Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

كِتَابُ التَّوْحِيدِ

The Book of Tawheed (2) (Oneness of Allahazwj )

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله على سيدنا محمد وآله الطاهرين، وسلم تسليما

In the Name of Allahazwj the Beneficent, the Merciful. The Praise is for Allahazwj Lordazwj of the Worlds, and Blessing be upon our Chief Muhammadsaww and hissaww Purified Progenyasws , and greetings with abundant greetings.

11 ـ بَابُ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْجِسْمِ وَالصُّورَةِ‌

Chapter 11 – The Forbiddance from (describing Allahazwj) with the body and the image

1 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ يَرْوِي عَنْكُمْ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ صَمَدِيٌّ نُورِيٌّ مَعْرِفَتُهُ ضَرُورَةٌ يَمُنُّ بِهَا عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ فَقَالَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لا يَعْلَمُ أَحَدٌ كَيْفَ هُوَ إِلا هُوَ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ لا يُحَدُّ وَلا يُحَسُّ وَلا يُجَسُّ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الابْصَارُ وَلا الْحَوَاسُّ وَلا يُحِيطُ بِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا تَخْطِيطٌ وَلا تَحْدِيدٌ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullahasws , ‘I heard Hisham Bin Al-Hakam reporting from youasws that Allahazwj is (a physical) body, solid, (Made of) Light. Hisazwj recognition is a necessity. Heazwj Endows with it upon the ones whom Heazwj so Desires to from Hisazwj creatures’. So Heasws said: ‘Glorious is the Oneazwj Whom no one knows how Heazwj is except that nothing is like Himazwj and Heazwj is the Hearing, the Seeing. Heazwj can neither be limited, nor felt, nor touched, nor do the visions comprehend Himazwj, nor the senses, nor can Heazwj be encompassed by anything, nor a body, nor an image, nor lines, nor boundaries’.1

2 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الْجِسْمِ وَالصُّورَةِ فَكَتَبَ سُبْحَانَ مَنْ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ

وَرَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله إِلا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُسَمِّ الرَّجُلَ

Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahld Bin Ziyad, from Hamza Bin Muhammad who said,

‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassanasws asking himasws about the body and the image. So heasws wrote: ‘Glorious is the Oneazwj, there being nothing like Himazwj, neither a body nor an image’.

And it is reported by Muhammad Bin Abdu Abdullah, except that he did not name the man’.2

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ جِئْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ فَأَمْلَى عَلَيَّ الْحَمْدُ لله فَاطِرِ الاشْيَاءِ إِنْشَاءً وَمُبْتَدِعِهَا ابْتِدَاعاً بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَحِكْمَتِهِ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَيَبْطُلَ الاخْتِرَاعُ وَلا لِعِلَّةٍ فَلا يَصِحَّ الابْتِدَاعُ خَلَقَ مَا شَاءَ كَيْفَ شَاءَ مُتَوَحِّداً بِذَلِكَ لاظْهَارِ حِكْمَتِهِ وَحَقِيقَةِ رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ لا تَضْبِطُهُ الْعُقُولُ وَلا تَبْلُغُهُ الاوْهَامُ وَلا تُدْرِكُهُ الابْصَارُ وَلا يُحِيطُ بِهِ مِقْدَارٌ عَجَزَتْ دُونَهُ الْعِبَارَةُ وَكَلَّتْ دُونَهُ الابْصَارُ وَضَلَّ فِيهِ تَصَارِيفُ الصِّفَاتِ احْتَجَبَ بِغَيْرِ حِجَابٍ مَحْجُوبٍ وَاسْتَتَرَ بِغَيْرِ سِتْرٍ مَسْتُورٍ عُرِفَ بِغَيْرِ رُؤْيَةٍ وَوُصِفَ بِغَيْرِ صُورَةٍ وَنُعِتَ بِغَيْرِ جِسْمٍ لا إِلَهَ إِلا الله الْكَبِيرُ الْمُتَعَالِ

Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Ismail Bin Bazie, from Muhammad Bin Zayd who said,

‘I went over to Al-Rezaasws asking himasws about the Tawheed (Oneness). So heasws dictated unto me: ‘The Praise is for Allahazwj, Originator of the things, their Maker and their Initiator. Heazwj Initiated these by Hisazwj Power and Hisazwj Wisdom.3

4 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ وَصَفْتُ لابِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ وَحَكَيْتُ لَهُ قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَنَّهُ جِسْمٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَى لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَيُّ فُحْشٍ أَوْ خَناً أَعْظَمُ مِنْ قَوْلِ مَنْ يَصِفُ خَالِقَ الاشْيَاءِ بِجِسْمٍ أَوْ صُورَةٍ أَوْ بِخِلْقَةٍ أَوْ بِتَحْدِيدٍ وَأَعْضَاءٍ تَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً

Muhammad Bi nAbu Abdullah, from the one who mentioned it, from Ali Bin Al Abbas, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Muhammad Bin Hakeym who said,

‘I described to Abu Ibrahimasws (7th Imamasws ), the words of Hisham Bin Salim Al-Jawaliqy, and related to himasws the word of Hisham Bin Al-Hakam that Heazwj is a body’. So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj the Exalted cannot be resembled by anything. What can be a greater obscenity or betrayal than the words of the one who describes the Creator of the things as being with a body, or an image, or by a creature, or a limitation, or body parts? Exalted is Allahazwj from that, Loftier, Greater’.4

5 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفَرَجِ الرُّخَّجِيِّ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ عَمَّا قَالَ هِشَامُ بْنُ الْحَكَمِ فِي الْجِسْمِ وَهِشَامُ بْنُ سَالِمٍ فِي الصُّورَةِ فَكَتَبَ دَعْ عَنْكَ حَيْرَةَ الْحَيْرَانِ وَاسْتَعِذْ بِالله مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ لَيْسَ الْقَوْلُ مَا قَالَ الْهِشَامَانِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, raising it, from Muhammad Bin Al Faraj Al Rukhajiyin who said,

‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassanasws asking himasws about what Hisham Bin Al Hakam said regarding the body, and Hisham Bin Salim (said) regarding the Image. So heasws wrote: ‘Leave from yourself the confusion of the confused ones and seek Refuge with Allahazwj from the Satanla. The words are not what the two Hishams have spoken’.5

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يُونُسَ بْنَ ظَبْيَانَ يَقُولُ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ يَقُولُ قَوْلاً عَظِيماً إِلا أَنِّي أَخْتَصِرُ لَكَ مِنْهُ أَحْرُفاً فَزَعَمَ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ لانَّ الاشْيَاءَ شَيْئَانِ جِسْمٌ وَفِعْلُ الْجِسْمِ فَلا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ الصَّانِعُ بِمَعْنَى الْفِعْلِ وَيَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ بِمَعْنَى الْفَاعِلِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَيْحَهُ أَ مَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْجِسْمَ مَحْدُودٌ مُتَنَاهٍ وَالصُّورَةَ مَحْدُودَةٌ مُتَنَاهِيَةٌ فَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ الْحَدَّ احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَالنُّقْصَانَ وَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَالنُّقْصَانَ كَانَ مَخْلُوقاً قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا أَقُولُ قَالَ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَهُوَ مُجَسِّمُ الاجْسَامِ وَمُصَوِّرُ الصُّوَرِ لَمْ يَتَجَزَّأْ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاهَ وَلَمْ يَتَزَايَدْ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاقَصْ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الْخَالِقِ وَالْمَخْلُوقِ فَرْقٌ وَلا بَيْنَ الْمُنْشِئِ وَالْمُنْشَإِ لَكِنْ هُوَ الْمُنْشِئُ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ مَنْ جَسَّمَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَأَنْشَأَهُ إِذْ كَانَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يُشْبِهُ هُوَ شَيْئاً

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Husayn Bin Al Hassan, from Bakr Bin Salih, from Al Hassan Bin Saeed, from Abdullah Bin Al Mugheira, from Muhammad Bin Ziyad who said,

‘I heard Yunus Bin Zabyan saying, ‘I went over to Abu Abdullahasws and said to himasws , ‘Hisham Bin Al-Hakam is saying grievous words. Indeed, I shall summarise some from it. He is alleging that Allahazwj is a body, because the things are two things, body and deed of the body. Thus, it is not permissible that the Maker could happen to be in the meaning of the deed, and it is permissible that Heazwj could happen to the in the meaning of the performer’.

So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘Weo be unto him! Does he not know that the body is limited to its end-points, and the image is limited to its end-points? So when it carries the limitation, it would carry the increase and the decrease. And when it carries the increase and the decrease, it would be a creation’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘So what should I be saying?’ Heasws said: ‘Neither a body, nor an image, and Heazwj is the Sculptor of the bodies and the Artist of the images. Heazwj cannot be divided, and cannot have boundaries, and cannot be increased, and cannot be decreased. Had it been as they are saying, there would not be any difference between the Creator and the created, nor between the Constructor and the constructed. But Heazwj is the Constructor. There is a difference between the Oneazwj Who Sculpts it and Images it and Constructs it, when it was so than there is nothing resembling Himazwj, nor does Heazwj resemble anything’.6

7 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْعَبَّاسِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِمَّانِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) إِنَّ هِشَامَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الله جِسْمٌ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ عَالِمٌ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ قَادِرٌ مُتَكَلِّمٌ نَاطِقٌ وَالْكَلامُ وَالْقُدْرَةُ وَالْعِلْمُ يَجْرِي مَجْرَى وَاحِدٍ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْهَا مَخْلُوقاً فَقَالَ قَاتَلَهُ الله أَ مَا عَلِمَ أَنَّ الْجِسْمَ مَحْدُودٌ وَالْكَلامَ غَيْرُ الْمُتَكَلِّمِ مَعَاذَ الله وَأَبْرَأُ إِلَى الله مِنْ هَذَا الْقَوْلِ لا جِسْمٌ وَلا صُورَةٌ وَلا تَحْدِيدٌ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سِوَاهُ مَخْلُوقٌ إِنَّمَا تُكَوَّنُ الاشْيَاءُ بِإِرَادَتِهِ وَمَشِيئَتِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ كَلامٍ وَلا تَرَدُّدٍ فِي نَفَسٍ وَلا نُطْقٍ بِلِسَانٍ

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Ali Bin Al Abbas, from Al Hassan Bin Abdul Rahman Al Himmany who said,

‘I said to Abu Al-Hassan Musa Bin Ja’farasws that Hisham Bin Al-Hakam is alleging that Allahazwj is a body. There is nothing resembling Himazwj. All-knowing, Hearing, Seeing, Powerful. A Speaker speaking, and the Speech, and the Power, and the Knowledge, (all) flowing as one flow, there being nothing from it being Created’.

So heasws said: ‘May Allahazwj Kill him! Does he not know that the body is limited, and the speech is other than the speaker? Iasws seek Refuge of Allahazwj and for Allahazwj I keep away from this speech. There is neither a body, nor an image, nor a limitation, and everything Besides Himazwj is a creation. But rather, the things came to be by Hisazwj Will, and Hisazwj Desire from without a speech, or hesitation in Himselfazwj, or speaking by a tongue’.7

8 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ قَالَ وَصَفْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلَ هِشَامٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ وَمَا يَقُولُ فِي الشَّابِّ الْمُوَفَّقِ وَوَصَفْتُ لَهُ قَوْلَ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Muhammad Bin Hakeym who said,

‘I described to Abu Al-Hassanasws the words of Hisham Al-Jawaliqy and what he is saying regarding the fully grown youth, and described to himasws the words of Hisham Bin Al-Hakam. So heasws said: ‘Surely Allahazwj, nothing resembles Himazwj’. 8

12 ـ بَابُ صِفَاتِ الذَّاتِ‌

Chapter 12 – Attributes of the Self

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الطَّيَالِسِيِّ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَبَّنَا وَالْعِلْمُ ذَاتُهُ وَلا مَعْلُومَ وَالسَّمْعُ ذَاتُهُ وَلا مَسْمُوعَ وَالْبَصَرُ ذَاتُهُ وَلا مُبْصَرَ وَالْقُدْرَةُ ذَاتُهُ وَلا مَقْدُورَ فَلَمَّا أَحْدَثَ الاشْيَاءَ وَكَانَ الْمَعْلُومُ وَقَعَ الْعِلْمُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَعْلُومِ وَالسَّمْعُ عَلَى الْمَسْمُوعِ وَالْبَصَرُ عَلَى الْمُبْصَرِ وَالْقُدْرَةُ عَلَى الْمَقْدُورِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الله مُتَحَرِّكاً قَالَ فَقَالَ تَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ إِنَّ الْحَرَكَةَ صِفَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ بِالْفِعْلِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَلَمْ يَزَلِ الله مُتَكَلِّماً قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الْكَلامَ صِفَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ لَيْسَتْ بِأَزَلِيَّةٍ كَانَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلا مُتَكَلِّمَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Khalid Al Tayalisy, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Ibn Muskan, from Abu Baseer who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws saying: ‘Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic never ceased to be our Lordazwj; and the Knowledge is Hisazwj Self and (even though) there may be nothing to be known, and the Hearing is Hisazwj Self and (even though) there may be nothing to be heard, and the Seeing is Hisazwj Self and (even though) there may be nothing to be seen, and the Power is Hisazwj Self and (even though) there may be nothing to be empowered upon.

So when Heazwj Created the things, and it was the known (things), the Knowledge Occurred from Himazwj upon the known, and the Hearing upon the heard, and the Seeing upon the seen, and the Power upon the empowered’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘So Allahazwj does not cease to be moving’. So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj is more Exalted from that. The movement is a quality created by the deed’. I said, ‘So Allahazwj did not cease to be Speaking’. So heasws said: ‘The speech is a created quality, it is not with the eternality. Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic was, and Heazwj did not Speak’.9

2 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ كَانَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ غَيْرُهُ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً بِمَا يَكُونُ فَعِلْمُهُ بِهِ قَبْلَ كَوْنِهِ كَعِلْمِهِ بِهِ بَعْدَ كَوْنِهِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Salim, from Muhammad Bin Muslim,

Abu Ja’farasws , said, ‘I heard himasws saying: ‘Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic was and there was nothing else apart from Himazwj, and Heazwj has not ceased to be Knowing with what is going to occur, and Heazwj Knew of it before its occurrence, just like Hisazwj Knowledge of it after its occurrence’.10

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْكَاهِلِيِّ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي دُعَاءٍ الْحَمْدُ لله مُنْتَهَى عِلْمِهِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ لا تَقُولَنَّ مُنْتَهَى عِلْمِهِ فَلَيْسَ لِعِلْمِهِ مُنْتَهًى وَلَكِنْ قُلْ مُنْتَهَى رِضَاهُ‏

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Al Kahily who said,

‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassanasws regarding the supplication ‘The Praise is for Allahazwj the end-point of Hisazwj Knowledge’ (دُعَاءٍ الْحَمْدُ لِِلَِّّ مُنْتَهَى عِلْمِهِ ). So heasws wrote back: ‘Do not be saying, ‘End-point of Hisazwj Knowledge’, for there is no end-point to Hisazwj Knowledge. But, say, ‘End-point of Hisazwj Pleasure (for Hisazwj creatures)’.11

4 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَيُّوبَ بْنِ نُوحٍ أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ الاشْيَاءَ قَبْلَ أَنْ خَلَقَ الاشْيَاءَ وَكَوَّنَهَا أَوْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى خَلَقَهَا وَأَرَادَ خَلْقَهَا وَتَكْوِينَهَا فَعَلِمَ مَا خَلَقَ عِنْدَ مَا خَلَقَ وَمَا كَوَّنَ عِنْدَ مَا كَوَّنَ فَوَقَّعَ بِخَطِّهِ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَالِماً بِالاشْيَاءِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الاشْيَاءَ كَعِلْمِهِ بِالاشْيَاءِ بَعْدَ مَا خَلَقَ الاشْيَاءَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ayoub Bin Nuh,

‘He wrote to Abu Al-Hassanasws asking himasws about Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic, ‘Did Heazwj Know of the things before Heazwj Created the things and their occurrence (coming into being), or did Heazwj not Know that until Heazwj Created these and Intended their Creation and their coming into being, So Heazwj Knew what Heazwj Created during what Heazwj Created, and what is to come into being during what came into being’.

