْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ أَ مَا رَحِمْتَ وُلْدَكَ أَ تَرَى الله أَحَلَّ لَكَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَخْذَكَ مِنْهَا أَنْتَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَى الله مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَ وَلَيْسَ الله يَقُولُ وَالارْضَ وَضَعَها لِلانامِ. فِيها فاكِهَةٌ وَالنَّخْلُ ذاتُ الاكْمامِ أَ وَلَيْسَ الله يَقُولُ مَرَجَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ يَلْتَقِيانِ. بَيْنَهُما بَرْزَخٌ لا يَبْغِيانِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُمَا اللُّؤْلُؤُ وَالْمَرْجانُ فَبِالله لابْتِذَالُ نِعَمِ الله بِالْفَعَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنِ ابْتِذَالِهَا بِالْمَقَالِ وَقَدْ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَمَّا بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ فَحَدِّثْ فَقَالَ عَاصِمٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَعَلَى مَا اقْتَصَرْتَ فِي مَطْعَمِكَ عَلَى الْجُشُوبَةِ وَفِي مَلْبَسِكَ عَلَى الْخُشُونَةِ فَقَالَ وَيْحَكَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَرَضَ عَلَى أَئِمَّةِ الْعَدْلِ أَنْ يُقَدِّرُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ بِضَعَفَةِ النَّاسِ كَيْلا يَتَبَيَّغَ بِالْفَقِيرِ فَقْرُهُ فَأَلْقَى عَاصِمُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْعَبَاءَ وَلَبِسَ الْمُلاءَ.

Published English translation

3. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad and A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and others through different chains of narrators. The Hadith is about the protest of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) against ‘Asim ibn Ziyad who had confined himself in a gown away from the people. His brother, al-Rabi‘ ibn Ziyad complained before Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) complained that his ‘Asim’s family had become depressed and his sons had been sadden because of his behavior. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) had summoned ‘Asim ibn Ziyad and was brought before him. When Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) saw him he frowned at him and said, “Why did you not feel ashamed before your wife? Why did you not show kindness to your sons? Do you think Allah had made good things lawful to and then He would dislike if you would use them? You are less significant to Allah than such a thing. Is it not Allah Who has said, “He spread out the earth for the people (55:10). There exists all kinds of fruits, palm-trees with sheathed blossoms, (55:11) grain with its husk and aromatic herbs (55:12). Is it not Allah Who has said, “He has made the two oceans meet each other, (55:19) but has created a barrier between them so that they will not merge totally (55:20). (Jinn and mankind) - which of the favors of your Lord do you then deny? (55:21). From the two oceans comes pearls and coral.” (55:22) I swear by Allah, the use of the bounties of Allah in deeds is more preferred to Him than then using in words. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has said, “. and proclaim the bounties of your Lord.” (93:11) ‘Asim said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), “Why have you confined yourself to tasteless food and harsh garments?” He said, “How inconsiderate of you! Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has made obligatory for the Imams of justice to measure themselves with the people of lowest standard of living so that the poors’ poverty would plunge him in despair.” ‘Asim then abandoned the gown and begun to live an normal life.”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل معتبر بل هو كالمتوات ر

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/363)

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: Catalogue non-inclusion note (not an authenticity grade)

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī

Source records non-inclusion in this scholar's selection; this is not itself a weak or authentic grade.

Source, rights, and attribution

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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