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 عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ أَبِي شُعَيْبٍ الْمَحَامِلِيِّ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَيْسَ لله عَلَى خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوا وَلِلْخَلْقِ عَلَى الله أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ وَلله عَلَى الْخَلْقِ إِذَا عَرَّفَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْبَلُوا.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from abu Shu’ayb al-Mahamili from Durust ibn abu Mansur from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following:
“People are not accountable before Allah to know. It is up to Allah to make them know. Once Allah makes them know then people are responsible for accepting (their duties).”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ شَيْئاً هَلْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ لا.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hajjal from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from ‘Abd al-A‘la ibn ’A‘yan who said the following:
“Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘If a person does not know, will he be held responsible?’ He said, ‘No, he will not be held responsible.’”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ فَرْقَدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَا حَجَبَ الله عَنِ الْعِبَادِ فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عَنْهُمْ.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from Dawud ibn Farqad from abu al-Hassan Zakariyya from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following:
“Whatever Allah has kept hidden from people they will not be held responsible for it.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ الاحْمَرِ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ الطَّيَّارِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِي اكْتُبْ فَأَمْلَى عَلَيَّ إِنَّ مِنْ قَوْلِنَا إِنَّ الله يَحْتَجُّ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ بِمَا آتَاهُمْ وَعَرَّفَهُمْ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولاً وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْكِتَابَ فَأَمَرَ فِيهِ وَنَهَى أَمَرَ فِيهِ بِالصَّلاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ فَنَامَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَنِ الصَّلاةِ فَقَالَ أَنَا أُنِيمُكَ وَأَنَا أُوقِظُكَ فَإِذَا قُمْتَ فَصَلِّ لِيَعْلَمُوا إِذَا أَصَابَهُمْ ذَلِكَ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُونَ لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ إِذَا نَامَ عَنْهَا هَلَكَ وَكَذَلِكَ الصِّيَامُ أَنَا أُمْرِضُكَ وَأَنَا أُصِحُّكَ فَإِذَا شَفَيْتُكَ فَاقْضِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَكَذَلِكَ إِذَا نَظَرْتَ فِي جَمِيعِ الاشْيَاءِ لَمْ تَجِدْ أَحَداً فِي ضِيقٍ وَلَمْ تَجِدْ أَحَداً إِلا وَلله عَلَيْهِ الْحُجَّةُ وَلله فِيهِ الْمَشِيئَةُ وَلا أَقُولُ إِنَّهُمْ مَا شَاءُوا صَنَعُوا ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الله يَهْدِي وَيُضِلُّ وَقَالَ وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلا بِدُونِ سَعَتِهِمْ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أُمِرَ النَّاسُ بِهِ فَهُمْ يَسَعُونَ لَهُ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ لا يَسَعُونَ لَهُ فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عَنْهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ النَّاسَ لا خَيْرَ فِيهِمْ ثُمَّ تَلا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَيْسَ عَلَى الضُّعَفاءِ وَلا عَلَى الْمَرْضى‏ وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ لا يَجِدُونَ ما يُنْفِقُونَ حَرَجٌ فَوُضِعَ عَنْهُمْ ما عَلَى الْمُحْسِنِينَ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ وَالله غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ وَلا عَلَى الَّذِينَ إِذا ما أَتَوْكَ لِتَحْمِلَهُمْ قَالَ فَوُضِعَ عَنْهُمْ لانَّهُمْ لا يَجِدُونَ.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban al-Ahmar from Hamza ibn al-Tayyar who said the following:
“Once Imam abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to me, ‘Write down.’ He dictated to me the following. ‘It is of our Hadith that Allah will, justifiably, hold people accountable for what He has given and made known to them. Allah then sent His messenger to them and sent down books upon them in which He has commanded and prohibited them. He has commanded them to perform prayers and fast. The messenger of Allah (a.s.), remained sleeping until the time for prayer expired and Allah said, ‘I make you sleep and wake you up. When you wake up then perform the prayer so that they can learn if such thing happened to them what they should do.’ 

“It is not the way that they say, ‘If one remains asleep (at the time of prayer) one is destroyed.’ In the same way is fasting. ‘I (Allah) cause you to become ill and when I give you good health then you will make up for the fast that you missed during your illness.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘So also is, if you look at all things you will find that Allah has caused no constrictions to anyone. You will not find anyone against whom Allah may not have enough justification to hold him accountable with His wish therein. I do not say that they can do whatever they wish.
“The Imam then said, ‘Allah guides and misleads.’ He further said, ‘People are not ordered to do what they are not capable of. For everything that people are ordered to do they have the capability for it and anything of which they are not capable is removed and lifted up from them but there is not much good in people.’ He (the Imam) then recited from the Holy Quran: ‘People who are weak or sick and those who do not have the means to take part in the fighting are exempt from this duty . . .’ (conditions of people exempt are mentioned) ‘Righteous people shall not be blamed. Allah is All-forgiving and All-merciful.’ (9:91) So also relieved of the duty are ‘Those who come to you (Muhammad), asking to be taken to the battle . . .’ (9:92) they do not have the means.’”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 34