AMIRAL MOMININ ALI (AS)

A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather al-Hassan ibn Rashid from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah  about the interpretation of the verse of the holy Quran, ‘In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.’ The Imam replied, “The first letter B in the Arabic version signifies Baha ’Ullah means beauty of Allah. The second letter S’ signifies Sana ’Ullah means radiance of Allah. The third letter M signifies Majdullah means the Grandeur of Allah or according to some other narrators, Mujdullah means Kingdom of Allah. Allah means; Lord of all things. And al-Rahman means the Beneficent to all of His creatures in general. Al-Rahim means the Most Merciful to the believers in particular.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  عَنْ تَفْسِيرِ بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ قَالَ الْبَاءُ بَهَاءُ الله وَالسِّينُ سَنَاءُ الله وَالْمِيمُ مَجْدُ الله وَرَوَى بَعْضُهُمْ الْمِيمُ مُلْكُ الله وَالله إِلَهُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الرَّحْمَنُ بِجَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ وَالرَّحِيمُ بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ خَاصَّةً.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from an-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said that he asked abu ‘Abdallah , about the names of Allah and their derivations and roots. “What is the root from which the word Allah is derived?” The Imam replied, “O Hisham, the word Allah is derived from ’ilah, that is, the One Who is worshipped and the One who is worshipped is supposed to be worth worshipping. The name of Allah is different from His Own self. Whoever worships the name not the meaning has disbelieved and has, in fact, worshipped nothing. Whoever worships the name and its meaning jointly, he becomes a polytheist because of worshipping two gods. Whoever worships the meaning of the word Allah only he, in reality, has worshipped the One Allah (God). O Hisham, did you grasp it?” Hisham requested, “Kindly enlighten me more.” The Imam added, “Allah has ninety-nine names. If each name had a separate meaning then each meaning would have been a god. Allah is One only and all His names stand for just One reality and all these names are other than Allah Himself. O Hisham, bread is the name of something to eat. Water is the name of something to drink. Dress is the name of something to wear on. Fire is the name of something that burns. O Hisham, did you fully grasp the point so you can defend your belief and contest successfully against our opponents, who, along with Allah, the Exalted, the Great, except things other than Him?” Hisham replied, “Yes, I did understand.” The Imam said, “O Hisham, may Allah benefit you thereby and grant you steadfastness.” Hisham (the narrator) says, “I swear by Allah, no one has ever defeated me on the issue of the Oneness of Allah until now.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  عَنْ أَسْمَاءِ الله وَاشْتِقَاقِهَا الله مِمَّا هُوَ مُشْتَقٌّ فَقَالَ يَا هِشَامُ الله مُشْتَقٌّ مِنْ إِلَهٍ وَإِلَهٌ يَقْتَضِي مَأْلُوهاً وَالاسْمُ غَيْرُ الْمُسَمَّى فَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ دُونَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَلَمْ يَعْبُدْ شَيْئاً وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ وَالْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ أَشْرَكَ وَعَبَدَ اثْنَيْنِ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى دُونَ الاسْمِ فَذَاكَ التَّوْحِيدُ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ قُلْتُ زِدْنِي قَالَ لله تِسْعَةٌ وَتِسْعُونَ اسْماً فَلَوْ كَانَ الاسْمُ هُوَ الْمُسَمَّى لَكَانَ كُلُّ اسْمٍ مِنْهَا إِلَهاً وَلَكِنَّ الله مَعْنًى يُدَلُّ عَلَيْهِ بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ وَكُلُّهَا غَيْرُهُ يَا هِشَامُ الْخُبْزُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَأْكُولِ وَالْمَاءُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَشْرُوبِ وَالثَّوْبُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَلْبُوسِ وَالنَّارُ اسْمٌ لِلْمُحْرِقِ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ فَهْماً تَدْفَعُ بِهِ وَتُنَاضِلُ بِهِ أَعْدَاءَنَا الْمُتَّخِذِينَ مَعَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ غَيْرَهُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ نَفَعَكَ الله بِهِ وَثَبَّتَكَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ فَوَ الله مَا قَهَرَنِي أَحَدٌ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ حَتَّى قُمْتُ مَقَامِي هَذَا.

A group of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Barqi from al-Qasim ibn Yahya from his grandfather al-Hassan ibn Rashid from abul Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far , who was questioned about the meaning of the word Allah. The Imam replied, “He (Allah) dominates all things small or big.”

