PART FOUR:
TEACHINGS
FOR THE SHI'A
FROM THE HOUSEHOLD
OF THE PROPHET
Introduction
The Imams of the Household knew that power would not
return to them in their own lifetimes, and that the Shi'a
would remain under the rule of others, and that they
would be obliged to use force and violence to struggle
against this rule.
At the same time, it was natural for them to conceal
their religion and the way that they followed, as long as
taqiyyah did not cause bloodshed and did not bring
harm to others or to Islam; thus they endeavoured to stay
in this sea of troubles, treachery, hatred and vengeance
against the Household.
It was necessary, because of this, for the Imams to
devote their time to teaching their followers the
fundamentals of the Islamicshari'ah in a special
way, and to guide them in correct social behaviour so
that they might become examples of perfect, just Muslims.
The way of the Household as regards teaching cannot be
explained in this short book, and the famous books ofahadith
can be consulted for examples of their teachings on
religious education. However, it is not a bad idea to
indicate here some of these teachings which can be
gathered together under the general heading of their
doctrines concerning the teaching of their followers.
These concern their moral teachings dealing with social
behaviour and those things which may bring their
followers closer to Allah, how to cleanse the heart from
unclean things, and how to be honest. We have already
mentioned, in the discussion oftaqiyyah, some of
the things about useful social behaviour, and in the
following pages we shall mention some further important
matters.
34. The
Doctrine Concerning du'a'
The Prophet said:
Du'a' is a weapon for the believer, a pillar of
din, and a light of the heaven and the earth.
and here is truth. It became one of the peculiarities
of the Shi'a by which they are distinguished. They have
written many books mentioning its importance, and the
correct way of performing these supplications, and from
thesead'iyah (pl. ofdu'a') which have
been transmitted from the Household, hundreds of books,
large and small, have been written, wherein are stored
the aims of the Prophet and his Household, urging their
followers and encouraging them to recitedu'a'.
From them have been transmitted:
The best worship isdu'a'.
The most beloved action in the view of Allah on earth
isdu'a'.
Du'a' can remove calamities and retribution
(which would otherwise have been ordained by Divine
decree).
Du'a' is the cure for every sickness.
The first Imam, Amir al-Mu'minin 'Ali (A.S.), was much
given todu'a', and this is clear because he was
the leader in monotheism (Sayyid al-muwahhiddi)
and the Chief among believers (Imam al-alihiyyin)
and hisad'iyah and sermons are masterpieces of
Arabic eloquence: for instance, thedu'a' of
Kumayl ibn Ziyad al-Mashhur. And they contain enough
Divine and religious education to enable one to tread the
right path to being a perfect Muslim.
In fact, thead'iyah which are transmitted from
the Prophet and his Household are the best guidance for a
Muslim. When he thinks deeply about them, they will
stimulate in him strength of faith and belief and the
spirit of sacrifice in the path of Allah, and will reveal
to him the mystery of worship, and the sweetness of
praying to Allah and abandoning everything but Him. They
will teach him what is incumbent on a human being to know
about his religion, and what will bring him close to
Allah, and take him far from corruption, his desires and
false innovations. In short, in thesead'iyah have
been stored the summary of education as regards morality,
training of the soul and Islamic beliefs; but they are,
at the same time, the most important source of
philosophical ideas for investigating theology and for
the study of ethics.
If people could follow the guidance contained in the
elevated meanings of thesead'iyah - but, alas,
they will not be able to do so - no trace of the
corruption which fills the earth would be found, and
those souls which are bound by their sins could go to the
Heaven of Truth freely. But it is a near impossibility to
pay attention to these reformers who have called humanity
to the way of Truth. So the word of Allah has revealed to
mankind:
Most surely (man's) soul is wont to command (him to
do) evil. (11;53)
And most men will not believe though you desire it
eagerly. (11;103)
The source of badness in man is self-deception and an
ignorance of his faults caused by denying their
existence, thus making them seem good. So he oppresses
others, seizes their property, lies, flatters, obeys his
own desires, and then deceives himself that he is not
really obeying his desires, but that these things need to
be done, so as to make his sins seem very insignificant.
The following transmitteddu'a', which takes its
strength from Divine revelation, influences man to
withdraw himself and to be alone with Allah, and shows
him how to confess his sins and to understand that he is
an evil-doer, and that he must devote his time to asking
forgiveness from Allah, and reminding himself of his
self-deception. Thus the reciter supplicates Allah from
thedu'a' of Kumayl ibn Ziyad:
Would that I knew my Lord, my Master! How canst
Thou bring down Fire on faces who fall d own in
prostration to Thy Greatness, or on tongues who speak
sincerely of Thy Unity and- thank Thee with their
praises, or on hearts who attest to Thy Divinity with
certainty, or on minds who have acquired knowledge of
Thee to such an extent that they are humbled, or on
limbs who have travelled afar to worship Thee
obediently and to show their repentance through their
submission to Thy Will. We cannot imagine that Thou
wilt deal with us thus; this is not what we have been
taught of Thy Generosity.
Repeat the recitation of this passage and reflect on
the delicateness of the remonstrance, its eloquence and
the enchantment of its exposition.
At the same time as it inspires the soul to confess
its short-comings and its servitude, it also instructs it
not to despair of the Mercy and Kindness of Allah. Then
it speaks to the soul in a clever and subtle manner, and
instructs it in its highest duties, and makes incumbent
upon it the thorough performance of these duties. It
teaches the soul how man, through the performance of
these duties, may deserve the granting of forgiveness by
Allah, and this is what causes man to listen to his soul
and to do what is necessary for him to do, when formerly
he was not carrying out his obligations. Then follows
another style of remonstrance from the samedu'a':
Answer me, O my God, my Master and my Lord!
I may endure Thy punishment, but how can I endure
separation from Thee?
O, answer me, my Lord!
I may endure the heat of Hell, but how can I endure not
to look upon Thy Munificence?
This is instruction for the soul in the necessity of
taking pleasure in the nearness of Allah, and observing
His Kindness and His Power, and loving and desiring what
He possesses. Taking pleasure in nearness to Him may
reach such a degree that to be without it is worse for
the soul than punishment and the heat of Hell. It may be
that man can endure the fire of Hell, but he cannot
endure to be abandoned. As these passages lead us to
understand, love and taking pleasure in closeness to
Allah is the best intercession for a guilty person, that
Allah may forgive and pardon him. The delicateness of
this kind of wonder and adulation of Allah Who accepts
repentance and forgives sin will not remain unheard.
It would not be a bad thing to end this exposition
with a shortdu'a' which lists the highest
virtues, and also tells us what is necessary in order
that every part and category of humanity may be endowed
with the best qualities.
