[32]Concerning this meaning, there is a report on the authority of al-Mufaddal ibn 'Umar, peace be upon him, who said: "I asked our master al-Sadiq, His glory is magnificent, regarding the statement of our master the Commander of the Faithful, His glory is magnificent: 'Indeed, behind me is another other than me (wara'i ghayri), and it is not binding upon you to know that other.' He said: ['What have you heard concerning that] 1 , o Mufaddal?' I replied: 'It is narrated that he said: Behind me is another other than me, meaning Abu Bakr and 'Umar.' He smiled and said: 'O Mufaddal, this [carries neither an inward nor an outward truth] 2 . He only said: Behind me is another other than me, meaning: the Seven Domes. So whoever recognized me within the Seven Domes has recognized me within the Muhammadan Dome, and whoever has recognized me within the Muhammadan Dome has recognized me across the rest of the domes." 3
1In another manuscript: What (ish) have you heard regarding that (ish sami'ta fi dhalik).
2In another manuscript: neither outwardly nor inwardly (la zahiran wa-la batinan).
3In another manuscript: "He only said: Behind me is another other than me, meaning: the Seven Domes. So whoever recognized me within the Muhammadan Dome has recognized me across the rest of the domes."