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negate it through resorting to the language. Most our companions say: ‘He gave that as an
example of opposing the Mu‘tazilites, saying to them: ‘If you say that the Eternal (Allah), the Most
high, is a thing not like other things, then you must say that He is a body not like other bodies.’
Not all those who oppose through a thing and question about it believe in it and adopt it. Perhaps,
he intended to take their answer to this problem and to understand their
[1] Al‐Ferq bayna al‐Firaq, p. 139.
[2] Lisan al‐Mizan, vol. 6, p. 194.
knowledge of them or he wanted to show their falling short of giving a satisfactory answer to it,
and the like for which we have no room to mention. As for the narration on that he believed in
that Allah was a body like present bodies and the narration of the spans of the hand ascribed to
him, we do not know it except the narration of al‐Jahiz, who narrated it on the authority of al‐
Nazzam. This narration contains nothing except those who accused him (of such things); none
trust their saying (concerning him).
Generally speaking, the doctrines must be taken from their founders, their companions who
devoted themselves to them, and those who are honest in reporting from them. We should not
resort to the claims of the opponent. If we resort to them, then the gap will be wider, the
misfortune will be greater, and we will have no confidence in any doctrine. If Hisham maintained
the embodiment which they claimed, then we should come to know of that, that the ambiguity
concerning it may be removed, just as we have come to know of al‐Khawarizimi’s saying on that,
and we find none to repel it. The evidence for that Hisham was innocent of those accusations
fastened on him is that which has been narrated on the authority of Imam al‐Sadiq, peace be on
him, who said: ‘O Hisham, you are still supported by the Holy Spirit as long as you help us with you
tongue.’ The Shaykhs of the Shi‘a were with him. Hisham came in to him, and he gave him
precedence over them, seated him beside him, though he was still young. He said to him:
‘This supports us with his heart, his hand, and his tongue.’ And these words of him, peace be on
him: ‘Hisham b. al‐Hakam is the pioneer of our right and our previous sayings, the supporter of
our truthfulness, and the repeller of the falsehood of our enemies. Whoever follows him and his
orders follows us; whoever opposes and denies him shows enmity toward us and denies us.’ He
guided the people to him in respect with reflection and arguments; he urged them to meet with
him and to debate with him. Accordingly, how does a sane person believes‐ along with what we
have mentioned concerning Hisham‐ in this saying that his Lord was seven spans of the hand, in
his span of the hand? This is an accusation has been fastened on him, may Allah be pleased with
him, while he was famous for his devoting himself to Imam al‐Sadiq, peace be on him, his
nearness to him, and his taking (knowledge) from him. It is nothing except slandering the affair of
Imam al‐Sadiq, peace be on him, and ascribing him to taking part in (Hisham’s) beliefs. Otherwise,
why did he not show condemn and turning away from him who adopted this abominable beliefs
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