Summary:
Allah-azwj Has Introduced many features of the Heavens to the people of Earth, so that mankind may ponder and gratefully relate what they find on the earth to that of their awaited abode in the Heavens, i.e., precious and semi-precious stones and metals (gold, silver, ruby, emerald)[1]. The Holy Kabah has been constructed directly underneath the Bayt Al-Mamour (which is on the 4th Heaven, see Appendix I). Similarly, for our understanding, the days of the Heavens are referred to in the Holy Quran, but the length of a day on earth is no more than a fraction of the day of the Heavens, the main topic of this article.
NB: Extracts from Ahadith without Arabic text are presented in the Summary; Ahadith, under the relevant headings, are included in the following sections.
Allah-azwj Says in the Holy Quran,
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ ۚ وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ {47}
And they are hastening you with the Punishment (to befall), and Allah will never Break His Promise, and surely a day in the Presence of your Lord is like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47]
Time, therefore, is subject to its coordinates, when and where, or simply to its space (the Heavens or the world). We attempt to chronologically follow references to time. Almighty Allah-azwj Existed from before any time or space concepts existed.[2]
There was only Allah-azwj, neither a space nor the counting of time, when Allah-azwj Created the First Noor (The Divine Light), the Noor of the Holy Prophet-saww and his-saww pure progeny-asws.[3]
Imam Ali-asws Ibn Abi Talib-asws says: ‘Allah-azwj Spoke with a Word, and it (Word) became a ‘روحا’ Spirit (Soul), and Allah-azwj Settled it (Soul) in that Noor, and Settled it in our-asws bodies. Thus, we-asws are ‘روح الله ’ the Spirit of Allah-azwj and ‘كلماته’ His-azwj Word, ‘وبنا احتجب عن خلقه’ and through us-asws He-azwj is Veiled from His-azwj creation. There was neither any sun, nor moon, nor night, nor day, nor an eye blinking. Allah-azwj was only worshipped by the Holy Prophet-saww and his-saww pure Progeny-asws.’[4]
The counting of the ‘years of Al-Noor’ did start with the Creation of the First Noor.[5]
However, we do not find any reference to the above. After how much delay did Allah-azwj Create the next creation, as in a Hadith, we find: ‘After the Creation of Muhammad-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws. They-asws remained (in the presence of Allah-azwj) for a thousand epochs (eras) – without any mention of the Noor (Divine Light) days or years.’[6]
Before the creation of the Throne, Allah-azwj had Created the Air, the Pen and the Light and its varieties.[7] Allah-azwj then Created the Throne, and the water, and the Angels before the Creation of the skies and the earth.[8]
Allah-azwj next Created the skies and the Earth in six (6) days; as mentioned in the Holy Quran (see Verses, 7:54, 50:38, 32:4, 25:59, 57:4, 11:7, 10:3, 65:12, 6:73). The Holy Quran also mentions the creation of the earth in two days/stages (41:9) and its sustenance in a day. And the creation of the seven Heavens in two days/durations (41:12) and its sustenance in a day.
Imam Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza-asws explained the rationale for the creation of the earth and the heavens in six days as:
‘And He-azwj Created the skies and the earth in six days [7:54], and He-azwj Took Control upon His-azwj Throne.
‘And Allah-azwj has all the Power to Create it in the blink of an eye, but the Mighty and Majestic Created it in six days, in order to Manifest to the Angels what He-azwj Created from it, a thing after a thing. So, they were evidenced by the occurrence of what occurred, to Allah-azwj the High, time and again. And Allah-azwj did not Create the Throne for any need of His-azwj, because He-azwj is above any need of the Throne, and from all that Allah-azwj Created. Allah-azwj cannot be described as being upon the Throne, because He-azwj has no physical form. Elevated is Allah-azwj from the attributes of His-azwj creatures, Higher and Greater.’[9]
As a reference to six stages/days of the creation of the earth and heavens, Allah-azwj Made six months shorter, making each of 29 days with the other six months of 30 days in the Islamic year (lunar cycle – the Islamic calendar)[10]. The six days refer to the construction of earth and heaven and all that is between these two. In reference to the two days in the Creation of Earth and the seven Heavens, Allah-azwj Explains it in the Holy Quran (25:59):
الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ ۚ الرَّحْمَٰنُ فَاسْأَلْ بِهِ خَبِيرًا {59}
The One Who Created the skies and the earth and what is between them in six days, then the Beneficent Established upon the Throne. So, ask the one who is well-informed, about Him [25:59]
In a Hadith, Imam Al-Sadiq-asws says: ‘Allah-azwj Created the earth on Sunday and the Monday (2 days) and Created their sustenance during the day of Tuesday (i.e., sun and planets in one day), and Created the Skies/Heavens on the day of Wednesday and Thursday (two days), and Created their sustenance (which we do not know) on the day of Friday (one day), and these are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: The One Who Created the skies and the earth and what is between them in six (2+1+2+1) days [25:59].’[11]
Here, again, before the start of time (Sun/Moon), the days of construction of the earth, its sustenance (Sun and atmosphere) and the seven Heavens and their sustenance are not from the days of the world but are metaphorically related to the days of the week of our world.
The tracing of time becomes more complicated when we find Ahadith, informing us that Allah-azwj Created the earth before Creating the skies (Heavens) and before the creation of Prophet Adam-as in the skies, other species, i.e., Jinn had been living on earth for seven thousand years. Prophet Adam-as did not descend soon after creation to the earth but after spending several thousand years in the skies, e.g.,
وَ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لَمَّا أَفَاضَ آدَمُ ص مِنْ عَرَفَاتٍ تَلَقَّتْهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ع فَقَالُوا لَهُ بُرَّ حَجُّكَ يَا آدَمُ أَمَا إِنَّا قَدْ حَجَجْنَا هَذَا الْبَيْتَ قَبْلَكَ بِأَلْفَيْ عَامٍ
And by this chain from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Muawiya Bin Ammar,
Imam Abu Abdullah-asws says: ‘When Adam-as departed from Arafaat (during his-as first Hajj), the Angels met him-as. They said to him-as: ‘May your-as Hajj be Accepted, O Adam-as! As for us, we have been performing Hajj of the House for two thousand years before you!’’[12]
فَكَانَ عُمُرُهُ مُنْذُ خَلَقَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى إِلَى أَنْ قَبَضَهُ سَبْعَمِائَةٍ وَ سِتّاً وَ ثَلَاثِينَ سَنَةً وَ دُفِنَ بِمَكَّةَ وَ كَانَ بَيْنَ آدَمَ وَ نُوحٍ ص أَلْفٌ وَ خَمْسُمِائَةِ سَنَةٍ
(In a Hadith from Imam Al-Baqir-asws) ‘Prophet Adam-as lived on the Earth, seven hundred and thirty-six years, and he-as was buried at Makkah, and between Adam-as and Noah-as were a thousand and five hundred years.’[13]
Additional details on Prophets-as and their-as successors are presented elsewhere,
Prophets and their successors | Hubeali.com
And the start of the Islamic year and important historical events are described in another article:
Timeline of major events in Islamic History | Hubeali.com
Concluding Remarks:
It is not possible for us to track the beginning of time, when it started, or to trace its passage through multiple coordinates (spheres and dimensions), as we live in a time frame which is confined to the rotation of the sun. It is from the Mercy of Allah-azwj that we have been taught about some of the important events that took place before the creation of the earth, the skies, and the angels and Prophets-as in order for us to learn lessons and ponder on our creation and humble ourselves in front of our Grand Creator and Sustainer, the Lord of the Worlds. For example, Allah-azwj Says:
لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُولِي الْأَلْبَابِ ۗ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَىٰ وَلَٰكِنْ تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ {111}
There was a lesson in their stories for the people of understanding. It was not a fabricated narrative, but (it was) a verification of those before it and a detail of all things, and a Guidance and a Mercy for a believing people [12:111]
(In Tafeer e Qummi, it is explained) ‘Then the Mighty and Majestic said: ‘Indeed, in their stories there is a lesson for people of understanding,’ meaning for those of intellect. It was not a fabricated story, meaning the Holy Quran, but a confirmation of what was before it, meaning the books of the Prophets-as, and a detailed explanation of everything, and guidance and mercy for a people who believe.’[14]
However, it is possible to further look into the miraculous and supernatural side of time and space, which will obviously be difficult to accept for the atheist and for those who only accept what appears rational and as per the norm. For example:
Our 5th Imam-asws says, when the 12th Imam-ajfj takes a stand, time will slow down:
قيل فكيف تطول السّنون قال يأمر اللَّه الفلك باللّبوث و قلّة الحركة فتطول الأيّام لذلك و السّنون
‘It was asked of (the Imam-asws), ‘The years would be elongated?’ He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj would Command the orbits with the delaying and scarcity of the movement, thus the days would be prolonged due to that, and (so would) the years.
قيل انّهم يقولون إنّ الفلك ان تغيّر فسد قال ذلك قول الزّنادقة فامّا المسلمون فلا سبيل لهم إلى ذلك و قد شقّ اللَّه القمر لنبيّه صلّى اللَّه عليه و آله و ردّ الشمس من قبله ليوشع بن نون و اخبر بطول يوم القيامة و انّه كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ.
‘It was said, ‘They (people) are saying that the orbits, if they were to be altered, there would be disintegration.’ He-asws said: ‘That is the word of the atheists.
‘‘But as for the Muslims, so there is no way for them to (deny) that, and Allah-azwj has (already) Rent asunder the moon for His-azwj Prophet-saww, and Returned the sun from before him-saww for Yashua Bin Noon-as, and has Informed of the length of the Day of Judgment, and it is like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47].’’[15]
The time and the travel through time aspects are discussed at the end of the article.
Introduction:
The Holy Verses and Ahadith referred to in the summary are presented in the following sections.
Allah-azwj Alone has Always Existed and will Remain forever:
In a lengthy Hadith, Al-Reza-asws said:
قَالَ ع سَأَلْتَ فَافْهَمْ أَمَّا الْوَاحِدُ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ وَاحِداً كَائِناً لَا شَيْءَ مَعَهُ بِلَا حُدُودٍ وَ لَا أَعْرَاضٍ وَ لَا يَزَالُ كَذَلِكَ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ خَلْقاً مُبْتَدِعاً مُخْتَلِفاً بِأَعْرَاضٍ وَ حُدُودٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ لَا فِي شَيْءٍ أَقَامَهُ وَ لَا فِي شَيْءٍ حَدَّهُ وَ لَا عَلَى شَيْءٍ حَذَاهُ وَ مَثَّلَهُ
Imam Al-Reza-asws said: ‘You asked, therefore understand. As for the One, He-azwj did not cease to exist as One, there being nothing with Him-azwj, without limitations or incidents, and He-azwj did not cease to be like that. Then He-azwj Created a creation, original, different with incidents and different limitations. Neither is He-azwj Staying in anything, nor is His-azwj limited in anything, nor is there His-azwj parallel upon anything or a resemblance for Him-azwj… (an extract).[16] (Also in another Hadith, e.g. see [17])
Creation of the First Noor and Start of the Years of First Al-Noor:
There was neither an existence of a space nor counting of time before Allah-azwj Created the First Noor, the Noor of Holy Prophet-saww and his-saww pure progeny-saww, but this provides the first reference to counting (Years of the First Noor).
عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: كَانَ اللَّهُ وَ لَا شَيْءَ غَيْرُهُ فَأَوَّلُ مَا ابْتَدَأَ مِنْ خَلْقٍ خَلَقَهُ أَنْ خَلَقَ مُحَمَّداً وَ خَلَقَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مَعَهُ مِنْ نُورِ عَظَمَتِهِ
From Jabir, from Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Existed, and there was nothing other than Him-azwj. The first of what He-azwj began from Creating His-azwj creation was that He-azwj Created Muhammad-saww, and Created us-asws, People-asws of the Household along with him-saww from the Noor of His-azwj Magnificence.
فَأَوْقَفَنَا أَظِلَّةً خَضْرَاءَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ حَيْثُ لَا سَمَاءَ وَ لَا أَرْضَ وَ لَا مَكَانَ وَ لَا لَيْلَ وَ لَا نَهَارَ وَ لَا شَمْسَ وَ لَا قَمَرَ الْخَبَرَ
‘He-azwj Made us-asws stand in the green shade in front of Him whereby there was neither any sky, nor earth, nor place, nor night, nor day, nor sun, nor moon….’[18]
كنز، كنز جامع الفوائد و تأويل الآيات الظاهرة مِنْ كِتَابِ الْوَاحِدَةِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْأُطْرُوشِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَجَلِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنِ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَحَدٌ وَاحِدٌ تَفَرَّدَ فِي وَحْدَانِيَّتِهِ ثُمَّ تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ فَصَارَتْ نُوراً ثُمَّ خَلَقَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ النُّورِ مُحَمَّداً ص وَ خَلَقَنِي وَ ذُرِّيَّتِي
From the book ‘Al Wahida,’ from Abu Muhammad Al Hassan Bin Abdullah Al Kufy, from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Al Bajaly, from Ahmad Bin Hameed, from Al Sumaly,
From Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted is One, Alone, Individual in His-azwj Oneness. Then He-azwj Spoke with a Word and it became Noor (Light). Then He-azwj Created Muhammad-saww from that Noor, and Created me-asws and my-asws offspring.
ثُمَّ تَكَلَّمَ بِكَلِمَةٍ فَصَارَتْ رُوحاً فَأَسْكَنَهُ اللَّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ النُّورِ وَ أَسْكَنَهُ فِي أَبْدَانِنَا فَنَحْنُ رُوحُ اللَّهِ وَ كَلِمَاتُهُ وَ بِنَا احْتَجَبَ عَنْ خَلْقِهِ
‘‘Then He-azwj Spoke with a Word, and it became a Spirit, and Allah-azwj Settled it in that Noor, and Settled it in our-asws bodies. Thus, we-asws are the Spirit of Allah-azwj and His-azwj Word, and through us-asws He-azwj is Veiled from His-azwj creation.
فَمَا زِلْنَا فِي ظُلَّةٍ خَضْرَاءَ حَيْثُ لَا شَمْسَ وَ لَا قَمَرَ وَ لَا لَيْلَ وَ لَا نَهَارَ وَ لَا عَيْنَ تَطْرِفُ نَعْبُدُهُ وَ نُقَدِّسُهُ وَ نُسَبِّحُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ خَلْقَهُ
‘‘We-asws did not cease to be in a green shadow where there was neither any sun, nor moon, nor night, nor day, nor an eye blinking. We-asws worshipped Him-azwj and sanctified Him-azwj and praised Him-azwj before He-azwj Created the creation.’’[19]
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ مُرَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى يَا مُحَمَّدُ إِنِّي خَلَقْتُكَ وَ عَلِيّاً نُوراً يَعْنِي رُوحاً بِلَا بَدَنٍ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْلُقَ سَمَاوَاتِي وَ أَرْضِي وَ عَرْشِي وَ بَحْرِي فَلَمْ تَزَلْ تُهَلِّلُنِي وَ تُمَجِّدُنِي
Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Al Husayn Bin Ubeydullah, from Muhammad Bin Isa, and Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Ali Bin hadeed, from Marazam,
From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Said: ‘O Muhammad-saww! I-azwj Created you-saww and Ali-asws as Noor” – meaning soul without a body, ‘Before I-azwj Created My-azwj skies, and My-azwj earth, and My-azwj Throne, and My-azwj seas, and you-asws both did not cease to sanctify Me-azwj and glorifying Me-azwj…’’ (an extract).[20]
See, additional Ahadith in Appendix II:
It is Unknown when other Creations were Created by Allah-azwj After the Creation of the First Noor (of Prophet-saww and Ahl Al-Bayt-asws)
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 ع 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
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Al Moalla, from Abdullah Bin Idrees, from Muhammad Bin Sinan who said,
‘I was in the presence of Abu Ja’far-asws the 2nd, and there flowed the differing of the Shias. He-asws said: ‘O Muhammad! Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted did not cease to be Individual with His-azwj Oneness. Then He-azwj Created Muhammad-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws. They-asws remained for a thousand epochs (eras).
