Endnotes

1. Qur’an, 2:30.

2. Qur’an, 2:122

3. Qur’an, 4:6.

4. Qur’an, 9:126.

5. Qur’an, 21:35.

6. Aqrab al-Mawārid, entries “b-l-w” and “b-l-y”.

7. Mufradāt al-Rāghib, pp. 145-146, entry “b-l-y”.

8. Al-Taḥrīr wa-l-Tanwīr, 1/681.

9. Qur’an, 31:27.

10. Qur’an, 15:79.

11. Qur’an, 11:17.

12. Qur’an, 32:24.

13. Qur’an, 9:12.

14. Qur’an, 28:41.

15. Qur’an, 36:12.

16. Qur’an, 57:22.

17. Tafsīr al-Kāshif, 1/195.

18. Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 2/96.

19. Manāhil al-ʿIrfān, 178.

20. Manāhil al-ʿIrfān, 178

21. See: al-Itqān, 1/99; al-Burhān, 1/23 and 32; Manāhil al-ʿIrfān, 177.

22. See: Tafsīr Abī al-Suʿūd, 1/279; al-Manār, 1/453. The personality of Abraham (a.s.) was global relative to his own era; because the followers of heavenly books acknowledged his prophetic and apostolic sanctity, and the idolatrous atheists considered themselves descendants of Ishmael the sacrificed, and respected their ancestor from the perspective of racial veneration. Also, due to founding the Kaaba, which was respected by them, and providing water for pilgrims and being the key-keeper of the Kaaba and its restoration, he was especially honored by them. Note: The world in the sense of the globe in the era of Abraham (a.s.) was confined to the Middle East; because there was no access to the Far East and the Far West had not yet been discovered.

23. Qur’an, 2:129.

24. Some have considered Abraham’s (a.s.) duty as the groundwork for his later honor, which is attaining the Imāmate (see Tafsīr Kabīr, 4/36). Of course, this is true; as will be explained during the exegesis and within the allusions and subtleties of the interpretations. However, within every duty there is honor, and the essence of every hardship is nobility; hence, Ibn Tawus (may his secret be sanctified) considered the time of his own religious maturity as a moment of honor, and for this reason, he established the celebration of reaching puberty as a good tradition.

25. al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/273.

26. The author of Tafsīr al-Manār says: “Our teacher has said: These simple matters, if used to test a child, are easy to comply with.”

27. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/274; Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/589

28. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/274; Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/590

29. Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/590

30. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/273

31. Biḥār al-Anwār, 68/156

32. Jāmiʿ al-Bayān, 1/575.

33. Bayān al-Saʿāda, 1/142.

34. Al-Mīzān, 1/270.

35. Ālāʾ al-Raḥmān, p. 122.

36. 2:128; Qurʾān, 14:35.

37. Qur’an, 14:40.

38. Al-Manār, 1/453.

39. Tafsīr Ibn ʿArabī, 1/193.

40. Tafsīr Abū al-Futūḥ, 2/142.

41. Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/591-593; Tafsīr Kabīr, 4/39; Gharāʾib al-Qurʾān, 1/387.

42. Ibid.

43. Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, vol. 1, part 2, p. 103.

44. Although the context of this verse is about the Seal of Prophethood (s.a.w.), the general application of the verse, as a universal principle, includes every messenger. However, one who is a prophet but not a messenger is not subject to this principle. Abraham (a.s.), in addition to being a prophet, was also a messenger; therefore, at the beginning of his mission, he carried out the call and propagation of the message. Thus, he is included in the general application of the verse.

45. Tafsīr Furqān, vols. 1-2, pp. 126-127.

46. Al-Mīzān, 2/128.

47. Al-Mīzān, 17/147.

48. Kanz al-Daqāʾiq, 1/332-333; Mawāhib al-Raḥmān, 2/10

49. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/380

50. The duty of commanding good and forbidding evil, which is completely separate from teaching, guidance, direction, and admonition, but rather has an executive nature, is considered one of the levels of jihad; as its discussion is presented in the book of jihad and the law of jihad is not possible without a governmental system.

51. Tafsīr Abū al-Futūḥ, 5/397

52. This point is derived from numerous narrations that have been reported in the exegesis of the noble verse “Or do they envy [other] people because of what Allah has given them of His bounty? But we had already given the family of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom and conferred upon them a great kingdom” (Qurʾān, 4:54); such as when Imām al-Ṣādiq (a.s.) responded to Ḥannān’s question about “and conferred upon them a great kingdom” by saying: “The obligatory obedience” (al-ṭāʿa al-mafrūḍa) (Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1/140).

53. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 7-8/88

54. The notion that the mentioned covenant is attainable is based on reading “al-ẓālimūn” instead of “al-ẓālimīn”. However, it should be noted that this reading is irregular, and the well-known reading is “al-ẓālimīn”, based on which “covenant” is the subject of “lā yanāl” (does not reach), and “al-ẓālimīn” is its object. The sentence thus means that the divine covenant must reach the human, not that the human can acquire it.

55. The misconception that the covenant is bilateral and that since it comes from God to humans, humans can also reach it is erroneous. Rather, it is of the nature of illuminative relation (iḍāfa ishrāqiyya), not a categorical relation (iḍāfa maqūliyya), and it is only unilateral, not bilateral.

56. Tafsīr Ibn ʿArabī, 1/193

57. The letter “lām” in this verse is for specification, not benefit; meaning the action is specific to the doer.

58. Nahj al-Balāgha, Wisdom 241

59. Mustadrak, 7/448-449

60. 1/347

61. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/380

62. Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/594

63. Al-Mīzān, 1/274

64. Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 1/335, with slight editing.

65. Tafsīr Kabīr, 3/37; Al-Manār, 1/452.

66. Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 1/105.

67. Al-Kāshif, 1/125.

68. Editor’s note: Both Mao Zedong and Mao Tse-tung refer to the same person, the founding father of the People’s Republic of China. The difference arises from the romanization system used to represent Chinese names in English.

69. Al-Kāshif, 1/125, with slight differences in the wording.

70. Editor’s note: This example illustrates how tests often come in the form of proximity to temptation or ease of access to prohibited actions. The trial lies in adhering to God’s commandments despite the ease with which one could violate them. Similar tests can apply to other aspects of life, where individuals are presented with opportunities to disobey divine laws, yet they are tasked with demonstrating their taqwā (God-consciousness) by resisting such temptations.

71. Editor’s note: These examples illustrate that the tests of the prophets and saints are distinct, chosen, and significant, designed specifically to manifest their unwavering obedience and servitude to God.

72. Tafsīr Kabīr, 3/37.

73. In the discussion of individual terms, it was mentioned that both trial (_ibtilā_ʾ) and temptation (iftinān) have a similar connotative meaning, which is testing. Therefore, each of them can grammatically serve as the cognate accusative (mafʿūl muṭlaq) of the other.

74. Biḥār al-Anwār, 78/209.

75. Editor’s note: These trials expose the true nature of individuals, allowing for a distinction between those who express gratitude and those who turn ungrateful in times of difficulty.

76. Nahj al-Balāgha, Wisdom 286.

77. When the term “abode” (dār) is mentioned in its absolute form, as in the aforementioned noble verse, it refers to the hereafter. However, when it is used in reference to this world, it is accompanied by a specific suffix, such as “abode of annihilation” (dār fanāʾ), “abode of metaphor” (dār majāz), “temporary abode” (dār muwaqqat), and the like.

78. Editor’s note: These attributes may shape the manner in which a person approaches spiritual growth, but they do not contradict the inherent abstraction and universality of the soul itself.

79. Biḥār al-Anwār, 23/346. This interpretation is found in numerous narrations (see: al-Kāfī, 1/219-220; Biḥār al-Anwār, 23/337-353).

80. Editor’s note: This awareness is essential for the Imām to fulfill his station as a spiritual guide and to oversee the inner progression of the believers toward divine perfection. The Imām, therefore, is not merely aware of people’s external actions but also their inner conditions, allowing him to guide them effectively along the path to God.

81. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/336, and 52/50. In volume 25, page 372, it is narrated from Imām al-Hādī (a.s.) as follows: “Indeed, Allah has made the hearts of the Imāms a source for His will. So when Allah wills something, they will it, and this is the meaning of Allah’s words: ‘But you cannot will except as Allah wills.’”

82. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/385

83. Editor’s note: These verses emphasize that the path to Imāma is not only rooted in outward leadership but also in a deep, inner connection to God’s command, strengthened by unwavering patience and certainty in divine truths. The perfect human being reaches the station of Imāma by embodying these virtues and by fulfilling the divine trust through servitude, righteousness, and the guidance of humanity.

84. Al-Kāfī, 1/175

85. Editor’s note: True servitude, in the sense mentioned here, means reaching a state where one’s soul is fully aligned with the will of God, allowing the individual to serve as a vessel for His divine guidance.

