1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from Sulaym Mawla Tirbal who has said the Hisham narrated to him from Hamza ibn al-Tayyar who has said the following: “Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘People are of six categories.’ I then asked, ‘Can I write them down?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, you can do so.’ I then asked, ‘What should I write?’ The Imam said, ‘Write down: the people promised paradise and those warned against the fire (but ignored it). Write down, “. . . others of them have already confessed their sins and have mixed virtuous deeds with sinful ones.’” (9:102) I then asked, ‘Who are such people?’ The Imam said, ‘Wahshi (assassin of Hamza) is one of them.’ The Imam said, ‘Write down, “There are others who have no good deeds for which they may receive any reward or sins for which they may be punished. . . .” (9:106) The Imam said, ‘Write down, “As for the really weak and oppressed men, women, and children who were not able to find any means of obtaining their freedom or of having the right guidance, (4:98) [are not able to do anything against the unbelievers or find the right guidance] perhaps Allah will forgive them; He is All-merciful and All- forgiving.” (4:99) The Imam said, ‘Write down the people of ‘A’raf.’ I asked, ‘Who are they?’ The Imam said, ‘They are the people whose good and bad deeds measure equally. If they will be sent to the fire it will be due to their sins and if they will be sent to paradise it will be due to His kindness.’”
