The Ease in the World and Success in the Hereafter
فقه الرضا عليه السلام سَلُوا رَبَّكُمُ الْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ فَإِنَّهُ أَرْوِي عَنِ الْعَالِمِ أَنَّهُ قَالَ الْمُلْكُ الْخَفِيُّ إِذَا حَضَرَتْ لَمْ يُؤْبَهْ لَهَا وَ إِنْ غَابَتْ عُرِفَ فَضْلُهَا
(The book) ‘Fiqh Al-Reza-asws’, may the greetings be upon him-asws – ‘Ask your Lord-azwj for the well-being in the world and the Hereafter, for it is reported from the Scholar-asws that he-asws had said: ‘The kingdom (good health) is hidden. When it is present, it is not turned to (paid attention to), and if it disappears, its merit is recognised.
وَ اجْتَهِدُوا أَنْ يَكُونَ زَمَانُكُمْ أَرْبَعَ سَاعَاتٍ سَاعَةً لِلَّهِ لِمُنَاجَاتِهِ وَ سَاعَةً لِأَمْرِ الْمَعَاشِ وَ سَاعَةً لِمُعَاشَرَةِ الْإِخْوَانِ الثِّقَاتِ وَ الَّذِينَ يُعَرِّفُونَكُمْ عُيُوبَكُمْ وَ يُخْلِصُونَ لَكُمْ فِي الْبَاطِنِ وَ سَاعَةً تَخْلُونَ فِيهَا لِلَذَّاتِكُمْ
And struggle for your time to be of four timings – a time for Allah-azwj for whispering to Him‑azwj, and a timing for the matters of livelihood, and a timing for socialising with the trusted brother and those who introduce your faults to you and are being sincere to you in the esoteric, and a timing you can be alone in it for your pleasures.
وَ بِهَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ تَقْدِرُونَ عَلَى الثَّلَاثِ السَّاعَاتِ- لَا تُحَدِّثُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ بِالْفَقْرِ وَ لَا بِطُولِ الْعُمُرِ فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ حَدَّثَ نَفْسَهُ بِالْفَقْرِ بَخِلَ وَ مَنْ حَدَّثَهَا بِطُولِ الْعُمُرِ حَرَصَ
And by these timings, you are able upon the three timings – neither discuss yourself with the poverty nor with long life, for the one who discusses himself with the poverty will be miserly, and the one who discusses it with the long life will be greedy.
اجْعَلُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ حَظّاً مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِإِعْطَائِهَا مَا تَشْتَهِي مِنَ الْحَلَالِ وَ مَا لَمْ يَثْلِمِ الْمُرُوَّةَ وَ لَا سَرَفَ فِيهِ وَ اسْتَعِينُوا بِذَلِكَ عَلَى أُمُورِ الدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّهُ نَرْوِي لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ تَرَكَ دُنْيَاهُ لِدِينِهِ وَ دِينَهُ لِدُنْيَاهُ
Make for your souls a share from the world by giving it what it desires from the Permissible(s), and what does not damage the personality, nor having extravagance in it, and be assisted with upon matters of the world, for it has been reported: ‘He isn’t from us-asws, one who neglects his world for his religion, nor his religion for his world’.
وَ تَفَقَّهُوا فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهُ أَرْوِي مَنْ لَمْ يَتَفَقَّهْ فِي دِينِهِ مَا يُخْطِئُ أَكْثَرُ مِمَّا يُصِيبُ فَإِنَّ الْفِقْهَ مِفْتَاحُ الْبَصِيرَةِ وَ تَمَامُ الْعِبَادَةِ وَ السَّبَبُ إِلَى الْمَنَازِلِ الرَّفِيعَةِ وَ حَازَ الْمَرْءُ الْمَرْتَبَةَ الْجَلِيلَةَ فِي الدِّينِ وَ الدُّنْيَا
And ponder in the religion of Allah-azwj, for it has been reported: ‘One who does not ponder in his religion, what he does wrong will be more than what he gets right’, for the pondering is a key of insight, and completes the worship, and the means to the lofty dwellings, and the person gets the majestic rank in the religion and the world.
