Chapter 1 - On Being Good-Tempered

“God the Almighty chose Islam as your religion. Therefore help Him well with generosity and good temper.”

“One can recognize the perfection of a Muslim's religion by his not talking in vain, not quarrelling, being patient and being good-tempered.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) Sadiq: “Being good-tempered is a part of religion.”

“God chose the religion of Islam for you. Therefore treat it with generosity and good temper since no friendship with religion is better than generosity and being good-tempered.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) Said: “There is nothing better than being good-tempered.”

“Piety and having a good temper are the two most important factors in taking my nation to Heaven.”

“Good temper will melt your sins just as the sun melts frozen goods. Bad temper will spoil your deeds just as vinegar spoils honey.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) Sadiq: “Being good-tempered will increase your share of daily bread.”

“God who created some men with a healthy body and a good temper will be ashamed of letting them burn in the fire of Hell.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “They brought seven captives to God's Prophet (a.s). He ordered Imam Ali (a.s) to chop their heads off. Immediately Gabriel descended and said: “O' Muhammad! Chop off the heads of six of them, but leave this one alive.” He asked: “O' Gabriel! What makes him superior to the others?” Gabriel said: “He is good-tempered, is generous and is generous with food.” The Prophet (a.s) said: “O' Gabriel! Is this your own opinion or did my Lord say this?” Gabriel said: “No. It is your Lord's words which He ordered me to say.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) told Bahr the water carrier: “O' Bahr! Being good-tempered eases the affairs. Do you want me to tell you a story that all people of Medina know?” He said: “Yes.” Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “One day when the Prophet of God (a.s) was sitting in the mosque, one of the servants of one of the Ansar – helpers- stood next to him and grabbed his robe. The Prophet (a.s) stood up as a sign of respect but did not say anything. She did not say anything either. This was repeated three times, until the third time she took a string off his robe and returned. The people stopped her and objected to her behavior asking her what she wanted. She said she had been sent to take a string off the Prophet's robe as a blessing in order to cure a patient in their house, but she could not pick it because she got ashamed when the Prophet stood up. She did not want to ask him to do it either, but finally the fourth time around she picked the string.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “O' children of Abdul Mutalib! You cannot attract the people to you using your wealth, therefore use warm welcome and a good temper to attract them.”

“A man's manliness depends on his temper.”

“A man's prosperity depends on his being good- tempered.”

Prophet of God (a.s) said: “Being good-tempered is half of the religion.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Being good-tempered is the best form of goodness.”

Umm Salameh asked God's Prophet (a.s): “What happens when a woman who has had two husbands enters Heaven. Which of her husbands does she belong to?” The Prophet (a.s) said: “O' Umm Salameh! She will choose the one who had a good-temper and was better for his family. Being good- tempered is superior to all of the good deeds of this world and the Hereafter.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “A warm welcome brings love, and patience helps bury the faults. Getting along helps cover up the faults. Nothing but being good-tempered helps the people to get closer to each other.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “On Judgment Day, nothing holds more weight than being good-tempered.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “I advise you to be good-tempered, since those who are good-tempered will surely enter Heaven. Avoid being bad-tempered since whoever is bad-tempered is sure to go to Hell.” The Prophet (a.s) always prayed: “O' God! Please make my temper good as you made my creation good.”

“O' Zayd! Please be patient with your enemies. You cannot do anything better than to obey God in response to his disobedience of God regarding you. God will keep the believing servants whom He loves away from what he does not like, in the same manner that you push aside a strange camel which is not yours but has mixed in with your camels. O' Zayd! God chose Islam, and chose it so you help Islam with your generosity and good-temper.”

“The best of the believers are the ones with the best temper.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A bad-tempered person tortures himself.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Nothing is dearer to God than respecting the rights of a believer.”

“What is the best thing that is given to a man?” He said: “Good temper.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A man went to see the Prophet and asked whose faith is more complete.” The Prophet (a.s) said: “The one with the best temper.” The man went in front of the Prophet and went behind him and repeated his question. The Prophet (a.s) said: “The answer is the same.”