Uyun Akhbar Al-reza the Source of Traditions On Imam Reza (a.s.)

Chapter Eleven: On Traditions From Al-reza About Unity

Part 1

11-1 Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Saqr ibn Dolaf, on the authority of Yasir - the servant that he had heard Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) say,

11

بابُ ما جاءَ عَنِ الرِّضا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى‏عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ مِنَ الأَخْبارِ فِي التّوَحِيدِ {style="direction: rtl"}

1 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ المُتَوَكِّلِ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هـاشِمٍ، عَـنْ أَبيهِ، عَنِ الصَّقْرِ بْنِ دُلَفٍ، عَنْ ياسِرٍ الخادِمِ، قالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الحَسَنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ

“Whoever draws a comparison between the Sublime God and His creatures is an atheist. Whoever ascribes to God what God has admonished against is also an atheist.”

11-2 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Harun al-Sufi quoted on the authority of Ubaydillah ibn Musa Al-Royani, on the authority of Abdul Azeem ibn Abdullah ibn Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Zayd ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Abi Mahmood, “Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) said the following regarding the Words of the Sublime God, ‘Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty) looking towards their Lord.’[120] This means that these faces will be shining awaiting the reward of their Lord.”

11-3 Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi[121] , “I asked Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), ‘O son of the Prophet of God! What is your opinion on the following traditions which the narrators of traditions narrate: ‘The believers visit their Lord from their homes in Paradise.’ Al-Reza (s) replied, ’O Aba Salt! Indeed the Blessed the Sublime God has honored His Prophet Muhammad over all His creatures - even the Prophets and the angels. He has established obeying him equal to obeying God, following him equal to following God, and visiting him equal to visiting God. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘He who obeys the Apostle, obeys God…’[122] God also said, ‘Verily those who plight their fealty to thee do no less than plight their fealty to God: the Hand of God is over their hands…’[123] Moreover, the Prophet (s) has said, ‘Whoever comes to visit me during my life or after my death has indeed visited the Sublime God. The rank of the Prophet (s) in Heaven is the highest rank of all. Therefore, whoever visits the Prophet (s) in the Prophet’s (s) own rank and position in Heaven has indeed visited the Blessed the Sublime God.’’”

Aba Salt (Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi) added, “I asked, ‘O son of the Prophet of God (s)! What is the meaning of the following tradition, ‘The reward of saying There is no god but God  is looking at the Face of the Sublime God?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘Whoever considers the Sublime God as having a face similar to that of the creatures is an atheist.

مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِن شِبْهَ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ بِخَلقِهِ فَهُوَمُشرِكٌ وَمَن نَسَبَ إِلَيهِ ما نَهى‏ عَنْهُ فَهُوَكافِرٌ.

2 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْرانَ الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هارُونَ الصُّوفِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عُبِيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُوسَى الرُّويانِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَبْدُالعَظِيمِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الحَسَنِ بنِ زَيْدِ بْنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِبٍ‏عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ، عَنْ إِبْراهيمَ بْنِ أَبي مَحْمُودٍ قالَ: قالَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي قَوْلَ اللَّهِ تعالى‏: «وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ ناضِرَةٌ إِلى رَبِّها ناظِرَةٌ» قالَ: يَعْنِي مُشرِقَةٌ يَنتَظِرُ ثَوابَ رَبِّها.

3 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَر الْهَمَذانيُ‏ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ إِبراهِيمَ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَن إِبْراهيمَ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ السَّلامِ بْنِ صالِحٍ الهَرَوِيِّ قالَ: قُلْتُ لِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ: يا ابْنَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ما تَقُول فِي الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي يَروِيهِ أَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ: أَنَّ المُؤْمِنِينَ يَزُورُونَ رَبِّهِمْ مِن مَنازِلِهِمْ فِي الجَنَّةِ؟ فَقالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: يا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبارَكَ وَتَعالى‏ فَضَّلَ نَبِيِّهِ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى جَمِيعَ خَلقِهِ مِنَ النَبِيِّينَ وَالمَلائِكَةِ، وَجَعَلَ طاعَتَهُ طاعَتَهُ، وَمَتابِعَتَهُ مُتابِعَتَهُ، وَزِيارَتَهُ فِي الدُّنْيا وَالآخِرَةِ زِيارَتَهُ فَقالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «مَن ْيُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطاعَ اللَّهَ» قالَ: «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبايِعُونَ كَإِنَّما يُبايِعُونَ اللَّهَ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ» وَقالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ «مَن زارَنِي فِي حَياتِي أَوْ بَعْدَ مَوْتِي فَقَدْ زارَ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏» وَدَرَجَةُ النَّبِي‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي الجَنَّةِ أَرْفَعُ الدَّرَجاتِ.

فَمَنْ زارَهُ فِي دَرَجَتِهِ الجَنَّةِ مِن مَنْزِلِهِ فَقَدْ زارَ اللَّهُ تَبارَكَ وَتَعالى‏. قالَ: فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يا ابْنِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَما مَعْنَى الخَبَرِ الَّذِي رَوَوهُ: «أَنَّ ثَوابَ لا إِلهَ إِلاّ اللَّهُ النَّظَرُ إِلى وَجْهِ اللَّهِ تَعـالى‏» فَقـالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: يـا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ مَن وَصَفَ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ بِوَجهٍ كَالوُجُوهِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ،

However, the Sublime God’s Face is His Prophets (s), His Messengers (s) and His Proofs (s). They are the people by whom the people are directed towards the Honorable the Exalted God, His Religion and His Recognition. The Sublime God said, ‘All that is on earth will perish. But will abide (forever) the Face of thy Lord, full of Majesty, Bounty and Honor.’[124] The Honorable the Exalted God also said, ‘…Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face..’[125] . Therefore, looking at the Sublime God’s Prophets (s), Messengers (s) and Proofs (s) in their respective ranks has a great reward for the believers on the Resurrection Day. The Prophet (s) has also said, ‘On the Resurrection Day whoever despises the members of my Holy Household and my ‘Itra [126] will not see me. I will not see him either.’ The Prophet (s) has also said, ‘Among you there are some people who will never again see me after they depart from me.’ O Aba Salt! Indeed the Blessed the Sublime God cannot be described by position, cannot be perceived by the eyes or imaginations.’”

Aba Salt said, “I asked, ‘Please tell me whether Heaven and Hell have been created?’ Imam Al-Reza (s) answered, ‘Yes. When the Prophet of God (s) was taken for the Ascension to the heavens he entered Paradise, and saw the Fire.’”

Aba Salt said, “I asked, ‘Some people believe that these two have been destined to be, but have not been created yet.’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘Neither do they belong to us, nor do we belong to them. Whoever denies Heaven and Hell has indeed denied the Prophet (s) and us. He is not controlled by any part of our Mastery. He will abide in the Fire for eternity. The Sublime God has said, ‘This is the Hell which the sinners deny. In its midst and in the midst of boiling hot water will they wander around! ’[127] The Prophet (s) said, ‘When I was taken for Ascension to the heavens Gabriel took my hands and took me into Paradise. They he gave me some Heavenly Dates from which I ate. The date turned into sperms in my loin. Once I returned to the Earth I made love with Khadija and she got pregnant with (the Blessed Baby) Fatima (s). Therefore, Fatima is a human houri.[128] Whenever I wish to smell Paradise, I smell the scent of my daughter Fatima (s).’’”

11-4 Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutawakkil - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rayyan ibn al-Salt, on the authority

وَلكِن وَجْهُ اللَّهِ تَعالى‏ أَنبِياؤُهُ وَرُسُلِهِ وَحُجَجُهُ صَلَواتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيهِم، هُمُ الَّذِينَ بِهِم يَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِلى دِينِهِ وَمَعْرِفَتِهِ و قالَ اللَّه تَعالى‏: «كُلُّ مَنْ عَلَيْها فانٍ وَيَبْقى وَجْهُ رَبِّكَ ذُو الْجَلالِ وَالْإِكْرامِ» وَقالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «كُلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ هالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ» فَالنَّظَرُ إِلى أَنبِياءَ اللَّه تَعالى‏ وَرُسُلِهِ وَحُجَجِهِ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ فِي دَرَجاتِهِمْ ثَوابٌ عَظِيمٌ لِلمُؤمِنينَ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ وَقَدْ قالَ النَّبِي‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: «مَن أَبغَضَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِي وَعِتْرَتِي لَمْ يَرنِي وَلَمْ أَرَهُ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ» وَقالَ: «إِنَّ فِيكُم مَنْ لا يَرانِي بَعْدَ أَن يُفارِقَنِي»، يا أَبَا الصَّلْتِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبارَكَ وَتَعالى‏ لا يُوصَفُ بِمَكانٍ، وَلا يُدْرِكُ بِالأَبصارِ وَالأَوهامِ.

قالَ،: قُلْتُ لَهُ يا ابْنِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخبِرنِي عَنِ الجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ أهُما الْيَوْمَ مَخْلُوقتانِ؟ فَقالَ: نَعَم، وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قَدْ دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ وَرَأى النَّارِ لَمّا عُرِجَ بِهِ إِلى السَّماءِ، قالَ: فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنَّ قَوْماً يَقُولُونَ: إِنَّهُما الْيَوْمَ مُقَدَّرَتانِ غَيْرِ مَخْلُوقَتَيْنِ، فَقالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لا هُم مِنَّا وَلا نَحْنُ مِنْهُمْ، مَن أَنْكَرَ خَلقَ الجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَ النَّبِي‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَكذبنا وَكَذَّبَنا وَلَيْسَ مِن وِلايَتِنا عَلَى شَي‏ءٍ وَيُخلَدُ فِي نارِ جَهَنَّمَ، قالَ اللَّه تَعالى‏: «هذِهِ جَهَنَّمُ الَّتِي يُكَذِّبُ بِهَا الُْمجْرِمُونَ يَطُوفُونَ بَيْنَها وَبَيْنَ حَمِيمٍ آنٍ» وَقالَ النَّبِي‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: «لَمّا عُرِجَ بي إِلى السَّماءِ أَخَذَ بِيَدِي جِبْرَئِيلُ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَأَدخِلَني الجَنَّةَ، فَناوِلْني مِن رُطَبِها، فَأَكَلتُهُ فَتَحَوَّلَ ذلِكَ نُطْفَةً فِي صُلْبِي، فَلَمَّا هَبَطتُ إِلى الأَرْضِ واقَعتُ خَدِيجَةَ، فَحَمَلَت بِفاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ فَفاطِمَةَ حَوراءٌ إِنسِيَّةٌ، فَكُلَّما اشتَقتُ إِلى رائِحَةِ الجَنَّةِ شَمَمتُ رائِحَةَ ابنَتِي فاطِمَةَ عَلَيْهَا السَّلاَمُ.

4 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ المُتَوَكِّل رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ أَبيهِ، عَنِ الرَّيانِ بْنِ الصَّلْتِ، عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا، عَنْ أَبيهِ عَنْ آبائِهِ عَنْ

of Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), on the authority of his father (s), on the authority of his forefathers (s), on the authority of the Commander of the Faithful (s) that God’s Prophet (s) said, “God - the Exalted the Magnificent - said, “Whoever interprets My Words according to his own viewpoint has no faith in Me. And whoever considers Me to be similar to My creatures does not recognize Me. And whoever makes comparisons in my religion does not believe in My religion.”

11-5 Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Waleed - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan al-Saffar quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, on the authority of some companions that one day when Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) was passing by the grave of one of the members of his Holy Household, he (s) placed his hand on the grave and said, “O my God! Your Might is apparent, but the people are ignorant of Thee. They try to use measures to recognize Thee. Such a form of describing Thee is in contradiction with the belief in Thy Lordship. O my Lord! I am not of those who seek Thee through striking similitude. Nothing is similar to Thee. My Lord! They do not understand Thee. If they wanted to recognize Thee, Thy apparent Blessings were the Best Proofs for them of Thee. O my God! It suffices for them to ponder over Thy creatures, and not to try to go deeply into Thy nature. However, they consider Thee and Thy creatures to be the same. That is why they did not really recognize Thee, and considered some of Thy Signs to be their Lords. Thus they described Thee as such. My Lord! Thee are Higher than what those who compare Thee (with others) describe Thee to be.”

