Al Kafi (part 3)

Chapter 23 : Chapter On Miscellaneous Ahadith H 353, Ch. 23, H 1

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Ali ibn al- Ni'man from Sayf ibn 'Umayr from those whom he mentioned from al-Harith ibn al-Mughira al-Nasri who has said the following.

"A person asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, "Everything will be destroyed except God. . . ." (28:88) The Imam (a.s.) asked, "What do they say about it?" I replied, "They say that everything will perish except the face of Allah."

The Imam (a.s.) said, "Glory belongs to Allah. What they say is monstrous. What is meant thereby is that aspect of Allah's relation with people through which (persons of highest degree of excellence) they establish faith in Him."

H 354, Ch. 23, h 2

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Safwan al-Jammal from Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) the following.

"I asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, "Everything will be destroyed except God. . . ." (28:88) The Imam (a.s.) said, "It means whoever comes to Allah through obeying His commandments, i.e. following Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) is the face (the aspect of Allah's relation with people) of Allah that does not perish. So also is His words, "One who obeys the Messenger has certainly obeyed God . . ." (4:80).

H 355, Ch. 23, h 3

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from abu Salam al-Khannas from some of our people from Imam abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"We (family of Prophet Muhammad) are the al-Mathani (one of two) that Allah gave to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). We are the Wajhullah (face of Allah, meaning a certain aspect of Allah's relation with people) that move among you on earth.

We are the eyes of Allah (overseers or observers from the side of Allah) in His creatures. We are the hands of Allah that are open with blessings for His servants. Those who wanted to know us have known us. There are people who are ignorant about us they are ignorant of us and of the leadership of the pious people."

H 356, Ch. 23, h 4

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash'ari and Muhammad ibn Yahya altogether have narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Su'dan ibn Muslim from Mu'awiya ibn 'Ammar from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah.

"God has the most blessed Names. You should address Him in your worship by these Names . . ." (7:180) The Imam said, "We, I swear by Allah, are the most blessed names of Allah without which Allah does not accept any of the good deeds of His servants until they know us properly."

H 357, Ch. 23, h 5

Muhammad ibn abu 'Abdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Isma'il has narrated from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan from Bakr ibn Salih from al-Hassan ibn Sa'id from al-Haytham ibn 'Abdallah from Marwan ibn Salih who has said that Imam abu 'Abdallah has said the following.

"Allah created us and made it well. He gave us our form and formed it well. He made us His eyes among His servants and His speaking tongue in His creatures. He made us His open hands over His servants with kindness and mercy.

He has made us his face through which He is approached and his door that shows the way leading to Him. He made us His treasurers in the heavens and on earth. Through us the trees give fruit and the fruits ripen and the canals flow. Through us the skies send rain and plants grow on earth. Through our worship Allah is worshipped and were we not there Allah would not have been worshipped."

H 358, Ch. 23, h 6

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Bazi'a from his uncle, Hamza ibn Bazi'a from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following about the words of Allah.

"When they invoked Our anger, (43:54). We took revenge on them . . ." (43:55). "Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, does not become frustrated the way we do. But He has created friends for his-Own-self who become frustrated and at times happy. They are created. They worship (Allah). He has designed their happiness to be His Own happiness and their anger as His-Own anger.

It is because He has assigned them to guide people to Him and serve as proof of His existence. For this reason such conditions belong to them. This does not reach Allah the way it reaches people. The meaning is what just mentioned. He has also said, "Whoever would humiliate My friends such people have declared war against Me with challenge."

He has also said, "One who obeys the Messenger has certainly obeyed God. . . ." (4:80). "Those who pledge obedience to you are, in fact, pledging obedience to God. The hands of God are above their hands. . . ." (48:10). All of these and other similar ones mean what I just said. The same is the case with anger and happiness and other such matters. Had it been possible for frustration and anger to reach Allah one could have said that one-day Allah will banish altogether. It is because if anger and frustration would reach Him changes also would take place in Him and, thus, He will not remain safe from banishment.

As a result, there would exist no distinction between the created and the Creator, between the Almighty and those subject to such might and power. No distinction would remain between the created and the Creator. Allah is far above such things, and is the Most High and Most Great. He is the Creator of all things not because he needed them. If it would be without the need then it would be impossible to limit Him with limits and conditions. Note this if Allah would will it to be so."

H 359, Ch. 23, h 7 A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Muhammad ibn Humran from Aswad ibn Sa'id who has said the following. "I was in the presence of Imam abu Ja'far (a.s.), who began to speak without any question from me."

