The Sufficient (Vol 1) · Hadith 592 (#Ḥadīth #6)

6ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ يَمُصُّونَ الثِّمَادَ وَيَدَعُونَ النَّهَرَ الْعَظِيمَ قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا النَّهَرُ الْعَظِيمُ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ وَالْعِلْمُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاهُ الله إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَمَعَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ سُنَنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ آدَمَ وَهَلُمَّ جَرّاً إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا تِلْكَ السُّنَنُ قَالَ عِلْمُ النَّبِيِّينَ بِأَسْرِهِ وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله ﷺ صَيَّرَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله فَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعْلَمُ أَمْ بَعْضُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ اسْمَعُوا مَا يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله يَفْتَحُ مَسَامِعَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُهُ أَنَّ الله جَمَعَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ ﷺ عِلْمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَأَنَّهُ جَمَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَهُوَ يَسْأَلُنِي أَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ أَمْ بَعْضُ النَّبِيِّينَ.

6. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad from Ali ibn Nu‘man, in a marfu’ manner (rafa’ahu) from abu Ja‘far who has said the following. “They try to absorb the little moisture but ignore the huge river.” Someone asked him, “What is (this) huge river?” The Imams said, “It is the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) and the Knowledge that Allah gave to him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, combined in Muhammad (s.a.) the Sunnah (traditions) of the all the prophets from Adam onwards to Muhammad (s.a.).” Someone asked him, “What are those sunnah (traditions)?” The Imams said, “They are all the knowledge of the prophets (s.a.). The Messenger of Allah transferred all of them to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali .” The man then said, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?” Abu Ja‘far replied, “Listen, everyone to what he just said. Allah opens the ears of whoever He wants. I said to him that Allah combined for Muhammad (s.a.) the knowledge of the prophets and he combined all of it with Amir al-Mu’minin Ali . He now asks me, “Was he (Ali more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?”

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