Angels, Your Body, and the Earth Can Testify Against You

Here’s an authentic tradition regarding God’s mercy.

Arabic Text:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ وَهْبٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‏ إِذَا تَابَ الْعَبْدُ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً أَحَبَّهُ اللَّه‏ فَسَتَرَ عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ فَقُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ يَسْتُرُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ يُنْسِي مَلَكَيْهِ مَا كَتَبَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ وَ يُوحِي إِلَى جَوَارِحِهِ اكْتُمِي عَلَيْهِ ذُنُوبَهُ وَ يُوحِي إِلَى بِقَاعِ الْأَرْضِ اكْتُمِي مَا كَانَ يَعْمَلُ عَلَيْكِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ فَيَلْقَى اللَّهَ حِينَ يَلْقَاهُ وَ لَيْسَ شَيْ‏ءٌ يَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ.

English Translation:

Moa'wiyah ibn Wahb said, I heard Abu Abdullah, peace be upon him, saying,

“If a servant repents sincerely, Allah loves him, so [He] covers his sins in this life and the next.”

I said, “And how does He cover him?”

He, peace be upon him, said, “He makes his two angels forget the sins that they had written upon him, and He reveals/signals to his body organs to hide his sins, and reveals/signals to the places on Earth, where he had committed sinful deeds, to hide them. Thus, when Allah meets him, and he meets Him, nothing will testify against him from [his] sins.”

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 2, Page 430, Tradition #1

Explicit teachings:

•        God is merciful.
•        Sincere repentance results in your protection from your sins.
•        God commands angels, body parts, and Earth to conceal the sins of a sincere repentant.  

Implicit teachings:

•        Imam’s companion asked the Imam, peace be upon him, how God completes an affair. Neither the Imam nor the companion were hesitant to discuss the mechanics behind God’s order.

•        Our actions affect 3 things: angels, Earth, and our body parts. Sinful actions will leave negative effects on our body parts and Earth, which must be covered or concealed to not count against us.

•        Conceptually, what angels remember, is not the same as what is written down. Angels can forget what they have written down, and subsequently, what they have written down becomes inconsequential for us. Thus, it is my opinion, we ought not to picture a book of any sort; rather we must consider established effects that are linked to angels’ memories. In simpler words, what angels perceive, they remember, and what they remember has effects. Without the proximate cause of angels remembering, there won’t be any consequences for our actions. What memory implies in this case, I do not know. Here’s the given causal chain that links our action to their consequences:

o   Our actions -> angels’ memory -> established effects -> consequences of our actions

•        Imam’s companion asked the Imam, peace be upon him, how God completes an affair. Neither the Imam nor the companion was hesitant to discuss the mechanics behind God’s will. Thus, it is permitted, at least on some occasions, to ask how God achieves with His will.

•        God regularly sends revelations to our body parts and Earth, but not angels. How angels communicate with God is different than how Earth and our body parts communicate with God.

•        Earth and our body parts are commanded to hide, angels are commanded to forget. All three entities are portrayed to have consciousness, or a means to take in information and act upon it.  

•        It is a common Islamic knowledge that our body parts testify against us in the hereafter; however, this tradition makes it clear that Earth or the land that you walk on can also testify against you.

Two Types of Knowledge

Here’s an important tradition that reminds us that Ahlul Bayt (as) know whatever that can possibly be known. It also points to the notion that there is a type of knowledge that neither the angels nor the messengers nor the Ahlul Bayt (peace be upon them all) can know. Only God is aware of all that is in the Mother Book and He is the only one that can carry out this hidden knowledge that everyone is blind to. 

            Here are a few interesting philosophical questions that are worth pondering upon:  There exists a type of knowledge that cannot be known by us. Can we consider this type of knowledge, knowledge to begin with? Knowledge by definition is something that can be known. How does this hidden type of knowledge fit in our definition and understanding of knowledge in general?  Perhaps knowledge shouldn’t be considered as something that is necessarily knowable?

The following tradition is authentic in its chain of narrators.

Arabic Text:

أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الْأَشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ سُوَيْدٍ الْقَلَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ:

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِلْمَيْنِ عِلْمٌ لَا يَعْلَمُهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَ عِلْمٌ عَلَّمَهُ مَلَائِكَتَهُ وَ رُسُلَهُ فَمَا عَلَّمَهُ مَلَائِكَتَهُ وَ رُسُلَهُ ع فَنَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُ.

English Translation:

Abi Ja’far (peace be upon him) said:

 

Verily, for Allah, The Almighty, there are two [types of] knowledge: The knowledge that no one knows but He, and the knowledge that He has taught to the angels and messengers. So, what is taught to the angels and messengers (peace be upon them), we know, [too].