"We are the authority of Allah. We are the door to Allah. We are the tongue of Allah. We are the face of Allah. We are the eyes of Allah in His people. We are the authority in the commandments of Allah among His servants."

H 360, Ch. 23, h 8

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ahmad ibn abu Nasr from Hassan al-Jammal who has said that Hashim ibn abu 'Ammara al-Janbi reported to him this. "I heard Amirul Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) saying, 'I am the eyes of Allah. I am the hands of Allah. I am the sides of Allah. I am the door to Allah."

H 361, Ch. 23, h 9

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Bazi'a from his uncle Hamza ibn Bazi'a from Ali ibn Suwayd from abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

About the words of Allah "Woe to me because of my failure to fulfill my duties from the side of God. . ." (39:56). The Imam (a.s.) said that the side of Allah is Amirul Mu'minin (a.s.) and so are the successors of the high position until the matters will reach to the last one among them."

H 362, Ch. 23, h 10

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Ali ibn al-Salt from al-Hakam and Isma'il sons of Habid from Burayd al-'Ijli who has said the following.

"I heard Imam abu Ja'far (a.s.) saying, 'Through us Allah is worshipped. Through us Allah is known. Through us belief in the Oneness of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, is established. Muhammad is the Hijab (curtain) of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High."

H 363, Ch. 23, h 11

Some of our people have narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Abdallah from 'Abdal Wahhab ibn Bishr from Musa ibn Qadim from Sulayman from Zurara from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"I asked the Imam about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, "They (children of Israel) did not wrong Us but they wronged themselves." (2:57) The Imam said, "Allah is far Great and Majestic and Mighty above being wronged. But He has mixed us with His Ownself. He has considered the wrong done to us as being done to Him and His Own authority as our authority as He has said, "Only God, His Messenger, and the true believers who are steadfast in prayer and pay alms, while they kneel during prayer, are your guardians" (5:55).

It means the Imams from us. Allah has also said, "They (children of Israel) did not wrong Us but wronged themselves. (2:57)" Then he mentioned a similar statement."

Chapter 24 : Chapter on al-Bida' H 364, Ch. 24, h 1

It is narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from al- Hajjal from abu Ishaq Tha'laba from Zurara ibn A'yun from one of the two Imams who has said the following.

"Allah is best worshipped with belief in al-Bada'. In another Hadith from ibn abu 'Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said, "Allah's Greatness is not realized as good as it is realized with belief in al-Bad."

H 365, Ch. 24, h 2

It is narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from ibn abu 'Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim and Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari and others from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) whos has said the following about the words of Allah.

"God establishes or effaces whatever He wants . . ." (13:39) The Imam (a.s.) said, "Can anything be affaced without being established? Can anything be esblished unless it is out of nothing?"

H 366, Ch. 24, h 3

It is narrated from Ali from his father from ibn abu 'Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Allah did not send any messenger without three conditions. (a) Acknowledgement of being His servant and worshipper (b) To acknowledge that there is nothing like Him and (c) that Allah may bring forwards whatever He would so will and takes backwards whatever He would so will."

H 367, Ch. 24, h 4

It is narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurara from humran from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"I asked the Imam about the words of Allah, "It is He who has created you from clay to live for a life-time and the span of your life is only known to Him. . . ." (6:2) The Imam said, "There are two appointed times. One is is a definit time and the other is the conditional one."

H 368, Ch. 24, h 5

It is narrated from Ahmad ibn Mahran from 'Abdal 'Azim ibn 'Abdallah al-Hassani from Ali ibn Asbat from Khalaf ibn Hammad from ibn Maskan from Malik al-Juhanni who has said the following.

"I asked Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah "Does he not remember that We created him when he did not exist?" (19:67)

The Imam (a.s.) said, "It means that he did not exist in a definit or in the form of a being." I asked the Imam about the words of Allah, "There was certainly a time when there was no mention of the human being" (76:1)

The Imam said, " It was definit but not mentioned."

H 369, Ch. 24, h 6

It is narrated from Muhammad ibn Isma'il from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn 'Isa from Rabi' ibn 'Abdallah from al-fudayl ibn Yasar who has said the following. "I heard abu Ja'far (a.s.) saying, "There are two kinds of knolwedge. One kind is hidden with Allah of which no one of his creatures has any information.

