Ṣifāt al-Shīʿa

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ اَلْوَلِيدِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ فَضَّالٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ اَلرِّضَا ع يَقُولُ مَنْ وَاصَلَ لَنَا قَاطِعاً أَوْ قَطَعَ لَنَا وَاصِلاً أَوْ مَدَحَ لَنَا عَائِباً أَوْ أَكْرَمَ لَنَا مُخَالِفاً فَلَيْسَ مِنَّا وَ لَسْنَا مِنْهُ.

Mohammed bin al-Hasan bin al-Waleed related to us from Mohammed bin al-Hasan as-Saffar from Mohammed bin Easa bin Ubaid from Ibn Faddhal that Imam ar-Ridha (a) said: As for anyone who builds relations with somebody who disregards us, disregards somebody who builds good relations with us, praises somebody who reviles at us, or honors somebody who dissents from us, he is surely not one us and we are surely not from him.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ مَاجِيلَوَيْهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمِّي عَنِ اَلْمُعَلَّى بْنِ خُنَيْسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ لَيْسَ اَلنَّاصِبُ مَنْ نَصَبَ لَنَا أَهْلَ اَلْبَيْتِ لِأَنَّكَ لاَ تَجِدُ أَحَداً يَقُولُ أَنَا أُبْغِضُ مُحَمَّداً وَ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لَكِنَّ اَلنَّاصِبَ مَنْ نَصَبَ لَكُمْ وَ هُوَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّكُمْ تَتَوَالَوْنَا وَ تَتَبَرَّءُونَ مِنْ أَعْدَائِنَا وَ قَالَ ع مَنْ أَشْبَعَ عَدُوّاً لَنَا فَقَدْ قَتَلَ وَلِيّاً لَنَا.

Mohammed bin Ali Majilwayh narrated to us from his uncle Mohammed bin Abi al-Qasim from Mohammed bin Ali al-Kufi from Ibn Faddhal from al-Mu’alla bin Khunais that he heard Abu Abdullah (a) saying: The Nasibi is not he who declares antagonism against us; the Prophet’s household. You cannot meet any person who declares that he hates Mohammed and his family openly. The Nasibi is he who provokes hostility against you while he knows that you support us and disavow our enemies. He (a) also said: He who gratifies one of our enemies is killing one of our disciples.

أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ وَ عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ اَلْحِمْيَرِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ ع قَالَ : إِنَّ شِيعَةَ عَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ كَانُوا خُمْصَ اَلْبُطُونِ ذُبُلَ اَلشِّفَاهِ وَ أَهْلَ رَأْفَةٍ وَ عِلْمٍ وَ حِلْمٍ يُعْرَفُونَ بِالرَّهْبَانِيَّةِ فَأَعِينُوا عَلَى مَا أَنْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِالْوَرَعِ وَ اَلاِجْتِهَادِ.

My father, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to us from Sa’d bin Abdullah and Abdullah bin Ja’far al-Himyari from Ahmed bin Mohammed bin al-Hasan… that Abu Abdullah (a) said: The Shia of Ali are atrophied-stomached, dry-lipped, and people of compassion, knowledge, and clemency. Their distinctive feature is reverence. Help the beliefs that you embrace by means of piety and diligence.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ اَلْوَلِيدِ رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ شَمُّونٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي اَلْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ : يَا أَبَا اَلْمِقْدَامِ إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ ص اَلشَّاحِبُونَ اَلنَّاحِلُونَ اَلذَّابِلُونَ ذَابِلَةٌ شِفَاهُهُمْ مِنَ اَلْقِيَامِ خَمِيصَةٌ بُطُونُهُمْ مُصْفَرَّةٌ أَلْوَانُهُمْ مُتَغَيِّرَةٌ وُجُوهُهُمْ إِذَا جَنَّهُمُ اَللَّيْلُ اِتَّخَذُوا اَلْأَرْضَ فِرَاشاً وَ اِسْتَقْبَلُوهَا بِجِبَاهِهِمْ بَاكِيَةٌ عُيُونُهُمْ كَثِيرَةٌ دُمُوعُهُمْ صَلاَتُهُمْ كَثِيرَةٌ وَ دُعَاؤُهُمْ كَثِيرٌ تِلاَوَتُهُمْ كِتَابَ اَللَّهِ يَفْرَحُونَ يَفْرَحُ اَلنَّاسُ وَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ.

Mohammed bin al-Hasan bin Ahmed bin al-Waleed, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to us from Mohammed bin al-Hasan as-Saffar from Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Barqi from Mohammed bin al-Hasan bin Shamoun from Abdullah bin Amr bin al-Ash’ath from Abdullah bin Hemmad al-Ansari from Abdullah bin Sinan from Amr bin Abi al-Miqdam from his father that Abu Ja’far (as) said: O Abu al-Miqdam, the Shia of Ali (as) are only the pale, the thin, and the feeble. Their lips are faded because of worship and their stomachs are atrophied. Their colors are pale and they are white-faced. When night comes upon them, they betake the ground as their bed and the direction of their foreheads. Their eyes are teary, their teardrops are heavy, and their prayers are very much. They recite the Book of Allah. When people are happy, they are grieved.

أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ يَرْفَعُهُ إِلَى أَحَدِهِمْ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ : بَعْضُكُمْ أَكْثَرُ صَلاَةً مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ بَعْضُكُمْ أَكْثَرُ حَجّاً مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ بَعْضُكُمْ أَكْثَرُ صَدَقَةً مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ بَعْضُكُمْ أَكْثَرُ صِيَاماً مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَ أَفْضَلُكُمْ أَفْضَلُ مَعْرِفَةً.

My father, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to us from Ahmed bin Idris from Mohammed bin Ahmed from Ibn Abi Umair that one of the Imams (a) said: Some of you offer more prayers than others do. Some perform the hajj more often than others do. Some give alms more than others do. Some observe the fasting more than others do. The best of you, however, are the most knowledgeable.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ اَلْمُتَوَكِّلِ رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلْحُسَيْنِ اَلسَّعْدَآبَادِيُّ عَنِ اَلْمُفَضَّلِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ ع إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ جَعْفَرٍ مَنْ عَفَّ بَطْنُهُ وَ فَرْجُهُ وَ اِشْتَدَّ جِهَادُهُ وَ عَمِلَ لِخَالِقِهِ وَ رَجَا ثَوَابَهُ وَ خَافَ عِقَابَهُ فَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ أُولَئِكَ فَأُولَئِكَ شِيعَةُ جَعْفَرٍ .

Mohammed bin Musa bin al-Mutawakkil, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to me from Ali bin al-Hussein as-Sa’dabadi from al-Barqi from his father from al-Mufaddhal that Abu Abdullah (a) said: The Shia of Ja’far are only those who abstain from the food and the sexual appetites, act diligently, work for the Creator, hope for gaining His reward, and fear from His punishment. If you see them, know that they are the Shia of Ja’far.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ اَلْوَلِيدِ رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ اَلْحَسَنِ اَلصَّفَّارُ عَنْ ظَرِيفِ بْنِ نَاصِحٍ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ : إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ ع اَلْمُتَبَاذِلُونَ فِي وَلاَيَتِنَا اَلْمُتَحَابُّونَ فِي مَوَدَّتِنَا اَلْمُتَزَاوِرُونَ لِإِحْيَاءِ أَمْرِنَا إِنْ غَضِبُوا لَمْ يَظْلِمُوا وَ إِنْ رَضُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا بَرَكَةٌ لِمَنْ جَاوَرُوا وَ سِلْمٌ لِمَنْ خَالَطُوا.

Mohammed bin al-Hasan bin Ahmed bin al-Waleed, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to me from Mohammed bin al-Hasan as-Saffar from al-Abbas bin Marouf from al-Hasan bin Ali bin Faddhal from Zharif bin Nasih… that Mohammed bin Ali (a) said: The Shia of Ali (a) are surely those who meet the needs of each other for the sake of (their loyalty to) our leadership, love each other for the sake of our cherishment, and exchange visits for the sake of proclaiming our affairs. They do not oppress when they are enraged and do not exaggerate when they are pleased. They are blessings for their neighbors and peace for their associates.

