الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 2, page 10

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from Salih ibn ‘Aqaba from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Ju’fi and ‘Aqaba together from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created the creation. He created His most beloved ones from that which He loved most. What was most beloved to Him was the fact that he created His most beloved ones from the clay of paradise. He created those whom He hated most from that which he hated most. What was most hated to Him was the fact that he created from the clay of the fire and then sent them to the shadows. I asked him, ‘What are the shadows?’ He replied, ‘Have you not seen your own shadow in a sunny day that looks like a thing but is nothing? Allah then raised from them the prophets who called them to believe in Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, as mentioned in His, words, “When you ask them who has created them they will say, ‘Allah.” (31:25) He then called them to express their belief in the prophets. Some expressed their belief as such and others among them did not do so. He then called them to express their (Wala’) belief and support to us (A hi al-Bayt). I swear by Allah, those whom He loved expressed their belief that we were the people who possess Divine Authority and only those whom He hated refused to express such beliefs as it is said in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “They do not express faith in what they before had refused to have faith in.’” (7:101) Abu Ja’far (a.s.) then said, ‘Rejection (to have faith in us) was then.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al- Hassan ibn Mahbub from Salih ibn Sahl from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Certain persons of Quraysh asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, by what means have you surpassed the prophets in excellence while you are the last and final one among them to come (with Divine message)?’ He replied, ‘I was the first among them to express my belief in my Lord and the first one to answer the call when Allah made a covenant with the prophets. He asked them to bear testimony against their own selves that they have answered, affirmatively to Allah’s Question, “Am I not your Lord?” I was the first among the prophets to say, “Yes, O Lord, You are the Lord.” By expressing and affirming my belief in Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, as the first one I surpassed them in excellence.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar·Thaqalayn link·The Arabic above is the original.