الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 2, page 11

2. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Khalid from certain persons of our people from ‘ Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I find certain persons of our people who seem light-minded and very temperamental and this extremely saddens me. On the other hand 1 find certain persons of those who do not accept our belief seem to (have very good Simt) be very dignified.’ The Imam said, ‘Do not call it Simt because Simt means straight path. Call it Dignified appearance because Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, has said, “They have marks of the effects of frequent prostration on their faces,”’ (48:29). I (the narrator) then said, ‘I see them to be of good appearance and of dignity and this makes me very sad.’ The Imam said, ‘Do not feel sad for what you see of light-mindedness and temperamental conditions of your people and the good appearance of those who do not accept your belief. When Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, willed to create Adam, He created those two kinds of clay. He then divided them into two portions. To the people of the right hand He said, “Be a creature by My permission.” They became creatures that looked like small particles running around. He then said to the people of the left hand, “Be a creature by My permission.” They became a creature as small particles that crawled. He then started a fire for them and said to them, “Enter therein by My permission.” The first one who entered therein was Muhammad (a.s.) followed by the ‘Ulu al-’Azm messengers, their successors and their followers. He then said to the people of the left hand, “Enter therein by My permission.” They said, “Our Lord, have you created us just to burn?” They disobeyed. He then said to the people of the right hand, “Come out from the fire by My permission” and the fire had caused no injuries to any of them and had left no marks on any one of them. When the people of the left hand saw this they said, “Our Lord, we see our people have come out safe and sound from the fire. Lord, forgive us and command us to enter the fire.” The Lord said, “I Have forgiven you, now you must enter the fire.” They went near the fire but when they felt the heat of the fire they turned back and said, “Our Lord, we are not able to endure the fire burning us and they disobeyed.” He commanded those ones three times to enter into the fire but every time they disobeyed and turned back. He commanded the others three times, each time they obeyed and came out of the fire. He then said to them, “Be a clay by My permission.” He then created Adam therefrom.’ The Imam then said, ‘Whoever is of those will never become of these (people of the right hand) and whoever is from these will never become of those ones (people of the left hand). When you find your people as light-minded ones and it causes sadness to you it is because of their mix with people of the left hand. The good appearance and dignity that you find in those who do not accept your belief is because of their mix with the people of the right hand.’”

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