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
‘‘Then He-azwj Created the entirety of the things, and Made them-asws witness its creation, and Flowed their-asws obedience upon these, and Delegated its affair to them-asws. Thus, they-asws are permitting whatever they-asws so desire, and are prohibiting whatever they-asws so desire, and they-asws will never desire except if Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted so Desires.’
ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذِهِ الدِّيَانَةُ الَّتِي مَنْ تَقَدَّمَهَا مَرَقَ وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْهَا مُحِقَ وَ مَنْ لَزِمَهَا لَحِقَ خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ
‘Then he-asws said: ‘O Muhammad-saww! This is the Religion which, one who precedes it would miss it, and one who stays behind from it would be obliterated, and one who necessitates it would preserve it. Take it to you, O Muhammad.’’[21]
The Creation of Air, Pen and Light Before Creation of the Throne:
و عنه، قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن بن أحمد بن الوليد (رحمه الله)، قال: الْحَسَنِ الصَّفَّارُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الطُّفَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ خَلَقَ الْعَرْشَ أَرْبَاعاً لَمْ يَخْلُقْ قَبْلَهُ إِلَّا ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْيَاءَ الْهَوَاءَ وَ الْقَلَمَ وَ النُّورَ ثُمَّ خَلَقَهُ مِنْ أَنْوَارٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ فَمِنْ ذَلِكَ النُّورِ نُورٌ أَخْضَرُ اخْضَرَّتْ مِنْهُ الْخُضْرَةُ وَ نُورٌ أَصْفَرُ اصْفَرَّتْ مِنْهُ الصُّفْرَةُ وَ نُورٌ أَحْمَرُ احْمَرَّتْ مِنْهُ الْحُمْرَةُ وَ نُورٌ أَبْيَضُ وَ هُوَ نُورُ الْأَنْوَارِ وَ مِنْهُ ضَوْءُ النَّهَارِ
And from him (Al Sadouq) who said, ‘Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Bin Ahmad Bin Al Waleed narrated to us, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan Al Saffar, from Ali Bin Ismail, from Hamaad Bin Isa, from Ibrahim Bin Umar Al Yamani, from Abu Al Tufayl,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far-asws, from Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws having said: ‘Surely, Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created the Throne as the fourth, and did not Create before it except for three things – the Air, and the Pen, and the Light. Then He-azwj Created a variety of Lights. Thus, from that Light is a Green light, the greenery is green from it; and a Yellow Light, the yellowness is yellow from it; and a Red Light, the redness is red from it; and a White Light, and it is a light of the Lights, and from it (the Light) is the illumination of the day (sun).
ثُمَّ جَعَلَهُ سَبْعِينَ أَلْفَ طَبَقٍ غِلَظُ كُلِّ طَبَقٍ كَأَوَّلِ الْعَرْشِ إِلَى أَسْفَلِ السَّافِلِينَ لَيْسَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ طَبَقٌ إِلَّا يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِ رَبِّهِ وَ يُقَدِّسُهُ بِأَصْوَاتٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ وَ أَلسِنَةٍ غَيْرِ مُشْتَبِهَةٍ وَ لَوْ أُذِنَ لِلِسَانٍ مِنْهَا فَأَسْمَعَ شَيْئاً مِمَّا تَحْتَهُ لَهَدَمَ الْجِبَالَ وَ الْمَدَائِنَ وَ الْحُصُونَ وَ لَخَسَفَ الْبِحَارَ وَ لَأَهْلَكَ مَا دُونَهُ
‘Then He-azwj Made it as seventy thousand layers, the thickness of each layer being like the height of the Throne to its lowest low. There is none from that layer except that it Glorifies with the Praise of its Lord-azwj, and Extols His-azwj Holiness by different voices, and languages which do not resemble each other. And (were) a language from it to call out, (and) something from it were to be heard from what is beneath it, the mountains would be demolished, and the cities, and the forts, and the oceans would be submerged, and what is besides it would perish.
لَهُ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَرْكَانٍ عَلَى كُلِّ رُكْنٍ مِنْهَا مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ مَا لَا يُحْصِي عَدَدَهُمْ إِلَّا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- يُسَبِّحُونَ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهارَ لا يَفْتُرُونَ وَ لَوْ حَسَّ شَيْءٌ مِمَّا فَوْقَهُ مَا قَامَ لِذَلِكَ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ الْإِحْسَاسِ الْجَبَرُوتُ وَ الْكِبْرِيَاءُ وَ الْعَظَمَةُ وَ الْقُدْسُ وَ الرَّحْمَةُ ثُمَّ الْعِلْمُ وَ لَيْسَ وَرَاءَ هَذَا مَقَالٌ
‘For it (The Throne) are eight corners. Upon each corner from it are (so many) Angels that none can count their number except for Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic. They are Glorifying during the night and the day, without ceasing. And had there been something better than what is above it, they would not stand to that even for the blink of an eye, between Him-azwj and the Sense of the Mightiness, and the Greatness, and the Magnificence, and the Holiness, and the Mercy, then the Knowledge. And there is nothing (more) behind this speech.’[22]
Creation of the Throne, and the water, and the Angels before Creation of the Skies (Heavens) and the Earth:
ابن بابويه، قال: حَدَّثَنَا تَمِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ تَمِيمٍ الْقُرَشِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّلْتِ عَبْدِ السَّلَامِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ الْهَرَوِيِّ
Ibn Babuwayh said, ‘Tameem Bin Abdullah Bin Tameem al Qarshy narrated to us, from his father, from Ahmad Bin Ali Al Ansary, from Abu Al Salt Abdul Salaam Bin Salih Al Harwy who said,
قال أبا الحسن علي بن موسى الرضا (عليه السلام): «إن الله تبارك و تعالى خلق العرش و الماء و الملائكة قبل خلق السموات و الأرض، و كانت الملائكة تستدل بأنفسها و بالعرش و بالماء على الله عز و جل، ثم جعل عرشه على الماء، ليظهر بذلك قدرته للملائكة، فيعلمون أنه على كل شيء قدير، ثم رفع العرش بقدرته و نقله فجعله فوق السماوات السبع،
Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza-asws said: ‘Surely Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Created the Throne, and the water, and the Angels before He-azwj Created the skies and the earth. And the Angels used to infer by themselves, and by the Throne, and by the water, to Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic. Then Allah-azwj Made His-azwj Throne to be upon the water, in order to manifest His-azwj Power by that to the Angels, so that they would come to know that He-azwj has Power over everything. Then He-azwj Raised the Throne by His-azwj Power and Transferred it, so He-azwj Made it to be above the seventh sky…’ (Hadith continues):
Creation of the Skies and the Earth in six (6) Days (Celestial Years):
و خلق السماوات و الأرض في ستة أيام، و هو مستول على عرشه، و كان قادرا على أن يخلقها في طرفة عين، و لكنه عز و جل خلقها في ستة أيام، ليظهر للملائكة ما يخلقه منها شيئا بعد شيء، فيستدل بحدوث ما يحدث على الله تعالى مرة بعد اخرى، و لم يخلق الله عز و جل العرش لحاجة به إليه، لأنه غني عن العرش و عن جميع ما خلق، و لا يوصف بالكون على العرش، لأنه ليس بجسم، تعالى الله عن صفة خلقه علوا كبيرا،
(Imam Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza-asws said – continuation of above Hadith): ‘And He-azwj Created the skies and the earth in six days [7:54], and He-azwj Took Control upon His-azwj Throne. And He-azwj has all the Power to Create it in the blink of an eye, but the Mighty and Majestic Created it in six days, in order to Manifest to the Angels what He-azwj Created from it, a thing after a thing. So, they were evidenced by the occurrence of what occurred, to Allah-azwj the High, time and again. And Allah-azwj did not Create the Throne for any need of His-azwj, because He-azwj is above any need of the Throne, and from all of what He-azwj Created. He-azwj cannot be described to be upon the Throne, because He-azwj has no physical form. Elevated is Allah-azwj from the attributes of His-azwj creatures, Higher and Greater.’[23]
مُحَمَّدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ وَ الْحَجَّالِ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) كَانَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ مَاءً وَ كَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ ذِكْرُهُ الْمَاءَ فَاضْطَرَمَ نَاراً ثُمَّ أَمَرَ النَّارَ فَخَمَدَتْ فَارْتَفَعَ مِنْ خُمُودِهَا دُخَانٌ فَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الدُّخَانِ وَ خَلَقَ الْأَرْضَ مِنَ الرَّمَادِ ثُمَّ اخْتَصَمَ الْمَاءُ وَ النَّارُ وَ الرِّيحُ فَقَالَ الْمَاءُ أَنَا جُنْدُ اللَّهِ الْأَكْبَرُ وَ قَالَتِ الرِّيحُ أَنَا جُنْدُ اللَّهِ الْأَكْبَرُ وَ قَالَتِ النَّارُ أَنَا جُنْدُ اللَّهِ الْأَكْبَرُ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى الرِّيحِ أَنْتِ جُنْدِيِّ الْأَكْبَرُ .
Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Al-A’ala Bin Razeyn, from Muhammad Bin Muslim and Al-Hajjaal, from Al-A’ala, from Muhammad Bin Muslim who said:
‘Abu Ja’far-asws said to me: ‘Everything used to be water, And He is the One Who Created the skies and the earth in six days and His Throne was upon the water, in order to Try you, which one of you is better in deeds [11:7]. Allah-azwj Mighty is His-azwj Mention, Commanded the water, and a fire was ignited. Then He-azwj Commanded the fire, so it was extinguished and smoke arose from its subsidence. So Allah-azwj Created the Heavens from that smoke, and Created the earth from the ash. Then the water, and the fire, and the wind quarrelled. So the water said, ‘I am the greatest army of Allah-azwj,’ and the wind said, ‘I am the greatest army of Allah-azwj, and the fire said, ‘I am the greatest army of Allah-azwj. So Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto the wind: ‘You are My-azwj greatest army.’’[24]
و روي عن علي أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) أنه سئل عن مدة ما كان عرشه على الماء قبل أن يخلق الأرض و السماء؟ فقال (عليه السلام): «تحسن أن تحسب؟» فقيل له: نعم.
And it is reported from Amir Al-Momineen-asws having been asked about the term which His-azwj Throne was upon the water, ‘Was it before He-azwj Created the earth and the sky?’ So he-asws said: ‘Are you good at counting?’ It was said to him-asws, ‘Yes.’
فقال: «لو أن الأرض من المشرق إلى المغرب و من الأرض إلى السماء حب خردل، ثم كلفت على ضعفك أن تحمله حبة حبة من المشرق إلى المغرب حتى أفنيته، لكان ربع عشر جزء من سبعين ألف جزء من بقاء عرش ربنا على الماء، قبل أن يخلق الأرض و السماء- ثم قال (عليه السلام):- إنما مثلت لك مثالا».
He-asws said: ‘If the earth was from the east to the west, and from the earth to the sky was (like) a mustard seed, then you were encumbered upon your weakness that you carry it, seed by seed, from the east to the west until you finish it, it would be a quarter of ten parts (2.5) from seventy thousand parts from the remaining of the Throne of our Lord-azwj upon the water, before He-azwj Created the earth and the sky.’ Then he-asws said: ‘But rather, I-asws represented it for you with an example.’[25]
The Command of Allah-azwj after Creation of Skies and Earth:
كشف، كشف الغمة مِنْ مَنَاقِبِ الْخُوَارِزْمِيِّ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ دَعَاهُنَّ فَأَجَبْنَهُ فَعَرَضَ عَلَيْهِنَّ نُبُوَّتِي وَ وَلَايَةَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع فَقَبِلَتَاهُمَا
From (the book) ‘Manaqib’ of Al Khawarizmy, from Jabir who said,
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘When Allah-azwj Created the skies and the earth, Called them, and they Answered Him-azwj. He-azwj Presented to them my-saww Prophet-hood and Wilayah of Ali-asws Bin Abu Talib-asws, and they both accepted it.
ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الْخَلْقَ وَ فَوَّضَ إِلَيْنَا أَمْرَ الدِّينِ فَالسَّعِيدُ مَنْ سَعِدَ بِنَا وَ الشَّقِيُّ مَنْ شَقِيَ بِنَا نَحْنُ الْمُحِلُّونَ لِحَلَالِهِ وَ الْمُحَرِّمُونَ لِحَرَامِهِ
‘Then He-azwj Created the creatures and Empowered to us-asws the affairs of the world. So, the fortunate is the one who is fortunate through us-asws, and the miserable is the one who is miserable through us-asws. We-asws are the Permitters of His-azwj Permissible(s), and the Prohibitors of His-azwj Prohibitions.’[26]
Creation of the Earth and Skies was in six Eras:
We also find in Ahadith that the creation of the earth and the skies happened in ‘Eras’ and were not the days of our world.
إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُغْشِي اللَّيْلَ النَّهَارَ يَطْلُبُهُ حَثِيثًا وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومَ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ بِأَمْرِهِ ۗ أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالْأَمْرُ ۗ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ {54}
Surely, your Lord is Allah Who Created the skies and the earth in six days, then Established upon the Throne; He Covers the night over the day, which it pursues incessantly; and the sun and the moon and the stars, made subservient by His Command. Indeed, for Him is the Creation and the Command. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds [7:54]
علي بن إبراهيم، في قوله تعالى: هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ أي في ستة أوقات.
Ali Bin Ibrahim (Tafseer Qummi) –
‘Regarding the Words of the Exalted: He is the One Who Created the skies and the earth in six days – i.e., in six time periods.’[27]
العياشي: عن أبي جعفر، عن رجل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «إن الله خلق السماوات و الأرض في ستة أيام، فالسنة تنقص ستة أيام
Al-Ayyashi, has narrated:
From a man who has said that Abu Ja’far-asws has narrated (on behalf of) Abu Abdullah-asws that he said: ‘Allah-azwj Created the skies and the earth in six days, so the year is six days’ short.’[28]
عن الصباح بن سيابة، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: إن الله خلق الشهور اثني عشر شهرا، و هي ثلاثمائة و ستون يوما، فحجز عنها ستة أيام خلق فيها السماوات و الأرض، فمن ثم تقاصرت الشهور
From Al-Sabah Bin Sayabat,
Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Created the months as twelve months, and these are of three hundred and sixty days. So He-azwj Separated six days from it in which He-azwj created the skies, and the earth. So, from then the months are deficient,’ (29 days in six months).[29]
Allah-azwj Created the Earth Before the Skies:
عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، قال: قال أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام): «إن الله جل ذكره و تقدست أسماؤه خلق الأرض قبل السماء، ثم استوى على العرش لتدبير الأمور».
From Jabir,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws said: ‘Surely, Allah-azwj, Majestic is His-azwj Mention, and Holy are His-azwj Names, Created the earth before the sky, then Established upon the Throne for the Regulation of the matters.’’[30]
عَنْهُ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ الْخَيْرَ يَوْمَ الْأَحَدِ وَ مَا كَانَ لِيَخْلُقَ الشَّرَّ قَبْلَ الْخَيْرِ وَ فِي يَوْمِ الْأَحَدِ وَ الْإِثْنَيْنِ خَلَقَ الْأَرَضِينَ وَ خَلَقَ أَقْوَاتَهَا فِي يَوْمِ الثَّلَاثَاءِ وَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ يَوْمَ الْأَرْبِعَاءِ وَ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ وَ خَلَقَ أَقْوَاتَهَا يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ.
From him, from Abdullah Bin Sinan who said:
‘I heard Abu Abdullah-asws saying that: ‘Allah-azwj Created the good on the day of Sunday, and He-azwj did not Create the evil before the good. And during the day of Sunday and the Monday Created the firmaments (layers of earth) and created their sustenance during the day of Tuesday, and Created the Skies on the day of Wednesday and Thursday, and Created their sustenance on the day of Friday.’’[31]
The Creation of Prophet Adam-as:
كِتَابُ فَضَائِلِ الشِّيعَةِ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: كُنَّا جُلُوساً مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص إِذْ أَقْبَلَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِإِبْلِيسَ أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْعالِينَ فَمَنْ هُمْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ هُمْ أَعْلَى مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ
The book ‘Fazail Al Shia,’ by its chain from Abu Saeed Al Khudry who said,
‘We were seated with Rasool-Allah-saww, when a man came and said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww! Inform me about the Words of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic to Iblees-la: Were you arrogant or were you from the exalted ones?” [38:75]. So, who are they, O Rasool-Allah-saww, those who are more exalted than the Angels?’
فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنَا وَ عَلِيٌّ وَ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ كُنَّا فِي سُرَادِقِ الْعَرْشِ نُسَبِّحُ اللَّهَ وَ تُسَبِّحُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بِتَسْبِيحِنَا قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ آدَمَ بِأَلْفَيْ عَامٍ- فَلَمَّا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ آدَمَ أَمَرَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ أَنْ يَسْجُدُوا لَهُ وَ لَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا بِالسُّجُودِ فَسَجَدَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ كُلُّهُمْ إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ فَإِنَّهُ أَبَى أَنْ يَسْجُدَ
‘Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘I-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and Al-Hassan-asws and Al-Husayn-asws. We-asws in the Pavilions of the Throne Glorifying Allah-azwj. The Angels had been Glorifying by our-asws Glorification for two thousand years before Allah-azwj created Adam-as. When Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created Adam-as, He-azwj Commanded the Angels that they should do Sajdah to him-as, and did not Command them for the Sajdah except for our-asws sake. All of the Angels did Sajdah except for Iblees-la, for he-la refused to do Sajdah.
فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَسْتَكْبَرْتَ أَمْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الْعالِينَ أَيْ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْخَمْسِ الْمَكْتُوبِ أَسْمَاؤُهُمْ فِي سُرَادِقِ الْعَرْشِ
‘‘Therefore Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Said: Were you arrogant or were you from the exalted ones? [38:75], i.e., those five whose names are Inscribed in the Pavilions of the Throne.[32]
A Day in the Presence of Allah-azwj is like a thousand years of human beings:
وَيَسْتَعْجِلُونَكَ بِالْعَذَابِ وَلَنْ يُخْلِفَ اللَّهُ وَعْدَهُ ۚ وَإِنَّ يَوْمًا عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ {47}
And they are hastening you with the Punishment (to befall), and Allah will never Break His Promise, and surely a day in the Presence of your Lord is like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47]
محمد بن يعقوب: عن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، و علي بن محمد القاساني، جميعا، عن القاسم بن محمد، عن سليمان بن داود المنقري، عن حفص بن غياث، قال: قال أبو عبد الله (عليه السلام): «إذا أراد أحدكم أن لا يسأل ربه شيئا إلا أعطاه، فلييأس من الناس كلهم، و لا يكون له رجاء إلا من عند الله جل ذكره، فإذا علم الله ذلك من قلبه لم يسأله شيئا إلا أعطاه، فحاسبوا أنفسكم قبل أن تحاسبوا عليها، فإن للقيامة خمسين موقفا، كل موقف مقداره ألف سنة»، ثم تلا: فِي يَوْمٍ كانَ مِقْدارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ.
Muhammad Bin Yaqoub, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and Ali Bin Muhammad Al- Qasany, together from Al- Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Suleyman Bin Dawood Al- Munqary, from Hafs Bin Gayas who said:
Abu Abdullah-asws said: ‘If any of you wants that he asks his Lord for something and it is given to him, then he should despair from the people, all of them, and not have any hope except from the Presence of Allah-azwj. So, when Allah-azwj Knows that to be in his heart, he would not ask for anything except that He-azwj would Give it to him. Therefore, you should take account of yourselves before Accounting is Taken from you, for on the Day of Judgement, there are fifty Pausing Stations for it, each of which is of the measurement of a thousand years.’[33]
When did the time on Earth start?
We do not know when time on Earth began, as Jinn and the Nisnaas (apes) have lived on Earth for seven thousand years before the creation of Prophet Adam-as. Angels had observed their killing of each other on Earth, as in the Holy Verse:
وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً ۖ قَالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءَ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۖ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ {30}
And when your Lord said to the Angels: I am going to Make a Caliph in the earth. They said: Are You going to Make in it one who will make mischief therein and shed the blood, and we Glorify with Your Praise and we extol Your Holiness? He said: I Know what you do not know [2:30]
و عنه، قال: حدثني أبي، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن عمرو بن أبي المقدام، عن ثابت الحذاء، عن جابر بن يزيد، عن أبي جعفر محمد بن علي بن الحسين، عن أبيه، عن آبائه،
And from him who said, ‘My father narrated to me, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub from Amro Bin Abu Al Maqdam, from Sabit Al Haza’a, from Jabir Bin Yazeed, from Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Al Husayn, from his father, from his forefathers,
عن أمير المؤمنين (عليهم السلام) قال: «إن الله تبارك و تعالى أراد أن يخلق خلقا بيده، و ذلك بعد ما مضى من الجن و النسناس في الأرض سبعة آلاف سنة، و كان من شأنه خلق آدم، فكشط عن أطباق السماوات و قال للملائكة: انظروا إلى أهل الأرض من خلقي من الجن و النسناس، فلما رأوا ما يعملون فيها من المعاصي و سفك الدماء و الفساد في الأرض بغير الحق، عظم ذلك عليهم و غضبوا و تأسفوا على أهل الأرض و لم يملكوا غضبهم.
‘(It has been narrated) from Amir Al-Momineen-asws that Allah-azwj Blessed and High Wanted to Create a creature with His-azwj own Hands, and that was after the expiry of the Jinn and the Nisnaas (apes) in the earth by seven thousand years. And it was from His-azwj Decision to ‘Create Adam-as. He-azwj Uncovered from the layers of the skies and Said to the Angels: ‘Look at the inhabitants of the earth from My-azwj creatures, from the Jinn and the Nisnaas”. When they saw what they were doing therein from the (acts of) disobedience, and shedding the blood, and the corruption in the earth without the right, that was grievous upon them, and they became uneasy and regretted upon the inhabitants of the earth and could not control their unhappiness.
قالوا: ربنا إنك أنت العزيز القادر الجبار القاهر العظيم الشأن، و هذا خلقك الضعيف الذليل يتقلبون في قبضتك و يعيشون برزقك و يستمتعون بعافيتك، و هم يعصونك بمثل هذه الذنوب العظام، لا تأسف عليهم و لا تغضب و لا تنتقم لنفسك لما تسمع منهم و ترى، و قد عظم ذلك علينا و أكبرناه فيك!».
‘They (the Angels) said, ‘Our Lord-azwj! You-azwj are the Mighty, the Powerful, the Compeller, of Magnificent Glory, and these are Your-azwj creatures, the weak, the humiliated. They are turning in Your-azwj Judgment, and are living by Your-azwj sustenance, and they are enjoying by Your-azwj well-being, and they are disobeying You-azwj with the like of these great sins. You-azwj are neither Regretting upon them, nor Wrathful, nor Vengeful for Yourself-azwj from what You-azwj Hear from them and are Seeing, and it has been grievous upon us, we consider it grievous regarding You-azwj!’
قال: «فلما سمع ذلك من الملائكة، قال: إِنِّي جاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً يكون حجة لي في أرضي على خلقي. فقالت الملائكة: سبحانك أَ تَجْعَلُ فِيها مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيها كما فسد بنو الجان، و يسفكون الدماء كما سفك بنو الجان، و يتحاسدون و يتباغضون، فاجعل ذلك الخليفة منا، فإنا لا نتحاسد و لا نتباغض و لا نسفك الدماء، و نسبح بحمدك و نقدس لك.
‘He-asws (the Imam-asws) said: ‘So when He-azwj Heard that from the Angels, (He-azwj) Said: ‘I am going to Make a Caliph in the earth, who would happen to be a Divine Authority for Me-azwj in My-azwj earth upon My-azwj creatures.’ So, the Angels said, ‘Glory be to You-azwj! Are You going to Make in it one who will make mischief therein and shed the blood in it, just as the Clan of Jaan had made mischief, and they would be shedding the blood just as the Clan of Jaan had done, and they would be envying each other and hating each other? Therefore, Make the Caliph to be from us, for we neither envy, nor hate, nor shed the blood, and we Glorify with Your Praise and we extol Your Holiness…’’ (an extract).[34]
Further details in a Hadith are reported in Appendix IV.
في إرشاد المفيد عن الباقر عليه السلام: إذا قام القائم عليه السلام سار الى الكوفة فهدم فيها أربعة مساجد و لم يبق مسجد على وجه الأرض له شرف الّا هدمها و جعلها جّما و وسّع الطريق الأعظم و كسر كلّ جناح خارج في الطريق و أبطل الكنف و الميازيب الى الطّرقات
In (the book) Irshaad of Al Mufeed –
‘From Imam Al-Baqir-asws (having said): ‘When Al-Qaim-asws rises, he-asws will go to Al-Kufa and he-asws would demolish four Masjids, and there would not remain a Masjid upon the surface of the earth having an elevated place for it, except that he-asws would demolish it, and make it to be an expanse of the great road. And he-asws would break every wing outside in the road and invalidate the projections (of the building), and the spouts protruding to the roads.
و لا ترك بدعة الّا أزالها و لا سنّة الّا أقامها و يفتح قسطنطينة و الصين و جبال الدّيلم فيمكث على ذلك سَبع سنين مقدار كلّ سنة عشر سنين من سنينكم هذه ثمّ يفعل اللَّه ما يشاء
‘‘And he-asws will not leave any innovation except he-asws would remove it, nor any Sunnah except he-asws would establish it. And he-asws will conquer Constantinople, and China, and the Daylam mountains. So he-asws would remain upon that for seven years, the measurement of each year being ten years of your years. This (will happen), then Allah-azwj will do whatever He-azwj so Desires to.’
قيل فكيف تطول السّنون قال يأمر اللَّه الفلك باللّبوث و قلّة الحركة فتطول الأيّام لذلك و السّنون
‘It was said, ‘The years would be elongated?’ He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj would Command the orbits with the delaying and scarcity of the movement, thus the days would be prolonged due to that, and (so would) the years.’
قيل انّهم يقولون إنّ الفلك ان تغيّر فسد قال ذلك قول الزّنادقة فامّا المسلمون فلا سبيل لهم إلى ذلك و قد شقّ اللَّه القمر لنبيّه صلّى اللَّه عليه و آله و ردّ الشمس من قبله ليوشع بن نون و اخبر بطول يوم القيامة و انّه كَأَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّونَ.
‘It was said, ‘They (people) are saying that the orbits, if they were to be altered, there would be disintegration.’ He-asws said: ‘That is the word of the atheists.
‘‘But as for the Muslims, so there is no way for them to that, and Allah-azwj has (already) Rent asunder the moon for His-azwj Prophet-saww, and Returned the sun from before him-saww for Yashua Bin Noon-as, and has Informed of the length of the Day of Judgment, and it is like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47].’’[35]
ابن بابويه: عن أبيه، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن يعقوب بن يزيد، عن جعفر بن محمد بن عقبة، عمن رواه، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، في قول الله عز و جل: لابِثِينَ فِيها أَحْقاباً، قال: «الأحقاب: ثمانية أحقاب، و الحقب: ثمانون سنة، و السنة ثلاثمائة و ستون يوما، و اليوم: كألف سنة مما تعدون».
Ibn Babuwayh, from his father, from Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, from Yaqoub Bin Yazeed, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Bin Uqba, from the one who reported it:
From Abu Abdullah-asws regarding the Words of Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic: Living therein for ages [78:23][36], he-asws said: ‘Al-Ahqaab – Eight eras, and ‘Al-Ahqaab’ is of eighty years, and the year is of three hundred and sixty days, and the day – like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47].’[37]
فِي أَمَالِي شَيْخِ الطَّائِفَةِ قُدِّسَ سِرُّهُ بِإِسْنَادِهِ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي كَلَامٍ طَوِيلٍ: فَإِنَّ فِي الْقِيَامَةِ خَمْسِينَ مَوْقِفاً، كُلُّ مَوْقِفٍ مِثْلُ أَلْفِ سَنَةٍ مِمَّا تَعُدُّون
In (the book) Amaaly of Sheykh Al Ta’aifa, by his chain going up to –
Abu Abdullah-asws having said in a lengthy speech: ‘So, on the Day of Judgment there are fifty pausing stations, each pause being like a thousand years from what you are counting [22:47].’[38] (repeated before in ref. 35)
تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ {4}
The Angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in that day, its measurement would be of fifty thousand years [70:4]
السيد المعاصر في (الرجعة): عن أسد بن إسماعيل، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، أنه قال حين سئل عن اليوم الذي ذكر الله تعالى مقداره في القرآن: فِي يَوْمٍ كانَ مِقْدارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ: «هي كرة رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله)، فيكون ملكه في كرته خمسين ألف سنة، و يملك أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) في كرته أربعا و أربعين ألف سنة».
Al- Syed Al- Ma’asir in Al- Raj’at, from Asad Bin Ismail, who has said:
Abu Abdullah-asws has said where he-asws was asked about the Day the Reckoning of which Allah-azwj the Exalted Mentioned in the Quran: in a day, its measurement would be of fifty thousand years [70:4], he-asws said: ‘This is a realm of the Rasool-Allah-saww, so he-saww will become its king in his-saww realm for fifty thousand years, and Amir-Al-Momineen-asws will rule in his-asws realm for forty four thousand years.’[39]
The Time in the world – The Movement of the Sun and the Moon:
وَتَرَى الشَّمْسَ إِذَا طَلَعَتْ تَزَاوَرُ عَنْ كَهْفِهِمْ ذَاتَ الْيَمِينِ وَإِذَا غَرَبَتْ تَقْرِضُهُمْ ذَاتَ الشِّمَالِ وَهُمْ فِي فَجْوَةٍ مِنْهُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ ۗ مَنْ يَهْدِ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ الْمُهْتَدِ ۖ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُ وَلِيًّا مُرْشِدًا {17}
And you see the sun when it emerges inclining away from their cave towards the right, and when it sets, it passes away from the left, while they are in an open space from it. That is from the Signs of Allah. One whom Allah Guides, so he is the rightly Guided, and one who He Lets to stray, so you will never find there being a guardian (or) a guide for him [18:17]
لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَهَا أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَلَا اللَّيْلُ سَابِقُ النَّهَارِ ۚ وَكُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ {40}
The sun, it is not befitting for it that it should overtake the moon, nor for the night to precede the day, and all are floating in an orbit [36:40]
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَيُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَسَخَّرَ الشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ كُلٌّ يَجْرِي إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ {29}
Do you not see that Allah Merges the night into the day and Merges the day into the night, and Subdued the sun and the moon? Each flows to a specified term, and surely Allah is Aware of what you are doing [31:29]
علي بن إبراهيم، قال: و في رواية أبي الجارود، عن أبي جعفر (عليه السلام)، في قوله تعالى: لَا الشَّمْسُ يَنْبَغِي لَها أَنْ تُدْرِكَ الْقَمَرَ وَ لَا اللَّيْلُ سابِقُ النَّهارِ وَ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ يقول: «الشمس سلطان النهار، و القمر سلطان الليل، لا ينبغي للشمس أن تكون مع ضوء القمر بالليل، و لا يسبق الليل النهار،
Ali Bin Ibrahim said that it is in the report of Abu Al-Jaroud,
From Abu Ja’far-asws, regarding the Words of the Exalted: The sun, it is not befitting for it that it should overtake the moon, nor for the night to precede the day, and all are floating in an orbit [36:40], he-asws said: ‘The sun is the ruler of the day, and the moon is the ruler of the night. It is not for the sun that it should illuminate along with the moon during the night, nor for the night to precede the day.
يقول: لا يذهب الليل حتى يدركه النهار وَ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ يقول: يجري وراء فلك الاستدارة».
‘He-azwj is Saying: ‘The night does not go away until the day comes, and all are floating in an orbit [36:40]. He-azwj is Saying: ‘Flowing behind in the orbit of the rotation.’’[40]
Path of the Planets is determined and controlled by Angels:
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مَعْرُوفِ بْنِ خَرَّبُوذَ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ الْأَقْوَاتِ الَّتِي قَدَّرَهَا اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِمَّا يَحْتَاجُونَ إِلَيْهِ الْبَحْرَ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdullah Bin Sinan, from Ma’rouf Bin Kharabouz, from Al-Hakam Bin Mustawrid, who has said:
Ali Bin Al-Husayn-asws said: ‘From among the sustenance are those which Allah-azwj has Measured out for the people from what their needs are to Him-azwj. The sea (atmosphere) is the one which Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Created to be between the sky and the earth.’
