About the Spirits (Souls) of the Believers

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from al-Husayn ibn Rashid, from al-Murtajil ibn Mu’ammar from Dharih al- Muharibiy, from ‘Ubadah al-Asadiy from Habbah al-‘Uraniy who has said the following: “Once I went out along with ’Amir al-Mu’minin toward the backside of the city of Kufah. He stood on Wadiy al-Salam (valley of peace). He seemed like speaking to certain people. I stood as he was until I became tired. I then sat down until I became bored. I then stood up until I began to feel as it happened before. I then sat down until I became bored again. I then stood up and pulled my gown together and said, ‘O ’Amir al-Mu’minin, I have become concerned about your standing for so long. You should rest for a while.’ I then spread my gown so he could sit on it. He then said to me, ‘O Habbah, it was only a conversation with Mu’min (believer) or feeling comfortable with.’ I then asked, ‘Are they such, O ’Amir al-Mu’minin?’ He replied, ‘Yes, were it to be revealed to you, you could have seen them in groups and circles in Ihtiba’ position, speaking to each other.’ I then asked, ‘Are they in the form of spirits or do they have bodily shapes?’ He replied, ‘They are in the form of spirits. Whenever and wherever any believing person dies his spirit is told to leave for Wadi al-Salam. It is a piece of paradise of Eden.’” (Ihtiba’ is when one sits with his thighs against his belly and forms a ring with a piece of cloth for support around his trunk and knees or holds them against his belly with his hands).

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

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ja’far ibn al-Muthanna’ al-Khatib from Muhammad ibn al- Fudayl and Bishr ibn ‘Isma‘il who has said the following: “Muhammad ibn ‘Isma‘il once said to me, ‘Would you like if I give you happy news, O ibn Muthanna?’ I replied, ‘Yes, please,’ and I stood up before him. He said, ‘This sinful person came to abu al-Hassan ‘Alayhi al-Salam, and he turned to him (the Imam) and asked, “O abu al-Hassan, can a man in the state of Ihram seek shadow in the carriage on the back of camels?” He (the Imam) said, “No, he cannot do so.” He then asked, “Can he seek shadow in the tent?” He (the Imam) said, “Yes, he can do so.” He repeated those words in a scolding manner, laughed and said, “O abu al-Hassan, what is the difference between this and that?” He (the Imam) then said, “O abu Yusuf, religion is not based on analogies like your analogies. You play with religion. We do only what the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, did and we say what the Messenger of Allah said. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, rode his stumper and did not prepare a shadow for himself. The sun rays hurt him and he covered only one part of his body with the other part, like covering his face with his hand, and when he disembarked he sought shadow in the tent, next to the House and walls.’”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘ Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Breastfeeding after weaning is not effective/”

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 al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar in marfu‘ manner from abu ‘Abd Allah, the following: “I said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘My brother is in Baghdad and I am afraid that he may die there.’ He said, ‘Why should you worry about wherever he dies? Indeed, Allah sends to Wadi al- Salam the soul of every believing person who dies in the east or west of the earth.’ I then asked, ‘Where is Wadi al-Salam?’ ‘It is behind the city of Kufah,’ He (the Imam) replied. ‘It is as if I see them in circles and circles, sitting and talking to each other,’ the Imam explained.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘ Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about shadow for a man in the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘Remain in the sun for the sake of the One by whose command you assume the state of Ihram.’ I then said, ‘My endurance in the sun is low and heat becomes unbearable to me.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Did you not know that the sun sits along with the sins of the people in the state of Ihram?”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from al-Fadl ibn ‘ Abd al-Malik who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Breastfeeding is effective before completion of two years of a child before weaning him.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Rayyan from al-Qasim al-Sayqal who has said the following: “I did not see anyone more strict about shadow in the state of Ihram than abu Ja‘far (a.s.), who would command to remove the dome (tent) and its poles when he assumed the state of Ihram.’”

