Minhaj Un-Nejat (The Way To Salvation) - Muhammad Faidh Al-Kashani

MINHAJUN-NAJAT
OR
THE WAY TO SALVATION
BY
The Great Scholar and Renowned Narrator
Muhammad Muhsin ibn ash-Shah Murtada
Known as
Al-Fayd Al-Kiyshani
Translated from the Original Arabic
by
M.J. Khalili
www.nehzatetarjome.ir
Title: MINHAJUNNAJAT or WAY TO SALVATION
Author: Fayd Kashani
Translator: M.J. Khalili
Editor: Dr. Manafi
Published: 1992
Circulation: 2000 Copies
Bunyad Be'that Printing and Publishing Centre
Address: Sumayyah ave.,
Between Mufattih and Fursat aver,.
No. 109
Tehran The Islamic Republic of Iran
Tels: 822374,821159,822244 P.O.B. 1361-15815 Fax: 821370
In The Name of Allah,
The Beneficent, The Merciful
Publisher's Introduction
1. The Author's Biography 1
Muhammad Muhsin ibn ash-Shah Murtada ibn ash-Shah Mahmud,
known as al-Mawla Muhsin al-Kaishani, or as al-Fayd, is one of the
genius scholars of the 11th century [A.H.=anno Hegirae]. He was
brought up in the holy town of Qum, from which he moved to the
town of Kashan, then, having heard of the arrival of as-Sayyid Majid
ibn Ali al-Bahrani 2 in the town of Shiraz, he moved to it for the
purpose of drinking from the spring of his knowledge, as well as from
al- Mawla Sadruddin ash-Shirazi. After finishing his studies with
them, he married the daughter of the respectful al- Mawla as-Sadr,,
and then went back to Kashan where he became a unique and
matchless authority in religious matters, till his death in 1091 A.H., at
the age of eighty-four. He was buried there. His shrine is well-known
and often visited.
In Praise of Him
The scholars' universal praise of him and of his merits, precedence and
skill in the sciences, suffices us not to further elaborate better praises
and extolments.
The well-versed narrator, ash-Shaykh al-Hur al- Amili, said about
him: "Muhammad ibn al-Murtada, who is called Muhsin al-
Kashani, was an erudite, scholar, expert philosopher, theologian,
narrator, jurisprudent, researcher, poet, writer and a good
contemporary author. Ile wrote many books." He, then, numerated
some of his books, and said4"As-Sayyid'Ali ibn Mirzd.
Ahmad has mentioned him in as-Sulafah, and has praisingly
talked of him."5
The great biographer Muhammad ibn Ali al-Ardabili, said about
him "Muhsin ibn al-Murtada may Allah have mercy on him
the erudite, researcher and scrutinizer, was greatly respected,
highly esteemed, high-ranking, a perfect man of letters, a writer
and well-versed in all sciences."6
As-Sayyid Ni`matullah al-Jaza' iriash-Shushtar referred to him by
saying: "Our professor, the scrutinizer, al-MawlaMuhammad
Muhsin W-Kashani, was the author of al-Wafi and some other
two hundred books and pamphlets."7
Ash-Shaykh yusuf al-Bahrani said about him: "The narrator, al-
Kashani, was learned, narrator, and a firm adherer to
narratives."8
As-Sayyid Muhammad Shfi al-Husayni states in his biography in
ar-Rawdand Bahivyah: "He had spent his honourable life in
propagating the narrated traditions and the divine sciences. His
words on every subject were extremely polite and strong. He was
the author of numerous works."
The author of ar-Rawdat praised him by saying: "His merit,
understanding and nobility in the secondaries as well as the
principles, and in being prolific, with good expression and com-
position, are too famous to be unknown to the scholars forever
and ever.."9
The narrator, an-Nuri, said: "Among the teachers of our scholar,
al-Majlisi, was the learned, merited, versed, narrator, gnostic and
philosopher, Mawla Muhsin ibn ash-Shah Murtada ibn ash-Shah
Mahmud, known as al-Fayd al-Kasham. 10
The narrator al-Qummi, having related his aforementioned
merits, continued to say: "His well-known talents, culture, vast
knowledge, good literary writings and broad comprehension of
the rationale and traditionals, are too well known to be con-
cealed." 11
The learned scholar, al-Amini (in his al- Ghadir, Vol. II p.362),
while giving the biography of AlamulHudd, the son of our author,
said: "Ile is the son of the researcher, al-Fayd, the --eminent
jurisprudent, the banner of traditions, the monument of
philosophy, the source of gnosticism, the pillar of ethics and the
torrent of knowledge and sciences. He ['Allamul Huda] is the son
of that matchless personality whose like had rarely been produced
by nature, and time has become barren of having his like."
In his book titled Tabaqeuul Mufassirin [The Classes of the
Exegetists,] Murtada al-Mudarisi Chandrdahi, teacher of the Higher
Teachers Training College of Tehran University, wrote about our
author, praising extolling and aggrandizing him in such words that I
like to retell them. He said: "Al-Fayd - May AllAh have mercy on
him - was one of the great scholars of the Imamis. He was highly
interested in the Qur'an and the Hadiths (Traditions). He followed
a particular method of exegesis comprising both the Tarigah [the
Style] and the Shari'ah [The Divine Law].
He wrote two exegeses on the Qur'anic facts, based on the principles
of natural constitution, the supreme wisdom which coincides with the
rules of nature, and the sound knowledge which goes in harmony with
the natural constitution and reason: As-Safi [the Pure] and Al-Asfa
[the Purer].
In his book, al-Mahajjatul BaydT [The White Path], which the author
wrote revising Ihya'ul 'Ulum [Reviving the Sciences] he retold many
narratives from the Imams of Ahlul Bayt [the Prophet's progeny]
'Alay-himus-Salam (A.S.) [Peace be upon them], concerning ethics,
psychology and their rules, in a fine manner. The book is, actually, an
exegesis of the Qur'ran and a commentary on the Imami Ahadith.
In his book he analyses al-Gazzali's ideas and beliefs, then he starts to
criticise and rectify them according to the Book and the Traditions.
In all his writings he cited the Qur'an and the Ahadith of Ahlul Bayt
(A.S.)
By comparing between him and Abu Hamid [al-Gazzali] in respect to
comprehending the verses of the Wise Book and the Ahadith of the
source of the revelation, his superiority over al-Gazzah becomes
obvious, though the latter enjoyed a universal fame, while al-Fayd was
known only among the Shiite.
Had the propaganda done for al-Gazzali in the world, been done for
al-Fayd, his genius would have been quite explicit, and the Western
scholars would have been acquainted with the greatness of his
knowledge, and attracted by his valuable ideas and true beliefs in
respect to the interpretation of the Holy Qur'an and Hadith in the fields
of the ethics, psychology and their manners."
HIS TEACHERS AND NARRATORS
He has quoted from a group of great scholars and eminent authorities.
Among them are;
1. Ash-Shaykh ul-Baha'i Muhammad ibn al-Husayn ibn Àbdus-
Samad il-'Amili.
2. Al-Mawla Muhammad Tahir ibn Muhammad Husayn ashShirazi,
then an-Najafi, then al-Qummi.
3. Al-Mawla Khalil al-Ghazi al-Qazwini, the commentator of 'Ali Kafi.
"
4. Ash-Shaykh Muhammad ibn ash-Shaykh al-Hasan the son of ash-
Shahid ath-Thani.
5. AI-Mawla Muhammad Salih, the commentator of al-Kafi.
6. The much honoured Sayid Majid ibn as-Sayid Hashim alHusayni al-
Bahrani.
7. The great philosopher and theologian Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ash-
Shirazi, better known by the name of al-Mawla Sadrd.
8. His father, ash-Shah Murtadd ibn ash-Shah Mahmud. A number of
great scholars have quoted from him. Among them are:
1. The great scholar Muhammad Baqir ibn Muhammad Taqi known by
the name of al-Majlisi, the author of "BihdrulAnwdr.
As-Sayid Ni`matullah al-Jaza'iri ash-Shushtari.3. Al.Qadi Sadi al-
Qummi.
10
4. His chaste son, known by the name of Alamul Hudd.
II. His Works12
Exegesis [of the Holy Quran]: LAs-Safi (1075 AH) 2.Al- Asfa - a
selection from As-Safi.
3. Tanwirul Madhdhib - comments on the exegesis of the Qur'an by
al-Kashifi as-Sabzawari.
4.Al-Musaffa.
5. A treatise on the exegesis of al-Amanah Verse [of the Qur'an].
AI-Hadith (Pl. Ahadith) [Traditions of the Prophet
and his progeny]
1. Al- Wafi - concerning the arrangement of the Traditions
stated in AI-Kutubul Arba 'oh [The Four Books]. (1068 A.H.) 2.Ash-
Shaft - a selection from al-Waft (1082 A.H.) 3.An-Nawadir - on
collecting the Traditions not mentioned
in "the Four Books."
ISLAMIC TENETS
1.'Ilm ul =yaqin fi 'Usul id-Din (1042 A.H.)
2.AI-Ma'arif- a preliminary to his book 'Ilm ul Yaqinfi Usul id-Din
(1036 A.H.)
11
3. Ayn id- Yaqin ft Usul id-Din (about 1036 A.H.)
4. 'Usul ul-Ma'arif - a summary of the principal entries of Àyn ul-
Yaqin (1089 A.H.)
5. Qurrat ul-Uyun - concerning the meaning of 'Usul ul-Ma'arif, in a
different style and a brighter manner (1088 A.H.).
6. AAnwarul-Hikma - a summary of the book'Ilm ul- Yaqin
n,, with useful aphorisms particular to this book. (1043 A.H.)
7. The translation of al- Aqa'id in the Persian language (1043 A.H.)
8. 'Usul ul- Aqa'id. (1036 A.H.)
9. Minhaj un-Najdt (1042 A.H.)
10. As-Sanih ul-Ghaybi - on the meaning of belief, disbelief and their
degrees.
11. AI-Kalimat ut- Tarifah - on the origin of the differences of the
ideas of "The Forgiven 'Ummah," in a hundred words. (1060 A.H.)
12.A1-'Insaf (1.083 A.H.)
13. Hadyyat ul-Ashnaf fi Talkhis il-Insaf
14. A Treatise on "Fatalism and Free Will."
15. Al- Tadhkirah fil-Hikmat i1-'Ilahyyah.
MONOTHEISM
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1. Al-Kalimat ul-Madnunah fi Bayan it-Tawhid.
2.Al- Lubab - onAllh's Knowledge of things.
3.Al-Lub - On the meaning of the creation of the world.
4. A treatise answering the one who asks about Alldh's knowledge [of
something] before [its] creation.
1. RESURRECTIONMizan ul-Qiyamah on the way of weighing on
the Day of Resurrection (1040 A.H.)
2. Mir& at-ul- Akhirah on the nature of Paradise and Hell (1044)
IMAMATE AND GUARDIANSHIP
1. Basharatush-Shi'ah - on the Tradition that the Shi'ites are the only
delivered sect which had been promised Paradise. (1081 A.H.)
2. Al-Arbaìn fi Manaqib Amir il-Mu'minin (A.S.)
3. The Praise of the Infallibles (A.S.) after the pattern of Al-Tahyyiah
attributed to the Allamah At-Tusi, though simpler and more adequate.
4. A Treatise in Answer to the Multani Who Demanded Proof on the
Truth of the Imami Sect.
INVOCATIONS
1. A Short Explanation of al-Sahipt us-Sajjadyyiah.
2. Dhari atuddara'ah a collection of cited invocations of
supplications (about 1050 A.H.)
13
3. MukhtasarulAwrad, also called: Muntakhab ul- Awrad consists of
praises ofAllah and repeatable invocations assigned to each day, night,
week, month and year (1067 A.H.)
4. Khlasat ul-Adhkar (1033 A.H.) _
5. Jala'ul QuIub, also cal led: Jala'ul Uyun.
6. 'Ahimmu ma Yu`mal - most important practices recommended by the
purified Shari'ah [Islamic Law].
7.Al-Adhkarul Muhimah - a summary of KhilasatulAdhkar in the
Persian language.
8. Adhkarut- Taharah.
9.Ar-Raf'wad-Daf- on removing calamities and warding off calamities
by means of the Qur'an, invocation, charms, amulets and medicine (in
Persian).
10. Al-Kalimat us-Sirriyyat ul- Aliyyah - extracted from the
invocations of the Infallible Imams (A.S.) (1088 A.H.).
11. Lubb ul-Hasanat, and
12. Zad u1-'Uqba - both are summaries of Muntakhab ulAwrad.
13.A'mal ul-Shhur ith-Thalathah.
JURISPRUDENCE
14
1. Mutasam ush-Shi ah fi Ahkam ush-Shariàh excluding Kitab us-Slat
and its preliminaries (1042 A.H.)
2.An-Nukhbah - a summary of j urisprudence subjects (about 1050
A.H.)
3. Ash-Shihab uth-Thaqib - concerning proving the incumbency of
Salat ul-Jumu'ah [Friday congregational prayer] during the period of
the occultation of "the Waited for Proof' [the 12th Imam] (may Allah
the Exalted expedite his honourable relief) (1057 A.H.)
4. Abwab ul-Jinan - a summary on Salat ul- Jumuah, in the Persian
language (1055 A.H.)
5. The translation of as-Sal& into Persian (1043 A.H.)
6. Mafntih ul-Khayr - on the regulations of as- Skit, in Persian.
7. The translation of at-Taharah in Persian.
8. The translation of az-Zakat in Persian.
9. The translation of as-Siyam in Persian.
10.An-Nukhbat us-Sughra.
11.Ad-Dawabit ul-Khams - concerning the rules of "doubt",
"inattention" and "forgetfulness" in as- Salat.
12. Jihaz ul-Amwat - the important religious questions concerning the
preparation of the dead bodies for funeral.
15
13. A treatise concerning receiving fees on worship acts and religious
ceremonies.
14. A treatise on proving the guardianship over the virgin [daughter] in
respect to [their] marriage.
15. Mittah ush-Sharayi` - one of the most important circulated books
on jurisprudence. It had been commented upon by several
commentators (1042 A.H.).
16. The translation of Al-Hajj, in Persian.
17. Zad ul-Hajj, in Persian, shorter than al- Hajj (1065 A.H.)
18. Ta'liaqat un-Nukhbat us-Sughra.
PRINCIPLES OF JURISPRUDENCE
1. Safinat un-Najat - on the idea that the source of religious precepts is
nothing but the indisputable verses of the Book and the Traditions [of
the Prophet] (1058 A.H.).
2. Al-Haqqul-Mubin fi Kayfiyat it-Tafaqquh fid-Din (1068 A.H.
3.Al-Usul ul -Asliyyah (1044 A.H.)
4. Naqd ul-Usul il-Fiqhiyyah - his first work of compilation.
5. Rahe Sawa (in Persian) - on the reasons of differences among the
sects, and on explaining the meaning of the Ijma [consensus] (about
1040A.H.).
16
6. Shara'it ul-'Iman - a selection from Rahe Sawab (1062 A.H.).
Al-Muhakamah - an argument between two scholars of our Mujtahids
[religious authorities] about the meaning of atTafaqquhfid-Din.
ETHICS
1. Al-Mahajjat ul-Bayda'fi Tandhib el-Ehya'. (1046 A.H.) 2.Al-
Haqa'iqfirAsrarid-DTn - a summary of the above (1090 A.H.).
3. Tashil us-Sabil 'ila al-Hujjah fi Intikhdb "Kashf el-Mahajjah " by
as-Sayyid ibn Tawus (1040 A.H.).
4.A1-Khnitab - consisting of more than one hundred speeches
delivered on the Fridays of the year and on the Wdayn [the two
Feasts].
5. Tarjumat ush-SharPah - on the Islamic Law and how to use it.
6. Zad us-Salik.
7. Raful Fitnah - explaining the truth of knowledge and scholars.
S. Ulfat Nameh - on encouraging the believers to sociability and
unity, in Persian.
9. At-Tathir.
10. Diya'ul Qalb (1057)
11. A'ineye Shahi - a selection from Diyaùl Qalb, in Persian (1066
A.H.)
17
BIOGRAPHIES
1. Sharh us-Sadr - concerning the conditions of his own self (1065
A.H.).
2.Fehristul-Musannafat il-Awwal - covering eight books. He wrote it
when he was 62 years of age (1069 A.H.).
3 & 4. Fehrist ul-Musannafat ith-Thani wath-Thfilith - both written by
him one year before his death. By these he completed writing 116
books (1090 A.H.).
5.Al-I'tidhar - an answer to a friend's letter.
EXTRACTS
1. Extracts from Rasa'il Ikhwan is-Safa.
2. Extracts from AI-Maklitib by Qutb ibn Muhi.
Extracts fromAl-Mattinawibyal-Mawlawit-ir-Rumi, called
"Siraj us-Salikin. "
4. Extracts from his lyric poetry.
5. Selections of some chapters of al-Futuhat ul- Makkiyah by
Muhyaddin ibn il-Aarabi.
LITERARY WORKS
1. Mathnawi Salsabil.
2. Shardb Tahur.
18
3. Tasnim.
4. Nudbat u I- Arif
5. Nudbat ul-Mustaghith.
6. Tanfis ul- Humum.
7. Wasilat ul-Ibtihal 8_, be Zulal [Persian]. 9.Adab ud-Diyafah.
10. Qasa'ede Dahre Ashub [Persian].
11. Gulzare Quds [Persian].
12. Shawq ul-Mandi (A.S.).
13. Shawq ul-Jamal
OTHER BRANCHES
1. Tashrih ul-Alam - describing the form of the world, its materials,
spirits and nature, as well as the movements of celestial bodies, and
its different kinds of elements and compounds.
2. Wasf ul-Khayl - a description of horses and what had been said by
the Infallible Imams (A.S.) about possessing them, knowng them and
their marks (in Persian) (1067 A.H.).
3. Ghunyat ul- Anam fi Ma'rifat is-Sa'at wal Ayyam - according to the
narratives ofAhl ul-Bayt (A.S.).
4. Miyar us-Sa'at - resembling Ghunyat ul-Anam (in Persian).
5. AI-Ahjar ush-Shiclad was-Suyuf - concerning denying the monads.
19
6. Fehrest ul- Ulum.
7. Ajwibat id-Masa'il
8. AI-Kalimat ul-Maknumah (1057 A.H.).
9. Al-Kalimat ul-Makhzitnah, extracted from Al- Kalimat ul-Maknunah
(1089 A.H.).
10. AI-La'ali' - quotations from al-Kalimat ul- Maknunah (1089 A.H.).
11.AI-Mishwaq.
12. Taqwim ul-Muhsinin fi Ma 'rifat is-Sa'ati wash- Shuhuri was-Sinin.
13. Commentary on Ar-Rawashih us-Samawiyyah by Mir Muhammad
Baqir ad-Damad.
III. ON THIS BOOK
This book, Minhaj un-Najat, or The Way to Salvation, is one of the
valuable works of AI-Fayd Al-Kashani. It consists of two chapters and
a conclusion.
1. The first chapter covers the Islamic Tenets : Monotheism, Divine
Justice, Prophecy, Imamate and the Resurrection Day.
2. The second chapter covers the acts of a Muslim : The obediences
and disobediences of the organs of the body, the obediences and
disobediences of the heart, and the rules of companionship and
association.
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3. The conclusion.
Our greater writer presents in this book a summary of the Islamic
tenets, invocations, supplications, the sins and how to avoid them, and
the rules of association and companionship. Its first edition appeared
in 1311 A.H., in lithography, as a part of other writings, such as
Diya'ul Qalb, Besharat ush-Shiàh, Khulasat ul-Adhkar, AI-Insaf
Mir'at ul-Akhirah, and others.
Its second edition appeared in 1979, edicted by Ghalib Hasan, and
printed in AI-Hawadith Printing Press, Baghdad. 13 This new edition
restudied the former two editions and checked them with the original
sources of the Ahadith and corrected its printing mistakes as well as
the mistakes due to oversight, and punctuating it for convenient
reading.
It should be noted that the author had divided the chapters of the book
into sections, starting each section with the subtitle : "Hidayah",
meaning "Guidance." This had been omitted in the second edition and
replaced by a title relevant to the subject of the section, adding, in
some instances, subtitles to some sections. In this edition, however,
the author's subtitle, Hidayah, had been restarted, followed by the
21
subtitle of the Baghdad edition, occasionally modified, to obtain a
better harmony between the two.
As regards this English edition, we tried to be the nearest possible to
the origin, keeping most of the Islamic terminology intact, typed in
italics, and briefly explained in a glossary at the end of the book for
the benefit of the readers.
We ask Allah to regard the publication of this book a useful saving in
the Hereafter for the author, the publishers, the translator and the
editor and those who helped its appearance. It is also hoped that its
publication would benefit the readers. Praise be to Allah at the
beginning and the end.
Islamic Studies Department AI-Bi'thah Establishment
Notes to the Introduction
1. This part is quoted in text from the introduction written by Ali Akbar
Ghijari for al-Mahajjat id- Bayda published by Maktabat us-saduq.
2. He is as-Sayyid Majid ibn Ali ibn al-Murtada ibn Ali ibn Majid, Abu
Ali al-Husayni al-Bahrani, one of the most respected and versed
writer of Bahrayn. He was singled out, in his time, as a scholar and
best memorizer. He was the first to spread the Ahadith in the "House
of Knowledge," the Safeguarded [city of] Shiraz. Ash-Shaykh
22
Sulayman al-Mahuzi in the chapter he annexed to al-Bulghah,
concerning the 'Ulama' of Bahrayn, describes him as : "the erudite
and sagacious Sayyid," and then he says : "Under him sat, as
students, notable 'Ulama'such as our Master, the scholar, Muhammad
Muhsin al-Kashani, the author of al-Wafi. " Look up Amal al-Amel,
p.493; Sulafat ul-Asr, p.500; Khulasat ul-Athar by al-Mawla
Muhammad al-Muhibbi; Vol. 3, p307 and Mustadrak ul-Wasa'il, Vol.
3, p.420.
3. Refer to Lo'lo'at ul-Bahrayn, p.132.
4.Al-Mustadrak, Vol. 3, p.420.
5. Aural ul-Amel, p.507, of the edition annexed to Manhaj ul-Maqal.
6. Jtimi'Ur-Ruwat,, Vol. 2, p.42.
7. Such is in the Zuhar ur-Rabi', p.164, printed in Tehran as we had
numbered it.
8. Lo'lo'at ul-Bahrayn, p.133.
9.Ar-Rawdak p.516.
10. Khatimat ul-Mustadrak, p.420.
11. AI-Kuna wal Alqab.
12. This list was compiled in respect to the topics of books, stating the
respective years of their writings, quoted from :
23
a. The preface of Al-Mahajjat ul-Baydd " published by As Library in
eight volumes.
b. The three indices of his writings, togetherwith the annexes added by
as-Sayyid Muhammad al-Mishkdt, inserted in the Preface to the
Second Volume of al- Mahajjat ul-Bayda " published by the Islamic
Library, in four volumes.
c. Rayhdanat ul-Adab, Vol. 4, pp.374-378, which includes a research
on some books ascribed to him.
13. This book has recently been translated into Persian by Redd
Rajabzddeh and published by Payam-e-,4zddi, Tehran.
Notes on Arabic Pronunciation
In order to help the reader to pronounce the Islamic terms correctly,
we invite him to observe the following notes.
The Arabic alphabet, 28 in number, are formed in the front, the middle
and the rear of the vocal cavity, with the help of the tongue and the
lips. Generally their sounds are, more or less, the same as those of the
English alphabet, except for particular consonants and vowels, which
are explained below:
Arabic Letter Transliteration Explanation
' It is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet,
24
called "al-Hamzah" or 'Alif, and pronounced
like a glotal stop together with the three
vowels, as below:
a as in the English sound of (a) in (an)
Ex: ('amal) = hope.
i as the English sound of (1) in the word (in).
Ex: ('ila) = to.
u as the English sound of (0) in the word
(obey). Ex: (um) = mother. This letter may
occur in
th the beginning, the middle or the end of a
word. It is the 4th letter of the alphabet and is
pronounced like the (th) in the English word
(three).
Ex: (thawb) = dress.
h It is the 6th letter, and is pronounced like the
English letter (h), but is formed in the farthest
section of the throat. It is one of the "throat-
letters."
Ex: (Hajj) = pilgrimage to Mecca.
Kh It is the 7th letter, and is pronounced like the
German "ach."
25
Ex: (Khamsah) = five.
dh It is the 9th letter, and is pronounced like the
English (th) in the word "this."
Ex: ( 'Udhun) = ear.
S It is the 14th letter. It has no equivalent in
English, though it is very near the English
"S". It is formed nearly in the middle of the
mouth, making a thick smacking sound of
"S".
Ex: (Sawm) = fasting.
d It is the 15th letter. It is.
formed by touching the upper incisor teeth
with the tip of the tongue, almost similar to
the forming of the sound of "th" in "the."
Ex: (idarar) = harm.
t It is the 16th letter. It is a palatal sound
formed by smacking the front of
the tongue at the hard palate, making a sound
like that of the English 'T' with a deep smack-
ing sound.
Ex: (tabl) = drum
z It is the 17th letter, almost similar to the
26
sound of "d", but with a slight difference
caused by half closing the
mouth.
Ex: (Zuhr) = noon.
It is the 18th letter and one of the "throat
etters," which are rather difficult to be
pronounced by non-Arabs, except with much
training.
Ex: (ayn) = eye.
gh It is the 19th letter. It is formed by touching
the upper palate with the middle of the
tongue.
It sounds like the Parisian "r".
Ex: (ghaym) = cloud.
q It is the 21st letter. It is formed by pressing
the middle of the tongue to the palate, and
then
letting it go with a burst. It is an Arabic letter.
Ex: (garn) = century.
27
Arabic Long Vowels Explanation
a It sounds as the "a" in the English
word (father).
Ex: (Kalam) = speech.
i It sounds as the "ee" in the English
word (feet). Ex: (fil) = elephant
u It sounds as the "u" in
the English word (true)
or the "oo" in the
English word (root).
Ex: (Khubz) bread.
Arabic Short Vowels
a It sounds as the English letter "a" in
the word (cat). It is called "fat-hah".
Ex: (Kataba) = He wrote.
i It has the short sound of the "i" in the
English word (fit). It is called
28
"Kasrah."
Ex: (fikr) = thought
u It sounds like the "u" in the English
word (put). It is called "dammah." Ex:
(Kutub) = books.
Note: These short vowels are written in the shape of signs onor under
the relevant letters, though, in the transliteration we put them after the
relevant letters, for letter pronunciation. THE AUTHOR'S
PREFACE
Praise be to Allah, who guided us to the true religion and the straight
way, and blessing be upon the one whom He has sent with the white,
upright, easy and magnanimous religion, and upon his progeny, the
guides of the people and the purified from all impurities.
Then, says the servant of the religious sciences, the observer of the
lawful precepts, Muhammad ibn al- Murtada, named Muh-sin -
mayAllah make good his state, and may the Highest Comrade be his
resort :
In this book, Minhaj un-Najat, I have presented the knowledge on
which depends the salvation in the Hereafter and whose acquisition is
incumbent on every Muslim, male and female as stated in the pure
29
Traditions. I have furthermore, mentioned the things which help one
to attain to the highest degrees. I wrote it at the request of a brother -
may Allah make it helpful to him and to other Muslims.
FAITH AND GOD-FEARING
Know that the best guide to Allah, the Glorified, the Almighty is our
Prophet,Sallalahu'Alay'hi wa Ali h,(S.A.) [may Allah send blessing
upon him and his progeny]. Then, next to him, are
"his precious relics and successors: the Book of Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, and his progeny, his household, both of
whom would not part till they come to him at the Pool. Whoever
clings to them will never go astray nor slip off, and whoever seeks
guidance from other than them will go astray and slip off. Whoever
places them in front of him, they will lead him to Paradise, and
whoever places them behind him, they will drive him to the the Fire."
It is understood from them both that salvation in the Hereafter is
dependent on the Imam and Taqwa, that is, Faith and God-fearing.
These two merits are connected to, and uphold, each other. Yet, the
Iman is the more honourable, greater and higher in rank, though there
can be no desirable end without Taqwa, and no guidance except for
the God-fearing. 'Iman is the belief in the following Five Principles :
30
1.Al-Tawhid [Oneness ofAllah].
2.A1-Adl [Divine Justice].
3.An-Nubuwwah [Prophecy].
4. Al-'Im5mah [Leadership of the one appointed by the Prophet as his
successor.]
5. Al-Ma 'ad [Resurrection
Al- Taqwa means obedience to the orders of Allah, the Exalted, and
avoidance of His forbiddings. It has an outward appearance,
represented by the Taqwa of the organs of the body in the form of
visible worshipping and avoiding open and clear shameful
disobediences. It also has an inward character, and it is the Taqwa of
the heart, shown in the form of abandoning all misbehaviours, and
decorating oneself with the virtues.
Thus, 'Iman is both knowledge and belief, while Taqwa is action and
rightness. So, here are two chapters, each comprising of many
sections; and success is Allah's grant.
Note
This is a Tradition common to both Shi'ah and Sunni sects, quoted by
the scholars. Look up Abaqat ul-Anwar; vol. on "Hadith Uth-
31
Theqalayn," Al Bihar, ", vol. 23, chapter on "Fada'il Ahl el-Bays
(A.S.)."
CHAPTER ONE
On
The Islamic Tenets
1. Bab ut-Tawhid [Section on Monotheism]
2. Bab ul-'Adl [Section on Divine Justice]
3. Bab un-Nubuwwah [Section on Prophetood
4. Bab ul-Imamah [Section on the leadership after the Prophet].
5. Bab ul-Ma'ad [Section on Resurrection].
BAB UT-TAWHID
[MONOTHEISM]
A Guidance: The Existence of Allah:
Our Master,the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibnAbi Talib, Alayhis-
Salam (A.S.) [Peace be upon him] was asked: "How did you know
your Lord?" "I came to know Allah, the Glorified," he
said, "through the breaking of determinations and abrogations of
the intentions, as whenever I intended, a barrier appeared
between me and my intention, and whenever I decided, fate
32
contradicted my decision, so I realized that the arranger is
someone else."1
A similar [tradition] from our Master [Ja'far] as-Sadiq (A.S.) is cited,
too.
Our Master Abul Hasan Ali ibn Musa ar-Rida (A.S.) was
asked : "What proof is there on the creation of the world?" In
reply he (A.S.) said: "You did not exist, then you existed, and you
know that you did not make ourself, and that you were not made
by someone like yourself."
The glorious Qur'an says : "...Can there be doubt concerning Allah,
the Creator of the heavens and the earth?"4
How well an Arab has put it by saying : " [A camel's] dropping
proves the existence of the camel, and the footprints prove the
walk. So, the sky has signs of the zodiac, and the earth has
mountain passes. Do these not prove the existence of the Subtle
and Aware Creator?" 5
Our Master, as-Sadiq (A.S.), asked about Allah, asked the
asker: "Have you ever been on a ship?" "Yes," said the asker.
"Have you ever experienced a shipwreck," asked as- Sadiq (A.S.),
"with no nearby ship to come to your rescue, and no swimming
33
could have availed you?" "Yes," replied the asker. "Did your
heart, there and then," again asked he (A.S.), "feel that something
was still capable of saving you from your plight?" "Yes," said the
man. "That thing," said as-Sadiq (A.S.), "is Allah, the capable of
rescuing whenever there is no rescuer, and of helping wherever
there is no helper."6
A Guidance to the Oneness of A115h
Allah, the Glorified, is one and has no partner. Had there
been other gods, "...each god would have certainly taken away
what he created, and some of them would certainly have overcome
others. Glorified be Allah above what they describe."7
Thus Allah, the Great and Almighty, says that if there were many
gods, there would have been distinction among their creations, and
every god would have taken exclusive seizure of what was his, and
there would have been quarrels and rivalry, as is the case with the
kings in the world.
Our Master, as-Sadiq (A.S.) was asked: "What proof is there that
Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is one?" He said: "The con-
tinuation of management and the perfection of creation. As He,
the Great and Almighty, said: If there had been in them [the earth
34
and the heavens] any gods except Allah, they would both be in a
state of disorder."8
By this, he meant that had there been many gods, there would have
been no reciprocal relations among the begins, and they would not
have been benefited by each other. In fact, the order would have been
disturbed, and the earth and the heavens would have been in a state of
chaos.
Amir ul-Mu'minin [the Commander of the faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib]
(A.S.), in his advices to his son, al-Hawn (A.S.), says:
"Know, 0 my son, that if there had been a partner with your
Lord, his messengers too should have come to you and you would
have seen signs of his authority and power, and you should have
known his deeds and qualities. But He is only One God as He has
described Himself. No one can dispute with Him in His authority,
and He will be forever."9
In the Glorious Qur'an He says: "And your God is one God! There
is no god but He." 10
He also says: "Do not take two gods, He is only one God; so of Me
alone be afraid." 11
35
He further says: "Say: If there were with Him gods, as they say,
then certainly they would have been able to seek a way to the
Lord of the Throne. Glory be to Him and High He is above what
they say." 12
A Guidance: Allah's Attributes
Allah, the Exalted, is One, Indivisible. But how? Because if He
divides He will be dependent, since every divisible can only with its
division be complete, and only with it, it can become true, as it needs
it; whereasAllah, the Great and Almighty, is in no need of the worlds.
Furthermore, had He been divisible, His division would be prior to
Him, and, consequently, the division would be more entitled to be a
god than Him - High is He above that!
A Guidance:
He, Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, is unique, matchless and has no
equal. He is the Master like Him there is none, nor has He a visier:
"...nothing is like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing." 13
Equality in rank is a deficiency of perfection, and the need of others'
help, as a necessity, is subject to vanishing. Hence, it is clear that
Allah, the Exalted, has all the attributes of perfection, with no
36
acquisition, means or Kalal 14 ; because deficiency, incapability and
need do not befit the Most High Lord.
A Guidance
He, the Glorified, hears with no moatus nor ears, and sees with no iris
nor lids. He acts with no limbs, and talks with no
tongue. No distance prevents His hearing. No darkness obscures
His vision. No audible, however scarcely heard, and no visible,
however tiny, escape His knowledge. He hears the secret and the
soliloquy, sees what is hidden in the bosom of the earth, and
perceives the movement of the tiny particle in the air, and the
creeping of the black and on the solid rock in the pitch dark night,
or what is even tinier and more invisible than that. Nothing
escapes His knowledge, even the weight of an atom in the earth
or in the heaven: "He knows that which goes deep down into the
earth and that which comes forth out of it, and that which comes
"And from the heaven and that which goes up into it"15 And He
knows what is in the land and the sea, and there falls not a leaf
but He knows it."16 ...and no fruits come out of their sheaths,
37
and no female conceives nor gives birth, but with His knowledge"
17, "Allah knows what every female bears, and that of which the
wombs fall short and that in which they increase; and everything
with Him is measured. He is the Knower of the unseen and the
seen, the Great, the Most High. Alike [to Him] are that of you who
conceals his words and one who speaks them openly, and that who
hides himself by night and [he who] goes on [his way] by day." 18
He is aware of what occurs to one's mind and moves in the
consciences. Nothing happens in the earth or in the heaven without
His knowledge. "19
"He knows what is before them and what is behind them.
"Does He not know whom He created? And He is the Subtile, the
Aware."20
"...There is no secret conference of three but He is their fourth,
nor of five but He is their sixth, nor of less than that or more but
He is with them."21
"...And He is with you wherever you may be."22
Allah, the Great and Almighty, said:
"And when My worshippers ask you concerning Me, then surely I
am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me."23
38
"...and We are nearer to him [man] than his lifevein."24
"Surely there are in doubt as to the meeting of their Lord;
surely He encompasses all things."25
A Tradition says: "If you lower a rope to the lowest earth, it will
descend on Allah."26
The Qur'an says: "...wherever you turn, there is Alldh's face; surely
Allah is compassing, Knowing."27
A Guidance:
He, Great be His mention, is the doer of what He wills, capable of
[doing] what He wills, manager of the beings, and arranger of the
events. Nothing, big or small, much or little, happens in the earth and
in the heaven, but with His judgement, determination and will.
Whatever Allah wills, will be, and whatever He does not will, will not
be. He is the originator and the reproducer, doer of what He wants.
Nothing repels His decision and there is none who can postpone His
decree. No turning away from disobeying Him except by His grace,
and no ability to obey Him exce t with His help and will. "And you
will not unless Allah wills."28
A Guidance
39
He, Endeared be His name, is Ancient, Eternal, Everlasting,
Everliving and never dies. He is self-subsistent and nothing es-
capes His observation: "Slumber does not overtake Him nor
sleep."29 "He begets not, nor is He begotten. And none is His
equivalent."30
Intellects and thoughts are incapable of understanding Him, nor can
insight and discernment comprehend Him. His being needs no place
or direction. His existence depends on no time or movement. He is far
above union and incarnation. He never changes nor disappears, and is
everlasting with no antagonist. He is the Absolute Truth, impenetrable
to invalidity and falsehood. Such is our Lord, as otherwise he would
either be imperfect, incapable or needing. Glory to Allah, He is above
and far from what they ascribe to Him.
Notes to Section 11." Al-Tawhid", chapter concerning that 'Allah,
the Glorified and Almighty, cannot be known but through Him,"
Tradition 6, p.288.'A1-Khisal," chapter on Al-'Ithnayn," Vol. 1, with a
slight difference between them. 'Al-Bihar," Vol. 3, 135b Ithbat is-Sani
p. 42,Trradition No. 17, quoted here.
2. "AI-Tawhid chapter concerning that "Allah, the Glorified and
Almighty cannot be known but through Him," Trad. 8, p.289. 'Al-
40
Bihar," Vol. 3, Bab Ithbat is-Sani p.49, Trad. 21, quoted here.
3. 'Al-Tawhid," Bab Ithbat Huduth il'Alam, p.293, Trad. 8. 'Al-'Uyun
wal Amali and 'AI-Bihar," Vol. 3, p. 36, Trad. 11, both quoted here.
4. Suraht Ibrahim/10.
5. A well-known saying. It is attributed by some to Amir al- Mu'minin
(A.S.). Look up "At-Tafsir ul-Kabir," Vol. 1, p.319.
6. "Ma'anil Akhbar," p.44. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 3, p.41, Trad. 16, quoted
here.
7. Surat ul-Mu'minin/91.
8. Sitrat ul-Anbiya'/22. The narrative is in "A1-Tawhid", p.250, Trad. 2
'Al-Bihar," Vol. 3, p.229, Trad. 19, quoted here.
9. "Nahjul Balaghah," Letter 31, p.396.
10. Surat ul-Baqarah/163.
11. Surat un-Nahl/51.
12. Surat u1-'Isra'/42-43.
13. Surat ush-Shura/11.
14. i.e. the One who has neither father nor son. Look up "Ma'anil
Akhbar" on the meaning of "Al-Kalalah," p.272.
15. Surat ul-Hadid/4.
16. Slirat ul-An'am/59..
41
17. Surat Ha Min/47.
18. Surat ur-Ra'd/8-10.
19. Surat ul-Baqarah/255, Taha /110, Al-Anbiya'/128, AI- Hajj/76.
20. Surat ul-Mulk/14.surat ul-Mujadilah/7.
21. Surat uI-Hadid/4.
23. Surat Qaf/16.
25. Surat Ha Mim/54.
26. "Sunan" by at- Tirmidhi, Vol. 4, Kitab ut-Tafsir; Surat ul-Hadid,
p.193. "Ad-Dur id-Manthur," Vol. 6, Surat id- Hadid, p.170.
28. Surat ul-'Insan/30.
Surat id 'Ikhlas/3-4.
42
2
BAB UL-ÀDL
[Divine Justice]
A Guidance: Allah, the Glorified, Does not Do
Ugly Things:
Allah, the Glorified does not do ugly things because He, the Glorified
and Almighty, knows its ugliness, is able to leave it, and needs not do
it. How? If He does ugly things, nobody will believe in His word,
promise, prophets and messengers High and Pure is He from that
as your Lord is never unjust to His servants, nor does He want
disbelief for His servants. Allah never fails His promise. Whatever He
does is because of a purpose, sagacity and advantage, though, Exalted
be He, is in no need of the world.
A Guidance: People are questioned only about
what He had taught them:
Now as He does neither wrong nor ugly things, His servants are
relieved from what He did not inform them about. He holds them
answerable only in respect to what He brought to them and informed
them about, as He, the Glorified and Almighty, has said:
"Never We punish until We have sent a messenger."1
43
"...so that people should not have a plea against Allah. after [the
coming of] the messengers."2
"...then they should say:Our Lord! Why did you not send to, us a
messenger so that we should have followed Your revelations."3
"It is not that Allah should lead a people astray after He has-
guided them until He had made clear to them what they should
avoid."4
As-Sadiq (A.S.) said [in explanation]: "It means: until He had
informed them what pleased and displeased Him."5
Concerning Allah's saying: "Then (He) inspired it [the soul to
understand] what is wrong for it,"6 he(A_S.) said: "He explained
to it what to do and what not to do."
Also concerning: "Surely We have shown him [man] the way
whether he be grateful or ungrateful, he (A.S.) said:
"It means: We have made him know [the truth], and now it is up
to him to take it or to leave it,"9 and concerning Allah's words:
"And We guided him tothe two highways,"10 'he(A.S.)said: "The
highways of good and evil." 11
A Guidance: Neither (Absolute) Determination
nor (Absolute) Free Will:
44
Allah, the Glorified, the Almighty, is too merciful to his servants to
force them to sin and then torture them for that.Allah, the Glorified,
the Almighty, has said: "This is because of what your hands have
sent ahead, and because Allah is not unjust to the people,"12 and
He, the Exalted, is too mighty to want something, then it will not
come true, as He, the Glorified and Almighty, says: "And you will
not until Allah, the Lord of the worlds, wills." 13 So, there is
neither (absolute) determinism nor (absolute) free will, but something
in between, as our Master, as Sadiq (A.S.) has said: "This is
illustrated by the example of a person whom you saw committing
a sin, so you told him not to do it. But as the man did not stop it,
you left him and he continued committing the sin. In this case,
though you left him because he did not accept your advice, it
cannot be said that you had ordered him to continue committing
the sin." 14
The [Imam] ar-Rida (A.S.) said: "Allah, the Glorified and Almighty,
was not obeyed by force, nor was He disobeyed by submission. He
did not neglect the people in His kingdom, though He is the owner
of what He had given them, and able to do what He had made
them able to do. Yet, if the people obeyed His orders, He would
45
not reject not prevent it; and if they disobeyed Him, He may, if He
so willed, prevent them from that; but if He willed not so, and
they did disobey, He would not be regarded as having pushed
them into it." 15
The [Imam] al-Baqir (A.S.) said: "It is stated and written in the
Torah: 0 Moses! I have created you, chosen you, backed you,
ordered you to obey Me and prohibited you from disobeying Me.
So, if you obeyed Me I would help you to obey Me, but if you
disobeyed Me I would not help you to disobey Me; and I would
oblige you by your obedience, and I would have the proof against
you by your disobedience." 16
As-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "People are of three types in viewing
Determinism: A person who alleges that Allah, the Glorified, the
Almighty, forces people to commit sins. He is unjust in his
judgement in respect to Allah, and he is a disbeliever. Another
person alleges that people are left to Cheri free will. This weakens
Allah's authority, and he is a disbeliever. A third one says: Allah
has charged the people with what they were able to fullfil, and He
did ask them to do what they could not do. When this one does
46
right, he thanks Allah, and when he does wrong, he asks Allah to
forgive them. This one is a mature Muslim." 17
Note:
It is forbidden to discuss determinism. It is one of the secrets of
Allah. As-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "When Allah, the Glorified, the
Almighty, gathers the peoples on the Day of Resurrection, He asks
them about what He had charged them with, not about what He
imposed upon them." 18
He (A.S.) was asked about the charms whether they ward off
anything of Fate, he said: "They are of Fate!" 19
A Guidance: Allah does to His servants what is
in their best interest:
Allah, the Glorified, the Almighty, does not do to His servants
except what is best for them, because He, the Glorified, is kind and
gracious to them, as He is the Almighty, the Wise.Allah,
the Exalted says: "Allah desires ease for you, and He does not
desire hardship for you."20
It is in the Divine Narration that: "Among My believing
servants are same who only seek the door to worship, so I keep
them away from it so that they may not be overcome by conceit
47
which would lead them to perversion. Among My believing ser-
vants are some whose faith cannot be amended except by poverty,
so if I made them rich they would be corrupted. Among My
believing servants are some whose faith cannot be amended by
richness, so if I made them poor, they would be corrupted. Among
My believing servants are some whose faith cannot be amended
except by illness, so if I cured their bodies, they would be cor-
rupted. Among My believing servants are some whose faith
cannot be amended except by good health, so if I made them ill
they would be corrupted. I manage My servants through My
knowledge of their hearts, as I am Knowing, Aware."21AIIah, the
Glorified and Almighty, revealed to Moses (A.S.): "0 Moses! I
have not created a creature more loveable to Me than My believ-
ing servant, yet I afflict him for his good, and cure him for his
good. I know what is in the interest of My servant, so let him be
patient with My affliction, thankful for My graces, and content
with My ordinance. I would consider him among the righteous if
he acted according to My consent and obeyed My orders."22
A Guidance:
48
Allah does not burden a soul but to the extent of its capacity.
Allah, the Glorified the Almighty, imposed on the people
only less than what they can bear, as He said: 'Allah does not
burden any soul but to the extent of its capacity."23
"Capacity" is less than "learning." Do not you see that He ordained
that His servants should perform the daily Salats five times, fast a
month of every year, pay five Dirhams of every 200 Dirhams, and
perform Hajj [pilgrimage to Mecca] once, though they can bear more
than that, as the Imam as-Sadiq has said. 24
A Guidance: Every day He is at some work:
AIM, the Glorified and Almighty, has not yet finished the affair, as the
Jews allege. Rather He is every day at some work, creating, providing
subsistence and doing whatever He wills :
'Allah effaces what He wills and establishes (what he wills) and
with Him is the Master Book (of ordinances)."25 He does not
efface but what existed, and He does not establish but what did not
exist. Otherwise all invocations, medicines, charities, etc. would have
been ineffective. He never repents, for He is above that!
As-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "Allah has not sent any prophet except He
made a compact with him on servitude (to Him, and not to set up
49
compears (to Him), and that He, the Glorified and Almighty,
postpones what He wills and advances what He wills."26
He also said: "Allah. the Glorified and Almighty, did not innovate
out of ignorance."27
And said: "Allah innovated nothing unless He knew of it before
effecting."28
Our Master al-Baqir (A.S.) said: "Knowledge is of two kinds a
knowledge kept with Allah, and He revealed it to none of His
creatures. A knowledge which Ile revealed to His angels and
messengers. The knowledge which Ile taught to His angels and
messengers is that which would happen, since Ile believes not
Himself, nor His angels and messengers. Some of His own
knowledge He advances, as He wills; some of it He retards, as He
wills; and some of it He establishes, as He wills."29
Notes to Section 2
1. Surat ul-Isra/15
2. Surat un-Nisti'/165
3. Surat ul-Qasas/47.
4. Surat ul-Tawbah/115.
50
5, 7, 9, 11. "AI-Kafi," Vol. 1, Bab al-Bayan wat Ta`rif wa luzum ul-
