2- HIS SERMONS
Our Imam (al- Sâdiq), peace be on him, went on spreading his immortal sermons among men to educate and guide them to the righteous way of Allah, the Exalted and to achieve their happiness in the two abodes (i.e. here and the hereafter). Many of his sermons have been mentioned in the vailable books.
We have decided to mention the most important ones of the sermons of al- Sâdiq as follows:
Belief in Allah:
Belief in Allah is the first of the religious duties and the base of virtues and acts. Rather, it is the objective of the objectives and the end of perfection of man. Rivalry for precedence among men is according to their rivalry for precedence to believe in Allah. For this reason, we have put belief in Allah in the beginning, of the sermons of al- Sádiq, peace be on him. It is enough for his speech on the belief in Allah that we will mention the following paragraphs in which he summons men to believe in Allah and urges them to cleave to it showing its great effects and pleasure. He, peace be on him says:” If men know the virtue of belief in Allah, they will not look at what Allah enjoys the enemies of the choice and the comfort of life in this world, their lives in this world will be less than that which they trod on with their legs, they will lead a life of ease and comfort through believing in Allah, and will get pleasure from (living) in the gardens of Paradise with the friends of Allah. Believing in Allah, the Great and Almighty, is sociability for every estrangement, friendship for every loneliness, light against every darkness, strength for every weakness, and cure for every illness.”
Then he, peace be on him, said:” People had been before you. They were killed and burnt and sawed with the saw. ‘And they did not take vengeance on them for ought except that they believed in Allah, the Mighty, the praised.’ So, ask (Allah to grant you) their ranks. Be patient,,1 toward the misfortunes of your time, then you get their consequence.
He, peace be on him, describes belief in Allah as the one who has tasted it, then he encourages men to taste this delicious food. If we go on this heedlessness, we will not know that test except that we know that whoever heads for the belief in Allah, the Exalted, and approaches the Most Holy Allah for a span of the hand is far away from the enjoyment of this world for a mile, and whatever he gets rid of the pleasures of this existence turns away from that which is below the belief in the Necessary Being (Allah).
Fear and Hope:
Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, embraces might and mercy, wrath and pleasure. So, His great wrath is according to His great mercy, His great punishment is according to His abundant reward. As His mercy is great, there is a hope that it will include the sinner. As His punishment is severe, fear of His wrath is certain. According, the believer must be between fear and hope because he does not know with which sin his punished and written in the record of sinners and does not know for which good act he is rewarded and regarded as one of the good- doers. For this reason, he must always be careful of the sin to avoid it and looks for the good act to obtain its reward. al- Sâdiq, peace be on him said many traditions about the necessity of fear and hope for the believer and their dangers when man loses them. On fear, he said:” Fear Allah as if you had seen Him. If you do not see Him, surely, He sees you. If you thing that He does not see you, then you are an unbeliever. And if you know that He sees you and you rush to the sin, indeed you regard Him as among the easiest supervisors over you.,,
He, peace be on him, said:” Whoever knows Allah fears Him; whoever fears Allah abstains from life in this world.”
He, peace be on him, said:” Indeed, of worship is the intense fear of Allah, the Great and Almighty.” Allah, the Great and Almighty, says: Those of His servants only who are possed of knowledge fear Allah.”
“Thereforc fear not the people and fear Me.”
“And whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make for him an outlet.”
The love of honor and the love of Allah do not come together in the heart of the God-fearing.”
Concerning these Words of Allah, the Great and Almighty:” And for him who fears to stand before his Lord are two gardens.”
, al- Sadiq, peace be on him said:” Whoever knows that Allah sees him and hears what he says and knows what he acts whether good or evil, and that prevents him from (doing) the ugly acts, is the one who fears to stand before his Lord and prevents the soul from the desire.”
He, peace be on him, said:” The believer is between two states of fear: the sin which has passed; he does not know what Allah has done for it, and the age which has lasted; he does not know what he will commit of the sins during it, then he does not awake but afraid, and nothing reforms him except fear.”’
I (the author) say: To reform the believer is always with fear, for if he takes fear into consideration, he will spare no effort to push away what he is afraid of. So, he abstains from disobedience and adopts obedience.
He, peace be on him, said:” Whoever fears Allah, Allah will make everything afraid of him; whoever does not fear Allah, Allah will make him afraid of everything.”