So heasws signed: ‘Allahazwj never ceased to be Knowing of the thing before Heazwj Created the things, just like Hisazwj Knowledge of the things after having Created the things’.12

5 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَمْزَةَ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَسْأَلُهُ أَنَّ مَوَالِيَكَ اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْعِلْمِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَالِماً قَبْلَ فِعْلِ الاشْيَاءِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لا نَقُولُ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَالِماً لانَّ مَعْنَى يَعْلَمُ يَفْعَلُ فَإِنْ أَثْبَتْنَا الْعِلْمَ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتْنَا فِي الازَلِ مَعَهُ شَيْئاً فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَقِفُ عَلَيْهِ وَلا أَجُوزُهُ فَكَتَبَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِخَطِّهِ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَالِماً تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Hamza who said,

‘I wrote to the manasws asking himasws , ‘The ones in yourasws Wilayah are differing regarding the Knowledge. So, some of them say, ‘Allahazwj did not cease to be a Knower before Heazwj Doing (Creating) the things’; and some of them say, ‘We are not saying that Heazwj did not cease to be a Knower because the meaning of the knowledge is by a deed. So if we prove the Knowledge (as being eternal), so we have proved in the eternality, the things along with it’. So what is yourasws view, may I be sacrificed for youasws , if youasws could teach me from that what I could pause upon and not exceed it’.

So heasws wrote in hisasws own handwriting: ‘Allahazwj did not cease to be a Knower. Blessed and High is Hisazwj Mention’.13

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ سُكَّرَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنْ رَأَيْتَ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي هَلْ كَانَ الله جَلَّ وَجْهُهُ يَعْلَمُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ أَنَّهُ وَحْدَهُ فَقَدِ اخْتَلَفَ مَوَالِيكَ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ قَدْ كَانَ يَعْلَمُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ شَيْئاً مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ إِنَّمَا مَعْنَى يَعْلَمُ يَفْعَلُ فَهُوَ الْيَوْمَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لا غَيْرُهُ قَبْلَ فِعْلِ الاشْيَاءِ فَقَالُوا إِنْ أَثْبَتْنَا أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً بِأَنَّهُ لا غَيْرُهُ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتْنَا مَعَهُ غَيْرَهُ فِي أَزَلِيَّتِهِ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ يَا سَيِّدِي أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مَا لا أَعْدُوهُ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ فَكَتَبَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا زَالَ الله عَالِماً تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Abdul Samad Bin Bashir, from Fuzayl Bin sukkara who said,

‘I said to Abu Ja’farasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! If youasws see fit, if youasws could teach me, ‘Did Allahazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Face, Know before Heazwj Created the creation that Heazwj is One, for the ones in yourasws Wilayah are differing. So, some of them say, Heazwj was Knowing before Heazwj Creating a thing from Hisazwj creation’, and some of them say, ‘But rather, the meaning of knowing is Hisazwj Doing, thus today Heazwj Knows that Heazwj ( is One), there being no other, before He Did (Create) the things. So they are saying, ‘It is proved for us that Heazwj did not cease to be a Knower that Heazwj ( is One), there is none other, and so it is proved for us that there was other than Himazwj ( i.e., Knowledge), along with Himazwj in Hisazwj eternality’.

So if youasws see fit, O my Chiefasws , if youasws could teach me what I do not leave it to something else’. So heasws wrote: ‘Allahazwj did not cease to be a Knower. Blessed and High is Hisazwj Mention’.14

13 ـ بَابٌ آخَرُ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْبَابِ الْأَوَّلِ‌

Chapter 13 – Another (chapter), and it is from the first chapter

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي صِفَةِ الْقَدِيمِ إِنَّهُ وَاحِدٌ صَمَدٌ أَحَدِيُّ الْمَعْنَى لَيْسَ بِمَعَانِي كَثِيرَةٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يَزْعُمُ قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ أَنَّهُ يَسْمَعُ بِغَيْرِ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُ بِغَيْرِ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ قَالَ فَقَالَ كَذَبُوا وَأَلْحَدُوا وَشَبَّهُوا تَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ يَسْمَعُ بِمَا يُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُ بِمَا يَسْمَعُ قَالَ قُلْتُ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ بَصِيرٌ عَلَى مَا يَعْقِلُونَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ تَعَالَى الله إِنَّمَا يَعْقِلُ مَا كَانَ بِصِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَلَيْسَ الله كَذَلِكَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ubeyd, from Hammad, from Hareyz, from Muhammad Bin Muslim,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’farasws having said: ‘Regarding the Attribute of the eternality, Heazwj is One, Solid (not hollow), is in one meaning. It is not with many different meanings’. I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! A group from the people of Al-Iraq are alleging that Heazwj is Hearing with other than what Heazwj is Seeing (with), and Heazwj is Seeing with other than what Heazwj is Hearing (with)?’

So heasws said: ‘They are lying! They are limiting and resembling (with Allahazwj) Exalted is Allahazwj from that. Heazwj is Hearing, Seeing. Heazwj Hears with what Heazwj Sees, and Sees with what Heazwj Hears’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘They are alleging that Heazwj is Seeing upon what they are comprehending (hearing and seeing to be)’. So heasws said: ‘Exalted is Allahazwj! But rather, they are (trying to) comprehend with that which is a quality of the creatures, and Allahazwj is not like that’.15

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ فِي حَدِيثِ الزِّنْدِيقِ الَّذِي سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَهُ أَ تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله هُوَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ سَمِيعٌ بِغَيْرِ جَارِحَةٍ وَبَصِيرٌ بِغَيْرِ آلَةٍ بَلْ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَيُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَلَيْسَ قَوْلِي إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بِنَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالنَّفْسُ شَيْ‏ءٌ آخَرُ وَلَكِنِّي أَرَدْتُ عِبَارَةً عَنْ نَفْسِي إِذْ كُنْتُ مَسْئُولاً وَإِفْهَاماً لَكَ إِذْ كُنْتَ سَائِلاً فَأَقُولُ يَسْمَعُ بِكُلِّهِ لا أَنَّ كُلَّهُ لَهُ بَعْضٌ لانَّ الْكُلَّ لَنَا لَهُ بَعْضٌ وَلَكِنْ أَرَدْتُ إِفْهَامَكَ وَالتَّعْبِيرُ عَنْ نَفْسِي وَلَيْسَ مَرْجِعِي فِي ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ إِلا أَنَّهُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْعَالِمُ الْخَبِيرُ بِلا اخْتِلافِ الذَّاتِ وَلا اخْتِلافِ مَعْنًى

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Abbas Bin Amro,

(It has been narrated) from Hisham Bin Al-Hakam who said in a Hadeeth of the atheist who asked Abu Abdullahasws that, ‘He said to himasws , ‘Are youasws saying that Heazwj is Hearing, Seeing?’ So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘Heazwj is Hearing, Seeing, Hearing without a body part and seeing without an instrument. But, Heazwj Hears by Himselfazwj and Sees by Himselfazwj; and it is not myasws saying that ‘Heazwj Hears by Himselfazwj’, that Heazwj is one thing and Hisazwj Self is another thing. But Iasws intend it as a lesson from myselfasws when Iasws was questioned and as an understanding for you when you are the questioner.

Thus, Iasws am saying, Heazwj Hears with All of Himazwj, not that ‘the whole of Himazwj’ are parts, because the ‘whole’ for us, there are parts to it. But Iasws intend to make you understand and as the lesson from myselfasws , and myasws reference regarding that ‘all of Himazwj’, is not, except that Heazwj is the Hearing, the Seeing, the Knowing, the Aware, without there being any difference of the Self, nor difference of the meaning’.16

14 ـ بَابُ الْإِرَادَةِ أَنَّهَا‌ مِنْ صِفَاتِ الْفِعْلِ، وَسَائِرِ صِفَاتِ‌الْفِعْلِ

Chapter 14 – The Intention (Will), it is from the Attributes of the deed, and the rest of the Attributes of the deed

1 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى الاشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الاهْوَازِيِّ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله مُرِيداً قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُرِيدَ لا يَكُونُ إِلا لِمُرَادٍ مَعَهُ لَمْ يَزَلِ الله عَالِماً قَادِراً ثُمَّ أَرَادَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya Al Attar, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa Al Ashary, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed Al Ahwazy, from Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Aasim Bin Humeyd,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws , said, ‘I said, ‘Allahazwj never ceased to be an Intender?’ Heasws said: ‘The Intender cannot happen to be except with an intention along with him. Allahazwj never ceased to be a Knower, Powerful, then Intended (Willed)’.17

2 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عِلْمُ الله وَمَشِيئَتُهُ هُمَا مُخْتَلِفَانِ أَوْ مُتَّفِقَانِ فَقَالَ الْعِلْمُ لَيْسَ هُوَ الْمَشِيئَةَ أَ لا تَرَى أَنَّكَ تَقُولُ سَأَفْعَلُ كَذَا إِنْ شَاءَ الله وَلا تَقُولُ سَأَفْعَلُ كَذَا إِنْ عَلِمَ الله فَقَوْلُكَ إِنْ شَاءَ الله دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَشَأْ فَإِذَا شَاءَ كَانَ الَّذِي شَاءَ كَمَا شَاءَ وَعِلْمُ الله السَّابِقُ لِلْمَشِيئَةِ

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Husayn Bin Al Hassan, from Bakr Bin Salih, from Ali Bin Asbaat, from Al Hassan Bin Al Jahm, from Bukeyr Bin Ayn who said,

‘I said to Abu Abu Abdullahasws , ‘The Knowledge of Allahazwj and Hisazwj Desire are both creations or co-incidental?’ So heasws said: ‘The Knowledge, it is not the Desire. Do you not see that you (yourself) are saying, ‘I shall do such if Allahazwj so Desires it’, and you are not saying, ‘I shall do such if Allahazwj Knows it’? So, your words, ‘If Allahazwj so Desires it’ is evidence upon that Heazwj has not Desired it yet. So when Heazwj does Desire it, that which Heazwj so Desires, it would occur, that which Heazwj so Desires, and Knowledge of Allahazwj is Precedes to the Desire’.18

3 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الارَادَةِ مِنَ الله وَمِنَ الْخَلْقِ قَالَ فَقَالَ الارَادَةُ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ الضَّمِيرُ وَمَا يَبْدُو لَهُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الْفِعْلِ وَأَمَّا مِنَ الله تَعَالَى فَإِرَادَتُهُ إِحْدَاثُهُ لا غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ لانَّهُ لا يُرَوِّي وَلا يَهُمُّ وَلا يَتَفَكَّرُ وَهَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ مَنْفِيَّةٌ عَنْهُ وَهِيَ صِفَاتُ الْخَلْقِ فَإِرَادَةُ الله الْفِعْلُ لا غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ بِلا لَفْظٍ وَلا نُطْقٍ بِلِسَانٍ وَلا هِمَّةٍ وَلا تَفَكُّرٍ وَلا كَيْفَ لِذَلِكَ كَمَا أَنَّهُ لا كَيْفَ لَهُ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Safwan Bin Yahya who said,

‘I said to Abu Al-Hassanasws , ‘Inform me about the Intention (Will) from Allahazwj, and from the creature’. So heasws said: ‘The Intention from the creature (people) is the conscience and begins for them after that from the deed, and as for (the Intention) from Allahazwj the Exalted, so Hisazwj Intention is Hisazwj Creation and not other than that, because Heazwj neither narrates, nor whims, nor thinks, and these Attributes are negated from Himazwj, and these are the attributes of the creatures.

So the Intention of Allahazwj is the deed, not other than that. Heazwj is Saying to it, ‘Be’, so it occurs (comes into being), without a letter spoken by a tongue, nor a whim, nor thinking, nor is there a ‘where’ for that just as there is no ‘where’ (qualitative state) for Himazwj’. 19

5 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْمَشْرِقِيِّ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ الْمُرْتَفِعِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ كُنْتُ فِي مَجْلِسِ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ عَمْرُو بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ قَوْلُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَمَنْ يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوى‏ مَا ذَلِكَ الْغَضَبُ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ الْعِقَابُ يَا عَمْرُو إِنَّهُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الله قَدْ زَالَ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ إِلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَدْ وَصَفَهُ صِفَةَ مَخْلُوقٍ وَإِنَّ الله تَعَالَى لا يَسْتَفِزُّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَيُغَيِّرَهُ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Umar Bin Axina,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘Allahazwj Created the Desire by itself, then Created the things with the Desire’.20

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Barqy, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Mashraqy Hamza Bin Al Mutafa’a, from one of our companions who said,

‘I was in a gathering of Abu Ja’farasws when Amro Bin Ubeyd came over to himasws and said to himasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! The Words of Allahazwj Blessed and High [20:81], and whomsoever My Anger is due upon so he has perished. What is that Anger?’ So Abu Ja’farasws said: ‘It is the Punishment, O Amro, and he who alleges that Allahazwj has ceased to be from a thing to a thing, so he has described Himazwj with an attribute of a creature, and that Allahazwj the Exalted. Nothing stirs Himazwj, so Heazwj would change’.21

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فِي حَدِيثِ الزِّنْدِيقِ الَّذِي سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَكَانَ مِنْ سُؤَالِهِ أَنْ قَالَ لَهُ فَلَهُ رِضًا وَسَخَطٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) نَعَمْ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى مَا يُوجَدُ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الرِّضَا حَالٌ تَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِ فَتَنْقُلُهُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ لانَّ الْمَخْلُوقَ أَجْوَفُ مُعْتَمِلٌ مُرَكَّبٌ لِلاشْيَاءِ فِيهِ مَدْخَلٌ وَخَالِقُنَا لا مَدْخَلَ لِلاشْيَاءِ فِيهِ لانَّهُ وَاحِدٌ وَاحِدِيُّ الذَّاتِ وَاحِدِيُّ الْمَعْنَى فَرِضَاهُ ثَوَابُهُ وَسَخَطُهُ عِقَابُهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْ‏ءٍ يَتَدَاخَلُهُ فَيُهَيِّجُهُ وَيَنْقُلُهُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ لانَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْعَاجِزِينَ الْمُحْتَاجِينَ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Abbas Bin Amro,

(It has been narrated) from Hisham Bin Al-Hakam in a Hadeeth of the atheist who questioned Abu Abdullahasws . So, it was from his questions that he said to himasws , ‘So, for Himazwj is Pleasure and Anger?’ So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘Yes, but that is not upon what is found from the creatures, and that is because the pleasure is a state entered upon, so you would be transferred from a state into a state, because the creature is hollow, active, compound of the things. In him is an entrance, and our Creator has no entrance for the things in Himazwj, because Heazwj is the Oneazwj. The Oneazwj in the Self and One in the Meaning. Thus, Hisazwj Pleasure is Hisazwj Rewarding, and Hisazwj Anger is Hisazwj Punishment from without anything having entered Himazwj, so it would provoke Himazwj and Heazwj would change from a state to a state, because that is from the attributes of the creatures, the frustrated, the needy’.22

7 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ الْمَشِيئَةُ مُحْدَثَةٌ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Muhammad Bin Muslim,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘The Desire is a creation’.23

15 ـ بَابُ حُدُوثِ الْأَسْمَاءِ‌

Chapter 15 – Occurrence (coming into being) of the Names

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى خَلَقَ اسْماً بِالْحُرُوفِ غَيْرَ مُتَصَوَّتٍ وَبِاللَّفْظِ غَيْرَ مُنْطَقٍ وَبِالشَّخْصِ غَيْرَ مُجَسَّدٍ وَبِالتَّشْبِيهِ غَيْرَ مَوْصُوفٍ وَبِاللَّوْنِ غَيْرَ مَصْبُوغٍ مَنْفِيٌّ عَنْهُ الاقْطَارُ مُبَعَّدٌ عَنْهُ الْحُدُودُ مَحْجُوبٌ عَنْهُ حِسُّ كُلِّ مُتَوَهِّمٍ مُسْتَتِرٌ غَيْرُ مَسْتُورٍ فَجَعَلَهُ كَلِمَةً تَامَّةً عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَجْزَاءٍ مَعاً لَيْسَ مِنْهَا وَاحِدٌ قَبْلَ الاخَرِ فَأَظْهَرَ مِنْهَا ثَلاثَةَ أَسْمَاءٍ لِفَاقَةِ الْخَلْقِ إِلَيْهَا وَحَجَبَ مِنْهَا وَاحِداً وَهُوَ الاسْمُ الْمَكْنُونُ الْمَخْزُونُ فَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ الَّتِي ظَهَرَتْ فَالظَّاهِرُ هُوَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَسَخَّرَ سُبْحَانَهُ لِكُلِّ اسْمٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ أَرْبَعَةَ أَرْكَانٍ فَذَلِكَ اثْنَا عَشَرَ رُكْناً ثُمَّ خَلَقَ لِكُلِّ رُكْنٍ مِنْهَا ثَلاثِينَ اسْماً فِعْلاً مَنْسُوباً إِلَيْهَا فَهُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ الْمَلِكُ الْقُدُّوسُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلا نَوْمٌ الْعَلِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الْمُتَكَبِّرُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ الْقَادِرُ السَّلامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ الْمُهَيْمِنُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُنْشِئُ الْبَدِيعُ الرَّفِيعُ الْجَلِيلُ الْكَرِيمُ الرَّازِقُ الْمُحْيِي الْمُمِيتُ الْبَاعِثُ الْوَارِثُ فَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الاسْمَاءِ الْحُسْنَى حَتَّى تَتِمَّ ثَلاثَ مِائَةٍ وَسِتِّينَ اسْماً فَهِيَ نِسْبَةٌ لِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ الثَّلاثَةِ وَهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءُ الثَّلاثَةُ أَرْكَانٌ وَحَجَبَ الاسْمَ الْوَاحِدَ الْمَكْنُونَ الْمَخْزُونَ بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ الثَّلاثَةِ وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى قُلِ ادْعُوا الله أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمنَ أَيًّا ما تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الاسْماءُ الْحُسْنى‏

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Salih Bin Abu Hammad, from Al Husayn Bin Yazeed, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from Ibrahim Bin Umar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘Allahazwj Blessed and High Created the Names with the Letters without sounds, and with the words without speaking, and with the personality without a body, and with its resemblance without attributes, and with the colour without colouring. The lines are negated from Himazwj. Remote from Himazwj are the limitations, veiled from Himazwj. Heazwj Senses every veiled whim without a veil.

