Hadith record

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the people he mentioned from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Humran from al- Fadl ibn al-Sakan from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has narrated the following. “Imam Ali (a.s.) has said, ‘Recognize Allah by Allah’s Own-Self, recognize the Messenger through his message and the people with Divine authority through their commanding others to do what is obligatory, the practice of justice and kindness.’” Al-Kulayni had made the following comment on the above passage. “Acknowledge the existence of Allah by His own self” means that Allah has created the individuals, the light, the substance and the objects. The objects are the bodies, the substance stand for the spirits and He is not similar to the bodies or spirit in any of the creatures. No one has any part or effect in the creation of the spirits that comprehend and feel. He is the only one who has created the spirits and the bodies. When similarity to both kinds of creatures; similarity to the bodies and spirits is negated from Him, then one has acknowledge the existence of Allah by Allah’s own self. If one considers Him similar to the spirits, lights or bodies he has not acknowledged His existence by His own self.

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.