O Lord! Give us steadfastness in obedience and
keep us far from sin,
give us sincerity in intention, and knowledge of that
which is sacred;
bestow on us guidance and constancy,
seal our tongues with reason and wisdom,
fill our hearts with knowledge and learning,
keep us clean within from what is forbidden and
from those things of which we are uncertain,
keep our hands from oppression and stealing,
hide from our eyes immorality and treachery,
and close our ears to foolish talk and calumny.
Bestow on our'ulama' freedom from
concupiscence
and the ability to give good counsel;
on our scholars, application and desire for their
studies;
and on those who listen to them, obedience to their
spiritual advice.
And on those Muslims who are sick, bestow comfort and
cure;
and on our dead, compassion and mercy.
And on our aged, dignity and calm,
on our youth acceptance and the true faith and
repentance.
And on women, modesty and chastity,
on the rich, humility and generosity,
and on the poor, patience and contentedness.
And on the fighters for Islam, victory and triumph,
on those who are prisoners of the enemy,
freedom and peace.
And on the rulers, justice and kindness,
and on the people they rule, fairness and good
behaviour.
And help the pilgrims to Mecca and the Holy Shrines
to be
charitable with their provisions
and their wealth, and help them to perform
what is proscribed for thehajj and the'umrah.
Grant this through Thy Overflowing Generosity and Thy
Mercy,
O Merciful and Compassionate!
I recommend you, my brothers, the readers, not to miss
the opportunity of reciting thesead'iyah, paying
attention to their meaning and their purpose, and through
presence of mind drawing near and listening to Allah with
humility, reading them as if they are speaking of
oneself, and following the rites that are proscribed with
them by the Household of the Prophet; because reading
them mindlessly, merely mouthing the words, will not
increase man's knowledge, or cause him to draw near to
Allah, none of his troubles will be resolved, and hisdu'a'
will not be accepted.
Allah does not acceptdu'a' from a darkened
heart, so when you recite adu'a', draw near
with your heart and do not doubt that it will be
accepted.
35. Themes in the ad'iyah
from
as-Sahifat as-Sajjadiyyah
After the deplorable tragedy (of Karbala'), and after
the Ummayids had taken over the leadership of the Islamic
community, they committed excesses in oppression,
revelled in bloodshed and made a mockery of Islamic
teachings. There was no alternative for Imam Zayn
al-'Abidin, Sayyid as-Sajidin (A.S.) but to remain in the
seclusion of his own home, dejected and full of sorrow.
No-one dared to approach him in his house, and he was
forbidden to guide the people as they should have been.
He was forced to adopt the method ofdu'a' (as
we have mentioned, this is one of the methods of
nurturing purity of character) as a means of propagating
the teachings of the Qur'an, the principles of Islam, and
the message of the Household of the Prophet, of
instilling in the minds of the people a sense of
spirituality and piety, and as a means to the necessary
purification of the soul and morality. This was a method
of dissemination that he adopted to teach people without
arousing the suspicions of the tyrannical rulers, and
without giving them any evidence with which to condemn
him. That is why we see that most of these eloquentad'iyah,
some of which have been collected together in as-Sahifat
as-Sajjadiyyah, also known as Zabur Ali Muhammad (The
Psalms of the Household of the Prophet), consist of
various topics in Islamic learning. Their style and
meaning count them among the greatest examples of
authorship in Arabic literature; they are the embodiment
of the teachings of the true religion; they contain the
innermost subtleties oftawhid andnubuwwat;
and they constitute the best way to propagate the ethics
of Muhammad and Islamic morality. Thus they are spiritual
and ethical teachings in the style ofad'iyah, orad'iyah
in accordance with spiritual teachings and ethics.
Without doubt, after the Qur'an and Nahj al-Balaghah
these are the greatest examples of literary style in
Arabic, and the best philosophical discussions of
theological matters and ethics.
From then, we understand how to praise Allah and how
to sing his glories and how to thank Him and turn to Him
in repentance; and it is in this way that we can
understand how to establish communion with Allah and to
express our secrets to Him in private, and how to become
solely dependent on Him. It is by this method that we are
made to understand the meaning behind invoking
benedictions on the Prophet of Allah, on His Messengers
and Chosen Ones from His creation, and the manner of
doing this. It is thus that we can understand how we
should do good towards our parents - the obligations of
the father towards the son, and of the son towards the
father, as well as the obligations towards one's
relatives and neighbours, and the obligations of all
Muslims in general obligations of the poor towards the
rich, and vice versa.
We are warned about repaying our debts towards others,
about how we should act in commerce and business, and
about how we should cooperate with our relatives, friends
and all people with their interests at heart. In this
way, all the good qualities in man are brought out. These
ad'iyah comprise a comprehensive system of
instructions in the science of ethics.
By reciting them we can come to know how to show
patience in the midst of hardships and difficulties, and
how to face both sickness and health. They explain the
duties of Islamic armies and their soldiers, and the
duties of the people towards these soldiers, and many
other things which are in accordance with the essence of
Islam and the revealedshari'ah, and all this has
been done only in the form of thedu'a'.
The following themes are recurrent in the Sahifah, and
are frequent.
a) A description of Allah and His Grandeur and Power and
a description of His Oneness and Transcendence, couched
in the most exact and scholarly terms. This theme occurs
in almost all of thead'iyah in various styles and
ways of expression. For instance, in the firstdu'a'
we come across the following passage:
All praise is due to Allah, the First before Whom no
being preceded, and the Last after Whom will be no other.
Whom the eyes of those who see cannot perceive, and
Whom our descriptive imagination cannot envisage.
With His Power He brought Creation into being out of
nothingness, and made His creatures totally subservient
to His Will.
In this passage, he has explained the exact nature of
the eternity of Allah, and has set Him above the level at
which sight and mind may encompass His Being and has
referred to the true nature of the Creation of Allah.
In the sixthdu'a' the Power of Allah and His
regulation of the universe are referred to in a different
manner.
All praise is due to Allah Who created day and night
by His Might, and made them different from one another by
His Power, confined them both to specific limits, each
following on the heels of the other, so that people might
obtain their sustenance and might grow;
He created night for them so that they might relax
from the stress of life, and from excessive fatigue, and
made it a garment of comfort and rest for people so that
it might be for them a gathering of new strength, and an
enjoyment of leisure and sensual delights.
He continues mentioning the wisdom of the days and the
nights, and how it is a duty for man to be thankful and
grateful to Allah for them.
In the seventhdu'a' the fact that everything
is in the hand of Allah is described in the following
way:
O Allah! through Whose Will the knots of problems are
unravelled.
O Allah! with Whom we take refuge in times of hardship.
O Allah! to Whom we look for relief in times of
misfortune.
It is Thy Might before which even the most brazen are
humiliated, and it is through Thy Grace that the ways to
make better our situation are provided.
Destiny is determined by Thy Power, and things follow the
dictates of Thy Will.
