the earliest & most important compilation of

traditions from prophet muhammad & his successors

Book II
knowledge & its merits

commentary

& translation

under the direction of

ISBN: 978-0-9912541-0-1
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014902045
Copyright 2014 by:
Islamic Texts Institute, Inc.
Dearborn, MI
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Published by:
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Printed in Canada

About the Islamic Texts Institute:

mary sources available to audiences in the West by providing accurate, scholarly translations
Arastu, a graduate of Princeton University and of the International Center for Islamic Studies
in Qum, Iran.
Also by ITI:
Al-Nudbah: A Devotional Elegy to the Prophet Mu ammad and his Family
Al-

Book I: Intellect and Foolishness

code:

Contents
............................................................................................ xiii
Transliteration ................................................................................................... xiv
Chapter 1
Tradition 2.1.1.......................................................................................................15
Tradition 2.1.2.......................................................................................................18
Tradition 2.1.3.......................................................................................................19
Tradition 2.1.4.......................................................................................................21
Tradition 2.1.5.......................................................................................................25
Tradition 2.1.6.......................................................................................................26
Tradition 2.1.7.......................................................................................................27
Tradition 2.1.8.......................................................................................................31
Tradition 2.1.9.......................................................................................................33
Tradition 2.1.10.....................................................................................................35
Chapter 2
scholars
Tradition 2.2.1.......................................................................................................37
Tradition 2.2.2.......................................................................................................42
Tradition 2.2.3.......................................................................................................48
Tradition 2.2.4.......................................................................................................50
Tradition 2.2.5.......................................................................................................52
Tradition 2.2.6.......................................................................................................53
Tradition 2.2.7.......................................................................................................54
Tradition 2.2.8.......................................................................................................56
Tradition 2.2.9.......................................................................................................58
Tradition 2.2.10.....................................................................................................60

iii

Chapter 3
On the categories of people
Tradition 2.3.1.......................................................................................................63
Tradition 2.3.2.......................................................................................................66
Tradition 2.3.3.......................................................................................................68
Tradition 2.3.4.......................................................................................................70
Chapter 4
On the reward of the scholar and the student
Tradition 2.4.1.......................................................................................................72
Tradition 2.4.2.......................................................................................................76
Tradition 2.4.3.......................................................................................................78
Tradition 2.4.4.......................................................................................................80
Tradition 2.4.5.......................................................................................................83
Tradition 2.4.6.......................................................................................................87
Chapter 5
On the attributes of scholars
Tradition 2.5.1.......................................................................................................89
Tradition 2.5.2.......................................................................................................91
Tradition 2.5.3.......................................................................................................93
Tradition 2.5.4.......................................................................................................98
Tradition 2.5.5.....................................................................................................100
Tradition 2.5.6.....................................................................................................102
Tradition 2.5.7.....................................................................................................107
Chapter 6
On the rights of the scholar
Tradition 2.6.1.....................................................................................................109
Chapter 7
On the death of scholars
Tradition 2.7.1.....................................................................................................113
Tradition 2.7.2.....................................................................................................115
iv

Tradition 2.7.3.....................................................................................................116
Tradition 2.7.4.....................................................................................................119
Tradition 2.7.5.....................................................................................................120
Tradition 2.7.6.....................................................................................................123
Chapter 8
Tradition 2.8.1.....................................................................................................126
Tradition 2.8.2.....................................................................................................130
Tradition 2.8.3.....................................................................................................131
Tradition 2.8.4.....................................................................................................134
Tradition 2.8.5.....................................................................................................136
Chapter 9
Tradition 2.9.1.....................................................................................................138
Tradition 2.9.2.....................................................................................................140
Tradition 2.9.3.....................................................................................................141
Tradition 2.9.4.....................................................................................................143
Tradition 2.9.5.....................................................................................................147
Tradition 2.9.6.....................................................................................................149
Tradition 2.9.7.....................................................................................................151
Tradition 2.9.8.....................................................................................................152
Tradition 2.9.9.....................................................................................................155
Chapter 10
Tradition 2.10.1...................................................................................................157
Tradition 2.10.2...................................................................................................160
Tradition 2.10.3...................................................................................................162
Tradition 2.10.4...................................................................................................164

