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 عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى خَلَقَ اسْماً بِالْحُرُوفِ غَيْرَ مُتَصَوَّتٍ وَبِاللَّفْظِ غَيْرَ مُنْطَقٍ وَبِالشَّخْصِ غَيْرَ مُجَسَّدٍ وَبِالتَّشْبِيهِ غَيْرَ مَوْصُوفٍ وَبِاللَّوْنِ غَيْرَ مَصْبُوغٍ مَنْفِيٌّ عَنْهُ الاقْطَارُ مُبَعَّدٌ عَنْهُ الْحُدُودُ مَحْجُوبٌ عَنْهُ حِسُّ كُلِّ مُتَوَهِّمٍ مُسْتَتِرٌ غَيْرُ مَسْتُورٍ فَجَعَلَهُ كَلِمَةً تَامَّةً عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَجْزَاءٍ مَعاً لَيْسَ مِنْهَا وَاحِدٌ قَبْلَ الاخَرِ فَأَظْهَرَ مِنْهَا ثَلاثَةَ أَسْمَاءٍ لِفَاقَةِ الْخَلْقِ إِلَيْهَا وَحَجَبَ مِنْهَا وَاحِداً وَهُوَ الاسْمُ الْمَكْنُونُ الْمَخْزُونُ فَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ الَّتِي ظَهَرَتْ فَالظَّاهِرُ هُوَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَسَخَّرَ سُبْحَانَهُ لِكُلِّ اسْمٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَرْكَانٍ فَذَلِكَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ رُكْناً ثُمَّ خَلَقَ لِكُلِّ رُكْنٍ مِنْهَا ثَلاثِينَ اسْماً فِعْلاً مَنْسُوباً إِلَيْهَا فَهُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلا نَوْمٌ الْعَلِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ الْقَادِرُ السَّلامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُنْشِئُ الْبَدِيعُ الرَّفِيعُ الْجَلِيلُ الْكَرِيمُ الرَّازِقُ الْمُحْيِي الْمُمِيتُ الْبَاعِثُ الْوَارِثُ فَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الاسْمَاءِ الْحُسْنَى حَتَّى تَتِمَّ ثَلاثَ مِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ اسْماً فَهِيَ نِسْبَةٌ لِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ الثَّلاثَةِ وَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ الثَّلاثَةُ أَرْكَانٌ وَحَجَبَ الاسْمَ الْوَاحِدَ الْمَكْنُونَ الْمَخْزُونَ بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ الثَّلاثَةِ وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى قُلِ ادْعُوا الله أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمنَ أَيًّا ما تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الاسْماءُ الْحُسْنى‏.

 1. Ali b. Muhammad has narrated from Salih b. Abi Hammad from al-Husayn ibn Yazid from al-Hassan b. Ali ibn Abi Hamzah from Ibrahim b. ‘Umar from Abi ‘Abdallah (a.s.), who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, created a name with letters that had no sound. He created it with the word that would not be spoken. He created it with a personality that had no body. It had a similarity that is not described. He created it with color that is colorless. Diameters were negated from it. Limitations were distanced away from it. The feel of all Mutawahhim (intuitive sense) is curtained from it. It is hidden but not covered. He placed it to be a perfect word consisting of four parts together. No one of them is before the other. From these He made public only three names because people desperately needed them. One of them is kept out of public sight. This is the protected and treasured name. The names that became public is Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. He, the Most Glorious, for each of these made four subservient key elements that formed twelve key elements. Then for each key element He created thirty key elements to indicate an action ascribed to the four key elements. He, therefore, is Al-Rahman (The All compassionate); al-Rahim (The All merciful); al-Malik (The King); al-Quddus (The Holy); al-Khaliq (The Creator); al-Bari’ (The Maker); al-Musawwir (The Fashioner); al-Hayy (The Ever living); al-Qayyum (The Self-subsistent). Neither slumber nor sleep seizes Him. Al-’Alim (The All-knowing); al-Khabir (The All-aware); as-Sami‘ (The All-hearing); al-Basir (The All-seeing); al-Hakim (The All-wise); al-‘Aziz (The All-Majestic); al-Jabbar (The All-compeller); al-Mutakabbir (The All- sublime); al-‘Aliyy (The Most High); al-‘Azim (The All-Great); al-Muqtadir (The All-Dominant); al-Qadir (The All-capable); Al-Salam (The All peaceable); al-Mu’min (The All-protector); al-Muhaymin (The All-preserver); al-Munshi’ (The All-inventor) al-Badi‘ (The All-originator); al-Rafi‘ (The Exalter); al-Jalil (The Majestic); al-Karim (The Generous); al-Raziq (The All-provider); al-Muhyi (The Bestower of Life); al-Mumit (The Inflictor of death); al-Ba‘ith (The Resurrector); al-Warith (The Inheriter). These names in addition to the (Asma’ al-Husna) beautiful names make them three hundred sixty names. Such is the ratio of these three names. These three names are key element names. Only one name is kept out of public sight, protected and treasured with these three names. Thus, Allah has said, “Say, call Allah or al-Rahman. Call whichever you call. For Him there are beautiful names." (17:110)

