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Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluyih - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his uncle Muhammad ibn Abil-Qasim quoted
Ahmad ibn Aba Abdullah al-Barqy, on the authority of
Abdullah ibn Jabal’le, on the authority of
Al-Hassan ibn Abdullah, on the authority of his forefathers, on the authority of his grandfather Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (MGB) in a long narration, “One of the Jews went to see God’s Prophet (MGB) and asked him (MGB) several questions among which he asked, ‘Please inform us of seven things which God has especially granted you from amongst all the Prophets and has especially granted your nation from amongst the nations.’The Prophet (MGB) said, ‘
The honorable the Exalted God has granted me the Opening Chapter (Al-Fatiha ), the general call to prayer (azan), the congregational prayers in the mosque, the Friday prayer, the prayer for the deceased ones; permission to say three prayers aloud . God has granted my nation permission to break their fast during illness or on a journey; and the possibility of my intercession on behalf of those who commit a major sin.’The Jew asked, ‘O Muhammad! You are right! What would be the reward of one who recites the Opening Chapter (Al-Hamd)?’ God’s Prophet (MGB) said, ‘The Honorable the Exalted God would grant whomever recites the Opening Chapter of the Book (Al-Fatiha ) the reward of reciting as many as the number of verses which have been revealed from the heavens. And the reward for those of my nation who say the azan would be being resurrected amongst the Prophets, the honest ones, the martyrs and the good-doers. And the reward for the congregational prayer is that the lines of those of my nation who stand to say the congregational prayer is like the line of the angels in the heavens. Each unit of prayer said in a congregational prayer is worth more than twenty-four units of regular prayers. Each unit of congregational prayers is liked by the Honorable the Exalted God more than forty years of worship. And Friday is the day on which God would bring about those of the latter and those of the former times for the Reckoning. The Honorable the Exalted God would give a discount to any believer who goes to the Friday congregational prayers and would reduce his fears on the Resurrection Day and would reward him with Paradise. And the reward for saying the prayers aloud is that the Fire would be put out for as far away as the voice of the one who says the prayers goes. He will also cross the Bridge and have a pleasant entry into Paradise.Regarding the sixth it should be stated that the Honorable the Exalted God would diminish the amount of fear on the Resurrection Day for those of my nation as mentioned in the Holy Quran. And God would make entry into Paradise a certainty for any believer who prays for the deceased unless he is a hypocrite or damned by his parents. Moreover, my intercession for the major sins excludes those who are oppressors and those who associate partners with God.’The Jew said, ‘O Muhammad! You are right! I bear witness that there is no god but God and that you are His servant, His Messenger, the seal of the Prophets and the Leader of the Pious ones.’ He accepted Islam and then brought out a piece of white paper in which all that the Prophet (MGB) saidwas already written. He said, ‘O Prophet of God! I swear by Him who appointed you to the position of Prophethood that I have copied this material from the Tablets which the Honorable the Exalted God had sent to Moses - the son of Imran. I have read in the Torah that no one but you can give the right answers to these questions. O Muhammad! I have read so much about your nobilities in the Torah that I doubted it. I tried to eliminate your name from the Torah for forty years, but it still remains there. I have also read in the Torah that at the time of answering these questions Gabriel shall be on your right side, Michael shall be on your left side, and your Trustee shall be in front of you.’ The Prophet (MGB) said, ‘You are right! This is Gabriel on my right side. This is Michael on my left side. And this is my Trustee Ali ibn Abi Talib who is in front of you.’ The Jew truly accepted Islam.