Chapter 11
Tradition 2.11.1...................................................................................................166
Tradition 2.11.2...................................................................................................168
Tradition 2.11.3...................................................................................................170
Tradition 2.11.4...................................................................................................172
Tradition 2.11.5...................................................................................................174
Tradition 2.11.6...................................................................................................175
Tradition 2.11.7...................................................................................................179
Tradition 2.11.8...................................................................................................181
Tradition 2.11.9...................................................................................................185
Chapter 12
Tradition 2.12.1...................................................................................................191
Tradition 2.12.2...................................................................................................194
Tradition 2.12.3...................................................................................................197
Chapter 13
Tradition 2.13.1...................................................................................................198
Tradition 2.13.2...................................................................................................202
Tradition 2.13.3...................................................................................................204
Tradition 2.13.4...................................................................................................206
Tradition 2.13.5...................................................................................................209
Tradition 2.13.6...................................................................................................211
Tradition 2.13.7...................................................................................................216
Chapter 14

Tradition 2.14.1...................................................................................................219
Tradition 2.14.2...................................................................................................224
Tradition 2.14.3...................................................................................................226
vi

Tradition 2.14.4...................................................................................................227
Tradition 2.14.5...................................................................................................231
Tradition 2.14.6...................................................................................................234
Chapter 15
will be dealt
Tradition 2.15.1...................................................................................................237
Tradition 2.15.2...................................................................................................239
Tradition 2.15.3...................................................................................................240
Tradition 2.15.4...................................................................................................244
Chapter 16
Miscellanea
Tradition 2.16.1...................................................................................................247
Tradition 2.16.2...................................................................................................250
Tradition 2.16.3...................................................................................................257
Tradition 2.16.4...................................................................................................259
Tradition 2.16.5...................................................................................................262
Tradition 2.16.6...................................................................................................269
Tradition 2.16.7...................................................................................................272
Tradition 2.16.8...................................................................................................274
Tradition 2.16.9...................................................................................................277
Tradition 2.16.10 ................................................................................................280
Tradition 2.16.11 ................................................................................................284
Tradition 2.16.12 ................................................................................................287
Tradition 2.16.13 ................................................................................................288
Tradition 2.16.14 ................................................................................................290
Tradition 2.16.15 ................................................................................................293
Chapter 17
On the transmission of jotters and traditions and on the advantage of
writing and preserving jotters
Tradition 2.17.1...................................................................................................297
vii

Tradition 2.17.2...................................................................................................299
Tradition 2.17.3...................................................................................................301
Tradition 2.17.4...................................................................................................303
Tradition 2.17.5...................................................................................................306
Tradition 2.17.6...................................................................................................308
Tradition 2.17.7...................................................................................................310
Tradition 2.17.8...................................................................................................312
Tradition 2.17.9...................................................................................................313
Tradition 2.17.10 ................................................................................................314
Tradition 2.17.11 ................................................................................................316
Tradition 2.17.12 ................................................................................................318
Tradition 2.17.13 ................................................................................................320
Tradition 2.17.14 ................................................................................................321
Tradition 2.17.15 ................................................................................................323
Chapter 18
On blind following
Tradition 2.18.1...................................................................................................325
Tradition 2.18.2...................................................................................................329
Tradition 2.18.3...................................................................................................333
Chapter 19
On innovation, personal opinion, and analogical reasoning
Tradition 2.19.1...................................................................................................334
Tradition 2.19.2...................................................................................................340
Tradition 2.19.3...................................................................................................342
Tradition 2.19.4...................................................................................................343
Tradition 2.19.5...................................................................................................345
Tradition 2.19.6...................................................................................................348
Tradition 2.19.7...................................................................................................357
Tradition 2.19.8...................................................................................................359
Tradition 2.19.9...................................................................................................360
Tradition 2.19.10 ................................................................................................365
Tradition 2.19.11 ................................................................................................367
viii

Tradition 2.19.12 ................................................................................................369

Tradition 2.19.13 ................................................................................................370
Tradition 2.19.14 ................................................................................................374
Tradition 2.19.15 ................................................................................................376
Tradition 2.19.16 ................................................................................................378
Tradition 2.19.17 ................................................................................................380
Tradition 2.19.18 ................................................................................................383
Tradition 2.19.19 ................................................................................................387
Tradition 2.19.20 ................................................................................................390
Tradition 2.19.21 ................................................................................................392
Tradition 2.19.22 ................................................................................................394
Chapter 20

regard to every lawful or unlawful matter and everything of which people

have need
Tradition 2.20.1...................................................................................................397
Tradition 2.20.2...................................................................................................400
Tradition 2.20.3...................................................................................................403
Tradition 2.20.4...................................................................................................407
Tradition 2.20.5...................................................................................................410
Tradition 2.20.6...................................................................................................418
Tradition 2.20.7...................................................................................................419
Tradition 2.20.8...................................................................................................434
Tradition 2.20.9...................................................................................................437
Tradition 2.20.10 ................................................................................................438
Chapter 21
On discrepancies in traditions
Tradition 2.21.1...................................................................................................439
Tradition 2.21.2...................................................................................................455
Tradition 2.21.3...................................................................................................458
Tradition 2.21.4...................................................................................................463
ix

