Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues

“Relax your souls with new sparks of wisdom, because souls also tire as bodies do.”

“(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said that Imam Ali (a.s.) used to say, “O seekers of knowledge, knowledge (in a personified form) has a great deal of virtues. Humbleness is his head, freedom from jealousy forms his…

“The holy Prophet has said, ‘The best minister for faith is knowledge, the best minister for knowledge is forbearance, the best minister for forbearance is amicable dealings and the best minister for amicable dealings is…

“Once a man came to the holy Prophet (s.a.) and said, ‘O messenger of Allah what is knowledge?’ The holy Prophet replied, “It is silence.” The man then asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet said, “It is listening.” The…

“The seekers of knowledge are of three kinds. The more noticeable of them in person or character are: (a) the group who seeks knowledge for ignorance and quarrel. (b) The group who seeks knowledge to dominate and cheat…

“(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) said, ‘The narrators of the book are a great many but those who would follow the proper discipline are very few. There are many, who are sincere about Hadith but mess up with the book. Lack…

“Whoever would preserve and memorize forty of our Hadith on the Day of Judgment Allah will raise him as a scholar and Faqih, one with proper understanding of religion.”

“It is his knowledge that he acquires from whoever he acquires.” This he said in answer to the question ‘What is his food’ in the words of Allah, “Let the human being think about (how We produce) his food.” (80:24)?’

“Holding back in an uncertain conditions is better than indulging in a destructive case. Your ignoring a Hadith that you do not narrate is better than your narrating a Hadith that you have not verified.”

In the case of what may come to you and you have no knowledge of its veracity you can do nothing but to hold and verify and refer it to the Imams of guidance so that he would show the way of justice in it and enlighten…

“(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who said, ‘I have found all the knowledge of people in four categories: (a) The knowledge that would teach you about your Lord. (b) The knowledge that would teach you what the Lord has done…

I said to Abi Abdillah (as): "What is the right of Allah over His creation?" He replied: "That they should only say that which they know and should remain silent over that which they do not know, so if they were to do…

“(Imam) abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), said, ‘Note the position of the people from the degree of their narration of Hadith from us.’”

14. Al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Muhammad ibn Zakariyya al-Ghalibi from ibn ‘A’isha al-Basri in a marfu‘ manner (rafa’ahu), that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.) has said in certain parts of his sermons, ‘O people,…

‘(Imam) abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said to a man from Basra called ‘Uthman al-A’ma who would keep saying, “Al-Hassan al-Basri believes that those who hide knowledge the bad odor from their stomach will cause suffering to the…