AMIRAL MOMININ ALI (AS)

Abu Ja’far Muhammad b. Ya’qub (al-Kulayni) has said: A number of our people of whom one is Muhammad b. Yahya al-‘Attar narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad from Hasan b. Mahbub from al-’Ala b. Razin from Muhammad b. Muslim that Abu Ja’far (al-Baqir)  has said: “When Allah (swt) created the intellect (al-‘Aql) He made it speak and said to it, ‘Come forward’, so it came forward. He then said, ‘Go back’ and it went back. Then Allah said, ‘I swear by My Honor and Glory that I have not created any creation more beloved to Me than you. I will not perfect you in anyone except those whom I love. I will command you [to obey me] and prohibit you [from disobeying me] and I will punish you [for disobeying me] and I will reward you [for obeying me].

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا مِنْهُمْ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر قَالَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الله الْعَقْلَ اسْتَنْطَقَهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَقْبِلْ فَأَقْبَلَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَدْبِرْ فَأَدْبَرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلالِي مَا خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً هُوَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْكَ وَلا أَكْمَلْتُكَ إِلا فِيمَنْ أُحِبُّ أَمَا إِنِّي إِيَّاكَ آمُرُ وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْهَى وَإِيَّاكَ أُعَاقِبُ وَإِيَّاكَ أُثِيبُ.

Ali bin Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from ’Amr ibn ‘Uthman, from Mufaddal ibn Salih from Sa‘d ibn Tarif from Asbagh ibn Nabatah that Ali  said: “Once Jibril came to Adam  and said, ‘I am ordered to offer you three choices. You may choose one and leave the other two. Adam then asked, “What are those three things?” Jibril replied, ‘They are intelligence, modesty and religion.’ Adam then said, “I choose Intelligence.” Jibril then asked modesty and religion to return and leave Intelligence with Adam. They said to Jibril, ‘O Jibril, we are commanded to be with Intelligence wherever it may exist. Jibril then said, “It then is up to you.” He then ascended to the heavens.

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنِ الاصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ عَنْ علي  قَالَ هَبَطَ جَبْرَئِيلُ عَلَى آدَمَ  فَقَالَ يَا آدَمُ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أُخَيِّرَكَ وَاحِدَةً مِنْ ثَلاثٍ فَاخْتَرْهَا وَدَعِ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ لَهُ آدَمُ يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ وَمَا الثَّلاثُ فَقَالَ الْعَقْلُ وَالْحَيَاءُ وَالدِّينُ فَقَالَ آدَمُ إِنِّي قَدِ اخْتَرْتُ الْعَقْلَ فَقَالَ جَبْرَئِيلُ لِلْحَيَاءِ وَالدِّينِ انْصَرِفَا وَدَعَاهُ فَقَالا يَا جَبْرَئِيلُ إِنَّا أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نَكُونَ مَعَ الْعَقْلِ حَيْثُ كَانَ قَالَ فَشَأْنَكُمَا وَعَرَجَ.

Ahmad ibn ’Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar, from one of our people in a marfu’ manner that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  was asked, ‘What is intellect (al-‘Aql)?’. He said, ‘It is what someone worships ar-Rahman with and attains paradise.’ I then asked, ‘What was the thing within Mu’awiya?’. He replied, ‘That was heinousness, that was devilry and it is similar to the intellect but it is not intellect.

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ مَا الْعَقْلُ قَالَ مَا عُبِدَ بِهِ الرَّحْمَنُ وَاكْتُسِبَ بِهِ الْجِنَانُ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَالَّذِي كَانَ فِي مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقَالَ تِلْكَ النَّكْرَاءُ تِلْكَ الشَّيْطَنَةُ وَهِيَ شَبِيهَةٌ بِالْعَقْلِ وَلَيْسَتْ بِالْعَقْلِ

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Faddal from al-Hassan ibn al-Jahm that he heard (Imam) al-Ridha  saying, “The friend of every person is his intellect and his enemy is ignorance.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ الرِّضَا  يَقُولُ صَدِيقُ كُلِّ امْرِئٍ عَقْلُهُ وَعَدُوُّهُ جَهْلُه

It is narrated from him from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal that al-Hassan ibn al-Juham said: “I told Abul Hasan (al-Ridha) , ‘We know of a people who have love [for the Ahlul-bayt] but they do not have much determination [in understanding their imamate], they make such claims.’ He then replied, ‘They are not of the ones that Allah has admonished. Indeed Allah has said: Take heed, Oh people of vision.’” (59:2)

وَعَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي الْحَسَنِ  إِنَّ عِنْدَنَا قَوْماً لَهُمْ مَحَبَّةٌ وَلَيْسَتْ لَهُمْ تِلْكَ الْعَزِيمَةُ يَقُولُونَ بِهَذَا الْقَوْلِ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ أُولَئِكَ مِمَّنْ عَاتَبَ الله إِنَّمَا قَالَ الله فَاعْتَبِرُوا يا أُولِي الابْصارِ.

Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn Hassa’n from abu Muhammad al-Razi from Sayf ibn ‘Umayra from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said: “Whoever has intelligence has religion and whoever has religion enters paradise.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الرَّازِيِّ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  مَنْ كَانَ عَاقِلاً كَانَ لَهُ دِينٌ وَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ دِينٌ دَخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Yaqtin from Muhammad ibn Sinan from Abul Jarud that Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir)  said: “On the Day of Judgment, Allah will hold everyone accountable according to the degree of intelligence He had given them in their worldly life.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ يَقْطِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ عَنْ ابي جعفر  قَالَ إِنَّمَا يُدَاقُّ الله الْعِبَادَ فِي الْحِسَابِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا آتَاهُمْ مِنَ الْعُقُولِ فِي الدُّنْيَا

Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah has narrated from Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Ahmar from Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Daylami from his father who said: “Once I mentioned someone’s intelligence, worship and virtues before Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) . So he said, ‘How is his intelligence?’. I said, ‘I do not know.’ He then said, ‘Reward is based on the degree of intelligence. A man from Bani Isra’eel was worshipping Allah on an island in the ocean. The island was lush green, with many trees and abundant water. Once an angel passed by the worshipper on the island and said, ‘Oh Lord, show me the amount of reward this servant of yours has.’ So Allah showed the rewards of the man to the angel and the angel considered it very little. Then Allah told the angel to stay with the worshipper as a companion. The angel then appeared to the worshipper in the form of a human being. The worshipper asked, ‘Who are you?’. The angel said, ‘I am a worshipping man and have heard about your [great] worship and your [spiritual] position at this place and I wish to join you so I may worship Allah with you.’ So the angel spent that day with the worshipper and the next day the angel said to the worshipper, ‘Your place is pure, and it should be used only for worship.’ Then the man said, ‘Yes but it has one flaw.’ The angel asked, ‘What is it?’. The man replied, ‘Our Lord does not have an animal, for if He had a donkey or such it would graze here, for otherwise this grass goes to waste.” The angel asked him, “Does your Lord have no donkey?” The man replied, “Had our Lord had a donkey this field would not be wasted.” Allah then revealed to the angel, “I only reward him by the degree of his intelligence.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ الاحْمَرِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ الدَّيْلَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله  فُلانٌ مِنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَدِينِهِ وَفَضْلِهِ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ عَقْلُهُ قُلْتُ لا أَدْرِي فَقَالَ إِنَّ الثَّوَابَ عَلَى قَدْرِ الْعَقْلِ إِنَّ رَجُلاً مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانَ يَعْبُدُ الله فِي جَزِيرَةٍ مِنْ جَزَائِرِ الْبَحْرِ خَضْرَاءَ نَضِرَةٍ كَثِيرَةِ الشَّجَرِ ظَاهِرَةِ الْمَاءِ وَإِنَّ مَلَكاً مِنَ الْمَلائِكَةِ مَرَّ بِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَرِنِي ثَوَابَ عَبْدِكَ هَذَا فَأَرَاهُ الله تَعَالَى ذَلِكَ فَاسْتَقَلَّهُ الْمَلَكُ فَأَوْحَى الله تَعَالَى إِلَيْهِ أَنِ اصْحَبْهُ فَأَتَاهُ الْمَلَكُ فِي صُورَةِ إِنْسِيٍّ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَنْ أَنْتَ قَالَ أَنَا رَجُلٌ عَابِدٌ بَلَغَنِي مَكَانُكَ وَعِبَادَتُكَ فِي هَذَا الْمَكَانِ فَأَتَيْتُكَ لاعْبُدَ الله مَعَكَ فَكَانَ مَعَهُ يَوْمَهُ ذَلِكَ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحَ قَالَ لَهُ الْمَلَكُ إِنَّ مَكَانَكَ لَنَزِهٌ وَمَا يَصْلُحُ إِلا لِلْعِبَادَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْعَابِدُ إِنَّ لِمَكَانِنَا هَذَا عَيْباً فَقَالَ لَهُ وَمَا هُوَ قَالَ لَيْسَ لِرَبِّنَا بَهِيمَةٌ فَلَوْ كَانَ لَهُ حِمَارٌ رَعَيْنَاهُ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ فَإِنَّ هَذَا الْحَشِيشَ يَضِيعُ فَقَالَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ الْمَلَكُ وَمَا لِرَبِّكَ حِمَارٌ فَقَالَ لَوْ كَانَ لَهُ حِمَارٌ مَا كَانَ يَضِيعُ مِثْلُ هَذَا الْحَشِيشِ فَأَوْحَى الله إِلَى الْمَلَكِ إِنَّمَا أُثِيبُهُ عَلَى قَدْرِ عَقْلِهِ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni that Abu ‘Abdillah  said: Rasulullah ﷺ said, “If you would hear good things about a man, you should examine how good his intelligence is, because he will be recompensed according to his intelligence.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ إِذَا بَلَغَكُمْ عَنْ رَجُلٍ حُسْنُ حَالٍ فَانْظُرُوا فِي حُسْنِ عَقْلِهِ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَازَى بِعَقْلِهِ

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Mahbub from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan who said: “I mentioned to Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  a man who was afflicted with doubts in his ablution and prayer (constantly repeating them) and added that he is an intelligent man.” Abu ‘Abdillah then said, ‘What kind of intelligence does he have, when he obeys Satan?’. I asked him, ‘How is he obeying Satan?’. He replied, ‘Ask him about this which he is doing, from which thing is it. He will certainly say to you, “It comes from the work of Satan.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ ذَكَرْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله  رَجُلاً مُبْتَلىً بِالْوُضُوءِ وَالصَّلاةِ وَقُلْتُ هُوَ رَجُلٌ عَاقِلٌ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله وَأَيُّ عَقْلٍ لَهُ وَهُوَ يُطِيعُ الشَّيْطَانَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ وَكَيْفَ يُطِيعُ الشَّيْطَانَ فَقَالَ سَلْهُ هَذَا الَّذِي يَأْتِيهِ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ هُوَ فَإِنَّهُ يَقُولُ لَكَ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ.

