Al Kafi (part 2)

Chapter 7 : Chapter On the Loss of a Scholar H 71, Ch. 7, H 1

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from 'Uthman ibn 'Isa from abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Sulayman ibn Khalid from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

" Of the deaths of the true believers the one that Satan loves most is the death of a Faqih, one who has very good understand of religion and its laws."

H 72, Ch. 7, h 2

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu 'Umayr from certain persons of his people from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"When a true believer who is a Faqih, dies, it causes an irreparable damage in the Islamic system."

H 73, Ch. 7, h 3

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn abu Hamza who has said the following.

"(Imam) abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) has said, 'When a true believer dies the angels and the parts of earth where he worshipped Allah weep because of his death. Also the doors of the heavens through which his good deeds had been taken up weep and it causes an irreparable damage in the Islamic system.

It is because the true believing Fuqaha, people of proper understanding in religion and its laws are the strongholds of the Islamic system just as the fortress around a city is a stronghold for it.'"

H 74, Ch. 7, h 4

From him (Muhammad ibn Yahya) from Ahmad from ibn Mahbub from abu Ayyub al- Khazzaz from Sulayman ibn Khalid from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Of the deaths of the true believers the one that Satan loves most is the death of a Faqih, one who has very good understand of religion and its laws."

H 75, Ch. 7, h 5

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn Asbat from his uncle Ya'qub ibn Salim from Dawud ibn Farqad who has said the following.

"Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) has said, 'My father used to say, 'Allah does not take back the knowledge that He has sent down. But when the scholar dies it takes away his knowledge and after this the unjust ones come and they go astray and mislead people and there is no good in things without basis.'"

H 76, Ch. 7, h 6

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Ali from the person who he mentioned from Jabi from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) would say, 'My soul shows generosity in accepting the quickening of our death or being murdered. It is due to the words of Allah that say, "Have they not considered that We have taken over the land and reduced its borders?" the reference here is to the death of the scholars."

Chapter 8 : Chapter on Meeting the Scholars and Associating with Them H 77, Ch. 8, h 1

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Yunus in a marfu' manner (rafa'ahu) from Luqman the wise who has said the following to his son.

"My son chose your own meeting place. If you find a people who speak of Allah, the Glorious, the Majestic, sit with them. If you know already you will benefit from your knowledge and if you would be ignorant they will teach you. Perhaps Allah may cover them with the shadow of His mercy and you may be covered along with them.

If you see a people who do not speak of Allah, do not sit with them because even if you would know it would not benefit you and if you would be ignorant they would increase your ignorance. Perhaps Allah may cover them with the shadow of His punishment and it may cover you also along with them."

H 78, Ch. 8, h 2

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa, all from ibn Mahbub from Durust ibn abu Mansur from Ibrahim ibn 'Abd al-Hamid from abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Speaking to a scholar even at a dump-site is better than speaking to an ignorant person at a best furnished palace."

H 79, Ch. 8, h 3

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Sharif ibn Sabiq from al-Fadl ibn abu Qurrah from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "The Holy Prophet said, 'The disciples asked Jesus, 'O the spirit of Allah who should we associate with?' Jesus replied, "Associate with those whose visitation would remind you of Allah, whose speech and logic increase your knowledge and whose deeds would attract you to the next life.'"

H 80, Ch. 8, h 4

Muhammad ibn 'Ism'il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadha from ibn abu 'Umayr from Mansur ibn Hazim from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"The holy Prophet said, 'Association with religious people is a honor in this life as well as in the next life.'"

H 81, Ch. 8, h 5

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Asbahani from Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Minqari from Sufyan ibn 'Uyayna from Mis'ar ibn Kidam who has said the following.

"(Imam) abu Ja'far (a.s.) has said, 'The place where I may sit with one who I trust is more comforting to my soul than working for one whole year.'"