٢ - حدثنا علي بن أحمد بن محمد بن عمران الدقاق رحمه الله قال: حدثنا محمد ابن أبي عبد الله الكوفي، قال: حدثنا محمد بن إسماعيل البرمكي، قال: حدثني الحسين بن الحسن، قال: حدثنا عبد الله بن داهر قال: حدثني الحسين بن يحيى الكوفي، قال: حدثني قثم بن قتادة، عن عبد الله بن يونس، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: بينا أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام يخطب على منبر الكوفة إذ قام إليه رجل يقال له: ذعلب ذرب اللسان، بليغ في الخطاب شجاع القلب، فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين هل رأيت ربك؟ فقال: ويلك يا ذعلب ما كنت أعبد ربا لم أراه، قال: يا أمير المؤمنين كيف رأيته؟ قال: ويلك يا ذعلب لم تره العيون بمشاهدة الأبصار، ولكن رأته القلوب بحقائق الإيمان، ويلك يا ذعلب إن ربي لطيف اللطافة فلا يوصف باللطف، عظيم العظمة لا يوصف بالعظم، كبير الكبرياء لا يوصف بالكبر، جليل الجلالة لا يوصف بالغلظ، قبل كل شئ فلا يقال: شئ قبله، وبعد كل شئ فلا يقال: شئ بعده شائي الأشياء لا بهمة دراك لا بخديعة، هو في الأشياء كلها غير متمازح بها ولا بائن عنها، ظاهر لا بتأويل المباشرة، متجل لا باستهلال رؤية، بائن لا بمسافة، قريب لا بمداناة، لطيف لا بتجسم، موجود لا بعد عدم، فاعل لا باضطرار، مقدر لا بحركة، مريد لا بهمامة، سميع لا بآلة، بصير لا بأداة، لا تحويه الأماكن، ولا تصحبه الأوقات، ولا تحده الصفات، ولا تأخذه السنات، سبق الأوقات كونه، والعدم وجوده، والابتداء أزله، بتشعيره المشاعر عرف أن لا مشعر له، وبتجهيره الجواهر عرف أن لا جوهر له، وبمضادته بين الأشياء عرف أن لا ضد له، وبمقارنته بين الأشياء عرف أن لا قرين له، ضاد النور بالظلمة، والجسو بالبلل، والصرد بالحرور، مؤلف بين متعادياتها، مفرق بين متدانياتها، دالة بتفريقها على مفرقها وبتأليفها على مؤلفها، وذلك قوله عز وجل: (ومن كل شئ خلقنا زوجين لعلكم تذكرون)  ففرق بها بين قبل وبعد ليعلم أن لا قبل له ولا بعد، شاهدة بغرائزها على أن لا غريزة لمغرزها، مخبرة بتوقيتها أن لا وقت لموقتها، حجب بعضها عن بعض ليعلم أن لا حجاب بينه وبين خلقه غير خلقه، كان ربا إذ لا مربوب، وإلها إذ لا مألوه، وعالما إذ لا معلوم، وسمعيا إذ لا مسموع. ثم أنشأ يقول: (ولم يزل سيدي بالحمد معروفا * ولم يزل سيدي بالجود موصوفا) (وكنت  إذ ليس نور يستضاء به * ولا ظلام على الآفاق معكوفا) (وربنا بخلاف الخلق كلهم * وكل ما كان في الأوهام موصوفا) (فمن يرده على التشبيه ممتثلا * يرجع أخا حصر بالعجز مكتوفا) (وفي المعارج يلقى موج قدرته * موجا يعارض طرف الروح مكفوفا) (فاترك أخا جدل في الدين منعمقا * قد باشر الشك فيه الرأي مأووفا) (واصحب أخا ثقة حبا لسيده * وبالكرامات من مولاه محفوفا) (أمسى دليل الهدى في الأرض منتشرا * وفي السماء جميل الحال معروفا) قال: فخر ذعلب مغشيا عليه، ثم أفاق، وقال: ما سمعت بهذا الكلام، ولا أعود إلى شئ من ذلك. قال مصنف هذا الكتاب: في هذا الخبر ألفاظ قد ذكرها الرضا عليه السلام في خطبته  وهذا تصديق قولنا في الأئمة عليهم السلام إن علم كل واحد منهم مأخوذ عن أبيه حتى يتصل ذلك بالنبي صلى الله عليه وآله.  باب حديث سبخت اليهودي 
2. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq  said: Muhammad ibn Abu `Abd Allah al-Kufi said: Muhammad ibn Isma`il al-Barmaki said: al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan related to me that `Abd Allah ibn Dahir said: al-Husayn ibn Yahya al-Kufi related to me that Qutham ibn Qatadah related to me, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Yunus that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq  said: When the Commander of the Faithful  was preaching from the pulpit of al-Kufah, a man stood up to him. His name was Dhi`lib, who was sharp of tongue, eloquent in speech, and brave at heart said: “O Commander of the Faithful! Have you seen your Lord?” The Imam  replied, “Woe to you! O Dhi`lib. I do not serve a Lord that I have not seen.” He said: “O Commander of Faithful, how did you see him?” `Ali  responded, Woe to you! O Dhi`lib. Eyes cannot perceive him by means of vision, but hearts see Him through certainty of faith. Woe to you, O Dhi`lib! Verily, my Lord is the Most Subtle of the Subtle, but whose subtetly cannot be described in terms of subtlety. He is the Greatest of the Great, whose greatness cannot be described in terms of