False claimants of deputyship of Imam who are also clearly condemned by the Imams

The first of them is the one known as Shari.

I think his name was Hasan and he was from the companions of Abul Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad and then after him from the companions of Hasan Ibn Ali. He is the first to claim a position that Allah did not assign to him and he was not qualified for it. He blasphemed Allah and his Proofs (Hujjah), peace be on them, and attributed to them what is not worthy of them and they are disdainful thereof. The Shia cursed him and turned away from him in dislike. Harun says: Then words of disbelief and sacrilege were uttered by him. All such claimants, first, attribute lies to the Imam and claim that they are his representatives, calling the weak to believe in them through such pervert claims. Then they graduate up to the claims of self deification, like the words of Hallaj as expressed by Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani and his like. On all of them be the constant curse of Allah.

And among them Muhammad Ibn Nasir Numairi:

H 369 - Ibn Nuh, Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said: Muhammad Ibn Nasir Numairi was from the companions of Abu Muhammad Hasan Ibn Ali (a.s). And when Abu Muhammad was transferred to his eternal abode, Muhammad claimed the position of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman, that is, he claimed that he was the deputy of the Imam of the Age. He claimed “Babiyya,” that is, to be a gateway to the Imam. Allah disgraced and humiliated him through blasphemy and ignorance, which he manifested, and through the curse of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman and his dislike and denunciation of him. He claimed this position after Shari.

H 370 - Abu Talib Anbari says: When Muhammad Ibn Nasir manifested his heresies and blasphemy, Abu Ja’far took the oath of damnation against him and made his disdain for him known. Ibn Nasir heard that and came to Abu Ja’far to soften his heart and apologize. Abu Ja’far did not give him permission to enter, and barred and turned him away empty-handed.

H 371 - Sa'ad Ibn Abdullah said: Muhammad Ibn Nusayr an-Numairi claimed that he was a messenger and a prophet, and that Ali Ibn Muhammad (a.s.) had sent him. He believed in reincarnation and exaggerated about the position of Abul Hasan (a.s.) and deified him. He believed in the permissibility of marrying blood relations of prohibited degree (Mahrams) and same sex marriage. He believed that sodomy was an act of humility, meekness and modesty on the part of the receiver and that it was an occasion of pleasure and delight for the active partner, and that Allah does not disallow any of such things. Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Hasan Ibn Furat supported the authenticity of these reports.

I met him and rebuked him for that. He said: “It is of the pleasures and humility for Allah and abstinence from arrogance.”

H 373 - Saad says: When Muhammad Ibn Nasir was inflicted by the malady in which he died, he was asked, “To whom does this order belong?” He said as his tongue was heavy, weak, and stuttering, “Ahmad.” It was not known who this Ahmad was. His followers divided into three groups after him. One group said that it was his son, Ahmad. Another maintained it was Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Musa Ibn Furat. Another group believed that it was Ahmad Ibn Abi Husain Ibn Bushr Ibn Yazid. Their group disintegrated.

And among them Ahmad Ibn Hilal Karkhi:

H 374 - Abu Ali Ibn Himam said: Ahmad Ibn Hilal was from the companions of Imam Hasan Askari (a.s). The Shia were unanimous on the deputization of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Uthman on the account of clear instructions of Hasan (a.s) during his lifetime. And when Hasan (a.s) passed away, the Shia said to Ibn Hilal, “The community is with him. Will you not accept the leadership of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman and refer to him, when the Imam, whose obedience is obligatory, has clearly assigned him as his representative?” He said, “I have not heard the Imam mention him as his representative. I do not deny the deputization of his father [meaning, Uthman Ibn Saeed], though. However, if I were certain that Abu Ja’far were the representative of the Master of the Age, I would not defy him.” They said: “If you have not heard, others have.” He said: “You follow what you have heard.” He did not profess the authority of Abu Ja’far, so the Shia beseeched damnation for him and manifested their disdain for him. Then the holy letter came through Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh with oath of damnation for him and denounced him amongst others who were dammed.

And among them Abu Tahir Muhammad bin Ali bin Bilal: His story and what happened between him and Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari, may Allah lighten his visage, is well-known. He seized the goods of the Imam, which were in his hands and refused to deliver them, and claimed that he was the representative. The community turned away from him and invoked damnation for him and the famous letter came from the Master of the Age (a.s).

How did you know he was the Master of the Age?” “His awe and imposing charisma overwhelmed me and I was overtaken by apprehension from him,” he said: “I did not know he was the Master of the Age (a.s).” This was the reason of my disassociation from them.

