الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 1, page 384

5. Sahl ibn Ziyad has narrated from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ who has said the following. “I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) of an issue of the Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) and I said, “Can the Imam be a boy less than seven years old?” He said, “Yes, he can even be less the five years old.” Sahl has said that ibn Mahziyar narrated this to me in the year two hundred twenty one.”

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

6. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Khayrani from his father who has said the following. “Once I was standing in the presence of abu al-Hassan (a.s.) in Khurasan and someone said to him, ‘O my master if something will happen to you to who must we then turn for guidance?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “You must turn for guidance to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), my son.” The person asking the question seemed to have thought of his (abu Ja‘far (a.s.) age very small. Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) then said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent Jesus (a.s.) son of Mary as a Messenger and a prophet being the author of a whole system of law. He began this task in an age much smaller than the age of abu Ja‘far (a.s.).”

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

7. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Asbat who has said the following. “Once I saw abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who had come out to me and I began to look at him from head to his toes so I can describe him to our people in Egypt. I was looking until he sat down and said, “O Ali, Allah has supported His argument against the people in the case of Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) just as He has done so in the case of the prophets. He has said, “We gave authority to him (John) over the people during his childhood (19:12).. When he attained maturity, God gave him strength, wisdom and knowledge. Thus, do We reward those who do good.” (12:22) “When he grew-up to manhood and became forty years old,. .” (46:15). It come to pass that wisdom comes to a prophet when he is just a child or it may come to a prophet when he is forty years old.”

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

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father who has said the following. “Once abu Ali ibn Hassa’n spoke to abu Ja‘far (a.s.) saying, “My mater, people refuse to accept your Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) because of you very young age.” He said, “Why do they not refuse to accept the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has said to His prophet, “ (Muhammad), say, “This is my way. I and all my followers invite you to God with proper understanding.. .” (12:108) By Allah, only Ali (a.s.) followed him at that time and he was only nine years old. I also am nine years old.

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

1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali Al-Washsha', from Ahmad ibn Umar Al-Hallal (or someone else), from Imam al-Ridha (as), who said: "I told him that they (al-Waqifiyya) argue with us, saying that no one can wash the body of an Imam except another Imam." Imam al-Ridha (as) replied, "How do they know who washed him (Imam al-Jawad)?" I then asked, "What should I say to them?" He instructed, "Tell them that if he (the Imam) said, 'My master, he washed him under the Throne of my Lord,' then he has spoken the truth. And if he said, 'He washed him in the depths of the earth,' then he has spoken the truth." Imam al-Ridha (as) added, "That's how it is." I asked, "So what should I tell them?" He replied, "Tell them that I washed him." I then asked, "Should I tell them that you washed him?" Imam al-Ridha (as) said, "Yes."

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