With my continuous chain of transmission reaching up to the Thiqat al- Islam
Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni, may God's good pleasure be with him, from a
group of our companions, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, from his father,
from Harun ibn al-Jahm, from al-Mufaddal, from Sa'd, from Abu Ja'far, may peace
be upon him, that he said: "Verily, the hearts are [of] four (kinds) the
heart that has [both] faith and hypocrisy in it, the heart that is inverted and
upside down, the heart that has been sealed and is darkened, the heart that is
clear and luminous (al-azhar)." [Sa'd], the narrator, says: "I asked him,
"What is meant by `al-azhar'?" He replied, "it is a heart that has the likeness
of a lamp. As to the heart that has been sealed, it is the heart of a hypocrite.
The heart that is luminous is that of the believer, who is thankful when God
gives him and is patient when subjected to tribulation. As to the heart that is
inverted, it is the heart of the polytheist." Then he recited this verse:
﴾What, is he who walks prone upon his /ace better guided or he who
walks upright on a straight path? (67:22)﴿
[Then he added]; "As to the heart wherein is faith and hypocrisy-they were a
people who lived in Ta'if; so if one of them should die in the state of
hypocrisy, he would perish, and should he die in the state of faith he would
attain salvation."1
Exposition:
Mankus means `inverted' (maqlub). [The lexicographers] explain:
(i.e. `I inverted something' or `I put it means upside down'). According to al-Sihah,
means a baby whose feet (at birth) come out before its head Closely associated
is the meaning of in the noble verse cited by the Imam, for ikbab means falling
on one's face, and therein is a figurative indication of the fact that the
hearts of the polytheists (mushrikun) are inverted and their course of spiritual
movement is other than the Straight Path, as will be elaborated later on, God
willing.
Matbu` means `sealed' (makhtum), and tab` with sukun (of the ba'), means
`sealing' (khatm), and with its harakah (i.e. taba`) means impurity (danas,
wasakh). If it be taken in the sense of `sealed,' it would figuratively mean
that the word of truth and Divine truths do not enter such a heart and it does
not accept them-not that God, the Exalted, deprives it of His special grace,
although this sense is also true. However the aforementioned sense is more
appropriate.
'Azhar' means `white' (abyad) and `luminous' (mustanir), as mentioned in
al-Nihayah.2 According to al-Sihah `azhar' means `bright' (nayyir),
and the moon is called `azhar.' Ibn al-Sikkit says: `al-azharan' means the sun
and the moon. `Azhar' [when spoken of a man] means a white man, of a bright
face, and such a woman is zahra'. To sum up, azhar means luminous and white;
hence the sun and moon are called azharan; a white and luminous man is called
azhar and a white and luminous women is zahra'.
`Ajrad' is someone who has no hair on his body, and according to al-Sihah, al-jurd
means a treeless (open) space. And this figuratively implies the absence of
attachment to the world, or freedom from impurity and defilement. We shall
expound that which needs explication in this noble tradition in the course of a
preface and a few sections.
Preface: On Reforming the Heart:
It should be known that the term 'heart' has various meanings in the terminology
of the Shari'ah, and that of philosophy and 'irfan. To discuss that and the
related terminological differences, as well as the ranks and degrees of the
hearts, is outside the scope of this discourse and is not very beneficial for
us. Therefore, it would be better to take the matter in its unexplicated
simplicity, as is done in the noble tradition, and discuss that which is
important and essential for us.
It should be known that the endeavour to reform the 'heart,' on whose
wholesomeness and corruption depends one's felicity and wretchedness, is more
essential than an inquiry into its meanings and delving into the technical
jargon.3 In fact, it often happens that intense attention to terms
and preoccupation with words and that which relates to them make one totally
oblivious of the heart and its reform. [As a result] one may acquire complete
mastery in expounding the meaning and essence of the heart and the terminology
of the metaphysicians (hukama') and the mystics ('urafa) while one's heart,
na'udhubillah, is one that is either inverted or sealed, like someone who knows
well the beneficial and harmful properties of medicines and is able to describe
them with expertise without himself refraining from poisonous medicines or
making use of the beneficial ones. Such a person perishes despite all his
knowledge of pharmacology, which is unable to rescue him.