86. Editor’s note: This characteristic of absolute reliance and devotion to God was a vital quality that enabled Abraham to attain the status of Imāma. It also indicates that such divine trials involve a profound level of spiritual endurance, a form of purification that not only strengthens the individual but also prepares them for higher responsibilities, such as leading the people in both worldly and spiritual matters.

87. Editor’s note: Thus, patience (ṣabr) in enduring trials, in maintaining obedience, and in refraining from disobedience becomes a fundamental condition for receiving this grace of witnessing and certainty, which are both integral to the station of inner Imāma.

88. Al-Kāfī, 2/51

89. Biḥār al-Anwār, 2/259

90. Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1/59

91. Nūr al-Thaqalayn, 1/67

92. Nūr al-Thaqalayn, 1/20.

93. Biḥār al-Anwār, 94/52-53

94. Biḥār al-Anwār, 24/177

95. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1/57

96. 12/66-70.

97. Khiṣāl al-Ṣadūq, 1/305-310, with slight editing.

Editor’s note: This continuity of the divine covenant is aligned with the principles established by Ibrāhīm (a.s.) and perpetuated through the lineage of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) and ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a.s.).

98. Editor’s note: Outward guidance refers to the instruction and direction that leads individuals towards fulfilling their religious duties and obligations, while inward guidance involves the spiritual direction and elevation of individuals’ souls, leading them towards deeper understanding, inner purification, and connection with the divine. Thus, millat Ibrāhīm includes both the laws that regulate human actions and those that provide guidance for the spiritual journey, ensuring comprehensive adherence to both the external and internal dimensions of faith.

99. Editor’s note: Each level of following the way of Ibrāhīm (a.s.) is thus associated with particular stages of spiritual and practical development.

100. Dīwān Ibn al-Fāriḍ

101. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1/58

102. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/141-142

103. Al-Kāfī, 1/174-175

104. Al-Kāfī, 1/174-175

105. Al-Kāfī, 1/175

106. Al-Kāfī, 1/186

107. Ibid.

108. Ibid.

109. Al-Kāfī, 1/186

110. Al-Kāfī, 1/187

111. Ibid.

112. Qur’an, 9:105.

113. Al-Kāfī, 1/219. The meaning of “and he was silent” is that His Holiness did not recite the rest of the verse, which is “and the believers”. Perhaps there was no need to mention it; it is also possible that the conditions for explaining the presentation of deeds to the Imāms (a.s.) were not favorable and appropriate to the political situation of the time.

114. Qur’an, 9:105.

115. Al-Kāfī, 1/219.

116. Ibid.

117. Qur’an, 9:105; Al-Kāfī 1/219-220.

118. Al-Kāfī, 1/221.

119. Al-Kāfī, 1/196

120. Al-Kāfī, 1/197

121. Biḥār al-Anwār, 23/37

122. Al-Kāfī, 1/194

123. Editor’s note: In this profound statement by Imām al-Riḍā (a.s.), he emphasizes the divine and elevated nature of the Imāmate, making it clear that it is beyond human intellect, opinion, or choice. The Imāmate, being a divinely appointed institution, cannot be attained through ordinary means, and its significance extends far beyond what people can comprehend or decide for themselves.

124. In the text of the narration, the name “Allah” does not appear after the word “anzala” in this verse.

125. Al-Kāfī, 1/198-203

126. Al-Kāfī, 1/206

127. Ibid., 186

128. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 3

129. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/200-201

130. Biḥār al-Anwār, 90/116

131. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1/58

132. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/206

133. Al-Kāfī, 1/174-175

134. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/288

135. Ibid.

136. Biḥār al-Anwār, 25/164-165

137. See Qur’an, verse 69:44.

138. Tafsīr al-Tibyān, 1/452

139. Mufradāt al-Rāghib, entry “th w b”

140. The letter “ة” in mathāba is for emphasis, like in nassāba and ʿAllāmah; although some have not rejected the possibility of it being for feminization (Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 1/Part 2/106) and have considered mathāb and mathāba like maqām and maqāma, where mathāb and maqām are used for the position, and mathāba and maqāma are used for the location (Jāmiʿ al-Bayān, 1/581).

