Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

FOREWORD

What is in al-Kafi?

The contents of al-Kafi are precious gifts from Ahl al-Bayt (the fourteen infallible family members of Prophet Muhammad, (Divine Supreme Covenant Body) to their followers.

Each piece is as valuable as the wealth of the whole world. In this volume (vol. 1 of 8) there are about fourteen hundred pieces of such costly items but in the form of Hadith. Based on the above, one can imagine the value of this precious gift from Ahl al-Bayt (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) to their followers.

The followers and supporters of Ahl al-Bayt (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) would not dispute that such Ahadith are generous gifts to them.

The value of each item of such gift is mentioned in a Hadith from Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). He has said, “One Hadith about the lawful and unlawful matters that you may receive is better for you than the whole world and all that it contains .”

How would an individual accept that these items are really worth so much?

As a translator, for what I know of therein, I would only ask, “Have you opened the gift yet? ”

If the answer would be negative one would ask,“How would you know the contents of the package and the value of the items therein?”

The above statements are facts. They are not mere assumptions. The value of the gift is real and the way to find such value is also realistic and logical. Simply open up your gift and check it out thoroughly. You will never agree to sell it for less than the stated value.

THE SOURCE OF HADITH

The following Hadith, in addition to other valuable information therein, also makes it possible for one to learn about the source and emergence of Hadith.

“A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Hajjal, from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Halabi, from abu Basir who has said the following:

‘Once I went to see abu ‘Abd Allah (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) and said to him,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I would like to ask you a question. Is there anyone else in this house who may hear my words?’”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) then folded the curtain between his room and the next room and looked into it. Then the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O abu Muhammad, ask whatever you wish.”

I said,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, your followers say that the Messenger of Allah taught Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) a thousand chapters of knowledge and from each chapter there opened a thousand chapters. I then said, “This, I swear by Allah, is knowledge.” He would mark the ground with his staff (perhaps a sign of thinking) for a while. He then said,“That is knowledge but it is not that.” The narrator has said that the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O abu Muhammad, with us there is al-Jami‘a. Do they know what al-Jami‘a is?”

I asked,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is al-Jami‘a?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is a parchment seventy yards long by the yards of the Messenger of Allah. It contains his dictations from his very own mouth that are recorded onto it in the handwriting of Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). It contains all the lawful and unlawful, and all matters that people need. Even the law of compensation for a scratch caused to a person.” He then extended his hand towards me and asked,“May I, O abu Muhammad?” I replied,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I am entirely at your disposal.” He pinched me with his hand and said,“The law of compensation, even for this much, is included therein.” He seemed angry. I said,“This, I swear by Allah is knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that one.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is al-Jafr. Do they know what al-Jafr is?”

I asked,“What is al-Jafr?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is a container made of skin that contains the knowledge of the prophets and the executors of their wills. It is the knowledge of the scholars in the past from the Israelites.”

I said,“This certainly, is the knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is the book (Mushaf) of Fatima, (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). Do they know what Mushaf of Fatima is?” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“Mushaf of Fatima is three times bigger than your Quran. There is not even a single letter therein from your Quran.”

I then said,“This, I swear by Allah, is the knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenant Body) said,“This certainly is knowledge, but it is not that.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is the knowledge of whatever has been, and the knowledge of everything that will come into being to the Day of Judgment.”

I said,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. This, I swear by Allah, certainly, is the knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenant Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge.”

I asked,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is the knowledge?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is whatever takes place during the night and during the day, one matter after the other matter, and one thing after the other to the Day of Judgment.” (Al-Kafi Vol. 1, H614, Ch 40, h1)

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Sadir al-Sayrafi who has said the following.

“I heard Humran ibn A‘yan ask abu Ja‘far (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High Allah, ‘ . One Who is the Originator of the heavens and the earth . .” (6:101) Abu Ja‘far (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, originated all things through His knowledge. It was unprecedented. He invented the heavens and earth and there were no heavens and earths before. Have you not considered the words of Allah, “ . .His Throne existed on water . .” (11:7)

Humran then said,“Have you considered His words, Majestic is Whose name, ‘He knows the unseen and He does not allow anyone to know His secrets . .” (72:26)

Abu Ja‘far (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) then said,“ . except those of His Messengers whom He chooses.” (72:26)

Muhammad (Divine Supreme Covenent Body), I swear by Allah, was one of those whom Allah had chosen. However, there are His words,“He knows the hidden facts.” The fact that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, knows what is hidden from His creatures of the things that He measures and determines and decrees in His knowledge before creating it and before assigning to the angels, it is because of the following. O Humran, there is the knowledge withheld before Him in which He has a wish. He then decrees it when He wills. Bada’ may take place in it and He then will not decree it. The knowledge that, however, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, measures and determines and approves is the knowledge that reaches the Messenger of Allah and then it reaches us.” (H664, Ch 45, h2)

This remarkable Hadith takes the word ‘impossible’ out of the dictionary of the created world. It simply states that once Allah creates a thing or things it or they comes/ come in public then if one would have the means he may know what it is or what they are and the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) has said,“We know them all” . Note the end of previous Hadith,“I then asked, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is the knowledge?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is whatever takes place during the night and during the day, one matter after the other matter, and one thing after the other to the Day of Judgment.”

