Translator’s Introduction

On silence Except when Speaking what is Good, Abandonment of what does not concern one, and Slander

On Etiquette and Encouraging Others to do Good

On Good Character, Kindness and Anger

Virtue and Vice

Kindness to Parents, Relatives, Kinsfolk and Severance of Ties

The Rights of Neighbors

What has come in Reference to Slaves

What has come in Reference to this World and One who Seeks it

The Two Angels and what they Record

Humility and Arrogance

Showing off, Hypocrisy, Self-Admiration, and Conceit

Repentance, Seeking Forgiveness, Regret, and Admission (of Guilt)

Crying out of Fear of Allah

Remembering Death and the Grave

What the Believer and Disbeliever will See (Before Dying)

Questioning in the Grave, Chastisement in the Grave, and Barzakh

Resurrection, Reckoning, Standing Before Allah, the Exalted, and al-Ṣirāṭ

Intercession and Those who will come out of the Fire (of Hell)

Traditions About Paradise and Hell

Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

حدثنا الحسين بن سعيد قال حدثنا الحسن بن محبوب عن علي بن رئاب عن أبي بصير عن أحدهما عليهما السلام قال: إذا كان يوم الجمعة وأهل الجنة في الجنة وأهل النار في النار عرف أهل الجنة يوم الجمعة لما يرون من تضاعف اللذة والسرور وعرف أهل النار يوم الجمعة وذلك أنه تبطش بهم الزبانية.

1.Al-Ḥusayn ibn Saʿīd narrated to us saying, “Al-Ḥasan ibn Maḥbūb narrated to us, from ʿAlī ibn Riʾāb, from Abū Baṣīr, from one of the two [Imams] (a) who said, ‘When it is Friday and the people of Paradise are in Paradise while the people of Hell are in the Fire, the inhabitants of Paradise will know that it is Friday due to what they witness of enhanced pleasure and joy, while the denizens of Hell will know that it is Friday because of the [increased] torment by the wardens of Hell.’”

الحسن بن محبوب عن علي بن رئاب (رباب) عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إذا كان يوم القيامة نادت الجنة ربها فقالت: يا رب أنت العدل قد ملأت النار من أهلها كما وعدتها ولم تملأني كما وعدتني قال: فيخلق الله خلقا لم يروا الدنيا فيملا بهم الجنة طوبى لهم.

2.Al-Ḥasan ibn Maḥbūb narrated from ʿAlī ibn Riʾāb, from Abū Jaʿfar (a) who said, “When the Day of Judgment comes, Paradise will call out to its Lord and say, ‘O Lord, You are the Just, and You have filled Hellwith its inmates as You promised it, yet You have not filed me as You promised me.’ So Allah will create a creation who shall not have seen the world and will fill Paradise with them – blessed shall they be.”

القاسم بن محمد عن علي عن أبي بصير قال: قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام لا تقولوا جنة واحدة ان الله عز وجل يقول: (درجات بعضها فوق بعض).

3.Al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad narrated from ʿAlī, from Abū Baṣīr who said, “Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) said, ‘Do not say [there is but] a single garden [of Paradise]. Verily Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: [There are] levels, some above others.’”

محمد بن أبي عمير عن ابن بكير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام ومن ذكره عنه قال: لما اسرى برسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لم يمر (ما مر) بملك من الملائكة الا استبشر به حتى مر بملك لم يستبشر به كما استبشرت به الملائكة (ولم يقل له شيئا فوجده قاطبا عابسا) فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله يا جبرئيل: ما مررت بملك (بخلق) من الملائكة (خلق الله) الا استبشر بي (رأيت البشر واللطف والسرور منه) الا هذا الملك (فمن هذا؟ قال) فقال يا رسول الله: هذا مالك خازن جهنم (النار) وهكذا جعله الله فقال له رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسله ان يرنيها (خلقه ربه قال: فانى أحب أن تطلب إليه ان يريني النار) فقال له جبرئيل عليه السلام يا مالك (ان) هذا محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وقد قال لي انه لم يمر بملك من الملائكة الا استبشر به غيرك فقلت: ان هذا مالك خازن جهنم وهكذا جعله الله وقد سئلني أن أسألك أن تريها إياه (ان تريه إياها) قال: فكشف له طبقا من أطباقها قال: فما افتر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ضاحكا حتى مات.

