عقيدتنا في صفات الإمام و علمه‏
Chapter 25: Belief in the Attributes and Knowledge of the Imam
و نعتقد أنّ الإمام كالنبيّ يجب أن يكون أفضل الناس في صفات الكمال من شجاعة و كرم و عفة و صدق و عدل، و من تدبير و عقل و حكمة و خلق و الدليل في النبيّ هو نفس الدليل في الإمام.
{We believe that the Imam, like the prophet, must be the best among mankind, and that he must excel in all human qualities, such as bravery, generosity, chasteness, truthfulness, justice, prudence, reason, wisdom and morality. The reason for this is the same as that which we gave for the prophet's superiority.}

One of the reasons, as we mentioned before, is the one who holds the position of Imam must be the most superior of all mankind, because it would be against the intellect and reason to select someone who is less qualified over the most qualified.

Imam Ali (as) is reported to have said: “How did the people choose an ignorant coward as their Imam?! One who used to worship idols, while the Imam must be knowledgeable and cannot even have ignorance ascribed to him.”
أمّا علمه فهو يتلقى المعارف و الأحكام الإلهية و جميع المعلومات، من طريق النبيّ، أو الإمام من قبله. و اذا استجدّ شي‏ء لا بدّ أن يعلمه من طريق الإلهام بالقوّة القدسيّة الّتي أودعها اللّه تعالى فيه، فإن توجّه إلى شي‏ء و شاء أن يعلمه على وجهه الحقيقي لا يخطأ فيه و لا يشتبه، و لا يحتاج في كلّ ذلك إلى البراهين العقليّة، و لا إلى تلقينات المعلمين و إن كان علمه قابلا للزيادة و الاشتداد و لذا قال- صلّى اللّه عليه و آله- في دعائه: «رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْماً»
{He derives his education, the Divine commandments and all his knowledge from the Prophet or from the previous Imam. When a new question arises, he knows the answer from Divine Inspiration through the pure mind that God has given him. If he gives attention to some matter in order to know it, he will obtain a perfect understanding with no error, for the Imams do not derive their knowledge from methodological reasoning, or from the teachings of men of knowledge, although it is possible for their knowledge to be increased and strengthened. For the Prophet said: “O Lord, increase my knowledge!” Quran 20:114}

Some accuse us of associating partners with God, by saying that we say the Imams (as) are all-knowing like God. What these critics fail to realize is that the knowledge given to Ahl ul Bayt (as) is not independent of God, but rather it is a divine gift that God has given to them and through inspiration from God they are able to know whatever it is that they would like to know. No one, outside of another infallible, has ever taught any of the Prophets or Imams. They gain their knowledge through divine inspiration and we see that they are dependant on God for their knowledge as the Quranic verse mentioned above where the Prophet (s) asks God to increase his knowledge.

There are 2 categories of knowledge:

1. 1) One is that which is known only to God. Bada falls under such knowledge, however when things change in this knowledge the first beings this knowledge becomes available to are the Ahl ul Bayt (as).

1. 2) The second category of knowledge is what is known by Prophets, Imams and angels. We have a narration that states that there are 27 parts of knowledge. Mankind only knows 2 parts whereas the Imam knows all of them.
(أقول): لقد ثبت في الأبحاث النفسيّة أنّ كلّ إنسان له ساعة أو ساعات في حياته قد يعلم فيها ببعض الأشياء من طريق الحدس، الّذي هو فرع من الإلهام بسبب ما أودع اللّه تعالى فيه من قوّة على ذلك.
{It has been shown by psychological investigations that every man has, during his lifetime, one or two moments in which he is able to understand something by intuition. In fact, this is a kind of inspiration from God.}
و هذه القوّة تختلف شدة و ضعفا و زيادة و نقيصة في البشر، باختلاف أفرادهم. فيطفر ذهن الإنسان في تلك الساعة إلى المعرفة من دون أن يحتاج إلى التفكير و ترتيب المقدمات و البراهين أو تلقين المعلمين. و يجد كلّ إنسان من نفسه ذلك في فرص كثيرة في حياته،
{This power has not been given to mankind equally, but in different degrees, according to their capacities. At such a time the human mind is capable of discovering certain facts without thinking or reasoning, and without guidance from someone else. Everyone acknowledges this condition from his own personal experience many times during his life.}
وإذا كان الأمر كذلك فيجوز أن يبلغ الإنسان من قوّته الالهامية أعلى الدرجات و أكملها، و هذا أمر قرّره الفلاسفة المتقدمون و المتأخرون.
{Therefore, it is possible that a human may attain to the
highest degree of this state, one which both ancient and contemporary philosophers have described.}

