Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues
H 124, Ch. 16, h 1
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr
from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari in a marfu’ manner from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali
(a.s.) who has said the following.
"Relax your souls with new sparks of wisdom, because souls also tire as bodies
do."
H 125, Ch. 16, h 2
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Nuh
ibn Shu‘ayb al-Naysaburi from ‘Ubaydallah ibn ‘Abdallah al-Dihqan from
Durust ibn abu Mansur from 'Urwa cousin of Shu‘ayb al-'Aqarqi from Shu‘ayb from
abu Basir who has said the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said that Imam Ali (a.s.) used to say,
"O seekers of knowledge, knowledge (in a personified form) has a great deal of
virtues. Humbleness is his head, freedom from jealousy forms his eyes, proper
understanding shapes his ears, truthfulness constitutes his tongue, research and
investigation produce his memory, optimism stands for his heart, the knowledge of facts
and affairs strengthen his intellect. Intelligence and kindness are his hands, visitation
of the scholars builds his legs, safety and peace emerge from his stamina, chastity
develops his wisdom, salvation is his head quarters, good health and tranquility are his
lead, loyalty will provide him his conveyance, politeness in communication gives him
weapons, consent frames his sword, yielding to the truth stands for his bow and arrow,
communication with the scholars establishes his army, proper discipline treasures his
wealth, avoiding sins preserves his savings, uprightness institutes his supplies, amicable
dealings supply him water, guidance determines his direction and love of virtuous people
is the archetype for his friends."
H 126, Ch. 16, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa
from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from abu ‘Abdallah
(a.s.) who has said the following.
"The holy Prophet has said, ‘The best minister for faith is knowledge, the best
minister for knowledge is forbearance, the best minister for forbearance is amicable
dealings and the best minister for amicable dealings is patience.’"
H 127, Ch. 16, h 4
Ali ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad
al-Ash‘ari from ‘Abdallah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.)
from his ancestors (the Imams (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Once a man came to the holy Prophet (s.a.) and said, ‘O messenger of Allah what
is knowledge?’
The holy Prophet replied, "It is silence."
The man then asked, "Then what?"
The holy Prophet said, "It is listening."
The man asked, "Then what?"
The holy Prophet (s.a.) said, "Then it is memorizing."
The man asked, "Then what?"
The holy Prophet said, "Then it is practice accordingly."
The man then asked, "Then what O messenger of Allah?"
The holy Prophet said, "Then it is to propagate what one has learned."
H 128, Ch. 16, h 5
Ali ibn Ibrahim in a marfu’ manner has narrated from abu
‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
"The seekers of knowledge are of three kinds. The more noticeable of them in person
or character are: (a) the group who seeks knowledge for ignorance and quarrel. (b) The
group who seeks knowledge to dominate and cheat others. (c) The group who seeks knowledge
for proper understanding, Fiqh, and power of intelligence. The group whose purpose
of seeking knowledge is ignorance and quarrel is a harmful and quarrelsome group. This
group interrupts conversations in the gatherings of the people to speak about knowledge
and the description of forbearance. Such people appear in the garb of the gentle and
humble ones but, in fact, are devoid of all the qualities of the pious people. Allah has
humiliated and has condemned this group. The group that seeks domination and cheating is a
deceitful and flattering group. Such people try to dominate people of their kind and
flatter the wealthy ones who know less than they do. Such people consume the sweetmeat of
the rich people and destroy their own religion. May Allah banish the news of such people
and cut off their traces from the history of the scholars.
"The group that seeks knowledge for the sake of Fiqh, proper understanding, and to gain the power of intelligence consists of people who are deeply concerned and stay awake very often. They pull their robe on their heads and standup for prayer in the darkness of nights. They work hard anxiously and fearfully and pray with deep worries. They are very attentive of their affairs, knowledgeable of the people of their time and fearful even of their own trusted brothers. May Allah strengthen the corners of such people and grant them salvation on the Day of Judgment."
