Al-Kāfi

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلَى أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الزُّبَيْرِيِّ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ الْمُعْتَزِّ بِنَحْوِ عِشْرِينَ يَوْماً الْزَمْ بَيْتَكَ حَتَّى يَحْدُثَ الْحَادِثُ فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ بُرَيْحَةُ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ قَدْ حَدَثَ الْحَادِثُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي فَكَتَبَ لَيْسَ هَذَا الْحَادِثَ هُوَ الْحَادِثُ الاخَرُ فَكَانَ مِنْ أَمْرِ الْمُعْتَزِّ مَا كَانَ وَعَنْهُ قَالَ كَتَبَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ آخَرَ يُقْتَلُ ابْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ دَاوُدَ عَبْدُ الله قَبْلَ قَتْلِهِ بِعَشَرَةِ أَيَّامٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ فِي الْيَوْمِ الْعَاشِرِ قُتِلَ.

2. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim ibn Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Once abu Muhammad (a.s.) wrote to abu al-Qasim Ishaq ibn Ja‘far al-Zubayri before the death of al-Mu‘tazz by about twenty days as herein below. ‘Stay home until what is to happen will happen.’ When Burayha was killed he wrote to him, “A happening has happened. What would you command me to do?” He wrote back, “This is not the happening. It is another happening.” Then there was the case of al-Mu‘tazz the way it was.” It is narrated from the same narrator that the Imam (a.s.) wrote to another person. “Muhammad ibn Dawud ibn ‘Abdallah will be killed.” It was ten days before his murder. On the tenth day he was killed.”

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمَعْرُوفِ بِابْنِ الْكُرْدِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ ضَاقَ بِنَا الامْرُ فَقَالَ لِي أَبِي امْضِ بِنَا حَتَّى نَصِيرَ إِلَى هَذَا الرَّجُلِ يَعْنِي أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ وُصِفَ عَنْهُ سَمَاحَةٌ فَقُلْتُ تَعْرِفُهُ فَقَالَ مَا أَعْرِفُهُ وَلا رَأَيْتُهُ قَطُّ قَالَ فَقَصَدْنَاهُ فَقَالَ لِي أَبِي وَهُوَ فِي طَرِيقِهِ مَا أَحْوَجَنَا إِلَى أَنْ يَأْمُرَ لَنَا بِخَمْسِمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ مِائَتَا دِرْهَمٍ لِلْكِسْوَةِ وَمِائَتَا دِرْهَمٍ لِلدَّيْنِ وَمِائَةٌ لِلنَّفَقَةِ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي لَيْتَهُ أَمَرَ لِي بِثَلاثِمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ مِائَةٌ أَشْتَرِي بِهَا حِمَاراً وَمِائَةٌ لِلنَّفَقَةِ وَمِائَةٌ لِلْكِسْوَةِ وَأَخْرُجَ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ قَالَ فَلَمَّا وَافَيْنَا الْبَابَ خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا غُلامُهُ فَقَالَ يَدْخُلُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُحَمَّدٌ ابْنُهُ فَلَمَّا دَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمْنَا قَالَ لابِي يَا عَلِيُّ مَا خَلَّفَكَ عَنَّا إِلَى هَذَا الْوَقْتِ فَقَالَ يَا سَيِّدِي اسْتَحْيَيْتُ أَنْ أَلْقَاكَ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْحَالِ فَلَمَّا خَرَجْنَا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ جَاءَنَا غُلامُهُ فَنَاوَلَ أَبِي صُرَّةً فَقَالَ هَذِهِ خَمْسُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ مِائَتَانِ لِلْكِسْوَةِ وَمِائَتَانِ لِلدَّيْنِ وَمِائَةٌ لِلنَّفَقَةِ وَأَعْطَانِي صُرَّةً فَقَالَ هَذِهِ ثَلاثُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ اجْعَلْ مِائَةً فِي ثَمَنِ حِمَارٍ وَمِائَةً لِلْكِسْوَةِ وَمِائَةً لِلنَّفَقَةِ وَلا تَخْرُجْ إِلَى الْجَبَلِ وَصِرْ إِلَى سُورَاءَ فَصَارَ إِلَى سُورَاءَ وَتَزَوَّجَ بِامْرَأَةٍ فَدَخْلُهُ الْيَوْمَ أَلْفُ دِينَارٍ وَمَعَ هَذَا يَقُولُ بِالْوَقْفِ فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ وَيْحَكَ أَ تُرِيدُ أَمْراً أَبْيَنَ مِنْ هَذَا قَالَ فَقَالَ هَذَا أَمْرٌ قَدْ جَرَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ.

3. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, known as ibn al-Kurdi, from Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following: “We were under pressure and constraint. My father said, “Let us go to Abu Muhammad (a.s.). People describe him as very generous and considerate.” I asked, “Do you know him?” He said, “No, I do not know him and I have not seen him before.” We decided to go and meet him. My father said on the way, 'I wish he would grant us five hundred Dirhams. One hundred for clothes, one hundred for to pay the debts and one hundred for expenses. We need this very badly.” I then said to myself, “I wish he will grant me three hundred Dirhams, one hundred to buy a donkey, one hundred for expenses and one hundred for clothes, and then i will go to the mountains.” The narrator has said that when we arrived at the door a slave came out and said, “Ali ibn Ibrahim and his son Muhammad come inside.” When we were in his (the Imam’s (a.s.) presence we offered the greeting of peace and said to my father. “O Ali, what held you back from coming to us until now?” He said, “My master, I felt shy to come to you in this condition.” When we left him his slave came to us and gave a bag of money to my father saying, “This is five hundred Dirhams, one hundred for clothes, one hundred to pay debts and one hundred for expenses.” He gave me a bag and said, “This is three hundred Dirhams, one hundred for the donkey, one hundred for clothes and one hundred for expenses. Do not go to the mountains. Go to Sawra’. He then went to Sawra’ and married a woman and now his income from properties is a thousand Dinar despite this he belongs to the Waqifi sect in matters of beliefs. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim has said that I said to him, “Woe is you! What more clear proof do you want to believe in him as your Imam?” He said, “This (belief in Waqifi sect) is habit that has been with us (and it does go away).”

4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَارِثِ الْقَزْوِينِيُّ قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ أَبِي بِسُرَّ مَنْ رَأَى وَكَانَ أَبِي يَتَعَاطَى الْبَيْطَرَةَ فِي مَرْبِطِ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ وَكَانَ عِنْدَ الْمُسْتَعِينِ بَغْلٌ لَمْ يُرَ مِثْلُهُ حُسْناً وَكِبْراً وَكَانَ يَمْنَعُ ظَهْرَهُ وَاللِّجَامَ وَالسَّرْجَ وَقَدْ كَانَ جَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ الرَّاضَةَ فَلَمْ يُمَكِّنْ لَهُمْ حِيلَةً فِي رُكُوبِهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ نُدَمَائِهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَ لا تَبْعَثُ إِلَى الْحَسَنِ ابْنِ الرِّضَا حَتَّى يَجِي‏ءَ فَإِمَّا أَنْ يَرْكَبَهُ وَإِمَّا أَنْ يَقْتُلَهُ فَتَسْتَرِيحَ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَبَعَثَ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ وَمَضَى مَعَهُ أَبِي فَقَالَ أَبِي لَمَّا دَخَلَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الدَّارَ كُنْتُ مَعَهُ فَنَظَرَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ إِلَى الْبَغْلِ وَاقِفاً فِي صَحْنِ الدَّارِ فَعَدَلَ إِلَيْهِ فَوَضَعَ بِيَدِهِ عَلَى كَفَلِهِ قَالَ فَنَظَرْتُ إِلَى الْبَغْلِ وَقَدْ عَرِقَ حَتَّى سَالَ الْعَرَقُ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ صَارَ إِلَى الْمُسْتَعِينِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَرَحَّبَ بِهِ وَقَرَّبَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَلْجِمْ هَذَا الْبَغْلَ فَقَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ لابِي أَلْجِمْهُ يَا غُلامُ فَقَالَ الْمُسْتَعِينُ أَلْجِمْهُ أَنْتَ فَوَضَعَ طَيْلَسَانَهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَأَلْجَمَهُ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى مَجْلِسِهِ وَقَعَدَ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَسْرِجْهُ فَقَالَ لابِي يَا غُلامُ أَسْرِجْهُ فَقَالَ أَسْرِجْهُ أَنْتَ فَقَامَ ثَانِيَةً فَأَسْرَجَهُ وَرَجَعَ فَقَالَ لَهُ تَرَى أَنْ تَرْكَبَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَرَكِبَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يَمْتَنِعَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ رَكَضَهُ فِي الدَّارِ ثُمَّ حَمَلَهُ عَلَى الْهَمْلَجَةِ فَمَشَى أَحْسَنَ مَشْيٍ يَكُونُ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ وَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْمُسْتَعِينُ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَهُ قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَهُ حُسْناً وَفَرَاهَةً وَمَا يَصْلُحُ أَنْ يَكُونَ مِثْلُهُ إِلا لامِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ فَإِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَدْ حَمَلَكَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ لابِي يَا غُلامُ خُذْهُ فَأَخَذَهُ أَبِي فَقَادَهُ.

4. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu Ali Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Ibrahim who has said that narrated to me Ahmad ibn al-Harith al-Qazwini who has said the following. “I was with my father in the city of Surra man Ra‘a. My father was a veterinarian at the animal farm of abu Muhammad (a.s.). Al-Musta‘in had a mule the like of which in beauty and size has not been seen. No one could touch that mule to ride, saddle or harness. He had called all the trainers and they had faild to ready the mule for riding. Certain people close to him had said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin, “Why do you not ask al-Hassan, ibn al-Rida who would either ready it for riding or get killed in which case it will be a great relief for you?” The narrator has said that he sent for abu Muhammad, al-Hassan (a.s.) and my father went with him (a.s.) My father has said, “When abu Muhammad entered the room I was with him. Abu Muhammad looked at the mule that was standing in the compound of the facility. He went towards the mule and placed his hand over the rear of the mule. The narrator has said that I saw the mule perspire so much that it began to flow. Then he went to al-Musta‘in. He offered him greeting of peace and he well come him and asked him to sit just next to him and said, “O abu Muhammad, harness mule (that has become obstinate).” Abu Muhammad (a.s.) said to my father, “Young man harness the mule.” Al-Musta‘in said, “You must harness the mule. The Imam (a.s.) took off his gown and harnessed the mule and returned back to his place. Al-Musta‘in asked him to saddle the mule but he said to my father, “Young man, saddle the mule.” Al-Musta‘in asked him to himself saddle the mule. He stood again, saddled the mule and returned back to his place and said do you want that I ride it also?” He said, “Yes, please do so.” He rode the mule without any resistance. The mule ran in the facility and then he took the mule for a amble which the mule performed in the best way that can be. He came back and dismounted. Al-Musta‘in said to him, “O abu Muhammad, how was the mule?” he said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin, I had not seen like it before in beauty and skill. Only Amir al-Mu’minin deserves to have such a mule.” The narrator has said that Al-Musta‘in then said, “O abu Muhammad, Amir al-Mu’minin wants you to ride it” Abu Muhammad (a.s.) then said to my father, “O young man take the mule with you and he lead the mule away.”

5ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِي أَحْمَدَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ شَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْحَاجَةَ فَحَكَّ بِسَوْطِهِ الارْضَ قَالَ وَأَحْسَبُهُ غَطَّاهُ بِمِنْدِيلٍ وَأَخْرَجَ خَمْسَمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ خُذْ وَأَعْذِرْنَا.