فَضْلُ الْفَقِيهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ كَفَضْلِ الشَّمْسِ عَلَى الْكَوَاكِبِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَتَفَقَّهْ فِي دِينِهِ لَمْ يُزَكِّ اللَّهُ لَهُ عَمَلًا.
The merit of a pondering one upon the worshipper is like a merit of the sun upon the stars, and the one who does not ponder in his religion, Allah-azwj will not Purify any deed for him’’.[1]
الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي فِيمَا كَتَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع إِلَى أَهْلِ مِصْرَ مَعَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ عَلَيْكُمْ بِتَقْوَى اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا تَجْمَعُ الْخَيْرَ وَ لَا خَيْرَ غَيْرُهَا وَ يُدْرَكُ بِهَا مِنَ الْخَيْرِ مَا لَا يُدْرَكُ بِغَيْرِهَا مِنْ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ
(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi –
‘Among what Amir Al-Momineen-asws wrote to the people of Egypt with Muhammad Bin Abu Bakr: ‘Upon you all is with fearing Allah-azwj, for it is a collection of good and there is no good in something else, and the goodness which can be attained by it is what cannot be attained with something else, from the good of the world and the Hereafter.
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ وَ قِيلَ لِلَّذِينَ اتَّقَوْا ما ذا أَنْزَلَ رَبُّكُمْ قالُوا خَيْراً لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا فِي هذِهِ الدُّنْيا حَسَنَةٌ وَ لَدارُ الْآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ وَ لَنِعْمَ دارُ الْمُتَّقِينَ
Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: And it is said to those who are pious: ‘What is that which your Lord Revealed?’ They say, ‘Good. For those who are good in this world is good, and the House of the Hereafter is better, and excellent is the House of the pious’ [16:30].
اعْلَمُوا يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ لِثَلَاثٍ مِنَ الثَّوَابِ إِمَّا لِخَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يُثِيبُهُ بِعَمَلِهِ فِي دُنْيَاهُ قَالَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ آتَيْناهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيا وَ إِنَّهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ لَمِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
Know, O servants of Allah-azwj! The Momin is one who works for three of the Rewards, for good, so Allah-azwj will Reward him in his world. Allah-azwj the Glorious Said to Ibrahim-as: and We Gave him his Recompense in the world, and he, in the Hereafter, would be from the righteous ones [29:27].
فَمَنْ عَمِلَ لِلَّهِ تَعَالَى أَعْطَاهُ أَجْرَهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ وَ كَفَاهُ الْمُهِمَّ فِيهِمَا وَ قَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى يا عِبادِ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنى وَ زِيادَةٌ وَ الْحُسْنَى هِيَ الْجَنَّةُ وَ الزِّيَادَةُ هِيَ الدُّنْيَا
The one who works for Allah-azwj the Exalted, He-azwj will Give him his Recompense in the world and the Hereafter and Suffice him of the important matters in these two, and Allah-azwj the Exalted has Said: For those who do good is the good and more; [10:26]: – and the good, it is the Paradise, and the increase, it is the world.
وَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى يُكَفِّرُ بِكُلِّ حَسَنَةٍ سَيِّئَةً قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ إِنَّ الْحَسَناتِ يُذْهِبْنَ السَّيِّئاتِ ذلِكَ ذِكْرى لِلذَّاكِرِينَ حَتَّى إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ حُسِبَتْ لَهُمْ حَسَنَاتُهُمْ ثُمَّ أَعْطَاهُمْ بِكُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ عَشْرَ أَمْثَالِهَا إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ
Allah the Exalted will Expiate an evil deed with every good deed. Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: Surely the good deeds erase the evil deeds, that is a Reminder for the mindful [11:114], until when it will be the Day of Qiyamah, their good deeds will be Reckoned for them, then He-azwj will Give them for each one, ten the likes of it, up to seven hundred multiple.
قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ جَزاءً مِنْ رَبِّكَ عَطاءً حِساباً وَ قَالَ فَأُولئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزاءُ الضِّعْفِ بِما عَمِلُوا وَ هُمْ فِي الْغُرُفاتِ آمِنُونَ
Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: A Recompense from your Lord, a Calculated gift [78:36], and Said: So they, for them would be the double Recompense due to what they had done, and they would be secure in the chambers [34:37].
فَارْغَبُوا فِي هَذَا رَحِمَكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ اعْمَلُوا لَهُ وَ تَحَاضُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَ اعْلَمُوا يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ أَنَّ الْمُتَّقِينَ حَازُوا عَاجِلَ الْخَيْرِ وَ آجِلَهُ شَارَكُوا أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا فِي دُنْيَاهُمْ وَ لَمْ يُشَارِكْهُمْ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي آخِرَتِهِمْ
Be desirous regarding this, may Allah-azwj Mercy on you all, and work for it and urge upon it! And know, O servants of Allah-azwj! The pious, they achieve the current of the good and its future. They participate with the people of the world in their world and the people of the world will not participate with them in their Hereafter.
أَبَاحَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي الدُّنْيَا مَا كَفَاهُمْ بِهِ وَ قَالَ عَزَّ اسْمُهُ قُلْ مَنْ حَرَّمَ زِينَةَ اللَّهِ الَّتِي أَخْرَجَ لِعِبادِهِ وَ الطَّيِّباتِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ قُلْ هِيَ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا خالِصَةً يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ كَذلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ الْآياتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ
Allah-azwj has Legalised for them in the world what they can suffice with, and He-azwj, Mighty is His-azwj Name, Said: Say: ‘Who prohibited adornments of Allah which He Brought out for His servants, and the good from the sustenance?’ Say: ‘These would be for those who believe sincerely in the life of the world, on the Day of Judgment. Like that We Detail the Signs for a people who know’ [7:32].
سَكَنُوا الدُّنْيَا بِأَفْضَلِ مَا سُكِنَتْ وَ أَكَلُوهَا بِأَفْضَلِ مَا أُكِلَتُ شَارَكُوا أَهْلَ الدُّنْيَا فِي دُنْيَاهُمْ فَأَكَلُوا مَعَهُمْ مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا يَأْكُلُونَ وَ شَرِبُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا يَشْرَبُونَ وَ لَبِسُوا مِنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَلْبَسُونَ وَ سَكَنُوا مِنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَسْكُنُونَ وَ تَزَوَّجُوا مِنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَتَزَوَّجُونَ وَ رَكِبُوا مِنْ أَفْضَلِ مَا يَرْكَبُونَ
They dwell in the world with the best of what can be dwelt, and they are eating with the best of what can be eaten. They are participating with the people of the world in their world, therefore eat with them from the good things what they are eating, and drink from the good what they are drinking, and wear from the best of what they are wearing, and dwell from the best of what they are dwelling in and marry from the best of what they are marrying, and ride from the best of what they are riding.
أَصَابُوا لَذَّةَ الدُّنْيَا مَعَ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا وَ هُمْ غَداً جِيرَانُ اللَّهِ يَتَمَنَّوْنَ عَلَيْهِ فَيُعْطِيهِمْ مَا يَتَمَنَّوْنَ لَا يُرَدُّ لَهُمْ دَعْوَةٌ وَ لَا يُنْقَصُ لَهُمْ نَصِيبٌ مِنَ اللَّذَّةِ
They are attaining pleasures of the world with the people of the world, and tomorrow they will be neighbours of Allah-azwj enjoying upon it, so He-azwj will Give them whatever they wish for. He-azwj will neither reject any supplication for them nor will He-azwj Reduce from them any share from the pleasures.
فَإِلَى هَذَا يَا عِبَادَ اللَّهِ يَشْتَاقُ إِلَيْهِ مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عَقْلٌ وَ يَعْمَلُ لَهُ تَقْوَى اللَّهِ وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.
So, to this, O servants of Allah-azwj, will yearn to it, the one who has intellect for him and works for it fearing Allah-azwj, and there is neither any might nor strength except with Allah-azwj’’.[2]
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص الدُّنْيَا سَاعَةٌ فَاجْعَلْهَا طَاعَةً وَ بَابُ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ مُلَازَمَةُ الْخَلْوَةِ بِمُدَاوَمَةِ الْفِكْرَةِ وَ سَبَبُ الْخَلْوَةِ الْقَنَاعَةُ وَ تَرْكُ الْفُضُولِ مِنَ الْمَعَاشِ وَ سَبَبُ الْفِكْرَةِ الْفَرَاغُ وَ عِمَادُ الْفَرَاغِ الزُّهْدُ وَ تَمَامُ الزُّهْدِ التَّقْوَى
Rasool-Allah-saww said: ‘The world is an hour for make it obedience, and a door of that, all of it, is sticking to the isolation with constant thinking, and the cause of isolation of the contentment, and leaving the vanities of the life, and a cause of the thinking is the free times, and a pillar of the free time is the ascetism, and the complete ascetism is the piety.
وَ بَابُ التَّقْوَى الْخَشْيَةُ وَ دَلِيلُ الْخَشْيَةِ التَّعْظِيمُ لِلَّهِ وَ التَّمَسُّكُ بِتَخْلِيصِ طَاعَتِهِ وَ أَوَامِرِهِ وَ الْخَوْفُ وَ الْحَذَرُ وَ الْوُقُوفُ عَنْ مَحَارِمِهِ وَ دَلِيلُهَا الْعِلْمُ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ إِنَّما يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبادِهِ الْعُلَماءُ.
And a door of piety is the humbleness, and evidence of the humbleness is the reverence to Allah-azwj and holding on to the sincerity in His-azwj obedience, and His-azwj Commands, and the fear, and the carefulness, and the pausing from His-azwj Prohibitions, and its evidence is the knowledge. Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Says: But rather, Allah is feared by those from His knowledgeable servants. [35:28]’’.[3]
ثواب الأعمال الْعَطَّارُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ ابْنِ مَهْزِيَارَ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ مَنْصُورِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنِ الثُّمَالِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ وَ عِزَّتِي وَ عَظَمَتِي وَ جَلَالِي وَ بَهَائِي وَ عُلُوِّي وَ ارْتِفَاعِ مَكَانِي لَا يُؤْثِرُ عَبْدٌ هَوَايَ عَلَى هَوَاهُ إِلَّا جَعَلْتُ هَمَّهُ فِي آخِرَتِهِ وَ غِنَاهُ فِي قَلْبِهِ وَ كَفَفْتُ عَلَيْهِ ضَيْعَتَهُ وَ ضَمَّنْتُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ رِزْقَهُ وَ أَتَتْهُ الدُّنْيَا وَ هِيَ رَاغِمَةٌ.
(The book) ‘Sawaab Al Amaal’ – Al Attar, from his father, from Al-Husayn Bin Is’haq from Ibn Mahziyar, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Mansour Bin Yunus, from Al Sumali,
‘From Ali-asws Bin Al-Husayn-asws having said: ‘Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: “By My-azwj Might, and My-azwj Majestic, and My-azwj Glory, and My-azwj Highness, and the Loftiness of My‑azwj Position! A servant will not prefer My-azwj Whims over his own whims except I-azwj shall Make his concern to be regarding his Hereafter, and his riches to be in his heart, and Suffice him of his estate, and I-azwj shall Guaranteed the skies and the earth of his sustenance, and the world will come to him, and it would be compelled!”’[4]
تفسير الإمام عليه السلام قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَ لَا أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِأَكْيَسِ الْكَيِّسِينَ وَ أَحْمَقِ الْحُمَقَاءِ
Tafseer of the Imam (Hassan Al-Askari-asws, may the greetings be upon him-asws – ‘Rasool-Allah‑saww said: ‘Shall Isaww inform you with the cleverest of the clever ones and the stupidest of the stupid ones?’
قَالُوا بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ
They said, ‘Yes, O Rasool-Allahsaww!’
قَالَ أَكْيَسُ الْكَيِّسِينَ مَنْ حَاسَبَ نَفْسَهُ وَ عَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَ أَحْمَقُ الْحُمَقَاءِ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهُ وَ تَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ الْأَمَانِيَّ
The cleverest of the clever ones is the one who reckons himself, and works for what is after the death, and the stupidest of the stupid ones is the one who pursues his personal desires and wishes to Allahazwj the Exalted of the wishes’’.
فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ كَيْفَ يُحَاسِبُ الرَّجُلُ نَفْسَهُ
The man said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineenasws! And how can the man reckon his own self?’
قَالَ إِذَا أَصْبَحَ ثُمَّ أَمْسَى رَجَعَ إِلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ قَالَ يَا نَفْسُ إِنَّ هَذَا يَوْمٌ مَضَى عَلَيْكِ لَا يَعُودُ إِلَيْكِ أَبَداً وَ اللَّهِ سَائِلُكِ عَنْهُ فِيمَا أَفْنَيْتِهِ فَمَا الَّذِي عَمِلْتِ فِيهِ أَ ذَكَرْتِ اللَّهَ أَمْ حَمِدْتِيهِ أَ قَضَيْتِ حَقَّ أَخٍ مُؤْمِنٍ أَ نَفَّسْتِ عَنْهُ كُرْبَتَهُ أَ حَفِظْتِيهِ بِظَهْرِ الْغَيْبِ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَ وُلْدِهِ أَ حَفِظْتِيهِ بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ فِي مُخَلَّفِيهِ أَ كَفَفْتِ عَنْ غِيبَةِ أَخٍ مُؤْمِنٍ بِفَضْلِ جَاهِكِ أَ أَعَنْتِ مُسْلِماً مَا الَّذِي صَنَعْتِ فِيهِ فَيَذْكُرُ مَا كَانَ مِنْهُ
Heasws said: ‘When it is morning, then evening, he refers to himself and he says, ‘O self! This day has passed upon you, it would not be returning to you, ever, and Allahazwj the Exalted will be Questioning you about it. What did you consume it in? So what is that which you did during it? Did you Mention Allahazwj or praise Himazwj? Did you fulfil the needs of a Momin? Did you relieve any worries from him? Did you protect his wife and his children in the apparent during his absence? Did you protect him with regards to his opponents after the death? Did you suffice a Momin brother of his honour during his absence? Did you assist a Muslim? What is that which you did during it?’ Thus he recalls whatever had happened from him.
فَإِنْ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ جَرَى مِنْهُ خَيْرٌ حَمِدَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ كَبَّرَهُ عَلَى تَوْفِيقِهِ
If he recalls that he has done good from it, he should praise Allahazwj the Exalted, and exclaim Hisazwj Greatness upon Hisazwj Inclining him (for it).
وَ إِنْ ذَكَرَ مَعْصِيَةً أَوْ تَقْصِيراً اسْتَغْفَرَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَمَ عَلَى تَرْكِ مُعَاوَدَتِهِ وَ مَحَا ذَلِكَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ بِتَجْدِيدِ الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ وَ عَرْضِ بَيْعَةِ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ قَبُولِهَا وَ إِعَادَةِ لَعْنِ شَانِئِيهِ وَ أَعْدَائِهِ وَ دَافِعِيهِ عَنْ حُقُوقِهِ
And if he recalls an (act of) disobedience, or a derogation, he should seek Forgiveness of Allahazwj the Exalted, and be determined upon leaving its recurrence, and delete than from his self by renewing the Salawaat upon Muhammadsaww and hissaww goodly Progenyasws and display the allegiance of Amir–Al-Momineenasws upon himself, and his acceptance of it, and repeat the cursing hisasws enemies, and hisasws adversaries, and the ones who repelled himasws from hisasws right.
فَإِذَا فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَسْتُ أُنَاقِشُكِ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ مَعَ مُوَالاتِكِ أَوْلِيَائِي وَ مُعَادَاتِكِ أَعْدَائِي.
When he does that, Allahazwj Mighty and Majestic Says: “Iazwj shall not Discuss with regards to anything from the sins (as you are) with your friendship of Myazwj friends and the enmity of Myazwj enemies”.[5]
[1] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 75 – The book ‘Al Rawza’ – Ch 26 H 4 / 1
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 67 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 45 H 11
[3] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 67 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 45 H 14 c
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 67 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 46 H 8
[5] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 67 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 45 H 16