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَدِّهِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى الله فَقَالَ اسْتَوْلَى عَلَى مَا دَقَّ وَجَلَّ.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ya‘qub ibn Yazid from al-‘Abbass ibn Hilal who has said the following. “I asked Imam al-Rida , about the words of Allah, ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth’” (24:35). The Imam replied, “Allah is the Guide for all that is in the heavens and the Guide for all that is on the earth.” According to another Hadith narrated by al-Barqi,(the Imam said), “Allah has guided everyone in the heavens and every one on the earth.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ هِلالٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ الرِّضَا  عَنْ قَوْلِ الله الله نُورُ السَّماواتِ وَالارْضِ فَقَالَ هَادٍ لاهْلِ السَّمَاءِ وَهَادٍ لاهْلِ الارْضِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الْبَرْقِيِّ هُدَى مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُدَى مَنْ فِي الارْضِ.

Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Fudayl ibn ‘Uthman from ibn Abi Ya‘fur who has said the following: “I asked abu ‘Abdallah , about the words of Allah, The Mighty and Glorious, ‘He (Allah) is the first and the last.’ (57:3) As for him being the first, we have understood that, but explain for us the meaning of Him being the last.” He (the Imam) said, “Nothing exists except that it is subject to annihilation, alteration, change, decay, transition from one color to another, from one shape to another and from one quality to another, from increase to decrease, and from decrease to increase, except for the Lord of the worlds. He alone is always existed and will always exist in one state. He is the first, before every thing, and the last, eternally. His attributes and names do not change as they do in the case of others, such as man , who at one time is dust, at another time flesh and blood, at another time decaying bones and finally becomes dust. A piece of date at one time is raw, at another time ripe, mature and then it dries up. With every change, the names and attributes also change. Allah, the Mighty and Glorious is different from all such things.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ هُوَ الاوَّلُ وَالاخِرُ وَقُلْتُ أَمَّا الاوَّلُ فَقَدْ عَرَفْنَاهُ وَأَمَّا الاخِرُ فَبَيِّنْ لَنَا تَفْسِيرَهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ إِلا يَبِيدُ أَوْ يَتَغَيَّرُ أَوْ يَدْخُلُهُ التَّغَيُّرُ وَالزَّوَالُ أَوْ يَنْتَقِلُ مِنْ لَوْنٍ إِلَى لَوْنٍ وَمِنْ هَيْئَةٍ إِلَى هَيْئَةٍ وَمِنْ صِفَةٍ إِلَى صِفَةٍ وَمِنْ زِيَادَةٍ إِلَى نُقْصَانٍ وَمِنْ نُقْصَانٍ إِلَى زِيَادَةٍ إِلا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ فَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا يَزَالُ بِحَالَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ هُوَ الاوَّلُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَهُوَ الاخِرُ عَلَى مَا لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا تَخْتَلِفُ عَلَيْهِ الصِّفَاتُ وَالاسْمَاءُ كَمَا تَخْتَلِفُ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ مِثْلُ الانْسَانِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ تُرَاباً مَرَّةً وَمَرَّةً لَحْماً وَدَماً وَمَرَّةً رُفَاتاً وَرَمِيماً وَكَالْبُسْرِ الَّذِي يَكُونُ مَرَّةً بَلَحاً وَمَرَّةً بُسْراً وَمَرَّةً رُطَباً وَمَرَّةً تَمْراً فَتَتَبَدَّلُ عَلَيْهِ الاسْمَاءُ وَالصِّفَاتُ وَالله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ بِخِلافِ ذَلِكَ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhaynah from Muhammad ibn Hakim from Maymun al-Ban who has said the following. “I heard abu ‘Abdallah  saying to a question about Allah being the first and the last.” The Imam replied, “His being the first means there was no first before Him and no beginning preceded Him at all. His being the last means that He has no end because it is an attribute of the created and He is eternal, the first and the last. He has always been and He will always be without any beginning and any end. Nothing new happens to Him and does not change from one state to another. He is the Creator of all things.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَكِيمٍ عَنْ مَيْمُونٍ الْبَانِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عَنِ الاوَّلِ وَالاخِرِ فَقَالَ الاوَّلُ لا عَنْ أَوَّلٍ قَبْلَهُ وَلا عَنْ بَدْءٍ سَبَقَهُ وَالاخِرُ لا عَنْ نِهَايَةٍ كَمَا يُعْقَلُ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ وَلَكِنْ قَدِيمٌ أَوَّلٌ آخِرٌ لَمْ يَزَلْ وَلا يَزُولُ بِلا بَدْءٍ وَلا نِهَايَةٍ لا يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِ الْحُدُوثُ وَلا يَحُولُ مِنْ حَالٍ إِلَى حَالٍ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ.

Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abdallah in a marfu’ manner, has narrated from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following: “I was in the company of abu Ja’far al-Thani (the 2nd) , when a person asked him, “Inform me about the Lord, Blessed and High. He has Names and Attributes in His Book, and His Names and His Attributes, are they He Himself?” Abu Ja’far  replied, “This saying has two aspects. If you say that they are He Himself, meaning that He has plurality and multiplicity, then Allah is far exalted from that. If you mean that these names and attributes always existed, then ‘always existed’ also has two meanings. If you say that these names and attributes have eternally been in the knowledge of Allah and He eternally deserved them, then yes (this is correct). But if you mean that their images, their spellings and their syllables always existed, then we seek refuge in Allah from something else being there with him. Rather, Allah was when there was no creation. Then He created these as a means between Him and His creation, being desperately (dependent) upon Him, and they are worshipping Him, and these are His Mention. And Allah was when there was no Mention. The Mentioned One by Mention is Allah the eternal, who will be there eternally. The Names and Attributes are creations, and the Meaning Meant by these, He is Allah with Whom neither befits the variances nor the combinations, and rather (that) variates and combines, (which is) fragmented.

It cannot be said that Allah is combined, or that He is little or much. Rather His Own-self is eternal, because whatever is besides The Only One is divisible, and Allah is The Only One, not divisible. And He cannot be imagined as little or much. Everything that is divisible or imagined as little or much is created, which proves there is a Creator for it.

So, your saying ‘Allah is Powerful’ informs you that He is not frustrated by anything. Thus, you negate the frustration by the speech and make frustration to be other than Him. The same for your saying ‘(He is) All-Knowing’. You have negated the ignorance by the speech and made ignorance to be other than Him. When Allah will destroy all things, he will destroy the image, the spelling and the syllables, and He does not cease to be, the One who will not cease to be All-Knowing.”

So, the man then said, “So how come we call our Lord All-Hearing?” He (the Imam) said, “Because it is not hidden upon Him whatever is being comprehended by hearing, and we do not ascribe to Him the hearing ability that exists in the head. In the same way, we call Him All-Seeing, because it is not hidden upon him whatever can be seen, like colors or individuals or anything similar, and we do not ascribe to him the vision of the movement of the eye. In the same way, we call Him Subtle, because of His knowledge of subtle things, like the mosquito and things that are even subtler than that.

And the subject of the growth is from these, and intelligence, and desires for reproduction, and compassion for their offspring, and their guarding of each other, and their carrying of food and drink to their offspring in the mountains, wilderness, valleys and desolate places. Thus, we know that their Creator is Subtle, but without a ‘how’. Rather the ‘how’ is for the creation, the one subject to ‘how’.

In the same way, we call our Lord Strong, not because of the violent strength known in creatures. If his strength was the violent strength known in creatures, there would be a similarity, and an increase would be tolerated. And whatever tolerates an increase, would tolerate a decrease; and whatever is deficient would not eternal; and whatever is not eternital would be frustrated.

So our Lord, the Most Holy and Most High, there is neither a resemblance for Him, nor an opposite, nor a match, nor a ‘how’, nor an end-point, nor can He be envisaged by visions. And it is prohibited unto the hearts to conceive something that resembles Him, and upon the imaginations to limit Him, and upon the consciences to form Him. Majestic and Mighty is He from the instruments of His creatures, and the features of His Created beings; and Exalted is He from that, Loftier, Greater.”

