My father related to me, from his father, from the Commander of the Faithful (AS), who said: I saw al-Khidr (AS) in a dream the night before Badr, and I said to him: Teach me something by which I may be granted victory over the enemy. He said: Say, 'Ya Huwa, ya man la huwa illa Huwa' (O He, O He beside whom there is no He but He). When morning came I recounted this to the Messenger of God (PBUH), and he said to me: O Ali, you have been taught the Greatest Name. And so it was upon my tongue on the day of Badr. And the Commander of the Faithful (AS) used to recite 'Say: He is God, One', and when he had finished he would say: O He, O He beside whom there is no He but He, forgive me and grant me victory over the disbelieving people. Ali (AS) used to say this on the day of Siffin as he charged into battle, and Ammar ibn Yasir said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, what are these allusions? He said: It is the Greatest Name of God and the pillar of God's oneness: there is no god but He. Then he recited 'God bears witness that there is no god but He' [Qur'an 3:18] and the end of Surat al-Hashr. Then he dismounted and prayed four cycles before noon. He said: And the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: 'Allah' means the Worshipped One in whom creation is lost in bewilderment, veiled from imaginings and from passing thoughts. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 89)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: One night before the battle of Badr I saw al-Khidr (AS) in a dream. I said to him: Teach me something by which I may be granted victory over the enemy. He said: Say, 'Ya Huwa, ya man la huwa illa Huwa', that is: O He, O He beside whom there is no He but He. When morning came I recounted this dream to the Messenger of God (PBUH), and he said: O Ali, the Greatest Name has been taught to you! And so this invocation was upon my tongue on the day of Badr. The narrator says: Whenever the Commander of the Faithful (AS) recited Surat al-Tawhid, on finishing it he would say: 'Ya Huwa, ya man la huwa illa Huwa; ighfir li wa'nsurni ala al-qawm al-kafirin' (O He, O He beside whom there is no He but He, forgive me and grant me victory over the disbelieving people). It is likewise related that the Commander of the Faithful (AS) uttered this invocation on the day of Siffin, charging again and again and striking with his sword. Ammar ibn Yasir said to him: O Commander of the Faithful, what is this strange invocation? The Imam said: It is the Greatest Name of God and the pillar of divine oneness. Then he recited the verse 'God bears witness that there is no god but He' [Qur'an 3:18] and the end of Surat al-Hashr, from 'Had We sent down' to the end; then he dismounted and prayed four cycles before midday, and said: 'Allah' means the Worshipped One in whom all are lost in bewilderment, who is veiled from all, and whom no imagining or passing thought can reach.
From Mutarrif ibn Abd Allah, from Imran ibn Husayn: The Prophet (PBUH) dispatched a raiding party and put Ali (AS) in command of it. When they returned he questioned them, and they said: All was well, save that in every prayer he led us he recited 'Say: He is God, One'. He said: O Ali, why did you do this? He said: Because of my love for 'Say: He is God, One'. The Prophet (PBUH) said: You did not come to love it until God, mighty and majestic, loved you. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 94)
The narrator says: The Prophet of God (PBUH) sent an army to battle and put Ali (AS) in command of it. When the troops returned, the Prophet asked them how things had gone. They said: All was well, except that in every prayer Ali led with us he recited the sura 'Say: He is God, One'. The Prophet said: O Ali, why did you do so? He replied: Because I love this sura so much! The Prophet (PBUH) said: That you love this sura is because God loves you.
From Abu al-Hasan al-Mawsili, from Abu Abd Allah (AS), who said: A Jewish scholar came to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: O Commander of the Faithful, did you see your Lord when you worshipped Him? He said: Woe to you! I would not worship a Lord I had not seen. He said: And how did you see Him? He said: Woe to you! Eyes do not perceive Him in the beholding of sight, but hearts see Him through the realities of faith. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 109)
Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said: A Jewish scholar came before the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and asked: Has it ever been that you have seen your God? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: I would never worship a God whom I did not see! He asked: How so? He said: Not with the eye; rather, when the heart truly has faith, it sees God and finds His presence within itself.