That which Thou dost order hastens to the bidding of Thy
Will without waiting for Thy Command, and according to
Thy Wish is withheld without Your Forbidding.
b) The second recurring theme of as-Sahifat
as-Sajjadiyyah concerns the Bounties and Grace of Allah
towards man, and the inability of man to pay back what is
due through worship and obedience to his Lord, and
through sole reliance on Him. Thus we read in the
thirty-eighthdu'a':
O Allah! No-one is able to complete his thanksgiving
to Thee without new bounties being bestowed upon him
which require further gratitude;
and no-one reaches the level of complete obedience, try
he ever so hard, without being short by that which Thy
Grace bestows on him;
thus Thy most thankful servant offers his thanks to Thee,
but not as he ought to, and Thy most devoted servant
obeys Thee, but always short of perfect obedience.
Due to the magnitude and multitude of the bounties of
Allah, which never stop, even for one moment, it is
impossible for man to thank Allah as he should (even if
he is grateful and obedient to Him), so how could one who
has committed one act of ingratitude make up for it, even
if he were to do all that was in his power to make
amends. This is what is suggested in the following
quotation from the sixteenthdu'a':
O Allah! Were I to weep until I became blind, were I
to moan until I lost my voice, were I to stand in prayer
until my feet could no longer support me, were I to bow
inruku' until my back was paralysed, were I to
prostrate before Thee until I became a skeleton, were I
to eat clay all my life or to drink the most filthy water
until the end of my days, were I to sing Thy Glory until
my tongue dried up,
even then I could not raise up my eyes to the heavens
because of my shame, undeserving to request the erasing
of even a single one of the sins which I have committed
in my life.
c) The third most common theme of thead'iyah
concerns Divine reward and punishment, Hell and Paradise;
and it is pointed out again and again that Allah rewards
his servants solely on the basis of His Grace and Mercy;
for man deserves nothing but punishment even for the
minutest of his sins. All thead'iyah of
as-Sahifat as-Sajjadiyyah make mention of this theme, in
order to produce in man a sense of fear of the punishment
of Allah and hope for His reward and Mercy. All this is
conveyed to such an effective manner and style that it
generates in the heart an intense fear and awe, and saves
man from falling into the abyss of sin. For instance, we
read in the forty -sixthdu'a':
The signs are clear, and Thy Supremacy is eternal and
will not diminish,
therefore eternally beset with misfortune is he who
disobeys Thee, and ignominiously lost is he who turns
away from Thee, and the worst calamity befalls he who
strays from Thee.
How fiercely he will be overtaken by Thy punishment, and
how long he will linger in that terrible state, how far
he will be from any remission, and how hopeless a state
he will be in.
The sentence passed by Thee will be the just sentence,
and the Justice of Thy decision cannot be challenged.
Thou hast made all things exceedingly clear, and no room
for excuse has been left. . . .
Or as we read in the thirty-firstdu'a':
O Allah! Have Mercy on the one standing alone in front
of Thee, my heart beating through fear of Thee, my limbs
trembling in awe of Thee.
O Lord! My sins cause me to stand ashamed before Thee;
if I keep silence, no-one will speak on my behalf. even
if someone would intercede for me, I have no right to
intercession.
We also read in the thirty-thirddu'a':
If Thou shouldst punish me justly, I should perish,
but if Thou shouldst pour on me Thy Mercy, I should
retain my existence. . . .
And lift from me the burden of my sins whose weight has
bent my back, and I beg help from Thee for the heaviness
which brings my knees to the ground.
May peace be upon Muhammad and his Family. Have Mercy on
my soul for the wrong I have done to myself, and let Thy
Mercy take up the load of my sins. . . .
d) The fourth merit of thosead'iyah is to lift
the one who recites them towards perfection, away from
evil deeds and badness of character, to cleanse his
conscience and purify his heart, as we read in the
twentiethdu'a':
O Allah! Increase the sincerity of my intentions by
Thy Kindness, and strengthen my certainty of Thee, and by
Thy Power correct my faults. . . .
O Lord! Bring peace to Muhammad and his Family, grant me
correct guidance that I may not change, and a true path
from which I may not deviate, and integrity of intention
that I may not doubt. . . .
O Allah! Do not leave me any characteristic which may be
a blemish on me without correcting it, or any defect
which is a misfortune for me without improving it, or any
imperfect quality without perfecting it.
e) The fifth theme is to inspire the one who recites
thead'iyah to realise the necessity for
independence from others, not to demean himself in front
of them, and not to rely for his needs on any but Allah.
For greediness for things which belong to others is one
of the worst characteristics a man can have. We read in
the twentiethdu'a':
Do not tempt me to beg from anyone but Thee, or to
demean myself by asking from anyone but Thee when I am in
need, or to implore anyone but Thee when I am afraid,
so that from these things I merit being abandoned by
Thee, being deprived of Thy blessings, or being ignored
by Thee.
And in the twenty-eighthdu'a':
O Allah! Verily I have sincerely devoted myself to
Thee, and I have turned away from (relying on) those who
(in fact) need Thy help, and I no longer beg from those
who are in need of Thy Favour, for I have realised that
for someone in need to beg from someone else in need
shows the foolishness of one's views and the delusions of
one's mind.
And again in the thirteenthdu'a':
For someone who seeks gratification of his needs from
Thee and relies for the relieving of his poverty on Thee,
surely he has taken his need to the proper place, and has
approached his w ants from the right direction.
And someone who comes for his needs to one of Thy
creatures and has considered that someone other than Thee
will be the cause of his succeeding, surely he will
deserve an end to Thy Beneficence.
f) Sixthly, thesead'iyah teach people the
necessity of considering the rights of others, of helping
them, of being compassionate and kind towards each other,
of making sacrifices for somebody else's sake, so as to
make a reality of Islamic brotherhood. For example, we
read in the thirty -eighthdu'a':
O Allah I beg forgiveness from Thee for ill-treatment
meted out to someone in my presence without my coming to
his aid, and for kindness shown to me without my giving
thanks,
and for something unpleasant for which the doer asked
forgiveness from me but I refused, and for any hungry
person who asked from me but I ignored,
and for the rights of a deserving believer which it was
my duty to see to but to which I did not attend,
and for the defect in a believer which I noticed but did
not conceal.
This asking for forgiveness is a most effective way of
admonishing the soul to do those things which are
necessary for exalted, divine morality.
In the thirty-ninthdu'a' there is something more
important that this. It teaches how it is your duty to
forgive someone who has wronged you, and stops you from
taking revenge on him, and can elevate you to the ranks
of the saints.
O Allah! Anyone who has taken from me when Thou hast
for bidden,
and has slandered me when Thou hast prohibited,
and has died with my shadow on him, or did this to me and
is still alive, forgive him for that through which he
harmed me, and do not rebuke him for that which he has
done to me, and do not humiliate him for what he has
taken from me.