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 256, Tradition #4

Here’s another similar tradition for which the chain of narrators is not evidently authentic. However, if we put this tradition side by side with two other almost identical traditions in the book بصائر الدرجات  (Basair Al-Darajat), and consider that its content is in harmony with the previous authentic tradition, we may come to view it as an acceptable tradition.

Arabic Text:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ ضُرَيْسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ:‏

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِلْمَيْنِ عِلْمٌ مَبْذُولٌ‏ وَ عِلْمٌ‏ مَكْفُوفٌ فَأَمَّا الْمَبْذُولُ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَعْلَمُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ الرُّسُلُ إِلَّا نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُ وَ أَمَّا الْمَكْفُوفُ فَهُوَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ إِذَا خَرَجَ نَفَذَ.

English Translation:

Aba Ja’far (peace be upon him) is heard to have said:

 

For Allah the Most Exalted there are two [kinds of] knowledge: Knowledge that is transferred and knowledge that is blind [or that we are blind to it]. The transferred knowledge is nothing from things known by angels and messengers except we know it. [All that the angels and messengers know, we know, too]. The knowledge that is blind [that we are blind to] is that which is with God, the Most Exalted, in the Mother Book, to be carried out.

Source:

Al-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 253, Tradition #3

In Basair Al-Darajat we can find the following:

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ ضُرَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُول:‏

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِلْمَيْنِ‏ عِلْمٌ‏ مَبْذُولٌ‏ وَ عِلْمٌ مَكْفُوفٌ فَأَمَّا الْمَبْذُولُ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ يَعْلَمُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ الرُّسُلُ إِلَّا وَ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُ وَ أَمَّا الْمَكْفُوفُ فَهُوَ الَّذِي عِنْدَهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ‏  إِذَا خَرَجَ نَفَذ.

Source:

Basair Al-Darajat, Volume 1, Page 109, Tradition #3

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ الْكَاتِبِ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُول:‏

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عِلْمَيْنِ‏ عِلْمٌ‏ مَبْذُولٌ‏ وَ عِلْمٌ مَكْنُونٌ فَأَمَّا الْمَبْذُولُ فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ تَعْلَمُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ الرُّسُلُ إِلَّا نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُ وَ أَمَّا الْمَكْنُونُ فَهُوَ الَّذِي عِنْدَ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ إِذَا خَرَجَ نَفَذ

Source:

Basair Al-Darajat, Volume 1, Page 112, Tradition #18

Do Not Pass Religious Rulings Without Knowledge

I have come to notice that many people, who consider themselves to be religious, are quite quick and comfortable to inform others about various religious rulings. This is fine as long as they are asked for them and are certain about what comes out of their mouths. However, at times, after questioning their statements a little further, I have come to realize that some of them, who initially seemed quite sure, were not as certain regarding the origin and the validity of the rulings that they were spreading. This action, to pass religious rulings without certainty has dire consequences. In this post, via posting a concise authentic tradition, I would like to highlight this point.  From the following tradition we can conclude that we must not pass religious rulings, without being certain of their validity. 

Arabic Text: 

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ:

مَنْ أَفْتَى النَّاسَ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَ لَا هُدًى لَعَنَتْهُ مَلَائِكَةُ الرَّحْمَةِ وَ مَلَائِكَةُ الْعَذَابِ وَ لَحِقَهُ وِزْرُ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِفُتْيَاهُ.

Farsi Translation:

امام باقر عليه السلام فرمود:

هر كه ندانسته و رهبرى نشده بمردم فتوى دهد فرشتگان رحمت و فرشتگان عذاب او را لعنت كنند و گناه آنكه بفتوايش عمل كند دامنگيرش شود.

English Translation:

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Eissa from Al-Hasan ibn Mahbob from Ali ibn Re'ab fromAbu Obayda Al-Hatha'a from Abu Ja'far (peace be upon him) who has said:

"The one who issues a fatwa [a religious ruling] without knowledge and without guidance will be cursed by angles of mercy and angles of punishment and the sin of whoever follows his fatwa will be added to him."

It is tremendously important to be careful about what leaves our mouths. It is tremendously important to watch over our tongues. 

For a few a more related traditions, you could check the following posts: 

·         Being Silent

·         Four Habits that Lead Us to Paradise

·         Watch Over Your Tongue and Be Healthy

Source:

Al-kafi, Volume 1, Page 42, Tradition #3

The Night of Ordainment and its Sign

Does the Night of Ordainment [Laylatul Qadr] have a special sign of its own? Yes. In this post, I will post a tradition, which in addition to informing us about the sign of the Night of Ordainment, concisely, acquaints us further with this special night.

This tradition is saheeh.

