wikishia:Featured Article/2014/36

The Golden Chain Hadith (حدیث سلسلة الذهب) is a short narration given by Imam al-Rida (a) on his way to Marw through Nishabur, on the unity of God and one of its main conditions. Since all the narrators of this hadith are the infallible Imams (a), all the way to the Noble Prophet (s), whom himself has narrated it from God, thus it has been called Silsilat al-dhahab, which means Golden Chain.

اللَّهَ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ یَقُولُ لَا إِلَهَ‏ إِلَّا اللَّهُ‏ حِصْنِی‏ فَمَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْنِی أَمِنَ مِنْ عَذَابِی

قَالَ فَلَمَّا مَرَّتِ الرَّاحِلَةُ نَادَانَا بِشُرُوطِهَا وَ أَنَا مِنْ شُرُوطِهَا

Allah says: "There is no lord but Allah is my stronghold, thus whomever enters my stronghold shall be safe from my punishment." When the caravan started to move [Imam al-Rida (a)] said: "[but of course] it has conditions, and I am one of its conditions."

Kitab al-Tawhid :25

The text of the hadith as recorded by al-Shaykh al-Saduq in his Kitab al-Tawhid is as follows:

Ishaq b. Rahawayh says, “When Imam al-Rida (a) reached Nishabur on his journey to Khurasan, after he decided to leave for Ma'mun, the penmen gathered and said, “O son of the Messenger of God (s), are you leaving our city without giving us a statement to benefit from?” Upon this request, the Imam (a) brought his head out of his wagon and continue ...