S 57 Ayat 21
قوله تعالى:
سٰابِقُوا إِلىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهٰا كَعَرْضِ السَّمٰاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ ذٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشٰاءُ وَ اللّٰهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ [21]
Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and to a garden the extensiveness of which is as the extensiveness of the heaven and the earth; it is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers; that is the grace of Allah: He gives it to whom He pleases, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace.
99-/10519 _1- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ:عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،عَنْ أَبِيهِ،عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ،عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ،قَالَ:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَمْرٍو الزُّبَيْرِيُّ،عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ:إِنَّ لِلْإِيمَانِ دَرَجَاتٍ وَ مَنَازِلَ،يَتَفَاضَلُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ فِيهَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ؟قَالَ:«نَعَمْ».
قُلْتُ:صِفْهُ لِي رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ حَتَّى أَفْهَمَهُ؟
99-/10519 Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb, from ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm, from his father, from Bakr ibn Ṣāliḥ, from al-Qāsim ibn Yazīd, who said:
Abū ʿAmr az-Zubayrī narrated to us, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (peace be upon him), who said: I said to him: "Surely faith (īmān) has degrees and levels, and the believers differ in rank with Allah?" He said: "Yes." I said: "Describe it to me, may Allah have mercy on you, so that I may understand it."
قَالَ:«إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَبَّقَ بَيْنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ كَمَا يُسَبِّقُ بَيْنَ الْخَيْلِ يَوْمَ الرِّهَانِ،ثُمَّ فَضَّلَهُمْ عَلَى دَرَجَاتِهِمْ فِي السَّبْقِ إِلَيْهِ،فَجَعَلَ لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى دَرَجَةِ سَبْقِهِ لاَ يَنْقُصُهُ فِيهَا مِنْ حَقِّهِ،وَ لاَ يَتَقَدَّمُ مَسْبُوقٌ سَابِقاً،وَ لاَ مَفْضُولٌ فَاضِلاً،تَفَاضَلُ بِذَلِكَ أَوَائِلُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ وَ أَوَاخِرُهَا،وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِلسَّابِقِ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ فَضْلٌ عَلَى الْمَسْبُوقِ إِذَنْ لَلَحِقَ آخِرُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَوَّلَهَا،نَعَمْ وَ لَتَقَدَّمُوهُمْ إِذَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِمَنْ سَبَقَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ الْفَضْلُ عَلَى مَنْ أَبْطَأَ عَنْهُ،وَ لَكِنْ بِدَرَجَاتِ الْإِيمَانِ قَدَّمَ اللَّهُ السَّابِقِينَ،
99-/10519 He said:
**"Surely Allah has made precedence among the believers just as one races horses on the day of contest. Then He has preferred them according to their degrees in precedence toward Him, assigning for each of them a rank according to his advance, without decreasing him in his rightful share, and no one who lags behind overtakes one who is ahead, nor does the one of lesser merit surpass the one of greater merit. By that, the early ones of this Ummah and the later ones are distinguished.
And if there were no merit for the one who preceded in faith over the one who came later, then the last of this Ummah would have caught up with the first, yes—and even surpassed them—if the one who came late had no lower rank than the one who was ahead of him in faith. But rather, through the levels of faith, Allah has advanced the forerunners."**
_18) -....مناقب ابن المغازلي:369/322.
_1) -الكافي 2:1/34.
[1] في المناقب:موضعكم.
1) -الكافي 2:1/34. [1] في المناقب: موضعكم Translation: In al-Manaqib the wording appears as "your position" instead.
Page 294 in Arabic
وَ بِالْإِبْطَاءِ عَنِ الْإِيمَانِ أَخَّرَ اللَّهُ الْمُقَصِّرِينَ،لِأَنَّا نَجِدُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنَ الْآخِرِينَ،مَنْ هُوَ أَكْثَرُ عَمَلاً مِنَ الْأَوَّلِينَ،وَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ صَلاَةً وَ صَوْماً وَ حَجّاً وَ زَكَاةً وَ جِهَاداً وَ إِنْفَاقاً،وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ سَوَابِقُ يَفْضُلُ بِهَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضاً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ لَكَانَ الْآخِرُونَ بِكَثْرَةِ الْعَمَلِ مُتَقَدِّمِينَ عَلَى الْأَوَّلِينَ،[لَكِنْ] أَبَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنْ يُدْرِكَ آخِرُ دَرَجَاتِ الْإِيمَانِ أَوَّلَهَا،وَ يُقَدَّمَ فِيهَا مَنْ أَخَّرَ اللَّهُ،أَوْ يُؤَخَّرَ فِيهَا مَنْ قَدَّمَ اللَّهُ».
