Din ast Husayn - Revival of Religion!

Sh Muhammad Khalfan

 One of the brilliant masterpieces of poetry is the famous couplet written by the Sufi saint Mu’in al-Din Chishti, which starts with “Shah ast Husayn Paadshah ast Husayn Din ast Husayn Din panah ast Husayn…” 


What is so remarkable in this poetry is the phrase “Din ast Husayn” (Husayn is Religion). All those who commemorate Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s Divine movement, participate in the mourning sessions of Muharram, and lament for Imam al-Husayn (‘a)’s tragic martyrdom, must inculcate this important phrase in their minds and make it their yardstick for deciphering whether the gatherings truly commemorate this unparalleled and unique event in the history of mankind or not. Imam al-Husayn (‘a) represents religion in all the dimensions of human life. He is the epitome of Islam and his aim likewise was the salvation of Islam. 


If our gatherings facilitate the revival of religion within ourselves and the society at large, we must satisfactorily say that we do commemorate the martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (‘a), but if they do not serve the aforesaid purpose and are reduced to gatherings for merely earning thawab (Divine Reward), we must struggle to change and render them to be a means for what al-Husayn (‘a) actually rose: Shah ast Husayn paadshah ast Husayn Din ast Husayn Din panah ast Husayn sar daad nadaad dast dar daste Yazid haqqa ke binaaye la ilah ast Husayn (Husayn in the king, the king of kings; Husayn is Religion; Husayn is the Protector of Religion; He gave his head, but not his hand to Yazid; Truly Husayn is the foundation of negating all deities other than Allah).’ 

Therefore if one majlis were to ignite our hearts to change our sinful life to that of obedience to Allah, we have really commemorated the tragic martyrdom of Imam al-Husayn (‘a). If one marthiya (elegy) were to make us resolve to pray on time with concentration, establish good relations with our near ones, pay our religious dues, respect our parents, refrain from unlawful deeds and reform the situation of the afflicted ones, we truly have commemorated Husayn’s movement. If participating the majaalis (gatherings of commemoration) revive our inner selves and enable us to relinquish our tarnished past, and begin the life of taqwa, then we truly have mourned for Imam al-Husayn (‘a). Din ast Husayn, Din ast Husayn Din ast Husayn…(Husayn is Religion! Husayn in Religion! Husayn is Religion!)

Pinnacle of Nobility

Morals from the life of 'Allāma Tabatabai
[On the 30 years death remembrance of Marhum Allamah Tabatabai - died Sunday - Sunday 15th november 1981]

'Allāma Tabatabai's manner and behavior at home was truly like that of Prophet Muhammad (s) (Muhammadī). He never became angry, and we never heard him raise his voice while speaking. While he was gentle, he was also decisive and firm. He gave importance to praying on time, staying up during the nights of the month of Ramadhān, reading the Qur'ān out loud, and maintaining organization in all things. As a result of his strong, kind sentiment and extremely kind heart, he would never refuse anyone. One day he said to me, "from morning until now I have answered the door 24 times in order to reply people's queries".'Allāma's daughter
Although he had very little time, 'Allāma managed his schedule in such a manner that he would spend one hour every afternoon with his family. During this time he was so kind and affectionate that one could not believe that this was an individual occupied with so much work.
'Allāma's daughter

At home 'Allāma was strongly opposed to anyone else carrying out his personal tasks for him. There was always a competition in turning down the bed [at home]. My father would try to carry out this task before anyone else, and my mother would try to anticipate him. Even in the end when he was sick and I used to go to his home, he would get up from his place to pour his own tea despite his state of illness. And if I objected and said, "why didn't you ask me to bring me some tea," he would reply, "no, you are a guest, and you are also a descendant of the Prophet (s) (Sayyid), and I cannot give you any orders".'Allāma's daughter

Eternal Manifestations: by Ahmad Luqmani

The most decorative clothing

It is stated in Misbahush-Shari'ah that Imam as Sadiq (AS) said: 

"The most decorative clothing for the believer is the clothing of taqwa, and the finest one is faith. Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, said: 'and the clothing of taqwa, that is the best.' 

As to the exterior clothing, it is a blessing from Allah, as it covers the nakedness of the children of Adam. lt is a grace granted by Allah to His servants, the children of Adam (AS), which He did not grant to other than them. 

To the believers, it is a means to perform the duties imposed by Allah upon them. The best of your clothing is that which does not distract you from Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, rather it brings you nearer to thanking, remembering and obeying Him, and it does not bear you to conceit, hypocrisy, decoration, taking pride and boasting, as these are among the pests of the religion and bring cruelty to the heart. 

