لَيْسَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يَعْرِفُوا وَ لِلْخَلْقِ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُمْ وَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ إِذَا عَرَّفَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْبَلُوا.
“People are not accountable before Allah to know. It is up to Allah to make them know. Once Allah makes them know then people are responsible for accepting (their duties).”
سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ شَيْئاً- هَلْ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ قَالَ لَا.
“Once I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘If a person does not know, will he be held responsible?’ He said, ‘No, he will not be held responsible.’”
مَا حَجَبَ اللَّهُ عَنِ الْعِبَادِ فَهُوَ مَوْضُوعٌ عَنْهُمْ.
“Whatever Allah has kept hidden from people they will not be held responsible for it.”
قَالَ لِي اكْتُبْ فَأَمْلَى عَلَيَّ إِنَّ مِنْ قَوْلِنَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْتَجُّ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ بِمَا آتَاهُمْ وَ عَرَّفَهُمْ ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولًا وَ أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْكِتَابَ فَأَمَرَ فِيهِ وَ نَهَى أَمَرَ فِيهِ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَ الصِّيَامِ فَنَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ أَنَا أُنِيمُكَ وَ أَنَا أُوقِظُكَ فَإِذَا قُمْتَ فَصَلِّ لِيَعْلَمُوا إِذَا أَصَابَهُمْ ذَلِكَ كَيْفَ يَصْن
“Once Imam abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to me, ‘Write down.’ He dictated to me the following. ‘It is of our Hadith that Allah will, justifiably, hold people accountable for what He has given and made known to them. Allah then sent His messenger to them and sent down books upon them in which He has commanded and prohibit