I personally believe that, as some scientists state that mankind only uses a portion or percentage of their brains, the Imams (as) are in use of their full capacity and ability.
فلذلك نقول- و هو ممكن في حدّ ذاته-: إنّ قوّة الإلهام عند الإمام الّتي تسمّى بالقوّة القدسيّة تبلغ الكمال في أعلى درجاته، فيكون في صفاء نفسه القدسيّة على استعداد لتلقّي المعلومات، في كلّ وقت و في كلّ حالة، فمتى توجه إلى شي‏ء من الأشياء و أراد معرفته استطاع علمه بتلك القوّة القدسيّة الالهامية، بلا توقف و لا ترتيب مقدمات، و لا تلقين معلم، و تنجلي في نفسه المعلومات، كما تنجلي المرئيات في المرآة الصافية لا غطش فيها و لا إبهام.
{We maintain that the powers of the Imams to receive inspiration have reached the highest degree of excellence, and we say that it is a Divinely given power. By this means the Imam is able to understand information about anything, anywhere, and at any time, and he understands by means of this Divinely -given power at once, without recourse to methodological reasoning or guidance from a teacher. When he desires to know about some matter, it is reflected in his pure mind as if in a polished mirror.}

A man came to Imam Baqir (as) and said to him, “Your Shia’s claim that you know everything, even the total amount of all the drops in the Tigris River and even the weight of each drop.”

Imam Baqir (as) replied: “Is God capable of giving such knowledge to a mosquito?”

The man replied: “Yes.”

The Imam (as) then said “I am more honorable in the eyes of God than a mosquito.”

In the Holy Quran we see that God says:

‎وَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَسْتَ مُرْسَلًا قُلْ كَفَى بِاللَّهِ شَهِيدًا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكُمْ وَمَنْ عِندَهُ عِلْمُ الْكِتَابِ

“And those who disbelieve say: You are not a messenger. Say: God is sufficient as a witness between me and you and who has with him knowledge of the Book.” Quran 13:43

From tafasir we know that this one who God says is a witness to the prophethood of Muhammad has knowledge of the whole book. This person is Imam Ali (as). We know from looking at other verses that nothing is left out from the book.

‎وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

“And with Him are the keys of the unseen treasures– none knows them but He; and He knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf but He knows it, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything green nor dry but (it is all) in a clear book.” Quran 6:59

and that God keeps everything recorded with the manifest clear Imam:

‎إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ

“Surely We give life to the dead, and We write down what they have sent before and their footprints, and We have recorded everything in a clear Imam.” Quran 36:12

Unfortunately, many translators have translated the words إِمَامٍ مُّبِينٍ (Imam Mubeen) as a clear book, but if God wanted to say that it was a clear book He would have refered to it as He did in the the ayat previously mentioned 6:59
‎ كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (Kitab Mubeen). This is to mislead the people about Imamate and to hide the virtues and true position of the Holy Imams (as).

So, these proofs from the Quran suffice us for this discussion about the knowledge of the Imams (as).

It also shows the high status of the Imams (as) who have complete knowledge of the book, whereas prophets like Musa (as) and Isa (as) only had partial knowledge.

Imam Sadiq (as) said that the tablet of Musa (as) said “From the things of knowledge” and Isa (as) said “I will explain to you some of what you dispute about” However when it comes to Imam Ali (as) he knows the whole complete knowledge of the book.

