Surah Al-Rad

The Thunder

Introduction

Name of Chapter and Reason for its Name

This chapter is named Surah Al-Rad, which means ‘The Thunder’ and this word is mentioned in verse 13 where Allah says: “The thunder celebrates His praise.”

Chapter Number

Surah Al-Rad is the 13th chapter of the Quran, and it was revealed after Surah Al-Fatiha.

Number of Verses

Surah Al-Rad has 43 verses. However, there are differences of opinions on this matter amongst the different schools. According to the Syrian school it has 47 verses, the Basris believe that there are 45 verses, the Hejazis believe the number of verses to be 44, and the Kufans believe it to be 43. Surah Yusuf, the chapter in the Quran which comes right before Surah al-Rad ends with narrations about previous Prophets; and Surah al-Rad begins with the assertion that all of these prophets were signs of this Divine Book and that He who sent those Prophets was Allah, the One and Only. The goal of this chapter is to declare that the Quran is the truth and that it is a miracle and sign of Prophet Muhammad.

Place of Revelation

There is a difference of opinion amongst the exegetes concerning where this chapter was revealed. Some believe it to have been revealed in Medina, while others believe it to have been revealed in Mecca. Amongst those who believe the chapter to have been revealed in Mecca, say that its last verse is not a Makki one. Yet another group of scholars believe that the whole chapter was revealed in Medina except for verses 31 and 32.

Content

Important Concepts in this Chapter

Verses 1-4

A demonstration of Allah’s power through creation.

The first four verses of this chapter discuss various demonstrations of Allah’s power, such as the raising of the heavens without any sort of “pillars,” the ordainment of the sun and moon and their movements, the creation of the earth, and the growth of plants. These verses indicate Allah’s limitless power and control over the heavens and the earth. The verse discussing the raising of the skies, “It is Allah who raised the heavens without any pillars that you see…” is an indication of Allah’s Omnipotence, meaning that it is through Allah’s infinite power that the skies are kept from falling without any sort of support. This verse also suggests that there are no perceivable pillars and in fact, it is Allah Himself who raised the skies, and without Him such a thing would not be possible.

Verses 5-7

Those who deny the Hereafter and the fate of them. The fifth verse of this chapter, “If you are to wonder [at anything], then wonderful is their remark, ‘When we have become dust, shall we be [ushered] into a new creation?’ They are the ones who defy their Lord…” discusses those who defy the Hereafter after having seen evidence of its existence.

Verses 7-16

The future of the nations and the necessity of paying heed to Allah’s signs.

This set of verses clarifies the free-will of man in so far as every nation writes its own future, and until its people do not attempt to change their own future, Allah will not attempt to change their hereafter. The verses also mention about the lack of attentiveness of the disbelievers towards the signs of Allah and their futile attempts to find excuses for themselves.

Verses 17-26

The clear difference between right and wrong.

These verses discuss the difference between right and wrong, and point towards the finite nature of that which is false. Falsity is compared to the likes of scum on the surface of water, or the impurities that arise from the smelting of metals. The verses also offer congratulations to the believers and warn the disbelievers.

Verses 27-35

Allah’s reasoning in response to the disbelievers who demanded miracles.

This set of verses mentions the disbelievers who requested that a miracle be sent to them, and Allah’s reasoning in response to their request. Furthermore, the verses discuss the position of the believers as a lesson for those who disbelieve. They also assert that the remembrance of Allah is that which offers contentment to the hearts of the faithful, and that the disbelievers are given a brief respite in this world - until their promised punishment.

Verses 36-43

The truth of the Prophethood.

These verses discuss those who accept some parts of the Quran yet deny other parts, and also discuss the fact that Allah is the Manager of all affairs and any sort of deceit directed towards Him will lead to nothing. The chapter ends with a discussion directed to those who deny the Prophethood with the assertion that Allah is a witness to the truth of Prophethood.

Discussions on this Chapter

According to the Sunni Traditions

Verse 6: “They would press you for evil sooner than for good, though there have already gone by before them exemplary punishments. Indeed your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their wrongdoing, and indeed your Lord is severe in retribution.”

وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ قَبْلَ الْحَسَنَةِ وَقَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمُ الْمَثُلَاتُ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَشَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ٦ عَنْ سَعِیدِ بْنِ الْمُسَیبِ قَالَ: لَمَّا نزلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآیة وَ إِنَّ رَبَّک لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِلنَّاسِ عَلی ظلْمِهِمْ الْآیةَ، قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ: «لَوْلا عَفْوُ اللَّهِ وَ تَجَاوُزهِ مَا هَنَّأَ أَحَداً الْعَیش، وَ لَولَا وَعِیده وَ عِقَابهُ لَا تَکل کلّ أَحَدٍ» وَ رَوَی الْحَافِظُ ابْنُ عَسَاکر فِی تَرْجَمَةِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُثْمَان أَبِی حَسَّان الزِّیادِی أَنَّهُ رَأَی رَبّ الْعِزَّة فِی النَّوْمِ، وَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ وَاقِفُ بَینَ یدَیهِ یشَفَّعُ فِی رَجُلٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ، فَقَالَ لَهُ: أَلَمَ یکفِک أَنِّی أَنْزَلْتُ عَلَیک فِی سُورَةِ الرَّعْدِ وَ إِنَّ رَبَّک لَذُو مَغْفِرَةٍ لِلنَّاس عَلی ظُلْمِهِمْ قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْتَبَهت.

It has been narrated from Saeed ibn al-Musayb who said, “When this verse was revealed, ‘Indeed your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their wrongdoing,’ the Messenger of Allah said: ‘If it was not for the forgiveness of Allah and His disregard, then life would not delight anyone; and if it was not for His threat and punishment, then everyone would rely upon life.’” Al-Haafiz ibn Asakir has narrated in the biography of Hasan ibn Uthman, the father of Hassaan al-Ziyaadi that he saw Allah, the Lord of Honour, during his sleep and that the Messenger of Allah was standing in front of Him interceding on behalf of a man from amongst his people. Allah said to him, “Is it not enough for you that I revealed in Surah al-Rad that, ‘Indeed your Lord is forgiving to mankind despite their wrongdoing,’ at which point the Prophet became conscious of this fact.”

Verse 7: “The faithless say, ‘Why has not some sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ You are only a warner, and there is a guide for every people.”

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنْذِرٌ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ٧ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِی حَاتِمٍ: حَدَّثَنَا عَلِی بْنُ الْحُسَینِ، حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِی شیبَة، حَدَّثَنَا الْمُطَّلِب بْن زِیاد عَنِ السُّدی عَنْ عَبْدِ خَیر عَنْ عَلِی وَ لِکلِّ قَوْمٍ هادٍ قَالَ: الْهَادِی رَجُل مِنْ بَنِی هَاشِم. قَالَ الْجُنَید: هُوَ عَلِی بْنُ أَبِی طَالِب رَضِی اللَّهُ عَنْهُ. قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِی حَاتِم: وَ رُوِی عَن ابْنِ عَبَّاس فِی إِحْدَی الرِّوَایات وَ عَنْ أَبِی جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِی نَحْو ذَلِک.

It has been narrated from Ibn Abu Haatim that Ali ibn al-Husayn related to him, from Uthman ibn Abi Shaybah, from al-Muttalib ibn Ziyad, from Suda, from a pious worshipper, from Ali about the verse: “…There is a guide for every people…” that Ali said, “The guide is a man from amongst the sons of Hashim.” Junaid said: “The guide is Ali ibn Abi Talib.” Ibn Abu Haatim said that similar narrations have been narrated from Ibn Abbas and Abu Jafar Muhammad ibn Ali.

Verse 8: “Allah knows what every female carries [in her womb], and what the wombs reduce and what they increase, and everything is by [precise] measure with Him.”

اللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَحْمِلُ كُلُّ أُنْثَى وَمَا تَغِيضُ الْأَرْحَامُ وَمَا تَزْدَادُ وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ عِنْدَهُ بِمِقْدَارٍ٨ عَن ابْنِ عُمَر أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَفَاتِیحُ الْغَیبِ خَمْس، لا یعْلَمْهُنَّ إِلَّا اللَّهُ: لَا یعْلَمُ مَا فِی غَدٍ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَ لَا یعْلَمُ مَا تَغِیضُ الْأَرْحامُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَ لَا یعْلَمُ مَتَی یأْتِی الْمَطَر أَحَد إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَ لَا تَدْرِی نَفْس بِأَی أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ، وَ لَا یعْلَمُ مَتَی تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ»

Abdullah ibn Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said: “The keys of the unseen are five, and nobody knows them but Allah. Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow except Allah; nobody knows what is in the womb except Allah; nobody knows when it will rain except Allah; no soul knows at what place he will die; and nobody knows when the Final Hour will begin except Allah.” (Ibid., Page 373)

Verse 11: “He has guardian angels, to his front and to his rear, who guard him by Allah’s command. Indeed Allah does not change a people’s lot, unless they change what is in their souls, and when Allah wishes to visit ill on a (group of) people, there is nothing that can avert it, and they have no protector besides Him.”

لَهُ مُعَقِّبَاتٌ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ يَحْفَظُونَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَالٍ١١ حَدَّثَنِی مَنْصُور عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ أَبِی الْجَعْدِ عَنْ أَبِیهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ: «مَا مِنْکمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ وکل بِهِ قَرِینهُ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ قَرِینه مِنَ الْمَلَائِکةِ» قالُوا: وَ إِیاک یا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «وَ إِیای، وَ لَکنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَانَنِی عَلَیهِ، فَلَا یأْمُرنِی إِلَّا بِخَیرٍ»

Mansoor related to me from Saalim ibn Abu al-Jad, from his father, from Abdullah who said that the Messenger of Allah said: “Verily, every one among you has his companion from the jinn and his companion from the angels.” They asked him: “And you too, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Me too, except that Allah has helped me against him, so he only orders me to do good.”

عَنْ عُمَیرِ بْن عَبْدِ الْمَلِک قَالَ: خَطَبَنَا عَلِی بْنُ أَبِی طَالِبٍ عَلَی مِنْبَرِ الْکوفَةِ قَالَ: کنْتُ إِذَا أَمْسَکت عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ ابْتَدَأَنِی، وَ إِذَا سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْخَبَرِ أَنْبَأَنِی، وَ إِنَّهُ حَدَّثَنِی عَنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ: «قَالَ الرَّبّ: وَ عِزَّتِی وَ جَلَالِی وَ ارْتِفَاعِی فَوْقَ عَرْشِی، مَا مِنْ قَرْیةٍ وَ لَا أَهْلِ بَیتٍ کانُوا عَلَی مَا کرِهْتُ مِنْ مَعْصِیتِی ثمَّ تَحَوَّلُوا عَنْهَا إِلَی مَا أَحببت مِنَ طَاعَتِی، إِلَّا تَحَوَّلْتُ لَهُمْ عَمَّا یکرَهُونَ مِنْ عَذَابِی إِلَی مَا یحِبُّونَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِی».

It has been narrated from Umayr, from Abd al-Malik who said that: “Ali ibn Abi Talib was addressing us from the pulpit of Kufa, and he said: ‘Whenever I would remain aloof from the Prophet, he would approach me; and whenever I would ask him about something, he would inform me. He related to me that his Lord said, ‘My honour, My splendour and My loftiness are above My Throne, there is no village or household that would practice that which I hate which is from amongst My disobedience, and then change and practice that which I love which is from amongst My obedience - except that I changed for them that what they disliked from My punishment to that what they love from My mercy.’’”

Verse 13: “The Thunder celebrates His praise, and the angels [too], in awe of Him, and He releases the thunderbolts and strikes with them whomever He wishes. Yet they dispute concerning Allah, though He is great in might.”

وَيُسَبِّحُ الرَّعْدُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ مِنْ خِيفَتِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ الصَّوَاعِقَ فَيُصِيبُ بِهَا مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَهُمْ يُجَادِلُونَ فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ١٣ و عَن ابْنِ عَبَّاس قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ: «إِذا سَمِعْتُمْ الرَّعْد فَاذْکرُوا اللَّه فَإِنَّهُ لَا یصِیبُ ذَاکراً»

It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas who said: “The Messenger of Allah said, ‘If you hear lightning, then remember Allah - for lightning does not strike one who remembers Allah.’”

