Chapter Six

His Sermons on Various Matters:
Among his eloquent impressive sermons are the following. Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said them when a man asked him to teach him a sermon: "If Allah has guaranteed livelihood, then why do you worry? If livelihood is determined, then why are you eager for it? If the reward is from Allah, then why do slacken? If the recompense is from Allah, then why do you try to be miserly? If the fire is the (decreed) punishment by Allah, then why do you disobey Him? If death is true, then why do rejoice? If standing before Allah is true, then why do you cheat (people)? If Satan is an enemy, then why are heedless? If walking on the Sirat(358) is true, then why do you incline to vanity? If every thing is predestined by Allah, then why do you feel sadness. And if the life in this world is mortal, then why do you have confidence in it?"(359)
I (the author) say: The Imam condemned the person who has these unlovable traits such as worry, eagerness, collecting (money), sluggishness, and the like, while he knows that Allah has guaranteed livelihood and it is predestined, the reckoning is true, and so on.
However, though people know that these are unlovable traits, they have adopted them because they love themselves. In the meantime, the appetites have controlled their minds.
Among his wonderful sermons is: "Postponing repentance is self-conceit, lengthening procrastination is perplexity, offering an excuse for Allah is ruin, persisting on the sin is safety from Allah's plan. 'But none feels safe of Allah's plan except the people who shall perish.'"(360)
Also al- Sadiq said: "You are (living) with taken souls and in counted days, death comes suddenly, whoever sows good reaps happiness, whoever sows evil reaps regret, the slow one of you does not precede his luck, the eager one does not obtain (anything) except that which has been predestined for him. Whomever is given good, Allah has given it to him. Whomever is saved from evil, Allah has saved him from it."(361)
Also he, peace be on him, said: "Whoever fears Allah, Allah saves him (from adversities). Whoever thanks Him, He increases him. And whoever grants Him a loan, He will reward him."(362)
Also he said to Abu Basir: "Do not you feel sadness? Do not you worry? Do not you feel pain?" He (Abu Basir) said: "Yes." al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "If you feel all these things, then remember death, your loneliness in your grave, the running of your eyes on your cheeks, the cutting of the members of your body, the eating of the ants from your flesh, your wearing out, and your departure from this world. All these things shall urge you to act and prevent you from cleaving to the life in this world."(363)
I (the author) say: If man adopts these ideas to himself, he will abstain from committing major sins and habituate himself to obedience. Of course, the person who thinks of this horrible condition in his grave will perform good deeds and give up cardinal sins.
Also he, peace be on him, said: "None, even if the conditions help him, is able to get good- living but through the misfortune. And whoever waits for the postponed investigation (to carry out) the urgent chance, the days will deprive him of his chance, for deprivation is the state of days, and passing is the state of time."(364)
I (the author) say: These are eloquent, wise words which indicate the real facts of this universe. As for the first part of them, we all know that we get good living through hardships even if we have a great power or much money. That is because man is unable to satisfy all his appetites even if the life in this world is suitable for him. Also consider carefully: "Paradise is surrounded by adversities."
As for the second part of them, namely the chance- it does not meet man but through the gathering of thousands of causes which are out of his will. If the chance comes, while he awaits for studying it, it will escape him, for he has not used the last cause which is his decisive will. More likely, the gathering of the causes in the system of the universe will not serve him again because it is not under his will. For this reason, the gathering of the causes is called chance. Accordingly, the decisive, wise person must seize the opportunity when it comes.
Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Indeed, the hypocrite is displeased with what the believer is happy. The happy (person) takes a lesson from the sermon of religious devotion even if the sermon is offered to other than him."(365)
3- HIS COMMANDMENTS
The social importance of the person is embodied through the good he does for society. Also his personal importance is embodied through his good deeds. If al- Sadiq, peace be on him, had nothing but those words which we have mentioned, then they will be enough evidence for his Divine, scientific importance and his concern to reform the nation. You have read some of his sermons. Here, we will mention some of his commandments for you to read them and to find tile efforts of the godly rulers and guides of the nations, who (godly rulers) guided them (nations) to good acts, summoned them kindly to their missions, and taught them sincerely.
His Commandment to His Son al- Kazim:
Some of al- Sadiq Shi'a (followers) came to him while he was giving commandments to his son Musa. Some of them are:
"My son, accept my commandments and memorize my words, for if you memorize them, you will lead a happy (life) and die a praised (death). My son, indeed, whoever is content becomes rich, whoever looks at what in the hand of other than him dies poor, whoever is displeased with what Allah has predestined for him accuses Allah in His Decree, whoever regards his own slip as small regards the slip of others as big.
My son, whoever uncovers the veil of others, his defect is uncovered, whoever draws the sword of disobedience killed with it, whoever digs a well for his brother falls into it, whoever makes friends with the foolish is degraded, whoever makes friends with the knowledgeable is respected, and whoever enters the evil places is accused. My son, say the truth for you or against you, beware of the slander, for it plants the enmity in the hearts of men. My son, when you seek generosity, seek it from its places (i.e. the noble men), for generosity has places, the places have origins, the origins have branches, the branches have fruit, no fruit is sought but with a branch, and no firm origin but in a good place. My son, when visit, visit the good, but do not visit the wicked, for they are like the solid rock whose water does not gush out, the tree whose leaves do not get green, and the land whose plants do not appear."(366)
I (the author) say: Some of these words have been mentioned in Nahj al-Balagha. No wonder, for they (the Imams) took knowledge from each other. Perhaps, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, has mentioned these words as quotations.
His Commandments to His Companions:
After the Basmala(367): Then after this, ask Allah your Lord for health, cleave to meekness, solemnity, and calmness. Cleave to modesty and refrain from what the righteous had refrained before you. Fear Allah, and prevent your tongue (from saying anything) but from the good. Be careful not to sharpen your tongues with false witness, false accusation, iniquity, and aggression. Because if you prevent your tongues from (saying) what Allah hates, this will be better for you with your Lord than that for which you sharpen your tongues.
Because sharpening the tongue (to utter) what Allah abhors and what He prevents (you) from causes disobedience for the servant with Allah, and hatred from Him. So, Allah will bring on him deafness, dumbness, and blindness on the Day of Judgment so, you become as Allah has said: "deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they do not understand."
Namely, they will not utter, nor will they be allowed to apologize. Keep silent (from everything) except that which Allah avails you with in your next life and reward you for Implore Allah very much, for Allah likes His believing servants to Implore Him, and He has promised His believing servants to accept (their supplication), and Allah will turn the du'a' of the believers into acts to increase (their rank) in Paradise So, remember Allah as far as possible at every hour of the hours of day and night, for Allah has ordered (you) to remember Him very much, and Allah remembers him who remembers Him of the believers Know that anyone of the believing servants remembers Allah, Allah remembers him with good So, do your best to obey Allah.
That is because nothing of good is obtained from Allah but through obeying Him and refraining from what He has prohibited in the Koran, whether they are open or secret He said in His Book and His Words are true: "And abandon open and secret sin."(368) And know that Allah has prohibited what He has ordered you to refrain from Do not follow your desires and your ideas so that you go astray, for the most astray one of people in going with Allah is he who follows his desire and his idea without guidance from Allah. Do good to yourselves as far as possible, for 'if you do good, you will do good for your own souls, and if you do evil, it shall be for them.' know that Allah does not make a servant of His servants safe till he (the servant) is pleased with what Allah has done to him.
'Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah,' as Allah, in His Book, had ordered the believer before you.
Beware of might and glory, for glory is the attribute of Allah, the Great and Almighty. So, whoever shares Allah His attribute, Allah breaks him and humiliates him on the Day of judgment. Be careful not to wrong each other, for it (wrong) is not among the traits of the righteous, and for whoever wrongs the (others), Allah makes his wrong against him, the help of Allah will be to him who is wronged, whomever Allah helps is victorious and gets victory from Allah. Be careful not to envy each other, for the source of unbelief was envy. Be careful not to help each other against the oppressed Muslim, so he invokes Allah against you and his invocation is accepted against you.
That is because our father (i.e. grandfather) the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'Indeed, the supplication of the oppressed Muslim is accepted So, you should help each other, for our father the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'Indeed, to help the Muslim is better and greater than to fast and to remain in the scared Mosque.'
Know that Islam (means) submission, and submission (means) Islam So, whoever submits to (Allah) becomes Muslim; whoever does not submit to (Allah) is not Muslim And whoever wants to do good to himself, then he should obey Allah Indeed, whoever obeys Allah does good to himself. Be careful not to disobey Allah, for whoever disobeys Allah does evil to himself Accordingly, there is a great difference between good and evil- the good people will obtain Paradise from their Lord; the wicked will obtain fire from their Lord Therefore, obey Allah and a void disobeying Him."
I (the author) say: These commandments are long. So, we have mentioned some of them. It has been mentioned in the book 'Roudat al- Kafi by al- Kulayni, may his grave be fragrant. About these commandments, al- Kulayni said: "Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, sent them to his companions and ordered them to study these commandments and to put them into practice. So, they put them in their houses. When the performed their prayers, they looked at them."
Yes we must study these commandments and put them into practice because they have all good manners.
His Commandments to Abd Allah Bin Jundub:
Abd Allah b Jundub al- Bajali al- Kufi was the Companion of al- Sadiq, al- Kazim, and al- Rida, peace be on them. He was the agent of al- Kazim and al- Rida. He was a worshipper, and his rank was very important for the Imams. In his book 'al- Rijal', al- Kashy has mentioned that Abd Allah b. Jundub said to Abu al- Hasan, peace be on him: "Are you satisfied with me?" Abu al- Hasan answered: "By Allah, yes. Allah and His Apostle are satisfied with you, too."
Al- Sadiq gave him commandments which have valuable sermons. We have mentioned some of them. He, peace be on him, said: 'Bin Jundub, he who depends on his deed perishes, and he who commits sins is not saved with Allah's mercy.'" Bin Jundub said: "Then, who is saved?" Al- Sadiq said: "Those who are between fear and hope. It is as if that their hearts were in the claws of the bird because of their eagerness for the reward and fear of chastisement."
"Bin Jundub, Whoever is pleased with that Allah will marry him to young ladies having eyes with a marked contrast between white and black, and crown him with the light, then must delight his believing brother."
"Bin Jundub, the Satan has snares with which he catch (people). So, beware of his snares and nets." He (Bin Jundub) said: "Son of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, what are his snares and nets?" He (al- Sadiq) said: "As for his snares, he (the Satan) prevent (you) from treating the brothers kindly, and as for his nets, he (orders you) to sleep during the time of the prayers which Allah has imposed (on you) Indeed, to move the feet to visit the brothers and to treat them kindly is the best way to worship Allah. Woe unto those who are heedless from the prayers, who sleep during the time of the prayers, who mock at Allah and His verses in the Koran, 'Surely they shall have no portion in the hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them, nor will he look at them on the Day of Resurrection nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful chastisement.'"