A number of our people has narrated Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from certain persons of his people in a marfu‘ manner that Rasulullah ﷺ said: “Allah has not distributed anything among the servants more excellent than intelligence. The sleeping of a person of intelligence is better than the vigil of an ignorant person, and the staying of a person of intelligence (at home) is better than the journeying of an ignorant person. Allah did not send any prophet or messenger before completing his intelligence and letting it become better than the intelligence of all of his nation. Whatever the Prophet ﷺ preserves in his soul is better than the struggle of all the striving people. A servant would not fulfill the obligations of Allah until he has an understanding about Him. All the worshippers will not be able to achieve with the virtue of their worships what a person and people of intelligence achieve. They (the people of intelligence) are the people of proper understanding, whom Allah, the most High, mentioned: “Only People of understanding realize this.” [2:269]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ مَا قَسَمَ الله لِلْعِبَادِ شَيْئاً أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ فَنَوْمُ الْعَاقِلِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ سَهَرِ الْجَاهِلِ وَإِقَامَةُ الْعَاقِلِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ شُخُوصِ الْجَاهِلِ وَلا بَعَثَ الله نَبِيّاً وَلا رَسُولاً حَتَّى يَسْتَكْمِلَ الْعَقْلَ وَيَكُونَ عَقْلُهُ أَفْضَلَ مِنْ جَمِيعِ عُقُولِ أُمَّتِهِ وَمَا يُضْمِرُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي نَفْسِهِ أَفْضَلُ مِنِ اجْتِهَادِ الْمُجْتَهِدِينَ وَمَا أَدَّى الْعَبْدُ فَرَائِضَ الله حَتَّى عَقَلَ عَنْهُ وَلا بَلَغَ جَمِيعُ الْعَابِدِينَ فِي فَضْلِ عِبَادَتِهِمْ مَا بَلَغَ الْعَاقِلُ وَالْعُقَلاءُ هُمْ أُولُو الالْبَابِ الَّذِينَ قَالَ الله تَعَالَى وَمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ إِلا أُولُو الالْبَابِ.

Abu ‘Abdallah al-Ash‘ari has narrated from certain persons of our people have narrated in a marfu‘ manner from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following. “Abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja’far stated the following to me. ‘O Hisham, Allah has given good news to the people of reason and understanding in His book in the following words, “ Give the good news to those of My servants who hear certain words but follow only the good words. These are the ones whom Allah has given guidance and they are the people of understanding. 39:20 Holy Quran “O Hisham, it is certain that Allah has established complete (legal) authority for people (to refer to) in the form of intelligence, supported the messengers through the (ability) to communicate and has guided them to His own Lordship with proofs. Saying, “Your Lord is the only Lord. There is no God but He, the Beneficent, the Merciful (2:63) “(Of the signs of His existence are the creation of heavens and earth, the alternation of nights and days, the ships that sail in the sea for the benefit of the people. (Also of such signs are) the water that God sends from the sky to revive the dead earth where He has scattered all kinds of animals, the winds of all directions and the clouds that are rendered for service between the sky and the earth. Such are evidence (of His existence) for those who use their intelligence. (2:64) “O Hisham, Allah has mentioned the above facts as proof of His existence and that such facts depend upon the will of one who has designed them saying: “God has made the day and the night, the sun and the moon, and all the stars subservient to you by His command. In this there is evidence of the truth for people of understanding. (6:2) “It is He, Who created you from clay, turning it into a living germ, then into a clot of blood, and then brings you forth as a child. He then made you grow into manhood and become old. He causes some of you to live for the appointed time and some of you to die before so that perhaps you may have understanding (40:67). “In the heavens and the earth there is evidence (of the Truth) for the believers (45:3). In your creation and in that of the beasts living on earth there is evidence of the Truth for the people who have strong faith (45:4). In the alternation of the night and the day, the sustenance which God has sent down from the sky to revive the barren earth, and in the changing of the direction of the winds there is evidence of the truth for the people of understanding (45:5). “Know that God brings the dead earth back to life. We have explained Our revelations to you so that you may perhaps have understanding (57:7). “In the earth there are adjacent pieces of land, vineyards, farms, date-palms of single and many roots which are all watered by the same water. We have made some yield a better food than others. All this is evidence (of the existence of God) for the people who understand. (3:4) “Also, of the evidence of His existence are His showing you lightening which gives you fear and hope and His sending water down from the sky which revives the earth after its death. In this there is evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding. (30:24) “(Muhammad), say, “Let me tell you about what your Lord has commanded: Do not consider anything equal to God; Be kind to your parents; Do not murder your children out of fear of poverty, for We give sustenance to you and to them. Do not even approach indecency either in public or in private. Take not a life, which God has made sacred except by way of justice and law. Thus does He command you that you may learn wisdom. (6:5) “God has told you this parable about yourselves: Could your slaves share your wealth equally with you and could you fear them as you fear yourselves? Thus, do We clarify the evidence (of the truth) for the people of understanding (30:28). “O Hisham, Allah then has given good advise to the people of intelligence and has encouraged them to become interested in the life to come saying, “The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter which is far better and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand? (6:32) “O Hisham, Allah then has given warnings to those who do not think about the punishment that may come upon them from Allah saying, “Then We totally destroyed the others (37:36). You pass by (their ruined town) in the morning and at night (37:37). Will you then not understand? (37:38) “We will bring torment from the sky on this town because of the evil-deeds of its inhabitants” (29:34). We left manifest evidence (of the truth) there for the people of understanding. (29:35) “O Hisham, intelligence comes with knowledge.” Allah has said, “These are parables which, We tell to human beings, but only the learned ones understand them. (29:43) “O Hisham, Allah has then expressed dislike towards those who do not understand in the following words: “When certain people are asked to follow the revelations of God, they say, ‘We would rather follow what our fathers have followed,’ even though their fathers had no understanding and could not find the true guidance (2:70) “Preaching to unbelievers is like talking to someone who cannot hear anything except yells and shouts. They are deaf, dumb, and blind; they have no understanding. (2:7) “Some of them will look at you, but are you supposed to guide the blind even if they have no vision? (0:43) “Do you think that most of them listen and understand? They are like cattle or even more, straying and confused. (25:44) “They will not fight you united except with the protection of fortified towns or from behind walls. They are strong among themselves. You think that they are united, but in fact, their hearts are divided. They are a people who have no understanding (59:4) “Would you order people to do good deeds and forget to do them yourselves even though you read the Book? Why do you not think?” (2:44) “O Hisham, Allah then has expressed dislike towards the multitudes saying, “Most of the people in the land will lead you away from God’s guidance if you follow them; they only follow their own conjecture and preach falsehood (6:6) “If you ask them, “Who has created the heavens and the earth,” they will certainly say, “God has created them.” Say, “It is only God who deserves all praise, but most of them do not know” (3:25) “If you ask them, “Who has sent down water from the sky to revive the dead earth?” They will say, “God has done it.” Say, “It is only God who deserves all praise, but many of them do not understand.” (29:63) “O Hisham, Allah then has praised those fewer in numbers saying, “Only few of my servants are grateful.” (34:3) He has said, “How few are they?” “A believing person from the people of the Pharaoh who concealed his faith said, “Would you kill a man just because he says God is my Lord?” (40:28) “No one believed in him, except a few. (:40) Tell them, (Muhammad), “God certainly has the Power to show such miracles but many of them are ignorant.” (6:37). “Many of them have no understanding. (5:03) Many of them do not realize.” “O Hisham, Allah has mentioned the people of intelligence in the best manners with the best of characteristics saying, “God gives wisdom to the ones whom He wants. Whoever is given wisdom, has, certainly, received much good. Only people of intelligence can grasp this (2:269). “ . those who have a firm grounding in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All its verses are from our Lord.” No one can grasp this fact except the people of Intelligence . .” (3:7) “The creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the day and the night are evidence (of the existence of God) for people of Intelligence. (3:90) “Can a person, who knows that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, be considered equal to a blind person? Only those who have understanding take heed (3:9). “Can this one be considered equal to one who worships God during the night, prostrating and standing, who has fear of the Day of Judgment, and who has hope in the mercy of his Lord? Say, “Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only the people of Intelligence take heed” (39:9). “It is a blessed Book which We have revealed for you so that you will reflect upon its verses and so the people of understanding will take heed (38:29). “To Moses We had given guidance and to the children of Israel We had given the Book (40:53) as their inheritance and as a guide and a reminder to the people of understanding (40:54) “Keep on reminding them. This benefits the believers” (5:55). “O Hisham, Allah says in His book, “This is a reminder for the ones who understands, listens, and sees.” (50:37) It means intelligence. “We gave wisdom to Luqman so that he would give thanks to God . .” (3:2) Understand is intelligence. “O Hisham, Luqman said to his son, “ Venerate the truth you will be the most intelligent among man. Cleverness before intelligence has a very small value. My son, the world is a very deep ocean in which many people have drowned. You must take piety before God as the ship, faith as supplies therein, trust in God as the sales, intelligence as the captain, knowledge as the guide and patience as passengers.” “O Hisham, for everything there is a guide. The guide for intelligence is thinking. The guide for thinking is silence. For everything there is a means for mobility the means of mobility for intelligence is humble attitude. To disobey a prohibition is enough proof of ones ignorance. “O Hisham, Allah send His messengers to people for no other reason but that they would have understanding about Him. Those who obey Him better have better understanding about Him. Those who are more knowledgeable in the commandment of Allah are the ones who have more powerful intelligence and those who have more powerful intelligence are at a higher degree of excellence in this world and in the next life. “O Hisham, Allah has placed two kinds of authority over man. The apparent and manifest authority and the internal and hidden authority The prophets and messengers are the apparent and manifest authorities and intelligence is the hidden and internal authority. “O Hisham, a man of intelligence is one whose thankfulness doe not diminish because of a large wealth and prohibited matters can not overpower his patience. “O Hisham, one who would support three things against an other three kinds of things he would be leading to the destruction of his own intelligence. () Darkening of one’s ability to think with day dreaming, (2) the abolishment of the sparks of one’s wisdom with excessive bluffs and (3) the extinguishing of the lights of the lessons from experience by the desires of one’s soul. It would be like supporting ones desire to destroy ones own intelligence. One who would destroy his own intelligence he has destroyed his own worldly life as well as the life to come. “O Hisham how would you expect to have pure deeds before Allah when you have such things that keep you away from the facts that matter to Allah, your Lord, and you have obeyed your desires against your own intelligence. “O Hisham, maintaining patience in loneliness is a sign of the strength of intelligence. One who has understanding about Allah he keeps himself aside from the people of this world and those interested in it. He becomes interested in what is with Allah. Allah then gives him comfort in his fear and company when he is lonely. Allah gives him riches in his poverty and honor without the existence of his tribesmen. “O Hisham, truth is set up so that Allah is obeyed. There is no salvation without obedience to Allah. Obedience comes only from knowledge, which comes from learning that receives strength from intelligence. The only knowledge of value is that of one who knows about the Lord and intelligence discerns the valuable of knowledge. “O Hisham, smaller degrees of deeds with knowledge are accepted with double value and large amounts of deeds from those who follow their desires and ignorance are rejected. “O Hisham, a person of intelligence is pleased with little things of the world with wisdom but he does not agree with a little wisdom with all of the world and, thus, such people strike a gainful bargain. “O Hisham, the people of intelligence stay away from what is more than the basic necessities of life how then they would not stay away from the sins in this world. To stay away from what is more than the bare necessities is only extra virtue but staying away from sins is obligatory. “O Hisham, a man of intelligence observes the world and the people of the world and finds out that the worldly gains come only through hard works and labor. He finds out that gains of the life hereafter also come through hard work and labor he then accepts the one that is more durable. “O Hisham, people of intelligence hold themselves back from the worldly things and strengthen interest in the gains of the life hereafter. They have learned that the worldly gains are sought after and are wanted and so also are the gains of the lifer hereafter. One who seeks the gains of the life hereafter the world will seek him to deliver to him his livelihood but one who seeks the worldly gains the hereafter would also seek to find him. Death will then approach him and it will destroy his world and leave him with no opportunity in the life hereafter (because he had gained nothing). “O Hisham, one who wants self-sufficiency without property, comfort for his heart from the evil of jealousy and the safety of his religion he should pray to Allah, the Most Glorious, to perfect his intelligence. The person of intelligence is satisfied with the basic necessities and one who agrees with basic necessities he is self-sufficient and free of needs and one who is not satisfied with basic necessities he is never free from wants. “O Hisham, Allah has stated the following on behalf of the people of virtue, “They say, “Lord, do not cause our hearts to deviate from Your guidance, and grant us mercy. You are the Most Awarding One.” (3:8) They know that hearts may deviate and turn towards blindness and destruction. It is certain that those who do not fear Allah have no understanding about Him. One who does not have proper understanding about Allah one’s heart does not establish any stable gnosis about Allah with clear awareness of such gnosis that one would find in his heart. No one can be as such except those whose deeds would confirm their words and their privacy would agree with their public activities. This is because Allah, Sacrosanct are whose names, has not shown what is private and unknown form intelligence except through what is public from it and speaks for it. “O Hisham, the commander of the true believers, Imam Ali  has said, “Allah is worshipped better by no means other than intelligence. No one’s intelligence reaches perfection until therewith is found various qualities. Disbelief and evil should not emerge therefrom. Wisdom and goodness should be expected to exist therewith. The extra of the property of a person of intelligence is given in charity, the extra of his words is restrained and his share of the worldly things is only the basic necessities. He never considers himself as to have learned enough. To be with Allah, although in a very humble state, is far better to him than to live very much honored with others. Humbleness is more beloved to him than being taken as a dignitary. He considers virtuous deeds of others a great deal and his own virtuous deeds as insignificant. He considers all the other people better than his self and his own self as the worse of all and this is the totality of all things.” “O Hisham, a man of intelligence never speaks a lie even though it may satisfy his desires.” “O Hisham, one who does not maintain honorable kindness he has no religion and one can not have such noble character without intelligence. A person of the greatest value among people is one who does not consider the worldly gains his fortune. Nothing can become an adequate price for your bodies other than paradise. Do not sell it for any thing other than paradise. “O Hisham, the commander of the true believers, Imam Ali  has said, “Three noble qualities in man are of the signs of the existence of intelligence. He replies when questioned and he speaks up only when everyone else fails to speak and offers his advise when it is beneficial to his people. One who has none of these qualities is a fool.” He also has said, “No one other a person who has all of the above or some of such qualities should chair a gathering and if one does so without any of such qualities he is a fool.” Imam Hassan ibn Ali  has said, “If you would ask for help do so from a proper source.” He was asked, “O grandson of the holy Prophet, ‘Who are the proper sources?” He replied, “They are those about whom Allah has spoken in His book saying, “Only those who have understanding will take heed and they are the people of intelligence.” Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn  has said, “Sitting in the company of virtuous people leads one to virtue and association with the scholars is a means of strengthening one’s intelligence. Obedience to the authorities that practice justice is an honor. The investment of wealth for profit is a dignifying practice. Guiding one who asks for guidance is an expression of gratitude. To restrain ones harmful manners and deeds is because of the perfection of one’s intelligence in which there is comfort for the body in the short and long terms.” “O Hisham, a man of intelligence does not speak to one who is feared to call him a liar. He does not ask those that he fears may deny him. He does not count on what is not within his abilities. He does not maintain any hope in that which may involve severity and harshness. He does not take any steps towards which he fears may not be achieved due to his inability.”

