Chapter 3 - On Shiite Manners

“O' ibn Bokir! Let me tell you what my grandfather used to say. Our leader would have uprisen if there were as many fighters among you as there were in the Battle of Badr. O' Abdullah! We carefully evaluate the people, and know exactly how they are. Some people are sincere in their friendship with us and are ready to sacrifice their lives on our behalf. Some people do not whole-heartedly mean what they say. And some are our enemies' spies. They hear what we say, and become even worse than our enemies if they get greedy over the slightest worldly goods. How can they be happy with such traits? There are some who support what is right, and there are some who support what is wrong. These two groups have different paths to go. Those who support what is right are awaiting our orders, and hope that God will strengthen us. They will not hide the truth, boast or talk in vain. They will not earn a living due to their association with us, and are not greedy. They are the good members of our nation, and are like bright guiding lights in the darkness of the Earth. They are lights that shine upon sedition. They are the shining lights of guidance. They will not forbid their friends from doing good acts, and their enemies cannot be greedy of them either. They will get pleased if they hear someone talk good about us. They will get peace of mind and 1 Since their faith is so strong their faces will light up. But if someone makes bad remarks about us, they will feel disgusted. They will shiver, and they will frown. Then they will display their support and show what lies in their hearts, and will act on behalf of us, and act according to our commands. One can notice piety in their faces. They spend their days and nights different from others. They pray and ask God to improve the affairs of the people via us, since God has established us as the means for Mercy upon the weak, and the oppressed masses. O' Abdullah! They are our followers. They belong to our party, and we belong to theirs. They are our friends.”

“Why do you invite the people to follow me? I swear by God that I have not found anyone who would listen to and obey me except for one man, who was Abdullah ibn Abi Ya'fur, may God bless him. He obeyed me and performed what I advised him to do. I swear by God that it is better for you if you keep in your heart what I make you aware of, and do not divulge it. This way you will be nobler since you know what others need and you do not need what the people have. But when you divulge what I order you to keep as a secret you will be humiliated by the people for this act.” Abi Osamah said: “May I be your devoted servant! What happens if one keeps what you tell him a secret and does not tell it to your friends. When they hear it from someone else they will get really upset.” Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “I swear by God that I what I tell you is right. Tell me what will you tell your brothers and friends who will rush to see you tomorrow when you go to Kufa and ask about what I told you?” Abi Osamah said: “I will only tell them whatever you tell me, no more and no less.” Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Deliver my greetings to those who listen and obey me. Advise them to fear God and adhere to piety, struggling for God, honesty in speech and trustworthiness, extendig their prostration in prayer, and treating their neighbors with kindness. This is the cause for which the Prophet Muhammad (a.s) was appointed. Therefore you must return whatever you are entrusted with to its owner, whether he is a good person or a bad one, since the Prophet of God (a.s) has stressed that even a borrowed needle with thread should be returned to its owner. Attend and do your prayers in their congregational prayers. Attend their burial ceremonies. Visit them when someone gets ill. Respect their rights. I get pleased when I hear that you are pious, honest, trustworthy, well behaved, and are known to be one of my followers. Then the people will say these are the manners that Imam Sadiq (a.s) has taught. Whenever you act otherwise, I will suffer from the bad consequences. I swear by God that my father told me: “One of the followers of Imam Ali (a.s) who lived in Mecca was the most trustworthy Shiite, and the most honest one. The people used to go to him to leave their goods or their wills for safekeeping. When people asked about him, they would be asked if anyone else could be found like him.” Therefore fear God, be a source of pride, and not a source of infamy for us. Attract all love and friendship towards us, and repel all evil and wrong accusations from us. We are not as we are said to be. There is a certain right established for us in the divine Book, and we are relatives of the Prophet of God (a.s). We are divinely Pure, and are born pure; and no one else can claim to be born pure, and he is a liar if he does so. Remember God often and remember death often. Recite the Quran. Send a lot of blessings for the Prophet since there are ten goods in this act. Remember what I advised you to do. I will trust you to God.”