We said earlier4 that all the sciences are absolutely practical and
even the transcendental sciences have a practical aspect in them. Here that
which we have to say is that the science of the states of the heart and that
which relates to their health and sickness, reform and corruption, is something
which is purely a preliminary step to action and the way of its reform and
remedy. Its mere knowledge and understanding is not considered a human
perfection. Hence one's main attention and goal should be the reform and
refinement of the heart so that one may attain to ultimate spiritual felicity
and to the higher transcendent stations. And even if one were well adept in the
sciences, the subtleties and the realities, during the course of his journey
through 'the horizons and the souls', his main concern should be the discovery
of his own spiritual states, so that if it were ruinous he should try to remedy
it, and if oriented towards salvation, try to make it complete and perfect.
Section: The Basis for the Classification of the Hearts:
One should know that this classification of the hearts made in this noble
tradition is one that is non-detailed and general. Every heart has a different
rank and degree, whether it is from the viewpoint of shirk and hypocrisy or that
of faith and perfection. Apparently, this classification of the hearts is
subsequent to acquisition and spiritual conduct, not one based on the nature and
constitution of different souls, so as to conflict with traditions concerning
fitrah, which state that all people are born with the nature of tawhid and that
shirk and hypocrisy are accidental [and not innate in human nature]. However,
even if it were on the basis of nature, that would be correct in accordance with
one explanation which removes the contradiction and does not lead to
predestination, which is something impossible. Nevertheless, that which is
closer to metaphysical proof and more conducive to education is the first
probability. And we said earlier5 that as long as man remains in this
world, which is the source of the tree of primal matter with its substantial,
formal, and accidental changes and transformations, he can deliver himself from
all levels of deficiency, wretchedness, shirk, and hypocrisy and attain to the
higher levels of perfection and spiritual felicity. And this is not contrary to
the famous hadith that states:
The wretched one is wretched in his mother's womb.6
for the meaning of the tradition is not that felicity and wretchedness are
innate and incapable of change. Rather, this tradition accords with metaphysical
proof, which has been set forth in clarity in its proper place, that
wretchedness is derived from deficiency and non-being, and that felicity derives
from being and its perfection. That which belongs to the immaculate tree of
being is the sacred Divine Being in accordance with the ranks of causes and
means-which is the way of the best of the latter generations and the most
perfect of the early ones, the Nasir of the millah and din (i.e. Khwajah Nasir
al-Din al-Tusi), may God sanctify his soul-or on the basis of manifesting and
being manifested (zahiriyyah and mazhariyyah), unity and multiplicity-which is
the way of the greatest of philosophers, Hadrat Sadr al-Muta'allihin. And that
which derives from deficiency and non-being pertains to the vicious tree of
quiddity, which is not the object of creation because of its being below
creation (ja'l).
It may be said that when the noble tradition says that felicity and wretchedness
accompany one in the `mother's womb' that which is meant is the world of
corporeal nature ('alam-e tabiyyat) which is the absolute mother, the womb and
the cradle wherein nature nurtures its offsprings. That is, the expression
`mother's womb' is not to be taken in its ordinary sense, because felicity,
being perfection and actuality, cannot belong to the primal souls (nafus-e
hayuliyyah) except potentially. Since the literal import is that the felicitous
are felicitous in act in the mother's womb, the contrary of the literal meaning
has to be adopted. And since that which has been said is in accordance with
metaphysical proofs, the noble tradition has to be interpreted solely in this
sense or something equivalent to it. In any case any elaboration of this matter
and discussion of its proof is outside the scope of this discourse, though at
times the pen rebels and runs contrary to the set aim.
The Reason why the Kinds of Hearts are Confined to the Four:
Some [scholars] have said that the reason for confining the kinds of hearts to
four is that the hearts either possess faith or they don't. In the first case,
the faith possessed pertains to all that the Messenger has brought or only to a
part of that. The first is the heart of the believer (mu'min) and the second is
a heart wherein faith and hypocrisy are both present. In the second case, there
is either an outward confession of faith or there isn't. The first is the heart
of the hypocrite and the second that of a polytheist (mushrik).
This interpretation does not accord with the noble tradition, which implies that
at times there is real faith in all that the Prophet, may God bless him and his
Household, has brought and at times there is hypocrisy. Hence, if one were
forced to interpret, it would be better to say that the heart either has faith
in all that the Prophet, may God bless him and his Household, has brought or it
doesn't. In the second case, there is either a pretence of faith or there isn't.