Hujjah, p.153. "At-Tawhid," Bab at-Ta'rIf wal Bayan wal Hujjah wal
Hidayah, p.411. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 5, Bab al- Hidayah wal Idlal, p.196.
6. Surat ush-Shams/8.
8. Surat ul- Insan/3.
10. Surat ul-Balad/10.
12. Surat Al'Imran/182.
13. Surat ut- Takwir/29.
14. "AI-Kafi," Vol. 1, Bab al-Jabr wal Qadar, p.160, H. 13. "Al-
Tawhid," Bab Nafyil Jabr wat Tafwid, p.362, H.8. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 5,
Bab Naf yil Jawriànhu Ta'ala, p.17, 11.27, quoted here.
15. "Al-Tawhid," Bab Nafi Jabr wat Tafwid, p. 361, H. 7. "Al-'Uyun,"
Vol., Bab 11, p.119, H.48. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 5, Bab Nafil Jawr ànhu
Ta'ale, p. 16, H. 22, quoted here.
16. "Al-It'tiqadat," chapter 9. AI-Bihar, Vol. 5, Bab Naf yil Zulm wal
Jawriànhu Ta'ala p.9, H.12, quoted here, as in 'At-Tawhid," Bab ul-
Amri wan Nahi wal wa'di wal wa'id, p.406,H. 2, with slight
difference."Al-Khisal," Bab uth-Thalathah, H. 271. "Al-Tawhid," Bab
Naf yiI Jabr wat TaWid, p. 360, H.S. "Al Bihar," Vol. 5 Bab Nafil
Zulmi wal Jawriànhu Ta'ala, P-9, H. 14.
51
17. "AI-'I'tiqadat," chapter 7. At-Tawhid, B5bul-Qada'wal Qadar, p.
365, H. 12. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 5, Bab ul-Qada' wal Qadar, p.97, H.22,
and p. 112, H. 38, quoted here.
18. "At-Tawhid," Bab ul-Qada wal Qadar, p. 382, H. 29. 'Al- Bihar,"
Vol. 5, Bab ul-Qaq5'wal Qadar, p.98, H. 24, quoted here.
20. "At-Tawhid," Bab annallah Ta'ala La Yaf'al bi'ibadihi illal aslah,
p.398, H. 1. "Al-'Ilal," Bab ut'Tasi p. 12,H.7. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 70, Bab
Hubbullah Ta'ala,
P. 16, H. 8, quoted here.
22. "At-Tawhid," Bab annallah Ta'ala La Yaf'al bi Ìbadihi illal aslah,
p.405, H. 13. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 67, Bab Shiddat ubtiIa'il-Mu'min,
p.235, H.52, with slight difference.
24. "AI-Mahasin," Vol. 1, p.296, H.465.
25. Surat ur-Rad/39.
26. "AI-Kafi," Vol. 1, B5b ul Bida, p.147, H.4. 'At- Tawhid," Bab ul-
Bida', p.333. H.3. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 4, Bab ul-Bida, p.108,H. 21,
quoted here.
27. AI-Kafi, Vol. 1, "Bab Al-Bida'," H.10.
52
28. ibid, H.9.
ibid, H.6. Also narrated by Al-Bargi in W-Mahasin, " Vol. 1, p.243,
quoted by Al-Majlisi in Al-Bihar," Vol. 4, Bab ul-Bida', p.113, H.36,
quoted here.
BAB AN - NUBUWWAH
[Prophethood]
A Guidance: Proving the Prophets:
As it has already been proved that there is a Creator for us, a maker
Who is High above us and above all that he has created and Who is
not to be seen or touched by His creatures, it has consequently also
been proved that naturally He should have ambassadors to His
creatures, expressing Him to His creation, and servants. They were
means of communication between Him and them. They were ears on
one side and tongues on the other. They took (messages) from AIIah
and gave (them) to the people. They learnt from Him and taught the
peoples and guided them through Him to their interests and
benefits, to what preserves them and what destroys them, should they
be negligent. Those who were to "enjoin" and to "forbid" were
appointed by the One Who is Wise and Aware of His creatures - the
53
prophets and the chosen ones from among His creatures. They were
sage, educated with wisdom and sent with it, not sharing with the
people in any of their ways, though sharing with them in constitution
and creation, in order that they may not be far from them, rather they
may suit them to some extent, and feel close to them, as Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, said: "And if We had made him [the
Messenger] an angel, We would certainly have made him a man,
and We would certainly have made confused to them what they
make confused." 1
A Guidance: The Need to Prophets with
miracles:
They must be assigned with signs from Allah, the Glorified, proving
that their religion is from their Lord Who is Knowing, Powerful,
Forgiving and Avenging so that the people may humble themselves
before them, and that those who observe the signs may admit their
advancement and leadership. These signs are "the miracles."
Now, as the Divine Care over the world required sending down rain as
a divine blessing, He did not stop short of letting it pour down from
the sky to meet the creatures' need. Similarly, the order of the world
could not be preserved without somebody to teach the people what
54
brings about the prosperity of this world and the Hereafter. Yes, the
One Who did not neglect to grow the eyebrows for adornment, not for
or necessity, as well as the soles' concavity, how could He neglect to
send a Mercy to the people, since that included a quick advantage for
the safety of the Hereafter and for future good? Or the one Who did
not leave the organs and the senses without assigning a supervisor to
assure them of what is correct, and ascertain them of what is doubtful
the Spirit, how could He leave the entire humanity in their doubt,
perplexity and deviation without assigning for them a guide to whom
they may refer their doubts and bewilderments?Allah, the
Exalted, says: "We have sent Our messengers with clear proofs,
and revealed with them the Book and the Balance that people may
conduct with equity."2
He, the Glorified and Almighty, also says: "It is He Who sent
among the illiterates a Messenger from among themselves, to
recite to them His verses, and to purify them, and to teach them
the Book and Wisdom, although they were before in obvious
error."3
A Guidance: The Prophet's Attributes.
55
The Prophet must be free from whatever befouls and disgraces him,
such as harshness, rudeness, bad temper, envy, misery, ignobility of
fathers, debauchery of mothers, unmanliness, e fiminacy, blindness,
lameness and the like.
Infallibility:
He is to be infallible, not capable of sinning, protected against major
and minor sins, be it intentional or unintentional, so that he may not
make the people disperse away from him; rather they may obey him
voluntarily and willingly. How can the Prophet sin, since the origin of
the sins stems from: greed, envy, anger and desire?
He is not to desire worldly things, while these are "under his ring,"
and as he is the treasurer of the Muslims, why should he be covetous?
He is not to be envious, for man envies one who is above him, while
no man is above the prophet.
He is not to get angry on worldly affairs, unless it is for the sake of
Allah in respect to imposing punishments, etc.
He is not to pursure the desires, preferring this world to the Hereafter,
as Allah had made both the Hereafter and this world lovable to him.
He regards the one in the same way as he regards the other. So, have
56
you ever seen somebody who rejects a beautiful face for the sake of an
ugly one, a tasty dish for a bitter one, a
smooth dress for a coarse one, or a permanent and perpetual blessing
for a temporary and ephemeral world? Such was the saying of Hisham
ibn al- Hakam, a companion of ours, in respect to the infallibility of
the Imams.4
Whatever is stated in the Qur'an and the Traditions about ascribing
committing sins to the Prophets and their successors, may Allah bless
them, is interpretive, as mentioned by Ahl ul-Bayt (A.S.), in lengthy
texts. As they (A.S.) werre usually indulged in worshipping Allah the
Exalted, they might sometimes practice some allowable acts
exceeding the necessity. These were thought to be sins on their part.
This is how we should think about the Chosen, the Pious (A.S.) May
Allah's peace be upon them.
A Guidance: Ranks of the Prophets:
The prophets are higher in position than the angels - that is why Allah
ordered the angels to prostrate to Adam (A.S.). He, the Glorified and
Almighty, said : "Surely Allah. chose Adam and Nuh
and the descendants of Ibrahim and the descendants of Imran over
the worlds."5
57
Our Prophet (S.A.) said to Ali (A.S.): "0 Ali, Allah the
Glorified and Most High, preferred His sent prophets to His
favourite angels, and preferred me to all His sent prophets. Then,
after me, the preference is yours and the Imams succeeding you,
and the angels serve us and our followers The Hadith."7
Number of the Prophets
The number of the prophets is 124,000 and the number of their
vicegerents is similar to their number, as for every prophet there is a
vicegerent appointed by Allah, the Glorified and Almighty. They all
brought the truth from Him: their words are the words of Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, their commands are the commands of Allah.
To obey them is to obey Allah, and disobeying them is disobeying
Allah. So, they uttered nothing but as they were told by Allah and as it
was revealed them by Him.
WWI Azm [The owners of the Holy Books]:
The superior ones were five in number. They were the pivots of the
matter, as they received Divine Laws. They were the prophets: Noah,
Ibrahim, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (S.A.), may Allah bless them
all. Our Prophet is their superior, master and the last, as there is no
prophet after him, and thus there can be no alteration to his religion
58
nor to his Divine Laws, as was said byAllah, the Glorified and
Almighty : "...but he is the Messenger
Of Alldh and Last of the Prophets," and "...he brought the Truth
and verified the Messengers."8 Those who deny that would "...taste
the painful torment."9 And: "...so those who believe in him and
honour and help him, and follow the light which has been sent
down with him; those are the successful." 10
Things Granted to our Prophet and his Progeny
(A.S.)
Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, created no creatures preferable to
Muhammad (S.A.) and his vicegerents (A.S.) They are the most loved
and endeared by Allah. They were the first believers in him, when
Allah took the covenant of the prophets and made them testify of
themselves: "Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes." Allah had sent
him to the prophet (A.S.) in the Heavens, as Allah said : "This is a
warner of the old ones."12 So, the other propheets are his followers.
Yet Allah has given every prophet according to his knowledge of our
Prophet, and who was quicker to believe in him.
Whatever Allah created of creatures was for the sake of our Prophet
and his family (A.S.).
59
Had it not been for them, Allah would not have created the heavens
and the earth, nor Paradise and Hell nor,Adam and Eve, nor the angels,
nor any of what He had created; may Allah bless them.
A Guidance: The Prophet's biography testifies
his Prophethood:
It is well said that 13: "Whoever witnessed our Prophet's behaviour
and heard stories about his morals, deeds, conditions, manners, habits,
characteristics, ways of handling different categories of people,
guiding them to discipline and affinity among themselves, attracting
them to obedience, and whoever heard the reports about his
miraculous answers to different questions,_ wonderful settlements of
the peoples' affairs, good explanations of the details of the religious
problems whose minute particulars could not be comprehended by
learned scholars during all their lives, would feel no doubt at all
concerning the fact that all that knowledge was not something
acquired through usual human power. Rather he would believe that it
could not be except bya Heavenly and Divine Power, and that it,
therefore, could not be available to a fake and liar, as the Prophet's
features and conducts were decisive proofs testifying his truthfulness.
60
A true Arab, looking at him, would say : "By Allah! This is not the
face of a liar!"
he would give his testimony to the Prophet's truthfulness on merely
discerning his complexion; so what would you think him to do on
witnessing his high moral standards in his common behaviour and
manners?
Allah had bestowed all these upon him, despite the fact that he
received no learning, read no books, and travelled to nowhere with the
intention of learning. He lived among the ignorant Arabs, as a weak
and helpless orphan. So, where from would he acquire those high
standards of morality, manners and behaviour, or those judging
faculties out of other branches of knowledge, besides his knowlede of
Allah, His angels, Books, messengers and other characteristics of
prophethood, if it was not an explicit Divine Inspiration? How can a
human being be so independent? Had he no qualities except the
aforementioned ones, they would have sufficed.
Of his miracles and signs there appeared such as no one may doubt
them at all, like his splitting of the moon, the spring of water from his
fingers, feeding numerous guests out of a small quantity of food, and
many other uncountable miracles.
61
Among his miracles is the Glorious Qur'an, which is remaining
forever. By it he challenged the most eloquent orators of the Arabs.
He used to invite them to try to match it, to bring something like it or
like ten chapters of it, or even like a single chapter of it, that is, in case
they doubted its being revealed by Allah, Who says: "Say: If men
and jinn should join together to bring the like of this Qur'an, they
could not bring the like of it, even if they backed each other." 14
He said this as an incapacitation to them, and they were, indeed,
incapable of meeting the challenge. They gave up at last, and although
they exposed themselves to death, and their women and children to
captivity, yet they could neither contradict it, nor even belittle its
eloquence and beauty, so they alleged that: "This is but old
magic,"15 and "...it is perfect magic,"16 , and the like.
I say: The Quran includes numerous miraculous aspects besides its
miraculous eloquency. These are mentioned in our book ... Ilm al-
Yaqin" 17 in detail concerning the other miracles.
A Guidance: The Glorious Qur'an:
The Glorious Qur'an is Allah's speech, Revelation, Words and Book :
"Falsehood cannot come to it from before it, not from behind it
62
a revelation from the Wise, the Praiseworthy." 18 It is: "...the true
narrative,"19 and: "It is a decisive word, and it is no joke."20
Allah, the Blessed and High, had told and revealed it, and He is its
Lord and Protector, as he is the Master of all Books. It is true from its
beginning till its end. We believe in its clear and ambiguous, general
and particular, promises and threats, abrogatings, and abrogated,
narrative and informative verses, and that no creature is capable of
producing its like.
A Guidance: Everything brought by the Prophet
is true:
All that had been brought by our Prophet, Muhammad (S.A.) is a
manifest truth that cannot be doubted. Whoever denies any part of it,
after having admitted that it is of what he had brought, will be a Kafir
[disbeliever.]
Concerning the Mi'raj [The Prophet's ascension
to the Heavens]:
Among them [the Prophet's miracles] is the Mirij, as stated by Allah,
the Glorified and Almighty: "Glorified be he Who ascended His
servant by night from al-Masjid ul-Haram [in Mecca] to al-Masjid
ul- Aqsa [in Jerusalem], the surrounding of which We
63
"21 and: so as to show him of Our signs, and: "Then he drew near,
as near as the distance of two bows. ,22 etc.
On his return the Prophet told of things which proved his truthfulness.
A Guidance: Our Prophet's prophethood is for
all human beings:
The prophethood of our Prophet is for all people, as Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, said: "And We have not sent you but to all
men as a bearer of good news, and as a warner, 23 but to the jinn
and men, as Allah, the Most High, quoting them, said: "0 our people!
respond to Allah's caller and believe in Him."24
Furthermore, our Prophet (S.A.) is the Master of the prophets.
Similarly, his were the best vicegerents, his Book the best of the
Books and commanding all the others, his religion the best of religions
and abrogating them all, and his Ummah [nation] the best and the
moderate one; as Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, said: "You are
the best Ummah raised up for [the benefit of] mankind..."25 and:
"And thus we have made you a moderate nation that you may be
witnesses over mankind and (that) the Messenger may be a
witness over you."26
Notes to Section 3
64
1. Surat ul-Anam/9.
2. Surat uI- Hadid/25.
3. surat ul-jumuah/2
4. Narrated by As-Saduq (may Allah have mercy on him) in "al-
Ma'ani," Bab Ma'na 'Ismat ul-Imam, p.133. Also in "al- khisal," "al-
'Ilal," and "al-Amali," aswell as in "al-Bihdr," Vol. 25, Bab
Ìsmatuhum wa Ìsmat ul-Imam (A.S.), p.192, H.1, quoted here.
5. Surat, Al 'Imran/33.
6. Narrated by as-Saduq (may allah have mercy on him) in "Ikmal ud-
Din," Vol. 1, Bab Nassullahi Ta'ala 'ala al-Qa'im (A.S.) [the 12th
Imam], p.254, H.4. Also in "al-Ilal" and 'al-Uyun," as well as in "al-
Bihar, Vol. 26, Bab Fadlum-Nabi wa Ahli Baytih (A.S.)'alal Mala-
'ikah, p.335. H.1, quoted here.
7. Surat ul-Ahzab/40.
8. Sfirat us-Saffat/38.
9. ibid/38.
10. Surat ul-Araf/157.
11. ibid/172.
12. Surat un-Najm156.
13. 13."Ihya 'Uhim id-Din," Vol. 2, Kitab adab ul-Maìshah wa
65
AkhalqunNubuwwah, p.383.
14. Surat Jul Isra/88.
15. Surat ul-Muddaththir/24.
16. Surat ul-Qamar/2
17. 'Ilm al-Yaqin, Vol. 1, Chapter 9, pp.483-6.
18. Surat Fussilar /42.
19. Surat al 'Imran/62.
20. Surat ut-Tariq/13, 14.
21. SFirat ul-Isra/1.
22. Surat un-Najm/8, 9.
23. Surat Saba'/28.
24. Surat ul-Ahqaf/31.
25. Surat,Al Imran/110.
26. Sitrat uI-Baqarah/143.
66
4
BAB UL-IMAMAH
[imamate]
A Guidance: Proving the Imamate
That which we stated in respect to the inevitability of having a prophet
is exactly true in respect to the necessity of the appointment of their
vicegerents or successors the Imams to remain till the appearance
of the next Prophet. The need to them is not confined to particular
times, nor to certain situations, as the Books and divine laws would
not be applicable without there being a well versed guardian to guard
and enact them. Do you not see how the different sects depend on the
Book of Allah in their religion, because of their ignorance of its
meaning, thier hearts' deviation and divergence of their desires?
Thereupon it appeared necessary that every prophet sent with a Book
from Allah the Glorified and Almighty, should appoint a vicegerent
and entrust him with the secrets of his prophethood and of the Book
revealed to him, explaining to him its ambiguities, in order that the
vicegerent could be the evidence of the prophet against his people, so
that the people may not act freely with that Book according their own
67
minds and opinion, upon which the hearts would differ and deviate, as
had been said byAllah, the Glorious and Almighty: "He
it is Who has revealed the Book to you; some of its verses are
clear, they are the basis of the Book and others are ambiguous;
as for those in whose hearts there is perversity, they follow what is
ambiguous, seeking contention, and seeking to give it (their own)
interpretation, while no one knows its interpretation except Allah
and those who are firmly rooted in knowledge." 1
So, the Prophet, the Imam and the Book are evidences against the
Ummah: "...that he who would perish might perish by clear proof,
and he who would live might live by clear proof."2
The Presence of the Imam is a Favour:
There being an Imam is a favour fromAllah to His servants, as his
presence would cause them to gather and to unite. He would help in
taking the weak's right from the strong, and the poor's from the rich.
Through him the ignorant would be curbed, and the unmindful would
become mindful. Allah, the Glorified and Almighty said : "...and there
is not an Ummah but a warner has gone among them." He, the
Glorified and Almighty, also said: "...and there is for every people a
guide," and: "And (think you of) a day when We raise in every
68
Ummah a witness against them from among themselves and bring
you as a witness against these."5
The Prophet (S.A.) said: "In every generation of my Ummah there
is a just (man) of my progeny. They would ward off the religion
the falsification of the extremists, the arrogation of the liars and
the interpretation of the ignorant."6
Had there been no Imam, most of the precepts of the religion would
have been out of practice, and, hence no longer useful.
As regarding the occultation of an Imam in a certain period, and his
being unable to enact the precepts, it is due to the subjects, not to the
Imam, and it does not mean a contradiction to Allah's favour. It is for
Allah to appoint an Imam for the subjects so as to herd them together,
but if they deterred Him from effecting that, because of their
incapacity and ill preparedness, there could eventually be no argument
against Allah:
"...surely Allah did not wrong them, but they did wrong
themselves," although what is in his occultation, of good and
wisdom, and of manifold increase of the rewards for those who
believe in it, and those who confirm the existence of the Imam in their
69
righteous deeds, makes it possible to avoid the enactment of the
religious penalties and the like.
A Guidance: The Attributes of the Imam:
The Imam must be the best man among his contemporary people, and
the nearest to Allah, the Glorified and Almighty. In him should
combine the attributes of good, which are sporadical in other people,
such as: profound knowledge of the Book of Allah and the Traditions
of His messenger, deep knowledge of Allah's religion, fighting for the
sake of Allah, desiring for what is with Allah, and renouncement of
what is in thehands of the creatures of Allah, and other such merits.
The Infallibility of the Imam:
An Imam is to be infallible in respect to aversion, mistakes and
efforts, both in word and deed. He should not be affected by his
emotions when judging, nor should he be tempted by this world, for
the same reasons already mentioned in respect to the Prophet himself.
Generally speaking, whatever had been conditioned for the Prophet,
would be required on the part of the Imam, too, except prophethood.
As-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "Whatever had been [allowed] for the
Messenger of Allah is for us, too, except prophethood and wives."8
A Guidance: Knowing the Appointed Imam:
70
The aforementioned praiseworthy attributes and numbered
characteristics cannot be recognised except through Allah's revelation
to His Messenger, since it is impossible to know the hidden secrets, as
He revealed to our Prophet Muhammad (S.A.) concerning Ali (A.S.)
by saying: "Only Allah is your guardian and His Messenger,"9
and. ..... Announce what has been revealed to you from your
Lord..." 10 and other verses. When there is a revelation, it will be
incumbent on the Messenger (S.A.) to name the one who is to succeed
him after his demise:
Either in words, as our Prophet (S.A.) said:
"Whomsoever I am the guardian over, 'Ali is also the guardian
over," 11 and his speech: "0 my companions! Ali ibn AN Talib is my
vicegerent and successor among you, during my life and after my
death. He is the Grand Friend and the Distinguishes who
distinguishes between right and wrong. He is Allah's Door
through which He is reached, the way to Him and an evidence for
Him. Recognizing him is recognizing me, denying him is denying
me and following him is following me A Tradition continued
from Ibraham till now."12
71
Or in deed, as our Prophet (S.A.) did to Ali (A.S.) He installed him as
commander of his regiments and armies and sent them under his
banner, and never put him under any commander. He was not like
those who were under the banners of Amr ibn al-As, 'Usamah ibn
Zayd and others. The Prophet's companions know him as commander
of his forces, and never being under any commander.
Had not the Prophet nominated his vicegerent, there would have been
splitting, disturbances and differences among his companions. How
could the Prophet neglect such an important matter, while he himself
used to advice the common people, encouragingly and persistently, to
make a will even concerning much less important matters?
A Guidance: The Twelve Imams:
It has come to us by successive hearsay quoting our Prophet (S.A.) to
have said that Allah's proofs, besides him (S.A.), before His creatures
are the twelve Imams. The first of them is Amir ul-Mu'minin [The
Commander of the Faithful], Ali ibn Abi Talib (A.S.), then Al- Hasan,
az-Zaki, [The Pure] (A.S.), then AlHusayn ash-Shahid [The Martyr]
(A.S.), then Ali ibn al- Husayn, Zayn al-Abidin [The Ornament of the
Worshippers] (A.S.), then Muhammad ibn Ali, al- Baqir, [The
Erudite] (A.S.) then Ja far ibn Muhammad, as-Sadiq [The Truthful]
72
(A.S.) then Musa ibn Ja far, AI-Kazim [The One Who Curbs One's
Anger] (A.S.), then Ali ibn Musa, Ar-Rida [The Pleased] (A.S.), then
Muhammad ibn Ali, Al-Jawad [The Generous] (A.S.), then Ali ibn
Muhammad, Al-Hadi [The Guide] (A.S.), then Al-Hawn ibn Ali, Az-
Zaki (A.S.), then his son,Al-Qa'im, may Allah enhance his release, who
was named after the Prophet (S.A.), nicknamed Sahib uz- Zaman [The
Lord of Time], Allah's vicegerent on His earth in our era, may Allah
bless them all.
The Prophet (S.A.) said: "There are twelve of my family, to whom
Allah has given any understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. He
created them the like of my disposition. So, woe on those who look
arrogantly at them and separate them from me, after my
departure! What has come over them? May Allah deprive them of
my intercession!" 13
He also said: "After me there will be twelve. You, 'Ali, will be the
first of them, and the last will beAl- Qa'im [The upriser], with
whose hand Allah will conquer the East and the West of the
Earth."14
A flow of similar narratives is to be seen in the books of the Sunnis,
too.
73
Every one of them [the twelve Imams] had nominated the one (or the
ones) coming next, as the infallible Imam(s) or successor(s),
informing his companions of his successor(s)'s name(s) and
nickname(s).
Their purity and truthfulness are proved with all creditable Muslims of
different sects and groups. This is one of the clearest evidences to the
fact that it is they who are the proofs [of Allah], not those whose
merits and dispositions are disputed. This can also be evident by
following up their works and knowledge, which will do away with any
degree of doubt.
Our Shaykh [elder] as-Saduq, Abu Ja far Muhammad ibn Ali ibn
Babawayh (May Allah have mercy upon him) said:
"Among the most manifest proofs confirming their Imamate is that
Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, made the portent of the Prophet
(S.A.) his narration of the stories of the past prophets (A.S.), knowing
all that was in the Torah, the Bible and the Psalms, while he,
apparently, knew no reading, nor did he meet any Christian or Jew.
This was the greatest of his signs.
Al-Husayn ibn Ali (A.S.) was killed, leaving behind his successor, Ali
ibn al-Husayn, a youth of less than twenty years. He took to isolation
74
and refrained from contacting people, except his close companions.
He was completely indulged in worshipping, with very little of his
knowledge leaking out. This was due to his difficult time and the
tyranny of the Ommayides. Then appeared his son, Muhammad ibn
Ali, known as al-Baqir (A.S.) because he "cleaned his way through
knowledge". He was a great authority in religious, Qur'anic,
Traditional and biographical sciences, as well as in the history of the
Arab wars. After him came Ja far ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq (A.S.)
with greater distinction and prominence. There was no branch of
knowledge without numerous innovations being added to it by him.
He interpreted the Qur'an and the Tradition; and narratives about the
Arab wars and the prophets (A.S.) were quoted from him. Neither he,
nor his father, Muhammad ibn Ali (A.S.), nor his grandfather, Ali ibn
al-Husayn (A.S.) had ever been seen attending any lecture delivered
by the narrators of the Traditions and the jurisprudents for the purpose
of learning from them. This is quite an explicit evidence to the fact
that they had received their knowledge from the Prophet (S.A.), then
from Ali (A.S.), then the one Imam from the other, in succession.
Similar was the case with the lot of the Imams such was their
method of acquiring knowledge. They were asked about the lawful
75
and the unlawful, and they used to give identical answers, without
having learnt it from any ordinary person.
So, what evidence can better prove their Imamate, and their being
appointed by the Prophet (S.A.), who taught them and entrusted them
with his knowledge and the knowledge of the prophets (A.S.) before
him? Have we ever seen anybody whose manners were similar to
those of Muhammad ibn Ali (A.S.) and Ja far ibn Muhammad (A.S.),
without acquiring them from someone else?" 15
The statements received from the Prophet (S.A.) concerning their
merits and virtues are too many to be counted, and too well-known to
be concealed, especially the virtues of Amir ul- Mu'minin [Ali] (A.S.).
Ibn Abbas, quoting the Prophet (S.A.), narrated that he said: "If the
plantations were pens, and the seas were ink, and the jinn were
counters, and the human beings were writers, they would not be
able to count the virtues of Amir
16
ul-Mu'minin (A.S.)."
A learned person, asked about the virtue of Ali ibnAbi Talib (A.S.),
said: "What can I say about a man whose enemies concealed his
virtues out of envy and enmity, and whose followers concealed his
76
virtues out of fear and to protect themselves against his enemies; yet
those emerged from among the concealers so man of his virtues that
has spread from as to west." 17
A Guidance: The General Attributes of the
Imams:
It must be noted that the Imams (A.S.) are the authorities who are to
be obeyed, according to Allah's command. They are the witnesses
against the people, the doors and paths leading to Allah, the chest of
His Knowledge, and the pillars upholding His unification. They are
infallible against errors and mistakes. They are the ones whom Allah
had made free from gilt i.e. from doubt and purified them
thoroughly. They have signs, portents and miracles. They are the
securities for the people of the earth, the same as the stars are the
securities for the people of the Heavens. Their parable is like that of
Noah's ship, whoever got on board was safe, and whoever remained
behind was drowned. They are the honoured servants of Allah. "They
never precede Him in speech, and act only by His command". Loving
them is belief, and hating them is disbelief. Their enjoining is Allah's,
and their forbidding is Allah's. To obey them is to obey Allah, and to
disobey them is to disobey Allah. Their friend is Allah's friend, and
77
their enemy is Allah's enemy. The earth has never been void of a proof
of Allah against His creatures: either visible and known, or afraid and
hidden, as otherwise it would have collapsed together with its
dwellers. is
A Guidance: the Attributes of al-Qa'im.
The one who dies without knowing the [infallible] Imam of his time,
dies as if he had died in the Jahiliyyah [pre-Islamic] era.
The proof of Allah on His earth, and His deputy to His creatures in our
present time, is "Al-Qa'im, the Awaited forMuhammad ibn al-Hawn
al-Askati" It is he whom the Prophet (S.A.), quoting Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, named together with the other Imams
(A.S.) telling his description and lineage. It is he who will fill the
earth with justice and fairness, after it had been filled with oppression
and tyranny. It is he by whose hands Allah will demonstrate His
religion so as to make it prevail over all religions, despite the
aversion of the polytheists. It is he by whom Allah will conquer the
casts and the wests of the earth, so that there will be no place on it in
which the Adhan [the call for Salat] may not be heard, as the religion
will then be Allah's. He is al-Mahdi [the one who is guided and
guides] who had been mentioned by the Prophet (S.A.) as the one
78
who, when reappears, will be followed by Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus)
who will perform his Salat behind him.
All of them [the twelve Imams] were killed by poison, except Ali and
'al-Husayn (A.S.), who were killed by the sword.
Whoever denies the Imamate of any one of them is as if he denies the
prophethood of all the prophets (A.S.). As- Sadiq (A.S.) said: "The
denier of our last is as the denier of our first."
The Prophet (S.A.) was quoted to have said: "Whoever denies Ali his
Imamate after me, will be denying my prophethood; and whoever
denies my prophethood will be denying Alldh His Lordship."21
The one who exaggerates [their merits] is like the one who belittles
[them], or he is even worse.
It is also a duty to love those who love Amir ul- Mu'minin (A.S.), those
who followed up the path of their Prophet, neither changing, nor
replacing, anything such as: Salman al-Farsi Abu Dhar al-Ghifari al-
Miqdad ibn al- Aswad, Ammar ibn Yasir, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman,
Abul- Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan, Sahl ibn Hanif, Abada ibn as- Samit,
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, Khuzamay ibn Thabit, Dhush- Shahadatayn,
Abu Said al-Khudri, and the like, as well as their followers and
disciples who were guided by them and followed their way, may Allah
79
be pleased with them and please them This is quoted from our
master,Ar- Rida (A.S.). 24
Notes to Section 4
1. AI- Imran/7
2.Al-Anfal/42.
3.AI-Fatir/24
4.Ar-Ra'd/7.
5.An-Nahl/89.
6. "Qurb ul-Asnad", p. 37 "Al- Kafi", Vol. 1 p. 32. "AI-Ma'ani", Bab
Ma'mas-Sirat, p. 35 "Ikmal ad-Din", Vol. 1, Bab anna-l-ard la takhlu
min Hujjatin
lillah, p. 221, H- 7. "Al- Bihar", Vol. 23,135b ul-Idtrar Hal Hujjah, p.
30. H. 46. 7.Ar-Rum/9.
&Al-Bihar, Vol. 26,Bab Tafdilihim (A.S.) 'ala-l-Anbiya', p. 317, H.
83. 9.AI-Ma'idah/55.
10. ibid./67.
11. A well-known Hadith agreed upon by both parties.
12. Its origin could be traced through the sources within our reach, yet
its passages are found in many narratives in different chapters. Look
up "Al- Bihar", Vol. 37 & 38, Abwab un-Nusus ad-Dallah 'ala-l-
80
Khusus 'ala 'Imamat Amir il-Mu'minin (A.S.).
13. "Al-lkhtisas", p. 204. "Al- Ikmal," Vol. 1, 135b Nas un-Nabi (S.A.)
'ala-1-Qa'im (may Allah hasten his release), p. 281,11.33. "Al- Uyun",
Vol. 1, p. 53, H. 32, "AI-Bihar vol. 36, 135b Nusus ur-Rasul (S.A.)
'ala-l-a'immah (A.S.) p. 243, H. 52, quoted here.
14. "'Uyum Akhb& ar-Rida", Vol. 1, p. 53. "Al-Ikmal," 135b ma
Ruwiyah ,an in-Nabi (S.A.), p. 282,H.35. "A `lam al-Ward", p. 370,
with a slight difference.
15. "Ikmal od-Din ", p. 91.
16. "Al-Manaqib" by Al-Kharazmi, pp. 2 & 335. "At-Tara'if, p. 139.
"Al-Bihar", Vol. 40, Bab Jawami 'Manaqibihi (A.S.), pp. 49 & 70, and
Vol. 38, 135b fit Thawab dhikr Fada'ilihi, p. 197.
17. "Al-Kalam", by Ash-shafi'i, referred to by Ibn Abi Al-Hadid in
"Sharh Nahj al-Balighah", as in "Glayand Maram", Bib Siàt Fada'il
Amir il-Mu'minin (A.S.), mintariq Ahlis- Sunnah, p. 497.
These passages are the contexts of the Ahadfth stated in different
chapters which we did not mention so as not to be lengthy. Those who
want to
know them in details may refer to their relevant sources.
19. These passages, like the former ones, can be traced in books on Al-
81
Qd'im may Allah enhance his release . These had been left out
for fear of being lengthy.
20. "AI-I'tiqadat", Chapter 38.
21. "AI-Amali", byAs-Sadiq, the Session No. 94. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 8:3,
Bab fi Jawami 'il-akhbar ad-Dallati 'ala'lmamatih, p. 109, H. 39,
quoted here.
"'Uyun Akhbfir ar-Rida", Vol. 2, p. 124.
Bab ul-Ma'ad
[Resurrection]
A Guidance: Death is True
Death is true and: "Every soul will taste of death".1 But humanity is
created to remain, to be forever, not to perish and pass away. Man
would not perish by death; only his soul is separated from his body,
moving from this world to the other, as in the Prophet's Hadith.2
Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, said: "And do not speak of those
who are killed in the way Alldh as dead, rather (they are) alive..."3
The Prophet (S.A.) called out to those of the enemy who were killed
in the battle of Badr: "0, so-and-so! 0, so- and-so! I have found
82
what my Lord had promised me, have you found what your lord
had promised you?" Then he said: "By the One in Whose Hand is
my soul, they, indeed, hear these words better than you do, only
they are unable to utter the reply."4
A Guidance: Questioning in the Grave:
Questioning in the grave is true. The Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.) said:
"Whoever denies three things will not be of our followers:
theMi'raj [the ascension of the Prophet to heaven], the questioning
in the grave, and the intercession."5
Those to be questioned are either the absolute believers or the absolute
disbelievers. The others will be neglected as unnoticed. So, whoever
answers correctly, his reward will be "Rawhun wa Rayhan"
[happiness and bounty] in his grave, "and a garden of bliss" in the
Hereafter. He will be questioned while under pressure [of the grave].
So few are those who will be spared this pressure! Most of the torture
in the grave is because of ill-temperedness, slandering and slighting
urine [as a Najasah]. For the believers it is an atonement for their sins
which had not been atoned by worries, griefs, illness or severe horror
at death-time.
A Guidance: Resurrection After Death is True:
83
Resurrection after death is true because Allah's justice requires that the
rewards (or punishments) due to the people on their needs should be
paid to them, and this promises and threats should be fulfilled. The
wrongdoers would be tried on behalf of the wronged, etc. Allah, the
Glorified and Exalted, said: "Do you
think that We had created you in vain and that you shall not be
returned to Us?"6
He, Glorified and Almighty, also said: "... If you are in doubt about
the resurrection, then [remember that] We created you from earth
... That is because Allah is the Truth and because He gives life to the
dead and because He is capable of (doing) everything, and because the
Hour is coming there is no doubt about it, and because Allah shall
resurrect those who are in the graves.
"
He, Glorified is His name, also said: "... and We certainly
created man of an extract of clay ... Then after that you will
certainly die, then on the day of Resurrection you shall be
raised."8
He further said: "... as We generated the first creation (so) We shall
reproduce it."9
84
The Prophet (S.A.) said: "0 children of 'Abdul Muttalib! A pioneer
does not lie to his people. By the One Who sent me with the Truth,
you will die as you sleep, and you will be resurrected as you get
up, and, after death there is no abode except Paradise or Hell."10
A Guidance: The (Straight) Path is True:
The (straight) Path is true. It is a bridge that extends alongside Hell,
leading to Paradise. All human beings will have to pass on it. Allah,
the Glorified and Almighty, said: "And there is not one of you but
shall come to it. That is a fixed ordinance of your Lord." I I
As-Sadiq (A.S.) is quoted to have said: "As- Sirat [The (Straight)
Path] is finer than a hair and sharper than a sword. Some cross it
as quick as a lightening, some like a running horse, some crawling,
some walking and some cross it hanging as the fire may a part of
them and leave the other parts." 12
He also said: "The Sirat is the Path to knowing Allah. There are
two Sirats: one is in this world and one is in The Hereafter. The
one in this world is the Imam whom one must obey. Whoever
knew him in this world and followed his guidance would cross the
Sirat, which is the bridge over Hell, in the Hereafter. But whoever
85
did not know him in this world, his foot would slip off the Sirat in
the Hereafter, and would fall into the fire of Hell." 13
That is: through the Imam passes the way to Knowing Allah and he is
the guide to His path, in word and deed. So, the one who knew him in
this world, followed his guidance, complied with his instruction, and
crossed the straight Sirat which he had crossed in
this world, that is, adopted the method of his deeds and his high moral
standards, as Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, said through our
Prophet, Muhammad (S.A.): "And that is My path, the right one,
follow it ..."14, would be the rescued who would cross the Sirat of the
Hereafter. But the one who did not know him [the Imam] and did not
follow his way, would certainly be the one who would be ruined and
whose foot would slip over the Sirat of the Hereafter.
In another the narrative, quoted from az-Zaki al- Askari [the eleventh
Imam] (A.S.), it is said:
"The Sirat this world is that which is below extravagance and
above remissness, and does not quit righteousness towards
anything which is wrong." 15
This is also similar in meaning to the former. Actually they are the
same, should one consider them carefully, because the
86
straightforwardness from which there is no deviation to extremities is
the path of the Imam (A.S.).
There are obstacles on the Sirat named after the Commands and the
Injunctions, such as as-
Saldt, [Islamic prayer], az-Zakat [Islamic tithes], observance of
kinship ties, honesty, guardianship of the Imam (A.S.), and the like.
Whoever did not observe any one of these matters, would be halted at
the relevant obstacle and asked concerning Alldh's right in them. If he
had left the world with good deeds, or if Allah's mercy was bestowed
on him, he would be saved from that particular obstacle, moving to the
next halting stop. He would, in this way, advance from one halt to
another, questioned at each stop. Having passed through them all, he
would reach Dar al-Baqa' [the everlasting abode], where he would
live a deathless life, in a cloudless everlasting happiness. But if he
could not cross them safely, his foot would slip and fall over "the
obstacle" into the fire of Hell we seek refuge with Allah from that
situation!
A Guidance: The Balance
The Balance and the Reckoning are true. Allah, the Glorified and
Almighty, said: "And the weighing on that day is the true
87
(weighing). The one whose scales are heavy, they are the
successful."16 and: "And the one whose scales are light, they are
those who lost their souls, abiding in Hell."17 "And We will up a
just balance for the Day of Resurrection, and no soul shall be
dealt with unjustly in the least, through it be of the weight of a
grain of mustard seed, We bring it, and it suffices that We are
Reckoners."
As-Sadly (A.S.) said: "The Balances of Justice are the
prophets and their vicegerents (A.S.)."19
I say: That, by explanation, means that the balance is the criterion with
which the status of a thing is estimated. The highness of the people's
status and the acceptability of their deeds are measured according to
the level of their belief in the prophets and their vicegerents, the extent
of their love, and of their obedience, in words, deeds, morals and in
following their example.
The acceptable, heavy and preferred of deeds is that which accords
with their deeds. The satisfactory, commendable and nice of morals
and sayings are those which are in harmony with their morals and
sayings. The true and the sound of beliefs are those taken from them.
88
The rejected of these are those which do not conform with theirs; yet,
the nearer these characters to theirs, the more acceptable they can be,
and the farther they are from theirs, the less acceptable they can be.
Therefore, it is they who are "the balances" for deeds and knowledge,
so beware!
A Guidance: Reckoning
Reckoning is true. It is the balance of the differences of quantities and
numbers to know their amounts. Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, is
capable of uncovering, in a single moment, to the creature, the balance
of their good and bad deeds: "... He is the quickest of reckoners."20
Allah insists on letting them know the truth of that, so as to make clear
His favour when forgiving them, and His justice when punishing
them. He would address all His servants, from the earliest time,
concerning a summary of the reckoning of their deeds, in a single
address, though each one will only hear this own case, thinking that it
is only he who is being addressed. None of these addressings would
distract Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, from other addressings. He
would finish the reckoning within a single worldly hour, offering to
every one of them his [account] book which he would find wide open,
speaking out to him all his deeds a book which "...
89
leaves not a small thing nor a great thing but has counted it."21
Thus, man is made the reckoner and the judge of himself, by telling
him: "Read your book, your own self is sufficient as a reckoner
against you today."22 Allah, the Glorified and Almighty, would seal
up men's mouths, whereas their hands, feet and all their organs would
testify against them as to what they did: "And they would say to
their skins: Why have you borne witness against us? They would
say: Allah, who makes everything speak, made us speak,"23 then
the books would fly about, and the eyes would stare at them to see if
they would fall on the right or on the left: "... as
for the one who is given his book in his right hand, he would say:
Come, read my book."24 and: AI tit as far the one who is given his
book in his left, he would say: 0 I wish I were not given my book!
"25 One would then look at the Balance to see whether it would
incline towards the good or the bad deeds, and whether the sale of the
good deeds is heavy as light: "As to that whose scale [of good deeds]
is heavy, he shall live a pleasant life. But as to that whose scale is
light, his abode shall be the abyss."26
A Note:
90
No one is spared the danger of the Balance and the reckoning except
the one who had reckoned with himself in this world, and weighed his
deeds, words, steps and moments with the Balance of religion, as is
stated in the narrative saying: "Reckon with yourselves before you
are reckoned with, and weigh them before you are weighed. "27
A Guidance: The Terrors of the Day of
Resurrection are True:
All that had been mentioned by religion concerning the terrors of the
Day of Resurrection such as its length, intense heat, the
perspiration of the people on that day, its overcrowdedness, quarrels,
denying one another, running away from one's brother, mother, father,
wife and children, as well as the trial procedures, the summoning of
the witnesses, the questioning and so on, as they are referred to by
AlIah, the Glorified and Almighty, in the Qur'an, and by the Imams of
Guidance (A..S) in the narratives quoted from them, are true and there
