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Chapitre
The Refutation of the Dualists & the Atheists
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1. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq (may Allah have mercy on them_ said: Abu al-Qasim al-`Alawi said: Muhammad ibn Isma`il al-Barmaki said: al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan said: Ibrahim ibn Hashim al-Qummi related to me that al-`Abbas ibn `Amr al-Fuqaymi said: on the authority of Hisham ibn al-Hakam that A dualist came to Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS). Among the things Abu `Abd Allah (AS said to him was: If you claim that “there is two (gods)” there can only be three possibilities. One: that both gods are eternal and all-powerful. Two: that both gods are weak. Or three: that on of them is all-powerful, and the other one is weak. Now, if both of them are powerful, then why doesn’t one of them overthrow the other, and mange all affairs single-handedly? If you believe that one of them is powerful, and the other one weak, then you have proved that He is One, and to the apparent inability of the second. And if you say that “they are two,” then only two things are possible: one, that they are both united in all aspects; or two, that they are separate in all aspects. However, when we contemplate the organization in creation, the orbits of the planets in the celestial sphere, the variation of day and night, the sun and the moon, and how everything operate in harmony, everything points that he Manager is One. Furthermore, if you claim that there are two gods, there must be a division between them both which has always existed, and that division would have to be a third god. However, if your claim that there are three gods, then there must be two divisions between them, leaving us with fie gods, and so on add aeterum. Hisham said: The dualist then questioned him until he asked, “What is the proof of His Existence?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) replied, “The existence of great wonders is proof that they were created by the Creator. When you see the imposing structure of building, you know instinctively that it was built by someone, even though you did not see him build it. He enquired, “What is He?” The Imam (AS) explained, He is a thing unlike other things. Consider the word “a thing” in order to understand its implication. Since He is Real, and He Exists, He is indeed a Thing. However, He is devoid of both body and image. He is neither sensed nor felt, nor is He perceived by the five senses. The imagination perceives Him not. He is not subject to time. Time has no effect upon Him. The questioner asked, “Therefore, you are saying that `Verily, He is All-Hearing, and AllSeeing?” The Imam (AS) responded, He is All-Hearing, and All-Seeing. He is All-Hearing without tools, and All-Seeing, without instruments. In fact, He hears by means of His entire being and He hears by His entire being. My statement does not mean that “He hears by means of His Entire Being” in the sense that He is something, and His Being is something else. I am simply using this example in order to answer your question. I say: “He hears by means of His Entire Being” and not in the sense that He has parts. Rather, I am attempting to make myself understood. My only other option would be to say that He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, AllKnowing, and All-Informed, in His Very Essence. The questioner questioned, “Than what is He?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) answered, He is the Lord. He is the Worshipped One, He is Allah. When I use the word “Allah,” I am not referring to the combination of the letters “a,” “l,” and “h”. Rather, I am pointing to its meaning. He is a thing that is the Creator of all Things, and their Manufacturer who is described by means of these letters. He is the one who is referred to by the names Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, the Honorable, among other names. He is the Worshipped One, the High and mighty. The questioner enquired, “So anything we can conceive of it created?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) replied: If things were as you claimed, then recognizing Divine Unity would be beyond our reach. We are not obliged to believe in what cannot be imagined. However, we say: everything we can conceive with our senses is perceived. Therefore, whatever the sense can discover and demonstrate is created. In order to prove the existence of the Creator of All Things, we must do so without recurring to two erroneous approaches: the first of which is negation, i.e. abolition [ibtal], and non-existence [`adam]; and the second is anthropomorphism, i.e. description, composition [tarkib], and formation [ta’lif]. We cannot prove the existence of the Creator on the basis of these two approaches as they are created, The Creator is not like the created. If He resembles the created, then whatever applies to the created would also apply to Him: such as coming into existence after non-existence, growth, change of color, change of strength, and so forth. The questioner said: “In attempting to prove His Existence, you have limited Him.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) responded, “I have not limited Him. ON the contrary, I have demonstrated His Existence through the only means possible: assertion and negation.” The questioner said: “Is His Existence real and actual?” The Imam (AS) replied, “Yes, His Existence is Real as nothing can be prove without being real and actual.” The questioner asked, “Does He have a shape?” The Imam (AS) explained, No, because shape is description that delineates. We must move away from negation and anthropomorphism Whoever negates Him, denies Him, eliminates His Lordship, and abolished Him. Whoever compares Him with other things describes Him on the basis of created attributes which are not worthy of Him. Nevertheless, we must prove His Essence without referring to shape. None is worthy of His Essence besides Him. And no one shares His Essence, encompasses it, or knows it but Him. The questioner said: “Does He sustain all things by Himself?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) answered, “He is far Greater than sustaining things directly as only crated being s bring things forth directly. Exalted is He! His Intent and His Will are effective. He is the Mighty Doer of whatever He wills.” The questioner enquired, “Does He feel pleasure or anger?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: Yes. However, His Pleasure and His Anger differ from the pleasure and anger fund among crated beings. Among created beings, pleasure and anger cause a change of state which is an attribute of the created, the incapable, and the needy. He is the Blessed and Exalted, the Honorable, and the Most Merciful. He is not in need of His Creation, while all His Creation is in need of Him. Verily, He created all things by means of invention and innovation, without any need or cause. The questioner uttered, “Then what about His Word: The Most Compassionate is firm on the Empyrean.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) replied, He described Himself as such in order to convey that He is the Possessor of the Empyrean, not in the sense that the Empyrean carries the Empyrean and restrains it. And we say this because His has said: His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth. Therefore, we say of the Empyrean and the Throne what He has said: and we refute the notion that the Empyrean or the Throne contains Him as He is not in need of space or anything which He has created. On the contrary, He has created them and they are in need of Him. The questioner said: “Then what is the difference between raising your hands to heaven and lowering them towards the earth?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) answered, That makes no difference in His Knowledge, Encompassment, and Omnipotence, but He, the Mighty and High, commanded His Beloved Ones and His Servants to raise their hands to heaven towards the Empyrean because He made it a so0urce of sustenance. This is proved from the Qur’an. It is also proved from the tradition of the Messenger (SA) which says: “Raise your hands to Allah the Mighty and High.” And this is agreed upon between all the schools of thought in the Ummah. The questioner asked, “How can you prove that Allah sent Prophets and messengers?” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) explained, Verily, we have proved that we have a Creator and a Producer who is Exalted from His Creation, and that he Producer is the Most Wise. It is impossible for His Creation to see Him or touch Him. He does not contact His Creation directly nor does His Creation contact Him directly. He does not reason with them, and they do not reason with Him. Thus, this proves that He has Representatives and Servants in His Creations who guide humanity towards what is best for them. They shall be granted e3ternitiy if they accept guidance. And they shall face destruction if they reject guidance. Evidently, those who promote the good and forbid the evil in His Creation must have been sent by the Most Wise, the All-Knowing. This demonstrates that He has Interpreters, and they are the Prophets, the Cream of His Creation, who are men of wisdom whom He has sent to guide and educate humankind. They are human in shape, but not in nature. They are endorsed by Allah, the Most Wise, the Omniscient, with wisdom, signs, proofs, and evidence, like giving life to the dead, healing lepers, and restoring sight to the blind. Verily, Allah’s earth is never without a Proof [hujjat] (of Allah) who brings the teachings of the Messenger (AS) and who embodies justice.
