Chapter One: The Traditions of Executorship

Encyclopedia of Imam Ali (AS), written by Muhammad Muhammadi Rayshahri, abridged by Mahdi Gholamali, translated by Zaid Alsalami and Safyullah Khan, edited by Hamid Reza Salarkia and published by NORPUB.

50. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله:

50. The Prophet (SA) said:

 إنَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَصِيّا ووارِثا ،

“For every prophet is an executor and an inheritor,

وإنَّ عَلِيّا وَصِيّي ووارِثي .

and Ali is my executor and my inheritor.”

تاريخ دمشق : ج 42 ص 392 ح 9005 و 9006 .

Tarikh Dimashq, p. 42, h. 9005, 9006

51. عنه صلى الله عليه و آله:

51. The Prophet (SA) said:

 إنَّ للّهِ تَعالى مِائَةَ ألفِ نَبِيٍّ وأربَعَةً وعِشرينَ ألفَ نَبِيٍّ ،

 “Allah, the Almighty, has [sent] one hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets;

أنَا سَيِّدُهُم وأفضَلُهُم وأكرَمُهُم عَلَى اللّهِ عزَّوجَلَّ ،

I am the master of them, the best of them and the most honoured among them with Allah, the Great and Almighty.

ولِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ وَصِيٌّ أوصى إلَيهِ بَأَمرِ اللّهِ تَعالى ذِكرُهُ ،

For every prophet is an executor whom he appointed (as an executor) by the command of Allah, the Almighty,

وإنَّ وَصِيّي عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ لَسَيِّدُهُم

and my executor Ali ibn Abi Talib is indeed their master,

وأفضَلُهُم وأكرَمُهُم عَلَى اللّهِ عَزَّ وجَلَّ .

the best of them, and the most honoured among them with Allah, the Great and Almighty.”

كتاب من لا يحضره الفقيه : ج4 ص180 ح5407 .

Kitab man la-Yahzuruh al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 180, h. 5407.

52. الإمام الصادق عليه السلام:

52. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said:

 كانَ وَصِيُّ آدَمَ عليه السلام شَيثَ بنَ آدَمَ هِبَةَ اللّهِ ،

“The executor of Adam (AS) was Shayth ibn Adam, the gift of Allah;

وكانَ وَصِيُّ نوحٍ سام [ا] ،

the executor of Noah was Sam;

وكانَ وَصِيُّ إبراهيمَ إسماعيلَ ،

the executor of Abraham was Ishmael;

وكانَ وَصِيُّ موسى يوشَعَ بن نونٍ ،

the executor of Moses was Yusha` (Joshua) ibn Nun,

وكانَ وَصِيُّ داوُدَ سُليمانَ ،

the executor of David was Solomon;

وكانَ وَصِيُّ عيسى شَمعونَ ،

the executor of Jesus was Simon;

وكانَ وَصِيُّ مَحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه و آله عَلِيَّ بنَ أبي طالِبٍ عليه السلام

and the executor of Muhammad (SA) was Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS),

وَهُوَ خَيرُ الأَوصياءِ .

and he is the best of the executors.”

الفضائل لابن شاذان : ص84 .

Al-Faza’il, by Ibn Shadhan, p. 84.

53. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

53. The Prophet (SA) said:

إنَّ آدَمَ عليه السلام سَأَلَ اللّهَ عَزَّوجَلَّ أن يَجعَلَ لَهُ وَصِيّا صالِحا ،

 “Adam (AS) asked Allah, the Great and Almighty to assign for him a righteous executor,

فَأَوحَى اللّهُ عزَّوجَلَّ إلَيهِ :

so Allah, the Almighty, revealed unto him:

إنّي أكرَمتُ الأَنبِياءَ بَالنُّبُوَّةِ ،

“I have honoured the prophets by prophethood;

ثُمُّ اختَرتُ مِن خَلقي خَلقا وجَعَلتُ خِيارَهُمُ الأَوصِياءَ .

I then selected from among My creation certain creatures and made the best of them the executors.

