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 مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ سَأَلَ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ فَارِسَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَ تَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ فَقَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يُبْسَطُ لَنَا الْعِلْمُ فَنَعْلَمُ وَيُقْبَضُ عَنَّا فَلا نَعْلَمُ وَقَالَ سِرُّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَسَرَّهُ إِلَى جَبْرَئِيلَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَأَسَرَّهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَأَسَرَّهُ مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَى مَنْ شَاءَ الله.

 1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Mu’ammar ibn Khallad who has said that a man from Persia asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.) the following. “Do you know al-Ghayb (the hidden facts)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said, ‘It opens to us then we know it and it is withheld from us then we do not know.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “It is the secret of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, who has secretly given to Jibril and Jibril has secretly given to Muhammad (s.a.) and Muhammad (s.a.) has secretly given to whoever Allah wished.”

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حُمْرَانَ بْنَ أَعْيَنَ يَسْأَلُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَدِيعُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ابْتَدَعَ الاشْيَاءَ كُلَّهَا بِعِلْمِهِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِثَالٍ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ فَابْتَدَعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارَضِينَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ قَبْلَهُنَّ سَمَاوَاتٌ وَلا أَرَضُونَ أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ لِقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَكانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْماءِ فَقَالَ لَهُ حُمْرَانُ أَ رَأَيْتَ قَوْلَهُ جَلَّ ذِكْرُهُ عالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلا يُظْهِرُ عَلى‏ غَيْبِهِ أَحَداً فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلا مَنِ ارْتَضى‏ مِنْ رَسُولٍ وَكَانَ وَالله مُحَمَّدٌ مِمَّنِ ارْتَضَاهُ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَإِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَالِمٌ بِمَا غَابَ عَنْ خَلْقِهِ فِيمَا يَقْدِرُ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَيَقْضِيهِ فِي عِلْمِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُ وَقَبْلَ أَنْ يُفْضِيَهُ إِلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ فَذَلِكَ يَا حُمْرَانُ عِلْمٌ مَوْقُوفٌ عِنْدَهُ إِلَيْهِ فِيهِ الْمَشِيئَةُ فَيَقْضِيهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ وَيَبْدُو لَهُ فِيهِ فَلا يُمْضِيهِ فَأَمَّا الْعِلْمُ الَّذِي يُقَدِّرُهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَيَقْضِيهِ وَيُمْضِيهِ فَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ الَّذِي انْتَهَى إِلَى رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said that he heard Humran ibn A‘yan ask abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High Allah, “. . One Who is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. .” (6:101) Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, originated all things through His knowledge in unprecedentedly. He Invented the heavens and eath and there was heavens and earths before. Have you not considered the words of Allah, “. .His Throne existed on water. .” (11:7) Humran then said, “Have you considered His words, Majestic is Whose mention, ‘He knows the unseen and He does not allow anyone to know His secrets. .” (72:26). Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) then said, “ except those of His Messengers whom He chooses. (72:26) Muhammad (s.a.), I swear by Allah, was one of those whom Allah had chosen. However, there are His words “He knows the hidden facts.” The fact that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, through what is hidden from His creatures of the things that He measures and determines and decrees in His knowledge before creating it and before assigning to the angels it is because of the following. O Humran, there is the knowledge withheld before Him in which He has a wish. He then decrees it when He wills. Bada’ may take place in it and He then will not decree it. The knowledge that, however, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, measures and determines and approves is the knowledge that reaches the Messenger of Allah and then it reaches us.”