Nous a informés 'Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn 'Imran Al-Daqqaq - qu'Allah lui fasse miséricorde - qui a dit: Nous a informé Abu Al-Qasim Al-'Alawi, qui a dit: Nous a informé Muhammad ibn Isma'il Al-Barmaki, qui a dit: Nous a informé Al-Hussein ibn Al-Hassan, qui a dit: M'a informé Ibrahim ibn Hashim Al-Qummi, qui a dit: Nous a informé Al-'Abbas ibn 'Amr Al-Faqimi, d'après Hisham ibn Al-Hakam, dans un hadith concernant l'athée qui est venu voir Abu 'Abdullah - que la paix soit sur lui - et qui lui a dit: "Ton discours ne peut être exempt de dire qu'ils sont deux, soit anciens et forts, soit faibles, ou que l'un est fort et l'autre faible. Si tous deux sont forts, pourquoi alors aucun des deux n'écarte son compagnon et n'agit seul? Et si tu prétends que l'un est fort et l'autre faible, il est établi qu'ils sont un, comme nous le disons, en raison de l'incapacité évidente du second. Et si tu dis qu'ils sont deux, il est inévitable qu'ils soient en accord de tous côtés ou en désaccord de tous côtés. Quand nous voyons la création bien ordonnée, les astres en mouvement, l'alternance du jour et de la nuit, le soleil et la lune, cela prouve la validité de l'ordre et de la gestion, et l'unanimité de l'ordre indique qu'il n'y a qu'un seul organisateur. Si tu prétends qu'il y en a deux, il est nécessaire d'avoir une distinction entre eux jusqu'à ce qu'ils deviennent deux, et cette distinction devient alors une troisième avec eux, anciens avec eux, ce qui nécessite alors trois. Et si tu prétends qu'il y en a trois, alors il faut ce que nous avons dit pour les deux précédents jusqu'à ce qu'il y ait deux distinctions entre eux, ce qui fait cinq, puis le nombre s'étend à l'infini dans la multiplicité." Hisham a dit: "La question de l'athée était: 'Quelle est la preuve de cela?' Abu 'Abdullah - que la paix soit sur lui - a répondu: 'L'existence des actes qui indiquent qu'il y a un créateur qui les a faits. Ne vois-tu pas que lorsque tu regardes un bâtiment construit, tu sais qu'il a un constructeur, même si tu n'as pas vu le constructeur et ne l'as pas rencontré?' Il a dit: 'Qu'est-ce que c'est?' Il a répondu: 'C'est quelque chose de différent des autres choses. Je reviens à mon affirmation: quelque chose pour affirmer un sens, et que c'est quelque chose en réalité, bien que cela n'ait ni corps, ni forme, ni sensation, ni perception, ni ne soit appréhendé par les cinq sens, ni ne soit compris par les illusions, ni ne soit altéré par le temps.' Le questionneur a dit: 'Alors tu dis qu'il entend et voit?' Il a répondu: 'Il entend et voit, mais il entend sans oreille et voit sans organe visuel. En fait, il entend de lui-même et voit de lui-même. Quand je dis qu'il entend de lui-même et voit de lui-même, cela ne signifie pas qu'il est une chose et que l'âme est une autre chose, mais je veux m'exprimer en tant qu'âme responsable et te faire comprendre en tant que questionneur. Et je dis: il entend tout, non pas que tout provient de lui, mais je veux te faire comprendre et m'exprimer en tant qu'âme, et mon point de référence dans cela est qu'il est Celui qui entend tout, qui voit tout, qui sait tout, sans différence dans Son essence ni dans Son sens.' Le questionneur a demandé: 'Alors il est Entendant et Voyant?' Il a répondu: 'Il est Entendant et Voyant, Entendant sans organe auditif et Voyant sans instrument vis
2. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) said: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan alSaffar said, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isa, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Abu `Umayr, on the authority of Hisham ibn al-Hakam that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS): “What is the Proof that Allah is One?” He (AS) replied, “The Proof that Allah is One can be seen in the continued management of creation and its perfection in all aspects. As the Mighty and High says: If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder.”
IsnādNous a informé Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid, que Dieu lui fasse miséricorde, qui a dit: Nous a informé Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Saffar, de la part d'Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, de la part de Muhammad ibn Abi Umair, de la part de Hicham ibn al-Hakam, qui a dit: J'ai demandé à Abou Abdallah, que la paix soit sur lui: Quelle est la preuve que Dieu est Un? Il a dit: La cohérence dans la gestion et la perfection de l'œuvre, comme l'a dit le Tout-Puissant: "S'il y avait en eux d'autres divinités qu'Allah, certes tout serait corrompu".
La preuve que Dieu est Un réside dans la cohérence dans la gestion et la perfection de l'œuvre, comme l'a énoncé le Tout-Puissant dans le verset: "S'il y avait en eux d'autres divinités qu'Allah, certes tout serait corrompu".
3. Muhammad ibn `Ali Majilwayh (RA) said, on the authority of his paternal uncle Muhammad ibn Abu al-Qasim that Abu Saminah Muhammad ibn `Ali al-Sayrafi related to me, on the authority of Muhammad ibn `Abd Allah al-Khursasani the servant of al-Rida (AS) that An atheist entered the presence of al-Rida (AS) when he had some people in his presence. Therefore, Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (AS) asked him, “O man! Can you not see that if your view is correct, and it is absolutely not, then we are equal despite our prayers, fasting, alms-giving, and tht beliefs we profess have not harmed us?” The atheist remained silent. Then Abu al-Hasan (AS) added, “However, if our view is the correct one, which is certainly the case, then you are lost, and we are saved.” The man said: “May Allah’s mercy be upon you! Can you describe to me how He is and where He is?” The Imam (AS) answered, Woe to you! Verily, you are misguided. He originated the “where” since He existed when there was no “where.” He originated the “how” since He existed when there was no “how.” He cannot be described in terms of “how” or “where,” nor can he be perceived by any of our senses, or gauged by any other means. The man said: “Then surely He is nothing if He cannot be perceived by any of the sense.” Abu al-Hasan (as) said: Woe to you! Will you deny His Lordship simply because your sense cannot perceive Him? Although our senses fail to perceive Him, we know for certain that He is our Lord despite arguments to the contrary.” The man said: “Then tell, since when has He existed?” Abu al-Hasan said: “If you can tell me when He did no exist, I can tell you when He did exist.” The man said: “Then how can we prove His Existence?” Abu al-Hasan (AS) replied, Verily, when I contemplate my body and see that it is impossible for me to increase or decrease its breadth and height, to keep unpleasant things away from it, or draw benefits to it, then I know that this structure has a Maker. I acknowledge His Existence on the basis of the planets which orbit in the celestial sphere by His Command. I acknowledge His Existence on the basis of the production of clouds in the sky. I acknowledge His Existence on the basis of the movement of the winds. I acknowledge His Existence on the basis of the movement of the sun, the moon, and the starts. When I consider all the wonders of creation, I know that they are the product of a Determiner [Muqaddir], and an Originator [Munshi’]. The man enquired, “Then why has He veiled Himself (from men)?” Abu al-Hasan (AS) responded, “Verily, the veil between Allah and His Creatures is the result of their sins. As for Him, no secret is hidden from Him whether day or night.” The man said: “Then why does the sense of sight not perceive Him?” The Imam (AS) answered, “Vision seized Him not because He differs from His Creatures who see and are seeing. He is far above being seeing by sight, encompassed by the imagination, or conceived through reasoning.” The man said: “Then define His Limits for me.” The Imam (AS) answered, “He has no limits.” The man asked, “Why?” The Imam (AS) answered, He has no limits, because every limited thing has an end to its limits. If something can be limited, it can also be extended. If something can be extended, it can also be contracted. However, He is Unlimited. He is neither extended nor is He constrained. He cannot be divided, nor can He be imagined. The man said: “Then tell me about your saying that: “He is Subtle, All-Hearing, AllSeeing, All-Knowing and All-Wise.’ Can He be All-Hearing without ears, All Seeing without eyes, Subtle without hands, and Most Wise without workmanship?” Abu al-Hasan (AS) replied, Verily, a person among us is judge to be subtle on the basis of his workmanship. Have you not seen a man who undertakes a task, and is subtle in his handling of it, so it is said: “How subtle is so and so!” Then how could it not be said that the Majestic Creator is not Subtle when He creates a subtle and majestic creation, places souls in the living, and creates diversity among species, so that none of them is identical to the other? Every creature He has made contains subtle differences as a sign for the Subtle, AllAware, Creator. When we look upon the trees, and the delicate fruits they bear, both edible and inedible, we say that “Verily, our Creator is Subtle, but not like the subtlety of His Creatures in their workmanship.” And we say, “Verily, He is All-Hearing,” since the sounds of His Creatures, between the Throne and the earth, are not hidden to him, whether they emanate from a mole or something larger that that, and whether they originate on the land or in the depth of the ocean. Even their various forms of communication are clear to Him. We say that “Verily, He is All-Hearing, but not through ears.” Then we say, “Verily, He is All-Seeing,” but not through eyes, for He can see even a black speck on a black stone in the darkest night. He can see the tracks of an ant when the night is pitch-black. He sees what is harmful to the ant, beneficial to the ant, and its entire cycle of reproduction. And we say, “Verily, He is All-Seeing,” but not similar to the sight of His Creatures.” The narrator added, “The man did not leave until he had embraced Islam. The Imam (AS) said other things as well.”