And among them Husain Ibn Mansur Hallaj:

When Allah desired to unveil the affair of Hallaj and manifest his humiliation and to disgrace him, he thought that Abu Sahl Ibn Ismail Ibn Ali Naubakhti (a.s) was a person that could be deceived by his hoax and taken by his fraud. So he sent after him. Due to his sheer ignorance, he assumed that Abu Sahl is like the other weaklings in the matter of faith and reckoned that he could be drawn and tricked through his lunacies, and that by commanding Abu Sahl’s loyalty, he will be able to draw yet more followers on the virtue of Abu Sahl’s position in the view of people and his respectability in knowledge and literature. Hallaj sent a message to him, “I am the representative of the Master of the Age (a.s).” Through such a message he would first draw the ignorant people and then proceed to other claims. He stated, “I have been ordered to correspond with you and avail you with the help you desire, so your soul may find strength and you may not have doubts in the creed.” Abu Sahl wrote back, “I will ask you a rather minor thing in comparison to the signs and proofs that have been manifested on your hands. I am a man who is fond of women and love to have playful talks with them. I have a number of concubines, but I cannot copulate with all of them. Age and grey hair has created a distance between me and them. I need to dye my hair and beard every Friday, which is a severely laborious work, in order to conceal it from them, lest my condition will be revealed to them and my proximity from them will change to distance and my union into separation. I want you to remove this need of mine of dyeing and suffice me its labor and make my beard black. I will obey you and come to you and believe in you. I will be a preacher of your faith, considering my ingenuity in this matter and your help in that regard.” When Hallaj got this message, he realized that his call to him had been a blunder. He did not reply and did not send him any messenger. On the other hand, Abu Sahl made Hallaj the subject of his talks and jests. He would make jokes of him before everyone. He spread this incident to every young and old, and this led to the revelation of Hallaj’s blasphemous enterprise and the disassociation of the community from him.

“I am the messenger of the Imam and his representative.” The narrator says: When the letters reached my father, he tore them and said to the messenger, “How free are you for such misguidance!” The man, who I think said was his cousin, said: “The man has made a call to himself. Why did you tear his letters?” People laughed and made jests at him. My father went to his store with his disciples and servants. When he entered his store, everyone arose for my father, except one man sitting there. My father did not know him. As my father sat and took out his register of accounts and his pen and ink, as is the custom of the merchants, he asked one of the people who were present about the man sitting there. He told my father about him. The man heard that my father had asked about him, so he came to my father and said: “You inquire about me while I am present?” My father said: “Sir, observing respect and reverence, I did not ask yourself directly.” He said: “You tear my letter while I am watching you?” My father asked, “So you are the man then.” Then he called his servant, “By his feet and his hind! Kick the enemy of Allah and His Messenger out of the house.” Then he said to him, “You claim miracles? May Allah curse you.” The slave grabbed him from his hind and kicked him out. We did not see him in Qom afterwards.

