Zikr, Remembrance, Mentioning of Allah-azwj

Summary:

Allah^-azwj Reminds us in several places in the Holy Quran to be in a state of Zikr (Remembrance, mentioning) under all conditions and times, see for example (Holy Verses 2:152, 33:35, 33:41, 7:205). We will present these Holy Verses along with Ahadith in the following paragraphs.

It is important to first understand what ‘Zikr’ is and how to effectively engage in it. As we will find from Ahadith, the ‘Zikr’ (remembrance) is that, which reminds us of Allah^-azwj, that enables us from getting involved in Forbidden and assist us in carrying out the permissible.  The examples of Zikr are the recitations of the Holy Verses, mentioning of the Favours and Bounties of Allah^-azwj, the Praise of Muhammad^-saww and Holy Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws (progeny), remembering their^-asws scarifies and mentioning their^-asws grief in the way of Allah^-azwj.  All these can be practised through uttering or thinking in the mind – while engaged in dealing with people (work or social) and/or when with believers or alone.

For example Imam^-asws says:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى جَمِيعاً عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ غَزْوَانَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنْ عِيسَى بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ نَفَسُ الْمَهْمُومِ لَنَا الْمُغْتَمِّ لِظُلْمِنَا تَسْبِيحٌ وَ هَمُّهُ لِأَمْرِنَا عِبَادَةٌ وَ كِتْمَانُهُ لِسِرِّنَا جِهَادٌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ

Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, and Muhammad Bin Yahya, altogether from Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Sa’ad, from Muhammad Bin Muslim, from Muhammad Bin Saeed Bin Gazwan, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Umar Bin Aban, from Isa Bin Abu Mansour who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘A concerned ‘sigh’ for us^-asws due the grief for the injustices upon us^-asws, is a Glorification, and remembrance of our^-asws matter is a worship, and concealment of our^-asws secrets is Jihād in the Way of Allah^-azwj’.

قَالَ لِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ اكْتُبْ هَذَا بِالذَّهَبِ فَمَا كَتَبْتَ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ مِنْهُ .

Muhammad Bin Saeed said to me, ‘Write this in gold, for you will not be writing anything more excellent than it’.[1]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ تَسْبِيحُ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ ( عليها السلام ) مِنَ الذِّكْرِ الْكَثِيرِ الَّذِي قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْراً كَثِيراً

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Sayf Bin Ameyra, from Bakr Bin Abu Bakr, from Zurara Bin Ayn, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘The Glorification (Tasbeeh) of (Syeda) Fatima Al-Zahra^-asws is from the ‘Abundant Zikr’ which Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Speaks of Do Zikr of Allah, abundant Zikr [33:41]’.[2]

Also when remembering Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws, it is Remembrance of Allah^-azwj:

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ ذِكْرَنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَ ذِكْرِ عَدُوِّنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ الشَّيْطَانِ .

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘Our^-asws mention is from the Mention of Allah^-azwj, and the mention of our^-asws enemies is from the mention of Satan^-la’ (this is an extract, the complete Hadith is also presented) [3]

The Remembrance has to be under all states and places, for example:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُغَيَّرْ أَنَّ مُوسَى سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ فَقَالَ إِلَهِي إِنَّهُ يَأْتِي عَلَيَّ مَجَالِسُ أُعِزُّكَ وَ أُجِلُّكَ أَنْ أَذْكُرَكَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ ذِكْرِي حَسَنٌ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdullah Bin Sinan, from Abu Hamza,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘It is Written in the Torah – which has not been altered – that Musa^-as asked his^-as Lord^-azwj saying: ‘My^-as God! A situation comes upon me^-as such that it would not be honourable and majestic for You^-azwj that I^-as should mention You^-azwj therein’. So (Allah^-azwj) Said: ‘O Musa^-as! My^-azwj Mention is good upon every state”’.^[4]

Then there are countless benefits of Remembrance, e.g.,

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ مَنْ شُغِلَ بِذِكْرِي عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِي أَعْطَيْتُهُ أَفْضَلَ مَا أُعْطِي مَنْ سَأَلَنِي .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Salim, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws says that ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying: “The one who is too pre-occupied by (doing) My^-azwj Zikr (and) does not ask (for his needs), I^-azwj shall Give him even more than the one who asks Me^-azwj (his needs)”’.^[5]

The negligence of Remembrance has grave consequences, e.g. hearts get hardened, and sometimes are even Punished by Allah^-azwj:

حدثنا محمد بن على ماجيلويه رضى الله عنه قال: حدثنا عمي محمد بن أبى القاسم عن محمد بن علي الكوفي عن محمد بن سنان عن المفضل بن عمر قال: سألت أبا عبد الله جعفر بن محمد الصادق ” ع ” عن العشق فقال قلوب خلت من ذكر الله فاذاقها الله حب غيره.

Muhammad Bin Ali Majalawiya narrated to us, from an uncle of Muhammad Bin Abu Al-Qasim, from Muhammad Bin Ali Al Kufy, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘Abu Abdullah Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws was asked about ‘العشق’, love (a craze for a female/male, wealth, sport/social..), so the Imam^-asws said: ‘When the hearts get empty from the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj, so Allah^-azwj Makes (Punishes) them to taste the love of one other than Him^-azwj’.[6]

Hence when a heart gets empty from the Zikr then Allah^-azwj Punishes it by making it to indulge into those activities which drain his/her energy, affects health and wastes wealth, and the person will not realise it, out of insanity, but would carry on along those lines – until the Mercy of Allah^-azwj – the Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws rescue him/her and guide that person to the Remembrance or else is left alone (if judged unworthy).

Finally, it’s also important to note, Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws are present (Hazir o Nazir)[7] to guide us and protect us from the whispering of the Iblees^-la.  As we say in the Ziyarah of Imam^-asws:

أنتم نورنا و أنتم جاهنا أوقات صلاتنا و عصمتنا بكم

‘You^-asws (Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws) are the elevated Noor which is in front of us when we offer Salat[8] and through you^-asws is our salvation’[9] It is also important to note when ‘Tawheed’ is mentioned, Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws are not excluded from its domain, e.g.,

الحسن بن علي بن زكريا، عن الهيثم بن عبد الله الرماني، عن ، عن أبيه، عن جده محمد بن علي بن الحسين عليهم السلام في قوله: ” فطرة الله التي فطر الناس عليها ” قال: هو لا إله إلا الله، محمد رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وآله – علي أمير المؤمنين – عليه السلام – إلى ههنا التوحيد

Allah^-azwj has Created mankind on His^-azwj nature.  Imam Ali Raza^-asws says: This is La-e-Iaha Illallah Mohammed-ur-Rasool Allah Ali Amir-ul-Momineen -And this is Tawheed![10]

The Zikr repels the devils and brings the blessings to the inhabitants of a dwelling, for example Imam^-asws says:

And the house in which the Quran is recited and Allah^-azwj is mentioned therein would be with abundant Blessings, and the Angels would attend it, and the Satans^-la would flee (from there), and it would shine to the inhabitants of the sky just like the brilliant star does for the inhabitants of the earth. And the house in which neither the Quran is recited, nor the Zikr of Allah^-azwj, therein would be of little Blessings and the Angels would flee from it and the Satans^-la would attend it (Hadith with Arabic is cited later).[11]

The Zikr (remembrance) is also made mandatory for the birds and animals, for example:

أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْعَاصِمِيُّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْمِيثَمِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَسْبَاطِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ سَالِمٍ مَوْلَى أَبَانٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ مَا مِنْ طَيْرٍ يُصَادُ إِلَّا بِتَرْكِهِ التَّسْبِيحَ وَ مَا مِنْ مَالٍ يُصَابُ إِلَّا بِتَرْكِ الزَّكَاةِ .

Abu Abdullah Al Aasimy, from Ali Bin Al Hassan Al Maysami, from Ali Bin Asbaat, from his father Asbaat Bin Salim, from Salim, a slave of Aban who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘There is none from a bird which gets hunted except by neglecting its Glorification (Zikr), and there is none from a wealth getting wasted except by neglecting the Zakāt’.[12]

Finally, Imam^-asws says: ‘Always remain in the remembrance of Allah^-azwj whether while obeying Him^-azwj or while even committing sins!

مِنْ كِتَابِ الْمَحَاسِنِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ الْبَزَّازِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِي حَدِيثٍ قَالَ: أَ لَا أُحَدِّثُكُمْ بِأَشَدِّ مَا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ فَذَكَرَ لَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَشْيَاءَ الثَّالِثُ مِنْهَا ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ فِي كُلِّ مَوْطِنٍ إِذَا هَجَمَ عَلَى طَاعَةٍ أَوْ مَعْصِيَةٍ.

In Al-Mahasin it is narrated that Hassan al-Baz’zaz narrated that

Imam Sadiq^-asws said: “Do you want me to inform you about the hardest duties Allah^-azwj has Made incumbent upon His^-azwj servants?” He^-asws then discussed three duties, the third of which was to always remember Allah^-azwj, whether we are rushing to obey Him^-azwj, or we are committing sins.”[13]

Introduction:

We present Ahadith to understand in depth the concept of Zikr (Remembrance), but let’s first review some Holy Verses of the Quran.

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ {1522:}

Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be disbelieving [2:152]

وَالذَّاكِرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا وَالذَّاكِرَاتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةً وَأَجْرًا عَظِيمًا {3533:}

And the men and women who frequently engage in Allah’s remembrance (do Zikr) – Allah has Prepared for them Forgiveness and a Mighty Recompense [33:35]

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا {4133:}

O you who believe! Do Zikr of Allah, abundant Zikr [33:41]

وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ {2057:}

And remember your Lord within yourself humbly and fearing and without the loudness from the words, in the morning and the evening, and do not become from the heedless ones [7:205].

Some Ahadith are cited below, in the interpretation of the above Verses:

The Abundant Zikr (Remembrance):

فِي كِتَابِ الْخِصَالِ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: مَا ابْتُلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ أَشَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ ثَلَاثِ خِصَالٍ يُحْرَمُهَا، قِيلَ: وَ مَا هِيَ؟ قَالَ: الْمُوَاسَاةُ فِي ذَاتِ يَدِهِ، وَ الْإِنْصَافُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ كَثِيراً، أَمَا إِنِّي لَا أَقُولُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ، وَ لَكِنَّ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ مَا أَحَلَّ لَهُ وَ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْهِ.

In the book Al Khisal, from Zayd Bin Al Shaham who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘A Momin does not get tried by anything more difficult upon him than three qualities’. It was said, ‘And what are these? He^-asws said: ‘The equalisation (with another Momin) regarding what is in his hand, and the fairness from himself, and abundant Zikr of Allah^-azwj.

However, I^-asws am not saying (by recitation of) ‘Glorious is Allah^-azwj, and the Praise is for Allah^-azwj, and there is no god except Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj is Greatest!’ But, (rather) Remembering of Allah^-azwj during what is Permissible for him and (also) Mentioning of Allah^-azwj during what is Prohibited unto him’’.[14]

Zikr is without limitations

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ إِلَّا وَ لَهُ حَدٌّ يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا الذِّكْرَ فَلَيْسَ لَهُ حَدٌّ يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad Al Ashary, from Ibn Al Qadah, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘There is none from the things except that there is an ultimate point to it except for the Zikr (Mention of Allah^-azwj) for there is no limit for it one can end up to.

فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْفَرَائِضَ فَمَنْ أَدَّاهُنَّ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُنَّ وَ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ فَمَنْ صَامَهُ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُ وَ الْحَجَّ فَمَنْ حَجَّ فَهُوَ حَدُّهُ إِلَّا الذِّكْرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَمْ يَرْضَ مِنْهُ بِالْقَلِيلِ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ حَدّاً يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ

Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Imposed the Obligations, so the one who fulfils these, would be at its limit (after completing these obligations, they have reached their limit). If one fasts during the Month of Ramazan, they would be at its limit (reached), and the one who performs Hajj, so it would be its limit (reached), except for the Zikr (Mention of Allah^-azwj), for Allah^-azwj is not Pleased with the little but did not Make a limit for it – and for one to end up to’.

ثُمَّ تَلَا هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْراً كَثِيراً وَ سَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَ أَصِيلًا فَقَالَ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُ حَدّاً يَنْتَهِي إِلَيْهِ قَالَ وَ كَانَ أَبِي ( عليه السلام ) كَثِيرَ الذِّكْرِ لَقَدْ كُنْتُ أَمْشِي مَعَهُ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَ آكُلُ مَعَهُ الطَّعَامَ وَ إِنَّهُ لَيَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ وَ لَقَدْ كَانَ يُحَدِّثُ الْقَوْمَ وَ مَا يَشْغَلُهُ ذَلِكَ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ

Then he^-asws recited this Verse: O you who believe! Do Zikr of Allah, abundant Zikr [33:41] And Glorify Him morning and evening [33:42], and he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic did not Make a limit for it for one to end up to. And it was so that my^-asws father^-asws used to do a lot of Zikr. I^-asws had walked with him^-asws and he^-asws was doing Zikr of Allah^-azwj and was eating food along with it while he^-asws was doing Zikr of Allah^-azwj. And he^-asws used to narrate to the people and that would not stop him^-asws from doing Zikr of Allah^-azwj (simultaneously).

وَ كُنْتُ أَرَى لِسَانَهُ لَازِقاً بِحَنَكِهِ يَقُولُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ كَانَ يَجْمَعُنَا فَيَأْمُرُنَا بِالذِّكْرِ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ وَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْقِرَاءَةِ مَنْ كَانَ يَقْرَأُ مِنَّا وَ مَنْ كَانَ لَا يَقْرَأُ مِنَّا أَمَرَهُ بِالذِّكْرِ

And I^-asws used to see his^-asws tongue move in his^-asws jaws saying: ‘There is no god except Allah^-azwj’ (لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ) and he^-asws used to gather us and order us with the Zikr until the emergence of the sun, and he^-asws would order with the recitation the ones from us who could read, and the ones of us who could not read, he^-asws would order him with the Zikr.

وَ الْبَيْتُ الَّذِي يُقْرَأُ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ وَ يُذْكَرُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِيهِ تَكْثُرُ بَرَكَتُهُ وَ تَحْضُرُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ تَهْجُرُهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ وَ يُضِي‏ءُ لِأَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ كَمَا يُضِي‏ءُ الْكَوْكَبُ الدُّرِّيُّ لِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْبَيْتُ الَّذِي لَا يُقْرَأُ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ وَ لَا يُذْكَرُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ تَقِلُّ بَرَكَتُهُ وَ تَهْجُرُهُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ تَحْضُرُهُ الشَّيَاطِينُ

And the house in which the Quran is recited and Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is mentioned therein would be with abundant Blessings, and the Angels would attend it, and the Satans^-la would flee, and it would shine to the inhabitants of the sky just like the brilliant star does for the inhabitants of the earth. And the house in which the Quran is not recited, nor is Allah^-azwj Mentioned therein would be of little Blessings and the Angels would flee from it and the Satans^-la would attend it.

وَ قَدْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَ لَا أُخْبِرُكُمْ بِخَيْرِ أَعْمَالِكُمْ لَكُمْ أَرْفَعِهَا فِي دَرَجَاتِكُمْ وَ أَزْكَاهَا عِنْدَ مَلِيكِكُمْ وَ خَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنَ الدِّينَارِ وَ الدِّرْهَمِ وَ خَيْرٍ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تَلْقَوْا عَدُوَّكُمْ فَتَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَ يَقْتُلُوكُمْ فَقَالُوا بَلَى فَقَالَ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كَثِيراً

And Rasool-Allah^-saww has said: ‘Shall I^-saww inform you about the best of deeds which would raise you in your levels and be the most purifying acts in the Presence of your King^-azwj, and better for you all than the Dinar and the Dirham, and better for you than your meeting your enemies (in battle), so you would be killing them and they would be killing you (holy war)?’ So they said, ‘Yes’. So he^-saww said: ‘Abundant Zikr of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic’’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَقَالَ مَنْ خَيْرُ أَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لِلَّهِ ذِكْراً

Then he (the Imam^-asws) said: ‘A man came over to the Prophet^-saww and he said, ‘Who are the best ones from the people of the Masjid?’ So he^-saww said: ‘The ones who most frequent the Zikr of Allah^-azwj’.

وَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَنْ أُعْطِيَ لِسَاناً ذَاكِراً فَقَدْ أُعْطِيَ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ

And Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The one who has been Given an oft-mentioning tongue, so he has been Given the goodness of the world and the Hereafter’.[15]

What is Zikr of Allah^-azwj in all situations?

يَا عَلِيُّ ثَلَاثٌ لَا يُطِيقُهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ الْمُوَاسَاةُ لِلْأَخِ فِي مَالِهِ وَ إِنْصَافُ النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ وَ لَكِنْ إِذَا وَرَدَ عَلَى مَا يَحْرُمُ عَلَيْهِ خَافَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِنْدَهُ وَ تَرَكَهُ-

O Ali^-asws! Three (traits), no one from this community can endure – the consolation (support) to the brothers in his wealth, and fairness to the people from himself, and doing Zikr of Allah^‑azwj in all situations, and it isn’t (saying of), ‘Glory be to Allah^-azwj, and the Praise is for Allah^-azwj, and there is not god except Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj is the Greatest’, but whenever he comes to what is Prohibited unto him, he fears Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic at it, and leaves it.

مع، معاني الأخبار ابْنُ الْوَلِيدِ عَنِ الصَّفَّارِ عَنْ هَارُونَ عَنِ ابْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ص قَالَ: مَنْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ فَقَدْ ذَكَرَ اللَّهَ وَ إِنْ قَلَّتْ صَلَاتُهُ وَ صِيَامُهُ وَ تِلَاوَتُهُ الْقُرْآنَ‏.

(The book) ‘Ma’any Al Akhbar’ – Ibn Al Waleed, from Al Saffar, from Haroun, from Ibn Ziyad,

‘From Al-Sadiq^-asws, from his^-asws father^-asws: ‘The Prophet^-saww said: ‘One who obeys Allah^-azwj so he has done Zikr of Allah^-azwj, and even if his Salat and His^-azwj fasts and his recitation of the Quran were to be little’’.^[16]

علل الشرائع أَبِي عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِدْرِيسَ عَنِ الْأَشْعَرِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الرَّيَّانِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ الْمُحَارِبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ يَسْأَلُ اللَّهُ عَمَّا سِوَى الْفَرِيضَةِ

(The book) ‘Ilal Al Sharaie’ – My father, from Ahmad Bin Idrees, from Al Ashary, from Ali Bin Al Rayyan, from Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Abu Najran, from Abdul Rahman Bin Hammad, from Zareeh Al Muharby,

‘From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘A man said to the Prophet^-saww. He said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^‑saww! Will Allah^-azwj Ask about what is besides the obligations?’

قَالَ لَا

He^-saww said: ‘No’.

قَالَ فَوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لَا تَقَرَّبْتُ إِلَى اللَّهِ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ سِوَاهَا

He said, ‘By the One^-azwj Who Sent you with the truth! I will not draw closer to Allah^-azwj with anything besides it!’

قَالَ وَ لِمَ

He^-saww said: ‘And why?’

قَالَ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ قَبَّحَ خَلْقِي

He said, ‘Because Allah^-azwj has Made me ugly’.

قَالَ فَأَمْسَكَ النَّبِيُّ ص وَ نَزَلَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ رَبُّكَ يُقْرِئُكَ السَّلَامَ وَ يَقُولُ أَقْرِئْ عَبْدِي فُلَاناً السَّلَامَ وَ قُلْ لَهُ أَ مَا تَرْضَى أَنْ أَبْعَثَكَ غَداً فِي الْآمِنِينَ

He^-asws said: ‘The Prophet^-saww withheld (from talking), and Jibraeel^-as descended. He^-as said: ‘O Muhammad^-saww! Your^-saww Lord^-azwj Conveys the Greetings to you^-saww and Says: “Convey the Greetings to My^-azwj so and so servant and say to him: ‘Are you not pleased that I^-azwj shall Resurrect you tomorrow among the secured ones?”’

فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ قَدْ ذَكَرَنِيَ اللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ

He said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! And Allah^-azwj Mentioned me with Him^-azwj!”

قَالَ نَعَمْ

He^-saww said: ‘Yes’.

قَالَ فَوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ لَا بَقِيَ شَيْ‏ءٌ يُتَقَرَّبُ بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا تَقَرَّبْتُ بِهِ‏.

