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 مِهْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ علي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) آخُذُ بِهِ وَمَا نَهَى عَنْهُ أَنْتَهِي عَنْهُ جَرَى لَهُ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ مِثْلُ مَا جَرَى لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْفَضْلُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَنْ خَلَقَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمُتَعَقِّبُ عَلَيْهِ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ أَحْكَامِهِ كَالْمُتَعَقِّبِ عَلَى الله وَعَلَى رَسُولِهِ وَالرَّادُّ عَلَيْهِ فِي صَغِيرَةٍ أَوْ كَبِيرَةٍ عَلَى حَدِّ الشِّرْكِ بِالله كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَابَ الله الَّذِي لا يُؤْتَى إِلا مِنْهُ وَسَبِيلَهُ الَّذِي مَنْ سَلَكَ بِغَيْرِهِ هَلَكَ وَكَذَلِكَ يَجْرِي الائِمَّةُ الْهُدَى وَاحِداً بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ جَعَلَهُمُ الله أَرْكَانَ الارْضِ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِأَهْلِهَا وَحُجَّتَهُ الْبَالِغَةَ عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَ الارْضِ وَمَنْ تَحْتَ الثَّرَى وَكَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كَثِيراً مَا يَقُولُ أَنَا قَسِيمُ الله بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ وَأَنَا الْفَارُوقُ الاكْبَرُ وَأَنَا صَاحِبُ الْعَصَا وَالْمِيسَمِ وَلَقَدْ أَقَرَّتْ لِي جَمِيعُ الْمَلائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحُ وَالرُّسُلُ بِمِثْلِ مَا أَقَرُّوا بِهِ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلَقَدْ حُمِلْتُ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَمُولَتِهِ وَهِيَ حَمُولَةُ الرَّبِّ وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يُدْعَى فَيُكْسَى وَأُدْعَى فَأُكْسَى وَيُسْتَنْطَقُ وَأُسْتَنْطَقُ فَأَنْطِقُ عَلَى حَدِّ مَنْطِقِهِ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ خِصَالاً مَا سَبَقَنِي إِلَيْهَا أَحَدٌ قَبْلِي عُلِّمْتُ الْمَنَايَا وَالْبَلايَا وَالانْسَابَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ فَلَمْ يَفُتْنِي مَا سَبَقَنِي وَلَمْ يَعْزُبْ عَنِّي مَا غَابَ عَنِّي أُبَشِّرُ بِإِذْنِ الله وَأُؤَدِّي عَنْهُ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الله مَكَّنَنِي فِيهِ بِعِلْمِهِ.  الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُمْهُورٍ الْعَمِّيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْمُفَضَّلُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ الاوَّلَ.

1. Ahmad ibn Mihran from Muhammad ibn Ali and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, all from Muhammad ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who said: “Whatever Ali (a.s.) has brought I follow them entirely and whatever he has forbidden I desist from them altogether. It flows for him from the merits like what flowed for Muhammad (sw), and for Muhammad (sw) is the merit upon the entirety of the creatures of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The pursuer upon him (Imam Ali) regarding something from his decisions is like the pursuer upon Allah and upon His Messenger, and the rejecter upon him regarding a small or a big (matter), would be within the limits of Shirk (Association) with Allah. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) was the gate to Allah through which one could only go closer to Him, and he was the path that if one would ignore it he would have been destroyed. This is also true of all the Imams of guidance, one after the other. Allah has made them as the cornerstones of the earth so that its inhabitants would not be destroyed, and His possessors of doubtless Divine authority over the inhabitants of earth and those below the earth. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) would very often say, “I am Allah's distributor between Paradise and Hellfire, and I am the greatest criterion, and I am the possessor of the Staff and the (marking) seal Miysam. All the angels, the Spirit, and the messengers have acknowledged me, like what they acknowledged Muhammad (sw) with, and I am loaded upon like his load, and it is the load of the Lord. The Messenger of Allah (sw) will be called upon and his call will be accepted. I will be called up on and my call will be accepted. He will be made to speak and I will be made to speak and I will speak just the way he would speak. I have been given certain distinctions which were not given to anyone before me. I was taught all about the deaths, the sufferings, the genealogy of people and the decisive sermons. I have not missed any of the knowledge that have passed me by and nothing of the future is unseen or unknown to me. I give good news by the permission of Allah and do my duty towards Allah. All of this is from Allah Who has made it possible for me through His knowledge.” Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur al-‘Ammi from Muhammad ibn Sinan who has said that al-Mufaddal narrated to us from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). He then narrated the above Hadith.