4.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from Ibn Bukayr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) and the one who narrated it from him, that he said, “When the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) was taken [to the heavens] by night, he did not pass by any one of the angels but that he became happy [to see him], until he passed by an angel who did not show happiness upon [seeing] him like the [other] angels did, and he did not say anything to him; rather, he found him morose and frowning. So the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said, ‘O Jibraʾīl, I did not pass by any of the angels but that he was gladdened by [seeing] me, and I witnessed cheerfulness, graciousness, and joy from him, except this angel. Who is this?’ He replied, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this angel is the warden of Hell, and this is how Allah has made him.’ So the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said, ‘Ask him to show me the creation of his Lord.’ [Or] he said, ‘I would like you to ask him to  show me the Fire.’ Jibraʾīl (a) said to him, ‘O angel, this is Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), and he has told me that he did not pass by any of the angels but that they expressed their joy at meeting him, except you. So I told him that this is the warden of Hell and that is how Allah has made him. He has now asked me to request you to show it to him.’ So one of its levels was unveiled for him.” Then he (the Imam) said, “After [seeing] that, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) never smiled laughingly until the day he died.”

الحسن بن محبوب عن علي بن رئاب (رباب) عن أبي عبية عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إن في جهنم لواد يقال له: غساق فيه ثلاثون وثلاثمأة قصر في كل قصر ثلاثون وثلاثمأة بيت في كل بيت ثلاثون وثلاثمأة عقرب في حمة * كل عقرب ثلاثون وثلاثمأة قلة سم لو أن عقربا منها نضحت (نفخت) سمها على أهل جهنم لوسعتهم سما.

5.Al-Ḥasan ibn Maḥbūb narrated from ʿAlī ibn Riʾāb, from Abū ʿUbaydah, from Abū Jaʿfar (a) who said, “Verily there is a valley in Hell which is called Ghassāq. In it are three hundred and thirty castles. Each castle has three hundred and thirty chambers and in each chamber, there are three hundred and thirty scorpions. Inside the stinger of each of these scorpions there are thirty-three sacs of venom. If a single one of those scorpions were to spray its venom on the inmates of Hell, it would [suffice to] cover them [all] with venom.”

النضر بن سويد عن درست عن أبي المغرا عن أبي بصير قال: لا اعلمه ذكره الا عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إذا أدخل الله أهل الجنة الجنة وأهل النار النار جيئ بالموت في صورة كبش حتى يوقف بين الجنة والنار قال: ثم ينادى مناد يسمع أهل الدارين جميعا: يا أهل الجنة يا أهل النار فإذا سمعوا الصوت أقبلوا قال: فيقال لهم: أتدرون ما هذا؟ هذا هو الموت الذي كنتم تخافون منه في الدنيا قال فيقولون أهل الجنة: اللهم لا تدخل الموت علينا قال: ويقول أهل النار: اللهم ادخل الموت علينا قال: ثم يذبح كما تذبح الشاة قال: ثم ينادى مناد: لا موت أبدا أيقنوا بالخلود قال: فيفرح أهل الجنة فرحا لو كان أحد يومئذ يموت من فرح لماتوا قال: ثم قرأ هذه الآية: (أفما نحن بميتين الا موتتنا الأولى وما نحن بمعذبين ان هذا لهو الفوز العظيم لمثل هذا فليعمل العاملون) قال: ويشهق أهل النار شهقة لو كان أحد ميتا يموت من شهيق لماتوا وهو: قول الله عز وجل: (وأنذرهم يوم الحسرة إذ قضى الامر).

6.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Durust, from Abū al-Maghrāʾ, from Abū Baṣīr who said, “I do not know of it being mentioned except by Abū Jaʿfar (a) who said, ‘When Allah places the people of Paradise in Paradise and the people of Hell in Hell, death will be brought in the form of a ram until it is kept standing between Paradise and Hell… Then a caller will call out and the inhabitants of both abodes will hear him: “O people of Paradise! O people of Hell!” When they hear the voice, they will come forward. They will be asked, “Do you know what this is? This is the death that you used to fear in the world.” So the people of Paradise will say, “O Allah, do not allow death to enter upon us!” And the people of Hell will say, “O Allah, allow death to enter upon us!” Then it will be slaughtered the way a sheep is slaughtered. A caller will then call out: “There is no [more] death forever! Be certain of eternal life!” So the people of Paradise will rejoice in such a manner that if one could die out of joy, they would die on that day.’ Then he recited these verses: [Then he will ask his fellow believers,] “Are we [truly] never going to die, except our first death, nor suffer punishment [like others]? This is truly the ultimate triumph!” For the likes of this should everyone strive (Q39:58-60). He [then] said, ‘And the people of Hell will moan in such a manner that ifone could die of sorrow, they would die. And this is [referred to in] the verse wherein Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: And warn them of the Day of Regret, when all matters will be settled… (Q19:39).’”

