Al-Kafi · Hadith 6

The Book on Virtue of Knowledge · Chapter on the Qualities of the Scholars · Volume 1, book 2, chapter 5, Hadith 6

Original Arabic text

6ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا مَعْشَرَ الْحَوَارِيِّينَ لِي إِلَيْكُمْ حَاجَةٌ اقْضُوهَا لِي قَالُوا قُضِيَتْ حَاجَتُكَ يَا رُوحَ الله فَقَامَ فَغَسَلَ أَقْدَامَهُمْ فَقَالُوا كُنَّا نَحْنُ أَحَقَّ بِهَذَا يَا رُوحَ الله فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَحَقَّ النَّاسِ بِالْخِدْمَةِ الْعَالِمُ إِنَّمَا تَوَاضَعْتُ هَكَذَا لِكَيْمَا تَتَوَاضَعُوا بَعْدِي فِي النَّاسِ كَتَوَاضُعِي لَكُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ عِيسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِالتَّوَاضُعِ تُعْمَرُ الْحِكْمَةُ لا بِالتَّكَبُّرِ وَكَذَلِكَ فِي السَّهْلِ يَنْبُتُ الزَّرْعُ لا فِي الْجَبَلِ.

Published English translation

Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Sinan in a marfu‘ manner that Jesus son of Mary (as) has said: “O disciples, I have a need that I request you to fulfill." They said, “Your request is granted, Oh Spirit of God.” Jesus then got up and washed their feet, the disciples then said, “It was upon us to serve you, Oh Spirit of God.” So he said, “Of the people who must serve others are the scholars, I acted in this humble way so that you will act among your people in a humble way as I acted before you.” Jesus then said, “With humbleness wisdom is formed, but not with arrogance. Just like how plants only grow on plains grounds, but not on mountains.”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: ضعيف على المشهور

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/120)

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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