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 إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ لَيْسَ عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ حَقٌّ وَلا صَوَابٌ وَلا أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ يَقْضِي بِقَضَاءٍ حَقٍّ إِلا مَا خَرَجَ مِنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَإِذَا تَشَعَّبَتْ بِهِمُ الامُورُ كَانَ الْخَطَأُ مِنْهُمْ وَالصَّوَابُ مِنْ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

 1. Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ibn Muskan from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following. “I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say, ‘No one of the people has anything true with him, or correct nor does anyone of the people judge with truth except by means of what is made available from Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad). When the affairs grow branches and scatter chaotically the mistake would be from them and the correct solution from Ali (a.s.).”

 2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ مُثَنًّى عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكُوفَةِ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سَلُونِي عَمَّا شِئْتُمْ فَلا تَسْأَلُونِّي عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ إِلا أَنْبَأْتُكُمْ بِهِ قَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ إِلا خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَلْيَذْهَبِ النَّاسُ حَيْثُ شَاءُوا فَوَ الله لَيْسَ الامْرُ إِلا مِنْ هَاهُنَا وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ.

 2. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Basir from Muthanna from Zurara who has said the following. “Once I was in the presence of abu Ja‘far (a.s.). A man from Kufa asked him about the words of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), “Ask me whatever you would like. Whatever you may ask I will give you the answer.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “No one has any piece of knowledge of anything that has not come through Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) People may go wherever they may like, however, by Allah, the truth comes from no where else except from here, he pointed out with his hand towards his house.”

 3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِسَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ وَالْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ شَرِّقَا وَغَرِّبَا فَلا تَجِدَانِ عِلْماً صَحِيحاً إِلا شَيْئاً خَرَجَ مِنْ عِنْدِنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ.

 3. A number of our people has narrated Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from ibn abu Mayam who has said the following. “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said to Salma ibn Kuhayl and al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba, ‘Easternize or westernize you two will find not find correct knowledge except that which has come to light through Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad).”

 4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي إِنَّ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ عُتَيْبَةَ مِمَّنْ قَالَ الله وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِالله وَبِالْيَوْمِ الاخِرِ وَما هُمْ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ فَلْيُشَرِّقِ الْحَكَمُ وَلْيُغَرِّبْ أَمَا وَالله لا يُصِيبُ الْعِلْمَ إِلا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ جَبْرَئِيلُ.

 4. Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from Mu‘alla ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following. “ Abu Basir said to me, ‘Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba is of those people about whom Allah has said, “Some people say, “We believe in God and the Day of Judgment,” but they are not true believers.” (2:8) Al-Hakam may easternize or westernize, he, by Allah, will not find the true knowledge in no other source except from Ahl al-Bayt to whom Jibril came (with knowledge).”

 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ شَهَادَةِ وَلَدِ الزِّنَا تَجُوزُ فَقَالَ لا فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ الْحَكَمَ بْنَ عُتَيْبَةَ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّهَا تَجُوزُ فَقَالَ اللهمَّ لا تَغْفِرْ ذَنْبَهُ مَا قَالَ الله لِلْحَكَمِ إِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ فَلْيَذْهَبِ الْحَكَمُ يَمِيناً وَشِمَالاً فَوَ الله لا يُؤْخَذُ الْعِلْمُ إِلا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ جَبْرَئِيلُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

 5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn al-Sindi from Ja‘far ibn Bashir from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from abu Basir who has said the following. “I askked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the permissibility of the testimony of a person born out of wedlock.” He said, “No, it is not addissible.” I then said, “Al-Hakam ibn ‘Utayba believes it is addmissible.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Lord, do not forgive his sin. Allah has not to al-Hakam, “ It (the Quran) is a reminder to you and to your people . .” (43:44) Al-Hakam may go right or left, by Allah, the knowledge worthwhile to learn comes only from Ahl al-Bayt (members of the family of Prophet Muhammad) to who Jibril came down.”