فَأَوحَى اللّهُ تَعالى ذِكرُهُ إلَيهِ :

Allah then revealed to Adam:

يا آدَمُ أوصِ إلى شَيثٍ .

 “O Adam, appoint Shayth as executor.”

فَأَوصى آدَمُ عليه السلام إلى شَيثٍ

So Adam (AS) appointed Shayth as executor.

وهُوَ هِبَةُ اللّهِ بنُ آدَمَ .

He is Hibat Allah ibn Adam.”

كتاب من لا يحضره الفقيه : ج4 ص175 ح5402 .

Kitab man la Yahzuruh al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 175, h. 5402.

54. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

54. The Prophet (SA) said:

لَقَد خَرَجَ نوحٌ مِنَ الدُّنيا

“Noah left the world

وعاهَدَ قَومَهُ عَلَى الوَفاءِ لِوَصِيَّهِ سامٍ .

and enjoined his people to be loyal to his executor Sam.”

معاني الأخبار : ص372 ح1 .

Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 372, h. 1.

55. الإمام الباقر عليه السلام :

55. Imam al-Baqir (AS) said:

كانَ وَصِيُّ موسى يوشَعَ بنَ نونٍ عليه السلام ،

“The executor of Moses was Joshua ibn Nun (AS).

وهُوَ فَتاهُ الَّذي ذَكَرَهُ اللّهُ عزَّوجَلَّ في كِتابِهِ .

He is the lad of Moses whom Allah has mentioned in His Book.”

كما في سورة الكهف، الآية 60 :

It says in the Qur’an, 18:60:

«وَ إِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ . . .» ،

“When Moses said to his lad I will go on [journeying]....”,

والآية 62 :

and verse 62:

«فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ ءَاتِنَا غَدَآءَنَا . . .» .

 “So when they had passed on, he [Moses] said to his lad, ‘Bring us our meal... .”

الكافي : ج8 ص117 ح92 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 8, p. 117, h. 92.

56. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

56. The Prophet (SA) said:

لَقَد رُفِعَ عيسىَ بنُ مَريَمَ إلَى السَّماءِ ،

“Jesus son of Mary was raised to heaven,

وقَد عاهَدَ قَومَهُ عَلَى الوَفاءِ لِوَصِيِّهِ شَمعونَ بنِ حَمّونَ الصَّفا .

after he enjoined his people to be loyal to his executor Simon ibn Hammun al-Safa.”

معاني الأخبار : ص372 ح1 .

Ma`ani al-Akhbar, p. 372, h. 1.

57. فضائل الصحابة لابن حنبل عن أنس بن مالك:

57. Faza’il al-Sahabah, narrating from Anas ibn Malik, who said:

 قُلنا لِسَلمانَ : سَلِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه و آله مِن وَصِيِّهِ ؟

“We said to Salman: “Ask the Prophet (SA): who is his executor?”

فَقالَ لَهُ سَلمانُ : يا رَسولَ اللّهِ مَن وَصِيُّكَ ؟

Salman asked the Prophet (SA): “O Messenger of Allah, who is your executor?”

قالَ : يا سَلمانُ ، مَن كانَ وَصِيَّ موسى ؟

He (SA) said: “O Salman, who was the executor of Moses?”

 قال : يوشَعُ بنُ نونٍ .

He said: “Joshua ibn Nun.”

 قالَ : فَإِنَّ وَصِيّي ووارِثي ،

He (SA) said: “Verily, my executor and inheritor

يَقضي دَيني ،

who will pay my debts

ويُنجِزُ مَوعودي عَلِيُّ بنُ أبي طالِبٍ .

and fulfil my promise is Ali ibn Abi Talib.”

فضائل الصحابة لابن حنبل : ج2 ص615 ح1052 .

Faza’il al-Sahabah, by Ibn Hanbal, vol. 2, p. 615, h. 1052.