is no doubt about them.
As-Sadiq (A.S.) said:
"Reckon with yourselves before being reckoned with, as there are
fifty halting stops on the Day of Resurrection, each one of them
91
seems like a thousand years." Then he recited [the verse]: "... in a
day whose span is fifty thousand years."28 A Note:
It had been said that the perspiration which had not been sweated and
because of toiling in the way of A Allah through Hajj [pilgrimage to
Mecca], Jihad [holy war], Siyam [fasting], Qiyam [prayers], toiling in
serving people, enduring difficulties, enjoining good and forbidding
evil, would be sweated by feeling shame and fear on the Day of
Resurrection, a day of long anguish. whoever had waited long in this
world and suffered difficulties in obtaining from fulfilling his desires,
his waiting on that day would particularly be short. Asked about the
length of that day, the Prophet (S.A.) replied: "By the one in whose
hand is my soul, it would be so lightened for the believers that it
would be easier than the performance of the Salat imposed in this
world."29
A Note:
The person who had been wronged would have his rewards increased
by the rewards taken from those granted to the wrongdoer for his
goods deeds. If the wrongdoer had no rewards, his penalties would be
increased by taking some of the penalties of the wronged and added to
92
his. This is what had reached us from the Imams of guidance (A.S.).
30 The Prophet (A.S.) was quoted to have said:
"Do you know who is the bankrupt?"
"The bankrupt, as we know, 0 Messenger of Allah, is the one who
has neither a Dirham nor property," they replied.
"The bankrupt of my Ummah," he said, "is the one who comes on
the Day of Resurrection with [his] Salat, Zak& and Siyam, and he
comes as the one who had abused this one and defamed that one,
ate the property of this one, and shed the blood of that one or beat
another. So, he would have to give out of the rewards of his good
deeds to this and to that. If his rewards were insufficient to pay up
his debtors, their sins would be added to his, and ten he would be
thrown into the Fire."31
A Guidance: Concerning Intercession and the
"Pool":
Intercession is true, and the "Pool" is true, too. The Prophet (S.A.)
said:
"Whoever does not believe in my "Pool", may Allah. quench not
his thirst from it, and whoever does not believe in my intercession,
may Allah grant it not to him." Then He added: "My intercession,
93
however, is for capital sinners of my Ummah. As to the benevolents,
there is no way against them." 32
In another narrative he is quoted to have said:
"My intercession is for the capital sinners, except polytheism and
injustice."33
He (S.A.) also said: "Among my Ummah there are those through
whose intercession many (people) from (the tribe of) Mudar enter
Paradise."34
It is said that: "The least that a believer can intercede for is thirty
persons."35
He (S.A.) also said: "My "Pool" is [situated] between Aden and
Ummah al-Balgha'. Its water is whiter than milk and sweater than
honey. Its cups are as numerous as the stars of the sky. Whoever
drank from it would never feel thirsty after it."36
It is narrated that the governor over it [the Pool] on the Day of
Resurrection would be Amir al-Mu'minin, Ali (A.S.), who would offer
from it to his friends, and repel his enemies. 37
A Guidance: Paradise and Hell:
94
Paradise is true, and Hell is true, too. Both are already created, and no
soulwould leave this world without seeing its place in either of them
as was quoted from the Imams of guidance (A.S.).38
Paradise is the abode of eternity, and of peace. Therein would be no
death and no old age, no disease and no illness, no calamity and no
disability, no anguish and no worry, no need and no poverty. It is the
house of richness and happiness, and the house of stay ad dignity. "Its
inhabitants shall be touched by no exhaustion and no toiling.'
and therein shall be what the
souls desire and [at which] the eyes delight, and you shall abide
therein forever."40 Their delights differ: some take delight in
extolling and glorifying Allah along with the angels; some take delight
in eating, drinking, fruits, luxurious beds and Huris, getting the
service of the youths who never get old, sitting on cushions and
pillows, and wearing brocaded silk clothes. Everybody, however,
takes delight in what he desires and wishes in accordance with his
aspirations. 41 They do not defecate and do not urinate; as it will be a
sort of belching and exudation like musk. They are inspired with
praising and glorifying Allah as they are inspired with breathing. 42
They are constantly increased in perfection and beauty, much as they
95
get uglier and older in this world. 43 It has eight gates, each with a
width of four heard years' walk. 44
Hell is the abode for humiliating the people of disbelief and rebellion,
and retaliation against them, where "They would neither be
completely finished to be dead, nor would its torment be lightened
for them,"45 "'They would taste therein neither coolness nor [any]
drink, except boiling [water] and very cold, stinking [water]."46 On
asking for food they would be fed with Zaqqum [detestable food], and
on calling for help they wold be responded with a water like molten
brass which broils the faces. What a bad drink and a miserable abode,
47 (they are) "called to from a far- off place."48 They implore:
"Our Lord takes us out of it, then if we did return [to evil] we
shall be wrongdoers."49 They may receive no reply at times, or it is
said to them: "Go away into it and speak not to Me!"50 They
would cry out: "0 Malik [guardian of Hell], let your Lord finish us
off. He would say: you should stay."51 "It has seven gates, and
each gate is assigned for a separate group of them."52
A Guidance: Those Who Deserve Paradise or Deserve Hell:
Paradise is for the people of faith who did not commit capital sins or
repented of them, or who were favoured with an intercession, as
96
received [Allah's] mercy. Hell is for the people of polytheism,
disbelief and denial, in which they remain forever. It is also for the
believers who had committed capital sins and died without repentance.
They would not remain there forever, because they deserve the reward
on their belief. They would leave it after completing their terms of
torture which they deserved on their sins. Mercy and intercession
would shorten their terms of punishment.
It has been narrated that the people of Tawhid
[monotheism] would not feel pain on entering Hell, yet, they
would feel pain on leaving it. That pain would be their punish-
ment on their bad deeds, as Allah is never unjust to the servants. 53
Those whom Allah had promised to reward, would certainly
receive it, as "Allah never fails his promise,"54 but if Allah had
threatened punishment on one's act, He would be free either to
punish according to His Justice, or to forgive according to His
grace, as He, the Glorified and Almighty, said: "Allah does not
forgive that a partner should be associated with Him, and forgives
what is less than that to whomsoever He wills."55
It is in the narrative that the divider of Paradise and Hell [among
people] is Amir al-Mu'minin [Ali] (A.S.), as their inhabitants are
97
distinguished by their loving, or hating, him, since loving him is
belief, and hating him is disbelief, and since Paradise has been created
for the people of belief, while Hell has been created for the people of
disbelief. This is what has been quoted from as- Sadiq (A.S.), may
Allah guide us to follow them [the Imams] and to adhere to them, as
he made us love them, through His grace.
Notes to Section 5
1. Surat,Al. 'Imran/185.
2. "AI-'I'tiqadat", B5b 15. "At- Bihar", Vol. 6, Babul Barzakh wal
Qabr, p. 249, H. 87, quoted here.
3. Surat-Baqarah/154.
4. "Sahihut Bukhari," Vol. 5, Bab Qatl abi.jahl, p. 97, "Shat ibn
Hisham,"
Vol. 2, p. 292, "As-siratul Halabiyah," Vol. 2, p. 431. "Tarikh at-
Tabari," Vol. 2, p. 155. "Al- Kamil," by ibn al-Athir, Vol. 2, p. 53. "Al-
Bihar," Vol. 6, pp. 207, 254, 346.
5. "Al-Amali," by As-Sadiq, the 49th session, H. 5. "AI-Bihar", Vol. 6,
Babul- Barzakh wal Qobr, p. 223, H. 23, and Vol. 8, Babush-Shafa'ah,
p. 37, quoted here.
6. Surat ul-Mu'minun/115.
98
7. Surat uI-Hajj/12-16.
8. Surat ul-Mu'miniin/12-16.
9. Surat ul-Anbiya'/104.
10. "Al-'I'tiqadat," Chapter 19, "AI-Bihar", Vol. 7, Bab Ithbat ul-
Hashr, p. 47, H. 31, "Al-Kamil," by Ibn al-Athir, Vol. 2, p. 24. "As-
siratul-Halabiyyah," Vol. 1, P. 459, with slight difference.
11. Surat Maryam/71.
12. "AI-Amali," by As-Sadiq, the 33rd session, H. 4. AI-Bihar", Vol. 8,
Babas- Sirat, p. 64, H. 1, quoted here.
13. 'Al-Ma'ani", Bab Ma'na-s-sirat, p. 32, K. 1. 'At-Bihar," Vol. 8,
BabusSirat, p. 66, H. 3, quoted here.
14. Surat ul-An'am/153.
15. "AI-Ha'ani", Bab Matins-S- Surat, p. 33, H. 4. "Al-Bihar, Vol. 8,
Chapter on As-Sirat, p. 69, H. 18.
16. Surat uI-A'raf/8.
17. Surat ul-Mu'minin/103.
18. Surat ul-Anbiya/47.
19. "AI-Ma'ani", Bab Ma'naal- Mawazin allati Tuzanu biha A mal al
Ibad, p. 31. "Al- Bihr", Vol. 7, Bad Al- Mizan , p. 249, H. 6, quoted
here.
99
20. Surat ul-Anam/62.
-21. Surat ul-Kahf/49.
22. Surat ul-Isra'/14.
23. Surat Fussilat / 21.
24. SFirat ul- Haqqah/19.
225. Surat ul-Qari'ah/6-9.
27. "Muhasabat an-Nafs," Chapter 2, "Al-Bihar," Vol. 7, Bab
MaratibunNafs wa Adam al-Itimad Alayha, p. 73,14.26, quoted here,
"Nahj al-Balaghah," H. 90, p. 123 with changes of word places.
28. "Al-Maarij", vol. 4, AI-Kofi, Vol. 8, p. 143, H. 108. "AI-Amali', by
the Shaykh, Vol. 1, p. 34, "Al-Bihar, Vol. 7, Bad Mawaqif al-
Qiyamah, p. 126, H. 3, quoted here.
29. "Musnad Ahmad," Vol. 3, p. 75."Majina'al-Bayan", The Ayah H. 4
of Suratul Ma'arij. 'Al Bihar", Vol. 7, Bab Mawaqif al - Qiyamah, p.
123, quoted here.
30. AI-Kafi, Vol. 8, p. 106, quoted from Zaynul Abidin (A.S.), "Al-
Bihar", Vol. 7, Bab Mahasabatul 'Ibad, p. 268,/H. 35, quoted here.
31. "Musnad Ahmad," Vol. 2, p. 303. "Sahih Muslim," Kitab-ul-Birr
was Silah," Chapter 15, H. 59. "AI-Bihar, Vol. 72, Bab Fadlal-Faqr
wal Fuqar', p. 6.
100
32. 'Al-Amali,"by As-Sadiq , the 2nd session, H. 4. "Al-'Uyun", Bab
Ma Anir- Ridd (A.S.) fit-Tawhid, p. 112, H. 35. "Al- Bihar," Vol. 8,
Babush- Shafa'ah, p. 38, H. 18, quoted here.
33. "Al-Khisal", Vol. 1,Abwab as- Sa'ah, p. 38. H 18, quoted here.
34. "Musnad Ahmad," Vol. 4, p. 212. "Majma'ul Bayan", on the ayah,
H. 48 of the SuratulMuddathir, 'Al-Bihar", Vol. 8, Babush-Shafa'ah,"
p. 34, quoted here.
35. "AI-I'tiqadat," Chapter 21, on the Prophet (S.A.). "AI-Bihar," vol.
8, Babush- Shafah, p. 58, H. 75, quoted here. Rowland- Kafi, p. 101,
H. 72, quoting Al-Baqir (A.S.).
36. "Sunan at-Tirmidhi", Vol. 3,Bab Majdafi Sifat Awani - l- Hawd p.
300. "Musnad Ahmad," Vol. 2, p. 132.
37. "Al-I'tiqadat", Chapter 20, with slight difference. "Al-Bihar", Vol.
8, Bab Sifatul Hawd p. 27, quoted here.
38. Narrated by as-Sadiq in "At- Tawhid," "Al-'Uyun" and 'Al-Bihar",
Vol. 8, Bab ul-Jannah wa Na 'imuha, p. 119, H. 6.
39. Surat ul-Fatir/35.
40.Surat uz- Zukhruf/71. The narrative is in "Al-Bihar", Vol. 8,Mbul-
Jannah wa Na'imuha", p. 179.H. 137.
41. From "Paradise is the abode of eternity" up till here is quoted from
101
"Al-I'tiqadat", Chapter 29, Also in "Al-Bihar", Vol. 8, Bdbul-Jannati
wa Na'imuha, p. 200, H. 204, quoted here.
42. Look up "Rawdatul Waizin", Vol. 2, Rib Fi Dhikr-il-Jannah", p.
505.
43. ibid.
44.'Al-Khisal, Vol. 2, Chapter on "Ath- thamaniyah," p. 408, H. 7.
There, it is "Forty" instead of "Four hundred". "Al-Bihar", Vol. 8,
Chapter on "Al-Jannah wa Na'imuha", p. 131, H. 32, quoted here.
45. Surat ul-Fatir/36.
46.Surat-Naba'/24,25.
47. Extracted from Al-Kahfi/29.
48. Surat Fussilat/44.
49. Surat al-Mu'minin/107.
50. ibid/108.
51. Surat uz-Zukhruf/77. From "Hell is the abode of humiliating ..." u
till
here quoted from "Al-I'tiqadat", Brib at-Tali` wal 'Ishrrun, as it is also
in 'Al-Bihar," Vol. 8, Bfibun-Nar, p. 324,H 102, quoted here.
52. Surat ul-Hijr/44.
102
53. "Al-l'tiqadat", Chapter 29. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 8, Babun-Nar, p. 324,
H. 102.
54. Surat ul-Hajj/47.
55. Surat un-Nisa/48.
56. Look up 'AI-Bihar", Bab Annahu (A.S.) qasimul-Jannati wan-Nar.
"Hat ash-Sharayi, Babul-Illatil lati min Ajliha Sara Ali ibn Abi Talib
(A.S.) gasim Allahi Bayn al-Jannati wan-Nar p. 161. "Al-Bihar", Vol.
39, Bab Annahu (A.S.) qasimul Jannati wan-Nar, p. 194, H. 5, quoted
here.
CHAPTER TWO ON
THE ACTS
1.Bab Ta'at al-Jawarih [Section on the Obediences of the Body
Organs.]
2.Bab Ma'asli - Jawarih [Section on the Disobediences of the Body
Organs.]
3.Bab Ta'at al-Qalb (Section on the Heart's Obediences].
4. Bab Ma'asil- Qalb [Section on the Heart's Disobediences].
5. Bab Adab As-Suhbah wal Mu'asharah [Section on the Manners of
Companionship and Association].
6. Conclusion.
103
1
BAB TA,AT UL-JAWARIH
[Obediences of the Organs]
A Guidance: AI-Fara'd [the incumbent duties]
and An-Nowafil [The Supererogatory duties]:
The obediences of the organs are either incumbent or supererogatory.
The incumbent duties are like a business capital, through which the
origin of salvation can be attained, while the supererogatory duty is
the interest through which high degrees are obtained. Allah, the
Glorified and Almighty, said: "My servant cannot seek my
proximity with a thing better than the duties I imposed upon him,
then he further keeps to seek my proximity through the
supererogatories until I love him as the narration
goes.
Al-Far- 'd are either Aini [individual] or Kifa'i [collective]. Among the
Individual Ditties are: As-Salat, Az-Zakat, Al-Hajj, As-Siyam,
observing kinship ties, answering the Islamic greeting, As-Sajud
[prostration] when reciting Al- Aza'im [certain Qur'anic verses] or on
hearing them being recited, if possible, being dutiful to the parents,
104
observing the rights of the fellow-brothers, paying the expenses of
wife and slave and observing their other rights, paying the expenses of
the poor relatives by their rich relative, providing one's own expenses
with neither extravagance nor par-simony, seeking the lawful, warding
harm off one's self and property, circumcision for males, marrying if
one fears of being seduced into sin because of being unmarried, being
truthful in words and deeds, returning the trust to its owner, whether
righteous or wicked, even to the killer ofAl-Husayn (A.S.), keeping
one's word and pledge, and utilizing the bounties ofAllah in what He
has created them for.
Among the Collective Ditties are: TheJihad [holy war] in the way of
Allah with one's soul and property, enjoining the right and forbidding
the wrong, issuing Fatwas [religious opinions] on religious questions
and judging among the people if needs be, as well as adapting
different necessary professions as medicine, tailoring, agriculture and
countless other professions, feeding the hungry, helping those who
need help in disasters by the rich, should the charity funds e
insufficient for that, bearing testimony even if not forced upon him,
preparing the dead for burial after washing and shrouding them, as
well as performing the Salat over them, and so on.
105
Some duties are described as Nawafil [supererogatories]. These are
numerous and uncountable. Among them are: extolling Allah much as
one can, reciting the Qur'an and performing the Sujud when enjoined,
other than the Aza'in, invocation, frequenting the mosques, spreading
the Salam [Islamic greeting], acquiring friends, comforting and
rewarding them on their favors, practicing magnanimity and
generosity, being liberal in spending on one's family, giving out
charity to the two week persons the woman and the slave,
sympathizing with the poor and the needy, and following their
example in living, respecting Muslim old people, being humble to the
believers, being a good company and neighbour, closing one's mouth
except for good talk, admitting one's mistakes in all cases, copying the
manners and action of the prophet in both movement and stillness.
May Allah, with His favour and generosity, help us, and the
otherbelievers, to perform them all.
These are the important Fara'id [obligatories], and Nawafil
[supererogaties]. Some of them need no further explanation, such as
speaking the truth and returning the trust. Some other ones do not take
in everybody, such as az-Zakat, which concerns the wealth whose
property reaches its relevant taxable amount, and al-Hajj which
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concerns those who an afford and endure it. To know about such
things is not incumbent on all Muslims, whether male or female.
So, let us confine ourselves to such Fard'id which concern every
Muslim in all times, and which need explanation, as well as the
Nawafil which are related to them. Generally, we shall handle those
duties which are divided over the hours of the day and the night.
Should you need further explanation besides those given here, you are
requested to refer to our book: Mafiifih ush-sharayi
A Guidance: The implementation of the Commands Through the
Observation of the Heart:
You cannot implement the commands of Allah, the Most High,
without their being controlled by your heart and organs, through all
your movements and breaths, from morning till night. You should
know that Allah, the Glorified, knows of your conscience, observes
your outward and inward, is aware of your notions, steps, movements,
stillness and moments. Whether in company or in solitude, you are in
His Presence, as no still object remains still and no moving object
moves, in the Kingdom of Allah, without the Almighty of the heavens
and the earth being aware of it. Therefore, you should be polite,
inwardly and outwardly, in the presence of Allah, the Glorified, like
107
the politeness of a subservient and sinful slave in the presence of the
Subduer, the Almighty. Beware least your Master sees you where He
forbade you to be, or does not see you where He enjoined you to be.
But this you cannot achieve unless you divide your time and arrange
your invocations from morning till evening, as we will tell you. We
will mention the Farn'id in the imperative mood to distinguish them
from the Nawafil.
A Guidance: How to Get Up in the Morning:
You should try to get up before dawn. The first thing that should occur
to your heart and run on your tongue is to remember Allah, the
Glorified, by saying:
"Praise be to Alldh who brought me to life after that He had put
me to death. To Him is the return and Resurrection."2
If you went to Sujud [prostration in worship], you would be following
the example of the Prophet (A.S.).
If you were able to sit, then you would say:
"The Lord suffices me against the people. The one who sufficed
me ever since I was suffices me. Allah suffices me, and what an
excellent Guardian He is!"3
Then having stood up, you would say:
108
"O Allah help me to cross the terror of the beginning, widen for
me my bed, provide me with the best of what is before death, and
provide me with the best of what is after death."4
By putting on your clothes your intention would be to carry out
Allah's command to cover your private parts, and you say:
"Praise be to Allah who clothed me in that with which I can hide
my private parts, and beatify myself among people."5
On wearing your shoes you would say:
"In the Name of Allah and with His help. 0 Allah! Send Your
blessings to Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad. Make
easy my steps in this world and in the Hereafter, and make firm
my feet on the Sirat on the Day on which the feet slip." Then
you walk starting with the right foot.
Rules of Going to the Toilet:
When you go to the toilet, enter the W.C. with your left foot,
saying: "In the Name of Allah. I seek refuge with Allah from the
filthy, dirty, wicked and accursed Satan." 7
Do not enter (the W.C.) bareheaded. On sitting say "In the Name of
Allah", so that the Satan would lower his gaze. Keep your private
parts covered from the on-lookers. On relieving nature, say:
109
of the repentants and make me of the pueified" 12
Then rinse out your mouth three times with three handfuls of water,
and say:
"O Allah! Inspire me my proof when I meet you, and let my
tongue over remember you."
Then you inhale I some water] three times and say:
"0 Allah! Do not deprive me of the smell of Paradise, and make me
among those who smell its wind, breeze and scent."
Then ladle with your hand some water, intending "to perform the
Wudu' for the pleasure of Allah", bringing it near your face, starting
from its upper part, saying:
"0 Allah! Whiten my face on the day on which the faces darken,
and do not darken my face on the clay on which the faces whiten,"
passing your hand over it and through the hair [of the beard] and
opening your eyes. The limits of the face are those which fall within
the tip of the middle finger and the thumb.
Then take some water with your left hand and with it wash your right
arm, beginning from the book of the elbow (women do it from the
inside of the elbow), passing hand on the arm and through the hair or
an cover, saying:
110
"O Allah! Give me my book in my right hand, and eternity in
Paradise in my left hand, and question me on easy questioning."
Then ladle some water with your right hand and with it wash your left
arm like its twin, saying:
"0 Allah! Do not give me my book in my left hand, and do not
make it chained to my neck. I seek refuge with you from sporadic
fires."
Then anoint the skin or the hair of your front-head, with the moist of
three fingers of your right hand, down to the hair's limit, saying:
"O Allah! Cover me with your mercy, blessings and forgive-
ness.
Then, with the moisture of the right hand, anoint the upper part of
your right foot, from the great toe up to the ankle, with the whole of
the hand. With the moisture of your left hand, do the
same to your left foot, saying:
"0 Allah! Make me firm on the Surat on the day on which the feet
slip, and make my toil be at what makes you pleased with
,,13
me.
You are to observe succession and order in performing the ablution.
111
Completing the Wudu', you say:
"Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds."
Unity of the acts or the Wudu is required. One or two handful of
water, however, would suffice, in an anointing manner, with no one to
assist you. The water is not to be sunned, brackish, a doubtful leftover,
or that which had been used to become clean from al-Hadath al-
Akbar [any act requiring Ghusl to be ritually clean]. Having done so, it
should occur to you that you had cleansed your outward which is
discernible by people, while you should feel ashamed of going to
supplication with Allah without purifying your heart which is
discernible by the Lord, the Most High.
A Guidance: Rules of the Ghusl:
If you become Junub owing to a wet-dream, or sexual intercourse, you
will commence with Istibra' then remove from your body what there
maybe of filth, reciting the Basmalah [i.e. saying Bismillah-ir-
Rahman = In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful].
Wash your hands thrice better if up to the elbows , wash your
mouth, inhale some water, then pour water on your head three times,
intending "to perform Ghusl at-Janabah for the pleasure of Allah."
Then pour water on your right side of your body, then on your left
112
side, passing your hand on the parts of your body, through the hair and
any barriers, and saying:
"0 Allah purify my heart, accept my effort and make what you
have appear better for me. O Allah! Make me of the repentants and
make me of the purified." 15
In case you have the possibility to immerse your whole body in water
once, it will do, provided that it should not be stagnant. Other
conditions stated in respect to Wudu are applicable in the Ghusl, too.
A Guidance: Rules of the Tayammum:
In case you searched for water and could not find it, or should there be
an obstacle in the way of reaching it, such as a beast or an enemy, or
the water you had was enough only to quench your thirst or your
companion's, or it belonged to somebody who would not sell it except
at an unfair price, or you had a wound or were ill and afraid if using
water, you are to wait until the time for the Salat approaches, then
come to a good earth covered with pure, clean and soft soil, take off
your ring, stamp the soil with your both, finger-parted, hands,
intending "to perform the Tayammum for the pleasure of Allah,"
reciting the Basmalah, then anoint with them your forehead and its
sides, then stamp the soil once again with both hands, and with the
113
palm of the left hand anoint the back of the right hand, and with the
palm of the right hand anoint the back of the left hand, starting from
the wrist, downwards. It suffices if you do the three anointments with
the fist stamping, provided that your hands remain soiled for the
purpose.
A Guidance: At Early Dawn:
Having finished purification, perfume yourself, since a two Rak'at
Salat that you perform scented is better than seventy Rak'ats which
you perform unperfurmed. Then recite the invocation which [the
Imam] Zaynul Abi- din (A.S.) used to recite in the heart of the night, in
a sitting position and facing the Ka`bah [in Mecca]. then prepare
yourself for Salatul Layl [Night Prayer], should there still be time for
it. Otherwise you may be satisfied with three Rakàts of salat]: The
Witr and the Dawn two-Rakat Salat, or only the two Rak'ats, in which
you may recite whatever Surah you like, if time allows that. It will,
however, suffice if you recite only the Surah of Al-Fatihah. Do not
forget to ask for forgiveness in the Quniit of the Witr. Then you make
for the mosque, since As-Sadiq (A.S.) was quoted to have said:
"Whoever walked over to the mosque, he would stamp on no
damp or dry thing with his feet without the earth glorify [Allah]
114
on his behalf down to the seventh earth."16
Do not abandon Salat al-Jama'ah [congregational Salat especially the
morning and night Salats, as the congregational Salat is better than the
individual Salat by twenty four degrees. So, if you neglect such an
interest, what good will you have in acquiring knowledge since the
fruit of knowledge is practice?
A Guidance: Entering the Masjid [the Mosque]:
On your way to the mosque you walk with calmness and dignity. As
you leave the house, say:
"In the Name of Allah who created me. The One Who guides me,
feeds me, waters me, when sick restores me to health, then causes me
to die, then brings me back to life, and Whom I hope to forgive me my
sins on the Day of Judgement. 0 my Lord! Grant me wisdom and join
me to the righteous, and let a truthful tongue speak [good] of me to the
later generations, and make me of the inheritors of the Garden of
Bliss, and forgive my father." 27
On entering the mosque, take care of your shoes first, then proceed
with your right foot, saying:
"In the Name of Allah, [we are] with Him, from Him and to Him.
All best names are Allah's. I relay on Allah. There is neither power
115
nor strength save by Allah. 0 Allah! Send Your blessing to
Muhammad and the progeny of Muhammad, and
open to me the doors of Your mercy and forgiveness, and shut me off
the doors of disobeying You, and make me of Your visitors and of
those who frequent Your mosques, and among Your day-and-night
supplicants, and of those who are submissive in their prayers, and
ward off from me the accursed Satan and all the Devil's soldiers." 18
On taking off your shoes begin with the left foot, whereas on putting
them on, begin with the right foot. As you take off your shoes, say:
"In the Name of Allah. Praise be to Allah Who provided me with
that with which I protect my feet against harm. 0 Allah! Fix them
on the Surat, and do not let them slip off the straight path."19
Then perform a 2-Rak'at Salat as a greeting to the mosque, if the time
for the obligatory salat has not yet arrived. Otherwise, the obligatory
SaIat will do as a substitute.
A Guidance: At Dawn: Making sure that it is dawn, recite:
"0 You Who cleave it without my seeing it, and expose it so as I
see it. Send Your blessing onto Muhammad and the progeny of
Muhammad, and make the beginning of our day good, its middle
prosperous and its end successful."20
116
Then repeat the words of Noah, for which he was called "the
thanksgiving servant" ten times:
"0 Allah! I take you as witness that what I have of comfort and
health in faith and worldly matters are from You alone, with no
associate to You. Praise be to You, and to You is my thank until
You are pleased, and after that, too."21
Then you stand up and recite the Adhan [the call for the Salat], facing
the Qiblah, in a slow, audible voice, placing your fingers [the thumbs]
in your ears, stopping at the intervals, talking
to nobody, asking Allah to send His blessings on the Prophet (S.A.) on
mentioning him. TheAdhan is to be separated from the Iqamah [a
shorter Adhan before starting the SaIat] by a Sajdah [prostration], or
in a sitting position in which you say:
"0 Allah! Make my heart dutiful, in life stable, my daily bread
plenty, and rant me an abode near the grave of Your Messenger
(A.S.)." 22
Then you tell your invocations to your option and demand your need,
as the invocation between the Adhan and the Iqamah is never rejected.
Then you stand up to recite the Iqdmah, performing the said steps,
excepting slowness, placing the fingers in the ears, and audibility of
117
voice, as it should be recited in a low voice. Having finished the
Iqamah, and while still facing the Qiblah, say:
"0 Allah! I have come to You, Your pleasure I seek, Your reward
I demand, in You I believe and upon You I depend. 0 Allah! Send
Your blessings onto Muhammad and his progeny, open the ears of
my heart to Your extolment, make me firm in You and Your
Prophet's religion, do not pervade my heart after that You had
guided me aright, and rant me from Your mercy. surely You are
the Generous Giver."23
On having the Adhan from the Mu'dhdhin [the caller of the Adhan],
you stop whatever you are doing and indulge in responding by
repeating what he says. You may also say: "There is no might and
no power but from Allah," in response to the "Hayyeàlas [parts of
the Adhan]. It is in the Tradition that "If he said it heartily he would
enter Paradise."24 You should fetch into your heart the horror of the
call on the Day of Resurrection, preparing your outward and inward
for response and swiftness, rejoicing at it and feeling pleased,
following the example of the Prophet (S.A.) who used to say:
"Relieve us, 0 Bilal!" When the Imam starts the Salat follow him.
A Guidance: Preparing for the Salat:
118
When you turn to the Salat, prepare your heart and empty it from
scrupulosity and remember whom you are going to face and to invoke.
You are to be ashamed of invoking your Master with a negligent heart
and a bosom filled with scrupulosities of the world and evil desires,
since you know that He knows your very secret intentions, and
discerns your heart. He accepts your Salat in proportion to the depth
of your submission, humbleness and supplication. You are to worship
Allah by your Salat as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, He
does see you. If you cannot prepare your heart for this, owing to your
insufficient knowledge of the Majesty of Allah the Exalted, suppose,
then, that a pious man of the nobility of your locality was looking at
you to see how you would perform your salat, so, your heart would be
calm and on the alert, and, as a result, you would turn to yourself,
asking it: "Are you not ashamed of your Creator and Master? How
could you make your organs seem humble and improve on your Salat,
just because you thought that an abject servant might watch you,
despite the fact that he can neither harm nor benefit you, while you do
know that He knows everything about you, yet you do not submit to
His greatness? Do you take Him to be even lower than one of His
slaves? How grave your disobedience and ignorance are and how
119
colossal your injustice to yourself is! Try to handle your heart through
these tricks, so that, it may accompany you in your SaIat, since you
may get nothing from your Salat but that part which you understand.
As to the parts which you perform absentmindedly, actually need to be
forgiven and atoned for.
A Guidance: Rules of the Salat:
When you are ready for the Salat, stand solemnly, and submissively,
placing your hands on your thighs, next to the knees, with your feet
apart by three stretched out fingers to a span, lowering y our eyes to
the place of your sujud [prostration], not raising them to the sky,
regarding your Salat, as if it were your farewell one. Intend
performing your morning Salat for Allah's pleasure. Let your intention
coincide with one of the seven opening Takbirs [saying Allahu- Akbar
= Allah is greater], such as the Takbiratul Ihram [The Takbir with
which the actual Salat begins], raising both your hands, with your
palms facing the Qiblah, joining your fingers, except the thumbs, and
raising them to your ears, starting and finishing the Takbir as you raise
your hands.
In between the seven Takbirs, you recite the three invocations: after
the third Takbir you say:
120
"O Allah! You are the true King. There is no god but You, the
Glorified. I have wronged myself, so, forgive me my sin, verily, no
one forgives the sins except You. ,25
After the fifth Takbir, say:
"Here l am to please Y You. The good is in Your hands. The evil is
not up to You. The guided is the one whom You guide. I am Your
slave, the son of Your slave. There is no refuge, and no escape
from Your but to You. Glory to You! I seek Your affection.
Blessed and raised high be You. Glory by to You, the Lord of the
House."26
After the seventh Takbir, say:
"I, (by nature) upright and Muslim, have turned my face towards
Him Who originated the heavens and the earth, the Knower of the
unseen and the seen, and I am not of the polytheists. My prayer,
sacrifice, life and earth are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds. No
partner has lie, and to this I am commanded, and I am of the
submitters."27
Then you say: A take refuge with Allah, the Hearing the Knowing,
from the accursed Satan," in a low voice. Then read al-Hand [the
first Surah of the Qur'an I in an audible recitation, observing the
121
"stops" and their places, with heart presence, contemplating the
meanings, and stopping for a breath. Then you recite another Surah in
the same manner, and it should be a Surah similar in length to an-
Naba, ad-Dater, al-Qiyamah or the like. You pose before and after the
recitation, then raise your hands as you did while reading the seven
Takbirs, and say: "Allahu Akbar", then bow down, putting your right
hand on your right knee before putting your left hand on your left
knee, filling your palms with your knees, with your fingers apart
around them, keeping them backwards, with your back in a straight
bowing, stretching your neck, closing your eyes or looking at the
space between your feet. Then you say:
"O Allah! To you I bow, to you I surrender, in you I believe, upon
you I depend. You are my Lord, to you do submit my hearing,
seeing, hair, skin, flesh, blood, brain, nerves, bones and what my
feet carry, with no disdain, no insolence, and no fatigue."28
Then you say: "Subhana rabbiyal 'azimi wa bihamdih," seven, five
or three times. Then stand erect and say: "Sami'allahu Liman
hamidah. Allahu akbar." Go down for the Sujud, with humbleness
and submission, reaching for the ground with your hand before your
knees, leaning on your hands in the sujid, placing your open hands on
122
the ground with joined fingers next to your shoulder and face, fixing
your forehead to the earth, the best of which is the Husayman soil
(brought from Karbala, in Iraq, where the Imam Husayn ibn Ali ibn
Abi Talib (A.S.) was martyred) upon him be the best of the greetings
touching the ground with the tip of your nose as the eighth part of
your body contacting the ground in the sujud, as a sign of submission,
while looking at it. Then you say: "0 Allah! To You I prostrate, in
You I believe, to You I submit, upon You I depend, You are my
Lord. My face prostrates to the One Who created it and cleft its
hearing and seeing. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
Blessed be Allah, the Best ofCreators!"29 Then say:
"Subhana rabbiyal a'la wa bihamdih"-seven. five-or three times.
Then raise your head, sitting on your hip, and say: "Astaghfrullaha
rabbi wa atfibuIlayh," then say: "O allah! Forgive
me, have mercy upon me, protect me and defend me. I am in need
of what You bestowed on me. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the
worlds."30
Then you say: "Allahu akbar", and go to perform the second sajdah
like the first, then sit on your hip for a while, as if for a rest, then stand
up, raising our knees before your hands on which you lean to rise,
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saying: "Bibawlillahi wa quwwatihi aqunu wa aq'udu wa arkaù
wa asjud." Standing erect, recite Surat ul- Fatihah and another surah,
as in the first rak'at, preferred to be Surat ut. After a breathing pause,
raise your hands for the Qunut, and say: "Allahu akbar" together
with "words of relief", and, with your hands raised before your face,
the palms towards the sky, the fingers joined except the thumbs
gazing at them, say:
"Allahumma man Mina asbaha wa amsa wa lahu thiqatun aw
raja'un ghiruka, fa anti thiqati wa raja'i, ya ajwada man su'il! ya
arhama manisturhim! 'irham da'fi wa maskanati wa qillata hilati
wamnun 'alayya biljannah wa fukka raqabati minannar wa 'afini
fi nafsi wa fi jami'i umuri li rahmatika ya arhamarrahimin."31
Whoever wishes to make the Qunut lengthier, he may add whatever he
likes. Then you raise your hand with a Takbir, bow in a Ruku',
perform the two sajdahs as before, then sit on your hip for the
tashahhud, lowering your eyes to your lap and say:
"Bismillahi wa billahi wa Khayrul asma'i lillah, ashhadu
sharika lah, wa ashhadu anna
an illallahu
ilaha illallahu wandahu 15 sharika
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Muhammadan'abduhti wa rasuluh,arsalahu bil haqqi bashiran
wa nadhiran bayna yaday as-sa'ah, wa ashhadu anna rabbi
ni`marrab, wa anna Muhamamadan ni'marrasul. Allahumma
salli 'ala Muhammadan wa 51i Muhammad, wa taqabbal
shafii'atahu fi ummatih, warfa'darajatah."32
Then you praise Allah. twice or three times. The wajib,
however, is the shahadatayn and sending blessings on the Prophet
(S.A.) and his progeny. Then perform the taslim with the intention of
finishing the saint, saying: "As-salamu àlaykum wa rahmatullahi
wa barakatuh," meaning the prophets, the Imams and the
"Protectors" (A.S.), with a glance to y our right side. All of these
instructions have been quoted from the guiding Imams (A.S.).
A Guidance: Rules of Salat ul-Jama'ah:
Concerning the Imam of the Jama'ah (congregation) there are some
conditions which are to be observed: apparent equity, that is, he must
not be known as a corrupt. He is to be the best as an Alim and at
recitation. He is to arrange the rows first, and to intend leading the
congregational salat to get its merit. If he did not make this intention,
the salat of the Ma'munin would be correct, in case they had intended
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to follow him, and the would gain the merit of the leadership. He is to
raise his voice reciting the Dhikrs, other than the Mustahah six
opening Dhikrs and their invocations. The Ma'mum is not to raise his
voice except just to hear himself, as it is Haram to recite [loud] after
the agreeable Imam, unless he hears no voice, not even his humming.
He is to remember Allah during the Imam's recitation. He is not to be
ahead of the Imam in recitations and actions, nor in the place, as he is
either to be in the same row with the Imam or behind him, the latter of
which is preferred. If there is only one person, he is to stand on the
Imam's right side. If not alone, the ma'mum is to stand in one of the
rows to fill up any breach. A narrative says: "No step is more liked by
Allah than that taken to join a line [in the congregational saint]," '33
and join in the Rak'at and gain the merit at catching up with the Ruku,
regarding it as to be the beginning of his salat, completing what he
had missed, if the Imam was in his last two Rakàts. If he caught the
Imam in the last sujud, he would gain the thawab [the reward in the
Hereafter] and then he would commence his own salat. If he came
upon the Imam in the last Tashahhud, he would follow himwith
hisNiyyah and stand without repeating the Niyyah. The Imam is not to
invoke Allah's favours exclusively upon himself, as this will be a
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treason. He is also not to leave his place before other Musallim finish
theirsalats. He must perform the salat taking into consideration the
weakest of his Mamwnin, as it is stressed that salat al- Jame 'ah
should be as light as possible.
A Guidance: Rules of the Ta'qlb after the Salat:
Having finished your salat, you start the Taqibs of the Salat [the
supplementary acts] which are preferred for the Mustahab Salats, and
more effective in seeking the daily bread than roaming about the
world. So many Dhikrs have reached us, in this respect, from the
infallible ones [the 14 Ma 'sums] (A.S.), for which relevant sources
may be looked up. The best of such supplementary acts is "Tashih uz-
Zahra` (A.S.), as it has more merits than performing a thousand
Rakàts of Salats a day, as quoted from the Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.).34
Should you feel tired, stop the Taqib and do not overstrain yourself to
complete it if you have no inclination to. The spirit of worship is to
love it. You may remain sitting in your place after finishing Salat us-
Subh until sunrise, even if you did not do any Ta'qib, as it would be a
protection from the Fire. Some scholars have said: "Let your time after
the Salat till sunrise be distributed among four duties: one is the
Dhikrs and Tasbihs which you tell on the beads; the second is the
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invocations, the third is reciting the Qur'an, and the fourth is thinking
about your sins, faults, shortcomings in worshipping your Lord and
being subject to His great anger and severe torture."
You are to arrange your invocations for the whole of the day so as to
make up for your negligence and shortcomings, and to be on the alert
not to incur Allah's wrath during that day. You are to wish good for all
Muslims, to decide that you would engage in the world day in nothing
but the obedience to Allah, sorting in your heart the worshipping acts
which you can perform to select the best of them and think about how
to prepare what is required for their fulfilment. Do not neglect
contemplating the proximity of death, the inevitable and of all hopes,
when one would have no choice and there would be nothing but regret
and penitence caused by conceit and vanity.
A Guidance: Rules of Thanksgiving Sajdahs:
Having finished the Ta'qibs, you perform the two thanksgiving
sajdahs, elaborating them, flattening your arms, sticking your chest
and stomach to the ground, exaggerating your humbleness and
invocation, reciting the Dhikrs which have reached us from the Imam
Musa- al-Kazim (A..S) [the 7th Imam], such as the following
invocation which he used to recite in a sad voice with his tears
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flowing down his cheeks:
"My Lord! I disobeyed You with my tongue, whereas by Your
Might, You could make me dumb, if You so willed. I disobeyed
You with my eyes, whereas, by Your might You could make me
blind, if You so willed. I disobeyed You with my hand, whereas,
by Your Might, You could chop it off, if You so willed. I disobeyed
You with my leg, whereas, by Your Might, You could mutilate it,
if You so willed. I disobeyed You with my private parts, whereas,
by Your Might, You could sterilize me. I disobeyed You with all
my organs which You bestowed upon me, where this is not the
requital for You."
Then he used to say: "Forgiveness! Forgiveness!" a
thousand times. Then he would place his right cheek on the ground
and say, three times, in a sad voice: "I confess my sin to You. I did
evil and wronged myself, so, forgive me [my sin] as there is no one to
forgive sins except You, my Lord!"
Then he would place his left cheek on the ground and say,_
three times: "Have mercy on the one who did bad [deeds], com-
mitted [sins] and confessed."
A Guidance: Rules for the Forenoon:
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Among the things which you may do in the forenoon is to give out
alms, no matter how little, as the ordeal would not cross them and
Allah would ward off the evil of that day. Anoint your face with
rosewater so that you may not experience distress and poverty on that
day. Eat twenty one red raisins so that you may not get ill, except the
last illness. You are to have your food intending to become strong
enough to worship according to the rules and with the invocations; so
you wash your hands, sit on your left side, like a slave, not squarely,
recite the Basnialah and thank Allah on every dish [of food] or every
plate, and, on starting, you say:
"Praise be to the One Who feeds but not fed, protects but needs
no protection, and is in no need but is needed. 0 Allah! Thanks to
You for what You have provided us of food and shortening, easily
and healthily, without hard work and difficulty on our part. In the
Name of Allah, the best of names. In the Name of Allah, the Lord
of the earth and the heaven. In the Name of the One by Whose
Name no [evil] thing [in the earth and the heaven] would work, and
Ile is All-Knowing, All-Hearing. 0 Allah! Make me happy in this
food, protect me from its harm, let me enjoy its advantage and
spare me its disadvantage. "36
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Continue your praise of Allah as you eat, starting with [testing] some
salt and ending with it, or with vinegar. Do not eat meat twice in the
same day. Better if you eat it once every three days but do not neglect
it for forty days on end. Do not lick the meat off the bones. Leave
some bite on them. It is better to prolong your sitting a the table,
taking small morsels and chewing them well. Do not look too
frequently at your companions. Lick your fingers as well as your late.
Having finished the meal, say: "Praise be to Allah. Who fed us
among the hungry, quenched us among the thirsty, dressed s
among the non-dressed, guided us among the deviated, carried us