He said, ‘By the One^-azwj Who Sent you^-saww with the truth! There will not remain anything one can draw closer to Allah^-azwj with, except I shall draw closer with it!’’^[17]

 Two freedoms are achieved by Zikr

وعنه: عن الحسين بن محمد، عن معلى بن محمد، و عدة من أصحابنا، عن أحمد بن محمد جميعا، عن الحسن بن علي الوشاء، عن داود بن سرحان، عن أبي عبد الله (عليه السلام)، قال: «قال رسول الله (صلى الله عليه و آله): من أكثر ذكر الله عز و جل أحبه الله، و من ذكر الله كثيرا كتبت له براءتان: براءة من النار، و براءة من النفاق».

And from him, from Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad, from Moala Bin Muhammad, and a number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad altogether, from Al-Hassan Bin Al-Al-Washa, from Dawood Bin Sarhaan,

Abu Abdullah^-asws says that Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The one who frequents in Zikr of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, Allah^-azwj Loves him. And the one who does Zikr of Allah^-azwj frequently, two freedoms would be Written for him – Freedom from the Fire, and the freedom from the hypocrisy’.[18]

The Rewards from Allah^-azwj upon Zikr:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِعِيسَى ( عليه السلام ) يَا عِيسَى اذْكُرْنِي فِي نَفْسِكَ أَذْكُرْكَ فِي نَفْسِي وَ اذْكُرْنِي فِي مَلَئِكَ أَذْكُرْكَ فِي مَلَإٍ خَيْرٍ مِنْ مَلَإِ الْآدَمِيِّينَ يَا عِيسَى أَلِنْ لِي قَلْبَكَ وَ أَكْثِرْ ذِكْرِي فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ سُرُورِي أَنْ تُبَصْبِصَ إِلَيَّ وَ كُنْ فِي ذَلِكَ حَيّاً وَ لَا تَكُنْ مَيِّتاً .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Ibn Fazzal, raising it, said,

‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said to Isa^-as: “O Isa^-as! Mention Me^-azwj within yourself^-as, I^-azwj will Mention you^-as within Myself^-azwj, and mention Me^-azwj in your^-as gathering, I^-azwj shall Mention you^-as in a gathering better than the gathering of the human beings.

O Isa^-as! Soften your^-as heart for Me^-azwj and frequent My^-azwj Mention in the isolation, and know that My^-azwj Gladness is that you^-as compliment to Me^-azwj and become lively during that and do not become (like) dead” (hearts – avoid of Zikr).[19]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي فِي مَلَإٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ ذَكَرْتُهُ فِي مَلَإٍ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Mahboub, from the one who mentioned it, from

Abu Abdullah^-asws says that ‘Allah^-azwj Said: “The one who mentions Me^-azwj in a gathering of the people, I^-azwj will Mention him in a gathering of the Angels’.[20]

حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ وُهَيْبِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَا اجْتَمَعَ فِي مَجْلِسٍ قَوْمٌ لَمْ يَذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لَمْ يَذْكُرُونَا إِلَّا كَانَ ذَلِكَ الْمَجْلِسُ حَسْرَةً عَلَيْهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

Humeyd Bin Ziyad, from Al Hassan Bin Muhammad Bin Sama’at, from Wuheyb Bin Hafs, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘No group will gather in a gathering not mentioning Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic and not mentioning us^-asws except that gathering would be a regret upon them on the Day of Judgment’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ ذِكْرَنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَ ذِكْرِ عَدُوِّنَا مِنْ ذِكْرِ الشَّيْطَانِ .

Then he (the narrator) said, ‘Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘Our^-asws mention is from the Mention of Allah^-azwj, and the mention of our^-asws enemies is from the mention of Satan^-la’.[21]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُغَيَّرْ أَنَّ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ فَقَالَ يَا رَبِّ أَ قَرِيبٌ أَنْتَ مِنِّي فَأُنَاجِيَكَ أَمْ بَعِيدٌ فَأُنَادِيَكَ فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَيْهِ يَا مُوسَى أَنَا جَلِيسُ مَنْ ذَكَرَنِي

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdullah Bin Sinan, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘It is Written in the Torah which has not been altered, that Musa^-as asked his^-as Lord^-azwj saying: ‘O Lord^-azwj! Are You^-azwj close to me^-as so I^-as should whisper to You^-azwj, or are You^-azwj Distant, so I^-as should call out (loudly) to You^-azwj?’ So Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto him^-as: “O Musa^-as! I^-azwj a Companion of the one who Mentions Me^-azwj”.

فَقَالَ مُوسَى فَمَنْ فِي سِتْرِكَ يَوْمَ لَا سِتْرَ إِلَّا سِتْرُكَ فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَنِي فَأَذْكُرُهُمْ وَ يَتَحَابُّونَ فِيَّ فَأُحِبُّهُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أُصِيبَ أَهْلَ الْأَرْضِ بِسُوءٍ ذَكَرْتُهُمْ فَدَفَعْتُ عَنْهُمْ بِهِمْ .

So Musa^-as said: ‘So who would be in Your^-azwj Veil on the Day in which there will be no veil except for Your^-azwj Veil?’ So He^-azwj Said: “Those who are mentioning Me^-azwj So I^-azwj am Mentioning them, and the ones who are loving (others) regarding Me^-azwj, So I^-azwj Love them. Therefore, they are those, whenever I^-azwj want to Hit the people of the earth with an evil, I^-azwj Remember them, so I^-azwj Repel it from them (sinners), due to them’ (those who do the Zikr).[22]

Remembering Allah^-azwj in every State:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُغَيَّرْ أَنَّ مُوسَى سَأَلَ رَبَّهُ فَقَالَ إِلَهِي إِنَّهُ يَأْتِي عَلَيَّ مَجَالِسُ أُعِزُّكَ وَ أُجِلُّكَ أَنْ أَذْكُرَكَ فِيهَا فَقَالَ يَا مُوسَى إِنَّ ذِكْرِي حَسَنٌ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ .

Muhammad Bin yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Ibn Mahboub, from Abdullah Bin Sinan, from Abu Hamza,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘It is Written in the Torah – which has not been altered – that Musa^-as asked his^-as Lord^-azwj saying: ‘My^-as God! A situation comes upon me^-as such that it would not be honourable and majestic for You^-azwj that I^-as should mention You^-azwj therein’. So he^-as said: ‘O Musa^-as! My^-azwj Mention is good upon every state”’.^[23]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَ أَنْتَ تَبُولُ فَإِنَّ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَسَنٌ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ فَلَا تَسْأَمْ مِنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from Al Halby,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘There is no problem with the Mentioning of Allah^-azwj while you are urinating, for the Mention of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is good upon every state. Therefore, do not hesitate from the Mentioning of Allah^-azwj’.[24]

Neglecting Zikr Hardens the hearts:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) يَا مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) لَا تَفْرَحْ بِكَثْرَةِ الْمَالِ وَ لَا تَدَعْ ذِكْرِي عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الْمَالِ تُنْسِي الذُّنُوبَ وَ إِنَّ تَرْكَ ذِكْرِي يُقْسِي الْقُلُوبَ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nowfaly, from Al-Sakuny, from,

Abu Abdullah^-asws says that ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Revealed unto Musa^-as: “O Musa^-as! Do not be happy with the abundance of the wealth, nor leave My^-azwj mention upon every state, for the abundant wealth would make you^-as to forget the sins and that the neglect of My^-azwj Mention would harden the hearts’.[25]

وَ بِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ فِيمَا نَاجَى اللَّهُ بِهِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ يَا مُوسَى لَا تَنْسَنِي عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ فَإِنَّ نِسْيَانِي يُمِيتُ الْقَلْبَ .

And by his chain,

‘He^-asws said: ‘Among what Allah^-azwj Whispered to Musa^-as with was that He^-azwj Said: “O Musa^-as! Do not forget Me^-azwj upon every state, for forgetting Me^-azwj would cause the heart to die’.[26]

حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْخَشَّابِ عَنِ ابْنِ بَقَّاحٍ عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ جُمَيْعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ كَانَ الْمَسِيحُ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ لَا تُكْثِرُوا الْكَلَامَ فِي غَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُكْثِرُونَ الْكَلَامَ فِي غَيْرِ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ قَاسِيَةٌ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَ لَكِنْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ .

Humeyd Bin Ziyad, from Al Khashhab, from Ibn Baqah, from Muaz Bin Sabit, from Amro Bin Jumie,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The Messiah^-as was saying: ‘Do not frequent with the speech in other than the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj, for those who are frequenting the speech in other than the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj, it is hardening their hearts, but they are not knowing’.[27]

Zikr and the Shias:

حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ وُهَيْبِ بْنِ حَفْصٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ شِيعَتُنَا الَّذِينَ إِذَا خَلَوْا ذَكَرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيراً .

Humeyd Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Sama’at, from Wuheyb Bin Hafs, from Abu Baseer, from,

Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Our^-asws Shias are those who when they are alone, they are doing Zikr of (mentioning) Allah^-azwj a lot’.[28]

When leaving the Harram of Imam Hussain^-asws, we recite the following supplication:

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لَا تَشْغَلْنِي عَنْ ذِكْرِكَ بِإِكْثَارٍ عَلَيَّ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا تُلْهِينِي عَجَائِبُ بَهْجَتِهَا وَ تَفْتِنُنِي زَهَرَاتُ زِينَتِهَا وَ لَا بِإِقْلَالٍ يَضُرُّ بِعَمَلِي كَدُّهُ وَ يَمْلَأُ صَدْرِي هَمُّهُ وَ أَعْطِنِي ‏بِذَلِكَ غِنًى عَنْ شِرَارِ خَلْقِكَ وَ بَلَاغاً أَنَالُ بِهِ رِضَاكَ يَا رَحْمَانُ

O Allah^-azwj!  Send Your^-azwj blessing on Muhammad^-saww and the family of Muhammad^-asws and do not make me too preoccupied with the blessings of this world such that I neglect Your^-azwj remembrance.  Do not give me too many (worldly blessings) such that I become fond of its wondering happiness and such that I become charmed by its shining decorations.  (Also) do not give me too little such that my good deeds are affected by working too hard for this world and such that I continuously worry about it.  Give me enough so that I do not need the evil ones from Your^-azwj creation and enough that I can attain Your^-azwj pleasure, O the Most Merciful. (This is an Extract – from bidding farewell to Imam Hussain^-asws).^[29]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ اصْبِرُوا عَلَى الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ سَاعَةٌ فَمَا مَضَى مِنْهُ فَلَا تَجِدُ لَهُ أَلَماً وَ لَا سُرُوراً وَ مَا لَمْ يَجِئْ فَلَا تَدْرِي مَا هُوَ وَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ سَاعَتُكَ الَّتِي أَنْتَ فِيهَا فَاصْبِرْ فِيهَا عَلَى طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ اصْبِرْ فِيهَا عَنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa from certain individuals of our people who has narrated the following:

(From Abu Abd Allah^-asws ) ‘Exercise patience in worldly matters; it is only an hour. You do not find any pain or happiness in whatever has passed. The hour that has not yet arrived is unknown to you in matters of its contents. The only time is the hour in which you live. Exercise patience in it to obey Allah^-azwj and exercise patience in such time in the matters of disobedience to Allah^-azwj’.[30]

عَنْهُ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لِرَجُلٍ اجْعَلْ قَلْبَكَ قَرِيناً بَرّاً أَوْ وَلَداً وَاصِلًا وَ اجْعَلْ عَمَلَكَ وَالِداً تَتَّبِعُهُ وَ اجْعَلْ نَفْسَكَ عَدُوّاً تُجَاهِدُهَا وَ اجْعَلْ مَالَكَ عَارِيَّةً تَرُدُّهَا

It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) in a marfu’ manner from Abu ‘Abd Allah^-asws who has said the following to a man:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws has said: ‘Make your heart a virtuous companion for yourself or like a child who does not fail to maintain good relations with parents. Consider your deeds as your father whom you follow, consider your soul as your enemy against whom you strive and consider your properties as borrowed for the safe return of which you are responsible’.[31]

عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ حَسَّانَ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع خُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ خُذْ مِنْهَا فِي الصِّحَّةِ قَبْلَ السُّقْمِ وَ فِي الْقُوَّةِ قَبْلَ الضَّعْفِ وَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ قَبْلَ الْمَمَاتِ

It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Hassan from Zayd al-Shahham who has said the following:

‘Abu Abd Allah^-asws has said: ‘Take from your soul for your soul. Take from it in good health before illness, during its strength before weakness and in its lifetime before death’.[32]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ‏ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَوْصِنِي بِوَجْهٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ الْبِرِّ أَنْجُو بِهِ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع أَيُّهَا السَّائِلُ اسْتَمِعْ ثُمَّ اسْتَفْهِمْ ثُمَّ اسْتَيْقِنْ ثُمَّ اسْتَعْمِلْ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ النَّاسَ ثَلَاثَةٌ زَاهِدٌ وَ صَابِرٌ وَ رَاغِبٌ فَأَمَّا الزَّاهِدُ فَقَدْ خَرَجَتِ الْأَحْزَانُ وَ الْأَفْرَاحُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَلَا يَفْرَحُ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ لَا يَأْسَى عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْهَا فَاتَهُ فَهُوَ مُسْتَرِيحٌ وَ أَمَّا الصَّابِرُ فَإِنَّهُ يَتَمَنَّاهَا بِقَلْبِهِ فَإِذَا نَالَ مِنْهَا أَلْجَمَ نَفْسَهُ عَنْهَا لِسُوءِ عَاقِبَتِهَا وَ شَنَآنِهَا لَوِ اطَّلَعْتَ عَلَى قَلْبِهِ عَجِبْتَ مِنْ عِفَّتِهِ وَ تَوَاضُعِهِ وَ حَزْمِهِ وَ أَمَّا الرَّاغِبُ فَلَا يُبَالِي مِنْ أَيْنَ جَاءَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا مِنْ حِلِّهَا أَوْ مِنْ حَرَامِهَا وَ لَا يُبَالِي مَا دَنَّسَ فِيهَا عِرْضَهُ وَ أَهْلَكَ نَفْسَهُ وَ أَذْهَبَ مُرُوءَتَهُ فَهُمْ فِي غَمْرَةٍ يَضْطَرِبُونَ

Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Shu’ayb ibn ‘Abd Allah from certain individuals of his people in a marfu’ manner the following:

‘Once a man came to Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws and said, ‘O Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws, grant me good advice in the aspects of virtue so I may attain salvation’.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said, ‘O seeker of advice, listen carefully, understand, ascertain and practice. You must know that people are of three kinds: (1) restraining themselves from worldly matters, (2) exercising patience and (3) those who are inclined toward worldly gains.

‘From the hearts of restraining people sadness and happiness have moved out. He neither becomes happy for any of the worldly things, nor he grieves over anything of the world that he may have missed, thus, he is comfortable.

‘The person who exercises patience has hopes to have worldly gains in his heart and when he gains anything he holds his soul back from it due to such gains’ bad consequences and disgrace. Were you to see his heart, you would be astonished by its chastity, humility and determination.

‘To those who are inclined to worldly gains it does not matter wherefrom worldly gains come to them, lawful or unlawful as well as whether it throws filth over their honour or destroys their souls, or takes away their kindness. They are restless to achieve them’.[33]

The Essence of Remembrance and the Best Zikr:

في كتاب الخصال عن أبى حمزة الثمالى عن أبى جعفر عليه السلام قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: جمع الخير كله في ثلاث خصال: النظر والسكوت والكلام، و كل نظر ليس فيه اعتبار فهو سهو، وكل سكوت ليس فيه فكر فهو غفلة، وكل كلام ليس فيه ذكر فهو لغو، فطوبى لمن كان نظره عبرا، وسكوته فكرا، وكلامه ذكرا، وبكى على خطيئته وأمن الناس شره.

In the Book Al-Khisaal, from Abu Hamza Al-Sumaly, who has said:

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws has said that ‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said: ‘All good has been gathered in three characteristics – The consideration, and the silence, and the speech. And every view in which there is no consideration, so it is an oversight. And every silence, in which there is no pondering, so it is negligence. And every speech in which there is no Remembrance, so it is vain talk’.^[34]

لا تذكر الله سبحانه ساهيا و لا تنسه لاهيا و اذكره [ذكرا] كاملا يوافق فيه قلبك لسانك و يطابق إضمارك إعلانك و لن تذكره حقيقة الذكر حتى تنسى نفسك في ذكرك و تفقدها في أمرك

Neither do ‘Zikr’[35] of Allah^-azwj in drowsiness nor forget to mention Him when involved in ‘Lahu Lahab’ (un-Islamic pleasures), but mention Him^-azwj with full concentration so that your heart supports what you utter from your tongue, your internal feelings are reflected by your gestures.  You can never do justice to His^-azwj ‘Zikr’ until you forget about yourself and lose yourself in His^-azwj Remembrance’.[36]

Zikr is Comfort to the hearts:

وَ قَالَ أَلا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ

Allah^-azwj has Said, ‘Remembrance (speaking) of Allah certainly brings comfort to all hearts.’ (13:28)

إِنَّ الصَّلاةَ تَنْهى عَنِ الْفَحْشاءِ وَ الْمُنْكَرِ وَ لَذِكْرُ اللَّهِ أَكْبَرُ

Surely, the Salat prevents from the immoralities and the evil, and the Zikr of Allah is the greatest [29:45].

فَالنَّهْيُ كَلَامٌ وَ الْفَحْشَاءُ وَ الْمُنْكَرُ رِجَالٌ وَ نَحْنُ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ وَ نَحْنُ أَكْبَرُ

(6^th Imam^-asws said in a lengthy Hadith) So the prevention is a speech, and the immoralities and the evil are (two) men, and we^-asws are the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj, and we^-asws are the greatest (Remembrance)’.[37]

Allah^-azwj’s Commends Prophet Isa^-as (For Zikr):

يَا عِيسَى أَحْيِ ذِكْرِي بِلِسَانِكَ وَ لْيَكُنْ وُدِّي فِي قَلْبِكَ

O Isa^-as! Revive My^-azwj Remembrance by your^-as tongue, and make My^-azwj cordiality to be in your^-as heart.

يَا عِيسَى ابْكِ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ وَ انْقُلْ قَدَمَيْكَ إِلَى مَوَاقِيتِ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَ أَسْمِعْنِي لَذَاذَةَ نُطْقِكَ بِذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ صَنِيعِي إِلَيْكَ حَسَنٌ

O Isa^-as! You^-as weep over yourself^-as in private, move your^-as feet to the timings of the Prayer, and let Me^-azwj Hear your^-as sweet speech of My^-azwj remembrance, for My^-azwj Favour to you^-as is good.

يَا عِيسَى لَا تَسْتَيْقِظَنَّ عَاصِياً وَ لَا تَسْتَنْبِهَنَّ لَاهِياً وَ افْطِمْ نَفْسَكَ عَنِ الشَّهَوَاتِ الْمُوبِقَاتِ وَ كُلُّ شَهْوَةٍ تُبَاعِدُكَ مِنِّي فَاهْجُرْهَا وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّكَ مِنِّي بِمَكَانِ الرَّسُولِ الْأَمِينِ فَكُنْ مِنِّي عَلَى حَذَرٍ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ دُنْيَاكَ مُؤَدِّيَتُكَ إِلَيَّ وَ أَنِّي آخُذُكَ بِعِلْمِي فَكُنْ ذَلِيلَ النَّفْسِ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِي خَاشِعَ الْقَلْبِ حِينَ تَذْكُرُنِي يَقْظَانَ عِنْدَ نَوْمِ الْغَافِلِينَ

O Isa^-as! Do not wake up as a disobedient one, nor indulge in vanities whilst awake, and turn yourself^-as away from the lusts and the sins, and every desire which distances you^-as from Me^-azwj. So migrate from it, and know that you^-as are from Me^-azwj at the status of the trustworthy Rasool^-as, so be cautious with regards to Me^-azwj, and know that your^-as world will deliver you^-as to Me^-azwj, and I^-azwj will Grab you^-as with My^-azwj Knowledge. So become a humble soul during My^-azwj Remembrance, with a revering heart when you^-as Mention Me^-azwj, being fully aware whilst the neglectful ones sleep.

يَا عِيسَى لَا تَأْمَنْ إِذَا مَكَرْتَ مَكْرِي وَ لَا تَنْسَ عِنْدَ خَلَوَاتِ الدُّنْيَا ذِكْرِي

O Isa^-as! Do not hesitate when you^-as plan from My^-azwj Plan, and do not forget My^-azwj Remembrance in the privacy of the world.

