The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Volume 1

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The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Author:
Translator: Badr Shahin
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
Category: Various Books

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The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community

The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Volume 1

Author:
Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center
English

Note:

All volumes of this book are taken from www.al-islam.org

www.alhassanain.org/english

The Role of The Ahl Al-Bayt in Building The Virtuous Community Book One: Goals And Characteristics

Author(s): Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim

Translator(s): Badr Shahin

Publisher(s): ABWA Publishing and Printing Center

www.alhassanain.org/english

Miscellaneous information:

The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) in Building the Virtuous Community, Book One: Goals and Characteristics Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA) Translator: Badr Shahin Editor: Iffat Shah and Carol Ahmadi Revised by: Ashraf Carl Eastman Ahmadi Publisher: ABWA Publishing and Printing Center First Printing: 2011 © Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA) All rights reserved. www.ahl-ul-bayt.org info@ahl-ul-bayt.org

ن ام كتاب: دور أهل البيت (ع) في بناء الجماعة الصالحة / ج 1 نويسنده: آية الله سيد محمد باقر الحكيم تهيه كننده: اداره ترجمه، اداره كل پژوهش مجمع جهاني اهل بيت (ع) مترجم: بدر شاهين زبان ترجمه: انگليسى

Notice:

This version is published on behalf of www.alhassanain.org/english

The composing errors are not corrected.

Table of Contents

Publisher’s Foreword 7

Preface by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly 9

Notes 12

Introduction 13

Significance of the Ahl al-Bayt’s Thesis 13

Ahl al-Bayt (‘a): The Most Important Pillar 13

Actuality of the Ahl al-Bayt’s Role 15

Development of Studies about the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) 15

Prospects for Research on Heritage of Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) 17

The Ahl al-Bayt’s Role in Islamic Life 18

Some Difficulties 19

Arrangement of the Books 20

Notes 22

Preamble 24

Note 25

Chapter 1: Goals Of Building The Virtuous Community 26

Contribution to the Islamic Leadership (Assuming the Islamic Government) 26

The Role of the Elite during the Reign of the First Three Caliphs 28

The Role of the Elite during Imam ‘Ali’s Reign 29

Examples of Notable Men 29

Preserving the Muslim Community 30

Defending the Muslim Society 30

Presenting a Righteous Example 31

Islamic Unity 32

Fundamentalism and High Moral Standards 33

Humanity and Internationality 34

Sacrifice and Readiness for Martyrdom 34

Safeguarding Islamic Law Against Distortion 35

Principle of Resistance 35

Ijtihad in the frame of the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah 36

Freedom of Thought 36

Piety and Decency 36

Recording and Upholding the Muslim Heritage 37

Preliminary Steps Towards the Advent 37

The Advent is a Vital Concept 39

Responsibility and Will to Change 39

Return to Genuine Islam 39

Notes 40

Chapter 2: Characteristics Of The Virtuous Community 42

Sound Belief 42

Turning to the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) to Obtain Religious Knowledge 45

Understanding the Holy Qur’an 45

Acquaintance with the Holy Sunnah 46

Acting upon the Verdicts of an Upright, Living, Well-Versed Jurisprudent 46

Commitment to the Highest Rank of Human Perfection 47

Worship and Asceticism 48

Practical Belief in Wilayah 52

Cordial and Practical Devotion to Almighty Allah 53

Acting as Excellent Exemplars 54

Steadfastness 55

Keeping the Entity Strongly Perfected 57

Standing by the Believers 58

Undertaking Public Responsibilities 59

Notes 59

Publisher’s Foreword

The invaluable legacy of the Household [Ahl al-Bayt] of the Prophet (may peace be upon them all), as preserved by their followers, is a comprehensive school of thought that embraces all branches of Islamic knowledge. This school has produced many brilliant scholars who have drawn inspiration from this rich and pure resource. It has given many scholars to the Muslim ummah who, following in the footsteps of Imams of the Prophet’s Household (‘a), have done their best to clear up the doubts raised by various creeds and currents within and without Muslim society and to answer their questions. Throughout the past centuries, they have given well-reasoned answers and clarifications concerning these questions and doubts.

To meet the responsibilities assigned to it, the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly (ABWA) has embarked on a defence of the sanctity of the Islamic message and its verities, often obscured by the partisans of various sects and creeds as well as by currents hostile to Islam. The Assembly follows in the footsteps of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) and the disciples of their school of thought in its readiness to confront these challenges and tries to be on the frontline in consonance with the demands of every age.

The arguments contained in the works of the scholars belonging to the School of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) are of unique significance. That is because they are based on genuine scholarship and appeal to reason, and avoid prejudice and bias. These arguments address scholars and thinkers in a manner that appeals to healthy minds and wholesome human nature.

To assist the seekers of truth, the Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly has endeavored to present a new phase of these arguments contained in the studies and translations of the works of contemporary Shi‘ah writers and those who have embraced this sublime school of thought through divine blessing.

The Assembly is also engaged in edition and publication of the valuable works of leading Shi‘ah scholars of earlier ages to assist the seekers of the truth in discovering the truths which the School of the Prophet’s Household (‘a) has offered to the entire world.

The Ahl al-Bayt World Assembly looks forward to benefit from the opinions of the readers and their suggestions and constructive criticism in this area.

We also invite scholars, translators and other institutions to assist us in propagating the genuine Islamic teachings as preached by the Prophet Muhammad (S).

We beseech God, the Most High, to accept our humble efforts and to enable us to enhance them under the auspices of Imam al-Mahdi, His vicegerent on the earth (may Allah expedite his advent).

We express our gratitude to Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir Al-Hakim, the author of the present book, and Badr Shahin, its translator. We also thank our colleagues who have participated in producing this work, especially the staff of the Translation Office.

Cultural Affairs Department

Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly

Preface by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly

The Holy Messenger of Allah (S)1 is reported to have said,

أَقْرَبُ النَّاسِ مِنْ دَرَجَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْجِهَادِ

The people closest to the rank of Prophets are the people of knowledge and jihad (utmost endeavor).2

Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu'minin (the Commander of the Faithful) (‘a) is also reported as saying,

اَلْعُلَمَاءُ بَاقُونَ مَا بَقِيَ الدَّهْرُ… أُولَئِكَ خُلَفَاءُ اللهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَالدُّعَاةُ إلَى دِينِهِ، آهٍ آهٍ شَوْقاً إلَى رُؤْيَتِهِمْ

The knowledgeable people are as endless as time. They are the representatives of Allah on the earth, and inviters to His religion. Oh! How eager am I to see them!3

Peace and blessings of Allah and of His Apostle be upon the pure souls of the martyrs, especially the students of the Seminary (Hawzah). Peace be upon the immortal men of religion who aroused enthusiasm in others, wrote down their academic and practical theses with their martyrdoms and the ink of their blood and transformed their lives into brilliant gems on the pulpits in order to guide others.

Peace and immortality be upon the martyrs and the spiritualists among the students of the Hawzah who left their schools in order to join the fields of jihad, shed off any thing that connected them to worldly ambitions and set forth to join the immortal group of divine people.

Peace be upon those who unveiled true religious knowledge and became honest warners for their people, whose every act and intention testified practically to all parts of their discourses. In all honesty, the true men of the religion of Islam, and Shi’ism in particular, who guide others to the straight path and encourage them to tread the difficult path of truth ultimately become the foremost victims and seal their books of deeds with their blood.

Indeed, those who attended the classes of the spiritual masters of the Hawzah have not been heard hoping for anything other than martyrdom, since they, having enjoyed the highest ranks of sincere connection with their Lord, always pray to Almighty Allah to confer martyrdom.4

It is now fourteen years since the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly was founded. Throughout this period, its one and only endeavor has been to spare no efforts in the propagation of Islamic culture and knowledge, defending the sanctity of the Holy Qur’an and the Holy Sunnah5 , as well as the entity and the rights of the Ahl al-Bayt’s6 followers. By pursuing this goal, we hope to attain the rank aspired by the leader, the Grand Ayatullah Sayyid al-Khamene'i - may Allah perpetuate his blessings on us.

In view of the above, the Assembly has shown remarkable activity in the fields of Islamic research, inquiry, teaching, and propagation as well as many other related fields.

Taking upon itself the mission of honoring the scholars and those who devoted themselves to defending the genuine principles of Islam, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly is proud to hold a conference to honor martyr Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim, the vice-chairman of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly.

It goes without saying that martyr Ayatullah al-Hakim was outstandingly well versed in both Islamic knowledge and policy not only in Iran and the Shi’ite world but also in the entire Islamic world. Unquestionably, his endeavors were the main impetus for the pressures that removed the Baathist regime that ruled Iraq so mercilessly.

This divine leader undertook the mission of spreading the Ahl al-Bayt’s culture through his wide-ranging activities that included teaching, writing and delivering lectures on various occasions. His writings, some of which have been published and others that are to be published in the future, stand as witnesses to testify to his efforts in these fields.

According to the saying that “the affairs of both religion and the world stand on two things - a pen and a sword behind the pen,” martyr Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim was armed with both pen and sword. His pen is still overflowing with wisdom and knowledge that are like unsheathed swords waiting for a signal from him to fight again as they had previously fought against infidelity and challenged persecution and oppression.