It is related that he (AS) was asked: Where was our Lord before He created heaven and earth? He (AS) said: 'Where' is a question about place, and God was when there was no place. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 175)
They asked: Where was God before He created the heavens and the earth? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: 'Where' is a question about place, and God is Himself the Creator of place.
From Umar ibn Udhayna, from Abu Abd Allah (AS), who said: It was said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): Is your Lord able to put the world inside an egg without making the world smaller or the egg larger? He said: God, blessed and exalted, is not to be attributed with incapacity, but what you have asked me of cannot be. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 130)
They asked: Can God place the world inside an egg without making the world smaller or the egg larger? The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God is never powerless; but what you propose is not a thing that can be.
(We say: that is, the deficiency lies on the side of the object of power, not of the One who has power.)
From Sa'd al-Khaffaf, from al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said: When the Commander of the Faithful Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) stood before the Kharijites, admonished them, reminded them and warned them against fighting, they said: You made Abu Musa al-Ash'ari an arbiter in the religion of God. He (AS) said: By God, I made no created being an arbiter; I made the Qur'an the arbiter. And had I not been overruled in my affair and opposed in my judgement, I would never have consented that the war should lay down its burdens between me and those who wage war against God, until I had raised high the word of God and given victory to the religion of God, though the disbelievers and the ignorant be averse. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 224)
The narrator says that in the Commander of the Faithful's (AS) confrontation with the Kharijites, after he had counselled them and warned them of the outcome of their course, they said: Our objection to you is that you made Abu Musa an arbiter! Ali (AS) said: I never made any human being an arbiter; I made the Qur'an the arbiter. And had it not been that I was weakened and rendered powerless, I would not have laid down arms until I had made the religion of God prevail.
Ali ibn al-Husayn (AS): My father related to me, from his brother al-Hasan, from his father the Commander of the Faithful (AS), that a man rose before him and said: O Commander of the Faithful, tell me about 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful' — what does it mean? He said: 'Allah' is the greatest of the names of God, mighty and majestic; He is the One to whom every creature turns in worship in times of need and hardship, when hope is cut off from all who are beneath Him and the means are severed from all besides Him. That is because every man who lords it in this world and magnifies himself in it — however vast his wealth and his insolence, and however many the needs of those beneath him that are brought to him — will himself come to have needs which this self-magnifying man has no power to meet; and likewise this self-magnifying man has needs he cannot meet, so in his necessity and want he turns wholly to God, until, once his care has been relieved, he returns to his idolatry. So God, mighty and majestic, said to His servants: O you poor ones, if I will to give to you, none but I can withhold from you; and if I will to withhold from you, none but I can give to you. So I am the most deserving of being asked, and the most worthy to be entreated. Therefore say, at the outset of every affair, small or great: 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful' — that is, I seek help in this affair from God, other than whom none deserves worship, the Succourer when succour is sought, the Answerer when He is called upon. Then he said: The Messenger of God (PBUH) said: Whoever is grieved by some matter he has undertaken and says 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful', sincerely for God and turning his heart toward Him, will not fail of one of two things: either the attainment of his need in this world, or that it is made ready for him with his Lord and stored up in His keeping — and what is with God is better and more lasting for the believers. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 230)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was asked the meaning of 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful', and he said: 'Allah' is the greatest of God's names, and its meaning is the One who is the refuge of all creatures in their needs and hardships, when they despair of all besides Him and their hands are cut off from everything else. Look at the chiefs of this world and its great ones: however wealthy and powerful they may be, and however much they are the source to which people bring their needs, they themselves are in need in a great many matters, and there are many needs that their hands cannot meet. So in the end all are in need of God — even though, once their need is met, they turn their backs on God again. God says to His servants: O you helpless ones! If I will to grant your need, no one can prevent it; and if I do not will it, no one can fulfil your needs. So ask of Me, and entreat Me. The Commander of the Faithful (AS) continued: Before beginning any task, say 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful'. That is: in this task I seek help from a God besides whom none is worthy of worship; a Succourer besides whom none comes to the aid of those who cry out; a Responder besides whom none answers the prayers of mankind. The Messenger of God (PBUH) used to say: Whoever is preoccupied by some matter, let him, with the intention of resolving it, say sincerely and with his whole being, 'In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful'. Then either God will grant his need, or He will set aside for him with Himself something better than it. And what is with God is always better and more lasting for the believers.
