عبد الله بن عباس

I heard the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny say: "Four of us will be the riders on the Day of Resurrection and none other." So someone asked: "My father and mother be your ransom, who are the riders?" He said: "I will be riding al-Buraq, and my brother Swaleh will be mounting the god-sent she-camel which was hamstrung by his people, and my daughter Fatimah will be on my bright she-camel, and ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, who will ride one of the she-camels of Paradise, whose bridle will be of fresh pearls, whose eyes will of ruby, whose stomach will of green aquamarine; upon the camel will be cupola of translucent pearls, so that its exterior will be visible from within, and her interior will be seen from outside. Its exterior will be from the mercy of Allah, and its interior will be from His grace. She will be fast as she advances, and also as she retracts. He will be ahead of me. There will be a crown of light on his head, a crown which will give light to all assembled. It will have seventy corners, each shining like a brilliant star in the heaven; and in his hands will be the praised standard, and he will set forth announcing: ’There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.’ And he will pass among the angels, they will say: ’He must be from the sent Prophets.’ And as he will pass by the Prophets, they will say: ’He must be an angel nearest to Allah.’ And then it will be announced from inside the Throne: ’O people! He is neither an angel nearest to Allah, nor a sent Prophet, nor a carrier of the Throne. He is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib.’ Then his Shi’ahs will follow, and it will be announced: ’Who are you?’ They will say: ’We are the partisans of ‘Ali.’ The answer will come: ’O partisans of ‘Ali, you are secure; enter the Paradise and be with those who you loved."

When the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, passed away, Amirul Mu’mineen ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, together with al-Abbas and al-Fadhl ibn al-Abbas, washed him. And when they had finished washing him, he (‘Ali) removed the wrap-cloth from his face and said: "My father and my mother be your ransom, you have been pure in your life and in your death. With your passing away, there has been a cessation, which has no parallel in anyone else’s death; the cessation of Prophethood and the Divine revelations. You are so exalted that, your death has become a source of solace and consolation for all other bereavements and (at the same time) your death has such a common aspect, that all men all equally grieved by it. And, had it not been that you ordered forbearance and forbade restless grief, we would have shed incessant tears over you. (But deep sorrow and grief, both are too trivial to give any consolation on your parting). May my father and my mother be your ransom, do remember us (well) when you are in the presence of your Sustainer, and keep us in your mind." Then he fell over him, kissed his face and drew the cloth over him.