 2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ شَبَابٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ الاعْرَجُ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَابْتَدَأَنَا فَقَالَ يَا سُلَيْمَانُ مَا جَاءَ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يُؤْخَذُ بِهِ وَمَا نَهَى عَنْهُ يُنْتَهَى عَنْهُ جَرَى لَهُ مِنَ الْفَضْلِ مَا جَرَى لِرَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلِرَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْفَضْلُ عَلَى جَمِيعِ مَنْ خَلَقَ الله الْمُعَيِّبُ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ أَحْكَامِهِ كَالْمُعَيِّبِ عَلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَعَلَى رَسُولِهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالرَّادُّ عَلَيْهِ فِي صَغِيرَةٍ أَوْ كَبِيرَةٍ عَلَى حَدِّ الشِّرْكِ بِالله كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بَابَ الله الَّذِي لا يُؤْتَى إِلا مِنْهُ وَسَبِيلَهُ الَّذِي مَنْ سَلَكَ بِغَيْرِهِ هَلَكَ وَبِذَلِكَ جَرَتِ الائِمَّةُ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَاحِدٌ بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ جَعَلَهُمُ الله أَرْكَانَ الارْضِ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِهِمْ وَالْحُجَّةَ الْبَالِغَةَ عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَ الارْضِ وَمَنْ تَحْتَ الثَّرَى وَقَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَا قَسِيمُ الله بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ وَأَنَا الْفَارُوقُ الاكْبَرُ وَأَنَا صَاحِبُ الْعَصَا وَالْمِيسَمِ وَلَقَدْ أَقَرَّتْ لِي جَمِيعُ الْمَلائِكَةِ وَالرُّوحُ بِمِثْلِ مَا أَقَرَّتْ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَلَقَدْ حُمِلْتُ عَلَى مِثْلِ حَمُولَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَهِيَ حَمُولَةُ الرَّبِّ وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يُدْعَى فَيُكْسَى وَيُسْتَنْطَقُ وَأُدْعَى فَأُكْسَى وَأُسْتَنْطَقُ فَأَنْطِقُ عَلَى حَدِّ مَنْطِقِهِ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ خِصَالاً لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ قَبْلِي عُلِّمْتُ عِلْمَ الْمَنَايَا وَالْبَلايَا وَالانْسَابَ وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ فَلَمْ يَفُتْنِي مَا سَبَقَنِي وَلَمْ يَعْزُبْ عَنِّي مَا غَابَ عَنِّي أُبَشِّرُ بِإِذْنِ الله وَأُؤَدِّي عَنِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ مَكَّنَنِيَ الله فِيهِ بِإِذْنِهِ.

 2. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid Shabab al-Sayrafi who has said that Sa‘id’ al-A‘raj has said that he and Sulayman ibn Khalid once went to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and al-A‘raj began the conversation as follows. “Whatever Imam Ali (a.s.) has brought is followed entirely and whatever he has forbidden is desisted from altogether. Whatever virtue that were found in the Holy Prophet (s.a.) were found in Imam Ali (a.s.) also. The Holy Prophet was more virtuous than all of the creatures of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. Those who would find faults any item of his (Imam Ali) guidance would be like one finding faults in the guidance of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High and His Prophet. Rejecting him in small or a great matters would be like considering things similar to Allah (shirk). Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) was the gate to Allah through which only, people can get closer to Him. Imam Ali (a.s.) was the path that if one would ignore it he would have been destroyed. This is also true of all the Imams of guidance one after the other. Allah has made them as the cornerstones of the earth so that people on it would not be destroyed. They possess the doubtless Divine authority over the inhabitants of earth and those below the earth. Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) has said, “I am the supervisor for Allah to see who should go to Paradise and who should go to Hell. I am the greatest criterion, the possessor of the staff and the (marking) seal Miysam All the angels and the spirit have acknowledged the existence in me of all the matters that they had acknowledge in Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). I am held responsible for all such matters that Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was held responsible. Such responsibilities are the duties to Allah, the Lord. The Holy Prophet will be called upon and his call will be accepted. I will be called up on and I my call will be accepted. The Holy Prophet will be made to speak, and I will be made to speak and I will speak just the way he would speak. I have been given certain distinctions which, are given to no one before me. I was taught all about the deaths, the sufferings, the genealogy of people and clear speech I have not missed any of the knowledge that have passed me by and nothing of the future is unseen or unknown to me. I give good news by the permission of Allah and do my duty towards Allah. All of these is from Allah Who has made it possible for me through His knowledge.”

