Who is the Believer?

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The believer is nice and simple, such that he could be mistaken to be stupid because of his simplicity.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The believer is he whom people trust with their blood and their property.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The believer is he whose soul is inconvenienced because of him so people can be at ease.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The believer initiates the greeting of peace (salām) whereas the hypocrite says, ‘Not until it is said to me first!

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The believer likes others and is well-liked by them, and there is no good to be found in one who does not get along with others and whom people do not get along with. The best of people is the most useful from among them.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He whose good deed pleases him and whose sin upsets him is indeed a believer.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, describing the believer, ‘[He is] subtle in his movements, sweet to look at… he seeks out the loftiest of matters, and has the most outstanding moral ethics… he is not prejudiced against he whom he does not like, nor biased in favour of one he loves… he is hardly a burden, and instead is very helpful… he perfects his actions as if he is being watched, lowers his gaze, is liberal in his giving, and never turns away a beggar… he considers his words carefully and guards his tongue… he neither accepts falsehood from a friend, nor rejects the truth from an enemy… he only learns in order that he might know, and he only seeks to know in order that he may act… When he travels with worldly people, he is the smartest of them, and when he travels with the people of the Hereafter, he is the most pious from among them.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is such that his joy is evident on his face whereas his sorrow is in his heart. His breast is at its widest [i.e. biggest heart] but his ego is at its lowest. He despises high rank and shuns reputation. His grief is long-lasting and his ambition is lofty. His silence is much and his time occupied. He is grateful, extremely patient, and immersed in deep thought. He is thrifty with his needs. He is good-natured and mild-tempered. His soul is firmer than steel whilst he [i.e. his ego] remains lower than a slave.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is grateful in times of prosperity, patient during tribulation, and fearful in times of ease.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is gullible and kind, secure from his own lower self, yet wary and distressed [on account of it].

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is he who has purified his heart of all that is base.

Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The believer is he who protects his religion by putting his world at stake, whereas the impudent one is he who protects his worldly affairs by putting his religion at stake.

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS) said, ‘The believer is silent in order that he remains safe, and speaks [only] in order to benefit.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The believer is a great helper, and a very light burden. He is good at economising for his livelihood, and is never stung twice [i.e. never makes the same mistake again].

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The believer possesses strength in his religion, prudence in his leniency, faith in conviction, an avid desire for religious understanding, activity in [matters pertaining to] guidance… and prayer during times of preoccupation.

Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The believer is he whose earnings are pure, whose character is beautiful, whose conscience is clean, who gives away whatever is surplus from his wealth, and guards whatever is surplus from his speech.

Imam al-Ridha (AS) said, ‘The believer is not a believer until he possesses three qualities: a practice [characteristic] of his Lord, a practice of his Prophet (SAWA), and a practice of his guardian (AS). As for the practice of his Lord, it is to conceal secrets; the practice of his Prophet (SAWA) is amicableness towards people; and the practice of his guardian (AS) is patience in both times of ease and difficulty.