Chapter On Attribute Of Essence (Sifat al-DhDhat) Of Allah

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Tayalisi from Safwan ibn Yahya from Ibn Maskan from Abu Basir that he heard Aba 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) say: "Allah (azwj) has always been our Lord. Knowledge was His essence without anything known, hearing was His essence without anything heard, sight was His essence without anything seen, and power was His essence without anything within His power. Then, when He created things and there were things to be known, His knowledge applied to the known things, His hearing to the heard things, His sight to the seen things, and His power to the things within His power. I asked, "Has Allah always been in motion?" He replied, "Allah is exalted above that; indeed, motion is an attribute that is created through action." I asked, "Has Allah always been speaking?" He replied, "Speech is a created attribute, not eternal. Allah (azwj) existed without being a speaker."

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim narrated from his father, from al-Nawfali, from al-Sakuni, from Abu Abdullah (as) who said: The Prophet (saw) said: "Indeed, a non-Arab man from my nation recites the Quran in a non-Arabic manner, and the angels elevate him to an Arabic level."

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

1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from abu Muhammad al-Ansariy who - a good person - has narrated from abu Yaqdan ‘Ammar al-Asadiy who said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘If a believing person appeals before his Lord for a guarantee not to cause him to die He will never cause him to die. However, when it is the time for him to die Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, sends two fragrances; one is called causing forgetfulness and the other is called generous. The forgetfulness-causing fragrance makes him to forget his family and property. The generous one causes him to give up all worldly issues and choose what is with Allah.’”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Nu’aman from Sa‘id al-’A‘raj who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when Quraysh demolished al-Ka‘bah, they found in its foundations a stone with a writing on it which could not be read properly. They found a man who was able to read and this was written on it, ‘I am Allah, owner of Bakkah, which I made sacred on the day I created the skies and earth. I placed it between these two hills and made seven angels to guard it.’”

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

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muskan from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘A woman is a necklace, so consider what you are placing around your neck.’ I (the narrator) also heard him (the Imam) saying, ‘Women are priceless and it applies to both, virtuous and otherwise, among them. Gold and silver cannot become the price for a virtuous woman because she is better than gold and silver. The price of the wicked ones among women is not even worth a piece of dirt because dirt is better than them.”’

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

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from ibn Mahbub and Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn abu Nasr all from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Once abu Ja‘far (a.s.), made me read something from the books of ‘Ali (a.s.). Therein I found this: I prohibit you from using eel for food, al-Zimir, (a certain kind of fish), Mar mahi (something like fish), snake fish, dead fish floating on water and the spleen.’ I then asked, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah grant you kindness, ’People bring to us a kind of fish that has no scales.’ He (the Imam) said, ’You can use for food of fish that which has scales and do not use for food the kind of fish which has no scales.’”

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Muhammad ibn Muslim that he heard Abu Ja'far (al-Baqir) (as) say: "Allah (azwj) existed when nothing else existed. He eternally knows whatever comes into being. His knowledge of things before their coming into existence and afterwards is exactly the same."

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

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from certain individuals of his people from who has said the following: “Once I said to abu al-Hassan (a.s.) ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, we hear certain verses of the Holy Quran that we do not have with us as we hear them and we cannot read as good as we receive from you. Are we committing sins in this matter?’ The Imam said, ‘No, you are not committing any sins, read as you have learned. The one to teach you will come soon.’”

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah who has said the following: “I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), say, ‘Allah has made His House sacred. He has prohibited uprooting of its grass, cutting down of its trees, except al-Idhkhir, and hunting its birds.’”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Choose for your seed (the best ground) thus, maternal uncle is one of the two bedfellows (close associates).”’

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

2. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, of fish which kind is edible?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The kind of fish that has scales is edible.’ I then asked, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, what do you say about al-Kan‘at (a kind of fish with very little scales). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful to use it for food.’ I then said, ‘It does not have scales?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it has scales but it is a bad mannered fish and it sticks to everything. If you look at the base of its ears you can find scales.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-Kahili who said: "I wrote to Abu al-Hasan (al-Kadhim) (as) with a supplication containing, 'Praise be to God to the extent of His knowledge', so he wrote back to me saying: Do not say 'the extent of His knowledge,' for His knowledge has no end. Rather, say, 'the extent of His pleasure.'"

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that when the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, arrived in Makkah on the day of its liberation, he opened the door of al-Ka‘bah and ordered the pictures that were on the walls deleted. He was then holding the doorjamb on both sides and said, ‘No one except Allah deserves worship. He is the only One and has no partner. He makes His promise to come true, supports His servant, defeats the parties all by Himself alone. What do you say and what do you think?’ They replied, ‘We think good and say good about you. You are gracious brethren, the son of gracious brethren and you now certainly are powerful.’ He then said, ‘I then say what my brother Yusuf (Joseph) had said, “I place no blame on you this day. Allah forgives and He is most merciful of the merciful ones.” (12:96) However, Allah made Makkah a sacred place on the day He created the skies and earth. Therefore, it is sacred because of Allah’s prohibition until the Day of Judgment. Hunting in it is not permissible; cutting its trees is not permissible; uprooting its grass is not permissible; and keeping findings therein is not permissible unless it is to find the owner.’ Al- ‘Abbas then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, ‘Is al-Idhkhir an exception? It is used for burial and houses.’ The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, said, ‘al-Idhkhir is an exception.’”

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

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad from Hariz from those whom he has mentioned who has said the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said that ’Amir al- Mu’minin (a.s.), disliked eel. He (the Imam) had said, ‘Do not use for food the kind of fish which has no scales’ and he (the Imam) disliked al-Mar Mahi (catfish).”’

