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 يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقُلْتُ أَتَوَهَّمُ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ غَيْرَ مَعْقُولٍ وَلا مَحْدُودٍ فَمَا وَقَعَ وَهْمُكَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ خِلافُهُ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ كَيْفَ تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَهُوَ خِلافُ مَا يُعْقَلُ وَخِلافُ مَا يُتَصَوَّرُ فِي الاوْهَامِ إِنَّمَا يُتَوَهَّمُ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرُ مَعْقُولٍ وَلا مَحْدُودٍ.

1 - Muhammad ibn Ya'qub reported from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Najran, who said: I asked Abu Ja'far al-Baqir (as) about Tawhid, and I said: "I imagine something." He replied: "Yes, it is something that is neither rational nor limited. Whatever your imagination has conceived of anything, it is the opposite of it; nothing resembles Him, and the imagination cannot comprehend Him. How can the imagination grasp Him when He is contrary to what is rational and contrary to what can be conceived in imagination? Rather, what is imagined is something that is neither rational nor limited."

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ لله إِنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ يُخْرِجُهُ مِنَ الْحَدَّيْنِ حَدِّ التَّعْطِيلِ وَحَدِّ التَّشْبِيهِ.

 2. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id who said that I asked Imam abu Ja‘far, the second (a.s.) the following. “Is it permissible to say that Allah is a thing?” The Imam replied, “Yes, because it removes two kinds of limitations, the limitation of being forgotten altogether and that of considering Him like other things.”

 3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَا خَلا الله.

 3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from abu al-Maghra in a marfu‘ manner from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah is distinct from His creatures and His creatures are different from Him and whatever that is called a thing is a creature except Allah.”

 4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَا خَلا الله فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ.

 4. A number of our companions from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid al-Barqiyy, from his father, from al-Nadr b. Suwayd, from Yahya al-Halabiyy, from ibn Muskan, from Zurarah b. A'yun who said: I heard Abi 'Abdillah (a.s.) saying: “Allah is distinct from His creatures and the creatures are different from Him. Whatever could be called a thing is a creature except Allah Who is the Creator of all things. Holy is He for Whom there is no similarity and He is all-hearing and all-aware.”

 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ خَيْثَمَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَا خَلا الله تَعَالَى فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

 5. Ali ibn Ibrahim reported from his father, from Ibn Abi 'Umayr, from Ali ibn 'Atiyyah, from Khaythamah, from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who said, “Allah is distinct from His creation, and his creation is distinct from Him, and everything what the name ‘thing’ occurs upon, apart from Allah the Exalted,  is created. And Allah is the Creator of all things.”

