Hadith No. 32
The proof does not separate from people.
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ [ت329ه] فِي «الْكَافِي»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ، عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ:
الْحُجَّةُ قَبْلَ الْخَلْقِ وَمَعَ الْخَلْقِ وَبَعْدَ الْخَلْقِ.
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni [d. 329 AH] has narrated in the book al-Kafi, (in this manner that) he has said: Muhammad ibn Yahya narrated to me, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from al-Barqi, from Khalaf ibn Hammad, from Aban ibn Taghlib, who said: Abu Abdullah—meaning Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq—
said:
The proof was before people, is with people, and will be after people.
Attestation No. 1
وَرَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت329ه] فِي «الْإِمَامَةِ وَالتَّبْصِرَةِ»[2]، عَنْ سَعْدٍ، عَنِ النَّهْدِيِّ -يَعْنِي الْهَيْثَمَ بْنَ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ-، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ، عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ -فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ سَوَاءً.
Translation:
Also, Ali ibn Babawayh [d. 329 AH] has narrated in the book al-Imamah Wa al-Tabsirah, from Sa‘d, from al-Nahdi—meaning Haytham ibn Abi Masruq—from Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi, from Khalaf ibn Hammad, from Aban ibn Taghlib, who said: Abu Abdullah (Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq) said—then he mentioned a similar Hadith without any difference.
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ رَجُلٌ مَعْرُوفٌ بِالْعِلْمِ وَالْأَدَبِ، وَثَّقَهُ الطُّوسِيُّ فِي رِجَالِهِ[3]، وَوَصَفَهُ النَّجَاشِيُّ بِأَنَّهُ كَانَ حَسَنَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ بِالْأَخْبَارِ وَعُلُومِ الْعَرَبِ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا فِي الْحَدِيثِ[4]، وَقَالَ الْحِلِّيُّ: «الْإِعْتِمَادُ عِنْدِي عَلَى قَوْلِ الشَّيْخِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الطُّوسِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ تَعْدِيلِهِ»[5]، وَهَذَا مَذْهَبُ جُمْهُورِ الشِّيعَةِ، وَلِذَلِكَ أَلْحَقْتُ حَدِيثَهُ بِالصَّحِيحِ، وَلَمْ يَنْفَرِدْ بِهِ، بَلْ تَابَعَهُ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ هِلَالٍ:
Translation:
Mansoor 
said: Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqi is a man known for knowledge and politeness. And al-Tusi has considered him trustworthy, and al-Najashi has described him as having a good familiarity with the reports and sciences of the Arabs, but weak in hadith. And al-Hilli has said: “My reliance is on the statement of Shaikh Abu Ja‘far al-Tusi (may Allah be pleased with him), who has considered him just.” And this is the belief of the majority of the Shias. And therefore, I included his Hadith in (the category of) the authentic. And he is not alone in narrating it; rather, Ahmad ibn Hilal has narrated it alongside him:
Attestation No. 2
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[6]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الزَّيْتُونِيُّ، عَنِ ابْنِ هِلَالٍ، عَنْ خَلَفِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، قَالَ -فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ سَوَاءً.
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh [d. 381 AH] has narrated in the book Kamal al-Din Wa Tamam al-Ni‘mah and said: My father narrated to us, he said: Abdullah ibn Ja‘far al-Himyari narrated to us, he said: Hasan ibn Ali al-Zaytuni narrated to us, from ibn Hilal, from Khalaf ibn Hammad, from ibn Muskan, from Muhammad ibn Muslim, from Abu Abdullah (Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq) , who said—then he mentioned a similar Hadith without any difference.
