Al Kafi (part 2)

Chapter One : Chapter On the Necessity To Seek Knowledge and the Recommendations To Learn H 35, Ch. 1, H 1

Muhammad ibn Ya'qub has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim from his father from al- Hassan ibn abu al-Hassan al-Farisi from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad from his father from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"The Messenger of Allah said, 'Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be known that Allah loves those who seek knowledge."

H 36, Ch. 1, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Muhammad ibn 'Abdallah from 'Isa ibn 'Abdallah al-'Amri from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory."

H 37, Ch. 1, h 3

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-Rahman from certain persons of his people who has said the following.

"Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) was asked, "Is it permissible for people not to seek what (religious knowledge) they need?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "No, (it is not permissible to ignore learning)."

H 38, Ch. 1, h 4

Ali ibn Muhammad and others have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa all from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Hamza from abu Ishaq al-Subay'i from one who narrated to him who has said the following.

"I heard Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) say, 'O people, you must know that religion becomes complete through seeking knowledge and acting accordingly. You must know that seeking knowledge is much more urgent for you than seeking wealth. In wealth every one's share is guaranteed.

A just person has already divided the wealth among you. He and my sword guarantee you to receive your share. Knowledge, however, is stored with those who possess it. You are commanded to seek knowledge from its sources (those who possess it). You must seek knowledge.'"

H 39, Ch. 1, h 5

A number of our people has narrated has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Ya'qub ibn Yazid from abu 'Abdallah, a man of our people narrated in a marfu' manner from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) from the Holy Prophet (s.a) who has said the following.

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory."

In another Hadith Imam abu 'Abdallah has narrated from the holy Prophet who said, "Seeking knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim. Let it be known that Allah loves those who seek knowledge."

H 40, Ch. 1, h 6

Ali ibn Muhammad ibn 'Abdallah has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from 'Uthman ibn 'Isa from Ali ibn abu Hamza who has said the following.

"I heard Imam abu 'Abdallah saying, 'Acquire good understand in religion because those of you who do not have good understand in religion are like the Bedouins. Allah has said in His book, ' Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have fear of God. (9:122)'"

H 41, Ch. 1, h 7

Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ja'far ibn Muhammad from al-Qasim ibn al- Rabi' from Mufaddal ibn 'Umar who has said the following.

"I heard abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) say, 'It is necessary for you to have good understanding of religion of Allah. Do not be like Bedouins because those who do not gain good understanding of religion, Allah will not look to then on the Day of Judgement and none of his deeds will be cleansed.'"

H 42, Ch. 1, h 8

Muhammad ibn 'Isma'il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from ibn abu 'Umayr from Jamil ibn Durraj from Aban ibn Taghlib from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "I would like to teach my associates and followers to have good understanding of religion even if it would require to use my whip on their heads."

H 43, Ch. 1, h 9

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from one who narrated to him from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) the following.

"A man said asked, 'May Allah take my soul in your service, a man believes in this fact, (Leadership of Ahlul Bayt with Divine Authority) but keeps himself at home and does not acquaint himself with his brethren."

Abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) said, "How he achieves good understanding of his religion?"

Chapter 2 : Chapter on the quality of knowledge its virtue and the virtue of the scholars H 44, Ch. 2, h 1

Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Ali ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from 'Ubaudallah al-Dihqan from Durust al-Wasiti from Ibrahim ibn 'Abd al-Hamid from abu al-Hassan Musa (a.s.) who has said the following.

"Once the Holy Prophet (s.a) entered the Mosque and found a group of people gathered around a man. He asked, "who is he?" It was said that he was a 'allamah. He then asked them, "What is that? " They replied that he is the most learned man about the genealogy, the chronology, and the history of the pre-Islamic days of darkness and the poetry of Arabs.

The Imam said, 'The holy Prophet (s.a.) then told them. "Knowledge consists of only three kinds:

A strong sign, a justly enjoined obligation or an established tradition. Other then these are of the extra achievements."'

H 45, Ch. 2, h 2

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Muhammad ibn Khalid from abu al-Bakhtari from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"The scholars are the heirs of the prophets because the prophets did not leave any Dirham or Dinar, (units of money) as their legacy. What they left was certain pieces of their statements.

Those who acquired anything of these pieces of their statements they have certainly gained a large share. You must be very careful, when acquiring such knowledge, to see from what kinds of people you receive them.

Among us (the Ahlul Bayt, family of the holy Prophet s.a.) after every one there comes a just person who removes (and exposes) the forgeries of the exaggerators from it (knowledge), the infiltrated materials of the fallacious ones and the interpretations of the ignorant ones."

H 46, Ch. 2, h 3

Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu'alla ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha' from Hammad ibn 'Uthman from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"When Allah wants goodness for a person He gives him (Fiqh) good understanding of religion."

H 47, Ch. 2, h 4

Muhammad ibn 'Isma'il has narrated from Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn 'Isa from Rab'i ibn 'Abdallah from a man from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following. "The entirety of excellence and perfection is (a) in good understanding of religion, (b) exercise of patience in affliction and (c) setting up of means of living."

H 48, Ch. 2, h 5

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from 'Isma'il ibn Jabir from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. "The scholars are trust worthy people, The pious ones are the strongholds and the successors (of the holy Prophet (s.a.) are the leaders." In another Hadith it is said, "The scholars are the light houses, the pious people are the strongholds and the successors are the leaders."

H 49, Ch. 2, h 6

Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Hassa'n from Idris ibn al-Hassan from abu Ishaq al-Kindi from Bashir al-Dahhan from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.

"O Bashir, there is nothing good in those of our people who do not acquire (Fiqh) good understand of religion. If one of them would not have good understanding of the religion he would need to ask those who oppose us. When he would need them they would lead him into their straying ways in a manner that he would not even realize."

H 50, Ch. 2, h 7

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) who has narrated from his ancestors from the Holy Prophet (s.a.), who has said the following.

"There is nothing good in life except for two kinds of people: a scholar who is obeyed and an audience who listens carefully."

H 51, Ch. 2, h 8

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu 'Umayr and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu 'Umayr from Sayf ibn 'Umayr from abu Hamza from abu Ja'far (a.s.) who has said the following.

"A scholar who benefits from his knowledge is better than seventy thousand worshippers."

H 52, Ch. 2, h 9

Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Sa'dan ibn Muslim from Mu'awiya ibn 'Ammar who has said the following.

"I asked (Imam) abu 'Abdallah (a.s.), "There is a man who recounts your Hadith and spreads them among people and ties them to their hearts and the hearts of your followers.

Also perhaps there is a worshipper among your followers who does not narrate your Hadith. Which of these two people is better?" The Imam replied, "The one who narrates our Hadith and ties them up to the hearts of our followers is better than seventy thousand worshippers."