Kitab al-Kafi
Volume 2 of 8
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Part One
The Book of Belief and Disbelief
Chapter One (a)
The Clay from Which the Believers and Unbelievers Are Made
H 1438, CH 1a, h 1
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Rib’i ibn ‘Abd Allah from a man from Ali ibn al-Husayn, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created the prophets from the clay of ‘Illiyiyyn (paradise), both their bodies and souls. He made the hearts of the believers from such clay and He made their bodies from a world lower than that world. He created the unbelievers, both their bodies and souls from the clay of Sijjin (fire). He thus mixed the two clays. For this reason children of unbelievers become believers and vice versa. For this reason the believers get afflicted with evil and unbelievers receive good things. Thus, the hearts of the believers incline to that from which they are created and the hearts of the unbelievers incline to that from which they are created.”
H 1439, CH 1a, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan from al-Nadr ibn Shu’ayb from ‘Abd al-Ghaffar al-Jaziyy from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created the believers from the clay of paradise. He created the unbelievers from the clay of fire. He then said, ‘When Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, decides to grant good to one of His servants, He purifies his spirit and body. Whenever he hears any good thing he recognizes it. Whenever he hears any bad things he dislikes them.’ I (the narrator) then heard him saying, ‘The clays are of three kinds: (a) one is the clay of the prophets from which the believers are also created, except that the prophets are made of the superior kind of clay. The prophets are the roots and the believers are the branches and for this reason they are more excellent than the believers. The believers are created from a stickier kind of clay. Thus Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious will not keep them apart from their followers.’ The Imam than said, ‘The clay of those who insult (‘A’immah) are from a black clay that smells foul. The weak ones are made from soil. The believers do not change their faith nor do evil doers (those who insult ‘A’immah, recipients of divine supreme covenant) do so and Allah has a definite goal behind it.’”
H 1440, CH 1a, h 3
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn Mahbub from Salih ibn Sahl who has said that I asked abu abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, the following:
“May Allah keep my soul of service to you, from what kind of material has Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created the clay of the believers? He then replied, ‘He has created them with the clay from which the prophets were made. Thus, they never become unclean.’”
H 1441, CH 1a, h 4
Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalaf from abu Nahshal who has said that Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il narrated from abu Hamza al-Thumali who has the following:
“I heard abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created us from the top most of paradise. He made the hearts of our followers from that which He had created us. He created their bodies from that which is below, thus, their hearts incline to us; they are made from what He had made us.’ He then recited this verse of the Holy Quran. ‘However, the records of the deeds of the virtuous ones will certainly be in Illiyin (83:18). Would that you had known what Illiyin is! (19). It is a comprehensively written Book (of records) (20). The ones nearest to Allah will bring it to the public (83:21).’ He then said, ‘Allah has created our enemies from Sijjin (the fire) and He has created the hearts of their followers from what He had created them. He created the bodies of their followers (followers of our enemies) from other matters. Thus, their hearts (the hearts of the followers of our enemies) incline to them (to our enemies) because they are created from what they (our enemies) are created.’ Then he recited this verse of the Holy Quran: ‘Let them know that the records of the sinners’ deeds are in Sijin (83:7). Would that you had known what Sijin is! (8). It is a comprehensively written Book (of records) (9). Woe, on that day, to those who have rejected Allah’s revelations (10) and those who have rejected the Day of Judgment (83:11).’”
H 1442, CH 1a, h 5
A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad, who has narrated from more than one person from al-Husayn ibn al-Hassan. All of the above have narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Uwarma from Muhammad ibn Ali from ‘Isma’il ibn Yasar from ‘Uthman ibn Yusuf who has said that, reported to him ‘Abd Allah ibn Kaysan, from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Once I said to the Imam, ‘May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, I am your servant, abu ‘Abd Allah ibn Kaysan.’ The Imam said, ‘I know your genealogy. However, I do not know you (so well).’ I said, ‘I was born in the mountains and grew up in the land of Persia. I associate with people in business and other occasions. I, thus, associate with a man and find his appearance very good, to be of good manners and more trustworthy. When I investigate 1 find him to be one of your enemies. I also associate with another man who has bad manners, is less trustworthy and hot tempered. I then investigate and find him to be of your supporters and followers. Why is it so?’