Sim'an ibn Abi Rubayha, the client of the Messenger of God (PBUH), traced it back, saying: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was asked: By what did you come to know your Lord? He said: By that whereby He made Himself known to me. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 285)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was asked: By what did you come to know your Lord? He said: He Himself made Himself known to me.
From al-Fadl ibn al-Sakan, from Abu Abd Allah (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Know God through God, the Messenger through his message, and those vested with authority through what is right, and justice, and beneficence. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 285)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Know God through God Himself, the Messenger through the content of his call, and the friends of God through the goodness, justice and beneficence they show — that is, through their conduct.
From Ziyad ibn al-Mundhir, from Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir, from his father, from his grandfather (AS), who said: A man rose before the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: O Commander of the Faithful, by what did you come to know your Lord? He said: By the breaking of resolve and the undoing of intent. When I set my mind on something, a barrier was placed between me and my purpose; and when I resolved, the divine decree ran counter to my resolve — and so I knew that the One who governs is other than I. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 288)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) was asked: How was it that you came to know God? He said: Through the breaking of my decisions and the undoing of my desires. No sooner did I want something than a barrier came between me and what I wanted; and no sooner did I make a decision than His decree left my decision unfulfilled. So I understood that the world has a God who governs it.
Abd Allah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah, from Ja'far ibn Muhammad, from his father (AS), who said: It was said to Ali (AS): There is a man who speaks about the divine will. He said: Summon him to me. So he was summoned, and Ali said: O servant of God, did God create you for what He wills or for what you will? He said: For what He wills. He said: Does He make you ill when He wills or when you will? He said: When He wills. He said: Does He heal you when He wills or when you will? He said: When He wills. He said: Does He bring you in where He wills or where you will? He said: Where He wills. Then Ali (AS) said to him: Had you answered otherwise, I would have struck that in which your two eyes are. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 337)
It was said to the Commander of the Faithful (AS): There is a man who speaks about the will of God. The Imam said: Bring him here! They brought him, and the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to him: O servant of God! Did God create you for what He Himself willed, or for what you will? He said: For what He Himself willed. The Imam said: Does He make you ill whenever He Himself wills, or when you will? He said: When He Himself wills. The Imam said: Do you find healing when He wills, or when you yourself will? He answered: When He Himself wills. The Imam said: Does He take you wherever He wills, or wherever you will? He answered: Wherever He wills. Finally the Commander of the Faithful (AS) said to the man: Had you answered otherwise, you would have got a blow on the head!
From al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God, mighty and majestic, revealed to David (AS): O David, you will and I will, and only what I will comes to pass. So if you submit to what I will, I shall give you what you will; and if you do not submit to what I will, I shall wear you out in what you will, and then only what I will shall come to pass. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 338)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: God revealed to David (AS): O David! You will, and I too will. But in the end nothing comes to pass save what I will. So if you submit to what I will, I shall grant what you will as well; and if you do not submit, I shall cast weariness into your soul, and in the end still nothing shall come to pass save what I have willed.
Abu Khalid al-Sijistani, from Ali ibn Yaqtin, from Abu Ibrahim (AS), who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed by a group in Kufa who were disputing about divine determination, and he said to their spokesman: It is by God that you are able; so you have no part in the disposing of the matter. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 352)
In Kufa the Commander of the Faithful (AS) passed by a group who were arguing and disputing about divine determination. He said to their leader: It is by means of the power God has given you that you have acquired power and choice at all. So the disposal of affairs remains in God's hand.