A Hadith holds that the Holy Prophet (S) said,

ثَلاَثٌ تَخْرِقُ الْحُجُبَ وَتَنْتَهِي إلَى مَا بَيْنَ يَدَيِ اللهِ: صَرِيرُ أَقْلاَمِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، وَوَطْءُ أَقْدَامِ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ …

Three things penetrate the Veils (of Divinity) and stand directly before Almighty Allah. These are the susurrations of the scholars’ pens, the steps of the warriors (for the sake of Almighty Allah)… etc.

Correspondingly, the susurrations of martyr Ayatullah al-Hakim’s pen and his steps on the path of jihad were so well known in the east and the west of the globe that the gates of martyrdom were wide open before him. After twenty-five years of exile and alienation from his homeland, martyr Sayyid al-Hakim returned immediately after the collapse of the Baathist regime in Iraq. He aimed at residing in the vicinity of the holy shrines of his immaculate forefathers, living amongst the Iraqi people who were severely tormented and persecuted, reconstructing all that was demolished by the infidels and transgressors.

From the sacred minbar (i.e. pulpit) of the Congregational Friday Prayer, he delivered sermons full of admonition and guidance to spread awareness among the faithful. Thus, the people’s love for him augmented day by day. Unfortunately, this brilliant lantern was extinguished by the harbingers of gloom who could not tolerate such luminosity. They stretched forth their treacherous hands to end his life immediately after he had finished his prayer on Friday beside the holy mausoleum of his forefather, Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu'minin (‘a). Sayyid al-Hakim embraced the great victory of martyrdom after an extraordinary journey, full of strife. In truth, Sayyid al-Hakim did not die, because martyrs are forever alive and provided sustenance from their Lord. Although we can no longer see the person of Sayyid al-Hakim, he is present with us constantly illuminating our lives.

The Grand Ayatullah Sayyid al-Khamene'i said about Sayyid al-Hakim,

“This dear martyr was both a scholar and a warrior (for Islam). He challenged the oppressive regime of Saddam for many long years. When this sign of evil and transgression collapsed, Sayyid al-Hakim acted as an invincible wall in the face of the occupiers - the Americans and the English. He resisted ill-omened plans and prepared for martyrdom in the long path of jihad to join the caravan of martyrs from the family of al-Hakim along with other martyrs of knowledge and virtue in Iraq.”

The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly, in co-operation with other foundations, held a conference on the anniversary of the passing of this ‘martyr of the prayer-niche’ (shahid al-mihrab), Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim, on the eighteenth of Rajab, 1425 AH, in Tehran, the capital of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This conference was attended by a group of eminent Muslim scholars who delivered speeches for the occasion.

The consequent activities of the Cultural Committee of this conference can be classified in two sections:

The first section: Reprinting a group of the writings of Sayyid al-Hakim, as follows:

(1) The two-volume book entitled, ‘dawr ahl al-bayt fi bina' al-jama’ah al-salihah’ (The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community).

(2) The book entitled, ‘al-wihdah al-islamiyyah min manzur al-thaqalayn’ (Islamic Unity from the Perspective of the Two Weighty Things - i.e. the Holy Qur’an and the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)).

(3) The book, ‘‘Ulum al-Qur’an’ (Sciences of the Qur’an) in cooperation with the Assembly of Islamic Thought (Majma’ al-Fikr al-Islami).

(4) The book entitled, ‘Tafsir Surat al-Hamd’ (Exegesis of the Opening Chapter) in cooperation with the Assembly of Islamic Thought.

(5) The book, ‘al-Qasas al-Qur’ani’ (Narratives of the Qur’an) in cooperation with the International Center for Islamic Studies (al-Markaz al-’Alami li’l-Dirasat al-Islamiyyah).

(6) The book entitled, ‘al-Ukhuwwah al-«maniyyah’ (Brotherhood-in-faith) in cooperation with Dar al-Ghadir Foundation.

(7) The book, ‘Thawrat al-Husayn’ (The Revolution of Imam al-Husayn (‘a)) in cooperation with Imam al-Husayn (‘a) Foundation.

Second Section: Preparation and distribution of compact disks (CD’s) comprising Sayyid al-Hakim’s books, which will be offered at the conference. The CD will include:

(1) The life account of martyr Ayatullah Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim by the Approximation of the Islamic Sects Assembly (majma’ al-taqrib bayna al-madhahib al-islamiyyah)

(2) The book entitled, ‘al-Arba’ata ‘Ashara Manahija wa Ru’a’ (Fourteen Methods and Standpoints) by the Foundation for Printing the Writings and Works of Martyr Ayatullah al-Hakim, in cooperation with the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly.

(3) The book entitled, ‘Shuhada' al-’Ilm wa’l-Fadhilah fi’l-’Iraq’ (Martyrs of Knowledge and Virtue in Iraq) by the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly. This book comprises the life accounts of 120 Iraqi scholars who were martyred. It is presented in two languages - Arabic and Persian.

(4) A complete collection of Sayyid al-Hakim’s writings and works

Finally, I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation to all the cultural and executive offices that have extended aid in holding this conference and all their esteemed representatives who have participated in the preparatory sessions and meetings for the conference.

I pray that Almighty Allah lead all the adherents of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) to greater success and include them all among the helpers of His Representative, the Patron of the Age, Imam al-Mahdi - may Allah hasten his relief.

Muhammad Hasan Tashayyu’

Cultural Assistant of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly

Notes

1. - For maintaining readability, (S) which is an acronym for “salla allahu ‘alayhi wa alihi” is used throughout the book to denote "May Allah bless him and his Household.”

2. - Muhammad al-Rayshahri 3:2067.

3. - Nahj al-Balaghah, Saying No. 147, http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul-balagha-part-2-letters-and-sayings/select...

4. - Imam al-Khumayni’s Epistle to the Faculties of the Religious Studies; Isphand, AH 1367 (February/March 1989 CE).

5. - The Holy Sunnah, being the second major reference of Islamic legislation, stands for the Prophet Muhammad’s words, acts, and confirmations.

6. - The Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) (People of the House) is a term dedicated to the family of the Holy Prophet (S). More precisely, it is dedicated to definite individuals; namely, Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi-Talib, Fatimah al-Zahra’ (the Holy Prophet’s daughter and Imam ‘Ali’s wife), al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, and al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali. The nine Immaculate Imams (namely, ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Baqir, Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq, Musa ibn Ja’far al-Kazim, ‘Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Jawad, ‘Ali ibn Muhammad al-Hadi, al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali al-’Askari, and al-Mahdi the Awaited) are also among the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a).

Chapter 33

The Imams (a.s.) inherited the knowledge of the Holy prophet (s.a.) and all the prophets and their successors before them

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ الْمُهْتَدِي عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كَانَ أَمِينَ الله فِي خَلْقِهِ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كُنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَرَثَتَهُ فَنَحْنُ أُمَنَاءُ الله فِي أَرْضِهِ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمُ الْبَلايَا وَالْمَنَايَا وَأَنْسَابُ الْعَرَبِ وَمَوْلِدُ الاسْلامِ وَإِنَّا لَنَعْرِفُ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا رَأَيْنَاهُ بِحَقِيقَةِ الايمَانِ وَحَقِيقَةِ النِّفَاقِ وَإِنَّ شِيعَتَنَا لَمَكْتُوبُونَ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ أَخَذَ الله عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ يَرِدُونَ مَوْرِدَنَا وَيَدْخُلُونَ مَدْخَلَنَا لَيْسَ عَلَى مِلَّةِ الاسْلامِ غَيْرُنَا وَغَيْرُهُمْ نَحْنُ النُّجَبَاءُ النُّجَاةُ وَنَحْنُ أَفْرَاطُ الانْبِيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ الاوْصِيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ الْمَخْصُوصُونَ فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَنَحْنُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِكِتَابِ الله وَنَحْنُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِرَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَنَحْنُ الَّذِينَ شَرَعَ الله لَنَا دِينَهُ فَقَالَ فِي كِتَابِهِ شَرَعَ لَكُمْ يَا آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنَ الدِّينِ ما وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً قَدْ وَصَّانَا بِمَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَما وَصَّيْنا بِهِ إِبْراهِيمَ وَمُوسى‏ وَعِيسى‏ فَقَدْ عَلَّمَنَا وَبَلَّغَنَا عِلْمَ مَا عَلِمْنَا وَاسْتَوْدَعَنَا عِلْمَهُمْ نَحْنُ وَرَثَةُ أُولِي الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ يَا آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَلا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ وَكُونُوا عَلَى جَمَاعَةٍ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَنْ أَشْرَكَ بِوَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ ما تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ إِنَّ الله يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ مَنْ يُجِيبُكَ إِلَى وَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi from ‘Adallah ibn Jundab to who Imam al-Rida (a.s.) wrote the following. “Thereafter, (thanking Allah) Muhammad (s.a.) was the trustee of Allah for His creatures. When he was taken away from this world we, Ahl al-Bayt inherited him, thus, we are the trustees of Allah over His earth. With us is the knowledge of the sufferings, the death, the genealogy of the Arabs and the birth of Islam. We know the man when we see him in the truth of faith or hypocrisy. Our followers (Shi‘a) are listed (with us) by their names and the names of their fathers. Allah has established a covenant with them and with us. They land wherever we would do so and enter wherever we would enter. There is no besides us and our followers as living the Islamic culture. We are the noble saviors and the descendents of the prophets and of the children of the successors of the prophets. We the ones to whom the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has come exclusively. We, of all people, have the first priority (closeness) to the book of Allah. We, of all people, have the first priority (closeness) to the Messenger of Allah. For us He formed His religion.

