Al-Kafi · Hadith 50

The Book about people with Divine Authority · The Birth of The Holy Prophet (s.a) and His Demise · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 111, Hadith 50

Original Arabic text

50ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُلْوَانَ الْكَلْبِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَزَوَّرِ الْغَنَوِيِّ عَنْ أَصْبَغَ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ الْحَنْظَلِيِّ قَالَ رَأَيْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَوْمَ افْتَتَحَ الْبَصْرَةَ وَرَكِبَ بَغْلَةَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَ لا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُهُمُ الله فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ الانْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ بَلَى يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَدِّثْنَا فَإِنَّكَ كُنْتَ تَشْهَدُ وَنَغِيبُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ خَيْرَ الْخَلْقِ يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُهُمُ الله سَبْعَةٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ لا يُنْكِرُ فَضْلَهُمْ إِلا كَافِرٌ وَلا يَجْحَدُ بِهِ إِلا جَاحِدٌ فَقَامَ عَمَّارُ بْنُ يَاسِرٍ رَحِمَهُ الله فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ سَمِّهِمْ لَنَا لِنَعْرِفَهُمْ فَقَالَ إِنَّ خَيْرَ الْخَلْقِ يَوْمَ يَجْمَعُهُمُ الله الرُّسُلُ وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الرُّسُلِ مُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّهَا وَصِيُّ نَبِيِّهَا حَتَّى يُدْرِكَهُ نَبِيٌّ أَلا وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الاوْصِيَاءِ وَصِيُّ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ السَّلامُ أَلا وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْخَلْقِ بَعْدَ الاوْصِيَاءِ الشُّهَدَاءُ أَلا وَإِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الشُّهَدَاءِ حَمْزَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ وَجَعْفَرُ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ لَهُ جَنَاحَانِ خَضِيبَانِ يَطِيرُ بِهِمَا فِي الْجَنَّةِ لَمْ يُنْحَلْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الامَّةِ جَنَاحَانِ غَيْرُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ كَرَّمَ الله بِهِ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَشَرَّفَهُ وَالسِّبْطَانِ الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ وَالْمَهْدِيُّ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) يَجْعَلُهُ الله مَنْ شَاءَ مِنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ثُمَّ تَلا هَذِهِ الايَةَ وَمَنْ يُطِعِ الله وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ الله عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَداءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولئِكَ رَفِيقاً. ذلِكَ الْفَضْلُ مِنَ الله وَكَفى‏ بِالله عَلِيماً.

Published English translation

50. Yahya has narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Ibn al-Fadhal from al-Husayn ibn ‘Ulwan al-Kalbi from Ali b. al-Hazwar al-Ghanawi from Asbagh ibn Nubata al-Hanzali who has said the following: “Once I saw Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (AS) on the day of victory in Basra while he was riding the on the mule of the Messenger of Allah (SAW). Then he said, ‘Oh people, do you want me to tell you who the best of the creatures of Allah will be on the Day when He will bring all of them to one place?’ Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (RA) stood up and said, ‘Yes, O Amir al-Mu’minin (AS), please explain to us. You were present and we were absent.’ The Imam (a.s.) then said, ‘The best of the people on the day of resurrection when Allah will bring all people together are seven people descended of ‘Abd al-Muttalib whose distinction no one except an unbeliever would deny and no one would reject except a deviant.’ ‘Ammar b. Yasir (RA) then stood up and said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin (AS) tell us their names so we can recognise them properly.’ The Imam (AS) said, “The best in the creatures of Allah on the Day when He will bring all creatures together are the messengers and the best of the messengers is Muhammad (SAW). The best after the prophet in his Ummah (followers) is the executor of his will until a prophet comes. There is no doubt that the best among the executors of the wills of the prophets is the executor of the will of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). There is also no doubt that the best among the people after the executors of the will of the prophets are the martyrs and the best of the martyrs is Hamza b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib and Ja‘far b. Abu Talib who was given two fresh wings with which he flies in Paradise. No one else besides him from this Ummah received two wings. With this Allah honored and granted dignity to Muhammad (SAW). Also of the seven people are the two grandsons of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and al-Mahdi (AS). Whoever Allah wants will be al-Mahdi from our Ahl al-Bayt. Then he read this verse of the Holy Quran. “One who obeys God and the Messenger is the friend of the Prophets, saints, martyrs, and the righteous ones to whom God has granted His favors. They are the best friends that one can have. [4:69] The favors of God are such, and He knows very well (how to reward you).’” [4:70]

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

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.

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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