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 الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا حَقُّ الامَامِ عَلَى النَّاسِ قَالَ حَقُّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَسْمَعُوا لَهُ وَيُطِيعُوا قُلْتُ فَمَا حَقُّهُمْ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ يَقْسِمَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالسَّوِيَّةِ وَيَعْدِلَ فِي الرَّعِيَّةِ فَإِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي النَّاسِ فَلا يُبَالِي مَنْ أَخَذَ هَاهُنَا وَهَاهُنَا.

 1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from abu Hamza who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘What are the rights of the Imam over the people?” He replied, “Of his rights over them is that they must listen to him and obey him.” I then asked, “What are their rights on him?” He replied, “Maintain among them equality and justice among the followers. When this prevails among the people then there would no fear as to who has taken this and that.”

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مِثْلَهُ إِلا أَنَّهُ قَالَ هَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا وَهَكَذَا يَعْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَخَلْفِهِ وَعَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il ibn Bazi‘ from Mansur ibn Yunus from Abu Hamza from Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) a similar hadith except that he has said, “this way, this way, this way and this way, meaning thereby front, back, right and left.” 

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مَسْعَدَةَ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لا تَخْتَانُوا وُلاتَكُمْ وَلا تَغُشُّوا هُدَاتَكُمْ وَلا تَجْهَلُوا أَئِمَّتَكُمْ وَلا تَصَدَّعُوا عَنْ حَبْلِكُمْ فَتَفْشَلُوا وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ وَعَلَى هَذَا فَلْيَكُنْ تَأْسِيسُ أُمُورِكُمْ وَالْزَمُوا هَذِهِ الطَّرِيقَةَ فَإِنَّكُمْ لَوْ عَايَنْتُمْ مَا عَايَنَ مَنْ قَدْ مَاتَ مِنْكُمْ مِمَّنْ خَالَفَ مَا قَدْ تُدْعَوْنَ إِلَيْهِ لَبَدَرْتُمْ وَخَرَجْتُمْ وَلَسَمِعْتُمْ وَلَكِنْ مَحْجُوبٌ عَنْكُمْ مَا قَدْ عَايَنُوا وَقَرِيباً مَا يُطْرَحُ الْحِجَابُ.

 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-‘Attar from certain members of our people from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas‘ada ibn sadaqa from Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) has said, ‘Do not be deceitful to your leaders, do not confuse your guides, do not be ignorant of your Imams and do not cut off the rope of your unity, least you will fail and be disgraced. On such foundation your affairs must be based and you must strictly live within such system. Had you been able to observe what those who lived before had observed and who had disregarded what you want to be accepted you would have acted fast, came out and listened. However, you can not observe what they had observed but the curtain will soon be removed.’

 4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ وَغَيْرِهِ عَنْ حَنَانِ بْنِ سَدِيرٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ نُعِيَتْ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) نَفْسُهُ وَهُوَ صَحِيحٌ لَيْسَ بِهِ وَجَعٌ قَالَ نَزَلَ بِهِ الرُّوحُ الامِينُ قَالَ فَنَادَى (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الصَّلاةَ جَامِعَةً وَأَمَرَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَالانْصَارَ بِالسِّلاحِ وَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ فَصَعِدَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الْمِنْبَرَ فَنَعَى إِلَيْهِمْ نَفْسَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أُذَكِّرُ الله الْوَالِيَ مِنْ بَعْدِي عَلَى أُمَّتِي أَلا يَرْحَمَ عَلَى جَمَاعَةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَأَجَلَّ كَبِيرَهُمْ وَرَحِمَ ضَعِيفَهُمْ وَوَقَّرَ عَالِمَهُمْ وَلَمْ يُضِرَّ بِهِمْ فَيُذِلَّهُمْ وَلَمْ يُفْقِرْهُمْ فَيُكْفِرَهُمْ وَلَمْ يُغْلِقْ بَابَهُ دُونَهُمْ فَيَأْكُلَ قَوِيُّهُمْ ضَعِيفَهِمْ وَلَمْ يَخْبِزْهُمْ فِي بُعُوثِهِمْ فَيَقْطَعَ نَسْلَ أُمَّتِي ثُمَّ قَالَ قَدْ بَلَّغْتُ وَنَصَحْتُ فَاشْهَدُوا وَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هَذَا آخِرُ كَلامٍ تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَلَى مِنْبَرِهِ.

 4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Hammad and others from Hanan ibn Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said the following. “I heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) say, ‘The Holy Prophet (sw) was given the news of his own death while he was in a good health and he did not suffer any pain.” He said, “The trusted Spirit came to him.” He said, “The Holy Prophet called for a prayer in congregation. He then ordered the Muhajir and Ansar (people from Makka and the people of Madina) to arm themselves. The people all came and the Holy Prophet climbed the platform, the pulpit and gave out the news of his own death and then said, “I warn of Allah the ruler after me over my followers for not being kind to the community of the Muslims. He must honor the elders among them and be kind to their weak, treat their scholars with dignity, must not harm to humiliate them. He must not allow them to suffer poverty that would turn them to disbelief, must not close his door to them to let their strong over run the weak ones. He must not use them in the (armed) campaigns for food that would banish the offspring of my followers. Then he said, (Certainly) I have delivered to you the message, gave you good advice so you must bear this testimony.” Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s) has said that this was the last words of the Messenger of Allah (sw) from the pulpit.”