“He has established for you (family of Muhammad) a form of religion which is of the commands to Noah {we are commanded with whatever Noah was commanded}. It is of the mattes that We have revealed to you (Muhammad) and of the commands to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus to follow.{We have taught and preached the knowledge that was taught to us. We were given the knowledge of these prophets. We are the heirs of the commissioned Messengers}. (He has explained it) so that you (family of Muhammad) would be steadfast and united (all in a united group) in your religion. What you call the polytheists {polytheists in the acknowledgement of the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.} to{the acknowledgement of the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.}is extremely grave for them. God {O Muhammad} attracts to (the religion) whomever He wants and guides to it whoever turns to Him in repentance.” (42:13)

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ أَوَّلَ وَصِيٍّ كَانَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الارْضِ هِبَةُ الله بْنُ آدَمَ وَمَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ مَضَى إِلا وَلَهُ وَصِيٌّ وَكَانَ جَمِيعُ الانْبِيَاءِ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ نَبِيٍّ وَعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ نَبِيٍّ مِنْهُمْ خَمْسَةٌ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ نُوحٌ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدٌ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَإِنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ كَانَ هِبَةَ الله لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَوَرِثَ عِلْمَ الاوْصِيَاءِ وَعِلْمَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ أَمَا إِنَّ مُحَمَّداً وَرِثَ عِلْمَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ مِنَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ عَلَى قَائِمَةِ الْعَرْشِ مَكْتُوبٌ حَمْزَةُ أَسَدُ الله وَأَسَدُ رَسُولِهِ وَسَيِّدُ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَفِي ذُؤَابَةِ الْعَرْشِ عَلِيٌّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهَذِهِ حُجَّتُنَا عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ حَقَّنَا وَجَحَدَ مِيرَاثَنَا وَمَا مَنَعَنَا مِنَ الْكَلامِ وَأَمَامَنَا الْيَقِينُ فَأَيُّ حُجَّةٍ تَكُونُ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ هَذَا.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The first successor and executor of the will on earth was Hibbatullah, the son of Adam. No prophet has ever left this world without first leaving behind one who would execute his will. The prophets were one hundred twenty thousand persons. Five of them were commissioned Messengers, like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (s.a.) Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was the Hibbatullah for Muhammad (s.a.).He inherited the knowledge of the executors of the wills of the prophets and the knowledge of those who were before him. (Is not it true) that Muhammad (s.a.) inherited the knowledge of the prophets and the Messengers who lived before him? It is written on the columns of the throne, “Hamza is the loin of Allah and the loin of His Messenger. He (Hamza) is the master of the martyrs. On top of the throne is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). This evidence against those who deny our rights and refuse to yield to us our right of inheritance. We are not forbidden to speak. Before us is all certainty. What supporting evidence could be more clear than this.”

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ زُرْعَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ وَرِثَ دَاوُدَ وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً وَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّا وَرِثْنَا مُحَمَّداً وَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالانْجِيلِ وَالزَّبُورِ وَتِبْيَانَ مَا فِي الالْوَاحِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا هُوَ الْعِلْمَ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي يَحْدُثُ يَوْماً بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ وَسَاعَةً بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salama ibn al-Khattab from ‘Adallah ibn Muhammad from ‘Adallah ibn al-Qasim from Zur‘a ibn Muhammad from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from who has said the following. “Solomon inherited David. Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). We have the knowledge of Torah and the Gospel (Injil), the Psalms, (al-Zabur) and the explanation of what the tablets contained.” I (the narrator) said, “This certainly is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “This is not knowledge. Knowledge is what happens day after day and hour after hour.”

4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ الْحَدَّادِ عَنْ ضُرَيْسٍ الْكُنَاسِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَعِنْدَهُ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ دَاوُدَ وَرِثَ عِلْمَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَإِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ وَرِثَ دَاوُدَ وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّا وَرِثْنَا مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا صُحُفَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَأَلْوَاحَ مُوسَى فَقَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ لَيْسَ هَذَا هُوَ الْعِلْمَ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ مَا يَحْدُثُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ يَوْماً بِيَوْمٍ وَسَاعَةً بِسَاعَةٍ.

4. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Shu‘ayb al-Haddad from Durays al-Kunasi who has said the following. “I was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and abu Basir also was there. The Imams (a.s.) said, “David inherited the knowledge of the prophets. Solomon inherited David. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). With us are the pages of Abraham and the tablets of Moses.” Abu Basir then said, “This is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu Muhammad, this is not the knowledge. The knowledge is what happens in the nights and in the days, day after day and hour after hour.”

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يُعْطِ الانْبِيَاءَ شَيْئاً إِلا وَقَدْ أَعْطَاهُ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ وَقَدْ أَعْطَى مُحَمَّداً جَمِيعَ مَا أَعْطَى الانْبِيَاءَ وَعِنْدَنَا الصُّحُفُ الَّتِي قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ صُحُفِ إِبْراهِيمَ وَمُوسى‏ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هِيَ الالْوَاحُ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Ali ibn an-Nu‘man from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following. “Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, “O abu Muhammad, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has not given anything to the prophets that He has not given to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). The Imams (a.s.) further said, “Allah gave to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) all that He had given to the prophets. With us is the book about which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “The books of Abraham and Moses.” I then said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, are they the tablets?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, they are the tablets.”

6ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ مَا الزَّبُورُ وَمَا الذِّكْرُ قَالَ الذِّكْرُ عِنْدَ الله وَالزَّبُورُ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَى دَاوُدَ وَكُلُّ كِتَابٍ نَزَلَ فَهُوَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَنَحْنُ هُمْ.

6. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Adallah ibn Sinan who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We have written in the psalms which We had revealed after the Torah. .” (21:105). What is al-Zabur and what is al-Dhikr?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Al-Dhikr is with Allah and al-Zabur is what He gave to David.” Every book that was revealed is with the people of knowledge and we are the people of knowledge.”

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي زَاهِرٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الاوَّلِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَرِثَ النَّبِيِّينَ كُلَّهُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ مِنْ لَدُنْ آدَمَ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى نَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا بَعَثَ الله نَبِيّاً إِلا وَمُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ كَانَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ الله قَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَفْهَمُ مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَقْدِرُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْمَنَازِلِ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ قَالَ للهدْهُدِ حِينَ فَقَدَهُ وَشَكَّ فِي أَمْرِهِ فَقالَ ما لِيَ لا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كانَ مِنَ الْغائِبِينَ حِينَ فَقَدَهُ فَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لاعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذاباً شَدِيداً أَوْ لاذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطانٍ مُبِينٍ وَإِنَّمَا غَضِبَ لانَّهُ كَانَ يَدُلُّهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ فَهَذَا وَهُوَ طَائِرٌ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ مَا لَمْ يُعْطَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَقَدْ كَانَتِ الرِّيحُ وَالنَّمْلُ وَالانْسُ وَالْجِنُّ وَالشَّيَاطِينُ وَالْمَرَدَةُ لَهُ طَائِعِينَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَعْرِفُ الْمَاءَ تَحْتَ الْهَوَاءِ وَكَانَ الطَّيْرُ يَعْرِفُهُ وَإِنَّ الله يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآناً سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الارْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتى‏ وَقَدْ وَرِثْنَا نَحْنُ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ الَّذِي فِيهِ مَا تُسَيَّرُ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ وَتُقَطَّعُ بِهِ الْبُلْدَانُ وَتُحْيَا بِهِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَحْنُ نَعْرِفُ الْمَاءَ تَحْتَ الْهَوَاءِ وَإِنَّ فِي كِتَابِ الله لآَيَاتٍ مَا يُرَادُ بِهَا أَمْرٌ إِلا أَنْ يَأْذَنَ الله بِهِ مَعَ مَا قَدْ يَأْذَنُ الله مِمَّا كَتَبَهُ الْمَاضُونَ جَعَلَهُ الله لَنَا فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ إِنَّ الله يَقُولُ وَما مِنْ غائِبَةٍ فِي السَّماءِ وَالارْضِ إِلا فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنا مِنْ عِبادِنا فَنَحْنُ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَانَا الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَوْرَثَنَا هَذَا الَّذِي فِيهِ تِبْيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu Zahir or another man from Muhammad ibn Hammad from his brother Ahmad ibn Hammad from Ibrahim from his father who has said the following. “I said to abu al-Hassan al-Thani (a.s.), ““May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “Would you tell me about the Prophet who inherited all the prophets.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I may do so. I asked, “Did he inherit from Adam up to his-self?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Of prophet that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was more knowledgeable.” I then said, “Jesus son of Mary would bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “You spoke the truth. Solomon son of David could understand the language of the birds. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) was also capable of doing such things.” The narrator has said that The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Solomon son of David said to the (Hoopoe) Hud Hud when he found him missing and had doubts about the bird. “(Solomon) inspected the birds and said, “How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe {when he did not find him present and became angry}. Is he absent? (27:20). I shall certainly punish him severely or slaughter him unless he has a good reason for his absence.” (27:21) He became angry because the bird would show him how to find water. This is only a bird but is given something that is not given to Solomon. The wind, ants, man, Jinn, devils and the rebbles obey him in submission but he did not know about the water in the space but the bird knew it as Allah says iin His book. “Even if the Quran would make mountains move, cut the earth into pieces and make the dead able to speak,. .” (13:31) We have inherited this Quran which contains such things that can make the mountains move, cross the lands and make the dead to come to life. We know there is water in space. In the book of Aallah there are verses that are indecative of certain issues only if Allah would give permission. This is along with fact that Allah sometime grants permission to make use of the things that people of the past had written. Allah has set them for us in the origin of the book as Allah says, “All the secrets in heavens and earth are recorded in the illustrious Book. (27:75) Then Allah has said, “We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,. .” (35:32) We are the ones whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has chosen and has given this which contain the explanation of all things.”