يَا عِيسَى أَطِبْ لِي قَلْبَكَ وَ أَكْثِرْ ذِكْرِي فِي الْخَلَوَاتِ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ سُرُورِي أَنْ تُبَصْبِصَ إِلَيَّ كُنْ فِي ذَلِكَ حَيّاً وَ لَا تَكُنْ مَيِّتاً

O Isa^-as! Perfume your^-as heart for Me^-azwj and frequent My^-azwj Remembrance in the privacy, and know that My^-azwj Happiness is in your^-as pleading to Me^-azwj, so be alive during that and not become as dead (heart) – An extract from a lengthy Hadith.[38]

Allah^-azwj’s Command to Prophet Musa^-as:

In another Hadith, Allah^-azwj Said to Prophet Musa^-as (an Extract from a long Hadith):

يَا مُوسَى أَنْتَ عَبْدِي وَ أَنَا إِلَهُكَ لَا تَسْتَذِلَّ الْحَقِيرَ الْفَقِيرَ وَ لَا تَغْبِطِ الْغَنِيَّ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ يَسِيرٍ وَ كُنْ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِي خَاشِعاً وَ عِنْدَ تِلَاوَتِهِ بِرَحْمَتِي طَامِعاً وَ أَسْمِعْنِي لَذَاذَةَ التَّوْرَاةِ بِصَوْتٍ خَاشِعٍ حَزِينٍ اطْمَئِنَّ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِي وَ ذَكِّرْ بِي مَنْ يَطْمَئِنُّ إِلَيَّ وَ اعْبُدْنِي وَ لَا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئاً وَ تَحَرَّ مَسَرَّتِي إِنِّي أَنَا السَّيِّدُ الْكَبِيرُ إِنِّي خَلَقْتُكَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ مِنْ طِينَةٍ أَخْرَجْتُهَا مِنْ أَرْضٍ ذَلِيلَةٍ مَمْشُوجَةٍ فَكَانَتْ بَشَراً فَأَنَا صَانِعُهَا خَلْقاً فَتَبَارَكَ وَجْهِي وَ تَقَدَّسَ صَنِيعِي لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِي شَيْ‏ءٌ وَ أَنَا الْحَيُّ الدَّائِمُ الَّذِي لَا أَزُولُ

O Musa^-as! You^-as are My^-azwj servant and I^-azwj am your^-azwj God. Do not belittle the despicable, the poor, and do not envy the rich for a little thing. And become humble in My^-azwj Remembrance and in it’s (the Torah) Recitation by My^-azwj Mercy, and make Me^-azwj Hear the Torah in a humble voice, full of grief. Be at rest during My^-azwj Remembrance, and mention Me^-azwj to the ‘one’ who is assured to Me^-azwj, and worship Me^-azwj and do not associate Me^-azwj with anything. And make haste to My^-azwj Pleasure, ‘إِنِّي أَنَا السَّيِّدُ الْكَبِيرُ’ for I^-azwj and the Great Master^-azwj. I^-azwj Created you^-as from a seed of menial water from clay which I^-azwj Took out from a disgraceful mixture of dust. So it was a human being and I^-azwj carved it into a creature. So Blessed is My^-azwj ‘وَجْهِي’ (My Wali^-as), and Holy is My^-azwj Craft. There is nothing like Me^-azwj and I^-azwj am the Eternal Living One who will not Decline (an extract).[39]

Zikr is a Mercy of Allah^-azwj:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ الْعِجْلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَجْمَعَ لِلْمُسْلِمِ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ جَعَلْتُ لَهُ قَلْباً خَاشِعاً وَ لِسَاناً ذَاكِراً وَ جَسَداً عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ صَابِراً وَ زَوْجَةً مُؤْمِنَةً تَسُرُّهُ إِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَ تَحْفَظُهُ إِذَا غَابَ عَنْهَا فِي نَفْسِهَا وَ مَالِهِ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Fazzal, from Ali Bin Uqba, from Bureyd Bin Muawiya Al-Ijaly, from

Abu Ja’far^-asws says that Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said Whenever I^-azwj Intend to Gather for the Muslim goodness of the world and the Hereafter, I^-azwj Make for him a devout heart, and a tongue of remembrance, and a body patient upon the affliction, and a Believing wife who delights him whenever he looks at her and she preserves him (his interests) whenever he is absent from her, with regards to herself and his wealth’.[40]

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws Bequeaths to Companions:

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْكُوفِيُّ وَ هُوَ الْعَاصِمِيُّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَاحِدِ بْنِ الصَّوَّافِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) يُوصِي أَصْحَابَهُ وَ يَقُولُ أُوصِيكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا غِبْطَةُ الطَّالِبِ الرَّاجِي وَ ثِقَةُ الْهَارِبِ اللَّاجِي

Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Ahmad All Kufy, and he is Al-A’asmiy, from Abdul Wahid Bin Al-Sawwaf, from Muhammad Bin Ismail Al-Hamdany who has narrated the following:

Abu Al-Hassan Musa^-asws having said: ‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws used to bequeath to his^-asws companions saying: ‘I^-asws bequeath you to fear Allah^-azwj for it is happiness for the truthful seeker, and a heavy shackle for the runaway fugitive.

وَ اسْتَشْعِرُوا التَّقْوَى شِعَاراً بَاطِناً وَ اذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ ذِكْراً خَالِصاً تَحْيَوْا بِهِ أَفْضَلَ الْحَيَاةِ وَ تَسْلُكُوا بِهِ طَرِيقَ النَّجَاةِ

And be aware of the piety realising it within yourselves, and remember Allah^-azwj with a sincere Remembrance, being revived by it, and journey upon the path of salvation.

انْظُرُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا نَظَرَ الزَّاهِدِ الْمُفَارِقِ لَهَا فَإِنَّهَا تُزِيلُ الثَّاوِيَ السَّاكِنَ وَ تَفْجَعُ الْمُتْرَفَ الْآمِنَ لَا يُرْجَى مِنْهَا مَا تَوَلَّى فَأَدْبَرَ وَ لَا يُدْرَى مَا هُوَ آتٍ مِنْهَا فَيُنْتَظَرَ وُصِلَ الْبَلَاءُ مِنْهَا بِالرَّخَاءِ وَ الْبَقَاءُ مِنْهَا إِلَى فَنَاءٍ

Look at this world with the vision of the ascetics, the ones who have parted from it, for it dislodges its residents and causes distress to the affluent ones who (superficially) feel safe. Do not hope for those that are turned away from it, not knowing what it is that will come from it. So await patiently for the prosperity upon the arrival of the afflictions from it, and the survival from it up to the end.

فَسُرُورُهَا مَشُوبٌ بِالْحُزْنِ وَ الْبَقَاءُ فِيهَا إِلَى الضَّعْفِ وَ الْوَهْنِ فَهِيَ كَرَوْضَةٍ اعْتَمَّ مَرْعَاهَا وَ أَعْجَبَتْ مَنْ يَرَاهَا عَذْبٌ شِرْبُهَا طَيِّبٌ تَرْبُهَا تَمُجُّ عُرُوقُهَا الثَّرَى وَ تَنْطُفُ فُرُوعُهَا النَّدَى حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ الْعُشْبُ إِبَّانَهُ وَ اسْتَوَى بَنَانُهُ هَاجَتْ رِيحٌ تَحُتُّ الْوَرَقَ وَ تُفَرِّقُ مَا اتَّسَقَ فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ هَشِيماً تَذْرُوهُ الرِّياحُ وَ كانَ اللَّهُ عَلى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مُقْتَدِراً انْظُرُوا فِي الدُّنْيَا فِي كَثْرَةِ مَا يُعْجِبُكُمْ وَ قِلَّةِ مَا يَنْفَعُكُمْ

So its happiness is tainted with the grief, and the survival in it is up to the weakness and the fragility. So it is like a garden, the pasture of which is dense causing those who look at it, to wonder at it. Its drinks are sweet, its covering (soil) is good, its roots are excited in the ground, and its branches drip moisture until the grass reaches its due level. The scent gets triggered under the blades and gets separated from it in the morning, just as Allah^-azwj has Said: “[18:45] then it becomes dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter; and Allah is the holder of power over all things.” Look at this world and the numerous things which cause you to wonder, and the scarcity of the things which benefit you’.[41]

The Advice of 6^th Imam^-asws on Zikr:

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws, wrote this letter to his^-asws companions and commanded them to study it, ponder over it, and make a pact by it, and act in accordance with it. Below is an extract, the full Hadith is given in the Appendix I (ref. Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14449):

وَ هُمْ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ الَّذِينَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ بِسُؤَالِهِمْ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ مَنْ سَأَلَهُمْ وَ قَدْ سَبَقَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُصَدِّقَهُمْ وَ يَتَّبِعَ أَثَرَهُمْ …

And they (the Imams^-asws) are the People^-asws of the ‘Remembrance’ (to remain in their remembrance) whom Allah^-azwj has Ordered the people to ask them^-asws, and they^-asws are the ones^-asws to be asked. And it has preceded in the Knowledge of Allah^-azwj that they should ratify them^-asws, and follow their^-asws footsteps.

فَأَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِي كُلِّ سَاعَةٍ مِنْ سَاعَاتِ اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ بِكَثْرَةِ الذِّكْرِ لَهُ وَ اللَّهُ ذَاكِرٌ لِمَنْ ذَكَرَهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَّا ذَكَرَهُ بِخَيْرٍ

So, frequently remember Allah^-azwj in accordance with your abilities in every hour of the hours of the night and the day, for Allah^-azwj has Ordered for frequent Remembrance (Al-Zikr) to Him^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj Remembers the one who remembers Him^-azwj from the Believers. And know, that Allah^-azwj never Remembers anyone from His^-azwj believing servant except Remembering him with Goodness.[42]

Protection from Iblees^-la is in the Zikr:

In Tafseer Imam Hassan Askari^-asws (Extract):

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص: وَ أَمَّا نَفَثَاتُهُ: فَأَنْ يَرَى أَحَدُكُمْ أَنَّ شَيْئاً بَعْدَ الْقُرْآنِ أَشْفَى لَهُ مِنْ ذِكْرِنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَيْنَا، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ ذِكْرَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ شِفَاءً لِلصُّدُورِ، وَ جَعَلَ الصَّلَوَاتِ عَلَيْنَا مَاحِيَةً لِلْأَوْزَارِ وَ الذُّنُوبِ، وَ مُطَهِّرَةً مِنَ الْعُيُوبِ وَ مُضَاعِفَةً لِلْحَسَنَاتِ‏.

Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘And as for his^-la puffing – so if one of you views that there is something after the Quran as protection from him, (then it is) our^-asws remembrance of the People^-asws of the Household, and the (sending of) Salawat  upon us^-asws, for Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Made our^-asws remembrance, the People^-asws of the Household, as a healing for the hearts, and Made the Salawat upon us as a deletion of the burdens of the sins, and a cleansing from the faults, and a multiplication of the good deeds.[43]

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws’s Praise for those in Zikr:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَسْبَاطٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( صلوات الله عليه )  كَانَ يَقُولُ طُوبَى لِمَنْ أَخْلَصَ لِلَّهِ الْعِبَادَةَ وَ الدُّعَاءَ وَ لَمْ يَشْغَلْ قَلْبَهُ بِمَا تَرَى عَيْنَاهُ وَ لَمْ يَنْسَ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ بِمَا تَسْمَعُ أُذُنَاهُ وَ لَمْ يَحْزُنْ صَدْرَهُ بِمَا أُعْطِيَ غَيْرُهُ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ali Bin Asbaat,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Raza^-asws that Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was saying: ‘Beatitude is for the one who is sincere to Allah^-azwj in the worship and the supplication, and does not pre-occupy his heart with what his eyes see, and the does not forget the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj with what his ears hear, and does not grieve his chest with what others have been Given’.[44]

Rasool-Allah^-saww urged his followers to remain in remembrance, see Appendix II.

Zikr is a Cure for Hearths:

عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ وَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي لَمَحْزُونٌ وَ إِنِّي لَمَشْغُولُ الْقَلْبِ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَ مَا شُغُلُكَ وَ مَا حُزْنُ قَلْبِكَ فَقَالَ يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّهُ مَنْ دَخَلَ قَلْبَهُ صَافِي خَالِصِ دِينِ اللَّهِ شَغَلَ قَلْبَهُ عَمَّا سِوَاهُ يَا جَابِرُ مَا الدُّنْيَا وَ مَا عَسَى أَنْ تَكُونَ الدُّنْيَا هَلْ هِيَ إِلَّا طَعَامٌ أَكَلْتَهُ أَوْ ثَوْبٌ لَبِسْتَهُ أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ أَصَبْتَهَا

From him, from Ali Bin Al Hakam, from Abu Abdullah Al Momine, from Jabir who said,

‘I went over to Abu Ja’far^-asws, so he^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! By Allah^-azwj I^-asws am grieved and I^-asws pre-occupied of heart’. I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! What grieves your^-asws heart?’ O Jabir! The one in whose heart enters the purity (and) sincerity for the Religion of Allah^-azwj, it pre-occupies his heart from what is besides it. O Jabir! What is the world and what can the world happen to be? Is it only the food that you eat, or clothes you wear, or a woman you accompany with?

يَا جَابِرُ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَمْ يَطْمَئِنُّوا إِلَى الدُّنْيَا بِبَقَائِهِمْ فِيهَا وَ لَمْ يَأْمَنُوا قُدُومَهُمُ الْآخِرَةَ يَا جَابِرُ الْآخِرَةُ دَارُ قَرَارٍ وَ الدُّنْيَا دَارُ فَنَاءٍ وَ زَوَالٍ وَ لَكِنْ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا أَهْلُ غَفْلَةٍ وَ كَأَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هُمُ الْفُقَهَاءُ أَهْلُ فِكْرَةٍ وَ عِبْرَةٍ لَمْ يُصِمَّهُمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ جَلَّ اسْمُهُ مَا سَمِعُوا بِآذَانِهِمْ وَ لَمْ يُعْمِهِمْ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ مَا رَأَوْا مِنَ الزِّينَةِ بِأَعْيُنِهِمْ

O Jabir! The Believers do not rest assured to the world by their remaining in it, and do not feel secure of their proceeding to the Hereafter. O Jabir! The Hereafter is a house of (permanent) abode and the world is a house of annihilation and decline, but the people of the world are oblivious, and it is as if the Believers, they are the understanding ones, the thinking people, learners. They are not deafened from the Mention of Allah^-azwj, Majestic is His^-azwj Name, what they are hearing by their ears, and they are not blinded from the Remembrance of Allah^-azwj, what they are seeing from the adornments by their eyes.

فَفَازُوا بِثَوَابِ الْآخِرَةِ كَمَا فَازُوا بِذَلِكَ الْعِلْمِ وَ اعْلَمْ يَا جَابِرُ أَنَّ أَهْلَ التَّقْوَى أَيْسَرُ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا مَئُونَةً وَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَكَ مَعُونَةً تَذْكُرُ فَيُعِينُونَكَ وَ إِنْ نَسِيتَ ذَكَّرُوكَ

Thus, they have been successful with (achieving) the Rewards of the Hereafter just as they were successful with (acquiring) that knowledge. And know, O Jabir, that the people of piety are the people with the smallest of provisions of the world, and they (are the) people who provide the most to you. You mention them and they will be assisting you, and if you forget, they would mention you.

قَوَّالُونَ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ قَوَّامُونَ عَلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ قَطَعُوا مَحَبَّتَهُمْ بِمَحَبَّةِ رَبِّهِمْ وَ وَحَشُوا الدُّنْيَا لِطَاعَةِ مَلِيكِهِمْ وَ نَظَرُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ إِلَى مَحَبَّتِهِ بِقُلُوبِهِمْ وَ عَلِمُوا أَنَّ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْمَنْظُورُ إِلَيْهِ لِعَظِيمِ شَأْنِهِ

They are speaking by the Commands of Allah^-azwj, steadfast upon the Commands of Allah^-azwj. Their love (for others) and their desires for the world and their kings is cut-off by their love for their Lord^-azwj, and they are looking towards Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic and to His^-azwj Love by their hearts, and they know that the looking towards Him^-azwj is a great affair.

فَأَنْزِلِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَنْزِلٍ نَزَلْتَهُ ثُمَّ ارْتَحَلْتَ عَنْهُ أَوْ كَمَالٍ وَجَدْتَهُ فِي مَنَامِكَ فَاسْتَيْقَظْتَ وَ لَيْسَ مَعَكَ مِنْهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ إِنِّي [إِنَّمَا] ضَرَبْتُ لَكَ هَذَا مَثَلًا لِأَنَّهَا عِنْدَ أَهْلِ اللُّبِّ وَ الْعِلْمِ بِاللَّهِ كَفَيْ‏ءِ الظِّلَالِ

So (for them) the world is a lodge like a lodge they lodge in, then they depart from it, or like wealth you tend to see in your dream, and then you wake up, and there is nothing from it with you. I^-asws, rather struck this example for you because it (the world) in the view of the people of understanding and knowledge with Allah^-azwj, is like a passing shadow.

يَا جَابِرُ فَاحْفَظْ مَا اسْتَرْعَاكَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ مِنْ دِينِهِ وَ حِكْمَتِهِ وَ لَا تَسْأَلَنَّ عَمَّا لَكَ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا مَا لَهُ عِنْدَ نَفْسِكَ فَإِنْ تَكُنِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا وَصَفْتُ لَكَ فَتَحَوَّلْ إِلَى دَارِ الْمُسْتَعْتَبِ فَلَعَمْرِي لَرُبَّ حَرِيصٍ عَلَى أَمْرٍ قَدْ شَقِيَ بِهِ حِينَ أَتَاهُ وَ لَرُبَّ كَارِهٍ لِأَمْرٍ قَدْ سَعِدَ بِهِ حِينَ أَتَاهُ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لِيُمَحِّصَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ يَمْحَقَ الْكافِرِينَ .

O Jabir! Protect whatever Allah^-azwj the Mighty and Majestic has Attracted you with from His^-azwj Religion and His^-azwj Wisdom, and do not ask about what there is for you in His^-azwj Presence, except what there is for Him^-azwj in your soul. So if the world happens to be upon other than what I^-asws have described to you, reconsider it as a house of reproach (blame). So the person is sometimes greedy upon a matter and would be miserable with it when it comes to him, and sometimes he dislikes a matter which he would be happy with it when it comes to him, and these are the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic [3:141] And that He may Examine those who believe and wipe out the unbelievers’.[45]

Zikr Elevates the Status of a Momin:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دَاهِرٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ قُثَمَ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ الْحَرَّانِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ هَمَّامٌ وَ كَانَ عَابِداً نَاسِكاً مُجْتَهِداً إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( عليه السلام ) وَ هُوَ يَخْطُبُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صِفْ لَنَا صِفَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَأَنَّنَا نَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ

Muhammad Bin Ja’far, from Muhammad Bin Ismail, from Abdullah Bin Dahir, from Al Hassan Bin Yahya, from Qusam Abu Qatada Al Harrany, from Abdullah Bin Yunus,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘A man called Hammam, and he was a worshipper, a performer of rituals, a striver, stood up to Amir Al Momineen^-asws while he^-asws was addressing, and he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! Describe to us the description of the Momin (to the extent), as if we are looking at him’.

فَقَالَ يَا هَمَّامُ الْمُؤْمِنُ هُوَ الْكَيِّسُ الْفَطِنُ بِشْرُهُ فِي وَجْهِهِ وَ حُزْنُهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ أَوْسَعُ شَيْ‏ءٍ صَدْراً وَ أَذَلُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ نَفْساً زَاجِرٌ عَنْ كُلِّ فَانٍ حَاضٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ حَسَنٍ لَا حَقُودٌ وَ لَا حَسُودٌ وَ لَا وَثَّابٌ وَ لَا سَبَّابٌ وَ لَا عَيَّابٌ وَ لَا مُغْتَابٌ يَكْرَهُ الرِّفْعَةَ وَ يَشْنَأُ السُّمْعَةَ طَوِيلُ الْغَمِّ بَعِيدُ الْهَمِّ كَثِيرُ الصَّمْتِ وَقُورٌ ذَكُورٌ صَبُورٌ شَكُورٌ مَغْمُومٌ بِفِكْرِهِ مَسْرُورٌ بِفَقْرِهِ سَهْلُ الْخَلِيقَةِ لَيِّنُ الْعَرِيكَةِ رَصِينُ الْوَفَاءِ قَلِيلُ الْأَذَى لَا مُتَأَفِّكٌ وَ لَا مُتَهَتِّكٌ

So he^-asws said: ‘O Hammam! The Momin, he is the smart, the intelligent. His happiness is in his face and his grief is in his heart; the expansive thing being the chest and the humble thing being the self; restraining from everything and exhorting upon everything good; neither being spiteful, nor envious, nor leaping (quick to argue), nor abusive, nor a fault-finder, nor slanderous. He dislikes the elevation (status), and inimical to be heard of (fame), lengthy of grief, far from worrying, frequent of the silence, dignity, remembrance, gratefulness; being gloomy due to his thoughts and joyful due to his poverty, of the easy-going nature, soft flexibility, strong of loyalty, little hurtfulness, neither being a liar nor immoral.

