Al-Kafi · Hadith 1

The Book about people with Divine Authority · The Armaments and Sacred Items belonging to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) that transferred to the Imam (a.s.) · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 38, Hadith 1

Original Arabic text

1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ السَّمَّانِ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلانِ مِنَ الزَّيْدِيَّةِ فَقَالا لَهُ أَ فِيكُمْ إِمَامٌ مُفْتَرَضُ الطَّاعَةِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لا قَالَ فَقَالا لَهُ قَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا عَنْكَ الثِّقَاتُ أَنَّكَ تُفْتِي وَتُقِرُّ وَتَقُولُ بِهِ وَنُسَمِّيهِمْ لَكَ فُلانٌ وَفُلانٌ وَهُمْ أَصْحَابُ وَرَعٍ وَتَشْمِيرٍ وَهُمْ مِمَّنْ لا يَكْذِبُ فَغَضِبَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ مَا أَمَرْتُهُمْ بِهَذَا فَلَمَّا رَأَيَا الْغَضَبَ فِي وَجْهِهِ خَرَجَا فَقَالَ لِي أَ تَعْرِفُ هَذَيْنِ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ هُمَا مِنْ أَهْلِ سُوقِنَا وَهُمَا مِنَ الزَّيْدِيَّةِ وَهُمَا يَزْعُمَانِ أَنَّ سَيْفَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عِنْدَ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْحَسَنِ فَقَالَ كَذَبَا لَعَنَهُمَا الله وَالله مَا رَآهُ عَبْدُ الله بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بِعَيْنَيْهِ وَلا بِوَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ عَيْنَيْهِ وَلا رَآهُ أَبُوهُ اللهمَّ إِلا أَنْ يَكُونَ رَآهُ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ فَإِنْ كَانَا صَادِقَيْنِ فَمَا عَلامَةٌ فِي مَقْبِضِهِ وَمَا أَثَرٌ فِي مَوْضِعِ مَضْرَبِهِ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي لَسَيْفَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي لَرَايَةَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَدِرْعَهُ وَلامَتَهُ وَمِغْفَرَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَا صَادِقَيْنِ فَمَا عَلامَةٌ فِي دِرْعِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي لَرَايَةَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْمِغْلَبَةَ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي أَلْوَاحَ مُوسَى وَعَصَاهُ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي لَخَاتَمَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي الطَّسْتَ الَّذِي كَانَ مُوسَى يُقَرِّبُ بِهِ الْقُرْبَانَ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي الاسْمَ الَّذِي كَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِذَا وَضَعَهُ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ لَمْ يَصِلْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ إِلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ نُشَّابَةٌ وَإِنَّ عِنْدِي لَمِثْلَ الَّذِي جَاءَتْ بِهِ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَمَثَلُ السِّلاحِ فِينَا كَمَثَلِ التَّابُوتِ فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَتْ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ فِي أَيِّ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ وُجِدَ التَّابُوتُ عَلَى أَبْوَابِهِمْ أُوتُوا النُّبُوَّةَ وَمَنْ صَارَ إِلَيْهِ السِّلاحُ مِنَّا أُوتِيَ الامَامَةَ وَلَقَدْ لَبِسَ أَبِي دِرْعَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَخَطَّتْ عَلَى الارْضِ خَطِيطاً وَلَبِسْتُهَا أَنَا فَكَانَتْ وَكَانَتْ وَقَائِمُنَا مَنْ إِذَا لَبِسَهَا مَلاهَا إِنْ شَاءَ الله.

Published English translation

1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Mu’awiya ibn Wahab from Sa‘id al-Samman who has said the following: “I was in the presence of Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) when two people from the Zaydiyya sect came to him. They asked, 'Is there with you an Imam obedience to whom is obligatory?' The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) said, 'No, there no one as such.' They then said, 'Reliable people have informed us about you that you issue fatwas and that you affirm and speak of it. We can point out what their names are. They are very pious alert people. They are such that can not be rejected. The Imams (a.s.) became angry and said, 'I have not ordered them to say so.' When the two men notice anger from the face of The Imams (a.s.) they left.' The Imams (a.s.) then asked me, 'Do you know these two?' I said, 'Yes, I know them. They are from our Sooq (shopping center). They belong to the Zaydiyya sect and they think that the sword of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) is with ‘Abdallah ibn al-Hassan.' The Imams (a.s.) said, 'They have lied, may Allah condemn them. I swear by Allah, ‘Abdallah ibn al-Hassan has not seen it with his own eyes, not even one of his eyes has seen it. Even his father had seen it except if he might have seen it with Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.). If they are truthful let them say what kind of mark does its hilt have and what is the mark on its blade? With me is the sword of the Messenger of Allah, with me is the flag of the Messenger, his coat of arms, his Lamam (pennon) and his helmet. If they are truthful let them say what kind of mark does the coat of arms of the Messenger of Allah has? With me is the flag of the Messenger of Allah, the victorious. With me is the Staff of Moses. With me is the ring of Solomon son of David. With me is tray on Moses used to offer offerings. With me is the name that whenever the Messenger of Allah would place it between the Muslims and pagans no arrow from the pagans would reach the Muslims. With me is the similar object that angels brought.” Perhaps The Imams (a.s.) has hinted to the following verse. ‘Their Prophet further told them, “As the evidence of his authority, he will bring to you the Ark which will be a comfort to you from your Lord and a legacy of the household of Moses and Aaron. It will be carried by the angels. This is the evidence for you if you have faith.’ (Quran 2:248) The case of the Arms with us is like the case of the Ark in the Israelites. Whichever family would have had the Ark at their door-front that family would receive prophet-hood. To whoever of us the Arms are transferred he receives Imamate (leadership with Divine authority). My father wore the coats of arms of the Messenger of Allah. It would reach the earth and leave marks. I wore it also and it reached the earth and sometimes it would not. When the one from us who, will rise to establish the authority of Allah on earth, will come it will fit him perfectly, if Allah would so will.'"

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مجهول

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (3/41)

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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edition: Al-Kafi, volume 1, Thaqalayn digital edition / Muhammad Sarwar translation
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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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