Companions & Friendship

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "Man is influenced by the faith of his friends. Therefore, be careful of whom you associate with." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 192]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "Be the friend of he who may grace you, not of one whom you are better than." (- viz. make friends with ones who are higher than you so that you progress.) [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 76, p. 267]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "My most beloved brother is he who (makes me aware of) my faults." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 282]

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Verily, there are three (types of) friends for a Muslim*:

1. The friend who says: 'I am with you whether you are alive or dead', and this is his deed.

2. The friend who says: ' I am with you unto the threshold of your grave and then I will leave you', and this is his child.

3. The friend who says: 'I will be with you until when you die', and this is his wealth which will belong to the inheritors when he dies."

*Note:
From this tradition, and the like, we understand that the only thing which will avail for individuals in the Hereafter is Faith and good deeds. This is also referred to in many Islamic traditions as well as the verses of the Holy Qur'an, for example:

"For those who believe and work righteousness is (every) blessedness and a beautiful place of (final) return." (Qur'an 13:29)

"As to those who believe and work righteousness, verily We shall not suffer to perish the reward of any who do a (single) righteous deed." (Qur'an 18:30)

"As to those who believe and work righteous deeds, they have, for their entertainment, the Gardens of Paradise." (Qur'an 18: 107)

"On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will (God) Most Gracious bestow Love." (Qur'an 19:96)
[l-Khisal by Saduq, vol. 1, p. 88]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "Be careful to have truthful friends and try to obtain them, for they are your support when you are in welfare, and your advocator when you have misfortune. [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 187]

Imam Sajjad (‘a) said: "The meeting of the righteous invites you to goodness." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 78, p.141]

Imam Sajjad (‘a) said: "Beware of the companionship of the sinful, and helping of the unjust." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 78, p.151.]

Companions & Friendship

Knowledge and the Virtue of Learning It

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "He who searches for knowledge is similar to a person who fasts during the day and keeps vigil at night and is busy worshipping. If a person acquires a branch of knowledge, it is better for him than possessing as much gold as the height of Abu Qubais Mount which he would distribute in the way of Allah." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol.1, p.184]

Imam Zayn-ul-'Abideen (‘a) said: "Were people aware of what lies in the obtainment of knowledge, they would pursue it even though they had to make voyages and endanger their lives to obtain it." [Usul-I-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 35]

Imam Amir ul Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Acquiring knowledge is not possible while the body (person) is tranquil." [Ghurar-ul-Hikam, p. 348]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "Safeguard your writings and books because soon the occasion will arise that you will be in need of them." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 2, p.152]

Imam Amir ul Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Surely, the completion of religion is due to the obtaining of knowledge and acting on it (accordingly), and beware that the obtaining of knowledge is more obligatory for you than earning wealth." [Usul-ul-Kafi, vol.1, p. 23]

Imam Hasan (‘a) said: "Teach your knowledge to others and (try to) learn yourself the knowledge of others." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 78, p. 111]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "The virtue of knowledge is more beloved with Allah than the virtue of worship." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 1, p. 167]

Knowledge and the Virtue of Learning It

Serving People

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "He who decreases a grief out of the grieves of this world for his Muslim brother, Allah will decrease for him a grief out of the grieves of the Hereafter." [Shahab-ul-Akhbar, p. 194]

Imam Husayn (‘a) said: "Verily, the procession of people's needs towards you is from among the blessings of Allah upon you. Therefore, grieve ye not because of these blessings." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 318]

Imam Amir ul Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Whenever you find that your Muslim brother is in need, try to see to it." (Do not let him feel compelled to verbalize his need). [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 166]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) narrates from his forefathers (‘a), from the Messenger of Allah (S), who said: "He who feeds a believer to satiate him, Allah will feed him from the fruits of Heaven; he who dresses him to cover his nakedness, Allah will give him clothing of brocade and silk; he who quenches the thirst of a believer, Allah will give him drink of the sealed container; and he who helps him or removes his grief, Allah will settle him under the shade of His Throne on the Day of Reckoning when there is no shade except for His Shade." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 74, p. 382]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "People are the dependents of Allah for sustenance, so the most beloved one of people with Him is the one who is helpful to the dependents Allah and makes the family members of a house happy." [Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 164]

