Al-Kafi · Hadith 1

The Book about people with Divine Authority · The Imams (a.s.) possess Divine authority, they are Envied and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken of them · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 16, Hadith 1

Original Arabic text

1ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدٍ الْعِجْلِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَطِيعُوا الله وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الامْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَكَانَ جَوَابُهُ أَ لَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيباً مِنَ الْكِتابِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْجِبْتِ وَالطَّاغُوتِ وَيَقُولُونَ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا هؤُلاءِ أَهْدى‏ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا سَبِيلاً يَقُولُونَ لائِمَّةِ الضَّلالَةِ وَالدُّعَاةِ إِلَى النَّارِ هؤُلاءِ أَهْدى‏ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ سَبِيلاً أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَعَنَهُمُ الله وَمَنْ يَلْعَنِ الله فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ نَصِيراً أَمْ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِنَ الْمُلْكِ يَعْنِي الامَامَةَ وَالْخِلافَةَ فَإِذاً لا يُؤْتُونَ النَّاسَ نَقِيراً نَحْنُ النَّاسُ الَّذِينَ عَنَى الله وَالنَّقِيرُ النُّقْطَةُ الَّتِي فِي وَسَطِ النَّوَاةِ أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلى‏ ما آتاهُمُ الله مِنْ فَضْلِهِ نَحْنُ النَّاسُ الْمَحْسُودُونَ عَلَى مَا آتَانَا الله مِنَ الامَامَةِ دُونَ خَلْقِ الله أَجْمَعِينَ فَقَدْ آتَيْنا آلَ إِبْراهِيمَ الْكِتابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَآتَيْناهُمْ مُلْكاً عَظِيماً يَقُولُ جَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمُ الرُّسُلَ وَالانْبِيَاءَ وَالائِمَّةَ فَكَيْفَ يُقِرُّونَ بِهِ فِي آلِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَيُنْكِرُونَهُ فِي آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ صَدَّ عَنْهُ وَكَفى‏ بِجَهَنَّمَ سَعِيراً إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِ‏آياتِنا سَوْفَ نُصْلِيهِمْ ناراً كُلَّما نَضِجَتْ جُلُودُهُمْ بَدَّلْناهُمْ جُلُوداً غَيْرَها لِيَذُوقُوا الْعَذابَ إِنَّ الله كانَ عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً.

Published English translation

1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn ’Amir al-Ash’ari has narrated from MuAlia ibn Muhammad who has said that al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ narrated to him from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd al-‘Ijli who said that he asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who possess (Divine) authority among you.” (4:59 Holy Quran). The read the following words of Allah. “Have you seen how those who had been given a share of the Book believe in idols and Satan and who say, “The disbelievers are better guided than the believers” (4:51) ‘The say that the leaders of misguidance and those who call people to Hell’ “God has condemned them. No one can help one whomGod has condemned. (4:52) Do they have a share in the Kingdom (Divine authority and Imamat)? Even if they did, they would not have given the smallest thing to the people.” (4:53) “ People is a reference to us and the word ‘Naqir’ means the seed inside the nutt.” The Imams (a.s.) explained and added. “Do they enviey the favors that God has done to some people?” ‘We are the ones who are envied because of the Divine authority that Allah has given us exclusively.’ The Imams (a.s.) commented. “We have given to the family of Abraham the Book, Wisdom, and a great Kingdom (4:54). Aliah says that from the descendents of Abraham He has made His Messengers, Prophets and Imams. How is it that these people acknowledge the case about the descents of Abraham but they refuse to accept the leadership (Imamat) in the family of Muhammad?’ The Imams (a.s.) further explained. “Some have believed, others have disbelieved and tried to prevent people from believing. For these people, only the intense fire of hell is a sufficient punishment (4:55). We will make those who reject Our revelations suffer in hell fire. As soon as the fire destroys their skins, We will give them new skins so that they may suffer more of the torment. God is Majestic and All-wise.” (4:56 Holy Quran)

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: ضعيف

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (2/407)

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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