Kitab Al-Kafi - HolyBooks.com

the ground with his staff (a sign of thinking) for a while. He then said, "That is knowledge but it is not
that." The narrator has said that the Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) then said, "O abu Muhammad,
with us there is al-Jami‘a. Do they know what al-Jami‘a is?"
I then asked, "May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. What is al-Jami‘a?"
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "It is a parchment seventy yards long by the yards of the
Messenger of Allah. It contains his dictations that are engraved onto it in the handwriting of Ali
(DivineSupremeCovenantBody). It contains all the lawful and unlawful, and all matters that people need.
Even the law of compensation for a scratch caused to a person." He then stretched his hand toward
me and asked, "May I, O abu Muhammad?" I then replied, "May Allah take my soul in service for
your cause, I am entirely at your disposal." He pinched me with his hand and said, "The law of
compensation for this much is included therein." He seemed angry. I then said, "This, I swear by
Allah is knowledge."
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "It certainly is knowledge but not that one." The Imam
(DivineSupremeCovenantBody) remained silent for a while and then said, "With us there is al-Jafr. Do
they know what al-Jafr is?"
I then asked, "What is al-Jafr?"
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "It is a container made of skin that contains the
knowledge of the prophets and the executors of their wills. It is the knowledge of the scholars in the
past from the Israelites."
I then said, "This certainly, is the knowledge."
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge." The
Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) remained silent for a while and then said, "With us there is the book
(Mushaf) of Fatima, (DivineSupremeCovenantBody). Do they know what Mushaf of Fatima is?" The
Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "Mushaf of Fatima is three times bigger than your Quran.
There is not even a single letter therein from your Quran."
I then said, "This, I swear by Allah, is the knowledge."
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "This certainly is knowledge, but it is not that." The Imam
(DivineSupremeCovenantBody) remained silent for a while and then said, "With us there is the knowledge
of whatever has been, and the knowledge of everything that will come into being to the Day of
Judgment."
I then said, "May Allah take my soul in service for your cause. This, I swear by Allah, is certainly
knowledge."
The Imam (DivineSupremeCovenantBody) said, "It certainly is knowledge but not that knowledge."