Narrated to me the above hadith Muhammad ibn Mahmud abu ‘Abdallah al-Qazwini from a number of our people of whom is Ja‘far in Muhammad al-Sayqal of Qazwin from Ahmad ibn ‘Isa al-‘Alawi from ‘Abbad ibn Suhayb al-Basri from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.).
H 129, Ch. 16, h 6
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya
from Talha ibn Zayd who has said the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘The narrators of the book are a great
many but those who would follow the proper discipline are very few. There are many, who
are sincere about Hadith but mess up with the book. Lack of protection and
discipline saddens the scholars and the (zeal) of ignorant ones to protect the (words of)
narration (of a false text in reality) betrays the later group altogether. One kind of
protectionism seeks protection of life and the other leads to its destruction and in such
a situation the two forms of protectionism become different and the two groups distinct
from each other.’"
H 130, Ch. 16, h 7
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad
from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from 'Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran from one he mentioned from abu
‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Whoever would preserve and memorize forty of our Hadith on the Day of
Judgment Allah will raise him as a scholar and Faqih, one with proper understanding
of religion."
H 131, Ch. 16, h 8
A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid
from his father from one he mentioned from Zayd al-Shahham from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who
has said the following.
"It is his knowledge that he acquires from whoever he acquires."
This he said in answer to the question ‘What is his food’ in the words of Allah, "Let the human being think about (how We produce) his food." (80:24)?’
H 132, Ch. 16, h 9
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa
from Ali ibn an-Ni‘man from ‘Abdallah ibn Muskan from Daiwud ibn Farqad from abu
Sa‘id al-Zuhri from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Holding back in an uncertain conditions is better than indulging in a destructive
case. Your ignoring a Hadith that you do not narrate is better than your narrating
a Hadith that you have not verified."
H 133, Ch. 16, h 10
Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from
Hamza ibn al-Tayyar the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘In the case of what may come to you and
you have no knowledge of its veracity you can do nothing but to hold and verify and refer
it to the Imams of guidance so that he would show the way of justice in it and enlighten
you in the darkness and introduce to you the truth. Allah, the Most High has said,
"Ask those who know about the heavenly Books if you do not know about
this."’' (16:43)
H 134, Ch. 16, h 11
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad
from al-Minqari from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah who has said the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who said, ‘I have found all the knowledge of
people in four categories: (a) The knowledge that would teach you about your Lord. (b) The
knowledge that would teach you what the Lord has done for you. (c) The knowledge that
would teach you what the Lord wants from you. (d) The knowledge that would teach you what
destroys your religion.’"
H 135, Ch. 16, h 12
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr
from Hisham ibn Salim who has said the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘People must say only what they know and
hold back from what they do not know. If they would do as such they have observed the
rights of the Lord upon them.’" This he said in answer to a question from Hisham
ibn Salim.
H 136, Ch. 16, h 13
Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Sinan from Muhammad
ibn Marwan al-‘Ijli from Ali ibn Hanzala who has said the following.
"(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), said, ‘Note the position of the people from
the degree of their narration of Hadith from us.’"
H 137, Ch. 16, h 14
Al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Muhammad ibn Zakariyya
al-Ghalibi from ibn ‘A’isha al-Basri in a marfu‘ manner (rafa'ahu) Amir
al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who has said the following.
"In certain parts of his sermons he said, ‘O people, know that there is no man
of intelligence who would become disappointed for a lie spoken about him. There is no man
of wisdom who would become pleased with the praises of ignorant people of him. People are
children of what they do best and the value of a man is what he does best. Speak knowledge
it will manifest your value.’"
H 138, Ch. 16, h 15
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from
al-Washsha’ from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abdallah ibn Sulayman who has said
the following.
‘(Imam) abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said to a man from Basra called ‘Uthman al-A'ma
who would keep saying, "Al-Hassan al-Basri believes that those who hide knowledge the
bad odor from their stomach will cause suffering to the people of hell." The Imam
said, "The true believer of the people of Pharaoh is then destroyed. Knowledge from
the time of Noah became veiled (s.a). Let Hassan go left and right. I swear by Allah he
will not find knowledge in no other place but here with us."