الحسن بن علوان عن سعد بن طريف عن زيد بن علي عن آبائه عن علي عليه السلام قال: إن في الجنة لشجرة يخرج من أعلاها الحلل ومن أسفلها خيل بلق مسرجة ملجمة ذوات أجنحة لا تروث ولا تبول (فيركبها) فيركب عليها أولياء الله فتطير بهم في الجنة حيث شاؤوا فيقول الذين أسفل منهم: يا ربنا ما بلغ بعبادك هذه الكرامة؟ فيقول الله جل جلاله: انهم كانوا يقومون الليل ولا ينامون ويصومون النهار ولا يأكلون ويجاهدون العدو ولا يجنبون ويتصدقون ولا يبخلون

7.Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿUlwān narrated from Saʿd ibn Ṭarīf, from Zayd ibn ʿAlī, from his fathers, from ʿAlī (a) who said, “Verily there is a tree in Paradise from the top of which [paradisal] garments come forth, and from the bottom of which come horses of mixed black and white colour, saddled, bridled, and with  wings, that neither defecate or urinate. They are mounted by the friends of Allah who fly with them wherever they wish in Paradise, so those who are below them will say, ‘Our Lord, what made these servants of Yours reach such a noble station?’ So Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, will say, ‘They would stand up [to worship] in the night and would not sleep, they would fast during the day and not eat, they would fight the enemy and were not cowardly, and they would give charity and were not miserly.’”

الحسن بن علوان عن عمرو بن خالد عن زيد بن علي عن آبائه عن علي عليهم السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: ان ناركم هذه لجزء من سبعين جزءا من نار جهنم ولقد أطفئت سبعين مرة بالماء ثم التهبت ولولا ذلك لما استطاع آدمي أن يطيقها (يطفأها خ ل) إذا التهبت وانه ليؤتى بها يوم القيامة حتى توضع على النار فتصرخ صرخة (ما) لا يبقى ملك مقرب ولا نبي مرسل إلا جثا على ركبتيه (لركبتيه) فزعا من صرختها.

8.Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿUlwān narrated from ʿAmr ibn Khālid, from Zayd ibn ʿAlī, from his fathers, from ʿAlī (a) who said, “The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said, ‘Verily this fire of yours is but one-seventieth of the fire of Hell [in intensity]. It has been extinguished seventy times with water and then rekindled. Were that not so, the human being would not have been able to bear it [or extinguish it] once it is ignited. On the Day of Resurrection, it will be brought and placed in the Fire [of Hell], so it will scream so loudly that there will remain no close angel, nor any sent Prophet, but that he will go down on his knees out of dread from its scream.’”

الحسن بن علوان عن عمرو بن خالد عن زيد بن علي عن آبائه عن علي عليهم السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ان أدنى أهل الجنة منزلة من الشهداء من له اثنا عشر الف زوجة من الحور العين وأربعة ألاف بكر واثنا عشر الف ثيب تخدم كل زوجة منهن سبعون الف خادم غير أن حور العين يضعف لهن يطوف على جماعتهن في كل أسبوع فإذا جاء يوم إحديهن أو ساعتها اجتمعن إليها يصوتن بأصوات لا أصوات أحلى منها ولا أحسن حتى ما يبقى في الجنة شئ الا اهتز لحسن أصواتهن يقلن: ألا نحن الخالدات فلا نموت أبدا ونحن الناعمات فلا نبأس أبدا ونحن الراضيات فلا نسخط أبدا.