So Heazwj Made it to be a complete word upon four parts, along with that there is not one from these which is before the other. So Heazwj Manifested three Names from these for the desperation of the creatures towards these, and Veiled one of these, and it is the Hidden Name, the Treasured. Thus, these are the Names which are Manifest. So the Manifested is Allahazwj, Blessed, and Exalted. And Heazwj the Glorious, Subjected four elements to every Name from these Names. So that (makes it as) twelve elements.

Then Heazwj Created for every element from these, thirty Names, a deed linked to these. So Heazwj is the Beneficent, the Merciful, the King, the Holy, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner, the Living, the Eternal. Neither does slumber seize Himazwj nor sleep. The Knower, the Aware, the Hearing, the Seeing, the Wise, the Mighty, the Compeller, the Supreme, the Exalted, the Magnificent, the Dominant, the Powerful, the Grantor of safety, the Securer, the Controller, the Maker, the Builder, the Initiator, the Lofty, the Majestic, the Benevolent, the Sustainer, the Life-Giver, the Causer of death, the Resurrector, the Inheritor.

So these are the Names, and whatever was from the Good Names until three hundred and sixty (360) Names are complete. So it is a link to these three Names, and these Names are (of) three elements, and One Name is Veiled, the Hidden, the Treasured by these three Names; and these are the Words of the Exalted [17:110] Say: Call upon Allah or call upon the Beneficent; whichever (Name) you call upon, for Him are the best Names’.24

2 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُمَرَ وَالْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هَلْ كَانَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَارِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْمَعُهَا قَالَ مَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجاً إِلَى ذَلِكَ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَسْأَلُهَا وَلا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهَا هُوَ نَفْسُهُ وَنَفْسُهُ هُوَ قُدْرَتُهُ نَافِذَةٌ فَلَيْسَ يَحْتَاجُ أَنْ يُسَمِّيَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ أَسْمَاءً لِغَيْرِهِ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا لانَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يُدْعَ بِاسْمِهِ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ فَأَوَّلُ مَا اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ لانَّهُ أَعْلَى الاشْيَاءِ كُلِّهَا فَمَعْنَاهُ الله وَاسْمُهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ هُوَ أَوَّلُ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلا عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Al Husayn Bin Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Abdullah, and Musa Bin Umar, and Al Hassan Bin Ali Bin Usman, from Ibn Sinan who said,

‘I asked Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws , ‘Was it that Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic Aware of Himselfazwj before Heazwj Created the creation?’ Heasws said: ‘Yes’.

I said, ‘Heazwj Saw it (Hisazwj Self) and Heard (Himselfazwj)? ’ Heasws said: ‘Heazwj was not needy to that, because Heazwj did not happen to ask it nor seek from it. Heazwj is Hisazwj Self, and Hisazwj Self is Heazwj. Heazwj is Hisazwj Power Implemented. Thus, Heazwj is not needy that Heazwj Hears Himselfazwj, but Heazwj Chose Names for others to call Himazwj with these, because Heazwj, when not called by Hisazwj Name, would not be recognised (by the creators).

Thus, the first of what Heazwj Chose for Himselfazwj was the Exalted, the Magnificent (الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ ) because Heazwj is Loftier (than) the things, all of them. So its Meaning is Allahazwj, and Hisazwj Name is the Exalted, the Magnificent (الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ ). It is the first of Hisazwj Names, Loftier upon every thing’.25

3 ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الاسْمَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ صِفَةٌ لِمَوْصُوفٍ

And by this chain, from Muhammad Bin Sinan who said,

‘I asked himasws about the Name, ‘What is it?’ Heasws said: ‘An attribute of the described’.26

4 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ اسْمُ الله غَيْرُهُ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ اسْمُ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَا خَلا الله فَأَمَّا مَا عَبَّرَتْهُ الالْسُنُ أَوْ عَمِلَتِ الايْدِي فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله غَايَةٌ مِنْ غَايَاتِهِ وَالْمُغَيَّا غَيْرُ الْغَايَةِ وَالْغَايَةُ مَوْصُوفَةٌ وَكُلُّ مَوْصُوفٍ مَصْنُوعٌ وَصَانِعُ الاشْيَاءِ غَيْرُ مَوْصُوفٍ بِحَدٍّ مُسَمًّى لَمْ يَتَكَوَّنْ فَيُعْرَفَ كَيْنُونِيَّتُهُ بِصُنْعِ غَيْرِهِ وَلَمْ يَتَنَاهَ إِلَى غَايَةٍ إِلا كَانَتْ غَيْرَهُ لا يَزِلُّ مَنْ فَهِمَ هَذَا الْحُكْمَ أَبَداً وَهُوَ التَّوْحِيدُ الْخَالِصُ فَارْعَوْهُ وَصَدِّقُوهُ وَتَفَهَّمُوهُ بِإِذْنِ الله مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ يَعْرِفُ الله بِحِجَابٍ أَوْ بِصُورَةٍ أَوْ بِمِثَالٍ فَهُوَ مُشْرِكٌ لانَّ حِجَابَهُ وَمِثَالَهُ وَصُورَتَهُ غَيْرُهُ وَإِنَّمَا هُوَ وَاحِدٌ مُتَوَحِّدٌ فَكَيْفَ يُوَحِّدُهُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ عَرَفَهُ بِغَيْرِهِ وَإِنَّمَا عَرَفَ الله مَنْ عَرَفَهُ بِالله فَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ بِهِ فَلَيْسَ يَعْرِفُهُ إِنَّمَا يَعْرِفُ غَيْرَهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الْخَالِقِ وَالْمَخْلُوقِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالله خَالِقُ الاشْيَاءِ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ كَانَ وَالله يُسَمَّى بِأَسْمَائِهِ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ أَسْمَائِهِ وَالاسْمَاءُ غَيْرُهُ

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from one of his companions, from Bakr Bin Salih, from Ali Bin Salih, from Al Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid Bin Yazeed, from Abdul A’ala,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘A Name of Allahazwj is other than Himazwj, and everything upon which a name occurs, is a thing, so it would be a creature, apart from Allahazwj.

So, as for what the tongues express, or the hands perform, so it is a creation, and Allahazwj is an end-point from Hisazwj ( Created) end-points, and the end-point without the ending; and the end-point is an attribute, and every attribute is a creation, and the Creator of the things is other than the attribute by the limitation of the named. Heazwj did not come into being so Hisazwj coming into being would be recognised by the creation of someone else, and one would not end up to an end-point except that it would be other than Himazwj.

Do not stumble from understanding this rule, and it is the pure Tawheed (Oneness). Therefore, recognise it, and ratify it, and understand it by the Permission of Allahazwj. The one who claims that he recognises Allahazwj by veils, or by an image, or by a resemblance, so he is a Polytheists, because Hisazwj veil, and Hisazwj resemblance, and Hisazwj image, is other than Himazwj, and rather Heazwj is One, with Oneness. So how can one consider Himazwj as Oneazwj, the one who claims that he is recognising Himazwj with something else?.

And rather, he has recognised Allahazwj, the one who recognises him by Allahazwj. So the one who does not recognise Himazwj by Himazwj, so he has not recognised Himazwj, but he has recognised other than Himazwj. There isn’t between the Creator and the Created, a thing, and Allahazwj is the Creator of the things, not from a thing which was (beforehand). And Allahazwj is Named with Hisazwj Names, and Heazwj is other than Hisazwj Names, and the Names are other than Himazwj’. 27

16 ـ بَابُ مَعَانِي الْأَسْمَاءِ وَاشْتِقَاقِهَا‌

Chapter 16 – The Meaning of the Names and their derivatives

1 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ تَفْسِيرِ بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ قَالَ الْبَاءُ بَهَاءُ الله وَالسِّينُ سَنَاءُ الله وَالْمِيمُ مَجْدُ الله وَرَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ الْمِيمُ مُلْكُ الله وَالله إِلَهُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الرَّحْمَنُ بِجَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ وَالرَّحِيمُ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَاصَّةً

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Al Qasim Bin Yahya, from his grandfather Al Hassan Bin Rashid, from Abdullah Bin Sinan who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the interpretation of ‘In the Name of Allahazwj the Beneficent, the Merciful’. Heasws said: ‘Heasws said: ‘The ‘Ba’ is Beauty of Allahazwj, and the ‘Seen’ is the Sublimity of Allahazwj, and the ‘Meem’ is Glory of Allahazwj’.

And some of them reported, ‘(Heasws said): ‘The ‘Meem’ is Kingdom of Allahazwj, and Allahazwj is God of everything, the Beneficent to the entirety of Hisazwj creatures, and being Merciful with the Momineen in particular’.28

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

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Hisham Bin Al Hakam, that,

‘He asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Names of Allahazwj and their derivatives of Allahazwj from what Heazwj is derived. So heasws said: ‘O Hisham! ‘Allah’ is derived from ‘God’, and God requires its worshipper, and the name is other than the named. So the one who worships the Name besides the Meaning, so he has blasphemed and has not worshipped anything; and the one who worships the Name and the Meaning, so he has associated (committed Shirk) and worship two; and the one who worships the Meaning besides the Name, so that is the Tawheed. Do you understand, O Hisham?’

He (Hisham) said, ‘I said, ‘Increase for me’. Heasws said: ‘For Allahazwj there are ninety nine Names. So if it was such that the Name was the Named, then it would be so that every Name from these would be a God. But, Allahazwj is the Meaning, these Names indicate upon, and all of these are other than Himazwj. O Hisham! The bread is a name of the food, and the water is a name of the drink, and the cloth is a name of the garment, and the fire is a name of the incinerator. Do you understand, O Hisham? (It is) an understanding you can repulse and fight ourasws enemies with and the ones who taking others along with Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty’. I said, ‘Yes’.

He (Hisham) said, ‘So heasws said: ‘May Allahazwj Benefit you with it and Affirm you, O Hisham!’.

Hisham said, ‘So, by Allahazwj! No one was able to subdue me regarding the Tawheed (Oneness) until I rose to this status of mine’.29

3 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى الله فَقَالَ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى مَا دَقَّ وَجَلَّ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Barqy, from Al Qasim Bin Yahya, from his grandfather Al Hassan Bin Rashid,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Musaasws Bin Ja’farasws , said, ‘Heasws was asked about the Meaning of ‘Allah’. So heasws said: ‘The One Who Conquers upon whatever is slight and majestic’.30

4 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ هِلالٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله الله نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ فَقَالَ هَادٍ لاهْلِ السَّمَاءِ وَهَادٍ لاهْلِ الارْضِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الْبَرْقِيِّ هُدَى مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُدَى مَنْ فِي الارْضِ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Al Abbas Bin Hilal who said,

‘I asked Al-Rezaasws about the Words of Allahazwj [ 24:35] Allah is Light of the skies and the earth. So heasws said: ‘A Guide for the inhabitants of the sky and a Guide for the inhabitants of the earth’.

And in a report of Al-Barqy, ‘(Heasws said): ‘A Guidance for the ones in the sky and a Guidance for the ones in the earth’.31

5 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هُوَ الاوَّلُ وَالاخِرُ وَقُلْتُ أَمَّا الاوَّلُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْنَاهُ وَأَمَّا الاخِرُ فَبَيِّنْ لَنَا تَفْسِيرَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ إِلا يَبِيدُ أَوْ يَتَغَيَّرُ أَوْ يَدْخُلُهُ التَّغَيُّرُ وَالزَّوَالُ أَوْ يَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ لَوْنٍ إِلَى لَوْنٍ وَمِنْ هَيْئَةٍ إِلَى هَيْئَةٍ وَمِنْ صِفَةٍ إِلَى صِفَةٍ وَمِنْ زِيَادَةٍ إِلَى نُقْصَانٍ وَمِنْ نُقْصَانٍ إِلَى زِيَادَةٍ إِلا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا يَزَالُ بِحَالَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ هُوَ الاوَّلُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَهُوَ الاخِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا تَخْتَلِفُ عَلَيْهِ الصِّفَاتُ وَالاسْمَاءُ كَمَا تَخْتَلِفُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ مِثْلُ الانْسَانِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ تُرَاباً مَرَّةً وَمَرَّةً لَحْماً وَدَماً وَمَرَّةً رُفَاتاً وَرَمِيماً وَكَالْبُسْرِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ مَرَّةً بَلَحاً وَمَرَّةً بُسْراً وَمَرَّةً رُطَباً وَمَرَّةً تَمْراً فَتَتَبَدَّلُ عَلَيْهِ الاسْمَاءُ وَالصِّفَاتُ وَالله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ بِخِلافِ ذَلِكَ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Fuzayl Bin Usman, from Ibn Abu Yafour who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [57:3] He is the First and the Last, and I said, ‘As for ‘the First’, so we recognise it, and as for ‘the Last’, so clarify its interpretation for us’.

So heasws said: ‘There is nothing except that it perishes, or changes, or there enters into it the change and the decline, or transfers from a colour to a colour, and from a form to a form, and from an attribute to an attribute, and from an increase to a decrease, and from a decrease to an increase, except for the Lordazwj of the worlds. So Heazwj has never ceased to be or will cease to be in one state. Heazwj was first before everything and Heazwj would be Last for as long as eternity.

The attributes and the Names are not different upon Himazwj just as they would be upon others, like the human being who happened to be dust one time, and flesh and blood at one time, and one time would be decaying and bones, and like the date which happens to be raw, and one time ripe, and one time mature, and one time dried up. Thus, the names and the attributes change upon it and Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty is opposite to that’.32

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ مَيْمُونٍ الْبَانِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عَنِ الاوَّلِ وَالاخِرِ فَقَالَ الاوَّلُ لا عَنْ أَوَّلٍ قَبْلَهُ وَلا عَنْ بَدْءٍ سَبَقَهُ وَالاخِرُ لا عَنْ نِهَايَةٍ كَمَا يُعْقَلُ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ وَلَكِنْ قَدِيمٌ أَوَّلٌ آخِرٌ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا يَزُولُ بِلا بَدْءٍ وَلا نِهَايَةٍ لا يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْحُدُوثُ وَلا يَحُولُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Muhammad Bin Hakeym, from Maymoun Alban who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullahasws , and heasws had been asked about the First and the Last. So heasws said: ‘The First is neither from a first before Himazwj nor from a beginning preceding Himazwj; and the Last is not from an end-point just as it is said of an attribute of the creatures, but, Heazwj is eternally First, Last, not from a non-existence nor will be non-existent, without a beginning and without an end. The occurrences do not befall Himazwj, nor does Heazwj Change from a state to a state. (Heazwj) is the Creator of all things’.33

