Selected Teachings, Supplications and Ziyarat

He said that he was leaving among the community two weighty things — the Book of God and his family, the people of his household — and in several versions adds that the two will not separate until they return to him at the Pool.

Sources: al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il al-Sahaba, chapter on the virtues of Ali ibn Abi Talib); al-Jami‘ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) (Abwab al-Manaqib, chapter on the virtues of the Prophet’s household); al-Kafi (Kitab al-Hujja)

“Of whomever I am the mawla, Ali is his mawla.”

Sources: al-Jami‘ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) (Abwab al-Manaqib, virtues of Ali); al-Musnad (several chains); al-Kafi (Kitab al-Hujja)

God addresses the Prophet: We have not sent you except as a mercy to all the worlds.

Sources: al-Qur’an al-Karim (21:107)

The Prophet said that Fatima is a part of him, and that whoever angers her angers him.

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il Ashab al-Nabi, chapter on the virtues of Fatima); al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il al-Sahaba)

During his final illness the Prophet confided to her that she would be the foremost of the women of Paradise (in another wording, of the believing women).

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab al-Manaqib, signs of prophethood; Kitab al-Isti’dhan); al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il al-Sahaba)

When she asked for help with household labour, the Prophet taught her and Ali to say Allahu akbar 34 times, al-hamdu lillah 33 times and subhan Allah 33 times, saying it was better for them than a servant.

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab al-Da‘awat (remembrance before sleep)); al-Sahih (Kitab al-Dhikr wa al-Du‘a’); al-Kafi (on the merit of the tasbih of Fatima)

A long sermon defending her rights and explaining the purposes of the laws of Islam.

Sources: Balaghat al-Nisa’; al-Ihtijaj ‘ala Ahl al-Lijaj

The Prophet told Ali that he was to him as Aaron was to Moses, except that there would be no prophet after him.

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab al-Maghazi (Tabuk) and Kitab Fada’il Ashab al-Nabi); al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il al-Sahaba, virtues of Ali); al-Kafi

The Prophet announced that he would give the banner to a man who loves God and His Messenger and whom God and His Messenger love; the next morning he gave it to Ali.

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab al-Maghazi (Khaybar)); al-Sahih (Kitab Fada’il al-Sahaba)

People are of two kinds: either your brother in faith or your equal in creation.

Sources: Nahj al-Balagha (Letter 53)

The Prophet said that Hasan was a sayyid and that God might reconcile two great groups of Muslims through him.

Sources: al-Jami‘ al-Sahih (Kitab al-Sulh)

The Prophet said that al-Hasan and al-Husayn are the masters of the youth of the people of Paradise.

Sources: al-Jami‘ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) (Abwab al-Manaqib, virtues of al-Hasan and al-Husayn); al-Musnad

The Prophet said that Husayn is from him and he is from Husayn, and that God loves whoever loves Husayn.

Sources: al-Jami‘ (Sunan al-Tirmidhi) (Abwab al-Manaqib); al-Sunan (al-Muqaddima, virtues of al-Hasan and al-Husayn); al-Musnad

Before leaving Medina he wrote that he was not setting out out of arrogance, mischief or oppression, but to seek reform in the community of his grandfather, to enjoin good and forbid wrong, and to follow the way of his grandfather and his father.

Sources: Kitab al-Futuh; Maqtal al-Husayn; Bihar al-Anwar (section on Imam al-Husayn)

The collection includes supplications on noble moral traits (Makarim al-Akhlaq), on repentance, for parents, for children and for the defenders of the frontiers.

Sources: al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya (standard recension of 54 supplications); The Psalms of Islam: al-Sahifat al-Kamilat al-Sajjadiyya

The greatest right is God’s right upon you; then the rights of your own self and its faculties — tongue, hearing, sight, hands, feet; then the rights of acts of worship, of those in authority, of those in your care, of family and of all people.

Sources: Tuhaf al-‘Uqul ‘an Al al-Rasul; al-Khisal; Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih

Jabir ibn Abd Allah al-Ansari conveyed to him the Prophet’s greeting, as the Prophet had instructed him to do should he live to meet him.

Sources: Kitab al-Irshad fi Ma‘rifat Hujaj Allah ‘ala al-‘Ibad (chapter on al-Baqir); al-Kafi (Kitab al-Hujja)

He taught that his narration was the narration of his father, his father’s that of his grandfather, and so on back through Imam Ali to the Messenger of God — and the Messenger’s narration is the word of God.

Sources: al-Kafi (Kitab Fadl al-‘Ilm, chapter on transmitting books and hadith)

God has two proofs over people: an outward proof — the messengers, prophets and Imams — and an inward proof, which is the intellect.

Sources: al-Kafi (Kitab al-‘Aql wa al-Jahl); Tuhaf al-‘Uqul ‘an Al al-Rasul

Narrating from his fathers back to the Prophet and from him to God: the words “there is no god but God” are My fortress; whoever enters My fortress is safe from My punishment. As his camel moved on, he added: with its conditions — and I am among its conditions.

Sources: ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (chapter on what he narrated at Nishapur); Kitab al-Tawhid (chapter on the reward of the monotheists)

Accounts of his discussions with the Catholicos, the Exilarch, a Zoroastrian priest, Imran the Sabian and Sulayman al-Marwazi.

Sources: ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida; Kitab al-Tawhid; al-Ihtijaj ‘ala Ahl al-Lijaj

His answer to Yahya ibn Aktham, distinguishing the cases before giving the ruling for each.

Sources: Kitab al-Irshad fi Ma‘rifat Hujaj Allah ‘ala al-‘Ibad (chapter on Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad); al-Ihtijaj ‘ala Ahl al-Lijaj; Tuhaf al-‘Uqul ‘an Al al-Rasul

A comprehensive visitation addressed to all the Imams, taught at the request of Musa ibn Abd Allah al-Nakha‘i.

Sources: Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih (section on ziyarat); Tahdhib al-Ahkam (Kitab al-Mazar); ‘Uyun Akhbar al-Rida

Verses on kings who spent their nights on mountain heights guarded by armed men, yet could not escape death.

Sources: Muruj al-Dhahab wa Ma‘adin al-Jawhar (account of al-Mutawakkil)

The signs of the believer are five: praying fifty-one units of prayer each day and night, the visitation of the fortieth day (Arba‘in), wearing a ring on the right hand, placing the forehead on the earth in prostration, and reciting “In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate” aloud.

Sources: Tahdhib al-Ahkam (Kitab al-Mazar, on the merit of visiting al-Husayn); Misbah al-Mutahajjid

As for events that arise, refer in them to the transmitters of our teachings, for they are my proof over you and I am God’s proof over them.

Sources: Kamal al-Din wa Tamam al-Ni‘ma (chapter on the rescripts (tawqi‘at)); Kitab al-Ghayba

The Prophet said that the Mahdi is from his family, from the descendants of Fatima.

Sources: al-Sunan (Kitab al-Mahdi); al-Sunan (Kitab al-Fitan, on the appearance of the Mahdi)

The Imams declared that those who fix a time for the reappearance have lied.

Sources: al-Kafi (Kitab al-Hujja, chapter on the disapproval of fixing a time)