Maʿānī al-ʾAkhbār

حدثنا أبو الحسن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى بن أحمد بن [علي بن الحسين بن] علي بن الحسين بن علي بن أبي طالب عليهم السلام، قال: حدثنا أبو عبد الله محمد بن إبراهيم بن أسباط، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن زياد القطان، قال: حدثنا أبو الطيب أحمد بن محمد بن عبد الله قال: حدثني عيسى بن جعفر بن محمد بن عبد الله بن محمد بن عمر بن عليبن أبي طالب عليهم السلام عن آبائه، عن عمر بن علي، عن أبيه علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: التوحيد ظاهره في باطنه وباطنه في ظاهره، ظاهره موصوف لا يرى، وباطنه موجود لا يخفى، يطلب بكل مكان، ولم يخل منه مكان طرفة عين، حاضر غير محدود، وغائب غير مفقود.

1. We were told by Abu’l-Hasan, Ahmad bin Muhammed bin ‘Isa bin Ahmad bin ‘Isa bin Ali bin Hussain bin Ali bin Hussain bin Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon them, that he said: We were told by Abu Abdillah, Muhammed bin Ibrahim bin Asbat, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Ziyad al-Qattan, that he said: We were told by Abu’l-Teeb, Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Abdullah, that he said: We were told by ‘Isa bin Ja’far bin Muhammed bin Abdullah bin Muhammed bin Umar bin Ali bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him, from his fathers, from Umar bin from, from his father, Ali, bin Abi Talib, peace be upon him, that he said: The Messenger of Allah, Allah’s blessings be upon him and his Family, said: The appearance of Monotheism is in its interior, and its interior is in its appearance; its appearance is characterized and cannot be seen, and its interior is existent and is not hidden. He is sought in every place, and no place is absent from Him by a wink of an eye. He is present, not limited, and hidden, not lost.

حدثنا أبو الحسن محمد بن سعيد بن عزيز لسمرقندي الفقيه بأرض بلخ. قال: حدثنا أبو أحمد الزاهد السمرقندي بإسناده رفعه إلى الصادق عليه السلام أنه سأله رجل فقال له: إن أساس الدين التوحيد والعدل وعلمه كثير ولا بد لعاقل منه فاذكر ما يسهل الوقوف عليه ويتهيأ حفظه؟ فقال أما التوحيد فأن لا تجوز على ربك ما جاز عليك، وأما العدل فألا تنسب إلى خالقك ما لامك عليه.

2. We were told by Abu’l-Hasan, Muhammed bin Sa’eed bin Aziz al-Samarqandi, the jurist – in the land of Balkh – that he said: We were told by Abu Ahmad, Zahid al-Samarqandi, with his chain of narrators, that he ascribed to al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that a man asked him, to which he said: Indeed, the foundation of the religion is Monotheism and Justice, and its knowledge is abundant, and a rational person must have it. So, mention what can be easily stood upon and is attainable to memorize? Then he, peace be upon him, said: As for Monotheism, it is to proclaim as impossible upon your Lord that which is possibly upon you, and as for Justice, it is to not attribute to your Creator that which He has blamed you for.

حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن أبيه، عن مروك بن عبيد، عن جميع بن عمير، قال: قال لي أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: أي شئ الله أكبر؟ فقلت: الله أكبر من كل شئ،. فقال: فكان ثم شئ فيكون أكبر منه؟ فقلت: فما هو؟ قال: الله أكبر من أن يوصف.

1. We were told by Muhammed bin Hasan bin Ahmad bin Waleed, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yahya al-‘Attar, from Ahmad bin Muhammed bin ‘Isa, from his father, from Maruk bin ‘Ubayd, from Jumay’ bin Amru, that he said: Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, said to me: What thing is: «Allah is Greater»?» [1] I said: Allah is Greater than everything. Then he said: Was there a particular thing to which He is Greater? Then I said: Then what is it? He said: Allah is Greater than to be described.

حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، قال: حدثني محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن سهل بن زياد، عن ابن محبوب، عمن ذكره، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قال رجل عنده: " الله أكبر " فقال: الله أكبر من أي شئ؟ فقال: من كل شئ. فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: حددته! فقال الرجل: وكيف أقول؟ فقال: الله أكبر من أن يوصف.

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Musa bin Mutawakkil, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yahya al-‘Attar, from Sahl bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahbub, from those he mentioned, from Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, that he said: A man said in his presence: Allah is Greater. So he said: Allah is Greater than what thing? Then he said: Than everything. Then Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, said: You have limited Him. Then the man said: And how shall I say? So he said: Allah is Greater than to be described.

حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا علي بن إبراهيم بن هاشم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن محمد بن حكيم، عن ميمون البان قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام وقد سئل عن قوله عز وجل " هو الأول والآخر " فقال: الأول لاعن أول قبله ولا عن بدء سبقه، وآخر لا عن نهاية كما يعقل من صفات المخلوقين ولكن قديم أول [و] آخر لم يزل ولا يزال بلا بدء ولا نهاية، لا يقع عليه الحدوث، ولا يحول من حال إلى حال، خالق كل شئ.

