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 إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ يَرْوِي عَنْكُمْ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ صَمَدِيٌّ نُورِيٌّ مَعْرِفَتُهُ ضَرُورَةٌ يَمُنُّ بِهَا عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فَقَالَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لا يَعْلَمُ أَحَدٌ كَيْفَ هُوَ إِلا هُوَ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ لا يُحَدُّ وَلا يُحَسُّ وَلا يُجَسُّ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الابْصَارُ وَلا الْحَوَاسُّ وَلا يُحِيطُ بِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا تَخْطِيطٌ وَلا تَحْدِيدٌ.

 1. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ali ibn abu Hamzah, who has said the following. “I stated before abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) that I have heard Hisham ibn al-Hakam quoting you that Allah is a body of Self-subsisting nature and is from light. He can very clearly be recognized and He bestows such knowledge to whoever among His creatures He wills.” The Imam said, “Glorious is He, Whom no one knows how He is except He Himself. There is no one similar to Him and He is All-hearing, All-seeing. He cannot be limited, nor can He be felt or touched or moved. Eyes cannot see Him nor any of the senses can comprehend Him. He cannot be contained in anything, nor has He any body or form or figure or confine.”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الْجِسْمِ وَالصُّورَةِ فَكَتَبَ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ.  وَرَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله إِلا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُسَمِّ الرَّجُلَ.

 Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Hamzah ibn Muhammad who has said the following. “I wrote to Imam abu al-Hassan (al-Thalith 3rd (a.s.) asking about the body and form (of Allah). He wrote in reply, ‘Glorious is He similar to Who there is nothing. He is not a body nor has He any form.’” This Hadith has also been narrated by Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah without giving the name of the person (from whom he has heard).

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ جِئْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَأَمْلَى عَلَيَّ الْحَمْدُ لله فَاطِرِ الاشْيَاءِ إِنْشَاءً وَمُبْتَدِعِهَا ابْتِدَاعاً بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَحِكْمَتِهِ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَيَبْطُلَ الاخْتِرَاعُ وَلا لِعِلَّةٍ فَلا يَصِحَّ الابْتِدَاعُ خَلَقَ مَا شَاءَ كَيْفَ شَاءَ مُتَوَحِّداً بِذَلِكَ لاظْهَارِ حِكْمَتِهِ وَحَقِيقَةِ رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ لا تَضْبِطُهُ الْعُقُولُ وَلا تَبْلُغُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الابْصَارُ وَلا يُحِيطُ بِهِ مِقْدَارٌ عَجَزَتْ دُونَهُ الْعِبَارَةُ وَكَلَّتْ دُونَهُ الابْصَارُ وَضَلَّ فِيهِ تَصَارِيفُ الصِّفَاتِ احْتَجَبَ بِغَيْرِ حِجَابٍ مَحْجُوبٍ وَاسْتَتَرَ بِغَيْرِ سِتْرٍ مَسْتُورٍ عُرِفَ بِغَيْرِ رُؤْيَةٍ وَوُصِفَ بِغَيْرِ صُورَةٍ وَنُعِتَ بِغَيْرِ جِسْمٍ لا إِلَهَ إِلا الله الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ.

 3. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ from Muhammad ibn Zayd who has said the following. “I went to Imam al-Rida (a.s.) to ask about the Oneness of Allah (God). The Imam dictated to me thus, ‘All praise belongs to Allah, Who is the originator of all things. He is the inventor of all things, an invention that came from His power and wisdom but not from a thing so it would invalidate the invention and not from a cause so it would invalidate the novelty. He created whatever He wanted and howsoever He liked. He alone did all this to manifest His Wisdom and the truth of His Providence. Intelligence cannot comprehend Him, (Awham) imagination cannot reach Him, eyes cannot see Him and measurements cannot confine Him. The power of expression is unable to express Him in words. All sights are exhausted from reaching Him and the power of describing and defining have gone astray in its description and definition of His-self. He is hidden without any veil and is concealed without any covering. He is known without being seen; described without any form, and praised without any body. There is no god, except Allah, the Great, the Most High.’”

 4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ وَصَفْتُ لابِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ وَحَكَيْتُ لَهُ قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَنَّهُ جِسْمٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَى لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَيُّ فُحْشٍ أَوْ خَناً أَعْظَمُ مِنْ قَوْلِ مَنْ يَصِفُ خَالِقَ الاشْيَاءِ بِجِسْمٍ أَوْ صُورَةٍ أَوْ بِخِلْقَةٍ أَوْ بِتَحْدِيدٍ وَأَعْضَاءٍ تَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

 4. Muhammad ibn Abu ‘Abdallah has narrated from those he mentioned from Ali ibn al-‘Abbass from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Muhammad ibn Hakim. He has said that I explained to abu Ibrahim (Musa al-Kadhim (a.s.), the words of Hisham ibn Salim al-Jawaliqi and the words of Hisham ibn al-Hakam that say Allah is a body. The Imam (a.s.) said, “Allah, the Most High, is not similar to any of the things. What can be more blasphemous and scandalous than to describe the Creator of all things by means of body, form, type of creation, limitations, limbs and organs. Allah, the Most High, the Great, is far above these things.”

 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَرَجِ الرُّخَّجِيِّ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَمَّا قَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ فِي الْجِسْمِ وَهِشَامُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ فِي الصُّورَةِ فَكَتَبَ دَعْ عَنْكَ حَيْرَةَ الْحَيْرَانِ وَاسْتَعِذْ بِالله مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لَيْسَ الْقَوْلُ مَا قَالَ الْهِشَامَانِ.

 5. Ali ibn Muhammad, in a marfu‘ manner, has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Faraj al-Rukhkhaji who has said the following. “I wrote to Imam abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the words of Hisham ibn al-Hakam, about the body and the words of Hisham ibn Salim about the form (of Allah). He wrote in reply, ‘Remove from thyself the confusion of the confounded people and seek refuge from Allah against Shaytan (Satan). What the two Hishams have said is not correct.’”

 6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يُونُسَ بْنَ ظَبْيَانَ يَقُولُ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ يَقُولُ قَوْلاً عَظِيماً إِلا أَنِّي أَخْتَصِرُ لَكَ مِنْهُ أَحْرُفاً فَزَعَمَ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ لانَّ الاشْيَاءَ شَيْئَانِ جِسْمٌ وَفِعْلُ الْجِسْمِ فَلا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الصَّانِعُ بِمَعْنَى الْفِعْلِ وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بِمَعْنَى الْفَاعِلِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَيْحَهُ أَ مَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْجِسْمَ مَحْدُودٌ مُتَنَاهٍ وَالصُّورَةَ مَحْدُودَةٌ مُتَنَاهِيَةٌ فَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ الْحَدَّ احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَالنُّقْصَانَ وَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَالنُّقْصَانَ كَانَ مَخْلُوقاً قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا أَقُولُ قَالَ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَهُوَ مُجَسِّمُ الاجْسَامِ وَمُصَوِّرُ الصُّوَرِ لَمْ يَتَجَزَّأْ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاهَ وَلَمْ يَتَزَايَدْ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاقَصْ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الْخَالِقِ وَالْمَخْلُوقِ فَرْقٌ وَلا بَيْنَ الْمُنْشِئِ وَالْمُنْشَإِ لَكِنْ هُوَ الْمُنْشِئُ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ مَنْ جَسَّمَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَأَنْشَأَهُ إِذْ كَانَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يُشْبِهُ هُوَ شَيْئاً.

 6. Muhammad ibn Abu ‘Abdallah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Hassan ibn Sa‘id from ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah from Muhammad ibn Ziyad who has said the following. “I heard Yunus ibn Zabyan saying, ‘I went to meet abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), and said, “Hisham ibn al-Hakam has uttered monstrous words. I will briefly mention a few words. He thinks Allah has a body because things are of two types; (a) body and (b) the acts. It is not possible for the Creator Himself to be just actions or functions. But it is possible to consider Him as the agent.” Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then said, ‘That is not proper from him. Does he not know that the body has limits and the form has limits and an end? Whatever is subject to limitations is also subject to increase and reduction and such things are created.’ I then asked, “What then I should say?” He replied, ‘Allah is without body and form. He is the giver of body to all bodies and the giver of form to all forms. He can not be divided or limited. He does not grow or decrease. If it were as they say, then there would have been no difference between the Creator and the created, the inventor and the invented. But He is the Creator and the inventor. He has made the distinction and differentiation between that to which He has given body, form and that which He has invented. This is because nothing is similar to Him nor He resembles anything.’”

 7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِمَّانِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) إِنَّ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ عَالِمٌ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ قَادِرٌ مُتَكَلِّمٌ نَاطِقٌ وَالْكَلامُ وَالْقُدْرَةُ وَالْعِلْمُ يَجْرِي مَجْرَى وَاحِدٍ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْهَا مَخْلُوقاً فَقَالَ قَاتَلَهُ الله أَ مَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْجِسْمَ مَحْدُودٌ وَالْكَلامَ غَيْرُ الْمُتَكَلِّمِ مَعَاذَ الله وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَى الله مِنْ هَذَا الْقَوْلِ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا تَحْدِيدٌ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سِوَاهُ مَخْلُوقٌ إِنَّمَا تُكَوَّنُ الاشْيَاءُ بِإِرَادَتِهِ وَمَشِيئَتِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ كَلامٍ وَلا تَرَدُّدٍ فِي نَفَسٍ وَلا نُطْقٍ بِلِسَانٍ.

 7. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Ali ibn al-‘Abbass from al-Hassan ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Hammani who has said the following. “I said to abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘Hisham ibn al-Hakam claims that Allah is a body like unto Whom there is no one. He is All-knowing, All-hearing, All-seeing, All-powerful. He speaks and reasons. His word, His power, His knowledge are all in one. No one of them is created.’” The Imam said, “May Allah be his foe. Does he not know that the body is limited, and that the speech is other than what the speaker is? I seek refuge from Allah and I disclaim such words. Allah does not have a body, form or any kind of limitations. Allah has created everything. He creates things as and when He wills without any word or planing in the mind or utterance of the tongue.”

 8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ وَصَفْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلَ هِشَامٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ وَمَا يَقُولُ فِي الشَّابِّ الْمُوَفَّقِ وَوَصَفْتُ لَهُ قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

 8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Iisa from Yunus from Muhammad ibn Hakim who has said the following. “I mentioned to abu al-Hassan al-Awwal (the first) (a.s.), the statements of Hisham al-Jawaliqi and what he says about fully grown up young man (see Hadith 3 Chapter on prohibited Attributes). I also mentioned the statements of Hisham ibn al-Hakam in this matter.” The Imam said, “Allah, certainly, is not similar to any thing.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 11