Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

حدثنا الحسن بن عبد الله بن سعيد العسكري، قال أخبرنا محمد بن أحمد بن حمدان القشيري، قال: حدثنا المغيرة بن محمد بن المهلب، قال: حدثني أبي، قال: حدثني عبد الله ابن داود، عن فضيل بن مرزوق، عن عطية العوفي، عن أبي سعيد الخدري، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إني تارك فيكم أمرين أحدهما أطول من الآخر: كتاب الله [عز وجل] حبل ممدود من السماء إلى الأرض طرف بيد الله ، وعترتي ألا وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض. فقلت لأبي سعيد: من عترته؟ قال: أهل بيته.

1. We were told by Hasan bin Abdullah bin Sa’eed al-Askari, that he said: We were informed by Muhammed bin Ahmad bin Hamdan al-Qushayri, that he said: We were told by Mughaira bin Muhammed bin Muhlib, that he said: I was told by my father, that he said: I was told by Abdullah ibn Dawud, from Fudayl bin Manzuq, from ‘Atiya al-‘Awfi, from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, that he said: The Messenger of Allah (sw), said: Indeed, I have leaving among you Two Things, one of them is longer than the other: The Book of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, a Rope extended from Heaven to earth, one side in the Hand of Allah; and my Family. Alas, they are, indeed, never to be separated until they approach me at the basin. Then I said to Abu Sa’eed: Who are his Family? He said: His Household.

حدثنا محمد بن جعفر بن الحسن البغدادي، قال حدثنا عبد الله بن محمد بن عبد العزيز إملاء، قال: حدثنا بشر بن الوليد، قال: حدثنا محمد بن طلحة، عن الأعمش، عن عطية بن سعيد، عن أبي سعيد الخدري أن النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: إني أوشك أن ادعى فأجيب، فإني تارك فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله عز وجل وعترتي. كتاب الله حبل ممدود بين السماء والأرض، وعترتي أهل بيتي، وإن اللطيف الخبير أخبرني أنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض، فانظروا بماذا تخلفوني.

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Ja’far bin Hasan al-Baghdadi, that he said: We were told by Abdullah bin Muhammed bin Abdul-Aziz, dictating, that he said: We were told by Bishr bin Walid, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Talha, from A’mash, from ‘Atiya bin Sa’eed, from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, that the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Indeed, I am about to be called, to which I will respond. Hence, I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things: The Book of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He; and my Family. The Book of Allah is a Rope extended between Heaven and earth, and my Family, my Household. Indeed, the All-Kind, the All-Acquainted, informed me that they are never to be separated until they meet me at the basin. Thus, look into by what you will succeed me.

حدثنا علي بن الفضل البغدادي، قال: سمعت أبا عمر [و] صاحب أبي العباس تغلب يقول: سمعت أبا العباس تغلب يسأل عن معنى قوله صلى الله عليه وآله: [إني تارك فيكم الثقلين] لم سميا بثقلين؟ قال: لان التمسك بهما ثقيل.

3. We were told by Ali bin Fadl al-Baghdadi, that he said: I heard Abu Umar and the companion of Abu’l-Abbas, Taghlib, say: I heard Abu’l-Abbas, Taghlib, asking about the meaning of the saying of him, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «Indeed, I am leaving among you the Two Weighty Things» Why were they named Two Weighty Things? He said: Because adherence to them is heavy.

حدثنا أحمد بن زياد بن جعفر الهمداني - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن غياث بن إبراهيم، عن الصادق جعفر ابن محمد، عن أبيه محمد بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن الحسين، عن أبيه الحسين عليهم السلام قال: سئل أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام عن معنى قول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله " إني مخلف فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله، وعترتي " من العترة؟ فقال: أنا، والحسن، والحسين، والأئمة التسعة من ولد الحسين تاسعهم مهديهم وقائمهم، لا يفارقون كتاب الله ولا يفارقهم حتى يردوا على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حوضه.

