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

24-17 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، وعبد الله بن جعفر الحميري قالا: حدثنا أحمد بن محمد بن خالد البرقي، عن علي بن حديد، عن سماعة ابن مهران قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام وعنده جماعة من مواليه فجرى ذكر العقل والجهل فقال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: اعرفوا العقل وجنده والجهل وجنده تهتدوا، قال سماعة: فقلت: جعلت فداك لا نعرف إلا ما عرفتنا، فقال أبوعبد الله عليه السلام: إن الله جل ثناؤه خلق العقل وهو أول خلق خلقه من الروحانيين عن يمين العرش من نوره، فقال له: أقبل فأقبل، ثم قال له: أدبر فأدبر، فقال الله تبارك وتعالى: خلقتك خلقا عظيما وكرمتك على جميع خلقي، قال: ثم خلق الجهل من البحر الاجاج ظلمانيا، فقال له: أدبر فأدبر، ثم قال له: أقبل فلم يقبل، فقال له: استكبرت فلعنه. ثم جعل للعقل خمسة وسبعين جندا، فلما رأى الجهل ما أكرم الله به العقل وما أعطاه أضمر له العداوة، فقال الجهل: يا رب هذا خلق مثلي خلقته وكرمته وقويته وأنا ضده ولا قوة لي به فأعطني من الجند مثل ما أعطيته، فقال: نعم، فان عصيت بعد ذلك أخرجتك وجندك من رحمتي قال: قد رضيت فأعطاه خمسة وسبعين جندا فكان مما أعطى العقل من الخمسة والسبعين الجند: الخير وهو وزير العقل وجعل ضده الشر، وهو وزير الجهل، والايمان وضده الكفر، والتصديق وضده الجحود، والرجاء وضده القنوط، والعدل وضده الجور، والرضا وضده السخط، والشكر وضده الكفر، والطمع وضده اليأس، والتوكل وضده الحرص، والرأفة وضدها الغرة، والرحمة وضدها الغضب والعلم وضده الجهل، والفهم وضده الحمق، والعفة وضدها التهتك، والزهد وضده الرغبة، والرفق وضده الخرق، والرهبة وضدها الجرأة، والتواضع وضده التكبر، والتؤدة وضدها التسرع، والحلم وضده السفه، والصمت وضده الهذر والاستسلام وضده الاستكبار، والتسليم وضده التجبر، والعفو، وضده الحقد، والرقة وضدها القسوة، واليقين وضدها الشك، والصبر وضده الجزع، والصفح وضده الانتقام، والغنى وضده الفقر، والتفكر وضده السهو، والحفظ وضده النسيان، والتعطف وضده القطيعة، والقنوع وضده الحرض، والمواساة وضدها المنع، والمودة وضدها العداوة، والوفاء وضده الغدر، والطاعة وضدها المعصية، والخضوع وضده التطاول، والسلامة وضدها البلاء، والحب وضده البغض، والصدق وضده الكذب، والحق وضده الباطل، والامانة وضدها الخيانة، والاخلاص وضده الشوب، والشهامة وضدها البلادة، والفهم وضده الغباوة والمعرفة وضدها الانكار، والمدارأة وضدها الكاشفة، وسـلامة الغيب وضـدها الممـاكرة، والكتمـان وضـده الافشاء، والصـلاة وضدها الاضاعة والصوم وضده الافطار والجهاد وضده النكول، والحج وضده نبذ الميثاق، وصدق الحديث وضده النميمة، وبر الوالدين وضده العقوق والحقيقة وضدها الرياء، والمعروف وضده المنكر، والستر وضده التبرج، والتقية وضدها الاذاعة، والانصاف وضده الحمية، والتهيئة وضدها البغي، والنظافة وضدها القذر، والحياء وضده الخلع والقصد وضده العدوان، والراحة وضدها التعب، والسهولة وضدها الصعوبة، والبركة وضدها المحق، والعافية وضدها البلاء، والقوام وضده المكاثرة والحكمة وضدها الهوى، والوقار وضده الخفة، والسعادة وضدها الشقاء، والتوبة وضدها الاصرار، والاستغفار وضده الاعتزاز، والمحافظة وضدها التهاون، والدعاء وضده الاستنكاف، والنشاط وضده الكسل، والفرح وضده الحزن، والالفة وضدها الفرقة والسخاء وضده البخل. فلا تجتمع هذه الخصال كلا من أجناد العقل إلا في نبي أو وصي نبي أو مؤمن امتحن الله قلبه للايمان، وأما سائر ذلك من موالينا فإن أحدهم لا يخلو من أن يكون فيه بعض هذه الجنود حتى يستكمل وينقى من جنود الجهل فعند ذلك يكون في الدرجة العليا مع الانبياء والاوصياء عليهم السلام، وإنما يدرك الفوز بمعرفة العقل وجنوده ومجانبة الجهل وجنوده، وفقنا الله وإياكم لطاعته ومرضاته

24-17 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Sa’ed ibn Abdullah and Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Homayry quoted Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid al-Barqy, on the authority of Ali ibn Hadid, on the authority of Soma’at ibn Mihran narrated that once he and some friends of Imam as-Sadiq (MGB) were with Imam as-Sadiq (MGB) when they started to talk about intelligence and ignorance. Imam as-Sadiq (MGB) said, “Get to know intelligence and its troops, and ignorance and its troops to be guided.” Soma’at said, “O! May I be your devoted servant. We know nothing except for what you teach us.” Imam as-Sadiq (MGB) said, “God, Exalted is His Praise created the intellect. It was one of His first creatures which He created using His own Light from the right side of the Throne. Then He ordered it to go back, and it did. Then He ordered it to come forward, and it did. God said, “I created you as a great creature, and honored you above all My creatures.” Then God created ignorance and told it to go back and it did. Then God ordered it to come forward, but it did not accept. God said, “You rebelled.” Then God cursed it. God then established seventy-five troops for the intellect. When ignorance saw God’s grant to the intellect, it became its enemy and said, “O’ God! You created it and honored it and strengthened it. It is a creature like me. I am opposed to it and have no power over it. So please grant me of the troops you grant it.” God said, “Ok I will, but if you disobey I will throw you and your troops out of the domain of My Mercy.” Ignorance said it was pleased, and it was also granted seventy-five troops. The seventy-five troops are as follows: Goodness is the minister for the intellect, and evil is the minister for ignorance; faith