 6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْفُقَيْمِيِّ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلزِّنْدِيقِ حِينَ سَأَلَهُ مَا هُوَ قَالَ هُوَ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِخِلافِ الاشْيَاءِ ارْجِعْ بِقَوْلِي إِلَى إِثْبَاتِ مَعْنًى وَأَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِحَقِيقَةِ الشَّيْئِيَّةِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا يُحَسُّ وَلا يُجَسُّ وَلا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ الْخَمْسِ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَلا تَنْقُصُهُ الدُّهُورُ وَلا تُغَيِّرُهُ الازْمَانُ فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَتَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ قَالَ هُوَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ سَمِيعٌ بِغَيْرِ جَارِحَةٍ وَبَصِيرٌ بِغَيْرِ آلَةٍ بَلْ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَيُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ لَيْسَ قَوْلِي إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَبَصِيرٌ يُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالنَّفْسُ شَيْ‏ءٌ آخَرُ وَلَكِنْ أَرَدْتُ عِبَارَةً عَنْ نَفْسِي إِذْ كُنْتُ مَسْئُولاً وَإِفْهَاماً لَكَ إِذْ كُنْتَ سَائِلاً فَأَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بِكُلِّهِ لا أَنَّ الْكُلَّ مِنْهُ لَهُ بَعْضٌ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَدْتُ إِفْهَامَكَ وَالتَّعْبِيرُ عَنْ نَفْسِي وَلَيْسَ مَرْجِعِي فِي ذَلِكَ إِلا إِلَى أَنَّهُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْعَالِمُ الْخَبِيرُ بِلا اخْتِلافِ الذَّاتِ وَلا اخْتِلافِ الْمَعْنَى قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَمَا هُوَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ الرَّبُّ وَهُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ وَهُوَ الله وَلَيْسَ قَوْلِي الله إِثْبَاتَ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ أَلِفٍ وَلامٍ وَهَاءٍ وَلا رَاءٍ وَلا بَاءٍ وَلَكِنِ ارْجِعْ إِلَى مَعْنًى وَشَيْ‏ءٍ خَالِقِ الاشْيَاءِ وَصَانِعِهَا وَنَعْتِ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ وَهُوَ الْمَعْنَى سُمِّيَ بِهِ الله وَالرَّحْمَنُ وَالرَّحِيمُ وَالْعَزِيزُ وَأَشْبَاهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ وَهُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَإِنَّا لَمْ نَجِدْ مَوْهُوماً إِلا مَخْلُوقاً قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا تَقُولُ لَكَانَ التَّوْحِيدُ عَنَّا مُرْتَفِعاً لانَّا لَمْ نُكَلَّفْ غَيْرَ مَوْهُومٍ وَلَكِنَّا نَقُولُ كُلُّ مَوْهُومٍ بِالْحَوَاسِّ مُدْرَكٍ بِهِ تَحُدُّهُ الْحَوَاسُّ وَتُمَثِّلُهُ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ إِذْ كَانَ النَّفْيُ هُوَ الابْطَالَ وَالْعَدَمَ وَالْجِهَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ التَّشْبِيهُ إِذْ كَانَ التَّشْبِيهُ هُوَ صِفَةَ الْمَخْلُوقِ الظَّاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَالتَّأْلِيفِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ بُدٌّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ لِوُجُودِ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ وَالاضْطِرَارِ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ مَصْنُوعُونَ وَأَنَّ صَانِعَهُمْ غَيْرُهُمْ وَلَيْسَ مِثْلَهُمْ إِذْ كَانَ مِثْلُهُمْ شَبِيهاً بِهِمْ فِي ظَاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَالتَّأْلِيفِ وَفِيمَا يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حُدُوثِهِمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا وَتَنَقُّلِهِمْ مِنَ صِغَرٍ إِلَى كِبَرٍ وَسَوَادٍ إِلَى بَيَاضٍ وَقُوَّةٍ إِلَى ضَعْفٍ وَأَحْوَالٍ مَوْجُودَةٍ لا حَاجَةَ بِنَا إِلَى تَفْسِيرِهَا لِبَيَانِهَا وَوُجُودِهَا قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَقَدْ حَدَدْتَهُ إِذْ أَثْبَتَّ وُجُودَهُ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ أَحُدَّهُ وَلَكِنِّي أَثْبَتُّهُ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ النَّفْيِ وَالاثْبَاتِ مَنْزِلَةٌ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ إِنِّيَّةٌ وَمَائِيَّةٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ لا يُثْبَتُ الشَّيْ‏ءُ إِلا بِإِنِّيَّةٍ وَمَائِيَّةٍ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ كَيْفِيَّةٌ قَالَ لا لانَّ الْكَيْفِيَّةَ جِهَةُ الصِّفَةِ وَالاحَاطَةِ وَلَكِنْ لا بُدَّ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ مِنْ جِهَةِ التَّعْطِيلِ وَالتَّشْبِيهِ لانَّ مَنْ نَفَاهُ فَقَدْ أَنْكَرَهُ وَدَفَعَ رُبُوبِيَّتَهُ وَأَبْطَلَهُ وَمَنْ شَبَّهَهُ بِغَيْرِهِ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتَهُ بِصِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ الَّذِينَ لا يَسْتَحِقُّونَ الرُّبُوبِيَّةَ وَلَكِنْ لا بُدَّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُ كَيْفِيَّةً لا يَسْتَحِقُّهَا غَيْرُهُ وَلا يُشَارِكُ فِيهَا وَلا يُحَاطُ بِهَا وَلا يَعْلَمُهَا غَيْرُهُ قَالَ السَّائِلُ فَيُعَانِي الاشْيَاءَ بِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُعَانِيَ الاشْيَاءَ بِمُبَاشَرَةٍ وَمُعَالَجَةٍ لانَّ ذَلِكَ صِفَةُ الْمَخْلُوقِ الَّذِي لا تَجِي‏ءُ الاشْيَاءُ لَهُ إِلا بِالْمُبَاشَرَةِ وَالْمُعَالَجَةِ وَهُوَ مُتَعَالٍ نَافِذُ الارَادَةِ وَالْمَشِيئَةِ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ.

