محمد بن حماد

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when a dying person dies, other spirits gather around him and ask, ‘Who is still alive and who is dead?’ If someone is dead and has not joined them they say, ‘He then has fallen into the deep.’ Others among them say, ‘Leave him alone so he can gain comfort from what he has experienced from death.’”

1. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “One who knows the excellence of an elderly person and honors him, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will grant him salvation from fear on the Day of Judgment.” And he said, “Respecting an elderly believer is a way of showing respect to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.”

I heard Abu Amamah say: I heard the messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his progeny, say: "There are six great virtues. If a person was to act on any one of them, it would prevail on his or her behalf on the day of Judgement till it enters him the Paradise; saying: ’O Lord, this person had acted upon me during his or her lifetime on earth.’ They are: Daily prayers, almsgiving, Haj, fasting, trustworthiness and mending relations with the consanguinal relatives."

4. Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) narrates from his predecessors that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said, “No one supplicates for believing men or women except that the Almighty Allah will accept the same supplication for him corresponding to the number of believers who passed away until those who will be born till the Day of Judgment. If an order is given to take that person to Paradise those believers will call out, ‘O Lord! He is the same person who supplicated for us. We stand to save him’. The Almighty Allah will accept their intercession and save him from the fire (of Hell).”

“Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said, ‘O ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, belief is of ten stages like the steps of a ladder. To climb, one uses it one step after the other one by one. One who possesses two degrees of belief should never say to one who possesses only one degree that he does not have enough belief and so on up to the tenth degree or stage. One who is higher should not throw back the one below because the one above you may also fall. If you see one below, you should help him climb up higher gently and do not burden him with what he cannot lift up; he may break down and if one breaks down a believer, he will be held responsible for compensation to him.’”

The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said: Those who want to live like me, die like me, and enter my Paradise – the forever green Paradise whose trees my Lord planted with His own hand –should follow ‘Ali (a.s.), learn his merits and that of the successors after him, and dissociate from my enemies. (Verily) Allāh has given them (‘Ali and his successors (a.s.)) my knowledge and my understanding. (Verily) they are my descendants who are from my flesh and blood. I complain to Allāh about their enemies from my nation, about those who deny their virtues, and about those who abandon me by (oppressing) them. I swear to Allāh that they will kill my son. May Allāh exclude them from my intercession.

The supplications of five people will not be answered: a man whose wife bothers him and he doesn’t divorce her, even though he can pay the expenses of divorcing her; a man whose slave has escaped three times, but still he doesn’t sell him; a man who passes by a semi-broken down wall and the wall falls upon him, and he doesn’t escape; a man who has given a loan to another one, and has not taken anyone as a witness for it; and a man who sits in his house and says, ‘O God! Please grant my daily bread!’ and who does not go to work.’

“Abu Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) told me, ‘O Abdul Aziz! There are ten ranks of belief just like the steps of a ladder which one must climb up one after the other. One who has attained two of these ranks should not say to the one who has only attained the first rank, ‘You do not have faith.’ The same thing holds true up until the tenthrank. You should not consider anyone who has attained a rank lower than yourself to lack faith, so that those who have attained a higher rank than you have, do not consider you to lack faith. When you see someone who is in a lower rank than you are, kindly assist him up to your rank. Do not force upon him what he cannot tolerate, since you may hurt him this way. One who hurts a believer should help him get unhurt. Miqdad was in the eighth rank. Abuzar was in the ninth rank and Salman had attained the tenth rank of faith.’”

she said: I heard the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, say: Indeed, on Friday there is an hour that is not observed by a Muslim man in which he asks Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, for goodness, except that He will give it to him. She said: Then I said: O Messenger of Allah, what hour is it? He said: When the half of the sun’s eye sinks down for sunset. He said: Fatima (sa) used to say to her servant: Climb on the elevated rock, and if you see that half of the sun’s eye has sunken for sunset, notify me that I may supplicate.