7 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الرَّبِّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَهُ أَسْمَاءٌ وَصِفَاتٌ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَأَسْمَاؤُهُ وَصِفَاتُهُ هِيَ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ لِهَذَا الْكَلامِ وَجْهَيْنِ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هِيَ هُوَ أَيْ إِنَّهُ ذُو عَدَدٍ وَكَثْرَةٍ فَتَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ وَالاسْمَاءُ لَمْ تَزَلْ فَإِنَّ لَمْ تَزَلْ مُحْتَمِلٌ مَعْنَيَيْنِ فَإِنْ قُلْتَ لَمْ تَزَلْ عِنْدَهُ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَهُوَ مُسْتَحِقُّهَا فَنَعَمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ لَمْ يَزَلْ تَصْوِيرُهَا وَهِجَاؤُهَا وَتَقْطِيعُ حُرُوفِهَا فَمَعَاذَ الله أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرُهُ بَلْ كَانَ الله وَلا خَلْقَ ثُمَّ خَلَقَهَا وَسِيلَةً بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ بِهَا إِلَيْهِ وَيَعْبُدُونَهُ وَهِيَ ذِكْرُهُ وَكَانَ الله وَلا ذِكْرَ وَالْمَذْكُورُ بِالذِّكْرِ هُوَ الله الْقَدِيمُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ وَالاسْمَاءُ وَالصِّفَاتُ مَخْلُوقَاتٌ وَالْمَعَانِي وَالْمَعْنِيُّ بِهَا هُوَ الله الَّذِي لا يَلِيقُ بِهِ الاخْتِلافُ وَلا الائْتِلافُ وَإِنَّمَا يَخْتَلِفُ وَيَأْتَلِفُ الْمُتَجَزِّئُ فَلا يُقَالُ الله مُؤْتَلِفٌ وَلا الله قَلِيلٌ وَلا كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ الْقَدِيمُ فِي ذَاتِهِ لانَّ مَا سِوَى الْوَاحِدِ مُتَجَزِّئٌ وَالله وَاحِدٌ لا مُتَجَزِّئٌ وَلا مُتَوَهَّمٌ بِالْقِلَّةِ وَالْكَثْرَةِ وَكُلُّ مُتَجَزِّئٍ أَوْ مُتَوَهَّمٍ بِالْقِلَّةِ وَالْكَثْرَةِ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ دَالُّ عَلَى خَالِقٍ لَهُ فَقَوْلُكَ إِنَّ الله قَدِيرٌ خَبَّرْتَ أَنَّهُ لا يُعْجِزُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَنَفَيْتَ بِالْكَلِمَةِ الْعَجْزَ وَجَعَلْتَ الْعَجْزَ سِوَاهُ وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُكَ عَالِمٌ إِنَّمَا نَفَيْتَ بِالْكَلِمَةِ الْجَهْلَ وَجَعَلْتَ الْجَهْلَ سِوَاهُ وَإِذَا أَفْنَى الله الاشْيَاءَ أَفْنَى الصُّورَةَ وَالْهِجَاءَ وَالتَّقْطِيعَ وَلا يَزَالُ مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَكَيْفَ سَمَّيْنَا رَبَّنَا سَمِيعاً فَقَالَ لانَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ مَا يُدْرَكُ بِالاسْمَاعِ وَلَمْ نَصِفْهُ بِالسَّمْعِ الْمَعْقُولِ فِي الرَّأْسِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَاهُ بَصِيراً لانَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ مَا يُدْرَكُ بِالابْصَارِ مِنْ لَوْنٍ أَوْ شَخْصٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ نَصِفْهُ بِبَصَرِ لَحْظَةِ الْعَيْنِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَاهُ لَطِيفاً لِعِلْمِهِ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ اللَّطِيفِ مِثْلِ الْبَعُوضَةِ وَأَخْفَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَمَوْضِعِ النُّشُوءِ مِنْهَا وَالْعَقْلِ وَالشَّهْوَةِ لِلسَّفَادِ وَالْحَدَبِ عَلَى نَسْلِهَا وَإِقَامِ بَعْضِهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَنَقْلِهَا الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّرَابَ إِلَى أَوْلادِهَا فِي الْجِبَالِ وَالْمَفَاوِزِ وَالاوْدِيَةِ وَالْقِفَارِ فَعَلِمْنَا أَنَّ خَالِقَهَا لَطِيفٌ بِلا كَيْفٍ وَإِنَّمَا الْكَيْفِيَّةُ لِلْمَخْلُوقِ الْمُكَيَّفِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَا رَبَّنَا قَوِيّاً لا بِقُوَّةِ الْبَطْشِ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَلَوْ كَانَتْ قُوَّتُهُ قُوَّةَ الْبَطْشِ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ لَوَقَعَ التَّشْبِيهُ وَلاحْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَمَا احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ احْتَمَلَ النُّقْصَانَ وَمَا كَانَ نَاقِصاً كَانَ غَيْرَ قَدِيمٍ وَمَا كَانَ غَيْرَ قَدِيمٍ كَانَ عَاجِزاً فَرَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لا شِبْهَ لَهُ وَلا ضِدَّ وَلا نِدَّ وَلا كَيْفَ وَلا نِهَايَةَ وَلا تَبْصَارَ بَصَرٍ وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى الْقُلُوبِ أَنْ تُمَثِّلَهُ وَعَلَى الاوْهَامِ أَنْ تَحُدَّهُ وَعَلَى الضَّمَائِرِ أَنْ تُكَوِّنَهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ عَنْ أَدَاةِ خَلْقِهِ وَسِمَاتِ بَرِيَّتِهِ وَتَعَالَى عَنْ ذَلِكَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, raising it to Abu Hashim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Ja’farasws the 2nd, so a man asked himasws saying, ‘Inform me about the Lordazwj, Blessed and High. There are Names and Attributes for Himazwj in Hisazwj Book, and Hisazwj Names and Hisazwj Attributes, are these Himazwj?’

So Abu Ja’farasws said: ‘For this speech, there are two aspects. If you are saying, these (Names) are Himazwj, i.e., Heazwj is with a number and multiplicity, so Exalted is Allahazwj from that; and if you are saying these are Attributes, and the Names would never cease to be, so ‘never cease to be’ carries two meaning. So if you say, ‘They will not cease to be in Hisazwj Presence in Hisazwj Knowledge and Heazwj is Rightful, so yes; but if you are saying these will not cease to be, their images, and their spellings, and their syllables, and their letters, then weasws seek Refuge with Allahazwj that there happens to be with Himazwj, something other than Himazwj.

But, Allahazwj was and had not Created. Then Heazwj Created these as a means between Himazwj and Hisazwj creatures - being desperately (dependant) upon Himazwj, and they are worshipping Himazwj, and these are Hisazwj Mention. And Allahazwj was and there was no Mention, and the Mentioned Oneazwj is with the Mention. Heazwj is Allahazwj, the eternal Who does not cease to be; and the Names and the Attributes are creations, and the Meaning Meant by these, Heazwj is Allahazwj with Whom neither befits the variances nor the combinations, and rather (that) variates and combines, (which is) fragmented.

So Allahazwj will not be said to be combined, nor Allahazwj as little nor more, but the eternality is regarding Hisazwj Self, because whatever is besides the Oneazwj, is a fragment, and Allahazwj is the Oneazwj, not fragmented, nor can Heazwj be imagined with the less and the more, and everything which is fragmented or imagined with the less and the more, so it is a creation evidencing upon its Creator.

So, your words that ‘Allahazwj is Powerful’, informs you that Heazwj is not frustrated by anything. Thus you, negate the frustration by the speech and make the frustration to be other than Himazwj. And similar to that are your words, ‘Knower’. But rather the ignorance is negated by the speech, and the ignorance is made to be besides Himazwj. And when Allahazwj Annihilates the things, the image, and the spelling, and the syllables get annihilated, and Heazwj does not cease to be, the Oneazwj who will not cease to be a Knower’.

So the man said, ‘So how come we are Naming our Lordazwj as ‘All-Hearing’?’ So heasws said: ‘Because it is not Hidden upon Himazwj whatever is being comprehended by the ears, and weasws do not describe Himazwj with the Hearing situated in the head. Like that, weasws Name Himazwj as ‘All-Seeing’, because it is not Hidden upon Himazwj whatever is comprehended by the visions, from the colour or persons or other than that; and weasws do not describe Himazwj with the vision of the movement of the eye.

And similar to that weasws Name Himazwj as the ‘Aware of subtleties’ due to Hisazwj Knowledge of the subtle things, like the mosquito, and (things) more concealed than that.

And the subject of the growth is from these, and the intelligence, and the desires for the marital relations, and the leniency upon their offspring, and their watching out for each other, and their transference of the food and the drink to their children in the mountains, and wilderness, and the valleys, and the wastelands. Thus, we know that their Creator is Aware of the subtleties without a ‘how’, and rather the ‘how’ is for the creations, the ones subject to ‘how’.

And similar to that, we Name our Lordazwj as Strong, not due to the strength of the violence well-known from the creatures. And if it was so that Hisazwj Strength was the strength of the well-known violence from the creatures, a resemblance would occur for Himazwj and an increase would be tolerated. And whatever tolerates the increase, would tolerate the decrease; and whatever was deficient would be without eternity; and whatever was without eternity would be frustrated.

So our Lordazwj, Blessed and High, there is neither a resemblance for Himazwj, nor an opposite, nor a match, nor a ‘how’, nor an end-point, nor can be envisaged by visions. And it is Prohibited unto the hearts to conceive Hisazwj resemblance, and upon the imaginations that they limit Himazwj, and upon the consciences that they form Himazwj. Majestic and Mighty is Heazwj from the instruments of Hisazwj creatures, and features of Hisazwj Created beings; and Exalted is Heazwj from that, Loftier, Greater’.34

8 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَهُ الله أَكْبَرُ فَقَالَ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حَدَّدْتَهُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from the one who mentioned it,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws , said, ‘A man in hisasws presence said, ‘Allahazwj is the Greatest!’. So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj is Greater than which thing?’ So he said, ‘From everything’. So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘You have limited Himazwj’. So the man said, ‘How should I be saying it?’ Heasws said: ‘Say, ‘Allahazwj is Greatest, beyond description’’.35

9 ـ وَرَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مَرْوَكِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ جُمَيْعِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَيُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الله أَكْبَرُ فَقُلْتُ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ وَكَانَ ثَمَّ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَيَكُونُ أَكْبَرَ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا هُوَ قَالَ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ

And it is reported by Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Marwak Bin Ubeyd, from Jumie Bin Umeyr who said,

‘Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘Which thing is Allahazwj Greater than?’ So I said, ‘Allahazwj is Greater than everything’. So heasws said: ‘Heazwj was, then there was a thing, so Heazwj came to be Greater than it?’ So I said, ‘And what is it (which is correct to say)?’ Heasws : ‘Allahazwj is Greatest, beyond description’.36

10 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ سُبْحَانَ الله فَقَالَ أَنَفَةٌ لله

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad Bin Isa Bin Ubeyd, from Yunus, from Hisham Bin Al Hakam who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about ‘Glorious is Allahazwj’’ . So heasws said: ‘Respect of Allahazwj’. 37

11 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ مَوْلَى طِرْبَالٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ سُبْحانَ الله مَا يُعْنَى بِهِ قَالَ تَنْزِيهُهُ

Ahmad Bin Mihran, from Abdul Azeem Bin Abdullah Al Hasany, from Ali Bin Asbat, from Suleyman, a slave of Tirbal, from Hisham Al Jawaliqy who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [23:91] Glory be to Allah, what is the Meaning of it?’ Heasws said: ‘Hisazwj Transcendence’.38

12 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِيَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا مَعْنَى الْوَاحِدِ فَقَالَ إِجْمَاعُ الالْسُنِ عَلَيْهِ بِالْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ الله

Ali Bin Muhammad and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, altogether from Abu Hashim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’farasws the 2nd, ‘What is the meaning of ‘The One’?’ So heasws said: ‘The consensus of the tongues upon Himazwj with the Oneness like Hisazwj Words, the Exalted [43:87] And if you should ask them who Created them, they would certainly say: Allah’.39

17 ـ بَابٌ آخَرُ وَهُوَ مِنَ الْبَابِ الْأَوَّلِ إِلاَّ أَنَّ فِيهِ زِيَادَةً وَهُوَ الْفَرْقُ مَا بَيْنَ الْمَعَانِي الَّتِي تَحْتَ أَسْمَاءِ اللهِ وَأَسْمَاءِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ‌

Chapter 17 – Another Chapter and it is from the first, except that in it is an addition, and it is the difference between the meaning which is beneath the Names of Allahazwj and the names of the creatures

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنِ الْمُخْتَارِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْعَلَوِيِّ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْفَتْحِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُرْجَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْوَاحِدُ الاحَدُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُ الْمُشَبِّهَةُ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْخَالِقُ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَلا الْمُنْشِئُ مِنَ الْمُنْشَإِ لَكِنَّهُ الْمُنْشِئُ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ مَنْ جَسَّمَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَأَنْشَأَهُ إِذْ كَانَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يُشْبِهُ هُوَ شَيْئاً قُلْتُ أَجَلْ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ لَكِنَّكَ قُلْتَ الاحَدُ الصَّمَدُ وَقُلْتَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَالله وَاحِدٌ وَالانْسَانُ وَاحِدٌ أَ لَيْسَ قَدْ تَشَابَهَتِ الْوَحْدَانِيَّةُ قَالَ يَا فَتْحُ أَحَلْتَ ثَبَّتَكَ الله إِنَّمَا التَّشْبِيهُ فِي الْمَعَانِي فَأَمَّا فِي الاسْمَاءِ فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَهِيَ دَالَّةٌ عَلَى الْمُسَمَّى وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الانْسَانَ وَإِنْ قِيلَ وَاحِدٌ فَإِنَّهُ يُخْبَرُ أَنَّهُ جُثَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ وَلَيْسَ بِاثْنَيْنِ وَالانْسَانُ نَفْسُهُ لَيْسَ بِوَاحِدٍ لانَّ أَعْضَاءَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ وَأَلْوَانَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ وَمَنْ أَلْوَانُهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ وَهُوَ أَجْزَاءٌ مُجَزَّاةٌ لَيْسَتْ بِسَوَاءٍ دَمُهُ غَيْرُ لَحْمِهِ وَلَحْمُهُ غَيْرُ دَمِهِ وَعَصَبُهُ غَيْرُ عُرُوقِهِ وَشَعْرُهُ غَيْرُ بَشَرِهِ وَسَوَادُهُ غَيْرُ بَيَاضِهِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَائِرُ جَمِيعِ الْخَلْقِ فَالانْسَانُ وَاحِدٌ فِي الاسْمِ وَلا وَاحِدٌ فِي الْمَعْنَى وَالله جَلَّ جَلالُهُ هُوَ وَاحِدٌ لا وَاحِدَ غَيْرُهُ لا اخْتِلافَ فِيهِ وَلا تَفَاوُتَ وَلا زِيَادَةَ وَلا نُقْصَانَ فَأَمَّا الانْسَانُ الْمَخْلُوقُ الْمَصْنُوعُ الْمُؤَلَّفُ مِنْ أَجْزَاءٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَجَوَاهِرَ شَتَّى غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بِالاجْتِمَاعِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَاحِدٌ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي فَرَّجَ الله عَنْكَ فَقَوْلَكَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ فَسِّرْهُ لِي كَمَا فَسَّرْتَ الْوَاحِدَ فَإِنِّي أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ لُطْفَهُ عَلَى خِلافِ لُطْفِ خَلْقِهِ لِلْفَصْلِ غَيْرَ أَنِّي أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَشْرَحَ ذَلِكَ لِي فَقَالَ يَا فَتْحُ إِنَّمَا قُلْنَا اللَّطِيفُ لِلْخَلْقِ اللَّطِيفِ وَلِعِلْمِهِ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ اللَّطِيفِ أَ وَلا تَرَى وَفَّقَكَ الله وَثَبَّتَكَ إِلَى أَثَرِ صُنْعِهِ فِي النَّبَاتِ اللَّطِيفِ وَغَيْرِ اللَّطِيفِ وَمِنَ الْخَلْقِ اللَّطِيفِ وَمِنَ الْحَيَوَانِ الصِّغَارِ وَمِنَ الْبَعُوضِ وَالْجِرْجِسِ وَمَا هُوَ أَصْغَرُ مِنْهَا مَا لا يَكَادُ تَسْتَبِينُهُ الْعُيُونُ بَلْ لا يَكَادُ يُسْتَبَانُ لِصِغَرِهِ الذَّكَرُ مِنَ الانْثَى وَالْحَدَثُ الْمَوْلُودُ مِنَ الْقَدِيمِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَا صِغَرَ ذَلِكَ فِي لُطْفِهِ وَاهْتِدَاءَهُ لِلسَّفَادِ وَالْهَرَبَ مِنَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْجَمْعَ لِمَا يُصْلِحُهُ وَمَا فِي لُجَجِ الْبِحَارِ وَمَا فِي لِحَاءِ الاشْجَارِ وَالْمَفَاوِزِ وَالْقِفَارِ وَإِفْهَامَ بَعْضِهَا عَنْ بَعْضٍ مَنْطِقَهَا وَمَا يَفْهَمُ بِهِ أَوْلادُهَا عَنْهَا وَنَقْلَهَا الْغِذَاءَ إِلَيْهَا ثُمَّ تَأْلِيفَ أَلْوَانِهَا حُمْرَةٍ مَعَ صُفْرَةٍ وَبَيَاضٍ مَعَ حُمْرَةٍ وَأَنَّهُ مَا لا تَكَادُ عُيُونُنَا تَسْتَبِينُهُ لِدَمَامَةِ خَلْقِهَا لا تَرَاهُ عُيُونُنَا وَلا تَلْمِسُهُ أَيْدِينَا عَلِمْنَا أَنَّ خَالِقَ هَذَا الْخَلْقِ لَطِيفٌ لَطُفَ بِخَلْقِ مَا سَمَّيْنَاهُ بِلا عِلاجٍ وَلا أَدَاةٍ وَلا آلَةٍ وَأَنَّ كُلَّ صَانِعِ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَمِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ صَنَعَ وَالله الْخَالِقُ اللَّطِيفُ الْجَلِيلُ خَلَقَ وَصَنَعَ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Al Mukhtar Bin Muhammad Bin Al Mukhtar Al Hamdany and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Abdullah Bin Al Hassan Al Alawy, altogether from Al Fatah Bin Yazeed Al Jurjany,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassanasws , said, ‘I heard himasws saying: ‘And Heazwj is Aware of the subtleties, the Aware, the Hearing, the Seeing, the One, the First, the Solid (not hollow), not begetting and not being begotten and there not being anyone a match for Himazwj. Had Heazwj been just as the resemblers are saying, the Creator would not be recognised from the Created, nor the Builder from the Built. But Heazwj is the Builder. There is (certainly) a difference between the Oneazwj Who Shapes it, and Images it, and Builds it, when it was so that nothing resembles Himazwj, nor does Heazwj resemble anything’.