greatness. He is the Grandest of the Grand, whose grandeur cannot be described in terms of grandeur. He is the Highest of the High, who cannot be described in terms of toughness. He preceded everything, so it cannot be said that something preceded Him. He will remain forever, so it cannot be said that there shall be something after Him. He is the One that wills all things, but not through resolution. He is the MostAccomplishing, but not through deception. He is Present in all Things, but not physically or through conflict. He is Manifest, but not in the sense of pursuit. He is Evident, but not by means of vision. He is Separate, but not by means of distance. He is Close, but not through attachment. He is Subtle, but not by means of a body. He is Existent not after nonexistence. He is the One who Accomplishes, but not by means of compulsion. He is the Appraiser, but not by means of movement. He is the Intender, but not through resolution. He is the All-Hearing, but not by means of an auditory organ. He is All-Seeing, but not by a visual organ. Space does not encompass Him. Time does not escort Him. Attributes do not limit Him. Slumber seizes Him not. His Essence precedes time, and His Being precedes nonexistence. His beginning its sempiternal. Through His Formation of gatherings, it is known that He has no gathering. Through His Creation of substances, it is known that He is not a substance. Through His Creation of opposites, it is known that He has no opposite. Through His Creation of companions, it is known that He has no consort. He made Light opposite of darkness, dryness opposite of moisture, and cold opposite of heat. He is the Composer of these opposites and the Differentiator between their closeness. This composition is an indication over the Composer and the differentiation over the Differentiator. That is the Word of the Mighty and High: And of everything We have created pairs that you may reflect. Thus, He has differentiated through this between “before” and “after” so that it becomes known that He has no before or after. Our instinct tells us instinctively that the Giver of Instincts has no instinct. Our subjection to time tells us that the Creator of Time is not subjected to time. The veils that He has placed between some people tell us that there is no veil between Him and His Creation. He was still a Lord when there was no one to rule over. He was still a Deity when there was no one to worship Him. And He was still All-Knowing when there was nothing to be known. And He was still AllHearing, when there was nothing to be heard. Then `Ali  composed this poem: My Master has always been recognized with praise, My Master has always been attributed with generosity, You existed even when there was no light to burn, And when no darkness clinged to the horizon, Our Lord differs from everything in creation, And from whatever the imagination can conceive, So whoever attempts to describe Him in human terms, Will return besiege, tying his shoulder with incapability, In the ways of ascent are seen the waves of His Omnipotence A wave that exhibits blindly, in blink of an eye, like a spirit, Therefore, leave the narrow-minded debater in religion, Who the doubt ha touched, making his vision absurd, And be in the company of the reliable one, for the love of His Master, Who is received with honor fro His Guardian, A proof of guidance entered in the evening spreading in the earth, And in heaven, He is recognized with the beautiful sate. The reporter said: Dhi`lib dropped fainting, and when he woke up again, he said: “I have never heard this speech, and I shall never ask such questions again.” The Compiler of this book says: In this tradition are words which al-Rida  has already mentioned in his sermon. This is a confirmation of our belief that the Imams  inherited the knowledge of their fathers all the way back to the Prophet ﷺ.