The word ‘Asma’ has several meanings and all of them are equal. The adjectives of the word ‘Asma’ are equal. Here ‘Asma’ means that the Almighty Allah taught them all attributes of Imams from the beginning to the end. These attributes include knowledge, forbearance, piety, bravery, infallibility, generosity and loyalty. The book of Allah has mentioned the names of prophets as instances of those attributes as the Almighty Allah says: «And mention Ibrahim in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet»
(19:41) “And mention Ismail in the Book; surely he was truthful in (his) promise, and he was an apostle, a prophet. And he enjoined on his family prayer and almsgiving, and was one in whom his Lord was well pleased. And mention Idrees in the Book; surely he was a truthful man, a prophet, And We raised him high in Heaven.”
(19:54-57) «And mention Musa in the Book; surely he was one purified, and he was an apostle, a prophet. And We called to him from the blessed side of the mountain, and We made him draw nigh, holding communion (with Us). And We gave to him out of Our mercy his brother Harun»
(19:51-53) Thus, the Almighty Allah praised His prophets in the above mentioned verses. They had pleasing attributes and pure character. These are their attributes. Similarly, the Almighty Allah had taught all the names to Prophet Adam.
Another point full of wisdom in this matter is that the way of knowing the names and act of obedience was only by listening. The mind would have never been attentive to it. If a wise person sees a man coming from a distance, he cannot know his name correctly using his brain. He has no way but to listen in order to know the name. Thus, Allah has also made hearing and listening a good way of knowing the caliph. Hence, he did not give the right of appointment of caliph to the creatures because appointment of an Imam is through seeing. The foundation of caliphate is laid by the knowledge of names and the names are known only through hearing. On this basis, only our opinion regarding Imamate is correct because we prove the obedience through Nass. This type of election is implied in the verse: «then presented them to the angels»
(2:31) The presentation here is based on the physical existence and the name is based on listening. In this way, the meanings of gesture and name both are proved correct. Also the word “presented” in the verse: “then (I) presented them…” has two meanings. One of them is showing him in his physical form as I have mentioned in the chapter of Tharr and derivation of agreement. It can also imply that the Almighty Allah displayed his attributes and relationship to the angels as believed by one of our rival groups. Both mean that the Almighty Allah has ordered the angels to have faith in unseen.
The verse of Almighty Allah: «Tell me the names of those if you are right.»
(2:31) has a lot of wisdom hidden in it. One of them is that He gave a capability to Adam to teach the names of Imams to the angels. Also, He made angels capable enough to learn the meanings from Adam. Thus the Almighty Allah taught them to Adam and the latter taught them to the angels. Thus Adam is like a knowledgeable teacher and angels are like knowledge-seeking students. This meaning is explained by Holy Quran.
And the statement of the angels: «Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise»
(2:32) contains the best proof of the fact that no one has the right to say anything about the names and attributes of Imams except one who is taught by Allah. If someone has got this right without Allah’s teaching then angels would have been even more rightful to it. The angels glorified Allah and this fact is a proof that saying anything in this matter is against Tawheed (monotheism) because glorification means having faith that Allah is pure from all defects. There is no occurrence of purification except those after the discussion of a denier of Tawheed or one who doubts in this matter. The angels did not hesitate from expressing their ignorance in this matter. They said: “We have no knowledge.” Thus, if a person shows that he has the knowledge but he does not have it then the Almighty Allah will make the stand of angels as an argument on him and will make them testify against him in this world and hereafter. The Almighty Allah made the angels capable enough to learn through the words of Adam even though they were ignorant and said: “O Adam! inform them of their names”
(2:33)
Commentary #2
و الحكمة في ذلك أيضا أنه لا وصول إلى الأسماء و وجوه الاستعبادات إلا من طريق السماع و العقل غير متوجه إلى ذلك لأنه لو أبصر عاقل شخصا من بعيد أو قريب لما توصل إلى استخراج اسمه و لا سبيل إليه إلا من طريق السماع فجعل الله عز و جل العمدة في باب الخليفة السماع و لما كان كذلك أبطل به باب الاختيار إذ الاختيار من طريق الآراء و قضية الخليفة موضوعة على الأسماء و الأسماء موضوعة على السماع فصح به و معه مذهبنا في الإمام أنه يصح بالنص و الإشارة فأما باب الإشارة فمضمر في قوله عز و جل ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ فباب العرض مبني على الشخص و الإشارة و باب الاسم مبني على السمع فصح معنى الإشارة و النص جميعا. و للعرض الذي قال الله عز و جل ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلائِكَةِ معنيان أحدهما عرض أشخاصهم و هيئاتهم كما رويناه في باب أخبار أخذ الميثاق و الذر و الوجه الآخر أن يكون عز و جل عرضهم على الملائكة من طريق الصفة و النسبة كما يقوله قوم من مخالفينا فمن كلا المعنيين يحصل استعباد الله عز و جل الملائكة بالإيمان بالغيبة.