`Ata’ b. al-Sa’ib informed me from Sa`id b. Jubayr from Ibn `Abbas. He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said, when mentioning the virtues of Sha`ban to his companions with him: [This] month is honourable, and it is my month. The carriers of the Throne magnify it and recognize its right. It is a month in which the sustenance of the believers is increased, like the month of Ramadan. In it, Paradise is adorned. Surely, it was called Sha`ban because the sustenance of the believers branches out (tatasha`ab) therein. It is a month in which good deeds are doubled, rewards are seventyfold, evil deeds are rubbed away, sins are forgiven, good deeds are accepted, and the Powerful [God] boasts about His worshipers – He looks to those fasting and standing in prayer, and He boasts to the carriers of the Throne. So, `Ali b. Abi Talib (as) stood and said: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! Describe something of its virtue so that it may increase our desire to fast and stand in prayer in it; and strive for His Majesty in it. So, the Prophet (s) said: Whoever fasts the first day of Sha`ban, Allah will record seventy deeds for him – each deed will be equivalent to one year of worship. Whoever fasts two days in Sha`ban, a perilous sin will be rubbed away for him. Whoever fasts three days in Sha`ban will be raised by seventy levels in a Paradise of pearls and rubies. Whoever fasts four days in Sha`ban, his sustenance will be widened for him. Whoever fasts five days in Sha`ban will be beloved among the worshipers. Whoever fasts six days in Sha`ban will be spared from seventy types of calamity. Whoever fasts seven days in Sha`ban will be protected from Iblis and his soldiers during his lifetime. Whoever fasts eight days in Sha`ban will not leave this world until he is made to drink from the Holy Ponds [of Paradise]. Whoever fasts nine days in Sha`ban, Munkar and Nakir will be gentle with him during the questioning. Whoever fasts ten days from Sha`ban, Allah will widen his grave by seventy armlengths. Whoever fasts eleven days in Sha`ban will have eleven towers of light upon his grave. Whoever fasts twelve days in Sha`ban, his grave will be visited by ninety-thousand angels everyday until the Trumpet is blown. Whoever fasts thirteen days in Sha`ban, the angels of the seven heavens will pray for forgiveness on his behalf. Whoever fasts fourteen days in Sha`ban, the creatures, the lions, and even the whales of the oceans will be inspired to pray for forgiveness on his behalf. Whoever fasts fifteen days in Sha`ban, the Lord of Glory will call to him: “By My majesty and My glory! I will not burn you in the Fire.” Whoever fasts sixteen days in Sha`ban, seventy oceans of the fire of Hell will be extinguished from him. Whoever fasts seventeen days in Sha`ban, all the doors of Hell will be locked from him. Whoever fasts eighteen days in Sha`ban, all the doors of Paradise will be opened for him. Whoever fasts nineteen days in Sha`ban will be given seventy thousand palaces of pearl and ruby in Paradise. Whoever fasts twenty days in Sha`ban will marry seventy thousand houris. Whoever fasts twenty-one days in Sha`ban will be welcomed by the angels; and they will wipe their wings on him. Whoever fasts twenty-two days in Sha`ban will wear seventy garments of silk and brocade. Whoever fasts twenty-three days in Sha`ban will be given a [riding] creature of light when he comes out of his grave, with which he will ride and fly to Paradise. Whoever fasts twenty-four days in Sha`ban will intercede for seventy-thousand monotheists. Whoever fasts twenty-five days in Sha`ban will be made to dissociate from hypocrisy. Whoever fasts twenty-six days in Sha`ban, Allah will write a permit for him for the Path. Whoever fasts twenty-seven days in Sha`ban, Allah will dissociate him from the Fire. Whoever fasts twenty-eight days in Sha`ban, his face will glow on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever fasts twenty-nine days in Sha`ban will receive the great pleasure of Allah. Whoever fasts thirty days from Sha`ban, Gabriel will call to him from before the Throne: “O you! Start your deeds anew, for Allah has forgiven your past and future sins”. The Majestic [God] will say: “If you had as many sins as there were stars in the sky, droplets of rain, leaves on trees, grains of sand and dust, and days in the world, I would have forgiven them for you; for there is nothing too great for Allah after your fasting of the month of Sha`ban.” Ibn `Abbas said: This is for the month of Sha`ban.

Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "Listen and obey those whom Allah has granted the authority - for that is the system of Islam."