among the walkers, gave us shelter among the sunstruck, had us
served among the toilers and preferred us to many of the
peoples."37
Then you pick your teeth throwing out the bits of food. You are to eat
what the members of your family like to eat, not what you alone like.
Before drinking water, say:
"Praise be to Allah. Who brought down water from the sky, and
Who manages the matter as He wills. In the Name of Allah, the
best of names ."38 Then, after drinking, you say:
"Praise be to Allah. Who provided us with sweet water, and did
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not make it salt with my sins."39
Then you remember Al-Husayn (A.S.) [the Martyr of Karbala' who
was martyred thirsty]. If you drank it in three breaths, you would
praise Allah with each breath, in which case you wold gain your place
in Paradise. However, if the one who handed the water to you were
free [not slave], you drink in a single breath. Do not drink too much
water as it is the essence of every malady. Do not drink at one gulp,
nor at the handle and nor from the broken brim. Drink in sips, more by
your lower lip, standing when it is daytime and sitting when it is at
night.
A Guidance: Rules for Other Times of the
Forenoon:
As to the times other than the mentioned above, they can be in four
states, as narrated by some Ulama':
The First State:
It is better to spend it on acquiring useful religious knowledge, leaving
out the rubbish, which people call knowledge and engage themselves
very much with it, while the useful knowledge is that which increases
your fear of Allah, your insight intoyourown flaws, adds more
understanding of worshipping your Lord, decreases your worldly
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desires, raises your longing for the Hereafter, makes you realize the
shortcomings of your deeds so that you may avoid them, and informs
you about the Satan's schemes and conceit and how he deceives the
evil Ulama' and exposes them to Allah's wrath and disgust, as they
gain worldly advantages through assuming piety, utilizing knowledge
to obtain the sultans' wealth and to cat up the properties of charity
establishments, of the orphans and the needy, exerting all their efforts
during the whole day in pursuit of acquiring prestige among the
people, in as much as they are forced to practise hypocrisy,
compliance, argument and boastfulness.
The 'Ulama' may Allah have mercy upon them have compiled on
this art of useful knowledge many books. If you are its man, then
acquire it, apply it, teach it and advocate it. The one who acquires it,
practises it and advocates it is called 'great' in the Kingdom of the
Haven.
Having finished all these, as well as amending yourself, outwardly and
inwardly, there may still remain same leftover spare time. It will be a
good thing to spend it on learning the knowledge of jurisprudence in
order to know the rare branches of worships and the way of
intermediating among the disputing people when they indulge in
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satisfying their desires, as this is also
among the collective duties, after finishing the aforementioned tasks,
as shall be explained later.
If your soul invites you to disregard the said invocations and Dhikrs,
then know that the satin had insinuated the deep malady, i.e. the love
of wealth and position, in your heart. So, beware not to be deceived
and ridiculed by him who will mock at you and destroy you. If you
tested yourself for a while in invocations and worshipping, and you
did not slight them in order to neglect them, you are all right, but if
you purified your desire to acquire useful (knowledge just to obtain
Allah's pleasure, it would be better than the Mastahab worshipping
acts, however correct your intentions may be. Yet, the significance is
in the correctness of the Niyyah, as it is the source of the ignorants'
conceit, and the slippery road under men's feet.
The Second State:
In this state you will not be able to acquire Knowledge, but you can
engage yourself in worshipping acts, such as the Dhikrs, recitings,
Tashibat and Salawat, as it is of the ranks of the worshippers and of
the manners of the pious. In this way you will also be of the
successful, by the will of Allah.
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The Third State:
In this state you engage yourself in deeds which bring good to the
Muslims and cause pleasure to the believers, or make it easy for the
pious people to do good deeds, such as serving the'Ulama, and men of
religion, and helping them with their works, feeding of the poor and
the needy, calling upon the sick, taking part in the funeral processions,
and the like, as these are acts of worship through showing kindness to
the Muslims.
The Fourth State
In this state you are unable to do the aforementioned acts, as you are
indulging in your own affairs to provide for yourself or your family,
but the Muslims are safe with you and feel secure from your tongue
and hand, and your piety remains safe because you do not commit any
disobedience. Being so, you will get the position of the righteous ones,
in case you could not attain to the positions of the forerunners. This is
the lowest position in the ranks of piety, and the positions lower than
this belong to the satans that is when you busy yourself in that
which ruins your belief (may Allah protect us from that), or when you
hurt any of Allah's servants, which is the position of the ruined. So,
beware of becoming among them!
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A servant of Allah, with respect to his belief, is either "safe," i.e. he is
keen on observing his religious duties and on avoiding all
disobediences, or "winner", i.e. he voluntarily performs the Mustahab
acts of worship, or "loser," i.e. he is negligent in performing his
religious duties. So, if you could not be a "winner," you should take
pains to be among the "safe," and beware not to be of the "losers"!
A servant of Allah, in relation to other servants, can be any one of the
following three types:
The First: To be to them as the generous and the benevolent angels
are. That is, he helps them to solve their problems by way of being
kind to them and make them happy.
The Second: To be to them like animals or lifeless matter, i.e. he
would not do them any good, though he would not harm them, either.
The Third: to be to them like the scorpions, snakes and wild beasts.
From him they get no good, yet they have to ward off his harm.
So, if you could not catch the high position of the angels, you should
be on your watch lest you may miss being among the type of the
animals and lifeless matters and descend to the type of the scorpions
and snakes.
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If you did accept for yourself to descend from the highest level, do not
accept for it to fall down to the lowest one; as you may probably be
able just to escape, with nothing for or against you. So, you are not to
occupy yourself during the daytime except in what is useful to you in
this world and in the Hereafter, that is, the things without which you
cannot secure your position on the Day of Resurrection. If you could
not secure your faith through being sociable to people and felt
insecure, you would better live in solitude and stick to it, as therein is
safety. If in your solitary life you found yourself subject to evil
temptations, which would lead you to disobey Allah, the Exalted, and
if you failed to suppress them by taking to worshipping acts, you
would better take to sleeping, as it would be our and your best attitude
like the hunter who, losing his prey would prefer safety by running
away. What a pity it is that one's safety should be achieved by
disabling one's life, since sleeping is akin to death, and is regarded a
halting of life and joining the inanimate.
A Guidance: The Rules of Salat uz-Zuhr
Before the sun passes meridien you are to prepare for Salat uz-Zuhr.
You are to advance your daily mid-day nap in case you intend to stay
awake at night for acts of worship. The midday nap helps you to
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worship and fast. But this nap without staying awake for worship at
night is like having the Suhur at night without fasting the next day.
Having advanced the napping time, you are to wake up before noon,
perform the Wudu go to the mosque, perform "the greeting Salat," and
wait for the noon, as a Hadith says: "When the sun passes the
meridien, the doors of the heaven and Paradise would open and
invocations would be responded to, so blessed is the one whose good
deeds are taken up."40
Another narrative says: "It is the hour in which Hell is brought on the
Day of Resurrection. Any Mu'min who happens in that hour to be in
the position of Sujud, Ruku or Qiyam, his body will be Haram to the
Fire.,,41
You ought to stand for the Salat in its early time, be it a Wajib or
Mustahab Sahli except in exceptional cases as to perform the Salat
in its early time is preferred to that performed late, such as the
preference of the Hereafter to this world. Early Salat brings the
pleasure of Allah, the late Salat brings His forgiveness. The first thing
you do after the Zawal is to recite:
"Subhanallahi wa la ilaha illallah wal hamdu lillahilladhi lam
yattakhidh waladan wa lam yakun lahu sharikun flimulki wa lam
138
yakun lahu waliyyun minadhdhulli wa Kabbirhu tak-
-,,42 bira.
Then you hasten to perform the Wudu' [if needs be] for performing the
Nafilah Salat of the Zawal, which has eight Rak'ats, and it is called
"the-salat of the Repentants." After every two Rak'ats you recite:
"Allahuma' inni da'ifun fa qawwi fi ridaka da`fi, wa khudh ilal
khayri lainasiyati, waj'alil imana muntaha riday, wa barik li fima
qasamta li, wa ballighni birahmatika kullaladhi arju minks, waj'al li
wuddan wa sururan lilmu' minina wa àndan ìndak. ,43
Perform your last two Rak'ahs between the two Adhans so as to
separate them. After the Iqamah recite:
"Allahumma rabba dhihidda'watittamm wassalatil qaimah, balligh
Muhammadan - Sallallahu àlayhi wa'alih - addarajata wal wasilah,
wal fadla wal fadilah. Billahi astaffihu wa billahi astanjihu wa bi-
Muhammadin - sallallahu'alayhi wa'alih - atawajjah. allahummah
salli'ala Muhammadin wa'ali Muhammad, wajahii bikini ìndaka
wajihan fiddunya wal'akhirah, wa minal muqarrabin.44
Then busy yourself with Salat uz-Zuhr, observing the same
acts which you observed in the acts of Salat us-Subh. Recite your
Salat inaudibly, except the Basmalah. In the first Rakat recite
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surat ul'a'la or ash-Shams, or a similar surah in length. In the
second Rak'at recite at-Tawhid. After the first tashahhud per-
form what you did in the second Rakàt of salat us-Subh. Recite
surat ul - Hamd, or tell "the four tasbihs, or three of them, especia-
ly the first ones. But if you recite three, together with the Istighfar
it will be better. The least of it is to say: "Subhannallah" three
times, then say "AIIahu akbar" for the Ruku as you raise your
hand, as said before. Go down to the Ruku then to the Sujud as
said before, then stand up to perform another similar Rakàt, then the
Tashahhud, the Taslim and the general to `gibs and the ones special
for Salat uz-Zuhr, as are detailed in their relevant places. Then
perform two thanksgiving Sajdahs, in which you recite what you had
recited in Salat us-Subh, or any other Dhikr.
Then start the eight Rak'ats of the Asr Salat by the Adhan and 'Iqama,
with a Sajdah between them, in which you recite the aforementioned
Du'a's. Then you begin Salat ul-Asr, observing all the former rules. In
the first Rak'at you recite Sfirat ul Fath or At-Takathur, and in the
second you recite At-Tawhid together with the two Ta'qibs and the
two Sajdahs. Your last Du'a will be:
"Allahumma 'inni wajjahtu wajhi 'ilayka wa aqbaltu bidu'a'i
140
àlayka, rajiyan 'ijabataka, tamian fi maghfiratika, tiliban ma
wa'ayta bihi 'ala nafsika, mustanjizan wa`dak, 'idh taqulu:
'ud'uni astajib lakum. fasalli ala Muhammadin wa'ali
Muhammad, wa'agbil 'ilayyah biwajhika, waghfir 1i warhamni,
wastajib
jib du'a'i ya ilahal 'alamin.,45
A Guidance: Arranging the Time
Your time should not be neglected and used at random.Actually,
you are to question yourself, arrange your duties during the day and
the night, assigning the acts and their exact time, as only in this way
the blessings of time will appear. As regards the person who neglects
his time to go by, as is the case with the animals, knowing not what to
do in a given time, most of his time will run away in vain. The years
of your life is your lifetime, and your lifetime is your capital on which
depends your trade, and through which you can attain to the eternal
blessing beside Allah the Exalted. So, every one of your breaths is like
a priceless gem which cannot be substituted. If it goes away, no return
will be possible. Therefore, do not be like a fool in looking at an
increasing wealth and a decreasing lifetime. Do not be pleased except
at an increase in knowledge or good deeds, as these are your only
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friends who accompany you in your grave, when all your relatives,
properties, children and friends forsake you.
A Guidance: Rules of the Maghribi
When the sun gets pale [i.e. is about to disappear] try to return to the
mosque before sunset, where you busy yourself with Tasbih and
'Istighfar, as the supremacy of this time is similar to that before
sunrise. Allah the Exalted says: "...and praise your Lord before the
rising and before the setting of the sun."46
Making sure of the time, you start the Salat, as the time of its
preference is too short, with a pause between the Adhan and the
Iqamah in which you recite some Du à', then begin the Salat,
observing the former rules, reciting what you recited in the Salat ul-
Asr% After the Salat perform Tasbih uz-Zahra' (A.S.), then a 4-Rak'at
nafilah Salat, whose time would be short. If you wanted longer Ta'qib,
then you could postpone it till after the Salat.
Assured of the disappearance of the twilight, you start the Adhan and
the 'Iqamah, with some Du'a'in between and after the 'Iqamah. Then
start salat ul-Isha' as stated before, reciting what you recited in Salat
uz-Zulu, extending the Qunut and the Ta'qib, as you have plenty of
time for that, except when you are the Imam for Salat ul-Jama'ah, in
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which case you are not to recite lengthy Qunuts. Then perform the two
thanksgiving Sajdahs, exaggerating in your Du à' and supplication,
reciting the Dhikrs which are recommended for them, then perform a
2-Rakat Watirah Salat, in sitting position. In the first Rakat recite
Surat ul-Mulk or Surat ul-Wiqi'ah, and in the second, recite Surat ut-
Tawhid, followed by two Ayahs at the end of Surat UI-Baqarah, as it
is narrated that "they are of the treasures of Paradise, and which
had been inscripted by the Beneficent Allah's hand before creating
the creatures - they will suffice him instead of worshipping the
whole night."47 In another narrative it is said: "...Whoever recited
them at night they would suffice them."48
A Guidance: The Rules of Sleeping:
Whenever you want to sleep spread out your mattress facing the
Qiblah and sleep on your right side, as the dead are laid in their
graves.
Know that sleep is like death, while wakefulness is like resurrection,
as it is possible that Allah makes you die that very night. So, you are
to be prepared to meet Him by sleeping Tabir:
The Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "Whoever sleeps after making
himself Tahir his bed will be like a mosque to him."49
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With your written bequest under your pillow, you are to sleep after
repenting of your sins, asking forgiveness and determined not to
repeat any disobediences, and deciding on doing good to all Muslims
if Allah resurrects you again. Remember as if you were lying in your
grave alone and in loneliness, with nothing accompanying you except
your deeds, and you would be rewarded only according to your deeds.
Do not try to force yourself to sleep by making your bed comfortable,
since sleep is a halt in life, except when your wakefulness would bring
harm to you, and your sleep would make sound your belief.
A day and night are 24 hours, so let not your sleep during them be
more than eight hours, as it is enough to waste twenty years if your
lifetime is only sixty years, that is, one-third of your life. Before
sleeping brush your teeth with the siwak and perform Wudu',
intending to worship during the night, or to get up before dawn, as it is
a pride and an adornment to a believer, in this world and in the
Hereafter, to perform salat late in the night. It is a true Hadith that:
"There is no servant unless he is awaken every night once or
twice. If he wakes up, it will be all right. If not, Satan will stride
and urinate in his ear. Do you not see that when one wakes up
reluctantly one will find oneself loose, heavy and lazy?,,50 The
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"urination in the ear" is a metaphor denoting that Satan fools him.
Another true narrative, quoted from the Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.) says:
"There is in the night an hour in which no Muslim servant spends
in Salat and Du'a' unless Allah responds to him every night." Asked
which hour was that? He said: "After midnight until the last one-
third."51
. A third true narrative from him says: "The Messenger of Allah
(S.A.), in his advice to 'Ali (A.S.) said: 'Do not forget salat ul-Layl,
do not forget Salat ul-Layl, do not forget Salat ul-Layl."
There are so many narratives in praise of it.
When you go to sleep say:" Bismikallahumma ahyi wa bismika
amut."53 Then say: "Allahumma inni aslamtu nafsi 'ilauka, wa
wajjahtu wajhi'ilayka, wa fawwadtu amri' Pilayka, wa alja'tu
zahri 'ilayka, wa tawakkaltu àlayka rabatan minks wa
raghbatan 'ilayha, la malja'a wa 15 manja minks illa 'ilayka.
Amantu bikitabikalladhi anzalta wa birasulikalladhi arsalta."54
Then tell Tosbih uz-Zahr(A.S.) and recite Ayatul kursi, as a Hadith
says: "Whoever recites it when going to bed, as a Hadith says:
""Whoever recites it when going to bed, Allah will secure him, his
145
neighbour, he neighbour's neighbour and the houses around
him."55
Then recite the last Ayah of surat ul- kahf, 56 as it is said that:
"Whoever recites this Ayah when going to bed a light flushes for
him in Masfid ul-Haram - a light full of angels asking forgiveness
for him till morning."57
In another narratives it is said: "No servant recites the last (Ayala] of
al-Kahf when going to bed unless he wakes up at any time he
likes."58
I say: This has successfully been tried and there is no doubt about it.
Let yourself be taken by sleep while you are remembering Allahnd
without losing your Taharah. Whoever does this his spirit will ascend
to the Arsh, and will be registered as a Musalli till he gets up. If you
thought yourself not to perform Wudu'you could perform the
Tayammum, which is not without merit, even if water is available.
A Guidance:
When you wake-up repeat what you have already known, and
continue doing so all your life. If it is difficult for you to continue that
way, tolerate as a sick man tolerates bitter medicine in the hope of
getting well. Think of your short lifetime, even if you lived a hundred
146
years, compared with your position in the Hereafter, which is the
eternal abode. Recollect the pains and the humilities which you endure
for your needs in this world, for a month or a year, with the hope of
attaining to a comfortable life for a few years. So, is it that you cannot
bear the difficulties of few days with the hope of being comfortable
forever? Do not cherish high hopes, as this would make your work
seem heavy. Think of death as very near, and tell yourself: "I am
bearing difficulties today, but may be I am going to die tomorrow.
Death does not come in a known time, age or state, but it is quite
possible to come unexpectedly. So, to prepare for it is preferred to
indulging in the preparation for this world. You do know that you are
staying in this world only for a short period, and it may be that what is
left of your term is but a single breath or a single day. Repeat this to
your heart every day, encouraging your self to patiently bear acts of
worship in obedience of Allah day after day. If you expected your
years to extend for a further fifty years, and forced yourself to be
patient with worshipping acts, it would recoil and the situation would
seem too hard. So, if you did as you were told, you would feel very
pleased at your death, but if you postponed and took it easy, death
147
would overtake you in unexpected time, and you would regret it very
much: "And you will come, in time, to know about it." 39
A Guidance Rules of the Jumu'ah:
Know that the Jumu'ah [Friday] is the feast oft he Mu'minin. It is a
noble clay, bestowed by Allah upon this Ummah, and in which he
prescribed congregation for its Salat as a way of spreading amicability
and union among the hearts, and washing away the sins, though most
of the Mu'minin are in manifest astraying about this duty. In this day
there is an hour in which no servant asks Allah something without its
being given to him. So, you ought to prepare for it on Thursday by
cleaning your dress, repeating Tasbih and 'Istighfar frequently during
the night before Friday.
At dawn you hurry to the mosque, after having your hair shaved, your
moustaches trimmed, clipping your nails, avoiding whatever is
disgusting, washing your body, wearing white clothes, which are most
liked by Allah, using the best perfumes you have, walking calmly and
solemnly, reciting:
"Allahumma man tahayya'a wa ta'abba'a wa a'adda wasta'adda
liwifadatin ila Makhluqin raja'arifdih wa talaba naylihi wa
jawa'izihi wa fawadilihi wa nawafilihi, fa 'ilayka ya sayyidi
148
wifildati wa tah-yi'ati wa ta'bi'ati wa i'dadi wasti'dadi raja'a
rifdika wa talabi na'ilika wa jawaiz wa nawafilika fala tukhayyib
alyawma raja'i ya man 15 yakhib 'alayhi sa'il, wa la yungisuhu
na'il, fa 'inni lam atika- lyawma bi'amalin sa]lihin qaddamtuh, wa
15 shafa'ata makhluqin rajawtuh, walakin ataytuka muqirran
biz-zulmi wal'isa'ati ila nafsi, 15 hujjata liwa la'udhr, fa'as'aluka
ya rabbi an tu'tiyani mas'alati wa tuqlibani bi righbati, wa la
taruddani majbuhan wa la kha'iban Ya'azimu ya'azimu ya'azim,
15 ilaha illa ant. Allahumma salli'ala Muhammadinwa.ali
Muhammad, warzuqni Khayra hadhalyawmil ladhi sharraftahu
wa 'azzamtah wa an taghsilani fihi 'an jami'i dhunubi wa
khatayay, wa zidni min hadlika'inniakaantal wahh5b."60
Know that people race to Paradise as much as they race to Salat ul-
Jumu'ah. When you enter the mosque head for the first row of the
usallin. If the people had already gathered, do not pass by their heads
and hands. Sit near a wall or a pillar so that people may not pass near
you. Do not sit before performing the "greeting Salat" and perform
twenty Mustahab Rakats, more than the other days by four Rak'ats,
exaggerating in your invocations, reciting the Qur'an with submission.
Whenever the Imam speaks out you are to stop your salawat or
149
recitation, engaging yourself in responding to the Mu'adhadhin. Then
listen to the Khutbah and be wakened by it. Do not talk during the
Khutbah, as a narrative says: "Whoever says to his companion,
while the Imam is delivering his Khutbah: `Listen', or 'Shut up,' is
himself talking, and the one who talks has no Jumuah."61 This is
because saying: "Listen" or "Shut up", is, actually, talking. So, one has
to draw the attention of one's companion by gesture, not by words.
Then you are to follow the acts of the Imam by imitating them.
Having finished the Salat, you start reciting the prescribed Taqibs and
Dhikrs, and stay in the mosque till the Maghrib or the Asr, by which
you will be a good watcher for the honourable hour, which is
unknown for sure. So, you may catch it during you- worshipping
Allah. When you are in the mosque, do not attend the sessions of
sharing or afflicting punishments. It is better to attend the sessions of
useful knowledge, i.e. the knowledge which increases your fear from
Allah, and decreases your love for this world. The knowledge which
does not take you from the world to the Hereafter is much better to be
ignored than to be acquired. Increase your Du à' at sunrise, at noon,
at sunset, at the 'Iqamah, when the Imam ascends to deliver his speech
and when the Musallin stand for the Salat, as the honourable hour
150
might be one of these hours. Try to give out alms on this day as much
as you can, assigning this day of the week exclusively to your
Hereafter, as probably it may be an expiation for the whole week.
A Guidance: About the Sawm:
Concerning the Sawm, you may not limit yourself to the Siyam of the
month of Ramadhan, neglecting trading in the Nawafil to attain to
high positions in Paradise, as you would regret seeing the Sa'imin like
the luminous stars when you see them from your worldly position,
while they are in their lofty states. Among the very much
recommended days for fasting are : the first and the last Thursdays of
every month, and the first Wednesday in the second ten days of the
month, which is regarded equal to fasting forever, and relieves one
from misgivings. These are all that is in the Traditions concerning the
Sawm up to the death of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.). If you missed
them you are to perform their Qada'. If you could not, then give out a
charity as an expiation of one Mudd of food for each day. As a
voluntary fasting one may fast on the first day of the month of Dhul
Hijjah on the day of "Al-Ghadir" and on the day of "Dahwul Ard."
Fasting on any one of these days equals the fasting of sixty months.
To fast from the first till the ninth of the Dhul Hijjah, would equal
151
fasting forever, then on the "birth day" of the Prophet (S.A.) and on
the day on which he was sent out as a Messenger of Allah, both of
which, together with the former ones are the four days recommended
for Sawm. Other days for Sawn are the days of the monthsRa jab and
Sha'ban, or whichever of their days. The month of Rajab is the month
of Amirul Mu'minin Ali (A.S.), and the month of Sha'ban is the month
of the Messenger of Allah (S.A.) while the month of Ramadan is the
month of Allah. Sawm on the day of Ashura is a token of mourning,
not for its merit or blessings. A Guidance: The nature of the Sawm:
Do not think that Sawm is merely refraining from eating, drinking and
lovemaking. A Hadith says: "Numerous are those who get from
their Sawm nothing but hunger and thirst. ,62
The actual Sawm is to have all the organs of the body refrain from
committing whatever Allah. dislikes. The eye is to be prevented from
looking at the forbidden, the tongue is to be kept from uttering what is
not your concern, the ear is to be shut off hearing what is regarded
Haram by Allah the Exalted, as a hearer is the accomplice of the
utterer. Other organs are also to be curbed as you curb the stomach
and the genitals. The Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.) said: "When you fast let
your ears, hair, skin (and he counted many other things) fast, too.
152
(Then he added): Let the day on which you fast be unlike the day of
not fasting."63
Another narration adds to that: "...and stop hypocrisy and injuring
the servants [of Allah]."64
Let the solemnity of'Siyam appear on you. The Messenger of Allah
(S.A.) once heard a fasting woman abusing her neighbour. He
immediately asked for food and ordered the fasting woman to eat. "I
am fasting," she said. "How can you be fasting," he told her,
"while you had abused your neighbour? Fasting is
not merely to refrain from eating and drinking."65
A noble Hadith says: "Sawm is but a shield against Hell." 66
Therefore, whoever is Sa'im let him refrain from obscenity and
rudeness, and, even if a murderer or an abuser forced him to, he
should say: "I am Sa'im! I am Sa'im!"
A Guidance: Rules of the 'lftar:
On breaking your fast, try to do it with a Halal food. Do not
eat more than you usually eat every night, as there would be no
use in doubling your meal, since the aim of Sawm is to break down
your desire and to weaken your strength so that you may be able
to have Taqwa. So, if you cat in your Futur, what you had missed
153
during your Sawm, there will be no use in your fasting after having
filled your stomach. There is no vessel more disliked by Allah than a
full stomach, though with Halal food.
Now as you have already known the meaning of fasting, practice it as
much as you can, because it is the foundation of devotions and the key
to the pleasure of Allah. A Hadith says: "Allah. the Exalted said:
Every good deed id multiplied by ten until it reaches seven
hundred, except the Sawm, which is done for me, and I reward on
it."67
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.) said: "By the One in Whose hand is
my soul, the smell of the month of a Sa'im is more fragrant to
Allah than the fragrance of the musk. Allah. says: Ile had forsook
his desire, food and drink because of me. So, his Sawm is for me
and I reward on it."68
A Guidance: Concerning Observing Kingship
Relation
Observing kinship relations has been recommended to a great extent.
Similarly there has been strict warnings against disregarding it. Allah,
the Exalted, said:
"And those who ... sever that which Allah has ordered to be
154
joined, and make mischief in the Earth, theirs is the curse and the
evil abode."'
It is narrated that: "On the Day of Resurrection the kinship clings
to 'The Throne', saying: "0 Allah! Observe who had observed me,
and sever who had severed me!" 70 It is also said: "Observe your
kinship relation even through a greeting."71
The kin are those known as relatives through marriage, though very
far. To observe them means to be good to them, to help them in any
way to comfort them and assisting them with money, oneself or
anything one is capable of offering. To sever it means the contrary.
A Guidance: Concerning the Rights of One's Brethren
As regards to the rights of one's fellow brethren, the Imam Ali (A.S.)
said: "The Messenger of Allah (S.A.) has said: A Mu'min has upon
his fellow brother thirty rights, from which he cannot be excused
by performing them or by being relieved of them: Forgiving his
mistake, having mercy on his alienation, covering his faults,
pardoning his shortcoming, accepting his excuse, covering his faults,
pardoning his shortcoming, accept- covering pardoning his excuse,
stopping his backbiter, frequently advising him, keeping his secret,
safeguarding him, visiting him at his sickness, attending his funeral,
155
accepting his invitation, accepting his gift, returning his favour,
thanking his kindness, supporting him well, protecting his wife,
carrying out his want, responding his demand, saying to him: 'May
Allah have mercy on you' when he sneezes, preventing him from
going astray, answering his greeting, talking nice to him, being
grateful to him, believing his swears, befriending him rather than
being his enemy, backing him when he wrongs and when he is
wronged to back him as a wrong-doer means to prevent him from
wrong-doing, and to back him as a wronged means to help him to get
back his right not giving him up nor betrayinghim, liking for him
the good which he likes for himself,and disliking for him what he
dislikes for himself."
Then he (A.S.) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.) say:
'Someone of you may disregard some of his brother's rights, in which
case he would demand them from him in the Hereafter, and the
judgement would be against him."72
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.) said: "A Muslim is the brother of the
other Muslims. He would neither wrong him nor abuse him. Whoever
strives in [meeting] the need of his brother Muslim, Allah will [meet]
his need. Whoever relieves a Muslim from an anguish, Allah will
156
relieve him from an anguish on the Day of Judgement. Whoever
covers a Muslim, Allah will cover him on the Day of Judgement."73
He is also quoted to have said: "Do not hate each other, do not envy
each other, do not turn away from each other, but, o servants of Allah,
be brothers. A Muslim is not allowed to abandon his brother for more
than three nights."74
Mu'alla ibn Khumays, quoting the Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (A.S.), says:
"I asked him: 'What right has the Muslim on the Muslim?' He said:
'Seven obligatory rights, each of which is a Wajib upon him. If he
neglected any one of them he would be out of Allah's government and
obedience, and he would have no share in Allah' 'May I be your
ranson, what are they?' I asked '0 Mu'allah! I have pity on you. I am
afraid you would lose instead of keeping, and learn without practice,'
he said. 'There is no strength except by Allah.' I said, 'The easiest of
these rights is to love for him what you love for yourself, and to hate
for him what you hate for yourself'. The second right is to avoid his
anger, to seek his pleasure and to obey his order. The third right is to
assist him with your life, wealth, tongue, hand and leg. The fourth
right is to be his eye, guide and mirror. The fifth right is that you are
not to be satisfied when he is hungry, you are not to quench your thirst
157
when he is thirsty and you are not to dress when he is naked. The sixth
right is that if you have a servant and your brother has not, you will
have to send your servant to wash his clothes, cook his food and
arrange his bed. The seventh right is to accept his oath, respond to his
call, visit his sick household, attend his funderal, and if you hear that
he is in need of something you are to be quick in offering him what he
needs, without waiting for him to ask it from you, as it is you who
should take the initiative. By doing all these, your guardianship will
be connected to his, and his to yours,' he said."75
He (A.S.) has also said: "If somebody tried to solve a problem for his
believing brother, the reward of ten good deeds would be written for
him, ten evil deeds would be erased from him and he would be
promoted by ten higher degrees." The narrator adds: "I believe he
must have said: 'and it equals [the rewards of] emancipating ten
slaves, and better than a month's worshipping seclusion in Masjid ul-
Haram''76
Another narrative quoted from him says: "Whoever relieves a Mu'min
from an anguish,Allah will relieve him from the anguish of the
Hereafter, and he will leave his grave with a cool heart; and whoever
feeds a Mu'min out of his hunger, Allah will feed him from the fruits
158
of Paradise, and if he gives him water, Allah will give him from the
unmixed Wine.''77
Notes:
1. "AI-Mahasin," Bab ul-Mahbbubat, p.291, H.443, with slight
difference. "A1-Bihar," Vol. 87, Bah Jawami` Ahkam in- nawafil il-
Yawmiyyah, p.31, H.15, and Vo. 70, Bab Hubbullahita'ala, p.22,
H.21. 'Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 3, Kitab us-Salat, B5b ta'akkud istihbabil
p.53, H.6, quoted here. Like it is in "Mustadrak ul- Wasa'il," Vol. 1,
Bab ta'akkud istihbad il-Mudawamah'alanNawafil
2. "Al-K511," Vol. 2, Bab ud-Du'a 'Indan-Nawm wal intibah, p.539,
H.16. Al-Kafàmi's "Misbah," ch. 12, p.49. "Al- Faqih" Vol. 1, Bab
ma yaqulahur-Rajul idhas-tayqaza minas- nawim, p.304.'Al-Bihar,"
Vol. 87, Bab Ad5hun-Nawm wal intibah, p.173, H.4, quoted here.
"Makarim ul-Akhlaq," al-135b 10, p.338.a
Al-Kafi," Vol. 2, ud-Du'a' Indan - Nawm wal intibah; p.538, H . 13.
'Al-Faqih" B5b ma yaqululun - Rajul idhas - tayqaza minan-Nawm,
p.304. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 87, Bab Ad5b il qiyam ila salatillayl, p.
192,11.6, quotedhere. Also "Makarim ul-Akhlaq," al-135b, 10, p.337.
5. 'Al-Kafi," Vol. 6, Kitab uz-Zii waft tajammul, bab ul-gawl 'inda
bibas il-jadid, p.458, H.1, and p.459,11.3. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq," al-
159
135b 6, p.113 with a slight difference.
6."Makarim ul-Akhlaq," al-135h 6, p.142.
7. 'Al-Faqih," Vol. 1, Bab li irtiyad it-Makan lilt Hadath, p.17, H.1. 'AI-
Wasa'il," Vol. 1, p.217, quoted from it. "Al- Bihar," Vol. 80, Bab
Adab il-Khala'.
8. W-Faqih," Vol. 1. Bab fi irtiyad it-Makan lil Hadath, p.16, H.2.
"AlWasa'il," Vol. 1, p.217,H.5, quoted here. "Miftah ul-Jannat,"Vol.
1, p.42, with a slight difference.
9.'Al-Faqih," Vol. 1, Bab fi irtiyad il-Makah lil Hadath, p.16, H.3.
"Miftah ul-Jannat," Vol. 1, al-B5b 2, p.42.
10. "Al-Faqih," Vol. 1, Bab fi sifat Wudu' Amir il-Mu'minin (A.S.), p.
26, H.1. "At-Tahdhib," Vol. Bab salat il-Wuda', p.53, I 1.2. "AI-kafi,"
Vol. 3, B5b un-Nawadir, 1
p.70,H.6. "Al-Wasa'il , Vol. 1, p.282, 1.1, quoted here.
11. 'Al-Faqih," Vol. 1, B5b irtiyad it-Makan lil Hadath, p.20. 'AI-
Bihar," Vol. 80, Bab Adab il Khala, p.177,H.25.
This passage is in "At-Tahdhib", Vol. 1, Bab fi Sifat it-Wudu p.76,
H.41.
ÀI-Wasa'il", Vol. 1, Bab. 26 min abwab it-Wudu, H.2, quoted here.
13. This chapter is token from "Hadith Wudu'Amir il- Mu'minin,"
160
quoted by Al-Hur it-Amili in "Al-Was'il," Vol. 1, 135b 16 min Abwab
il-Wudu, H. 1, from "AI-Kafi," Faqih," 'At-Tahdhib .... " Thawab il
Amal," 'Al-Majalis," "Al- Muqni"','Al-Mahasin," and 'Al-khara'ij."
14. See footnote No. 12.
15. 'At-Tahdhib," Vol. 1, Bab fil-Aghsal wa Kayfiyyat il- Ghusl min al
Janabah, p.367, H.19, "AI-Wasa'il," Vol. 1, 135b 36 min abwab il-
Ghusl, p.520, H.3. Àl-Bihar," Vol. 81, Bab Wujub Ghusl il-Janabah,
p.40, quoted here.
16. "Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 3, Bab 4 min abwab ahkam il-Masajid, p.482,
H.1, quoted 'At-Tahdhib," 'Al-Faqih," and"Thawab ul Amal."
17. Rita ush-Shu'ara'/78.The Hadith is in "Uddat ud-Daì." "Al-Bihar,"
Vol. 84, Bab Sala it-Tahiyyah wad Du'a', p.20, HA "Miftah ul-Jannat,"
Vol. 1, p.46. Al-Kaf'ami's "Misbah", quoted here.
18. "Makarim al-Akhlaq," al-Bab 10, p. 344, "Misbah ush- Shaykh,"
p.29. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 84,135b Sala it-'Tahiyyah wad Du'a', p.24,
H.16.
19. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq," Al-Bab 6, p.142.
20. ibid, AI-Bab 10, p.345. "Misbah ush-Shaykh," Bab ul-Adab ba`d
al-Fajr ith-Thani, p.175.
21. ibid, p.321 Al-Faqih," Vol. 1, Bab fima yustahab min ad-Du'a'fi
161
Kulli Sabahim wa Masa', p.221, H.2. "Al- Wasa'il," Vol. 4, Bab
Nubdhatun mimma yuqal fis-Sabah wal- Masa', p.1235; H. 1, quoted
here.
22. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq", Al. Bab 10, p.346. "Al-Kafi," Vol. 3, Babu
bid'il adhan wal iqamah, p.308, H.32. "At-Tahdhib," Vol. 2, Bab fi
Adad fusulil adhan wal iqamah, p.64, H.23. "Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 4, Bab
istihbab ud-Du'a'baynal adhan wal iqamah, p.634, H.1, quoted here.
23. "Makarimul Akhlaq," AI-Bab 10, p.344. "Misbah ush- Shaykh,"
p.30. Àl-Bihar," Vol. 84, Bab Adab ul-qiyam ilas- SaIat, p.365,H.18,
quoted from both of them.
24. Like it is narrated in "Al-Mustadrak," Vol. 1, Bab 34 min abwab il-
adhan, p.256, quoting "Durar ul-La'ali"
25,'Al-Tahdhib," Vol. 2, Bab fi kayfiyyatis-Salat, p.67, H.12. "Al-
Kafi," Vol. 3, Bab iftitah is-Salat, p.310,H.7. "Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 4,
Bab istihbab Tafriqit-Iak1:~Ir,Ris- Sabah, p.723, H.1, quoted from
both of them.
26. ibid.
27. ibid.
28. 'Al-Kafi," Vol. 3, Babur-Ruku' wa mayuqalu fihi, p.319, H.1. 'Al-
Tahdhib," Vol. 2,135b fi Kayfiyyatis-Salat, p.77, H.57. Al-Bihar,"
162
Vol. 85, Babur Ruku'wa'ahkamuh, p. 110. "AI-Wasa'il", Vol. 4, Bab 1
minabwabir-Ruku', p.920, H.1, quoted fromboth of them here.
29. 'Al-Kafi," Vol. 3, As-Sujud wat Tasbih wad-Du a' fihi, p.321, H.1.
W-Tandhib," Vol. 2, Bab fi Kayfigatis-Salat, p.79, H.63. 'Al-Bihar,"
Vol. 85, Babus-Sujud wa Adabuh, p.137. 'Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 4, Bab
istihbab id-Du'a' bil Ma'thur fis-Sujud, p.951, H. 1, quoted from both
of them here.
31. 'Al-Kafami's "Misbah", Bab fi Taqib saffit is-Subh, p.64. "Miftah
ul-Jann5t," Vol. 1, p.57. "Misbah ush-Shaykh," p.177. 'Al-Bihar," Vol.
85, Bdbun Akhar fit qunutat it-lawilah, p.260, quoted here.
32. 'AI -Tandhib," Vol. 2,135b fi Kayfiyyatis-Salat, p.99, H.141. 'Al-
Wasa'il," Vol. 4, 135b Kayfiyyat it -Tashahhudwa ahkamih p.290,
H.22.
33. The source unknown.
34."Al-Kafi," Vol. 3,Babut-Ta'qib ba'das-Salat, p.343, H.15. "At-
Tandhib," Vol. 2, 135b fi Kayfiyyat is-Salat, p.105, 11.167.
Thawabul-'Amal", p.196, H.3. ÀI-Wasa'il," Vol. 4, p.1024, H. 2,
quoted here.
35. "Al-Kafi," Vol. 3, Babus-Sujud, 1.326,11.19. "At- Tandhib," Vol.
2, Bab
163
fi Kayfiyyatis-Salat, p.111, He 186. Vol. 4, Bab istihbabid-Du'T fi
Sajdat ish- Shukr, p.1079, H.5, quoted here from them, though 'the
author had changed the pronouns in the narrator's narrative.
36. "Makarim ul-Akhffq," Bab 7, p.166. AI-Bihar," Vol. 66, Bab at-
Jasmiyah wat-Tahmud wad-Du'a% p.381, quoted here.
37. ibid. Also in "Al-Mahasin," kitab ul-Ma'kal. 'AI-Kafi," Vol. 6 with
a slight difference. 'Al-wasa'il," Vol. 16, p.486, H.1, quoted here from
the latter two sources.
38. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq" al-Bab 7, p.174. "Al-Bihar," Vol, 66, Bab
Adab ish-Shurb, p.475, quoted here.
39. ibid.
40. "Al-Fiqh", Vol. 1, Bab fi fadl is-Salat, p.135, H.12. 'AI-Wasa'il,"
Vol. 3, Bab 12 min abwab il-MawaqTt, p.121, 1 1.2, quoted here.
Also in-"Fatah is-S5'il," al-Fasl 16, p.96. 'Al-Bihar," Vol. 87, Bab
Nawafil iz-Zawal waTa'qibiha, p.55, 11.8, quoted here.
41. Source unknown.
42. 'Al-faqih," Vol. 1, Bab rukud ish-Shams, p.145, H.1, "Al-Wasa'il,"
Vol. 3, Bab 12 min abwab il-Mawaqit, R121, H.1, quoted here.
"Misbah ush-Shaykh," p.128. "Fatah us- Sa'il," al-Fasl 16, p.96.
43. "Falah us-sa'il al-Fasl 17, p.137. "Misbah ush- Shaykh," p.136.
164
'AlBihar," Vol. 87, Bab Nawafil iz-Zawal wa Ta'qibiha, p.63, H.18,
quoted here from both of them. "Miftah ul-Jannat," Vol. 1, p.50.
44. "Fatah us-sa'il," al-Fast 18, p.155."Misbah ush- Shaykh, p.127.
"Miftah ul-Jannat," Vol. 1, p.52.
45. ibid, al-Fasl 19, p.185. AI-Kaf'ami's"Misbah" Bab fi Taqib Salat it-
Asr, p.137. 'AI-Bihar," Vol. 86, Bab Sayir ma yustahab'aqib kull i
salat, p.17, H. 13.
46. Surat Qaf/39.
47. Look up "Ad-Darrul-Mantlhur,""Anwdr ut-Tanzil," and'Al-
Kashsh5f," commenting on the two verses ending Surat ul- Baqarah.
48. "Majma'ul-Bayan," commenting on the last verse of Surat ul-
Baqarah Al-Bukhar's "Sahih," Vol. 6, Bab Fadl il-Bagarah, p.231. AT-
Timlidhi's "Sunan," Bab
a Ja'a fi Akhir Surat il -Baqarah, p.144. "Ad-Durr ul-Manthur," Vol,
Vol. 4, m, 1, p.378, quoted here from the two tatters.
49.'Al-Faqih,", Vol. 1, Bab m5 yaqul ur-R RI idha Awa ila
firashih, p.296,
H.1. "Thawab ul-Amal," p.135. "Makarim ul- Akhlaq," Bab 10, p.333.
"Al-Bihar," Vol. 76, Bab Fadl it- Taharah 'ind an-Nawm, p.182,
H.386, quoted here from the latter two.
165
50."Al-Faqih" vol. 1, bab fi waqt i salat fl-Layl, p.303,H.8. "Al-
Mahasim" Kitab ' Iqab ul-Amal, p.86, p.86. W- Bihar," Vol. 87, Bab
asnaf in-Ms fil-Qiyam àn farshihim, p.169,.H.2, quoted here.
51. "Al - Kafi," Vol. 2, 135b ul-awqat wal I " Halat allati turja filial
ijabah, p.478, H.10 & 3, Bab Salat in-Nawafil, p.447, 11.19.
"Makarim ul-Akhlaq," Bab. 10, p.316. AI-Bihar Vol. 93, Bab ul-
awqat allati turja fihal- ijabah, p.345, quoted here.
52. "Al-Faqih Vol. 1, Bab Salat il-Layl, p.307, H.1. 'A]- Wasail," Vol.
3, Bab 25 min abwab a'dad il-Fara'd wa Nawafiliha, p.67,H.5. "Al-
Bihar," Vol. 87, 135b Fadli Salat il-Layl, p.157, I 1.42 and p.162,
H.54.
53. "Al-Kafi," Vol. 2,135b ud-Du'a''indan-Nawm wal-intibah, p.539,
H.16. "AI-Faqih," Vol. 1, 135b mayaquI ur-Rajul idha- Stayqaza min
an-Nawm, p.304. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 87,Bab Adab un-Nawm wal
intibah, p.173, I'1.4, 1.4, quoted here.
54. W-Faqih,"Vol. 1, Bab ma yaqul ur-Rajul idha awa ila firashih,
p.296, H.2. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq," Bab 10, p.333. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 76,
135b ul-Qura'ah wad-Du'a''indan-Nawm wal intibah, p.195, ff. 12,
quoted here.
55. "Makarim ul-Akhlaq," 135b. 10, p.334. "AI-Bihar," Vol. 76. Bab
166
ul Qir'ah wad Du'a-indan-Nawm wal intibah, p.196, quoted here.
56. Surat ul-Kahf/110.
57. 'AI-Faqih," Vol. 1, Bab mayaqul ur-Rajul idha ila firashih, p.297,
H.6. "Falahus-Sa'il," al-Fall 30, p.282. Al-Bihar," Vol. 76,Bab ul-
Qira'ah wadDu'a indan-Nawrn wal intibah, p.212, quoted here.
58.'Al-Kafi," Vol. 2,135b ud-Du'a''indan-Nawm wal intibah,
p.540,H.17. "A]-Fqih," Vol. 1, 135b mayaqul ur-Rajul idha awa ila
firashih, p.298, H.7. "Makarim ul-Akhlq," Bab 10, p.337. "al-Bihar,"
Vol. 76, Bab ul-Qird'ah wadDu'a''indan- Nawm wal intibah, p.202,
H.20, quoted here.
59. Surat Sad/88.
60. Probably the author composed this Du'a'out ofseveral Du 'a's,
because his text, as it is, could not be traced back to its source. The
Du',a's concerning al-Jumuàh are quite different from this. As to the
origin of the Du'a', it is found in "Misbaah ut - Tahajjud," p.250, and
in AI-Bihar," Vol. 89, Bab a'mal yawm il-Jumuàh wa Adabuhu wa
waza'ifuhu, p.329,1-1.2, quoted here and elsewhere.
61. This is composed of two narratives: The first is what had come in
Hadith uI-Manahi, as narrated by al-Saduq in *AI-Faqih," Vol. 1. Bab
Jumalun min manahi-n-Nabi (S.A.) quoting the Messenger (S.A.)
167
related by al-Amili in 'A]- Wasail," Vol. 5, Bab 14 mini abwab Sala il-
Jumuàh, p.30, quoted here. The second is narrated by Ash-Shahid
uth:Thani in "Risalat ul-Jumu'ah," and by ash-Shaykh an-Nuri, in 'Al-
Mustadrak," Vol. 1, 135b 12 min abwab Sal-at ulJumu'ah, p.409,H.6.
62. "Al-Bihar," Vol. 96, Bab Adab us-Sa'im, p.294, H.24, Ahmad's
"Musnad", Vol. 2, p.441.
"Al-Faqih," Vol. 2, fi Bab Adab us-Sa'im, 'At-Tahdhib Vol. 4, 135b fi
Sunan is-Siyam, p.194. "Al-Kafi," Vol. 4,Bab adab us-Swim, p.87.
"Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 7,Bab 11 min abw5bAdabus-Sa'im, p.116, quoted
here.
64. "AI-Kati" Vol. 4, Bab adab Sa'im, p.87, H.3. AI- Faqih," Vol. 2,
Bab fi Adab is-saim, p.68, H.10. "At-Tahdhib," Vol. 4, Bab fisunan is-
sawm, p.194,H.3.
65. "Al-Faqih," Vol. 2,135b fi Adab is-sa'im. 'At- Tahdhib," Vol. 4,
Bab fii Sunan is-Sawm, p.194. "AI-Kafi," Vol. 4, Bab adab is-Sa'im,
p.87. 'Al-Wasa'il," Vol. 7, Bab 11 min abwab Adab is-Swim p.116,
quoted here.
66. "Al-Kafi," Vol. 4, Bab ma Ja'afi fadl is-Sawm was-Saim, p.62,
11.1.
"AI-Faqih," Vol. 2,135b fi fadl is-Siyam, p.44, H. 1. -
168
Wasa'il,'Vol. 7, Bab 7 'min
abwab is-sawm it- mandub, p.289, I1.1.
67. At-Tirmidhi's "Sunan", Vol. 2, Bab ma jTa fi fadl is- Sawm p.60. a