When you put on your dress, remember Allah, the concealer of your sins by His mercy. Clothe your interior with truthfulness, as you dressed your exterior with your dress. Let your interior be under the protection of fear, and your exterior under the protection of obedience. 

Take a lesson from the favour of Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, as He created the means for making clothes to conceal the apparent nakedness, and He opened the doors of repentance and imploring in order to cover the internal sins and evil characters. 

Do not uncover anyone's faults, as Allah has covered your greater faults. Attend to your own faults, and forgive that whose state and affair do not concern you. Beware of perishing your life for the action of others, letting the others trade with your capital, while you destroy yourself. 

Forgetting the sins is of the gravest punishments fraom Allah in this world, and of the most effective causes for the punishments in the Hereafter. 

As long as the servant is engaged in his obedience to Allah, the Exalted, in recognizing his own defects and abandoning what is disgraceful in the religion of Allah, he will be isolated from the plagues, plunging in the sea of the mercy of Allah, the Almighty and Glorified, and will win the gems of the advantages of wisdom and expression. But as long as he is forgetting his sins, unfamiliar with his defects, resorting to his own might and force, he will never be successful." 

Misbahush Shar'iah, sec. seven, on "Clothing"; from Adabus Salat by Imam Khomeini

Observing Moderation - first step

Allamah Tehrani from the teachings of Allamah Tabatabai

The first step for the spiritual traveler to take is to abandon the contingent affairs; those illusory and fictitious values, and conventional habits and practices that prevent him from traveling on the path. What we mean is that he should live in moderation among the people.
Some people are constantly preoccupied with the rules and customs of society, and all their thoughts and efforts are centered on pleasing others and cultivating friendship. Such people are obsessed with formalities and welcome all kinds of interaction with various people, whether meaningful or useless, for the sake of maintaining their social status.
They habitually subject themselves to these formalities in order to maintain their actual or imagined prestige, often exposing themselves to obligations and severe hardships. In order to preserve that which is peripheral, they set aside the very substance of life. They take common people’s admiration and/or disapproval as criteria and waste their lives conforming to those standards.
The vessel of their being is besieged with the tides of social habits and customs, swept hither and thither by the waves of social decorums and values of the society. Not knowing themselves, this group of people have no will power of their own, but are totally submissive to the will of society and follow that.

In sharp contrast to this group, there is another group of people who withdraw from society and people, renounce all kinds of social customs and norms, and free themselves from all societal obligations and privileges. They do not associate with or frequent the company of people, but live in their peaceful seclusion to the extent that their very seclusion brings them notoriety and recognition.

In order to attain his desired goal, the traveler must always observe moderation, adopt a middle position, refrain from either extreme, and walk on the straight path. This objective will not be achieved unless a reasonable degree of interaction is maintained with society. In such a situation, should a discord inevitably arise between the spiritual traveler and ordinary people as a result of the frequency and/or quality of their association, it would not be very harmful to the wayfarer.

Of course, such a conflict will rarely arise because, while social intercourse is necessary and essential to a certain extent, the traveler would not under any circumstances submit himself [to follow] the manners and practices of the common people: 'And they do not fear the blame of any blamer [in matters relating to God].' (5:54)

This verse in effect points to the traveler’s steadfastness in his pursuit of the straight path and his fortitude in his beliefs and practices. On the whole, one can say that the wayfarer must examine every social issue, evaluate its advantages and disadvantages, and never submit to the moral values and modalities of the masses of the people.

Kernel of the Kernel; by Sayyid Muhammad Husain Husaini Tehrani, From the Teachings of Allamah Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai

The first night of Shahru Ramadhan...A prescription from Ayatullah Tabrizi

A thing which a prudent wayfarer must not forget during the first night of the Holy month of Ramadan is resorting (tawassul) to the impeccable ones (Ma'sumin) in that night. 


It is up to him to stretch his hand sincerely towards the threshold of those exalted saintly personalities; present their blessed, glorious, and beautiful faces as intercessors for our unblessed and polluted (with sins) faces, thus, looking towards the Lord through THEIR splendour and magnanimity because, it is not appropriate and desirable to look towards Him directly with a face blackened with sins, and cheeks rusted with transgressions. Instead, he should plead with them, should open his tongue full of grief and anxiety, and should request them to act as intercessors for pleading his case.


Allah (the Glorious, the Exalted), being the most Compassionate and most Merciful, undoubtedly would accept the plea and intercession of those compassionate and exalted personalities, especially, those sinless noble ones, to whom He Himself has taught generosity and compassion, and allowed them to act as intercessors.


