Al-Kafi · Hadith 18

The Book of Belief and Disbelief · Good Relation with Relatives · Volume 2, book 1, chapter 68, Hadith 18

Original Arabic text

18ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَمَّا خَرَجَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يُرِيدُ الْبَصْرَةَ نَزَلَ بِالرَّبَذَةِ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ مُحَارِبٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنِّي تَحَمَّلْتُ فِي قَوْمِي حَمَالَةً وَإِنِّي سَأَلْتُ فِي طَوَائِفَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُوَاسَاةَ وَالْمَعُونَةَ فَسَبَقَتْ إِلَيَّ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ بِالنَّكَدِ فَمُرْهُمْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِمَعُونَتِي وَحُثَّهُمْ عَلَى مُوَاسَاتِي فَقَالَ أَيْنَ هُمْ فَقَالَ هَؤُلاءِ فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ حَيْثُ تَرَى قَالَ فَنَصَّ رَاحِلَتَهُ فَادَّلَفَتْ كَأَنَّهَا ظَلِيمٌ فَادَّلَفَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ فِي طَلَبِهَا فَلأياً بِلأيٍ مَا لُحِقَتْ فَانْتَهَى إِلَى الْقَوْمِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَسَأَلَهُمْ مَا يَمْنَعُهُمْ مِنْ مُوَاسَاةِ صَاحِبِهِمْ فَشَكَوْهُ وَشَكَاهُمْ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَصَلَ امْرُؤٌ عَشِيرَتَهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ أَوْلَى بِبِرِّهِ وَذَاتِ يَدِهِ وَوَصَلَتِ الْعَشِيرَةُ أَخَاهَا إِنْ عَثَرَ بِهِ دَهْرٌ وَأَدْبَرَتْ عَنْهُ دُنْيَا فَإِنَّ الْمُتَوَاصِلِينَ الْمُتَبَاذِلِينَ مَأْجُورُونَ وَإِنَّ الْمُتَقَاطِعِينَ الْمُتَدَابِرِينَ مَوْزُورُونَ قَالَ ثُمَّ بَعَثَ رَاحِلَتَهُ وَقَالَ حَلْ.

Published English translation

18. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from certain individuals of his people from ‘Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “When Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) left Madina for Basra, on his way he stopped at al-Rabadhah (a place near Jaddah). A man from Muharib (a tribe) came and said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, I have been shouldering many responsibilities for my people and I have asked quite a few of them to help and cooperate with me, instead they have been very harsh to me. O Amir al-Mu’minin, command them to help me and encourage them to cooperate with me.’ The Imam asked, ‘Where are they?’ He said, ‘Those are a few of them as you may see.’ The man has said, ‘The Imam directed his horse to their direction, which began to move faster than trudge. Certain men from his companions followed, but they had difficulty catching up with him, and he would slow down for them until he reached the people and offered them greetings of peace. He asked them about their lack of cooperation with one of their own people. They complained before the Imam and he complained against them. Amir al- Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) said, ‘A man must maintain good relations with relatives; they are more deserving of benefitting from his virtuous deeds and achievements. The relatives must maintain good relations with one of their own in times of need when things are against him. Those who maintain good relations with relatives and help financially are rewarded. Those who cut off good relations with relatives and turn away commit a sin.’ The man has said, ‘The Imam then turned his horse around and directed it to move.’”

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 (8/373)

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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