Hadith No. 29

“If the Earth remains without an Imam, it surely caves in.”

رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه‍] فِي «عِلَلِ الشَّرَائِعِ»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ وَالْهَيْثَمُ بْنُ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ النَّهْدِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ الْمُسْتَرِقِّ، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلَّالِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ -يَعْنِي عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرِّضَا- قَالَ:

قُلْتُ: تَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ؟ فَإِنَّا نُرَوَّى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لَا تَبْقَى إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْخَطَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ»، فَقَالَ: «لَا، لَا تَبْقَى، لَوْ بَقِيَتْ إِذًا لَسَاخَتْ» -وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى[2] قَالَ:- «مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ، لَا تَبْقَى سَاعَةً، إِذًا لَسَاخَتْ».

Translation:

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh [d. 381 AH] has narrated in the book Ilal al-Shara’i‘, (in this manner that) he has said: My father (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated to us, he said: Sa‘d ibn Abdullah narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn Husain ibn Abi al-Khattab and Haytham ibn Abi Masruq al-Nahdi narrated to us, from Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn Sufyan al-Mustariq, from Ahmad ibn Umar al-Hallal, who said:

I said to Abu al-Hasan—i.e., Ali ibn Musa al-Rida: “Does the Earth remain without an Imam? Because it is narrated to us from Abu Abdullah—i.e., Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq— that he said: ‘It does not remain unless Allah is angry with the servants.’” He said: “No, it does not remain. If it remains, then it surely caves in”—and in another narration, he said:—“Allah forbid! It does not remain even for a single hour. In that case, it surely caves in.”

Attestation No. 1

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ [ت290ه‍] فِي «بَصَائِرِ الدَّرَجَاتِ»[3]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ -وَفِي «عِلَلِ الشَّرَائِعِ»[4] وَ«عُيُونِ أَخْبَارِ الرِّضَا»[5]: عَبَّادُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ- عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ -فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ.

Translation:

Also, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Saffar [d. 290 AH] has narrated in the book Basa’ir al-Darajat and said: Muhammad ibn Sulayman—stated in Ilal al-Shara’i‘, and Abbad ibn Sulayman stated in Uyun Akhbar al-Rida—narrated to us from Sa‘d ibn Sa‘d, from Ahmad ibn Umar, from Abu al-Hasan al-Rida , who said—then he narrated a similar Hadith.

Attestation No. 2

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ [ت329ه‍] فِي «الْكَافِي»[6]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ، قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: هَلْ تَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ؟ قَالَ: «لَا»، قُلْتُ: إِنَّا نُرَوَّى أَنَّهَا لَا تَبْقَى إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْخَطَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ، قَالَ: «لَا تَبْقَى، إِذًا لَسَاخَتْ».

Translation:

Also, Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni [d. 329 AH] has narrated in the book al-Kafi and said: Husain ibn Muhammad narrated to me, from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad, from Washsha’, who said: I asked Abu al-Hasan al-Rida : “Does the Earth remain without an Imam?” He said: “No.” I said: “It is narrated to us that it does not remain unless Allah is angry with the servants.” He said: “It does not remain. In that case, it surely caves in.”

Attestation No. 3

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ [ت329ه‍] فِي «الْكَافِي»[7]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَتَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ؟ قَالَ: «لَا»، قُلْتُ: فَإِنَّا نُرَوَّى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهَا لَا تَبْقَى بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْخَطَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ أَوْ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ، فَقَالَ: «لَا، لَا تَبْقَى، إِذًا لَسَاخَتْ».

Translation:

Also, Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub al-Kulayni [d. 329 AH] has narrated in the book al-Kafi and said: Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated to me, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Muhammad ibn Fudayl, who said: I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Rida : “Does the Earth remain without an Imam?” He said: “No.” I said: “Because it is narrated to us from Abu Abdullah (Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq) that it does not remain unless Allah is angry with the inhabitants of the Earth or with the servants.” He said: “It does not remain. In that case, it surely caves in.”

Attestation No. 4

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ [ت290ه‍] فِي «بَصَائِرِ الدَّرَجَاتِ»[8]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْهَيْثَمِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ، عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: يَكُونُ الْأَرْضُ بِلَا إِمَامٍ فِيهَا؟ قَالَ: «لَا، إِذًا سَاخَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا».

Translation:

Also, Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Saffar [d. 290 AH] has narrated in the book Basa’ir al-Darajat and said: Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Isma‘il narrated to us, from Abbas ibn Ma‘ruf, from Ali ibn Mahziyar, from Muhammad ibn Haytham, from Muhammad ibn Fudayl, who said: I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Rida : “Does the Earth remain without an Imam on it?” He said: “No. In that case, it swallows its inhabitants.”

Attestation No. 5

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه‍] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[9]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلَالٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جَنَاحٍ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقُلْتُ: أَتَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ؟ فَقَالَ: «لَوْ خَلَتْ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ لَسَاخَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا».

Translation:

Also, 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 and Muhammad ibn Hasan narrated to us, they said: Abdullah ibn Ja‘far al-Himyari narrated to us, from Ahmad ibn Hilal, from Sa‘id ibn Janah, from Sulayman al-Ja‘fari, who said: I asked Abu al-Hasan al-Rida : “Does the Earth remain without a proof?” He said: “If it remains without a proof even for the blink of an eye, it surely swallows its inhabitants.”

Attestation No. 6

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه‍] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[10]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ، عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: أَتَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ؟ قَالَ: «لَوْ بَقِيَتِ الْأَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ سَاعَةً لَسَاخَتْ».

Translation:

Also, 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 and Muhammad ibn Hasan narrated to us, they said: Sa‘d ibn Abdullah narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Ubaid and Muhammad ibn Husain ibn Abi al-Khattab narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Fudayl, from Abu Hamzah al-Thumali, who said: I said to Abu Abdullah (Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq) : “Does the Earth remain without an Imam?” He said: “If the Earth remains without an Imam even for a single hour, it surely caves in.”

Attestation No. 7

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه‍] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[11]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُؤْمِنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَاسَةٍ، عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ -يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: «لَوْ أَنَّ الْإِمَامَ رُفِعَ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ سَاعَةً لَمَاجَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا كَمَا يَمُوجُ الْبَحْرُ بِأَهْلِهِ».

Translation:

Also, 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 and Muhammad ibn Hasan (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated to us, they said: Sa‘d ibn Abdullah narrated to us, he said: Muhammad ibn Isa ibn Ubaid narrated to us, from Abu Abdullah Zakariyya ibn Muhammad al-Mu’min, from Abu Hurasah, from Abu Ja‘far—i.e., Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir—, who said: “If the Imam is removed from the Earth even for one hour, it surely brings its inhabitants into turmoil, just as the sea brings its inhabitants into turmoil.”