'O God, carry us in the ships of Thy deliverance, give us to enjoy the pleasure of whispered prayer to Thee, make us drink at the pools of Thy love, let us taste the sweetness of Thy affection and nearness, allow us to struggle in Thee, preoccupy us with obeying Thee, and purify our intentions in devoting works to Thee, for we exist through Thee and belong to Thee, and we have no one to mediate with Thee but Thee!' Imam Sajjad ('A); Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

Saturday, 22 December 2007

Ten advices from an Infallible to another Infallible

Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni-may God be pleased with him-from Muhammad ibn Yahya, from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Isa, from `Ali ibn al-Nu'man, from Mu'awiyah ibn `Ammar, who says: 

"I heard Abu `Abd Allah, may peace be upon him, say:
`In a counsel that the Prophet-may God bless him and his Family-gave to `Ali-may peace be upon him-he said: 

"O `Ali, I exhort you concerning certain characteristics (khisal) which you must preserve in yourself (as a trust) from me."
Then he prayed, "O God, help him." (Then he continued:) 


" - As to the first of them, it is truthfulness: never should a falsehood come out of your mouth. 
- The second is piety (wara'), and never venture upon a treachery. 
- The third is to fear God-sublime is His remembrance-as if you see Him. 
- The fourth is to weep a lot out of the fear of God, the Exalted, and a thousand mansions shall be built for you in the Garden for every tear. 
- The fifth is to offer your property and your blood for the sake of your religion. 
- The sixth is to follow my sunnah in respect of my salat, my fasting, and my charity (sadaqah). As to the salat, it consists of fifty rak'ahs. As to the fasts, they are to be kept on three days in a month: on the first Thursday, on the Wednesday at its middle, and on the last Thursday. As to the charity, that consists of the utmost that you can give, so much so that you say to yourself, 'I have been immoderate,' whereas you will not have been immoderate. 
- Commit yourself to the nightly prayer (salat al-layl)! Commit yourself to the nightly prayer! Commit yourself to the nightly prayer! Stick to the (supererogatory) noon prayer! Stick to the noon prayer! Stick to the noon prayer! 
- Accustom yourself to reciting the Qur'an at all times. 
- Make it your practice to raise your hands during prayer and to turn them. 
- Take care to brush your teeth every time that you perform wudu". 
Commit yourself to ethical virtues, practise them, and refrain from moral vices, and if you don't, don't blame anyone except yourself."

Imam Khomeini; Forty Hadith, Twenty Ninth Hadith

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