ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Faddal from Yunus ibn Ya’qub from ibn Numayr, Mawla’ al-Harith ibn al-Mughirah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), up to what age a child can be given Ghusl (bath) by women? He (the Imam) replied, ‘It is up to three years of age.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from af-Halabiy who has said the following: “This is about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘It is obligatory upon people from Allah to perform al-Hajj who has the way (are able) to do so.’ (3:97) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘What is ‘the way’?’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘It means that he must have the means to perform al-Hajj.’ I then asked, ‘If one is provided with all the means to perform al-Hajj but he feels shy, is he considered of the ones who have the way (are able) to perform al-Hajj?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, and why should he feel shy even if he performs al-Hajj on a donkey whose nose, ears and tail are cutoff? Even if one needs to walk certain distance of the way and ride other parts one must perform al- Hajj.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from af-Nawfafiy from af-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ’Beware of marriage with dimwitted ones, living with her is a tragedy and her children are a loss.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Husayn ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from Abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), who said: “Whoever thinks that Allah orders people to commit sins has ascribed lies to Allah and whoever thinks that good and evil are from Allah has ascribed lies to Allah.” (See also Hadith No. 6 below).
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khath’amiy who has said the following: “Hafs al-Kunasiy once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘It is obligatory upon people from Allah to perform al-Hajj who have the way (are able) to do so.’ (3:96) He (the Imam) said, ‘It means that one is physically safe, has supplies and transportation, then he has the way (is able) to perform al-Hajj or that he (the Imam) said that he is of the ones who is wealthy.’ Hafs al-Kunasiy then asked, ‘So if one is physically safe, free, has supplies, transportation and has not performed al-Hajj, is he of those who are able to perform al- Hajj? He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, that is correct.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
2. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from those who narrated to him who has said the following: “Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘You can give in marriage to a dimwitted man but do not marry a dimwitted woman; a dimwitted man can have children (healthy ones) but a dimwitted woman cannot.”’
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al- Husayn ibn Ali al-Washsha’ the following from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.),: “Once I asked the Imam (a.s.), ‘Has Allah left all the matters to people?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah, Most Exalted, is by far above and beyond such things.’ I then asked, ‘Has He compelled them to commit sins?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah’s justice and His judgment are far above and beyond such things.’ The Imam further said, ‘Allah has said, “O sons of Adam, I have more credit in your good deeds than you yourself do and you have more responsibility for your bad deeds than I do. You commit sins with the power that I have given to you.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
3. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from Khalid ibn Jarir from abu al-Rabi’ al- Shamiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘It is obligatory upon people from Allah to perform al-Hajj who have the way (are able) to do so.’ (3:96) He (the Imam) asked, ‘What do people say about it?’ It was said, to him (the Imam), ‘They say it is supplies and transportation.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), then said, ‘Abu Ja‘far, was asked about it and he said, “If so, then people are destroyed. If it was only supplies, transportation and enough food for the family that made them needless of people and he then left and was looted, such people would have been destroyed.’” It then was asked, ‘What then is ‘the way’?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It means to be affluent so that if one uses a certain portion, others (enough funds) are left from which, one’s family can spend. Is it not the case that Allah has made Zakat obligatory only when one has two hundred dirham?”’
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Certain persons of our people once asked abu Ja’far (a.s.), about the case of a Muslim man who likes a beautiful woman; if he can marry her and she is insane. He (the Imam) said, ’No, however, if he has an insane slave-girl he can go to bed with her but must not seek her children (he must use contraceptives).”’