Chapter 34

The Imams (a.s.) have with all the books that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has revealed and that they know them even the language in them are different

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فِي حَدِيثِ بُرَيْهٍ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا جَاءَ مَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَلَقِيَ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَحَكَى لَهُ هِشَامٌ الْحِكَايَةَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِبُرَيْهٍ يَا بُرَيْهُ كَيْفَ عِلْمُكَ بِكِتَابِكَ قَالَ أَنَا بِهِ عَالِمٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَيْفَ ثِقَتُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِهِ قَالَ مَا أَوْثَقَنِي بِعِلْمِي فِيهِ قَالَ فَابْتَدَأَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقْرَأُ الانْجِيلَ فَقَالَ بُرَيْهٌ إِيَّاكَ كُنْتُ أَطْلُبُ مُنْذُ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ مِثْلَكَ قَالَ فَ‏آمَنَ بُرَيْهٌ وَحَسُنَ إِيمَانُهُ وَآمَنَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ مَعَهُ فَدَخَلَ هِشَامٌ وَبُرَيْهٌ وَالْمَرْأَةُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَحَكَى لَهُ هِشَامٌ الْكَلامَ الَّذِي جَرَى بَيْنَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَبَيْنَ بُرَيْهٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُها مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَالله سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ فَقَالَ بُرَيْهٌ أَنَّى لَكُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ وَالانْجِيلُ وَكُتُبُ الانْبِيَاءِ قَالَ هِيَ عِنْدَنَا وِرَاثَةً مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ نَقْرَؤُهَا كَمَا قَرَءُوهَا وَنَقُولُهَا كَمَا قَالُوا إِنَّ الله لا يَجْعَلُ حُجَّةً فِي أَرْضِهِ يُسْأَلُ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَيَقُولُ لا أَدْرِي.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Ibrahim from Yunus from Hisham ibn al-Hakam about the narration of Burayh with whom he came to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) but they met abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.). Hisham explained to the Imams (a.s.) about Burayh. When he finished abu al-Hassan (a.s.) asked, “O Burayh, how is your knowledge of your book?” He rplied, “I know it.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “What is the degree of your confidence in its interpretation?” He said, “Not so muCh”??? The narrator has said, “Abu al-Hassan then begun to read (from) the Gospel. Burayh then said, “It is you whom I was searching for fifty years or someone like you.” He has said that Burayh accepted the faith and also the lady who was with him.” Burayh and Hisham and the lady then came to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). Hisham informed the Imam (a.s.) about what had happene between Burayh and abu al-Hassan (a.s.). Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then said, “The generations that are from each other and Allah hears and knows best.” Burayh then asked, “How have possessed the Torah and the Gospel and the books if the prophets?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “ We receive them as in the form of inheritance from them. We read them as they would read them and speak about them as the prophets would do. Allah does grant Divine authority on His earth to those who if questioned would be able to give the right answer and say I do not know.”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ أَتَيْنَا بَابَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَنَحْنُ نُرِيدُ الاذْنَ عَلَيْهِ فَسَمِعْنَاهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلامٍ لَيْسَ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَتَوَهَّمْنَا أَنَّهُ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ ثُمَّ بَكَى فَبَكَيْنَا لِبُكَائِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا الْغُلامُ فَأَذِنَ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ الله أَتَيْنَاكَ نُرِيدُ الاذْنَ عَلَيْكَ فَسَمِعْنَاكَ تَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلامٍ لَيْسَ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَتَوَهَّمْنَا أَنَّهُ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ ثُمَّ بَكَيْتَ فَبَكَيْنَا لِبُكَاءِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ ذَكَرْتُ إِلْيَاسَ النَّبِيَّ وَكَانَ مِنْ عُبَّادِ أَنْبِيَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقُلْتُ كَمَا كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ ثُمَّ انْدَفَعَ فِيهِ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ فَلا وَالله مَا رَأَيْنَا قَسّاً وَلا جَاثَلِيقاً أَفْصَحَ لَهْجَةً مِنْهُ بِهِ ثُمَّ فَسَّرَهُ لَنَا بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَقَالَ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ أَظْمَأْتُ لَكَ هَوَاجِرِي أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ عَفَّرْتُ لَكَ فِي التُّرَابِ وَجْهِي أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدِ اجْتَنَبْتُ لَكَ الْمَعَاصِيَ أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ أَسْهَرْتُ لَكَ لَيْلِي قَالَ فَأَوْحَى الله إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ فَإِنِّي غَيْرُ مُعَذِّبِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنْ قُلْتَ لا أُعَذِّبُكَ ثُمَّ عَذَّبْتَنِي مَا ذَا أَ لَسْتُ عَبْدَكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبِّي قَالَ فَأَوْحَى الله إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ فَإِنِّي غَيْرُ مُعَذِّبِكَ إِنِّي إِذَا وَعَدْتُ وَعْداً وَفَيْتُ بِهِ.

2. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Bakr ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following. “We went to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and wanted permission. We heard him speaking in a none Arabic language and we thought it was Suryani (0r Syrian) language. The Imams (a.s.) then wept and we did so because of his weeping. A boy then came out to give us permission for a meeting. In the meeting I asked him, “May Allah keep you well, we came to ask permission for a meeting and we heard you speak in a none Arabic language and we thought it was Suryani language. Then we heard you weeping and because of that we also wept.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I remembered prophet Ilyas, one of the Israelite prophets and devoted in worship. I then said what he used to say in his prostration. He then went into it in Suryani language. Swearing to Allah, we had not seen any monk or minister as eloquent in it as he in it. He then explained it to us in Arabic, “Ilyas would say in his prostration, ‘O Lord, will I find you punish me although you know of thirst in the heat of the midday? Will I find you punish me although you know that I rub my face on earth to worship you? Will I find you punish me although you know that I give up sins for you? Will I find you punish me although you know that I stay awake all night just for you?” The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Allah then told him through inspiration, “Rise your head from the earth. I will not punish you.” The Imams (a.s.) then said that he said to Allah, “What if say, “I will not punish you but then you punished me? Am I not your slave and you are my Lord.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Allah then spoke to him through inspiration, “Rise your head. I will not punish you because when I promise I then keep My promise.”

Chapter 35

No one collect all of the Holy Quran except the Imams (a.s.) and that they have the knowledge of all of the Holy Quran

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَا ادَّعَى أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَنَّهُ جَمَعَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ كَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلا كَذَّابٌ وَمَا جَمَعَهُ وَحَفِظَهُ كَمَا نَزَّلَهُ الله تَعَالَى إِلا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَالائِمَّةُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام )

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from ‘Amr ibn abu al-Miqdam from Jabir who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “No one from the people has claimed to have collected the whole of the Holy Quran (in a book form) as it was revealed. If anyone would come up with such a claim, he is liar. No one collected this Holy Book and memorized as Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High revealed it except Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and the Imams after him.”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنِ الْمُنَخَّلِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَدَّعِيَ أَنَّ عِنْدَهُ جَمِيعَ الْقُرْآنِ كُلِّهِ ظَاهِرِهِ وَبَاطِنِهِ غَيْرُ الاوْصِيَاءِ.

2. Muhammad ibn al-Husayn has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from al-Munakhkhal from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “No one is able to claim that with him is the whole of the Holy Quran; its apparent and hidden essence, except the executors of the will of the Holy Prophet (s.a.).

