Meanings of Nakedness of a Believer

مع، معاني الأخبار أَبِي عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ‏ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ فِي قَوْلِهِ ص عَوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ حَرَامٌ قَالَ لَيْسَ هُوَ أَنْ يَنْكَشِفَ وَ يَرَى مِنْهُ شَيْئاً إِنَّمَا هُوَ أَنْ يَرْوِيَ عَلَيْهِ‏.

(The book) ‘Ma’any Akhbar’ – My father, from Sa’ad, from Al Barqy, from his father, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Al-Husayn Bin Al Mukhtar, from Zayd Al Shaham,

‘From Abu Abdullah-asws regarding his-saww words: ‘The nakedness of the Momin is prohibited unto the Momin’, he-asws said: ‘It isn’t his being uncovered and you see something from him. But rather, it is reporting against him’’.[1]

مع، معاني الأخبار بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنِ مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع شَيْ‏ءٌ يَقُولُهُ النَّاسُ عَوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ حَرَامٌ

(The book) ‘Ma’any Al Akhbar’ – By this chain, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Huzeyfa Bin Mansour who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah-asws, ‘There is something the people are saying, ‘Nakedness of the Momin is prohibited unto the Momin’’.

قَالَ لَيْسَ حَيْثُ تَذْهَبُ إِنَّمَا عَوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَنْ يَرَاهُ يَتَكَلَّمُ بِكَلَامٍ يُعَابُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَحْفَظَهُ عَلَيْهِ لِيُعَيِّرَهُ بِهِ يَوْماً إِذَا غَضِبَ‏.

He-asws said: ‘It isn’t where you are going (with it). But rather the nakedness of the Momin is seeking him speaking with a speech he can be faulted upon, so he preserves it upon him in order to fault him with it one day when he is angered’’.[2]

كا، الكافي عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ الْفَضْلِ ابْنَيْ يَزِيدَ الْأَشْعَرِيَّيْنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع وَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: أَقْرَبُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ إِلَى الْكُفْرِ أَنْ يُؤَاخِيَ الرَّجُلَ عَلَى الدِّينِ فَيُحْصِيَ عَلَيْهِ عَثَرَاتِهِ وَ زَلَّاتِهِ لِيُعَنِّفَهُ بِهَا يَوْماً مَا.

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – from Muhammad, from Ahmad, from Ibn Sinan, from Ibrahim and Al Fazl, two sons of Yazeed Al Ashareyn, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Zurara,

‘From Abu Ja’far-asws and Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The closest of what the servant can be to Kufr is if he were to establish brotherhood with a man upon the religion, so he counts his stumbles and his slips upon him in order to rebuke him with it one day’’.[3]

Additional Ahadith with similar message are included in Appendix.

مع، معاني الأخبار ابْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيِّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ عَوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ حَرَامٌ

(The book) ‘Ma’any Al Akhbar’ – Ibn Al Mutawakkil, from Al Himeyri, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Sinan,

‘From Abu Abdullah-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I said to him-asws, ‘Nakedness of the Momin is prohibited unto the Momin?’

فَقَالَ نَعَمْ

He-asws said: ‘Yes’.

قُلْتُ يَعْنِي سُفْلَيْهِ

I said, ‘Meaning his lower part?’

قَالَ لَيْسَ هُوَ حَيْثُ تَذْهَبُ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِذَاعَةُ سِرِّهِ‏.

