In the Name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful

And bless be upon Muhammad and his pure Household, and may Allah's curse be on his enemies from now until the Day of Resurrection! And there is no power or strength except for the Lofty Glorious Allah.

The Wise Allah has stated in His Glorious Book:

يا ايُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا اطيعُوا اللهَ وَ اطيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ اولِى الْامْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَانْ تَنازَعْتُمْ فى شَىْ‏ءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ الَى اللهِ وَ الرَّسُولِ انْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللهِ وَ الْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَ احْسَنْ تَأْويلًا.^[1]

‘… O you who believe, obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then if you have any dispute over anything, refer to Allah and the Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day – for that is better and becoming in the end, (Qur’an: 4/59).’

The Holy Religion of Islam is the most perfect religion that is legislated on the basis of nature, and it has provided mankind whatever is needed to lead him to the perfection and the homeland of bliss; as He states:

فَأَقِمْ وَجْهَكَ لِلدِّينِ حَنيفاً فِطْرَةَ اللهِ الَّتى فَطَرَ النّاسَ عَلَيْها ^[2]

‘… so keep your face faithfully toward this [true] religion, Allah has created the nature of man’s soul with full tendency and love towards it, (Qur’an: 30/30).’

Islam has not left anything unsaid about nature commands; He has stated everything in details, as He states:

الْيَوْمَ أكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دينَكُمْ وَ اتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتى ^[3]

‘… Today, I have perfected your religion for you, and completed My favour upon you, (Qur’an: 5/3).’

And the Messenger of Allah stated:

انَّما بُعِثْتُ لِاتَمِّمَ مَكارِمَ الْاخْلاق ^[4]

The fact is that I have been sent to fulfill the ethics and good morality.’

And he stated:

ما مَنْ شَىْ‏ءٍ يُقَرَّبُكُمْ الَى اللهِ الّا وَ قَدْ دَعَوْتُكُمْ بهِ، وَ ما مِنْ شَىْ‏ءٍ يُبَعِّدُكُمْ عَنِ النّارِ الّا وَ قَدْ نَهَيْتُكُمْ عَنْهُ ^[5]

There was nothing to lead you to paradise other than what I commanded you to, and there was nothing to keep you away from the Fire except what I prohibited you from.’

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Advice is of the innate, intellectual and religious commands

One of the sure commands which is based on the nature is the very matter of bequeath. To make one’s will is enjoining about your religion and worldly affairs so that your will not to be obsolete – as the affairs were in the best way in your life time, they should be the same state after your death. This command is logical and the Islam has signed and confirmed it; therefore, the command on this field is at three stages:

The first stage is the commandment by nature, it means that everyone’s nature desires to carry out his will according to his aspiration: that is, every single thing of his to be mentioned in the will according to his taste. It is the command of one’s nature and the Divine-bestowing instinct that a man does not like his free will to be seen to by someone else. As much as man is interested in his wealth and position, he likes to have authority upon their being looked after. This authority on one’s will and position is not only in his life time but it lasts years after his death – one wants to see how the remainders are dealing with his left-behind.

Therefore, while one is alive and living in this world, he attentively considers his situation after his death, and inwardly casts his insight glance upon his wealth, knowledge, good deeds or bad, his donations and taking part in the charities, his wife and children and any single thing he has done, then, he wishes to arrange everything in a way that after his death they come to use for a long period of time and he receives the reward of them.

Even animals possess this instinct, now and then it is seen that most animals who become certain of their deaths and feel the death is overtaking them, they start building nests or caves for their youngest to live in out of danger.

The second stage is the command of wisdom. With no doubt, as a commander, a man’s intellect does not let him neglect and forget his affairs; he has to chose an inheritor after him to look after them so that, as he wanted to use them in his life time, to be used in most proper way after his death - they must be used as it used to be applied in his time.

The most learned clergy men look down at those who die without preparing an authentic will concerning their own families, wealth and affairs, farms and gardens and his other belongings; they consider such people defective and blame them for not writing a proper will. On the other hand, they consider sensible one who has prepared his will and nominated a wise executor to look after his affairs after him.

The third stage is the command of religion which is based on the nature and wisdom, and in all creeds and religions the commandment is considered to be praiseworthy. In the holy religion of Islam, which is the crown of the religions, it has been carefully assigned and clearly carried out. As is stated:

كُتِبَ عَلَيُكُمْ اذا حَضَرَ احَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ انْ تَرَكَ خَيْراً الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوالِدَيْنِ وَ الْاقْرَبينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقّاً عَلَى الْمُتَّقينَ فَمَنْ بَدَّلَهُ بَعْدَ ما سَمِعَهُ فَانَّما اثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ انَّ اللهَ سَميعٌ عَليم.^[6]

‘… It is ordained for you that when death approaches any of  you, and he has left behind some property, should make a proper will for his parents and near relative – [it is] an obligation upon the God-fearing. Then anyone who changes that [will] after hearing, the [whole] sin falls upon those who make the change – surely Allah is the Knowing Hearer, (Qur’an: 2/180-181).’ 

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Guardianship is the most Important Essential of the Religion

The most important and the basic question in the religion is the question of the Guardianship: it is the external and the internal supervision of the religion, the corporal and spiritual condition. The worldly affairs and the Hereafter, the material side and the spiritual, worshipping and society all these are the religion’s affairs and the Messenger of Allah would carry them all.

The question of Guardianship is the spirit of the religion, without it the religion would be as a corpse with no soul: it sounds as a religion without a messenger of Allah upon it, like the treatment of a patient without a physician or building a house without an architect. Thus, the stability of a religion is in the hand of its saviour and guardian who is familiar with the principal and the fact of it. As a people without the religion fall off the course and then they disguise with the name of humanity, religion also derails without the Imam and only its name is know to the people. That is why the Messenger of Allah has enjoined it so often than anything concerning the religion. The Holiness Messenger has magnified it, enjoined and emphasized the importance and greatness of the Guardianship; time and again he has warned people, and has made them swear allegiance, and has called them to witness that other commands in the religion are not as important as this one.

By studying the nature of the Messenger of Allah, and deliberating the authentic history, it becomes clear that nothing was more important to the Holiness than the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace. It is actually as important as the Islam itself, it is compared with the main prophet-hood and so is it the basis of the Qur’an – it is the essence of the prophet-hood and the Qur’an.

In these series of discussions, we relate the narratives the Messenger of Allah has stated about the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers in different occasions. He has enjoined it in the commandment of the “Tribes’ Narrative”, the Narrative of Aanis, the Sermon of Ghadir, the Narrative of the position,  the Narrative of Thaghalain, and the narrative of Safina and the others. Some of them have been explained in this book and some will be mentioned later on. We want to explain those narratives that the main word of “Injunction” has been focused and singled out so that it becomes clear that how many times the Messenger of Allah has mentioned the Commander of the believers as: “the Master of the messengers”, “the Master of the spiritual heirs and “the Spiritual Guardian”. And in many occasions, he has called the Holiness as “My Caliph” which means his Executor.

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The Spiritual Guardianship of the Commander of the Believers by the Messenger of Allah

The first day when the Messenger of Allah invited his family to Islam, he nominated the Commander of the believers as his brother, Minister, the spiritual heir and the Caliph, in this book, we are going to bring you what was going on in that session.

On the other hand, Ibn Moghazeli, who is distinguished among the common scholars, has narrated by his document from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants that the Holiness had said:

يا عَلُّى انْتَ سيّد الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامُ الْمُتَّقينَ وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ وَ يَعْسُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنين.^[7]

‘O Ali, you are the Master and Leader of the Muslims, you are the Imam of the pious and so are the guide and the statesman in authority for the righteous; you are of the “Bright Faced” lying in the chambers of paradise.’ And then, Ibn Moghazeli says: ‘Abul Ghasim Taee said: “I asked the meaning of: ‘Is ‘Ya‘soob’ from Ahmad bin Yahya?’ then, he answered: ‘Ya‘soob’ is that kind of a bee that is male and he is the chief and the statesman in authority.’” In this narrative, the Messenger of Allah has compared Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, with those honey-bees.  

And Sheikh Abdul Hafiz bin Badran has narrated by the means of his document from great many Sheikhs of his nation: 

 قالَ عَلىٌّ عليه السلام: قالَ لى رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: مَرْحَباً بِسيّد الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامِ الْمُتَّقينَ. فَقيلَ لِعَلّىٍ: فَأَىُّ شَىْ‏ءٍ كانَ مِنْ شَكْرِكَ؟ قالَ: حَمِدْتُ اللهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلى ما آتانى، وَ سَأَلْتُهُ الشُّكْرَ عَلى ما اوْلانى، وَ انْ يَزيدَنى مِمّا اعْطانى.^[8]

The Holiness Ali, upon him be peace, has narrated of the Messenger of Allah who had stated to him: ‘Well done! You the Master and the Statesman in authority for the Muslims and the Leader of the Pious.’

Sha‘bi says: ‘The Commander of the believers was asked what his reaction was to the statement of the Messenger and how he thanked him.’ The Holiness answered: ‘I praised Allah for what He had honoured me, and I thanked him for this position He had put in my proposal – and I asked even more of what He had honoured me.’

Hamwini, who is of the greatest common scholars, relates through his documents from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari who said:

قالَ: كُنْتُ يَوْماً مَعَ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم فى بَعْضِ حيطانِ الْمَدينَةِ وَ يَدُ عَلِىٍّ فى يَدِهِ، فَمَرَرْنا بنَخْلٍ فَصاحَ النَّخْلُ: هذا سيّد الْأَنْبياءِ وَ هذا عَلىٌّ سيّد الْاوْصِياءِ وَ ابُو الْائِمَّةِ الطّاهِرينَ، ثُمَّ مَرَرْنا بِنَخْلٍ فَصاحَ النَّخْلُ: هذا الْمَهْدِىُّ، وَ هذَا الْهادى، ثُمَّ مَرَرْنا بِنَخْلٍ فَصاحَ النَّخْلُ: هذا رَسُولُ اللهِ، وَ هذا عَلىٌّ سَيْفُ اللهِ. فَالْتَفَتَ النَّبِىِّ الى عَلىٍّ فَقالَ: يا عَلىُّ سَمِّهِ الصَّيْحانِىَّ، فَسُمِّىَ مِنْ ذلِكَ الْيَوْمِ الصَّيْحانِى.^[9]

Jabir says: ‘Once, we, the Holy Messenger and Us, were walking in one of the gardens of Medina while Ali and the Messenger were hand in hand. When we were passing a tree, the tree came to word saying: ‘This is the Master of the messengers, and the next one is Ali, the Master of the spiritual heir and the father of the immaculate Imams.’ As we were walking, we approached another tree, the tree shouted: ‘This is the Guided Mahdi and the next one is the Guide and Leader.’ Then, when we approached another tree it called: ‘This is Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and another one is Ali, the Sword of Allah.’ Therefore, the Messenger of Allah turned to the Holiness Commander of the believers and said: “Do call the dates of these trees “Seihani”.’ Now, that is why the dates of them are called Seihani.’

And Also Hamwini, by means of his documents, narrates it from Saeed ibn Jabir who said:

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم لِامِّ سَلَمَةَ: هذا اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سيّد الْمُسْلِمينَ و وَصِيِّى وَ عَيْبَةُ عِلْمى وَ بابِىَ الَّذى اوتى مِنْهُ، اخى فِى الدُّنيا وَ الْآخِرَةِ، وَ مَعى فِى الَّسنامِ الْاعْلى، يَقْتُلُ النّاكِثينَ وَ الْقاسِطينَ وَ الْمارِقين.^[10]

‘Ibn Abbas says: ‘[While pointing to Ali], the Holiness Messenger of Allah told Umm Salema: “This is the Commander of the believers, the Leader of the Muslims, my heir and the treasurer of my knowledge, and the gate to enter my endless knowledge; he is my brother in this world and, in the Hereafter, he is going to be with me at the highest status and position in paradise – after me, he is going to fight with three groups: the guilty of perjury, the folk of oppressions, and the group of the infidel (the companion of Jamal, the companion of Siffin and the companion of Nahrawan).

