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 - أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن سنان، عن العلاء بن فضيل، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، قال: سألته عن قول الله عز وجل: ﴿فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها﴾  قال: التوحيد. 

1. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isa, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sinan, on the authority of al-`Ala ibn Fudayl that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) to interpret the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He (AS) said: “It is Divine Unity.”

2 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن محمد بن أبي عمير، عن هشام بن سالم، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، قال: قلت: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها)؟ قال: التوحيد. 

2. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan alSaffar said, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Hashim, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abu `Umayr, on the authority of Hisham ibn Salim that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) to interpret: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He (AS) replied, “It is Divine Unity.”

3 - حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم قال: حدثنا محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد، عن يونس بن عبد الرحمن، عن عبد الله بن سنان عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: سألته عن قول الله عز وجل: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها) ما تلك الفطرة؟ قال: هي الإسلام، فطرهم الله حين أخذ ميثاقهم على التوحيد فقال: (ألست بربكم) وفيه المؤمن والكافر . 

3. Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil (RA) said: `Ali ibn Ibrahim said: Muhammad ibn `Isa ibn `Ubayd said, on the authority of Yunus ibn `Abd al-Rahman, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Sinan that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) “What is the nature referred to in the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: “The nature made by Allah is which He has made men.” He responded, It is Islam. Allah placed this nature in them when He created them and made a covenant with them regarding Divine Unity. Thus, He asked: Am I not your Lord? The covenant encompassed all those who believe and all those who disbelieve.

4 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن إبراهيم بن هاشم، ويعقوب بن يزيد، عن ابن فضال، عن بكير عن زرارة، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام في قوله عز وجل: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها) قال: فطرهم على التوحيد. 

4. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan alSaffar said, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Hashim; and Ya`qub ibn Yazid, on the authority of Ibn Fuddal, on the authority of Bukayr, on the authority of Zurarah that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) was asked to interpret the Word of the Mighty and High: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He (AS) said: “He created them with Divine Unity.”

5 - أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن ابن فضال، عن أبي جميلة، عن محمد الحلبي، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام في قول الله عز وجل (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها) قال: فطرهم على التوحيد. 

5. My father (RA) said: `Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim said, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibn Fuddal, on the authority of Abu Jamilah, on the authority of Muhammad alHalabi that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) was asked to interpret the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He (AS) uttered, “He created them with (a natural predisposition towards) Divine Unity.”

6 - أبي رحمه الله قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد وعبد الله ابني محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن محبوب، عن علي بن رئاب، عن زرارة، قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن قول الله عز وجل: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها) قال: فطرهم جميعا على التوحيد. 

6. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah on the authority of Ahmad and `Abd Allah sons of Muhammad ibn `Isa, on the authority of Ibn Mahbub, on the authority of `Ali ibn Ri`ab, on the authority of Zurrarah that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the word of the Allah, the Mighty and High: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He (AS) said: “He created them all with (a natural predisposition towards) Divine Unity.”

7 - حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن علي بن حسان الواسطي، عن الحسن بن يونس، عن عبد الرحمن بن كثير مولى أبي جعفر، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام في قول الله عز وجل: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها) قال: التوحيد ومحمد رسول الله وعلي أمير المؤمنين (١). 

7. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan alSaffar said, on the authority of `Ali ibn Hassan al-Wasiti, on the authority of al-Hasan ibn Yunus, on the authority of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir freed slave of Abu Ja`far that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) was asked to interpret the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: The nature made by Allah is which He has made men. He replied, “It is a natural predisposition to accept Divine Unity, that Muhammad (SA) is the Messenger of Allah, and that `Ali is the Commander of the Faithful (AS).”

8 - أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن أبيه، عن عبد الله بن المغيرة، عن ابن مسكان، عن زرارة قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: أصلحك الله، قول الله عز وجل في كتابه: (فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها)؟ قال: فطرهم على التوحيد عند الميثاق على معرفته أنه ربهم، قلت: وخاطبوه؟ قال: فطأطأ رأسه، ثم قال: لولا ذلك لم يعلموا من ربهم ولا من رازقهم (٢). 

8. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad, on the authority of his father, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah, on the authority of Ibn Muskan, on the authority of Zurarah that I said to Abu Ja`far al-Baqir (AS): May Allah be in peace with you! Explain to me the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High, in His Book: “The nature made by Allah is which He has made men.” He (AS) responded, “He created them with a natural predisposition towards Divine Unity at the time of the Covenant when they recognized that He was their Lord.” I asked, “Did they reply to Him?” Zurarah says, he (AS) then put his head down, and after a while he (AS) said: “Had it not been so, then they would have not known their Lord or the One who sustains them.”

9 - أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن إبراهيم بن هاشم ومحمد بن الحسين بن أبي الخطاب ويعقوب بن يزيد جميعا، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: سألته عن قول الله عز وجل: ﴿حنفاء لله غير مشركين به﴾  وعن الحنيفية، فقال: هي الفطرة التي فطر الله الناس عليها لا تبديل لخلق الله، وقال: فطرهم الله على المعرفة، قال زرارة: وسألته عن قول الله عز وجل: (وإذا أخذ ربك من بني آدم من ظهورهم - الآية) قال: أخرج من ظهر آدم ذريته إلى يوم القيامة فخرجوا كالذر، فعرفهم وأراهم صنعه، ولولا ذلك لم يعرف أحد ربه، وقال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: كل مولود يولد على الفطرة. يعني على المعرفة بأن الله عز وجل خالقه، فذلك قوله: ﴿ولئن سألتهم من خلق السماوات والأرض ليقولن الله﴾ . 

9. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Hashim and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Abu al-Khattab and Ya`qub ibn Yazid all three, on the authority of Ibn Abu `Umayr, on the authority of Ibn Udaynah, on the authority of Zurarah that Abu Ja`far al-Baqir (AS) said: I asked him (AS) about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High; Being upright for Allah, not associating aught with Him, and about being upright. Thus, he (AS) replied, “It is the natural predisposition that Allah placed in human being. There is no change in His Creation.” Then he added, “Allah created them with the recognition.” Zurarah says: I asked him about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs. He (AS) explained, “He brought forth from Adam’s loins his progeny until the Day of Judgment. They all scattered before Him. He introduced them, and showed them His Creation. Had it not been so, no one would have recognized their Lord.” He also added, “The Messenger of Allah (SA) said: “Every child is born with a natural predisposition (towards Divine Unity), i.e. on the recognition that Allah, the Mighty and High, is his Creator.” Thus, that is the explanation of His Word: And if you ask them who created the heaves and the earth, they will certainly say: Allah.

10 - حدثنا أبو أحمد القاسم بن محمد بن أحمد السراج الهمداني، قال: حدثنا أبو القاسم جعفر بن محمد بن إبراهيم السرنديبي، قال: حدثنا أبو الحسن محمد بن عبد الله بن هارون الرشيد بحلب، قال: حدثنا محمد بن آدم بن أبي إياس  قال: حدثنا ابن أبي ذئب، عن نافع، عن ابن عمر، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: (لا تضربوا أطفالكم على بكائهم فإن بكاءهم أربعة أشهر شهادة أن لا إله إلا الله، وأربعة أشهر الصلاة على النبي وآله، وأربعة أشهر الدعاء لوالديه.   باب البداء  

10. Abu Ahmad al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Sarraj al-Hamdani said: Abu al-Qasim Ja`far ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Sarandibi said: Abu al-Hasan Muhammad ibn `Abd Allah ibn Haruna al-Rashid said in Halab that Muhammad ibn Adam ibn Abu Iyas said: Ibn Abu Dhi’b said, on the authority of Nafi`, on the authority of Ibn `Umar that The Messenger of Allah (SA) said: Do not hit your children because of their crying. Verily, during the first four months, their cry is bearing witness that there is no god but Allah. During the next four months, when they cry they are sending their blessings upon the Prophet and His Progeny (AS). And during the next four months, they are praying for their parents.

Al-Tawḥīd

Book 2, Chapter 53