The Companions of Imam Hadi (a.s.) and the narrators of his traditions - Part 4

79. Abu Amr Uthman bin Sa’eed al-Umari as-Samman

He was trustworthy and pious. He served Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) since he was eleven years old. 125 He had a high position near the imam (a.s.). Ahmad bin Isaaq al-Qummi said, ‘One day, I went to Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad (Imam al-Hadi) (blessings be on him) and said to him: O my master, some times I am here and some times I am not. I cannot come to you at every time. Whose sayings do we accept and whose orders do we follow?’

He said, ‘This is Abu Amr the trustworthy, the faithful. Whatever he says to you is from me and whatever he informs you of is in behalf of me.’

When Abul Hasan (a.s.) died, I referred to his son Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Askari (a.s.) and asked him one day as I had asked his father before. He said to me, ‘This is Abu Amr the trustworthy, the faithful. He is the trust of the formers and my trust in life and death. Whatever he says to you is from me and whatever he informs you of is in behalf of me.’ 126

This tradition shows that he had a high position and was trusted by the infallible imams (a.s.) besides that it shows his virtue and knowledge and that he was an authority of fatwas and religious verdicts.

80. Urwa bin Yahya ad-Dahqan

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 127 so did Sheikh at-Toosi but he said that he was cursed and perfidious. 128 Al-Kashshi mentioned that Muhammad bin Musa al-Hamadani said that Urwa bin Yahya al-Baghdadi known as ad-Dahqan, the curse of Allah be on him, fabricated lies against Abul Hasan Ali bin Muhammad al-Hadi (a.s.) and Abu Muhammad bin Ali al-Askari (a.s.) after him and took their monies for himself. He fabricated lies against Abu Muhammad until he cursed him and ordered his followers to curse and pray Allah against him. 129

81. Ali bin Ibrahim al-Hamadani

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 130 He narrated from Abdullah bin Hammad al-Ansari and his son Muhammad narrated from him. 131

82. Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim al-Qummi 132

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. He was one of the prominent personalities of knowledge in his age and he had written many books.

83. Abul Hasan Ali bin Abu Qurrah

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 133

84. Ali bin Bilal al-Baghdadi

He narrated from Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) and had written a book. 134 Al-Kashshi said, ‘I found a book with the handwriting of Jabra’il bin Ahmad that Muhammad bin Eesa al-Yaqtini said, ‘Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) wrote to Ali bin Bilal in 232Ah: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. 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 and 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.” 135

Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) wrote this book to Ali bin Bilal for his reliability and fairness and for his great love to the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).

Ali bin Bilal narrated from Muhammad bin Isma’il bin Bazee’, and Muhammad bin Ahmad bin Yahya narrated from him a tradition on the virtue of the ziyara of the believers and how it is done. 136

85. Ali bin Ja’far al-Hamadani

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said he was his agent and was reliable. 137 An-Najashi said, ‘He had some questions to Abul Hasan al-Askari (a.s.).’ 138 Sheikh at-Toosi considered him as one of the praised deputies (of Imam al-Mahdi) and said, ‘He was a good, virtuous man from the agents of Abul Hasan (Imam al-Hadi) and Abu Muhammad (Imam al-Askari) (peace be on them). 139 Ahmad bin Ali ar-Razi narrated that Ali bin Mukhallad al-Ayadi said, ‘Abu Ja’far al-Umari said to me that once Abu Tahir bin Bilal went to perform the hajj and he saw Ali bin Ja’far spend too much money. When he went back, he wrote to Abu Muhammad (Imam al-Askari) (a.s.) about that and Abu Muhammad (a.s.) replied to him: ‘We have ordered to give him one hundred thousand dinars and then another one hundred thousand dinars but he refused to take them so that we would keep them for people…He went to Abul Hasan (a.s.) and he ordered to give him thirty thousand dinars.’ 140

He was preferred by Imam al-Hadi (a.s.). Once, there was a dispute between him and Faris. Ibrahim bin Muhammad wrote to the imam (a.s.) telling him about that and asking him to show him which of them he should follow. Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) replied to him saying, “It should not be asked about one like this man and he should never be doubted. The position of Ali bin Ja’far is so great to us. May Allah please us with him. He is far above to be compared with others. Go to Ali bin Ja’far to satisfy your needs, and fear Faris and do not let him interfere in your affairs. Let you and those who follow you from the people of your country do that. I have been informed of what he (Faris) misrepresented to people. Do not pay attention to him inshallah!’ 141

One day, there was a dispute between Ali bin Ja’far and ibn al-Qazwini. Ibrahim bin Muhammad al-Hamadani wrote a letter to Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) telling him about that and asking him to show him which of them he should follow. Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) replied to him saying,

“It should not be asked about one like this man, and there is no doubt in him. Allah has glorified the position of the patient (Ali bin Ja’far) where al-Qazwini is compared to him! Go to him to satisfy your requests and questions and let those who follow you go to him to satisfy their needs and answer their questions and to avoid al-Qazwini and not let him interfere in their affairs for I have been informed of what he fabricated among people. Do not pay him any attention inshalah!’ 142

In a previous chapter we have mentioned the prayer of Imam al-Hadi (a.s.) for Ali bin Ja’far when he was in prison and that the prayer was responded to and Ali was freed from prison.

