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:

إِنَّ وَلِيِّيَ اللّهُ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْكِتَابَ وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّالِحِينَ.

Surely my Guarding Friend is Allah, Who sent down this Book; and He protects the righteous, (Qur’an: 7/196).’

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The verses that denote the monopoly of the Guardianship to Allah, the Honourable and Exalted

There are some verses in the glorious Qur’an that they restrict the Guardianship to be only Allah’s; without exception, they explain it to belong to Allah altogether. Like the verses:

قُلْ أغَيْرَ اللَهِ أتَّخِذُ وَليَّاً فَاطِرِ السَّمَواتِ وَ الْأرْضِ وَ هُوَ يُطْعِمُ وَ لَا يُطْعَمُ قُلْ إنِّى امِرْتُ أنْ أكُونَ اوَّلَ مَنْ أسْلَمَ وَ لَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِين.

‘… Say, ‘Should I take a protector apart from Allah Who is the Originator of the heavens and the earth – while He nourishes but is not nourished?’ Say, ‘I have been ordered to be the first who has surrendered to Islam – and [He has said] not to be of the idolaters, (Qur’an: 6/14)!’‏

In this verse, we notice that the Guardianship is necessity for the creation of the heavens and the earth and it accompanies the Essence of the Truth Who feeds the entire universe without feeding Himself – so the Guardianship is restricted to Allah. Therefore, He states:

أمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أوْليَاءَ فَاللَهُ هُوَ الْوَلىُّ وَ هُوَ يُحْيِى الْمَوْتَى وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْ‏ءٍ قَدير

Have they taken other guardians [to worship] beside Him? But Allah is the (Only) Supporter; He revives the dead; and He is powerful over everything, (Qur’an: 42/9)?’‏

وَ هُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا قَنَطُوا وَ يَنْشُرُ رَحْمَتَهُ وَ هُوَ الْوَلىُّ الْحَمِيد

‘… and He is the One Who sent rain after [people] losing hope, and He spreads His grace [everywhere] – He is the Praiseworthy Protector, (Qur’an: 42/28).’‏

وَ مَا لَكُمْ مِنْ دُونِ اللَهِ مِنْ وَلىٍّ وَ لَا نَصِير.

‘… and you have none, apart from Allah, any guardian or supporter, (Qur’an: 2/22/107).’‏

In these verses, as well as many other verses in the Qur’an, we see that the Guardianship is known to be the specific Attributes of the Holiness Creator, the Honourable and Exalted, and the Guardian is of His special Names.

On the other hand, we see that in some verses, the title of Guardianship has been given to some others than Allah, such as:

وَ إنْ تَظَاهَرَا عَلَيْهِ فَإنَّ اللَهَ هُوَ مَوْلَاهُ وَ جِبْرِيلُ وَ صَالِحُ المؤمِنينَ وَ الْمَلائِكَة بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ ظَهِير

‘… if you [two women, Aisha and Hafsa,] turn to Allah [it is for your benefit,] for your hearts are so inclined; while if you back each other up against him, then Allah is his protector, so are Gabriel and the Eminent Believers, (as Ali bin Abī Tālib,) – and the angels will be his supporters, (Qur’an: 66/4).’‏

In this blessed verse, He has added Gabriel and the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, to Allah, and then has assigned them as the Guardian of the Messenger of Allah.

إنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ وَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَوة وَ يُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَوة وَ هُمْ رَاكِعُون

‘… Surely your protector is only Allah, and His Messenger and those who have believed, establish prayer, and pay Zakat, (the due welfare tax) when bowing down [to pray], (Qur’an: 5/55).’‏

In this verse too, apart from the Guardianship of Allah, he assigns the Guardianship of the Messenger of Allah, as well the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers, , Upon Him be Peace, who gave away his ring when praying.

To solve this problem, or apparently the differences, the answer is that we mentioned times and again; that is: the Attributes of Allah are just His Own right but the others receive the shade of them; Allah is the Light but the others Its Rays – that is: Allah is mere Light and the others shades.

