Striking a Balance in Religion

Summary:

Is it good to be religious? Yes, many studies have found that, on average, religious people are happier than non-religious people.[1] But how can we strike a balance in observing religion? In our lives, we find it difficult to make both ends meet, so we work more and more and find it hard to find time for religion.  As our circumstances differ, so will our ability to engage in religious activities.  Allah^-azwj is the Foremost in Accepting our excuses when we are unable to perform our obligations, as much as we would like to, due to circumstances beyond our control.

قَالَ أَبُو بَصِيرٍ أَيْضاً سُئِلَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ مَنْ جَعَلَ لِلَّهِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ شَيْئاً فَبَلَغَ مَجْهُودَهُ فَلَا شَيْ‏ءَ عَلَيْهِ وَ كَانَ اللَّهُ أَعْذَرَ لِعَبْدِهِ

Abu Baseer narrates that 6^th Imam^-asws said: ‘One who makes something for Allah^-azwj upon himself (vows), so he strives extensively, there is nothing upon him (if he cannot accomplish it), and Allah^-azwj is more Excusing for His^-azwj servant’.^[2]

It is often said that excessive involvement in religious activities can lead one to lose the enjoyment of the world’s bounties or even become destitute.  However, this is a weakness in the faith, as it is Allah^-azwj who makes things easier or more difficult in attaining the necessities of the world, e.g.:

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ مَكْتُوبٌ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ تَفَرَّغْ لِعِبَادَتِي أَمْلَأُ قَلْبَكَ غِنًى وَ لَا أَكِلْكَ إِلَى طَلَبِكَ وَ عَلَيَّ أَنْ أَسُدَّ فَاقَتَكَ وَ أَمْلَأَ قَلْبَكَ خَوْفاً مِنِّي وَ إِنْ لَا تَفَرَّغْ لِعِبَادَتِي أَمْلَأُ قَلْبَكَ شُغُلًا بِالدُّنْيَا ثُمَّ لَا أَسُدَّ فَاقَتَكَ وَ أَكِلْكَ إِلَى طَلَبِكَ

A number of our companions, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Ibn Mahboub, from Umar Bin Yazeed, from; Abu Abdullah^–asws 6^th Imam) says: ‘It is written in the Torah:

(Allah^-azwj Says) ‘O son of Adam^–as! Free yourself for My^–azwj worship, I^–azwj shall Fill your heart with riches and will not Fatigue you to your seeking (sustenance), and it would be upon Me^–azwj to Aim to excel you and fill your heart with fear from Me^–azwj,

‘And that if you don’t free yourself for My^–azwj worship, I^-azwj shall fill your heart with a pre-occupation with the world, then I^–azwj will not excel you and will Exhaust you to the seeking (the livelihood)’.^[3]

We are encouraged to remember within ourselves and in our gatherings Imam Hussain^-asws every single day, e.g., the hadith below:

The 6^th Imam^-asws said to me to visit the Holy Grave of Imam Hussain^-asws every day, but if I cannot visit Imam^-asws every day due to distance or any other reasons (the Imam^-asws said in that case): ‘Ascend above your roof, then turn towards the right and the left, then raise your head towards the sky, then face towards the grave and you should be saying:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ

‘The greetings be upon you^-asws, O Abu Abdullah^-asws! The greetings be upon you^-asws, and the Mercy of Allah^-azwj, and His^-azwj Blessings’ – there would be Written for you a Ziyarah, and the Ziyarah of the Hajj, and Umra…’ (an extract, see the Hadith below).[4]

Why did the 6^th Imam^-asws emphasise mentioning Imam Hussain^-asws every day? It’s in our best interest, and the Imam^-asws wants us to reap the enormous rewards and not to miss out on elevating our spiritual status by adhering to Masomeen^-asws, even if for a short while.

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: لِكُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ ثَوَابٌ إِلَّا الدَّمْعَةَ فِينَا

It is narrated that:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘There is a (known) reward for every act (of worship) except for shedding tears regarding us^-asws’.^[5]

One is better off when in a gathering (Majlis) rather than on his own, e.g.,

وَ قَالَ ص‏ الْجَلِيسُ الصَّالِحُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْوَحْدَةِ وَ الْوَحْدَةُ خَيْرٌ مِنْ جَلِيسِ السَّوْءِ

And he^-saww said: ‘Sitting with the righteous one is better than being alone and being alone is better than sitting with the evil one’.^[6]

بشا، بشارة المصطفى ابْنُ شَيْخِ الطَّائِفَةِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْمُفِيدِ عَنِ ابْنِ قُولَوَيْهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ مُعَتِّبٍ مَوْلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ لِدَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ‏ يَا دَاوُدُ أَبْلِغْ مَوَالِيَّ مِنِّي السَّلَامَ وَ أَنِّي أَقُولُ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ عَبْداً اجْتَمَعَ مَعَ آخَرَ فَتَذَاكَرَ أَمْرَنَا فَإِنَّ ثَالِثَهُمَا مَلَكٌ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُمَا

(The book) ‘Bashaarat Al Musatafa^-saww’ – Ibn Sheykh Al Taifa, from his father, from Al Mufeed, from Ibn Qawlawiya, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from his grandfather, from Abdullah Bin Hammad Al Anasary, from Jameel Bin Darraj,

From Muattab, a slave of Abu Abdullah^-asws, who said, ‘I heard him^-asws saying to Dawood Bin Sirhan: ‘O Dawood! Deliver the greetings from me to the friends, and I^-asws am saying to them: ‘May Allah^-azwj have Mercy on a servant gathering with another (majalis), so they mention our^-asws matter, for their third would be an Angel seeking Forgiveness for them both.

وَ مَا اجْتَمَعْتُمْ فَاشْتَغِلُوا بِالذِّكْرِ فَإِنَّ فِي اجْتِمَاعِكُمْ وَ مُذَاكَرَتِكُمْ إِحْيَاءً لِأَمْرِنَا وَ خَيْرُ النَّاسِ مِنْ بَعْدِنَا مَنْ ذَاكَرَ بِأَمْرِنَا وَ عَادَ إِلَى ذِكْرِنَا

And whenever you gather, you should pre-occupy with the Zikr, for in your gathering and your Zikr is revival of our^-asws matter; and best of the people from after us^-asws is the one who reminds of our^-asws matter and returns to mentioning us^-asws.^[7]

Abid (worshiper) – Who Qualifies?

Allah^-azwj once Asked His^-azwj Prophet^-saww in a Hadith e Qudsi:

يَا أَحْمَدُ هَلْ تَدْرِي مَتَى تَكُونُ الْعَبْدُ عَابِداً

‘O Ahmad^-saww! Do you^-saww know when the servant becomes a worshipper?’

قَالَ لَا يَا رَبِّ

He^-saww said: ‘No, O Lord^-azwj!’

قَالَ إِذَا اجْتَمَعَ فِيهِ سَبْعُ خِصَالٍ وَرَعٌ يَحْجُزُهُ عَنِ الْمَحَارِمِ وَ صَمْتٌ يَكُفُّهُ عَمَّا لَا يَعْنِيهِ وَ خَوْفٌ يَزْدَادُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ مِنْ بُكَائِهِ وَ حَيَاءٌ يَسْتَحْيِي مِنِّي فِي الْخَلَاءِ وَ أَكْلُ مَا لَا بُدَّ مِنْهُ وَ يُبْغِضُ الدُّنْيَا لِبُغْضِي لَهَا وَ يُحِبُّ الْأَخْيَارَ لِحُبِّي إِيَّاهُمْ

He^-azwj Said: “When seven characteristics are gathered in him – devoutness cutting him off from the Prohibitions, and silence restraining him from what does not concern him, and fear increasing his crying every day, and modesty embarrassing him from Me^-azwj during the isolation, and he eats what there is no escape from, and he hates the world due to My^-azwj Hatred for it, and he loves the good people due to My^-azwj Love for them’^[8] (An extract)

Two Ahadith are presented below, on what one should desire from the world, with what purpose and when one attains it, then how to spend it:

