Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Chapter 2

Chapter on Can Allah (God) be Considered a Thing?

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقُلْتُ أَتَوَهَّمُ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ نَعَمْ غَيْرَ مَعْقُولٍ وَلا مَحْدُودٍ فَمَا وَقَعَ وَهْمُكَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ خِلافُهُ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ كَيْفَ تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَهُوَ خِلافُ مَا يُعْقَلُ وَخِلافُ مَا يُتَصَوَّرُ فِي الاوْهَامِ إِنَّمَا يُتَوَهَّمُ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرُ مَعْقُولٍ وَلا مَحْدُودٍ.

1. Muhammad ibn Ya‘qub has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim, from Muhammad ibn ‘isa from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran who said the following.

“I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah about the Oneness of Allah saying, ‘Can I think of Him (the creator) as a thing?’” The Imam replied, “Yes, but not as something well understood and clearly defined with in limits. What may become a subject of your thoughts is different from Him. Nothing resembles Him and the thoughts and imaginations can not reach Him. He is different from what can become the subject of thoughts and is different from whatever that can be perceived in ones thoughts. You can think of Him as some thing but not well understood and clearly defined (under certain limits).”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ لله إِنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ يُخْرِجُهُ مِنَ الْحَدَّيْنِ حَدِّ التَّعْطِيلِ وَحَدِّ التَّشْبِيهِ.

2. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id who said that I asked Imam abu Ja‘far, the second (a.s.) the following.

“Is it permissible to say that Allah is a thing?” The Imam replied, “Yes, because it removes two kinds of limitations, the limitation of being forgotten altogether and that of considering Him like other things.”

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي الْمَغْرَاءِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَا خَلا الله.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from abu al-Maghra in a marfu‘ manner from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following.

“Allah is distinct from His creatures and His creatures are different from Him and whatever that is called a thing is a creature except Allah.”

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَا خَلا الله فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ.

4. It is narrated from Imam abu “Abdallah (a.s.) who said, “Allah is distinct from His creatures and the creatures are different from Him. Whatever could be called a thing is a creature except Allah Who is the Creator of all things. Holy is He for Whom there is no similarity and He is all-hearing and all-aware.”

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ خَيْثَمَةَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله خِلْوٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَخَلْقَهُ خِلْوٌ مِنْهُ وَكُلُّ مَا وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَا خَلا الله تَعَالَى فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