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ مُحْرِزٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ مِنْ عِلْمِ مَا أُوتِينَا تَفْسِيرَ الْقُرْآنِ وَأَحْكَامَهُ وَعِلْمَ تَغْيِيرِ الزَّمَانِ وَحَدَثَانِهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ الله بِقَوْمٍ خَيْراً أَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ لَوَلَّى مُعْرِضاً كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ هُنَيْئَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ وَلَوْ وَجَدْنَا أَوْعِيَةً أَوْ مُسْتَرَاحاً لَقُلْنَا وَالله الْمُسْتَعَانُ.

3. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Qasim ibn al-Rabi‘ from ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Abdallah ibn abu Hashim al-Sayrafi from ‘Amr ibn Mus‘ab from Salma ibn Muhriz who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “Of the knowledge that we have received is the interpretation of the Holy Quran and its laws, the knowledge of the changes of time and the happenings therein. When Allah wants good for a people, He makes them to understand. If He would make to understand one who does not want to understand such a person turns away as if he has heard nothing. The Imams (a.s.) paused, briefly, then said, “Had we found keepers and trusted people for our knowledge, we would have said it (all to him). Allah is the best supporter.”

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الْمُؤْمِنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى مَوْلَى آلِ سَامٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ وَالله إِنِّي لاعْلَمُ كِتَابَ الله مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ كَأَنَّهُ فِي كَفِّي فِيهِ خَبَرُ السَّمَاءِ وَخَبَرُ الارْضِ وَخَبَرُ مَا كَانَ وَخَبَرُ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ تِبْيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from abu ‘Abdallah al-Mu‘min from ‘Abd al-A‘la Mawla ’Ala Sam who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “I swear by Allah that I know the Holy Quran from the beginning to end as if it is in the palm of my hand. In it there is the news of the heavens and the earth, the news of what has been and the new of what will come into being. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “In it there is the explanation of all things.” (16:89)

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي زَاهِرٍ عَنِ الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ قَالَ فَفَرَّجَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي صَدْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَعِنْدَنَا وَالله عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ كُلُّهُ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu Zahir from al-Khashshab from Ali ibn Hass’an from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who recited the following verse. “The one who had knowledge from the Book said, “I can bring it to you before you even blink your eye. . .” (27:40). The narrator has said that the Imams (a.s.) opend his two fingers and placed them on his chest and then said, “With us, I swear by Allah, is the knowledge of the whole of the Book.”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قُلْ كَفى‏ بِالله شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ قَالَ إِيَّانَا عَنَى وَعَلِيٌّ أَوَّلُنَا وَأَفْضَلُنَا وَخَيْرُنَا بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from those he mentioned, both of them from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse. “. . Say, ‘God and those who have the knowledge of the Book are sufficient witness (to my prophet-hood).’” (13:43) The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is a reference to us. Ali (a.s.) is the first among us and the most virtuous and the best among us after the Holy Prophet (s.a.)”

Chapter 36

The degree of the Great Names of Allah that are given to the Imams (a.s.)

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي شُرَيْسٌ الْوَابِشِيُّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ اسْمَ الله الاعْظَمَ عَلَى ثَلاثَةٍ وَسَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ عِنْدَ آصَفَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَخُسِفَ بِالارْضِ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ سَرِيرِ بِلْقِيسَ حَتَّى تَنَاوَلَ السَّرِيرَ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ عَادَتِ الارْضُ كَمَا كَانَتْ أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَنَا مِنَ الاسْمِ الاعْظَمِ اثْنَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَحَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ عِنْدَ الله تَعَالَى اسْتَأْثَرَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَهُ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِالله الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said that Shurays al-Wabishi narrated from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following.

“The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. There was only of these letters. He spoke that one letter and land between him and throne of the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis) sunk down as such that he could reach her throne with his hand and the land returned to the original state. This happened in a blinking of A number of our people has narrated from eye. Of the greatest name of Allah there are seventy two letters with us. Allah has kept one letter exclusively for Himself in the knowledge of the unseen. There is no means and no power except by the help of Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ عِمْرَانَ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ أَحْفَظْ اسْمَهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أُعْطِيَ حَرْفَيْنِ كَانَ يَعْمَلُ بِهِمَا وَأُعْطِيَ مُوسَى أَرْبَعَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَأُعْطِيَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَأُعْطِيَ نُوحٌ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ حَرْفاً وَأُعْطِيَ آدَمُ خَمْسَةً وَعِشْرِينَ حَرْفاً وَإِنَّ الله تَعَالَى جَمَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ اسْمَ الله الاعْظَمَ ثَلاثَةٌ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً أُعْطِيَ مُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) اثْنَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً وَحُجِبَ عَنْهُ حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id and Muhammad ibn Khalid from Zakariyya ibn 'Imran al-Qummi from Harun ibn al-Juhm that a man from the companions of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.). I (Harun ibn al-Jahm) have forgotten his name. He has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “Two letters were given to Jesus and he would work with them. Four letters were given to Moses. Eight letters were given to Abraham. Fifteen letters were given to Noah. Twenty five letters were given to Adam. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, have combined all of them in Muhammad (s.a.). The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. Seventy two letters are given to Muhammad (s.a.) and only one letter is kept hidden from him.”

3ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ صَاحِبِ الْعَسْكَرِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ اسْمُ الله الاعْظَمُ ثَلاثَةٌ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً كَانَ عِنْدَ آصَفَ حَرْفٌ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَانْخَرَقَتْ لَهُ الارْضُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ سَبَإٍ فَتَنَاوَلَ عَرْشَ بِلْقِيسَ حَتَّى صَيَّرَهُ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ ثُمَّ انْبَسَطَتِ الارْضُ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَعِنْدَنَا مِنْهُ اثْنَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَحَرْفٌ عِنْدَ الله مُسْتَأْثِرٌ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ.

3. al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali who has said that he heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) Sahib al-‘Askar say the following. “The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. There was only one letter with Asif. He spoke with it and the land between him and the throne of the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis) sunk down as such that he took her throne and placed it before Solomon. The land then came to normal state within less than a blinking of an eye. There are seventy-two of those letters with us. One letter is with Allah which, He has kept it exclusively in the knowledge of the unseen.”

Chapter 33

The Imams (a.s.) inherited the knowledge of the Holy prophet (s.a.) and all the prophets and their successors before them

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ الْمُهْتَدِي عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جُنْدَبٍ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كَانَ أَمِينَ الله فِي خَلْقِهِ فَلَمَّا قُبِضَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) كُنَّا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَرَثَتَهُ فَنَحْنُ أُمَنَاءُ الله فِي أَرْضِهِ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمُ الْبَلايَا وَالْمَنَايَا وَأَنْسَابُ الْعَرَبِ وَمَوْلِدُ الاسْلامِ وَإِنَّا لَنَعْرِفُ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا رَأَيْنَاهُ بِحَقِيقَةِ الايمَانِ وَحَقِيقَةِ النِّفَاقِ وَإِنَّ شِيعَتَنَا لَمَكْتُوبُونَ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ وَأَسْمَاءِ آبَائِهِمْ أَخَذَ الله عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ يَرِدُونَ مَوْرِدَنَا وَيَدْخُلُونَ مَدْخَلَنَا لَيْسَ عَلَى مِلَّةِ الاسْلامِ غَيْرُنَا وَغَيْرُهُمْ نَحْنُ النُّجَبَاءُ النُّجَاةُ وَنَحْنُ أَفْرَاطُ الانْبِيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ أَبْنَاءُ الاوْصِيَاءِ وَنَحْنُ الْمَخْصُوصُونَ فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَنَحْنُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِكِتَابِ الله وَنَحْنُ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِرَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَنَحْنُ الَّذِينَ شَرَعَ الله لَنَا دِينَهُ فَقَالَ فِي كِتَابِهِ شَرَعَ لَكُمْ يَا آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ مِنَ الدِّينِ ما وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً قَدْ وَصَّانَا بِمَا وَصَّى بِهِ نُوحاً وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنا إِلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَما وَصَّيْنا بِهِ إِبْراهِيمَ وَمُوسى‏ وَعِيسى‏ فَقَدْ عَلَّمَنَا وَبَلَّغَنَا عِلْمَ مَا عَلِمْنَا وَاسْتَوْدَعَنَا عِلْمَهُمْ نَحْنُ وَرَثَةُ أُولِي الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ يَا آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَلا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ وَكُونُوا عَلَى جَمَاعَةٍ كَبُرَ عَلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ مَنْ أَشْرَكَ بِوَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ ما تَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ إِنَّ الله يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَهْدِي إِلَيْهِ مَنْ يُنِيبُ مَنْ يُجِيبُكَ إِلَى وَلايَةِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام )

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi from ‘Adallah ibn Jundab to who Imam al-Rida (a.s.) wrote the following. “Thereafter, (thanking Allah) Muhammad (s.a.) was the trustee of Allah for His creatures. When he was taken away from this world we, Ahl al-Bayt inherited him, thus, we are the trustees of Allah over His earth. With us is the knowledge of the sufferings, the death, the genealogy of the Arabs and the birth of Islam. We know the man when we see him in the truth of faith or hypocrisy. Our followers (Shi‘a) are listed (with us) by their names and the names of their fathers. Allah has established a covenant with them and with us. They land wherever we would do so and enter wherever we would enter. There is no besides us and our followers as living the Islamic culture. We are the noble saviors and the descendents of the prophets and of the children of the successors of the prophets. We the ones to whom the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has come exclusively. We, of all people, have the first priority (closeness) to the book of Allah. We, of all people, have the first priority (closeness) to the Messenger of Allah. For us He formed His religion.