99-/10519 **"And through delaying in faith, Allah has held back the negligent ones, for we find among the believers of the later generations those who do more deeds than the earlier ones—praying more, fasting more, performing more ḥajj, giving more zakāt, striving more, and spending more.
But if there were no early merits by which believers are distinguished in the sight of Allah, then the latter ones, through abundance of deeds, would surpass the former. However, Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, refused that the final degree of faith be reached by the latter, or that one whom Allah delayed be brought forward in it, or one whom Allah advanced be made to lag behind."**
قُلْتُ:أَخْبِرْنِي عَمَّا نَدَبَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الاِسْتِبَاقِ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ.فَقَالَ:«قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ:
سٰابِقُوا إِلىٰ مَغْفِرَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ وَ جَنَّةٍ عَرْضُهٰا كَعَرْضِ السَّمٰاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ أُعِدَّتْ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِاللّٰهِ وَ رُسُلِهِ ،
99-/10519 I said: "Inform me about what Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has urged the believers toward regarding hastening to faith."
He said: "It is the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic: ‘Hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and a Garden, the width of which is as the width of the heaven and the earth; it is prepared for those who believe in Allah and His messengers.’
وَ قَالَ :اَلسّٰابِقُونَ السّٰابِقُونَ* أُولٰئِكَ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ [1] ،وَ قَالَ: وَ السّٰابِقُونَ الْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ الْمُهٰاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصٰارِ وَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُمْ بِإِحْسٰانٍ رَضِيَ اللّٰهُ عَنْهُمْ وَ رَضُوا عَنْهُ [2]،فَبَدَأَ بِالْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ عَلَى دَرَجَةِ سَبْقِهِمْ،ثُمَّ ثَنَّى بِالْأَنْصَارِ،ثُمَّ ثَلَّثَ بِالتَّابِعِينَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ،فَوَضَعَ كُلَّ قَوْمٍ عَلَى قَدْرِ دَرَجَاتِهِمْ وَ مَنَازِلِهِمْ عِنْدَهُ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ مَا فَضَّلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ بَعْضَهُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ،فَقَالَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنٰا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلىٰ بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللّٰهُ وَ رَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجٰاتٍ [3]إِلَى آخِرِ الْآيَةِ،
99-/10519 "And He said: 'The foremost, the foremost—these are the ones brought near (to Allah).'
And He said: 'And the foremost of the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār, and those who follow them in goodness—Allah is pleased with them and they are pleased with Him.'
So He began with the early Muhājirīn according to the rank of their precedence, then followed with the Anṣār, and then thirdly those who followed them with goodness. Thus, He placed each group according to the degree of their rank and their station with Him.
Then He mentioned how Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, gave preference to some of His friends over others, and said: 'These are the messengers—We have made some of them to excel others. Among them are those to whom Allah spoke, and some He raised in degrees.'
وَ قَالَ: وَ لَقَدْ فَضَّلْنٰا بَعْضَ النَّبِيِّينَ عَلىٰ بَعْضٍ [4]، وَ قَالَ: اُنْظُرْ كَيْفَ فَضَّلْنٰا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلىٰ بَعْضٍ وَ لَلْآخِرَةُ أَكْبَرُ دَرَجٰاتٍ وَ أَكْبَرُ تَفْضِيلاً [5]،وَ قَالَ: هُمْ دَرَجٰاتٌ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ [6]،وَ قَالَ: يُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ [7]،وَ قَالَ: اَلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ هٰاجَرُوا وَ جٰاهَدُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللّٰهِ بِأَمْوٰالِهِمْ وَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ [8]،وَ قَالَ: وَ فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ الْمُجٰاهِدِينَ عَلَى الْقٰاعِدِينَ أَجْراً عَظِيماً* دَرَجٰاتٍ مِنْهُ وَ مَغْفِرَةً وَ رَحْمَةً [9]،وَ قَالَ: لاٰ يَسْتَوِي مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَنْفَقَ مِنْ قَبْلِ الْفَتْحِ وَ قٰاتَلَ أُولٰئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِنَ الَّذِينَ أَنْفَقُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَ قٰاتَلُوا [10]،وَ قَالَ: يَرْفَعِ اللّٰهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنْكُمْ وَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْعِلْمَ دَرَجٰاتٍ [11]،وَ قَالَ: ذٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لاٰ يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأٌ وَ لاٰ نَصَبٌ وَ لاٰ مَخْمَصَةٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّٰهِ وَ لاٰ يَطَؤُنَ مَوْطِئاً يَغِيظُ الْكُفّٰارَ وَ لاٰ يَنٰالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوٍّ نَيْلاً إِلاّٰ كُتِبَ لَهُمْ بِهِ عَمَلٌ صٰالِحٌ [12]،وَ قَالَ : وَ مٰا تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ [1] ،وَ قَالَ: فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقٰالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ* وَ مَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقٰالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ [2]فَهَذَا ذِكْرُ دَرَجَاتِ الْإِيمَانِ وَ مَنَازِلِهِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى».
