Declaration, Definition and the Need for Solid Proof

Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa‘id from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamayl ibn Durraj from ibn al-Tayyar from abu ‘Abd Allah who said the following: “Allah has justified His holding people accountable with what He has made known and sent to them.” solid Muhammad ibn Isma’Il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamyl ibn Durraj a similar Hadith.

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

1. Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Ibrahim ibn ‘Ishaq from Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Daylamiy from his father who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays al-Masir visited abu Ja’far (a.s.), and said, ‘Tell me why a dead body is given Ghusl (bath) because of carnal activities?’ Abu Ja’far (a.s.), said, ‘I do not want to tell you.’ He then left and thereafter found someone of the followers of the Imam. He said to him, ‘It is very strange of you Shi‘ah people. You consider this man as Divine guardian, obey him even if he asks you to worship him. I asked him a question but he had no answer for it.’ A few days later he visited the Imam again, asked the same question and he (the Imam) said, ‘I do not want to tell you.’ ‘Abd Allah ibn Qays then asked one of his people, ‘Join the Shi‘ah and pretend among them to be one of those who love the Imam. Condemn and denounce me. When it is time to perform Hajj come to me so I pay for your expenses; and then ask them to help you visit him (their Imam) Muhammad ibn Ali. When you are there, then ask him about why a dead person is given Ghusl (bath) because of carnal reasons.’ The man joined the Shi‘ah people until it was time to perform Hajj. During this time, he had observed the religious conditions of these people and had already accepted their belief, but did not tell ibn al-Qays about it for fear of being deprived of performing Hajj. When it was time for Hajj, he went to ibn al-Qays who provided him the expenses for Hajj. When he arrived in al-Madinah, his friends told him to stay behind until they informed the Imam about him and asked him for permission for a meeting. When they went to see abu Ja‘far (a.s.), he asked them, ‘Where is your companion? You have not treated him with fairness.’ They said, ‘We did not know if you agreed to see him or not.’ He then sent someone to bring him for a meeting. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), welcomed him. He (the Imam) asked, ‘How do you feel comparing what you have found with what you had before?’ He replied, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, I did not have anything.’ He said, ‘You have spoken the truth. Your worships in those days were easier than what they are today; truth is heavy and Satan is assigned to work hard against our Shi ‘ah but other people themselves work for him. I, however, will tell you about the question of al- Qays al-Masir before even you ask me about it and will leave it for you to decide whether to explain it to him or not. Allah, Most High, has created creative agents. When He decides to create a creature, He commands them (agents) to get something from the soil, which He has mentioned in His book. “From it (soil) We created you and to that soil We return you and take you out of that at another time.” (20:57) Seed is then mixed with that soil from which they are created later after settling in the womb for forty nights. When four months are complete they (agents) ask, “Lord, what do you want to create out of it?” He then commands them to do what He wants to be done as regards the gender of the fetus being white or black. When the spirit comes out from the body, the seed comes out from that person just as it was, regardless of being young or grown up, male or female. For this reason the dead body is washed (just as) it is washed for carnal activities. He said, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, I will never tell it to al-Qays al-Masir.’ He said, ‘It is up to you.’”

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

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Husayn al-Ahmasiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who leaves Makkah with an intention not to return to Makkah again, (must take notice that) his death has come very near, as well as torment for him.”

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

1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn al-Hassan from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah from ‘Ammar ibn Musa who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who has committed fornication with a woman; if he can marry her. He (the Imam) said, if he finds her to have gained wisdom then he can do so, otherwise, he can try her by offering unlawful choices; if she follows then it is unlawful for him to marry; but if she refuses he then can marry her.’”

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

Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Hakim who said: I asked Abu 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as): "Who is responsible for granting ma'rifa (a profound understanding of religion)?" He said: "It is the doing of Allah, and the servants have no role in it (without the intervention of Allah)."

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: “Once, a person asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Why does a dying person discharge (semen)?’ He said, ‘It is the seed from which he is created that he throws out.’”

