The Rarity of Believers

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Qutaybah al-‘A’sha’ who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘The female believer is more valued than a male believer, and a male believer is more valued than red sulfur. Who among you has ever seen red sulfur?’”

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

100. A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Abu Ali Al-Ashari, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar altogether from Ibn Fadhal, from Ali Bin Uqba, from Sa'id Bin Amro and Al-Ju’fi, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said: ‘I came up to Abu Ja’far (asws) one day and (I felt that) he was resting (upon something) whilst eating, and he had been telling us that it is undesirable. So I looked at him, so he called me over to eat with him. When he had finished, he said: ‘O Muhammad, you had been thinking that no eye had seen the Rasulallah (saww) eating whilst leaning (upon something) from the time Allah (azwj) Sent him up to his passing away’. He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he referred to himself and said: ‘No! By Allah (azwj), no eye had seen his eating whilst leaning (upon something) from the time Allah (azwj) Sent him up to his passing away. Then said: ‘O Muhammad! Perhaps you think that he satiated himself from good bread for three continuous days from the time Allah (azwj) Sent him up to his passing away’. Then he referred to himself, then said: ‘No! By Allah, he did not satiate himself from good bread for three continuous days since Allah sent him up to his passing away. But, I am not saying that he could not find it, for he used to gift one man a hundred camels. Had he intended to eat it he would have eaten. And Jibra'il had come to him with the Keys of the treasures of the earth three times giving him the option without any reduction of anything from Allah from what Allah (azwj) had Prepared for him for the Day of Judgement. He chose the modesty to his Lord (azwj). And when asked for anything he never said, ‘No’, at all. He would say: ‘If I had it I would give it’. And if was not available, he would say: ‘It would come’, and whenever Allah (azwj) Gave anything at all he would hand it over to him, to the extent that if the man has been Given the Paradise, which Allah (azwj) would submit to him, then he would give it to him by his own hands’. And said: ‘Your Master (Amir-ul-Muminin) used to sit like the sitting of the slave, and eat like the eating of the slave, and would feed the people good bread and the meat, and would return to his family to eat bread with oil. And if he were to buy Al-Sunbulani shirt, then he would give his slave the choice of the better one, then would wear the remaining one. So if he would find a little excess he would withdraw it, and if his would feel that his heel had exceeded he would have removed it. No two matters would be referred to him at all for the sake of Allah except that he would opt for the more difficult one upon his body, and he was the ruler of the people for five years but did not place a brick upon a brick, and did not build a construction upon a construction, and did not acquire a piece of land, and did not leave a legacy behind him, white or red except for seven hundred Dirhams as a gifts, intending that he would buy a servant for his Family. No one could bear any of his works, and Ali Bin Al-Husayn (a.s.) used to look into a Book from the Books of Ali, so he would strike the ground with it and would say: ‘Who can endure this?’

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

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn abu Najaran from Muthanna al-Hannat from Kamil al-Tammar who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying three times, ‘People are animals, people are animals, people are animals, except a few of believers. Believers are rare, believers are rare, and believers are rare, (more cherished).”’

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying to abu Basir, ‘By Allah were I to find three believers among you who keep our Hadith concealed I would not have considered it lawful to conceal any Hadith from them.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Bandar have narrated from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq from ‘Abd Allah ibn Hammad al-Ansari from Sadir al- Sayrafi who has said the following: “Once I went in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) and said, ‘By Allah, it is your obligation not to sit (without proclaiming your leadership).’ The Imam asked, ‘Why O Sadir?’ I said, ‘Because your friends, Shi’a (followers) and supporters are so many. By Allah, were Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) to have that many Shi’a (followers) as your Shi’a, friends and supporters, no one of the tribe of Tamim or ‘Ady could dare to disturb him.’ The Imam said, ‘O Sadir, how many do you think they are?’ I said, ‘One hundred thousand.’ The Imam said, ‘One hundred thousand!’ I said, ‘Yes, in fact, they are up to two hundred thousand, and I said, ‘Half of the world (population) is your Shi’a.’ “The narrator has said that the Imam remained calm and then said, ‘Is it possible to come with us to Yanbu’?’ I said, ‘It is fine with me.’ He then asked to bring a donkey and a mule already saddled. 1 hurried to ride the donkey and he said, ‘O Sadir, can you consider to allow me ride the donkey?’ I said, ‘The mule is more beautiful and noble.’ He said, ‘The donkey is friendlier for me.’ I then dismounted and he rode the donkey and I rode the mule. We traveled until it was time for prayer. He said, ‘O Sadir, dismount and we should pray.’ Then he said, ‘This ground is soft, prayer is not permissible here.’ We moved to a red ground and he looked to a boy who shepherded goats. He said, ‘O Sadir, were I to have as many Shi’a (followers) as the number of these goats, then it would not have been permissible for me to sit (without proclaiming my leadership).’ We dismounted and prayed. When we finished the prayer 1 turned to the goats and counted them. There were seventeen heads of goats in the flock.’”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Sama’a ibn Mehran who has said the following: “A virtuous servant (of Allah) (a.s.) said to me, ‘O Sama’a, they (pretending Shi’a) found their belief in their beds and they (attempt) to frighten me (ignoring al-Taqiyah). By Allah, once of the whole world and all that is therein there was only one person who worshipped Allah. Had there been anyone else, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, would have mentioned him with him in His words, ‘Abraham was, certainly, a nation, (in terms of having a whole culture and tradition) obedient and upright person. He was not a pagan.’ ( 16 : 120 ) “Time passed as Allah willed. Allah then provided him comfort with Isma’il and Ishaq and they numbered three. By Allah, believers are very few and unbelievers (people of imperfect belief) are many. Do you know why that is?’ I said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘They (less perfect believers) have become a source of comfort for the believers who spread their secrets to the hearts (of less perfect believers) to find relief and in this they do find relief.”

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

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Uramah from al-Nadr from Yahya ibn abu Khalid al-Qammat from Humran ibn ‘Ayun who has said the following: “Once I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, how small is our number! It is so small that all combined feasting on a goat cannot finish it.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do you want to hear more astonishing things? The immigrants (Muslim of Makkah) and supporters (Muslim of Madina) all went (to abu Bakr).’ He (the Imam) pointed with his hands, ‘except three, (Salman, abu Dhar and Miqdad) who remained as true supporters of Amir al- Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.)).’ I (Humran) then asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, what about ‘Ammar?’ The Imam said, ‘May Allah grant him favors, the alert man pledged allegiance (to abu Bakr) but he died as a martyr.’ I (Humran) then said to myself that there is nothing better than martyrdom. The Imam looked at me and said, ‘Perhaps you thought he was like one of the three. That is far remote from reality.’”

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 Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah from Ali ibn Ja’far who has said the following: “I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘Not everyone who speaks of our Walayah (Divine Authority) is a believer. They, however, are made to serve as boasting morals of the believing people.’”

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