أَبُو عَبْدِ الله الاشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ  يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى بَشَّرَ أَهْلَ الْعَقْلِ وَالْفَهْمِ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَقَالَ فَبَشِّرْ عِبادِ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَمِعُونَ الْقَوْلَ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ أَحْسَنَهُ أُولئِكَ الَّذِينَ هَداهُمُ الله وَأُولئِكَ هُمْ أُولُوا الالْبابِ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى أَكْمَلَ لِلنَّاسِ الْحُجَجَ بِالْعُقُولِ وَنَصَرَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِالْبَيَانِ وَدَلَّهُمْ عَلَى رُبُوبِيَّتِهِ بِالادِلَّةِ فَقَالَ وَإِلهُكُمْ إِلهٌ واحِدٌ لا إِلهَ إِلا هُوَ الرَّحْمنُ الرَّحِيمُ. إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ وَاخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ وَالْفُلْكِ الَّتِي تَجْرِي فِي الْبَحْرِ بِما يَنْفَعُ النَّاسَ وَما أَنْزَلَ الله مِنَ السَّماءِ مِنْ ماءٍ فَأَحْيا بِهِ الارْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها وَبَثَّ فِيها مِنْ كُلِّ دَابَّةٍ وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّياحِ وَالسَّحابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّماءِ وَالارْضِ لاياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ قَدْ جَعَلَ الله ذَلِكَ دَلِيلاً عَلَى مَعْرِفَتِهِ بِأَنَّ لَهُمْ مُدَبِّراً فَقَالَ وَسَخَّرَ لَكُمُ اللَّيْلَ وَالنَّهارَ وَالشَّمْسَ وَالْقَمَرَ وَالنُّجُومُ مُسَخَّراتٌ بِأَمْرِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لاياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ تُرابٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ ثُمَّ مِنْ عَلَقَةٍ ثُمَّ يُخْرِجُكُمْ طِفْلاً ثُمَّ لِتَبْلُغُوا أَشُدَّكُمْ ثُمَّ لِتَكُونُوا شُيُوخاً وَمِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُتَوَفَّى مِنْ قَبْلُ وَلِتَبْلُغُوا أَجَلاً مُسَمًّى وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي اخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا أَنْزَلَ الله مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مِنْ رِزْقٍ فَأَحْيَا بِهِ الارْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا وَتَصْرِيفِ الرِّيَاحِ وَالسَّحَابِ الْمُسَخَّرِ بَيْنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالارْضِ لآَيَاتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ يُحْيِ الارْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ الاياتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ وَجَنَّاتٌ مِنْ أَعْنابٍ وَزَرْعٌ وَنَخِيلٌ صِنْوانٌ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوانٍ يُسْقى‏ بِماءٍ واحِدٍ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَها عَلى‏ بَعْضٍ فِي الاكُلِ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لاياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ وَمِنْ آياتِهِ يُرِيكُمُ الْبَرْقَ خَوْفاً وَطَمَعاً وَيُنَزِّلُ مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً فَيُحْيِي بِهِ الارْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِها إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لاياتٍ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ قُلْ تَعالَوْا أَتْلُ ما حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَبِالْوالِدَيْنِ إِحْساناً وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلادَكُمْ مِنْ إِمْلاقٍ نَحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ وَلا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَواحِشَ ما ظَهَرَ مِنْها وَما بَطَنَ وَلا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ الله إِلا بِالْحَقِّ ذلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُمْ بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ هَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ ما مَلَكَتْ أَيْمانُكُمْ مِنْ شُرَكاءَ فِي ما رَزَقْناكُمْ فَأَنْتُمْ فِيهِ سَواءٌ تَخافُونَهُمْ كَخِيفَتِكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ كَذلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الاياتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ وَعَظَ أَهْلَ الْعَقْلِ وَرَغَّبَهُمْ فِي الاخِرَةِ فَقَالَ وَمَا الْحَياةُ الدُّنْيا إِلا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَلَلدَّارُ الاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ أَ فَلا تَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ خَوَّفَ الَّذِينَ لا يَعْقِلُونَ عِقَابَهُ فَقَالَ تَعَالَى ثُمَّ دَمَّرْنَا الاخَرِينَ. وَإِنَّكُمْ لَتَمُرُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ مُصْبِحِينَ. وَبِاللَّيْلِ أَ فَلا تَعْقِلُونَ. وَقَالَ إِنَّا مُنْزِلُونَ عَلى‏ أَهْلِ هذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ رِجْزاً مِنَ السَّماءِ بِما كانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ وَلَقَدْ تَرَكْنا مِنْها آيَةً بَيِّنَةً لِقَوْمٍ يَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَقْلَ مَعَ الْعِلْمِ فَقَالَ وَتِلْكَ الامْثالُ نَضْرِبُها لِلنَّاسِ وَما يَعْقِلُها إِلا الْعالِمُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ ذَمَّ الَّذِينَ لا يَعْقِلُونَ فَقَالَ وَإِذا قِيلَ لَهُمُ اتَّبِعُوا ما أَنْزَلَ الله قالُوا بَلْ نَتَّبِعُ ما أَلْفَيْنا عَلَيْهِ آباءَنا أَ وَلَوْ كانَ آباؤُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ شَيْئاً وَلا يَهْتَدُونَ وَقَالَ وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِما لا يَسْمَعُ إِلا دُعاءً وَنِداءً صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ. وَقَالَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُ إِلَيْكَ أَ فَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ وَلَوْ كانُوا لا يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ أَمْ تَحْسَبُ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ أَوْ يَعْقِلُونَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلا كَالانْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلاً وَقَالَ لا يُقاتِلُونَكُمْ جَمِيعاً إِلا فِي قُرىً مُحَصَّنَةٍ أَوْ مِنْ وَراءِ جُدُرٍ بَأْسُهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ شَدِيدٌ تَحْسَبُهُمْ جَمِيعاً وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّى ذلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لا يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ وَتَنْسَوْنَ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَنْتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتابَ أَ فَلا تَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ ذَمَّ الله الْكَثْرَةَ فَقَالَ وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الارْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ الله وَقَالَ وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ الله قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لله بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ وَقَالَ وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ نَزَّلَ مِنَ السَّماءِ ماءً فَأَحْيا بِهِ الارْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِها لَيَقُولُنَّ الله قُلِ الْحَمْدُ لله بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ مَدَحَ الْقِلَّةَ فَقَالَ وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبادِيَ الشَّكُورُ وَقَالَ وَقَلِيلٌ ما هُمْ وَقَالَ وَقالَ رَجُلٌ مُؤْمِنٌ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ يَكْتُمُ إِيمانَهُ أَ تَقْتُلُونَ رَجُلاً أَنْ يَقُولَ رَبِّيَ الله وَقَالَ وَمَنْ آمَنَ وَما آمَنَ مَعَهُ إِلا قَلِيلٌ وَقَالَ وَلكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لا يَعْلَمُونَ وَقَالَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ وَقَالَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَشْعُرُونَ يَا هِشَامُ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ أُولِي الالْبَابِ بِأَحْسَنِ الذِّكْرِ وَحَلاهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ الْحِلْيَةِ فَقَالَ يُؤْتِي الْحِكْمَةَ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْراً كَثِيراً وَما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلا أُولُوا الالْبابِ وَقَالَ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنا وَما يَذَّكَّرُ إِلا أُولُوا الالْبابِ وَقَالَ إِنَّ فِي خَلْقِ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ وَاخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ لاياتٍ لاولِي الالْبابِ وَقَالَ أَ فَمَنْ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ الْحَقُّ كَمَنْ هُوَ أَعْمى‏ إِنَّما يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُوا الالْبابِ وَقَالَ أَمَّنْ هُوَ قانِتٌ آناءَ اللَّيْلِ ساجِداً وَقائِماً يَحْذَرُ الاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّما يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُوا الالْبابِ وَقَالَ كِتابٌ أَنْزَلْناهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آياتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُوا الالْبابِ وَقَالَ وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنا مُوسَى الْهُدى‏ وَأَوْرَثْنا بَنِي إِسْرائِيلَ الْكِتابَ هُدىً وَذِكْرى‏ لاولِي الالْبابِ وَقَالَ وَذَكِّرْ فَإِنَّ الذِّكْرى‏ تَنْفَعُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الله تَعَالَى يَقُولُ فِي كِتَابِهِ إِنَّ فِي ذلِكَ لَذِكْرى‏ لِمَنْ كانَ لَهُ قَلْبٌ يَعْنِي عَقْلٌ وَقَالَ وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنا لُقْمانَ الْحِكْمَةَ قَالَ الْفَهْمَ وَالْعَقْلَ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ لُقْمَانَ قَالَ لابْنِهِ تَوَاضَعْ لِلْحَقِّ تَكُنْ أَعْقَلَ النَّاسِ وَإِنَّ الْكَيِّسَ لَدَى الْحَقِّ يَسِيرٌ يَا بُنَيَّ إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا بَحْرٌ عَمِيقٌ قَدْ غَرِقَ فِيهَا عَالَمٌ كَثِيرٌ فَلْتَكُنْ سَفِينَتُكَ فِيهَا تَقْوَى الله وَحَشْوُهَا الايمَانَ وَشِرَاعُهَا التَّوَكُّلَ وَقَيِّمُهَا الْعَقْلَ وَدَلِيلُهَا الْعِلْمَ وَسُكَّانُهَا الصَّبْرَ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ دَلِيلاً وَدَلِيلُ الْعَقْلِ التَّفَكُّرُ وَدَلِيلُ التَّفَكُّرِ الصَّمْتُ وَلِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مَطِيَّةً وَمَطِيَّةُ الْعَقْلِ التَّوَاضُعُ وَكَفَى بِكَ جَهْلاً أَنْ تَرْكَبَ مَا نُهِيْتَ عَنْهُ يَا هِشَامُ مَا بَعَثَ الله أَنْبِيَاءَهُ وَرُسُلَهُ إِلَى عِبَادِهِ إِلا لِيَعْقِلُوا عَنِ الله فَأَحْسَنُهُمُ اسْتِجَابَةً أَحْسَنُهُمْ مَعْرِفَةً وَأَعْلَمُهُمْ بِأَمْرِ الله أَحْسَنُهُمْ عَقْلاً وَأَكْمَلُهُمْ عَقْلاً أَرْفَعُهُمْ دَرَجَةً فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالاخِرَةِ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ لله عَلَى النَّاسِ حُجَّتَيْنِ حُجَّةً ظَاهِرَةً وَحُجَّةً بَاطِنَةً فَأَمَّا الظَّاهِرَةُ فَالرُّسُلُ وَالانْبِيَاءُ وَالائِمَّةُ (عَلَيْهم السَّلام) وَأَمَّا الْبَاطِنَةُ فَالْعُقُولُ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ الَّذِي لا يَشْغَلُ الْحَلالُ شُكْرَهُ وَلا يَغْلِبُ الْحَرَامُ صَبْرَهُ. يَا هِشَامُ مَنْ سَلَّطَ ثَلاثاً عَلَى ثَلاثٍ فَكَأَنَّمَا أَعَانَ عَلَى هَدْمِ عَقْلِهِ مَنْ أَظْلَمَ نُورُ تَفَكُّرِهِ بِطُولِ أَمَلِهِ وَمَحَا طَرَائِفَ حِكْمَتِهِ بِفُضُولِ كَلامِهِ وَأَطْفَأَ نُورَ عِبْرَتِهِ بِشَهَوَاتِ نَفْسِهِ فَكَأَنَّمَا أَعَانَ هَوَاهُ عَلَى هَدْمِ عَقْلِهِ وَمَنْ هَدَمَ عَقْلَهُ أَفْسَدَ عَلَيْهِ دِينَهُ وَدُنْيَاهُ يَا هِشَامُ كَيْفَ يَزْكُو عِنْدَ الله عَمَلُكَ وَأَنْتَ قَدْ شَغَلْتَ قَلْبَكَ عَنْ أَمْرِ رَبِّكَ وَأَطَعْتَ هَوَاكَ عَلَى غَلَبَةِ عَقْلِكَ يَا هِشَامُ الصَّبْرُ عَلَى الْوَحْدَةِ عَلامَةُ قُوَّةِ الْعَقْلِ فَمَنْ عَقَلَ عَنِ الله اعْتَزَلَ أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا وَالرَّاغِبِينَ فِيهَا وَرَغِبَ فِيمَا عِنْدَ الله وَكَانَ الله أُنْسَهُ فِي الْوَحْشَةِ وَصَاحِبَهُ فِي الْوَحْدَةِ وَغِنَاهُ فِي الْعَيْلَةِ وَمُعِزَّهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ عَشِيرَةٍ يَا هِشَامُ نَصْبُ الْحَقِّ لِطَاعَةِ الله وَلا نَجَاةَ إِلا بِالطَّاعَةِ وَالطَّاعَةُ بِالْعِلْمِ وَالْعِلْمُ بِالتَّعَلُّمِ وَالتَّعَلُّمُ بِالْعَقْلِ يُعْتَقَدُ وَلا عِلْمَ إِلا مِنْ عَالِمٍ رَبَّانِيٍّ وَمَعْرِفَةُ الْعِلْمِ بِالْعَقْلِ يَا هِشَامُ قَلِيلُ الْعَمَلِ مِنَ الْعَالِمِ مَقْبُولٌ مُضَاعَفٌ وَكَثِيرُ الْعَمَلِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْهَوَى وَالْجَهْلِ مَرْدُودٌ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ رَضِيَ بِالدُّونِ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَعَ الْحِكْمَةِ وَلَمْ يَرْضَ بِالدُّونِ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ مَعَ الدُّنْيَا فَلِذَلِكَ رَبِحَتْ تِجَارَتُهُمْ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعُقَلاءَ تَرَكُوا فُضُولَ الدُّنْيَا فَكَيْفَ الذُّنُوبَ وَتَرْكُ الدُّنْيَا مِنَ الْفَضْلِ وَتَرْكُ الذُّنُوبِ مِنَ الْفَرْضِ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ نَظَرَ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا وَإِلَى أَهْلِهَا فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهَا لا تُنَالُ إِلا بِالْمَشَقَّةِ وَنَظَرَ إِلَى الاخِرَةِ فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهَا لا تُنَالُ إِلا بِالْمَشَقَّةِ فَطَلَبَ بِالْمَشَقَّةِ أَبْقَاهُمَا يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعُقَلاءَ زَهِدُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَرَغِبُوا فِي الاخِرَةِ لانَّهُمْ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ الدُّنْيَا طَالِبَةٌ مَطْلُوبَةٌ وَالاخِرَةَ طَالِبَةٌ وَمَطْلُوبَةٌ فَمَنْ طَلَبَ الاخِرَةَ طَلَبَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا حَتَّى يَسْتَوْفِيَ مِنْهَا رِزْقَهُ وَمَنْ طَلَبَ الدُّنْيَا طَلَبَتْهُ الاخِرَةُ فَيَأْتِيهِ الْمَوْتُ فَيُفْسِدُ عَلَيْهِ دُنْيَاهُ وَآخِرَتَهُ يَا هِشَامُ مَنْ أَرَادَ الْغِنَى بِلا مَالٍ وَرَاحَةَ الْقَلْبِ مِنَ الْحَسَدِ وَالسَّلامَةَ فِي الدِّينِ فَلْيَتَضَرَّعْ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي مَسْأَلَتِهِ بِأَنْ يُكَمِّلَ عَقْلَهُ فَمَنْ عَقَلَ قَنِعَ بِمَا يَكْفِيهِ وَمَنْ قَنِعَ بِمَا يَكْفِيهِ اسْتَغْنَى وَمَنْ لَمْ يَقْنَعْ بِمَا يَكْفِيهِ لَمْ يُدْرِكِ الْغِنَى أَبَداً يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الله حَكَى عَنْ قَوْمٍ صَالِحِينَ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا رَبَّنا لا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنا وَهَبْ لَنا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ حِينَ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ الْقُلُوبَ تَزِيغُ وَتَعُودُ إِلَى عَمَاهَا وَرَدَاهَا إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَخَفِ الله مَنْ لَمْ يَعْقِلْ عَنِ الله وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْقِلْ عَنِ الله لَمْ يَعْقِدْ قَلْبَهُ عَلَى مَعْرِفَةٍ ثَابِتَةٍ يُبْصِرُهَا وَيَجِدُ حَقِيقَتَهَا فِي قَلْبِهِ وَلا يَكُونُ أَحَدٌ كَذَلِكَ إِلا مَنْ كَانَ قَوْلُهُ لِفِعْلِهِ مُصَدِّقاً وَسِرُّهُ لِعَلانِيَتِهِ مُوَافِقاً لانَّ الله تَبَارَكَ اسْمُهُ لَمْ يَدُلَّ عَلَى الْبَاطِنِ الْخَفِيِّ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ إِلا بِظَاهِرٍ مِنْهُ وَنَاطِقٍ عَنْهُ يَا هِشَامُ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  يَقُولُ مَا عُبِدَ الله بِشَيْ‏ءٍ أَفْضَلَ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ وَمَا تَمَّ عَقْلُ امْرِئٍ حَتَّى يَكُونَ فِيهِ خِصَالٌ شَتَّى الْكُفْرُ وَالشَّرُّ مِنْهُ مَأْمُونَانِ وَالرُّشْدُ وَالْخَيْرُ مِنْهُ مَأْمُولانِ وَفَضْلُ مَالِهِ مَبْذُولٌ وَفَضْلُ قَوْلِهِ مَكْفُوفٌ وَنَصِيبُهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا الْقُوتُ لا يَشْبَعُ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ دَهْرَهُ الذُّلُّ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مَعَ الله مِنَ الْعِزِّ مَعَ غَيْرِهِ وَالتَّوَاضُعُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الشَّرَفِ يَسْتَكْثِرُ قَلِيلَ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ وَيَسْتَقِلُّ كَثِيرَ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَيَرَى النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ خَيْراً مِنْهُ وَأَنَّهُ شَرُّهُمْ فِي نَفْسِهِ وَهُوَ تَمَامُ الامْرِ يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ لا يَكْذِبُ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِيهِ هَوَاهُ يَا هِشَامُ لا دِينَ لِمَنْ لا مُرُوَّةَ لَهُ وَلا مُرُوَّةَ لِمَنْ لا عَقْلَ لَهُ وَإِنَّ أَعْظَمَ النَّاسِ قَدْراً الَّذِي لا يَرَى الدُّنْيَا لِنَفْسِهِ خَطَراً أَمَا إِنَّ أَبْدَانَكُمْ لَيْسَ لَهَا ثَمَنٌ إِلا الْجَنَّةُ فَلا تَبِيعُوهَا بِغَيْرِهَا يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مِنْ عَلامَةِ الْعَاقِلِ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ ثَلاثُ خِصَالٍ يُجِيبُ إِذَا سُئِلَ وَيَنْطِقُ إِذَا عَجَزَ الْقَوْمُ عَنِ الْكَلامِ وَيُشِيرُ بِالرَّأْيِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ فِيهِ صَلاحُ أَهْلِهِ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْخِصَالِ الثَّلاثِ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَهُوَ أَحْمَقُ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  قَالَ لا يَجْلِسُ فِي صَدْرِ الْمَجْلِسِ إِلا رَجُلٌ فِيهِ هَذِهِ الْخِصَالُ الثَّلاثُ أَوْ وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ فَمَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْهُنَّ فَجَلَسَ فَهُوَ أَحْمَقُ وَقَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) إِذَا طَلَبْتُمُ الْحَوَائِجَ فَاطْلُبُوهَا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا قِيلَ. يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله وَمَنْ أَهْلُهَا قَالَ الَّذِينَ قَصَّ الله فِي كِتَابِهِ وَذَكَرَهُمْ فَقَالَ إِنَّما يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُوا الالْبابِ قَالَ هُمْ أُولُو الْعُقُولِ وَقَالَ عَلِيُّ بن الحسين (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) مُجَالَسَةُ الصَّالِحِينَ دَاعِيَةٌ إِلَى الصَّلاحِ وَآدَابُ الْعُلَمَاءِ زِيَادَةٌ فِي الْعَقْلِ وَطَاعَةُ وُلاةِ الْعَدْلِ تَمَامُ الْعِزِّ وَاسْتِثْمَارُ الْمَالِ تَمَامُ الْمُرُوءَةِ وَإِرْشَادُ الْمُسْتَشِيرِ قَضَاءٌ لِحَقِّ النِّعْمَةِ وَكَفُّ الاذَى مِنْ كَمَالِ الْعَقْلِ وَفِيهِ رَاحَةُ الْبَدَنِ عَاجِلاً وَآجِلاً يَا هِشَامُ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ لا يُحَدِّثُ مَنْ يَخَافُ تَكْذِيبَهُ وَلا يَسْأَلُ مَنْ يَخَافُ مَنْعَهُ وَلا يَعِدُ مَا لا يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ وَلا يَرْجُو مَا يُعَنَّفُ بِرَجَائِهِ وَلا يُقْدِمُ عَلَى مَا يَخَافُ فَوْتَهُ بِالْعَجْزِ عَنْهُ.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad in a marfu‘ manner that Amir al-Mu’mineen Ali  said: “Intelligence is a complete cover (protection) for one and extra knowledge and skills are evident beauty. Compensate your physical shortcomings with your extra knowledge and skills. Fight your desires with help from your intelligence and in so doing friendship is surrendered to and love becomes manifest for you.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  الْعَقْلُ غِطَاءٌ سَتِيرٌ وَالْفَضْلُ جَمَالٌ ظَاهِرٌ فَاسْتُرْ خَلَلَ خُلُقِكَ بِفَضْلِكَ وَقَاتِلْ هَوَاكَ بِعَقْلِكَ تَسْلَمْ لَكَ الْمَوَدَّةُ وَتَظْهَرْ لَكَ الْمَحَبَّةُ

