Spirits of Enlightenment

عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ [ عليه السلام ] يَقُولُ: « يفْقدُ النَّاسُ إِمَامَهُمْ، يَشْهَدُ الْمَوْسِمَ فَيَرَاهُمْ وَلَا يَرَوْنَهُ ». — أصـول الكافـي Ubayd ibn Zurárah said: "I heard Abu 'Abdillah, peace be upon him, say: 'The people will fail to find their Imam: he will appear at the time of hajj, and he will see them, but they will not see him." — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ مَعْرُوفِ بْنِ خربُوذ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ [ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ] قَالَ: « إِنَّمَا نَحْنُ كَنُجُومِ السَّمَاءِ، كُلَّمَا غَابَ نَجْمٌ طَلَعَ نَجْمٌ، حَتَّى إِذَا أَشَرْتُمْ بِأَصَابِعِكُمْ وَمِلْتُمْ بِأَعْنَاقِكُمْ، غَيَّبَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ نَجْمَكُمْ، فَاسْتَوَتْ بَنُو عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، فَلَمْ يُعْرَفْ أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ، فَإِذَا طَلَعَ نَجْمُكُمْ فَاحْمَدُوا رَبَّكُمْ ». — أصـول الكافـي Ma'rüf ibn Kharrabudh, that Abu Ja'far, peace be upon him, said: "We [i.e., the descendants of the Imam, al-Husayn, peace be up-on him, among all the descendants of 'Abdu 'l-Muttalib] are like the stars in the sky: whenever one star sets another star rises. Till, when you point with your fingers and crane your necks, Allah puts your star in occultation from you; then [all] the sons of 'Abdu 'l-Muttalib will [appear to] be the same, and the one will not be distinguishable from the other. So when your star rises [again], praise your Lord!" — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ [ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ] أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يُسْلَكُ بِالسَّعِيدِ فِي طَرِيقِ الْأَشْقِيَاءِ حَتَّى يَقُولَ النَّاسُ: مَا أَشْبَهَهُ بِهِمْ! بَلْ هُوَ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَتَدَارَكُهُ السَّعَادَةُ. وَقَدْ يُسْلَكُ…

عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَنْظَلَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ [ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ] أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يُسْلَكُ بِالسَّعِيدِ فِي طَرِيقِ الْأَشْقِيَاءِ حَتَّى يَقُولَ النَّاسُ: مَا أَشْبَهَهُ بِهِمْ! بَلْ هُوَ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَتَدَارَكُهُ السَّعَادَةُ. وَقَدْ يُسْلَكُ بِالشَّقِيِّ طَرِيقَ السُّعَدَاءِ حَتَّى يَقُولَ النَّاسُ: مَا أَشْبَهَهُ بِهِمْ! بَلْ هُوَ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ يَتَدَارَكُهُ الشَّقَاءُ. إِنَّ مَنْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ سَعِيدًا، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا فوَاقُ نَاقَةٍ، خُتِمَ لَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ». — أصـول الكافـي

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ [ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ ] قَالَ: قَالَ: «مَنْ عَذَرَ ظَالِمًا بِظُلْمِهِ، سَلَّطَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ مَنْ يَظْلِمهُ، فَإِنْ دَعَا لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ، وَلَمْ يُؤْجِرْهُ اللهُ عَلَى ظلَامَتِهِ». — أصول الكافي 'Abdullah ibn Sinan that Abū 'Abdillah ('a.s.) said: "One who finds excuse for an oppressor, Allah will set someone over him to oppress him, and whenever he invokes (Allah), his invocation will not be answered and Allah will not recompense him for oppression (he suffered)." — Usul al-Kāfī

« إِذَا تَمَّ الْعَقْلُ نَقصَ الْكَلَامُ ». As intelligence increases, speech decreases. – نهـجُ البلاغـة | Nahj al-Balāgha

