Submission of Intellect and its Excellence

Sign of Perfection of Intellect

Merit of Knowledge and the Scholar and the Obligation of Knowledge

Reward of the Scholar and the Seeker of Knowledge

Attributes of the Scholar

Asking the Scholar and Discussing with Him

Prohibition on Speaking without Knowledge and Ruling based on Opinion

Accountability of the Scholar and its Severity

Miscellaneous from the Book of Intellect and Knowledge‎

Transmitting the Narration Non-Verbatim

Prohibition of Blind Following

Regarding Innovation and Analogical Reasoning

Ruling of Everything is in the Book and the Sunna

Prohibition on Debate and Argumentation

Some of the Reasons for Differences in the Narrations

Fitting Response Appropriate to the Understanding of the Questioner and the Addressee

No Excuse for the Ignorant One who Falls Short

Narration that Contradicts the Qur’an

Prohibition of Giving Fatwa without Knowledge and Evidence

Everything has a Ruling in the Book and the Sunna

Permanence of the Halal and the Haram unto the Day of Judgment

What Can be Used to Infer some General Principles

Authoritativeness of the Book and the Sunna

Principle of Precaution

Authoritativeness of the Solitary Report of a Truthful Narrator

Principle of “Whomsoever it reaches …”

Necessity of Comparing the Hadith with the Qur’an

Judging Conflict between Narrations

Reasons for Differences between Narrations

Invalidation of Analogical Reasoning

Primary Doubts

Principle of Continuity

Legal Injunctions are Predicated on Pubescence

Principle of ’No Harm’