Desiring the World for the sake of Hereafter:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي يَعْفُورٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَجُلٌ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) وَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا لَنَطْلُبُ الدُّنْيَا وَ نُحِبُّ أَنْ نُؤْتَاهَا فَقَالَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تَصْنَعَ بِهَا مَا ذَا قَالَ أَعُودُ بِهَا عَلَى نَفْسِي وَ عِيَالِي وَ أَصِلُ بِهَا وَ أَتَصَدَّقُ بِهَا وَ أَحُجُّ وَ أَعْتَمِرُ فَقَالَ ( عليه السلام ) لَيْسَ هَذَا طَلَبَ الدُّنْيَا هَذَا طَلَبُ الْآخِرَةِ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hisham Bin Salim, from Abdullah Bin Abu Yafour who said,

A man said to Abu Abdullah^–asws, ‘By Allah^–azwj! We tend to seek the world and we love to achieve it’. So, he^–asws said: ‘What is that which you love to do with it (the world)?’ He said, ‘Improve by it upon myself, and upon my family, and maintain relationships with it, and give in charity with it, and perform Hajj and Umrah’. So, he^–asws said: ‘This is not seeking the world. This is seeking the Hereafter.[9]

فَمِنْ ثَمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) خَمْسُ تَمَرَاتٍ أَوْ خَمْسُ قُرَصٍ أَوْ دَنَانِيرُ أَوْ دَرَاهِمُ يَمْلِكُهَا الْإِنْسَانُ وَ هُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُمْضِيَهَا فَأَفْضَلُهَا مَا أَنْفَقَهُ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى وَالِدَيْهِ ثُمَّ الثَّانِيَةُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَ عِيَالِهِ ثُمَّ الثَّالِثَةُ عَلَى قَرَابَتِهِ الْفُقَرَاءِ ثُمَّ الرَّابِعَةُ عَلَى جِيرَانِهِ الْفُقَرَاءِ ثُمَّ الْخَامِسَةُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَ هُوَ أَخَسُّهَا أَجْر

Thus, Rasool-Allah^–saww said: ‘Five dates, or five discs (of bread), or five Dinars or Dirhams which the human being owns, and he wants to spend these, so the most superior of what the human being can spend upon are his parents. Then secondly, upon himself and his family. Then thirdly, upon his poor relatives. Then fourthly, upon his poor neighbours. Then fifthly in the Way of Allah^–azwj, and it is of the lowest Recompense’ (An extract).[10]

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع غِنًى يَحْجُزُكَ عَنِ الظُّلْمِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ فَقْرٍ يَحْمِلُكَ عَلَى الْإِثْمِ

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid in a marfu’ manner who has said:

Abu Abd Allah^-asws once said: ‘Wealth that keeps you away from injustice is better than poverty which leads you to commit sins’.[11]

Save Time from Associating with the Wrong People:

عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقَاسَانِيِّ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الْمِنْقَرِيِّ عَنْ فُضَيْلِ بْنِ عِيَاضٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ مِنَ الْمَكَاسِبِ فَنَهَانِي عَنْهَا فَقَالَ يَا فُضَيْلُ وَ اللَّهِ لَضَرَرُ هَؤُلَاءِ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْأُمَّةِ أَشَدُّ مِنْ ضَرَرِ التُّرْكِ وَ الدَّيْلَمِ

Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, and Ali Bin Muhammad Al Qasany, from Al Qasim Bin Muhammad, from Suleyman Al Minqary, from Fuzayl Bin Iyaz who said,

‘I asked Abu Abdullah^-asws about certain things from the earnings, so he^-asws forbade me from these saying: ‘O Fuzayl! By Allah^-azwj! The harm of these (ruling authorities) upon this community is more severe that the harm of the Turks and the Daylam’’.

قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْوَرَعِ مِنَ النَّاسِ قَالَ الَّذِي يَتَوَرَّعُ عَنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ يَجْتَنِبُ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ إِذَا لَمْ يَتَّقِ الشُّبُهَاتِ وَقَعَ فِي الْحَرَامِ وَ هُوَ لَا يَعْرِفُهُ وَ إِذَا رَأَى الْمُنْكَرَ فَلَمْ يُنْكِرْهُ وَ هُوَ يَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْصَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْصَى اللَّهُ فَقَدْ بَارَزَ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِالْعَدَاوَةِ وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّ بَقَاءَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَقَدْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُعْصَى اللَّهُ

He (the narrator) said, ‘And I asked about the abstention from the people (those having illicit provisions). He^-asws said: ‘The one who abstains from the Prohibitions of Allah^-azwj and keeps away from these (illicit provisions), and when he does not fear (refrain) the doubtful matters, he falls into the Prohibitions and without even recognising it; and when he sees the evil so he does not deny it whereas he is able over it, so he loves that Allah^-azwj is disobeyed; and the one who loves to disobey Allah^-azwj so he has duelled against Allah^-azwj with the enmity; and the one who loves the survival of the unjust ones so he has loved to disobey Allah^-azwj.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى حَمِدَ نَفْسَهُ عَلَى هَلَاكِ الظَّالِمِينَ فَقَالَ فَقُطِعَ دابِرُ الْقَوْمِ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعالَمِينَ

Allah^-azwj the Exalted has Praised Himself^-azwj upon the destruction of the unjust ones so He^‑azwj Said:  So, the roots of the people who were unjust were cut off; and all Praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds’ [6:45].[12]

لي، الأمالي للصدوق عَنِ الصَّادِقِ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ أَسْعَدُ النَّاسِ مَنْ خَالَطَ كِرَامَ النَّاسِ

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of Al Sadouq –

From Al-Sadiq^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Most fortunate of the people is the one mingling with the honourable people’’.^[13]

مع، معاني الأخبار أَبِي عَنْ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الْبَرْقِيِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ كُنْ عَبْداً لِلْأَخْيَارِ وَ لَا تَكُنْ وَلَداً لِلْأَشْرَارِ

(The book) ‘Ma’any Al Akhbar’ – My father, from Sa’ad, from Al Barqy, from one of our companions raising it, said,

Luqman^-as said to his^-as son: ‘O my^-as son! Be a slave to the good ones and do not be a son to the evil ones’’.^[14]

وَ قَالَ ع‏ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ لَا تَسْتَوْحِشُوا فِي طَرِيقِ الْهُدَى لِقِلَّةِ أَهْلِهِ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى مَائِدَةٍ شِبَعُهَا قَصِيرٌ وَ جُوعُهَا طَوِيلٌ وَ سَاقَ الْكَلَامَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ‏ ع أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ مَنْ سَلَكَ الطَّرِيقَ الْوَاضِحَ وَرَدَ الْمَاءَ وَ مَنْ خَالَفَ وَقَعَ فِي التِّيهِ‏

And he^-asws (Amir Al-Momineen^-asws) said: ‘O you people! Do not feel lonely in the path of guidance due to the scarcity of its people, for the people are gathering upon a table meal whose satiation is short-lived and its hunger is lengthy’ – and he^-asws continued the speech up to his^-asws words: ‘O you people! One who travels the clear path would arrive at the water, and one who opposes would fall into the labyrinth (bewilderment).^[15]

سر، السرائر مِنْ كِتَابِ أَبِي الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ قُولَوَيْهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‏ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ رَوْضَةً مِنْ رِيَاضِ الْجَنَّةِ فَارْتَعُوا فِيهَا

(The book) ‘Al Saraair’ – From the book of Abu Al Qasim Bin Qawlawiya,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘When you were to see a garden from the gardens of Paradise, then pasture in it’.

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ مَا رَوْضَةُ الْجَنَّةِ

‘It was said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! And what is a garden of Paradise?’

قَالَ مَجَالِسُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

‘He^-saww said: ‘Gathering (Majlis) of the Momineen’.^[16]

See an additional Hadith in the Appendix:

World is the place of Deeds and the Hereafter is the place of Rewards:

ثُمَّ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: وَ ما كانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَ هُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ‏ يُظْهِرُونَ التَّوْبَةَ وَ الْإِنَابَةَ، فَإِنَّ مِنْ حُكْمِهِ فِي الدُّنْيَا أَنْ يَأْمُرَكَ بِقَبُولِ الظَّاهِرِ، وَ تَرْكِ التَّفْتِيشِ عَنِ الْبَاطِنِ، لِأَنَّ الدُّنْيَا دَارُ إِمْهَالٍ وَ إِنْظَارٍ، وَ الْآخِرَةَ دَارُ الْجَزَاءِ بِلَا تَعَبُّدٍ

‘Then Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Said: nor is Allah going to Punish them whilst yet they ask for Forgiveness [8:33] – manifesting the repentance and the attentiveness, for it is from His^–azwj Judgment in the world that He^–azwj has Commanded you with accepting the apparent and leave the investigation about the hidden (esoteric), because the world is a house of respite and waiting, and the Hereafter is a House of the Recompense without (performing acts of) worship…’ (An extract)^[17]

ولو شاء عجل النقمة فكان منه التغييرحتى يكذب الظالم ويعلم الحق أين مصيره، ولكن جعل الدنيا دار الأعمال وجعل الآخرة دار القرار، (ليجزي الذين أساؤوا بما عملوا ويجزي الذين أحسنوا بالحسنى)

‘If He^–azwj so Desired He^–azwj could have accelerated His^–azwj Revenge to Change them until the unjust would come to know where the truth lay, but He^–azwj has Made the world to be a house of the deeds, and Made the Hereafter the house of the resolution, for Him to Recompense those committers of evil for what they had done, and (for) Him to Recompense those did good, with the Goodness [53:31].’