"Bin Jundub, whoever runs to fulfill the need of his brother is like him who runs between Safa and Marwa, and whoever fulfills his need is like him who sacrifice his blood in the way of Allah on the day of the (Battle) of Badr and 'Uhud, and Allah did not punish any nation but when it disdained the rights of their poor brothers."
"Bin Jundub, if you wish like to neighbor the Great (Allah) in His House and dwell Paradise near him, then regard the life in this world as low, remember death frequently, do not save up (money) for tomorrow, and know that what you have advanced is for you, and what you have delayed is against you."
"Bin Jundub, whoever deprives himself of his earn, indeed, collects to other than him, whoever obeys his whim, surely, obeys his enemy, and whoever fears Allah, Allah guarantees what has made him worried in here and the hereafter and keeps for him what has disappeared from him. Feeble is he who does not prepare patience for every tribulation, gratefulness for every blessing, and ease for every hardship. Habituate yourself to every misfortune in child, money and progeny Indeed, He (Allah) takes His loan and takes His gift to try with them your patience and your gratefulness. Hope Allah the hope which does not lead to disobedience and fear Him the fear which does not dash your hope of his mercy. Do not be deceived by he words of the ignorant nor with their praise, for you will be proud, haughty, and conceited with your deeds. Indeed, the best acts are worship and humbleness. Do not lose your property, which you will leave after your death, to reform the property of others, Be satisfied with what Allah has predestined for you.
Do not look but at what you have. Do not wish for what you cannot obtain, for whoever gets satisfied gets full, and whoever is dissatisfied is not full. Take your portion from your life in the hereafter. Do not be ungrateful during riches, nor be impatient during poverty. Do not be rude that people hate your nearness. Do not be feeble lest he who knows you should disdain you. Do not dispute with those who are superior to you.
Do not scorn those who are inferior to you. Do not dispute with the people of authority. Do not obey the foolish. Think of every matter before you start to know its beginning and its end. Regard your self as an enemy to make it good. If you do a person a favor, do not spoil it with much reminding. Rather, do a better one than it, for that makes your manner good and achieves your reward in the hereafter. And cleave to silence to be regarded as meek whether your are ignorant or knowledgeable. Indeed, silence is good with the knowledgeable and as a cover for you with the ignorant."
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, quoted here some commandments of 'Isa (Jesus), peace be on him, to his companions: "And beware of looking, for it plant an appetite in the heart. It is an enough trail for its owner. Blessed is he who puts his sight in his heart and does not put his sight in his eye. Do not consider the defects of people as masters, and consider their defects as servants. Indeed, people are inflected and healthy. So, have mercy on the inflected and thank Allah for health."
Then he, peace be on him, said: "Bin Jundub, visit him who abandons you, give him who deprives you (of your right), treat kindly him who mistreats you, greet him who abuses you, do justice to him who quarrels with you, and forgive him who wrongs you as you want him to forgive you.
So, take a lesson from Allah's forgiveness for you. Do you not see that His sun shines over the chaste and the unchaste and His rain comes down to the righteous and the sinners."
"Bin Jundub, Islam is naked, so its clothe is modesty, its embellishment is solemnity, its manhood is the good deed, and its pillar is piety. Every thing has a foundation; the foundation of Islam is our love, we, the (ahl al Bayt )."(369)
His Commandments to Abd Allah al- Najashi in the Same Letter:
Abd Allah b Sulayman al- Nawfali said: "I was sitting with Ja'far b. Mohammed al- Sadiq. Suddenly, the servant of Abd Allah al- Najashi came to al- Sadiq He greeted him and handed him a letter Al- Sadiq opened the letter and read it. The letter read as follows:
"In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, may Allah prolong the life of my master, and may He make me ransom for him I have been inflected by the State of al- Ahwaz I want my master to limit a punishment for me or to give me an example to use it as a proof for what makes me nearer to Allah, the Great and Almighty, and to His Apostle I want him to sum up, in his letter: What does he think for me to put into effect? In what does he spend it? And in what shall I spend it? Where should I put my Zakat (alms)? In what shall I spend it? With whom shall I associate? With whom shall I be happy? Whom shall I entrust, believe in, resort to concerning my secrets? Indeed, you are the Proof of Allah for his creation and His trustee of authority in His country (i.e. the earth), may Allah bestow His blessing upon you."
Abd Allah b Sulayman said: "Abu Abd Allah (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, answered him.":
"In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful, may Allah compliment you with His good deed, be kind to you with His favor, and guard you with His care Indeed, He is the Supporter of that Now then, your messenger came to me with your letter I have read it and understood what you have mentioned and asked about. You have claimed that you have been inflected by the State of al- Ahwaz. So, that has delighted me and grieved me. As for my delight at your ruling, I have said: May Allah help and strengthen with you a grieved (person) from the supporters of the Family. And as for my grief, I am afraid that you might mistreat a support of us, so you will not obtain the mercy of the Holy Being (Allah).
I am going to summarize to you all what you have asked about. If you put them into effect and do not exceed them, I hope you shall be saved, Allah willing My father told me on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of 'Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be on them, on the authority of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, who said:
'Whomever his believing brother asks the advice of him but does not show him sincere advice, Allah deprives him of his intellect. Know that I am going to advise you. If you put my advice into effect, you will get rid of what you are afraid of. Know that you are able to accomplish your rescue and your salvation when you refrain from shedding blood and harming the supporters of Allah, through treating subjects kindly, with patience and good friendship, with leniency without weakness and strength without violence. Complying with the moods of your companion and his messengers who come to you, and treat your subjects according to justice and inquity, Allah willing.
Beware of slanderers, do not let anyone cleave to you, do not let Allah see you accepting (their words) absolutely, while you do not do justice to people. So, Allah will be angry with you and disgrace you. As for him whom you rely on, satisfied with, and entrust with to carry out your affairs should be experienced, clear- sighted trustee, He should agree with you on your religion, know your subjects, and try the two parties. So, if you find such a person, then depend on him.
Be careful not to give even a dirham or take off a garment in the manner that displeases Allah to a poet, a comedian, and a joker, in this condition you should give the same (sum of many) to please Allah.
Your prizes, bonuses, and robes of honor should be given to leaders, messengers, grandsons, postmen, the police, and the collectors of Chomps (fifth). As for the money which you want to spend in the fields of righteousness, success, generosity, alms, hajj, drinking water, the garment you use during prayers, and the gift which you offer for Allah, the Great and Almighty and for his Apostle, my Allah bless him and his family, should be from your most lawful earn.
Abd Allah, spare no effort to avoid hoarding up gold and silver so as not to be among those about whom Allah, the Great and Almighty, says: 'And (as for) those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah's way.'
Do not regard as little those remnants of food. Spend them to full the empty abdomens to clam the anger of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted. Know that I have heard my father reporting a tradition on the authority of his grandfathers, on the authority of 'Ali b Abi Talib, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: 'Whoever spends his night full, while his neighbor is hungry has not believed in Allah and the Next Day (the hereafter).' So, we said, 'Allah's Apostle, we have been ruined!"
He said: 'You can putout the anger of the Lord with the remnants of your dates, your living, and your worn- out pieces of cloth ' Amir al- Mu'minin (Imam 'Ali) went out of this world while he had no responsibility for anyone till he met Allah praised- unblamed nor dispraised. Then the Imams after him followed his example as you have known. They (the Imams) did not stain themselves with anything of the worldly calamities, may Allah bless them all and make their abodes good.
I have sent you the noble deeds of this world and the future one. If you put my advice into effect, I hope that Allah, the Great and Almighty, will forgive you all your sins with His power, even if they are as heavy as the mountains or as the waves of the seas.
Abd Allah, be careful not to scare a believer, for my father Mohammed told me on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather 'Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be on him, who said: 'Whoever looks at a believer to scare him, Allah will scare him on that day when there will be no protection but His protection and gather his flesh, his body, and all his member in the shape of the small ants till He (Allah) brings him to his ruin.'
My father told me on the authority of his grandfathers, on the authority of 'Ali, on the authority of the Prophet, my Allah bless him and his family, who said: 'Whoever helps a grieved believer, Allah will help him on that day when there will be no protection but His protection, make him safe on the Day of the Great Scare, and make him safe from the evil consequence. Whoever fulfills a need for his believing brother, Allah fulfills many needs for him, among them is Paradise. Whoever clothes his believing brother (to cover) his nakedness, Allah will clothe him from the sacrament of Paradise and from its brocade and its silk. And he will go on enjoining himself with the pleasure of Allah as long as there is a piece of thread on the clothed person. Whoever feeds his brother, Allah will feed him from the good provisions of Paradise. Whoever waters his brother, Allah will water him from the sealed nectar.
Whoever serves his brother, Allah will make the Immortal boys to serve him, and dwells him with His pure friends. Whoever carries his believing brother from the saddle of his (animal), Allah will carry him on a she- camel of the she- camels of Paradise and vie him in glory with the close angels on the Day of judgment. Whoever marries his believing brother to a woman whom he depends on, who helps him, and with whom he is pleased, Allah will marry him to one of the pure, beautiful girls (in Paradise), and entertains him with the truthful ones of his family and his brothers. Also he (Allah) will entertain him with them.
Whoever helps his believing brother against an oppressive ruler, Allah will help him pass the road (on the day when) the legs shake (with fear). And whoever visits his believing brother in his house not for a need, Allah will regard him as one of the visitors of (His Scared House), and it will be a must on Allah to honor His visitors.
Abd Allah, my father told me on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of 'Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be on him, on the authority of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, that he, one day, said to his companions: 'Men, whoever curses (people) with his tongue and does not believe (in Allah) in his heart is not a believer. Do not look for the defects of the believers, for whoever looks for the defects of a believer, Allah will look for his defects on the Day of judgment and expose him in his house.
My father told me on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, who said: "Allah had taken a promise from the believer that people do not believe his words, nor does he take revenge on his enemy, nor does he quench his anger but through exposing himself to scandal, for every believer is controlled, that is for a short purpose and long rest."
"Allah had taken a promise from the believer (to conform to) things. The simplest one of them is (that) a believer like him (who) believes in his thought makes him tired, envies him, and the Satan tempts him (the second believer) and helps him. The ruler follows his acts (the acts of the first believer) and his mistakes He (the ruler) disbelieves in what he (the first believer) believes. He (the ruler) thinks that shedding his blood is a must and violating his sacredness as booty, then is the life of the believer (important) after these things?"
Abd Allah, my father told me on the authority of his grandfathers, on the authority of 'Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be on him, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, that he said: 'Gabriel, peace be on him, came down and said: Mohammed, Allah has sent His regards to you and said: I have derived a name from My Names for the believer. I have called him believer. The believer is from Me and I am from the believer. Whoever disdains a believer, surely, wages war against me.