قَالَ وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ قَدَّرَ فِيهَا مَجَارِيَ الشَّمْسِ وَ الْقَمَرِ وَ النُّجُومِ وَ الْكَوَاكِبِ وَ قَدَّرَ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ عَلَى الْفَلَكِ ثُمَّ وَكَّلَ بِالْفَلَكِ مَلَكاً وَ مَعَهُ سَبْعُونَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ فَهُمْ يُدِيرُونَ الْفَلَكَ فَإِذَا أَدَارُوهُ دَارَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَ الْقَمَرُ وَ النُّجُومُ وَ الْكَوَاكِبُ مَعَهُ فَنَزَلَتْ فِي مَنَازِلِهَا الَّتِي قَدَّرَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهَا لِيَوْمِهَا وَ لَيْلَتِهَا
He-asws said: ‘And Allah-azwj has Determined in these the flow of the sun and the moon, and the stars, and the planets, and has Determined all of that upon the orbit. Then for every orbit is an Angel with whom there are seventy thousand Angels. So, they turn the circle of the orbit. So it is upon their turning that the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the planets turn along with them. So, they descend in their station which Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Determined for them. Therein are their days and their nights.
فَإِذَا كَثُرَتْ ذُنُوبُ الْعِبَادِ وَ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَنْ يَسْتَعْتِبَهُمْ بِآيَةٍ مِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَمَرَ الْمَلَكَ الْمُوَكَّلَ بِالْفَلَكِ أَنْ يُزِيلَ الْفَلَكَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ مَجَارِي الشَّمْسِ وَ الْقَمَرِ وَ النُّجُومِ وَ الْكَوَاكِبِ فَيَأْمُرُ الْمَلَكُ أُولَئِكَ السَّبْعِينَ أَلْفَ مَلَكٍ أَنْ يُزِيلُوهُ عَنْ مَجَارِيهِ
‘So, when the sins of the servants become numerous and Allah-azwj Blessed and High Intends to Reproach them with a Sign from His-azwj Signs, He-azwj Orders the Angel in charge of the orbit to remove the orbit upon which the sun and the moon, and the stars, and the planets flow upon. So that Angel orders the seventy thousand Angels (which are under him) to remove these from their flows…’ (an extract).[41]
Angels rotate the Earth at a faster rate during the era of a Tyrant:
الْكَافِي، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ عَنْبَسَةَ بْنِ بِجَادٍ الْعَابِدِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: كُنَّا عِنْدَهُ وَ ذَكَرُوا سُلْطَانَ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع لَا يَخْرُجُ عَلَى هِشَامٍ أَحَدٌ إِلَّا قَتَلَهُ
(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – From Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn, from Abdul Rahman Bin Abu Hasim, from Anbasa Bin Jibad Al Aabid, from Jabir,
From Abu Ja’far-asws, he (the narrator) said: ‘We were in his-asws presence and they mentioned the authority of the clan of Umayya. Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘No one will rebel against Hisham except he would kill him!’
قَالَ وَ ذَكَرَ مُلْكَهُ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً
‘He said, ‘His kingdom (rule) is for twenty years.’’
قَالَ فَجَزِعْنَا فَقَالَ مَا لَكُمْ إِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُهْلِكَ سُلْطَانَ قَوْمٍ أَمَرَ الْمَلَكَ فَأَسْرَعَ بِسَيْرِ الْفَلَكِ فَقَدَّرَ عَلَى مَا يُرِيدُ الْخَبَرَ.
He (the narrator) said, ‘We panicked. He-asws said: ‘What is the matter with you all? Whenever Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Wants to destroy the authority of a people, (He-azwj) Commands the orbits, so the orbits quicken the travel and measure out upon what He-azwj Wants…’’.[42]
الكافي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى وَ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ جَمِيعاً عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ فَذَكَرَ بَنِي أُمَيَّةَ وَ دَوْلَتَهُمْ وَ قَالَ لَهُ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِهِ إِنَّمَا نَرْجُو أَنْ تَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُمْ وَ أَنْ يُظْهِرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ عَلَى يَدِكَ
(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa and Abu Ali Al-Ashary, from Muhammad Bin Abdul Jabbar, together from Ali Bin hadeed, from Jameel Bin Darraaj, from Zurara who said:
Abu Ja’far-asws was in the Sacred Masjid. There was a mention of the Clan of Umayya and their government. Some of his-asws companions said to him-asws, ‘We hope that you-asws will become their master and that Allah-azwj will Display this Command upon your-asws hands.’
فَقَالَ مَا أَنَا بِصَاحِبِهِمْ وَ لَا يَسُرُّنِي أَنْ أَكُونَ صَاحِبَهُمْ إِنَّ أَصْحَابَهُمْ أَوْلَادُ الزِّنَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَمْ يَخْلُقْ مُنْذُ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ سِنِينَ وَ لَا أَيَّاماً أَقْصَرَ مِنْ سِنِيهِمْ وَ أَيَّامِهِمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَأْمُرُ الْمَلَكَ الَّذِي فِي يَدِهِ الْفَلَكُ فَيَطْوِيهِ طَيّاً.
He-asws said: ‘I-asws am not their master, nor am I-asws happy to be their master, for their companions are the sons of adultery. Allah-azwj never Created, since the creation of the skies and the earth, years nor days shorter than their years and their days. Allah-azwj Ordered the Angels in whose hands is the orbit, to rotate it like a scroll.’[43]
الْكَافِي، عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْجُرْجَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ لِمَنْ جَعَلَ لَهُ سُلْطَاناً أَجَلًا وَ مُدَّةً مِنْ لَيَالٍ وَ أَيَّامٍ وَ سِنِينَ وَ شُهُورٍ فَإِنْ عَدَلُوا فِي النَّاسِ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ صَاحِبَ الْفَلَكِ أَنْ يُبْطِئَ بِإِدَارَتِهِ فَطَالَتْ أَيَّامُهُمْ وَ لَيَالِيهِمْ وَ سِنِينُهُمْ وَ شُهُورُهُمْ
(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – From a number of his companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Usman Bin Isa, from Abu Is’haq Al Jurjany,
From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made a term to be for the one He-azwj Made the authority to be for him, and people from the nights and days, and years and months. If they dispense justice among the people, Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Commands the master of the orbits (Angel) that he slows down it’s rotations, so their days get prolonged, and their nights and their years and their months.
وَ إِنْ جَارُوا فِي النَّاسِ وَ لَمْ يَعْدِلُوا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى صَاحِبَ الْفَلَكِ فَأَسْرَعَ بِإِدَارَتِهِ فَقَصُرَتْ لَيَالِيهِمْ وَ أَيَّامُهُمْ وَ سِنِينُهُمْ وَ شُهُورُهُمْ وَ قَدْ وَفَى لَهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِعَدَدِ اللَّيَالِي وَ الشُّهُورِ.
‘And if they are tyrannical among the people and do not dispense justice, Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Commands the master of the orbits (Angel), so he quickens it’s rotations. So it shortens their nights and their days, and their years and their months, and Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic would have still Fulfilled for him the number of nights and the months.’[44]
The Time and Space – Folding of Earth:
وَ ذَكَرَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ مَا زَادَ صَاحِبُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَلَى أَنْ قَالَ بِإِصْبَعِهِ هَكَذَا فَإِذَا هُوَ قَدْ جَاءَ بَعَرْشِ صَاحِبَةِ سَبَإٍ
Ali Bin Mahziyar mentioned, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Hamad Bin Usman, from Zurara who said,
‘I heard Abu Abdullah-asws saying: ‘The companion of Suleyman-as (Aasif-as Bin Barkhiya-as) did not exceed upon that (speed) he (only) said (prayed) with his fingers like this, and there he had already come with the Throne of the Queen of Saba.’
فَقَالَ لَهُ حُمْرَانُ كَيْفَ هَذَا أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَبِي كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْأَرْضَ طُوِيَتْ لَهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ طَوَاهَا
‘Humran said to him-asws, ‘May Allah-azwj Keep you-asws well! How can this be so?’ He-asws said: ‘My-asws father-asws was saying: ‘The ground folded for him-as whenever he-as wanted its folding.’’’[45]
كا: الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، عن أحمد بن محمد بن عبد الله، عن علي بن محمد النوفلي، عن أبي الحسن العسكري عليه السلام قال: سمعته يقول: إن اسم الله الاعظم ثلاثة وسبعون حرفا، كان عند آصف حرف فتكلم به فانخرقت له الارض فيما بينه وبين سبأ، فتناول عرش بلقيس حتى صيره إلى سليمان، ثم انبسطت الارض في أقل من طرفة عين
Al Husayn Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Moalla Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abdullah, from Ali Bin Muhammad Al Nowfaly,
From Abu Al-Hassan-asws, the owner of the army, said, ‘I heard him-asws saying: ‘The Magnificent Name of Allah-azwj are seventy-three letters. One letter was with Asif (Bin Barkhiya-as, successor-as of Suleyman-as). So, he-as spoke with it, and the land was folded for him, in what was between him-as and Saba (Sheba). He-as grabbed the throne of Bilquees until it came to be to Suleyman-as. Then the earth extended back in less than the blink of an eye.’’[46]
وَ كَانَ مَهْبِطُ آدَمَ ص عَلَى جَبَلٍ فِي مَشْرِقِ أَرْضِ الْهِنْدِ يُقَالُ لَهُ بَاسِمٌ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَسِيرَ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَطَوَى لَهُ الْأَرْضَ فَصَارَ عَلَى كُلِّ مَفَازَةٍ يَمُرُّ بِهِ خُطْوَةً وَ لَمْ يَقَعْ قَدَمُهُ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا صَارَ عُمْرَاناً
(In a lengthy Hadith) ‘And the descent of Adam-as was upon a mountain in the east of the land of India called Baasim. Then He-azwj Commanded him-as to travel to Makkah. Allah-azwj Folded the ground for him-as so that each desert he passed over took him-as only a single stride. No part of the earth did his-as foot step on except that it became cultivated…’ (an extract).[47]
وَ عَنِ ابْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْمُتَوَكِّلِ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ع اسْتَأْذَنَ سَارَةَ أَنْ يَزُورَ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بِمَكَّةَ فَأَذِنَتْ لَهُ عَلَى أَنْ لَا يَبِيتَ عَنْهَا وَ لَا يَنْزِلَ عَنْ حِمَارِهِ
And from Ibn Babuwayh, from Muhammad Bin Musa Al Mutawakkil, ‘It is narrated to us by Abdullah Bin Ja’far, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdul Rahman Bin Al Hajjaj who said,
‘I heard Abu Abdullah-asws saying: ‘Ibrahim-as sought permission of Sarah-as to visit Ismail-as at Makkah. She-as permitted for him-as upon the condition that he-as will not spend a night away from her-as nor descend from his-as donkey.’
قُلْتُ كَيْفَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ
‘I said, ‘How did that happen?’
قَالَ طُوِيَتْ لَهُ الْأَرْضُ.
‘He-asws said: ‘The ground was folded for him-as.’’[48]
A famous miracle of Rasool Allah-saww reported by both Sunnis and Shias, e.g.,
Radd Al-Shams (Arabic: ردّالشمس; ‘returning of the Sun’) is believed by Muslims to be a miracle in which Prophet Muhammad-saww asked God to return the sun to its position before sunset, so that Imam Ali-asws could have enough time to say his Asr prayer. According to some sources, Radd Al-shams also took place in the time of some other Prophets-as.[49]
الأمالي للصدوق الْقَطَّانُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْمَخْزُومِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ نُبَاتَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ مُهَاجِرٍ عَنْ أُمِّ جَعْفَرٍ أَوْ أُمِّ مُحَمَّدٍ بِنْتَيْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ عُمَيْسٍ وَ هِيَ جَدَّتُهَا قَالَتْ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ جَدَّتِي أَسْمَاءَ بِنْتِ عُمَيْسٍ وَ عَمِّي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ حَتَّى إِذَا كُنَّا بِالْضَهْيَاءِ حَدَّثَتْنِي أَسْمَاءُ بِنْتُ عُمَيْسٍ- قَالَتْ يَا بُنَيَّةِ كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فِي هَذَا الْمَكَانِ فَصَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ دَعَا عَلِيّاً فَاسْتَعَانَ بِهِ فِي بَعْضِ حَاجَتِهِ
(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of Al Sadouq – Al Qattan, from Muhammad Bin Salih, from Umar Bin Khalid Al Makhzumy, from Ibn Nubata, from Muhammad Bin Musa, from Umar Bin Muhajir, from Umm Ja’far or Umm Muhammad Bint Muhammad Bin Ja’far, from Asma Bint Umeys, and she is her grandmother, she said,
‘I went out with my grandmother Asma Bint Umeys and my uncle Abdullah-asws son of Ja’far-asws until when we were at Al-Zahba, Asma Bint Umeys narrated to me. She said, ‘O daughter! We were with Rasool-Allah-saww in this place. Rasool-Allah-saww prayed Salat Al-Zohr, then he-saww called Ali-asws and assisted by him-asws regarding one of his-saww needs.
ثُمَّ جَاءَتِ الْعَصْرُ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ص فَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ فَجَاءَ عَلِيٌّ ع- فَقَعَدَ إِلَى جَنْبِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ إِلَى نَبِيِّهِ فَوَضَعَ رَأْسَهُ فِي حَجْرِ عَلِيٍّ ع حَتَّى غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ لَا يُرَى مِنْهَا شَيْءٌ عَلَى أَرْضٍ وَ لَا جَبَلٍ
‘‘Then Al-Asr came, so the Prophet-saww stood up and prayed Al-Asr Salat. Ali-asws came and sat by the side of Rasool-Allah-saww. Allah-azwj Revealed to His-azwj Prophet-saww, so he-saww placed his-saww head in the lap of Ali-asws until the sun had set. Nothing from it was seen, neither upon a land nor mountain.
ثُمَّ جَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ لِعَلِيٍّ ع هَلْ صَلَّيْتَ الْعَصْرَ فَقَالَ لَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُنْبِئْتُ أَنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ فَلَمَّا وَضَعْتَ رَأْسَكَ فِي حَجْرِي لَمْ أَكُنْ لِأُحَرِّكَهُ فَقَالَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هَذَا عَبْدُكَ عَلِيٌّ احْتَبَسَ نَفْسَهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّكَ فَرُدَّ عَلَيْهِ شَرْقَهَا
‘‘Then Rasool-Allah-saww sat up and said to Ali-asws: ‘Have you-asws prayed Al-Asr?’ He-asws said: ‘No, O Rasool-Allah-saww! I-asws was informed that (even) you-saww did not pray. When you-saww placed your-saww head in my-asws lap, I-asws was going to move.’ He-saww said: ‘O Allah-azwj! This is Your-azwj servant Ali-asws who withheld himself-asws upon Your-azwj Prophet-saww, so return its east to him-asws!’
فَطَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَلَمْ يَبْقَ جَبَلٌ وَ لَا أَرْضٌ إِلَّا طَلَعَتْ عَلَيْهِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ قَامَ عَلِيٌّ ع فَتَوَضَّأَ وَ صَلَّى ثُمَّ انْكَسَفَتْ.
