Chapter 2 - On Etiquette

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Assist whomever you associate with as much as you can.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “The reward of a believer who associates with the people and bears with their harassment is more than one who does not participate in public gatherings and does not put up with their hassles.”

Once when the Prophet of God (a.s) and one of his companions entered a reed bed and picked two reeds, one was bent and the other one was straight. The Prophet gave the straight reed to his companion, and kept the bent one for himself. The man said: “O' Prophet of God! You are more deserving to have this one.” The Prophet (a.s) said: “Not at all. Any believer who spends even one hour with a friend is held responsible and will be questioned in the Hereafter.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “I advise you to fear God and tell the truth, to acquire piety and to strive to worship God, and to abandon sins. Beware that whoever does not control his wrath does not belong to our nation. So is one who does not honor friendship and is not a good friend, does not associate well, disturbs his neighbors, hurts his companions, does not treat his friends well, and does not oppose the one who tries to misguide him. I advise you to piety, abstention, concealing of faith and hiding your secrets. I swear by God that when I looked to the right and to the left, I saw people each going on their own way. I chose the right path from among all that dirt and dust. You should also fear God while you have time since there is no power other than God's Power.”