Al-Kafi · Hadith 5

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 5

Original Arabic text

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله لا يَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ أُمَّةً دَانَتْ بِإِمَامٍ لَيْسَ مِنَ الله وَإِنْ كَانَتْ فِي أَعْمَالِهَا بَرَّةً تَقِيَّةً وَإِنَّ الله لَيَسْتَحْيِي أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ أُمَّةً دَانَتْ بِإِمَامٍ مِنَ الله وَإِنْ كَانَتْ فِي أَعْمَالِهَا ظَالِمَةً مُسِيئَةً.

Published English translation

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from ibn Jumhur from his father from Safwan from ibn Maskan from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah will not be ashamed to punish an ’Umma (nation) who has lived a religious lile under the guardianship of an unjust Imam who has said the following.would possess no authority form Allah even though such people would be virtuous and pious in their deeds. However, Allah will be ashamed to punish a people who lived a religious life under the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possesses authority from Allah even though they would be unjust in their dealings and have committed sins.”

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 (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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