The chapter because of which we named this book, the Book of the Meanings of the Reports

The chapter of the meaning of a noun

The chapter of the meaning of «Bism-il-Laah-ir-Rahmaan-ir-Raheem»

Another chapter regarding the meaning of «Bism-il-Laah»

The chapter of the meaning of Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He

The chapter of the meaning of the One

The meaning of «al-Samad»

The meaning of the Saying of the Imams, peace be upon them, that Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is a Thing

The meaning of «Glorified be Allah»

The meaning of Monotheism and Justice

The meaning of «Allah is Greater»

The chapter of the meaning of the First and the Last

The meaning of terms mentioned in the Book and the Tradition about Monotheism

The meaning of the satisfaction of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, and His wrath

The meaning of guidance, aberration, success and abandonment from Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He

The meaning of «There is no force nor strength except by Allah»

The meaning of the separated letters at the beginning of the chapters of the Qur’an

The meaning of evening above the Throne

The meaning of the Throne and the Chair

The meaning of the Tablet and the Pen

The meaning of the scales by which the deeds of the servants are measured

The meaning of the Path

The meaning of the letters of the Adhan and Iqamah

The meaning of the letters of the alphabet

The meaning of the letters of sentences

The meaning of the names of the Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them, and other than that

The meaning of the names of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and his Household, peace be upon them

The meaning of the names of Muhammed, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Hussain and the Imams, peace be upon them

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «Whoever I am his Leader, then Ali is his Leader»

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, to Ali, peace be upon him: «You are to me in the same position as Harun to Musa, except that there is no Prophet after me»

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, to Ali, Hasan and Hussain: «You are the ones considered weak after me»

The meaning of terms mentioned about the characteristic of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family

The meaning of Two Weighty Things and the Family

The meaning of aal, ahl, ‘itra  and ummah

The meaning of the Clear Imam

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, with regards to Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon that, that he is the Master of the Arabs

The meaning of the marriage of the Light to the Light

The meaning of the one who wrongs himself, the moderate and the forerunner

The meaning of what is narrated with regards to that Fatima shielded her private organ, to which Allah forbade her offspring from the Fire

The meaning of what is narrated with regards Fatima, peace be upon her, that she is the Mistress of the women of all the worlds

The meaning of the Trusts which Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, had ordered His servants to deliver to their people

The meaning of the Trusts that were presented upon the Heavens, the earth and the mountains, but which they refused to carry and feared, and which the human being carried

The meaning of the Abandoned Well and the Lofty Palace

The meaning of Tuba

The meaning of the hiding of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, to four within four

The meaning of the column whom the Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, saw during the Night of the Ascension, whose origin is of silver, center is of ruby and peridot and top is of red gold

The meaning of Prophethood

The meaning of the sun, the moon, zuhra  and Two farqads

The meaning of the sending of blessings upon the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family

The meaning of the Means

The meaning of Three Sanctities

The meaning of disobedience to parents, fugitivity from masters and the sheep who strayed from the shepherd

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «I am the Young Man, son of the Young Man, brother of the Young Man»

The meaning of adolescence and manhood

The meaning of the Father of Sand

The meaning of the Saying of the Commander of the Believers, peace be upon him: «I am Zaid bin Abd-Manaf bin ‘Amer bin Amru bin Mughaira bin Zaid bin Kilab»

The meaning of the Family of Yasin

The meaning of the narration that has been narrated of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «Do not antagonize the Days, lest they antagonize you»

The chapter of the meaning of the Tree from which Adam and Hawwa’ ate

The chapter of the meaning of the Words received by Adam from his Lord, after which He accepted his repentance

The meaning of the Word of Godfearness

The meaning of the Words with which Ibrahim was tested by his Lord, which he completed

The chapter of the meaning of the Remaining Word in the descendants of Ibrahim, peace be upon him

The meaning of the Infallibility of the Imam

The meaning of the forbidding of the Fire for the spine that (was a cause to have) ejaculated the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, the belly (that was caring) that carried him and the home that cared for him

