Al-Kāfi - The Book on Oneness of Allah (God)

Al-Kāfi - The Book on Oneness of Allah (God) Chapter: Chapter On Being and Space (al-Kawn WA al-Makan) َّدٍ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) أَ كَانَ الله وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ قَالَ نَعَ٠ْ كَانَ وَلا شَيْ‏ءَ قُلْتُ فَأَيْنَ كَانَ يَكُونُ قَالَ وَكَانَ ٠ُتَّكِئاً فَاسْتَوَى جَالِساً وَقَالَ أَحَلْتَ يَا زُرَارَةُ وَسَأَلْتَ عَنِ الْ٠7.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated in a marfu‘ manner from Zurarah who has said that I asked Imam abu Ja‘far (a.s.) this. “Did Allah exist when there was nothing?” The Imam replied, “Certainly, Allah existed when there was nothing.” I further inquired, “Where did Allah exist?” The Imam was leaning, he then sat up and said, “O Zurarah, you spoke of impossible.

You ask about space where there is no space.” يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) رفوع - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/316))