Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Author: Shaykh Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb b. Isḥāq al-Kulaynī (d. 329 AH)

Translator: Shaykh Muhammad Sarwar

The Book of Intelligence and Ignorance The Book on Virtue of Knowledge 1. Chapter on the necessity to seek knowledge and the recommendations to learn 2. Chapter on the quality of knowledge its virtue and the virtue of the scholars 3. Chapter on Kinds of People 4. Chapter on the reward for the scholars and those who seek knowledge 5. Chapter on the Qualities of the Scholars 6. Chapter on the Rights of the scholars 7. Chapter on the Loss of a Scholar 8. Chapter on Meeting the Scholars and Associating with Them 9. Chapter on Asking the Scholar and Discussing with him 10. Chapter on Giving Knowledge as Charity 11. Prohibition on Speaking without Knowledge. 12. Chapter on Those who Act without Knowledge 13. Chapter on Utilization of Knowledge 14. Chapter on Those who use their Knowledge to Fill their Stomach and are Boastful for it 15. Chapter on the Need for the Existence of a Divine Authority in the World and the Seriousness of this Matter 16. Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues 17. Chapter on narrating books and Hadith (The virtue of writing and its preservation) 18. Chapter on Taqlid, following the opinions of someone 19. Chapter on Innovations, Personal Opinions and Analogies 20. Chapter on the need to refer to the book and Sunnah 21. Chapter on the Differences in al-Hadith 22. Chapter on Following the Sunnah and Evidence of the Book The Book on Oneness of Allah (God) 1. Chapter on Contingency of the Universe and Proof of the Existence of its Creator 2. Chapter on Can Allah (God) be Considered a Thing? 3. Chapter on (the Issue) that only He is proof of His Own Existence 4. Chapter on the minimum degree of knowledge of the existence of Allah 5. Chapter on Who is Worshipped 6. Chapter On Being and Space (al-Kawn WA al-Makan) 7. Chapter On The relationships (Nisbah) Of Allah 8. Chapter On Prohibition on Saying How is Allah (al-Kayfiyyah) 9. Chapter On The Invalidity of the Belief to see God (Ru’yah of Allah) 10. Chapter On Prohibition on Attributing to Allah What He Himself has not Done so 11. Chapter On Prohibition on Considering Allah as having Body (JISM) and Form (SURAH) 12. Chapter On Attribute Of Essence (Sifat al-DhDhat) Of Allah 13. Another Chapter of The Previous Chapter 14. Chapter On Will Power (IRADAH) it is of the Attributes of Action (SIFAT al-FI‘L) and the Rest of the Attributes of Action 15. Chapter On the Coming into the Existence of the Names of Allah 16. Chapter On The Meanings of the Names of Allah and their Derivatives 17. Chapter on Another Chapter (Related) to the Previous Chapter 18. Chapter on the Interpretation of al-Samad, Self-sufficient 19. Chapter on Motion and Change 20. Chapter about al-‘Arsh and al-Kursi 21. Chapter on al-Ruh, the Spirit 22. Chapter on Comprehensive (Ahadith) about the Oneness of Allah 23. Chapter on Miscellaneous Ahadith 24. Chapter on al-Bida’ 25. Chapter on the issue that there is nothing in heavens and earth but that they are in seven 26. Chapter on Wish and Will 27. Chapter on Test and Choice 28. Chapter on Fortunateness and Un-fortunateness The Book about people with Divine Authority 1. The necessity of the presence of Divine Authority among the people 2. The Categories of the Prophets, the Messengers and the Imams (a.s.) 3. The Difference among he Messengers, the Prophets and the al-Muhaddath 4. The issue that Allah’s holding people accountable remains unjustified without the Imam 5. The Issue that the Earth at no time is without a Person with Divine Authority 6. 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 7. Knowing the Imam (a.s.) and Belief in His Divine Authority 8. The obligation to obey the Imams (a.s.) 9. The Imams (a.s.) are witness for Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, over His creature 10. The Imams (a.s.) are the only true guides 11. The Imam (a.s.) Possess Divine Authority and the Treasure of Divine Knowledge 12. 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 13. The Imams (a.s.) are the light of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High 14. The Imams are the corner stone on earth 15. The Unique Ahadith that sums up the Virtue and Qualifications of the Imam (a.s.) 16. The Imams (a.s.) possess Divine authority, they are Envied and Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken of them 17. The Imams (a.s.) are the Sings of whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran 18. The Signs of which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has spoken in the Holy Quran are The Imams (a.s.) 19. 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.) 20. The people of Dhikr (memory and knowledge) that Allah has commanded the creatures to ask for their questions are the Imams (a.s.) 21. Those whom Allah has called people of knowledge they are the Imams (a.s.) 22. The People Well-grounded in Knowledge are the Imams (a.s.) alone 23. The Imams are those who have received Knowledge and it is firmly Established in their Hearts 24. The people whom Allah has Chosen and has Made the Heirs of His Book are the Imams (a.s.) 25. 