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

Chapter Eleven: On Traditions From Al-reza About Unity

Part 2

 

The narrator added, “The man did not leave until he had embraced Islam. The Imam said other things as well.”

11-29 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, “I asked Abil Hassan (s), ‘What is the least degree of recognition?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘It is the acknowledgement of God and that there is no other god; there is nothing like Him; there is nothing similar to Him; He is Stable, Eternal, Existing; He is never absent, and that there is nothing else like Him.’”

11-30 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran al-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn 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 Bakr ibn Ziyad, on the authority of Abdul Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi that when he asked Imam Al-Reza (s) about Unity the Imam (s) replied (the verse), “Whoever recites (the verse), ‘Say, He is God, the One, and Only[168] and believes in it has recognized the concept of the Unity of God.” He then asked the Imam (s), “How should one recite this verse.” The Imam (s) said, “Recite it as other people do”, and added, “plus saying ‘This is God, my Lord’ three times.’”

11-30 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdillah 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 Bakr ibn Ziyad, on the authority of Abdul Aziz al-Mohtadi, “I asked Al-Reza about the Unity. The Imam (s) said, ‘Whoever recites (the Quranic verse) ‘Say, He is Allah, the One and Only’ [169] and believes in it has recognized Unity.’ Then I asked, ‘How should we recite it?’ The Imam (s) said, ‘ Recite it as the people recite it.’ The Imam (s) also added, ‘Kathaleka Rabbi. Kathaleka Rabbi’ (This is how my Lord is. This is how my Lord is)’ for three times.’”

11-31 Al-Hussein ibn Ahmad ibn Idris - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Bondar, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Kufi, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ali al-Khorasani - the servant of Al-Reza (s), “One of

قَالَ: فَمَا بَرِحَ حَتَّى أَسْلَمَ. وَفِيهِ كَلامٌ غَيْرُ هَذَا.

29 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّد بْنِ عَلِى ماجِيلوَيْه رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ مُختارِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الُمخْتار الهَمْدانِيَّ، عَنِ الفَتح بْنِ يَزِيد الجُرجانِيُّ، عَنْ أَبي الحَسَن‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَدْنَى الْمَعْرِفَةِ، قَالَ: الإِقْرَارُ بِأَنَّهُ لا إِلَهَ غَيْرُهُ وَلا شِبْهَ لَهُ وَلا نَظِيرَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّهُ قَدِيمٌ، مُثْبَتٌ مَوْجُودٌ غَيْرُ فَقِيدٍ، وَأَنَّهُ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

30 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَد بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبي‏الكُوفِيِّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيل البَرمَكيِّ قالَ: حَدَّثَني الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الحَسَن قالَ: حَدَّثَني بَكْرِ بْنِ زياد، عَنْ عَبْد العَزِيز بْنِ المُهْتَدِيّ، قالَ: سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ، فَقَالَ: كُلُّ مَنْ قَرَأَ قُلْ هُوَاللَّهُ أَحَدٌ وَآمَنَ بِهَا فَقَدْ عَرَفَ التَّوْحِيدَ، قُلْتُ: كَيْفَ يَقْرَؤُهَا؟ قَالَ: كَمَا يَقْرَؤُهَا النَّاسُ، وَزَادَ فِيهِ «كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي كَذَلِكَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي» - ثَلاثاً -.

31 - حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِدْرِيس رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ، عَنْ أَبيهِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بُنْذارٍ عَنْ‏عَلِيِّ الكُوفِي عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى الخُراسانِي خادِم الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قَالَ

the hypocrites asked Abil Hassan (s), ‘Can we say that God is a ‘thing’? The Imam (s) replied, ‘Yes. He has called Himself ‘thing’ in His Book as we read in the Quran, ‘Say, ‘What thing is most weighty in evidence?’ Say, ‘God is witness between me and you…’’ [170] He is a ‘Thing’ for which there is no other thing alike.’”

11-32 Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Attar (s) - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Ma’bad, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid, on the authority of Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), “One day a man came to see Al-Reza (s) and said, “O son of God’s Prophet! What is the proof that the world is created?” The Imam (s) replied, “You did not exist and were created. You know well that you were not the one who created you, and that there is no one else like you who created you.”

11-33 Tamim ibn Abdullah ibn Tamim al-Qurashi - may God be pleased with him - narrated that his father quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Ansari, on the authority of Abi Salt Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi[171] , “Al-Ma’mun asked Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s) about what the Sublime God said, ‘He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days - and His Throne was over the waters - that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct…’ [172]

The Imam (s) replied, ‘The Blessed the Sublime God created the Throne, the water, and the angels before the Creation of the heavens and the Earth. The angels used their own Creation, and the Throne and the water as means by which they proved the existence of the Honorable the Exalted God for themselves. Then He established His Throne over the water in order to manifest His Might to the angels so that they would know that He is capable of doing whatever He pleases. He then raised the Throne through His Might, moved it and established it above the seven heavens. Then He created the heavens and the Earth in six days while He was Omnipotent on His Throne. He was capable of creating them in the twinkle of an eye, but the Sublime One created them in six days in order to show the angels what He was creating one thing after the other so that they would know over and over that God is the Originator of each and every thing. God did not create the Throne because He was in need of it. He is independent of the Throne and of everything He has created. He cannot be described by saying that He is sitting on the Throne since He

بَعْضُ الزَّنَادِقَةِ لابِي الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ هَلْ يُقَالُ لِلَّهِ: إِنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ؟ فَقَالَ: نَعَمْ وَقَدْ سَمَّى نَفْسَهُ بِذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَقَالَ قُلْ أَيُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَكْبَرُ شَهادَةً قُلِ اللَّهُ شَهِيدٌ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ فَهُوَشَيْ‏ءٌ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

32 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى العَطَّار رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالابْراهيمِ بْنِ هاشِم عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ معبد عَنْ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِد عَنْ أَبي الحَسَن عَلىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ مَا الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى حُدُوثِ الْعَالَمِ؟ فَقَالَ: أَنْتَ لَمْ تَكُنْ ثُمَّ كُنْتَ وَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ أَنَّكَ لَمْ تُكَوِّنْ نَفْسَكَ وَلا كَوَّنَكَ مَنْ هُوَمِثْلُك.

33 - حَدَّثَنا تَمِيمُ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ تَمِيمُ القُرَشِي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي عَنْ أَحْمَدِ بن عَلِيِّ الأَنْصارِي، عَنْ أَبي الصَّلْتِ عَبْد السَّلامُ بْنِ صالِح الهَرَوِيِّ قالَ: سَأَلَ مَأْمُونٌ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَهُوَالَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْماءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً» فَقَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى خَلَقَ الْعَرْشَ وَالْمَاءَ وَالْمَلائِكَةَ قَبْلَ خَلْقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ فَكَانَتِ الْمَلائِكَةُ تَسْتَدِلُّ بِأَنْفُسِهَا وَبِالْعَرْشِ وَالْمَاءِ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ عَرْشَهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيُظْهِرَ بِذَلِكَ قُدْرَتَهُ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ الْعَرْشَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ وَنَقَلَهُ فَجَعَلَهُ فَوْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَهُوَمُسْتَوْلٍ عَلَى عَرْشِهِ وَكَانَ قَادِراً عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَهَا فِي طَرْفَةِ عَيْنٍ وَلَكِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَهَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ لِيُظْهِرَ لِلْمَلائِكَةِ مَا يَخْلُقُهُ مِنْهَا شَيْئاً بَعْدَ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَتَسْتَدِلَّ بِحُدُوثِ مَا يَحْدُثُ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ مَرَّةً بَعْدَ مَرَّةٍ وَلَمْ يَخْلُقِ اللَّهُ الْعَرْشَ لِحَاجَةٍ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ لانَّهُ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَرْشِ وَعَنْ جَمِيعِ مَا خَلَقَ لا يُوصَفُ بِالْكَوْنِ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ لانَّهُ لَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ تَعَالَى عَنْ صِفَةِ خَلْقِهِ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

has no physical body. Exalted He is above the characteristics of what He created. High indeed is He Exalted. And regarding what the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct…’ This means that the Honorable the Exalted God created them so that He tries them through their acts of obedience and worship. Not in the form of an examination and experimentation since He has always known everything.’ Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! O Abul Hassan! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’

Then Al-Ma’mun asked again, ‘O son of God’s Prophet! What is the meaning of the following Words of the Honorable the Exalted God, ‘If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed - all who are on earth! wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe! No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah, and He will place doubt (or obscurity) on those who will not understand.?” [173]

Al-Reza (s) replied, ‘My father Musa ibn Ja’far (s) narrated that his father Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s) quoted 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 (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), ‘The Muslims told the Messenger of God (s), ‘O Messenger of God! We wished that you would force those whom you have conquered to accept Islam so that our numbers would increase, and we would become stronger in the face of our enemies.’

The Messenger of God (s) replied, ‘I do not want to meet the Honorable the Exalted God having invented an innovation which He did not command me to do. I am not the type of person who forces others to do anything at all.’

It was then that the Sublime God revealed, ‘O Muhammad! If it had been thy Lord's will, they would all have believed - all who are on earth!…’ by means of forcing them, or when they find no other choice while in this world just as those who believe only after seeing God's Might and Retribution in the Hereafter. If I do such a thing to them, they would not deserve any reward from me. Nor would they deserve any praise. But I wish they would accept it out of their own choice, rather than being forced to do so in order that they will deserve to be close to me and be honored and reside in Paradise forever.’ God’s words continue with ‘…wilt thou then compel mankind, against their will, to believe!’

وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً» فَإِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ خَلْقَهُ لِيَبْلُوَهُمْ بِتَكْلِيفِ طَاعَتِهِ وَعِبَادَتِهِ، لا عَلَى سَبِيلِ الامْتِحَانِ وَالتَّجْرِبَةِ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَلِيماً بِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ: «وَلَوْ شاءَ رَبُّكَ لآَمَنَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً أَفَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ وَما كانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ» فَقَالَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قَالَ: إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَالُوا لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لَوْ أَكْرَهْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ قَدَرْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ النَّاسِ عَلَى الإِسْلامِ لَكَثُرَ عَدَدُنَا وَقَوِينَا عَلَى عَدُوِّنَا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَا كُنْتُ لالْقَى اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِبِدْعَةٍ لَمْ يُحَدِّثْ إِلَيَّ فِيهَا شَيْئاً وَما أَنَا مِنَ الْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ وَلَوْ شاءَ رَبُّكَ لآَمَنَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعاً عَلَى سَبِيلِ الإِلْجَاءِ وَالاضْطِرَارِ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَمَا يُؤْمِنُونَ عِنْدَ الْمُعَايَنَةِ وَرُؤْيَةِ الْبَأْسِ فِي الآْخِرَةِ وَلَوْ فَعَلْتُ ذَلِكَ بِهِمْ لَمْ يَسْتَحِقُّوا مِنِّي ثَوَاباً وَلا مَدْحاً وَلَكِنِّي أُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا مُخْتَارِينَ غَيْرَ مُضْطَرِّينَ لِيَسْتَحِقُّوا مِنِّي الزُّلْفَى وَالْكَرَامَةَ وَدَوَامَ الْخُلُودِ فِي جَنَّةِ الْخُلْدِ «أَ فَأَنْتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّـاسَ حَتَّى يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ» وَأَمَّا قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَجَـلَّ

And regarding the Sublime God’s words, ‘No soul can believe, except by the will of Allah…’ It does not mean that men are deprived of believing (without the prior consent of God); it simply means that they cannot believe without God’s Will. God’s Will consists of His ordering us to believe which is a form of obligation and worshipping. Forcing the people to believe would only apply if this obligation is removed. [174]’’’

Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! O Abul Hassan! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’

Then Al-Ma’mun asked again, ‘Let me know about the meaning of the following Words of the Sublime God: ‘(Unbelievers) whose eyes had been under a veil from remembrance of Me, and who had been unable even to hear. [175]’’

The Imam (s) replied, ’A veil in front of the eyes will not prevent one from remembering. God’s remembrance is not done by the eyes. However, the Honorable the Exalted God has likened those who refute the Mastery of Ali ibn Abi Talib (s) to the blind since the words of the Prophet (s) were hard for them to bear and they could not listen to them.’

