The Commands of the Holy Prophet to Wish Well for the Imams of Muslims, Remain Close with their Group and as to Who They are

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Aban ibnn 'Uthman from ibn abu Ya'fur from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. 

"The the Messenger of Allah addressed people in the mosque of Khif and said, "May Allah grant joy and happiness to those of His servants that on hearing my words understand them, memorize them preach them to those who have not heard them. There can be many scholars of Fiqh (law) who do not have understanding as there can be many bearers of Fiqh (law) to those who are better scholars of Fiqh (law) then the bearer.

There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery. Sincerity in deeds for Allah, wishing well for the leaders of the Muslims and to stay close with the group of the Muslims because their prayer encompass them from behind them and the Muslims are each other's brothers. Their lives are as each other's lives and the least important among them strive to fulfill their responsibilities."

Hammad ibn 'Uthman from Aban from ibn abu Ya'fur has narrated a similar hadith with an addition of "They are as one hand to face their enemies". In his Hadith he has mentioned that the Holy Prophet (s.a) made his speech during his farewell pilgrimage in the mosque of Khif.

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Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from some of our people from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Hakam ibn Miskin from a man from Quraysh from the people of Makka who has said the following. "Once Sufyan al-Thawri said to me, "Come with to meet Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a. s.)." The narrator has said that he went with him and they found Ja'far ibn Muhammad (a.s.) had already rode his horse.

Sufyan said to him, "O abu 'Abdallah narrate to us the text of the sermon of the Messenger of Allah in the Mosque of al-Khif." He said, "allow me to go for my needs because I am already on the horse back and when I will return then I will narrate to the text of the sermon." He said, "I swear you to your close relation to the Messenger of Allah, you must narrate the sermon first." 

The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) dismounted his horse. Sufyan said to him, "Ask someone to bring me ink and paper so I can write it down." He asked for ink and paper and it was brought for him. The he said writhe, "In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful the sermon of the Messenger of Allah in the Mosque of al- Khif "May Allah grant joy and happiness a servant who would listen to my words, then understands them and would deliver them to those who have not heard them. O people, those of you present here must deliver them to those absent.

There can be many scholars of Fiqh (law) who do not have understanding as there can be many bearers of Fiqh (law) to those who are better scholars of Fiqh (law) then the bearer. There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery.

Sincerity in deeds for Allah, wishing well for the Imams (leaders) of the Muslims and to stay close with the group of the Muslims because their call encompass those behind them and the Muslims are each other's brothers. Their lives are as each other's lives and they act as one hand against their enemies and the least important among them strive to fulfill their responsibilities."

Sufyan wrote it down and proof read before him. Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) then rode his horse. I and Sufyan came back. Somewhere on the way he said, "Stay where you are. I want to look at this Hadith."

I then said to him, "There is no doubt, by Allah, that abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) has tied something to your neck as such that it will never go away." He aske, "What is that thing?" I then said, "There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery. Sincerity in deeds for Allah, is one that we know it. 

The other one is 'Wishing well for the Imams of the Muslims.' Who are these Imams for whom we must wish well? Are they Mu'awiya ibn abu Sufyan and Yazid ibn Mu'awiya and Marwan ibn al-Hakam? (They are such disqualified people that) the testimony of no one of them is acceptable to us and it is not permissible to pray behind them."

Also his words, "Stay close with their group" Which group is it? Is it the Muji'a group that says, "Those who do perform prayers, do not fast, do not clean and wash themselves after carnal relations, cause the destruction of the Ka'ba or marry his own mother have the same degree of faith as those of angel Jibril and Mika'il.

Is it the Qadri, (pre-destinationist) who say, "What Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, say will not happen but Satan says will happen."? Is it the Harawri group who is the enemy of Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and call him an unbeliever? Is it the Jahmiy group who says that the only thing needed is to know Allah only is faith and nothing else is required?"

He then said, "Woe is you, what then they say?" I said, "They say, "Ali ibn abu Talib, by Allah, is the Imam for whom we must wish well. To must stay close to their group means, his Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad).' The narrator has said that Sufyan al-Thawri then tore the document of Zadith and said, "Do not tell it to anyone."

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Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all together from Hammad ibn 'Isa from Hariz from Burayd ibn Mu'awiya from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following. "the Messenger of Allah has said, 'Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, would not look to a friend of His who would strive and pressure his soul in obedience to his Imam and wishing well for him but that he will be with us in the high position in paradise."

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A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn al-Faddal from abu Jamila from Muhammad al-Halabi from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "Whoever would distance himself from the company the Muslims even by one shibr (one foot) he has removed the band of allegiance with Islam from his neck."

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Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "Whoever would distance himself from the company of the Muslims and disregard the pledge of allegiance with the Imam he will come before Allah with his hand cut off."