عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ مِيثَمٍ التَّمَّارِ مَوْلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ إِنِّي وَجَدْتُ فِي كُتُبِ أَبِي أَنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ لِأَبِي مِيثَمٍ أَحْبِبْ حَبِيبَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ فَاسِقاً زَانِياً وَ أَبْغِضْ مُبْغِضَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ صَوَّاماً قَوَّاماً فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ أُولئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ وَ قَالَ هُمْ وَ اللهِ أَنْتَ وَ شِيعَتُكَ يَا عَلِيُّ وَ مِيعَادُكَ وَ مِيعَادُهُمُ الْحَوْضُ غَداً غُرّاً مُحَجَّلِينَ مُتَوَّجِينَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ هَكَذَا هُوَ عِيَاناً فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ
Yaqub Ibn Meetham al-Tammaar, the slave of (Imam) Ali Ibn al-Husain (peace be on them both) reports, “I went to (Imam) Abu Ja’far (al-Baqer) (peace be on him) and told him, ‘May I be held your ransom, O son of Allah’s Messenger! I found among the books of my father (Meetham al-Tammaar) that Ali (peace be on him) said to my father Meetham, ‘Love the one who loves the progeny of Muhammad (peace be on him and his progeny) even if he is a transgressor, adulterer and hate the one who hates the progeny of Muhammad (peace be on him and his progeny) even if he fasts and prays excessively. For surely, I have heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) say, ‘…those who believed and did good deeds, they are the best of creatures’ (Surah al-Bayyinah (98): Verse 7). Then he (peace be on him and his progeny) turned towards me and said, ‘They, by Allah, are you and your followers, O Ali. Your meeting place with them will be tomorrow (i.e. Day of Judgment) at the Pond (of Kauthar) while they are the handsome ones, of pure breed and crowned’.
At this, (Imam) Abu Ja’far (peace be on him) confirmed, ‘This is exactly as it is in the book of Ali (peace be on him)’.”
References:
1. Al-Amaali of al-Shaikh al-Toosi (r.a.), p. 405, 4th Majlis
2. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 27, p. 220, H. 5
Notes:
1) Handsome ones (غر) is the plural of اغر means those whose foreheads are shining due to their love for Ali (peace be on him and his progeny). Of pure breed (محجلين) is the plural of محجل implies those who are of pure birth. Both these terms are used for horses who have a distinct white forehead and on their front and hind legs are considered handsome and of pure breed. Now, a Shia is the one who has both these traits in him.
2) What will be the form of crowning for the Shias in the hereafter is best known to Allah but what can be derived from some other traditions is that in all likelihood it will be the crown of light. And Allah, His Messenger (peace be on him and his progeny) and his successor (peace be on him) know the best.