Khalid al-Hadha’ informed us from Abi Qilaba `Abdullah b. Zayd al-Jarmi from Ibn `Abbas. He said: When the Messenger of Allah (s) became ill, and his companions were with him, `Ammar b. Yasir (ra) went to him and said to him: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah – which one of us will give you your funeral bath if this (death) were to happen? He said: That is `Ali b. Abi Talib, for he will have no concern for any part of my body except that the angels will assist him in that. So, he said to him: May my mother and my father be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah – which one of us will pray over you if this were to happen? He said: Cease; may Allah have mercy on you. Then, he said to `Ali (as): O Ibn Abi Talib! Once you see that my spirit has departed from my body, then bathe me carefully, and shroud me with these two for my burial. Do not make my shroud extravagant. Then, carry me until you place me at the edge of my grave. The first one who will pray over me is the Powerful [God] from above His Throne. Then, Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil [will pray over me] among angelic soldiers – none can enumerate them except Allah. Then, those that encircle the Throne, then, the inhabitants of heaven. Then, my Ahl al-Bayt and the women who are near [to me] – they should gesture with a nod and give their salaam, and they should not harm me with a mournful or despondent voice. Then, he said: O Bilal! Gather the people for me. So, he gathered the people. The Messenger of Allah (s) went out grasping his turban and leaning on his bow, until he climbed the pulpit. He praised Allah and commended Him, then said: O my companions! What kind of a prophet was I to you! Did I not fight alongside you? Did I not break my tooth [in the Battle of Uhud]? Did my forehead not get dusty? Did blood not run down on my hot face until it covered my beard? Did I not suffer hardship and difficulty with the ignorant of my nation? Did I not tie a painful stone to my stomach? They said: Of course, O Messenger of Allah. You were patient for Allah, and you prohibited the things Allah deemed immoral. We [pray that] Allah grants you the best of rewards. He said: May Allah reward you too. Then, he said: Surely, my Lord ruled and declared that no wrongdoing of an oppressor will go unaddressed by Him. So, I adjure you by Allah – which of you men have experienced a wrongdoing from Muhammad so that I may expiate for him? Expiation in the abode of this world is dearer to me than expiation (punishment) in the abode of the Hereafter upon the heads of the angels and the prophets. So, a man called Suwada b. Qays, who was from the furthest part of the community, came to him and said to him: May my mother and my father be your sacrifice, O Messenger of Allah! When you proceeded from Ta’if, I met you whilst you were upon your she-camel al-`Ada’. In your hand was a long pole. You raised the pole – and you had wanted to disembark – and it hit my stomach. I do not know if it was done intentionally or by accident. So, he said: God forbid that it was intentional. Then, he said: O Bilal! Go to the house of Fatima and bring me the long pole. So, Bilal went and called out in the middle of Medina: O people! Which of you gives expiation for others before the Day of Resurrection? This Muhammad (s) gives expiation for others before the Day of Resurrection! Then, Bilal knocked on the door of Fatima (sa), saying: O Fatima! Stand up, for your father wants the long pole. So, Fatima (sa) came forward, saying: O Bilal! What will my father do with the pole, when this is not a day for the pole? So, Bilal said: O Fatima! Do you not know that your father has climbed the pulpit to bid farewell to the people of the religion and this world?! So, Fatima (sa) screamed, saying: How overwhelming is your grief, father! Who will be there for the poor, the needy, and the wayfarers, O Beloved of Allah, and O beloved of the hearts? Then, she gave him the pole, and he went out until he gave it to the Messenger of Allah (s). So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Where is the elder? So, the elder said: I am here, O Messenger of Allah – may my father and my mother be your sacrifice. So, he said: Come and seek expiation from me until you are satisfied. So, the elder said: Uncover your stomach for me, O Messenger of Allah. So, he (s) uncovered his stomach. The elder said: May my mother and my father be your sacrifice, O Messenger of Allah! Do you permit me to place my lips on your stomach? So, he permitted him. So, he said: I seek refuge from the Fire on the Day of the Fire for the place of expiation on the stomach of the Messenger of Allah. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: O Suwada b. Qays! Will you forgive me, or will you seek expiation? So, he said: Rather, I will forgive, O Messenger of Allah. So, he (s) said: O Allah! Forgive Suwada b. Qays just as he forgave Your Prophet, Muhammad. Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) stood up and entered the house of Umm Salama, saying: O Lord! Safeguard the Nation of Muhammad from the Fire and ease the Judgment for them. So, Umm Salama said: O Messenger of Allah! Why do I see that you are gloomy, and that your colour has changed?! So, he said: I mourn for myself at this hour. Peace be unto you from me in this world, for you will never hear the voice of Muhammad again after this today. So, Umm Salama said: O grief! You do not realize the sorrow over you, Muhammad. Then, he (s) said: Call for the love of my heart and the joy of my eye Fatima to come. So, Fatima (sa) came, saying: May my self be sacrificed for your self! May my face be a shield for yours. Will you not speak to me? For surely, I am looking at you and I see that you are leaving this world, and that the soldiers of death have overcome you intensely. So, he said to her: O daughter! I am departing from you, so peace be unto you from me. She said: O father! Where shall I meet you on the Day of Resurrection? He said: At the Judgment. She said: What if I do not find you at the Judgment? He said: [Then] at the intercession for my Nation. She said: What if I do not find you at the intercession for your Nation? He said: At the Path, with Gabriel on my right, Michael on my left, and the angels behind me and before me calling out: “O Lord! Safeguard the Nation of Muhammad from the Fire and ease the Judgment for them.” So, Fatima (sa) said: Where is my mother Khadija? He said: In a palace that has four gates to Paradise. Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) swooned. Bilal entered, saying: Prayer [time] – may Allah have mercy on you. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) went out and led the people in prayer. He lightened the prayer, then said: Call for `Ali b. Abi Talib and Usama b. Zayd for me. They came, and he (s) put one hand on the shoulder of `Ali (as) and one hand on the shoulder of Usama. Then, he said: Come with me to Fatima. So, they went with him until he put his head in her lap. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn (as) wept and screamed, saying: May we sacrifice our selves for your self! May our faces be a shield for yours. So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Who are these, `Ali? He said: These are your two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn. So, he embraced them and kissed them both. Al-Hasan (as) was weeping more intensely, so he said to him: Stop, Hasan, for you have broken [the heart] of the Messenger of Allah. Then, the Angel of Death (as) came down and said: Peace be unto you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: And also with you, O Angel of Death. I have a need from you. He said: What is your need, O Prophet of Allah? He said: My need is that my spirit is not taken until Gabriel (as) comes to me and gives his salaam to me and I give my salaam to him. So, the Angel of Truth went out, saying: O Muhammad! I will meet Gabriel in the air. So, he said: O Angel of Death! Did you take the spirit of Muhammad? He said: No, Gabriel. He asked me to not take his spirit until he meets you, receives your salaam, and gives his salaam. So, Gabriel said: O Angel of Death! Do you not see that the gates of Paradise are open for the spirit of Muhammad? Do you not see that the houris have adorned [themselves] for the spirit of Muhammad? Then, Gabriel (as) came down and said: Peace be unto you, Aba’l Qasim. So, he said: And also with you, Gabriel. Come closer to me, my beloved Gabriel. So, he came closer to him. Then, the Angel of Death came down. Gabriel said to him: O Angel of Death! Uphold the will of Allah with regards to the spirit of Muhammad. Gabriel was to his right, Michael was to his left, and the Angel of Death took his spirit (s). When the veil was lifted from the face of the Messenger of Allah (s), he looked to Gabriel (as) and said to him: Adversity has befallen me! So, he said: O Muhammad! Surely, you are dead, and they are dead. Every soul shall taste death. Ibn `Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s) would say during that illness: Bring my beloved to me. So, they would bring man after man, and he would turn them away. So, it was said to Fatima (sa): bring `Ali. We did not see that the Messenger of Allah (s) wanted anyone other than `Ali (as). So, Fatima sent for `Ali (as). When he entered, the Messenger of Allah (s) opened his eyes and his face lit up. Then, he said: To me, `Ali; to me, `Ali. He (s) did not stop getting closer to him until he took his hand and sat him down at his head. Then, he fainted. Then, al-Hasan and al-Husayn (as) came, screamed, and wept until they embraced the Messenger of Allah (s). `Ali (as) wanted to stop them, but the Messenger of Allah (s) awoke and said: O `Ali! Let me smell them and let them smell me. Let me seek contentment through them and let them seek contentment through me. Surely, they will be wronged after me, and they will be killed unjustly. So, may the curse of Allah be upon those who oppress them. He said this three times. Then, he reached his hand out to `Ali (as), and he pulled him beneath the garment that was on him. He put his mouth to his ear and whispered a prolonged whispering to him; till his pure spirit left him (s). Then, `Ali (as) came out from beneath his garments and said: May Allah make your rewards grand with regards to your Prophet, for Allah has brought him to Himself. Then, the voices rose in clamour and weeping. Then, it was said to Amir al-Mu’minin (as): What did the Messenger of Allah (s) whisper to you when you were beneath his garments? So, he said: He taught me one thousand doors, each door of which opens another thousand doors.

