Chapter on Asking the Scholar and Discussing with him

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ مَجْدُورٍ أَصَابَتْهُ جَنَابَةٌ فَغَسَّلُوهُ فَمَاتَ قَالَ قَتَلُوهُ أَلَّا سَأَلُوا فَإِنَّ دَوَاءَ الْعِيِّ السُّؤَالُ‌[1].

"They have killed him. So, ask, for indeed, the remedy for ignorance is asking."

أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِحُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ‌[3] فِي شَيْ‌ءٍ سَأَلَهُ إِنَّمَا يَهْلِكُ النَّاسُ لِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ.

‘People are destroyed only because they do not ask (what they do not know).’”

قَالَ: إِنَّ هَذَا الْعِلْمَ عَلَيْهِ قُفْلٌ وَ مِفْتَاحُهُ الْمَسْأَلَةُ. - عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مِثْلَهُ.

“This knowledge (the knowledge of the holy Prophet and Ahlul Bayt(a.s.)) is under a lock and the key to it is asking” Ali ibn Ibrahim, from his father from al-Nawfali, from al-Sakuni from Imam abu ‘Abdallah has narrated the same Hadith.

لَا يَسَعُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَسْأَلُوا وَ يَتَفَقَّهُوا وَ يَعْرِفُوا إِمَامَهُمْ وَ يَسَعُهُمْ أَنْ يَأْخُذُوا بِمَا يَقُولُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ تَقِيَّةً.

“People can do nothing until they ask, acquire a proper understanding of religion, know their Imam and follow what he says, even if he said it under taqqiyah."

أُفٍّ لِرَجُلٍ لَا يُفَرِّغُ نَفْسَهُ فِي كُلِّ جُمُعَةٍ لِأَمْرِ دِينِهِ فَيَتَعَاهَدُهُ وَ يَسْأَلُ عَنْ دِينِهِ‌ وَ فِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى‌ لِكُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.

“The holy Prophet has said, ‘Woe is to a man who does not save a time every Friday for learning about his religion and make a habit to ask about his religion.” In another Hadith it says, “woe is to every such Muslim.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ تَذَاكُرُ الْعِلْمِ بَيْنَ عِبَادِي مِمَّا تَحْيَا عَلَيْهِ الْقُلُوبُ الْمَيْتَةُ إِذَا هُمُ انْتَهَوْا فِيهِ إِلَى أَمْرِي

“The Holy Prophet said, ‘Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious says, ‘The discussions of the scholars among My servants are of the matters that bring the dead hearts to life if they come to and end up to My commandments.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً أَحْيَا الْعِلْمَ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا إِحْيَاؤُهُ قَالَ أَنْ يُذَاكِرَ بِهِ أَهْلَ الدِّينِ وَ أَهْلَ الْوَرَعِ.

“May Allah grant forgiveness to a man who revives knowledge.” Abu al-Jarud has said, “I asked the Imam, ‘What is reviving knowledge?’” The Imam (a.s.) replied, “It is his discussing knowledge among the religious people and the people of piety.”

تَذَاكَرُوا وَ تَلَاقَوْا وَ تَحَدَّثُوا فَإِنَّ الْحَدِيثَ جِلَاءٌ لِلْقُلُوبِ إِنَّ الْقُلُوبَ لَتَرِينُ‌[2] كَمَا يَرِينُ السَّيْفُ جِلَاؤُهَا الْحَدِيثُ‌[3].

He said addressing the people said, “Discuss facts, meet each other and speak to each other because speaking is brightness for the hearts. Hearts become stained just as the swords become stained and speaking cleanses it up.” In some scripts it is ‘Iron’ instead of ‘speaking’ at the end of the sentence.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ تَذَاكُرُ الْعِلْمِ دِرَاسَةٌ وَ الدِّرَاسَةُ صَلَاةٌ حَسَنَةٌ.

“Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) has said, ‘Discussing knowledge is study and study is a good prayer.’”