Introduction

God is One and Only

Abandoning the Present to Attain the Promised

Oppressive Characteristics

Characteristics Rooted in Love for Religion

One Characteristic for Five Characteristics

A Characteristic for a Characteristic

A Saving Characteristic

The Loftiest Characteristic of the Religion

No Two Things Combined which are Better than the Combination of Two Characteristics

A Characteristic that is the Honor of This World and the Hereafter

The Most Knowledgeable Person Is One who Combines One Characteristic with Another One

There Is One True Prosperity And One True Misery

A Characteristic for Which the People Deserve to be Rewarded or Punished

A Characteristic that Is the Noblest Holy War

The Hardest Thing is One Characteristic that Cannot Be Avoided Unless We Abandon Another Characteristic

A Believer’s Honor Is in One Characteristic and His Glory Is In Another Characteristic

One Characteristic Is the Key to All Evil

A Characteristic Due to Justice

A Characteristic Due to Which We Are Interested in How Others Judge About Us

Seek Nearness to God with One Characteristic

God Has Not Tested the Servants with Anything Harder Than One Characteristic

A Characteristic that Is the Result of Being Kind

A Characteristic that Stabilizes One’s Faith and One that Makes Him Lose His Faith

A Characteristic that Destroys a Believer’s Dignity

A Good Characteristic Which No Other Characteristic Is Better Than, and a Bad Characteristic That No Other Characteristic Is Worse Than

A Characteristic That Guarantees Who Will Not Become Poor

The Form of Chivalry of the Members of the Holy Household

A Characteristic Due to One’s Chivalry

A Characteristic that Is Not Good for a Dignified Man

God Loves One Characteristic and Despises One Characteristic

One Who has This Characteristic Would Not Be Thankful for Blessings

A Characteristic Due to Humbleness

A Characteristic that Is Close to Blasphemy and A Characteristic that Might Change Destiny

A Characteristic that Destroyed Previous Nations

Martyrdom Is Expiation for Every Sin Except for One’s Debt

God the Almighty Has Sent Muhammad (sw) and His Nation a Gift That He Has Not Given to Any Other Nation

A Characteristic that One Should Have If He Wants to Increase Goodness in His House

God Will Look at Whom He Likes. Once He Looks at Him, He Shall Grant Him One of Three Gifts

The Hereafter is the Wedding of the Pious Ones

A Characteristic That is Like its Opposite

The Most Wicked People Are Those Who Are Respected for Possessing One Characteristic

A Characteristic in This World is Abstinence, and a Characteristic That is Gratitude for all Blessings

Nothing Deserves to Be Restrained More Than the Tongue

Whoever Raises his Aspirations Does Wrong

Good Deeds Are Recorded for a Muslim as Long as He Remains Quiet

A Characteristic Having Which Will Result in God Saving You From the Fear of the Hereafter

The Most Intelligent Characteristic

The Most Pious, the Best Worshipping, the Most Ascetic and the Most Hard-Working People

Becoming Sorry Is the Same as Repenting

Whoever Earns More Than His Meals fom This World

A Characteristic That Deserves to Be Willed

A Characteristic That Causes One to Be Thrown Out and a Characteristic That Causes One to Be Joined

Lofty Characteristics and Bad Characteristics for the People of the World

There Is No Honor Except Through One Characteristic. There Is No Nobility Except Through Another Characteristic

When God Loves a Servant He Will Make Him Suffer from a Great Calamity

A Characteristic That Leads to Hemorrhoids

A Hand on Which There Is an Iron Ring Is Not Clean

Do Not Respond to Whoever Talks Before He Greets You

A Characteristic That if Practiced Implies Despise for Muhammad’s Religion

Only One of the Proverbs of the Prophets Has Remained

When God Wishes a Servant Well, He Will Expedite His Punishment in This World, and When He Wishes Someone Bad, He Will Procrastinate His Punishment

Be Patient with the Enemies of the Blessings

The Prophet (sw) and Ali Ibn Abi Talib Were Created from the Same Root

A Characteristic That is Gratitude for All Blessings

Religion Is the Same as Love

When Two Believers Shake Hands They Shall Depart from Each Other Void of Any Sins

A Characteristic That Revives the Hearts

A Characteristic That Revives the Affairs of the Almighty God’s Proofs

God the Almighty Has Not Created Anything More Delightful Than This Characteristic

