Volume 1, Book 4, Chapter 102

The Hadith (statements) of Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad) is Difficult and becomes Difficult

5 Aḥadīth

Hadith No. 1

d ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Jabir who has said the following. “Abu Ja‘far (a.s) has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The Hadith (statements) of Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad) is difficult and it becomes difficult. No one believes in it except the angels that are close to Allah or the Prophets who are Messengers also, a servant of Allah whose He has tested for faith. Whatever would come to you of the Hadith (statements) of Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad), if your heart would feel relief and you recognized them accept them. Whatever that would cause antipathy in your hearts and you could not recognize leave them to Allah, to the Messenger of Allah and the scholar from Ahl al-Bayt of Muhammad. The ones to perish are those who do not accept Hadith of Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad).Whenever one is narrated to them they say, “By Allah, this was not and that was not.” Denial is disbelief.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (a.s) قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ إِنَّ حَدِيثَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لا يُؤْمِنُ بِهِ إِلا مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ أَوْ نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ أَوْ عَبْدٌ امْتَحَنَ الله قَلْبَهُ لِلايمَانِ فَمَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ حَدِيثِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ فَلانَتْ لَهُ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَعَرَفْتُمُوهُ فَاقْبَلُوهُ وَمَا اشْمَأَزَّتْ مِنْهُ قُلُوبُكُمْ وَأَنْكَرْتُمُوهُ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى الله وَإِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى الْعَالِمِ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَإِنَّمَا الْهَالِكُ أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ أَحَدُكُمْ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْهُ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ فَيَقُولَ وَالله مَا كَانَ هَذَا وَالله مَا كَانَ هَذَا وَالانْكَارُ هُوَ الْكُفْرُ.


Hadith No. 2

Ahmad ibn ’Idris has narrated from ‘Imran ibn Musa from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas‘ada ibn Sadaqa who has said the following. “I said to abu ‘Abdallah that I one day spoke of Taqiya (hiding something for fear) before Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s).” He said, “By Allah, if abu Dhar knew what was in the heart of Salam he would have killed him even though the Messenger of Allah had formed brotherhood between them. What then would you think of the rest of the people? The knowledge of the scholars is difficult and it becomes difficult No one is capable to bear it except a prophet who is a messenger also or an angel who is close to Allah or a believer whose heart Allaah has tested for faith.” The Imam (a.s) then said, “The only reason that Salman became of the scholars is because he is a man from us (Ahl al-Bayt). For this reason, I ascribed him to the scholars.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) قَالَ ذُكِرَتِ التَّقِيَّةُ يَوْماً عِنْدَ عَلِيِّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَقَالَ وَالله لَوْ عَلِمَ أَبُو ذَرٍّ مَا فِي قَلْبِ سَلْمَانَ لَقَتَلَهُ وَلَقَدْ آخَى رَسُولُ الله ﷺ بَيْنَهُمَا فَمَا ظَنُّكُمْ بِسَائِرِ الْخَلْقِ إِنَّ عِلْمَ الْعُلَمَاءِ صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ إِلا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ أَوْ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ أَوْ عَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ امْتَحَنَ الله قَلْبَهُ لِلايمَانِ فَقَالَ وَإِنَّمَا صَارَ سَلْمَانُ مِنَ الْعُلَمَاءِ لانَّهُ امْرُؤٌ مِنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ فَلِذَلِكَ نَسَبْتُهُ إِلَى الْعُلَمَاءِ.


Hadith No. 3

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Barqi from ibn Sinan or others in a marfu‘ manner from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) who has said the following. “Our Hadith (statements) are difficult and they become difficult. Only well lighted chests, the well protected of virtuous moral abilities are capable to accept them.” Allah has taken a pledge from our Shi‘a (followers) just as He has taken such pledge from the children of Adam (Am I not Your Lord?” Whoever would remain loyal to us Allah will grant then paradise. Whoever would dislike us and would not deliver our rights to us they will live in fire forever.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (a.s) قَالَ إِنَّ حَدِيثَنَا صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ إِلا صُدُورٌ مُنِيرَةٌ أَوْ قُلُوبٌ سَلِيمَةٌ أَوْ أَخْلاقٌ حَسَنَةٌ إِنَّ الله أَخَذَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا الْمِيثَاقَ كَمَا أَخَذَ عَلَى بَنِي آدَمَ أَ لَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ وَفَى لَنَا وَفَى الله لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَنَا وَلَمْ يُؤَدِّ إِلَيْنَا حَقَّنَا فَفِي النَّارِ خَالِداً مُخَلَّداً.