“This message has a very profound secret dimension. The curse is banishment. The meaning of his word, May Allah curse him, is May Allah banish him from punishment and Fire. Now you know my position.” He touched the ground with his cheeks and said: “You must keep this matter a secret.” The lady said: I informed Shaykh Abul Qasim what the mother of Abu Ja’far Ibn Bistam had said one day when we were visiting her and she had received me with reverence and veneration, so much so that she fell on my feet to kiss them. I did not let her do that. I said: “Easy, my mistress, this is too much.” I fell on her hands and she cried. Then she said: “How would I not do that to you, while you are my mistress Fatima?” I asked, “How is that?” She said: “The Shaykh,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali “has confided a secret in us.” “And what is the secret’?” I asked her. “He asked us to hide it and I fear if I reveal it, I will be chastised.” I gave her my most solemn promises that I will not reveal it to anyone, while maintaining in my heart an exception for Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh. She said: “The Shaykh Abu Ja’far told us that the spirit of the Messenger of Allah (s) has transferred into you father,” meaning Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman (a.s). “And the spirit of Amirul Momineen Ali (a.s) has transferred into the body of Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh; and the spirit of our mistress Fatima (a.s) has transferred into you. So how may I not revere you, O our lady?” I said: “Easy! Do not do this, for this is false, my lady.” “This is a great secret and we have been sworn not to reveal this to anyone. For Allah’s sake! For Allah’s sake! May I not deserve punishment!” She beseeched me, “My lady, if you hadn’t insisted, I would not have disclosed this to you or anyone.” Lady Umme Kulthum said: When I returned from her, I went to Shaykh Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh and recounted the event to him. He trusted my word and had confidence in my truthfulness. He said: “My daughter, beware not to go to this woman after this, and don’t accept any letter from her if she writes to you; or a messenger if she sends you one. Do not meet her after she said this. It is blasphemy against Allah and disbelief, which this accursed man has planted and strengthened in their hearts to pave way to the belief that Allah, the Sublime, has unified with him and has diffused into his body, as Christians say about Isa (a.s) and this amounts to the claim of Hallaj, may Allah curse him. I disassociated myself from the Bistams and stopped visiting them. I did not accept any pretense they offered, nor met their mother afterwards. Then this drift began in the children of Naubakht. Shaykh Abul Qasim approached and wrote to each and every one of them to curse Abu Ja’far Shalmaghani (Ibn Abil Azaqir) and express disdain for him and anyone who follows him, is pleased with his word, or converses with him, let alone loves him. Then the holy letter from the Master of the Age (a.s) came, having damnation for Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Ali, denunciation for him and anyone who followed him, abided by him and was pleased with his word and maintained his service after learning about this holy letter. There are many ugly stories and repulsive incidents about him that are not worthy of our book. Ibn Nuh and others have recorded these events. What led to Shalmaghani’s murder was that when Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh expressed his curse and made his farce public and denounced him and ordered all Shia to do the same, Ibn Abil Azaqir no longer was able to continue his trickery. In a gathering in which the chiefs of the Shia were present, and everyone was reporting his damnation and denunciation from Shaykh Abul Qasim, he said: “Bring me and him together, so I may hold his hand and he may hold my hand and we will see whether a fire does not descend from the heavens and sets him ablaze. Otherwise, everything he has said about me is true.” The news reached Razibillah, because this was in the house of Ibn Muqillah. He ordered his arrest and execution. Thus, he was killed and the Shia got relief from his mischief.

H 379 - Abul Hasan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Dawood said: Muhammad bin Ali Shalmaghani, alias Ibn Abi Azaqir – curse of Allah be on him – believed that whoever is in opposition to the Wali of Allah is better than the Imam; therefore this belief means that any excellence and precedence is not counted for the Wali, but through the criticism and ridicule of his opponent. In such a way that whoever heard the ridicule of that Wali, would immediately run after the Imam and the Wali; in this way the opponent and rival of the Wali is better and superior to Wali and Imam, because the expression of excellence of Wali is possible only in this way. Other beliefs of his and his followers were that they believed that this manner of religion and religiosity continues from the time of the first Adam to the time of the seventh Adam, because they had faith in seven worlds and seven Adams; so much so they reached upto Musa and his opponent, Firon; and Muhammad and Ali (a.s) and their opponent Abu Bakr and Muawiyah. But with regard to the opposite of Wali and Imam, their belief is that some of them said: The opposite and opponent should be considered as ones Wali and he should be compelled to take up opposition. Thus the people of the Zahir said: Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.s) himself appointed Abu Bakr to Caliphate and some said: It is not so; on the contrary the opposite and rival is eternal and is always with the Wali. Another belief of that group is that they say that with regard to Imam Qaim (a.s) that which the people of Zahir say that he is the son of the eleventh Imam and that he would stage an uprising one day, it implies that it is Iblis (we seek the refuge of Allah), because the Almighty Allah said: So the angels made obeisance, all of them together, but Iblis (did it not); he refused to be with those who made obeisance. After that the Holy Quran said about Iblis: “I will certainly lie in wait for them in Thy straight path.” Therefore, this verse proves that when the Satan was commanded to prostrate, he staged an uprising and arose against Almighty Allah and after that he sat in ambush. Therefore, according to Zahiraya sect, the Qaim who would stage an uprising (Allah’s refuge!) implies the same Qaim who was commanded to prostrate before Adam (a.s) and he refused; and he is Iblis. A poet of that group (may Allah curse them all) has composed some couplets in this regard: O one who curses the opposite and rival, which is from Adi tribe [that is Umar bin Khattab], do not curse him. Opposite of anything is not except Wali and Zahir; that is (we seek refuge of Allah) opposite is the apparent Wali and Wali is the inner aspect of the opposite. Praise is only for creator of the universe who fulfills His promise and my condition is not like that of a pigeon. And in the same way one who is not like a barber; and I have defeated Mahdi in debate and discussion about religious faith. Yes, I have also overlooked him for the excellence and merit of servitude; higher than the status of one who was not a Majus. It is because according to my faith, Allah is One without any change of circumstances and in this way is one with every unity (unconditionally). O supporters of the Hashemite family you have become imbued with every luminosity and darkness. And O deniers of the family of Kisra and family of Sasan; who is a favorite from the aspect of Ajami and Farsi, like the group of Bani Loih remained concealed among the Arabs.