1. We were told by Muhammed bin Musa bin Mutawakkil, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Ibrahim bin Hashim, from his father, from Ibn Abi Umayr, from Ibn Adheena, from Muhammed bin Hukaym, from Maymun al-Baan, that he said: I heard Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, whilst he was asked about the saying of Him, Exalted and Glorious is He: «He is the First and the Last» (57:3) to which he said: The First, not (in the sense) of a first before Him, nor of a beginning that preceded Him, and the Last, not (in the sense) of an end, as is conceivable about the characteristics of creatures. Rather, (He is) Ancient; a First and a Last, has not perished nor does perish, with no beginning nor end. No incidence occurs upon Him, nor does He change from one condition to another condition, the Creator of everything.

حدثنا أبي - رحمه الله - قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن محمد بن إسماعيل بن بزيع، عن منصور بن يونس، عن جليس لأبي حمزة، عن أبي حمزة قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: قول الله تعالى " كل شئ هالك إلا وجهه " قال: فيهلك كل شئ ويبقى الوجه، إن الله عز وجل أعظم من أن يوصف بالوجه، ولكن معناه كل شئ هالك إلا دينه والوجه الذي يؤتي منه.

1. We were told by my father, may Allah grant him mercy, that he said: We were told by Sa’d bin Abdullah, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin ‘Isa, from Muhammed bin Isma’il bin Bazee’, from Mansur bin Yunus, from an attendant at Abu Hamza, from Abu Hamza, that he said: I said to Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him: The saying of Allah, Exalted is He: «Everything is to perish, except for His Face» (28:88) He said: Everything is to perish and His Face will remain. Indeed, Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, is Greater than being characterized with a face, however, its meaning is: Everything is to perish, except for His religion and the face from which He is approached.

حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسين السعد آبادي، عن أحمد بن أبي عبد الله البرقي، عن أبيه، عن ربيع الوراق، عن صالح بن سهل عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام في قول الله عز وجل " كل شئ هالك إلا وجهه " قال: نحن.

2. We were told by Muhammed bin Musa bin Mutawakkil, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Husain al-Sa’d-Abadi, from Ahmad bin Abi Abdillah al-Barqi, from his father, from Rabee’ al-Warraq, from Salih bin Sahl, from Abu Abdillah, peace be upon him, with regards to the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «Everything is to perish, except for His Face» (28:88). He said: Us.

حدثنا محمد بن إبراهيم بن أحمد بن يونس المعاذي، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن سعيد الكوفي الهمداني، قال: حدثنا علي بن الحسنفضال، عن أبيه، قال: سألت الرضا علي بن موسى عليهما السلام عن قول الله عز وجل " كلا إنهم عن ربهم يومئذ لمحجوبون " فقال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى لا يوصف بمكان يحل فيه فيحجب عنه فيه عباده، ولكنه عز وجل يعني أنهم عن ثواب ربهم محجوبون. وسألته عن قول الله عز و جل " وجاء ربك والملك صفا صفا " فقال: إن الله عز وجل لا يوصف بالمجئ و الذهاب، تعالى عن الانتقال، إنما يعني بذلك: وجاء أمر ربك والملك صفا صفا. و سألته عن قول الله عز وجل: " هل ينظرون إلا أن يأتيهم الله في ظلل من الغمام والملائكة " قال: يقول: هل ينظرون إلا أن يأتيهم الله بالملائكة في ظلل من الغمام، وهكذا نزلت وسألته عن قول الله عز وجل: " سخر الله منهم " وعن قوله: " الله يستهزئ بهم " وعن قوله: " ومكروا ومكر الله (6) " وعن قوله: " يخادعون الله وهو خادعهم " فقال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى لا يسخر ولا يستهزئ ولا يمكر ولا يخادع ولكن الله عز وجل: يجازيهم جزاء السخرية وجزاء الاستهزاء وجزاء المكر وجزاء الخديعة تعالى الله عما يقول الظالمون علوا كبيرا.

3. We were told by Muhammed bin Ibrahim bin Ahmad bin Yunus al-Mu’adhi, that he said: We were told by Ahmad bin Muhammed bin Sa’eed al-Kufi al-Hamdani, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Hasan bin Faddal, from his father, that he said: I asked al-Rida, Ali bin Musa, peace be upon him, about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «No! Verily, they are, from their Lord, on that Day, indeed, obstructed» (83:15) to which he said: Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, is not characterized by a place in which He is embodied and in which His servants will be obstructed from Him, however, He, Exalted and Glorious is He, means that they will be, from the reward of their Lord, obstructed. Also, I asked him about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «And your Lord came, and the Angels, rows after rows» (89:23) to which he said: Indeed, Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, is not characterized by coming and going. Exalted is He above movement. He only means by that: And the commandment of your Lord came, and the Angels, rows after rows. Also, I asked him about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «Do they wait but that Allah will come to them in shadows of clouds, and so the Angels» (2:210). He said: He says: «Do they wait but that Allah will bring to them Angels in shadows of clouds.» [1] This is how it was revealed. Also, I asked him about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «Allah ridiculed them» (9:78) and about His saying: «Allah derides them» (2:15) and about His saying: «And they plotted, and Allah plotted» (3:54) and about His saying: «They attempt to deceive Allah, whilst He deceives them» (4:142) to which he said: Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, does not ridicule, nor mock, nor plot, nor deceive, however, Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He, will reward them with the reward of ridiculing, and the reward of mocking, and the reward of plotting, and the reward of deception. Exalted is Allah above what the wrongdoers say, a Great Highness.