Abd Allah, my father told me on the authority of his grandfathers, peace be on them, on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who, one day, said: 'Ali, do not debate with a man till you know his inner self If his inner self is good, Allah, the Great and Almighty, does not forsake His supporter. And if his inner self is evil, his counterpart is enough for him. You are not able (to convince him) even if you do your best to do (deeds) more than he does, not to disobey Allah, the Great and Almighty.
Abd Allah, my father told me on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, on the authority of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who said: 'The minimum (degree) of unbelief is that the person hears a word from his brother, to memorize it against him so as to expose him with it Such a person shall have no portion (in the hereafter).'
Abd Allah, my father told me on the authority of his fathers on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, who said: 'Whoever says about the believer what his eyes do not see and his ears do not hear to disgrace him and to destroy his manhood is among those about him Allah, the Great and Almighty, says: Surely (as for) those who love that scandal should circulate respecting those who believe, they shall have a grievous chastisement.'
Abd Allah, my father told on the authority of his grandfathers on the authority of 'Ali, peace be on him, who said: 'Whoever reports a story about his believing brother to demolish his manhood and to defame him, Allah will degrade him with his sin till he brings an excuse for what he has said and will never bring the excuse Whoever delights his believing brother, delights ( ahl al Bayt), peace be on them. Whoever delights ( ahl al Bayt ), delights Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family And whoever delights Allah's Apostle delights Allah. So, it is a must on Him to make him enter Paradise.
Then I advise you to fear Allah and to hold fast to His religion, for whoever holds fast to the religion of Allah is guided to the straight Path (of Islam). So, fear Allah and do not prefer anyone to His pleasure and will. That is because it is the commandment of Allah, the Great and Almighty, to His creation He (Allah) does not accept anything from them except it nor does He regard anything as great but it Know that the creatures have not been authorized to do anything greater than to fear Allah Also it is our commandment, we, (ahl al Bayt ). If you are able to refrain from doing the deeds about which you will be asked tomorrow, then do."
Abd Allah b Sulayman said: "When al- Najashy received the letter of al- Sadiq, peace be on him, he looked at it and said: By Allah with whom there is no good but Him, my master (al- Sadiq) is truthful. Whoever puts into effect what has been written in this letter is saved. So, Abd Allah went on acting according to this letter throughout his lifetime.(370)
Some of His Commandments to His Shi'a:
Zayd al- Shahham said: Abu Abd Allah said to me: "Send my greetings to those of you who obey me and act according to my words. I advise you to fear Allah, the Great and Almighty, to cleave to piety in your religion, to make every effort for Allah, to be truthful in your talks, to give the trusts, to perform long adoration, and to treat your neighbors kindly, for Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, came to put these manners into effect.
Give the trust to him who entrusts you with them whether he is righteous or mischievous, for Allah's Apostle ordered (the Muslims) to pay the piece of thread and the needle, keep close relations with tribes, attend their escorting of their deceased, visit their ill ones, give them their rights, for if the person of you becomes pious in his religion, is truthful in his talks, gives the trust, and his manners are good, (people) will say:
This is the education of Ja'far. This pleases me Otherwise, (people) will say: This is the education of Ja'far. In this case, the tribulation and the disgrace are attributed to me By Allah, my father told me that a follower of 'Ali, peace be on him, was in a certain tribe. There, he was the best one: He gave the trust, and gave the rights He was the most truthful one in talks. So, he was the shelter of their wills and trusts. The tribe asked about him and said: Who is like him? He is the most honest of us in giving the trust. And the most truthful of us in talking "(371)
His Commandments to Mu'min al- Taq:
(372)
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him said: "Bin al- Nu'man, beware of doubt, for it foils your act. Beware of the argument, for it humiliates you. And Beware of many quarrels, for they take you away from Allah. Those who were before you learned silence, while you learn the speech.
When anyone of them wanted to worship, he learned silence ten years before that. If he had learned it, he would have worshipped; other wise he said: I am not worthy of what I am seeking. Indeed, saved is he who prolongs silence to refrain from obscenity and endures harm in the state of falsehood. It is they who were the highborn, the honest, the true followers, and the believing. By Allah, if someone of you offers gold as much as the earth, and then envies a believer, that gold will be of that with which he will be burnt in the fire.
Bin al- Nu'man, when someone is asked about knowledge and says: I do not know. Indeed, he shares knowledge equally with (the knowledgeable). The believer envies during his sitting, but when he stands up, envy disappears from him.
Bin al- Nu'man, if you want the love of your brother to be pure for you, then do not joke with him, do not argue with him, do not vie in glory with him, and do not quarrel with him. Do not tell your friend about your secret except that which does not harm you when the enemy knows it, for the friend might be an enemy someday.
Bin al- Nu'man, eloquence is not the sharp tongue nor much talk. Rather, it is giving the meaning or producing evidence."(373)
His Commandments to Hamran Bin A'yun:
(374)
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Hamran, look at those who are inferior to you; do not look at those who are superior to you in ability, for that makes you satisfied with what has been predestined for you, and it is more appropriate for you to get an addition (in your reward) from your Lord. Know that a few constant acts with conviction are better with Allah than many acts without conviction.
Know that there is no piety more useful than refraining from harming the believers and their backbiting, nor is living more comfortable than good manners, nor is property more useful than satisfaction with the a few profitable (things), nor is ignorance more harmful than vanity."(375)
His Commandments to al- Mufaddal Bin 'Amr':
(376)
I advise you and my own self to tear Allah and to obey Him, for from fearing Allah result obedience, piety, humbleness for Allah, tranquillity, diligence, putting His orders into effect, faithfulness to His Apostle, hastening toward His pleasure, and refraining from what He has prohibited. Indeed, whoever fears Allah saves himself from the fire with the permission of Allah and obtains all good in here and the hereafter. And whoever orders (people) to fear Allah succeeds in the sermon. May Allah make us from those who fear Him with His permission."(377)
His Commandments to Jamil Bin Darraj:
(378)
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said to Jamil b. Darraj: "The good ones of you are the generous and the bad ones of you are the miserly. Among the good deeds are to treat the brothers kindly and to fulfill their needs, for these (acts) force the Satan (to turn away from you) and save you from the fires and make you enter Paradise Jamil, tell your honorable companions about this tradition He (Jamil) said: I (i.e. Jamil) said to him: 'May I be your ransom, who are my honorable companions?' He, peace be on him, said:
Those who treat the brothers with kindness during poverty and riches."
He (al- Sadiq) said: "Jamil, this (act) is easy for the doer of the favor. Allah, the Great and Almighty, has praised the doer of the little (favor). He (Allah) said: 'And prefer (others) to themselves though poverty may afflict them, and whoever is preserved from the niggardliness of his soul, these it is that are the successful ones.'"(379)
His Commandments to al- Ma'alla Bin Khanis:
When al- Ma'alla b, Khanis wanted to travel, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said to him: "Ma'alla, be powerful with Allah." He (al- Ma'alla) said: "With What, son of the Apostle of Allah (my Allah bless him and his family)?" He, peace be on him, said: "Fear Allah, the Exalted He makes every thing afraid of you. Ma'alla, show love to your brothers through giving them gifts, for Allah, the Exalted, has made the gift love and prevention hatred By Allah, if you ask me for (something) and I give you it is more desirable with me than that you do not ask me for (a thing) and I do not give you, so you hate me. Whatever Allah, the Great and Almighty, has given you through my hands, still the laudable one is Allah, the Exalted. However, do not forget to thank for what Allah has given you through my hands."(380)
His Commandments to sufyan al- Thawri:
(381)
Syfyan said: "I met the Truthful one, the son of the Truthful one, Ja'far b. Mohammed, peace be on them. I (i.e. Sufyan) said: Son of the Apostle of Allah, advise me. He said to me: 'Sufyan, the liar has no manhood; the tired (person) has no brother, the envious (person) has no rest, and the ill-natured (person) has no rightness.'"
I (Sufyan) said: "Son of the Apostle of Allah, Allah bless him and his family, add more. He said to me: 'Entrust Allah to be a believer. Be satisfied with what Allah has allotted to you to be rich. Treat your neighbor with kindness to be Muslim. Do not make friends with the sinner so as not to teach you from his sin. Concerning your affairs, ask the advice of those who fear Allah.'"
I (Sufyan) said: "Son of the Apostle of Allah, add more. He said to me: 'Sufyan, whoever wants glory without a tribe, riches without money, and dignity without authority, then should move from the humiliation of the disobedience of Allah to the strength of His obedience.'"(382)
He (i.e. Sufyan) said once to al- Sadiq: "I do not go till you tell me (some pieces of advice)." He (al- Sadiq) said to him: 'I will tell you, for talking with you is good. Sufyan, If Allah bestows a certain blessing upon you, and if you want this blessing to last, then praise and laud (Allah) for it very much, for Allah, the Great and Almighty, has said in His Book: If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more.(383) And if you feel that your sustenance is slow, then ask Allah's forgiveness for much, for Allah, the Great and Almighty, has said in His Book: Ask forgiveness of your Lord, surely He is the most Forgiving. He will send down upon you the cloud, pouring down abundance of rain And help you with wealth and sons, and make for you gardens, and make for you rivers.'"(384)
"Sufyan, when the ruler or others cause a certain matter to sadden you, say: There is neither might nor power but with Allah, for it is the key of ease and treasure of the treasures of Paradise. So, Sufyan said: 'What excellent three these are!'"(385)
His Commandments to 'Inwan al- Basri:
(386)
'Inwan al- Basri disagreed with Malik b. Anas on his ideas. So, he wanted to learn from al- Sadiq, peace be on him. When he came to al-Sadiq, al- Sadiq said to him: "I am a wanted man. However, I have parts of the Holy Koran at every hour during night and day. So, do not busy me from these parts."
He ('Inwan) said: "I became sad, so I entered the Mosque of the Prophet of Allah, peace be on him, and greeted him." Then I said two ruk'ats and said: "Allah! Allah! I ask You to Make Ja'far's knowledge to follow Your straight path." When my patience was over, and my heart became narrow, I went to Ja'far. When I reached his house, I knocked on the door A servant came out The servant said: "What is your need?" I ('Inwan) said: "peace be on the Sharif." The servant said: "He is performing his prayers."
So, I sat at the door. Immediately, the servant came out and said: "Come in with the blessing of Allah." I came in and greeted him (al- Sadiq). He greeted me and said: "Sit down, may Allah forgive you (your sins) " So, I sat down He bowed his head for a long time. Then he raised his head and said: "What is your kunya?" " Abu Abd Allah," I said: "May Allah fix your kunya and grant you success. What is your question?" I said to myself:
"This du'a' is very much for me." Then he raised his head and said: "What is your question?" I said: "I asked Allah to incline your heart to me and give me some of your knowledge. I hope that Allah has accepted my supplication." He (al- Sadiq) said: "Abu Abd Allah, knowledge is not obtained through learning Rather, It is light falls into the heart of the person whom Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, wants to guide. If you want knowledge, then ask the truth of worship in yourself, seek knowledge through using it, and ask Allah to make you understand it."
I said: "Sharif!" He said: "Do not say Sharif, say Abu Abd Allah." I said: "What is the truth of worship?" He said: "three things: the servant should not regard him self asking in what Allah has authorized him, for the servants have no authority. They think that wealth belong to Allah. They use it in the fields where He has ordered them to. So, the servant has no right in this wealth All he has is that he should carry out what Allah has ordered him and to refrain from what He has prohibited So, when the servant thinks that he has no right in what Allah has authorized him, spending in the fields where Allah has ordered him to spend is easy for him.
When the servant authorizes his master to manage him, the misfortunes of this world are easy for him. When the servant busies himself with what Allah has ordered him to do, while have no leisure time to argue with people or vie with them in glory. When Allah honors the servant with these three things, life in this world, Iblis (the Satan), and the creation are all easy for him. Besides, he does not request the life in this world to increase (his money) or vie with (people) in glory, nor does he request what people have for power and the high position, and nor does he make his days go in vain. So, this is the first degree of religious devotion Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, said: '(As for) that future abode, We assign it to those who have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief and the good end is for those who guard (against evil).'"(387)
I ('Inwan) said: "Abu Abd Allah, advise me." He said: "I will advise you (to do) nine things, for they are to those who want to follow the Straight path of Allah. I ask Allah to grant you success to put them into effect. Three of them in the spiritual exercise; three of them in clemency, and three of them in knowledge Memorize them and be careful not neglect them." "Inwan said: "So, I made my heart empty."
He (al- Sadiq) said: "As for those concerning the spiritual exercise, be careful not to eat what you do not feel appetite for, because it brings about foolishness and stupidity. Do not eat except when you are hungry. When you eat, eat lawful (food), say: Bismillahr rahmanir rahim, and call to mind the following tradition of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family.' The person does not full a container more evil than his stomach. However, if it is necessary, (follow these portions): third for food, third for water, and third for breathing.'
As for those concerning clemency, whoever says to you: If you say one time, I have heard ten times. Say to him: If you say ten times, you have heard none. Whoever abuses you, say to him: If you are truthful in what you say, then ask Allah to forgive me. And if you tell lies in what you say, then I ask Allah to forgive you. Whoever threatens you with obscene language, give him a piece of advice and take care of him. And as for those concerning knowledge, ask the knowledgeable about what you do not know. Be careful not to ask them to confuse or try them. Be careful not to do anything according to your opinion. Act according to precaution in all what you cannot find a way to it. Escape from giving a religious opinion, and do not make your neck as a bridge for people. Now, Abu Abd Allah, leave me, for I have given you pieces of advice. Do not spoil my reciting to the parts of the Koran, for I am sticking to them, and peace be on those who follow guidance."(388)
Some of His valuable Commandments:
His valuable pieces of advice and commandments are many. He followed every method to advise (people) to follow guidance. He sometimes urges us to cleave to religious devotion, piety, diligence, long adoration and bow (ruku'). He says: "Be propagandists to yourselves without your tongues, be graceful and do not be disgraceful.(389)
He sometimes urges us to stick to gratefulness, supplication, and reliance on Allah He says: "Whomever is given three (things) is not prevented from three (things)- whomever is given supplication is given the answer, whomever is given gratefulness is given the addition, and whomever is given reliance (on Allah) is given the adequacy." Then he said: "Have you recited the book of Allah, the Great and Almighty: And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him."(390) "If you are grateful, I would certainly give to you more."(391) "Call upon Me, I will answer you."(392)
He sometimes guides us to despair from all people He says: "If someone of you wants to ask Allah to give him everything, then he should despair from all people, he should have no hope with any one but with Allah. When Allah, the Great and Almighty, knows that from his heart, He gives him all his desires."(393)
He sometimes encourages us to have noble manners and virtuous qualities. So, he describes humbleness for us and limits its positions. He says: "It is an act of humbleness to be satisfied with sitting at the end of the sitting, to greet him whom you meet, to leave the argument even if you are right, and do not love to be lauded for religious devotion."(394)
Al- Sadiq mentioned many qualities to raise the person to a high social position He said to his companions: "Hear my words. They are better than the dark black horses: one of you should not speak about that which does not concern him, he should leave many words about that which concerns him to find a subject to them Perhaps, one may speak about an inconvenient subject, so he wrongs himself with his words.
One of you should not argue with the clement person nor with the foolish one, for whoever argues with the clement person, he (the clement person) will drive him away. And whoever argues with the foolish one, he (the foolish one) will ruin him. When your brother is away, remember him with best words with which you want people to remember you when you are away. And do the deed of him who knows that he will be rewarded with kindness."(395)
He described good manners for us to make us to conform to them. He said: "Indeed, Allah is satisfied with Islam as religion for you, then make your relation with it good through generosity and good manners.
He advised his companions to adopt the following: "Visit each other, for your visit enlivens your hearts and reminds you of our traditions. Our traditions make you feel compassion for each other. If you put them into effect, you will be guided and saved. If you neglect them, you will go astray and (face) ruin. So, follow them and I guarantee your salvation."(396)
Social Relations:
Without doubt, man imitates by nature his friends and relatives. So, he is good when they are good and is bad when they are bad. For this reason, our Imam warned people against bad social relations: "Be careful not to associate with the kings and those who clings to the life in this world, for that corrupts your religion and causes hypocrisy to you. This is a bad illness which has no cure, and brings about a hard heart and deprives you of devoutness.
Cleave to ordinary people who match you, for you find good manner with them. Be careful not to wish for that which is in the hands of the children of this world. Because whoever wishes for that, his grief becomes long, does not quench his anger, and regards Allah's blessing with him as little. So, his gratefulness is little. Look at those who are inferior to you, so you are grateful to Allah for his boons, worthy of His extra (boons), and happy at His liberality."(397)
Hastening toward Good Things:
It is not right to lose the good deed, for it is an opportunity. Perhaps, losing the good deed brings about regret. All affairs of life are opportunities which we are not able to repeat. However, Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, urges us to seize such suitable opportunities. He said: "If you intend to do a good deed, then do not put it off Indeed, Allah, the Great and Almighty, may know that the servant has some obedience. So, He (Allah) says: 'By my Greatness and Might, I will never torture you after it.'" There are many similar traditions in this regard.
Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, warns us against evil deeds He said: "And if you intend to do an evil deed, then do not do it. Indeed, Allah, the Great and Almighty, may know that the servant has some disobedience. So, He (Allah) says: 'By My Greatness and Might, I will never forgive you after it.'"(398) Al- Sadiq gave many similar comments in this regard.
Studying Religious Jurisprudence:
Studying Religious jurisprudence is the way to worship Allah, the Exalted Muslims can preserve the Islamic Law with it Rather, the Muslim Religion depends on the Muslim jurists who know its rule and defend it. From here al- Sadiq, peace be on him said many traditions on religious jurisprudence we have mentioned some of them before. Here we will add other traditions. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever worships (Allah) without understanding (the religion) is like him who walks after the mirage in a desert- the speed of his walking increases him nothing but distance." Also he said:
"Whoever of our companions does not study religious jurisprudence, then does not do any good deed." Also he said: "People are not able to act till they ask and understand (the religion)."(399) He, peace be on him, said: "If Allah wants a servant to do good makes him understand the religion." Also he said: "All perfection is in understanding the religion, patience during the misfortune, and appreciating the living."(400)
As religious jurisprudence plays an important role in the Muslim religion, he, peace be on him, said: "The death of the religious jurist is more desirable with Iblis (the Satan) than the death of any other believer." Also he said: "When the believing jurist dies he makes in Islam a gap which nothing fills."(401)
Gratefulness of Boons:
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, advised (Muslims) to preserve boons to make them last. In this connection he said: "Preserve constant boons. Be careful not to let them move to other than you Indeed, when they move from one person (to another), they rarely come back to him."
Amir al- Mu'minin said: "When the thing turns away, it rarely comes back."(402)
He (al- Sadiq) taught them (Muslims) how to preserve boons. He said to Sadir al- Sayrafy: "When the person has many properties, the proof of Allah against him is great. So, if you are able to change it (Allah's proof), then do." He (Sadir) said: "Son of Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, with what?" He, peace be on him, said: "With fulfilling the needs of your brothers from your properties." Then he said: "Receive boons, Sadir, in a good manner. Thank Him. Who bestows upon you. Bestow upon him who thanks you. Indeed, if you behave in such a manner. Then the addition from Allah and the advice from your brothers are a must." Then he recited these Words of Allah, the Exalted: "If you are grateful, I would certainly give you more."(403)
Among the methods of gratefulness is that the servant should show the boons of Allah, the Glorified For this reason, Abu Abid Allah (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, guides us to this laudable trait. He said: "Surely, Allah loves beauty and embellishment, and hates misery and showing misery. Indeed, when Allah bestows a boon upon a person, He loves to see its effect on him." It was said: "How?" He, peace be on him, said: "He (the person) should clean his clothes, perfume himself, sweeps the yards (of his house), and plasters his house." These are some important methods to show gratefulness for Allah's boons. They explained this verse." And as for the favor of your Lord, do announce (it)."
Good Friendship:
Good friendship is not the matter which comes to you automatically Rather, it comes through habituating the self and controlling its pleasures. That is because good friendship sometimes forces you to sacrifice your desires and appetites for your friend and to prefer him to yourself. For this reason, Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, said: "Adjust yourself to good friendship to him whom you make friends with."
As there are many methods to make good friendship, and as the person does not know which one is the best, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, teaches us how to make good friendship with our friends. He said: "Make your manners good, prevent your tongue (from saying obscene words), suppress your anger, decrease your nonsense, plant your forgiveness, and be generous."(404)
Moreover, he wants us to make good friendship as permanent slogan with our friends. He said: "Shi'a (followers) of the family of Mohammed, whoever does not control himself during his anger and does not treat his friend kindly is not one of us."(405)
There are many traditions like this.
When we make friends with someone and when we part from him for a incumbent on us to look certain time, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, makes it for him to know his conditions. So, he said to al- Mufaddal b. 'Amr when he came back from his travel: "Who accompanied you?" "A man of my brothers," said al- Mufaddal" "What has he done," asked al- Sadiq. "I have not known his place since I arrived," said al- Mufaddal. "Do you not know that whoever accompanies a believer for forty steps, Allah will ask him about the believer on the Day of Judgment."(406)
Friendship during Travel:
Travel has special manners which are different from those ones during the normal life. From the first look, you may know it is an act of generosity, the noble self, and manhood to spend much money on the food in the manner that surpasses your friends. However, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, prevented (Muslims from doing that) during travel, for such kind of spending costs the friend a lot when he wants to vie in spending with his other friends or it may humiliate him when he prevents himself from doing that. It is not an act of politeness or good friendship to cost your friend or humiliate him. For this reason, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said to Shahab b. 'Abd Raba(407): "Shahab, do not do that, for if they spend and you spend (more than them), then you wrong them or humiliate them when they prevent from (spending). So, accompany your matches, accompany your matches."