Anyhow, there is no doubt that the Guardianship of the Messenger of Allah and the Commander of the believers are the same Guardianship of Allah.

There are many similar examples in the Glorious Qur’an, as He states:

أَ يَبْتَغُونَ عِنْدَهُمُ الْعِزَّة فَإنَّ الْعِزَّة لِلَهِ جَميعاً

‘… Do they seek prestige through them? For indeed the prestige belongs to Allah, (Qur’an: 4/139).’‏

مَنْ كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْعِزَّة فَلِلَهِ الْعِزَّة جَميعاً

‘… Whoever desires glory, Allah is the Main Source of [all Might] and Glory, (Qur’an: 35/10).’‏

He similarly states:.

وَ لِلَهِ الْعِزَّة وَ لِرَسُولِهِ وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ لَكِنَّ الْمُنَافِقِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُون

 ‘… All the Glory belongs to Allah, and His Messenger, and the believers, however, the hypocrites do not know, (Qur’an: 63/8).’‏

The Glory of Allah is individual and it belongs to Him, and the glories of the Messenger and the believers are from Allah and it is transversal to them. Similar to the face of one which is of his personage, but it becomes transversal when he looks at it in the mirror.

No one can take his shape and feature away from him, but he can look in the mirror and see his reflection in it; he can take away his face from the mirror and, in that case, there is not his feature in it.

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Guardianship is the very Monotheism and it is necessary for the stability of the world

The Guardianship of Allah of Attributes and Names are of the necessity of the His Essence and they are natural and right. However, the Guardianship of the Messenger of Allah and the immaculate Imams shadow-like transversal, are of the reflection in the mirror; it is from Allah’s Light reflecting from the mirror. 

Without the Guardianship, the universe cannot exist; there will be no existence – the existence will turn into non-existence.

It is because the Divine Uniqueness Light within the Name of Allah, as well the other glories and beauties are reflected through different mirrors so that to create large quantity in the existing world. To bring the beings together, to connect the new to the old and cause the life run smoothly, therefore, these phenomena are impossible without a Guardian.

As without the attributes of the Creator, and the name of Creator, the creation and creatures are impossible, and so are the feeding without the nourishment of Allah is not possible, knowing without knowledge, and mercy without Merciful; thus, all giving life, setting up and training are within the shade of name and attribute of the Guardian and the Guardianship and without it, it is impossible to take place.

Guardianship exists in every single being, and it is according to greatness, lowliness and the individuality of that certain thing. It is because, the guardianship means the lack of veil and distance between the Creator and the creature; as long as the veil and distance exist creation is impossible.

So every creature, from the smallest straw up to the huge and stable mountains, and from a tiny particle to the solar system all are due to the Guardianship; that is related to Allah, Omnipotent, the Creator and Nurturer. 

In this way, the smallest and weakest creatures are under the guardianship of the biggest and strongest ones, they too are under the stronger creatures; it goes on to the extreme until the Divine Guardianship for all, under this name and attribute create the entire being and govern, nourishes, gives life and causes death, gives knowledge, insight and power to carry on life.

The necessity of all being’s creation, with their differences in ranks and positions of them, are under the dominion of the Guardianship that is stronger and vast.

And it called ‘أوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَه‏’ which is the closet veil and the full-length mirror of the Nature, Attributes, Beauty and the Glory of the Holiness Truth; and the large quantity of the universe come to existence from His vast Kingdom; and by constant expanding of the Guardianship the different aspects and signs of that begins to descend on the earth – it gradually becomes weaker and smaller then encircles every individual creature.

The very ‘أوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَه‏’ that its mirror is larger and vaster than all beings so that without any loss it can relate and explain the Essence that Absolute Guardianship; because supposedly, it is the closest veil and the nearest being, in the point of nearness, to the Holiness Being.

And the difference of him with the Essence of the Lofty Being is that it is ‘transversal’; and the Essence of the Holiness fact and natural, because except the Essence of Allah there is no effective existence in the universe. Therefore, the difference of that ‘أوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَه‏’ with the other beings is that its largeness and vastness is great – it is not that to be an individual being by its own.