H 380 - Safwani says: I heard Abu Ali Ibn Himam say, I heard Muhammad Ibn Ali Azaqiri Shalmaghani say: The truth is one, but it changes its bubble. One day it is in white, one day in red and one day in blue. Ibn Himam says: This was the first I heard from his words, for this is the belief that Allah diffuses into people’s bodies.

H 381 - A group of scholars narrated to us from Abu Muhammad Harun Ibn Musa from Abu Ali Muhammad Ibn Himam that Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani was never a representative of Abul Qasim, nor was a link to him. Abul Qasim had not appointed him to any position for any reason. Whoever says that he was a Shia scholar and then went stray and expressed these blasphemies, disbelief and heresy, is wrong. The holy letter came through Abul Qasim, condemning him to damnation and denouncing him, his followers, companions and believers.

I heard Ruh Ibn Abul Qasim Ibn Ruh say: When Muhammad Ibn Ali Shalmaghani prepared the book of Kitabul Taklif, Shaykh Abul Qasim said: “Bring it, so that I may see it.” They brought him the book and he read it from beginning to end. He said: “There is nothing therein, but he has narrated from the Imams in two or three instances, in the narration of which he has lied about them. May Allah curse him.”

“When your faithful brother has a right over another man, and he denies this right, and your brother does not have witnesses against him, but one person and he is a reliable witness, you turn to the witness and ask him about his testimonial. When he testifies to you, you testify along with him to the judge according to his testimony, so the right of a Muslim man is not trespassed.” The word is from Ibn Babawayh. He said: “This is a lie he has made and we don’t know of any such narration.” In another occasion he says, “He has lied.”

Muhammad Ibn Himam said: In the Dhul Hijja of the year three hundred and twelve, a letter came through Shaykh Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh about Ibn Abul Azaqir. The ink was still wet and had not dried. A group of scholars narrated to us on the authority of Ibn Dawood saying, the holy letter came through Husain Ibn Rauh about Shalmaghani. He sent a copy thereof to Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Ibn Nuh said: Abul Fath Ahmad Ibn Zakka, the ally of Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Furat said: Abu Ali Ibn Himam Ibn Suhail informed us about the holy letter that came in Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Ja’far Ismail Ibn Salih Saymoori said: Shaykh Husain Ibn Rauh sent it from the house of Muqtadir to our Shaykh Abu Ali Ibn Himam in the Dhul Hijja of three hundred and twelve. Abu Ali dictated the letter to me and told me that Abul Qasim is no longer bound not to express denunciation of Shalmaghani. He is in the hands of the people and their captive. He was ordered to denounce and not to fear and will be safe. He was released soon after that. All praise belongs to Allah. Reminder: There are minor differences in different versions of this epistle and while translating it, we have reconciled them. The opening lines of the epistle quoted through someone other than Saymoori are as follows: Inform our brothers, may the Almighty Allah make them succeed, about whose faith you are assured… Following is mentioned in the report of Saymoori: “May Allah prolong your life, and may He let you know all good, and may He eventuate your actions with a good end. In the report of Ibn Dawood it is mentioned: Let everyone from our brothers know, whose religiosity you trust and whose sincerity you are confident to know, may Allah make you all fortuitous: The epistle continues, which is same in all versions as follows: Muhammad Ibn Ali known as Shalmaghani, may God hasten His punishment to him and may He respite him not, has abandoned and deserted Islam. He has blasphemed the religion of Allah and made claims that amount to disbelief and denial of the Creator. He has weaved lies and falsehood. He has spoken dishonestly and committed a grave sinister act. Those who associate with God are liars; they have trodden far in misguidance and have sustained a palpable loss. We have turned away with repulsion from this person to Allah, the High, and to His Messenger and household, unto them be the blessings of Allah and His peace, mercy and grace. We have, in public and private, in secrecy and in open, and in every time and condition, invoked continuous damnations of God for him and for anyone who follows him and pledges allegiance to him, or hears this word of ours and remains steadfast in his devotion to him. Let them know that we shun him. After ‘Let them know’ Saymoori has mentioned ‘may Allah enhance your honor’ and Ibn Dawood has instead mentioned ‘we shun his friendship’. Harun says: The last sentence was as follows: Inform that we shun him and stay away with disdain from this person. Ibn Dawood and Harun say: After that is the sentence: We shun him like we had previously shunned others like them. Saymoori in place of this sentence has narrated as follows: ‘On the basis of that which we previously did with regard to those like him and condemned them’, and Ibn Zaka has quoted like Saymoori. The blessed epistle continues as follows and is same in all versions: [We curse him] He is like Shari, ­Numairi, Hilali, Bilali and others. The practice of Allah, the Mighty and the High is that He accepts our supplication or curse. And Ibn Dawood and Harun have said: After ‘practice of Allah’ it is mentioned ‘majestic His praise is’ but the words of ‘practice of Allah’ is mentioned in all versions. After that it is mentioned ‘the practice of the Almighty Allah with this, prior to this and after this, is beautiful to us. In Him we have trust, from Him we seek help, and He is sufficient for us in all our affairs and He is the best caretaker.” Harun says: Abu Ali took this epistle and read it out to all the elders of society. After that he made copies of the same and sent to all the towns. Due to this, it became well known among Shia and all of them reached consensus in cursing him. He was killed in 323 A.H.