O Abdul Aziz! Belief has ten ranks, just like a ladder that has ten steps. One must climb it step by step.
One who has attained two of these ranks should not say to the one who has only attained the first rank, ‘You are not upon anything (You do not have faith).’
One who has attained three of these ranks should not say to the one who has only attained the first two ranks, ‘You are not upon anything.’
The same thing holds true up until the tenth rank.‘ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Salman was in the tenth (rank), Abu Dharr was in the ninth and Miqdad was in the eighth.
O Abdul Aziz! You should not consider anyone who has attained a rank lower than yourself to lack faith, so that those who have attained a higher rank than you have do not consider you to lack faith. When you see someone who is in a lower rank than you are, kindly assist him up to your rank, and do not force upon him what he cannot tolerate, since you may break him (hurt him) this way. One who breaks (hurts) a believer should help him get unhurt; because if you place the load that you would normally place on a nine-year old camel on a baby camel, you would break its back (and kill it).’”

God’s Prophet (sw) said, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice! The similitude of my nation is like that of rain which you cannot tell whether its beginning is better or its ending. The similitude of my nation is like that of a garden from which some are fed this year and others shall be fed the next year. It may even be the case that the ones that are fed from it later shall have a better, more lasting and higher yielding crop. How can the community of which I am the first perish? There are twelve persons after me who are felicitous and possess understanding and Christ Jesus the son of Mary is at the end of them. But between them, the children of confusion will perish. They are not from me and I am not from them.”

God’s Prophet (s) said, “Glad tidings! Glad tidings thrice! The similitude of my nation is like that of rain which one does not know whether its beginning is good or its end. The similitude of my nation is like that of a garden from which one group eat for one year and others benefit from it the next year. There may be some at the end with more power and more benefits. How can a nation be destroyed which starts with me and twelve Prosperous Ones - the Imams - and ends with the Messiah - Jesus (s): the son of (the Blessed Lady) Mary (s)? However, the next generation after this chaos will be destroyed. They do not belong to my nation and I am not one of them.”

I heard Abā ‘Abdillāh (Imam Sādiq (a.s.)) say: Jabra`īl came to the Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) and said, “Salām to you, O Muḥammad! Should I give you glad tidings of a son who will be killed by your nation after you?” The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) replied, “I do not need such a son.” Jabra`īl ascended to the heavens and then came back to him again, repeating what he had said. The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) replied, “I do not need such a son.” Jabra`īl ascended to the heavens (yet) again and then came back to him for the third time, repeating what he had said. The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) replied, “I do not need such a son.” Jabra`īl said, “Verily your Lord has placed the succession in his progeny.” The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said, “Yes, (I accept).” Then the Prophet (s.a.a.w.) went to Fāťimah (s.a.) and said, “Jabra`īl came to me and gave me glad tidings of a son who will be killed by my nation after me.” Fāťimah (s.a.) replied, “I do not need such a son.” The Messenger of Allāh (s.a.a.w.) said to her, “Verily my Lord has placed the succession in his progeny.” Fāťimah (s.a.) replied, “In this case, yes (I will accept).” Therefore, Allāh revealed this verse, “His mother bears him with aversion, and with aversion she gives birth to him” (46:15) because Jabra`īl informed her that he would be killed. So “his mother bears him with aversion” because he would be killed. “And with aversion she gives birth to him” because (she knew) he would be killed.

his father Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Baqir (AS) was asked to interpret the Word of Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted: Say: He Allah is One. Therefore, He (AS) said: Say [qul] means relate to the people what we have revealed to you, and informed you about, regarding the meaning of the letters we have recited to you, so that you may guide those who listen and bear witness. The verse in question is a metonymical expression indication to the unseen One [gha`ib]. The letter [ha’] (in[huwa]) means motionless. The (letter) [waw] means unperceivable by the sense just like the word `this’ [hadha] means witnessed by means of the sense. This is because the unbelievers described their gods by means of perception. Hence, they would say: These are our gods who are sensed and perceived by the eyes. Therefore, O Muhammad, point to your God that you call pon so that we see Him, perceive Him, and be amazed by Him. Thus, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed: Say He Allah is One. Therefore, the [ha] referes to the Motionless while the [waw] refers to the One who is Above Sensual Perception. In fact, He is the creator of the Senses, and He perceives all vision.