فقلت: الحمد لله شكرا على نعمائه وصبرا على بلائه وتسليما ورضى بقضائه

I^–asws said: ‘The Praise is for Allah^–azwj. I^–asws thank Allah^–azwj on His^–azwj Bounties, and am Patient on His^–azwj Afflictions, and have submitted, and am pleased with His^–azwj Judgement’.^[18]

One should Prioritise matters of the Hereafter over those of the World:

فَإِنَّهُ لَا بُدَّ لَكَ مِنْ نَصِيبِكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَ أَنْتَ إِلَى نَصِيبِكَ مِنَ الْآخِرَةِ أَحْوَجُ فَإِنْ عَرَضَ لَكَ أَمْرَانِ أَحَدُهُمَا لِلْآخِرَةِ وَ الْآخَرُ لِلدُّنْيَا فَابْدَأْ بِأَمْرِ الْآخِرَةِ

(Amir ul-Momineen^-asws wrote to Mohammd^-ra Ibn Abu Bakr:) ‘Surely, there is no escape for you from your share of the world, and you are needier to your share in the Hereafter, so if two matters are presented to you, one of them for the Hereafter and the other for the world, then begin with the matter of the Hereafter. And the greetings be to you and Mercy of Allah^azwj and His^azwj Blessings.^[19]

Time Management of Rasool Allah^-saww:

In a lengthy Hadith, it has been narrated:

قَالَ الْحُسَيْنُ ع سَأَلْتُ أَبِي ع عَنْ مَدْخَلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ص فَقَالَ كَانَ دُخُولُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ مَأْذُوناً لَهُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَإِذَا أَوَى إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ جَزَّأَ دُخُولَهُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَجْزَاءٍ جُزْءٍ لِلَّهِ وَ جُزْءٍ لِأَهْلِهِ وَ جُزْءٍ لِنَفْسِهِ

Imam Al-Husayn^-asws said: ‘I^-asws asked my^-asws father^-asws about the entry of Rasool-Allah^-saww (coming home at the end of the day), so Imam Ali^-asws said: ‘His^-saww entry for himself^-saww (at home) was permitted to him in that, so when Rasool Allah^-saww retired to his^-saww home, he^-saww divided his^-saww entry into three segments – a portion for Allah^-azwj (worshipping) and a portion for his^-saww family, and a portion for himself^-saww (rest). An extract.^[20]

Poverty and the sufficiency:

وَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‏ الْفَقْرُ يُخْرِسُ الْفَطِنَ عَنْ حُجَّتِهِ وَ الْمُقِلُّ غَرِيبٌ فِي بَلَدِهِ طُوبَى لِمَنْ ذَكَرَ الْمَعَادَ وَ عَمِلَ لِلْحِسَابِ وَ قَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ

And Amir Al-Momineen^-asws said: ‘The poverty mutes the intelligent one from his argument, and the destitute is a stranger is his own city. Beatitude is for one who remembers the Hereafter and works for the Reckoning and is contented with the sufficient!

الْغِنَى فِي الْغُرْبَةِ وَطَنٌ وَ الْفَقْرُ فِي الْوَطَنِ غُرْبَةٌ الْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لَا يَنْفَدُ الْفَقْرُ الْمَوْتُ الْأَكْبَرُ مَا أَحْسَنَ تَوَاضُعَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ لِلْفُقَرَاءِ طَلَباً لِمَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَ أَحْسَنُ مِنْهُ تِيهُ الْفُقَرَاءِ عَلَى الْأَغْنِيَاءِ اتِّكَالًا عَلَى اللَّهِ

(Being with) the riches in the strange land is (like one is in) a homeland, and (being with) the poverty in the homeland is (like one is in) a strange land. The contentedness is a wealth not to deplete. The poverty is the greatest death. How excellent is the humbleness of the rich to the poor ones seeking what is in the Presence of Allah^-azwj! And more excellent than it is wandering of the poor to the rich relying upon Allah^-azwj’’.^[21]

– وَ قَالَ ص‏ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْيِنِي مِسْكِيناً وَ أَمِتْنِي مِسْكِيناً وَ احْشُرْنِي فِي زُمْرَةِ الْمَسَاكِينِ

And he^-saww said: ‘O Allah^-azwj! Make me^-saww live as poor and Cause me^-saww to dies as poor, and Resurrect me^-sa in the group of the poor’’.^[22]

– وَ قَالَ ص‏ إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ عَبْداً فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا يُرْجِعُهُ

And he^-saww said: ‘When Allah^-azwj Loves a servant in the house of the world, Returns him’.

قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ كَيْفَ يُرْجِعُهُ

They said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! And how does He^-azwj Return him?’

قَالَ فِي مَوْضِعِ الطَّعَامِ الرَّخِيصِ وَ الْخَيْرِ الْكَثِيرِ وَلِيُّ اللَّهِ لَا يَجِدُ الطَّعَامَ مَا يَمْلَأُ بِهِ بَطْنَهُ

He^-saww said: ‘In the place of food, the cheap and much goodness. A friend of Allah^-azwj will not find food what he can fill his belly with’’^[23]

– وَ قَالَ ص‏ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ مُفَتَّحَةٌ عَلَى الْفُقَرَاءِ وَ الرَّحْمَةُ نَازِلَةٌ عَلَى الرُّحَمَاءِ وَ اللَّهُ رَاضٍ عَنِ الْأَسْخِيَاءِ

And he^-saww said: ‘The doors of Paradise are open to the poor and the Mercy descends upon the Mercy, and Allah^-azwj is Satisfied from the generous ones’’.^[24]

Love for Masomeen^-asws for Allah^-azwj and not for the World:

Our love for Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws has to be for the sake of Allah^-azwj, as Allah^-azwj has Created all Creation in their^-asws love[25], so there is no room to make their^-asws Zikr as a profession, or a source of earning, e.g.,

ما، الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي أَبُو عَمْرٍو عَنِ ابْنِ عُقْدَةَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ عَنْ بَكَّارِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ الزَّيَّاتِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ عَنْ بِشْرِ بْنِ غَالِبٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ع قَالَ: مَنْ أَحَبَّنَا لِلَّهِ وَرَدْنَا نَحْنُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا ص هَكَذَا وَ ضَمَّ إِصْبَعَيْهِ وَ مَنْ أَحَبَّنَا لِلدُّنْيَا فَإِنَّ الدُّنْيَا لَتَسَعُ الْبَرَّ وَ الْفَاجِرَ

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi – Abu Amro, from Ibn Uqda, from Al Hassan Bin Utba, from Bakkar Bin Bashir, from Hamza Al Zayyat, from Abdullah Bin Shareek, from Bishr Bin Ghalib, from;

Al-Husayn^-asws Bin Ali^-asws says: ‘One who loves us^-asws for Allah^-azwj, we^-asws and him would arrive at our Prophet^-saww like this!’ – and he-^asws pressed his fingers; ‘And one who loves us^-asws for the world, then the world is (sufficiently) vast for the righteous and the immoral ones’.[26]

Momin Cares Less Losing World as Others Care Less Upon Losing Eman

لي، الأمالي للصدوق عَنِ ابْنِ الْوَلِيدِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبَانٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْخَزَّازِ عَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: قَالَ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ لِلْحَوَارِيِّينَ يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ لَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ مِنْ دُنْيَاكُمْ إِذَا سَلِمَ دِينُكُمْ كَمَا لَا يَأْسَى أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى مَا فَاتَهُمْ مِنْ دِينِهِمْ إِذَا سَلِمَتْ دُنْيَاهُمْ‏