A Characteristic That Constitutes Nine-Tenths of Religion

Whoever is Pleased with His Destiny or is Displeased with it

A Characteristic for Which Even Red-Haired Camels Are Not Loved

A Characteristic That Increases the Daily Bread

A Characteristic That Leads to Hypocrisy and Poverty

The First Gift Given to a Believer Due to a Characteristic

A Characteristic for Which One Who Has No Good Deeds is Forgiven on the Resurrection Day

A Characteristic That is the Root of All Sins

How Awkward It Is If a Man Enters Heaven Having Lost His Honor

A Characteristic Doing Which Will Cause the Almighty God to Have Mercy Upon You

A Characteristic Doing Which Will Cause Increased Good for One’s House

On Him Whose Health Has Overcome His Illness but He Treats Himself and Dies

A Characteristic Which a Believer Avoids

Nothing Ruins Faith as Much as One Characteristic Does

One Who Lives to See his Successor Is Prosperous

A Believer’s Honor is More Than That of the Ka’ba

It Suffices for a Believer to See God’s Aid in the Form of His Enemies Engaged in the Almighty God’s Disobedience

A Gift Will Eliminate Animosities

Prosperous Be the One Who is Indifferent

A Characteristic That Will Make One Poor in the Hereafter

A Group of People Who Are the Masters of Heaven

God’s Prophet Made His Ablutions One Organ at a Time

The Characteristic That Is the Best Goodness

The Prophet Put off His Special Prayer for One Characteristic

A Characteristic That is the Best Form of Worshipping and a Characteristic That is the Noblest Form of Being Religious

