سورة ص

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Sulayman (peace be upon him) knew the greatest name of Allah — the name by which, if something were asked of him, he would grant it (if he requested something by means of it, it would be granted to him), and if a supplication were made by it, it would be answered. If he were among us today, he would still need us.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hisham ibn Salim narrates from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) that he said: When Sulayman (peace be upon him) was stripped of his kingdom, he left his people and became the guest of a great man, and that man hosted Sulayman (peace be upon him) and showed him much kindness. When he saw his prayer and his goodness, Sulayman (peace be upon him) attained a lofty place in his eyes, and so he married his daughter to him. When the man's daughter observed the conduct of Sulayman (peace be upon him), she said to him: "May my father and mother be sacrificed for you! What a good character and flawless nature you have! I see no undesirable trait in you, except that my father provides for your expenses." Sulayman (peace be upon him) went out and came to the seashore, and there he helped a fisherman, and the fisherman gave him the very fish in whose belly Sulayman (peace be upon him) found his ring.

The Imams (peace be upon them): The amount of Sulayman's (peace be upon him) food in one day was seven kurr. One day an animal from the animals of the sea raised its head and said: "O Sulayman (peace be upon him)! Host me today." Sulayman (peace be upon him) commanded that food equal to one month's provision be prepared for that animal. When that amount of food had gathered on the shore of the sea like a great mountain, the fish raised its head and swallowed all of it and said: "O Sulayman (peace be upon him)! That was only a portion of my food — where is the rest of it?" Sulayman (peace be upon him) was astonished and said: "Is there in the sea an animal like you?" The fish said: "A thousand kinds of animal." Sulayman (peace be upon him) said: "Indeed Allah, the mighty King, is pure and free of all imperfection in His power, and He creates things of which no one has any knowledge. As for the vast bounty of Allah the Exalted, it is such that He said to Dawud (peace be upon him): O Dawud! By My glory and majesty, if all the dwellers of the heavens and the earth were to hope for something from Me, and I were to give every hopeful one his hope, seventy times greater than your world — just as one of you dips a needle into the sea and then lifts it out — how then could anything of which I am the sustainer decrease?"

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Al-Washsha said: I said to Imam Rida (peace be upon him): 'May I be your ransom! What is the meaning of فَسْئَلُوا أهل الذِّکْرِ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ لا تَعْلَمُونَ [So ask the people of the Reminder if you do not know]?' He said: 'We are the people of the Reminder, and we are the ones to be asked.' I said: 'So you are the ones asked and we are the questioners?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Is it a duty upon us to ask you?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Is it a duty upon you to answer us?' He said: 'No. The choice is with us — if we wish, we answer, and if we wish, we do not answer. Have you not heard the word of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning].'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zurara said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about the verse: 'If you yourselves do not know, ask the People of the Book' (Anbiya/7): 'Who are meant by ahl al-dhikr (the people of the Reminder) whom we are to ask?' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'It is us.' I said: 'You are the ones to be asked?' He said: 'Yes!' I said: 'And we are the questioners?' He said: 'Yes!' I said: 'So we are to ask you?' He answered: 'Yes!' I said: 'Is it obligatory upon you to answer us?' He said: 'No! This matter is at our discretion — if we wish, we answer, and if we do not wish, we do not answer.' Then he recited this verse: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abdullah ibn Sulayman said: I asked him about the Imam: "Has Allah entrusted to the Imam what He entrusted to Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him)?" He said: "Yes! And the proof of this is that a man asked him (Imam Ali (peace be upon him)) a question and he answered it. Then another asked him the same question and he gave a different answer, and then a third person posed the same question and the Imam (peace be upon him) gave him an answer different from the previous two." Then he said: "هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَعطِ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or grant, without reckoning] — this verse in the recitation of Ali (peace be upon him) is in this form." I said: "May Allah grant you good! Did the Imam, when he gave these answers, know the questioners?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Glory be to Allah! Have you not heard Allah say: إِنَّ فِی ذلِکَ لَآیاتٍ لِلْمُتَوَسِّمِینَ [Indeed in that are signs for those who discern] (Hijr/75) — and they are the Imams (peace be upon them) — وَ إِنَّها لَبِسَبِیلٍ مُقِیمٍ [And indeed it is on an established road] (Hijr/76), which never departs from it." Then he said to me: "Yes! If the Imam's glance falls upon a man, he recognises him and recognises his colour, and if he hears his speech from behind a wall, he recognises him and knows who he is (his lineage). Allah the Exalted says: وَ مِنْ آیاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ اخْتِلافُ أَلْسِنَتِکُمْ وَ أَلْوانِکُمْ إِنَّ فِی ذلِکَ لَآیاتٍ لِلْعالِمِینَ [And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the difference of your tongues and colours. Indeed in that are signs for those who know] (Rum/22) — and they are the scholars, for there is no speech he hears but that he recognises it and knows whether the speaker is saved or perishing [rather, he recognises it and knows whether he is saved or perishing]; therefore he answers them in a way that satisfies them."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Musa ibn Ashyam said: I came to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and asked him a question, and he answered it. I was still sitting there when a man came in and asked the same question, and the Imam (peace be upon him) gave him an answer contrary to the one he had given me. At that moment another man entered and asked the very same question, and the Imam (peace be upon him) answered this third man contrary to the answer he had given me and contrary to the one he had given the other man. I became deeply distressed and it weighed heavily on me. When the people left, he looked at me and said: 'Son of Ashyam! It seems you are troubled?!' I said: 'May I be your ransom! I was troubled because you gave three answers to one particular question.' He said: 'Son of Ashyam! Allah entrusted the affairs of his kingdom to Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him), saying in this verse: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]. And He entrusted the affairs of religion to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) as well, saying: Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it (Hashr/7). And Allah has entrusted to the leaders from us, the Family, and to us, what He entrusted to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Do not be troubled.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Musa ibn Ashyam said: I was with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man asked about a verse of the Qur'an, and he (peace be upon him) answered him. Then another man came in and asked about the same verse, and he (peace be upon him) gave him an answer contrary to what he had told the first. From his differing answers, what Allah willed entered my heart, so much so that it was as if my heart was being cut with knives. I said to myself: I left Abu Qatadah in Sham, who did not make a mistake even in a 'waw' [and the like], and I came to this man who makes such a great mistake! While I was in these thoughts, another man came in and asked about the same verse, and he (peace be upon him) answered him contrary to what he had told me and my [two] companions. My heart then settled, for I realised that his differing answers were on account of taqiyya (dissimulation). Then he (peace be upon him) turned to me and said: 'Son of Ashyam! Allah the Mighty and Majestic entrusted the matter to Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him) and said: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِساب [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning].'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Hammad ibn Uthman said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'The narrations that reach us from you differ.' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'The Qur'an was revealed upon seven letters, and the least leeway an Imam has is that he may give a fatwa in seven ways.' Then he said: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning].