:Arabic Text

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ الْعَلَاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا ع قَالَ

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ عَلَامَةِ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ فَقَالَ عَلَامَتُهَا أَنْ تَطِيبَ رِيحُهَا وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ فِي بَرْدٍ دَفِئَتْ‏ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ فِي حَرٍّ بَرَدَتْ فَطَابَتْ قَالَ وَ سُئِلَ عَنْ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ فَقَالَ تَنْزِلُ فِيهَا الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ الْكَتَبَةُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَكْتُبُونَ مَا يَكُونُ فِي أَمْرِ السَّنَةِ وَ مَا يُصِيبُ الْعِبَادَ وَ أَمْرُهُ عِنْدَهُ مَوْقُوفٌ لَهُ وَ فِيهِ الْمَشِيئَةُ فَيُقَدِّمُ مِنْهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يُؤَخِّرُ مِنْهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يَمْحُو وَ يُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتابِ‏ 

.

Farsi Translation:

از ابو جعفر باقر (ع) و يا ابو عبد اللَّه صادق (ع) پرسيدم:

شب قدر، با چه علامتى شناخته مى‏ شود، آن سرور گفت: نشانه شب قدر آن است كه نسيم آن شب مطبوع و دلاويز مى‏ شود: اگر فصل سرما باشد، سوز سرما به گرمى مى‏ گرايد و اگر فصل گرما باشد، سوز گرما به سردى و خنكى مى‏ گرايد، به حدّى كه مطبوع مى‏ شود. يك نفر پرسيد كه در شب قدر، چه مسائلى تقدير مى‏ شود؟ آن سرور گفت: در شب قدر، فرشتگان و دبيران تا آخرين آسمان فرود مى ‏آيند و مقدّرات سال آينده را ثبت مى‏ كنند و مصائبى كه بر مردم نازل مى‏ شود، آمار مى‏ كنند. با وجود اين اجراى همه اين مقدّرات، متوقف بر خواست خداوند است: آن چه را بخواهد مقدّم مى‏ دارد و آنچه را بخواهد مؤخر مى‏ دارد. برخى از نوشته‏ ها را محو مى‏ كند و نوشته‏ هاى ديگرى مى ‏افزايد: منبع همه نوشته‏ ها نزد او است.

English Translation:

Narrated by Ahmed Ibn Mohamed from Al-Hussein Ibn Sa’eed from Fadhala Ibn Ayoub from Al-Alaa Ibn Razin from Mohamed Ibn Muslim from one of the two Imams (peace be upon them): 

I asked him regarding the sign of the Night of Ordainment.

He (as) replied, “It is signaled by a pleasant breeze. If it is cold, the breeze is warm. If it is hot, the breeze is cool and pleasant.”

He (as) was asked regarding the Night of Ordainment.

He (as) said: in it the angels and the scribes descend to the lower [or lowest or worldly] heavens. They record what the command [Amr] is for that year, what will befall the servants [of Allah] and what has been reserved [or commanded] for each [upcoming year]. On this night the [general] Will of God is done [or is in place]. So, He advances from it [from His general will] what He wills, and postpones from it [from His general Will] what He wills; He erases and preserves [or confirms], for His is the Mother Book [Ummol Kitab.]

Source

Al-kafi, Volume 4, Page 157, Tradition #3

There are a few interesting points that I noticed in this tradition. 

Firstly, in this tradition, we informed about the descending of the angels and scribes, whereas in the Quran, we are informed about the descending of the angels and The Spirit [97:4]. Moreover, the angels and the scribes are portrayed as two different entities, via the conjunction “and.” There is a common assumption that angels are the scribes. However, this tradition seems to imply otherwise. We neither know the nature of the angels nor the nature of the scribes. Nonetheless, this tradition provides us with an opportunity to think of them as two separate entities as opposed to one. This distinction may be quite useful for anyone who is deeply interested in the study of angels, The Spirit and the scribes.

Secondly, in this tradition we are informed a bit further regarding where the angels descend to on this night. They descend to the lowest [or worldly] heavens or the lowest skies. In the Quran, we learn that God has adorned the lowest [or worldly] heavens with lamps/lights [37:6][41:12][67:5].  Scholars have interpreted this verse to be referring to the stars that we see at night time. If these scribes and angels descend to this lowest [worldly] skies only on this special night, then they cannot be identical to those scribes that record our daily activities, which are commonly-believed to be on our right and left sides at all times. 

Finally, according to this tradition, God has the Mother Book, which He may use to either erase or confirm what has been written previously. This fact implies that whatever the scribes and the angels have written may be modified through the Mother Book. There is the decree book and there is also the Mother Book. If we the notion “book” to denote law and order, as opposed to regular books that we see daily, then we can realize that there is a hierarchy in place. There are higher-order laws, which may come into effect and modify lower-order laws.

If you have noticed more points in this tradition, please do not hesitate to mention them in the comment box. On the same note, if you are aware of other acceptable traditions that conflict with my notes in this post, please let me know and if needed, I will revise my notes.