The Sufficient (Vol 1) · Hadith 745 (#Ḥadīth #5)

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الدَّلالَةِ عَلَى صَاحِبِ هَذَا الامْرِ فَقَالَ الدَّلالَةُ عَلَيْهِ الْكِبَرُ وَالْفَضْلُ وَالْوَصِيَّةُ إِذَا قَدِمَ الرَّكْبُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَقَالُوا إِلَى مَنْ أَوْصَى فُلانٌ قِيلَ إِلَى فُلانِ بْنِ فُلانٍ وَدُورُوا مَعَ السِّلاحِ حَيْثُمَا دَارَ فَأَمَّا الْمَسَائِلُ فَلَيْسَ فِيهَا حُجَّةٌ.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar who has said that he asked the following from abu al-Hassan al-Rida , “What is the proof that establishes one’s possessing Divine authority or the his ownership of leadership?” Such proofs are being the elder, possession of superior moral achievements and one being appointed as the executor of the will. So much so that people would come to the town and ask who is appointed as the executor of the will of so and so it would be said to them so and so son of so and so and these go along wherever the Armament would go. Asking questions does not establish any authority.”

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