و في قوله عز و جل أَنْبِئُونِي بِأَسْماءِ هؤُلاءِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صادِقِينَ حكم كثيرة أحدها أن الله عز و جل أهل آدم عليه السلام لتعليم الملائكة أسماء الأئمة عن الله تعالى ذكره و أهل الملائكة لتعلم أسمائهم عن آدم عليه السلام فالله عز و جل علم آدم و آدم علم الملائكة فكان آدم في حيز المعلم و كانوا في حيز المتعلمين هذا ما نص عليه القرآن.
و قول الملائكة سُبْحانَكَ لا عِلْمَ لَنا إِلَّا ما عَلَّمْتَنا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ فيه أصح دليل و أبين حجة لنا أنه لا يجوز لأحد أن يقول في أسماء الأئمة و أوصافهم عليه السلام إلا عن تعليم الله جل جلاله و لو جاز لأحد ذلك كان للملائكة أجوز و لما سبحوا الله دل تسبيحهم على أن الشرع فيه مما ينافي التوحيدو ذلك أن التسبيح تنزيه الله عز و جل و باب التنزيه لا يوجد في القرآن إلا عند قول جاحد أو ملحد أو متعرض لإبطال التوحيد و القدح فيه فلم يستنكفوا إذ لم يعلموا أن يقولوا لا عِلْمَ لَنا فمن تكلف علم ما لا يعلم احتج الله عليه بملائكته و كانوا شهداء الله عليه في الدنيا و الآخرة و إنما أهل الله الملائكة لإعلامهم على لسان آدم عند اعترافهم بالعجز و أنهم لا يعلمون فقال عز و جل يا آدَمُ أَنْبِئْهُمْ بِأَسْمائِهِمْ.
Another point full of wisdom in this matter is that the way of knowing the names and act of obedience was only by listening. The mind would have never been attentive to it. If a wise person sees a man coming from a distance, he cannot know his name correctly using his brain. He has no way but to listen in order to know the name. Thus, Allah has also made hearing and listening a good way of knowing the caliph. Hence, he did not give the right of appointment of caliph to the creatures because appointment of an Imam is through seeing. The foundation of caliphate is laid by the knowledge of names and the names are known only through hearing. On this basis, only our opinion regarding Imamate is correct because we prove the obedience through Nass. This type of election is implied in the verse: «then presented them to the angels» (2:31) The presentation here is based on the physical existence and the name is based on listening. In this way, the meanings of gesture and name both are proved correct. Also the word “presented” in the verse: “then (I) presented them…” has two meanings. One of them is showing him in his physical form as I have mentioned in the chapter of Tharr and derivation of agreement. It can also imply that the Almighty Allah displayed his attributes and relationship to the angels as believed by one of our rival groups. Both mean that the Almighty Allah has ordered the angels to have faith in unseen.
The verse of Almighty Allah: «Tell me the names of those if you are right.» (2:31) has a lot of wisdom hidden in it. One of them is that He gave a capability to Adam to teach the names of Imams to the angels. Also, He made angels capable enough to learn the meanings from Adam. Thus the Almighty Allah taught them to Adam and the latter taught them to the angels. Thus Adam is like a knowledgeable teacher and angels are like knowledge-seeking students. This meaning is explained by Holy Quran.
And the statement of the angels: «Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise» (2:32) contains the best proof of the fact that no one has the right to say anything about the names and attributes of Imams except one who is taught by Allah. If someone has got this right without Allah’s teaching then angels would have been even more rightful to it. The angels glorified Allah and this fact is a proof that saying anything in this matter is against Tawheed (monotheism) because glorification means having faith that Allah is pure from all defects. There is no occurrence of purification except those after the discussion of a denier of Tawheed or one who doubts in this matter. The angels did not hesitate from expressing their ignorance in this matter. They said: “We have no knowledge.” Thus, if a person shows that he has the knowledge but he does not have it then the Almighty Allah will make the stand of angels as an argument on him and will make them testify against him in this world and hereafter. The Almighty Allah made the angels capable enough to learn through the words of Adam even though they were ignorant and said: “O Adam! inform them of their names” (2:33)