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman who has said that abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), said to me the following: “O Yunus do not say what pre-determinists say. The pre- determinists do not say what people of paradise say or what people of hell say or what Satan says. The people of paradise say, ‘. . . all praise is due to Allah for His guiding us. We could never have been guided without Allah’s guiding us.’ (7:43) The people of hell say, ‘Lord, our misfortune overwhelmed us and we became lost,’ (23:107) and Satan said, ‘My Lord for your making me to rebel . . .’ (15:39) “I then said, ‘I swear by Allah that I do not say what they say but I only say that there will be nothing unless Allah will want, will, measure and decree.’ The Imam (a.s.), said, ‘O Yunus, it is not that, ‘there will be nothing unless Allah will want, will, measure and decree.’ O Yunus, do you know what is want?’ I said, ‘No, I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘It is the first mention of something. Do you know what is will?’ I said, ‘No, I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘It is the intention to do something. Do you know what measurement is?’ I said, ‘No, I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘It is the figure, the position, the limits of survival and extinction.’ “The Imam further said, ‘The decree is the readiness and the production of substance.’ I then asked permission to kiss his head and said, ‘You just opened for me something of which I was unaware.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from fro Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu Bakr al-Hadramiy who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I escorted my people to al-Qadisiyah and they said to me, ‘Come with us, we shall wait for three days for you. I returned and I did not have anything for my expenses but Allah made it possible and I joined them. He (the Imam) said, ‘Whoever’ s name is written in the delegation is not able to avoid al-Hajj even if he is poor and whoever’ s name is not written cannot do al-Hajj even if he is rich and in good health.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Muhammad ibn Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar al-Yamani from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: “Allah created the creatures and He knew what they will do. He commanded and prohibited them. He has not commanded them to do anything but that He has placed there a way for them not to obey the command (if they so wanted). They do not obey or disobey except by Allah’s permission.”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
5. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Musa ibn ‘Imran from al-Husayn ibn Yazid from al-Nawfaliy from al-Sakuniy who has said the following: “Once a man who believed in absolute freedom of will ideology, asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, I have a question. Tell me about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “It is obligatory upon people from Allah to perform al-Hajj who are able to do so.” (3:96) Has Allah not given them the ability?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Fie upon you, ‘ability’ means supplies and transportation and physical well being.’ The man then said, ‘Is it not true that when there is supply and transportation one then is able to perform al-Hajj.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Fie upon you, it is not the way you think it is. There are times when a man has a great deal of wealth, more than supplies and transportation and still does not do al-Hajj until Allah, most High, grants him permission to do so.’”
[1]يدل كسابقه على أن لتوفيق اللّه تعالى و ألطافه مدخلا في العمل كما مرّ في تحقيق الامر بين الامرين و المراد باهل القدر هنا المفوضة الذين يقولون: لا مدخل لتقدير اللّه تعالى في أعمال العباد أصلا و قد يطلق على الجبرية أيضا كما عرفت سابقا.( آت)ص 268
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Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Hafs ibn Qurt from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, ‘Whoever believes that Allah has commanded to do evil and sin has ascribed lies to Allah. Whoever thinks that good and evil are without the wish of Allah, has considered Allah without authority. Whoever thinks that sins are without the power from Allah, has ascribed lies to Allah and whoever ascribes lies to Allah, He will make him to enter the Fire.’”
[2]أي من زعم أن اللّه يأمر بالفحشاء و هو القائل بالجبر يقول: بالارادة الحتمية في المعاصى، فقد كذب على اللّه و نسبه الى الكذب في قوله تعالى:« إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَأْمُرُ بِالْفَحْشاءِ» و من زعم أن الخير و الشر من الافعال بغير مشيئة اللّه و هم المفوضة يقولون: ان الافعال مخلوقة بمشيئة الإنسان دون اللّه فقد أخرج اللّه من سلطانه و قد قال تعالى:« وَ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ»: و من زعم أن المعاصى بغير قوة اللّه بل بقوة الإنسان فقد كذب على اللّه حيث يقول:« ما شاء اللّه لا قوة الا باللّه».( الطباطبائى)ص 158
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A number of persons of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Isma‘il ibn Jabir who has said the following: “In the mosque of Madina there was a person who spoke of the issue of predetermination and people had gathered around him. I said to him, ‘O you, can I ask you a question?’ He said, ‘Yes, you may do so.’ I then said, ‘Can there be a thing in the kingdom of Allah the Majestic, the Glorious, that He may not want?’ He remained thinking for a while and then said to me, ‘O you, if I said that there can be something in His kingdom He does not want it means that He is defeated. If I say that there is nothing in His kingdom that He may not want I am giving you permission to commit sin. “I then told the story of that determinist to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said, ‘He (the determinist man) looked for his own interest. Had he said something else he would have been destroyed.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hassan Za‘lan from abu Talib al-Qummi from a man, from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: “I asked the Imam (a.s.), ‘Has Allah compelled the servants to sin?’ The Imam replied, ‘No, He has not compelled them.’ I then asked, ‘Has He left all matters to them?’ He replied, ‘No, He has not done so.’ I asked, ‘Then how is it?’ The Imam then said, ‘It is a way of kindness from your Lord in between.’”