The entire beings, from the ‘أوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَه‏’ up to weakest and the tiniest ones are poor and need their Creator, Allah – even their abjectness and need is by Allah. The Trusted Spirit and the other intimate angels are the same; nothing in the universe is exceptional. Apart from the Essence of the Existent-necessary-through-itself, every being is creative.

Although the ‘أوَّلُ مَا خَلَقَ اللَه‏’ is the most cherisher and powerful in the universe, it is still mirror; the greatest mirror with the vast and complete reflection – the quality of ‘mirror-being’ is never separated from it.

Thus, the Divine Complete Guardianship is the very Guardianship of Allah, the origin is the same – it is, in the case of Allah, the noble birth and in Guardian, it is following. Allah demonstrates Himself, but the Guardian points to Allah.

May God prohibit one to think that in this way: ‘Guardianship has being taken from Allah and given to the Guardian!’ This imagination is totally wrong and is disbelief.

          ‘The distance between my ‘Moon’ and the turning moon is from the earth to the heavens.

          A grain of the pepper is black and so is the spot on the face of the beloved; both of them deeply burn, but there is no comparison between the two.

          Both, the ‘Sugar’ of Ma‘zendaran, and the sugar from India are sweet, but there is no comparison between the two.’

It is in here that, in “NAHJ-ul-BALAGHA”, in the letter 28, of the letters section, the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, writes to Mua‘wiyah saying:

فَإنَّا صَنَائِعُ رَبِنَّا وَ النَّاسُ بَعْدُ صَنائِعُ لَنَا.

We are the creative of the Creator, and since now, people are going to be trained by us.’^[1]

MAJLISI, may Allah’s blessing be upon him, says in volume 8fo the KOMPANI, page 536 of “BEHAR-al-ANWAR”: ‘This saying includes the strangest mysteries of their status that the wisdom is too small to explain it. But we, as much as our knowledge assists, will explain it; it is said:

صَنِيعَة الْمَلِكِ مَنْ يَصْطَنِعُهُ وَ يَرْفَعُ قَدْرَهُ. وَ مِنْهُ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: «وَ اصْطَنَعْتُكَ لِنَفْسِى» أىِ اخْتَرتُكَ وَ أخَذْتُكَ صَنِيعَتى لِتَتَصَرَّفَ عَنْ ارَادَتى وَ مَحَبَّتى.‏

The trainee of a King or Sultan is someone whom the King trains for himself; he raises the status of him. And the statement of Allah to Moses is the same, when He stated to Moses, Upon Him be Peace: “I have created you for Myself; I have created you to be in MY disposal and whatever you do must be according to My will and My affection.”

Therefore, the meaning of the statement of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, is that: ‘No man has honoured us with any blessing except Allah has given us everything. So there is no meddler between Allah and us; and the whole people are under our training – we are the meddlers between Allah and the people.’

And ibn Abi–al-Hadid, in the explanation of twenty-volumes of “NAHJ-ul-BALAGHA”, in volume 15, page 194, says: ‘This is a great statement and, it is better than any statements and its meaning is better than all,

وَ صَنيعَة الْمَلِكِ مَنْ يَصْطَنِعُهُ وَ يَرْفَعُ قَدْرَه‏

The Holiness states: ‘No man has honoured us with any blessing except Allah has given us everything, so there is no meddler between Allah and us;’ this is the highest position and it is what we explained its appearance in brief, However, the internal meaning of it is that they are the creative of Allah and the people are their creative…

And at the bottom of the page 32, Sheikh Muhammad Abdah says:

آلُ النَّبِىِّ اسَرَاءُ إحْسَانِ اللَهِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ النَّاسُ اسَرَاءُ فَضْلِهِمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِك.‏

‘The off springs of the Messenger are as the slaves of what Allah has favored them, and the people are the slaves for the generosities of the off springs.’

In the point of view of the Attributes and the Names, in the Divine complete Guardianship, Allah Himself owns the Guardianship; however, if we miss the point, then there is no Guardianship at all.

