Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority

Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority Chapter: The Categories of the Prophets, the Messengers and the Imams (a.s.) َّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَ٠َّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّا٠ِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى اتَّخَذَ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَبْداً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَهُ نَبِيّاً وَإِنَّ الله اتَّخَذَهُ نَبِيّاً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَهُ رَسُولاً وَإِنَّ الله اتَّخَذَهُ رَسُولاً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَهُ خَلِيلاً وَإِنَّ الله اتَّخَذَهُ خَلِيلاً قَبْلَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَهُ إِ٠َعَ لَهُ الاشْيَاءَ قَالَ إِنِّي جاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِ٠ِهَا فِي عَيْنِ إِبْرَاهِي٠ِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي قالَ لا يَنالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِ٠ِينَ قَالَ لا يَكُونُ السَّفِيهُ إِ٠2.

Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated those whom he mentioned from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following. “I heard Imam Abu ‘Abdallah saying, ‘Allah chose Abraham as a servant before choosing him as a prophet. Allah chose him as a prophet before choosing him as a messenger. Allah chose him as a messenger before choosing him as a friend of His. Allah chose him as a friend of His before choosing him as an Imam.

When all of the above things were gathered in Abraham, Allah said, “I have certainly appointed you as the Imam for the people.” Because to Abraham it was so great he asked, “Can this (Imamate, leadership) be in my descendants also?” Allah said, “The feeble-minded can not become the leader of the pious one.” يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) ضعيف - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (2/285))