الكافي- ط الاسلامية, volume 1, page 222

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ’Isa from Hariz from Zurarah and al-Fudayl from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. Knowledge is inherited. Ali (a.s.) was the knowledgeable person of this nation (Muslims). No one from us have ever left this world without leaving behind one like him in knowledge or what Allah wanted.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Ta’i from Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Knowledge is inherited. No man of knowledge dies without leaving behind one who is as knowledgeable as his predecessor or what Allah wants.”

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

4. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from Musa ibn Bakr from al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who has said that he heard abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) say the following. “In Imam Ali (a.s.) there was the Sunnah (traditions) of a thousand prophets. The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. No man of knowledge ever died along with knowledge. Knowledge is inherited.”

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

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Fudalah ibn Ayyub from ‘Umar ibn Aban who has said that he heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say the following. “The knowledge that came with Adam was not taken away. No man of knowledge has ever died along with his knowledge.”

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

6. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad from Ali ibn Nu‘man, in a marfu’ manner (rafa’ahu) from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “They try to absorb the little moisture but ignore the huge river.” Someone asked him, “What is (this) huge river?” The Imams (a.s.)said, “It is the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) and the Knowledge that Allah gave to him. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, combined in Muhammad (s.a.) the Sunnah (traditions) of the all the prophets from Adam onwards to Muhammad (s.a.).” Someone asked him, “What are those sunnah (traditions)?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “They are all the knowledge of the prophets (s.a.). The Messenger of Allah transferred all of them to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.).” The man then said, “O son of the Messenger of Allah, is Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?” Abu Ja‘far (a.s.) replied, “Listen, everyone to what he just said. Allah opens the ears of whoever He wants. I said to him that Allah combined for Muhammad (s.a.) the knowledge of the prophets and he combined all of it with Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.). He now asks me, “Was he (Ali (a.s.) more knowledgeable or some of the prophets?”

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