“I said to abu al-Hassan al-Thani (a.s.), ““May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “Would you tell me about the Prophet who inherited all the prophets.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I may do so. I asked, “Did he inherit from Adam up to his-self?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Of prophet that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was more knowledgeable.” I then said, “Jesus son of Mary would bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “You spoke the truth. Solomon son of David could understand the language of the birds. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) was also capable of doing such things.” The narrator has said that The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Solomon son of David said to the (Hoopoe) Hud Hud when he found him missing and had doubts about the bird. “(Solomon) inspected the birds and said, “How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe {when he did not find him present and became angry}. Is he absent? (27:20). I shall certainly punish him severely or slaughter him unless he has a good reason for his absence.” (27:21) He became angry because the bird would show him how to find water. This is only a bird but is given something that is not given to Solomon. The wind, ants, man, Jinn, devils, and the rebbles obey him in submission but he did not know about the water in the space but the bird knew it as Allah says in His book. “Even if the Quran would make mountains move, cut the earth into pieces and make the dead able to speak,. .” (13:31) We have inherited this Quran which contains such things that can make the mountains move, cross the lands, and make the dead to come to life. We know there is water in space. In the book of Allah, there are verses that are indecative of certain issues only if Allah would give permission. This is along with the fact that Allah sometimes grants permission to make use of the things that people of the past had written. Allah has set them for us in the origin of the book as Allah says, “All the secrets in heavens and earth are recorded in the illustrious Book. (27:75) Then Allah has said, “We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,. .” (35:32) We are the ones whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has chosen and has given this which contain the explanation of all things.”

“He is in Mecca.” So the atheist left for Mecca. While we were with Abu `Abd Allah (AS), the atheist came close to us while we were circumambulating [tawaf] the Ka`bah. The atheist bumped shoulders with Abu `Abd Allah (AS), so the Imam (AS) asked him “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is `Abd al-Malik.” The Imam (AS) said: “Then what is your agnomen [kunya]?” He answered, “Abu `Abd Allah.” The Imam (AS) asked, “Who is the Sovereign (al-Malik) whom you serve? Is He the Sovereign of the Heavens, or is he one of the sovereigns of the earth? And tell me about your son. Is the servant [`abd] of the God of Heaven, or a god of the earth?” The atheist kept quiet. So Abu `Abd Allah (AS) continued, “Say whatever you wish to, you will be defeated.” Hisham ibn al-Hakam says: Isaid to the atheist: “Will you not refute him?” Thus, he disliked what I said. Therefore, Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said to him, “Once I complete the circumambulation, come and see me.” Once Abu `Abd Allah (AS) finished, the atheist came to him and sat down in front of him, while we had gathered before him. Thus, he (AS) addressed the atheist, “Do you know that the earth has a top and a bottom?” He replied, “I do not know, but I certainly think there is nothing below it.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: “Thinking [zann] is incapability unless you achieve certainty. Have you ascended to the heavens?” He answered, “No.” The Imam (AS) asked, Then do you know what is in it?” He replied, “I do not.” The Imam (AS) said: “Then have you been to the east and the west and seen what is behind them?” He replied, “No.” The Imam (AS) responded, How strange! You have not been to the east or the west. You have not descended below the earth. You have not ascended to heaven. You do not have any knowledge of what surrounds them. However, you re in denial of what is in them. Does a wise man deny what he knows not? The atheist said: “No one but you has eve said such a thing to me.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: “You are in doubt as to whether He exist or not.” The atheist replied, “That might be it.” Abu `Abd Allah said: O man! There is no authority for the one who knows over the one who knows not. Likewise, there is no authority for the ignorant over the learned. O my Egyptian brother! Understand this from me! We never doubt in Allah. Do you not see the sun and the moon, and the night and day? They have recourse, but they do not make mistakes. They come and they go. They are both compelled. There is not place for them except their own place. If they both had the power to leave, and not come back, then why do they come back? If they both are not compelled, then why does the night change into the day, and the day into night? By Allah, O Egyptian brother, they are both compelled to continue their routine. Surely, their Compeller is Wiser and Greater than they are! The atheist said: “You are right.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) then said: O Egyptian brother! They way you atheists reason is wrong. Time does not bring anything into existence. If the passage of time can take then away, then why does it not return them? And if the passage of time can return them, when why does it not take them away? They are compelled, O Egyptian brother! The sky has been raised, and the earth has been set down. Why is it that the sky does not collide with the earth? And why is it that the earth does not collide with the sky? Why is it that the earth does not go out of its orbit? Who holds them together and who holds together what is between them? The atheist said: “By Allah! Their Lord and their Master holds them together!” Thus, the atheist came to believe through his contact with Abu `Abd Allah (AS). Humran ibn A`yun said to him (AS). “May I be your ransom! Atheist become believers through you, just like the unbelievers use to become believer through your father (AS).” The believer, who had believed thanks to Abu `Abd Allah (AS), said: “Make me of your students.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said to Hisham ibn al-Hakam, “Take him with you and teach him.” Thus, Hisham taught him, and then he became the teacher of the Egyptians, and the people of the northern region (Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon). He was trained spiritually and academically until Abu `Abd Allah (AS) was pleased with it.