58. الإمام عليّ عليه السلامـ في خُطبَةٍ خَطَبَها لأهلِ المَدينَةِ ـ:

58. Imam Ali (AS) said, – in a sermon he delivered to the people of Medina –:

وَالَّذي فَلَقَ الحَبَّةَ وبَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ ،

“By Him who split the seed and created the soul,

لَقَد عَلِمتُم أنّي صاحِبُكُم وَالَّذي بِهِ اُمِرتُم ،

you have known that I am your companion whom you have been commanded to know.

وأنّي عالِمُكُم وَالَّذي بِعِلمِهِ نَجاتُكُم ،

I am your knower through whose knowledge is your deliverance.

ووَصِيُّ نَبِيِّكُم ،

I am the executor of your prophet,

وخِيَرَةُ رَبِّكُم ،

the choice of your Lord,

ولِسانُ نُورِكُم ،

the word of your light

وَالعالِمُ بِما يُصلِحُكُم .

and the knower of what benefits you.”

الكافي : ج 8 ص 32 ح 5 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 8, p. 32, h. 5.

59. الإمام الصادق عليه السلام:

59. Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said:

 إنَّ رَسولَ اللّهِ صلى الله عليه و آله لَمّا نَزَلَ قُدَيدَ (قُدَيد : اسم موضع قرب مكّة. معجم البلدان : ج4 ص313) قالَ لَعَلَيٍّ عليه السلام :

 “When the Messenger of Allah (SA) arrived at Qudayd, [The name of a place close to Mecca. Mu‘jam al-Buldan: vol. 4, p. 313.] he said to Ali (AS):

يا عَلِيُّ ، إنّي سَأَلتُ رَبّي أن يُوالِيَ بَيني وبَينَكَ فَفَعَلَ ،

“O Ali, I asked my Lord to befriend between me and you, and He did.

وسَأَلتُ رَبّي أن يُؤآخِيَ بَيني وبَينَكَ فَفَعَلَ ،

I asked Him to make us brothers of each other, and He did.

وسَأَلتُ رَبّي أن يَجعَلَكَ وَصِيّي فَفَعَلَ .

Then I asked my Lord to make you my executor, and He did.”

 فَقالَ رَجُلانِ مِن قُرَيشٍ :

Two men from the tribe of Quraish said:

وَاللّهِ لَصاعٌ مِن تَمرٍ في شَنٍّ  بالٍ أحَبُّ إلَينا

“By Allah, a measure of dates in a shabby bowl is dearer to us

مِمّا سَأَلَ مُحَمَّدٌ رَبَّهُ ،

than what Muhammad had asked from his Lord.

فَهَلّا سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ مَلَكا يَعضُدُهُ عَلى عَدُوِّهِ ،

Should not he have asked his Lord for an angel to help him against his enemy,

أو كَنزا يَستَغني بِهِ عَن فاقَتِهِ ،

or for a treasure to relieve him of his poverty?

وَاللّهِ ما دَعاهُ إلى حَقٍّ ولا باطِلٍ

By Allah, whenever he asked Him something, be it true or false,

إلّا أجابَهُ إلَيهِ ،

He would fulfil it for him.”

فَأَنزَلَ اللّهُ سُبحانَهُ وتَعالى :

So Allah, the Exalted, revealed the verse:

«فَلَعَلَّكَ تَارِكُم بَعْضَ مَا يُوحَى إِلَيْكَ وَ ضَآئِق بِهِ صَدْرُكَ» ـ إلى آخِرِ الآيَةِ ـ .

 “[Look out] lest you should disregard aught of what has been revealed to you, and be upset...”

هود : 12 وبقيّتها : «أَن يَقُولُواْ لَوْلَا أُنزِلَ عَلَيْهِ كَنزٌ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ مَلَكٌ إِنَّمَآ أَنتَ نَذِيرٌ وَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْ ءٍ وَكِيلٌ» .

[Qur’an, 11:12. The rest of the verse is: “because they say, ‘Why has not a treasure been sent down to him, or [why does] not an angel accompany him?’ You are only a warner, and Allah watches over all things.”] up to the end of the verse.”

