The Imams (a.s.) inherited the knowledge of the Holy prophet (s.a.) and all the prophets and their successors before them

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father, from Abdul Aziz ibn al-Muhtadi, from Abdullah ibn Jundab, that Imam al-Ridha (as) wrote to him: "As for what follows: Verily, Muhammad (sw) was God’s trustee among His creation. When he passed away, we, the Ahl al-Bayt, inherited him, and thus we are the trustees of God on His earth. With us is the knowledge of calamities and deaths, the genealogies of the Arabs, and the origin of Islam. We recognize a person, upon seeing him, by the true essence of faith and the true essence of hypocrisy. Our followers (Shi'a) are recorded by their names and the names of their fathers. God has taken a covenant from us and from them, they shall return to our source and enter where we enter. None are truly upon the religion of Islam except us and them. We are the chosen ones, the saved, the vanguard of the prophets, the sons of their successors. We are the ones specifically mentioned in the Book of God, the Almighty and Exalted. We are the most worthy of the Book of God and the most worthy of the Messenger of God (sw). God has legislated His religion for us, as He said in His Book: 'He has ordained for you, O family of Muhammad, of the religion what He enjoined upon Noah.' He enjoined upon us what He enjoined upon Noah, and what He revealed to you, O Muhammad, and what He enjoined upon Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. He has taught us and conveyed to us what He taught them, and entrusted us with their knowledge. We are the heirs of the messengers of firm resolve (ulu al-‘azm). 'Establish the religion, O Family of Muhammad, and do not be divided therein. Be united.' It has become heavy upon the polytheists—those who associate others in the guardianship (wilayah) of Ali—what you call them to, of Ali’s wilayah (as). Indeed, God, O Muhammad, guides to it whomever turns to Him, and whoever responds to you regarding the wilayah of Ali (as)."

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘The first successor and executor of the will on earth was Hibbatullah, the son of Adam. No prophet has ever left this world without first leaving behind one who would execute his will. The prophets were one hundred twenty thousand persons. Five of them were commissioned Messengers, like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (s.a.) Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s.) was the Hibbatullah for Muhammad (s.a.). He inherited the knowledge of the executors of the wills of the prophets and the knowledge of those who were before him. (Is not it true) that Muhammad (s.a.) inherited the knowledge of the prophets and the Messengers who lived before him? It is written on the columns of the throne, “Hamza is the lion of Allah and the lion of His Messenger. He (Hamza) is the master of the martyrs. On top of the throne is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). This is evidence against those who deny our rights and refuse to yield to us our right of inheritance. We are not forbidden to speak. Before us is all certainty. What supporting evidence could be more clear than this.”

“Solomon inherited David. Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). We have the knowledge of Torah and the Gospel (Injil), the Psalms, (al-Zabur) and the explanation of what the tablets contained.” I (the narrator) said, “This certainly is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “This is not knowledge. Knowledge is what happens day after day and hour after hour.”

“I was in the presence of abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) and abu Basir also was there. The Imams (a.s.) said, “David inherited the knowledge of the prophets. Solomon inherited David. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) inherited Solomon and we inherited Muhammad (s.a.). With us are the pages of Abraham and the tablets of Moses.” Abu Basir then said, “This is the knowledge.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “O abu Muhammad, this is not the knowledge. The knowledge is what happens in the nights and in the days, day after day and hour after hour.”

“Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said to me, “O abu Muhammad, Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has not given anything to the prophets that He has not given to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.). The Imams (a.s.) further said, “Allah gave to Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) all that He had given to the prophets. With us is the book about which Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “The books of Abraham and Moses.” I then said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, are they the tablets?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, they are the tablets.”

he asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) the following about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “We have written in the psalms which We had revealed after the Torah. .” (21:105). What is al-Zabur and what is al-Dhikr?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Al-Dhikr is with Allah and al-Zabur is what He gave to David.” Every book that was revealed is with the people of knowledge and we are the people of knowledge.”

“I said to abu al-Hassan al-Thani (a.s.), ““May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, “Would you tell me about the Prophet who inherited all the prophets.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, I may do so. I asked, “Did he inherit from Adam up to his-self?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Of prophet that Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) was more knowledgeable.” I then said, “Jesus son of Mary would bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “You spoke the truth. Solomon son of David could understand the language of the birds. The Holy Prophet (s.a.) was also capable of doing such things.” The narrator has said that The Imams (a.s.) then said, “Solomon son of David said to the (Hoopoe) Hud Hud when he found him missing and had doubts about the bird. “(Solomon) inspected the birds and said, “How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe {when he did not find him present and became angry}. Is he absent? (27:20). I shall certainly punish him severely or slaughter him unless he has a good reason for his absence.” (27:21) He became angry because the bird would show him how to find water. This is only a bird but is given something that is not given to Solomon. The wind, ants, man, Jinn, devils, and the rebbles obey him in submission but he did not know about the water in the space but the bird knew it as Allah says in His book. “Even if the Quran would make mountains move, cut the earth into pieces and make the dead able to speak,. .” (13:31) We have inherited this Quran which contains such things that can make the mountains move, cross the lands, and make the dead to come to life. We know there is water in space. In the book of Allah, there are verses that are indecative of certain issues only if Allah would give permission. This is along with the fact that Allah sometimes grants permission to make use of the things that people of the past had written. Allah has set them for us in the origin of the book as Allah says, “All the secrets in heavens and earth are recorded in the illustrious Book. (27:75) Then Allah has said, “We gave the Book as an inheritance to Our chosen servants,. .” (35:32) We are the ones whom Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has chosen and has given this which contain the explanation of all things.”