Hadith 1:

 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْعُصْفُورِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله خَلَقَ مُحَمَّداً وَعَلِيّاً وَأَحَدَ عَشَرَ مِنْ وُلْدِهِ مِنْ نُورِ عَظَمَتِهِ فَأَقَامَهُمْ أَشْبَاحاً فِي ضِيَاءِ نُورِهِ يَعْبُدُونَهُ قَبْلَ خَلْقِ الْخَلْقِ يُسَبِّحُونَ الله وَيُقَدِّسُونَهُ وَهُمُ الائِمَّةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

Narrated with a chain of trustworhty narrators that Imam Ali ibn Husayn (عليه السلام) said,

"Allah created Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله), Ali (عليه السلام) and the eleven Imams from his descendants out of the light (noor) of His greatness. He then placed them as figures in the brightness of His light where they worshipped Him before the creation of the creations. They would speak of the Glory of Allah and of His Holiness. They are the Imams from descendants of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله)."

[Source: al-Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg. 530]

(Hadith classified as Authentic (Saheeh) in the book - al-Nusoos ala Ahl al-Khusoos, Pg. 247)

Hadith 2:

 الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، عن علي بن مرداس قال: حدثنا صفوان ابن يحيى والحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي أيوب، عن أبي خالد الكابلي قال: سألت أبا جعفرعليه السلام عن قول الله عزوجل: " فآمنوا بالله ورسوله والنور الذي أنزلنا  " فقال: يا أبا خالد النور والله الائمة من آل محمد صلى الله عليه وآله إلى يوم القيامة، وهم والله نور الله الذي أنزل، وهم والله نور الله في السماوات وفي الارض، والله يا أبا خالد لنور الامام في قلوب المؤمنين أنور من الشمس المضيئة بالنهار، وهم والله ينورون قلوب المؤمنين، ويحجب الله عزوجل نورهم عمن يشاء فتضلهم قلوبهم، والله يا أبا خالد لا يحبنا عبد ويتولانا حتى يطهر الله قلبه ولا يطهر الله قلب عبد حتى يسلم لنا ويكون سلما لنا فاذا كان سلما لنا سلمه الله من شديد الحساب وآمنه من فزع يوم القيامة الاكبر

Abu Khalid al-Kabuli who has said the following. 

"I asked (Imam) abu Ja‘far (as) about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Gracious, ‘Believe, therefore, in Allah and His Messenger, and in the Light (Noor) which we have sent down' [64:8]

"O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah, it is the Imams from the family of the Holy Prophet (saww) up to the Day of judgment who are called light in the above verse. They, I swear by Allah, are the light of Allah whom He sent down. It is they, I swear by Allah, who are the light of Allah in the heavens and in the earth. O abu Khalid, I swear by Allah, that the light of the (Imams) in the hearts of the true believers is more bright than the light of the sun in the midday. They, I swear by Allah, give light to the hearts of the true believers and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, may block such light from reaching the hearts of whoever He may will, thus their hearts remain dark. O Abu Khalid, no slave of Allah would love us and believe in our Divine authority (Wilayah) except that Allah will cleanse his heart. And Allah will not cleanse the heart of a person until he submits to Us and is at peace with Us. When one lives in peace with us Allah will safeguard him against the severity of the Day of recockning and grant him security against the great terror on the Day of Judgment."

[Source: Al-Kaafi Vol.1 Pg.194]

Hadith 3:

حدثنا الحسين بن أحمد بن إدريس رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا أبي، عن محمد ابن الحسين بن يزيد الزيات، عن الحسن بن موسى الخشاب، عن ابن سماعة ، عن علي بن الحسن بن رباط، عن أبيه، عن المفضل بن عمر قال: قال الصادق جعفر ابن محمد عليهما السلام إن الله تبارك وتعالى خلق أربعة عشر نورا قبل خلق الخلق بأربعة عشرألف عام فهي أرواحنا. فقيل له: يا ابن رسول الله ومن الأربعة عشر؟ فقال: محمد و علي وفاطمة والحسن والحسين والأئمة من ولد الحسين، آخرهم القائم الذي يقوم بعد غيبته فيقتل الدجال ويطهر الأرض من كل جور وظلم

Narrated that Imam Jafar bin Muhammad al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) said,

"Allah (تبارك وتعالى) created fourteen lights, 14000 years before the creation of the creations, and they are Our souls. 