مُتَوَقِّعاً لِأَجَلِهِ خَاشِعاً قَلْبُهُ ذَاكِراً رَبَّهُ قَانِعَةً نَفْسُهُ مَنْفِيّاً جَهْلُهُ سَهْلًا أَمْرُهُ حَزِيناً لِذَنْبِهِ مَيِّتَةً شَهْوَتُهُ كَظُوماً غَيْظَهُ صَافِياً خُلُقُهُ آمِناً مِنْهُ جَارُهُ ضَعِيفاً كِبْرُهُ قَانِعاً بِالَّذِي قُدِّرَ لَهُ مَتِيناً صَبْرُهُ مُحْكَماً أَمْرُهُ كَثِيراً ذِكْرُهُ

There is expectancy from him, his heart is fearful remembering his Lord^-azwj. His self is contented, his ignorance is negated, his affairs are easy, he grieves for his sins, his lustful desires are dead, his anger is suppressed, his manners are clear, his neighbours are safe from him, his arrogance is weak. He is content with that which is Ordained for him, his patience is firm, his affairs are decisive, his remembrance is abundant.

يُخَالِطُ النَّاسَ لِيَعْلَمَ وَ يَصْمُتُ لِيَسْلَمَ وَ يَسْأَلُ لِيَفْهَمَ وَ يَتَّجِرُ لِيَغْنَمَ لَا يُنْصِتُ لِلْخَبَرِ لِيَفْجُرَ بِهِ وَ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ لِيَتَجَبَّرَ بِهِ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُ نَفْسُهُ مِنْهُ فِي عَنَاءٍ وَ النَّاسُ مِنْهُ فِي رَاحَةٍ أَتْعَبَ نَفْسَهُ لآِخِرَتِهِ فَأَرَاحَ النَّاسَ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ إِنْ بُغِيَ عَلَيْهِ صَبَرَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي يَنْتَصِرُ لَهُ بُعْدُهُ مِمَّنْ تَبَاعَدَ مِنْهُ بُغْضٌ وَ نَزَاهَةٌ وَ دُنُوُّهُ مِمَّنْ دَنَا مِنْهُ لِينٌ وَ رَحْمَةٌ لَيْسَ تَبَاعُدُهُ تَكَبُّراً وَ لَا عَظَمَةً وَ لَا دُنُوُّهُ خَدِيعَةً وَ لَا خِلَابَةً بَلْ يَقْتَدِي بِمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْخَيْرِ فَهُوَ إِمَامٌ لِمَنْ بَعْدَهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْبِرِّ

He mixes with the people in order to learn, and he is silent for safety, and he asks to understand, and he trades to earn. He does not listen to the ‘Khabar’ (news – the Ahadeeth) in order to do mischief with, nor does he speak in order to impress those who are in front of him. His own self is tired (due to his hard work) but the people are at rest from him. He exhausts himself for his Hereafter, the people are at rest with himself. If they rebel against him, he is patient until Allah^-azwj happens to be the One Who Provides Help for him. His distancing from the ones who are to be distanced from him by hatred, is by integrity, and his approaching the ones who are approaching him, is by softness and mercy. His distancing is not by arrogance nor by (a feeling of) greatness, nor is his approach a deception nor a plot. But he follows with the ones who are before him, from the good people, so he is a leader for the ones who are after him from the righteous people’ (an extract from a lengthy Hadith).[46]

عَنْهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عِيسَى النَّهْرِيرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَنْ عَرَفَ اللَّهَ وَ عَظَّمَهُ مَنَعَ فَاهُ مِنَ الْكَلَامِ وَ بَطْنَهُ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ وَ عَفَا نَفْسَهُ بِالصِّيَامِ وَ الْقِيَامِ

From him, from Muhammad Bin Ali, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Isa Al Hureyri,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘The one who recognises Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Magnificence would prevent his mouth from the speech, and his belly from the food, and excuses himself with the Fasting and the standing (for Salāt)’.

قَالُوا بِآبَائِنَا وَ أُمَّهَاتِنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَؤُلَاءِ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ قَالَ إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ سَكَتُوا فَكَانَ سُكُوتُهُمْ ذِكْراً وَ نَظَرُوا فَكَانَ نَظَرُهُمْ عِبْرَةً وَ نَطَقُوا فَكَانَ نُطْقُهُمْ حِكْمَةً وَ مَشَوْا فَكَانَ مَشْيُهُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بَرَكَةً لَوْ لَا الْآجَالُ الَّتِي قَدْ كُتِبَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ لَمْ تَقِرَّ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ فِي أَجْسَادِهِمْ خَوْفاً مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَ شَوْقاً إِلَى الثَّوَابِ .

They said, ‘By our fathers and our mothers, O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Are they the friends of Allah^-azwj?’ He^-saww said: ‘The friends of Allah^-azwj observed silence, so their silence was a Remembrance; and they looked around, so their looking around was a lesson; and they spoke, so their speaking was wisdom; and they walked, so their walking between the people was a Blessing. Had it not been for the term which had been Ordained upon them, their spirits would not have stayed in their bodies out of fear from the Punishment and desire to the Rewards’.[47]

Zikr during the Laylatul Qadr:

حدثنا احمد بن اسحق عن الحسن بن عباس بن حريش عن ابى جعفر عليه السلام قال سأل ابا عبد الله عليه السلام رجل من اهل بيته عن سورة انا انزلناه في ليلة القدر فقال ويلك سألت عن عظيم اياك والسؤال عن مثل هذا فقام الرجل قال فاتيته يوما فاقبلت عليه فسألته فقال انا انزلناه نور عند الانبياء والاوصياء لا يريدون حاجة من السماء و لامن الارض الا ذكروها لذلك النور فاتيهم بها فان مما ذكر على بن ابى طالب عليه السلام من الحوائج انه

It has been narrated to us from Ahmad Bin Is’haq, from Al-Hassan Bin Abaas Bin Hareysh, who has said:

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws having said: ‘A man from his^-asws Family asked Abu Abdullah^-asws a question about the Chapter [97:1] We have indeed revealed this in the Night of Power’. He^-asws said: ‘Woe be unto you. You are asking me about a great (thing). Beware of asking about similar to this’. The man stood up. He came up to him^-asws one day in front of him^-asws and asked him^-asws. He^-asws said: ‘Inna Anzalnaah (Chapter 97) is Light with the Prophets^-as, and the successors^-as. They do not intend any need from the sky, nor from the earth, but they mention it, for that is the Light due to which they get (what they ask for). It is from the remembrance of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws from the needs…..(an extract).[48]

Two Types of Zikr:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ عَنِ الْأَصْبَغِ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ الصَّبْرُ صَبْرَانِ صَبْرٌ عِنْدَ الْمُصِيبَةِ حَسَنٌ جَمِيلٌ وَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الصَّبْرُ عِنْدَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عَلَيْكَ وَ الذِّكْرُ ذِكْرَانِ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ عِنْدَ الْمُصِيبَةِ وَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ذِكْرُ اللَّهِ عِنْدَ مَا حَرَّمَ عَلَيْكَ فَيَكُونُ حَاجِزاً .

Muhamad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Sinan, from Abu Al Jaroud, from Al Asbagh who said,

‘Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘The patience is of two (types of) patience – patience during the difficulties is good, beautiful; but (even) better than that is the patience during (abstaining from) what Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Prohibited upon you. And the Remembrance is of two (types) of Remembrances – The mentioning of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic during the difficulties; but (even) superior than that is the mentioning of Allah^-azwj during what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited upon you. Thus it (the patience) serves as a barrier’.[49]

Zikr in Front of Ignorant ones:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) الذَّاكِرُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْغَافِلِينَ كَالْمُقَاتِلِ فِي الْمُحَارِبِينَ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Al Husayn Bin Al Mukhtar,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘The Zakir (mentioner of Allah^-azwj) among the oblivious (unmindful) ones is like the fighter among the battling ones’.[50]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) ذَاكِرُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْغَافِلِينَ كَالْمُقَاتِلِ عَنِ الْفَارِّينَ وَ الْمُقَاتِلُ عَنِ الْفَارِّينَ لَهُ الْجَنَّةُ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Nowfaly, from Al Sakuny,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘A Zakir (mentioner) of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic among the oblivious ones is like the fighter from (among) the fleeing ones, and the reward for a fighter from (among) the fleeing ones is the Paradise’.[51]

Mentioning of fellow Momineen (in supplications):

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي عُبَيْدَةَ عَنْ ثُوَيْرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيَّ بْنَ الْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ إِذَا سَمِعُوا الْمُؤْمِنَ يَدْعُو لِأَخِيهِ الْمُؤْمِنِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَيْبِ أَوْ يَذْكُرُهُ بِخَيْرٍ قَالُوا نِعْمَ الْأَخُ أَنْتَ لِأَخِيكَ تَدْعُو لَهُ بِالْخَيْرِ وَ هُوَ غَائِبٌ عَنْكَ وَ تَذْكُرُهُ بِخَيْرٍ قَدْ أَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِثْلَيْ مَا سَأَلْتَ لَهُ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْكَ مِثْلَيْ مَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَكَ الْفَضْلُ عَلَيْهِ

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, altogether from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from Abu Ubeyda, from Suweys who said,

‘I heard Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws saying: ‘The Angels, when they hear the Momin supplicating for his brother in his absence, or mentioning him with goodness, they say, ‘You are a good brother for your brother, supplicating for him with the goodness while he is absent from you, and you are mentioning him with goodness. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic has Given you double the like of what you asked for him, and Lauded upon you double of what you lauded upon him, and for you is the merit over him’.

وَ إِذَا سَمِعُوهُ يَذْكُرُ أَخَاهُ بِسُوءٍ وَ يَدْعُو عَلَيْهِ قَالُوا لَهُ بِئْسَ الْأَخُ أَنْتَ لِأَخِيكَ كُفَّ أَيُّهَا الْمُسَتَّرُ عَلَى ذُنُوبِهِ وَ عَوْرَتِهِ وَ ارْبَعْ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَ احْمَدِ اللَّهَ الَّذِي سَتَرَ عَلَيْكَ وَ اعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَعْلَمُ بِعَبْدِهِ مِنْكَ .

And when they hear him mentioning his brother with evil and supplicating against him, they say to him, ‘You are an evil brother to your brother! Refrain, O you who is Veiled upon his sins and his private parts, and reduce the burden upon yourself, and Praise Allah^-azwj Who Veiled upon you, and know that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is more Knowing with His^-azwj servant than you are’’.[52]

To Have a Bird who does Zikr in the House:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ سَيْفِ بْنِ عَمِيرَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ مَنِ اتَّخَذَ فِي بَيْتِهِ طَيْراً فَلْيَتَّخِذْ وَرَشَاناً فَإِنَّهُ أَكْثَرُ شَيْئاً لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ أَكْثَرُ تَسْبِيحاً وَ هُوَ طَيْرٌ يُحِبُّنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ .

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Ismail Bin Mihran, from Sayf Bin Ameyra, from Abu Bakr Al hazramy,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The one who takes a bird to be in his house, so let him take a Al-Warshaan (wood-pigeon/wild pigeons) for it is a thing which frequents in the mentioning of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and frequents in Glorification, and it is a bird beloved to us^-asws the People^-asws of the Household’.^[53]

Angels join those who are in Zikr of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws:

عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ النَّخَعِيِّ عَمَّنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ إِنَّ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ الَّذِينَ فِي سَمَاءِ الدُّنْيَا لَيَطَّلِعُونَ عَلَى الْوَاحِدِ وَ الِاثْنَيْنِ وَ الثَّلَاثَةِ وَ هُمْ يَذْكُرُونَ فَضْلَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عليهم السلام) فَيَقُولُونَ أَ مَا تَرَوْنَ هَؤُلَاءِ فِي قِلَّتِهِمْ وَ كَثْرَةِ عَدُوِّهِمْ يَصِفُونَ فَضْلَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ (عليهم السلام) فَتَقُولُ الطَّائِفَةُ الْأُخْرَى مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ ذلِكَ فَضْلُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشاءُ وَ اللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ.

From him, from Ahmad, from Ali Bin Al-Mustawarad Al-Nakha’ie, from the one who reported it:

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said; ‘From the Angels who are in the sky of the world, they come to one, and two, and three when they are mentioning the virtues of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, so they say: ‘But did you see those in their scarcity (of numbers) and the abundance of their enemies, describing the virtues of the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww?’ So the other group of Angels say: “[62:4] That is Allah’s grace; He grants it to whom He pleases, and Allah is the Lord of mighty grace”.[54]

Masomeen^-asws have also urged us to focus on ‘today’ and make the best out of the day we live in – in our efforts to get close to Allah^-azwj, see two Ahadith for example, in Appendix III.

 APPENDIX I: Letter of Imam Al-Sadiq^-asws for Shias[55]

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ حَفْصٍ الْمُؤَذِّنِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام) وَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ بِهَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةِ إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ وَ أَمَرَهُمْ بِمُدَارَسَتِهَا وَ النَّظَرِ فِيهَا وَ تَعَاهُدِهَا وَ الْعَمَلِ بِهَا فَكَانُوا يَضَعُونَهَا فِي مَسَاجِدِ بُيُوتِهِمْ فَإِذَا فَرَغُوا مِنَ الصَّلَاةِ نَظَرُوا فِيهَا

Muhammad Ibn Yaqub Al-Kulayni has narrated that, ‘Narrated to me Ali Ibn Ibrahim from his father from Ibn FaddAl-from Hafs al-Mu’Adhdhin from Abu Abdullah^-asws as well as Muhammad Ibn ‘Ismail Ibn Bazi’ from Muhammad Ibn Sinan from ‘Ismail Ibn Jabir that –

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws, wrote this letter to his^-asws companions and commanded them to study it, ponder over it, and make a pact by it, and act in accordance with. They used to keep it in their places of Prayer in their homes. So when they were free from their Prayers, they would look into it’.

قَالَ وَ حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْكُوفِيِّ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ الصَّحَّافِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مَخْلَدٍ السَّرَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) قَالَ خَرَجَتْ هَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةُ مِنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (عليه السلام) إِلَى أَصْحَابِهِ

He said, ‘Narrated to me A-Hassan Ibn Muhammad, from Ja’far Ibn Muhammad Ibn Malik al-Kufiy from al-Qasim Ibn Al-Rabi’ Al-Sahhaf from ‘Ismail Ibn Mukhallad Al-Sarraj from Abu Abd Allah^-asws.

He said that, ‘I brought out this letter of Abu Abdullah^-asws to his^-asws companions –

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَاسْأَلُوا رَبَّكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالدَّعَةِ وَ الْوَقَارِ وَ السَّكِينَةِ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَيَاءِ وَ التَّنَزُّهِ عَمَّا تَنَزَّهَ عَنْهُ الصَّالِحُونَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمُجَامَلَةِ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ تَحَمَّلُوا الضَّيْمَ مِنْهُمْ وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ مُمَاظَّتَهُمْ دِينُوا فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ إِذَا أَنْتُمْ جَالَسْتُمُوهُمْ وَ خَالَطْتُمُوهُمْ وَ نَازَعْتُمُوهُمُ الْكَلَامَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لَكُمْ مِنْ مُجَالَسَتِهِمْ وَ مُخَالَطَتِهِمْ وَ مُنَازَعَتِهِمُ الْكَلَامَ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ الَّتِي أَمَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَأْخُذُوا بِهَا فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ

‘In the Name of Allah^-azwj, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Having said that, I^-asws ask your Lord^-azwj to grant you all good health. It is for you all to have tenderness, dignity and tranquillity, and it is for you to be bashful and keep yourselves clear, just as the righteous people before you have done. It is for you to be courteous with the people of falsehood. You will bear injustices from them, and beware of disputing with them in what is between you and them. When you sit with them, and are alone with them and argue your differences with them, there is no way out for you but to sit with them and be alone with them, and argue with them by the dissimulation which Allah^-azwj has Ordered you for, that you should take to it regarding what is between you and them.

فَإِذَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ بِذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ سَيُؤْذُونَكُمْ وَ تَعْرِفُونَ فِي وُجُوهِهِمُ الْمُنْكَرَ وَ لَوْ لَا أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يَدْفَعُهُمْ عَنْكُمْ لَسَطَوْا بِكُمْ وَ مَا فِي صُدُورِهِمْ مِنَ الْعَدَاوَةِ وَ الْبَغْضَاءِ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا يُبْدُونَ لَكُمْ مَجَالِسُكُمْ وَ مَجَالِسُهُمْ وَاحِدَةٌ وَ أَرْوَاحُكُمْ وَ أَرْوَاحُهُمْ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ لَا تَأْتَلِفُ لَا تُحِبُّونَهُمْ أَبَداً وَ لَا يُحِبُّونَكُمْ غَيْرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى أَكْرَمَكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَ بَصَّرَكُمُوهُ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ

So if you are tested with that from them, that they wish to harm you and you can recognise abhorrence in their faces, and if Allah^-azwj, the High does not Dispel them away from you, they would rob you. And what is in their chests of enmity and hatred is much more than what they display to you. Your gatherings and their gatherings are one and the same, but your spirits and their spirits are different. You will not reconcile with them and you will never love them, ever, and they will never love you as well. Surely Allah^-azwj the High has Honoured you all with the truth and Made you to visualise it, and did not Make them to be deserving of it.

فَتُجَامِلُونَهُمْ وَ تَصْبِرُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ هُمْ لَا مُجَامَلَةَ لَهُمْ وَ لَا صَبْرَ لَهُمْ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ حِيَلُهُمْ وَسْوَاسُ بَعْضِهِمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ فَإِنَّ أَعْدَاءَ اللَّهِ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْحَقِّ فَيَعْصِمُكُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ كُفُّوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ إِلَّا مِنْ خَيْرٍ وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تُزْلِقُوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ بِقَوْلِ الزُّورِ وَ الْبُهْتَانِ وَ الْإِثْمِ وَ الْعُدْوَانِ فَإِنَّكُمْ إِنْ كَفَفْتُمْ أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ عَمَّا يَكْرَهُهُ اللَّهُ مِمَّا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ كَانَ خَيْراً لَكُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ أَنْ تُزْلِقُوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ بِهِ فَإِنَّ زَلَقَ اللِّسَانِ فِيمَا يَكْرَهُ اللَّهُ وَ مَا يَنْهَى عَنْهُ

Be courteous to them and be patient with them, for they have no courtesy to you nor do they have patience over anything, and some of them are obsessed with tricking the others, for the enemies of Allah^-azwj have the ability to keep you from the truth. Allah^-azwj Protects you from that, so fear Allah^-azwj and hold back your tongues except from the good, and beware of letting your tongues to slip into speaking that which is false, and the slanderous, and the sinful, and the violation. So if you were to hold back your tongues from what is disliked by Allah^-azwj, from what He^-azwj has Forbidden you from, it would be better for you with your Lord^-azwj than letting your tongues slip into what is disliked by Him^-azwj and what He^-azwj has Prohibited you from.

مَرْدَاةٌ لِلْعَبْدِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ مَقْتٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ صَمٌّ وَ عَمًى وَ بَكَمٌ يُورِثُهُ اللَّهُ إِيَّاهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَتَصِيرُوا كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لا يَرْجِعُونَ يَعْنِي لَا يَنْطِقُونَ وَ لا يُؤْذَنُ لَهُمْ فَيَعْتَذِرُونَ وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ مَا نَهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنْ تَرْكَبُوهُ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالصَّمْتِ إِلَّا فِيمَا يَنْفَعُكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ أَمْرِ آخِرَتِكُمْ وَ يَأْجُرُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ

There is destruction for the servant, with Allah^-azwj, and Repugnance from Allah^-azwj, and there will be deafness, and blindness, and muteness which Allah^-azwj will Make him to inherit on the Day of Judgement. So they will become just as Allah^-azwj has said: “[2:18] Deaf, dumb (and) blind, so they will not turn back”, it means that they will not be speaking and will not have the Permission to present their excuses. And beware from what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited you from doing, and it is for you to remain silent except with regards to what Allah^-azwj has Benefited you with the matters of your Hereafter and be Rewarded by Him^-azwj.

