Neither Compulsion nor Delegation

Summary:

Allah^-azwj has Given us the freewill to either do good or commit sins but the freewill is not without bounds and similarly Allah^-azwj has Restricted us from corruption and vice but it’s not a total compulsion but the matter is between the two. With this we present some Ahadith:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ اللَّهُ فَوَّضَ الْأَمْرَ إِلَى الْعِبَادِ قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعَزُّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ فَجَبَرَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَلُ وَ أَحْكَمُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ أَنَا أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ وَ أَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي عَمِلْتَ الْمَعَاصِيَ بِقُوَّتِيَ الَّتِي جَعَلْتُهَا فِيكَ .

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Ali Al Washha,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws, said, ‘I asked him^-asws, so I said, ‘Does Allah^-azwj Delegate the matters to the servants?’ He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is Mightier than that’. I said, ‘So does He^-azwj Compel them upon the disobedience?’ He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is more Just and Wise than that’. He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Said: “O son of Adam^-as! I^-azwj am closer with your good deeds than you are, and you are closer with your evil deeds than I^-azwj am. You are doing the disobediences by My^-azwj (Given) Strength which I^-azwj Made to be in you”’.[1]

وَ قَالَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ رُوِيَ لَنَا عَنِ الصَّادِقِ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ: لَا جَبْرَ وَ لَا تَفْوِيضَ بَلْ أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ فَمَا مَعْنَاهُ

And one of his^-asws companions said, ‘It is reported to us from Al-Sadiq^-asws having said: ‘There is neither compulsion nor delegation, but it is a matter between the two matters’, so what is it’s meaning?’

قَالَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ فَوَّضَ أَمْرَ الْخَلْقِ وَ الرِّزْقِ إِلَى عِبَادِهِ فَقَدْ قَالَ بِالتَّفْوِيضِ

He^-asws (Al-Sadiq^-asws) said: ‘One who claims that Allah^-azwj Delegates the Commands to the created being and the sustenance to His^-azwj servants, so he has spoken with the delegation’.

قُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ الْقَائِلُ بِهِ مُشْرِكٌ

I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-azwj, and the speaker with it is a Polytheist?’

فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَ مَنْ قَالَ بِالْجَبْرِ فَقَدْ ظَلَّمَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى

He^-asws said: ‘Yes, and the one who says with the compulsion so he has (made) Allah^-azwj the Exalted as unjust’.

فَقُلْتُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ فَمَا أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ

I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! So, what is the matter between the two matters?’

فَقَالَ وُجُودُ السَّبِيلِ إِلَى إِتْيَانِ مَا أُمِرُوا بِهِ وَ تَرْكِ مَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ

He^-asws said: ‘Finding the way to doing what has been Commanded with and neglecting what has been Prohibited from’’.^[2]

وَ قَالَ: وَ قَدْ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى فَوَّضَ إِلَى الْعِبَادِ أَفْعَالَهُمْ

And he^-asws and a man had said to him: ‘Allah^-azwj the Exalted Delegated to the servants, their actions’.

فَقَالَ هُمْ أَضْعَفُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ

He^-asws said: ‘They are weaker than that and less’.

وَ أَقَلُّ قَالَ فَجَبَرَهُمْ

He said, ‘So He^-azwj Compels them?’

قَالَ هُوَ أَعْدَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ أَجَلُّ

He^-asws said: ‘He^-azwj is more Just than that and more Majestic’.

قَالَ فَكَيْفَ تَقُولُ

He said, ‘How are you^-asws saying?’

قَالَ نَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَهُمْ وَ نَهَاهُمْ وَ أَقْدَرَهُمْ عَلَى مَا أَمَرَهُمْ بِهِ وَ نَهَاهُمْ عَنْهُ

He^-asws said: ‘We^-asws are saying that Allah^-azwj Commands them and Prohibits them, and He^-azwj has Enabled them upon what He^-azwj has Commanded them with and Prohibited them from’’.

سَأَلَهُ ع الْفَضْلُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ سَهْلٍ الْخَلْقُ مَجْبُورُونَ

He^-asws was asked by Al-Fazl Bin Al-Hassan Bin Sahl, ‘The people are compelled?’

قَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَلُ مِنْ أَنْ يُجْبِرَ وَ يُعَذِّبَ

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is more Just than to Compel and (then) Punish’.

قَالَ فَمُطْلَقُونَ

He said, ‘So they are free?’

قَالَ اللَّهُ أَحْكَمُ أَنْ يُهْمِلَ عَبْدَهُ وَ يَكِلَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ

He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is Wiser than to Load His^-azwj servant and Leave him to himself.

اصْحَبِ السُّلْطَانَ بِالْحَذَرِ وَ الصَّدِيقَ بِالتَّوَاضُعِ وَ الْعَدُوَّ بِالتَّحَرُّزِ وَ الْعَامَّةَ بِالْبِشْرِ الْإِيمَانُ فَوْقَ الْإِسْلَامِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَ التَّقْوَى فَوْقَ الْإِيمَانِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَ الْيَقِينُ فَوْقَ التَّقْوَى بِدَرَجَةٍ وَ لَمْ يُقْسَمْ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ-.

Accompany the ruler with the caution, and the friend with the humbleness, and the enemy with the guarding, and the general public with the smile. The Eman is above Al-Islam by a level, and the piety is above the Eman by a level, and the certainty is above the piety by a level, and nothing has been Apportioned between the servants lesser than the certainty’’.

وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْمَشِيَّةِ وَ الْإِرَادَةِ فَقَالَ الْمَشِيَّةُ الِاهْتِمَامُ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ وَ الْإِرَادَةُ إِتْمَامُ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْ‏ءِ

And he^-asws was asked about the Desire and the Intention (of Allah^-azwj). He^-asws said: ‘The Desire is embarking with the thing, and the Intention is completion of that thing.

الْأَجَلُ آفَةُ الْأَمَلِ وَ الْعُرْفُ ذَخِيرَةُ الْأَبَدِ وَ الْبِرُّ غَنِيمَةُ الْحَازِمِ وَ التَّفْرِيطُ مُصِيبَةُ ذِي الْقُدْرَةِ وَ الْبُخْلُ يُمَزِّقُ الْعِرْضَ وَ الْحُبُّ دَاعِي الْمَكَارِهِ وَ أَجَلُّ الْخَلَائِقِ‏ وَ أَكْرَمُهَا اصْطِنَاعُ الْمَعْرُوفِ وَ إِغَاثَةُ الْمَلْهُوفِ وَ تَحْقِيقُ أَمَلِ الْآمِلِ وَ تَصْدِيقُ مَخِيلَةِ الرَّاجِي وَ الِاسْتِكْثَارُ مِنَ الْأَصْدِقَاءِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ وَ الْبَاكِينَ بَعْدَ الْوَفَاةِ.