Yes! It is up to the prudent wayfarer to mobilize all his talents, expertise, strength, and endeavours for resorting towards them; crying and shedding tears; pleading and requesting for intercession and support with these exalted saintly personalities; so that through resorting for one hour, he may earn the prosperity for one year, and through such insignificant efforts might achieve huge gains. Also, he should not forget to repeat this resorting and crying every morning and evening, and by sending salutations (upon them) everyday and resorting to them every night, and  should strengthen his commitment towards them.


Another important deed is to take a bath (ghusl) during the first night, all the odd nights, and the first day. It has been narrated in a tradition that: "Whoever undertakes ghusl with running water during the first night of the Holy Month, and pours at least thirty handfuls of water upon his head, they would remain in the state of cleanliness (taharat) till the next Shahru Ramadhan."


And in another tradition taking a bath in the above manner has been described as medicine for the whole year.
Ayatullah Mirza Jawad Maliki Tabrizi; Suluk-i Arifan

Four major things the 12th Imam will perform...

[Ayatullah al-Uzma Shaykh Nasir Makarim Shirazi]
PART 2

At the head of all the things that the Imam will perform, we see in the tradition that there are four major things which he will do which we summarize as being:

1. Correcting the Theological Beliefs:
“There will not remain a single stone house, mud house, nor a tent upon the entire Earth except the word (teachings) of Islam will be in that place (and thus, polytheism will no longer exist).” [Tafsir al-Qurtubi [Imam Abu `Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Abu Bakr al-Ansari al-Qurtubi], vol. 12, pg. 300]

2. Completion of the Intelligence: The advancement of knowledge and intelligence will also take place (at this time), just as the late 'Allamah Majlisi  makes clear by quoting a tradition from the Infallibles in relation to this point:
“When our Qaim makes his advent, he will place his hand over the heads of the servants…” It is possible that this means that people will be under the direction and guidance of the Imam. “…so then (through this act), he will gather together their intelligence and complete their knowledge.” [Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 52, pg. 338]

3. Justice and Equality: In the various traditions, it has been mentioned that:
“He (the Imam) will fill the Earth with justice and equality just as it had been filled with oppression and tyranny.” [Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 14, pg. 33]

4. Correction of the Moral Ethical Traits:
From the traditions which speak about the signs at the end of time, we can deduce that removing all of the corrupt ethical traits and bringing back the moral values of Islam back to life will be the duty of the Imam.
There are also traditions which state that before the advent of Imam al-Qaim (as), many corrupt ethical traits such as: adultery, theft, bribery, selling less that what one paid for, the drinking of alcohol, murdering of countless innocent people and other such sins will be very common.
Thus, the meaning of this tradition is that when Imam al-Mahdi (as) rises up to remove and eradicate all of these things, the entire valued and cherished system of moral ethics would already be completely destroyed and it is Imam al-Mahdi (as) who will restore it.

That person who wishes to be a helper of the Imam must work tirelessly in these four points mentioned and the one who does not possess any of these four points within himself, however prays to Allah (SwT) to make him of the helpers of the Imam (as) will see that his prayers will be far from being answered.

If it was made completely clear for what reasons the Imam would make his advent, then this would definitely change the face of the society.

One who does not possess any of these traits can not expect to stand in the ranks with the Imam. Therefore, it is very good that we actively do something to call the attention of the people towards the goals and objectives of the Imam so that all of us can mound ourselves to becoming better human beings.

'UNVEILING': Mulla Sadra’s unparalleled words

Once a heedful person is awakened, either by himself or because of somebody else, so that he becomes interested in the tillage of the Hereafter and its trade, he should know that there are certain conditions that he has to observe in the beginning of his discipleship, and there is a certain stronghold that he has to hold on to, and a fortress in which he has to protect himself and keep himself safe from the enemies who want to obstruct his way.


He also has certain duties he has to observe at the time of his wayfaring.


The conditions are to lift the veil and the barrier that exists between the disciple and the Real, for people are deprived from meeting the Real because of the veils which accumulate and the barrier that falls in their path. The Exalted God says, ‘We have put a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, then We have blindfolded them, so that they do not see.’ [36:9]


And the veils are of four kinds: wealth, worldly rank, imitation and disobedience.

In order to lift the first [wealth], except for what is necessary, he has to separate himself from and abandon his possession, so that his heart would not be engaged by even a dirham, for he would be veiled from the Real to that extent.

To lift the second [worldly rank], he has to distance himself from the places of worldly rank, and to prefer humility and listlessness, and flee the causes of remembrance and fame.

To lift the third [imitation], he should refrain from following one sect in preference over another sect, and find out the truth of what he has learned as a result of imitation by spiritual struggle rather than debate.

The fourth [disobedience] is lifted by repentance and leaving the places of oppression and deciding not to return to them, and by regretting truly what has passed, compensating the wrong done to others and satisfying the opponents.