99-/10519 "And He said: 'And certainly We have made some of the prophets to excel others.'
And He said: 'See how We have made some of them to excel others, and certainly the hereafter is greater in degrees and greater in excellence.'
And He said: 'They are (in varying) degrees with Allah.'
And He said: 'To every one who has merit, shall be given his due merit.'
And He said: 'Those who believed and migrated and strove hard in the way of Allah with their wealth and their lives are greater in rank with Allah.'
And He said: 'Allah has made the strivers with their wealth and lives excel those who sit (at home) by a great reward—degrees from Him and forgiveness and mercy.'
And He said: 'Not equal are those of you who spent before the victory and fought; they are greater in rank than those who spent and fought afterward.'
And He said: 'Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge, in degrees.'
And He said: 'That is because no thirst, fatigue, or hunger afflicts them in the way of Allah, nor do they tread a path that angers the disbelievers, nor do they gain anything from the enemy, but it is written for them as a righteous deed.'
And He said: 'And whatever good you send ahead for yourselves, you will find it with Allah.'
And He said: 'So whoever does an atom’s weight of good shall see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil shall see it.'
This is the description of the degrees of faith and their ranks with Allah, the Exalted."
[1] الواقعة 56:10،11.
[2] التوبة 9:100.
[3] البقرة 2:253.
[4] الإسراء 17:55.
[5] الإسراء 17:21.
[6] آل عمران 3:163.
[7] هود 11:3.
[8] التوبة 9:20.
[9] النساء 4:95،96.
[10] الحديد 57:10.
[11] المجادلة 58:11.
[12] التوبة 9:120.
Page 295 in Arabic
99-/10520 _2- الرَّضِيُّ فِي(الْخَصَائِصِ):بِإِسْنَادٍ مَرْفُوعٍ إِلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرِ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)،قَالَ:
«قَدِمَ أُسْقُفُّ نَجْرَانَ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ،فَقَالَ:يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ،إِنَّ أَرْضَنَا أَرْضٌ بَارِدَةٌ شَدِيدَةُ الْمَؤُونَةِ لاَ تَحْتَمِلُ الْجَيْشَ،وَ أَنَا ضَامِنٌ لِخَرَاجِ أَرْضِي أَحْمِلُهُ إِلَيْكَ فِي كُلِّ عَامٍ كَمَلاً،فَكَانَ يَقْدَمُ هُوَ بِالْمَالِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَ مَعَهُ أَعْوَانٌ لَهُ حَتَّى يُوَفِّيَهُ بَيْتَ الْمَالِ،وَ يَكْتُبُ لَهُ عُمَرُ الْبَرَاءَةَ».
99-/10520 Al-Raḍī in al-Khaṣāʾiṣ, with a raised chain to Abū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn ʿAlī al-Bāqir (peace be upon him), who said:
"The bishop of Najrān came to ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb and said: 'O Commander of the Faithful, our land is cold and difficult to cultivate, and it cannot sustain an army. I guarantee the land tax (kharāj) of my region and will bring it to you in full every year.' So he himself used to come with the payment, accompanied by his aides, until he would hand it over to the public treasury. Then ʿUmar would write him a release from obligation."
قَالَ:«فَقَدِمَ الْأُسْقُفُّ ذَاتَ عَامٍ،وَ كَانَ شَيْخاً جَمِيلاً،فَدَعَاهُ عُمَرُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ إِلَى دِينِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)، وَ أَنْشَأَ،يَذْكُرُ فَضْلَ الْإِسْلاَمِ،وَ مَا يَصِيرُ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسْلِمُونَ مِنَ النَّعِيمِ وَ الْكَرَامَةِ،فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأُسْقُفُّ:يَا عُمَرُ،أَنْتُمْ تَقْرَءُونَ فِي كِتَابِكُمْ أَنَّ[لِلَّهِ]جَنَّةً عَرْضُهَا كَعَرْضِ السَّمَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ،فَأَيْنَ تَكُونُ النَّارُ؟
99-/10520 He said:
"So in one of the years, the bishop arrived—and he was an old man, handsome in appearance. ʿUmar invited him to (embrace) Allah and the religion of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), and began to speak about the virtues of Islam and the bliss and honor that Muslims would attain.
