1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) تَكَلَّمُوا فِي خَلْقِ الله وَلا تَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي الله فَإِنَّ الْكَلامَ فِي الله لا يَزْدَادُ صَاحِبَهُ إِلا تَحَيُّراً.  وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ تَكَلَّمُوا فِي كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَلا تَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي ذَاتِ الله.

 1. Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from abu Basir From Imam abu Ja‘ far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Speak about the creation of Allah and do not speak about Allah His-self. Speaking about the Allah’s self does not increase anything to one’s knowledge except more confusion.” In another Hadith from Hariz it reads, “Speak about every thing but do not speak about Allah’s self.”

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ وَأَنَّ إِلى‏ رَبِّكَ الْمُنْتَهى‏ فَإِذَا انْتَهَى الْكَلامُ إِلَى الله فَأَمْسِكُوا.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ’Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj from Sulayman ibn Khalid from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), who has said the following. “The words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, that say, ‘And that the final end is unto thy Lord.” (53:42) instructs people to end a discussion that would take up Allah’s self as an object of investigation.”

 3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ لا يَزَالُ بِهِمُ الْمَنْطِقُ حَتَّى يَتَكَلَّمُوا فِي الله فَإِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ ذَلِكَ فَقُولُوا لا إِلَهَ إِلا الله الْوَاحِدُ الَّذِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

 3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu Ayyub from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “O Muhammad, people rationalize everything. They even speak about Allah’s self. When you hear such discources, say to them ‘There is no god but Allah, the One and no one is similar to Him.’”

 4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا زِيَادُ إِيَّاكَ وَالْخُصُومَاتِ فَإِنَّهَا تُورِثُ الشَّكَّ وَتَهْبِطُ الْعَمَلَ وَتُرْدِي صَاحِبَهَا وَعَسَى أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ فَلا يُغْفَرَ لَهُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ فِيمَا مَضَى قَوْمٌ تَرَكُوا عِلْمَ مَا وُكِّلُوا بِهِ وَطَلَبُوا عِلْمَ مَا كُفُوهُ حَتَّى انْتَهَى كَلامُهُمْ إِلَى الله فَتَحَيَّرُوا حَتَّى إِنْ كَانَ الرَّجُلُ لَيُدْعَى مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ فَيُجِيبُ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَيُدْعَى مِنْ خَلْفِهِ فَيُجِيبُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى حَتَّى تَاهُوا فِي الارْضِ.

 4. A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Humran from abu ‘Ubaydah (Ziyad ibn ‘Isa) al-Hadhdha’ from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “O Ziyad, beware of debates because they create doubts, invalidate one’s good deeds and turn one into a complete wreck. One may say a thing, perhaps, he will not be forgiven. In the past there lived a people who ignored acquiring the necessary knowledge and instead they sought a knowledge that was not required of them. They came to speak of Allah’s self and they became confused. Their extreme perplexity was such that if called from the front they would reply to the back and to the front if called from the back.’” In another Hadith it reads, “They totally banished on earth.”

 5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمَيَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ مَنْ نَظَرَ فِي الله كَيْفَ هُوَ هَلَكَ.

 5. A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from some of his people from al-Husayn ibn al-Mayyah from his father from Imam abu ‘Abdallh (a.s.) who has said the following. “He who thinks of how and when about Allah he has met his doomed.”

 6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ مَلِكاً عَظِيمَ الشَّأْنِ كَانَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ لَهُ فَتَنَاوَلَ الرَّبَّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَفُقِدَ فَمَا يُدْرَى أَيْنَ هُوَ.

 6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Zurarah ibn A’yun from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “A king of great splendid once before a gathering in his court spoke of the (Self of) Lord, the Holy, the Most High. Thereafter the monarch became extremely confused and could not understand where was he.”

 7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَالتَّفَكُّرَ فِي الله وَلَكِنْ إِذَا أَرَدْتُمْ أَنْ تَنْظُرُوا إِلَى عَظَمَتِهِ فَانْظُرُوا إِلَى عَظِيمِ خَلْقِهِ.

 7. A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn ’Abdal Hamid from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Beware of thinking about Allah’s self. If you would like to think about the greatness of Allah, think about His great and wonderful creations.”

