Foreword

Reward for the Monotheists and Gnostics

Divine Unity and‬‬ Negation of Anthropomorphism

The Definition of One, Divine Unity, and the Believer in Divine Unity

The Commentary of Chapter 112 the Unity [al-Tawhid]

The Meaning of Divine Unity and Divine Justice

The Mighty and High is Devoid of both Body and Image

The Blessed and Exalted is a Thing

What is Related Regarding the Vision

Omnipotence

Knowledge

Attributes of Essence and Attributes of Actions

The Commentary of verse 88 of Chapter 28 the Narrative [al-Qasas] Everything is perishable but He.

The Commentary of Verse 75 of Chapter 38 Sad O Iblis! What prevented you that you should do obeisance to him whom I created with My Two Hands?

The Commentary of Verse 42 of Chapter 68 Qalam - On the Day when there shall be a severe affliction, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance

The Commentary of Verse 35 of Chapter 24 the Light [al-Nur]

The Commentary of Verse 67 of Chapter 9 the Repentance [al-Tawbah] They have forsaken Allah, so He has forsaken them.

The Commentary of Verse 67 of Chapter 39 the Companies [al-Zumar] And the whole Earth shall be in His Grip on the Day of Resurrection and the Heavens rolled up in his Right Hand.

The Commentary of Verse 15 of Chapter 83 the Defrauders [al-Mutaffifin] Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be debarred from their Lord.

The Commentary of Verse 22 of Chapter 89 the Daybreak [al-Fajr] And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks.

The Commentary of Verse 210 of Chapter 2 the Cow [al-Baqarah] They do not wait aught but that Allah should come to them in the shadow of clouds along with the angels.

Meaning of Scoffing, Mockery, Planning and Deception of Allah

The Meaning of Allah’s Side

The Meaning of the Waistband

Meaning of the Eye, the Ear, and the Tongue of Allah

The Meaning of Allah’s Hand is Tied Up

The Meaning of His Pleasure and His Anger

The Meaning of Allah’s Breathing of Spirit And I breathed into him of My Sprit.

Negation of Space, Time, Stillness, Motion, Descending, Ascending, and Transference from Allah

The Names of Allah, the Exalted,‬‬ and the Difference between their Meanings and the Meaning of the‬‬ Names of Creation

What is the Qur’an?

The Meaning of “In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful”

The Explanation of‬‬ the Letters of the Alphabet.

The Explanation of the Letters of the Alphabet According to Their Numerical Value

The Explanation of the Words of the Calls to Prayer

The Commentary of Guidance, Misguidance, Direction, and Forsaking is from Allah, the Exalted

The Refutation of the Dualists & the Atheists

There is no‬‬ god but the One God

The‬‬ Remembrance of Allah’s Greatness, Mighty be His Glory

The Subtlety of Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted

The Least Required for Recognizing Diving Unity

He, the Mighty and High, in not Recognized, Except by Himself.

The Assertion of the Emergence of the Universe

The Tradition of Dhi`lib.

The Tradition of Subakht, the Jewish Man

The Meaning of “Glory be to Allah” [Subhan Allah]

The Meaning of Allah is the Greatest [Allahu Akbar]

The Meaning of the First and the Last

the Most Compassionate is Firm on the Empyrean.

His Empyrean was on the Water

The Empyrean and Its‬‬ Description

The Empyrean was Created in Quarters

The Meaning of `His Knowledge Extend over the Heavens and the Earth’

Allah made the Nature of the Creation upon Divine Unity

The Appearance [Al-Bada’]

The Will and the Intent

Capability

The Trial and the Test

Privilege and Adversity

The Negation of Determinism and Relinquishment

Predestination, Divine Decree, Trials, Means of Sustenance Rates, and Restricted Powers

Children and Allah’s Justice Concerning Them

Allah only does what is best for His servants

Command, Prohibition, Promise and Threat

Recognition, Explanation, Evidence, and Guidance

A Session of al-Ridha (AS‬‬) with Theologians from Among the Rhetoricians and Various‬‬ Religions about Unity in the presence of al-Ma`mun

A Session of al-Ridha (AS) with Sulayman al-Marwazi, the Theologian of Khurasan, in‬‬ the Presece of al-Ma`mun concerning the Subject of Divine Unity.

