is some of the believers, for two reasons: first, if it were not thus, then every individual believer would become walî in his own person in the meaning mentioned (see (a)), and that is false; and second, the description which he gave of them does not apply to all of them, that is, the giving of alms while in the state of bowing in worship (rukû'), since the phrase expresses a state of being (hâliyya). (e) Fifth, the intention by this some is ‘Alî b. Abî Țâlib exclusively, because of sound tradition and the agreement of most of the commentators that while he was praying a beggar begged him for something, and he gave him his signet ring while he was bowed in worship. And since 'Alî is the worthiest to control among us, he is singled out to be the Imâm. For by Imâm we do not mean anything except this.

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204. (2) Second, a mutawâtir tradition has been handed down that when the Prophet returned from the farewell pilgrimage to Mecca he commanded them to alight at the Pool (ghadîr) of Khum at noon. And the loads (of the camels) were placed for him in the form of a pulpit. And he addressed the people and called for ‘Alî and lifted him up with his hand and said, "O people, am I not better (awlâ) for you than your own souls ?" They said, "Yea, O Prophet of Allâh!" He said, “Let whoever owns me as his master (mawlâ) own this 'Ali as his master. O Allâh, befriend (wâli) whoever befriends him and hate whoever hates him, and help whoever helps 'Ali and forsake whoever forsakes him, and compass him with reality as he goes about!" And he repeated that to them three times. And the intention in mawla is awlâ (the better), because the first of the narrative, "Am I not better for you (awlâ bikum)?” indicates that. And in the word of the Most High regarding the unbelievers (57:14), "Your abode the fire !-This shall be your master (mawlâkum)," the meaning is, "it is better for you (awlâ bikum).” And also it is not possible here for maulâ to have any other meaning, such as neighbour (al-jâr) or releaser of a slave (mu'tiq) or ally (halîf) or nephew, for it is impossible that the Prophet should stand in that time of excessive heat and call the people and inform them of things which did not have

any great value for them, such as that whoever was his neighbour or the releaser of his slave, etc., was 'Alî's likewise. And since 'Alî is the best (awlâ) among us he is the Imâm.

205. (3) Third, a mutawâtir tradition (naṣṣ) has come down to us that the Prophet said to 'Alî, "Thou hast (received) the same position from me which Hârûn had from Mûsâ, except that there is no prophet after me." He confirms for him, therefore, all the degrees (marâtib) which Hârûn had from Mûsâ, and he excepts prophecy. Now one of the positions which Hârûn received from Mûsâ was that of being his successor (khalifa), although he died before him. And 'Alî lived after the Messenger of Allâh. Hence his succession is established, since there is nothing to cause his displacement (zawâl).

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206. (4) Fourth, the word of the Most High, “O ye who believe! obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, and those among you invested with authority" (4:62). And by those invested with authority" the intention is either one who is known to be immune to sin, or it is not. The second alternative is false by agreement, because it is impossible that Allâh should command absolute obedience to one to whom error is possible. Hence the first is singled out. Hence it comes about that he is 'Alî b. Abî Tâlib (upon him be peace!), since immunity to sin was not claimed for anyone except him and his descendants. Hence they are the ones intended, and that is what was sought. And this deduction is contained exactly in the word of the Most High, "Believers! fear Allâh and be with the sincere (as-șâdiqîn)" (9: 120).

207. (5) Fifth, he claimed the Imâmate, and miracles were wrought by his hand, and whoever is like that is veracious in his claim. Now that he claimed the Imâmate is evident, and the records of his words and complaints and quarrels are well known from the books of biography and history, so that when he saw that they had deserted him he sat down in his house and busied himself with collecting the Book of the Lord (the Koran). And when they sought him to acknowledge him as their chief he refused. Then they kindled a fire in his house and forced him to go out. And his sermon entitled Shiqshiqiyya in "Nahju'l-Balâgha" will suffice to

make thee aware of his complaint in this matter. And the miracles wrought by his hand were many. Among them are the removing of the gate of Khaybar, and conversing with ravenous beasts on the pulpit of Kûfa, and the lifting up of a great stone from the mouth of the well when the army could not remove it, and making the sun to go back so that it returned to its place in the heavens, and others which cannot be numbered. And every one who is like that is veracious (şâdiq). Hence he is veracious, because of what has been previously said regarding Prophecy.

208. (6) Sixth, either the Prophet appointed (naṣṣ) an Imâm, or he did not. The second alternative is false, for two reasons: (a) First, the appointment of an Imâm is incumbent upon him, to perfect religion and to appoint its guardian. And if the Messenger of Allâh had failed to do that he would have failed in doing what was incumbent (wâjib). (b) Second, since his (Muḥammad's) compassion and lovingkindness for the mukallafin and his care for their advantage was so great that he taught them the places of purification (istinjâ) and impurity (janâba) and other things which are of far less importance than the Imâmate, it is impossible that in his wisdom and immunity to sin he should not specify for them him whom they should consult in their problems and in their private affairs and in their needs. Hence the first (alternative that he appointed an Imâm) is singled out (as true). And the mass of the people did not claim that anyone had been appointed except ‘Alî and Abû Bakr. Hence it follows that the one appointed was either 'Alî or Abû Bakr. And the second alternative is false, hence the first is singled out.