slight "Sunan", Vol. 4, 135b Fadl is-Siyam, p.162, with slight
difference, and like it is in "Ma'5nil Akhb5r," 135b Nawadir il-Ma'ani,
p.409, H.91.
68. Al-Bukhari's "Sahih", Vol. 3, Bab fadl is-Sawm, p.31, with a slight
difference, with its first part narrated in 'Al-Faqih" Vol. 2 Bab fadl is-
Siyam, H.5.
69. Surat ur-Ra'd/25.
70.'-Al Kafi" Vol. 2, Bab Silat ir-Rahim, p.151,H.7. 'Al- Bihar," Vol.
74, Bab silat ir-Rahim, p.115,11.75, quoted here.
71. 'Al-Khisal," Bab uI-Arba'mi'ah. AI-Bihar", Vol. 74, Bab Silat ur-
Rahim, p.91,H.14, quoted here.
72. 'AI-Bihar," Vol. 74,135b Huquq il-Ikhwan, p236, H.36.
73. Abu Dawud's"Sunun", Vol. 4, 135b ul-Mu'akhaL, p.424.
74. AI-Bukhari's "Sahih ", Vol, 8, p.23.
75.'Al-Kafi," Vol, 2,135b Haqq it Mu'min 'ala akhhih, p.169. 'Al-
Bihar,"Vol. 74, Bab Huquq il-lkhwan, p.238,H.40, quoted here.
76. 'W-Kafi," Vol. 2, B5b us-Sa'y 5 1 lajat il-Mu'min, p.196, H.1.'Al-
169
Bihar," Vol. 74, Bab Qada Hajat it- Mu'minin, p.331, H. 105, quoted
here.
'Al-Kafi," Vol,. 2,Bab 'Tafrij Karb il-Mu'min, p.199, H.3. "Al-Bihar,"
Vol. 74, Bab Qada'Hajat il-Mu'minin, p.321,11.87, quoted here.
The Disobedience of the Organs
A Guidance: A General Definition
The disobediences of the organs are either Kaba'ir (major sins) or
Sagha'ir (minor sins). As to the Makriuha (disliked acts), they are not
disobediences, but they are contrary to the preferred and negligent of
the recommended. They are opposite to the Mustahab worshipping
acts.
By abandoning the disobediences one attains to the basic salvation. By
abandoning the Makruhat& one becomes on the way of attaining to
higher degrees. The Kabaìr necessitate [burning in] Hell, but
avoiding them would atone for the Saghair.Allah, the Exalted, says:
"If you shun the major sins from which you are forbidden We will
do away with your minor sins and admit you to an honourable
place."]
170
It is not, however, an easy task to define the Kaba'ir. The advantage of
this ambiguity is to encourage the avoidance of all kinds of
disobedience lest one may commit a major sin unknowingly. Our
master, the Imam as-Sadiq (A.S.), referring to the Kabaìr, said: "They
are those for which Allah, in his Book, promised Hell."2 Another
narrative quoted from him, also said: "They are seven, as in 'Ali's
Book: Disobeying in Allah, killing a - human soul, being denied by
one's parents, usury after having been prohibited, unjustly eating up an
orphan's property, deserting the march [towards the enemy] and
adopting nomadiclife after the Hijrah [migration to al-Madinah.]
In some narratives "defaming married woman" is counted instead of
"disbelieving in Allah."
Our master, the Imam ar-Rida (A.S.), in his letter to al [the Abbaside
Caliph] about Islam, said: "...They are: Killing the human soul which
is forbidden by Allah, the Exalted, adultery, theft, drinking wine,
being denied by one's parents, deserting the march [against the
enemy], unjustly eating up an orphan's property, unnecessarily eating
the Maytah, the blood, the meat of pigs and of animals that had been
slaughtered without mentioning the name of Allah on them, eating up
usury interests after having been prohibited, Haram income,
171
gambling, decreasing the weighs and the measures, defaming married
women, sodomy, giving false testimony, despairing in Allah's
provision, feeling secure from Allah's cunning, losing hope in Allah's
mercy, assisting the wrongdoers and depending on them, false
swearing [by Allah], holding back [people's] rights with no financial
straits, lying and pride, extravagance and wastefulness, treason and
concealing testimony, despising men of Allah, belittling the Hajj,
indulging in play, and insisting on committing the minor sins."4
Guidance: Disobediences of the OrgansPart 1
Some of the disobediences are: neglecting the duties, introducing
heresy, staying in the states of al-Janabah or al-Hayd in a mosque,
wearing gold and silk by men, eating and drinking in gold wares and
silver wares as whoever does it will have in his belly the fire of
Hell or to obtain them, manufacturing instruments of
entertainment, heresy, luxury or even the said utensils, because it
facilitates committing sin, drawing the portraits of living beings as
whoever does this will be tortured on the Day of Resurrection until he
blows life into them, which he cannot, similarly if one uses them or
looks at them, according to some. However, these should be confined
to be hanged on a wall or on a curtain and the like, except what is
172
trodden on, according to a Hadilh . Other instances of disobedience
are: hypocritically praising somebody for showing off, in a manner
causing him to be loftier than his neighbours, to boast to his fellows
and to disparage the Muslim poor. Doing this means disparaging
Allah and Allah will disparage him on the Day of the Resurrection,
unless he repents; shaving the beard; satirizing and bursting the pious
people and including that in poetry; singing with twittering and
enrupturing resonance, as it is widespread, but to generalize it is
doubtful. However, a Hadith says: "The woman singer is accursed,
and accursed is the one who lives on her earnings."
Another Hadith says: "to buy them is Haram, to sell them is
Haram, to teach them is disbelief', to listen to them is hypocrisy."6
And another one adds: "And their price is Haram."7
It is also in the Hadith that:"The fees of a woman singer who sings in
marriage ceremonies is all right, in case she lets no man in.
Further disobediences are: False lamentation and listening to it;
pimping and lesbianism; the talking of a woman with other than her
husband and near relatives, more than five inevitable words; the
sleeping of a woman with another woman undressed; the disclosing of
a woman what goes on between her and her husband in the privacy;
173
her using make-up for other than her husband, leaving her house
without her husband's permission, in which case, all the angels in the
heavens and everything she passes by, of jinn and human being, will
curse her until she returns home. AHadith says : "Whoever fills his
eyes with [something which is] Haram his eye will be filled by
Allah, on the Day of Resurrection, with fire, unless he repents.
Whoever shakes hands with a non Mahram woman receives
Allah's wrath. Whoever unlawfully takes a woman he will be
fastened in a chain with Satan and thrown into llell."9
The Prophet (S.A.) prohibited the Muslim from looking at the private
parts of another Muslim. He said: "Whoever discerns the private
parts of his Muslim brother, seventy thousand angels will curse
him." 10
He also prohibited that a woman should look at the private parts of
another woman, that a man should peep into his neighbour's house,
and said: "Whoever deliberately looks at the private parts of his
brother Muslim or of other than his wife, Allah will enter him
among the hypocrites who used to find faults with the Muslims,
and he will not leave this world before being disgraced by Allah,
unless he repents."11
174
A Guidance: Disobediences of the Organs
Part 2
This part consists of: using astrology for fortune-telling, divination
and witchcraft, tracking and jugglery. A HadIth says: "Beware of
learning astrology except that which guides you in desert or sea
as it leads to divining. The astrologer is like the diviner, the
diviner is like the magician, the magician is like the disbeliever
and the disbeliever is in Hell." 12
Another Hadith says: "...The astrologer is accursed, the diviner is
accursed and the magician is accursed." 13
Another says: "Whoever tells fortune or his fortune is told for him,
is renouncing the religion of Muhammad." 14
Ibn Tawus, however, denied the Hadith which censures astrology, and
allowed its practice. In this respect people say absurd things and
observe stupid limitations. What appears to me from diverse texts is
that to offer prophecies as inevitable happenings is Haram. But as to
those prophecized by a Prophet or his vicegerent, or practised as
optimistic wishes, they are allowed.
Withcraft is some utterance, writing, charm, vow, incantation or the
like, which cause harm to other people, such as casting a spell on a
175
man sothat he would not be able to have sexual intercourse with his
wife and, consequently, causing them to hate one another, or using the
angels, the jinns and the devils to uncover the concealed, to cure the
sick, to conjure them up in the body of a boy or a woman as if to
discover the unseen through them. So, learning and teaching them is
Haram, as well as using them as a means of earning one's living,
except to refute a diviner. Such witchcraft may be undone by the
Qur'an or vows, as is stated in a Hadith.
A Guidance: Disobedience of the Organs
Part3:
Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, is quoted to have said:
"Hardin money is that which comes from selling Maytah, dogs,
wine and earnings from prostitution, bribes received by an
authority and the fees of a fortune teller." 15
As-Sadiq (A.S.) is quoted to have said: "Haram money is of
different kinds. Some of it comes from the acts of despotic rulers,
the wages of the judges, the fees of the prostitutes, the values of
wine and intoxicant beer and the usury after being clearly
banned. Asto bribery for verdicts, it is disbelief in Allah, the
Great, and in His Messenger."16
176
A similar thing is said about sodomy: "Sodomy is below the anus, but
[it' in the] anus, it is disbelief in Allah, the Great, Glorified His name."
17
As to receive a bribe is Haram, to give it is likewise Haram, because it
helps in spreading mischief, except when a right cannot be restarted
without it. The Prophet (S.A.) prohibited selling, buying and offering
wine. He said: "Accursed is the wine, its
squeezer, grower, drinker, offerer, buyer, seller, eater of its
values, its carrier and the one to whom it is carried." 17
He also said: "Whoever drinks it, no Salat is accepted from him for
forty days. If he dies with some of it still in his stomach, it will be
right for Allah to make him drink the material of insanity, which is the
pus of the dwellers of Hell and what is discharged from the private
parts of the adulterers, as it is collected in the pots of Hell, then, drunk
by them, it will melt what is in their stomach and skins."19
He further prohibited sitting at a table with people drinking wine,
practicing usury, giving false testimony and writing down
usury. He also said: "Allah, the Exalted, has cursed the one who
practises usury, the one who borrows on usury, the one who
writes it down and the one who testify it."18
177
A Guidance: Disobedience of the Organs
Part 4
Other such disobediences are: anger and indignation not in the way of
Allah, fanaticism, tribalism, pride, arrogance, strutting, despising
people, boasting, nastiness, aggression, debauchery, lewdness, self-
approbation, showing envy and foolishness, hypocrisy, backbiting,
calumny and listening to them, spreading mischief among the people,
fault-finding, mistrusting people "as some mistrust is sin," slandering,
informing, abusing, cursing and defaming innocent people, double
dealing, deceiving, betraying, cheating, concealing the defects,
usurping, plundering, transgressing people's rights, injustice, cruelty,
rudeness, choosing to lead a nomadic life after the Hijrah (which is
counted of the major sins) as well as whatever has been prohibited by
AIlah and His Messenger (S.A.) including totally neglecting the
Messenger's manners and traditions, except neglecting the original
duties which is a disobedience, while these are principal Haram acts.
A Guidance: Makruh acts:
Makruh acts are so many that they cannot be numerated. Therefore,
below are a few examples:
178
Eating while still in the state of Janabah (as it brings poverty, its
effects, however, can be reduced by rinsing the mouth); clipping the
nails with the teeth; brushing the teeth [in public] baths; blowing one's
nose in the mosque; eatingwhat mice had left over; using the mosque
as a passage to go through (unless one performs a 2-Rakàt Salat);
urinating under a fruit tree, in the streets or in stagnant water (as it
causes insanity); exposing one's private parts to the stars or to the
Qiblah (some say it is Harem); eating with the left hand or in a
leaning position; putting on just a single shoe and walking with it,
putting on one's shoes while standing; walking of women in a funeral
procession; effacing the script of the Qura'n with mouth water, or
writing it while one is not Tdhir; burning parts of animals with fire;
abusing cooks (as they wake up people for Salat us-Subh; talking too
much during sexual intercourse (as it would cause the child to be born
dumb; leaving the garbage in the house over night (as it is the seat of
the Satan); stay the night with one's hand unwashed [after eating] (if
one does so and is caught by Satan, one is but to blame oneself);
cleaning oneself with dung or bone after defecation; facing the
Qiblah during sexual intercourse; accepting a lewd person's invitation
to a meal; accompanying the woman to the bathroom; beating on one's
179
own face; shaking hands with a Dhimmi ; reciting poetry, looking for
a lost thing and unsheating a sword in the mosque; beating the animals
on their faces, blowing into food, drinks and the place of the Sujud;
killing the bees; branding the faces of the cattle; swearing by other
than Allah.
It is also Makruh to use a worker before telling him his wage; not
visiting one's brother Muslim for more than three days (some say it is
Haram); spitting in the well from which people drink, and eulogy, as it
is in the Hadith: "Throw dust in the face of the eulogists. 19
Also not being kind to the neighbors. Whoever does this, Allah will
hold back His mercy from him on the Day of Resurrection and leave
him to himself, and what a bad state will be his!
Likewise are the things which are disapproved by reason, law or the
customs of magnanimity. A Hadith says: "Do not take as
trivial anything of evil, however small it may appear in your eyes,
as there is no major sin with asking forgiveness and no minor sin
with insisting [on repeating it]"20
Let us talk about some of the stated disobediences as we did about the
acts of obedience, limiting ourselves to the most important and
general ones which need more explanation in a general way and
180
according to the nice rules which we obtained from some scholars,
with allah's support.
A Guidance:
A scholar has said: Know that religion is two halves: one is to avoid
disobediences, and the other is to perform the acts of obedience.
To avoid the disobediences, however, is the harder part, because it is
easy for everbody to obey, while to avoid disobedience is possible
only for saints. That is why the Prophet
(S.A.) said: "The foresaken is the one who foresakes evil, and the
combatant is the one who combats his own desire."21
Know that in your disobedence you use your organs which are gifts
from Allah to you and they are entrusted to you, so, utilizing the gifts
of AIIah in disobeying Him is the worst of ingratitude, and the breach
of the trust entrusted to you by Allah is the most of despotism. Your
organs are your subjects, so see how you would to tend to them, as
you are all shepherds responsible for your herds.
Know that all your organs will give their testimony against yo on the
arena of the Day of Resurrection with a fluent tongue, exposing you
openly to the masses. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"On the Day when their tongues and their hands and their feet
181
testily against them as to they used to do."20
against
He also says: "This Day We seal up their mouths, and their hands
speak and their feet bear witness as to what they used to earn.23"
So, watch your body, especially your seven organs, as Hell has seven
doors, each has a divided part. Those who disobeyed Allah with one of
these organs would be pushed through them. These organs are: The
eyes, the ears, the tongue, the stomach, the private parts, the hands and
the legs.
As to the eyes, they were created so that they may help you in the
dark, in carrying out your duties, in discerning the wonders of the
Kingdoms of the earth and the heavens in order to get their lesson.
Keep your eyes away from three things: looking at what is Haram to
look at, at a beautiful figure lustfully and at a Muslim or at his faults,
scornfully.
As to the ears, prevent them from hearing heresy, slander, obscenity,
talking nonsense or about the defects of the people. They were created
for you to hear with them the words of Allah, the Traditions of His
Messenger (S.A.) and the wisdom of his guardians (may Allah be
pleased with them), by learning which you attain to the eternal
182
kingdom and the perpetual happiness. If you hear what is Makruh to
hear, what is for you turns against you, or what is the means of your
success changes to a means of your destruction, whch is a heavy loss.
Do not think that only the teller,
and not the listener, is a sinner, as aHadith says: "The listener is
the teller's accomplice."24 and: "The listener is one of the
backbiters. ,25
As to the tongue, it is created so that you may remember Allah quite
often, recite His book, guide Allah's creatures with it to His path,
express what is in your conscience concerning your religious and
worldly needs. So, if you use it in other than what it was created for,
you will be denying the favour of Allah, especially that the tongue has
more effect on you and on the others than any of your other organs.
Nothing throws people on their noses in Hell other than the harvest of
their tongues. So, overcome it with your utmost force so that it may
not tumble you down into the bottom of Hell. It is nt he Hadith that:
"A person may utter a word which will cause him fall into hell for
seventy autumns."26
Therefore, hold back your tongue in seven instances:
First: Lying: Keep your tongue away from it, whether it be jokingly
183
or seriously. Do not get accustomed to lie jokingly, as it will lead you
to lie in serious instances, to lying is is one of the major sins. If you
become known as a liar, no one would ever believe you, and the eyes
would look at you with scorn and contempt. If you wanted to know
how ugly lying is, look at the lies of the others and at our yourself
being disgusted with it, and your despising and condemning the liar.
Likewise, you are to handle all your defects, as you cannot realize the
ugliness of your defects by yourself, but through the others. Thus, that
which you detest from others, be sure that it is detested from you, too.
So, do not accept it for yourself.
Second: Failing to keep your word: Do not you ever promise! Your
favour to people should be in acts, not in words. If you had to give
your word, take care not to break it, except because of inability or a
necessity, as to break one's word is a sign of hypocrisy and bad
behaviour. The Prophet (S.A.) has said: "Whoever has three
[characteristics] will be a hypocrite, even if he prays and fasts: he
tells lies when he talks, breaks his words when he promises and
betrays when he is trusted."27
Third: Backbiting: Stop your tongue from backbiting, as it is, in
Islam, worse than thirty acts of adultery, thus says the narrative. The
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meaning of backbiting is to say about somebody something which he
would hate: if he heard it. So, you would be an unjust backbiter even
if you were truthful. Be careful not to be like the double-faced people
who tell what they want to say against somebody, in an indirect way,
such as saying: "May Allah amend him! I was distressed at hearing
what had happened to him. We pray Allah to amend us and him!" Two
evils are combined in this: one is backbiting, if the indication is
understood as such. The other is self-applause or praising oneself by
affecting piety. But if by saying: "May Allah amend him!" you really
meant it, then you could say it inaudibly. It' you were really distresed
because of them, the sign would be that you would not want to expose
him and uncover his defects. But openly expressing your concern
would, in fact, be an exposure of his defects. It should suffice you to
consider Allah's saying: "...and do not backbite one
another. Would anyone of ypu love to eat the flesh of his dead
brother? You abhor that!" 28
Allah, the Exalted, has assimilated backbiting to eating the
flesh of a Maytah, so, you ought to avoid that. There is another
cause which would prevent you from backbiting the people,
should you think it over. It is to consider your own self: have you
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outward or inward defects? Are your disobediences committed
covertly or overtly? If you realize that of yourself, then you will
know that he is also as unable to avoid them as you are, and his
excuse is the same as yours. He, therefore, dislikes to be exposed
to the people, as you do. So, if you covered his defects, Allah
would cover yours, and if you exposed him, Allah would make
some sharp tongues tear your covers to pieces and expose you in
this world, as well as in the Hereafter. Now, if you find no moral
or material defects in yourself, whether manifest or hidden, know
then, that your ignorance of your defects is the worst of being
foolish, and there is no defect worse than foolishness. Had allah
wished you good, He would have let you know your own defects,
because looking at yourself with self-satisfaction is the utmost
stupidity and ignorance. However, if you are truthful, you are to
thank Allah for that, and not to ruin it by defaming people and
mouthing their reputation which is the most formidable defect.
Fourth: Arguing and oral dispute with people, as it hurts
them, criticises them and labels them with ignorance, by way of self-
glorifying and assuming erudition and smartness. Furthermore, it
disturbs life, because when you argue with a fool he immediately
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retorts injuringly, and when you argue with a sage man he leaves you
with a hatred in his bosom against you. The Prophet (S.A.) said:
"Whoever avoids argument based on falsity, a house will be built
for him at the basement of Paradise. Whoever avoids argument
based on truth, a house will be built for him at the upper part of
Paradise." 29
Satan should not deceive you by telling you: "Talk the truth and do
not be a flatterer!" Satan always attracts the fools to evil through
affected good; so, do not be the laughing-stock of Satan. Talking the
truth is good if it is accepted from you, as a piece of truthful advice,
not as flattery. Advice is a craft of form that needs kindness, as
otherwise it would become a slander with more mischief than any
good effect. The one who mixes with fake scholars of the time will
take to arguing and it will be difficult for him to keep silent, as those
bad scholars give him to think that it is a merit to be able to controvert
and that to argue is praiseworthy. So, run away from them as you ran
away from a lion, and know that controversy is the cause of dislike
with Allah, the Glorified the Almighty, and with His creatures.
Fifth: Self-glorification. Allah, the Exalted says: "... Do not ascribe
chastity to yourselves..."30 A philosopher, asked: "What is an ugly
187
truth?" "Praising oneself," he replied. So, do not get accustomed to
that, as it belittles your position in the eyes of the people and incur
Allah's detestation against you. If you want to be sure that praising
yourself has no effect on your status in the eyes of the others, look at
your friends as they praise themselves for their merits, wealth and
position, and how your heart would deny it and your nature find it
heavy to bear! Would you not despise them in your heart? So, do
know that they, too, would do the same if you, too, did the same, that
is, they would dispraise you covertly in your presence and overtly
when you leave them.
Sixth: Keep your tongue away from calling down evil upon anyone of
Allah's creatures, even if he had wronged you; leave him to Allah. A
Hadith says: "A wronged man would call down evil upon the one
who wronged him until he quits his debt, and there remains a
surplus with the wrongdoer which he would demand from the
wronged on the day of Resurrection."31
Seventh: Joking, ridiculing and laughing at people. So, keep your
tongue away from all that, as they spoil dignity, lose face, causing
ignominy, bring desolation and hurt the hearts. They start obstinacy
and separation and sow hatred in the hearts. Do not make jokes with
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anybody. If somebody makes jokes with you, do not respond, but turn
away from them until they change the subject, and be like those who
when encounter senseless talk disregard it with dignity.
These were a collection of the plagues of the tongue, from which
nothing can save you but isolation or taking to silence except when
necessary. Some companion of the Prophet (S.A.) used to put a pebble
in his mouth so as to prevent him from unnecessary talk. Pointing to
his tongues, he used to say: "This had brought me to ruinous
situations!" So, beware of it, because it is the strongest means of your
destruction in this world and in the Hereafter.
As to the stomach, keep it away from the Haram and doubtful food,
and be keen on seeking the Halal [food], and, having found it, try not
to fill your stomach with too much of it, because too much food
hardens the heart, blurs the intelligence, frustrates the memory,
slackens the acts of worship and learning, strengthens the desires and
helps the soldiers of Satan to be victorious. To be fed up of Halal is
the starting point for every evil, so how much more if of Haram?
Seeking the Halal is theduty of all Muslims, men and women. To
worship and acquire the knowledge along with eating the Haram are
as building on a foundation of dung. If it sufficed you to have a single
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coarse shirt a year and two loaves of bread a day, and if you gave up
palatable food, you would not be lured by the attractions of what just
satisfies you of Halal. The Halal is plenty enough, and you need not
be keen on knowing for sure the actualities of things. You are only
asked to avoid what is <MlHaram or you doubt it to be Hamm on the
basis of some true signs: as to what is known, it is, actually, obvious,
but the doubted thing bears some signs, such as the property of the
Sultan and his agents, and the property someonewhose income is
exclusively earned by means of professional mourning, usury or
selling wines or pipes, knowing that most of his wealth is positively of
Hardin. In this case, what you take from such a person, which can
seldom be Halal, is usually doubted as to be Haram.
Among the unquestionably Haram incomes is that which is taken
from the Endowments contrary to the conditions of the Endower, such
as the one who receives an allowance to help him in acquiring
religious knowledge, but he does not actually follow that condition.
What he receives on this condition is Hai-din. Therefore, you are to
know what is Halal and what is Hardin, as it is a duty incumbent upon
you, like the Salat and Khums.
As to the Farj [ the private parts], you are to keep them away from
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whatever had been forbidden by Allah, and be among those about
whom Allah says: "And those who guard their Fajrs, except from
their spouses..."32
You would not be able to guard your private parts unless you first
guard your eyes from looking [at the Haram], your heart from
indecent thinking, and your stomach from the doubtful food and from
being satiated with it, as these are the original desire-inciters.
As to the hands, prevent them from beating a Muslim, receiving
Haram money, being used to hurt a creature, betraying a trust or a
deposit and writing what is not allowed to be uttered, as the pen is one
of the two tongues. So, keep the pen away from that which the tongue
is to be kept away, too.
As to the legs, prevent them from walking to a Haram, to go to the
[unjust] Sultan, because attending despotic Sultans, unnecessarily and
not forcibly, is a sin, since it means showing humbleness to them and
honouring them, whereas Allah enjoins that we should turn away from
them. Therefore, to go to them would increase their followers and help
them in their wrongdoing. If one goes to them to receive money from
them, it will be an inclination to Haram. The Prophet (S.A.) said:
"Whoever showed
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humbleness to a rich because of his richness, two-thirds of his
faith would go away."33
This concerns a pious rich man: so, how will it be in respect to an
unjust rich man?
Generally speaking, however, you are to guard your organs that you
may never use them in disobeying Allah, rather you are to use them
always in obeying Allah.
Beware that the evil effects of your shortcomings would return to you,
and if you showed vigour its fruit would also return to you, as Allah is
needless of you and of your worship. As you SOW, so will you reap!
Beware of saying "Allah is merciful and He forgives the sins of the
disobedients", as it is a word of truth wanted to mean a falsity, and the
sayer is described by the Prophet (S.A.)
to be a fool, as he said: "The sagacious is the one who condemns
oneself and acts for the afterdeath; and the fool is the one who
follows his desire and asks wishes from Allah."34
Your such saying is like the saying of somebody who wants to
become a learned man, then he indulges in doing nothing, saying that
"Allah is generous, merciful and capable of flooding my heart with as
much knowledge as with which He had flooded the hearts of the
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prophets and saints without any effort, repetition or learning." It is
also similar to the saying of someone who seeks money, but he
forsakes all work, cultivation and trade, saying: "Allah is generous and
His are the treasures of the heavens and earth, so, He is able to guide
me to a treasure which would spare me the pains of work. He has
already done that to some of His servants." Now, after listening to the
sayings of these two persons, you would take them as fools and laugh
at them, through what they said about Allah's generosity and ability is
quite right, true and just. Likewise, people of religious understanding
would laugh at you if you asked Allah's forgiveness without exerting
any effort to deserve it, since says: "And man will have only that for
which he strives."35
He also says: "You shall be requited only for what you used to
do."36
He further says: "The righteous are, indeed, in bliss, and the
wicked are, indeed, in burning fire."37
Therefore, as you do not neglect your effort to obtain knowledge and
wealth, depending on the generosity of Allah, likewise, do not neglect
your catering for the Hereafter. So, do not be deceived, as the Lord of
th is world and the Hereafter is the same. He is Generous and Merciful
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here and there. His generosity would not increase by your death.
Actually, He has already been Generous to you by paving your path to
attain to the eternal and perpetual kingdom by means of making you
making patient
on giving up your desires for few worldly days, as this is the most of
generosity.
Do not concern yourself with the infatuations of the idle people, and
follow the example of the resolute and intelligent prophets and the
pious. Do not expect to reap what you did not sow, but he like the one
who performed his duties of Salat, Sawm, striving and fearing Allah,
because of which one would be forgiven.
The aforementioned are generally the instances from which you are to
keep away your outer organs. The acts of these organs are the
exudation of the features of the heart. So, if you want to protect your
organs, you are to purify your heart by way of being inwardly pious.
The heart is the bit which if good, the other parts of the body will be
good, too, and if bad, the other parts of the body will be bad, too.
Therefore strive to make it good so that your organs may be good, too.
Notes:
1. Surat un-Nisa'/31.
194
2. The source is unknown, though it gives the content of a Hadith
narrated by Al-Kulayni, quoting the Imam As-Sadiq (A.S.) in al-kafi "
Vol. 2, Bab ulKaba'ir, H. 1 & 3. "Al-Kafi", Vol. 2, Bab ul Kaba'ir, p.
278, H. 8. "Al-Was'il", Vol. 11, Bab 46 min abwab jih5dun-Nafs wa
Ma yunasibuh, p. 254, H. 4, quoted here.
3. "'Uyun Akhbar ir-Rida", Vol. 2,135b 35, p. 120, H. 1. Also nearly
like it in "Tulzaful 'Uqul", p. 422, as in "Al-Wasa-'il", Vol. 11, Bab 46
min abwab jihadun-Nafs wa m5 yunasibuh, p. 260, H. 33, quoted
here.
4. 'AI-Kafi", Vol. 5, 135b ul-Mughanniyah wa shira'uha, p. 120, H. 6.
"At-Tahdhib", Vol. 6, Bab ul-Makasib, p. 357, H. 141. "Al-Wasaid,
Vol. 12, Bab 15 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p. 85, H. 4, quoted
here.
5. "AI-Kafi", Vol. 5, Bab ul-Mughanniyah wa shira'uta, p. 120, H. 5.
"At-Tahadhib", Vol. 6.Bab ul-Mak5sib, p. 356, H.139. "AI-Wasa'il",
Vol. 12, Bab 15 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p. 88, H. 7, quoted
here.
"Al-Kafi", Vol. 5, 135b ul-Mughanniyah wa shira'uha p. 120, H. 7
"Al-Wasa-'il", Vol. 12,135b 16 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p. 87,
H. 5, quoted here.8. "AI-Kafi Vol. 5, Bab ul (FL-Alughanniyah wa
195
shira'uha p. 120, H. 3. 'At-Tandhib", Vol. 6, Wbl-Makasib,
p.357,H.143. "AI-Wasa-il", Vol. 12,135b 15 min abwab Ma yuktasabu
bihi, p. 85, H. 3, quoted here.
9. "Al-Faqih", Vol. 4, Bab jumalun min man5him-Nabi (S.A.), p. 7, H.
1. "AI-Wasa'il", Vol. 14, Bab 104 min abwab muqadd-matun-Nikab
wo adabuh, p. 142, H.1, quoted here. Also in "Makarim ul-Akhlaq"
Bab 12, p. 496.
10. "AI-faqih", Vol. 4,135b jaumalun main manahim-Nabi (S.A.), p. 2,
H. 1."Al-Makarim", Bab 12.
11. ibid.
12. "Nahjul Balaghah", Sermon 79.
13. "AI-Khisal Vol. 1, Bab ul-Khamsah, H. 67. "Al-Wasa'il", Vol. 12,
Bab 24 minabw5b m5 yuktasabu bihi, p. 103,H. 7, quoted here.
"Al-khisal", Vol. 1, 135b ul-Wahid, p. 19, H. 67. "Al-Wasa'il", Vol.
12,
Bab 24 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p. 108, H. 2, quoted here.
15. "Al-Kafi", Vol. 5, Bab us-Supt, p. 126, H. 2. "AI-Khisal", Vol. 1,
Bab us-sittab, p. 329, H. 25. Vol. 12,Bab 5 min abwab ma yuktasabu
bihi, p. 62, H. 5, quoted here.
16. "AI-Khisal", Vol. 1, Bab 6, p. 329, 11. 26. "AI-Wasa'il", Vol.
196
12,Bab 5 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p. 64,H. 12, quoted here.
18. "AI-Faqih", Vol. 4, Bab jumalun min manahim-Nabi (S.A.), p. 2.
H. 1. "Al-Wasa'il", Vol. 12, Bab 5 min abwab ma yuktasabu bihi, p.
165, H. 5, quoted here. "Al-Makarim", Bab 12, p. 491.
20. "AI-Faqih", Vol. 4,Bab jumabun min ManahimI -Nabi (S.A.), p. 2,
H. 1. "AI-Wasa'il Vol. 12, Bab 4 min abwabir-Riga, p. 430, H. 3,
quoted here. "AI-Makarim", Bab 12, p. 491.
21. "AI-Faqih", Vol. 4, Bab jumalun min manahin-Nabi (S.A.), p. 2 H.
1. "AI-Makarim", Bab 12, p. 493.
22. "AI-Fqih", Vol. 4, Bab jumalun min manahin-Nabi (S.A.), p. 2. H.
1. "W-Wasa'il", Vol. 11, Bab 43 min abwab jihadin-nafs wa ma
yunasibuh, p. 346, H. 8, quoted here. "AI-Makarim", Bab 12, p. 500.
23. "Al-Maha
,jah", Vol. 7, p. 124, quoting Ibn Majah and An-Nasa'i.
24. Surat un-Nur/24..
25. Surat Yasin/65.
26. Source unknown.
27. "Al-Makasib", p. 46, which says: "It is stated that the listener to
backbiting is one of the backbiters. "Kashfur-Ribah 'an Ahkam il.-
Ghabah by the Second Martyr, Mb Hurmatu lstima'il-Ghibah, p. 18.
197
28. Nearly the same is stated in "Sahih" b Al-Bukhari", Vol. 8, Bab
Hifz il-Lisan, p. 125. "Sunan" by At:Tirmidhi, Vol. 3, Bab ma ja'a
fiman takllama liyudhikam-nas, p. 260.
29. "Sahib" by Muslim, Vol. 1, Kitab ul-'Iman, Bab 25, H. 108. At-
Tirmidhi's "Sunan", Vol. 4, Kitab ul-'Iiman, Bab 14, H. 2766.
30. Surat ul- Hujurat/12.
31. "AI-Bihar" Vol. 2,Bab 17, p. 138, H. 51. At-Tirmidhi's "Sunan",
Vol. 3, Bab ma ja'a fil-Mirza', p. 142, with slight difference 'Al-
Targhib wat -Tarhib", Vol. 1, p. 130, quoted here.
32. Suratu-Najm/32.
33. Like it is in 'A/-Kafi", Vol. 2, p 333.
34. Surat ul-Mu'min5n/5-6, Surat ul-Ma'arij/29- 30.
35. In "Safinat ul-Bihar Vol. 2, p. 668, Maddat "Wada'a", two hadiths
are quoted from Amir ul- Mu'minin (A.S.), and As-Sadiq (A.S.), both
quoting the Messenger of Allah (S.A.), nearly the same topic.
36. Ibn Maja's "Sunan", Kitab uz-Zuhd, Bab 31, H. 4260. "Al-
Mustadrak", Vol. 4, p. 251.
37. Surat un-Najm139.
38. Surat ut-Tur/16. Surat ut- Tahrim/7.
Surat id-Infitar 13 & 14.
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THE OBEDIENCES OF THE HEART
A Guidance: Definition
Obediences of the heart are its good characters and morals, which are
numerous, including the Fard'id by means of which the original
salvation is attained, and the Nawafils by means of which the high
degrees are reached.
Among the Fara'id is to acquire the necessary branches of knowledge.
These are knowing the true religious doctrines, though in general,
knowing the Wi1jib religious precepts, though by Taglid; and
knowing the plagues of the soul, its good morals so as to be acquired
and its bad habits so as to be avoided, as have been explained in this
book.
As to learning speculative theology with which the heresies can be
refuted, knowing juristic matters more than what is necessary for the
individual, learning medicine and other similar trades, they are among
the Kifa'i Wajibs.
Among the A ini Wajibs are: repenting from major and minor sins,
thanking Allah for His favours in this world and in the Hereafter,
enduring difficulties of life and or worship, refraining from
committing disobedience and being keen on satisfying the desires,
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abstaining from the luxuries of this world, depending on Allah in all
affairs and leaving them to Him, especially [concerning] the means of
living, submission to the divine fate and determination, fearing Allah
and hoping for His mercy and forgiveness, truthful faith and belief in
Him.
Among the Nawafil are: contemplating upon the creation of Allah
more than is needed by the aforementioned necessary branches of
knowledge, watching over one's soul and reckoning with it more than
is required by the compulsory morals, remembering death and what
will be after it, acquiring the merit of wisdom, which means a steady
mental faculty, without inclination to either extreme sides of
niggardliness of the miser and the extravagance of the fool, followed
by good management, insight, shrewdness and prudence, learning the
interpretation of the Qur'an, Hadiths and juristic questions more than
the necessary, acquiring the character of the brave, which means
soundness of the nature of one's anger, without any inclination to
either extreme sides of impetuosity or cowardice, but easily and
feasibly submit to the power of reason and what it entails of
generosity, magnanimity, greatness of personality, patience,
forbearance, persistence, nobility, gallantry, solemnity, chastity, which
200
means having moderate desires, without inclination to the two extreme
sides of greed and inactivity, but easily and feasibly submit to the
power of reason and what it entails of modesty, leniency, toleration,
openhandedness, common sense, cheerfulness, orderliness, good
appearance, contentedness, calmness, piety, elegance, helpfulness and
charm.
Now let us generally talk, with Allah's help, about the requirements of
these characteristics, as we have learnt from our scholars.
A Guidance: On Beliefs
As to the beliefs, [we should say that] the least that a Mukallaf must
believe in is: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the
Messenger of Allah." Then, if he does believe in the Messenger, he
will have also to believe in what he says about Allah's attributes, such
as knowledge. Ability, Will, Speech, etc., about the Hereafter, such as:
Paradise, Hell, the Straight Path, the Balance, the Reckoning, etc., and
about appointing an infallible Imam by name. All of that is included in
the Qur'an, needing no further proofs. It is not incumbent on him to
argue about the nature of the [Divine] Attributes, nor about whether
[His] Speech, Knowledge, etc., are novel or old. Actually, even if such
matters did not occur to him, and he died, he would still have died as a
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believer. The Messenger (S.A.) did not impose on the Arabs anything
more than that, as stated by the scholar, At-Tusi (may Allah be pleased
with him) in a thesis of his, supported by the learned Al-Ardabdi in his
comments on "Al-Irshad".
I may add: As far as understanding and intellect are concerned, people
differ in comprehending the degrees of Knowledge and in acquiring
confidence, in quantity and quality, in intensity and weakness, in
quickness and slowness, in mood, learning and discovery, as
everybody has been created for a par-
ticular task. "Allah does not burden any soul but to the extent of its
capacity,"1 and they are of ranks and degrees with Allah. "Allah will
exalt those of you who believe and those who are given Knowledge,
in high degrees..."2 Therefore, everybody is bur-
dened according to his understanding and inborn insight, to the extent
of his capacity, even by imitating the behaviour of someone who is
worthy of being followed, depending on his well conduct and good
belief, should the Makallaf be too feeble-minded and imbecile to
distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, though he may be
able to generally tell those who try to lead him astray from those who
guide him right.
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Generally speaking, it suffices a common man to acquire a general
idea about the religious beliefs. He is not to go into details, nor to
demand evidences other than those offered by the Messenger of Allah
(S.A.), whether concerning the secondaries or the fundamentals. Asa
matter of fact, the correctness of his worshipping acts does not depend
on his knowing what is Wajib and what is Mustahab, as it is sufficient
for him to know that he worships A 115h, and to know what
disobedience is.
What is commonly known among our companions nowadays, as to be
contrary to that, is not well proved yet, owing to its lacking acceptable
proofs. Actually it cannot be so, since the common minds and feeble
thinkers are unable to handle such ideas and make inferences. What is
Wajib on a common person is to think carefully in choosing the one
whom he, as a Muqallid, should follow and depend on in his
worshipping acts, as a qualified one and known for being well versed
and pious. This is proved by evidences of situation and signs of effects
confirming his knowledge and piety. Should learned people differ
about him, the testimony of the most learned and pious one of them is
to be followed. If he could not make a decision, he might choose one
of them with care. A Hadith, concerning the difference in two
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narrations, says: "Whichever you take, by way of submission, will
do."3 May Allah guide us to success!
A Guidance: On Repentance
Repentance is to rid the heart from sins. It has also been define to be:
Refraining from committing a sin, the like of which in degree not
in form the repentant has already committed, as a token of exalting
Allah, the Almighty, and guarding against His wrath. Consequently,
repentance can be effected under four conditions:
First: Voluntarily avoiding sinning. That is, the repentant is firmly to
decide never to sin again. If he avoids the sin, thinking that he may
return to it, or has doubt in his resolution which he thinks can possibly
be severed, he is regarded as just abstaining from sinning, not
repenting of it.
Second: To repent of the sin which he has already committed. It he
has not committed like it, he would be guarding himself against it, not
repenting of it.
Third: The formerly committed sin is to be like the one intended to be
avoided in grade and degree, not in form. Do not you see that a
decrepit old man, who had formerly committed adultery or robbery,
could have repented of them, if he so wished, because they were still
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open to him to commit, but now he cannot choose adultery and
robbery, because he is no longer able to commit them, so he cannot
pretend to repent of them. Therefore, he cannot be described as a
repentant or as an abstainer, since he is incapable of practising them.
But he is capable of doing something like them in grade and degree,
such as: slandering, backbiting and betraying, all of which are
disobedience, though in a different way. However, all of these
secondary disobedience are of the same degree, which is below the
degree of heresy, which is below the degree of disbelief. Therefore, it
is acceptable from the repentant to repent of adultery, robbery and
other past sins which he is no longer capable of committing the like of
them in their form.
Fourth: By his repentance he is solely to intend exalting A&M, the
Almighty, and avoiding HIs wrath and painful punishment, not for a
worldly desire, nor for fear of people, or expecting applause and fame
from them, or because of some weakness, poverty or any other reason.
These are the conditions and bases of repentance. If they took place in
full, it would be a real and true repentance. It, however, requires three
preparatory steps:
Firstly, remembering the utmost ugliness of sins.
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Secondly, remembering the severity of AlOh's punishment and His
painful wrath and anger which you cannot bear.
Thirdly, remembering your weakness and inability in facing all that.
One who cannot bear the heat of the sun, the slap of a policeman or
the pinch of an ant, how can he [or she] bear the fire of Hell, the club-
strikers of it's guards, the bites of its gigantic snakes and stings of its
mule-sized scorpions created of fire, in the waste land of anger? We
take refuge with Allah from them, and we take refuge with Allah from
His wrath and torture. If you continue reciting those invocations and
repeating them at night, they will help you to truly repent of your sins,
and Allah will, out of His favour, assist you.
A Guidance: How to Give up Sinning:
Concerning how to get of rid of sins and stop sinning, you should
know that the sins are generally of three kinds:
The first kind is to neglect the duties imposed by Allah, the Exalted,