Make the forgiveness with which I forgive them, and the
gift which I have offered to them, the purest offering
that anyone can offer, and the highest liberality of
those near to Thee, and reward me for my forgiveness by
forgiving me, and for mydu'a' for them by Thy
Mercy, so that everyone of us may rejoice through Thy
Grace.
How amazing are these last phrases! and how
beautifully they enter the souls of the good to warn them
of the necessity for pure intentions towards all people,
to make them ask for happiness for everyone even for
those who have been unjust or iniquitous to them.
There are many examples of this in thead'iyah
of as-Sahifat as Sajjadiyyah, and if people would only
listen to their guidance, they are full of all kinds of
teachings in Divine morality.
36 Our Belief in
Pilgrimage (ziyarah)
to the Holy Shrines
One of the practices which distinguish the Shi'a from
all other Islamic sects is the attention paid to
pilgrimage to the Holy Shrines, such as those of the
Prophet (S.A.) and the Imams (A.S.), and the building of
magnificent domes and buildings over their tombs by good
will and faith.
All of these things are done through the
recommendations of the Imams, for they were continually
persuading and encouraging their followers to make
pilgrimages, so as to derive great reward from Allah. It
is one of the best forms of worship after the obligatory
ones, and the shrines are the best places for
supplicating and approaching Allah.
Furthermore, according to the sayings of the Imams, this,
is a form of fidelity to them. Imam Rid . a (A.S.) said:
For every one of the Shi'a and their followers has an
understanding with them (the Imams), and pilgrimage is a
way of fulfilling and being faithful to that
understanding. Whosoever undertakes a pilgrimage of his
own free will, believing in it, for him the Imams will
intercede with Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
There are social and religious advantages in makingziyarah.
Thus our Imams have stressed its performance, for it
fortifies the bond between them and their followers and
reminds us of their virtues and their struggle for the
truth. Moreover, it gathers Muslims together in one place
so that they can get to know and establish friendships
with one another, in order that the condition of
obedience to Allah and devotion to his commandments
becomes firmly imprinted in their hearts. And it confirms
in them the true meaning of pilgrimage: the truth oftawhid,
the sanctity of Islam, the prophethood of Muhammad, the
various Islamic duties such as the striving for an
elevated. morality, bowing down and prostrating before
the Commander of all creatures, and how to thank Allah
for His gifts by means of those prayers which are recited
during pilgrimage. And these prayers are among those with
the most exalted meanings. For example, thedu'a'
"Amin Allah" composed by Imam Zayn al-'Abidin
(A.S.) when he made a pilgrimage to the grave of his
grandfather 'Ali, Amir al-Mu'minin (A.S.).
Also the recitations during the pilgrimage point out
the magnificent characters of the Imams, their sacrifices
in defending the truth and elevating the religion, and
their perseverance in obedience to Allah. They are
written in the most excellent Arabic, full of great
eloquence and easily understandable phrases, and they
contain the best exposition oftawhid, and
supplication and prayer to Allah. Truly, among them is
the greatest religious literature after the Qur'an, Nahj
al-Balaghah and the other prayers of the Imams, because
they have included in them summaries of their teachings
on Islamic matters and morality. There are also teachings
and guidance in certain pilgrimage ceremonies mentioned
below for the spiritual progress of the Muslim, the
cultivation of sympathy for the poor, and encouragement
for fostering brotherhood, good behaviour and
understanding between people.
These rites must be performed before entering the
shrine and reciting the special prayer of pilgrimage, and
some others must be said during or after. Here we shall
indicate some of them in order to make clear what we have
already said.
Firstly the pilgrim must wash himself (ghusl)
as commanded in the books of Islam, and clean his body
before beginning. This is so that he may rid himself of
dirt, prevent disease and suffering, so that his odour
does not offend others,[6]
and at the same time to cleanse his spirit from moral
impurities. Traditions have been narrated instructing
that after completing this washing, and in order to fix
his attention on these high aims, the pilgrim should say.
O Allah! Give me light and purity, and preserve me
from all disease, sickness, calamity or corruption, and
also through this washing purify my heart, my body, my
bones, flesh and blood, my hair and skin, my brain and
nerves and every place 1 touch the earth, and provide me
with a witness on the Day of my poverty, necessity and
requirement.
Secondly, the pilgrim should wear the best and
cleanest clothes that he has, because in such days of
gathering it causes people to love and be kind to one
another, increases their dignity and thus enables them to
understand the importance of pilgrimage. It should be
noted that the pilgrim should put on the best clothes
that he can afford, not the finest that are obtainable.
For not everyone can wear the best, and such a command
would cause despair among the poor, and thus it would go
against the favour of Allah. So it is said that there is
a two-fold meaning, i.e. that people should be
well-dressed and that they should pay due regard to the
condition of the poor.
Thirdly, the pilgrim should wear perfume where
possible, for its benefit is like that of being
well-dressed.
Fourthly, he should give alms to the poor, according
as he is able. The purpose Of this is, firstly, to help
the poor, and then to instill in the pilgrim a sense of
generosity .
Fifthly, the pilgrim should proceed towards the shrine
slowly and Quietly without gazing around. This is clearly
in respect for the sacred place (haram), the
pilgrimage and those who are buried there, but also that
the pilgrim may give his undivided attention to Allah,
and avoid inconveniencing others along his way.
Sixthly, he must say"Allahu akbar"
(Allah, the Supreme) and repeat it as much as he can.
Some traditions instruct the pilgrim to repeat it one
hundred times. By this he becomes aware of Allah's
Greatness and Magnificence, and realises that nothing is
greater than He. This is for the sake of Allah and His
Dignity and to revive the sacred rites of Islam and to
strengthen the religion.
Seventhly, after visiting the tomb of the Prophet or
an Imam, the pilgrim should pray at least tworak'ah.
This is in order to worship Allah and give thanks to Him,
and to ask for success in one's pilgrimage', then he
should ask that the spiritual reward for the prayer
should go to the soul of he who is buried in that place.
The specialdu'a' that follows, which the
pilgrim must recite after his prayer, serves to show him
that prayer and worship during pilgrimage are only for
Allah, that no-one deserves to be worshipped save Him. It
is a means of winning Allah's favour, for the pilgrim
says:
O Allah! To Thee alone do I pray, to Thee alone do I
bow down and prostrate myself.
Thou art One,
Thou bast no partner,
and it is a sin to pray, bow down or prostrate oneself
before anyone else but Thee.
O Allah! Praise be to Muhammad and his Family.
Accept my pilgrimage, and grant my request for the sake
of Muhammad and his Immaculate Descendents.
Thisdu'a' explains to those who want to know,
the purpose of pilgrimage to the shrines as it was
performed by the Imams and their followers, and it
answers those who suppose that pilgrimage is a kind of
idolatry and polytheism.