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam: Imam Kazim (peace be upon him), at the walimah (wedding feast) of one of his children, fed the people of Madinah for three days; in large pots he gave out faluda (a sweet dish) in the mosques and marketplaces. One of the people of Madinah criticized this action of the Imam (peace be upon him). He heard his words and said: "Whatever Allah gave to the previous prophets, He has also granted the like of it to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), and has given him more besides. To Sulayman (peace be upon him) He said: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning], and to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) He said: whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it (Hashr/7)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Dawud al-Raqqi said: I was in the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him). He said to me: "Why has your colour changed?" I said: "I have a very large debt. I have decided to go by ship to India, to a certain brother of mine." He said: "Go whenever you have decided." I said: "I am afraid to board the ship." He said: "The One who protects a person on land also protects him at sea. Dawud! If it were not for my name and my spirit, the rivers would not flow, the fruits would not ripen, and the trees would not turn green." Dawud said: "I boarded the ship, and finally reached a place [on the seashore that Allah willed]. After a journey of one hundred and twenty days along the seashore, on a Friday before noon I came out. The weather was cloudy and a light was shining from the height of the sky onto the earth. Suddenly I heard a soft voice saying: 'Dawud! The time for the payment of your debt has now come. Raise your head. [You have certainly been delivered.]' As soon as I raised my head, I heard a voice saying: go behind that red hill. I went behind the hill and saw sheets of red gold, one side smooth and on the other side written: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]. I picked them up; they were very valuable. I said to myself, I will not touch them until I reach Madinah. I came to the presence of Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him)." He said: "Dawud! Our gift was that light which shone for you, not that gold and silver, but that too is yours. May it be wholesome! It is the favour of the generous Lord; give thanks to Allah." I asked Mu'attib, the Imam's (peace be upon him) servant, and he said: "At that time he was speaking of the trials with Khaythamah, Humran and Abd al-A'la, facing them and narrating this very event. When the time of prayer came, he rose and led them in prayer." I asked them too, and they narrated the whole event.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abu Hamza said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about this word of Allah, Blessed and Exalted: "They ask you about the spoils of war" (Anfal/1), and he said: "Whatever belonged to the kings is for the Imam." I said: "But they grant what is in their hands as fiefs to their children, wives, relatives and nobles." Until the eunuchs were also mentioned. Whatever I mentioned, he said: "That too belongs to us." Until he said: "From that wealth, he gives (an amount) between one dirham and a hundred thousand." Then he said: "هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Zayd ibn Shahham said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the word of Allah the Exalted: هَذَا عَطَاؤُنَا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسَابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning], and he said: "The verse is about Sulayman (peace be upon him), to whom a magnificent kingdom had been granted. Then this verse became applicable to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). He held such a station that he would give whatever he wished to whomever he wished, and withhold from whomever he wished. In this way Allah granted him a bounty greater than what He had given to Sulayman (peace be upon him), and He said: مَا آتَاکُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاکُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُوا [Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it]."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): By Allah! Whatever was given to Sulayman (peace be upon him) has been given to us as well, and in addition things have been granted to us that were not given to Sulayman (peace be upon him) nor to anyone else in the worlds. This is because Allah said in the story of Sulayman (peace be upon him): هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning], but concerning Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) He said: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it" (Hashr/7).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Whatever Allah gave to the earlier prophets, He has also granted to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). (Allah has not given anything to any prophet except that He has given it to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).) To Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him) He said: فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [Give freely or withhold, without reckoning], and to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) He said: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it" (Hashr/7).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Isma'il ibn Abd al-Aziz that he said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said to me: The affair was entrusted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family). Allah, Blessed and Exalted, entrusted His kingdom to Sulayman (peace be upon him) and said: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning], and to His Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), He entrusted the affair and said: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it" (Hashr/7). A man said: "The affair was entrusted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) only in matters of cultivation and livestock!" Suddenly the Imam (peace be upon him) turned his face away from that man in anger and said: "In everything, by Allah, in everything."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Zakariyya al-Zujaji said: I heard Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) saying: "Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), regarding the authority given to him, is in the position of Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon them), about whom Allah says in this verse: فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Ubayda al-Hadhdha' said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "O Aba Ubayda! Not one of us departs from this world except that another succeeds him who acts as he acted, follows his way, and calls to the same path he called to. O Aba Ubayda! Allah did not prevent, in what He gave to Dawud (peace be upon him), that He should grant Sulayman (peace be upon him) better than what He gave Dawud (peace be upon him). Then he recited: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]." I said: "What did Allah grant him?" The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "O Aba Ubayda! When the Qa'im of the family of Muhammad (may Allah hasten his noble relief) rises, he will judge with the judgement of Dawud and Sulayman (peace be upon them) and will not ask the people for proof or evidence."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah, Blessed and Exalted, disciplined His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and when He had brought him to what He desired, He said concerning him: "And indeed you possess a great and noble character!" (Qalam/4). Then He entrusted the matter of His religion to him and said: "Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it" (Hashr/7). Allah the Mighty and Majestic fixed the shares of inheritance and appointed nothing for the grandfather of the deceased. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) assigned him one-sixth of the deceased's wealth as his portion and share, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic permitted this for him. That is why Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning].

Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him): Yahya ibn Aktham asked Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) some questions concerning certain verses. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: ... As for the man who confessed to sodomy, no [bayyinah] or proof was established against him; rather, he confessed of his own free will and volition. And the Imam, who is able to punish on behalf of Allah, is likewise able to bestow favour on him on behalf of Allah [and pardon him]. Have you not heard this word of Allah, where He says: هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]. We have indeed informed you of all the things you asked us, so know this [that the proof upon you is complete].

Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him): Abu Abdullah al-Ziyadi said: ... One day al-Mutawakkil said to Yahya ibn Aktham, "In my presence, ask Ibn al-Rida (Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him)) some difficult questions." So he put questions to the Imam (peace be upon him) ... Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him) said to Ibn al-Sikkit, "I will dictate the answers to these questions and you write them down." He said: "Write: ... As for your objection, in which you said that Ali (peace be upon him) fought the people of Siffin — both those who were advancing and those who were fleeing — and finished off their wounded, yet in the Battle of the Camel he did not pursue those who fled and did not finish off the wounded, and whoever cast away his sword and his weapon was granted safety: the reason was that the army of the Camel — their chief and commander had been killed. They had no refuge to which they could turn, so they went back to their homes with no further intention of fighting, not seeking helpers or preparing for combat. If he had left them alone, they were content. The ruling concerning them was precisely this: that [the sword be lifted from them] and they be left alone, because they were not pursuing the continuation of the war (they were not seeking to recruit supporters against the Imam (peace be upon him)). But the army of Siffin were turning back to a well-equipped force and a living leader who continually prepared weapons for them — spears, swords and armour — and [made them ready] and gave them rewards and bestowed wealth upon them, treated their sick and wounded, sent mounts for those on foot, clothed the unarmoured, and sent them back so that they became ready for battle once more. But with the people of Basra, once they cast down their weapons he had to hold his hand from them, because they had no equipped force [to which they could return]. As for the fugitives of Siffin, he had to pursue them and finish off their wounded. These two armies were not equal. Were it not for Ali's (peace be upon him) ruling concerning the people of Siffin and the Camel, no one would have been able to distinguish what the ruling is for rebels from among the Muslims and what must be done with them. Whoever refuses is referred to the sharp sword. As for the man who confessed to sodomy — he gave up his own life; no witnesses testified against his act, nor did the ruling authority seize him in the act. A leader who governs the people on behalf of Allah, when he is able by Allah's command to punish someone, is also able to pardon him. Have you not heard this verse in which Allah says concerning Sulayman (peace be upon him): هذا عَطاؤُنا فَامْنُنْ أَوْ أَمْسِکْ بِغَیْرِ حِسابٍ [This is Our free gift, therefore give freely or withhold, without reckoning]? In this verse Allah first mentions bestowal and grace, and only afterwards speaks of withholding and refusal." When Yahya ibn Aktham read the letter, he said to al-Mutawakkil, "It is not right for you to ask this man anything further after these questions of mine, for no question you put to him will be harder than these, and the more his knowledge is spread abroad, the more it strengthens the Rafidis."