محمد بن عمارة

Al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad (as) said: Whoever denies three things is not of our Shi`a: (1) the ascension (mi`raj), (2) the questioning in the grave, and (3) the intercession.

Surely, earthquakes, eclipses, and tremendous winds are among the signs of the Hour. When you see something of that, then remember the Day of Resurrection and hurry to your mosques.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: A part of me will be buried in Khurasan. A believer will not visit it except that Allah will make Paradise mandatory for him and forbid his body from the Fire.

I asked al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad (as), saying to him: O son of the Messenger of Allah! Inform me regarding Allah: does He become pleased and discontented? So, he said: Yes, but not in the way that is present among the creatures. Rather, the anger of Allah is His punishment, and His pleasure is His reward.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: Surely, Allah assigned virtues to my brother `Ali b. Abi Talib which cannot be enumerated by anyone other than Him. So, whoever mentions a virtue from his many virtues, acknowledging it, Allah will forgive him his past sins and the latter ones, even if he were to come on the Resurrection with the sins of the two heavyweights (men and jinn). Whoever writes down a virtue from the virtues of `Ali b. Abu Talib (as), the angels shall not descend but seeking forgiveness for him as long as that descriptive writing remains. Whoever listens to a virtue from his virtues, Allah will forgive him the sins which he would have acquired through his hearing. Whoever looks at a writing about his virtues, Allah will forgive him the sins which he would have acquired through sight. Then the Messenger of Allah (s) said: Looking towards `Ali b. Abu Talib is worship. His mention is worship. And the faith of a servant is not accepted save through his wilaya and dissociation from his enemies.

I said to al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad (as): Inform me of the passing of Musa b. `Imran (as). So, he said: When he met his fate, and depleted his term, and was cut away from food, the Angel of Death met him and said to him: “Peace be unto you, O he who Allah has spoken to.” So, Musa (as) said to him: “And also with you. Who are you?” So, he said: “I am the Angel of Death.” He said: “What brings you?” He said: “I have come to take your soul.” So, Musa (as) said to him: “Where will you take my soul out from?” He said: “From your mouth.” Musa said to him: “How, when I have spoken to my Lord [with these lips]?” He said: “Then [I will take your soul] from your hands.” He said: “How, when I have carried the Torah with them?” He said: “Then from your feet.” He said: “How, when I have walked upon Mount Sinai with them?” He said: “Then from your eyes.” He said: “How, while I still look to my Lord with continuous hope?” He said: “Then from your ears.” He said: “How, when I have heard the words of my Lord with them?” So, Allah revealed to the Angel of Death, instructing him not to take his soul until he himself wanted death. And the Angel of Death left him and allowed Musa (as) to remain as long as Allah wanted after that. And he called Yusha` b. Nun, deputed him, and ordered him to guard his role, and recommended that he deputes someone after him who can take charge of the role. And Musa (as) went away from his community, and in his seclusion, he passed by a man who was digging a grave. So, he asked him: “Can I watch you dig this grave?” So, the man said to him: “Of course”. So, he watched him until he dug the grave. Then, Musa b. `Imran lay down in it so that he may see how it was, then the cover was unveiled for him and he saw his place in Paradise. So, he said: “O my Lord! Let me be passed to you.” So, the Angel of Death took his soul in his place, buried him in the grave, and threw the dust onto him. The one who dug the grave was an angel in a human form, and that was in the wilderness. Then a caller called in the heavens, “Musa, the one whom Allah has spoken to, has died. So, which person does not die?” So, my father narrated to me from my grandfather from his father (as) that the Messenger of Allah (s) was asked about the grave of Musa b. `Imran (as) – where is it? So, he said: It is at the great path, at the red dune.