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 عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ عَالِماً وَالْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ وَلَنْ يَهْلِكَ عَالِمٌ إِلا بَقِيَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ عِلْمَهُ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ الله.

 1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Ali (a.s.) was a man of knowledge and knowledge is inherited. Whenever a man of knowledge dies he leave another man of knowledge behind who possess his knowledge or whatever Allah wants.”

 2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَالْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ مَعَ آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَالْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ وَكَانَ علي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَالِمَ هَذِهِ الامَّةِ وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَهْلِكْ مِنَّا عَالِمٌ قَطُّ إِلا خَلَفَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ مَنْ عَلِمَ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ الله.

 2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ’Isa from Hariz from Zurarah and al-Fudayl from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. Knowledge is inherited. Ali (a.s.) was the knowledgeable person of this nation (Muslims). No one from us have ever left this world without leaving behind one like him in knowledge or what Allah wanted.”

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الطَّائِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ يُتَوَارَثُ وَلا يَمُوتُ عَالِمٌ إِلا وَتَرَكَ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ الله.

 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Ta’i from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Knowledge is inherited. No man of knowledge dies without leaving behind one who is as knowledgeable as his predecessor or what Allah wants.”

 4ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ بَكْرٍ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ فِي علي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سُنَّةَ أَلْفِ نَبِيٍّ مِنَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَإِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ مَعَ آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَمَا مَاتَ عَالِمٌ فَذَهَبَ عِلْمُهُ وَالْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ.

 4. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from Musa ibn Bakr from al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “In Imam Ali (a.s.) there was the Sunnah (traditions) of a thousand prophets. The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. No man of knowledge ever died along with knowledge. Knowledge is inherited.”

 5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ مَعَ آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَمَا مَاتَ عَالِمٌ فَذَهَبَ عِلْمُهُ.

 5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fudalah ibn Ayyub from ‘Umar ibn Aban who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. No man of knowledge has ever died along with his knowledge.”

 6ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَمُصُّونَ الثِّمَادَ وَيَدَعُونَ النَّهَرَ الْعَظِيمَ قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا النَّهَرُ الْعَظِيمُ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَالْعِلْمُ الَّذِي أَعْطَاهُ الله إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَمَعَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) سُنَنَ النَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ آدَمَ وَهَلُمَّ جَرّاً إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قِيلَ لَهُ وَمَا تِلْكَ السُّنَنُ قَالَ عِلْمُ النَّبِيِّينَ بِأَسْرِهِ وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) صَيَّرَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله فَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعْلَمُ أَمْ بَعْضُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اسْمَعُوا مَا يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله يَفْتَحُ مَسَامِعَ مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُهُ أَنَّ الله جَمَعَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عِلْمَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَأَنَّهُ جَمَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عِنْدَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَهُوَ يَسْأَلُنِي أَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ أَمْ بَعْضُ النَّبِيِّينَ.

 6. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad from Ali ibn Nu‘man, in a marfu’ manner (rafa’ahu) from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “They try to absorb the little moisture but ignore the huge river.” Someone asked him, “What is (this) huge river?” The Imams (a.s.)said, “It is the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) and the Knowledge that Allah gave to him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, combined in Muhammad (s.a.) the Sunnah (traditions) of the all the prophets from Adam onwards to Muhammad (s.a.).” Someone asked him, “What are those sunnah (traditions)?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “They are all the knowledge of the prophets (s.a.). The Messenger of Allah transferred all of them to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.).” The man then said, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?” Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) replied, “Listen, everyone to what he just said. Allah opens the ears of whoever He wants. I said to him that Allah combined for Muhammad (s.a.) the knowledge of the prophets and he combined all of it with Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). He now asks me, “Was he (Ali (a.s.) more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?”

 7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الطَّائِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ يُتَوَارَثُ فَلا يَمُوتُ عَالِمٌ إِلا تَرَكَ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ الله.

 7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from ‘Abd al-Hamid at.-Ta’i from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Knowledge is inherited. No man of knowledge ever leaves this world without leaving behind one who would have as much knowledge as he had or what Allah wants.”

 8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي نَزَلَ مَعَ آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ يُرْفَعْ وَمَا مَاتَ عَالِمٌ إِلا وَقَدْ وَرَّثَ عِلْمَهُ إِنَّ الارْضَ لا تَبْقَى بِغَيْرِ عَالِمٍ.

 8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isa from Yunus from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. No man of knowledge has ever died without his knowledge being inherited. The earth does not remain without a man of knowledge.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 32