On both fear and hope, he, peace be on him said:” The believer must fear Allah, the Exalted, the fear of the one who is about to (enter) the fire and hopes Him the hope of the one who is about to be among the people of Paradise, then he said:’ Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, (rewards the person according to his) intention. If (his/her) intention is good, then (he/her) will get good; if (his/her) intention is evil, then (he/her) will get evil.”
I (the author) say: Also the believer must be between fear and hope as Allah, the Most High, said:” They call upon their Lord in fear and in hope.”
That is because only fear may lead man to despair. Despair of the mercy of Allah is dispraised, for it discourages the servant from the good act; only hope may lead the servant to think that he is safe frome the punishment of Allah. Such idea is regarded as misguidance and disappointment which refrain the servant from worshipping. As for that Allah is with the intention of the servant may mean that Allah takes care of the servant and rewards him according to that good or evil intention which is put into effect.
He (al- Sâdiq) peace be on him, said:” The believer is not believing unless he is afraid and hopeful, and is not afraid and hopeful unless he put into practice what he is hopeful and afraid of.”
I (the author) say: That is because the act is the appearance of fear and hope. If the person does not act, then he is a liar when he says that he is between fear and hope, for if the person is afraid of someone, he will spare no effort to be very careful of him. And if the person hopes someone he will use all means to approach the hoped one.
He, peace be on him, said:” Good opinion is that you must hope no one but Allah atid that you fear nothing but your sin.
I (the author) say: That is because if the person hopes other than Allah, he will have doubt in the might of Allah and His mercy for His servants or he will have an imagination that other than Allah has an ability which is in no need of Allah, the Exalted. So, this means mistrust in Allah, the Powerful, the Merciful. Also to fear things other than the sin- like fear of death and other creatures- leads to doubt in the power of Allah and His mercy.
It was said to him:” People commit sins and say that they hope (Allah) and they will continue that till death come to them.” He, peace be on him, said:” They hesitate in hopes. They tell lies. They are not hopeful. Whoever hopes a thing looks for it; whoever is afraid of a thing escapes from it.”
I (the author) say: Indeed, the hoped thing is not obtained without effort and seeking but by chance, and the fearful thing cannot be avoided without escaping but by chance. So, is it possible for the wise man to depend on chances in these two cases?
Piety and Devotion:
Belief in Allah, the Exalted, leads to piety and devotion. So, he AbU Abd Allah, peace be on him, warned man against disobedience and encouraged him to cleave to piety .aad devotion in the religion.
He, peace be on him, said:” Fear Allah and keep your religion with piety.” “Cleave to piety.”
“The strongest thing Allah imposed on His creation very much is that they should remember Him many times, I do not mean that they should say:’ Glory to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, and Allah is Great.’ Though these are parts of it, I mean that they should remember him during the time of the act- if the act leads to obedience the person should do it; if the act leads to disobedience, the person should refrain from it.”
I (the author) say: Indeed, the attitude of the person should be intense towards the lawful and the unlawful. The person should feel that Allah is with him everywhere. So, the person should conform to the lawful and should abstain from the unlawful. Accordingly, piety is known during these attitudes when the self and the religion are not the deterrent.
One day, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, was asked to define the pious person. He answered:” It is he who refrains from what Allah, the Great and Almighty, has prohibited.”
He was asked about the following Words of Allah, the Glorified, :“ And We will proceed to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them as scattered floating dust.
He, peace be on him, answered:” Verily, by Allah, their deeds were whiter than the Qubti (Egyptian) clothes, but when they found a forbidden thing, they did not refrain from it.”
One day, al- Mufaddal b. ‘Amr
said:” What few my deeds are!” al-Sadiq, peace be on him said:” Keep silent. Ask Allah’s forgiveness. Surely, few deeds with devotion are better than many deeds without devotion.” al- Mufaddal asked:” How are deeds many without devotion?”
al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, answered:’ ‘Yes, for example, the person who gives food, treats his neighbors kindly, entertains his guests, but when the door of the unlawful is opened, he comes into it.”
This tradition ha similar meaning to the following tradition of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family:” Indeed, whoever says that there is no god but Allah, a tree is planted for him in the garden.” Some of his companions said to him:” Therefore, our trees in the garden are many.” Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family, said:” However, do not send fire for them to burn them.”