The Imam said these words when Shahab said to him: "You have known my condition, my open- hand, and my generosity toward my brothers. I accompany the person of them to cover the road to Mecca and I become generous toward him."(408)
I (the author) say: The person humiliates others when he spends on them. In the meantime, others humiliate him when they spend on him. So, the Imam prevented (Muslims) from adopting both cases. He said to Abu Basir: "I do not want (the person) to humiliate himself, so he should accompany those who match him."
The Imam said these words when Abu Basir asked about the person who accompanies the rich, while he is inferior to them (in spending). So, the men take out the expense, while he is not able to take out what they do."
When Hisham b al- Hakam asked the Imam about some cases, the Imam answered: "Accompany those who are like you."(409)
Accordingly, the Imam regard the companionship of the match as a rule for both causes, lest the person should humiliate himself or humiliate the others. This is among his great wisdoms which he adopted to make people follow good manners.
Good Neighborhood:
It is an act of the politeness of the person and of his superior intellect is to adopt good neighborhood. Besides, it is a virtuous act which the wise summon people to put it into effect. The Arabs vied with each other for treating their neighbor kindly. Also they did their best to defend the neighbor When Islam came it adopted this noble trait, increased the respect for it, and urged the Muslims to cling to it. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, gave frequent commandments concerning it. For this reason, Amir al- Mu'minin (Imam 'Ali), peace be on him, said: "Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, went on advising us (to treat) the neighbor (kindly). So, we thought that he would bequeath him."
The grandsons of the Prophet followed the same manner in regard with the neighbor. For example, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Cleave to Allah fearingness.... good manners, and good neighborhood."(410) Al- Sadiq repeated these commandments many times. So, he blamed those who neglected them. In this connection, he, peace be on him, said: "Do the person of you not feel shame that his neighbor knows his right, while he does not know his neighbor's right?"
Moreover, al- Sadiq excluded those who do not treat their neighbors kindly. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever does not treat his neighbor kindly is not one of us."(411)
Accepting Advice:
People know that the person has superior intellect when he listens to advice and conforms to the words of the adviser, for the ignorant person sticks to fanaticism that he does not listen to the adviser. Besides, he thinks that the adviser may disclose his defects. However, he forgets that disclosing. his defects urges him to reform them. For this reason, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "The most desirable one of my brothers for me is he who gifts me my defects."(412) He said these words to teach us, for he is far above defects.
I (the author) say: Of course, such a person is the most desirable one because he wants to save himself from -the vices and adorn it with the virtue. As this quality is good, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, regarded disclosing the defects as a gift. This was his maximum aim to encourage the brothers (i.e. friends) to adopt this quality to disclose the defects of each other to reform them.
Al- Sadiq made it necessary for the believer to accept advice. He, peace be on him, said: "The believer is in need of three traits: success granted by Allah, the great and Almighty, a preacher from his own self, and accepting advice."(413)
Consultation:
Whoever asks the advice of the wise knows the ways of the entries and of the outlets and discovers the ways of success. So, he saves himself from dangers. Abu Abd Allah (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, discovered this fact for us when he said: "The person who asks the advice (of others) does not perish."(414) Also he guided us to the consultant when we face accidental vague things. He said: "When the person of you faces (a thing) which he has no ability to solve, Why does he not ask the advice of the wise man with has religion and piety?"(415)
Al- Sadiq increased the conditions of consultation and of the consultant when he, peace be on him, said: "Consultation does not take place except within its (limits. So, the advice- seeker should know it with in its limits; otherwise it harms him more than it avails him. Firstly, the consultant should be wise. Secondly, he should be free and religious. Thirdly, he should be a close friend lastly, you should tell him about your secret that his knowledge of it is as your knowledge of yourself. Then he keeps your secret. Indeed, if he (the consultant) is wise, you make use of his advice. If he is free and religious, he does his best to advise you. If he is a close friend, he keeps your secret when you tell him about it. And if you tell him about your secret that his knowledge of it is as your knowledge of it, then consultation is perfect."(416)
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, warned (Muslims) against disobeying the consultant when he is fully qualified. He said: "Of men, ask the advice of the wise, pious (one), for he does not order (you) but (to do) good. Be careful not to disobey (him), for disobeying the wise, pious (one) corrupts religion and the life in this world."(417)
Also he made it incumbent on the consultant to give his advice and warned him against the end when he refuses to give his advice. He, peace be on him, said: "Whoever asks the advice of his brother, but he (the brother) does not give him pure advice, Allah, the Great and Almighty, shall deprive him of his opinion.(418)
Making Many Brothers:
Indeed, the person becomes many with his brother (friend), for he (the friend) helps him during misfortunes and poverty, entertains him during loneliness and estrangement, advise him during perplexity, guides him during the error, remembers him when he is away, and so on. For this reason, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, ordered (Muslims) to make men brothers. He, peace be on him, said: "Make many friends in this world, for they avail (you) in here and the hereafter. In this world, they fulfill (your) needs. In the hereafter, the people of the fire will say: 'So we have no intercessors, nor a true friend.'"(419)
When al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said that the friend would avail his friend in the hereafter, he meant that the religious wise one who guides his friend to good through advising him, so he will save him from the ruin in the hereafter.
Or he may make use of his supplication for his life in the hereafter, as al-Sadiq said in other tradition: "Make many brothers, for every believer has an accepted supplication."
Or because he may make use of his intercession in the hereafter, as al-Sadiq, peace be on him said: "Make many brothers, for every believer has intercession." Also he, peace be on him, said: "Make friends with the believers, for they have intercession with Allah."(420)
Besides, the believing friend is worth a collection of all these qualities in here and the hereafter.
Forgiving Brothers:
Not all people are infallible. Most people make mistakes. So, it is impossible for you to find the friend free from defects. Accordingly, whoever wants to make many friends should forgive them their mistakes. From here, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Where do you find a prefect brother? Which one of men is. Also he said: "Whoever does not make friends but with him who has no defect, his friends are very few perfect?"(421)
Also he said: "Whoever does not make friends but with him who has no defect, his friends are very few."(422)
When the person wants friendship to last he should not look for the defects of his friend, as al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "Looking for (defects) is parting."(423) Also he said: "Do not look for (the defects) of people lest you should be without friend."(424)
The experienced persons should be satisfied with the little act of his brother to continue his friendship with him, as al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "It is not an act of equity to demand the brothers to do equity, and whoever is dissatisfied with his brother unless his brother prefers him to himself, his dissatisfaction will last."(425)
Yes, admonition does not spoil the continuation of friendship. Rather, it may remove the hatred and hidden spites of the hearts. However, admonition should not be very much because it brings about negative results. For this reason, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: "He whose admonition is much, his friends are very few." Also he said: "Whoever admonishes his brother for every mistake, his admonition will last."(426)
The Rights of Brothers:
Brothers have many rights. It is difficult for us to count them, and we do not want to search what has been mentioned on them in this connection. However, we will mention only one tradition. The tradition is enough for the brother to treat his brother kindly when he puts it into effect. Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said to al- Mu'alla b. Khanis that the brother has seven rights. They are: The first right: You should love to him what you love to your self and hate to him what you hate to your self.
The second right: You should avoid making him angry, follow his pleasure, and obey his orders. The third right: You should help him with your self, your money, your tongue, your hand, and your leg. The fourth right: You should be his eye, his guide, and his mirror. The fifth right: You should not be full, while he is hungry. You should not quench your thirst, while he is thirsty. You should not clothe your self, while he is naked. The sixth right: When you have a servant, and your brother has no servant, so you should sent him your servant to wash his clothes, to fix his food, and to prepare his bed. The seventh right: You carry out his oath, accept his invitation, visit his ill ones, participate in his funeral procession. When you know that he has a need, you should hasten to fulfill it. You should not force him to request it (the need) from you, but you should hasten to (fulfill it) of your own accord. When you do that, you relate your friendship to his friendship, and his friendship to your friendship."(427)
Helping the Brothers:
In the previous topic the Rights of Brothers, we have mentioned something about helping the brothers. However, it has been mentioned separately in the traditions of al- Sadiq, peace be on him. He, peace be on him, said: "Help your brothers with what you have earned."(428) Also he, peace be on him, said: "Come nearer to Allah through helping your brothers."(429)
As helping the brothers is very difficult, Abu Abd Allah (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, said: "Among the strongest things which Allah has imposed on his creatures are three: (The believer should) treat his believing brother with justice, (namely) he should love to him what he loves to himself, helping the believing brother with money, calling to mind Allah's name during every attitude- it is not to say Subhana Allah wa, al- hamdu lillah, rather during (doing) what Allah has prohibited him from."(430)
I (the author) say: Indeed these are among the difficult things for the person to do, for they oppose his strongest pleasure such as self- love, money- love, pride, and so on.
Treating the Brothers Kindly:
Treating the brothers kindly is a branch of rendering help to them Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, urged Muslims very much to treat each other kindly. In his commandments to Jamil b Darraj, he said: "It is an act of pure belief is to treat the brothers kindly and to Satisfy their needs. The Merciful (Allah) loves him who treats his brothers kindly ... Jamil, tell your honorable companions about this tradition. He (Jamil) said: "May I be ransom for you, who are my honorable companions?" He said: "Those who treat their brothers kindly during poverty and riches."(431)
In his foregoing commandments to Abid Allah b Jundub, al- Sadiq said: "Indeed, to move the feet to visit the brothers and to treat them kindly is the best way to worship Allah."
As treating the brothers kindly is great with Allah, the Exalted, the Satan does his best to prevent man from doing that, In these commandments, he said: "Bin Jundub, the Satan has snares to catch (people) so, beware of his snares." He (Bin Jundub) said: "Son of the Prophet of Allah, what are his snares?" He (the Prophet) said: "As for his snares, he (the Satan) prevent you from treating your brothers kindly."
Truthful Talk and Giving the Trust:
Abu Abd Allah (al- Sadiq), peace be on him, advised his companions to be truthful in their talks and to give trusts to their owners. In this connection, we have mentioned some information before.
Though these two traits are the best of all traits in themselves, they have clear effects on the religion. For example, they bring about love and confidence among people, so riches happens. In this regard, we will mention the following tradition.
