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 مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) تَكُونُ الارْضُ لَيْسَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ قَالَ لا قُلْتُ يَكُونُ إِمَامَانِ قَالَ لا إِلا وَأَحَدُهُمَا صَامِتٌ.

 1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn Abu al-‘Ala’ who said the following: “I asked Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Can there be a time on earth without Imam?” The Imam said, “No, it can not be without an Imam.” I asked, “Can there be two Imams at a time?” He said, “No, unless one of them is silent.”

 2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ وَسَعْدَانَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الارْضَ لا تَخْلُو إِلا وَفِيهَا إِمَامٌ كَيْمَا إِنْ زَادَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ شَيْئاً رَدَّهُمْ وَإِنْ نَقَصُوا شَيْئاً أَتَمَّهُ لَهُمْ.

 2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Yunus and Su‘dan ibn Muslim from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammara from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “I heard the Imam (a.s.) saying, ‘The earth is never left without an Imam so that if the believers would add any thing it would be brought back and if they would reduce anything it would be completed.”

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ رَبِيعِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمُسْلِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ الْعَامِرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَا زَالَتِ الارْضُ إِلا وَلله فِيهَا الْحُجَّةُ يُعَرِّفُ الْحَلالَ وَالْحَرَامَ وَيَدْعُو النَّاسَ إِلَى سَبِيلِ الله.

 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Rabi‘ ibn Muhammad al-Musalliy from ‘Abdallah ibn Sulayman al- ‘Amiriy from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The earth has never been without a person with Divine authority who would teach people about the lawful and unlawful matters and call them to the path of Allah.”

 4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ تَبْقَى الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لا.

 4. Ahmad ibn Mihran has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from al-Husayn Ibn Abu ‘Ala’ from Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.): I (the narrator) said to him: “Can the earth be without Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “No.”

 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله لَمْ يَدَعِ الارْضَ بِغَيْرِ عَالِمٍ وَلَوْ لا ذَلِكَ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْحَقُّ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ.

 5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ibn Muskan from Abu Basir from one of them (a.s.), who said: “Allah does not leave the earth without a ‘Alim (scholar). Without this the truth would not be distinguished from falsehood.”

 6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله أَجَلُّ وَأَعْظَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ الارْضَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ عَادِلٍ.

 6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn abu Hamza from abu Basir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is far greater and above leaving the earth without an Imam of justice.”

 7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ وَهِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَمَّنْ يَثِقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ اللهمَّ إِنَّكَ لا تُخْلِي أَرْضَكَ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ لَكَ عَلَى خَلْقِكَ.

 7. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu ’Usama and Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from abu ’Usama and Hisham ibn salim from abu Hamza from abu Ishaq from those reliable among the companions of Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) who has said the following. “O Lord. You do not leave your earth without a person who would represent Your authority among the people.”

 8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ وَالله مَا تَرَكَ الله أَرْضاً مُنْذُ قَبَضَ آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِلا وَفِيهَا إِمَامٌ يُهْتَدَى بِهِ إِلَى الله وَهُوَ حُجَّتُهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ وَلا تَبْقَى الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ حُجَّةٍ لله عَلَى عِبَادِهِ.

 8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl from abu Hamza from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “I swear to Allah that He has not, from the day Adam died, left the earth without an Imam who would guide people to the Lord as with divine authority over the servants of the Lord. The earth will never remain without an Imam with Divine authority over His servants.”

 9ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَلِيِّ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الارْضَ لا تَخْلُو مِنْ حُجَّةٍ وَأَنَا وَالله ذَلِكَ الْحُجَّةُ.

 9. Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Muhammad ibn Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from some of our people from abu Ali ibn Rashid from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following. “ The earth is never without a person with divine authority and I swear to Allah that I am the person with Divine authority.”

 10ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَ تَبْقَى الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لَوْ بَقِيَتِ الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ لَسَاخَتْ.

 10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Fudayl from ibn abu Hamza who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘Can the earth be left without the Imam?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “ Were to remain without Imam it would obliterate its inhabitants.”

 11ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ أَ تَبْقَى الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لا قُلْتُ فَإِنَّا نُرَوَّى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهَا لا تَبْقَى بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ إِلا أَنْ يَسْخَطَ الله تَعَالَى عَلَى أَهْلِ الارْضِ أَوْ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ فَقَالَ لا لا تَبْقَى إِذاً لَسَاخَتْ.

 11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘isa from Muhammad al-Fudayl who has said the following. “I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘Can the remain without Imam?’” He replied, “No, it will not remain so.” I then said, “We narrate from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) that the earth will not remain without Imam unless Allah becomes extremely angry with the people of the earth or with His servants.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “In such condition it will not remain but it would obliterate with its inhabitants.”

 12ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الْمُؤْمِنِ عَنْ أَبِي هَرَاسَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ الامَامَ رُفِعَ مِنَ الارْضِ سَاعَةً لَمَاجَتْ بِأَهْلِهَا كَمَا يَمُوجُ الْبَحْرُ بِأَهْلِهِ.

 12. Ali has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from abu ‘Abd al_Mu’min from abu Harassa from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Would the Imam be taken away from the earth it will create waves against her inhabitants just like what the inhabitants of the ocean face.”

 13ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هَلْ تَبْقَى الارْضُ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ قَالَ لا قُلْتُ إِنَّا نُرَوَّى أَنَّهَا لا تَبْقَى إِلا أَنْ يَسْخَطَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ قَالَ لا تَبْقَى إِذاً لَسَاخَتْ.

 13. Al-Husayn ibn Ali has narrated from Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said the following. “I asked al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), “I can the earth remain without Imam?” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “No, it will not remain so.” I said, “We narrate that it will not remain without the Imam unless Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, becomes angry with the people.” The Imam said, “In such condition it will not remain but it will obliterate its inhabitants.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 5