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 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ أَرْسَلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلَى زُرَارَةَ أَنْ يُعْلِمَ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ عُتَيْبَةَ أَنَّ أَوْصِيَاءَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَيْهم السَّلام مُحَدَّثُونَ.

 1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hajjal from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurarah who has said the following. “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) sent (message) to Zurara to inform al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba that the executors of the will of Muhammad (s.a.) (are Muhaddathun) hear from the angels.” al-Hakam ibn ’Utaybah (al-Kindi al-Kufi [50/670 - 115/ 733], one of the tab‘un [those who knew the companions of the Holy Prophet and famous narrators of hadith)

 2ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ زِيَادِ بْنِ سُوقَةَ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) يَوْماً فَقَالَ يَا حَكَمُ هَلْ تَدْرِي الايَةَ الَّتِي كَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَعْرِفُ قَاتِلَهُ بِهَا وَيَعْرِفُ بِهَا الامُورَ الْعِظَامَ الَّتِي كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ بِهَا النَّاسَ قَالَ الْحَكَمُ فَقُلْتُ فِي نَفْسِي قَدْ وَقَعْتُ عَلَى عِلْمٍ مِنْ عِلْمِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ أَعْلَمُ بِذَلِكَ تِلْكَ الامُورَ الْعِظَامَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لا وَالله لا أَعْلَمُ قَالَ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ الايَةُ تُخْبِرُنِي بِهَا يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله قَالَ هُوَ وَالله قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَلا نَبِيٍّ وَلا مُحَدَّثٍ وَكَانَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مُحَدَّثاً فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ عَبْدُ الله بْنُ زَيْدٍ كَانَ أَخَا عَلِيٍّ لامِّهِ سُبْحَانَ الله مُحَدَّثاً كَأَنَّهُ يُنْكِرُ ذَلِكَ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ أَمَا وَالله إِنَّ ابْنَ أُمِّكَ بَعْدُ قَدْ كَانَ يَعْرِفُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَالَ ذَلِكَ سَكَتَ الرَّجُلُ فَقَالَ هِيَ الَّتِي هَلَكَ فِيهَا أَبُو الْخَطَّابِ فَلَمْ يَدْرِ مَا تَأْوِيلُ الْمُحَدَّثِ وَالنَّبِيِّ.

 2. Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Jamil ibn Salih from Ziyad ibn Suqah from al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah who has said the following. “One day I went to see Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.).” He said, “O Hakam do you know the verse (of the Holy Quran) from which Ali ibn abu Talib had learned who his assassin was and the extremely great matters of which he would speak to people? “ Al-Hakam has said that I said to myself in my mind, “ I have now a chance to learn of the knowledge of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) with which I will learn of those extremely great matters.” The narrator has said that he replied the Imam (a.s.), “No, O son of the Messenger of Allah, I do not know.” He has said that he then said, “Please tell me, O son of the Messenger of Allah, which verse is it?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “It, I swear by Allah, is the words of Allah, Majestic is Whose mention, “We have not sent any messenger or prophet before you (or a Muhahhdath) one who hears from the angels. (22:52) Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was a Muhaddath. At this point a man called ‘Abdallah ibn Zayd who was a brother of Ali from his mother’s side said, “Glory belongs to Allah. A Muhaddath1!” It seemed as if he did not believe it. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) then turned to us and said, “Do not have any doubts, I swear by Allah, that the son of your mother after all did have knowledge of this fact.” The narrator has said that when the Imam (a.s.) said so the man kept silent. The Imam (a.s.) then said, “This is the issue in which abu al-Khattab perished. He never learned what was the explanation of the prophet and a Muhaddath.”

 3ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الائِمَّةُ عُلَمَاءُ صَادِقُونَ مُفَهَّمُونَ مُحَدَّثُونَ.

 3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ya‘qub ibn Yazid from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il who has said that I heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) say the following. “The Imams (a.s.) are scholar, truthful people, have perfect understanding and Muhaddathum hear from the angels.”

 4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ ذُكِرَ الْمُحَدَّثُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ يَسْمَعُ الصَّوْتَ وَلا يَرَى الشَّخْصَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ كَلامُ الْمَلَكِ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يُعْطَى السَّكِينَةَ وَالْوَقَارَ حَتَّى يَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ كَلامُ مَلَكٍ.

 4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from a man that Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following. “Once Muhaddath was mentioned in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and he said, “He, Muhaddath, hears the voice but does not see the persons of the angels.” I then said to him, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, how he would come to know that the voice and words are from the angels?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He is given the serenity and dignity to the level that he learns about its being the speech of the angels.”

 5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ عَلِيّاً (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ مُحَدَّثاً فَخَرَجْتُ إِلَى أَصْحَابِي فَقُلْتُ جِئْتُكُمْ بِعَجِيبَةٍ فَقَالُوا وَمَا هِيَ فَقُلْتُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ كَانَ علي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مُحَدَّثاً فَقَالُوا مَا صَنَعْتَ شَيْئاً إِلا سَأَلْتَهُ مَنْ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُهُ فَرَجَعْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُ أَصْحَابِي بِمَا حَدَّثْتَنِي فَقَالُوا مَا صَنَعْتَ شَيْئاً إِلا سَأَلْتَهُ مَنْ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُهُ فَقَالَ لِي يُحَدِّثُهُ مَلَكٌ قُلْتُ تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ قَالَ فَحَرَّكَ يَدَهُ هَكَذَا أَوْ كَصَاحِبِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَوْ كَصَاحِبِ مُوسَى أَوْ كَذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ أَ وَمَا بَلَغَكُمْ أَنَّهُ قَالَ وَفِيكُمْ مِثْلُهُ.

 5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah from Humran ibn A‘yan who has said that abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said the following. “Ali (a.s.) was a Muhaddath.” I then returned to my associates and said, “I have brought you a very strange news.” They asked, “What is it?” I then said that I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say that Ali (a.s.) was a Muhaddath. They then said, “What did you do?” Would that you had asked him as to who would speak to him (Ali (a.s.) I then went back to abu Ja‘far (a.s.) and said to him, “I went to my associates and told them about what you had told me and they said, “What did you do? Would that you had asked him as to who would speak to him (Ali (a.s.)” The Imam (a.s.) said to me, “The angel would speak to him.” I then asked, “Do you say that he was a prophet?” He has said, “He moved his hand like this. Or like the companion of Solomon, or the companion of Moses or like Dhul Qarnayn. Have not heard that he has said, “Among there one like him.” (A hadith of the Holy Prophet (s.a.) says that Ali (a.s.) is the Dhul Qarnay of this Umma)

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 54