Chapter Six: The Traditions of Imamah

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.

88. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

88. The Prophet (SA) said:

مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ !

“O people!

مَن أحسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ قيلاً ،

Who is better than Allah in words,

وأصدَقُ مِنَ اللّهِ حَديثا ؟

or more truthful than Allah in discourse?

مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ !

O people!

إنَّ رَبَّكُم جَلَّ جَلالُهُ أمَرَني أن اُقيمَ لَكُم عَلِيّا علما وإماما ،

Your Lord ordered me to appoint Ali over you as an authority, an Imam,

وخَليفَةً ووَصِيّا ،

a vicegerent and an executor,

وأن أتَّخِذَهُ أخا ووَزيرا .

and that I take him as a brother and an agent.”

الأمالي للصدوق : ص83 ح49 .

Al-Amali, by al-Saduq, p. 83, h. 49.

89. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله:

89. The Prophet (SA) said:

 اُوحِيَ إلَيَّ في عَلِيٍّ ثَلاثٌ :

“Three traits have been revealed to me regarding Ali:

أنَّهُ سَيِّدُ المُسلِمينَ ،

He is the master of the Muslims,

وإمامُ المُتَّقينَ ،

the Imam of the god-wary,

وقائِدُ الغُرِّ المُحَجَّلينَ .

and the Leader of the Unique Ones.”

المستدرك على الصحيحين : ج 3 ص 148 ح 4668 .

Al-Mustadrak `ala al-Sahihain, vol. 3, p. 148, h. 4668.

 

Editor’s note: Qa’id al-ghurr al-muhajjalin: Leader of the unique ones. The word ghurr is the plural of agharr which literally means a horse in whose face, forearms and legs is whiteness. Muhajjal literally means a white-footed horse, and thus is distinct from others. Metaphorically, al-agharr al-muhajjal means he (i. e. a sincere believer) whose face, hands and feet (washed or wiped during ablution) are brilliant becuse of the (spiritual) effect of ablution, when he is called (in the hereafter) for everyone to see, or called to the Paradise. See al-Turayhi, Maja‘ al-Bahrayn, vol. 5, p.349.

90. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آلهـ لِعَلِيٍّ عليه السلام ـ:

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

أنتَ إمامُ كُلِّ مُؤمِنٍ ومُؤمِنَةٍ ،

“You are the Imam of every believer –male and female–,

ووَلِيُّ كُلِّ مُؤمِنٍ ومُؤمِنَةٍ بَعدي .

and the friend of every believer –male and female– after me.”

المناقب للخوارزمي : ص 61 ح 31 .

Al-Manaqib, by al-Khwarizmi, p. 61, h. 31.

91. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله :

91. The Prophet (SA) said:

أيُّهَا النّاسُ ! إنَّ عَلِيّا إمامُكُم مِن بَعدي . . .

“O people! Indeed, Ali is your Imam after me.....

مَن أقَرَّ بِاِءمامَتِهِ

Whoever a acknowledges his leadership

فَقَد أقَرَّ بِنُبُوَّتي ،

has indeed acknowledged my prophethood,

ومَن أقَرَّ بِنُبُوَّتي

and whoever acknowledges my prophethood

فَقَد أقَرَّ بِوَحدانِيَّةِ اللّهِ عزّوجلّ .

has indeed acknowledged the Unicity of Allah Allah, the Great and Almighty.”

معاني الأخبار : ص372 ح1 .

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

92. رسول اللّه صلى الله عليه و آله:

92. The Prophet (SA) said:

 يا عَلِيُّ ، أنتَ وَصِيّي وإمامُ اُمَّتي ؛

“O Ali, you are my executor and the Imam of my nation.

مَن أطاعَكَ أطاعَني ،

Whoever obeys you obeys me

ومَن عَصاكَ عَصاني .

and whoever disobeys you disobeys me.”

الأمالي للصدوق : ص62 ح24 .

Al-Amali, by al-Saduq, p. 62, h. 24.

93. المحاسن عن بشير العطّار :

93. al-Mahasin, narrating from Bashir al-`Attar, who said:

قالَ أبو عَبدِ اللّهِ عليه السلام :

“Abu `Abdullah [al-Sadiq] (AS) recited:

«يَوْمَ نَدْعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاس بِإِمَـمِهِمْ» (الإسراء : 71 )

 “The day We shall summon every group of people with their leader (imam)” Qur’an, 17:71.

ثُمَّ قالَ :

Then he said:

قالَ رَسولُ اللّهُ صلى الله عليه و آله :

 “The Messenger of Allah (SA) said:

وعَلِيٌّ إمامُكُم .

 “And Ali is your Imam.”

المحاسن : ج1 ص253 ح479 .

Al-Mahasin, vol. 1, p. 253, h. 479.