محمد بن جرير أبو جعفر الطبري عامي

Gabriel (as) came to the Prophet (s) and said: O Muhammad! Live for as long as you want – you will die. Love whoever you want – you will be separated. Do what you want – you will reap its outcome. Know that the honour of a man is in standing in prayer at night, and his glory is in being needless of the people.

O Muhammad! Live as much as you want. You will finally die. Love whatever you want. You will finally be separated from it. Do whatever you want. You will finally be rewarded for it. Know that a man’s honor is in his staying up at night and his glory is in his independence from the people.’”

`Ali (as) was mentioned in the presence of Ibn `Abbas after his death, so he said: How tragic is what happened to Abi’l Hasan! He passed away, and by Allah, he did not change anything, nor did he exchange anything, nor did he shorten anything, nor did he join anything, nor did he prevent anything, nor did he affect anything except for the sake of Allah. By Allah, this world was less significant to him than the sole of his sandal. He was a lion in battle, an ocean in gatherings, and a sage among the sages. Alas, he has passed onto the exalted ranks.

Jibra’eel, peace be upon him, came to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and said: O Muhammed, live however you want, for indeed, you are to die, and love what you want, for indeed, you are to separate from it, and do what you want, for indeed, you are to be rewarded for it. Moreover, know that the honor of a man is his standing during the night, and his honor is his sufficiency from people.

I was in Baghdad with the judge of Baghdad, and his name was Sama`a. A man from the elders of Baghdad visited him and said to him: May Allah rectify the judge. I went on Hajj in one of the past years and I passed through Kufa. I entered its mosque. I stood in the mosque intending to pray when I saw a Bedouin woman before me ... with a blanket over her. She was calling out and saying: O he who is prominent in the heavens! O he who is prominent in the Earths! O he who is prominent in the Hereafter! O he who is prominent in this world! The tyrants and the kings strived to extinguish your light and suppress your remembrance, but Allah refused and exalted your remembrance and illuminated and perfected your light, even if the pagans may be averse. He said: So, I said: O maidservant of Allah! Who is this that you describe with this description? She said: That is Amir al-Mu’minin. He said: So, I said: Which commander of the faithful is he? She said: `Ali b. Abi Talib, without whose wilaya there cannot be monotheism. He said: So, I turned to her, and I did not see anyone.

I was worried that my door would be locked and that I would not leave my house until my term (death) had come. I was informed that one of you had claimed that I was diminishing the best of people after our Prophet (s), who was his gentleman and the one he would sit with; the one who would bring relief to him during earthquakes, and the one who would fight the people during the time of revelation. A man who recited the Quran and revered it has left you. He seized knowledge and retained it. He withstood hardship and used it in obedience to his Lord. He was patient over the bitterness of war and grateful during deprivation and calamity. He acted by the Book of his Lord and counselled His Prophet, his cousin, and his brother. He was made his brother out of all his companions and imparted his secret to him. He strove on his behalf a little, and he fought alongside him much. He killed the people and brought the knights down below the religion of Allah until the war would come to its end. He grasped onto the covenant of his Prophet (s) without abandoning or opposing it. Then, the Prophet (s) passed away while he was pleased with him. He taught the Muslims knowledge, he made them understand, and he preceded them in Islam. None match his virtues, and none resemble him in his striking. He freed himself of desires, and he worked for Allah during times of heedlessness. He bathed in purity during cold mornings, and he humbled himself during prayers. He cut himself off from pleasures and strove hard when sent forth. He was goodly in character and noble in lineage. He followed the traditions of his Prophet the most, and he sufficed himself with the sayings of his Master. So, how could I say something regarding him that would not help me?! Stop this harm and avoid the path of evil.

O Mozahim. Please let him in.” Mozahim asked the Imam to enter while Umar was wiping off his tears. Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) asked Umar, “O Umar! Why are you crying?”Then Hosham (ibn Ma’az) said, “O grandson of the Prophet of God! Such and such are the reasons why he is crying.”Then Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) said, “O Umar! Indeed this world is only like a shop in a supermarket. Some people take things from it due to which they suffer a loss. Others take things from it from which they benefit. There are many people who engage themselves in things similar to what we engage in until their time of death arrived and they suffered from a great loss. They left this world in a state of being sorry since they had not hesitated to do bad deeds and had not taken anything for their Hereafter. Those who would not be grateful divided up all the inheritance which they had left behind in this world, but they had to go to Him who would not accept any excuses! It would be advisable to review the affairs of this world and avoid doing wicked deeds. Fear God and be determined to do two things. First try to take some good deeds with you which would be with you when you face your Lord. Secondly, abstain from evil deeds and do not takewith you something which will cause you to be sorry when you face your Lord. O Umar! Fear God the Honorable the Exalted! Open the door and raise the curtain (to let the people in to see you). Assist the oppressed ones and defeat the oppressors.”Then the Imam (MGB) added, “There are three things which would perfect one’s belief in God.”Once Umar heard this, he sat down on his knees and asked, “O Member of the Holy Household of the Prophet! What are they?”The Imam (MGB) said, “Yes, Umar! That is that once you are pleased, your pleasure doesn’t cause you to engage in wrongful deeds. Also once you are angry, your anger would not lead you to do what is not rightful, and once you are powerful, you do not devour what is not yours.”Then Umar asked for ink and a quill and wrote, ‘In the Name of God the Compassionate the Merciful. I - Muhammad ibn Abdul-Aziz - hereby return the tract of land called Fadak which belongs to Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB).’”

The Prophet, peace be upon him and his progeny, looked at ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and said: "(Here is) the master herein, and the master hereinafter."

I heard Jabir b. `Abdullah al-Ansari say: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: On the Day of Resurrection, my daughter Fatima will come forward on a she-camel from the camels of Paradise. Its sides will be decorated, its muzzle will be of fresh pearl, its legs will be of green emerald, its tail will be of wondrous musk, and its eyes will be of red rubies. Upon it will be a dome of light, which could be seen both from within and from without. Her entrance is the forgiveness of Allah, and her exit is the mercy of Allah. Upon her head will be a crown of light. The crown will have seventy pillars, each with pearls and rubies inlaid, glowing just as a pearly planet glows atop heaven. On her right will be seventy thousand angels and, on her left, will be seventy thousand angels. Gabriel will be grasping the muzzle of the she-camel, calling at the top of his voice: “Lower your sights so that Fatima the daughter of Muhammad may pass.” That day, there will not be a prophet, messenger, saint, nor martyr but that he will lower his sight, until Fatima the daughter of Muhammad passes through. She will go before the Throne of her Lord, disembark from the she-camel, and say: “My God and my Master! Judge between me and those who oppressed me. O Allah, judge between me and those who killed my son.” Then, it will be called from the direction of Allah: “O My beloved and the daughter of My Beloved! Ask Me, and you will be granted your request; intercede, and your intercession will be granted; for, by My glory and My majesty, I will give My reward.” So, she will say: “My God and my Master! [Accept my intercession for] my offspring, my Shi`a, the Shi`a of my offspring, those who love me, and those who love my offspring.” Then, there will be a call from the direction of Allah: “Where are the offspring of Fatima, her Shi`a, those who love her, and those who love her offspring?” Then, they will come forward, surrounded by the angels of mercy. Fatima will then lead them until she brings them into Paradise.