يونس

The Righteous Servant [al-Kadhim] عليه السلام said: O Yunus - be more lenient towards them for your words are hard-hitting on them. I said: but they call me Zindiq! He said to me: What will it harm you if you have in your hands a pearl but the people say to you ‘it is a stone’, and what will it benefit you if you have in your hand a stone but the people say ‘it is a pearl’.

the Righteous Servant عليه السلام said: O Yunus – be more lenient towards them for your words are hard-hitting on them, I said: but they consider me a Zindiq, he said to me: what will it affect you if you have in your hands a pearl but the people say to you: it is a stone, and what will it benefit you if you have in your hand a stone but the people say: it is a pearl!

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever knows the differences among people is not a feeble-minded person.’”

"Is it permissible for people not to seek what (religious knowledge) they need?”. He replied, “No [it's not permissible]."

he heard Abu 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) say: "People become of three groups: Scholars, students [of knowledge] and scum. We are the scholars, our Shi'a are the students and the rest of the people are scum."

I heard him saying: The people rise up (every morning) being in one of three categories: knowledgeable scholar, student seeking knowledge or scum. So we are the scholars and our Shia are the students and the rest of the people are scum.

I asked the Imam (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘Have We not shown him the ways of ‘al-Najdayn’ ?’ (90:10) The Imam said, ‘al-Najdayn’ means the ways of good and evil.’”

the people are not absolved (freed of responsibility) unless they ask and comprehend and recognize their Imam and it absolves them to take what he (the Imam) says even if it is in Taqiyya (said in dissimulation).

“It is in the wisdom of Ale (people of) Dawud: ‘A person of reason must learn about the nature of his time, pay attention to his affairs and safeguard his tongue.’”

“The holy Prophet has said, ‘Woe is to a man who does not save a time every Friday for learning about his religion and make a habit to ask about his religion.” In another Hadith it says, “woe is to every such Muslim.”

People can do nothing until they ask, acquire a proper understanding of religion, know their Imam and follow what he says, even if he said it under taqqiyah."

“Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Beware of two forms of behavior. It is such behaviors that have lead many people to their destruction. Beware of giving fatwa to people on the basis of your own opinion and to follow a religion without knowledge.’”

“Jesus, son of Mary (a.s.) once stood up to speak to the Israelites saying, ‘O Israelites, do not speak the words of wisdom to the ignorant people because you will be doing injustice to them (words of wisdom). Do not keep them (words of wisdom) from those who deserve lest you will do injustice to them (deserving people).’”

“(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said about the words of Allah in the holy Quran, “Our servants who listen to the words and only follow the best ones.” [39:18] “He is a man who learns Hadith and reports it as he has learned without any additions of omissions”

"The meaning of the knowledgable ones (al-'Ulama) are those whose actions testify to the truthfulness of their words and whosever actions are not truthful to their words, then he is not a knowledgable one."

Most of the worship of Abuzar - may God have Mercy upon him - were two things: thinking and taking heed.”

I was at Abi Abdillah’s عليه السلام when a man from the people of Sham came … then he [the Imam] said: O Hisham, you never fall flat [settle on the ground], every time it seems that you are about to come to ground [i.e. be defeated] you just bend your legs [to able to leap] and off you fly away again. The likes of you should debate the people. Therefore be wary of slipping and you will find that succor is around the corner if Allah wills.

I would intercede on behalf of whoever from my nation who memorizes forty traditions.”

“Once I said to (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’May Allah keep you well, Has Allah placed a means in people to know?’ He replied, ‘No, He has not done so.’ I asked, ‘Will He hold them responsible for knowing?’ He said, ‘No, because it is for Allah to explain.’ ‘Allah does not impose on any soul a responsibility beyond its ability . . .’ (2:286) ‘Allah does not impose on any soul that which he cannot afford . . .’ (65:7) “I asked the Imam about the words of Allah in, ‘Allah does not misguide a nation after having given them guidance until the means of piety are made known to them . . .’ (9:115) The Imam said, ‘It (means of piety) means not until He gives the knowledge of what pleases Him and what displeases Him.’”

“Allah has addressed His servants in two verses of the holy Quran very particularly: Did they not make a covenant (with God) in the Book not to speak any thing other than the Truth about God and to study its contents well? They call a lie something that is beyond the limit of their knowledge and whose interpretation has not yet been revealed . .” (10:39)