The Companions of Imam Hadi (a.s.) and the narrators of his traditions - Part 2

31. Ja’far bin Abdullah bin al-Husayn bin Jami’ al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. He communicated through letters with Imam al-Mahdi (a.s.). 46

32. Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Isma’il bin al-Khattab

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 47 and so did al-Barqi. Sheikh at-Toosi said that once, Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) wrote him a letter. 48

33. Ja’far bin Muhammad bin Younus al-Ahwal as-Sayrafi

He narrated from Imam Abu Ja’far the second (al-Jawad). He had written a book. 49 Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 50

34. Hatim bin al-Faraj

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 51

35. Al-Hasan bin Ja’far

He was known as Abu Talib al-Fafani. He was from Baghdad. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, and also he mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hasan al-Askari’s companions. 52

36. Al-Hasan bin al-Hasan al-Alawi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 53

37. Al-Hasan bin al-Husayn al-Alawi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 54

38. Al-Hasan bin Kharzath

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 55 An-Najashi said, ‘He narrated too many traditions. He had written a book called “the names of the messenger of Allah” and a book called “al-Mut’ah-temporary marriage”. It was said that he was excessive at the end of his life.’ 56

39. Abu Ali al-Hasan bin Rashid

He was a reliable man from Baghdad. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 57 Sheikh al-Mufid said he was one of the famous jurisprudents and chiefs from whom people took the verdicts of halal and haram and who were uncriticized and unblameable. 58 Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) appointed him as his agent and sent him many letters. Here are some of them:

1. Al-Kashshi mentioned that Muhammad bin Eesa al-Yaqtini said, “Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) wrote a letter to Ali bin Bilal in 232AH saying in it, ‘‘I praise Allah and thank Him for his might and mercy and pray Him to have blessing and mercy on Muhammad the Prophet and on his progeny. I have appointed Abu Ali in the position of al-Husayn bin Abd Rabbih and entrusted him with that for the knowledge he has that no one is preferred to him. I know you are the chief of your district and so I wanted to honor you by writing this book on that to you. You have to obey him and deliver to him all the dues that are with you. You have to inform my manumitted slaves and recommend them of that, for this will support and suffice him and save us efforts and please us. Doing this, you will have the reward of Allah and Allah gives whoever He likes. He is the Giver, Who rewards with His mercy and you are in the trust of Allah. I have written this letter with my handwriting and I praise Allah too much.” 59 This letter shows the reliability, trustworthiness, and virtue of al-Hasan bin Rashid where Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) ordered his followers to obey, follow, and pay the legal dues to him.

2. Al-Kashshi mentioned that Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Eesa said, ‘I copied the book that was with ibn Rashid to the mawali who lived in Baghdad, Mada’in, and the villages around. This is the text of the letter:

‘I praise Allah for the health and soundness I am in, and pray Him to have blessing, all mercy, and kindness on His Prophet and his progeny. I have appointed Abu Ali bin Rashid in place of Ali bin al-Husayn bin Abd Rabbih who was my agent before, and now he (Abu Ali bin Rashid) has the position of his predecessor. I have entrusted him with what I had entrusted my previous agents with to receive my rights from you. I have accepted him to you and preferred him to the others in that, and he is well-qualified for this job. May Allah have mercy on you, pay the dues to him and to me and do not make an excuse on yourselves. Hurry to obey Allah, make your monies lawful, spare your bloods, help one another in goodness and piety, and fear Allah that you may find mercy, and hold fast by the covenant of Allah all together and do not die unless you are Muslims. Obeying him is as obeying me, and disobeying him is as disobeying me. Keep to the right path that Allah may reward you and give you more from His favor, for Allah is Ample-giving, Generous, and He is Gracious and Merciful to His people. May we and you be in the trust and preservation of Allah. I have written it with my handwriting, and too much praise be to Allah.’ 60 3. Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) sent a letter to Ayyub bin Noah saying,

“O Ayyub, I order you to stop disputation between you and Abu Ali, and that each of you should keep to what he has been entrusted with and ordered to manage the affairs of his district. If you follow all that which I have ordered you of, you will no longer need to refer to me. O Abu Ali, I order you of the same as I have ordered Ayyub. Do not accept anything from anyone from the people of Baghdad and the other villages. Order anyone coming to you from other than your district to carry the dues to the very agent of his own district. O Abu Ali, I order you as I have ordered Ayyub. Let each of you do as I have ordered him!’ 61 Definitely, Abu Ali bin Rashid had a respectable position near Imam al-Hadi (a.s.), and certainly he did not obtained that position except through his piety and religiousness. When bin Rashid died, Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) prayed Allah to have mercy on him, to forgive, and be pleased with him.