Religious Devotion:
Religious devotion means that the person should turn away from life in this world with his heart and the members of his body to obtain life in the hereafter and what Allah, the Exalted, has. It is among the ranks of the religion and the highest position of the gnostic.
Indeed, the gnostic should be indifferent to life in this world whether it came to them to turns away from them, for if it came to them, it will prevent them from obtaining those high ranks whose comfort no one feels but those who abstaii1 from worldly pleasures.
For this reason, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said: “All good has been put in a house. And its key is regarded as religious devotion in this world.”
al- Sadiq himself reported a tradition on the authority of his grandfather the Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, who said:” The person does not find the sweetness of belief till he is indifferent to him who controls pleasures in this world.”
Then al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” It is forbidden for your hearts to know the sweetness of belief till they refrain from worldly pleasures.”
Encouraging men to adopt religious devotion, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Nothing of this world delighted Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family but that he wanted to be hungry and afraid in it (the world).
Also he (al- Sadiq) said:” If Allah wants to do good for a servant, He makes him refrain from life in this world, makes him understand the religion, and makes him see its defect (i.e. the defects of life in this world), and whomever is granted these things is granted the good of here and of the hereafter.”
I (the author) say: Indeed, all good is in three things, for rest, tranquillity, and understanding are achieved with them. This is good in this world and obtaining high position in the NEXT world as Allah has promised.
Also he said:” Refraining from the life in this world is the best method to seek the truth, and it (refraining from the life in this world) is against the thing which is sought by the enemies of the truth, who wishes for it (worldly life), is there any patient, generous (one)? Indeed, it (worldly life) is nothing but very few days.”
I (the author) say: The love of life in this world and the wish for it prevent the person from seeking the truth. For example, the wish for abundant money, the wish for the a high position, and the wish for rest prevent the person from saying the truth. However, the person can say the truth, put it into practice, spread it when he or she turns away from these psychological desires. Moreover, turning away from these pleasures needs patience and a generous soul. So, al- Sâdiq summoned those who are patient and generous to turn away from such desires. Then he mentioned that people would not regard patience and generosity as dear except when they know that their existence in this world will last for a few days. That is because when man know that the adversity will not last, he will habituate himself to generosity and patience to face those adversities.
Then he, peace be on him, encouraged man to adopt religious devotion through its urgent advantage; this is the best way to urge man to wish for it, for man always likes to get an urgent advantage from his act. For this reason, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” Whoever adopts religious devotion in this world, Allah will fix the wisdom in his heart and will make his tongue utter it, and will make him see the defects of life in this world (its illness and its cure), and Allah will take him out sound to Paradise.”’
Now, we must know religious devotion and its reality lest we should confuse the term.
Some of his gnostic companions asked him to define religious devotion. He answered:” Allah has defined it in His Book. He, the great and Almighty said:’ So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you.
Then he said:” Indeed, the most knowledgeable of men is the most afraid of them of Allah, the most afraid of them is the most knowledgeable of them of Him and the most knowledgeable of Him is the most devout of them.”
I (the author) say: The definition of al- Sâdiq for religious devotion as in the holy verse makes us understand that religious devotion in this world is not as some people imagine that they should refrain from good food or wear rough clothes, though it sometimes leads to these things, it is higher than these things.
When the person turns away from life in this world, he will feel that everything in it is worthless. So, the person does not grieve for what has escaped him, nor is he exultant at that which will come. And if the person cleaves to life in this world, that which has escaped him will sadden him and that which has come to him will delight him. Accordingly, grief and delight are the best detectors for the reality of religious devotion in this world.
Besides, if religious devotion means that the person should turn away from good provisions in this world and pleasures where in as the Sufis (mystics) do, then why has Allah created them? To denote that Allah, the Exalted, is above these claims, let us listen to His Words: Say: Who has prohibited the embellishment of Allah, which He has brought forth for His servants and the good provisions? Say: These are for the believers in the life of this world....
Also this tradition of al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, proves that good provisions are not prohibited:” Certainly, When life is prosperous, then the righteous are worthier of it than the sinful, the believers than the hypocrites, Muslim than unbelievers.” He said this tradition when some people saw him wearing white clothes. They criticized him for those clothes which they regard as a wish for life in this world while the slogan of his grandfathers was religious devotion in this world.
Yes, these things and life in this world should not take the servant’s entire attention. Rather, he should take care of the most lasting, and the most useful.
