Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.)

1. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Abd al-Jabbar, from Abu al-Qasim al-Kufi, from Muhammad ibn Sahl, from Ibrahim ibn Abi Bilad, from Isma'il ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn that Abu Ja'far (al-Baqir) (as) said: When Ali ibn al-Husayn (as) was on his deathbed, he took out a box or chest that was with him and said, "O Muhammad, carry this chest." So he carried it between four men. When he passed away, his brothers came claiming what was in the chest and said, "Give us our share of the chest." He replied, "By God, you have no share in it. If you had a share in it, he would not have entrusted it to me." In the chest were the weapons of the Messenger of God (saw) and his books.

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

1. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Rib‘i and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah all who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The time of al-Dhuhr on Friday begins at Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime).”

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Imran ibn Musa from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abdallah from his father that his grandfather who has said the following. “Ali ibn al-Husayn looked at his sons when he was about to leave this world and they had all gathered around him. He then looked at his son, Muhammad ibn Ali and said, “O Muhammad, take this box to your house.” He said, “It was not full of Dirhams and Dinars (valuable properties), it, however, was full of knowledge.”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘On Friday when it is Zawal (declining of the sun to ward the west at noontime), then you can begin the obligatory Salah (prayer).”’

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

3. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan has narrated from Sahl from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Fadala ibn Ayyub from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘ala’ who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “’Umar ibn ‘ad al-‘Aziz wrote ibn Hazm to send him the endowment documents of Ali, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman. Inb Hazm sent a person to Zayd ibn al-Hassan (a.s.) who was the eldest among them and asked him about the documents. Zayd said, “The high authority after Ali was al-Hassan and after him al-Husayn and Ali ibn al-Husayn was after al-Husayn and after Ali ibn al-Husayn Muhammad ibn Ali was the high authority. Send to him. Ibn Hazm then sent to my father and my father sent me with document to him and I went and delivered it to ibn Hazm.” The narrator has said that some of our people asked The Imam (a.s.), “did the sons of al-Hassan (a.s.) know this.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “They knew it just as they know that this is night but envy influences them. Had they sought truth with truth it would have been better for them but they seek the worldly things. * Abu Baker ibn Muhammad ibn ’Amr ibn Hazm al-Ansari (37/657 -120/738), the judge of Madina from 87/706 appointed by ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdi al-‘Aziz when he was governor of Madina. When ‘Umar became the Caliph he also appointed ibn Hazm governor of Madina. (al-Tabari, vol.2, pp.ll91, 1255, 1305, 1346, 1372 - 1375, 1437, 1452; vol.3, p.2460; ibn al-Athir, vol.5, pp.55,67; Tahdhib al-Takdhib, vol.l2, pp.38 -40.

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 al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Muhammad ibn abu Hamzah from Sufyan ibn al-Simt who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the time of al-‘Asr Salah (prayer) on Friday. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is at the time of al-Dhuhr Salah (prayer) during the days other than Fridays.’”

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

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ مِثْلَهُ 4. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from ‘Abd al-Karim ibn ‘Amr from ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “ ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz wrote ibn Hazm. He then have narrated a hadith similar to the above one except that he has said, “Ibn Hazm sent to Zayd ibn al-Hassan who was older than my father.” A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ a similar hadith.

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 Khalid from al-al-Qasim ibn ‘Urwah from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about Salah (prayer) of Friday. He (the Imam) said, ‘ Jibril brought it with a short period of time. When it is Zawal (declining of the sun toward the west at noontime) then perform it.’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘When it is Zawal, must I perform two Rak‘at, then Friday Salah (prayer)?’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘I, however, when it is Zawal, do not begin anything before obligatory Salah (prayer).’ Al-Qasim has said that ibn Bukayr would perform two Rak‘at when he had doubts about the commencement of Zawal. When he became certain of the commencement of Zawal he commenced the obligatory Salah (prayer) on Friday.’” (The following chapter is best explained in the form of fatwa.)

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