وَ أَكْثِرُوا مِنَ التَّهْلِيلِ وَ التَّقْدِيسِ وَ التَّسْبِيحِ وَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ التَّضَرُّعِ إِلَيْهِ وَ الرَّغْبَةِ فِيمَا عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ الَّذِي لَا يَقْدِرُ قَدْرَهُ وَ لَا يَبْلُغُ كُنْهَهُ أَحَدٌ فَاشْغَلُوا أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ بِذَلِكَ عَمَّا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ مِنْ أَقَاوِيلِ الْبَاطِلِ الَّتِي تُعْقِبُ أَهْلَهَا خُلُوداً فِي النَّارِ مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَيْهَا وَ لَمْ يَتُبْ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ لَمْ يَنْزِعْ عَنْهَا

And be frequent in Extolling His^-azwj Holiness, and Glorification, and the Praising to Allah^-azwj, and the desires for what is with Him^-azwj from the Good which cannot be estimated, nor can anyone reach it (imagine), so occupy your tongues with that in order to avoid the false speech which would lead its owners to an eternity in the Fire for the one who dies upon it and does not repent to Allah^-azwj, and does not keep away from it.

وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ لَمْ يُدْرِكُوا نَجَاحَ الْحَوَائِجِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ بِأَفْضَلَ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ وَ الرَّغْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ وَ التَّضَرُّعِ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ لَهُ فَارْغَبُوا فِيمَا رَغَّبَكُمُ اللَّهُ فِيهِ وَ أَجِيبُوا اللَّهَ إِلَى مَا دَعَاكُمْ إِلَيْهِ لِتُفْلِحُوا وَ تَنْجُوا مِنْ عَذَابِ اللَّهِ

And it is for you to supplicate, for the Muslims cannot be successful in the fulfilment of their wishes with their Lord^-azwj by any means higher than supplication and desiring from Him^-azwj, and appealing to Allah^-azwj, and the asking from Him^-azwj. So be desirous in what you request to Allah^-azwj so that He^-azwj would Answer you to what you have supplicated to Him^-azwj in order to be successful and be saved from the Punishment of Allah^-azwj.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تَشْرَهَ أَنْفُسُكُمْ إِلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِمَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنِ انْتَهَكَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ هَاهُنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَالَ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَ نَعِيمِهَا وَ لَذَّتِهَا وَ كَرَامَتِهَا الْقَائِمَةِ الدَّائِمَةِ لِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ أَبَدَ الْآبِدِينَ

And beware of being greedy for yourselves to something from what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited to you. For the one who violates what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited to him here in the world, Allah^-azwj would Place a block between him and the Paradise, and its Bounties, and its enjoyments, and its Prestige which will stand for all eternity for the inhabitants of the Paradise, for ever and ever.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ بِئْسَ الْحَظُّ الْخَطَرُ لِمَنْ خَاطَرَ اللَّهَ بِتَرْكِ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ رُكُوبِ مَعْصِيَتِهِ فَاخْتَارَ أَنْ يَنْتَهِكَ مَحَارِمَ اللَّهِ فِي لَذَّاتِ دُنْيَا مُنْقَطِعَةٍ زَائِلَةٍ عَنْ أَهْلِهَا عَلَى خُلُودِ نَعِيمٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ وَ لَذَّاتِهَا وَ كَرَامَةِ أَهْلِهَا

And know that it is an evil misfortune for the one who takes the risk of endangering the obedience to Allah^-azwj the Blessed, and to be disobedient to Him^-azwj. So the choosing to violate what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited from the pleasures of the world would cut its people off from the eternal-Bliss in the Paradise, and its pleasures, and the prestige of its inhabitants.

وَيْلٌ لِأُولَئِكَ مَا أَخْيَبَ حَظَّهُمْ وَ أَخْسَرَ كَرَّتَهُمْ وَ أَسْوَأَ حَالَهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ اسْتَجِيرُوا اللَّهَ أَنْ يُجِيرَكُمْ فِي مِثَالِهِمْ أَبَداً وَ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَكُمْ بِمَا ابْتَلَاهُمْ بِهِ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ لَنَا وَ لَكُمْ إِلَّا بِهِ فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ النَّاجِيَةُ إِنْ أَتَمَّ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ مَا أَعْطَاكُمْ بِهِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَتِمُّ الْأَمْرُ حَتَّى يَدْخُلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِثْلُ الَّذِي دَخَلَ عَلَى الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَ حَتَّى تُبْتَلَوْا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ وَ أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَ حَتَّى تَسْمَعُوا مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ أَذًى كَثِيراً

Woe be unto those! What a frustration they will face when they lose, and evil would be their condition with their Lord^-azwj on the Day of Judgement. Seek Refuge with Allah^-azwj that He^-azwj would Protect you from being in a situation similar to theirs forever, and be in afflictions like their afflictions.

And there is no Might with us^-asws or with you except by Him^-azwj. So, fear Allah^-azwj, O group of saved people, that Allah^-azwj will Complete for you what He^-azwj has Granted you with, for the matter will not be complete until He^-azwj Makes you to enter into similar of what came upon the righteous ones before you, and until you face tribulation with regards to yourselves and your wealth, and until you hear from the enemies of Allah^-azwj, a lot of painful words.

فَتَصْبِرُوا وَ تَعْرُكُوا بِجُنُوبِكُمْ وَ حَتَّى يَسْتَذِلُّوكُمْ وَ يُبْغِضُوكُمْ وَ حَتَّى يُحَمِّلُوا عَلَيْكُمُ الضَّيْمَ فَتَحَمَّلُوا مِنْهُمْ تَلْتَمِسُونَ بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ وَ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ وَ حَتَّى تَكْظِمُوا الْغَيْظَ الشَّدِيدَ فِي الْأَذَى فِي اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَجْتَرِمُونَهُ إِلَيْكُمْ وَ حَتَّى يُكَذِّبُوكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَ يُعَادُوكُمْ فِيهِ وَ يُبْغِضُوكُمْ عَلَيْهِ

So, observe patience and take it in your stride, and even if they humiliate you, and hate you, and even if they burden you with injustices. So bear these from them, seeking by that the Face of Allah^-azwj and the House of the Hereafter, and until you control your intense anger in the suffering for the sake of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic. They will incriminate you, and even belie you about the truth, and be inimical towards you with regards to it, and be hateful towards you.

فَتَصْبِرُوا عَلَى ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ وَ مِصْدَاقُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلَهُ جَبْرَئِيلُ ( عليه السلام ) عَلَى نَبِيِّكُمْ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) سَمِعْتُمْ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِنَبِيِّكُمْ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَاصْبِرْ كَما صَبَرَ أُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَ لا تَسْتَعْجِلْ لَهُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ وَ إِنْ يُكَذِّبُوكَ فَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ

So, observe patience on that from them, and all that has been Ratified in the Book of Allah^-azwj which Jibraeel^-as Descended with upon your Prophet^-saww, getting your Prophet^-saww to hear the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic: “[46:35] Therefore bear up patiently as did the messengers endowed with constancy bear up with patience and do not seek to hasten for them (their doom).” Then He^-azwj Said: “[35:4] And if they call you a liar, truly messengers before you were called liars”.

فَصَبَرُوا عَلى ما كُذِّبُوا وَ أُوذُوا فَقَدْ كُذِّبَ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ وَ الرُّسُلُ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ وَ أُوذُوا مَعَ التَّكْذِيبِ بِالْحَقِّ فَإِنْ سَرَّكُمْ أَمْرُ اللَّهِ فِيهِمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُمْ لَهُ فِي الْأَصْلِ [أَصْلِ الْخَلْقِ] مِنَ الْكُفْرِ الَّذِي سَبَقَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ لَهُ فِي الْأَصْلِ وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ سَمَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ فِي قَوْلِهِ وَ جَعَلْنَا مِنْهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ

So observe patience on what they lie about and hurt you with, for they had belied the Prophet^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and the Messengers^-as from before him^-saww, and hurt them along with the denial of the truth. And if you are happy with the Commands of Allah^-azwj regarding them^-asws whom Allah^-azwj Created for Himself^-azwj in the Beginning (beginning of the creation), from the infidelity which has preceded in the Knowledge of Allah^-azwj that He^-azwj Created them in the origin and the ones whom Allah^-azwj has Named in His^-azwj book in His^-azwj Words: “[28:41] And We made them Imams who call to the fire”.

فَتَدَبَّرُوا هَذَا وَ اعْقِلُوهُ وَ لَا تَجْهَلُوهُ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ يَجْهَلْ هَذَا وَ أَشْبَاهَهُ مِمَّا افْتَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِمَّا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَ نَهَى عَنْهُ تَرَكَ دِينَ اللَّهِ وَ رَكِبَ مَعَاصِيَهُ فَاسْتَوْجَبَ سَخَطَ اللَّهِ فَأَكَبَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي النَّارِ

So, ponder over this and hold on to it, and do not be ignorant of it, for the one who is ignorant of this and the like of this which Allah^-azwj has Made to be Obligatory in His^-azwj Book from what Allah^-azwj has Ordered for and Prohibited from, has disregarded the Religion of Allah^-azwj and became disobedient to Him^-azwj. Therefore he has necessitated (upon himself) the Outrage of Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj will Fling him into the Fire on his face’.

وَ قَالَ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ الْمَرْحُومَةُ الْمُفْلِحَةُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَتَمَّ لَكُمْ مَا آتَاكُمْ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ عِلْمِ اللَّهِ وَ لَا مِنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ فِي دِينِهِ بِهَوًى وَ لَا رَأْيٍ وَ لَا مَقَايِيسَ قَدْ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ الْقُرْآنَ وَ جَعَلَ فِيهِ تِبْيَانَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ جَعَلَ لِلْقُرْآنِ وَ لِتَعَلُّمِ الْقُرْآنِ أَهْلًا لَا يَسَعُ أَهْلَ عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ الَّذِينَ آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عِلْمَهُ أَنْ يَأْخُذُوا فِيهِ بِهَوًى وَ لَا رَأْيٍ وَ لَا مَقَايِيسَ أَغْنَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ بِمَا آتَاهُمْ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ وَ خَصَّهُمْ بِهِ وَ وَضَعَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ كَرَامَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ أَكْرَمَهُمْ بِهَا

And he^-asws said: ‘O you group of Blessed ones, the victorious ones! Surely, Allah^-azwj Completed for you what He^-azwj Granted you all from the good, and know that it is not from the Knowledge of Allah^-azwj, nor from His^-azwj Commands that anyone from the creatures of Allah^-azwj, should take to opinions or analogies regarding his Religion. Allah^-azwj Has Sent down the Quran and Made to be in it an explanation of all things, and Assigned for the Quran and the teaching of the Quran, its People^-asws.

There is no leeway for the People^-asws of knowledge of the Quran whom^-asws Allah^-azwj had Given to them of its Knowledge, that they^-asws should take to desires, or opinions, or analogies with regards to it. Allah^-azwj has Made them^-asws to be needless from that by what He^-azwj has Given them^-asws from His^-azwj Knowledge, and Specialised them^-asws by it, and Placed in it Prestige from Allah^-azwj to Honour them^-asws by.

وَ هُمْ أَهْلُ الذِّكْرِ الَّذِينَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةَ بِسُؤَالِهِمْ وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ مَنْ سَأَلَهُمْ وَ قَدْ سَبَقَ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ أَنْ يُصَدِّقَهُمْ وَ يَتَّبِعَ أَثَرَهُمْ أَرْشَدُوهُ وَ أَعْطَوْهُ مِنْ عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ مَا يَهْتَدِي بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَ إِلَى جَمِيعِ سُبُلِ الْحَقِّ

And they^-asws are the People^-asws of the Remembrance (Ahl Al-Zikr) whom Allah^-azwj has Ordered the people to ask them^-asws, and they^-asws are the ones^-asws to be asked. And it has preceded in the Knowledge of Allah^-azwj that they should ratify them^-asws, and follow their^-asws footsteps. He^-azwj Guided them^-asws, and Gave them^-asws the Knowledge of the Quran with which they^-asws guide (others) to Allah^-azwj by His^-azwj Permission, and to all the ways that are the truth.

وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْغَبُ عَنْهُمْ وَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَتِهِمْ وَ عَنْ عِلْمِهِمُ الَّذِي أَكْرَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَ جَعَلَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ سَبَقَ عَلَيْهِ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ الشَّقَاءُ فِي أَصْلِ الْخَلْقِ تَحْتَ الْأَظِلَّةِ

And they^-asws are the ones^-asws that He^-azwj does not Want them to be released from asking them^-asws, and from being taught by them^-asws which Allah^-azwj has Honoured them^-asws with and Made it to be with them^-asws, except for the one who has preceded in the Knowledge of Allah^-azwj, as being the miserable one in the origin of the creation underneath the shadow.

فَأُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَرْغَبُونَ عَنْ سُؤَالِ أَهْلِ الذِّكْرِ وَ الَّذِينَ آتَاهُمُ اللَّهُ عِلْمَ الْقُرْآنِ وَ وَضَعَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ وَ أَمَرَ بِسُؤَالِهِمْ وَ أُولَئِكَ الَّذِينَ يَأْخُذُونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ وَ آرَائِهِمْ وَ مَقَايِيسِهِمْ حَتَّى دَخَلَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ لِأَنَّهُمْ جَعَلُوا أَهْلَ الْإِيمَانِ فِي عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ كَافِرِينَ وَ جَعَلُوا أَهْلَ الضَّلَالَةِ فِي عِلْمِ الْقُرْآنِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مُؤْمِنِينَ وَ حَتَّى جَعَلُوا مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ حَرَاماً وَ جَعَلُوا مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ حَلَالًا

So these are the ones who turn away from asking the People^-asws of the Remembrance (Ahl Al-Zikr) and the ones^-asws to whom Allah^-azwj has Granted the Knowledge of the Quran and Placed it in their^-asws possession, and Ordered for asking them^-asws.

These are the ones who act on their desires, and their opinions, and their analogies to the extent that Satan^-la enters them[56], (as a result) they (try) to revert the believing people, in the Knowledge of the Quran with Allah^-azwj, as disbelievers, and try to make the misguided people, in the Knowledge of the Quran with Allah^-azwj, as believer, but to the extent that they declare what Allah^-azwj has Made Permissible, in many matters as being prohibited, and pronounce what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited, in many matters as being permissible.

فَذَلِكَ أَصْلُ ثَمَرَةِ أَهْوَائِهِمْ وَ قَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ فَقَالُوا نَحْنُ بَعْدَ مَا قَبَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رَسُولَهُ يَسَعُنَا أَنْ نَأْخُذَ بِمَا اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ رَأْيُ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ مَا قَبَضَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رَسُولَهُ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ بَعْدَ عَهْدِهِ الَّذِي عَهِدَهُ إِلَيْنَا وَ أَمَرَنَا بِهِ مُخَالِفاً لِلَّهِ وَ لِرَسُولِهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله)

So this is the origin of the fruit of their desires. And the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj had taken an oath from them before his^-saww passing away. So they said, ‘After Allah^-azwj Captures His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, we have the leeway of taking to the consensus of the opinions of the people. After Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Captured His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, and after his^-saww oath which he^-saww took from us^-asws, and ordered us^-asws by, they opposed Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Messenger^-saww.

فَمَا أَحَدٌ أَجْرَأَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ لَا أَبْيَنَ ضَلَالَةً مِمَّنْ أَخَذَ بِذَلِكَ وَ زَعَمَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ يَسَعُهُ وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِلَّهِ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ أَنْ يُطِيعُوهُ وَ يَتَّبِعُوا أَمْرَهُ فِي حَيَاةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِ هَلْ يَسْتَطِيعُ أُولَئِكَ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَزْعُمُوا أَنَّ أَحَداً مِمَّنْ أَسْلَمَ مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَخَذَ بِقَوْلِهِ وَ رَأْيِهِ وَ مَقَايِيسِهِ فَإِنْ قَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَدْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيداً وَ إِنْ قَالَ لَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِأَحَدٍ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ بِرَأْيِهِ وَ هَوَاهُ وَ مَقَايِيسِهِ فَقَدْ أَقَرَّ بِالْحُجَّةِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ هُوَ مِمَّنْ يَزْعُمُ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُطَاعُ وَ يُتَّبَعُ أَمْرُهُ بَعْدَ قَبْضِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله)

So what is more audacious to Allah^-azwj, nor any clear misguidance from the one who takes to that, and alleges that it gives him the leeway to do it? By Allah^-azwj, surely Allah^-azwj has Obligated His^-azwj creatures that they should obey Him^-azwj, and follow His^-azwj Commands during the lifetime of Muhammad^-saww, and after his^-saww passing away.

Can those enemies of Allah^-azwj who are alleging that anyone who became a Muslim with Muhammad^-saww, can take to (follow) his own words, and his own opinions, and his own analogies? But if he says, ‘Yes, then, surely, he has lied to Allah^-azwj and has strayed a far straying, and if he says, ‘No, it is not for anyone that he should take to his opinions, and his desires, and his analogies’, so he has argued against himself, and he is from the ones who allege that Allah^-azwj has to be Obeyed, and His^-azwj Orders to be followed after the passing away of the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj.

وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ وَ قَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ وَ ما مُحَمَّدٌ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ أَ فَإِنْ ماتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ انْقَلَبْتُمْ عَلى أَعْقابِكُمْ وَ مَنْ يَنْقَلِبْ عَلى عَقِبَيْهِ فَلَنْ يَضُرَّ اللَّهَ شَيْئاً وَ سَيَجْزِي اللَّهُ الشَّاكِرِينَ وَ ذَلِكَ لِتَعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُطَاعُ وَ يُتَّبَعُ أَمْرُهُ فِي حَيَاةِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ بَعْدَ قَبْضِ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّداً ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ كَمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَعَ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَنْ يَأْخُذَ بِهَوَاهُ وَ لَا رَأْيِهِ وَ لَا مَقَايِيسِهِ خِلَافاً لِأَمْرِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) فَكَذَلِكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَنْ يَأْخُذَ بِهَوَاهُ وَ لَا رَأْيِهِ وَ لَا مَقَايِيسِهِ

Allah^-azwj has said, and His^-azwj words are true: “[3:144] And Muhammad is no more than a messenger; the messengers have already passed away before him; if then he dies or is killed will you turn back upon your heels? And whoever turns back upon his heels, he will by no means do harm to Allah in the least and Allah will reward the grateful”, and that is something which they knew that Allah^-azwj is to be obeyed and His^-azwj Commands are to be followed during the lifetime of Muhammad^-saww, and (as well as) after Allah^-azwj had Made Muhammad^-saww to pass away. And if it was not for anyone from the people who were with Muhammad^-saww that they would take to their own desires, and their opinions, and their analogies in opposition to the orders of Muhammad^-saww, so similarly it is not for anyone from the people after Muhammad^-saww that they would take to their own desires, and their opinions, and their analogies’.

وَ قَالَ دَعُوا رَفْعَ أَيْدِيكُمْ فِي الصَّلَاةِ إِلَّا مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً حِينَ تُفْتَتَحُ الصَّلَاةُ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ شَهَرُوكُمْ بِذَلِكَ وَ اللَّهُ الْمُسْتَعَانُ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

And he^-asws said: ‘Leave the raising of your hands in the Prayer except for the one time when you open the Prayer, for the people have publicised you all by that[57], and Allah^-azwj is the Helper, and there is no Might and there is no Power except by Allah^-azwj’.

وَ قَالَ أَكْثِرُوا مِنْ أَنْ تَدْعُوا اللَّهَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنْ يَدْعُوهُ وَ قَدْ وَعَدَ اللَّهُ عِبَادَهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالِاسْتِجَابَةِ وَ اللَّهُ مُصَيِّرٌ دُعَاءَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَهُمْ عَمَلًا يَزِيدُهُمْ بِهِ فِي الْجَنَّةِ فَأَكْثِرُوا ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فِي كُلِّ سَاعَةٍ مِنْ سَاعَاتِ اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ بِكَثْرَةِ الذِّكْرِ لَهُ وَ اللَّهُ ذَاكِرٌ لِمَنْ ذَكَرَهُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَذْكُرْهُ أَحَدٌ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِلَّا ذَكَرَهُ بِخَيْرٍ

And he^-asws said: ‘Supplicate frequently to Allah^-azwj for Allah^-azwj Loves the ones from the believing servants that they should supplicate to Him^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj has Promised the believing servants for the Answering, and Allah^-azwj has Destined the supplications of the Believers, on the Day of Judgement, to increase their deeds by it in the Paradise. So, frequently remember Allah^-azwj in accordance with your abilities in every hour of the hours of the night and the day, for Allah^-azwj has Ordered for frequent Remembrance (Al-Zikr) to Him^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj Remembers the one who remembers Him^-azwj from the Believers. And know, that Allah^-azwj never Remembers anyone from His^-azwj believing servant except Remembering him with Goodness.

فَأَعْطُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمُ الِاجْتِهَادَ فِي طَاعَتِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُدْرَكُ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ اجْتِنَابِ مَحَارِمِهِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فِي ظَاهِرِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ بَاطِنِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى قَالَ فِي كِتَابِهِ وَ قَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ وَ ذَرُوا ظاهِرَ الْإِثْمِ وَ باطِنَهُ

So give Allah^-azwj from yourselves, the struggle in obedience to Him^-azwj, for Allah^-azwj does not Accept anything from the good with Him^-azwj except by obedience to Him^-azwj, and the avoidance of His^-azwj Prohibitions which Allah^-azwj has Prohibited in the apparent of the Quran and in its hidden. Allah^-azwj Blessed and High has Said in His^-azwj Book, and His^-azwj Words are True: “[6:120] And abandon open and secret sin”.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ أَنْ تَجْتَنِبُوهُ فَقَدْ حَرَّمَهُ وَ اتَّبِعُوا آثَارَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ سُنَّتَهُ فَخُذُوا بِهَا وَ لَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَكُمْ وَ آرَاءَكُمْ فَتَضِلُّوا فَإِنَّ أَضَلَّ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ وَ رَأْيَهُ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ

And know that whatever Allah^-azwj has Ordered you to avoid, so He^-azwj has Prohibited it, and follow the footsteps of the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj, and his^-saww Sunnah, so adhere to it and do not follow your own desires, and your opinions, for you will go astray. The most misguided of the people with Allah^-azwj is the one who follows his own desires and his opinion without (following the) Guidance from Allah^-azwj.

وَ أَحْسِنُوا إِلَى أَنْفُسِكُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَ إِنْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ وَ إِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَها وَ جَامِلُوا النَّاسَ وَ لَا تَحْمِلُوهُمْ عَلَى رِقَابِكُمْ تَجْمَعُوا مَعَ ذَلِكَ طَاعَةَ رَبِّكُمْ وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ سَبَّ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ حَيْثُ يَسْمَعُونَكُمْ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْواً بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَ قَدْ يَنْبَغِي لَكُمْ أَنْ تَعْلَمُوا حَدَّ سَبِّهِمْ لِلَّهِ كَيْفَ هُوَ إِنَّهُ مَنْ سَبَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ فَقَدِ انْتَهَكَ سَبَّ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ أَظْلَمُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِمَّنِ اسْتَسَبَّ لِلَّهِ وَ لِأَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ فَمَهْلًا مَهْلًا فَاتَّبِعُوا أَمْرَ اللَّهِ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

And do good for yourselves in accordance with your abilities, for if you do good, it would be for your own selves, and if you violate, it would be against your own selves. And intermingle with the people and do not burden them upon your necks, including along with that the obedience to your Lord^-azwj. And beware of insulting the enemies of Allah^-azwj when they are listening to you, for the enemies will insult Allah^-azwj without awareness, and it is better that you should know the penalty of insulting Allah^-azwj and what it is.

He who has insulted the friends of Allah^-azwj is like he has insulted Allah^-azwj. And the one who is the most unjust with Allah^-azwj is the one who insults Allah^-azwj and the friends of Allah^-azwj, so don’t do it, don’t do it. Follow the Commands of Allah^-azwj. There is no Might, and no Power except by Allah^-azwj’.

وَ قَالَ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ الْحَافِظُ اللَّهُ لَهُمْ أَمْرَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ بِآثَارِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ سُنَّتِهِ وَ آثَارِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَاةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ سُنَّتِهِمْ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ أَخَذَ بِذَلِكَ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَى وَ مَنْ تَرَكَ ذَلِكَ وَ رَغِبَ عَنْهُ ضَلَّ لِأَنَّهُمْ هُمُ الَّذِينَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِطَاعَتِهِمْ وَ وَلَايَتِهِمْ

And he^-asws said: ‘O you group for whom Allah^-azwj has Protected for them their affairs! It is for you to follow the footsteps of the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj and his^-saww Sunnah, and the footsteps of the Imams^-asws of Guidance from the People^-asws of the Household of the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj from after him^-saww and their^-asws Sunnah. So the one who takes to that has been guided, and the one who avoided that and abandoned it, went astray, because they^-asws are the ones^-asws for whom Allah^-azwj Commanded (the people) to be obedient to, and for their^-asws Wilayah.

وَ قَدْ قَالَ أَبُونَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) الْمُدَاوَمَةُ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ فِي اتِّبَاعِ الْآثَارِ وَ السُّنَنِ وَ إِنْ قَلَّ أَرْضَى لِلَّهِ وَ أَنْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ فِي الْعَاقِبَةِ مِنَ الِاجْتِهَادِ فِي الْبِدَعِ وَ اتِّبَاعِ الْأَهْوَاءِ أَلَا إِنَّ اتِّبَاعَ الْأَهْوَاءِ وَ اتِّبَاعَ الْبِدَعِ بِغَيْرِ هُدًى مِنَ اللَّهِ ضَلَالٌ وَ كُلُّ ضَلَالَةٍ بِدْعَةٌ وَ كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ فِي النَّارِ وَ لَنْ يُنَالَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ الصَّبْرِ وَ الرِّضَا لِأَنَّ الصَّبْرَ وَ الرِّضَا مِنْ طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ

And our^-asws father^-asws the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj has said: ‘The continuation upon the deeds in the following of the footsteps and the Sunnah, even though they may be little, is more Pleasing to Allah^-azwj and beneficial with Him^-azwj in the Rewards, than the struggle in the ‘Biddah) heresy, and the desires. Indeed, the following of the desires, and the following of the heresies (innovations) without Guidance from Allah^-azwj is misguidance, and every misguidance is heresy, and every heretic will be in the Fire. And nothing can be achieved from the good with Allah^-azwj except by being obedient to Him^-azwj, and the patience and being agreeable, because the patience and being agreeable is from the obedience to Allah^-azwj.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَنْ يُؤْمِنَ عَبْدٌ مِنْ عَبِيدِهِ حَتَّى يَرْضَى عَنِ اللَّهِ فِيمَا صَنَعَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ وَ صَنَعَ بِهِ عَلَى مَا أَحَبَّ وَ كَرِهَ وَ لَنْ يَصْنَعَ اللَّهُ بِمَنْ صَبَرَ وَ رَضِيَ عَنِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا مَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ وَ هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِمَّا أَحَبَّ وَ كَرِهَ

And know, that a servant from the servants has not believed until he is happy with Allah^-azwj with regards to whatever Allah^-azwj has Done for him, and what he has done for Him^-azwj in accordance with what He^-azwj Likes and Dislikes. And Allah^-azwj does not Do with the one who is patient and happy with Allah^-azwj except that which he is deserving of, and that which is better for him, from what he likes or dislikes.

وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ وَ الصَّلَاةِ الْوُسْطَى وَ قُومُوا لِلَّهِ قانِتِينَ كَمَا أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ

And it is for you to “[2:238] Attend constantly to prayers and to the middle prayer and stand up truly obedient to Allah”, just as Allah^-azwj has Commanded the Believers in His^-azwj Book which is in front of you.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِحُبِّ الْمَسَاكِينِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ حَقَّرَهُمْ وَ تَكَبَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَدْ زَلَّ عَنْ دِينِ اللَّهِ وَ اللَّهُ لَهُ حَاقِرٌ مَاقِتٌ وَ قَدْ قَالَ أَبُونَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) أَمَرَنِي رَبِّي بِحُبِّ الْمَسَاكِينِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْهُمْ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ مَنْ حَقَّرَ أَحَداً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَلْقَى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ الْمَقْتَ مِنْهُ وَ الْمَحْقَرَةَ حَتَّى يَمْقُتَهُ النَّاسُ وَ اللَّهُ لَهُ أَشَدُّ مَقْتاً

And beware, and it is for you to love the poor Muslims, for the one who considers them to be lowly due to his own arrogance, has slipped from the Religion of Allah^-azwj, and Allah^-azwj has for him (a situation of) lowliness and hate. And the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj has said: ‘My^-saww Lord^-azwj has Commanded me^-saww to love the poor among the Muslims’. And know, that the one who belittles anyone from the Muslims will meet Allah^-azwj having Hatred towards him and lowliness from Him^-azwj to the extent that the people will hate him and Allah^-azwj will have intense Hatred towards him.

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ فِي إِخْوَانِكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ الْمَسَاكِينِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ حَقّاً أَنْ تُحِبُّوهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ رَسُولَهُ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) بِحُبِّهِمْ فَمَنْ لَمْ يُحِبَّ مَنْ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِحُبِّهِ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ مَنْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ مَاتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ مَاتَ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ

Fear Allah^-azwj with regards to your brothers who are poor Muslims, for they have a right over you that you should love them. Allah^-azwj Commanded His^-azwj Messenger^-saww to love them, so the one who does not love the one whom Allah^-azwj has Commanded to love, so he has disobeyed Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, and the one who disobeys Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Messenger^-saww and dies upon that, would have died whilst being from the misguided ones.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْعَظَمَةَ وَ الْكِبْرَ فَإِنَّ الْكِبْرَ رِدَاءُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمَنْ نَازَعَ اللَّهَ رِدَاءَهُ خَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَ أَذَلَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

And beware of (considering for yourself) greatness and arrogance, for the Arrogance is the Robe of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, so the one who disputed with Allah^-azwj for His^-azwj Robe, Allah^-azwj will Reduce him and Disgrace him on the Day of Judgement.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ يَبْغِيَ بَعْضُكُمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فَإِنَّهَا لَيْسَتْ مِنْ خِصَالِ الصَّالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ بَغَى صَيَّرَ اللَّهُ بَغْيَهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ صَارَتْ نُصْرَةُ اللَّهِ لِمَنْ بُغِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ نَصَرَهُ اللَّهُ غَلَبَ وَ أَصَابَ الظَّفَرَ مِنَ اللَّهِ

And beware of injustices of some of you against the others, for it is not from the characteristics of the righteous. The one who is unjust, Allah^-azwj will Turn his injustice against his own self, and Make His^-azwj Help to be for the one who he was unjust to, and the one whom Allah^-azwj Helps will overcome and be of the group of winners from Allah^-azwj.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ يَحْسُدَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً فَإِنَّ الْكُفْرَ أَصْلُهُ الْحَسَدُ

And beware of the envying of some of you against the others, for the disbelief is the origin of the envy.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تُعِينُوا عَلَى مُسْلِمٍ مَظْلُومٍ فَيَدْعُوَ اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ يُسْتَجَابَ لَهُ فِيكُمْ فَإِنَّ أَبَانَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ دَعْوَةَ الْمُسْلِمِ الْمَظْلُومِ مُسْتَجَابَةٌ وَ لْيُعِنْ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً فَإِنَّ أَبَانَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ مَعُونَةَ الْمُسْلِمِ خَيْرٌ وَ أَعْظَمُ أَجْراً مِنْ صِيَامِ شَهْرٍ وَ اعْتِكَافِهِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ

And beware of helping against an oppressed Muslim, for he would supplicate to Allah^-azwj against you and He^-azwj would Answer him regarding you. Our^-asws forefather^-saww the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj used to say that: ‘The supplication of an oppressed Muslims gets Answered’.  And help each other, for our^-asws forefather^-saww, the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj used to say that: ‘Helping a Muslim is better and greater in Reward than the Fasting for a month, and seclusion (Al-I’tikaaf) in the Masjid Al-Haraam (The Sacred Masjid).

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ إِعْسَارَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ إِخْوَانِكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَنْ تُعْسِرُوهُ بِالشَّيْ‏ءِ يَكُونُ لَكُمْ قِبَلَهُ وَ هُوَ مُعْسِرٌ فَإِنَّ أَبَانَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) كَانَ يَقُولُ لَيْسَ لِمُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يُعْسِرَ مُسْلِماً وَ مَنْ أَنْظَرَ مُعْسِراً أَظَلَّهُ اللَّهُ بِظِلِّهِ يَوْمَ لَا ظِلَّ إِلَّا ظِلُّهُ

And beware of creating difficulties for anyone from your Muslim brothers if he owes you anything from before and he is insolvent, for our^-asws forefather the Messenger^-saww of Allah^-azwj used to say: ‘It is not for a Muslim to make difficulties for a Muslim, and the one who is considerate to the insolvent will be Shaded by Allah^-azwj by a shade on the Day in which there will no shade except for His^-azwj Shade’.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ الْمَرْحُومَةُ الْمُفَضَّلَةُ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهَا وَ حَبْسَ حُقُوقِ اللَّهِ قِبَلَكُمْ يَوْماً بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ وَ سَاعَةً بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ عَجَّلَ حُقُوقَ اللَّهِ قِبَلَهُ كَانَ اللَّهُ أَقْدَرَ عَلَى التَّعْجِيلِ لَهُ إِلَى مُضَاعَفَةِ الْخَيْرِ فِي الْعَاجِلِ وَ الْآجِلِ وَ إِنَّهُ مَنْ أَخَّرَ حُقُوقَ اللَّهِ قِبَلَهُ كَانَ اللَّهُ أَقْدَرَ عَلَى تَأْخِيرِ رِزْقِهِ وَ مَنْ حَبَسَ اللَّهُ رِزْقَهُ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ أَنْ يَرْزُقَ نَفْسَهُ فَأَدُّوا إِلَى اللَّهِ حَقَّ مَا رَزَقَكُمْ يُطَيِّبِ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ بَقِيَّتَهُ وَ يُنْجِزْ لَكُمْ مَا وَعَدَكُمْ مِنْ مُضَاعَفَتِهِ لَكُمُ الْأَضْعَافَ الْكَثِيرَةَ الَّتِي لَا يَعْلَمُ عَدَدَهَا وَ لَا كُنْهَ فَضْلِهَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

And beware, O group under the Mercy and preferred ones over the others, of withholding the Rights of Allah^-azwj before you, day after day and hour after hour, for the one who makes haste in (giving) the Rights of Allah^-azwj which are in front of him, then Allah^-azwj has the Power over the Hastening to him for the multiplication of the good, either immediately or later on.  And the one who delays the Rights of Allah^-azwj, then Allah^-azwj has the Power over Delaying his sustenance, and the one from whom Allah^-azwj Withholds his sustenance, he would not have the ability to sustain himself. So give to Allah^-azwj the Right from what He^-azwj has Granted you so that He^-azwj would Purify for you the remainder of it, and Complete for you from the Multiplication for you, the excessive Multiplication, the count of which is not known to any but Him^-azwj, or its virtues, the Lord^-azwj of the Worlds’.

وَ قَالَ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ وَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ مِنْكُمْ مُحْرِجُ الْإِمَامِ فَإِنَّ مُحْرِجَ الْإِمَامِ هُوَ الَّذِي يَسْعَى بِأَهْلِ الصَّلَاحِ مِنْ أَتْبَاعِ الْإِمَامِ الْمُسَلِّمِينَ لِفَضْلِهِ الصَّابِرِينَ عَلَى أَدَاءِ حَقِّهِ الْعَارِفِينَ لِحُرْمَتِهِ

And he^-asws said: ‘Fear Allah^-azwj, O group, don’t be an embarrassment for the Imam^-asws, for the one who causes embarrassment for the Imam^-asws, he is the one who discredits the righteous people, the ones who follow the Imam^-asws of the Muslims for his^-asws virtues, the patient ones upon the payment of his^-asws rights, the ones who understand his^-asws sanctity.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ مَنْ نَزَلَ بِذَلِكَ الْمَنْزِلِ عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِ فَهُوَ مُحْرِجُ الْإِمَامِ فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ عِنْدَ الْإِمَامِ أَحْرَجَ الْإِمَامَ إِلَى أَنْ يَلْعَنَ أَهْلَ الصَّلَاحِ مِنْ أَتْبَاعِهِ الْمُسَلِّمِينَ لِفَضْلِهِ الصَّابِرِينَ عَلَى أَدَاءِ حَقِّهِ الْعَارِفِينَ بِحُرْمَتِهِ فَإِذَا لَعَنَهُمْ لِإِحْرَاجِ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ الْإِمَامَ صَارَتْ لَعْنَتُهُ رَحْمَةً مِنَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ صَارَتِ اللَّعْنَةُ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ رُسُلِهِ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَيَّتُهَا الْعِصَابَةُ أَنَّ السُّنَّةَ مِنَ اللَّهِ قَدْ جَرَتْ فِي الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلُ

And know, that the one who descends to that level with (respect) the Imam^-asws, so he has embarrassed the Imam^-asws (by associating himself with him^-asws) He would do that by cursing the righteous people who (strictly) follow the Imam^-asws from the Muslims for their virtues, the patient ones upon the paying of his^-asws rights, the ones who have recognised his^-asws sanctity, but his curse against (the pious ones) is for the enemies of Allah^-azwj, as the Imam^-asws converts that curse into Mercy from Allah^-azwj upon them (the pious ones), and turns the Curse from Allah^-azwj and from the Angels, and from His^-azwj Messenger^-saww upon them (the deniers). And know, O group, that the Sunnah from Allah^-azwj has flowed within the righteous ones before’.

وَ قَالَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَلْقَى اللَّهَ وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ حَقّاً حَقّاً فَلْيَتَوَلَّ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ لْيَبْرَأْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ عَدُوِّهِمْ وَ يُسَلِّمُ لِمَا انْتَهَى إِلَيْهِ مِنْ فَضْلِهِمْ لِأَنَّ فَضْلَهُمْ لَا يَبْلُغُهُ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَ لَا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَ لَا مَنْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ أَ لَمْ تَسْمَعُوا مَا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِ أَتْبَاعِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَاةِ وَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ قَالَ فَأُولئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الصِّدِّيقِينَ وَ الشُّهَداءِ وَ الصَّالِحِينَ وَ حَسُنَ أُولئِكَ رَفِيقاً

And he^-asws said: ‘The one who wishes to meet Allah^-azwj as a Believer, ‘Haqqan’ Haqqan’ (surely and truly), so he should befriend Allah^-azwj, and His^-azwj Messenger, and those who^-asws believed, and should distance himself from their^-asws enemies, and accept whatever that has ended up with him from their^-asws virtues, because their^-asws virtues cannot be comprehended by the ‘مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ’ Angels of Proximity, or ‘نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ’[58] the Messenger Prophets^-as, but some among them. Have you not heard what Allah^-azwj has Mentioned from the virtues of following the Imams^-asws of Guidance, and they are the Believers? He^-azwj Said: “[4:69] And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favours from among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good, and a goodly company are they!”

فَهَذَا وَجْهٌ مِنْ وُجُوهِ فَضْلِ أَتْبَاعِ الْأَئِمَّةِ فَكَيْفَ بِهِمْ وَ فَضْلِهِمْ وَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يُتِمَّ اللَّهُ لَهُ إِيمَانَهُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ مُؤْمِناً حَقّاً حَقّاً فَلْيَفِ لِلَّهِ بِشُرُوطِهِ الَّتِي اشْتَرَطَهَا عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فَإِنَّهُ قَدِ اشْتَرَطَ مَعَ وَلَايَتِهِ وَ وَلَايَةِ رَسُولِهِ وَ وَلَايَةِ أَئِمَّةِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِقَامَ الصَّلَاةِ وَ إِيتَاءَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ إِقْرَاضَ اللَّهِ قَرْضاً حَسَناً وَ اجْتِنَابَ الْفَوَاحِشِ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَ مَا بَطَنَ

This is just one perspective from the perspectives of the virtues of following the Imams^-asws, so how can others (comprehend) them^-asws and their^-asws virtues? And the one who wishes that Allah^-azwj should Complete for him his faith so that he becomes a devout and true Believer, he should fulfil to Allah^-azwj His^-azwj Conditions which He^-azwj has Placed upon the Believers. He^-azwj has Placed the conditions of His^-azwj Wilayah along with the Wilayah of His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, and the Wilayah of the Imams^-asws of the Believers. He should establish the Prayer, and give the Zakat, and give to Allah^-azwj goodly loans (Qarz e Hasana), and avoid the immoralities, both openly as well as discreetly.