 3ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبَّادِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَصِيرٍ وَيَحْيَى الْبَزَّازُ وَدَاوُدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ فِي مَجْلِسِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذْ خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا وَهُوَ مُغْضَبٌ فَلَمَّا أَخَذَ مَجْلِسَهُ قَالَ يَا عَجَباً لاقْوَامٍ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّا نَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ مَا يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ إِلا الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ بِضَرْبِ جَارِيَتِي فُلانَةَ فَهَرَبَتْ مِنِّي فَمَا عَلِمْتُ فِي أَيِّ بُيُوتِ الدَّارِ هِيَ قَالَ سَدِيرٌ فَلَمَّا أَنْ قَامَ مِنْ مَجْلِسِهِ وَصَارَ فِي مَنْزِلِهِ دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبُو بَصِيرٍ وَمُيَسِّرٌ وَقُلْنَا لَهُ جُعِلْنَا فِدَاكَ سَمِعْنَاكَ وَأَنْتَ تَقُولُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فِي أَمْرِ جَارِيَتِكَ وَنَحْنُ نَعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ عِلْماً كَثِيراً وَلا نَنْسُبُكَ إِلَى عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ أَ لَمْ تَقْرَأِ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَهَلْ وَجَدْتَ فِيمَا قَرَأْتَ مِنْ كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَدْ قَرَأْتُهُ قَالَ فَهَلْ عَرَفْتَ الرَّجُلَ وَهَلْ عَلِمْتَ مَا كَانَ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ عِلْمِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَخْبِرْنِي بِهِ قَالَ قَدْرُ قَطْرَةٍ مِنَ الْمَاءِ فِي الْبَحْرِ الاخْضَرِ فَمَا يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عِلْمِ الْكِتَابِ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا أَقَلَّ هَذَا فَقَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ مَا أَكْثَرَ هَذَا أَنْ يَنْسِبَهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَى الْعِلْمِ الَّذِي أُخْبِرُكَ بِهِ يَا سَدِيرُ فَهَلْ وَجَدْتَ فِيمَا قَرَأْتَ مِنْ كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَيْضاً قُلْ كَفى‏ بِالله شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ قَالَ قُلْتُ قَدْ قَرَأْتُهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَالَ أَ فَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ كُلُّهُ أَفْهَمُ أَمْ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ بَعْضُهُ قُلْتُ لا بَلْ مَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ كُلُّهُ قَالَ فَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ وَقَالَ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ وَالله كُلُّهُ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ وَالله كُلُّهُ عِنْدَنَا.

 3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from ‘Abbad ibn Sulayman from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from his father from Sadir who has said that he, abu Basir, Yahya al-Bazzaz and Dawud ibn Kathir were in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). The Imam (a.s.) came to us while he was angry. When he settled in his seat he then said, “How strange is it that certain people think we know the hidden facts. No one knows the hidden things except Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. I thought to discipline our house maid, so and so, and could not find in which quarter she was.” Sadir has said, “When the meeting was over and the Imam (a.s.) went home, I, abu Basir and Muyassir went to his house. We said to him, “May Allah take our souls in service for your cause, we heard you say so and so about the matter of your house maid but we know that you have a great deal of knowledge. We do not say that you possess the knowledge of (al-Ghayb) hidden facts.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) said, “O Sadir, Do you not read the Holy Quran?” I said, “Yes, I do read the Holy Quran.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “In your reading have you found the following words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High? “The one who had knowledge from the Book said, “I can bring it to you before you even blink your eye. . .” (27:40) The narrator has said that he said that he has read those words. The Imam (a.s.) asked, “Do you know who the man is? Do you know how much knowledge of the Book he had?” The narrator has said that he asked the Imams (a.s.) “Please tell me about his knowledge.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “His knowledge of the Book was like one drop compared to the green ocean (Atlantic). The narrator has said that he said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, that is very little..” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “O Sadir, say, “What a great knowledge is that when Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, would ascribe to a knowledge that I am about to speak of to you. Have you found in the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, the following. “Say, “God and those who have the knowledge of the Book are sufficient witness (to my prophethood).” (13:43) The narrator has said that he said to the Imams (a.s.), “Yes. “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I have read it.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Is the knowledge of one who possesses the knowledge of the whole book greater or that of the one who possesses some knowledge of the Book?” I said, “The knowledge of one who possesses the knolwedge of the whole book is greater.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) pointing to his chest said, “The knowledge of the whole Book, I swear by Allah, is with us. The knowledge of the whole Book, I swear by Allah, is with us.”

 4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الامَامِ يَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ فَقَالَ لا وَلَكِنْ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ الشَّيْ‏ءَ أَعْلَمَهُ الله ذَلِكَ.

 4. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Ahmad ibn a1-Hassan ibn Ali from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqa from ‘Ammar al-Sabati who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “Dose the Imam have the knowledge of the hidden facts?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “No, he does not have such knowledge but if he would like to know about a thing Allah grants him such knowledge.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 45