سورة لقمان

Imam Hadi (peace be upon him): Yahya ibn Aktham asked Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) about the meaning of the verse سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَّا نَفِدَتْ کَلِمَاتُ اللهِ [seven seas — the words of Allah would not come to an end]. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "They are: the spring of Kibrit, the spring of Yemen, the spring of Barahut, the spring of Tiberias, the hot spring of Masidan, the hot spring of Africa, and the spring of Bajuran; and we are those words of Allah whose [end is never reached and whose] excellences are not grasped."

Imam Hadi (peace be upon him): Musa ibn Muhammad, grandson of Imam Rida (peace be upon him) (and brother of Imam Hadi), said: I met Yahya ibn Aktham at Dar al-Ammah and he asked me some questions. So I went to my brother Ali ibn Muhammad (peace be upon him) ... and about the words of Allah: وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ کَلِماتُ اللهِ [And were every tree that is in the earth pens, and the sea, with seven seas after it to supply it — the words of Allah would not come to an end], he asked: what are the names of these seas and where are they? ... He said: "Write." I said: "What shall I write?" ... He said: This verse: وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ کَلِماتُ اللهِ is exactly so. If all the trees of the world were made pens and the sea ink, and seven other seas were added to it, and all the springs gushed out from the earth, all of them together would come to an end, but the words of Allah would not come to an end. And they are like the spring of Kibrit, the spring of Nimr, the spring of Barahut, the spring of Tiberias, the hot spring of Masbazan, the hot spring of Ifriqiyyah known as Lisnan, and the spring of Bahrun. And we are those words of Allah — we do not come to an end, nor are our excellences grasped."

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) taught to some of his students all that I wish to teach you. The Imam's companions were pleased [that the Imam (peace be upon him) wished to teach them things] and said: "O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! In these sciences, you have gathered the entire knowledge of the Quran." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "I have gathered abundant good, and vast excellences have been granted to me, but even so, these sciences of mine are a very small portion of the knowledge of the Quran. Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ کَلِماتُ اللهِ [And were every tree that is in the earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to increase it, the words of Allah would not come to an end], which refers to the knowledge of the Quran and its meaning and the wonders that He has placed in it. Even so, how much do you consider the measure of knowledge you have compared to the sciences of the Quran? Yet even this measure that you have is the favour of Allah the Exalted upon you, compared to those who do not even know this measure and do not have your knowledge and do not understand what you understand."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): Allah the Exalted has created, beyond this earth, a sea surrounding it, and beyond that He has created a mountain called "Qaf" upon which the sky of this world revolves, and beyond that is also a mountain seven times [the size of] this earth, and Allah has created around it too a sea, and beyond that too is a mountain called "Qaf" upon which the second sky revolves, and thus he counted up to seven earths, seven seas, and seven mountains. And he said: this is the meaning of the saying of Allah where He says: وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ [and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to increase it].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "Allah says regarding the Night of Qadr that on that night every matter is arranged and distinguished according to [divine] wisdom (Dukhan/4). Every wise matter descends on the Night of Qadr. What is decisive (muhkam) is not two things; the decisive is only one thing. Whoever judges by that in which there is no disagreement, his judgement is the judgement of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and whoever judges by something in which there is disagreement and claims that it is correct, has judged by the judgement of taghut (the false idol). On the Night of Qadr, the affairs of the entire year until the next year descend upon the Waliyy al-Amr (the Master of the Command); he is commanded regarding himself thus and thus, and regarding the people thus and thus. And for the Waliyy al-Amr, apart from this night as well, every day the knowledge of Allah, which is special, hidden, treasured and wondrous, is disclosed as it is on that Night of Qadr." Then he recited this verse: وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ کَلِماتُ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ عَزِیزٌ حَکِیمٌ [And were every tree that is in the earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to increase it, the words of Allah would not come to an end; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ ... [And were every tree that is in the earth ...] means that the knowledge of Allah is more than this, and what has been given to you is much in your view, but little in the view of Allah.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him)- Muhammad ibn Sinan narrates: Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi said: ... "Praise be to Allah who bestowed upon me the favour of knowing you, made me understand your excellence and rank, and granted me the blessing of obeying you, of befriending your friends and of showing enmity to your enemies." He said: "Jabir! Do you know what ma'rifah (recognition) is? Ma'rifah, at the first level, is establishing tawhid — the oneness of Allah. Then ma'rifah of the ma'ani (meanings) is at the second stage. Then ma'rifah of the abwab (gates) is at the third level, and then knowing and recognising the people is at the fourth level, and knowing the arkan (pillars) is at the fifth rank, and at the sixth rank is knowing the nuqaba (chiefs) and the pure ones, and at the seventh stage is knowing the nujaba (nobles); and this is the interpretation of this verse: 'If the seas were to become ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the seas would run out before the words of my Lord would run out, even if We brought the like of it (the seas) as a further supply.' (al-Kahf/109). Then he also recited this other verse: لَوْ أَنَّ ما فِی الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلامٌ وَ الْبَحْرُ یَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ ما نَفِدَتْ کَلِماتُ اللهِ إِنَّ اللهَ عَزِیزٌ حَکِیمٌ [And were every tree that is in the earth (made into) pens and the sea (to supply it with ink), with seven more seas to increase it, the words of Allah would not come to an end; surely Allah is Mighty, Wise]. Jabir! Establishing tawhid and ma'rifah of the ma'ani; as for establishing tawhid, it is knowing the eternal and hidden Allah; eyes do not see Him, but He sees all eyes; and He is the Bestower [of all kinds of blessings, and aware of the fine details of things,] and Knower [of all] things. (al-An'am/103). And He is the unseen and the inner, and you will apprehend Him just as He has praised Himself. As for the ma'ani, we are the meanings of Allah and His manifestations among you. He created us from the light of His own Essence and entrusted to us the affairs of His servants. By His permission we do whatever we wish. When we wish, Allah wishes, and whenever we will, Allah wills. Allah has raised us to this station and chosen us from among His servants and made us His proof upon the earth. Whoever denies any of these and rejects them has rejected Allah of exalted name and has disbelieved in His signs, His prophets (peace be upon them) and His messengers. Jabir! Whoever recognises Allah with this attribute has established tawhid, because this attribute agrees with the Holy Qur'an in this verse: 'Eyes do not see Him but He sees all eyes.' (al-An'am/103) and 'nothing is like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.' (al-Shura/11), and this verse: 'No one can find fault with what He does, but in their deeds there is room for question and objection.' (al-Anbiya/23)."