محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد

“The statement `There is no god but Allah’ is the price of Heaven.”

“There is nothing greater in reward than testifying that: 'There is no god but Allah, because nothing equals Allah, the Mighty and High, and nobody shares His Power.'"

The Jews asked the Messenger of Allah (SA): “Describe your Lord for us.” He (SA) did not answer them for three days persistently until this chapter from the Qur`an was revealed to its end.” I asked him (AS): “Who is the Needless [al-Samad]?” He (AS) replied: “The Needless is He who is Hollow.”

I asked Abu Ja`far the Second (AS) about Divine Unity [Tawhid], so I said: “Is He presumed to be a thing?” Consequently, he (AS) replied: Yes. However, since He is Incomprehensible, and Unlimited, He is unlike anything you can conceive. Nothing resembles Him. Imagination perceives Him not. And how could imagination perceive Him when He is beyond all imagination? He is an Imagined Thing which is Incomprehensible and Unlimited.

Whoever serves Allah with his imagination, disbelieves (in Allah). Whoever serves His name without (understanding) the meaning, disbelieves in Allah. Whoever serves both His name and its meaning, has given a partner to Allah. Whoever serves Allah by means of the meanings of the Names of Allah has attributed Himself with, has faith in Allah, which his tongue utters in private and in public. Such are the followers of the Commander of the Faithful. In another version, the last sentence of the tradition is: “These are the true Believes.”

I asked, “What about Allah?” He (AS) replied, “The A * is the blessins [ala] of Allah over His Creatures from the bounty of our Guardianship [wilayah]. The l * is the obligation of our Guardianship which Allah demand of His Creation. I further asked, “And the h *?” He (AS) answered, “It stands for the abasement of those who oppose Muhammad and his Progeny, blessings of Allah be upon them.” I enquired, “What about al-Rahman?” He (AS) responded, “Beneficent for the entire universe.” I asked, “And al-Rahim?” He (AS) replied, “The Most Merciful towards the Believers specifically.”

“The Messenger of Allah (SA) only knew that Jibra’il was from Allah, the Mighty and High, through (divine) direction [tawfiq].”

“Whoever claims that Allah, the Mighty and High, is from something or in something or on something, then he has certainly disbelieved.” I said: “Explain that to me.” He (AS) responded, “I refer to a person who claims that He is contained by something, that He is restrained by something, or that He is preceded by something.”

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: His knowledge extends over the heaves and the earth.’ Consequently, he (AS) replied, “O Fudayl! The heavens and the earth and everything between them, are in the Throne.”

“It is a natural predisposition to accept Divine Unity, that Muhammad (SA) is the Messenger of Allah, and that `Ali is the Commander of the Faithful (AS).”

“Allah, the Mighty and High, has not been revered with anything like the Appearance.”

“The Divine Will and the Divine Intent are part of the Attributes of Action. So whoever claims that Allah, the Exalted, has always been the Intending Willer, then he is not a (true) monotheists.”

I was aid to `Ali (AS), “A man speaks about Divine Will.” He (AS) said: “Call him to me.” The reported says: So he was called to his presence. Thus, Imam `Ali (AS) asked him, “O servant of Allah, did Allah create you out of His Will or out of your will?” He replied, “Out of His own Will.” He (AS) asked, “Does he make you ill when He wishes or when you wish?” He answered, “When He wishes.” He (AS) questioned, “Does He cure you when He wishes or when you wish?” He responded, “When He wishes.” He (AS) enquired, “Does he make you enter (this world) as He wishes or as you wish?” He answered, “As He wishes.” Hence, Ali (AS) said to him, “If you had said other than this, I would have hit your neck.

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the issue of ability, but he did not answer me. So I entered his presence at another time and said: “May Allah be in peace with you! A doubt has entered my heart which nobo0dy can remove but you.” He (AS) said: Verily, what is in your hear will not harm you?” I said: May Allah be in peace with you! AI believe: Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, does not burden His Servants with more than they can bear. They do not do anything except by the Intent, Will, Predestination and Decree of Allah. He (AS) responded, “This is the religion of Allah in which I believe, and in which my forefathers believed.” Or he (AS) said something along those lines. The Compiler of this book says: Allah’s Will and His Intent refer to His Command, and the pleasure found in His Obedience. And in the disobedience is commandment to refrain and forbiddance from them through restraint and warning.

Verily, Allah, the Mighty and High, created a creation and knew they will not proceed to Him. He command them what they should o, and what they should not do. He never commands people to do something, unless He gives them the means to do it. And He never commanded people to refrain from doing something unless He gives them the means from refraining from it. People never obey or disobey but by the permission of Allah, the Mighty and High, i.e. with His Knowledge.

Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) said: Verily, Allah, the Mighty and High, created privileged and adversity before He created His Creation. So whoever Allah knows to be privileged, Allah is never displeased with Him at any time. Even if he does an evil deed, Allah is displeased with the act, but not with him. If He knows someone to be adverse, Allah is displeased with Him at all times. Even if he does a good deed, Allah is please with the act, but displeased with him for what he will become. Thus, if Allah is pleased with something, then He never displeased with it; and if He is displeased with something, He is never pleased with it.

“He intervenes between man and the belief that falsehood is the righteous.” It is also said: “Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, intervenes between man and his heart through death.” Abu `Abd Allah (AS) said: “Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, brings people from adversity to privilege, but does not bring people for privilege to adversity.”

While the Messenger of Allah (SA) was on one of his journeys, some riders met him, and said: “Peace be upon you, O messenger of Allah.” So, he turned to them and asked, ”Who are you?” They answered, “We are believers.” He (SA) asked, “What is the nature of your belief?” They replied, “Pleasure in the destiny of Allah, submission to the command of Allah, and relinquishment to Allah (of all affairs).” The Messenger of Allah (SA) responded, “You are learned and wise. You are almost as wise as the prophets. If you are truthful, then do not build what you will not inhabit, do not collect what you will not eat, and fear Allah to whom you shall return.”

“Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has assigned an angel to regulate prices, who manages them with His Command.” Abu Hamzah alThumali sys: Charging high prices was mentioned to `Ali ibn al-Husayn (SA) so he said: “I do not have the right to raise prices. However, whoever raises or lowers prices will have to answer for that.” The Compiler of this book says: Charging high prices is increasing the prices of things so much so that the thing is sold for more than what it would be sold for in that place. Lowering prices means to decrease the price. Therefore, whether the low or high prices are due to excess or shortage of commodities, it is from Allah, the Mighty and High, and it is obligatory for people to accept the prices and to be satisfied with them. If the high or low prices are caused by hoarding when there ws no shortage or excess of commodities, without the approval of the people, or because one person purchased all the food in the town in order to raise the price of food, then he is a price-fixer like Hakim ibn Hizam who used to buy all the food that entered Medina. The Prophet (SA) passed by him and said: “O Hakim ibn Hizam! Beware of hoarding.”

A group of people came to a prophet and said: Pray to your Lord for us that He may remove death from us. Hence, he prayed for them, and Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, removed death from them. Due to their increase in number, their houses became congested and their offspring increased. A man used to wake up in the morning and had to feed, please, and take care of his father, mother, grandfather, and greatgrandfather. As a result, he became preoccupied with seeking means of subsistence. Consequently, they came to the prophet and said: Ask your Lord to return death to us, as we had before. She asked his Lord, the Mighty and high, and He returned them to their moment of death.