5. It is narrated from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who said, “ Allah is distinct from His creatures and the creatures are different from Him and whatever could be called a thing is a creature except Allah Who is the Creator of all things.”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْفُقَيْمِيِّ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلزِّنْدِيقِ حِينَ سَأَلَهُ مَا هُوَ قَالَ هُوَ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِخِلافِ الاشْيَاءِ ارْجِعْ بِقَوْلِي إِلَى إِثْبَاتِ مَعْنًى وَأَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِحَقِيقَةِ الشَّيْئِيَّةِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا يُحَسُّ وَلا يُجَسُّ وَلا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ الْخَمْسِ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَلا تَنْقُصُهُ الدُّهُورُ وَلا تُغَيِّرُهُ الازْمَانُ فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَتَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ قَالَ هُوَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ سَمِيعٌ بِغَيْرِ جَارِحَةٍ وَبَصِيرٌ بِغَيْرِ آلَةٍ بَلْ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَيُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ لَيْسَ قَوْلِي إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَبَصِيرٌ يُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالنَّفْسُ شَيْ‏ءٌ آخَرُ وَلَكِنْ أَرَدْتُ عِبَارَةً عَنْ نَفْسِي إِذْ كُنْتُ مَسْئُولاً وَإِفْهَاماً لَكَ إِذْ كُنْتَ سَائِلاً فَأَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بِكُلِّهِ لا أَنَّ الْكُلَّ مِنْهُ لَهُ بَعْضٌ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَدْتُ إِفْهَامَكَ وَالتَّعْبِيرُ عَنْ نَفْسِي وَلَيْسَ مَرْجِعِي فِي ذَلِكَ إِلا إِلَى أَنَّهُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْعَالِمُ الْخَبِيرُ بِلا اخْتِلافِ الذَّاتِ وَلا اخْتِلافِ الْمَعْنَى قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَمَا هُوَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ الرَّبُّ وَهُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ وَهُوَ الله وَلَيْسَ قَوْلِي الله إِثْبَاتَ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ أَلِفٍ وَلامٍ وَهَاءٍ وَلا رَاءٍ وَلا بَاءٍ وَلَكِنِ ارْجِعْ إِلَى مَعْنًى وَشَيْ‏ءٍ خَالِقِ الاشْيَاءِ وَصَانِعِهَا وَنَعْتِ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ وَهُوَ الْمَعْنَى سُمِّيَ بِهِ الله وَالرَّحْمَنُ وَالرَّحِيمُ وَالْعَزِيزُ وَأَشْبَاهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ وَهُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَإِنَّا لَمْ نَجِدْ مَوْهُوماً إِلا مَخْلُوقاً قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا تَقُولُ لَكَانَ التَّوْحِيدُ عَنَّا مُرْتَفِعاً لانَّا لَمْ نُكَلَّفْ غَيْرَ مَوْهُومٍ وَلَكِنَّا نَقُولُ كُلُّ مَوْهُومٍ بِالْحَوَاسِّ مُدْرَكٍ بِهِ تَحُدُّهُ الْحَوَاسُّ وَتُمَثِّلُهُ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ إِذْ كَانَ النَّفْيُ هُوَ الابْطَالَ وَالْعَدَمَ وَالْجِهَةُ الثَّانِيَةُ التَّشْبِيهُ إِذْ كَانَ التَّشْبِيهُ هُوَ صِفَةَ الْمَخْلُوقِ الظَّاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَالتَّأْلِيفِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ بُدٌّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ لِوُجُودِ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ وَالاضْطِرَارِ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ مَصْنُوعُونَ وَأَنَّ صَانِعَهُمْ غَيْرُهُمْ وَلَيْسَ مِثْلَهُمْ إِذْ كَانَ مِثْلُهُمْ شَبِيهاً بِهِمْ فِي ظَاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَالتَّأْلِيفِ وَفِيمَا يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حُدُوثِهِمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا وَتَنَقُّلِهِمْ مِنَ صِغَرٍ إِلَى كِبَرٍ وَسَوَادٍ إِلَى بَيَاضٍ وَقُوَّةٍ إِلَى ضَعْفٍ وَأَحْوَالٍ مَوْجُودَةٍ لا حَاجَةَ بِنَا إِلَى تَفْسِيرِهَا لِبَيَانِهَا وَوُجُودِهَا قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَقَدْ حَدَدْتَهُ إِذْ أَثْبَتَّ وُجُودَهُ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ أَحُدَّهُ وَلَكِنِّي أَثْبَتُّهُ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ النَّفْيِ وَالاثْبَاتِ مَنْزِلَةٌ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ إِنِّيَّةٌ وَمَائِيَّةٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ لا يُثْبَتُ الشَّيْ‏ءُ إِلا بِإِنِّيَّةٍ وَمَائِيَّةٍ قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ كَيْفِيَّةٌ قَالَ لا لانَّ الْكَيْفِيَّةَ جِهَةُ الصِّفَةِ وَالاحَاطَةِ وَلَكِنْ لا بُدَّ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ مِنْ جِهَةِ التَّعْطِيلِ وَالتَّشْبِيهِ لانَّ مَنْ نَفَاهُ فَقَدْ أَنْكَرَهُ وَدَفَعَ رُبُوبِيَّتَهُ وَأَبْطَلَهُ وَمَنْ شَبَّهَهُ بِغَيْرِهِ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتَهُ بِصِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ الَّذِينَ لا يَسْتَحِقُّونَ الرُّبُوبِيَّةَ وَلَكِنْ لا بُدَّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُ كَيْفِيَّةً لا يَسْتَحِقُّهَا غَيْرُهُ وَلا يُشَارِكُ فِيهَا وَلا يُحَاطُ بِهَا وَلا يَعْلَمُهَا غَيْرُهُ قَالَ السَّائِلُ فَيُعَانِي الاشْيَاءَ بِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُعَانِيَ الاشْيَاءَ بِمُبَاشَرَةٍ وَمُعَالَجَةٍ لانَّ ذَلِكَ صِفَةُ الْمَخْلُوقِ الَّذِي لا تَجِي‏ءُ الاشْيَاءُ لَهُ إِلا بِالْمُبَاشَرَةِ وَالْمُعَالَجَةِ وَهُوَ مُتَعَالٍ نَافِذُ الارَادَةِ وَالْمَشِيئَةِ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ.

