Hadith record

2. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid Shabab al-Sayrafi who has said that Sa‘id’ al-A‘raj has said that he and Sulayman ibn Khalid once went to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and al-A‘raj began the conversation as follows. “Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has brought is followed entirely and whatever he has forbidden is desisted from altogether. Whatever virtue that were found in the Holy Prophet (s.a.) were found in Imam Ali (a.s.) also. The Holy Prophet was more virtuous than all of the creatures of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Those who would find faults any item of his (Imam Ali) guidance would be like one finding faults in the guidance of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High and His Prophet. Rejecting him in small or a great matters would be like considering things similar to Allah (shirk). Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate to Allah through which only, people can get closer to Him. Imam Ali (a.s.) was the path that if one would ignore it he would have been destroyed. This is also true of all the Imams of guidance one after the other. Allah has made them as the cornerstones of the earth so that people on it would not be destroyed. They possess the doubtless Divine authority over the inhabitants of earth and those below the earth. Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) has said, “I am the supervisor for Allah to see who should go to Paradise and who should go to Hell. I am the greatest criterion, the possessor of the staff and the (marking) seal Miysam All the angels and the spirit have acknowledged the existence in me of all the matters that they had acknowledge in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). I am held responsible for all such matters that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was held responsible. Such responsibilities are the duties to Allah, the Lord. The Holy Prophet will be called upon and his call will be accepted. I will be called up on and I my call will be accepted. The Holy Prophet will be made to speak, and I will be made to speak and I will speak just the way he would speak. I have been given certain distinctions which, are given to no one before me. I was taught all about the deaths, the sufferings, the genealogy of people and clear speeCh I have not missed any of the knowledge that have passed me by and nothing of the future is unseen or unknown to me. I give good news by the permission of Allah and do my duty towards Allah. All of these is from Allah Who has made it possible for me through His knowledge.”

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