No doubt, the purpose of such detractors is to
discourage the Shi'a from the benefits of meeting one
another, and the solidarity which increases in the times
of pilgrimage, because such brotherhood is like the
shafts of arrows in the eyes of the enemies of Muhammad,
for they cannot be unaware of the Imams' intention. It is
not possible to believe that those whose every saying and
doing were for the sake of Allah, and who gave their
blood in the cause of the religion of Allah, should call
the people to polytheism and idolatry.
Finally, one of the necessities of the pilgrimage is
that "the pilgrim should behave towards and treat
his fellow pilgrim with politeness, that he should say
few words but ones of benefit and purpose, that he should
remember Allah,[7] be
humble, worship often, ask for the Mercy of Allah on
Muhammad and his Descendents, lower his eyes and not
stare around,. assist his brothers when they have nothing
and console them, remain far from what is unlawful, avoid
quarrelling and arguing about one's beliefs."
The reality behind the pilgrimage is the salutation of
Muhammad or the Imam, because, in accordance with the
Qur'an:
They are alive and are provided with sustenance from
their Lord. (3;168)
And they hear the words of the pilgrim and answer his
salutations. It is enough to say, for example, before the
tomb of the Prophet:"As-salamu 'alayka ya rasul
allah" (Peace be upon thee, O Messenger of
Allah), but it is much better to say the words prescribed
by the Household of the Prophet, for they express the
highest intentions and the greatest religious
significance by their eloquence, and they are the most
excellent prayers through which the pilgrim may
contemplate Allah.
37. The meaning of "Shi'a"
in the Opinion of
the Household of the Prophet
The Imams of the Household (A.S.) did not receive the
leadership of Islam, although, however, they never had
any designs towards it. So they devoted themselves to
educating the Muslims, and to instructing them as Allah
had ordered. They remained with those who were faithful
to them, and confided in them their secrets, took great
pains to teach them all the religious commandments and
instill in them religious knowledge, and showed them what
is of advantage to man and what is harmful. They
recognised no-one as Shi'i or as one of their followers
unless he obeyed the commands of Allah, kept himself
apart from his desires and carried out what they taught
and guided him towards. Only to love them will not
suffice to save someone, it. that person also follows his
desires. making excuses for his disobedience to Allah,
because they have clearly said that love of them will
save no-one unless it is accompanied by pure actions,
truth, honesty, piety and virtue.
Imam Baqir (A.S.) said:
O Khuthayma! Say to our friends that we can be of no
help to them before Allah unless their actions are pure,
and that they cannot attain our friendship and love
except through their virtue.
For surely, one who reveres justice, but does not act in
accordance with it, will be stricken with grief and
remorse more than anyone else.
The Imams desired and expected their followers to
guide others and show them the correct path of goodness,
and they instructed them to call the people to the truth
by good actions, saying that this was more important than
calling by word.
Call the people unto the truth by your behaviour, so
that they can see your obedience, and know that you are
truthful and obedient.
We shall give some extracts here from conversations
between the Imams and their followers, so that the reader
may see how they were anxious to educate the people.
1. From Imam Baqir's conversation with Jabir
al-Ju'afi:
O Jabir! How can someone who claims to follow us be
content with only loving us? I swear that our follower is
one who carries out his duty to Allah and fears Him. Our
followers are known by their humility. modesty, exceeding
remembrance of Allah, fasting, prayer, being sympathetic
and helpful towards the poor, their reading of the
Qur'an, saying nothing about a person except concerning
his good actions, and they are most trustworthy among
those close to them. (O ye who follow!) Observe your duty
to Allah, and perform good actions for His reward, for
there is no preference by Allah towards anyone. The most
beloved of His servants in the presence of Allah is the
best in conduct and obedience to Him.[8] O Jabir! Nobody
can come close to Allah except through obedience. Without
this nobody will be saved from Hell, nor can anybody
excuse himself before Allah without it. Whosoever obeys
Him, he is our friend, but whosoever disobeys Him, he is
our enemy. You cannot attain to our friendship except
through good actions and virtuousness.
2. From Imam Baqir's conversation with Sa'id ibn
al-Hasan:
al-Imam: 'Does it happen to you that one of you
approaches his brother and puts his hand into his
brother's pocket to take some money of which he is in
need, without his brother preventing him?'
Sa'id: 'I do not know of such a thing.'
'Then truly, there are no real Shi'i among you.'
'Shall we all perish, in that case?'.
'Yes, indeed, for such people do not put into action what
they say.'
3. From Imam Ja'far's conversation with Abi as-Sabah
al-Kanani:
al-Kanani: 'How much harassment we receive from people
for your sake!'
al-Imam: 'What harassment do you receive from them?'
'When there is a dispute between one of us and one of
them, they immediately condemn us for following you.'
'Do they condemn you for my sake?'
'Yes, indeed!'
'But there are only a few of my followers among you. Only
those who possess great and real virtue, whose acts are
only for the sake of the Creator and to obtain his
reward, only these are my followers.'
4. There are many traditions from Imam Ja'far
concerning these matters. Here we have chosen some of
them and written them down.
- If a man lives in a town with a hundred thousand
inhabitants or more, and there is someone in that town
whose virtue is greater then his, then that man is not
one of my followers.
- We do not count among the believers anyone unless he
obeys all our commandments. Indeed, righteousness is the
only sign of one who follows us. Adorn yourselves with
it, and may Allah have Mercy on you.
- One whose chasteness and abstinence from unlawful
sexuality is not the subject of talk among women is not
one of our followers. And one who lives in a town with
ten thousand inhabitants, and one of them is greater in
righteousness than he, then that man is not one of our
followers.
-Truly, a follower of Ja'far is one who does not listen
to his stomach or to his carnal desires, who endeavours
in the path of Islam, who acts for the sake of Allah,
hoping only for His reward and fearing His chastisement.
Yes, indeed, such are the followers of Ja'far.
38. The Avoidance of
Oppression
In the opinion of the Imams, one of the worst sins
among men is enmity and iniquity between themselves. Just
as it is said in the Qur'an:
Deem not that Allah is heedless of what the iniquitous
do; He is only deferring them to a day when eves shall
stare.(14:42)
Likewise, 'Ali, Amir al-Mu'minin (A.S.) had a strong
aversion to iniquity, and he told the truth when he said:
I swear by Allah that if all the continents of the
earth and all that is under the sun were offered to me in
exchange for sinning towards Allah even by stealing a
grain of barley from an ant, truly 1 should never do such
a thing.
And this shows how much a person can be aware of the
evil of iniquity and hold himself back from doing it.
'Ali would not do wrong even to an ant by stealing a
grain of barley from it, even though all the lands of the
earth were offered to him. How then does one stand who
sheds the blood of Muslims, plunders their property, and
pours scorn on their reputation and honour? How should he
be compared with 'Ali? Where does he stand compared to
the wisdom of 'Ali? Truly, 'Ali's behaviour is a shining
example of the excellent religious education which Islam
seeks to instill in humanity.