And by means of his document, Abu Naeem Ahmad bin Abdullah Hafiz says that ibn Leila narrated from Hassan bin Ali, upon them be peace, saying:

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: ادْعُوا الَىَّ سيّد الْعَرَبِ- يَعْنى عَليّاً- فَقالَتْ عائِشَةُ: أَ لَسْتَ سيّد الْعَرَبِ؟ قالَ: انَا سيّد وُلْدِ آدَمَ و عَلىٌّ سيّد الْعَرَبِ. فَلَمّا جاءَ عَلِىٌّ ارْسَلَ الَى الْانْصارِ فَاتَوْهُ فَقالَ لَهُمْ: يا مَعْشَرَ الْانْصار الا ادُلُّكُمْ عَلى ما انْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدَهُ ابَداً؟ قالُوا: بَلى يا رَسُولَ اللهِ، قالَ: هذا عَلِىٌّ فَاحِبُّوهُ بِحُبِّى وَ اكْرِمُوهُ بِكَرامَتى فَانَّ جَبْرَئيلَ امَرَنى بالَّذى قُلْت.^[11]

(Abu Naeem says, ‘they have also related this narrative by Saeed ibn Jabir); but in any case it means:

‘The Messenger of Allah stated: “Ask the Master and Chief of the Arab to come to me”, by saying so, he meant Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon them be peace. Then, Aisha asked: ‘What! Are you not the Master and Chief of the Arab?’ The Holiness stated: “I am the Master and Chief of the children of Adam but Ali is the Master and Chief of the Arab.” When Ali came to him, the Holiness Messenger of Allah sent some after the Supporters to invite them there. They gathered at the presence of the Messenger and he addressed them: “O the companion of the Supporters, would you like me to direct you to something to help you not to go astray?” They all said, ‘Yes, o Messenger of Allah.’ Therefore, the Holiness stated: “This is Ali bin Abī Tālib, do love him as much as you love me, do respect him as you respect me. Indeed, you should know that this statement of mine is what the Gabriel has commanded me.”

Abul Hassan Faghih Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Ali bin Shazan quotes in the book of “Priorities of Ali and his offspring, peace be upon them all ” which all together are a hundred merits and has narrated them by the Sunnite, and through his documents from “Habbat-al-Orani from the Commander of the believers peace be upon them all  who has said:

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: انَا سَيِّدُ الْاوَّلينَ وَ الْآخِرينَ، وَ انْتَ يا عَلِىٌ سَيِّدُ الْخَلائِقِ بَعْدى، اوَّلُنا كَآخِرِنا وَ آخِرُنا كَاوَّلِنا. ^[12]

The Messenger of Allah told the Commander of the believers upon them be peace: “I am the first and last Master, that is, I am the Master for those who passed away and those who are born after; and o Ali, you are the Master of all the creatures after me, our beginning similar to our ending, and our ending similar to our beginning.”

And ibn Shazan has narrated of the quotations of the common by ibn Abbas saying

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: وَ الَّذى بَعَثَنى بِالْحَقِّ بَشيراً مَا اسْتَقَرَّ الْكُرْسِىُّ وَ الْعَرْشُ وَ لا دارَ الْفَلَكُ وَ لا قامَتِ السَّماواتُ وَ الْارْضُ الّا بِانْ كُتِبَ عَلَيْها: لا اله الَّا اللهُ، مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللهِ، عَلىٌّ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ. وَ انَّ اللهَ تَعالى عَرَجَ بى الَى السَّماءِ وَ اخْتَصَّنى بِلَطيف نِدائِهِ قالَ: يا مُحَمَّدُ، قُلْتُ: لَبَّيْكَ رَبّى وَ سَعْدَيْكَ، فَقالَ: انَا الْمَحْمُودُ و انْتَ مُحَمَّدٌ، شَقَقْتُ اسْمَكَ مِنِ اسْمى وَ فَضَّلْتُكَ عَلى جَميعِ بَريَّتى فَانْصِبْ اخاكَ عَلِيّاً عَلَماً يَهْديهِمْ الى دينى. يا مُحَمَّدُ انِّى جَعَلْتُ عَلِيّاً اميرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ، فَمَنْ تَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِ لَعَنْتُهُ، وَ مَنْ خالَفَهُ عَذَّبْتُهُ، وَ مَنْ اطاعَهُ قَرَّبْتُهُ. يا مُحَمَّدُ انِّى جَعَلْتُ عَلِيّاً امامَ الْمُسْلِمينَ، فَمَنْ تَقَدَّمَ عَلَيْهِ اخْزَيْتُهُ وَ مَنْ عَصاهُ اسْتَجْفَيْتُهُ، انَّ عَليّاً سَيِّدُ الْوَصيّينَ، وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ، وَ حُجَّتى عَلى جَميع خَلْقى اجْمَعينَ.^[13]

Ibn Abbas says: ‘The Holiness Messenger, Bless be to him and his Descendants, stated: “By Allah Who rightfully has assigned me as the informer of His Mercy that the firmament could not be established and the sky and earth would not establish unless it was written on the firmament: There is no deity except Allah, Muhammad the Messenger of Allah and Ali the Commander of the believers.

When Allah, the Almighty, ascended to the heavens, through His revelation, in the Night of Ascension, stated me: “O Muhammad!” I had the honour to inform: ‘I am at Your service, O my Lord, I heard what You inspired me, now I have come receiving Your statement.’ Stated Allah: “O Messenger of Mine, here am I, I am Laudable and you are the praiseworthy – I have drawn your name from My Own Name, and I have honoured you upon all the creatures of Mine. O Muhammad, choose your brother Ali for the Caliphate and introduce him as the righteous banner among the nation so that to guide the people to My religion. O Muhammad I assign him as the Master and Commander of the believers; I shall curse him, who is going to govern upon him, and I shall punish whoever opposes him, while I shall raise his degree and position whoever follows him. O Muhammad I picked Ali as the Imam of the Muslims, he is the Leader so whoever overtakes him, I shall chastise him, and he who is disloyal to him I shall involve him to remain in My disloyalty. Ali is in fact the Master and Chief of the guardians of the messengers, and so is he Imam and Leader of the Bright Features in the mansions of paradise – he is the Proof of Mine upon all My creatures.”   

قالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم يَقُولُ:مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ! اعْلَمُوا انَّ لِلّهِ تَعالى باباً مَنْ دَخَلَهُ امِنَ مِنَ الْفَزَع الْاكْبَر، فَقالَ لَهُ ابُو سَعيدٍ الْخُدْرىُّ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ اهْدِنا الى هذَا الْباب حَتّى نَعْرِفَهُ، قالَ: هُوَ عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ سَيِّدَ الْوَصِيِّينَ وَ امير الْمُؤمِنينَ وَ اخُو رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعالَمينَ وَ خَليفَةُ اللهِ عَلَى النّاسِ اجْمَعينَ. مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ! مَنْ احَبَّ انْ يَسْتَمْسِكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقَى الَّتى لَا انْفِصامَ لَها فَلْيَتَمَسَّكْ بِوِلايَةِ عَلىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ فَانَّ وِلايَتَهُ وِلايَتى وَ طاعَتَهُ طاعَتى. يا مَعاشِرَ النّاس مَنْ احَبَّ انْ يَعْرفَ الْحُجَّةَ بَعْدى فَلْيَعْرِفْ عَلىَّ بْنَ ابيطالبٍ بَعْدى وَ الْائَمَّةَ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتى فَانَّهُمْ خُزّانُ عِلْمى. فَقامَ جابِرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ الْانصارِىُّ فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ ما عِدَّةُ الْائمَّةِ؟ فَقالَ: يا جابِرُ سَأَلْتَنى- رَحِمَكَ اللهُ- عَنِ الْاسْلامِ بِاجْمَعِهِ، عِدَّتُهُمْ عِدَّةُ الشُّهُور وَ هُوَ عِنْدَ اللهِ اثْنا عَشَرَ شَهْراً فى كِتابِ اللهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمواتِ وَ الْارْضَ، وَ عِدَّتُهُمْ عِدَّةُ الْعُيُونِ الَّتى انْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ لِمُوسَى بْنِ عِمْرانَ حينَ ضَرَبَ بِعَصاهُ فَانْفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتا عَشْرَةَ عَيْناً، وَ عِدَّةُ نُقَباءِ بَنى اسْرائيلَ قال الله تعالى: وَ لَقَدْ اخَذْنا مِيثاقَ بَنى اسْرائيلَ وَ بَعَثْنا مِنْهُمُ اثْنَىْ عَشَرَ نَقيباً فَالْائَمَّةُ يا جابرُ اثْنا عَشَرَ اماماً، اوَّلُهُمْ عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالبٍ، وَ آخِرُهُمُ الْقائِمُ- صَلَواتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِم ^[14]

Ibn Abbas says: ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah say: “O the company of the people know that there is a specified blessed door with the most Honourable and Exalted Allah that whoever enters through it will remain secured from the Fire and so is he protected from the fright of the Doomsday.:

Abu Saeed Khodri had the honour to inform that: ‘O Messenger of  Allah direct us to that door to know it well.’ The Messenger of Allah said: “That door means Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, who is the Master of the messengers’ executors, and so is he the Emir and the Leader of the believers. He is the brother of the Messenger of the entire being, and so is he Allah’s Caliph for the whole people on the earth.

O the company of the people, whoever wants a strong handle to cling at the time of sedition and hardship so that not to miss the straight path, let him cling to the Guardianship of Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace. Because he is Guardianship is exactly my Guardianship and his obedience is my obedience.

O the company of the people! Whoever wants to know the Proof Allah on the earth after me, must know Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, and also my offspring, the immaculate Imams, because they are the treasurers of my knowledge.’

Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari stood up and had the honour to inform: ‘O the Messenger of Allah, how many are the Imams in counting?’

Stated he: “O Jabir, may Allah blessing be upon you, in fact, you asked all about Islam. The count of the Imams are similar to the months of the year. And since the heavens and earth were created, the number of the months were twelve in the Book of Allah. And their numbers are exactly as the same number of the springs which the Holiness Moses stroke the rock with his rode and twelve springs gushed up for the twelve tribe of the Children of Israel and the Leaders.’

Allah, the most High, states in the holy Book:

“[We] made a covenant with the Children of Israel; and We raised twelve chiefs among them,”

Therefore, know that Jabir, the Imams are twelve; the first of them is Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, and the Last One is the Ever-Existing – may Allah’s endless mercy be upon them all!’     

And ibn Shazan, through his document by the public narrates from Abiza Qaffari that he said:

قالَ: نَظَرَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم الى عَلىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ فَقالَ: هذا خَيْرُ الْاوَّلينَ مِنْ اهْلِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْارَضينَ، هذا سَيِّدُ الصِّدِّيقينَ، هذا سَيِّدُ الْوِصيِّينَ وَ امامُ الْمُتَّقينَ وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ. اذا كانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيامَةِ جاءَ عَلى ناقَةٍ مِنُ نُوقِ الْجَنَّةِ قَدْ اضاءَتِ الْقِيامَةُ مِنْ ضِيائها، عَلى رَأْسِهِ.     

تاجٌ مُرَصَّعٌ بالزَّبَرْجَدِ وَ الْياقُوتِ فَتَقُولُ الَملائِكَةُ: هذا مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ، وَ يَقُولُ النَّبيُّونَ: هذا نبىٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، فَيُنادى مُنادٍ مِنْ بُطْنانِ الْعَرْشِ هذَا الصِّدِّيقُ الْاكْبَرُ، هذا وَصِىُّ حَبيبِ اللهِ، هذا عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ، فَيَقِفُ عَلى مَتْنِ جَهَنَّمَ فَيُخْرِجُ مِنْها مَنْ يُحِبُّ وَ يُدْخِلُ فيها مَنْ يُبْغِضُ، وَ يَأْتى ابْوابَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُدْخِلُ اوْلياءَهُ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ.^[15]

The Messenger of Allah cast his glance at Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, and said: “He is the best of the creatures of Allah in the heavens and upon the whole earth, this is the Master and the chief of the righteous, this is the Chieftain and the Inheritor of the messengers – the pioneer of the pious and the Leader of the honoured and bright features, and the bright faced of the mansions of paradise. When the Day of Resurrection approaches, Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, come to the gathering place of mankind on the Day of Judgement, while his face illuminating and wearing an olive-green crown decorated wit ruby. Then, the angels say: “This is of the inmate angels,” and the messengers says: “This is a sent-down-to nation messenger.” A caller calls from the firmament: “This is the Great Sincere Friend, this is the Inheritor and deputy of the Friend of Allah, Muhammad – this is Tālib, upon them be peace. Then, the Holiness brings out whomsoever he wants from the middle of the Fire, and sends into the Fire whomever he wants. After that, he passes through the gates of paradise and takes with him his countless followers into the Garden.