9.Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿUlwān narrated from ʿAmr ibn Khālid, from Zayd ibn ʿAlī, from his fathers, from ʿAlī (a) who said, “The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said, ‘Verily the lowest of the inhabitants of Paradise in rank among the martyrs [1] is one who will have twelve thousand wives from the wide eyed houris, four thousand virgins, and twelve thousand non-virgins. Each of these wives will be served by seventy thousand servants, but the wide-eyed houris will have something more. He will go around their gatherings every week, and when the day or the hour of one of them comes, they will gather around her singing in voices so sweet and nice that no other voices can compare, until nothing remains in Paradise but that it is swayed by their voices. They will say, “Indeed, we are immortal, so we will never die; and we are [soft and] tender, so we will never become [wrinkled and] hard; and we are satisfied, so we will never get angry.”’”

إبراهيم بن أبي البلاد عن بعض أصحابهم (به) الفقهاء قال: لما خلق الله الجنة وأجرى أنهارها و (تدالى) هدل (أ) ثمارها وزخرفها قال: وعزتي لا يجاو (زنى) رنى فيك بخيل

10.Ibrāhīm ibn Abī al-Bilād narrated from one of his learned companions who said, “When Allah created Paradise, and made its rivers flow, and dangled its fruits and ornaments, He said [to it], ‘[I swear] by My might, a miser will never be allowed into My company within you.’”

محمد بن الحصين (الحسين) عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال إن الله خلق بيده جنة لم يرها عين (غيره) ولم يطلع عليها مخلوق يفتحها الرب تبارك وتعالى كل صباح فيقول: ازدادي طيبا ازدادي ريحا فتقول (ويقول) قد أفلح المؤمنين وهو قول الله تعالى: (فلا تعلم نفس ما اخفى لهم من قرة أعين جزاءا بما كانوا يعلمون.

11.Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn narrated from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “Verily Allah created with His [own] hand a paradise that no eye has seen, and no creature is familiar with. The Blessed and Exalted Lord opens it up every morning and says, ‘Increase in [your sweet smelling] fragrance, increase in [your fresh] breeze!’ So it says, ‘Successful indeed are the believers.’ That is the [interpretation of the] verse wherein Allah, the Exalted, says: No soul can imagine what delights are hidden in store for them as a reward for what they used to do (Q32:17).”

محمد بن سنان قال: حدثني رجل عن أبي خالد الصيقل عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إن (أهل ظ) الجنة توضع لهم موائد عليها من سائر ما يشتهونه من الأطعمة التي لا ألذ منها ولا أطيب ثم يرفعون (يدفعون) عن ذلك إلى غيره.

12.Muḥammad ibn Sinān said, “A man narrated to me from Abū Khālid al-Ṣayqal, from Abū Jaʿfar (a) who said, ‘Verily the inhabitants of Paradise will have table spreads placed for them upon which will be all that they desire of foods that are incomparable in terms of their deliciousness and goodness, then [once they have partaken of it,] they will be moved from that to another.’”

النظر بن سويد عن درست عن بعض أصحابه عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: لو أن حورا من حور الجنة أشرفت على أهل الدنيا وأبدت ذؤابة من ذوائبها (لا فتن) لا متن أهل الدنيا. أو لا ماتت أهل الدنيا - وان المصلى ليصلى فإذا لم يسأل ربه أن يزوجه من الحور العين قلن: ما أزهد هذا فينا!

13.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Durust, from one of his companions, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “If a houri of Paradise were to approach the people of this world and display one of her forelocks, [all] the people of this world would become enthralled, or the people of this world would die [of desire]. And verily when a worshipper prays and does not ask his Lord to marry him with a wide-eyed houri [in Paradise], they say, ‘How abstemious he is regarding us!’”

محمد بن أبي عمير عن ابن بكير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن في جهنم لواد للمتكبرين يقال له: سقر شكى إلى الله (شدة حره) وسأله (ان يأذن له) ان يتنفس فأذن له فتنفس فاحرق جهنم.

14.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from Ibn Bukayr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “Verily in Hell there is a valley for the arrogant ones which is called Saqar. It [once] complained to Allah about the intensity of its heat and asked Him to permit it to respire, so He permitted it and when it exhaled, it burnt [the entirety of] Hell.”