“I advise you to fear God and adhere to piety, honesty, trustworthiness, kindness with your neighbors and frequent 1 Muslims, mainly the Sunnis, since the Shiites were in the minority. prostrations for God, since Muhammad (a.s) has advised us so.”

Amr ibn Sa'eed ibn Hilal said that he once told Imam Sadiq (a.s): “May I be your devoted servant! I shall not see you for a few years. Please give me some advice which I may act upon.” Imam Sadiq (a.s) told him: “I advise you to fear God and adhere to piety, and struggling in God's way. Know that piety is not useful without struggling and making an effort. Abstain from enslaving your soul with the greed to surpass those who are better off than you are. God the Almighty frequently told His Prophet: “Let not their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee” [The Holy Quran: Tauba 9:55] God also said: “Nor strain thine eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendor of the life of the world.” [The Holy Quran: Ta-Ha 20:131] Remember the life of the Prophet (a.s) whenever you get tempted. Remember that his food was barley and his confection was dates, and he used palm branches to make fire. Whenever a calamity falls upon you, remember the calamities that befell the Prophet of God (a.s), since no one else has ever experienced any calamities worse than those.”

“O' Followers of the Household of Muhammad! I advise you to be like the mid-sized cushions, so that those who exaggerate and those who are left behind both settle down in your position.” Someone asked who the exaggerators were. He replied: “They are the ones who ascribe to us what we do not ascribe to ourselves. They are not associated with us and we are not 1 associated with them either.” Then someone asked who those left behind were. Imam Baqir (a.s) replied: “The ones who are seeking good. They will get it. And they will receive the appropriate reward.” He then faced us and said: “I swear by God that we have no authority from God, and we have no relations of kin with God, and we have no authority over God. You cannot get closer to God except through obedience to Him. Thus you can benefit from our friendship only if you obey God, and if any of you disobeys God he shall not gain any benefit from our friendship.”

“O' You! The followers who are associated with us! Be a source of honor for us, not a source of infamy. Why can you not live among the people as Imam Ali's (a.s) companions did? Each one of them was the leader of the people and the one who called them to prayer where he lived. He was trustworthy and guarded their properties. Please visit the ill, participate in burial ceremonies, and pray in the mosques. Do not let others surpass you in performing good deeds. I swear by God that you are not superior to them in this regard.” He then looked at Amr ibn Aban who was the youngest man present and said: “You who are the younger people should not be lazy. Go to visit them so often that they start to become your followers. Know that God is better for you than them.”

Abdullah ibn Bokir said that he went to see Imam Sadiq (a.s) along with two other persons. One of them asked Imam Sadiq (a.s) if he should attend the congregational prayers. The Imam (a.s) replied: “Go to the prayers. Attend the congregations. Visit the ill. Respect their rights.” He then said: “Do you fear that we might mislead you to corruption? I swear by God that we will never mislead you.”

“What is the proper way for us to treat and associate with our tribes and people who are not Shiites?” Imam Sadiq (a.s) replied: “Look at the way your leaders lived and follow them as examples. Treat others as they did. I swear by God that your leaders visit the ill, attend burial ceremonies, witness for or against them, and return the things with which they have been entrusted.”

“Controlling your anger for your enemies when they are in power is a part of concealing faith, and is a means of protecting you from calamities in this world. Arguing with and swearing at the enemy without concealing faith is a form of abandoning God's orders. Therefore treat the people with caution so that your enemies cannot get control of you due to their animosity towards you.”

Zayd al-Shuh'ham quoted upon the authority of Imam Sadiq (a.s): “O' Zayd! Be patient with your enemies since you can never fight with those rebelling against God except by obeying Him. God will keep his believing servants away from evil, as you separate a strange female camel that does not belong to you from your male camels. O' Zayd! God has chosen and has established Islam. Therefore treat the people gently and with kindness.”

“Order your companions to watch their tongues, abandon their animosity towards religion, and strive in worshipping God. Tell them to say their obligatory prayers well whenever they prepare to say their prayers. Tell them to completely perform each part of the prayer in bowing down and prostrating, and not think about worldly affairs. I have heard Imam Sadiq (a.s) say that the Angel of Death looks at every believer's face at the time he says his obligatory prayers.”