The Imam was asked, "O Son of Allah’s Messenger, who are the fourteen?" 

The Imam said, "Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله), Ali, Fatihma, al-Hasan, al-Husain and Imams from the descendants of Husain (عليهم السلام) and the last of them is Qaim who will rise up after His occultation, and He would kill the Dajjal and purify the earth from every type of injustice and oppression."

[Source: Kamal Al-Deen, Chapter. 33, Hadith . 7]

Hadith 4:

Another Hadees of Imam Musa Kazim (as) Endorses the above truth that the Ahlul Bait (as) are NOT Humans and have only come in Human form for the guidance of Human beings :

Imam Musa Kazim (as) while taking about Meraj and referring to Prophet Muhammad (saww) and Imam Ali (as) says:

ظاهر هما بشریة و باطنهما لا هوتیه ظهرا الخلق علی هیاكل الناسوتیة حتی یطیقوا روتیها

“These 2 are apparently (Externally) Human and their Batin (internal) is related to Allah (swt). They have come amongst people in their form (appearance) so that people can see them." 

Imam Musa Kazim (as) continues saying that this has been mentioned in the following verse of the Holy Quran:

وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَاهُ مَلَكًا لَجَعَلْنَاهُ رَجُلًا وَلَلَبَسْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا يَلْبِسُونَ 

"If we had made it an angel, We should have sent him as a man, and We should certainly have dressed them the way they are dressed up." (6:9)

هم خلقوا من الأنوار، و انتقلوا من ظهر إلى ظهر، و صلب إلى صلب، و من رحم إلى رحم في الطبقة العليا من غير نجاسة، بل نقلا بعد نقل، لا من ماء مهين، و لا نطفة خشرة كسائر خلقه، بل أنوار انتقلوا من أصلاب الطاهرين إلى أرحام المطهّرات

"They are created from Light (Noor). And moved from back to back and loin to loin (Sulb) and womb to womb in highest grades without Najasah (uncleanliness). But transferred, not from the despised fluid and not sperm unlike the rest of his creations. But (they are) lights (noor) transferred from pure Loins to Pure wombs."

[Source: Bihar Al Anwar Vol.35 H.24, Tafseer-e-Burhaan Vol.3 H.7, Taawil-al-Ayat Vol.1 Pg:398]

Hadith 5:

وعن محمد بن سنان عن ابن عباس قال: كنا عند رسول الله صلى الله عليه آله فأقبل علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام فقال له النبي صلى الله عليه وآله: مرحبا بمن خلقه الله قبل أبيه بأربعين ألف سنة، قال: فقلنا: يا رسول الله أكان الابن قبل الأب؟ فقال نعم، إن الله خلقني وعليا من نور واحد قبل خلق آدم بهذه المدة ثم قسمه نصفين، ثم خلق الأشياء من نوري ونور علي عليه السلام، ثم جعلنا عن يمين العرش فسبحنا فسبحت الملائكة، فهللنا فهللوا، وكبرنا فكبروا، فكل من سبح الله وكبره فإن ذلك من تعليم علي عليه السلام

Ibn Abbas narrates:

We were with the Holy Prophet (saww) when Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) entered. 

The Prophet said to Imam Ali (as), "Greetings to Him who was created 4000 years before His father.

We said, O Prophet of Allah (saww), "Can a son be before his father?"

The Prophet replied, "Yes, Indeed Allah (swt) created Me and Ali (as) from a single light (noor), 4000 years before the creation of Adam (as). Then He split that light into two. He then created the things from My light and the light of Ali (as)."