‘‘The sun emerged and there did not remain any mountain, nor any land, except the sun emerged upon it. Then Ali-asws stood up, performed wud’u and prayed Salat, then it set.’’[50]
Time Ceased for Uzair-as:
أَوْ كَالَّذِي مَرَّ عَلَىٰ قَرْيَةٍ وَهِيَ خَاوِيَةٌ عَلَىٰ عُرُوشِهَا قَالَ أَنَّىٰ يُحْيِي هَٰذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۖ فَأَمَاتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عَامٍ ثُمَّ بَعَثَهُ ۖ قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتَ ۖ قَالَ لَبِثْتُ يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ ۖ قَالَ بَلْ لَبِثْتَ مِائَةَ عَامٍ فَانْظُرْ إِلَىٰ طَعَامِكَ وَشَرَابِكَ لَمْ يَتَسَنَّهْ ۖ وَانْظُرْ إِلَىٰ حِمَارِكَ وَلِنَجْعَلَكَ آيَةً لِلنَّاسِ ۖ وَانْظُرْ إِلَى الْعِظَامِ كَيْفَ نُنْشِزُهَا ثُمَّ نَكْسُوهَا لَحْمًا ۚ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ قَالَ أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ {259}
Or the like the one who passed by a town, and it had fallen down upon its roofs; he said: ‘How will Allah Revive this after its death?’ So Allah Caused him to die for a hundred years, then Resurrected him. He said: “How long did you tarry?” He said: ‘I tarried for a day, or a part of a day.’ He Said: “But, You tarried for a hundred years, so look at your food and your drink – they did not age, and look at your donkey; and in order for Us to Make you a Sign for the people. And look at the bones, how We Set them together, then We Clothed these with flesh”. So when it was clear to him, he said: ‘I know that Allah is Able over all things.’ [2:259]
أبو طاهر العلوي، عن علي بن محمد العلوي، عن علي بن مرزوق، عن إبراهيم بن محمد، قال: ذكر جماعة من أهل العلم أن ابن الكواء قال لعلي (عليه السلام): يا أمير المؤمنين، ما ولد أكبر من أبيه من أهل الدنيا؟
Abu Tahir Al Alawy, from Ali Bin Muhammad Al Alawy, from Ali Bin Marzouq, from Ibrahim Bin Muhammad who said,
A group of knowledgeable people mentioned that Ibn Al Kawa said to Imam Ali-asws, ‘O Amir Al Momineen-asws! Was there ever a son older than his father, from the people of the world?’
قال: «نعم، أولئك ولد عزيز، حين مر على قرية خربة و قد جاء من ضيعة له، تحته حمار، و معه شنة فيها تين، و كوز فيه عصير،
He-asws said: ‘Yes, they were the children of Uzair-as, when he-as passed by a town in ruins and he-as had come from an estate of his-as. Under him-as was a donkey, and with him-as was a water skin wherein was some figs, and a jug wherein was some honey.
فمر على قرية خربة، فقال: أَنَّى يُحْيِي هذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها فَأَماتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عامٍ فتوالد ولده و تناسلوا، ثم بعث الله إليه فأحياه في المولد الذي أماته فيه، فأولئك ولده أكبر من أبيهم
‘So, he-as passed by a ruined town and he-as said: ‘‘How will Allah Revive this after its death?’ So Allah Caused him to die for a hundred years [2:259]. So his-as children gave birth and they multiplied. Then Allah-azwj Sent (a Revelation) to him-as and Revived him among the children of the generation which he-as had died in. Thus, those children of his-as were older than their father-as.’[51]
عنه، قال: و روي عن علي (عليه السلام): «أن عزيرا خرج من أهله، و امرأته حامل، و له خمسون سنة، فأماته الله مائة سنة، ثم بعثه فرجع إلى أهله ابن خمسين سنة، و له ابن له مائة سنة، فكان ابنه أكبر منه، فذلك من آيات الله
From him who said, ‘And it is reported from Imam Ali-asws that Uzair-as went out from his-as family and his-as wife was pregnant, and for him-as (he was at the age of) fifty years. So Allah-azwj Caused him-as to die, then Resurrected him-as. So he-as returned to his-as family as a man of fifty years old, and for him-as was a son a hundred years old. Thus, his-as son was older than him-as, and that is from the Signs of Allah-azwj.’[52]
Reply if the deceased could return and inform us of their stories:
الطبرسي في (الاحتجاج): في حديث عن الصادق (عليه السلام) و قد سأله زنديق، فقال: فلو أن الله رد إلينا من الأموات في كل مائة عام [واحدا]، لنسأله عمن مضى منا إلى ما صاروا و كيف حالهم، و ماذا لقوا بعد الموت، أي شيء صنع بهم، لعمل الناس على اليقين، و اضمحل الشك، و ذهب الغل عن القلوب.
Al-Tabarsy in Al-Ihtijaj – In a Hadeeth from Al-Sadiq-asws, and an atheist had asked him-asws, so he said, ‘If only Allah-azwj would Return to us from the deceased ones, during every one hundred years, (one person), for us to question him about the ones who have passed away from us, to what they have come to and how is their state, and what is that which they faced after the death, which thing was done with them, in order for the people to act upon conviction and annihilate the doubt, and remove the malignancy from the hearts.’
قال (عليه السلام): «إن هذه مقالة من أنكر الرسل و كذبهم [و لم يصدق] بما جاءوا به من عند الله، [إذ] أخبروا و قالوا: إن الله عز و جل أخبر في كتابه على لسان الأنبياء (عليهم السلام) حال من مات منا، أ فيكون أحدا أصدق من الله قولا و من رسله،
He-asws said: ‘These are the words of the ones who deny the Rasools-as and belie them‑as, and do not ratify what they-as came with from the Presence of Allah-azwj, when they-as informed and said. Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Informs in His-azwj Book upon the tongues of the Prophets-as the states of the ones who died from us. So, can anyone happen to be more truthful than Allah-azwj in Words and (more truthful) than His-azwj Rasool-saww?
و قد رجع إلى الدنيا ممن مات خلق كثير، منهم: أصحاب الكهف، أماتهم الله ثلاث مائة عام و تسعة، ثم بعثهم في زمان قوم أنكروا البعث، ليقطع حجتهم، و ليريهم قدرته، و ليعلموا أن البعث حق
‘And there have returned to the world, from the ones who had died, a lot of people. From them are the companions of the cave. Allah-azwj Caused them to die for three hundred and nine years, then Resurrected them in the era of a people who were denying the Resurrection, in order to cut off their arguments, and to show them His-azwj Power, and so that they would be knowing that the Resurrection is true.
و أمات الله إرميا النبي (عليه السلام) الذي نظر إلى خراب بيت المقدس و ما حوله حين غزاهم بخت نصر، فقال: أَنَّى يُحْيِي هذِهِ اللَّهُ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها فَأَماتَهُ اللَّهُ مِائَةَ عامٍ ثم أحياه و نظر إلى أعضائه كيف تلتئم، و كيف تلبس اللحم، و إلى مفاصله و عروقه كيف توصل، فلما استوى قائما»، قال: أَعْلَمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
‘And Allah-azwj Caused the Prophet Irmiah-as to die, the one who looked at the ruins of Bayt Al-Maqdis and what was around it when Bakht Nasar invaded them. So he-as said: ‘‘How will Allah Revive this after its death?.’ So Allah Caused him to die for a hundred years, then Resurrected him [2:259]. And he-as look at his-as own limbs how they had healed and how the flesh was clothed upon it, and to his-as bones and his-as veins how they had connected. So when he-as stood up standing he said: ‘I know that Allah is Able over all things.’ [2:259].’[53]
Appendix I: Allah-azwj Modelled, for mankind, the Bayt Al-Haram (Kabah) beneath the Bayt Al-Mamoor (located on the 4th Heaven)
[ الصدوق ] حدثنا علي بن حاتم قال: حدثنا القاسم بن محمد قال: حدثنا حمدان بن الحسين، عن الحسين بن الوليد، عن أبي بكر، عن حنان بن سدير، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي، عن علي بن الحسين (عليه السلام) قال: قلت: لم صار الطواف سبعة أشواط ؟ قال: لأن الله تبارك وتعالى قال للملائكة: * (إنى جاعل في الارض خليفة) * فردوا على الله تبارك وتعالى و * (قالوا أتجعل فيها من يفسد فيها ويسفك الدماء ونحن نسبح بحمدك ونقدس لك قال إنى أعلم ما لا تعلمون) * وكان لا يحجبهم عن نوره سبعة آلاف عام، فلاذوا بالعرش سبعة آلاف سنة، فرحمهم وتاب عليهم وجعل لهم البيت المعمور الذي في السماء الرابعة وجعله مثابة ووضع البيت الحرام تحت البيت المعمور، فجعله مثابة للناس وأمنا، فصار الطواف سبعة أشواط واجبا على العباد لكل ألف سنة شوطا واحدا.
(Al-Sadooq) Narrated from Ali Bin Hatim from Al-Qasim Bin Muhammad from Hamdan Bin Al-Husayn from Al-Husayn Bin Al-Waleed from Abu Bakr from Hannan Bin Sudeyr from Abu Hamza Al-Thumaly:
Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws said when he-asws was asked: ‘Why is he performing Tawaaf seven times?’ He-asws said: ‘Because Allah-azwj Blessed and High Said to the Angels “I am going to place in the earth a Caliph” they retorted to Allah-azwj Blessed the High “they said: What! Will You place in it such as shall make mischief in it and shed blood, and we celebrate Your Praise and extol Your Holiness?” And they had not been Veiled from His-azwj Light for seven thousand years, they sought to be excused for seven thousand years, He-azwj was Merciful to them and Turned to them, and Made for them the Bayt Al-Mamoor which is located on the fourth Heaven, and Modelled for mankind the Bayt Al-Haram (Kabah) beneath the Bayt Al-Mamoor, a resort and a sanctuary. The ‘Tawaf’ (circumambulation) is for seven runs obligatory for the servants, one run for each of the thousand years (of the Angels).’[54]
Appendix II: The First Creation has been the Al-Noor of Mohammed-saww and his-saww Progeny-asws
ك: العطار، عن أبيه، عن الاشعري، عن ابن أبي الخطاب، عن أبي سعيد الغضنفري ، عن عمرو بن ثابت، عن أبي حمزة قال: سمعت علي بن الحسين عليهما السلام يقول: إن الله عز وجل خلق محمدا ” وعليا ” والائمة الاحد عشر من نور عظمته أرواحا ” في ضياء نوره ، يعبدونه قبل خلق الخلق، يسبحون الله عز وجل ويقدسونه، وهم الائمة الهادية من آل محمد صلوات الله عليهم أجمعين.
Al Atar, from his father, from Al Ashary, from Ibn Abu Al Khatab, from Abu Saeed Al Gazanfary, from Amro Bin Sabit, from Abu Hamza who said,
‘I heard Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws saying: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created Muhammad-saww and Ali-asws and the eleven Imams-asws from the Noor of His-azwj Magnificence as spirits in the illumination of His-azwj Noor, worshipping Him-azwj before the creation of the creatures, glorifying Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic and sanctifying Him-azwj, and they-asws are the Guiding Imams-asws from the Progeny-asws of Muhammad-saww.’[55]
ابن إدريس، عن أبيه، عن محمد بن الحسين بن زيد، عن الحسن بن موسى، عن علي بن سماعة، عن علي بن الحسن بن رباط، عن أبيه، عن المفضل، قال: قال الصادق عليه السلام: إن الله تبارك وتعالى خلق أربعة عشر نورا ” قبل خلق الخلق بأربعة عشر ألف عام، فهي أرواحنا، فقيل له: يا ابن رسول الله ومن الاربعة عشر ؟
Ibn Idrees, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Al Husayn Bin Zayd, from Al hassan Bin Musa, from Ali Bin Sama’at, from Ali Bin Al Hassan Bin Rabat, from Al Mufazzal who said,
Al-Sadiq-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted Created fourteen Noors before the creation of the creatures by fourteen thousand years, so these are our-asws souls.’ It was said to him-asws, ‘O son-asws of Rasool-Allah-saww! And who are the fourteen?’
فقال: محمد وعلي وفاطمة والحسن والحسين والائمة من ولد الحسين، آخرهم القائم الذي يقوم بعد غيبته فيقتل الدجال، ويطهر الارض من كل جور وظلم.
He-asws said: ‘Muhammad-saww, and Ali-asws, and (Syeda) Fatima-asws, and Al-Hassan-asws, and Al-Husayn-asws, and the Imams-asws from the sons-asws of Al-Husayn-asws, the last of them-asws being Al-Qaim-asws who will rise after his-asws Occultation and will kill Al-Dajjal-la, and cleanse the earth from all tyranny and injustice.’[56]
– وعن جابر بن عبد الله قال: قلت لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أول شئ خلق الله تعالى ما هو ؟ فقال: نور نبيك يا جابر، خلقه الله ثم خلق منه كل خير.
And from Jabir Bin Abdullah who said,
‘I said to Rasool-Allah-saww, ‘The first thing Allah-azwj the Exalted Created, what is it?’ He-saww said: ‘Noor of your Prophet-saww, O Jabir! Allah-azwj Created him-saww, then Created all good from him-saww.’’[57]
وعن جابر أيضا قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أول ما خلق الله نوري، ابتدعه من نوره، واشتقه من جلال عظمته.
And from Jabir as well having said,
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘The first of what Allah-azwj Created was my-saww Noor. He-azwj Commenced it from His-azwj Noor, and Derived it from the Majesty of His-azwj Magnificence.’[58]
كا: علي بن محمد، عن سهل بن زياد، عن محمد بن علي بن إبراهيم، عن علي ابن حماد، عن المفضل قال: قلت لابي عبد الله عليه السلام: كيف كنتم حيث كنتم في الاظلة ؟
Ali Bin Muhammad, from sahl Bin Ziyad, from Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ali Ibn Ahmad, from Al Mufazzal who said,
‘I said to Abu Abdullah-asws, ‘How were you-asws when you-asws were in the shadows?’
فقال: يا مفضل كنا عند ربنا ليس عنده أحد غيرنا في ظلة خضراء، نسبحه ونقدسه و نهلله ونمجده، وما من ملك مقرب ولاذي روح غيرنا حتى بدا له في خلق الاشياء، فخلق ما شاء كيف شاء من الملائكة وغيرهم، ثم أنهى علم ذلك إلينا.
‘He-asws said: ‘O Mufazzal! We-asws were with our-asws Lord-azwj. There wasn’t anyone with Him-azwj apart from us-asws in the green shade. We-asws glorified Him-azwj and extolled His-azwj Holiness, and sanctified Him-azwj and praised Him-azwj, and there was neither an Angel of Proximity nor anyone with a soul apart from us-asws, until He-azwj Began it in the creation of the things. So, He-azwj Created whatever He-azwj so Desired from the Angels and others, then Concluded the knowledge of that with us-asws.’’[59]
ختص، الإختصاص عَنْهُمْ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَنَا قَبْلَ الْخَلْقِ بِأَلْفَيْ أَلْفِ عَامٍ فَسَبَّحْنَا فَسَبَّحَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ لِتَسْبِيحِنَا.
(The book) ‘Al-Ikhtisas’ – From them-asws: ‘Allah-azwj Created us-asws before the creatures by two thousand years. We-asws glorified (Allah-azwj, so the Angels (also) glorified to our-asws glorification.’[60]
Appendix III: The Orbit of the Sun and the Effects of the Planet on Earth:
وَالشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ {38}
And the sun flows to a term Appointed for it. That is an Ordainment of the Mighty, the Knower [36:38]
وَالْقَمَرَ قَدَّرْنَاهُ مَنَازِلَ حَتَّىٰ عَادَ كَالْعُرْجُونِ الْقَدِيمِ {39}
And the moon, We Measure stages for it until it returns to be like the old palm branch [36:39]
ابن بابويه، قال: حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل، قال: حدثنا محمد بن أبي عبد الله الكوفي، عن موسى بن عمران النخعي، عن عمه الحسين بن يزيد، عن إسماعيل بن مسلم، قال: حدثنا أبو نعيم البلخي، عن مقاتل بن حيان، عن عبد الرحمن بن أبزى، عن أبي ذر الغفاري (رحمه الله)، قال: كنت آخذا بيد النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله) و نحن نتماشى [جميعا]، فما زلنا ننظر إلى الشمس حتى غابت، فقلت: يا رسول الله، أين تغيب؟
Ibn Babuwayh said, ‘It has been narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Musa Bin Al-Mutawakkil, from Muhammad Bin Abu Ubeydullah Al-Kufy, from Musa Bin Umran Al-Nakha’ie, from his uncle Al-Husayn Bin Yazeed, from Ismail Bin Muslim, from Abu Naeem Al-Balkhy, from MaqatAl-Bin Hayaan, from Abdul Rahman Bin Abzy, who has said:
Abu Zarr Al-Ghafary-ra has narrated, ‘I-ra was hand in hand with the Prophet-saww, and we were walking together, so we looked at the sun until it disappeared. So I-ra said, ‘O Rasool-Allah-saww, where does it disappear to?’