What Is A Lot but Its Doers Are A Few

A Characteristic That Constitutes Half of the Religion

A Characteristic That is the Best Thing Given to a Muslim

The Prophet and Ali Ibn Abi Talib Were Created from One Light

A Servant’s Well-Being Depends Upon the Well-Being of One of His Organs

19-3 حدثنا أبوالعباس محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا أبوسعيد الحسن بن علي العدوي قال: حدثنا عباد بن صهيب، عن أبيه، عن جده، عن الربيع صاحب المنصور قال: حضر أبوعبد الله جعفر بن محمد الصادق عليهم السلام مجلس المنصور يوما وعنده رجل من الهند يقرأ كتب الطب فجعل أبو عبد الله الصادق جعفر بن محمد عليهما السلام ينصت لقراء‌ته فلما فرغ الهندي قال له: يا أبا عبد الله: أتريد مما معي شيئا؟ قال: لا، فإن ما معي خير مما معك، قال: وما هو؟ قال: أداوي الحار بالبارد، والبارد بالحار، والرطب باليابس، واليابس بالرطب، وأرد الامر كله إلى الله عز وجل، وأستعمل ما قاله رسوله صلى الله عليه وآله وأعلم أن المعدة بيت الداء والحمية هي الدواء، واعود البدن ما اعتاد، فقال الهندي: وهل الطب إلا هذا؟ فقال الصادق عليه السلام: أفتراني عن كتب الطب أخذت؟ قال: نعم، قال: لا والله ما أخذت إلا عن الله سبحانه، فأخبرني أنا أعلم بالطب أم أنت؟ فقال الهندي: بل أنا، قال الصادق عليه السلام: فأسألك شيئا؟ قال: سل، قال عليه السلام: أخبرني يا هندي لم كان في الرأس شؤون؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعل الشعر عليه من فوقه؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم خلت الجبهة من الشعر؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كان لها تخطيط وأسارير؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كان الحاجبان من فوق العينين؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعلت العينان كاللوزتين قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعل الانف فيما بينهما؟ قال: لا أعلم قال: ولم كان ثقف الانف في أسفله، قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعلت الشفة والشارب من فوق الفم؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم احتد السن وعرض الضرس وطال الناب؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعلت اللحية للرجال؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم خلت الكفان من الشعر؟ قال: لا أعلم قال: فلم خلا الظفر والشعر من الحياة؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كان القلب كحب الصنوبر؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كانت الرية قطعتين وجعل حـركتها فـي موضعهـا؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كانت الكبد حدباء؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم كانت الكلية كحب اللوبيا؟ قال: لا أعلم، قال: فلم جعل طي الركبتين إلى خلف؟ قال: لا أعلم قال: فلم تخصرت القدمان؟ قال: لا أعلم. فقال الصادق عليه السلام: لكني أعلم، قال: فأجب فقال الصادق عليه السلام: كان في الرأس شؤون لانه المجوف إذا كان بلا فصل أسرع إليه الصداع، فإذا جعل ذا فصول كان الصداع منه أبعد، وجعل شعر من فوقه ليوصل بوصوله الادهان إلى الدماغ، ويخرج بأطرافه البخار منه، ويرد الحر والبرد الواردين عليه. وخلت الجبهة من الشعر لانها مصب النور إلى العينين، وجعل فيها التخطيط والاسارير ليحتبس العرق الوارد من الرأس عن العين قدر ما يميطه الانسان عن نفسه، كالانهار في الارض التي تحبس المياه، وجعل الحاجبان من فوق العينين ليرد عليهما من النور قدر الكفاية، ألا ترى يا هندي أن من غلبه النور جعل يده على عينيه ليرد عليهما قدر كفايتهما منه وجعل الانف فيما بينهما ليقسم النور قسمين إلى كل عين سواء، وكانت العين كاللوزة ليجري فيها الميل بالدواء ويخرج منها الداء، ولو كانت مربعة أو مدورة ما جرى فيها الميل، وما وصل إليها دواء، ولا خرج منها داء، وجعل ثقب الانف في أسفله لتنزل منه الادواء المنحدرة من الدماغ، ويصعد فيه الاراييح إلى المشام ولو كان على أعلاه لما أنزل داء، ولا وجد رائحة، وجعل الشارب والشفة فوق الفم ليحتبس ما ينزل من الدماغ عن الفم لئلا يتنغص على الانسان طعامه وشرابه فيميطه عن نفسه، وجعلت اللحية للرجال ليستغنى بها عن الكشف في المنظر ويعلم بها الذكر من الانثى، وجعل السن حادا لان به يقع المضغ، وجعل الضرس عريضا لان به يقع الطحن والمضغ، وكان الناب طويلا ليسند الاضراس والاسنان كالاسطوانة في البناء، وخلا الكفان من الشعر لان بهما يقع اللمس فلو كان فيهما شعر ما درى الانسان ما يقابله ويلمسه، وخلا الشعر والظفر من الحياة لان طولهما سمج وقصهما حسن، فلو كان فيهما حياة لالم الانسان بقصهما، وكان القلب كحب الصنوبر لانه منكس فجعل رأسه دقيقا ليدخل في الرية فتروح عنه ببردها لئلا يشيط الدماغ بحره وجعلت الرية قطعتين ليدخل بيـن مضاغطها فيتروح عنه بحركتها، وكان الكبد حدباء ليثقل المعدة ويقع جميعا عليها فيعصرها ليخرج ما فيها من البخار، وجعلت الكلية كحب اللوبيا لان عليها مصب المني نقطة بعد نقطة فلو كانت مربعة أو مدورة احتبست النقطة الاولى إلى الثانية فلا يلتذ بخروجها الحي، إذ المني ينزل من قفار الظهر إلى الكلية فهي كالدودة تنقبض وتنبسط ترميه أولا فأولا إلى المثانة كالبندقة من القوس وجعل طي الركبة إلى خلف لان الانسان يمشي إلى بين يديه فيعتدل الحركات ولولا ذلك لسقط في المشي وجعلت القدم مخصرة لان المشي إذا وقع على الارض جميعه ثقل كثقل حجر الرحى، فإذا كان على حرفه رفعه الصبي وإذا وقع على وجهه صعب نقله على الرجل فقال له الهندي: من أين لك هذا العلم؟ فقال عليه السلام: أخذته عن آبائي عليهم السلام عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله عن جبرئيل عليه السلام عن رب العالمين جل جلاله الذي خلق الاجساد والارواح، فقال الهندي: صدقت وأنا أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله وعبده، وأنك أعلم أهل زمانك

