أحمد بن " نوح بن " علي

“O Harith! You should not act as my enemy, if you like me. You should not play with me; overtake me; tease me; belittle me; quarrel with me or act proudly with me if you like me.”

tomb of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh was in Naubakhti area near which is a gate where the house of Ali Ibn Ahmad Naubakhti stood, which led to another gate and towards the bridge of Shawk. May Allah be pleased with him.

Lady Umme Kulthum (the daughter of the second deputy of the Imam of the Age) narrated to me, Abu Ja’far Ibn Abul Azaqir was a respectable man before the progeny of Bistam. That is because Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh had conferred much esteem and respect on him in front of the people. After his apostasy, Ibn Abul Azaqir would tell every lie, mischief and heresy to the progeny of Bistam, falsely quoting Shaykh Abul Qasim all the time. The house of Bistam would accept that from him and believe in him, until this came to the knowledge of Abul Qasim and he denied that and called attention to the enormity of the blasphemy and prohibited the progeny of Bistam from listening to him and ordered them to damn and denounce him. However, they did not listen and persisted on following Ibn Abi Azaqir. That was because he would tell them, “I have manifested the secret I had been sworn to secrecy. Therefore, I am being punished to be castigated from position of proximity, because this is a great position that only an Archangel or a great apostle or a tested believer can bear.” He would thus magnify his position and importance in their eyes. When Abul Qasim was informed of this, he wrote to the Bistams to curse him and express their disdain for him, his followers and devotees. When they received the letter, they showed it to him, but he wept profusely and said: “This message has a very profound secret dimension. The curse is banishment. The meaning of his word, May Allah curse him, is May Allah banish him from punishment and Fire. Now you know my position.” He touched the ground with his cheeks and said: “You must keep this matter a secret.” The lady said: I informed Shaykh Abul Qasim what the mother of Abu Ja’far Ibn Bistam had said one day when we were visiting her and she had received me with reverence and veneration, so much so that she fell on my feet to kiss them. I did not let her do that. I said: “Easy, my mistress, this is too much.” I fell on her hands and she cried. Then she said: “How would I not do that to you, while you are my mistress Fatima?” I asked, “How is that?” She said: “The Shaykh,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali “has confided a secret in us.” “And what is the secret’?” I asked her. “He asked us to hide it and I fear if I reveal it, I will be chastised.” I gave her my most solemn promises that I will not reveal it to anyone, while maintaining in my heart an exception for Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. She said: “The Shaykh Abu Ja’far told us that the spirit of the Messenger of Allah (s) has transferred into you father,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a.s). “And the spirit of Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s) has transferred into the body of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh; and the spirit of our mistress Fatima (a.s) has transferred into you. So how may I not revere you, O our lady?” I said: “Easy! Do not do this, for this is false, my lady.” “This is a great secret and we have been sworn not to reveal this to anyone. For Allah’s sake! For Allah’s sake! May I not deserve punishment!” She beseeched me, “My lady, if you hadn’t insisted, I would not have disclosed this to you or anyone.” Lady Umme Kulthum said: When I returned from her, I went to Shaykh Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh and recounted the event to him. He trusted my word and had confidence in my truthfulness. He said: “My daughter, beware not to go to this woman after this, and don’t accept any letter from her if she writes to you; or a messenger if she sends you one. Do not meet her after she said this. It is blasphemy against Allah and disbelief, which this accursed man has planted and strengthened in their hearts to pave way to the belief that Allah, the Sublime, has unified with him and has diffused into his body, as Christians say about Isa (a.s) and this amounts to the claim of Hallaj, may Allah curse him. I disassociated myself from the Bistams and stopped visiting them. I did not accept any pretense they offered, nor met their mother afterwards. Then this drift began in the children of Naubakht. Shaykh Abul Qasim approached and wrote to each and every one of them to curse Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani (Ibn Abil Azaqir) and express disdain for him and anyone who follows him, is pleased with his word, or converses with him, let alone loves him. Then the holy letter from the Master of the Age (a.s) came, having damnation for Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali, denunciation for him and anyone who followed him, abided by him and was pleased with his word and maintained his service after learning about this holy letter. There are many ugly stories and repulsive incidents about him that are not worthy of our book. Ibn Nuh and others have recorded these events. What led to Shalmaghani’s murder was that when Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh expressed his curse and made his farce public and denounced him and ordered all Shia to do the same, Ibn Abil Azaqir no longer was able to continue his trickery. In a gathering in which the chiefs of the Shia were present, and everyone was reporting his damnation and denunciation from Shaykh Abul Qasim, he said: “Bring me and him together, so I may hold his hand and he may hold my hand and we will see whether a fire does not descend from the heavens and sets him ablaze. Otherwise, everything he has said about me is true.” The news reached Razibillah, because this was in the house of Ibn Muqillah. He ordered his arrest and execution. Thus, he was killed and the Shia got relief from his mischief.

