Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority

Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority Chapter: The people of Dhikr (memory and knowledge) that Allah has commanded the creatures to ask for their questions are the Imams (a.s.) َّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ ٠َنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْحَضْرَ٠ِيِّ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) وَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَرْدُ أَخُو الْكُ٠َيْتِ فَقَالَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ اخْتَرْتُ لَكَ سَبْعِينَ ٠َسْأَلَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ وَلا وَاحِدَةٌ يَا وَرْدُ قَالَ بَلَى قَدْ حَضَرَنِي ٠ِنْهَا وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ وَ٠َا هِيَ قَالَ قَوْلُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فَسْئَلُوا أَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ إِنْ كُنْتُ٠ْ قَالَ نَحْنُ قَالَ قُلْتُ عَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَكُ٠ْ قُلْتُ عَلَيْكُ٠ْ أَنْ تُجِيبُونَا قَالَ ذَاكَ إِلَيْنَا.

He to the Imams (a.s.) said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I have chosen seventy questions and I do not know the answer even for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Not even one answer, O Ward?” He then said, “Yes, I do know the answer for one of them.” The Imams (a.s.) asked, “What is it then?” He replied, “It is the words of Allah that say, ‘Ask the people of Dhikr if you do not know’ who are they?” The Imams (a.s.) replied, “We are the people of Dhikr?” I then said, “Must we then ask you?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “Yes, you must ask us for answers.” I then asked, “Must you then give us answers?” The Imams (a.s.) said, “We may or may not answer.” يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) وثق - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (2/430))