The Prohibition of Discussing, Debating, and Arguing about Allah

1 - حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني رضي الله عنه، قال: أخبرنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد مولى بني هاشم، عن علي بن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن أبيه، قال: سألت الرضا علي بن موسى عليهما السلام، عن بسم الله، قال: معنى قول القائل بسم الله أي أسم على نفسي سمة من سمات الله عز وجل وهي العبادة  قال: فقلت له: ما السمة؟ فقال: العلامة. 

1. Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa`id master of the Bani Hashim reported to us, on the authority of `Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Fuddal, on the authority of his father that I asked al-Rida `Ali ibn Musa (AS) about the meaning of Bismillah: He (AS) said: “The meaning of the statement Bismillah is ‘I mark myself with one of the traits of Allah, the Mighty and High’ and that is true service.” I asked him, “What is al-simah?” Therefore, he (AS) replied, “It is the mark.”

2 - حدثنا أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن القاسم بن يحيى، عن جده الحسن بن راشد، عن عبد الله بن سنان، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، فقال: الباء بهاء الله، والسين سناء الله والميم مجد الله. وروي بعضهم: ملك الله، والله إله كل شئ، الرحمن بجميع خلقه، والرحيم بالمؤمنين خاصة. 

2. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad, on the authority of al-Qasim ibn Yahya, on the authority of his grandfather al-Hasan ibn Rashid, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Sinan that I asked Abut `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the meaning of Bismillah al-Rahman alRahim; hence, he (AS) responded, The Ba * is the brilliance {baha] of Allah. The sin * is the splendor [sama] of Allah. The mim * is the magnificence [majd] of Allah, and some have related that it is the Kingdom [mulk] of Allah. Allah is the God of Everything. AlRahman is the Beneficent to all His creation, an al-Rahim is the One who is Merciful to the Believes specifically.

3 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن العباس بن معروف، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عمن حدثه، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه سئل عن بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فقال: الباء بهاء الله، و السين سناء الله، والميم ملك الله، قال: قلت: الله؟ قال: الألف آلاء الله على خلقه من النعيم بولايتنا، واللام إلزام الله خلقه ولايتنا، قلت: فالهاء؟ قال: هوان لمن خالف محمدا وآل محمد صلوات الله عليهم، قال: قلت: الرحمن؟ قال: بجميع العالم، قلت: الرحيم؟ قال: بالمؤمنين خاصة. 

3. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan alSaffar said, on the authority of al-`Abbas ibn Ma`ruf, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya, on the authority of the person who told him that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) was asked about the meaning of Bismillah al-Rahman alRahim. Thus, he (AS) answered: The ba * is the brilliance [baha] of Allah. The sin * is the splendor [sana] of Allah. And the min * is the Kingdom [mulk] of Allah.” I asked, “What about Allah?” He (AS) replied, “The A * is the blessins [ala] of Allah over His Creatures from the bounty of our Guardianship [wilayah]. The l * is the obligation of our Guardianship which Allah demand of His Creation. I further asked, “And the h *?” He (AS) answered, “It stands for the abasement of those who oppose Muhammad and his Progeny, blessings of Allah be upon them.” I enquired, “What about al-Rahman?” He (AS) responded, “Beneficent for the entire universe.” I asked, “And al-Rahim?” He (AS) replied, “The Most Merciful towards the Believers specifically.”

4 - حدثنا أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن سلمة بن الخطاب عن القاسم بن يحيى، عن جده الحسن بن راشد، عن أبي الحسن موسى بن جعفر عليهما السلام، قال: سألته عن معنى الله، قال: استولى على ما دق وجل . 

4. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Salamah ibn al-Khattab, on the authority of al-Qasim ibn Yahya, on the authority of his grandfather al-Hasan ibn alRashid that I asked Abu al-Hasan Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) about the meaning of Allah. He (AS) answerd, “He overwhelms both the mighty and subtle.”

