Chapter 1 - On Persevering in the Face of Calamities

“You are not believers unless you are trusted by the people, count calamities as blessings, and consider easy life as a calamity, since perseverance in the face of a calamity is better than well-being while having an easy life.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Whoever was given a grateful heart, a remembering tongue, a body persevering in the face of hardships, and a pious wife is given the best of this world and the Hereafter.”:

Imam Sajjad (a.s) said: “Whenever a believer withstands calamities for three days and does not complain to anyone, God will solve his problem.”

Jabir asked Imam Baqir (a.s): “What is meant by perseverance with gratitude?” He said: “It means perseverance without complaining to the people. Abraham (a.s) sent the Blessed Jacob (a.s) to one of the monks for some reason. When the monk saw Jacob, he thought he was Abraham. He rushed ahead and hugged him, and said: “Welcome, friend of God.” Jacob said: “I am Jacob, the son of Issac, the son of Abraham.” The monk said: “Then why do you look so old?” He said: “Sorrow and grief, and illness has done this to me.” He was about to depart when revelation came: “O' Jacob! Why did you complained about Me near My servant?” Then Jacob fell down in prostration next to the door and said: “O' God! I will never do this again.” God revealed to him “I will forgive you, but never again do this.” From then on he never complained about any calamities. Just once he said: “I take my complaints about grief and sorrow only to God. I know something about God that you do not know.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Whenever God takes away a believer's eyes, He will reward him with Heaven in return.”

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “Blindness is a form of imprisonment on the Earth by God. God will imprison with blindness any one He wishes for as long as He wills on the Earth.”

A blind man went to see the Prophet of God (a.s) and said: “O' Prophet of God! Please pray for my eyes to see. The Prophet (a.s) said: “I will pray for you if you wish to regain your sight, but do you not wish to meet your Lord as you are without any reckoning?” The man said: “I prefer to meet Him without any reckoning.” God's Prophet (a.s) said: “God is nobler than to take some one's sight and then punish him.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Physical disabilities are placed in the poor so they cannot cover them up. If they were placed in the rich, they could cover them up.”

A man went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s). Imam Sadiq (a.s) started to talk with him but he did not hear what the Imam (a.s) said and complained to him about having difficulty hearing well. Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Why do you not recite the Blessed Fatima's glorifications of the Lord.” He asked “What are they?” Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “You say “God is Great” thirty four times, “Praise be to God” thirty three times, and “Glory to God” thirty three times for a total of one hundred times.” The man reported that he said these praises for a short time, then his hearing difficulty was cured.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A Muslim always has three characteristics: knowledge about the religion, good management of life, and perseverance in the face of calamities.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Hiding calamities is one of the best treasures.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “On the Resurrection Day, a group of people will pass above other people and enter Heaven before the Reckoning. They are asked “Why do you deserve to go to Heaven before the Reckoning?” They will say: “In the world we were among those who persevered.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “The relationship between perseverance and faith is similar to that of the head and the body. If the head goes, so will the body. And if perseverance goes, so will faith.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “There is no fever, headache, or nervous problem except due to committing a sin. There are many sins that God will forgive.”

“From God we are, and to Him is our return.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Complaining about a calamity implies saying that you suffer from a calamity no one has ever suffered before. If you say I stayed up last night and got a fever today or the like, it does not constitute complaining about a calamity.”

What a great tragedy. God's Prophet (a.s) was right when he said: “Whoever suffers a tragedy should remember my tragedies, since no creatures suffer from worse tragedies.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Whenever you experience a calamity regarding yourself, your property or your children, remember the calamities experienced by God’s Prophet (a.s). No creatures ever suffered from worse tragedies.

Safavan al-Jam'mal said: “We were with Imam Sadiq (a.s) when a man came and complained about a tragedy he had suffered from. The Imam (a.s) said: If you persevere you will be rewarded, but if you do not, divine destiny will happen and you will not receive any rewards.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever expresses condolence to one who is grieving will be clothed in an attire in the Hereafter that will be a source of honor for him.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Expressing condolence is a cause of entering Heaven.”

“I have established the world as a loan among My servants. Whoever gives Me a loan, I will return to him whatever I will from ten to seven hundred times. Whoever does not give Me a loan from it, and I take away something from him against his will, I will give him three characteristics, each of which will cause the angels to be content if I give it to the angels.” Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty said: “Who say, when afflicted with calamity: “To God we belong, and to Him is our return. They are those on whom (descend) blessings from God,” [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:156-157] This is one of these characteristics. “...,And Mercy” [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:157] is the second one “...,And they are the ones that receive guidance.”[The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:157] is the third. Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “This is for one from whom God takes something against his will.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “It is better to be crippled than have scabies. We seek refuge in God from scabies.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “When a good child of a believer dies it is considered to be God's share of inheritance from that believer.”