“He (the Imam) said, ‘O ibn Kaysan, Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, took a clay from paradise and also from fire and then mixed them together. Then He separated this from that and that from this. The good appearances, good manners and trustworthiness that you find in them (our enemies) is because of the touch of the clay from paradise but they will return to that from which they are made. The deceitfulness, bad manners and hot-temperament that you find in them (our supporters and followers) is because of the touch of the clay from fire, however, they will return to that from which they were made.’”
H 1443, CH 1a, h 6
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Khalid from Salih ibn Sahl who has said the following:
“I asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Are the believers made from the clay from which the prophets were made?’ He said, ‘Yes, that is correct.’”
H 1444, CH 1a, h 7
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Salih ibn abu Hammad from al-Husayn ibn Yazid from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn abu Hamza from Ibrahim from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“When Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, willed to create Adam He sent Jibril in the first hours of the Friday. He picked up with his right hand a handful. His hand had in its reach from the seventh heavens to the heaven above earth. From each of the heavens he picked up a handful. He also picked up another handful from the seventh earth of the above-most and to the farthest seventh earth. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, then commanded His word to hold the first handful in his right and the other in his left. The clay then was cleaved into two. It was scattered from earth and from the heavens and then said to the clay in his right hand, ‘From you will be the messengers, the prophets, their successors, the truthful ones, the believers, those who will achieve salvation and those whom I will to have honors.’ It then became necessary for them to be as He said them to be. He then said to that which was on his left, ‘From you will be the tyrants, the polytheists, the unbelievers, the devils and those whom I will to humiliate and be of the wicked ones.’ It then became necessary for them to become what He said them to become. Thereafter the two clays mixed together as Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, has said, ‘Allah makes the seed and the nuts to cleave apart.’ (6:95) The seed is the clay of the believers upon which Allah has placed His love. The nuts are the clay of the unbelievers that are far from all good. It is called nuts (al-Nawa’) because it is far away from all good and from Him. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, has said, ‘He (Allah) brings forth the living from the dead and the dead from the living.’ (6:95) The living are the believers who come out from the unbelievers and the dead who come out of the living are the unbelievers who are from the believers. The living are the believers and the dead are the unbelievers. This is because of the words of Allah, ‘Are those whom We brought to life after their being dead . . .’ (6:122) Their death was the mixing of their clay with the clay of the unbelievers and his coming to life was when Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, caused separation between them through His word. In this way Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, takes the believers at birth out to light from darkness after their entering therein and He takes the unbelievers out of the light to darkness after their entering into the light as it is said in the words of Allah, the Majestic the Glorious, ‘So that he can give warning to those who are of the living and the word about the unbelievers truly come to pass.’” (36:70)
Chapter One (b)
The Clay from Which the Believers and Unbelievers Are Made (Additional)
H 1445, CH 1b, h 1
Abu Ali al-Ash’ari and Muhammad ibn Yahya have narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Zurara from abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Had people known how the beginning of the creation was, no one would have disagreed with another person. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, before creating the creatures said, ‘Be a sweet water so I create from you My paradise and people who obey My commands. Be very salty water; from you I create My fire and those who disobey Me.’ He then commanded them to mix and from this the believers give birth to unbelievers and the unbelievers give birth to the believers. Then He took a clay from the surface of the earth and kneaded it very strongly whereby they (children of Adam) appeared as particles crawling about. He then said to the people of the right hand, ‘To paradise (you go) in peace.’ To the people of the left hand He said, ‘To the fire (you go) and I am not concerned.’ He then commanded a fire that began to blaze and He said to the people of the left hand, ‘Enter therein.’ They then were frightened thereby. He then said to the people of the right hand, ‘Enter the fire.’ They then entered therein and He said, ‘O fire be cool and peaceful.’ The fire became cool and peaceful. The people of the left hand then said, ‘O Lord forgive us and reduce our burden.’ The Lord said, ‘I have reduced it for you. Enter.’ They went but were afraid of it. It was there that obedience and disobedience came to take place. Thus, these will not be able to become of those and they will not be able to become of these.’”