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said to Abd al- Rahman b Sayyaba: "Do you not want me to give you a commandment?" Abd al- Rahman said: "Yes, may I be ransom for you." Al- Sadiq said: "Cleave to the truthful talk and giving the trust So, you will share people their properties." Abd al- Rahman said: "I have memorized the tradition, so I have earned three hundred thousand dirhams."(432)
4- HIS SAYINGS
Al- Sadiq, peace be on him, has original sayings and rare words. They raise the good souls to the classes of angels and lead people to the virtue and happiness when they use and consider them carefully. I have collected and selected a group of them in earnest He, peace be on him, said:
1. Intellect is that with which people worship the Most Gracious (Allah) and with which they obtain gardens.
2. Verily, the reward is equal to intellect.
3. The most perfect of men in intellect is the best of them in ethics.
4. Intellect is the pillar of man.
5. Intellect is the guide of the believer.(433)
6. The perfection of intellect is in three (things):
humbleness for Allah, good certainty, and silence except for good.
7. Ignorance is in three (things): Haughtiness, the intense of dispute, and the ignorance in Allah.
8. The best nature of intellect is worship, the strongest speech for it is knowledge, and its most abundant luck is maxim.(434)
9. To consider knowledge very much opens intellect.(435)
10. Knowledge is a shield, truthfulness is might, ignorance is abasement, understanding is glory, generosity is success, good behavior causes friendship, he who has knowledge about his time, ambiguous things do not attack him, and determination is mistrust.
11. If you want that you are honored, then be soft.
And if you want that you are abused, then be rough.
12. He whose origin is noble, his heart is soft, and he whose race is rough, his liver is thick.
13. Whoever is extreme gets involved, and whoever is afraid of the consequence refrains from entering what he does not know.
14. Whoever attacks a matter without knowledge cuts off his own nose.(436)
15. Scholars are trustees, the Allah- fearing are strongholds, and guardians are masters.(437)
16. Verily, knowledge is a lock and its key is the question.(438)
17. Whoever acts without prescience is like the walker without way, the speed of walking does not increase him but farness.
18. Allah does not accept any act without knowledge, there is no knowledge without act, so whoever knows, knowledge leads him to act, and whoever does not act gets no knowledge, but belief is a little of a little.
19. The favor is not perfected but with three (things):
by doing it quickly, debasing it, and hiding it.
20. Not everyone who sees a thing is able to do it, not everyone who is able to do a thing is successful in doing it, and not everyone who is successful in it. When intention, ability, success, and righteousness come together, happiness occurs.
21. Four things of which little is much: Fire, enmity, poverty, and illness.
22. Twenty- day- friendship is a relationship.
23. Whoever does not feel shame during absence and does not repent during old age and does not fear Allah during loneliness, then he has no good.
24. Whoever honors you, then honor him. And whoever scorns you, then honor yourself from him.
25. To forbid generosity is mistrust in Allah.
26. Verily, the family of a person are his prisoners, so whomever is bestowed upon him, then he should be generous toward them, and if he does not (do that), that favor is about to disappear from him.
27. Three (things) with which Allah does not increase the Muslim person but glory: To forgive him who wrongs him; to give him who deprives him, to visit him who abandons him.
28. When the believer becomes angry, his anger should not take him out of the truth; and when he becomes satisfied, his satisfaction should not bring him in falsehood.
29. Friendship has five conditions. Whoever has them, then attribute him to it. Whoever has not them, then do not attribute him to any of it. They are: the good of his friend should be his good, his inward thoughts for him should be like his openness, no money should change him against him, he should hold the view that he is worthy of all his friendship, and should not abandon him during misfortunes.(439)
30. The noble man should not turn up his nose at four (things): his standing from his sitting for his father, his service for his guest, taking care of his riding animal even if he has a hundred slaves, and his service for his teacher.
31. (Religious) scholars are the trustees of prophets unless they come to the doors of supreme rulers.(440)
32. A man from the people of Iraq (ahl al- Sawad) went to him (al-Sadiq) frequently, then he broke away from him, So he (the Imam) asked some people about him. To detract from him, one of them said: "He is Nabati." So, he (the Imam), peace be on him, said: "The origin of the man is his intellect, his ancestry is his religion, his generosity is his piety, and men are equal in Adam (Adam)."(441)
33. Noble deeds are ten, if you want them to be with you, then let them be, they are with the man and are not with his children; they are with the child and are not with his father; they are with the slave and are not with the master. What are they? He, peace be on him, said: the truthfulness of men, the truthfulness of the tongue, paying the trust, linking the relatives on the maternal side, entertaining the guest, giving food to the beggar, rewarding the favors, to avoid blaming the neighbor, to avoid censuring the friend, and their head is modesty.(442)
34. Some of the correctness of the belief of the Muslim person is that he should not please men through angering Allah, and do not blame them for what Allah has not given him, because the miserliness of the miserly does not drive livelihood, and the hatred of the hater does not live it away, and if one of you escaped from his livelihood as he escapes from death, his livelihood would reach him as death reaches him.
35. Verily, with his justice, Allah has put comfort and ease in certainty and satisfaction, and put worry and sorrow in doubt and anger.(443)
36. The head of the obedience of Allah is patience and pleasure for what Allah likes and dislikes for the servant, and if the servant is satisfied with what Allah likes and dislikes for him, it will be good for him in what He likes and dislikes.
37. Indeed, the most knowledge of all men in Allah is the most satisfied of them with death.(444)
38. Do not backbite, so you are backbited, and do not dig a judge you would be judged by.
39. Be ware of joking because it loses face and the dignity of men.
40. Do not dispute, so your glory goes, and do not joke, so you are dared (so men dare to say rude things about you).(445)
41. Be ware of the dispute because it brings about the hateful ugly thing and shows the defect.(446)
42. Whoever is not shy of seeking legal livelihood, his provisions is light, and his family leads a life of ease and comfort.(447)
43. I wonder at him who is miserly for life in this world and it is coming towards him or is miserly in it and it is turning away from him , so neither spending with coming harms him nor miserliness with turning away avails him.(448)
44. The prisoner is he whose life in this world imprisons him from his next life.(449)
45. Do not make your hearts busy thinking about bygone, so you divert your minds from getting ready to what has not come yet.(450)
46. Seek livelihood by giving alms, guard your wealth by Zakat, he who is moderate does not become destitute, organization is half livelihood, loving one another is half wisdom, small family is one of the ways of (securing) ease, whoever saddens his parents certainly is disobedient to them, favor is not favor but with him who has ancestry and religion, Allah, the Exalted, sends down endurance according to the affliction and livelihood according to the provisions, whoever appreciates his livelihood, Allah, the Exalted, gives him, and whoever wastes his livelihood, Allah, the Exalted, deprives him (of that).(451)
I (the author) say: Some of these clauses are attributed to the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al- Mu'minin) in Nahj al- Balagha, and al- Sadiq, peace be on him, may have mentioned them as quotations.
47. The richest riches is he who is not captive for greed.(452)
48. Nothing is better than silence, no enemy is more harmful than ignorance, and no illness is more dangerous than telling lies.(453)
49. Three (things) with which no thing is harmful:
The prayers during distress, asking Allah's forgiveness during the sin, and thankfulness during the blessing.(454)
50. The believer is popular, and there is no good in him who neither associates nor is associated.(455)
51. It was said (to him): What is good behavior?
He, peace be on him, said: Make yourself gentle, make your words good, and receive your brother with cheerfulness.
52. He whose tongue is truthful his act grows, he whose intention is good his livelihood is increased, and he whose charity is good for the members of his house his age is prolonged.(456)
53. Modesty is (a part) of belief.
54. He whose face is soft his knowledge is soft.
55. He who has no modesty has no belief.(457)
56. Three (things) are of the noble acts of here and hereafter: Forgive him who has wronged you, visit him who has abandoned you, and be patient when you are treated with ignorance.(458)
57. Any members of a house are given their luck of gentleness most surely Allah increases their livelihood, gentleness in appreciating livelihood is better than the increase of money, nothing lacks strength for gentleness, nothing stays with wastefulness, Indeed, Allah, the Great and Almighty, is gentle He loves gentleness.
58. Whoever is gentle in (obtaining) his matter obtains what he wants from men.(459)
59. Whoever is satisfied with what Allah has given him then is the richest of men.
60. A man complained to him (al- Sadiq) that he sought (his livelihood) and earned but he was not satisfied, and his soul contended with him at pulling (to earn) more, and he said: Teach me a thing to avail myself of, so Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, said: If what suffices you makes you rich, then the smallest thing in this world makes you rich And if what suffices you does not make you rich, then all things in this world do not make you rich.(460)
61. Justice is sweeter than the water the thirsty (person) have.
62. How wide justice is even if it is very little.
63. Whoever treats men with justice is accepted as judge for others.(461)
64. The honor of a believer is to pray at night, and his dignity is to be in no need of men.
65. To request needs from men takes dignity and removes modesty, and to despair of what is in the hands of men is glory for the believer in his religion.
66. To visit blood relatives improves manners, makes the self good, increases livelihood, and delays death.(462)
67. It is enough that patience is a supporter.
68. If you are not patient, then pretend to be patient.
69. Whoever prevents his hand from men prevents only one hand and they prevent many hands.(463)
70. It is enough that the person depends on his brother when he requests his need from him.(464)
71. Alms Allah loves: To reconcile men after they have quarreled and bring them closer together after they have left each other.(465)
72. Whoever treats people and does not wrong them, speaks to them and does not tell them lies, and promises them and does not break his promise, his backbiting is forbidden, his manhood is perfect, his justice appears, his brotherhood is a must.(466)
73. Whoever requests leadership perishes.(467)
74. Whoever sows enmity reaps what he has sown.(468)
75. Anger is the key of every evil.
76. Anger is the destruction of the wise man.
77. Whoever does not control his anger does not control his intellect.(469)
78. Verily, envy eats belief as fire eats wood.
79. The catastrophe of religion is envy, self- admiration, and boasting.(470)
80. No one becomes haughty but because of abasement finds in himself.(471)
81. What a bad believer is he who has a desire (that) abases him.(472)
82. Foolishness is a mean nature, has the cheek to those who are below him, and yields to those who are superior to him.(473)
83. Verily, (the things) of which Allah helps against the liars is forgetfulness.(474)
84. Be ware of the slip of elaboration because it is not forgiven.
85. The best of men is he in whom five traits have come together: If he does well, he is cheerful; if he does badly, he asks forgiveness; if he is afflicted, he is patient, and if he is wronged, he forgives.
86. Abu Hanifa said to him (al- Sadiq): Abu Abd Allah, how patient you are during the prayers! He, peace be on him, said: Woe unto you! Nu'man, do not you know that the prayer is the sacrifice of the God- fearing, the hajj (pilgrim) is the jihad of the weak, every thing has Zakat and the Zakat of the body is fasting, the best act is to wait the ease from Allah, the propagandist without act is like the archer without string? So, memorize these words, Nu'man.
87. I swear by Allah, three (things) are most surely true: No property decreases because of alms or Zakat, not anyone is wronged and is able to repay but controls it surely Allah recompense him glory instead, nor any slave opens the door of begging for himself surely Allah opens a door of poverty for him.