 6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ بَدْرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَلامٌ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْخُرَاسَانِيُّ عَنْ سَلامِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْمَخْزُومِيِّ قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا جَالِسٌ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ عَبَّادُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ عَابِدُ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ وَابْنُ شُرَيْحٍ فَقِيهُ أَهْلِ مَكَّةَ وَعِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَيْمُونٌ الْقَدَّاحُ مَوْلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَسَأَلَهُ عَبَّادُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله فِي كَمْ ثَوْبٍ كُفِّنَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ فِي ثَلاثَةِ أَثْوَابٍ ثَوْبَيْنِ صُحَارِيَّيْنِ وَثَوْبٍ حِبَرَةٍ وَكَانَ فِي الْبُرْدِ قِلَّةٌ فَكَأَنَّمَا ازْوَرَّ عَبَّادُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ نَخْلَةَ مَرْيَمَ (عليها السلام) إِنَّمَا كَانَتْ عَجْوَةً وَنَزَلَتْ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَمَا نَبَتَ مِنْ أَصْلِهَا كَانَ عَجْوَةً وَمَا كَانَ مِنْ لُقَاطٍ فَهُوَ لَوْنٌ فَلَمَّا خَرَجُوا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ قَالَ عَبَّادُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ لابْنِ شُرَيْحٍ وَالله مَا أَدْرِي مَا هَذَا الْمَثَلُ الَّذِي ضَرَبَهُ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله فَقَالَ ابْنُ شُرَيْحٍ هَذَا الْغُلامُ يُخْبِرُكَ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ يَعْنِي مَيْمُونٌ فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ مَيْمُونٌ أَ مَا تَعْلَمُ مَا قَالَ لَكَ قَالَ لا وَالله قَالَ إِنَّهُ ضَرَبَ لَكَ مَثَلَ نَفْسِهِ فَأَخْبَرَكَ أَنَّهُ وَلَدٌ مِنْ وُلْدِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَعِلْمُ رَسُولِ الله عِنْدَهُمْ فَمَا جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ فَهُوَ صَوَابٌ وَمَا جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِ غَيْرِهِمْ فَهُوَ لُقَاطٌ.

 6. A number of our people has narrated from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan ibn Yazid from Badr from his father who has said that Salam abu Ali al-Khurasani narrated to me from Salam ibn Sa‘id al-Makhzumi who has said the following. “Once I was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) that ‘Abbad ibn Kathir, the devoted worshipper of Basra, and Shurayh, the Faqih, (scholar of law) of the people of Makka came to see The Imam (a.s.). In the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) already there was Maymun al-Qaddah, the slave of abu Ja‘far (a.s.). ‘Abbad ibn Kathir then asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), “O abu ‘Abdallah, how many pieces of cloths were used to shroud the Holy Prophet (s.a)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “With three pieces. Two of them were Suhari (made in Suhar, Yemen) and one Hibara (made in Hibara, Yemen). Burd (fabric made in Yemen) was rare to find. ‘Abbad seemed frowning (as if he did not believe in the rarity of the fabric) at this. The Imam (a.s.) said, “The palm tree of (from which) Mary was ‘Ajwa (a kind of palm tree) and it had come from the heavens. Whatever grew from its roots they were also ‘Ajwa and whatever grew from its date-stones it became of lower quality.” When they left The Imam (a.s.) ‘Abbad ibn Kathir said to ibn Shurayh, “By Allah, I did not understand his simile that abu ‘Abdallah put forward to me.” Ibn Shurayh then said, “ Ask this boy (Maymun al-Qaddah). He will explain it to you because he is from them.” He then ask the boy and he said, “ Is it true that you did not understand what he said to you?”. He ‘Abbad said, “No, by Allah, I did not understand.” The boy, Maymun al-Qaddah, then said, “The refers to his own self. He informed you that he is one of the children of the Messenger of Allah and the knowledge of the Messenger of Allah is with them. Whatever knowledge would come from them is true and correct and whatever comes from other sources are not genuine.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 101