Al-Kafi · Hadith 10

The Book of Belief and Disbelief · Silence and Restraint against Publicity · Volume 2, book 1, chapter 98, Hadith 10

Original Arabic text

10ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَأَبَى وَأَمْسَكَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَوْ أَعْطَيْنَاكُمْ كُلَّمَا تُرِيدُونَ كَانَ شَرّاً لَكُمْ وَأُخِذَ بِرَقَبَةِ صَاحِبِ هَذَا الأمْرِ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَلايَةُ الله أَسَرَّهَا إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَأَسَرَّهَا جَبْرَئِيلُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) وَأَسَرَّهَا مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَأَسَرَّهَا عَلِيٌّ إِلَى مَنْ شَاءَ الله ثُمَّ أَنْتُمْ تُذِيعُونَ ذَلِكَ مَنِ الَّذِي أَمْسَكَ حَرْفاً سَمِعَهُ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فِي حِكْمَةِ آلِ دَاوُدَ يَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يَكُونَ مَالِكاً لِنَفْسِهِ مُقْبِلاً عَلَى شَأْنِهِ عَارِفاً بِأَهْلِ زَمَانِهِ فَاتَّقُوا الله وَلا تُذِيعُوا حَدِيثَنَا فَلَوْ لا أَنَّ الله يُدَافِعُ عَنْ أَوْلِيَائِهِ وَيَنْتَقِمُ لأوْلِيَائِهِ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِ أَ مَا رَأَيْتَ مَا صَنَعَ الله بِ‏آلِ بَرْمَكَ وَمَا انْتَقَمَ الله لأبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَقَدْ كَانَ بَنُو الأشْعَثِ عَلَى خَطَرٍ عَظِيمٍ فَدَفَعَ الله عَنْهُمْ بِوَلايَتِهِمْ لأبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَأَنْتُمْ بِالْعِرَاقِ تَرَوْنَ أَعْمَالَ هَؤُلاءِ الْفَرَاعِنَةِ وَمَا أَمْهَلَ الله لَهُمْ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِتَقْوَى الله وَلا تَغُرَّنَّكُمُ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا وَلا تَغْتَرُّوا بِمَنْ قَدْ أُمْهِلَ لَهُ فَكَأَنَّ الأمْرَ قَدْ وَصَلَ إِلَيْكُمْ.

Published English translation

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said the following: “Once I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) a question. He refrained silently and said, ‘If we give you everything you want, it may become evil for you and the neck of the owner of this cause will be caught tight.’ “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘It is the guardianship of Allah, Who told it secretly to Jibril, who secretly told it to Muhammad (a.s.) who secretly told it to Ali (a.s.) who secretly told it to whoever Allah wanted and then you publicize it. Who is he that has heard a word then has held it secretly?’ “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘It is in the wisdom of ‘Ale Dawud (family of David), “It is necessary for a Muslim to have control over his soul, be attentive to his affairs and have foil knowledge of the people of his time.” Be pious before Allah and do not publicize our Hadith. It is a fact that Allah defends his friends and exacts recompense for His friends from His enemies. Have you considered how Allah dealt with Ale Barmak (family of Barmak) and how He recompensed for abu al-Hassan (a.s.) when banu ‘Ash’ath faced the great danger and Allah defended them for their supporting abu al- Hassan (a.s.)? In Iraq you are well aware of the deeds of those Pharaohs and the respite that Allah has given them. Therefore, you must observe piety before Allah and do not allow the worldly life to deceive you. Do not be confused about those who have been given respite. It is as if the matter (reappearance of al-Mahdi (a.s.)) is almost within your reach.’”

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 (9/192)

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: صحيح

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī, vol. 1, pp. 99, 100

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Source, rights, and attribution

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edition: Al-Kafi, volume 2, Thaqalayn digital edition / Muhammad Sarwar translation
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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
source Revision: becbad600b693ce23735d7403c4126ce7c896d34
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