In the first case, the faith is either stable and established in it or [it is
unstable], believing at one time and disbelieving at other times, making a
pretense of belief in the state of disbelief also. The concluding part of the
tradition shows that the repentance of those who apostatize after belief, to
revert to unbelief and hypocrisy, is accepted, even if it should occur
repeatedly.
In another tradition of the noble al-Kafi, Imam Baqir, may peace be upon him,
divides the hearts into three kinds: (1) the inverted heart (qalb-e mankus),
wherein there is no good; that is an unbeliever's heart; (2) the heart wherein
there is a black spot, in which there is a conflict between good and evil, each
of which seek to overcome the other; (3) the 'open heart' (qalb-e maftuh)
wherein are lamps whose lights will not go out until the Day of Resurrection;
that is the heart of the believer.7 This [division] does not conflict
with the noble tradition [under exposition], for the first category mentioned in
the above tradition includes the two kinds mentioned by the hadith, that is, the
hearts of the polytheist and the hypocrite. That is because the hearts of all
those three groups (i.e. unbelievers, polytheists and hypocrites) are inverted,
and no inconsistency would be involved if inversion be [considered] the salient
characteristic of the hearts of an unbeliever and polytheist and being seated
the salient characteristic of the hypocrite's heart, and accordingly each of
them is ascribed to either of them in the tradition.
Section: Concerning the States of the Hearts:
We shall begin with the believer's heart so that the state of the other hearts
be known in contrast. It should be known that in the transcendental sciences and
the true teachings it has been clearly established that the reality of `being'
is the reality of 'light.' These two terms signify one simple reality without
being attributable to any separate multiple aspects. It is also known that that
which pertains to perfection and completion derives from being itself. This is
one of the noble principles, and to anyone who has the honour to apprehend it
the door to the higher teaching is opened. Our feeble spirits are unable to
apprehend the reality of that Being without a help from the Hidden and a success
predestined from eternity. It is also known that faith in God belongs to the
category of knowledge and is one of the absolute perfections. Hence, being a
perfection, it belongs to being itself and the reality of light and
manifestation. And that which is other than faith and all that relates to it, is
outside the category of the perfections of the human spirit, belonging to the
darkness of non-being and quiddity.
Concerning the Luminosity of the Believer's Heart:
Hence it is known that the 'believer's heart is luminous. It is narrated in the
noble al-Kafi from al-Imam al-Sadiq, may peace be upon him, that he said: "You
see some people who are so perfect in eloquence that they don't err in [the use
of a single letter like] lam or waw, while their hearts are darker than a gloomy
night, and there are some people who cannot express what is in their hearts, yet
their heart is radiant like a lamp."8 Further, the believer's heart
is on the Straight Path and his spiritual movement is on the middle path of
humanity. That is because, firstly, he has not deserted his primal divine
nature, fashioned in forty days by God, the Exalted, with the hands of His
Beauty and Glory. Thus he walks on the path of the nature of tawhid, oriented
towards absolute perfection and consummate beauty. Inevitably, this spiritual
movement from the plane of innate nature to the ultimate point of absolute
perfection is without any crookedness, being as it is the path of spiritual
rectitude and the middle inner way. However, all other hearts deviate from
nature and the straight path. It is narrated of the Noblest Messenger, may God
bless him and his Household, that he drew a straight line on the ground drawing
other lines on its either side. Then he said, "This one, the straight and
middlemost line, is my path."9
Explanation of the Believer's being on the Straight Path:
Secondly, the believer is the follower of the Perfect Man, and since the Perfect
Man is the manifestation of all the Names and the Attributes and subject to the
Lordship of the Truth, the Exalted, by virtue of the All inclusive Name (ism-e
jami), his being is not monopolized by anyone of the Names. Like his Lord, he is
an all-inclusive being and in him the manifestation of any of the Names is not
overshadowed by that of any other Name. He possesses the station of middleness (maqam-e
wasafiyyat) and the major mediation (barzakhiyyat-e kubra). Hence his movement
is along the straight and middlemost path of the All-inclusive Name.