The bishop said to him: 'O ʿUmar, you recite in your Book that [for Allah] there is a Garden, the width of which is as the width of the heaven and the earth—so where then will the Fire be?'"
قَالَ:فَسَكَتَ عُمَرُ،وَ نَكَسَ رَأْسَهُ،فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)-وَ كَانَ حَاضِراً-أَجِبْ هَذَا النَّصْرَانِيَّ.فَقَالَ:لَهُ عُمَرُ:بَلْ أَجِبْهُ أَنْتَ.فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ)لَهُ:يَا أُسْقُفَّ نَجْرَانَ،أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ [3]،إِذَا جَاءَ النَّهَارُ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ اللَّيْلُ،وَ إِذَا جَاءَ اللَّيْلُ أَيْنَ يَكُونُ النَّهَارُ؟فَقَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:مَا كُنْتُ أَرَى [أَنَّ]أَحَداً يُجِيبُنِي عَنْ هَذِهِ الْمَسْأَلَةِ.
99-/10520 He said:
"ʿUmar fell silent and lowered his head. Then Amīr al-Muʾminīn (peace be upon him)—who was present—said: 'Answer this Christian.' ʿUmar said to him: 'Rather, you answer him.' So he (peace be upon him) said to him: 'O Bishop of Najrān, I will answer you. Tell me—when the day comes, where is the night? And when the night comes, where is the day?'
The bishop replied: 'I never thought anyone would be able to answer me concerning this question.'"
ثُمَّ قَالَ:مَنْ هَذَا الْفَتَى،يَا عُمَرُ؟قَالَ عُمَرُ:هَذَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ،خَتَنُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)وَ ابْنُ عَمِّهِ وَ أَوَّلُ مُؤْمِنٍ مَعَهُ،هَذَا أَبُو الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ.
قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:أَخْبِرْنِي-يَا عُمَرُ-عَنْ بُقْعَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ طَلَعَتْ فِيهَا الشَّمْسُ سَاعَةً،وَ لَمْ تَطْلَعْ فِيهَا قَبْلَهَا وَ لاَ بَعْدَهَا؟قَالَ عُمَرُ:سَلِ الْفَتَى،فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ،هُوَ الْبَحْرُ حَيْثُ انْفَلَقَ لِبَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ، فَوَقَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فِيهِ،وَ لَمْ تَقَعْ فِيهِ قَبْلَهُ وَ لاَ بَعْدَهُ،قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:صَدَقْتَ يَا فَتَى.
99-/10520 Then he said: "Who is this young man, O ʿUmar?" ʿUmar said: "This is ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), his cousin, and the first to believe in him. This is the father of al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn."
The bishop said: "Tell me, O ʿUmar, of a place on earth where the sun rose for just one hour, and neither rose there before nor after that?" ʿUmar replied: "Ask the young man."
Amīr al-Muʾminīn (peace be upon him) said: "I will answer you. It is the sea when it was parted for the Children of Israel. The sun struck it (with its light) at that moment, and it never struck it before nor after." The bishop said: "You have spoken the truth, O young man."
ثُمَّ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:أَخْبِرْنِي-يَا عُمَرُ-عَنْ شَيْءٍ فِي أَيْدِي أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا شَبِيهٌ بِثِمَارِ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ؟فَقَالَ:سَلِ الْفَتَى.
فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ:هُوَ الْقُرْآنُ،يَجْتَمِعُ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا عَلَيْهِ،فَيَأْخُذُونَ مِنْهُ حَاجَتَهُمْ،وَ لاَ يَنْقُصُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، وَ كَذَلِكَ ثِمَارُ الْجَنَّةِ.قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:صَدَقْتَ يَا فَتَى.
99-/10520 Then the bishop said: "Tell me, O ʿUmar, about something in the hands of the people of the world that resembles the fruits of the people of Paradise?" So he said: "Ask the young man."
Then (ʿAlī, peace be upon him) said: "I will answer you. It is the Qur'an. The people of the world gather around it and take from it what they need, yet nothing of it diminishes. Likewise are the fruits of Paradise." The bishop said: "You have spoken the truth, O young man."