6. It is narrated from Imam abu “Abdallah (a.s.), who said this to an atheist on being asked a question. “He (Allah) is a thing but different from all other things. I repeat my statement that speaks about Him as a thing. He is a thing in the sense of the reality of things except that He does not have a body and form. He does not have a feeling (like our sense of feeling) or touching and He does not comprehend with the five senses (as we do). Imaginations can not comprehend Him and the timeless (Dahr) times does not reduce Him and the times do not change Him.” The man asking questions then said, “Do you say that He hears and sees?” The Imam said, “He does hear and see: He hears without a hearing organ and sees without a means. He Himself hears and He Himself sees. My saying “He hears without a hearing organ and sees without a means. He Himself hears and He Himself sees” does not mean that He is a thing and His-self is another thing but that I only meant to express my self thereby as I was questioned and explained to you as you had asked a question. Thus, I can say that He hears with the whole of His-self but not in the sense that His whole self has parts but that I intended to explain it to you and to express my self. All I meant thereby is that He does hear, see and He is all-knowing and is the expert in knowing without any multiplicity in His-self or meaning.

The man asking questions then said, “What then is He?” The Imam said, “He is the Lord. He is the One Who is worshipped and He is Allah. When I say Allah, it does not mean establishing the proof for these letters (of alphabet) like Alif, Lam, Ha’, al-Ra’ or al-Ba’ but I intend thereby the meaning of a thing and a thing that is the Creator of all things and the Designer of all things. These letters only refer to the meaning that is called Allah, al-Rahman (the Beneficent), al-Rahim (the Merciful), al-‘Aziz (the Majestic) etc., of the other such names and He is the One Who is worshipped, the Majestic, the Glorious One.”

The man asking questions then said, “Given the above, whatever we can think of is but a creature.” The Imam then said, “Were it to the way you said we would not have had any responsibility to believe in the Oneness of the Creator because we will not have any responsibility towards something of whose existence we can not even think of. In fact we say that whatever is thought of in our senses is comprehended thereby by means of drawing limits around it and is analogized, thus, such a thing is a creature. (It then becomes necessary for us to find proof for the existence of the Creator of things.(We must find that is) clear of the two invalid and confusing aspects) if the meaning of negation would be nullification and nothingness or as is the case of the second aspect, the similarity and analogy which is of the attributes of the creatures that under go manifest composition and assemblage. It becomes necessary to prove the existence of the Creator. It is because of the existence of the creatures and their evident dependency on Him as His creatures and that their Creator is something other than them and that He is not similar to them because something similar to them would resemble them in manifest composition and assemblage. It would be as such also in the matters such as coming into existence from nothing and their changing from a smaller size to a full grown size, from blackness to whiteness from strength to weakness and other existing conditions that we do not need to explain their existence.”

The man asking questions then said, “You have already defined and limited Him in your proving His existence.” The Imam (a.s.) then said, “I did not limit Him. I only proved His existence if (as you think) there is no difference between proving and disproving.”

The man asking questions then said, “Can His existence be proved through a reasoning from the effect to the cause or the cause to the effect?”

The Imam said, “Yes, there is nothing whose existence can be proved without adopting either of the two above process of reasoning.”

The man then asked, “Does the question how apply to Him?” The Imam said, “No, this question does not apply to Him because it is the aspect of qualities and limitations. However, it is necessary to avoid abandoning and analogizing Him because negating Him is denying His existence and refusing to accept Him as the Lord and abandoning Him altogether. Whoever would analogize Him with other things from His creatures he has proved the qualities of the creature in Him, the creatures that do not deserve being called the Lord. It, however, is necessary to believe that the question how applies to Him only in a way that would not apply to things other than Him and things other than Him would not deserve and share Him in it. The how question can not apply to Him if it would limit Him or make Him the subject of knowing for others.”

The man then asked, “Do things make Him tired?” The Imam then said, “He is far Exalted and above experiencing such conditions. Such conditions are due to coming into physical association or dealing with the creatures. They are of the qualities of the creatures who can only associate with others through physical contact but He is the Most High and His will and demand are effective and He does whatever He wants.”

7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ قَالَ سُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَ يَجُوزُ أَنْ يُقَالَ إِنَّ الله شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ يُخْرِجُهُ مِنَ الْحَدَّيْنِ حَدِّ التَّعْطِيلِ وَحَدِّ التَّشْبِيهِ.