209. Now the second (alternative) is false for several reasons: (a) First, if Abû Bakr was the one appointed, then the dependence of his authority on the acknowledgment (bay‘a) of the people was sin and an impugning of the Imâmate. (b) Second, if he was the one appointed, then he would have mentioned that, and would have claimed it at the time when the people acknowledged him, or after it, or before it, since "there is no 'itr (attar) after 'Arûs is dead" (said by a

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wife when her husband 'Arûs died). But he did not claim it, hence he was not the one appointed. (c) Third, if he was the one appointed then his asking to be excused from the succession, when he said, Excuse me, I am not the best of you when 'Alî is among you," was a great sin, for it would have been a rejection of Allâh and His Messenger. Hence it would have impugned his Imâmate. (d) Fourth, if he had been the one appointed he would not have been in doubt at his death as to his worthiness of the succession. But he was in doubt, so that he said, "O that I had asked the Messenger whether in this matter the right was with the Anşârs or not!" (e) Fifth, if he was the one appointed, the Messenger of Allâh would not have commanded him to go out with the army of Usâma b. Zayd. For the Messenger of Allâh was ill, and his soul had warned him of death, so that he said, "My soul warns me of my death, and I am about to be taken, because Jibrâ'îl used to present himself to me with the Koran once every year, and this year he presented himself to me with it twice." And if this were the situation and the Imâm were Abû Bakr, then he would not have commanded him not to remain behind Usâma. But he urged all to go out, and he cursed all who should stay behind him, and he found fault with them when they remained behind them. (f) Sixth, if there is no one except 'Alî among those for whom the Imâmate is claimed who is fit for it, then he is singled out for it. And the first statement is true because they were all unjust (zâlim) because of their previous unbelief, according to the word of the Most High, "My covenant embraceth not evil doers" (2: 118).

210. THEN AFTER HIM HIS SON AL-HASAN, THEN AL-HUSAYN, THEN ‘ALÎ B. AL-HUSAYN, THEN MUHAMMAD B. ‘ALÎ AL-BÂQIR, THEN JA FAR B. MUHAMMAD AS-ŞÂDIQ, THEN MÙSÂ B. JA FAR AL-KÂZIM, THEN 'ALÎ B. MÛSÂ AR-RIDÂ, THEN MUHAMMAD B. ‘ALÎ AL-JAWÂD, THEN ‘ALÎ B. MUḤAMMAD AL-HÂDÎ, THEN AL-HASAN B. 'ALÎ AL-‘ASKARÎ, THEN MUHAMAD B. AL-HASAN THE LORD OF THE AGE (ŞÂHIBU’Z-ZAMÂN)—THE BLESSING OF ALLÂH BE UPON THEM! BECAUSE EACH ONE OF THEM WHO PRECEDED APPOINTED HIS SUCCESSOR, AND BECAUSE OF THE PRECEDING PROOFS.

211. When he had finished establishing the Imâmate of 'Alî he began to establish the Imâmate of the Imâms who were steadfast in authority after him. And the proof of that is of several kinds: (1) First, the appointment (nass) of the Prophet (Allâh bless him, etc.). And concerning this is his word to Husayn, "This is my son Husayn, an Imâm, the son of an Imâm, the brother of an Imâm, the father of nine Imâms, the ninth of them being the one of them who shall arise (al-qâ'im) and the greatest (afḍal) of them." And again (there is) that which Jâbir b. 'Abdu'llâh the Anşârî related. He said, "When the word of the Most High descended, 'O ye who believe! obey Allâh and obey the Messenger and those among you invested with authority' (4:62), I said, ‘O Messenger of Allâh, we know Allâh and obey Him, and we know thee and obey thee, but who are those invested with authority whom Allâh has commanded us to obey?' He said, 'O Jâbir, they are my successors and the possessors of authority after me. The first of them is 'Alî, then after him is his son alHasan, then al-Husayn, then 'Alî b. al-Husayn, then Muḥammad b. ‘Alî (and you will soon see him, O Jâbir, and when you see him then give him my greetings), then Ja'far b. Muḥammad, then Mûsâ b. Ja'far, then ‘Alî b. Mûsâ ar-Riḍâ, then Muḥammad b. 'Alî af-Jawâd, then 'Alî b. Muḥammad, then al-Hasan b. 'Alî, then Muḥammad b. al-Hasan (he will fill the earth with equity and justice just as it is (now) full of injustice and oppression)'.

212. And again (there is) that which has been related from the Prophet, that he said that Allâh chose Friday from among the days, and the month Ramaḍân from among the months, and the night of qadr from among the nights. And He chose the prophets from among mankind, and He chose the Messengers from among the prophets, and He chose me from among the messengers, and He chose 'Alî from me, and He chose al-Ḥasan and al-Husayn from ‘Alî, and He chose from al-Husayn his executors (awṣiyâ), who are nine of his descendants, who should prevent the erring from leading others astray from their religion, and the destroyers from making their profession, and the ignorant from interpreting.