Approved Emissaries

Among the approved ones is Humran bin Ayyin:

I spoke about Humran bin Ayyin and Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s) said: By Allah, he would definitely never apostatize. Then he paused for sometime and then said: Yes, Humran would definitely never apostatize and become a heretic.

And among them Mufaddal bin Umar:

I came to Abu Abdullah Imam Sadiq (a.s) and wanted to ask him about Mufaddal Ibn Umar. Imam (a.s) was working on his field and he was perspiring excessively. He started the conversation and said: Yes, by the God, except whom there is no god, I swear that only Mufaddal bin Umar Jofi is the man. Yes, by the God, except whom there is no god, I swear that only Mufaddal bin Umar Jofi is the man [having manly qualities]. Imam (a.s) repeated this more than thirty times and I also counted upto thirty. After that Imam (a.s) said: Indeed, he is father after the father.

I carried money for Imam Kadhim (a.s), but he said: Hand it over to Mufaddal bin Umar. I took it back to Jofa locality and placed it before the house of Mufaddal.

I was in the company of Imam Musa Kadhim (a.s) and I never saw anything being brought for the Imam, but that it came to Mufaddal and many a times saw people bring something that the Imam did not accept; on the contrary he said: Deliver it to Mufaddal.

And among them Mualla bin Khunais he was a servant of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and because of that Dawood bin Ali had him eliminated. He was an approved and praised person in view of Imam (a.s) and he departed from the world with belief in Wilayat of the Imam and his circumstances are well known in Islamic history.

When Dawood bin Ali had Mualla bin Khunais eliminated and had his body suspended in public view, it was a great tragedy for Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s), which aggrieved him much. So he said to the killer of Mualla: O Dawood, why have you got my friend and manager of the monetary affairs of my family, killed? By Allah, he is more honorable than you before Almighty Allah. It is a lengthy tradition [but we have just quoted according to our purpose].

H 301 - In another traditional report, it is mentioned that the Imam said: “Know that by Allah, he has entered Paradise.”

And among them Nasr bin Qabus Lakhmi:

H 302 - It is narrated that he was the representative of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) for twenty years and during this period no one came to know that he is an agent of the Imam. He was a very religious and noble man, although Abdur Rahman bin Hajjaj was also the representative of Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s) and he passed away during the period of Imam Ali Ridha (a.s).

And among them Abdullah bin Jundab Bajali he was the representative of Abu Ibrahim Imam Kadhim (a.s) and Abul Hasan Imam Ridha (a.s) and as mentioned in reports, he was a pious gentleman and he held a position of great respect in the view of those two Imams.

I heard him say: Allah, the Mighty and the High may give a good recompense on my behalf to Safwan bin Yahya, Muhammad bin Sinan, Zakariya bin Adam and Saad bin Saad; they have indeed fulfilled their covenant [of Wilayat], and Zakariya bin Adam was of those who had his Wilayat.

And from the blessed being of Imam Jawad (a.s) it is mentioned about Zakariya bin Adam that His Eminence said: I remembered that which has been decreed with regard to Zakariya bin Adam, may widespread mercy be on him on the day he was born, the day he passed away and the day he would be resurrected on Judgment Day. He lived a life of awareness and faith and suffered hardships for the sake of truth and observed patience and rose up for that, which is made obligatory on him by Almighty Allah and His Messenger and he departed from the world while he was faithful to his covenant and he did not break it and he did not change his duties [and distorted Islamic laws]; on the basis of this, Allah, the Mighty and the High rewarded his pure intention and struggle.

H 304 - As for Muhammad bin Sinan: Ali bin Husain bin Dawood says: I heard from Abu Ja’far, the second, Imam Jawad (a.s) that he mentioned Muhammad bin Sinan in a positive way, saying: “Because of the fact that I am pleased with him, Almighty Allah is (also) pleased with him. He did not at all oppose me or my father.” [He was always in the service of Ahle Bayt (a.s)]

And among them Abdul Aziz bin Mohtadi Qummi Ashari:

H 305 - The following epistle was issued from Imam Jawad (a.s) about him: Praise be to Allah, I have received the amount and noticed that you have borne some of the expenses yourself. Almighty Allah would forgive your and their sins and would be merciful to us and you.

Another epistle was issued with regard to him that Almighty Allah has forgiven your sin and has been merciful to us and you and because I am pleased with you, Almighty Allah is also pleased with you.

And among them Ali bin Mahziyar Ahwazi was also praised:

I read the following letter, which was in the writing of Imam Jawad (a.s) regarding Ali bin Mahziyar. The following is the text of the letter: “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Ali, may Allah give you a good reward and may He settle you in His Paradise. May Allah keep away the degradation of the world and the hereafter away from you and may He raise you on Judgment Day with us. O Ali, I tested you in well wishing, obedience and service and also examined you on that which Almighty Allah has made obligatory on you. If I say that I have not seen a similitude of you, I hope I would have stated the truth. May Almighty Allah reward you by admitting you into the Firdos Paradise. Your position and status as well as your service during summer and winter and during night and day is not concealed from me. I beseech Allah, the Mighty and the High that when He gathers people on Judgment Day, may He bestow His widespread mercy on you and reward you with that which you like. Indeed Almighty Allah is the one who listens to the supplications.”

And among them Ayyub bin Nuh bin Darraj:

H 307 - Amr bin Saeed Madayani, a follower of Fathi sect, said: I came to see Imam Hadi (a.s) in a village of Syria. At that time Ayyub bin Nuh entered and stood before Imam (a.s), who ordered something to him and he went away from there. Imam (a.s) looked at me and said: O Amr, if you want to see an inmate of Paradise, you should look at this man.

And among them Ali bin Ja’far Hammani, he was an accomplished man with a pleasing personality and was a representative of Imam Hadi and Imam Hasan Askari (a.s).

Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal had the honor of performing Hajj and saw that Ali bin Ja’far [Hammani] is spending a lot of money. When he returned, he mentioned this to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) in a negative tone. Imam (a.s) wrote in reply: We ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars for himself; again we ordered him to take a hundred thousand dinars, but he refused to accept it and left it all with us. People do not have the right to interfere in matters we have not included them. [After sometime Ali bin Ja’far] came to Imam Hasan Askari (a.s) and the Imam told him to take three hundred thousand Dinars.

And among them Abu Ali Hasan bin Rashid:

Imam Hadi (a.s) wrote to the Shia of Baghdad, Madayan, Sawad and the surrounding areas: I have appointed Abu Ali bin Rashid as successor to Husain bin Abde Rabb and the representatives before him; and their obedience is my obedience. I have written this letter in my own handwriting.

I wrote to Imam Hadi (a.s) asking about Ali bin Rashid, Isa bin Ja’far [bin Asim] and Ibn Band. Imam (a.s) wrote back: You have mentioned Ibn Rashid, who lived a righteous life and departed as a martyr. And they condemned Ibn Band and Asimi, but Ibn Band was clubbed to death and Ibn Asim was also lashed three hundred times on the Baghdad Bridge and thrown into the Tigris and he passed away.

These were some who were praised and approved by the Imams, though we have not mentioned all the companions of the Imams who were as such, because they were well known and their descriptions are present in different books. That is why their mention here as well was not necessary.