Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, and Muhammad ibn Isma’il, from Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan, all from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Umar ibn Udhaynah, from Zurara, who said:
“I was sitting beside Abu Ja’far, Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) while he was sitting facing the Ka’bah. He said, ‘Indeed, looking at it is an act of worship.’
Then a man from Bajila came to him, called Asim ibn Umar, and said to Abu Ja’far, Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him),
‘Ka’b al-Ahbar used to say that the Ka’bah prostrates to the House of Al-Maqdis every morning.’
Abu Ja’far, Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said, ‘What do you say about what Ka’b said?’
He replied, ‘The statement of Ka’b is true.’
Abu Ja’far, Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said, ‘You lied, and Ka’b al-Ahbar lied with you.’
He became angry.
Zurara said, ‘I never saw him face anyone with the words “you lied” except him.’
Then he (Abu Ja’far, Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him)) said, ‘Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, did not create a spot on earth more beloved to Him than it,’ pointing with his hand towards the Ka’bah, ‘and there is nothing more honorable to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, than it.
For it, Allah made the sacred months in His Book on the day He created the heavens and the earth. Three are consecutive for Hajj: Shawwal, Dhu al-Qa’dah, and Dhu al-Hijjah, and one month for Umrah, which is Rajab.'”
Reference:
- Al-Kaafi of Shaikh Kulayni vol. 4, p. 239, H. 1
- Wasaael al-Shiah, vol. 13, p. 262, H. 17699
- Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 46, p. 53, H. 6
Arabic:
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: كُنْتُ قَاعِداً إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع- وَ هُوَ مُحْتَبٍ مُسْتَقْبِلُ الْكَعْبَةِ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّ النَّظَرَ إِلَيْهَا عِبَادَةٌ فَجَاءَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَجِيلَةَ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَاصِمُ بْنُ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع إِنَّ كَعْبَ الْأَحْبَارِ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْكَعْبَةَ تَسْجُدُ لِبَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فِي كُلِّ غَدَاةٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع فَمَا تَقُولُ فِيمَا قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَقَالَ صَدَقَ الْقَوْلُ مَا قَالَ كَعْبٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع كَذَبْتَ وَ كَذَبَ كَعْبُ الْأَحْبَارِ مَعَكَ وَ غَضِبَ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ مَا رَأَيْتُهُ اسْتَقْبَلَ أَحَداً بِقَوْلِ كَذَبْتَ غَيْرَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بُقْعَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَ لَا أَكْرَمَ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْهَا لَهَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ الْأَشْهُرَ الْحُرُمَ فِي كِتَابِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مُتَوَالِيَةٌ لِلْحَجِّ- شَوَّالٌ وَ ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَ ذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَ شَهْرٌ مُفْرَدٌ لِلْعُمْرَةِ وَ هُوَ رَجَبٌ.