The meaning of the words in which Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, has gathered all goodness for Adam, peace be upon him

The meaning of the disbelief that does not reach (the extent of) polytheism

The meaning of impurity

The meaning of Iblees

The meaning of the kohl of Iblees, the material he licks and his snuffle

The meaning of the Stoned

The meaning of the Treasure of Speech

The meaning of the Concealed Things

The meaning of the Master of Forgiveness-seeking

The meaning of the saying of al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: «Beware from being benefactors»

The meaning of equivalence and thankfulness

The meaning of the knowledge which ignorance of does not harm, and which knowledge of does not benefit

The meaning of the hypocrite

The meaning of complaint during illness

The meaning of the wind that causes forgetfulness and bestows

The meaning of the saying of al-Sadiq, peace be upon him: «People are two: one who relieves, and another who rests»

The meaning of the secret and what is more hidden

The meaning of the Arabization of the Nabatean, and the Nabateaization of the Arab

The chapter of the meaning of what has been narrated with regards to that a woman has no equal, neither for her good, nor for her bad

The chapter of the meaning of consulting Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He

The chapter of the meaning of aggravation

The chapter of the meaning of the most sincere of names and the best of them

The chapter of the meaning of the unseen and the witnessed

The chapter of the meaning of that which deceives the eyes

The chapter of the meaning of the kantar

The meaning of baheera, sa’iba, waseela and haam

The meaning of the cruel and the villainous

The meaning of the drinking of thirsty cattle

The meaning of the two small, the two big and the two guises

The meaning of generosity of the grace

The meaning of the evil-wisher

The meaning of few

Another meaning of few

The meaning of the report which narrated that ill-omen is in three: in a woman, a riding animal and a home

The meaning of the saying of the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family: «Any man who leaves two dinars, they are to burn between his eye»

حدثنا أبي - رحمه الله - قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن أحمد بن أبي عبد الله، عن أبيه في حديث مرفوع إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله قال: جاء جبرئيل عليه السلام إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فقال: يا رسول الله إن الله تبارك وتعالى أرسلني إليك بهدية لم يعطها أحدا قبلك، قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: قلت: وما هي؟ قال: الصبر وأحسن منه، قلت: وما هو؟ قال: الرضا و أحسن منه، قلت: وما هو؟ قال: الزهد وأحسن منه، قلت: وما هو؟ قال: الاخلاص و أحسن منه، قلت: وما هو؟ قال: اليقين وأحسن منه، قلت: وما هو يا جبرئيل؟ قال: إن مدرجة ذلك التوكل على الله عز وجل، فقلت: وما التوكل على الله عز وجل؟ فقال: العلم بأن المخلوق لا يضر ولا ينفع ولا يعطي ولا يمنع، واستعمال اليأس من الخلق، فإذا كان العبد كذلك لم يعمل لأحد سوى الله ولم يرج ولم يخف سوى الله ولم يطمع في أحد سوى الله فهذا هو التوكل، قال: قلت: يا جبرئيل فما تفسير الصبر؟ قال: تصبر في الضراء كما تصبر في السراء، وفي الفاقة كما تصبر في الغناء،، وفي البلاء كما تصبر في العافية، فلا يشكو حاله عن المخلوق  بما يصيبه من البلاء، قلت: وما تفسير القناعة؟ قال: يقنع بما يصيب من الدنيا، يقنع بالقليل ويشكر اليسير. قلت: فما تفسير الرضا؟ قال: الراضي لا يسخط على سيده أصاب من الدنيا أو لم يصب، ولا يرضى لنفسه باليسير من العمل. قلت: يا جبرئيل فما تفسير الزهد؟ قال: الزاهد يحب من يحب خالقه ويبغض من يبغض خالقه ويتحرج   من حلال الدنيا ولا يلتفت إلى حرامها فإن حلالها حساب وحرامها عقاب   ويرحم جميع المسلمين كما يرحم نفسه، ويتحرج من الكلام كما يتحرج من الميتة التي قد اشتد نتنها، ويتحرج عن حطام الدنيا وزينتها كما يتجنب النار أن تغشاه، وأن يقصر أمله، وكان بين عينيه أجله، قلت: يا جبرئيل فما تفسير الاخلاص؟ قال: المخلص الذي لا يسأل الناس شيئا حتى يجد، وإذا وجد رضي، وإذا بقي عنده شئ أعطاه في الله، فإن من لم يسأل المخلوق فقد أقر لله عز وجل بالعبودية وإذا وجد فرضي فهو عن الله راض والله تبارك وتعالى عنه راض، وإذا أعطى لله عز وجل فهو على حد الثقة بربه عز وجل، قلت: فما تفسير اليقين؟ قال: الموقن يعمل لله كأنه يراه فإن لم يكن يرى الله فإن الله يراه وأن يعلم يقينا أن ما أصابه لم يكن ليخطئه وأن ما أخطأه لم يكن ليصيبه وهذا كله أغصان التوكل ومدرجة الزهد.