Iniquity is, then, one of the greatest of the sins
Allah has prohibited, and this is why the Household of
the Prophet have cautioned their followers against it
above all else, through their words and prayers. Thus was
their policy and behaviour, and they acted justly not
only towards their friends, but also towards those who
showed disrespect for them and treated them with
rudeness.
The story of the forebearance of Imam Hasan (A.S.)
with the man of Sham (Damascus) who insulted him[9] is well known. On that
occasion, the Imam spoke gently with him and treated him
kindly, letting him understand that he had done wrong.
Even as the fourth Imam, Sayyid as-Sajadin asked for
forgiveness for iniquitous persons in hisad'iyah.
This is the utmost generosity and nobility of mind that a
perfect man can reach. Although it is correct from an
Islamic point of view to avenge an oppressor in one's own
manner, and to curse him before Allah, it is better to
forgive than to avenge, for forgiveness is a sign of
virtue; indeed, in the opinion of the Imams, to curse him
is to be iniquitous oneself.
Imam Sadiq (A.S.) said:
Verily, a slave is oppressed so long as he refrains
from cursing his oppressive master excessively, but if he
should do so, then he becomes an oppressor too.
How sublime this is! But if to curse an oppressor is
oppression itself, what is the condition of those who
instigate oppression and iniquity, who commit aggression
against people, or caste aspersions on their reputations,
who plunder their property, denounce them before
oppressors, or deceive them so that they fall into danger
or are hurt, or who spy on them? How do they stand in the
wisdom of the Imams? Truly, such persons are the farthest
from the generosity of Allah, their sins and their
punishment are the most horrible, just as are their
actions and morality.
39. Doctrine of
Non-Cooperation with Oppressors
Because oppression is very dangerous and has evil
consequences, Allah has forbidden men to cooperate with
the iniquitous or to associate with them. He has said:
And do not incline towards those who are injust, lest
the fire touch you, and you have no guardians besides
Allah, then you shall not be helped. (11;113)
This is exactly what the Descendents of the Prophet
have taught us, and their teachings are the same as the
Qur'an's. It is narrated that they had the greatest
aversion to those who form ties with, help or cooperate
with oppressors at any price, even to the extent of half
a date. Without doubt, the greatest misfortune that has
beset Islam and the Muslims is their lack of firmness in
dealing with the evils of oppressors, and their
connivance with them, not to mention their cooperating
with them and protecting them in their oppression. There
is no greater reason for the weakness and backwardness of
the Muslims than their deviation from the straight path
of Islam, and, as a result, the religion loses its power
and disintegrates day by day, becoming foreign to the
people. The Muslims, or rather those who call themselves
Muslims, become powerless and far from the protection of
Allah, so that they are unable to defend themselves
against the most feeble and lowest enemies like the
abject Jews let alone their powerful Christian opponents.
As far as they were able, the Imams always endeavoured
to prevent their companions and relatives from
cooperating with oppressors or helping them, and
concerning this innumerable traditions have been related
by the narrators. One of these traditions is from Imam
Zayn al'Abidin (A.S.), who had written to Muhammad ibn
Muslim az-Zuhari after warning him not to engage in
oppression himself.
The reason they ask for you is only to use you as a
grinding stone, a bridge whereby they can progress to
their evil aims, a ladder to their deviations, so that
you may be an agent and a propagandist for their crimes.
Through you, they can hide their affairs from wise men,
and attract the ignorant to themselves. Neither their own
ministers nor their followers can disguise their faults
as you can; what little will they give to you compared
with what they take away. Take care of yourself, examine
yourself and reckon with your actions as a responsible
person.
The last sentence is full of meaning. Because, as long
as man is conquered by his desires he considers himself
worthless, and feels no responsibility for what he does;
he cannot feel the evil of his bad deeds and he supposes
that what he does is as nothing and will not be taken
account of. Truly this is one of the secrets of man's
unruly soul.
Then the Imam wanted to make az-Zuhari aware of this
spiritual secret which mysteriously is part of his
nature, so that he would not be deluded by his
imagination and exceed his responsibility.
One conversation that is more forceful than the above,
but which is on the same subject, comes from Imam Musa
Kazim. He was speaking to Safwan al-Jammal who was a
Shi'i and a faithful narrator of his traditions,
according to al-Kishshi, who has given a biography of
al-Jammal.
It is narrated that al-Jammal went to see Imam Musa.
'O Safwan! All of your actions are good, except one.'
'And what is that!'
'Your hiring of camels to that man Harun.'
'I swear by Allah that I did not do this so that he might
live in pleasure, nor that he might hunt, or amuse
himself, hut only that he might make the pilgrimage to
Mecca. I have not taken charge of the camels myself, but
have entrusted them to a servant.'
'Does he have to pay for them?'
'Yes.'
'Do you wish him to live until he pays.'
'Yes.'
'Whosoever wishes them (i.e. the oppressors) to stay
alive is in fact one of them, and he shall enter Hell.'
Safwan relates that he immediately went and sold all his
camels.
If such is the future for one who only wishes the
iniquitous to live, then how bad it must be for one who
helps them or joins with them, or does their work or who
obeys them.
40. Doctrine of
Non-Participation in
Oppressive Government
Since our Imams have firmly warned us not to help
oppressors, even to the extent of giving them half a
date, and not to hope for their lives, the situation of
one who cooperates with them and joins their government
is indeed a bad one. Similarly, for one who is in their
employment, or is one of the founders of their state, or
is devoted to preserving their government. Because:
being loyal to an oppressive government completely
undermines the truth, and rehabilitates and propagates
falsehood, iniquity and corruption.
This is related from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (A.S.).
However, joining the oppressors or their government is
permitted by our Imams if, by so doing, we can increase
justice and perform the commands of Allah. if it is for
the good of the believers, encourages what is right or
forbids what is evil. Imam Musa (A.S.) said:
Verily, there are among the company of the oppressors
those through whom Allah has made bright His path. He
gives them the power to protect His friends and to
resolve the difficulties of the Muslims. They are among
those who truly believe. They are the guides of Allah and
a light among His slaves.
Many traditions have been passed down concerning these
things, which have clarified the duties of governors and
government employees, who should act in accordance with
them. For example, (the letter which) Imam Sadiq wrote to
'Abdullah al-Najashi, the governor-general of Ahwaz.
41. The Imams call People
to Islamic Unity
It is well known that the Household of the Prophet
tried hard to preserve the rites of Islam, to call
Muslims to restore its glory, to unify their beliefs, and
that they also strived to maintain the brotherhood of
Islam and to remove malice and enmity from the hearts of
the Muslims.
