rendered their magic powerless. Thus, the divine power gifted to Moses clearly demonstrated the divine truth to those magic-mad people.
،¥Jesus (p.b.u.h.) was sent at the time when the people were under the grip of chronic diseases. Hence Jesus brought from God such medical powers as the people of that time did not possess.
Jesus (p.b.u.h.) brought the dead back to life and healed the people born blind and leperous by the will of Allah. Thus the divine reason and justification was demonstrated to the
people.
،¥Almighty Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) at the time when oratory and speech had a tremendous sway over the people.'
"I (the narrator) think that the Imam used the word "poetry" (i.e. he added "poetry" to the "oratory and speech"). (Then the Imam continued):
،¥In view of this trend of the time, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) was gifted by God with such sublime sermons, admonitions, and such eloquent discourses of wisdom which clearly
demonstrated the divine truth to them (by defeating them on their own ground, the field of oratory and poetry).' "Hearing this highly learned and scholarly statement, Ibn as-Sikk.t (the great
scholar) exclaimed, ،¥By God, I have never seen any scholar like you.،¦ Then Ibn as-Sikk.t inquired of the Imam, ،¥Who is the man personifying this divine proof and demonstration for the people
of this time?،¦ The Imam replied, ،¥It is through intellect and reason one can recognise and corroborate the truthful divine demonstrator.
And it is through reasoning one can falsify the pretender who claims divine representation as a divine demonstrator.،¦ Hearing this, Ibn as-Sikk.t exclaimed, 'By Allah this is the one and
the only reply.' 21. al-Hƒmusayn ibn Muhammad (،X) Mu،¥alla ibn Muhammad (،X) al-Washsha،¦ (،X) Muthanna al-Hƒmannatƒz (،X) Qutaybah al-A،¥sha (،X) Ibn Abi Ya،¥f.r (،X) the slave of Bani Shayban
(،X) Abu Ja،¥far (p.b.u.h.) as saying:
"At the time when Imam al-Mahdi (the twelfth Imam in the line-age of Prophet Muhammad's progeny) will make an appearance in the world, Almighty Allah will put His blessed Hand over the
heads of the people of that time through which the Reason of the people will be completely restored and their comprehension will be brought to perfection."
22. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (،X) Muhammad ibn Sulayman (،X) Ali ibn Ibrah.m (،X) ،¥Abdullah ibn Sinan (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying :
"Each prophet personifies the proof and divine. demonstration for mankind (taken collectively). While Reason is the proof and demonstration between God and mankind (taken
individually)."
23. A group of our associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad (Mursalan ،X without describing the chain of narrators) quoted Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.), as saying :
"The reasoning capacity is the chief pillar of human existence. It is the fountain spring of sagacity, comprehension, memory and knowledge. Man is perfected through Reason and it is this
which is a guide, a discriminator and a key to every success. When Reason secures the approval of Divine Light, it earns (perfection in) know-ledge, memory, sagacity, level headness and God
mindedness.
It is through Reason one understands how, why and where. It is through Reason one knows who guides him and who misguides him. Having known all this he comes to realise what source of life
he should adopt, whom he should meet and whom he should not. He becomes pure and sincere in his concept of Unity of God and also in his acceptance, and belief, and ultimately in His obedience and
submission to Him.
When he has reached this stage, he has redressed every loss. He has acquired every gain he can secure. He quickly comprehends where he stands, and what is what, which is which, and why he
has been sent here in this worldly life, where he is brought from and where he has to go. All this can be secured with the assistance of Reason."
24. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (،X) Isma.l ibn
Mihran (،X) some of his associated narrators (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying:
"Reason is a guide to every believer."