86. Ali bin al-Hasan

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 143

87. Ali bin al-Hasan bin Fadhdhal

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 144 An-Najashi said, ‘He was the best jurisprudent of our companions in Kufa and one of the notables there. He was trustworthy and the most aware of Hadith among them. Our companions listened to and obeyed him. Many traditions were heard from him. No fault was found in him and he was accused of nothing. He seldom narrated from a weak narrator. He was Fatahite 145 and did not narrate from his father any tradition. When I was eighteen years, I discussed with him on his books, but at that time I did not understand traditions and did not permit myself to narrate them before him. He narrated from his two brothers who narrated from their father.

He had written many books such as the book of “Wudu’”, “Haydh and Nafas; menstruation and puerperium”, “Salat; prayer”, “Zakat and Khums”, “Fasting”, “Manasik (rituals of) al-Hajj”, “Divorce”, “Nikah; marriage” and others.’ 146

Al-Kashshi said, ‘Abu Amr said: I asked Abu an-Nadhr Muhammad bin Mas’oud about all those narrators and he said, ‘As for Ali bin al-Hasan bin Ali bin Fadhdhal, I did not see among those whom I had met in Iraq and Khurasan one more knowledgeable or better than Ali bin al-Hasan (who was) in Kufa. There was no book about the imams (a.s.) unless he had a copy of it. He was the best of memorizers, but he was a Fatahite believing in Abdullah bin Ja’far (as the imam) and then after him Abul Hasan Musa (a.s.). He was reliable.’ 147

88. Ali bin al-Hasan bin Abd Rabbih

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 148 and so did al-Barqi. 149

89. Ali bin al-Husayn al-Hamadani

He was reliable. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 150 and so did al-Barqi.

90. Ali bin Ramees al-Baghdadi

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and added that he was weak. 151

91. Ali bin ar-Rayyan bin as-Salt al-Ash’ari al-Qummi

He was reliable. He had a copy of the traditions of Imam Abul Hasan the Third (a.s.) and a book of different traditions. Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 152 and so did al-Barqi. 153

92. Ali bin Ziyad as-Saymari

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 154 Muhammad bin Ya’qub narrated from Ali bin Muhammad that Abu Aqeel Eesa bin Nasr said, ‘Ali bin Ziyad as-Saymari wrote (to Imam al-Hadi) asking him for a shroud and he replied to him, “You shall need it in the year eighty.” He sent him the shroud some days before his death.’ 155

93. Ali bin Shira

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions and said he was reliable. 156

94. Ali bin Abdul Ghaffar

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 157 and so did al-Barqi. 158

95. Ali bin Abdullah

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 159

96. Ali bin Abdullah bin Ja’far al-Himyari

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 160

97. Ali bin Abdullah az-Zubayri

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions. 161

98. Ali bin Ubaydillah

Al-Barqi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companion, 162 and so did Sheikh at-Toosi. 163

99. Ali bin Amr al-Attar al-Qazwini

Sheikh at-Toosi mentioned him as one of Imam al-Hadi’s companions, 164 and so did al-Barqi. He was one of the narrators who narrated the tradition of the announcing of the imamate of Imam Abu Muhammad al-Askari (a.s.) by his father after him. 165

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125. Rijal at-Toosi.

126. Al-Ghaybah.

127. Rijal al-Barqi.

128. Rijal at-Toosi.

129. Rijal al-Kashshi.

130. Rijal at-Toosi.

131. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.11 p.222.

132. Ibid. p.203.

133. Rijal at-Toosi.

134. Rijal an-Najashi.

135. Rijal al-Kashshi.

136. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.11 p.301.

137. Rijal at-Toosi.

138. Rijal an-Najashi.

139. Al-Ghaybah.

140. Rijal al-Kashshi.

141. Rijal al-Kashshi.

142. Rijal al-Kashshi.

143. Rijal at-Toosi.

144. Rijal at-Toosi.

145. A sect believing that Abdullah al-Aftah the son of Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (s) was the imam after his father.

146. Rijal an-Najashi.

147. Rijal al-Kashshi.

148. Rijal at-Toosi.

149. Rijal al-Barqi.

150. Rijal at-Toosi.

151. Ibid.

152. Ibid.

153. Rijal al-Barqi.

154. Rijal at-Toosi.

155. Ibid.

156. Ibid.

157. Rijal at-Toosi.

158. Rijal al-Barqi.

159. Rijal at-Toosi.

160. Ibid.

161. Ibid.

162. Rijal al-Barqi.

163. Rijal at-Toosi.

164. Ibid.

165. Mu'jam Rijal al-Hadith, vol.11 p.114.

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