“If there is a bad omen in anything, it is in the tongue. Watch what you say just as you guard your properties. Avoid your selfish desires just as you avoid your enemies. For a man, nothing is more lethal than following his selfish desires and the results of what he says.”

“I advise you to avoid liars and those who are always fighting with each other since they have abandoned what they have been ordered to do. O' Abi Ubaydeh! Treat the people according to their own manners, and try to treat them better than they treat you. We do not consider one to be intelligent unless he knows how to talk with others. He then recited: “But surely thou will know them by the tone of their speech.” [The Holy Quran: Muhammad 47:30]

“Associate with the people since in their view the love for Imam Ali (a.s) and the Blessed Fatima (a.s) has no benefit for you, and nothing is worse in their mind than mentioning the names of Ali and Fatima.”

Marazaem said that he was appointed by Imam Sadiq (a.s) to deliver a letter. He said that once he left, the Imam (a.s) called him and said: “Marazaem. Let there be nothing but good acts between you and the people, even if they swear at me.”

O' my son! Do whatever good deeds anyone asks you to do. If he is a good man, a good deed has been done. And if he is not, at least you have performed your duty. If a man swears at you, and then apologizes, accept his apologies.”

Abi Bakr al-Hazr said that his brother called Alghameh told Imam Baqir (a.s): “Abu Bakr used to say that the people fought with each other concerning the Blessed Ali (a.s).” Imam Baqir (a.s) told him: “I know your personality is such that if you hear someone swear at Imam Ali (a.s) you will chop off his nose if you can, won’t yout?” He said: “Yes, I will.” Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “No. You should not do that. I heard someone swearing at my grandfather Ali. I hid myself from him until he finished swearing. Then I went towards him and shook hands with him.”

“Act justly and avoid what is not useful for you. Avoid your enemies. Avoid your friends- whatever tribe they belong to- unless they are trustworthy. No one is really trustworthy unless he fears God. Do not associate with evil-doers, and do not inform them of your secrets. Consult those who fear their Lord regarding your affairs.”

“Tell the truth even if this will cause your destruction, since this is how you will be saved. Abandon the wrong even if your freedom depends upon it, since the wrong will result in your destruction.”

“Fear God, and be friends with each other. Go to visit each other and your relatives. Be kind and merciful to each other. Be good brothers for each other.”

“I guarantee a home in Heaven for anyone who treats the people well, abstains from lying whether it be jokingly or serious; and abandons quarrelling, even if he is right.”

“Good behavior will strengthen friendships, a warm welcome will eliminate animosity, and charity will speed up the arrival of your daily bread. If you believe that what you give in charity will be granted to you again, your soul will become generous through giving charity. Avoid preventing what is right while spending similarly on what is wrong.”

“O' children of Adam! As long as you use your soul as an advisor to you, you are worried about being accountable for your deeds, and fear of God covers you up as your clothes do, and sorrow covers you up as your underclothes do, you will be prosperous. O' Children of Adam! You will die, and will be resurrected and brought in the court of God where you will be questioned. Therefore prepare yourselves to answer.”

“Whoever does not evaluate what his soul has done each day is not our follower. He should ask God for an increase in his good deeds, and should repent and ask for God's forgiveness if he has done any bad deeds.”

“If there live one hundred thousand people in one town and you are not the most pious one of them, then you are not one of my followers.”

“One who is only verbally in agreement with us, but is opposed to our deeds and words is not one of our followers. Shiites are those who not only agree with us in words, but they also accept our writings and follow us in what they do. They are our true followers.”

“It does not suffice to just say that you are our followers. You must accept our decrees and guard them, as God has protected them, and you must honor them as God has honored them, and act accordingly as God has ordered.”

“Do not overestimate your good deeds, and do not underestimate your minor sins, since they accumulate and become a lot. Fear God and be just even in private. Rush to obey God. Be honest. Return any property to its owner, since this is beneficial for you. Do not act oppressively. Do not engage in what is not allowed, as this is harmful for you.”