And ibn Shazan narrates of Imam Reza, upon him be peace, who has related it from his great grandfathers who had narrated from their father, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, that:

قالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: سَيَكُونُ بَعْدى فِتْنَةٌ مُظْلِمَةٌ، النّاجى مَنْ تَمَسَّكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقى، فَقيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَنِ الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقى؟ قالَ: وِلايَةُ سَيِّدِ الْوصِيّينَ، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيّينَ؟ قالَ: اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ؟ قالَ: مَوْلَى الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامُهُمْ بَعْدى، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ مَوْلَى الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامُهُمْ بَعْدَكَ؟ قالَ: اخى عَلىُّ بْنَ ابيطالِب.^[16]

‘The Messenger of Allah stated: ‘After my demine seditions will rise; dark and gloomy seditions,  then, only those who have firmly clinged to the saving rope will be safe.’ Some had the honour to ask who the saving rope was. He stated: ‘He is the Master and the Inheritor of all the messengers.’ Again they asked who the Master and the Inheritor of the Messengers was. He stated: ‘He is the Commander of the believers.’ They asked: ‘Who is the Commander of the believers?’ The Holiness stated: ‘He is the Great man of authority and the Imam of the Muslims after me.’ They had the honour to ask: ‘O the Messenger of Allah, who is the leading Imam of them after you?’ He answered: ‘My brother, Ali ibn Abī Tālib.’

And also Sheith Sadouq ibn Babweia Ghumi has related through his documents from Asbaq bin Nobateh:

قالَ: قالَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ عليه السلام: انَا خَليفَةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ وَزيرُهُ وَ وارثُهُ، وَ انَا اخُو رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ وَصيُّه، وَ انَا صَفِىُّ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ صاحِبُهُ، انَا ابْنُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ زَوْجُ ابْنَتِهِ وَ ابُو وُلْدِهِ، وَ انَا سَيِّدُ الْوَصِييّنَ، انَا الْحُجَّةُ الْعُظْمى وَ الْآيَةُ الْكُبْرى وَ الْمَثَلُ الْاعْلى وَ بابُ النَّبِىِّ الْمُصْطَفى، انَا الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقى وَ كَلِمَةُ التَّقْوى وَ امينُ اللهِ تَعالى ذِكْرُهُ عَلى اهْلِ الدُّنْيا.^[17]

[Asbaq bin Nobateh] said: ‘The Emir of the Commander, upon him be peace, said: “I am the Caliph and the Deputy of the Messenger of Allah, I am the Minister and the Inheritor of the Messenger of Allah, I am brother and the Executer of the Messenger of Allah, and I am also the chosen one by the Messenger of Allah and so am I his friend and companion.

I am the cousin of the Messenger of Allah and I am the husband for his daughter; I am the Master and the inheritor of the messengers.

I am the great proof of Allah, the sign of Allah and the highest of the Verses and the sample of Monotheism of Allah.

I am the gate for the endless knowledge of him and also am the treasurer for the Chosen Messenger of Allah.

I am the strong handle to cling at, I am the main word of the piety, I am the trustee of Allah upon the whole world.’

And, in the book of Ihtejaj, Abu Mansour Ahmad bin Ali ibn Abī Tālib Tabarsi has related from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari who has narrated the Holiness Imam Muhammad Baqir, upon him be peace, that Omar bin Khattab at his death time, handed over the Council behind him to six persons from the Ghuraish, one of whom was Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon him be peace. He commanded them to choose a Caliph from among them in three days’ time; they did so and the result of their verdicts was Othman.

فَلَمّا رَأى اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ ما هُمْ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَيْعَةِ لِعُثْمانَ قامَ فيهمْ لِيَتَّخِذَ عَلَيْهمُ الْحُجَّةَ فَقالَ لَهُمُ: اسْمَعُوا مِنّى، فَانْ يَكُ ما اقُولُ حَقّاً فَاقْبَلُوا، وَ انْ يَكُ باطِلًا فَانْكِرُوا، ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُمْ: انشُدُكُمْ بِاللهِ الَّذى يَعْلَمُ صِدْقَكُمْ انْ صَدَقْتُمْ وَ يَعْلَمُ كِذْبَكُمْ انْ كَذَبْتُمْ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ صَلَّى الْقِبْلَتَيْنِ كِلْتَيْهِما غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا، قالَ: فَهَلْ فيكُمْ مَنْ بايَعَ الْبَيْعَتَيْن كِلْتَيْهِما بَيْعَةَ الْفَتْحِ وَ بَيْعَةَ الرِّضْوانِ غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا- وَ ساقَ الْحَديثَ بِذِكْرهِ مَناقِبَهُ وَ فَضائِلَهُ فَيُصَدِّقُونَهُ فى قَوْلِهِ لَهُمْ الى انْ قالَ:- فَانْشُدُكُمْ بِاللهِ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ قالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: «اوَّلُ طالِعٍ يَطْلُعُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ هذَا الْبابِ يا انَسٌ فَانَّهُ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سَيّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ خَيْرُ الْوَصِيّينَ وَ اوْلى بِالنّاسِ، فَقالَ انَسٌ: اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْانْصارِ، فَكُنْتُ انَا الطّالِع، فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ لِانَسٍ: ما انْتَ يا انَسُ بِاوَّلِ رَجُلٍ احَبَّ قَوْمَهُ» غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا.  ^[18]

“When the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, saw that they were going to pay homage to Othman, as ultimatum, he stood up and said: ‘Len me your ears and if whatever I say is right, accept it but if it is wrong refuse it.’ Then, he stated: ‘ O take an oath to Allah Who knows whatever truth you say or whatever you lie to tell me that is there anyone among you to pray towards two different directions?’ They said, ‘No.’ Then, he asked: ‘Is there anyone among you to have paid homage to both: the victory and benediction?’ Their answers were, ‘No.’ He carried on the same way of his priorities and all of them accepted them until he said: ‘I administer an oath to Allah: do tell me, is there anyone among you, except me, to hear the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, telling Anas: “O Anas, the first man entering through this gate to me is the Commander of the believers, the Master of the Muslims, the best of inheritors and the best among the people.’ Anas thought for a whiles and spontaneously said to himself: ‘O Lord assign him to be one of the Quraish;’ it was then I entered to the Messenger of Allah. The Holiness told Anas: ‘This is the Emir of the Commander of the believers and the Master of the Guardians of the messengers, and the first man in authority upon the Muslims.’ They said, ‘No.’

قالَ: نَظَرَ النَّبِىُّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم الى عَلىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ فَقالَ: هذا خَيْرُ الْاوَّلينَ مِنْ اهْلِ السَّماواتِ وَ الْارَضينَ، هذا سَيِّدُ الصِّدِّيقينَ، هذا سَيِّدُ الْوِصيِّينَ وَ امامُ الْمُتَّقينَ وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ. اذا كانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيامَةِ جاءَ عَلى ناقَةٍ مِنُ نُوقِ الْجَنَّةِ قَدْ اضاءَتِ الْقِيامَةُ مِنْ ضِيائها، عَلى رَأْسِهِ.     

تاجٌ مُرَصَّعٌ بالزَّبَرْجَدِ وَ الْياقُوتِ فَتَقُولُ الَملائِكَةُ: هذا مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ، وَ يَقُولُ النَّبيُّونَ: هذا نبىٌّ مُرْسَلٌ، فَيُنادى مُنادٍ مِنْ بُطْنانِ الْعَرْشِ هذَا الصِّدِّيقُ الْاكْبَرُ، هذا وَصِىُّ حَبيبِ اللهِ، هذا عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ، فَيَقِفُ عَلى مَتْنِ جَهَنَّمَ فَيُخْرِجُ مِنْها مَنْ يُحِبُّ وَ يُدْخِلُ فيها مَنْ يُبْغِضُ، وَ يَأْتى ابْوابَ الْجَنَّةِ فَيُدْخِلُ اوْلياءَهُ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ.

The Messenger of Allah cast his glance at Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, and said: “He is the best of the creatures of Allah in the heavens and upon the whole earth, this is the Master and the chief of the righteous, this is the Chieftain and the Inheritor of the messengers – the pioneer of the pious and the Leader of the honoured and bright features, and the bright faced of the mansions of paradise. When the Day of Resurrection approaches, Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon them be peace, come to the gathering place of mankind on the Day of Judgement, while his face illuminating and wearing an olive-green crown decorated wit ruby. Then, the angels say: “This is of the inmate angels,” and the messengers says: “This is a sent-down-to nation messenger.” A caller calls from the firmament: “This is the Great Sincere Friend, this is the Inheritor and deputy of the Friend of Allah, Muhammad – this is Tālib, upon them be peace. Then, the Holiness brings out whomsoever he wants from the middle of the Fire, and sends into the Fire whomever he wants. After that, he passes through the gates of paradise and takes with him his countless followers into the Garden.

And ibn Shazan narrates of Imam Reza, upon him be peace, who has related it from his great grandfathers who had narrated from their father, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, that:

قالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: سَيَكُونُ بَعْدى فِتْنَةٌ مُظْلِمَةٌ، النّاجى مَنْ تَمَسَّكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقى، فَقيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَنِ الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقى؟ قالَ: وِلايَةُ سَيِّدِ الْوصِيّينَ، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ سَيِّدُ الْوَصِيّينَ؟ قالَ: اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ؟ قالَ: مَوْلَى الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامُهُمْ بَعْدى، قيلَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ مَنْ مَوْلَى الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ امامُهُمْ بَعْدَكَ؟ قالَ: اخى عَلىُّ بْنَ ابيطالِب.

‘The Messenger of Allah stated: ‘After my demine seditions will rise; dark and gloomy seditions,  then, only those who have firmly clinged to the saving rope will be safe.’ Some had the honour to ask who the saving rope was. He stated: ‘He is the Master and the Inheritor of all the messengers.’ Again they asked who the Master and the Inheritor of the Messengers was. He stated: ‘He is the Commander of the believers.’ They asked: ‘Who is the Commander of the believers?’ The Holiness stated: ‘He is the Great man of authority and the Imam of the Muslims after me.’ They had the honour to ask: ‘O the Messenger of Allah, who is the leading Imam of them after you?’ He answered: ‘My brother, Ali ibn Abī Tālib.’

And also Sheith Sadouq ibn Babweia Ghumi has related through his documents from Asbaq bin Nobateh:

قالَ: قالَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ عليه السلام: انَا خَليفَةُ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ وَزيرُهُ وَ وارثُهُ، وَ انَا اخُو رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ وَصيُّه، وَ انَا صَفِىُّ رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ صاحِبُهُ، انَا ابْنُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ زَوْجُ ابْنَتِهِ وَ ابُو وُلْدِهِ، وَ انَا سَيِّدُ الْوَصِييّنَ، انَا الْحُجَّةُ الْعُظْمى وَ الْآيَةُ الْكُبْرى وَ الْمَثَلُ الْاعْلى وَ بابُ النَّبِىِّ الْمُصْطَفى، انَا الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقى وَ كَلِمَةُ التَّقْوى وَ امينُ اللهِ تَعالى ذِكْرُهُ عَلى اهْلِ الدُّنْيا.

[Asbaq bin Nobateh] said: ‘The Emir of the Commander, upon him be peace, said: “I am the Caliph and the Deputy of the Messenger of Allah, I am the Minister and the Inheritor of the Messenger of Allah, I am brother and the Executer of the Messenger of Allah, and I am also the chosen one by the Messenger of Allah and so am I his friend and companion.

I am the cousin of the Messenger of Allah and I am the husband for his daughter; I am the Master and the inheritor of the messengers.

I am the great proof of Allah, the sign of Allah and the highest of the Verses and the sample of Monotheism of Allah.

I am the gate for the endless knowledge of him and also am the treasurer for the Chosen Messenger of Allah.

I am the strong handle to cling at, I am the main word of the piety, I am the trustee of Allah upon the whole world.’

And, in the book of Ihtejaj, Abu Mansour Ahmad bin Ali ibn Abī Tālib Tabarsi has related from Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari who has narrated the Holiness Imam Muhammad Baqir, upon him be peace, that Omar bin Khattab at his death time, handed over the Council behind him to six persons from the Ghuraish, one of whom was Ali ibn Abī Tālib, upon him be peace. He commanded them to choose a Caliph from among them in three days’ time; they did so and the result of their verdicts was Othman.

