Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

The Essence of Life (Ain-Al Hayat) عین الحیات

This book is corrected and edited by Al-Hassanain (p) Institue for Islamic Heritage and Thought

• About The Author
• Introduction: Profiles of The Benevolent Companions of The Prophet (S)
• Abu Dharr (r.a.)
• The Qualities of Salman, Abu Dharr And Miqdad
• Abu Dharr Accepts Islam
• Salman Accepts Islam
• Abu Dharr, The Oppressed
• The Prophet’s Will Concerning Abu Dharr
• Chapter 1: The Steps
• Step 1: The Meaning Of The Sighting Of The Exalted Creator
• Step 2: The Reason For Creation Of The Universe
• Step 3: The Conditions For Prayer
• Step 4: Total Devotion Of Mind And Heart
• Chapter 2: The Fundamentals
• The First Fundamental: Knowledge of The Exalted Creator
• What is faith?
• The Second Fundamental: The Faith
• 1. Knowledge of the Certainty of Existence
• 2. Idrak al-Kunha
• The Sects of Sufis
• Discussion On The Concept Of Transmigration Or Penetration
• The Third Fundamental: The Stages Of Understanding
• The Ranks Of The Knowledge Of The Creator
• The Fourth Fundamental: Transitory Nature Of The World
• The Fifth Fundamental: About The Individuality Of The Creator
• The Attributes Of Allah
• Explanation of A Point
• The Sixth Fundamental: The Immortality Or Eternity Of Allah
• The Seventh Fundamental: The Creator Of The Universe
• The Eighth Fundamental: Creation of The Firmament
• About The Angels
• The Ninth Fundamental: The Meanings Of Tender And Omniscient
• The Tenth Fundamental: The Omnipotent
• Chapter 3: The Benefits
• The First Benefit: Need For The Existence Of The Prophet
• The Second Benefit: Mu’jizah Or Miracle
• The Third Benefit: The Prophethood Of The Last Messenger
• The Fourth Benefit: The Last Of The Prophets Of Allah
• The Fifth Benefit: The Excellence and The Qualities Of The Prophet
• Chapter 4: Refulgence Or Rays Of Light
• The First Ray Of Light: The Need For The Imam
• The Second Ray of Light: The Chastity of The Imams
• The Third Ray Of Light: The Verse Of Purity (The Ayat al-Tatheer)
• The Fourth Ray Of Light: The Excellence Of The Ahl-ul-Bayt
• The Fifth Ray Of Light: Prayer And The Love Of Ahl-ul-Bayt
• The Sixth Ray Of Light: The Qualities Of The Imam
• Chapter 5: The Objectives
• The First Objective: Good Deeds
• 1. Procrastination in doing good deeds
• 2. Avoiding repentance (Tark al-Tawbah)
• 3. Avarice for accumulating wealth and riches
• 4. The callousness of heart and forgetting about the Hereafter
• The Second Objective: Dajjal Attacks
• The Appearance of Daabbat Al Ardh
• The Third Objective: About Mi’ad-The Resurrection
• About The Spirits Of The Mu’mins -The Pious
• About The Horn (Soor) Of Israfeel
• Confirmation Of The Mission Of Prophet hood
• About The Maidan-il-Hashr: The Place Of Resurrection
• About The Bridge Of Sirat
• The Accounting Of Deeds On The Day Of Judgment
• About Intercession
• About The Cistern Of Kawthar
• Shi’as Go To Heaven
• Liwaa al-Hamd: The Standard
• Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali’s Authority
• Chapter 6: The Maxims Or Regulations
• The First Maxim: The Superiority Of Knowledge
• The Scholars And The Superiority Of Learning
• Rewards For The Seeker Of Knowledge
• The Second Maxim: The Types Of Knowledge
• The Symbols of A Scholar
• The Third Maxim: The Norms of Knowledge and Action
• Example Of Religious Learning