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 26. The Holy Quran guides people to the Imam (a.s.) 27. 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.) 28. 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 29. The deeds of the people are presented before the Holy Prophet (s.a.) and the Imams (a.s.) 30. The Path, Urged to be Maintained Steadfastly is Acknowledgement of the Divine Authority of Imam Ali (a.s.) 31. The Imams (a.s.) are the Mines of Knowledge, the Tree of Prophet-hood and the Centers wherein angels Interchange 32. The Imams (a.s.) are the Heirs of Knowledge to Inherit it one from the other 33. The Imams (a.s.) inherited the knowledge of the Holy prophet (s.a.) and all the prophets and their successors before them 34. 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 35. 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 36. The degree of the Great Names of Allah that are given to the Imams (a.s.) 37. Sacred objects of the Prophets transferred to the Imams (a.s.) 38. The Armaments and Sacred Items belonging to the Holy Prophet (s.a.) that transferred to the Imam (a.s.) 39. The case of the Arms of the Messenger of Allah is like the Ark among the Israelites 40. Statements about al-Jafr al-Jami‘ and the Book of Fatima (a.s.) 41. Chapter Ninety Seven of the Holy Quran and its interpretation 42. The Imams (a.s.) Receive additional (knowledge) every Friday night 43. Would the Imams (a.s.) not receive new knowledge their previous know would be Exhausted 44. The Imams know all the knowledge that has come to the angels, the prophets and the Messenger 45. The Unique Ahadith about the hidden facts 46. Would the Imams (a.s.) like to know they would know 47. The Imams (a.s.) know when they will die and they die voluntarily 48. The Imams (a.s.) do have the knowledge of what was and will be, and that nothing is unknown to them (a.s.) 49. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, did not teach anything to His Messenger but that He commanded him to teach such knowledge to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) and he was his partner in Knowledge 50. Aspects of the Knowledge of the Imams (a.s.) 51. If Secrets would be kept the Imams (a.s.) can tell everyone what is for and against them 52. Giving Charge of the Religious matters to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) and to the Imams (a.s.) 53. The Imams are Similar to those before them and the Dislikeability of Calling them Prophets 54. The Imams (a.s.) hear from the angels as Muhaddathun and are of Perfect Understanding 55. The Spirits that exist in the Imams (a.s.) 56. The Spirit with which the Imams (a.s.) are Protected 57. The Time When the Imam Learns the Knowledge of the Imam before him (a.s.) 58. The Imams (a.s.) are all Equal in Knowledge, Courage and Obedience 59. Each Imam knows the succeeding Imam (a.s.) The words of Allah, the Most High, “Allah commands you to deliver the trust to its people,”(4:58) is a reference to the Imams (a.s.) 60. The Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) is a Covenant from Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, Delivered as such by the preceding Imam to the succeeding Imam (a.s.) one after the other 61. The Imams (a.s.) never did and would not do anything except because of the covenant of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, and a command from Him and they did not go beyond such limits 62. Evidence of Imam’s Possessing Divine Authority 63. Proof that Imamat (leadership with Divine Authority) Continues in the Descendents of the Preceding Imam but not through his Brother or Paternal Uncle or other such Relatives 64. The Specific words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High and the Messenger of Allah that Grant Divine Authority to Everyone of the Imams (a.s.) 65. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after the Messenger of Allah 66. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of al-Hassan ibn Ali’s (a.s.) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) 67. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of al-Husayn ibn Ali’s (a.s.) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after al-Hassan (a.s.) 68. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of Ali ibn al-Husayn’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after al-Husayn (a.s.) 69. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) 70. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu ‘Abdallah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) 71. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu al-Hassan Musa’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) 72. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu al-Hassan al-Rida’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) 73. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (the second) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) 74. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu al-Hassan’s, al-Thalith (the third) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.) 75. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Muhammad al-Hassan ‘s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after Ali ibn Muhammad (a.s.) 76. Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of the owner of the House’s (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people abu Muhammad al-Hassan (a.s.) 77. The list of the Names of those who saw the Twelfth Imam (a.s.) 78. The Prohibition on Mentioning his Name 79. Precious Ahadith on Conditions of Disappearance from Public Sight of (the Twelfth Imam (a.s.) 80. The Issue of Disappearance (of the twelfth Imam (a.s.) from Public Sight 81. The Criterion to Discern the Truthful and False Claims of Entitlement to Imamat (Leadership with Divine Authority) 82. Setting-up a Time Limit for the Reappearance of the Twelfth Imam (a.s.) an Antipathetic Issue 83. Refinement and Trial 84. The rise of al-Mahdi with Divine Authority earlier or later will not affect one who has learned who his Imam is 85. The case of those who would claim to be the Imam but is not qualified, the case of those who would reject all or some of the Imams and the case of those who argue in support of one who is not a qualified Imam. 86. The case of those who would accept the religion of Allah but without accepting the Imam, Leader with Divine Authority 87. The Case of those who would Die without having an Imam from the Imams of Guidance 88. The case of those who have recognized Ahl al-Bayt and those who have ignored them 89. The Obligation and Duty of the People at the Time of the Passing away of the Imam (a.s.) 90. When the Imam learns that Leadership with Divine Authority has come to him? 91. The Conditions of the Imams in the Matters of Age 92. Only an Imam has the Authority to Wash the Body of an Imam for Burial 93. The Birth of the Imams (a.s.) 94. The Creation of the bodies, spirits and the Hearts of the Imam (a.s.) 95. Submission and the Virtue of the Muslims 96. People’s obligation after Hajj to Meet the Imam, Ask them Religious Instructions, Declare and Pledge to them Allegiance and Express their Love 97. The Angels come to the Houses of the Imams, Step on their Furnishings and Bring them News 98. The Jinns Come to the Imam for Religious Instructions and for Dealing with their Affairs 99. When the Imams will Rise with Divine Authority They will Judge Among People as David and his People had Done that They will not Ask any Witness to Testify (May the peace and blessings of Allah be up on them) 100. The fountain head of Knowledge is Ala Muhammad (a.s.) 101. There is nothing True with People unless it has Come from the Imams and Whatever that has not Come from Them (a.s.) is False 102. The Hadith (statements) of Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad) is Difficult and becomes Difficult 103. The Commands of the Holy Prophet to Wish Well for the Imams of Muslims, Remain Close with their Group and as to Who They are. 104. The Mutual Rights between the Imam and his Followers 105. The Whole Earth belongs to the Imam (a.s.) 106. Manners of the Imams in the Matters of Food and Clothes as Leaders with Divine Authority 107. The Rare Ahadith in the context 108. Enlightening Points Deduced from the Holy Quran about Leadership with Divine Authority) 109. Notable Points and Comprehensive Ahadith about Wilaya (Leadership with Divine Authority) 110. The Imams (a.s.) know their friends and that they are the in charge of their affairs 111. The Birth of The Holy Prophet (s.a) and His Demise 112. Climbing over the grave of the Holy Prophet (s.a) prohibited 113. The birth of Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) 114. The birth of al-Zahra’, Fatima (a.s.) 115. The Birth of al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) 116. The Birth of al-Husayn ibn Ali (a.s.) 117. The Birth of Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) 118. The Birth of Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.) 119. The Birth of abu ‘Abdullah Ja‘far ibn Muhammad (a.s.) 120. The Birth of abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) 121. The birth of abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) 122. The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.) 123. The Birth of abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Muhammad (a.s.) 124. The Birth of abu Muhammad al-Hassan ibn Ali (a.s.) 125. The Birth of the Possessor (of Divine Authority) (a.s.) 126. The Statements and the Explicit Texts on Leadership with Divine Authority) of the Twelve Imams (a.s.) 127. Something said about a man and it is not in him but is found in his sons or grand sons than it is as if it is in him 128. All the Imams (a.s.) rise for and with authority of Allah, the Most High and guide to Him Allah 129. Compensation and Imam (a.s.) 130. The Fay’, al-Anfal, al-Khums, its rules and the properties subject to al-Khums