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn Hadid from Suma’a ibn Mihran who has said the following. “With a gathering of his followers I was in the presence of Imam abu ‘Abdallah . A discussion on intelligence and ignorance began to emerge among them. Thereupon Imam abu ‘Abdallah said, “You, first, must recognize intelligence and its army and ignorance and its army only then you would find proper guidance.” I then asked, may Allah make my soul of service to you, we only learn what you teach us.” The Imam  said, “Allah, the Glorious, the Majestic created intelligence and it was the first creature of spiritual world on the right side of the Throne from His light. He then told him to move backwards and intelligence moved backwards. He then told him to come forwards. Intelligence came forwards. Allah, the Sacrosanct, the Most High said, “I have created you a great creature and honored you above all others of my creatures. The Imam  continued, “Allah then created ignorance from a salty dark ocean and told it, “move backwards and did move backwards. He then called it to come forwards but it did not come forwards. He then said to it, ‘Did you shun coming forwards?” He then pronounced it condemned. He then assigned seventy-five armies for intelligence. When ignorance saw all the honors Allah has granted to intelligence it bore hidden animosity towards intelligence and said, “Lord this creature is just like me. You created and honored it and gave it power. But I have no power against it. Give me also likewise armies. The Lord then said, “I will give you also an army but if you would disobey Me I will then expel you and your army from My mercy. Ignorance then said, ‘I agree.’ Allah gave it seventy-five armies and it was out of the army of intelligence. No one other than a prophet or his successor or a true believer the strength of whose faith Allah has already tested can have the whole army of intelligence with all such characteristics. However, some of our followers and friends may acquire some of such characteristics so that they may reach perfection and repulse the army of ignorance and purify themselves from evil. In such case they also will step at the high degree and level of the prophets and the successors of the prophets. This progress can only be made after knowing, with certainty, intelligence and its army and ignorance and its army. May Allah provide us and you the opportunity to obey Him and work to please Him.