قال: «في السماء، ثم ترفع من سماء إلى سماء حتى ترفع إلى السماء السابعة العليا حتى تكون تحت العرش، فتخر ساجدة، فتسجد معها الملائكة الموكلون بها، ثم تقول: يا رب من أين تأمرني أن أطلع، أمن مغربي أم من مطلعي؟ فذلك قوله عز و جل: وَ الشَّمْسُ تَجْرِي لِمُسْتَقَرٍّ لَها ذلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ يعني بذلك صنع الرب العزيز في ملكه، العليم بخلقه».
‘He-saww said: ‘In the sky, then it rises from sky to sky until it rises to the seventh high sky, to the extent that it comes directly below the Throne. So, it pauses in prostration, and the Angels, those who are allocated to it, perform Sajdah along with it. Then it says, ‘O Lord-azwj! Where do You-azwj Command me to rise from? From my west or from my emerging?’ So those are the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: And the sun flows to a term Appointed for it. That is an Ordainment of the Mighty, the Knower [36:38], Meaning, by that what the Mighty Lord-azwj has Made in His-azwj kingdom, and the Knower of His-azwj Creation.’
قال: «فيأتيها جبرئيل بحلة ضوء من نور العرش على مقادير ساعات النهار في طوله في الصيف، أو قصره في الشتاء، أو ما بين ذلك في الخريف و الربيع- قال- فتلبس تلك الحلة كما يلبس أحدكم ثيابه ثم ينطلق بها في جو السماء حتى تطلع من مطلعها».
‘He-saww said: ‘Jibraeel-as comes to it with a garment of light from the Light of the Throne as per the hours of daylight regarding its length in the Summer, or less in the Winter, or what is between that in the Autumn and the Spring. It wears that Garment (of Light) just like one of you wears his clothes. Then it goes by it in the atmosphere of the sky until it emerges from where it emerges.’
قال النبي (صلى الله عليه و آله): «و كأني بها قد حبست مقدار ثلاث ليال، ثم لا تكسى ضوءها، و تؤمر أن تطلع من مغربها، فذلك قوله عز و جل: إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ وَ إِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ
‘The Prophet-saww said: ‘Then it is as if it has imprisoned the light for a measurement of three nights, then it does not clothe them by its illumination, and it is Commanded to emerge from its west, so that is in the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: When the sun is Wrapped up [81:1] And when the stars are Dimmed [81:2].
و القمر كذلك من مطلعه و مجراه في أفق السماء و مغربه و ارتفاعه إلى السماء السابعة، و يسجد تحت العرش، ثم يأتيه جبرئيل بالحلة من نور الكرسي، فذلك قوله عز و جل: هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ الشَّمْسَ ضِياءً وَ الْقَمَرَ نُوراً». قال أبو ذر (رحمه الله): ثم اعتزلت مع رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله) فصلينا المغرب.
‘And the moon is like that from its emergence and its flowing in the horizons of the sky, and its setting, and it’s rising to the seventh sky and performs Sajdah beneath the Throne. Then Jibraeel-as comes to it with a garment of the Light of the Chair (Al-Kursi), so that is in the Words of the Mighty and Majestic: He is the (One) Who Made the sun a brightness and the moon a light [10:5].’ Abu Zarr-ra said, ‘Then I-ra secluded myself-ra with Rasool-Allah-saww. So, we Prayed the evening (Al-Maghrib) Salat.’[61]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ عَطِيَّةَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) عَنِ الْحَرِّ وَ الْبَرْدِ مِمَّا يَكُونَانِ فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا أَيُّوبَ إِنَّ الْمِرِّيخَ كَوْكَبٌ حَارٌّ وَ زُحَلَ كَوْكَبٌ بَارِدٌ فَإِذَا بَدَأَ الْمِرِّيخُ فِي الِارْتِفَاعِ انْحَطَّ زُحَلُ وَ ذَلِكَ فِي الرَّبِيعِ فَلَا يَزَالَانِ كَذَلِكَ كُلَّمَا ارْتَفَعَ الْمِرِّيخُ دَرَجَةً انْحَطَّ زُحَلُ دَرَجَةً ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْهُرٍ حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ الْمِرِّيخُ فِي الِارْتِفَاعِ وَ يَنْتَهِيَ زُحَلُ فِي الْهُبُوطِ
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Mahboub, from Malik Bin Atiyya, from Suleyman Bin Khalid who said:
‘I asked Abu Abdullah-asws about the heat and the cold, from what do they emanate? (He-asws replied) ‘O Abu Ayyub! Mars is a hot planet and Saturn is a cold planet. So if Mars begins to rise, the Saturn goes lower, and that is in the spring. So they do not stop being like that. Every time Mars rises a level, Saturn falls for three months until the Mars ends up high and Saturn ends up in the decline.
فَيَجْلُوَ الْمِرِّيخُ فَلِذَلِكَ يَشْتَدُّ الْحَرُّ فَإِذَا كَانَ فِي آخِرِ الصَّيْفِ وَ أَوَّلِ الْخَرِيفِ بَدَأَ زُحَلُ فِي الِارْتِفَاعِ وَ بَدَأَ الْمِرِّيخُ فِي الْهُبُوطِ فَلَا يَزَالَانِ كَذَلِكَ كُلَّمَا ارْتَفَعَ زُحَلُ دَرَجَةً انْحَطَّ الْمِرِّيخُ دَرَجَةً حَتَّى يَنْتَهِيَ الْمِرِّيخُ فِي الْهُبُوطِ وَ يَنْتَهِيَ زُحَلُ فِي الِارْتِفَاعِ فَيَجْلُوَ زُحَلُ وَ ذَلِكَ فِي أَوَّلِ الشِّتَاءِ وَ آخِرِ الْخَرِيفِ فَلِذَلِكَ يَشْتَدُّ الْبَرْدُ
‘‘Therefore, due to that, for Mars that is its hottest time. So when it is at the end of the summer and the beginning of the autumn, Saturn begins to ascend and the Mars begins to descend. So these two do not stop being like that. Every time Saturn rises a level, Mars declines a level, and that is at the beginning of the winter and at the end of the summer. Thus, due to that the cold is intense.
وَ كُلَّمَا ارْتَفَعَ هَذَا هَبَطَ هَذَا وَ كُلَّمَا هَبَطَ هَذَا ارْتَفَعَ هَذَا فَإِذَا كَانَ فِي الصَّيْفِ يَوْمٌ بَارِدٌ فَالْفِعْلُ فِي ذَلِكَ لِلْقَمَرِ وَ إِذَا كَانَ فِي الشِّتَاءِ يَوْمٌ حَارٌّ فَالْفِعْلُ فِي ذَلِكَ لِلشَّمْسِ هَذَا تَقْدِيرُ الْعَزِيزِ الْعَلِيمِ وَ أَنَا عَبْدُ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.
‘Every time, this one rises, this one comes down, and every time this one comes down, this one rises. So if there is a cold day in the summer, so that is the action of the Moon, and if there is a hot day in the winter, so that action is due to the Sun. That is an Ordainment of the Mighty, the Knower [36:38], and I-asws am the servant of the Lord-azwj of the Worlds.’[62]
Appendix IV: Those who lived before the creation of Prophet Adam-as on Earth
أَخْبَرَنِيَ الشَّيْخُ عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ النَّيْشَابُورِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَخْبَرَنَا السَّيِّدُ أَبُو الْبَرَكَاتِ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ الْجَوْزِيُ أَخْبَرَنَا الشَّيْخُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبِي وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ قَالا أَخْبَرَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ
I am informed by Ali Bin Ali Bin Abdul Samad Al Neshapuri from his father, ‘We are informed by the Seyyid Abu Al Barkaat Ali Bin Al-Husayn Al Jowzy, ‘We are informed by the sheikh Abu Ja’far Muhammad Bin Ali Bin Al-Husayn Bin Babuwayh, ‘We are informed by my father and Muhammad Bin Al-Hassan Bin Ahmad Bin Al Waleed, both said, ‘We are informed by Sa’ad Bin Abdullah, ‘We are informed by Muhammad Bin Al-Husayn Bin Abu Al Khattab, ‘We are informed by Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Amro Bin Abu Al Miqdam, from Jabir,
عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع هَلْ كَانَ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ قَبْلَ آدَمَ ع وَ ذُرِّيَّتِهِ
From Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Amir Al-Momineen-asws was asked, ‘Were there any creatures from the creatures of Allah-azwj in the earth worshipping Allah-azwj before Adam-as and his-as offspring?’
فَقَالَ نَعَمْ قَدْ كَانَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ خَلْقٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ يُقَدِّسُونَ اللَّهَ وَ يُسَبِّحُونَهُ وَ يُعَظِّمُونَهُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ لا يَفْتُرُونَ
‘He-asws said: ‘Yes. There have been in the skies and the earth creatures from the creatures of Allah-azwj extolling Holiness of Allah-azwj and glorifying Him-azwj and Revering Him-azwj by the night and the day, not taking a break.
وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الْأَرَضِينَ خَلَقَهَا قَبْلَ السَّمَاوَاتِ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ رُوحَانِيِّينَ لَهُمْ أَجْنِحَةٌ يَطِيرُونَ بِهَا حَيْثُ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ فَأَسْكَنَهُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنَ أَطْبَاقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ يُقَدِّسُونَهُ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ وَ اصْطَفَى مِنْهُمْ إِسْرَافِيلَ وَ مِيكَائِيلَ وَ جَبْرَائِيلَ
‘‘And when Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created the earths, (He-azwj) Created these before the skies. Then He-azwj Created the Angels as spiritual beings having wings for them flying with these wherever Allah-azwj so Desired. He-azwj Settled them in what is between layers of the skies, extolling His-azwj Holiness during the night and the day, and from them He-azwj Chose Israfeel-as and Mikaeel-as and Jibraeel-as.
ثُمَّ خَلَقَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْجِنَّ رُوحَانِيِّينَ لَهُمْ أَجْنِحَةٌ فَخَلَقَهُمْ دُونَ خَلْقِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ حَفِظَهُمْ أَنْ يَبْلُغُوا مَبْلَغَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فِي الطَّيَرَانِ وَ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ فَأَسْكَنَهُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنَ أَطْبَاقِ الْأَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ وَ فَوْقَهُنَّ يُقَدِّسُونَ اللَّهَ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهارَ لا يَفْتُرُونَ
‘’Then He-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created the Jinn on the earth as spiritual beings having wings for them, lower than creation of the Angels, and Preserved them from reaching the extent of the Angels in the flight and other than that. He-azwj Settled them in what is between layers of the seven earths and above them, extolling the Holiness of Allah-azwj night and day, not taking a break.
ثُمَّ خَلَقَ خَلْقاً دُونَهُمْ لَهُمْ أَبْدَانٌ وَ أَرْوَاحٌ بِغَيْرِ أَجْنِحَةٍ يَأْكُلُونَ وَ يَشْرَبُونَ نَسْنَاسٌ أَشْبَاهُ خَلْقِهِمْ وَ لَيْسُوا بِإِنْسٍ وَ أَسْكَنَهُمْ أَوْسَاطَ الْأَرْضِ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الْأَرْضِ مَعَ الْجِنِّ يُقَدِّسُونَ اللَّهَ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهارَ لا يَفْتُرُونَ
‘‘Then He-azwj Created creatures lower than them having (physical) bodies for them and souls without any wings, eating and drinking, (called) ‘Nasnaas’ (apes), resembling their creation but, they weren’t humans, and He-azwj Settled them in the midst of the earth, upon the surface of the earth along with the Jinn, extolling His-azwj Holiness night and day not taking a break.’
قَالَ وَ كَانَ الْجِنُّ تَطِيرُ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَتَلْقَى الْمَلَائِكَةَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ فَيُسَلِّمُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ يَزُورُونَهُمْ وَ يَسْتَرِيحُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَ يَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنْهُمُ الْخَيْرَ
‘He-asws said: ‘And the Jinn were flying in the sky, so they would meet the Angels in the skies, greet them, visit them and rest with them and learn the news from them.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ طَائِفَةً مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ الَّذِينَ خَلَقَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَ أَسْكَنَهُمْ أَوْسَاطَ الْأَرْضِ مَعَ الْجِنِّ تَمَرَّدُوا وَ عَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَمَرَحُوا وَ بَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَ عَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْعُتُوِّ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى حَتَّى سَفَكُوا الدِّمَاءَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ وَ أَظْهَرُوا الْفَسَادَ وَ جَحَدُوا رُبُوبِيَّةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى
‘‘Then groups of the Jinn and the Nasnaas, those whom Allah-azwj Created them and Settled them in the midst of the earth along with the Jinn, rebelled and transgressed of (what) Allah-azwj Commanded. They were merry-making and rebelled in the earth without right, and exalted upon each other in the defiance of Allah-azwj the Exalted until they shed the blood in what was between them, and they manifested the corruptions and rejected the Lordship of Allah-azwj the Exalted.’
قَالَ وَ أَقَامَتِ الطَّائِفَةُ الْمُطِيعُونَ مِنَ الْجِنِّ عَلَى رِضْوَانِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ طَاعَتِهِ وَ بَايَنُوا الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ اللَّذَيْنِ عَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ
‘He-asws said: ‘And a group from the Jinn stayed obedient, being upon the Pleasure of Allah-azwj the Exalted and they obeyed Him-azwj and separated from the two groups of the Jinn and the Nasnaas, those who had been insolent of the Commands of Allah-azwj.’
قَالَ فَحَطَّ اللَّهُ أَجْنِحَةَ الطَّائِفَةِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ الَّذِينَ عَتَوْا عَنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ وَ تَمَرَّدُوا فَكَانُوا لَا يَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى الطَّيَرَانِ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ إِلَى مُلَاقَاةِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ لِمَا ارْتَكَبُوا مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَ الْمَعَاصِي
‘He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Dropped the wings of the group of Jinn, those who had been insolent of the Commands of Allah-azwj and rebelled. So, they were no longer able upon the flying to the sky and meeting the Angels due to what they had perpetrated from the sins and the acts of disobedience.
قَالَ وَ كَانَتِ الطَّائِفَةُ الْمُطِيعَةُ لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ تَطِيرُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ اللَّيْلَ وَ النَّهَارَ عَلَى مَا كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ إِبْلِيسُ وَ اسْمُهُ الْحَارِثُ يُظْهِرُ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ أَنَّهُ مِنَ الطَّائِفَةِ الْمُطِيعَةِ
‘‘And the group from the Jinn obedient to the Commands of Allah-azwj were flying to the sky night and day upon what they had been upon, and Iblees-la, and his-la name was ‘Al-Haris’ manifested to the Angels that he-la was from the obedient group.
ثُمَّ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى خَلْقاً عَلَى خِلَافِ خَلْقِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ عَلَى خِلَافِ خَلْقِ الْجِنِ وَ عَلَى خِلَافِ خَلْقِ النَّسْنَاسِ يَدِبُّونَ كَمَا يَدِبُّ الْهَوَامُّ فِي الْأَرْضِ يَشْرَبُونَ وَ يَأْكُلُونَ كَمَا تَأْكُلُ الْأَنْعَامُ مِنْ مَرَاعِي الْأَرْضِ
‘‘Then Allah-azwj the Exalted Created creatures different to the creation of the Angels and different to the creation of the Jinn, and different to the creation of the Nasnaas. They were crawling in the earth, drinking and eating just as the cattle eat from the pastures of the earth.
كُلُّهُمْ ذُكْرَانٌ لَيْسَ فِيهِمْ إِنَاثٌ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ شَهْوَةَ النِّسَاءِ وَ لَا حُبَّ الْأَوْلَادِ وَ لَا الْحِرْصَ وَ لَا طُولَ الْأَمَلِ وَ لَا لَذَّةَ عَيْشٍ لَا يُلْبِسُهُمُ اللَّيْلُ وَ لَا يَغْشَاهُمُ النَّهَارُ وَ لَيْسُوا بِبَهَائِمَ وَ لَا هَوَامَّ وَ لِبَاسُهُمْ وَرَقُ الشَّجَرِ وَ شُرْبُهُمْ مِنَ الْعُيُونِ الْغِزَارِ وَ الْأَوْدِيَةِ الْكِبَارِ
‘‘All of them were males, there wasn’t any female among them, and Allah-azwj did not Make lust for the women in them nor love of the child, nor greed, nor long hopes, nor pleasures of like. Neither did the night cover them nor did the day overwhelm them, and they were neither beasts nor vermin, and their clothing was leaves of the trees and their drink was from the abundant springs and the large valleys.