“He has established for you (family of Muhammad) a form of religion which is of the commands to Noah {we are commanded with whatever Noah was commanded}. It is of the mattes that We have revealed to you (Muhammad) and of the commands to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus to follow.{We have taught and preached the knowledge that was taught to us. We were given the knowledge of these prophets. We are the heirs of the commissioned Messengers}. (He has explained it) so that you (family of Muhammad) would be steadfast and united (all in a united group) in your religion. What you call the polytheists {polytheists in the acknowledgement of the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.} to{the acknowledgement of the Divine authority of Imam Ali (a.s.}is extremely grave for them. God {O Muhammad} attracts to (the religion) whomever He wants and guides to it whoever turns to Him in repentance.” (42:13)

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ أَوَّلَ وَصِيٍّ كَانَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الارْضِ هِبَةُ الله بْنُ آدَمَ وَمَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ مَضَى إِلا وَلَهُ وَصِيٌّ وَكَانَ جَمِيعُ الانْبِيَاءِ مِائَةَ أَلْفِ نَبِيٍّ وَعِشْرِينَ أَلْفَ نَبِيٍّ مِنْهُمْ خَمْسَةٌ أُولُو الْعَزْمِ نُوحٌ وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمُحَمَّدٌ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَإِنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ كَانَ هِبَةَ الله لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَوَرِثَ عِلْمَ الاوْصِيَاءِ وَعِلْمَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ أَمَا إِنَّ مُحَمَّداً وَرِثَ عِلْمَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ مِنَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ عَلَى قَائِمَةِ الْعَرْشِ مَكْتُوبٌ حَمْزَةُ أَسَدُ الله وَأَسَدُ رَسُولِهِ وَسَيِّدُ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَفِي ذُؤَابَةِ الْعَرْشِ عَلِيٌّ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَهَذِهِ حُجَّتُنَا عَلَى مَنْ أَنْكَرَ حَقَّنَا وَجَحَدَ مِيرَاثَنَا وَمَا مَنَعَنَا مِنَ الْكَلامِ وَأَمَامَنَا الْيَقِينُ فَأَيُّ حُجَّةٍ تَكُونُ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ هَذَا.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The first successor and executor of the will on earth was Hibbatullah, the son of Adam. No prophet has ever left this world without first leaving behind one who would execute his will. The prophets were one hundred twenty thousand persons. Five of them were commissioned Messengers, like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (s.a.) Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was the Hibbatullah for Muhammad (s.a.).He inherited the knowledge of the executors of the wills of the prophets and the knowledge of those who were before him. (Is not it true) that Muhammad (s.a.) inherited the knowledge of the prophets and the Messengers who lived before him? It is written on the columns of the throne, “Hamza is the loin of Allah and the loin of His Messenger. He (Hamza) is the master of the martyrs. On top of the throne is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). This evidence against those who deny our rights and refuse to yield to us our right of inheritance. We are not forbidden to speak. Before us is all certainty. What supporting evidence could be more clear than this.”

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ زُرْعَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ وَرِثَ دَاوُدَ وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً وَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّا وَرِثْنَا مُحَمَّداً وَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا عِلْمَ التَّوْرَاةِ وَالانْجِيلِ وَالزَّبُورِ وَتِبْيَانَ مَا فِي الالْوَاحِ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا هُوَ الْعِلْمَ إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي يَحْدُثُ يَوْماً بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ وَسَاعَةً بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Salama ibn al-Khattab from ‘Adallah ibn Muhammad from ‘Adallah ibn al-Qasim from Zur‘a ibn Muhammad from al-Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from who has said the following. “Solomon inherited David. Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). We have the knowledge of Torah and the Gospel (Injil), the Psalms, (al-Zabur) and the explanation of what the tablets contained.” I (the narrator) said, “This certainly is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “This is not knowledge. Knowledge is what happens day after day and hour after hour.”

4ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ الْحَدَّادِ عَنْ ضُرَيْسٍ الْكُنَاسِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَعِنْدَهُ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ دَاوُدَ وَرِثَ عِلْمَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَإِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ وَرِثَ دَاوُدَ وَإِنَّ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَرِثَ سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّا وَرِثْنَا مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ عِنْدَنَا صُحُفَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَأَلْوَاحَ مُوسَى فَقَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ إِنَّ هَذَا لَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ لَيْسَ هَذَا هُوَ الْعِلْمَ إِنَّمَا الْعِلْمُ مَا يَحْدُثُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ يَوْماً بِيَوْمٍ وَسَاعَةً بِسَاعَةٍ.

4. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Shu‘ayb al-Haddad from Durays al-Kunasi who has said the following. “I was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and abu Basir also was there. The Imams (a.s.) said, “David inherited the knowledge of the prophets. Solomon inherited David. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). With us are the pages of Abraham and the tablets of Moses.” Abu Basir then said, “This is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu Muhammad, this is not the knowledge. The knowledge is what happens in the nights and in the days, day after day and hour after hour.”

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يُعْطِ الانْبِيَاءَ شَيْئاً إِلا وَقَدْ أَعْطَاهُ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَ وَقَدْ أَعْطَى مُحَمَّداً جَمِيعَ مَا أَعْطَى الانْبِيَاءَ وَعِنْدَنَا الصُّحُفُ الَّتِي قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ صُحُفِ إِبْراهِيمَ وَمُوسى‏ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ هِيَ الالْوَاحُ قَالَ نَعَمْ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Muhammad ibn Isma‘il from Ali ibn an-Nu‘man from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following. “Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, “O abu Muhammad, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has not given anything to the prophets that He has not given to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). The Imams (a.s.) further said, “Allah gave to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) all that He had given to the prophets. With us is the book about which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “The books of Abraham and Moses.” I then said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, are they the tablets?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, they are the tablets.”

6ـ مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلَقَدْ كَتَبْنا فِي الزَّبُورِ مِنْ بَعْدِ الذِّكْرِ مَا الزَّبُورُ وَمَا الذِّكْرُ قَالَ الذِّكْرُ عِنْدَ الله وَالزَّبُورُ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ عَلَى دَاوُدَ وَكُلُّ كِتَابٍ نَزَلَ فَهُوَ عِنْدَ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَنَحْنُ هُمْ.

6. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Adallah ibn Sinan who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We have written in the psalms which We had revealed after the Torah. .” (21:105). What is al-Zabur and what is al-Dhikr?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Al-Dhikr is with Allah and al-Zabur is what He gave to David.” Every book that was revealed is with the people of knowledge and we are the people of knowledge.”