All other beings are dominated by one of the encompassing or non encompassing
Names of which they are manifestations. Their origin and return is from and to
that Name. The Name opposite to it is latent in it and plays no active role in
it except from the aspect of the unity of all the Names-something whose
explanation is not appropriate here. Hence God, the Exalted, at the station of
the All-inclusive Name and the Lord of Man (rabb al-insan), is on the Straight
Path, as He says:
﴾Verily my Lord is on the Straight Path. (11:56)﴿
That means the station of middleness and all-inclusiveness (jami'iyyat) without
the predominance of an Attribute over another and without the manifestation of
one Name rather than that of another. A being subject to the Lordship of that
Sacred Being at this station is also on the Straight Path, without any station
or aspect overshadowing another station or aspect. Hence [the believer] in the
course of his real upward ascension [i.e. prayer] and the ultimate point of
proximity [to the Divine], after making an admission of servitude, after
referring every worship and service by every worshipper to that Sacred Essence
and ascribing all help in all stations of expansiveness and straits (qabd wa
bast) exclusively to that Sacred Being, by declaring:
﴾Thee only we worship and Thee only we ask for help, (1:5)﴿
says:
﴾Guide us to the Straight Path. (1:6)﴿
This is the same path as that of the Lord of the Perfect Man, the former from
the [active] aspect of manifesting (zahirriyyat) and Lordship (rububiyyat) and
the latter from the [passive] aspect of being manifested [mazhariyyat] and
creaturehood [marbubiyyat]. None of the other existents and beings in movement
towards Allah are on the Straight Path, but are deviant, inclining either
towards (Divine) Grace and Beauty or towards Might and Glory. The faithful (mu'minin),
since they are followers of the Perfect Man and walk in his footsteps, they
journey by the light of his guidance and the lamp of his knowledge (ma'rifah) in
submission to the sacred being of the Perfect Man. They don't take any step by
themselves and do not allow their intellect to meddle with the character of the
spiritual journey towards Allah. For this reason, their path is also straight,
and in the company of the Perfect Man their fulfillment (wusal) is subordinate
to the fulfillment of the Perfect Man, provided that they protect their clear
hearts from the workings of the devils, the ego, and egoism, and submit
themselves totally in the journey to the Perfect Man and the station of ultimate
prophecy.
Concerning Some Stratagems of Satan:
One of the evil workings of Satan is to make man turn the face of his heart away
from the Straight Path and towards some coquettish person (shukh) or guru (shaykh).
One of the great masterpieces of Satan, who whispers into the hearts of men, is
that he, with gay and nonchalant discourse and deceptive manipulations, makes
some spiritual gurus (shuyukh) enamoured to some coquette, justifying this major
sin, or an act of spiritual polytheism, on the pretext that if the heart were to
have a singular attachment one can succeed faster in curtailing worldly
attachments. At [other] times he turns some mindless coquette towards some
demonic guru, one who seduces people or is rather a satanic highwayman. The
pretext offered for this act of explicit polytheism (shirk-e jali) is that the
guru is a Perfect Man and that only through the Perfect Man one can attain to
the realm of absolute transcendence, which is not manifested except in the
mirror of the guru. At the end of their lives, the two of them-that one with the
memory of his favourite's cheek and this one with the inverted face of his
guru-join the world of demons and satans, and neither the former gets rid of his
bestial attachment nor the latter reaches the goal through this blind alley.
It should be known that since the believer's journey is on a Straight Path and
his heart is upright, his orientation is towards Allah and his way is the middle
path. As a result, in that world too his path is clear and straight, his posture
upright, and his appearance and character, his inward and outward, have a human
form and shape. One can understand the character of the heart of the polytheists
in contrast to this. As his heart deviates from the Divine nature, and strays
from the central point of perfection and the hub of light and beauty, departing
from submission to the absolute Guide and Guardian (Wali) and preoccupied with
its own ego and egoism, the world and its ornaments, consequently in the other
worlds also it is not resurrected with the straight human character and form but
in the form of an animal with a head turned about. That is so because, in that
world, form and shape are subject to the character of the heart and the outward
reflects the inward and the shell is the image of the kernel. The matter of that
realm is not averse to accepting the inward malakuti forms as in this world, and
this thesis has been established in its proper place. Hence the hearts which are
averse to the Truth and Reality and deviate from straight nature, oriented and
directed as they are towards the world, their image too, like themselves,
deviates from straightness, being inverted, facing the world and physical nature
(tabi`at), which is the lowest of the low. Perhaps, in that world some would