141. See: Al-ʿAyn, Maqāyīs al-Lugha, and Al-Miṣbāḥ al-Munīr, entry “k f”

142. Tafsīr al-Tibyān, 1/455; Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 1/Part 2/109

143. Biḥār al-Anwār, 6/175, 229, 237

144. Qur’an, 2:40, 47, 122

145. Qur’an, 2:231; 3:103; Qurʾān, 5:7, 11, 20; and...

146. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 12/109.

147. Tafsīr Kabīr, 3/50.

148. Qur’an, 2:126; 14:35.

149. This verse does not mean that only those who oppress in Mecca will be subjected to painful punishment; for even outside of Mecca, if someone oppresses, they will be subjected to painful punishment. Also, the oppression mentioned here does not refer to the oppression of one specific individual against another.

150. Qur’an, 3:97.

151. Tafsīr Kabīr, 3/50, with slight modification.

152. Rawḍat al-Muttaqīn, 4/114.

153. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 21/384.

154. Biḥār al-Anwār, 12/18.

155. Tafsīr Tibyān, 1/452; Tafsīr Kabīr, 3/50 and...

156. Al-Taḥrīr wa-l-Tanwīr, 1/681.

157. Ibid.

158. Al-Jāmiʿ li-Aḥkām al-Qurʾān, 1/Part 2/110.

159. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/263.

160. Nahj al-Balāgha, Sermon 108.

161. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/294-297 and 318-322.

162. Biḥār al-Anwār, 96/57.

163. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 4/339.

164. Vide Qur’an, 56:77-79.

165. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/321.

166. Biḥār al-Anwār, 5/159.

167. Vide Qur’an, 24:26.

168. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 11/21.

169. Biḥār al-Anwār, 52/191-192.

170. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 11/60.

171. Ibid., 58.

172. Al-Kāfī, 4/189.

173. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/215.

174. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/262.

175. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/798.

176. Rūḥ al-Maʿānī, 4/9; Al-Manār, 4/7.

177. Man Lā Yaḥḍuruhu al-Faqīh, 2/249.

178. See Qur’an, 105:1-5.

179. Al-Kāfī, 4/187-188.

180. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/263.

181. Biḥār al-Anwār, 3/7.

182. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/264.

183. Ibid., 243.

184. Biḥār al-Anwār, 22/288 (Qurʾān, 9:19).

185. Qur’an, 90:1-2.

186. Manāqib, 1/246.

187. Al-Kāfī, 2/18

188. Biḥār al-Anwār, 12/84

189. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/384

190. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/384

191. Al-Kāfī, 4/223

192. Al-Kāfī, 4/223

193. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1/59

194. Tafsīr al-Qummī, 2/83

195. Biḥār al-Anwār, 12/111-112; Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/383-384, with slight differences.

196. Rawḍat al-Muttaqīn, 4/114.

197. Al-Kāfī, 4/423.

198. Ibid., 425.

199. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/425.

200. Ibid., 14/247

201. _Al-_Tawḥīd by al-Ṣadūq, 103 and 153

202. Ibid.

203. Kanz al-Daqāʾiq, 6/492

204. “Man āmana...” is a substitution of a part for the whole.

205. Qur’an, 2:124.

206. Kashf al-Asrār, 1/356-357. In Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī (1/58), there is also a reference to this point in a narration. In that narration, it is stated: “...When He settled his progeny in Mecca, He said: ‘...of the fruits for those who believe,’ He made an exception for those who believe, fearing that He would say ‘No’ to him as He said in the first invocation: ‘And [what about] my progeny?’ [Allah] said, ‘My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.’” (Qurʾān, 2:124)

207. Qur’an, 2:127.

208. Qur’an, 2:125.

209. Qur’an, 9:38.

210. Qur’an, 4:77.

211. Nahj al-Balāgha, Wisdom 289

212. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/243

213. Al-Durr al-Manthūr, 1/300

214. Ibid., 297.

215. Al-Kāfī, 4/225

216. Ibid., 225-226

217. Al-Kāfī, 4/226

218. Al-Kāfī, 4/226

219. Ibid., 564

220. Ibid.

221. Wasāʾil al-Shīʿa, 13/243

222. Ibid.

223. Biḥār al-Anwār, 12/86

224. Majmaʿ al-Bayān, 1-2/387-388. In Tafsīr al-Qummī, the last narration is reported as follows: “From the fruits of the hearts, meaning He made them beloved to the people so that they would come to them and return to them” (1/62).

225. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 2/232-233

226. Tafsīr al-ʿAyyāshī, 1/59-60

227. Tafsīr al-Qummī, 1/60