Al-Kafi · Hadith 8

The Book of Supplication · Praising Allah Before Praying and Pleading for Help · Volume 2, book 2, chapter 16, Hadith 8

Original Arabic text

8ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ آيَتَانِ فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَطْلُبُهُمَا فَلا أَجِدُهُمَا قَالَ وَمَا هُمَا قُلْتُ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ فَنَدْعُوهُ وَلا نَرَى إِجَابَةً قَالَ أَ فَتَرَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَخْلَفَ وَعْدَهُ قُلْتُ لا قَالَ فَمِمَّ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لا أَدْرِي قَالَ لَكِنِّي أُخْبِرُكَ مَنْ أَطَاعَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِيمَا أَمَرَهُ ثُمَّ دَعَاهُ مِنْ جِهَةِ الدُّعَاءِ أَجَابَهُ قُلْتُ وَمَا جِهَةِ الدُّعَاءِ قَالَ تَبْدَأُ فَتَحْمَدُ الله وَتَذْكُرُ نِعَمَهُ عِنْدَكَ ثُمَّ تَشْكُرُهُ ثُمَّ تُصَلِّي عَلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُ ذُنُوبَكَ فَتُقِرُّ بِهَا ثُمَّ تَسْتَعِيذُ مِنْهَا فَهَذَا جِهَةُ الدُّعَاءِ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَمَا الآيَةُ الأخْرَى قُلْتُ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَما أَنْفَقْتُمْ مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ وَإِنِّي أُنْفِقُ وَلا أَرَى خَلَفاً قَالَ أَ فَتَرَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَخْلَفَ وَعْدَهُ قُلْتُ لا قَالَ فَمِمَّ ذَلِكَ قُلْتُ لا أَدْرِي قَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمُ اكْتَسَبَ الْمَالَ مِنْ حِلِّهِ وَأَنْفَقَهُ فِي حِلِّهِ لَمْ يُنْفِقْ دِرْهَماً إِلا أُخْلِفَ عَلَيْهِ.

Published English translation

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from those whom he has mentioned (in his book) who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘There are two verses in the book of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, that I search for but I do not find them, (their meaning).’ The Imam aked, ‘What are they?’ I said, ‘They are the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, “Call Me (for help) and I will answer you.’” (40:60) We call Him and pray to Him but do not see any answer.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do you think He, Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ignores His promise?’ I said, ‘No, He does not ignore it.’ The Imam asked, ‘Why is that then?’ I said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘I will tell you about it. Whoever obeys Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, in whatever He has commanded and then prays to Him the way prayer should be done He answers them.’ I then asked, ‘What is the way of prayer?’ The Imam said, ‘Begin the prayer by praising Allah, recall His bounties with you, thank Him, ask favors from Him for the Holy Prophet, recall your sins and confess them then seek refuge against them and such is the way of praying.’ Then the Imam said, ‘What is the other verse?’ I said, ‘It is the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘. . .He will replace whatever you spend for His cause and He is the best provider of sustanance,’ (34:39) I spend but do not see any replacement.’ The Imam said, ‘Do you think Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has ignored His promise?’ I said, ‘No.’ The Imam asked, ‘Why is that then?’ I said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam said, ‘If anyone of you earns something in lawful ways and spends it in a lawful way, every dirham (unit of money) is replaced.’”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: مرسل

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (2/72)

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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