such as: Salat, Sa win, Zakat, Kaffarah and the like, which you are to
perform their Qadd'as much as possible.
The second kind covers the sins which only concern you and Allah,
the Glorified, such as: drinking wine, blowing pipes, usury, and the
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like, which you are to regret having done and to make your heart firm
on stopping and never repeating them.
The third kind covers the sins which concern you and other people.
This is, actually, the most difficult kind. These sins can also be
different: some may belong to property, some to lives, some to
honour, some to betrayal, and some to faith.
If it concerns property, you are to return it to its owner if you can. If
you cannot, because of [its] lacking or poverty you will have to ask his
quittance. If you cannot, because of his absence or death, you are to
pay off your debt to him as charity given out in his name, but if you
still cannot, you are to increase your good deeds, referring to Allah in
supplications and invocations, so that He might get him to forgive you
on the Day of Resurrection.
If it concerns lives, you are to allow him or his guardian to effect the
clue penalty by punishing you, or to forgive you. If this cannot be
alone, you are to return to Allah with supplication and invocation, so
that He might get him to forgive you on the Day of Resurrection.
As to honour, you might have backbitten, accused or abused
somebody. It is your duty to belie yourself before the one who heard
you first, and to ask your victim to forgive you, if possible and in case
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you did not fear any possible increase of his anger and indignation,
which might arise from disclosing your former mischief. But if you
did, you should turn to Allah to make him forgive you, and you should
also ask for him forgiveness from Allah, the Exalted.
As regards betrayal, you might have betrayed somebody in respect to
his household, children, etc. There is no question, here, about
disclosing the matter to him and asking for his forgiveness, as it will
certainly arise his extreme anger and enmity. So, you will have to
supplicate to Allah to make him forgive you, and to grant him much of
His Graces. If, however, you were sure that two trouble might
happen which would be a rare case you should ask him to forgive
you.
As regarding faith, you might have called somebody a disbeliever or
an innovator, or you might have misled him in religious matters a
very difficult situation, as you would have to belie your self before
those who heard you first, and to ask for his forgiveness, if possible,
or else, you would have to seriously supplicate to Allah, the Exalted
and Most High, showing true repentance, to make him forgive you.
Generally speaking, you should try to satisfy your opponents as much
as you can. Whenever you could not, you must turn to Allah, the
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Exalted, with true supplication, imploring Him to make your
opponents forgive you on the Day of Resurrection, asking for His
good grace, as if He saw the truthfulness of His servant, He would
mercifully get the opponents to forgive him.
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A Guidance: On Thanksgiving:
Thanking Allah is effected by correctly using His boons in what they
had been created for, and by exalting the Benefactor through
remembering His favours and not turning away from Him. The least
reaction expected by the Benefactor is that His boons should not be
used as means of disobeying Him. How disgusting is the deed of
someone who turns Allah's favours into means used against Him!
Therefore, let your real thanksgiving be in exalting Allah so much as
to prevent you from disobeying Him in proportion to your
remembering His boons. If you did so, you would be doing the basic
thing. Consequently, you should exert all your efforts to obey and
serve Him, since one of the rights of receiving a boon is to beware of
disobedience. In order to have the favour continued and increased
thanksgiving is to be continued and increased, too. Continuation of
thanksgiving is the condition for the continuation of Allah's grace. If
that is stopped, there will be stopped, too. Allah the Exalted, says:
"Allah changes not the condition of a folk until they (first) change
that which is in their heart."4
He, the Exalted, and Glorified, also says: "... But it denied
Alldh's favours, therefore Alhih made it to taste the state of hunger
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and fear..."5
He also says: "Why should Allah torment you, if you give thanks
and believe?"6
The Prophet (S.A.) said: Boons flee like wild animals, so tie them
with thanksgiving."7
As to the increase of the favours, it is caused by thanksgiving, which
holds them and causes them to be increased.
Allah, the Exalted, says: "If you give thanks I will give you more"8
and: "And those who go aright, He adds to their guidance. 119
and: "And those who strive in Our way We will certainly guide
them to Our ways." 10
When the Wise Master observes that His servant has offered the due
tribute to His favours, He bestows upon him more of His favours as he
deserves them. Otherwise, He stops them altogether.
The divine favours are of two kinds: Worldly and religious. The
worldly favours are of two types: repellent and useful. The latter type
covers the interests and the advantages, which, in their turn, are of two
categories: a good constitution in its sound and healthy shape, and the
delicious pleasures of food, drink, dress, marriage and other similar
advantages.
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As to the repellent favours, they are those which ward off harms and
injuries from you. They are also of two kinds: those which are in the
soul. By them Allah protects you against their bad effects and results.
The other type repels from you the harms of any hindrances or of any
human, jinn, beats, and vermin, etc.
As to the religious favours, they arc two in number: The favour of
success and the favour of infallibility.
The favour of success has led you first to Islam, then to faith and to
know the household of the Prophet, may Allah bless them all, and then
to obedience.
The favour of infallibility has safeguarded you first against polytheism
and disbelief, then against heresy and deviation, and then against other
disobedience. The details of this can be reckoned only by the All-
Knowing Master Who favoured you. As He, the Glorified, says: "And
if you would count the favours of Allah you cannot reckon them."
The continuation of these favours, after having been bestowed upon
you, and their increase in every aspect, are out of the reach of your
imagination. They all are due to one thing
Thanking Allah and praising Him.
A Guidance: On Patience:
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Patience is to curb one's impatience.
Allah, the Most High, says:'*... Only the patient will be paid back
their reward without measure." 12
Patience is of four kinds: Patiently endure the difficulties of worship;
patiently avoid sinning patiently keep away from the worldly
attractions, and patiently bear hardships and calamities. So, if you
patiently endured the bitterness of patience in those four instances,
you would attain to the righteous states of obediences and their ample
rewards at the end. It would preserve you from falling into the pits of
disobedience and their aftermath in this world, and their consequences
in the Hereafter. It would save you from running after worldly
pleasures and their immediate worries at present, and their results at
the end. Your rewards on what you suffer would not be cancelled. So,
because of patience, you would be able to worship and get its high
positions together with their rewards, to be pious, to renounce worldly
pleasures, as well as to obtain great rewards from Allah, the details of
which are known only to Allah Himself.
As to repelling harm, it will first take you out of the dispraised
impatience and its sufferings in this world and of its later penalty in
the Hereafter.
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But if you are too weak to be patient and cannot but follow the path of
impatience, you will lose all the benefits, and get all its harms, as
when you cannot endure the difficulty of worship, you will not do it,
or if you do it you will not be able to preserve it and thus you will foil
it, or you may not be able to go on with it, and thus you will not attain
to an honourable position with degrees of righteousness, or you may
not be able to keep away from committing a sin, or from indulging in
worldly pleasures, or you may not forbear a calamity, losing, thus, the
reward of forbearance. You may even show excessive impatience,
causing you to lose the reward, bringing you two losses, the loss of the
thing and its reward in the Hereafter, and the assurance of the calamity
owing to impatience.
It is said that being deprived of patience to bear a calamity is more
painful than the calamity itself. So, what is the use of something that
takes away the existing thing without bringing back the lost one?
Therefore, if you lost the one, try not to lose the other.
The matter is put in a nutshell by Amir ul-Mu'minin (A.S.), when he
condoled with somebody by telling him: "If you forbore, the
predestined would pass over you, bringing reward for you, but if you
showed impatience, the predestined would pass over you, labelling
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you as a siner. "13
Therefore, if some calamity or evil befalls you, you are to take care
not to lose your patience nor to display any complaint as worry,
especially as the first shock, as it would be the most difficult moment
to the heart which is usually quick in showing impatience. On such
instances you may say to yourself: "0 my soul! The adversity has
already happened and there is no trick to repel it, though Allah is
capable of removing what is even severer than that, as calamities
in His chest are so many. This one will pass away. It will not stay.
It is a cloud moving away. So, be steadfast, 0 my soul, for a short
while, as you will soon get a lengthy pleasure and an ample
reward." Now as you know that what is done cannot be undone, and
that your impatience would avail you of nothing, you would realize
that no calamity would, in fact, stay where there is patience and
condolence. So, busy your tongue with reciting the "Istija"i.e. saying:
"Inna lillahi wa inna liayhi rajji'un" which means: "Surely we are
Allah's and to Him we surely return", and remind your heart of the
reward which would be yours, remembering the patience of the great
prophets and saints in enduring unbearable calamities.
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When things become too hard for you, you may say to yourself: "0 my
soul! He knows better the situation and He is more merciful and
generous to you to leave you alone. It is He Who feeds even the
greedy dog and the hostile disbeliever, while I, His knowing and
unifying servant, certainly deserve a piece of bread. So, know that if
He did actually hold it back from you, He did it only because of a
great advantage. Do know that Allah brings about ease after difficulty.
Do be patient for a while, and you will see wonders of His marvellous
deeds. A poet in this respect says:
Believe that the make of your Lord is coming, With what you
desire of quick relief,
So, do not despair when a calamity happens,
As there are so many strange wonders in the unseen!
If you tried such ideas and constantly and repeatedly trained yourself
to think of them, difficulties would certainly become easier to bear,
especially if you practised that for quite a good time, by Allah's Will.
A Guidance: On Asceticism:
To abstain from the Haram is Wajib, and to abstain from the
unnecessary Halal is Mustahab.
Asceticism is of two kinds: The Possible and the Impossible. The
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Possible abstention can be in three things: In abandoning looking for
what has been lost of this world, in spending what has been gathered
of it; and in renouncing the desire of wanting it.
The Impossible is that to which the ascetic is indifferent.
The Possible, however, is preliminary to the Impossible. If one could
do it, by not demanding what one does not have, spending what one
has, and curbing one's heart from wanting its aftermath, one would
really feel indifferent to the whole world for the sake of Allah and His
reward and that is the real asceticism.
The most difficult of the three is the cordial abstention, as there are so
many who only outwardly abstain from something, while inwardly
they love to have it, in which case theywill certainly undergo a severe
struggle with their own selves. The entire importance is, actually, in
this.
Have you not heard the saying of Allah, the Glorified: "As to the
abode of the Hereafter, We assign it to those who do not desire
haughtiness in the earth nor mischief."14 In this the condition is to
negate even the desire, not just seeking or practising it.
He also said: "Whoever desires the harvest of the Hereafter,
We increase his harvest for him, and whoever desires the harvest
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of this world We give him thereof." 15
He further said: "Whoever desires the present life, We hasten to
him therein what We please." 16
Also He said: "And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for
it as it deserves, as a believer, his striving shall be (accepted) with
thanks. 17
The reference in all these instances is, as you see, is to the desire and
the stress put upon it. Yet, if the servant continued the first two and
persisted upon them, i.e. abstention and renunciation, he would expect
Allah's favour to help him in repelling such desires and wishes out of
his heart, as it is He, the Glorified and Almighty, Who grants His
favours out of His generosity.
What assists you in your abstention and renunciation and lightens that
for you, is to remember the displeasure and defects of this world. In
this respect there has been so many sayings. Some said that the world
is to be abandoned because so little are its riches, so many are its
sufferings, so quick is its vanishing and so man are one's partners in it.
It was observed that: From this [saying] comes the smell of desire,
because the one who complains separating from somebody surely
likes, reunion with him, and the one who abandons something because
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others have shares in it, certainly likes to have it alone.
Another one puts it better by saying: "This worldly life is an enemy to
Allah, the Great, the Almighty, Whom you love. Whoever loves
somebody will hate his enemy." And he adds: "Originally it is dirty
and a stinking carrion." Do not you see that it ends to dirtiness,
corruption, perishing and decay? Yet, it is a carrion sprinkled with
perfume and covered with decorations, in as much as the unminded
are deceived by its appearance, but it is forsaken by the mindful.
A Guidance: On Dependence:
Depending on Allah is applicable in three instances:
The first concerns the assignment of one's lot. In this instance youare
to depend on Allah and trust Him, being certain that you will have
what He has assigned to you, as His verdict never changes. This is a
Wajib by hearing.
The second concerns help. You are to depend on Allah and be
confident that He, the Great and Almighty, would help you if you
strived to help Him. Allah, the Most High, said: "And those who
strive for Us, We shall guide them in Our ways." Is
He, the Almighty, also said: "And when you have made your
decision, then put your trust in Allah."19
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He also said: "0 you who believe! If you help (in the cause of)
Allah, He will help you "20
He also said: "And helping the believers has been incumbent on
Us."21 This is a Wajib by promise.
The third concerns sustenance and need. Allah undertakes-providing
you with the nourishment that enables you to worship and serve Him.
He, the Exalted, said: "And whoever puts his
trust in Allah, He will be sufficient for him."22 That is, he will need
no one else.
Our truthful and faithful Prophet (S.A.) said: "If you put
your trust in Allah truthfully, Ile will sustain you as He sustains
the birds which fly away hungry and return back fed up."23
This is a Wajib imposed upon man by both the reason and hearing
a meaning which is most likely of depending on Allah, as it greatly
helps in exclusively indulging in worship and the management of all
His favours. The one who does not put his trust in Allah will have to
neglect worshipping Allah, the Exalted, on the pretext of having to
strive for one's living and sustenance, whether outwardly or inwardly,
and whether by bodily efforts, as the desirous common people do, or
by the heart's whispers and desires, as the worldly Mujtahids do.
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True worship prerequisites cordial and bodily devotion, which is
available only to those who depend on Allah. He, the
Exalted, said: "...created you, then he sustained you,"24 pointing
to the fact that sustenance is only from Allah and no one else, as
creation is. He even added to that His promise: "Surely Allah is the
One Who gives Sustenance"25 and once again He guaranteed that:
"And there is no moving creature in the earth but on Allah.
is the sustenance of it,"26 then not satisfied even with this, He
swore, saying: "And in the heaven is your sustenance and that which
you are promised. And, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth! it is
most surely the truth just as you do speak." 27 Still, dissatisfied with
that, He enjoined people to trust Him and told man: "And depend
on the Living Who dies not",28 and: "And on Allah.should you
depend if you are believers "29
So, whoever does not accept Allah's speech, disrespects His promise,
distrusts His guarantee, be not satisfied with His oath and be
indifferent to His word, command and threat, what would you think
his position would be? Think of the ordeal which would be brought
about by this. It is, by Allah, a great calamity but we are quite unaware
of it.
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It is narrated that when this Quranic verse was revealed: "By30
the Lord of the heaven and earth, , the angels remarked: "The
sons of Adam would perish. They must have angered Allah. to the
extent of causing Him to swear in respect of their sustenance."
Oways al-Qarani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "Even if your
worship Allah as much as the peoples of the heaven and the earth
do, it will not be accepted by Allah unless you believe in Him."
"How should we believe in Him?" he was asked. "You should believe
what He said about guaranteeing your sustenance," he replied, "and
see your body ready to worship Him."
Once Haram ibn Hayyam asked Oways: "Where do you order me to
stay?" Oways pointed towards Ash-Sham (Syria). Aloes can living
there be?" The man asked again. Oways said: "Fie upon such
hearts! They are so filled with doubt that no advice can benefit
them."
A pious man was asked: "Is your faith safe?" He replied: "the
safety of faith is granted to those who trust in Allah."
We implore Allah to amend us with His grave and not to punish us
according to that which we deserve, as He is Generous, Bountiful. If
you remember Allah's guarantee, perfection of Knowledge, ability and
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being far above breaking His word, committing mistake, being unable
and inefficient; and if you are diligent in that, it will prompt you to
definitely trust Allah in the matter of sustenance, by His will. And it is
Allah Who is the Supporter.
A Guidance: On Consignment
Consigning one's affairs to Allah is usually effected when one is not
sure of some affair to be good or bad, and thus, one is not positive
about wanting it or not, but only as an exception. This is consigning it
to Allah hoping for it to be good. If you wanted it as an exception, it
would be consignment, too. But if you wanted it positively with no
exception, it would be a dispraised and forbidden greed.
Therefore, consignment is to want your interests to be preserved by
Allah, because you are not sure that they are not subject to any danger.
Allah, the Exalted, says through the pious
servant: "And I entrust my affair to Allah, surely Allah. is Cog-
nizant of the servants. So Allah protected him from the evil
(consequences) of what they plotted,' 3 1 asking protection from bad
outcomes and victory over the enemies, after having entrusted his
affair with Allah.
Itwould help you in obtaining the consignment to remember the
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seriousness of the affairs and the possibility of their causing
destruction and corruption, since the consequences of the affairs are
obscure. So many an evil thing showed in the shape of a good one,
how many a good thing showed in the shape of an evil one, how many
a harm appeared with the attraction of a benefit and how much a
poison looked like honey, but you know nothing about the
consequences, as no sooner you had taken the things as decisive, and
your choice as firm, then you fell, unknowingly, into a destructive
situation.
You will also be helped by your being unable to preserve
yourself against diverse dangers, knowing your own ignorance,
negligence and weakness. Furthermore, if you confined the
whole thing to Allah, the Exalted, and asked Him to choose for
you what would be in your interest, you would be certain of
receiving nothing but the good, and you would be safe from any
danger and fear, feeling secured for the given time. But, if, on the
contrary, the affair was obscurely dangerous, knowing not
whether it is good or bad, you would be anxious and discomforted,
that is because Allah knows better all about everything from all
aspects, inwardly and outwardly, as well as its present and future
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states: "And your Lord creates what He wills and chooses; they
having no choice of their own."32 He would choose for you,
according to His Kindness, Knowledge and perfect arrangement, what
is beyond your knowledge and comprehension, while you turn to what
is your own concern with full attention.
So, continual repetition of these remembrances assist you to leave
everything to Allah to refrain from j udging them and to stop desiring
them, except on the condition of their being good and to your choice,
by Allah Will.
A Guidance: On Contentment:
Contentment is to abandon discontent. Allah, the Exalted, says: "Allah
is pleased with them and they are pleased with Allah. "33
Discontent is to want other than what Allah had prescribed, thinking
that it is the most appropriate and the best for him, despite the fact that
he is not sure of its being bad or good. This is Haram and forbidden.
A Hadith says: "Whoever is discontented with My ordinance,
impatient with My calamities and ungrateful to My favours, let
him leave My earth and heaven, and get a Lord other than Me."34
Another narrative says: "One of the prophets complained to Allah
of some adversity befalling him. Allah, the Glorified and Almighty,
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revealed to him: Do you complain of Me while you are not of those
who dispraise, nor you complain of those who dispraise and
complain? Such was your beginning in the unseen world. So why
are you discontented with My ordain? Do you want Me to change
the world for your sake and change the Preserved Tablet because
of you, so as to ordain what you want against what I want, and
you get what you like, not what I like? I swear by My Might if
once again this [notion] stammered in your chest I would certainly
strip the garb of prophethood off you and fling you in the Fire,
taking no attention [of you]."
formidable threat to the prophets and chosen ones, let alone the others.
Let him contemplate the phrase: "... if once again this stammered in
your chest..." This concerns the notion that quivers just inside the
heart; how about those who cry and shout their complaints of their
generous and benevolent Lord openly for everyone to hear, as if to
acquire supporters and companions? This, however, concerns the one
who had showed discontent just once, so, how about the one who is
discontented with Allah all life? This, as a matter of fact, concerns the
one who complains to Him. But how about the one who complains to
other than Allah? We take refuge with Allah against the evils of
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ourselves and the offences of our deeds!
To submit to Allah's ordain, it suffices to consider two convincing
principles:
1. The benefit of contentment at present and in the Hereafter. Its
advantage at present is the tranquility of the heart and lessening
groundless worries. If you are not content with what is ordained, you
will be worried and preoccupied with anxiety, demanding: "Why is it
so? Why is it not so?" If you keep busy with these thoughts, will
there remain any room in your heart for remembering Allah,
worshipping Him and thinking about the Hereafter? It is well said that
being sorry for what had passed, and worrying about managing what
is to come, have taken away the blessing of your present hour.
Our Prophet (S.A.) told Ibn Masud: "Let your worry be the least.
What is preordained will be, and what is not preordained will not
be."
This is the Prophet's comprehensive and deep saying with numerous
meanings said in few words.
As to its advantage in the Hereafter, it is the reward and the pleasure
of Allah, the Exalted, who said: "Allah is pleased with
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them, and they are pleased with Allah, and "And with Allah's
greater pleasure. "M Whatever there are of worries, sorrows and
restlessness of discontent at present, and of sin and punishment in the
Hereafter, are of no avail, since the preordained is inevitable and will
not be cancelled by your worry and discontent, as a poet has put it:
That which will never be can never be by any trick, And that
which is to be will certainly be
That which is to be will be in its fixed time, While the ignorant
remains worried and grieved.
So, a sensible man would prefer useless worry, together with
punishable sinning, to an untroubled heart and Paradise as a reward.
2. The second principle is the great danger, harm, disbelief and
hypocrisy hidden in discontent, unless these are done away
with by Allah's mercy. Consider Allah's saying: "But, nay by your
Lord! They will not believe until they make you judge of what is
in dispute between them, and find not within their hearts any
straitness as to what you judged, and submit completely."37
In this noble verse Allah swears to the fact that the one who is
discontented with the Prophet's judgement of Allah, the Exalted,
Himself'? Therefore, you are to tell yourself: "0 my soul! Nothing
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will afflict us except what had been ordained by Allah for us. He is
our Guardian, and upon Allah let the believers rely." Assure your
heart that what had been preordained by Allah is the best for you and
the most in your interest, though we are unable to discover how it is
and what its secret is. Tell yourself: "0 my soul! The preordained
will inevitably be, and your worries are in vain. So, there is no
advantage in discontent. The best is that which Allah makes.
Thus, there is no excuse for being discontented. Do you not say: 'I
am satisfied with Allah as a Lord, and with Islam as a religion? So,
how can you be discontented with His decrees? Ordinance is one of
His Lordship's affairs and rights."
When one of our ancestors was asked: "What do servitude and
Lordship mean?" he replied: "The Lord ordain and the servant
accepts. But it' the Lord ordained and the servant refused, there
would be Lordship with no servitude." So, think about this and
observe yourself, so that you may, perhaps, believe in Allah's helping
you to success.
A Guidance: On Fear and Hope:
Fear is a heart tremor caused by expecting trouble. Its advantage is to
prevent you from disobedience and from being proud of your
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obediences.
Hope is a pleasure felt in the heart for recognizing Allah's favour and
vast mercy. Its advantage is to promote you to obedience, help you in
enduring its difficulties and strains. It is a Wajib. When you have no
other means of warding off despair. Otherwise, it is Mustahab to be
hopeful, after having generally believed in Allah's favours and mercy.
Their path is a straight one between two oppressive and destructive
paths: that of security and that of despair. If you become too hopeful
in as much as to forget fear, you will be embarking on the path of
security: "None feels secure from Allah's scheme except the losing
people."38 If you
are overcome by fear so much as to those all hopes, you will be
embarking on the path of despair: "Surely none despairs of Allah's
mercy except the disbelieving people."49 But if you are between
hope and fear, and you stick to both of them, you will be on the just
and straight path, the path of Allah's friends and the chosen ones,
those whom Allah, the Most High, describes as:
"They used to vie one with the other in good deeds, and to call
unto Us, with hope and fear, and were submissive to Us."40
However, each of them has four preliminary steps. The preliminaries
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of fear are:
First: Remembering your numerous past sins and the many enemies
who have gone away, while you are still in the bounds of your
wrongs, with no obvious way out.
Second: Remembering Allah's severe punishments which you cannot
bear.
Third: Remembering that you are too weak to be able to endure them.
Fourth: Remembering Allah's power over you whenever and however
He Wills.
As regards the preliminaries of hope, they are:
First: Remembering Allah's past favours upon you, without any
mediation or intercession.
Second: Remembering His promises of tremendous rewards and great
generosity, without your actually deserving them, because if they had
been according to what you actually deserve, they would have been
the lowest and fewest.
Third: Remembering the many favours of Allah bestowed upon you in
respect to your divine and worldly matters at your present time,
without your deserving them or even asking for them.
Fourth: Remembering Allah's vast mercy which precedes His wrath,
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and that He is the Beneficent, the Merciful, the Self-Subsisting, the
Generous and the Compassionate to His believing bondmen.
So, if you continued remembering those two kinds of remembrances,
they would cause you to feel both hope and fear in all instances, Allah
causes success out of His Grace.
A Guidance: On the Niyyah [The Intention]:
To intend is a compulsory condition for all devotional acts,
as none of them, would be accepted without it. The Prophet (S.A.)
said: "It is the Niyyah which is counted in a deed. ,41 It is Wajib in the
compulsory duties, and Mustahab in recommended acts. The best of
the intentions is that which is intended solely for Allah, the Exalted,
mixed with no other aim. Next are those intentions asking admission
to paradise or salvation from Hell.
The Imam As-sadiq (A.S.) said: "Allah's servants are of
three kinds: Those who worship Allah out of fear, which is the
worship of the slaves; those who worship Allah out of love, which
is the worship of freemen, and it is the best of worships."42
But if you had a hypocritical intention, your deeds would be nil, and
your worshipping would turn into disobedience.
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Now, as an obedience turns into a disobedience by intention, similarly
the practice of the permissibles turns into acts of obedience by
intention, too. In fact, the permissible may become one of the best acts
of worship depending on one's intention or intentions, through which
one may attain to high degrees. Similarly, it may become an act of the
biggest disobedience depending on one's intention or intentions, as it
is said in the following Hadith: "Whoever uses perfume just for
love of Allah, will come on the Day of Resurrection with a scenet
nicer than that of musk. But whoever uses perfume for other than
Allah, will come on the Day of Resurrection with a smell more
stinking than that of a carrion."43
This is because someone may perfume himself on Friday or on any
other day, intending to show off his wealth to arise the envy of his
mates, and hypocritically wanting to create for himself a high position
in their hearts; or to be remembered as of nice smelling, or to woo
alien women, prepared to eye them, or because of some other
unlimited purposes, such intentions render perfuming oneself an act of
disobedience, and, consequently, one would smell more stinking than
a carrion on the Day of Resurrection.
Or one may intend to follow the tradition of the Prophet (S.A.) on
233
Fridays, wanting to show esteem to the mosque and the Ka`bah, and
deciding not to center them as a visitor of, the Exalted, unless nicely
scented, and, at the same time encouraging his neighbors to be at their
comfort in the mosque with nice odour, as well as to repel off himself
any bad odour which emight injure those around him, and doing a way
with any excuse for the backbiters to talk of him, as a stinking man,
since in which case he would be the cause of their disobedience. Or
one may have the intention of increasing his brain's intelligence,
making easier for him to understand his religious duteis. It had been
said that the one who smells pleasantly will have a developed mind.
Similarly other different good intentions, all of which are acts of
obedience deserving rewards. This is why one's smell would be nicer
than that of musk.
To use perfume may also be for luxury and pleasure, which is
permissible, though neither an act of obedience or of disobedience, but
it is an act about which one would be questioned as responsible. When
somebody is given something permissible in this world, he will not be
punished for it in the Hereafter, nevertheless, his pleasures in the
Hereafter will proportionally be reduced. It is, indeed, a loss to hasten
to a perishable worldly pleasure against losing the increase of an
234
everlasting one. An ancestral saying goes: A would rather make an
intention for every one of my acts, even for eating, drinking,
sleeping and going to the toilet."
All the aforementioned acts can be intended to be out of love for
Allah, because whatever causes the body to be healthy, and the heart
to be empty of worldly matters, will help in carrying out devotional
services. So, whoever eats, intending to be strong enough to worship,
makes love to protect his faith, please his wife and have a good child
that will increase the Prophet's Ummah, he will be a worshipper in his
eating, drinking, love-making, etc., and since usually one's best
pleasures are food and sex, one can possibly intend good by them,
especially if one's heart is full of concern about the Hereafter.
The perraissibles are numerous and their relevant intentions are
uncountable; so, you may regard the afore-mentioned as examples.
This is, in fact, the meaning of the saying of our Prophet (S.A.):
"Deeds are taken as intended, and everybody gets according to his
intention. So, whoever migrates for the sake of Allah. and His
Messenger, his migration is to Allah and to His Messenger, and
whoever migrates for a worldly pleasure, or for a woman to
marry, his migration is to what he migrates for."
235
He (S.A.) also said: "Allah would not look at your features nor at
your figures, but He would look at your hearts and intentions." 45
He (S.A.) also said: "A bondman of Allah may do good deeds with
which the angels ascend, written in collected and sealed pages, and
place them before Allah, the Almighty and Glorified. He will say:
'Throw these pages away, as he did not do them for my sake."
Then He will tell the angels: 'Write down for him so-and-so-
rewards.' "But he did nothing to deserve them," the angels say.
"Ile intended to do them for me," will be teh reply.
He (S.A.) further said: "Men are of four [kinds]: A man upon
whoin Allah bestows knowledge, so he acts according to his
knowledge. A man says: 'I wish I had what he has so as to do like
him'. They are both alike in their reward. Another man is given
wealth without knowledge, so he is lost with the wealth in his
ignorance. A man says: 'I wish I had what he has so as to do like
him.' They are both alike in their sinning."47
So, you realize how the intention participates in making an act good or
bad. Narratives on His subject are so many.
The Nature of Intention:
To make an intention does not mean that when one wants to teach, to
236
trade or to eat, one should say to himself 'I intend to trade or to eat, for
the sake of Allah, the Exalted', thinking that that is what is meant by
intention. How far! This is a talk merely said by the tongue, or just a
thought moving from notion to notion, quite separate from any real
intention. The intention, actually, is the resurgence of the soul and its
inclination or tendency to what seems to be its objective, sooner or
later.
But if the inclination is not there, it cannot be invented or acquired,
because of mere desire, such as someone, with a full stomach, saying:
"I intend to have the appetite for food!" Or the saying of someone with
empty heart: "I intend to love so-and-so and to endear him with my
heart." This is impossible, since there is no way of acquiring
heartinclination towards something to such an inclination, which can
be possible to some and impossible to some others, as the soul is
urged to act as a response to a motive agreeable to it. If a man did not
believe that his objective depended on a certain act, his intention
would not be inclined towards it. One cannot always have such a
belief, but if one had it, the heart would not be inclined to it unless it
was vacant or not occupied by another stranger occupier. As a matter
of fact, this is not always possible.
237
The encouraging and discouraging motives have many reasons. But
what helps you to intend to do good deeds is to strengthen your belief
in religion, to evaluate the reward and to prefer religious affairs to
those of the heart and to take care of them. Allah is the helper to
success.
A Guidance: On Sincerity:
Sincerity is of two kinds:
1. Sincerity in action.
2. Sincerity in seeking the Hereafter.
As regards sincerity in action, it means desiring the pleasure of Allah,
the Exalted, by your act, endearing His cause and responding to His
call, motivated by true faith, the contrary to which is hypocrisy, which
is to desire the pleasure of other than Allah. It invalidates the decd and
renders it a worthless one deserving no reward.
Sincerity in seeking the Hereafter is to want the benefit of the
Hereafter by doing good deeds.
Defining Sincerity and its Nature:
The disciples of Jesus (peace be upon our Prophet and upon
him) asked him: "Which are the most sincere of deeds?" "Those
which you do for the sake of Allah , asking no praise for them
238
from anybody," replied Jesus.
This is an allusion to abandoning worldly matters, which are the
strongest motives of invalidating sincerity.
Asked about sincerity, our Prophet (S.A.) said: "It is to say: Àllah is
my Lord,' then be upright as you are ordered."49
That is: Do not worship yourself and your desire. Worship Allah
solely and be steadfast in your worship as you are told. This means
disregarding everything other than Allah, and this is real sincerity.
Its contrary is hypocrisy, which means wanting worldly advantages
through doing things for the Hereafter, a fact which deprives the deed,
from being accepted and rewarded. The Imam
Ali (A.S.) said: "Do not worry about doing little, but he worried
about its being accepted [by Allah]. The Prophet (S.A.) told
Ma'adh ibn Jabal: Ìle sincere in your deeds, then few of them
would suffice you."50
The Prophet (S.A.) said: "No man sincerely acts for the sake of
Allah for forty days unless springs of wisdom from his heart show
on his tongue."51
The act which you do with a hypocritical intention, is, indeed, against
you, because it will be the cause of hatred and punishment, while that
239
which you sincerely do for the sake of Allah is certainly for you,
because it will be the ca use of Allah's pleasure and reward.
As to the deed mixed with hypocrisy, or some selfish desire, the
scholars have different opinions about whether it is against you or for
you, or neither against you nor for you. Some of the researchers said:
"If its religious and personal motives equalled each other, they would
defy and abate each other, and the deed would then be neither against
nor for you. But if the hypocrisy was stronger, it would certainly be
against you." Yet, its punishment would be less severe than that of a
merely hypocritical deed. But if the pleasure of Allah was more
intended for Allah, you would get a proportional reward according to
the strength of your religious motives. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"Whoever does an
atom's weight of good shall see it, and whoever does an atom's
weight of evil shall see it."'52 and: "Surely Allah does not do
injustice (even) the weight of an atom."53 So, a good intention is
not to be neglected.
Let us be satisfied with what we have explained about the religious
Wajibs. Should you require further details about the Mustahab acts
and noble morals, look up our book "Al-Mahajjatul Bayda I fi
240
Tandhib il-Ahya ["The bright way to refining human beings"], and
Allah grants success.
241
Notes:
1. Sit-rat ul-Baqarah/286.
2. Surat ul-Mujadalah 11.
3. AI-Kafi Vol. Bdib Ikhtilaf it-Hadith, p. 66, H. 7.
4. Surat ur-Rad/11.
7. This _Hadith could not traced back in neither old nor recent books.
It is narrated only by An- Naraqi'in "Jami'us-sa'adat, Vol. 3, Fasl:
Fadilat ush-Shukr, p. 239.
8. Surat Ibrahim/7
9. Surat Muhammad/17.
10. Surat ul- AnkabRt169.
12. Surat uz-Zumar/10.
13. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 71, Bab us-Sabr, p. 92. "Nahj ul-Balaghah, Saying
291, P. 527.
14. Surat ul-Qasas/83.
15. Surat ush-Shura/20.
16. Surat ul-Isra/18.
242
17. ibid/19.
IS. Surat ul- Ankabut/69.
19. Surat ul-lmrabn/159.
20. Surat
21. surat ur-Rum/47
22. Surat ut-TaIaq/3.
23. "Ad-Dur ul-Manthur", Vol. 6, commentary on the third verse of
Surat ut-Talaq. At- Tirmidhi's "Sunan". Al-Hakim's "Mustadrak", as
in "Al-Mahaj- jatul-Bayda"', Vol. 7, pp. 379, 417. Vol. 71, Bab
At=Tawakkul wat-Tawid war-Rida, p. 151, H. 51.
24. Surat ur-Rum/40.
25. Surat udh-Dhaririyat/58.
26. Surat Hud/6.
27. Surat udh-Dhin-i'vat123.
28. Surat ul-Furqan/58.
29. Surat ul-Ma'idah/23.
30. Surat udh-Dhariyat/23.
31. Surat ul-Mu'min/44, 43.
32. Surat ul-Qasas168.
33. Surat ul-Ma 'idah/119.
243
34. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 5, B5b ul-Qada'wal Qadar, p. 95, H. 18.
35. Surat ul-MA idah/119.
36. Surat ut-Tawbah172.
38. Surat ul-Arat/99.
39. Sinai yusuf/87.
40. Sinai ul-Anbiya/90.
41. A Hadith well-known among all Muslims.
42. "AI-Kafi", Vol. 2, Bab ul-lbaidah, p. 84,H. 5. 'A-Bihar", Vol. 70,
Bab ul-Ibadah wal Ikhtifa fiha, p. 255, 1.1. 12, quoted here.
43. Look up "Al-Mahajjat ul-Bayda, Vol. 8, p. 105, quoted from Ab
ul-Walid as-Saffar, in Kitab us-Sal it.
44. Al-Bukhari's "Sahih", Vol. 1, p. 21. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 70, Bab ul-
Ikhlas, p. 249, H.21,11.24 and Bab An-Niyyah, p. 211, H. 35.
45."Jami ul-Akhbar", Bab ul-Ikhlas. "Al-Bihar" Vol. 70, Bab ul-lkhlas,
p. 248,H. 21, quoted here. "Kanz ul-V WUmmal", Vol. 3, p. 23. Ibn
jah's "Sunan", Vol. 2, Kitab uz-Zuhd, Bab 9, 1 1.4143.
46. Narrated by ad-Darqutni, as in "Al- Mahajjah", Vol. 8, p. 103.
47. Ibn Majah's "Sunan", Bab un-Niyyah, H. 4228.
48, 49. Source unknown.
244
50. Narrated by Ibn Abi-cl-Dunya in "Al- lkhlas. AI-Hakim's "Al-
Mustadrak", as in "Al-Malljjah", Vol. 8, p. 126.
51. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 70, Bab u 1-1 khlas, p. 242, H. 10 and p.
249,11.24. "Kanz ul-Ummal", Vol. 3, p. 24, H. 5271.
52. Surat uz-Zalzalah/7, S.
Surat un-Nisa/40.
245
4
The Disobedience of the Heart
A Guidance:
The disobedience of the heart are its dispraised attributes and bad
manners, as opposed to praiseworthy attributes and good manners,
which are the obedience of the heart. You have already known them.
These are the same, whether in performing duties or just desirable
acts, since things are better known through their opposites:
The opposite of repentance is obstinacy, the opposite of thanking is
ingratitude, the opposite of patience is impatience, the opposite of
asceticism is greed, the opposite of depending on Allah is to love
worldly matters, the opposite of leaving things to Allah is
covetousness, the opposite of contentment is discontentment, the
opposite of intention is oversight and negligence and the opposite of
sincerity is hypocrisy. Learning prohibited crafts, such as divination
and fortune-telling, is regarded as opposite to learning the necessary
religious knowledge, or learning the recommended sciences before the
compulsory ones or the Wajib Kafi before the Wajib Aini ones, since
such learnings are not allowed, except when they are wanted to assist
in learning other branches of knowledge. So, beware of that and do
246
not be among the negligent.
The opposite of wisdom is a medium mental faculty whose dispraised
two ends are miserliness and stupidity, which include cunning,
hardship, foolishness and insanity. The opposite of modesty are
avarice and laziness, which include impudence, malice, extravagance,
stinginess, hypocrisy, degradation, niggardliness, shamelessness,
futility, shunning, peevishness, flattery, envy and glee of others'
misfortune.
The opposite of bravity are impetuousness and cowardice, which
include lavishness, extravagance, impertinence, drawing back one's
word, ugliness, meanness, terror, rage, arrogance, affected enthusiasm,
conceit and humiliation. Whichever of these tend to go to the
excessive extreme would fall under miserliness, greed or rashness, and
whichever tends to the remising extreme would fall under foolishness,
laziness or cowardice, the details of which can be referred to in the