walk on their faces with their feet upwards, some on their bellies, and some on
their hands and feet, like animals, the way they in fact walked in this world:
﴾Is he who goes inverted on his face more rightly guided or he who
walks upright on a straight path? (67:22)﴿
It is possible that this metaphor in the metaphoric world becomes a reality in
the realm of reality and manifestation of spirituality. In some noble traditions
relating to the exegesis of this noble verse, the `Straight Path' is interpreted
as referring to Hadrat Amir al-Mu'minin and the Infallible Imams, may peace be
upon them:
In al-Kafi (al-Kulayni reports) with his isnad from Abu al-Hasan al-Madi
(al-Imam Musa al-Kazim) that (Muhammad b. al-Fudayl) says: [When asked
concerning the meaning of the verse], "Is he who goes inverted on his face more
rightly guided or he who walks upright on a straight path?" The Imam replied,
'Verily, God has struck a similitude [in this verse]: one who deviates from the
wilayah of 'Ali [may peace be upon him] is like one who walks on his face and is
not guided, and He has made one who follows him as one who walks upright on a
straight path, and 'the Straight Path' is Amir al-Mu'minin, may peace be upon
him.' "10
In another tradition the `Straight Path' is explained as meaning 'Ali, may peace
be upon him, and the rest of the Imams, may peace be upon them. 11
Also, it is narrated in the noble al-Kafi from Fudayl that he said: "I entered
the Holy Mosque (of Makkah) with al-Imam al-Baqir, may peace be upon him, and he
was leaning upon me. Then he threw his blessed glance upon the people as we
stood at the Door of Bani Shaybah. Then he said, `O Fudayl, they used to
circumambulate in this manner [even] during the days of the Jahiliyyah! They
neither recognized any truth nor followed any creed. O Fudayl, look at them,
they walk inverted on their faces! May God damn them, they are a disfigured
creation walking on their faces." Then he recited the noble verse, Is he who
goes inverted on his face more rightly guided or he who walks upright on a
straight path. Then he added, "By God, that means `Ali, may peace be upon him,
and his awsiya', may peace be upon them."12
In the foregoing we have explained how the journey and the movement of the
Perfect Man are on the Straight Path. However, the exposition of the matter that
the Perfect Man is the Straight Path itself is beyond our purpose in this
discourse.
Complimentary Note: The Hypocrite's Heart and the Difference Between it and the
Believer's Heart:
The states of the heart of the believer and the polytheist-and even that of the
unbeliever-became known from the exposition in the foregoing section. A
comparison also discloses the state of the hypocrite's heart. That is because
the believer's heart has nor departed from its original innocent and clear
nature and it naturally accepts any truths relating to faith and the true
teaching. The harmony and compatibility between the nourishment-which consists
of the truths and the teachings-and the nourished one-which is the heart in its
state of original nature-is preserved. Hence in another tradition of the noble
al-Kafi, the believer's heart has been said to be `open' (maftuh), and although
this `opening' may refer to one of the `threefold openings' (futhat-e thalathah),13
this meaning is also appropriate.
However, as the hypocrite's heart has obscurities and darkness formed in it
contrary to the human nature, such as ignorant prejudices (ta'assubhaye
jahiliyyat), blameworthy moral traits, vanity, ambition, and other qualities
contrary to the [primal] nature, it is closed and sealed. It is not at all
receptive to the word of truth and its tablet is like a page of paper that is
totally blackened, on which nothing can be inscribed. Its pretense of
religiosity, arising from its satanic character, is a means to secure worldly
benefit and advancement in mundane matters.
It should be known that the hearts of the polytheist and the hypocrite are both
inverted and sealed, as is clear and evident. But the attribution of one of
these qualities to each of them in particular is for the reason that, as the
hearts of the polytheists are turned in worship towards other than That which is
Absolute Perfection, they have two properties and characteristics: one is
sincere humility [in front of the object of worship] and another is the
deficiency and obfuscation created by this humility, which is diverted towards
imperfect beings and creatures. Hence their hearts are inverted and this is
their predominant characteristic. As to the hypocrite, he is either a polytheist
in reality-and in this respect he shares equally with the polytheists the
quality of inversion of the heart-besides possessing an additional quality [i.e.
hypocrisy], or he is an unbeliever in reality and possesses no religiosity.
Although his heart too is inverted, it has another quality which is predominant.
That additional quality is his outward pretense of following the truth. He
enters the congregation of the followers of the Truth and hears all the truthful
preaching that is heard by the believers. Yet, while the believer absorbs them
due to his inner purity and open heart, the hypocrite fails to receive them due
to the darkness and obscurities of his heart, which is closed and sealed.