“Avoid sins that you consider to be minor since they too will be questioned about and not ignored. Never say that I will commit this sin and ask for God's forgiveness later, since God the Almighty said: “And We record that which they send before and that which they leave behind, and of all things have We taken account in a clear Book (of evidence).” [The Holy Quran: Ya- Sin 36:12]

“Let not the people make you forget about yourself since you, not they, will get the results of your own deeds. Do not let your time be wasted, since there is an angel with you who is watching over you. Do not underestimate your minor good deeds, since you will be pleased to see their results in the future. Do not underestimate your minor bad deeds either since you will be upset to see their results in the Hereafter. Perform good deeds since I have not seen anything more desirable than them and know of nothing that is better than good deeds to compensate for previous sins, as God the Almighty said:“For those things that are good remove those that are evil; be that the word of remembrance to those who remember (their Lord).” [The Holy Quran: Hud 11:114]

Sama'at said that Imam Sadiq (a.s) asked him: “Why do you hurt the Prophet of God (a.s)?” He replied: “May I be your devoted servant! How do we hurt him?” Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Do you not know that he gets informed of your deed, and he gets upset if he sees a sinful act. Then do not hurt the Prophet of God (a.s).”

Anbase ibn Masab said that he once asked Imam Sadiq (a.s) for some advice. Then Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Prepare your provisions and equipment and be your own advisor. Do not ask others to send someone to improve your behavior.”

“When you go to bed, remember what you ate during the day that was bad, and what you have done during the day, and remember your resurrection.”

“O' Children of Adam! Beware not to ignore your own sins when you consider other people's sins. Also beware not to forget God's blessings given to you when you consider the blessings that God has granted to other people. Do not disappoint other people about God's Mercy while you yourself hope to benefit from His Mercy.”

“The fastest rewards granted for good deeds are related to treating the people with gentleness, and the fastest punishments that are sent are for oppression. It is bad enough for one to be picky about things which others do but to ignore them when done by himself, or blame others for doing what he cannot abandon himself, or uselessly hurt his companions.”

“There is no one who performs a good deed in private, and God does not make the result of his good deed apparent shortly later on. Also there is no one who commits an evil act in private, and God does not make the results of his bad deed apparent after some time.” 1

“Always consider the situation of those who are lower than you are (in position), not those who are higher up than you are. This will improve your state of contentment and pleasure with what your share of daily bread is, and will also make you deserve an increase in your daily bread by God. Also beware that a little amount of constant work done with certitude is nobler near God than a lot of constant work done without certitude. Also beware that no form of piety is better than abandoning divinely forbidden acts, and abandoning gossip and the hurting of Muslims. No form of association is sweeter than one with kindness and good temper. No wealth is more useful than being content with having the minimum living needs. No ignorance is more bitter than conceit.”

“When the following verse was revealed: “Nor strain thine eyes in longing for the things We have given for enjoyment to parties of them, the splendor of the life of this world.” [The Holy Quran: Ta-Ha 20:131],the Prophet thought for a while, and then raised his head and said: “O' Servants of God! Whoever is not pacified with God's consolation will die while he has been constantly wishing for worldly matters. Whoever keeps an eye on what others have will constantly feel sad about (not having their wealth), and his heart ache will not be remedied. And whoever does not recognize God's blessings that are granted to him other than things to eat and wear will have a short life and an upcoming punishment.”

“Among the signs of certitude we can mention not to please the people by raising God's anger; not to praise the people for the daily bread which God has granted to us; and not to blame the people for what God Has not granted to us. No greedy person’s avarice can attract him more daily bread than his own share. And no one’s displeasure can block anyone else’s share of the daily bread. If anyone of you tries to escape from his daily bread as you do from your death, the daily bread will find him, just as death will.” He then added: “God Has made comfort and convenience subject to and conditional upon certitude, contentment and pleasure (with His divinely determined destiny), and has established sadness and sorrow in doubt and anger due to His Justice and Equity.”

“Obligatory prayers are as sweet smelling as a freshly cut branch of a green tree when they are performed on time. One picks from a tree when it is fresh, pure and good smelling. Therefore I advise you to perform your prayers on time.”