Unless the veils of sins are lifted though what has been said, the gate of unveiling would never be opened to the wayfarer.
Sadr al-Din Shirazi often known as Mulla Sadra

30 Obligations of every Believer

Jami' al-Sa'adat by Muhammad Mahdi ibn abi Dharr al-Naraqi

In a prophetic tradition, social rights are enumerated in the following manner:

Every believer has thirty obligations over his brother in faith, which he could not be said to have met unless he either performs them or is excused by his brother in faith from performing them. These obligations are:
forgiving his mistakes;
being merciful and kind to him when he is in a strange land;
guarding his secrets;
giving him his hand when he is about to fall;
accepting his apology;
discouraging backbiting about him;
persisting in giving him good advice;
treasuring his friendship;
fulfilling his trust;
visiting him when he is ill;
being with him at the time of his death;
accepting his invitation and his presents;
returning his favours in the same manner;
thanking him for his favours;
being grateful for his assistance;
protecting his honour and property;
helping him meet his needs;
making an effort to solve his problems;
saying to him: `God bless you', when he sneezes;
guiding him to the thing he has lost;
answering his greetings;
taking him at his word (not drawing a bad interpretation of things he says);
accepting his bestowals;
confirming him if he swears to something;
being kind and friendly towards him, not unsympathetic and hostile;
helping him whether he is being unjust or is a victim of injustice [when we speak of helping him when he is being unjust, we mean that he must be kept from being unjust;
when we speak of coming to his aid when he is a victim of injustice, we mean that he should be assisted in securing his rights];
refraining from feeling bored or fed up of him;
not forsaking him in the midst of his troubles.
Whatever good things he likes for himself he should also like for his brother in faith, and whatever he dislikes for himself he should also dislike for his brother.
Jami' al-Sa'adat by Muhammad Mahdi ibn abi Dharr al-Naraqi

Spiritual combat of the Perfect

Some wise words from the guidance of Allamah Tabatabai

It has been noticed that many aspirants from among the “perfect men” (kummalin) fail in the battle against the carnal soul and do not reach the station of perfection even after years of ascetic practices (riyadat) and spiritual combat. 

The reason for their failure is that the roots of certain traits survive in their hearts, while they imagine that they have completely wiped them out. Consequently, when they face God’s trial and are confronted with temptations of the carnal soul and its effects, those roots suddenly bloom and grow, and finally defeat the wayfarer.

Success in overcoming the carnal soul and its forces is contingent upon Divine solicitude and special Grace of the Lord of lords (Rabb alarbab); for it is not possible to traverse this stage without His special grace and assistance.

It has been reported that one day some pupils found the late Sayyid Bahr al-Ulum, may God be pleased with him, smiling and in a joyous mood. When they asked him about the reason for his happiness, he replied: “After twenty-five years of spiritual combat, now when I look into my soul I realize that my deeds are no longer ostentatious (riya), and that I have at last succeeded in purifying my deeds.” One must reflect deeply on this statement.

It should be reiterated that from the beginning of wayfaring and spiritual journeying up to its final stage, the traveler must observe all precepts of the glorious Shariah, and must not violate an iota of the exoteric aspects of Divine Law. 

Hence, should you come across a person who claims to be a spiritual traveler but who does not observe all rituals and duties set by the Shariah, or is not committed to piety and abstention from sin, or deviates even slightly from the straight path of the true Shariah; be aware that such a person is a hypocrite (munafiq), unless it is proved that he commits unintended errors or is forgetful.
Risala-yi Lubb al-Lubab dar Sayr wa Suluk-i Ulu’l Albab; by Sayyid Muhammad Husain Husaini Tehrani From the Teachings of Allamah Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai

Path of the Yearners

He who yearns neither desires food, nor finds pleasure in drink, nor is he quickly excitable, nor is he intimate even with his close friends, nor does he seek refuge in a house, nor does he dwell in a city, nor wear a garment nor take rest enough for his need. 


He worships Allah night and day, hoping to reach the object of his yearning. He speaks to Him with the tongue of yearning, declaring what is in his innermost being. 
This is as Allah said of Moses when he met his Lord: 
وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَى
I hastened to thee, my Lord, that Thou mightest be pleased. (20:84)


The Holy Prophet explained his state as follows: 'He neither ate, drank, slept nor desired any of that in his coming or going for forty days, out of his yearning for his Lord.'