 8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لَوْ أَكَلَ قَلْبَكَ طَائِرٌ لَمْ يُشْبِعْهُ وَبَصَرُكَ لَوْ وُضِعَ عَلَيْهِ خَرْقُ إِبْرَةٍ لَغَطَّاهُ تُرِيدُ أَنْ تَعْرِفَ بِهِمَا مَلَكُوتَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالارْضِ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقاً فَهَذِهِ الشَّمْسُ خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ الله فَإِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تَمْلا عَيْنَيْكَ مِنْهَا فَهُوَ كَمَا تَقُولُ.

8. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah in a marfu‘ manner has narrated from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “O son of Adam, if a bird were to feed upon your heart, it would not satisfy its hunger. Only the eye of a needle, if placed over your eye, would be totally cover your vision. With such (insignificant) means of perception how would you comprehend (Allah’s) vast dominion over the earth and the heavens? And if you think you can do so, there is the sun, one of creations of Allah. If your eyes can see the sun fully you then may think that you are right.”

 9ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنِ الْيَعْقُوبِيِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الاعْلَى مَوْلَى آلِ سَامٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ يَهُودِيّاً يُقَالُ لَهُ سِبَخْتُ جَاءَ إِلَى رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله جِئْتُ أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْ رَبِّكَ فَإِنْ أَنْتَ أَجَبْتَنِي عَمَّا أَسْأَلُكَ عَنْهُ وَإِلا رَجَعْتُ قَالَ سَلْ عَمَّا شِئْتَ قَالَ أَيْنَ رَبُّكَ قَالَ هُوَ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ وَلَيْسَ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْمَكَانِ الْمَحْدُودِ قَالَ وَكَيْفَ هُوَ قَالَ وَكَيْفَ أَصِفُ رَبِّي بِالْكَيْفِ وَالْكَيْفُ مَخْلُوقٌ وَالله لا يُوصَفُ بِخَلْقِهِ قَالَ فَمِنْ أَيْنَ يُعْلَمُ أَنَّكَ نَبِيُّ الله قَالَ فَمَا بَقِيَ حَوْلَهُ حَجَرٌ وَلا غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ إِلا تَكَلَّمَ بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ يَا سِبَخْتُ إِنَّهُ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَقَالَ سِبَخْتُ مَا رَأَيْتُ كَالْيَوْمِ أَمْراً أَبْيَنَ مِنْ هَذَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا الله وَأَنَّكَ رَسُولُ الله.

 9. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Ali from al-Ba’qubi (Dawud ibn Ali al-Hashimi) from some of our people from ’Abd al-‘Ala’ Mawla Ala Sam from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “A Jew named Sabhut came to the Prophet, (s.a.) and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have come to ask about your Lord. If you will answer my question it will be fine, otherwise, I will go back.” The Prophet replied, “Ask whatever you like.” He asked, “Where is your Lord?” The Prophet replied, “He is everywhere, but He is not confined in any limited space.” He asked, “How is He?” The Prophet replied, “How can I describe my Lord by means of conditions that are created. Allah cannot be describe by His creation.” The Jew asked further, “What is the proof that you are the Messenger of Allah?” The Imam said, “At this point nothing remained around him (the Jew), the stones and all other things, but that they spoke in clear Arabic language, ‘O Sabhut he (Muhammad) is the Messenger of Allah.’ Sabhut said, “I have not seen anything so clearly as this today.” And then he declared, “I testify that there is no god but Allah and you are the Messenger of Allah.”

 10ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْخَثْعَمِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَتِيكٍ الْقَصِيرِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الصِّفَةِ فَرَفَعَ يَدَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ قَالَ تَعَالَى الْجَبَّارُ تَعَالَى الْجَبَّارُ مَنْ تَعَاطَى مَا ثَمَّ هَلَكَ.

 10. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Khath‘ami from ’Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Utayk al-Qasir who has said the following. “I asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about certain attributes of Allah. The Imam raised his hand towards the heavens and said, ‘High is the Almighty. High is the Almighty. One who pursues beyond this, he is doomed.’”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Chapter #8