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 أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا مَوْضِعُ الْعُلَمَاءِ قَالَ مِثْلُ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ وَصَاحِبِ سُلَيْمَانَ وَصَاحِبِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

 1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Humran ibn A‘yan who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) the following. “What is the position of the scholars?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “ It is like Dhul Qarnayn, (see 18:83 – 99 Holy Quran),the companion of Solomon (see 27:40),and the companion of Moses (a.s.) (See 18:65)”

 2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَلاءِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّمَا الْوُقُوفُ عَلَيْنَا فِي الْحَلالِ وَالْحَرَامِ فَأَمَّا النُّبُوَّةُ فَلا.

 2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from al-Husayn ibn abu al-‘Ala’ from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “To refer to us (as the Divine authorities) is valid only in finding the lawful and unlawful matters. To refer to us as prophet-hood is not valid.”

 3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ الْحُرِّ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ خَتَمَ بِنَبِيِّكُمُ النَّبِيِّينَ فَلا نَبِيَّ بَعْدَهُ أَبَداً وَخَتَمَ بِكِتَابِكُمُ الْكُتُبَ فَلا كِتَابَ بَعْدَهُ أَبَداً وَأَنْزَلَ فِيهِ تِبْيَانَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَخَلْقَكُمْ وَخَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضِ وَنَبَأَ مَا قَبْلَكُمْ وَفَصْلَ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَخَبَرَ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ وَأَمْرَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ وَمَا أَنْتُمْ صَائِرُونَ إِلَيْهِ.

 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Ash’ari has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya ibn ‘Imran al-Halabi from Ayyub ibn al-Hurr who has said that he heard Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following: "Allah, Majestic is his mention, ended with your prophet the (coming of) the prophets, thus, there will never come any prophet after him and with your book He ended the sending of (heavenly) books, thus, there will never come other heavenly books. In it (your book) He has placed clarifications for all things, such as your creation and the creation of the heavens and the earth. Therein is the news of the beings before you, the laws that help settle your disputes and the news of the beings that come into being after you, the news of the issues of Paradise and Fire and that to which you proceed.”

 4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ عَلِيّاً (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كَانَ مُحَدَّثاً فَقُلْتُ فَتَقُولُ نَبِيٌّ قَالَ فَحَرَّكَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَوْ كَصَاحِبِ سُلَيْمَانَ أَوْ كَصَاحِبِ مُوسَى أَوْ كَذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ أَ وَمَا بَلَغَكُمْ أَنَّهُ قَالَ وَفِيكُمْ مِثْلُهُ.

 4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah who has said that abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said the following. “Ali (a.s.) was a Muhaddith (a Divine spokesman).” The narrator has said that he then asked the Imam (a.s.), “What is mmeans, O Imam? Do you say he was a prophet?” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) rose his hand like this, (meaning thereby, no, I did not say that).” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “Or he is like the companion of Solomon, or the companion of Moses or like Dhul Qarnayn. Have you not heard that he said, “Among you is one similar to him (Dhul Qarnayn).”

 5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ مَا مَنْزِلَتُكُمْ وَمَنْ تُشْبِهُونَ مِمَّنْ مَضَى قَالَ صَاحِبُ مُوسَى وَذُو الْقَرْنَيْنِ كَانَا عَالِمَيْنِ وَلَمْ يَكُونَا نَبِيَّيْنِ.

 5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “What is your position? To who of the people of the past do you resemble?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “I resemble the companion of Moses and Dhul Qarnayn who were two scholars but not two prophets.”

 6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَنْ سَدِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ قَوْماً يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ آلِهَةٌ يَتْلُونَ بِذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا قُرْآناً وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّماءِ إِلهٌ وَفِي الارْضِ إِلهٌ فَقَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَبَشَرِي وَلَحْمِي وَدَمِي وَشَعْرِي مِنْ هَؤُلاءِ بَرَاءٌ وَبَرِئَ الله مِنْهُمْ مَا هَؤُلاءِ عَلَى دِينِي وَلا عَلَى دِينِ آبَائِي وَالله لا يَجْمَعُنِي الله وَإِيَّاهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلا وَهُوَ سَاخِطٌ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَعِنْدَنَا قَوْمٌ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّكُمْ رُسُلٌ يَقْرَءُونَ عَلَيْنَا بِذَلِكَ قُرْآناً يا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّباتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صالِحاً إِنِّي بِما تَعْمَلُونَ عَلِيمٌ فَقَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ سَمْعِي وَبَصَرِي وَشَعْرِي وَبَشَرِي وَلَحْمِي وَدَمِي مِنْ هَؤُلاءِ بَرَاءٌ وَبَرِئَ الله مِنْهُمْ وَرَسُولُهُ مَا هَؤُلاءِ عَلَى دِينِي وَلا عَلَى دِينِ آبَائِي وَالله لا يَجْمَعُنِي الله وَإِيَّاهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِلا وَهُوَ سَاخِطٌ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا أَنْتُمْ قَالَ نَحْنُ خُزَّانُ عِلْمِ الله نَحْنُ تَرَاجِمَةُ أَمْرِ الله نَحْنُ قَوْمٌ مَعْصُومُونَ أَمَرَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بِطَاعَتِنَا وَنَهَى عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِنَا نَحْنُ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ عَلَى مَنْ دُونَ السَّمَاءِ وَفَوْقَ الارْضِ.

 6.Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from abu Talib from Sadir who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following. “A certain group of people believe that you are gods. They read to us from the Quran about it. And it is He Who in heaven is God and in earth is God.” (43:84). The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. I swear by Allah, Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Resurrection. The only thing from Allah to them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he said, “Among us there is a group of people who believe that you are messenger and read to from the Holy Quran. “O Messengers, eat of the good things and do righteousness; surely I know the things you do (23:51). The Imam (a.s.) said, “O Sadir, my hearing, my sight, my skin, my flesh, my blood and my hair are (all) disdain such people, and Allah and Hid Messenger also disdains them. They do not follow my religion and the religion of my forefathers. Allah will not place me with them on the Day of Judgment. The only thing from Allah towards them will be His anger.” The narrator has said that he then asked, “What are you then?” the Imam (a.s.) said, “We are the treasuries of the knowledge of Allah. We are the translators of the commands of Allah. We are infallible people. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has commanded people to obey us and prohibited them to disobey us. We are the complete Divine authority over all that is below the heavens and above the earth.”

 7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بَحْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ الائِمَّةُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِلا أَنَّهُمْ لَيْسُوا بِأَنْبِيَاءَ وَلا يَحِلُّ لَهُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ مَا يَحِلُّ لِلنَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَأَمَّا مَا خَلا ذَلِكَ فَهُمْ فِيهِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

 7. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from ‘Abdallah ibn Bahr from ibn Muskan from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “The Imams (a.s.) possess the position of the Messenger of Allah except that they are not prophets and the number of wives permissible for the Holy Prophet is not permissible for them. In the aspects other than these they possess the same positions as the Messenger of Allah did.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter 53