Al-Kafi · Hadith 4

The Book about people with Divine Authority · The case of those who would accept the religion of Allah but without accepting the Imam, Leader with Divine Authority · Volume 1, book 4, chapter 86, Hadith 4

Original Arabic text

4ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ حَبِيبٍ السِّجِسْتَانِيِّ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لاعَذِّبَنَّ كُلَّ رَعِيَّةٍ فِي الاسْلامِ دَانَتْ بِوَلايَةِ كُلِّ إِمَامٍ جَائِرٍ لَيْسَ مِنَ الله وَإِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ فِي أَعْمَالِهَا بَرَّةً تَقِيَّةً وَلاعْفُوَنَّ عَنْ كُلِّ رَعِيَّةٍ فِي الاسْلامِ دَانَتْ بِوَلايَةِ كُلِّ إِمَامٍ عَادِلٍ مِنَ الله وَإِنْ كَانَتِ الرَّعِيَّةُ فِي أَنْفُسِهَا ظَالِمَةً مُسِيئَةً.

Published English translation

4. He has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib al-Sajistani from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, ’I will cause to suffer punishment all those who live a religious life in Islam under the guardianship of unjust Imams who possesses no authority from Allah even though such followers would be virtuous and pious in their deeds. I will forgive all those who live a religious life in Islamunder the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possess authority from Allah even though such followers in their dealings would be unjust sinners.”

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 (4/218)

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