The other kind of knowledge is the knowledge of His angels and His messengers. Whatever knowledge He has given to His angels and messengers it will come to pass. He will not speak a lie not will He let His angels or messengers to do so. The knowledge that is hidden with Him of this He brings forwards whatever He would will and takes back whatever would He will so and establishes whatever would He will so."

H 371, Ch. 24, h 8

It is narrated from a number of our people from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from ibn abu 'Umayr from Ja'far ibn 'Uthman from Suma'a from abu Basir and Wahab ibn Hafs from abu Basir from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Allah has two kinds of knowledge. There is the hidden, treasured knowledge of which one has any information except Allah. From this knowledge comes al-Bada'. There is the knowledge that Allah has given to His angels, His messengers and His prophets and we know this knowledge."

H 372, Ch. 24, h 9

It is narrated from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn sa'id from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from 'Abdallah ibn Sinan from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Nothing appeared to Allah in a thing except that He knew it before al-Bada' would take place."

H 373, Ch. 24, h 10

It is narrated from him from Ahmad from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from Dawud ibn Farqad from 'Amr ibn 'Uthman al-Juhanni from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Al-Bada' does not takke place to Allah out of ignorance."

H 374, Ch. 24, h 11

It is narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn ibn 'Isa from Yunus from Mansur ibn Hazim who has said the following.

I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.), "Can anything happen today that was not in the knowledge of Allah the day before?' The Imam (a.s.) said, "No, this does not happen. Whoever would say so Allah will make him to suffer a great deal." I then said, "Do you consider that all that were there and all that will take place up to the Day of Judgment are all in the knowledge of Allah?" The Imam said, "Yes, it was so before He created the creatures."

H 375, Ch. 24, h 12

It is narrated from Ali ibn Muhammad from Yunus from Malik al-Juhanni who has said the following.

"I heard Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) saying, 'Had the people known of the reward in the belief in al-Bada' there would have been no weakness in their words about it."

H 376, Ch. 24, h 13

It is narrated from a number of our peole from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid fro some of our people from Muhammad ibn 'Amr al-Kufi brother of Yahya from Murazim ibn Hakimwhos has said the following.

I heard abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) saying, "No prophet has ever proclaimed prophethood before acknowledging before Allah about five things. Acknowledgement of al-Bada', of the wish of Allah, the prostration, affirmation of worshipping and obedience."

H 377, Ch. 24, h 14

With the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ja'far ibn Muhammad from Yunus from Jahm ibn abu Jahma from whom he narrated from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, inform Prophet Muhammad about all that was there from the beginning of the world and that will be there to the end of the world. He informed him about is definit in them and made an except about what is otherwise."

H 378, Ch. 24, h 15

It is narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim from his father from al-Rayyan ibn al-Salt who has said the following.

"I heard Imam al-Rida (a.s.) saying, "Allah never sent a prophet without the law that prohibits the use of wine and without belief in al-Bada.'"

H 379, Ch. 24, h 16

It is narrated from al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad who has said the following.

"The 'Alim (scholar) was asked, 'How is the knowledge of Allah?" He replied, "He knew, He wanted, He willed, He measured, He decreed and He allowed it to happen. He let happen what He had decreed and decreed what he had measured and measured what He had willed.

From His knowledge was His wish. From His wish was His will and from His will was His measuring. From His measuring was His decree and from His decree was His letting it to happen. Knowledge is before the wish. The wish is the second and the will is the third.

Measuring happens up on the decree to let it happen. For Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, there is al-Bada' in whatever He knows when He wants and in the will to measure things. When the decree is issued to let it happen then there is no al-Bada'. Thus, the knowledge of the object of knowledge is before it comes into existence.

The wish for the object of wish is before its substance. The will in what iis willed iis before it is established. The measuring of these objects of knowledge is before their details and before their reaching the stage of being manifested in their substance and time.

The decree to let it happen is decisive in the acts with body and what is perceived with the senses of the colored having smells and weight and measurement and things walking, crawling and creeping on earth of man, Jinn, birds, beasts and others that are comprehended with the senses.

Al-Bada' happens with Allah in the matters that have no substance. When substance and meaning would appear then there is no al-Bada'. Allah does whatever He wants. With knowledge He has the knowledge of the things before their coming into existence. With the wish He has the knowledge their qualities and their limits. He invented them before they became manifest.

With the will He distinguished them in their colors and qualities. With measurement He measured their sustenance and and made their beginning and end. With the decree Ahe made public for people theiir places and guided them thereto. With the letting them to happen He explained the reaasons and made the affairs public. This how is the planing of the Most Majestic, the All-knowing."