The reason for singling out for mention from among the attributes of the
believer the two characteristics, of gratitude on being favoured with gifts and
patience in trials, is the salient character of these two among the believer's
qualities. These are two of the major virtues from which other virtues branch
out, and we have alluded to this in the exposition of some of the earlier
traditions.14 Further, the tradition refers to two of the Divine
Attributes, of Glory and Beauty, or Might and Grace, each of which is manifested
in the condition of tribulation and the condition of being well provided. And
although tribulation belongs to the Attributes of Grace, but since it manifests
through Might, it is reckoned as belonging to it, as mentioned in the
discussions on Divine Names and Attributes. The believer always observes the
duties of servitude between the two manifestations.
Conclusion: Neglect of the Truth Results in the Inversion of the Heart:
From the foregoing discussion it is known that the souls, though they should
have belief in God and Resurrection, become inverted if they are totally
absorbed by attention towards the world and preoccupied with mundane
advancements while being neglectful of God. The criterion in respect of the
inversion of the heart is the neglect of God and attention to the world and its
cultivation. Such belief is either not faith, as mentioned in the exposition of
some of the earlier traditions,15 or is an insignificant and
inadequate faith that is not inconsistent with the inversion of the heart. In
fact, one who makes a pretense of belief in transcendence and Resurrection but
has no trepidation arising from such a belief and whom this belief does not lead
to act with his bodily members, such a one is to be considered as belonging to
the hypocrites, not as one of the believers. Possibly this sort of apparent
believers, like the people of Ta'if, who in the noble tradition are mentioned as
being typical of those who are believers at one time and hypocrites at another
time, may altogether lose this hollow faith which has no sovereignty in the
realm of their physical, bodily existence (mulk). They might leave this world in
a state of complete hypocrisy to be resurrected amongst the hypocrites. This is
one of the crucial matters to which our weak spirits must attach great
importance, taking care that the effects of faith become established in our
manifest and hidden, inner and outer, being. In the same way as we claim to
possess faith in the heart, we should make our outward being also subject to its
authority, so that the roots of faith become established in our hearts, not to
be destroyed by any kind of obstacle or hindrance, transformation and change, so
that this Divine trust of a celestial and pure heart, fashioned with its Divine
nature, is returned to the Sacred Being unaffected and unsoiled by the workings
of Satan and hands of treachery. And to Allah belongs all praise, at every
beginning and end. '
* Book: Forty Hadith (An Exposition on 40 ahadith narrated through the
Prophet (pbuhh&hh) and his Ahl al-Bayt (a.s.)). By Imam Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khumayni.
Translated by: Mahliqa Qara'i (late) and Ali Quli Qara'i.
1- Usul al-Kafi,
vol. II, p. 422, "kitab al-Iman wa al-kufr" "bab fi Zulmah qalb al-munafiq"
hadith 2.
2- Al-Nihayah, vol. ii, p. 321, under z.h.r.
3- Author's Note. It should be known that that which is meant here is not that
the science of ethics and the things which lead to the salvation and damnation
of the soul are not necessary. Rather, what is meant it that that science is to
considered as a mere preliminary to action, not as something of independent
worth is whose pursuit and in collecting whose technical jargon one should spend
a lifetime and be kept from one's real goal.
4- See under the exposition of Twenty-sixth Hadith.
5- See Seventeenth Hadith.
6- Bihar al-anwar, vol. v, p. 153, "kitab al adl wa al-ma'ad' "bab al-sa'adah wa
al shaqawah" hadith 1, with a slight difference in wording.
7- Usul al-Kafi, vol. ii, p. 423, "kitab al-iman wa al-kufr" "bab Zulmah qalb
al-munafiq" hadith 3.
8- Ibid, vol. ii, p. 422, hadith 1.
9- Sadr al-Muta'allihin, Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim, vol. iv, p. 52, exegesis of
2:256 (ayat al-Kursi); See also al-Majlisi, 'Ilm al-yaqin, vol. ii, p. 967.
10- Al-Kafi, vol. i, p. 432, "Kitab al-hujjah" "bab fihi nukat wa nutaf min al-tamzil
fi al-Wilayah" hadith 91.
11- Bihar al-anwar, vol. XXIV, p. 15, "kitab al-imamah" bab 24, hadith 17.
12- Rawdat al-Kafi, p. 288, hadith 434.
13- These are; al-fath al-qarib, al-fath al-mubin, and al-fath al-mutlaq.
14- See Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Twenty-first Hadith.
15- See Ninth, Twentieth and Twenty-sixth Hadith.