Muhammad ibn Yahya (-) whomsoever (unknown) narrated it to him (-) Abu 'Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying: "Neither fatalism (jabr) nor delegation of authority (tafwid) but a matter midway the two (extremes)." "I (the narrator) inquired, 'What is meant by a matter midway the two (extremes)?' The Imam replied, "This is illustrated by the example of a person who is committing sin and whom you are prohibiting from doing so. But the man does not restrain himself and (in spite of your prohibition) commits the sin. Since the man has not accepted your advice and since you have left him to himself, it would not be said that you wanted him to commit the sin."" — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ [عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ] قَالَ: «لَا جَبْرَ وَلَا تَفْوِيضَ، وَلَكِنْ أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ»، قَالَ: قُلْتُ: وَمَا أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ ؟ قَالَ: « مثْلُ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ رَأَيْتَهُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ فَنَهَيْتَهُ، فَلَمْ يَنْتَهِ، فَتَرَكْتَهُ، فَفَعَلَ تِلْكَ الْمَعْصِيَةَ؛ فَلَيْسَ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْكَ فَتَرَكْتَهُ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالْمَعْصِيَةِ ». — أصـول الكافـي

عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيهِ السَّلامُ قالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِهِ: مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالسُّوءِ وَالْفَحْشَاءِ فَقَدْ كَذبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الْخَيْرَ وَالشَّرَّ بِغَيْرِ مَشِيئَةِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ أَخْرَجَ اللَّهَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِ، وَمَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ الْمَعَاصِيَ بِغَيْرِ قُوَّةِ اللَّهِ فَقَدْ كَذبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَمَنْ كَذبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ النَّارَ. — أصـول الكافـي Abu 'Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying: The Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) said, "Whoever thought that Allah ordains vices and obscenity, has attributed falsehood to Him. And whoever thought that good and evil is without the will and consent of Allah has (actually) dismissed Him from His sovereignty. And whoever thought that our disobedience to Allah has been committed with a power granted by the One, other than Allah, has also attributed false-hood to Him and he who has attributed falsehood to Allah, Allah will send him to the Fire." — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ [عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ] يَقُولُ: مِنَ الْأُمُورِ أُمُورٌ مَوْقُوفَةٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ، يُقَدِّمُ مِنْهَا مَا يَشَاءُ، وَيُؤَخِّرُ مِنْهَا مَا يَشَاءُ. — أصـول الكافـي al-Fudayl as saying: "I have heard Abú Ja'far (p.b.u.h.) saying, 'Among the divine decrees there are some in a state of suspension with Allah. Among such decrees He gives priority and posteriority to whichever He likes."" — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنِ الحَكَمِ بْنِ مسكينٍ، عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ [ عليه السَّلامُ ]: مَتَى يَعْرِفُ الأَخِيرُ مَا عِنْدَ الأَوَّلِ؟ قَالَ: « فِي آخِرِ دَقِيقَةٍ تَبْقَى مِنْ رُوحِهِ ». — أصـول الكافـي al-Hakam ibn Miskin that one of our co-sectarians said: "I said to Abū 'Abdillah (p.b.u.h.): 'When does the subsequent (Imâm) come to know that which the previous (Imam) had with him?" He said: 'In the last moment which remains of his life." — Usul al-Kāfī

