سورة الشورى

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Basir said: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about the verse: وَ کَذَلِکَ أَوْحَیْنَا إِلَیْکَ رُوحًا مِّنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا کُنتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتَابُ وَ لَا الْإِیمَانُ [And thus did We reveal to you a Spirit by Our command; you did not know what the Book was, nor (what) the faith (was)]. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "He is one of the creations of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, possessing a station higher than Jibrail and Mikail. He was with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), informing him and supporting him, and after him he is with the Imams (peace be upon them)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ali ibn Ibrahim [said]: وَ کَذلِکَ أَوْحَیْنا إِلَیْکَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا ما کُنْتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتابُ وَ لَا الْإِیمانُ [And thus did We reveal to you a Spirit by Our command; you did not know what the Book was, nor (what) the faith (was)] — what is meant is Ruh al-Qudus (the Holy Spirit), the same one about whom Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) spoke concerning the verse: "And they ask you about the Spirit; say: 'The Spirit is of the command of my Lord.'" (al-Isra/85). He said: "He is an angel greater than Jibrail and Mikail, who was with the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and is also with the Imams (peace be upon them)." Then he alluded to the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) and said concerning him: وَ لکِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا [But We made it a light, guiding thereby whom We please of Our servants]. The proof that the light in this verse is the Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) is this verse: "And they follow the light which has been sent down with him." (al-A'raf/157).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Spirit is a creation greater than Jibrail and Mikail who was continuously with the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). He would inform [him] and was his protector. He is also in the service of the Imams (peace be upon them) — he informs them and is their protector.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Hamza al-Thumali said: 'I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about knowledge — is it something a person learns from others, or is it in a book with you which you read and learn from?' The Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'The matter is greater and more binding than that. Have you not heard this saying of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: وَ کَذَلِکَ أَوْحَیْنَا إِلَیْکَ رُوحًا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا کُنْتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتَابُ وَ لَا الْإِیمَانُ [And thus did We reveal to you a Spirit by Our command; you did not know what the Book was, nor the faith]?' Then he said: 'What do your companions say about this verse, and how do they interpret it? Do they acknowledge that there was a time when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) had no knowledge of the heavenly Book and of faith?' I replied: 'May I be your ransom! I do not know what they say.' The Imam said: 'Yes! There was a time when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) did not know what the heavenly Book and faith were, until Allah sent to him the Spirit which is mentioned in the Qur'an. When He sent that Spirit down upon him, through it he came to know knowledge and understanding. This is the same Spirit which Allah gives to whomever He wills. If He grants it to a servant, He will teach that servant understanding.'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): From the time Allah the Mighty and Majestic sent down that Spirit upon Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), it has not ascended back to the heaven, and that Spirit is with us.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi said: I said to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): 'O son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Who is the one who falls short?' He said: 'Those who fall short in the recognition of the Imam, and likewise in the recognition of what Allah has made obligatory upon them of His command and His Spirit.' I said: 'What is the recognition of the Spirit of Allah?' He said: 'That one should know that whomever Allah has granted this Spirit, He has also entrusted His affair to him — he creates by Allah's permission, gives life by Allah's permission, teaches another the knowledge of the unseen, and is aware of the past and the future up to the Day of Resurrection; for that Spirit is from the command of Allah. Whoever is distinguished with this Spirit is perfect and has no deficiency; whatever he wishes he does by the permission of Allah; he travels from the east to the west in a single moment, ascends to the heaven and descends to the earth, and does whatever he intends and wills.' I said: 'Master, bring me a proof of this Spirit from the Qur'an — that Allah has granted it to Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).' He said: 'Very well, recite this verse: وَ کَذَلِکَ أَوْحَیْنَا إِلَیْکَ رُوحًا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا مَا کُنْتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتَابُ وَ لَا الْإِیمَانُ وَ لَکِنْ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُورًا نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا [And thus did We reveal to you a Spirit by Our command; you did not know what the Book was, nor the faith, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We please of Our servants], and this verse: أُولَئِکَ کَتَبَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِیمَانَ وَ أَیَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ [These are they in whose hearts He has written faith and strengthened them with a Spirit from Him].' I said: 'May Allah grant you relief as you have relieved me and helped me to recognise the Spirit and the Command.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Zakariyya ibn Ibrahim said: I was a Christian and became a Muslim, and I went for Hajj. I came to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) and said: "I was a Christian and I embraced Islam." He said: "What did you see in Islam?" I said: "This verse was the cause of my guidance: مَا کُنْتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتَابُ وَ لَا الْإِیمَانُ وَ لَکِنْ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُوراً نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشَاءُ [You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will]." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Truly Allah has guided you."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) says: One day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) sent an army toward a group of the strongest and mightiest of the disbelievers. They were delayed in returning, and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) became worried about them and said: "Would that someone would go and bring us news of them." Just then a messenger suddenly arrived and reported that the army had been victorious and had overcome the enemies, killing some, wounding others, taking some captive, seizing the enemy army's wealth as spoils, and taking their children and women as captives. When the army approached Medina, the Prophet went out with his companions to meet them. The commander of that army was Zayd ibn Haritha, whom the Prophet himself had appointed as their leader. When his eyes fell upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family), he dismounted from his camel and hurried toward the Prophet and kissed his feet and hands. The Prophet also embraced him and kissed his head. Then Abdullah ibn Rawaha also dismounted and kissed the Prophet's feet and hands, and the Prophet embraced him too. Then the entire army dismounted from their horses and stood before the Prophet and sent salutations and blessings upon him, and the Prophet also invoked good upon them. Then he said to them: "Inform me of the events and happenings that occurred between you and your enemies." The army also had with them the captives, children, women, gold and silver, and various kinds of valuable goods of the enemy. The men of the army said: "O Messenger of Allah! If you knew our condition, you would surely be amazed." The Prophet said: "I too was not aware, until Jibra'il informed me. Likewise, I knew nothing of the Book and religion of Allah until Allah the Exalted informed me, and Allah said: وَ کَذلِکَ أَوْحَیْنا إِلَیْکَ رُوحاً مِنْ أَمْرِنا ما کُنْتَ تَدْرِی مَا الْکِتابُ وَ لاَ الْإِیمانُ وَ لکِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا وَ إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلی صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِیم [And thus did We reveal to you a spirit by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants; and indeed you guide to a straight path]. But you inform your believing brothers of these events that have occurred, so that I may confirm you. Jibra'il (peace be upon him) has informed me of the events of this battle."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): وَلَکِنْ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُوراً نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِنَا [But We made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants]; what is meant by this verse is Amir al-Mu'minin Ali (peace be upon him).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): وَ لکِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً [But We made it a light] — what is meant by this phrase is Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), for he is that very light. نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا [Guiding thereby whom We please of Our servants]; the person meant here is Ali (peace be upon him), through whom people were guided.