ثُمَّ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُفَرِّقَهُمْ فِرْقَتَيْنِ فَجَعَلَ فِرْقَةً خَلْفَ مَطْلَعِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْبَحْرِ فَكَوَّنَ لَهُمْ مَدِينَةً أَنْشَأَهَا لَهُمْ تُسَمَّى جَابَرْسَا طُولُهَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفَ فَرْسَخٍ فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ فَرْسَخٍ وَ كَوَّنَ عَلَيْهَا سُوراً مِنْ حَدِيدٍ يَقْطَعُ الْأَرْضَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ أَسْكَنَهُمْ فِيهَا
‘‘Then Allah-azwj Wanted to Separated them into two sects. He-azwj Made a sect to be behind emergence of the sun from behind the sea. He-azwj Created a city for them, Developed it for them, called ‘Jabarsa.’ Its length (area) was twelve thousand Farsakhs (64800 kms.) by twelve thousand Farsakhs (64800 kms.), and Created a bridge of iron cutting the earth to the sky. Then He-azwj Settled them in it.
وَ أَسْكَنَ الْفِرْقَةَ الْأُخْرَى خَلْفَ مَغْرِبِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ وَرَاءِ الْبَحْرِ وَ كَوَّنَ لَهُمْ مَدِينَةً أَنْشَأَهَا تُسَمَّى جَابَلْقَا طُولُهَا اثْنَا عَشَرَ أَلْفَ فَرْسَخٍ فِي اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ أَلْفَ فَرْسَخٍ وَ كَوَّنَ لَهُمْ سُوراً مِنْ حَدِيدٍ يَقْطَعُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَأَسْكَنَ الْفِرْقَةَ الْأُخْرَى فِيهَا
‘‘And He-azwj Settled the other sect behind the west of the sun from behind the sea, and Created a city for them, Developing it (for them), Naming it as ‘Jabalqa.’ Its length (area) was twelve thousand Farsakhs by twelve thousand Farsakhs (64800 sq. kms.), and Created for them a bridge of iron cutting to the sky. He-azwj Settled the second sect in it.
لَا يَعْلَمُ أَهْلُ جَابَرْسَا بِمَوْضِعِ أَهْلِ جَابَلْقَا وَ لَا يَعْلَمُ أَهْلُ جَابَلْقَا بِمَوْضِعِ أَهْلِ جَابَرْسَا وَ لَا يَعْلَمُ بِهِمْ أَهْلُ أَوْسَاطِ الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ وَ كَانَتِ الشَّمْسُ تَطْلُعُ عَلَى أَهْلِ أَوْسَاطِ الْأَرْضِ مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ فَيَنْتَفِعُونَ بِحَرِّهَا وَ يَسْتَضِيئُونَ بِنُورِهَا ثُمَ تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ
‘‘The people of Jabarsa did not know the place of the people of Jabalqa, nor did the people of Jabalqa know of the place of the people of Jabarsa, not did people of the middle earth, from the Jinn and Nasnaas know of them. The sun used to emerge upon people of the middle earth, from the Jinn and the Nasnaas so they were benefiting from its heat and being illuminated by its light, then it set in a muddy spring, [18:86].
فَلَا يَعْلَمُ بِهَا أَهْلُ جَابَلْقَا إِذَا غَرَبَتْ وَ لَا يَعْلَمُ بِهَا أَهْلِ جَابَرْسَا إِذَا طَلَعَتْ لِأَنَّهَا تَطْلُعُ مِنْ دُونِ جَابَرْسَا وَ تَغْرُبُ مِنْ دُونِ جَابَلْقَا
‘‘So, the people of Jabalqa were not known with when it set, nor were the people of Jabarsa known when it emerged, because it emerged from below Jabarsa and set from below Jabalqa.’
فَقِيلَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَكَيْفَ يُبْصِرُونَ وَ يَحْيَوْنَ وَ كَيْفَ يَأْكُلُونَ وَ يَشْرَبُونَ وَ لَيْسَ تَطْلُعُ الشَّمْسُ عَلَيْهِمْ
‘It was said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen-asws! How were they seeing and living, and how were they eating and drinking and the sun wasn’t emerging upon them?’
فَقَالَ ص إِنَّهُمْ يَسْتَضِيئُونَ بِنُورِ اللَّهِ فَهُمْ فِي أَشَدِّ ضَوْءٍ مِنْ نُورِ الشَّمْسِ وَ لَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ شَمْساً وَ لَا قَمَراً وَ لَا نُجُوماً وَ لَا كَوَاكِبَ وَ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ شَيْئاً غَيْرَهُ
‘He-asws said: ‘They were being illuminated by the Noor of Allah-azwj, so they were in more intense illumination than the light of the sun, and they were not viewing that Allah-azwj had Created a sun, nor a moon, nor stars, nor planets, nor were they recognising anything other than Him-azwj!’
فَقِيلَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَأَيْنَ إِبْلِيسُ عَنْهُمْ
‘It was said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen-asws! So where was Iblees-la from them?’
قَالَ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ إِبْلِيسَ وَ لَا سَمِعُوا بِذِكْرِهِ لَا يَعْرِفُونَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَمْ يَكْتَسِبْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ قَطُّ خَطِيئَةً وَ لَمْ يَقْتَرِفْ إِثْماً لَا يَسْقُمُونَ وَ لَا يَهْرَمُونَ وَ لَا يَمُوتُونَ يَعْبُدُونَ اللَّهَ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ لا يَفْتُرُونَ اللَّيْلُ وَ النَّهَارُ عِنْدَهُمْ سَوَاءٌ
‘He-asws said: ‘They neither knew of Iblees-la nor had they heard his-la mention. They were not recognising except Allah-azwj Alone, there being no associate for Him-azwj. Not one of them earned a minor sin nor perpetrated a major sin. They neither get sick, nor grow old, nor die. They are worshipping Allah-azwj until the Day of Qiyamah, not taking a break. The night and the day are the same in their presence.
قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ خَلْقاً وَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدَ مَا مَضَى مِنَ الْجِنِ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ سَبْعَةَ آلَافِ سَنَةٍ فَلَمَّا كَانَ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ آدَمَ لِلَّذِي أَرَادَ مِنَ التَّدْبِيرِ وَ التَّقْدِيرِ فِيمَا هُوَ مُكَوِّنُهُ مِنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرَضِينَ كَشَفَ عَنْ أَطْبَاقِ السَّمَاوَاتِ
‘He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Loved to Create creatures, and that was after seven thousand years had passed from the Jinn and the Nasnaas. When it was from the creation of Allah-azwj that He-azwj Created Adam-as for (the purpose) which-azwj He-azwj Wanted, of the design and the destiny in what He-azwj would Bring about from the skies and the earths, He-azwj Uncovered from layers of the skies.
ثُمَّ قَالَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ انْظُرُوا إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ خَلْقِي مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَ النَّسْنَاسِ هَلْ تَرْضَوْنَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَ طَاعَتَهُمْ لِي
‘‘Then He-azwj Said to the Angels: ‘Look at the people of the Earth from My-azwj creatures from the Jinn and the Nasnaas! Are you pleased with their deeds and their obedience to Me-azwj?’
فَاطَّلَعَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ رَأَوْا مَا يَعْمَلُونَ فِيهَا مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي وَ سَفْكِ الدِّمَاءِ وَ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ أَعْظَمُوا ذَلِكَ وَ غَضِبُوا لِلَّهِ وَ أَسِفُوا عَلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ وَ لَمْ يَمْلِكُوا غَضَبَهُمْ
‘‘The Angels looked and saw what they were doing in it, from the acts of disobedience and shedding of the blood and the corruption in the earth without right. They consider that grievous and were angered for Allah-azwj and felt pity upon people of the earth, and they could not control their anger.
وَ قَالُوا رَبَّنَا أَنْتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْجَبَّارُ الظَّاهِرُ الْعَظِيمُ الشَّأْنِ وَ هَؤُلَاءِ كُلُّهُمْ خَلْقُكَ الضَّعِيفُ الذَّلِيلُ فِي أَرْضِكَ كُلُّهُمْ يَنْقَلِبُونَ فِي قَبْضَتِكَ وَ يَعِيشُونَ بِرِزْقِكَ وَ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ بِعَافِيَتِكَ وَ هُمْ يَعْصُونَكَ بِمِثْلِ هَذِهِ الذُّنُوبِ الْعِظَامِ لَا تَغْضَبُ وَ لَا تَنْتَقِمُ مِنْهُمْ لِنَفْسِكَ بِمَا تَسْمَعُ مِنْهُمْ وَ تَرَى وَ قَدْ عَظُمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْنَا وَ أَكْبَرْنَاهُ فِيكَ
‘‘And they said, ‘Our Lord-azwj! You-azwj are the Mighty, the Compeller, the Mighty of Glory, and all of them are Your-azwj creatures, weak, disgraceful in Your-azwj earth. All of them are turning in Your-azwj Grip and are living with Your-azwj sustenance and are enjoying with Your-azwj Given well-being, and yet they are disobeying You-azwj with the likes of these mighty sins. You-azwj are neither getting Angered nor are You-azwj Taking revenge from them for Yourself-azwj due to what You-azwj Hear from them, and You-azwj See, and that is grievous upon us, and we are considering it immense regarding You-azwj!’
قَالَ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى مَقَالَةَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ قَالَ إِنِّي جاعِلٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَلِيفَةً فَيَكُونُ حُجَّتِي عَلَى خَلْقِي فِي الْأَرْضِ
‘‘When Allah-azwj the Exalted Heard the words of the Angels, He-azwj Said: ‘I am going to Make a Caliph in the earth [2:30], so He-azwj would be My-azwj caliph in My-azwj earth!’
فَقَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ سُبْحَانَكَ رَبَّنَا أَ تَجْعَلُ فِيها مَنْ يُفْسِدُ فِيها وَ يَسْفِكُ الدِّماءَ وَ نَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَ نُقَدِّسُ لَكَ
‘‘The Angels said: ‘Glory be to You-azwj, our Lord-azwj: Are You going to Make in it one who will make mischief therein and shed the blood, and we Glorify with Your Praise and we extol Your Holiness? [2:30].’
فَقَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يَا مَلَائِكَتِي إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ إِنِّي أَخْلُقُ خَلْقاً بِيَدِي أَجْعَلُهُمْ خُلَفَائِي عَلَى خَلْقِي فِي أَرْضِي يَنْهَوْنَهُمْ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِي وَ يُنْذِرُونَهُمْ وَ يَهْدُونَهُمْ إِلَى طَاعَتِي وَ يَسْلُكُونَ بِهِمْ طَرِيقَ سَبِيلِي أَجْعَلُهُمْ حُجَّةً لِي عُذْراً وَ نُذْراً
‘‘Allah-azwj the Exalted Said: “O My-azwj Angels! I Know what you do not know [2:30]. I-azwj shall Create creatures with My-azwj Hand. I-azwj shall Make them My-azwj caliphs upon My-azwj creatures in My-azwj earth, forbidding them from disobeying Me-azwj and warning them (of My-azwj Punishment) and guiding them to obey Me-azwj, and travel with them in My-azwj way! I-azwj will Make them Divine authorities for Me-azwj for excusing and warning!
وَ أَنْفِي الشَّيَاطِينَ مِنْ أَرْضِي وَ أُطَهِّرُهَا مِنْهُمْ فَأُسْكِنُهُمْ فِي الْهَوَاءِ مِنْ أَقْطَارِ الْأَرْضِ وَ فِي الْفَيَافِي فَلَا يَرَاهُمْ خَلْقٌ وَ لَا يَرَوْنَ شَخْصَهُمْ وَ لَا يُجَالِسُونَهُمْ وَ لَا يُخَالِطُونَهُمْ وَ لَا يُؤَاكِلُونَهُمْ وَ لَا يُشَارِبُونَهُمْ
‘‘‘And I-azwj shall Expel the devils from My-azwj earth and Purify it from them. I-azwj shall Settle them in the air from the outskirts of the earth and in the deserts. So, no creature will see them, nor see their persons, nor sit with them, nor mingle with them, nor eat with them, nor drink with them!
وَ أُنَفِّرُ مَرَدَةَ الْجِنِّ الْعُصَاةَ عَنْ نَسْلِ بَرِيَّتِي وَ خَلْقِي وَ خِيَرَتِي فَلَا يُجَاوِرُونَ خَلْقِي وَ أَجْعَلُ بَيْنَ خَلْقِي وَ بَيْنَ الْجَانِّ حِجَاباً فَلَا يَرَى خَلْقِي شَخْصَ الْجِنِّ وَ لَا يُجَالِسُونَهُمْ وَ لَا يُشَارِبُونَهُمْ وَ لَا يَتَهَجَّمُونَ تَهَجُّمَهُمْ
‘‘‘And I-azwj shall Drive away the rebellious Jinn from the offspring of My-azwj Created beings, and My-azwj creatures and My-azwj Chosen ones. So they will not be in the vicinity of My-azwj creatures, and I-saww shall Make a veil to be between My-azwj creatures and the Jinn. Thus, My-azwj creatures will not see persons of the Jinn nor will they sit with them, nor drink with them, nor will they intrude upon them with an intrusion!
وَ مَنْ عَصَانِي مِنْ نَسْلِ خَلْقِيَ الَّذِي عَظَّمْتُهُ وَ اصْطَفَيْتُهُ لِغَيْبِي أُسْكِنُهُمْ مَسَاكِنَ الْعُصَاةِ وَ أُورِدُهُمْ مَوْرِدَهُمْ وَ لَا أُبَالِي
‘‘‘And one from the offspring of My-azwj creatures who disobey Me-azwj, those I-azwj Exalt and Choose for My-azwj hidden matters, I-azwj will Settle them in dwellings of the disobedient, and I-azwj will Make them arrive to their arrivals, and I-azwj will not Care!’
فَقَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ لا عِلْمَ لَنا إِلَّا ما عَلَّمْتَنا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ
‘‘The Angels said, ‘There is no knowledge for us except what You Taught us; surely You are the Knowing, the Wise [2:31].’
فَقَالَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي خالِقٌ بَشَراً مِنْ صَلْصالٍ مِنْ حَمَإٍ مَسْنُونٍ فَإِذا سَوَّيْتُهُ وَ نَفَخْتُ فِيهِ مِنْ رُوحِي فَقَعُوا لَهُ ساجِدِينَ
‘‘He-azwj Said to the Angels: ‘I will Create a person from clay of matured mud, altered [15:28] So when I Complete him and Blow into him from My Spirit, then fall down towards him in Sajdah [15:29].’
قَالَ وَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَقْدِمَةً لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُ احْتِجَاجاً مِنْهُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ مَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُغَيِّرَ مَا بِقَوْمٍ إِلَّا بَعْدَ الْحُجَّةِ عُذْراً أَوْ نُذْراً
‘He-asws said: ‘And that happened as a prelude to the Angels before He-azwj had Created him-as as an Argument from Him-azwj upon them, and it was not for Allah-azwj to Change whatever is with a people except after the Argument, as an excuse and a warning.
فَأَمَرَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى مَلَكاً مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَاغْتَرَفَ غُرْفَةً بِيَمِينِهِ فَصَلْصَلَهَا فِي كَفِّهِ فَجَمَدَتْ فَقَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْكِ أَخْلُقُ.