7. It is narrated from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who said when he was asked, “Is it permissible to say Allah is a thing?” “Yes, it is permissible because it excludes Him from being ignored altogether and from being analogized or considered similar to the creatures.”

Chapter 3

Chapter on (the Issue) that only He is proof of His Own Existence

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ السَّكَنِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اعْرِفُوا الله بِالله وَالرَّسُولَ بِالرِّسَالَةِ وَأُولِي الامْرِ بِالامْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالْعَدْلِ وَالاحْسَانِ.

وَمَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) اعْرِفُوا الله بِالله يَعْنِي أَنَّ الله خَلَقَ الاشْخَاصَ وَالانْوَارَ وَالْجَوَاهِرَ وَالاعْيَانَ فَالاعْيَانُ الابْدَانُ وَالْجَوَاهِرُ الارْوَاحُ وَهُوَ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ لا يُشْبِهُ جِسْماً وَلا رُوحاً وَلَيْسَ لاحَدٍ فِي خَلْقِ الرُّوحِ الْحَسَّاسِ الدَّرَّاكِ أَمْرٌ وَلا سَبَبٌ هُوَ الْمُتَفَرِّدُ بِخَلْقِ الارْوَاحِ وَالاجْسَامِ فَإِذَا نَفَى عَنْهُ الشَّبَهَيْنِ شَبَهَ الابْدَانِ وَشَبَهَ الارْوَاحِ فَقَدْ عَرَفَ الله بِالله وَإِذَا شَبَّهَهُ بِالرُّوحِ أَوِ الْبَدَنِ أَوِ النُّورِ فَلَمْ يَعْرِفِ الله بِالله.

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the people he mentioned from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Humran from al- Fadl ibn al-Sakan from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has narrated the following.

“Imam Ali (a.s.) has said, ‘Recognize Allah by Allah’s Own-Self, recognize the Messenger through his message and the people with Divine authority through their commanding others to do what is obligatory, the practice of justice and kindness.’”

Al-Kulayni had made the following comment on the above passage. “Acknowledge the existence of Allah by His own self” means that Allah has created the individuals, the light, the substance and the objects. The objects are the bodies, the substance stand for the spirits and He is not similar to the bodies or spirit in any of the creatures. No one has any part or effect in the creation of the spirits that comprehend and feel. He is the only one who has created the spirits and the bodies. When similarity to both kinds of creatures; similarity to the bodies and spirits is negated from Him, then one has acknowledge the existence of Allah by Allah’s own self. If one considers Him similar to the spirits, lights or bodies he has not acknowledged His existence by His own self.

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ سِمْعَانَ بْنِ أَبِي رُبَيْحَةَ مَوْلَى رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ سُئِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِمَ عَرَفْتَ رَبَّكَ قَالَ بِمَا عَرَّفَنِي نَفْسَهُ قِيلَ وَكَيْفَ عَرَّفَكَ نَفْسَهُ قَالَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ صُورَةٌ وَلا يُحَسُّ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَلا يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ قَرِيبٌ فِي بُعْدِهِ بَعِيدٌ فِي قُرْبِهِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَلا يُقَالُ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَوْقَهُ أَمَامَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَلا يُقَالُ لَهُ أَمَامٌ دَاخِلٌ فِي الاشْيَاءِ لا كَشَيْ‏ءٍ دَاخِلٍ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ وَخَارِجٌ مِنَ الاشْيَاءِ لا كَشَيْ‏ءٍ خَارِجٍ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ هُوَ هَكَذَا وَلا هَكَذَا غَيْرُهُ وَلِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مُبْتَدَأٌ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from some of our people from Ali ibn Ali ibn ‘Uqbaa ibn Qays ibn Sam‘an ibn abu Rabi‘ah Mawla of the Messenger of Allah who has said the following.

“A certain person asked Imam Ali (a.s.) saying, ‘By what means do you acknowledge the existence of your Lord?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “I acknowledge His existence by what He has made me to acknowledge His Own-Self.” He was asked, “How that has happened?” The Imam (a.s.) then replied, “He is not similar to any form and is not felt and comprehended through any of the senses and can not be analogized with the people. He is near in that He is far and He is far in that He is near. He is above every thing but one can not say that certain things are above Him. He is before every thing but one can not say that something is before Him. He is inside all things but not the way things are inside other things. He is outside every thing but not the way things are outside other things. Glory belongs to the One Who is as such and nothing else other than Him is as such and for every thing there is a beginner.”