Ijtihad

Lapsing of both Injunctive and Declaratory Rulings in Cases of Necessity

Some Rulings which are Time-Bound

Precedence is Given to what has been Established by the Qur’an over the Sunna

One of the Reasons for Differences between Narrations

Principle of Impartiality

What has been Lifted from the Umma

Aban b. Taghlib

Ibrahim b. Abi Mahmud

Ibrahim b. Abda

Ahmad b. Hammad al-Marwazi and his son Muhammad

Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Abi Nasr al-Bazanti

Usama b. Zayd

Ishaq b. Ammar

Ismail b. Ja`far and Abdallah b. Sharik

Bazi`, al-Sarri, Bashshar and Bayan

Bukayr

al-Hakam, Salama, Kathir, Salim and Abu al-Miqdam

Abu Sasan, Ammar, Shatira and Abu Amra

Jabir b. Abdallah al-Ansari and Jabir b. Yazid al-Ju`fi

al-Ash`ath, Jarir and Simak

Ja`far b. Isa, Salih and Abu al-Asad

al-Harith b. al-Mughira

Hariz and Hudhayfa

Hasan al-Muthalath

Abu Ali b. Rashid and Ali b. al-Husayn b. Abd Rabbi

al-Hasan and al-Husayn the two sons of Zurara

al-Husayn b. Qayama

al-Husayn b. Mihran

al-Hakam b. Utayba

Hammad b. Isa

Humran b. A`yan

Hamza b. Bazi`

Hayyan al-Sarraj

Khuzayma b. Thabit

Khayran al-Khadim

Dawud b. Farqad and Harun b. Sa`d

Dharih b. Muhammad al-Muharibi

al-Rayyan b. al-Salt

Zurara b. A`yan

Zakariyya b. Sabur

Ziyad b. Marwan al-Qandi

Ziyad b. al-Mundhir Abu al-Jarud

Zayd b. Ali

Salim b. Mukram

Sukayn al-Nakhai

Simak b. Kharasha

Sahl b. Hunayf

Salih b. Muhammad b. Sahl

Sa`sa`a b. Suhan

Safwan b. Mihran al-Jammal

Safwan b. Yahya

Dhurays b. Abd al-Malik

A`sim b. Umar al-Bajali and Ka`b al-Ahbar

`Amir b. Wathila

`Abbad al-Basri

Abd al-Hamid b. Salim and Muhammad b. Ismail b. Bazi`

Abd al-Khaliq b. Abd Rabbi

Abdallah b. Abi Ya`fur

Abdallah b. al-Imam al-Sadiq

Abdallah b. Jundab

Abdallah b. al-Hasan b. al-Hasan al-Mujtaba

Abdallah b. Saba

Abdallah b. Shubruma

Abdallah b. Ajlan and Muyassir b. Abd al-Aziz

Abdallah b. Umayr al-Laythi

[1/174] الكافي: علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن عيص بن القاسم قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: عليكم بتقوى الله وحده لا شريك له وانظروا لأنفسكم فوالله إن الرجل ليكون له الغنم فيها الراعي فإذا وجد رجلا هو اعلم بغنمه من الذي هو فيها يخرجه ويجيئ، بذلك الرجل الذي هو أعلم بغنمه من الذي كان فيها والله لو كانت لاحدكم نفسان يقاتل بواحدة يجرب بها ثم كانت الأخرى باقية فعمل على ما قد استبان لها ولكن له نفس واحدة إذا ذهبت، فقد والله ذهبت التوبة فأنتم أحق أن تختاروا لأنفسكم، إن أتاكم آت منا فانظروا على أي شئ تخرجون ولا تقولوا خرج زيد فإن زيدا كان عالما وكان صدوقا ولم يدعكم إلى نفسه إنما دعاكم إلى الرضا من آل محمد عليهم السلام ولو ظهر لوفى بما دعاكم إليه إنما خرج إلى سلطان مجتمع لينقضه فالخارج منا اليوم إلى أي شئ يدعوكم إلى الرضا من آل محمد عليهم السلام فنحن نشهدكم إنا لسنا نرضى به وهو يعصينا اليوم وليس معه أحد وهو إذا كانت الرايات والألوية أجدر أن لا يسمع منا إلا مع من اجتمعت بنو فاطمة معه فوالله ما صاحبكم إلا من اجتمعوا عليه، إذا كان رجب فأقبلوا على اسم الله عز وجل وإن أحببتم أن تتأخروا إلى شعبان فلا ضير وإن أحببتم أن تصوموا في أهاليكم فلعل ذلك أن يكون أقوى لكم وكفاكم بالسفياني علامة

1. [1/174] al-Kafi: Ali b. Ibrahim from his father from Safwan b. Yahya from Iys b. al-Qasim who said: I heard Aba Abdillah عليه السلام saying: upon you is to fear God alone who Has no partner, and to be on the lookout for yourselves, for by Allah a man may possess a flock over which he places a shepherd, but when he discovers another man who is more knowledgeable about caring for his flock than the one in place he removes the latter and replaces him with that man who is more knowledgeable about his flock than the one who was previously taking care of it. If one of you had two souls, one of which he could fight with and risk it, while the other remains alive safe to use to act upon the truth that has become clear to him [then it would have been fine], but he has only one soul – if it is lost then by Allah the opportunity for repentance is also lost. You are best placed to make decisions for yourselves, if a comer comes to you from us [the people of the House] then scrutinize what things are you coming out in revolt over exactly, and do not say ‘Zayd revolted’ [to justify yourselves] for Zayd was a scholar and truthful, moreover he did not call you for his own sake rather he called you to rally around the Rida [pleasing choice] from the family of Muhammad [i.e. the Imam], and had he become victorious he would have followed through on what he had called you to. But the one who revolts from among us today to what thing is he calling you to? is it to the pleasing choice from the family of Muhammad?! if so then we declare that we are not pleased with him! and if he is disobeying us about this today when he has no following then how much more emboldened will he be to ignore and not listen to us when the banners and the flags [converge around him]! [You are not come out] except with the one around whom the children of Fatima are united over, for by Allah your man is none other than the one around whom they unite. So when it is Rajab then proceed in the name of Allah Mighty and Majestic [to Makka] but if you wish to delay to Sha`ban then there is no harm done and if you prefer to fast in your families then perhaps that is more appropriate for you. Indeed the Sufyani is enough of a sign for you [to indicate the closeness of the appearance]. 

[-/2] الكافي: عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن علي بن الحكم، عن أبان قال: أخبرني الأحول أن زيد بن علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام بعث إليه وهو مستخف، قال: فأتيته فقال لي: يا أبا جعفر ما تقول إن طرقك طارق منا أتخرج معه. قال: فقلت له: إن كان أباك أو أخاك خرجت معه، قال: فقال لي: فأنا أريد أن أخرج أجاهد هؤلاء القوم فاخرج معي، قال: قلت لا ما أفعل جعلت فداك، قال: فقال لي: أترغب بنفسك عني؟ قال: قلت له: إنما هي نفس واحدة فإن كان لله في الأرض حجة فالمتخلف عنك ناج والخارج معك هالك وإن لا تكن لله حجة في الأرض فالمتخلف عنك والخارج معك سواء، قال: فقال لي: يا أبا جعفر كنت أجلس مع أبي على الخوان فيلقمني البضعة السمينة ويبرد لي اللقمة الحارة حتى تبرد شفقة علي ولم يشفق علي من حر النار، إذن أخبرك بالدين ولم يخبرني به؟ فقلت له: جعلت فداك من شفقته عليك من حر النار لم يخبرك، خاف عليك أن لا تقبله فتدخل النار، وأخبرني أنا فإن قبلت نجوت وإن لم يبال أن أدخل النار، ثم قلت له: جعلت فداك أنتم أفضل أم الأنبياء؟ قال: بل الأنبياء، قلت: يقول: يعقوب ليوسف: يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تَقْصُصْ رُؤْيَاكَ عَلَىٰ إِخْوَتِكَ فَيَكِيدُوا لَكَ كَيْدًا لم لم يخبرهم حتى كانوا لا يكيدونه ولكن كتمهم ذلك، فكذلك أبوك كتمك لأنه خاف عليك، قال: فقال: أما والله لئن قلت ذلك لقد حدثني صاحبك بالمدينة أني أقتل وأصلب بالكناسة وأن عنده لصحيفة فيها قتلي وصلبي، فحججت فحدثت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام بمقالة زيد وما قلت له، فقال لي: أخذته من بين يديه ومن خلفه وعن يمينه وعن شماله ومن فوق رأسه ومن تحت قدميه ولم تترك له مسلكا يسلكه