Then Al-Ma’mun said, ‘How Excellent! You have relieved me. May God grant you relief.’”

11-34 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, “I wrote to Al-Reza (s) and asked him (s) about whether the deeds of the servants were created or not. The Imam (s) wrote back, “In God’s Knowledge, the deeds of the servants were destined two-thousand years before the Creation of Adam.”

11-35 (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 Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashem, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ali ibn Ma’bad, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid, 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 the Commander of the Faithful that God’s Prophet (s) said, “God will not bring to the Pool anyone who does not believe in my Pool. God will not let anyone who does not believe in my intercession to benefit from it.” Then the

«وَما كانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ» فَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى سَبِيلِ تَحْرِيمِ الإِيمَانِ عَلَيْهَا وَلَكِنْ عَلَى مَعْنَى أَنَّهَا مَا كَانَتْ لِتُؤْمِنَ إِلا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَإِذْنُهُ أَمْرُهُ لَهَا بِالإِيمَانِ مَا كَانَتْ مُكَلَّفَةً مُتَعَبَّدَةً وَإِلْجَاؤُهُ إِيَّاهَا إِلَى الإِيمَانِ عِنْدَ زَوَالِ التَّكْلِيفِ وَالتَّعَبُّدِ عَنْهَا.

فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «الَّذِينَ كانَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ فِي غِطاءٍ عَنْ ذِكْرِي وَكانُوا لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ سَمْعاً» فَقَالَ: إِنَّ غِطَاءَ الْعَيْنِ لا يَمْنَعُ مِنَ الذِّكْرِ الذِّكْرُ لا يُرَى بِالْعَيْنِ، وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَبَّهَ الْكَافِرِينَ بِوَلايَةِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ بِالْعُمْيَانِ لانَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَسْتَثْقِلُونَ قَوْلَ النَّبِيِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِيهِ وَلا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ لَهُ سَمْعاً فَقَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: فَرَّجْتَ عَنِّي فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْكَ.

34 - حَدَّثَنا عَبْد الواحِد بْنِ مُحَمَّد بْنِ عَبْدُوسٍ النِيْسابُوري العَطَّار رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّد بْنِ قُتَيْبَةَ النِيْسابُوريّ، عَنْ حَمْدان بْنِ سُلَيْمان قالَ: كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ أَفْعَالِ الْعِبَادِ أَمَخْلُوقَةٌ أَمْ غَيْرُ مَخْلُوقَةٍ؟ فَكَتَبَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: أَفْعَالُ الْعِبَادِ مُقَدَّرَةٌ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَبْلَ خَلْقِ الْعِبَادِ بِأَلْفَيْ عَامٍ.

35 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِمٍ، عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مَعبَدٍ، عَنِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِدٍ، عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَنْ أَبيهِ، عَنْ‏آبائِهِ‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ: أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنين‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قالَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: مَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِحَوْضِي فَلا أَوْرَدَهُ اللَّهُ حَوْضِي وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِشَفَاعَتِي فَلا أَنَالَهُ اللَّهُ شَفَاعَتِي، ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: إِنَّمَا شَفَاعَتِي لاهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ مِنْ أُمَّتِي

Prophet (s) said, “My intercession applies to those of my nation who commit major sins. As for the good doers, they do not even deserve to be questioned.”

Al-Hussein ibn Khalid added, “I asked Al-Reza (s), ‘O son of the Prophet of God! What does the following Words of the Honorable the Exalted ‘…and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable…’ [176] mean?’”

Then the Imam (s) said, “This means that they will not intercede on behalf of anyone unless God accepts their religion.”

The author said, “A believer is one whose good deeds make him happy and whose bad deeds make him upset since the Prophet (s) said, “Anyone whose good deeds pleases him and whose evil deeds upsets him is a believer. Whenever he gets upset about his bad deeds he becomes sorry. Becoming sorry is the same as repenting. One who repents deserves intercession and forgiveness. Whoever does not get upset about his evil deeds is not a believer. One who is not a believer does not deserve my intercession, since God does not accept his religion.”

11-36 Muhammad ibn Al-Qasim - the interpreter - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Yusuf ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad and Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Sayyar quoted on the authority of their fathers, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), 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) that Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s) said, “The Honorable the Exalted God’s words ‘…Who has made the Earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy…’ [177] mean that God has made the Earth suitable for your body and according to your nature. He has neither made it too hot to burn you, nor did He make it too cold in which to freeze. The winds do not smell so good that you get a headache, neither are they so bad-smelling to be bothersome to you. The Earth is not as soft as water in which to drown, and not so hard that you could not build your houses on or dig your graves in it. The Honorable the Exalted God has made the Earth hard enough to benefit you and for you to be able to build your houses upon it and dig your graves in it. This is the sense in which ‘He has made the

فَأَمَّا الُْمحْسِنُونَ فَمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ سَبِيلٍ.

قَالَ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ فَقُلْتُ لِلرِّضَايَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَلا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلا لِمَنِ ارْتَضى‏» ؟ قَالَ: لا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلا لِمَنِ ارْتَضَى اللَّهُ دِينَه.

قالَ المُصَنَّف: الْمُؤْمِنُ هُوَالَّذِي تَسُرُّهُ حَسَنَتُهُ وَتَسُوؤُهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ لِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ: مَنْ سَرَّتْهُ حَسَنَتُهُ وَسَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَهُوَمُؤْمِنٌ وَمَتَى سَاءَتْهُ سَيِّئَةٌ نَدِمَ عَلَيْهَا، وَالنَّدَمُ تَوْبَةٌ وَالتَّائِبُ مُسْتَحِقٌّ لِلشَّفَاعَةِ وَالْغُفْرَانِ، وَمَنْ لَمْ تَسُؤْهُ سَيِّئَتُهُ فَلَيْسَ بِمُؤْمِنٍ وَإِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ مُؤْمِناً لَمْ يَسْتَحِقَّ الشَّفَاعَةَ لانَّ اللَّهَ غَيْرُ مُرْتَضٍ لِدِينِه.

36 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ القاسِم المفسر رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَني يُوسف بْن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِياد وَعَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سيّارٍ، عَنْ أَبَوَيهُما، عَنِ الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِىِّ، عَنْ أَبيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّد، عَنْ أَبيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِىٍّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَنْ أَبيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى، عَنْ أَبيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحُسَيْن‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الأَرْضَ فِراشاً وَالسَّماءَ بِناءً» قَالَ: جَعَلَهَا مُلائِمَةً لِطَبَائِعِكُمْ مُوَافِقَةً لاجْسَادِكُمْ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْهَا شَدِيدَةَ الْحَمْيِ وَالْحَرَارَةِ فَتُحْرِقَكُمْ وَلا شَدِيدَةَ الْبُرُودَةِ فَتُجْمِدَكُمْ وَلا شَدِيدَةَ طِيبِ الرِّيحِ فَتُصَدَّعَ هَامَاتُكُمْ وَلا شَدِيدَةَ النَّتْنِ فَتُعْطِبَكُمْ وَلا شَدِيدَةَ اللِّينِ كَالْمَاءِ فَتُغْرِقَكُمْ وَلا شَدِيدَةَ الصَّلابَةِ فَتَمْتَنِعَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي دُورِكُمْ وَأَبْنِيَتِكُمْ وَقُبُورِ مَوْتَاكُمْ وَلَكِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ جَعَلَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمَتَانَةِ مَا تَنْتَفِعُونَ بِهِ وَتَتََماسَكُ عَلَيْهَا أَبْدَانُكُمْ وَبُنْيَانُكُمْ وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا مَا تَنْقَادُ بِهِ لِدُورِكُمْ وَقُبُورِكُمْ وَكَثِيرٍ مِنْ مَنَافِعِكُمْ فَذَلِكَ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الأَرْضَ فِراشاً ثُمَّ قَـالَ: «وَالسَّمـاءَ بِنـاءً» سَقْفـاً مَحْفُوظـاً مِنْ

Earth your couch.’[178] Then the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘and the heavens your canopy…’ [179] Here canopy means ‘a covering’ or a ‘roof.’ A roof which God has made its Sun, Moon and the stars move in their orbits for your benefit.

Then the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…and sent down rain from the heavens…’ [180] This means that God sent down rain from the sky so that it can reach the mountains, the hills, and the valleys. God sent down water in various forms - rain, sleet, snow, hail so that the Earth could take it in. God did not sent down the water at once, as that would destroy the land, the trees, the fruits, and the harvest. Then the Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘…and brought forth therewith Fruits for your sustenance…’ [181] This means that God has established what grows out of the Earth as your sustenance. ‘…Then set not up rivals onto Allah when ye know (the truth)’ [182] meaning not to set up idols as rivals for God which neither have any intellect, nor do they hear, see or are able to do anything. You know well that these idols cannot grant you the many blessings which your Lord - the Blessed the Sublime - has bestowed upon you.

11-37 Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Sinani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Abi Abdillah al-Kufi quoted on the authority Sahl ibn Ziyad al-Adami, on the authority of Abdul Azeem ibn Abdullah Al-Hassani, on the authority of Imam Ali ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), “One day Abu Hanifeh left As-Sadiq (s) and encountered Musa ibn Ja’far (s) along the way and asked him, “O young man! Who commits sins?” Musa ibn Ja’far (s) replied, “There are only three cases to consider. It is either done by the Sublime God which is not the case since it is not at all proper for The Gracious to punish His servants for things they have not done. The second case to consider is that the sin is committed by both the Honorable the Exalted God and the servant. But it is not proper for a Powerful partner to oppress a weak partner. The last possibility is that the servants commit sins. That is the case. Then if the Sublime God punishes him it is due to the sins he has committed, and if God forgives him it is due to His Munificence.”

11-38 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan Al-Ta’ee

فَوْقِكُمْ يُدِيرُ فِيهَا شَمْسَهَا وَقَمَرَهَا وَنُجُومَهَا لِمَنَافِعِكُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ «وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً» يَعْنِي الْمَطَرَ يُنْزِلُهُ مِنْ عَلًى [عَلاً] لِيَبْلُغَ قُلَلَ جِبَالِكُمْ وَتِلالَكُمْ وَهِضَابَكُمْ وَأَوْهَادَكُمْ ثُمَّ فَرَّقَهُ رَذَاذاً وَوَابِلاً وَهَطْلاً وَطَلّاً لِتَنْشَفَهُ أَرَضُوكُمْ وَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ الْمَطَرَ نَازِلاً عَلَيْكُمْ قِطْعَةً وَاحِدَةً فَيُفْسِدَ أَرَضِيكُمْ وَأَشْجَارَكُمْ وَزُرُوعَكُمْ وَثِمَارَكُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «فَأَخْرَجَ بِهِ مِنَ الَّثمَراتِ رِزْقاً لَكُمْ» يَعْنِي مِمَّا يُخْرِجُهُ مِنَ الأَرْضِ رِزْقاً لَكُمْ «فَلا تَجْعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَنْداداً» أَيْ أَشْبَاهاً وَأَمْثَالاً مِنَ الأَصْنَامِ الَّتِي لا تَعْقِلُ وَلا تَسْمَعُ وَلا تُبْصِرُ وَلا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهَا لا تَقْدِرُ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ هَذِهِ النِّعَمِ الْجَلِيلَةِ الَّتِي أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَيْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى.