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): [This verse] refers by allusion to Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him); وَ لکِنْ جَعَلْناهُ نُوراً نَهْدِی بِهِ مَنْ نَشاءُ مِنْ عِبادِنا [But We made it a light, guiding thereby whom We please of Our servants]. The proof that the light in this verse is Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) is this verse: and they followed the light which was sent down with him. (al-A'raf/157)

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Amr al-Zubayri said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "Tell me about calling to Allah and jihad in His path." ... He said: "Allah the Mighty and Majestic, in His Book, commanded His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to call people to Allah, and He described those who call to Him, and set for the callers ranks, each rank identifying the other and each pointing to the other. Allah also informed us that Allah the Blessed and Exalted was the first to call to Himself and to call [people] to obey Him and follow His commands. So He began with Himself and said: 'And Allah calls to the abode of peace and safety and guides whomever He wills [and sees as worthy and deserving] to the straight path' (Yunus/25). Then in the second rank He mentioned His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) and said: 'Call to the path of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful admonition, and argue and debate with them in the way that is best' (Nahl/125), meaning by means of the Qur'an. Whoever opposes Allah's command and calls to Allah by other than what Allah has commanded in His Book is not counted as a caller. The meaning is only that by which Allah has commanded people to be called. And concerning His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) He said: وَ إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلی صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ [And indeed you guide to a straight path]; that is, you call."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلی صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ [And most surely you guide to the straight path]; you guide to the wilayah of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Allah said to His Prophet: وَ إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلی صِراطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ [And most surely you guide to the straight path], meaning: you command the people to accept the wilayah of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) and you call them to it, and Ali (peace be upon him) is the straight path. The referent of صِرَاطِ الله [the path of Allah] is Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him). What is meant by الَّذِی لَهُ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ مَا فِی الأَرْضِ [To Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth] is Ali (peace be upon him), whom Allah has appointed as the treasurer and trustee of whatever is in the heavens and on the earth. Know that all affairs return only to Allah!

Ali ibn Ibrahim: وَ إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ [And indeed you guide to a straight path], meaning you call people to the correct imamate. صِرَاطِ اللهِ means the proof (hujjah) of Allah, الَّذِی لَهُ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ مَا فِی الْأَرْضِ أَلَا إِلَی اللهِ تَصِیرُ الْأُمُورُ [to Whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth; indeed, to Allah all matters return].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): إِنَّکَ لَتَهْدِی إِلَی صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِیمٍ [Indeed you guide to a straight path]; [meaning] you command the people concerning the acceptance of the wilayah of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) and call them to it, for he is the straight path.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Between Allah and His proof (hujjah), who is the Imam of every age, there is no veil or barrier, so Allah has not cast any covering before His proof. We are the gates of Allah's knowledge, the straight path, and the treasury of His knowledge; we are the narrators and expounders of Allah's revelation and the main pillars of the palace of His tawhid (oneness); and we are the place of His hidden secret.