محمد بن أبي عمير عن الحسين الأحمسي عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: تقول الجنة يا رب ملأت النار كما وعدتها فاملأني كما وعدتني قال: فيخلق الله تبارك وتعالى خلقا فيدخلهم الجنة ثم قال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: طوبى لهم لم يروا غموم الدنيا ولا همومها.

15.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from al-Ḥusayn al-Aḥmasī, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “Paradise will say, ‘O Lord, You filled the Fire just as You promised it, so fill me [as well] just as You promised me!’ So Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will create a creation and make them enter Paradise.” Then Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) said, “Blessed are they, for they [shall] neither [have] witnessed the sorrows of the world nor its worries.”

بن أبي عمير عن عاصم بن سليمان ذكر في قول الله تبارك وتعالى (تسقى من عين آنية) قال: يسمع لها أنين من شدة حرها.

16.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from ʿĀṣim ibn Sulaymān, who mentioned the verse wherein Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: [They are] made to drink from a scalding spring (Q88:5). He (the Imam (a)) said, “A sound [like moaning] will be heard from it due to the intensity of its heat.”

محمد بن سنان عن أبي خالد القماط قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام ويقال لأبي جعفر عليه السلام إذا أدخل الله أهل الجنة الجنة وأهل النار النار فمه؟ فقال (قال) أبو جعفر عليه السلام: أن أراد أن (يخلق الله خلقا و) يخلق لهم دنيا يردهم (ردهم) إليها فعل ولا أقول لك انه يفعل.

17.Muḥammad ibn Sinān narrated from Abū Khālid al-Qammāṭ[1] who said, “I asked Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) [and in another version: Abū Jaʿfar (a)], ‘When Allah admits the people of Paradise into Paradise and [throws] the people of Hell into Hell, then what [happens next]?’ So Abū Jaʿfar (a) said, ‘If Allah wishes to create another creation and make a world for them to return to, He will do so – and I am not saying to you that this is what He will [surely] do.’”

محمد بن سنان عن عمار بن مروان عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قلت له: إذا (أ) دخل (الله) أهل الجنة الجنة وأهل النار النار فمه؟ فقال: ما أزعم لك انه تعالى يخلق خلقا يعبدونه.

18.Muḥammad ibn Sinān narrated from ʿAmmār ibn Marwān, from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) whom he asked, “When Allah admits the inhabitants of Paradise into Paradise and the inmates of Hell into Hell, then what?” So he said, “I do not make the assertion to you that He, the Exalted, will [surely] create another creation who will worship Him [but if He wills, He may do so].”

أبو الحسين بن عبيد الله عن ابن أبي يعفور قال: دخلت على أبى عبد الله عليه السلام - وعنده نفر من أصحابه - فقال لي: يا بن أبي يعفور هل قرأت القرآن؟ قال: قلت: نعم هذه القراءة قال: عنها سألتك ليس عن غيرها قال: فقلت: نعم جعلت فداك ولم؟ قال: لان موسى عليه السلام حدث قومه بحديث لم يحتملوه عنه فخرجوا عليه بمصر فقاتلوه فقاتلهم فقتلهم ولان عيسى عليه السلام حدث قومه بحديث فلم يحتملوه عنه فخرجوا عليه بتكريت فقاتلوه فقاتلهم فقتلهم وهو قول الله عز وجل: (فآمنت طائفة من بني إسرائيل وكفرت طائفة فأيدنا الذين آمنوا على عدوهم فأصبحوا ظاهرين) وانه أول قائم يقوم منا أهل البيت يحدثكم بحديث لا تحتملونه فتخرجون عليه برميلة الدسكرة فتقاتلونه فيقاتلكم فيقتلكم وهي آخر خارجة يكون ثم يجمع الله - يا بن أبي يعفور - الأولين والآخرين ثم يجاء بمحمد صلى الله عليه وآله في أهل زمانه فيقال له: يا محمد بلغت رسالتي واحتججت على القوم بما أمرتك ان تحدثهم به؟ فيقول: نعم يا رب فيسأل القوم هل بلغكم واحتج عليكم؟ فيقول قوم: لا فيسأل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله فيقول: نعم يا رب - وقد علم الله تبارك وتعالى انه قد فعل ذلك - يعيد ذلك ثلاث مرات فيصدق محمدا و يكذب القوم ثم يساقون إلى نار جهنم ثم يجاء بعلى عليه السلام في أهل زمانه فيقال له: كما قيل لمحمد صلى الله عليه وآله ويكذبه قومه ويصدقه الله ويكذبهم يعيد ذلك ثلاث مرات ثم الحسن ثم الحسين ثم علي بن الحسين وهو أقلهم أصحابا كان أصحابه أبا خالد الكابلي ويحيى بن أم الطويل وسعيد بن المسيب وعامر بن واثلة وجابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري وهؤلاء شهود له على ما احتج به ثم يؤتى بأبي يعنى محمد بن علي على مثل ذلك ثم يؤتى بي وبكم فأسئل وتسألون فانظروا ما أنتم صانعون - يا بن أبي يعفور - ان الله عز وجل هو الآمر بطاعته و طاعة رسوله وطاعة أولي الأمر الذين هم أوصياء رسوله - يا بن أبي يعفور - فنحن حجج الله في عباده وشهداؤه على خلقه وامنائه في ارضه وخزانه على علمه والداعون إلى سبيله والعاملون بذلك فمن أطاعنا أطاع الله ومن عصانا فقد عصى الله.