Allah, the Glorified has imposed precepts and limited punishments to regulate life in this world. For this reason, al- Sãdiq, peace be on him, guided us to this fact and said:” The most pious one of all people is he who considers suspicion carefully, the most worshipping one of all people is he who performs the duties, the most devout of all people is he who refrains from the prohibited, and the severest one of all people in effort is he who gives up sins.”
Life in this world:
The world of man is nothing but the self of man and what it contains such as instincts, appetites, ideas, and beliefs. Every thing except his soul is out of his entity and foreign for him. Besides, it has no relation with man’s world and has no relation with man himself but to the extent that relates with his ideas, satisfying his appetites, and achieving what his instincts stir him to.
If all the appetites of man are satisfied, then man will achieve all what he wishes in his life, otherwise he will be deprived of them as mucb as some of his appetites are hungry or not satisfied.
However, it is impossible for man to satisfy all his appetites in the life in this world. We will give an example about the appetite of superiority, domination and love, which are the strongest appetites in man. Whatever man rules and dominates, certainly, there are other directions out of his rule or there are other powers compete with him for that. So, the appetite of rule, due to what we have said, cannot be satisfied whatever its owner tries to satisfy it. Besides, to satisfy the appetite of domination is not achieved unless man abandons some of his other appetites such as rest, tranquillity, peace, and the like. That is because to continue the domination or to enlarge it forces man to resist his rivals or to face his disobedients. Then the more man dominates the more the competition is. So, his deprivation of many appetites increases, too. Generally speaking, the more man indulges in appetites and cleaves to his life in this world, the stronger his appetites are. In the meantime most of his appetites remain without satisfaction. They stir him, ache him, and spoil his living and his rest till he dies for that.
In the following words, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, gives a great picture about this lasting conflict between man and his appetites:” Verily, the parallel of life in this, world is like the parallel of the water of the sea; whatever the thirsty drink of it, they increase in thirst till it (sea water) kills them.”’
Also he, peace be on him, said:” The parallel of him who cleaves to the life in this world is like the parallel of the silkworm- the more it wraps its self with silk the more it will be difficult for it to go out till it dies of worry.”
Warning man against the dangers of life in this world, al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Indeed, the parallel of the life in this world is like the parallel of the snake whose touching is smooth whilst the lethal poison is inside it, the wise man is careful of it while the young men catch it with their hands.”
I (the author) say: The wise man has known that it (life in this world) is full of disturbances, pains, disasters, and misfortunes, while the self-
conceited person has no experience in life, so he is like the child who feels the sweetness of life in this world but does not feel its bitterness. So, life in this world deceives the self- conceited person as the smooth tOuching of the snake does though the lethal poison is in its head. For this reason the Imain, peace be on him, and all reformers order man not to be deceived by the pleasures of life in this world, for they lead him to tyranny and make him forget to prepare him self in the life in this world for the life in the hereafter. If you want to go deeper in understating life in this world, then listen carefully to the following worlds of al- Sâdiq on it:
“Verily, though this life in this world enjoys (man) with its splendor and deceives (him) with its embellishment, its end will be like the end of springtime, which delights (man) with its greenness, then it withers when its period ends, he who is faithful to himself knows what has been imposed on him and what (has been) permitted for him, must considers his Lord, the Great and Exalted, carefully and knows him, and is careful of his evil place to return to. Indeed, the life in this world deceived people, but they left it more quickly than they came to it and though they were happier (than others) in it. Their death came to them while they were sleeping at night or while they were playing in the morning. How were they brought out of it (this world)? How have they reached (the stage) after it? It (life in this world) has made pain follow them, it has reflected regret oU them, it has made them swallow the bitter taste, and has made them choke with the cup of parting. Woe unto him who is pleased with it or delighted at it! Has not he seen the death of his grandfaaea5 and of his past enemies and friends? (Has not he known that) their perplexity was longer (than his) in it, their attack was uglier (than his) in it, their deal was more losing (than his) in it, and their grief was greater (than his) in it? He who is deceived by it (life) should think of his death in it and abandons his desires where in. Suppose that he was given the longest age, was given all properties, then does not he become an old (man)? We ask Allah to grant you and us a good deed through obeying return to His mercy, refraining from disobeying Him, and through Him.'