 2ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُمَرَ وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هَلْ كَانَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَارِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْمَعُهَا قَالَ مَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجاً إِلَى ذَلِكَ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَسْأَلُهَا وَلا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهَا هُوَ نَفْسُهُ وَنَفْسُهُ هُوَ قُدْرَتُهُ نَافِذَةٌ فَلَيْسَ يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يُسَمِّيَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ أَسْمَاءً لِغَيْرِهِ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا لانَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يُدْعَ بِاسْمِهِ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ فَأَوَّلُ مَا اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ لانَّهُ أَعْلَى الاشْيَاءِ كُلِّهَا فَمَعْنَاهُ الله وَاسْمُهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ هُوَ أَوَّلُ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلا عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

 2. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from al-Husayn ibn ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah and Musa ibn ‘Umar and al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn ‘Uthman from ibn Sinan who has said the following. “I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘Did Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, know Himself before He created the creation?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “Yes, He knew Himself.” I further asked, “Did He see and hear His Own Self?” The Imam replied, “Allah did not need such things because He did not ask or demand it. He is His Own self and His Own self is He. His power is dominant and He does not need to name His Own self. He chose His Own name for the sake of others so they can call Him. Until one is not called by means of his names he is not recognized. The fist name He chose for His Own self was al-‘Ali al-‘Azim (the Most High, the Great) because He is above all things. It then means that Allah and His name al-‘Ali al-‘Azim is His. The Most High, He is above all things.

 3ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الاسْمَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ صِفَةٌ لِمَوْصُوفٍ.

 3. It is narrated through the same chain of narrators (as in the above Hadith) from Muhammad ibn Sinan who has said the following. “I asked the Imam, (perhaps abu al-Hassan al-Rida) about the name (of Allah), ‘What is it?’ The Imam replied, “It is an attribute of the attributes of (Allah).”

 4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ اسْمُ الله غَيْرُهُ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَا خَلا الله فَأَمَّا مَا عَبَّرَتْهُ الالْسُنُ أَوْ عَمِلَتِ الايْدِي فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله غَايَةٌ مِنْ غَايَاتِهِ وَالْمُغَيَّا غَيْرُ الْغَايَةِ وَالْغَايَةُ مَوْصُوفَةٌ وَكُلُّ مَوْصُوفٍ مَصْنُوعٌ وَصَانِعُ الاشْيَاءِ غَيْرُ مَوْصُوفٍ بِحَدٍّ مُسَمًّى لَمْ يَتَكَوَّنْ فَيُعْرَفَ كَيْنُونِيَّتُهُ بِصُنْعِ غَيْرِهِ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاهَ إِلَى غَايَةٍ إِلا كَانَتْ غَيْرَهُ لا يَزِلُّ مَنْ فَهِمَ هَذَا الْحُكْمَ أَبَداً وَهُوَ التَّوْحِيدُ الْخَالِصُ فَارْعَوْهُ وَصَدِّقُوهُ وَتَفَهَّمُوهُ بِإِذْنِ الله مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يَعْرِفُ الله بِحِجَابٍ أَوْ بِصُورَةٍ أَوْ بِمِثَالٍ فَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ لانَّ حِجَابَهُ وَمِثَالَهُ وَصُورَتَهُ غَيْرُهُ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ وَاحِدٌ مُتَوَحِّدٌ فَكَيْفَ يُوَحِّدُهُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ عَرَفَهُ بِغَيْرِهِ وَإِنَّمَا عَرَفَ الله مَنْ عَرَفَهُ بِالله فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ يَعْرِفُهُ إِنَّمَا يَعْرِفُ غَيْرَهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الْخَالِقِ وَالْمَخْلُوقِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالله خَالِقُ الاشْيَاءِ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ وَالله يُسَمَّى بِأَسْمَائِهِ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ أَسْمَائِهِ وَالاسْمَاءُ غَيْرُهُ.

 4. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from some of his people from Bakr ibn Salih from Ali ibn Salih from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid ibn Yazid from ‘Abd al-A‘la from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), who has said the following. “The name of Allah is something other than Allah Himself. Every thing that is called a thing is created except Allah. Whatever is expressed by the tongue or is worked out by hands are all created. The word Allah is an intent amongst His intents, and the intended one is different from the intention. The purpose is describable, and every describable thing is made. The Maker of things is not describable by the limits of the fact behind the name. He did not become, so His becoming a being would have been recognized through the making of what is other than Him. He did not end up where there was another’s end. Do not ever move away from understanding this rule. This is the true and pure belief in the Oneness of Allah. Observe it, acknowledge it and understand it by the permission of Allah. Those who think they understand Allah by means of a barrier, form or examples they become polytheists because his barrier, form and example are not Him. He is only One and One alone. How can one form a belief in His Oneness by thinking that one may know Him through things other than Him. One comes to know Allah only by Allah His Own self. One who can not know Him by His Own self he has not known Him. He only comes to know some thing else. There is nothing between the Creator and the created. Allah is the Creator of things but not from a thing that was there already. Allah’s names are His names but He is different from His Own names and the names are other than Him.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 15