25. al-Hƒmusayn ibn Muhammad (،X) Mu،¦alla ibn Muhammad (،X) al-Washsha،¦ (،X) Hammad ibn ،¥Uthman (،X) as-Sari ibn Khalid (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying:
"The messenger of Allah (Muhammad, the prophet - p.b.u.h.a. h.p.), said (to ،¥Ali):
،¥O ،¥Ali, no poverty is as great as ignorance and no wealth is as profitable as the reasoning capacity.،¦ "
26. Muhammad ibn al-Hƒmasan (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (،X) Ibn Abi Najran (،X) al-،¦Ala ibn Raz.n (،X) Muhammad ibn Muslim (،X) Abu Ja،¥far (p.b.u.h.), as saying:
"When Almighty Allah created Reason, He ordered it to come forward and it came forward. Then He ordered it to go back and it went back. On this Almighty Allah said : ،¥I swear by My power
and Majesty that no creation of Mine is dearer than you are. Lo! to you are My orders and prohibitions addressed and for you are My rewards and retributions reserved.،¦ "
27. A group of our associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad (،X)
(،X) al-Haytham ibn Abi Masr.q an-Nahdi (،X) al-Hƒmusayn ibn Khalid (،X) Is'hƒuaq ibn ،¥Ammar who reports:
"I inquired of Imam Abu ،¥Abdillah, ،¥How is it that certain people understand much although I speak to them only a little? How and why is it that certain people understand, memorise and
repeat to me the whole (subject) after I speak a lot. How and why is it that certain other people request me to repeat although I have spoken a lot.،¦ The Imam replied, ،¥The man who understands
the whole (subject) after hearing a little is one whose intellect and reason is kneaded along with his gene.
The man who understands, memorises and repeats to you the whole (subject) after your speaking fully over it, is one whose intellect and reason develops in the embryo of his mother. And the
man who requests you to repeat the subject for him after hearing you in full, is one whose Reason develops after he is grown up."
28. A group of our associates (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad (،X) some (narrators) (rafa،¥ahu) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying: "The Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, the prophet -
p.b.u.h.a.
h.p.) stated: ،¥Don't pride on a person performing too many prayers and observing too many fasts until and unless you determine what degree of Reason he possesses.،¦"
29. Some of our associates (rafa،¥ahu) (related the following tradition without mentioning the sources quoted from) (،X) Mufadƒudƒual ibn ،¥Umar (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as
saying:
"O،¦ Mufadƒudƒual! one who has no Reason, secures no success. He who has no knowledge has no Reason. And he who has understanding is closer to excellence. He who has a quality of
forbearance is bound to secure success. Knowledge is a shield (against all evil); truthfulness is an honour; ignorance is a disgrace; understanding is glory; generosity is salvation; good bearing
is a magnet of love.
One who is a sage of his time cannot be assailed by doubts and confusions. Wisdom and caution demand misapprehensions about others. (Presuming all persons to be angels runs counter to
wisdom and maturity of judgment.) Men of learning ،X the scholars are the divine bounties and are the bridge between people and wisdom.
And men of ignorance ،X the rustics are the bridge between the people and miseries. Almighty God is a friend to him who takes pains to know Him and He is unfriendly to him who does not take
pains to know Him. A man of wisdom is always forgiving and a man of ignorance is always treacherous. If you want to be honoured, be gentle to others and if you want to be disgraced be harsh to
others. One who is noble by birth is gentle at heart, and one who is ignoble by birth is crude at heart.
One who transgresses (the divine limits) is caught up in a sad plight. One who is afraid of consequences never takes any wrong step. One who rushes in doing what he does not know disgraces
himself. (There is an English proverb to this effect : ،¥Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.،¦) One who has no knowledge cannot understand and he who does not understand cannot be in
peace.
He who is not in peace cannot have any honour. And he who has no honour is abashed. And he who is abashed is a target of general condemnation. And he who is like this has ultimately to meet
repentance and disgrace."
30. Muhammad ibn Yahƒuya (rafa،¥ahu) Am.r al-mu،¦min.n (،¥Ali, ،X the Chief of the believers) as saying :
"One who is fortified at least in one virtue from amongst the rest to my satisfaction, will be acceptable to me just on the score of that virtue alone. I can overlook and forgive his lack
of other virtues, but the lack of Reason and faith in no case can be overlooked and forgiven. Being without faith and religion is equal to being without peace and security. Verily, life in fear
is totally unpleasant and lack of Reason is tantamount to lack of life.
A person devoid of reason cannot be conceived except as a corpse."