When you enter the arena of yearning, then say takbir for yourself and your desires in this world. Bid farewell to all familiar things, and turn from all except the One you desire most. 
Say the word Labbayk ('At Your service') between your life and your death: 'At Your service, O Allah, at Your service!' Then Allah will make your reward great. A person who yearns is like a drowning man: he is only concerned with being saved, and forgets every thing else.
Section 94, Misbah al-Shari'ah

Three admonitions from a great Sage

Sayyid ‘Ādil al-’Alawī, quotes his late mentor, the pious Shi’ite Marja’, Āyatullāh al-’Uzmā Shahāb al-Dīn al-Najafī al-Mar’ashī as having advised him as follows:

إِذاَ اَرَدْتَ التَّوْفِيْقَ فِيْ حَيَاتِكَ الْعِلْمِيَّةِ فَعَلَيْكَ بثَلاَثَةِ أَعْمَالٍ: الأَوَّلُ: كُنْ دَوْماً عَلىَ طَهَارَةٍ وَوُضُوْءٍ فَإِنَّهُ يُنِيْرُ الْقَلْبِ وَيُزِيْلُ الْهَمّ. الثَّانِي: شَيِّعْ الْجَنَائِزَ اَيّ جَنَازَةٍ رَأَيْتَهَا وَلَوْ بأَقْدَامٍ. الثَّالِثُ: شَارِكْ فِيْ قَضِيَّةِ الْحُسَيْن عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمِ بأَيِّ نَحْوٍ مِنَ الْمُشَارَكَةِ. ثُمّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ مِنْ مُدَرَّسِي الْحَوْزَةِ الْمَعْرُوْفِيْنَ، وَكُنْتُ آنَذاَكَ أُوَزِّعُ الشَّايَ عَلى النَّاسِ فِي الْمَجَالِسِ وَالْمِآتِمِ الْحُسَيْنِيَّة.

“If you would like divine succor (tawfīq) in your intellectual and practical life, you should practice the following three acts:

(1) Always be in the state of purity and wudū’, for that illumines the heart and removes anguish.

(2) Escort the dead body, whoever it may be [among the Muslims], even for a few steps.

(3) Participate in the matter of Husayn (as) [i.e. any ceremony that concerns his exalted personality]

Then he said to me: I was one of the well-known professors of the Islamic Seminary; and during that period I would distribute tea to the people who attended ceremonies for mourning Imām Husayn (as).”

[Qabasāt min Hayāti Sayyidina al-Ustādh, pg. 118]

The various deceptive delusions

(worth profound deliberation)

A person who is deluded is wretched in this world, and is duped in the next world because he has sold what is better for what is baser. 

Do not admire yourself. 


Sometimes you may be deceived by your property and your bodily health into supposing that you will last forever. 
Sometimes you are deceived by your long life, your children and your friends into thinking that you will be saved by them. 
Sometimes you are deceived by your beauty and the circumstances of your birth, which bring you your hopes and desires so easily that you think that you are truthful and successful in achieving your goal. 

Sometimes you are deceived by the regret you show people for your shortcoming in worship, but Allah knows the opposite of that is in your heart. 
Sometimes you make yourself worship in a spirit of reluctance; but Allah desires sincerity. 
Sometimes you imagine that you are calling on Allah when you are calling on another. 
Sometimes you imagine that you are giving good counsel to people, while your real desire is that they bow to you. 
Sometimes you blame yourself when you are really praising yourself.

Know that you will only emerge from the darkness of delusion and desire by sincerely turning in repentance to Almighty Allah, and to whatever you know about Him, and to recognize the faults in your self which are not consistent with your intellect and knowledge, and which the faith, the law and the customary practices of the Holy Prophet and the Imams of guidance do not tolerate.

If you are content with your present condition, there is no one more wretched than you in knowledge and action, nor anyone with a more wasted life. 
You will inherit grief on the Day of Resurrection.
Imam al-Sadiq (a); Section 67, Misbah al-Shari'ah

A lovers instructions for his beloved

Amir al-Mu'mineen (a) to Malik al-Ashtar:
Do not say, ‘I have been given authority, I order and am obeyed’, for this leads to corruption in the heart and the erosion of religion; and it brings closer the adversities of fate. If the authority of your position engenders vanity and arrogance, then look at the grandeur of God’s dominion above you, and at His power to do for you that which you have no power to do for yourself. This will calm your ambition, restrain you from your own vehemence, and restore to you what had strayed from your intellect.

Beware of comparing [yourself] with God in greatness and likening [yourself] to Him in might, for God abases every tyrant and disgraces every braggart. Never be quick to believe a slanderer, for a slanderer is a deceiver, even if he appears in the guise of a good adviser.

Study much with the scholars (al-'Ulama') and hold much discourse with the sages (al-Hukama'), in order to consolidate that which brings well-being to your lands, and to further entrench that which has already been established by your predecessors.