We cannot ignore Imam 'Ali's dealings with his
predecessors to thekhilafah. He treated them with
consideration although he believed that they had taken
what was his right. He agreed with them and kept his
peace with them. and refrained from expressing his
opinion about his own right to thekhilafah in
public until after he had attained to it. Then he called
together the remaining followers of the Prophet (those
who were still alive and who had been present on the day
of Ghadir when the Prophet had appointed 'Ali as hiskhalifah),
so that they could bear witness to his appointment to the
khilafah.
He never withheld his opinion about what was helpful
or in the interests of Islam and the Muslims, and he
often said:
I was afraid lest I should not help Islam and the
Muslims, and that they would fail.
He said and did nothing against the position, power
and authority of thekhulafa', but kept himself to
his house and remained silent, despite the fact that he
saw what they were doing.
He acted thus for the sake of Islamic interests, up to
the point where he was famous for his admirable
qualities. The secondkhalifah, 'Umar ibn Khattab,
said many times: "I would never encounter a
difficulty without Abu 'l-Hasan being there to contribute
to its solution." And "If it were not for 'Ali,
'Umar (himself) would have perished."
History cannot forget the way Imam Hasan (A.S.) dealt
with Mu'awiyah. He made peace with him, because he
realised that if he continued to fight, the light of the
Qur'an and just government would be extinguished, and
moreover the name of Islam would vanish for all time, the
Divineshari'ah would be lost and the Imams that
were to come would be obliterated. So he chose to protect
the edifice of Islam and its name. For this reason, he
made peace with Mu'awivah, who was a resolute hated Imam
Hasan and enemy of the religion and of Muslims, and who
his followers. He knew that Mu'awiyah would deal unjustly
with him and his companions, and. although he could have
counted on his family and followers to fight for their
rights and defend themselves, he believed that the
highest interests of Islam were above all these things
and more important then them.
It was for the same reason that the third Imam,
Husayn, the Holy Martyr, rose up against the Banu
Ummayah; for he realised that if they continued in their
vicious ways without anyone taking arms against them and
proclaiming their wicked intentions, they would eradicate
Islam and its glory. Thus he wished to point out their
oppression and iniquity for posterity, so as to expose
their evil plans against the Prophet's religion.
Naturally, events turned out as had been predicted. If it
had not been for his holy campaign, Islam would have been
recorded as a religion of the past, and it would have
been thought a false religion.
In completing his holy campaign, following through and
pursuing his sacred aim against iniquity and oppression,
the Shi'a revive and remember the tragedy at Karbala'
every year and in various ways, as the Imams have
commanded.
We should obtain a better and clearer understanding of
how the Descendents of the Prophet tried hard to preserve
the glory of Islam if we study the behaviour of Imam Zayn
al-' Abidin towards the Umayyid kings, despite the fact
that his family had been killed and that his reputation
had been destroyed by them. He was continually despondent
and heart-broken over the murder of his father and family
by the Umayyids at Karbala', but, in spite of these
things, he always prayed that the armies of the Muslims
would be victorious, and secretly asked Allah to keep the
Muslims in safety and to ensure the increase and glory of
Islam. He propagated knowledge of Islam, and by means of
prayer alone he taught his followers how they should ask
Allah for victory for the Muslims. He said in his famousdu'a',
for the guardians of the frontiers of Islam:
O Allah! Send down peace upon Muhammad and his Family,
increase their numbers, sharpen their swords, protect
their homes,
preserve their country, cause friendship to spread among
them,
improve their conduct,
provide them with sustenance and the means of livelihood,
help them, bestow on them patience, teach them the ways
of cleverness . . .
(and then after calling for the wrath of Allah on the
unbelievers)
O Allah! In this way strengthen the people of Islam,
protect their lands, increase their property,
let the soldiers of Islam be free from fighting that they
might worship Thee privately.
Let nothing be worshipped over the whole of the earth but
Thee.
Let no-one prostrate himself before anyone but Thee.
Thus he continued hisdu'a' (it is one of his
longest), telling of the duties of the Muslims armies,
how they must behave and be of good character and have
good equipment. It contains teachings on the Holy War
(jihad), showing its purpose and its results, warning
Muslims to keep clear of their enemies, instructing them
how to deal with their attacks and defend themselves. It
also contains instructions on their obligations, such as
continual remembrance of Allah, avoidance of unlawful
things and keeping the jihad pure for Allah.
Likewise, other Imams have dealt with the kings of
their times, although they were being tortured and
cruelly and severely maltreated by these kings with many
kinds of suffering and pain. When they realised that an'
Islamic government was not going to be re-established,
they tried their best to teach the religion to the
people, pointing out to them the excellence of Islamic
knowledge. No insurrection which happened either through
some of their family or through others during these times
was ordered by them; on the contrary, these were in
opposition to their explicit orders, because they made
the utmost effort to protect the government of Islam.
No-one, not even the 'Abbasidkhulafa' tried
harder than them to protect it.
It is enough just to look at the advice of Imam Musa
ibn Ja'far (A.S.) to his followers:
I charge you to obey your king and not to lose your
strength through disobedience. If he is just, ask Allah
to protect his life; if he is an oppressor, ask Allah to
reform him. For your interests are identical with his
interests. Verily, a just king is really like a father -
wish for him what you wish for yourselves, and do not
wish for him what you do not wish for yourselves.
This is one of the best sayings on the subject of the
protection of a king by his people: "wish for him
what you wish for yourselves, and do not wish for him
what you do not wish for yourselves."
Compare with this the great offence some writers who
are contemporary with us have committed. They have spoken
of the Shi'a as a hidden destructive group, as a band of
revolutionaries and avengers. Now, it is correct that
every Muslim who obeys the teachings of the Household
should, from the moral point of view, despise oppression
and oppressors, keep clear of them and their evil deeds,
feel repugnance and contempt for them and their fellows
and helpers and dislike them all. The Shi'a have had
these feelings engrained in their souls from generation
to generation. However, they are not rebels. Nor do they
like to stir up trouble or foment insurrection against a
rebellious government which says that it is an Islamic
government, neither secretly nor openly.
The teachings of the Imams do not allow them suddenly
to take the life of someone who is a Muslim, or to betray
him, although his beliefs may differ from theirs. But,
according to their teachings, a Muslim who professestawhid
and thenubawwah of Muhammad (S.A.) is to be
respected; his blood, his property and his family is
secure. "It is not right to take the property of a
Muslim except by his leave." All Muslims are
brothers to each other, and to each of them belong the
rights of brotherhood, as we shall now explain.
42. Doctrine of the Rights
of Brotherhood
between Muslims
One of the highest and most excellent instructions of
Islam to all Muslims is brotherhood without distinction
of birth, rank or position. But, unfortunately, Muslims
have always neglected this. One of the smallest duties of
Islamic brotherhood is that a Muslim should wish for his
brother what he wishes for himself, and that he should
not wish for his brother what he does not wish for
himself, as we shall point out in a tradition from Imam
Sadiq.