The Messenger of Allah (s) was sitting one day, and with him was `Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn (as). So, he said: O Allah! You know that these are my Ahl al-Bayt, and the dearest of people to me, so love those who love them, hate those who hate them, align with those who align with them, oppose those who oppose them, and support those who support them. Purify them from every uncleanliness and protect them from every sin. Aid them with the Holy Spirit. Then, he (s) said: O `Ali! You are the Imam of my Nation and my vicegerent over them after me. You lead the believers to Paradise. It is as though I am looking at my daughter Fatima while she proceeds on the Day of Resurrection on a highborn [camel] of light. To her right will be seventy thousand angels, and to her left will be seventy thousand angels. She will lead the believing women of my Nation to Paradise. Whichever woman prays five times per day and night, fasts the month of Ramadan, makes pilgrimage to the Sacred House of Allah, gives the zakat of her wealth, obeys her husband, and aligns with `Ali after me will enter Paradise by the intercession of my daughter Fatima. She is the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds. So, it was said to him: O Messenger of Allah! Is she the Mistress of the Women of her world? So, the Prophet (s) said: That is Maryam bt. `Imran. As for my daughter Fatima, she is the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, from the beginning to the end. She will stand from her prayer niche, and seventy thousand angels from the Angels of Proximity will deliver their salaam to her. They would call to her just as the angels called to Maryam; and they will say, “Surely, Allah has chosen you, purified you, and chosen you above the women of the worlds.” (3:42) Then, he turned to `Ali (as) and said: O `Ali! Surely, Fatima is a part of me. She is the light of my eye and the fruit of my heart. Whatever harms her harms me, and whatever gives her joy gives me joy. She is the first who will follow me from my Ahl al-Bayt, so be good to her after me. As for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, they are my two sons and my two sweet basils. They are the Masters of the Youth of Paradise. So, let them honour you just like your hearing and your sight. Then, he (s) raised his hand to the sky and said: O Allah! I bear witness to You that I love whoever loves them, hate whoever hates them; I am at peace with whoever is at peace with them, I am at war with whoever is at war with them, I oppose whoever opposes them, and I align with whoever aligns with them.