5 - حدثنا محمد بن القاسم الجرجاني المفسر رحمه الله قال: حدثنا أبو يعقوب يوسف بن محمد بن زياد، وأبو الحسن علي بن محمد بن سيار وكانا من الشيعة الإمامية عن أبويهما  عن الحسن بن علي بن محمد عليهم السلام في قول الله عز وجل: (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم)؟ فقال: الله هو الذي يتأله إليه عند الحوائج والشدائد كل مخلوق عند انقطاع الرجاء من كل من هو دونه، وتقطع الأسباب من جميع ما سواه، يقول: بسم الله أي أستعين على أموري كلها بالله الذي لا تحق العبادة إلا له، المغيث إذا استغيث، والمجيب إذ دعي، وهو ما قال رجل للصادق عليه السلام: يا ابن رسول الله دلني على الله ما هو؟ فقد أكثر علي المجادلون وحيروني، فقال له: يا عبد الله هل ركبت سفينة قط؟ قال: نعم قال: فهل كسر بك حيث لا سفينة تنجيك ولا سباحة تغنيك؟ قال: نعم قال: فهل تعلق قلبك هنالك أن شيئا من الأشياء قادر على أن يخلصك من ورطتك؟ فقال نعم، قال الصادق عليه السلام: فذلك الشئ هو الله القادر على الانجاء حيث لا منجي، وعلى الإغاثة حيث لا مغيث، ثم قال الصادق عليه السلام: ولربما ترك بعض شيعنا في افتتاح أمره بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم فيمتحنه الله بمكروه لينبهه على شكر الله تبارك وتعالى والثناء عليه ويمحق عنه وصمة تقصيره عند تركه قول بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم. قال: وقام رجل إلى علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام، فقال: أخبرني عن معنى بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم، فقال علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام،: حدثني أبي، عن أخيه الحسن، عن أبيه أمير المؤمنين عليهم السلام أن رجلا قام إليه: فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين أخبرني عن بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ما معناه؟ فقال: إن قولك: (الله) أعظم اسم من أسماء الله عز وجل وهو الاسم الذي  لا ينبغي أن يسمى به غير الله ولم يتسم به مخلوق، فقال الرجل فما تفسير قوله: (الله)؟ قال الذي يتأله إليه عند الحوائج والشدائد كل مخلوق عند انقطاع الرجاء من جميع من هو دونه، وتقطع الأسباب من كل من سواه وذلك أن كل مترئس في هذه الدنيا ومتعظم فيها وإن عظم غناؤه وطيغانه و كثرت حوائج من دونه إليه فإنهم سيحتاجون حوائج لا يقدر عليها هذا المتعاظم، وكذلك هذا المتعاظم يحتاج حوائج لا يقدر عليها، فينقطع إلى الله عند ضرورته وفاقته حتى إذا كفى همه عاد إلى شركه، أما تسمع الله عز وجل يقول: (قل أرأيتكم إن أتاكم عذاب الله أو أتتكم الساعة أغير الله تدعون إن كنتم صادقين * بل إياه تدعون فيكشف ما تدعون إليه إن شاء وتنسون ما تشركون)  فقال الله عز وجل لعباده: أيها الفقراء إلى رحمتي إني قد ألزمتكم الحاجة إلي في كل حال، وذلة العبودية في كل وقت، فإلي فافزعوا في كل أمر تأخذون فيه وترجون تمامه وبلوغ غايته فإني إن أردت أن أعطيكم لم يقدر غيري على منعكم وإن أردت أن أمنعكم لم يقدر غيري على إعطائكم، فأنا أحق من سئل، وأولى من تضرع إليه، فقولوا عند افتتاح كل أمر صغير أو عظيم: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم أي أستعين على هذا الأمر بالله الذي لا يحق العبادة لغيره، المغيث إذا استغيث، المجيب إذا دعي، الرحمن الذي يرحم ببسط الرزق علينا، الرحيم بنا في أدياننا ودنيانا وآخرتنا، خفف علينا الدين وجعله سهلا خفيفا، وهو يرحمنا بتميزنا من أعدائه  ثم قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: من حزنه أمر تعاطاه فقال: (بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) وهو مخلص لله  يقبل بقلبه إليه لم ينفك من إحدى اثنتين: إما بلوغ حاجته في الدنيا وإما يعد له عند ربه ويدخر لديه، وما عند الله خير وأبقى للمؤمنين.  باب تفسير حروف المعجم 

