Excellence of the Water of al-Furat (Euphrates)

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from af-Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from Muhammad ibn abu Hamzah from those whom he has mentioned who has said the following: “In whoever ’s mouth water of Euphrates is dropped in childhood, I do not think he will not love us, people of the house.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘People of al-Kufah were not made to drink water of Euphrates except for a certain matter.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Two shoots of water fall in it (Euphrates) from the garden (paradise).”’

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from ‘Amr ibn abu af-Miqdam from his father Safmah ibn Kuhayf who has narrated the following: “I heard ’ Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), saying to Shurayh, ’Keep an eye on those who delay payment of debts on them and on the procrastinators and on defending the rights of people against the capable and the affluent ones who throw the wealth of the Muslims to the ruling parties. Take the rights of people from them and sell for this purpose real properties and buildings; I heard the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, saying, “The procrastination of an affluent Muslim is injustice to the Muslim.” Those who do not own real properties and homes or other assets, there is no way against them. You must take notice that people cannot be made to do the right thing except by stopping them from falsehood. Be comforting for the Muslims by the appearance of your face, words and sitting manners so that people with nearness to you cannot expect you to be unjust and your adversary loses hope of your justice. Make a plaintiff to take an oath along with testimony; it clears up the blindness and confusion and solidifies the judgment. You must take notice that Muslims are all just people toward each other except those whipped for penalty who have not repented, those well- known for presenting false testimony and a doubting pessimist. You must always stay away from censuring and hurting people in an adjudicating session, for conducting of which Allah has made the recompense obligatory with good rewards for those who render the right judgment. You must keep in mind that arranging a settlement is permissible among the Muslims, except a settlement that makes the lawful as unlawful and the unlawful as lawful. You must set a time limit for those who claim to have absent witnesses. If they present such witnesses then restore their rights; but if they did not present such witnesses, then you must issue judgment against them. You must never issue a judgment in equitable retaliation or a penalty of the penalties, which Allah has sanctioned for the rights of the Muslims without first showing it to me, by the will of Allah. Do not sit (to eat) in the adjudicating session until you complete eating.”’

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from certain persons of our people who have said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Everyday several fluxes flow from the garden (paradise) into Euphrates.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has narrated 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, ‘One whose task is adjudication he must not take his seat to adjudicate when angry.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn al-Husayn from ibn ‘Uramah from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id in a marfu‘ manner who has said the following: “’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘In your canal, this one, that is, Euphrates, there are two shoots of the shoots of the garden (paradise).’ He (the narrator) has said that abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Had there not been many miles in between we would drink water from it (Euphrates).”’

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

3. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith, the following is narrated: “’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), has said, ‘One who has the task of adjudication must comfort people by means of his gestures, look and seating positions.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ali ibn al-Husayn in a marfu‘ manner the following: “He (the narrator) has said that abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), once asked, ‘What is the distance between you and Euphrates?’ I then informed him (the Imam) and he (the Imam) said, ‘Were I there near it I would go to it during both ends of the day.’”

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

4. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith, the following is narrated: “A man once became a guest of ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), and stayed with him for several days. He then presented a case before him (the Imam) for adjudication, which he had not mentioned to him (the Imam) before. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Are you the plaintiff?’ The man replied, ‘Yes, I am the plaintiff.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must move in another place for lodging; the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has prohibited entertaining a plaintiff as a guest without the presence of the defendant.’”

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

5. Al-Husayn from Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya all from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Sa‘dan from more than one person in a marfu‘ manner has said the following: “’Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘If people of al-Kufah drop water of Euphrates in the mouth of their new born, they would become of our followers.’”

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

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah in a marfu‘ manner who has narrated the following: “’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali (a.s.), once said to Shurayh, ’You must not please anyone in your adjudicating session, and if you become angry, you must stand up and must not issue a judgment when you are angry.’ 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, ‘The tongue of a judge is behind his heart. If it is for him, he speaks; and if it is against him, he remains quiet.’”

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

6. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from certain persons of our people from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from Hanan ibn Sadir from his father from Hakim ibn Jubayr who has said the following: “I once heard our master, Ali ibn al-Husayn, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, saying, ‘Every night an angel from the heaven descends with three ounces of musk of the ounces of the garden (paradises) and throws it in the Euphrates. There is no other canal in the east or west of earth more blessed than Euphrates.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hajjal from Dawud ibn abu Yazid from the one who had heard from him (the Imam) who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If a judge, to those on his right or left side, says, “What do you think, what do you say?” He is condemned by Allah, the angels and all people. Why must he not move away and make them sit in his place?”’

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