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  وَعِنْدَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ مَوَالِيهِ فَجَرَى ذِكْرُ الْعَقْلِ وَالْجَهْلِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  اعْرِفُوا الْعَقْلَ وَجُنْدَهُ وَالْجَهْلَ وَجُنْدَهُ تَهْتَدُوا قَالَ سَمَاعَةُ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لا نَعْرِفُ إِلا مَا عَرَّفْتَنَا فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ خَلَقَ الْعَقْلَ وَهُوَ أَوَّلُ خَلْقٍ مِنَ الرُّوحَانِيِّينَ عَنْ يَمِينِ الْعَرْشِ مِنْ نُورِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَدْبِرْ فَأَدْبَرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَقْبِلْ فَأَقْبَلَ فَقَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى خَلَقْتُكَ خَلْقاً عَظِيماً وَكَرَّمْتُكَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِي قَالَ ثُمَّ خَلَقَ الْجَهْلَ مِنَ الْبَحْرِ الاجَاجِ ظُلْمَانِيّاً فَقَالَ لَهُ أَدْبِرْ فَأَدْبَرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَقْبِلْ فَلَمْ يُقْبِلْ فَقَالَ لَهُ اسْتَكْبَرْتَ فَلَعَنَهُ ثُمَّ جَعَلَ لِلْعَقْلِ خَمْسَةً وَسَبْعِينَ جُنْداً فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْجَهْلُ مَا أَكْرَمَ الله بِهِ الْعَقْلَ وَمَا أَعْطَاهُ أَضْمَرَ لَهُ الْعَدَاوَةَ فَقَالَ الْجَهْلُ يَا رَبِّ هَذَا خَلْقٌ مِثْلِي خَلَقْتَهُ وَكَرَّمْتَهُ وَقَوَّيْتَهُ وَأَنَا ضِدُّهُ وَلا قُوَّةَ لِي بِهِ فَأَعْطِنِي مِنَ الْجُنْدِ مِثْلَ مَا أَعْطَيْتَهُ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَإِنْ عَصَيْتَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَخْرَجْتُكَ وَجُنْدَكَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِي قَالَ قَدْ رَضِيتُ فَأَعْطَاهُ خَمْسَةً وَسَبْعِينَ جُنْداً فَكَانَ مِمَّا أَعْطَى الْعَقْلَ مِنَ الْخَمْسَةِ وَالسَّبْعِينَ الْجُنْدَ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ وَزِيرُ الْعَقْلِ وَجَعَلَ ضِدَّهُ الشَّرَّ وَهُوَ وَزِيرُ الْجَهْلِ وَالايمَانُ وَضِدَّهُ الْكُفْرَ وَالتَّصْدِيقُ وَضِدَّهُ الْجُحُودَ وَالرَّجَاءُ وَضِدَّهُ الْقُنُوطَ وَالْعَدْلُ وَضِدَّهُ الْجَوْرَ وَالرِّضَا وَضِدَّهُ السُّخْطَ وَالشُّكْرُ وَضِدَّهُ الْكُفْرَانَ وَالطَّمَعُ وَضِدَّهُ الْيَأْسَ وَالتَّوَكُّلُ وَضِدَّهُ الْحِرْصَ وَالرَّأْفَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْقَسْوَةَ وَالرَّحْمَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْغَضَبَ وَالْعِلْمُ وَضِدَّهُ الْجَهْلَ وَالْفَهْمُ وَضِدَّهُ الْحُمْقَ وَالْعِفَّةُ وَضِدَّهَا التَّهَتُّكَ وَالزُّهْدُ وَضِدَّهُ الرَّغْبَةَ وَالرِّفْقُ وَضِدَّهُ الْخُرْقَ وَالرَّهْبَةُ وَضِدَّهُ الْجُرْأَةَ وَالتَّوَاضُعُ وَضِدَّهُ الْكِبْرَ وَالتُّؤَدَةُ وَضِدَّهَا التَّسَرُّعَ وَالْحِلْمُ وَضِدَّهَا السَّفَهَ وَالصَّمْتُ وَضِدَّهُ الْهَذَرَ وَالاسْتِسْلامُ وَضِدَّهُ الاسْتِكْبَارَ وَالتَّسْلِيمُ وَضِدَّهُ الشَّكَّ وَالصَّبْرُ وَضِدَّهُ الْجَزَعَ وَالصَّفْحُ وَضِدَّهُ الانْتِقَامَ وَالْغِنَى وَضِدَّهُ الْفَقْرَ وَالتَّذَكُّرُ وَضِدَّهُ السَّهْوَ وَالْحِفْظُ وَضِدَّهُ النِّسْيَانَ وَالتَّعَطُّفُ وَضِدَّهُ الْقَطِيعَةَ وَالْقُنُوعُ وَضِدَّهُ الْحِرْصَ وَالْمُؤَاسَاةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْمَنْعَ وَالْمَوَدَّةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْعَدَاوَةَ وَالْوَفَاءُ وَضِدَّهُ الْغَدْرَ وَالطَّاعَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْمَعْصِيَةَ وَالْخُضُوعُ وَضِدَّهُ التَّطَاوُلَ وَالسَّلامَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْبَلاءَ وَالْحُبُّ وَضِدَّهُ الْبُغْضَ وَالصِّدْقُ وَضِدَّهُ الْكَذِبَ وَالْحَقُّ وَضِدَّهُ الْبَاطِلَ وَالامَانَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْخِيَانَةَ وَالاخْلاصُ وَضِدَّهُ الشَّوْبَ وَالشَّهَامَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْبَلادَةَ وَالْفَهْمُ وَضِدَّهُ الْغَبَاوَةَ وَالْمَعْرِفَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الانْكَارَ وَالْمُدَارَاةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْمُكَاشَفَةَ وَسَلامَةُ الْغَيْبِ وَضِدَّهَا الْمُمَاكَرَةَ وَالْكِتْمَانُ وَضِدَّهُ الافْشَاءَ وَالصَّلاةُ وَضِدَّهَا الاضَاعَةَ وَالصَّوْمُ وَضِدَّهُ الافْطَارَ وَالْجِهَادُ وَضِدَّهُ النُّكُولَ وَالْحَجُّ وَضِدَّهُ نَبْذَ الْمِيثَاقِ وَصَوْنُ الْحَدِيثِ وَضِدَّهُ النَّمِيمَةَ وَبِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَضِدَّهُ الْعُقُوقَ وَالْحَقِيقَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الرِّيَاءَ وَالْمَعْرُوفُ وَضِدَّهُ الْمُنْكَرَ وَالسَّتْرُ وَضِدَّهُ التَّبَرُّجَ وَالتَّقِيَّةُ وَضِدَّهَا الاذَاعَةَ وَالانْصَافُ وَضِدَّهُ الْحَمِيَّةَ وَالتَّهْيِئَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْبَغْيَ وَالنَّظَافَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْقَذَرَ وَالْحَيَاءُ وَضِدَّهَا الْجَلَعَ وَالْقَصْدُ وَضِدَّهُ الْعُدْوَانَ وَالرَّاحَةُ وَضِدَّهَا التَّعَبَ وَالسُّهُولَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الصُّعُوبَةَ وَالْبَرَكَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْمَحْقَ وَالْعَافِيَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْبَلاءَ وَالْقَوَامُ وَضِدَّهُ الْمُكَاثَرَةَ وَالْحِكْمَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْهَوَاءَ وَالْوَقَارُ وَضِدَّهُ الْخِفَّةَ وَالسَّعَادَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الشَّقَاوَةَ وَالتَّوْبَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الاصْرَارَ وَالاسْتِغْفَارُ وَضِدَّهُ الاغْتِرَارَ وَالْمُحَافَظَةُ وَضِدَّهَا التَّهَاوُنَ وَالدُّعَاءُ وَضِدَّهُ الاسْتِنْكَافَ وَالنَّشَاطُ وَضِدَّهُ الْكَسَلَ وَالْفَرَحُ وَضِدَّهُ الْحَزَنَ وَالالْفَةُ وَضِدَّهَا الْفُرْقَةَ وَالسَّخَاءُ وَضِدَّهُ الْبُخْلَ فَلا تَجْتَمِعُ هَذِهِ الْخِصَالُ كُلُّهَا مِنْ أَجْنَادِ الْعَقْلِ إِلا فِي نَبِيٍّ أَوْ وَصِيِّ نَبِيٍّ أَوْ مُؤْمِنٍ قَدِ امْتَحَنَ الله قَلْبَهُ لِلايمَانِ وَأَمَّا سَائِرُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ مَوَالِينَا فَإِنَّ أَحَدَهُمْ لا يَخْلُو مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ فِيهِ بَعْضُ هَذِهِ الْجُنُودِ حَتَّى يَسْتَكْمِلَ وَيَنْقَى مِنْ جُنُودِ الْجَهْلِ فَعِنْدَ ذَلِكَ يَكُونُ فِي الدَّرَجَةِ الْعُلْيَا مَعَ الانْبِيَاءِ وَالاوْصِيَاءِ وَإِنَّمَا يُدْرَكُ ذَلِكَ بِمَعْرِفَةِ الْعَقْلِ وَجُنُودِهِ وَبِمُجَانَبَةِ الْجَهْلِ وَجُنُودِهِ وَفَّقَنَا الله وَإِيَّاكُمْ لِطَاعَتِهِ وَمَرْضَاتِهِ.