11-6 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Al-Hussein Abil Khattab, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr, “Some people from across the river came to see Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s) and said, ‘We have come to ask you three questions. If you give us the answer to all three questions, then we will know that you are a scientist.’ The Imam (s) said, ‘Go ahead and ask.’ They said, ‘Let us know where the Sublime God is? How is He? What does He rely on?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘The Sublime God has created the quality of how to be Himself. Therefore, He Himself has no quality of being, and this question does not apply to Him. He has created positions. Thus He is not in need of a place to be. He relies on His Might.’ They said, ‘We testify that you are a scientist.’”

أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنينَ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قالَ: قالَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: قالَ اللَّه جَلَّ جَلالُهُ: ما آمَنَ بي مَن فَسَّرَ بِرَأيِهِ كَلامِي، وَما عَرَفَنِي مِن شَبَّهَنِي بِخَلقِي، وَما عَلَى دِينِي مَنِ استَعمَلَ القِياسَ فِي دِينِي.

5 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الحَسَن بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الوَلِيد رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الحَسَنِ الصَفَّارُ، قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خالِدٍ، عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحابُنا قالَ: مَرَّ أَبُو الحَسَنِ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِقَبرٍ مِن قُبُورِ أَهْل بَيْتِهِ فَوَضَعَ يَدِهِ عَلَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: «إِلهي بَدَت قُدْرَتُكَ وَلَمْ تَبدُ واهِيَةً فَجَهَلُوكَ وَقَدَّرُوكَ، وَالتَّقدِيرُ عَلَى غَيْرِ ما بِهِ وَصَفُوكَ، وَإِنّي بَري‏ءٌ يا إِلهي مِنَ الَّذِينَ بِالتَّشبِيهِ طَلَبُوكَ، لَيْسَ كَمِثلِكَ شَي‏ءٌ، إِلهي وَلَنْ يُدرِكُوكَ، وَظاهِرٌ ما بِهِمْ مِن نِعَمِكَ دَلِيلُهُم عَلَيْكَ لَوْ عَرَفُوكَ وَخَلْقِكَ يا إِلهي مَندُوحَةٌ أَن يَتَناوَلُوكَ بَل سَوُّوكَ بِخَلقِكَ، فَمَنْ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَعرِفُوكَ، وَاتَّخَذُوا بَعْضَ آياتِكَ رَبّاً فَبِذلِكَ وَصَفُوكَ فَتَعالَيتَ رَبِّي عَمَّا بِهِ المُشَبِّهُونَ نَعَتُوكَ».

6 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي‏ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الحُسَيْنِ بنِ أَبي الخَطَّابِ، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي نَصْرٍ قالَ: جاءَ قَوْمٌ مِن وَراءَ النَّهرِ إِلى أَبي الحَسَنِ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، فَقالُوا لَهُ: جِئناكَ نَسأَلُكَ عَنْ ثَلاثَ مَسائِلَ، فَإِنَّ أَجَبتَنا فِيها عَلِمنا أَنَّكَ عالِمٌ، فَقالَ: سَلُوا، فَقالُوا أَخبِرنا عَنِ اللَّه تَعالى‏ أَيْنَ كانَ، وَكَيْفَ كانَ؟ وَعَلَى أيِّ شَي‏ءٍ كانَ اِعتِمادُهُ؟ فَقالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ كَيْفَ الكَيفَ فَهُوَبِلا كَيْفٍ، وَأَيَّنَ الأَينَ فَهُوَبِلا أَيْنٍ، وَكانَ اعتِمادُهُ عَلَى قُدْرَتِهِ، فَقالُوا: نَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ عالِمٌ.

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “When the Imam (s) said that God relies on His Might, he (s) meant that God relies on Himself since Might is a part of God.”

11-7 Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Sinani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Barmaki, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Al-Hassan, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Arafa, “I asked Al-Reza (s), ‘Did God create things using His Might or without it?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘You cannot say that God created things using His Might since when you say that God has created thing using His Might, you are considering His Might to be something other than Him. Saying that God has created things using the Might He has had over them[129] is like saying that God’s Might is something other than Him, and He has used it as a tool with which He creates. This is polytheism. When you say that God has created things using some other Might, it is as if you consider that Might to be separate from Him and He gets His Power over things using it. However, God is neither weak and incapable, nor is He in need of others. He is Glorified, and Mighty in nature, and not via an external power.’”

11-8 Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab al-Qurashi narrated that Ahmad ibn Al-Fadhl ibn al-Mugheerat quoted on the authority of Abu Mansoor ibn Abdullah ibn Ibrahim al-Asbahani, on the authority of Ali ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Bashshar, on the authority of Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), “Does God know how things which do not exist would have been if they were created?” The Imam (s) replied, “The Sublime God knows how things are before they are created. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…For We were wont to put on Record all that ye did.’[130] God also said the following about the People of Hell, ‘…But if they were returned, they would certainly relapse to the things they were forbidden, for they are indeed liars.’[131] Thus God knows that if they are brought back to this world, they would go back and do what they had done before. Also when the angels said, ‘…Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? whilst we do celebrate Thy Praises and glorify Thy Holy (Name)? ’[132] God replied, ‘I know what ye know not.’[133] Therefore, the Honorable the Exalted God always knows about things before creating them. Therefore, Blessed is our Lord. High indeed is He

قالَ مُصَنِّفُ هذا الْكِتابِ: يَعْنِي بِقَوْلِه وَكانَ اعتِمادُهُ عَلَى قُدْرَتِهِ أي عَلَى ذاتِهِ، لأَنَّ القُدرَةَ مِن صِفاتِ ذاتِ اللَّهِ تَعالى‏.

7 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أحْمَدَ السَنانِيُّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الكُوفِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيل البَرمَكيِ‏ُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الحَسَنَ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَرَفَةَ قالَ: قُلْتُ لِلرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ:

خَلَقَ اللَّهُ الأَشْياءِ بِالقُدرَةِ أَم بِغَيْرِ القُدرَةِ؟ فَقالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: لا يَجُوزُ أَنْ يَكُونَ خَلَقَ الأَشْياءَ بِالقُدرَةِ لأَنَّكَ إِذا قُلْتُ: خَلَقَ الأَشْياءَ بِالقُدرَةِ، فَكَأَنَّكَ قَدْ جُعِلْتَ القُدرَةَ شَيْئاً غَيْرَهُ وَجَعَلتَها آلَةً لَهُ بِها خَلَقَ الأَشْياءَ، وَهذا شِركٌ، وَإِذا قُلْتُ خَلَقَ الأَشْياءَ بِغَيْرِ قُدْرَةٍ فَإِنَّّما تَصِفُهُ أَنَّهُ جَعَلَها بِاقتِدارٍ عَلَيْها وَقُدْرَةٍ، وَلكِن لَيْسَ هُوَبِضَعيفٍ وَلا عاجِزٍ وَلا مُحْتاجٍ إِلى غَيْرِهِ، بَل هُوَسُبحانَهُ قادِرٌ لِذاتِهِ لا بِالقُدرَةِ.

8 - حَدَّثَنا عَبْدُ اللَّه بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْد الوَهَّابِ القُرَشِيِّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الفَضْلِ بْنِ المُغَيرَةِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو نَصْرٍ مَنْصُورُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ الإصبَهانِيَّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ عَبدِ اللَّهِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، عَنْ أَبي الحَسَنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضاعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ قالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ أَيَعلَمُ اللَّهَ الشَّي‏ءَ الَّذِي لَمْ يَكُنْ أَن لَوْ كانَ كَيْفَ كأَنْ يَكُونُ؟ قالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ هُوَالعالِمُ بِالأَشياءِ قَبْلَ كَوْنِ الأَشْياءِ، قالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخُ ما كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ».

وَقالَ لأَهْلِ النَّارِ: «وَلَوْ رُدُّوا لَعادُوا لِما نُهُوا عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكاذِبُونَ» فَقَدْ عَلِمَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنَّهُ لَوْ رَدَّوهُم لَعادُوا لِما نُهُوا عَنْهُ.

وَلِلمَلائِكَةِ لَمّا قالَتْ: «أَ تَجْعَلُ فِيها مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيها وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّماءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ» قالَ: «إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ» فَلَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عِلمُهُ سابِقاً لِلأَشيـاءِ

Exalted. He is High and Great. He has created things, and knew about them before they were created, just as He willed. Thus is our Lord! He is the All-Knowing, All-Hearing and All-Seeing.

11-9 Abdul Wahid Muhammad ibn Ubdoos al-Attar al-Neisaboori - may God be pleased with him –narrated in the (Arabic) month of Sha’ban of the year 352 A.H. (962 A.D.) in Neishaboor on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Qutayba al-Neishaboori, on the authority of Al-Fadhl ibn Shathan[134] that he had heard Al-Reza (s) pray one day and say, “Glory be to God who has created things with His Might. He perfected whatever He created using His Wisdom. He placed whatever He created in its right place using His Knowledge. Glorified is Him who knows about the deceitful hidden looks and whatever is hidden in the hearts. There exists nothing like unto Him. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

11-10 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdullah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Barmaki, on the authority of Al-Fadhl ibn Soleiman al-Kufi, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid: I heard Al-Reza (s) say, “The Sublime God has always been All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Ever-Living, Ever-Lasting, All-Hearing and All-Seeing.” I asked him, “O son of the Prophet of God! There are some people who say that God has always been All-Knowing with Knowledge, All-Powerful with His Might, Ever-Living with His Life, Ever-Lasting with His Past, and All-Hearing with His Hearing, All-Seeing with His Sight.” The Imam (s) said, “Whoever says this and believes in it has indeed associated other gods as partners with God. He is not under our Mastery at all.” He (s) then added, “The Honorable the Exalted God has always been All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Ever-Living, Ever-Lasting, All-Hearing and All-Seeing by His own High Nature. High indeed is He Exalted above what the polytheists say and the similitude they draw.”

11-11 Al-Hussein ibn Ahmad ibn Idris - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abdul Jabbar, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya,: I asked Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s), “Let me know about the difference between the will of the Sublime God, and the will of the creatures.” The Imam (s) said, “The will of the creatures is in the form of an inner thought, deciding what is

قَدِيماً قَبْلَ إِنِّي يَخلُقَها، فَتَبارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّنا وَتَعالى‏ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً، خَلَقَ الأَشْياءَ وَعِلمُهُ بِها سابِقٌ لَها كَما شاءَ، كَذلِكَ رَبُّنا لَمْ يَزَل عالِماً سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً.

9 - حَدَّثَنا عَبْدُ الواحِدِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدُوسٍ العَطَّارُ النِيْسابُوريُ‏ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بِنِيْسابُورَ في شَعْبانَ سِنَةَ اِثْنَتَيْنِ وَخَمْسِينَ وَثَلاثِمائَةٍ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُتَيْبَةَ النِيْسابُوريُّ، عَنِ الفَضْلِ بْنِ شاذانَ، قالَ: سَمِعْتُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ فِي دُعائِهِ: «سُبْحانَ مَن خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَأِتقَنَ ما خَلَقَ بِحِكْمَتِهِ، وَوَضَعَ كُلَّ شَي‏ءٍ مِنْهُ مَوْضِعَهُ بِعِلمِهِ، سُبْحانَ مَن يَعْلَمُ خائِنَةَ الأَعيُنِ وَما تَخفِي الصُّدُورُ، وَلَيْسَ كَمِثلِهِ شَي‏ءٌ، وَهُوَالسَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ».

10 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْرانَ الدَّقَّاقُ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي عَبدِ اللَّهِ الكُوفِيُّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ البَرمَكِيِّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الفَضْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمانَ الكُوفِيُّ، عَنْ خالِدٍ قالَ: سَمِعْتُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ: لَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ تَعالى‏ عالِماً قادِراً حَيّاً، قَدِيماً سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً.

فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ قَوْماً يَقُولُونَ: لَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ عالِماً بِعِلمٍ، وَقادراً بِقُدرَةٍ، وَحَيّاً بِحَياةٍ، وَقَدِيماً بِقَدَمٍ، وَسَمِيعاً بِسَمعٍ، وَبَصِيراً بِبَصَرٍ، فَقالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: مَن قالَ ذلِكَ وَدانَ بِهِ فَقَدْ اتَّخَذَ مَعَ اللَّهِ آلِهَةً اُخْرى‏ لَيسَ مِن وِلايَتِنا عَلَى شَي‏ءٍ، ثُمَّ قالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: لَمْ يَزَلِ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلِيماً قادِراً حَيّاً قَدِيماً سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً لِذاتِهِ، تَعالى‏ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ وَالمُشَبَّهُونَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

11 - حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ أَبيهِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْد الجَبَّارِ، عَنْ صَفْوان بْنِ يَحْيَى قالَ: قُلْتُ لأَبِي الحَسَنَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَخْبِرنِي عَنِ الإِرادَةِ؛ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعالى‏ وَمِنَ الْخَلْقِ؟ فَقالَ: الإِرادَةُ مِنَ المخلُوقِ الضَّمِيرُ وَما يَبدُو لَهُ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ مِنَ الِفعلِ، وَأَمَّا مِنَ

best to do, and an action that follows. However, the Will of the Honorable the Exalted God is the same as Creation. He does not need to decide and think. These traits do not apply to Him. They are the characteristics of the creatures. Once the Sublime God wills, it is what He does. Nothing else. That is as He says, ‘We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.’[135] without any articulation, verbal expression, directed attention or thought. Just as God Himself does not have a quality of being, His Will has no quality of being.”

11-12 Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja’far al-Hamadani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ali ibn Ma’bad, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid that he told Al-Reza (s), “O son of the Prophet of God! The people narrate that the Messenger of God (s) said, ‘God created Adam in His image.’ The Imam (s) said, ‘May God kill them! They have omitted the beginning part of the tradition. The Messenger of God (s) passed by two men who were verbally abusing each other. The Prophet (s) heard one of them say to his companion, ‘May God disfigure your face and of everyone who looks like you!’ The Prophet of God (s) said, ‘O Abdullah! Do not say this to your brother since indeed the Honorable the Exalted God created Adam in His image.’”[136]

11-13 Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Aasim al-Kolayni - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Kolayni quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Idris, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Ali ibn Sayf, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Obaydah, “I asked Al-Reza (s) about the Honorable the Exalted God’s words, ‘O Satan! What prevents thee from prostrating thyself to the one whom I have created with my hands?…’[137] The Imam (s) said, ‘This means by my Might and Power.’”

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “I have heard from some of the Shiite Sheikhs that the Divine Leaders read ‘O Satan! What prevents thee from prostrating thyself to the one whom I have created…’[138] and then paused on the word ‘created’ and started again with the words ‘with my hands.’ The verse continues with ‘…Art thou haughty? Or art thou one of the high (and mighty) ones?’ [139] This is similar to saying, ‘Do you fight me using my own sword? Do you hit me

اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: فَإرادَتُهُ إِحداثُهُ غَيْرَ ذلِكَ، لأَنَّهُ لا يُرَوِّي وَلا يَهُمُّ وَلا يَتَفَكَّرُ، وَهذِهِ الصِّفاتُ مَنفَيَّةٌ عَنْهُ وَهِيَ مِن صِفاتِ الخَلقِ، فَإِرادَةُ اللَّهِ تَعالى‏ هِيَ الفِعلُ لا غَيْرُ ذلِكَ يَقُولُ لَهُ: «كُنْ فَيَكُونَ»، بِلا لَفظٍ وَلا نُطقٍ بِلِسانٍ وَلا هِمَّةٍ وَلا تَفَكُّرٍ، وَلا كَيْفَ كَذلِكَ، كَما أَنَّهُ بِلا كَيفٍ.

12 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ زِيادِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْهَمَذانيُّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَن عَلِىُّ بْنُ مَعبَدٍ، عَنِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِدٍ قالَ: قُلْتُ لِلرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: يا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنّ‏ن النَّاسَ يَروُونَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ قالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ؟ فَقالَ: قاتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ حَذَفُوا أَوَّلَ الحَدِيثِ: إنَّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ مَرَّ بِرَجُلَينِ يَتَسابانِ، فَسَمَعَ أَحَدَهُما لِصاحِبِهِ: قَبَّحَ اللَّهُ وَجهَكَ وَوَجْهَ مَن يُشبِهُكَ، فَقالَ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: لَهُ يا عَبْدِ اللَّه لا تَقُل هذا لأَخِيكَ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ.

13 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عصامٍ الكُلَيْنِيُّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الكُلَيْنِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ سَيْفٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبِيْدَةَ قالَ: سَأَلْتُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِإِبلِيسَ: «ما مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِما خَلَقْتُ بِيَدَيَّ» قالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: يَعْنِي بِقُدرَتِي وَقُوَّتِي.

قالَ مُصَنِّفُ هذا الْكِتابِ: سَمِعْتُ بَعْضَ مَشايِخِ الشِّيعَةِ يَذكُرُ فِي هذِهِ الآيَةِ: إِنَّ الأَئِمَّةَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ كانُوا يَقِفُونَ عَلَى قَوْلَهُ: «ما مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَسْجُدَ لِما خَلَقْتُ» ثُمَّ يَبتَدِءوُنَ بِقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «بِيَدَيَّ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْعـالِينَ» قـال: وَهـذا مِثلُ قَوْلِ القـائِلِ: بِسَيْفِي

using my own spears?’ Therefore, the Honorable the Exalted God is saying, ‘You have been empowered to be arrogant and disobedient using my own blessings given to you and kindnesses rendered to you.’”

11-14 Al-Hussein ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad ibn Hisham al-Mokattib - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Abul Hussein Muhammad ibn Ja’far al-Kufi al-Asadi quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isma’il al-Barmaki, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Al-Hassan, on the authority of Bakr ibn Salih, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Sa’eed, on the authority of Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s) who said the following regarding the interpretation of the verse, ‘The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration,…’ [140] “This refers to the Day on which the veil from the Light will be drawn aside and the believers fall in prostration but the backs of the hypocrites become so rigid that they cannot fall in prostration.”

11-15 Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taleqani - may God forgive him - narrated that Abu Sa’eed Al-Hussein ibn Ali al-Adawi quoted on the authority of al-Haytham ibn Abdullah al-Rommani that Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) quoted on the authority of his father Musa ibn Ja’far (s), on the authority of his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s), on the authority of his father Al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), “The Commander of the Faithful (s) delivered a sermon in the Kufa Mosque and said, ‘Praise belongs to God, who did not originate from anything, nor did He bring what exists into being from anything. His Beginninglessness is attested to by the temporality (huduth) of things. His Power is attested to by the weakness with which He has branded them (His creatures), and His Ever-Lastingness (dawam) is attested to by the annihilation (fana) which He has subjected them to. No place is empty of Him that He might be perceived by localization (ayniyyah), no object is like Him that He might be described by a quality (kayfiyya), nor is He absent from anywhere that He might be known by a place (haythiyya). His attributes differ from all the attributes that He has originated. He is inaccessible to perception because of the changing essence of the things He has created. No created thing having grandeur and tremendousness can dominate (tasarruf) Him.

تُقاتِلُني وَبِرُمحِي تُطاعَنُني كَأَنَّهُ يَقُولُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: بِنِعمَتِي عَلَيْكَ وَإحسـانِي إِلَيكَ قَوَيتَ عَلَى الإِستِكبارِ وَالعِصيانِ.

14 - حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنُ بْنُ إِبْراهيمَ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِشامٍ المُكَتَّبُ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُوالحُسَيْنِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ الكُوفِيُّ الأَسَدِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ البَرمَكيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحُسَينُ بنُ الحَسَنِ، عَنْ بَكرِ بْنِ صالِحٍ، عَنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبي الحَسَنِ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَنْ ساقٍ وَيَدْعُونَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ» قالَ: حِجابٌ مِن نُورٍ يَكشَفُ فَيِقَعُ الْمُؤْمِنُوُنَ سُجَّداً، وَتُدْمَجُ أَصلابُ المُنافِقِينَ فَلا يَستَطِيعُونَ السُّجُودَ.

15 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو العَبَّاسِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْراهيمَ بْنِ إِسْحاقَ الطَّالِقانِيُّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِىٍّ العَدوِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الهِيْثَمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الرُّمانِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضاعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ، عَنْ أَبيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِىّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ أَبيهِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِبٍ‏عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ قالَ: خَطَبَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ النَّاسَ فِي مَسْجِدِ الكُوفَةَ فَقالَ:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي لا مِن شَي‏ءٍ كانَ، وَلا مِن شَي‏ءٍ كَوَّنَ ما قَدْ كانَ، المُستَشهِدِ بِحُدُوثِ الأَشْياءِ عَلَى أَزَلِيَّتِهِ، وَبِما وَسَمَها بِهِ مِنَ العَجزِ عَلَى قُدرَتِهِ، وَبِما اضطَرَّها إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الفَناءِ عَلَى دَوامِهِ، لَمْ يَخلُ مِنْهُ مَكانٌ فَيُدرِكَ بِأَينِيَّتِهِ، وَلا لَهُ شِبهُ مِثالٍ فَيُوصَفَ بِكَيفِيَّتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَغِب عَنْ فَيَعلَمَ بِحِيثِيَّتِهِ.

مُبايِنٌ لِجَمِيعِ ما أَحَدثَ فِي الصِّفاتِ، وَمُمتَنِعٌ عَنِ الإِدراكِ بِما ابتَدَعَ مِن تَصرِيفِ الذَّواتِ، وَخارِجٌ بِالكِبرِياءِ وَالعَظَمَةِ مِن جَمِيعِ تَصَرُّفِ الحالاتِ، مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى بَوارِعٍ ثاقِبـاتِ الفَطَنِ

It is forbidden to delimit (tahdid) Him to the penetrating acumen of the sages. It is also forbidden to describe (takyeef) Him to the piercing profundities of thought and represent (taswir) Him to the searching probes of insight. Because of His Tremendousness, places encompass Him not; and because of His Majesty measures gauge Him not; and because of His Grandeur standards cannot judge Him. Impossible it is for imaginations to fathom Him, understandings to comprehend Him or minds to imagine Him. Powers of reasoning with lofty aspiration despair of contriving to comprehend Him. Oceans of knowledge run dry without referring to Him in depth; and the subtleties of the disputers fall from loftiness to pettiness in describing His Power. He is One not in terms of number. He is Everlasting (da’im) without duration, and Standing (qa’im) without supports. He is not of a kind that (other) kinds should be equal to Him. He is not an object that objects should be similar to Him. He is not like things that attributes should apply to Him. Powers of reasoning go astray in the waves of the current of perceiving Him. Imaginations are unable to perceive His Beginninglessness. Understandings are held back from becoming conscious of the description of His Power, and minds are drowned in the depths of the heavens of His kingdom (malakut). He is Master over (giving) bounties. He is Inaccessible through Grandeur, and is Sovereign over all things. Time (dahr) does not age Him, nor does description encompass Him. Humbled before Him are the most stubborn in their utmost stubbornness, and submitted to Him are the strongest cords in their utmost realm of strength.

All kinds of creatures witness to His Lordship (rubobiyya). The incapacity of all kinds of creature witness to His Power. The createdness (futur) of all kinds of creatures witness to His eternity (qidmah). The extinction (zawal) of all kinds of creatures witness to His permanence (baqa’). So they possess no place of refuge from His grasp (idrak). There is no exit from His encompassing (ihatah) them. They have no way of hiding themselves from His enumeration (ihsa’). They have no way of avoiding His Power over them. It is sufficient that He has perfectly made them as a sign (ayah). He has put their natural constitution as a Proof. He has established the temporal origin (huduth) of their natures as (a reason for His) Eternity. He has also decreed the Laws of Creation governing over them as a lesson.

تَجدِيدُهُ، وَعَلَى غَوامِضِ ناقِباتِ الفِكَرِ تَكيِيفُهُ، وَعَلَى غَوائِصِ سابِحاتِ النَّظَرِ تَصوِيرُهُ، لا تَحوِيهِ الأَماكِنُ لِعَظَمَتِهِ، وَلا تَدرَعُهُ المَقادِيرُ لِجَلالِه، وَتَقطَعُهُ المَقاييسُ لِكِبريائِهِ مُمتَنِعٌ عَنْ الأَوهامِ أَن تَكتَنَهَهُ، وَعَنِ الأَفهامِ أَن تَستَغرَفَهُ، وَعَنِ الأَذهانِ أَن تُمَثِّلَهُ، وَقَدْ يَئِسَت مِنِ استِنباطِ الإِحاطَةِ بِهِ طَوامِحُ العُقُولِ، وَنَضَبَت عَنِ الإِشارَةِ إِلَيْهِ بِالإِكتِناهِ بِحارُ العُلُومِ، وَرَجَعَت بِالصِّغَرِ عَنِ السُّمُوُّ إِلى وَصفِ قُدرَتِهِ لَطائِفُ الخُصُومِ.