“If there was no one on earth in the Christian faith except Burayhah that would suffice us.” He was seeker of the truth and with that, of Islam. He had a woman with him that used to serve him and she had been with him for a long time. He use to secretly tell her about the weakness of Christianity and its weak proofs. He said: I came to know that from him. Thus, Burayhah put this matter behind him, and approached the various Muslim schools who differed a bout Islam, in search of the most learned one among them. He came asking about the Muslim leaders, their pious one, their scholars, and t heir leading intellectuals. He examined every Muslim school of though, and found nothing that satisfied him. He said: “If you leaders were on the true path, then they would have some truth with them!”
Finally, he learned about the Shi`ites from Hisham ibn al-Hakam. Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman says: Hisham said to me. I was sitting in my shop at the door of al-Karkh while a group of people were reciting the Qur’an to me. I was suddenly taken aback by a group of Christian clergymen. There were approximately one hundred men, dressed in the black clothing and chasubles (of the Coptic priests) and the Great Catholicos. Burayhah was among them. They came down around my shop and placed a chair for Burayhah to sit on. The bishops and monks stood learning over their staffs, and on their heads were their chasubles. Burayhah addressed me and said: “I have exhausted every single Muslim theologian in debate regarding Christianity, and they had nothing that impressed me. Hence, I have come to you wishing to debate Islam.” He says: Hisham laughed and said: “O Burayhah! If you expect me to give you the same type of signs that he Messiah gave, you have come to the wrong place as I am not the Messiah, not even close. I would never critics him, though, as he was one of the purified ones, who was humble in character, yet sublime in spirituality. The Signs of Allah wee manifest in him.”
Burayhah responded, “Your words astonish me.” Hisham said: “If you want to argue then go ahead.” Burayhah said: “Yes. I certainly want to question you: What is the physical tie between your Prophet and the Messiah?’ Hisham replied, “He is the son of his maternal grandfather, because Jesus is from the children of Ishaq, and Muhammad (SA) is from the children of Isma`il.” Burayhah asked, How do you relate him to his father?” Hisham answered, “If you want his lineage from your view, I will inform you of it, and if yo want his linage according to us, I will inform you of that.” Burayhah enquired, “I want his lineage according to us.” Burayhah says that I was thinking that if he described his lineage according to us, I would overpower him. So I said: “Describe his lineage the way we relate it.” Hisham explained, “Yes. You say: “He is without beginning from the one without beginning. Then who is the Father and who is the Son?” Burayhah said: “He who came unto the Earth is the Son.” Hisham asked, “He who came unto the Earth is the Father.” He said: “The Son is the messenger of the Father.” Hisham added, “Verily, the Father is wiser than the Son, because the Father is the Creator.” Burayhah said: “Verily, the Father and the Son are both the Creators.” Hisham continued, “What prevented them from coming down to Earth together like they were together when they created the world?” Burayhah replied, “How do they associate while they are both one thing? They differ only by name.” Hisham responded, “Verily, they unite with the name.” Burayhah said: “This statement is unknown.” Hisham said: “This statement is well-known,” Burayhah responded, “Verily, the Son is connected to the Father.” Hisham replied, “Verily, the Son is disconnected from the Father.” He replied, “This is contrary to what the people would think.”