A group of our people has narrted from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faddal from one of our people that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  stated: “The Rasulullah ﷺ never spoke to people according to his own level of intellect. He stated that the Rasulullah ﷺ said, ‘We, the community of the Prophets, are commanded to speak to people up to the level of their intelligence.’”

جَمَاعَةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ مَا كَلَّمَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ الْعِبَادَ بِكُنْهِ عَقْلِهِ قَطُّ وَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ إِنَّا مَعَاشِرَ الانْبِيَاءِ أُمِرْنَا أَنْ نُكَلِّمَ النَّاسَ عَلَى قَدْرِ عُقُولِهِمْ

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Ja‘far (al-Sadiq)  from his father (al-Baqir)  that Amir al-Mu’minin : “Greed motivates the hearts of the ignorant people, longings and yearning keep them as hostages and deceit clings to them.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  إِنَّ قُلُوبَ الْجُهَّالِ تَسْتَفِزُّهَا الاطْمَاعُ وَتَرْتَهِنُهَا الْمُنَى وَتَسْتَعْلِقُهَا الْخَدَائِعُ

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from ‘Ubaydallah al-Dihqan from Durust from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said: “The most perfect of people in intellect are the best of them in character.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الاشْعَرِيِّ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ الله الدِّهْقَانِ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  أَكْمَلُ النَّاسِ عَقْلاً أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقاً

Ali has narrated from his father from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “We were in the presence of Imam al-Rida  that a discussion about intelligence took place and the Imam said, “O abu Hashim, intelligence is a present from Allah but discipline is a skill and burden. One who would pretend as a well disciplined one he would certainly establish full control in it. But to pretend as a person of intelligence would increase in him nothing but more ignorance.”

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ الرِّضَا  فَتَذَاكَرْنَا الْعَقْلَ وَالادَبَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ الْعَقْلُ حِبَاءٌ مِنَ الله وَالادَبُ كُلْفَةٌ فَمَنْ تَكَلَّفَ الادَبَ قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ تَكَلَّفَ الْعَقْلَ لَمْ يَزْدَدْ بِذَلِكَ إِلا جَهْلاً

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Yahya ibn al-Mubarak from ‘Abdallah ibn Jubla from ibn Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  was asked, ‘May I be your ransom, I have a neighbor who does a lot of salaat, gives a lot in charity and very often does hajj and there is no flaw with him.’ He asked, ‘O Ibn Ishaq how is his intelligence?’. I then said, ‘May I be your ransom, he does not have any intelligence’. So he said, ‘Nothing from what he does will be raised up (to heavens).’

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ لِي جَاراً كَثِيرَ الصَّلاةِ كَثِيرَ الصَّدَقَةِ كَثِيرَ الْحَجِّ لا بَأْسَ بِهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَا إِسْحَاقُ كَيْفَ عَقْلُهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ عَقْلٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ لا يَرْتَفِعُ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُ.

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sayyari from abu Ya’qub al-Baghdadi who has said the following. “Ibn Sukayt asked Imam abu al-Hassan , ‘Why did Allah sent Moses with the miracle appearing through his staff and through his hand and means of magic, Jesus with means of medical tasks and Prophet Muhammad (may Allah send blessings upon him, his family and all the prophets) with means of speech and sermons?’” “When Moses was sent magic was very popular among the people. He showed a magic of such form that was not possible for others to perform. He was given such means that destroyed the magical effects of those people’s magic and established the truth of the message of Allah among them. Allah sent Jesus at a time when serious illnesses existed among the people and they needed medical treatment. Jesus brought from Allah what the people did not have. He brought from Allah the means to bring the dead back to life, cure the sick and the lepers by the permission of Allah and thus, establish the truthfulness of the message of Allah among the people.” The Imam explained. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (s.a.) at a time when oratory and speech was very popular among the people –I think he said poetry. He brought from Allah to the people the good advise and wisdom that showed the falsehood in their speeches and thus established the truthfulness of the message of Allah among them.” Ibn al-Sukayt then said, “I swear by Allah that I have never seen anyone like you. What is the proof to establish the truthfulness of the message of Allah among people today?” The Imam then said, ‘It is intelligence. Through intelligence one recognizes those who speak the truth from Allah, thus, one acknowledges their truthfulness and those who lie in the name of Allah their lies come to light.” Ibn al-Sukayt then said, “This by Allah is the answer.”

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ السَّيَّارِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي يَعْقُوبَ الْبَغْدَادِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ لابِي الْحَسَنِ  لِمَا ذَا بَعَثَ الله مُوسَى بْنَ عِمْرَانَ  بِالْعَصَا وَيَدِهِ الْبَيْضَاءِ وَآلَةِ السِّحْرِ وَبَعَثَ عِيسَى بِ‏آلَةِ الطِّبِّ وَبَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَعَلَى جَمِيعِ الانْبِيَاءِ بِالْكَلامِ وَالْخُطَبِ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ  إِنَّ الله لَمَّا بَعَثَ مُوسَى  كَانَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَى أَهْلِ عَصْرِهِ السِّحْرَ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ الله بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي وُسْعِهِمْ مِثْلُهُ وَمَا أَبْطَلَ بِهِ سِحْرَهُمْ وَأَثْبَتَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّ الله بَعَثَ عِيسَى  فِي وَقْتٍ قَدْ ظَهَرَتْ فِيهِ الزَّمَانَاتُ وَاحْتَاجَ النَّاسُ إِلَى الطِّبِّ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ الله بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدَهُمْ مِثْلُهُ وَبِمَا أَحْيَا لَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَأَبْرَأَ الاكْمَهَ وَالابْرَصَ بِإِذْنِ الله وَأَثْبَتَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّ الله بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً ﷺ فِي وَقْتٍ كَانَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَى أَهْلِ عَصْرِهِ الْخُطَبَ وَالْكَلامَ وَأَظُنُّهُ قَالَ الشِّعْرَ فَأَتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِنْدِ الله مِنْ مَوَاعِظِهِ وَحِكَمِهِ مَا أَبْطَلَ بِهِ قَوْلَهُمْ وَأَثْبَتَ بِهِ الْحُجَّةَ عَلَيْهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ تَالله مَا رَأَيْتُ مِثْلَكَ قَطُّ فَمَا الْحُجَّةُ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ الْيَوْمَ قَالَ فَقَالَ  الْعَقْلُ يُعْرَفُ بِهِ الصَّادِقُ عَلَى الله فَيُصَدِّقُهُ وَالْكَاذِبُ عَلَى الله فَيُكَذِّبُهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ السِّكِّيتِ هَذَا وَالله هُوَ الْجَوَابُ.