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَأَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله الرِّيَاحِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّامِتِ الْحُلْوَانِيِّ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ فَضْلُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا جَاءَ بِهِ آخُذُ بِهِ وَمَا نَهَى عَنْهُ أَنْتَهِي عَنْهُ جَرَى لَهُ مِنَ الطَّاعَةِ بَعْدَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَا لِرَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالْفَضْلُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْمُتَقَدِّمُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ كَالْمُتَقَدِّمِ بَيْنَ يَدَيِ الله وَرَسُولِهِ وَالْمُتَفَضِّلُ عَلَيْهِ كَالْمُتَفَضِّلِ عَلَى رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالرَّادُّ عَلَيْهِ فِي صَغِيرَةٍ أَوْ كَبِيرَةٍ عَلَى حَدِّ الشِّرْكِ بِالله فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بَابُ الله الَّذِي لا يُؤْتَى إِلا مِنْهُ وَسَبِيلُهُ الَّذِي مَنْ سَلَكَهُ وَصَلَ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكَذَلِكَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَجَرَى لِلائِمَّةِ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَاحِداً بَعْدَ وَاحِدٍ جَعَلَهُمُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَرْكَانَ الارْضِ أَنْ تَمِيدَ بِأَهْلِهَا وَعُمُدَ الاسْلامِ وَرَابِطَةً عَلَى سَبِيلِ هُدَاهُ لا يَهْتَدِي هَادٍ إِلا بِهُدَاهُمْ وَلا يَضِلُّ خَارِجٌ مِنَ الْهُدَى إِلا بِتَقْصِيرٍ عَنْ حَقِّهِمْ أُمَنَاءُ الله عَلَى مَا أَهْبَطَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ أَوْ عُذُرٍ أَوْ نُذُرٍ وَالْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ عَلَى مَنْ فِي الارْضِ يَجْرِي لآِخِرِهِمْ مِنَ الله مِثْلُ الَّذِي جَرَى لاوَّلِهِمْ وَلا يَصِلُ أَحَدٌ إِلَى ذَلِكَ إِلا بِعَوْنِ الله وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَا قَسِيمُ الله بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ لا يَدْخُلُهَا دَاخِلٌ إِلا عَلَى حَدِّ قَسْمِي وَأَنَا الْفَارُوقُ الاكْبَرُ وَأَنَا الامَامُ لِمَنْ بَعْدِي وَالْمُؤَدِّي عَمَّنْ كَانَ قَبْلِي لا يَتَقَدَّمُنِي أَحَدٌ إِلا أَحْمَدُ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنِّي وَإِيَّاهُ لَعَلَى سَبِيلٍ وَاحِدٍ إِلا أَنَّهُ هُوَ الْمَدْعُوُّ بِاسْمِهِ وَلَقَدْ أُعْطِيتُ السِّتَّ عِلْمَ الْمَنَايَا وَالْبَلايَا وَالْوَصَايَا وَفَصْلَ الْخِطَابِ وَإِنِّي لَصَاحِبُ الْكَرَّاتِ وَدَوْلَةِ الدُّوَلِ وَإِنِّي لَصَاحِبُ الْعَصَا وَالْمِيسَمِ وَالدَّابَّةُ الَّتِي تُكَلِّمُ النَّاسَ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya and Ahmad ibn Muhammad both have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn Hassaan who has said that abu ‘Abdallah al-Riyahi narrated to him from abu al-Samit al-Hulwani from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who said: “A merit of Amir al-Mu'mineen (a.s.) is that whatever he has brought, I follow it entirely, and whatever he has forbidden, I desist from it altogether. It flows for him from the obedience after the Messenger of Allah (sw), what flowed for the Messenger of Allah (sw), and the merit is for Muhammad (sw). The one who tries to be ahead of him would be considered as trying to be ahead of Allah and his Messenger. And the one who tries to show himself as more virtuous than him would be considered as trying to show himself as more virtuous than the Messenger of Allah (sw). And the rejector upon him regarding a small or big (matter) would be within the limits of shirk to Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sw) is a Door of Allah which one cannot come to Him except from it, and His Way which the one who travels it arrives to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The same was true of Ami al-Mu'mineen (a.s.) after him (Muhammad), and it flowed for the Imams (peace be upon them), one after one. Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has made them the cornerstone of the earth so that its inhabitants would not be destroyed, and they were the pillars of Islam and the connection in the path of guidance. No guide can be a guide except their guidance, nor would one stray outside from the guidance except by being deficient in their rights. They are the trustees of Allah over whatever knowledge, warning, and excuses that have been revealed to them. They possess the doubtless Divine authority over those on earth. It flows for the last of them from Allah similar to which flowed for their first one, and no one would arrive to that except by the Assistance of Allah. And Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) has said, “I am the distributor for Allah between Paradise and Hell. None can enter it except upon a limit of my distribution, and I am the greatest criterion, and the Imam for those after me, and the communicator on behalf of those before me. No one precedes me except Ahmad (sw). I and he are on one path, except that he is the one called by his name. And I have been given six things: the knowledge of deaths, that of the tribulations, that of the wills, and decisive sermons, and I am the owner of the spheres and a state of the states, and I am the owner of the Staff and the Branding iron, and the Beast (27:82) who would be speaking to the people."

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 14