• About The Heart And The Faith
• The Heart Explained
• About Iman
• The Fourth Maxim: The Qualities of Scholars
• The Fifth Maxim: Action Without Knowledge
• The Sixth Maxim: Repudiation Of Edicts Of The Inept
• Chapter 7: The Traits, Qasail
• The First Trait: Pride Over One’s Piety
• The Second Trait: Thankfulness For The Bounties
• The Third Trait: Penitence and Crying For Mercy
• Penitence From Sinning
• Types Of Sins
• The First Type
• The Second Type
• The Ways of Asking For Sustenance
• Making Supplications To Allah
• The Company Of Scholars
• Do Not Belittle Sin
• Tawbah Wa Istaghfar: Penitence and Asking Forgiveness
• The Superiority Of Prayer
• Chapter 8: Lamaat, The Rays of Light
• The First Ray of Light: About Prayer
• The Second Ray of Light: Differences In Jurisprudence And Censure Of Hypocricy 
• Innovation Explained
• The Tale Of A Seeker Of The World
• The Identity Of The Ulema
• The Third Ray of Light: About Celibacy
• Celibacy Condemned
• The Fourth Ray of Light: Reclusiveness Condemned
• The Fifth Ray of Light: Honest Livelihood, Kasb al-Halal
• Those Whose Prayer Is Not Answered
• The Sixth Ray of Light: Beautification, Ornamentation And Nutrition
• About Elegance and Adornment
• The Seventh Ray of Light: Purity And Cleanliness
• The Eighth Ray Of Light: About Delicacies
• Shunning Good Food and Mystic Seclusion, Tarke Lazaez Wa Chilla Kashi
• The Ninth Ray of Light: About Prohibition Of Music
• Song and Music
• The Tenth Ray Of Light: About Invoking Allah’s Name—Dhikr Allah
• Loud Invocation, Dihkr al-Jalee
• The Sufis Get Enraptured, The Haal
• The Sufis Are Innovative, Bidati
• The Silent Invocation, Dhikr al-Khafi
• Respect For The Mosques
• Sweeping In The Precincts Of The Mosque
• The Eleventh Ray of Light: Charity And Alms
• The Reward For Charity and Alms
• About The Sufferings Of The Pious In The World
• Crying for Fear of Allah
• Chapter 9: The Fruits
• The First Fruit: About Fear And Hope, Khauf Wa Raja
• The Second Fruit: Some Tales
• The Lament Of Prophet Yahya
• The Prayer of The Chief of Imams, Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali
• The Third Fruit: Confronting The Psyche
• The Fourth Fruit: Censuring The World
• The Fifth Fruit: What The World Means
• About The Ungratefulness Of The World
• The Way To Get Relief From The World
• Futility Of The World
• The Sad End Of The World
• The World And The Hereafter Cannot Come Together
• The Tale of Balohar and Yuzasaf
• The Sixth Fruit: What The World Means
• The Love For Worldly Gains
• The First Trait
• The Futile Beliefs Of The World, The Second Trait
• The Seventh Fruit: Superiority Of Humility
• The Humility of Najashi
• Humility and Lowliness
• The Humility Of The Prophet Of Islam
• The Humility Of Amir’ul-Mu’mineen ‘Ali
• The Eighth Fruit: Penury, Both Contemptible and Praiseworthy
• Penury and Opulence
• The Tale Of A Faqir and An Opulent Person
• Sincerity Of Action
• The People Of The Hell
• About The Hell
• The Food Of The Inmates Of The Hell
• The Stages Of The Hell: Ghassaq, Jaheem Etc
• The Saqar
• About Hur al-’Ayn
• The Doors Of The Heaven
• Laughter and Jest
• The Ninth Fruit: Laziness In Offering Prayers
• Dedication Of Heart In Prayer
• Humility and Faith
• The Tenth Fruit: Legitimate Livelihood
• Guarding Ones Private Parts
• Abstaining From Ill-gotten Sustenance