books on ethics.
The merit obtained by avoiding these vices and by acquiring the three
virtues is called moderation. May Allah bestow it upon us and other
believers!
Let us state what has been said by a scholar in respect to
247
ruinous results of these disobediences which are the mothers of a
number of other evils. They are: envy, hypocrisy and conceitedness.
248
A Guidance: On Envy, Hypocrisy and
Conceitedness:
He (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "Do not think
that you would have a good intention for acquiring some
knowledge while there is in your heart some envy, hypocrisy and
conceit. The Prophet (S.A.) said: "Three are ruinous: an obeyed
miserliness, a followed desire and self- conceit."1
Envy:
It is a branch of miserliness, since the miser is the one who refrains
from giving what one has to the others. So, the one who holds back
Allah's favours, which belong to Allah's treasures of wealth, not to his,
will certainly be more miserly.
The envious is the one who cannot bear seeing Allah's favours being
bestowed on His creatures out of the treasures of His Power, be it
wealth, knowledge, sociability or some fortune. The envious would
even wish it to be take away from the others, though not given to him.
This is the worst of wickedness. That is why the Prophet (S.A.) said:
"Envy eats up good deeds as the fire eats up dry wood."2
The envious is a tormented person who has no mercy. He is in
perpetual pains, since there are always some of his fellow-creatures
249
and companions whom Allah has favoured with wealth, knowledge or
position, and hence the pains of the envious lasts until he leaves this
world to the Hereafter, where his torture would be greater and severer.
Actually, one may not be of true faith unless he loves for the people
what the loves for himself. He is even to share with the Muslims the
good and bad times. The Muslims are like a whole building, each part
of it supports the other, or like a single body, if an organ of it
complained [of pain] the entire body would complain, too. So, if you
did not find this feeling in your heart, you would better engage in
saving yourself from destruction, rather than indulging in rare
branches of knowledge.
Hypocrisy:
Hypocrisy is a hidden polytheism, which is one of the two kinds
through which you try to attain to a respectful position in
the hearts of the people, and to earn a high social state. Loving high
positions is one of the ruinous desires followed. Because of it so many
people had been ruined. If they were fair enough, they would have
known that most of their knowledge and divine acts, in addition to
their common acts, are caused only by way of flattering the people,
which renders one's good deeds invalid. It is in the narratives that: "A
250
martyr is ordered on the Day of Resurrection to be sent to Hell.
Objectingly he says: Ò my Lord! I had been martyred for your
sake.' The answer would be: 'You wanted to be called brave, and
you were, and thus, you had your reward."' Likewise the scholar,
the Haj and the reciter of the Qur'an would be treated.
Conceit:
Conceit, arrogance and boasting are grave diseases which appear
when a person looks at himself with an eye of esteem and endearment,
and at the others with an eye of contempt. He would continuously say:
"I", "I", as the cursed Iblis said: "I am better than him, You created
me from fire, and created him from clay."4 As a result, a conceited
person would not haughtily among the people, seek the best place for
his sitting and disdain being retorted.
The arrogant is the one who looks down upon his adviser and gets
angry when admonished. Whoever thinks himself better than the other
creatures of Allah is conceited, and he must know the best is the best
with Allah is conceited, and he must know the best is the best with
Allah in the Hereafter a fact which is unknown and depends on
one's end.
So, believing that you are better than the others is sheer ignorance. In
251
fact, you are to think that anyone else is better than you and he is
merited more than you. So, when you see someone young, you say to
yourself: "Ile has committed no disobedience yet, therefore, he
must be better than me," and when you see someone old, you say to
yourself': "He had started worshipping Allah earlier than I did." If
he is a scholar, you say: "He had been given what I have not,
attained to what I did not and knows what I do not, so how can I
be like him?" If he is an ignorant person, you say: "He might have
disobeyed Allah out of ignorance, but I did it knowingly, so, Allah's
evidence against me is stronger. I do not know how my end will
be, nor his." If you see a disbeliever, you say: "Who knows'! May
be he adopts Islam and ends in doing good deeds, and pulls out
himself from his sins, by means of his Islam, as one pulls a hair
out of the dough, while I myself may be led astray by Allah and
become a disbeliever, having the worst
possible end, and so, he may be among the favorites in the
Hereafter, while 1 may be among the missed."
You would not be able to get rid of pride unless you admit that only
the one who is acceptable to Allah can be proud a doubtful position
which can be known only in the Hereafter. So, you fear from the end
252
will extract your attention away from practising arrogance against
worshipping Allah. However, your being positively sure at present
will not contradict the possibility of your changing your idea in the
future, as Allah changes the heart: guides whom He wills, and
misguides whom He wills.
There are many narratives concerning envy, arrogance and hypocrisy,
of which a single one would be sufficient for you to consider: Ibn ul-
Mubarak, on the authority of a man, narrated that he asked Ma'adh: "0
Ma'adh, tell me a Hadith narrated to you
from the Messenger of Allah (S.A.)." "Ma'adh," the man said, "cried
so hard that I thought he would not stop it. But he stopped crying and
said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.) telling me: 0 Ma'adh, I
shall tell you a Hadith, if you learnt it, it would benefit you, but if you
did not learn it and lost it, your argument with Allah would be cut off
on the Day of Resurrection. 0 Ma'ddh, Allah, the Exalted, created
seven angels before creating the heavens and the earth. Then Ile
assigned one of th angels to each of the seven heavens as a
doorkeeper. The caretakers ascend with the deeds of a servant which
he had been doing from morning till night, with a light like that of the
sun. Arriving of the lower heaven, they mention them and multiply
253
them. The angel tells the caretakers: 'Strike with this deed the face of
its owner. I am the guardian of backbiting, ordered by my Lord not to
let the deeds of a backbiter pass me to the next.'
He continued: 'The caretakers take a good deed of the servant,
purifyand multiply it until they reach the second heaven with it. There,
the angel guarding the door of the second heaven says: 'Stop! Strike
with this deed the face of its owner, as he had wished a worldly
benefit by his deed. I am ordered by my Lord not to let his deed pass
me to the next, as he used to boost among the people.'
Ile continued: 'The caretakers take the deed of the servant, gay with a
light caused by his almsgiving and performing Siyam and Salat, which
pleased the caretakers. They take it to the third heaven, but the angel
in charge of it says: 'Stop! Strike with this deed the face of its owner. I
am the angel of arrogance. I am ordered by my Lord not to let his
deed pass me to the next, as he used to treat the people haughtily.'
He continued: 'The caretakers take the deed of the servant, as bright as
a star, accompanied with the roar of invocations, prayers, Hajj and
'Unirah. The pass to the fourth heaven. Its guardian angel says: 'Stop!
Strike with this deed the face, the back and the stomach of its owner I
am concerned with conceit. I am ordered by my Lord not to let his
254
deed pass me to the next, because he used to mingle his good deeds
with conceit.'
He continued: 'The caretakers ascend to the fifth heaven with the
servant's deed, like a bride being taken to her husband. The guardian
angel says: 'Stop! Strike with this deed the face of its owner, and let
him carry it to his shoulders. I am the angel of envy. Ile used to envy
those who learnt and act as they did. He also used to envy and defame
those who used to gain some merit out of their worshipping. I am
ordered by my Lord snot to let his deed pass me to the next.'
He continued: 'The caretakers ascend, carrying the servant's acts of
Salat, Zakat, Hajj, umrah and Sawm, to the sixth heaven. The angel in
charge of it tells them: 'Stop! Strike with this deed the face of its
owner. He had no mercy on any of Allah's servants inflicted with a
calamity or a harm, but he used to rejoice at it. I am the angel of
mercy. I am ordered by my Lord not to let his deed pass me to the
next.'
Ile continued: 'The caretakers ascend with the servant's deeds of
Sawm, Salat, almsgiving, strife and piety, buzzing like bees, and
bright like the sun, accompanied by three thousand angels. They
ascend to the seventh heaven. The angel in charge of it says: 'Stop!
255
Strike with this deed the face of its owner. Strike him on the organs
and lock on his heart. I keep away from my Lord any deed that was
not meant for Him. By his deed he wanted other than Allah. He
wanted to be esteemed by the jurists, he remembered by the scholars
and be a fame in the cities. I am ordered by my Lord not to let this
deed pass me to the next. Every deed that is not sincerely for Allah is
hypocrisy, and Allah does not accept a deed from a hypocrite.
Ile continued: 'T he angels ascend with the servant's deed of Salat,
Zakat, Hajj, 'Unirah, good moralities, silence and remembering
Allah, followed by the angels of the heavens, passing through all
barriers to Allah, the Almighty and Most High. They stand in His
Presence, and testify that his good deeds were sincere and for Allah,
the Exalted. Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, tells them: 'You are the
caretakers of my servant's deeds, and I am the observer of his heart.
He did not do this deed for me, but other than me, so, on him is my
curse.' All the angels would, then, say: 'On him may Your curse and
ours be', and the heavens say: 'On him may Your curse and ours be,'
and he is cursed by the seven heavens and whoever is therein."'
Ma'adh says: "I said: '0 Messenger of Allah (S.A.), you are the
Messenger of Allah, while I am Ma'adh!' He said: "Imitate me, even if
256
there was a shortcoming in your deed. 0 Ma'adh! Keep your tongue
away from backbiting your brethren who believe in the Qur'an,
attribute your sins to yourself, not to them, do not praise you rselfby
dispraising them, do not praise yourself by dispraising them, do not
raise yourselfabove them, do not mix a worldly deed with a deed for
the Hereafter, do not act arrogantly causing people to recoil from your
bad temper, do not whisper with a man at the presence of another, do
not pretend to be greater than the other, or it will keep the good of the
world away from you, and do not tear up the people, or the dogs of the
fire will tear you up in Hell on the Day of Resurrection as Allah, the
Exalted, has said: `By those that snap vigorously",5 do you know what
are those snappers?"
"What are they," I asked, '0 Messenger of Allah., may my father and
mother be your ransom?"
"They are dogs in Hell, snap at the flesh and bone," he said.
"0 Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be your ransom," I
said, " who can bear these characters and who is rescued from them?"
"O Ma'adh he said, "it will be easy for them for whom Allah makes it
easy."
The narrator said: "Thenceforth I saw no one to recite the Qur'an more
257
than Ma'adh reciting this narrative."6
So, know that these three characters are the mother of other vices of
the heart, and their nursery is love of this world. That is why the
Messenger of Allah (S.A.) said: "The love of this world is at the top
of every sin."7
Nevertheless, this world is the plantation of the Hereafter. So,
whoever takes from it only what is necessary to help him in the
Hereafter, it will actually be his plantation. But whoever wants this
world for its luxury, it will, surely, cause his destruction.
Let us be satisfied with what has been said about your relation with
Allah by carrying out His orders and refraining from doing what He
has forbidden. We shall now offer you some pieces of advice so as to
reproach yourself in respect to your association with Allah's creatures
and your accompanying them in this world, according to what we
learnt from some scholars.
Notes:
1. "Al-Khisal", Bab uth-Thalathah, p. 84, H. 11 & 12. "AI-Bihar", Vol.
72, Bab istikthar it-'Ta'ah wal ùjb bil a'mal, p. 314,H. 13, quoted
here.
2. "Jami'ul Akhbar", Bab ul-Hasad. Al-Bihar", Vol. 73, Bab ul-
258
Hasad, H. 26, 30 & 32.
3. "Al-Bihar Vol. 72, Bab ur-Riya p. 301,H.44.
4. Surat ul-A'raf/12.
5. Surat un-Nazi'at/2.
6."Al-Bihar Vol. 70,Bab ul-Ikhlas, p. 246, H. 20. 7. A well-known
Hadith accepted by all Islamic sects.
Rules of Decorum and Sociability
A Guidance:
Know that your company which never leaves you, whether staying or
travelling, being awake or asleep, even in your life and death, is your
Lord, Master and Creator. He sits with you whenever you remember
Him, as He has said: Aam the co-sitter of the one who remembers
Me", and whenever your heart breaks because of your shortcomings
in respect to your religious affairs, He will be your companion and
adherent, as He has said: A am with those whose hearts are
broken."2 So, if you know Him well enough, you will take Him for a
companion, leaving aside all the people. If, however, you could not be
so all the time, you should not neglect to assign a particular period, in
your day or night, in which you can be in solitude with your Master,
259
tasting the pleasure of having a confidential discourse with Him.
Should the case be so, you would have to learn the rules and manners
of being in company with Allah, the Most High and Almighty, such
as: lowering the head, gathering the anxieties, keeping silent, keeping
the organs [of the body] calm, carrying out [His] orders, avoiding
[His] prohibitions, rarely objecting the fate, continual remembering
[Him], keeping contemplating, giving priority to the truth, being in
despair of the people, submitting to [His] reverence, feeling shy in
[His I presence, avoiding the tricks of gaining, as being assured of
security, depending on Allah's generosity and knowing how to choose
well.
All these are to beyour motto during all your days and nights, as they
are the rules of being sociable to a companion who never leaves you
alone, while your fellow creatures do leave you sometimes.
A Guidance: Rules of Decorum for a Scholar:
If you are a scholar, there are seven rules of decorum which you
should observe. They are: forbearance and prudence; sitting with
sobriety and solemnity, lowering the head; avoiding looking down
upon the people haughtily, except upon the wrongdoers by way of
reproaching them; taking to modesty in gatherings and sessions;
260
refraining from joking and jesting; being lenient with the learners and
slow with the arrogant; handling the thick-headed with good guidance,
without being angry with him; feeling no shame in declaring: "I do not
know", paying attention to the asker and trying to understand his
question; accepting the proof and submitting to the truth and referring
to it whenever there is a fault; preventing the learner from learning
harmful knowledge, and blaming him for using useful knowledge in
other than Alldh's way, or preferring collective duties before finishing
individual ones. His individual duties are to amend both his outside
and inside by piety, reproaching himself so as to be an example for the
learner in his deeds as well as in his words.
Our master, the Imam Zayn td-Abidin (A.S.) said: "Concerning your
subjects' right to knowledge, you are to know that Allah, the
Exalted, appointed you as their guardian
because of the knowledge Ile bestowed upon you, and the treasures of
wisdom He uncovered for you. So, if you did well in
teaching the people, avoiding false knowledge and refraining from
reproaching them, Allah would increase His favours upon you.
But if you hold your knowledge back from the people, or gave
them false knowledge when they asked you to teach them, it would
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be on Allah to deprive you from knowledge and its splendor, and
to degrade your prestige in the hearts."3
A Guidance: Rules of Decorum for the Learner:
If you are a student, you will have, on meeting the scholar, to begin
greeting him, to talk little before him, not to speak unless the teacher
asks you to, not to ask him unless he allows you first. You are not to
contradict him by saying: "So-and-so says differently," nor should you
oppose him with your opinion to show that you know the truth better
than your teacher. You are not to whisper to your next in the presence
of the teacher, not to turn looking this side and that side, as you are to
sit calmly and lowering your head as in the Salta. You are not to keep
questioning him if he seems bored you are to stand when he stands [to
leave], and not to follow him talking and asking until he reaches his
place. You are not to suspect him if he did apparently bad deeds, as he
knows better the secrets behind them. In such cases you may
remember
what Moses (A.S.) told Al-Khidr (A.S.): Have you made a hole in it
[the ship] to drown its inmates? Certainly you have done a
grievous thing."4 He was wrong in his thinking because he depended
on the outer appearance.
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A Guidance: Rules of Decorum with the Parents:
If your parents are still alive, you are to listen to them, stand up for
them, obey their orders not to walk in front of them, nor raise your
voice above theirs, respond to their call, seek their pleasure, be kind to
them,not to remind them of your favours or you taking care of them.
You are not to look down upon them, nor to frown at them and nor to
go on a journey without their permission.
The Master of the Worshippers [the 4th Imam] (A.S.) said:
"As to your mother's right, you should know that she had carried
you where no one carry the others. She had given you from her
heart what no one else gives to anyone. She protected you with all
her body. She did not care to remain hungry in order to give you
food, endure thirst to provide you with drink, stay naked so as to
keep you clothed, sit in the sun to shade you and forsake sleep for
your sake. She protected you against cold and heat to keep you for
herself. You cannot be grateful to her except with the help of
Allah, the Almighty, the Exalted.
As to your father's right, you should know that he is your origin,
and that if it hadn't been for him you wouldn't have existed. So,
whatever likeable you see in yourself, you should know that it
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originated in your father, so thank allah accordingly. There is no
might save with Allah
A Guidance: Rules of decorum with Strangers,
Friends and Acquaintances:
Besides those already mentioned, other people fall within three
categories: They are either strangers, friends or acquaintances.
Strangers:
If you had to accompany unknown strangers, the manner of dealing
with them is that you should not converse with them, not to listen to
their false rumours, to disregard their bad language, to avoid frequent
meeting or need them, and to kindly remind them of their atrocities, in
case it can possibly be acceptable by them from you.
Brothers and Friends
In respect to brothers and friends you have two duties:
First to observe the rules of friendship relations. You are not to take
for a brother except the one who is worthy of that.
The Messenger of Allah (A.S.) said: "A man's belief is as his
friend's."6 So, be careful in choosing friends. When you want to take
a friend to be your schoolmate and companion in religious and
worldly affairs, you should look for five attributes in him:
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1. Sensibility, as there is no good in befriending an idiot. Such a
friendship will end in discord and separation, since he, in his best,
hurts you b way of benefiting you. A sensible enemy is better than a
foolish friend!
Temperament. Do not befriend the ill-tempered, as he cannot control
his anger or desire. AIqamat ul- Ataridi had put it in his advice to his
son, before his son:
"If you wanted to befriend a person, you should befriend
somebody who would protect you if you attended to him, would
grace you if you accompanied him and would sustain you if you
went short of sustenance. Accompany somebody who, if you
extended your hand with good will, would extend his, too, if he
noted a good deed from you lie would and if he noticed an evil
deed on your part, he would cover it tip. Accompany somebody
who would confirm your talk, and would prefer you if you dis-
puted something with him."
3. Righteousness. Do not accompany a bad man who insists on
committing major sins, because the one who fears Allah, the Exalted,
will not insisting on sinning, and whoever does not fear Allah cannot
be safe as a companion, because he is apt to change according to the
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changes of his objectives. Allah, the Exalted, told his Messenger
(S.A.):
"... and do not follow him whose heart We have made heedless of
Our remembrance, who follows his own desire."8
So, beware of mischief and the mischievous, because continued
witnessing mischiefs and sinnings would remove from your heart the
sense of abhoring sinning and make it easy for you. People now do not
detest backbiting because they got accustomed to it, while they would
greatly deny a religious man wearing a gold ring or a silk dress,
whereas backbiting is a much graver sin than that.
4. He must not covet worldly matters, as the company of such a person
is more like a killing poison, because human nature tends to imitate. It
even adopts characteristics and habits, unknowingly. So,
accompanying a covetous friend would render you covetous, too,
while accompanying an uninterested one would induce you to look
down on worldly matters.
5. Truthfulness. Do not accompany a liar, as he would seem an illusory
man to you, like a mirage, causing the far to seem near, and the near to
seem far.
A Guidance: On Missing the Five Conditions:
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It may be that you cannot find these characteristics in your
schoolmates or in the mosque goers. In this case you are to choose
one of the two ways: either to take to isolation and solitude, which is
safer, or to accompany people according to their given characters.
You should, however, know that brothers are of three kinds:
A brother for the Hereafter, the one wanted only for religious affairs,
another brother for this world, the one wanted for his good manners,
and a brother for socialibility, whose evils and mischiefs you are to
ward off.
People are also of three kinds: A kind that is like food one cannot
do without, another is like medicine you need it sometimes; the
third is like a disease you never need it at all, though one may be
inflicted with it. This kind is neither pleasing nor useful, but you are to
take care of it until you get rid of it. Witnessing it, however, brings
great advantage, if you are lucky enough to, as it is witnessing its evil
morals that cause you to detest it. Happy is the one who learns lessons
from other peoples' lives, as the believer is like a mirror to his brother
believer.
Jesus (A.S.) asked: "Who educated you?" "No one," he replied. "I
merely saw the ignorance of the ignorant, and I avoided it." Quite
267
true. If people avoided what they dislike from others, their conducts
would become perfect, and they would be in need of no educator.
A Guidance: The Second Duty: Observing the Rights of
Companionship
No matter how deep your connection with your companion maybe,
there are certain rights and conductswhich are incumbent upon you
towards him. The Prophet (S.A.) said: "[Any] two brothers are like
the two hands, the one washes the other." 10
He (S.A.) once cut off from a brush two toothbrushes, one of which
was straight and the other was bent. He gave the straight one to a
companion and kept the bent one to himself. "0 Messenger of Allah,"
said the companion, "you are apter than me to the straight one." In
reply, he (S.A.), said: "No one accompanies a companion, even fora
single hour of a day, unless he is questioned about this
companionship whether he had observed the right of Allah [in it]
or not." I I
The Prophet (S.A.) also said: "No two people have ever
accompanied each other unless the kinder one of the two was the
more liked by Allah."
A Guidance:
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So, the rules of companionship are: preferring a companion to oneself
in giving out of one's wealth. If this is not available, then giving out
the surplus of one's property; helping the needy [companion] without
waiting for him to ask for help; hiding [his] secrets; covering [his]
faults; not disclosing to him what might displease him of people's talk
against him; informing him what people say in praise of him; listening
to him attentively as he talks without arguing; calling him by the
names most liked by him; praising him according to what one knows
of his virtues; thanking him for his favours; defending his honour at
his absence as though finding one's own, advising him kindly, or
rudely, if needs be; forgiving him his mistakes and faults, without
reproaching him; invoking Allah to forgive him in his life and after his
death; being loyal to his family and relatives after his death, seeking to
make things easy for him and burdening him not with one's demands;
showing gladness for all that gladdens him, and grief for all that
grieves him; bearing, inwardly and outwardly, good opinion of him so
as to be truthful to him covertly and overtly; being the first to greet
him on meeting him; making room for him next to oneself in
meetings, or giving him one's own place; showing him to the door
when he leaves; keeping silent when he talks and avoiding running
269
into his speech.
2. Generally speaking: One is to treat a companion as one likes to be
treated by him. Whoever does not like for his brother what he likes for
himself, his brotherhood is mere hypocrisy, and it would be against
him in this world and in the Hereafter. So, this should be your
behaviour with the strangers as well as with your intimate friends.
A Guidance: The Third Duty Towards the
Acquaintances:
Your third duty concerns your acquaintances. Beware of them, as it is
from them that you receive injuries. A friend would be a help, and the
stranger would have nothing to do with you. So, the entire evil comes
from acquaintances who orally affect friendship. So, make very few
acquaintances as much as you can. Whenever you meet any one of
them in a meeting, in the mosque or elsewhere, do not beslight him,
because, you do not know, he might be better than you. You are,
however, not to exaggerate in endearing him in his worldly affairs, or
else you would be ruined. The world, after all, is small with Allah as
well as whatever is therein. So, the bigger you think of worldly people
the smaller you will be in Allah's eyes. Take care not to offer to them
your faith in order to gain some of their worldly matters. No one has
270
ever done it unless he had been despised by them and gained nothing
from them. You are not to meet their hostility with enmity, as you will
not be able to forsake retaliation, and, thus, you will lose your piety
and endure much sufferings. Do not trust their being generous to you,
praising you in your presence and showing amity, but if you look for
its truth you will not find even one per cent of it. So, do not expect
them to look at you in the same way, inwardly and outwardly, and do
not be surprised and vexed if they backbite to you, as you will do the
same if you were in their place, even in respect to your friends and
relatives, or your teachers and parents, about whom you tell, in their
absence, things which you would not tell in their presence. Cut your
greedy looks off their wealth, positions and assistances, as such a
greed will come to no avail at the end, and you will certainly feel low
in being so. If you, however, asked one of them to do you a favour,
and he did, then you are to thank Allah and to thank him, too. But if
he did not, do not reproach him, as it will lead to enmity. Be like a
pious man who looks for excuses, not like the hypocrite who looks for
faults. Tell Yourself: "Maybe he had a good reason for not doing it
that 1 do not know." Do not advise any one of them unless you
expect him to accept it, or else he will become hostile to you. If they
271
commit a mistake, and dislike being advised by others, you are not to
advise them, because they will learn something from you, then
become your enemy, except when the case belongs to a disobedience
which they commit out of ignorance. In such cases you are to remind
them with kindness and without violence.
If they show kindness and affection, you are to thank Allah who made
them love you. But you feel malice on their part, leave them to Allah,
the Almighty, the Glorified, take refuge with Him from them, do not
reproach them, do not say to them that you are so-and-so and that you
are such a learned man. That is a fool's talk, and the most foolish man
is that who praises himself.
You should know, however, that Allah would not have made them get
the better of you had you not already committed a sin. So, ask for
Allah's forgiveness, as it is a punishment from Him. You should be a
listener to their right, deaf to their wrong, announcer of their merits
and concealer of their evils.
Beware not to mingle with the pretentious junsprudents of the time,
particularly those who publicly announce their opposition and
arguments, as they lurk in ambush for you out of envy; take decision
against you on the basis of their mere guesses, wink at you when you
272
leave, count your faults in their gatherings so as to abuse you in their
disputes and arguments, forgive none of your slips, forsake none of
your mistakes, cover none of your blemishes, criticize you for
trivialities, envy you on both your little and much
and instigate other acquaintance against you by telling tales,
information and accusations. They show flattery when they are
content, and when discontented, they boil with anger. They are wolves
in human apparel.
That is what had been mostly proved through observation, excepting
those whom Allah had protected. Generally, their companionship is a
loss, their association a frustration. This is the truth about those who
allege your friendship; so, how would it be with those who do not
conceal their enmity? Beware of your enemy once, but beware of your
friend a thousand times, as a friend may turn into an enemy, in which
case he would be in a position to afflict you with graver injuries.
A Scholar's Advice on the Subject:
You should also follow a philosopher's advice who said: Meet both
your friend and enemy with an open face, showing no humility or
awe. Be solemn with no arrogance, modest with no lowliness. Be
moderate in all your affairs, as both of the two extremes are
273
dispraised. Do not look at your right and left sides, and rarely look
around. Do not linger around gathering groups. When you sit, do not
be on the alert to stand up. Avoid interlocking your fingers, playing
with your heard or ring, picking your teeth, inserting your finger in
your nostrils, frequently spitting or blowing our nose or clearing your
throat, dismissing the flies away from your face, frequently stretching
yourself, or yawning in the faces of the people during the Salats or
else. Sit calmly and let your talking be orderly managed. Listen to
anyone's good speech without showing excessive surprise, and do not
ask him to repeat it. Keep silent in respect to jokes and gossips. Do not
indulge in admiring your son, poetry, speeches, writings orwhatever
else that belongs to you. Do not use ornaments as women do. Do not
be vulgar like a slave. Refrain from using too much eyeliner or
brilliantine. Do not be pressing in your demands. Do not encourage
injustice. Do not tell your family and children let alone the others
about your wealth, because if it seemed little to them, they would
beslight you, and if it seemed large, you would never be able to satisfy
them. Treat them coldly, but not rudely, leniently, but not weakly. Do
not jest with your servants, or you would lose your dignity. Keep your
dignity whenever you enter a dignity and be careful not to show your
274
ignorance or haste, but think of your proof, avoiding making too much
gestures with your hands, looking behind you, or kneeling. Do not
speak before your anger subdues. If a ruler asks you to get nearer to
him, stay at a spear's distance from him. Beware of the one who
befriends you
only when you are well off, as he is a bitter enemy. Do not prefer your
wealth to your honour.
These are enough to begin with, so, try them. They are of three parts:
A part that concerns acts of obedience. part that concerns avoiding
acts of disobedience.
part that concerns association with others and covers the creature's
relation with his Creator and with his fellow creatures. So, ifyou found
these suitable and your heart inclined to them and willing to put them
to practice, then know that you are a bondman whose heart has been
illuminated by Allah with the light of Faith, and whose chest has been
opened [to guidance]. Be assured that for this beginning there is an
end, and behind it there are secrets, depths, knowledge and
disclosures, which you are to acquire. But if you felt them to be heavy
on your heart and did not like practising such duties, more inclined to
leave them, saying to
275
yourself: "What advantage can this knowledge bring me in the
gatherings of the scholars?" Or "How can it put you in advance of
your mates and opponents?" Or "How can it raise your position
among princes and ministers and promote you to obtain favours
and benefits, and to put you in charge of Endowment
Management or of Judicature", then know that satan has seduced
you and made you forget your present and your end. So, look for
a satan like yourself', to teach you that knowledge which you
think would take you to your goal. You should, further, know that
you would never feel comfortable in your domain or place, let
alone our village or town. You would, by that, lose the valuable
domain and perpetual comfort in the neighborhood of the Lord of
the Worlds.
This was a summary of a scholar's statement on this subject. Peace be
upon the one who follows guidance!
Notes:
1. "'Uyun Akhbar ir Rida", Vol. 2, p. 46,H.175. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 93,
135b Dhikrillahi Ta'ala, p. 156, H. 25, quoted here.
2. Look up "Al-Mahajjah", vol. 7, p. 325, in which it is stated that
Allah, the Exalted, revealed to lsma'il (A.S.): "Look for Me among
276
the heartbroken." 3 & 5. "AI-Faqih", Vol. 2, Bab ul-Huquq
Huquq, p. 376. "AI-Makarim", 135b
uth-Than àshar, p. 481. "AI-Bihar", Vol. 74,Bab Jawami'ul-Huqdq, p.
2, H. 1. 4. Surat ul-Kahf/71.
6. "AI-Kafi, Vol. 2, p. 315, H. 3.
7. Look up "The Collective of Poeny" attributed to the Imam Ali (A.S.).
Surat ul-Kahf/28.
9. As in ad-Daylami's "Al-Firdraws", and in "Adab us-Sulibah" by As-
Salami, as quoted in "Al-Mahajjah", Vol. 3, p. 285.
lo. 'the source could not be traced up in the available sources.
12. "AI-Kafi", Vol. 2, p. 669, H. 13. "Al-Bihar", Vol. 75, Bab ur-
Rifqwal-hn, p. 64, quoted here, and p. 54,H. 19, quoted from ar-
Rawandi's "Nawadir".
Conclusion
A scholar has said: "O you who are keen on acquiring knowledge,
showing true sincerity and extreme thirst for it! Know that if by
acquiring knowledge you aimed at showing off, exceeding others,
drawing people's attention and gaining worldly trash, you would be
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aiming at destroying your faith, ruining yourself and giving away your
Hereafter for worldly matters. Your deal is a loss and your trade a
failure. Your tutor is but a help in sinning and a partner in your loss,
since he is like the one who sells a sword to a highway robber,
because the one who helps in committing a sin, even by a syllable of a
word, is considered to be the sinner's partner.
But if your intention, between yourself and your Lord, was to require
knowledge to be guided by it, not to show it off, then happy, as the
angels would spread their wings for you when you walk, and the
whales in the seas would ask forgiveness for you when you practise it.
Those, who demand knowledge are of three groups:
The first group want knowledge in order to provide for the Hereafter,
aiming at nothing but Allah's pleasure. These are among the
successful.
The second group want knowledge to help them with their daily life in
this world, by way of obtaining wealth and status, although they know
it perceives the meanness of their own attitude and weak position.
These are among the adventurists and conceited fools. If their days
ended before repenting, their destiny would be grave and subject to
[Alhah's] Will. If they succeeded in repenting before death, adding to
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their knowledge good deeds, and making up for what they had missed,
they would join the successful, since the one who repents of his sins is
like the one who has committed no sin.
The third group are those who are seized by Satan, using their
knowledge as a means of accumulating wealth, priding on their status
and looking mighty because of their many followers. They use their
knowledge everywhere with the hope of attaining to the worldly
pleasures. Yet, they think to themselves that they have a good position
with Allah because they look like scholars, imitate them in manners
and speech, though they, inwardly and outwardly, covet worldly
pleasures. These are among the ruined and conceited fools, because
they are not expected to repent, as they think themselves to be of the
benevolent. The Prophet (S.A.) said about them, addressing his
followers: "I am more worried about you from the non-humbug than
from the humbug." Asked who were those, he replied: "The
mischievous scholars."1
This is because the aim of a humbug is to lead people astray. the like
of him is the scholar who preaches the people, by his tongue, to turn
away from worldly matters, while in practice he prompts them to do
the contrary, and the tongue of deeds is more eloquent than the tongue
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of reaching. People are more inclined, by nature, to imitate acts than
words. So, this conceited scholar does harm in his deeds more than
good in his speech, as the ignorant would not dare to desire worldly
pleasures unless he discerns what such scholars do. So, it is the
knowledge of a bad scholar that encourages Allah's servants to
disobey Him, while his ignorant soul gives him hopes and pushes him
to remind Allah of his knowledge, thinking that he is superior to many
of His servants.
0 you who seek knowledge! Be of the first group, and take care not to
be of the second, as so many a man has been a loser just because death
has struck him before repenting.
Take utmost care not to be of the third group, or you will totally be
ruined, with no hope of your being delivered or turn to the right path.
Here he finished his speech, may Allah raise his position! Here is also
the end of the Minhaj itn-Najat, which is the date 2 of ending its
writing down.
Notes
1. Ahmad's "Musnad", Vol. 5, p. 145 with slight difference.
That is, the year of his finishing writing this book is equivalent to the
numerical value of the alphabetical letters of which the title of the
280
book is composed. It comes to the year 1041 A.H.
Glossary
-A-
Adhan: The call announcing the arrival of the time for performing the
Salat.
A.H.: "Anno Hegirae" = The beginning of the Islamic calendar.
Ahlul Bayt (A.S.): "The Household" of the Prophet comprising the
Prophet himself, his daughter Fatmah (A..S), her husband 'All ibn abi
Talib (A.S.) and their offspring who became Imams.
al-'Azd'im: The four Surahs which contain Wajib Sajdahs. These are
the Saabs Nos. 32, 41, 53 and 96.
al-Ghadir: The name of a place on the road to Mecca, where the
Prophet (S.A.), on his last Hajj, proclaimed, in abeyance of Allah's
command, that his successor was 'Ali ibn abi Talib. This Hadith is
confirmed by both Shiite and Sunni narrators.
al impurity
-Hadath: A ritual impurity requiring either Wudu' or Ghusl.
al-Hadath al-Akbar: The state of a person who is ritually by such
acts as the discharge of semen, Hayd, etc.
al-Hadath al-Asghar: The state of a person who is ritually impure
281
requiring Wudu'. Such a state is caused, by such acts as sleeping,
passing intestinal mind, etc.
al-Masjidul Aqsa: The bit mosque in Jerusalem.
al-Masjidul Haram: The mosque in Mecca in which the Kabah is
located.
Allah: The most comprehensive Name of God, the Exalted.
Àshura The tenth day of the month of Muharram of the year 61 A.H.,
on which the Imam Husayn and 72 persons of his family and
companions were slain by the army of Yazid ibn Mu'awiyah, the 2nd
Caliph of the Ommayides.
Àsr: Afternoon.
Ayah (PI Ayat): A verse of the Qur'an. A sign of Allah's creation.
Basmalah: Short for "Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim" i.e. "in the Name
of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful".
Dhikr: Phrases in praise of Allah, Remembrance (of Allah).
Dhimmi: The Christians and the Jews who live under Muslim rule
and protected by it against fulfilling their obligations towards the
Muslim state.
Du'a' (Pl. Ad'iyah): Invocation. Benediction.
Faridah (pl, Fara'id): An obligatory religious act. A Wajib. Futur:
282
The meal eaten after fasting. The breakfast.
Ghusl: A ritual bathing in a particular manner.
Hadith (PI Ahadith): A narrative quoted from the Prophet and his
companions.Hajj (Pl. Hujjaj or Hajij): The one who is performing
Hajj. Hajj: Pilgrimage to Meccah in order to perform particular
obligatory ritual acts on certain days of the year.
Halal: Religiously lawful, allowed, permitted.
HaramHaram
Haram: Religiously unlawful, forbidden, prohibited.
Huris: Nymphs of Paradise.
Hayd: Menstruation.
Iblis: Satan.
Iftar: Braking the fast. Breakfasting.
Imam: A religious leader. The leader of a congregational salat.
%W: After the Maghrib.
Istibra A specified cleansing the private parts after urination.
Istighfar: Asking allah's forgiveness.
283
Jahiliyyah: Pre-Islamic "Time of Ignorance".Jama'ah:
Congregation(al).Janabah: The state of impurity requiring Ghusl,
because of a seminal discharge, or a sexual intercourse.
Jihad: A holy war in defence of Islam.
Jumuàh: Friday.
Junub: The one who is in the state of Janabah.
K, Kh
Kabirah (PI. Kaba'ir): A capital sin.
Kaffarah: Atonement. Expiation.
Khums: One-fifth. A statutory 20% Islamic levy on particular items.
Khutbah: A speech, sermon.
Maghrib: The time after the disappearance of the reddish colour on
the horizon after sunset.
Makruh (PI. Makruhat): Undesirable. Advised not to be
done or had.
Ma'mum (PI. Ma'munin): The one who performs the Salat behind
on Imam.
Masjidun-Nabi: The famous mosque in al-Madinah town where the
Prophet (S.A.) is buried.
284
Ma'sum (N. Ma'sumin): The Infallible. Inerrant.
Maytah: The dead animal, or the meat of an animal not slaughtered
according to the Islamic rules.
Mi'raj: The ascension of the Prophet to the heavens. Mu'adhdhin:
The one who calls out the adhan.
Mudd: A measure of weight of about 750g.
Mujtahid: The scholar who attains to a level of religious knowledge
enabling him to issue religious decrees. A religious authority.
Mukallat (PI. Mukallatin): the person who has reached the age of
maturity.
Musalli (Pl. Musallin): The one who is in the act of performing the
Salat.
Nafilah (Nawafil): Recommended, non-obligatory Salats. Najasah
(PI. Najasat): ritual impurity. Uncleanliness. Najis: The thing which
is ritually unclean.
Niyyah: Intention.
Qada': Performing an obligatory Wajib which has not been
performed within its proper time. A lapsed duty.
285
Qiblah: The direction of Mecca which must be faced in the salats.
Qiyam: Standing position in the salat.
Qunut: Recommended invocations recited at the end of the second
Rak'at of the Salat.
R Rak'at: A unit of the Salat.
Ruku: The bowing position in the Salat.
Saghirah (PI. Sagha'ir): Minor sin.
Sa'im (Pl. Sa'imin): the one who is fasting.
Sajdah: An instance of the prostration position in the Salat. Salam:
Islamic greeting: "As-SaIamu'alay kum."
Salat: The Islamic ritual prayer.
Salawait: Sending blessings on the Prophet and his progeny:
"Allahumma Salli 'ala Muhammadin wa ali Muhammad." Sawn
(=Siyam): Fasting.
Siwak: The stick taken from a particular tree, used as a toothbrush.
Subh: Morning.
Suhur: The meal taken before dawn by those who intend to fast the
next day.
Sujud: The prostration position in the Salaat.
286
Taharah: The state of being tahir.
Tahir: ritually pure. Not being Najis.
Ta'gib (Pl. Ta'qibat): Recommended Dhikrs and Du'-a's recited after
the Salat.
Taqwa: Guarding oneself against Allah's wrath, by obeying His
orders.
Tasbih (Pl. Tasbihat): The Dhikr in which one praises Allah. Tasbih
(PI. Tasbibihat): To recite: "Subhannal5hi wal hamdu lillahi wa la
ilaha illallahi wallahu akbar."
Tasbihuz Zahra To say 34 times "Allahu akbar", 33 times "Alhamdu
lillah" and 33 times "Subhamallah".
Tashahhud: A testimony recited in the second and 4th Rak'ats (in 2-
and 4-Rakàt Salats), and in the second and third Rak'ats (in the 31-
Rak'at Salat).
Tawhid: Unitheism, Monotheism.
Tayammum: Using clean soil, etc. instead of water for the Wudu' or
the Ghusl.
Ulema: (Pl. of Alim) Scholars.
Ulul-àzm: The prophets with Divine Laws. Ummah: People. Nation.
Ùmrah: A ritual visit to Mecca.
287
Wajib: Obligatory duty.
Wajib' Aini: A duty obligatory to every mukallaf. Individual duty.
Wajib Kifa'i: A collective duty, if carried out by some, the others
would be absolved of the responsibility.
Witr: A I-Rak'at Salat.
Wudu': Ablution.
Zakat: Statutory Islamic levy on agricultural items. Zawal: The time
when the sun passes the meridian. Zuhr: Noon.
288