Tradition 2.21.5....................................................................................................465
Tradition 2.21.6....................................................................................................468
Tradition 2.21.7....................................................................................................470
Tradition 2.21.8....................................................................................................473
Tradition 2.21.9....................................................................................................475
Tradition 2.21.10 .................................................................................................478
Chapter 22
On holding fast to the prophetic example and textual evidence from Gods
Tradition 2.22.1....................................................................................................494
Tradition 2.22.2....................................................................................................496
Tradition 2.22.3....................................................................................................499
Tradition 2.22.4....................................................................................................500
Tradition 2.22.5....................................................................................................501
Tradition 2.22.6....................................................................................................502
Tradition 2.22.7....................................................................................................503
Tradition 2.22.8....................................................................................................504
Tradition 2.22.9....................................................................................................506
Tradition 2.22.10 .................................................................................................508
Tradition 2.22.11 .................................................................................................509
Tradition 2.22.12 .................................................................................................510
Index .....................................................................................................................512

Tradition 2.1.4

him that he heard the Commander

your religiosity2
3

is more incumbent upon you than

one who is fair

has apportioned it among you and
guaranteed it,5
4

19

1. There are three separate chains for the transmission of this tradition,

2. We have translated the word

it is not Islam that is perfected by a persons learning and acting rather his
own religiosity or commitment to Islam.
3.
and practice.
4. To say that sustenance
for it. God may have guaranteed our sustenance, but he has not guaranteed

such as jihad, the pursuit of religious studies, or the propagation of religious

teachings, and only then does he ensure that our sustenance reaches us.
The following traditions show the elegant contingency that exists
obligatory occupation.
vol.4, p.1443).

20

Book II - Knowledge and its Merits

vol.4, p.1443), indicating that the condition

person engages in the full-time study and teaching of Islam, for instance,
earn money, then God will provide for him in ways he never expected.

The many traditions that remind us that sustenance is guaranteed are

vol.4, p.1445).

5. When we hear the Imam claim that God has guaranteed sustenance to all
people, it may occur to us that even if God provides for everyone, he certainly
does not provide for them fairly: some have more and some have less. How
can this possibly be fair? To preempt such a doubt, the Imam mentions
that God who is fair (
apportions according to a vast array of parameters that only he can fathom.

through mutual need. He says, It is we who have apportioned among them

their livelihood in this temporal life and raised some of them above others by
).

21

A Muslims devotion to Islam is incomplete without

Sustenance is guaranteed, albeit with certain conditions.

God apportions sustenance fairly.

22

Tradition 2.2.2

Scholars are the prophets heirs.2

This is because the prophets did
not bequeath silver and gold.3 They
only bequeathed traditions from

procures even a little of it will have

every thing of value is susceptible

among us, the family of the Prophet,

there are righteous men4 in every
generation5
corrupting hands of those who deify
men, who expose the claims of false
scholars, and who negate the false
6

40

Book II - Knowledge and its Merits

him concerning his errant ways and to guide him to the correct sources of

2. It is noteworthy that we in the current age have no direct access to

3. The Imams statement: Scholars are the heirs to the prophets

this statement at length. There are three possible interpretations for it:

interpretation is incorrect for the following reasons.

exempt from the laws of inheritance and are not allowed to
bequeath their personal wealth to their heirs. This assumption
the prophets bequeathing and inheriting wealth.

they left behind was to be treated as charity.

The second interpretation is that scholars are the heirs to the prophets
heirs. This interpretation is also incorrect because it contains a non41

bequeath their wealth to the latter, so there is no good reason why doing
the former should preclude the latter.
The third interpretation is that scholars are heirs to the prophets because
the prophets, insofar as they are prophets, are not concerned with the

way does this mean that the prophets, insofar as they are human beings
with personal wealth, do not bequeath that wealth to their heirs. Thus,

vol.4 p.42

).