فَلَمّا رَأى اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ ما هُمْ بِهِ مِنَ الْبَيْعَةِ لِعُثْمانَ قامَ فيهمْ لِيَتَّخِذَ عَلَيْهمُ الْحُجَّةَ فَقالَ لَهُمُ: اسْمَعُوا مِنّى، فَانْ يَكُ ما اقُولُ حَقّاً فَاقْبَلُوا، وَ انْ يَكُ باطِلًا فَانْكِرُوا، ثُمَّ قالَ لَهُمْ: انشُدُكُمْ بِاللهِ الَّذى يَعْلَمُ صِدْقَكُمْ انْ صَدَقْتُمْ وَ يَعْلَمُ كِذْبَكُمْ انْ كَذَبْتُمْ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ صَلَّى الْقِبْلَتَيْنِ كِلْتَيْهِما غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا، قالَ: فَهَلْ فيكُمْ مَنْ بايَعَ الْبَيْعَتَيْن كِلْتَيْهِما بَيْعَةَ الْفَتْحِ وَ بَيْعَةَ الرِّضْوانِ غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا- وَ ساقَ الْحَديثَ بِذِكْرهِ مَناقِبَهُ وَ فَضائِلَهُ فَيُصَدِّقُونَهُ فى قَوْلِهِ لَهُمْ الى انْ قالَ:- فَانْشُدُكُمْ بِاللهِ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ قالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: «اوَّلُ طالِعٍ يَطْلُعُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ هذَا الْبابِ يا انَسٌ فَانَّهُ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سَيّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ خَيْرُ الْوَصِيّينَ وَ اوْلى بِالنّاسِ، فَقالَ انَسٌ: اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْانْصارِ، فَكُنْتُ انَا الطّالِع، فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ لِانَسٍ: ما انْتَ يا انَسُ بِاوَّلِ رَجُلٍ احَبَّ قَوْمَهُ» غَيْرى؟ قالُوا: لا.

“When the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, saw that they were going to pay homage to Othman, as ultimatum, he stood up and said: ‘Len me your ears and if whatever I say is right, accept it but if it is wrong refuse it.’ Then, he stated: ‘ O take an oath to Allah Who knows whatever truth you say or whatever you lie to tell me that is there anyone among you to pray towards two different directions?’ They said, ‘No.’ Then, he asked: ‘Is there anyone among you to have paid homage to both: the victory and benediction?’ Their answers were, ‘No.’ He carried on the same way of his priorities and all of them accepted them until he said: ‘I administer an oath to Allah: do tell me, is there anyone among you, except me, to hear the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, telling Anas: “O Anas, the first man entering through this gate to me is the Commander of the believers, the Master of the Muslims, the best of inheritors and the best among the people.’ Anas thought for a whiles and spontaneously said to himself: ‘O Lord assign him to be one of the Quraish;’ it was then I entered to the Messenger of Allah. The Holiness told Anas: ‘This is the Emir of the Commander of the believers and the Master of the Guardians of the messengers, and the first man in authority upon the Muslims.’ They said, ‘No.’

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The Narrative of Anas Concerning the Guardianship of the Commander of the BelieversThe explanation of the words of Anas' story

Here, the Holiness’ reason is the narrative of Anas. The narrative of Anas is of the most authentic and famous narratives which there is no doubt of its utterance by the Messenger of Allah Bless be to him and his Descendants. Apart from the Sunnite narrators, the Shiite narrators have recorded it in their books and it has become as famous and certainty as the “Ghadir Khom and the Clan Narratives” – this narrative has become well-known as the Narrative of Anas by: Abu Naeem Isfahani, in the “Helliiat –al-Aula”, volume 1, page 63 and Muhammad bin Taha Shafiee, in “Matalib Aa-saool” page 21 from Abu Naeem in “Helliiat”, and Ahmad bin Mowaffaq Kharazmi in “Manaqib” page 51, and Ibrahim bin Muhammad Hamwini Shafiee in Faraeed As-samteen” volume 1, chapter 27, and Ganji Shafiee in Kefayat At-talib” page 92 under the title “Takhsis Ali be Kaunehi Sayyid al-Morsalin”, and ibn Abi Al-Hadid Mo’tazeli Shafiee in “the explanation of Nahj-ul-Balagha”, volume 2, page 450, and Ghondozi Hanafi in “Yanabee Al-Mawadda”, page 313, from Abu Naeem, in “Hilliia”, and ibn Shahr Ashub in “Managhib” volume 1, page 543, from the Hilliia of Abu Naeem, and “Welayat” Tabari and Sayyid Hashim Bahrani in “Ghayat al-Maram”, page 619, from Hamwini, and ibn Asakar in “the Tarikh Kabir Dameshq”, bound by the Commander of the believers, the paper 99,^[19] has been narrated by his document from Anas that:

: قالَ: قالَ رسُول الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: يا انَسُ اسْكُبْ لى وَضُوءاً، ثُمَّ قامَ فَصَلّى رَكَعَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: يا انَسُ اوَّلُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ هذَا الْبابِ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ وَ خاتَمُ الْوَصِيّينَ. قالَ انَسٌ: قُلْتُ: اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْانْصارِ، وَ كَتَمْتُهُ، اذ جاءَ عَلىٌّ، فَقالَ: مَنْ هذا يا انَسُ؟ فَقُلْتُ: عَلىٌّ، فَقامَ مُسْتَبْشِراً فَاعْتَنَقَهُ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ يَمْسَحُ عَرَقَ وَجْهِهِ بِوَجْهِهِ وَ يَمْسَحُ عَرَقَ عَلىٍّ بِوَجْهِهِ. قالَ عَلىٍّ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ لَقَدْ رَايْتُكَ صَنَعْتَ شَيْئاً ما صَنَعْتَ لى مِنْ قَبْلُ؟ قالَ: وَ ما يَمْنَعُنى وَ انْتَ تُؤَدّى عَنّى وَ تُسْمِعُهُمْ صَوْتى وَ تُبَيِّن لهم ما اختلفوا فيهِ بعدي. ^[20]

Anas says: ‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, said: “O Anas, prepare me some water to perform ablution to say two turns of prayer,” and the, he added: “O Anas, the first man who is going to enter this room now is the Commander of the believers  and the Master of the Muslims, the Leader and the guide for the bright futures dowelling in the mansions of paradise, and so is he the last and the seal of the messengers.”  

Anas says: ‘I thought a bit and said to myself, ‘O my Creator, I wish the man who is going to enter the room with such attributions to be of my tribe which is of the companion of Medina – but still I hid my wish – in the mean time Ali bin Abī Tālib entered the room.

The Holiness Messenger of Allah asked: “O Anas, who is he?” I answered he was Ali. Before long, the Holiness stood up, and in full enchantment, embraced him with great affection, rubbed his face on Ali’s face while he was perspiring . The Commander of the believers had the honour to say: ‘O Messenger of Allah, I see that you are acting in a way that you had never acted so before.’ The Holiness answered, “Why shouldn’t I? It is you who are going to take the responsibility of my remainders: to fulfill my covenant, and pay out my shortcomings concerning the religion. It is you who are going to reach my voice to the people of the world; it is you who are going to reveal the truth among the people’s disputes and differences.”

We are going to discuss in two stages on this narrative. The first one is the document of this narrative, and in this stage we are going to discuss about the specific words put in the text – the second stage is to indicate them.

The first stage: thus, it was explained that the great narrators have related this narrative of the Imams by means of their documents. We also explained the names and the reliable documents of ten of them – the base of that has been praised as Ganji Shafiee says:

و هذا حديثٌ حسنٌ عالٍ

“This narrative is the best of narratives.” 

And it was also mentioned that this narrative is of the famous ones and no one has objected or taken it to be weak; above all, the narrators like Hafiz Abu Naeem and Hamwini and Tabari, who are the distinguished masters of the narratives, have mentioned it in their documents from Anas, and ibn Asakar has written it in “The Great History of Damascus”.

Ibn Asakar is the very historian who was a narrator and knew the Qur’an by heart, he used to live in Damascus and was the friend of  Samaani, the author of the book “Al-ansab”. He was born in Damascus in 499, Lunar Year, and passed away in 571. He has related this narrative through his document from Abi Ali Moghri.

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The Explanation of Anas' Narrative

There are not differences in the words and phrases of this narrative except a few which we are now going to make them clear:

Wæzoo, with the vowel-point of ‘æ’ over the first letter, in Arabic means, means the water by which the ablution is performed; æmir, as the commander and the chief, is also the same. Sæyyid too means the master, the great man and one in authority.

However, Ghaeed al-ghorra al-Mohajjelin, in the “Sharh-e- Ghamoos” says: the word ‘Ghorra’ and also ‘Ghor Ghora’ with the vowel point ‘o’ means two white marks in the centre of the forehead. And ‘Faras agharr’ with the harmony of  ‘Hamra’ is the drawn explains of that. And ‘Agharr’ in the harmony with ‘Ahmar’ means the whiteness of everything. And also it is said that ‘Hajala’ which means a decorated room for the clothing and for the bride. And it is said: ‘Hajjalaha tajhila’ is from the category of ‘Tafeel’ which means ‘a mansion for the bride’, or ‘Hajjalaha’ which means they led her into the room.

Then, it is said: ‘tahjil’ in the category of ‘tafeel’ means the whiteness marks on the legs of animals, in that case that animal is ‘Mahjool’ in the category of Mansoor, and ‘Mohajjal’ in the category of ‘Moazzam’.

And it is said in the “Majmaool Bahrain”: ‘In the narrative of Ali, upon him be peace, the phrase of “Ghaeed al-Ghrra al-Mohajjalin” which part of  the hands or feet are explained in performing the ablution?

 اذا دُعوا على رؤوس الأشهاد أو الى الجنّة كانواعلى هذا النّهج، استعار اثر الوضوء فى الوجه و اليدين و الرّجلين للانسان من البياض الذى يكون فى وجه الفرس و يديه و رجليه. 

when it is called to the most important arguments or to heaven which are on this approach, the affect of ablution in on the face, hands and feet of a man who is of white in the face as of the horse and his hands and legs.

And it is said in “Mesbah al-Monir” that the word ‘al-hajl’ means the word ‘khakhal’ with the vowel of ‘kasra’ setting under the letter ‘kh’ and the ‘fatha’ above the word.

Ii is as metaphor called ‘hejlan’, and its plural is the ‘hojul’, as well as ‘ahjal’ like ‘hamal’ and ‘homul’ and ‘ahmal’. And the phrase of ‘faras- an-mohajjal’  is the horse forming white spots in some parts of his body ot similar to it. It is the position ‘tahjil’ in ablution which is the marks of ablution and washing some of the upper arm and leg with some of the feet upper part with the wet from the ablution of the hands.

And in “an-Nahaya”, concerning the attributions of the horse ibn Athir says:

‘the best horse is the white-footed one’ which the whiteness of her limbs to the subject of registration and beyond the wrists and not more than the knees because they are the strong places of the anklets and limitations, and do not have will be the marks of the hand and hands unless it is with a man or two men. And from that is drawn: any parts of the ablution, whether the hands, the faces and the feet of “My nation is as those the white-footed [horses]”; the effect of the wetness of the ablution on the face, hands and the feet of a man are white as in the face of the horse and his hands and legs.

And in the “Language of the Arabs” it is said: ‘the mansion of the bride is similar to the copula, and the mansion of the bride is known to everyone as it is decorated with different colorful cloth; then, he has explained the very expression by ibn Athir.

According to what is said so far, the meaning of “Ghaeed al-Ghorra al-Mohajjelin” is one of these two: one is the word ‘Ghorr” which means the whiteness on the foreheads, and “Mohajjalon” that is the whiteness on hands and legs. Here, the whiteness indicates the luminosity of the faces of those who perform ablutions and that glow lightens far away everywhere.

The Holiness Commander of the believers is the pioneer and the Leader of the pure and belonging to the world of Light illuminating people. Or the word “Ghorr” means the illuminated ones, and the word of “Mohajjalon” has the meaning of those sitting in the mansions of paradise, that is a place for the safety and tranquility; which is specified for the Holiness on top. A good proof for the first meaning of the “mohajjalon” is it has been along with the word “Ghorr”,  and as the whiteness is on the legs of the horse, then “Ghorr” is the whiteness on its foreheads. Therefore, the metaphor and the comparison of those who regularly perform ablution and then five limbs of them change to illuminate are: their faces, the finger-tips, the upper part of their feet then, they are like those horses with whiteness on foreheads, hands and legs. And the proof for the second meaning is one of the stages of paradise which is the safe and secured mansions as He states:

وَ الَّذينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفا ^[21]

‘… and those who have believed and done righteous deeds, We will lodge them in the lofty abode of Paradise, (Qur’an: 29/58).’

And also He states:

لكِنِ الَّذينَ اتَّقَوْا رَبَّهُمْ لَهُمْ غُرَفٌ ^[22]

‘… but [for] those who are really heedful of their Lord are mansions with mansions placed above, (Qur’an: 39/20).’

And He states:

وَ هُمْ فِى الْغُرُفاتِ ءَامِنُونَ.^[23]

‘… and they will be secure in the lofty abodes [in Paradise , (Qur’an: 34/37).’

And concerning the obedient worshippers whom the Gracious [Allah] assigns numerous attributes to, He brings fourteen of them in the Chapter of Criterion.

As He states:

اولئِكَ يُجْزَوْنَ الْغُرْفَةَ بِما صَبَرُوا وَ يُلَقَّوْنَ فيها تَحِيَّةً وَ سَلاما ^[24]

‘… they will be rewarded with the Mansion because they have been so patient, and are welcomed there with greetings and Peace, (Qur’an: 25/75).’     

However, the meaning of the seal of Guardians is like the seal of the Messengers, it is because the word “Khatam, or Khatem”, [in Arabic], means a “Ring”, in plural, “Rings” which in the past, while wearing them on their fingers, they sealed the bottom of the letters with to be protected. In “Sharh-e-Ghamoos” it is said: “Khetam”, upon the rhythm of “Ketab”, is a kind of clay that things are sealed with. And “Khatem” is what put on the clay to be sealed; but “Khatam”, which in Persian is called a “Ring” is an ornament worn on the finger. They go on saying that: “Khatem “with the vowel sound under, is the nominative case, that is, one who seals, and “Khatam”, with the vowel sound over the letter ‘a’, as well as “Khatam and Kheitam” are the names for the rings which are other than those they seal the letters or wear on their fingers.’

And in the “Nihaya” ibn Athir says: “Amen is the Seal of the Creator of the world upon His obedient worshippers”.

It is said: meaning and nature of his mark by pushing their symptoms and disabilities because the book is kept up by the ring and prevents viewers than that in the subsoil; and open break and lost languages; and it is said the same in “Lisan Al-Arab” – therefore, “Khatem or Khatam” are the final meaning to it. If we read it as “Khatem”, with vowel sound under the letter ‘t’ it means the subject is in the nominative case, that is, ‘the sealer, the last Guardian of the messengers’, however, if the word is read: “Khatem or Khatam”, then it means the ‘seal’ itself which they seal the letters with.^[25] Now, by the Highness blessed Messenger the Guardian has been sealed.

(Here, some might say: the meaning of the seal of the messengers is that only the Guardian is the seal of the messengers and it is not meaning the saying of the Messenger who said: “I am the seal of the messengers”; if the purpose is that saying then the Guardianship has come to the end by that sentence, and there must not be any guardians after him, because the Guardian means the same Guardians – while they are also the Guardians of the Messenger of Allah.)

But the word ‘Drone of the religion’, which ibn Abi Al-Hadid has also related it, as it was already explained, means: the male honey-bee who also has authority upon the cave; and here, ‘the Drone of the religion’ means the position of the authority and Government-ship of the Holiness upon all affairs of the religion.

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A Discussion on the Narrative of Anas

The second stage is the very stage denoting the narrative. The Holiness Messenger performed two cycles of prayer, however, we know nothing about  the state of the Holiness at that moment: we do not know how Gabriel came down, and the Holiness witnessing the Firmament, never do we know of the status of the Commander of the believers, because the Holiness said us nothing about them.

What we know is that, as soon as the Holiness performed his prayer, he said to Anas: ‘The first man who is going to enter the room is the Master and Chief  of the whole Muslims, and he is the Commander of the believers, and so is he the seal of the messengers.’

Before long, the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, entered, the Holiness stood up cheerfully, as if the lover coming across with his beloved, received the Commander of the believers in his arms, rubbed his face upon his so that the perspiration on their faces mixed up. The Commander of the believers was quite surprised and wondering of the Holiness’ cheerfulness, so he asked: : ‘O Messenger of Allah, I see that you are acting in a way that you had never acted so before.’ The Holiness answered, “Why shouldn’t I? It is you who are going to take the responsibility of my remainders: to fulfill my covenant, and pay out my shortcomings concerning the religion. It is you who are going to reach my voice to the people of the world; it is you who are going to reveal the truth among the people’s disputes and differences. It is you who are going to deal with the seditions and oppressions after me.’

As if the Holiness Messenger was witnessing that after his demise they would topple the Islam and bring another kind of idolism.

We saying becomes quite clear by considering the behavour of those Caliphs after the Holiness, such as: Mua‘wiyah and Yazid.

Through the sermons of “Nahj-ul-Balagha”, and from the sermons of the Master of the Martyrs, upon him be peace, who, at the final years of Mua‘wiyah’s Caliphate, at Mina lectured, and also by his other sermons it becomes clear that they had brought the Islam down on its knees. ^[26]

The Messenger of Allah knew that the only man who could defend his rights, and fulfill his covenant, and carry out Allah’s the covenant trusted to the Messenger, and announce ‘the call of Unity and there is no Deity except Allah, He is Unique and Alone’ was no one but Ali.

And he knew that the only man, who was with him in the origin and then divided, and in understanding  the fact and the Divine Knowledge, and absolving in the Essence of the Unity and obtained the highest position, was the Commander of the believers. ^[27]

Therefore, to the question of the Commander of the believers, he answers:  ‘Why should I not show my affection to you? Why shouldn’t I embrace you? Why should I not rub my face to the perspiration of your face? You are my real soul, you are my everything. You are the hoister of the banner the Unity, you are the protector of the religion of Allah and the supporter of my laws and traditions. You are my backer and help in all hardship, you are the result of my messenger-hood, you are the cause for the stability of the religion among the different tribes and people until the Day of Resurrection – you are the one who straightens the tree of the Unity and remains as Guardian to me.’ 

However, the previous and the oncoming narratives are against this one which clarifies the Guardianship and the Inheritor being of the Commander of the believers.

First of all: in the phrase of ‘the Commander of the believers’, ‘the believers’ refer to all the believers.

And secondly: ‘the Master of the Muslims’, and thirdly: ‘the pioneer and the guide’, and the fourth: ‘the most explicit of all, is the title of guardians which relates the position of the Holiness in all aspects and specifies him to be more noble than they are.

And fulfilling the covenants of the Messenger of Allah, and announcing the vice of the Holiness, and settling down the disputes after the demise of the Holiness are only in the capacity of his who has the position of the Guardian. Therefore, this narrative, as it has already been mentioned, is considered to be related about the Commander of the believers.

They have related this noble relative, with different interpretations and documents as well.

Bahrani, in “Ghayat al-Maram”, page 19,^[28] and also in his “Manaqib Saghir”, under the title of “Ali and the Traditions”,^[29] from the “Manaqib” of ibn Mardoda has narrated: 

قالَ: كانَ النَّبِىُّ فى بَيْتِ امَّ حَبيبَةَ بِنْتِ ابى سُفْيانَ فَقالَ: يا امَّ حَبيَبةَ اعْتَزِلينا فَانَا عَلى حاجَةٍ، ثُمَّ دَعا بِوَضُوءٍ فَاحْسَنَ الْوُضُوءَ ثُمَّ قالَ: انَّ اوَّلَ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ مِنْ هذَا الْبابِ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سَيِّدَ الْعَرَبِ وَ خَيْرُ الْوَصِييِّنَ وَ اوْلَى النّاسِ بِالنّاسِ. قالَ انَسٌ: فَجَعَلْتُ اقُولُ: اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْانْصارِ. قالَ: فَدَخَلَ عَلىٌّ فَجاءَ يَمْشى حَتّى جَلَسَ الى جَنْبِ النَّبِىِّ (رَسُولِ اللهِ در نسخة مناقب) فَجَعَلَ (رَسُولُ اللهِ در نسخة مناقب) يَمْسَحُ وَجْهَهُ بَيَدِهِ ثُمِّ يَمْسَحُ بِها وَجْهَ عَلِّى بْنِ ابى طالبٍ، فَقالَ عَلِىٌّ: وَ ما ذاكَ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: انَّكَ تُبلِّغُ رِسالَتى مِنْ بَعْدى وَ تُؤَدِّى عَنِّى وَ تُسْمِعُ النّاسَ صَوْتى وَ تُعَلِّمُ النّاسَ مِنْ كِتابِ اللهِ ما لا يَعْلَمُونَ.

He said: The Prophet was in the house of Umm Habiba, tha daughter of Abi Sufyan, and said: "O Umm Habiba, fetch me water, I am in acute need for it, then prompted and  performed a fine ablution, then said: For sure, the first to enter this section is going to be the Commander of the believers and Master of the Arabs, and the best of the guardians and the first man to people.”

Anas said: I started saying: ‘O Allah, make him be a man from the Ansar.’ He said: ‘Soon after, Ali entered and walked straight to the Messenger and sat down to the side of the Prophet; (here, the Messenger of Allah has been interpreted as “The Apostle, or the Prophet” in Manaqib). 

Anyhow, he wiped out his face with his wet hand and soon after did so with the face of Ali ibn Abī Tālib. Ali said: ‘What does this mean, O Messenger of Allah?’He answered: "You are indeed my message informer to the people after me, and you are going to make people follow me and have them listen to my voice and you will teach the people of the Book of Allah whatever they do not know.”

And also Bahrani, in page 20 ^[30] and in his “Manqib As-Saqir”, ^[31] by means of his documents has narrated from the “Manqib ibn Madoweh”, of Anas relates that he said:

قالَ: بَيْنَا (بَيْنَما نسخه مناقب) انَا عِنْدَ النَبِىِّ (رَسُولِ اللهِ، مناقب) اذ قالَ: الْآنَ يَدْخُلُ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلمِينَ وَ اميرُ الْمُؤمِنينَ وَ خَيْرُ الْوَصييِّنَ وَ اوْلَى النّاسِ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ (بِالنّاسِ، مناقب) اذْ طَلَعَ عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ، فَقَامَ النَّبِىُّ (فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: اللّهُمَّ و الِ مَنْ والاهُ. وَ قالَ: فَجَلَسَ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَسُولِ اللهِ، مناقب) فَاخَذَ يَمْسَحُ الْعَرَق عَنْ جَبْهَتِهِ وَ وَجْهِهِ وَ يَمْسَحُ بِهِ وَجْهَ عَلىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ، وَ يَمْسَحُ الْعَرَقَ عَنْ وَجْهِ عَلىٍّ وَ يَمْسَحُ بِهِ وَجْهَهُ. فَقالَ لَهُ عَلىٌّ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ نَزَلَ فِىِّ شَىْ‏ءٌ؟ قالَ: ا ما تَرْضى انْ تَكُونَ مِنِّى بمَنْزِلَةِ هارُونَ مِنْ مُوسى الّا انَّهُ لا نَبِىَّ بَعْدى؟ انْتَ اخى وَ وَزيرى وَ خَيْرُ مَنْ اخَلِّفُهُ (اخَلِّفُ، مناقب) بَعْدى تَقْضى دَيْنى وَ تُنْجِزُ مَوْعِدى وَ تُبَيِّنُ لَهُمْ مَا اخْتَلَفُوا فيهِ بَعْدى وَ تُعَلِّمُهُمْ مِنْ تَأْويلِ الْقُرْآنِ ما لَمْ يَعْلَمُوا، وَ تُجاهِدُهُمْ عَلَى التَّأْويلِ كَما جاهَدْتُهُمْ عَلَى التَّنْزيلِ.

He said: "While (in good virtues) I was with the Prophet, (the Messenger of Allah, the virtuous), he said: Now, the Master of the Muslims and the Commander of the believers and the benevolent to people and the first of the believers (to people, qualities) is going to enter.” Soon after, Ali entered and walked straight to the Messenger and sat down to the side of the Prophet; (here, the Messenger of Allah has been interpreted as “The Apostle, or the Prophet”.

Anyhow, he wiped out his face with his wet hand and soon after he embrace Ali rubbing his face to the face of Ali ibn Abī Tālib. Therefore, Ali asked him:

‘O Messenger of Allah, what has happened?’ He said: “Do you not like to be for me as Aaron was to Moses, but only I have no prophet after me? You are my brother and Minister and the best in virtue forever. It is you who are going to carry out my covenant, and you are going to settle peace among the people and amend differences among them after me, you are going to teach them the Qur’an and whatever they do not know about, and make then strive on its interpretation as I made them strive in its revelation.’

And also Bahrani, in “Ghayat al-Maram”,  has related it from ibn Abbas, from Anas:^[32]

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: يا انَسُ اسْكُبْ لِى وَضُوءاً اوْ ماءاً، فَتَوَضّى ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَقالَ: يا انَسُ مَنْ يَدْخُلُ عَلَىَّ الْيَوْمَ اميرُ الْمُؤمِنينَ وَ سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ خاتَمُ الْوَصييِّنَ وَ امامُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ. فَجاءَ عَلىٌّ حَتّى ضَرَبَ الْبابَ فَقالَ: مَنْ هذَا يا انَسُ فَقُلْتُ: هذا عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ، قالَ: افْتَحْ لَهُ الْباب.

He said, the Messenger of said: “Prepare me some water to perform ablution,” I did so, and then, when he finished the ablution process, told me: “He who is going to come here today is the Commander of the believers and the Master of the Muslims and the seal of the Guardians and the Imam of the bright faced.” Then, Ali approached and knocked on the door. The Messenger asked: “Who is he, o Anas?” I said, ‘ He is Ali bin Abī Tālib.’ The Holiness said: “Open the door for him.”

And in page 20, he says that, ^[33] it is quoted that Anas said:

وَ فى الْمَناقِبِ عَنْ انَسٍ قالَ: كُنْتُ خادِماً لِلنَّبِىِّ، فَبَيْنَما انَا يَوْماً اوَضِّيهِ اذْ قالَ: يَدْخُلُ رَجُلٌ وَ هُوَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ سَيّدُ الْوَصِييِّنَ وَ اوْلَى الّناسِ بِالْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ قائِدُ الْغُرِّ الْمُحَجَّلينَ. قالَ: قُلْتُ: اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهُ رَجُلًا مِنَ الْانْصارِ فَاذا هُوَ عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ.

I was the servant of the Prophet, once while performing ablution, he said: “Now, here is the man and he the Commander of the believers and Master of the Arabs, and the best of the guardians and the first man to people.”

Anas said: I started saying: ‘O Allah, make him be a man from the Ansar.’ Then, I saw he was Ali bin Abī Tālib.’ 

And he says at the same page:^[34]

عَنْ انَسِ بْنِ مالِكٍ: قالَ: بَيْنَا النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم اذْ قالَ: يَطْلُعُ الْآن، قُلْتُ: فدِاكَ ابى وَ امِّى مَنْ ذا؟ قالَ: سَيِّدُ الْمُسْلِمينَ وَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ خَيْرُ الْوَصِييِّنَ وَ اوْلَى النّاسِ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ. قالَ: فَطَلَعَ عَلىٌّ، ثُمَّ قالَ لِعَلىٍّ: ]اما تَرْضى‏[ انْ تَكُونَ مِنِّى بِمَنْزِلَةِ هارُونَ مِنْ مُوسى.

Anas bin Malik says, ‘I was with the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, when he said: “Now, he is going to turn up.” I said: ‘May my father and mother be sacrifice t you, who is going to come?’ He said: “The Master of the Muslims and the Commander of the believers and the benevolent to people and the best man to the messengers.”

He says: ‘Then, Ali turned up, and he said to Ali: “Are you not satisfied that you are going to be at the rank of Aaron to Moses?”

Some other narratives that denote the Guardianship of the Holiness are the news of the Lord’s speaking to the Messenger at about the Commander of the believers at “Sidrat-al-Montaha”. In that relative, Allah expresses the status and positions of the Holiness, and then, he says: ‘Allah has assigned him to pass the most specific tests, and have particular disasters for himself.’

This narrative has been related in two ways: first, it has been related by the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, and secondly by Abu Barza Aslami. Therefore, we are to explain both with the specialty of it for the taste of the common.

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The Conversation of the Lofty Almighty Allah with His Messenger in "Sedrat-al-Montha" Concerning the Commander of the Belivers, Upon Him be Peace.

The first narrative is related by Mowaffaq bin Ahmad Kharazmi in the book of “Manaqib”, page 240, published in Iran, with his documents from Ghalib Johani, from the Holiness Ja‘far from his ancestors; the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, and the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, as:

قالَ النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: لَمّا اسْرِىَ بى الَى السَّماءِ ثُمَّ مِنَ السَّماءِ الى سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهى وَقَفْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَىْ رَبِّى عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَقالَ لى: يا مُحمّد، قُلْتُ: لَبَّيْكَ وَ سَعْدَيْكَ، قالَ: قَدْ بَلَوْتُ خَلْقى فَايَّهُمْ رَأَيْتَ اطْوَعَ لَكَ؟ قالَ: قُلْتُ: يا رَبِّى عَليّاً، قالَ: صَدَقْتَ يا مُحمّد، فَهَلِ اتَّخَذْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ خَليفَةً تُؤَدِّى عَنْكَ وَ يُعَلِّمُ عِبادى مِنْ كِتابى ما لا يَعْلَمُونَ؟ قالَ: قُلْتُ: يا رَبِّ اخْتَرْ لى فَانَّ خِيَرَتَكَ خِيَرَتى، قالَ: اخْتَرْتُ عَليّاً فَاتَّخِذْهُ لِنَفْسِكَ خَليفَةً وَ وَصِيّاً، وَ نَحَلْتُهُ عَلْمى وَ حِلْمى، وَ هُوَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ حَقّاً، لَمْ يَنَلْها احَدٌ قَبْلَهُ وَ لَيْسَتْ لِاحَدٍ بَعْدَهُ. يا مُحمّد، عَلىٌّ رايَةُ الْهُدى وَ امامُ مَنْ اطاعَنى وَ نورُ اوْليائى، وَ هُوَ الْكَلِمَةُ الَّتى أَلْزَمْتُهَا الْمُتَّقينَ، مَنْ احَبَّهُ فَقَدْ احَبَّنى، وَ مَنْ ابْغَضَهُ فَقَدْ ابْغَضَنى، فَبَشِّرْهُ يا مُحَمَّدُ بِذلِكَ. فَقالَ النَّبِىٌّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: قُلْتُ: رَبِّى فَقَدْ بَشَّرْتُهُ، فَقالَ: انَا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَ فى قَبْضَتِهِ، انْ يُعاقِبْنى فَبِذُنُوبى لَمْ يَظْلِمْنى شَيْئاً، وَ انْ تَمَّمَ لى وَعْدى فَانَّهُ مَوْلاىَ. قالَ: اجَلْ، قالَ: قُلْتُ: يا رَبِّ فَاجْلِ قَلْبَهُ وَ اجْعَلْ رَبيعَهُ الْايمانَ. قالَ: قَدْ فَعَلْتُ ذلِكَ بِهِ يا مُحَمَّدُ غَيْرَ انِّى مُخْتَصٌّ لَهُ بِشَىٍ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْبَلاءِ لَمْ اخُصَّ بِهِ احَداً مِنْ اوْليائى. قالَ: قُلْتُ: يا رَبِّ اخى وَ صاحِبى! قالَ: قَدْ سَبَقَ فى عِلْمى انَّهُ مُبْتَلىً، لَوْ لا عَلىٌّ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ حِزْبى وَ لا اوْليائى وَ لا اوْلياءُ رُسُلى.

‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, said: ‘When I was taken to the heavens, from the heavens to “Sidrat-al-Montaha”, there, I stood at the presence of my Lord, the Honourable and Exalted, and He stated to me: “O Muhammad!” I said, ‘Here I am at Your service, feeling the luckiest!’ He sated: “You observed my creatures, now, which one of them is the most pliable?” I answered, ‘O my Lord, it is Ali.’ He stated: “O Muhammad, you are right, now, have you picked up a Caliph for you to teach My Book to the obedient worshippers of mine who know not about?” He says, I said: ‘O my Lord, You pick one for me because Your pick is just my choice.’ He stated: “I picked you Ali, so take him as your Caliph, and Guardian; I honour him My Knowledge and Patience. Now, he is the rightful Commander of the believers – no one had this honour before him nor will anyone have it after him. O Muhammad! Ali is the banner of the guidance, he is the Imam of those who obey Me, and so is he the Light of the Guardians and he the Word that the pious are looking after. Whoever loves him, In fact, he loves Me, and he who hates him, he has hatred to Me. So, O Muhammad, give him good tidings about this.” Them, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, related, I said: ‘O my Lord, I did give him glad tidings,’ and he said: ‘I am the obedient worshipper of Allah and I am at His grasp; if He chastises me for my sins He has not oppressed me at all, and if he brings to an end my covenant then he is my Master.’ He stated: “Yes, indeed!” The Holiness says, I said: ‘Greaten his heart and assign for him the blossom of the belief. Stated He: “I acted so upon him, o Muhammad, I did only assign it for him but not for anyone of My Guardians.” The Holiness says that I said: ‘O My Lord! Then, he is my brother and my friend!’ Stated He: “I have dabbled and brought him within My Knowledge – if Ali did not exist My party would remain unknown, nor would My Guardians and nor of the Guardians of My messengers would be known.”  

And also Bahrani has related this narrative in “Ghayat al-Maram”, page 34, under the title of the 18^th narratives, it is from Mowaffagh bin Ahmad Kharazmi and there is no difference between these two narratives except for the single word of (له) in the phrase he  has    

dropped: “غيْرَ أَنِّى مُخْتَصٌّ لَهُ بِشَى‏ءٍ مِنَ الْبَلاء.”   

And also whatever has been related from Abu Barzah is similar to this narrative; now, by cutting it shorter, we are going to discuss on it from the “Hilleit al-Aulia”, Hafiz Abu Naeem Isfahani, volume 1, page 66:

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: انَّ اللهَ عَهِدَ الَىَّ عَهْداً فى عَلىٍّ فَقُلْتُ: يا رَبِّ بَيِّنْهُ لى. فَقالَ: اسْمَعْ، فَقُلْتُ: سَمِعْتُ. فَقالَ: انَّ عَليّاً رايَةُ الْهُدى وَ امامُ اوْليائى وَ نورُ مَنْ اطاعَنى وَ هُوَ الْكَلِمَةُ التَّى أَلْزَمْتُهَا الْمُتَّقينَ، مَنْ احَبَّهُ احَبَّنى، وَ مَنْ ابْغَضَهُ ابْغَضَنى، فَبَشِّرْهُ بِذلِكَ. فَجاءَ عَلىٌّ فَبَشَّرْتُهُ، فَقالَ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ انَا عَبْدُ اللهِ وَ فى قَبْضَتِهِ فَانْ يُعَذِّبْنى فَبِذَنْبى وَ انْ يُتِمَّ لِىَ الَّذى بَشَّرْتَنى بِهِ فَاللهُ اوْلى بى. قالَ: قُلْتُ: اللّهُمَّ اجْلِ قَلْبَهُ وَ اجْعَلْ رَبيعَهُ الْايمانَ. فَقالَ اللهُ: قَدْ فَعَلْتُ بِهِ ذلِكَ. ثُمَّ انَّهُ رَفَعَ الَىَّ انَّهُ سَيَخُصُّهُ مِنَ الْبَلاءِ بَِىْ‏ءٍ لَمْ يَخُصَّ بِهِ احَداً مِنْ اصْحابى. فَقُلْتُ: يا رَبِّ اخى و صاحِبى، فَقالَ: انَّ هذا شَىْ‏ءٌ قَدْ سَبَقَ فى عِلْمى انَّهُ مُبْتَلًى وَ مُبْتَلًى بِهِ.

He says, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, said: ‘Indeed, Allah made a covenant with me concerning Ali and I said, o Lord, make it explicit to me.’ So, He stated: “Listen!” I said, ‘I am listening.’ Thus, He stated: “Ali is indeed the banner of the guidance, he is the Imam of those who obey Me, and so is he the Light of the Guardians and he the Word that the pious are looking after. Whoever loves him, In fact, he loves Me, and he who hates him, he has hatred to Me. So, O Muhammad, give him good tidings about this.” Them, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, related, I said: ‘O my Lord, I did give him glad tidings,’ and he said: ‘I am the obedient worshipper of Allah and I am at His grasp; if He chastises me for my sins He has not oppressed me at all, and if he brings to an end my covenant then he is my Master.’ He stated: “Yes, indeed!” The Holiness says, I said: ‘Greaten his heart and assign for him the blossom of the belief. Stated He: “I acted so upon him, o Muhammad, I did only assign it for him but not for anyone of My Guardians.” The Holiness says that I said: ‘O My Lord! Then, he is my brother and my friend!’ Stated He: “I have dabbled and brought him within My Knowledge.”

Muhammad bin Talha Shafiee, in the “Matalib-as-So’oul”, page 21, has related this narrative from Hafiz Abu Naeem exactly the same. And also ibn Abi-al-Hadid Mo’tazeli, in the commentary of the “Nahj-ul-Balagha”, volume 2, page 449,^[35] has related it under:

قَدْ خاضُوا ابِحارَ الْفِتَنِ وَ اخَذُوا بِالْبِدَعِ دُونَ السُّنَن...

Off course, in narrating, ibn Abi-al-Hadid’s phrases are similar to Abi Naeem which we related them from the “Hilleiat-al-Auleia”

However, Sheikh Soleiman Ghandouzi Hanafi, at three different positins, relates it from Abu Naeem, in the “Yanabee’-al-Mawadda”, in either of the three positions: pages 78, 79 and 134, instead of the phrase,  

يا ربّ اِنّه أخي و صاحِبي  he has related: يا ربّ اِنّه أخي و وصيّي       

Therefore, it is not yet clear whether the wordوصيّي   was existed in “Hilliia” and it had come to “Ghaandouzi” in the same way then, later on it was changed in “Hilliia” or it was related in two ways: one as صاحِبي, as ibn Abi al-Hadid and Muhammad bin Talha had related thus, and another way وصيّي  which Ghandouzi had explaine – in all three occasions in this book it was related so.

A good proof for the first narrative is that whatever we related from “Manaqib” Kharazmi and “Ghayat-al-Maram”, was صاحِبي.

And a proof for the second relative is that at the top of narrative “Manaqib” Kharazmi and “Ghayat-al-Maram” Allah states:

فَاتَّخِذْهُ لِنَفْسِكَ خَليفَةً وَ وَصِيّاً.

Another one is the chain of narratives denoting to that the “Belief” is based on the messenger-hood and the guardianship, similar to the narrative that Soleiman Ghandouzi in “Yanabi-al-Mawadda”, page 248 has narrated; and also Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani Shafiee has related from Otbat bin Aamir Johani in “Mawaddat-al-Ghorba” alongside Mawaddat Rabiah, he says:

قالَ: بايَعْنا رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم عَلى قَوْلِ انْ لا الهَ الَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَريكَ لَهُ وَ انَّ مُحَمَّداً نَبِيُّهُ وَ عَلِيّاً وَصِيُّهُ، فَاىٌّ مِنَ الثَّلاثَةِ تَرَكْناهُ كَفَرْنا. وَ قالَ لَنَا النَّبِىِّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: احِبُّوا هذا- يَعْنى عَلِيّاً- فَانَّ اللهَ يُحِبُّهُ، وَ اسْتَحْيُوا مِنْهُ فَانَّ اللهَ يَسْتَحْيى مِنْهُ.

Otbat bin Aamir Johani says: ‘We swore allegiance to the command of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, that ‘There is no Deity except Allah, He is Alone and there is no partner to Him, and that Muhammad is His Messenger and Guardian.’ According to this allegiance, if we leave any one of these three we will be of the disbelievers. And the Messenger of Allah said to us: “Do like this, Ali, because Allah likes him, and feel ashamed of him for Allah feels ashamed of him too.’

And in chapter 15,  page 82 of “Yanabi-al-Mawadda” it is related of Talha bin Zeid, from Imam Ja‘far Sadiq by his ancesters, the Commander of the believers, Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, that he said:

قالَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: ما قَبَضَ اللهُ نَبِيّاً حَتّى امَرَهُ اللهُ انْ يُوصِىَ الى أَفْضَلِ عَشيرَتِهِ مِنْ عُصْبَتِهِ، وَ امَرَنى انْ اوْصِ الَى ابْنِ عَمِّكَ عَلىٍّ، اثْبَتْتُهُ فِى الْكُتُبَ السّالِفَةِ وَ كَتَبْتُ فيها انَّهُ وَصِيُّكَ، وَ عَلى ذلِكَ اخَذْتُ ميثاقَ الْخَلائِقِ وَ ميثاقَ انْبيائى وَ رُسُلى، وَ اخَذْتُ مَواثيقَهُمْ لى بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَ لَكَ يا مُحَمَّدُ بالنُّبُوَّةِ وَ لِعَلىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ بِالْوِلايَةِ وَ الْوَصِيَّة

He said, the Holiness Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, said: ‘Allah did not take any messenger from this world to Him unless He commanded each of them to choose one of his best and the virtuous off spring as the Guardian of his; He also commanded me to choose my cousin as the Guardian after me. Allah stated: “I have sent down this fact in the Book of the previous messengers and I have written down the Caliphate of Ali in them; and I have taken the covenant of all My messengers to witness this fact.^[36] O Messenger, I have taken their covenants for my Divinity, and for your Messenger-ship, as well as Ali bin Abī Tālib’s Guardianship.”

And the other narratives are those which denote that every messenger has an inheritor and guardian then, the inheritor and the guardian of the Messenger of Allah is Ali bin Abī Tālib.

Sheikh Soleiman Ghandouzi has related in “Yanabi-al-Mawadda”, page 86, in “Manaqib” Kharazmi, from Maghatel bin Soleiman, from Ja‘far

Sadiq through his ancestors, Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, that:

قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: يا عَلىُّ انْتَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ شَيْثٍ مِنْ آدَمَ وَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ سامٍ مِنْ نُوحٍ وَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ اسْحاقَ مِنْ ابْراهيمَ كما قالَ تَعالى:

"وَ وَصىِّ بِها ابْراهيمُ بَنيهِ وَ يَعْقُوبُ- الْآية"

وَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ هارُونَ مِنْ مُوسى وَ بِمَنْزِلَةِ شَمْعُونَ مِنْ عيسى، وَ انْتَ وَصيِّى وَ وارثِى، وَ انْتَ اقْدَمُهُمْ سِلْماً وَ اكْثَرُهُمْ عِلْماً وَ اوْفَرُهُمْ حِلْماً وَ اشْجَعُهُمْ قَلْباً وَ اسْخاهُمْ كَفّاً، وَ انْتَ امامُ امَّتى وَ قسيمُ الْجَنَّةِ وَ النّارِ، بِمَحَبَّتِكَ يُعْرَفُ الْأَبْرارُ مِنَ الْفُجّارِ وَ يُمَيَّزُ بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ الْمُنافِقينَ وَ الْكُفّارِ.

The most generous Messenger said to the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace: ‘O Ali, your position and status to me is as the position and status of Seth to Adam, and it is like Saam to Noah, and also similar the status of Isaac to Abraham, as Allah the Highest states: “Abraham and Isaac enjoined it to their children …”. And your position to me is as the position of Aaron to Moses, it is also as the status of Simon to Jesus; and you are my successor and inheritor, you embrace Islam before than every one else. Your knowledge is vast and so is your patience, your heart is strong and you are generous. You are the Imam and pioneer of my nation; you are the divider of paradise and hell. Through you affection, the friends and foes are known, and the believers keep away from the line of the disbelievers.’

In this narrative, first of all, the Messenger of says that each one of the messengers: Adam, Noah Abraham, Moses and Jesus had his own guardian. And on this base, I also, for being the Messenger of Allah, will have my own Guardian – so you are my Guardian, o Ali.’

Therefore, the main successor-ship is the commandment of Allah and It must be carried out by all the messengers, thus, I will not disobey the tradition of Allah.

And secondly, the belief, knowledge and patience of a guardian for the messenger must be immense, his heart must be strong and his generosity the most. O Ali, now, your good attributions, among my nation, is great and higher than any of them, thus, Allah, the Highest, has assigned you to be as Imam and the leader of my nation. Based on this true standard, paradise and Fire, which are the for the pious and rebels, are known; and then, according to their grades, they will be settled in the different parts of paradise or hell.

And also by your kindness and affection the pure and the good will be recognized, and the believers will be separated from the group of the hypocrites.

And also in the same book, page 248, through the fourth cordiality from “Mawaddt-al-Ghurba” of Sayyid Ali Shafiee Hamadani, he narrates that the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, has related from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, saying that:

انَّ اللهَ تَعالى جَعَلَ لِكِلِّ نَبِىٍّ وَصِيّاً، جَعَلَ شَيْثاً وَصِىَّ آدَمَ وَ يُوشَعَ وَصِىَّ مُوسى وَ شَمْعُونَ وَصِىَّ عيسى وَ عَليّاً وَصِيِّى، وَ وَصِيِّى خَيْرُ الْاوْصياءِ فِى الْبَداءِ، وَ انَا الدّاعى وَ هُوَ الْمُضِى‏ءُ.

‘Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, assigned a successor for every messenger: Seth was the successor for Adam, Joshua the successor of Moses, Simon the successor of Jesus and He assigned Ali as my successor. And in the Court of the Creator, my successor is the best among all messengers’ successors – I am the inviter and the guide towards Allah and Ali is the illuminator of this course.’

And as well in the same book, page 79, he has related by means of his documents from Mowaffagh bin Ahmad Kharazmi quoting Umm Salama:

قالَتْ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: انَّ اللهَ اخْتارَ مِنْ كُلِّ نَبِىٍّ وَصِيّاً، وَ عَلِىٌّ وَصِيِّى فى عِتْرَتى وَ أهْلِ بَيْتى وَ امَّتى بَعْدى.

[Umm Salama] said the Messenger of Allah stated that: ‘Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, assigned a successor for every messenger and He has assigned Ali as my successor among my family and the household and my nation after my demise.’

Ghandouzi, after relating this narrative, says: ‘Kharazmi has also related this narrative.’ And the Sheikh of Islam Hamwini has related the narrative of commandment from Ali bin Musa, upon him be peace.

And the another one is in the book of “Aliion wal-wasilah”, page 226, from the book of ‘Manaqib” where, Kharazmi through his documents from Abu-al-Ghasim Abdullah bin Muhammad bin Abdul Aziz Baghawa,^[37] from Hamid Raz, fron Ali bin Mojahid, from Muhammad bin Ishaq, from Sharik bin Abdullah, from Abiat-al-Ayadi, from Baridat quoting his father that he has related:

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ وَصِىٌّ وَ وارِثٌ، وَ انَّ عَلِيّاً وَصِيِّى وَ وارِثى.

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, stated: ‘There is a successor and inheritor for every messenger and my successor and inheritor is Ali bin Abī Tālib.’

This noble narrative has been related by Mohib-ad-Din Tabari in the “Zakhayir-al-Oghba”, page 71, of “Mo’jamal-Sahafa” Hafiz Abul-Ghasim Baghawi, from Baridah, and in the “Arreiz wal-warith” from Baridah. And also Ganji Shafiee has related it in the “Kefaya-at-Talib”, page 131, and Abdur Raoof Manawi, passing away in 1031 lunar year, has related it in his book “Konuz –al-Haghayigh fi Hadith Khair-al-Khalaeegh” which is published at the margin of “jam’mi Saghir” of Seyuti, page 69. And Sheith Soleiman Ghandouzi has related it in “Yanabi-al-Mawadda”, page 207 of “Mo’jam As-Sahafa” Abul Ghasim Baghawi, and at the page of 180 in Deilami, and also at the pageof 232 from Deilami the owner of the book of Firdous-al-Akhbar, and at the page of 79 of Mowaffagh bin Ahmad Kharazmi. It has also been related at the page of 248 alongside of the fourth Mawaddat from the book “Mawaddat-al-Ghorba”.

And another narrative is from Hamwini in the “Faraeed-al-Samtin”, second part, is related in chapter thirty-one. And Allama Bahrani has related at page 39, under the title of ‘the thirty-sixth narratives, and Ghandouzi Hanafi has related in “Yanabi-al-Mawadda”, page 44. He has related it from ibn Abbas concerning the cominf of ‘N’thal, the Jew, to the Messenger of Allah for questioning the Holiness about the attributes and the names of Allah, and then asking him about the successors of the Holiness. This narrative is very lengthy, therefore, we are to mention only one of them which is about commandment. 

قالَ (اىْ نَعْثَلُ الْيَهُودِىٌّ): فَاخْبِرْنى عَنْ وَصِّيكَ مَنْ هُوَ؟ فَما مِنْ نَبِىٍّ الّا وَ لَهُ وَصِىٌّ وَ انَّ نَبِيَّنا موسىَ بْنَ عِمْرانَ أَوْصى الى يُوشَعَ بْنِ نُونٍ، فَقالَ: نَعَمْ انَّ وصِيِّى وَ الْخَليفَةَ بَعْدى عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ وَ بَعْدَهُ سِبْطاىَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ يَتْلُوهُ تِسْعَةٌ مِنْ صُلْبِ الْحُسَيْن ائمَّةٌ ابْرارٌ- الحديث.^[38]

The Jew said; ‘Inform me of your successor because no messenger has ever come without a successor. In fact, our messenger, Moses, announced his successor to be Joshua.’ The Holiness said: “Right, my successor and Caliph after me is Ali bin Abī Tālib, and after him are his two sons, Hassan and Hussein, then after Hussein, nine of his off spring will be the Imam and the rightful leaders of this nation.”

And another narrative of the commandment is that Salman Farsi’s, who asked the Holiness who his successor was. To his question, the Holiness answered: “O Salman, do you know who the successor of Moses was?” He says, ‘Yes, I know, Messenger of Allah, the successor of Moses was Joshua bin Noon.’ Then, the Holiness says: “O Salman, know that my successor and my inheritor, my brother and my minister, and the best man who, after my demise,  is going to be with you, and to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace.’

The most scholars of the Shiite and Sunnite have put this narrative in their books, and the greatest common intellectuals have confirmed it being authentic. However, as this narrative has been explained in different ways, and more or less, some words and phrases have been altered, we found it better to explain it by the reputable books.

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The Narrative of Salman Farsi Concerning the Guardianship of the Commander of the Believers

Allama Bahrani in his Managhib Saghir which is known as “Ali and Tradition” relates it from Abu Saeed Khodri that:

انَّ سَلْمانَ قال: قُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ الله صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ وَصِىٌّ فَمَنْ وَصِيُّكَ؟ فَسَكَتَ عَنِّى فَلَمّا كانَ بَعْدُ رَآنى فَقالَ: يا سَلْمانُ، فَاسْرَعْتُ الَيه وَ قُلْتُ: لَبَّيْكَ، فَقالَ: تَعْلَمُ مَنْ وَصِىُّ مُوسى؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ، فَقالَ: لِمَ قُلْتُ؟ قُلْتُ: لِانَّهُ كانَ اعْلَمَهُم يَوْمَئِذٍ، قالَ: فَانَ وَصِيِّى وَ مَوْضِعَ سِرِّى وَ خَيْرَ مَنْ اخَلِّفُ بَعْدى، يُنْجِزُ مَوْعِدى وَ يَقْضى دَيْنى، عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ.

Salman says I said to the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, ‘There is a successor for every messenger so who is your successor?’ He kept quiet answering me, but later on he turned to me and said: “O Salman, I’ll let you know.” I said, ‘Okay.’ He stated: “Do you know who the successor Moses was?” I said: ‘Yes, he was Joshua bin noon.’ So he asked: “What for you say so?” I said, ‘It was because he was the most learned in those days.’ Then, the Holiness said: “Indeed my successor and the treasurer of my secrets, and the best man whom I am going to leave with you to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

In this narrative, through his questioning and answering Salman, the Messenger of Allah asks him the reason for Joshua bin Noon becoming the successor of Moses, and he answers it was because of his vast knowledge among the nation at that time he became the successor of Moses. In this conversation, the Holiness wants to point out  that the successor of a messenger must be more knowledgeable at his time. He must be aware of the questions of the religion, the Divine Knowledge and to be wise in the secrets of the religion. Therefore, he states: “Indeed my successor and the treasurer of my secrets, and the best man whom I am going to leave with you to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

And also in this book of  “Managhib” ibn Mardodeiah, it is related from Anas that Salman has said:

قلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: عَمَّنْ نَأخُذُ بَعْدَكَ وَ بِمَنْ نَثِقُ؟ قالَ: فَسَكَتَ عَنّى حَتّى سَأَلْتُ ذلِكَ عَشْراً، ثُمَّ قالَ: يا سَلْمانُ، انَّ وَصِيِّى وَ خَليفَتى وَ اخى وَ وَزيرى وَ خَيْرَ مَنْ اخَلِّفُهُ بَعْدى عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ، يُؤَدّى عَنّى وَ يُنْجِزُ مَوْعِدى.

[Salman said]: ‘I asked to the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants,

How should we take [as Imam] after him and who should we follow. He says, he kept quiet until I repeated my question for ten times, then, he said: “O Salman, indeed my successor, my brother, my minister and the most benevolent one after me for my nation is Ali bin Abī Tālib; it is he who is going to fulfill my covenant.”

And also Mohebb-ad-Din Tabari, in the “Ar-Reiaz-an-Nazara, volume 2, page 178, says it after the narrative of Barida: Anas said: we said to Salman: ‘Ask the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, that who is going to be his successor.’ So Salman asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is your successor?’ He answered: “O Salman, who was the successor of Moses?” Salman said: ‘He was Joshua bin Noon.’ The Holiness said: “Indeed, my successor, inheritor and the one who is going to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

It is said that this narrative has been applied in the book of “Managhib” by Ahmad bin Hanbal.

And Sebt ibn Jouzi has put this very narrative of Tabari in his “Tazkera”, on page 26; and he has called it the authentic narrative. In this way, he has answered those who have considered it as a weak narrative. To sum up, the narrative that they have considered to be weak, is in the document of Ismaeel bin Zeiada which Dar Ghotni has spoken on it; the reason of Ghotni’s saying about it is the extra part:

و هو خير من اترك بعدي

‘… and he is the most benevolent I am leaving after me.’

Then, he says: However, this surplus phrase is not in the this narrative we have mentioned, we have quoted it from Ahmad bin Hanbal; there are not any of Ismaeel bin Aeiada narratives in his documents – this narrative is something else.’ 

However, Mohebb Tabari has mentioned it in his another book called “Zakhayer-al-Oghba”, on page 71, under the title of ‘Salman Narrative’; he says: ‘Anas related it from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants:

قالَ: رَوى انَسٌ انَّ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم قالَ: وَصِيّى وَ وارِثى يَقْضى دَيْنى وَ يُنْجِزُ مَوْعِدى عَلىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِب.

he said: “My successor, inheritor and he who is going to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

Then, he says, ‘Ahmad bin Hanbal ha brought this narrative in his “Managhib”.

And ibn Shahr Ashoub has also mentioned this narrative in his “Managhib”, volume 1, page 542. First, he has related it from Tabari’s documents from Salman:

قالَ: قُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ انَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِىٌّ الّا وَ لَهُ وَصِىٌّ، فَمَنْ وَصِيُّكَ؟ قالَ: وَصِيِّى وَ خَليفَتى فى اهْلى وَ خَيْرُ مَنْ اتْرُكُ بَعْدى، مُؤَدِّى دَيْنى وَ مُنْجِزُ عِداتى عَلىُّ بْنَ ابيطالِبٍ.

He said, I told the Messenger of Allah: ‘O Messenger of Allah, There has been no messenger unless there was a successor for him, so who is your successor?’ He said: “My successor and Caliph, and the one most benevolent I am leaving after me, as well he who is going to fulfill my covenant is within my Household, he is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

The second is from Motir bin Khalid quoting Anas, and Ghis Manah and Ebadat bin Abdullah, he too from Soleiman, and both of them, Anas and Soleiman, have said that the Messenger  has stated:

قالَ: قُلْتُ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ انَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِىٌّ الّا وَ لَهُ وَصِىٌّ، فَمَنْ وَصِيُّكَ؟ قالَ: وَصِيِّى وَ خَليفَتى فى اهْلى وَ خَيْرُ مَنْ اتْرُكُ بَعْدى، مُؤَدِّى دَيْنى وَ مُنْجِزُ عِداتى عَلىُّ بْنَ ابيطالِبٍ.

‘O Salman, you asked me who my successor was going to be for my nation, so have ever known who was the successor for the Moses, upon him be peace?’ I said, ‘Only Allah and His Messenger know it.’ He stated: “His successor was Joshua for indeed he was the most knowledgeable man among his nation; and my successor and the most knowledgeable among my nation after me is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

And also Sheikh Soleiman Ghandouzi relates it in chapter fifteen from “Yanabee-al-Mawadda”, from the “Masnad” of Ahmad bin Hanbal, with his documents from Anas bin Malik who said:

قالَ: قُلْنا لِسَلْمانَ: سَلِ النَّبِىَّ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم عَنْ وَصِيِّهِ، فَقالَ سَلْمانُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَنْ وَصِيُّكَ؟ فَقالَ: يا سَلْمانُ. مَنْ وَصِىُّ مُوسى؟ فَقالَ: يُوشَعُ بْنُ نُونٍ. قالَ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم: وَصِيِّى وَ وارِثى يَقْضى دَيْنى وَ يُنْجِزُ وَعْدى عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ.

‘We said to Salman: ‘Ask the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, about his successor.’ So Salan asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, who is your successor?’ The Holiness stated: “O Salman! Who was the successor of Moses?” So I answered: ‘He was Joshua bin Noon.’ The Holiness stated: “My successor, inheritor and the one who is going to fulfill my covenant is Ali bin Abī Tālib.”

And then, he says: ‘Tha’labi has related the narrative of the successor, which concerns Ali bin Abī Tālib, from Bara bin Aazib in his commentary under the phrase of:

و انذر عشيرتك الاقربين

And ibn-al-Moghazeli has related this narrative by means of his documents from ibn Abbas and Jabi bin Abdullah Ansari, Barida and Ayyub.

And also on the page 231 in “Yanabee-al-Mawadda”, along with seventy privileges, Ahmad bin Hanbal has quoted it from Anas that he was the Commander of the believers.

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All the messengers had their own successors

On page 253, the book seven of the “Mawaddat-al-Ghourba” it is related from Abdullah bin Omar who said:

قالَ: مَرَّ سَلْمانُ الْفارْسِىُّ وَ هُوَ يُريدُ انْ يَعُودَ رَجُلًا وَ نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ فى حَلْقَةٍ وَ فينا رَجُلٌ يَقوُلُ: لَوْ شِئْتُ لَانْبَأْتُكُمْ بِأفْضَلِ هذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّها وَ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ هذَيْنِ الرَّجُليْنِ ابى بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ، فَسُئِلَ سَلْمانُ فَقالَ: اما وَ اللهِ لَوْ شِئْتُ لَانْبَأْتُكُم

بِأفْضَلِ هذِهِ الْامَّةِ بَعْدَ نَبِيِّها وَ افْضَلَ مِنْ هذَيْنِ الرَّجُلَيْنِ ابى بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ. ثُمَّ مَضى سَلْمانُ فَقيلَ لَهُ: يا ابا عَبْدِ اللهِ ما قُلْتَ؟ قالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم فى غَمَراتِ الْمَوْتِ فَقُلْتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ هَلْ اوْصَيْتَ؟ قالَ: يا سَلْمانُ: أ تَدْرِى من الْاوْصياءُ؟ قُلْتُ: اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ اعْلَمُ. قال: آدَمُ وَ كانَ وَصِيَّه شَيْثٌ وَ كانَ افْضَلَ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ، وَ كانَ وَصِىّ نُوحٍ سامٌ وَ كانَ افْضَلَ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ بَعْدَهُ، وَ كانَ وَصِىَّ مُوسى يُوشَعُ وَ كانَ افْضَلَ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ بَعْدَهُ، وَ كانَ وَصِىَّ عيسى شَمْعُونُ بْنُ فَرْخِيا وَ كانَ افْضَلَ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ بَعْدَهُ، وَ انِّى اوْصَيْتُ الى عَلِىٍّ وَ هُوَ افْضَلُ مَنْ اتْرُكُهُ مِنْ بَعْدى.

(And he has related the very narrative in the book of “Ali-iun-wal-Wasila”, on page 366, from the book of  “Al-Kokab-al-Dorri” from Sayyid Muhammad Salih at-Termizi, on page 105, by his documents from Omar bin Khattab. However , he has not brought the sentence:

«فَسُئِلَ سَلْمانُ فَقالَ: اما وَ اللهِ لَو شِئْتُ لَأنْبَأتُكُمْ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنْ هذِهِ الْامَّةِ»

But he has brought this:

«و وصِيّ سليمان اصِف بن برخيا»

And he has also mentioned ‘Simon, the successor of Jesus, as Barakhia).

Abdullah, the son of Omar, as well as Omar himself have said that: ‘Salman Farsi was passing us to meet a man and we were in a group sitting in circle. There was a man among us who said: ‘I can, if I would like to, inform you of a man who is the greatest among the nation after the Messenger – he is even greater than these two men: Abu Bakr and Omar.’ Right then, they asked Salman about what the man was claiming. Salman said: ‘I also can, if I wanted to, to inform you of the greatest man among this nation after the Messenger – even greater than these two men, Abu Bakr and Omar.’ He expressed his word and paused, then some of them wondered and asked: ‘What are you talking about?

To their question, Salman said: ‘I approached the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, at the pangs of the death and had the honour to ask: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Have you written your will?’ The Holiness stated: “O Salman, do you know at all the successors of the messengers?” I answered: ‘Allah and His Messenger are the most aware [about it]!’ Then, the Holiness stated: “The successor of Adam was Seth, and he was the most virtuous one among his children and became his successor after Adam; and Shem was the successor of  the messenger, Noah, and he was also the most virtuous man among the nation after him. And the successor of Moses was Joshua who was the most virtuous one after Moses. The successor of Jesus was Simon bin Barakhia and he was the most virtuous man remaining after Jesus; I have also made my will for Ali bin Abī Tālib, and he is the most virtuous man who is going to remain among my nation.’

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