37 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أحْمَد السَنانِي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي عَبْدِ اللَّه الكُوفِي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَهْلِ بْنِ زِياد الأَدَمِي، عَنْ عَبْدِ العَظِيم بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الحَسَنِيِّ، عَنْ الإِمام عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّد، عن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى، عَنْ أَبيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: خَرَجَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ الصَّادِقِ‏فَاسْتَقْبَلَهُ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: يَا غُلامُ مِمَّنِ الْمَعْصِيَةُ فَقَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ: لا تَخْلُو مِنْ ثَلاثَةٍ إِمَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلَيْسَتْ مِنْهُ فَلا يَنْبَغِي لِلْكَرِيمِ أَنْ يُعَذِّبَ عَبْدَهُ بِمَا لَمْ يَكْتَسِبْهُ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَمِنَ الْعَبْدِ فَلا يَنْبَغِي لِلشَّرِيكِ الْقَوِيِّ أَنْ يَظْلِمَ الشَّرِيكَ الضَّعِيفَ، وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْعَبْدِ وَهِيَ مِنْهُ فَإِنْ عَاقَبَهُ اللَّهُ فَبِذَنْبِهِ، وَإِنْ عَفَا عَنْهُ فَبِكَرَمِهِ وَجُودِهِ.

38 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحَسَن الطَّائيّ قالَ: حَدَّثَني أَبُو سَعِيدُ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيادٍ الأَدَمِي الرَّازِيُّ عَنْ عَلِىِّ بْنِ

quoted on the authority of Abu Sa’eed Sahl ibn Ziyad al-Adami al-Razi, on the authority of Ali ibn Ja’far al-Kufi that he had heard the following from his Master Ali ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), 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 (s). The same was narrated by Muhammad ibn Umar al-Hafiz al-Baghdadi who narrated that Abul Qasim Ishaq ibn Ja’far Al-Alawi quoted on the authority of Abi Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ali, on the authority of Soleiman ibn Muhammad al-Qurashi, on the authority of Isma’il ibn Abi Ziyad, on the authority of Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father (s), on the authority of his grandfather Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s), on the authority of Ali (s). The same tradition was narrated by Abul Hussein Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Ishaq al-Farsi al-Aza’emi who quoted on the authority of Abu Sa’eed Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Romayh an-Nasawi at Gorgan, on the authority of Abdul Aziz ibn Ishaq ibn Ja’far at Baghdad, on the authority of Abdul Wahhab ibn Isa al-Marwazi, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Muhammad al-Balawi, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Nujayh, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father (s), on the authority of his grandfather (s), on the authority of his father (s). The same tradition was narrated by Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Sokkari who quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Jowhari, on the authority of Al-Abbas ibn Bakkar al-Dhabiy, on the authority of Abu Bakr al-Hothali, on the authority of Ikremah, on the authority of Ibn Abbas, “When the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib (s) returned from the Siffin Battle, one of the elders who had seen the events in the battle with him stood up and said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Let us know if our course was destined by the Sublime God and by His Power?’” Al-Reza (s) has also narrated in another tradition on the authority of his forefathers, on the authority of Ali ibn Al-Hussein ibn Ali (s), “A man from Iraq went to the Commander of the Faithful (s) and said, ‘Let me know if our departure from Sham[183] has been destined by the Sublime God and by His Power?’ The Commander of the Faithful (s) replied, ‘O old man! Yes. By God, you did not climb any hills and did not go down any valleys except through God’s destiny and by His Power.’ Then the

جَعْفَر الكُوفِيّ سَمِعْتُ سَيِّدي عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ: حَدَّثَني أَبي مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى، عَنْ أَبيهِ الرِّضا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَر، عَنْ أَبيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد، عَنْ أَبيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى، عَنْ أَبيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحُسَيْن، عَنْ أَبيهِ الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِى‏ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ وَحَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُمَر الحافِظُ البَغدْادي قالَ: حَدَّثَني أَبُو القاسِم إِسْحاق بْنِ جَعْفَر العَلَوِي قالَ: حَدَّثَني أَبي جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدبن عَلِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْمان بْنِ مُحَمَّد القُرَشِي عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيل بْنِ أَبي زِياد عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَنْ أَبيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ‏الحُسَيْن عَنْ عَلِيِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَحَدَّثَنا أَبُو الحُسَيْن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ إِسْحاق الفارْسِيِّ الغرائميقال حَدَّثَنا أَبُو سَعِيدُ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ رميح النسوي بجرجان قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَبْد العَزِيز بن إِسْحاق بْنِ جَعْفَر بِبَغْداد قالَ: حَدَّثَني عَبْد الوَهَّاب بنعيسى المَرْوَزِىُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَني الحَسَن بن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّد البلوي قالَ: حَدَّثَني مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ نجيح عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَنْ أَبيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَحَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ الحَسَن القَطَّانُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى السكري قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زَكَرِيَّا الجوهري قالَ: حَدَّثَنا العَبَّاسِ بْنِ بكار الضبي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو بَكْرِ الهذلي عَنْ عكرمة عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاس قالَ لَمَّا انْصَرَفَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مِنْ صِفِّينَ قَامَ إِلَيْهِ شَيْخٌ مِمَّنْ شَهِدَ الْوَقْعَةَ مَعَهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ مَسِيرِنَا هَذَا أَبِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَقَدَرٍ وَقَالَ الرِّضَا فِي رِوَايَتِهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍ‏عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ عَلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ خُرُوجِنَا إِلَى أَهْلِ الشَّامِ أَبِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَقَدَرٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَجَلْ يَا شَيْخُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا عَلَوْتُمْ تَلْعَةً وَلا هَبَطْتُمْ بَطْنَ وَادٍ إِلا بِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَقَدَرٍ فَقَالَ الشَّيْخُ: عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَحْتَسِبُ عَنَائِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. فَقَـالَ: مَهْلاً يَا شَيْخُ! لَعَلَّـكَ تَظُـنُّ

old man said, ‘O Commander of the Faithful! Do my sufferings then have any rewards?’ Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (s) told him, ‘O old man! Wait a moment! It seems that you have thought that what I meant by God’s destiny was that it was a certainty. If so there would be no reward or punishment, no admonishing or advice, nor any Divine Promises. Then a sinner could not be blamed, and a good-doer will not deserve to be praised. Then a good-doer would even deserve to be blamed more than a sinner does. This is what the idol worshippers, the enemies of the Merciful God, the Qadarites [184] and the Magi (Zoroastrians) in this nation say. O old man! The Sublime God has made the people responsible. However, the people are free to choose. He has admonished them but He has only warned them. He has granted a great reward for the very minute good deeds. One who disobeys does not defeat God. One who obeys Him is not forced to do so. God has not created the heavens and the Earth without a purpose, ‘Not without purpose did We create heaven and earth and all between! that were the thought of Unbelievers! but woe be to the Unbelievers because of the Fire (of Hell)!’ [185]

The narrator added, “As the old man was standing up he recited the following,

‘You are the Leader through whose obedience we hope
to be saved by the Merciful on the Day of Saving (Resurrection).
You clarified for us that part of the religion
which was vague for us. May God grant you a good reward!
There are no excuses for doing any wicked deeds which I do -
Acts of corruption and disobedience.
No! No! I never think that Him who has admonished
against doing evil Himself forces one to do evil.
You will be serving Satan if you ever think so.
God does not like it.
He does not want corruption.
He has never allowed animosity with
and oppressively killing God’s Friend.
How could He - the Owner of Both Thrones -
have done so while His tradition has itself clearly declared this.’”

قَضَاءً حَتْماً وَقَدَراً لازِماً! لَوْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ لَبَطَلَ الثَّوَابُ وَالْعِقَابُ وَالأَمْرُ وَالنَّهْيُ وَالزَّجْرُ، وَلَسَقَطَ مَعْنَى الْوَعْدِ وَالْوَعِيدِ، وَلَمْ تَكُنْ عَلَى مُسِي‏ءٍ لائِمَةٌ وَلا لُِمحْسِنٍ مَحْمَدَةٌ، وَلَكَانَ الُْمحْسِنُ أَوْلَى بِاللائِمَةِ مِنَ الْمُذْنِبِ، وَالْمُذْنِبُ أَوْلَى بِالإِحْسَانِ مِنَ الُْمحْسِنِ. تِلْكَ مَقَالَةُ عَبَدَةِ الأَوْثَانِ وَخُصَمَاءِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَقَدَرِيَّةِ هَذِهِ الأُمَّةِ وَمَجُوسِهَا. يَا شَيْخُ! إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَلَّفَ تَخْيِيراً وَنَهَى تَحْذِيراً وَأَعْطَى عَلَى الْقَلِيلِ كَثِيراً وَلَمْ يُعْصَ مَغْلُوباً وَلَمْ يُطَعْ مُكْرِهاً وَلَمْ يَخْلُقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَما بَيْنَهُما باطِلاً ذلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ قَالَ فَنَهَضَ الشَّيْخُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ:

يَوْمَ النَّجَاةِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ غُفْرَاناً

أَنْتَ الإِمَامُ الَّذِي نَرْجُو بِطَاعَتِهِ‏

جَزَاكَ رَبُّكَ عَنَّا فِيهِ إِحْسَاناً

أَوْضَحْتَ مِنْ دِينِنَا مَا كَانَ مُلْتَبِساً

.قَدْ كُنْتُ رَاكِبَهَا فِسْقاً وَعِصْيَاناً

فَلَيْسَ مَعْذِرَةٌ فِي فِعْلِ فَاحِشَةٍ

فِيهَا عَبَدْتُ إِذاً يَا قَوْمِ شَيْطَاناً

لالا وَلا قَابِلاً [قَائِلاً] نَاهِيهِ أَوْقَعَهُ

قَتْلَ الْوَلِيِّ لَهُ ظُلْماً وَعُدْوَاناً

وَلا أَحَبَّ وَلا شَاءَ الْفُسُوقَ وَلا

ذُو الْعَرْشِ أَعْلَنَ ذَاكَ اللَّهُ إِعْلاناً

أَنَّى يُحِبُّ وَقَدْ صَحَّتْ عَزِيمَتُهُ‏

The author of this book (Sheikh Sadooq) said, “Muhammad ibn Umar Al-Hafiz has only included the first two couplets at the end of this tradition.”

11-39 Abu Mansoor Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Bakr al-Khori in Neishaboor[186] narrated that Abu Ishaq Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Marwan al-Khori quoted on the authority of Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Ziyad - the Khori jurisprudent in Neishaboor, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Abdullah Al-Joybari ash-Sheybani, 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, “Indeed the Honorable the Exalted God has destined the destiny and plotted the plans two-thousand years before the Creation of Adam.”

11-40 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 Al-Hussein ibn Ali (s), “A Jew asked the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib (s): Let me know what is it that God does not have? What is it that is not with God? What is it that God does not know?”

Ali (s) said, “What God does not know is what you Jews say, ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of God!’[187] God does not know of any sons for Himself. And about what you said regarding what is not with God, you should know that it is ‘oppression to the servants’. And regarding what you said about what God does not have, you should know that it is any partners.” The Jew said, “I bear witness that there is no god but God and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.”

11-41 (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 Ibrahim ibn Hashem quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Soleiman, “A man asked Abul Hassan (s) while he (s) was performing the circumambulations (around the Kaaba), ‘Please tell me about the munificent.’ The Imam (s) said, ‘There are two sides to your question. If you are asking about the creatures, then a munificent servant is one who performs the obligatory deeds, while a miser is someone who is miserly in performing what the Sublime God has made incumbent upon him. But

قالَ مُصَنَّفِ هذَا الكِتابِ: لَمْ يَذْكُرْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُمَرَ الْحَافِظُ فِي آخِرِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ مِنَ الشِّعْرِ إِلاّ بَيْتَيْنِ مِنْ أَوَّلِهِ.

39 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو مَنْصُورِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ بَكْرِ الخوزي بِنِيْسابُورَ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو إسحاق إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوان الخوري قالَ: حَدَّثَنا جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِياد الفقيه الخوري قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه الجويباري الشَّيْباني، عَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ عَنْ أَبيهِ، عَن آبائِه، عَن عَلِيِّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قالَ: قالَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلي اللَّه وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدَّرَ الْمَقَادِيرَ وَدَبَّرَ التَّدَابِيرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ بِأَلْفَيْ عَام.