The death is a scourge of the hopes, and the custom is a treasure for ever, and the righteousness is a gain of the resolute one, and the negligence is a calamity of the one with ability, and the miserliness rips the honour, and the love calls to the hardship, and revering the people and honouring them is doing the act of kindness, and helping the distressed, and realises the hope of the hoping one, and ratification is imagination of the hoping one, and having many friends during the lifetime and (increases) mourners after the death’’.^[3]

Introduction:

Additional Ahadith are presented in this section in order to enhanced our understanding of what lies between the ‘freedom and compulsion’.

The Granted Freedom is as per Mashiya (Will) of Allah^-azwj

قَالَ السَّائِلُ فَيُعَانِي الْأَشْيَاءَ بِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) هُوَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُعَانِيَ الْأَشْيَاءَ بِمُبَاشَرَةٍ وَ مُعَالَجَةٍ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ صِفَةُ الْمَخْلُوقِ الَّذِي لَا تَجِي‏ءُ الْأَشْيَاءُ لَهُ إِلَّا بِالْمُبَاشَرَةِ وَ الْمُعَالَجَةِ وَ هُوَ مُتَعَالٍ نَافِذُ الْإِرَادَةِ وَ الْمَشِيئَةِ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ .

The questioner said (to Imam Al-Sadiq^-asws), ‘So do the (Creation of the) things tire His^-azwj Self?’ Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘He is more Majestic than that the (Creation of) things should Tire Him^-azwj by the Initiating (the things) and Processing, because that is a quality of the created beings who do not come to the things except by the production and the processing, and He^-azwj is most Exalted, Implementer of the Will and the Desire, Doing whatever He^-azwj so Desires to’ (an extract, see the Hadith in Appendix).[4]

Masomeen^-asws only wish that which Allah^-azwj Wishes:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْفَضْلِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي ( عليه السلام ) فَأَجْرَيْتُ اخْتِلَافَ الشِّيعَةِ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَزَلْ مُتَفَرِّداً بِوَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ مُحَمَّداً وَ عَلِيّاً وَ فَاطِمَةَ فَمَكَثُوا أَلْفَ دَهْرٍ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ جَمِيعَ الْأَشْيَاءِ فَأَشْهَدَهُمْ خَلْقَهَا وَ أَجْرَى طَاعَتَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا وَ فَوَّضَ أُمُورَهَا إِلَيْهِمْ فَهُمْ يُحِلُّونَ مَا يَشَاءُونَ وَ يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا يَشَاءُونَ وَ لَنْ يَشَاءُوا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Abu Al Fazl Abdullah Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Sinan who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Ja’far^-asws the 2^nd, so I flowed (the discussion) of the differing of the Shias. So he^-asws said: ‘O Muhammad! Allah^-azwj Blessed and High did not cease to be Individual by His^-azwj Oneness. Then He^-azwj Created Muhammad^-saww, and Ali^-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima^-asws. So they^-asws remained for ‘أَلْفَ دَهْرٍ’ a thousand Dahr (one Dahr equals the amount of time earth’s existence). Then He^-azwj Created the entirety of the things. So He^-azwj Made them^-asws witness their creation, and Caused to flow their^-asws obedience to be upon these, and Authorised their affairs to them^-asws. Thus, they^-asws are permitting whatever they are so desiring, and permitting whatever they^-asws wish, and they^-asws are never desiring except what Allah^-azwj the Blessed and High Desires’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذِهِ الدِّيَانَةُ الَّتِي مَنْ تَقَدَّمَهَا مَرَقَ وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا مَحَقَ وَ مَنْ لَزِمَهَا لَحِقَ خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ .

Then he^-asws said: ‘O Muhammad^-saww! This here is the Religion which (if) one who goes ahead of it (exaggerates), would miss it, and the one who remains behind from it would be obliterated, and the one who holds it properly would preserve it. Take it to yourself, O Muhammad^-saww!’[5]

The delegation:

عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّما جَزاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ قَالَ ذَلِكَ إِلَى الْإِمَامِ يَفْعَلُ بِهِ مَا يَشَاءُ قُلْتُ فَمُفَوَّضٌ ذَلِكَ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ نَحْوَ الْجِنَايَةِ .

From him, from Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Yahya Al Halby, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya who said,

‘A man asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic [5:33] But rather, the Recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Rasool. He^-asws said: ‘That is up to the Imam^-asws. He^-asws can do with him whatever he^-asws so desires to’. I said, ‘ So it has been delegated to him^-asws?’ He^-asws said: ‘No, but, it is roughly (like dealing with) the crime’.[6]

Ordainment from Allah^-azwj or Pre-determination

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ غَيْرِهِمَا رَفَعُوهُ قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) جَالِساً بِالْكُوفَةِ بَعْدَ مُنْصَرَفِهِ مِنْ صِفِّينَ إِذْ أَقْبَلَ شَيْخٌ فَجَثَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَخْبِرْنَا عَنْ مَسِيرِنَا إِلَى أَهْلِ الشَّامِ أَ بِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ قَدَرٍ فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) أَجَلْ يَا شَيْخُ مَا عَلَوْتُمْ تَلْعَةً وَ لَا هَبَطْتُمْ بَطْنَ وَادٍ إِلَّا بِقَضَاءٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ قَدَرٍ

Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Is’haq Bin Muhammad and someone else, raising it,

He^-asws said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was seated in Al-Kufa, after his^-asws leaving from (the battle of) Siffeen, when an old man squatted in front of him^-asws, then said to him^-asws, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Inform us about our travel to the people of Syria. Was it by an Ordainment from Allah^-azwj and Pre-determination?’ So Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘Yes O Sheykh! No hill did you ascend nor a valley you descend into except it was by an Ordainment from Allah^-azwj and Pre-determined’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الشَّيْخُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَحْتَسِبُ عَنَائِي يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَهْ يَا شَيْخُ فَوَ اللَّهِ لَقَدْ عَظَّمَ اللَّهُ الْأَجْرَ فِي مَسِيرِكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ سَائِرُونَ وَ فِي مَقَامِكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ مُقِيمُونَ وَ فِي مُنْصَرَفِكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ مُنْصَرِفُونَ وَ لَمْ تَكُونُوا فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ حَالَاتِكُمْ مُكْرَهِينَ وَ لَا إِلَيْهِ مُضْطَرِّينَ