The question arises, do the Imams (as) know when the day of judgement is? If I were to tell you that I had knowledge of everything that would happen up until Friday and then you ask me when is Friday and I reply that I do not know how would I be truthful in my claim? If the Ahl ul Bayt (as) state that they have knowledge up until the day of judgement then the mind necessitates that they must know when the day of judgement is.
Imam Sadiq (as) said “Our knowledge is of what will be (ghabir), of what is past (mazbur), of what is marked in hearts (nakt fi al-qulub), and of what is tapped into ears (naqr fi al-asma). We have the red case (jafr), the white case, and the scroll of Fatima (s.a.) and we have (the document called) al-jami'a in which is everything the people need."
He was asked to explain these words and he said: "Ghabir is knowledge of what will be; mazbur is knowledge of what was; what is marked in the hearts (nakt fi al-qulub) is inspiration; and what is tapped into the ears (naqr fi al- asma) are words of angels; we hear their speech but we do not see their forms. The red case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the weapons of the Apostle of God (s). It will never leave us until the one (destined) among us members of the House, to arise (qa'im), arises. The white case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the Torah of Moses, the Gospels of Jesus, the Psalms of David and the (other) Books of God. The scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, has in it every event which will take place and the names of all the rulers until the (last) hour comes. (The document called) al-jami'a is seventy yards long which the Apostle of God (s) dictated from his own mouth and Ali b. Abi Talib (as) wrote in his own handwriting. By God, in it is everything which people need until the end of time, including even the blood-wit for wounding, and whether a (full) flogging or half a flogging (is due).”
He also used to say “We have the tablets of Moses and we are the heirs of the prophets.”
Sheikh Mufid reports in Kitab al-Irshad: “The Shia give an account of the tablet that Gabriel brought down to the Prophet (s) from heaven. The Prophet gave it to Fatima (as). In it are the names of the Imams after the Prophet (s). The Shia also report that God sent down to His Prophet a document sealed with twelve seals. He ordered him to give it to the Commander of the Faithful (as) and to break the first seal and he should act according to what is in that part of the document. At the time of his death he should pass it to his son al-Hassan (as) and tell him to break the second seal and act according to what is in that part of the document. At the time of his death he should pass it on to his brother al-Hussain (as). He should tell him to break the third seal and act according to what is below it. Then at his death he should pass it to his son Ali ibn al-Hussain (as) and he should instruct him in a similar way. Then Muhammad ibn Ali (as) should pass it down to his son right down to the last of the Imams (Imam Mahdi).”
When Imam Mahdi was 7 days old he recited from the books of Adam, Idris, Nuh, Hud, Salih, Ibrahim, Torah, Zabur, Injeel and the Quran. Then he went on to narrate stories of all the prophets until his own time.
و يبدو واضحا هذا الأمر في تاريخ الأئمة- عليهم السّلام- كالنبيّ محمّد- صلّى اللّه عليه و آله- فإنّهم لم يتربوا و لم يتعلموا على‏ يد معلم من مبدأ طفولتهم إلى سنّ الرشد، حتى القراءة و الكتابة، و لم يثبت عن أحدهم أنّه دخل الكتاتيب أو تتلمذ على يد أستاذ في شي‏ء من الأشياء مع ما لهم من منزلة علميّة لا تجارى. و ما سئلوا عن شي‏ء إلّا أجابوا عليه في وقته، و لم تمر على ألسنتهم كلمة (لا أدري)، و لا تأجيل الجواب إلى المراجعة أو التأمل أو نحو ذلك،
{It is clear from the histories of their lives that, like the Prophet, the Imams were not trained or taught by anyone at all, not even in reading and writing, from their childhood's to the maturing of their minds. No author or teacher was seen to instruct one of them, but they were incomparable masters of knowledge, so that they were never asked about any problem without being able to answer it immediately, and they never said that they did not know. They never required time to consider a question before replying.}

We have the famous phrase that Imam Ali (as) said where he asked the people to ask him before they lose him. He could have answered anything for them but these ungrateful people squandered this opportunity and asked silly questions like how many hairs do I have on my head.

Imam Ali (as) said “O Kumayl, God educated the Prophet (as); he educated me and I educate the believers and leave behind me the good education to the honorable people.

O Kumayl, I am the opening of every aspect of knowledge and Al-Qa’im (as) will be the sealer. O Kumayl, we are the offspring of one another. God is All-hearing and All-seeing.”

Lady Hakima says Imam knows the thoughts before they’re spoken. She said: "By God, whenever I wanted to ask him (Imam Mahdi (aj)) something he used to tell me about it before i could even ask and it also happened many times that i faced a problem then with with the blessings of his eminence I got the solution to it at the same moment, even without me asking about it."

Imam Mahdi (aj) said: “Our hearts are the utensils of the Divine will so when God wishes something, we too wish the same.”

He also said: “We are not heedless to your life affairs and do not forget mentioning of you. Indeed, we have thorough knowledge, which encompasses your news (incidents and affairs of life). And nothing of your news remains hidden from us.”
Imam Al-Mahdi (aj) wrote in a letter to Ash-Shaykh Al-Mufid: "We are aware of your circumstances and nothing of your affairs is concealed from us."
Imam Baqir (as) said: "When our Qaim rises, sets his hand (authority) over the heads of the servants, then, he will give them intellectual development and complete their patience and insight. After that, God will extend their sight and their hearing so that there will be no barrier between them and the Qaim when he decides to speak with them, then they hear, and they can watch him while he is in his place."
في حين أنّك لا تجد شخصا مترجما له من فقهاء الإسلام و رواته و علمائه إلّا ذكرت في ترجمته تربيته و تلمذته على غيره و أخذه الرواية و العلم على المعروفين و توقفه في بعض المسائل أو شكّه في كثير من المعلومات كعادة البشر في كل عصر و مصر
{In comparison with this, it has never been said of any Islamic scholar, narrator or scientist, in his biography, that he did not study or was not educated by some other scholar, or that he never had any doubts about any problem, for human nature has always been thus.}

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