40 - حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد الأشنانِي الرَّازِيُّ العَدْل ببلخ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مهرويه القزويني قالَ: حَدَّثَنا داوُدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمان الفراء قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ، عَن آبائِهِ، عَن الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِى عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلاَمُ قالَ إِنَّ يَهُودِيّاً سَأَلَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَمَّا لَيْسَ لِلَّهِ وَعَمَّا لَيْسَ، عَن‏دَ اللَّهِ وَعَمَّا لا يَعْلَمُهُ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ عَلِيٌ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَمَّا مَا لا يَعْلَمُهُ اللَّهُ فَهُوَقَوْلُكُمْ يَا مَعْشَرَ الْيَهُودِ إِنَّ عُزَيْراً ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى لا يَعْلَمُ لَهُ وَلَداً أَمَّا قَوْلُكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِلَّهِ فَلَيْسَ لِلَّهِ شَرِيكٌ وَأَمَّا قَوْلُكَ مَا لَيْسَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَلَيْسَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ظُلْمٌ لِلْعِبَادِ فَقَالَ الْيَهُودِيُّ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّه.

41 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه، عَن إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَن أَحْمَدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمان قالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَهُوَفِي الطَّوَافِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْجَوَادِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ لِكَلامِكَ وَجْهَيْنِ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَسْأَلُ عَنِ الَْمخْلُوقِ فَإِنَّ الْجَوَادَ الَّذِي يُؤَدِّي مَا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ وَالْبَخِيلَ مَنْ بَخِلَ بِمَا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْنِي الْخَالِقَ فَهُوَ الْجَوَادُ إِنْ أَعْطَى وَهُوَ الْجَوَادُ إِنْ مَنَعَ لانَّهُ إِنْ أَعْطَى عَبْداً أَعْطَاهُ مَا

if you are asking about the Creator you should know that He is the Munificent whether He gives or not. That is because if He grants something to His servant, He has granted him what does not belong to him, and if He holds something back from His servant, that servant has no rights to it.’”

11-42 Al-Hussein ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmad al-Mu’addib - 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, on the authority of Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), 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 (s), “The Commander of the Faithful (s) said, ‘I heard God’s Prophet (s) say that the Exalted the Magnificent God said, ‘Whoever is not pleased with My Verdict, and whoever does not believe in My Destiny should adopt another god for himself.’ The Prophet of God (s) has said, ‘There is some good for the believer in all of the Honorable the Exalted God’s Verdicts.’”

11-43 Al-Hakim Abu Ali Al-Hussein ibn Ahmad al-Bayhaqi narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Sowli quoted on the authority of Abu Zakwan, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Al-Abbas, “I heard someone ask Al-Reza (s), ‘Does God ever order the servants to do what is beyond their ability to do?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘He is more Just than to do that.’ The man asked, ‘Are they able to do whatever they wish?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘They are weaker than that.’”

11-44 Abul Hassan Muhammad ibn Amr ibn Ali al-Basri narrated that Abul Hassan Ali ibn Al-Hassan ibn al-Maythami quoted on the authority of Abul Hassan Ali ibn Amr ibn Mehrawayh al-Qazvini, on the authority of Abu Ahmad al-Qadhi, on the authority of Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), on the authority of his father Musa ibn Ja’far (s), on the authority of his father Abi Ja’far ibn Muhammad (s), on the authority of his father Muhammad ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Al-Hussein (s), on the authority of his father Al-Hussein ibn Ali (s), on the authority of his father Ali ibn Abi Talib (s), “Deeds are ranked into three groups: the incumbent ones, the noble ones and the acts of disobedience. The incumbent deeds are done based on God’s orders and

لَيْسَ لَهُ وَإِنْ مَنَعَ مَنَعَ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ.

42 - حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ أحْمَد المُؤَدِّبُ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قال: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ إِبراهِيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَن أَبِيهِ، عَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ معبد، عَن الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِد، عَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَر عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبِيهِ‏الحُسَيْن‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ‏الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ، عَن أَبيهِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِب‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: سَمِعتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلي اللَّه وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ قَالَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ مَنْ لَمْ يَرْضَ بِقَضَائِي وَلَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِقَدَرِي فَلْيَلْتَمِسْ إِلَهاً غَيْرِي وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي كُلِّ قَضَاءِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خِيَرَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ.

43 - حَدَّثَنا الْحاكِم أَبُو عَلِي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أحْمَد الْبِيْهَقِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَني مُحَمَّدبن يَحْيَى الصُّوليُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو ذكوان قالَ: سَمِعتُ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ العَبَّاسِ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ وَقَدْ سأله رَجُل أيُكَلِّف اللَّه العِبادِ ما لايطيقون فَقالَ هُوَأعدل من ذلِكَ قالَ أفيقدرون عَلَى كُلِّ ما أَرادَوه‏هم أعجز من ذلِكَ.

44 - حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الحَسَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عمرو بْنِ عَلِى البَصَرِيِّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الحَسَن الحَسَن بْنِ الميثمي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الحَسَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مهرويه القزويني قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُوالغازي قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبُو الحَسَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَر عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالابي جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّد عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَبي عَلِىِّ بْنِ الحُسَيْن‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالابي الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِى‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: سَمِعتُ أَبي عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِب‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ الأَعْمَالُ عَلَى ثَلاثَةِ أَحْوَالٍ فَرَائِضُ وَفَضَائِلُ وَمَعَاصِي فَأَمَّا الْفَرَائِضُ فَبِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَبِرِضَى اللَّهِ وَبِقَضَائِهِ وَتَقْدِيرِهِ وَمَشِيَّتِهِ وَعِلْمِهِ وَأَمَّا الْفَضَائِلُ فَلَيْسَتْ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ بِرِضَى اللَّهِ وَبِقَضَاءِ اللَّهِ وَبِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَبِمَشِيـَّةِ

according to His Pleasure, Verdict, Destiny, Volition and Knowledge. The noble deeds are not done according to God’s orders. However, they are done subject to His Pleasure, Verdict, Destiny, Volition and Knowledge. And the acts of disobedience are not done according His orders. However, they are done subject to His Verdict, Destiny, Volition and Knowledge. God will punish us for doing such deeds.”

11-45 Ahmad ibn Ibrahim ibn Harun al-Fami in the Kufa Mosque narrated that Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Himyari quoted on the authority of his father, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Hashem, on the authority of Ali ibn Ma’bad, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid that he told Abil Hassan Ali ibn Musa Al-Reza (s), “O son of the Prophet of God! People ascribe belief in likening (The act of comparing similarities, comparison) and predestination to us due to the traditions narrated on the authority of your forefathers - the Immaculate Imams (s) in this regard.” The Imam (s) said, “O Khalid! Let me know whether there are more traditions on this issue narrated on the authority of my forefathers - the Immaculate Imams (s) or on the authority of God’s Prophet (s)?” I replied, “Of course, there are more narrated on the authority of God’s Prophet (s).” The Imam (s) said, “Then it must be said that God’s Prophet (s) believed in likening and predestination.” I said, “They believe that God’s Prophet (s) has not said any of them.” The Imam (s) said, “Then they must say that my forefathers - the Immaculate Imams (s) have not said them either. Rather, they have ascribed lies to them.” The Imam (s) then added, “Whoever believes in likening and predestination is a pagan polytheist. We are not associated with them in this world or in the Hereafter. O son of Khalid! The exaggerators who have underestimated the Majesty of God have falsely shown us as having approved of predestination and likening. Whoever likes them is our enemy. Whoever is their enemy is our friend. Whoever establishes ties of friendship with them has established ties of animosity with us. And whoever establishes animosity with them has established friendship with us. Whoever establishes ties with them has cut off ties from us, and whoever cuts off ties from them has established ties with us. Whoever treats them badly has been kind to us, and whoever treats them kindly has mistreated us. Whoever honors them has insulted us, and whoever insults them has honored us. Whoever accepts them and what they say has rejected us, and whoever rejects them has accepted us. Whoever is

اللَّهِ وَبِعِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَأَمَّا الْمَعَاصِي فَلَيْسَتْ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنْ بِقَضَاءِ اللَّهِ وَبِقَدَرِ اللَّهِ وَبِمَشِيَّةِ اللَّهِ وَبِعِلْمِهِ ثُمَّ يُعَاقِبُ عَلَيْهَا.

45 - حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ هارُون الفامي فِي مَسْجِد الكُوفَة قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه بْنِ جَعْفَر الحِمْيَريُّ، عَن أَبيهِ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ هاشِم، عَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ معبد، عَن الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِد، عَن أَبي الحَسَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَنْسِبُونَا إِلَى الْقَوْلِ بِالتَّشْبِيهِ وَالْجَبْرِ لِمَا رُوِيَ مِنَ الأَخْبَارِ فِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ آبَائِكَ الأَئِمَّةِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فَقَالَ: يَا ابْنَ خَالِدٍ أَخْبِرْنِي، عَن الأَخْبَارِ الَّتِي رُوِيَتْ، عَن آبَائِيَ الأَئِمَّةِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي التَّشْبِيهِ وَالْجَبْرِ أَكْثَرُ أَمِ الأَخْبَارُ الَّتِي رُوِيَتْ، عَن النَّبِيِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي ذَلِكَ فَقُلْتُ بَلْ مَا رُوِيَ، عَن النَّبِيِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ فِي ذَلِكَ أَكْثَرُ قَالَ فَلْيَقُولُوا إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ كَانَ يَقُولُ فِي التَّشْبِيهِ وَالْجَبْرِ إِذاً فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ لَمْ يَقُلْ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً وَإِنَّمَا رُوِيَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَلْيَقُولُوا فِي آبَائِيَ الأَئِمَّةِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَقُولُوا مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْئاً وَإِنَّمَا رُوِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَنْ قَالَ بِالتَّشْبِيهِ وَالْجَبْرِ فَهُوَكَافِرٌ مُشْرِكٌ وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُ بُرَءَاءُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآْخِرَةِ يَا ابْنَ خَالِدٍ إِنَّمَا وَضَعَ الأَخْبَارَ، عَن‏ا فِي التَّشْبِيهِ وَالْجَبْرِ الْغُلاةُ الَّذِينَ صَغَّرُوا عَظَمَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ فَقَدْ أَبْغَضَنَا وَمَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنَا وَمَنْ وَالاهُمْ فَقَدْ عَادَانَا وَمَنْ عَادَاهُمْ فَقَدْ وَالانَا وَمَنْ وَصَلَهُمْ فَقَدْ قَطَعَنَا وَمَنْ قَطَعَهُمْ فَقَدْ وَصَلَنَا وَمَنْ جَفَاهُمْ فَقَدْ بَرَّنَا وَمَنْ بَرَّهُمْ فَقَدْ جَفَانَـا وَمَنْ أَكْرَمَهُـمْ فَقَدْ أَهَـانَنَا وَمَنْ أَهَانَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَكْرَمَنَـا

kind to them has been unkind to us, and whoever is unkind to them has been kind to us. Whoever acknowledges them has denounced us, and whoever denounces them has acknowledged us. Whoever grants them something has deprived us, and whoever deprives them of something has indeed granted it to us. O son of Khalid! Whoever is one of our followers should not choose a friend or companion for himself from amongst them.”

11-46 Ja’far ibn Muhammad ibn Masroor - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Al-Hussein ibn Muhammad ibn A’mir quoted on the authority of al-Mo’alla ibn Muhammad al-Basri, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’, “I asked Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s), ‘Has God authorized the servants regarding the affairs?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘He is Exalted High above that.’ Then I asked the Imam |(s), ‘Has God predestined them to do acts of disobedience?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘God is Just and Wise High above that.’ Then the Imam (s) added, ‘The Honorable the Exalted God said, ‘O son of Adam! I deserve that your good deeds be ascribed to Me. You deserve that your wicked deeds be ascribed to you. You do acts of disobedience using the power which I have established in you.’”