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The Guardianship of the saint of Allah is alike the general Divine guardianship

In the same way that the absolute and complete Guardianship has affection in the series of existence, it has affection in the ascension and receiving it. This means, no one reaches the position of acquaintance and nearness to the Holiness Truth unless through this big mirror and sign. Because supposing that the mirror is vast, but as the beauty of the beloved and the knowledge of the lover, in the beginning, it is impossible to see Him without a veil. The Light and the illumination of the Essence blind the viewer and put him in the abjectness. Therefore, reaching to this mirror and considering the conditions is necessary. The sun cannot be seen, however, it can be seen in the mirror.

How nice the famous learned, Sheikh Mahmood Shabestari has stated this fact:

‘The manifestations cannot include the Light of the Essence, while the praise of his Glory is powerful; in that position that the Light of the Truth is the main Proof, there is no place for Gabriel to speak.

The wisdom’s illumination is within the Light of Essence, as the eyes are in the spring of the sun.

What is the relation of the earth with that pure world that is a perception among the varied perceptions?

In this martyred buried place which Light is shining, I have words to say but it is better to keep it for the time being.

If you desire seeing the spring of the sun, you need other eyes than these to be occupied with; when your eyes cannot tolerate seeing the sun, they can see it in the water.

As in that case it gives lesser light, then it increases in your perception.

The Non-existence is the absolute mirror of ‘Being’, for the feature of Fact in seen within. As the non-existence is in front of existence, a feature is seen in it.

The Unity increased by adding this one, then, when you counted them they became larger.

Though non-existence is counted only one unite, however, there is no limitation to it.

As non-existence was pure in its nature, the hidden treasure became manifest by that.

Try reading the narrative of ‘I was a treasure, so that to see the treasure clearly.

The non-existence is the mirror, the world feature, and man is as the eyes hidden within man.

You are the eyes of the picture and He is the Light, who has ever seen his eyes with his own eyes?

The world became for man, and the man world-wide, there can be no clearer than this statement.

If you look at this work attentively, you will notice that He is the Seer, He has seen and is the centre for being seen.

The Holy Narrative explained this meaning: He manifested the hearing and seeing. ^[2]

And by what we have said so far, there is no doubt in the position of the Guardianship, and its necessity to ascend and reach the position of Unity and Gnostic; however, the Guardianship of the Messenger of Allah and the immaculate Imams, Peace be upon them all, is obtained through the conditions of them according to their Divine situations and Gnostic; and it is only by two ways:

First is the clear texts that has been reached by the absolute position of the Guardianship; and the second is the miracles and generosities that can be can be take place by the Guardian of Allah – and it is impossible for anyone other than those having the position of the Guardianship – such as relieving the dead.

The great Sheikh Muhammad bin Hasan Horr Aamoli, may Allah increase his blessing, has written a valuable book in this connection called: ‘اثباتُ الْهُدَاة بِالنُّصُوصِ وَ الْمُعْجِزات‏’ which, while explaining the rightful status of the Messenger of Allah, he, in two ways: miracles and the clear texts, improves the Guardianships, Caliphates and the Imamates of the twelve Imams one by one – may his best reward be honoured by Allah!

And also the Late Mohad‘dith, Sayyid Hashim Bahrani, may Allah cast His blessing upon him, has written a most valuable book called ‘مَدِينَة الْمَعاجز’, concerning the miracles of those great ones, and then the book of ‘غَاية الْمَرام‏ ’ about the Guardianship of the Commander of the believers, Upon Him be Peace, which is superb in this condition. The book of is one of the Shiite’s prides in its authentic and literature.

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Investigating the narrative of “the chain of gold” is about the Guardian

Finally, it is the noble narrative of ‘سلسلة الذَّهَب‏’ to prove the Guardianship and its condition in the course of Gnostic and the Unity of the Powerful Lord, this book is by the Holiness the Eighth Proof, Ali bin Musa-ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, which there is no doubt about its authentic.

And neither is any doubt about its necessity for the Guardianship, therefore, we are to bring its clear text here: In the book of ‘كشف الغمّ’, Ali bin Isa Erbili says: this book, which is the poor going towards Allah, says that: ‘I am explaining it from a book that I cannot remember it now, but there is a subject which means:

Aula Saeed related, Imam donia and Imad Din: Muhammad bi Abi Sa‘d bin Abdul Karim Wazzan, in the month of Muharram 596, that the owner of the book “The History of Nishapor”, has written it in his book:

When the Holiness Ali bin Musa ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, in that journey which ended to his martyrdom, entered the town of Nishapor, he was sitting in a mule-litter put on a mule back, it was in white colour and a series calligraphies read ‘بَغْلَة شَهْباء’ was written on it in black – the mule-litter was made of pure silver.

When he was passing the market, two great learned who were expert in their knowledge and narratives, and they knew the Qur’an by hearts. One of them was Abi Zur‘at and the next Muhammad bin Aslam Tousi, may Allah bless them, they went closer to the Holiness and said:

‘O Sir, o Great Master! And O the son of the Great Imams and Great Sayyid! O Imam, O the son of the Imams! O you the Essence of the pure praiseworthy! And O the purist one of the prophet-hood! Would you please remove the veil from your face and show us your bright and illuminating feature! And then, related a narrative of your grandfather to us so that we always remember you.’

The Holiness ordered his men to stop the animal and then removed the veil away from his face.

At that moment the Muslims gathering there were surprised by seeing the blissful face of him, in their surprise, some of them tore apart their garments, dropped on the earth, and some were kissing the reins of the mule and some others stood on their toes to see inside the mule-litter . This continued until the middle of the day, and tears were running on the faces of the people as the rivers run in their beds. Then, the noses settled but the leaders and the judges were shouting on top of their voices:

مَعَاشِرَ النَّاسِ اسْمَعُوا، وَ عُوا، وَ لَا تُؤْذُوا رَسُولَ اللَهِ صَلَى الله عَلَيْه وَ آله وَ سَلَّم فِى عِتْرَتِه، وَ أنْصِتُوا.

‘O people, listen, take what you hear and memorize it; do not disturb the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, through his offspring, and do keep quiet!’

At that moment, while twenty-four thousand people were waiting with their writing instruments in hands, and even some more with their inkpots in their pockets and all were ready to write down the lecture, the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon Him be Peace, dictated this narrative.

Among the people were Abi Zur‘at and the next Muhammad bin Aslam Tousi, may Allah bless them, who were repeating aloud the words of the Holiness to the people standing afar.

The Holiness stated: ‘My father related it to me that, Musa bin Ja‘far Kazim said: ‘My father related it to me that Ja‘far bin Muhammad Sādiq said: ‘My father related it to me that, Muhammad bin Ali Bāqir said: ‘My father related it to me that my father, Ali bin al-Hussein Zain-ul-Aabedin said: ‘My father related it to me that, Hussein bin Ali, the martyre on the surface of the land of Karbala said: ‘My father related it to me that, the Commander of the believers, Ali bin Abī Tālib, the martyre  in the land of Kufa said: ‘My brother and cousin Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, said: ‘Gabriel related it to me:

قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَبَّ الْعِزَّة سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى يَقُولُ:

كَلِمَة لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ حِصْنِى؛ فَمَنْ قَالَهَا دَخَلَ حِصْنِى؛ وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى أمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِى، صَدَقَ اللَهُ سُبْحَانَهُ وَ صَدَقَ جَبْرَئيلُ وَ صَدَقَ رَسُولُهُ وَ صَدَقَ الْأئمَّة عليْهم السّلام.‏ ^[3]

He said: ‘I heard the Creator, Glory to Him the Lofty say: ,The statement of ‘There is no deity but Allah’ is a strong fort and whoever mentions it, enters this fort, and whoever enter this fort, is secured from my torture.’

The Glorious Allah said right, so did Gabriel say right, and the Messenger of Allah said right; and the Imams said right.’

Mohaddith Ghumi has mentioned this narrative, in the same way, in “Safinat-ul-Behar” from ‘Kashr-ul-Qumma’;^[4] and ibn Sabbagh Maleki has mentioned it in ‘Fosul-el-Mohemma’,^[5] and Mohaddith Amin Sayyid Mohsen Jabal Aameli has brough it in his book ‘A‘ayan-ash-Shiite’.^[6]

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The Narrative of "سلسلة الذهب‏" which is Related by the Ancient Companions

However, the Late Sadough has brought this narrative in the ‘مَعانى الْأخْبار’ and ‘عُيُون أخْبار الرِّضَا’ and the book of ‘تَوْحِيد’. And Sheikh Tousi, in ‘Amali’, and Sheikh Hurr Aameli in ‘Jawahir as-Sanneia’ have related it with different style and phrases, and different documents. And now, we are going to bring the exact statements of them in their books.

1- In the book of, ‘معانى الأخبار’, page 370, from Muhammad bin Musa bin Motawakkil, from Abu-al-Hassan Muhammad bin Ja‘far Asadi, from Muhammad bin Hussein Sufi, from Yusuf bin Aqil, from Ishaq bin Rahawaia have related the main document. They continue until they say:

سَمِعْتُ اللَهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ: لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ حِصْنِى فَمَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى أمِنَ [مِنْ‏] عَذَابى؛ فَلَمَّا مَرَّتِ الرَّاحِلَة نَادانَ: بِشُرُوطِهَا وَ أنَا مِنْ شُرُوطِها.

‘I Heard Allah, the Honourable and Exalted say: “The phrase ‘There is no deity but Allah’, is My fort, so whoever enters this fort, is secured of My chastisement.”’

Then, when the mule moved forward, the Holiness said to us aloud: ‘There is a condition in the ‘There is no deity but Allah’, that is, I am included.’

And the Late Sadugh has brought this narrative in the same way in ‘ثَوابُ الأعْمال‏’, page 7.

2- In ‘معانى الأخبار’,, page 371, from Muhammad bin Hassan Ghat‘tan, and he from Abdur-Rahman bin Muhammad Husseini, and he from Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Muhammad Fazari, and he from Abdullah bin Bahr Ahwazi, and he from Abu-al-Hassan Ali bin Amru, and he from Hassan bin Muhammad bin Jomhur, and Ali bin Hilal, and he from the Holiness Ali bin Musa-ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, with the same document from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, from Gabriel, and from Michael, and from Seraph has related it from the main Tablet that: 

يَقُولُ اللَهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى: وَلَايَة عَلِىِّ بنِ ابِيطالِبٍ- صَلَواتُ اللَهِ عَلَيهِ- حِصنِى فَمَن دَخَلَ حِصنِى امِنَ نَارِى.

‏‘Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has stated: “The Guardianship of Ali bin Abī Tālib, Upon Him be Peace, is My fort and whoever enter My fort, is secured from the Fire.”’

This narrative is related in “The Jewels of Traditions”, page 225, from Sadough in Amali; however, the narrator has mentioned it to be from Ahmad bin Hassan.

3- He has related the same narrative by Muhammad bin Musa bin Motawak‘kil, in “عيون اخبار الرّضا”, page 315 in the same way he has related it in “مَعانى الأخبار”, 370; except three tiny differences in phrases which do not damage the meaning or the sense of the narrative. The first one is that which Muhammad bin Hussein Soali has said in his relating; the second is that he has said: “سَمِعْتُ اللَهَ جَلَّ جَلَالُه‏”, and the third one is that he has said: “أمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِى ”, that is, he has added the word “مِن” in the text, and then has not added an alternative sentence to it.

And in “عيون أخبار الرضا”, page 313 and 314, he has related this narrative with three other documents, they are as the following:

4- From Abu Saeed Muhammad bin Fazl bin Muhammad bin Ishaq Mozakkar Nishapori in Nishapor, from Abu Ali Hussein bin Ali Khazaji Ansari Sa‘di, from Abdu-as-Salam bin Salih Abu Salt Harawi who said: ‘I was in Nishapor with Ali bin Musa-ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, he had mounted the mule-litter carriage  when Muhammad bin Rafi, Ahmad bin Harith, Yahia bin Yahia and Ishaq Rahway as well as some other learned and scholars held the leash of his mule in Maraba and said: … the story goes on as it was explained already until he comes to this point that Gabriel said:

قَالَ اللَهُ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ: «إنِّى أنَا اللَهُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا أنَا فَاعْبُدُونى، مَنْ جَاءَ مِنْكُمْ بِشَهَادَة أنْ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ بِالْإخْلاصِ دَخَلَ فِى حِصْنِى، وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ فِى حِصْنِى أمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِى.

