The Source of Traditions on Imam al-Riḍā (Vol 1) · Hadith 132 (#Ḥadīth #24)

24 - حَدَّثَنا أَبي رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قالَ: حَدَّثَنا أَحْمَدِ بْنِ إِدْرِيس، عَنِ الحُسَيْن بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّه، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْد اللَّه وَمُوسَى بْنِ عُمَر وَالحَسَن بْنِ عَلِىِّ بْنِ أَبِي عُثْمان، عَنْ مُحَمّد بن سَنان قالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا a.sُ: هَلْ كَانَ اللَّهُ عَارِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ الْخَلْقَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ قُلْتُ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْمَعُهَا قَالَ مَا كَانَ مُحْتَاجاً إِلَى ذَلِكَ لانَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَسْأَلُهَا وَلا يَطْلُبُ مِنْهَا هُوَنَفْسُهُ وَنَفْسُهُ هُوَقُدْرَتُهُ نَافِذَةٌ فَلَيْسَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى أَنْ يُسَـمِّيَ نَفْسَهُ وَلَكِنَّهُاخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ أَسْمَاءَ لِغَيْرِهِ يَدْعُوهُ بِهَا لانَّهُ إِذَا لَمْ يُدْعَ بِاسْمِهِ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ فَأَوَّلُ مَا اخْتَارَ لِنَفْسِهِ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ لانَّهُ أَعْلَى الأَسْمَاءِ كُلِّهَا فَمَعْنَاهُ اللَّهُ وَاسْمُهُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ هُوَأَوَّلُ أَسْمَائِهِ لانَّهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلا كُلَّ شَيْء.

11-24 (The author of the book narrated) my father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Ahmad ibn Idris quoted on the authority of Al-Hussein ibn Abdullah, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ubaydillah, Musa ibn Umar, Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Abi Uthman, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Sinan, “I asked Abul Hassan Al-Ridha (s): ‘Did God know Himself before He created the Creation?’ The Imam (s) replied, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘Did He see and hear Himself?’ The Imam (s) said, ‘He had no need for that, for He neither required anything of Himself nor soughtanything from Himself. He was Himself and Himself was He. His Power was All-Pervasive. Therefore, He has no need to name Himself. However, He has chosen Names for Himself for others to call Him by, for if He were not called by His Name, He would not have been known. The first that He chose for Himself was, ‘…He is the Highest, the Supreme (in glory).’ (i.e. God is Al ‘ali Al ’azim in Arabic) since He is Exalted above all things. His Meaning is Allah and His Name is Al ’Ali Al ’Azim since He is Exalted above everything.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).