40. Al-Hasan bin Dharif

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 62 An-Najashi said, ‘Al-Hasan bin Dharif bin Nasif was a reliable man from Kufa. He and his father lived in Baghdad. It is said that he has a book on rarities. Many narrators narrated from him.’ 63

41. Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Umar bin Ali bin al-Husayn bin Ali bin Abu Talib

He was called an-Nasir lil-Haqq. He was from Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 64 The author of Sharh al-Masa’il an-Nasiriyyat says, ‘Abu Muhammad an-Nasir al-Hasan bin Ali was virtuous for his vast knowledge and asceticism. His jurisprudence was brighter than the bright sun. It was he who spread Islam in ad-Daylam and made its people be guided by him after deviation. His splendid biography is more than to be accounted, and more obvious than to be hidden.’ 65

42. Al-Hasan bin Ali al-Washsha’

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 66 An-Najashi said, ‘He was the son of the daughter of Elyas as-Sayrafi al-Khazzaz. Al-Hasan narrated from his grandfather Elyas that he said when he was about to die, ‘Witness on me, and this moment is not of lying, that I heard Abu Abdullah (as-Sadiq) (peace be upon him) saying: By Allah, Fire will not touch one, who loves Allah and His messenger and believes in the imams, after his death.”

Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Eesa said, ‘Once, I went to Kufa seeking Hadith. I met there al-Hasan bin Ali al-Washsha’ and asked him to show me the books of al-Ala’ bin Razin al-Qalla and Abban bin Uthman al-Ahmar. He gave me the two books and I asked him to permit me to copy them. He said to me, ‘O man, why are you in a hurry? Go and copy them.’ I said, ‘I fear accidents.’ He said, ‘If I knew that this tradition would be requested so much, I would write much more. I met in this mosque (the mosque of Kufa) nine hundred sheikhs that each of them said: Ja’far bin Muhammad (Imam as-Sadiq) said to me…This man was a notable scholar of the sect (the Shia) and had written some books such as “the Reward of the Hajj”, “al-Manasik”, and a book of rarities.’ 67

43. Al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Uthman as-Sajjadah

He was excessive. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 68 From his excessiveness was that Nasr bin as-Sabah said, ‘One day, al-Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Uthman as-Sajjadah said to me, ‘What do you say about Muhammad bin Abu Zaynab and Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib (the Prophet) (peace be upon him and upon his progeny)? Which of them is better?’ I said to him, ‘You say!’ He said, ‘Muhammad bin Abu Zaynab (is better). Do you not see that Allah the Almighty has blamed Muhammad bin Abdullah (the Prophet) (peace be upon him and upon his progeny) on some occasions in the Qur'an, but He has not blamed Muhammad bin Abu Zaynab? Allah has said to Muhammad bin Abdullah, (And if We had not made thee wholly firm thou mightest almost have inclined unto them a little), 69 and (If thou ascribe a partner to Allah, thy work will fail and thou indeed wilt be among the losers), 70 and in other verses, and He has not blamed Muhammad bin Abu Zaynab for anything of that.’ Abu Amr said, ‘On as-Sajjadah be the curse of Allah, of cursors, of the angels, and of people altogether. He was from the Aliya’ites who criticized the messenger of Allah (a.s.) and who had no share in Islam.’ 71 This tradition shows the bad beliefs of this man.