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى اَلْمُتَوَكِّلُ رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ اَلْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنِ اَلْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ : خَرَجَ عَلِيٌّ ع ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ وَ نَحْنُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ فَقَالَ مَنْ أَنْتُمْ وَ مَا اِجْتِمَاعُكُمْ فَقُلْنَا قَوْمٌ مِنْ شِيعَتِكَ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ مَا لِي لاَ أَرَى سِيمَاءَ اَلشِّيعَةِ عَلَيْكُمْ فَقُلْنَا وَ مَا سِيمَاءُ اَلشِّيعَةِ فَقَالَ ع صُفْرُ اَلْوُجُوهِ مِنْ صَلاَةِ اَللَّيْلِ عُمْشُ اَلْعُيُونِ مِنْ مَخَافَةِ اَللَّهِ ذُبُلُ اَلشِّفَاهِ مِنَ اَلصِّيَامِ عَلَيْهِمْ غَبَرَةُ اَلْخَاشِعِينَ .

Mohammed bin Musa bin al-Mutawakkil, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to me from Abdullah bin Ja’far al-Himyari from … al-Asbagh bin Nubata related: We were gathering when Amir ul-Mu’minin (a) went out and asked about the reason of our gathering. “We are your Shia, Amir ul-Mu’minin,” we answered. He said, “But I cannot see the marks of the Shia on your faces.” “What are the marks of the Shia?” asked we. He (a) spoke: The Shia are pale-faced because of staying up at nights for offering prayers, bleary-eyed because of fear of Allah, and dry-lipped because of fasting. The dust of the submissive covers them.

أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اَللَّهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ ع إِنَّمَا اَلْمُؤْمِنُ اَلَّذِي إِذَا غَضِبَ لَمْ يُخْرِجْهُ غَضَبُهُ مِنْ حَقٍّ وَ اَلَّذِي إِذَا رَضِيَ لَمْ يُدْخِلْهُ رِضَاهُ فِي اَلْبَاطِلِ وَ اَلَّذِي إِذَا قَدَرَ لَمْ يَأْخُذْ أَكْثَرَ من ماله مِمَّا لَهُ .

My father, Allah may have mercy upon him, narrated to us from Sa’d bin Abdullah… from Safwan bin Mehran that Abu Abdullah (a) said: The true believer is he whose rage does not take him out of the right and whose satisfaction does not enter him into the wrong. When he has power, he should not seize more than that which is his right.

وَ بِهَذَا اَلْإِسْنَادِ قَالَ : قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع لِجَابِرٍ يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّمَا شِيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ ع مَنْ لاَ يَعْدُو صَوْتُهُ سَمْعَهُ وَ لاَ شَحْنَاؤُهُ بَدَنَهُ لاَ يَمْدَحُ لَنَا قَالِياً وَ لاَ يُوَاصِلُ لَنَا مُبْغِضاً وَ لاَ يُجَالِسُ لَنَا عَائِباً شِيعَةُ عَلِيٍّ ع مَنْ لاَ يَهِرُّ هَرِيرَ اَلْكَلْبِ وَ لاَ يَطْمَعُ طَمَعَ اَلْغُرَابِ وَ لاَ يَسْأَلُ اَلنَّاسَ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ جُوعاً أُولَئِكَ اَلْخَفِيفَةُ عَيْشَتُهُمْ اَلْمُنْتَقِلَةُ دِيَارُهُمْ إِنْ شَهِدُوا لَمْ يُعْرَفُوا وَ إِنْ غَابُوا لَمْ يُفْتَقَدُوا وَ إِنْ مَرِضُوا لَمْ يُعَادُوا وَ إِنْ مَاتُوا لَمْ يُشْهَدُوا فِي قُبُورِهِمْ يَتَزَاوَرُونَ قُلْتُ وَ أَيْنَ أَطْلُبُ هَؤُلاَءِ قَالَ فِي أَطْرَافِ اَلْأَرْضِ بَيْنَ اَلْأَسْوَاقِ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى اَلْكََافِرِينَ .

The same previous series of narration… that Abu Ja’far (a) said to Jabir: O Jabir, the Shia of Ali (a) are only those whose voices do not exceed their hearings and detestation does not exceed their bodies. They do not praise those who abhor us, regard those who hate us, or associate with those who revile at us. The true Shia of Ali (a) do not bark like dogs, covet like craws, or beg people openly even if they starve. Their living is hardly sufficient. Their dwellings are roving. When they are present, they are not recognized. When they are absent, they are not missed. When they are ailed, nobody visit them. When they die, nobody participate in their funeral ceremonies. They exchange visits in their graves. Jabir asked: Where can I find such people? The Imam (a) answered: You will find them living in the outskirts and among the marts. They are the intendeds in Allah’s saying: They are humble towards the believers and dignified to the unbelievers. ( : )