• The Eleventh Fruit: About Adultery
• The Retribution For Adultery, Pederasty and Suhaq(Monosexuality)
• The Twelfth Fruit: Protecting One’s Eye
• Chapter 10: The Stars
• The First Star: The Superiority Of Supplication
• The Second Star: The Etiquette Of Supplication
• The Third Star: Non-Acceptance Of Prayers
• Reasons For Delayed Acceptance Of Prayers
• The Advantages Of Prayer
• Those Whose Prayers Are Answered
• Beware Of The Curse Of The Oppressed
• The Benefits Of Mu’anaqah Or Embrace
• The Qualities of A Mu’min
• The Shi’as Of ‘Ali
• The Reward For Adhan and Iqamat
• The Reward of Reciting The Qur’an
• Feeding The Muslim Brothers
• Chapter 11: The Yanabeeh or Streams
• The First Stream: About Aged Muslims
• The Second Stream: About Superiority of The Holy Qur’an
• The Superiority of Bearers of The Holy Qur’an
• The Qualities of The Reciters of The Qur’an
• The Etiquette of Reciting The Holy Qur’an
• About Isti’adha: Seeking Allah’s Protection From The Satan
• Facing The Kaaba Or Qibla While Reciting The Qur’an
• About Khatam al-Qur’an or Finishing A Recitation of The Holy Book
• The Reward For Learning, Teaching and Memorising The Qur’an
• The Benefits of Reciting The Qur’an
• The Superiority Of Reciting The Holy Qur’an Looking At Its Words
• The Benefits Of Certain Verses Of The Holy Qur’an
• The Benefits of Other Verses of The Holy Qur’an
• The Third Stream: About Dealing With The Kings
• Behavior Of People In Power
• The Rights Of The Rulers And The Ruled Over Each Other
• About Helping Mu’mineen And Keeping Them Contented
• The Felicity Of Coming To The Help Of Mu’mins
• Censuring, Belittling Or Harming The Mu’mins
• Frightening A Mu’min
• The Rights Of The Rulers
• The Disadvantage Of Nearness To A Ruler
• Helpers Of The Cruel People
• Meeting The Men In Authority
• About Good Morals
• Discourtesy
• The Benefits Of Congregational Prayer
• Piety and Abstinence
• The Affability of The Imams (as)
• The Affability of Imam Husayn (as)
• The Affability of Imam Zain-ul-’Abidin (as) and Others
• Trusting On Allah
• Abiding By Allah’s Will
• Types of Forbearance
• Lies Condemned
• Contentment and Opulence
• Abstain From Untruths
• Chapter 12: The Status
• Backbiting Condemned
• Meaning Of Backbiting
• Justification For Backbiting
• Giving Ear To Backbiting
• Expiation For Backbiting
• False Allegations Condemned
• Jealousy
• The Talebearer
• Pride
• Chapter 13: Masabeeh, The Lamps
• Condemning Pride
• The Types Of Pride
• The Cure For Pride
• Reforming The Esoteric Self (Baatin)
• Wearing The Woolen Blankets
• Chapter 14: Invocations
• The Superiority Of Invocations; The superiority of Tasbeehat or Sanctification of Allah 
• The Reward For Tahleel Or Declaration Of Allah’s Unity
• The Superiority Of Adhkar Or Invocations
• The Superiority Of Tasbeeh Or The Rosary
• Superiority of Tahmeed Or Praising Allah
• The Superiority Of Astaghfar-Seeking Allah’s Forgiveness
• Miscellaneous Invocations
• The Timings For Special Invocations
• The Invocations After The Mandatory Prayers Of The Mornings And Evenings
• Supplications After Every Mandatory Prayer
• Invocations After Zuhr Prayer
• The Supplication After Asr Prayer
• The Invocations After The Late Night Prayers
• Sajda al-Shukr- The Prostration Of Thanksgiving
• The Supplications Before Going To Bed
• Appendix: The Prophet’s Advice To Abu Dharr
• Reference