4. We were told by Ahmad bin Ziyad bin Ja’far al-Hamdani, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim, from his father, from Muhammed bin Abi Umayr, from Ghiyath bin Ibrahim, from al-Sadiq, Ja’far ibn Muhammed, from his father, Muhammed bin Ali, from his father, Ali bin Hussain, from his father, Hussain, peace be upon them, that he said: The Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him, was asked about the saying of Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «Indeed, I am appointing as Successors among you, the Two Weighty Things, the Book of Allah and my Family» Who are the Family? So he said: I, Hasan, Hussain and the nine Imams from the sons of Hussain, of whom their ninth is their Guided and Rising . They will not separate from the Book of Allah, nor will it separate from them, until they approach to Allah’s Messenger, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, at his basin.

حدثنا أحمد بن الحسن القطان، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن علي بن الحسين السكري عن محمد بن زكريا الجوهري، عن جعفر بن محمد بن عمارة، عن أبيه، عن الصادق جعفر بن محمد، عن أبيه محمد بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن الحسين، عن أبيه الحسين بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: إني مخلف فيكم الثقلين: كتاب الله، وعترتي أهل بيتي. وإنهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا علي الحوض كهاتين - وضم بين سبابتيه - فقام إليه جابر بن عبد الله الأنصاري، فقال: يا رسول الله ومن عترتك؟ قال: علي، والحسن والحسين، والأئمة من ولد الحسين إلى يوم القيامة.

5. We were told by Ahmad bin Hasan al-Qattan, that he said: We were told by Hasan bin Ali bin Hussain al-Sukkari, from Muhammed bin Zakariya al-Jawhari, from Ja’far bin Muhammed bin Umara, from his father, from al-Sadiq, Ja’far bin Muhammed, from his father, Muhammed bin Ali, from his father, Ali bin Hussain, from his father, Hussain bin Ali, from his father, Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon them, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: Indeed, I am appointing as successors among you Two Weighty Things: the Book of Allah; and my Family, my Household. Indeed, they will never be separated until they approach me at the basin like these two – and he joined between his two index fingers. Then Jabir bin Abdullah al-Ansari stood up to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, and who is your Family? He said: Ali, Hasan, Hussain and the Imams from the sons of Hussain, till they Day of Resurrection.

أبي - رحمه الله - قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن الحسن، عن جعفر ابن بشير، عن الحسين بن أبي العلاء، عن عبد الله بن ميسرة، قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: إنا نقول: اللهم صل على محمد وآل محمد . فيقول قوم: نحن آل محمد فقال: إنما آل محمد من حرم الله عز وجل على محمد نكاحه.

1. My father, may Allah grant him mercy, said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Muhammed bin Hasan, from Ja’far ibn Basheer, from Hussain bin Abi’l-‘Alaa’, from Abdullah bin Maysara, that he said: I said to Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him: We only say: «O Allah, send Your blessings upon Muhammed and the Family of Muhammed» Some people then say: «We are the Family of Muhammed. Then he said: The Family of Muhammed are only those whom Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, forbade Muhammed to marry.

حدثنا محمد بن الحسن - رحمه الله - قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن محمد ابن أحمد، عن إبراهيم بن إسحاق، عن محمد بن سليمان الديلمي، عن أبيه قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: جعلت فداك من الآل؟ قال: ذريته محمد صلى الله عليه وآله. قال: فقلت: ومن الأهل؟ قال: الأئمة عليهم السلام. فقلت: قوله عز وجل: " أدخلوا آل فرعون أشد العذاب " قال: والله ما عنى إلا ابنته.

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yahya al-‘Attar, from Muhammed ibn Ahmad, from Ibrahim bin Ishaq, from Muhammed bin Sulayman al-Daylami, from his father, that he said: I said to Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him: May I be sacrificed for you. Who are the Aal? He said: The offspring of Muhammed, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family. He said: Then I said: And who are the Ahl? He said: The Imams, peace be upon them. So I said: The saying of Him, Exalted and Glorious is He: «Enter, (O) Family of Pharao, into the most severe punishment» (40:46) He said: By Allah, he did not mean other than his daughter.