11-47 Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Mu’addib - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Ali Al-Ansari quoted on the authority of Abdul Salam ibn Salih al-Harawi, “Do not give any alms-tax and do not accept the testimony of whoever believes in predestination. In fact, the Sublime God never burdens anyone with more than he can bear, and never forces anyone to do what is beyond his power. ‘…Every soul draws the meed [188] of its acts on none but itself: no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another…’” [189]

11-48 (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 Khalid al-Barqi, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Soleiman ibn Ja’far al-Ja’fari that there was talk of predestination and authorization in the presence of Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s). He (s) said, “Do you want me to teach you something on this issue so that you never have any differences with each other and can defeat anyone who argues with you about them?” We said, “If you please.” The Imam (s) said, “The Sublime God will not be worshipped by

وَمَنْ قَبِلَهُمْ فَقَدْ رَدَّنَا وَمَنْ رَدَّهُمْ فَقَدْ قَبِلَنَا وَمَنْ أَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَنْ صَدَّقَهُمْ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَنَا وَمَنْ كَذَّبَهُمْ فَقَدْ صَدَّقَنَا وَمَنْ أَعْطَاهُمْ فَقَدْ حَرَمَنَا وَمَنْ حَرَمَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَعْطَانَا يَا ابْنَ خَالِدٍ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا فَلا يَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيّاً وَلا نَصِيراً.

46 - حَدَّثَنا جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَسْرُور رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عامِر، عَن معلى بْنِ مُحَمَّد البَصَرِيِّ، عَن الحَسَن بْنِ عَلِى الوَشَّاء، عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ سَأَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُ فَوَّضَ الأَمْرَ إِلَى الْعِبَادِ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعَزُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ فَأَجْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَلُ وَأَحْكَمُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ قالَ: قالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ وَأَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي عَمِلْتَ الْمَعَاصِيَ بِقُوَّتِيَ الَّتِي جَعَلْتُهَا فِيكَ.

47 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْراهيمِ بْنِ إِسْحاق المُؤَدِّبُ رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ عَلِى الأَنْصارِي، عَن عَبْد السَّلامُ بْنِ صالِح الهَرَوِيِّ قالَ: سَمِعتُ أَبَا الحَسَن عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَر عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَقُولُ مَنْ قَالَ بِالْجَبْرِ فَلا تُعْطُوهُ مِنَ الزَّكَاةِ وَلا تَقْبَلُوا لَهُمْ شَهَادَةً إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لا يُكَلِّفُ نَفْساً إِلا وُسْعَهَا وَلا يُحَمِّلُهَا فَوْقَ طَاقَتِهَا وَلا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلا عَلَيْها وَلا تَزِرُ وازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرى‏.

48 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خالِد البَرْقِي، عَن أَبِيهِ عَنْ سُلَيْمان بْنِ جَعْفَر الجَعْفَرِيِّ، عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: ذُكِرَ، عِندَهُ الْجَبْرُ وَالتَّفْوِيضُ فَقَالَ أَلا أُعْطِيكُمْ فِي هَذَا أَصْلاً لا تَخْتَلِـفُونَ فِيهِ وَلا يُخَاصِمُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ إِلا كَسَرْتُمُوهُ قُلْنَا إِنْ رَأَيْتَ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ

compulsion. He will not be disobeyed through being overcome. He has not left His servants alone in His Dominion. He is the Owner of whatever they possess. He is Powerful over whatever He has empowered them to do. If the servants decide to obey Him, God will not prevent them from doing so. If the servants decide to disobey Him, He will prevent them from doing so if He wills. But if He does not do so, and they do their acts of disobedience, it is not Him who has made them commit sins.” Then the Imam (s) added, “Whoever adheres to the limits set by these words will never be defeated in any opposing arguments.”

11-49 My father and Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Waleed - may God be pleased with them - narrated that Sa’d ibn Abdullah quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Nasr al-Bezanti told Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s) said, “Some of the Shiites believe in being forced while others believe in free will.” The Imam (s) told me, “Take this down. The Sublime God has said, ‘O son of Adam! It is with my will that you are such a being that you will for yourself whatever you wish, and it is with my power that you carry out the duties which I have prescribed for you, and it is with my bounty that you find the strength to disobey Me. I made you hearing, seeing and strong. Whatever good comes to you is from Me, and whatever evil strikes you is from yourself. That is because I deserve more to be ascribed your virtues to, and you deserve more to be ascribed your vices to. ‘He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs).’ [190] I have established an order in everything you want.’”

11-50 Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran ad-Daqqaq - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yaqoob al-Kolayni quoted on the authority of Ali ibn Muhammad - known as Al’lan, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Khalid that Abil Hassan Al-Reza (s) said, “May God bestow upon you knowledge of the good! Know that the Blessed the Sublime God is eternal. Eternity is that attribute which guides the wise to know that there was nothing before Him in eternity, nor is there anything eternal along with Him. That this attribute is a miraculous one has come to light from the acknowledgement by the common folks that there is nothing before God, with God or after Him. At the same time, it invalidates the belief that there was something before or along with Him. Had there been

وَجَلَّ لَمْ يُطَعْ بِإِكْرَاهٍ وَلَمْ يُعْصَ بِغَلَبَةٍ وَلَمْ يُهْمِلِ الْعِبَادَ فِي مُلْكِهِ هُوَالْمَالِكُ لِمَا مَلَّكَهُمْ وَالْقَادِرُ عَلَى مَا أَقْدَرَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنِ ائْتَمَرَ الْعِبَادُ بِطَاعَتِهِ لَمْ يَكُنِ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا صَادّاً وَلا مِنْهَا مَانِعاً وَإِنِ ائْتَمَرُوا بِمَعْصِيَتِهِ فَشَاءَ أَنْ يَحُولَ بَيْنَهُمْ وَبَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَعَلَ وَإِنْ لَمْ يَحُلْ وَفَعَلُوهُ فَلَيْسَ هُوَالَّذِي أَدْخَلَهُمْ فِيهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ مَنْ يَضْبِطْ حُدُودَ هَذَا الْكَلامِ فَقَدْ خَصَمَ مَنْ خَالَفَهُ.

49 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحَسَن بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ الوَلِيد رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالا حَدَّثَنا سَعْدِ بْنِ‏عَنْ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَن أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي نَصْرِ البِزَنْطِيِّ، عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ: إِنَّ أَصْحَابَنَا بَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ بِالْجَبْرِ وَبَعْضُهُمْ يَقُولُ بِالاسْتِطَاعَةِ فَقَالَ لِيَ اكْتُبْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ بِمَشِيَّتِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَشَاءُ لِنَفْسِكَ مَا تَشَاءُ وَبِقُوَّتِي أَدَّيْتَ إِلَيَّ فَرَائِضِي وَبِنِعْمَتِي قَوِيتَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِي جَعَلْتُكَ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً قَوِيّاً مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ وَأَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي وَذَلِكَ أَنِّي لا أُسْأَلُ عَمَّا أَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْئَلُونَ فَقَدْ نَظَمْتُ لَكَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ تُرِيد.

50 - حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِمْران الدَّقَّاق رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَعْقُوبِ الكُلَيْنِيُّ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا عَلِىِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدالمَعْرُوف بعلان، عَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَن الحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خالِد، عَن أَبي الحَسَن الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ أَنَّهُ قالَ: اعْلَمْ عَلَّمَكَ اللَّهُ الْخَيْرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَدِيمٌ وَالْقِدَمَ صِفَةٌ دَلَّتِ الْعَاقِلَ عَلَى أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ قَبْلَهُ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مَعَهُ فِي دَيْمُومِيَّتِهِ فَقَدْ بَانَ لَنَا بِإِقْرَارِ الْعَامَّةِ مُعْجِزَةَ [مُعْجِزَةُ] الصِّفَةِ أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ قَبْلَ اللَّهِ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مَعَ اللَّهِ فِي بَقَائِهِ وَبَطَلَ قَوْلُ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَوْ كَانَ مَعَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ

something eternal along with Him, He would not have been the Creator of that thing. If it was along with Him, how then could He have been its creator? Had there been something existing before Him, then that thing might have been His creator because of its existing earlier than Him.

The Blessed the Sublime God has ascribed certain names to Himself. When He created His creatures, He enabled them to worship Him and told His creatures to call Him by those names. He called Himself All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-Powerful, Guarding, Standing, Manifest, Hidden, Subtle, All-Aware, Powerful, Majestic, Wise, the All-Knowing and other similar names. When the animosity-mongers who speak lies heard us mention such names and that there is nothing similar to Him, and that none of the creatures are like onto Him they began to speak out. They said, “When you say that there is nothing like onto Him and nothing is similar to Him, then how come you also use those beautiful names for yourselves? This is a proof that you are similar to Him in all conditions or in some conditions because of having the same beautiful names.” It is said to them that the Blessed the Sublime God has named His servants with some of His own names but with differences in meaning. A name may have two different meanings. The proof of this is simply what is popular amongst the people. This is the same way that the Honorable the Exalted God has addressed the people. He has spoken to them by means of things that they understand so that they will have no excuse in their misdeeds.

A man is sometimes called a dog, a donkey, a bull, a lion, sweet or bitter. All these are used with a meaning different from their true meaning since they are not used in their original meaning. Man is not a lion or a dog. May God have Mercy upon you! Please pay close attention to this.

The Honorable the Exalted God is called All-Aware. This does not mean that He has created knowledge. It does not mean that with His knowledge of things He knows things and He uses this knowledge to preserve His future commands and the process of creating what He creates, and destroying what He destroys and without such knowledge He would have been weak and ignorant.

We see that people of knowledge among the people are called knowledgeable because of having some created knowledge, which they did not have at some time before. Perhaps such knowledge may go away from them and they become ignorant.

فِي بَقَائِهِ لَمْ يَجُزْ أَنْ يَكُونَ خَالِقاً لَهُ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ مَعَهُ فَكَيْفَ يَكُونُ خَالِقاً لِمَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ مَعَهُ وَلَوْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ كَانَ الأَوَّلَ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْ‏ءُ لا هَذَا وَكَانَ الأَوَّلُ أَوْلَى بِأَنْ يَكُونَ خَالِقاً لِلأَوَّلِ الثَّانِي.

ثُمَّ وَصَفَ نَفْسَهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بِأَسْمَاءٍ دَعَا الْخَلْقَ إِذْ خَلَقَهُمْ وَتَعَبَّدَهُمْ وَابْتَلاهُمْ إِلَى أَنْ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا فَسَمَّى نَفْسَهُ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً قَادِراً قَاهِراً حَيّاً قَيُّوماً ظَاهِراً بَاطِناً لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً قَوِيّاً عَزِيزاً حَكِيماً عَلِيماً وَمَا أَشْبَهَ هَذِهِ الأَسْمَاءَ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ الْغَالُونَ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ وَقَدْ سَمِعُونَا نُحَدِّثُ عَنِ اللَّهِ أَنَّهُ لا شَيْ‏ءَ مِثْلُهُ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ مِنَ الْخَلْقِ فِي حَالِهِ قَالُوا أَخْبِرُونَا إِذْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَنَّهُ لا مِثْلَ لِلَّهِ وَلا شِبْهَ لَهُ كَيْفَ شَارَكْتُمُوهُ فِي أَسْمَائِهِ الْحُسْنَى فَتَسَمَّيْتُمْ بِجَمِيعِهَا فَإِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ دَلِيلاً عَلَى أَنَّكُمْ مِثْلُهُ فِي حَالاتِهِ كُلِّهَا أَوْ فِي بَعْضِهَا دُونَ بَعْضٍ إِذْ قَدْ جَمَعَتْكُمُ الأَسْمَاءُ الطَّيِّبَةُ قِيلَ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَلْزَمَ الْعِبَادَ أَسْمَاءً مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ عَلَى اخْتِلافِ الْمَعَانِي وَذَلِكَ كَمَا يَجْمَعُ الاسْمُ الْوَاحِدُ مَعْنَيَيْنِ مُخْتَلِفَيْنِ وَالدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ النَّاسِ الْجَائِزُ عِنْدَهُمُ السَّائِغُ وَهُوَالَّذِي خَاطَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهِ الْخَلْقَ فَكَلَّمَهُمْ بِمَا يَعْقِلُونَ لِيَكُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ حُجَّةً فِي تَضْيِيعِ مَا ضَيَّعُوا وَقَدْ يُقَالُ لِلرَّجُلِ كَلْبٌ وَحِمَارٌ وَثَوْرٌ وَسُكَّرَةٌ وَعَلْقَمَةٌ وَأَسَدٌ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى خِلافِهِ لانَّهُ لَمْ تَقَعِ الأَسْمَاءُ عَلَى مَعَانِيهَا الَّتِي كَانَتْ بُنِيَتْ عَلَيْهَا لانَّ الإِنْسَانَ لَيْسَ بِأَسَدٍ وَلا كَلْبٍ فَافْهَمْ ذَلِكَ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ.