فَلَمْ يَبْقَ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِمَّا فُسِّرَ مِمَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَ قَدْ دَخَلَ فِي جُمْلَةِ قَوْلِهِ فَمَنْ دَانَ اللَّهَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُ وَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ مُخْلِصاً لِلَّهِ وَ لَمْ يُرَخِّصْ لِنَفْسِهِ فِي تَرْكِ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ هَذَا فَهُوَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فِي حِزْبِهِ الْغَالِبِينَ وَ هُوَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَقّاً

There does not remain anything from the detail of what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited, except that it is included in its entirety in His^-azwj Statement. So the one who makes it to be his Religion in what is between himself and Allah^-azwj, being sincere to Allah^-azwj, and does not authorise for himself to ignore anything from this, so he is, in the Sight of Allah^-azwj, in His^-azwj Triumphant Party, and he is from the true Believers.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ الْإِصْرَارَ عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِمَّا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ فِي ظَهْرِ الْقُرْآنِ وَ بَطْنِهِ وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَ لَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلى ما فَعَلُوا وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ إِلَى هَاهُنَا رِوَايَةُ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ رَبِيعٍ يَعْنِي الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ إِذَا نَسُوا شَيْئاً مِمَّا اشْتَرَطَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ عَرَفُوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ عَصَوُا اللَّهَ فِي تَرْكِهِمْ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْ‏ءَ فَاسْتَغْفَرُوا وَ لَمْ يَعُودُوا إِلَى تَرْكِهِ فَذَلِكَ مَعْنَى قَوْلِ اللَّهِ وَ لَمْ يُصِرُّوا عَلى ما فَعَلُوا وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

And beware of insisting upon something from what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited in the Apparent of the Quran and its Hidden. And Allah^-azwj the High has Said: “[3:135] and (who) do not knowingly persist in what they have done” (Up to this point it is the narration of Al-Qasim Bin Rabi’e). It means that the Believers before them, when they forgot something from what Conditions Allah^-azwj had Placed upon them in His^-azwj Book, would come to the realisation that they had disobeyed Allah^-azwj in their avoidance of that thing. So they would seek Forgiveness and would not repeat it. So that is the meaning of the Statement of Allah^-azwj: “[3:135] and (who) do not knowingly persist in what they have done”.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا أَمَرَ وَ نَهَى لِيُطَاعَ فِيمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ وَ لِيُنْتَهَى عَمَّا نَهَى عَنْهُ فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ أَمْرَهُ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَهُ وَ قَدْ أَدْرَكَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ عِنْدَهُ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَنْتَهِ عَمَّا نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْهُ فَقَدْ عَصَاهُ فَإِنْ مَاتَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِهِ أَكَبَّهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي النَّارِ

And know that He^-azwj has Commanded and Prohibited, so that there should be obedience in what He^-azwj has Commanded for, and avoidance in what He^-azwj has Prohibited from. So the one who has followed His^-azwj Commands has obeyed Him^-azwj, and has realised everything from the good, which is with Him^-azwj, and the one who did not avoid what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited for him, so he has disobeyed Him^-azwj. So if he were to die upon being disobedient to Him^-azwj, Allah^-azwj will Fling him upon his face in the Fire.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ اللَّهِ وَ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَ لَا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَ لَا مَنْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ كُلِّهِمْ إِلَّا طَاعَتُهُمْ لَهُ فَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ إِنْ سَرَّكُمْ أَنْ تَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ حَقّاً حَقّاً وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

And know, that there is nothing else between Allah^-azwj and anyone from His^-azwj creatures, Angels of Proximity, or Messenger Prophets^-as, or all others apart from that, except for their obedience to Him^-azwj. So strive in being obedient to Allah^-azwj, if you wish to become true Believers, truly, and there is not Strength except by Allah^-azwj’.

وَ قَالَ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِطَاعَةِ رَبِّكُمْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ رَبُّكُمْ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْإِسْلَامَ هُوَ التَّسْلِيمُ وَ التَّسْلِيمَ هُوَ الْإِسْلَامُ فَمَنْ سَلَّمَ فَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يُسَلِّمْ فَلَا إِسْلَامَ لَهُ وَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يُبْلِغَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ فِي الْإِحْسَانِ فَلْيُطِعِ اللَّهَ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ فَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ فِي الْإِحْسَانِ

And he^-asws said: ‘And it is for you to obey your Lord^-azwj in accordance with your abilities, for Allah^-azwj is your Lord^-azwj. And know that the Islam is the submission, and the submission is the Islam. So the one who submits, so he has Islam, and the one who does not submit, there is no Islam to him. And the one wishes to do himself a favour, so he should obey Allah^-azwj, for the one who has obeyed Allah^-azwj has indeed done himself a favour.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ مَعَاصِيَ اللَّهِ أَنْ تَرْكَبُوهَا فَإِنَّهُ مَنِ انْتَهَكَ مَعَاصِيَ اللَّهِ فَرَكِبَهَا فَقَدْ أَبْلَغَ فِي الْإِسَاءَةِ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ لَيْسَ بَيْنَ الْإِحْسَانِ وَ الْإِسَاءَةِ مَنْزِلَةٌ فَلِأَهْلِ الْإِحْسَانِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمُ الْجَنَّةُ وَ لِأَهْلِ الْإِسَاءَةِ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمُ النَّارُ فَاعْمَلُوا بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ اجْتَنِبُوا مَعَاصِيَهُ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ يُغْنِي عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ أَحَدٌ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ شَيْئاً لَا مَلَكٌ مُقَرَّبٌ وَ لَا نَبِيٌّ مُرْسَلٌ وَ لَا مَنْ دُونَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ تَنْفَعَهُ شَفَاعَةُ الشَّافِعِينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فَلْيَطْلُبْ إِلَى اللَّهِ أَنْ يَرْضَى عَنْهُ

And beware of being disobedient to Allah^-azwj if you were to do it. The one who violated by being disobedient to Allah^-azwj, so he has disfavoured himself, and there is no station between favour and disfavour. For the ones who have done a favour in the Sight of their Lord^-azwj, is Paradise, and for the ones who have violated in the Sight of their Lord^-azwj, is the Fire. So, know that you have to be obedient to Allah^-azwj and avoid being disobedient to Him^-azwj. And know, that there is none who is needless of Allah^-azwj from His^-azwj creatures, neither the Angels of Proximity, nor the Messenger Prophets^-as, nor anyone other than that. So the one who wishes that he should benefit from the intercession of the intercessors in the Presence of Allah^-azwj, so he should seek to Please Allah^-azwj.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِ اللَّهِ لَمْ يُصِبْ رِضَا اللَّهِ إِلَّا بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ طَاعَةِ رَسُولِهِ وَ طَاعَةِ وُلَاةِ أَمْرِهِ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ مَعْصِيَتُهُمْ مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَ لَمْ يُنْكِرْ لَهُمْ فَضْلًا عَظُمَ أَوْ صَغُرَ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْمُنْكِرِينَ هُمُ الْمُكَذِّبُونَ وَ أَنَّ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ هُمُ الْمُنَافِقُونَ وَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ قَالَ لِلْمُنَافِقِينَ وَ قَوْلُهُ الْحَقُّ إِنَّ الْمُنافِقِينَ فِي الدَّرْكِ الْأَسْفَلِ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ لَنْ تَجِدَ لَهُمْ نَصِيراً

And know that no one from the creatures of Allah^-azwj can achieve the Pleasure of Allah^-azwj except by being obedient to Him^-azwj, and being obedient to His^-azwj Messenger^-saww, and being obedient to the Masters^-asws of the Command (Wali Al-Amr^-asws) from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww, and that the disobedience to them^-asws is disobedient to Allah^-azwj. And do not deny their^-asws virtues, be they great or small. And know, that the deniers are the liars, they are the hypocrites, and that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said for the hypocrites, and His^-azwj Words are true, that: “[4:145] Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them”.

وَ لَا يَفْرَقَنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ أَلْزَمَ اللَّهُ قَلْبَهُ طَاعَتَهُ وَ خَشْيَتَهُ مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ مِمَّنْ أَخْرَجَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ صِفَةِ الْحَقِّ وَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهُ مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فَإِنَّ مَنْ لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ مِنْ أَهْلِ صِفَةِ الْحَقِّ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمْ شَيَاطِينُ الْإِنْسِ وَ الْجِنِّ وَ إِنَّ لِشَيَاطِينِ الْإِنْسِ حِيلَةً وَ مَكْراً وَ خَدَائِعَ وَ وَسْوَسَةً بَعْضِهِمْ إِلَى بَعْضٍ يُرِيدُونَ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعُوا أَنْ يَرُدُّوا أَهْلَ الْحَقِّ عَمَّا أَكْرَمَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنَ النَّظَرِ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ شَيَاطِينَ الْإِنْسِ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ إِرَادَةَ أَنْ يَسْتَوِيَ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ وَ أَهْلُ الْحَقِّ فِي الشَّكِّ وَ الْإِنْكَارِ وَ التَّكْذِيبِ فَيَكُونُونَ سَوَاءً كَمَا وَصَفَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ وَدُّوا لَوْ تَكْفُرُونَ كَما كَفَرُوا فَتَكُونُونَ سَواءً ثُمَّ نَهَى اللَّهُ أَهْلَ النَّصْرِ بِالْحَقِّ أَنْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ أَعْدَاءِ اللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَ لَا نَصِيراً

And let no one from among you, whom Allah^-azwj has Necessitated upon his heart, obedience to Him^-azwj and being humble to Him^-azwj, should fear any one from the people from whom Allah^-azwj has Removed the qualities of the truth and did not Make him to be deserving of it. So the one whom Allah^-azwj has not Made to be deserving of the qualities of the truth, so these are the hypocrites, these are the Satans^-la among the Humans and the Jinn. And it is the Satans^-la among the Humans that trick, and plot, and deceive, and whisper (cast doubts) from some of them to the others, attempting to divert the people of the truth, whom Allah^-azwj has Honoured by Granting them the insight into the Religion of Allah^-azwj, and insight which Allah^-azwj has not Considered the Satans^-la among the Humans to be deserving of it, Intending thereby not to equalise the enemies of Allah^-azwj to the people of the truth, with regards to the doubt, and the denial, and the belying to end up being equal as Allah^-azwj the High has Described in His^-azwj Book: “[4:89] They desire that you should disbelieve as they have disbelieved, so that you might be (all) alike”. Then Allah^-azwj prohibited the people of the truth that they should take the enemies of Allah^-azwj as guardians or as helpers.

فَلَا يُهَوِّلَنَّكُمْ وَ لَا يَرُدَّنَّكُمْ عَنِ النَّصْرِ بِالْحَقِّ الَّذِي خَصَّكُمُ اللَّهُ بِهِ مِنْ حِيلَةِ شَيَاطِينِ الْإِنْسِ وَ مَكْرِهِمْ مِنْ أُمُورِكُمْ تَدْفَعُونَ أَنْتُمُ السَّيِّئَةَ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَهُمْ تَلْتَمِسُونَ بِذَلِكَ وَجْهَ رَبِّكُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَ هُمْ لَا خَيْرَ عِنْدَهُمْ لَا يَحِلُّ لَكُمْ أَنْ تُظْهِرُوهُمْ عَلَى أُصُولِ دِينِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُمْ إِنْ سَمِعُوا مِنْكُمْ فِيهِ شَيْئاً عَادَوْكُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَ رَفَعُوهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ جَهَدُوا عَلَى هَلَاكِكُمْ وَ اسْتَقْبَلُوكُمْ بِمَا تَكْرَهُونَ

So do not let them scare you, and do not let them repulse you all from the consideration by the truth which Allah^-azwj has Specialised you with from the tricks of the Satans^-la from the Humans, and their plots in your affairs. You should repel the bad by that which is good in what is between you and them, seeking by that the Pleasure of your Lord^-azwj by being obedient to Him^-azwj. And they are such that there is no good with them.

It is not permissible for you to display to them the Principles of the Religion of Allah^-azwj (Usool Al-Deen[59]) for they are such that they would hear something from you, be inimical against you, and raise (the issue) against you, and strive for destroying you, and place in front of you that which you dislike.

وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمُ النَّصَفَةُ مِنْهُمْ فِي دُوَلِ الْفُجَّارِ فَاعْرِفُوا مَنْزِلَتَكُمْ فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَنْبَغِي لِأَهْلِ الْحَقِّ أَنْ يُنْزِلُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ مَنْزِلَةَ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ أَهْلَ الْحَقِّ عِنْدَهُ بِمَنْزِلَةِ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ أَ لَمْ يَعْرِفُوا وَجْهَ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ فِي كِتَابِهِ إِذْ يَقُولُ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ أَكْرِمُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ عَنْ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ وَ لَا تَجْعَلُوا اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَ لَهُ الْمَثَلُ الْأَعْلَى وَ إِمَامَكُمْ وَ دِينَكُمُ الَّذِي تَدِينُونَ بِهِ عُرْضَةً لِأَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ فَتُغْضِبُوا اللَّهَ عَلَيْكُمْ فَتَهْلِكُوا فَمَهْلًا مَهْلًا

And there is no remedy for you from them in the government of the corrupt. So understand your status in what is between you and the people of the falsehood, for it does not befit the people of the truth to descend to the level of the people of the falsehood. (This is due to the fact) that Allah^-azwj did not Make for the people of the falsehood who does not understand His^-azwj Perspective, the status which is with Him^-azwj for the people of the truth.

The Statement of Allah^-azwj in His^-azwj Book where He^-azwj Said: “[38:28] Shall We treat those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, the same as those who do mischief on earth? Shall We treat those who guard against evil, the same as those who turn aside from the right?” He^-azwj has Honoured yourselves rather than the people of the falsehood. And do not make Allah^-azwj Blessed and High, and for Him^-azwj is the Highest Example, and your Imams^-asws, and the Religion which you have made it to be for yourselves, to be exposed (vulnerable) to the people of the falsehood. Allah^-azwj would be Angered against you, so you will perish. So, do not do it, do not do it (strictly observe Taqaiyya).

يَا أَهْلَ الصَّلَاحِ لَا تَتْرُكُوا أَمْرَ اللَّهِ وَ أَمْرَ مَنْ أَمَرَكُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ فَيُغَيِّرَ اللَّهُ مَا بِكُمْ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ أَحِبُّوا فِي اللَّهِ مَنْ وَصَفَ صِفَتَكُمْ وَ أَبْغِضُوا فِي اللَّهِ مَنْ خَالَفَكُمْ وَ ابْذُلُوا مَوَدَّتَكُمْ وَ نَصِيحَتَكُمْ [لِمَنْ وَصَفَ صِفَتَكُمْ] وَ لَا تَبْتَذِلُوهَا لِمَنْ رَغِبَ عَنْ صِفَتِكُمْ وَ عَادَاكُمْ عَلَيْهَا وَ بَغَى لَكُمُ الْغَوَائِلَ هَذَا أَدَبُنَا أَدَبُ اللَّهِ فَخُذُوا بِهِ وَ تَفَهَّمُوهُ وَ اعْقِلُوهُ وَ لَا تَنْبِذُوهُ وَرَاءَ ظُهُورِكُمْ مَا وَافَقَ هُدَاكُمْ أَخَذْتُمْ بِهِ وَ مَا وَافَقَ هَوَاكُمْ طَرَحْتُمُوهُ وَ لَمْ تَأْخُذُوا بِهِ

O righteous people! Do not abandon the Commands of Allah^-azwj, and the Command from your affairs for the obedience to Him^-azwj, lest Allah^-azwj Alters the Blessings for you. Love for the sake of Allah^-azwj (the ones of similar qualities to yourselves), and hate for the Sake of Allah^-azwj the ones who oppose you. And extend your cordiality and your advice to the ones who possess your qualities, and do not extend it to the ones who have abandoned your qualities, and are inimical towards you, and rebel against you, and wish for calamities to befall upon you. This is our^-asws education which Allah^-azwj Has Educated us^-asws with. So take to it, and understand it and fetter it (to yourselves), and do not throw it behind your backs, whatever is compatible with your guidance and take to it, and whatever is along the lines of your own desires, discard it and do not follow it.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ التَّجَبُّرَ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ عَبْداً لَمْ يُبْتَلَ بِالتَّجَبُّرِ عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا تَجَبَّرَ عَلَى دِينِ اللَّهِ فَاسْتَقِيمُوا لِلَّهِ وَ لَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَى أَعْقَابِكُمْ فَتَنْقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ أَجَارَنَا اللَّهُ وَ إِيَّاكُمْ مِنَ التَّجَبُّرِ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ لَنَا وَ لَكُمْ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

And beware of the arrogance against Allah^-azwj, and know that a servant is not afflicted by the arrogance against Allah^-azwj except that he is arrogant against the Religion of Allah^-azwj. Be upright for the Sake of Allah^-azwj and do not turn back upon your heels, for you will have turn to back as losers. May Allah^-azwj Protect us. And beware from the arrogance against Allah^-azwj, and there is not strength for us^-asws or for you except by Allah^-azwj’.

وَ قَالَ ( عليه السلام ) إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا كَانَ خَلَقَهُ اللَّهُ فِي الْأَصْلِ أَصْلِ الْخَلْقِ مُؤْمِناً لَمْ يَمُتْ حَتَّى يُكَرِّهَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ الشَّرَّ وَ يُبَاعِدَهُ عَنْهُ وَ مَنْ كَرَّهَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ الشَّرَّ وَ بَاعَدَهُ عَنْهُ عَافَاهُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْكِبْرِ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهُ وَ الْجَبْرِيَّةِ فَلَانَتْ عَرِيكَتُهُ وَ حَسُنَ خُلُقُهُ وَ طَلُقَ وَجْهُهُ وَ صَارَ عَلَيْهِ وَقَارُ الْإِسْلَامِ وَ سَكِينَتُهُ وَ تَخَشُّعُهُ وَ وَرِعَ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ وَ اجْتَنَبَ مَسَاخِطَهُ وَ رَزَقَهُ اللَّهُ مَوَدَّةَ النَّاسِ وَ مُجَامَلَتَهُمْ وَ تَرْكَ مُقَاطَعَةِ النَّاسِ وَ الْخُصُومَاتِ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْهَا وَ لَا مِنْ أَهْلِهَا فِي شَيْ‏ءٍ

And he^-asws said: ‘If Allah^-azwj had Created a servant originally, in the original creation as a Believer, he will never die until Allah^-azwj Makes him to detest the evil and he distances himself from it, and the one whom Allah^-azwj has Made to detest the evil and he distances himself from it, Allah^-azwj will Cure him from the arrogance and the forcefulness which has entered into him. So his nature becomes soft, and his morals beautiful, and his face bright, and the reverence of Islam comes to him, and tranquillity, and the humbleness, and he restrains himself from the Prohibitions of Allah^-azwj and avoids His^-azwj Harshness. And Allah^-azwj Grants to him the sustenance of the cordiality of the people, and intermingling with them, and avoidance of the cutting off from the people, and the rivalries, and does not get involved with anything from it or the likes of it in anything.

وَ إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ إِذَا كَانَ اللَّهُ خَلَقَهُ فِي الْأَصْلِ [أَصْلِ الْخَلْقِ] كَافِراً لَمْ يَمُتْ حَتَّى يُحَبِّبَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّرَّ وَ يُقَرِّبَهُ مِنْهُ فَإِذَا حَبَّبَ إِلَيْهِ الشَّرَّ وَ قَرَّبَهُ مِنْهُ ابْتُلِيَ بِالْكِبْرِ وَ الْجَبْرِيَّةِ فَقَسَا قَلْبُهُ وَ سَاءَ خُلُقُهُ وَ غَلُظَ وَجْهُهُ وَ ظَهَرَ فُحْشُهُ وَ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ وَ كَشَفَ اللَّهُ سِتْرَهُ وَ رَكِبَ الْمَحَارِمَ فَلَمْ يَنْزِعْ عَنْهَا وَ رَكِبَ مَعَاصِيَ اللَّهِ وَ أَبْغَضَ طَاعَتَهُ وَ أَهْلَهَا فَبُعْدٌ مَا بَيْنَ حَالِ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَ حَالِ الْكَافِرِ سَلُوا اللَّهَ الْعَافِيَةَ وَ اطْلُبُوهَا إِلَيْهِ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

However, if Allah^-azwj had Created a servant originally, in the original creation as an infidel, he will never die until he loves the evil and goes near to it. So if the evil becomes beloved to him and he goes near to it, he gets involved in the infidelity, and the forcefulness. So his heart hardens, and his morals deteriorate, and his face darkens, his immorality gets displayed, and his shame becomes little, and Allah^-azwj Uncovers his veil, and he rides upon the Prohibitions. So he never ceases from these tendencies and rides upon the disobedience to Allah^-azwj, and hates to obey Him^-azwj, and the obedient ones. So the condition of the Believers and the condition of the infidel are in contradiction. Ask Allah^-azwj for health, and seek it from Him^-azwj, and there is not Might nor Strength except by Allah^-azwj.