We, the prophets, do no bequeath gold or silver, houses or land. We only

retorted, Exalted is God! The Messenger of God was not wont to deviate
footsteps and followed its guidelines. Do you now conspire to transgress

42

Book II - Knowledge and its Merits

29.1.11 p.302).
By saying that there are righteous men among us, the family of the
false claim to leadership positions in the Muslim community. Such people

single generation from the demise of the Prophet until the end of time.
Indeed, this was the way things were supposed to continue. However, the
of his occultation through the current age because people have failed to

in al-

).

threats.
The
(sing.
) are people who corrupt the monotheistic
teachings of Islam and imagine that the imams, instead of being servants
of God, are somehow gods themselves. To justify their deviant beliefs,
imams denounced these beliefs along with the people who espoused
says, Beware and guard your
youth against those who deify us (the
) lest they corrupt them.
43

For the

are the worst of creatures. They diminish the greatness

25.1.10.6).
The second are the claims of false scholars
. The imams

such false interpretations and guide people to a sound understanding of

The prophets, insofar as they are prophets, are not concerned

will have obtained a great thing.

We must beware of the danger of those who deify the imams,

of false scholars, and of the ignorant.
Those who deify the imams, false scholars, and the ignorant

44

Book II - Knowledge and its Merits

and false interpretations.

There was meant to be an infallible imam actively present
result of peoples failure to support him.

45

Tradition 2.5.6

He1
the

also
reported
through
aforementioned chain of

said without mentioning his source,

O Disciples!2
3

They

done, O Spirit of God!4 At this, he

stood and washed their feet.5 They

At this he said, The person most

6
I have only
will humble yourselves after me
before people just as I have humbled
myself before you.7
said, Wisdom is imparted through
humility, not through pride,8 just as9

The word

100

Tradition 2.9.5

The Messenger of God said, I am

exasperated1 with any person2 who
3

for Islam: to reconnect

The word
we are fed up with something or someone. Instead of using Ugh
equivalent sound in English, we have translated it as the intended verb, to

In Arabic, the Prophet uses the word

gender, hence our translation, any person
The word in Arabic could be read as
or
.
refers to
a seven-day period beginning on Saturday and ending with Friday. We see
): on Mondays
11.85.3). In fact, a tradition similar to the one we are
currently studying has been narrated that clearly shows that he meant one

145

1.5.12.149).

) to learn about Islam

learn about Islam.

Lifelong learning about Islam requires a time commitment

Lifelong learning about Islam is a duty of both sexes.

146

Tradition 2.10.4

someone whose name he mentioned

, the son of Mary, stood to

address the Israelites whereupon
he said, O Children of Israel! Do not
share wisdom1 with the foolish, lest

about correct beliefs, laws, and ethics.

alternatively as guiding the ignorant (

) and enjoining
good and forbidding evil
), is
contingent upon many factors. Among them is that we reasonably entertain

advise his people against sharing wisdom with fools. Fools fall into one of
two categories vis--vis wisdom:
Some fools are simply not concerned with the attainment of wisdom, and
162

Chapter 12

Tradition 2.12.1

He who acts without insight1 is

path: haste in travel increases him
2

We have translated

as insight

right purpose in the fourth sense of the word (see

1.1.1 for meanings

terms of faith and action. The following are examples of having insight:
If we believe in God because our intellect dictates that the temporal

189

Tradition 2.13.4

answered him. Later, he returned to

1

It was written in the Evangel, Do

for if

possessor will have advanced only in

Apparently, these two visits occurred in close succession. Two clues lead
us to this conjecture.

204

Chapter 19
On innovation, personal opinion, and analogical reasoning1

Tradition 2.19.1

said:
The Commander of the Faithful
2
saying,
O People! The root of all strife lies
in appetites that are indulged and in
3

Through these

is contravened, and people confer

avoided if the line between truth

falsehood were laid bare, it would
332

Tradition 2.19.7

The

practioners

of

analogical
1

however it has increased only their

distance from the truth.2 Gods
law cannot be discovered through
Historically, analogical reasoning (
) has been the subject of much
debate between those who follow the Prophet and his family and those who
oppose them. The imams have categorically disparaged it as an inadequate

p.324 tradition 24) and If one tries to use

to discover the sunnah, Islam

has transmitted the following statement

355

Index
Numbers

al-Miqdad 437

70,000 56

276

A
Abrahams footprints 186
abrogation 185, 441
abstinence 250

276
469

162
276

387
111, 270
35, 36

21
242
admonishment 202
advisory 283
Age of Ignorance 420
323
399
399
ahl al-dhikr 280
268
268
162
25
218
385
245

229
185, 449
488
analogical reasoning 287, 332, 333, 355,
373, 374, 378, 379, 388
Analogical reasoning 350
angels 71, 72
arbiter 477, 485
arbitration 335
Arbitration 334
arrogant 87
351
52
370
authority of the jurist 229
351
of Satan 336
79

B
218
316

189

511