Al-Kafi · Hadith 1

The Book of Belief and Disbelief · No name · Volume 2, book 1, chapter 24, Hadith 1

Original Arabic text

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ السَّرَّاجِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) وَبِأَسَانِيدَ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ عَنِ الأصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ خَطَبَنَا أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) فِي دَارِهِ أَوْ قَالَ فِي الْقَصْرِ وَنَحْنُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِ فَكُتِبَ فِي كِتَابٍ وَقُرِئَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَرَوَى غَيْرُهُ أَنَّ ابْنَ الْكَوَّاءِ سَأَلَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عَنْ صِفَةِ الإسْلامِ وَالإيمَانِ وَالْكُفْرِ وَالنِّفَاقِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى شَرَعَ الإسْلامَ وَسَهَّلَ شَرَائِعَهُ لِمَنْ وَرَدَهُ وَأَعَزَّ أَرْكَانَهُ لِمَنْ حَارَبَهُ وَجَعَلَهُ عِزّاً لِمَنْ تَوَلاهُ وَسِلْماً لِمَنْ دَخَلَهُ وَهُدًى لِمَنِ ائْتَمَّ بِهِ وَزِينَةً لِمَنْ تَجَلَّلَهُ وَعُذْراً لِمَنِ انْتَحَلَهُ وَعُرْوَةً لِمَنِ اعْتَصَمَ بِهِ وَحَبْلاً لِمَنِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِهِ وَبُرْهَاناً لِمَنْ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ وَنُوراً لِمَنِ اسْتَضَاءَ بِهِ وَعَوْناً لِمَنِ اسْتَغَاثَ بِهِ وَشَاهِداً لِمَنْ خَاصَمَ بِهِ وَفُلْجاً لِمَنْ حَاجَّ بِهِ وَعِلْماً لِمَنْ وَعَاهُ وَحَدِيثاً لِمَنْ رَوَى وَحُكْماً لِمَنْ قَضَى وَحِلْماً لِمَنْ جَرَّبَ وَلِبَاساً لِمَنْ تَدَبَّرَ وَفَهْماً لِمَنْ تَفَطَّنَ وَيَقِيناً لِمَنْ عَقَلَ وَبَصِيرَةً لِمَنْ عَزَمَ وَآيَةً لِمَنْ تَوَسَّمَ وَعِبْرَةً لِمَنِ اتَّعَظَ وَنَجَاةً لِمَنْ صَدَّقَ وَتُؤَدَةً لِمَنْ أَصْلَحَ وَزُلْفَى لِمَنِ اقْتَرَبَ وَثِقَةً لِمَنْ تَوَكَّلَ وَرَخَاءً لِمَنْ فَوَّضَ وَسُبْقَةً لِمَنْ أَحْسَنَ وَخَيْراً لِمَنْ سَارَعَ وَجُنَّةً لِمَنْ صَبَرَ وَلِبَاساً لِمَنِ اتَّقَى وَظَهِيراً لِمَنْ رَشَدَ وَكَهْفاً لِمَنْ آمَنَ وَأَمَنَةً لِمَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَرَجَاءً لِمَنْ صَدَقَ وَغِنًى لِمَنْ قَنِعَ فَذَلِكَ الْحَقُّ سَبِيلُهُ الْهُدَى وَمَأْثُرَتُهُ الْمَجْدُ وَصِفَتُهُ الْحُسْنَى فَهُوَ أَبْلَجُ الْمِنْهَاجِ مُشْرِقُ الْمَنَارِ ذَاكِي الْمِصْبَاحِ رَفِيعُ الْغَايَةِ يَسِيرُ الْمِضْمَارِ جَامِعُ الْحَلْبَةِ سَرِيعُ السَّبْقَةِ أَلِيمُ النَّقِمَةِ كَامِلُ الْعُدَّةِ كَرِيمُ الْفُرْسَانِ فَالإيمَانُ مِنْهَاجُهُ وَالصَّالِحَاتُ مَنَارُهُ وَالْفِقْهُ مَصَابِيحُهُ وَالدُّنْيَا مِضْمَارُهُ وَالْمَوْتُ غَايَتُهُ وَالْقِيَامَةُ حَلْبَتُهُ وَالْجَنَّةُ سُبْقَتُهُ وَالنَّارُ نَقِمَتُهُ وَالتَّقْوَى عُدَّتُهُ وَالْمُحْسِنُونَ فُرْسَانُهُ فَبِالإيمَانِ يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلَى الصَّالِحَاتِ وَبِالصَّالِحَاتِ يُعْمَرُ الْفِقْهُ وَبِالْفِقْهِ يُرْهَبُ الْمَوْتُ وَبِالْمَوْتِ تُخْتَمُ الدُّنْيَا وَبِالدُّنْيَا تَجُوزُ الْقِيَامَةَ وَبِالْقِيَامَةِ تُزْلَفُ الْجَنَّةُ وَالْجَنَّةُ حَسْرَةُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَالنَّارُ مَوْعِظَةُ الْمُتَّقِينَ وَالتَّقْوَى سِنْخُ الإيمَانِ.