وَإِنَّمَا تُسَمَّى اللَّهُ بِالْعَالِمِ لِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ عَلِمَ بِهِ الأَشْيَاءَ وَاسْتَعَانَ بِهِ عَلَى حِفْظِ مَا يَسْتَقْبِلُ [يُسْتَقْبَلُ] مِنْ أَمْرِهِ وَالرَّوِيَّةِ فِيَما يَخْلُقُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَيُفْنِيهِ مِمَّا مَضَى مِمَّا أَفْنَى مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مِمَّا لَوْ لَمْ يَحْضُرْهُ ذَلِكَ الْعِلْمُ وَيَغِيبُهُ كَانَ جَاهِلاً ضَعِيفاً كَمَا أَنَّا رَأَيْنَا عُلَمَاءَ الْخَلْقِ إِنَّمَا سُمُّوا بِالْعِلْمِ لِعِلْمٍ حَادِثٍ إِذْ كَانُوا قَبْلَهُ جَهَلَةً وَرُبَّمَا فَارَقَهُمُ الْعِلْمُ بِالأَشْيَاءِ فَصَارُوا إِلَى الْجَهْلِ.

God is called All-Knowing because He is not ignorant of anything. Thus, the Creator and the creatures are both called knowing, but the meaning is different as you have noticed.

Our Lord is called All-Hearing. However, this it is not through a body part on Him with which He could hear the sound but could not see as is the case with us. We cannot see with the part with which we hear. However, the Honorable the Exalted God has told us that no sound is hidden from Him. His hearing is not limited as it is in our case. Here again the name hearing is used in both cases, but its meaning is different. He is also All-Seeing in the same way. That is He is seeing not through an organ unlike us. We see using a body part with which we cannot do anything else. However, God is All-Seeing but not by looking at any object. Again the same name is used in both cases, but its meaning is different.

God is said to be Standing but not in the sense of standing in an upright position on the legs as is the case with other things. When He says that He is Standing it means that He is the Guardian. This is like saying that a man is standing behind our affairs. The Honorable the Exalted God is Standing behind every soul regarding what it gains. As used by people the word standing also has meanings like remaining and sufficing. As you may say to a man, ‘Stand up over the affairs of so and so’ which means deal with them in a sufficient manner. Standing for us means that we stand on our legs. Therefore, the name is similar but its meaning is different.

The name al-Latif, meaning ‘the Subtle’ is not in the sense of smallness or being infinitesimal, but it is in the rarity and hard to perceive nature of things. As an example it may be said, ‘It has become very delicate for me and that so and so is very delicate in his manners and dealings.’ This means that it is profound for the intellect and it is very difficult to understand. It has become so delicate that even one’s imagination cannot perceive it. The Blessed the Sublime God is far more Subtle than to be comprehended through definitions or be limited by an attribute in the way we are subtle, small and delicate. Names are the same but different in meaning.

The name al-Khabir, meaning ‘All-Aware’, is for One Who knows all things completely but not by means of gaining experience and learning

وَإِنَّمَا سُمِّيَ اللَّهُ عَالِماً لانَّهُ لا يَجْهَلُ شَيْئاً فَقَدْ جَمَعَ الْخَالِقَ وَالَْمخْلُوقَ اسْمُ الْعِلْمِ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى عَلَى مَا رَأَيْتَ.

وَسُمِّيَ رَبُّنَا سَمِيعاً لا بِجُزْءٍ فِيهِ يَسْمَعُ بِهِ الصَّوْتَ لا يُبْصِرُ بِهِ كَمَا أَنَّ جُزْءَنَا الَّذِي نَسْمَعُ بِهِ لا نَقْوَى عَلَى النَّظَرِ بِهِ وَلَكِنَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ لا تَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ الأَصْوَاتُ لَيْسَ عَلَى حَدِّ مَا سُمِّينَا بِهِ نَحْنُ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ بِالسَّمِيعِ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى.

وَهَكَذَا الْبَصِيرُ لا بِجُزْءٍ بِهِ أَبْصَرَ كَمَا أَنَّا نُبْصِرُ بِجُزْءٍ مِنَّا لا نَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ فِي غَيْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ لا يَجْهَلُ شَخْصاً مَنْظُوراً إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى.

وَهُوَقَائِمٌ لَيْسَ عَلَى مَعْنَى انْتِصَابٍ وَقِيَامٍ عَلَى سَاقٍ فِي كَبَدٍ كَمَا قَامَتِ الأَشْيَاءُ وَلَكِنَّهُ أَخْبَرَ أَنَّهُ قَائِمٌ يُخْبِرُ أَنَّهُ حَافِظٌ كَقَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ الْقَائِمُ بِأَمْرِنَا فُلانٌ وَهُوَعَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْقَائِمُ عَلى‏ كُلِّ نَفْسٍ بِما كَسَبَتْ وَالْقَائِمُ أَيْضاً فِي كَلامِ النَّاسِ الْبَاقِي وَالْقَائِمُ أَيْضاً يُخْبِرُ عَنِ الْكِفَايَةِ كَقَوْلِكَ لِلرَّجُلِ قُمْ بِأَمْرِ فُلانٍ أَيِ اكْفِهِ وَالْقَائِمُ مِنَّا قَائِمٌ عَلَى سَاقٍ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَلَمْ يَجْمَعْنَا الْمَعْنَى.

وَأَمَّا اللَّطِيفُ فَلَيْسَ عَلَى قِلَّةٍ وَقَضَافَةٍ وَصِغَرٍ وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ عَلَى النَّفَاذِ فِي الأَشْيَاءِ وَالامْتِنَاعِ مِنْ أَنْ يُدْرَكَ كَقَوْلِكَ لَطُفَ عَنِّي هَذَا الأَمْرُ وَلَطُفَ فُلانٌ فِي مَذْهَبِهِ وَقَوْلِهِ يُخْبِرُكَ أَنَّهُ غَمَضَ فَبَهَرَ الْعَقْلَ [فَبُهِرَ الْعَقْلُ] وَفَاتَ الطَّلَبُ وَعَادَ مُتَعَمِّقاً مُتَلَطِّفاً لا يُدْرِكُهُ الْوَهْمُ فَهَكَذَا لَطُفَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى، عَن أَنْ يُدْرَكَ بِحَدٍّ أَوْ يُحَدَّ بِوَصْفٍ وَاللَّطَافَةُ مِنَّا الصِّغَرُ وَالْقِلَّةُ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى.

وَأَمَّا الْخَبِيرُ فَالَّذِي لا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلا يَفُوتُهُ لَيْسَ لِلتَّجْرِبَةِ وَلا لِلاعْتِبَـارِ بِالأَشْيَــاءِ

from the past as if were it not for this experience he would know nothing. One without any experience and training is an ignorant person. The Sublime God is always All-Aware of what He has created. The people who are well are those people who are learning to overcome their ignorance. Thus names are the same but again, they differ in meaning.

The name al-Zahir meaning ‘clear and conspicuous’ is not because of Him being over and on top of all things or sitting on the topmost part of them, but it is because of His Domination and having power over all things. An example of this is when a person says, ‘I overcame my enemies or that God granted me victory over my enemies.’ In this case, there is a report of the failure and victory. Thus this shows God’s Domination over all things.

Another example is that His Existence is clear for those who want (to know) Him. Nothing is hidden from Him and He is the guardian of all that can be seen. Whose existence can then be clearer than that of the Sublime God? Wherever you are you will see His creatures. Even within your own self there is enough of His Creation. However, for us our existence is what is apparent and has limits. Therefore the names are the same, but their meaning differs.

The name al-Batin, means ‘the Hidden.’ This is not in the sense of being inside of things by means of diving in, or by other means. Rather it is in the sense of His dealing with, having knowledge of, preserving and regulating the internal aspect of all things. As one may say, “I tried to find the inside to learn and discover the secrets.” Hidden for us is what is unseen and covered. In this case again the names are the same but they differ in meaning.

The name al-Qahir, means ‘the Subduer.’ It is not in the sense of plotting, using certain devices and speaking attractive words or cunning means as some people subdue each other. The victorious among the people may become subdued and vice versa. For the Blessed the Sublime God all the creatures are weak. Due to the absence of obstacles in what He wills about them, it only takes less than a blinking of the eye to say it Be and it is. ‘We but say the word, ‘Be’, and it is.’ [191] Subduing in our case is how I mentioned and explained. Thus names are alike but their meanings differ. That is the case for all the names, although we have not mentioned all of them. We will suffice with this for learning purposes. May the Honorable the Exalted God be your helper and our helper in the matters of guidance and success.”

فَتُفِيدَهُ التَّجْرِبَةُ وَالاعْتِبَارُ عِلْماً لَوْلاهُمَا مَا عَلِمَ لانَّ مَنْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ جَاهِلاً وَاللَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ خَبِيراً بِمَا يَخْلُقُ وَالْخَبِيرُ مِنَ النَّاسِ الْمُسْتَخْبِرُ عَنْ جَهْلٍ الْمُتَعَلِّمُ وَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرُ فَلَيْسَ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّهُ عَلا الأَشْيَاءَ بِرُكُوبٍ فَوْقَهَا وَقُعُودٍ عَلَيْهَا وَتَسَنُّمٍ لِذُرَاهَا وَلَكِنَّ ذَلِكَ لِقَهْرِهِ وَلِغَلَبَتِهِ الأَشْيَاءَ وَقُدْرَتِهِ عَلَيْهَا كَقَوْلِ الرَّجُلِ ظَهَرْتُ عَلَى أَعْدَائِي وَأَظْهَرَنِيَ اللَّهُ عَلَى خَصْمِي يُخْبِرُ عَنِ الْفَلْجِ وَالْغَلَبَةِ فَهَكَذَا ظُهُورُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الأَشْيَاءِ.

وَوَجْهٌ آخَرُ أَنَّهُ الظَّاهِرُ لِمَنْ أَرَادَهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَأَنَّهُ مُدَبِّرٌ لِكُلِّ مَا يَرَى فَأَيُّ ظَاهِرٍ أَظْهَرُ وَأَوْضَحُ أَمْراً مِنَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَإِنَّكَ لا تَعْدَمُ صَنْعَتَهُ حَيْثَُما تَوَجَّهْتَ وَفِيكَ مِنْ آثَارِهِ مَا يُغْنِيكَ وَالظَّاهِرُ مِنَّا الْبَارِزُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَالْمَعْلُومُ بِحَدِّهِ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى.

وَأَمَّا الْبَاطِنُ فَلَيْسَ عَلَى مَعْنَى الاسْتِبْطَانِ لِلأَشْيَاءِ بِأَنْ يَغُورَ فِيهَا وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْهُ عَلَى اسْتِبْطَانِهِ لِلأَشْيَاءِ عِلْماً وَحِفْظاً وَتَدْبِيراً كَقَوْلِ الْقَائِلِ أَبْطَنْتُهُ يَعْنِي خَبَّرْتُهُ وَعَلِمْتُ مَكْتُومَ سِرِّهِ وَالْبَاطِنُ مِنَّا بِمَعْنَى الْغَائِرِ فِي الشَّيْ‏ءِ الْمُسْتَتِرِ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى.

