Al-Kafi · Hadith 2

The Book on Oneness of Allah (God) · Chapter on Who is Worshipped · Volume 1, book 3, chapter 5, Hadith 2

Original Arabic text

2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ أَسْمَاءِ الله وَاشْتِقَاقِهَا الله مِمَّا هُوَ مُشْتَقٌّ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي يَا هِشَامُ الله مُشْتَقٌّ مِنْ إِلَهٍ وَالالَهُ يَقْتَضِي مَأْلُوهاً وَالاسْمُ غَيْرُ الْمُسَمَّى فَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ دُونَ الْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَلَمْ يَعْبُدْ شَيْئاً وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الاسْمَ وَالْمَعْنَى فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَعَبَدَ اثْنَيْنِ وَمَنْ عَبَدَ الْمَعْنَى دُونَ الاسْمِ فَذَاكَ التَّوْحِيدُ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ زِدْنِي قَالَ إِنَّ لله تِسْعَةً وَتِسْعِينَ اسْماً فَلَوْ كَانَ الاسْمُ هُوَ الْمُسَمَّى لَكَانَ كُلُّ اسْمٍ مِنْهَا إِلَهاً وَلَكِنَّ الله مَعْنًى يُدَلُّ عَلَيْهِ بِهَذِهِ الاسْمَاءِ وَكُلُّهَا غَيْرُهُ يَا هِشَامُ الْخُبْزُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَأْكُولِ وَالْمَاءُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَشْرُوبِ وَالثَّوْبُ اسْمٌ لِلْمَلْبُوسِ وَالنَّارُ اسْمٌ لِلْمُحْرِقِ أَ فَهِمْتَ يَا هِشَامُ فَهْماً تَدْفَعُ بِهِ وَتُنَاضِلُ بِهِ أَعْدَاءَنَا وَالْمُتَّخِذِينَ مَعَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ غَيْرَهُ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَفَعَكَ الله بِهِ وَثَبَّتَكَ يَا هِشَامُ قَالَ هِشَامٌ فَوَ الله مَا قَهَرَنِي أَحَدٌ فِي التَّوْحِيدِ حَتَّى قُمْتُ مَقَامِي هَذَا.

Published English translation

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from Hisham ibn al-Hakam, who asked Abu ’Abdillah (a.s.) about the names of Allah and about the root or derivative forms of those names: “What is the root word for Allah?” He (as) replied, “The word Allah is derived from the word Elah (Lord) which requires Ma’luh (some one whose Lord one has become). Note that names are something other than whatever to which they apply. O Hisham, whoever, worships the name without the fact for which the name stands he has denied the existence of Allah and has not worshipped any thing. Whoever worships the name and the meaning for which the name stands he has worshipped two things. Whoever worships the meaning without the name he is a monotheist. Did you understand it, O Hisham?” <br>Hisham then asked, “Please explain further.” The Imam then said, “Allah has ninety nine names. If names would have been the same thing for which they stand, every one of them would have been a Lord. However, Allah is a meaning for which these names stand and they all are something other than Him. O Hisham, bread is the name for a certain kind of food, water is the name for a certain kind of drink, cloth is the name for a certain kind of garment and fire is the name for a thing that burns. Did you understand, O Hisham, in a form of understanding that would help you to defend our cause against our enemies and those who worship things that are other than Allah?” I said, “Yes, I did receive such understanding.” The Imam then said, “May Allah grant you success in it and keep you steadfast (in your belief). Hisham has said, “I swear by Allah that since then no one has been able to defeat me in an argumentation on the issue of the Oneness of Allah and that has made me reach this position that I hold.”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: حسن

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/303)

Assessment transcribed from the source's named scholar and reference. No new grading or consensus is asserted; differing entries remain separate.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi: Catalogue non-inclusion note (not an authenticity grade)

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī

Source records non-inclusion in this scholar's selection; this is not itself a weak or authentic grade.

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translator: Muhammad Sarwar
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