Hadith 47-27

حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أحْمَد السَنانِي رَحْمَةُ اللَّه قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي عَبْدِ اللَّه الكُوفِي‏حَدَّثَني سَعْدِ بْنِ مالِكَ عَنْ أَبي حَمْزَة عَنْ ابْنِ أَبي كَثِير قالَ لَمَّا تُوُفِّيَ مُوسَى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقَفَ النَّاسُ فِي أَمْرِهِ فَحَجَجْتُ فِي تِلْكَ السَّنَةِ فَإِذَا أَنَا بِالرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَأَضْمَرْتُ فِي قَلْبِي أَمْراً فَقُلْتُ أَبَشَراً مِنَّا واحِداً نَتَّبِعُهُ الآْيَةَ فَمَرَّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ كَالْبَرْقِ الْخَاطِفِ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ أَنَا وَاللَّهِ الْبَشَرُ الَّذِي يَجِبُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَتَّبِعَنِي فَقُلْتُ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَيْكَ فَقَالَ مَغْفُورٌ لَكَ. وحَدَّثَني بِهذَا الْحَدِيث غَيْرِ واحِد من المشايخ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي عَبْدِ اللَّه الكُوفِي بِهذَا الإسناد.

Muhammad ibn Ahmad As-Sinani - may God have Mercy upon him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdillah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Sa’d ibn Malik, on the authority of Abi Hamza, on the authority of Abi Kathir, “When (Imam Ar-Ridha’’s (a.s.) father) Musa (a.s.) died, the people were at a loss (what to do) about his affairs. I went on the Hajj pilgrimage where I saw Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.). I was wondering whether I should keep obeying Musa (a.s.) as the Divine Leader or obey this man (Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.)) and told myself, ‘For they said, ‘What! a man! A Solitary one from among ourselves! Shall we follow such a one? Truly should we then be straying in mind and mad!’’ [15] Then Ali (ibn Musa Ar-Ridha’) (a.s.) passed by me like a lightning jolt and said, ‘By God, I am the man whom you must obey.’ I said, ‘I ask the Sublime God and you to forgive me.’ Ar-Ridha’ (a.s.) said, ‘You are forgiven.’” I have been told this very same tradition by more than one of the elders on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi with the same chain of narration.