Seven narrations of Shi'a companion Abu Khalid al-Kabuli from the righteous Imams

Abū Khālid al-Kābulī al-Wardān (Arabic: أبوخالد الکابلی الوردان), known as Kankar (کنکر), was a companion and hadith transmitter (or rawi) of Imam al-Sajjad (a) and Imam al-Baqir (a). He was born in Kabul in Afghanistan, and after immigration to Medina, he became a companion of Imam al-Sajjad (a). In addition to his immediate transmissions from these two Imams, Abu Khalid has also transmitted hadiths from people such as Asbagh b. Nubata and Yahya b. Umm Tawil.

 

"Kankar" was a nickname by which his mother used to call him when he was a child, but people did not call him so. However, since Imam al-Sajjad (a) called him "Kankar" in hadiths available to us, he was later known as Kankar. Sayyid b. Tawus has called him "Abu Yahya", but other sources do not confirm such a title.

 

According to hadiths, his birthplace was Kabul. Though it is not obvious exactly when he went to Hijaz, it seems that during his stay there, when he was Imam al-Sajjad's (a) companion (period of his imamate: 61-95/680 to 713), he went to Kabul at least once by Imam's (a) assistance.

 

In the first days of his stay in Medina, Abu Khalid believed that Muhammad b. Hanafiyya was the Imam, serving him for a long time as an Imam whose obedience is obligatory.

It is said that during his companionship with Muhammad b. Hanafiyya, Abu Khalid had heard him a lot about the great and respectful religious position of Imam al-Sajjad (a). Yahya b. Umm Tawil urged him to visit Imam al-Sajjad (a) and when he finally visited him, the Imam (a) called him "Kankar" which was his childhood nickname. This is why he was assured that Imam al-Sajjad (a) was the Imam. Since then, he became so close a companion of the Imam that he came to be called the "gate", a "trustee" and a "disciple" of Imam al-Sajjad (a). Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqi, al-Shaykh al-Mufid and al-Shaykh al-Tusi have considered Abu Khalid as a companion of Imam al-Sajjad (a). Fadl b. Shadhan mentions Abu Khalid as one of the five people who followed him in the early period of his imamate.

There are hadiths about Abu Khalid's change of view about imamate; for example, the arbitration of the Black Stone that led to his change of mind about imamate. Sayyid Himyari (d. 173/789-90), who is said to have converted from Kaysaniyya to Imamiyya after hearing this event, has narrated the event in the form of poetry.

There is another account of his attempt to know the true Imam, according to which he went to Hasan al-Muthanna for a while to find the heritage of imamate and when he was disappointed by Hasan, he went to visit Imam al-Sajjad (a) and believed in his imamate.

When the Umayyad rulers began to oppress the Shi'a and people such as Yahya b. Umm Tawil were killed, Abu Khalid fled to Mecca and hid there for a while. Although the year of his death is not known, it is known that he was alive in the period of Imam al-Baqir (a) (imamate: 95/713-114/733) and was one of his companions.

In addition to Imam al-Sajjad (a) and Imam al-Baqir (a), Abu Khalid has also transmitted hadiths from people such as Asbagh b. Nubata and Yahya b. Umm Tawil.

People who have transmitted hadiths from him include: Jamil b. Salih, Hisham b. Salim, Sudayr al-Sayrafi, Durays b. 'Abd al-Malik, and al-Muthanna al-Hannat.

However, al-Nashi al-Akbar points to a group of Fatimiyya as companions of Abu Khalid al-Kabuli who believed that Imam al-Sajjad (a) was not in the age of puberty when his father was martyred.

Seven of al-Kabuli's narrations:

1) Abu Khalid al-Kabuli inquired from Imam Muhammad Baqir (peace be upon him) about the verse "Therefore believe in Allah and His Apostle and the Light which We have revealed" [Holy Quran, Sura Tagabun 64, Verse 8].

Imam (peace be upon him) replied:

O Abu al-Khalid! By Allah, Noor in this verse refers to Imams (peace be upon them) from Aale (progeny of) Mohammad (peace be upon him and his progeny). By Allah till the Day of Judgment, they will be Allah's Light which has been revealed. By Allah they are the Light of Allah in the earth and skies. O Abu Khalid, by Allah the Light of Imam (peace be upon him) is more illuminated in the heart of the believers than the sun during a bright day. By Allah, they brighten the hearts of the believers. From whomever Allah wishes, He hides His Light, which results in the darkening of their hearts. O Abu Khalid none will love us or accept our wilayat until Allah purifies his heart. And Allah will not cleanse his heart until he submits in front of us. And once he is submissive to us then Allah will protect him from intensive questioning and fear on the Day of Judgment."

 

2) Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) has described the characteristics and importance of the one who awaits the reappearance thus, "O Abu al-Khalid (al-Kabuli)! In the period of his occultation, those who believe in his Imamate and await his reappearance are the best people of all times. Allah the Almighty has endowed them with intellect, understanding and cognition to such an extent that occultation (of Imam) for them is as good as his presence.

They are equal (in status) to those who are fighting alongside the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) with their swords. Certainly, these are the real believers and our true Shias and they call towards the path of Allah, openly and secretly."

