A Discussion of the Narrations

1. Inspiration to the Disciples

From Muḥammad ibn Yūsuf al-Ṣanʿānī from his father who said: I asked Abū Jaʿfar about “And when I inspired the Disciples”; he said: He inspired them (alhamahum). (220)

Note: Inspiration (ilhām) is sometimes knowledge; such as reporting unseen matters whether past, present or future; and sometimes it is action. What is mentioned regarding the Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn) is of the type of practical inspiration that is received by the practical intellect which is responsible for resolve, will, decision, faith, sincerity and the like; not the theoretical intellect which is responsible for conception, assent, certainty and the like.

2. The Reason for Naming the Disciples

ʿAlī ibn al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī ibn Faḍḍāl from his father, who said: I said to Abū l-Ḥasan al-Riḍā: Why were the Disciples (ḥawāriyyūn) called Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn)? He said: As for according to the people, they were called Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn) because they were fullers who purified clothes from dirt by washing; and it is a name derived from white bread (al-khubz al-ḥuwwār);(221) but as for according to us, the Disciples (ḥawāriyyūn) were called Disciples (ḥawāriyyīn) because they were sincere in themselves and purifiers of others from the filth of sins through preaching and reminding… (222)

Note: Since based on the establishment of the word for the spirit of meaning (general concept), the characteristics of instances are not taken into the essence of meaning, therefore disciple (ḥawārī) applies to one who purifies garments from dirt and one who purifies the heart from the rust of heedlessness and disobedience, and assuming it is specific to the particular meaning (clothes-washer), establishing another technical term presents no problem.

3. The Number and Names of the Disciples and the Scholars of the Gospel

From al-Riḍā in his assembly with the holders of doctrines and religions: Al-Riḍā said to the Catholicos: Ask about whatever occurs to you. The Catholicos said: Tell me about the Disciples (ḥawārī) of Jesus son of Mary; how many were they; and about the scholars of the Gospel, how many were they? Al-Riḍā said: You have come to one who is well-informed. As for the Disciples (ḥawāriyyūn), they were twelve men and the most excellent and most knowledgeable among them was Luke; and as for the Christian scholars, they were three men: John the Elder at Bākh, John at Qarqīsiyā, and John the Daylamī at Zajān [Barjān], and with him was the mention of the Prophet and the mention of his household and his community, and he is the one who gave glad tidings to the community of Jesus and the Children of Israel about him… (223)

Note: The aforementioned tradition (ḥadīth), apart from the weakness of its chain of transmission (irsāl sanad), does not contain any principal or subsidiary matter from which benefit could be derived in the principles of religion (uṣūl al-dīn) or jurisprudence (fiqh) and the like; although the number twelve is a blessed number by which the infallible Imams are counted.