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of Al Sadouq – From Ibn Al Waleed, from Ibn Aban, from Al Husayn Bin Saeed, from Al-Hassan Bin Ali Al Khazzaz,

From Al-Reza^-asws, having said: ‘Isa^-as Bin Maryam^-as said to the disciples: ‘O children of Israel! Do not grieve over what you have lost from your world when your religion is intact, just as people of the world do not grieve over what they lose from their religion when their world is intact.^[27]

Imam^-asws Encourages us for Ziyarah of Imam Hussain^-asws every day:

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ مِسْمَعٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ عَنْ حَنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَا سَدِيرُ تَزُورُ قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ لَا قَالَ فَمَا أَجْفَاكُمْ قَالَ فَتَزُورُونَهُ فِي كُلِّ جُمْعَةٍ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَتَزُورُونَهُ فِي كُلِّ شَهْرٍ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَتَزُورُونَهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ قُلْتُ قَدْ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ

Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Salma Bin Al Khattab, from Abdullah Bin Al Khattab, from Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Misma’a, from Yunus Bin Abdul Rahman, from Hanaan, from his father who said,

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘O Sadeyr! Do you visit the grave of Al-Husayn^-asws every day?’ I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws, no’ .He^-asws said: ‘So how discourteous you are. So, do you visit it every Friday?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘So do you visit it every month?’ I said, ‘No’. He^-asws said: ‘So do you visit it every year?’ I said, ‘That some (years) may happen to be’.

قَالَ يَا سَدِيرُ مَا أَجْفَاكُمْ لِلْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) أَ مَا عَلِمْتَ أَنَّ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَلْفَيْ أَلْفِ مَلَكٍ شُعْثٌ غُبْرٌ يَبْكُونَ وَ يَزُورُونَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ وَ مَا عَلَيْكَ يَا سَدِيرُ أَنْ تَزُورَ قَبْرَ الْحُسَيْنِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي كُلِّ جُمْعَةٍ خَمْسَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ مَرَّةً قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنَّ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَهُ فَرَاسِخَ كَثِيرَةً

He^-asws said: ‘O Sadeyr! How discourteous of you towards Al-Husayn^-asws. Do you not know that Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic Has two million Angels, dishevelled, dusty, crying and performing his^-asws Ziyarah, not wavering. And it is not (difficult) upon you, O Sadeyr, that you should be visiting the grave of Al-Husayn^-asws five times every week, and once every day’.  I said, ‘May I be sacrificed for you^-asws! In between us and him^-asws there are a lot of Farsakhs (travel distance)’.

فَقَالَ لِي اصْعَدْ فَوْقَ سَطْحِكَ ثُمَّ تَلْتَفِتُ يُمْنَةً وَ يُسْرَةً ثُمَّ تَرْفَعُ رَأْسَكَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ انْحُ نَحْوَ الْقَبْرِ وَ تَقُولُ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ تُكْتَبُ لَكَ زَوْرَةٌ وَ الزَّوْرَةُ حَجَّةٌ وَ عُمْرَةٌ

So he^-asws said to me: ‘Ascend above your roof, then turn towards the right and the left, then raise your head towards the sky, then face towards the grave and you should be saying:

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ

‘The greetings be upon you^-asws, O Abu Abdullah^-asws! The greetings be upon you^-asws, and the Mercy of Allah^-azwj, and His^-azwj Blessings’ – there would be Written for you a Ziyarah, and the Ziyarah of the Hajj, and Umra’.

قَالَ سَدِيرٌ فَرُبَّمَا فَعَلْتُ فِي الشَّهْرِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ عِشْرِينَ مَرَّةً

Sadeyr said, ‘So I used to do it during the month, more than twenty times’.[28]

In another Hadith, after dictating the Ziyarah of Imam Hussain^-asws to Alqama, Imam^-asws Al-Sadiq^-asws says:

قَالَ يَا عَلْقَمَةُ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ أَنْ تَزُورَهُ فِي كُلِّ يَوْمٍ بِهَذِهِ الزِّيَارَةِ مِنْ دَهْرِكَ فَافْعَلْ فَلَكَ ثَوَابُ جَمِيعِ ذَلِكَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى‏

Imam^-asws said: ‘O Alqama! If you are capable of visiting him^-asws during every day of your life with this Ziyarat, do so. For you would be the entirety of that Reward, if Allah^-azwj the Exalted so Desires!’^[29]

Ziyarah of Masomeen^-asws is like Visitation of Allah^-azwj in the Heavens

وَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْخَيْبَرِيِّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْقُمِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع قَالَ: مَنْ زَارَ قَبْرَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع بِشَطِّ الْفُرَاتِ كَانَ كَمَنْ زَارَ اللَّهَ فَوْقَ [فِي‏] عَرْشِهِ

My father, may God have mercy on him, told me on the authority of Saad bin Abdullah, on the authority of Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Isa, on the authority of Muhammad bin Ismail, on the authority of Al-Khaibari, on the authority of Al-Husayn bin Muhammad Al-Qummi, who from:

Abu Al-Hasan Al-Reza^-asws, who said: ‘Whoever visits the grave of Abu Abdullah^-asws on the banks of the Euphrates, it is as if he visited Allah^-azwj above His^-azwj Throne’.[30]

كامل الزيارات مُحَمَّدٌ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنِ الْأَصَمِّ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‏ فِي حَدِيثٍ طَوِيلٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ فَمَا لِمَنْ أَقَامَ عِنْدَهُ يَعْنِي الْحُسَيْنَ ع

(The book) ‘Kamil Al Ziyaraat’ – Muhammad Al Himeyri, from his father, from Ali Bin Muhammad Bin Salim, from Muhammad Bin Khalid, from Abdullah Bin Hammad, from Al Asamma, from Hisham Bin Salim,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, in a lengthy Hadeeth, he (the narrator) said, ‘I said to him^-asws, ‘What is for the one who stays in his^-asws presence?’ – meaning Al-Husayn^-asws.

قَالَ كُلُّ يَوْمٍ بِأَلْفِ شَهْرٍ

‘He^-asws said: ‘Every day is with a thousand months!’

قَالَ فَمَا لِلْمُنْفِقِ فِي خُرُوجِهِ إِلَيْهِ وَ الْمُنْفِقِ عِنْدَهُ

‘He said, ‘So what is for the spender in his going out to him^-asws and the spender in his^-asws presence?’

قَالَ دِرْهَمٌ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ

‘He^-asws said: ‘A Dirham with a thousand Dirhams’’.^[31]

Angels are eager to join gatherings (majalis) mentioning Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws

يل، الفضائل لابن شاذان فض، كتاب الروضة بِالْإِسْنَادِ يَرْفَعُهُ عَنْ أُمِّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ‏ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ مَا قَوْمٌ اجْتَمَعُوا يَذْكُرُونَ فَضْلَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ إِلَّا هَبَطَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ مَلَائِكَةُ السَّمَاءِ حَتَّى تَحُفَّ بِهِمْ

(The book) ‘Al Fazaail’ if Ibn Shazan, (and) ‘Kitab Al Rowza’, by the chain raising it,

From Mother of the Momineen, Umm Salama^-ra, may Allah^azwj be Pleased from her^-ra having said, ‘I heard Rasool-Allah^-saww saying: ‘There is no group gathering, mentioning merits of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws except, the Angels of the sky descend unto them until they surround them.

فَإِذَا تَفَرَّقُوا عَرَجَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُ لَهُمُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ إِنَّا نَشَمُّ مِنْ رَائِحَتِكُمْ مَا لَا نَشَمُّهُ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَلَمْ نَرَ رَائِحَةً أَطْيَبَ مِنْهَا فَيَقُولُونَ كُنَّا عِنْدَ قَوْمٍ يَذْكُرُونَ مُحَمَّداً وَ أَهْلَ بَيْتِهِ فَعَلِقَ فِينَا مِنْ رِيحِهِمْ فَتَعَطَّرْنَا

‘When they disperse, the Angels ascend to the sky, so the (other) Angels say to them, ‘We can smell from your aromas what we cannot smell from the (other) Angels, and we have not observed any smell more aromatic than it!’ They said, ‘We were in the presence of a people mentioning Muhammad^-saww and People^-asws of his^-saww Household, so there became attached in us from their aromas, so we go perfumed’.