‘‘The Blessed and Exalted Commanded an Angel from the Angels, so he scooped out a scoop with his right hand and kneaded it in his palm, and it became firm. Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “From you I-azwj shall Create!”’[63]
Appendix V: The study of astronomy and religion
عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَيَابَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) جُعِلْتُ لَكَ الْفِدَاءَ إِنَّ النَّاسَ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ النُّجُومَ لَا يَحِلُّ النَّظَرُ فِيهَا وَ هِيَ تُعْجِبُنِي فَإِنْ كَانَتْ تُضِرُّ بِدِينِي فَلَا حَاجَةَ لِي فِي شَيْءٍ يُضِرُّ بِدِينِي وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ لَا تُضِرُّ بِدِينِي فَوَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأَشْتَهِيهَا وَ أَشْتَهِي النَّظَرَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ لَيْسَ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ لَا تُضِرُّ بِدِينِكَ
A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Ibn Fazzaal, from Al-Hassan Bin Asbaat, from Abdul Rahman Bin Sayaabat who said:
‘I said to Abu Abdullah-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you-asws, the people are saying that it is not permissible to study the stars, and this has surprised me. So, if it is harmful for my Religion, so there is no need for me to do anything which harms my Religion, and if it is not harmful to my Religion, by Allah-azwj I love it and it is my desire to study it.’ So he-asws said: ‘This is not as they are saying it to be. It does not harm your Religion.’
ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّكُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْهَا كَثِيرُهُ لَا يُدْرَكُ وَ قَلِيلُهُ لَا يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ تَحْسُبُونَ عَلَى طَالِعِ الْقَمَرِ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَ تَدْرِي كَمْ بَيْنَ الْمُشْتَرِي وَ الزُّهَرَةِ مِنْ دَقِيقَةٍ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَ فَتَدْرِي كَمْ بَيْنَ الزُّهَرَةِ وَ بَيْنَ الْقَمَرِ مِنْ دَقِيقَةٍ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ أَ فَتَدْرِي كَمْ بَيْنَ الشَّمْسِ وَ بَيْنَ السُّنْبُلَةِ مِنْ دَقِيقَةٍ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ الْمُنَجِّمِينَ قَطُّ قَالَ أَ فَتَدْرِي كَمْ بَيْنَ السُّنْبُلَةِ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّوْحِ الْمَحْفُوظِ مِنْ دَقِيقَةٍ قُلْتُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنَ مُنَجِّمٍ قَطُّ قَالَ مَا بَيْنَ كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا إِلَى صَاحِبِهِ سِتُّونَ أَوْ سَبْعُونَ دَقِيقَةً
‘Then he-asws said; ‘You are studying something, a lot of which you are unaware of, and a small amount of it is not beneficial. You are calculating the rise of the Moon.’ Then he-asws said: ‘Do you know how many minutes there are in between Jupiter and Venus?’ I said, ‘No, by Allah-azwj.’ He-asws said: ‘Do you know how many minutes there are in between the Venus and the Moon?’ I said, ‘No.’ He-asws said: ‘Do you know how many minutes there are in between the Sun and the Virgo?’ I said, ‘No, by Allah-azwj, I have not heard from any one from the astrologers at all.’ He-asws said: ‘What is in between each one of these at its counterpart are sixty or seventy minutes.’’
[شَكَّ عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ] ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ هَذَا حِسَابٌ إِذَا حَسَبَهُ الرَّجُلُ وَ وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ عَرَفَ الْقَصَبَةَ الَّتِي فِي وَسَطِ الْأَجَمَةِ وَ عَدَدَ مَا عَنْ يَمِينِهَا وَ عَدَدَ مَا عَنْ يَسَارِهَا وَ عَدَدَ مَا خَلْفَهَا وَ عَدَدَ مَا أَمَامَهَا حَتَّى لَا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ مِنْ قَصَبِ الْأَجَمَةِ وَاحِدَةٌ.
Abdul Rahman expressed his doubt. Then he-asws said: ‘O Abdul Rahman, this is a calculation, which if the man calculates, he would come to know the reed in the middle of the bush, and the number (of reeds) which are on the right of it and the number (of reeds) which are on the left of it, and the number (of reeds) which are behind it, and the number (of reeds) which are in front of it, to the extent that there would not remain hidden from him a single reed from the bush.’[64]
الطبرسي: روى العياشي في (تفسيره)، بالإسناد عن الأشعث بن حاتم، قال: كنت بخراسان حيث اجتمع الرضا (عليه السلام)، و الفضل بن سهل، و المأمون في الإيوان بمرو، فوضعت المائدة، فقال الرضا (عليه السلام): «إن رجلا من بني إسرائيل سألني بالمدينة، فقال: النهار خلق قبل، أم الليل، فما عندكم؟»
Al-Tabarsy – Ayyashi has reported in his commentary, by the chain from Al-Ash’as Bin Hatim who said,
‘I was in Khurasan where I met Al-Reza-asws, and Al-Fadhl Bin Sahl and Al-Mamoun, and the table was set (for a meal). Al-Reza-asws said: ‘A man from the Children of Israel asked me-asws in the city. He said, ‘Was the day Created first, or the night, what is (the information) with you-asws?’’
قال: فأداروا الكلام، فلم يكن عندهم في ذلك شيء، فقال الفضل للرضا (عليه السلام): أخبرنا بها، أصلحك الله.
The discussion went in circular arguments, and there did not happen to be anything with them with regards to that. Al-Fadhl said to Al-Reza-asws, ‘Inform us about that, may Allah-azwj Keep you-asws well.’
قال: «نعم، من القرآن، أم من الحساب؟» قال الفضل: من جهة الحساب.
‘He-asws said: ‘Yes, from the Quran or from the calculation?’ Al-Fadhl said, ‘From the mathematical calculation.’
فقال: «قد علمت- يا فضل- أن طالع الدنيا السرطان، و الكواكب في مواضع شرفها، فزحل في الميزان، و المشتري في السرطان، و الشمس في الحمل، و القمر في الثور، فذلك يدل على كينونة الشمس في الحمل في العاشر من الطالع في وسط السماء، فالنهار خلق قبل الليل».
‘He-asws said: ‘You should know that – O Fadhl – the world follows Cancer, and the stars are in positions of honour. ‘Fazhal’ is in Libra, and the Jupiter is in Cancer, and the Sun is in Aries, and the moon is in Taurus. That is how it evidences upon the Aries of the sun in the tenth house in the middle of the sky. Thus, the day was Created before the night.’’[65]
وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ ۖ كُلٌّ فِي فَلَكٍ يَسْبَحُونَ {33}
And He is the One Who Created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon; all floating in their orbits [21:33]
– حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْخَشَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ عَيْنِ شَمْسِكُمْ هَذِهِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَيْنَ شَمْسٍ فِيهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ وَ إِنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ قَمَرِكُمْ أَرْبَعِينَ قَمَراً فِيهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ لَا يَدْرُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ أَمْ لَمْ يَخْلُقْهُ أُلْهِمُوا إِلْهَاماً لَعْنَةَ فُلَانٍ وَ فُلَانٍ.
It is narrated to us by Ahmad Bin Musa, from Al Husayn Bin Musa Al Khashab, from Ali Bin Hassan, from Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer,
From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Behind the eye of this sun of yours there are forty eyes of the sun wherein are a lot of creatures, and from behind your moon that are forty moons wherein are a large number of creatures, not knowing whether Allah-azwj Created Adam-as or did not Created him-as. They are Inspired with Inspiration to curse so and so, and so and so (Abu Bakr and Umar).’[66]
حَدَّثَنَا بمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ شَمْسِكُمْ هَذِهِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَيْنَ شَمْسٍ مَا بَيْنَ شَمْسٍ إِلَى شَمْسٍ أَرْبَعُونَ عَاماً فِيهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ أَوْ لَمْ يَخْلُقْهُ
It is narrated to us by Muhammad Bin Isa, from Yunus, from Abdul Samad, from Jabir,
From Abu Ja’far-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I heard him-asws saying: ‘Behind this sun of yours there are forty eyes of the sun, what is between a sun to a sun there are forty millennia (travel distance). Therein are numerous creatures not knowing whether Allah-azwj Created Adam-as or did not Create him-as.
وَ إِنَّ مِنْ وَرَاءِ قَمَرِكُمْ هَذَا أَرْبَعِينَ قَمَراً مَا بَيْنَ قَمَرٍ إِلَى قَمَرٍ مَسِيرَةُ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً فِيهَا خَلْقٌ كَثِيرٌ مَا يَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ آدَمَ أَوْ لَمْ يَخْلُقْهُ
‘‘And from behind this moon of yours there are forty moons, in what is between a moon to a moon there is a travel distance of forty days. Therein are numerous creatures not knowing whether Allah-azwj Created Adam-as or did not Create him-as.
قَدْ أُلْهِمُوا كَمَا أُلْهِمَتِ النَّحْلُ لَعْنةَ الْأَوَّلِ وَ الثَّانِي فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ مِنَ الْأَوْقَاتِ وَ قَدْ وُكِّلَ بِهِمْ مَلَائِكَةٌ مَتَى لَمْ يَلْعَنُوهُمَا عُذِّبُوا.
‘‘They have (all) been Inspired just as the bees are Inspired, to curse the first (Abu Bakr) and the second (Umar) during all times from the timings, and Angels has been allocated with punishing them when they do not curse them.’’[67]
Friday is the Shortest of the Days of the Week:
29 وَ سُئِلَ الصَّادِقُ ع عَنِ الشَّمْسِ كَيْفَ تَرْكُدُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ وَ لَا يَكُونُ لَهَا يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ رُكُودٌ قَالَ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَضْيَقَ الْأَيَّامِ
And Al-Sadiq-asws was asked about the sun, how it stalls every day and there does not happen to be any stalling on the day of Friday. He-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made the day of Friday to be the narrowest (shortest) of the days.’
فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَ لِمَ جَعَلَهُ أَضْيَقَ الْأَيَّامِ قَالَ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُعَذِّبُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ لِحُرْمَتِهِ عِنْدَهُ.
It was said to him-asws, ‘And why did He-azwj Make it to be narrowest?’ He-asws said; ‘Because He-azwj does not Punish the Polytheists during that day due to it’s sanctity in His-azwj Presence.’[68]
32- الْمُتَهَجِّدُ، رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: قُلْتُ بَلَغَنِي أَنَّ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ أَقْصَرُ الْأَيَّامِ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ هُوَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ ذَاكَ
(The book) ‘Al Mutahajjid’ – It is reported by Muhammad Bin Ismail Bin Bazie,
From Abu Al-Hassan-asws Al-Reza-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘It has reached me that the day of Friday is shortest of the days.’ He-asws said: ‘It is like that.’ I said, ‘How is that so?’
قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْمَعُ أَرْوَاحَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ تَحْتَ عَيْنِ الشَّمْسِ فَإِذَا كَدَرَتِ الشَّمْسُ عُذِّبَتْ أَرْوَاحُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِرُكُودِ الشَّمْسِ فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْجُمُعَةِ رَفَعَ عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ لِفَضْلِ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَلَا يَكُونُ لِلشَّمْسِ رُكُودٌ.
‘Abu Abdullah-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Gathers the souls of the Polytheists beneath an eye of the sun. So when the sun stalls, the souls of the Polytheists are Punishment by the stalling of the sun. When it is the day of Friday, the Punishment is Raised from them due to the merit of the day of Friday, so stalling does not take place for the sun.’’[69]
[1] https://hubeali.com/stones-of-paradise-and-stones-in-rings/
[2] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج54، ص: 48, H. 27
[3] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج3، ص: 307, H. 44
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophet-saww, Ch 1 H 10
[5] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج3، ص: 307, H. 44
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophet-saww, Ch 1 H 29
[7] التوحيد: 324/ 1
[8] عيون أخبار الرّضا (عليه السّلام) 1: 134/ 33. (Extract)
[9] عيون أخبار الرّضا (عليه السّلام) 1: 134/ 33. (Extract)
[10] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 120/ 7.
[11] الكافي 8: 145/ 117
[12] Qasas Al Anbiya-as – H 15 and البحار، الجزء( 11/ 180) برقم( 3) و الجزء( 99/ 42) برقم( 25).
[13] Qasas Al Anbiya-as – H 44 (and) بحار الأنوار( 11/ 266- 267)، برقم:( 15).
[14] تفسير القمي، ج1، ص: 358
[15] تفسير الصافي، ج3، ص: 384
[16] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج54، ص: 48, H. 27
[17] عنه، عن أبيه، عن بعض أصحابه، عن عمرو بن شمر، عن جابر، عن أبي جعفر (ع) قال: إن الله تبارك وتعالى كان وليس شئ غيره نورا لا ظلام فيه، وصدقا لا كذب فيه، وعلما لا جهل فيه، وحيوة لا موت فيه، وكذلك هو اليوم، وكذلك لا يزال أبدا.
From him, from his father, from one of his companions, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Blessed and High was, and there was nothing apart from Him-azwj. There was Noor (Light) with no darkness in it, and Truthfulness with no lies in it, and Knowledge with no ignorance in it, and Life with no death in it. And such He-azwj is today, and such He-azwj will not cease to be, ever.’(Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 5 H 228)
[18] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج3، ص: 307, H. 44
[19] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 10
[20] الكافي (ط – الإسلامية)، ج1، ص: 440, H. 3 and Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 28
[21] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 29
[22] التوحيد: 324/ 1.
[23] عيون أخبار الرّضا (عليه السّلام) 1: 134/ 33. (Extract)
[24] Al Kafi – H 14516
[25] إرشاد القلوب: 377 «نحوه».
[26] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 17, The book of our Prophet-saww, Ch 13 H 25
[27] تفسير القمّي 2: 350.
[28] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 120/ 6.
[29] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 120/ 7.
[30] تفسير العيّاشي 2: 120/ 7.
[31] الكافي 8: 145/ 117 (Extract)
[32] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 34
[33] الكافي 2: 119/ 2)
[34] تفسير القمّي 1: 36
[35] تفسير الصافي، ج3، ص: 384
[36] أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنِ الْأَحْوَلِ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ «لابِثِينَ فِيها أَحْقاباً لا يَذُوقُونَ فِيها بَرْداً وَ لا شَراباً إِلَّا حَمِيماً وَ غَسَّاقاً» قَالَ: هَذِهِ فِي الَّذِينَ لَا يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ النَّارِ.
Ahmad ibn Idris told us, on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad, on the authority of al-Husayn ibn Sa`id, on the authority of al-Nadhr ibn Suwayd, on the authority of Durust ibn Abi Mansur, on the authority of al-Ahwal, on the authority of Humran ibn A`yan, who said:
I asked Abu Abdullah-asws about the statement of Allah, “They will abide therein for ages, tasting therein neither coolness nor drink except scalding water and purulent water (78:23-25).” He-asws said: This is for those who do not come out of the fire. ( تفسير القمي، ج2، ص: 402)
[37] (معاني الأخبار: 220/ 1)
[38] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج3، ص: 510 – H 185
[39] Tafseer Al Burhan – H 11074
[40] تفسير القمّي 2: 214.
[41] Al-Kafi, Vol., 8, H. H 14489
[42] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 55 The book of creation – Ch 8 H 22
[43] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 46, The book of History – Muhammad Al Baqir-asws, Ch 5 H 83
[44] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 55 The book of creation – Ch 10 H 57
[45] Bihar Al-Anwaar– V 14, The book of Prophet-hood, Ch 9 H 2
[46] Bihar Al-Anwaar– V 14, The book of Prophet-hood, Ch 9 H 6
[47] Qasas Al Anbiya-as – H 50 (and) بحار الأنوار( 11/ 115)، برقم:( 42)
[48] Qasas Al Anbiya-as – H 110 (and) بحار الأنوار( 12/ 112)، برقم:( 39).
[49] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radd_al-Shams
[50] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 41, The book of History – Amir Al-Momineen-asws, Ch 109 H 2 a
[51] تفسير العيّاشي 1: 141/ 468
[52] مجمع البيان 2: 641
[53] الاحتجاج: 343
[54] Tafseer Abu Hamza Thumaly – H 13
[55] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 39
[56] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 40
[57] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 43
[58] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 44
[59] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 15, The book of our Prophetsaww, Ch 1 H 45
[60] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 25, The book of Imamate, P 2 Ch 1 H 2
[61] التوحيد: 280/ 7
[62] Al Kafi – V 8 H 14922
[63] Qasas Al Anbiya-as – H 1 and بحار الأنوار الجزء 11 ( 57/ 58)
[64] Al Kafi V 9 – H 14681
[65] مجمع البيان 8: 664.
[66] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 10 Ch 14 H 3
[67] Basaair Al Darajaat – P 10 Ch 14 H 9
[68] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 55 The book of creation – Ch 9 H 28
[69] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 55 The book of creation – Ch 9 H 32