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washa’ from al-Muthanna al-Hannat from al-Qutayba al-A’sha from Ibn Abi Ya‘fur from a slave of Banu Shayban that Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir)  said: “When our Qa’im (Imam al-Mahdi) rises, Allah will place His hand over the heads of His servants and He will place their intelligence together and complete their understanding.”

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنِ الْمُثَنَّى الْحَنَّاطِ عَنْ قُتَيْبَةَ الاعْشَى عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ مَوْلىً لِبَنِي شَيْبَانَ عَنْ ابي جعفر  قَالَ إِذَا قَامَ قَائِمُنَا وَضَعَ الله يَدَهُ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْعِبَادِ فَجَمَعَ بِهَا عُقُولَهُمْ وَكَمَلَتْ بِهِ أَحْلامُهُمْ

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn Sulayman from Ali ibn Ibrahim from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said: “The hujjah (proof) of Allah over the worshippers is the Prophet ﷺ and the hujjah (proof) between Allah and the people is the intellect (al-‘Aql).”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ حُجَّةُ الله عَلَى الْعِبَادِ النَّبِيُّ وَالْحُجَّةُ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ وَبَيْنَ الله الْعَقْلُ

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad in a mursal manner that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said: “Intelligence is the support for man. From intelligence come intelligence, understanding, memorization and knowledge and with intelligence he gains perfection. Intelligence is his guide, his instructor and the key to his affairs. When his intelligence is supported with light he becomes a scholar, a keeper (of knowledge), an intelligent re-caller and a man of understanding. Through intelligence he learns the answer to how, why and where or when. He learns who helps and who harm him. When he learns these (facts) he learns the channels, the connections and the differentiating factors. He then establishes pure faith in the oneness of Allah and acknowledges the need to obey Him. When he does so he finds the proper remedy for what he has lost and the right approach to whatever may come in. He knows well his present involvement, for what reason is he here, wherefrom has he come and to what end is he going. He will have all these because of intelligence.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ مُرْسَلاً قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  دِعَامَةُ الانْسَانِ الْعَقْلُ وَالْعَقْلُ مِنْهُ الْفِطْنَةُ وَالْفَهْمُ وَالْحِفْظُ وَالْعِلْمُ وَبِالْعَقْلِ يَكْمُلُ وَهُوَ دَلِيلُهُ وَمُبْصِرُهُ وَمِفْتَاحُ أَمْرِهِ فَإِذَا كَانَ تَأْيِيدُ عَقْلِهِ مِنَ النُّورِ كَانَ عَالِماً حَافِظاً ذَاكِراً فَطِناً فَهِماً فَعَلِمَ بِذَلِكَ كَيْفَ وَلِمَ وَحَيْثُ وَعَرَفَ مَنْ نَصَحَهُ وَمَنْ غَشَّهُ فَإِذَا عَرَفَ ذَلِكَ عَرَفَ مَجْرَاهُ وَمَوْصُولَهُ وَمَفْصُولَهُ وَأَخْلَصَ الْوَحْدَانِيَّةَ لله وَالاقْرَارَ بِالطَّاعَةِ فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ كَانَ مُسْتَدْرِكاً لِمَا فَاتَ وَوَارِداً عَلَى مَا هُوَ آتٍ يَعْرِفُ مَا هُوَ فِيهِ وَلايِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ هُوَ هَاهُنَا وَمِنْ أَيْنَ يَأْتِيهِ وَإِلَى مَا هُوَ صَائِرٌ وَذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ مِنْ تَأْيِيدِ الْعَقْلِ.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ’Isma‘il ibn Mihran from one of his people that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said: “Intelligence (al-‘Aql) is the guide of a believer.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ بَعْضِ رِجَالِهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ الْعَقْلُ دَلِيلُ الْمُؤْمِنِ

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from al-Sariy ibn Khalid that Abu ‘Abdillah  said: Rasulullah ﷺ, ‘Oh Ali, no poverty is more sever than ignorance and no property is more profitable than intelligence.”

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ السَّرِيِّ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ يَا عَلِيُّ لا فَقْرَ أَشَدُّ مِنَ الْجَهْلِ وَلا مَالَ أَعْوَدُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ

Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn abu Najran from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim that Abu Ja’far (al-Baqir)  said: “When Allah (swt) created the intellect (al-‘Aql) He made it speak and said to it, ‘Come forward’, so it came forward. He then said, ‘Go back’ and it went back. Then Allah said, ‘I swear by My Honor and Glory that I have not created any creation more beloved to Me than you. I will not perfect you in anyone except those whom I love. I will command you [to obey me] and prohibit you [from disobeying me] and I will reward you [for obeying me] and I will punish you [for disobeying me].’”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ ابي جعفر  قَالَ لَمَّا خَلَقَ الله الْعَقْلَ قَالَ لَهُ أَقْبِلْ فَأَقْبَلَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ أَدْبِرْ فَأَدْبَرَ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلالِي مَا خَلَقْتُ خَلْقاً أَحْسَنَ مِنْكَ إِيَّاكَ آمُرُ وَإِيَّاكَ أَنْهَى وَإِيَّاكَ أُثِيبُ وَإِيَّاكَ أُعَاقِبُ.

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Haytham ibn abu Masruq al-Nahdi from al-Husayn ibn Khalid from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar who has said the following. “I said to abu ‘Abdallah , “A man comes to me and as soon as I speak to him only a part of what I want to say he understands it all. There are also people who come to me and I speak to them all that I want to speak and only then they understand all of my statements. And explain to me what I meant. There are still others to whom I speak at length but they ask me to repeat to them what I have already expressed to them.” The Imam  then said, “O Ishaq, do you know why is this?” I replied, “ No, I do not know.” The Imam then said the following, “Those to whom you speak only some of what you want say and they understand the rest are those whose intelligence is mixed to take shape with his nature (Nutfa). Those who understand you only when you complete your speech are those whose intelligence is mixed with them in the womb of their mothers. Those who ask you to repeat what you already said are those, whose intelligence is combined with them when they grow up. It is such people who ask you to repeat your statement.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله  الرَّجُلُ آتِيهِ وَأُكَلِّمُهُ بِبَعْضِ كَلامِي فَيَعْرِفُهُ كُلَّهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آتِيهِ فَأُكَلِّمُهُ بِالْكَلامِ فَيَسْتَوْفِي كَلامِي كُلَّهُ ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُ عَلَيَّ كَمَا كَلَّمْتُهُ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ آتِيهِ فَأُكَلِّمُهُ فَيَقُولُ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا إِسْحَاقُ وَمَا تَدْرِي لِمَ هَذَا قُلْتُ لا قَالَ الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ بِبَعْضِ كَلامِكَ فَيَعْرِفُهُ كُلَّهُ فَذَاكَ مَنْ عُجِنَتْ نُطْفَتُهُ بِعَقْلِهِ وَأَمَّا الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ فَيَسْتَوْفِي كَلامَكَ ثُمَّ يُجِيبُكَ عَلَى كَلامِكَ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي رُكِّبَ عَقْلُهُ فِيهِ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ وَأَمَّا الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ بِالْكَلامِ فَيَقُولُ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي رُكِّبَ عَقْلُهُ فِيهِ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ فَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَكَ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ.

A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from certain persons of our people in a marfu‘ manner that Abu ‘Abdillah  said: “Rasulullah ﷺ said, ‘When you find a man who prays and fasts a great deal do not become proud of him until you see how his intelligence he is.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ مَنْ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله ﷺ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الرَّجُلَ كَثِيرَ الصَّلاةِ كَثِيرَ الصِّيَامِ فَلا تُبَاهُوا بِهِ حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ عَقْلُهُ

Certain persons of our people has narrated in a marfu’ manner from Mufaddal ibn ‘Umar from abu ‘Abdallah  who has said the following. “ O Mufaddal one can never gain success until he understands and one can never understand until he acquires knowledge. One who understands can very soon excel. One who exercises patience can very soon triumph. Knowledge serves one as a shield, truth is honor, ignorance is humility, sharp wittedness is glory, generosity is success and ethical excellence attracts friendship. One who possesses the know how of his time confusion does not frustrate him. Strong determination creates pessimism…. Allah is the guardian of those who know Him. He is the enemy of those who pretend to know Him. A person of intelligence is forgiving and an ignorant person is treacherous. If you like to be honored you must become kind hearted and if you like to be insulted become harsh. One whose origin is noble he is kind hearted. One whose element is rough his liver is thick. The extremist falls into crisis. One who is afraid of the consequences desists from involvement in what he has no knowledge of. One who engages in an affair without knowing anything about it he is headed to his own loss. One who does not know he does not understand and one who does not understand he does not agree and become peaceful. One who does not agree and submit he is not respected and one who is not respected is broke and one who is so broke is blamable and one who is in such a condition must become regretful for his own self.

بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ يَا مُفَضَّلُ لا يُفْلِحُ مَنْ لا يَعْقِلُ وَلا يَعْقِلُ مَنْ لا يَعْلَمُ وَسَوْفَ يَنْجُبُ مَنْ يَفْهَمُ وَيَظْفَرُ مَنْ يَحْلُمُ وَالْعِلْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَالصِّدْقُ عِزٌّ وَالْجَهْلُ ذُلٌّ وَالْفَهْمُ مَجْدٌ وَالْجُودُ نُجْحٌ وَحُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ مَجْلَبَةٌ لِلْمَوَدَّةِ وَالْعَالِمُ بِزَمَانِهِ لا تَهْجُمُ عَلَيْهِ اللَّوَابِسُ وَالْحَزْمُ مَسَاءَةُ الظَّنِّ وَبَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ نِعْمَةُ الْعَالِمِ وَالْجَاهِلُ شَقِيٌّ بَيْنَهُمَا وَالله وَلِيُّ مَنْ عَرَفَهُ وَعَدُوُّ مَنْ تَكَلَّفَهُ وَالْعَاقِلُ غَفُورٌ وَالْجَاهِلُ خَتُورٌ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ تُكْرَمَ فَلِنْ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ أَنْ تُهَانَ فَاخْشُنْ وَمَنْ كَرُمَ أَصْلُهُ لانَ قَلْبُهُ وَمَنْ خَشُنَ عُنْصُرُهُ غَلُظَ كَبِدُهُ وَمَنْ فَرَّطَ تَوَرَّطَ وَمَنْ خَافَ الْعَاقِبَةَ تَثَبَّتَ عَنِ التَّوَغُّلِ فِيمَا لا يَعْلَمُ وَمَنْ هَجَمَ عَلَى أَمْرٍ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ جَدَعَ أَنْفَ نَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْلَمْ لَمْ يَفْهَمْ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَفْهَمْ لَمْ يَسْلَمْ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَسْلَمْ لَمْ يُكْرَمْ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُكْرَمْ يُهْضَمْ وَمَنْ يُهْضَمْ كَانَ أَلْوَمَ وَمَنْ كَانَ كَذَلِكَ كَانَ أَحْرَى أَنْ يَنْدَمَ.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from in a marfu‘ manner that Amir al-Mu’minin  said: “If one would establish firmly in himself one good quality for me I will credit him for it and forgive his other shortcomings but I will not forgive him for his losing intelligence and religion because departing religion is departing peace and security. Thus, life with fear and insecurity is unpleasant. Loss of intelligence is loss of life. A person without intelligence can be compared with no other thing but the dead.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  مَنِ اسْتَحْكَمَتْ لِي فِيهِ خَصْلَةٌ مِنْ خِصَالِ الْخَيْرِ احْتَمَلْتُهُ عَلَيْهَا وَاغْتَفَرْتُ فَقْدَ مَا سِوَاهَا وَلا أَغْتَفِرُ فَقْدَ عَقْلٍ وَلا دِينٍ لانَّ مُفَارَقَةَ الدِّينِ مُفَارَقَةُ الامْنِ فَلا يَتَهَنَّأُ بِحَيَاةٍ مَعَ مَخَافَةٍ وَفَقْدُ الْعَقْلِ فَقْدُ الْحَيَاةِ وَلا يُقَاسُ إِلا بِالامْوَاتِ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim has narrated from Musa ibn Ibrahim from al-Muharibi from al-Hassan ibn Musa from Musa ibn ‘Abdallah from Maymun ibn Ali from Abu ‘Abdillah  that Amir al-Mu’minin  has said, ‘Self glorification is an indication of the weakness of one’s intelligence.’

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ هَاشِمٍ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مَيْمُونِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ  إِعْجَابُ الْمَرْءِ بِنَفْسِهِ دَلِيلٌ عَلَى ضَعْفِ عَقْلِهِ

Abu ‘Abdallah al-‘Asimiy has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Hassan ibn al-Juham from Abul Hassan al-Ridha  that when our people mentioned the intellect (al-‘Aql) he (al-Ridha)  said: “Those without intellect (al-‘Aql) are not regarded among the people of religion.” I said, “May I be your ransom, some describe this matter (i.e. Imamah) to a group who are acceptable to us, yet lack such intelligence.” He replied, “These are not the ones Allah addressed. Indeed, Allah created the intellect (al-‘Aql) and said to it, ‘Step forward’ and it came forward. Then he said, ‘Step back,’ and it went back. He then said, ‘By My glory and majesty, I have not created anything better than you, nor anything dearer to me than you. With you, I shall take, and to you, I shall give.’”

أَبُو عَبْدِ الله الْعَاصِمِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا  قَالَ ذُكِرَ عِنْدَهُ أَصْحَابُنَا وَذُكِرَ الْعَقْلُ قَالَ فَقَالَ  لا يُعْبَأُ بِأَهْلِ الدِّينِ مِمَّنْ لا عَقْلَ لَهُ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ مِمَّنْ يَصِفُ هَذَا الامْرَ قَوْماً لا بَأْسَ بِهِمْ عِنْدَنَا وَلَيْسَتْ لَهُمْ تِلْكَ الْعُقُولُ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ هَؤُلاءِ مِمَّنْ خَاطَبَ الله إِنَّ الله خَلَقَ الْعَقْلَ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَقْبِلْ فَأَقْبَلَ وَقَالَ لَهُ أَدْبِرْ فَأَدْبَرَ فَقَالَ وَعِزَّتِي وَجَلالِي مَا خَلَقْتُ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ مِنْكَ أَوْ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِنْكَ بِكَ آخُذُ وَبِكَ أُعْطِي.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from one of our people that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) : “There is nothing (or no difference) between belief and disbelief, but lack of intelligence.” So he asked him, “How is that so oh son of Rasulullah ﷺ?”. He replied, “Indeed, when a servant raises his desire to a creation, if he had sincerely intended it for Allah, the one he seeks would respond even faster than that.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الايمَانِ وَالْكُفْرِ إِلا قِلَّةُ الْعَقْلِ قِيلَ وَكَيْفَ ذَاكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ الله قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ يَرْفَعُ رَغْبَتَهُ إِلَى مَخْلُوقٍ فَلَوْ أَخْلَصَ نِيَّتَهُ لله لاتَاهُ الَّذِي يُرِيدُ فِي أَسْرَعَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ

A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ‘Ubaydallah al-Dihqan from Ahmad ibn ‘Umar al-Halabi from Yahya ibn ‘Umran from Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  that Amir al-Mu’minin  used to say: “Through intellect, the essence of wisdom is extracted, and through wisdom, the essence of intellect is extracted. With good governance [of one’s actions], righteous manners will be formed.” He also used to say, “Contemplation is the life of the discerning heart, just as one walks in darkness with light, through the good purification and minimal hesitation.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ الله الدِّهْقَانِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عِمْرَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ بِالْعَقْلِ اسْتُخْرِجَ غَوْرُ الْحِكْمَةِ وَبِالْحِكْمَةِ اسْتُخْرِجَ غَوْرُ الْعَقْلِ وَبِحُسْنِ السِّيَاسَةِ يَكُونُ الادَبُ الصَّالِحُ قَالَ وَكَانَ يَقُولُ التَّفَكُّرُ حَيَاةُ قَلْبِ الْبَصِيرِ كَمَا يَمْشِي الْمَاشِي فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ بِالنُّورِ بِحُسْنِ التَّخَلُّصِ وَقِلَّةِ التَّرَبُّصِ

A number of our companions, from Abdillah al-Bazzaaz, from Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Rahman bin Hammaad, from al-Hasan bin ‘Ammar that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  in a long narration said, “The first, the beginning, the force and the structure of something is that without which something would be of no benefit. The thing that Allah has made beauty and light for His creatures, the people, is intelligence. With intelligence people come to know their creator and that they are created and that He is the one who has designed them and they are the ones who are being maintained. That it is the creator that is eternal and it is the creatures that are mortals. It is intelligence with which they reason from His creatures, like the heavens, the earth, and the sun the moon, night, the day. In this way they learned that they and the creatures have a creator and maintainer who is eternal. With intelligence they learn about good and bad and that darkness is in ignorance and light is in knowledge. These are facts that they learn with intelligence.” People asked the Imam , “Can intelligence only be enough for people?” The Imam  then replied, ‘With guidance from intelligence that Allah has made him to depend on and it is, his beauty and guide, a person of intelligence learns that Allah is his creator and that He is his Lord. Through intelligence one learns that his creator loves and that He dislikes certain things, that the Lord must be obeyed and that certain acts are disobedience to Him and that nothing but intelligence shows him all these facts. One also (with intelligence) learns that only with knowledge and searching one may reach the Creator. That one may not benefit from his intelligence if he can not learn the truth about Him through his knowledge. It then is necessary for a person of intelligence to acquire knowledge and proper moral discipline without which there is nothing else so dependable.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الله الْبَزَّازِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  فِي حَدِيثٍ طَوِيلٍ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ الامُورِ وَمَبْدَأَهَا وَقُوَّتَهَا وَعِمَارَتَهَا الَّتِي لا يُنْتَفَعُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ إِلا بِهِ الْعَقْلُ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ الله زِينَةً لِخَلْقِهِ وَنُوراً لَهُمْ فَبِالْعَقْلِ عَرَفَ الْعِبَادُ خَالِقَهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ مَخْلُوقُونَ وَأَنَّهُ الْمُدَبِّرُ لَهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمُ الْمُدَبَّرُونَ وَأَنَّهُ الْبَاقِي وَهُمُ الْفَانُونَ وَاسْتَدَلُّوا بِعُقُولِهِمْ عَلَى مَا رَأَوْا مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مِنْ سَمَائِهِ وَأَرْضِهِ وَشَمْسِهِ وَقَمَرِهِ وَلَيْلِهِ وَنَهَارِهِ وَبِأَنَّ لَهُ وَلَهُمْ خَالِقاً وَمُدَبِّراً لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا يَزُولُ وَعَرَفُوا بِهِ الْحَسَنَ مِنَ الْقَبِيحِ وَأَنَّ الظُّلْمَةَ فِي الْجَهْلِ وَأَنَّ النُّورَ فِي الْعِلْمِ فَهَذَا مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَيْهِ الْعَقْلُ قِيلَ لَهُ فَهَلْ يَكْتَفِي الْعِبَادُ بِالْعَقْلِ دُونَ غَيْرِهِ قَالَ إِنَّ الْعَاقِلَ لِدَلالَةِ عَقْلِهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ الله قِوَامَهُ وَزِينَتَهُ وَهِدَايَتَهُ عَلِمَ أَنَّ الله هُوَ الْحَقُّ وَأَنَّهُ هُوَ رَبُّهُ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ لِخَالِقِهِ مَحَبَّةً وَأَنَّ لَهُ كَرَاهِيَةً وَأَنَّ لَهُ طَاعَةً وَأَنَّ لَهُ مَعْصِيَةً فَلَمْ يَجِدْ عَقْلَهُ يَدُلُّهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لا يُوصَلُ إِلَيْهِ إِلا بِالْعِلْمِ وَطَلَبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ لا يَنْتَفِعُ بِعَقْلِهِ إِنْ لَمْ يُصِبْ ذَلِكَ بِعِلْمِهِ فَوَجَبَ عَلَى الْعَاقِلِ طَلَبُ الْعِلْمِ وَالادَبِ الَّذِي لا قِوَامَ لَهُ إِلا بِهِ.

Ali Ibn Muhammad from a number of his companions from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Nadhr Ibn Suwayd from Humran and Safwan ibn Mihran Al-Jammaal who both said they heard that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq)  said, “No wealth is more profitable than intelligence, and no poverty is more limiting than foolishness and never is showing-off in a matter more beneficial than consulting it [with others].”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ وَصَفْوَانَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ الْجَمَّالِ قَالا سَمِعْنَا أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  يَقُولُ لا غِنَى أَخْصَبُ مِنَ الْعَقْلِ وَلا فَقْرَ أَحَطُّ مِنَ الْحُمْقِ وَلا اسْتِظْهَارَ فِي أَمْرٍ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنَ الْمَشُورَةِ فِيهِ.