Hisham explained, “If what the people think is true, then I have overcome you for the Father was when the Son was not. Is that what you are saying, O Burayhah?” He answered, “I do not say this.” Hisham responded, “Then why did you seek to confirm your beliefs on the beliefs of those whom you reject?” He said: “Verily, the Father is a name and the Son is a name, and the eternal has decreed them.” Hisham said: “Are the two names without beginning? Are they eternal like the Father and the Son? Burayhah declared, “No, The names are originated.” He responded, “You have certainly made the Father a Son, and the Son a Father. If the Son brought these names about, and not the Father, then he is the Father. And if the Father brought these names about, and not the Son, then he is the Father, and the Son is the Father. Thus, there is no Son here.” Burayhah said: “Verily, the Son is a name of the Holy Spirit when it came down to the Earth.” Hisham responded, “What was its name prior to coming down to Earth?” Burayhah continued on, baffled: “Its name is the Son whether it came down or did not came down.” Hisham advocated, “So before the coming down of this Spirit, it was all one but it had two names.” He said: “It is all one; one Spirit.” Hisham acclaimed, “You are pleased to make some of it the Son and some of it the Father.” Burayhah replied, “No, because the name of the Father and the name of the Son are one.” Hisham said: “Therefore, the Son is the Father of the Father, and the Father is Father of the Son, and there is one Son.”
The bishops said to Burayhah with one voice: “Nothing like this has ever happened to you, stand up!” Thus, Burayhah was confused and wanted to leave, so Hisham attached and said: What prevents you from embracing Islam? Is there any rancour in your heart? Then say it, otherwise I will ask you a question about Christianity. I will give you the night to think about it. Then, when you wake up, you will only be interested in me. The bishops said: “Do not ask him the question, for it may create doubts about your faith.” Burayhah said: “Say it, O Abu al-Hakam.” Hisham went on, “Tell me, does the Son know everything that the Father does?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Father know everything that is with the Son?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Son have power over everything that the Father has power over?” He answered, “Yes.” Hisham asked, “Tell me, does the Father have power over everything which the Son has power over?” He answered, “Yes.”
Hisham responded, “Then how can one of them be the Son of his partner, while they are both equal, and how does each one of them oppress his partner?” Burayhah said; “There is no oppression between them.” Hisham continued, “The truth between them is that the Son is the Father of the Father, and the Father is the Son of the Son. Spend the night thinking about this, O Burayhah.” The Christians dispersed, and they were wishing that they had never seen Hisham and his friends.
Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman says: Burayhah returned in grief and anxiety till he reached his home. The woman that served him asked him, “Why is it that I see you grieved and anxious!” Hence, he related to her the debate between Hisham and him. She asked, “Woe unto you! Do you want to follow truth or falsehood?” Burayhah replied, “Truth, of course.” She said to him, “Wherever you find truth, then turn to it. Be careful of obstinacy. For verily, obstinacy is doubt, doubt is calamity, and those with doubt are in Hell.” The reporter says: He agreed with her statement and decided to go to Hisham the next morning.
The next morning he went to Hisham when none of his companions were with him. He enquired, “O Hisham! Do you have someone whose views and words you turn to, and profess his obedience?” Hisham answered, “Yes, O Burayhah.” “What is his description?” “Are you asking about his lineage or his religion?” Hisham replied, He said: ”Both of them, the description of his lineage and his religion.” Hisham responded, As for his lineage, it is the best of the lineages: He is the leader of the Arabs, the best of the Quraysh, and the most distinguished of the Hashimites. Whoever argued about his lineage always found it to be better than his own, because the Quraysh are the best of the Arabs, and the Hashimites are the best of the Quraysh. And, as he is the best of the Hashimites, he is the most pious among them, and their master. He descends from the children of the master, who are better than all other children. He is the son of the master.
