Al-Kafi · Hadith 1

The Book about people with Divine Authority · The Statements and the Explicit Texts on Leadership with Divine Authority) of the Twelve Imams (a.s.) · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 126, Hadith 1

Original Arabic text

1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ أَقْبَلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَمَعَهُ الْحَسَنُ بن علي (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) وَهُوَ مُتَّكِىٌ عَلَى يَدِ سَلْمَانَ فَدَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ فَجَلَسَ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ رَجُلٌ حَسَنُ الْهَيْئَةِ وَاللِّبَاسِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامَ فَجَلَسَ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاثِ مَسَائِلَ إِنْ أَخْبَرْتَنِي بِهِنَّ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ الْقَوْمَ رَكِبُوا مِنْ أَمْرِكَ مَا قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَأَنْ لَيْسُوا بِمَأْمُونِينَ فِي دُنْيَاهُمْ وَآخِرَتِهِمْ وَإِنْ تَكُنِ الاخْرَى عَلِمْتُ أَنَّكَ وَهُمْ شَرَعٌ سَوَاءٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سَلْنِي عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الرَّجُلِ إِذَا نَامَ أَيْنَ تَذْهَبُ رُوحُهُ وَعَنِ الرَّجُلِ كَيْفَ يَذْكُرُ وَيَنْسَى وَعَنِ الرَّجُلِ كَيْفَ يُشْبِهُ وَلَدُهُ الاعْمَامَ وَالاخْوَالَ فَالْتَفَتَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلَى الْحَسَنِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَجِبْهُ قَالَ فَأَجَابَهُ الْحَسَنُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا الله وَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَشْهَدُ بِهَا وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ الله وَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَشْهَدُ بِذَلِكَ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالْقَائِمُ بِحُجَّتِهِ وَأَشَارَ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَشْهَدُ بِهَا وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ وَصِيُّهُ وَالْقَائِمُ بِحُجَّتِهِ وَأَشَارَ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ الْحُسَيْنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ وَصِيُّ أَخِيهِ وَالْقَائِمُ بِحُجَّتِهِ بَعْدَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ أَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ الْحُسَيْنِ بَعْدَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ أَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ بِأَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى مُوسَى أَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى أَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ أَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ بِأَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ بِأَنَّهُ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَشْهَدُ عَلَى رَجُلٍ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحَسَنِ لا يُكَنَّى وَلا يُسَمَّى حَتَّى يَظْهَرَ أَمْرُهُ فَيَمْلاهَا عَدْلاً كَمَا مُلِئَتْ جَوْراً وَالسَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ الله وَبَرَكَاتُهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَمَضَى فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ اتْبَعْهُ فَانْظُرْ أَيْنَ يَقْصِدُ فَخَرَجَ الْحَسَنُ بن علي (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَقَالَ مَا كَانَ إِلا أَنْ وَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ خَارِجاً مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ فَمَا دَرَيْتُ أَيْنَ أَخَذَ مِنْ أَرْضِ الله فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَعْلَمْتُهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَ تَعْرِفُهُ قُلْتُ الله وَرَسُولُهُ وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعْلَمُ قَالَ هُوَ الْخَضِرُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

Published English translation

1. A number of our people has narrated Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from abu Hashim Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari from abu Ja‘far al-Thani who has said the following. “Once Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) came with al-Hassan and al-Husayn and he was holding the hand of Salman for support. He entered the sacred Mosque in Makka and sat down. Then a good looking and well dressed man came. He offered the greeting of peace to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who answered his greetings likewise and he sat down. He then said, “I will ask you three questions. If you would answer them I will acknowledge that the people who have acted against you in the matters of leadership after the Holy Prophet (s.a) they have acted against their own selves. Their actions have taken away peace from them in this world as well in the next life. If it would be otherwise, (you can answer) then you and those people will be the same.” Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) said, “Ask whatever you would like.” He said, “Tell about the man who sleeps. Where does his spirit go?” Tell about the man, how he remembers and forgets? Tell me about the man how do his children become similar to the aunts and uncles.?” Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) turned to al-Hassan and said, “O abu Muhammad, answer him.” The narrator has said that al-Hassan answered his questions. The man then said, “I testify that there is no lord besides Allah and I continue to testify to this fact. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and I continue to testify to this fact I testify that you are the executor of the will of the Messenger of Allah and that you are the in charge of this task ((Leadership with Divine Authority) with His authorization.” He pointed out to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) with his hand. He then said, “I continue to testify to this fact.” “I testify that you are the executor of his (Amir al-Mu’minin’s (a.s.) will and the in charge of this task ((Leadership with Divine Authority) by His authorization after him (Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) “ He pointed out with his hand to al-Hassan (a.s.). Then He then said, “I continue to testify to this fact.” “I testify that al-Husayn ibn Ali (a.s.) will be the executor of the will of his brother and the in charge of this task ((Leadership with Divine Authority) with His authorization after him. “I testify in support of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) that he will be the in charge of the task of al-Husayn after him. “I testify that Muhammad ibn Ali will be the in charge of the task of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) after him. “I testify that Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.) will be the in charge of the task of Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.). “I testify that Musa will be the in charge of the task of Ja‘far ibn Muhammad after him. “I testify that Ali ibn Musa will be the in charge of the task of Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.). “I testify that Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) will be the in charge of the task of Ali ibn Musa (a.s.) after him. “I testify that Ali ibn Muhammad will be the in charge of the task of Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) after him. “I testify that al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) will be the in charge of the task of Ali ibn Muhammad (a.s.) after him. “I testify in support of a man from the children of al-Hassan who will not be mentioned by his Kunya (father or son of so and so) or his name until he will rise with Divine authority to fill the earth with justice after being filled with injustice. “I offer you my greeting of peace O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and praay to Allah to grant you blessings and holiness.” He then stood up and left. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) said, “O abu Muhammad follow him and see where went.” Al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) went out to find out (and came back) and said, “As soon as he stepped out of the Mosque I could not figure out in which direction of the earth of Allah ddid he disappear. I returned to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and informed him.” He said, “O abu Muhammad, do you know him?” I said, Allah, the Messenger of Allah and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) know best.” He said, “He was al-Khidr (a.s.) “

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: صحيح

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (6/203)

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.

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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