أحمد بن يحيى

“I saw Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) in the (market) place of the Shurtat al-Khamis with a two pronged whip in his had. With it he would scare the sellers of inedible fish such as eel, moray and angler etc., and say, “O sellers of metamorphosed Israelites and the army of the descendants of Marwan, do not sell (inedible fishes).” At this time Furat ibn Ahnaf came to him and said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), ‘What is the army of the descendants of Marwan?” She has said that Ali (a.s.) said to him, “They groups of people who shaved their beards and crinkle their mustache and then they were metamorphosed.” I had not heard any one speak better than him, I followed him without missing his traces until he sat down at an open space of the Mosque (of kufa). I then asked him, “O Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), what are the signs of Imamate (Leadership with Divine Authority) may Allah grant you blessings? “ She has said that he said, “Bring to me that pebble.” He pointed with his hand. I then got the pebble for him and he set for me his seal on it. He then said to me, ‘O Hababa, if any one would claim to be the Imam (Leader with Divine Authority) and can set his seal as you just saw then acknowledge that he is the Imam that must be obeyed. The Imam does not miss what he would want.” She has said, “I then left him until Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) was taken out of this world. Thereafter I went o al-Hassan (a.s.) who was sitting in the place of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and people around would ask him questions. He said to me, “O Hababa al-Walibyya.” I said, “Yes, my master.” He then said, “Give to me what is with you.” I then gave it to him. He set on it (his seal) just as Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) had done. She has said, “Afterwards I went to al-Husayn (a.s.). He was in Mosque of the Messenger of Allah. He welcomed warmly and then said to me, “There is no doubt that in the proof ( to support the true Imam) there is already enough proof for what you want. Do you want the proof to know the Imam?” I said, “Yes, my master.” He then said, “Bring to me what have with you.” I gave him the pebble and he printed (his seal) on it. She has said that afterwards I went to Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) but at that time I had become very old and my hands were shaky. I could count one hundred thirteen year of my lifetime. I found him in Ruku’ (kneeling in prayer) and Sujud (prostration) or busy in some form of worship. I became despaired about the proof (of Leadership with Divine Authority). He pointed out with his forefinger and my youth came back. She has said that she asked, “My mater, how much of the world is passed and how much is left?” He said, “Of how much is passed yes (I can tell) but not of how much is to come.” She has that he then said to me, “give to me what is with you.” I then gave him the pebble and he printed on it (his seal) for me. Thereafter I went to Abu Ja’far (a.s.) and he printed on it (his seal) for me. Then I went to Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). He printed on it (his seal) for me. Then I went to Abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) and he printed (his seal) for me. Then I went to al-Rida and printed for me.” According to Abu Muhammad Hababa lived thereafter another nine moths.”

Everything in this book that is narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Imran Al-Ashari has been transmitted by me from my father and from Muhammad ibn Al-Hasan - may Allah (swt) have mercy on them both - from Muhammad ibn Yahya Al-Attar and Ahmad ibn Idris together, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Imran Al-Ashari.

I heard him (i.e. the Imam) saying: It is incumbent on a man when he wakes up (in the morning) that he recite after the Taʿqīb (post dawn-prayer supplications) fifty verses

Regarding the prescribed punishment (hadd) in travel, in which if one commits adultery, he is not stoned if he is married, it was said: "If he shortens the prayer and breaks his fast, then he is not considered married (muhsan)."

The defrauded is the one who is defrauded of his age, hour after hour.

narrated to him ’Isma‘il ibn Sa‘d al-Ahwas who has said the following: “I asked al-Rida (a.s.), ‘Of how many Rak‘at does Salah (prayer) consist?’ He replied, ‘There are fifty-one Rak‘at (every day).”’ Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa a similar Hadith.

I wrote along with Muhammad ibn Yahya asking whether the executor of a will is permitted to purchase something from the deceased's estate when it is sold to the highest bidder and take it for himself. Imam (as) replied: "It is permissible if he purchases it properly."

"If you see that they love the family of Muhammad (sw), peace be upon them, then elevate them in status."

“I saw Abil Hassan Al-Ridha (s) in the state of ritual consecration (wearing the ‘Ihram) with a ring on his finger.”

Imam (as) said: "A child is conceived from the left testicle, so if it is severed, the compensation (diyyah) is two-thirds of the full blood money, and for the right testicle, it is one-third of the blood money."

Everything in this book that is narrated from Marwan ibn Muslim has been transmitted by me from my father - may Allah (swt) be pleased with him - from Muhammad ibn Yahya Al-'Attar, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya, from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from Muhammad ibn Al-Husayn, from Ali ibn Ya'qub Al-Hashimi, from Marwan ibn Muslim.

Everything in this book that is narrated from Umar ibn Hanzalah has been transmitted by me from Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad ibn Idris - may Allah (swt) be pleased with him - from his father, from Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Yahya, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Safwan ibn Yahya, from Dawud ibn Al-Husayn, from Umar ibn Hanzalah.

I saw al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali, peace be upon him, in dream and related to him: "Mukhawwal ibn Ibrahim has reported to me from al-Rabee’ ibn al-Munzir, from his father from you that you said: Whoever sheds a tear from his eyes for us, or fills his eyes with tears for us, Allah will grant him an eternal place in Paradise." He said: "Yes." So I said: "(In that case), the chain of narration between you and me does not exist any more."

Al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, said: Indeed, from an individual’s happiness is the lightness of his two opposites. He said: There is no happiness in this. The happiness is only in the lightness of his two chewers by (which he can perform) glorification (of Allah).

“There is nothing which causes fear or which causes delight [qabd wa bast] in which Allah has not placed a favor and a trial (for His Servants).”

“Gold and silver are two perverting metals. Whoever loves them is with them.”The compiler of the book - may God increase his honor - interprets this to mean that whoever loves them so much that he doesn’t pay the Divinely Ordained dues on them is with them.

I asked Abu’l-Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him, in Medina about a man who bequeathed with what he had (that it should be spent) for the Path of Allah. He said: The Path of Allah is our Shi’a.

A white cock has five of the traits of the Prophets (s): to know the times to pray, zeal, generosity, courage and making love often.”

“God will not divulge the theft of a servant (someone) for as long as his penalty is less than (the expiation for) his hand. However, if the expiation for the theft is as much as (the expiation for) the thief’s hand, then God will make it known.”

“Five groups have a naughty nature: those who are unusually tall, those who are unusually short; the dark-eyed ones whose eyes are somewhat green, those born with an apophysis, and the deformed ones.”