The Imams are the light of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High
6 Aḥadīth
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Mirdas who has said that Saffron ibn Yahya and al-Hassan ibn Mahbub have narrated from abu Ayyub from abu Khalid al-Kabuli who has said that he asked Imam abu Ja‘far about the meaning of the words of Allah e following. “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:57) The Imams said, “O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah that it is the Imams from the family of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) up to the Day of judgment who are called light in the above verse. They, I swear by Allah, are the light of Allah whom He sent down. It is they, I swear by Allah, who are the light of Allah in the heavens and in the earth. O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah, that the light of the Imams in the hearts of the true believers is more bright than the light of the sun in the midday. They, I swear by Allah, give light to the hearts of the true believers and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, may block such light from reaching the hearts of whoever He may will, thus their hearts remain dark. O abu Khalid, no one would believe in our Divine authority except that Allah will cleanse his heart. Allah will not cleanse the heart of a person until he or she will acknowledge our Divine authority and live in peace with us. When one lives in peace with us Allah will safe guard him against the severity of the day of recockning and grant him security against the great terror on the Day of Judgment”
الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مِرْدَاسٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَالْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ الْكَابُلِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَآمِنُوا بِالله وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنا فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ النُّورُ وَالله الائِمَّةُ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَهُمْ وَالله نُورُ الله الَّذِي أَنْزَلَ وَهُمْ وَالله نُورُ الله فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَفِي الارْضِ وَالله يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ لَنُورُ الامَامِ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْوَرُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ الْمُضِيئَةِ بِالنَّهَارِ وَهُمْ وَالله يُنَوِّرُونَ قُلُوبَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَيَحْجُبُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ نُورَهُمْ عَمَّنْ يَشَاءُ فَتُظْلَمُ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَالله يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ لا يُحِبُّنَا عَبْدٌ وَيَتَوَلانَا حَتَّى يُطَهِّرَ الله قَلْبَهُ وَلا يُطَهِّرُ الله قَلْبَ عَبْدٍ حَتَّى يُسَلِّمَ لَنَا وَيَكُونَ سِلْماً لَنَا فَإِذَا كَانَ سِلْماً لَنَا سَلَّمَهُ الله مِنْ شَدِيدِ الْحِسَابِ وَآمَنَهُ مِنْ فَزَعِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ الاكْبَرِ.
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated through his chain of narrators from abu ‘Abdallah about the words of Allah that say, There are those who follow the Messengers, the illiterate Prophet (not conventionally educated), whose description they find written in the Torah and the Gospel. [He (the Messengers) enjoins them to do good and forbids them to do all that is unlawful, makes lawful for them all that is pure and unlawful all that is filthy, removes their burdens and the entanglements in which they are involved]. Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:57) The Imams said, “It is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali and the Imams after him who are called ‘light’ in the above verse of the Holy Quran.”
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله فِي قَوْلِ الله تَعَالَى الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الامِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوباً عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْراةِ وَالانْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهاهُمْ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّباتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبائِثَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ قَالَ النُّورُ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ عَلِيٌّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالائِمَّةُ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام )
Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Fudala from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from abu al-Jarud who has said that he said the following to Imam abu Ja‘far . “Allah has given a great deal of good to the people of the heavenly books.” The Imam then asked, “What is it?” I then said it said in Holy Quran, “We sent Our guidance to them so that perhaps they might take heed. (28:5) (Some of) the followers of the Bible believe in the Quran (28:52). When it is recited to them, they say, “We believe in it. It is the Truth from our Lord. We were Muslims before it was revealed” (28:53). These will receive double reward for their forbearance, replacing evil by virtue, and for their spending for the cause of God.” (28:54) The Imam said, “Allah has given you also a great deal of good as He has given to them and he recited, ‘Believers, have fear of God and believe in His Messenger. God will grant you a double share of mercy, a light by which you can walk, and forgive your sins. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful.’ (57:28) The light mentioned in this verse mean the Imam who you follow.’”
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر لَقَدْ آتَى الله أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ خَيْراً كَثِيراً قَالَ وَمَا ذَاكَ قُلْتُ قَوْلُ الله تَعَالَى الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ أُولئِكَ يُؤْتَوْنَ أَجْرَهُمْ مَرَّتَيْنِ بِما صَبَرُوا قَالَ فَقَالَ قَدْ آتَاكُمُ الله كَمَا آتَاهُمْ ثُمَّ تَلا يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا الله وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ وَيَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ نُوراً تَمْشُونَ بِهِ يَعْنِي إِمَاماً تَأْتَمُّونَ بِهِ.
