A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Sa'id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Yahya al-Halabi from abu 'al-Sabah al-Kinani from abu Basir who has said
the following. "I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High.
"Thus, We have revealed a Spirit to you, (Muhammad), by Our command. Before, you did not even know what a Book or Faith was, . . ." (42:52) The Imam (a.s.) said, "He is a creature of the
creatures of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High greater than Jibril and Mika'il. He was with the Messenger of Allah to give him news and protected him and he is with the Imams after the
Messenger of Allah."
H 718, Ch. 56, h 2
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ali ibn Asbat from Asbat ibn Salim who has said the following. "Once a man from Hayt (a town in Iraq) asked abu 'Abdallah
(a.s.), -when I was present also-, about the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High. "Thus, We have revealed a Spirit to you, (Muhammad), by Our command.
Before, you did not even know what a Book or Faith was, . . ." (42:52) The Imam (a.s.) said, "From the day Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent that Spirit to Muhammad (s.a.) he did
not ever since ascent and he is present with us."
H 719, Ch. 56, h 3
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn 'Isa from Yunus from ibn Muskan from abu Basir who has said the following. "I asked abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most
Holy, the Most High. "They ask you about the Spirit. Say, "The Spirit comes by the command of my Lord. . . ." (17:85). The Imam (a.s.) said, "He is a creature greater than Jibril and Mika'il. He
was with the Messenger of Allah and he is present with the Imams. He is from the realm of the angels."
H 420, Ch. 56, h 4
Ali has narrated from his father from ibn abu 'Umayr from abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from abu Basir who has said the following. "I heard abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) say, '"They ask you about the Spirit.
Say, "The Spirit comes by the command of my Lord. . . ." (17:85). The Imam (a.s.) said, "He is a creature greater than Jibril and Mika'il. He was present with anyone before except Muhammad
(s.a.). He is present with the Imams (a.s.). He protects them. It is not that whatever is desired is found."
H 721, Ch. 56, h 5
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from 'Imran ibn Musa from Musa ibn Ja'far from Ali ibn Asbat from Muhammad ibn Fudayl from abu Hamzah who has said the following. "I asked abu 'Abdallah
(a.s.) about the knowledge.
Is it a knowledge that the scholar learns from the mouths of the people or it is in the with you from which you read and then learn therefrom." The Imam (a.s.) said, "The issue is greater
and more urgently needed. Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, "Thus, We have revealed a Spirit to you, (Muhammad), by Our command.
Before, you did not even know what a Book or Faith was, . . ." (42:52)?" The The Imam (a.s.) said, "What does your people say about this verse? Do they read that he was as such that he did
not know what the or the was?" I said, "I do not know, "May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what they say." The Imam (a.s.) then said, "Yes, he lived in a condition wherein he did
not know the book and the faith untill Allah, the Most High, sent the Spirit who is mentioned in the book.
When the Spirit was inspired (sent) to him he learned through him the knowledge and understanding. He is the Spirit whom Allah, the Most High grants to whoever He wants. When He grants him
to a servant he teaches him understanding."
H 522, Ch. 56, h 6
Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Ali ibn Asbat from al-Husayn ibn abu al-'Ala' from Sa'd al-Iskaf who has said the following. "Once a man came to Amir
al-Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) asking him about the Spirit. "Is he not Jibril?" Amir al- Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) then said, "Jibril is of the angels.
The Spirit is not Jibril. He repeated it to the man. The man said, "You have said something very much extraordinary. No one other than you thinks that the Spirit is somme one other than
Jibril." Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) said to him, "You are mislead and narrate from the mislead people.
Allah, the Most High has said to His Prophet (s.a.), 'Allah's help will certainly support (the believers), so pagans do not (seek) to hasten it. Allah is far Glorious and Exalted than to be
considered equal to idols." (16:1) He sends the angels with the Spirit. The Spirit is (a creature) other than the angels (a.s.)."