88. The manhood of a person in himself is a relationship to his children and his tribe.(475)
89. Seven (persons) corrupt their own acts: The meek man with a lot of knowledge (who) is not known with that nor is mentioned with; the wise man whose property is managed by a liar (who) is ungrateful for what is given to him; the man who is safe from the possessor of cunning and treason; the rude master who has no mercy, the mother who does not keep the secret of the child and spreads it; the person who blames his brothers quickly, and he who argues with his brothers to quarrel with them.(476)
90. Neither the possessor of haughtiness aims to good praise, nor does the deceiver to much truthfulness, nor does the Impolite (person) to honor, nor does the miser to linking blood relatives, nor does he who scorn men to sincere affection, nor does he who has little knowledge at jurisprudence to judgment, nor does the backbiter to safety, nor does the envier to the ease of the heart, nor does he who punishes (people) for the small mistake to correctness, nor does he who has little experience and is self- conceited to leadership.(477)
91. He whose guard is determination, whose friend is truthfulness, his splendor is great, and his manhood is perfect.
92. A generous ignorant (person) is better than a miserly hermit.
93. Whoever requests more than his right is worthy of deprivation.
94 The worthiest of men in forgiveness is the ablest of them in punishment, and the most defective of men in intellect is he who wrongs those who are inferior to him and does not forgive him who apologizes to him.
95. Do not be the first consultant, and be ware of the unripe idea.(478)
96. Investigation is discord.
97. Criticism is enmity.
98. The paucity of patience is a scandal.
100. Generosity is cleverness.
101. Meanness is heedlessness.
102. Whoever neglects three (things) is deprived:
To request the favor of the generous person, to make friends with the scholar and to attract the ruler.
103. Three (things) cause affection: Religion, modesty, and generosity.
104. Whoever gets rid of evil gets glory; whoever gets rid of haughtiness gets dignity, and whoever gets rid of miserliness gets honor.
105. Three (things) cause hatred: hypocrisy, self admiration, and oppression.
106. Whoever has not a trait of three (traits) is not regarded as noble:
Whoever has no intellect to make him good, or riches to help him, or a tribe to support him.
107. Three (things) abase the person: envy, slander, and recklessness.
108. Three (things) are not known but during three situations: The meek (person) is not known but during anger, nor is the brave (person) known but during war, nor is the brother known but during need.
109. Whoever has three (traits) is a hypocrite even if he prays or fasts: when he speaks, he tells lies, when he promises, he breaks (his promise), and when he is trusted, he betrays.
110. Beware of three (persons) of men: The traitor, the oppressor, and the slanderer, because he who betrays (his friend) for you will betray you, whoever oppresses (his friend) for you will oppress you, and whoever slanders for you will slander against you.
111. The trusty (person) is not trusty but when he is trusted with three (things) and repays them: Properties, women, and children. If he keeps two (of them) and loses one, then he is not trusty.
112. Do not ask the advice of the foolish (person); do not seek the help of the liar, and do not trust the affection of the bored (person), because the liar approaches the far (things) for you and distances the close (things) for you; the foolish (person) does his best but does not reach what he wants and whatever you have confidence in the bored (person), he betrays you and whatever you send him gifts, he abandons you.
113. Four (things) are not full of four (things):
a land of rain; an eye of looking; a female of male, and a scholar of knowledge.
114. Four (things) make (the person) grow old before the time of old age: Eating cured meat; sitting on moistness, going up with stairs, and having sexual intercourse with the old women.
115. Women are three (Kinds): One is for you; one is for you and against you, and one is against you not for you: As for the woman who is for you is the virgin woman, as for she who is for you and against you is the deflowered (woman), and as for she who is against you is al- Mutbi' who has a child from other than you.
116. Whoever has three (traits) is a master: Suppressing anger; forgiving the person who misbehaves, and linking with the self and property.
117. Eloquence is in three (things): To approach the meaning of the purpose, to avoid wordiness, and to prove the many (things) with the few (things).
118. Toil is in three (things): In changing the brothers; turning away (from each other), and spying about what does not mean (you).
119. Three (things) prevent (the person) from getting high positions: The shortness of determination; Shamelessness, and the weakness of the idea.
120. Determination is in three (things):
The exploitation of sultan, the obedience to the father, and the yielding to the master.
121. Amusement is in three (things): In the agreeable wife; the obedient child, and the sincere friend.
122. Whomever is given three (things) obtains the greatest riches: The satisfaction in what he is given, the despair of what is in the hands of men, and leaving curiosity.
123. The person is not forgiven for three (things):
The consultation of the adviser, willingness to please the envier, and showing affection to men.
124. Whoever does not wish for three (things) is afflicted by three (things): Whoever does not wish for safety is afflicted by abandonment; whoever does not wish for charity is afflicted by regret, and whoever does not wish for making many brothers (friends) is afflicted by loss.
125. Man should avoid three (things): Making friends with the evil; speaking to women, and sitting with the people of heresies.
126. Three (things) show the nobility of a person: Good behavior, suppressing anger, and lowering (of one's) glance.
127. Whoever is confident in three (things) is conceited: whoever believes in that which does not exist, depends on him who does not trust him, and wishes for what he has not.
128. Whoever uses three (things) corrupts his religion and his life in this world: Mistrust, reliance on hearing, and giving leadership to his wife.
129. The best of kings is he who has three traits: mercy, generosity, and justice.
130 Kings should not neglect three (things): defending borders; looking for complaints, and choosing the righteous for their acts.
131. The wise man should not scorn anyone, especially three (persons): the scholars, the supreme ruler, and the brothers (friends), because whoever scorns the scholars corrupts his religion; whoever scorns the supreme ruler corrupts his life in this world, and whoever scorns his brothers corrupts his manhood.
132. Men need three (things) very much: security, justice, and richness.
133. Three (things) trouble life: the oppressive ruler, the bad neighbor, and the abusive woman.
134. Living is not good but with three (things):
fresh air, plentiful water, and the level land.
135. Whoever has three (things) is perfect: intellect, handsomeness, and eloquence.
136. Three (things) cause deprivation: the insistence on the request, backbiting, and mockery.
137. Whoever asks three (things) without rights deprived of three (things) without right: Whoever asks life in this world without right will be deprived of life in the hereafter with right; whoever asks leadership without right is deprived of obedience for him with right, and whoever asks property without right is deprived of its lasting for him with right.
138. The prudent person should not do three (things):
Drinking poison for experiment even if he is saved from it; spreading the secret to the envious relatives even if he is saved from it, and traveling by sea even if there is riches in it.
139. The people of every country is in need of three (persons). They resort to them in the affair of their life in this world and in hereafter If they lose them, they are rabble: A Religious, knowledgeable jurisprudent, good obeyed Emir, a knowing trusty doctor.
140. If men are safe from three (things), safety is common: a bad tongue, a bad hand, and a bad act.
141. If the slave has not one of three traits, then his master has no rest: religion guides him, good manners lead him, or fear holds him back.
142. The person needs three (things) in his house for his family. nice association, comfort with estimation, and sense of honor with chastity.
143. Whoever is afflicted by one of three (things) is weak minded: turning away blessing, corrupt wife, disaster of a dear one.
144. Bravery has been made according to three natures, each one of them have a virtue of which the other has not: generosity with the self, looking down upon abasement, and requesting reputation. If they come together in the brave (person), he will be the hero in whose way no one stands and marked by boldness in his time, and if they are superior to each other, his bravery will be in the nature that is superior to the others.
145. The child should fulfill three (things) for his parents: (He should) thank them any how, obey them in what they order him (to do) and prevent him from disobeying Allah, and (take) their advice secretly and openly.
146. And the father should fulfill three (things) for his child: (He should) choose his mother, give him a good name, and spare no effort to educate him.
147. Pleasure is in three (things): in faithfulness, conforming to the rights, and rising in misfortunes.
148. Three (things) show the right idea: the good meeting, good listening, and the good answer.
149. Men are three (kinds): a wise (man), a foolish (man), and a licentious (man)- if the wise (man) is asked, he answers. If he speaks, he says the right thing. And if he hears, he understands. If the foolish (man) speaks, he (speaks) in a hurry. If he is told, he becomes astonished. And if he is ordered (to do) the disgraceful (things), he does (it). If you trust the licentious (man), he betrays you. And if you speak to him (about something), he disgraces you.
150. There is no estrangement with three (things):
good behavior, refraining from harm, and avoiding doubt.
151. Days are three (kinds): so a day has passed; it can not be repeated, a day when men are on it, so they must avail themselves of it, and tomorrow whose hope is in their hands only.
152. However has not three traits, his belief does not avail him: patience to refute the ignorance of the ignorant (person), fear of God to prevent him from seeking the forbidden, and good ethics to treat men kindly.
153. The brothers (the friends) are three (kinds):
(The first kind) helps you with himself, (the second kind helps you) with his money- they are truthful in brother hood (friendship), and (the third kind) takes the purpose from you and wants you for some pleasure, then do not regard him as (one) of the people of trust.
154. The servant does not complete the truth of belief till he has three qualities: understanding in religion, good estimation in living, and patience for misfortunes.(479)
155. Thank him who bestows upon you, and bestow upon him who thanks you, because the blessings do not end when you thank and they do not stay when you are ungrateful.
156. It was said to him (al- Sadiq): What is morality? So he, peace be on him, said: It is that Allah does not see you where He has forbidden you and does not miss you where He has ordered you.
157. Missing the need is better than requesting it from other than its people, and severer than the disaster is the bad consequence (that results) from it.
158. Surely, feeble is he who does not prepare patience for every disaster, thankfulness for every blessing, and ease for every difficulty.
159. The desirable are not increased but with thankfulness and the hateful are not decreased but with patience.
160. The most useful thing for a person is that he precedes men for his own defect, and the strongest of them in provisions is to conceal destitution, the severest thing in pains is to give advice to him who does not accept it and to neighbor the greedy (person), and the most comfortable thing is to despair of men.
161. Whoever puts himself in the place of accusation, then does not blame him who mistrusts him.
162. Whoever conceals his secret, good is in his hand, and every speech passes two (persons) is spreading.
163. Put the instruction of your brother in the best manner, and do not mistrust a word that comes out of your brother while you find a reason for it in the good.
164. Cleave to the brothers of truthfulness, because they are readiness during comfort and protection during the misfortune.
165. Some of good faith is knowledge, some of good knowledge is clemency, some of good clemency is fellowship, some of good fellowship is leniency, and some of good leniency is easiness.
166. Beautiful forgiveness is that you have not admonished for the sin, and beautiful patience is that which has no complaint.
167. Al- Mufaddal b. 'Amr asked him (al- Sadiq) about ancestry, so he, peace be on him, said: the property He (al- Mufaddal) said: so generosity, he, peace be on him, said: piety, he said: rightness, he, peace be on him, said: generosity, woe unto you! Did you not know that how Hatam al- Ta'i became the master of his people while he was not the best of them in position.
