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 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) خَطَبَ النَّاسَ فِي مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ فَقَالَ نَضَّرَ الله عَبْداً سَمِعَ مَقَالَتِي فَوَعَاهَا وَحَفِظَهَا وَبَلَّغَهَا مَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْهَا فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ غَيْرُ فَقِيهٍ وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ ثَلاثٌ لا يُغِلُّ عَلَيْهِنَّ قَلْبُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِخْلاصُ الْعَمَلِ لله وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لائِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَاللُّزُومُ لِجَمَاعَتِهِمْ فَإِنَّ دَعْوَتَهُمْ مُحِيطَةٌ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ الْمُسْلِمُونَ إِخْوَةٌ تَتَكَافَأُ دِمَاؤُهُمْ وَيَسْعَى بِذِمَّتِهِمْ أَدْنَاهُمْ.  وَرَوَاهُ أَيْضاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ مِثْلَهُ وَزَادَ فِيهِ وَهُمْ يَدٌ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ وَذَكَرَ فِي حَدِيثِهِ أَنَّهُ خَطَبَ فِي حَجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ بِمِنًى فِي مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ.

 1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Aban ibnn ‘Uthman from ibn abu Ya‘fur from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The the Messenger of Allah addressed people in the mosque of Khif and said, “May Allah grant joy and happiness to those of His servants that on hearing my words understand them, memorize them preach them to those who have not heard them. There can be many scholars of Fiqh (law) who do not have understanding as there can be many bearers of Fiqh (law) to those who are better scholars of Fiqh (law) then the bearer. There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery. Sincerity in deeds for Allah, wishing well for the leaders of the Muslims and to stay close with the group of the Muslims because their prayer encompass them from behind them and the Muslims are each other’s brothers. Their lives are as each other’s lives and the least important among them strive to fulfill their responsibilities.” Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from Aban from ibn abu Ya‘fur has narrated a similar hadith with an addition of “They are as one hand to face their enemies”. In his Hadith he has mentioned that the Holy Prophet (s.a) made his speech during his farewell pilgrimage in the mosque of Khif.

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ مِسْكِينٍ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ قَالَ قَالَ سُفْيَانُ الثَّوْرِيُّ اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ فَذَهَبْتُ مَعَهُ إِلَيْهِ فَوَجَدْنَاهُ قَدْ رَكِبَ دَابَّتَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُفْيَانُ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله حَدِّثْنَا بِحَدِيثِ خُطْبَةِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فِي مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ قَالَ دَعْنِي حَتَّى أَذْهَبَ فِي حَاجَتِي فَإِنِّي قَدْ رَكِبْتُ فَإِذَا جِئْتُ حَدَّثْتُكَ فَقَالَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِقَرَابَتِكَ مِنْ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لَمَّا حَدَّثْتَنِي قَالَ فَنَزَلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ سُفْيَانُ مُرْ لِي بِدَوَاةٍ وَقِرْطَاسٍ حَتَّى أُثْبِتَهُ فَدَعَا بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اكْتُبْ بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ خُطْبَةُ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فِي مَسْجِدِ الْخَيْفِ نَضَّرَ الله عَبْداً سَمِعَ مَقَالَتِي فَوَعَاهَا وَبَلَّغَهَا مَنْ لَمْ تَبْلُغْهُ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لِيُبَلِّغِ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ فَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ لَيْسَ بِفَقِيهٍ وَرُبَّ حَامِلِ فِقْهٍ إِلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَفْقَهُ مِنْهُ ثَلاثٌ لا يُغِلُّ عَلَيْهِنَّ قَلْبُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِخْلاصُ الْعَمَلِ لله وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لائِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَاللُّزُومُ لِجَمَاعَتِهِمْ فَإِنَّ دَعْوَتَهُمْ مُحِيطَةٌ مِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ تَتَكَافَأُ دِمَاؤُهُمْ وَهُمْ يَدٌ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ يَسْعَى بِذِمَّتِهِمْ أَدْنَاهُمْ فَكَتَبَهُ سُفْيَانُ ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَرَكِبَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَجِئْتُ أَنَا وَسُفْيَانُ فَلَمَّا كُنَّا فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ قَالَ لِي كَمَا أَنْتَ حَتَّى أَنْظُرَ فِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ قَدْ وَالله أَلْزَمَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله رَقَبَتَكَ شَيْئاً لا يَذْهَبُ مِنْ رَقَبَتِكَ أَبَداً فَقَالَ وَأَيُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ ثَلاثٌ لا يُغِلُّ عَلَيْهِنَّ قَلْبُ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ إِخْلاصُ الْعَمَلِ لله قَدْ عَرَفْنَاهُ وَالنَّصِيحَةُ لائِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَنْ هَؤُلاءِ الائِمَّةُ الَّذِينَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيحَتُهُمْ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ أَبِي سُفْيَانَ وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ وَمَرْوَانُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ وَكُلُّ مَنْ لا تَجُوزُ شَهَادَتُهُ عِنْدَنَا وَلا تَجُوزُ الصَّلاةُ خَلْفَهُمْ وَقَوْلُهُ وَاللُّزُومُ لِجَمَاعَتِهِمْ فَأَيُّ الْجَمَاعَةِ مُرْجِىٌ يَقُولُ مَنْ لَمْ يُصَلِّ وَلَمْ يَصُمْ وَلَمْ يَغْتَسِلْ مِنْ جَنَابَةٍ وَهَدَمَ الْكَعْبَةَ وَنَكَحَ أُمَّهُ فَهُوَ عَلَى إِيمَانِ جَبْرَئِيلَ وَمِيكَائِيلَ أَوْ قَدَرِيٌّ يَقُولُ لا يَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَيَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ إِبْلِيسُ أَوْ حَرُورِيٌّ يَتَبَرَّأُ مِنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ وَشَهِدَ عَلَيْهِ بِالْكُفْرِ أَوْ جَهْمِيٌّ يَقُولُ إِنَّمَا هِيَ مَعْرِفَةُ الله وَحْدَهُ لَيْسَ الايمَانُ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرُهَا قَالَ وَيْحَكَ وَأَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ يَقُولُونَ فَقُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَالله الامَامُ الَّذِي يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا نَصِيحَتُهُ وَلُزُومُ جَمَاعَتِهِمْ أَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ قَالَ فَأَخَذَ الْكِتَابَ فَخَرَقَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لا تُخْبِرْ بِهَا أَحَداً.