 5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ حَبِيبِ بْنِ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ قَالَ جَاءَ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَسَلٌ وَتِينٌ مِنْ هَمْدَانَ وَحُلْوَانَ فَأَمَرَ الْعُرَفَاءَ أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالْيَتَامَى فَأَمْكَنَهُمْ مِنْ رُءُوسِ الازْقَاقِ يَلْعَقُونَهَا وَهُوَ يَقْسِمُهَا لِلنَّاسِ قَدَحاً قَدَحاً فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا لَهُمْ يَلْعَقُونَهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ الامَامَ أَبُو الْيَتَامَى وَإِنَّمَا أَلْعَقْتُهُمْ هَذَا بِرِعَايَةِ الابَاءِ.

 5. Muhammad ibn ali and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from a man from Habib ibn abu Thabit who has said the following. “Honey and fig were brought to Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) from Hamadhan and al-Hulwan (places near Baghdad). He asked the his officers to call in the orphans. They were allowed to lick honey from the containers while he himself distributed them among the people. People asked, “Why should the orphans be allowed to lick the honey?” He said, “He said that the Imam is the father of the orphans. I just wanted to gave them a fatherly treat.”

 6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الاصْبَهَانِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَعَلِيٌّ أَوْلَى بِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِي فَقِيلَ لَهُ مَا مَعْنَى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ قَوْلُ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْ تَرَكَ دَيْناً أَوْ ضَيَاعاً فَعَلَيَّ وَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَالاً فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ فَالرَّجُلُ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وِلايَةٌ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ عَلَى عِيَالِهِ أَمْرٌ وَلا نَهْيٌ إِذَا لَمْ يُجْرِ عَلَيْهِمُ النَّفَقَةَ وَالنَّبِيُّ وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَمَنْ بَعْدَهُمَا أَلْزَمَهُمْ هَذَا فَمِنْ هُنَاكَ صَارُوا أَوْلَى بِهِمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ سَبَبُ إِسْلامِ عَامَّةِ الْيَهُودِ إِلا مِنْ بَعْدِ هَذَا الْقَوْلِ مِنْ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَعَلَى عِيَالاتِهِمْ.

 6. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father all of them from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Asbahani from Sulayman ibn dawud al-Manqari from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna from Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Holy Prophet has said, ’Isma‘il have more authority over every believer than their own selves and after me Ali (a.s.) will such authority.” He was asked, “What is the meaning of that?” He said, “These are the words of the Holy Prophet (sw), ‘One who would pass away his debts and liabilities become my responsibility If one would live a legacy I will be the heir thereof. A man will have no authority over himself if would have no property and one will not authority over his dependents if would not provide their expenses. The Holy Prophet (sw) and Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s) and their successors have made it binding up on them. For this reason they have greater authority over them than their own selves. The general masses of the Jews accepted Islam only after these words of the Messenger of Allah (sw). They found peace for themselves and for their dependents.”

 7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ صَبَّاحِ بْنِ سَيَابَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَيُّمَا مُؤْمِنٍ أَوْ مُسْلِمٍ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ دَيْناً لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي فَسَادٍ وَلا إِسْرَافٍ فَعَلَى الامَامِ أَنْ يَقْضِيَهُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْضِهِ فَعَلَيْهِ إِثْمُ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَقُولُ إِنَّمَا الصَّدَقاتُ لِلْفُقَراءِ وَالْمَساكِينِ الايَةَ فَهُوَ مِنَ الْغَارِمِينَ وَلَهُ سَهْمٌ عِنْدَ الامَامِ فَإِنْ حَبَسَهُ فَإِثْمُهُ عَلَيْهِ.

 7. A number of our companions have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from Ali ibn al-Hakam, from Aban ibn 'Uthman, from Sabbah ibn Sayyaba, from Abu 'Abdallah (a.s), who said the following: "The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: 'Any believer or Muslim who dies while leaving behind a debt not incurred for unlawful or extravagant reasons, it will be the responsibility of the Imam to pay it off. Otherwise, its sin is upon him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, says: 'Welfare funds (zakat) are only for the poor, the destitute' (9:60). Such a person is bankrupt, and there is a share for him with the Imam. If he withholds it, then its sin is upon him.'"

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ حَنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) لا تَصْلُحُ الامَامَةُ إِلا لِرَجُلٍ فِيهِ ثَلاثُ خِصَالٍ وَرَعٌ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنْ مَعَاصِي الله وَحِلْمٌ يَمْلِكُ بِهِ غَضَبَهُ وَحُسْنُ الْوِلايَةِ عَلَى مَنْ يَلِي حَتَّى يَكُونَ لَهُمْ كَالْوَالِدِ الرَّحِيمِ.  وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى حَتَّى يَكُونَ لِلرَّعِيَّةِ كَالابِ الرَّحِيمِ.

 8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn as-Sindi from Ja'far ibn Bashir from Hanan from his father from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who said: "The Messenger of Allah (sw) said: 'The imamate is not suitable for anyone except for a man who possesses three qualities: piety that safeguards him from the disobedience of Allah, forbearance that controls his anger, and excellence in guardianship over those under his care, such that he treats them with the compassion of a merciful parent." In another narration, it is stated, "to the extent that they regard him as a merciful father."

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 104