When Allah desired to unveil the affair of Hallaj and manifest his humiliation and to disgrace him, he thought that Abu Sahl Ibn Ismail Ibn Ali Naubakhti (a.s) was a person that could be deceived by his hoax and taken by his fraud. So he sent after him. Due to his sheer ignorance, he assumed that Abu Sahl is like the other weaklings in the matter of faith and reckoned that he could be drawn and tricked through his lunacies, and that by commanding Abu Sahl’s loyalty, he will be able to draw yet more followers on the virtue of Abu Sahl’s position in the view of people and his respectability in knowledge and literature. Hallaj sent a message to him, “I am the representative of the Master of the Age (a.s).” Through such a message he would first draw the ignorant people and then proceed to other claims. He stated, “I have been ordered to correspond with you and avail you with the help you desire, so your soul may find strength and you may not have doubts in the creed.” Abu Sahl wrote back, “I will ask you a rather minor thing in comparison to the signs and proofs that have been manifested on your hands. I am a man who is fond of women and love to have playful talks with them. I have a number of concubines, but I cannot copulate with all of them. Age and grey hair has created a distance between me and them. I need to dye my hair and beard every Friday, which is a severely laborious work, in order to conceal it from them, lest my condition will be revealed to them and my proximity from them will change to distance and my union into separation. I want you to remove this need of mine of dyeing and suffice me its labor and make my beard black. I will obey you and come to you and believe in you. I will be a preacher of your faith, considering my ingenuity in this matter and your help in that regard.” When Hallaj got this message, he realized that his call to him had been a blunder. He did not reply and did not send him any messenger. On the other hand, Abu Sahl made Hallaj the subject of his talks and jests. He would make jokes of him before everyone. He spread this incident to every young and old, and this led to the revelation of Hallaj’s blasphemous enterprise and the disassociation of the community from him.

H 369 - Ibn Nuh, Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said: Muhammad Ibn Nasir Numairi was from the companions of Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s). And when Abu Muhammad was transferred to his eternal abode, Muhammad claimed the position of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman, that is, he claimed that he was the deputy of the Imam of the Age. He claimed “Babiyya,” that is, to be a gateway to the Imam. Allah disgraced and humiliated him through blasphemy and ignorance, which he manifested, and through the curse of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman and his dislike and denunciation of him. He claimed this position after Shari.

I discovered the first letter that came from Abul Qasim with the handwriting of Muhammad Ibn Nafis, amongst the things he wrote in Ahwaz: “We know him, may Allah let him know all that is good, and His pleasure, and may He render him fortuitous by success. We came across his letter. He is our man of trust on the position he is. He is before us in the position and rank that please him. May Allah increase His favors upon him; He is the All-Mighty Guardian. And praise belongs to Allah; there is no partner for Him. And may Allah bless His Messenger Muhammad and his House and greet them with many greetings.” This letter arrived on Sunday, when six nights were left from Shawwal of the year three hundred and five.

Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari had a number of books. He had written them on the subject of jurisprudence on the basis of his learning from Abu Muhammad Hasan (a.s) and the Patron (a.s) and from his father, Uthman Ibn Saeed, who had procured his knowledge from Abu Muhammad and from Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s). They included books titled: The Books of Drinks. Kabira, mother of Kulthum, daughter of Abu Ja’far mentioned that the books reached Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh at the time of the final will to him and remained in his possession. Abu Nasr says: I suspect she said that they reached Abul Hasan Saymooria afterwards.

“If something happens, who will take your place?” He said, ‘This, Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh Ibn Abi Ja’far Naubakhti will take my place and will be the emissary between you and the Master of the Affair. He will be his representative and he is a reliable and honest man. Refer to him in your affairs and trust him in your vital matters. I have been ordered to that and I conveyed the message.”

When Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh sent the letter of the Imam that cursed Ibn Abi Azaqir, he sent it from where he was in jail in the house of Muqtadir Abbaside to our Shaykh, Abu Ali Ibn Himam in Dhul Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali copied the letter and told me that Abul Qasim has suggested to the Imam not to make this epistle public; as he was in the hands of the supporters of Muqtadir in their prison, but he was ordered to disclose it and not to fear and assured that he will be safe. Thus he was freed from the prison a short while after that. Praise be to Allah.

the holy letter came through Husain Ibn Rauh about Shalmaghani. He sent a copy thereof to Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Ibn Nuh said: Abul Fath Ahmad Ibn Zakka, the ally of Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Furat said: Abu Ali Ibn Himam Ibn Suhail informed us about the holy letter that came in Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Ja’far Ismail Ibn Salih Saymoori said: Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh sent it from the house of Muqtadir to our Shaykh Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali dictated the letter to me and told me that Abul Qasim is no longer bound not to express denunciation of Shalmaghani. He is in the hands of the people and their captive. He was ordered to denounce and not to fear and will be safe. He was released soon after that. All praise belongs to Allah. Reminder: There are minor differences in different versions of this epistle and while translating it, we have reconciled them. The opening lines of the epistle quoted through someone other than Saymoori are as follows: Inform our brothers, may the Almighty Allah make them succeed, about whose faith you are assured… Following is mentioned in the report of Saymoori: “May Allah prolong your life, and may He let you know all good, and may He eventuate your actions with a good end. In the report of Ibn Dawood it is mentioned: Let everyone from our brothers know, whose religiosity you trust and whose sincerity you are confident to know, may Allah make you all fortuitous: The epistle continues, which is same in all versions as follows: Muhammad Ibn Ali known as Shalmaghani, may God hasten His punishment to him and may He respite him not, has abandoned and deserted Islam. He has blasphemed the religion of Allah and made claims that amount to disbelief and denial of the Creator. He has weaved lies and falsehood. He has spoken dishonestly and committed a grave sinister act. Those who associate with God are liars; they have trodden far in misguidance and have sustained a palpable loss. We have turned away with repulsion from this person to Allah, the High, and to His Messenger and household, unto them be the blessings of Allah and His peace, mercy and grace. We have, in public and private, in secrecy and in open, and in every time and condition, invoked continuous damnations of God for him and for anyone who follows him and pledges allegiance to him, or hears this word of ours and remains steadfast in his devotion to him. Let them know that we shun him. After ‘Let them know’ Saymoori has mentioned ‘may Allah enhance your honor’ and Ibn Dawood has instead mentioned ‘we shun his friendship’. Harun says: The last sentence was as follows: Inform that we shun him and stay away with disdain from this person. Ibn Dawood and Harun say: After that is the sentence: We shun him like we had previously shunned others like them. Saymoori in place of this sentence has narrated as follows: ‘On the basis of that which we previously did with regard to those like him and condemned them’, and Ibn Zaka has quoted like Saymoori. The blessed epistle continues as follows and is same in all versions: [We curse him] He is like Shari, ­Numairi, Hilali, Bilali and others. The practice of Allah, the Mighty and the High is that He accepts our supplication or curse. And Ibn Dawood and Harun have said: After ‘practice of Allah’ it is mentioned ‘majestic His praise is’ but the words of ‘practice of Allah’ is mentioned in all versions. After that it is mentioned ‘the practice of the Almighty Allah with this, prior to this and after this, is beautiful to us. In Him we have trust, from Him we seek help, and He is sufficient for us in all our affairs and He is the best caretaker.” Harun says: Abu Ali took this epistle and read it out to all the elders of society. After that he made copies of the same and sent to all the towns. Due to this, it became well known among Shia and all of them reached consensus in cursing him. He was killed in 323 A.H.

H 340 - Ibn Nuh said: Abu Abdullah Husain Ibn Ali Ibn Babawayh met us in Basra in Rabiul Awwal of the year three hundred and seventy eight. He said: I heard the Alawi lady of Saffar and Husain Ibn Ahmad Ibn Idris mentioning the following narrative that they were present in Baghdad during that year and witnessed this matter [mentioned in the above report].

A Tawqi came out from al-Husayn b. Ruh about al-Shalmaghani, its copy was sent to Abi Ali b. Hammam in Dhil Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve. Ibn Nuh from Abu al-Fath Ahmad b. Dhaka – the client of Ali b. Muhammad b. al-Furat رحمه الله – who said: Abu Ali b. Hammam b. Suhayl informed us of the Tawqi which came out in Dhi al-Hijja in the year three hundred and twelve. Muhammad b. al-Hasan b. Ja’far b. Ismail b. Salih al-Saymari who said: the Shaykh al-Husayn b. Ruh رضي الله عنه sent [a Tawqi] from his detention at the palace of al-Muqtadir to our Shaykh Abi Ali b. Hammam in Dhi al-Hijja the year three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali proceeded to dictate it to me and informed me that Aba al-Qasim had retracted his original decision not to publicize it, for even though he was in the hands of the group and under arrest but he was ordered [by the Twelfth Imam] to publicize it, and that he should not fear but feel secure, consequently he was freed and was released from detention a short while after that and all praise belongs to Allah. The text of the Tawqi (of the Twelfth Imam): (O Abu Ali b. Hammam) may He (Allah) lengthen your stay, make you know good in its totality and end by it (good) your works [al-Saymari: may He make you know good] – Inform the one whose religion you trust and whose intention you are confident of among our brothers – may Allah make you (pl.) successful [Ibn Dawud: may Allah perpetuate your (pl.) successes] that Muhammad b. Ali famously known as al-Shalmaghani [Ibn Dawud added: and he is one of those to whom Allah has hastened the wrath and has not given any respite] has apostasized from Islam and left it. He has introduced heresy in the religion of Allah and has disbelieved in the Creator Mighty and Elevated because of what he has claimed [Harun: in what he has claimed]. He has foisted a lie and a falsehood. He has uttered a mendacious imputation and a grievous sin [Harun: grievous matter]. The comparers with Allah have lied and have have gone far astray and have suffered a manifest loss. We have disassociated to Allah the Elevated and His messenger and his family صلوات الله وسلامه ورحمته وبركاته عليهم from him, and have cursed him – the curses of Allah be upon him [Ibn Dawud added: one after the other in succession] – both in the apparent and internally, in secret and in open, all the time, and in all conditions. May it also be upon anyone who allies with him or follows him or to whom reaches this statement and yet continues considering him an authority. Inform them [al-Saymari: may Allah be your guardian] [Ibn Dhaka said: may Allah strengthen you] that we are on our guard [Ibn Dawud: know that we are on guard towards him] [Harun said: inform them that we are on guard] and precautious of him [Ibn Dawud and Harun then add: the way those who came before us had been towards his predecessors] [al-Saymari: the way we were towards the likes of him who preceded him] [Ibn Dhaka said: the way one of us who came before was towards his ilk] such as al-Shari’i, al-Numayri, al-Hilali, al-Bilali and others. Despite this, the practice of Allah [Ibn Dawud and Harun added: Majestic is His praise] in our estimation has always been beautiful, both before him and after him, in Him we trust, and from Him do we seek aid, and He is sufficient for us in all our affairs and the best disposer. Harun said: Abu Ali took this Tawqi and did not leave a single one of the Shuyukh except that he read it to him, and it was written down from them from his copy in the rest of the towns. It became famous in the sect which united in cursing and disavowing him [i.e. al-Shalmaghani].

Some Shia people differ whether Allah had delegated creation and sustenance to the Imams (a.s) or not. Some say: It is impossible and not allowed for Him to do that, since only Almighty Allah can create bodies; whereas some say: Allah, the Mighty and the High has made the Holy Imams (a.s) capable for this matter and delegated them, therefore they create and sustain by the permission of Allah. In any case, there arose a great dispute regarding this matter. Meanwhile someone said: Why don’t we refer to Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Uthman Amari [special deputy of Imam] and ask him about it, so that the true belief becomes clear, since he is channel of access to Imam Mahdi (a.s)? All gave consent for referring to Abu Ja’far and accepted his invitation. On the basis of this they wrote the question and sent it to him, so that he may get its reply from Imam (a.s). The following epistle was issued in reply: Indeed, it is Allah, the Mighty and the High, who has created the bodies and distributed sustenance in such a way that He is neither having a body nor has transmigrated into a body. There is nothing, which resembles Him and He is the hearer and the Wise. And as for the Imam (a.s), they request Almighty Allah and Allah, the Mighty and the High creates. They beg from Him and Almighty Allah bestows sustenance. That is Almighty Allah fulfills their request due to the greatness of their right.