 2. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from some of our people from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Hakam ibn Miskin from a man from Quraysh from the people of Makka who has said the following. “Once Sufyan al-Thawri said to me, “Come with to meet Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.).” The narrator has said that he went with him and they found Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.) had already rode his horse. Sufyan said to him, “O abu ‘Abdallah narrate to us the text of the sermon of the Messenger of Allah in the Mosque of al-Khif.” He said, “allow me to go for my needs because I am already on the horse back and when I will return then I will narrate to the text of the sermon.” He said, “I swear you to your close relation to the Messenger of Allah, you must narrate the sermon first.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) dismounted his horse. Sufyan said to him, “Ask someone to bring me ink and paper so I can write it down.” He asked for ink and paper and it was brought for him. The he said writhe, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful the sermon of the Messenger of Allah in the Mosque of al-Khif “May Allah grant joy and happiness a servant who would listen to my words, then understands them and would deliver them to those who have not heard them. O people, those of you present here must deliver them to those absent. There can be many scholars of Fiqh (law) who do not have understanding as there can be many bearers of Fiqh (law) to those who are better scholars of Fiqh (law) then the bearer. There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery. Sincerity in deeds for Allah, wishing well for the Imams (leaders) of the Muslims and to stay close with the group of the Muslims because their call encompass those behind them and the Muslims are each other’s brothers. Their lives are as each other’s lives and they act as one hand against their enemies and the least important among them strive to fulfill their responsibilities.” Sufyan wrote it down and proof read before him. Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then rode his horse. I and Sufyan came back. Somewhere on the way he said, “Stay where you are. I want to look at this Hadith.” I then said to him, “There is no doubt, by Allah, that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has tied something to your neck as such that it will never go away.” He aske, “What is that thing?” I then said, “There are three things in which the heart of a Muslim does not feel greed and treachery. Sincerity in deeds for Allah, is one that we know it. The other one is ‘Wishing well for the Imams of the Muslims.’ Who are these Imams for whom we must wish well? Are they Mu‘awiya ibn abu Sufyan and Yazid ibn Mu‘awiya and Marwan ibn al-Hakam? (They are such disqualified people that) the testimony of no one of them is acceptable to us and it is not permissible to pray behind them.” Also his words, “Stay close with their group” Which group is it? Is it the Muji‘a group that says, “Those who do perform prayers, do not fast, do not clean and wash themselves after carnal relations, cause the destruction of the Ka‘ba or marry his own mother have the same degree of faith as those of angel Jibril and Mika’il. Is it the Qadri, (pre-destinationist) who say, “What Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, say will not happen but Satan says will happen.”? Is it the Harawri group who is the enemy of Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and call him an unbeliever? Is it the Jahmiy group who says that the only thing needed is to know Allah only is faith and nothing else is required?” He then said, “Woe is you, what then they say?” I said, “They say, “Ali ibn abu Talib, by Allah, is the Imam for whom we must wish well. To must stay close to their group means, his Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad).’ The narrator has said that Sufyan al-Thawri then tore the document of Zadith and said, “Do not tell it to anyone.”

 3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَا نَظَرَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى وَلِيٍّ لَهُ يُجْهِدُ نَفْسَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ لامَامِهِ وَالنَّصِيحَةِ إِلا كَانَ مَعَنَا فِي الرَّفِيقِ الاعْلَى.

 3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all together from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, would not look to a friend of His who would strive and pressure his soul in obedience to his Imam and wishing well for him but that he will be with us in the high position in paradise.”

 4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ فَارَقَ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قِيدَ شِبْرٍ فَقَدْ خَلَعَ رِبْقَةَ الاسْلامِ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ.

 4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn al-Faddal from abu Jamila from Muhammad al-Halabi from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever would distance himself from the company the Muslims even by one shibr (one foot) he has removed the band of allegiance with Islam from his neck.”

 5ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ فَارَقَ جَمَاعَةَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَنَكَثَ صَفْقَةَ الامَامِ جَاءَ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَجْذَمَ.

 5. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever would distance himself from the company of the Muslims and disregard the pledge of allegiance with the Imam he will come before Allah with his hand cut off.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 103