Then—O God, O God!—[pay particular attention to] the lowest class, those who have no wherewithal, the destitute, the needy, the afflicted, the disabled. Within this class are those who beg, and those whose wretchedness calls out to be alleviated but do not beg. Be mindful of God in regard to their rights, for He has entrusted these rights to your care. Assign to them a portion from your public treasury (bayt al-mal), and a portion of the produce of what is taken as booty by the Muslims in every region, for those who are furthest have the same rights as those nearest.

Apportion a part of your time to those who have special needs, making yourself free to attend to them personally, sitting with them in a public assembly with all due humility before God, your Creator. Keep your soldiers, guards and officers away from them, so that they can speak to you in an uninhibited manner for I heard the Messenger of God say—God bless him and his family—on more than one occasion: ‘A nation in which the rights of the weak are not wrested in an uninhibited manner from the strong will never be blessed.’

Perform each day the task proper to it, for to each day belongs a particular task. Set apart the most excellent of your available time, and the greatest portions thereof, for your soul, for what is between you and God, even though all times [and actions performed therein] are for God, if the intention underlying them is good, and if your subjects derive security as a consequence. Let your observance of those duties (fara'idh) relating exclusively to God be the special means by which you purify your religion for God. Give unto God of your vital energy in your nights and your days, and perform fully that by which you draw near to God, doing so perfectly, without becoming dull or deficient, taking your body to its limits.

When you lead the people in prayer, do so without repelling [them] or squandering [it], for there are people with infirmities or special needs. Indeed, I asked the Messenger of God—God bless him and his family—when he sent me [as his representative] to Yemen, ‘How should I lead them in prayer?’ He replied, ‘Lead them according to the prayer performed by the weakest among them; and be merciful to the believers.’

Citation from the letter of Imam Ali to Malik al-Ashtar - Nahjul Balagha Letter 53

Great descriptions of some Great virtues

“Gabriel came to the Holy Prophet (s) and said: 
O Messenger of Allah! God has sent you a gift which He has not given to anyone before. 
The Holy Prophet said: What is that gift? 
Gabriel said: It is patience.
“But there is a virtue better than patience.  The Holy Prophet said: What is it? 
Gabriel said: It is contentment.

“There is still a virtue better than contentment. 
The Holy Prophet said: what is it? 
Gabriel said: It is pleasure of God.

“But there is a virtue better than that.  The Holy Prophet said: What is it? 
Gabriel said: It is piety.

“Yet there is a virtue better than that. 
The Holy Prophet said: What is it? 
Gabriel said: It is devotion.

“But there is a virtue better than that. 
The Holy Prophet said: What is it? 
Gabriel said: Sure knowledge.

“Yet there is a virtue better than that. 
The Holy Prophet said: What is it? 
Gabriel said: The way to attain all of them is to put trust in God.

“I said, O Gabriel! What is the meaning of putting trust in God?Gabriel said: Knowing that His creatures neither harm nor benefit anyone.
They neither give nor withhold anything. 
One must stop having hope in creatures.
When a man reaches this position, he will not do anything save for Him, his heart does not go astray, he fears no one save Him and he does not set his hope on anyone but Him. 
This is the meaning of putting trust in God.

“The Holy Prophet said: O Gabriel! What is the meaning of patience? 
Gabriel said: Man must have forbearance and patience in afflictions as in joys. 
He should never complain of His Creator to the people.

I said: What is the meaning of contentment? 
Gabriel said: To be content with whatever in this world and to thank God for the small things he has.”

“The Holy Prophet said: What is the meaning of God’s pleasure? 
Gabriel said: To be pleased with God but not to be pleased with one’s own deeds.

“The Holy Prophet said: O Gabriel!  What is the meaning of piety?
Gabriel said: A pious man loves whatever His creator loves and hates whatever He hates. 
He is careful about what is lawful and leaves of what is unlawful, for what is lawful is counted and what is unlawful will entail punishment. 
He has mercy on every muslim as he has on himself. 
He shuns useless words as he shuns what is unlawful. 
He abstains from overeating as he keeps away from a corpse with bad smell. 
He keeps away from the embellishments of world as he keeps away from Fire. 
His desires are not far-fetched and death is present before his eyes.”

“The Holy Prophet said: O Gabriel! What is the meaning of Devotion? 
Gabriel said: A devoted person is one who does not ask for anything from people until he obtains it and whenever he obtained it, he is pleased with it. 
Also if he has something extra, he will give it away for the ansake of God. 
The fact that he does not ask for something from others is admittance of his being a servant of God. 
He is pleased with God and God is pleased with him. 
He gives away when he needs it more than others.”

“The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: What is sure knowledge? 
Gabriel said:  A man of sure knowledge acts in a way as if he sees God. 
Even if he does not reach the degree of seeing God, he knows that God sees him and is sure that what he has and what he has not is what God wills. 
These were some of signs of putting trust in God and having piety.”