31. ،¥Ali ibn Ibrah.m ibn Hashim (،X) M.sa ibn Ibrah.m al-Muhƒuaribi (،X) al-Hƒmasan ibn M.sa (،X) M.sa ibn ،¥Abdillah (،X) Maym.n ibn ،¥Ali (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as
saying:
"Am.r al-mu،¦min.n (،¥Ali ،X the Chief of the believers) has stated, ،¥Self Conceit is a proof of feeble Reason.،¦ "
32. Ab. ،¥Abdillah al-،¥Asƒwimi (،X) ،¥Ali ibn al-Hƒmasan (،X) ،¥Ali ibn Asbatƒz (،X) al-Hƒmasan ibn al-Jahm (،X) Abi'l-Hƒmasan ar-Ridƒua (p.b.u.h.), when a discussion about Reason took
place before him, (the Imam) observed :
"A believer in religion who has no Reason is of no consideration at all." The narrator asked, "May my life be sacrificed for you, there are certain people in our community who, in our eyes
are without any fault, but they don't possess (sufficient) Reason and understanding (of religion)." The Imam remarked, "Such people are not among those God has considered eligible to be
addressed. When Almighty God created Reason, He ordered it to come forward.
The Reason came forward. Then He ordered it to go back. It went back. On this, God the Almighty observed : ،¥I swear by My power and Majesty that I have not created anything more handsome
and dearer than you. It is only on your account that I shall take people to task and it is only on your account that I grant My rewards.،¦ "
33. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid (،X) his father (،X) some of our associates (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.), as saying : "There is no distinguishing feature between
faith and infidelity apart from the lack of reasoning." Hearing this someone asked the Imam, "O،¦ son of the Prophet, how is this?" The Imam replied, "In-stead of turning to God, man turns to
other men for the fulfilment of his needs. If he had turned to God exclusively, in all sincerity, God would have fulfilled his need much speedily than any man could have done."
34. A group of our associates (،X) Sahl ibn Ziyad (،X) ،¥Ubaydillah al-Dihqan (،X) Ahmad ibn ،¥Umar al-Hƒmalabi (،X) Yahƒuya ibn ،¥Imran (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying that Am.r
al-rnu'min.n. (،¥Ali - the Chief of the believers) used to say :
"It is through Reason that wisdom can be fathomed in all its depth. And, it is through wisdom that the depth of Reason can be fathomed. Good supervision gives birth to good bearing and
social decorum." Also Hƒmadƒurat ،¥Ali used to say, "Meditation grants real life to the heart and soul of an observant person. As a pedestrian goes along in darkness with the help of a lamp, we
should go (along on the path of life continuously) with the help of the lamp of our reason, guarding ourselves against the evils, without unnecessary delay."
35. A group of our associates (،X) ،¥Abdullah al-Bazzaz (،X) Muhammad ibn ،¥Abd ar-Rahƒuman ibn Hƒmammad (،X) al-Hƒmasan ibn ،¥Ammar (،X) Abu ،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.) as saying :
"The initiation, the development and the power of any task productive of any advantage cannot be undertaken without reason which has been designed by God as light and ornament for His
creation. It is through reason that man recognises his Creator. It is through reason that they recognise themselves to be not self created but God is their Disposer and that they are at His
disposal.
It is through reason that they comprehend the object behind the creation of the heavens, the earth, the sun, the moon, the night and the day. It is through reason they realise that there is
a Creator and Disposer for them, and for all the universe that has always been and will always be. It is through reason that they discriminate between good and bad. It is through reason that they
understand that darkness (the evils) lies in ignorance and the light (every good) lies in knowledge. All these facts are known to men through reason."
It was asked of the Imam, "Is it possible for the people to be contented with their reason leaving every other thing behind?" The Imam replied, "Lo! the reason which has been designed by
the God to be the foundation, the ornament and guidance is a light house for the wise, who recognise that God is the Truth and He is man's sustainer. They realise that their Creator has His likes
and dislikes and He could be obeyed and disobeyed.
"They also recognise that- they cannot understand the manner in which His likes and dislikes operate with the help of mere reason. Hence, in this respect it is essential for them to take
the help of knowledge. It means that they have derived no benefit from their intellectual capabilities. It is therefore imperative for men of reason to acquire knowledge and decorum without which
their life has no support."
36. ،¥Ali ibn Muhammad (،X) some of his associates (،X) Ibn Abi ،¥Umayr (،X) an-Nadƒur ibn Suwayd (،X) Hƒmumran and Sƒlafwan ibn Mihran al-Jammal, as saying: "We both have heard Abu
،¥Abdillah (p.b.u.h.), as often saying :
،¥No wealth is so prolific as that of Reason. No destitution is worse than stupidity. In nothing does success surpass so much as in obtaining councils, from the people of Reason and
Knowledge.،¦ " (This is the end of the First Part of the Book of REASON and IGNORANCE).
All praise to Allah alone and bit sings of Allah be upon Muhammad and upon his Progeny, with the best of regards.