Abd al-Malik ibn Antara al-Shaybani, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: A man came to the Commander of the Faithful (AS) and said: O Commander of the Faithful, tell me about divine determination. He said: God's mercy toward the servants came before the servants' deeds. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 365)
Someone asked the Commander of the Faithful (AS) about divine determination. He said: God's mercy toward His servants has made them free to choose, so that within the sphere of His commands and prohibitions they may act by their own choice and receive His bounty.
From Abu Hayyan al-Taymi, from his father, who was with Ali (AS) on the day of Siffin and afterwards, who said: While Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) was drawing up the battalions on the day of Siffin, Mu'awiya came out facing him on a horse that pawed and champed beneath him, while Ali (AS) was mounted on the Messenger of God's horse al-Murtajiz and girt with his sword Dhu'l-Fiqar. A man of his companions said: Take care, O Commander of the Faithful, for we fear that this accursed man may take you unawares. He (AS) said: The appointed term is guard enough. There is no one among men but that with him are guardian angels who protect him from falling into a well, or a wall collapsing upon him, or some harm befalling him; and when his appointed term arrives, they leave him to what befalls him. So it is with me: when my appointed term comes, the most wretched of this people shall be roused up and shall dye this from this — and he pointed to his beard and his head — a covenant made, and a promise not to be belied. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 367)
The narrator says: One day at the battle of Siffin, while the two armies stood drawn up facing each other, the Commander of the Faithful (AS) was busy setting the ranks in order. Then, before our eyes, Mu'awiya came out from his army mounted on a horse that pawed the ground, and advanced with a few men toward the Commander of the Faithful (AS), who was riding the horse of the Messenger of God with Dhu'l-Fiqar in his hand. I cried out: O Commander of the Faithful! Take care that this accursed man does not strike at you from behind! The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: There is no one at all but that with him are angels who guard him from falling into a well, or from a wall collapsing on his head, or from some calamity befalling him. I too am the same, until my appointed term comes. When my term comes, God will rouse up the most wretched of this community, and he will dye my beard red with the blood of the crown of my head. This is a promise that shall surely come to pass.
Ali ibn al-Husayn said: My father al-Husayn ibn Ali (AS) related to me, saying: I heard my father Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) say: The obligatory acts are by the command of God, mighty and majestic, and by God's good pleasure, His decree, His determination, His will and His knowledge. Acts of disobedience are not by God's command, but they are by God's decree, God's determination, His will and His knowledge; and then He punishes for them. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 369)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: The obligatory acts are by God's command and by His good pleasure, and for them to come about — though this is by the servant's own choice — they nonetheless require God's decree, determination and will; and in every case God has knowledge of the deeds of His servants. Acts of disobedience are not by God's command, that is, God has forbidden them; but they too, in order to come about by the servant's choice, require God's decree, determination and will, and in every case God has knowledge of the deeds of His servants, and He appoints reward for the obligatory acts and punishment for acts of disobedience.
By this chain of transmission, from al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, who said: The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: To proceed: concern with this world adds nothing to what has been allotted, and in it lies the squandering of one's provision; while turning toward the Hereafter diminishes nothing of what has been apportioned, and in it lies the securing of one's return to God. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 372)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: Concern for this world and grieving over it does not increase the sustenance already decreed; rather it wastes the Hereafter. And turning toward the Hereafter takes nothing away from anyone's sustenance; rather it safeguards it.
al-Nadr ibn Shumayl said: Israfil informed us, saying: Thuwayr informed us, from his father, that Ali (AS) said: There is no verse in the Qur'an dearer to me than His words, mighty and majestic: 'Indeed God does not forgive that partners be ascribed to Him, but He forgives what is less than that to whomever He wills' [Qur'an 4:48]. (al-Tawhid, vol. 1, p. 409)
The Commander of the Faithful (AS) said: There is no verse I love as much as this verse: 'Indeed God does not forgive that partners be ascribed to Him, but He forgives what is less than that to whomever He wills' [Qur'an 4:48]. God does not forgive associating partners with Him, but everything short of that He forgives.