فَيَقُولُونَ اهْبِطُوا بِنَا إِلَيْهِمْ فَيَقُولُونَ تَفَرَّقُوا وَ مَضَى كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ إِلَى مَنْزِلِهِ فَيَقُولُونَ اهْبِطُوا بِنَا حَتَّى نَتَعَطَّرَ بِذَلِكَ الْمَكَانِ‏

‘‘They said, ‘Come down with us to go to them. They said, ‘They have already dispersed, and each one has gone to his house’. They said, ‘Come down with us until we get perfumed with that place (of gathering).[32]

8- بشا، بشارة المصطفى عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ الرَّازِيُّ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْحُلْوَانِيِّ عَنِ الشَّرِيفِ الْمُرْتَضَى عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ الْمُوسَوِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنْ أَبِيهِ مُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ آبَائِهِ ع عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص زَيِّنُوا مَجَالِسَكُمْ بِذِكْرِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ‏

(The book) ‘Bashaarat Al Mustafa^saww’ – Ali Bin Al-Husayn Al Razy, from Al-Husayn Bin Muhammad al Hulwany, from Al Shareef Al Murtaza, Ali Bin Al-Husayn Al Musawy, from his father Al-Husayn Bin Musa, from his father Musa Bin Muhammad, from his father Muhammad Bin Musa, from his father Musa Bin Ibrahim,

From Ibrahim son of Musa^-asws, from his father Musa^-asws Bin Ja’far^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws, from Jabir Bin Abdullah having said, ‘Rasool-Allah^-saww said: ‘Adorn your gatherings with the mention of Ali^-asws Bin Abu Talib^-asws’’.[33]

The Gatherings the Imam^-asws Loves to join:

قرب الإسناد ابْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ الْأَزْدِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: قَالَ لِفُضَيْلٍ تَجْلِسُونَ وَ تُحَدِّثُونَ

(The book) Qurb Al Asnaad’ – Ibn Sa’ad, from Al Azdy,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws, he (the narrator) said, ‘He^-asws said to Fuzeyl: ‘Are you gathering and discussing (with each other)?’

قَالَ نَعَمْ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ

‘He said, ‘Yes, may I be sacrificed for you^-asws!’

قَالَ إِنَّ تِلْكَ الْمَجَالِسَ أُحِبُّهَا فَأَحْيُوا أَمْرَنَا يَا فُضَيْلُ فَرَحِمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَحْيَا أَمْرَنَا يَا فُضَيْلُ مَنْ ذَكَرَنَا أَوْ ذُكِرْنَا عِنْدَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ عَيْنِهِ مِثْلُ جَنَاحِ الذُّبَابِ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ذُنُوبَهُ وَ لَوْ كَانَتْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ

‘He^-asws said: ‘That gathering, I^-asws love it. Revive our^-asws matter, O Fuzeyl! May Allah^-azwj have Mercy on the one who revives our^-asws matter. O Fuzeyl! One who mentions us^-asws, or we^-asws are mentioned in his presence, so there comes out from his eyes (a tear) like a wing of the fly, Allah^-azwj will Forgive his sins and even if these were more than (the) foam of the sea’’.^[34]

The preferred gatherings (Majalis)

الأمالي للشيخ الطوسي الْمُفِيدُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُظَفَّرِ الْبَزَّازِ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رَجَاءٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْعَطَّارِ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ أَبِي بُرْدَةَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنِ الْمُبَارَكِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ الْجُلَسَاءِ خَيْرٌ

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of the sheykh Al Tusi – Al Mufeed, from Muhammad Bin Al Muzaffar Al Bazzaz, from Al-Hassan Bin Raja’a, from Abdullah Bin Suleyman, from Muhammad Bin Ali Al Attar, from Haroun Bin Abu Burdah, from Ubeydullah Bin Musa, from Al Mubarak Bin Hassan, from Atiyya,

From Ibn Abbas who said, ‘It was said, ‘O Rasool-Allah^-saww! Which of the gatherers are better?’

قَالَ مَنْ ذَكَّرَكُمْ بِاللَّهِ رُؤْيَتُهُ وَ زَادَكُمْ فِي عِلْمِكُمْ مَنْطِقُهُ وَ ذَكَّرَكُمْ بِالْآخِرَةِ عَمَلُهُ‏

‘He^-saww said: ‘One, seeing him reminds you of Allah^-azwj, and his talking increases in your knowledge, and his actions remind you of the Hereafter’’.^[35]

Crying is from the Sunnah of Masomeen^-asws:

وَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَقُولُ: مَا لَقِيَ أَحَدٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا لَقِيتُ. ثُمَّ بَكَى

And from Abdul Rahman Bin Abu Bakr who said,

‘I heard Imam Ali^-asws saying: ‘No one from the people has faced what I^-asws have faced’. Then he^-asws cried.[36]

حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ عَنْ جَمَاعَةِ مَشَايِخِي عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ عَنْ أَبِي دَاوُدَ الْمُسْتَرِقِّ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: بَكَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَى أَبِيهِ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ ص عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً أَوْ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً وَ مَا وُضِعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ طعاما [طَعَامٌ‏] إِلَّا بَكَى عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُ مَوْلًى لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنَ الْهَالِكِينَ قَالَ‏ إِنَّما أَشْكُوا بَثِّي وَ حُزْنِي إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ أَعْلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ما لا تَعْلَمُونَ‏ إِنِّي لَمْ أَذْكُرْ مَصْرَعَ بَنِي فَاطِمَةَ إِلَّا خَنَقَتْنِي الْعَبْرَةُ لِذَلِكَ

My father narrated to me from all of my scholars, from Saad ibn Abd Allah, from Mohammed ibn Hussain ibn Abil Khattab, from Abi Dawud Al-Mustariq, from some of our companions, who said:

Abu Abdullah^-asws said: ‘Ali^-asws ibn Hussain^-asws (Imam Sajjad^-asws) cried over his^-asws father^-asws, Hussain^-asws Ibn Ali^-asws for twenty years – or forty years – and whenever food was brought to him^-asws, he^-asws would cry over Hussain^-asws.

‘One day, his servant said to him, ‘May I sacrifice myself for you^-asws, O son of Rasool Allah^-asws!  I am afraid that you^-asws may die (from grief)’.

‘He (the Imam Sajjad^-asws) replied: ‘I only complain of my distress and grief to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know (12:86)^[37].  Verily, whenever I^-asws remember the killing of the children of Syeda Fatimah^-asws, I^-asws am choked with tears over them^-asws.^[38]

Gatherings where Masomeen^-asws are Mentioned:

لي، الأمالي للصدوق الطَّالَقَانِيُّ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع‏ مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ مُصَابَنَا وَ بَكَى لِمَا ارْتُكِبَ مِنَّا كَانَ مَعَنَا فِي دَرَجَتِنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ مَنْ ذُكِّرَ بِمُصَابِنَا فَبَكَى وَ أَبْكَى لَمْ تَبْكِ عَيْنُهُ يَوْمَ تَبْكِي الْعُيُونُ وَ مَنْ جَلَسَ مَجْلِساً يُحْيَا فِيهِ أَمْرُنَا لَمْ يَمُتْ قَلْبُهُ يَوْمَ تَمُوتُ الْقُلُوبُ‏

(The book) ‘Al Amaali’ of Al Sadouq – Talaqany, from Ahmad Al Hamdany, from Ali Bin Al Hassan Bin Fazzal, from his father who said,

(Imam) Al-Reza^-asws said: ‘One who recalls our^-asws calamities and cries at what was perpetrated upon us^-asws would be with us^-asws in our^-asws rank on the Day of Qiyamah; and one who reminds of our^-asws calamities and cries and (makes others) to cry, his eyes would not be crying on the Day the eyes will be crying; and one who sits in a gathering in which our^-asws matter is revived, his heart will not die on the Day the hearts would be dying’.[39]

عيون أخبار الرضا عليه السلام الْقَطَّانُ وَ النَّقَّاشُ وَ الطَّالَقَانِيُّ جَمِيعاً عَنْ أَحْمَدَ الْهَمْدَانِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع‏ مَنْ تَذَكَّرَ مُصَابَنَا فَبَكَى وَ أَبْكَى لَمْ تَبْكِ إِلَى آخِرِ الْخَبَرِ