Oddatatol Daee
(The Asset of Supplicant)

Six Practical Remedies from Marhum Ayatullah Behjat

Khosroe-Shahi narrates “Ayatullah Behjat used to stress avoiding moral sins and say, ‘Prolonging the prostration is one of the acts of adoration which break the back of Satan. If one prolongs his prostration, he has to stand before a mirror and notice the place of prostration marked on his forehead, whether the prostration left a mark on his forehead or not. If there is a mark, he must rub it till he wipes it out so that he may not be characterized by pretension.’”

Ayatollah Bahjat also described the role of knowing the Truthful One as a very important and essential role in removing moral sins. He says, “All moral sins originate from weakness in knowing Allah, Praise and Exaltation are His. If one realizes that Allah, the most Praised and Exalted One, is always and in any condition more beautiful than everything beautiful, he will never then abandon feeling comfortable with Him.”

The Shaykh was asked, “What should we do so we may distance ourselves from pretension?” He said, “You must greatly stick to believing in a perfect creed.”

When asked about a treatment for anger. The Shaykh responds, “You must perform abundant prayers with full conviction.”

The sheikh was once asked, “What is the cure for conceit?” He wrote the following in answer: “In His Name, the most Exalted One. Sticking greatly to perfect conviction is the treatment for conceit.”

Someone asked him about a treatment for unholy insinuations. He wrote this in answer: “Abundant testimony about the Unity of Allah is the cure for such insinuations.”

‘Your Lord has no donkey?’

[Reason and Reward]
Usul al-Kafi, book of reason and ignorance, pg 28

‘Ali ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah al-Ibrah narrates from ibn Is'haq al-Ahmar from Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-Daylami from his father, who said :
I told Abu ‘Abdillah [a], ‘Such and such a person is praiseworthy for his devotion and religious practice.’
The Imam inquired, ‘How is his reason?’
I replied, ‘I know nothing about his reason.’
Upon this, the Imam explained,
‘The Divine reward is in relation to one's reason.
There was a person from Bani Israil who used to worship God devotedly in an island full of lush green and clear water. An angel happened to watch that person, and asked God, ‘Kindly show me the rewards meant for that person.’
When the angel was shown the rewards by God, they appeared to be very little to him. Upon this God suggested to him to go and stay with that person (for some time).
The angel appeared before that man in human guise. The man asked the angel, ‘Who are you?’ The angel replied, ‘I am also one of the devotees of God and I have heard about this place and your worship in it. Therefore, I have come to you so that I can also pray to Almighty God with you.’
So the angel stayed with him for a day. When it was morning, the angel remarked, ‘This is a pleasant place; no place could be better than this for worshipping God.’
Then the devotee-replied, ‘There is only one defect in this place.’
The angel asked what it was and the man replied, ‘My Lord has no animal. If He had a donkey, we could pasture it in this place, for the grass is going waste.’
The angel remarked, ‘Your Lord has no donkey?’
The man further said, ‘If He (Allah) had a donkey such a quality of grass would not be wasted.’
Then Almighty God revealed to the angel, ‘My rewards are in relation to a person's reason.’"

It does not matter what people think...(Imam Reza [a])

Do you really think like this? I was not expecting that from you…
These are sentences that we may have heard them in our social conversations. Perhaps we have been in a situation in which, we had every reason and argument to be sure of a decision we had made earlier. But when presented for others, we had to face their opposition and pressured about that decision. How should be our reaction in such situation? What is a good response? When others say something that bothers us dramatically, how can we reach the state of calmness?

One day a group of people gathered at the house of Imam Reza (PBUH). Yunus Ibn Abd al-Rahman who happened to be a very trusted companion of the Imam was among them. While everyone was busy talking, another group of people from Basra asked for permission to enter the house.
Imam told Yunus, “Enter that room; show no reaction at all and stay there until I asked you to come out.” Then Imam Reza (PBUH) granted permission for the new group to enter. Once entered the room, they started to talk behind the back of Yunus. Meanwhile Imam Reza (PBUH) was looking at the ground; he didn’t say anything and showed no reaction until they said farewell and left the house. Then Imam asked Yunus to come out of the room.
Yunus entered while his face was full of sorrow and his eyes were in tears. He said, “My master! I have only defended my beliefs and religion while my own friends are thinking about me like that.”