The Messenger of Allah (s) ordered for the doors of the Mosque be closed except for the door of `Ali (as).

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Love Allah when He nurtures you with His blessings. Love me for the sake of Allah’s love. Love my Ahl al-Bayt for the sake of my love.

When the delegation of Ayad called upon the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, he asked them: "What happened to Quss ibn Sa’edah?" They said: "O Prophet of Allah! he died." The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, said: "May Allah bless Quss ibn Sa’edah with mercy, it is as if I am looking at him in the marketplace of Ukkaz, seated on the grey camel. He spoke very pleasently, which I did not try to remember." A man from the delegation said: "I have memorized it, O, Prophet of Allah! I heard him say at Ukkaz: "O people! Hear, listen and remember (me). He who lives must die, and he who dies loses the opportunity (for acts). And all that is expected will soon occur. (Ponder upon) the dark night and the heavens full of constellations, and swelling seas and the gleaming stars and the rains and the vegetation and the fathers and the mothers, and those who go and those who come, and the light and the darkness and the good and the evil, and the clothes and attire and that which you ride, eat and drink! Surely, there is a heavenly news in the sky, and no doubt there are lessons to draw from (the events on) the earth. How come I see men go and never return? Is it because they liked the place there, therefore they stayed? Or were they left so they fell asleep? Quss ibn Sae’dah swears by Allah, a solemn oath which has no blemish. There is no religion, which Allah likes more than the one whose duration overwhelms you and which covers your period (in all its aspects). Blessed are those who will find the bringer of that faith and then follow him, and woe unto him who will find him but reject him." Then he said: "The early ones who have gone away since centuries, in them there are examples for us; When I saw that death has departures, with none to be stopped or returned. And I saw my people going towards it - all, big and small ones. The bygone does not return to you, nor anyone from ancient times, I am certain that quite inevitably, I will be gone, the way the people have gone." Then the Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny said: "Allah may bless Quss ibn Sa’edah with mercy. I hope he will rise on the Day of Resurrection as a single model (of virtue)." The man from the delegation said: "O Prophet of Allah! I saw something amazing about Quss." He (i.e. the Prophet) asked: "What was that?" He said: One day, as I was standing near a mountain in our district called Sam’aan, on an extremely hot summer day, I saw Quss ibn Sa’edah standing under the shadow of a tree, and there was a stream flowing. Around the stream were several animals that had arrived to drink. There a wild animal jostled another with its paw. Quss hit him with his hands and said: "Wait till the one who has come before you has finished drinking." When I saw him, and the animals around him, I felt frightened. He said: "You do not have to worry. Do not fear, Allah willing." Then I came across two graves with a mosque in between. When I became close to him, I asked about those two graves. He said: "These are of my two companions who were worshipping Allah here with me. They died, I buried them here and erected a mosque between them, so that I could pray in it till such time when I join them." Then he reminisced the old days with them and talked of what they did. Then he wept and said: "Rise, O my two friends, You have indeed slept for long. I find that you have still not finished your slumber. Do you not know that I am alone at Sam’aan? and I do not have anyone who I loved except you two? I shall stand by your graves, not departing, the whole night long, till I hear your voices, I shall weep over you as long as I live, and who is there to answer to one who laments, weeping? As if you two and death are the two sole objectives for my soul in my grave, the same way as it came upon you. And if a soul could act as a shield for another soul, I would have offered my soul to be your ransom."