"Allah (swt) than placed us on the right side of the throne (Arsh). So we did Tasbeeh and hence the angels did Tasbeeh. We did Tahleel and hence the angels did Tahleel. We did Taqbeer and hence the angels did Taqbeer.

So everyone who does Tasbeeh and Taqbeer of Allah (swt), that surely is from the teaching of Imam Ali (as).

(Tasbeeh - Saying SubhanAllah, Tahleel - Saying La ilah illalAllah, Taqbeer - Saying Allahu Akbar)

[Source: Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 25, Pg. 24]

Hadith 6:

فَقَدْ رُوِيَ لَنَا عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ مُظَاهِرٍ الْأَسَدِيِّ بَيَّضَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بِنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (ع) أَيَّ شَيْءٍ كُنْتُمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ آدَمَ (ع) قَالَ كُنَّا أَشْبَاحَ نُورٍ نَدُورُ حَوْلَ عَرْشِ الرَّحْمَنِ فَنُعَلِّمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ التَّسْبِيحَ وَ التَّهْلِيلَ وَ التَّحْمِيدَ

Narrated that Habib ibn Muzahir al-Asadi said to Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليهم السلام):

"What were You before Allah (عز وجل), created Adam (ع)?"

Imam (عليه السلام) replied, "We were beings of light (Nur), circling around the Throne of the Most Merciful, teaching the angels Tasbeeh (saying Subhan-Allah), Tahleel (saying La ilaha illa-llah), and Tahmeed (saying Al Hamdu Li-llah)"

[Source: ilal al-Sharae, Shaikh Sadooq, Vol.1, Pg.23]

Hadith 7:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْجَلُودِيُّ الْبَصْرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا الْجَوْهَرِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ عُمَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنِ الْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ‌ أَفْضَلُ الْكَلَامِ قَوْلُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَفْضَلُ الْخَلْقِ أَوَّلُ مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ أَوَّلُ مَنْ قَالَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ قَالَ أَنَا وَ أَنَا نُورٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ وَ أُوَحِّدُهُ وَ أُسَبِّحُهُ وَ أُكَبِّرُهُ وَ أُقَدِّسُهُ وَ أُمَجِّدُهُ وَ يَتْلُونِي نُورٌ شَاهِدٌ مِنِّي فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنِ الشَّاهِدُ مِنْكَ فَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ أَخِي وَ صَفِيِّي وَ وَزِيرِي وَ خَلِيفَتِي وَ وَصِيِّي وَ إِمَامُ أُمَّتِي وَ صَاحِبُ حَوْضِي وَ حَامِلُ لِوَائِي فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ يَتْلُوهُ فَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ سَيِّدَا شَبَابِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ ثُمَّ الْأَئِمَّةُ مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

Narrated from al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said:

I heard the Amir al-Momineen, Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام), saying: I heard the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله) saying:

"The best of speech is the saying, 'La ilaha illa Allah' (There is no god but Allah), and the best of creation is the first one who said, 'La ilaha illa Allah'."

So it was asked, "O Messenger of Allah, and who is the first one who said, 'La ilaha illa Allah'?"

The Prophet said: "I am. And I was a light in the presence of Allah (جل حلاله) and I declared His Oneness, I praised Him (Tasbih), I declared His greatness (Takbir), I declared His Holiness (Taqdis), and I gloried Him (Tamjid). And following me is a witnessing light from me."

So it was asked, "O Messenger of Allah (ص), and who is the witness from you?"

He said: "Ali ibn Abi Talib (عليه السلام), my brother, my chosen one (safiyy), my vizier (wazir), my successor (khalifati), my legatee (wasi), the Imam of my Ummah (Imam ummati), the master of my Pond (Sahib Hawdi), and the bearer of my standard (Hamil Liwa'i)."

Then it was said to him, "O Messenger of Allah, then who follows him?"

He said: "al-Hasan (عليه السلام) and al-Husayn (عليه السلام), the two masters of the youth of Paradise, then the Imams from the progeny of al-Husayn (عليه السلام) until the Day of Resurrection."

