Al-Kāfi - Volume 2


Book 3, Chapter 4

One Who Memorizes the Holy Quran Then Forgets
6 Aḥadīth

1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ الأحْمَرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ قَرَأْتُ الْقُرْآنَ فَفَلَتَ مِنِّي فَادْعُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يُعَلِّمَنِيهِ قَالَ فَكَأَنَّهُ فَزِعَ لِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ عَلَّمَكَ الله هُوَ وَإِيَّانَا جَمِيعاً قَالَ وَنَحْنُ نَحْوٌ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ السُّورَةُ تَكُونُ مَعَ الرَّجُلِ قَدْ قَرَأَهَا ثُمَّ تَرَكَهَا فَتَأْتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ وَتُسَلِّمُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقُولُ مَنْ أَنْتِ فَتَقُولُ أَنَا سُورَةُ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَلَوْ أَنَّكَ تَمَسَّكْتَ بِي وَأَخَذْتَ بِي لأنْزَلْتُكَ هَذِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ لِيُقَالَ فُلانٌ قَارِئٌ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ لِيَطْلُبَ بِهِ الدُّنْيَا وَلا خَيْرَ فِي ذَلِكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ لِيَنْتَفِعَ بِهِ فِي صَلاتِهِ وَلَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ.


1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad an Abu Ali al-Ash’ari from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar all from ibn Faddal from abu Ishaq, Th’labah ibn Maymun from Ya’qub al-Ahmar who has said the following: “Once I said to abu Abdullah (a.s) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I had learned the Holy Quran but now it is gone (forgotten). Pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, so I learn it again?’ The narrator has said that the Imam seemed shocked and said, ‘May Allah and all of us help you learn the Holy Quran again and we are about ten people.’ The Imam then said, ‘If one knows one chapter of the Holy Quran and then leaves it alone, on the Day of Judgment that chapter will come to him in the best form and will greet him. The man will ask, ‘Who are you?’ It will say, ‘I am chapter so and so of the Holy Quran. If you had not left me alone, I would have taken you with me to this high rank. ’ The Imam then said, ‘You must hold fast to the Holy Quran.’”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَنْ نَسِيَ سُورَةً مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مُثِّلَتْ لَهُ فِي صُورَةٍ حَسَنَةٍ وَدَرَجَةٍ رَفِيعَةٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَإِذَا رَآهَا قَالَ مَا أَنْتِ مَا أَحْسَنَكِ لَيْتَكِ لِي فَيَقُولُ أَ مَا تَعْرِفُنِي أَنَا سُورَةُ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَلَوْ لَمْ تَنْسَنِي رَفَعْتُكَ إِلَى هَذَا.


2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu al- Maghra’ from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s) has said, ‘If one forgets a chapter from the Holy Quran it will appear to him in the best form and high position in paradise. When he will see it he will say how beautiful you are! I wish you were mine.’ It will ask, ‘Do you not know me? I am chapter so and so, had you not forgotten me I would have raised you to this.’”

3ـ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ الأحْمَرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ عَلَيَّ دَيْناً كَثِيراً وَقَدْ دَخَلَنِي مَا كَانَ الْقُرْآنُ يَتَفَلَّتُ مِنِّي فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الْقُرْآنَ الْقُرْآنَ إِنَّ الآيَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ وَالسُّورَةَ لَتَجِي‏ءُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى تَصْعَدَ أَلْفَ دَرَجَةٍ يَعْنِي فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَتَقُولُ لَوْ حَفِظْتَنِي لَبَلَغْتُ بِكَ هَاهُنَا.


3. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from Ya’qub al- Ahmar who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) ‘I am indebted a great deal and due to worries I am about to forget the Holy Quran. ’ The Imam (a.s) said, ‘The Holy Quran, the Holy Quran! On the Day of Judgment the chapter and the verse of the Holy Quran will come and say, ‘Had you not forgotten me I would have taken you today to such and such high ranks in paradise.’”

4ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ مُحَسِّنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا كَانَ يَعْلَمُ السُّورَةَ ثُمَّ نَسِيَهَا أَوْ تَرَكَهَا وَدَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ أَشْرَفَتْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ فَوْقٍ فِي أَحْسَنِ صُورَةٍ فَتَقُولُ تَعْرِفُنِي فَيَقُولُ لا فَتَقُولُ أَنَا سُورَةُ كَذَا وَكَذَا لَمْ تَعْمَلْ بِي وَتَرَكْتَنِي أَمَا وَالله لَوْ عَمِلْتَ بِي لَبَلَغْتُ بِكَ هَذِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ وَأَشَارَتْ بِيَدِهَا إِلَى فَوْقِهَا.


4. Hamid ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama’a and a number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from Muhsin ibn Ahmad from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ibn abu Ya’qub who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) saying, ‘If a man knows a chapter then forgets it or just leaves it and will enter paradise, it will appear above him in the best form and ask, “Do you know me?” He will say, ‘No, I do not know you. ’ It will say, “I am chapter so and so, you did not follow me and left me. I swear by Allah, had you acted upon my instructions I would have raised you to this degree, pointing with his hand to the above.’”

5ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنِ الْحَجَّاجِ الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ أَبِي كَهْمَسٍ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَرَأَ الْقُرْآنَ ثُمَّ نَسِيَهُ فَرَدَدْتُ عَلَيْهِ ثَلاثاً أَ عَلَيْهِ فِيهِ حَرَجٌ قَالَ لا.


5. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn ‘Abd Allah from al- ‘Abbas ibn ‘Amir from al-Hajjaj al-Khashshab from abu Kahmas al-Haythami ibn ‘Ubayd who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) about a man who reads the Holy Quran and then forgets and I repeated it before him three times asking, ‘Is it an offense on his part?’ The Imam said, ‘No.’”

6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ وَالْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ الأحْمَرِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّهُ أَصَابَتْنِي هُمُومٌ وَأَشْيَاءُ لَمْ يَبْقَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ إِلا وَقَدْ تَفَلَّتَ مِنِّي مِنْهُ طَائِفَةٌ حَتَّى الْقُرْآنِ لَقَدْ تَفَلَّتَ مِنِّي طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَفَزِعَ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ حِينَ ذَكَرْتُ الْقُرْآنَ ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَنْسَى السُّورَةَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَتَأْتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى تُشْرِفَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ دَرَجَةٍ مِنْ بَعْضِ الدَّرَجَاتِ فَتَقُولُ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ فَيَقُولُ وَعَلَيْكِ السَّلامُ مَنْ أَنْتِ فَتَقُولُ أَنَا سُورَةُ كَذَا وَكَذَا ضَيَّعْتَنِي وَتَرَكْتَنِي أَمَا لَوْ تَمَسَّكْتَ بِي بَلَغْتُ بِكَ هَذِهِ الدَّرَجَةَ ثُمَّ أَشَارَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْقُرْآنِ فَتَعَلَّمُوهُ فَإِنَّ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُ الْقُرْآنَ لِيُقَالَ فُلانٌ قَارِئٌ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُهُ فَيَطْلُبُ بِهِ الصَّوْتَ فَيُقَالُ فُلانٌ حَسَنُ الصَّوْتِ وَلَيْسَ فِي ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَتَعَلَّمُهُ فَيَقُومُ بِهِ فِي لَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ لا يُبَالِي مَنْ عَلِمَ ذَلِكَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْهُ.


6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Khalid and al-Husayn ibn Sa’id all from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from Ya’qub al-Ahmar who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I am facing such problems and difficulties that I forget so many good things even some of the Holy Quran.’ The Imam was shocked upon my mentioning the Holy Quran and said, ‘If a man forgets a chapter of the Holy Quran, on the Day of Judgment that chapter will appear to him with a certain rank and offers him the greeting of peace. The man will ask, ‘Who are you?’ The chapter of the Holy Quran will say, ‘I am chapter so and so of the Holy Quran which you forgot, and I wish you had not forgotten me; today I could have taken you to such and such high ranks. He will point to a certain rank.’ The Imam then said, ‘You must hold fast to the Holy Quran and learn it. Certain people learn the Holy Quran so that others call him a very good reader of the Holy Quran. Others learn the Holy Quran so that people praise him for his vocal attractiveness in reciting the Holy Quran. There is nothing good in all of this. Certain people learn the Holy Quran and at night they stand upon their feet with the Holy Quran as well as during the day and they are not concerned whether others know this about them or not.’”