[1]في بعض النسخ[ أحمد بن محمّد، عن محمّد بن الحسن[ بن] زعلان].ص 159
[2]قوله« لطف من ربك بين ذلك» اه أي بين الجبر و القدر و قد مر توضيحه في أول الباب؛ و اللطف هو النفوذ الدقيق عبر به عليه السلام عن تأثيره تعالى في الافعال بنحو الاستيلاء الملكى لنفوذه و دقته كما مر بيانه.( الطباطبائى).ص 159
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Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al- Rahman from more than one person from Abu Ja’far (a.s.), and Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said: “Allah is more kind to His creatures than to compel them to sin and then punish them. Allah, the Most Majestic, is by far beyond willing something that cannot come into existence.” The two Imams (a.s.) were asked if there was a third reality between compulsion and predetermination. They replied, ‘Yes, there is something bigger than what is between the sky and the earth.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Salih ibn Sahl from certain persons of his people from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who said: “He was asked about compulsion and predetermination. He said, “There is no compulsion and no predetermination. It is something between the two. In this there is the truth that is known only to a scholar or one whom the scholar has taught.”
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Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad from Yunus from ‘Idda who said the following: “Once a man said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, has Allah compelled people to sin?’ The Imam said, ‘Allah is just and by far beyond compelling people to sin and then punishing them for it.’ The man then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, has He then left all matters to the servants?’ The Imam said, ‘Had He left all matters to the people He would not have restricted them with commandments and prohibitions.’ The man then said, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, is there a stage between the two?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, there is something bigger than what is between the heavens and the earth.’”
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Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah and others have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr who said the following: “Once I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), ‘Certain persons of our people believe in compulsion and others believe in people’s capabilities. The Imam said, ‘Write down, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful, (Imam) Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said that Allah, the Most Majestic has said, ‘O son of Adam, through My will it is you who wish. With My power you fulfill your obligations to Me. With My bounties you become strong to sin. I made you to hear and see. Whatever good you receive is from Allah. Whatever evil befalls you is from your own soul. It is because I have more credit in your good deeds than you do and you are more responsible for your bad deeds than I am. It is because I am not questioned about what I do and they are the ones who are questioned about their deeds. I have organized for you all things that you want.’”
[1]معنى الرواية مبنى على القدر و هو أن الإنسان إنّما يفعل ما يفعل بمشيئة و قوة و اللّه سبحانه هو الذي شاء أن يشاء الإنسان و لو لم يشأ لم تكن من الإنسان مشيئة و هو الذي ملك الإنسان قوة من قوته و أن القوّة للّه جميعا فلا استغناء للإنسان في فعله عنه تعالى، ثمّ إنهما نعمتان قوى الإنسان بهما على المعصية، كما قوى على الطاعة و لازم ذلك أن تكون الحسنات للّه و هو أولى بها لان اللّه هو المعطى للقوة عليها و الامر باتيانها و فعلها؛ و أن تكون السيئات للإنسان و هو أولى بها دون اللّه، لانه تعالى لم يعطها إلا نعمة للحسنة و نهى عن استعمالها في السيئة، فاللوم على الإنسان و ذلك أنّه تعالى لا يسأل عما يفعل و هم يسألون، لانه تعالى إنّما يفعل الجميل و هو إفاضة النعمة و الهداية إلى الحسنة و النهى عن السيئة و كل ذلك جميل و لا سؤال عن الجميل و الإنسان إنّما يفعل الحسنة بنعمة من اللّه و السيئة بنعمة منه فهو المسئول عن النعمة التي اعطيها ما صنع بها، ثمّ أتم اللّه الحجة و أقام المحنة بأن نظم كل ما يريده الإنسان، ليعلم ما ذا يصير إليه حال الإنسان بفعاله؛ و للرواية معنى آخر أدق يطلب من مظانه( الطباطبائى).ص 160
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Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Husayn ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Yahya from those he has narrated from, from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following: “There is no compulsion and no total freedom but it is a matter between the two.” The narrator has said, ‘I asked what is, “it is a matter between the two?” The Imam (a.s.), said, ‘One example of this is the case of a man whom you may see that sins and you try to stop him but he does not listen. You then leave him alone and he sins. That is because he did not listen to you and you left him alone; if you were considered as ordering him to sin, it is not true.’”
ARead English translationHide English translationMuhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn⌄
A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Hisham ibn Salim from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following: “Allah is by far Gracious and beyond ordering people to do what they are not capable of doing. Allah is by far Majestic and beyond a situation wherein things may exist in His kingdom that He does not want.”