ثُمَّ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:يَا عُمَرُ،أَخْبِرْنِي هَلْ لِلسَّمَاوَاتِ مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ؟فَقَالَ عُمَرُ:سَلِ الْفَتَى،فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):نَعَمْ يَا أُسْقُفُّ،لَهَا أَبْوَابٌ.فَقَالَ:يَا فَتَى هَلْ لِتِلْكَ الْأَبْوَابِ مِنْ أَقْفَالِ؟فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):
نَعَمْ يَا أُسْقُفُّ،أَقْفَالُهَا الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ.قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:صَدَقْتَ يَا فَتَى.فَمَا مِفْتَاحُ تِلْكَ الْأَقْفَالِ؟فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ،لاَ يَحْجُبُهَا شَيْءٌ دُونَ الْعَرْشِ،فَقَالَ:صَدَقْتَ يَا فَتَى.
99-/10520 Then the bishop said: "O ʿUmar, tell me—do the heavens have gates?" ʿUmar said: "Ask the young man."
So he (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, O Bishop, they have gates." The bishop said: "O young man, do those gates have locks?" He (peace be upon him) said: "Yes, O Bishop, their locks are associating partners with Allah (shirk)." The bishop said: "You have spoken the truth, O young man. Then what is the key to those locks?" He (peace be upon him) said: "The testimony that there is no god but Allah. Nothing veils it below the Throne." The bishop said: "You have spoken the truth, O young man."
ثُمَّ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:يَا عُمَرُ،أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَوَّلِ دَمٍ وَقَعَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ،أَيُّ دَمٍ كَانَ فَقَالَ:سَلِ الْفَتَى.
فَقَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ يَا أُسْقُفَّ نَجْرَانَ،أَمَّا نَحْنُ فَلاَ نَقُولُ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ أَنَّهُ دَمُ ابْنِ آدَمَ الَّذِي قَتَلَهُ أَخُوهُ؛وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَا قُلْتُمْ،وَ لَكِنْ أَوَّلُ دَمٍ وَقَعَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْأَرْضِ مَشِيمَةُ حَوَّاءَ حِينَ وَلَدَتْ قَابِيلَ بْنَ آدَمَ.قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:صَدَقْتَ يَا فَتَى.
99-/10520 Then the bishop said: "O ʿUmar, tell me about the first blood that fell upon the face of the earth—whose blood was it?" He said: "Ask the young man."
So he (peace be upon him) said: "I will answer you, O Bishop of Najrān. As for us, we do not say as you do—that it was the blood of the son of Ādam whom his brother killed; that is not as you have claimed. Rather, the first blood that fell upon the face of the earth was the placenta (mashīmah) of Ḥawwāʾ when she gave birth to Qābīl, the son of Ādam." The bishop said: "You have spoken the truth, O young man."
_2) -خصائص الأئمة(عليه السّلام):90.
[1] البقرة 2:110.
[2] الزلزلة 99:7،8.
[3] في المصدر زيادة:أ رأيت.
[1] البقرة 2:110 [2] الزلزلة 99:7–8 [3] – In the source: additional wording appears as "أ رأيت" Translation: "Did you see..." (used to introduce a rhetorical or demonstrative question)
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ثُمَّ قَالَ الْأُسْقُفُّ:بَقِيَتْ مَسْأَلَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ،أَخْبِرْنِي أَنْتَ-يَا عُمَرُ-أَيْنَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى؟قَالَ:فَغَضِبَ عُمَرُ،فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):أَنَا أُجِيبُكَ وَ سَلْ عَمَّا شِئْتَ،كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ،إِذَا أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ فَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):مِنْ أَيْنَ أُرْسِلْتَ؟قَالَ:مِنْ سَبْعِ سَمَاوَاتٍ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّي.ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ آخَرُ،فَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)مِنْ أَيْنَ أُرْسِلْتَ؟قَالَ:مِنْ سَبْعِ أَرَضِينَ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّي.ثُمَّ أَتَاهُ مَلَكٌ آخَرُ،فَسَلَّمَ،فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ)مِنْ أَيْنَ أُرْسِلْتَ؟
99-/10520 Then the bishop said: "One question remains. Tell me, O ʿUmar—where is Allah, the Exalted?"