عن الحسن بن علي الوشاء، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام قال: سَأَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ: اللَّهُ فَوَّضَ الْأَمْرَ إِلَى الْعِبَادِ؟ قَالَ: اللَّهُ أَعَزُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ، قُلْتُ: فَجَبَرَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي؟ قَالَ: اللَّهُ أَعْدَلُ وَأَحْكَمُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ. قَالَ: ثُمَّ قَالَ: قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ، أَنَا أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ، وَأَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي، عَمِلْتَ الْمَعَاصِيَ بِقُوَّتِي الَّتِي جَعَلْتُهَا فِيكَ. — أصـول الكافـي al-Hasan ibn 'Ali al-Washsha' as saying: "I inquired of Abu'l-Hasan ar-Rida (p.b.u.h.): 'Has Allah en-trusted to (His) slaves all their affairs? The Imam replied, 'Allah is far above this. Then I asked, 'Has Allah compelled man to commit sins? The Imam replied, 'Allah is too just and too wise to do this.' Then the Imam added, 'Allah says: 'O' son of Adam! I deserve your good deeds more than you yourself and you deserve your vices more than I Myself. You have committed sins through the power and authority I have granted to you." — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ، وَحَفْصِ بْنِ الْبَخْتَرِيِّ، وَغَيْرِهِمَا: عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) قَالَ فِي هَذِهِ الْآيَةِ: {يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ} [الرَّعْدُ: 39] قَالَ: فَقَالَ: «وَهَلْ يُمْحَى إِلَّا مَا كَانَ ثَابِتًا، وَهَلْ يُثْبَتُ إِلَّا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ؟» — أصـول الكافـي Hisham ibn Salim and Hafş ibn al-Bakhtari and others: Abú 'Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying regarding this verse: '(Every term has a Book.) Alláh blots out, and He establishes whatsoever He wills; (and with Him is the Essence of the Book' (Ra'd, 13:38-39). (The Imam remarked): "Could any divine ordinance be blotted out (from the book of destiny) unless it were first duly established there (i.e., in-scribed), could any divine ordinance be established unless it had been unsettled before?" — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ [ الباقـِر عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ] قَالَ: نَحْنُ الْمَثَانِي الَّتِي أَعْطَاها اللهُ نَبِيَّنَا مُحَمَّداً (صلى‌ الله‌ عليه‌ وآله‌) وَنَحْنُ وَجْهُ اللهِ نَتَقَلَّبُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بَيْنَ أَظْهُرِكُمْ، وَنَحْنُ عَيْنُ اللهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ، وَيَدُهُ الْمَبْسُوطَةُ بِالرَّحْمَةِ عَلى عِبَادِهِ، عَرَفْنَا مَنْ عَرَفَنَا، وَجَهِلْنَا مَنْ جَهِلَنَا وَإِمَامَةَ‌ الْمُتَّقِينَ. — أصـول الكافـي Abū Ja'far (p.b.u.h.) as saying "We (the Imams) are the mathani (counterpart of the Qur'an) on which Allah has bestowed our Prophet Muhammad (P.b.u.h.a.h.p). We are the countenance of Allah, Who walk about in this world among you people. In Allah's creation, we represent His eyes. We are His (Allah's giving) hand which is stretched towards His creation with kindness. Whoever is aware of us knows (what we actually are), and whoever is not aware of us does not know (what our status is). We are the (truthful) Imams or leaders and guides to those who guard themselves against evil." — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا}، قَالَ: نَحْنُ وَاللَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَى الَّتِي لَا يَقْبَلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ عَمَلًا إِلَّا بِمَعْرِفَتِنَا. — أصـول الكافـي Mu'awiyah ibn 'Ammar (-) Abū 'Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) in respect of these words of Allah, the Almighty, the Great, And to Allah (alone) belongs the Names Most Beautiful, so call Him by them. (al-A'raf. 7:180). The Imam remarked, "By Allah, we (the Imams) are the Beautiful Names (of Allah). Allah does not accept any good deed of His creatures without their recognizing us (the Imams)." — Usul al-Kāfī

and 'the spirit' as 'And breathed My Spirit in him. (al-Hijr, 15:29)" — Usul al-Kāfī

عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ [عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ] عَمَّا يَرْوُونَ أَنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ عَلَى صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ: هِيَ صُورَةٌ مُحْدَثَةٌ مَخْلُوقَةٌ، وَاصْطَفَاهَا اللهُ وَاخْتَارَهَا عَلَى سَائِرِ الصُّوَرِ المُخْتَلِفَةِ، فَأَضَافَهَا إِلَى نَفْسِهِ كَمَا أَضَافَ الكَعْبَةَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَالرُّوحَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ، فَقَالَ: ﴿بَيْتِيَ﴾ وَ﴿وَنَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي﴾. — أصـول الكافي Muhammad ibn Muslim as saying: "I inquired of Abū Ja'far (p.b.u.h.) regarding what they (the common people) narrated that: 'Allah has created Adam in His Own image. The Imam replied, 'It was the image invented and created after-wards and Allah had picked, owned and adopted it out of all various images. And then associated it (the image) with Himself, in the same way as He has associated the Ka'bah and 'the spirit with Himself.' Allah has said: '(And do you purify) My House (for those that shall go about it and those that stand, for those that bow and prostrate themselves al-Hajj, 22:26)'