H 1446, CH 1b, h 2
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ibn ‘Udhayna from Zurara who has said the following:
“Once a man asked abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, about the words of Allah, the Majestic the Glorious, ‘When your Lord took from the back of the children of Adam their offspring and told them to bear testimony to the words of Allah, “Am I not your Lord,” they all said, “Yes, You are our Lord. . . .”’ (7:172)
“He (the Imam), while his father, recipient of divine supreme covenant, was listening, said, ‘My father narrated to me that Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, took a handful of clay, from which He created Adam. He poured upon it sweet water from Euphrates and left it for forty mornings. Then He poured upon it very salty water and left it for forty mornings. When the clay fermented He then kneaded it strongly and they (children of Adam) appeared as particles from his right and left sides. He ordered all of them to enter the fire. The people of the right hand entered it and it became cool and peaceful for them but the people of the left hand refused to enter.’”
H 1447, CH 1b, h 3
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi from abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“When Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, willed to create Adam He sent water on the clay. He then took a handful and kneaded it and then divided it in two parts with His hands then scattered them and they began to move. He then started a fire for them and commanded the people of the left hand to enter therein. They went near but were afraid of it and they did not enter therein. He then commanded the people of the right hand to enter in the fire. They went and entered into it and Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, commanded the fire to become cool and peaceful for them. When the people of the left hand observed it they said, ‘Our Lord, forgive us.’ He forgave them and said to them, ‘Enter into the fire.’ They went but did not enter therein. He then changed them to clay and He created Adam therefrom. Abu ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, ‘Those will never be able to become these and they will never be able to become of those.’ He, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, ‘They saw the Messenger of Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, to be the first to enter that fire. For this reason is the words of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, ‘(Muhammad), Say, “Had the Beneficent had a son then I would have been the first to worship.”’” (43:81)
Chapter One (c)
The Clay from which the Believers and Unbelievers Are Made (Additional)
H 1448, CH 1c, h 1
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Dawud al-’Ijli from Zurara from Humran from abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, has said, ‘As Allah, the Most Holy the Most High, created the creation, He created sweet water and a very salty water and then mixed the two together. Then He took a (kind of) clay from the surface of the earth and kneaded it intensely. He then said to the people of the right, as they crawled about like particles, “To paradise (you go) in peace.” He then said to the people of the left hand, “To the fire (you go) and I am not concerned.” Then He asked, “Am I not your Lord?” They all said, “Yes, You are our Lord we testify.” Allah said, “I make you to witness this) so that on the Day of Judgment you will not say, ‘We were unaware of this.’” (7:172)
‘Then He made the prophets to form the covenant. He asked them, “Am I not your Lord and is not this Muhammad, My messenger and is not this Ali, the commander of the believers?” They said, “Yes, it is just as You said.” This established their prophethood. He then made the ‘Ulu al-‘Azm messengers to testify and acknowledge this fact: “I am your Lord, Muhammad is My messenger, Ali is the commander of the believers and his successors, recipients of divine supreme covenant, after him are people who possess My Authority and are the reservoir of My knowledge. That al-Mahdi, recipient of divine supreme covenant, is one whom I will make to lend support to My religion. Through him I will establish My kingdom on earth and make My enemies to face justice for their crimes. Through him I will make them to worship Me willingly or otherwise.” The prophets altogether said, “Yes, Lord we testify to these facts and bear witness.” Adam did not refuse and did not affirm (verbally) the fact about al-Mahdi, recipient of divine supreme covenant, so he was not included in the group of five ‘Ulu al-‘Azm messengers of Allah. Adam did not have the resolve to affirm the facts about al-Mahdi, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, has said in the Holy Quran, “We had made a covenant with Adam before but he forgot all about it and we did not find in him a firm resolve.” (20:115) He said that it was so but he ignored it. He then created a fire that blazed and told the people of the left hand to enter in the fire. They were afraid thereby. He said to the people of the right hand, “Enter in the fire.” They entered in the fire and it was cool and peaceful to them. The people of the left hand then said, “Lord, forgive us and reduce our sins.” The Lord said, “I have forgiven you but you must go in the fire.” They were afraid. Thus, with this the obedience, authority and disobedience came to take place.’”
