Al-Kafi · Hadith 11

The Book of Belief and Disbelief · Condemnation of Worldly Matters and Abstaining Thereby · Volume 2, book 1, chapter 61, Hadith 11

Original Arabic text

11ـ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّزَّاقِ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ مَعْمَرِ بْنِ رَاشِدٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ (عَلَيهِما السَّلام) أَيُّ الأعْمَالِ أَفْضَلُ عِنْدَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَقَالَ مَا مِنْ عَمَلٍ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَةِ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ وَمَعْرِفَةِ رَسُولِهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) أَفْضَلَ مِنْ بُغْضِ الدُّنْيَا وَإِنَّ لِذَلِكَ لَشُعَباً كَثِيرَةً وَلِلْمَعَاصِي شُعَباً فَأَوَّلُ مَا عُصِيَ الله بِهِ الْكِبْرُ وَهِيَ مَعْصِيَةُ إِبْلِيسَ حِينَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْحِرْصُ وَهِيَ مَعْصِيَةُ آدَمَ وَحَوَّاءَ حِينَ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَهُمَا فَكُلا مِنْ حَيْثُ شِئْتُما وَلا تَقْرَبا هذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَأَخَذَا مَا لا حَاجَةَ بِهِمَا إِلَيْهِ فَدَخَلَ ذَلِكَ عَلَى ذُرِّيَّتِهِمَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَكْثَرَ مَا يَطْلُبُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَا لا حَاجَةَ بِهِ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ الْحَسَدُ وَهِيَ مَعْصِيَةُ ابْنِ آدَمَ حَيْثُ حَسَدَ أَخَاهُ فَقَتَلَهُ فَتَشَعَّبَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ حُبُّ النِّسَاءِ وَحُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَحُبُّ الرِّئَاسَةِ وَحُبُّ الرَّاحَةِ وَحُبُّ الْكَلامِ وَحُبُّ الْعُلُوِّ وَالثَّرْوَةِ فَصِرْنَ سَبْعَ خِصَالٍ فَاجْتَمَعْنَ كُلُّهُنَّ فِي حُبِّ الدُّنْيَا فَقَالَ الأنْبِيَاءُ وَالْعُلَمَاءُ بَعْدَ مَعْرِفَةِ ذَلِكَ حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا رَأْسُ كُلِّ خَطِيئَةٍ وَالدُّنْيَا دُنْيَاءَانِ دُنْيَا بَلاغٍ وَدُنْيَا مَلْعُونَةٍ.

Published English translation

11. Ali has narrated (from his father) from Ali ibn Muhammad al-Qasani from al- Qasim ibn Muhammad from Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Minqari from ‘Abd al- Razzaq ibn Hammam from Mu’ammar ibn Rashid from al-Zuhri Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Shihab who has said the following: “Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.) was asked, ‘Which deed is more meritorious in the sight of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy?’ The Imam said, ‘No deed, after knowing Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and the Messenger of Allah is more meritorious than to dislike (and hate) the world. It has many branches. Sins have many branches. The first disobedience to Allah was because of arrogance that Satan committed when he refused boastfully and became of those who reject (the command of Allah). Greed was the sin of Adam and Eve. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘We told Adam to stay with his spouse (Eve) in the garden and enjoy the foods therein. We (also) told them to stay away from going near a certain tree lest they might become one of the transgressors.’ (2:35) They took what they did not need and this remains in their descendents to the Day of Judgment. For this reason most of the things that the children of Adam want they do not need. Then it is jealousy because of which the son of Adam committed disobedience and murdered his brother out of jealousy. From this branch comes love for women, love for the world, love for leadership, love for comfort, love to speak, love for higher position and wealth. They are seven characteristics and all of them are gathered together in the love for the world. The prophets and scholars after knowing this have said: ‘Love for the world is the head of all sins.’ There are two worlds: the world of bare necessities and the condemned world.’”

Narrator and transmission

See the transmission information preserved in the original source text.

Attributed scholarly assessments

Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi: ضعيف

Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (8/279)

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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