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: The nobles of my Nation are those who carry the Quran and the companions of the night [prayer].

I heard my father al-`Abbas narrate, saying: When `Abdullah was born to `Abd al-Muttalib, we saw an illuminating light in his face, like the light of the Sun. So, my father said: This boy will have an exalted matter. He said: So, I saw in my dream that a white bird emerged from his nose, flew, and reached the East and the West. Then, it returned and perched on the roof of the Ka`ba. Then, all the people of Quraysh prostrated towards it and began to gaze at it in amazement. There was a light between heaven and Earth, and it stretched until it reached the East and the West.
When I regained consciousness, I asked a soothsayer from Bani Makhzum [about it]. She said: O `Abbas! If you are telling the truth, then a child from his loins will be followed by the people of the East and the West. My father said: So, I was worried about the matter of `Abdullah until he married Amina. She was of the most beautiful women of Quraysh, and the most perfect of them in character. When `Abdullah died and Amina gave birth to the Messenger of Allah (sw), I went to him. I saw a light illuminating from his forehead. I held him and studied his facial features. I found the fragrance of musk coming from him. It was as though I was a bag of musk due to the intensity of the fragrance left on me.
Amina said to me: When I went into labour, I heard noises and words that did not resemble the words of humans. I saw a brocade flag on a ruby pole that filled that which was between heaven and Earth. I saw a light dazzling from his head that reached the sky. It was as though I saw the palaces of the Levant engulfed in light. I saw great birds spreading their wings around me. I saw a houri passing by and saying: “Amina! You did not find oracles nor idols with your son!” I saw a young man who was the tallest of the people, the fairest of them, and the most beautiful of them in clothing. I thought it was `Abd al-Muttalib. He approached me and held the newborn. He suckled him with his tongue. He had a tray of gold with him which was studded with emeralds and a comb of gold. He cut open his belly and took out his heart. Then, he cut it open and took out a dark spot and threw it out. Then, he took a green silk bag and opened it. He took what looked like a white powder from it. Then, he filled up the heart with this powder and placed the heart back into its place. Then he stroked the child’s stomach and spoke to him. The infant spoke [back].
I did not understand anything except that he said: “[Farewell] in the safety, protection, and security of Allah. I have filled your heart with faith, knowledge, forbearance, certainty, intellect, and valour. You are the best of humans. Blessed are those who follow you, and woe to those who turn away from you.” Then, he took out another bag which was made of white brocade. From that, he removed a seal and imprinted it between his shoulders. Then, he said: “My Lord has commanded me to breathe from the Holy Spirit into you.” So, he breathed into him, and gowned him in a shirt, and said: “This is your protection from the troubles of this world.” This is what I saw, `Abbas, with my eyes. So, al-`Abbas said: That day, I was reading. I took off his robe, and I saw the Seal of Prophecy between his shoulders. I kept his matter a secret. I forgot this and did not remember it until the day I accepted Islam and the Messenger of Allah (sw) reminded me of it.