One must study this duty well, and it is accounted a
very small one in the opinion of the Descendents of
Muhammad. One sees that Muslims find it difficult to
fulfil this small duty, for their morals and behaviour
are not in accordance with the Islamic spirit.
Concentrate carefully on this small responsibility; if
people were to respect it, neither oppression, nor
enmity, nor theft, nor falsehood. nor back-biting, nor
informing would be found anywhere among them. If they
realised the result of this and were careful in carrying
out this duty, oppression and enmity would disappear;
they would live as brothers with each other and attain
the height of happiness among themselves. Madinah
al-Fadilah[10] of
the ancient philosophers would become a reality, no
government would be needed, no court of law, no police,
prison or criminal law. they would be free from
colonisers and tyrants; oppressors could not force their
iniquity on them; and the earth would become paradise.
Furthermore, if Islamic brotherhood reigned among
people, as Islam has said it should, then the word
justice would disappear from our dictionaries; justice
and its laws would not be needed, and brotherhood alone
would suffice to ensure goodness, peace, happiness and
pleasure among us. For humanity, in such a situation,
would have no need for justice and its laws; these are
only needed when there is a lack of love between people.
A mother is kind and good towards her children because of
her love and compassion, not because of the commandments
of justice. We can understand why a man loves only
himself and that which is agreeable to him; it is
impossible for him to love something or someone unless it
belongs to him. And when he does love something or
someone, it is impossible for him to give them to someone
else whom he dislikes. unless there exists a principle
which is stronger than his desires, like a belief in
justice and kindness, and in this case, he may devote his
interests to someone else whom he does not like.
Such an ideal, when it dwells in the human mind, keeps
it in a position above all material things, so that it is
able to realise the superiority of justice and goodness.
and to show kindness to others. It will be seen that man
needs such superior ideals when there is no kindness and
brother hood between him and his fellow men. That is to
say that as long as he lacks the feeling of brotherhood -
and the fact that he does is because of his egotism and
desires as long as this feeling is missing, he must
believe in the goodness of justice and kindness,
following the guidance of Islam. And if he fails to
believe in this as well, then he does not deserve to be
thought of as a Muslim; such a man. even in name, is not
a friend of Allah; he has done nothing for the sake of
Allah. as we shall see in the tradition of the Imam which
follows. Usually human desires overcome man, and it is
difficult for him to prepare himself even to believe in
justice, and so it is much more difficult for him to
attain that perfect belief through which he can vanquish
his desires.
We can see that the brotherhood of man is very
difficult to obtain as long as its desirability is not
sensed. For this reason, Imam Sadiq did not wish to
explain to al-Mu'alla ibn Khunays more than he could
understand, because Ja'far was afraid to teach him what
he could not put into practice. Mu'alla asked:
'What does one Muslim owe another?'
'There are seven duties incumbent upon him. Should he
neglect but one of them. he is not a friend or servant of
Allah. and truly he has done nothing for the sake of
Allah.'
'What may these things be?'
'I feel compassion for you. I am afraid lest you learn
them, but you neglect to put them into practice, or you
cannot. There is no power but in Allah.'
Mu'alla then relates that the Imam told him the seven:
'First. the smallest duty is that you should wish for
your brother what you wish for yourself, and that you
should wish that what you do not desire for yourself
should not befall your brother.'
So, this is a small duty'. Do we find this easy? That
is to say, we present-day Muslims? May those who call
themselves Muslims but do not act in accordance with this
small but strict duty find themselves disgraced.
It is amazing that the backward state of the Muslims
should be ascribed to Islam, while the only reason for it
is the behaviour of the Muslims, that is those who call
themselves Muslims but do not carry out this humble duty.
Having reminded ourselves and mentioned our present
circumstances, we shall now list the seven duties as
related by Mu'alla from Imam Ja'far (A.S.).
(a) Wish for your brother what you wish for yourself,
and wish that what you do not desire for yourself should
not befall your brother.
(b) Do not make your brother angry, but seek to please
him and obey his wishes.
(c) Help him with your soul, your tongue, your hands and
your feet.
(d) Be his eye to see by, his guide to lead him and his
mirror.
(e) Do not eat your fill when he is hungry, nor drink and
clothe yourself when he is thirsty and naked.
(f) If he has no servant, but you do, it is incumbent on
you to send your servant to him to wash his clothes, cook
his food and spread out his mattress.
(g) Accept his promise and his invitation; visit him when
he is sick, attend his funeral, and see to his needs
before he asks you, hurrying to do them if you can.
When he had finished, Imam Ja'far said:
If you fulfil these duties you can call yourself his
friend, and he will be your friend also.
There are many traditions told from our Imams, and
most of them are collected in 'Kitab al-Wasa'il'il in the
relevant sections.
Some people have imagined that the Imams meant
brotherhood only among the Shi'a, but if they were to
read the traditions they would understand that their
imagination is deceiving them, although the Imams did
strongly repudiate those whose way was against the Shi'a
and who did not follow their guidance. Let us mention
here the conversation of Imam Sadiq with Mu'awiyah ibn
Wahab.
'How should we treat those who do not follow our ways?'
'Look to your Imams whom you obey, and obey them and
imitate them. They visit them (i.e. those who are not
Shi' a) when they are sick, go to their funerals, give
evidence for or against them. and repay their trust.'
No, the brotherhood that the Imams envisaged among
their followers is higher than ordinary Islamic
brotherhood, and it has been mentioned briefly in the
introduction. It will suffuce to read the following
conversation between Imam Sadiq and Aban ibn Taghlab.
Aban relates: While I was circumambulating the Ka'bah
with Imam Sadiq, one of our friends signalled to me that
I should immediately go with him to help him. The Imam
noticed and said to me:
'O Aban, does he mean you?'
I replied: 'Yes.'
'Does he believe in what you believe in?'
'Yes.'
'Then go with him and break your circumambulation.' I
asked if it was incumbent on me to do so, and he said
that it was. Then I went with the man to help him, and
after doing so I returned to the Imam and asked him about
the rights of the believers.
'Do not ask me concerning them,' he said.
But I insisted.
'Give your brother half of what you own,' he told me, and
looked at me. He understood my surprise and said: 'O
Aban! Do you know that Allah admires those believers who
prefer others to themselves?'
I replied: 'Yes.' 'When you give your brother half of
what you own you do not prefer him above yourself, but
only when you give him the other half do you really
prefer him above yourself.'
If we feel shame at this, then really we should not
call ourselves believers. We are quite remote from the
teachings of the Imams. Everyone who reads this tradition
becomes astonished as did Aban, but then he pays no
further attention to it and forgets it, as if he were not
the person addressed, and as if he were not responsible.
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