2. [2/-] al-Kafi: A number of our companions from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa from Ali b. al-Hakam from Aban who said: al-Ahwal reported to me saying: Zayd b. Ali b. al-Husayn عليهما السلام sent for me while he was in hiding so I went to see him. He [Zayd] said to me: O Aba Ja`far [al-Ahwal] what will you say if a knocker from among us [the family of the prophet] knocks on your door [asking for your support to fight the unjust ruler] – would you come out in revolt with him? I said to him: if it is your father [al-Sajjad] or your brother [al-Baqir] I would set out with him. He [Zayd] said to me: Verily I wish to rise up and fight these people so set out with me, I said: No, I will not do so may I be made your ransom, he said to me: do you prefer your life over mine? I said: it is only one soul [that I have] – if Allah does indeed have a Hujja [proof] on the earth [whose existence you deny] then the one who stays back from joining you is saved and the one who joins you is destroyed [for revolting without the permission of the Hujja], but if Allah does not have a Hujja [proof] on the earth [as you claim] then the one who stays back and the one who joins you are both the same. He said to me: O Aba Ja`far I used to sit with my father to share a plate with him so he would feed me the choicest piece of meat and cool for me a hot morsel fearing for my health but he did not fear for me enough to save me from the hell-fire! How could it be that he informed you the truth about the religion [the presence of the Hujja] and did not inform me about it! I said to him: may I be made your ransom – it is only because of his fear of hell-fire for you you that he did not inform you! he feared for you that you would reject it and enter the fire, but he informed me [not caring either way] so if I accept I am saved and he was not bothered that I enter the fire [if I reject]. Then I said to him: may I be made your ransom are you better or the prophets? He said: the prophets, I said: Ya`qub said to Yusuf: “O my son – do not relate your dream to your brothers for they will devise a plot against you” (12:5) why not inform them and expect them not to devise a plot against him but rather he was to keep it a secret from them [so as not to tempt them]? the same way your father kept it a secret from you because he feared for you. He said: by Allah! now that you mention that – your man [the Imam] narrated to me in Madina that I am to be killed and crucified in Kinasa and that he has a book which tells of my killing and crucifixion in it. Later I [al-Ahwal] made the pilgrimage and relayed to Aba Abdillah عليه السلام my conversation with Zayd, so he said to me: you took him from in front and from behind, from the right and from the left, from above his head and from below his legs and did not leave him any room to wiggle out [the argument you made was water tight]. 

[3/175] الكافي: محمد بن يحيى، عن محمد بن الحسين، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبي هاشم، عن عنبسة بن بجاد العابد، عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: كنا عنده وذكروا سلطان بني أمية فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: لا يخرج على هشام أحد إلا قتله، قال: وذكر ملكه عشرين سنة، قال: فجزعنا، فقال: مالكم إذا أراد الله عز وجل أن يهلك سلطان قوم أمر الملك فأسرع بسير الفلك فقدر على ما يريد؟ قال: فقلنا لزيد عليه السلام هذه المقالة، فقال: إني شهدت هشاما ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله يسب عنده فلم ينكر ذلك ولم يغيره فوالله لو لم يكن إلا أنا وابني لخرجت عليه!

3. [3/175] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Yahya from Muhammad b. al-Husayn from Abd al-Rahman b. Abi Hashim from Anbasa b. Bijad al-Abdi from Jabir from Abi Ja`far عليه السلام. He [Jabir] said: we were with him [the Imam] when the rulers of Bani Umayya were mentioned so Abu Ja`far عليه السلام said: no one will rebel against Hisham [the Umayyad Caliph] except that he [Hisham] will kill him, he also said: his [Hisham’s] rule will be for twenty years. He [Jabir] said: we were overcome with grief [on hearing that] so he said: what is with you – don’t you know that if Allah Mighty and Majestic wishes to destroy the ruler of a people he orders an angel so he [the angel] journeys swiftly through the celestial sphere and accomplishes what he intends? He [Jabir] said: we relayed these words to Zayd so he said: I witnessed the messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله being abused in the presence of Hisham but he did not repudiate it nor did he put a stop to it – so by Allah if there is no one except myself and my son I would still rise up against him! 

Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

Book 3, Chapter 37