7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي زَاهِرٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الاوَّلِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَرِثَ النَّبِيِّينَ كُلَّهُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ مِنْ لَدُنْ آدَمَ حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى نَفْسِهِ قَالَ مَا بَعَثَ الله نَبِيّاً إِلا وَمُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) أَعْلَمُ مِنْهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ كَانَ يُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى بِإِذْنِ الله قَالَ صَدَقْتَ وَسُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ كَانَ يَفْهَمُ مَنْطِقَ الطَّيْرِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) يَقْدِرُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْمَنَازِلِ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ دَاوُدَ قَالَ للهدْهُدِ حِينَ فَقَدَهُ وَشَكَّ فِي أَمْرِهِ فَقالَ ما لِيَ لا أَرَى الْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كانَ مِنَ الْغائِبِينَ حِينَ فَقَدَهُ فَغَضِبَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ لاعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذاباً شَدِيداً أَوْ لاذْبَحَنَّهُ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّي بِسُلْطانٍ مُبِينٍ وَإِنَّمَا غَضِبَ لانَّهُ كَانَ يَدُلُّهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ فَهَذَا وَهُوَ طَائِرٌ قَدْ أُعْطِيَ مَا لَمْ يُعْطَ سُلَيْمَانُ وَقَدْ كَانَتِ الرِّيحُ وَالنَّمْلُ وَالانْسُ وَالْجِنُّ وَالشَّيَاطِينُ وَالْمَرَدَةُ لَهُ طَائِعِينَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ يَعْرِفُ الْمَاءَ تَحْتَ الْهَوَاءِ وَكَانَ الطَّيْرُ يَعْرِفُهُ وَإِنَّ الله يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَلَوْ أَنَّ قُرْآناً سُيِّرَتْ بِهِ الْجِبالُ أَوْ قُطِّعَتْ بِهِ الارْضُ أَوْ كُلِّمَ بِهِ الْمَوْتى‏ وَقَدْ وَرِثْنَا نَحْنُ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ الَّذِي فِيهِ مَا تُسَيَّرُ بِهِ الْجِبَالُ وَتُقَطَّعُ بِهِ الْبُلْدَانُ وَتُحْيَا بِهِ الْمَوْتَى وَنَحْنُ نَعْرِفُ الْمَاءَ تَحْتَ الْهَوَاءِ وَإِنَّ فِي كِتَابِ الله لآَيَاتٍ مَا يُرَادُ بِهَا أَمْرٌ إِلا أَنْ يَأْذَنَ الله بِهِ مَعَ مَا قَدْ يَأْذَنُ الله مِمَّا كَتَبَهُ الْمَاضُونَ جَعَلَهُ الله لَنَا فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ إِنَّ الله يَقُولُ وَما مِنْ غائِبَةٍ فِي السَّماءِ وَالارْضِ إِلا فِي كِتابٍ مُبِينٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَوْرَثْنَا الْكِتابَ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَيْنا مِنْ عِبادِنا فَنَحْنُ الَّذِينَ اصْطَفَانَا الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَأَوْرَثَنَا هَذَا الَّذِي فِيهِ تِبْيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu Zahir or another man from Muhammad ibn Hammad from his brother Ahmad ibn Hammad from Ibrahim from his father who has said the following. “I said to abu al-Hassan al-Thani (a.s.), ““May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “Would you tell me about the Prophet who inherited all the prophets.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I may do so. I asked, “Did he inherit from Adam up to his-self?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Of prophet that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was more knowledgeable.” I then said, “Jesus son of Mary would bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “You spoke the truth. Solomon son of David could understand the language of the birds. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) was also capable of doing such things.” The narrator has said that The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Solomon son of David said to the (Hoopoe) Hud Hud when he found him missing and had doubts about the bird. “(Solomon) inspected the birds and said, “How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe {when he did not find him present and became angry}. Is he absent? (27:20). I shall certainly punish him severely or slaughter him unless he has a good reason for his absence.” (27:21) He became angry because the bird would show him how to find water. This is only a bird but is given something that is not given to Solomon. The wind, ants, man, Jinn, devils and the rebbles obey him in submission but he did not know about the water in the space but the bird knew it as Allah says iin His book. “Even if the Quran would make mountains move, cut the earth into pieces and make the dead able to speak,. .” (13:31) We have inherited this Quran which contains such things that can make the mountains move, cross the lands and make the dead to come to life. We know there is water in space. In the book of Aallah there are verses that are indecative of certain issues only if Allah would give permission. This is along with fact that Allah sometime grants permission to make use of the things that people of the past had written. Allah has set them for us in the origin of the book as Allah says, “All the secrets in heavens and earth are recorded in the illustrious Book. (27:75) Then Allah has said, “We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,. .” (35:32) We are the ones whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has chosen and has given this which contain the explanation of all things.”

Chapter 34

The Imams (a.s.) have with all the books that Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has revealed and that they know them even the language in them are different

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فِي حَدِيثِ بُرَيْهٍ أَنَّهُ لَمَّا جَاءَ مَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَلَقِيَ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) فَحَكَى لَهُ هِشَامٌ الْحِكَايَةَ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لِبُرَيْهٍ يَا بُرَيْهُ كَيْفَ عِلْمُكَ بِكِتَابِكَ قَالَ أَنَا بِهِ عَالِمٌ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَيْفَ ثِقَتُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِهِ قَالَ مَا أَوْثَقَنِي بِعِلْمِي فِيهِ قَالَ فَابْتَدَأَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقْرَأُ الانْجِيلَ فَقَالَ بُرَيْهٌ إِيَّاكَ كُنْتُ أَطْلُبُ مُنْذُ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ مِثْلَكَ قَالَ فَ‏آمَنَ بُرَيْهٌ وَحَسُنَ إِيمَانُهُ وَآمَنَتِ الْمَرْأَةُ الَّتِي كَانَتْ مَعَهُ فَدَخَلَ هِشَامٌ وَبُرَيْهٌ وَالْمَرْأَةُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَحَكَى لَهُ هِشَامٌ الْكَلامَ الَّذِي جَرَى بَيْنَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَبَيْنَ بُرَيْهٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُها مِنْ بَعْضٍ وَالله سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ فَقَالَ بُرَيْهٌ أَنَّى لَكُمُ التَّوْرَاةُ وَالانْجِيلُ وَكُتُبُ الانْبِيَاءِ قَالَ هِيَ عِنْدَنَا وِرَاثَةً مِنْ عِنْدِهِمْ نَقْرَؤُهَا كَمَا قَرَءُوهَا وَنَقُولُهَا كَمَا قَالُوا إِنَّ الله لا يَجْعَلُ حُجَّةً فِي أَرْضِهِ يُسْأَلُ عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَيَقُولُ لا أَدْرِي.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Ibrahim from Yunus from Hisham ibn al-Hakam about the narration of Burayh with whom he came to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) but they met abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.). Hisham explained to the Imams (a.s.) about Burayh. When he finished abu al-Hassan (a.s.) asked, “O Burayh, how is your knowledge of your book?” He rplied, “I know it.” The Imam (a.s.) then asked, “What is the degree of your confidence in its interpretation?” He said, “Not so muCh”??? The narrator has said, “Abu al-Hassan then begun to read (from) the Gospel. Burayh then said, “It is you whom I was searching for fifty years or someone like you.” He has said that Burayh accepted the faith and also the lady who was with him.” Burayh and Hisham and the lady then came to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). Hisham informed the Imam (a.s.) about what had happene between Burayh and abu al-Hassan (a.s.). Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then said, “The generations that are from each other and Allah hears and knows best.” Burayh then asked, “How have possessed the Torah and the Gospel and the books if the prophets?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “ We receive them as in the form of inheritance from them. We read them as they would read them and speak about them as the prophets would do. Allah does grant Divine authority on His earth to those who if questioned would be able to give the right answer and say I do not know.”

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ أَتَيْنَا بَابَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَنَحْنُ نُرِيدُ الاذْنَ عَلَيْهِ فَسَمِعْنَاهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلامٍ لَيْسَ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَتَوَهَّمْنَا أَنَّهُ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ ثُمَّ بَكَى فَبَكَيْنَا لِبُكَائِهِ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا الْغُلامُ فَأَذِنَ لَنَا فَدَخَلْنَا عَلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ الله أَتَيْنَاكَ نُرِيدُ الاذْنَ عَلَيْكَ فَسَمِعْنَاكَ تَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلامٍ لَيْسَ بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَتَوَهَّمْنَا أَنَّهُ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ ثُمَّ بَكَيْتَ فَبَكَيْنَا لِبُكَاءِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ ذَكَرْتُ إِلْيَاسَ النَّبِيَّ وَكَانَ مِنْ عُبَّادِ أَنْبِيَاءِ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقُلْتُ كَمَا كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ ثُمَّ انْدَفَعَ فِيهِ بِالسُّرْيَانِيَّةِ فَلا وَالله مَا رَأَيْنَا قَسّاً وَلا جَاثَلِيقاً أَفْصَحَ لَهْجَةً مِنْهُ بِهِ ثُمَّ فَسَّرَهُ لَنَا بِالْعَرَبِيَّةِ فَقَالَ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي سُجُودِهِ أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ أَظْمَأْتُ لَكَ هَوَاجِرِي أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ عَفَّرْتُ لَكَ فِي التُّرَابِ وَجْهِي أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدِ اجْتَنَبْتُ لَكَ الْمَعَاصِيَ أَ تُرَاكَ مُعَذِّبِي وَقَدْ أَسْهَرْتُ لَكَ لَيْلِي قَالَ فَأَوْحَى الله إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ فَإِنِّي غَيْرُ مُعَذِّبِكَ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنْ قُلْتَ لا أُعَذِّبُكَ ثُمَّ عَذَّبْتَنِي مَا ذَا أَ لَسْتُ عَبْدَكَ وَأَنْتَ رَبِّي قَالَ فَأَوْحَى الله إِلَيْهِ أَنِ ارْفَعْ رَأْسَكَ فَإِنِّي غَيْرُ مُعَذِّبِكَ إِنِّي إِذَا وَعَدْتُ وَعْداً وَفَيْتُ بِهِ.

2. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Bakr ibn Salih from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar who has said the following. “We went to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and wanted permission. We heard him speaking in a none Arabic language and we thought it was Suryani (0r Syrian) language. The Imams (a.s.) then wept and we did so because of his weeping. A boy then came out to give us permission for a meeting. In the meeting I asked him, “May Allah keep you well, we came to ask permission for a meeting and we heard you speak in a none Arabic language and we thought it was Suryani language. Then we heard you weeping and because of that we also wept.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I remembered prophet Ilyas, one of the Israelite prophets and devoted in worship. I then said what he used to say in his prostration. He then went into it in Suryani language. Swearing to Allah, we had not seen any monk or minister as eloquent in it as he in it. He then explained it to us in Arabic, “Ilyas would say in his prostration, ‘O Lord, will I find you punish me although you know of thirst in the heat of the midday? Will I find you punish me although you know that I rub my face on earth to worship you? Will I find you punish me although you know that I give up sins for you? Will I find you punish me although you know that I stay awake all night just for you?” The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Allah then told him through inspiration, “Rise your head from the earth. I will not punish you.” The Imams (a.s.) then said that he said to Allah, “What if say, “I will not punish you but then you punished me? Am I not your slave and you are my Lord.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Allah then spoke to him through inspiration, “Rise your head. I will not punish you because when I promise I then keep My promise.”

