Hisham b. al-Hakam: Founder of a Theological School (II)

دعا له الصادق عليه السلام فقال: أقول لك ما قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لحسان: لا تزال مؤيدا بروح القدس ما نصرتنا بلسانك I say to you what the Messenger of Allah said to Hassan b. Thabit: You will never stop being aided by the Holy Spirit so long as you keep … Continue reading Hisham b. al-Hakam: Founder of a Theological School (II) →

Hisham b. al-Hakam: Defender of the Madhhab (I)

ورفعه الصادق عليه السلام في الشيوخ وهو غلام. وقال: هذا ناصرنا بقلبه ولسانه ويده al-Sadiq عليه السلام elevated him to be at par with the elders while he was still a youth. He said: This is our defender by his heart, tongue and hand [Manaqib of Ibn Shahr Ashub] Biographical Details al-Fadhl b. Shadhan (d. 260) … Continue reading Hisham b. al-Hakam: Defender of the Madhhab (I) →

God Above the Throne?

Introduction One of the verses of the Qur’an which has caused much controversy is the one reproduced below: الرَّحْمَٰنُ عَلَى الْعَرْشِ اسْتَوَىٰ “The Beneficent Istawa over the throne” (20:5). The crux of the problem is how to interpret the verb underlined. In purely linguistic terms Istiwa can refer to: Settling upon something (الاستقرار والتمكن على … Continue reading God Above the Throne? →

The Blind Receive Sight

We read in the Gospel of Mathew Chapter 11 Verses 2 - 5: When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?" Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John … Continue reading The Blind Receive Sight →

Hisham b. al-Hakam on Infallibility

Introduction Were the Imams protected from sin? The common Shi'i position is to affirm their infallibility. How can the infallibility of the Imam be proven? Hisham's Argumentation One early attempt to ground this doctrine relying solely on logical argument is demonstrated below: حدثنا محمد بن علي ماجيلويه رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا علي بن … Continue reading Hisham b. al-Hakam on Infallibility →