(The book) ‘Uyoon Akhbar Al-Reza^-asws’ – Al Qattan, and Al Naqqash, and Al Talaqany, all of them from Ahmad Al Hamdani, from Ibn Fazzal, from his father who said,

‘Al-Reza^-asws said: ‘One who mentions our^-asws calamities and cries, and (causes others) to cry, will not be crying’ – up to the end of the Hadeeth’.[40]

تفسير القمي أَبِي عَنْ بَكْرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ: مَنْ ذَكَرَنَا أَوْ ذُكِرْنَا عِنْدَهُ فَخَرَجَ مِنْ عَيْنِهِ دَمْعٌ مِثْلُ جَنَاحِ بَعُوضَةٍ غَفَرَ اللَّهُ لَهُ ذُنُوبَهُ وَ لَوْ كَانَتْ مِثْلَ زَبَدِ الْبَحْرِ

Tafseer Al Qummi – ‘My father, from Bakr Bin Muhammad,

From Abu Abdullah^-asws having said: ‘One who mentions us^-asws or we^-asws mentioned in his presence, so a tear emerges from his eyes (even if) like a wing of a mosquito, Allah^-azwj would Forgive his sins for him, and even if they were like the foam of the sea’.[41]

وَ فِي الْعِلَلِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْقَزْوِينِيِّ عَنِ الْمُظَفَّرِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ الْقَزْوِينِيِّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ الْأَسَدِيِّ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْفَضْلِ الْهَاشِمِيِّ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَا ابْنَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ صَارَ يَوْمُ عَاشُورَاءَ يَوْمَ مُصِيبَةٍ وَ غَمٍّ وَ حُزْنٍ وَ بُكَاءٍ دُونَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُبِضَ فِيهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص وَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي مَاتَتْ فِيهِ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ الْيَوْمِ الَّذِي قُتِلَ فِيهِ الْحَسَنُ بِالسَّمِّ

And in ‘Al Illal’, from Muhammad Bin Ali Al Qazminy, from Al Muzaffar Bin Ahmad Al Qazminy, from Muhammad Bin Ja’far Al Asady, from Sahl Bin ZIyad, from Suleyman Bin Abdullah, from Abdullah Bin Al Fazl Al Hashimy who said,

‘I said to Abu Abdullah^-asws, ‘O son^-asws of Rasool-Allah^-saww! How did the day of Ashura become the day of calamity, and sadness, and grief, and weeping apart from the in which Rasool-Allah^-saww passed away, and the day in which Fatima^-asws passed away, and the day in which Amir Al-Momineen^-asws was killed, and the day in which Al-Hassan^-asws was murdered by the poison.

فَقَالَ إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْحُسَيْنِ أَعْظَمُ مُصِيبَةً مِنْ جَمِيعِ سَائِرِ الْأَيَّامِ وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَ الْكِسَاءِ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا أَكْرَمَ الْخَلْقِ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ كَانُوا خَمْسَةً فَلَمَّا مَضَى عَنْهُمُ النَّبِيُّ ص بَقِيَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ فَاطِمَةُ وَ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَكَانَ فِيهِمْ لِلنَّاسِ عَزَاءٌ وَ سَلْوَةٌ فَلَمَّا مَضَتْ فَاطِمَةُ كَانَ فِي أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ لِلنَّاسِ عَزَاءٌ وَ سَلْوَةٌ

‘So, he^-asws said: ‘The day of Al-Husayn^-asws is of the greatest calamity from all the days and that is that the Companions of the Cloak were the ones of the most prestigious of the creatures to Allah^-azwj Mighty and Majestic, and were five. So, when the Prophet^-saww passed away, there remained Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and Syeda Fatima^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws, and Al-Husayn^-asws. So, they^-asws were among the people as a solace and comfort for them. So, when (Syeda) Fatima^-asws passed away, there was among them Amir Al-Momineen^-asws, and Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws for the people as a solace and comfort for them.

فَلَمَّا مَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع كَانَ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ عَزَاءٌ وَ سَلْوَةٌ فَلَمَّا مَضَى الْحَسَنُ كَانَ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْحُسَيْنِ عَزَاءٌ وَ سَلْوَةٌ فَلَمَّا قُتِلَ الْحُسَيْنُ لَمْ يَكُنْ بَقِيَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ الْكِسَاءِ أَحَدٌ لِلنَّاسِ فِيهِ بَعْدَهُ عَزَاءٌ وَ سَلْوَةٌ فَكَانَ ذَهَابُهُ كَذَهَابِ جَمِيعِهِمْ كَمَا كَانَ بَقَاؤُهُ كَبَقَاءِ جَمِيعِهِمْ فَلِذَلِكَ صَارَ يَوْمُهُ أَعْظَمَ الْأَيَّامِ مُصِيبَةً

‘So, when Amir Al-Momineen^-asws passed away, there were among them Al-Hassan^-asws and Al-Husayn^-asws as a solace and comfort for them. When Al-Hassan^-asws passed away, there was Al-Husayn^-asws for the people as a solace and comfort for them. So, when Al-Husayn^-asws was killed, there were no people from the Companions of the Cloak for the people after him^-asws as a solace and comfort. So, his^-asws going away was like the going away of all of them^-asws, just as his^-asws remaining was like the remaining of all of them^-asws. So, it is for that (reason) that his^-asws day is the day of the greatest calamity.^[42]

Love of Ahl Al-Bayt^-asws will always be Beneficial

عَنْهُمْ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عُقْبَةَ وَ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ وَ غَالِبِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ وَ هَارُونَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ بُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع فِي فُسْطَاطٍ لَهُ بِمِنًى فَنَظَرَ إِلَى زِيَادٍ الْأَسْوَدِ مُنْقَلِعَ الرِّجْلِ‏ فَرَثَى لَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا لِرِجْلَيْكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ جِئْتُ عَلَى بَكْرٍ لِي نِضْوٍ فَكُنْتُ أَمْشِي عَنْهُ عَامَّةَ الطَّرِيقِ فَرَثَى لَهُ وَ قَالَ لَهُ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ زِيَادٌ إِنِّي أُلِمُّ بِالذُّنُوبِ حَتَّى إِذَا ظَنَنْتُ أَنِّي قَدْ هَلَكْتُ ذَكَرْتُ حُبَّكُمْ فَرَجَوْتُ النَّجَاةَ وَ تَجَلَّى عَنِّي فَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع وَ هَلِ الدِّينُ إِلَّا الْحُبُّ قَالَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ الْإِيمانَ وَ زَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَ قَالَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَ قَالَ يُحِبُّونَ مَنْ هاجَرَ إِلَيْهِمْ إِنَّ رَجُلًا أَتَى النَّبِيَّ ص فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُحِبُّ الْمُصَلِّينَ وَ لَا أُصَلِّي وَ أُحِبُّ الصَّوَّامِينَ وَ لَا أَصُومُ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ أَنْتَ مَعَ مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَ لَكَ مَا اكْتَسَبْتَ وَ قَالَ مَا تَبْغُونَ وَ مَا تُرِيدُونَ أَمَا إِنَّهَا لَوْ كَانَ فَزْعَةٌ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ فَزِعَ كُلُّ قَوْمٍ إِلَى مَأْمَنِهِمْ وَ فَزِعْنَا إِلَى نَبِيِّنَا وَ فَزِعْتُمْ إِلَيْنَا

It narrated from them, from Sahl ibn Ziyad, from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ali ibn Faddal from Ali ibn ‘Uqbah and Thalabah ibn Maymun and Ghalib ibn Uthman and Harun ibn Muslim from Burayd ibn Muawiyah who has narrated:

‘Once, I was with Abu Jafar^-asws, in his tent in Mina, when he^-asws (the Imam^-asws) looked at Ziyad Al-Aswad with his foot badly hurt, thus he^-asws (the Imam^-asws) expressed sadness about it and asked: ‘What has happened to your feet that have become as such?’ He replied: ‘I came with a weak stumper and most of the way I walked’.  The Imam^-asws expressed more sadness, then Ziyad said:  ‘I collected sins until I was afraid for my destruction. I then remembered your^-asws love, which gives me hope for my salvation and it brightened my dark condition.