I said, ‘Certainly, may I be sacrificed for youasws ! But, youasws said, ‘The First, the Solid (not hollow)’, and youasws said, ‘Nothing resembles Himazwj’; and Allahazwj is the One, and the human being is one. Isn’t there a resemblance of the oneness?’

Heasws said: ‘O Fatah! You (have spoken an) impossibility, may Allahazwj Affirm you! But rather, the resemblance is in the meaning. So, as for regarding the Names, so these are One, and they Indicate upon the Named, and that is because the human being, if he is said to be one, so he knows that he is one individual, and is not with two, and the human being himself is not with one, because his body parts are different, and his colours are difference, and the one whose colours are difference is without oneness, and he is a fragment of fragmentary bits. He isn’t with the equal-ness. His blood is other than his flesh, and his flesh is other than his blood, his nerves are other than his veins, and his hair is other than his skin, and his blackness is other than his whiteness. And similar to that are the entirety of the creatures.

So the human being is one in the name and is not one in the meaning; and Allahazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Majesty, Heazwj is One, not being one of theirs, neither there being any differentials in Himazwj, nor discrepancies, nor an increase, nor a decrease. But, as for the human being, the Created, the Made, the Composed from different parts, and of various body parts, apart from that he is with the gathering of things as one’.

I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! You have relieved me, may Allahazwj Relieve youasws ! So, yourasws words, ‘Aware of the subtleties, the Informed’, interpret it for me just as youasws interpreted the ‘One’, for I know that Hisazwj being Aware of the subtleties is difference from the awareness of Hisazwj creatures, apart from that I would love it if youasws could explain that for me’.

So heasws said: ‘O Fatah! But rather, weasws say: ‘The Aware of subtleties’, is for the subtleties of Hisazwj creation, and due to Hisazwj Knowledge of the subtle things. Or, do you not see, may Allahazwj Harmonise you and Affirm you, to the impacts of Hisazwj Making, regarding the vegetation, the delicate and non-delicate, and from the delicate creatures, and from the small beasts, and from the mosquito, and the bird, and what is smaller than these what is almost not clear to the eyes, and is almost not clear due to its smallness, the male from the female, and the new born from the old.

So when we see that smallness in Hisazwj Awareness of the subtleties, and their desire for the reproduction, and the fleeing from the death, and the gathering to what is correct for it, and what is in the tossing of the seas, and what is in the bark of the trees, and in the wilderness and the wastelands, and their understanding each other, their speaking (communicating) and what their children understand by it from them, and their transferring the meal to them.

Then the synthesis of their colours, red along with the yellow, and white along with red, and it is what the eyes can almost not clarify it due to the variance of its creation. Neither have our eyes seen it, nor have our hands touched it. We know that the Creator of these creatures is Aware of the subtleties, the Kind with the creatures what weasws specified, without (Using a) process, nor a tool, nor a machine; and that every maker of a thing, so (he makes it) from a thing, and Allahazwj is the Creator, the Aware of the subtleties, the Majestic Creates and Makes, not from anything’.40

2 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ مُرْسَلاً عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ اعْلَمْ عَلَّمَكَ الله الْخَيْرَ أَنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَدِيمٌ وَالْقِدَمُ صِفَتُهُ الَّتِي دَلَّتِ الْعَاقِلَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ قَبْلَهُ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مَعَهُ فِي دَيْمُومِيَّتِهِ فَقَدْ بَانَ لَنَا بِإِقْرَارِ الْعَامَّةِ مُعْجِزَةُ الصِّفَةِ أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ قَبْلَ الله وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مَعَ الله فِي بَقَائِهِ وَبَطَلَ قَوْلُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ أَوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ فِي بَقَائِهِ لَمْ يَجُزْ أَنْ يَكُونَ خَالِقاً لَهُ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ مَعَهُ فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ خَالِقاً لِمَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ مَعَهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ كَانَ الاوَّلَ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْ‏ءُ لا هَذَا وَكَانَ الاوَّلُ أَوْلَى بِأَنْ يَكُونَ خَالِقاً لِلاوَّلِ ثُمَّ وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بِأَسْمَاءٍ دَعَا الْخَلْقَ إِذْ خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَعَبَّدَهُمْ وَابْتَلاهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا فَسَمَّى نَفْسَهُ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً قَادِراً قَائِماً نَاطِقاً ظَاهِراً بَاطِناً لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً قَوِيّاً عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً عَلِيماً وَمَا أَشْبَهَ هَذِهِ الاسْمَاءَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ الْقَالُونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ وَقَدْ سَمِعُونَا نُحَدِّثُ عَنِ الله أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ مِثْلُهُ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ فِي حَالِهِ قَالُوا أَخْبِرُونَا إِذَا زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُ لا مِثْلَ لله وَلا شِبْهَ لَهُ كَيْفَ شَارَكْتُمُوهُ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ الْحُسْنَى فَتَسَمَّيْتُمْ بِجَمِيعِهَا فَإِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ دَلِيلاً عَلَى أَنَّكُمْ مِثْلُهُ فِي حَالاتِهِ كُلِّهَا أَوْ فِي بَعْضِهَا دُونَ بَعْضٍ إِذْ جَمَعْتُمُ الاسْمَاءَ الطَّيِّبَةَ قِيلَ لَهُمْ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَلْزَمَ الْعِبَادَ أَسْمَاءً مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلَى اخْتِلافِ الْمَعَانِي وَذَلِكَ كَمَا يَجْمَعُ الاسْمُ الْوَاحِدُ مَعْنَيَيْنِ مُخْتَلِفَيْنِ وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ النَّاسِ الْجَائِزُ عِنْدَهُمُ الشَّائِعُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَاطَبَ الله بِهِ الْخَلْقَ فَكَلَّمَهُمْ بِمَا يَعْقِلُونَ لِيَكُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُجَّةً فِي تَضْيِيعِ مَا ضَيَّعُوا فَقَدْ يُقَالُ لِلرَّجُلِ كَلْبٌ وَحِمَارٌ وَثَوْرٌ وَسُكَّرَةٌ وَعَلْقَمَةٌ وَأَسَدٌ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى خِلافِهِ وَحَالاتِهِ لَمْ تَقَعِ الاسَامِي عَلَى مَعَانِيهَا الَّتِي كَانَتْ بُنِيَتْ عَلَيْهِ لانَّ الانْسَانَ لَيْسَ بِأَسَدٍ وَلا كَلْبٍ فَافْهَمْ ذَلِكَ رَحِمَكَ الله وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الله تَعَالَى بِالْعِلْمِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ عَلِمَ بِهِ الاشْيَاءَ اسْتَعَانَ بِهِ عَلَى حِفْظِ مَا يُسْتَقْبَلُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَالرَّوِيَّةِ فِيمَا يَخْلُقُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَيُفْسِدُ مَا مَضَى مِمَّا أَفْنَى مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مِمَّا لَوْ لَمْ يَحْضُرْهُ ذَلِكَ الْعِلْمُ وَيَغِيبُهُ كَانَ جَاهِلاً ضَعِيفاً كَمَا أَنَّا لَوْ رَأَيْنَا عُلَمَاءَ الْخَلْقِ إِنَّمَا سُمُّوا بِالْعِلْمِ لِعِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ إِذْ كَانُوا فِيهِ جَهَلَةً وَرُبَّمَا فَارَقَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بِالاشْيَاءِ فَعَادُوا إِلَى الْجَهْلِ وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ الله عَالِماً لانَّهُ لا يَجْهَلُ شَيْئاً فَقَدْ جَمَعَ الْخَالِقَ وَالْمَخْلُوقَ اسْمُ الْعَالِمِ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى عَلَى مَا رَأَيْتَ وَسُمِّيَ رَبُّنَا سَمِيعاً لا بِخَرْتٍ فِيهِ يَسْمَعُ بِهِ الصَّوْتَ وَلا يُبْصِرُ بِهِ كَمَا أَنَّ خَرْتَنَا الَّذِي بِهِ نَسْمَعُ لا نَقْوَى بِهِ عَلَى الْبَصَرِ وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنَ الاصْوَاتِ لَيْسَ عَلَى حَدِّ مَا سُمِّينَا نَحْنُ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ بِالسَّمْعِ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَهَكَذَا الْبَصَرُ لا بِخَرْتٍ مِنْهُ أَبْصَرَ كَمَا أَنَّا نُبْصِرُ بِخَرْتٍ مِنَّا لا نَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ فِي غَيْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ الله بَصِيرٌ لا يَحْتَمِلُ شَخْصاً مَنْظُوراً إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ لَيْسَ عَلَى مَعْنَى انْتِصَابٍ وَقِيَامٍ عَلَى سَاقٍ فِي كَبَدٍ كَمَا قَامَتِ الاشْيَاءُ وَلَكِنْ قَائِمٌ يُخْبِرُ أَنَّهُ حَافِظٌ كَقَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِنَا فُلانٌ وَالله هُوَ الْقَائِمُ عَلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَالْقَائِمُ أَيْضاً فِي كَلامِ النَّاسِ الْبَاقِي وَالْقَائِمُ أَيْضاً يُخْبِرُ عَنِ الْكِفَايَةِ كَقَوْلِكَ لِلرَّجُلِ قُمْ بِأَمْرِ بَنِي فُلانٍ أَيِ اكْفِهِمْ وَالْقَائِمُ مِنَّا قَائِمٌ عَلَى سَاقٍ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَلَمْ نَجْمَعِ الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا اللَّطِيفُ فَلَيْسَ عَلَى قِلَّةٍ وَقَضَافَةٍ وَصِغَرٍ وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّفَاذِ فِي الاشْيَاءِ وَالامْتِنَاعِ مِنْ أَنْ يُدْرَكَ كَقَوْلِكَ لِلرَّجُلِ لَطُفَ عَنِّي هَذَا الامْرُ وَلَطُفَ فُلانٌ فِي مَذْهَبِهِ وَقَوْلِهِ يُخْبِرُكَ أَنَّهُ غَمَضَ فِيهِ الْعَقْلُ وَفَاتَ الطَّلَبُ وَعَادَ مُتَعَمِّقاً مُتَلَطِّفاً لا يُدْرِكُهُ الْوَهْمُ فَكَذَلِكَ لَطُفَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَنْ أَنْ يُدْرَكَ بِحَدٍّ أَوْ يُحَدَّ بِوَصْفٍ وَاللَّطَافَةُ مِنَّا الصِّغَرُ وَالْقِلَّةُ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا الْخَبِيرُ فَالَّذِي لا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يَفُوتُهُ لَيْسَ لِلتَّجْرِبَةِ وَلا لِلاعْتِبَارِ بِالاشْيَاءِ فَعِنْدَ التَّجْرِبَةِ وَالاعْتِبَارِ عِلْمَانِ وَلَوْ لا هُمَا مَا عُلِمَ لانَّ مَنْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ جَاهِلاً وَالله لَمْ يَزَلْ خَبِيراً بِمَا يَخْلُقُ وَالْخَبِيرُ مِنَ النَّاسِ الْمُسْتَخْبِرُ عَنْ جَهْلٍ الْمُتَعَلِّمُ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُ عَلا الاشْيَاءَ بِرُكُوبٍ فَوْقَهَا وَقُعُودٍ عَلَيْهَا وَتَسَنُّمٍ لِذُرَاهَا وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ لِقَهْرِهِ وَلِغَلَبَتِهِ الاشْيَاءَ وَقُدْرَتِهِ عَلَيْهَا كَقَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ ظَهَرْتُ عَلَى أَعْدَائِي وَأَظْهَرَنِي الله عَلَى خَصْمِي يُخْبِرُ عَنِ الْفَلْجِ وَالْغَلَبَةِ فَهَكَذَا ظُهُورُ الله عَلَى الاشْيَاءِ وَوَجْهٌ آخَرُ أَنَّهُ الظَّاهِرُ لِمَنْ أَرَادَهُ وَلا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَأَنَّهُ مُدَبِّرٌ لِكُلِّ مَا بَرَأَ فَأَيُّ ظَاهِرٍ أَظْهَرُ وَأَوْضَحُ مِنَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لانَّكَ لا تَعْدَمُ صَنْعَتَهُ حَيْثُمَا تَوَجَّهَتْ وَفِيكَ مِنْ آثَارِهِ مَا يُغْنِيكَ وَالظَّاهِرُ مِنَّا الْبَارِزُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَالْمَعْلُومُ بِحَدِّهِ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَلَمْ يَجْمَعْنَا الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ عَلَى مَعْنَى الاسْتِبْطَانِ لِلاشْيَاءِ بِأَنْ يَغُورَ فِيهَا وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ عَلَى اسْتِبْطَانِهِ لِلاشْيَاءِ عِلْماً وَحِفْظاً وَتَدْبِيراً كَقَوْلِ الْقَائِلِ أَبْطَنْتُهُ يَعْنِي خَبَّرْتُهُ وَعَلِمْتُ مَكْتُومَ سِرِّهِ وَالْبَاطِنُ مِنَّا الْغَائِبُ فِي الشَّيْ‏ءِ الْمُسْتَتِرُ وَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا الْقَاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ عَلَى مَعْنَى عِلاجٍ وَنَصَبٍ وَاحْتِيَالٍ وَمُدَارَاةٍ وَمَكْرٍ كَمَا يَقْهَرُ الْعِبَادُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً وَالْمَقْهُورُ مِنْهُمْ يَعُودُ قَاهِراً وَالْقَاهِرُ يَعُودُ مَقْهُوراً وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَى أَنَّ جَمِيعَ مَا خَلَقَ مُلَبَّسٌ بِهِ الذُّلُّ لِفَاعِلِهِ وَقِلَّةُ الامْتِنَاعِ لِمَا أَرَادَ بِهِ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْهُ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ أَنْ يَقُولَ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ وَالْقَاهِرُ مِنَّا عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْتُ وَوَصَفْتُ فَقَدْ جَمَعْنَا الاسْمَ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَهَكَذَا جَمِيعُ الاسْمَاءِ وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَمْ نَسْتَجْمِعْهَا كُلَّهَا فَقَدْ يَكْتَفِي الاعْتِبَارُ بِمَا أَلْقَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَالله عَوْنُكَ وَعَوْنُنَا فِي إِرْشَادِنَا وَتَوْفِيقِنَا.

Ali Bin Muhammad, with an unbroken chain,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws having said: ‘Learn! May Allahazwj Teach you the good. Allahazwj Blessed and High is eternal, and the eternality is Hisazwj Attribute which Indicates the intellectual upon that there was nothing before Himazwj, nor was there a thing with Himazwj in Hisazwj eternality. So it is clear for us with the acknowledgement with the general Muslims of the miraculous-ness of the Attribute that there was nothing before Allahazwj, nor is there anything with Himazwj during Hisazwj remaining, and the invalidation of the words of the one who alleges that there was something before Himazwj, or there is something with Himazwj.

And that is because, had there been something with Himazwj during Hisazwj remaining, it would not be allowed that Heazwj would happen to be a Creator of it, because it would have been eternally with Himazwj. So how could Heazwj be a Creator of the one who existed eternally with Himazwj. And had there been something before Himazwj, that thing would be first not this, and the first one would be closer of it being a Creator due to it being first.

Then, Heazwj the Blessed and High Described Himselfazwj with Names the creatures could call with, and Enslaved them and Tried them that they should be supplicating to Himazwj with these. So Heazwj Named Himselfazwj as Hearing, Seeing, Powerful, Eternal, Speaking, Manifest, Hidden, Aware of subtleties, Informed, Wise, Knower, and what resembles these Names.

So when the speakers of the lies saw that from Hisazwj Names and that we were Naming Himazwj when discussing about Allahazwj that there is nothing like Himazwj, nor is there anything from the creatures in Hisazwj State, they said, ‘Inform us, when you are alleging that there is no likeness for Allahazwj and no resemblance for him, how come you all are participating Himazwj in Hisazwj Good Names so you are naming (yourselves) with the entirety of these, for in that is evidence upon that you all are like Himazwj regarding all of Hisazwj States, or in some of these besides the other when you gather the good names?’

