عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ ثَابِتِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ الثُّمَالِيِّ وَ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ قَالَ حَجَجْنَا مَعَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) فِي السَّنَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ حَجَّ فِيهَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ وَ كَانَ مَعَهُ نَافِعٌ مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فَنَظَرَ نَافِعٌ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) فِي رُكْنِ الْبَيْتِ وَ قَدِ اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَنْ هَذَا الَّذِي قَدْ تَدَاكَّ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ فَقَالَ هَذَا نَبِيُّ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ هَذَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ فَقَالَ اشْهَدْ لآَتِيَنَّهُ فَلَأَسْأَلَنَّهُ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ لَا يُجِيبُنِي فِيهَا إِلَّا نَبِيٌّ أَوِ ابْنُ نَبِيٍّ أَوْ وَصِيُّ نَبِيٍّ قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ إِلَيْهِ وَ سَلْهُ لَعَلَّكَ تُخْجِلُهُ فَجَاءَ نَافِعٌ حَتَّى اتَّكَأَ عَلَى النَّاسِ ثُمَّ أَشْرَفَ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ إِنِّي قَرَأْتُ التَّوْرَاةَ وَ الْإِنْجِيلَ وَ الزَّبُورَ وَ الْفُرْقَانَ وَ قَدْ عَرَفْتُ حَلَالَهَا وَ حَرَامَهَا وَ قَدْ جِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ مَسَائِلَ لَا يُجِيبُ فِيهَا إِلَّا نَبِيٌّ أَوْ وَصِيُّ نَبِيٍّ أَوِ ابْنُ نَبِيٍّ قَالَ فَرَفَعَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ سَلْ عَمَّا بَدَا لَكَ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي كَمْ بَيْنَ عِيسَى وَ بَيْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ (صلى الله عليه وآله) مِنْ سَنَةٍ قَالَ أُخْبِرُكَ بِقَوْلِي أَوْ بِقَوْلِكَ قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي بِالْقَوْلَيْنِ جَمِيعاً قَالَ أَمَّا فِي قَوْلِي فَخَمْسُمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ وَ أَمَّا فِي قَوْلِكَ فَسِتُّمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ وَ سْئَلْ مَنْ أَرْسَلْنا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رُسُلِنا أَ جَعَلْنا مِنْ دُونِ الرَّحْمنِ آلِهَةً يُعْبَدُونَ مَنِ الَّذِي سَأَلَ مُحَمَّدٌ (صلى الله عليه وآله) وَ كَانَ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ عِيسَى خَمْسُمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ قَالَ فَتَلَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ سُبْحانَ الَّذِي أَسْرى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بارَكْنا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آياتِنا فَكَانَ مِنَ الْآيَاتِ الَّتِي أَرَاهَا اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مُحَمَّداً (صلى الله عليه وآله) حَيْثُ أَسْرَى بِهِ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ أَنْ حَشَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَ الْآخِرِينَ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ جَبْرَئِيلَ (عليه السلام) فَأَذَّنَ شَفْعاً وَ أَقَامَ شَفْعاً وَ قَالَ فِي أَذَانِهِ حَيَّ عَلَى خَيْرِ الْعَمَلِ ثُمَّ تَقَدَّمَ مُحَمَّدٌ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فَصَلَّى بِالْقَوْمِ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ لَهُمْ عَلَى مَا تَشْهَدُونَ وَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْبُدُونَ قَالُوا نَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَخَذَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ عُهُودَنَا وَ مَوَاثِيقَنَا فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ صَدَقْتَ يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَ وَ لَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ كانَتا رَتْقاً فَفَتَقْناهُما قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمَّا أَهْبَطَ آدَمَ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ كَانَتِ السَّمَاوَاتُ رَتْقاً لَا تَمْطُرُ شَيْئاً وَ كَانَتِ الْأَرْضُ رَتْقاً لَا تُنْبِتُ شَيْئاً فَلَمَّا أَنْ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَى آدَمَ (عليه السلام) أَمَرَ السَّمَاءَ فَتَقَطَّرَتْ بِالْغَمَامِ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهَا فَأَرْخَتْ عَزَالِيَهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ الْأَرْضَ فَأَنْبَتَتِ الْأَشْجَارَ وَ أَثْمَرَتِ الثِّمَارَ وَ تَفَهَّقَتْ بِالْأَنْهَارِ فَكَانَ ذَلِكَ رَتْقَهَا وَ هَذَا فَتْقَهَا قَالَ نَافِعٌ صَدَقْتَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الْأَرْضِ وَ السَّماواتُ أَيُّ أَرْضٍ تُبَدَّلُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) أَرْضٌ تَبْقَى خُبْزَةً يَأْكُلُونَ مِنْهَا حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنَ الْحِسَابِ فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ إِنَّهُمْ عَنِ الْأَكْلِ لَمَشْغُولُونَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) أَ هُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَشْغَلُ أَمْ إِذْ هُمْ فِي النَّارِ فَقَالَ نَافِعٌ بَلْ إِذْ هُمْ فِي النَّارِ قَالَ فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا شَغَلَهُمْ إِذْ دَعَوْا بِالطَّعَامِ فَأُطْعِمُوا الزَّقُّومَ وَ دَعَوْا بِالشَّرَابِ فَسُقُوا الْحَمِيمَ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ لَقَدْ بَقِيَتْ مَسْأَلَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ وَ مَا هِيَ قَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مَتَى كَانَ قَالَ وَيْلَكَ مَتَى لَمْ يَكُنْ حَتَّى أُخْبِرَكَ مَتَى كَانَ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَ لَا يَزَالُ فَرْداً صَمَداً لَمْ يَتَّخِذْ صَاحِبَةً وَ لَا وَلَداً ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا نَافِعُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْهُ قَالَ وَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ مَا تَقُولُ فِي أَصْحَابِ النَّهْرَوَانِ فَإِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَتَلَهُمْ بِحَقٍّ فَقَدِ ارْتَدَدْتَ وَ إِنْ قُلْتَ إِنَّهُ قَتَلَهُمْ بَاطِلًا فَقَدْ كَفَرْتَ قَالَ فَوَلَّى مِنْ عِنْدِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ أَنْتَ وَ اللَّهِ أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ حَقّاً حَقّاً فَأَتَى هِشَاماً فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا صَنَعْتَ قَالَ دَعْنِي مِنْ كَلَامِكَ هَذَا وَ اللَّهِ أَعْلَمُ النَّاسِ حَقّاً حَقّاً وَ هُوَ ابْنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) حَقّاً وَ يَحِقُّ لِأَصْحَابِهِ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوهُ نَبِيّاً.
93. A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Abu Hamza Sabit Bin Dinar Al-Thamaly and Abu Mansour, from Abu Al-Tabi’e who said: ‘We went on Pilgrimage with Abu Ja’far  in the year in which Hisham Abdul Malik was performing the Pilgrimage as well, and along with him was Nafa’u, the retainer of Umar Bin Al-Khattaab. So Nafa’u looked towards Abu Ja’far  in the corner of the House and the people had gathered around him’. Nafa’u said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, who is this one around whom the people have gathered?’ He said, ‘This is a Prophet of the people of Al-Kufa. This is Muhammad  Bin Ali ’. He said, ‘Be a witness for I shall ask him  about certain matters that nobody can answer with regards to it except for a Prophet  or a son  of a Prophet , or a successor  of a Prophet ’. He said, ‘So go ahead and ask him , perhaps you can embarrass him ’. So Nafa’u came until he leaned upon the people, until he was higher than Abu Ja’far . He said, ‘O Muhammad  Bin Ali ! I have read the Torah, and the Evangel, and the Psalms, and the Furqaan (Quran), and have understood their Permissibles, and their Prohibitions, and I have come to ask you  about certain matters that none can answer with regards to it except for a Prophet , or a successor  of a Prophet , or son  of a Prophet ’. He (the narrator) said, ‘Abu Ja’far  raised his  head and said; ‘Ask, or shall I  begin for you?’ He said, ‘Inform me, how many years were there in between Isa  and Muhammad ﷺ?’ He  said: ‘Shall I  inform you in accordance to your words or to mine ?’ He said, ‘Inform me in accordance to both together’. He  said: ‘In accordance to my  words, so there were five hundred years, and in accordance to your words there were six hundred years’. He said, ‘So inform me about the Statement of Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic to His (azwj) Prophet ﷺ: “[43:45] And ask those of Our Rasools whom We sent before you: Did We ever appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Beneficent Allah?” who was the one that Muhammad ﷺ asked since there were five hundred years in between him ﷺ and Isa ?’ Abu Ja’far  said: ‘This is the Verse: “[17:1] Glory be to Him Who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque to the remote mosque of which We have blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is the Hearing, the Seeing”, so Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Showed to Muhammad ﷺ certain Signs when He (azwj) Made him ﷺ to travel to the Bayt Al-Maqdas, was that Allah (azwj) Mighty is His (azwj) Mention, Resurrected from the former ones and the later ones, Prophets  and Rasools , then Commanded Jibraeel  to Call out the Adhaan and the Iqamah. And he said in his Adhaan “Hurry to the Best of the deeds” (Hayya Ala Khayr Al-Amal). Then Muhammad ﷺ proceeded and Prayed with the people. When he ﷺ had finished, he ﷺ asked them: ‘What did you testify to and what did you worship?’ They replied, ‘We testified that there is no god except Allah (azwj), One with no associates to Him (azwj), and that you ﷺ are the Rasool ﷺ of Allah (azwj), and it is upon that, that He (azwj) Took a Covenant from us and the Confirmation’. So Nafa’u said, ‘You  have spoken the truth, O Abu Ja’far ! So Inform me about the Statement of Allah (azwj): “[21:30] Do not those who disbelieve see that the heavens and the earth were closed up, but We have opened them”. He  said: ‘When Allah (azwj) Blessed and High Sent Adam  to the earth, and the skies were closed up and did not rain at all, and the earth was closed up and did not grow any vegetation. So when Allah (azwj) Accepted the repentance of Adam , He (azwj) Commanded the sky, so it collected rain in the clouds. Then He (azwj) Commanded it, so it allowed it to fall. Then He (azwj) Commanded the earth, so it produced the trees, and the fruits, and the rivers flowed. So that is (what is meant by) ‘closed up’, and this is (what is meant by) ‘it opened up’’. Nafa’u said, ‘You  had spoken the truth, O son  of the Rasool ﷺ of Allah (azwj). So inform me about the Statement of Allah (azwj): “[14:48] On the day when the earth shall be changed into a different earth, and the heavens (as well)”. Which earth would it be replaced by on the Day?’ So Abu Ja’far  said: ‘It will be the ground which would become edible, from which they will be eating until such time as Allah (azwj) has Completed the Accounting’. Nafa’u said, ‘They would be busy (with the accounting) instead to eating’. So Abu Ja’far  said: ‘Would they be busy on that Day or would they be in the Fire?’ Nafa’u said, ‘But they would be in the Fire’. He  said: ‘By Allah (azwj), they would not be busy, it’s just that when they call for the food, so they will be fed the Zaqoom (a tree in Hell), and they will call for drink and they will be quenched with Al-Hameem (a river of Hell)’. He said, ‘You  has spoken the truth, O son  of the Rasool ﷺ of Allah (azwj), and there remains one question’. He  said: ‘And what is that?’ He said, ‘Inform me about Allah (azwj) Blessed and High, when (did He (azwj) Exist) from?’ He  said: ‘Woe be unto you. When was he (azwj) not from that I  inform you when He (azwj) was from? Glory be to the One Who (azwj) always Was and will never cease to Be, Alone, Eternal, He (azwj) has not Taken any associate nor a son’. Then he  said: ‘O Nafa’u, inform me of what I  ask you about’. He said, ‘And what is it?’ He  said: ‘What do you say about the companions of Nahrwaan (a battle), for if you say that Amir-ul-Momineen  killed them rightfully, therefore they were apostates, and if you were to say then he  killed them wrongly, so you would have blasphemed’. He (the narrator) said, ‘He turned around from those that were with him, and he was saying, ‘By Allah (azwj), you  are truly the most knowledgeable of the people’. So he came to Hisham who asked, ‘What did you do?’ He said, ‘Leave me from your speech. By Allah (azwj), this one  is truly the most knowledgeable of the people, and he  is truly the son  of the Rasool ﷺ of Allah (azwj), and his  companions are quite right in taking him  as a Prophet ’.