6 - Ali ibn Ibrahim reported from his father, from Abbas ibn Amr al-Fuqaymi, from Hisham ibn al-Hakam, who said: Abu Abdullah al-Sadiq (as) said to the heretic when he asked him, "What is He (Allah)?" He said: "He is something contrary to other things; refer my statement to the affirmation of a meaning, and that it is something in the reality of existence, but it is neither a body nor a form, nor can it be sensed or grasped. It cannot be perceived by the five senses; it cannot be comprehended by imagination, nor diminished by time, nor altered by the ages." The questioner said: "Then you say He is Hearing and Seeing?" He replied: "He is Hearing and Seeing, Hearing without organs and Seeing without instruments; rather, He hears by Himself and sees by Himself. My statement that 'He is Hearing by Himself and Seeing by Himself' does not imply that He is something distinct, but I intended to express myself since I was asked, and to clarify for you since you were inquiring. Thus, I say: He is Hearing in His entirety, not that the whole of Him has a part, but I wanted to convey this for your understanding and to express my own meaning. My reference in this is solely to Him being the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, without any difference in essence or meaning." The questioner asked: "What is He?" Abu Abdullah (as) said: "He is the Lord, and He is the Object of Worship, and He is Allah." My statement that 'Allah' affirms these letters, the Alif, the Lam, the Ha, and the Ra, is not intended. Rather, refer to the meaning and the entity that creates all things and brings them into existence, and the description of these letters; He is the meaning for which the name 'Allah' is called, as well as 'The Merciful', 'The Compassionate', 'The Almighty', and similar names. He is the Object of Worship, Exalted and Glorious. The questioner then said: "But we do not find a concept except that it is created." Abu Abdullah (as) replied: "If that were as you say, then Tawhid would be negated for us, as we would not be obliged to acknowledge anything other than what is imagined. However, we say that every imagined concept is perceived through the senses; the senses limit it and represent it. Thus, it is a created entity, for if negation implies nullification and absence, then the second aspect is likening it to the qualities of apparent, composite creation. Therefore, it is necessary to affirm the Creator's existence due to the existence of the created beings and the necessity of them being created. Their creator is other than them and is not similar to them, for if He were like them, He would share in the composition and assembly, and in the changes that occur to them after they did not exist, and their transitions from youth to old age, from darkness to light, from strength to weakness, and the states that exist do not require explanation to clarify their existence." The questioner then said: "You have defined Him by affirming His existence." Abu Abdullah (as) said: "I have not defined Him, but I affirm Him, for there is no intermediate position between negation and affirmation." The questioner said: "Then He has attributes of being and quantity." He replied: "Yes, nothing can be affirmed except through attributes of being and quantity." The questioner asked: "Then He has a manner?" He said: "No, for manner is an attribute of description and limitation. However, it is necessary to move away from the aspects of negation and likening, for whoever denies Him has indeed denied Him and rejected His Lordship, while whoever likens Him to others has affirmed Him with the attributes of created beings who do not deserve Lordship. However, it is necessary to affirm that He has a manner that is not shared by others, and that He is not comparable in any way, and that none knows it except Him." The questioner said: "Does He experience things by Himself?" Abu Abdullah (as) replied: "He is far above experiencing things directly and through direct contact, for that is a characteristic of created beings, which do not come to Him except through direct contact and intervention. He is Exalted, having effective will and desire, and He accomplishes whatever He wills."

 7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ إِنَّ الله شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ يُخْرِجُهُ مِنَ الْحَدَّيْنِ حَدِّ التَّعْطِيلِ وَحَدِّ التَّشْبِيهِ.

 7. It is narrated from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who said when he was asked, “Is it permissible to say Allah is a thing?” “Yes, it is permissible because it excludes Him from being ignored altogether and from being analogized or considered similar to the creatures.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 2