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِي  فَسَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الرَّبِّ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لَهُ أَسْمَاءٌ وَصِفَاتٌ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَأَسْمَاؤُهُ وَصِفَاتُهُ هِيَ هُوَ فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ  إِنَّ لِهَذَا الْكَلامِ وَجْهَيْنِ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هِيَ هُوَ أَيْ إِنَّهُ ذُو عَدَدٍ وَكَثْرَةٍ فَتَعَالَى الله عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ هَذِهِ الصِّفَاتُ وَالاسْمَاءُ لَمْ تَزَلْ فَإِنَّ لَمْ تَزَلْ مُحْتَمِلٌ مَعْنَيَيْنِ فَإِنْ قُلْتَ لَمْ تَزَلْ عِنْدَهُ فِي عِلْمِهِ وَهُوَ مُسْتَحِقُّهَا فَنَعَمْ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ تَقُولُ لَمْ يَزَلْ تَصْوِيرُهَا وَهِجَاؤُهَا وَتَقْطِيعُ حُرُوفِهَا فَمَعَاذَ الله أَنْ يَكُونَ مَعَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ غَيْرُهُ بَلْ كَانَ الله وَلا خَلْقَ ثُمَّ خَلَقَهَا وَسِيلَةً بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ بِهَا إِلَيْهِ وَيَعْبُدُونَهُ وَهِيَ ذِكْرُهُ وَكَانَ الله وَلا ذِكْرَ وَالْمَذْكُورُ بِالذِّكْرِ هُوَ الله الْقَدِيمُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ وَالاسْمَاءُ وَالصِّفَاتُ مَخْلُوقَاتٌ وَالْمَعَانِي وَالْمَعْنِيُّ بِهَا هُوَ الله الَّذِي لا يَلِيقُ بِهِ الاخْتِلافُ وَلا الائْتِلافُ وَإِنَّمَا يَخْتَلِفُ وَيَأْتَلِفُ الْمُتَجَزِّئُ فَلا يُقَالُ الله مُؤْتَلِفٌ وَلا الله قَلِيلٌ وَلا كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّهُ الْقَدِيمُ فِي ذَاتِهِ لانَّ مَا سِوَى الْوَاحِدِ مُتَجَزِّئٌ وَالله وَاحِدٌ لا مُتَجَزِّئٌ وَلا مُتَوَهَّمٌ بِالْقِلَّةِ وَالْكَثْرَةِ وَكُلُّ مُتَجَزِّئٍ أَوْ مُتَوَهَّمٍ بِالْقِلَّةِ وَالْكَثْرَةِ فَهُوَ مَخْلُوقٌ دَالُّ عَلَى خَالِقٍ لَهُ فَقَوْلُكَ إِنَّ الله قَدِيرٌ خَبَّرْتَ أَنَّهُ لا يُعْجِزُهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَنَفَيْتَ بِالْكَلِمَةِ الْعَجْزَ وَجَعَلْتَ الْعَجْزَ سِوَاهُ وَكَذَلِكَ قَوْلُكَ عَالِمٌ إِنَّمَا نَفَيْتَ بِالْكَلِمَةِ الْجَهْلَ وَجَعَلْتَ الْجَهْلَ سِوَاهُ وَإِذَا أَفْنَى الله الاشْيَاءَ أَفْنَى الصُّورَةَ وَالْهِجَاءَ وَالتَّقْطِيعَ وَلا يَزَالُ مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ عَالِماً فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَكَيْفَ سَمَّيْنَا رَبَّنَا سَمِيعاً فَقَالَ لانَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ مَا يُدْرَكُ بِالاسْمَاعِ وَلَمْ نَصِفْهُ بِالسَّمْعِ الْمَعْقُولِ فِي الرَّأْسِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَاهُ بَصِيراً لانَّهُ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ مَا يُدْرَكُ بِالابْصَارِ مِنْ لَوْنٍ أَوْ شَخْصٍ أَوْ غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ نَصِفْهُ بِبَصَرِ لَحْظَةِ الْعَيْنِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَاهُ لَطِيفاً لِعِلْمِهِ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ اللَّطِيفِ مِثْلِ الْبَعُوضَةِ وَأَخْفَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَمَوْضِعِ النُّشُوءِ مِنْهَا وَالْعَقْلِ وَالشَّهْوَةِ لِلسَّفَادِ وَالْحَدَبِ عَلَى نَسْلِهَا وَإِقَامِ بَعْضِهَا عَلَى بَعْضٍ وَنَقْلِهَا الطَّعَامَ وَالشَّرَابَ إِلَى أَوْلادِهَا فِي الْجِبَالِ وَالْمَفَاوِزِ وَالاوْدِيَةِ وَالْقِفَارِ فَعَلِمْنَا أَنَّ خَالِقَهَا لَطِيفٌ بِلا كَيْفٍ وَإِنَّمَا الْكَيْفِيَّةُ لِلْمَخْلُوقِ الْمُكَيَّفِ وَكَذَلِكَ سَمَّيْنَا رَبَّنَا قَوِيّاً لا بِقُوَّةِ الْبَطْشِ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ وَلَوْ كَانَتْ قُوَّتُهُ قُوَّةَ الْبَطْشِ الْمَعْرُوفِ مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِ لَوَقَعَ التَّشْبِيهُ وَلاحْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ وَمَا احْتَمَلَ الزِّيَادَةَ احْتَمَلَ النُّقْصَانَ وَمَا كَانَ نَاقِصاً كَانَ غَيْرَ قَدِيمٍ وَمَا كَانَ غَيْرَ قَدِيمٍ كَانَ عَاجِزاً فَرَبُّنَا تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى لا شِبْهَ لَهُ وَلا ضِدَّ وَلا نِدَّ وَلا كَيْفَ وَلا نِهَايَةَ وَلا تَبْصَارَ بَصَرٍ وَمُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى الْقُلُوبِ أَنْ تُمَثِّلَهُ وَعَلَى الاوْهَامِ أَنْ تَحُدَّهُ وَعَلَى الضَّمَائِرِ أَنْ تُكَوِّنَهُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ عَنْ أَدَاةِ خَلْقِهِ وَسِمَاتِ بَرِيَّتِهِ وَتَعَالَى عَنْ ذَلِكَ عُلُوّاً كَبِيراً.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibn Mahbub from those he mentioned from abu ‘Abdallah  who has said the following. “A man said, ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Allah is the Greatest) in his presence.” He (the Imam) asked, “Allah is Greater than which thing?” The man replied, “Greater than everything.” Abu ‘Abdallah  said, “You have limited Him.” The man asked, “Then, how should I say it?” He replied, “Say, Allah is Greater than what can be described.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله  قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ عِنْدَهُ الله أَكْبَرُ فَقَالَ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  حَدَّدْتَهُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ كَيْفَ أَقُولُ قَالَ قُلْ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Marwak ibn ‘Ubayd from Jumay’ ibn ‘Umayr who has said the following. “Imam abu ‘Abdallah  asked, ‘What is Allah Greater than?” I replied, “Allah is Greater of all things.” He (the Imam) further asked, “Were there other things so Allah would be considered the greatest of them?” I then asked, “What then is the meaning thereof?”’ He (the Imam) replied, “Allah is far greater than all descriptions.”

