The Capabilities

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع عَنِ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ فَقَالَ يَسْتَطِيعُ الْعَبْدُ بَعْدَ أَرْبَعِ خِصَالٍ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُخَلَّى السَّرْبِ صَحِيحَ الْجِسْمِ سَلِيمَ الْجَوَارِحِ- لَهُ سَبَبٌ‌ وَارِدٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ- قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَسِّرْ لِي هَذَا قَالَ أَنْ يَكُونَ الْعَبْدُ مُخَلَّى السَّرْبِ صَحِيحَ الْجِسْمِ سَلِيمَ الْجَوَارِحِ- يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَزْنِيَ فَلَا يَجِدُ امْرَأَةً ثُمَّ يَجِدُهَا فَإِم

“Once I asked Imam abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), about capability. The Imam said, ‘A servant (of Allah) has the capability if four things exist. That he is free and on his own, that he is physically well and of sound limbs and that for him there is reason and means from Allah.’ I asked, ‘May Allah keep my soul in the s

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ فَقَالَ أَ تَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَعْمَلَ مَا لَمْ يُكَوَّنْ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَتَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ تَنْتَهِيَ عَمَّا قَدْ كُوِّنَ قَالَ لَا قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فَمَتَى أَنْتَ مُسْتَطِيعٌ قَالَ لَا أَدْرِي قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ خَلْقاً فَجَعَلَ فِيهِمْ آلَةَ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُفَوِّضْ إِلَيْهِمْ فَهُمْ

“He asked (Imam) abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about capability. The Imam said, ‘Can you do something before its existence?’ He Said, ‘No, I cannot do so.’ The Imam said, ‘Can you stop doing what has already been done?’ He said, ‘No, I cannot do so.’ The Imam then asked, ‘When then can you have the capability?’ He said, ‘I do

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هَلْ لِلْعِبَادِ مِنَ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ شَيْ‌ءٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي إِذَا فَعَلُوا الْفِعْلَ كَانُوا مُسْتَطِيعِينَ بِالاسْتِطَاعَةِ الَّتِي جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا هِيَ قَالَ الْآلَةُ مِثْلُ الزَّانِي‌[1] إِذَا زَنَى كَانَ مُسْتَطِيعاً لِلزِّنَا حِينَ زَنَى وَ لَوْ أَنَّهُ تَرَكَ الزِّنَا وَ لَمْ يَزْنِ كَانَ مُسْتَطِيعاً لِتَرْكِهِ إِذَا تَرَكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَي

“Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘Do the servants (of Allah) have any capability?’ The Imam said, ‘When they act an act they do have the capability that Allah has placed in them.’ I asked, ‘What is it?’ The Imam said, ‘It is a means. In a sin like adultery when one commits such sins he has the capability when he is

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الِاسْتِطَاعَةِ فَلَمْ يُجِبْنِي فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ دَخْلَةً أُخْرَى فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ قَدْ وَقَعَ فِي قَلْبِي مِنْهَا شَيْ‌ءٌ لَا يُخْرِجُهُ إِلَّا شَيْ‌ءٌ أَسْمَعُهُ مِنْكَ قَالَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَضُرُّكَ مَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِكَ قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنِّي أَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يُكَلِّفِ الْعِبَادَ مَا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ وَ لَمْ يُ

“Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about capability but he did not reply. In another meeting I said, ‘May Allah keep you well, something happens to my heart that will not go away until I will get an answer from you.’ The Imam said, ‘What is in your heart will not harm you.’ I said, ‘May Allah keep you well. I say tha