Ahmad ibn Mahran has narrated from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hassani from Ali ibn Asbat and al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub from abu Khalid al-kabuli who has said that he asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:57) The Imams said, “O abu Khalid, the light in this verse, I swear by Allah, means the Imams. O abu Khalid the light of the Imam in the hearts of the true believers is more bright than the light of the sun in midday. It is they who brighten the hearts of the true believers and Allah withholds their light from reaching whomever He would will, thus, their hearts become dark and Allah covers them with the darknesss.”
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ الْكَابُلِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله تَعَالَى فَآمِنُوا بِالله وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنا فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ النُّورُ وَالله الائِمَّةُ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) يَا أَبَا خَالِدٍ لَنُورُ الامَامِ فِي قُلُوبِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْوَرُ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ الْمُضِيئَةِ بِالنَّهَارِ وَهُمُ الَّذِينَ يُنَوِّرُونَ قُلُوبَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَيَحْجُبُ الله نُورَهُمْ عَمَّنْ يَشَاءُ فَتُظْلَمُ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَيَغْشَاهُمْ بِهَا.
Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn sham?? From ‘Abdallah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmanal-Asamm from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Qasim from salih ibn Sahl al-Hamadani who has said that abu ‘Abdallah has said the following about the verse of the Holy Quran below. “God is the light of the heavens and the earth. A metaphor for His light is a lantern in which there is a lamp placed in a glass. The glass is like a shining star which is lit from a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern nor western. Its oil almost lights up even though it has not been touched by the fire. It is light upon light. God guides to His light whomever He wants. God uses various metaphors. He has the knowledge of all things.” (24:35) The Imam said that the lantern metaphorically stands for the Holy lady, Fatima , the lamp stands for Imam al-Hassan and the glass stands for Imam al-Husayn . The shining star stands for the Holy lady Fatima who shines among the ladies of the world. The blessed olive tree stands for Prophet Abraham. Neither eastern nor western means not Jewish nor Christian. ‘Its oil almost lights up’ means that it almost bursts up with knowledge. ‘Light up on light’ means that there will one Imam after the other Imam ‘God guides to His light who ever He wants’ means that Allah guides through the Imams whomever He wants.” About ‘God uses various metaphors’ I said, “Or it (the deeds of the unbelievers) are like the darkness of a deep, stormy sea with layers of giant waves, covered by dark clouds. It is darkness upon darkness whereby even if one stretches out his hands he can not see them. One can have no light unless God gives him light. (24:40) The Imam said, “ ‘darkness’ refers to the first and his friend, ‘with layers of giant waves’ refers to the third, ‘covered with darkness’ refers to the second. ‘it is darkness up on darkness’ refers to Mu‘awiya and the disasters caused by the Amavides. ‘even if one stretches out his hands’ means that even if a true believer would stretch his hands in such disastrous condition ‘he can not see them’. ‘One can have no light unless God gives him light, means the light from the children of the Holy Lady, Fatima ‘Can have no light’ means an Imam on the Day of Judgment.” The Imam said that, “On the Day of Judgment you will see the believers with their light shining in front of them and to their right. They will be told, “Paradise wherein streams flow is the glad news for you today. You will live therein forever. This is the greatest triumph.” (57:2), the shining light in front . .’ is a reference to the Imams whom would walk in front and on the right of the true believers until they all enter paradise.” Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Musa ibn al-Qasim al-Bajali and Muhammad ibn yahya from al-‘Amrakiy ibn Ali altogether from Ali ibn Ja‘far from his brother a similar Hadith.
Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from al-husayn ibn ‘Ubadallah from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan and Musa ibn ‘umar from al-hassan ibn Mahbub from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said that he asked abu al-Hassan about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “They want to put out the light of God with their mouths, but God will certainly make His light shine forever – even though the unbelievers may dislike this.” (6:8) The Imam said, “They want to put out the divine authority of Amir al-Mu’minin with their mouths. ‘but Allah completes His light’ means the Imams as mentioned in, “Those who believe in him, honor and help him, and follow the light which is sent down to him, will have everlasting happiness.” (7:57) The light stands for Imam .”
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِؤُا نُورَ الله بِأَفْواهِهِمْ قَالَ يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا وَلايَةَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى وَالله مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ قَالَ يَقُولُ وَالله مُتِمُّ الامَامَةِ وَالامَامَةُ هِيَ النُّورُ وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَآمِنُوا بِالله وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنا قَالَ النُّورُ هُوَ الامَامُ.