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 أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الْيَهُودَ سَأَلُوا رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالُوا انْسِبْ لَنَا رَبَّكَ فَلَبِثَ ثَلاثاً لا يُجِيبُهُمْ ثُمَّ نَزَلَتْ قُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ إِلَى آخِرِهَا.  وَرَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ.

 1. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from abu Ayyub from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Jews asked the Messenger of Allah (s.a.), ‘Describe for us the genealogy- of your Lord.’” The Prophet waited for three days and gave no reply. Then the following verses were revealed to him: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (Muhammad), say, “He is the only God (112:1). God is Absolute (112:2). He neither begets nor was He begotten (112:3). There is no one equal to Him (112:4). The same Hadith has been narrated by Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from abu Ayyub.

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو النَّصِيبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله عَنْ قُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ فَقَالَ نِسْبَةُ الله إِلَى خَلْقِهِ أَحَداً صَمَداً أَزَلِيّاً صَمَدِيّاً لا ظِلَّ لَهُ يُمْسِكُهُ وَهُوَ يُمْسِكُ الاشْيَاءَ بِأَظِلَّتِهَا عَارِفٌ بِالْمَجْهُولِ مَعْرُوفٌ عِنْدَ كُلِّ جَاهِلٍ فَرْدَانِيّاً لا خَلْقُهُ فِيهِ وَلا هُوَ فِي خَلْقِهِ غَيْرُ مَحْسُوسٍ وَلا مَجْسُوسٍ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الابْصَارُ عَلا فَقَرُبَ وَدَنَا فَبَعُدَ وَعُصِيَ فَغَفَرَ وَأُطِيعَ فَشَكَرَ لا تَحْوِيهِ أَرْضُهُ وَلا تُقِلُّهُ سَمَاوَاتُهُ حَامِلُ الاشْيَاءِ بِقُدْرَتِهِ دَيْمُومِيٌّ أَزَلِيٌّ لا يَنْسَى وَلا يَلْهُو وَلا يَغْلَطُ وَلا يَلْعَبُ وَلا لارَادَتِهِ فَصْلٌ وَفَصْلُهُ جَزَاءٌ وَأَمْرُهُ وَاقِعٌ لَمْ يَلِدْ فَيُورَثَ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ فَيُشَارَكَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ibn Mahbub from Hammad ibn ’Amr al-Nusaybi who has said the following. “I asked Imam abu ’Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, ‘Say, ‘He is Allah, One . .’” The Imam replied, “These verses define Allah’s relation to His creation. He is the One, Unique, Eternal, and Absolute. He does not have shadow so one can hold Him but it is He who holds things by their shadows. He knows the unknown and is known to every ignorant person. He is only One. He is not in His creatures and His creatures are not in Him. He does not feel nor others can feel Him (physically). Eyes cannot see Him. He is so High that is near and is so near that He is far. Although disobeyed, yet He forgives. When obeyed, He is appreciative. His earth does not contain Him, nor do His heavens bear Him. He holds all things through His power and He is Everlasting and Eternal. He does not forget or amuse Himself. He does not make any mistakes or play. There is no lapse in His will. His judgment is rewarding and His commands are effective. He does not have a child to become His heir nor is He begotten so His power would be shared. And there is no one like Him.”

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ قَالَ قَالَ سُئِلَ عَلِيُّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلِمَ أَنَّهُ يَكُونُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ أَقْوَامٌ مُتَعَمِّقُونَ فَأَنْزَلَ الله تَعَالَى قُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ وَالايَاتِ مِنْ سُورَةِ الْحَدِيدِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ وَهُوَ عَلِيمٌ بِذاتِ الصُّدُورِ فَمَنْ رَامَ وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ هَلَكَ.

 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Asim ibn Hamiyd who has said the following. “I asked Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) about the Oneness of Allah. The Imam replied, “Allah the Almighty, the Great, the Exalted knew that in the latter times there will be people who would investigate the issues very deeply in a hair splitting manner. Therefore, Allah, the Glorious, has revealed chapter one hundred twelve of the holy Quran that speak of the Oneness of Allah. He has also revealed the verses of the chapter fifty seven of the holy Quran In the Name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful All that is in the heavens and the earth speak of the glory of God. He is Majestic and All-wise (57:1). To Him belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He gives life and causes things to die. He has power over all things (57:2). He is the First, the Last, the Manifest, and the Unseen and He knows all things (57:3). It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six days and then established His Dominion over the Throne. He knows whatever enters into the earth, what comes out of it, what descends from the sky, and what ascends to it. He is with you wherever you may be and He is Well Aware of what you do (57:4). To Him belong the heavens and the earth and to Him all things return (57:5). He causes night to enter into day and day into night. He knows best what all hearts contain (57:6). Whoever would accept any thing otherwise he is destroyed.”

 4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله رَفَعَهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ الْمُهْتَدِي قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقَالَ كُلُّ مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَ الله أَحَدٌ وَآمَنَ بِهَا فَقَدْ عَرَفَ التَّوْحِيدَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ يَقْرَأُهَا قَالَ كَمَا يَقْرَأُهَا النَّاسُ وَزَادَ فِيهِ كَذَلِكَ الله رَبِّي كَذَلِكَ الله رَبِّي.

 4. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah in a marfu‘ manner has narrated from ’Abd al-‘Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi who has said the following. “I asked Imam Ali al-Rida (a.s.) about the Oneness of Allah.” He replied, “Whoever recites Chapter 112 of the holy Quran: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful (Muhammad), say, “He is the only God (112:1). God is Absolute (112:2). He neither begets nor was He begotten (112:3). There is no one equal to Him (112:4). and also believes in it, he has really acknowledged the Oneness of Allah.” I asked, “How should I recite it (the chapter 112)?” The Imam replied, “Recite it as the people do.” And then the Imam added, “Such is Allah, my Lord. Such is Allah, my Lord.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 7