So the Sheykh said to him^-asws, ‘Will my exhaustion be Counted in the Presence of Allah^-azwj, O Amir Al Momineen^-asws?’ So he^-asws said to him: ‘Muh! (Shh!), O Sheykh! Allah^-azwj has Magnified the Recompense regarding your travels while you were travelling, and regarding your staying while you were staying, and regarding your leaving, while you were leaving, and you did not happen to be in anything from your states being coerced nor forced to it’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ الشَّيْخُ وَ كَيْفَ لَمْ نَكُنْ فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ حَالَاتِنَا مُكْرَهِينَ وَ لَا إِلَيْهِ مُضْطَرِّينَ وَ كَانَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَ الْقَدَرِ مَسِيرُنَا وَ مُنْقَلَبُنَا وَ مُنْصَرَفُنَا فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ تَظُنُّ أَنَّهُ كَانَ قَضَاءً حَتْماً وَ قَدَراً لَازِماً إِنَّهُ لَوْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ لَبَطَلَ الثَّوَابُ وَ الْعِقَابُ وَ الْأَمْرُ وَ النَّهْيُ وَ الزَّجْرُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ سَقَطَ مَعْنَى الْوَعْدِ وَ الْوَعِيدِ

So the Sheykh said to him, ‘And how can it be that we were not in anything from our states being coerced nor being forced to it, and it was with the Ordainment and the Pre-determination, our travels, and our transfers, and our leaving?’ So he^-asws said to him: ‘And you think that it was an unavoidable Ordainment, Necessitated? If it was like that, it would invalidate the Rewards, and the Punishments, and the enjoinment, and the forbiddance, and the Rebukes from Allah^-azwj, the meanings of the Promises and the Threats would crumble.

فَلَمْ تَكُنْ لَائِمَةٌ لِلْمُذْنِبِ وَ لَا مَحْمَدَةٌ لِلْمُحْسِنِ وَ لَكَانَ الْمُذْنِبُ أَوْلَى بِالْإِحْسَانِ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِ وَ لَكَانَ الْمُحْسِنُ أَوْلَى بِالْعُقُوبَةِ مِنَ الْمُذْنِبِ تِلْكَ مَقَالَةُ إِخْوَانِ عَبَدَةِ الْأَوْثَانِ وَ خُصَمَاءِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَ حِزْبِ الشَّيْطَانِ وَ قَدَرِيَّةِ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ مَجُوسِهَا

So the sinners would not be blameable nor would the good doers be praiseworthy. It would have been so that the sinner would be closer with the good deed than the good doer, and it would be so that the good doer would be closer with the Punishment than the sinner. These are the talks of the brotherhood of the idol-worshippers, and the disputants to the Beneficent, and parties of the Satan^-la, and the Qadiriyya of this community and its Magians.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى كَلَّفَ تَخْيِيراً وَ نَهَى تَحْذِيراً وَ أَعْطَى عَلَى الْقَلِيلِ كَثِيراً وَ لَمْ يُعْصَ مَغْلُوباً وَ لَمْ يُطَعْ مُكْرِهاً وَ لَمْ يُمَلِّكْ مُفَوِّضاً وَ لَمْ يَخْلُقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ وَ مَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا وَ لَمْ يَبْعَثِ النَّبِيِّينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَ مُنْذِرِينَ عَبَثاً ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ

Surely, Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Encumbered choices and Forbade as a warning, and Gives a lot upon the little (deed), and He^-azwj is not disobeyed due to being overcome, nor is He^-azwj obeyed forcefully, and did not Give control as a delegated (authority), and did not Create the skies and the earth and what is between the two in vain, and did not Send the Prophets^-as, the Givers of Glad Tidings and the Warners in futility. That is a conjecture of those who are disbelieving. So woe be unto those who are disbelieving of the Fire!’

فَأَنْشَأَ الشَّيْخُ يَقُولُ : أَنْتَ الْإِمَامُ الَّذِي نَرْجُو بِطَاعَتِهِ * يَوْمَ النَّجَاةِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ غُفْرَاناً أَوْضَحْتَ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا كَانَ مُلْتَبِساً * جَزَاكَ رَبُّكَ بِالْإِحْسَانِ إِحْسَاناً

Therefore, the Sheykh prosed saying, ‘You^-asws are the Imam^-asws whom we are hoping to by obeying him^-asws on a Day for salvation from the Beneficent (and for) Forgiveness. You^-asws clarified from our matters what was vague. May your^-asws Lord^-azwj Recompense you by a Favour with the favour’.[7]

What is the delegation?

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ زَعْلَانَ عَنْ أَبِي طَالِبٍ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قُلْتُ أَجْبَرَ اللَّهُ الْعِبَادَ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَفَوَّضَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْأَمْرَ قَالَ قَالَ لَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا ذَا قَالَ لُطْفٌ مِنْ رَبِّكَ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Za’lan, from Abu Talib Al Qummy, from a man,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘I said, ‘Does Allah^-azwj Compel the servants upon the disobedience?’ He^-asws said: ‘No’. I said, ‘So, does He^-azwj Delegate the matters to them?’ He^-asws said: ‘No’. I said, ‘So what is (correct in) that?’ He^-asws said: ‘A Kindness from your Lord^-azwj between that’.[8]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَجْبَرَ اللَّهُ الْعِبَادَ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي فَقَالَ اللَّهُ أَعْدَلُ مِنْ أَنْ يُجْبِرَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي ثُمَّ يُعَذِّبَهُمْ عَلَيْهَا

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Muhammad, from Yunus, from a number (of people),

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws, said, ‘A man said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! Does Allah^-azwj Compel the servants upon the disobedience?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj is more Just that for Him^-azwj to Compel them upon the disobedience then Punishing them upon it’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَفَوَّضَ اللَّهُ إِلَى الْعِبَادِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَوْ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْهِمْ لَمْ يَحْصُرْهُمْ بِالْأَمْرِ وَ النَّهْيِ

So, he said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! So does Allah^-azwj Delegate to the servants?’ So He^-azwj Said: ‘If He^-azwj had Delegated to them, He^-azwj would not have Surrounded them with the Commands and the Prohibitions’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ فَبَيْنَهُمَا مَنْزِلَةٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ أَوْسَعُ مَا بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ .

Then, he said to him^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! So there is a (third) status between the two?’ So he^-asws said: ‘Yes, more extensive than what is between the sky and the earth’.[9]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ لَا جَبْرَ وَ لَا تَفْوِيضَ وَ لَكِنْ أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ قَالَ مَثَلُ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ رَأَيْتَهُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَةٍ فَنَهَيْتَهُ فَلَمْ يَنْتَهِ فَتَرَكْتَهُ فَفَعَلَ تِلْكَ الْمَعْصِيَةَ فَلَيْسَ حَيْثُ لَمْ يَقْبَلْ مِنْكَ فَتَرَكْتَهُ كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالْمَعْصِيَةِ .

Muhammad Bin Abu Abdullah, from Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from the one who narrated it,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘There is neither Compulsion nor Delegation, but there is a matter between the two matters’. I said, ‘And what is the matter between the two matters?’ He^-asws said: ‘An example of that is a man you see upon disobedience. So, you forbid him, so he does not finish it. So, you neglect him (for a while). Then he commits that very disobedience. Therefore, it isn’t so when he did not accept from you, so you neglected him, you came to be the one who instructed him with the disobedience’.[10]

What is the Compulsion?

عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام الْفَامِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: مَنْ قَالَ بِالتَّشْبِيهِ وَ الْجَبْرِ فَهُوَ كَافِرٌ مُشْرِكٌ وَ نَحْنُ مِنْهُ بُرَآءُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ

(The book) ‘Uyoon Akhbar Al Reza^-asws – Al Famy, from Muhammad Al himeyri, from his father, from Ibn Hashim, from Ali Bin Ma’bad, from Al Husayn Bin Khalid,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws having said: ‘The one who speak with the resemblance (of Allah^-azwj) and the Compulsion (by Allah^-azwj), so he is a Kafir, a Polytheist, and we^-asws are disavowed from him in the world and the Hereafter.

يَا ابْنَ خَالِدٍ إِنَّمَا وَضَعَ الْأَخْبَارَ عَنَّا فِي التَّشْبِيهِ وَ الْجَبْرِ الْغُلَاةُ الَّذِينَ صَغَّرُوا عَظَمَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ فَقَدْ أَبْغَضَنَا وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّنَا وَ مَنْ وَالاهُمْ فَقَدْ عَادَانَا وَ مَنْ عَادَاهُمْ فَقَدْ وَالانَا

O Ibn Khalid! But rather the Ahadeeth regarding the resemblance and the Compulsion have been placed from us^-asws by the exaggerators, those who are belittling the Magnificence of Allah^-azwj the Exalted. The one who loves them so he has hated us^-asws, and one who hates them so he has loved us^-asws, and one who befriends them so he has been inimical to us^-asws, and one who is inimical to them so he has befriended us^-asws;

وَ مَنْ وَصَلَهُمْ فَقَدْ قَطَعَنَا وَ مَنْ قَطَعَهُمْ فَقَدْ وَصَلَنَا وَ مَنْ جَفَاهُمْ فَقَدْ بَرَّنَا وَ مَنْ بَرَّهُمْ فَقَدْ جَفَانَا وَ مَنْ أَكْرَمَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَهَانَنَا وَ مَنْ أَهَانَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَكْرَمَنَا وَ مَنْ قَبِلَهُمْ فَقَدْ رَدَّنَا وَ مَنْ رَدَّهُمْ فَقَدْ قَبِلَنَا

And one who connects with them so he has cut us^-asws off, and one who cuts them off so he has connected with us^-asws, and one who is disloyal to them so he has been righteous with us^-asws, and one who is righteous with them so he has been disloyal to us^-asws, and one who honours them so he has debased us^-asws and one who debases them so he has honoured us^-asws, and one who accepts them so he has repelled us^-asws, and one who repels them so he has accepted us^-asws;

وَ مَنْ أَحْسَنَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَدْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْنَا وَ مَنْ أَسَاءَ إِلَيْهِمْ فَقَدْ أَحْسَنَ إِلَيْنَا وَ مَنْ صَدَّقَهُمْ فَقَدْ كَذَّبَنَا وَ مَنْ كَذَّبَهُمْ فَقَدْ صَدَّقَنَا وَ مَنْ أَعْطَاهُمْ فَقَدْ حَرَمَنَا وَ مَنْ حَرَمَهُمْ فَقَدْ أَعْطَانَا يَا ابْنَ خَالِدٍ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا فَلَا يَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْهُمْ وَلِيّاً وَ لَا نَصِيراً.

And one who does favours to them so he has been evil to us^-asws, and one who is evil to them so he has favoured to us^-asws, and one who ratifies them so he has belied us^-asws, and one who belies them so he has ratified us^-asws, and one who give them so he has deprived us^-asws, and one who deprives them so he has given us^-asws. O Ibn Khalid! One who was from our^-asws Shias, so he should neither be a friend from them nor a helper’’.^[11]

رجال الكشي‏ ذَكَرَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ فِي بَعْضِ كُتُبِهِ أَنَّ مِنَ الْكَذَّابِينَ الْمَشْهُورِينَ ابْنَ بَابَا الْقُمِّيَ‏.

(The book) ‘Rijal Al-Kashy’ – Abu Muhammad Al-Fazl Bin Shazan mentioned in one of his books that from the well-known liars is Ibn Baba Al-Qummi’.

قَالَ سَعْدٌ حَدَّثَنِي الْعُبَيْدِيُّ قَالَ: كَتَبَ إِلَيَّ الْعَسْكَرِيُّ ع ابْتِدَاءً مِنْهُ أَبْرَأُ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنَ الْفِهْرِيِ‏ وَ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ بَابَا الْقُمِّيِّ فَابْرَأْ مِنْهُمَا فَإِنِّي مُحَذِّرُكَ‏ وَ جَمِيعَ مَوَالِيَّ وَ إِنِّي أَلْعَنُهُمَا عَلَيْهِمَا لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ

Sa’ad said, ‘Al-Askari^-asws wrote to me initiating from himself^-asws: ‘I^-asws disavow to Allah^-azwj from Al-Fihry, and Al-Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Baba Al-Qummi, so disavow from them both, for I^-asws am cautioning you and the entirety of the ones in my^-asws Wilayah, and I^-asws am cursing them and upon them is the Curse of Allah^-azwj.

مُسْتَأْكِلَيْنِ يَأْكُلَانِ بِنَا النَّاسَ فَتَّانَيْنِ مُؤْذِيَيْنِ آذَاهُمَا اللَّهُ وَ أَرْكَسَهُمَا فِي الْفِتْنَةِ رَكْساً يَزْعُمُ ابْنُ بَابَا أَنِّي بَعَثْتُهُ نَبِيّاً وَ أَنَّهُ بَابٌ وَيْلَهُ‏ لَعَنَهُ اللَّهُ سَخِرَ مِنْهُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَغْوَاهُ فَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ مَنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ ذَلِكَ

They are two devourers devouring the people by (using) us^-asws, two mischievous harmful youths, may Allah^-azwj Hurt them and Immerse them in the Fitna with an immersion. Ibn Baba claims I^-asws have sent him as a Prophet^-as, and he is a door. Woe be unto him^-asws! May Allah^-azwj curse him. The Satan^-la mocked him and deviated him. So, may Allah^-azwj Curse the one who accepts that from him.

يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنْ قَدَرْتَ أَنْ تَشْدَخَ‏ رَأْسَهُ بِحَجَرٍ فَافْعَلْ فَإِنَّهُ قَدْ آذَانِي آذَاهُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ

O Muhammad! If you are able to fracture his head with a rock, then do so, for he has hurt me^-asws in the world and the Hereafter’.

وَ قَالَ أَبُو عَمْرٍو فَقَالَتْ فِرْقَةٌ بِنُبُوَّةِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ نُصَيْرٍ الْفِهْرِيِّ النُّمَيْرِيِّ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ ادَّعَى أَنَّهُ نَبِيٌّ رَسُولٌ‏ وَ أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَسْكَرِيَّ أَرْسَلَهُ وَ كَانَ يَقُولُ بِالتَّنَاسُخِ وَ الْغُلُوِّ فِي أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع وَ يَقُولُ فِيهِ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ

Abu Amro said, ‘A sect spoke with the Prophet-hood being for Muhammad Bin Nuseyr Al-Fihry Al-Numeyri, and that is because he claimed that he was a Prophet^-as, a Rasool^-as, and that Ali^-asws Bin Muhammad Al-Askari^-asws had sent him, and he was saying with the re-incarnation and the exaggeration regarding Abu Al-Hassan^-asws, and speaking regarding him^-asws with the Lordship.

وَ يَقُولُ بِإِبَاحَةِ الْمَحَارِمِ وَ يُحَلِّلُ نِكَاحَ الرِّجَالِ بَعْضِهِمْ بَعْضاً فِي أَدْبَارِهِمْ‏ وَ يَقُولُ إِنَّهُ مِنَ الْفَاعِلِ وَ الْمَفْعُولِ بِهِ أَحَدُ الشَّهَوَاتِ وَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يُحَرِّمْ شَيْئاً مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَ كَانَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُوسَى بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ فُرَاتٍ يُقَوِّي أَسْبَابَهُ وَ يَعْضُدُهُ وَ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ‏ رَأَى بَعْضُ النَّاسِ مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ نُصَيْرٍ عِيَاناً وَ غُلَامٌ لَهُ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ وَ أَنَّهُ عَاتَبَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا مِنَ اللَّذَّاتِ وَ هُوَ مِنَ التَّوَاضُعِ لِلَّهِ وَ تَرْكِ التَّجَبُّرِ وَ افْتَرَقَ النَّاسُ فِيهِ بَعْدَهُ فِرَقاً.

And he spoke with the neutralisation of the Prohibitions and Permitting the marriage of the men with each other in their backs, and said he is from the doer, and the one done with is one of the desires and the good things. Allah^-azwj did not Prohibit anything from that; and Muhammad Bin Musa Bin Al Hassan Bin Furat strengthened his cause and supports him, and mentioned that one of the people saw Muhammad Bin Nuseyr with his own eyes and a slave of his was upon his back, and he reproached him upon that. He said: ‘This is from the pleasures, and it is from the humbleness of Allah^-azwj, and it is from the humbleness of Allah^-azwj and leaving the compulsion, and the people separated after him into sects’’.^[12]

عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام تَمِيمٌ الْقُرَشِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ عُمَيْرِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ الشَّامِيِ‏ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع بِمَرْوَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ رُوِيَ لَنَا عَنِ الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ ع أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَا جَبْرَ وَ لَا تَفْوِيضَ [بَلْ‏] أَمْرٌ بَيْنَ أَمْرَيْنِ‏ فَمَا مَعْنَاهُ

(The book) Uyoon Akhbar Al-Reza^-asws – Tameem Al Qarshy, from his father, from Ahmad Bin Ali Al Ansary, from Yazeed Bin Umeyr Bin MUawiya Al Shamy who said,

‘I entered to see Ali^-asws Bin Musa Al-Reza^-asws at Merv. I said to him^-asws, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! It is reported to us from Al-Sadiq Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws having said: ‘There is neither Compulsion nor Delegation, but (it is) a matter between the two matters’. So, what is its meaning?’

فَقَالَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَفْعَلُ أَفْعَالَنَا ثُمَّ يُعَذِّبُنَا عَلَيْهَا فَقَدْ قَالَ بِالْجَبْرِ وَ مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَوَّضَ أَمْرَ الْخَلْقِ وَ الرِّزْقِ إِلَى حُجَجِهِ ع فَقَدْ قَالَ بِالتَّفْوِيضِ وَ الْقَائِلُ بِالْجَبْرِ كَافِرٌ وَ الْقَائِلُ بِالتَّفْوِيضِ مُشْرِكٌ الْخَبَرَ.

He^-asws said: ‘One who alleges that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Does our deeds then Punishes us upon these, so he has spoken with the Compulsion, but one who alleges that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Delegated the matters of the Creating and the sustenance to His^-azwj Divine Authorities, so he has spoken with the Delegation, and the speaker with the Compulsion is a Kafir, and the speaker with the Delegation is a Polytheist’’.^[13]

Appendix: Implementer of the Will and the Desire, Doing whatever He^-azwj so Desires to