The Prophet (s) said: Surely, `Ali is my deputy and my vicegerent. His wife, Fatima, the Mistress of the Women of the Worlds, is my daughter. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the two Masters of the Youth of Paradise, are my two sons. Whoever aligns with them has aligned with me, and whoever opposes them has opposed me, and whoever defies them has defied me, and whoever is aloof with them is aloof with me, and whoever is good to them is good to me. Allah will connect with whoever connects with them, and He will cut off whoever cuts them off, and He will support whoever aids them, and He will cause failure to whoever fails them. O Allah! Each of Your prophets and Your messengers had a heavyweight and a family. So, `Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn are my family and my heavyweight; so, remove all uncleanliness from them, and purify them with a thorough purification.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Whoever opposes `Ali b. Abi Talib after me is a disbeliever, and whoever associates partners with him is a polytheist. Whoever loves him is a believer, and whoever hates him is a hypocrite. Whoever pursues what he leaves behind is in pursuit [of Paradise], whoever is at war with him is a traitor, and whoever turns away from him is in falsehood. `Ali is the light of Allah in His cities, and His Proof over the worshipers. `Ali is the Sword of Allah upon His enemies, and the inheritor of the knowledge of His prophets. `Ali is the exalted word of Allah, and the words of his enemies are lowly. `Ali is the Master of the Deputies, and the Deputy of the Master of Prophets. `Ali is the Commander of the Faithful, the Leader of the shining believers, and the Imam of the Muslims. Allah does not accept faith except in his wilaya and his obedience.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said to `Ali (as): O `Ali! Your Shi`a will be the winners on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever insults one of them has insulted you, and whoever insults you has insulted me, and whoever insults me will be sent by Allah to the Fire of Hell forever in the misery of fate. O `Ali! You are from me, and I am from you. Your spirit is from my spirit and your clay is from my clay. Your Shi`a were created from the surplus of our clay. So, whoever loves them has loved us, and whoever hates them has hated us, and whoever opposes them has opposed us, and whoever adores them has adored us. O `Ali! Surely, your Shi`a will be forgiven of their sins and their flaws. O `Ali! I will be the intercessor of your Shi`a once I attain the Praised Position, so give them glad tidings of that. O `Ali! Your Shi`a are the Shi`a of Allah, and your supporters are the supporters of Allah, and your friends are the friends of Allah, and your party is the party of Allah. O `Ali! Whoever aligns with you will be happy, and whoever opposes you will be sorrowful. O `Ali! For you is a treasure in Paradise, and you are its Dhul Qarnayn.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: The wilaya of Amir al-Mu’minin is the wilaya of Allah. Loving him is the worship of Allah. Obeying him is obligated by Allah. His friends are the friends of Allah, his enemies are the enemies of Allah, his war is Allah’s war, and his peace is Allah’s peace.

They are insulting `Ali. He said: Bring me closer to them. When he reached them, he said: Did you insult Allah? They said: May Allah be glorified! Whoever insults Allah has associated partners with Allah. He said: Then, did you insult the Messenger of Allah (s)? They said: Whoever insults the Messenger of Allah has disbelieved. He said: Then, did you insult `Ali b. Abi Talib (as)? They said: This is what happened. He said: I testify by Allah and I testify for Allah that I heard the Messenger of Allah (s) say: “Whoever insults `Ali has insulted me, and whoever insults me has insulted Allah.” Then, he went. So, he said to his guide: Did they say anything when I said what I said to them? He said: They did not say anything. He said: Did you see [the expressions on] their faces? He said: They looked at you with reddened eyes, as a goat looks to the knife of a butcher. He said: Explain further for me, may your father be your sacrifice. He said: The eyes squinted and the brows furrowed, the ears lowered in humiliation – it was the look of a servile man to a glorious and dominant man. He said: Explain further for me, may your father be your sacrifice. He said: I have nothing except this. He said: Rather, to me, their living ones are a humiliation for their dead ones, and their dead ones are a shame for the ancients.