واحِدٌ لا مِن عَدَدٍ، وَدائِمٌ لا بِأَمَدٍ، وَقائِمٌ لا بِعَمَدٍ، لَيْسَ بِجِنسٍ فَتُعادِلَهُ الأَجناسُ وَلا بِشَبَحٍ فَتُضارِعُهُ الأَشباحُ، وَلا كَالأَشياءِ فَتَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ الصِّفاتُ، قَدْ ضَلَّتِ العُقُولُ فِي أَمواجِ تَيَّارِ إِدراكِهِ، وَتَحَيَّرَتِ الأَوهامُ عَنْ إِحاطَةِ ذِكرِ أَزَلِيَّته وَحَصِرَتِ الأَفهامُ عَنِ استِشعارِ وَصفِ قُدرَتِهِ وَغَرِقَتِ الأَذهانُ فِي لُجَجِ أفَلاكِ مَلَكُوتِهِ مُقتَدِرٌ بِالآلاءِ، وَمُمتَنِعٌ بِالكِبرِياءِ، وَمُتَمَلِّكٌ عَلَى الأَشْياءِ فَلا دَهْرٌ يُخلِقُهُ وَلا زَمانٌ يُبلِيهِ وَلا وَصفٌ يُحِيطُ بِهِ، وَقَدْ خَضَعَت لَهُ ثَوابِ‏ُ الصَّعابِ فِي مَحَلِّ تُخُومِ قَرارِها، وَأَذعَنَت لَهُ رَواصِنُ الأَسبابِ فِي مُنْتَهِىَ شَواهِقِ أَقطارِها، مُستَشهِدٌ بِكُلِّيَّةِ الأَجناسِ عَلَى رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ وَبِعَجزِها عَلَى قُدرَتِهِ، وَبِفُطُورِها عَلَى قِدمَتِهِ وَبِزَوالِها عَلَى بَقائِهِ فَلا لَها مَحِيصٌ عَنْ إِدراكِهِ إِيَّاها، وَلا خُروُجٌ مِن إحاطَتِهِ بِها وَلا احتِجابٌ عَنْ إِحصائِهِ لَها وَلا امتِناعٌ مِن قُدرَتِهِ عَلَيْها، كَفى‏ بِإِتقانِ الصُّنعِ لَها آيَةً وَبِمَـركَبِ الطَّبعِ عَلَيْها دِلالَةٌ، وَبِحُدُوثِ الفَطـرِ عَلَيْها قِدمَةً وَبِأَحكامِ الصَّنعَةِ لَها عِبرَةً، فَلا

No limit is attributed to Him, no similitude is struck for Him and nothing is hidden from Him. High indeed is He exalted above the striking of similitude and above created attributes!

And I testify that there is no god but He, having faith in His Lordship and opposing whoever denies Him. I testify that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger, residing in the best lodging-place, having passed from the noblest of loins and immaculate wombs, extracted in lineage from the noblest of treasures and in origin from the noblest of plantations, and (derived) from the most inaccessible of summits and the most glorious roots, from the tree from which God fashioned His Prophets and chose His trusted ones: (a tree) of excellent wood, harmonious stature, lofty branches, flourishing limbs, ripened fruit, (and) noble interior, implanted in generosity and cultivated in a sacred precinct. There it put forth branches and fruit, became strong and unassailable, and then made him (the Prophet Muhammad) tall and eminent, until the Sublime God honored him with the Holy Spirit, the Illuminating Light, and the Manifest Book. Moreover, He subjected Al-Boraq [141] to him and the angels greeted him.

By means of him (the Prophet) He terrified the devils, overthrew the idols and gods (which were being) worshipped besides Him. His Prophet's Tradition (Sunna) is integrity (rushd); his conduct (seera) is justice and his decision is the truth. He proclaimed that which was commanded by his Lord, and he delivered that with which he was charged until he made plain his mission through the profession of Unity and made manifest among the creatures that There is no god but God alone and that there are no partners for Him; until His Unity became certain and His Lordship became purified. God made manifest his argument through the profession of His Unity and raised his rank with submission (Islam). And the Honorable the Exalted God chose for His Prophet what was with Him of repose, rank and means - may God’s Blessings be upon him and his pure Household.’”

11-16 Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Sinani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdillah al-Kufi quoted on the authority of Sahl ibn Ziyad al-Adami, on the authority of Abdul Azeem ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani -may God be pleased with him- on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Abi Mahmood, “I asked Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) about

إِلَيْهِ حَدٌّ مَنسُوبٌ وَلا لَهُ مَثَلٌ مَضرُوبٌ وَلا شَي‏ءٌ عَنْهُ مَحجُوبٌ تَعالى‏ عَنْ ضَربِ الأَمثالِ وَالصِّفاتِ الَمخْلُوقةِ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

وَأَشْهَدُ أَن لا إِلهَ إِلاّ هُوَ، إِيماناً بِرُبُوبِيَّتِهِ وَخِلافاً عَلَى مَن أَنْكَرَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ المُقّرُّ فِي خَيْرَ المُستَقَرِّ المُتَناسِخُ مِن أَكارِمِ الأَصلابِ وَمُطَهَّراتِ الأَرحامِ، الُمخرَجُ مِن أَكْرَمَ المَعادِنِ مُحْتَداً، وَأَفْضَلِ المَنابِتِ مَنبَتاً، مِن أَمنَع ذِروَةٍ وَأَعَزَّ أُرُومَةٍ، مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ الَّتِي صاغَ اللَّهُ مِنْها أَنبِياءَهُ، وَانتَجَبَ مِنْها أُمَناءَهُ، الطَّيِّبَةِ العُودٍ، المُعتَدَلَةِ العَمُودٍ، الباسِقَةِ الفُرُوعِ، النَّاضِرَةِ الغُصُونِ، اليانِعَةِ الِّثمارِ، الكَرِيمَة الجناة في كرم غُرست وَفِي حَرَمِ أنبتت وَفِيهِ تشّعبت و أثمرت وَعِزَّت وَامتنعت فسمت بِهِ وَشمخت حَتّى‏ أَكْرَمَ اللَّه تَعالى‏ بِالروح الأَمِين و النُّور المُبِين وَالْكِتاب المستبين وَسَخَّرَ لَهُ البراق وَصافحتهُ المَلائِكَة وَأرَعَب بِه الأَبالِسَة وَهَدَمَ بِهِ الأصنامَ وَالآلهةَ المَعبُودةَ دُونَهُ سنَّتهُ الرُّشد وَسِيرَتُه العَدْل وحكمُه الحَقِّ صدع بِما أَمَرَهُ بِهِ رَبُّهُ وَبَلَغَ ما حَمَّله حَتّى‏ أفصحَ بِالتّوحيدِ دَعَوْتِه وَأَظْهَرَ فِي الْخَلْقِ: أَن لا إِلهَ إِلاّ اللَّهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ حَتّى‏ خَلَصَت لَهُ الوَحدانِيَّةُ وَصفت [له‏] الربوبيةُ فَأَظهرَ اللَّهُ بِالتّوحيدِ حُجَّتَهُ وَأعَلَى بِالإِسلامَ دَرَجَتَهُ وَاختارَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لنبيهِ ما عنْدَهُ مِنَ الرُّوحُ وَالدرجةِ وَالوَسِيلَةِ صَلَّى اللَّه عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى آلِهِ الطَّاهِرِين.

16 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أحْمَد السَنانِي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبي عَبْدِاللَّه الكُوفِيُ عَنْ سهل بن زِياد الأدمي عَنْ عَبْدِ العَظِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّه الحَسَنِيِّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ أَبي مَحْمُودِ قالَ سَأَلْت أَبَا الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلَ اللَّه تَعالى‏: «وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُماتٍ لا يُبْصِرُونَ» فَقـالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبارَكَ وَتَعـالى‏ لا يوصَـفُ بِالتّرك كَمَـا

the Sublime God’s words, ‘…and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see.’” [142] The Imam (s) said, “Indeed the Blessed the Sublime God cannot be described using such expressions as ‘left’ as His creatures can. But when God knows that they will not quit their atheism and lose, God will deprive them of His Assistance and Favor, and abandon them to do as they please.”

I asked the Imam (s) about the Honorable the Exalted God’s words, ‘God hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing,…’ [143] The Imam (s) said, “What is meant here by ‘seal’ is what is placed on their hearts as a chastisement for their blasphemy as the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘Nay, Allah hath set the seal on their hearts for their blasphemy, and little is it they believe.’” [144]

I asked him (s) whether the Honorable the Exalted God forces His servants to commit sins? The Imam (s) said, “No. He gives them a choice, but gives them time to repent.”

I asked, “Does God oblige His servants to do what they cannot stand to do?” The Imam (s) said, “How could He do that when He Himself has said, ‘…nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His servants.’” [145]

The Imam (s) then added, “My father Musa ibn Ja’far (s) quoted on the authority of his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (as-Sadiq) (s) that you should not eat any of the offerings of or accept the testimony of, or pray behind, or give any alms taxes to whoever thinks that God forces His servants to commit sins or obliges them to do what they cannot stand to do.”

11-17 Tamim ibn Abdullah ibn Tamim al-Quraishi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Ansari, on the authority of Yazid ibn Umayr ibn Mo’awiya ash-Shami that he went to see Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) in Marv and told him, “O son of God’s Prophet (s)! It has been narrated on the authority of As-Sadiq Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s) that ‘There is neither authorization, nor predestination. Rather there is something in between.’ Yazid asked, ‘What does that mean?’ The Imam (s) said, ‘Whoever thinks that God does our deeds and then punishes us for doing them believes in predestination. Whoever thinks that the Honorable the Exalted God has authorized the provision of the daily sustenance for the creatures to His Proofs (s) believes in authorization. Whoever believes in predestination

يوصفُ خلقُهُ وَلكِنَّهُ مَتى‏ عِلْمٌ أَنَّهُمْ لا يرجعونَ عَنْ الكُفْرِ وَالضَّلالِ مَنَعَهُم المُعاوِنَة وَاللّطفَ وَخلّى بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنِ اختيارِهِم قالَ: وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلَ اللَّه عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلى سَمْعِهِمْ» قالَ الختمُ هُوَالطبعُ عَلَى قُلُوبِ الكفّارِ عقوبةً عَلَى كفرِهِم كَما قالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «بَلْ طَبَعَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْها بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلاً».

قالَ وَسألتُهُ عَن اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَلْ يُجبِرُ عِبادَهُ عَلَى المعَاصي فَقالَ بَل يخيِّرُّهم وَيمْهِلُهُم حَتّى‏ يَتُوبُوا قُلْتُ فَهَلْ يُكَلِّفُ عِبادَهُ ما لا يُطيقُونَ فَقالَ: كَيْفَ يَفْعَلُ ذلِكَ وَهُوَيَقُولُ: «وَما رَبُّك َبِظَلَّامٍ لِلْعَبِيدِ» ثُمَّ قالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: حَدَّثَني أَبي مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ عَنْ أَبيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قالَ من زَعمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ يُجبِرُ عِبادَهِ عَلَى المعاصي أَوْ يكلِّفُهُم ما لا يُطيقُونَ فَلا تأكُلُوا ذبيحته وَلا تَقبَلُوا شَهادَتَه وَلاتُصَلُّوا وَراءَه وَلا تُعطُوه مِنَ الزَّكاةِ شَيْئاً.