It would be said to them, ‘Allahazwj Blessed and High Necessitated the servants with names from Hisazwj Names upon a difference of the meaning, and that is just as the gathering of two different meanings upon the one name, and the evidence upon that are the words of the people commonly allowed in their presence, and it is which Allahazwj Addressed the creatures with. So Heazwj Spoke to them with what they are speaking with in order for it to become an argument upon them regarding the wastage of what they are wasting.

So it is said for the man, (he is) a dog, and a donkey, and a bull, and sweet, and bitter, and a lion. All of that is upon different to him and his state. The Name does not fall upon its meaning which it had been built upon, because the human being is neither a lion, nor a dog. Therefore understand that, may Allahazwj have Mercy on you, and rather Allahazwj the Exalted has been Named with the knowledge without any new knowledge Heazwj learns being assisted by the things upon the preservation of what is to be in the future from Hisazwj Commands and the process regarding what Heazwj Creates from Hisazwj creatures. And Spoils from what is past from what perishes from Hisazwj creatures, from what if that knowledge was not present and was absent, Heazwj would have been ignorant, weak, just as us, when we see the knowledgeable ones of the people.

But rather, they have been named with the knowledge due to the newly occurring knowledge, when they used to be ignorant beforehand. Sometimes the knowledge separates from them and they return back to be ignorance. But rather, Allahazwj is Named as a Knower because Heazwj is not ignorant of anything. So the Creator and the Created are gathered upon the name ‘Knower’, and the meaning is difference upon what you can see.

And our Lordazwj is Hearing, not by a perforation in Himazwj Hearing the sounds with it, nor does Heazwj See by it, just as we have perforations by which we hear not being strong upon seeing with it. But, Heazwj is All-Informed, there being nothing hidden from Himazwj from the sound. Heazwj is not bound by a limit of what we can hear. So we are gathered in name with the name, and the meaning is different.

And similar to this is the sight. Heazwj does not see by a perforation from Himazwj just as we tend to see by a perforation from us, not benefitting by it with something else. But Allahazwj is Seeing, not by looking towards a person. So we are gathered in the name and the meaning is different.

And Heazwj is Standing, not being upon the meaning of an uprightness and standing upon a leg in the middle just as the things stand. But Heazwj Stands Informed, being a Preserver, unlike the words of the man, ‘Standing with our matters over so and so’. And Allahazwj, Heazwj is the Stander upon every soul with what it has earned. And the standing as well in the speech of the people is the remaining. And the standing as well, informs about the responsibility, like your words to a man, ‘Stand with the matter of the Clan of so and so’, i.e., suffice them. And the standing one from us stands upon a leg. So we are gathered in the name, and we are not gathered in the meaning.

And as for the (Name) Subtle, so is not upon scarceness, and delicateness, and smallness, but that is upon the implementation regarding the things which are hard to perceive, like your words to the man, ‘This matter is delicate upon me, and so and so is subtle in his approach’. And his words inform you that intellect is shut with regards to it and the subtleness is lost, as it is so profound, so subtle, that the imagination cannot realise it. So, similar to that is the Subtleness of Allahazwj Blessed and High from being comprehended by a limit, or limited by an attribute. And the subtleness from us is the smallness, and scarcity. Thus, we are gathered in the name but different in the meaning.

And as for the Informed (All-Aware), so it is which the thing is recognised from, and nothing is missed out from Himazwj. It is not due to the experimentation, nor by learning of lessons with the things, for during the experimentation and the learning of lessons, are the two pieces of knowledge, and had it not been for the two, it would not be known, because the one who was like that, would have been ignorant, and Allahazwj has not ceased to be Informed with what Heazwj Created, and the ‘informed’ from the people is the choice (chosen) by the ignorant to learn. So we are gathered in the name and the meaning is different.

And as for the Overcomer, so it is not from a reason that Heazwj is upon the things by riding above them, and seated upon these, ascending to their peaks. But, that is due to Hisazwj Subduing and Hisazwj Overcoming the things and Hisazwj Power upon these, like the words of the man, ‘I overcame upon my enemy and Allahazwj Made me overcome upon my adversary’, inform about the cleaving and the overcoming. So this is how Allahazwj Overcomes upon the things.

And another aspect is that Heazwj is the Manifest to the one who wants Himazwj and nothing is Hidden from Himazwj, and Heazwj is the Designer of everything what Heazwj Designed. So which manifestation is more apparent and clear than Allahazwj Blessed and High, because you cannot execute Hisazwj Making wherever you may divert your face to, and inside you are its effects what makes you independent. And the Manifestation is more than ours, transcendental by Himselfazwj, and the known by Hisazwj Sharpness. So we have gathered in the name and we are not gathered in the meaning.

And as for the Hidden (Esoteric), so it is not upon the meaning of the hidden-ness of the things, with being immersed into them, but that from Himazwj is upon the Knowledge of the hidden things, and Preserving these, and their regulation, like the words of the man, ‘I know his inside, meaning I am informed of him and know the concealed secrets of his’. And the hidden from us is the absent regarding the things, the veiled, and we are gathered in the name and differ in the meaning.

And as for the Subduer, so it is not upon the meaning of a process, and establishing hostility, and fraud, and deceit, and plotting, just as the servants would do to subdue each other, and the subdued from them reverts to be the subdue, and the subduer reverts to be a subdued. But that, from Allahazwj Blessed and High is upon the entirety of what Heazwj Created are clothed by the humility to its Performer, and scarcity of the obstacles to whatever Heazwj intends with. It does not emerge in even the blink of an eye if Heazwj is Saying to it: “Be”, so it comes into being, while the subdue from us is upon what weasws mentioned and described. So we are gathered in the name, and differ in the meaning’.

And like that are the entirety of the Names, and if even though weasws have not gathered all of these, so these would suffice as the lesson with what weasws have cast to you, and Allahazwj would Assist you, and Assist usasws in Guiding us and Harmonising us’.41

18 ـ بَابُ تَأْوِيلِ الصَّمَدِ‌

Chapter 18 – Explanation of Al-Samad

1 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ وَلَقَبُهُ شَبَابٌ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ مَا الصَّمَدُ قَالَ السَّيِّدُ الْمَصْمُودُ إِلَيْهِ فِي الْقَلِيلِ وَالْكَثِيرِ

Ali Bin Muhammad and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Al Waleed, and his title is The Young exchanger, from Dawood Bin Al Qasim Al Ja’fary who said,

‘I said to Abu Ja’farasws the 2nd, ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! What is Al-Samad?’ Heasws said: ‘The Master of the turners to Himazwj regarding the little and the more’.42

2 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ السَّرِيِّ عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ التَّوْحِيدِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ الَّتِي يُدْعَا بِهَا وَتَعَالَى فِي عُلُوِّ كُنْهِهِ وَاحِدٌ تَوَحَّدَ بِالتَّوْحِيدِ فِي تَوَحُّدِهِ ثُمَّ أَجْرَاهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ فَهُوَ وَاحِدٌ صَمَدٌ قُدُّوسٌ يَعْبُدُهُ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَيَصْمُدُ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَوَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ عِلْماً

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman, from Al Hassan Bin Al Sarry, from Jabir Bin Yazeed Al Ju’fy who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’farasws about something from the Tawheed (Oneness). So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj, Blessed are Hisazwj Names which Heazwj is called with, and Exalted is Heazwj, Lofty is Hisazwj Being. Heazwj is Unique by the Oneness in Hisazwj Uniqueness. Then Flowed it upon Hisazwj creatures. So Heazwj is One, Samad, Holy. Everything worships Himazwj and turns towards Himazwj, and Heazwj has Capacious Knowledge of everything’.43

19 ـ بَابُ الْحَرَكَةِ وَالِانْتِقَالِ‌

Chapter 19 – The Motion and the Transformation (Change of state to a state)

1 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْبَرْمَكِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبَّاسٍ الْخَرَاذِينِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ قَوْمٌ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله لا يَنْزِلُ وَلا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَنْ يَنْزِلَ إِنَّمَا مَنْظَرُهُ فِي الْقُرْبِ وَالْبُعْدِ سَوَاءٌ لَمْ يَبْعُدْ مِنْهُ قَرِيبٌ وَلَمْ يَقْرُبْ مِنْهُ بَعِيدٌ وَلَمْ يَحْتَجْ إِلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ بَلْ يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ وَهُوَ ذُو الطَّوْلِ لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ أَمَّا قَوْلُ الْوَاصِفِينَ إِنَّهُ يَنْزِلُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ ذَلِكَ مَنْ يَنْسُبُهُ إِلَى نَقْصٍ أَوْ زِيَادَةٍ وَكُلُّ مُتَحَرِّكٍ مُحْتَاجٌ إِلَى مَنْ يُحَرِّكُهُ أَوْ يَتَحَرَّكُ بِهِ فَمَنْ ظَنَّ بِالله الظُّنُونَ هَلَكَ فَاحْذَرُوا فِي صِفَاتِهِ مِنْ أَنْ تَقِفُوا لَهُ عَلَى حَدٍّ تَحُدُّونَهُ بِنَقْصٍ أَوْ زِيَادَةٍ أَوْ تَحْرِيكٍ أَوْ تَحَرُّكٍ أَوْ زَوَالٍ أَوِ اسْتِنْزَالٍ أَوْ نُهُوضٍ أَوْ قُعُودٍ فَإِنَّ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ عَنْ صِفَةِ الْوَاصِفِينَ وَنَعْتِ النَّاعِتِينَ وَتَوَهُّمِ الْمُتَوَهِّمِينَ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail Al Barmakky, from Ali Bin Abbas Al Kharaziny, from Al Hassan Bin Rashid, from Yaqoub Bin Ja’far Al Ja’fary,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ibrahimasws (7th Imamasws ), said, ‘It was mentioned in hisasws presence that a group of people are claiming that Allahazwj Blessed and Highazwj Descends to the sky of the earth’.

So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj does not descend, nor is Heazwj needy to that Heazwj should descend. But rather Hisazwj Viewing regarding the near and the far is the same. A close by (thing) is not far from Himazwj, nor is a remote (thing) close to Him, and Heazwj is not needy to anything, but Heazwj is what (things) are needy to. Heazwj is with the Power. There is no god except Himazwj, the Mighty, the Wise’.

As for the words of the describers, that Heazwj the Blessed and High Descends, so rather they are saying that for the one who is linked to the decrease of increase, and every mover is needy to the one who moves it, or moves with it. So the one who thinks of Allahazwj with the conjectures is destroyed.

Therefore, be cautions with regards to Hisazwj Attributes from that you should be pausing to Himazwj upon a limitation, limiting Himazwj by a decrease or an increase, or moving or being moved, or decline, or descent, or advancement, or failure, for Allahazwj is more Majestic and Mightier than the description of the describers, and characteristics of the characterisers, and the imaginations of the imaginers; and rely upon the Mighty, the Wise who Sees you when you are standing (for the Salat), and your turnings among the prostrators’.44

2 ـ وَعَنْهُ رَفَعَهُ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لا أَقُولُ إِنَّهُ قَائِمٌ فَأُزِيلُهُ عَنْ مَكَانِهِ وَلا أَحُدُّهُ بِمَكَانٍ يَكُونُ فِيهِ وَلا أَحُدُّهُ أَنْ يَتَحَرَّكَ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الارْكَانِ وَالْجَوَارِحِ وَلا أَحُدُّهُ بِلَفْظِ شَقِّ فَمٍ وَلَكِنْ كَمَا قَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى كُنْ فَيَكُونُ بِمَشِيئَتِهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ تَرَدُّدٍ فِي نَفْسٍ صَمَداً فَرْداً لَمْ يَحْتَجْ إِلَى شَرِيكٍ يَذْكُرُ لَهُ مُلْكَهُ وَلا يَفْتَحُ لَهُ أَبْوَابَ عِلْمِهِ

And from him, from Al Hassan Bin Rashid, from Yaqoub Bin Ja’far,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ibrahimasws (7th Imamasws that heasws said: ‘Iasws am not saying that Heazwj is Standing, So Iasws decline Himazwj from Hisazwj place, nor am Iasws limiting Himazwj by a place for Himazwj to be in, nor am Iasws limiting Himazwj that Heazwj moves into something from the elements and the body parts, nor am I limiting Himazwj by words piercing a mouth, but just as Allahazwj Blessed and High Says: “Be!”, so it comes into being by Hisazwj Desire, from without a hesitation from Himselfazwj. Heazwj is Samad, Individual, not needy to an associate to mention Hisazwj Kingdom to Himazwj not to open for Himazwj the doors of Hisazwj Knowledge’.45

3 ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ يُونُسَ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي بَعْضِ مَا كَانَ يُحَاوِرُهُ ذَكَرْتَ الله فَأَحَلْتَ عَلَى غَائِبٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله وَيْلَكَ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ غَائِباً مَنْ هُوَ مَعَ خَلْقِهِ شَاهِدٌ وَإِلَيْهِمْ أَقْرَبُ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ يَسْمَعُ كَلامَهُمْ وَيَرَى أَشْخَاصَهُمْ وَيَعْلَمُ أَسْرَارَهُمْ فَقَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ أَ هُوَ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ أَ لَيْسَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ فِي الارْضِ وَإِذَا كَانَ فِي الارْضِ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّمَا وَصَفْتَ الْمَخْلُوقَ الَّذِي إِذَا انْتَقَلَ عَنْ مَكَانٍ اشْتَغَلَ بِهِ مَكَانٌ وَخَلا مِنْهُ مَكَانٌ فَلا يَدْرِي فِي الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي صَارَ إِلَيْهِ مَا يَحْدُثُ فِي الْمَكَانِ الَّذِي كَانَ فِيهِ فَأَمَّا الله الْعَظِيمُ الشَّأْنِ الْمَلِكُ الدَّيَّانُ فَلا يَخْلُو مِنْهُ مَكَانٌ وَلا يَشْتَغِلُ بِهِ مَكَانٌ وَلا يَكُونُ إِلَى مَكَانٍ أَقْرَبَ مِنْهُ إِلَى مَكَانٍ

And from him, from Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Dawood Bin Abdullah, from Amro Bin Muhammad, from Isa Bin Yunus who said,

‘Ibn Abu Al-Awja’a said to Abu Abdullahasws in what was one of his dialogues with himasws , ‘Youasws mentioned Allahazwj, so youasws referred to a Hidden’. So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘Woe be unto youasws ! How can Heazwj happen to be hidden, the Oneazwj Who is with Hisazwj creatures as a Witness, and is closer to them than the jugular vein? Heazwj Hears their speech and Sees their persons, and Knows their secrets?’

So Ibn Abu Al-Awja’a said, ‘Is Heazwj is in every place? Is it not so that if Heazwj was in the sky, how could Heazwj happen to be in the earth, and when Heazwj was in the earth, how could Heazwj happen to be in the sky?’

So Abu Abdullahasws said: ‘But rather, you are describing the created being who, when he transfers from a place, a place is occupied by him and a space is empty from him, so he does not know (when he) is in the place in which he came to be in, what occurs in the place which he was in. But, as for Allahazwj, the Magnificent of Glory, the King, the Judge. So, neither is a place empty from Himazwj nor is a space occupied by Himazwj, nor does Heazwj happen to be nearer to a place than to a (another) place’.46

4 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ يَا سَيِّدِي قَدْ رُوِيَ لَنَا أَنَّ الله فِي مَوْضِعٍ دُونَ مَوْضِعٍ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى وَأَنَّهُ يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ فِي النِّصْفِ الاخِيرِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا وَرُوِيَ أَنَّهُ يَنْزِلُ عَشِيَّةَ عَرَفَةَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى مَوْضِعِهِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُ مَوَالِيكَ فِي ذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي مَوْضِعٍ دُونَ مَوْضِعٍ فَقَدْ يُلاقِيهِ الْهَوَاءُ وَيَتَكَنَّفُ عَلَيْهِ وَالْهَوَاءُ جِسْمٌ رَقِيقٌ يَتَكَنَّفُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ بِقَدْرِهِ فَكَيْفَ يَتَكَنَّفُ عَلَيْهِ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ عَلَى هَذَا الْمِثَالِ فَوَقَّعَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عِلْمُ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَهُ وَهُوَ الْمُقَدِّرُ لَهُ بِمَا هُوَ أَحْسَنُ تَقْدِيراً وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ فِي السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَهُوَ كَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ وَالاشْيَاءُ كُلُّهَا لَهُ سَوَاءٌ عِلْماً وَقُدْرَةً وَمُلْكاً وَإِحَاطَةً

وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى مِثْلَهُ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Isa who said,

‘I wrote to Abu Al-Hassan Aliasws Bin Muhammadasws , ‘May I be sacrificed for youasws ! O my masterasws ! It has been reported to us that Allahazwj is in a place besides a (another) place, established upon the Throne, and Heazwj Descends every night during the latter half from the night to the sky of the world, and it is reported that Heazwj Descend on the evening of Arafaat, then Heazwj Returns back to Hisazwj place’.

