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 عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ عَلَى كُلِّ حَقٍّ حَقِيقَةً وَعَلَى كُلِّ صَوَابٍ نُوراً فَمَا وَافَقَ كِتَابَ الله فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا خَالَفَ كِتَابَ الله فَدَعُوهُ.

 1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The holy Prophet (s.a.), “Over every truth there is a reality and above every valid issue there is light. Whatever agrees with the holy Quran you must follow it and whatever does not agree disregard it.”

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ وَحَدَّثَنِي حُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ أَنَّهُ حَضَرَ ابْنَ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ فِي هَذَا الْمَجْلِسِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ اخْتِلافِ الْحَدِيثِ يَرْوِيهِ مَنْ نَثِقُ بِهِ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لا نَثِقُ بِهِ قَالَ إِذَا وَرَدَ عَلَيْكُمْ حَدِيثٌ فَوَجَدْتُمْ لَهُ شَاهِداً مِنْ كِتَابِ الله أَوْ مِنْ قَوْلِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِلا فَالَّذِي جَاءَكُمْ بِهِ أَوْلَى بِهِ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ’Abdallah ibn Abu Ya‘fur and al-Husayn ibn al-'Ala' who was also present at the gathering with Ibn Abi Ya‘fur (Abu Ya'fur narrates the following): "I asked Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the differences in Hadith which is narrated from people whom we trust and yet from other people we do not trust. The Imam replied, 'If you come across a Hadith and you find evidence in the holy Quran to support it or in the Hadith of the holy Prophet (you may follow it), otherwise, the one who has come to you with it is more deserving of it.'" 

 3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ الْحُرِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَرْدُودٌ إِلَى الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ وَكُلُّ حَدِيثٍ لا يُوَافِقُ كِتَابَ الله فَهُوَ زُخْرُفٌ.

 3. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halab from Ayyub ibn al-Hurr who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Everything must be referred to the holy Quran and the Sunnah, the noble traditions of the holy Prophet (s.a.) and any Hadith that does not agree with the holy Quran it is a useless statement.’”

 4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَا لَمْ يُوَافِقْ مِنَ الْحَدِيثِ الْقُرْآنَ فَهُوَ زُخْرُفٌ.

 4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqba from Ayyub ibn Rashid from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Of Hadith whatever does not agree with the holy Quran is a useless statement.”

 5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ وَغَيْرِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ خَطَبَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) بِمِنًى فَقَالَ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَا جَاءَكُمْ عَنِّي يُوَافِقُ كِتَابَ الله فَأَنَا قُلْتُهُ وَمَا جَاءَكُمْ يُخَالِفُ كِتَابَ الله فَلَمْ أَقُلْهُ.

 5. Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn al-Hakam and others from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The holy Prophet once addressed the people in Mina (a place in Makkah) saying, “O people, whatever comes to you in the form of my Hadith you must see if it agrees with the holy book of Allah then know that I have said it but whatever comes to you that does not agree with the book of Allah then know that I have not said it.”

 6ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَنْ خَالَفَ كِتَابَ الله وَسُنَّةَ مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَدْ كَفَرَ.

 6. It is narrated through the same chain of narrators from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following. “Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said, ‘Whoever disagrees with the book of Allah and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) he has certainly become a unbeliever.’”

 7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) إِنَّ أَفْضَلَ الاعْمَالِ عِنْدَ الله مَا عُمِلَ بِالسُّنَّةِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ.

 7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus in a marfu’ manner from Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) who has said the following. “The best deed in the sight of Allah is the one that is performed according to the Sunnah, the noble tradition of the holy Prophet (s.a.) even if it would be in small degree.”

 8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْقَمَّاطِ وَصَالِحِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ تَغْلِبَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَأَجَابَ فِيهَا قَالَ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ إِنَّ الْفُقَهَاءَ لا يَقُولُونَ هَذَا فَقَالَ يَا وَيْحَكَ وَهَلْ رَأَيْتَ فَقِيهاً قَطُّ إِنَّ الْفَقِيهَ حَقَّ الْفَقِيهِ الزَّاهِدُ فِي الدُّنْيَا الرَّاغِبُ فِي الاخِرَةِ الْمُتَمَسِّكُ بِسُنَّةِ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

 8. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Isma’il ibn Mihran from abu Sa‘id al-Qammat and Salih ibn Sa‘id from Aban ibn Taghlib who has said the following. “A man asked a question from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who replied to it and then the man said, “The Fuqaha, scholars of law, do not say this.” The Imam then said, “It is a pity. Have you ever seen a Faqih, a scholar of law? The real Faqih, scholar of law is one who maintains restraint from the worldly matters, who is deeply interested in the life hereafter and holds firmly to the Sunnah, noble tradition of the holy prophet (s.a.)”

 9ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْمَاعِيلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الازْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عُثْمَانَ الْعَبْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لا قَوْلَ إِلا بِعَمَلٍ وَلا قَوْلَ وَلا عَمَلَ إِلا بِنِيَّةٍ وَلا قَوْلَ وَلا عَمَلَ وَلا نِيَّةَ إِلا بِإِصَابَةِ السُّنَّةِ.

 9. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from abu ’Isma‘il Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Azdi from abu ‘Uthman al-‘Abdi from Ja’far from his ancestors from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who has said the following. “There are no words without action, thee are no words or actions without intention and there are no words, actions and intentions without learning the Sunnah, the noble traditions of the holy Prophet, (s.a.).

 10ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ مَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلا وَلَهُ شِرَّةٌ وَفَتْرَةٌ فَمَنْ كَانَتْ فَتْرَتُهُ إِلَى سُنَّةٍ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَى وَمَنْ كَانَتْ فَتْرَتُهُ إِلَى بِدْعَةٍ فَقَدْ غَوَى.

 10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ahmad ibn al-Nadr from ‘Amr ibn Shimr from Jabir from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “There is no one without excitement and calmness. Whoever’s calmness would lead him towards the Sunnah, noble traditions of the holy prophet (s.a.), he is rightly guided but if it would lead him towards innovations then he has gone astray.”

 11ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كُلُّ مَنْ تَعَدَّى السُّنَّةَ رُدَّ إِلَى السُّنَّةِ.

 11. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Ali ibn Hassa’n and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Salama ibn al-Khattab from Ali ibn Hassa’n from Musa ibn Bakr from Zurara ibn A‘yan from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever may transgress against the Sunnah, noble traditions of the holy Prophet (s.a.), he must return to the Sunnah.”

 12ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ آبَائِهِ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) السُّنَّةُ سُنَّتَانِ سُنَّةٌ فِي فَرِيضَةٍ الاخْذُ بِهَا هُدًى وَتَرْكُهَا ضَلالَةٌ وَسُنَّةٌ فِي غَيْرِ فَرِيضَةٍ الاخْذُ بِهَا فَضِيلَةٌ وَتَرْكُهَا إِلَى غَيْرِ خَطِيئَةٍ.

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from abu ‘Abdallah from his ancestors (the Imams (a.s.) who have said the following.

“Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘There are two kinds of Sunnah, (traditions). There is a Sunnah in obligations and following such Sunnah is guidance and its disregard is misguidance. There is a Sunnah, (tradition), in none obligatory issue. The following of this kind of Sunnah is a virtuous deed and its disregard for other matters is a sin.’”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 2, Chapter 22