Al-Kāfi

The people of Dhikr (memory and knowledge) that Allah has commanded the creatures to ask for their questions are the Imams (a.s.)

Volume 1 Section 20 9 narrations
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The Twelve Imams 9 Qur'an 9

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Hadith 541
1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from ’Abdallah ibn ‘Ajlan from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following
about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.” (16:43, 21: 7 Holy Quran). The Holy Prophet (s.a.) has said, ‘I am the Dhikr and the Imams are the people of Dhikr.’” About the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High that says, “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.) said, “We are his people and we will be questioned.”(It seems that both the Holy Prophet (s.a.) is called Dhikr and the Holy Quran is also called Dhikr although the above passage seems confusing).
1ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَجْلانَ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ قَالَ
رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الذِّكْرُ أَنَا وَالائِمَّةُ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ وَقَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْئَلُونَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) نَحْنُ قَوْمُهُ وَنَحْنُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 542
2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Uwarma from Ali ibn Hassa’n from his uncle ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir said that he asked
I asked Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the meaning of the following words of Allah. “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.” (16:43, 21: 7 Holy Quran) The Imams (a.s.) said, “Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) is ‘Dhikr’ and we are the people of ‘Dhikr who will be asked.” I also asked about, “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.) said it is a reference to us. We are the people of Dhikr and we will be asked questions.”
2ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أُورَمَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ قَالَ
قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ قَالَ الذِّكْرُ مُحَمَّدٌ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَنَحْنُ أَهْلُهُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ قَالَ قُلْتُ قَوْلُهُ وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْئَلُونَ قَالَ إِيَّانَا عَنَى وَنَحْنُ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ وَنَحْنُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 543
3- Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who said
“I asked al-Rida (a.s) and said, 'May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what is the meaning of the words of Allah, “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know.”?' (16:43 and 21:7) He (a.s.) replied, “ We are the people of ‘Dhikr’ and we are the ones about whom questions will be asked.” I asked further, “Are you the ones to be questioned and we will be the ones to question?” He (a.s.) said, “Yes.“ I then asked, “Will it be a right on us to ask you?” He (a.s.) said, “Yes.” I then asked, “Will it be a right on you to answer us?” He (a.s.) said, “No, that is up to us. If we wish, we will, and if we wish, we won't. Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Holy and Most High: “This is a gift from us. You may (give to others and) oblige or keep without being held accountable.”? (38:39)
3- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ قَالَ
سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ فَقَالَ نَحْنُ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ وَنَحْنُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ قُلْتُ فَأَنْتُمُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ وَنَحْنُ السَّائِلُونَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ حَقّاً عَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَكُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ حَقّاً عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تُجِيبُونَا قَالَ لا ذَاكَ إِلَيْنَا إِنْ شِئْنَا فَعَلْنَا وَإِنْ شِئْنَا لَمْ نَفْعَلْ أَ مَا تَسْمَعُ قَوْلَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِكْ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 544
4. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from ‘Asim ibn Hamid from abu Basir from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following
about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Messenger of Allah is the Dhikr (reminder of Allah) and members of his family (a.s.) are the ones who will be asked questions and they are the people of Dhikr.”
4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْئَلُونَ فَرَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) الذِّكْرُ وَأَهْلُ بَيْتِهِ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) الْمَسْئُولُونَ وَهُمْ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 545
5. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Hammad from Rib‘iy from Fudayl form abu ’Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following
about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. “It is a Dhikr for you and for your people and you all will be asked questions.’ (43:44) The Imams (a.s.)said, “The Holy Quran is the ’Dhikr’ and we are the one who will be asked questions.”
5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي قَوْلِ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَإِنَّهُ لَذِكْرٌ لَكَ وَلِقَوْمِكَ وَسَوْفَ تُسْئَلُونَ قَالَ
الذِّكْرُ الْقُرْآنُ وَنَحْنُ قَوْمُهُ وَنَحْنُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 546
6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Mansur ibn Yunus from abu Bakr al-Hadrami who has said the following.