‘Allah‏, the Honourable and Exalted, says: “Indeed, I am Allah, there is no deity except I; so do praise Me, and everyone of you come to Me sincerely witnessing “There is no deity but Allah”. Do enter My secured fort, for anyone who enters My fort is secured from My chastisement.’

5-He is relating from Abul Hussein Muhammad bin Ali bin Shah Faqih Marv-Roudi, in his house in Marv-Roud, and from Abul Ghasim Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Abbas AamerTaee in Basra, from his father quoting the Holiness Imam Ali bin Musa-ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, . He relates it with the same document until he says:

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَهِ صَلَّى الله عَلَيْه وَ آلِه وَ سَلَّم: يَقُولُ اللَهُ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ: لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ حِصْنِى، فَمَنْ دَخَلَهُ أمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِى.

The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to Him and his Descendants, said: ‘Allah, the Honourable and Exalted stated: “There is no deity except Allah” is My fort and anyone who enters My fort ‏is secured from My chastisement.”

6- He quotes Abu Nasr Ahmad bin Hussein bin Ahmad bin Obaid Zabbi, and he quotes Abul Qasim Muhammad bin Abidullah bin Babweiia, who was an honest man,  quotes Abu Muhammad Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Ibrahim bin Hashim Hafiz, who is quotingHassan bin Ali bin Muhammad bin Ali bin Musa bin Ja‘far the decent Sayyid who was the Imam in his time in Mecca, quotes his father Ali bin Muhammad Naghi, quoting his father, Muhammad bin Ali Naghi, and he also quotes his father Ali bin Musa-ar-Reza, Upon Him be Peace, until he gets through this document and says:

قَالَ اللَهُ سَيِّد السَّادَاتِ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ: إنِّى أنَا اللَهُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا أنَا، فَمَنْ أقَرَّ لى بِالتَّوْحِيدِ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى أمِنْ مِنْ عَذَابِى.

‏Allah, Who is Master of the masters, the Honourable and Exalted, stated: “Indeed, I am Allah, there is no deity but I. So, whoever confesses to My Unity, he enters into My fort, and anyone who enters My fort, is secured from My chastisement.”

And he has related this narrative in “‏جواهر السَّنيّة”, page 147 of“عيون”.

7- In the “Monotheism” of Sadough, page 25, he has related the narrative that we explained in number ‘1’ of the “معانى الأخبار” under the title of number (3) of “عيون‏”. And without any differences, he relates it from Muhammad bin Musa bin Motawakkil, up to the end of the narrative when the carriage of the Holiness moves forward and he mentions: ‘With the condition that I am included in those conditions.’

Then, Sadough says: ‘the writer of this book says:

مِنْ شُرُوطِهَا الْإقْرَارُ لِلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامِ بِأَنَّهُ إمَامٌ مِنْ قِبَلِ اللَهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ مُفْتَرِضُ الطَّاعَة عَلَيْهِم.

‘One of the conditions of the phrase of Monotheism, “There is no deity except Allah” is confessing and confirming that the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon Him be Peace, is assigned by Allah, and his obedience is incumbent by the slaves of Allah.’

And Sadough has brought the very commentary in the book of “عيون‏”, under this narrative.

8- In the “Monotheism” of Sadough, page 24, he relates a narrative form Abul Hussein Muhammad bin Ali bin ash-Shat, the great, in Marv Roud, following narrative number 5. He relates it as it is; he also relates it in “جواهر السَّنيَّة”, page 156 from the “Monotheism”.

9- In the “Monotheism” of Sadough, page 24, he relates the narrative from Abu Saeed Muhammad bin Fazl bin Muhammad bin Ishaq Mozakkar Nishapory in the same way we did.

