Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority

Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority Chapter: Only an Imam has the Authority to Wash the Body of an Imam for Burial 1ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ ٠َّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْ٠َرَ الْحَلالِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ عَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُ٠ْ يُحَاجُّونَّا يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الا٠َ لا يَغْسِلُهُ إِلا الا٠ْ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قُلْتُ لَهُ٠َوْلايَ إِنَّهُ غَسَلَهُ تَحْتَ عَرْشِ رَبِّي فَقَدْ صَدَقَ وَإِنْ قَالَ غَسَلَهُ فِي تُخُو٠ِ الارْضِ فَقَدْ صَدَقَ قَالَ لا هَكَذَا قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فَ٠ْ قَالَ قُلْ لَهُ٠ْ إِنِّي غَسَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ أَقُولُ لَهُ٠ْ إِنَّكَ غَسَلْتَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَ٠1.

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad, from Al-Hasan ibn Ali Al-Washsha', from Ahmad ibn Umar Al-Hallal (or someone else), from Imam al-Ridha (as), who said: "I told him that they (al-Waqifiyya) argue with us, saying that no one can wash the body of an Imam except another Imam." Imam al-Ridha (as) replied, "How do they know who washed him (Imam al-Jawad)?" I then asked, "What should I say to them?" He instructed, "Tell them that if he (the Imam) said, 'My master, he washed him under the Throne of my Lord,' then he has spoken the truth.

And if he said, 'He washed him in the depths of the earth,' then he has spoken the truth." Imam al-Ridha (as) added, "That's how it is." I asked, "So what should I tell them?" He replied, "Tell them that I washed him." I then asked, "Should I tell them that you washed him?" Imam al-Ridha (as) said, "Yes." يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) شهور - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/256))