“Whenever you want to perform your obligatory prayers, perform them on time, and do it like one who is doing his last prayer and is worried that he will not be able to pray again. Turn your eyes to the location of your prostration. You would perform your prayers well when you know who is on your right side and on your left side. Know that you are praying in the presence of One who sees you but you cannot see Him.”

“Treat the people justly, and help them with your property. Be pleased for them with what you are pleased with for yourself. Remember God often.”

“The dearest of you near God is the one whose deeds are the best. Those of you who are more inclined towards God will get more rewards from God. Those of you who fear God the most will be freed from divine punishment sooner. And the noblest one of you near God is the most pious one.”

“I like your good smell and your breath. Please help me with your piety and struggle in worshipping since there is no other way to reach God. I swear by God that you have the same religion that I have, my fathers, and my grandfather had, i.e. the religion of Abraham, Ishmael and Issac.”

Zavareh said that he was accompanying Imam Baqir (a.s) once when they were escorting the body of a dead person in a funeral procession. A man called Ata was also escorting in the funeral procession. A woman started crying and Ata asked her if she would calm down or not. He said that he would quit following the procession if she did not stop crying. Ata left the funeral ceremony since that woman did not calm down. Zavareh informed the Imam (a.s) that Ata left. The Imam (a.s) asked the reason. He said it was because of a woman crying. Ata asked if she would calm down lest he would leave. The woman did not calm down and Ata left the funeral procession. Zavareh informed the Imam (a.s) that Ata had left. The Imam (a.s) said: “Let's continue. We cannot quit doing what is right because we see something that is wrong is being done. If so, we have not done what Muslims should do.” After Imam Baqir (a.s) performed the prayers over the body of the dead man, the family of the dead man thanked him and asked him to return because it was hard for him to continue walking. However, the Imam (a.s) did not agree to return. Then Zavareh asked the Imam (a.s): “Why did you not return even though they gave permission?” Imam Baqir (a.s) replied: “Let's continue. We did not come here with their permission, and do not need their permission to return. This is done for its divine reward, and God will only reward us for as much as we do.”

“A man went to see the Prophet (a.s) and said: O' Muhammad! What do you invite the people to?” The Prophet (a.s) said: “My followers and I knowingly invite the people to God. I invite you to One who will remove your difficulties from you when you call Him during times of hardship, or sorrow; One who will provide for your needs when you get poor, and will guide you safely out of the desert should you get lost there.” The man said: O' Muhammad! Please give me some advice.” The Prophet (a.s) said: “Do not get angry.” He asked for more advice. The Prophet (a.s) said: “Like for others what you like for yourself.” He asked for more advice. The Prophet (a.s) said: “Do not swear at people, since then they will become your enemies.” He asked for more advice. The Prophet (a.s) said: “Do not abandon doing good deeds for those who need you.” He asked for more advice. The Prophet (a.s) said: “Love the people so that they love you. Serve some water for your brethren to drink. Treat them with kindness and good temper. Do not be impatient since then you will lose this world and the Hereafter. Put on proper trousers and do not unbutton your shirts since this is a form of haughtiness, and God does not like a haughty person.”

“A believer will be in prosperity and will benefit from having hope of God's Mercy and Kindness unless he rushes and loses hope and stops his supplications.” They asked him how he would rush. He replied: “Whenever he says he prayed from such and such a date and did not see God answer his prayer.”

“Whoever performs ablution properly, and performs two units of prayers, and after completing his bowing down and prostration sits down and praises God, and sends blessings on the Prophet (a.s), and then asks God what he wants, has indeed requested the good from the proper source. Whoever requests the good from its proper source will not be sorry.”

“God the Almighty has established the angels as guards for plants on the Earth such as fruit trees and palm trees. There are no fruit trees or palm trees for which there is no appointed guardian angel when it is about to bear fruit. If there were no guardian angels with them to protect them, then the insects and the wild animals would destroy the tree. That is why the Prophet of God (a.s) has ordered his followers not to build a toilet under fruit or palm trees, since their appointed guarding angels reside there. He also said that the fruit or palm trees that have produced fruits are respectable like the people, because the angels are present there.”