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In the name of All°h, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful

Questions asked by the people and Answers given by
Im°m Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad as-as-Æ°diq (prayers be upon him)
[ Installment 1 ]
Compiled by Øujjatul Isl°m wal Muslim¢n A¶mad Q°§h¢ Z°hid¢
Published by Sayyidah Ma`•£mah Publications [Qum, Iran]
Translated by Saleem Bhimji – www.al-mubin.org – al-mubin@al-mubin.org

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Topic: Is Thanking the Prophet a form of Polytheism?

It has been narrated in a Øad¢th found in Bi¶°r al-Anw°r1 that the following discussion took place between
Im°m Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad as-Æ°diq (prayers be upon him) and Ab£ Øan¢fah.

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It has been narrated that Ab° Ø°n¢fah was once eating food with Im°m as-Æ°diq Ja`far ibn Mu¶ammad (peace be
upon both of them). Im°m as-Æ°diq (prayers be upon him) lifted up his hand to eat some food and at this time
said (the following Du`°): “All the praise belongs to All°h, the Cherisher and Sustainer of all the Worlds. O’
All°h! This food has come from you and from your Messenger (blessings of All°h be upon him and his
family).”

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Ab£ Øan¢fah said to the Im°m: “O’ Ab° `Abdill°h have you set up partners with All°h (through this prayer of
yours)?”

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The Im°m (prayers be upon him) said to him (Ab£ Øan¢fah): “Fie on you! Surely All°h the Great has said in His
Book, and they did not find fault except because All°h and His Messenger enriched them out of His grace 2

1 Bi¶°r al-Anw°r, Volume 10, Page 216, Section 13

and He, The Noble and Grand has said in another place (in His Book), And if they were content with what
All°h and His Messenger (Mu¶ammad) have given them and had said: All°h is sufficient for us, then All°h
would soon give us (more) out of His grace and His Messenger too (would also give us out of his grace). 3

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Ab£ Øan¢fah then said, “I swear by All°h, it is as if I have never read these two verses in the Book of All°h nor
have I ever heard these two verses up until this point (in my life).”

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Ab£ `Abdill°h (prayers be upon him) said to him, “Rather, you have read these two verses (before) and you
have heard these two verses (before) however All°h the Most High has revealed (in His Book) about you and
the likes of you, Or are there locks upon their hearts? 4 and All°h the Most High has also said, By no means!
But on their hearts is the stain of the (ill deeds) which they do! 5

…and all praise belongs to All°h, Lord of the Worlds, only the mistakes are mine. (Tr.)

2 S£rah al-Tawbah (9), Verse 74

3 S£rah al-Tawbah (9), Verse 59
4 S£rah Mu¶ammad (47), Verse 24
5 S£rah al-Mußaff¢n (83), Verse 14