The Imams are Similar to those before them and the Dislikeability of Calling them Prophets

1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Humran ibn A‘yan who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) the following. “What is the position of the scholars?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “ It is like Dhul Qarnayn, (see 18:83 – 99 Holy Quran),the companion of Solomon (see 27:40),and the companion of Moses (a.s.) (See 18:65)”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) behind an Imam if I must do the recitation. He (the Imam) said, ‘Salah (prayer) in which recitation is not aloud, it is assigned to him. So you do not recite behind him, and for Salah (prayer) in which recitation is done aloud, he is commanded to recite aloud so people behind him remain silent; thus, if you hear him, remain silent, and if you do not hear him, then you are to recite.”’

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 al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “To refer to us (as the Divine authorities) is valid only in finding the lawful and unlawful matters. To refer to us as prophet-hood is not valid.”

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 ‘Uthaman from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If you perform Salah (prayer) behind one whom you follow, do not do the recitation behind him, regardless if you hear his recitation or not, except, when it is a Salah (prayer) in which recitation is done aloud and you do not hear then you are to recite.’”

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

3. Ali has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who has said the following: “One of the two Imam (a.s.), has said, ‘If you perform Salah (prayer) behind an Imam whom you follow then remain silent and say Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) to yourself only.’”

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

4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah who has said that abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said the following. “Ali (a.s.) was a Muhaddith (a Divine spokesman).” The narrator has said that he then asked the Imam (a.s.), “What is mmeans, O Imam? Do you say he was a prophet?” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) rose his hand like this, (meaning thereby, no, I did not say that).” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Or he is like the companion of Solomon, or the companion of Moses or like Dhul Qarnayn. Have you not heard that he said, “Among you is one similar to him (Dhul Qarnayn).”

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

4. It is a narration from him (narrator of previous Hadith) by his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from Qutaybah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘When you perform Salah (prayer) behind an Imam and are happy with him in Salah (prayer) of which recitation is to be read aloud and you do not hear his recitation, then recite to yourself, but if you hear a humming sound, do not recite.’”

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 ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “What is your position? To who of the people of the past do you resemble?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “I resemble the companion of Moses and Dhul Qarnayn who were two scholars but not two prophets.”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Hadid from Jamil ibn Darraj from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once asked one of the two Imam, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, if the Imam is responsible for Salah (prayer) of the people. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, he is not responsible.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Ahmad has narrated from Muhammad from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurarah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin would say, ‘One who recites when performing Salah (prayer) behind an Imam whom he follows and dies, he has died in a religion other than Fitrah (Islam).”’

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

7. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ‘Abdallah ibn Bahr from ibn Muskan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “The Imams (a.s.) possess the position of the Messenger of Allah except that they are not prophets and the number of wives permissible for the Holy Prophet is not permissible for them. In the aspects other than these they possess the same positions as the Messenger of Allah did.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ash’ari has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya ibn ‘Imran al-Halabi from Ayyub ibn al-Hurr who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, ended with your prophet the (coming of) the prophets. Thus, there will never come any prophet after him. With your book He ended sending of (heavenly) books. Thus, there will never come other heavenly books. In it (your book) He has placed clarifications for all things, such as your creation and the creation of the heavens and the earth. Therein is the news of the beings before you, the laws that help settle your disputes and the news of the beings that come into being after you, the news of the issues of Paradise and Fire and that to which you proceed.”

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

6.Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from abu Talib from Sadir who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “A certain group of people believe that you are gods. They read to us from the Quran about it. And it is He Who in heaven is God and in earth is God.” [43:84] . The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. I swear by Allah, Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Resurrection. The only thing from Allah to them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he said, “Among us there is a group of people who believe that you are messenger and read to from the Holy Quran. “O Messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness; surely I know the things you do [23:51] . The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah and Hid Messenger also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Judgment. The only thing from Allah towards them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he then asked, “What are you then?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the treasuries of the knowledge of Allah. We are the translators of the commands of Allah. We are infallible people. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has commanded people to obey us and prohibited them to disobey us. We are the complete Divine authority over all that is below the heavens and above the earth.”

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