17 - حَدَّثَنا تَمِيمُ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّه بْنِ تميمِ القُرَشِيُ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي عَنْ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ عَلِى الأَنْصارِي عَنْ [يَ] زِيد بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ بْنِ مُعاوِيَةَ الشَّامِيِّ قالَ دَخَلت عَلَى عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِمرْو فَقُلْتُ له: يا ابْنِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ رُوِىَ لَنا عَنْ الصَّادِق جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدعَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ قالَ: إِنَّهُ لاجَبرَ وَلا تفويضَ بَل أَمْرٌ بَيْنِ أَمْرينِ فَما مَعْناهُ قالَ: مَن زَعَم أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ أَفعالَنا ثُمَّ يعذِّبنا عَلَيْها فَقَدْ قالَ بِالجَبرِ وَمن زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَوَّض أَمْـر الْخَلْقِ والرِّزْق إِلى حُجَجِهِ‏ عَـلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَدْ قـالَ بِالتَّفوِيـض وَالقائِلُ بالجَبرِ

is an atheist and whoever believes in authorization is a polytheist.’ Then I asked the Imam (s), “O son of God’s Prophet! Then what is meant by ‘The affairs are something in between.’” The Imam (s) said, “The way is open to do what God has ordered to be done, and to avoid what He has forbidden.” Then I asked him (s), “Is it not that the Honorable the Exalted God’s Will and Volition is applicable regarding the servants’ deeds?” The Imam (s) replied, “God’s Will and Volition regarding the servants’ acts of obedience applies to God’s Order and His Consent regarding such acts. God’s Will and Volition regarding the servants’ acts of disobedience applies to God’s Wrath and His Forbiddance of such acts of disobedience, plus His not assisting the servants regarding such acts.” I asked, “Does God judge about the servants’ deeds?” The Imam (s) replied, “Yes. Whatever the servants do whether it be a good or a bad deed will be judged by God.” I asked the Imam (s), “What does this mean?” The Imam (s) said, “It means that God will make a ruling as to what reward or punishment they deserve to receive in this world and in the Hereafter for their deeds.”

11-18 Muhammad bin Muhammad ibn Esam - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Kolayni quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad known as Allan, on the authority of Abu Hamid Imran ibn Musa ibn Ibrahim, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Al-Qasim Ar-Raqqam, on the authority of Al-Qasim ibn Muslim, on the authority of his brother Abdul Aziz ibn Muslim, “I asked Al-Reza about the Honorable the Exalted God’s words, ‘…They have forgotten God; so He hath forgotten them…’ [146] The Imam (s) said, ‘The Sublime God neither forgets nor does He neglect. The creatures that are originated forget and neglect. Have you not heard the Honorable the Exalted God say, ‘…and thy Lord never doth forget.’ [147] Rather this verse means that when they forget Him and meeting Him on His Day, the Honorable the Exalted God will make them forget themselves. The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘And be ye not like those who forgot Allah and He made them forget their own souls! Such are the rebellious transgressors!’ [148] Also the Sublime God said, ‘…That day shall We forget them as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs…’ [149] That means that We will abandon them just as they abandoned getting prepared for the meeting of this day of theirs.’”

كافِرٌ وَالقائِلُ بِالتَّفوِيضِ مُشرِكٌ. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: يا ابْنِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، فَما أَمْرٌ بَيْنِ أَمْرين: وُجُود السبيل إِلى إِتِيان ما أُمِرُوا به وَتَركِ ما نَهَوا عَنْهُ. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ: فَهَلْ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مشيةٌ وَإِرَادَةٌ فِي ذلِكَ؟ فَقالَ: فَأَمَّا الطَّاعات فَإِرادَةُ اللَّه وَمشيَّتَهُ فِيها الأَمْر بِها وَالرِّضا لَها وَالمُعاوِنَةُ عَلَيْها وإرادَتَهُ وَمشيَّتُهُ فِي المَعاصِي النَّهْيُ عَنْها وَالسَّخَطُ لَها وَالخِذلانُ عَلَيْها. قُلْتُ: فَهَلْ لِلَّهِ فِيها القَضاءُ؟ قالَ: نعم، ما من فِعلٍ يَفعَلُهُ العِبادُ من خَيْرٍ أَوْ شرٍّ إِلاّ وَلِلَّهِ فِيهِ قضاءٌ. قلتُ: ما مَعْنى‏ هذا القَضاءُ. قالَ: الحُكْمُ عَلَيْهِم بِما يستحقّونَهُ عَلَى أفعالَهُمْ مِنَ الثّوابِ وَالعقابِ في الدُّنْيا وَالآخِرَةِ.

18 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عصام‏ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الكُلَيْنِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا علىُّ بنُ مُحَمَّدٍ المَعْرُوفُ بِعَلاّنَ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو حامِدِ عِمْران بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ إِبْراهيمَ عَنْ حسين بن القاسِمِ الرقَّام عَنْ القاسِمِ بْنِ مُسْلِم عَنْ أَخِيهِ عَبْد العَزِيز بْنِ مُسْلِم قالَ: سَأَلْت الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلَ اللَّه عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ» فَقالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعالى‏ لا ينسى وَلا يسهو وَإِنَّما ينسى و يَسهوُ الَمخلُوق المحدَثُ ألا تَسمَعُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ: «وَما كانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيّاً» وَإِنَّما يجازي من نَسيَهُ وَنَسِيَ لقاء يَوْمِهِ بِأَن يُنسِيَهُم أنفسهم كَما قالَ اللَّه عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَلا تَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَأَنْساهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ أُولئِكَ هُمُ الْفاسِقُونَ» وَقالَ تَعالى‏ «فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْساهُمْ كَمانَسُوا لِقاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هذا» أيُّ نَتْرُكُهم كَما تَرَكُوا الاستِعدَاد لِلقاءِ يَوْمَهُمْ هذا.

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “What is meant by ‘We will abandon them’ is that ‘We will not grant them the rewards they hope to receive on that day.’ This is because physically ‘leaving’ or ‘abandoning’ does not apply to the Sublime God and the Sublime God has said, ‘…and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see.’ [150] This means that God does not rush to punish them. Rather He gives them time to repent.

11-19 Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Mo’athi narrated that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Kufi al-Hamadani quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Fadhdhal, on the authority of his father, “I asked Al-Reza (s) about the meaning of what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘Verily, from (the Light of) their Lord, that Day, will they be veiled.’ [151] The Imam (s) said, ‘One cannot describe the Sublime God to be located in a position from which others are veiled. This verse means that they will be deprived of the reward from their Lord.’ I asked him (s) about the meaning of what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘And thy Lord cometh, and His angels, rank upon rank.’ [152] The Imam (s) said, ‘One cannot describe the Sublime God as coming and going. The Sublime God is Exalted above transfer or movement in this manner. However, what is meant by this verse is that the Decree of your Lord came, and the angels were organized rank upon rank.’ I asked the Imam (s) about the meaning of what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘Will they wait until Allah comes to them in canopies of clouds, with angels (in His train) and the question is (thus) settled?…’ [153] The Imam (s) said, ‘This means, ‘Will they wait until Allah sends the angels to them in canopies of clouds.’ This is how the verse has been revealed.’ I asked him (s) about the meaning of what the Sublime God said, ‘…God will throw back their ridicule on them…’ [154] and ’Allah will throw back their mockery on them…’ [155] and ‘And (the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too planned…’ [156] and ’The Hypocrites - they think they are over-reaching Allah, but He will over- reach them…’ [157] The Imam (s) said, ‘The Sublime God does not ridicule, mock, plan or plot. Rather, the Sublime God grants them the rewards of their ridiculing, mockery, planning and plotting. High indeed is God the Exalted above what the oppressors say.’”

قالَ مُصَنِّفُ هذا الكتاب: قَوْلَهُ «نتركهم» أيُّ لا نجعلُ لَهُم ثَواب من كانَ يَرجُو لِقَاءَ يَومه لأنّ التَّرْكِ لا يَجُوز عَلَى اللَّه تَعالى‏، فَأَمَّا قَوْلَ اللَّه تَعالى‏ «وَتَرَكَهُمْ فِي ظُلُماتٍ لا يُبْصِرُونَ» أيُّ لا يُعاجِلُهُم بِالعقوبةِ وَأمهَلَهُم ليَتُوبُوا.

19 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمَ المعاذي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّد بنِ سَعِيدُ الكُوفِي الهَمْدانِيَّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىُّ بْنُ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ فضّال عَنْ أَبيهِ قالَ: سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لََمحْجُوبُونَ». فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَا يُوصَفُ بِمَكَانٍ يَحُلُّ فِيهِ فَيُحْجَبَ عَنْهُ فِيهِ عِبَادُهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ يَعْنِي أَنَّهُمْ عَنْ ثَوَابِ رَبِّهِمْ مَحْجُوبُونَ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَجاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً» فَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَا يُوصَفُ بِالَْمجِي‏ءِ وَالذَّهَابِ تَعَالَى عَنِ الِانْتِقَالِ إِنَّمَا يَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ «وَجَاءَ أَمْرُ رَبِّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفّاً صَفّاً» قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الْغَمامِ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ قَالَ يَقُولُ هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمْ بِالْمَلَائِكَةِ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الْغَمَامِ وَهَكَذَا نَزَلَتْ قَالَ وَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ وَعَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَعَنْ قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَمَكَرُوا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ وَعَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «يُخادِعُونَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَخادِعُهُمْ» فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «لَا يَسْخَرُ وَلَا يَسْتَهْزِئُ وَلَا يَمْكُرُ وَلَا يُخَادِعُ وَلَكِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُجَازِيهِمْ جَزَاءَ السُّخْرِيَّةِ وَجَزَاءَ الِاسْتِهْزَاءِ وَجَزَاءَ الْمَكْرِ وَالْخَدِيعَةِ تَعَالَى اللَّهُ عَمَّا يَقُولُ الظَّالِمُونَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً».

11-20 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Khazzaz, on the authority of Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s), “On the Resurrection Day God’s Prophet (s) will grab onto the Sublime God, we will grab onto our Prophet and our followers will grab onto us.” Then the Imam (s) added, “What is meant by ‘grab onto’ is grabbing onto light.” In another tradition it is stated “What is meant by ‘grab onto’ is grabbing onto the religion.”

11-21 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Harun al-Sufi quoted on the authority of Ubaydillah ibn Musa ibn Ayyoub Ar-Ro’yani, on the authority of Abdul Azeem ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani - may God be pleased with him - on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Abi Mahmood that he had asked Al-Reza (s), “O son of God’s Prophet! What is your opinion about the tradition which the people narrate about God’s Prophet (s) having said that the Blessed the Sublime God descends from the heavens to this world every Friday night?” The Imam (s) replied, “May God damn those who rearrange the words of the traditions. By God, the Messenger of God (s) has not said this. However, the Prophet (s) said, ‘In fact, the Sublime God will send down an angel from the heavens to this world on the last third part of every night, and from the beginning of every Thursday night. By God’s order, the angel will call out, ‘Are there any callers whose wants I shall fulfill? Are there any repenters whose repentance I shall accept? Are there any people asking for forgiveness to be granted? O the ones seeking the good! Come this way. O the ones seeking evil! Step back!’ This angel will keep on calling out until dawn. It will return to its own location in the heavens at dawn. I have heard this tradition from my father (s), who narrated it on the authority of my grandfather (s), on the authority of his forefathers (s), on the authority of God’s Prophet (s).’”

11-22 Abu Abdullah Al-Hussein ibn Muhammad al-Ashnani Ar-Razi al-Adl in Balkh narrated that Ali ibn Mehrayat al-Qazvini quoted on the authority of Dawood ibn Soleiman al-Farra’, on the authority of Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), on the authority of his father (s), on the authority of his forefathers (s), on the authority of Ali (s) that God’s Prophet (s) said, “When Moses -son of Imran- supplicated to his Lord - the Honorable the

20 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى الخَزَّار عَنْ أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ آخِذٌ بِحُجْزَةِ اللَّهِ وَنَحْنُ آخِذُونَ بِحُجْزَةِ نَبِيِّنَا وَشِيعَتُنَا آخِذُونَ بِحُجْزَتِنَا ثُمَّ قَالَ الْحُجْزَةُ النُّور وَقالَ فِي حَدِيث آخِرَ مَعْنى‏ الحجزة الدِّين.