10- In “Amali” of Sheikh Tousi, volume 2, page 201 he says: ‘A group of people related it for us from Abul Mafzal who said: Abu Nasr Laith bin Muhammad bin Laith Anbari related from his book for us and said: ‘Ahmad bin Abd-us-Samad bin Mozahim related to us in 261, Anno-Emigration, and he quoted Abi Salt Abdus Salam bin Salih Harawi to us that he had said when the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon Him be Peace, entered Nishapor I was with him; then he relates the whole document as it is until he reaches to this point that: Gabriel informed us of Allah, the Honourable and Exalted stating that: 

 قَالَ: إنِّى انَا اللَهُ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا أنَا وَحْدِى، عِبَادِى فَاعْبُدُونى، وَ لْيُعْلَمْ مَنْ لَقِيَنى مِنْكُمْ بِشَهادَة أنْ لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ مُخْلِصاً بِهَا أَنَّهُ قَدْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى وَ مَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِى أمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِى. 

قَالُوا: يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ! وَ مَا إخْلَاصُ الشَّهَادَة لِلَهِ؟!

قَالَ: طَاعَة اللَهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ وَلَايَة أهْلِ بَيْتِهِ عَلَيْهمُ السَّلام.‏

“Allah has stated: “I am indeed Allah, there is no deity except I, the One. O My slaves! Do worship Me, and it must be known that, whoever sincerely witnesses “لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ”, he enters into My fort, and anyone who enters My fort, he remains secured in it.”

They asked: ‘O Son of the Messenger of Allah! What is being sincere in witnessing?’

The Holiness answered: “It is obeying Allah and the Messenger of Allah, and [accepting] the Guardianship of his offspring, Upon them be Peace.

11- In the “جواهر السَّنيَّة”, page 222 published in Najaf, has related the same narrative as it is, under the title number 1, of “معانى الأخبار”; and also he has brought it with these documents from Sadough, in Amali. But he has said: “وَ أنَا فِى شُرُوطِها”, and I am in that condition.

And then, Sheikh Hurr has said: anyhow, the term ‘أنَا’ in the ‘فِى شُرُوطِها’ is in the weak form, but it is emphasized the, “وَ أنَا فِى شُرُوطِها”, includes all the Imams, Upon Them be Peace, and in this section both are correct.

12- And In the “جواهر السَّنيَّة”, page 158, he says: the Messenger of Allah has stated it with this document that:

قالَ اللَهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: لَا إلَهَ إلَّا اللَهُ حِصْنِى مَنْ دَخَلَهُ أمِنَ عَذَابِى‏.

As it is mentioned in the previous page, the purpose of Sheikh Hurr Aameli by this document from “Amali” of Sheikh Abu Ali Hassan bin Muhammad bin Hassan Tousi from Sheikh Tousi is that he said: Abu Muhammad Fahham Sorra Marati informed us that he said: Abul Hassan bin Muhammad Ahmad bin Abdullah Mansoori narrated us that he had said that the uncle of Abu Musa bin Isa bin Ahmad bin Isa Mansouri stated: ‘I was speaking with the Holiness Imam Ali bin Musa, Upon Him be Peace – he has said lot about that Holiness – the Holiness Ali bin Musa said, he mentions all the narrative to the end. 

13- And In the “جواهر السَّنيَّة”, page 262 it is related that Abu Ali Hassan bin Muhammad bin Hassan Tousi in his “Amali” said his father Sheikh Tousi has related that: Abul Fath Hilal bin Muhammad bin Ja‘far Haffar said that Abdullah Muhammad bin Isa had related him that Isa Waseti said: Muhammad bi Kufi narrated it to us that Ahmad bin Moaafa related it to us that in the Palace of Moaafa he said: his father had related them from his father Ali bin Musa, and he from Gabriel, and Gabriel from Michael, and he fro Seraph and from Tablet from the pen of Allah, the Exalted:

قَالَ: وَلَايَة عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِى طَالِبٍ حِصْنِى، مَنْ دَخَلَهُ أمِنَ نَارى.‏

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