محمد بن يحيى أبو جعفر العطار القمي

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If one by mistake, mixes up Adhan he repeats to correct the mix up all the way to the end.’”

“I once wrote to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and asked. ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about a man who says “In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful” in the beginning of ‘Umm al-Kitab, when performing Salah (prayer) alone. After completing ‘Umm al-Kitab he does not say it before the chapter (surah) and al-‘Abbasiy says that it is not harmful?’ He (the Imam) wrote with his own handwriting, ‘He reads it again, he reads it again twice to emphasise against al-‘Abbasiy.’” (Ahadith 1-2 are best explained in the form of fatwa.)

“I once was in the presence of abu Ja‘far (a.s.), in his home in al-Madinah. He initiating a conversation saying, ‘One who completes his Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) does not face any dread in the grave.’”

“I asked Imam abul Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), about Allah if He can be described (defined in words). The Imam (a.s.) said, “Have you not read the Quran?” I replied, “Yes, I do read the Quran.” He then said, “Have you not read the words of Allah, the Most High, “No mortal eyes can see Him, but He can see all eyes. He is All-kind and All-aware.” (6:103) I replied, “Yes, I have read them.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Do they know the meaning of the eyes?” I replied, “Yes, they do.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “What is it?” I replied, “ It means seeing with the eyes.” Then the Imam said, the Awham (mentioned above) of the heart is far greater comprehensive in knowledge than eye-witnessing. It is not able to comprehend Him but He comprehends all things.”

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who offers a badanah but it suffers damage or is destroyed. He (the Imam) said, ’If it is a binding obligation, he owes its replacement, otherwise, he is not obligated for anything in this matter.’ I then asked, ‘Can he use it for food?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, he can do so.’”

“I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), after slaughtering his offering and shaving applied musk to his head and visited the House wearing a shirt and he (the Imam) was for al-Tamattu‘ (advantageous).” NOTE: Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus from abu Ayyub a similar Hadith.

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man for al-Tamattu‘ (advantageous), saying , ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, if he can visit the House, perform Tawaf of al-Hajj, then Tawaf al-Nisa’, then Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah. He (the Imam) said, ‘Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al-Marwah is not obligatory except before Tawaf al-Nisa I then asked, ’Does he owe anything upon him because of this?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The Sa‘y between al-Safa’ and al- Marwah is not obligatory except before Tawaf al-Nisa”

“I saw abu al-Hassan (a.s.), when leaving through the door of Masjid. He bowed down in prostration. He then stood up and turned his face to al-Ka‘bah and said, ‘O Allah, I go back with my affirmation that no one deserves worship except You.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about passing behind the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, without offering al-Salam to the Holy Prophet. He (the Imam) replied, ’Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), would not do so.’ I then asked, ’Would he enter the Masjid and offer al-Salam without approaching the grave?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, he, however, would offer al-Salam when entering and when leaving (the Masjid) from a distance.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What was the area of the Masjid of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘It was three thousand six hundred square yards.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about what is edible of birds. He (the Imam) said, ‘None of them is edible unless it has a craw.”’

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when ’Amir al-Mu’minin did not have curry; he would cut the bread with a knife.’”

“This is about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘That which their hands and spears achieve.’ (5:95) He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said what hands achieve is a reference to the eggs and chicks. ‘What your spears achieve’ is a reference to that which hands do not reach.’”

"My father (a.s) said, “Whoever mixes up the Holy Quran becomes an unbeliever.’”

“In this Quran is the lighthouse of guidance and torches for dankness. One must brighten his eyes and open them in such light; thinking is life for the seeing eyes just as light helps one walking in the dark.”

“He once asked him (the Imam); ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who dies leaving behind dependents and debts; if anything can be spent from the legacy for the dependents. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is certain that his legacy covers the debt, then nothing can be spent for his dependents but if it is certain that the legacy cannot cover the debts, then it is permissible to spend thereof for the dependents.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘When a total sun eclipse takes place but you do not notice it and come to know about it later, you must perform Qada’ (compensatory prayer for) such Salah (prayer), but if it is not a total eclipse, you are not required to perform anything.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), Is there a definite time to pay Zakat? He (the Imam) said, ‘That depends on one’s earnings. However, the time for al-Fitrah is definite.”’

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the words of Allah, ‘Perform Salah (prayer) for the sake of your Lord and offer sacrifice. . . .’(108:2) He (the Imam) said, ‘Offering sacrifice’ is a reference to standing in a level posture by keeping one’s back and neck level.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not place your hand on your other hand; Majus (Zoroastrians) people would do so. You must not cover your mouth, do not hold your limbs tightly together and do not squat (sit on one’s heels) and do not place your arms flat on the ground.’” (Ahadith 7-9 above and the following chapters are best explained in the form of fatwa).

“Once, when I was present, a man said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I make a great number of mistakes in my Salah (prayer).’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Has anyone remained safe thereby?’ I (the narrator) then said, ‘I think no one makes as many mistakes as I do.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said to him, ‘O abu Muhammad, sometimes of Salah (prayer) of a servant (of Allah) one-third is raised, sometimes one-half or three- fourth or less or more depending upon the quantity of one’s mistakes in that Salah (prayer). However, it is completed with his optional Salah (prayer).’ Abu Basir then said to him (the Imam), ‘I think, optional Salah (prayer) should not be omitted in any condition.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Yes, it should not be omitted.’”