عَنْ أَبِی سَعِیدِ الْخُدْرِی رَضِی اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِی صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ قَالَ: «تُکثِرُ الصَّوَاعِق عِنْدَ اقْتِرَابِ السَّاعَةِ حَتَّی یأْتِی الرَّجُلُ الْقَوْمَ فَیقُولُ: منْ صعق تِلْکم الْغَدَاة؟ فَیقُولُونَ: صُعِقَ فُلَان وَ فُلَان وَ فُلَان».

It has been narrated from Abu Saeed al-Khudri that the Prophet said: “Lightning strikes will increase with the approach of the Final Hour,” at which point a man from amongst the people came and said, “Who was struck from amongst you this morning?” The people replied with the names of three people.

Verse 24: “‘Peace be to you, for your patience.’ How excellent is the reward of the [ultimate] abode!”

سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ٢٤ عَنِ النَّبِی صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ کانَ یأْتِی قُبُور الشُّهَدَاء عَلَی رَأْسِ کلِّ حَوْل فَیقُولُ «السَّلَامُ عَلَیکمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَی الدَّارِ»

It has been narrated about the Prophet that he would visit the graves of the martyrs at the beginning of every year and would say: “May peace be upon you for that which you have had patience over, how excellent is the reward of the ultimate abode!”

عَبْد اللَّهِ بْن عَمْرٍو عَن النَّبِی صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَوَّلُ ثُلَّة یدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ فُقَرَاء الْمُهَاجِرِینَ الَّذِینَ تُتَّقَی بِهِمْ الْمَکارِه، وَ إِذَا أُمِرُوا سَمِعُوا وَ أَطَاعُوا، وَ إِنْ کانَتْ لِرَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ حَاجَة إِلَی سُلْطَان لَمْ تُقْضَ حَتَّی یمُوتَ وَ هِی فِی صَدْرِهِ، وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ یدْعُو یوْمَ الْقِیامَةِ الْجَنَّة فَتَأْتِی بزخرفها وَ زینت‌ها، فَیقُولُ: أَینَ عِبادِی الَّذِینَ قاتلوا فِی سَبِیلِی، وَ أُوذُوا فِی سَبِیلِی، وَ جاهدُوا فِی سَبِیلِی؟ ادْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ بِغَیرِ عَذَاب وَ لَا حِسَاب. وَ تَأْتِی الْمَلَائِکةُ فیسجدون وَ یقُولُونَ: رَبنا نَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِک اللَّیل وَ النَّهَار، وَ نُقَدِّسُ لَک مَنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الَّذِینَ آثَرْتهُمْ عَلَینَا؟ فَیقُولُ الرَّبُّ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: هَؤُلَاءِ عِبادِی الَّذِینَ جَاهدُوا فِی سَبِیلِی، وَ أُوذُوا فِی سَبِیلِی، فَتدْخل عَلَیهِمُ الْمَلَائِکةُ مِنْ کلِّ بابٍ: سَلام عَلَیکمْ بِما صَبَرْتُمْ فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَی الدَّارِ

Abdullah ibn Amr narrated from the Prophet who said: “The first group of people to enter Paradise will be the poor immigrants, those who, because of them various afflictions are warded off. When they are commanded to do something, they listen and obey. If there is from amongst them a man who has a need that cannot be met, he would die while that need remained with him. On the day of Reckoning, Allah will call upon Paradise and it will bring forth its adornments and its embellishments at which point Allah will say: ‘Where are My worshippers who fought in my path, were injured while following it and waged jihad (holy war)? Enter Paradise without any punishment or reckoning!’ Then the Angels will come forth, prostrate and they will say, ‘Our Lord, we glorified You night and day and venerated You, who are these whom You have preferred over us?’ Then the Lord will reply, ‘These are My worshippers, those who waged jihad in My path, and were injured while following it.’ Then the angels will enter upon them from every door while saying, ‘Peace be upon you for that which you have had patience over, how excellent is the reward of the ultimate abode!’”

Verse 29: “Those who have faith and do righteous deeds —happy are they and good is their [ultimate] destination.”