19.Abū al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿUbaydillāh narrated from Ibn Abī Yaʿfūr who said, “I visited Abū ʿAbdillāh while a group of his companions were with him, so he said to me, ‘O Ibn Abī Yaʿfūr, have you read the Qurʾān?’ I said, ‘Yes, [in] this recitation.’ He said, ‘That is what I was asking you about, not any other.’ I said, ‘Yes, may I be your ransom! Why [do you ask]?’ He said, ‘Because Mūsā (a) spoke to his people about something that they did not accept from him, so they came out against him in Egypt and fought him, so he fought against them and killed them. And because ʿĪsā (a) [also] spoke to his people about something that they did not accept from him, so they came out against him in Takrīt and fought him, so he fought against them and killed them. This is what is being referred to in the verse wherein Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, says: …Then a group from the Banī Isrāʾīl believed while another disbelieved. We supported the believers against their enemies, so they prevailed (Q61:14). And the first Riser who will rise from us, the Ahl al-Bayt, will [also] speak to you about something that you will not accept from him, so you will come out against him at Rumaylah al-Daskarah [1] and fight him, and he will fight you and kill you. That will be the last rebellion to ever take place. Then, O Ibn Abī Yaʿfūr, Allah will gather the first and the last. Then Muḥammad (ṣ) will be brought among the people of his time and he will be told, ‘O Muḥammad, did you convey My message and provide arguments to the people in the way I had instructed you to speak to them?’ So he will reply, ‘Yes, O Lord.’ He will then ask the people, ‘Did he convey to you [the message] and provide arguments [for it] to you?’ But the people will say, ‘No.’ So He will [again] ask Muḥammad (ṣ), and he will reply, ‘Yes [I did], O Lord.’ And Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will already know that he had done that. He will repeat this [question] three times, after which He will accept the [truthful] answer of Muḥammad and reject the [dishonest] answer of the people. Then they will be driven to the fire of Hell. Then ʿAlī (a) will be brought among the people of his time and he will be asked the same thing that Muḥammad (ṣ) was asked, and his people will lie about him but Allah will accept his reply and reject the lie of the people. He will repeat that thrice. Then [the same will happen with] al- Ḥasan, then al-Ḥusayn, then ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥusayn (a), who had the least number of companions of them all. His companions were Abū Khālid al- Kābulī, Yaḥyā ibn Umm al-Ṭawīl, Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyab, ʿĀmir ibn Wāthilah, and Jābir ibn ʿAbdillāh al-Anṣārī. These are the witnesses who will testify to the arguments he brought [to guide the people]. Then my father will be brought, meaning Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī (a), in the same Way. Subsequently I will be brought along with you, and I will be asked [the same question] as will you. Then see how you will respond [when that happens]. O Ibn Abī Yaʿfūr, verily Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, commands His obedience and the obedience of His Messenger, and the obedience of those in authority who are the legatees of His Messenger. O Ibn Abī Yaʿfūr, we are the proofs of Allah among His servants, His witnesses over His creation, His trustees on His earth, His custodians over His knowledge, the callers towards His path, and those who work with that [goal]. So whoever obeys us obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys us has disobeyed Allah.’”

Kitāb al-Zuhd

Book 2, Chapter 19