Published English translation

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and a number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid all from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ya’qub al-Sarraj from Jabir from Abu Ja’far (a.s.) and through various chain of narrators from Asbagh ibn Nubatah who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) once addressed us at his home or - that he said - in the castle, and we were all gathered. He (may Allah’s favors be with him) issued a written order that was read to people. Others have narrated that ibn al-Kawwa asked Amir al- Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) to describe Islam, belief, rejection and hypocrisy. He then said, ‘(First I express my thanks to and praise of Allah), thereafter (I must say that) Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, established Islam and made its paths clear for the people coming in Islam. He gave strength to its corners against the enemies. He made it (to be a source of) dignity for those who love it, peace for those who enter therein, guidance for those who follow it, beauty for those who glorify it, protection for those who accept it, a stronghold for those who seek security, a rope for those who like to hold on to it, solid proof for those who speak from it, light for those who search for brightness, a rescuer for those who cry for help, a witness for those who fight for it, success for those who argue by the facts therein, knowledge for those who imbibe it, good report for those who narrate it, judgment for those who take it as the source of decrees, forbearance for those who experience it, a dress for those who contemplate on it, understanding for those who find good points in it, certainty for those who reason with it, insight for those who make a decision, a sign for those who take it as landmark, a good lesson for those who look for good lessons, salvation for those who affirm it, serenity for those who reform, success for those who come close to it, confidence for those who trust it, ease for those who make it the factor-in-charge of thier affairs, advancement for those who do it well, goodness for those who come to it fast, a shield for those who bear patience, dressing for those who observe piety, a supporter for those who take it as a guide, a cave of protection for those who seek safety, peace and comfort for those who accept it, hope for those who believe it and self-sufficiency for those who are content. That is the truth. Its path is guidance, its narratives are honorable and its description is goodness. Its system is clear, its lighthouse shines, its lamp is clean and bright, its aims are high, its training is easy and its advancing is a great deal. Its advancing is quick and its disciplining painful. Its assets are sufficient and its staff honorable. Belief is its system, virtuous deeds are its lighthouse, laws and understanding are the sources of its light, the world is its arena and death is its end, the hereafter its reward, paradise its finish line, hell its resentment, piety its supplies and people of good deeds its soldiers. Through belief good deeds are found, with good deeds good understanding is achieved and with good understanding fear for death is felt and with death the world ends. With the world one reaches the Day of Judgment. On the Day of Judgment paradise is bedecked. Paradise is (the cause of) regret for people of hell. Hell is a good lesson for the pious people and piety is the foundation of belief.”

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 (7/298)

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 2, Thaqalayn digital edition / Muhammad Sarwar translation
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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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