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

3. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Breastfeeding after weaning is not effective.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what is al-Fatam (weaning)?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is the two years that Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has mentioned (in His book).’ (2:233)”

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

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ibn abu Nasr from Ali ibn abu Hamzah from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a woman for whom a shadow is prepared while she is in the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is permissible.’ I then asked the same about men. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, if he suffers from severe headache, but he must pay one mud (a certain measurement) of food as charity for every day.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and a number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from ibn abu Najran from ‘Asem ibn Hamid from Muhammad ibn Qays who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of a woman who drained her milk and made her husband to drink it so that she could become unlawful to him. He (the Imam) said, ‘He keeps her and makes her feel a backache.’” (Such expression is used for a flogging implemented by a judicial body.)

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Isma‘il ibn Bazi’ who has said the following: “I wrote to al-Rida’ (a.s.), and asked if it is permissible to walk in the shadow of the carriage on camel back. He (the Imam) wrote back, ‘Yes, it is permissible.’ Another man had asked about preparing a shadow for one in the state of Ihram because of rain or sun and I was listening, he (the Imam) commanded him to pay a ransom of one sheep to be slaughtered in Mina.”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Yunus from Mansur ibn Hazim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Breastfeeding after weaning is not effective, continuous fasting is not valid, one is not an orphan after experiencing wet-dream, vowing to remain silent for the whole day until the night is not valid, going back to disbelief after migrating to Islam is not permissible, migration after the conquest is not applicable, divorce before marriage is not valid, setting free of slaves before owning a slave is not valid, oath by the son against his father or of a slave against his master, or a wife against her husband is not valid, a vow for unlawful matters is not valid. Swearing to disregard good relation with relatives is not permissible. The meaning of the words of the Messenger of Allah, ‘Breastfeeding after weaning is not effective’ means that if a boy drinks the milk of a woman after he is weaned, such breastfeeding does not make marriage unlawful.’”

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

6. Ahmad has narrated from Ali ibn Ahmad ibn ‘Ushaym from Musa ibn ‘Umar from Muhammad ibn Mansur who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man in the state of Ihram and shadows. He (the Imam) said, ’He must not seek shadows unless he is ill.’”

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

7. Ahmad has narrated from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa al-Kilabiy who has said the following: “I once said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), that Ali ibn Shihab has a headache, and cold is severe and he wants to assume the state of Ihram. He (the Imam) said, ‘If that is the case he can use shadows, but you must stay out of the shadow for the sake of the One for whom you assume the state of Ihram.’”

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

8. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Isma‘il ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), if a man in the state of Ihram can cover himself from the sun. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he cannot do so, unless he is an old man or one with illness.’”

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

9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad from has narrated from Ibrahim ibn abu Mahmud who has said the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who is in the state of Ihram: if he can use shadow and pay ransom if the sun and rain are harmful for him. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’ I asked, ‘How much is the ransom?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is one sheep.’”

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

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Kahiliy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not harmful for women and children to have a dome (umbrella) while they are in the state of Ihram.’”

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

11. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabiy from Mu ‘alia’ ibn Khunays who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A man in the state of Ihram must not cover himself from the sun with a cloth; but it is not harmful to cover one part by the other part of his body.’”

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

12. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from baker ibn Salih who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), that my aunt who is my travel-mate and the heat is severe for her while she is in the state of Ihram; if I can provide shadow for her and for myself. He (the Imam) wrote, ‘You can provide shadow just for her alone.’”

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

13. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Aban from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man in the state of Ihram if he can cover himself. He (the Imam) said, ‘As for from heat or cold, then no.’”

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

14. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from those whom he has mentioned from Ali ibn Rashid who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who seeks shadow in his al-‘Umrah. He (the Imam) said, ’Slaughtering (an animal) is necessary.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘If he goes out to Makkah and uses shadow, it is necessary to slaughter an animal; one for al-‘Umrah and one for al- Hajj.’”

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