Hadith No. 4

Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Muhammad ibn Ahmad from one of our people the following. “I wrote to Imam al-Hassan al_’Askari (a.s) saying, May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what is the meaning of the following Hadith of Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (a.s)? “Our Hadith (statements) are difficult and they become difficult. No one is capable to bear them not even an angel or a prophet who is also a messenger or a believer whose heart Allah has tested for faith.?” The answer came as herein below. “The meaning of the words the truthful one ‘that angels, prophets and believers are not capable to accept them’ is that of the truthful one is that the angel does bear it until he deliver it to other angels. The prophet does noor bear it until he delivers it to another prophet and the believer does not bear it until he delivers to another believer. This is the meaning of the words of my grandfather.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ صَاحِبِ الْعَسْكَرِ (a.s) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ الصَّادِقِ (a.s) حَدِيثُنَا لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَلا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَلا مُؤْمِنٌ امْتَحَنَ الله قَلْبَهُ لِلايمَانِ فَجَاءَ الْجَوَابُ إِنَّمَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ الصَّادِقِ (a.s) أَيْ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مَلَكٌ وَلا نَبِيٌّ وَلا مُؤْمِنٌ إِنَّ الْمَلَكَ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَهُ إِلَى مَلَكٍ غَيْرِهِ وَالنَّبِيُّ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَهُ إِلَى نَبِيٍّ غَيْرِهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُ لا يَحْتَمِلُهُ حَتَّى يُخْرِجَهُ إِلَى مُؤْمِنٍ غَيْرِهِ فَهَذَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ جَدِّي (a.s )