He-asws said: ‘It isn’t where you are going (with it). But rather it is broadcasting his secrets’’.[4]

ثو، ثواب الأعمال ابْنُ الْمُتَوَكِّلِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَهْلٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ عَنِ ابْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ع قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ الرَّجُلُ مِنْ إِخْوَانِي يَبْلُغُنِي عَنْهُ الشَّيْ‏ءُ الَّذِي أَكْرَهُ لَهُ فَأَسْأَلُهُ‏ عَنْهُ فَيُنْكِرُ ذَلِكَ وَ قَدْ أَخْبَرَنِي عَنْهُ قَوْمٌ ثِقَاتٌ

(The book) ‘Sawaab Al Amaal’ – Ibn Al Mutawakkil, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Sahl, from Yahya Bin Al Mubarik, from Abu Jabalah, from Muhammad Bin Al Fuzeyl,

‘From Abu Al-Hassan Al-Musa-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘I said to him-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you-asws! The man from my brethren, something reaches me from him which I dislike for him. So I ask about it and he denies that, and I have been informed about it by reliable people’.

فَقَالَ لِي يَا مُحَمَّدُ كَذِّبْ سَمْعَكَ وَ بَصَرَكَ عَنْ أَخِيكَ فَإِنْ شَهِدَ عِنْدَكَ خَمْسُونَ قَسَامَةً وَ قَالَ لَكَ قَوْلًا فَصَدِّقْهُ وَ كَذِّبْهُمْ وَ لَا تُذِيعَنَّ عَلَيْهِ شَيْئاً تَشِينُهُ بِهِ وَ تَهْدِمُ بِهِ مُرُوَّتَهُ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحِبُّونَ أَنْ تَشِيعَ الْفاحِشَةُ فِي الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَهُمْ عَذابٌ أَلِيمٌ فِي الدُّنْيا وَ الْآخِرَةِ.

He-asws said to me: ‘O Muhammad! Belie your hearing and your sight. Even if fifty (persons) were to testify in your presence swearing, and he says to you a word, ratify him and belie them, and do not broadcast anything against him shaming him with it and demolishing his personality by it, so you will be from those Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: Those who love that the scandal should spread regarding those who believe, for them would be a painful Punishment, in the world and the Hereafter [24:19]’’.[5]

ثو، ثواب الأعمال ابْنُ الْوَلِيدِ عَنِ الصَّفَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ مَنْ أَذَاعَ فَاحِشَةً كَانَ كَمُبْتَدِئِهَا وَ مَنْ عَيَّرَ مُؤْمِناً بِشَيْ‏ءٍ لَا يَمُوتُ حَتَّى يَرْكَبَهُ‏.

(The book) ‘Sawaab Al Amaal’ – Ibn Al Waleed, from Al Saffar, from Ibn Yazeed, from Ali Bin Ismail, from Ammar, from Abu Hazim who said,

‘Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘One who broadcasts an immorality would be like the one who began it, and the one who faults a Momin with something, he will not die until he commits it’’.[6]

سر، السرائر أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّيَّارِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الْعَبْدَ مُتَفَقِّداً لِذُنُوبِ النَّاسِ نَاسِياً لِذُنُوبِهِ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ قَدْ مُكِرَ بِهِ‏.

(The book) ‘Al Sarair’ – Abu Abdullah Al Sayyari, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from a man,

‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘When you see the servant inspecting sins of the people, forgetful of his own sins, then know that he is plotting with him’’.[7]

جا، المجالس للمفيد مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنِ الْحَذَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ إِنَّ أَسْرَعَ الْخَيْرِ ثَوَاباً الْبِرُّ وَ أَسْرَعَ الشَّرِّ عِقَاباً الْبَغْيُ وَ كَفَى بِالْمَرْءِ عَيْباً أَنْ يُبْصِرَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا يَعْمَى عَنْهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَ أَنْ يُعَيِّرَ النَّاسَ بِمَا لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ تَرْكَهُ وَ أَنْ يُؤْذِيَ جَلِيسَهُ بِمَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ.