Imam Reza (PBUH) passionately said, “O Yunus! Do not be sad; it does not matter what people think. Such things said by other people do not matter at all. When your Imam is satisfied with you, there is nothing to worry or be sad about.”
The Imam added then, ''O Yunus! Always try to talk to people to the extent of their capacity of hearing. Do not talk about divine topics if it might be beyond their understanding. O Yunus! When you have a gem in your hand and people say that you have a dirty rock in your hand, how does it affect the gem in your hand? And if they say you have gem in your hand while you are holding a rock, how does this help you? How can their words affect your belief? How does it benefit or harm you in anyways?''
Yunus was calmed down by Imam’s words and said, “No, their words do not matter to me anymore.”
Then Imam Reza (PBUH) told him, “So if you understand the truth and you can see the right path and your Imam is satisfied from you, then the thoughts and words of the people should not affect your beliefs and way of thinking; people can say whatever they wish.”
(Selection from “Rijal Kashshi”, p.487, No. 924)

Imam Sadiq (a)'s advice to Jabir

[Amaali of Sh Tousi]


Abu Ali Hasan bin Mohamed bin Hasan al-Tousi narrates from a chain of narrators going up to Jabir bin Yazid Al-Jo'fi who said:
I served our master, Imam Abu Jaafar Muhammad Bin Ali (a) for 18 years. When I wanted to leave him, I asked him for some advice.
He (Imam Muhammad Bin Ali) said, 'Are you asking me for (more) advice after being with us for 18 years?'
I replied, 'Yes, you are the the sea of endless water whose depth cannot be measured.'
He said, 'O Jabir! Convey my Salaam to my Shia. Tell them that we are not Allah's relatives and that no one can attain nearness to Allah except through obedience.
O Jabir! Those who obey Allah and love us are considered our followers and those who disobey Allah will not find our love helpful.
O Jabir! Has there been anyone who has asked Allah and not found an answer, or has depended on Allah and has been disappointed, or has trusted Allah and has not been saved?
O Jabir! Think about this life as a short, temporary stop. This life is nothing but a horse on which you ride in a dream, and when you wake up you find yourself in your bed, not riding anything nor holding on to a bridle. This life is nothing but a dream in which you are wearing beautiful clothes or having intimate relations with a woman.
O Jabir! In the eyes of the intelligent, this world is a reward for those who have gone astray.
O Jabir!
The statement of 'Laa ilaha Ilallah' is the support for those who invite people towards Allah.
Salaat is the confirmation of (ones) loyalty and the reliever from arrogance.
Zakaat increases sustenance.
Siyaam and Hajj calm the hearts.
Qisaas (retribution) protects people's safety, and
believing in the rights of the family of the Prophet is the core root of the religion.
May Allah make us and you among, '21:49''

3 Reasons why Salman Al-Farsi was called Salman Al-Muhammadi

[Amaali of Sh Tousi 1:133]

Mohamed Bin Yusuf narrated from Mansour bin Borzaj who said:
I said to Abu Abdillah Jafar bin Muhammad, 'O my master, you mention Salman Al-Farsi frequently.'
Abu Abdillah said, 'Do not call him Salman Al-Farsi. Call him Salman Al-Muhammadi. Do you know why I mention him frequently?'
'No' I replied.
Abu Abdillah said, 'For three reasons:First, he always used to give preference to the desires of the Commander of the Believers (as) over his own desires;
Second, he used to love the needy and choose them as his friends instead of the wealthy and powerful ones;
Third, he used to love knowledge and the knowledgeable ones.
Verily Salman was a righteous slave. He was an upright Muslim and he was not among the polythiests.'

Imam Sajjad (as) and The Caravan to Hajj

A caravan of Muslims was headed towards Makkah. As it arrived in Madina, it rested a few days, and continued on towards Makkah.
On their way from Madina to Makkah, a man joined the group. This man noticed one of them who had the appearance of a guided person. He was eagerly busy in service of the passengers. The man recognized him. With much surprise, he asked the pilgrims if they knew this man who was at their service.
''No, we don't know him. He joined us in Madina. He is a decent and pious man. We haven't asked him for help. But he has been eager in helping us."
"Obviously you don't know him. For if you did, you would never have allowed a man like him to be at your service."Who is this person?"
"This is 4th Imam, Imam Sajjad (as)."
The group stood with shame and apologized to Imam Sajjad (as). Then complaining to him, they said:
"Why did you treat us as such? We may have gone beyond our bounds in our ignorance, and would have committed a big sin in being disrespectful to you."
Imam Sajjad (as): "I intentionally joined your group, for you didn't know me. When I join a group, where people know me, for the sake of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), they are very kind to me. They don't allow me to be of some service. Thus I was eager to join a group where I will be anonymous, so that I may have the honor of being of some service to my brethren."
Moral: Service to fellow Muslims should be a pleasure, something we should go out of our way to do! Besides it being one of the fundamentals of the spiritual journey - Hajj!