Hadith 136

e successors-asws know that which the Prophets-as did not? ’ He-asws said: ‘No, and how can the successor-asws know any knowledge other than what has been bequeathed to him-asws? ’
The questioner said, ‘Can we say that one from the successors-asws knows what the other successor-asws does not know? ’ He-asws said: ‘No, no Prophet-as passes away but his-as knowledge gets known to the successor-asws, and it is on him-asws that the Angels descend, and the Spirit during the Night of Pre-determination (Laylat Al-Qadr) with the Judgements by which he-asws will judge among the servants. ’
The questioner said, ‘Did they-asws know of that Judgement? ’ He-asws said: ‘Yes, they-asws knew, but they-asws did not know of the method carrying anything out from it until they-asws are Commanded for it during the Night of Pre-determination (Laylat Al-Qadr), until the next year. ’
The questioner said, ‘O Abu Ja’far-asws, Can I not deny this? ’ Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘One who denies this is not from us-asws. ’
The questioner said, ‘O Abu Ja’far-asws, Do you-asws think that the Prophet-saww received something during the Night of Pre-determination (Laylat Al-Qadr) which he had no knowledge of previously? ’
He-asws said: ‘It is not permissible for you to ask about this. As for the knowledge of the past and the future, no Prophet-as passes away or the successor-asws except that the successor-asws after him-asws gets to know it all, and as for the knowledge that you have asked about, Allah-azwj Might and Majestic Disdains that the successors-asws will tell anyone about it except to themselves-asws. ’
The questioner said, ‘O son-asws of the Rasool-Allah-saww, how do I recognise the Night of Pre-determination taking place every year? ’ He-asws said: ‘When the month of Ramadhan comes, recite the Chapter Al-Dukhan one hundred times every night. When the twenty third night comes up, you will see the verification of that which you have asked for. And Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘For what (reason) are you seeing the ones whom Allah-azwj Mighty Send for the wretched ones upon the people of the straying from the armies of the Satans-la and their pairs to be more than what you are seeing the Caliphs of Allah-azwj whom Allah-azwj Sent for the justice and the correctness from the Angels? ’ O Abu Ja’far-asws! And how can anything be more numerous than the Angels are? ’ He-asws said: ‘(It is) what Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Desired it to be’. The questioner said, ‘O Abu Ja’far-asws! If I were to narrate to some of the Shias with this Hadeed, they would be denying it’. He-asws said: ‘How would they be denying it? ’ He said, ‘They would be saying that the Angels are more numerous than the Satans-la are’. He-asws said: ‘You speak the truth. Understand from me-asws what I-asws am saying. There isn’t from a day, nor a night except that the entirety of the Jinn and the Satans-la are visiting the imams of misguidance, and (th