The Sufficient (Vol 1) · Hadith 242 (#Ḥadīth #8)

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْمَوْصِلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله قَالَ أَتَى حِبْرٌ مِنَ الاحْبَارِ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَتَى كَانَ رَبُّكَ قَالَ وَيْلَكَ إِنَّمَإ؛ّّ يُقَالُ مَتَى كَانَ لِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ فَلا يُقَالُ مَتَى كَانَ كَانَ قَبْلَ الْقَبْلِ بِلا قَبْلٍ وَبَعْدَ الْبَعْدِ بِلا بَعْدٍ وَلا مُنْتَهَى غَايَةٍ لِتَنْتَهِيَ غَايَتُهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ نَبِيٌّ أَنْتَ فَقَالَ لامِّكَ الْهَبَلُ إِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدٌ مِنْ عَبِيدِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

8. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid from ibn Abu Nasr from Abul Hassan al-Muwsali who has narrated the following from Abu ‘Abdallah : “A rabbi came to Imam Ali and asked, ‘O Amirul Mu’minin, when did your Lord come into existence?’” Imam Ali replied, “Consider carefully. The question when applies to one who did not exist (and then came into being). When does not apply to the One Who is eternal. He was before the before without before and after the after without an after. He is not the end of some end so that His end would also end.” He then asked, “Are you a prophet?” Imam Ali replied, “Bereft of you be your mother! I am a slave among the slaves of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).