ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al Kafi (part 3) Chapter 1 : Chapter On Contingency of the Universe and Proof of the Existence of Its Creator H 209, Ch. 1, H 1 Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ya'qub has narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Hashim from his father, from al-Hassan ibn Ibrahim from Yunus ibn 'Abd al-Rahman from Ali ibn Mansur who narrated the following. "Hisham ibn al-Hakam has reported that in Egypt there lived a heretic who had heard about Imam abu 'Abdallah (a.s.) a great deal.

He traveled to Madina to debate the Imam but he missed to find the Imam therein. He was told that the Imam has traveled to the city of Makkah. He then left for Makkah and we were with the Imam (a.s.) when we came across him during our performing Tawaf (the seven times walking around the Ka'bah). The man's name was 'Abdul Malik also called abu 'Abdallah as his Kunyah in Arabic. He touched Imam abu 'Abdallah's shoulder with his shoulder as he walked along.

The Imam asked him, "What is your name?" It is 'Abdul Malik (meaning slave of the King). " The man replied. "What is your Kunyah?" The Imam (a.s.) asked. "It is abu 'Abdallah (meaning father of slave of Allah)." He replied. The Imam then asked, "Who is this king whose slave you are? Is he of the earthly kings or of the heavenly ones? Tell us about your son. Is he a slave of the Lord of the heavens or a slave of the Lord of the earth?

Say whatever you may it will be against you." Hisham has said that I asked him (the heretic man), "Why do you not answer?" The man seemed to dislike my words. The Imam (a.s.) then told him, "Meet us when we finish our Tawaf (walking around the Ka'bah)." The heretic man came to the Imam (a.s) later and sat in front of the Imam (a.s.) and we were all gathered around him.

The Imam (a.s.) then asked him, "Do you know that the earth has an underside and an upperside?" The man replied, "Yes, I know it." The Imam then asked, "Have you gone in the underside of the earth?" The man replied, "No, I have not gone there." The Imam (a.s.) then asked, "Do you know what is therein?" He said, "I do not know but I guess there is nothing therein." The Imam (a.s.) then said, "Guessing is weakness.

Why do you not acquire certainty?" The Imam (a.s.) then asked, "Have you climbed up into the sky?" The man replied, "No, I have not done so." The Imam (a.s.) then asked, "Do you know what is up there?" He replied, "No, I do not know." The Imam (a.s.) said, "It is very strange.