Also Consider carefully his words on life in this world and its owners:” how many a seeker of life in this world, but does not obtain it, and obtainer of it has left it. So, its seeking -should not divert you from your act. Request it from its Granter and its Possessor. And how many a cleaver to the life in this world, it knocks him down, what he has obtained of it has diverted him from seeking his life in the hereafter till he finished his lifetime and his death came to him , ,
How truthful his (al- Sâdiq) analysis is on life in this world and the kindsof people in it:” What is the life in this world? And what could it be? Is life in this world nothing but a meal you have eaten it? or a garment you have worn? Or an animal you have ridden? The believers have no confidence in the life in this world and do not feel safe from the coming of the hereaja The life in this world is transient and the life in the hereafter is permanent The people in this world are heedless. The devotees are lighter than the people of this world in provision and more than them in help. When you forget, they (the devotees) remind you. When they remind you, they teach you. Then regard the life in this world as a house you had lived in it th.r, you have left it or as perfection you obtained in your sleeping, but there was nothing of it in your hand when you get up. How many a cleaver toa matter became unhappy when it came to him. And how many a leaver to a matter became happy when it came to him.”
Also pay attention to the following words of al- Sädiq, peace be on him:” I have regarded the rank of the life in this world as the rank of the dead animal. When I am forced to eat of it I eat. Indeed, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, knows what the servants do and where they will return to, si He (Allah) is patient toward their evil deeds because of his previous knowledge of them. Then the good request from him who is not afraid af escape should not deceive you.” Then he recited the following Words-of Allah, the Exalted:” (As for) that future abode, We assign it to those whnj have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief and tim good end is for those who guard (against evil).”
Then he (al- Sâdiq) begai weeping and saying:” By Allah, the hopes have disappeared with tIafr verse.” Then he, peace be on him, said:” By Allah, the obedjents who a not commit even the little harm have succeeded, to fear Allah is enough knowledge and self- conceit is enough ignorance.”
I (the author) say: When al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said that the h had disappeared he meant the hopes of the people of the evil deeds. Allah is patient toward them so that they think that they will be safe from the torture in the hereafter However, the verse indicates that the fin abode is assigned to those who have no desire to exalt themselves in the earth nor to make mischief. Accordingly, no one except them has a shr the hereafter.
A man came to al- Sadiq, peace be on him, and asked him for a need.He peace be on him, said:” Be patient. Surely, Allah wi1l make an ea.cêar you.” He kept silent for an hour, then be came to the man and asked Him:" Tell me about the prison of Kufa. How is it?” The mai answered:” Allah make you righteous, it is narrow and nasty. And its people are worst condition” So, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” You are in prison and you want wideness in it, did you not know that life in this world is a prison for the believer.”
Also consider carefully the following words of al- Sädiq, peace be on him:” Whoever enters upon morning and evening and life in this world is his greatest intention, Allah will put poverty between his two eyes and scatter his affair, and he will not get anything of life in this world except that which has been allotted for him. And whoever enters upon morning and evening and the hereafter is his greatest intention, Allah will put riches into his heart and gather his affair.”
I (the author) say: That is because he whose intention is the life in this world, his appetites stir him frequently to satisfy them white he is not able to satisfy them. So, he is always in need of many things. Accordingly, poverty is always before him, his intention is branching because the affairs of this life are branching, so his affairs scatter. Nevertheless, he does not gçt anything of this wide life but that which has been assigned for him. As for him whose intention is the future life, Allah will put content into his heart, so whoever is satisfied is rich. Accordingly, his intention is not branching according to the branching affairs of life. Thereby, his affairs come together and his mind is calm.
Also he, peace be on him, shows you the sorrow of those who seek the mortal life in this world.
He, peace be on him, said:” He whose longing is much for life in this world, his sorrow is more when he leaves it.
Concerning those who are absorbed in the life in this world, he, peace be on him, said:” He whose heart cleaves to the life in this world (suffers from) three qualities: unperishable worry, unobtainable hope, and inaccessible wish.”
I (the author) say: These are some examples of the words of al- Sädiq, peace be on him concerning the life in this world and those who are deceived by it. He said these words to awaken the heedless and warn them against the deceiving pleasures of the life in this world.
Hypocrisy:
Hypocrisy means seeking a position in the hearts of people through performing good deeds or acts indicating them such as clothes, appearance, movements, and rests.