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو الْفُقَيْمِيِّ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ قَالَ لِلزِّنْدِيقِ حِينَ سَأَلَهُ مَا هُوَ قَالَ هُوَ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِخِلَافِ الْأَشْيَاءِ ارْجِعْ بِقَوْلِي إِلَى إِثْبَاتِ مَعْنًى وَ أَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ بِحَقِيقَةِ الشَّيْئِيَّةِ غَيْرَ أَنَّهُ لَا جِسْمٌ وَ لَا صُورَةٌ وَ لَا يُحَسُّ وَ لَا يُجَسُّ وَ لَا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ الْخَمْسِ لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَوْهَامُ وَ لَا تَنْقُصُهُ الدُّهُورُ وَ لَا تُغَيِّرُهُ الْأَزْمَانُ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Abbas Bin Amro Al Fuqaymi, from Hisham Bin Al Hakam,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said to the atheist when he asked him^‑asws, ‘What is He^-azwj?’ He^-asws said: ‘He^-azwj is a thing different for the things. I^-asws reiterate with my^-asws words to prove the meaning, and He^-azwj is a thing in reality of the ‘thing-ness’ apart from that He^-azwj has neither a body, nor an image, nor can He^-azwj be felt, nor can He^-azwj be touched, nor can He^-azwj be realised by the five sensory perceptions. Neither can the imaginations grasp Him^-azwj, nor can the ages reduce Him^-azwj, nor can the times change Him^-azwj’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَتَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ قَالَ هُوَ سَمِيعٌ بَصِيرٌ سَمِيعٌ بِغَيْرِ جَارِحَةٍ وَ بَصِيرٌ بِغَيْرِ آلَةٍ بَلْ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَ يُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ لَيْسَ قَوْلِي إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ يَسْمَعُ بِنَفْسِهِ وَ بَصِيرٌ يُبْصِرُ بِنَفْسِهِ أَنَّهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ النَّفْسُ شَيْ‏ءٌ آخَرُ وَ لَكِنْ أَرَدْتُ عِبَارَةً عَنْ نَفْسِي إِذْ كُنْتُ مَسْئُولًا وَ إِفْهَاماً لَكَ إِذْ كُنْتَ سَائِلًا فَأَقُولُ إِنَّهُ سَمِيعٌ بِكُلِّهِ لَا أَنَّ الْكُلَّ مِنْهُ لَهُ بَعْضٌ وَ لَكِنِّي أَرَدْتُ إِفْهَامَكَ وَ التَّعْبِيرُ عَنْ نَفْسِي وَ لَيْسَ مَرْجِعِي فِي ذَلِكَ إِلَّا إِلَى أَنَّهُ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ الْعَالِمُ الْخَبِيرُ بِلَا اخْتِلَافِ الذَّاتِ وَ لَا اخْتِلَافِ الْمَعْنَى

So the questioner said to him^-asws, ‘But you^-asws are saying that He^-azwj is Hearing, Seeing’. He^-asws said: ‘He^-azwj is Hearing, Seeing. He^-azwj Sees without an organ and Sees without an instrument, but He^-azwj is Seeing by Himself^-azwj and is Hearing by Himself^-azwj. My^-asws words that ‘He^-azwj is Seeing by Himself^-azwj and is Hearing by Himself^-azwj’ is not that He^-azwj is a thing and His^-azwj Self is another thing. But, I^-asws intend as an idiom from myself^-asws when I^-asws was asked and as an understanding for you when you asked. Thus, I^-asws am saying that He^-azwj Hears by all of Him^-azwj, not that the for the ‘all’ of Him^-azwj there are parts, but I^-asws intend to make you understand and as an idiom from myself^-asws and I^-asws do not re-iterate in that except that He^-azwj is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware without a differentiation of the Self nor differentiation of the meaning’.

قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَمَا هُوَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) هُوَ الرَّبُّ وَ هُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ وَ هُوَ اللَّهُ وَ لَيْسَ قَوْلِي اللَّهُ إِثْبَاتَ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ أَلِفٍ وَ لَامٍ وَ هَاءٍ وَ لَا رَاءٍ وَ لَا بَاءٍ وَ لَكِنِ ارْجِعْ إِلَى مَعْنًى وَ شَيْ‏ءٍ خَالِقِ الْأَشْيَاءِ وَ صَانِعِهَا وَ نَعْتِ هَذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ وَ هُوَ الْمَعْنَى سُمِّيَ بِهِ اللَّهُ وَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَ الرَّحِيمُ وَ الْعَزِيزُ وَ أَشْبَاهُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ وَ هُوَ الْمَعْبُودُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ

The questioner said to him^-asws, ‘So what is He^-azwj?’ Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘He^-azwj is the Lord^-azwj, and He^-azwj is the worshipped, and He^-azwj is Allah^-azwj. And it is not my^-asws word ‘Allah’ to prove these letters, ‘Alif’, and ‘Laam’, and ‘Ha’, nor ‘Ra’ nor ‘Ba’, but I re-iterate to a meaning and a thing, Creator of the things and its Maker, and the intention of these letters, and it is the meaning ‘Allah’ has been Named by, and ‘the Beneficent’, and the ‘Merciful’, and the ‘Mighty’, and the likes of that from His^-azwj Names, and He^-azwj is the worshipped One, Majestic and Mighty’.

قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَإِنَّا لَمْ نَجِدْ مَوْهُوماً إِلَّا مَخْلُوقاً قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كَمَا تَقُولُ لَكَانَ التَّوْحِيدُ عَنَّا مُرْتَفِعاً لِأَنَّا لَمْ نُكَلَّفْ غَيْرَ مَوْهُومٍ وَ لَكِنَّا نَقُولُ كُلُّ مَوْهُومٍ بِالْحَوَاسِّ مُدْرَكٍ بِهِ تَحُدُّهُ الْحَوَاسُّ وَ تُمَثِّلُهُ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ إِذْ كَانَ النَّفْيُ هُوَ الْإِبْطَالَ وَ الْعَدَمَ وَ الْجِهَةُ

The questioner said to him^-asws, ‘But we do not find our imaginations except as creations’. Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘If it was that, just as you are saying, the Tawheed (Oneness) would be raised (negated), because we are not encumbered without imagination. But we are saying that every imagination with the senses realised with is limited by the senses, and is a resemblance, thus it is a creation. When it was the negation, so it is the invalidation, and the nothingness (non-entity) and the modality.

الثَّانِيَةُ التَّشْبِيهُ إِذْ كَانَ التَّشْبِيهُ هُوَ صِفَةَ الْمَخْلُوقِ الظَّاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَ التَّأْلِيفِ فَلَمْ يَكُنْ بُدٌّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ الصَّانِعِ لِوُجُودِ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ وَ الِاضْطِرَارِ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنَّهُمْ مَصْنُوعُونَ وَ أَنَّ صَانِعَهُمْ غَيْرُهُمْ وَ لَيْسَ مِثْلَهُمْ إِذْ كَانَ مِثْلُهُمْ شَبِيهاً بِهِمْ فِي ظَاهِرِ التَّرْكِيبِ وَ التَّأْلِيفِ وَ فِيمَا يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ حُدُوثِهِمْ بَعْدَ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُونُوا وَ تَنَقُّلِهِمْ مِنَ صِغَرٍ إِلَى كِبَرٍ وَ سَوَادٍ إِلَى بَيَاضٍ وَ قُوَّةٍ إِلَى ضَعْفٍ وَ أَحْوَالٍ مَوْجُودَةٍ لَا حَاجَةَ بِنَا إِلَى تَفْسِيرِهَا لِبَيَانِهَا وَ وُجُودِهَا

The second is the resemblance. When there was the resemblance, it would be a quality of the creation, the apparent, the assembled, and the composed. So it would not happen to be inevitable from proving the Maker due to the existence of the manufactured items and the necessity to them that they are manufactured and that their Maker is other than them, and is not like them. If He^-azwj was like them, He^-azwj would have resembled them in the apparent, and the assemblage, and the composition, with regards to what flows upon them from their coming into being afterwards when they did not exist (beforehand), and their transformation from the smallness to the largeness, and blackness to whiteness, and strength to weakness, and their existing states. There is no need for us^-asws to interpret these in order to explain these and their existences’.

قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَقَدْ حَدَدْتَهُ إِذْ أَثْبَتَّ وُجُودَهُ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لَمْ أَحُدَّهُ وَ لَكِنِّي أَثْبَتُّهُ إِذْ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ النَّفْيِ وَ الْإِثْبَاتِ مَنْزِلَةٌ

The questioner said to him^-asws, ‘But you^-asws would have limited Him^-azwj when you proved His^-azwj existence’. Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘I^-asws did not limit Him^-azwj. But I^-asws proved Him^-azwj when there does not happen to be a stage between the negation and the proofs’.

قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ إِنِّيَّةٌ وَ مَائِيَّةٌ قَالَ نَعَمْ لَا يُثْبَتُ الشَّيْ‏ءُ إِلَّا بِإِنِّيَّةٍ وَ مَائِيَّةٍ

The questioner said to him^-asws, ‘So, for Him^-azwj there is a reality and an actuality?’ He^-asws said: ‘Yes. The thing cannot be proven except in a reality and actuality’.

قَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ فَلَهُ كَيْفِيَّةٌ قَالَ لَا لِأَنَّ الْكَيْفِيَّةَ جِهَةُ الصِّفَةِ وَ الْإِحَاطَةِ وَ لَكِنْ لَا بُدَّ مِنَ الْخُرُوجِ مِنْ جِهَةِ التَّعْطِيلِ وَ التَّشْبِيهِ لِأَنَّ مَنْ نَفَاهُ فَقَدْ أَنْكَرَهُ وَ دَفَعَ رُبُوبِيَّتَهُ وَ أَبْطَلَهُ وَ مَنْ شَبَّهَهُ بِغَيْرِهِ فَقَدْ أَثْبَتَهُ بِصِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ الْمَصْنُوعِينَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَسْتَحِقُّونَ الرُّبُوبِيَّةَ وَ لَكِنْ لَا بُدَّ مِنْ إِثْبَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُ كَيْفِيَّةً لَا يَسْتَحِقُّهَا غَيْرُهُ وَ لَا يُشَارِكُ فِيهَا وَ لَا يُحَاطُ بِهَا وَ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا غَيْرُهُ

The questioner said to him^-asws, ‘So is there a ‘how-ness’ (Qualitative State) for Him^-azwj?’ He^-asws said: ‘No, because the qualitative state is an aspect of the quality, but it is inevitable from exiting from an aspect of the temporariness and the resemblance, because the one who negates Him^-azwj, so he had denied Him^-azwj and repulsed His^-azwj Lordship and invalidated it; and the one who resembles Him^-azwj with something else, so he has proved Him^-azwj with a quality of the creation, the manufactured ones who are not rightful for the Lordship. But it is inevitable from the proofs that for Him^-azwj there is a Qualitative State which others are not rightful of, nor does anything participate in it, nor is inter-mingled with it, nor is something else known by it.

قَالَ السَّائِلُ فَيُعَانِي الْأَشْيَاءَ بِنَفْسِهِ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) هُوَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ يُعَانِيَ الْأَشْيَاءَ بِمُبَاشَرَةٍ وَ مُعَالَجَةٍ لِأَنَّ ذَلِكَ صِفَةُ الْمَخْلُوقِ الَّذِي لَا تَجِي‏ءُ الْأَشْيَاءُ لَهُ إِلَّا بِالْمُبَاشَرَةِ وَ الْمُعَالَجَةِ وَ هُوَ مُتَعَالٍ نَافِذُ الْإِرَادَةِ وَ الْمَشِيئَةِ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا يَشَاءُ .

The questioner said, ‘So do the (Creation of the) things tire His^-azwj Self?’ Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘He is more Majestic than that the (Creation of) things should Tire Him^-azwj by the Initiating (the things) and Processing, because that is a quality of the created beings who do not come to the things except by the production and the processing, and He^-azwj is most Exalted, Implementer of the Will and the Desire, Doing whatever He^-azwj so Desires to’.[14]

سَهْلٌ قَالَ كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ( عليه السلام ) سَنَةَ خَمْسٍ وَ خَمْسِينَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ قَدِ اخْتَلَفَ يَا سَيِّدِي أَصْحَابُنَا فِي التَّوْحِيدِ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ هُوَ جِسْمٌ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ هُوَ صُورَةٌ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ يَا سَيِّدِي أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَقِفُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَا أَجُوزُهُ فَعَلْتَ مُتَطَوِّلًا عَلَى عَبْدِكَ

Sahl said,

‘I wrote to Abu Muhammad^-asws in the year two hundred and fifty-five, ‘My Chief^-asws! Our companions have differed regarding the Tawheed (Oneness). From them is one who is saying, ‘He^-azwj is a body’, and from them is one who is saying, ‘He^-azwj is an image’. So what is your^-asws view, O my Chief^-asws, if you^-asws could teach me from that, what I could pause upon and not exceed it. If you^-asws do it, it would be a prolonged favour upon your^-asws servant’.

فَوَقَّعَ بِخَطِّهِ ( عليه السلام ) سَأَلْتَ عَنِ التَّوْحِيدِ وَ هَذَا عَنْكُمْ مَعْزُولٌ اللَّهُ وَاحِدٌ أَحَدٌ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ خَالِقٌ وَ لَيْسَ بِمَخْلُوقٍ يَخْلُقُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مَا يَشَاءُ مِنَ الْأَجْسَامِ وَ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ وَ لَيْسَ بِجِسْمٍ وَ يُصَوِّرُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ لَيْسَ بِصُورَةٍ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُهُ وَ تَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ شِبْهٌ هُوَ لَا غَيْرُهُ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ .

So he^-asws signed in his^-asws own handwriting: ‘You asked about the Tawheed (Oneness), and this is distant from you all. Allah^-azwj is One, First. He^-azwj neither begot nor is He^-azwj begotten and there does not happen to be a match for Him^-azwj. He^-azwj is the Creator and is not created. He^-azwj, Blessed and High, Creates whatever He^-azwj so Desires to from the bodies, and other than that, and He^-azwj is not with a body; and He^-azwj Makes images, whatever He^-azwj so Desires to and He^-azwj is not with an image. Majesic is His^-azwj Laudation, and Holy are His^-azwj Names. If there happens to be a resemblance of Him^-azwj, it would be for other than Him^-azwj. There is nothing like Him^-azwj, and He^-azwj is the Hearing, the Seeing’.[15]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ رِبْعِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ الْعِلْمُ عِلْمَانِ فَعِلْمٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَخْزُونٌ لَمْ يُطْلِعْ عَلَيْهِ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِهِ وَ عِلْمٌ عَلَّمَهُ مَلَائِكَتَهُ وَ رُسُلَهُ

Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Al Fazl Bin Shazaqn, from Hammad Bin Isa, from Rabie Bin Abdullah, from Al Fuzayl Bin Yasaar who said,

‘I heard Abu Ja’far^-asws saying: ‘The Knowledge is of (two types of) knowledge – A Knowledge Treasured with Allah^-azwj, not having Notified to anyone from His^-azwj creatures, and a Knowledge He^-azwj Taught His^-azwj Angels, and His^-azwj Rasools^-as.

فَمَا عَلَّمَهُ مَلَائِكَتَهُ وَ رُسُلَهُ فَإِنَّهُ سَيَكُونُ لَا يُكَذِّبُ نَفْسَهُ وَ لَا مَلَائِكَتَهُ وَ لَا رُسُلَهُ وَ عِلْمٌ عِنْدَهُ مَخْزُونٌ يُقَدِّمُ مِنْهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يُؤَخِّرُ مِنْهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يُثْبِتُ مَا يَشَاءُ .

So, as for what He^-azwj Taught His^-azwj Angels and His^-azwj Rasools^-as, so it is going to happen. Neither did He^-azwj Lie Himself^-azwj, nor did His^-azwj Angels, nor did His^-azwj Rasools^-as; and the Knowledge which is Treasured with Him^-azwj, He^-azwj Brings forwards from it whatever He^-azwj so Desires to, and Delays from it whatever He^-azwj so Desires to, and He^-azwj Affirms whatever He^-azwj so Desires to’.[16]

وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ مِنَ الْأُمُورِ أُمُورٌ مَوْقُوفَةٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يُقَدِّمُ مِنْهَا مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يُؤَخِّرُ مِنْهَا مَا يَشَاءُ .

And, by this chain, from Hammad, from Rabie, from Al Fuzayl who said,

‘I heard Abu Ja’far^-asws saying: ‘From the matters is a matter suspended in the Presence of Allah^-azwj. He^-azwj Brings forward from these whatever He^-azwj so Desires to, and Delays from these whatever He^-azwj so Desires to’.[17]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مَرَّارٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) يَا يُونُسُ لَا تَقُلْ بِقَوْلِ الْقَدَرِيَّةِ فَإِنَّ الْقَدَرِيَّةَ لَمْ يَقُولُوا بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ لَا بِقَوْلِ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَ لَا بِقَوْلِ إِبْلِيسَ فَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْجَنَّةِ قَالُوا الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدانا لِهذا وَ ما كُنَّا لِنَهْتَدِيَ لَوْ لا أَنْ هَدانَا اللَّهُ وَ قَالَ أَهْلُ النَّارِ رَبَّنا غَلَبَتْ عَلَيْنا شِقْوَتُنا وَ كُنَّا قَوْماً ضالِّينَ وَ قَالَ إِبْلِيسُ رَبِّ بِما أَغْوَيْتَنِي

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ismail Bin Marrar, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman who said,

‘Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws said to me: ‘O Yunus! Do not say with the speech of the Qadiriyya, for the Qadiriyya are not speaking with the speech of the people of the Paradise, nor by the speech of the people of the Fire, nor by the speech of Iblees^-la, for the people of the Paradise would be saying [7:43] All Praise is due to Allah Who Guided us to this, and we would not have found the Way had it not been that Allah had Guided us; and the people of the Fire would say [23:106] O our Lord! Our adversity overcame us and we were an erroneous people; and Iblees^-la would say [15:39] He said: Lord! With what You Sent me astray?’.

فَقُلْتُ وَ اللَّهِ مَا أَقُولُ بِقَوْلِهِمْ وَ لَكِنِّي أَقُولُ لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ أَرَادَ وَ قَدَّرَ وَ قَضَى فَقَالَ يَا يُونُسُ لَيْسَ هَكَذَا لَا يَكُونُ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ أَرَادَ وَ قَدَّرَ وَ قَضَى

So I said, ‘By Allah^-azwj! I am not speaking by their speech, but I am saying, nothing can happen to be except with what Allah^-azwj so Desires, and Intends, and Determines, and Ordains’. So he^-asws said: ‘O Yunus! It is not like this. Nothing can happen to be except what Allah^-azwj so Desires, and Intends, and Determines, and Ordains.

يَا يُونُسُ تَعْلَمُ مَا الْمَشِيئَةُ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هِيَ الذِّكْرُ الْأَوَّلُ فَتَعْلَمُ مَا الْإِرَادَةُ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هِيَ الْعَزِيمَةُ عَلَى مَا يَشَاءُ فَتَعْلَمُ مَا الْقَدَرُ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هِيَ الْهَنْدَسَةُ وَ وَضْعُ الْحُدُودِ مِنَ الْبَقَاءِ وَ الْفَنَاءِ

O Yunus! Do you know what is the Desire?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘It is the first Remembrance (الذِّكْر). So do you know what is the Intention?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘It is the Determination upon what He^-azwj so Desires. So do you know what is the Determination?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘It is the Engineering and the Placement of the limitations for the remaining and the perishing’.

قَالَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ الْقَضَاءُ هُوَ الْإِبْرَامُ وَ إِقَامَةُ الْعَيْنِ

He (the narrator) said, ‘Then he^-asws said: ‘And the Ordainment, it is the accomplishment of the eyes (physical reality)’.

قَالَ فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ أَنْ أُقَبِّلَ رَأْسَهُ وَ قُلْتُ فَتَحْتَ لِي شَيْئاً كُنْتُ عَنْهُ فِي غَفْلَةٍ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I sought his^-asws permission to kiss his^-asws head, and I said, ‘You^-asws opened something for me which I was oblivious of’.[18]

[1] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 3

[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 75 – The book ‘Al Rawza’ – Ch 26 H 9 / 9

[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 75 – The book ‘Al Rawza’ – Ch 26 H 9 / 10

[4] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 2 H 6

[5] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 111 H 5

[6] Al Kafi – V 7 – The Book of Legal Penalties Ch 50 H 5

[7] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 1

[8] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 8

[9] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 11

[10] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 13

[11] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 25, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 10 H 8

[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 25, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 10 H 84

[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 25, The book of Imamate, P 3 Ch 10 (b) H 3

[14] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 2 H 6

[15] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 10 H 10

[16] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 24 H 6

[17] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 24 H 7

[18] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Tawheed (Oneness of Allah^azwj) CH 30 H 4