`Ali (as) said to the Messenger of Allah (s): O Messenger of Allah! Surely, do you love `Aqil a lot? He said: Yes, by Allah! I love him with two loves – out of love for him and out of love for the love of Abu Talib for him. Surely, his son shall be killed in the love of your son. The eyes of the believers shall shed tears over him and the angels made proximate shall pray over him. Then, the Messenger of Allah (s) wept until his tears flowed onto his chest. Then, he said: I complain to Allah regarding that which my progeny shall encounter after me.

We prayed the final `Isha with the Messenger of Allah (s). When he recited the taslim, he turned his face toward us, then said: Surely, a meteor will fall from the sky at the rise of dawn. It will land in the house of one of you. Whoever has the meteor fall into his house, then he is my deputy, my vicegerent (khalifa), and the Imam after me. When Fajr approached, every one of us sat in his house waiting for the meteor to fall in his house. The most desirous of the people of that was my father, al-`Abbas b. `Abd al-Muttalib. At the rise of dawn, the meteor emerged in the air and landed in the house of `Ali b. Abi Talib (as). So, the Messenger of Allah (s) said to `Ali (as): O `Ali! By Him who raised me with prophethood! The deputyship, vicegerency, and Imamate has been obligated for you after me. Then, the hypocrites of `Abdullah b. Ubay and his companions said: Muhammad has deviated in his love for his cousin, and he only spoke with regards to him out of desire. So, Allah revealed, “By the star when it fades away” (53:1) – Allah is saying: “By the Creator of the star when it fades away” – “Your companion has not deviated” (53:2) – meaning, Muhammad (s) in his love for `Ali b. Abi Talib – “nor has he gone astray. Nor does he speak out of desire.” (53:2-3) – meaning, with regards to him – “Rather, it is not but a revealed revelation.” (53:4)

When Allah liberated Mecca, we went out, and we had eight thousand men; and when we entered the evening, we had ten thousand Muslims. So, emigration was mentioned, and the Messenger of Allah (s) said: There is no emigration after the conquest of Mecca. He said: Then, we ended up in Hawazin, and the Prophet (s) said to `Ali b. Abi Talib (as): O `Ali! Stand, and look to your honour with Allah. Speak to the Sun once it rises. Ibn `Abbas said: By Allah, I did not envy anyone except `Ali b. Abi Talib (as) on that day. So, I said to Fadl: Stand up so that we may see how `Ali b. Abi Talib speaks to the Sun. So, when the Sun rose, `Ali b. Abi Talib (as) stood and said: Peace be unto you – O perpetual, obedient, and righteous servant – in the obedience of Allah, its Lord. So, the Sun replied to him, saying: And also with you, O brother and deputy of the Messenger of Allah, O Proof of Allah over His creation. So, `Ali (as) fell [weeping] in a prostration of gratitude toward Allah. He said: By Allah, I saw the Messenger of Allah (s) stand, take `Ali (as) by the head, help him stand up, and wipe his face, saying: Stand, my beloved, for you have made the people of heaven weep from your weeping. Allah has boasted to the carriers of the Throne about you.

One day, I was sitting before the Messenger of Allah (s). `Ali b. Abi Talib, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn (as) were in front of him when Gabriel (as) came down with an apple in his hand. He gave it to the Prophet (s), then the Prophet gave it to `Ali (as), then he returned it to the Prophet (s). Then, the Prophet (s) gave it to al-Hasan (as). He accepted it and then returned it to the Prophet (s). Then, the Prophet (s) gave it to al-Husayn. He accepted it and then returned it to the Prophet (s). Then, the Prophet (s) gave it to Fatima. She accepted it and then returned it to the Prophet. Then, the Prophet (s) gave it to `Ali (as) a second time. When he wanted to return it to the Prophet (s), the apple fell from his fingertips. It split into two parts, and a light dazzled from it until it reached the sky of this world. Two written lines appeared on it: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. This is a salutation from Allah to Muhammad the Chosen One (al-Mustafa), `Ali the One Pleasing to God (al-Murtada), Fatima the Radiant (al-Zahra’), and al-Hasan and al-Husayn the Two Clans of the Messenger of Allah (sibtay rasulAllah); and a [statement of] protection from the Fire for their lovers on the Day of Resurrection.”