1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hafs ibn al-Bakhtari in a marfu’ manner from Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (a.s.) who has said the following. “Relax your souls with new sparks of wisdom, because souls also tire as bodies do.”

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

2. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Nuh ibn Shu‘ayb al-Naysaburi from ‘Ubaydallah ibn ‘Abdallah al-Dihqan from Durust ibn abu Mansur from ’Urwa cousin of Shu‘ayb al-’Aqarqi from Shu‘ayb from abu Basir who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said that Imam Ali (a.s.) used to say, “O seekers of knowledge, knowledge (in a personified form) has a great deal of virtues. Humbleness is his head, freedom from jealousy forms his eyes, proper understanding shapes his ears, truthfulness constitutes his tongue, research and investigation produce his memory, optimism stands for his heart, the knowledge of facts and affairs strengthen his intellect. Intelligence and kindness are his hands, visitation of the scholars builds his legs, safety and peace emerge from his stamina, chastity develops his wisdom, salvation is his head quarters, good health and tranquility are his lead, loyalty will provide him his conveyance, politeness in communication gives him weapons, consent frames his sword, yielding to the truth stands for his bow and arrow, communication with the scholars establishes his army, proper discipline treasures his wealth, avoiding sins preserves his savings, uprightness institutes his supplies, amicable dealings supply him water, guidance determines his direction and love of virtuous people is the archetype for his friends.”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The holy Prophet has said, ‘The best minister for faith is knowledge, the best minister for knowledge is forbearance, the best minister for forbearance is amicable dealings and the best minister for amicable dealings is patience.’”

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

4. Ali ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from ‘Abdallah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) from his ancestors (the Imams (a.s.) who has said the following. “Once a man came to the holy Prophet (s.a.) and said, ‘O messenger of Allah what is knowledge?’ The holy Prophet replied, “It is silence.” The man then asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet said, “It is listening.” The man asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet (s.a.) said, “Then it is memorizing.” The man asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet said, “Then it is practice accordingly.” The man then asked, “Then what O messenger of Allah?” The holy Prophet said, “Then it is to propagate what one has learned.”

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim in a marfu’ manner has narrated from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The seekers of knowledge are of three kinds. The more noticeable of them in person or character are: (a) the group who seeks knowledge for ignorance and quarrel. (b) The group who seeks knowledge to dominate and cheat others. (c) The group who seeks knowledge for proper understanding, Fiqh, and power of intelligence. The group whose purpose of seeking knowledge is ignorance and quarrel is a harmful and quarrelsome group. This group interrupts conversations in the gatherings of the people to speak about knowledge and the description of forbearance. Such people appear in the garb of the gentle and humble ones but, in fact, are devoid of all the qualities of the pious people. Allah has humiliated and has condemned this group. The group that seeks domination and cheating is a deceitful and flattering group. Such people try to dominate people of their kind and flatter the wealthy ones who know less than they do. Such people consume the sweetmeat of the rich people and destroy their own religion. May Allah banish the news of such people and cut off their traces from the history of the scholars. “The group that seeks knowledge for the sake of Fiqh, proper understanding, and to gain the power of intelligence consists of people who are deeply concerned and stay awake very often. They pull their robe on their heads and standup for prayer in the darkness of nights. They work hard anxiously and fearfully and pray with deep worries. They are very attentive of their affairs, knowledgeable of the people of their time and fearful even of their own trusted brothers. May Allah strengthen the corners of such people and grant them salvation on the Day of Judgment.” Narrated to me the above hadith Muhammad ibn Mahmud abu ‘Abdallah al-Qazwini from a number of our people of whom is Ja‘far in Muhammad al-Sayqal of Qazwin from Ahmad ibn ‘Isa al-‘Alawi from ‘Abbad ibn Suhayb al-Basri from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.).

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talha ibn Zayd who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘The narrators of the book are a great many but those who would follow the proper discipline are very few. There are many, who are sincere about Hadith but mess up with the book. Lack of protection and discipline saddens the scholars and the (zeal) of ignorant ones to protect the (words of) narration (of a false text in reality) betrays the later group altogether. One kind of protectionism seeks protection of life and the other leads to its destruction and in such a situation the two forms of protectionism become different and the two groups distinct from each other.’”

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

7. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from ’Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran from one he mentioned from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Whoever would preserve and memorize forty of our Hadith on the Day of Judgment Allah will raise him as a scholar and Faqih, one with proper understanding of religion.”

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

8. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from one he mentioned from Zayd al-Shahham from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “It is his knowledge that he acquires from whoever he acquires.” This he said in answer to the question ‘What is his food’ in the words of Allah, “Let the human being think about (how We produce) his food.” (80:24)?’

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

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn an-Ni‘man from ‘Abdallah ibn Muskan from Daiwud ibn Farqad from abu Sa‘id al-Zuhri from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Holding back in an uncertain conditions is better than indulging in a destructive case. Your ignoring a Hadith that you do not narrate is better than your narrating a Hadith that you have not verified.”

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

10. Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Hamza ibn al-Tayyar the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘In the case of what may come to you and you have no knowledge of its veracity you can do nothing but to hold and verify and refer it to the Imams of guidance so that he would show the way of justice in it and enlighten you in the darkness and introduce to you the truth. Allah, the Most High has said, “Ask those who know about the heavenly Books if you do not know about this.”’’ (16:43)

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

11. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from al-Minqari from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who said, ‘I have found all the knowledge of people in four categories: (a) The knowledge that would teach you about your Lord. (b) The knowledge that would teach you what the Lord has done for you. (c) The knowledge that would teach you what the Lord wants from you. (d) The knowledge that would teach you what destroys your religion.’”

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

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim who said: I said to Abi Abdillah (as): "What is the right of Allah over His creation?" He replied: "That they should only say that which they know and should remain silent over that which they do not know, so if they were to do that then they have fulfilled the right of Allah."

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

13. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Sinan from Muhammad ibn Marwan al-‘Ijli from Ali ibn Hanzala who has said the following. “(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), said, ‘Note the position of the people from the degree of their narration of Hadith from us.’”

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

14. Al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Ghalibi from ibn ‘A’isha al-Basri in a marfu‘ manner (rafa’ahu), that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) has said in certain parts of his sermons, ‘O people, know that there is no man of intelligence who would become disappointed for a lie spoken about him. There is no man of wisdom who would become pleased with the praises of ignorant people of him. People are children of what they do best and the value of a man is what he does best. Speak knowledge, it will manifest your value.’

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

15. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Abdallah ibn Sulayman who has said the following. ‘(Imam) abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said to a man from Basra called ‘Uthman al-A’ma who would keep saying, “Al-Hassan al-Basri believes that those who hide knowledge the bad odor from their stomach will cause suffering to the people of hell.” The Imam said, “The true believer of the people of Pharaoh is then destroyed. Knowledge from the time of Noah became veiled (s.a). Let Hassan go left and right. I swear by Allah he will not find knowledge in no other place but here with us.”

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