الكافي : ج8 ص378 ح572 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 8, p. 378, h. 572

60. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آلهـ لِفاطِمَةَ عليهاالسلام ـ:

60. The Prophet (SA) said, –to Fatimah (AS)–:

أ ما عَلِمتِ أنَّ اللّهَ عزَّوجَلَّ اطَّلَعَ إلى أهلِ الأَرضِ فَاختارَ مِنهُم أباكِ فَبَعَثَهُ نَبِيّا ،

“Do you not know that Allah, the Exalted, had looked at the people on earth and chose from among them your father as a prophet,

ثُمَّ اطَّلَعَ الثّانِيَةَ فَاختارَ بَعلَكِ ،

and He looked again and chose your husband.

فَأَوحى إلَيَّ ، فَأَنكَحتُهُ وَاتَّخَذتُهُ وَصِيّا ؟

Then He revealed unto me, and I married you to him and made him my executor?”

المعجم الكبير : ج4 ص171 ح4046 .

Al-Mu`jam al-Kabir, vol. 4, p. 171, h. 4046.

61. الإمام عليّ عليه السلام :

61. Imam Ali (AS) said:

إنَّ خَيرَ الخَلقِ ـ يَومَ يَجمَعُهُمُ اللّهُ ـ الرُّسُلُ ،

“The best of the creation –on the day they will be assembled by Allah– are the messengers;

وإنَّ أفضَلَ الرُّسُلِ مُحَمَّدٌ صلى الله عليه و آله ،

the best of the messengers is Muhammad (SA);

وإنَّ أفضَلَ كُلِّ اُمَّةٍ بَعَد نَبِيِّها وَصِيُّ نَبِيِّها حَتّى يُدرِكَهُ نَبِيٌّ ،

and the best of every nation after its prophet is the executor of its prophet, until another prophet appears.

ألا وإنَّ أفضَلَ الأَوصِياءِ وَصِيُّ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيهِ وآلِهِ السَّلامُ .

Lo! The best of the executors is the executor of Muhammad (SA).”

الكافي : ج1 ص450 ح34 .

Al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 450, h. 34.

62. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

62. The Prophet (SA) said:

أنَا سَيِّدُ الأَوَّلينَ وَالآخِرينَ ،

“I am the master of the first and the last [of people],

وعَلِيُّ بنُ أبي طالِبٍ سَيِّدُ الوَصِيّينَ .

and Ali ibn Abi Talib is the master of the executors.”

الأمالي للصدوق : ص678 ح924 .

Al-Amali, by al-Saduq, p. 678, h. 924.

63. عنه صلى الله عليه و آلهـ لِعَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:

63. The Prophet (SA) said, –to Ali (AS)-:

لَولا أنّي خاتِمُ الأَنبِياءِ لَكُنتَ شَريكا فِي النُّبُوَّةِ ؛

“If I were not the Seal of the prophets, you would have been my partner in prophethood.

فَإِن لا تَكُن نَبِيّا فَإِنَّكَ وَصِيُّ نَبِيٍّ ووارِثُهُ ،

If you are not a prophet, then you are the executor of a prophet and his inheritor.

بَل أنتَ سَيِّدُ الأَوصِياءِ ، وإمامُ الأَتقِياءِ .

Rather, you are the master of the executor and the leader of the God-wary.”398

شرح نهج البلاغة : ج 13 ص 210 .

398. Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 13, p. 210.

64. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

64. The Prophet (SA) said:

الأَئِمَّةُ بَعدِي اثنا عَشَرَ ؛

“The Imams after me are twelve.

أوَّلُهُم عَلِيُّ بنُ أبي طالِبٍ ،

The first of them is Ali ibn Abi Talib,

وآخِرُهُمُ القائِمُ ؛

and the last one of them is [the Awaited Saviour] al-Qa’im (the Riser).

فَهُم خُلَفائي

These are my vicegerents,

وأوصِيائي

my executors,

وأولِيائي

my friends

وحُجَجُ اللّهِ عَلى اُمَّتي بَعدي .

and the proofs of Allah against my nation after me.”

كتاب من لا يحضره الفقيه : ج4 ص179 ح5406 .

Kitab man la-Yahzuruh al-Faqih, vol. 4, p. 179, h. 5406.