21 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ هارُون الصوفي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عُبِيْد اللَّه بْنِ موسيبن أَيُّوب الرُّويانِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ العَظِيم بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الحَسَنِيِّ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَنْ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ أَبي مَحْمُودِ قالَ قُلْتُ لِلرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا تَقُولُ فِي الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي يَرْوِيهِ النَّاسُ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَنْزِلُ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَقَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ الُْمحَرِّفِينَ لِلْكَلِمِ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَاللَّهِ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ كَذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا قَالَ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يُنْزِلُ مَلَكاً إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ فِي الثُّلُثِ الأَخِيرِ وَلَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِي أَوَّلِ اللَّيْلِ فَيَأْمُرُهُ فَيُنَادِي هَلْ مِنْ سَائِلٍ فَأُعْطِيَهُ هَلْ مِنْ تَائِبٍ فَأَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِ هَلْ مِنْ مُسْتَغْفِرٍ فَأَغْفِرَ لَهُ يَا طَالِبَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ يَا طَالِبَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ فَلَا يَزَالُ يُنَادِي بِهَذَا إِلَى أَنْ يَطْلُعَ الْفَجْرُ فَإِذَا طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ عَادَ إِلَى مَحَلِّهِ مِنْ مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاءِ حَدَّثَنِي بِذَلِكَ أَبِي عَنْ جَدِّي عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ‏

22 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّه الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد الأشنانِي الرَّازِيُّ العَدْل ببلخ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مهرويه القزويني عَنْ داوُدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمان الفراء عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ أَبيهِ عَنْ آبائِه عَنْ عَلِيِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إِنَّ مُوسَى بْنَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ لَمَّا نَاجَى رَبَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَبَعِيدٌ أَنْتَ مِنِّي فَأُنَــادِيَكَ أَمْ

Exalted - he said, “O Lord! Are you far away from me, so as to call you in a loud voice, or are you close to me and I can speak to you in a low voice?” The Honorable the Exalted God revealed to him, “I accompany whoever remembers Me.” Then Moses (s) said, “O Lord! There are situations I am in which I consider Thee to be High Too Noble to be remembered.” God said, “Remember Me in all situations.”

11-23 Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluwayh - may God be pleased with him -narrated that Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of al-Mokhtar ibn Muhammad al-Mokhtar al-Hamadani, on the authority of al-Fath ibn Yazid al-Gorgani that he had heard Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) say the following regarding the Honorable the Exalted God, “He is Subtle, All-Aware, All-Hearing, All-Seeing, the Only One, the Independent who begetteth not, nor is He begotten, High is He Exalted above having an equal with which to be compared. He has created the objects. He has formed the bodies. He has depicted the images. If it were the case as they say, then the Creator and the created could not be distinguished from each other. The Maker could not be distinguished from the made. However, He is the Maker. There is a difference between Him and what He made, formed and created since nothing is similar to God, and God is not similar to anything.”

Al-Fath ibn Yazid al-Gorgani added, “I said, ‘Yes. May I be your ransom! However, you said He is the Only, the Independent. You also said that there is nothing like Him. God is One and man is also one. Is it not the case then that they are alike in being one?’

Imam Al-Reza (s) replied, ‘O Fath! You are saying the impossible. May the Sublime God make you firm! That is a similitude in meanings. The names used for everything are the same. They denote the named. When we say man is one, we mean that he has one body, not two. However, man is not really one since he contains various organs and is of various colors. Man consists of a set of different parts. His meat is different from his blood. His blood is different from his meat. His nerves are different from his veins. His hair is different from his skin. His blackness is different from his whiteness. Other creatures are the same. Therefore, as far as the name goes, man is one. But in reality man is not one. However, God - the Exalted the Magnificent - is One. There is no other one but Him. There are no differences in Him or within Him. There are no

قَرِيبٌ فَأُنَاجِيَكَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ إِلَيْهِ أَنَا جَلِيسُ مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فَقَالَ مُوسَى عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَا رَبِّ إِنِّي أَكُونُ فِي حَالٍ أُجِلُّكَ أَنْ أَذْكُرَكَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ يَا مُوسَى اذْكُرْنِي عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ.

23 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى ماجِيلوَيْه رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَنِ الُمخْتار بن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الُمخْتار الهَمْدانِيَّ، عَنِ الفَتحِ بْنِ يَزِيدِ الجُرجانِيّ، عَنْ أَبي الحَسَن‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: هُوَاللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْوَاحِدُ الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ، مُنْشِىُ الأَشْيَاءِ وَمُجَسِّمُ الأَجْسَامِ وَمُصَوِّرُ الصُّوَرِ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ، لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْخَالِقُ مِنَ الَْمخْلُوقِ وَلا الْمُنْشِىُ، مِنَ الْمُنْشَإِ فَرْقٌ بَيْنَ مَنْ جَسَّمَهُ وَصَوَّرَهُ وَأَنْشَأَهُ إِذْ كَانَ لا يُشْبِهُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يُشْبِهُ هُوَشَيْئاً.

قُلْتُ أَجَلْ، جَعَلَنِيَ اللَّهُ فِدَاكَ، لَكِنَّكَ قُلْتَ: الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ، وَقُلْتَ لا يُشْبِهُ شَيْئاً وَاللَّهُ وَاحِدٌ، وَالإِنْسَانُ وَاحِدٌ أَلَيْسَ قَدْ تَشَابَهَتِ الْوَحْدَانِيَّةُ؟ قَالَ: يَا فَتْحُ أَحَلْتَ ثَبَّتَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّمَا التَّشْبِيهُ فِي الْمَعَانِي فَأَمَّا فِي الأَسْمَاءِ فَهِيَ وَاحِدَةٌ وَهِيَ دَلالَةٌ عَلَى الْمُسَمَّى، وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الإِنْسَانَ وَإِنْ قِيلَ وَاحِدٌ فَإِنَّمَا يُخْبَرُ أَنَّهُ جُثَّةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ، وَلَيْسَ بِاثْنَيْنِ، فَالإِنْسَانُ نَفْسُهُ لَيْسَ بِوَاحِدٍ، لأَنَّ أَعْضَاءَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ وَأَلْوَانَهُ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ كَثِيرَةٌ غَيْرُ وَاحِدَةٍ وَهُوَأَجْزَاءٌ مُجَزَّأٌ لَيْسَتْ بِسَوَاءٍ دَمُهُ غَيْرُ لَحْمِهِ وَلَحْمُهُ غَيْرُ دَمِهِ وَعَصَبُهُ غَيْرُ عُرُوقِهِ وَشَعْرُهُ غَيْرُ بَشَرِهِ وَسَوَادُهُ غَيْرُ بَيَاضِهِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَائِرُ الْخَلْقِ فَالإِنْسَانُ وَاحِدٌ فِي الاسْمِ لا وَاحِدٌ فِي الْمَعْنَى وَاللَّهُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ وَاحِدٌ لا وَاحِدَ غَيْرُهُ لا اخْتِلافَ فِيهِ، وَلا تَفَاوُتَ وَلا زِيَـادَةَ وَ[لا] نُقْصَـانَ فَأَمَّـا الإِنْسَـانُ

excesses in Him, nor are there any deficiencies in Him. However, man is a created creature which consists of many different parts. Although he is united as one, he has differences within himself. He has excesses and deficiencies.’

I said, ‘May I be your ransom! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief. Please explain for me ‘the Subtle’ and ‘the All-Aware” just as you explained ‘the Only.’ I do know that God’s subtleness is different from the subtleness of His creatures. However, I would like you to describe that for me.’

The Imam (s) said, ‘O Fath! The reason we call Him ‘the Subtle’ is that He is very subtle in creating. He is aware of delicate objects as well as indelicate ones. Don’t you see the effect of His Creation in delicate and rough plants, and in the Creation of creatures - small ones like mosquitoes and tiny mosquitoes, and even smaller ones which can hardly be seen by the eyes - so tiny that one cannot distinguish between the male, female, young or old? When we see their smallness yet their degree of being delicate, and consider their own ways of generation, the way they escape from death, the way they fulfill their needs from the depths of the sea, the bark of the tree, the surface of the valleys and the deserts, the way they speak and make others understand them, the way the younger ones understand their elders, the way the parents feed the children, the way they are colored in red and yellow, or white and green, and what our eyes can hardly see and our hands cannot touch, then we realize that the creator of these creatures is Subtle, and has carried out the Creation of the creatures as described before in a delicate manner and without using any tools. Any creator creates what he creates using something else, but the Mighty the Subtle God is the Creator who creates without using anything.’”

11-24 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Idris quoted on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ubaydillah, Musa ibn Umar, Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Uthman, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sinan, “I asked Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s): ‘Did God know Himself before He created the Creation?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Did He see and hear Himself?’ The Imam (s) said, ‘He had no need for that, for He neither required anything of Himself nor sought

الَْمخْلُوقُ الْمَصْنُوعُ الْمُؤَلَّفُ مِنْ أَجْزَاءٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَجَوَاهِرَ شَتَّى غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ بِالاجْتَِماعِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَاحِدٌ.

قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ، فَقَوْلُكَ: 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 وَغَيْرِ اللَّطِيفِ، وَفِي الْخَلْقِ اللَّطِيفِ مِنَ الْحَيَوَانِ الصِّغَارِ مِنَ الْبَعُوضِ وَالْجِرْجِسِ وَمَا هُوَأَصْغَرُ مِنْهُمَا مَا لا يَكَادُ تَسْتَبِينُهُ الْعُيُونُ، بَلْ لا يَكَادُ يُسْتَبَانُ لِصِغَرِهِ الذَّكَرُ مِنَ الأُنْثَى وَالْحَدَثُ الْمَوْلُودُ مِنَ الْقَدِيمِ، فَلَمَّا رَأَيْنَا صِغَرَ ذَلِكَ فِي لُطْفِهِ وَاهْتِدَاءَهُ لِلسِّفَادِ وَالْهَرَبَ [الْهَرَبِ] مِنَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْجَمْعَ [الْجَمْعِ] لِمَا يُصْلِحُهُ مِمَّا فِي لُجَجِ الْبِحَارِ وَمَا فِي لِحَاءِ الأَشْجَارِ وَالْمَفَاوِزِ وَالْقِفَارِ، وَفَهْمَ [فَهْمِ] بَعْضِهَا عَنْ بَعْضٍ مَنْطِقَهَا وَمَا يَفْهَمُ بِهِ أَوْلادُهَا عَنْهَا وَنَقْلَهَا [نَقْلِهَا] الْغِذَاءَ إِلَيْهَا ثُمَّ تَأْلِيفَ أَلْوَانِهَا حُمْرَةً مَعَ صُفْرَةٍ وَبَيَاضاً مَعَ خُضْرَةٍ، وَمَا لا تَكَادُ عُيُونُنَا تَسْتَبِينُهُ بِتََمامِ خَلْقِهَا وَلا تَرَاهُ عُيُونُنَا وَلا تَلْمِسُهُ أَيْدِينَا، عَلِمْنَا أَنَّ خَالِقَ هَذَا الْخَلْقِ لَطِيفٌ لَطُفَ فِي خَلْقِ مَا سَمَّيْنَاهُ بِلا عِلاجٍ وَلا أَدَاةٍ وَلا آلَةٍ وَأَنَّ كُلَّ صَانِعِ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَمِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ صَنَعَ وَاللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ اللَّطِيفُ الْجَلِيلُ خَلَقَ وَصَنَعَ لا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

24 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِدْرِيس، عَنِ الحُسَيْن بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْد اللَّه وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُمَر وَالحَسَن بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي عُثْمان، عَنْ مُحَمّد بن سَنان قالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: هَلْ كَانَ اللَّهُ عَارِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ قُلْتُ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْمَعُهَا قَالَ مَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجاً إِلَى ذَلِكَ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَسْأَلُهَا وَلا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهَا هُوَنَفْسُهُ وَنَفْسُهُ هُوَقُدْرَتُهُ نَافِذَةٌ فَلَيْسَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَنْ يُسَـمِّيَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ

anything from Himself. He was Himself and Himself was He. His Power was All-Pervasive. Therefore, He has no need to name Himself. However, He has chosen Names for Himself for others to call Him by, for if He were not called by His Name, He would not have been known. The first that He chose for Himself was, ‘…He is the Highest, the Supreme (in glory).’ [158] (i.e. God is Al ‘ali Al 'azim in Arabic) since He is Exalted above all things. His Meaning is Allah and His Name is Al 'Ali Al 'Azim since He is Exalted above everything.’”

11-25 According to the same documentation, it is narrated that Muhammad ibn Sinan asked him (s) (i.e. Al-Reza (s)) what a name is. The Imam (s) replied, “It is something to describe something else with.”