“I was in the presence of Imam (a.s.) abu Ja‘far (a.s.) and al-Ward brother of al-Kumayt came to see him. He to the Imams (a.s.) said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I have chosen seventy questions and I do not know the answer even for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Not even one answer, O Ward?” He then said, “Yes, I do know the answer for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) asked, “What is it then?” He replied, “It is the words of Allah that say, ‘Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know’ who are they?” The Imams (a.s.) replied, “We are the people of Dhikr?” I then said, “Must we then ask you?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, you must ask us for answers.” I then asked, “Must you then give us answers?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “We may or may not answer.”
6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ قَالَ
كُنْتُ عِنْدَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَرْدُ أَخُو الْكُمَيْتِ فَقَالَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ اخْتَرْتُ لَكَ سَبْعِينَ مَسْأَلَةً مَا تَحْضُرُنِي مِنْهَا مَسْأَلَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ وَلا وَاحِدَةٌ يَا وَرْدُ قَالَ بَلَى قَدْ حَضَرَنِي مِنْهَا وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ وَمَا هِيَ قَالَ قَوْلُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ مَنْ هُمْ قَالَ نَحْنُ قَالَ قُلْتُ عَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَكُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ تُجِيبُونَا قَالَ ذَاكَ إِلَيْنَا.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 547
7. Muhammad ibn Yahya from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-‘Ala‘ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who ha said that he said
the who has said the following to abu Ja‘far ( a.s.). “These are people who think that the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. ‘Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know,’ refers to the Jews and the Christians.” The Imams (a.s.) asked, “Do they call you to their religion?” He (Muhammad ibn Muslim) has aid that the Imams (a.s.) “Said, with his hand (pointing) to his chest, ‘We are the People of Dhikr (reminders of Allah) and we are the ones who must be asked questions.’”
7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ
إِنَّ مَنْ عِنْدَنَا يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ قَوْلَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُمُ الْيَهُودُ وَالنَّصَارَى قَالَ إِذاً يَدْعُونَكُمْ إِلَى دِينِهِمْ قَالَ قَالَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ نَحْنُ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ وَنَحْنُ الْمَسْئُولُونَ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 548
8. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ who has said that
he heard Imam al-Rida say the following. “Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn has said that there are certain obligation for the Imams that are not obligatory for their followers and certain obligation of our followers are not obligatory for us. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has commanded them to ask us their questions saying, “Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know,’ Thus, Allah has commanded them to ask us their questions but it is not obligatory for us to answer them. We may answer them or may not answer them if we may so decide.” the is not said:
8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ
سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) عَلَى الائِمَّةِ مِنَ الْفَرْضِ مَا لَيْسَ عَلَى شِيعَتِهِمْ وَعَلَى شِيعَتِنَا مَا لَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا أَمَرَهُمُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَنْ يَسْأَلُونَا قَالَ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ فَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يَسْأَلُونَا وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْنَا الْجَوَابُ إِنْ شِئْنَا أَجَبْنَا وَإِنْ شِئْنَا أَمْسَكْنَا.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an
Hadith 549
9. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who has said that
he wrote a letter to Imam al-Rida (a.s.). Of the issues for which he requested explanation in the letter one was about the following words of Allah, Most Holy, the Most High. “Ask the people of Dhikr (people who remind of Allah) if you do not know.” The other question was about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, “Not all believers have to become specialists in religious learning. Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have fear of God.” (9:122) thus, it is obligatory for them to ask but it is not obligatory for you to answer.” The Imams (a.s.) has said the following for the answer. “If they would not do what you would ask them, know that they are only following their (evil) desires. Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from God? . .” (28:50)
9ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ
كَتَبْتُ إِلَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كِتَاباً فَكَانَ فِي بَعْضِ مَا كَتَبْتُ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ وَقَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَما كانَ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنْفِرُوا كَافَّةً فَلَوْ لا نَفَرَ مِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ مِنْهُمْ طائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْمَهُمْ إِذا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ فَقَدْ فُرِضَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَسْأَلَةُ وَلَمْ يُفْرَضْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْجَوَابُ قَالَ قَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَكَ فَاعْلَمْ أَنَّمإ؛33ّّ يَتَّبِعُونَ أَهْواءَهُمْ وَمَنْ أَضَلُّ مِمَّنِ اتَّبَعَ هَواهُ.
Tags The Twelve ImamsQur'an