The Book Al-Jami a and Its Role in the Process of Expounding Shiite Teachings

A branch of the question of holy Imams’ knowledge is sources of their knowledge. Knowledge of sources of Imams’ knowledge is a clear criterion for kind of encountering their words. In hadiths، a writing called al-Jami‘a، sometimes named al-Sahifa، is considered among sources of Imams’ knowledge. Along with “thousand doors of knowledge،” al-Jami‘a is one of Imam Ali’s two main sources of knowledge of divine precepts and lawful/unlawful whose result is awareness of other Imams of this knowledge. That writing is written by Imam Ali in the very holy prophet’s time on several pieces of parchment. As its title clearly indicates، knowledge of that book makes the Imam independent of others and others dependent upon the Imam in order to achieve realities of precepts. This is a sign of completion of the religion and perfect presentation of lawful/unlawful by the holy prophet، and has played a major role in expounding some teachings of the religion and establishment of some other parts of it.