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Sa‘d ibn ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa that Ayyub ibn Nuh wrote to Abu al-Hasan (al-Hadi) asking about Allah (swt): "Did He know things before creating and forming them, or did He not know them until He created and intended to create and form them, so He knew what He created when He created it and what He formed when He formed it?". He wrote in his own hand: "Allah has always known things before creating them, just as He knows them after creating them."

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

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following: “He (the Imam) has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, on the day of liberation of Makkah said, ‘Allah made Makkah sacred (restricted) on the day He created the skies and earth and it remains sacred until the Hour of doom. It never was unsacred (unrestricted) for anyone before me, it will never be unsacred for anyone after me, and it is not unsacred (unrestricted) for me except for one hour during the day (to deal with the enemy).”’

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

4. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated: “The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, one day stood up to give a speech and said, ‘O people, I warn you against Khadra’ al-Deman (a green plant that grows on the dump-site).’ It was asked, ‘What is Khadra’ al- Deman O Messenger of Allah?’ He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘It is the good looking women who have grown in a wicked environment.’”

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

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Do not use for food eel, al-Mar Mahi, the dead fish floating on water and the spleen because it is the home of blood and a morsel of Satan.’”

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

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad ibn Hamzah who said: “I wrote to the man (the Imam) (as) saying: "Some of your followers have disagreed about the nature of knowledge. Some of them say that Allah has always been knowing before the creation of things, while others say that we should not say that Allah has always been knowing because "knows" implies "acts," and if we affirm knowledge, we are asserting the existence of something alongside Him in eternity. If you see fit, may Allah make me your ransom, please teach me something on this matter that I can firmly hold onto and not deviate from. He wrote in his own hand, "Allah has always been knowing. Blessed and exalted be His mention." (Allamah Al-Majlisi said: The response from Imam (as) was that He has always known, without addressing the fallacies in the argument against it, as they are too obvious to need elaboration.)

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

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from ‘Umar ibn Hanzalah who said: “Dried up rabitha (a type of fish) was sent to me in a sack and I visited Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), and asked him about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘You can eat it; it has scales.’”

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

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad from ’Abd al-Samad ibn Bashir from Fudayl ibn Sukkarah who has said the following. “I asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), ‘May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, if you would consider it proper please enlighten me about whether Allah, Majestic is Whose face, had knowledge of His Oneness before He brought the creation into existence? Your followers differ on this issue. There are those who believe that Allah did have knowledge of His Oneness before He created anything. Others say His knowledge is His action. Thus, now Allah has come to know that before He created things there had been nothing besides He Himself. They say that if we believe in the eternal knowledge of Allah of His Oneness, we have established another thing eternal along with Him. If you would consider it proper please enlighten me in this issue so I may not waver here and there.” He wrote, “Allah, the Blessed and Exalted has always had the Knowledge of all things.” (See Hadith No. 294 – 53)

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

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ’Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali Ibn Abu Talib in al-Kufah would ride the mule of the Messenger of Allah (saww) then pass by the fish market and say, ‘Do not use for food and do not sell of fish whatever has no scales.’”

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

7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hanan ibn Sadir who has said the following: “Al-‘Ala’ ibn Kamil asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when I was present, about eel. He (the Imam) said, ‘We have found in the book of Ali (a.s.), of fish certain varities are unlawful for food so do not go close to them.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Of fish those which have no scales, do not go close to them.’”

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

8. Hanan ibn Sadir has the following: “Once, al-Fayd ibn al-Mukhtar sent rabitha as gift to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). It was brought for him when I was present. He (the Imam) looked at it and said, ‘This has scales.’ He (the Imam) ate thereof and we saw him eating.”’

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

9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated [from his father] from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has stated this Hadith. ’Amir al-Mu’minin would ride the mule of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause. He (the Imam) then would pass by the fish market and say, ‘You must not use for food and must not sell whatever does not have scales.’”

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

10. Abu Ali al-Ash‘ariy has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Ali from his uncle Muhammad ibn Sulayman ibn Ja‘far who has said the following: “Ishaq, fisherman, narrated to me the following, ‘Once we went out with fish to meet abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.). We went out of al-Madinah and he (the Imam) was coming from his journey and he (the Imam) said, ‘Fie upon, you O so and so, perhaps you have fish with you.’ I replied, ‘Yes, O my master, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Bring them down.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Perhaps it is Zahw.’ I replied, ‘Yes, it is and I showed him (the Imam) Zahw ’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Ride your stumpers; we cannot use them for food.’ Al- Zahw is a fish that has no scales.’”

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

11. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from al-‘Amrakiy from Ali ibn Ja‘far from his brother abu al-Hassan (a.s.), who has said the following: “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not lawful to use eel, turtle and crab for food.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about the shellfish of the ocean and al-Furat: if they could be used for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘That is the flesh of frogs and it is not lawful to use it for food.’”

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

12. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Hamadaniy from Sama‘ah ibn Mehran from al-Kalbiy al-Nassabah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about eel. He (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, metamorphosed a group of banu Israelites, those of them who went to the sea are eels, al-Zimir and al-Mar Mahi and others, and those who remained on land are apes, pigs, wild cats and lizards and others.’”

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

13. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Salih al-Sindiy from Yunus who has said the following: “I once wrote to abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), and asked if fish which has no scales can be used for food. He (the Imam) said, ‘Of fish there are those which have bad manners and they rub against everything and its scales go away, but if its two ends are different, its tail and head, then you can use it for food.’”

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

3. Through the same chain of narrators as that of the previous Hadith the following is narrated: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Get married but the party must be a proper match, so marry from them (proper matches) and choose (proper environment) for your seeds.’”

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