The Imams (a.s.) know when they will die and they die voluntarily

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salamah ibn-al-Khattab from ) Sulayman ibn Sama‘a and ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Qasim al-Batal from abu Basir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever of the Imams that would not know what would happen to him and to what events he would proceed such a person is not a possessor of Divine authority over His creature.”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Hammad from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who in Salah (prayer) sees a snake or scorpion; can he kill it if it is hurting? He (the Imam) said, ’Yes, he can do so.”’

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Bashshar has said that a respectable man from Qati‘a al- Rabi‘ (a quarter in the Karkh part of Baghdad) from the general public (non-Shi‘a) of Baghdad, from whom people would narrate hadith has said to me the following. “I have seen (experienced) from the people of this family of whose virtues people speak, things that I have never seen (experienced) no one else to be like him in his virtue and worship.” The narrator has said that he asked the man. “Who is he? And how did you find him?” He then said, “In the days of al-Sindi ibn Shahik (a vazir of Harun al-Rashid) we gathered eighty people of the leading personalities in goodness to meet Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) Al-Sindi asked us, “Gentlemen, please examine this man. Has anything happened to him?” People think that he is tortured and they make a huge noise about it. This is his dwelling place and his bed which, has enough room and he is not constrained. Amir al-Mu’minin (Harun al-Rashid) has not done any bad things to him. He is kept here until the right time comes so he can debate Amir al-Mu’minin (Harun al-Rashid). He is quite well and comfortable from all aspects. You may ask him questions.” The narrator has said, “We had no other intention but to see to the man, to his virtue and his excellent attitude. Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) then said, “Whatever he (al-Sindi) has said about the capacity of the place and other such things are as he has said. However, O people, I let you know that I am being poisoned with seven pieces of dates. Tomorrow my color will turn green and after tomorrow I will die.” The man has said, “I looked at al-Sindi ibn Shahik. He shivered in terror and shook like the leaves of a branch of palm tree.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from abu Jamilah from ‘Abdallah ibn abu Ja‘far who has said that my brother narrated from Ja‘far (abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) from his father that he went to Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) on the night in which he passed away and offered him a drink requesting, “Father, please drink it.” He said, “Son, this is the night in which I will pass away and during such night the Messenger of Allah also passed away.” (The date of the demise of the two holy ones, as generally held, is not the same. However, being the same day is a possibility).

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about a man who is standing in obligatory Salah (prayer) when he remembers his bag or property and he is afraid of loss or destruction of such items. He (the Imam) said, ‘He can discontinue his Salah (prayer) to secure such items then perform his Salah (prayer) again.’ I then asked him (the Imam), ‘What happens if he is in obligatory Salah (prayer) when a stumper (animal) or his stumper escapes and he is afraid of its getting lost or causing him difficulties?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if he discontinues his Salah (prayer).”’

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

Ali b. Muhammad, from Sahl b. Ziyad, from Muhammad b. Abd al-Hamid, from al-Hasan b. al-Jahm, who said: I said to al-Rida (peace be upon him): “The Commander of the Faithful knew his killer, the night on which he would be killed, and the place where he would be killed. He even said, when he heard the cries of the geese in the house: ‘Cries that will be followed by wailing.’ And Umm Kulthum said to him: ‘If only you would pray inside the house tonight and appoint someone else to lead the people in prayer,’ but he refused her. And he kept going in and out that night without a weapon, even though he knew that Ibn Muljam — may God curse him — would kill him with the sword. Was this not something he should have avoided exposing himself to?” He said: “That is how it was, but he was given a choice on that night, so that the decrees of God, Mighty and Majestic, would come to pass.”

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

4. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Amir, from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Fadalah ibn Ayyub, from Aban from Muhammad who has said the following: “When Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), would see lice in Masjid he would cover it with sand.”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from some of our people from abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High expressed anger at the Shi‘a. He, therefore, let me choose either myself or them (to receive protection). I swear by Allah, that I protected them with my own soul.”

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

5. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from those who narrated to him who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When you are in obligatory Salah (prayer) and see your slave escaping or your debtor who owes you a certain amount of property, or a snake because of which you are afraid for your life, you can discontinue your Salah (prayer) follow the slave or debtor or kill the snake.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Musafir that abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) said to him the following. “O Musafir, in this water passage there is fish.” The narrator has said that he said, “Yes, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, there is fish there.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah last night and was saying, “O Ali, what is with us is better for you.” (The mention of fish is to show equality of degree of certain in his knowledge from observation and his knowledge from his dream.)

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you see lice in the Masjid when you are in Salah (prayer) cover it in the sand.”

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

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘Aidh from abu Khadija from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “I was in the presence of my father during the day in which he passes away. He made several recommendations to me about his funeral matters, such as washing his whole body, shrouding him and placing him in his grave. I then said to him, “Father, I have not seen in a better health from the day you complained illness than today. I do not see in you any sign of death.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Son, have you not heard about Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) calling from behind the wall, ‘O Muhammad, come. Be quick.’”

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

8. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Umayra from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn A‘yan from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent support for Imam al-Husayn (a.s.) up to the fill between the heavens and earth. Then he was let to choose either victory or meeting Allah. He, however, chose the meeting of Allah the Most High.”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who kills, a bug, flea, lice or a fly while in Salah (prayer), does it invalidate his Salah (prayer) and Wudu’? He (the Imam) said, ’No, it does not do so.’”

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