وَأَمَّا الْقَاهِرُ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ عَلَى عِلاجٍ وَنَصَبٍ وَاحْتِيَالٍ وَمُدَارَاةٍ وَمَكْرٍ كَمَا يَقْهَرُ الْعِبَادُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً فَالْمَقْهُورُ مِنْهُمْ يَعُودُ قَاهِراً وَالْقَاهِرُ يَعُودُ مَقْهُوراً وَلَكِنْ ذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى عَلَى أَنَّ جَمِيعَ مَا خَلَقَ مُتَلَبِّسٌ بِهِ الذُّلُّ لِفَاعِلِهِ وَقِلَّةُ الامْتِنَاعِ لِمَا أَرَادَ بِهِ لَمْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْهُ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَهُ كُنْ فَيَكُونُ فَالْقَاهِرُ مِنَّا عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْتُ وَوَصَفْتُ فَقَدْ جَمَعَنَا الاسْمُ وَاخْتَلَفَ الْمَعْنَى وَهَكَذَا جَمِيعُ الأَسْمَاءِ وَإِنْ كُنَّا لَمْ نُسَمِّهَا كُلَّهَا.

فَقَدْ تَكْتَفِي لِلاعْتِبَارِ بِمَا أَلْقَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَاللَّهُ عَوْنُنَا وَعَوْنُكَ فِي إِرْشَادِنَا وَتَوْفِيقِنَا.

Imam Al-Reza’s Sermon on the Unity of God

11-51 Muhammad ibn Al-Hassan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Waleed - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Umar al-Katib quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ziyad al-Qolzomy, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abi Ziyad al-Jadiy, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Umar ibn Ali ibn Ali Talib (s), “I heard Abul Hassan Al-Reza (s) say these things in the presence of Al-Ma’mun on the subject of Unity. Ibn Abi Ziyad and others such as Ahmad ibn Abdullah Al-Alawi (the Alawid) have quoted on the authority of Al-Qasim ibn Ayyoub Al-Alawi, “When Al-Ma’mun decided to empower Al-Reza (as his successor), he gathered the Hashemites together and told them, “Verily I have decided to empower Al-Reza to run the affairs after me.” The Hashemites [192] envied Al-Reza (s) and said, “Will you appoint an ignorant man who does not possess the necessary insight to run the affairs of the Caliphate? Send someone after him so that he is brought to us. Then you can see his ignorance as a proof against him.”

Al-Ma’mun sent someone after him and he came. The Hashemites told him, “O Abul Hassan! Climb up the pulpit[193] and display for us a sign whereby we may worship God.” So he (s) climbed up the pulpit and sat there for a long time with his head bowed down in silence. Then he trembled - a great trembling - and stood up straight, praised the Sublime God, and recited God’s praises and asked for His blessing for His Prophet and the Members of the Holy Household.

Then he (s) said, “The first element in the worship of the Sublime God is His recognition. The root of recognition of God is to profess to His Unity. The order for professing the Unity of God is to deny He has any attributes, since the powers of reasoning testify that every attribute and everything which possesses an attribute are created. Everything that is created testifies that it has a Creator which is neither an attribute nor does it possess any attributes. Every attribute and everything possessing an attribute testify to the association between the attribute and that to which it is attributed. Any association testifies to temporality (hadath). And temporality testifies that it accepts not the Beginningless which accepts not the temporal.

So it is not God whose Essence is recognized through striking similitude. It is not His Unity that is professed by someone who attempts to fathom

خطبة الرِّضا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي التَوحِيد

51 - حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الحَسَن بْنِ أَحْمَدِ بْنِ الوَلِيد رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عمر الكاتب، عَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِياد القلزمي، عَن مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبي زِياد الجدي صاحِبَ الصَّلاة بجدة قالَ‏مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ عمر بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي طالِب‏ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِهَذَا الْكَلامِ عِنْدَ الْمَأْمُونِ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي زِيَادٍ وَرَوَاهُ لِي أَيْضاً أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْعَلَوِيُّ مَوْلًى لَهُمْ وَخَالاً لِبَعْضِهِمْ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ الْعَلَوِيِّ أَنَّ الْمَأْمُونَ لَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلَ الرِّضَا عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ جَمَعَ بَنِي هَاشِمٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْتَعْمِلَ الرِّضَا عَلَى هَذَا الأَمْرِ مِنْ بَعْدِي فَحَسَدَهُ بَنُو هَاشِمٍ وَقَالُوا تُوَلِّي رَجُلاً جَاهِلاً لَيْسَ لَهُ بَصَرٌ بِتَدْبِيرِ الْخِلافَةِ فَابْعَثْ إِلَيْهِ يَأْتِنَا فَتَرَى مِنْ جَهْلِهِ مَا تُسْتَدَلُّ بِهِ عَلَيْهِ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ فَأَتَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ بَنُو هَاشِمٍ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ اصْعَدِ الْمِنْبَرَ وَانْصِبْ لَنَا عَلَماً نَعْبُدُ اللَّهَ عَلَيْهِ فَصَعِدَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ الْمِنْبَرَ فَقَعَدَ مَلِيّاً لا يَتَكَلَّمُ مُطْرِقاً ثُمَّ انْتَفَضَ انْتِفَاضَةً وَاسْتَوَى قَائِماً وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَصَلَّى عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَوَّلُ عِبَادَةِ اللَّهِ مَعْرِفَتُهُ وَأَصْلُ مَعْرِفَةِ اللَّهِ تَوْحِيدُهُ وَنِظَامُ تَوْحِيدِ اللَّهِ نَفْيُ الصِّفَاتِ عَنْهُ لِشَهَادَةِ الْعُقُولِ أَنَّ كُلَّ صِفَةٍ وَمَوْصُوفٍ مَخْلُوقٌ وَشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ مَوْصُوفٍ أَنَّ لَهُ خَالِقاً لَيْسَ بِصِفَةٍ وَلا مَوْصُوفٍ وَشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ صِفَةٍ وَمَوْصُوفٍ بِالاقْتِرَانِ وَشَهَادَةِ الاقْتِرَانِ بِالْحَدَثِ وَشَهَادَةِ الْحَدَثِ بِالامْتِنَاعِ مِنَ الأَزَلِ الْمُمْتَنِعِ مِنَ الْحَدَثِ فَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ [اللَّهَ] مَنْ عَرَفَ بِالتَّشْبِيهِ ذَاتَهُ وَلا إِيَّاهُ وَحَّدَ مَنِ اكْتَنَهَهُ وَلا حَقِيقَتَهُ أَصَابَ مَنْ مَثَّلَهُ وَلا بِهِ صَدَّقَ مَنْ نَهَّاهُ

Him. It is not His reality (haqiqa) that is attained by someone who strikes a similitude for Him. It is not He who is confirmed (tasdiq) by him who professes an end for Him. If one points to Him, it is not God that is pointed to. It is not He who is meant by him who compares Him (to something). It one ascribes parts to God, he has not indeed humbled himself in the presence of God. And it is not God who is desired by one who conceives of God in his imagination.

Everything that can be known in itself (binafsih) is fashioned (masnu’). All that stands apart from Him is an effect (ma’lul). God is inferred from what He fashions, the recognition of Him is expedited by the powers of reasoning, and the argument (hujja) for Him is established by (man's) primordial nature (fitrah).

God's creating of the creatures is a veil between Him and them. His separation (mubayana) from them is due to the fact that He is disengaged from their localization (ayniyyah). That He is their origin (ibtida’) is proof for them that He has no origin, for none that has an origin can originate others. That He has created them possessing means (of accomplishing things) is proof that He has no means (adapt), for means are witness to the poverty of those who use them.

So His names are an expression (ta’bir), His acts (af’al) are (a way) to make (Him) understood (tafhim), and His Essence is Reality (haqiqa). His innermost center (kunh) separates Him from Creation, and His otherness limits what is other than Him. Therefore ignorant of God is he who asks for Him to be described! Transgressing against Him is he who seeks to encompass Him! Mistaken is he who imagines to have fathomed Him!

Whoever asks 'how?' has compared Him (to something). Whoever says 'why?' has professed for Him a cause. Whoever says 'when?' has determined Him in time. Whoever says 'in what?' has enclosed Him. Whoever says 'to what?' has professed for Him a limit. Whoever says 'until what?' has given Him an end. Whoever gives Him an end has associated an end with Him. Whoever associates an end with Him has divided Him. Whoever divides Him has described Him. Whoever describes Him has deviated from the straight path concerning Him.

God does not change with the changes undergone by Creation, just as He does not become limited by delimiting that which is limited (mahdud).

وَلا صَمَدَ صَمْدَهُ مَنْ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ وَلا إِيَّاهُ عَنَى مَنْ شَبَّهَهُ وَلا لَهُ تَذَلَّلَ مَنْ بَعَّضَهُ وَلا إِيَّاهُ أَرَادَ مَنْ تَوَهَّمَهُ كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ بِنَفْسِهِ مَصْنُوعٌ وَكُلُّ قَائِمٍ فِي سِوَاهُ مَعْلُولٌ بِصُنْعِ اللَّهِ يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلَيْهِ وَبِالْعُقُولِ تُعْتَقَدُ مَعْرِفَتُهُ وَبِالْفِطْرَةِ تَثْبُتُ حُجَّتُهُ خِلْقَةُ اللَّهِ الْخَلْقَ حِجَابٌ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُمْ وَمُبَايَنَتُهُ إِيَّاهُمْ مُفَارَقَتُهُ أَيْنِيَّتَهُمْ [إِنِّيَّتَهُمْ] وَابْتِدَاؤُهُ إِيَّاهُمْ دَلِيلُهُمْ عَلَى أَنْ لا ابْتِدَاءَ لَهُ لِعَجْزِ كُلِّ مُبْتَدَإٍ عَنِ ابْتِدَاءِ غَيْرِهِ وَأَدْوُهُ إِيَّاهُمْ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى أَنْ لا أَدَاةَ فِيهِ لِشَهَادَةِ الأَدَوَاتِ بِفَاقَةِ المادّين.

فَأَسْمَاؤُهُ تَعْبِيرٌ وَأَفْعَالُهُ تَفْهِيمٌ وَذَاتُهُ حَقِيقَةٌ وَكُنْهُهُ تَفْرِيقٌ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ وَغَيُورُهُ [غُيُورُهُ] تَحْدِيدٌ لِمَا سِوَاهُ فَقَدْ جَهِلَ اللَّهَ مَنِ اسْتَوْصَفَهُ وَقَدْ تَعَدَّاهُ مَنِ اشْتَمَلَهُ وَقَدْ أَخْطَأَهُ مَنِ اكْتَنَهَهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ كَيْفَ فَقَدْ شَبَّهَهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ لِمَ فَقَدْ عَلَّهُ [عَلَّلَهُ] وَمَنْ قَالَ مَتَى فَقَدْ وَقَّتَهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ فِيمَ فَقَدْ ضَمَّنَهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ إِلامَ فَقَدْ نَهَّاهُ وَمَنْ قَالَ حَتَّامَ فَقَدْ غَيَّاهُ وَمَنْ غَيَّاهُ فَقَدْ غَايَاهُ وَمَنْ غَايَاهُ فَقَدْ جَزَّأَهُ وَمَنْ جَزَّأَهُ فَقَدْ وَصَفَهُ وَمَنْ وَصَفَهُ فَقَدْ أَلْحَدَ فِيهِ وَلا يَتَغَيَّرُ اللَّهُ بِانْغِيَارِ الَْمخْلُوقِ كَمَا لا يَنْحَدُّ بِتَحْدِيدِ الَْمحْدُودِ؛ أَحَدٌ لا بِتَأْوِيلِ عَدَدٍ، ظَاهِرٌ لا بِتَأْوِيلِ الْمُبَـاشَرَةِ

He is One, not according to the explanation offered by number; Outward, not according to the explanation of being immediate (to the senses); Manifest, not through the appearance of a vision (of Him); Inward (batin), not through separation (muzayala); Apart (muba’in), not through distance; Near, not through approach; Subtle, not through corporealness[194]; Existent, not after nonexistence; Active, not through coercion; Determining, not through the activity of thought; Directing (mudabbir), not through movement; Desiring, not through resolution; Willing (sha’a), not through directing attention (himmah); Grasping (mudrik), not through touch (majassah); Hearing, not through means; and Seeing, not through organs.

Times accompany Him not, places enclose Him not, slumber seizes Him not, attributes delimit Him not, and instruments (adawat) are of no use to Him. His Being (kawn) precedes times (awqat), His Existence (wujud) precedes non-existence and His Beginninglessness (azal) precedes beginning (ibtida’).

