Hadith record

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma’il from Muhammad ibn Fudayl from abu al-Sabbah al- Kinani from abu la’ far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) was asked, ‘Is one who testifies that no one deserves to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, a believer?’ The Imam said, ‘Wherefore, then, are the obligations toward Allah?’ “I (the narrator) heard the Imam saying, ‘Ali (a.s.) would say, “Had belief been just ‘asserted words’ nothing about fasting, prayer, lawful and unlawful matters would have been needed to come down (from heaven).”’ He has said, ‘I reported to abu Ja’far (a.s.) “We know a people who say that upon saying, ‘No one deserves to be worshipped except Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ one becomes a believer.” The Imam said, ‘Is it then that (there is no need) to apply any judicial rules to them, like the rules about theft? Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has not created any creature more honorable to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, than a believer. The angels serve the believers; they are near Allah, that paradise is for the believers; that spouses with large black eyes are for the believers.’ He then said, ‘Do they, who reject the obligations, know that they are unbelievers?”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.