11-26 Muhammad ibn Bakran an-Naqqash - may God be pleased with him - narrated in Kufa in the year 354 A.H. (964 A.D.) that Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’eed al-Hamadani - a chief of the Hashemite tribe, quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Fadhdhal, on the authority of Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), “The first thing which God created so that the people can learn how to write through its Creation were the letters of the alphabet. When someone is hit over the head so hard that he cannot talk well, the decree on compensation is that he be presented with the letters of the alphabet. He is given money as compensation based on the number of the letters of the alphabet which he cannot pronounce. My father (s) narrated that his father (s) quoted on the authority of his grandfather (s) on the authority of the Commander of the Faithful (s):

The letter ‘Alif in (‘alif ‘ba ‘ta ‘sa) stands for God’s Blessings. The letter ‘ba in (‘alif ‘ba ‘ta ‘sa) stands for God’s Joy. The letter ‘ta in (‘alif ‘ba ‘ta ‘sa) stands for the completion of the affairs for the Riser from the Household of Muhammad (s). The letter ‘sa in (‘alif ‘ba ‘ta ‘sa) stands for the rewards for the good deeds of the believers. The letter ‘jim in (‘jim ‘ha ‘kha) stands for God’s Glory and Exaltation. The letter ‘ha (‘jim ‘ha ‘kha) stands for God’s Clemency with the sinners. The letter ‘kha (‘jim ‘ha ‘kha) stands for the sluggishness of the sinners in the presence of the Honorable the Exalted God.

The letter ‘dal in (‘dal ‘zal) stands for God’s Religion, and the letter ‘zal in (‘dal ‘zal) stands for the Lord of Majesty. The letter ‘ra in (‘ra ‘za) stands for the Clement, the Merciful, and the letter ‘za in (‘ra ‘za) stands for the Quakes of the Resurrection.

اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ أَسْمَاءَ لِغَيْرِهِ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا لانَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يُدْعَ بِاسْمِهِ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ فَأَوَّلُ مَا اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ لانَّهُ أَعْلَى الأَسْمَاءِ كُلِّهَا فَمَعْنَاهُ اللَّهُ وَاسْمُهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ هُوَأَوَّلُ أَسْمَائِهِ لانَّهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلا كُلَّ شَيْ‏ء.

25 - وَبِهذَا الإسناد عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَنان قالَ سَأَلْته - يَعْنِي الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ - عَنِ الاسم ما هُوَ؟ فَقالَ: صِفَةٌ لِمَوصُوف.

26 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بَكْرِان النقاش رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ بِالْكُوفَةِ سِنَةَ أَرْبَعَ وَخَمْسِينَ وَثَلاثِمائَةٍ حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدُ الهَمْدانِيَّ، مَوْلى‏ بَنِي هاشِم قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ فَضّال، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبي الحَسَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ قالَ: إِنَّ أَوَّلَ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ [مَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ] عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِيُعَرِّفَ بِهِ خَلْقَهُ الْكِتَابَةَ حُرُوفُ الْمُعْجَمِ، وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ إِذَا ضُرِبَ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ بِعَصاً، فَزَعَمَ أَنَّهُ لا يُفْصِحُ بِبَعْضِ الْكَلامِ، فَالْحُكْمُ فِيهِ أَنْ تُعْرَضَ عَلَيْهِ حُرُوفُ الْمُعْجَمِ، ثُمَّ يُعْطَى الدِّيَةَ بِقَدْرِ مَا لَمْ يُفْصِحْ مِنْهَا وَلَقَدْ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنْ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي (أ ب ت ث) قَالَ: الأَلِفُ آلاءُ اللَّهِ، وَالْبَاءُ بَهْجَةُ اللَّهِ، وَالتَّاءُ تَمَامُ الأَمْرِ بِقَائِمِ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، وَالثَّاءُ ثَوَابُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى أَعْمَالِهِمُ الصَّالِحَةِ.

(ج ح خ) فَالْجِيمُ جَمَالُ اللَّهِ وَجَلالُ اللَّهِ، وَالْحَاءُ حِلْمُ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ، وَالْخَاءُ خُمُولُ ذِكْرِ أَهْلِ الْمَعَاصِي عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

(د ذ) فَالدَّالُ دِينُ اللَّهِ وَالذَّالُ مِنْ ذِي الْجَلالِ.

(ر ز) فَالرَّاءُ مِنَ الرَّءُوفِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالزَّايُ زَلازِلُ الْقِيَامَةِ.

The letter ‘sin in (‘sin ‘shin) stands for God’s Luminance and the letter ‘shin in (‘sin ‘shin) stands for God’s Will whatever He willed and Wish whatever He wished. There is no will except for what God willed. And the letter ‘sad in (‘sad ‘zad) stands for the True Promiser in carrying the people across the Bridge[159] , and imprisoning the oppressors at the observation post. The letter ‘zad in (‘sad ‘zad) stands for the loss of whoever opposes Muhammad (s) and Muhammad’s Household (s). The letter ‘thayn in (‘thayn ‘zayn) stands for Prosperity and a Good Ending for the believers. The letter ‘zayn in (‘thayn ‘zayn) stands for and the optimism of the believers about God, and the pessimism of the unbelievers about God. The letter ‘ayn in (‘ayn ‘qayn) stands for knowledge and the letter ‘qayn in (‘ayn ‘qayn) stands for sufficiency. The letter ‘fa in (‘fa ‘qa) stands for flame from the flames of the Fire, and the letter ‘qa in (‘fa ‘qa) stands for the Quran whose compilation and recital is God’s responsibility.

The letter ‘kaf in (‘kaf ‘lam) stands for sufficient, and the letter ‘lam in (‘kaf ‘lam) stands for the absurdity of the unbelievers in the lies which they ascribe to God. The letter ‘mim in (‘mim ‘noon) stands for God’s Dominion on the Day on which there is no other dominion. The Honorable the Exalted God says, ‘…Whose will be the dominion that Day?…’ [160]

Then the spirits of the Prophets, the Messengers and the Proofs (the Imams) will say, ‘…That of Allah, the One the Irresistible!’ [161]

Then God - the Exalted the Magnificent - says, ‘That Day will every soul be requited for what it earned; no injustice will there be that Day, for Allah is Swift in taking account.’[162] And the letter *‘*noon’ in (‘mim ‘noon) stands for the blessings which God grants the believers, and is the punishments which He imposes on the unbelievers. And the letter ‘vave’ in (‘vave ‘ha) stands for the one who disobeys God and the letter ‘ha’ in (‘vave ‘ha) stands for the insignificance of those who disobey in the presence of God. And the letter ‘la in (‘la ‘ya) stands for the letter ‘la in ‘la illaha illa Allah’ which is the expression of sincere devotion. Paradise will be incumbent for whoever sincerely says it. And the letter ‘ya’ in (‘la ‘ya) stands for God’s Hand which is expanded over all His creatures to feed them. Glorified and High is He opposed to what the polytheists profess.”

(س ش) فَالسِّينُ سَنَاءُ اللَّهِ، وَالشِّينُ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا شَاءَ وَأَرَادَ مَا أَرَادَ وَما تَشاؤُنَ إِلا أَنْ يَشاءَ اللَّهُ.

(ص ض) فَالصَّادُ مِنْ صَادِقِ الْوَعْدِ فِي حَمْلِ النَّاسِ عَلَى الصِّرَاطِ وَحَبْسِ الظَّالِمِينَ عِنْدَ الْمِرْصَادِ، وَالضَّادُ ضَلَّ مَنْ خَالَفَ مُحَمَّداً وَآلَ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ.

(ط ظ) فَالطَّاءُ طُوبَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَحُسْنُ مَ‏آبٍ وَالظَّاءُ ظَنُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِهِ خَيْراً وَظَنُّ الْكَافِرِينَ بِهِ سُوءاً.

(ع غ) فَالْعَيْنُ مِنَ الْعَالِمِ وَالْغَيْنُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ ف ق فَالْفَاءُ فَوْجٌ مِنْ أَفْوَاجِ النَّارِ وَالْقَافُ قُرْآنٌ، عَلَى اللَّهِ جَمْعُهُ وَقُرْآنُهُ.

(ك ل) فَالْكَافُ مِنَ الْكَافِي، وَاللامُ لَغْوُ الْكَافِرِينَ فِي افْتِرَائِهِمْ عَلَى اللَّهِ الْكَذِبَ.

(م ن) فَالْمِيمُ مُلْكُ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ لا مَالِكَ غَيْرُهُ وَيَقُولُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ» ثُمَّ يُنْطِقُ أَرْوَاحَ أَنْبِيَائِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَحُجَجِهِ فَيَقُولُونَ: «لِلَّهِ الْواحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ»، فَيَقُولُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ: «الْيَوْمَ تُجْزى‏ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِما كَسَبَتْ لا ظُلْمَ الْيَوْمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسابِ» وَالنُّونُ نَوَالُ اللَّهِ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَنَكَالُهُ بِالْكَافِرِينَ.

(و ه) فَالْوَاوُ وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَالْهَاءُ هَانَ عَلَى اللَّهِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ.

(لا ي) فَلامُ أَلِفٍ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ، وَهِيَ كَلِمَةُ الإِخْلاصِ، مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ قَالَهَا مُخْلِصاً، إِلا وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ، وَالْيَاءُ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ خَلْقِهِ بَاسِطَةً بِالرِّزْقِ، سُبْحانَهُ وَتَعالى‏ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ.

The Imam (s) then added, “The Blessed the Sublime God revealed this Quran using the same letters which the Arabs use, and said, ‘Say, If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support.’ [163]“

11-27 Abdul Wahid Muhammad ibn Ubdoos al-Neishaboori al-Attar - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Qutayba al-Neishaboori quoted on the authority of Hamdan ibn Soleiman al-Neishaboori, “I asked Al-Reza about the Honorable the Exalted God’s words, ‘Those whom God (in His plan) willeth to guide, He openeth their breasts to Islam…’ [164] The Imam (s) said, ‘Those whom God wishes to guide in their faith in this world towards Paradise and His House of Munificence in the Hereafter, He will open their breasts to submit to God, rely on Him, get calmed by the rewards that He has promised until they trust Him. But regarding ‘…those whom He willeth to leave straying…’ [165] to be deprived of His Paradise and His Home of His Munificence in the Hereafter due to their disbelief in it and their disobedience of God in this world. ‘…He maketh their breast close and constricted…’ [166] so that they fall in doubt in his state of disbelief. God will upset their belief in their heart as things get so hard for them ‘…as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus doth God (heap) the penalty on those who refuse to believe.’” [167]

11-28 Muhammad ibn Ali Majiluwayh - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his uncle Muhammad ibn Abil Qasim quoted on the authority of Abu Sameena Muhammad ibn Ali al-Kufi al-Sayrafi, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Khorasani - the servant of Al-Reza (s), “One of the hypocrites (zanadiqa) entered into the presence of the Imam (s) when there were some people with him. Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) asked him, ‘Are we equal even if your point of view is the correct one? Has not all our prayers, fasting, giving alms taxes and our acknowledgment of our beliefs have not harmed us?’ The hypocrite remained silent. Then Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) added, ‘If the correct view is our view - which is the case - then have you not perished and have we not gained salvation?’ The man said, ‘May God's Mercy be upon you! Can you let me know how He is and where He is?’ The Imam (s) answered, ‘Woe be to you! Surely what you think is wrong. He has created the 'where' while He existed when there was no ‘where’; and He

ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَنْزَلَ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ بِهَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ الَّتِي يَتَدَاوَلُهَا جَمِيعُ الْعَرَبِ ثُمَّ قَالَ: «قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الإِنْسُ وَالْجِنُّ عَلى‏ أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هذَا الْقُرْآنِ لا يَأْتُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلَوْ كانَ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيراً».

27 - حَدَّثَنا عَبْد الواحِدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدُوسٍ العَطَّار رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ النِيْسابُوري، عَنْ حَمْدانَ بْنِ سُلَيْمان بْنِ النِيْسابُوري قالَ: سَأَلْت الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «فَمَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلإِسْلامِ قَالَ مَنْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَهْدِيَهُ بِإِيمَانِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا إِلَى جَنَّتِهِ وَدَارِ كَرَامَتِهِ فِي الآْخِرَةِ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلتَّسْلِيمِ لِلَّهِ وَالثِّقَةِ بِهِ وَالسُّكُونِ إِلَى مَا وَعَدَهُ مِنْ ثَوَابِهِ حَتَّى يَطْمَئِنَّ إِلَيْهِ وَمَنْ يُرِدْ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُ عَنْ جَنَّتِهِ وَدَارِ كَرَامَتِهِ فِي الآْخِرَةِ لِكُفْرِهِ بِهِ وَعِصْيَانِهِ لَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقاً حَرَجاً حَتَّى يَشُكَّ فِي كُفْرِهِ وَيَضْطَرِبَ مِنِ اعْتِقَادِهِ قَلْبُهُ حَتَّى يَصِيرَ كَأَنَّما يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّماءِ كَذلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللَّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لا يُؤْمِنُون».

28 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى ماجِيلوَيْه رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَني عَمِّي مُحَمَّد بن أَبي القاسِم قالَ: حَدَّثَني أَبُو سَمينَةِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى الكُوفِي الصَّيْرَفيِّ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّه الخراسانِيِّ خادِمُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: دَخَلَ‏دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الزَّنَادِقَةِ عَلَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَعِنْدَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ الْقَوْلُ قَوْلَكُمْ وَلَيْسَ هُوَكَمَا تَقُولُونَ أَلَسْنَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ شَرَعاً سَوَاءً، وَلا يَضُرُّنَا مَا صَلَّيْنَا وَصُمْنَا وَزَكَّيْنَا وَأَقْرَرْنَا؟ فَسَكَتَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إِنْ يَكُنْ الْقَوْلُ قَوْلَنَا - وَهُوَقُولُنا - كَمَا نَقُولُ، أَلَسْتُمْ قَدْ هَلَكْتُمْ وَنَجَوْنَا؟

قَالَ: رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ، فَأَوْجِدْنِي كَيْفَ هُوَ؟ وَأَيْنَ هُوَ؟ قَالَ: وَيْلَكَ! إِنَّ الَّذِي ذَهَبْتَ إِلَيْهِ غَلَـطٌ.

fashioned the 'how' while He existed when there was no 'how.' So He is not known through qualities of ‘how to be’ or ‘where to be’ or through any form of perception by our senses, nor can He be gauged by any means.’”

The man said, “So then surely He is nothing (la shay') if He cannot be perceived by any of the senses.”

Abul Hassan (s) said, “Woe be to you! When your senses fail to perceive Him, you deny His Lordship? But when our senses fail to perceive Him, we know for certain that He is our Lord and that He is something different from other things.

The man said, “Then tell me, when was He?”

Abul Hassan (Imam Al-Reza (s)) said, “Tell me when He was not, and then I will tell you when He was.”

The man said, “Then what is the proof of Him?”

Abul Hassan (Imam Al-Reza (s)) said, “Surely when I contemplate about my body and see that it is impossible for me to increase or decrease its breadth and height, or to keep unpleasant things away from it, or draw benefits to it, then I know that this structure has a maker. And I acknowledge Him considering that which I have seen of the rotation of the celestial sphere by His Power; the production of the clouds; the movements of the winds; the procession of the Sun, the Moon and the stars; and others of His wondrous and perfectly created signs, has (already) made me know that all these have a Determiner (muqaddir) and an Originator (munshi’).”

The man said, “Then why has He veiled Himself (from men)?”

The Imam (s) replied, “Surely the veil is upon creatures because of the abundance of their sins. As for Him, no secret is hidden from Him during the day or at night.”

The man said, “Then why does the sense of sight not perceive Him?”

The Imam (s) answered, “Because of the difference between Him and His creatures who are perceived by the vision of the eyes, whether their own or others. Then He is Exalted above that to be perceived by the sight, encompassed by imagination, or delineated by the power of reasoning.”

هُوَ أَيَّنَ الأَيْنَ وَكَانَ وَلا أَيْنَ وَهُوَكَيَّفَ الْكَيْفَ، وَكَانَ وَلا كَيْفَ فَلا يُعْرَفُ بِكَيْفُوفِيَّةٍ وَلا بِأَيْنُونِيَّةٍ وَلا بِحَاسَّةٍ، وَلا يُقَاسُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ.

قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَإِذَنْ إِنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ إِذَا لَمْ يُدْرَكْ بِحَاسَّةٍ مِنَ الْحَوَاسِّ، فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: وَيْلَكَ لَمَّا عَجَزَتْ حَوَاسُّكَ عَنْ إِدْرَاكِهِ أَنْكَرْتَ رُبُوبِيَّتَهُ وَنَحْنُ إِذَا عَجَزَتْ حَوَاسُّنَا عَنْ إِدْرَاكِهِ أَيْقَنَّا أَنَّهُ رَبُّنَا، وَأَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِخِلافِ الأَشْيَاءِ. قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي مَتَى كَانَ؟ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَخْبِرْنِي مَتَى لَمْ يَكُنْ فَأُخْبِرَكَ مَتَى كَانَ.

قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَمَا الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ؟ قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ: إِنِّي لَمَّا نَظَرْتُ إِلَى جَسَدِي فَلَمْ يُمْكِنِّي فِيهِ زِيَادَةٌ وَلا نُقْصَانٌ فِي الْعَرْضِ وَالطُّولِ وَدَفْعُ الْمَكَارِهِ عَنْهُ وَجَرُّ الْمَنْفَعَةِ إِلَيْهِ، عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ لِهَذَا الْبُنْيَانِ بَانِياً، فَأَقْرَرْتُ بِهِ مَعَ مَا أَرَى مِنْ دَوَرَانِ الْفَلَكِ بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَإِنْشَاءِ السَّحَابِ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ، وَمَجْرَى الشَّمْسِ وَالْقَمَرِ وَالنُّجُومِ، وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ مِنَ الآْيَاتِ الْعَجِيبَاتِ الْمُتْقَنَاتِ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ لِهَذَا مُقَدِّراً وَمُنْشِئاً.

قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَلِمَ احْتَجَبَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ الْحِجَابَ عَلَى [عَن خ ب] الْخَلْقِ لِكَثْرَةِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ فَأَمَّا هُوَفَلا تَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ خَافِيَةٌ فِي آنَاءِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ.

قَالَ: فَلِمَ لا تُدْرِكُهُ حَاسَّةُ الْبَصَرِ؟ قَالَ: لِلْفَرْقِ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ الَّذِينَ تُدْرِكُهُمْ حَاسَّةُ الأَبْصَارِ مِنْهُمْ وَمِنْ غَيْرِهِمْ، ثُمَّ هُوَأَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُدْرِكَهُ بَصَرٌ، أَوْ يُحِيطَ بِهِ وَهْمٌ، أَوْ يَضْبِطَهُ عَقْلٌ.

The man said, “Then, define His limits for me.” The Imam (s) answered, “He has no limits.” The man asked, “Why?” The Imam (s) answered, “Because every limited thing ends at its limit. If limitation is possible, then extension is also possible. If extension is possible; then constriction is also possible. But He is unlimited. He is neither extended nor is He constrained. He cannot be divided, nor can He be perceived by the imagination.”

The man said, “Then tell me about your saying that He is Subtle, All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-Knowing and All-Wise. Can He be the All-Hearing without ears, the All-Seeing without eyes, the Subtle without working with hands and the All-Wise without workmanship?”

Abul Hassan (s) said, “Surely a person among us is subtle in accordance with (his) skill in workmanship. Have you not seen the man who undertakes a task and is subtle in his handling of it, so that it is said, 'How subtle is so and so!' Then how should it not be said of the Majestic Creator that He is Subtle, when He creates a subtle and majestic Creation, places in its living creatures their souls, creates every kind different in form from its own kind, and none resembles any of the other ones? Each possesses in the composition of its form a subtlety from the Subtle and All-Aware Creator.”

“Then we look upon the trees and their bearing of delicate things, whether edible or not, and we say that 'Surely our Creator is Subtle, (but) not like the subtlety of His creatures in their workmanship.'

And we say, 'Surely He is All-Hearing, since not hidden from Him are the sounds of His creatures between the Throne and the Earth, from a mote to what is larger than that, both in the land and at sea. And their words are not confused by Him.' We say that 'Surely He is All-Hearing, but not through ears.'“

“Then we say, 'Surely He is All-Seeing, but not through eyes, for He sees the trace of a black speck on a dark night on a black stone. He sees the tracks of an ant in a pitch-black night. He sees what is harmful for it and what is beneficial to it, and the result of its cohabitation, and its offspring and its descendents.' And we say, 'Surely He is All-Seeing, but not similar to the sight of His creatures.”

قَالَ: فَحُدَّهُ لِي، فَقَالَ: لا حَدَّ لَهُ، قَالَ: وَلِمَ؟ قَالَ: لانَّ كُلَّ مَحْدُودٍ، مُتَنَاهٍ إِلَى حَدٍّ، وَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ التَّحْدِيدَ احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ، وَإِذَا احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ احْتَمَلَ النُّقْصَانَ، فَهُوَغَيْرُ مَحْدُودٍ وَلا مُتَزَايِدٍ وَلا مُتَنَاقِصٍ وَلا مُتَجَزِّئٍ وَلا مُتَوَهَّمٍ.

قَالَ الرَّجُلُ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِكُمْ: إِنَّهُ لَطِيفٌ وَسَمِيعٌ وَبَصِيرٌ وَعَلِيمٌ وَحَكِيمٌ، أَيَكُونُ السَّمِيعُ إِلا بِالأُذُنِ، وَالْبَصِيرُ إِلا بِالْعَيْنِ، وَاللَّطِيفُ إِلا بِعَمَلِ الْيَدَيْنِ، وَالْحَكِيمُ إِلا بِالصَّنْعَةِ؟ فَقَالَ: أَبُو الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّ اللَّطِيفَ مِنَّا عَلَى حَدِّ اتِّخَاذِ الصَّنْعَةِ، أَوَمَا رَأَيْتَ الرَّجُلَ يَتَّخِذُ شَيْئاً فَيَلْطُفُ فِي اتِّخَاذِهِ؟ فَيُقَالُ مَا أَلْطَفَ فُلاناً، فَكَيْفَ لا يُقَالُ لِلْخَالِقِ الْجَلِيلِ: لَطِيفٌ؟ إِذْ خَلَقَ خَلْقاً لَطِيفاً وَجَلِيلاً وَرَكَّبَ فِي الْحَيَوَانِ مِنْهُ أَرْوَاحَهَا وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ جِنْسٍ مُتَبَايِناً مِنْ جِنْسِهِ فِي الصُّورَةِ وَلا يُشْبِهُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً فَكُلٌّ لَهُ لُطْفٌ مِنَ الْخَالِقِ اللَّطِيفِ الْخَبِيرِ فِي تَرْكِيبِ صُورَتِهِ، ثُمَّ نَظَرْنَا إِلَى الأَشْجَارِ وَحَمْلِهَا أَطَايِبَهَا الْمَأْكُولَةَ مِنْهَا وَغَيْرَ الْمَأْكُولَةِ فَقُلْنَا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: إِنَّ خَالِقَنَا لَطِيفٌ، لا كَلُطْفِ خَلْقِهِ فِي صَنْعَتِهِمْ وَقُلْنَا: إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ لانَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ أَصْوَاتُ خَلْقِهِ مَا بَيْنَ الْعَرْشِ إِلَى الثَّرَى مِنَ الذَّرَّةِ إِلَى أَكْبَرَ مِنْهَا فِي بَرِّهَا وَبَحْرِهَا، وَلا تَشْتَبِهُ عَلَيْهِ لُغَاتُهَا فَقُلْنَا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ لا بِأُذُنٍ وَقُلْنَا: إِنَّهُ بَصِيرٌ لا بِبَصَرٍ، لانَّهُ يَرَى أَثَرَ الذَّرَّةِ السَّحْمَاءِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الظَّلْمَاءِ عَلَى الصَّخْرَةِ السَّوْدَاءِ، وَيَرَى دَبِيبَ الَّنمْلِ فِي اللَّيْلَةِ الدُّجْنَةِ وَيَرَى مَضَارَّهَا وَمَنَافِعَهَا وَأَثَرَ سِفَادِهَا وَفَرَاخَهَا وَنَسْلَهَا، فَقُلْنَا عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ: إِنَّهُ بَصِيرٌ لا كَبَصَرِ خَلْقِهِ.

To Be Continued ...