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

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Husayn ibn ‘Uthman from a man who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that one who leaves Makkah with an intention not to return to Makkah again, (must take notice that) his death has come very near as well as torment for him/”

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

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Muhammad Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from ‘Ubayd Allah ibn Ali al-Halabiy who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, If a man commits an indecent act (goes to bed with her out of wedlock) with a woman and then decides to marry her, it is a case of indecency in the beginning and then marriage, like a palm tree that one uses its fruit in an unlawful manner then buys the whole tree in a lawful manner and it thereafter is all lawful.”’

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

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ibn Faddal from Tha‘laba ibn Maymun from Hamza ibn Muhammad al- Tayyar from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who has said the following about the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious: “Allah does not misguide a nation after having given them guidance until the means of piety are made known to them . . .” (9:115) The Imam (a.s.), said, ‘It (means of piety) means before giving the knowledge of what He is pleased with and what He is displeased with.’ The Imam (a.s.), said the words of Allah ‘. . . and inspired it with knowledge of evil and piety,’ (91:8) convey that He has explained what people must do and what they must not do. The words of Allah, ‘We showed him the right path whether he would be grateful or ungrateful’ (76:3), say that Allah has given them the knowledge. They may follow or they may ignore. About the words of Allah, ‘We sent guidance to the people of Thamud but they preferred blindness to guidance so a humiliating blast of torment struck them for their evil deeds.’ (41:17) The Imam said, ‘It means that Allah gave them the knowledge but they preferred blindness over guidance and they knew it.’” In another Hadith it says, “We explained to them.”

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

3. Certain persons of our people have narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan al-Mithamiy from Harun ibn Hamzah from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), has said that a creature does not die until the seed from which it is created comes out through his mouth or his eye.”

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

3. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Hajjal from Hammad who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin would say to his sons, ‘My sons, take the House of your Lord in your consideration so it is not left without your presence therein; otherwise, you will risk coming of torment upon you.’”

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

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Ali ibn abu Hamzah from abu Basir who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who commits an indecent act (goes to bed with her out of wedlock), then decides to marry her. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is lawful, although in the beginning, it is indecency, and at the end is marriage; in the beginning, (it is) unlawful and in the end becomes lawful.’”

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

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from certain persons of our people from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from Ishaq ibn Jarir who has said the following: “This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who commits an indecent act (goes to bed with her out of wedlock) with a woman and then decides to marry her; if it is lawful for him. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is lawful if he waits until her waiting period is complete to cleans her womb from indecent activities; then he can marry her and it is only when he ascertains that she has repented.’”

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

Through the chain of narrators of the previous Hadith from Yunus has narrated from Hammad from ‘Abd al-A‘la who has said the following: “Once I said to (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ’May Allah keep you well, Has Allah placed a means in people to know?’ He replied, ‘No, He has not done so.’ I asked, ‘Will He hold them responsible for knowing?’ He said, ‘No, because it is for Allah to explain.’ ‘Allah does not impose on any soul a responsibility beyond its ability . . .’ (2:286) ‘Allah does not impose on any soul that which he cannot afford . . .’ (65:7) “I asked the Imam about the words of Allah in, ‘Allah does not misguide a nation after having given them guidance until the means of piety are made known to them . . .’ (9:115) The Imam said, ‘It (means of piety) means not until He gives the knowledge of what pleases Him and what displeases Him.’”

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

Through the above chain of narrators it is narrated from Yunus from Sa‘dan, in a marfu‘ manner, from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), who said the following: “Allah has not granted any bounties to a person without holding him justifiably responsible for them. He gives them bounties and gives them power, which justifies His holding them responsible for their duties. He gives smaller degrees of responsibilities to those who are of lesser degrees of capabilities. One who has received bounties from Allah He has provided him ease, thus the justification to hold him responsible is the comfort he has received. Then it is for him to help the needy in optional ways. The one whom Allah has favored and has made noble in his house and beautiful in his form, is justifiably obligated for

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

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al- Rahman from ibn Bukayr from Hamza ibn Muhammad from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), the following: “Once I asked the Imam (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, ‘Have We not shown him the ways of ‘al-Najdayn’ ?’ (90:10) The Imam said, ‘al-Najdayn’ means the ways of good and evil.’”

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