He said: “Describe his religion.” Hisham said: “His law or description of body and his purity?” He said: “Describe his body and his purity/” Hisham described, He is infallible; thus, he does not sin. He is generous; hence, he does not act miserly. He is brave; so he does not act cowardly. He has been bestowed with knowledge; therefore, he does not act ignorantly. He is the Protector of the Religion, firm in what is made mandatory. He is from the Progeny of the Prophets (AS), and the Vessel of Prophetic Knowledge (AS). He pardons when he is angry. He is fair in times of oppression. He helps when pleased, and is just towards both friend and foe. He does not ask of deviation for his enemy and foes not prohibit benefiting his friends. He practices the Book and speaks wonders. He is one of the Purified Ones. He relates the words of the Divinely Elected Leaders without violating their Proof. He is not ignorant of any question. He can derive a ruling [fatwa] from any tradition, and makes clear all darkness.
Burayhah responded, “You have described the Messiah in his attributes, and proved him by his proofs and signs, except that you have applied this description to another person. If there is a person who fits this description, we will believe in him.” Hisham said: “If you believe you will be guided, and if you follow the truth you will not be blamed.” He then added, “O Burayhah! There is not a proof which Allah establishes over the first of His Creation, except that He establishes it over the middle creation and the last creation. Therefore, Proofs do not become invalidated, just like nations and practices do not disappear.” Burayhah admitted, “How close is this to righteousness, and how near it is to the truth. This is the attribute of the wise. They establish proof that negates suspicion.” Hisham said: “Yes.”
Then they both departed together until they arrived at Medina. The woman was with them. They both wanted to see Abu `Abd Allah (AS). However, they met Musa ibn Ja`far (AS), so Hisham related to him the account. When he finished, Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) said: “O Burayhah! How is your knowledge of your Book (the Bible)?” He answered, “I am knowledgeable of it.” The Imam (AS) asked, “How is your faith in its interpretation?” He replied. “I am confident that I am knowledgeable about it.” The reported says: Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) began reading the Bible. Burayhah responded, “The Messiah must have read like this, and no one has read this recitation but the Messiah.” Burayhah then said: “I have been seeking you or someone like you for the past fifty years.”
The reporter says: Therefore, he embraced Islam and so did the woman, and both were expediently faithful. The Hisham, Burayhah, and the woman entered the presence of Abu `Abd Allah (AS). Hisham related the account and the discussion that took place between Musa (AS) and Burayhah. Thus Abu `Abdillah (AS) read: Offspring one of the other; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. So Burayhah asked, “May I be your ransom! How do you view the Torah, the Bible and the Books of the Prophets?” Abu `Abdillah (AS) replied: “We are their Heirs. We read them the way they were originally read, and we convey them as they were originally conveyed. Verily, Allah does not place a Proof [hujjat] on His earth who, when questioned about something, answers: `I do not know.’”
Hence, Burayhah remained with Abu `Abdillah (AS) until Abu `Abdillah passed away. Then he remained with Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) until Burayhah died in his time. The Imam (AS) washed his corpse with his own hands, shrouded his body, and placed him in the grave and said: “This is a disciple from the disciples of the Messiah, who recognized the right of Allah over him.” The reported says: Thus, most of the Companions of the Imam (AS) wished they were like him.