5. Ali has narrated from abu Ahmad ibn Rashid from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “I requested abu Muhammad for something that I needed. He scratched the earth with his whip. The narrator has said that I think he then covered it with a handkerchief and then took out five hundred Dinars. He then said, “O abu Hashim take it and grants us pardon.”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ الْمُطَهَّرِ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ سَنَةَ الْقَادِسِيَّةِ يُعْلِمُهُ انْصِرَافَ النَّاسِ وَأَنَّهُ يَخَافُ الْعَطَشَ فَكَتَبَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) امْضُوا فَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ شَاءَ الله فَمَضَوْا سَالِمِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لله رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

6. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah ibn Salih from his father from abu Ali al-Mutahhar the following. “He wrote to him (abu Muhammad (a.s.) in the year of Qadisiyya, the year of draught that forced people to returned home without performing Hajj for fear of thirst. He wrote back in reply, “continue your journey and you will have no fear by the will of Allah.” They continued their journey to Hajj safely and thanks to Allah.”

7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ الْيَمَانِيِّ قَالَ نَزَلَ بِالْجَعْفَرِيِّ مِنْ آلِ جَعْفَرٍ خَلْقٌ لا قِبَلَ لَهُ بِهِمْ فَكَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ يَشْكُو ذَلِكَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ تُكْفَوْنَ ذَلِكَ إِنْ شَاءَ الله تَعَالَى فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ فِي نَفَرٍ يَسِيرٍ وَالْقَوْمُ يَزِيدُونَ عَلَى عِشْرِينَ أَلْفاً وَهُوَ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ أَلْفٍ فَاسْتَبَاحَهُمْ.

7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan ibn al-Fadl al-Yamani who has said the following. “ Al-Ja‘fari from the family of Ja‘far was attacked by such a large number of people that seemed impossible for them to defend themselves. He wrote to abu Muhammad (a.s.) about his dangerous condition. He wrote back to him in reply, “You will be adequately defended by the will of Allah, the Most High. He came out with just a few people to defend themselves against the attackers who were in excess of twenty thousand while on his side there were fewer than a thousand but the attackers were all vanished.”

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْعَلَوِيِّ قَالَ حُبِسَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ نَارْمَشَ وَهُوَ أَنْصَبُ النَّاسِ وَأَشَدُّهُمْ عَلَى آلِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَقِيلَ لَهُ افْعَلْ بِهِ وَافْعَلْ فَمَا أَقَامَ عِنْدَهُ إِلا يَوْماً حَتَّى وَضَعَ خَدَّيْهِ لَهُ وَكَانَ لا يَرْفَعُ بَصَرَهُ إِلَيْهِ إِجْلالاً وَإِعْظَاماً فَخَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ وَهُوَ أَحْسَنُ النَّاسِ بَصِيرَةً وَأَحْسَنُهُمْ فِيهِ قَوْلاً.

8. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il al-‘Alawi who has said the following. “Abu Muhammad (a.s.) was imprisoned under the supervision of Ali ibn Narmasha who was extremely hostile towards the descendants of abu Talib. He was told to treat him (abu Muhammad (a.s.) as he (the guard) wished. He stayed with him only for day and the guard who was hostile towards him became so submissive before him that he would not even dare to look up into his face out of glorification and reverence. He (abu Muhammad (a.s.) came out from his prison and he (the guard) had turned into having the highest degree of understanding of him and would speak the best words about him.”

9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّخَعِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سُفْيَانُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الضُّبَعِيُّ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الْوَلِيجَةِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الله تَعَالَى وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِ الله وَلا رَسُولِهِ وَلا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً قُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي لا فِي الْكِتَابِ مَنْ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَاهُنَا فَرَجَعَ الْجَوَابُ الْوَلِيجَةُ الَّذِي يُقَامُ دُونَ وَلِيِّ الامْرِ وَحَدَّثَتْكَ نَفْسُكَ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَنْ هُمْ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ فَهُمُ الائِمَّةُ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ عَلَى الله فَيُجِيزُ أَمَانَهُمْ.

9. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah have narrated from Ishaq ibn Muhammad al-Nakha‘i who has said that narrated to me Sufyan ibn Muhammad al-Duba‘i who has said the following. “I wrote to abu Muhammad and asked him about the meaning of the word al-Walija (relied) in the words of Allah, the Most High. “Do you think that God will not make any distinction between those of you who have fought for His cause and have relied on no one other than God, His Messenger, and the faithful ones, and other people?. .” (9:16) I said to myself, not in the letter, “To who does the believers refer in this verse “? The answer came as this. The Walija refers to a person who would be appointed in place of the Leader with Divine Authority. You have said to yourself “To who the believers refers in this verse”? They are the Imams who ask Allah to grant security to the people and He grants their request.”

10ـ إِسْحَاقُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيُّ قَالَ شَكَوْتُ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ضِيقَ الْحَبْسِ وَكَتَلَ الْقَيْدِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ أَنْتَ تُصَلِّي الْيَوْمَ الظُّهْرَ فِي مَنْزِلِكَ فَأُخْرِجْتُ فِي وَقْتِ الظُّهْرِ فَصَلَّيْتُ فِي مَنْزِلِي كَمَا قَالَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكُنْتُ مُضَيَّقاً فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَطْلُبَ مِنْهُ دَنَانِيرَ فِي الْكِتَابِ فَاسْتَحْيَيْتُ فَلَمَّا صِرْتُ إِلَى مَنْزِلِي وَجَّهَ إِلَيَّ بِمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ وَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ إِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ حَاجَةٌ فَلا تَسْتَحْيِ وَلا تَحْتَشِمْ وَاطْلُبْهَا فَإِنَّكَ تَرَى مَا تُحِبُّ إِنْ شَاءَ الله.

10. Ishaq has said that abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari has said the following. “I complained to abu Muhammad (a.s.) about the constraining cell of the prison and the weight of the shackles on me. He wrote back in reply to me. “Today you will pray your noontime prayer in your own home.” I then was released that day and prayed the noontime prayer in my own home as he had said.” I was under financial constrains and I decided to ask him for a certain amount of Dinars in writing but I felt shy. When was going to my home he sent me a hundred Dinars and had written to me this. “If you need anything do not feel shy or embarrassed. Ask and you will find it as you wanted, by the will of Allah.”

11ـ إِسْحَاقُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الاقْرَعِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو حَمْزَةَ نُصَيْرٌ الْخَادِمُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ غَيْرَ مَرَّةٍ يُكَلِّمُ غِلْمَانَهُ بِلُغَاتِهِمْ تُرْكٍ وَرُومٍ وَصَقَالِبَةَ فَتَعَجَّبْتُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتُ هَذَا وُلِدَ بِالْمَدِينَةِ وَلَمْ يَظْهَرْ لاحَدٍ حَتَّى مَضَى أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَلا رَآهُ أَحَدٌ فَكَيْفَ هَذَا أُحَدِّثُ نَفْسِي بِذَلِكَ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَيَّنَ حُجَّتَهُ مِنْ سَائِرِ خَلْقِهِ بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَيُعْطِيهِ اللُّغَاتِ وَمَعْرِفَةَ الانْسَابِ وَالاجَالِ وَالْحَوَادِثِ وَلَوْ لا ذَلِكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الْحُجَّةِ وَالْمَحْجُوجِ فَرْقٌ.

11. Ishaq has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Aqra‘ who has said that narrated to me abuhz Nasir al-Khadim the following. “I had heard many times that abu Muhammad (a.s.) to each of his Roman, Turkish and Saqaliba slaves in their own languages. It was astonishing to me and I would think that he is born in al-Madina and has not exposed to anyone until abu al-Hassan passed away and no one saw him. How is this that he speaks such languages? I talking to myself that he came to me and said, “Allah, the Most High, the Most Holy, grants distinction to Leader with Divine Authority over the other creatures in all matters. He give them distinction in the matters of languages, knowledge of the genealogical issues, of the duration of lives and events. Without such distinctions there will be no difference between Leader with Divine Authority and others.”