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنِّي نَاظَرْتُ قَوْماً فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِنَّ الله جَلَّ جَلالُهُ أَجَلُّ وَأَعَزُّ وَأَكْرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْرَفَ بِخَلْقِهِ بَلِ الْعِبَادُ يُعْرَفُونَ بِالله فَقَالَ رَحِمَكَ الله.

3. Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated the following from al-Fadl ibn shadhan from Safwan ibn Yahya from Mansur ibn Hazim who has said that I spoke to Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) saying, “I debated certain people and said to them, ‘Allah, Glory be to Him, is far Glorious, Majestic and Honorable than being defined by means of His creatures. In fact, the existence of the creatures is proved through the existence of Allah.’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “May Allah bestow up on you blessings.”

Chapter 4

Chapter on the minimum degree of knowledge of the existence of Allah

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْعَلَوِيِّ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْفَتْحِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَدْنَى الْمَعْرِفَةِ فَقَالَ الاقْرَارُ بِأَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ وَلا شِبْهَ لَهُ وَلا نَظِيرَ وَأَنَّهُ قَدِيمٌ مُثْبَتٌ مَوْجُودٌ غَيْرُ فَقِيدٍ وَأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

1. Muhammad ibn al- Hassan has narrated from ‘Abdallah ibn al-Hassan al-‘Alawi and Ali ibn Ibrahim from al-Mukhtar ibn Muhammad ibn al-Mukhtar al-Hmadini altogether from al- Fath ibn Yazid who has said the following.

“I asked Imam abul Hassan (a.s.), “What is the minimum required degree of knowledge about Allah?” The Imam said, “To acknowledge that there is no other lord besides Him and that nothing is similar to and like Him and that He is eternal, positively existing and not absence and that nothing is like Him.”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ طَاهِرِ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ فِي حَالِ اسْتِقَامَتِهِ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ مَا الَّذِي لا يُجْتَزَأُ فِي مَعْرِفَةِ الْخَالِقِ بِدُونِهِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً وَسَامِعاً وَبَصِيراً وَهُوَ الْفَعَّالُ لِمَا يُرِيدُ وَسُئِلَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الَّذِي لا يُجْتَزَأُ بِدُونِ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الْخَالِقِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from Tahir ibn Hatam when he was normal and wrote to the man (meaning thereby Imam abul Hassan al-Rida (a.s.). “What is it that without which one’s acknowledgement of the existence of Allah can not be considered sufficient?”

In answer the Imam (a.s.) replied, “That He is All-knowing, All-hearing All-awareness and that He acts as He wills.” Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) was asked about the minimum required degree of knowledge about Allah without which an acknowledgement would not be considered sufficient. The Imam (a.s.) said, “There is nothing similar to or like Him. He is All-knowing, All-hearing and All-awareness.”

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يُوسُفَ بْنِ بَقَّاحٍ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ أَمْرَ الله كُلَّهُ عَجِيبٌ إِلا أَنَّهُ قَدِ احْتَجَّ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا قَدْ عَرَّفَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yusuf ibn Baqqah from Sayf ibn ‘Umayra from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar who has said the following. Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) has said, “The issue about Allah is totally extraordinary. Notice that He has presented to you His arguments in proof of His existence by means of that much of facts about His own self that He has made known to you.”