وَرَوَاهُ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مَرْوَكِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ جُمَيْعِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله  أَيُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الله أَكْبَرُ فَقُلْتُ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَقَالَ وَكَانَ ثَمَّ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَيَكُونُ أَكْبَرَ مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ وَمَا هُوَ قَالَ الله أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يُوصَفَ.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following. “I asked abu ‘Abdallah  about the words ‘Glorious is Allah.’” He replied, “(It means) Respect of Allah.”

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  عَنْ سُبْحَانَ الله فَقَالَ أَنَفَةٌ لله.

Ahmad ibn Mihran has narrated from ‘Abd al-‘Azim ibn ‘Abdallah al-Hassani from Ali ibn Asbat, from Sulayman Mawla Tirbal from Hisham al-Jawaliqi who has said the following: “I asked abu ‘Abdallah  about the meaning of the words of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: ‘Glory be to Allah’, what is the meaning of it?’ He said: ‘His Transcendence’.”

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ مَوْلَى طِرْبَالٍ عَنْ هِشَامٍ الْجَوَالِيقِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله  عَنْ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ سُبْحانَ الله مَا يُعْنَى بِهِ قَالَ تَنْزِيهُهُ.

Ali ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Hassan has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, all of them from abu Hashim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following: “I asked abu Ja‘far al-Thani (the 2nd) , “What is the meaning of the One?” He replied, “It means the unanimity of all tongues in speaking of Allah’s Oneness, as can be found in His saying, the Most High: ‘If you ask them who created them, they will certainly say, “Allah!”’ (43:87)

عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ الثَّانِيَ  مَا مَعْنَى الْوَاحِدِ فَقَالَ إِجْمَاعُ الالْسُنِ عَلَيْهِ بِالْوَحْدَانِيَّةِ كَقَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى وَلَئِنْ سَأَلْتَهُمْ مَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ الله.