168. Charity is the Zakat (alms) of blessings, intercession is the Zakat of dignity, illnesses are the Zakat of bodies, forgiveness is the Zakat of victory, and the thing whose Zakat is paid is safe from taking (by Allah).
169. Some manners of the ignorant (person) are: the answer before he hears, the opposition before he understands, and the judgment with what he does not know.
170. Your secret is (some) of your blood, then do not make it flow in other than your veins.
171. Your chest is wider for your secret.
172. Whoever does not make friends with him who has no defect his friends are very few, whoever is not satisfied with his friend but (that his friend) prefers him to himself his wrath lasts, and whoever admonishes (his friend) for every sin his admonishment lasts.
173. If the ill- natured (person) knows that he tortures himself, he will be tolerant in his manners.
174. When the person is tongue- tied, the idea refrains from him, and the ways puzzle him surely fellowship is his key.
175. Three (groups) get nothing but good: Those who keep silent, those who give up evil, those who remember Allah, the Great and Almighty, very much, and the head of determination is humbleness.
176. Try your brother during a blessing happens to you or a misfortune afflict you.
177. He whose anger appears his deception appears, and he whose desire becomes strong his determination becomes weak.
178. Whoever does not advance the examination before trust, and trust before fellowship, his fellowship produces regret.
179. Man's look is a part of his inner- self.
180. Whoever is opinionated is liable to the dangers of slips.(480)
181. Whoever does not ask Allah (to give him) of his favor becomes poor.(481)
182. Verily, supplication is more penetrative than the spear head.(482)
183. Some men visited him (al- Sadiq), suddenly one man of them mentioned a man, backbited him (the man) and complained of him, so Abu Abd Allah said to him: How is all your brother for you, which of men is well- bred?(483)
184. The relation among brothers during presence is to visit each other, and during travel is to write to each other.(484)
185. The hearts are disposed by nature for loving him who avails them and hating him who harms them.(485)
186. The debt is worry during night and abasement during day.
187. Obey your parents and your children obey you, and be chaste for the women of men and your women are chaste.
188. The person is many with his brother, and there is no good in the friendship of him who does not wish you what you wish for him.
189. Two men disputed at his presence, so he, peace be on him, said to them: Truly, whoever is victorious with oppression does not get good, and whoever does evil for people, then must not deny evil when it is done for him.
190. No living is more comfortable than good behavior, no property is more useful than the satisfaction with the small profitable (thing), and no ignorance is more harmful than vanity.
191. Shake hands with each other because it removes the spite.
192. Fear Allah some fear even it is little, and leave a screen between you and Allah even if it is thin.
193. Much thinking about the wise saying fertilizes intellect.
194. He was asked about the quality of justice of the man, so he, peace on him, said: If he prevents his eyes from the forbidden, his tongue from sins, and his hand from the wrong.
195. Whoever does not acknowledge some one's favor then he is self-conceited.
196. Two qualities do not come together in a hypocrite a good way and understanding a norm.
197. No one, even if the conditions help him, abstracts luxury living but through a misfortune, and whoever anticipates to postpone the m is fortune through hastening towards the chances, the days deprives him of his chance, because the state of the days is deprivation and the way of days is passing.(486)
198. How many a deceived (person) in what Allah has bestowed upon him, how many a tempted (person) in Allah's concealment for him, and a how many charmed (person) by the praise of men for him.(487)
199. Good health is a hidden blessing: if it is found it is forgotten, and if it is missed it is remembered.
200. Good health is a blessing for which thankfulness is feeble.(488)
201. Badness is in three (things): in the woman, the riding animal, and the house, as for the badness in the woman is her high dowry and her disobedience for her husband, as for the riding animal is its bad behavior and preventing its back, and as for the house is narrowness of its yard and the evil of its neighbors and the large number of its defects.(489)
202. It was said to him: Which traits of the person are the best? So he, peace on him, said: Solemnity without awe, generosity without seeking a reward, and busyness in other than the belongings of this world.
203. Whoever has no five (qualities) has not many enjoyable (things), It was said (to him): Son of the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, what are they? So he, peace be on him, said: religion, intellect, modesty, good behavior, good manners And whoever has not five (qualities) is not happy at living: good health, security, riches, satisfaction, and an agreeable friend.(490)
204. How much patience of an hour causes long happiness, and how much pleasure causes long sadness.(491)
205. It is not (an act) of fairness to ask the brothers (to make) fairness.(492)
206. The angry (person) has no idea, the bored (person) has no friend, the envier has no riches, whoever does not think about consequences is not determined, and thinking about consequences is the fertilization of hearts.
207. Cleave to generosity and good behavior, because they adorn the person as the middle jewel adorns the necklace.
208. Three (things) are of happiness: the agreeable wife, the obedient child, and (when) the person is given sustenance for which he goes early in the morning and comes back to his family.(493)
209. Sleeping is rest for the body, speech is rest for the soul, and silence is rest for intellect.(494)
210. Do not call the man a friend; call him acquaintance till you try him with three (things): make him angry, then wait (to know whether) his anger takes him out of the right to the falsehood (or not), during the Dinar and the Durham, and when you travel with him.(495)
211. How many a blessing Allah bestows upon His servant without his act, how many a hoping (person) for a hope and the choice is in other than it, and how many a walker for his death and he is slow from his luck.(496)
212. (It is an act) of injustice that the rider says to the walker: the road.
213. If the man loves his religion, his brothers love him.
214. The honor of a believer is his prayers at night, and his dignity is to refrain from harming people.
215. Approach Allah through helping your brothers.
216. I ensure him who economizes that he will not be poor.
217. Be patient for the enemies of blessings, because you do not reward him who disobeys Allah through you better than you obey Allah through him.
218. Whoever is satisfied with death, death will put an end to him and through it he will be rewarded, and whoever is dissatisfied with death, death will put an end to him and Allah will frustrate his action.
219. Give presents to each other (to) love each other, because the present removes the spites.(497)
220. Allah is not worshipped with better than silence and going to His House.
221. I prevent you from (having) two qualities through which the men get mined: that you borrow a loan from Allah with falsehood and give a legal opinion without knowledge.
222. (Some) of the reality of faith is that you (should) prefer the truth even if it harms you to falsehood even if it avails you, and your words should not exceed your action.
223. The greedy (person) is deprived of two qualities and two qualities are always present with him: He is deprived of satisfaction so he misses rest, and he is deprived of pleasure so he misses certainty.(498)
224. Safety is with conviction, and regret is with hastiness.
225. Whoever begins an action not in its time fulfills it not in its time.
226. Men are three (kinds): a man is with his property, a man is with his high rank, and a man is with his tongue and is the best of the three (men).
227. Begging is not permitted but in three (states): unpayable blood money or a heavy debt or an extreme need.
228. Indeed, the worthiest of men to wish men riches are the misers, because if men become rich they will refrain from their properties, the worthiest of men to wish men righteousness are the people of defects, because if men become righteous they will refrain from looking for their defects, and the worthiest of men to wish men clemency are the people of foolishness, who need (men) to forgive their foolishness, so the people of miserliness have wished men poverty, the people of defects have wished men defects, and the people of foolishness have wished men foolishness, because poverty (makes man) in need of the miser, corruption (makes man) look for the people of defected, and foolishness is a reward for sins.
229. Whoever shows enmity toward three (persons) becomes humble: the parents, the supreme ruler, and the creditor.(499)
230. The demands of men in this world are four (things): riches, gentleness, littleness of concern, and glory. As for riches, it is found in satisfaction. So, whoever seeks it in the muchness of property does not find it. As for the littleness of concern, it is found in the littleness (with the muchness of work) does not find it (concern). And as for glory, it is found in the service of the Creator. So, whoever seeks it in the service of the creature does not find it.
231. I have found the knowledge of all men in four (things): the first of them is that you should know your Lord, the second is that you should know what He has made with you, the third is that you should know what He has wanted from you, and the fourth is that you should know what takes you out of your religion.
232. If four (things) spread, four (things) appear: If adultery spreads, earth quakes appear. If Zakat (alms) is forbidden, cattle are perished. If the judge is unjust in judgment, rain does not come down from the sky. And if the non- Muslims guard, the polytheists over- come the Muslims.
233. Verily, patience, piety, clemency, and good behavior are among the manners of prophets.
234. Four (things) are in vain: eating after fullness, the lamp in the moon, the plant in the salty land, and the favor for the inappropriate person.
235. Four (things) come to nothing: the affection you grant for him who has no faithfulness, favor for him who has no gratefulness, knowledge for him who has no listening for it, and a secret you entrust to him who has no keeping for it.(500)
236. Five (things) are impossible (to result from) five (things): advice from the envier is impossible, pity from the enemy is impossible, scacredness from the sinner is impossible, loyalty from the woman is impossible, and dignity from poverty is impossible.
237. Five (things) are as I (the author) say: the miser has no rest, the envier has no pleasure, the bored (person) has no faithfulness, the liar has no manhood, and the foolish (person) does not become master.
238. Five (persons) do not sleep: he who plans to shed blood, the owner of many properties, he who says falsity and slander against people to obtain a transient thing of the world, he who is fascinated by many properties (while) he has no property, and he who loves a dear (person) and expects his parting.(501)
239. Whoever has no admonisher from him, and a deterrent from his own self, and he has no guide to fellow enables his enemy to his neck.(502)
240. No person perishes because of consultation.(503)
241. Making a compliment to people is one third of intellect.(504)
242. (It is an act) of modesty to greet him whom you meet.(505)
243. Reminding someone of a favor demolishes the favor.(506)
244. The favor is that which is by one's own initiative, as for what you give after asking you match it with what he gives from his face.(507)
245. The best alms is to cool a very thirsty liver.(508)
246. He whose two days are equal then he is deceived, and he whose day on which he lives is better than his yesterday which departed from him then he is happy.(509)
247. The believer complies (with someone's moods) and does not dispute.
248. Whoever does not look for his own defect his defect lasts, and he whose defect lasts then death is good for him.
249. Whoever commits a sin without intention is worthy of forgiveness.(510)
250. To fear (Allah) is the inheritance of science and science is the rays of knowledge and heart of faith, and whoever is deprived of fear does not become a scientist even he splits perception in the ambiguous (matters) of science.(511)
251. He who answers all that he is asked, surely is mad.(512)
252. Whoever abuses men, his manhood is in vain.(513)
253. Do not look for (the defects of) men so as not to become without a friend.
254. Whoever does not accept (anything) from his friend but to prefer him to himself, his wrath lasts.(514)
255. Enough for the fear of Allah is knowledge and enough for self-conceit is ignorance.
This is the end of what is possible for me to collect and choose of his masterpieces and comprehensive words. May Allah grant me success to inform the gentle reader a bout a priceless treasure of wise sayings.