IsnādNous a informé Muhammad ibn Ali Majilouyeh, que Dieu soit satisfait de lui, de son oncle Muhammad ibn Abi al-Qasim, qui a dit: Abu Saminah Muhammad ibn Ali al-Sayrafi nous a informé, de la part de Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Kharasani, serviteur d'Al-Rida (que la paix soit sur lui), qui a dit:
Un homme parmi les zindiqs entra chez Al-Rida (que la paix soit sur lui) en sa présence avec un groupe de personnes. Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) lui dit: "Ô homme, imagine que ce que vous dites est vrai - même si ce n'est pas comme vous le prétendez - ne sommes-nous pas soumis à la même loi et ne bénéficions-nous pas de nos prières, de notre jeûne, de notre purification et de notre témoignage?". L'homme resta silencieux. Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) poursuivit: "Et si ce que nous disons est vrai - tel que nous le prétendons - ne seriez-vous pas perdus alors que nous serions sauvés?". L'homme dit: "Que Dieu te fasse miséricorde, explique-moi comment Il est et où Il est". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) répondit: "Malheur à toi, celui que tu cherches est exempt de localisation, Il est là où Il est et Il n'est pas là où Il n'est pas, Il est comment Il est et Il n'est pas comment Il n'est pas, Il n'est pas limité par une localisation ni par une direction, Il n'est pas appréhendé par les sens ni mesuré par quoi que ce soit". L'homme dit: "Il n'est donc rien puisque les sens ne peuvent Le percevoir". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) répliqua: "Malheur à toi, lorsque tes sens échouent à Le percevoir, tu nies Sa Seigneurie, alors que nous, lorsque nos sens échouent à Le percevoir, nous croyons fermement en Lui en tant que notre Seigneur, différent de Ses créatures". L'homme demanda: "Informez-moi de Son commencement". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) répondit: "Dis-moi quand Il n'était pas là, et je te dirai quand Il était là". L'homme demanda: "Quelle est la preuve de Son existence?". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) dit: "Quand j'ai examiné mon propre corps et que j'ai constaté qu'il était parfait en termes de proportions, de dimensions, qu'il repousse les nuisances et attire les bienfaits, j'ai su qu'il y avait un Créateur derrière cette création, en plus de ce que je vois dans le mouvement des astres par Sa puissance, la formation des nuages, la direction des vents, le parcours du soleil, de la lune, des étoiles et d'autres signes étonnants et bien ordonnés, j'ai su qu'il y avait un Planificateur et un Créateur derrière tout cela". L'homme demanda: "Pourquoi ne se manifeste-t-Il pas?". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) répondit: "Il se cache aux créatures en raison de leurs nombreux péchés, mais pour Lui, rien n'est caché, que ce soit de nuit ou de jour". L'homme demanda: "Pourquoi l'œil ne peut-Il Le percevoir?". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) expliqua: "Il y a une différence entre Lui et Ses créatures que l'œil peut percevoir, Il est plus grand que ce que l'œil peut embrasser ou l'intelligence comprendre". L'homme demanda: "Quelle est Sa limite?". Abu al-Hasan (que la paix soit sur lui) répondit: "Il n'a pas de limite, car tout ce qui est limité est susceptible d'augmentation et de diminution, Il est illimité, ni en augmentation, ni en diminution, ni divisé, ni imaginé". L'
4. Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq (RA) said: Abu al-Qasim Hamzah ibn al-Qasim al-`Alawi said: Muhammad ibn Isma`il said: Abu Sulayman Dawud ibn `Abd Allah said: `Amr ibn Muhammad related to me that `Isa ibn Yunus related to me that Ibn Abu al-`Auja’ used to be one of the students of al-Hasan al-Basri until al-Basri went astray on the subject of Divine Unity. Hence, it was said to him, “You left the path of your teacher and embraced a belief which has no foundation in reality.” Therefore, he responded, “Verily, my teacher was confused, Sometime he supported the concept of Free-will [qadr], and sometimes he supported the concept of Compulsion [jabr]. I do not know whether he finally embraced one of them.” Ibn Abu al-`Awja’ came to Mecca full of arrogance and in opposition of those who were performing the pilgrimage. He used to abhor the learned ones. However, he would sit in their gatherings, asking them evil questions conceived in his corrupt mind. On one occasion, he came to Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) to question him. Consequently, he sat down before him was a group of people who had views similar to his and asked, “O Abu `Abd Allah! Verily, meetings should be confidential. If someone has to cough, he should cough. Do you permit me to talk?” So the Imam (AS) responded, “Ask whatever you wish.” Then he asked, How much longer will y our people continue to trample underfoot this threshing floor, honor this Stone, serve this House elevated with bricks and clay, and run about it like a camel when it stampedes? Verily, whoever ponders about this will come to know that this ritual was founded by one who was both unwise and without vision. Since your father (the Prophet) established this ritual, and you are the one responsible for this affair, will you not explain it to us? Then Abu `Abd Allah (AS) answered, Verily, whoever Allah misguides and whose heart is blind cannot digest the truth; hence, he does not find it pleasant. Satan becomes his guardian and brings him to the pools of disaster, from which Allah will not save him. Allah sought His service from His creation through this House to test the obedience of His Creation. Hence, He urged them to revere it and He urged them to visit it. He made it the place of His Messengers and the direction [qiblah] of prayer. Thus, it is a means of attaining His Pleasure and a means of attaining His Forgiveness. It has been raised to a level of perfection, and is a meeting place filled with grandeur and glory. Allah created it two thousand years before spreading the earth. He is more deserving for people to obey His Commands and abstain from His Prohibitions. Allah is the Producer of Spirits and Images. Ibn Abu al-`Awja’ said: “O Abu `Abd Allah! You invoked the absent.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) replied, “Woe be to you! How could He be absent when He is the Witness to His Creation, and is closer to them than their jugular vein? He hears their speech sees their figures, and knows their innermost secrets.” Ibn Abu al-`Awja’ asked, “Then is He is every space? If He is in heaven, then how can He be on earth? And if He is on the earth, then how can He be in heaven?” Consequently, Abu `Abd Allah (AS) replied, Verily, what you have described only applies to the created. Only the created vacate a space when they change place. As far as the created are concerned, they have no idea of their previous space when they take up a new space. As for Allah, the Most Great in Rank, and the Most Bountiful Sovereign, there is no space free of Him, and no place which contains Him. There is no space closer to Him than another space. He sent Muhammad with His Firm Signs and Clear Proofs, and provided him with His Help. He chose him to deliver His Message. We confirm this word that his Lord sent him and what He spoke to Him (through revelation). Hence, Ibn Abu al-`Awja’ left his presence and said to his friends: “Who poured this Ocean (of Knowledge) on me? And in the tradition of Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (RA) it states: “Who placed me in this ocean? I asked you to find me some wine, and you dropped me on the ember?” They replied, “You behaved inappropriately in his presence.” He said: “He is indeed the son of the one who made these people shave their heads.”
Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Imran al-Daqqaq a rapporté: Abu al-Qasim Hamza ibn al-Qasim al-Alawi a rapporté: Muhammad ibn Isma'il a rapporté: Abu Suleiman Dawud ibn Abdullah a rapporté: Amr ibn Muhammad a rapporté: Issa ibn Yunus a dit: Ibn Abi al-Awja' faisait partie des disciples d'Al-Hasan al-Basri, mais il s'est égaré de la croyance en l'unicité d'Allah. On lui dit: Tu as abandonné la doctrine de ton compagnon et tu es entré dans quelque chose qui n'a ni fondement ni réalité. Il répondit: Mon compagnon était confus, il disait un moment que tout était prédestiné et un autre moment que tout était déterminé par la contrainte. Ce que je sais, c'est qu'il a adopté une doctrine et il est resté sur cette voie. Il est venu à La Mecque en se révoltant et en rejetant ceux qui accomplissent le pèlerinage. Il détestait que les savants lui posent des questions et qu'ils passent du temps en sa compagnie à cause de la méchanceté de sa langue et de la corruption de son esprit. Il vint voir Abu Abdullah (Imam Jafar al-Sadiq) pour lui poser des questions. Il s'assit avec lui en présence de ses collègues et lui demanda la permission de parler. Abu Abdullah lui dit: Parle de ce que tu veux. Il dit: Jusqu'à quand continuerez-vous à piétiner cette pierre et à vous accrocher à ce rocher, à adorer cette Kaaba construite en briques et en argile, à vous précipiter autour d'elle comme des chameaux fuyant en débandade ? Celui qui réfléchit à cela et qui possède une connaissance sait que ces actions sont basées sur des fondements dénués de sagesse et de vérité. Dis donc, car tu es la tête de cette affaire, son sommet et ton père en est le fondement et le pilier. Abu Abdullah répondit: Celui qu'Allah égare et rend aveugle son cœur, il renie la vérité sans la goûter, et le diable devient son allié, le poussant vers les abîmes de la perdition, d'où il ne pourra sortir. Cette maison (la Kaaba) qu'Allah a établie pour Ses créatures afin de tester leur obéissance en venant vers elle, Il les encourage à la respecter et à la visiter, Il en a fait un lieu de prophétie et la qibla des prières. C'est une branche de Sa satisfaction et un chemin menant à Son pardon, élevé au-dessus de toute imperfection, réunissant grandeur et majesté. Allah l'a créée avant la création de la terre de deux mille ans, et Il est plus digne d'être obéi dans ce qu'Il ordonne et de s'abstenir de ce qu'Il interdit et réprouve. Allah, qui crée les âmes et les formes. Ibn Abi al-Awja' dit: Tu as mentionné, ô Abu Abdullah, et tu as dirigé tes paroles vers un absent. Abu Abdullah répondit: Malheur à toi, comment peut-il être absent alors qu'Il est témoin parmi Sa création, plus proche d'eux que la veine jugulaire, Il entend leurs paroles, voit leurs personnes et connaît leurs secrets. Ibn Abi al-Awja' demanda: Est-Il partout ? Si c'est le cas, s'Il est dans le ciel, comment peut-Il être sur terre, et s'Il est sur terre, comment peut-Il être dans le ciel ? Abu Abdullah répondit: Tu décris la créature qui, lorsqu'elle se déplace d'un endroit à un autre, s'occupe d'un lieu et le quitte pour un autre, ne sachant pas ce qui se passe dans le lieu qu'elle a quitté. Quant à Allah, le Grand, le Majestueux, le Souverain, Il n'est jamais absent d'un endroit, Il n'est jamais occupé par un endroit, Il n'est jamais plus pro
5. Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Qittan said: Ahmad ibn Yahya said, on the authority of Bakr ibn `Abd Allah ibn Hubayb that Ahmad ibn Ya`qub ibn Matar related to me that Muhammad ibn alHasan bin `Abd al-`Aziz al-Ahdab al-Jund said in Naysabur that I found in my father’s book in his writing: Talhah ibn Yazid said, on the authority of `Ubayd Allah ibn `Ubayd, on the authority of Abu Ma`mar al-Sa`dani that A man came to the Commander of the Faithful `Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) and said: “O Commander of the Faithful! Verily, I have doubted the Revealed Book of Allah.” The Imam (AS) replied to him, “May your mother be bereaved of you! How did you come to doubt the Revealed Book of Allah?” He said: “Because I find some parts of the Book belie some other parts then how should I not doubt in it.?” Consequently, `Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) replied, “Verily, when it comes to the Book of Allah, some parts of it verify other parts. However, you have not been given the sustenance of wisdom to benefit form it. Bring me what you doubt in the Book of Allah, the Mighty and High.” The man explained to him (AS), “I found Allah saying that So today We forget them, as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs, also: They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them, and said: And your Lord is not forgetful. Thus, once He informs that He does forget and in another place He says that He does not forget. O Commander of the Faithful, what is that?” Imam `Ali (AS) said: “Bring me what you doubt in.” He said: I have found Allah saying that The Day on which the spirit and the angels shall stand in ranks; they shall not speak except he whom the Most Compassionate God permits and who speaks the right thing, He says: (they will speak) They would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheist, He says: On the Resurrection Day some of you shall deny others, and some of you shall curse others, then He says: That most surely is the truth: the contending one with another of the inmates of the fire, He says: Do not quarrel in My Presence, and indeed I gave you the threatening beforehand, and He says: We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what t hey earned. Therefore, on one occasion He says that they will speak, and on another occasion He says: “they will not speak except he whom the Most Compassionate permits and who speaks the right thing.” In one place He informs that the creation will not speak and describes their statement: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheist.” In another place He says that they will quarrel. O Commander of the Faithful, why is that? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear (from me)? The Imam said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” He responded, I also find Allah, the Mighty and High saying that Faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord, and he says: Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower of Subtleties, the Aware, He says: And certainly he saw him in another descent, a the farthest lotus-tree; He also says: On that day shall no intercession avail except of him whom the Beneficent Allah allows and whose word He is pleased with. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not comprehend it in knowledge. Whoever the eyes have perceived is encompassed in knowledge. O Commander of Faithful, why is that? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam (AS) said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” The man uttered, I also find Allah, the Blessed, the Exalted, that And it is not for any man that Allah should speak to him save by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger (angel) and to reveal by His permission what He wills, He also says: And to Musa, Allah addressed His Word, speaking (to him), and He says: And their Lord called out to them, and He says, O Prophet! Say to your wives and your daughters and He also says: O Messenger! Deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord. Why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” The man further said: I find Allah, High be His Praise, saying that Do you know anyone else named with the same names? He names the human as hearing [sami`], seeing [basir`], sovereign [malik], lord [rabb]. Therefore, at times He says that He has many common names, and at other times He says: “do you know anyone else named with the same name?” Why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And ho shall I not doubt in what you hear?” The Imam said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” He said: I found Allah, the Blessed and Exalted saying, that And there does not lie concealed from your Lord the weight of an atom in the earth or in heaven, and that nor will He look upon them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purify them, and also that Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be veiled from their Lord. How does He look at them when they are veiled? And why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam (AS) replied, “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” He continued, And I find Allah, the Might and High, saying that Are you secure of those in heaven and He should not make the earth to swallow you up, and that The Most Compassionate Allah is firm on the Empyrean, and also that And He is Allah in heavens and in the earth; He knows your secrets and your disclosures, and that The Manifested and the Hidden, and that He is with you wherever you may be, and also that We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And ho shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam (AS) said: “Woe unto you! Bring me more what you doubt in.” The man further said: I find Allah, High be His praise, saying that And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks, and he said: Verily, you have come to Us alone as We created you at first, and said: They do not wait aught but that Allah should come to them in the shadows of the clouds along with the angels, and also said: They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come. On the day when some of the Signs of your Lord shall come, its faith shall not profit a soul which did no believe before, or earn good through its faith. Thus, in one place He says: “On the Day your Lord should come” and in another place He says: “on the Day some of the Signs of your Lord should come.” Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam (AS) said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” The man continued, And I find Allah, the Mighty and High, saying that Nay! They are unbelievers in the meeting of their Lord, and when He mentioned the Believer, He said: Who know that they shall meet their Lord and that they shall return to Him, and said: Their greetings on the Day when they meet Him shall be: “Peace,” and He also said: Whoever hopes to meet Allah, then meeting Him is forthcoming, and said: Therefore, whoever hope to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds. Thus, in one occasion, He says that they will meet Him, and on other occasion, He says that vision cannot perceive Him, and that He perceives all vision. And at another time He says: “They cannot encompass Him with knowledge.” Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear The Imam (AS) said: “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” The man said: I found Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, that And the guilty shall see the fire, then they shall think that they are going to fall into it, and He said: On that day Allah will pay back to them in full their just reward, and they shall know that Allah is the evident Truth, and He also said: You began to think diverse thoughts of Allah. So in one place He says that “they think,” and in another place He says that “they know.” Thinking [zann] is doubt. Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you heard? The Imam (AS) said: “Bring me what you doubt in.” The man said: I find Allah, the Exalted, saying that And We will set up a just balance on the Day of Resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and He said: Therefore, We will not set up a balance for them on the Day of Resurrection, and He also said: These shall enter the garden, in which they shall be given sustenance without measure, and He also said: And the measuring out on the that day will be just; then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy, those are they who shall be successful; and as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is light those are they who have made their souls suffer loss because they were unjust towards Our signs. Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? The Imam (AS) replied, “Woe unto you! Bring me what you doubt in.” The man said: I found Allah, the Exalted, saying that Say: The Angel of Death who is given charge of you takes your souls, then to your Lord you shall be brought back, and He said: Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and He also said: Our Messengers (angels) take his soul away, and they are not remiss, and also said: Thos whom the angels take away their souls in a good state, and He also said: Those whom the angels take away their souls while they are unjust to themselves. Then why is that O Commander of the Faithful? And how shall I not doubt in what you hear? Thus, I shall perish if you do not have mercy on me, and expand my chest for me in what might happen by my hands. For if the Lord, the Blessed and Exalted is truth, the book is truth, and the Messengers are truth, then I have perished and am in loss. However, if the Messengers are false then it does not matter, and I am saved. Consequently, `Ali (AS) said: Our Lord, the Most Holy, Blessed and Exalted be He, is Elevated, and Great. We bear witness that He is the Ever-Lasting who does not decline. We do not doubt in Him, and there is nothing whatsoever like Him, and He is All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. And we bear witness that the Book is truth, the Messengers are truth, and that the reward of Allah and the wrath of Allah are true. Thus, if you are given faith, or faith is taken away from you, then that is Allah’s prerogative. If He wishes to bless you, He will and if He does not wish to, He will not. Nonetheless, I will clarify the issues in which you doubt. There is no strength or power but Allah. If Allah intends good for you, He will grant you guidance through His Knowledge and keep you firm in faith. However, if He wishes evil for you, then certainly you have gone astray and you have perished. As for His Statement: “They forgot Allah so He has forgotten them,” Verily, that means “they forgot Allah in this world.” Since they do not obey Him in this world, He has forgotten them in the Hereafter. In other words, He will not reward them. As such, they have been excluded from good. Similar is the explanation of His Word, the Mighty and High “So today We forget them, as they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs.” What He means by “the forgetting” is that He will not reward them like He rewards His Beloved Ones who were obedient to Him in this world, and who remembered Him by professing faith in Him and in His Messengers, and who feared Him in secret. As for His word: “And you Lord id not forgetful” it means that our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, the Elevated, and the Great, is not forgetful or neglectful, rather, He is the Protecting, the All-Knowing. The Arabs say about forgetfulness: “So and so has forgotten us,” i.e. he does not wish good for us not does he remember us with goodness. As a result, have you understood what Allah, the Mighty and High, has mentioned? The man replied, “Verily, you have comforted me. May Allah comfort you! You have resolved my problem. May Allah increase your reward! The Imam (AS) continued, As for His Word: “The Day on which the spirit and the angels shall stand in ranks; they shall not speak except he whom the Most Compassionate God permits and who speaks the right thing,” and His Word: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists,” and His Word: “On the Resurrection Day some of you shall deny others, and some of you shall curse others,” and His Word: “That most surely is the truth: the contending one with another of the inmates of the fire,” and His Word: “Do not quarrel in My Presence, and indeed I gave you the threatening beforehand.” And he says: “We will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hand shall speak to Us, and their feet shall bear witness of what they earned.” Verily, these events take place at different times and at different places on the Day that will last fifty thousand years. Allah, the Mighty and High, will bring forth all the creations that Day in different places. Some will speak to others, and some of whom will seek forgiveness for others. They are the obedient ones, and followers of the (righteous) leaders in this world. The disobedient ones will curse. They are the ones who incited hatred, and engaged in oppression and aggression on worldly abode. The empowered ones and the weak ones will deny each other and curse each other. The denial [kufr] in this verse refers to immunity. He is that “some of them shall grant immunity to others.” It is like the statement of Satan in surah “Abraham: ”Verily, I disbelievers in your associating me with Allah before; and the statement of Ibrahim (AS) the Friend of Allah: We renounce you, i.e. we disassociate ourselves for you. Then they will unite in another place where they will cry. If those screams arise for the people of this world, they would certainly startle all of the creation from their livelihood, and their hearts would crack except what Allah wills. Hence, they shall continue to weep bold. Then they will unite in another place where they will be made to speak and say: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.” Therefore, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will set a seal upon their mouths, and their hands, feet and skins will be made to speak. So they will witness every sin which they did with these parts. Then the seal from their tongues will be raised so they will say to their skins: Why have you borne witness against us? They shall say: Allah who makes everything speak has made us speak. Then they unite in another place and will be made to speak, but they will escape from one another. This is the meaning of the Word of the Mighty and High: The day on which a man shall fly from his brother, and his mother and his father, and his spouse and his son. Thus, they will seek to speak but no one shall speak except for whom the Beneficent permits and who speaks the right thing. At this point the Messengers, blessings of Allah be upon them, shall rise and bear witness, to the Word of Allah: How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness against these? Then they will meet in another place, where there shall be the place of Muhammad (sw) and that is the Praised Position [almuqam al-mahmud]. Thus, he (sw) will praise Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, the way no one has praised Him before him. Then he (sw) will praise each and every angel. There shall not remain any angel that he will not have praised. Then he will praise the Messengers (AS) in such way that no one has done so before him. The he (sw) will praise every believing man and believing woman starting with the strictly veracious [siddiqin], the martyrs, and the pious ones [salihin]. Then all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will praise him as we see in the Word of Alla: Maybe your Lord will raise you to a praised position. Hence, blessed are those who have any allotment in that Position, and woe unto those who do not have any allotment or share in that Position. Then they will unite in another place, and some of them will vie the upper hand to others. This is all before the Accountability [al-hisab]. Thus, when one is taken to accountability then everyone shall be occupied with what they have before them. We ask Allah for the blessing of that Day. The man responded, “You have comforted me, O Commander of the Faithful. May Allah comfort you! You have solved my problem. May Allah increase your reward!” The Imam (AS) then continued, As for the Word of the Mighty and High: “Faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord,” and His Word: “Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (ALL) vision;” and His Word: “and verily he saw him in another descent, at the farthest lotustree;” and His Word also: “On that day shall not intercession avail except of him whom the Most Compassionate Allah allows and whose word He is pleased with. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not comprehend it in knowledge.” As for His Word: “Faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their Lord” then Verily, that is a place where the Beloved Ones of Allah, the Mighty and High, end up in after they have finished with the accountability to the river which is named al-Hayawan. They will wash in it and drink from it so their faces will be helped to shine. Hence, every floating impurity and difficulty will vanish from them. Then they will be ordered to enter Paradise. From this position they will look at their Lord, how He rewards them and from there they will enter Paradise. That is the Word of the Mighty and High about the salutation of the angels unto them: Peace be on you, you shall be happy; therefore, enter it to abide. At that point, they will be certain of entering Paradise and looking at what their Lord had promised them. Thus, that is the Word of Allah: “looking to their Lord.” Verily, what is meant by “looking at Him” here is “looking at the reward of the Blessed and Exalted.” As for His Word: “Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends vision” then it is just as He said: “vision comprehends Him not,” i.e. the imaginations cannot encompass him. “He comprehends vision” i.e. He encompasses vision “and He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware.” That is the praise with which our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, has eulogized and extolled Himself, the Elevated, the High. Musa (AS) asked and the praise of Allah, the Mighty and High, flowed over his tongue: My Lord! Show me (Thyself), so that I may look upon Thee. Thus, his question was a great matter and he had asked for a body matter and, hence, was inflicted. So Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: you will not see me in this world until you die, then you will see Me in the Hereafter. However, if you intend to see me in this world then look at the mountain, if it remains firm in its place, then will you see Me; therefore, Allah, glory be Him, expressed some of His signs and our Lord manifested to the mountain, the mountain had crumbled and had become dust and Musa fell down in a swoon; i.e. he had died. Thus, his infliction was the death, and then he was brought back to life by Allah and he recovered, he returned and said: Glory be to Thee, I turn to Thee, and I am the first of the Believers, i.e. the first who believed in You and who never say You. As for His Word: And verily he saw him in another descent, at the farthest lotus-tree; i.e. Muhammad (sw) was at the farthest lotus-tree, as no creation from the creation of Allah crosses that position. And Allah’s Word a the end of the verse: The eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit, certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord. He (sw) saw Jibra’il (AS) in his true form twice, at this time, and at another time. Jibra’il is enormous. He is one of the holy ones [rawhaniyin] whose creation and description cannot be perceived except by Allah, the Lord of the Universe. As for His Word: On that Day shall no intercession avail except of him whom the Most Compassionate Allah allows and whose word He is pleased with. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do no comprehend it in knowledge. The creations cannot comprehend Allah, the Mighty and High, in knowledge, as He is the Blessed and Exalted. He has placed over the vision of the hearts a veil. Thus, no understanding reaches Him in form. Nor any heat proves Him with limits. Therefore, no one attributes Him except with what He has attributed Himself. There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him and He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing, the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden, the Creator, the Maker, the Imager. He created all things; none of the things are like Him, the blessed and Exalted. The man said: “You have comforted me. May Allah comfort you! You have solved a problem. May Allah increase your reward, O Commander of the Faithful! The Imam (AS) then added, As for His Word: And it is not for any man that Allah should speak to him save by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger (angel) and to reveal by His Permission what He wills, and His Word: And to Musa, Allah addressed His Words, speaking (to him), and also His Word: And their Lord called out to them, and His Word: O Adam! Dwell you and your wife in the garden! As for His Word: “And it is not for any man that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil” for verily it is a must for humankind that Allah may only speak to him through revelation and that is not possible except from behind a veil, or by sending an angel to reveal by His permission what He wills. That is what Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has said, the Elevated and high. The Messenger was revealed unto from the angels of heaven, thus, the angels of heave delivered to the angels of the earth. The speech between the angels of the earth and the Messenger did not happen without their speech with the angels of heaven. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (sw) said: “O Jibra’il, have you seen your Lord?” He replied, `Verily, my Lord cannot be seen.” Consequently, the Messenger of Allah (sw) asked, “Then where do you take the revelation from?” He answered, “I take it from Israfil.” He (sw) enquired, “And where does Israfil take it form?” He replied, “He takes it from another angel above him from the divine ones.” The Messenger (sw) asked, “And where does that angel take it from?” He explained,” It is thrown upon his heart.” This is revelation and that is the word of Allah, the Mighty and High, and the word of Allah is not (revealed) in one method; among them is what Allah spoke to the Messengers, among them is what He threw upon their hearts, among them is what the Messengers see in their dreams, among them is inspiration and revelation which is read and delivered. That is the word of Allah. Thus, I will suffice with what I have described for you of Allah’s speech. Verily, the meaning of Allah’s Word is not one. Among them is certainly what the angels of heaven deliver to the angels of the earth. The man said: “You have comforted me. May Allah comfort you! You have solved a problem. May Allah increase your reward, O Commander of the Faithful!” The Imam (AS) then added, As for His Word: Do you know anyone else named with the same name? Verily, the interpretation of that is “do you know anyone else with the name Allah, other than Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.” Be careful not to explain the Qur’an by your personal views unless you deeply understand it from the learned. For verily, there is revelation many a times resembling the word of man, but it is the word of Allah. So its interpretation does not resemble the word of man, like nothing from His Creation resembles Him. Likewise, none of His Actions, the Blessed and Exalted, resemble the actions of man and his Word does not resemble the word of man. Thus, the Word of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted is His Attribute, and the words of man are their actions. Therefore, do not compare the Word of Allah with the word of man for it you do then you shall perish and go astray. The man responded, “You have comforted me. May Allah comfort you! You have solve a problem. May Allah increase your reward, O Commander of the Faithful!” Then the Imam (AS) continued, As for His Word: And there does