The holy Prophet (S) said: "He who helps a Muslim believer (in his troubles), Allah, Almighty and Glorious, will remove from him seventy-three agonies, one of which is in this world and seventy-two other agonies at the time of Great Agony, when people are busy with themselves (in Hereafter)." [Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p.199]

Serving People

Repentance

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "The sigh of the people of Hell is mostly because of the postponement of repenting." [Al-Mahajjat-ul-Bayda]

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) said: "He who repents of his sins is as the one who has not any (burden of) sin. [Wasa'il-ush-Shi'ah vol. 16, p. 74]

Imam Amir ul Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "How numerous procrastinators there are who postpone (repenting and doing good deeds) until when death overtakes them! [Ghurar-ul-Hikam, p. 240]

The Holy Prophet (S) told ‘Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib (‘a): "O' ‘Ali! Blessed is he who Allah looks upon while he is weeping for the sin that none is aware of except Allah.

(Various traditions emphasize that one must not let others know of his sins. One must make confessions about his sins only to Allah and, then, repent.) [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 77, p. 63]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "During the third part of every night and on the night before Friday from the beginning (until the break of dawn) Allah sends an angel unto the sky of the earth in order to call: 'Is there any needy who asks that I may bestow upon him his need? Is there any repentant one that I may return to him? Is there any seeker of forgiveness that I may forgive him?'"

Note:

Islamic traditions teach that sleeping on the night before Friday is called 'the regret sleep'; for, on the Reckoning Day, people will regret very much that they had been asleep on the nights before Fridays. [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 3, p. 314]

Imam as-Sadiq, the sixth Imam, (‘a) said: "Shut the doors of sins through seeking refuge to God, and open the doors of obedience by (reciting) 'Bismillah'." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 92, p. 216]

Repentance

Knowing Allah, His Greatness and His Grace

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "O' people! Verily, there is no prophet after me, nor any Ummah after you (Muslims). So, take care to worship your Lord, perform your five ritual prayers, fast in the appointed month (Ramadan), make pilgrimage to the House of your Lord (Mecca), give the alms of your wealth in order to purify your souls thereby, and obey the Holders of Authority, so that you enter the Paradise of your Lord." [Khisal as-Saduq, p. 152]

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Having the Greatness of the Creator in your mind would make you realize the insignificance of the creatures in your view." [Nahjul-Balagha, Statement 129]

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: " Blessed is he who sincerely devotes the entirety of his actions, knowledge, love, hatred, receiving, relinquishing, speech, silence, deeds, and statements absolutely to Allah." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 77, p. 289]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "The heart is the sanctuary of Allah, therefore, do not settle therein anything but Allah (The sacred place of the heart belongs to Him and Him alone. Therefore, keep the love of the world out of it.) [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 70, p. 25]

Imam as-Sadiq (‘a) said: "Our true followers are those who, when they are alone, remember Allah abundantly." (That is, they avoid committing vices in private where there is no barrier for them to commit sin by the mere remembrance of Allah.) [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 93, p. 162]

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) said: "By Allah, He, the Exalted, expects of people but two traits: that they confess for Him the blessings in order that He increases His bounties for them; and that they make confessions about their evil actions and then He forgives those sins for them." [Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 426]

Imam Husayn ibn ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Verily, Allah, the Exalted, has not created human beings except for recognizing Him and worshipping Him as (the consequence of) knowing Him; and when they worship Him they would lack the need of adoring any human being (or things) other than Him because of that worship." [Safinat-ul-Bihar, vol. 2, p. 180]

The fourth Imam, ‘Ali ibn Husayn (‘a) said: "There is no destruction (Hell) for a believer having three qualities:

Confessing that there is no god besides Allah, the One Who has no partner; the intercession of the Messenger of Allah and the vastness of the Grace of Allah. [Safinat-ul-Bihar, p. 517]

Knowing Allah, His Greatness and His Grace

The Tongue and Its Evils

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "Affliction caused by the tongue is worse than (that caused by) the strike of the blade of a sword." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 71, p. 286]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "Among all things, the tongue deserves to be prisoned longer than anything else." (Because most of our sins are committed by it, such as backbiting, telling lies, defaming, mocking, insulting, etc.) [Bihar-ul-Anwar vol. 71, p. 277]

Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen ‘Ali (‘a) said: "Do contemplate before speaking so that you may guard yourself from (committing) errs." [Ghurar-ul-Hikam, p. 228]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "The destruction of man lies in three (things): his stomach, his lusts, and his tongue." [Waqayi'-ul-'Ayyam, p. 297]

Imam al-Baqir, the fifth Imam, (‘a) said: "No one is safe from sins unless the one controls his/her tongue." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 78, p. 178]

The Tongue and Its Evils

Ahlul Bayt

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "The likeness of my Ahlul Bayt (progeny) amongst my Ummah (followers) is similar to Noah's Ark. Those who embarked on it were rescued and those who rejected it perished...." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 27, p. 113]

Imam al-Baqir, the fifth Imam, (‘a) said: "Our traditions (Ahlul Bayt) survive in the hearts." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 144]

The Holy Prophet (S) said: "Make your gatherings lively with the remembrance of ‘Ali-ibn-Abi-Talib." (Talk about the excellencies of ‘Ali (‘a)). [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 38, p. 199]

In 'Ikmal-ud-Din' a tradition, through 'Jabir-il-Ju'fi', is narrated from 'Jabir-ibn-'Abdillah' thus: "I said: 'O Messenger of Allah we have known Allah and His Apostle; then who is 'Ulul-Amr', those that Allah has made their obedience the same as your obedience?' Then, the Prophet (p.h.u.h.) said: 'O' Jabir! They are, after me, my successors and the guides of Muslims; the first of them is ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib; then (Imam) Hasan, and (Imam) Husayn; then ‘Ali ibn Husayn; then Mohammad ibn ‘Ali; known in the Turah as Baqir, whom you will see, O' Jabir! When you visit him, give my regards to him. After him, there is Sadiq, Ja'far ibn Muhammad; and after him Musa ibn Ja'far; then ‘Ali ibn Musa; then Muhammad ibn ‘Ali; then ‘Ali ibn Muhammad, then Hasan ibn ‘Ali; and after him (there comes) Al-Qaim, whose name and epithet is the same as mine. He is Allah's Authority on the Earth and His Remainder amongst His servants. He is the son of (Imam) Hasan-ibn-’Ali (al-al-’Askari). This is the very personality by whose hands Allah will open the Easts and Wests of the worlds and this is the very personality who will be absent from his followers and those who love him, in which his mastership cannot be proved by a statement of anyone except for the one whose heart Allah tests for Faith."

Jabir said: "I asked him: 'O' Messenger of Allah will his followers avail of him during his occultation?' He answered: 'Yes. By the One Who appointed me to prophethood, they will seek brightness from his light and will avail by devotion in his absence the same as the availing of people from the (glow of) sun when clouds cover it...'

[Ikmal-ud-Din, vol. 1, p. 253, with nearly similar meaning in Yanabir-ul-Mawaddah, p. 117]

Malik-ibn-Anas said about the virtue of Imam as-Sadiq (‘a): "No eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no heart (soul) has ever been striken that there can (contemporaneously) be anybody higher than (Imam) Ja'far Sadiq (‘a) from the point of virtue, knowledge, worship, and piety." [Bihar-ul-Anwar, vol. 47, p. 28]

Imam Husayn (‘a) said: "By my soul, there is no Imam but he issues judgement upon the Book, establishes justice, believes in the religion of Truth, and restrains his self alongside the way of Allah. [Al-Irshad, vol. 204]

Ahlul Bayt