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ٢٩ عَنْ أَبِی سَعِیدِ الْخُدْرِی، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا قَالَ: یا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ: طُوبَی لِمَنْ رَآک وَ آمَنَ بِک، قَالَ: «طُوبَی لِمَنْ رَآنِی وَ آمن بِی، وَ طُوبَی ثُمَّ طُوبَی ثُمَّ طُوبَی لِمَنْ آمَنَ بِی وَ لَمْ یرنِی» قالَ لَهُ رَجُل: وَ مَا طُوبَی؟ قَالَ: «شَجَرَة فِی الْجَنَّةِ مَسِیرَتهَا مِائَة عَامٍ ثِیاب أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَکمامِها».

Abu Saeed al-Khudri narrates from the Prophet that a man said, “O Messenger of Allah, is Tooba for those who saw you and believed in you?” The Prophet replied, “Tooba is for those who saw me and believed in me, and there is a Tooba and another Tooba and another Tooba for those who believed in me but did not see me.” The man replied, “And what is Tooba?” The Prophet replied, “It is a tree in heaven, to travel under its shadow would take a hundred years, and the clothes of the people of Paradise are taken from its sprouts.”

وَ رَوَی الْبُخَارِی وَ مُسْلِم جَمِیعاً عَنْ إِسْحَاق بْنِ رَاهَوَیه، عَنْ مُغیرَة الْمَخْزُومِی عَنْ وُهَیب عَنْ أَبِی حَازِم، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْد رَضِی اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَیهِ وَ سَلَّمَ قَالَ: «إِنَّ فِی الْجَنَّةِ شَجَرَة یسِیرُ الرَّاکبُ فِی ظلّ‌ها مِائَةَ عَامٍ لَا یقْطَعُهَا»

Al-Bukhari and Muslim have both narrated from Ishaq ibn Rahavai, from Mughayrah al-Makhzumi, from Wuhaib, from Abu Haazim, from Sahl ibn Sad that the Prophet said: “There is a tree in heaven that if a rider travelled under its shadow for a hundred years, he would not reach the end of it.”

According to the Shia Traditions

Verse 4: “In the earth are neighboring terrains [of diverse kinds] and vineyards, farms, and date palms growing from the same root and from diverse roots, [all] irrigated by the same water, and We give some of them an advantage over others in flavour. There are indeed signs in that for a people who apply reason.”

وَفِي الْأَرْضِ قِطَعٌ مُتَجَاوِرَاتٌ وَجَنَّاتٌ مِنْ أَعْنَابٍ وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوَانٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَانٍ يُسْقَى بِمَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْأُكُلِ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ٤ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص یقُولُ لِعَلِی: النَّاسُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ شَتَّی - وَ أَنَّا وَ أَنْتَ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ ثمَّ قَرَأَ: «جَنَّات مِنْ أَعْنابٍ وَ زَرْع وَ نَخِیل صِنْوان وَ غَیرُ صِنْوانٍ - یسْقی بِماءٍ وَاحِدٍ» بِالنَّبِی وَ بِک

It has been narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah said that: “I heard the Prophet say to Ali, ‘Mankind is from different trees, and me and you are from the same tree, then he recited (the verse) - ‘vineyards, farms, and date palms growing from the same root and from diverse roots, [all] irrigated by the same water’’- that is, they are irrigated by the Prophet and by you.”

قَالَ وَ رَوَاهُ النطنزی فِی الْخَصَائِصِ عَنْ سَلْمَان، وَ فِی رِوَایة: أَنَا وَ عَلِی مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ وَ النَّاس مِنْ أَشْجَار شَتَّی

Fadhl ibn Shazan said that Natnazi narrated the same narration in al-Khasaais from Salman, and in another narration, it is narrated from the Prophet that he said: “Myself and Ali are from one tree, and mankind is from different trees.”

Verse 7: “The faithless say, ‘Why has not some sign been sent down to him from his Lord?’ You are only a warner, and there is a guide for every people.”

وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلَا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ آيَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّهِ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُنْذِرٌ وَلِكُلِّ قَوْمٍ هَادٍ٧ وَ فِی الْکافِی، بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ فُضَیلٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: «وَ لِکلِّ قَوْمٍ هادٍ» فَقَالَ: کل إِمَامٍ هَادٍ لِلْقَرْنِ الَّذِی هُوَ فِیهِمْ.

In Al-Kafi in accordance to a chain of narrators from Fudhayl who said, “I asked Abu Abdillah about the verse, ‘…And there is a guide for every people,’ and he said that: ‘Every Imam is a guide in his own century.’”