‘Abu Jafar^-asws then said: ‘Is religion anything other than love? Allah^-azwj has Said: He has made belief beloved to you and has beautified it in your hearts. (49:7), He^-azwj has said: ‘If you were to love Allah then follow me Allah will love you. (3:31). He^-azwj has said:   ‘they love those who migrate to you’ (59:9).

‘Once a man came to the Messenger of Allah^-saww and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah^-saww, I love people who perform Salat, but I do not perform it, I love people who fast, but I do not fast’. The Messenger of Allah^-saww said: ‘You are with those whom you love and to you belongs what you have earned’.  The Messenger of Allah^-saww has said:  What you are seeking to find is where you will arrive’.

‘(Imam^-asws said): ‘It is certain that if a shocking thing may come from the sky every people will seek protection in their safe places, and we^-asws seek protection with our Holy Prophet^-saww, and you will seek protection with us^-asws.^[43]

Love for the sake of Allah^-azwj and hatred for the sake of Allah^-azwj

مِنْ كِتَابِ السَّيِّدِ نَاصِحِ الدِّينِ أَبِي الْبَرَكَاتِ‏ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لِمُوسَى هَلْ‏ عَمِلْتَ‏ لِي‏ عَمَلًا قَطُّ قَالَ إِلَهِي صَلَّيْتُ لَكَ وَ صُمْتُ وَ تَصَدَّقْتُ وَ ذَكَرْتُكَ كَثِيراً قَالَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَمَّا الصَّلَاةُ فَلَكَ بُرْهَانٌ وَ الصَّوْمُ جُنَّةٌ وَ الصَّدَقَةُ ظِلٌّ وَ الزَّكَاةُ نُورٌ وَ ذِكْرُكَ لِي قُصُورٌ فَأَيَّ عَمَلٍ عَمِلْتَ لِي قَالَ مُوسَى دُلَّنِي عَلَى الْعَمَلِ الَّذِي هُوَ لَكَ قَالَ يَا مُوسَى هَلْ وَالَيْتَ لِي وَلِيّاً قَطُّ- أَوْ هَلْ عَادَيْتَ لِي عَدُوّاً قَطُّ فَعَلِمَ مُوسَى أَنَّ أَفْضَلَ الْأَعْمَالِ الْحُبُّ فِي اللَّهِ وَ الْبُغْضُ فِي اللَّهِ

In Al-Seyed Nasih Al-Din it is narrated;

Allah^-azwj the Almighty asked Prophet Musa^-as: “Have you^-as ever done anything for Me^-azwj? “He^-as said:” O’ my Lord^-azwj! I^-as prayed, fasted, gave charity for You^-azwj and I am frequently in remembering You^-azwj.” Allah^-azwj the Almighty Said: “But praying was a light to guide you^-as in your^-as path, fasting was an armour against the Fire, charity was a shade, alms was light, and your remembrance of Me^-azwj was (to secure) Heavenly palaces for you.

However, what have you done for Me^-azwj?” Moses^-as asked: “Please advise me on what I can do for just for You^-azwj.” Allah^-azwj the Almighty Replied: “O’ Musa^-as! Have you^-as ever made friends with anyone just for Me^-azwj?”

Musa^-as then realized that the best thing to do is to make friends in the way of Allah^-azwj, and to be enemy of some people in the way of Allah^-azwj.[44]

عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا أَحَبَّ رَجُلًا لِلَّهِ لَأَثَابَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى حُبِّهِ إِيَّاهُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ الْمَحْبُوبُ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ وَ لَوْ أَنَ‏ رَجُلًا أَبْغَضَ‏ رَجُلًا لِلَّهِ‏ لَأَثَابَهُ‏ اللَّهُ‏ عَلَى‏ بُغْضِهِ‏ إِيَّاهُ‏ وَ إِنْ كَانَ الْمُبْغَضُ فِي عِلْمِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ

Imam Baqir^-as said: “Allah^-azwj will Reward a man who loves another person for the sake of Allah^-azwj, even if Allah^-azwj Knows that the second man is going to be one of the residents of Hell.

Allah^-azwj will also Reward a man who hates another man for the sake of Allah^-azwj, even if Allah^-azwj Knows that the man being hated is going to be one of the residents of Heaven.[45]

Appendix: One must associate with righteous ones

ج، الإحتجاج بِالْإِسْنَادِ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ الْعَسْكَرِيِّ عَنْ آبَائِهِ ع‏ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ع‏ إِذَا رَأَيْتُمُ الرَّجُلَ قَدْ حَسُنَ سَمْتُهُ وَ هَدْيُهُ وَ تَمَاوَتَ فِي مَنْطِقِهِ‏ وَ تَخَاضَعَ فِي حَرَكَاتِهِ فَرُوَيْداً لَا يَغُرَّكُمْ فَمَا أَكْثَرَ مَنْ يُعْجِزُهُ تَنَاوُلُ الدُّنْيَا وَ رُكُوبُ الْحَرَامِ مِنْهَا لِضَعْفِ بُنْيَتِهِ وَ مَهَانَتِهِ وَ جُبْنِ قَلْبِهِ

(The book) ‘Al Ihtijaj’ –

By the chain to Abu Muhammad Al-Askari^-asws, from his^-asws forefathers^-asws having said: ‘Ali^-asws Bin Al-Husayn^-asws said: ‘When you see the man be good of his conduct, and his presentation, and is soft in his speaking, and gentle in his movements, then little by little he would be deceiving you. How often has one remained unable from attaining the world and he indulges in the Prohibitions from it due to the weakness of his structure and his humiliation, and the cowardice of his heart.

فَنَصَبَ الدِّينَ فَخّاً لَهَا، فَهُوَ لَا يَزَالُ يَخْتِلُ‏ النَّاسَ بِظَاهِرِهِ، فَإِنْ تَمَكَّنَ مِنْ حَرَامٍ اقْتَحَمَهُ. فَإِذَا وَجَدْتُمُوهُ يَعِفُّ مِنَ الْمَالِ الْحَرَامِ (فَرُوَيْداً لَا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ، فَإِنَّ شَهَوَاتِ الْخَلْقِ مُخْتَلِفَةٌ، فَمَا أَكْثَرَ مَنْ يَنْبُو عَنِ الْمَالِ الْحَرَامِ) وَ إِنْ كَثُرَ، وَ يَحْمِلُ نَفْسَهُ عَلَى شَوْهَاءَ قَبِيحَةٍ، فَيَأْتِي مِنْهَا مُحَرَّماً

Half of (his) religion is a trap, and he does not cease to deceive the people by his appearance. And if he is enabled from a Prohibition, he would storm into it. So, when you find him as chaste from the Prohibited wealth, then little by little he would (still) be deceiving you, for the lustful desires of the people are different. And how often is one informed about the Prohibited wealth, and even if it is frequent, and he carries himself upon the ugly lustful desires, so he comes to a Prohibition from it.

فَإِذَا وَجَدْتُمُوهُ يَعِفُّ عَنْ ذَلِكَ، فَرُوَيْداً لَا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ- حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا مَا عُقْدَةُ عَقْلِهِ فَمَا أَكْثَرَ مَنْ يَتْرُكُ ذَلِكَ أَجْمَعَ، ثُمَّ لَا يَرْجِعُ إِلَى عَقْلٍ مَتِينٍ، فَيَكُونُ مَا يُفْسِدُهُ بِجَهْلِهِ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا يُصْلِحُهُ بِعَقْلِهِ

When you find him as chaste from that, so little by little he would deceive you, unless you look at what his beliefs are, as per his intellect. How often one neglects that entirely, then he does not return to a solid mind (gives a firm statement), and he would come to such a state that his ignorance spoils him (far) more than what could be corrected by his intellect.

فَإِذَا وَجَدْتُمْ عَقْلَهُ مَتِيناً فَرُوَيْداً لَا يَغُرَّنَّكُمْ- حَتَّى تَنْظُرُوا مَعَ هَوَاهُ يَكُونُ عَلَى عَقْلِهِ أَوْ يَكُونُ مَعَ عَقْلِهِ عَلَى هَوَاهُ وَ كَيْفَ مَحَبَّتُهُ لِلرِّئَاسَاتِ الْبَاطِلَةِ وَ زُهْدُهُ فِيهَا فَإِنَّ فِي النَّاسِ مَنْ‏ خَسِرَ الدُّنْيا وَ الْآخِرَةَ بِتَرْكِ‏ الدُّنْيَا لِلدُّنْيَا

When you find his intellect as solid, then little by little he would deceive you, unless you look at whether his desires happen to be upon his intellect, or he overrides/controls his desires through his intellect, and how his love is for the government of the falsehood and his abstention with regards to it, for among the people there is one who: loses this world as well as the Hereafter [22:11], by neglecting the world for the (sake of the) world.