Chapter 5

Chapter on Who is Worshipped

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ وَعَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ عَبَدَ الله بِالتَّوَهُّمِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ دُونَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ وَالْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى بِإِيقَاعِ الاسْمَاءِ عَلَيْهِ بِصِفَاتِهِ الَّتِي وَصَفَ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ فَعَقَدَ عَلَيْهِ قَلْبَهُ وَنَطَقَ بِهِ لِسَانُهُ فِي سَرَائِرِهِ وَعَلانِيَتِهِ فَأُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حَقّاً وَفِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقّاً.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Hassan ibn Muhbub from ibn Ri’ab from more than one person from the following form Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.). Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) has said, “Whoever worships Allah with a degree of less than fifty percent knowledge of His existence he has certainly denied His existence. Whoever worships the names without their meaning he certainly has also denied His existence. Whoever worships both the names and the meanings he certainly has become a polytheist. Whoever worships the meaning, with the understanding, that names only convey the attributes, which He Himself has said are His. Thus, they have firmly tied this up to their hearts and have spoken out through their tongues in private and in public these are certainly of the friends of ’Amirul al- Mu’minin (a.s.). According to another Hadith, “They, certainly, are true believers.”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ أَسْمَاءِ الله وَاشْتِقَاقِهَا الله مِمَّا هُوَ مُشْتَقٌّ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي يَا هِشَامُ الله مُشْتَقٌّ مِنْ إِلَهٍ وَالالَهُ يَقْتَضِي مَأْلُوهاً وَالاسْمُ غَيْرُ الْمُسَمَّى فَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ دُونَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَلَمْ يَعْبُدْ شَيْئاً وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ وَالْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَعَبَدَ اثْنَيْنِ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى دُونَ الاسْمِ فَذَاكَ التَّوْحِيدُ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ زِدْنِي قَالَ إِنَّ لله تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْماً فَلَوْ كَانَ الاسْمُ هُوَ الْمُسَمَّى لَكَانَ كُلُّ اسْمٍ مِنْهَا إِلَهاً وَلَكِنَّ الله مَعْنًى يُدَلُّ عَلَيْهِ بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ وَكُلُّهَا غَيْرُهُ يَا هِشَامُ الْخُبْزُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَأْكُولِ وَالْمَاءُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَشْرُوبِ وَالثَّوْبُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَلْبُوسِ وَالنَّارُ اسْمٌ لِلْمُحْرِقِ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ فَهْماً تَدْفَعُ بِهِ وَتُنَاضِلُ بِهِ أَعْدَاءَنَا وَالْمُتَّخِذِينَ مَعَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ غَيْرَهُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَفَعَكَ الله بِهِ وَثَبَّتَكَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ هِشَامٌ فَوَ الله مَا قَهَرَنِي أَحَدٌ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ حَتَّى قُمْتُ مَقَامِي هَذَا.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the names of Allah and about the root or derivative forms of those names. “What is the root word for Allah?” The Imam replied, “The word Allah is derived from the word Elah (Lord) which requires Ma’luh (some one whose Lord one has become). Note that names are something other than whatever to which they apply. O Hissham, whoever, worships the name without the fact for which the name stands he has denied the existence of Allah and has not worshipped any thing. Whoever worships the name and the meaning for which the name stands he has worshipped two things. Whoever worships the meaning without the name he is a monotheist. Did you understand it ) O Hisham?” Hisham then asked, “Please explain further.” The Imam then said, “Allah has ninety nine names. If names would have been the samething for which they stand every one of them would have been a Lord. However, Allah is a meaning for which these names stand and they all are something other than Him. O Hisham, bread is the name for a certain kind of food, water is the name for a certain kind of drink, cloth is the name for a certain kind of garment and fire is the name for a thing that burns. Did you understand, O Hisham, in a form of understanding that would help you to defend our cause against our enemies and those who worship things that are other than Allah?” I said, “Yes, I did receive such understanding.” The Imam then said, “May Allah grant you success in it and keep you steadfast (in your belief). Hisham has said, “I swear by Allah that since then no one has been able to defeat me in an argumentation on the issue of the Oneness of Allah and that has made me reach this position that I hold.”

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَوْ قُلْتُ لَهُ جَعَلَنِي الله فِدَاكَ نَعْبُدُ الرَّحْمَنَ الرَّحِيمَ الْوَاحِدَ الاحَدَ الصَّمَدَ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ مَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ دُونَ الْمُسَمَّى بِالاسْمَاءِ أَشْرَكَ وَكَفَرَ وَجَحَدَ وَلَمْ يَعْبُدْ شَيْئاً بَلِ اعْبُدِ الله الْوَاحِدَ الاحَدَ الصَّمَدَ الْمُسَمَّى بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ دُونَ الاسْمَاءِ إِنَّ الاسْمَاءَ صِفَاتٌ وَصَفَ بِهَا نَفْسَهُ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from ‘Abbass al-Ma‘ruf from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran who has the following. I wrote or said to Imam abu Ja‘far 'Abdallah (a.s.), “May Allah take my soul in your service. Do we worship the Beneficent, the Merciful, the One who is One only and Self-sufficient?” The Imam then said, “Whoever worships the names without the meaning for which they stand he has become a polytheist and has denied the existence of Allah and has worshipped nothing. You must worship Allah who is the One and only One, the Self-sufficient, Who is the meaning for these names but not these names. The names are attributes that He has said are of His attributes.”