Hypocrisy is among the cardinal sins. The Verses and the traditions have dispraised it. Concerning it many traditions have been mentioned on the authority of al- Sfldiq, peace be on him. These traditions have dispraised hypocrisy and its owner.
al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” Every hypocrisy is polytheism, whoever performs good deeds (to please) people takes his reward from people, and whoever performs good deeds (to please) Allah (takes) his reward from Allah.’’’
Also he mentioned the following Words of Allah, the Exalted, :“Therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the service of his Lord.”
So, the person who joins someone in the service of his Lord is he who performs good deeds to make people praise him or to hear of him, in other words to please people not to please Allah. Then al- Sadiq, peace be on him said:” Any servant who performs good deeds secretly, the days will never pass unless Allah shows him good. Any servant who performs evil deeds secretly, the days will never pass unless Allah shows him evil.’
Also al- Sâdiq said:” Why does the one of you show good (deeds) and conceal evil (deeds)? Why does he not come BACK to himself to know (it is) not right to do that? And Allah, the Great and Almighty says:’ Nay! man is evidence against himself.’
If the inner self is right, openness is strong.’
I (the author) say: How valuable these words are! That is because the hypocrite comes BACK to himself and knows that what he shows is against what he conceals. Then that affects his deeds whether he knows or does not know. When he comes BACK to himself he feels this weakness and deception. Without doubt, weakness affects his deeds, So, he trembles out of weakness.
As for him whose hidden and open deeds are both right is strong in his deeds, for he is sure of himself and ‘feels its strength. To feel strength controls man’s words and deeds.
Also al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” Whoever performs a few deeds to please Allah, Allah will show him more than what he performs. And whoever performs many deeds to please people through rendering tiredness of his body and sleeplessness of his night, Allah refuses his deeds and degrades them in the eye of him who hears him.”
Also al- Sâdiq said:” Why does man perform deeds contrary to what Allah knows? Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family said:” Whoever performs a deed secretly, Allah wilt reward him according to it- if it is good, Allah will reward him good; if it is evil Allah will reward him evil.”
And al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” Be careful of hypocrisy, for he who performs deeds to please other than Allah, Allah makes him get his reward from him to whom he performs the deeds.”’
I (the author) say: These are extracts of al- Sadiq, peace be on him on hypocrisy. With them he denotes the unsucintention of the hypocrites and the disappointment of those who perform deeds to please men. Accordingly, the days will expose their offenses. Besides, their deeds do not grow, nor do they get their rewards from those to whom they perform deeds.
Injustice:
All wise men have agreed on the idea that injustice is ugly. For this reason, Allah has dispraised polytheism because it is injustice. He said:” Most surely polytheism is a grievous injustice.
Besides there are many verses and traditions which dispraise injustice and regard it as prohibited act.
However, injustice ranging between muchness and littleness, between strength and weakness as the verses indicate that. For this reason, al- Sâdiq, peace be on him said:” There is injustice stronger than injustice, for which its owner finds no helper but Allah.”
I (the author) say: That is because the weak person is unable to take his right, so Allah, the Exalted, is his supporter and the Taker of his right. In this connection, there is a tradition reported on the authority of Zayn at‘abidTn, who said:” Be careful not to do injustice to him who finds no helper against you except Allah.”
Do not think that the unjust person is only the doer of injustice, but he is among three persons as Abfl Abd Allah, peace be on him said:” The doer of injustice, the one who helps him with (injustice), and the one who is pleased with injustice are all three partners.”
Rather, al- Sftdiq, peace be on him, added another person to the three persons. He said:” Whoever excuses an unjust person for his injustice, Allah empowers a person over him to do injustice to him, if he asks Allah, Allah does not answer him and does not reward him because of his injustice.”
As injustice is very ugly, the person who does not intend to do it is rewarded as al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” Whoever enters upon morning and does not intend to do injustice to anyone, Allah forgives him all his sins on that day unless he sheds blood or takes the prohibited money of the orphan.”