Chapter 35

No one collect all of the Holy Quran except the Imams (a.s.) and that they have the knowledge of all of the Holy Quran

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَا ادَّعَى أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ أَنَّهُ جَمَعَ الْقُرْآنَ كُلَّهُ كَمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلا كَذَّابٌ وَمَا جَمَعَهُ وَحَفِظَهُ كَمَا نَزَّلَهُ الله تَعَالَى إِلا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَالائِمَّةُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام )

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from ‘Amr ibn abu al-Miqdam from Jabir who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “No one from the people has claimed to have collected the whole of the Holy Quran (in a book form) as it was revealed. If anyone would come up with such a claim, he is liar. No one collected this Holy Book and memorized as Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High revealed it except Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and the Imams after him.”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنِ الْمُنَخَّلِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَا يَسْتَطِيعُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَدَّعِيَ أَنَّ عِنْدَهُ جَمِيعَ الْقُرْآنِ كُلِّهِ ظَاهِرِهِ وَبَاطِنِهِ غَيْرُ الاوْصِيَاءِ.

2. Muhammad ibn al-Husayn has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from al-Munakhkhal from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “No one is able to claim that with him is the whole of the Holy Quran; its apparent and hidden essence, except the executors of the will of the Holy Prophet (s.a.).

3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الصَّيْرَفِيِّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُصْعَبٍ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ مُحْرِزٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ مِنْ عِلْمِ مَا أُوتِينَا تَفْسِيرَ الْقُرْآنِ وَأَحْكَامَهُ وَعِلْمَ تَغْيِيرِ الزَّمَانِ وَحَدَثَانِهِ إِذَا أَرَادَ الله بِقَوْمٍ خَيْراً أَسْمَعَهُمْ وَلَوْ أَسْمَعَ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ لَوَلَّى مُعْرِضاً كَأَنْ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ ثُمَّ أَمْسَكَ هُنَيْئَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ وَلَوْ وَجَدْنَا أَوْعِيَةً أَوْ مُسْتَرَاحاً لَقُلْنَا وَالله الْمُسْتَعَانُ.

3. Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Qasim ibn al-Rabi‘ from ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Abdallah ibn abu Hashim al-Sayrafi from ‘Amr ibn Mus‘ab from Salma ibn Muhriz who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “Of the knowledge that we have received is the interpretation of the Holy Quran and its laws, the knowledge of the changes of time and the happenings therein. When Allah wants good for a people, He makes them to understand. If He would make to understand one who does not want to understand such a person turns away as if he has heard nothing. The Imams (a.s.) paused, briefly, then said, “Had we found keepers and trusted people for our knowledge, we would have said it (all to him). Allah is the best supporter.”

4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الْمُؤْمِنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى مَوْلَى آلِ سَامٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ وَالله إِنِّي لاعْلَمُ كِتَابَ الله مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ كَأَنَّهُ فِي كَفِّي فِيهِ خَبَرُ السَّمَاءِ وَخَبَرُ الارْضِ وَخَبَرُ مَا كَانَ وَخَبَرُ مَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيهِ تِبْيَانُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from abu ‘Abdallah al-Mu‘min from ‘Abd al-A‘la Mawla ’Ala Sam who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “I swear by Allah that I know the Holy Quran from the beginning to end as if it is in the palm of my hand. In it there is the news of the heavens and the earth, the news of what has been and the new of what will come into being. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, “In it there is the explanation of all things.” (16:89)

5ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي زَاهِرٍ عَنِ الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قالَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ عِلْمٌ مِنَ الْكِتابِ أَنَا آتِيكَ بِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ قَالَ فَفَرَّجَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ فَوَضَعَهَا فِي صَدْرِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَعِنْدَنَا وَالله عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ كُلُّهُ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn abu Zahir from al-Khashshab from Ali ibn Hass’an from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who recited the following verse. “The one who had knowledge from the Book said, “I can bring it to you before you even blink your eye. . .” (27:40). The narrator has said that the Imams (a.s.) opend his two fingers and placed them on his chest and then said, “With us, I swear by Allah, is the knowledge of the whole of the Book.”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قُلْ كَفى‏ بِالله شَهِيداً بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتابِ قَالَ إِيَّانَا عَنَى وَعَلِيٌّ أَوَّلُنَا وَأَفْضَلُنَا وَخَيْرُنَا بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه )

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from those he mentioned, both of them from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhayna from Burayd ibn Mu‘awiya who has said that he asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.) about the meaning of the following verse. “. . Say, ‘God and those who have the knowledge of the Book are sufficient witness (to my prophet-hood).’” (13:43) The Imam (a.s.) said, “It is a reference to us. Ali (a.s.) is the first among us and the most virtuous and the best among us after the Holy Prophet (s.a.)”

Chapter 36

The degree of the Great Names of Allah that are given to the Imams (a.s.)

1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى وَغَيْرُهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي شُرَيْسٌ الْوَابِشِيُّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ اسْمَ الله الاعْظَمَ عَلَى ثَلاثَةٍ وَسَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً وَإِنَّمَا كَانَ عِنْدَ آصَفَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَخُسِفَ بِالارْضِ مَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ سَرِيرِ بِلْقِيسَ حَتَّى تَنَاوَلَ السَّرِيرَ بِيَدِهِ ثُمَّ عَادَتِ الارْضُ كَمَا كَانَتْ أَسْرَعَ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَنَحْنُ عِنْدَنَا مِنَ الاسْمِ الاعْظَمِ اثْنَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَحَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ عِنْدَ الله تَعَالَى اسْتَأْثَرَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَهُ وَلا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إِلا بِالله الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ.

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Muhammad ibn al-Fudayl who has said that Shurays al-Wabishi narrated from Jabir from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following.

“The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. There was only of these letters. He spoke that one letter and land between him and throne of the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis) sunk down as such that he could reach her throne with his hand and the land returned to the original state. This happened in a blinking of A number of our people has narrated from eye. Of the greatest name of Allah there are seventy two letters with us. Allah has kept one letter exclusively for Himself in the knowledge of the unseen. There is no means and no power except by the help of Allah, the Most High, the Most Great.”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ عِمْرَانَ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَمْ أَحْفَظْ اسْمَهُ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أُعْطِيَ حَرْفَيْنِ كَانَ يَعْمَلُ بِهِمَا وَأُعْطِيَ مُوسَى أَرْبَعَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَأُعْطِيَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَحْرُفٍ وَأُعْطِيَ نُوحٌ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ حَرْفاً وَأُعْطِيَ آدَمُ خَمْسَةً وَعِشْرِينَ حَرْفاً وَإِنَّ الله تَعَالَى جَمَعَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ لِمُحَمَّدٍ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَإِنَّ اسْمَ الله الاعْظَمَ ثَلاثَةٌ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً أُعْطِيَ مُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) اثْنَيْنِ وَسَبْعِينَ حَرْفاً وَحُجِبَ عَنْهُ حَرْفٌ وَاحِدٌ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id and Muhammad ibn Khalid from Zakariyya ibn 'Imran al-Qummi from Harun ibn al-Juhm that a man from the companions of abu 'Abdallah (a.s.). I (Harun ibn al-Jahm) have forgotten his name. He has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “Two letters were given to Jesus and he would work with them. Four letters were given to Moses. Eight letters were given to Abraham. Fifteen letters were given to Noah. Twenty five letters were given to Adam. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, have combined all of them in Muhammad (s.a.). The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. Seventy two letters are given to Muhammad (s.a.) and only one letter is kept hidden from him.”

3ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ صَاحِبِ الْعَسْكَرِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ اسْمُ الله الاعْظَمُ ثَلاثَةٌ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً كَانَ عِنْدَ آصَفَ حَرْفٌ فَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ فَانْخَرَقَتْ لَهُ الارْضُ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ سَبَإٍ فَتَنَاوَلَ عَرْشَ بِلْقِيسَ حَتَّى صَيَّرَهُ إِلَى سُلَيْمَانَ ثُمَّ انْبَسَطَتِ الارْضُ فِي أَقَلَّ مِنْ طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَعِنْدَنَا مِنْهُ اثْنَانِ وَسَبْعُونَ حَرْفاً وَحَرْفٌ عِنْدَ الله مُسْتَأْثِرٌ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ.

3. al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali who has said that he heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.) Sahib al-‘Askar say the following. “The greatest name of Allah has seventy three letters. There was only one letter with Asif. He spoke with it and the land between him and the throne of the Queen of Sheba (Bilqis) sunk down as such that he took her throne and placed it before Solomon. The land then came to normal state within less than a blinking of an eye. There are seventy-two of those letters with us. One letter is with Allah which, He has kept it exclusively in the knowledge of the unseen.”


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