No one has so far, in the history of man, has come up with such a statement.

THE SUBJECTS

This volume of al-Kafi in terms of the nature of the subjects consists of the following main topics therein.

Intelligence and Knowledge

Allah, the Creator and the Guardian of all things

People to who Allah has given the Authority and means to be the guardian over His creatures.

Al-Kafi is not a book independent of the Holy Quran. This volume simply provides beautiful details of the above matters as they are mentioned in various passages and verses of the Holy Quran.

ONENESS OF ALLAH

Part three of al-Kafi, volume one contains elaborate details of chapter 112 of the Holy Quran and other such passages therein.

INTELLIGENCE

“No one can have faith without the permission of Allah. Allah will cast down filth on those who have no understanding (unintelligent people).” (10:100)

“These are parables which We tell to human being, but only the learned ones understand them (Intelligent people).” (29:43)

“Allah has made the day and the night, the sun and the moon, and all the stars subservient to you by His command. In this there is evidence of the truth for people of understanding (Intelligent people).” (16:12)

The Lord, His Guardianship and Leadership with Divine Authority

“Allah is the Waliy (Guardian) of the believers and it is He who takes them out of darkness into light. The Devil is the Waliy (guardian) of those who deny the Truth and he leads them from light to darkness. These are the dwellers of hell wherein they will live forever.” (2:257)

“Only Allah, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer and pay alms, while they kneel during prayer, are your Waliy (guardians) (5:55). One whose Waliy (guardians) are Allah, His Messenger, and the true believers should know that Allah's party will certainly triumph.” (5:56)

Thus, this volume of al-Kafi is about Allah, and His Wilaya (guardianship), about the people who possess Divine authority and their Wilaya (guardianship) and about intelligence and knowledge.

What should one look for in Al-Kafi?

In the following hadith there is a prayer that helps one to know what one should look for in this volume of al-Kafi. The hadith is from the chapter that deals with the issues in the absence of the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) (Leader with Divine Authority).

“Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Musa al-Khashshab from ‘Abd Allah ibn Musa from ‘Abd Allah ibn Bukayr from Zurara who has said the following.

“ . He is the one whose reappearance is expected. The fact is that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, loves to try and test the Shi‘a (his followers). It is in such a condition that people of falsehood will raise doubts, O Zurara).”

The narrator has said,“I then said, ‘May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, if I will be alive at such time, expecting his rise with Divine power, what should I do?’” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O Zurara, if you will live up to such time then say the following prayer. “O Lord make me know You for if You would not make me know You, I will not know Your prophet. O Lord, make me know Your Messenger, for if You would not make me know Your Messenger, I will not know the one who possesses Your authority over the creatures. O Lord make me know the one who possesses Your authority over the creatures for if You will not make me know him I will stray away from my religion . ..” (H 869, Ch 80, h 5)

This volume of al-Kafi, which is about seven hundred pages, can be considered a text of an interview with a person who possesses Divine authority. It is an established fact that the words of Ahl al-Bayt Allah’SupremeCovenantBody, are in complete harmony. An interview with any one of them would serve as an interview with all and every one of them. To have an interview of that many words as those in this volume provides one a very good chance to know the personality of the person interviewed. Thus, it could serve as the answer to the prayer at the end of hadith quoted above,“ . O Lord make me know the one who possesses Your authority over the creatures for if You will not make me know him I will stray away from my religion . .” (H 869, Ch .80, h 5)

You may be better off to open your gift and yourself examine. Keep in mind that the gift is very large. Knowing Allah and those who possess Divine authority is much more valuable than all the worldly things.

Muhammad Sarwar

New York

8/15/99

ABBREVIATIONS, CONVENTIONS, SPECIAL TERMS AND SYMBOLS

A Work of the nature of al-kafi would require a great deal of the use of special terms, conventions and symbols. The translation work is still in progress. Of the available explanations the following are a few.

‘Allah’SupremeCovenantBody’

The Holy Ahl al-Bayt, the Holy Prophet and the thirteen other Holy persons, the twelve Imams and Fatima al-Zahra are infallible people. In the case of the infallible personalities, after their names, titles or titles such as Arabic words ‘abu’ or ‘ibn’, meaning father or son of so and so, the expression ‘Allah’SupremeCovenantBody’ is used in this translation. To conserve space between the words is deleted and the print size is made smaller. In English the use of words such as ‘peace be on him /upon them etc.’ has been a usual practice. The replacement of such expression in this translation is because of Hadith 39 of chapter 111, part four, al-Kafi vol. 1. According to the usual practice ‘peace be on him’, expresses a form of prayer. However, ‘ A member of Allah’s Supreme Covenant Body’ is the mention of a special entitlement in Divine Providence and a prominent position.

