1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’idh from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd al-‘Ijli who has said that I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the following verse of the Holy Quran. “Allah (God) commands you to return that which had been entrusted to you to the rightful owners. Be just when passing judgment among people. . .” (4:58) The Imam (a.s.) said, “ We are intended thereby. The preceding Imam must transfer to the succeeding Imam the books, the knowledge and the armaments. ‘Be just when passing judgment among people’ means what is in your possession. Then Allah has said to people, “Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your leaders (who possess Divine authority). . .” (4:59) This is how it was revealed. How Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would command them to obey the people who possess authority and then allow people to dispute them? This is said to those who are commanded by the command of, “Believers, obey God, His Messenger, and your leaders (who possess Divine authority). . .” (4:59)

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

2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar who has said that I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Allah (God) commands you to return that which had been entrusted to you to the rightful owners. Be just when passing judgment among people. . .” (4:58) The Imam (a.s.) said, “They are the Imams (a.s.) from the family of Muhammad (s.a.) who are commanded to deliver the trust to the succeeding Imam (a.s.) exclusively and to no one else and that the succeeding Imams must not be deprived of this trust.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Muhammad ibn Fudayl from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Allah (God) commands you to return that which had been entrusted to you to the rightful owners. Be just when passing judgment among people. . .” (4:58) The Imam (a.s.) said, “They are the Imams (a.s.). The Imam (a.s.) must deliver the trust to the succeeding Imam (a.s.) exclusively and to no one else and that the succeeding Imams must not be deprived of this trust.”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from ibn abu Ya‘fur from Mu‘alla ibn al-Khunays who has said that I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Allah (God) commands you to return that which had been entrusted to you to the rightful owners.. .” (4:58) The Imam (a.s.) said, “it is the command of Allah that the preceding Imam (a.s.) transfer to the succeeding Imam (a.s.) every thing that is with him.”

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

5. Muhammad b. Yahya has narrated from Muhammad b. al-Husayn from Ibn Mahbub from al-‘Ala’ b. Razin from ‘Abdallah b. Abi Ya‘fur from Abi ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Imam does not die until he learns who the succeeding Imam is so he would deliver his will to him.”

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

6. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from (ibn) abu ‘Uthman from al-Mu‘alla ibn Khunays from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following “The Imam (a.s.) knows the succeeding Imam and delivers his will to him.”

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

7. Ahmad has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from abu ‘Abdallah al-Barqi from Fudalah ibn Ayyub from Sulayman ibn Khalid from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “No scholar (Imam) has ever died before Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would grant him the knowledge of to who must he deliver his will.”

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