يونس

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) about the expression `Glory be to Allah.’ Thus, he (AS) replied, “Pride belongs to Allah, the Mighty and High.”

I heard Abu al-Hasan al-Kadhim (AS) reply: “The Needless is He who has no interior.”

“There is nothing which causes fear or delight which is devoid of will [mashiyyah], destiny [qada’] and trial [ibtila’].”

I asked Abu `Abd Allah about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: And pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways.” He (AS) said; “They are the way of good and the way of evil.”

I said to Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (AS): “It has been related to us that Allah is Knowledge as there is no ignorance in Him. Allah is life as there is no death in Him. And Allah is Light as there is no darkness in Him.” He (AS) replied: “That is exactly how He is.”

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS): Is there anything in the knowledge of Allah today that was not there yesterday? He (AS) replied, “No, May Allah disgrace anyone who believes in such things!” I asked, “Is it correct that everything that has happened, and everything that will happen until the Day of Judgment, is known to Allah?” He (AS) replied, “Of course! It was so even before He created the creation.”

“If people knew what reward there is in speaking about the Appearance they would never cease speaking about it.”

” Verily, nothing resembles Allah, the Mighty and High.

Al-Baqir (AS) said: “Verily, Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, is free from His Creation, and His Creation is free from Him. Whatever can be defined by the word “thing” is a creation other than Allah, the Mighty and High.”

“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).”

I asked `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) about the word of Allah, the Mighty and High: "They do not wait aught but that Allah should come to them in the shadow of the clouds along with the angels." (2:210) He (AS) said: “They do not wait aught but that Allah should send angels to them in the shadow of the clouds along with the angels, that is how it was revealed.”

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) “What is the nature referred to in the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: “The nature made by Allah is which He has made men.” He responded, It is Islam. Allah placed this nature in them when He created them and made a covenant with them regarding Divine Unity. Thus, He asked: Am I not your Lord? The covenant encompassed all those who believe and all those who disbelieve.

Verily, Allah, the One – may His Names be Blessed and Exalted in His Elevated Essence – united everything in His Unity, then applied it to His Creation. Therefore, He is Alone, the Needless, the Master, and the glorified. Everything serves Him, and everything depends upon Him. Our Lord is beyond our grasp, and our Lord’s Knowledge encompasses everything.

I asked Abu Ja`far al-baqir (AS) about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: Everything is perishable but He (His Face). He (AS) replied:Everything will perish, but the Face [al-wajh] will remain. Verily, Allah, the Mighty and High, is Greater than being attributed with a face. However, the meaning of this is that everything will perish except His Religion and Face, from which He bestows.

I asked Abu Ja`far al-Baqir (AS) regarding Diving Unity. He (AS) replied: Verily, Allah – Blessed be the Names with which He is called upon and praised, and Exalted be the Essence of His Greatness – is One, United in Oneness in the Greatness of His Unity. Then He applied His Unity to His Creation. Therefore, He is One, Needless [Samad], the Most Holy [Quddus], everything serves Him, everything depends upon Him, and His Knowledge encompasses everything.

“Verily, half of the angels of Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, are in cold and half are in fire. They say: `O Combiner of Hot and Cold, keep our hearts firm in Your Obedience.’” The Compiler of this book says: Allah willing, I will publish the traditions which I have transmitted regarding remembering the Greatness of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, in the book `al-`Azamat.’

I asked `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: Nay! Most surely they shall on that day be debarred from their Lord. Consequently, he (AS) replied, “Verily, Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, cannot be confined to space, where He becomes incarnate and where He could be concealed from His Servants. On the contrary, He is implying that they are banned from their Lord’s reward.”

“Verily, Allah, the Mighty and High, is too Merciful towards His Creation then to compel them to sin and then punish them for it. Allah is Mightier than intending a matter and not being able to it.” The reporter says: “They were both asked: “Is there another position besides that of compulsion and free will?” They replied, “Yes, verily, and it is broader than the space between heaven and earth.”

I asked `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High: And your Lord comes and (also) the angels in ranks. Consequently, he (AS) replied, Verily, Allah, the Mighty and High, cannot be characterized by coming and going since He is far above transferring His Location. Verily, what He is implying by this verse is that Your Lord’s Affair comes in the same sense that the angels come in ranks.

The Messenger of Allah (SA) said: Whoever claims that Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, commands immorality and indecency has attributed a lie to Allah. And whoever claims that good and evil take place without the will of Allah, has removed Allah from His Rule. Whoever claims that sins can take place without the power of Allah, has attributed a lie to Allah. And whoever attributes lie to Allah, Allah will cast him into Hell. The meaning of good and evil is health and illness, referring to his saying, the Majestic and Glorious: "And We try you by evil and good by way of probation." (Quran 21:35)