وَ يَرَى أَنَّ لَذَّةَ الرِّئَاسَةِ الْبَاطِلَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ لَذَّةِ الْأَمْوَالِ- وَ النِّعَمِ الْمُبَاحَةِ الْمُحَلَّلَةِ، فَيَتْرُكُ ذَلِكَ أَجْمَعَ طَلَباً لِلرِّئَاسَةِ، حَتَّى إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُ: «اتَّقِ اللَّهَ، أَخَذَتْهُ الْعِزَّةُ بِالْإِثْمِ، فَحَسْبُهُ جَهَنَّمُ وَ لَبِئْسَ الْمِهادُ

And he would see that the pleasures of the government of the falsehood are better than the pleasures of the wealth, and he analyses the achievable bounties, so he neglects that entirety of that to seek the government, until; when it is said to him, ‘Fear Allah’; pride seizes him with the sin; so Hell would suffice him; and it is an evil habitation [2:206].

فَهُوَ يَخْبِطُ [خَبْطَ] عَشْوَاءَ، يَقُودُهُ أَوَّلُ بَاطِلٍ إِلَى أَبْعَدِ غَايَاتِ الْخَسَارَةِ، وَ يَمُدُّ يَدَهُ‏ بَعْدَ طَلَبِهِ لِمَا لَا يَقْدِرُ [عَلَيْهِ‏] فِي طُغْيَانِهِ، فَهُوَ يُحِلُّ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ، وَ يُحَرِّمُ مَا أَحَلَّ اللَّهُ لَا يُبَالِي مَا فَاتَ مِنْ دِينِهِ إِذَا سَلِمَتْ لَهُ رِئَاسَتُهُ‏ الَّتِي قَدْ شَقِيَ مِنْ أَجْلِهَا. فَأُولَئِكَ [مَعَ‏] الَّذِينَ‏ غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ- وَ لَعَنَهُمْ‏ وَ أَعَدَّ لَهُمْ عَذاباً مُهِيناً

He flounders clumsily in speech. He would sit upon the first falsehood to the remotest point of the loss, and he would extend his hand seeking what he is not able upon during his rebellion. So (then) he permits what Allah^-azwj has Prohibited, and prohibits what Allah^-azwj has Permitted, not caring what is lost from his Religion when his government is safe for him, which he had been wicked for, for its reason. They are with those whom Allah^-azwj is Wrathful upon them, and Curses them, and has Prepared for them an abasing Punishment.

وَ لَكِنَّ الرَّجُلَ كُلَّ الرَّجُلِ، نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ- هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ هَوَاهُ تَبَعاً لِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ، وَ قُوَاهُ مَبْذُولَةً فِي رِضَاءِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى، يَرَى الذُّلَّ مَعَ الْحَقِّ أَقْرَبَ إِلَى عِزِّ الْأَبَدِ- مِنَ الْعِزِّ فِي الْبَاطِلِ، وَ يَعْلَمُ أَنَّ قَلِيلَ مَا يَحْتَمِلُهُ مِنْ ضَرَّائِهَا- يُؤَدِّيهِ إِلَى دَوَامِ النِّعَمِ فِي دَارٍ لَا تَبِيدُ وَ لَا تَنْفَدُ، وَ إِنَّ كَثِيرَ مَا يَلْحَقُهُ مِنْ سَرَّائِهَا إِنِ اتَّبَعَ هَوَاهُ- يُؤَدِّيهِ إِلَى عَذَابٍ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لَهُ وَ لَا زَوَالَ

‘‘However, a (rare) man among other men, the best of the men, he is the one who makes his own desires to be obedient to the Command of Allah^-azwj, and his strength to be utilised regarding the Pleasure of Allah^-azwj the Exalted. He accepts the disgrace for being with the truth (and takes it) as an honour of the (pious) servant than (to embrace) the honour in (associating with) the falsehood.

And he knows that the little that he endures from its adversities would lead him to the perpetual Bounties in a House which would neither terminate nor deplete. And even if it is a lot of what he faces from the joys, if he were to follow his own desires, these would lead him to the Punishment, having neither a termination to it nor a decline.

فَذَلِكُمُ الرَّجُلُ نِعْمَ الرَّجُلُ، فَبِهِ فَتَمَسَّكُوا، وَ بِسُنَّتِهِ فَاقْتَدُوا، وَ إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ فَبِهِ فَتَوَسَّلُوا، فَإِنَّهُ لَا تُرَدَّ لَهُ دَعْوَةٌ، وَ لَا تُخَيَّبُ لَهُ طَلِبَةٌ

So, that is the man, best of the men. Thus, with him you should be attaching to, and with his practices you should be trusting, and to your Lord^-azwj you should be (using him) as a means, for he is such that his supplication would not be rejected, nor would his seeking be ignored.^[46]

[1] https://www.msn.com/en-gb/health/mindandbody/religious-people-are-happier-than-atheists-here-s-why/ss-AA1EByWB?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=2000ac925a80449ea2ee4880e10a6b71&ei=78

[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 100 – The Book of Contracts and Declarations – CH 128 H 28

[3] Al Kafi V 2 – The Book Of Belief and Disbelief CH 42 H 1

[4] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 234 H 8

[5] الباب الثالث و الثلاثون من قال في الحسين‏ع شعرا فبكى و أبكى,H6,  كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 105

[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 13 H 18 f

[7] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 21 H 31

[8] Bihar Al-Anwaar, vol. 74

[9] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Subsistence Ch 3 H 10

[10] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Subsistence Ch 1 H 1

[11] Al-Kafi, vol. 5, H. 8322, Ch. 3, h, 11

[12] Al Kafi – V 5 – The Book of Subsistence Ch 30 H 11

[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 13 H 2

[14] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 13 H 4

[15] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 67 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 48 H 9

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

[17] Tafseer of Imam Hassan Askari-asws, Hadith 368

[18] Kitab Suleym Bin Qays – H 2 (Extract)

[19] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 32, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 30 H 733

[20] Bihar Al-Anwaar – V 16, The book of our Prophet^-saww, Ch 8 H 4

[21] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 94 H 57 b

[22] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 94 H 57 d

[23] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 94 H 57 e

[24] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 68 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 94 H 57 f

[25] See Ahadith for example: https://hubeali.com/latest-update/creation-was-in-the-love-of-prophet-mohammed-and-ahl-al-bayt/

[26]   Bihar Al Anwaar – V 27, The book of Imamate, P 6 Ch 4 H 26

[27] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 69 – The book of Eman and Kufr – Ch 119 H 8

[28] Al Kafi – V 4 – The Book of Hajj Ch 234 H 8

[29] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 98 – The Book of Shrines – Ch 41 H 1

[30] كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 147,

[31] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 98 – The Book of Shrines – Ch 32 H 37

[32] Bihar Al Awaar – V 38, The book of History – Amir Al Momineen^asws, Ch 64 H 7

[33] Bihar Al Awaar – V 38, The book of History – Amir Al Momineen^asws, Ch 64 H 8

[34] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 21 H 18

[35] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 13 H 3

[36] Bihar Al Anwaar – V 32, The book of Fitna (Strife) And Ordeals, Ch 31 H 930

[37]This Verse is the answer from Prophet Yaqub (in the Holy Quran) to his sons when they said:  ‘By Allah! You will not cease remembering Yusuf till you are on the verge of death, or until you die (12:85)

[38] كامل الزيارات، النص، ص: 107, chapter 35, H. 1.

[39] Bihar Al Awaar – V 44, The book of History – Al Hassan^asws, Ch 34 H 1

[40] Bihar Al Awaar – V 44, The book of History – Al Hassan^asws, Ch 34 H 2

[41] Bihar Al Awaar – V 44, The book of History – Al Hassan^asws, Ch 34 H 3

[42] Wasaail Al Shiah – H 19695

[43] Al-Kafi, vol. 8, pg. 80, Hadith 35

[44] Mishkat ul Anwar, H. 626.

[45] Mishkat ul Anwar, H. 612.

[46] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 71 – The book of relationships – Ch 13 H 1