a man had at that time recounted that Abul Hasan Ibn Babawayh has three sons. Muhammad and Husain are very adept jurists and they learn what other people of Qom cannot. They have a brother whose name is Hasan. He is the middle brother and has devoted himself to worship and piety and does not mix with people. He is not a jurist. Whenever the two sons of Abul Hasan narrate something, people are amazed by their learning and they say, “This is by the blessing of the Imam.” This is a very well-known matter in Qom.

I heard Ruh Ibn Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh say: When Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani prepared the book of Kitabul Taklif, Shaykh Abul Qasim said: “Bring it, so that I may see it.” They brought him the book and he read it from beginning to end. He said: “There is nothing therein, but he has narrated from the Imams in two or three instances, in the narration of which he has lied about them. May Allah curse him.”

I came to Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a.s) on a certain day to offer him my greetings. He was there and in front of him was a square frame of oak and an inscriber who was inscribing on it and writing verses of Quran and names of the Holy Imams on its sides. I asked him, “What is this tablet for, my master?” He said: “This is for my grave; it will be in it.” He said either, “I will be placed over it” or, “I will be raised over it.” Then he said: “I am done with it, and every day, I descend into it and recite a part of Quran and come back.” Abu Ali Ibn Abi Jayyed Qummi says, I also think he said: Abu Ja’far Ibn Uthman (a.s) took my hand and showed his tomb to me. He told me that on such and such day of such and such month of such and such year, I will go towards Allah, the Exalted, and will be buried here, and this frame of oak will be with me.” When I came out from his place, all his providential sayings came true. I was constantly watching his state. It was not long that he became ill and then died on the very day of the month and the year he had confided in me; and he was buried there. Abu Nasr Hibatullah says: I heard this narration from someone other than Abu Ali and in the same way Umme Kulthum binte Abi Ja’far has also narrated it to me.

grave of Abul Hasan Saymoori is in the street known as Khalanji on the quarter of the gate of Muhawwal, near the banks of the stream of Abu Attab. He mentioned that he died in the year three hundred and twenty nine.

“It was my practice that when I carried religious dues that were in my hands to Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari I would say to him something no one else said its like, This money, the amount of which is such and such, belongs to the Imam (a.s). He would say, “Yes, leave it.” I would return and say, “Tell me it belongs to the Imam.” And he would say, “Yes, it belongs to the Imam (a.s),” and then he would take it. The last time I saw him, I went to him with four hundred dinars. I talked to him as my custom was. He said, “Take it to Husain Ibn Rauh.” I paused and said: “You will take it from me like every time.” He turned me down like a stranger to my words and said: “Go, may Allah keep you well, and give them to Husain Ibn Rauh.” As I saw anger on his face, I moved and climbed on my mount. I had gone some distance that I had doubts, so I returned and knocked on the door. The servant came and asked, “Who are you?” I told him my name. He went inside and sought permission for my entry and came back, turning me down. I said, “Go and ask permission for me. I must see him.” He went inside and told him about my return. He had gone to the women’s quarters. He came out and sat over a bunk, while his feet were on the ground. He was wearing Arabian slippers, whose beauty was due to good looks of his feet. He asked, “What prompted you to return? And why didn’t you do what I told you to?” I said: “I did not dare do what you asked me to.” He called on me as he was angry, “Go, may Allah keep you well, for I have raised Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh to my position and have assigned him my chair.” I asked, “By the order of the Imam?” He said: “Go, may Allah keep you well. It is as I told you.” I did not have any option, but to leave. I went to Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh. He was in a narrow house. I related to him what had happened. He was pleased and thanked Allah, the Exalted. I gave him the dinars. I kept submitting all my religious dues to him after that.