وحدثنا أبي - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: من آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله؟ قال: ذريته. فقلت: أهل بيته؟ قال: الأئمة الأوصياء. فقلت: من عترته؟ قال: أصحاب العباء. فقلت: من أمته؟ قال: المؤمنون الذين صدقوا بما جاء به من عند الله عز وجل، المتمسكون بالثقلين اللذين أمروا بالتمسك بهما: كتاب الله عز وجل، وعترته أهل بيته الذين أذهب الله عنهم الرجس وطهرهم تطهيرا. وهما الخليفتان على الأمة بعده عليه السلام.

3. We were told by my father, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Isa, from Hasan bin Ali bin Faddal, from Ali bin Abi Hamza, from Abu Baseer, that he said: I said to Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him: Who are the Aal of Muhammed, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family? He said: His offspring. Then I said: His Household? He said: The Succeeding Imams. Then I said: Then who are his ‘Itra’? He said: The people of the Cloak. Then I said: Who are his nation ? He said: The believers who believed in what he brought from Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, who adhere to the Two Weighty Things whom they were ordered adherence to: the Book of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, and his ‘Itra, his Household, from whom Allah has removed all impurity and purified a (complete) purification. They are the Two Successors over the nation after him, peace be upon him.

حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن الصقر الصائغ قال: حدثنا عيسى بن محمد العلوي، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن سلام الكوفي، قال: حدثنا الحسن بن عبد الواحد، قال: حدثنا الحارث بن الحسن، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن إسماعيل بن صدقة، عن أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي الباقر، عن أبيه، عن جده عليهم السلام قال: لما أنزلت هذه الآية على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله " وكل شئ أحصيناه في إمام مبين " قام أبو بكر وعمر من مجلسهما فقالا: يا رسول الله هو التوراة؟ قال: لا، قالا: فهو الإنجيل؟ قال: لا، قالا: فهو القرآن؟ قال: لا. قال: فأقبل أمير المؤمنين علي عليه السلام فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: هو هذا، إنه الامام الذي أحصى الله تبارك وتعالى فيه علم كل شئ.

1. We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Saqr al-Sa’igh, that he said: We were told by Isa bin Muhammed al-Alawi, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Salam al-Kufi, that he said: We were told by Hasan bin Abdul-Wahid, that he said: We were told by Harith bin Hasan, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Isma’il bin Sadaqa, from Abu’l-Jarud, from Abu Ja’far, Muhammed bin Ali al-Baqir, from his father, from his grandfather, peace be upon him, that he said: When this verse was sent down unto the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «And We have enumerated everything in a Clear Imam» (36:12) Abu Bakr and Umar arose from their sitting places and said: O Messenger of Allah, is it the Tawrat? He said: No. They said: Then is it the Injeel? He said: No. They said: Then is it the Qur’an? He said: No. He said: Then the Commander of the Believers, Ali, peace be upon him, approached and the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: It is him. Indeed, he is the Imam in whom Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, enumerated the knowledge of everything.

قال مصنف هذا الكتاب - رضي الله عنه -: سألت أبا بشر اللغوي بمدينة السلام عن معنى الامام فقال: الامام في لغة العرب هو المتقدم بالناس، والامام هو المطمر وهو التر الذي يبنى عليه البناء، والامام هو الذهب الذي يجعل في دار الضرب ليؤخذ عليه العيار، والامام هو الخيط الذي يجمع حبات العقد، والامام هو الدليل في السفر في ظلمة الليل، والامام هو السهم الذي يجعل مثالا يعمل عليه السهام.

The compiler of this book, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I asked Abu Bishr, the Linguist, in the City of Peace about the meaning of the Imam, to which he said: The Imam in the language of the Arabs is the one who goes forward people; the Imam is the plumb, that is the plumbing line, by which a building is built; the Imam is the gold that is placed in the house of multiplication that the standard might be derived from it; the Imam is the line that gathers the beads in a knot; the Imam is the guide on a journey at the darkness of the night; and the Imam is the arrow that is made an example for arrows to be made like.