3) Abu Khalid al-Kabuli says: 

Someone said to Imam Ali ibn Husayn, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Sunnis say that the best people after the Prophet (peace be upon him) are Abu Bakr, then Umar, after him is Uthman and then Ali, (They put him in the fourth stage.) Imam replied: Do you know that Saeed ibn Musayeb narrated from Saad ibn Abi Waqas from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his progeny) who said to Imam Ali (peace be upon him): "Your relationship with me is like as relation of Aaron to Moses but there will be no Prophet after me."?

 

4) Abu Khalid al-Kabuli and the Insane Girl

Abu Khalid al-Kabuli was in the company of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) when he became eager to meet his parents and was nostalgic for them. He sought the Imam’s permission to visit them. Imam (peace be upon him) said: “Tomorrow, a wealthy man from Shaam would arrive, whose daughter is suffering from insanity. He would request: Is there anyone, who can cure my daughter? When you hear that, go to the father and say: I would cure her for ten thousand dirhams. He would promise, but go back on his word.” The following day when the caravan arrived from Shaam, that same occurred. Abu Khalid says: When I said to the father of the girl that I would cure her for ten thousand dirhams, he accepted it. I came to Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him) and narrated the matter to him. Imam (peace be upon him) said: “I know that he would not fulfill his promise. Go to that insane girl, hold her left ear and say: O filthy one, Ali Ibne Husain orders you to leave the body of this girl and not to return.” Abu Khalid went and acted according to the directions of the Imam and the girl was cured. Then he asked for the ten thousand dirhams that they had agreed upon. They refused to pay. He returned to the Imam and informed about it. Imam (peace be upon him) said: “Don’t be aggrieved, as they would come back to you and request you to cure her again. This time go and tell them to send ten thousand dirhams to

Imam Ali bin Husain (peace be upon him) to keep it as a trust so that I may cure her.” He did that.

Abu Khalid, upon the orders of the Imam held the left ear and conveyed the message of the Imam and said: “If you return to this body, I would burn you in the scorching fire of Almighty Allah.” The patient recovered, Abu Khalid took the money and with the permission of Imam (peace be upon him and his progeny), returned to Kabul.

 

5) Abu Khalid al-Kabuli from Abu Ja'far (Imam Baqir) (peace be upon him): He said: we looked in Kitab 'Ali: "Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah. He causes to inherit it whom He wills of His servants. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous." [Holy Quran, Sura A'raf 7, Verse 128] I and my Ahl al-Bayt are the ones that inherited the Earth and we are the righteous, and the entire Earth is for us, so a Muslim that enlivens the land must build upon it and give what comes out of it to the Imam from my Ahl al-Bayt, and to him belongs that which is eaten from it. So if he (i.e. the Muslims) abandons it or harms it, and then a Muslim takes it and builds upon it and enlivens it, then he has more right to it than the one who abandoned it. So he gives what comes out of it to the Imam from my Ahl al-Bayt, and to him belongs that which is eaten from it, until the Qa'im (peace be upon him) appears from my Ahl al-Bayt with his sword. Se he surrounds it, forbids others from it, and evicts them from it, just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) had surrounded and forbidden lands, except what is in the hands of our Shi'a, for he will divide between them what is in their hands, and leave the land in their hands.

6) Imam al-Baqir (A) said to Abu Khalid Kabuli in a tradition of the noble Kafi: They (i.e. the Imams) are, by God, the Light that He has sent down [Holy Quran, 64:8; 61:8; 39:69], and they, by God, are the Light of God in the heavens and the earth [Holy Quran, 24:36].

 

7) Abu Khalid Kabuli narrates that following the demise of Hazrat Sajjad, Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) was asked to mention the name of Hazrat Mahdi (peace be upon him) Then the Imam said: You asked me for something that if Bani Umayyah (the ruler dynasty of that time in Hijaz) knew him, they would try to cut him into pieces.

 

 

Sources:

Abu Khalid al-Kabuli's biography: https://en.wikishia.net/view/Abu_Khalid_al-Kabuli#cite_note-2

Narration no. 1: al-Majlisi. Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 23, pg. 308, Hadith no. 5, narrating from Tafsir Ali bin Ibrahim Qummi

Narration no. 2: al-Shaykh al-Saduq. Kamāl al-dīn wa tamām al-niʿma, ch. 31, Hadith no. 2

This narration has also been narrated on the pulpit:

Narration no. 3: al-Shaykh al-Saduq. Ma'ani Al Akhbar, vol.1, pg.74

Narration no. 4: Ibne Shahr Ashob. al-Manaqib, vol. 4, pg. 145

Narration no. 5: al-Kulayni. al-Kafi, vol. 1, book 4, The Whole Earth Belongs to the Imam, Hadith no. 1

Narration no. 6: al-Kulayni. Usul al-Kafi, i, 194, “kitab al-hujjah,” “bab anna al-a’immah nur Allah,” Hadith no. 1

Narration no. 7: al-Majlisi. Bihar ul-Anwar, vol. 51, pg. 31