HADITH ITS PLURAL AHADITH

The literal meaning of this term is a statement, conversation, a report or something new.

In the Islamic literature it sometimes is used to replace the word ‘Sunnah’. The Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad and the other infallible personalities consists of three issues.

A. Their statements

B. Their deeds

C. Their approval or disapproval of a certain act, practice or statements.

Good news for Visitors of Islamic Seminary homepage

The availability on this web-site of the translations of the Holy Quran, the Islamic practical laws and ‘Usul al-Kafi has made it possible to create a comprehensive link to make understanding of the Islamic system much easier.

The principles of belief (al-’Usul) and the practical laws (al-Furu’) which are stated in the Holy Quran in concise form and in principle now in an itemized form can be linked to the appropriate explanations in Hadith and in Fiqh. This will save a great deal of time and will provide a much easier approach to various topics. However, The work is in progress. We apologize for the shortcomings and appreciate all helpful comments.

INTRODUCTION

(To the Arabic version)

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Hadith (Texts of guidance from the Holy Prophet and the Imams (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) In the Shi ‘a Muslim community

1

The first collection of hadith (Texts of guidance from the Holy Prophet and the Imams (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) ever recorded in a book form was the book of Ali ibn abu Talib (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). The Holy Prophet (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) would himself dictate the text of Shari ‘a and Imam Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) would write them down. This book is the text of Shari‘a in details (of what is in principles in the Holy Quran).

This is stated in al-Kafi as follows:

“A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Hajjal, from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Halabi, from abu Basir who has said the following:

I went to see abu ‘Abd Allah (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) and said to him, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I would like to ask you a question. Is there anyone else in this house who may hear my words?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) then folded the curtain between his room and the next room and looked into it. Then the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O abu Muhammad, ask whatever you wish.”

I said,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, your followers say that the Messenger of Allah taught Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) a thousand chapters of knowledge and from each chapter there opened a thousand chapters. I then said, “This, I swear by Allah, is knowledge.” He would mark the ground with his staff (a sign of thinking) for a while. He then said,“That is knowledge but it is not that.” The narrator has said that the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) then said,“O abu Muhammad, with us there is al-Jami‘a. Do they know what al-Jami‘a is?”

I then asked,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is al-Jami‘a?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is a parchment seventy yards long by the yards of the Messenger of Allah. It contains his dictations that are engraved onto it in the handwriting of Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). It contains all the lawful and unlawful, and all matters that people need. Even the law of compensation for a scratch caused to a person.” He then stretched his hand toward me and asked,“May I, O abu Muhammad?” I then replied,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I am entirely at your disposal.” He pinched me with his hand and said,“The law of compensation for this much is included therein.” He seemed angry. I then said,“This, I swear by Allah is knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that one.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is al-Jafr. Do they know what al-Jafr is?”

I then asked,“What is al-Jafr?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is a container made of skin that contains the knowledge of the prophets and the executors of their wills. It is the knowledge of the scholars in the past from the Israelites.”

I then said,“This certainly, is the knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is the book (Mushaf) of Fatima, (Divine Supreme Covenent Body). Do they know what Mushaf of Fatima is?” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“Mushaf of Fatima is three times bigger than your Quran. There is not even a single letter therein from your Quran.”

I then said,“This, I swear by Allah, is the knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“This certainly is knowledge, but it is not that.” The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) remained silent for a while and then said,“With us there is the knowledge of whatever has been, and the knowledge of everything that will come into being to the Day of Judgment.”

I then said,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. This, I swear by Allah, is certainly knowledge.”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge.”

I then asked,“May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is the knowledge?”

The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“It is whatever takes place during the night and during the day, one matter after the other matter, and one thing after the other to the Day of Judgment.”

The second collection of hadith is what is called the book on al-Diyat (laws that deal with compensations and restitution. He would hang this book by the holster of his sword.

(Al-Bukhari has quoted from it in his collection of hadith.

One other collection of Hadith is that of abu Rafi‘ al-Qibti, a devoted follower of Imam Ali (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) The Holy Prophet had set abu Rafi‘ free from slavery. He called this collection Kitab al-Sunan wa al-Ahkam wa al-Qadaya (the book of laws, rules and judicial matters).

Thereafter there appeared various collections of Hadith in various forms.

