عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍؑ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ اِنَّ اللهَ تَعَالَى جَعَلَ لِاَخِي عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِي طَالِبٍؑ فَضَائِلَ لَا تُحْصَى كَثْرَةً فَمَنْ قَرَاَ فَضِيلَةً مِنْ فَضَائِلِهِ مُقِرّاً بِهَا غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ مَا تَقَدَّمَ مِنْ ذَنْبِهِ وَ مَا تَاَخَّرَ وَ مَنْ كَتَبَ فَضِيلَةً مِنْ فَضَائِلِهِ لَمْ تَزَلِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لَهُ مَا بَقِيَ لِتِلْكَ الْكِتَابَةِ رَسْمٌ وَ مَنِ اسْتَمَعَ اِلَى فَضِيلَةٍ مِنْ فَضَائِلِهِ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي اكْتَسَبَهَا بِالسَّمْعِ وَ مَنْ نَظَرَ اِلَى كِتَابَةٍ مِنْ فَضَائِلِهِ غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي اكْتَسَبَهَا بِالنَّظَرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّظَرُ اِلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَبِي طَالِبٍؑ عِبَادَةٌ وَ لَا يَقْبَلُ اللهُ اِيمَانَ عَبْدٍ اِلَّا بِوَلَايَتِهِ وَ الْبَرَاءَةِ مِنْ اَعْدَائِهِ
Imam al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) said,
“Surely, Allah the High has made for my brother Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both) excellences that cannot be counted due to their excessive numbers.
So, whoever recites an excellence from his excellences while accepting them as well, Allah will forgive for him his past and future sins;
And whoever writes an excellence from his excellences, the angels will incessantly seek forgiveness for him till a copy of this writing remains;
And whoever hears an excellence from his excellences, Allah will forgive those of his sins that he has committed with his ears;
And whoever looks at the writing of his excellences, Allah will forgive him sins which he has committed with his eyes.”
Thereafter, he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) declared,
“Looking at Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both) is worship and Allah will not accept the faith of a person except through his mastership and dissociation from his enemies.”
Notes:
1) Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib’s excellences and merits are gifted to him by Allah the Almighty and not acquired by practice as some ignoramuses suggest.
2) If the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) says that Ali’s (peace be upon him) excellences and merits cannot be counted due to their infinite numbers, then surely this is the case because the infallible guides (peace be upon him) are not prone to exaggeration.
3) An important condition in this tradition is not only reciting or writing or reading or listening to these traditions but to believe in and accept them as well. And belief is something that is known to Allah alone. Hence, none can deceive Allah in this regard to obtain rewards.
4) Every angel’s prayers is accepted because he is infallible. If one angel prays for a person, his sins are forgiven. Then what will be the condition of the one for whom a multitude of angels pray?
5) Writing an excellence does not necessarily mean that it should be published as a book. Any believing man or woman, when he/she reads or listens to a tradition in a majlis or a class, records it in his/her notebook, he/she will get this reward till that tradition remains.
6) Condition for belief is mastership of Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both) and dissociation from his enemies. Without dissociation, mastership will NOT be accepted.
7) All the conditions mentioned in this tradition will apply to all the fourteen infallible guides (peace be upon him) and are not restricted to Ameer al-Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon them both) alone. For, they are all equal in their perfections barring some specific areas that will be discussed later, Allah willing.
References:
1. Al-Amaali of al-Shaikh al-Saduq (r.a.), p. 138, H.9, Majlis 28
2. Banaa al-Maqaalah, p. 369
3. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 26, p. 229, H. 10
4. Rauzah al-Waaezeen, vol. 1, p. 114
5. Kashf al-Ghummah, vol. 1, p. 112