Yunus ibn Ya’qub, one of the companions of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), narrates:
I was with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man from Syria came to him and said, “I know the science of theology, jurisprudence, and the laws of inheritance, and I have come to debate with your companions.”[1]
The Imam said to me, “Go out and bring any of the theologians you can find.”
… Hummar ibn A’yan, Ahwal, Hisham ibn Salim, and Qays ibn Masir, who were all theologians and companions of the Imam, gathered in the tent. After some time, Hisham ibn Hakam also arrived. Hisham was young, and all the companions were older than him. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) invited him and made space for him, saying: “Hisham is our supporter with his heart, tongue, and hand.”
Then Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) turned to his companions one by one and asked them to engage in a discussion with the Syrian man. Each of them discussed with him in their area of expertise until it was Hisham’s turn.
The Imam said to the Syrian man, “Speak with this young man.”
The Syrian man said, “I am ready.” He then turned to Hisham and said, “O young man, speak with me about the Imamate of this man.”
Hisham asked the Syrian man, “O man, is your Lord more concerned about His creatures, or are the creatures more concerned about themselves?”
The Syrian man replied, “Naturally, my Lord is more concerned about His creatures.”
Hisham asked, “What has God done in His concern for the people?”
The Syrian man replied, “He has appointed a proof and a guide for them so that they would not fall into disagreement and division. This divine guide brings unity and reconciliation among them, corrects their deviations, and makes them aware of the laws of their Lord.”
Hisham asked, “Who is this proof and guide?”
The Syrian man replied, “It is the Messenger of God (peace be upon him).”
Hisham asked, “And after the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), who is it?”
The Syrian man said, “It is the Qur’an and the Sunnah.”
Hisham asked, “Are the Qur’an and the Sunnah useful today to resolve our disagreements?”
The Syrian man replied, “Yes.”
Hisham said, “Then why do you and I have a disagreement, and why did you come all the way from Syria to here because of this disagreement?”
The Syrian man remained silent. Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to him, “Why do you not speak?”
The Syrian man said, “If I say that we have no disagreement, I would be lying, and if I say that the Qur’an and Sunnah can resolve our disagreement, I would be wrong, because the verses of the Qur’an and the Hadiths can be interpreted in different ways (so each of us can justify them according to our own beliefs). And if I say that we have a disagreement and each of us claims to be right, then the Qur’an and Sunnah would be of no help to us. But I can ask Hisham the same questions.”
The Imam said, “Ask him so that you may understand that he is full of knowledge.”
The Syrian man then asked Hisham, “O man, who is more concerned for the creatures, their Lord or themselves?”
Hisham replied, “Their Lord is more concerned about them than they are about themselves.”
The Syrian man asked, “Has God appointed someone to unite them, correct their deviations, and make them aware of who is right and who is wrong?”
Hisham asked, “In the time of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), or today?”
The Syrian man replied, “In the time of the Messenger of God (peace be upon him), the proof and guide was him. But who is it today?”
Hisham pointed to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and said, “It is this man who is sitting here. People from all parts of the world travel to him, and he informs us of the knowledge he has inherited from his ancestors, revealing the secrets of the heavens and the earth.”
The Syrian man asked, “How can I understand this?”
Hisham replied, “Ask him whatever you want.”
The Syrian man said, “You have left me no excuse. I must ask.”
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said, “Do you want me to tell you about the journey you took?” Then the Imam began to explain the details of his journey.
The Syrian man, overjoyed, said, “You have spoken correctly. I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and Muhammad (peace be upon him) is His Messenger, and you are the successor of His heirs.”
*Source: *Al-Kafi, by Shaykh al-Kulayni, Volume 1, Book of the Imam, Hadith 4 (with slight modifications)
Footnote:
[1] Regarding the issue of inheritance, part of the rulings are in the Qur’an and part in the Hadiths. The part in the Qur’an is referred to as Farā’id (obligations). Inheritance is one of the most complex topics in Islamic jurisprudence.