And hold fast by the [Rope] covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited…

[Once,] Muḥammad ibn al Huṣayn narrated from his ancestor, that he said:

Alī bn al Huṣayn (pbuh) stated, ‘One day, the Messenger of God (pbuh&h) and his companions were sitting in the mosque. Then, he stated, ‘[Now], a man of heaven will enter and ask about the matters which are related to him!

Coincidentally, a tall man who was like the men of Mudar tribe entered, came near, greeted the Messenger of God (pbuh&h) and said, ‘O, the Messenger of God (pbuh&h)! I have heard that, in the revealed book by God [Quran], he stated:

وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا…

And hold fast by the [Rope] covenant of Allah all together and be not disunited…

(Surah Ale Imrān, Verse 103)

Then, the man continued with asking, ‘What is the Rope that God has advised us to hold on to and not to be separated from?

There, the Prophet of God (pbuh&h) lowered his head briefly and kept quiet. Afterward, he raised his head, pointed to Alī ibn Abi Ṭālib (pbuh) and stated, ‘He is the very Rope of God by which, whoever holds fast, they will be kept safe from deviation in this world, and safe in the Hereafter.

There, the man rushed toward Alī and hugged him from behind, while he was saying, ‘I am holding by the Rope of God and his Messenger!’ then, he stood up, turned back and left! But another man came to the Prophet (pbuh&h) and requested, ‘O, the Messenger of God! Will you let me find him and ask him to plead God, in order to forgive me?!!!!

 

*~~~ *the text in the book refers to the point that, they didn’t get the real meaning stated by the Prophet (pbuh&h)! He meant to obey Imām Alī (pbuh) *~~~~*

 

Reference:

1-           M. Nuˈmai, Chapter 2, P. 68