Another Chapter about Previous Subject, Protection of Property and Detestability of Wasting

“‘Isma’il, son of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), had a certain amount of dinar and a man from Quraysh wanted to travel to Yemen, so ‘Isma’il asked his father, ’Father, so and so wants to go to Yemen and I have so and so amount of dinar. Do you think I should give it to him to bring for me goods from Yemen?’ Abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘Are you not aware that he drinks wine?’ ‘Isma’il replied, ‘Yes, this is what people say about him.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Son, do not give him your dinars.’ ‘Isma’il disobeyed his father and gave the dinars to him. He used them and did not bring anything. ‘Isma’il traveled, so also abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), for al-Hajj in that year. ‘Isma’il, when performing Tawaf would say, ‘O Lord, grant me reward and replace for me what I have lost.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), approached him and tapped him with his hand and said, ‘Hold it my son, by Allah, you have no ground for your argument before Allah and you have no right for receiving any reward or replacement for what you have lost, when you knew that he drank wine and you still trusted him.’ ‘Isma’il said, ‘O father, I did not see him drinking wine. I only heard people say so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘My son, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says in His book, “He believes in Allah and in the believers,” (9:62) meaning he accepts (the words of) Allah (as true words) and accepts (the words of) the believers (as true words). When the believers testify before you then accept their words as true and do not trust one who drinks wine; Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says in His book, “You must not give your assets to dimwitted ones.” (4:5) Who can be more dimwitted than one who drinks wine? The speech (advice) of one who drinks wine has no beneficial effect, his intercession is useless and he is not trusted in matters of trust. Whoever entrusts him with his assets and he destroys it, such person does not deserve any reward from Allah for his loss or replacement from Allah.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you speak to me, ask me about the book of Allah.’ He (the Imam) then in his Hadith said, ‘Allah has prohibited from qil (it was said so), qal (he said so and so on . . .), destruction of assets and a great deal of questions.’ They then asked, ‘O child of the Messenger of Allah, where in the Quran is what you just said?’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says in His book, “There is nothing good in many of their whispering conversations.” (4:114) He has also said, “You must not give your assets to the dimwitted ones, upon which Allah has made you a keeper,” (4:5) and He has said, “You must not ask about all kinds of things because if revealed to you can make you feel bad.” (5:101)’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘If one trusts one who drinks wine, about a trust after knowing that he drinks wine, he has no guarantee for it before Allah or any reward or replacement for his loss.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One’s trusting a treacherous person and wasting assets is a worthless act.’”

“I once heard abu al-Hassan (a.s.), saying, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, hates qil (it was said so), qal (he said so and so on . . .), wasting assets and asking a great deal of questions.’”