Two men brought a dispute before al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. He did not hear their words entirely, but he said:” Indeed, whoever is successful through injustice does not get any good. Indeed, the victim of injustice takes (a share) of the debt of the unjust person more than the (share which) unjust person takes of the money of the victim of injustice.” Then he, peace be on him, said:” Whoever does the evil to people should not refuse the evil when they are done to him, for the son of Adam reaps what he sows. Thereby, no one reaps the sweet from the bitter nor the bitter from the sweet.” So, the two men had made peace before they went away
I (the author) say: What an eloquent sermon! And what a truthful example! However, the self is naturally disposed for doing the evil and showing enmity. So, the self is blind of good deeds. For example, how does the person reap the sweet from the bitter and the good from the evil, while he himself is not ready to forgive those who mistreat him and do injustice to him?
Zyyâd al- Qandi’
came to al- Sâdiq, peace be on him. al- Sâdiq said to him:” Zyyâd, have you become a governor for those?” Zyyãd answered:” Yes, son of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family. I have manhood, but I have no money. So, I help my brother with (the money I get) from the ruler.” al- Sâdiq said:” Zyyâd, if your self summons you to treat people unjustly, then remember that Allah, the Great and Almighty, is able to punish you.”
I (the author) say: The ruler is liable to do injustice. However Allah, the Exalted, is able to punish him and take vengeance on him. So, the ruler should take this fact into consideration to refrain from injustice.
As Allah, the Glorified, regards injustice as a great crime, he answers the desire of the victim of injustice as Abü Abd Allah said:” Beware of injustice, for the du’â (supplication) of the wronged person ascends to the sky.”
I (the author) say: That the du’fi ascends to the sky means that Allah will surely accept it.
The Believer:
When the person believes in a certain thought, he should let the thought dominate him. In the meantime he should be loyal to his thought and is ready to die for it. That is because when the thought is firmly established in the self of man, it becomes inseparable part of his entity, in other words it becomes himself. So, if it is possible for the person to get rid of himself and to be disloyal for it, then it is possible for him to get rid of his thought and to be disloyal for it.
SO, the religious thought is stronger than any other thought, for if the person believes that Allah is Powerful and Just, then he will disdain all appetites of the life in this world and adopt the following moral traits.
When you know that such a person has not adopted these moral qualities, then know that he is not a true believer or his belief is weak because the thought is.not firmly established in himself.
Concerning the qualities of the believer, Abfl Abd Allah, peace be on him, said:” The believer should have eight qualities: (he should be) solemn during misfortunes, patient during the tribulation, grateful during the welfare, satisfied with what Allah has given him. (He should) not do injustice to the enemies, nor does he wrong friends. His body, because of him, is tired, and people, because of him, are pleased.”
Then he said:” Verily, knowledge is the friend of the believer, clemency is his minister, patience is the Emir of his soldiers, fellowship is his brother, and kindness is his father.”
I (the author) say: Most people think that they have virtuous traits because they love themselves and are satisfied with them, so they are blind to their defects.
In fact such a quality is the first of the vices. Rather, it is the beginning of every vice. However, if the person considers carefully the above-mentioned words of al- SSdiq, peace be on him, about the believer, then he habituates himself to them and knows the reason why Allah, the Exalted, said:” And most men will not believe though you desire it eagerly.”
Also al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” The believer has strength in religion, determination along with leniency, faith with conviction, eagerness in (seeking) knowledge, activity with guidance, obedience with righteousness, knowledge with clemency, courtesy with fellowship, generosity with rightness, moderation in riches, gracefulness in starvation, forgiveness with ability, obedience of Allah in his order, giving up the appetite, piety in the desire, eagerness in (waging) Jihad, worship in devotion, endurance in hardship. He is dignified during calamities, patient in distresses, and thankful during ease. He does not BACKbite (people), nor does he become proud, and nor does he abandon his blood relations. He is not feeble, nor is he rude, nor is he rough. His sight does not precedes him, nor does his abdomen expose him, and nor does his private part overcomes him. He does not envies people, nor taunts (people), nor is taunted, and nor does he steal. He supports the victim of injustice, has mercy on the poor. His own self is in distress because of him, while people are in ease from him. He does not wish for the glory of this world, and nor does he become impatient because of its humiliation. For people there is purpose (which) makes him busy. No defect is seen in his judgment nor weakness is in his idea, and nor loss is in his religion. He guides him who seeks his advice, him who helps him, and abstains from indecency and ignorance.”’
I (the author) say: al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said these words concerning the Imams of (a/il al Bcryt), for there is no person has obtained such a rank of perfection as the Koran says:” And most men will not believe though you desire it eagerly.”