صَبِّرُوا النَّفْسَ عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ فِي الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ تَتَابُعَ الْبَلَاءِ فِيهَا وَ الشِّدَّةَ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ وَلَايَتِهِ وَ وَلَايَةِ مَنْ أَمَرَ بِوَلَايَتِهِ خَيْرٌ عَاقِبَةً عِنْدَ اللَّهِ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ مُلْكِ الدُّنْيَا وَ إِنْ طَالَ تَتَابُعُ نَعِيمِهَا وَ زَهْرَتِهَا وَ غَضَارَةُ عَيْشِهَا فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَ وَلَايَةِ مَنْ نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْ وَلَايَتِهِ وَ طَاعَتِهِ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ أَمَرَ بِوَلَايَةِ الْأَئِمَّةِ الَّذِينَ سَمَّاهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ فِي قَوْلِهِ وَ جَعَلْناهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنا وَ هُمُ الَّذِينَ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِوَلَايَتِهِمْ وَ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَ الَّذِينَ نَهَى اللَّهُ عَنْ وَلَايَتِهِمْ وَ طَاعَتِهِمْ وَ هُمْ أَئِمَّةُ الضَّلَالَةِ الَّذِينَ قَضَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمْ دُوَلٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا عَلَى أَوْلِيَاءِ اللَّهِ الْأَئِمَّةِ مِنْ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي دُولَتِهِمْ بِمَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَ مَعْصِيَةِ رَسُولِهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) لِيَحِقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ كَلِمَةُ الْعَذَابِ وَ لِيَتِمَّ أَنْ تَكُونُوا مَعَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ مُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) وَ الرُّسُلِ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ

Observe patience upon the afflictions in the world if you are followed by the afflictions, and intensify the obedience to Allah^-azwj, and His^-azwj Wilayah, and the Wilayah of the ones^-asws He^-azwj has Commanded for, it is the better result with Allah^-azwj in the Hereafter, than the kingdom of the world, even though its bounties, and its flowers, and its affluence may be prolonged in the disobedience to Allah^-azwj, and in the Wilayah of the one^-asws whom Allah^-azwj has Forbidden from being in his Wilayah, and in his obedience.

Allah^-azwj has Commanded for the Wilayah of the Imams^-asws whom Allah^-azwj has Names in His^-azwj Book in His^-azwj Statement: “[21:73] And We made them Imams who guided (people) by Our command” and they^-asws are the ones^-asws for whom^-asws Allah^-azwj has Commanded the Wilayah for, and to be in their^-asws obedience. And the ones whom Allah^-azwj has Forbidden to be in their wilayah, these are the imams of misguidance, for whom Allah^-azwj has Decreed for them the governance in the world over the friends of Allah^-azwj and the Imams^-asws from the Progeny^-asws of Muhammad^-saww.

They act in disobedience to Allah^-azwj in their governments, and in disobedience to His^-azwj Messenger^-saww so that the Words of the Punishment become reality against them, and that you can end up being with the Prophet^-saww of Allah^-azwj Muhammad^-saww and the Messengers^-as before him^-saww.

فَتَدَبَّرُوا مَا قَصَّ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي كِتَابِهِ مِمَّا ابْتَلَى بِهِ أَنْبِيَاءَهُ وَ أَتْبَاعَهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ثُمَّ سَلُوا اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعْطِيَكُمُ الصَّبْرَ عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَ الضَّرَّاءِ وَ الشِّدَّةِ وَ الرَّخَاءِ مِثْلَ الَّذِي أَعْطَاهُمْ

So ponder over what stories Allah^-azwj has Related to you in His^-azwj Book of the trials which the His^-azwj Prophets^-as were Tested by, and the Believers followed them^-as. Then ask Allah^-azwj to Grant you patience upon the affliction in the thick and thin, and the difficulties, and the prosperity, similar to which was Given to them.

وَ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ مُمَاظَّةَ أَهْلِ الْبَاطِلِ وَ عَلَيْكُمْ بِهُدَى الصَّالِحِينَ وَ وَقَارِهِمْ وَ سَكِينَتِهِمْ وَ حِلْمِهِمْ وَ تَخَشُّعِهِمْ وَ وَرَعِهِمْ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ وَ صِدْقِهِمْ وَ وَفَائِهِمْ وَ اجْتِهَادِهِمْ لِلَّهِ فِي الْعَمَلِ بِطَاعَتِهِ فَإِنَّكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلُوا ذَلِكَ لَمْ تُنْزَلُوا عِنْدَ رَبِّكُمْ مَنْزِلَةَ الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ

And beware of debating with the people of the falsehood. And it is for you to follow the guidance of the righteous ones, and their dignified (manners), and their tranquillity, and their forbearance, and their humbleness, and their distancing themselves from the Prohibitions of Allah^-azwj, and their truthfulness, and their loyalty, and their struggle for the Sake of Allah^-azwj in the deeds by being obedient to Him^-azwj. So if you were not to do that, then you will never rise to the status of the righteous ones from before you have with your Lord^-azwj.

وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَرَادَ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً شَرَحَ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ فَإِذَا أَعْطَاهُ ذَلِكَ أَنْطَقَ لِسَانَهُ بِالْحَقِّ وَ عَقَدَ قَلْبَهُ عَلَيْهِ فَعَمِلَ بِهِ فَإِذَا جَمَعَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ذَلِكَ تَمَّ لَهُ إِسْلَامُهُ وَ كَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ إِنْ مَاتَ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْحَالِ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَقّاً

And know that if Allah^-azwj Intends good for a servant, He^-azwj opens his chest for the Islam. So He^-azwj Grants him that he will speak the truth by his tongue, and bind his heart to him so that he will act in accordance with it. So if Allah^-azwj Gathers that to him, He^-azwj Completes for him, his Islam, and if he were to die whilst being upon that, he would have died as being one of the true Muslims.

وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُرِدِ اللَّهُ بِعَبْدٍ خَيْراً وَكَلَهُ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ كَانَ صَدْرُهُ ضَيِّقاً حَرَجاً فَإِنْ جَرَى عَلَى لِسَانِهِ حَقٌّ لَمْ يُعْقَدْ قَلْبُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يُعْقَدْ قَلْبُهُ عَلَيْهِ لَمْ يُعْطِهِ اللَّهُ الْعَمَلَ بِهِ فَإِذَا اجْتَمَعَ ذَلِكَ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ وَ هُوَ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْحَالِ كَانَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَ صَارَ مَا جَرَى عَلَى لِسَانِهِ مِنَ الْحَقِّ الَّذِي لَمْ يُعْطِهِ اللَّهُ أَنْ يُعْقَدَ قَلْبُهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ لَمْ يُعْطِهِ الْعَمَلَ بِهِ حُجَّةً عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

And if Allah^-azwj does not Intend good for a servant, He^-azwj Leaves him to his own self, and his chest becomes constricted and an embarrassment for him. If a true (word) flows from his tongue, his heart does not accept it from him, and if his heart does not accept it from him, he does not follow Allah^-azwj and acts in accordance with it. So if that is gathered to him until he dies whilst being upon that condition, he, then, will be of the hypocrites with Allah^-azwj. And all that flowed upon his tongues from the truth which he did not follow Allah^-azwj and his heart did not accept it from him, and he did not act in accordance with it, would be a proof against him on the Day of Judgement.

فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَ سَلُوهُ أَنْ يَشْرَحَ صُدُورَكُمْ لِلْإِسْلَامِ وَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ أَلْسِنَتَكُمْ تَنْطِقُ بِالْحَقِّ حَتَّى يَتَوَفَّيكُمْ وَ أَنْتُمْ عَلَى ذَلِكَ وَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ مُنْقَلَبَكُمْ مُنْقَلَبَ الصَّالِحِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

So fear Allah^-azwj and ask Him^-azwj that He^-azwj should Open your chests for the Islam, and that He^-azwj should Make your tongues to speak with the truth until you die whilst being upon that, and that He^-azwj should Make your return (to the Hereafter to be like the) returning of the righteous ones before you. And there is not Strength except by Allah^-azwj, and Praise is due to Allah^-azwj the Lord^-azwj of the worlds.

وَ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يَعْلَمَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّهُ فَلْيَعْمَلْ بِطَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَ لْيَتَّبِعْنَا أَ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ

And the one who wishes that he should know whether Allah^-azwj Loves him, so he should act in obedience to Allah^-azwj and follow us^-asws. Have you not heard the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic to His^-azwj Prophet^-saww: “[3:31] Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful”

وَ اللَّهِ لَا يُطِيعُ اللَّهَ عَبْدٌ أَبَداً إِلَّا أَدْخَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي طَاعَتِهِ اتِّبَاعَنَا وَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ لَا يَتَّبِعُنَا عَبْدٌ أَبَداً إِلَّا أَحَبَّهُ اللَّهُ وَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ لَا يَدَعُ أَحَدٌ اتِّبَاعَنَا أَبَداً إِلَّا أَبْغَضَنَا وَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ لَا يُبْغِضُنَا أَحَدٌ أَبَداً إِلَّا عَصَى اللَّهَ وَ مَنْ مَاتَ عَاصِياً لِلَّهِ أَخْزَاهُ اللَّهُ وَ أَكَبَّهُ عَلَى وَجْهِهِ فِي النَّارِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ .

By Allah^-azwj, no servant will be in obedience to Allah^-azwj ever until Allah^-azwj Makes him to be included along with obedience to Him^-azwj, obedience to us^-asws. And, by Allah^-azwj, no servant will be following us^-asws ever until Allah^-azwj Loves him. And, by Allah^-azwj, no servant stops following us^-asws ever except that he hates us^-asws. And, by Allah^-azwj, no one ever hates us^-asws except that he disobeys Allah^-azwj. And the one who dies whilst being in disobedience to Allah^-azwj, Allah^-azwj will Disgrace him and Fling him upon his face in the Fire. And Praise is due to Allah^-azwj, the Lord^-azwj of the worlds’.

 APPENDIX II: Rasool-Allah^-saww Urged Followers to be in Zikr

فَبَلَّغَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) مَا أُرْسِلَ بِهِ وَ صَدَعَ بِمَا أُمِرَ وَ أَدَّى مَا حُمِّلَ مِنْ أَثْقَالِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ صَبَرَ لِرَبِّهِ وَ جَاهَدَ فِي سَبِيلِهِ وَ نَصَحَ لِأُمَّتِهِ وَ دَعَاهُمْ إِلَى النَّجَاةِ وَ حَثَّهُمْ عَلَى الذِّكْرِ وَ دَلَّهُمْ عَلَى سَبِيلِ الْهُدَى بِمَنَاهِجَ وَ دَوَاعٍ أَسَّسَ لِلْعِبَادِ أَسَاسَهَا وَ مَنَارٍ رَفَعَ لَهُمْ أَعْلَامَهَا كَيْلَا يَضِلُّوا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ وَ كَانَ بِهِمْ رَءُوفاً رَحِيماً .

So Rasool-Allah^-saww delivered what He^-azwj had been Sent with, and expounded openly with whatever he^-saww had been Commanded with, and fulfilled whatever he^-saww was carrying from the burden of the Prophet-hood, and observed patience for his^-saww Lord^-azwj, and struggled in His^-azwj Way, and advised to his^-saww community and called them to the salvation, and urged them upon the Remembrance (Zikr), and pointed them upon the way of the Guidance by manifestos and prepared grounds of foundations for the servants, and raised beacons for them as their signs, perhaps they might not stray from after him^-saww, and he^-saww was kind and merciful with them’ (an Extract).[60]

APPENDIX III: Masomeen^-asws‘s Advice to Focus on ‘Today’:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ إِنَّمَا الدَّهْرُ ثَلَاثَةُ أَيَّامٍ أَنْتَ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُنَّ مَضَى أَمْسِ بِمَا فِيهِ فَلَا يَرْجِعُ أَبَداً فَإِنْ كُنْتَ عَمِلْتَ فِيهِ خَيْراً لَمْ تَحْزَنْ لِذَهَابِهِ وَ فَرِحْتَ بِمَا اسْتَقْبَلْتَهُ مِنْهُ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ قَدْ فَرَّطْتَ فِيهِ فَحَسْرَتُكَ شَدِيدَةٌ لِذَهَابِهِ وَ تَفْرِيطِكَ فِيهِ وَ أَنْتَ فِي يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي أَصْبَحْتَ فِيهِ مِنْ غَدٍ فِي غِرَّةٍ وَ لَا تَدْرِي لَعَلَّكَ لَا تَبْلُغُهُ وَ إِنْ بَلَغْتَهُ لَعَلَّ حَظَّكَ فِيهِ فِي التَّفْرِيطِ مِثْلُ حَظِّكَ فِي الْأَمْسِ الْمَاضِي عَنْكَ فَيَوْمٌ مِنَ الثَّلَاثَةِ قَدْ مَضَى أَنْتَ فِيهِ مُفَرِّطٌ وَ يَوْمٌ تَنْتَظِرُهُ لَسْتَ أَنْتَ مِنْهُ عَلَى يَقِينٍ مِنْ تَرْكِ التَّفْرِيطِ وَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ يَوْمُكَ الَّذِي أَصْبَحْتَ فِيهِ وَ قَدْ يَنْبَغِي لَكَ أَنْ عَقَلْتَ وَ فَكَّرْتَ فِيمَا فَرَّطْتَ فِي الْأَمْسِ الْمَاضِي مِمَّا فَاتَكَ فِيهِ مِنْ حَسَنَاتٍ أَلَّا تَكُونَ اكْتَسَبْتَهَا وَ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتٍ أَلَّا تَكُونَ أَقْصَرْتَ عَنْهَا وَ أَنْتَ مَعَ هَذَا مَعَ اسْتِقْبَالِ غَدٍ عَلَى غَيْرِ ثِقَةٍ مِنْ أَنْ تَبْلُغَهُ وَ عَلَى غَيْرِ يَقِينٍ مِنِ اكْتِسَابِ حَسَنَةٍ أَوْ مُرْتَدَعٍ عَنْ سَيِّئَةٍ مُحْبِطَةٍ فَأَنْتَ مِنْ يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي تَسْتَقْبِلُ عَلَى مِثْلِ يَوْمِكَ الَّذِي اسْتَدْبَرْتَ فَاعْمَلْ عَمَلَ رَجُلٍ لَيْسَ يَأْمُلُ مِنَ الْأَيَّامِ إِلَّا يَوْمَهُ الَّذِي أَصْبَحَ فِيهِ وَ لَيْلَتَهُ فَاعْمَلْ أَوْ دَعْ وَ اللَّهُ الْمُعِينُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and a number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from al-Hassan Ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from abu Hamza who has narrated the following from Ali ibn al-Hussain^-asws:

‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws would say: ‘Time consists of three days in the middle of which you live. Yesterday that has passed in history with all that was in it and it will never return. If you had done good deeds in it you do not feel sad about its passing into history and you feel happy about everything that you experienced in it. If, however, you had acted extremely (bad) in it, then your regret is severe.

While you are in the present day, you are unaware about tomorrow, you do not know if you will ever reach it. Perhaps your share of acting extremely (bad) in it (tomorrow) will be like that of the yesterday that has passed into history.

‘One of the three days has passed and in it you had acted extremely (bad). There is the day that you are waiting for and you are not sure if you will avoid acting extremely (bad) in it. What is left is the day in which you live and it is very proper for you to use your power of reason and think about your acting extremely (bad) yesterday that passed and of the good deeds that you missed to perform when you should have performed them and the evil deeds that you should have avoided. Despite this, about tomorrow you are not certain of reaching it and whether you will perform any good deeds in it or avoid committing evil deeds that deletes the good deeds.

Thus, your position toward tomorrow is like your position toward yesterday. Therefore, you must act like one who has no hope in any of the days except the day and night in which you live. Do good deeds and save and Allah^-azwj is the supporter for such task’.[61]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي النُّعْمَانِ الْعِجْلِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ يَا أَبَا النُّعْمَانِ لَا يَغُرَّنَّكَ النَّاسُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ فَإِنَّ الْأَمْرَ يَصِلُ إِلَيْكَ دُونَهُمْ وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ نَهَارَكَ بِكَذَا وَ كَذَا فَإِنَّ مَعَكَ مَنْ يَحْفَظُ عَلَيْكَ عَمَلَكَ وَ أَحْسِنْ فَإِنِّي لَمْ أَرَ شَيْئاً أَحْسَنَ دَرَكاً وَ لَا أَسْرَعَ طَلَباً مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ مُحْدَثَةٍ لِذَنْبٍ قَدِيمٍ  عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي النُّعْمَانِ مِثْلَهُ

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Nu’rnan from Ishaq ibn ‘Amar from abu al-Nu’rnan al-Ajli who has narrated the following from Abu Ja’far^-asws:

‘O Abu Al-Nu’man, do not allow people to deceive you about yourself; the matter will come to you and not to them. Do not spend your day in this and that; with you there is one who preserves your deeds for you. Do good deeds; I do not see anything of better result and remedy for the old sins then new good deeds’.[62]

[1] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 98 H 16

[2] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 22 H 4

[3] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 2

[4] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 8

[5] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 24 H 1

[6] Al Illal Al Sharaie – V 1 Ch 118 H 1

[7] An important topic covered elsewhere.

[8] Amir-ul-Momineen^asws says in the Sermon of ‘Mairafat-e-Norania’, the intrinsic means of ‘وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ’ are submission to my Wilayat.  Thus, whoever adhered to our Wilayat has indeed established Salat but it is extremely difficult to achieve it.  In another sermon, Amir-ul-Momineen^asws says: Only those have established ‘Salat’ who adhered to my Wilayat. (ref. Hadith-e-Noorania, Bahrul Moarif, Nahjul Israr, vol. 1, pg, 88.)

[9] Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 91, pg. 38

[10] Bihar Vol-3.Page-277,Bihar.Vol-36-Page-104.Tafseer-E-Qummi Vol-2,Page-154.Al-Manaqib.Vol-3 Page-101

[11] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 22 H 1

[12] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Zakat CH 2 H 18

[13] مشكاة الأنوار في غرر الأخبار، النص، ص: 53, H. 257

[14] تفسير نور الثقلين، ج‏4، ص: 288 – H 156

[15] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 22 H 1 (Extract)

[16] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 64 H 20

[17] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 64 H 31

[18] الكافي 2: 362/ 3

[19] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 25 H 3

[20] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 13

[21] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 2

[22] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 4

[23] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 8

[24] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 6

[25] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 7

[26] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 21 H 11

[27] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 56 H 11

[28] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 22 H 2

[29] Kamil Al-Ziyarah, Ch. 84, h, 2

[30] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3009

[31] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3012.  الكافي ج : 2 ص : 455

[32] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3016

[33] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3018.                            الكافي ج : 2 ص : 456

[34] Tafseer Noor Al Saqalayn – CH 88 H 25

[35] Mention Allah^azwj, His^azwj Names, His^azwj Attributes, etc.

[36] غررالحكم          188    أهمية الذكر و بعض آثاره

[37] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Merits of the Quran CH 1 H 1

[38] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14551

[39] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14456

[40] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Marriage Ch 7 H 2

[41] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14451

[42] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14449

[43] Tafseer Imam Hassan Askari^asws, H. 348

[44] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 11 H 3

[45] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 61 H 16

[46] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 99 H 1

[47] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 99 H 25

[48] Bsaair Al Darajat, Chapter 5, H. 15

[49] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 47 H 11

[50] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 26 H 1

[51] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 26 H 2

[52] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Supplication CH 30 H 7

[53] Al Kafi – V 6 – The Book of Domestic Animals Ch 10 H 1

[54] Al-Kafi, Vol 8, H. 14969

[55] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14449

[56] To share in their wealth, bodies and children.

[57] To observe Taqaiyya

[58] The Higher status Prophet^as who were Awarded with the Divine Books

[59] Salat, Zakat, Soam, Hajj and Wilayat, see for example Al-Kafi Vol. 2 Pg. 18.

[60] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 111 H 17

[61] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3006

[62] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3008