Certain characteristics by which an Imam is recognized

Imam Ar-Reza (as) says that there are certain characteristics by which an Imam is recognized:
• He should be the wisest of his time.
• He should be most pious.
• He should be most suave and forbearing.
• There should be none equal in bravery and generosity to him.
• He must be the most committed to the Prayer of Allah.
• He is born naturally circumcised.
• He is born totally clean.
• He has the faculty to see in his back without turning his eyes backwards.
• His shadow is not cast on the ground.
• At birth, he puts his hands on the ground and recites the Witness: La ilaha il Allah Mohammadur Rasool Allah.
• He doesn’t get night-dreams (Ehtelam)
• Although his eyes sleep, the eyes of his heart are always awake.
• He gets informed of the future events through his dreams.
• The angels converse with him.
• The chain armor of the Prophet would fit him like a glove.
• None would have seen his feces.
• His body would radiate a fragrance better than that of musk.
• People would be willing to lay down their lives for him.
• He will be more affectionate towards the Mu’mins than their own parents.
• He will be most generous and kind.
• He always sets examples for his followers.
• Whatever he asks his followers not to do, he himself abstains to do.
• His prayer is so effective that if he wishes, stones would shatter to smithereens in a moment.
• All the arms of the Prophet would be in his possession.
• He will be the carrier of the Twin-Edged Sword, the Dhual Fiqar.
• He will possess a document on which the names of his friends and foes are recorded.
• He will be the exponent of Jafr al-Akbar and Jafr al-Asghar that have record of all the events past, present and future.
• He will have with him the Sahifa al-Fatima.
• He will possess Ilm al-Laddunni, that is, he will not need a mentor or tutor to teach him.