So, some of the ones in yourasws Wilayah said with regards to that, ‘If it was so that Heazwj was in a place besides a (another) place, so the atmosphere would have come across Himazwj and would surround upon him, and the atmosphere is a light body surrounding upon everything by its measurement. So how could it surround upon Himazwj, Majestic is Hisazwj Laudation, upon this example?’

So heasws signed: ‘The Knowledge of that is with Himazwj, and Heazwj is the Evaluater for it with what is the best of the measurements, and know that when Heazwj was in the sky of the world, so Heazwj it just as Heazwj is upon the Throne, and the thing, all of these are the same to Himazwj in Knowledge, and measurement, and domain, and control’.

And from him, from Muhammad BinJa’far Al Kufy, from Muhammad Bin Isa – similar to it.47

فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ما يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوى‏ ثَلاثَةٍ إِلا هُوَ رابِعُهُمْ

Regarding the Words of the Exalted [58:7] Nowhere is there a secret counsel occurring between three persons but He is the fourth of them.

5 ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى ما يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوى‏ ثَلاثَةٍ إِلا هُوَ رابِعُهُمْ وَلا خَمْسَةٍ إِلا هُوَ سادِسُهُمْ فَقَالَ هُوَ وَاحِدٌ وَاحِدِيُّ الذَّاتِ بَائِنٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَبِذَاكَ وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مُحِيطٌ بِالاشْرَافِ وَالاحَاطَةِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ لا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقالُ ذَرَّةٍ فِي السَّماواتِ وَلا فِي الارْضِ وَلا أَصْغَرُ مِنْ ذلِكَ وَلا أَكْبَرُ بِالاحَاطَةِ وَالْعِلْمِ لا بِالذَّاتِ لانَّ الامَاكِنَ مَحْدُودَةٌ تَحْوِيهَا حُدُودٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ فَإِذَا كَانَ بِالذَّاتِ لَزِمَهَا الْحَوَايَةُ

From him, from a number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws regarding the Words of the Exalted [58:7] Nowhere is there a secret counsel occurring between three persons but He is the fourth of them, nor (between) five but He is the sixth of them.

So heasws said: ‘Heazwj is the One, One of the Self separate from Hisazwj creatures, and with that Heazwj Described Himselfazwj, and Heazwj Encompasses everything by the Supervision, and the Control, and the Power. Nothing escapes from Himazwj, (even if it is) an atom’s weight in the skies nor in the earth, nor anything smaller than that, nor bigger, due to the Control. And the Knowledge is not with the Self because the places are limited by the extent of its four limits. So when that was with the Self, the calling would necessitate it’.48

فِي قَوْلِهِ الرَّحْمنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوى‏

Regarding the Words of the [20:5] The Beneficent is Even upon the Throne

6 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ بَعْضِ رِجَالِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الرَّحْمنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوى‏ فَقَالَ اسْتَوَى عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَلَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ

Ali Bin Muhammad and Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Al Hassan Bin Musa Al Khashaab, from one of his men,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws that heasws was asked about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [20:5] The Beneficent is Even upon the Throne. So heasws said: ‘Even upon everything. So there isn’t anything more closer to Himazwj than a (another) thing’.49

7 ـ وَبِهَذَا الاسْنَادِ عَنْ سَهْلٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَارِدٍ أَنَّ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) سُئِلَ عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الرَّحْمنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوى‏ فَقَالَ اسْتَوَى مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَلَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ

And by this chain, from Sahl, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Muhamad Bin Marid,

‘Abu Abdullahasws was asked about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [20:5] The Beneficent is Even upon the Throne. So heasws said: ‘Even from everything. So there isn’t anything closer to Himazwj than a (another) thing’.50

8 ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله تَعَالَى الرَّحْمنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوى‏ فَقَالَ اسْتَوَى فِي كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَلَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقْرَبَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ لَمْ يَبْعُدْ مِنْهُ بَعِيدٌ وَلَمْ يَقْرُبْ مِنْهُ قَرِيبٌ اسْتَوَى فِي كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ

And from him, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Safwan Bin Yahya, from Abdul Rahman Bin Al Hajjaj who said,

‘Abu Abdullahasws was asked about the Words of Allahazwj the Exalted [20:5] The Beneficent is Even upon the Throne. So heasws said: ‘Even with regards to everything. So there isn’t anything closer to Himazwj than a (another) thing. The remote is not far from Himazwj, and the close-by is not closer to Himazwj. Heazwj is Even with regards to everything’.51

9 ـ وَعَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الله مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَوْ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ أَوْ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ قُلْتُ فَسِّرْ لِي قَالَ أَعْنِي بِالْحَوَايَةِ مِنَ الشَّيْ‏ءِ لَهُ أَوْ بِإِمْسَاكٍ لَهُ أَوْ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ سَبَقَهُ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الله مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَدْ جَعَلَهُ مُحْدَثاً وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَدْ جَعَلَهُ مَحْصُوراً وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَدْ جَعَلَهُ مَحْمُولاً

And from him, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Aasim Bin Humeyd, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘The one who claims that Allahazwj is from a thing, or in a thing, or upon a thing, so he has Blasphemed’. I said, ‘Explain it to me’. Heasws said: ‘Iasws mean by the emerging from the thing for Himazwj, of by the attachment to it, or from a thing preceding Himazwj’.

And in another report, ‘(Heasws said): ‘The one who claims that Allahazwj is from a thing, so he has Made Himazwj as an occurrence; and the one who claims that Heazwj is in a thing, so he has Made Himazwj as contained; and the one who claims that Heazwj is upon a thing, so he has Made Himazwj to be a Carried One’.52

فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّماءِ إِلهٌ وَفِي الارْضِ إِلهٌ .

Regarding the Words of the Exalted [43:84] And He is That Who is God in the skies and God in the earth

10 ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو شَاكِرٍ الدَّيَصَانِيُّ إِنَّ فِي الْقُرْآنِ آيَةً هِيَ قَوْلُنَا قُلْتُ مَا هِيَ فَقَالَ وَهُوَ الَّذِي فِي السَّماءِ إِلهٌ وَفِي الارْضِ إِلهٌ فَلَمْ أَدْرِ بِمَا أُجِيبُهُ فَحَجَجْتُ فَخَبَّرْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ هَذَا كَلامُ زِنْدِيقٍ خَبِيثٍ إِذَا رَجَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْ لَهُ مَا اسْمُكَ بِالْكُوفَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَقُولُ فُلانٌ فَقُلْ لَهُ مَا اسْمُكَ بِالْبَصْرَةِ فَإِنَّهُ يَقُولُ فُلانٌ فَقُلْ كَذَلِكَ الله رَبُّنَا فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي الارْضِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي الْبِحَارِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي الْقِفَارِ إِلَهٌ وَفِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ إِلَهٌ قَالَ فَقَدِمْتُ فَأَتَيْتُ أَبَا شَاكِرٍ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ هَذِهِ نُقِلَتْ مِنَ الْحِجَازِ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Al Hakam who said,

‘Abu Shakir Al-Daysani said, ‘In the Quran there is a Verse which is our speech’. I said, ‘And what is it?’ So he said, ‘[43:84] And He is That Who is God in the skies and God in the earth’. So I did not know what to answer him with.

So I went for Hajj and informed Abu Abdullahasws . So heasws said: ‘This is a speech of a wicked atheist. When you return to him, so say to him, ‘What is your name in Al-Kufa?’ So he would be saying, ‘So and so’. So say to him, ‘What is your name in Al-Basra?’ So he would be saying, ‘So and so’. So say, ‘Similar to that is Allahazwj, our Lordazwj, Godazwj in the sky and Godazwj in the earth, and Godazwj in the oceans, and Godazwj in the wilderness, and in every place, Godazwj’.

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I proceeded and went over to Abu Shakir and informed him. So he said, ‘This has been transmitted from Al-Hijaz’.53

20 ـ بَابُ الْعَرْشِ وَالْكُرْسِيِّ‌

Chapter 20 – The Throne (الْعَرْشِ ) and the Chair ( الْكُرْسِيِّ )

1 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ سَأَلَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَحْمِلُ الْعَرْشَ أَمِ الْعَرْشُ يَحْمِلُهُ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَامِلُ الْعَرْشِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضِ وَمَا فِيهِمَا وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ الله يُمْسِكُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ أَنْ تَزُولا وَلَئِنْ زالَتا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُما مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ إِنَّهُ كانَ حَلِيماً غَفُوراً قَالَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِهِ وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمانِيَةٌ فَكَيْفَ قَالَ ذَلِكَ وَقُلْتَ إِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ الْعَرْشَ وَالسَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الْعَرْشَ خَلَقَهُ الله تَعَالَى مِنْ أَنْوَارٍ أَرْبَعَةٍ نُورٍ أَحْمَرَ مِنْهُ احْمَرَّتِ الْحُمْرَةُ وَنُورٍ أَخْضَرَ مِنْهُ اخْضَرَّتِ الْخُضْرَةُ وَنُورٍ أَصْفَرَ مِنْهُ اصْفَرَّتِ الصُّفْرَةُ وَنُورٍ أَبْيَضَ مِنْهُ ابْيَضَّ الْبَيَاضُ وَهُوَ الْعِلْمُ الَّذِي حَمَّلَهُ الله الْحَمَلَةَ وَذَلِكَ نُورٌ مِنْ عَظَمَتِهِ فَبِعَظَمَتِهِ وَنُورِهِ أَبْصَرَ قُلُوبُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَبِعَظَمَتِهِ وَنُورِهِ عَادَاهُ الْجَاهِلُونَ وَبِعَظَمَتِهِ وَنُورِهِ ابْتَغَى مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ خَلائِقِهِ إِلَيْهِ الْوَسِيلَةَ بِالاعْمَالِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ وَالادْيَانِ الْمُشْتَبِهَةِ فَكُلُّ مَحْمُولٍ يَحْمِلُهُ الله بِنُورِهِ وَعَظَمَتِهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ لا يَسْتَطِيعُ لِنَفْسِهِ ضَرّاً وَلا نَفْعاً وَلا مَوْتاً وَلا حَيَاةً وَلا نُشُوراً فَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَحْمُولٌ وَالله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى الْمُمْسِكُ لَهُمَا أَنْ تَزُولا وَالْمُحِيطُ بِهِمَا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَهُوَ حَيَاةُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَنُورُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً قَالَ لَهُ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَيْنَ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) هُوَ هَاهُنَا وَهَاهُنَا وَفَوْقُ وَتَحْتُ وَمُحِيطٌ بِنَا وَمَعَنَا وَهُوَ قَوْلُهُ ما يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوى‏ ثَلاثَةٍ إِلا هُوَ رابِعُهُمْ وَلا خَمْسَةٍ إِلا هُوَ سادِسُهُمْ وَلا أَدْنى‏ مِنْ ذلِكَ وَلا أَكْثَرَ إِلا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ ما كانُوا فَالْكُرْسِيُّ مُحِيطٌ بِالسَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا وَمَا تَحْتَ الثَّرَى وَإِنْ تَجْهَرْ بِالْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى وَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ وَلا يَؤُدُهُ حِفْظُهُما وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ فَالَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ هُمُ الْعُلَمَاءُ الَّذِينَ حَمَّلَهُمُ الله عِلْمَهُ وَلَيْسَ يَخْرُجُ عَنْ هَذِهِ الارْبَعَةِ شَيْ‏ءٌ خَلَقَ الله فِي مَلَكُوتِهِ الَّذِي أَرَاهُ الله أَصْفِيَاءَهُ وَأَرَاهُ خَلِيلَهُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ وَكَذلِكَ نُرِي إِبْراهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُوقِنِينَ وَكَيْفَ يَحْمِلُ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ الله وَبِحَيَاتِهِ حَيِيَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَبِنُورِهِ اهْتَدَوْا إِلَى مَعْرِفَتِهِ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Barqy, raising it, said,

‘Al-Jasaleyq (The Catholic) asked Amir Al-Momineenasws saying, ‘Inform me about Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic, does Heazwj carry the Throne (الْعَرْشَ ) or does the Throne (الْعَرْشَ ) carry Himazwj?’ So Amir Al-Momineenasws said: ‘Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic is the Carrier of the Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), and the skies and the earth and whatever is between the two, and these are the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [35:41] Surely Allah Upholds the skies and the earth lest they come to naught; and if they should come to naught, there Is none who can uphold them after Him; surely He is the Forbearing, the Forgiving’.

He said, ‘So inform me about Hisazwj ( Words) [69:17] and above them eight shall bear on that Day the Throne of your Lord. So how come Heazwj Said that, and youasws said that Heazwj Carries the Throne (الْعَرْشَ ) and the skies and the earth?’

So Amir Al-Momineenasws said: ‘The Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), Allahazwj the Exalted Created it from the four Lights – the red from it reddens the red, and the green Light from it greens the green, and the yellow from it yellows the yellow, and the white from it whitens the white; and it is the Knowledge which Allahazwj Loaded upon the carriers, and that is a Light from Hisazwj Magnificence.

Thus, it is due to Hisazwj Magnificence and Hisazwj Light do the hearts of the Momineen see, and due to Hisazwj Magnificence and Hisazwj Light the ignorant ones are inimical to Himazwj, and due to Hisazwj Magnificence and Hisazwj Light do the ones in the skies and the earth seek the Means to Himazwj, with the different deeds and the mixed Religions.

Thus, every carried one, Allahazwj Carries it by Hisazwj Light and Hisazwj Magnificence and Hisazwj Power. These have neither a capacity to harm by itself, nor benefit, nor death, nor life, nor Resurrection. So everything is Carried, and Allahazwj Blessed and High is the Grasper of the two (skies and the earth) if they were to decline, and the Encompasser of the two from things, and Heazwj is the Life of everything and Light of everything. Glorious is Heazwj and Exalted from what they are saying, Loftier, Greater’.

He said to himasws , ‘So inform me about Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic, where is Heazwj?’ So Amir Al-Momineenasws said: ‘Heazwj is over here and over there, and above, and beneath, and surround us, and with us, and [58:7] Nowhere is there a secret counsel between three persons but He is the fourth of them, nor (between) five but He is the sixth of them, nor less than that nor more but He is with them wherever they may be.

So the Chair (الْكُرْسِيُّ ) encompasses the skies and the earth and what is between the two, and what is beneath the soil; and if you aloud with the speech, so Heazwj Knows the secrets and the concealed, and these are the Words of the Exalted [2:255] His Chair extends over the skies and the earth, and the preservation of them both does not tire Him, and He is the Exalted, the Magnificent, and the preservation of them both does not tire Him, and He is the Exalted, the Magnificent.

[40:7] So those who are bearing the Throne, they are the knowledgeable onesasws , those upon whomasws Allahazwj Loaded Hisazwj Knowledge, and nothing comes out from these four which Allahazwj Created in Hisazwj Kingdom which Allahazwj Showed to Hisazwj Elites and Showed it to Hisazwj Friend (Ibrahimas ), so Heazwj Said [6:75] And thus did We Show Ibrahim the Kingdom of the skies and the earth and that he might be of those who are certain.