H 1449, CH 1c, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib al-Sajistani who has said the following:
“I heard abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, saying, ‘There was a time when Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, took the descendents of Adam from his back to establish a covenant with them to testify that He is their Lord and to believe in the prophethood of all the prophets. The first among the prophets whose prophethood Allah wanted them to accept through a covenant was Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant. Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, then said to Adam, “Look (to find) what you can see.” ‘The Imam then said, “Adam then looked and saw his descendents appearing as small particles that filled the sky. Adam then said, ‘Lord, how huge in number my descendents are! For what purpose have You created them and for what reason did You make them to establish a covenant with You?’” Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, replied, “So that they worship Me and do not consider anything else as My equal and so that they believe in My messengers and follow them (for guidance).” Adam then asked, “Lord, why is it that I see certain ones of the particles are greater, others have a great deal of lights, yet others among them have very little light and still others among them have no lights at all?” Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, replied, “Thus, I have created them to place them to test in every condition that they will live.” Adam then asked, “My Lord, will You grant me permission to speak so I may express myself?” Allah, the Majestic the Glorious said, “Speak up; your spirit is from My spirit but your nature is different from My being.” Adam then asked, “Lord, had You created them all just like each other, by the same measure, the same nature, of likewise design, of the same color, of equal life span, of equal amount of means of living they would not act against each other. No jealousy, animosity and differences would exist among them over anything.” Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, said, “O Adam, through My spirit you just spoke and due to the weakness of your nature you made an effort to give an opinion about that of which you have no knowledge. I Am the Creator of the world. I knowingly have created each one different from the others and through My Own way I will make My commands to take effect and they will continue existing through My plans and measures. There will be no changes in My creation. I have created the Jinn and human beings only to worship Me. I have created paradise for those who obey and worship Me and follow My messengers. I have no regrets in what I have done. I have created the fire for those who disbelieve, disobey Me and do not follow My messengers and I have no regrets in it. I have created you and your descendents not because I ever need you or your descendents in anyway or form. I have created you and created them to test you and test them to see which ones among you do good deeds in the worldly life before your deaths. For this reason I have created the world and the life thereafter, life, death, obedience, disobedience, paradise and the fire. This is how I willed in My measure and plan. Through My all-pervasive knowledge in them I have placed differences in their forms, bodies, colors, lifespan, means of living, obedience and disobedience. I, thus, have made certain ones of them to be unfortunate or very fortunate. Certain ones among them will have eyesight or be blind, others among them will be of short size or tall ones, beautiful or otherwise, knowledgeable or ignorant, wealthy or poor, obedient or disobedient, of good health or suffering from illness, of defective bodies or free of bodily defects. In this way those of perfect bodies will look at the defective ones and thank Me for the perfect body that 1 have given them and those with defective bodies will look at the perfect ones and will pray to Me and ask Me to grant them good health and exercise patience when and in the way I test them. Thus, I will grant them good rewards. The wealthy ones after looking to the poor ones will thank Me and appreciate My favors. When the poor ones look to the wealthy ones they pray to Me and ask Me favors. It is as such so that the believers will look to the unbelievers and thank Me for the guidance that I have granted them. For such reasons I have created them. I test them in ease and in hardships and in good health that I grant them and in the matters with which I test them, in the matters of what I grant them and in the matters that 1 refuse them. I am Allah, the powerful King. It is all up to Me to allow all of My measures and plans to take form or change them as I wish to the time that I wish. I may change the sequel of the timing of my measures and plans and allow, that which comes first to come last and vice versa. I am Allah, and I execute whatever I will. I am not questioned for whatever I do but 1 question My creatures about their deeds.’””
H 1450 CH 1c, h 3
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il from Salih ibn ‘Aqaba from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Ju’fi and ‘Aqaba together from abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, who has said the following:
“Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, created the creation. He created His most beloved ones from that which He loved most. What was most beloved to Him was the fact that he created His most beloved ones from the clay of paradise. He created those whom He hated most from that which he hated most. What was most hated to Him was the fact that he created from the clay of the fire and then sent them to the shadows. I asked him, ‘What are the shadows?’ He replied, ‘Have you not seen your own shadow in a sunny day that looks like a thing but is nothing? Allah then raised from them the prophets who called them to believe in Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, as mentioned in His, words, “When you ask them who has created them they will say, ‘Allah.” (31:25) He then called them to express their belief in the prophets. Some expressed their belief as such and others among them did not do so. He then called them to express their (Wala’) belief and support to us (Ahl al-Bayt). I swear by Allah, those whom He loved expressed their belief that we were the people who possess Divine Authority and only those whom He hated refused to express such beliefs as it is said in the following verse of the Holy Quran. “They do not express faith in what they before had refused to have faith in.’” (7:101) Abu Ja’far, recipient of divine supreme covenant, then said, ‘Rejection (to have faith in us) was then.’”