Also he, peace be on him, said:” The believer is not believing till he is perfect in mind. And he is not perfect in mind till he has ten traits. Good alone is expected from him, evil from him is not to be feared. He regards much good of his own self as little, regards little good of others as much, regards much evil of his own self as much, regards much evil of others as little. He does not become fed up with needs (requested) from him and is not tired of seeking knowledge all his lifetime. Humbleness is more desirable with him than glory, and poverty is more desirable with him than riches. Little food is enough for him. And when he meets someone he says: he is better and more devout than me.”
His Sermons on Various Matters:
Among his eloquent impressive sermons are the following. al- Sädiq, peace be on him, said them when a man asked him to teach him a sermon:” If Allah has guaranteed livelihood, then why do you worry? If livelihood is determined, then why are you eager for it? If the reward is from Allah, then why do slacken? If the recompense is from Allah, then why do you try to be miserly? If the fire is the (decreed) punishment by Allah, then why do you disobey Him? If death is true, then why do rejoice? If standing before Allah is true, then why do you cheat (people)? If Satan is an enemy, then why are heedless? If walking on the Sirât’
is true, then why do you incline to vanity? If every thing is predestined by Allah, then why do you feel sadness. And if the life in this world is mortal, then why do you have confidence in it?”
I (the author) say: The Imam condemned the person who has these unlovable traits such as worry, eagerness, collecting (money), sluggishness, and the like, while he knows that Allah has guaranteed livelihood and it is predestined, the reckoning is true, and so on.
However, though people know that these are unlovable traits, they have adopted them because they love themselves. In the meantime, the appetites have controlled their minds.
Among his wonderful sermons is:” Postponing repentance is self-conceit, lengthening procrastination is perplexity, offering an excuse for Allah is ruin, persisting on the sin is safety from Allah’s plan. ‘But none feels safe of Allah’s plan except the people who shall perish.’ “
Also al- Sadiq said:” You are (living) with taken souls and in counted days, death comes suddenly, whoever sows good reaps happiness, whoever sows evil reaps regret, the slow one of you does not precede his luck, the eager one does not obtain (anything) except that which has been predestined for him. Whomever is given good, Allah has aiven it to him. Whomever is saved from evil, Allah has saved him from it.
Also he, peace be on him, said:” Whoever fears Allah, Allah saves him (from adversities) Whoever thanks Him, He increases him. And whoever grants I-Jim a loan, He will reward him.”
Also he said to Abii BasTr:” Do not you feel sadness? Do not you worry? Do not you feel pain?” He (Abti BasTr) said:” Yes.” al- Sadiq, peace be on him, said:” If you feel all these things, then remember death, your loneliness in your grave, the running of your eyes on your cheeks, the cutting of the members of your body, the eating of the ants from your flesh, your wearing out, and your departure from this world. All these things sfmll urge you to act and prevent you from cleaving to the life in this world.”
I (the author) say: If man adopts these ideas to himself, he will abstain from committing major sins and habituate himself to obedience. Of course, the person who thinks of this horrible condition in his grave will perform good deeds and give up cardinal sins.
Also he, peace be on him, said:” None, even if the conditions help him, is able to get good living but through the misfortune. And whoever waits for the postponed investigation (to carry out) the urgent chance, the days will deprive him of his chance, for deprivation is the state of days, and passing is the state of time.
I (the author) say: These are eloquent, wise words which indicate the real facts of this universe. As for the first part of them, we all know that we get good living through hardships even if we have a great power or much money. That is because man is unable to satisfy all his appetites even if the life in this world is suitable for him. Also consider carefully:” Paradise is surrounded by adversities.”
As for the second part of them, namely the chance- it does not meet man but through the gathering of thousands of causes which are out of his will. If the chance comes, while he awaits for studying it, it will escape him, for he has not used the last cause which is his decisive will. More likely, the gathering of the causes in the system of the universe will not serve him again because it is not under his will. For this reason, the gathering of the causes is called chance. Accordingly, the decisive, wise person must seize the opportunity when it comes.
Also al- Sâdiq, peace be on him, said:” Indeed, the hypocrite is -displeased with whál the believer is happy. The happy (person) takes a lesson from the seriaon of religious devotion even if the sermon is offered to other than him.”
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Author: Shaykh Muhammad al-Hussein al-Mudaffar