44. Al-Hasan bin Muhammad al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 72 Al-Kashshi said, ‘Abu Muhammad al-Fadhl bin Shathan mentioned in one of his books: “From the famous liars is ibn Baba al-Qummi. Sa’d said that al-Ubaydi said to him, ‘Once, (Imam) al-Askari wrote to me saying: I am free before Allah from al-Fihri and al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Baba al-Qummi, and you also be free from them. I warn you and all my followers from them. I curse them. The curse of Allah be on them. They extort the monies of people in the name of us. They are mischievous and harmful. May Allah harm them and plunge them into mischief. Ibn Baba pretends that I have sent him as a prophet and that he is a “bab”. 73 The curse of Allah be on him. Satan has mocked at him and deceived him. Allah curses whoever accepts that from him. O Muhammad, if you are able to split his head with a rock, you do. He has harmed me. May Allah harm him in this life and in the afterlife.’ 74 Ibn Baba was deviant from the truth and from religion and he harmed the imam with the heresies he originated.

45. Al-Hasan bin Muhammad bin Hayy

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 75 He seemed to be a Twelver Shia, but he was unknown.

46. Al-Hasan bin Muhammad al-Mada’ini

He was from the companions of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.). 76

47. Al-Husayn bin Asad an-Nahdi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 77 and so did al-Barqi.

48. Al-Husayn bin Asad al-Basri

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 78 Al-Barqi said he was from the companions of Imam al-Jawad (a.s.) and said he was reliable and truthful. 79

49. Al-Husayn bin Ashkib

An-Najashi said, ‘Al-Husayn bin Ashkib was a reliable, preferable sheikh from Khurasan. Abu Amr mentioned him in his book “ar-Rijal” as one of the companions of Imam Abul Hasan al-Mahdi (a.s.). Al-Ayyashi narrated many traditions from him and considered his traditions as true and said he was trustworthy. 80 Al-Kashshi said, ‘He was a theologian, scholars, and author of some books.’ 81

50. Al-Husayn bin Ubaydillah al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said he was accused of excessiveness. 82 Al-Kashshi said, ‘He was exiled from Qum at the time when those, who were accused of excessiveness, were exiled.’ 83

51. Al-Husayn bin Malik al-Qummi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said he was reliable. 84

52. Al-Husayn bin Muhammad al-Mada’ini

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 85 and so did al-Barqi.

53. Hafs al-Marwazi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 86

54. Hamdan bin Sulayman bin Umayrah an-Naysaburi

He was known as at-Tajir. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 87 An-Najashi said, ‘Hamdan bin Sulayman Abu Sa’eed an-Nayshaburi was a reliable man from the notables of our companions.’ 88

55. Hamza bin Sulayman bin Rasheed

He was from Baghdad. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 89

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46. Rijal at-Toosi.

47. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.4 p.307.

48. At-Tahthib.

49. Rijal an-Najashi.

50. Rijal at-Toosi.

51. Ibid.

52. Ibid.

53. Ibid.

54. Rijal at-Toosi.

55. Rijal at-Toosi.

56. Rijal an-Najashi.

57. Rijal at-Toosi.

58. Ar-Risalah al-Adadiyyah.

59. Rijal al-Kashshi.

60. Rijal al-Kashshi.

61. Rijal al-Kashshi.

62. Rijal at-Toosi.

63. Rijal an-Najashi.

64. Rijal at-Toosi.

65. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.5 p.30-31.

66. Rijal at-Toosi.

67. Rijal an-Najashi.

68. Rijal at-Toosi.

69. Qur'an, 17:74.

70. Qur'an, 39:65.

71. Rijal al-Kashshi.

72. Rijal at-Toosi.

73. In early Shiism “bab” denotes the senior authorized disciple of the imam.

74. Rijal al-Kashshi.

75. Rijal at-Toosi.

76. Ibid.

77. Ibid.

78. Ibid.

79. Rijal al-Barqi.

80. Rijal an-Najashi.

81. Rijal al-Kashshi.

82. Rijal at-Toosi.

83. Rijal al-Kashshi.

84. Rijal at-Toosi.

85. Ibid.

86. Ibid.

87. Ibid.

88. Rijal an-Najashi.

89. Rijal at-Toosi.

Adapted from the book: "The Life of Imam ALI bin Muhammad AL-HADI" by: "Baqir Shareef al-Qurashi"