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

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ السَّرَّاجِ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ ثَابِتِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا ثَابِتُ مَا لَكُمْ وَلِلنَّاسِ كُفُّوا عَنِ النَّاسِ وَلا تَدْعُوا أَحَداً إِلَى أَمْرِكُمْ فَوَ الله لَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَأَهْلَ الارَضِينَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَهْدُوا عَبْداً يُرِيدُ الله ضَلالَتَهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَهْدُوهُ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَأَهْلَ الارَضِينَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يُضِلُّوا عَبْداً يُرِيدُ الله هِدَايَتَهُ مَا اسْتَطَاعُوا أَنْ يُضِلُّوهُ كُفُّوا عَنِ النَّاسِ وَلا يَقُولُ أَحَدٌ عَمِّي وَأَخِي وَابْنُ عَمِّي وَجَارِي فَإِنَّ الله إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً طَيَّبَ رُوحَهُ فَلا يَسْمَعُ مَعْرُوفاً إِلا عَرَفَهُ وَلا مُنْكَراً إِلا أَنْكَرَهُ ثُمَّ يَقْذِفُ الله فِي قَلْبِهِ كَلِمَةً يَجْمَعُ بِهَا أَمْرَهُ.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Isma‘il al-Sarraj from ibn Muskan from Thabit in Sa‘id who said the following:
“Once, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘O Thabit, why do you bother about people? Leave them alone and do not call anyone to accept your belief (the belief of the Shi’a Muslims). I swear by Allah that even if all the people in the heavens and earth come together to guide a person whom Allah wants not to guide they will never be able to guide him. If all the people in the heavens and on earth will come together to misguide a person whom Allah wants to guide, they will never be able to misguide him. Leave the people alone. No one should say, ‘O my uncle, my brother, the son of my uncle and my neighbor.’ When Allah wants good for a person He cleanses his spirit. He then does not hear any lawful thing but that he knows it and no unlawful thing but that he dislikes it. Then Allah places a word in his heart with which He organizes all his affairs.’”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً نَكَتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةً مِنْ نُورٍ وَفَتَحَ مَسَامِعَ قَلْبِهِ وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ مَلَكاً يُسَدِّدُهُ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ سُوءاً نَكَتَ فِي قَلْبِهِ نُكْتَةً سَوْدَاءَ وَسَدَّ مَسَامِعَ قَلْبِهِ وَوَكَّلَ بِهِ شَيْطَاناً يُضِلُّهُ ثُمَّ تَلا هَذِهِ الايَةَ فَمَنْ يُرِدِ الله أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلاسْلامِ وَمَنْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقاً حَرَجاً كَأَنَّما يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّماءِ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Humran from Sulayman ibn Khalid from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following:
“When Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, wants good for a person He places a point of light in his heart and opens the ears of his heart and assigns an angel to support him. When He wants bad fortune for a person He places a dark black spot in his heart, closes the ears of his heart and assigns a Satan to mislead him. The Imam (a.s.), then recited the following verse of the Holy Quran. ‘Allah will open the hearts of whomever He wants to guide to Islam, but He will constrict the chest of one whom He has led astray, as though he were climbing high up into the sky. . . .’” (6:125)

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ اجْعَلُوا أَمْرَكُمْ لله وَلا تَجْعَلُوهُ لِلنَّاسِ فَإِنَّهُ مَا كَانَ لله فَهُوَ لله وَمَا كَانَ لِلنَّاسِ فَلا يَصْعَدُ إِلَى الله وَلا تُخَاصِمُوا النَّاسَ لِدِينِكُمْ فَإِنَّ الْمُخَاصَمَةَ مَمْرَضَةٌ لِلْقَلْبِ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَى قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّكَ لا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلكِنَّ الله يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشاءُ وَقَالَ أَ فَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ ذَرُوا النَّاسَ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ أَخَذُوا عَنِ النَّاسِ وَإِنَّكُمْ أَخَذْتُمْ عَنْ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ أَبِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا كَتَبَ عَلَى عَبْدٍ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ فِي هَذَا الامْرِ كَانَ أَسْرَعَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الطَّيْرِ إِلَى وَكْرِهِ.

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqba from his father who said the following:
“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Leave your affairs to Allah and do not leave them to the people. Whatever is for Allah it is for Him. Whatever is for people it will not rise up to Allah. Do not quarrel with people about your belief; quarrelling sickens the heart. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, said to His Prophet (Muhammad) (a.s.), ‘you cannot guide whomever you love, but Allah guides whomever He wants and knows best those who seek guidance.’ (28:56) ‘(Muhammad), do you force people to have faith?’ (10:99)
“Leave the people alone; people learn from people and you have learned from the Messenger of Allah (a.s.). I heard my father (a.s.), saying, ‘When Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, writes for a person to enter in this belief he will do so faster than the flight of a bird to its nest.’”

أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) نَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى هَذَا الامْرِ فَقَالَ لا يَا فُضَيْلُ إِنَّ الله إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً أَمَرَ مَلَكاً فَأَخَذَ بِعُنُقِهِ فَأَدْخَلَهُ فِي هَذَا الامْرِ طَائِعاً أَوْ كَارِهاً.

تَمَّ كِتَابُ الْعَقْلِ وَالْعِلْمِ وَالتَّوْحِيدِ مِنْ كِتَابِ الْكَافِي وَيَتْلُوهُ كِتَابُ الْحُجَّةِ فِي الْجُزْءِ الثَّانِي مِنْ كِتَابِ الْكَافِي تَأْلِيفِ الشَّيْخِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيِّ رَحْمَةُ الله عَلَيْهِ.

Abu Ali al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn Marwan from Fudayl ibn Yasar the following:
“Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Can we invite people to this belief (the belief of the Shi’a Muslims)?’ He said, ‘No, do not invite them, O Fudayl. When Allah wants good for a servant of His, He orders an angel to grab him by his neck and then enters him in this belief compelled or willing.’”
This is the end of the Book on the Oneness of Allah of al-Kafi. All praise belongs to Allah alone and Allah has granted blessings upon Muhammad and his family.

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 3, Chapter 35