PREFACE
In the name of Beneficent and Merciful God
The sacred faith of Islam is based on monotheism and worship of Unique God, and on the prophethood of Mohammad, the last prophet, may God’s greetings be upon him1 and on his descendants, and on the immate of his noble successors and Imams, and so is bound true Muslim who is devoted to the ways of Islam to obey them, God says in the holy Quran: (اطيعواالله و اطيعوا الرسول و اولي الامر منكم ) Meaning: “Obey God, His prophet and his successors who hold the rein of affairs”2
According to the noble tradition of Thaghaleyn3 which is accepted by all the Islmiac sects, as well as many other traditions, the holders of the rein of affairs of the Muslims are indeed the members of the household of the prophet of Islam, namely the twelve Imams and Leaders. The Shiite sect which is the pure faith of Islam is based on these two firm and fundamental foundations, namely the Quran, and the Household of the Prophet of God, who are the Prophet’s, successors as interpretors of the Quran, and guardians of the Holy Ordinance of Islam.
The Noble Prophet of Islam says on the famous and consecutive tradition of Thaghaleyn:
(اني تارك فيكم الثقلين كتاب الله و عترتي ما ان تمسكتم بهما لن تضلوا بعدي ابدا )(4)
Meaning: “I leave for you as souvenirs two weighty and precious things, namely the Book of God (the Quran), and my Household, and if you rely on them, you will never be led astray.” The expression Ahl-ol-Beyt, meaning the members of the Prophet’s Household, consist of the noble Prophet himself, his noble daughter Fatima Zahra, her exalted husband Aliyeb-ne-Abu-Taleb, and their eleven Descendants. According to the noble verse of Tat-heer, all these Personages are Impeccable, and free from all vice and uncleanness. God says in His Holy Book:
(انما يريد الله ليذهب عنكم الرجس اهل البيت و يطهركم تطهيرا )(5)
Menaing: “It is indeed God’s will to remove from you member of this Household all impurities and purify you from every defect.”
The noble Imams, peace he upon them 6, are considered models of purity and chastity. They are the Prophet’s Successors down to the Day of Resurection, and their verdicts and commands are to be followed and obeyed. Their words are exactly the utterances and instructions of the Prophet, Their Noble Grandfather. These fourteen impeccable personages of Ahl-ol-Beyt are as follows:
1- Muhammadeh-ne-Abdollah, the Noble Prophet of Islam (G)
2- Imam Aliyeb-ne-Abu-Taleb (Amirol-Momenin), Commander of the Faithful (P)
3- Hazrat-e-Fatima Zahra, Daughter of the Prophet (P)
4- Imam Hassan Mojtaba (P)
5- Imam Hosseyn, Lord of the Martyrs (P)
6- Imam Sajjad, Aliyeb-nel-Hosseyn, Zeinol-Abedin (P)
7- Imam Muhammad Bagher (P)
8- Imam Jaafar Sadegh (P)
9- Imam Mussa Kazem (P)
10- Imam Aliyeb-ne-Musar-Reza (P)
11- Imam Muhammad Taghi (Jawad) (P)
12- Imam Au Naghi (Hadi) (P)
13- Imam Hassan Askari (P)
14- Imam Mahdi (Imam-e-Zaman) (P)
The sagacious and eloquent utterances of all these great personages which serve as brilliant worldly and eternal counsels, are called Hadith, Khabar and Rewayat. They are collected and presented at lenght in many books related to pithy sayings, narrations and traditions.
The present book which is offered to dear readers, is in fact a selection of brief traditions and meaningful instructions from the rich store of Islamic heritage. An attempt has been made with God’s aid to make them instructive and beneficial for every human being from any class, group of sect, despite their brevity.
In this direction, we beg Beneficent God to aid us in continuing the way of propagating the rightful and fruitful route of true Islam, and satisfy in these vital times the seekers of the direct and true path, and bring them success in this world and the next. May He consider this small effort acceptable in the treasure store of His Mercy and Kindness, since it is only He who can help us all in both worlds.
1. In reverance to the name of the prophet, in persian and Arabic writing the letter (ص) and in english the letter (G) is placed in brackets after his name.
2. Chapter Nessa, verse 59.
3. The two fundamental foundations, in Islam.
4. Mostadrek-e-Hakem-e-Neishaburi, Vol. 3, pp. 109, and Khessaess-e-Nesai, p. 150.
5. Chapter 33, Ahzab, verse 33.
6. In reverance to the name of each Imam, in Persian and Arabic, the letter (ع) and in English the letter (P) is placed after his name, to stand for the phrase: “Peace be upon Him.”
Tehran, Mosque of Zeynab Kobra, peace be upon her.
Sayed Ali Lavassani