19-3 Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taleqani (ra) narrated that Abu Sa’id al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Ado’we quoted Ebad ibn Saheeb, on the authority of his father, on the authority of his grandfather, on the authority of Al-Rabi’a - the companion of al-Mansoor, “One day Ja’far Ibn Muhammad as-Sadiq (a.s.) went to see Mansoor when an Indian doctor who read medical books was there. The Imam (a.s.) was listening. When the Indian doctor finished reading, he asked the Imam (a.s.), ‘O Aba Abdullah! Do you want me to teach you medicine?’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) replied, ‘No, since what I know is better than what you know.’ The Indian doctor said, ‘What do you know?’ The Imam (a.s.) said, ‘I treat heat with cold, cold with heat, moisture with dryness and dryness with moisture. I leave the rest of the affairs to the Honorable the Exalted God and rely on the Prophet’s saying ‘that the stomach is the center of all ailments and abstinence is the best treatment for all ailments. The body should be given time to get used to things.’ The doctor said, ‘Medicine is nothing else but this.’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘Do you think that I have learned these things from books on medicine?’ The Indian doctor said, ‘Yes, I do.’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘No. I swear by God that I have only learned these from the Glorified God. Am I better in medicine or you? The Indian doctor said, ‘I am better.’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘O Indian! May I then ask you a few questions?’ He said, ‘Go ahead and ask.’ <br>As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘O Indian! Why is the skull made of several pieces?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is there hair on the skull?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is there no hair on the forehead?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why are there lines and wrinkles on the forehead?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why are the eyebrows above the eyes?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why the two eyes are shaped like almonds?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is the nose placed in between them?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is the hole in the nose located beneath it?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is there a lip and the moustache above the mouth?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why do men have beards?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why are the front teeth sharp, the grinding teeth are wide and the canine teeth are tall?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is there no hair on the palm of the hand?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why are the nails and the hair not alive?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is the heart shaped like a pine seed?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why do the lungs have two divisions which move in place?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why is the liver curved?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why does the kidney look like a bean?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why do the two legs not bend backwards?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ The Imam (a.s.) asked, ‘Why are the feet curved?’ He said, ‘I do not know.’ <br>As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘But I know.’ The Indian doctor said, ‘So please tell me.’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) said, ‘The skull is made of several pieces since it is hollow. It would break up, if it was not made up of several pieces. It lasts longer since it is made up of several pieces. There is hair on top of the skull so that the oil from the base of the hair can reach the brain, and evaporation can take place from the tips of the hair to let off the heat of the brain. There is no hair on the forehead so that light can reach the eyes. There are lines and wrinkles on the forehead to block the sweat from the head, so that it doesn’t reach the eyes long enough for one to wipe it off. It is similar to the river beds on the Earth which hold the water. The eyebrows are placed above the eyes to control the amount of light that reaches the eyes. O doctor! Have you not noticed that when there is too much light, people hold their hand above their eyes so as to limit the amount of light which reaches the eyes. The nose is placed in between the two eyes so as to equally divide the light into them. The two eyes are shaped like almonds so that drops of medication can stay in them and not fall off. The holes in the nose are located beneath it, so that the waste stuff from can leave the skull through it and the smell of things can be sensed by it. If the holes were placed above it neither could the waste stuff leave the skull nor could you smell anything. A lip and the moustache are placed above the mouth so as to hold the waste stuff leaving the skull through the nose and so as not to pollute the food and drinks until one can wipe the lip and the moustache off. Men have beards so that they may be distinguished from women. The front teeth are sharp to make it easier to bite and chew. The grinding teeth are wide so that it is easier to break down the food which we chew and the canine teeth are high to reinforce the grinding teeth just as pillars which are used in buildings. There is no hair on the palm of the hands so that one can feel what he touches with them. Were there any hair on the palms of the hands, nothing could be felt by touching. The nails and the hair are not alive, since they look awkward when they grow and they look better when they are trimmed or cut. However, if they were alive one would feel pain. The heart is shaped like a pine seed because it is upside-down. Its top is narrower so that it can fit on between the lungs, and the lungs are cooled while it pumps and the brain doesn’t burn out due to heat. The lungs have been made in two divisions which move in place so that it may encompass the heart and get cooled with its beating. The liver is curved so that it may encompass the stomach with its weight placed on the stomach in order that the stomach’s vapors may leave it. The kidney is shaped like a bean so that it affects the flow of the sperm through its passage (vas deferens) to be a drop at a time. Were it like a rectangle or a circle, one could not feel the joy of ejaculation. Once semen leaves the seminal vesicle in the back it goes through with a spring like action into the ejaculatory duct. The two legs bend the way they do, since we normally walk forward and our movements are balanced. Were it otherwise, we would fall down when we walked. Our feet are curved, since once we step on the ground we do not feel all the weight. This is similar to a millstone. If a millstone is placed on its round edge even a child can turn it. However, if it falls on the ground even a strong man cannot move it.’ <br>The Indian doctor asked, ‘Where did you learn this knowledge from?’ As-Sadiq (a.s.) replied, ‘I learned these from my forefathers who had learned it from God’s Prophet (a.s.). God’s Prophet had learned it from Gabriel who had learned it from God the Lord of the Two Worlds, may His Majesty be Exalted, who created the body and the soul.’ The doctor said, ‘You are right. I bear witness that there is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God and His servant and you are the most knowledgeable man of your time.’”

Al-Khiṣāl

Book 20, Chapter 3