Al-Kāfi
Hadith 610 6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قُلْ كَفى بِالله شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ قَالَ إِيَّانَا عَنَى وَعَلِيٌّ أَوَّلُنَا وَأَفْضَلُنَا وَخَيْرُنَا بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )
6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from those he mentioned, both of them from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse. “. . Say, ‘God and those who have the knowledge of the Book are sufficient witness (to my prophet-hood).’” (13:43) The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is a reference to us. Ali (a.s.) is the first among us and the most virtuous and the best among us after the Prophet (s.a.)”