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

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنِ ابْنِ الطَّيَّارِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله احْتَجَّ عَلَى النَّاسِ بِمَا آتَاهُمْ وَعَرَّفَهُمْ.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ مِثْلَهُ.

Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamayl ibn Durraj from ibn al-Tayyar from abu ‘Abd Allah who said the following:
“Allah has justified His holding people accountable with what He has made known and sent to them.” solid
Muhammad ibn Isma’Il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamyl ibn Durraj a similar Hadith.

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْمَعْرِفَةُ مِنْ صُنْعِ مَنْ هِيَ قَالَ مِنْ صُنْعِ الله لَيْسَ لِلْعِبَادِ فِيهَا صُنْعٌ.

Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Hakim who said: I asked Abu 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as): "Who is responsible for granting ma'rifa (a profound understanding of religion)?" He said: "It is the doing of Allah, and the servants have no role in it (without the intervention of Allah)."


عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّيَّارِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَما كانَ الله لِيُضِلَّ قَوْماً بَعْدَ إِذْ هَداهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ ما يَتَّقُونَ قَالَ حَتَّى يُعَرِّفَهُمْ مَا يُرْضِيهِ وَمَا يُسْخِطُهُ وَقَالَ فَأَلْهَمَها فُجُورَها وَتَقْواها قَالَ بَيَّنَ لَهَا مَا تَأْتِي وَمَا تَتْرُكُ وَقَالَ إِنَّا هَدَيْناهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شاكِراً وَإِمَّا كَفُوراً قَالَ عَرَّفْنَاهُ إِمَّا آخِذٌ وَإِمَّا تَارِكٌ وَعَنْ قَوْلِهِ وَأَمَّا ثَمُودُ فَهَدَيْناهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمى‏ عَلَى الْهُدى‏ قَالَ عَرَّفْنَاهُمْ فَاسْتَحَبُّوا الْعَمَى عَلَى الْهُدَى وَهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ بَيَّنَّا لَهُمْ.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ibn Faddal from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from Hamza ibn Muhammad al- Tayyar from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious:
“Allah does not misguide a nation after having given them guidance until the means of piety are made known to them . . .” (9:115) The Imam (a.s.), said, ‘It (means of piety) means before giving the knowledge of what He is pleased with and what He is displeased with.’ The Imam (a.s.), said the words of Allah ‘. . . and inspired it with knowledge of evil and piety,’ (91:8) convey that He has explained what people must do and what they must not do. The words of Allah, ‘We showed him the right path whether he would be grateful or ungrateful’ (76:3), say that Allah has given them the knowledge. They may follow or they may ignore. About the words of Allah, ‘We sent guidance to the people of Thamud but they preferred blindness to guidance so a humiliating blast of torment struck them for their evil deeds.’ (41:17) The Imam said, ‘It means that Allah gave them the knowledge but they preferred blindness over guidance and they knew it.’”
In another Hadith it says, “We explained to them.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَهَدَيْناهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ قَالَ نَجْدَ الْخَيْرِ وَالشَّرِّ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al- Rahman from ibn Bukayr from Hamza ibn Muhammad from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), the following:
“Once I asked the Imam (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘Have We not shown him the ways of ‘al-Najdayn’ ?’ (90:10) The Imam said, ‘al-Najdayn’ means the ways of good and evil.’”

وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَصْلَحَكَ الله هَلْ جُعِلَ فِي النَّاسِ أَدَاةٌ يَنَالُونَ بِهَا الْمَعْرِفَةَ قَالَ فَقَالَ لا قُلْتُ فَهَلْ كُلِّفُوا الْمَعْرِفَةَ قَالَ لا عَلَى الله الْبَيَانُ لا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفْساً إِلا وُسْعَها وَلا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفْساً إِلا ما آتاها قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ وَما كانَ الله لِيُضِلَّ قَوْماً بَعْدَ إِذْ هَداهُمْ حَتَّى يُبَيِّنَ لَهُمْ ما يَتَّقُونَ قَالَ حَتَّى يُعَرِّفَهُمْ مَا يُرْضِيهِ وَمَا يُسْخِطُهُ.

Through the chain of narrators of the previous Hadith from Yunus has narrated from Hammad from ‘Abd al-A‘la who has said the following:
“Once I said to (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’May Allah keep you well, Has Allah placed a means in people to know?’ He replied, ‘No, He has not done so.’ I asked, ‘Will He hold them responsible for knowing?’ He said, ‘No, because it is for Allah to explain.’ ‘Allah does not impose on any soul a responsibility beyond its ability . . .’ (2:286) ‘Allah does not impose on any soul that which he cannot afford . . .’ (65:7)
“I asked the Imam about the words of Allah in, ‘Allah does not misguide a nation after having given them guidance until the means of piety are made known to them . . .’ (9:115) The Imam said, ‘It (means of piety) means not until He gives the knowledge of what pleases Him and what displeases Him.’”

وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ سَعْدَانَ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله لَمْ يُنْعِمْ عَلَى عَبْدٍ نِعْمَةً إِلا وَقَدْ أَلْزَمَهُ فِيهَا الْحُجَّةَ مِنَ الله فَمَنْ مَنَّ الله عَلَيْهِ فَجَعَلَهُ قَوِيّاً فَحُجَّتُهُ عَلَيْهِ الْقِيَامُ بِمَا كَلَّفَهُ وَاحْتِمَالُ مَنْ هُوَ دُونَهُ مِمَّنْ هُوَ أَضْعَفُ مِنْهُ وَمَنْ مَنَّ الله عَلَيْهِ فَجَعَلَهُ مُوَسَّعاً عَلَيْهِ فَحُجَّتُهُ عَلَيْهِ مَالُهُ ثُمَّ تَعَاهُدُهُ الْفُقَرَاءَ بَعْدُ بِنَوَافِلِهِ وَمَنْ مَنَّ الله عَلَيْهِ فَجَعَلَهُ شَرِيفاً فِي بَيْتِهِ جَمِيلاً فِي صُورَتِهِ فَحُجَّتُهُ عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَحْمَدَ الله تَعَالَى عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَأَنْ لا يَتَطَاوَلَ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ فَيَمْنَعَ حُقُوقَ الضُّعَفَاءِ لِحَالِ شَرَفِهِ وَجَمَالِهِ.

Through the above chain of narrators it is narrated from Yunus from Sa‘dan, in a marfu‘ manner, from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following:
“Allah has not granted any bounties to a person without holding him justifiably responsible for them. He gives them bounties and gives them power, which justifies His holding them responsible for their duties. He gives smaller degrees of responsibilities to those who are of lesser degrees of capabilities. One who has received bounties from Allah He has provided him ease, thus the justification to hold him responsible is the comfort he has received. Then it is for him to help the needy in optional ways. The one whom Allah has favored and has made noble in his house and beautiful in his form, is justifiably obligated for

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 32