So ʿUmar became angry. Then Amīr al-Muʾminīn (peace be upon him) said: "I will answer you. Ask whatever you wish. We were once with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), when suddenly a certain angel came to him and greeted him. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) asked him: 'From where have you been sent?' The angel replied: 'From the seven heavens, from before my Lord.' Then another angel came and greeted him. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) asked him: 'From where have you been sent?' He said: 'From the seven earths, from before my Lord.' Then another angel came and greeted him, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to him: 'From where have you been sent?'"
قَالَ:مِنْ مَشْرِقِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّي.ثُمَّ أَتَى مَلَكٌ آخَرُ،فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ(صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ):مِنْ أَيْنَ أُرْسِلْتَ؟فَقَالَ:مِنْ مَغْرِبِ الشَّمْسِ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّي.فَاللَّهُ هَا هُنَا وَ هَا هُنَا،فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَهٌ،وَ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَهٌ،وَ هُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْعَلِيمُ».
قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«مَعْنَاهُ مِنْ مَلَكُوتِ رَبِّي فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ،وَ لاَ يَعْزُبُ عَنْ عِلْمِهِ شَيْءٌ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى».
99-/10520 He said: "From the east of the sun, from before my Lord." Then another angel came, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to him: "From where have you been sent?" He said: "From the west of the sun, from before my Lord."
So (it is clear that) Allah is here and there—He is God in the heavens and God in the earth, and He is the Wise, the Knowing."
Abū Jaʿfar (peace be upon him) said: "Its meaning is: from the dominion (malakūt) of my Lord in every place, and nothing is hidden from His knowledge, Glorified and Exalted is He."
/10521 _3-ابن الفارسيّ:سئل أنس بن مالك فقيل له:يا أبا حمزة،الجنة في الأرض أم في السماء؟قال:
و أي أرض تسع الجنة،و أي سماء تسع الجنة،قيل:فأين هي؟قال:فوق السماء السابعة تحت العرش.
/10521 _3 Ibn al-Fārisī: Anas ibn Mālik was asked, and it was said to him: "O Abū Ḥamzah, is Paradise in the earth or in the heaven?" He replied: "And what earth can contain Paradise? And what heaven can contain Paradise?" He was asked: "Then where is it?" He said: "Above the seventh heaven, beneath the Throne."
99-/10522 _4- السَّيِّدُ الرَّضِيُّ،فِي(فَضَائِلِ الْعِتْرَةِ):عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ) -فِي حَدِيثٍ-وَ قَدْ سَأَلَهُ جَاثَلِيقُ:أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الْجَنَّةِ وَ النَّارِ،أَيْنَ هُمَا؟قَالَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ):«الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ الْعَرْشِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ،وَ النَّارِ تَحْتَ الْأَرْضِ السَّابِعَةِ السُّفْلَى»فَقَالَ الْجَاثَلِيقُ:صَدَقْتَ.
99-/10522 Sayyid al-Raḍī in Faḍāʾil al-ʿItrah: From Amīr al-Muʾminīn (peace be upon him) — in a hadith — where the Jāthaliq (Christian bishop) asked him:
"Inform me about Paradise and Hell—where are they?" He (peace be upon him) replied: "Paradise is beneath the Throne in the Hereafter, and Hell is beneath the seventh lowest earth."
So the Jāthaliq said: "You have spoken the truth."
99-/10523 _5- ابْنُ شَهْرِ آشُوبَ:عَنِ الْبَاقِرِ وَ الصَّادِقِ(عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلاَمُ) ،فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: ذٰلِكَ فَضْلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشٰاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ،وَ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى: وَ لاٰ تَتَمَنَّوْا مٰا فَضَّلَ اللّٰهُ بِهِ بَعْضَكُمْ عَلىٰ بَعْضٍ [1]:«إِنَّهُمَا نَزَلَتَا فِي أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ(عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ) [2]».
99-/10523 Ibn Shahr Āshūb: From al-Bāqir and al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon them both), regarding the saying of Allah, the Exalted: "That is Allah's grace; He grants it to whom He pleases of His servants" and His saying: "And do not covet that by which Allah has made some of you excel others" [Qur’an 4:32]—
"Indeed, both of these verses were revealed concerning Amīr al-Muʾminīn (peace be upon him)."
_3) -روضة الواعظين:505.
_4) -....
_5) -المناقب 3:99.
[1] النساء 4:99.
[2] في المصدر:إنهما نزلا فيهم.
[1] النساء 4:99 [2] – In the source: “إِنَّهُمَا نَزَلا فِيهِمْ” Translation: “Indeed, both (the verses) were revealed about them.”
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