The matter of Abu Bakr Baghdadi nephew of Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman Amari and the incident of Abi Dalf Majnun:

I heard Abul Qasim Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Quluwayh say: We knew Abu Dalf, the transcriber, may God not forgive him, to be blasphemous. Then he expressed exaggeration about the Imams and then went crazy and was put in chains. Then he was released. He was ridiculed wherever he went. The Shia knew him for a very little time. They are disdainful of him and whoever promotes him. We sent someone to Abu Bakr Baghdadi when it was said that he had made such claims. He denied that and took oaths. So we took him on his word, but when he went to Baghdad, he turned to this person and distanced himself from the community and was appointed his successor. We had no doubt that he was on his path. So we cursed him and denounced him, because we believe that whoever claims this position after Saymoori, is a denier; he is evil, misguided and leads astray.

H 386 - Abu Amr Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Nasr Sakari says: When Ibn Muhammad Ibn Hasan Ibn Walid Qummi went to him on behalf of his father and the community and asked him that it was said that he had claimed to be a deputy of the Imam, he denied. He said: “I do not have any such position, nor have I made any claims.” I [Abu Amr Muhammad bin Muhammad bin Nasr Sakari] was present at this conversation [in Basra in his gathering], in which he did not make any claim.

H 387 - Ibn Ayyash mentioned: One day I was with Abu Dalf. We mentioned Abu Bakr Baghdadi. He said: “Do you know how our master, the Shaykh, may Allah bless his soul, was great?” He made Abu Bakr Baghdadi higher than Abul Qasim Husain Ibn Rauh and others. I said: “I don’t know.” He said: “Because Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Uthman mentioned his name before the name of Abul Qasim Husain in his final will.” I said to him, “On this account, then Mansur must be higher than our master Imam Abul Hasan Musa (a.s).” He said: “How?” I said: “Because Imam Sadiq (a.s) mentioned Mansur’s name before his successor in his final will.” He said: “You are biased about our master and you hate him.” I said: “All of the creation hates Abu Bakr Baghdadi and dislike him, except only you.” We were about to start fighting and hold each other’s collars. Abu Bakr Baghdadi’s ignorance and lack of nobility is well-known. Abu Dalf’s stories of madness are more than to be accounted for. We will not engage our book with them. Ibn Nuh has mentioned some of them.

“Stop. This man who is coming is not one of you.”

H 389 - It is narrated that he became the deputy of Yazidi at Basra and remained at his service a long while and collected large amounts of money. This was reported to Yazidi, who arrested him and confiscated the money and gave him a blow at the top of his head, so hard that fluids of his brain came to his eyes. Abu Bakr died in this way.

H 390 - Abu Nasr Hibatullah Ibn Muhammad said that Abu Dalf was in the beginning a Mukhammas and known for that, because he had been raised and taught by the Kharkhis, who were Mukhammas. No Shia doubted that. Abu Dalf used to believe in that and acknowledge that. He would say, “Our master, the virtuous Shaykh converted me from the creed of Abu Ja’far Karikhi to the valid faith,” meaning the belief of Abu Bakr Baghdadi.