Introduction

The Book of Intelligence and Ignorance

Chapter on the necessity to seek knowledge and the recommendations to learn

Chapter on the quality of knowledge its virtue and the virtue of the scholars

Chapter on Kinds of People

Chapter on the reward for the scholars and those who seek knowledge

Chapter on the Qualities of the Scholars

Chapter on the Rights of the scholars

Chapter on the Loss of a Scholar

Chapter on Meeting the Scholars and Associating with Them

Chapter on Asking the Scholar and Discussing with him

Chapter on Giving Knowledge as Charity

Prohibition on Speaking without Knowledge.

Chapter on Those who Act without Knowledge

Chapter on Utilization of Knowledge

Chapter on Those who use their Knowledge to Fill their Stomach and are Boastful for it

Chapter on the Need for the Existence of a Divine Authority in the World and the Seriousness of this Matter

Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues

Chapter on narrating books and Hadith (The virtue of writing and its preservation)

Chapter on Taqlid, following the opinions of someone

Chapter on Innovations, Personal Opinions and Analogies

Chapter on the need to refer to the book and Sunnah

Chapter on the Differences in al-Hadith

Chapter on Following the Sunnah and Evidence of the Book

Chapter on Contingency of the Universe and Proof of the Existence of its Creator

Chapter on Can Allah (God) be Considered a Thing?

Chapter on (the Issue) that only He is proof of His Own Existence

Chapter on the minimum degree of knowledge of the existence of Allah

Chapter on Who is Worshipped

Chapter On Being and Space (al-Kawn WA al-Makan)

Chapter On The relationships (Nisbah) Of Allah

Chapter On Prohibition on Saying How is Allah (al-Kayfiyyah)

Chapter On The Invalidity of the Belief to see God (Ru’yah of Allah)

Chapter On Prohibition on Attributing to Allah What He Himself has not Done so

Chapter On Prohibition on Considering Allah as having Body (JISM) and Form (SURAH)

Chapter On Attribute Of Essence (Sifat al-DhDhat) Of Allah

Another Chapter of The Previous Chapter

Chapter On Will Power (IRADAH) it is of the Attributes of Action (SIFAT al-FI‘L) and the Rest of the Attributes of Action

Chapter On the Coming into the Existence of the Names of Allah

Chapter On The Meanings of the Names of Allah and their Derivatives

Chapter on Another Chapter (Related) to the Previous Chapter

Chapter on the Interpretation of al-Samad, Self-sufficient

Chapter on Motion and Change

Chapter about al-‘Arsh and al-Kursi

Chapter on al-Ruh, the Spirit

Chapter on Comprehensive (Ahadith) about the Oneness of Allah

Chapter on Miscellaneous Ahadith

Chapter on al-Bida’

Chapter on the issue that there is nothing in heavens and earth but that they are in seven

Chapter on Wish and Will

Chapter on Test and Choice

Chapter on Fortunateness and Un-fortunateness

Good and Evil

Predestination, Fate and the Middle Road in Between

The Capabilities

Declaration, Definition and the Need for Solid Proof

Differences in the Justification of Divine Authority among People

Allah’s Authorities and Means of Justification of Accountability in People

Guidance Is From Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High

The necessity of the presence of Divine Authority among the people

The Categories of the Prophets, the Messengers and the Imams (a.s.)

The Difference among he Messengers, the Prophets and the al-Muhaddath

The issue that Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam

The Issue that the Earth at no time is without a Person with Divine Authority

The Issue that even if only two people would remain on earth one of them would certainly be the Imam, the person with divine authority

Knowing the Imam (a.s.) and Belief in His Divine Authority

The obligation to obey the Imams (a.s.)

The Imams (a.s.) are witness for Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, over His creature

The Imams (a.s.) are the only true guides

The Imam (a.s.) Possess Divine Authority and the Treasure of Divine Knowledge

The Imams (a.s.) are the Deputies of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, on earth and the Gates through which people go nearer to Allah

The Imams (a.s.) are the light of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High

The Imams are the corner stone on earth

The Unique Ahadith that sums up the Virtue and Qualifications of the Imam (a.s.)

The Imams (a.s.) possess Divine authority, they are Envied and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken of them

The Imams (a.s.) are the Sings of whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran

The Signs of which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran are The Imams (a.s.)

The matters that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and His Messenger (s.a.) have sanctioned as obligatory of the beings with the Imams (a.s.)

The people of Dhikr (memory and knowledge) that Allah has commanded the creatures to ask for their questions are the Imams (a.s.)

Those whom Allah has called people of knowledge they are the Imams (a.s.)

The People Well-grounded in Knowledge are the Imams (a.s.) alone

The Imams are those who have received Knowledge and it is firmly Established in their Hearts

The people whom Allah has Chosen and has Made the Heirs of His Book are the Imams (a.s.)

Two Kinds of Imam are mentioned in the Holy Quran: the Imams (a.s.) who call to Allah and the Imams who call to Fire

The Holy Quran guides people to the Imam (a.s.)

The Bounty and Blessings that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has mentioned in His book, the Holy Quran are the Imams (a.s.)

The People whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has called Mutawassimin (distinguished) in His book are the Imams (a.s.) who are also the straight path

The deeds of the people are presented before the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and the Imams (a.s.)

The Path, Urged to be Maintained Steadfastly is Acknowledgement of the Divine Authority of Imam Ali (a.s.)

The Imams (a.s.) are the Mines of Knowledge, the Tree of Prophet-hood and the Centers wherein angels Interchange

The Imams (a.s.) are the Heirs of Knowledge to Inherit it one from the other

The Imams (a.s.) inherited the knowledge of the Holy prophet (s.a.) and all the prophets and their successors before them

The Imams (a.s.) have with all the books that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has revealed and that they know them even the language in them are different

No one collect all of the Holy Quran except the Imams (a.s.) and that they have the knowledge of all of the Holy Quran

The degree of the Great Names of Allah that are given to the Imams (a.s.)

Sacred objects of the Prophets transferred to the Imams (a.s.)

The Armaments and Sacred Items belonging to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) that transferred to the Imam (a.s.)

The case of the Arms of the Messenger of Allah is like the Ark among the Israelites

Statements about al-Jafr al-Jami‘ and the Book of Fatima (a.s.)

Chapter Ninety Seven of the Holy Quran and its interpretation

 1ـ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْحُسَيْنِ الْفَارِسِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَلا إِنَّ الله يُحِبُّ بُغَاةَ الْعِلْمِ.

 1. Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim from his father from al-Hassan ibn Abu al-Hussein al-Farisi from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd from his father from Abu ‘Abdillah (as) that Rasulullah (sw) said, "Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be known that Allah loves those who seek knowledge."

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْعُمَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from ‘Isa ibn ‘Abdallah al-‘Amri that Abu ‘Abdillah (as) said, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory.”

 3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هَلْ يَسَعُ النَّاسَ تَرْكُ الْمَسْأَلَةِ عَمَّا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لا.

 3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman that one of his people asked Abul Hasan (al-Kadhim) (as), "Is it permissible for people not to seek what (religious knowledge) they need?”. He replied, “No [it's not permissible]."

 4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ السَّبِيعِيِّ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَقُولُ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ كَمَالَ الدِّينِ طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْعَمَلُ بِهِ أَلا وَإِنَّ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمِ أَوْجَبُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ طَلَبِ الْمَالِ إِنَّ الْمَالَ مَقْسُومٌ مَضْمُونٌ لَكُمْ قَدْ قَسَمَهُ عَادِلٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَضَمِنَهُ وَسَيَفِي لَكُمْ وَالْعِلْمُ مَخْزُونٌ عِنْدَ أَهْلِهِ وَقَدْ أُمِرْتُمْ بِطَلَبِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ فَاطْلُبُوهُ.

 4. Ali ibn Muhammad and others have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa all from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Abu Hamza from Abu Ishaq al-Subay‘i that one who narrated to him said he heard Amir al-Mu'minin (as) say, "O people, you must know that religion becomes complete through seeking knowledge and acting accordingly. You must know that seeking knowledge is much more urgent for you than seeking wealth. Indeed, wealth is divided and guaranteed for you, a just person has already divided the wealth among you, guaranteed it, and will execute it for you. Knowledge, however, is stored with those who possess it. You are commanded to seek knowledge from its sources (those who possess it). You must seek knowledge."

 5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ وَفِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ فَرِيضَةٌ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَلا وَإِنَّ الله يُحِبُّ بُغَاةَ الْعِلْمِ.

 5. A number of our people has narrated has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Abu ‘Abdillah, one of our people narrated in a marfu‘ manner from Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) that Rasulullah (sw) said: “Seeking knowledge is obligatory.” 

In another hadith, Abu 'Abdillah (as) narrated that Rasulullah (sw) said, “Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be known that Allah loves those who seek knowledge.”

 6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ تَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَتَفَقَّهْ مِنْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ فَهُوَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِنَّ الله يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ.

 6. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn Abi Hamza that he heard Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) say, "Acquire good understanding in religion because those of you who do not have good understanding in religion are like the Bedouins. Allah has said in His book, ‘Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have fear of God. (9:122)’”

 7ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالتَّفَقُّهِ فِي دِينِ الله وَلا تَكُونُوا أَعْرَاباً فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَتَفَقَّهْ فِي دِينِ الله لَمْ يَنْظُرِ الله إِلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَمْ يُزَكِّ لَهُ عَمَلاً.

 7. Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn al-Rabi‘ from Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar that he heard Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) say, "It is necessary for you to have good understanding of religion of Allah. Do not be like Bedouins because those who do not gain good understanding of religion, Allah will not look to then on the Day of Judgement and none of his deeds will be cleansed."

 8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَوَدِدْتُ أَنَّ أَصْحَابِي ضُرِبَتْ رُءُوسُهُمْ بِالسِّيَاطِ حَتَّى يَتَفَقَّهُوا.

 8. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Durraj from Aban ibn Taghlib that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) said, "I would have even liked that my companions' heads are lashed with whips for them to gain a comphrensive understanding [of the religion].

 9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَمَّنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ رَجُلٌ عَرَفَ هَذَا الامْرَ لَزِمَ بَيْتَهُ وَلَمْ يَتَعَرَّفْ إِلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ إِخْوَانِهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ يَتَفَقَّهُ هَذَا فِي دِينِهِ.

 9. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from one who narrated to him that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) was asked, "May I be your ransom, there is a man who believes in this issue (i.e. the imamah of Ahlul-bayt), but locks himself at home and does not acquaint himself with his community.” So he said, “How will he achieve a good understanding of his religion [without talking to the knowledgable people of his community]?".

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 2, Chapter 1