Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Tilib 575
decree', in which he listed sixteen hadiths that are attributed to the
~mams."~~
Jf we examine the linguistic meaning of the word bada', we
find that the dictionary says that the root meaning of this word is
'appear'."'0 The word has two meanings in Arabic:
(i) Appearing after having been hidden, so one might say,
"The walls of the city appeared."
(ii) Development of a new opinion, as in, "He developed an
opinion concerning the matter. ..1111
Both of these meanings appear in the Qur'an. The first meaning is
translated in this verse as 'disclose': (And whether you disclose what
is in your own selves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for
it) (Qur'an 2: 284). The second meaning is translated in this verse as
'occurred': (Then it occurred to them, after they had seen the proofs
[of his innocence], to imprison him for a time% (Qur'an 12: 35). It is
clear in both senses that bada' signifies that ignorance or not knowing
came first, and knowing came later; both are impossible in the case of
Allah (&), and attributing them to Allah (&) is one of the worst
kinds of disbelief. How can the Twelver Shiaregard this as one of the
greatest acts of worship and claim that Allah was never glorified with
anything Wte bada'? 4Gloly be to You [O Allah]! This is a great lie.%
(Qur'an 24: 16)"'~
This evil notion appears in the books of the Jews. In the Torah,
which the Jews have distorted according to their whims and desires,
1113
there are texts that clearly attribute this notion to Allah (g).
it
seems that the Jew Ibn Saba' took this idea from his Torah and spread
it in the Muslim society that he was attempting to influence in the
name of Shiism, under the guise of calling for support for the
imamate of 'Ali (&). All the sects of the Saba'is believed in bad$
and believed that Allah always changes His decree."14 The idea was