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

[371/1] الكافي: علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن ابي عمير، عن أبي أيوب، عن محمد بن مسلم قال: قال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: يا محمد إن الناس لا يزال بهم المنطق حتى يتكلموا في الله فإذا سمعتم ذلك فقولوا: لا إله إلا الله الواحد الذي ليس كمثله شئ

1. [1/371] al-Kafi: Ali b. Ibrahim from his father from Ibn Abi Umayr from Abi Ayyub from Muhammad b. Muslim who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: O Muhammad, people keep being conversed with unless they begin talking about Allah, so when you hear that then say: ‘there is no god but Allah, the Unique, the one whom there is nothing like Him’    

[372/2] الكافي: عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد بن خالد، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن محمد بن حمران، عن أبي عبيدة الحذاء قال: قال أبوجعفر عليه السلام: يا زياد إياك والخصومات فإنها تورث الشك وتهبط العمل وتردي صاحبها وعسى أن يتكلم بالشئ فلا يغفر له إنه كان فيما مضى قوم تركوا علم ما وكلوا به وطلبوا علم ما كفوه حتى انتهى كلامهم إلى الله فتحيروا حتى ان كان الرجل ليدعي من بين يديه فيجيب من خلفه ويدعي من خلفه فيجيب من بين يديه

2. [2/372] al-Kafi: A number of our companions from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Khalid from his father from Ibn Abi Umayr from Muhammad b. Humran from Abi Ubayda al-Hadhdha who said: Abu Ja’far عليه السلام said: O Ziyad - beware of argumentation because it creates doubt, nullifies deeds and degrades its initiator, and it may happen that a man speaks something for which he is never forgiven. There was in days gone by a people who abandoned studying what they were entrusted and sought the knowledge of what they were asked to refrain from, until their talks turned to Allah and they became confused, so much so that a man would be called from in front of him but he would answer the one who is behind him and he would be called from behind and would answer the one in front. 

[373/3] الكافي: محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عبدالرحمن بن الحجاج، عن سليمان بن خالد قال: قال أبوعبدالله عليه السلام: إن الله عزوجل يقول: وَأَنَّ إِلَى رَبِّكَ الْمُنتَهَى فإذا انتهى الكلام إلى الله فأمسكوا

3. [3/373] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Yahya from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Ibn Abi Umayr from Abd al-Rahman b. al-Hajjaj from Sulayman b. Khalid who said: Abu Abdillah عليه السلام said: Allah Mighty and Majestic says: “and to your Lord is the End (finality)” (53:42) so if your talks reach to Allah then remain silent.   

[374/4] الكافي: محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن ابن فضال، عن ابن بكير عن زرارة بن أعين عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: إن ملكا عظيم الشأن كان في مجلس له فتناول الرب تبارك وتعالى ففقد فما يدري أين هو

4. [4/374] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Yahya from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Isa from Ibn Fadhal from Ibn Bukayr from Zurara b. A’yan from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: There was a king of great status who was in a council of his when he touched upon (started discussing) the Lord Blessed and Elevated. Suddenly he disappeared and it was not known where he was (could not be found).     

[375/5] الكافي: أحمد بن إدريس، عن محمد بن عبدالجبار، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن أبي أيوب، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي عبدالله عليه السلام قال: إن اليهود سألوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فقالوا: انسب لنا ربك فلبث ثلاثا لا يجيبهم ثم نزل قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ إلى آخرها

5. [5/375] al-Kafi: Ahmad b. Idris from Muhammad b. Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan b. Yahya from Abi Ayyub from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: The Jews asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله saying: Relate for us the geneology of your Lord. So he (the prophet) remained three days not answering them then it was revealed “Say: He is Allah the One” to its end (112:1-4). 

[376/6] التوحيد: ابن الوليد، عن محمد العطار، عن الاشعري، عن الميثمي، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن أبي أيوب، عن محمد بن مسلم، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن اليهود سألوا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فقالوا: انسب لنا ربك فلبث ثلاثا لا يجيبهم، ثم نزلت هذه السورة إلى آخرها فقلت: ما الصمد؟ فقال: الذي ليس بمجوف

6. [6/376] al-Tawhid: Ibn al-Walid from Muhammad al-Attar from al-Ash’ari from al-Maythami from Safwan b. Yahya from Abi Ayyub from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: The Jews asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وآله saying: Relate for us the geneology of your Lord. So he (the prophet) remained three days not answering them, then it was revealed this chapter (Surat Tawhid) to its end. I (Muhammad) said: What is the meaning of Samad? He said: The one who does not have cavity.

[377/7] التوحيد: أبي، عن سعد، عن ابن عيسى، عن ابن فضال، عن الحلبي وزرارة، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى أحد صمد، ليس له جوف، وإنما الروح خلق من خلقه نصر وتأييد وقوة يجعله الله في قلوب الرسل والمؤمنين

7. [7/377] al-Tawhid: My father from Sa’d from Ibn Isa from Ibn Fadhal from al-Halabi and Zurara from Abi Abdillah عليه السلام who said: Allah Blessed and Elevated is One, Compact, He does not have any hollowness, while the spirit is a creation from among His creations and is an aid, support and power which Allah places in the hearts of the messengers and believers. 

[-/8] الكافي: محمد بن يحيى، عن أحمد بن محمد، عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن النضر بن سويد عن عاصم بن حميد (رفعه) (قال:) قال: سئل علي بن الحسين عليه السلام عن التوحيد فقال: إن الله عزوجل علم أنه يكون في آخر الزمان أقوام متعمقون فأنزل الله تعالى قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ والآيات من سورة الحديد إلى قوله: وَهُوَ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ فمن رام وراء ذلك فقد هلك

8. [8/-] al-Kafi: Muhammad b. Yahya from Ahmad b. Muhammad from al-Husayn b. Sai’d from al-Nadhr b. Suwayd from A’sim b. Humayd who raised it - he said: Ali b. al-Husayn عليه السلام was asked about Tawhid (Unity of God) so he said: Allah Mighty and Majestic knew that there would in the last age peoples who delve deep (wanting to know) so Allah the Elevated brought down “Say: He is Allah One” (chapter 112) and the verses in Surat al-Hadid until His words “and He is Knowing of that within the hearts” (57:6) so whoever looks (desires) beyond that then he has perished.      

[378/9] التوحيد: ابن الوليد، عن الصفار، عن اليقطيني، عن ابن أبي نجران قال: سألت أبا جعفر الثاني عليه السلام عن التوحيد فقلت: أتوهم شيئا؟ فقال: نعم غير معقول ولا محدود، فما وقع وهمك عليه من شئ فهو خلافه، لا يشبهه شئ ولا تدركه الاوهام، كيف تدركه الاوهام وهو خلاف ما يعقل وخلاف ما يتصور في الاوهام؟ إنما يتوهم شئ غير معقول ولا محدود

9. [9/378] al-Tawhid: Ibn al-Walid from al-Saffar from al-Yaqtini from Ibn Abi Najran who said: I asked Aba Ja’far the Second عليه السلام about Tawhid saying: Should I imagine a thing (when conceiving of God)? He said: Yes, (something) neither cognizable nor delimited. Whatever your imagination falls upon is different than He. Nothing is like Him and imaginations do not reach Him. How can imaginations reach Him when He is other than what can be cognized and other than what is represented (images formed) in the imaginations? It is imagined something neither cognizable nor delimited.    

Muʿjam al-Aḥādīth al-Muʿtabara

Book 4, Chapter 8