حدثنا محمد بن محمد بن عصام الكليني - رضي الله عنه - قال: حدثنا محمد بن يعقوب الكليني قال: حدثنا علي بن محمد المعروف بعلان الكليني قال: حدثنا محمد بن عيسى بن عبيد قال: سألت أبا الحسن علي بن محمد العسكري عليهما السلام عن قول الله عز وجل " والأرض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامةوالسماوات مطويات بيمينه " فقال: ذلك تعيير الله تبارك و تعالى لمن شبهه بخلقه، ألا ترى أنه قال: " وما قدروا الله حق قدره – إذ قالوا: إن - الأرض جميعا قبضته يوم القيامة والسماوات مطويات بيمينه " كما قال عز وجل: " وما قدروا الله حق قدره إذ قالوا ما أنزل الله على بشر من شئ " ثم نزه عز وجل نفسه عن القبضة واليمين فقال: " سبحانه وتعالى عما يشركون ".

4. We were told by Muhammed bin Muhammed bin ‘Isam al-Kulayni, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Yaq’ub al-Kulayni, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Muhammed, known as ‘Allan al-Kulayni, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin ‘Isa bin Ubayd, that he said: I asked Abu’l-Hasan, Ali bin Muhammed al-Askari, peace be upon him, about the saying of Allah, Exalted and Glorious is He: «The earth, all of it, is His grasp on the Day of Resurrection, and the Heavens are bent in His Right» (39:67) to which he said: That is the expression of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, to he who likened Him to His creation. Do you not see that He said: «And they did not appraise Allah His true appraisal» (39:67) when they said: «The earth, all of it, is His grasp on the Day of Resurrection, and the Heavens are bent in His Right»? Moreover, He, Exalted and Glorious is He, said: «And they did not appraise Allah His true appraisal, when they said: Allah did not send down unto a human being, anything.» (6:91) Furthermore, He, Exalted and Glorious is He, Extolled Himself from grasping and (possessing) a right hand, as He said: «Glorified is He, and Exalted, from what they associate.» (9:66).

حدثنا محمد بن محمد عصام الكليني، قال: حدثنا محمد بن يعقوب الكليني قال: حدثنا علي بن محمد المعروف بعلان، قال: حدثنا أبو حامد عمران بن موسى بن إبراهيم، عن الحسين بن القاسم الرقام، عن القاسم بن مسلم، عن أخيه عبد العزيز بن مسلم، قال: سألت الرضا عليه السلام عن قول الله عز وجل " نسوا الله فنسيهم " فقال إن الله تبارك و تعالى لا ينسى ولا يسهو وإنما ينسى ويسهو وإنما ينسى ويسهو المخلوق المحدث ألا تسمعه عز وجل يقول: " وما كان ربك نسيا " وإنما يجازي من نسيه ونسي لقاء يومه بأن ينسيهم أنفسهم كما قال عز وجل: " ولا تكونوا كالذين نسوا الله فأنسيهم أنفسهم أولئك هم الفاسقون " وقوله عز وجل " فاليوم ننسيهم كما نسوا لقاء يومهم هذا " أي نتركهم كما تركوا الاستعداد للقاء يومهم هذا.

5. We were told by Muhammed bin Muhammed bin ‘Isam al-Kulayni, that he said: We were told by Muhammed bin Ya’qub al-Kulayni, that he said: We were told by Ali bin Muhammed, known as ‘Allan, that he said: We were told by Abu Hamid, Imran bin Musa bin Ibrahim, from Hussain bin Qasim al-Raqqam, from Qasim bin Muslim, from his brother, Abdul-Aziz bin Muslim, that he said: I asked al-Rida, peace be upon him, about the saying of Allah, Glorious and Exalted is He: «They forgot Allah, and so He forgot them» (9:67) so he said: Indeed, Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, does not forget, nor does He omit, but rather, only the made creature forgets and omits. Do you not hear Him, Exalted and Glorious is He, say: «And your Lord has never been forgetful» (19:64)? Rather, He only rewards he who forgot him and forgot the meeting of His Day by making them forget themselves, like how He, Exalted and Glorious is He, said: «And do not be like those who forgot Allah, to which He made them forget themselves. They are the sinful.» (59:19) As well as His saying, Exalted and Glorious is He: «So, today We will forget them like how they forgot the meeting of this day of theirs.» (7:51) Meaning: We abandon them like how they abandoned preparation to this day of theirs.