(The book) ‘Al Majaalis’ of Al Mufeed – Muhammad Bin Suleyman, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Aasim Bin Humeyd, from Al Haza’a,

‘From Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘The good deed of quickest Reward is the righteousness, and the evil deed of quickest Punishment is the immorality; and it suffices as a fault with the person if he were to see from the people what he is blind about from himself, and he faults the people with what he (himself) is not capable of leaving it, and he hurts his gatherers with what does not concern him’’.[8]

ختص، الإختصاص قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع‏ مَنِ اطَّلَعَ مِنْ مُؤْمِنٍ عَلَى ذَنْبٍ أَوْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَأَفْشَى ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَمْ يَكْتُمْهَا وَ لَمْ يَسْتَغْفِرِ اللَّهَ لَهُ كَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَعَامِلِهَا وَ عَلَيْهِ وِزْرُ ذَلِكَ الَّذِي أَفْشَاهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ مَغْفُوراً لِعَامِلِهَا وَ كَانَ عِقَابُهُ مَا أَفْشَى عَلَيْهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَسْتُورٌ عَلَيْهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ

(The book) ‘Al Ikhtisas’ –

‘Al-Sadiq-asws said: ‘One who notices from a Momin being upon a sin or an evil deed, so he spreads that upon him and does not conceal it and does not seek Forgiveness of Allah-azwj, there would be for him in the Presence of Allah-azwj, like its doer, and against him would be the burden of that which he had spread upon him, and it would be Forgiven for its doer and its Punishment of what he had spread would be against him in the world, concealed upon him in the Hereafter.

ثُمَّ يَجِدُ اللَّهَ أَكْرَمَ مِنْ أَنْ يُثَنِّيَ عَلَيْهِ عِقَاباً فِي الْآخِرَةِ

Then he will find Allah-azwj to be more Benevolent than to double upon him with Punishment in the Hereafter’.

وَ قَالَ مَنْ رَوَى عَلَى مُؤْمِنٍ رِوَايَةً يُرِيدُ بِهَا شَيْنَهُ وَ هَدْمَ مُرُوَّتِهِ لِيُسْقِطَهُ مِنْ أَعْيُنِ النَّاسِ أَخْرَجَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ وَلَايَتِهِ إِلَى وَلَايَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَلَا يَقْبَلُهُ الشَّيْطَانُ‏.

And he-asws said: ‘One who reports a report upon a Momin, intending to shame him with it and demolish his personality for him to fall from the eyes of people, Allah-azwj will Expel him from His-azwj Wilayah to the wilayah of the Satan-la, but the Satan-la will not accept him’’.[9]

ختص، الإختصاص الصَّدُوقُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ عَمِّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَمِيرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ ع‏ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى عَلَى عَبْدِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ أَرْبَعِينَ جُنَّةً فَمَنْ أَذْنَبَ ذَنْباً كَبِيراً رَفَعَ عَنْهُ جُنَّةً فَإِذَا عَابَ أَخَاهُ الْمُؤْمِنَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ يَعْلَمُهُ مِنْهُ انْكَشَفَتْ تِلْكَ الْجُنَنُ عَنْهُ وَ يَبْقَى مُهْتَكَ السِّتْرِ

(The book) ‘Al Ikhtisas’ – Al Sadouq, from his father, from Ibn Aamir, from his uncle, from Muhammad Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Ameyra who said,

‘Al-Sadiq-asws said: ‘For Allah-azwj Blessed and Exalted, upon the Momin servant, there are forty shields. The one who commits a major sin, a shield is raised from him. When he faults his Momin brother with anything he knows from him, those shields are removed from him and he remains violated (torn) of the veils.

فَيَفْتَضِحُ فِي السَّمَاءِ عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ النَّاسِ وَ لَا يَرْتَكِبُ ذَنْباً إِلَّا ذَكَرُوهُ وَ يَقُولُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ الْمُوَكَّلُونَ بِهِ يَا رَبَّنَا قَدْ بَقِيَ عَبْدُكَ مُهْتَكَ السِّتْرِ وَ قَدْ أَمَرْتَنَا بِحِفْظِهِ

Thus, he gets exposed in the sky upon the tongues of Angels, and in the earth upon the tongues of people, and he does not commit any sins except they mention it, and the Angels in the sky, allocated with him, say: ‘O our Lord-azwj! Your-azwj servant has remained violated (torn) of the veils, and You-azwj had Commanded with protecting him!’

فَيَقُولُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَلَائِكَتِي لَوْ أَرَدْتُ بِهَذَا الْعَبْدِ خَيْراً مَا فَضَحْتُهُ فَارْفَعُوا أَجْنِحَتَكُمْ عَنْهُ فَوَ عِزَّتِي لَا يَئُولُ بَعْدَهَا إِلَى خَيْرٍ أَبَداً.

The Mighty and Majestic Says: “My-azwj Angels! If I-azwj had Wanted food with this servant, I‑azwj would not have Exposed him, so raise your wings away from him! By My-azwj Might! After it, he will not return to good, ever!”’[10]

كا، الكافي عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ يَا مَعْشَرَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ بِلِسَانِهِ وَ لَمْ يَخْلُصِ الْإِيمَانُ إِلَى قَلْبِهِ- لَا تَذُمُّوا الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ لَا تَتَبَّعُوا عَوْرَاتِهِمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ عَوْرَاتِهِمْ تَتَبَّعَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ وَ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ اللَّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ يَفْضَحْهُ وَ لَوْ فِي بَيْتِهِ‏.

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – from Muhammad, from Ahmad, from Ali Bin Al Numan, from Is’haq Bin Ammar who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah-asws saying: ‘Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘O community of the one who became Muslim by his tongue and the Eman is not sincere to his heart! Neither condemn the Muslims nor pursue their nakedness (exposures/faults), for the one who pursues their nakedness, Allah-azwj will Pursue his nakedness, and the one who Allah-azwj Pursues his nakedness, He-azwj Exposes him, and even if in his own house’’.[11]

Appendix

كا، الكافي عَنِ الْعِدَّةِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: أَبْعَدُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الرَّجُلُ يُوَاخِيَ الرَّجُلَ وَ هُوَ يَحْفَظُ عَلَيْهِ زَلَّاتِهِ لِيُعَيِّرَهُ بِهَا يَوْماً مَا.

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – From the number, from Al Barqy, from Ibn Fazzal, from Ibn Bukeyr,

‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The remotest of what the servant can be from Allah-azwj, if a man happens to establish brotherhood with a man, and he memorises his slips upon him, for him to rebuke him with it one day’’.[12]

سن، المحاسن فِي رِوَايَةِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ قَالَ: إِنَّ أَقْرَبَ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ إِلَى الْكُفْرِ أَنْ يُؤَاخِيَ الرَّجُلَ عَلَى الدِّينِ فَيُحْصِيَ عَلَيْهِ عَثَرَاتِهِ وَ زَلَّاتِهِ لِيُعَنِّفَهُ بِهَا يَوْماً مَا.

(The book) ‘Al Mahasin’ – In a report by Zurara,

‘From Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘The closest of what the servant can be to Kufr is when the man establishes brotherhood upon the religion, then he counts his stumbles and his slips upon in order to rebuke him with it one day’’.[13]

كا، الكافي عَنِ الْعِدَّةِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: أَبْعَدُ مَا يَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَكُونَ الرَّجُلُ يُوَاخِيَ الرَّجُلَ وَ هُوَ يَحْفَظُ عَلَيْهِ زَلَّاتِهِ لِيُعَيِّرَهُ بِهَا يَوْماً مَا.

(The book) ‘Al Kafi’ – From the number, from Al Barqy, from Ibn Fazzal, from Ibn Bukeyr,

‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said: ‘The remotest of what the servant can be from Allah-azwj, if a man happens to establish brotherhood with a man, and he memorises his slips upon him, for him to rebuke him with it one day’’.[14]

[1] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 7

[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 8

[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 20

[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 9

[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 11

[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 12

[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 14

[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 15

[9] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 16

[10] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 17

[11] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 21

[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 22

[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 13

[14] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 65 H 22