And how can the carriers of the Throne (الْعَرْشِ ) carry Allahazwj and theirasws hearts are Encompassed by Hisazwj Life and Hisazwj Light, being Guided to Hisazwj recognition’.54

2 ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى قَالَ سَأَلَنِي أَبُو قُرَّةَ الْمُحَدِّثُ أَنْ أُدْخِلَهُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فَأَذِنَ لِي فَدَخَلَ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْحَلالِ وَالْحَرَامِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَ فَتُقِرُّ أَنَّ الله مَحْمُولٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كُلُّ مَحْمُولٍ مَفْعُولٌ بِهِ مُضَافٌ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ مُحْتَاجٌ وَالْمَحْمُولُ اسْمُ نَقْصٍ فِي اللَّفْظِ وَالْحَامِلُ فَاعِلٌ وَهُوَ فِي اللَّفْظِ مِدْحَةٌ وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ الْقَائِلِ فَوْقَ وَتَحْتَ وَأَعْلَى وَأَسْفَلَ وَقَدْ قَالَ الله وَلله الاسْماءُ الْحُسْنى‏ فَادْعُوهُ بِها وَلَمْ يَقُلْ فِي كُتُبِهِ إِنَّهُ الْمَحْمُولُ بَلْ قَالَ إِنَّهُ الْحَامِلُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَالْمُمْسِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ أَنْ تَزُولا وَالْمَحْمُولُ مَا سِوَى الله وَلَمْ يُسْمَعْ أَحَدٌ آمَنَ بِالله وَعَظَمَتِهِ قَطُّ قَالَ فِي دُعَائِهِ يَا مَحْمُولُ قَالَ أَبُو قُرَّةَ فَإِنَّهُ قَالَ وَيَحْمِلُ عَرْشَ رَبِّكَ فَوْقَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ ثَمانِيَةٌ وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْعَرْشُ لَيْسَ هُوَ الله وَالْعَرْشُ اسْمُ عِلْمٍ وَقُدْرَةٍ وَعَرْشٍ فِيهِ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ثُمَّ أَضَافَ الْحَمْلَ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ خَلْقٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ لانَّهُ اسْتَعْبَدَ خَلْقَهُ بِحَمْلِ عَرْشِهِ وَهُمْ حَمَلَةُ عِلْمِهِ وَخَلْقاً يُسَبِّحُونَ حَوْلَ عَرْشِهِ وَهُمْ يَعْمَلُونَ بِعِلْمِهِ وَمَلائِكَةً يَكْتُبُونَ أَعْمَالَ عِبَادِهِ وَاسْتَعْبَدَ أَهْلَ الارْضِ بِالطَّوَافِ حَوْلَ بَيْتِهِ وَالله عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَى كَمَا قَالَ وَالْعَرْشُ وَمَنْ يَحْمِلُهُ وَمَنْ حَوْلَ الْعَرْشِ وَالله الْحَامِلُ لَهُمُ الْحَافِظُ لَهُمُ الْمُمْسِكُ الْقَائِمُ عَلَى كُلِّ نَفْسٍ وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَعَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَلا يُقَالُ مَحْمُولٌ وَلا أَسْفَلُ قَوْلاً مُفْرَداً لا يُوصَلُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ فَيَفْسُدُ اللَّفْظُ وَالْمَعْنَى قَالَ أَبُو قُرَّةَ فَتُكَذِّبُ بِالرِّوَايَةِ الَّتِي جَاءَتْ أَنَّ الله إِذَا غَضِبَ إِنَّمَا يُعْرَفُ غَضَبُهُ أَنَّ الْمَلائِكَةَ الَّذِينَ يَحْمِلُونَ الْعَرْشَ يَجِدُونَ ثِقْلَهُ عَلَى كَوَاهِلِهِمْ فَيَخِرُّونَ سُجَّداً فَإِذَا ذَهَبَ الْغَضَبُ خَفَّ وَرَجَعُوا إِلَى مَوَاقِفِهِمْ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى مُنْذُ لَعَنَ إِبْلِيسَ إِلَى يَوْمِكَ هَذَا هُوَ غَضْبَانُ عَلَيْهِ فَمَتَى رَضِيَ وَهُوَ فِي صِفَتِكَ لَمْ يَزَلْ غَضْبَانَ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى أَوْلِيَائِهِ وَعَلَى أَتْبَاعِهِ كَيْفَ تَجْتَرِئُ أَنْ تَصِفَ رَبَّكَ بِالتَّغْيِيرِ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ وَأَنَّهُ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ مَا يَجْرِي عَلَى الْمَخْلُوقِينَ سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى لَمْ يَزُلْ مَعَ الزَّائِلِينَ وَلَمْ يَتَغَيَّرْ مَعَ الْمُتَغَيِّرِينَ وَلَمْ يَتَبَدَّلْ مَعَ الْمُتَبَدِّلِينَ وَمَنْ دُونَهُ فِي يَدِهِ وَتَدْبِيرِهِ وَكُلُّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ مُحْتَاجٌ وَهُوَ غَنِيٌّ عَمَّنْ سِوَاهُ

Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, from Safwan Bin Yahya who said,

‘Abu Qurra the narrator asked me if I could take him to see Abu Al-Hassan Al-Rezaasws . So I sought permission for him and heasws permitted it for me. So he came over and asked himasws about the Permissible and the Prohibitions, then said to himasws , ‘So do youasws acknowledge that Allahazwj is carried?’

So Abu Al-Hassanasws said: ‘Every carried is performed with as an addition to something else, needy, and the carried is deficient regarding the word, and the carrier is the performer, and he is praiseworthy regarding the word; and similar to that are the words of the speaker, ‘Above’, and ‘Under’, and ‘Higher’, and ‘Lower’; and Allahazwj has Said [7:180] And Allah's are the Best Names, therefore call on Him by these, and did not Say in Hisazwj Books that Heazwj is the carried One. But Heazwj Said that Heazwj is the Carrier in the land and the sea and the Upholder of the skies and the earth lest they decline; and the carried is what is besides Allahazwj, and it is not heard from anyone who believes in Allahazwj and Hisazwj Magnificence at all that he says in his supplication, ‘O Carried One!’’.

Abu Qurra said, ‘But Heazwj Says [69:17] and above them eight shall bear on that Day the Throne of your Lord, and Said [40:7] Those who are bearing the Throne!’ So Abu Al-Hassanasws said: ‘The Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), it is not Allahazwj, and the ‘Throne’ is a name of ‘Knowledge and Power’, and the Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), in it is everything.

Then Heazwj Supplemented the carriers to others Heazwj Created from Hisazwj creatures because Heazwj Enslaved Hisazwj by the carriers of Hisazwj Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), and theyasws carry Hisazwj Knowledge, and creatures are Glorifying Him around Hisazwj Throne (الْعَرْشَ ), and they are performing by Hisazwj Knowledge, and the Angels are recording the deeds of Hisazwj servants, and the people of the earth are worshipping by the Tawaaf around Hisazwj House (Kabah), and Allahazwj is Even upon the Throne الْعَرْشِ )), Even just as Heazwj Said.

And (as for) the Throne (الْعَرْشِ ) and the ones who are carrying it, and the ones around the Throne (الْعَرْشِ ), and Allahazwj is the Carrier of them, the Preserver of them, the Upholder, the Standing One upon every soul, and above everything, and upon everything, and Heazwj cannot be called ‘The Carried One’, nor by a lower solitary word, nor can Heazwj be arrived to anything. So it would spoil the word and the meaning’.

Abu Qurra said, ‘So youasws are belying the report which have come that Allahazwj, when Heazwj is Angry, rather Hisazwj Anger is recognised. The Angels who are carrying the Throne (الْعَرْشِ ) are finding its weight upon their shoulders, so they fall down prostrate. So when the Anger subsides, it becomes lighter, and they return to their places’.

So Abu Al-Hassanasws said: ‘Inform measws about Allahazwj Blessed and High, since Heazwj Cursed Ibleesla up to this day of yours, Heazwj is Angry upon himla, so when is Heazwj Pleased, and Heazwj is in your description, does not cease to be Angry upon himla and upon hisla followers. How can you be so audacious that you are describing your Lordazwj with the alteration from a state to a state, and that it flows upon Himazwj what flows upon the creatures?

Glorious is Heazwj and Exalted, not declining along with the decliners, and does not alter with the altering ones, and does not change with the changing ones, and the ones besides Himazwj are in Hisazwj Hands, and Hisazwj Management, and all of them are needy to Himazwj, and Heazwj is Needless from the ones besides Himazwj’. 55

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ فَقَالَ يَا فُضَيْلُ كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فِي الْكُرْسِيِّ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالارْضُ وَكُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فِي الْكُرْسِيِّ

Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazan, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Rabie Bin Abdullah, from Al Fuzayl Bin Yasaar who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty [2:255] His Chair extends over the skies and the earth. So heasws said: ‘O Fuzayl! Everything is in the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ). The skies, and the earth and everything, is in the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ).56

4 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالارْضُ وَسِعْنَ الْكُرْسِيَّ أَمِ الْكُرْسِيُّ وَسِعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ فَقَالَ بَلِ الْكُرْسِيُّ وَسِعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ وَالْعَرْشُ وَكُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَسِعَ الْكُرْسِيُّ

Muhamad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad in Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hajjal, from Sa’alba Bin Maymoun, from Zurara Bin Ayn who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Majestic and Mighty [2:255] His Chair extends over the skies and the earth, ‘Are the skies and the earth more extensive than the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) or is the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) more extensive than the skies and the earth?’. So heasws said: ‘But, the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) is more extensive than the skies and the earth and the Throne (الْعَرْشُ ) and everything. The Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) is more extensive’.57

5 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالارْضُ وَسِعْنَ الْكُرْسِيَّ أَوِ الْكُرْسِيُّ وَسِعَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فِي الْكُرْسِيِّ

Muhammad Bin yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Fazalat Bin Ayoub, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Zurara Bin Ayn who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [2:255] His Chair extends over the skies and the earth, ‘Are the skies and the earth more extensive than the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) or is the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ ) more extensive than the skies and the earth?’. So heasws said: ‘Everything is in the Chair (الْكُرْسِيِّ)’58

6 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ حَمَلَةُ الْعَرْشِ وَالْعَرْشُ الْعِلْمُ ثَمَانِيَةٌ أَرْبَعَةٌ مِنَّا وَأَرْبَعَةٌ مِمَّنْ شَاءَ الله

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Muhammad Bin Al Fuzayl, from Abu Hamza,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullahasws having said: ‘The carriers of the Throne (الْعَرْشُ ), and the Throne (الْعَرْشُ ) is the Knowledge, are eight – four from usasws and four from the one Allahazwj so Desires’.59

7 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ الرَّقِّيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَكانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْماءِ فَقَالَ مَا يَقُولُونَ قُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ الْعَرْشَ كَانَ عَلَى الْمَاءِ وَالرَّبُّ فَوْقَهُ فَقَالَ كَذَبُوا مَنْ زَعَمَ هَذَا فَقَدْ صَيَّرَ الله مَحْمُولاً وَوَصَفَهُ بِصِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَلَزِمَهُ أَنَّ الشَّيْ‏ءَ الَّذِي يَحْمِلُهُ أَقْوَى مِنْهُ قُلْتُ بَيِّنْ لِي جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله حَمَّلَ دِينَهُ وَعِلْمَهُ الْمَاءَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَرْضٌ أَوْ سَمَاءٌ أَوْ جِنٌّ أَوْ إِنْسٌ أَوْ شَمْسٌ أَوْ قَمَرٌ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ الله أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ نَثَرَهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ مَنْ رَبُّكُمْ فَأَوَّلُ مَنْ نَطَقَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَأَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَالائِمَّةُ صَلَوَاتُ الله عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَالُوا أَنْتَ رَبُّنَا فَحَمَّلَهُمُ الْعِلْمَ وَالدِّينَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ هَؤُلاءِ حَمَلَةُ دِينِي وَعِلْمِي وَأُمَنَائِي فِي خَلْقِي وَهُمُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِبَنِي آدَمَ أَقِرُّوا لله بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَلِهَؤُلاءِ النَّفَرِ بِالْوَلايَةِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فَقَالُوا نَعَمْ رَبَّنَا أَقْرَرْنَا فَقَالَ الله لِلْمَلائِكَةِ اشْهَدُوا فَقَالَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ شَهِدْنَا عَلَى أَنْ لا يَقُولُوا غَداً إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هذا غافِلِينَ. أَوْ تَقُولُوا إِنَّما أَشْرَكَ آباؤُنا مِنْ قَبْلُ وَكُنَّا ذُرِّيَّةً مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ أَ فَتُهْلِكُنا بِما فَعَلَ الْمُبْطِلُونَ يَا دَاوُدُ وَلايَتُنَا مُؤَكَّدَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْمِيثَاقِ

Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer, from Dawood Al Raqqy who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [11:7] and His Throne was upon the water. So heasws said: ‘What are they (people) saying?’ I said, ‘They are saying that the Throne (الْعَرْشُ ) was upon the water and the Lordazwj above it’. So heasws said: ‘They are lying! The one who claim this, so he has rendered Allahazwj as a carried One, and described Himazwj by a description of the creatures, and necessitated it that the thing which is carrying Himazwj is stronger than Himazwj’.

I said, ‘Clarify it for me, may I be sacrificed for youasws !’ So heasws said: ‘Allahazwj Loaded Hisazwj Religion and Hisazwj Knowledge upon the water, before the coming into being of the earth, or sky, or Jinn, or humans, or sun, or moon. So when Allahazwj Intended that Heazwj Creates the creatures, Scattered them in front of Himazwj, and Said to them: “Who is your Lordazwj?” So the first one to speak was Rasool-Allahsaww and Amir Al-Momineenasws , and the Imamsasws , so they said: ‘Youazwj are ourasws Lordazwj’.

So Heazwj Loaded the Knowledge and the Religion, then Said to the Angels: “Theyasws are the carriers of Myazwj Religion, and Myazwj Knowledge, and Myazwj Trustees among Myazwj creatures, and they would be asked from’.

Then Heazwj Said to the Children of Adamas : “Acknowledge to Allahazwj with the Lordship, and to these personsasws with the Wilayah and the obedience!” So they said, ‘Yes, our Lordazwj, we acknowledge’. So Allahazwj Said to the Angels: “Bear witness!” So the Angels said: ‘We bear witness upon that they cannot be saying tomorrow that we were ignorant of this’.

Or you should be saying, ‘But rather, it was our fathers who associated (committed Shirk), and we were the offspring from after them, so should we be destroyed with what the false ones did?’ O Dawood! Ourasws Wilayah is confirmed upon them in the Covenant’.60

21 ـ بَابُ الرُّوحِ‌

Chapter 21 – The Spirit

1 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنِ الاحْوَلِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الرُّوحِ الَّتِي فِي آدَمَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْلُهُ فَإِذا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي قَالَ هَذِهِ رُوحٌ مَخْلُوقَةٌ وَالرُّوحُ الَّتِي فِي عِيسَى مَخْلُوقَةٌ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Ibn Azina, from Al Ahowl who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Spirit which was inside Adamas as per Hisazwj Words [15:29] So when I have Made him complete and Blown into him from My Spirit. Heasws said: ‘This is a Created Spirit, and the Spirit which was inside Isaas , was (also) a Created being’.61

2 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ قَالَ هِيَ رُوحُ الله مَخْلُوقَةٌ خَلَقَهَا الله فِي آدَمَ وَعِيسَى

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al Hajjal, from Sa’alba, from Humran who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [4:171] and a Spirit from Him. Heasws said: ‘It is a Spirit of Allahazwj, a Created being. Allahazwj Created it in Adamas and Isaas ’.62

3 ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الطَّائِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي كَيْفَ هَذَا النَّفْخُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الرُّوحَ مُتَحَرِّكٌ كَالرِّيحِ وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ رُوحاً لانَّهُ اشْتَقَّ اسْمَهُ مِنَ الرِّيحِ وَإِنَّمَا أَخْرَجَهُ عَنْ لَفْظَةِ الرِّيحِ لانَّ الارْوَاحَ مُجَانِسَةٌ لِلرِّيحِ وَإِنَّمَا أَضَافَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ لانَّهُ اصْطَفَاهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الارْوَاحِ كَمَا قَالَ لِبَيْتٍ مِنَ الْبُيُوتِ بَيْتِي وَلِرَسُولٍ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ خَلِيلِي وَأَشْبَاهِ ذَلِكَ وَكُلُّ ذَلِكَ مَخْلُوقٌ مَصْنُوعٌ مُحْدَثٌ مَرْبُوبٌ مُدَبَّرٌ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Al Qasim Bin Urwa, from Abdul Hameed Al Taiy, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullahasws about the Words of Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic [15:29] and Blown into him from My Spirit. How was this Blowing?’ So heasws said: ‘The Spirit (Rooh) moves like the wind (Reeh), and rather it is named as ‘Rooh’ because it derived its name from the wind (Reeh), and rather it is extracted from the word ‘Reeh’, because the spirits (Arwaah) are the genus of the ‘Reeh’ (wind), and rather Heazwj Supplemented it to Hisazwj Own Self, because Heazwj Chose it over the rest of the spirits, just as Heazwj Said for a House (Kabah) from the houses, ‘My house’, and for a Rasoolas from the Rasoolsas , ‘Myazwj Friend’, and the likes of that; and all of that is a Created being, newly occurred, Nourished, Regulated’.63

4 ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ بَحْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ الْخَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَمَّا يَرْوُونَ أَنَّ الله خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ هِيَ صُورَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ مَخْلُوقَةٌ وَاصْطَفَاهَا الله وَاخْتَارَهَا عَلَى سَائِرِ الصُّوَرِ الْمُخْتَلِفَةِ فَأَضَافَهَا إِلَى نَفْسِهِ كَمَا أَضَافَ الْكَعْبَةَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَالرُّوحَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ فَقَالَ بَيْتِيَ وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from his father, from Abdullah Bin Bahr, from Abu Ayoub Al Khazzaz, from Muahammad Bin Muslim who said,

‘I asked Abu Ja’farasws about what they (reporters) are reporting, that Allahazwj Created Adamas upon Hisazwj Image’. So heasws said: ‘It was a newly occurring image, Created, and Allahazwj Chose it and Selected it over the rest of the different images. So Heazwj Chose it to Himselfazwj just as Heazwj Supplemented the Kabah to Himselfazwj, and the Spirit to Himselfazwj, so Heazwj Said:[15:29] and Blown into him from My Spirit’.64