The most important among these collections are:

1- Al-Kafi of al-Kulayni (D. 329/941)

2- Man la Yahduruhu al-Faqih, of al-Shaykh al-Saduq, abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Babawayh al-Qummi (306/919-381/991)

3- Al-Tahdhib al-Ahkam and al-Istibsar of al-Shaykh abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn al-Husayn al-Tusi (385/995 - 460/ 1076)

4- Jami‘ al-Akhbar fi ’Idah al-Istibsar of al-Shaykh 'Abd al-Latif ibn abu Jami‘ al-Harithi al-Hamdani al-‘Amili, a student of Shaykh al-Baha’ al-‘Amili (d. 1050/1640)

5- Al-Wafi of Muhammad Muhsin Fayd-e Kashani (1010/ 1599 - 1091/1690)

6- Tafsil Wasa’il al-Shi‘a ’Ila tahsil masa'il al-Shari‘a of Muhammad ibn al-Hassan al-Hurr al-'Amili (1033/1625/1104/1693)

7- Bihar al-Anwar, a collection of precious Ahadith of Ahl al-Bayt (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) of Muhammad Baqir ibn Muhammad Taqi al-Majlisi (1037/ 1928-1111/1700)

8- Al-‘Awalim (in 100 volumes) of Shaykh ‘Abd Allah ibn Nur Allah al-Bahrani (contemporary of al-Majlisi)

9- Al-Shifa fi hadith Al al-Mustafa of Shaykh Muhammad Rida ibn ‘Abd al-Latif Tabrizi (D.1158/1745)

10- Jami‘ al-Ahkam (in several volumes) of al-Sayyid ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad Rida Shubbar (1188/1774 - 1242/1827)

11- Mustadrak al-Wasa’il wa Mustanbat, al-Masa’il of al-Hajj Mirza Husayn ibn Muhammad Taqi al-Nuri Tabarsi (1254/ 1838 - 1320/1902)

The Shi‘a scholars had always paid proper attention to the collection, preservation and protection of Hadith throughout the history of this noble literature.

Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn Jarir ibn Rustsam al-Tabari, in his works Dala’il al-’Imama has said the following.“A man, once, came to Fatima (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) and asked, ‘O daughter of the Messenger of Allah, has the Holy Prophet left anything with you (of hadith) you could show me?’” She called her housemaid to bring the scroll. The housemaid had difficulty to find it out. Fatima (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“Find it out. It is as dear to me as al-Hassan and al-Husayn.” The housemaid brought the scroll in a package and in it, of hadith, one read as follows:“Muhammad (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) the Holy Prophet has said, “One whose neighbor would not feel safe from his harms is not of the true believers. One who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment he must not harm his neighbor. One who believes in Allah and the Day of judgment says good or remains silent. Allah loves the doer of good, the forbearing and the chaste people. He dislikes those who spread evil, the avaricious, the covetous and haughty. Bashfulness is a sign of good faith and the place of faith is in paradise. Spreading evil is meanness and the place of meanness is hellfire.”

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said to Jabir, “O Jabir, by Allah, one hadith that you would find from an authentic source about lawful or unlawful matters is better for you than everything over which the sun shines from dawn to dusk.

Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) has said,“A hadith about the lawful and unlawful matters that you may receive is better for you than the whole world and all that it contains.”

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) has said,“If I would see a young person of the Shi‘a who would not acquire proper understanding of religion I would discipline him strictly even if it would take me to make him suffer pains.”

It is narrated from abu ‘Abd Allah (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) who has said the following.“My father said to Jabir ibn ‘Abd Allah al-Ansari, ‘I need your help. Whenever convenient for you I would like to see you privately to tell you what I need.” Jabir then said,“What time would you like to have the meeting?” Sometimes they had the meeting and the Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O Jabir tell me about the tablet that you saw my great great great grandmother had and tell me what she said to you about the contents of the tablet. Jabir said, “I swear by Allah, that in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet once I went to see Fatima (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) to congratulate her for the birth of al-Husayn (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) and I saw a beautiful green tablet in her hand. I thought it was made of Emerald on it there was a writing in white like the rays of sun. I said, ‘May Allah take my soul and souls of my parents in service for your cause, what is this tablet?’” She said,“This is a tablet that Allah has presented to His Messenger. On it there are the names of my father, my husband, names of my two sons and the names of the executors of the wills of the Imams of my descendants. My father has given it to me as a gift and a token of congratulation. She then gave it to me and I read it and copied it down.”

My father then asked Jabir,“Can you show to me the copy that you made.”

Jabir agreed and my father went with him to his house to see the copy. Jabir brought the copy of certain pages. The Imam (Divine Supreme Covenent Body) said,“O Jabir, I read without looking in your copy and you check if there is any difference between my reading and your copy.” When my father finished reading Jabir said,“There is no difference whatsoever between your reading and my copy. Jabir said, “Allah is my witness that I saw it in the tablet just as it is.”