[Source: Kamal al-Deen, Shaikh Saduq, Vol. 2, Ch. 58, Hadith. 14]

Hadith 8:

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الزَّعْفَرَانِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَنَا مِنْ نُورِ عَظَمَتِهِ ثُمَّ صَوَّرَ خَلْقَنَا مِنْ طِينَةٍ مَخْزُونَةٍ مَكْنُونَةٍ مِنْ تَحْتِ الْعَرْشِ فَأَسْكَنَ ذَلِكَ النُّورَ فِيهِ فَكُنَّا نَحْنُ خَلْقاً وَ بَشَراً نُورَانِيِّينَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِأَحَدٍ فِي مِثْلِ الَّذِي خَلَقَنَا مِنْهُ نَصِيباً وَ خَلَقَ أَرْوَاحَ شِيعَتِنَا مِنْ طِينَتِنَا وَ أَبْدَانَهُمْ مِنْ طِينَةٍ مَخْزُونَةٍ مَكْنُونَةٍ أَسْفَلَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الطِّينَةِ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لِأَحَدٍ فِي مِثْلِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ مِنْهُ نَصِيباً إِلَّا لِلْأَنْبِيَاءِ وَ لِذَلِكَ صِرْنَا نَحْنُ وَ هُمُ النَّاسَ وَ صَارَ سَائِرُ النَّاسِ هَمَجاً- لِلنَّارِ وَ إِلَى النَّارِ

Narrated that Abu Abd-Allah Imam Sadiq (عليه السلام) said,

"Indeed, Allah created Us from the light of His greatness. Then He formed our creation from a stored and hidden clay from beneath the Throne. He then made that light to stay within it. Thus we are a human creation of light, and He did not give anyone a share in that from which He created us. 

And He created the spirits of our followers from our clay, and their bodies from a stored and hidden clay lower than that clay. And Allah did not give anyone a share in that from which He created them, except for the prophets. And that is why we and they became the people, and the rest of the people became rabble for the Fire and to the Fire."

[Source: al-Kafi, Vol. 1, Pg. 289]

Hadith 9:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ الْهَاشِمِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ حَمَّادٍ الْبَصْرِيُ‌ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَ عَلِيٌّ نُوراً بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ آلَافِ عَامٍ فَلَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ آدَمَ سَلَكَ ذَلِكَ النُّورَ فِي صُلْبِهِ فَلَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَنْقُلُهُ مِنْ صُلْبٍ إِلَى صُلْبٍ حَتَّى أَقَرَّهُ فِي صُلْبِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ ثُمَّ أَخْرَجَهُ مِنْ صُلْبِ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ فَقَسَّمَهُ قِسْمَيْنِ فَصُيِّرَ قِسْمٌ فِي صُلْبِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَ قِسْمٌ فِي صُلْبِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ فَعَلِيٌّ مِنِّي وَ أَنَا مِنْ عَلِيٍّ لَحْمُهُ مِنْ لَحْمِي وَ دَمُهُ مِنْ دَمِي فَمَنْ أَحَبَّنِي فَبِحُبِّي أَحَبَّهُ وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَهُ فَبِبُغْضِي أَبْغَضَهُ.

Narrated that Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وآله) said,

"I and Ali were a light [noor] in the presence of  Allah (جل جلاله), four thousand years before He created Adam. When Allah created Adam, He placed that light into his loins [sulb]. Allah (عز وجل) continued to transfer the light from one loin to another until He settled it in the loins of Abd al-Muttalib (ع). Then he brought it out of the loins of Abd al-Muttalib (ع) and divided it into two parts. One part was made to be in the loins of Abdullah (ع) and a part in the loins of Abi Talib (ع). 

So Ali (عليه السلام) is from me and I am from Ali (عليه السلام), his flesh is from my flesh and his blood is from my blood. So whoever loves me, it is out of love for me that he loves him, and whoever hates him, it is out of hatred for me that he hates him."

[Source: al-Khisal, Shaikh Saduq, Vol. 2, Pg. 640]