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 مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ وَلَقَبُهُ شَبَابٌ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا الصَّمَدُ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ الْمَصْمُودُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ.

 1. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Walid, whose title was Shabab al-Sayrafi from Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “I asked Imam abu Ja‘far al-Thani (the 2nd (a.s.), ‘May Allah take my soul in your service, what is the meaning of the word al-Samad?’” The Imam replied, al-Samad means the Lord to Who one turns for help, big or small.”

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ السَّرِيِّ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ الَّتِي يُدْعَا بِهَا وَتَعَالَى فِي عُلُوِّ كُنْهِهِ وَاحِدٌ تَوَحَّدَ بِالتَّوْحِيدِ فِي تَوَحُّدِهِ ثُمَّ أَجْرَاهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ فَهُوَ وَاحِدٌ صَمَدٌ قُدُّوسٌ يَعْبُدُهُ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَيَصْمُدُ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَوَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ عِلْماً.

فَهَذَا هُوَ الْمَعْنَى الصَّحِيحُ فِي تَأْوِيلِ الصَّمَدِ لا مَا ذَهَبَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُشَبِّهَةُ أَنَّ تَأْوِيلَ الصَّمَدِ الْمُصْمَتُ الَّذِي لا جَوْفَ لَهُ لانَّ ذَلِكَ لا يَكُونُ إِلا مِنْ صِفَةِ الْجِسْمِ وَالله جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ مُتَعَالٍ عَنْ ذَلِكَ هُوَ أَعْظَمُ وَأَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ تَقَعَ الاوْهَامُ عَلَى صِفَتِهِ أَوْ تُدْرِكَ كُنْهَ عَظَمَتِهِ وَلَوْ كَانَ تَأْوِيلُ الصَّمَدِ فِي صِفَةِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْمُصْمَتَ لَكَانَ مُخَالِفاً لِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ لانَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ صِفَةِ الاجْسَامِ الْمُصْمَتَةِ الَّتِي لا أَجْوَافَ لَهَا مِثْلِ الْحَجَرِ وَالْحَدِيدِ وَسَائِرِ الاشْيَاءِ الْمُصْمَتَةِ الَّتِي لا أَجْوَافَ لَهَا تَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً فَأَمَّا مَا جَاءَ فِي الاخْبَارِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَالْعَالِمُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَعْلَمُ بِمَا قَالَ وَهَذَا الَّذِي.

قَالَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الصَّمَدَ هُوَ السَّيِّدُ الْمَصْمُودُ إِلَيْهِ.

هُوَ مَعْنًى صَحِيحٌ مُوَافِقٌ لِقَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالْمَصْمُودُ إِلَيْهِ الْمَقْصُودُ فِي اللُّغَةِ قَالَ أَبُو طَالِبٍ فِي بَعْضِ مَا كَانَ يَمْدَحُ بِهِ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مِنْ شِعْرِهِ.

وَبِالْجَمْرَةِ الْقُصْوَى إِذَا صَمَدُوا لَهَا يَؤُمُّونَ قَذْفاً رَأْسَهَا بِالْجَنَادِلِ‏.

يَعْنِي قَصَدُوا نَحْوَهَا يَرْمُونَهَا بِالْجَنَادِلِ يَعْنِي الْحَصَى الصِّغَارَ الَّتِي تُسَمَّى بِالْجِمَارِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُ شُعَرَاءِ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ شِعْراً.

مَا كُنْتُ أَحْسَبُ أَنَّ بَيْتاً ظَاهِراً لله فِي أَكْنَافِ مَكَّةَ يُصْمَدُ.

يَعْنِي يُقْصَدُ وَقَالَ ابْنُ الزِّبْرِقَانِ.

وَلا رَهِيبَةَ إِلا سَيِّدٌ صَمَدٌ.

وَقَالَ شَدَّادُ بْنُ مُعَاوِيَةَ فِي حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ بَدْرٍ.

عَلَوْتُهُ بِحُسَامٍ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ لَهُ خُذْهَا حُذَيْفُ فَأَنْتَ السَّيِّدُ الصَّمَدُ.

وَمِثْلُ هَذَا كَثِيرٌ وَالله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هُوَ السَّيِّدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي جَمِيعُ الْخَلْقِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالانْسِ إِلَيْهِ يَصْمُدُونَ فِي الْحَوَائِجِ وَإِلَيْهِ يَلْجَئُونَ عِنْدَ الشَّدَائِدِ وَمِنْهُ يَرْجُونَ الرَّخَاءَ وَدَوَامَ النَّعْمَاءِ لِيَدْفَعَ عَنْهُمُ الشَّدَائِدَ.

 2. A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from al-Hassan ibn al-Sari from Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju‘fi who has said the following. “I asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) a few things about the Oneness of Allah. The Imam replied, “Allah, Holy are Whose names, with which He is mentioned is Exalted and Most High in His Own-self. He is One. In Oneness He is the One and only in Oneness. He then made His creatures to know Him as the only One. He is One, Self-sufficient and the Holy. All things worship Him and He has the knowledge of all things.” Al-Kulayni has said that this is the correct meaning of al-Samad but not what al-Mushabbihah (people who consider Allah similar to certain things) believe. Al-Samad literally means solid as opposed to hallow which applies only to physical objects. Allah, the Most High, is far above such attributes. Had such attribute applied to Allah, the Most High, it would have contradicted with Allah’s statement that says, “There is nothing similar to Him.” In the Ahadith of the scholar, the Imam (a.s.) al-Samad refers to a master whom people consider a recourse or stronghold and such meaning is close to Allah’s words, “There is nothing similar to Him.” (42:11) An example of such usage is what abu Talib had expressed in praise of the holy Prophet (s.a.) during his performing Hajj in throwing pebbles onto the pillars of stones that symbolically stand for Satan. He has used the word al-Samad to mean aiming. An other example is found in the expression of ibn Zabarqan, “Mr Rahibah is but a master and a (al-Samad) recourse.” One more example can be found in the expression of Shaddad ibn Mu‘awiyah about Kudhayfah ibn Badr, “Hold it O Hudhayfa, you are a master, ( al-Samad) recourse.” There are many such examples in normal usage. Allah, the Majestic, the Most High, the Master and the Recourse to Who all man and Jinn turn for help in their difficulties and from Him they expect relief.

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 18