not lie concealed from your Lord the weight of an atom in the earth or in heaven, that is how our Lord is, nothing lies concealed from Him and how could it, He who created the things would not know what He created, while He is the Creator, the All-Knowing. And as for His Word: nor will he look upon them on the Day of Resurrection, He is informing that He will not bestow upon them good. The Arabs say: “By Allah, so and so does not look upon us.” Verily, what they mean by it is that “he does not bestow us good.” Thus, that is the “look from Allah, the Exalted, to His Creation here. So His Look upon them is His Mercy for them. And for His Word: Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be veiled from their Lord. Verily, what He means by this is “on the Day of Resurrection, they shall be veiled from the reward of their Lord.” The man responded, “You have comforted me. May Allah comfort you! You have solved a problem. May Allah increase your reward!” The Imam (AS) then said: As for His Word: Are you secure of those in heaven that He should not make the earth to swallow you up? And His Word: And He is Allah in heavens and in the Earth; and His Word: The Most Compassionate Allah is firm on the Empyrean, and also His Word: He is with you wherever you may be, and also His Word: We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. Such is Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, the Most Praised, the Most Holy. Exalted is He from what befalls the creations. He is the Subtle, the All-Informed, and far beyond being compared to His Creation. His Knowledge is firm on the Empyrean. He is the Witness to every whisper. He is the Custodian over Everything, the Creator of Everything, and the Director of Everything. Far Exalted is Allah, Elevated and High, from being on His Empyrean! Thus, the Imam (AS) continued, And as for His Word: And you Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks, and His Word: Verily, you have come to Us alone as We created you at first, and also His Word: They do not wait aught but that Allah should come to them in the shadows of the clouds along with the angels, and also His Word: They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them, or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come. Verily, this is all truth as Allah, the Mighty and High has said. He does not have a coming like the coming of the creation. I have already taught you that there is something from the Book of Allah, interpretation of which is other than its revelation and it does not resemble the word of man. I will shortly notify you to one of its dimensions and that should suffice you, if Allah willing. From that is the word of Ibrahim (AS): Surely I am going to my Lord; He will guide me. Therefore, his going to His Lord is attention towards Him in service, effort and closeness to Allah, High and Mighty. Do you not see that its interpretation is other than its revelation? He has also said: We sent down the iron, wherein is latent mighty power, i.e. the weapons etc. They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them, He is informing Muhammad (sw) about the infidels and the hypocrites who did not respond to Allah and the Messenger. So He said: They do not wait aught but that the angels should come to them. As they did not respond to Allah and His Messenger, “or that your Lord should come, or that some of the signs of your Lord should come.” What He means by this is that the punishment should come to them in this world like He punished the earlier ages. Thus, this is information about them He is giving to the Prophet (sw). Then He says: On the day when some of the signs of your Lord shall come, its faith shall not profit a soul which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith. That is, before this sing comes, this sign is rising of the sun from the west; Verily, it would suffice the ones with intellect, brain and understanding to know that if he removes the veil they will see what they have been promised. He has said in another verse: But Allah came to them whence they did not expect, i.e. He sent unto them a punishment. And like is His Coming to their building as Allah, the Mighty and High, has said: Then Allah came (and demolished) their building from the foundations. Thus, His coming to their buildings from their foundations means sending the punishment over them. Similar is what He has described for the affair of the Hereafter, Blessed and Exalted be His Name, Elevated High. Verily, He will set running His affairs in that Day, which is fifty thousand years long, like He set running His affairs in this world. He does not disappear, nor does He pass with the transitory. Thus, I will suffice with what I have described for you from that which is wandering in your mind of what Allah, the Mighty and High has described in His Book. Do not make His Words like the word of humankind. He is Greater, Mightier, More Generous and Higher, Blessed and Exalted from that which the attributers may attribute. Except with what He attributes Himself in His Word, the Mighty and High: There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The man said: “You have comforted me, O Commander of the Faithful! May Allah comfort you! You have soled a problem. May Allah increase your reward! The Imam (AS) then said: As for His Word: Nay! They are unbelievers in the meeting of their Lord, and when He mentioned the Believer: Who know that they shall meet their Lord, and His Word for other than the Believers: Till the day when they shall meet Him because they failed to perform towards Allah what they had promised with Him, and also His Word: Therefore, whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds. As for His Word: Nay! They are unbelievers in the meeting of their Lord, i.e. the raising from death [al-ba`th] so Allah, the Mighty and High, has named it His Meeting. Likewise, He has mentioned the Believers: Who know that they shall meet their Lord, i.e. they are certain that they will be raised, gathered, accounted and paid with the reward or punishment. Therefore, the word zann (strong belief) in this context specifically is “certainty.” Like is His Word: Therefore, whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds. And His Word: Whoever hopes to meet Allah, then meeting Him is forthcoming, i.e. whoever believes that he will be raised from death, then verily Allah’s promise about the reward and punishment is forthcoming. Hence, here “the meeting” is not “the viewing.” In fact, it is the raising from death. So understand this that verily all of “His Meeting” in the Book of Allah is meant to be “the raising from death.” And similar is His Word: their greetings on the Day when they meet Him shall be: “Peace,” i.e. that “the faith will not decline from their hearts the Day when they are raised again.” The man said: “You have comforted me, O Commander of the Faithful! May Allah comfort you! You have solved a problem. May Allah increase your reward!” At that time the Imam (AS) said: As for His Word: And the guilty shall see the fire, then they shall think that they are going to fall into it, i.e. they will be certain that they are going to enter it. Similar is His Word: Surely I knew that I shall meet my account, He is saying that I am certain that I will be raised and then accounted for. Similar is His Word: On that Day Allah will pay back to them in full their just reward, and they shall know that Allah is the Evident Truth. And as for His Word about the hypocrites: “You began to think diverse thought of Allah,” then this zann is doubt and not certainty. Zann is of two types: doubt and surety. Therefore, that which is a matter of the Hereafter, then that is “the certainty” and that which is of a worldly matter is “the doubt.” Pay attention to what I have explained for you. The man said: “You have comfort me, O Commander of the Faithful! May Allah comfort you!” The Imam (AS) explained, And so for His Word, the Blessed and Exalted: And We will set up a just balance on the Day of Resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; that is the balance of justice, all the creations will be taken to it on the Day of Judgment. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, will grant credit to some of the creation from others with the balances. The compiler of this book says: In another tradition “the balance” stands for the Prophets and their Successors (sw) (this one sentence is by the Compiler. The passages after it are the continuation of the tradition.) And as for His Word, the Mighty and High: Therefore, We will not set up a balance for them on the Day of Resurrection, verily this is specifically. And as for His Word: These shall enter the garden, in which they shall be given sustenance without measure. Verily, the Messenger of Allah (sw) has said: Allah, the Mighty and High, says: “Those who observe Me and love one another for My Glory, deserve My love,” or he said, “My honor. Verily, on the Day of Judgment their faces will be of the light on the pulpits of light, over which shall be green cloths.” It was asked; “Who are they, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied: “A group of people who are neither Prophets, not martyrs, but they are ones who loved one another for the Glory of Allah. They will enter Paradise without any accountability.” We ask Allah, the Mighty and High, to make us of them for His Mercy. As for His Word: then as for him whose measure (of good deeds) is heavy…and as for him, whose measure (of good deeds) is light, i.e. verily, it means the accountability. The good deeds and the bad deeds will be weighed. The good deeds cause the balance to be weighty and the bad deeds cause the balance to be light. Then the Imam (AS) continued, As for His Word: Say: The Angels of Death who is given charges of you takes your souls, then to your Lord you shall be brought back, and His Word: Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and also His Word: Our messengers (angels) take his soul away, and they are not remiss, and also His Word: Those whom the angels take away their souls while they are unjust to themselves. And His Word: “those whom the angels take away their souls in a good state, that Peace be on you.” Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, directs all affairs as He wills and He assigns from His Creation whoever He wills and whatever He Wills. As for the Angels of Death, verily, Allah assigns him specifically whoever He will from His Creation and he assigns His Messengers from the angels specifically with whoever He wills of His Creation. The angels which Allah, Mighty be His remembrance, has named and assigned them specifically for whoever He wills from His Creation. Verily, He, the Blessed and Exalted, directs the affairs however He pleases. Not all knowledge makes capable a learned person of explaining to all the people, because there are strong and weak (in understanding) among them. Also, because of them are those who have the strength to bear it and of them are ones who cannot bear it, except for whoever Allah eases the bearing and helps him over it from His beloved ones specifically. Verily, it suffices you to know that Allah is the Reviver and the One who makes to dies. And verily He it is that takes the souls away through whoever He wills of His Creation from the His angels and other than angels. The man said: “You have comforted me, O Commander of the Faithful! May Allah comfort you! And may Allah benefit all the Muslims by you!” `Ali (AS) said to the man, “If Allah has expanded your chest for you with what I have explained for you then you are, by the Splitter of Grain Seed and the Maker of Humanity, from the true Believers.” The man asked, “O Commander of Faithful, how is it possible for me to find out that I am of the true Believers?” He (AS) replied: No one knows that except for he who Allah has taught him with the tongue of His Prophet (sw), and the Messenger of Allah (sw) has bore witness for him with Paradise. Or he who Allah has expanded his chest to know what is in the Books which Allah, the Mighty and High, has revealed over His Messengers and Prophets. The man enquired, “O Commander of the Faithful, who has the strength for that?” He (AS) explained, “Whoever Allah expands his chest and directs him to Himself. It is up to you to serve Allah openly and secretly, for nothing equals worship.” The Compiler of this book says: The proof that the Producer is One and not more than that is that if there were two then the matter is not free from being one of the two; that each one of them is All-Powerful over prohibiting his associate form whatever He intends, or that they are not All-Powerful. If it is so then it is possible for both of them to be prevented, and whatever can be prevented has been brought into being. If they are not All-Powerful, they are incapable and deficient, and only things with beginnings can be as such. Therefore, it is correct that he One without Beginning One. The second proof is that each one of them is not powerful enough to hide from the other. Hence, if it is so, the one from whom one can hide, has a beginning. If he is not All-Powerful then he is incapable, and anything which is incapable has beginning as we have already explained earlier. This statement can be used to nullify the concept of two eternal beings. What Mani and Ibn Daysan have professed is nothing but their own superstition. The same nonsense which the Zoroastrians [majus] have professed regarding the Devil [Ahriman] is equally invalid according to this argument. This argument also applies to them. Thus, I have shortened my statement about both of them and did not individually deal with what they asked him (AS).
Ahmad ibn al-Hasan al-Qattan nous a informés, il a dit: Ahmad ibn Yahya nous a informés, de Bakr ibn Abdullah ibn Habib, qui a dit: Ahmad ibn Ya'qub ibn Matr nous a informés, il a a dit: Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Ahdab al-Jund ibn Isfahan nous a informés, il a dit: J'ai trouvé dans le livre de mon père écrit de sa main: Talha ibn Yazid nous a informés, d'Ubayd Allah ibn Ubayd, d'Abu Ma'mar al-Sa'dani, qu'un homme est venu voir l'Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib, que la paix soit sur lui, et lui a dit: "Ô Commandeur des croyants, j'ai des doutes sur le Livre d'Allah révélé." Il lui a dit: "Que ta mère te perde! Comment peux-tu douter du Livre d'Allah révélé ?" Il a dit: "Parce que j'ai trouvé des contradictions dans le Livre, comment ne pas douter ?" Alors Ali ibn Abi Talib, que la paix soit sur lui, a dit: "Le Livre d'Allah se confirme mutuellement et ne se contredit pas, mais tu n'as pas été doté d'une intelligence pour en bénéficier. Alors apporte ce qui te fait douter du Livre d'Allah le Tout-Puissant." L'homme lui a dit: "J'ai trouvé Allah disant: 'Aujourd'hui, Nous les oublierons comme ils ont oublié la rencontre de ce jour-ci.' Et Il a également dit: 'Ils ont oublié Allah, alors Allah les a oubliés.' Et Il a dit: 'Et ton Seigneur n'oublie rien.' Ainsi, une fois Il indique qu'Il oublie, et une autre fois qu'Il n'oublie pas. Alors comment ne pas douter, ô Commandeur des croyants ?" Il a dit: "Apporte aussi ce qui te fait douter." Il a dit: "Et j'ai trouvé Allah disant: 'Le jour où l'Esprit et les anges se tiendront en rangs, nul ne parlera, sauf celui à qui le Tout Miséricordieux aura accordé la permission et qui dira la vérité.' Et ils seront interrogés, et ils diront: 'Par Allah, notre Seigneur, nous n'étions pas des associateurs.' Et Il a dit: 'Le jour de la Résurrection, les uns renieront les autres, et les uns maudiront les autres.' Et Il a dit: 'Cela est la vérité, c'est là le différend des gens du Feu.' Et Il a dit: 'Ne vous disputez pas devant Moi, alors que Je vous ai déjà avertis.' Et Il a dit: 'Nous scellerons leurs bouches, et leurs mains parleront, et leurs pieds témoigneront de ce qu'ils avaient acquis.' Une fois Il indique qu'ils parleront, et une autre fois qu'ils ne parleront que ceux à qui le Tout Miséricordieux aura accordé la permission et qui diront la vérité, et une autre fois Il indique que la création ne parlera pas et Il dit de leurs paroles: 'Par Allah, notre Seigneur, nous n'étions pas des associateurs.' Et une autre fois Il indique qu'ils se disputeront. Ainsi, comment ne pas douter de ce que tu entends, ô Commandeur des croyants ?" Il a dit: "Apporte et explique ce qui te fait douter." Il a dit: "Et j'ai trouvé Allah le Tout-Puissant disant: 'Des visages ce jour-là seront resplendissants, regardant leur Seigneur.' Et Il a dit: 'Les regards ne peuvent L'atteindre, alors qu'Il atteint les regards. Et Il est Compatissant, Connaissant.' Et Il a dit: 'Et il l'a vu une autre fois, près du Lotus de la limite.' Et Il a dit: 'Le jour où l'intercession ne profitera qu'à celui à qui le Tout Miséricordieux aura accordé la permission et qui aura dit la vérité. Il sait ce qui
6. `Abd Al-Wahid ibn Muhammad ibn `Abdus al-Naysaburi al-`Attar (RA) said in Naysabur year 352 AH that `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Qutaybah al-Naysaburi said that I heard al-Fadl ibn Shadhan that when I was present, a dualist asked Abu al-Hasan `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS): “I say: Verily, there are two producers of the Universe. Then what is the proof that He is One?” Consequently, he (AS) replied, “You statement: “Verily, He is two” is proof that He is One, because you have not claimed the second except after ascertaining the One. Therefore, One is agreed upon, and more than one is disagreed.
IsnādAbd al-Wahid ibn Muhammad ibn Abdus al-Attar nous a informés, de Nisapour, l'an deux cent cinquante-trois, il a dit: Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Qutayba de Nisapour nous a informés, il a dit: J'ai entendu Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan dire: Un homme de la secte des Thaniyya a interrogé Abul-Hasan Ali ibn Musa al-Rida, que la paix soit sur eux, en ma présence, et lui a dit: Je dis que le Créateur du monde est deux, quel est le signe qu'Il est Un? Il a répondu: Ton affirmation qu'Il est deux est un signe qu'Il est Un, car tu n'as mentionné le deuxième qu'après avoir établi l'Un, donc l'Un est un sujet de consensus alors que le multiple suscite la divergence. Chapitre sur la réfutation de ceux qui ont dit que Dieu est le troisième de trois: Il n'y a pas de divinité sauf Dieu, l'Unique.
Il n'y a pas de divinité sauf Dieu, l'Unique.