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 مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ رَجُلاً جَاءَ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَهُوَ مَعَ أَصْحَابِهِ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَنَا وَالله أُحِبُّكَ وَأَتَوَلاكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَذَبْتَ قَالَ بَلَى وَالله إِنِّي أُحِبُّكَ وَأَتَوَلاكَ فَكَرَّرَ ثَلاثاً فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَذَبْتَ مَا أَنْتَ كَمَا قُلْتَ إِنَّ الله خَلَقَ الارْوَاحَ قَبْلَ الابْدَانِ بِأَلْفَيْ عَامٍ ثُمَّ عَرَضَ عَلَيْنَا الْمُحِبَّ لَنَا فَوَ الله مَا رَأَيْتُ رُوحَكَ فِيمَنْ عُرِضَ فَأَيْنَ كُنْتَ فَسَكَتَ الرَّجُلُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يُرَاجِعْهُ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ فِي النَّارِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Salih ibn Sahl from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “A man came to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) when he was in the company of his companions. The man offered greetings and said, “By Allah, I love you and acknowledge your Wilaya (Leadership with Divine Authority).” Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) said to him, “What you say is not true.” He said, “Yes, by Allah, I love you and acknowledge your Wilaya. He repeated it three times.” Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) said, “What you say is not true. You are not what you say you are. Allah created the spirits two thousand years before creating the bodies. He then presented to us those who love us. By Allah, I did not see your spirit among those presented to us. Where were you.” The man remained silent and did not talk back.”
 In an other hadith it is said that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, “He was in thefire.”

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّا لَنَعْرِفُ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا رَأَيْنَاهُ بِحَقِيقَةِ الايمَانِ وَحَقِيقَةِ النِّفَاقِ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Sa‘id from ‘Amr ibn Maymun from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “We know men when we see them through the reality of faith and the reality of hypocrisy.”

 3ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْسِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الامَامِ فَوَّضَ الله إِلَيْهِ كَمَا فَوَّضَ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ رَجُلاً سَأَلَهُ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَأَجَابَهُ فِيهَا وَسَأَلَهُ آخَرُ عَنْ تِلْكَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَأَجَابَهُ بِغَيْرِ جَوَابِ الاوَّلِ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ آخَرُ فَأَجَابَهُ بِغَيْرِ جَوَابِ الاوَّلَيْنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَعْطِ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ وَهَكَذَا هِيَ فِي قِرَاءَةِ علي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ الله فَحِينَ أَجَابَهُمْ بِهَذَا الْجَوَابِ يَعْرِفُهُمُ الامَامُ قَالَ سُبْحَانَ الله أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ الله يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لاياتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِينَ وَهُمُ الائِمَّةُ وَإِنَّها لَبِسَبِيلٍ مُقِيمٍ لا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا أَبَداً ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي نَعَمْ إِنَّ الامَامَ إِذَا أَبْصَرَ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ عَرَفَهُ وَعَرَفَ لَوْنَهُ وَإِنْ سَمِعَ كَلامَهُ مِنْ خَلْفِ حَائِطٍ عَرَفَهُ وَعَرَفَ مَا هُوَ إِنَّ الله يَقُولُ وَمِنْ آياتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ وَاخْتِلافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لاياتٍ لِلْعالِمِينَ وَهُمُ الْعُلَمَاءُ فَلَيْسَ يَسْمَعُ شَيْئاً مِنَ الامْرِ يَنْطِقُ بِهِ إِلا عَرَفَهُ نَاجٍ أَوْ هَالِكٌ فَلِذَلِكَ يُجِيبُهُمْ بِالَّذِي يُجِيبُهُمْ.

 3. Ahmad ibn Idris and Muhammad ibn Yahya havenarrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Kufi from ‘Ubays ibn Hisham from ‘Abdallah ibn Sulayman who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the Imam. Has Allah made him the in charge of the and in full control (over the affairs of the people) as Sulayman ibn Dawud was?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, he is given control. It is because a man asked him a question and he gave the answer. Another person asked the same question and he gave him a different answer (although the question was the same). A third person asked him the same question and he gave an answer that was different from both the previous answers. Then he said, “This is Our gift to you so give them away free or keep them as you like.” (38:39). This is charity from us enjoy it with thanks or ( give to others) without being questioned. This is according to Imam Ali’s recitation.” The narrator has said that I said to him, “May Allah grant you well being, when the he gives such answers does the Imam know them?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Glory belongs to Allah. Have you not heard Allah words? “ In this there is evidence (of the Truth) for the discreet ones. (15:75) (Such people are the Imams (a.s.) That town lies on a road which still exists (15:76) (It will remain there for ever).” Then The Imam (a.s.) said to me, “Yes, when the Imam look at a person he recognizes him and his color. On hearing his words even from behind the wall he recognizes him and what he is. Allah has said, “Other evidence of His existence are the creation of the heavens and the earth and the differences of languages and colors. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the worlds (mankind).” (30:22) The Imams are the scholars. Whatever they would hear that is spoken they recognize it, the one who has received salvation or one who is destroyed. For this reason they answer them as they answer them.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 110