Minhaj Un-Nejat (The Way To Salvation) - Muhammad Faidh Al-Kashani

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MINHAJUN-NAJAT

THE WAY TO SALVATION

The Great Scholar and Renowned Narrator

Muhammad Muhsin ibn ash-Shah Murtada

Translated from the Original Arabic

Author: Fayd Kashani

Translator: M.J. Khalili

Editor: Dr. Manafi

Circulation: 2000 Copies

Bunyad Be'that Printing and Publishing Centre

Address: Sumayyah ave.,

Between Mufattih and Fursat aver,.

Tehran The Islamic Republic of Iran

Tels: 822374,821159,822244 P.O.B. 1361-15815 Fax: 821370

The Beneficent, The Merciful

1. The Author's Biography 1

Muhammad Muhsin ibn ash-Shah Murtada ibn ash-Shah Mahmud,

known as al-Mawla Muhsin al-Kaishani, or as al-Fayd, is one of the

genius scholars of the 11th century [A.H.=anno Hegirae]. He was

brought up in the holy town of Qum, from which he moved to the

town of Kashan, then, having heard of the arrival of as-Sayyid Majid

ibn Ali al-Bahrani 2 in the town of Shiraz, he moved to it for the

purpose of drinking from the spring of his knowledge, as well as from

al- Mawla Sadruddin ash-Shirazi. After finishing his studies with

them, he married the daughter of the respectful al- Mawla as-Sadr,,

and then went back to Kashan where he became a unique and

matchless authority in religious matters, till his death in 1091 A.H., at

the age of eighty-four. He was buried there. His shrine is well-known

and often visited.

skill in the sciences, suffices us not to further elaborate better praises

him: "Muhammad ibn al-Murtada, who is called Muhsin al-

Kashani, was an erudite, scholar, expert philosopher, theologian,

narrator, jurisprudent, researcher, poet, writer and a good

contemporary author. Ile wrote many books." He, then, numerated

some of his books, and said4"As-Sayyid'Ali ibn Mirzd.

Ahmad has mentioned him in as-Sulafah, and has praisingly

The great biographer Muhammad ibn Ali al-Ardabili, said about

him "Muhsin ibn al-Murtada may Allah have mercy on him

the erudite, researcher and scrutinizer, was greatly respected,

highly esteemed, high-ranking, a perfect man of let- ters, a writer

and well-versed in all sciences."6

As-Sayyid Ni`matullah al-Jaza' iriash-Shushtar referred to him by

saying: "Our professor, the scrutinizer, al-MawlaMuhammad

Muhsin W-Kashani, was the author of al-Wafi and some other

two hundred books and pamphlets."7

Ash-Shaykh yusuf al-Bahrani said about him: "The narrator, al-

Kashani, was learned, narrator, and a firm adherer to

ar-Rawdand Bahivyah: "He had spent his honourable life in

propagating the narrated traditions and the divine sciences. His

words on every subject were extremely polite and strong. He was

the author of numerous works."

The author of ar-Rawdat praised him by saying: "His merit,

understanding and nobility in the secondaries as well as the

principles, and in being prolific, with good expression and com-