Hadith No. 5

Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Mansur ibn al-‘Abbass from Safwan ibn Yahya from ‘Abdallah ibn Muskan from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq and abu Basir who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) said, ‘O abu Muhammad, with us there is a secret of the secrets of Allah and a knowledge of the knowledge of Allah. No angel, near to Allah or a prophet who is a messenger also and no believer whose heart Allah has tested for faith is capable to bear. By Allah, Allah has not required anyone to bear it except us nor has He required anyone to worship him in that way except us. With us there is a secret of the secrets of Allah and a knowledge of the knowledge of Allah. Allah has commanded us to preach it We then preached what Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, had commanded us to preach However, we did not find a proper place for it or a people or bearers who accept it until Allah created certain tribes. These people were created from the clay out of which Muhammad and his descendants were created and from a light from which Allah had created Muhammad and his descendants. He made them with the excess of the making of His blessings out of which He had made Muhammad and his descendants. We then preached what Allah had commanded us to preach then these people accepted and acknowledged that. [It reached them from us and they accepted and acknowledged it]. Our mention reached them and their hearts inclined towards us, recognizing us and our hadith. Had they not been created from this they would not have been as suCh No, by Allah, they would not have acknowledged.” Then the Imam (a.s) said, “Allah created certain tribes for Hell and fire. He then commanded us to preach to them as we had preached to them but to the later ones it seemed repugnant and their hearts felt hatred and they rejected it from us, did not acknowledge it and considered it as lies and they said, “They are magicians and liars.” Allah then placed a seal on their hearts and made them to forget. Allah then opened their tongue with some of the truth. Thus, they speak of it but their hearts are in denial. He uses it in defense of His friends and those who obey Him. Had it not been there no one would have worshipped Allah on earth. He commanded us to withheld it from them, hide and conceal. You must also hide it from those that Allah has commanded to withheld from and hide from those that Allah has commanded to hide and withheld from.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s) then raised his hands and wept and said, “O Lord, this is a very small group. Make our lives as their lives and our death like their death. Do not make dominant over them any of Your enemies that would cause us suffer pains for their suffering. If You would allow it to cause pains to us because of their sufferings no one would worship You on earth. May Allah send blessing up on Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt and may (Your) peace and more peace be with them.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْخَالِقِ وَأَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (a.s) يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا وَالله سِرّاً مِنْ سِرِّ الله وَعِلْماً مِنْ عِلْمِ الله وَالله مَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَلا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَلا مُؤْمِنٌ امْتَحَنَ الله قَلْبَهُ لِلايمَانِ وَالله مَا كَلَّفَ الله ذَلِكَ أَحَداً غَيْرَنَا وَلا اسْتَعْبَدَ بِذَلِكَ أَحَداً غَيْرَنَا وَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا سِرّاً مِنْ سِرِّ الله وَعِلْماً مِنْ عِلْمِ الله أَمَرَنَا الله بِتَبْلِيغِهِ فَبَلَّغْنَا عَنِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا أَمَرَنَا بِتَبْلِيغِهِ فَلَمْ نَجِدْ لَهُ مَوْضِعاً وَلا أَهْلاً وَلا حَمَّالَةً يَحْتَمِلُونَهُ حَتَّى خَلَقَ الله لِذَلِكَ أَقْوَاماً خُلِقُوا مِنْ طِينَةٍ خُلِقَ مِنْهَا مُحَمَّدٌ وَآلُهُ وَذُرِّيَّتُهُ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَمِنْ نُورٍ خَلَقَ الله مِنْهُ مُحَمَّداً وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ وَصَنَعَهُمْ بِفَضْلِ رَحْمَتِهِ الَّتِي صَنَعَ مِنْهَا مُحَمَّداً وَذُرِّيَّتَهُ فَبَلَّغْنَا عَنِ الله مَا أَمَرَنَا بِتَبْلِيغِهِ فَقَبِلُوهُ وَاحْتَمَلُوا ذَلِكَ فَبَلَغَهُمْ ذَلِكَ عَنَّا فَقَبِلُوهُ وَاحْتَمَلُوهُ وَبَلَغَهُمْ ذِكْرُنَا فَمَالَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَى مَعْرِفَتِنَا وَحَدِيثِنَا فَلَوْ لا أَنَّهُمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ هَذَا لَمَا كَانُوا كَذَلِكَ لا وَالله مَا احْتَمَلُوهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الله خَلَقَ أَقْوَاماً لِجَهَنَّمَ وَالنَّارِ فَأَمَرَنَا أَنْ نُبَلِّغَهُمْ كَمَا بَلَّغْنَاهُمْ وَاشْمَأَزُّوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَنَفَرَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَرَدُّوهُ عَلَيْنَا وَلَمْ يَحْتَمِلُوهُ وَكَذَّبُوا بِهِ وَقَالُوا سَاحِرٌ كَذَّابٌ فَطَبَعَ الله عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَأَنْسَاهُمْ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ أَطْلَقَ الله لِسَانَهُمْ بِبَعْضِ الْحَقِّ فَهُمْ يَنْطِقُونَ بِهِ وَقُلُوبُهُمْ مُنْكِرَةٌ لِيَكُونَ ذَلِكَ دَفْعاً عَنْ أَوْلِيَائِهِ وَأَهْلِ طَاعَتِهِ وَلَوْ لا ذَلِكَ مَا عُبِدَ الله فِي أَرْضِهِ فَأَمَرَنَا بِالْكَفِّ عَنْهُمْ وَالسَّتْرِ وَالْكِتْمَانِ فَاكْتُمُوا عَمَّنْ أَمَرَ الله بِالْكَفِّ عَنْهُ وَاسْتُرُوا عَمَّنْ أَمَرَ الله بِالسَّتْرِ وَالْكِتْمَانِ عَنْهُ قَالَ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ وَبَكَى وَقَالَ اللهمَّ إِنَّ هَؤُلاءِ لَشِرْذِمَةٌ قَلِيلُونَ فَاجْعَلْ مَحْيَانَا مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتَنَا مَمَاتَهُمْ وَلا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْهِمْ عَدُوّاً لَكَ فَتُفْجِعَنَا بِهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أَفْجَعْتَنَا بِهِمْ لَمْ تُعْبَدْ أَبَداً فِي أَرْضِكَ وَصَلَّى الله عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيماً.