Summary:

Our hearts are inspired by the Divine Imam, and we do good and have peace of mind and heart.  However, when indulging in worldly affairs or being inattentive to the remembrance, Satan succeeds in putting through his evil advice – the ‘waswisa’.

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سِنَانٍ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ قَالَ الصَّادِقُ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ع مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَاعِظٌ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ وَ زَاجِرٌ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ قَرِينٌ مُرْشِدٌ اسْتَمْكَنَ عَدُوُّهُ مِنْ عُنُقِهِ

And is it reported by Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘Al Sadiq Ja’far^-asws Bin Muhammad^-asws said: ‘One who does not happen to have for him, advice from his heart, and rebuke from his own self, and does not happen to have for him a Guide as a pair, his enemy would be enabled upon his neck’.

A short article on precognition that is future thought ‘Ilham’ of a momin is presented based on the Ahadith of Masomeen^-asws.

Our Creation:

As per beliefs of Muslims, we were created as particles before and then transferred to the world of souls, then to the belly of the mothers and then came to the world.  Allah^-azwj Took an oath of allegiance from all souls, which some have forgotten upon coming to the world but some have remembered it and therefore adhered to the faith in Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Divine Representatives (the Prophets^-as and the Imams^-asws).  Some Ahadith are presented in the article related to the topic ‘Déjà vu’ related to momineen (the believers).

وعن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: الارواح جنود مجندة تلتقي فتتشام كما تتشام الخيل، فما تعارف منها ائتلف، وما تناكر منها اختلف، ولو أن مؤمنا جاء إلى مسجد فيه اناس كثير ليس فيهم إلا مؤمن واحد لمالت روحه إلى ذلك المؤمن حتى يجلس إليه.

And from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The souls are armies, soldiers recruited for battle, so they watch out for each other just as the cavalry horses watch out. Thus, whatever matches, they recognise and incline (towards it), and whatever differs from it, they disregard; and if a Momin would go to a Masjid wherein are a lot of people, there not being among them except for one Momin, his soul would incline towards that Momin until he (goes and) sits beside him’.[1]

عن جابر عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام، قال: تنفست بين يديه، ثم قلت: يا ابن رسول الله هم يصيبني من غير مصيبة تصيبني، أو أمر ينزل بي، حتى تعرف ذلك أهلي في وجهي، ويعرفه صديقي، فقال: نعم، يا جابر، قلت: ما ذلك يا ابن رسول الله؟ قال: وما تصنع به؟ قلت: احب أن أعلمه،

From Jabir,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws, said, ‘I sighed in front of him^-asws, then I said, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! Worries hit me from without there being a calamity hitting me, or a matter descending with me, to the extent my family recognise that in my face, and my friends recognise it’. So he^-asws said: ‘Yes, O Jabir’. I said, ‘And what is that, O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww?’ He^-asws said: ‘And what will you do with (knowing) it?’ I said, ‘I would love to know it’.

فقال: يا جابر إن الله عزوجل خلق المؤمنين من طين الجنان، وأجرى بهم من ريح الجنة روحه، فكذلك المؤمن أخو المؤمن لابيه وامه، فإذا أصاب روحا من تلك الارواح في بلدة من البلدان شئ حزنت (حزبت – خ) هذه الارواح لانها منها.

So he^-asws said: ‘O Jabir! Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created the Momineen from the clay of the Gardens (of Paradise), and Flowed in them from the breezes of the Paradise, His^-azwj Spirit. So, like that, the Momin is a brother of the Momin, of his father and his mother. So when a spirit from those spirits is hit by something (of a difficulty) in a city from the cities, these spirits grieve, because it is from (part of) these’.[2]

Arwah (Souls) were created 2000 years before the bodies:

حدثنا ابراهيم بن هاشم عن عمرو بن شمر عن جابر عن ابى جعفر عليه السلام قال بينا امير المؤمنين عليه السلام في مسجد الكوفة إذ جائت امرأة تستعدى على زوجها فقلت لزوجها عليها فغضبت فقالت والله ما الحق فيما قضيت وما تقضى بالسوية ولاتعدل في الرعية ولاقضيتك عند الله بالمرضية فنظر إليها مليا ثم قال لها كذبت يا جرية يا بذية يا سلسلع أي التى لا تحبل من حيث تحبل النساء قالت فولت المراة هاربة تولول وتقول ويلى ويلى لقد هتكت يابن ابى طالب عليه السلام سرا كان مستورا

It has been narrated to us by Ibrahim Bin Hashaam, from Amro Bin Shimr, from Jabir, who has said:

Abu Ja’far^-asws says that ‘Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws was explaining (something) in the Mosque of Kufa when a woman came up who had antagonised her husband, saying that her husband was angry with her. He^-asws told her that her husband was right in being angry with her. She said, ‘By Allah^-azwj, there is no truth in your^-asws judgement, you^-asws have not judged equitably, nor have you^-asws done justice among your^-asws citizens, and I will drag you^-asws for Judgement before Allah^-azwj until I am satisfied’.

He^-asws looked at her carefully, then said to her: ‘You are lying, O audacious, O evil-tongued, O “Salsala”^[3]’. The woman shrieked and ran away, and was saying, ‘Woe is unto me, woe is unto me, the son^-asws of Abu Talib^-as has violated my secret which had remained covered’.

قال فلحقها عمرو بن حرث فقال لها يا امة لقد استقبلت عليا عليه السلام بكلام سررتني ثم انه نزعك بكلمة فوليت عنه هاربة تولولين قال ان عليا عليه السلام والله اخبرني بالحق وبما اكتمه من زوجي منذ ولى عصمتي ومن ابوى

Amro Bin Haris ran after her and said to her, ‘O mother, you have confronted Ali^-asws with words that have made me happy, then he^-asws removed you with words, due to which you invoked woe upon yourself, and ran away shrieking’. She said, ‘Ali^-asws informed me with the truth which I had kept concealed from my husband since he became the guardian of my protection, and from my father’.

فرجع عمرو إلى امير المؤمنين عليه السلام فاخبره بما قالت له المرأة وقال له فبما تقول ما نعرفك بالكهانة قال له يا عمرو ويلك انها ليست بالكهانة شئ ولكن الله خلق الارواح قبل الابدان بالفى عام فلما ركب الارواح في ابدانها كتب بين اعينهم مؤمن ام كافر وما هم به مبتلون وماهم عليه من سئ من اعمالهم و حسنه وفى قدر اذن الفارة ثم انزل بذلك قرانا على نبيه فقال ان في ذلك لايات للمتوسمين وكان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله هو المتوسم ثم انا من بعده والائمة من ذريتي من بعدى هم المتوسمون فلما تأملتها عرفت ما عليها بسيماها.

Amro returned to Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws. He informed him^-asws of what the woman had said to him, and he said to him^-asws, ‘By what did you speak, by fortune-telling?’ He^-asws said to him: ‘Woe be unto you, O Amro, it was not a thing by fortune-telling, but, Allah^-azwj Created the Ruhs  (souls) before the bodies by two thousand years. When He^-azwj Mounted the Ruhs into their bodies, He^-azwj Wrote between their eyes whether he was a believer or an infidel, and what they will be plagued by it, and what they will have to them from evil of their deeds and good, even smaller than a rat’s ear. Then He^-azwj Sent down with that the Quran upon His^-azwj Prophet^-saww Surely, in that are Signs for the distinguishers [15:75]”, and Rasool-Allah^-saww was the recogniser, then I^-asws am from after him^-saww, and the Imams^-asws from my^-asws progeny^-asws from after me^-asws, they^-asws are the recognisers. When I^-asws contemplated on her, I^-asws recognised what it was with her by her mark’.[4]

حدثنا احمد بن محمد عن الحسن بن محبوب عن صالح بن سهل عن ابى عبد الله عليه السلام ان رجلا جاء إلى امير المؤمنين وهو مع اصحابه فسلم عليه ثم قال انا والله احبك واتولاك فقال له امير المؤمنين ما انت كما قلت ويلك ان الله خلق الارواح قبل الابدان بالفى عام ثم عرض علينا المحب لنا فوالله ما رايت روحك فيمن عرض علينا فاين كنت قال فسكت الرجل عند ذلك ولم يراجعه.

Narrated to us Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboun, from Saleh Bin Sahl, who has said:

Abu Abdullah^-asws has said: ‘A man went to Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws, while he^-asws was with his^-asws companions. He greeted him^-asws, then said: ‘I, by Allah^-azwj, love you^-asws and I am your^-asws friend.’

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said to him: ‘You are not as you are saying, woe be unto you. Surely Allah^-azwj Created and Arwah before the bodies by two thousand years, then Presented to us^-asws those that love us^-asws. By Allah^-azwj! I did not see your Ruh (soul) from those who were presented to us^-asws. Where were you?’ Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘The man was silenced by that and never returned back again.’^[5]

سَهْلُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ الْأَرْوَاحَ فِي صِفَةِ الْأَجْسَادِ فِي شَجَرَةٍ فِي الْجَنَّةِ تَعَارَفُ وَ تَسَاءَلُ فَإِذَا قَدِمَتِ الرُّوحُ عَلَى الْأَرْوَاحِ يَقُولُ دَعُوهَا فَإِنَّهَا قَدْ أَفْلَتَتْ مِنْ هَوْلٍ عَظِيمٍ ثُمَّ يَسْأَلُونَهَا مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ وَ مَا فَعَلَ فُلَانٌ فَإِنْ قَالَتْ لَهُمْ تَرَكْتُهُ حَيّاً ارْتَجَوْهُ وَ إِنْ قَالَتْ لَهُمْ قَدْ هَلَكَ قَالُوا قَدْ هَوَى هَوَى .

Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ismail Bin Mihran, from Dorost Bin Abu Mansour, from Ibn Muskan, from Abu Baseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘The souls are in bodily representations in a tree in the Paradise, recognising (each other) and asking (about others). So when the soul proceeds upon the souls, they are saying, ‘Leave it alone, for it has just escaped from a great terror’. Then they are questioning it, ‘What happened to so and so?’ So if it says to them, ‘I left him alive’, they are hopeful for him, and if it says to them, ‘He died’, they say, ‘He has perished! Perished!’[6]

Human recollection after Resurrection:

قَالَ كَمْ لَبِثْتُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ عَدَدَ سِنِينَ {112}

He will Say: “How many number of years did you remain in the earth?” [23:112]

قَالُوا لَبِثْنَا يَوْمًا أَوْ بَعْضَ يَوْمٍ فَاسْأَلِ الْعَادِّينَ {113}

They will say, ‘We remained for a day or part of a day, so ask those who keep count’ [23:113]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ أَبِي مَسْرُوقٍ النَّهْدِيِّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) الرَّجُلُ آتِيهِ وَ أُكَلِّمُهُ بِبَعْضِ كَلَامِي فَيَعْرِفُهُ كُلَّهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ آتِيهِ فَأُكَلِّمُهُ بِالْكَلَامِ فَيَسْتَوْفِي كَلَامِي كُلَّهُ ثُمَّ يَرُدُّهُ عَلَيَّ كَمَا كَلَّمْتُهُ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ آتِيهِ فَأُكَلِّمُهُ فَيَقُولُ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Al Haysam Bin Abu Masrouq Al Nahdy, from Al Husayn Bin Khalid, from Is’haq Bin Ammar who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘I would go to a man and speak to him with some of my speech, and he would understand all of it, and from them is one whom I would go to, and speak to him with (all) the speech, so he would fulfil to me all of my speech, then he would repeat it upon me just as I had spoken to him; and from them is the one who I would go to and speak to him, so he would be saying, ‘Repeat it to me’’.

فَقَالَ يَا إِسْحَاقُ وَ مَا تَدْرِي لِمَ هَذَا قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ بِبَعْضِ كَلَامِكَ فَيَعْرِفُهُ كُلَّهُ فَذَاكَ مَنْ عُجِنَتْ نُطْفَتُهُ بِعَقْلِهِ وَ أَمَّا الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ فَيَسْتَوْفِي كَلَامَكَ ثُمَّ يُجِيبُكَ عَلَى كَلَامِكَ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي رُكِّبَ عَقْلُهُ فِيهِ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ وَ أَمَّا الَّذِي تُكَلِّمُهُ بِالْكَلَامِ فَيَقُولُ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ فَذَاكَ الَّذِي رُكِّبَ عَقْلُهُ فِيهِ بَعْدَ مَا كَبِرَ فَهُوَ يَقُولُ لَكَ أَعِدْ عَلَيَّ .

So he^-asws said: ‘O Is’haq! And do you not know why this is so?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘The one whom you speak to with part of your speech, yet he understands all of it, so that is the one whose seed is kneaded with his intellect; and as for the one whom you speak to, and fulfil (all of) your speech, then he answers you upon your speech, so that is the one in whom his intellect has been superimposed in the belly of his mother; and as for the one whom you speak to with the speech, so he is saying, ‘Repeat upon me’, so that is the one in whom his intellect has been superimposed after having grown old, thus he is saying to you, ‘Repeat upon me’’.[7]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِذَا وَقَعَتِ النُّطْفَةُ فِي الرَّحِمِ اسْتَقَرَّتْ فِيهَا أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً وَ تَكُونُ عَلَقَةً أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً وَ تَكُونُ مُضْغَةً أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ يَبْعَثُ اللَّهُ مَلَكَيْنِ خَلَّاقَيْنِ فَيُقَالُ لَهُمَا اخْلُقَا كَمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ ذَكَراً أَوْ أُنْثَى صَوِّرَاهُ وَ اكْتُبَا أَجَلَهُ وَ رِزْقَهُ وَ مَنِيَّتَهُ وَ شَقِيّاً أَوْ سَعِيداً وَ اكْتُبَا لِلَّهِ الْمِيثَاقَ الَّذِي أَخَذَهُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الذَّرِّ بَيْنَ عَيْنَيْهِ فَإِذَا دَنَا خُرُوجُهُ مِنْ بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ مَلَكاً يُقَالُ لَهُ زَاجِرٌ فَيَزْجُرُهُ فَيَفْزَعُ فَزَعاً فَيَنْسَى الْمِيثَاقَ وَ يَقَعُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ يَبْكِي مِنْ زَجْرَةِ الْمَلَكِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, and Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Raib, from Zurara Bin Ayn who said,

‘I heard Abu Ja’far^-asws saying: ‘When the seed falls into the womb, it vibrates in it for forty days, it settles in it for forty days, and becomes a cloth for forty days, and becomes a lump for forty days. Then Allah^-azwj Sends two creating Angels, so He^-azwj Says to both of them to create whatever Allah^-azwj Intends, male or female. So they caricature it, and write down its term, and its sustenance, and its death, and whether it is to be miserable or fortunate, and they both write the Covenant for Allah^-azwj which He^-azwj had Taken from it in the (realm of the) particles, to be between its eyes. So when it is near for its exit from the belly of its mother, Allah^-azwj Sends an Angel called Zajira (Rebuker) to it. So he rebukes it with a rebuke, so it panics and forgets the Covenant, and falls to the ground crying from the rebuking of the Angel’.^[8]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مَعْرُوفٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ كَيْفَ سُمِّيَتِ الْجُمُعَةُ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَمَعَ فِيهَا خَلْقَهُ لِوَلَايَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ وَصِيِّهِ فِي الْمِيثَاقِ فَسَمَّاهُ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ لِجَمْعِهِ فِيهِ خَلْقَهُ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Musa, from Al Abbas Bin Marouf, from Ibn Abu Najran, from Abdullah Bin Sinan, from Ibn Abu Yafour, from Abu Hamza,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Ja’far^-asws, said, ‘A man said to him^-asws, ‘How was the Friday named (as such)?’ He^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Gathered His^-azwj creatures during it, for the Wilayah of Muhammad^-saww and his^-saww successor^-asws regarding the Covenant. Thus, He^-azwj Named it as the day of Friday (Jum’a), due to the gathering (Jama’a) of His^-azwj creatures during it’.[9]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لِمَ جُعِلَ اسْتِلَامُ الْحَجَرِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَيْثُ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَ بَنِي آدَمَ دَعَا الْحَجَرَ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ فَأَمَرَهُ فَالْتَقَمَ الْمِيثَاقَ فَهُوَ يَشْهَدُ لِمَنْ وَافَاهُ بِالْمُوَافَاةِ .

A number of our companions, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Abu Nasr, from Abdullah Bin Bukeyr, from Al Halby who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘Why was kissing the (Black) Stone made to be?’ So he^-asws said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Took the Covenant of the Children of Adam^-as, Called the (Black) Stone from the Paradise, so He^-azwj Commanded it and it devoured the Covenant. Thus, it would testify for the ones who were loyal to it with the loyalty (to the Wilayah)’.^[10]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْمَكِّيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ الشَّامِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) لَا تَشْتَرِ مِنَ السُّودَانِ أَحَداً فَإِنْ كَانَ لَا بُدَّ فَمِنَ النُّوبَةِ فَإِنَّهُمْ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ قالُوا إِنَّا نَصارى أَخَذْنا مِيثاقَهُمْ فَنَسُوا حَظًّا مِمَّا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ أَمَا إِنَّهُمْ سَيَذْكُرُونَ ذَلِكَ الْحَظَّ وَ سَيَخْرُجُ مَعَ الْقَائِمِ ( عليه السلام ) مِنَّا عِصَابَةٌ مِنْهُمْ وَ لَا تَنْكِحُوا مِنَ الْأَكْرَادِ أَحَداً فَإِنَّهُمْ جِنْسٌ مِنَ الْجِنِّ كُشِفَ عَنْهُمُ الْغِطَاءُ .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from Ismail Bin Muhammad Al Makky, from Ali Bin Al Husayn, from Amro Bin Usman, from Al Husayn Bin Khalid, from the one who mentioned it, from Abu Al Rabie Al Shamy who said,

‘Abu Abdullah^-asws said to me: ‘Do not buy anyone (a slave) from the Sudanese, and if it was inevitable, so (buy) from the Nubians, for they are from those for whom Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Says [5:14] And with those who say, We are Christians, We made a Covenant, but they forgot a portion of what they were reminded with. But, they would be remembering that Covenant and they would be coming out with Al-Qaim^-asws from us^-asws, a brigade from them; and do not marry anyone from the Kurds, for they are a species from the Jinn, the cover having been Removed from them’.^[11]  

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُسَاوِرِ عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِيَّاكُمْ وَ التَّنْوِيهَ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ لَيَغِيبَنَّ إِمَامُكُمْ سِنِيناً مِنْ دَهْرِكُمْ وَ لَتُمَحَّصُنَّ حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَاتَ قُتِلَ هَلَكَ بِأَيِّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ وَ لَتَدْمَعَنَّ عَلَيْهِ عُيُونُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ لَتُكْفَؤُنَّ كَمَا تُكْفَأُ السُّفُنُ فِي أَمْوَاجِ الْبَحْرِ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Abu Najran, from Muhammad Bin Al Musawir, from Al Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘I heard Abu Abdullah^-asws saying: ‘Beware of the allusions! But, by Allah^-azwj! Your Imam^-asws would be absent (in Occultation) for years from your time. You will be Sifted until it would be said, ‘He^-asws died, killed, perished, (Don’t know) by which valley he^-asws travelled’, and the eyes of the Momineen would shed tears upon him^-asws, and you would be tossed around like the tossing of the ships in the waves of the sea.

فَلَا يَنْجُو إِلَّا مَنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَهُ وَ كَتَبَ فِي قَلْبِهِ الْإِيمَانَ وَ أَيَّدَهُ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَ لَتُرْفَعَنَّ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لَا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ

Thus, he would not attain salvation except the one whose Covenant Allah^-azwj has Taken, and Written the Eman in his heart, and Aided him by a Spirit from Him^-azwj. And you would be separating into twelve resembling banners, not known which one is from which’.

قَالَ فَبَكَيْتُ ثُمَّ قُلْتُ فَكَيْفَ نَصْنَعُ قَالَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى شَمْسٍ دَاخِلَةٍ فِي الصُّفَّةِ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ تَرَى هَذِهِ الشَّمْسَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأَمْرُنَا أَبْيَنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّمْسِ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I wept, then I said, ‘So how should we deal with it?’ So he^-asws looked at the sunshine entering the pavilion and he^-asws said: ‘O Abu Abdullah! Do you see this sunshine?’ I said, ‘Yes’. So he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! Our^-asws matter would be clearer that this sunshine’.^[12]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ جَبَلَةَ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ خَلَفِ بْنِ عَبَّادٍ الْأَنْمَاطِيِّ عَنْ مُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) وَ عِنْدَهُ فِي الْبَيْتِ أُنَاسٌ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ إِنَّمَا أَرَادَ بِذَلِكَ غَيْرِي فَقَالَ أَمَا وَ اللَّهِ لَيَغِيبَنَّ عَنْكُمْ صَاحِبُ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَ لَيَخْمِلَنَّ هَذَا حَتَّى يُقَالَ مَاتَ هَلَكَ فِي أَيِّ وَادٍ سَلَكَ وَ لَتُكْفَؤُنَّ كَمَا تُكْفَأُ السَّفِينَةُ فِي أَمْوَاجِ الْبَحْرِ لَا يَنْجُو إِلَّا مَنْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَهُ وَ كَتَبَ الْإِيمَانَ فِي قَلْبِهِ وَ أَيَّدَهُ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ وَ لَتُرْفَعَنَّ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لَا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ

Al Husayn Bin Muhammad and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ja’far Bin Muhammad, from Al Hassan Bin Muawiya, from Abdullah Bin Jabala, from Ibrahim Bin Khalaf Bin Abbad Al Anmaty, from Mufazzal Bin Umar who said,

‘I was in the presence of Abu Abdullah^-asws, and with him^-asws were some people in the room. So I thought that he^-asws intended by that, others than me (when) he^-asws said: ‘By Allah^-azwj! He^-asws would be absent from you all, the Master^-asws of this command, and this (matter) would become so obscure to the extent that it would be said, ‘He^-asws died, perished in whichever valley he^-asws travelled’, and you all would be tossed about just as the ship gets tossed in the waves of the sea. None will be save except for the one whose Covenant Allah^-azwj has Taken, and Written the Eman to be in his heart, and Aided him with a Spirit from Him^-azwj. And there would be raised twelve resembling flags. It would not be known which is from which’.

قَالَ فَبَكَيْتُ فَقَالَ مَا يُبْكِيكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فَقُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ لَا أَبْكِي وَ أَنْتَ تَقُولُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ رَايَةً مُشْتَبِهَةً لَا يُدْرَى أَيٌّ مِنْ أَيٍّ قَالَ وَ فِي مَجْلِسِهِ كَوَّةٌ تَدْخُلُ فِيهَا الشَّمْسُ فَقَالَ أَ بَيِّنَةٌ هَذِهِ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَمْرُنَا أَبْيَنُ مِنْ هَذِهِ الشَّمْسِ .

He (the narrator) said, ‘So I wept’, and he^-asws said: ‘What makes you weep, O Abu Abdullah?’ So I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! How can I not weep and you^-asws are saying there would be twelve resembling flags, not being know which one is from which?’ And in his^-asws gathering there was a skylight through which the sunshine entered. So he^-asws said: ‘Is this clear (enough)?’ So I said, ‘Yes’. He^-asws said: ‘Our^-asws matter would be clearer than this sunshine’.^[13]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ سِنَانٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ رَفَعَهُ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ إِنَّ حَدِيثَنَا صَعْبٌ مُسْتَصْعَبٌ لَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ إِلَّا صُدُورٌ مُنِيرَةٌ أَوْ قُلُوبٌ سَلِيمَةٌ أَوْ أَخْلَاقٌ حَسَنَةٌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَخَذَ مِنْ شِيعَتِنَا الْمِيثَاقَ كَمَا أَخَذَ عَلَى بَنِي آدَمَ أَ لَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ وَفَى لَنَا وَفَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ وَ مَنْ أَبْغَضَنَا وَ لَمْ يُؤَدِّ إِلَيْنَا حَقَّنَا فَفِي النَّارِ خَالِداً مُخَلَّداً .

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Barqy, from Ibn Sinan, or someonle else,

(It has been narrated) raising it to Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Our^-asws Ahadeeth are difficult, becoming more difficult. None can bear it except for an enlightened chest, or a tranquil heart, or excellent morals. Allah^-azwj Took the Covenant from our^-asws Shias just as He^-azwj Took upon the Children of Adam^-as “Am I not your Lord?” [7:172] So the one who was loyal to us^-asws, Allah^-azwj would be Loyal to him with the Paradise, and the one who hates us^-asws and does not fulfil our^-asws rights to us^-asws, so in the Fire he will abide eternally’.^[14]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ الصَّحَّافِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمِنْكُمْ كافِرٌ وَ مِنْكُمْ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَالَ عَرَفَ اللَّهُ إِيمَانَهُمْ بِوَلَايَتِنَا وَ كُفْرَهُمْ بِهَا يَوْمَ أَخَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمِيثَاقَ فِي صُلْبِ آدَمَ ( عليه السلام ) وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Al Husayn Bin Nuaym Al Sahhaf who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic He is the One Who Created you all, so from you is a Kafir and from you is a Momin [64:2]. So he^-asws said: ‘Allah^-azwj Recognised their Eman by our^-asws Wilayah and their disbelief in it on the day He^-azwj Took the Covenant upon them in ‘صُلْبِ’ the forehead of Adam^-as, and they were particles’.^[15]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ صِبْغَةَ اللَّهِ وَ مَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبْغَةً قَالَ صَبَغَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِالْوَلَايَةِ فِي الْمِيثَاقِ .

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Salma Bin Al Khatab, from Ali Bin Hassan, from Abdul Rahman Bin Kaseer,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah^-asws regarding the Words of the Mighty and Majestic A Dyeing of Allah, and who is better than Allah in dyeing? [2:138] He^-asws said: ‘The Momineen were dyed by the Wilayah during the (Taking of the) Covenant’.^[16]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ الْكُلَيْنِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ وَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ ابْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ كَانَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَخَذَ مِيثَاقَ شِيعَتِنَا بِالْوَلَايَةِ وَ هُمْ ذَرٌّ يَوْمَ أَخَذَ الْمِيثَاقَ عَلَى الذَّرِّ وَ الْإِقْرَارَ لَهُ بِالرُّبُوبِيَّةِ وَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) بِالنُّبُوَّةِ .

Muhammad Bin Yaqoub Al Kulayni, from Muhammad Bin Al Hassan, and Ali Bin Muhammad, from Sahl Bin Ziyad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Ibn Qaib, from Bukeyr Bin Ayn who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws was saying: ‘Allah^-azwj Took the Covenant of our^-asws Shias with the Wilayah, and they were particles on the Day the Covenant was Taken upon the particles, and the acknowledgment to Him^-azwj of the Lordship, and to Muhammad^-saww with the Prophet-hood’.^[17]

أحمد بن أبي عبد الله البرقي، عن أبيه، عن سليمان بن جعفر الجعفري، عن أبي الحسن الرضا عليه السلام، قال: قال لي: يا سليمان، ان الله تبارك وتعالى خلق المؤمن من نوره، وصبغهم في رحمته، وأخذ ميثاقهم لنا بالولاية، فالمؤمن أخو المؤمن لابيه وأمه، أبوه النور وأمه الرحمة، فاتقوا فراسة المؤمن، فانه ينظر بنور الله الذي خلق منه “.

Ahmad Bin Abu Abdullah Al Barqy, from his father, from Suleyman Bin Ja’far Al Ja’fary,

(It has been narrated) from Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws, ‘He^-asws said to me: ‘O Suleyman! Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Created the Believer from His^-azwj Noor, and Coloured them with His^-azwj Mercy, and Took their Covenant for us^-asws with the Wilayah. So the Believer is a brother of the Believer to (as of the same) father and the mother. His father is the Noor (the Light) and his mother is the Mercy. Therefore, fear the insight of the Believer, for he looks by the Noor of Allah^-azwj from which He^-azwj has been Created’.^[18]

عنه، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن علي بن رئاب، عن بكير بن أعين، قال: كان أبو جعفر عليه السلام يقول: ان الله تبارك وتعالى أخذ ميثاق شيعتنا بالولاية لنا وهم ذر يوم أخذ الميثاق على الذر بالاقرار له بالربوبية ولمحمد صلى الله عليه وآله بالنبوة وعرض على محمد صلى الله عليه وآله أمته في الطين وهم أظلة، وخلقهم من الطينة التي خلق منها آدم، وخلق أرواح شيعتنا قبل أبدانهم بألفى عام، وعرضهم عليه وعرفهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعلي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام ونحن نعرفهم في لحن القول.

From him, from Al Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Ali Bin Ra’ib, from Bakeyr Bin Ayn who said,

‘Abu Ja’far^-asws was saying: ‘Allah^-azwj Blessed and High Took a Covenant from our^-asws Shiah with the Wilayah for us^-asws, and they were particles, on the day He^-azwj Took the Covenant upon the particles with the acceptance for Him^-azwj with the Lordship, and for Muhammad^-saww with the Prophet-hood, and Presented to Muhammad^-saww, his^-asws community in the clay, and they were shadows. And Created them from the clay from which Allah^-azwj Created Adam^-as, and Created the spirits of our^-asws Shiah two thousand years before their bodies, and Presented to them and Introduced them to Rasool-Allah^-saww and Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws. And we^-asws recognise them (Shiah) from the tone of their speech.

ورواه عثمان بن عيسى، عن أبي الجراح، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام، وزاد فيه: ” وكل قلب يحن إلى بدنه “.

And it has been reported by Usman Bin Isa, from Abu Al-Jarah, from Abu Ja’far^-asws, and there is an addition to it: ‘And every heart inclines to its body’.^[19]

عنه، عن يحيى بن ابراهيم بن أبي البلاد، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن عمران، عن رجل من أصحابه يقال له عمران، أنه خرج في عمرة زمن الحجاج فقلت له: هل لقيت أبا جعفر عليه السلام؟ – قال: نعم، قلت: فما قال لك؟ – قال: قال لي: يا عمران ما خبر الناس؟ – فقلت: تركت الحجاج يشتم أباك على المنابر (أعنى علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام،) فقال: أعداء الله يبدهون بسبنا، أما انهم لو استطاعوا أن يكونوا من شيعتنا لكانوا ولكنهم لا يستطيعون، ان الله أخذ ميثاقنا وميثاق شيعتنا ونحن وهم أظلة، فلو جهد الناس أن يزيدوا فيهم رجلا أو ينقصوا منهم رجلا ما قدروا عليه.

From him, from Yahya Bin Ibrahim Bin Abu Al Balaad, from his father, from his grandfather, from Imran,

(It has been narrated) from a man from his companions called Imran who went out regarding Umrah during the era of Al-Hajaaj. So I said to him, ‘Did you meet Abu Ja’far^-asws?’ He said, ‘Yes’. I said, ‘So what did he^-asws say to you?’ He said, ‘He^-asws said to me: ‘O Imran! What is the news of the people?’ So I said, ‘I left Al-Hajaaj insulting your^-asws forefather^-asws upon the Pulpit (meaning Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws). So he^-asws said: ‘The enemies of Allah^-azwj instinctively insult us^-asws. But, had they had been able to become from our^-asws Shiah, they would have been so, but they are not able to.

Allah^-azwj Took our^-asws Covenant and the Covenant of our^-asws Shiah, and us^-asws and they were shadows. Even if the people were to strive that they should increase among them a (single) man, or decrease from them a (single) man, they would not be able to do so’.^[20]

عنه، عن أبيه، عن القاسم بن محمد، عن علي بن أبي حمزة، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام، قال: لا تخاصموا الناس، فان الناس لو استطاعوا أن يحبونا لاحبونا، ان الله أخذ ميثاق الناس، فلا يزيد فيهم أحد أبدا ولا ينقض منهم أحد أبدا

From him, from his father, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Abu Hamza, from Abu Baseer, from;

Abu Ja’far^-asws said: ‘Do not argue with the people (in religion), for the people, if they had the ability to come to us^-asws, they would have come to us^-asws. Allah^-azwj Took a Covenant with the people, so there would not increase among them a (single) man, ever, nor decrease from then anyone, ever’.^[21]

عَنْهُمْ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عليه السلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله) فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرى فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا قَالَ هِيَ الرُّؤْيَا الْحَسَنَةُ يَرَى الْمُؤْمِنُ فَيُبَشَّرُ بِهَا فِي دُنْيَاهُ.

From him, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Fazzaal, from Abu Jameela, from Jabir, who has narrated the following:

Abu Ja’far^-asws has reported that a man asked the Rasool^-saww Allah^-azwj about the Words of Allah^-azwj: For them is the glad tiding in the life of the world [10:64], he^-saww said: ‘This is the good dream which the Momin sees, so he receives good news by it in this world’.^[22]

A Hadith on the types of people, i.e., the people of the right-hand and the people of the left-hand is included in the Appendix.

Maurifat and Inspiration:

We seek the ‘Irfan-ul- Haq’ and the Maurifat-e-Nooraniya (recognition of the Noor) of the Masomeen^-asws, in particular the Imam^-ajfj of our time, by quoting a Hadith of Imam Abu Abd Allah^-asws:

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلَالٍ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى عَنْ خَالِدِ بْنِ نَجِيحٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع لَا بُدَّ لِلْغُلَامِ مِنْ غَيْبَةٍ قُلْتُ وَ لِمَ قَالَ يَخَافُ وَ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى بَطْنِهِ وَ هُوَ الْمُنْتَظَرُ وَ هُوَ الَّذِي يَشُكُّ النَّاسُ فِي وِلَادَتِهِ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ حَمْلٌ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ مَاتَ أَبُوهُ وَ لَمْ يُخَلِّفْ وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَقُولُ وُلِدَ قَبْلَ مَوْتِ أَبِيهِ بِسَنَتَيْنِ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ فَقُلْتُ وَ مَا تَأْمُرُنِي لَوْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ الزَّمَانَ قَالَ ادْعُ اللَّهَ بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ

Al-Husayn ibn Ahmad has narrated from Ahmad ibn lIila1 who has said that ‘Uthman ibn ‘Isa narrated to us from Khalid ibn Najih from Zurara ibn A’yan hom abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, who has said:

‘Abu Abd Allah^-azwj has said, ‘It will be necessary for the young boy to disappear from public sight.’ I then asked, ‘Why it will be necessary?’ The Imam^-asws replied: ‘Because of fear’ (pointing toward his^-asws chest).’ He will be the one whose reappearance will be intensely expected. His coming (to this world) be doubted. Certain people will say, ‘His mother was not blessed by him^-ajfj.’ Others will say, ‘His^-ajfj father^-asws died but left no surviving son^-asws.’ Certain others will say, ‘He^-ajfj his ‘zahoor’[23] took place two years before the death of his^-ajfj father^-asws.’

I asked the Imam^-asws, ‘What do you command me if I were to live at that time?’ The Imam^-asws said, ‘Pray to Allah^-azwj in the words.

اللَّهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي نَفْسَكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْكَ اللَّهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِي نَبِيَّكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي نَبِيَّكَ لَمْ أَعْرِفْهُ قَطُّ اللَّهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِي حُجَّتَكَ ضَلَلْتُ عَنْ دِينِي

‘O Lord, Make me recognise You^-azwj; if You do not Make me recognise You^-azwj, I will not recognise You^-azwj. O Lord^-azwj, Make me recognise Your Rasool^-saww; if You^-azwj do not Make me recognise Your Rasool^-saww I will never recognise him^-saww. O Lord^-azwj, Make me recognise the one who possesses Your^-azwj Authority over the creatures; if You^-azwj do not make me recognise him^-ajfj I will stray away from my religion.

قَالَ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْهِلَالِ سَمِعْتُ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ مُنْذُ سِتٍّ وَ خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً

Ahmad ibn Hilal has said, ‘I had heard this Hadith fifty-six years ago.’[24]

The maurifat (recognition) and inspiration from the Divine Imam^-asws cannot be achieved by hard work but its a blessing and one has to beg for it. The process of meditation through man-made techniques, no doubt would generate some qualities within a person, or even some powers[25], which are enough to impress general public.  However, this would only reap the worldly benefits, as one would not be able to control imbalanced and superficial sense of superiority and will eventually fall into the trap of the Iblis^-la.

There are several well-known examples on exhibiting such powers by, even some of the unbelievers, i.e., Samri putting together a golden calf and enabling it to speak by making use of the dirt underneath the feet of Jibrail^-as[26] and a non-believer who used to supplicate for the rain in the time of the Imam Zain-ul-Abadeen^-asws and it would always rain because of his supplications, pleading to Allah^-azwj through the bones of a deceased Prophet^-as[27].  Here we have selected a relatively unknown example from Mullah Mohammed Baqir Majelisi’s book ‘Ainual Hiyat’:

It has been reported by Majelisi, from reliable narrators that once a famous and well renowned fortune-teller visited Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws and said: ‘I am an astrologist and I have heard that you^-asws too have knowledge about the unforeseen.  I want to ask a few questions from you^-asws or you^-asws may ask me instead.  Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws said: ‘The knowledge of unseen is with Allah^-azwj and no one knows about it and I know only that much which He^-azwj has Transmitted to me.  However, if you claim to have such knowledge then tell me what I have hidden in my fist?  After wondering for a long time (without being able to answer) and at that Imam^-asws asked:  Can you tell or not?  He said: ‘It’s a small thing but I am wondering how did you get an egg of a bird, from the top of a mountain, which is so high and impossible to reach?

Imam^-asws opened his fist and it turned out to be an egg.  Imam^-asws closed his fist again and asked now tell me what do I have in my fist?  He said: ‘The egg, which was taken out of that nest of the bird, has been placed back there and your fist is empty.  Imam^-asws opened his hand and there was nothing in it.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: ‘If now I ask a question from you will you give me an honest reply?

Fortune-teller: ‘Yes, I promise you.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: How did you get this knowledge?

Fortune-teller: I would not have replied to this question but I will, since I have given you my words.  This excellence is due to my hard work, which is based on the principle that whatever my heart tells me, I always act against it.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: What does your heart says about you becoming Muslim?

Fortune-teller: My heart dislikes it.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: Why don’t you then act against it?

The fortune-teller was surprised to hear this and embraced Islam.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: Tell me now what is in my fist?

After deep thinking and struggling, he admitted he could not guess and said: ‘I have lost my excellence after embracing Islam.

Amir-ul-Momineen^-asws: Instead of saying, I have lost my excellence; say I have benefited from Islam.  Your quality of denying desires and acting against attractions which had given you worldly benefits, will now benefit your Hereafter, and raise your Heavenly status, which I guarantee for you’.[28]

One can, after exerting some efforts (performing a ‘Chillah’ (40 days) can attain some charismatic qualities, such as, to earn some fake respect by impressing some simple-minded people, to achieve a large followership and to accumulate enormous wealth but are these of any use for the Hereafter?  Certainly not as per the above Hadith and will end up spoiling one’s Hereafter as well as of all those who have followed him.

The Inspiration through Dreams:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنْ دُرُسْتَ بْنِ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ الرُّؤْيَا الصَّادِقَةُ وَ الْكَاذِبَةُ مَخْرَجُهُمَا مِنْ مَوْضِعٍ وَاحِدٍ قَالَ صَدَقْتَ أَمَّا الْكَاذِبَةُ الْمُخْتَلِفَةُ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ يَرَاهَا فِي أَوَّلِ لَيْلَةٍ فِي سُلْطَانِ الْمَرَدَةِ الْفَسَقَةِ وَ إِنَّمَا هِيَ شَيْ‏ءٌ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَى الرَّجُلِ وَ هِيَ كَاذِبَةٌ مُخَالِفَةٌ لَا خَيْرَ فِيهَا وَ أَمَّا الصَّادِقَةُ إِذَا رَآهَا بَعْدَ الثُّلُثَيْنِ مِنَ اللَّيْلِ مَعَ حُلُولِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ ذَلِكَ قَبْلَ السَّحَرِ فَهِيَ صَادِقَةٌ لَا تَخَلَّفُ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ جُنُباً أَوْ يَنَامَ عَلَى غَيْرِ طَهُورٍ وَ لَمْ يَذْكُرِ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ حَقِيقَةَ ذِكْرِهِ فَإِنَّهَا تَخْتَلِفُ وَ تُبْطِئُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهَا.

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from his father, from Al-Nazar Bin Suweyd, from Dorost Bin Abu Mansour, from Abu Baseer who said:

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws, the true and the false dreams both come from one place’ He^-asws said: ‘You have spoken the truth, but the false dreams are different for the man sees is in the first (part) of the night during the domination of the sinful rebels, and it is an imaginary thing to the man, and it is false and contradictory. There is nothing good in it. And as for the true (dream) it is if he saw it after the (passing) of the two thirds of the night with the advent of the Angels, and that is before the dawn. So this is the true (dream), it will not be contradicted, Allah^-azwj Willing, except if he was in a state of being in requirement of Major ablution (Junuub), or he has slept without being clean, and he did not Mention Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic with true Remembrance, for then it would vary and be delayed to its dreamer’.[29]

الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِلَالٍ عَنْ يَاسِرٍ الْخَادِمِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عليه السلام) رَأَيْتُ فِي النَّوْمِ كَأَنَّ قَفَصاً فِيهِ سَبْعَ عَشْرَةَ قَارُورَةً إِذْ وَقَعَ الْقَفَصُ فَتَكَسَّرَتِ الْقَوَارِيرُ فَقَالَ إِنْ صَدَقَتْ رُؤْيَاكَ يَخْرُجُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ بَيْتِي يَمْلِكُ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ يَمُوتُ فَخَرَجَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بِالْكُوفَةِ مَعَ أَبِي السَّرَايَا فَمَكَثَ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً ثُمَّ مَاتَ.

Al-Husayn Bin Ahmad Bin Hilal, from Yaser Al-Khadam who said:

I said to Abu Al-Hassan Al-Reza^-asws, ‘I saw (a dream) during the sleep, as if there was a cage in which were seventeen bottles. There was an impact upon the cage and the bottles broke’. So he^-asws said: ‘If your dream is true, a man from my^-asws Household would come out, govern for seventeen days, then die’. So Muhammad Bin Ibrahim came out at Al-Kufa along with Abu Al-Saraaya. So he remained for seventeen days, then died’.[30]

The Ilhaam/Basharat (Inspiration):

It is an extremely delicate subject, as Iblis^-la is able to conspire (use better word) into people’s hearts and Allah^-azwj and His^-azwj Guides^-asws would help people against him, through, inspiration, or counter what Iblis^-la tells us or alternatively, Iblis^-la will conspire when we are inspired with ‘Heavenly initiatives’.  How do we find out which message is coming from which source?  One needs to be very careful if one is directed in the right direction, if still unclear, should supplicate and ask for further clear signs and/or seek guidance through ‘Istikhara’.

تَنَزَّلُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ أَفَّاكٍ أَثِيمٍ )222 & (26: يُلْقُونَ السَّمْعَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ كَاذِبُونَ )223(26:

They descend upon every lying, sinful one (26:222). They incline their ears, and most of them are liars (26:223).

قال حدثني جعفر بن محمد الفزاري قال حدثنا محمد [بن‏] الحسين بن علي بن [محمد بن‏] الفضيل عن خيثمة الجعفي قال دخلت على أبي جعفر ع فقال لي يا خيثمة إن شيعتنا أهل البيت يقذف في قلوبهم الحب لنا أهل البيت و يلهمون حبنا أهل البيت ألا إن الرجل يحبنا و يحتمل ما يأتيه من فضلنا و لم يرنا و لم يسمع كلامنا لما يريد الله به من الخير و هو قول الله وَ الَّذِينَ اهْتَدَوْا زادَهُمْ هُدىً وَ آتاهُمْ تَقْواهُمْ يعني من لقينا و سمع كلامنا زاده الله هدى على هداه [هداية] يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ لا تُبْطِلُوا أَعْمالَكُمْ

Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Mohammed ibn al-Toufal reports from Khamisa al-Jaffi, who says that once I went to see Imam Abi Jafar^-asws, who said to me:

Imam Mohammed Baqir^-asws said: O Khasmiya ! Shias are considered to be in the Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws, the love of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws is planted in their hearts and they get inspiration about loving them^-asws, our love comes to a person as a blessing from Allah^-azwj, who prepares him to sustain it as a treasure from Him^-azwj, as Allah^-azwj says: (47:17) And (as for) those who follow the right direction, He increases them in guidance and gives them their guarding (against evil). Which means, he is guided and inspired by Allah^-azwj to the Just path as He^-azwj Says: O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not make your deeds go in vain. (47:33). [31]

[ الصدوق ] حدثنا محمد بن بكران النقاش بالكوفة، قال: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد الهمداني مولى بني هاشم، قال: أخبرنا المنذر بن محمد، قال: حدثني أحمد بن رشد، عن عمه سعيد بن خيثم، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي قال: حججت فأتيت علي بن الحسين (عليه السلام) فقال لي: يا أبا حمزة ألا احدثك عن رؤيا رأيتها رأيت كأني ادخلت الجنة فأتيت بحوراء لم أر أحسن منها فبينا أنا متكئ على أريكتي إذ سمعت قائلا يقول: يا علي بن الحسين ليهنك زيد، يا علي بن الحسين ليهنك زيد، فيهنك زيد.

Al Sadouq – Muhammad Bin Bakran Al Naqash narrated to us at Al Kufy, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Al Hamdany, a slave of the Clan of Hashim ^-as, from Al Munzar Bin Muhammad, from Ahmad Bin Rashid, from his uncle Saeed Bin Khaysam, from Abu Hamza Al Sumaly who said,

‘I went for Hajj and I came to Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws so he^-asws said to me: ‘O Abu Hamza! Shall I^-asws narrate to you about a dream, which I^-asws saw, as if I^-asws had entered the Paradise, so the Houries came over and I^-asws had not seen any more beautiful than them. So whilst I^-asws was reclining upon my^-asws recliner, when I^-asws heard an announcer saying: ‘O Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws! Congratulations for Zayd! O Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws! Congratulations for Zayd!’

قال أبو حمزة: ثم حججت بعده فأتيت علي بن الحسين فقرعت الباب ففتح لي فدخلت فإذا هو حامل زيدا على يده أو قال حامل غلاما على يده فقال لي: يا أبا حمزة * (هذا تأويل رءيى من قبل قد جعلها ربى حقا) *.

Abu Hamza said, ‘Then I went for Hajj after it, so I came to Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws. So I knocked upon the door, and it was opened for me, so I entered, and there he^-asws was, carrying Zayd upon his^-asws hands’ – or said, ‘a boy upon his^-asws hands)’. So he^-asws said to me: ‘O Abu Hamza! [12:100] This is the interpretation of my dream before; my Lord has indeed Made it to come true’.[32]

Hearts of Believers get Inspiration:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الْإِمَامِ مِنْكُمْ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى‏ جَمِيعِ الْخَلْقِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً ص إِلَى النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ رَسُولًا وَ حُجَّةً لِلَّهِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ فَمَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ وَ اتَّبَعَهُ وَ صَدَّقَهُ فَإِنَّ مَعْرِفَةَ الْإِمَامِ مِنَّا وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَيْهِ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِاللَّهِ وَ بِرَسُولِهِ وَ لَمْ يَتَّبِعْهُ وَ لَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُ وَ يَعْرِفْ حَقَّهُمَا فَكَيْفَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ مَعْرِفَةُ الْإِمَامِ وَ هُوَ لَا يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ يَعْرِفُ حَقَّهُمَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِيمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ وَ يُصَدِّقُ رَسُولَهُ فِي جَمِيعِ مَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ يَجِبُ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ حَقُّ مَعْرِفَتِكُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَ لَيْسَ هَؤُلَاءِ يَعْرِفُونَ فُلَاناً وَ فُلَاناً قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ أَ تَرَى أَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الَّذِي أَوْقَعَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَعْرِفَةَ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ اللَّهِ مَا أَوْقَعَ ذَلِكَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا أَلْهَمَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَقَّنَا إِلَّا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al- Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Zurara who has said:

Once, I said to Abu Jafar^-asws: ‘Is recognising the Imam^-asws from among you obligatory on all creatures? The Imam^-asws said, Allah^-azwj sent Muhammad^-saww to all people as His^-azwj Messenger^-saww and as His^-azwj authority over all creatures on earth. Those who believe in Allah^-azwj and that Muhammad^-saww is His^-azwj Messenger and who have followed him and acknowledged his message, on such people it is obligatory to recognise the Imam^-asws from us^-asws. Those who do not believe in Allah^-azwj and in His messenger^-saww and who do not follow him^-saww and do not acknowledge him^-asws knowing about the rights of Allah^-azwj and His messenger^-saww, then how can recognition of the Imam^-asws be obligatory on them? They do not believe in Allah^-azwj and in His messenger^-saww, do not follow him^-asws while they know about their rights.

I then asked: What do you say about those who believe in Allah^-azwj and His messenger^-saww, who acknowledge His messenger^-saww in all the matters that Allah^-azwj has Sent, is it obligatory for them to recognise the Imam^-asws from you?

The Imam^-asws said: Yes, it is obligatory. Do they not recognise so and so? I said, Yes, they do.  The Imam^-asws then said: Do you think Allah^-azwj is the one who has placed such recognition (of so and so) in their hearts? I say it by Allah^-azwj that no one other than Satan has placed such recognition in their hearts. I swear by Allah^-azwj that no one other than Allah^-azwj has َلْهَمَ inspired the hearts of the believers with (the recognition of) our^-asws rights.[33]

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 ع قَالَ قَامَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ هَمَّامٌ وَ كَانَ عَابِداً نَاسِكاً مُجْتَهِداً

إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ هُوَ يَخْطُبُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صِفْ لَنَا صِفَةَ الْمُؤْمِنِ كَأَنَّنَا نَنْظُرُ إِلَيْهِ 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

Muhammad ibn Jafar has narrated from Muhammad ibn lsmail from Abd Allah ibn Dahir from al-Hassan ibn Yahya from Qathm abu Qatadah al-Harrani from Abd Allah ibn Yunus who has narrated the following from Abu Abd Allah^-asws:

Once a man called Hammam, a devoted worshipper practicing religious rules and a hardworking man came to Amir-ul-momineen^-asws, during his speech and said, O Amir-ul-momineen^-asws, describe for us the qualities of the believer as if we see him before our eyes.

Amir-ul-momineen^-asws said, O Hammam, a believer is a smart, intelligent one whose delight is on his face and whose sadness is in his heart, his chest is vastly open, his soul is most humble, he criticizes ones leaning to every mortal, exhorts to go for everything good.

He is not hateful, quarrelsome, and scandalous. He is neither faultfinding nor a backbiting one.  He dislikes high positions and is an enemy of fame and publicity. He is الْهَمِّ inspired to grief which lasts for a long time; his ambition is far reaching.

He very often remains silent, dignified, ever remembering (the Lord^-saww), and exercising patience, grateful, sad due to his thoughts, happy with his poverty.[34]

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْعَبَّاسِ بْنِ مُوسَى الْوَرَّاقِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ الْأَحْمَسِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص مَا يَزَالُ الْهَمُّ وَ الْغَمُّ بِالْمُؤْمِنِ حَتَّى مَا يَدَعُ لَهُ ذَنْباً

Mohammed ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Mohammed ibn Isa who from Al-Abbas ibn Musa al-Warraq who from Ali al-Ahmasi, who form a man who has narrated the following from Abu Jafar^-asws:

The Messenger of Allah^-saww has said: Anxiety and sadness continues to الْهَمُّ descend on a believer’s heart until no sin is left on him.[35]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ الْأَحْمَسِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ لَا يَزَالُ الْهَمُّ وَ الْغَمُّ بِالْمُؤْمِنِ حَتَّى مَا يَدَعُ لَهُ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father who from ibn Abu Umayr who from Ali Al-Ahmasi, who from a man who has narrated the following from Abu Jafar^-asws:

A believer continues to get الْهَمُّ inspiration of anxiety and sadness until no sin is left on him.[36]

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع هَلْ تَعْرِفُونَ طُولَ الْبَلَاءِ مِنْ قِصَرِهِ قُلْنَا لَا قَالَ إِذَا أُلْهِمَ أَحَدُكُمُ الدُّعَاءَ عِنْدَ الْبَلَاءِ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ الْبَلَاءَ قَصِيرٌ

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated fro his father who from ibn abu Umayr who from Hisham ibn Salim who has said:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws once asked: Can you tell if a misfortune is of a lengthy duration or a shorter one?  We said: No, we do not know.  The Imam^-asws said: Whenever any of you is الْهَمُّ inspired to pray then you should know that the misfortune is of a shorter duration.[37]

Appendix: Types of People

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ رَفَعَهُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ دَاوُدَ الْغَنَوِيِّ عَنِ الْأَصْبَغِ بْنِ نُبَاتَةَ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( صلوات الله عليه )  فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ نَاساً زَعَمُوا أَنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَا يَزْنِي وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَسْرِقُ وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَشْرَبُ الْخَمْرَ وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَأْكُلُ الرِّبَا وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَ لَا يَسْفِكُ الدَّمَ الْحَرَامَ وَ هُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَقَدْ ثَقُلَ عَلَيَّ هَذَا وَ حَرِجَ مِنْهُ صَدْرِي حِينَ أَزْعُمُ أَنَّ هَذَا الْعَبْدَ يُصَلِّي صَلَاتِي وَ يَدْعُو دُعَائِي وَ يُنَاكِحُنِي وَ أُنَاكِحُهُ وَ يُوَارِثُنِي وَ أُوَارِثُهُ وَ قَدْ خَرَجَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَنْبٍ يَسِيرٍ أَصَابَهُ

A number of our companions, from ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Khalid, from his father, raising it from Muhammad in Dawood Al Ghanawy, from Al Asbagh Bin Nubata who said,

‘A man came over to Amir Al-Momineen^-asws and he said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! The people are alleging that the servant neither commits adultery while he is a Momin, nor steal while he is a Momin, nor drink the wine while he is a Momin, nor consume the usury while he is a Momin, nor shed the blood unlawfully while he is a Momin. So this has been heavy upon me, and my chest is constricted from him where I claim that this servant is pray my (kind of) Salāt, and supplicating my (kind of) supplication, and is marrying into my (family) and I marry into his, and he inherits me and I inherit him, and he has exited from the Emān for the reason of the few sins hitting him’.

فَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( صلوات الله عليه )  صَدَقْتَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) يَقُولُ وَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ النَّاسَ عَلَى ثَلَاثِ طَبَقَاتٍ وَ أَنْزَلَهُمْ ثَلَاثَ مَنَازِلَ وَ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ وَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ وَ السَّابِقُونَ

So Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘You speak the truth. I^-asws heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying, and the Book of Allah^-azwj evidenced upon it. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Created the people upon three categories and Gave them three statuses, and these are the Words of Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic in the Book being the companions of the right and the companions of the left and the foremost ones.

فَأَمَّا مَا ذَكَرَ مِنْ أَمْرِ السَّابِقِينَ فَإِنَّهُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ مُرْسَلُونَ وَ غَيْرُ مُرْسَلِينَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ خَمْسَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الْقُدُسِ وَ رُوحَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ رُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَ رُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَ رُوحَ الْبَدَنِ فَبِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ بُعِثُوا أَنْبِيَاءَ مُرْسَلِينَ وَ غَيْرَ مُرْسَلِينَ وَ بِهَا عَلِمُوا الْأَشْيَاءَ وَ بِرُوحِ الْإِيمَانِ عَبَدُوا اللَّهَ وَ لَمْ يُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئاً وَ بِرُوحِ الْقُوَّةِ جَاهَدُوا عَدُوَّهُمْ وَ عَالَجُوا مَعَاشَهُمْ وَ بِرُوحِ الشَّهْوَةِ أَصَابُوا لَذِيذَ الطَّعَامِ وَ نَكَحُوا الْحَلَالَ مِنْ شَبَابِ النِّسَاءِ وَ بِرُوحِ الْبَدَنِ دَبُّوا وَ دَرَجُوا فَهَؤُلَاءِ مَغْفُورٌ لَهُمْ مَصْفُوحٌ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ

So, as for what He^-azwj Metioned from the matter of the foremost ones, so they are the Prophets^-as, being Sent with a Law and without a Law. Allah^-azwj made five spirits to be in them – the Holy spirit, and the spirit of the Emān, and the spirit of the strength, and the spirit of the desires, and the spirit of the body. So, by the Holy spirit the Prophets^-as are Sent, Mursils and non-Mursils, and by it they^-as know the things; and by the spirit of the Emān, they^-as worship Allah^-azwj and they do not associate anything with Him^-azwj; and by the spirit of the strength they^-as fight against their^-as enemies they handle their^-as lives; and by the spirit of the desire, they^-as attain the pleasure of the good, and Permissible marriages from the youthful women; and by the spirit of the body, they^-as come and go. So they^-as are the Forgiven, being Forgiven from their^-as sins’.

ثُمَّ قَالَ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ تِلْكَ الرُّسُلُ فَضَّلْنا بَعْضَهُمْ عَلى بَعْضٍ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ كَلَّمَ اللَّهُ وَ رَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجاتٍ وَ آتَيْنا عِيسَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ الْبَيِّناتِ وَ أَيَّدْناهُ بِرُوحِ الْقُدُسِ ثُمَّ قَالَ فِي جَمَاعَتِهِمْ وَ أَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ يَقُولُ أَكْرَمَهُمْ بِهَا فَفَضَّلَهُمْ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ فَهَؤُلَاءِ مَغْفُورٌ لَهُمْ مَصْفُوحٌ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمْ

Then He^-azwj Said [2:253] We have made some of these Rasools to excel the others; among them are they to whom Allah Spoke, and some of them He Exalted by rank; and We Gave clear miracles to Isa son of Maryam, and Strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Then Said [58:22] and He has Supported them with a Spirit from Him. He^-azwj Saying that He^-azwj Honoured them with it, Preferred them^-as over the ones besides them. So they^-as are the Forgiven, being Forgiven from their^-as sins.

ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ أَصْحَابَ الْمَيْمَنَةِ وَ هُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقّاً بِأَعْيَانِهِمْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ فِيهِمْ أَرْبَعَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ رُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَ رُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَ رُوحَ الْبَدَنِ فَلَا يَزَالُ الْعَبْدُ يَسْتَكْمِلُ هَذِهِ الْأَرْوَاحَ الْأَرْبَعَةَ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَ عَلَيْهِ حَالَاتٌ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَا هَذِهِ الْحَالَاتُ

Then He^-azwj Mentioned the companions of the right, and they are the Momineen truly in the meaning. Allah^-azwj Made four spirits to be in them – the spirit of the Emān, and the spirit of the strength, and the spirit of the desires, and spirit of the body. So the servant would not cease to complete these spirits until there come to him certain states’. So the man said, ‘O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws! What are these states?’

فَقَالَ أَمَّا أُولَاهُنَّ فَهُوَ كَمَا قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ يُرَدُّ إِلى أَرْذَلِ الْعُمُرِ لِكَيْ لا يَعْلَمَ بَعْدَ عِلْمٍ شَيْئاً فَهَذَا يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ جَمِيعُ الْأَرْوَاحِ وَ لَيْسَ بِالَّذِي يَخْرُجُ مِنْ دِينِ اللَّهِ لِأَنَّ الْفَاعِلَ بِهِ رَدَّهُ إِلَى أَرْذَلِ عُمُرِهِ فَهُوَ لَا يَعْرِفُ لِلصَّلَاةِ وَقْتاً وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ التَّهَجُّدَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ لَا بِالنَّهَارِ وَ لَا الْقِيَامَ فِي الصَّفِّ مَعَ النَّاسِ فَهَذَا نُقْصَانٌ مِنْ رُوحِ الْإِيمَانِ وَ لَيْسَ يَضُرُّهُ شَيْئاً

So he^-asws said: ‘As for the first of these, so it is just as Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic [22:5] and of you is he who is Brought back to the lowest part of life, so that after having knowledge he does not know anything. So the entirety of the spirits are deficient from him, and it is not by which he exits from the Religion of Allah^-azwj, because the performer of it is returned to the lowest part of his life. Thus, he neither recognises the timings of the Salāt, nor does he have the capacity of the vigil by the night, nor by the day, nor for the standing in the row along with the people (for the Salāt). So this is a reduction from the spirit of the Emān, and it is not which would harm him by anything.

وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ رُوحُ الْقُوَّةِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُ جِهَادَ عَدُوِّهِ وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ طَلَبَ الْمَعِيشَةِ

And from them is one from whom the spirit of the strength is deficient, so he is not able upon fighting his enemies, and he is not able upon seeking the livelihood.

وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَنْتَقِصُ مِنْهُ رُوحُ الشَّهْوَةِ فَلَوْ مَرَّتْ بِهِ أَصْبَحُ بَنَاتِ آدَمَ لَمْ يَحِنَّ إِلَيْهَا وَ لَمْ يَقُمْ وَ تَبْقَى رُوحُ الْبَدَنِ فِيهِ فَهُوَ يَدِبُّ وَ يَدْرُجُ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَهُ مَلَكُ الْمَوْتِ

And from them is one from whom the spirit of the desire is deficient, so were he to pass by the daughter of Adam^-as, he would not incline towards her and he does not stand, and there would remain the spirit of the body in him. So he would be coming and going until the Angel of death comes over.

فَهَذَا الْحَالُ خَيْرٌ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ هُوَ الْفَاعِلُ بِهِ وَ قَدْ تَأْتِي عَلَيْهِ حَالَاتٌ فِي قُوَّتِهِ وَ شَبَابِهِ فَيَهُمُّ بِالْخَطِيئَةِ فَيُشَجِّعُهُ رُوحُ الْقُوَّةِ وَ يُزَيِّنُ لَهُ رُوحُ الشَّهْوَةِ وَ يَقُودُهُ رُوحُ الْبَدَنِ حَتَّى تُوْقِعَهُ فِي الْخَطِيئَةِ فَإِذَا لَامَسَهَا نَقَصَ مِنَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ تَفَصَّى مِنْهُ فَلَيْسَ يَعُودُ فِيهِ حَتَّى يَتُوبَ فَإِذَا تَابَ تَابَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ إِنْ عَادَ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ

So this state is better, because Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, He^-azwj is the Doer with it, and there had come states upon him during his strength and his youth, so he thought of the sins and the spirit of the strength had encouraged him, and the spirit of the desire had adorned it for him, and the spirit of the body had guided him until he indulged in the sin. So when he touches it (the sin) there would be a reduction from the Emān and he would be rid from it. So he would not repeat in it until he repents. So when he does repent, Allah^-azwj would Turn towards him (with Mercy), and if he repeats, Allah^-azwj would Enter him into the Fire of Hell.

فَأَمَّا أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ فَهُمُ الْيَهُودُ وَ النَّصَارَى يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الَّذِينَ آتَيْناهُمُ الْكِتابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَما يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْناءَهُمْ يَعْرِفُونَ مُحَمَّداً وَ الْوَلَايَةَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَ الْإِنْجِيلِ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ فِي مَنَازِلِهِمْ وَ إِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَ هُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ أَنَّكَ الرَّسُولُ إِلَيْهِمْ فَلا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ

So as for the companions of the left, so they are the Jews and the Christians. Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic is Saying [2:146] Those whom We have Given the Book recognise him as they are recognising their own sons. They are recognising Muhammad^-saww and the Wilayah in the Torah and the Evangel just as they are recognising their fathers in their own houses and a party of them are concealing the Truth while they know (it). [2:147] The Truth is from your Lord that you^-saww are the Rasool^-saww to them therefore you should not be of the doubters.

فَلَمَّا جَحَدُوا مَا عَرَفُوا ابْتَلَاهُمُ اللَّهُ بِذَلِكَ فَسَلَبَهُمْ رُوحَ الْإِيمَانِ وَ أَسْكَنَ أَبْدَانَهُمْ ثَلَاثَةَ أَرْوَاحٍ رُوحَ الْقُوَّةِ وَ رُوحَ الشَّهْوَةِ وَ رُوحَ الْبَدَنِ ثُمَّ أَضَافَهُمْ إِلَى الْأَنْعَامِ فَقَالَ إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعامِ لِأَنَّ الدَّابَّةَ إِنَّمَا تَحْمِلُ بِرُوحِ الْقُوَّةِ وَ تَعْتَلِفُ بِرُوحِ الشَّهْوَةِ وَ تَسِيرُ بِرُوحِ الْبَدَنِ

So when they fought against what they recognised, Allah^-azwj Afflicted them due to that and Confiscate the spirit of the Emān from them, and three spirits settled in their bodies – the spirit of the strength, and the spirit of the desire, and spirit of the body. Then He^-azwj Added them to the cattle, so He^-azwj Said [25:44] They are nothing but like cattle, because the animals ratter, carry (load) by the spirit of the strength and feed by the spirit of the desire, and they travel by the spirit of the body’.

فَقَالَ لَهُ السَّائِلُ أَحْيَيْتَ قَلْبِي بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ .

So the questioner said to him^-asws, ‘You^-asws have revived my heart, O Amir Al-Momineen^-asws’.[38]

[1] Kitab Al Momin – Ch 3 H 89

[2] Kitab Al Momin – Ch 3 H 87

[3] Meaning the one who does not get impregnated from where women get impregnated from.

[4] Basaair al Darajaat, section 7, ch. 17, H. 2.

[5] باب في امير المؤمنين ع انه عرف ما راى في الميثاق وغيره, Basaair ul Darajat

[6] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Funerals CH 89 H 3

[7] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Intellect and Ignorance CH 1 H 27

[8] Al Kafi – V 6 – The Book of Aqeeqa Ch 6 H 7

[9] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 66 H 7

[10] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 1 H 2

[11] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Marriage Ch 27 H 2

[12] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 80 H 3

[13] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 80 H 11

[14] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 102 H 3

[15] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 4

[16] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 108 H 53

[17] Al Kafi V 1 – The Book Of Divine Authority CH 109 H 1

[18] Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 4 – H 1

[19] Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 4 – H 16

[20] Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 4 – H 17

[21] Al Mahaasin – V 1 Bk 4 – H 18

[22] Al Kafi – H 14508

[23] Coming to the world

[24] الكافي ج : 1 ص : 342, H. 29

[25] Flying without wings-A quality, which is never mentioned in a ‘Momin’ by Masomeen^asws.

[26] (2:51) And when We appointed a time of forty nights with Musa, then you took the calf (for a god) after him and you were unjust.

[27] Bihar ul Anwar, Vol. 50, pg. 270, Al-Manaqib, Vol. 4, pg. 425.

[28] Anul Hiyat (Ruh ul Hiyat, pg. 194)

[29] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14510

[30] Al-Kafi, Vol. 8, H. 14818

[31] Tafseer-e-Furat, Verse of Mohammed. تفسيرفرات‏الكوفي ص : 418

[32] Report No. 152

[33] Al-Kafi, Vol. 1, H. 462,               الكافي ج : 1 ص : 181

[34] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 2269,

[35] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 2987,

[36] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 2989

[37] Al-Kafi, Vol. 2, H. 3074

[38] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 112 H 16