5. Muhammad ibn al-Qasim al-Jurjani the Commentator (of the Qur’an) said: Abu Ya`qub Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad; and Abu al-Hasan `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Sayyar, both were Imami Shi`ah through their parents, said. Al-Hasan ibn `Ali ibn Muhammad (AS) was asked about the word of Allah, the Mighty and High, Bismallah al-Rahman al-Rahim [In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful]. He replied: Allah is He in whom all take refuge in times of need and difficulty after having lost hope in all but Him, and after having broken relations from all but Him. A person says: `In the name of Allah’ i.e. I seek help in all my affairs from Allah, the Only One worthy of service. He is the Helper when help is sought. He is the Answerer when He is called upon. It is also what al-Sadiq (AS) said to an man when asked: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! Those who debate with me have confused me. Guide me to Allah. What is He?” Hence, he (AS) replied to him, “O servant of Allah! Have you ever ridden a boat? The man said: “Of course.” The Imam (AS) responded, “Then did it ever sink, leaving you without a boat to rescue you, and insufficient strength to swim? He answered, “Yes.” The Imam (AS) asked, “At that moment, did you heart have faith in something. All-Powerful that could rescue you from your difficult situation?” Thus, the man replied, “Certainly.” Al-Sadiq (AS) said: “Then that thing is Allah, the All-Powerful, the One who Rescues when there is no rescuer, and the One who helps when no help is available.” Al-Sadiq (AS) then added, Sometimes, some our Shi`ites forget to begin their action with “In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.” As a result, He tries them with mishaps to caution them to be grateful to Him, the Blessed and Exalted, so that they may praise Him, and so that they may learn that it is a mistake to leave out the statement “In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Al-Hasan ibn `Ali ibn Muhammad (AS) further said: “A man stood up before `Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS) and asked, “Inform me about the meaning of `In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.” Consequently, `Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS) replied, My father related to me, on the authority of his brother, al-Hasan, on the authority of his father, the Commander of the Faithful (AS) that a man stood before him and asked: “O Commander of the Faithful, inform me about the meaning of `In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.’” Thus, he (AS) responded, “Verily, the word `Allah’ is the greatest of the names of Allah, the Mighty and High. It is a name that cannot be given to other than Allah. Creatures are not named by it.” At that time a man enquired that what is the explanation of the word “Allah?” The Commander of the Faithful (AS) explained, Allah is He in whom all take refuge in times of need and difficulty, after having lost hope in all other but Him, and after breaking ties with all other than Him. Regardless of how great, powerful, and wealthy a leader may be in this world, and regardless of how much others depend on him, there will always be things over which they leader has no power. Likewise, the leader himself may have needs that he cannot fulfill. Hence, in moments of need, he breaks away from all others, and turns towards Allah until his problem is resolved. And then he returns to his previous infidelity. Do you not hear the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: Say: Tell me if the chastisement of Allah should overtake you or the hour should come upon you, will you call (on others) besides Allah, if you are truthful? Nay, Him you call upon, so He clears away that for which you pray if He pleases and you forget what you set up (with Him). Hence, Allah, the Mighty and High, says to His Servants: O those in need of My Mercy, I have indeed compelled you to turn to Me for all your needs, and at all times, in complete submission. Therefore, rush towards Me for mercy in every endeavor you seek to commence, and which you seek to complete. Verily, if I intend to give you something, no one has the power to prevent Me. And If I intend to deny you something, no one has the power to give it to you. I am the Most Worthy of your supplications, and the Most Worthy of your implorations. Therefore, say at the commencement of every action, both small and big: “In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful” [Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim], i.e. I seek help in this matter from Allah, the Sole Worthy of Service. He is the Helper when help is sought. He is the Answerer when He is called upon. He is the Most Compassionate, the Provider of sustenance. He is the Most Merciful in this world and the Hereafter. He made this religion easy and simple for us. He has shown mercy towards us by distinguishing us from His Enemies. He (AS) then added, The Messenger of Allah (AS) said: Whoever is distressed in pursuit of any activity and says: “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful,” sincerely, embracing it in his heart, then one of two outcomes will take place: either his wish will be fulfilled in this world, or it will be granted to him by His Lord in the next world. And whatever lies with Allah is better and more permanent for the Believers.

Al-Tawḥīd

Book 2, Chapter 31