Chapter on Meeting the Scholars and Associating with Them
Al-Kāfi|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 8
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لابْنِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ اخْتَرِ الْمَجَالِسَ عَلَى عَيْنِكَ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ قَوْماً يَذْكُرُونَ الله جَلَّ وَعَزَّ فَاجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِماً نَفَعَكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ تَكُنْ جَاهِلاً عَلَّمُوكَ وَلَعَلَّ الله أَنْ يُظِلَّهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ فَيَعُمَّكَ مَعَهُمْ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْماً لا يَذْكُرُونَ الله فَلا تَجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِماً لَمْ يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ جَاهِلاً يَزِيدُوكَ جَهْلاً وَلَعَلَّ الله أَنْ يُظِلَّهُمْ بِعُقُوبَةٍ فَيَعُمَّكَ مَعَهُمْ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus in a marfu‘ manner that Luqman (the wise) said to his son, “O my son, choose your gatherings wisely. If you see a group remembering Allah سبحانه وتعالى, then sit with them. If you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will teach you. Perhaps Allah, by His mercy, will envelop them, and you will be included with them. But if you see a group not remembering Allah, do not sit with them. If you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will not benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will increase you in ignorance. Perhaps Allah will subject them to punishment, and you would be associated with them."
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/127)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
2ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهما السَّلام) قَالَ مُحَادَثَةُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْمَزَابِلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُحَادَثَةِ الْجَاهِلِ عَلَى الزَّرَابِيِّ.
2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn Yahya from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa, all from ibn Mahbub from Durust ibn abu Mansur from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far عليه السلام who has said the following. “Speaking to a scholar even at a dump-site is better than speaking to an ignorant person at a best furnished palace.”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/128)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
3ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ شَرِيفِ بْنِ سَابِقٍ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ أَبِي قُرَّةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) قَالَتِ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ لِعِيسَى يَا رُوحَ الله مَنْ نُجَالِسُ قَالَ مَنْ يُذَكِّرُكُمُ الله رُؤْيَتُهُ وَيَزِيدُ فِي عِلْمِكُمْ مَنْطِقُهُ وَيُرَغِّبُكُمْ فِي الاخِرَةِ عَمَلُهُ.
3. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Barqi from Sharif ibn Sabiq from al-Fadl ibn abu Qurrah from abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام who has said the following. “The Holy Prophet said, ‘The disciples asked Jesus, ‘O the spirit of Allah who should we associate with?’ Jesus replied, “Associate with those whose visitation would remind you of Allah, whose speech and logic increase your knowledge and whose deeds would attract you to the next life.’”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/128)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مُجَالَسَةُ أَهْلِ الدِّينِ شَرَفُ الدُّنْيَا وَالاخِرَةِ.
4. Muhammad ibn ‘Ism’il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Mansur ibn Hazim from Abu ‘Abdillah عليه السلام who said: The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, "Association with religious people is an honour in this life as well as in the next life."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī
5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الاصْبَهَانِيِّ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ سُفْيَانَ بْنِ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنْ مِسْعَرِ بْنِ كِدَامٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ لَمَجْلِسٌ أَجْلِسُهُ إِلَى مَنْ أَثِقُ بِهِ أَوْثَقُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ عَمَلِ سَنَةٍ.
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Qasim ibn Muhammad al-Asbahani from Sulayman ibn Dawud al-Minqari from Sufyan ibn ‘Uyayna from Mis‘ar ibn Kidam who has said the following. “(Imam) abu Ja’far عليه السلام has said, ‘The place where I may sit with one who I trust is more comforting to my soul than working for one whole year.’”
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī