Hadith No. 2
The earth is never devoid of a scholar through whom the truth is distinguished from falsehood.
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ [ت329ه] فِي «الْكَافِي»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ، عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا -يَعْنِي الْبَاقِرَ أَوْ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ قَالَ:
«إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَدَعِ الْأَرْضَ بِغَيْرِ عَالِمٍ، وَلَوْ لَا ذَلِكَ لَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْحَقُّ مِنَ الْبَاطِلِ».
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Ya’qub al-Kulayni [Died in 329 AH] has narrated in the book of “al-Kāfi”, (in this way that) has said: Ali ibn Ibrāhim narrated to me, from Muhammad ibn Isā, from Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahmān, from ibn Muskān, from Abu Basir, from one of the two — meaning al-Bāqir or al-Sādiq — peace be upon them that said:
Indeed, God has not left the earth be without a knowledgeable one, and if it had not been like this, the truth would have not been recognized from falsehood.
Attestation No. 1
وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[2]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ قَالَا: حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَعَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ -فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ.
Translation:
Also, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Bābawayh [Died in 381 AH] has narrated in the book of “Kamāl al-Din wa Tamām al-Ni’mah”, has said: My father and Muhammad ibn Hasan may God be pleased with them, narrated to us, they said: Sa’d ibn Abdullah and Abdullah ibn Ja’far narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Isā, from Yunus ibn Abd al-Rahmān, from ibn Muskān, from Abu Basir that said: Abu Abdullah — meaning Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq — peace be upon him said, then he mentioned something like the above-mentioned narration.
Attestation No. 2
وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[3]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى الْعَطَّارُ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْمَدَائِنِيِّ، عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ، عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مُوسَى السَّابَاطِيِّ ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ وَهُوَ يَقُولُ: «لَمْ تَخْلُ الْأَرْضُ مُنْذُ كَانَتْ مِنْ حُجَّةٍ عَالِمٍ يُحْيِي فِيهَا مَا يُمِيتُونَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ»، ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: ﴿يُرِيدُونَ لِيُطْفِئُوا نُورَ اللَّهِ بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَاللَّهُ مُتِمُّ نُورِهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ﴾[4].
Translation:
Also, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Bābawayh [Died in 381 AH] has narrated in the book of “Kamāl al-Din wa Tamām al-Ni’mah”, has said: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahyā al-‘Attār narrated to us, he said: Sa’d ibn Abdullah narrated to us, he said: Ahmad ibn Hasan ibn Ali ibn Fadhdhāl narrated to us, from Amr ibn Sa’id al-Madāini, from Musaddiq ibn Sadaqah, from ‘Ammār ibn Musā al-Sābāti that said: I heard Abu Abdullah (Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq) peace be upon him say: The earth, ever since it existed, has never been empty of a knowledgeable proof who revives whatever they kill from the truth. Then he recited this verse: “They want to put out the light of God with their mouths, whereas God always perfects His light, although disbelievers hate it”.
Consideration
قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: رَوَاهُ الصَّفَّارُ [ت290ه] فِي «بَصَائِرِ الدَّرَجَاتِ» وَلَكِنْ لَمْ يَرْوِ «بَصَائِرَ الدَّرَجَاتِ» إِلَّا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، فَهُوَ مُنْفَرِدٌ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ.
Translation:
Mansoor may God protect him, said: This narration has also been narrated by Saffār [Died in 290 AH] in the book of “Basā’ir al-Darajāt”, but “Basā’ir al-Darajāt” has not been narrated by anyone but Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Yahyā, and therefore, he is alone in narrating this narration.