By His giving sense to the sense organs it is known that He has no sense organs. By His giving substance to substances it is known that He has no substance. By His causing opposition among things it is known that He has no opposite. By His causing affiliation among affairs it is known that He has no affiliate. He made darkness opposite to light, obscurity to clarity, moisture to dryness, and heat to cold. He joins together those things which are in total contradiction with one another and separates those which are near. They prove (the existence of) their Separator by their separation and their Joiner by their junction. That is (the meaning of) the Sublime (God’s) words, ‘And of every thing We have created pairs: That ye may receive instruction.’ [195]

So through them He separated 'before' and 'after' that it might be known that He has no before and after. They testify with their temperaments that He who gave them temperaments has no temperament. They prove by their disparity that He who made them disparate has no disparity. They announce by their subjection to time that He who subjected them to time is not subject to it Himself.

He veiled some of them from others, so that it might be known that there is no veil between Him and them other than them. His is the true meaning of lordship (rububiyyah) when there was none over whom He

مُتَجَلٍّ لا بِاسْتِهْلالِ رُؤْيَةٍ بَاطِنٌ لا بِمُزَايَلَةٍ مُبَايِنٌ لا بِمَسَافَةٍ قَرِيبٌ لا بِمُدَانَاةٍ لَطِيفٌ لا بِتَجَسُّمٍ مَوْجُودٌ لا بَعْدَ عَدَمٍ فَاعِلٌ لا بِاضْطِرَارٍ مُقَدِّرٌ لا بِجَوْلِ فِكْرَةٍ مُدَبِّرٌ لا بِحَرَكَةٍ مُرِيدٌ لا بِهَمَامَةٍ شَاءٍ لا بِهِمَّةٍ مُدْرِكٌ لا بِمَجَسَّةٍ سَمِيعٌ لا بِآلَةٍ بَصِيرٌ لا بِأَدَاةٍ لا تَصْحَبُهُ الأَوْقَاتُ وَلا تَضَمَّنُهُ الأَمَاكِنُ وَلا تَأْخُذُهُ السِّنَاتُ وَلا تَحُدُّهُ الصِّفَاتُ وَلا تُفِيدُهُ الأَدَوَاتُ سَبَقَ الأَوْقَاتَ كَوْنُهُ وَالْعَدَمَ وُجُودُهُ وَالابْتِدَاءَ أَزَلُهُ.

بِتَشْعِيرِهِ الْمَشَاعِرَ عُرِفَ أَنْ لا مَشْعَرَ لَهُ وَبِتَجْهِيرِهِ الْجَوَاهِرَ عُرِفَ أَنْ لا جَوْهَرَ لَهُ وَبِمُضَادَّتِهِ بَيْنَ الأَشْيَاءِ عُرِفَ أَنْ لا ضِدَّ لَهُ وَبِمُقَارَنَتِهِ بَيْنَ الأُمُورِ عُرِفَ أَنْ لا قَرِينَ لَهُ ضَادَّ النُّورَ بِالظُّلْمَةِ وَالْجَلايَةَ بِالْبُهَمِ وَالجُسُوءَ بِالْبَلَلِ وَالصَّرْدَ بِالْحَرُورِ مُؤَلِّفٌ بَيْنَ مُتَعَادِيَاتِهَا مُفَرِّقٌ بَيْنَ مُتَدَانِيَاتِهَا دَالَّةً بِتَفْرِيقِهَا عَلَى مُفَرِّقِهَا وَبِتَأْلِيفِهَا عَلَى مُؤَلِّفِهَا ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ وَعَزَّ وَجَلَّ: «وَمِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ خَلَقْنا زَوْجَيْنِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ» فَفَرَّقَ بِهَا بَيْنَ قَبْلٍ وَبَعْدٍ لِيُعْلَمَ أَلا قَبْلَ لَهُ وَلا بَعْدَ شَاهِدَةً بِغَرَائِزِهَا أَلا غَرِيزَةَ لِمُغَرِّزِهَا [لِمُغْرِزِهَا] دَالَّةً بِتَفَاوُتِهَا أَلا تَفَاوُتَ لِمُفَاوِتِهَا مُخْبِرَةً بِتَوْقِيتِهَا أَلا وَقْتَ لِمُوَقِّتِهَا حَجَبَ بَعْضَهَا، عَن بَعْضٍ لِيُعْلَمَ أَلا حِجَابَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِهَـا لَهُ مَعْنَى الرُّبُوبِيَّةِ إِذْ لا مَرْبُوبٌ وَحَقِيقَةُ الإِلَهِيَّــةِ إِذْ لا مَأْلُوهٌ وَمَعْنَى الْعَالِمِ وَلا

was Lord; the reality of Godhood (ilahiyyah) when there was nothing for whom He was God; the true meaning of All-Knower when there was nothing to be known; the true meaning of Creator when there was nothing created and the interpreter of hearing when there was nothing to be heard. It is not because He created that which makes Him deserve the true meaning (of the term) 'Creator' and not because He brought the creatures into being that the true meaning of 'making' is derived.

How (could it not be so)? For using such words as ‘ago’ (mudh) conceals Him not, 'already' (qad) brings Him not near, ‘perhaps’ (li’alla) veils Him not, 'when' (mata) limits Him not in time, 'at the time of' (heen) contains Him not, and 'with' (ma’a) associates Him not.

Instruments limit only themselves and means are only effective upon other similar means. Their activities are found only in things. The word ‘ago’ keeps things from being eternal (qidmah); the word 'already' shields them from beginninglessness; and the words 'if only' (lawla) wards off perfection (takmilah). Things become separate and thus they prove (the existence of) their Separator. They become distinguished and thus they prove their Distinguisher (muba’in). Through them their Maker manifests Himself to the powers of reasoning, and He becomes veiled to the sight through these powers. To these powers of reasoning imaginations appeal for a decision. And in them is substantiated (only) other than Him. From them is suspended the proof and through them He has revealed to them the acknowledgement (iqrar) of His Unity.

Confirmation (tasdiq) of God is made fast by the powers of reasoning, and faith in Him attains perfection through acknowledgment. There is no religiousness (diyanah) except after recognition (ma’rifah), no knowledge except through sincerity and no sincerity along with striking similitude. If one ascribes attributes for God, then he has indeed drawn a similitude.

So nothing in Creation is found in its Creator. All that is possible in it is impossible in its Maker. Movement (harakah) and stillness (sukun) do not affect Him. How should that which He affects (in others) have any effect upon Him, or that which He has originated recur for Him? Then His Essence would be disparate, His innermost center would be divided and His being Eternal would become an impossibility. How would then the Creator have a meaning different from the created?

مَعْلُومٌ وَمَعْنَى الْخَالِقِ وَلا مَخْلُوقٌ وَتَأْوِيلُ السَّمْعِ وَلا مَسْمُوعٌ لَيْسَ مُذْ خَلَقَ اسْتَحَقَّ مَعْنَى الْخَالِقِ وَلا بِإِحْدَاثِهِ الْبَرَايَا اسْتَفَادَ مَعْنَى الْبَارِئِيَّةِ كَيْفَ وَلا تُغَيِّبُهُ [تَغِيبُهُ] مُذْ وَلا تُدْنِيهِ قَدْ وَلا يَحْجُبُهُ لَعَلَّ وَلا يُوَقِّتُهُ مَتَى وَلا يَشْتَمِلُهُ حِينٌ وَلا تُقَارِنُهُ مَعَ إِنَّمَا تَحُدُّ الأَدَوَاتُ أَنْفُسَهَا وَتُشِيرُ الآْلَةُ إِلَى نَظَائِرِهَا وَفِي الأَشْيَاءِ يُوجَدُ أَفْعَالُهَا مَنَعَتْهَا مُذُ الْقِدْمَةَ وَحَمَتْهَا قَدُ الأَزَلِيَّةَ وَجَنَّبَتْهَا لَوْلا التَّكْمِلَةَ افْتَرَقَتْ فَدَلَّتْ عَلَى مُفَرِّقِهَا وَتَبَايَنَتْ فَأَعْرَبَتْ، عَن مُبَايِنِهَا بِهَا تَجَلَّى صَانِعُهَا لِلْعُقُولِ وَبِهَا احْتَجَبَ عَنِ الرُّؤْيَةِ وَإِلَيْهَا تَحَاكَمَ الأَوْهَامُ وَفِيهَا أُثْبِتَ غَيْرُهُ وَمِنْهَا أُنِيطَ الدَّلِيلُ وَبِهَا عَرَّفَهَا الإِقْرَارَ بِالْعُقُولِ يُعْتَقَدُ التَّصْدِيقُ بِاللَّهِ وَبِالإِقْرَارِ يَكْمُلُ الإِيمَانُ بِهِ لا دِيَانَةَ إِلا بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَةٍ وَلا مَعْرِفَةَ إِلا بِإِخْلاصٍ وَلا إِخْلاصَ مَعَ التَّشْبِيهِ وَلا نَفْيَ مَعَ إِثْبَاتِ الصِّفَاتِ لِلتَّشْبِيهِ فَكُلُّ مَا فِي الْخَلْقِ لا يُوجَدُ فِي خَالِقِهِ وَكُلُّ مَا يُمْكِنُ فِيهِ يَمْتَنِعُ فِي صَانِعِهِ لا تَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ الْحَرَكَةُ وَالسُّكُونُ وَكَيْفَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ مَا هُوَأَجْرَاهُ أَوْ يَعُودُ فِيهِ مَا هُوَابْتَدَأَهُ إِذاً لَتَفَاوَتَتْ ذَاتُهُ وَلَتَجَزَّأَ كُنْهُهُ وَلامْتَنَعَ مِنَ الأَزَلِ مَعْنَاهُ وَلَمَّا كَـانَ لِلْبَـارِئِ مَعْنًى

If something from behind limited Him, then something in front would limit Him. If perfection (tamam) were seeking Him, imperfection would be upon Him. How should that which does not transcend (imtina’) temporality be worthy of (the Name) 'Beginningless'? How should that which does not transcend being produced (insha), produce the things (of the world)? There they would have arisen in Him a sign of having been made (masnu’) and He would become a proof (dalil) after having been the proven (madlul al-Ayah).

There is no argument in absurd opinions[196] ; there is no answer when it (absurdity) is asked about; and there is no glorification of Him in its meaning. Nor is there any absurdity in distinguishing Him from Creation, unless it be that the Independent accepts not to be made into two, nor does the Beginningless accepts to have a beginning.

There is no god but God, the All-High, and the Tremendous. They have cried lies that ascribe equals to God! They have gone astray into far-reaching error and suffered a manifest loss! May God’s Blessings be upon Muhammad and his Pure Household.

 

 

غَيْرُ الْمَبْرُوءِ وَلَوْ حُدَّ لَهُ وَرَاءٌ إِذاً حُدَّ لَهُ أَمَامٌ وَلَوِ الُْتمِسَ لَهُ الَّتمَامُ إِذاً لَزِمَهُ النُّقْصَانُ كَيْفَ يَسْتَحِقُّ الأَزَلَ مَنْ لا يَمْتَنِعُ مِنَ الْحَدَثِ وَكَيْفَ يُنْشِىُ الأَشْيَاءَ مَنْ لا يَمْتَنِعُ مِنَ الإِنْشَاءِ إِذاً لَقَامَتْ فِيهِ آيَةُ الْمَصْنُوعِ وَلَتَحَوَّلَ دَلِيلاً بَعْدَ مَا كَانَ مَدْلُولاً عَلَيْهِ لَيْسَ فِي مُحَالِ الْقَوْلِ حُجَّةٌ وَلا فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ عَنْهُ جَوَابٌ وَلا فِي مَعْنَاهُ لَهُ تَعْظِيمٌ وَلا فِي إِبَانَتِهِ عَنِ الْخَلْقِ ضَيْمٌ إِلا بِامْتِنَاعِ الأَزَلِيِّ أَنْ يُثَنَّى وَمَا لا بَدْأَ لَهُ أَنْ يُبْدَأَ لا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ كَذَبَ الْعَادِلُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَضَلُّوا ضَلالاً بَعِيداً وَخَسِرُوا خُسْرَاناً مُبِيناً وَصَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ.

 

End of Part 2

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