1.	We were told by my father, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, from Ahmad bin Abi Abdillah, from his father, in a narration that was ascribed to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, that he said: Jibra’eel, peace be upon him, came to the Prophet, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, and said: O Messenger of Allah, indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, sent me to you with a gift which I have not given to anyone before you. The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: And what is it? He said: Patience, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Satisfaction, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Abstinence, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Sincerity, and better than it. I said: And what is it? He said: Certainty, and better than it. I said: And what is it, O Jibra’eel? He said: Indeed, the pathway to that is to have trust in Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He. Then I said: And what is it to have trust in Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He? He said: The knowledge (of the fact) that the created does not harm, nor benefit, nor give, nor prevent, and the appliance of despair from the creation. If a servant is as such, he will not act for anyone besides Allah, nor will he seek nor fear other than Allah, nor will he aspire from anyone other than Allah. That is the one who has trust. He said: I said: O Jibra’eel, what is the interpretation of patience? He said: That you are patient during distress like how you are patient during ease, and during destitution like how during wealth, and during tribulation like how during comfort. Hence, he would not complain of his condition to the created due to what afflicts him of tribulation. I said: And what is the interpretation of contentment? He said: That he is content with what he acquires from this world; that he is content with the little and thanks for that of little value. I said: And what is the interpretation of satisfaction? He said: The one who is pleased is not angered at his Master, regardless if he acquires from this world or does not acquire, and he is not pleased for himself with little deeds. I said: O Jibra’eel, and what is the interpretation of abstinence? He said: The abstinent loves the one who loves his Creator, hates the one who hates his Creator, feels discomfort with regards to that which is permissible from this world and does not turn towards its forbidden, for indeed, its permissible is (subject to) reckoning and its forbidden is (a cause for) punishment. Moreover, he is merciful to all Muslims like how he is merciful towards himself, and he feels discomfort from speech like how he feels discomfort from the corpse whose rottenness is intensified, and he feels discomfort from the waste material of this world and its beauties like how he avoids the fire to reach him. Also, (he feels discomfort from) that his deed is shortened, and that a long lifetime is between his eyes. I said: O Jibra’eel, and what is the interpretation of sincerity? He said: The sincere who does not ask the people for anything until he finds, and if he finds he is pleased, and if something remains with him, he gives it for the sake of Allah. Hence, the one who does not ask the created, has certainly declared worship to Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, and if he finds and is pleased then he is pleased with Allah and Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is pleased with him, and if he gives for the sake of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, he is at the edge of confidence in his Lord, Exalted and Glorious is He. I said: And what is the interpretation of certainty? He said: The certain acts for Allah as if he sees Him, and since he does not see Allah, then indeed, Allah sees him. Moreover, it is that he knows certainly that what he has acquired, he was not to miss, and that what he missed, he was not to acquire. This, all of it, are branches of having trust and is a pathway of abstinence.

Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

Book 1, Chapter 294