زكريا بن إبراهيم الأزدي الكوفي

“Abu Ja‘far, once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘One who trusts an untrustworthy one, he does not have good reason and ground before Allah.”’

“I was a Christian, then became a Muslim and said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘People of my family are Christians. I live with them in one house and eat in their utensils. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Do they eat pork?’ I replied, ‘No, they do not eat pork.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful.

“I was a Christian, and became a Muslim. I went on the holy pilgrimage and then went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s) and said: “I was a Christian, and became a Muslim.” Imam Sadiq said: “What did you see in Islam?” I said: “The Almighty God's statement: “Thou knoweth not (before) what was Revelation, and what was Faith; but We have made (the Quran) a Light, wherewith We guide such of our servants as We will” [The Holy Quran: Shura 42:52] The Imam (a.s) said: “In fact God has guided you.” Then he said three times: “O' God! Please guide him.” And added: “O' my son! Ask me for whatever you wish.” I said: “All my family members are Christian. My mother is blind, and I have to be with them since my father has no one else to rely on. My parents like me to eat and drink with them from the same set of dishes.” Imam Sadiq asked: “Do your parents eat pork.” I said: “No. They do not even touch it.” Imam Sadiq said: “Fine. Take care of your mother. Treat her well and do not leave her alone when she dies. Take care of her burial yourself. Do not inform anyone that you have come to see me. God willing you will come to see me in Mina.” Zakariya said: “I went to see him in Mina. A lot of people had surrounded him. He was like a school teacher who was constantly asked questions by the people. Then when I went to Kufa I treated my mother with kindness. I fed her myself. I cleaned her clothes and her head myself. I served her myself. Then my mother told me: “O' my son! You never treated me this way when you had our own religion. What is this kind of behavior I observe since you have quit our religion and have accepted Islam?” Then I told her: “I was instructed to do so by a man who is a grandson of our Prophet.” My mother asked: “Is that man a Prophet?” I said: “No. But he is the grandson of the Prophet.” My mother said: “O' my son! This man is a Prophet since what he has instructed you to do is one of the decrees of the Prophets.” I said: “Dear mom. There will come no Prophet after our Prophet. He is a descendent of the Prophet.” My mother said: “Your religion is the best religion. Please present it to me.” Then I presented it to her and she accepted Islam. I taught her how to pray. She performed her noon, afternoon, evening and night prayers. At night her disease overtook her. She asked me to teach her again what I had taught her about Islam. And I did so. My mother witnessed to Islam and passed away. In the morning the Muslims performed her ablution and covered her in cloth. I prayed over her body and buried her.”

“I was a Christian, then I became a Muslim. I went for Hajj, where I met Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) and I said to him, ‘I was a Christian and I have become a Muslim.’ The Imam asked, ‘What have you seen in Islam?’ I said, ‘They are the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, “. . . before, you did not even know what a Book or belief was, but We have made the Quran as a light by which We guide whichever of Our servants We want.’” (42:52) The Imam said, ‘Allah has certainly granted you guidance.’ The Imam then said three times: ‘O Allah, guide him. Son, ask whatever you want to ask.’ I then said, ‘My parents and my family are Christians and my mother is blind. I live with them. Can I eat from their utensils with them?’ The Imam asked, ‘Do they eat pork?’ I said, ‘No, they do not even touch it.’ The Imam said, ‘There is no offense in your eating with them. Take good care of your mother and be kind to her. When she will die do not leave her to others. You must do everything that she will need (for her funeral). Do not tell anyone of your meeting with me until you will meet me at Mina, if Allah would so will.’ I (the narrator) met him at Mina and people were around him as if he were the teacher of children. He asks a question then the other asks a question and so on. I returned to Kufa and I would act more kindly toward my mother. I would feed my mother, wash her clothes, her head and would serve her in other ways.’ She said, ‘My son, you did not do all this for me when you followed my religion. What is all that I see from you after you left and accepted the religion of submission (Islam)?’ I said, ‘A man from the descendents of our prophet has commanded me to do all this.’ She then asked, ‘Is this man a prophet?’ I said, ‘No, but he is a descendent of a prophet.’ She said, ‘My son, he is a prophet; these are of the teachings of the prophets.’ I said, ‘Mother, there will be no other prophet after our prophet. He is a descendent of our prophet.’ She then said, ‘Your religion is the best religion. Explain it to me.’ I then explained to her and she accepted Islam. I taught her more. She prayed, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ prayers. Thereafter something happened to her at night and she said, ‘Son, explain and repeat to me what you told me about Islam and I repeated it to her. She affirmed them and then she died. In the morning the Muslims were the ones who helped with her funeral and washed her. I was the one who prayed on her body and climbed down in her grave (to place her body to rest).”’