for the intellect, and infidelity for ignorance; acceptance for the intellect, and rejection for ignorance; hope for the intellect, and despair for ignorance; justice for the intellect, and oppression for ignorance; contentment for the intellect, and discontent for ignorance; gratitude for the intellect, and ingratitude for ignorance; lack of hope (in God’s Mercy) for the intellect, and greed (in God’s Mercy) for ignorance; reliance on God for intellect, and greed for ignorance; kindness for the intellect, and ruthlessness for ignorance; mercy for the intellect, and anger for ignorance; knowledge for the intellect, and ignorance for ignorance; understanding for the intellect, and stupidity for ignorance; chastity for the intellect, and vulgarity for ignorance; abstinence for the intellect, and materialism for ignorance; kindness for the intellect, and violence for ignorance; solemnity for the intellect, and insolence for ignorance; humbleness for the intellect, and haughtiness for ignorance; calm for the intellect, and rush for ignorance; patience for the intellect, and being feeble-minded for ignorance; silence for the intellect, and being talkative for ignorance; compliance for the intellect, and conceit for ignorance; submission for the intellect, and being oppressive for ignorance; forgiveness for the intellect, and animosity for ignorance; amiability for the intellect, and ruthlessness for ignorance; certitude for the intellect, and doubt for ignorance; perseverance for the intellect, and anxiety for ignorance; pardon for the intellect, and revenge for ignorance; self-sufficiency for the intellect, and poverty for ignorance; pondering for the intellect, and neglect for ignorance; memorizing for the intellect, and forgetting for ignorance; loving for the intellect, and enmity for ignorance; obeying for the intellect, and rebelling for ignorance; contentment for the intellect, and greed for ignorance; justice for the intellect, and injustice for ignorance; friendship for the intellect, and enmity for ignorance; loyalty for the intellect, and treachery for ignorance; humbleness for the intellect, and arrogance for ignorance; right for the intellect, and wrong for ignorance; health for the intellect, and affliction for ignorance; love for the intellect, and hate for ignorance; honesty for the intellect, and telling lies for ignorance; trustworthiness for the intellect, and treason for ignorance; sincerity for the intellect, and corruption for ignorance; bravery for the intellect, and stupidity for ignorance; understanding for the intellect, and ignorance for ignorance; recognition for the intellect, and denial for ignorance; putting up with other people’s minor mistakes for the intellect, and divulging other people’s minor mistakes for ignorance; keeping other’s secrets for the intellect, and divulging other’s secrets for ignorance; hiding for the intellect, and divulging for ignorance; praying for the intellect, and neglecting (prayers) for ignorance; fasting for the intellect, and breaking fast for ignorance; engaging in Jihad (Holy War) for the intellect, and refusal to testify for ignorance; pilgrimage for the intellect, and breaking covenant for ignorance; keeping secrets for the intellect, and slandering for ignorance; being kind to parents for the intellect, and being cursed by parents for ignorance; truth for the intellect, and hypocrisy for ignorance; good for the intellect, and evil for ignorance; covering oneself for the intellect, and playing up a woman’s charms for ignorance; covering up for the intellect, and making up oneself for ignorance; concealment for the intellect and divulging for ignorance; being fair for the intellect, and siding with the wrong for ignorance; making up for the husband for the intellect, and fornication for ignorance; cleanliness for the intellect, and filthiness for ignorance; shyness for the intellect, and taking off clothing for ignorance; assuming a mediators position for the intellect, and aggression for ignorance; comfort for the intellect, and hard work for ignorance; easiness for the intellect, and hardship for ignorance; abundance of blessings for the intellect, and scarcity for ignorance; health for the intellect, and affliction for ignorance; reasonable wealth for the intellect, and hoarding for ignorance; wisdom for the intellect, and selfish desires for ignorance; dignity for the intellect, and humility for ignorance; prosperity for the intellect, and ruin for ignorance; repentance for the intellect, and insistence on sin for ignorance; asking for forgiveness for the intellect, and being too proud for ignorance; protection for the intellect, and neglect for ignorance; performing supplications for the intellect, and abandoning supplications for ignorance; joy for the intellect, and boredom for ignorance; happiness for the intellect, and sorrow for ignorance; intimacy for the intellect, and anger for ignorance; generosity for the intellect, and stinginess for ignorance. All the characteristics which are the troops of the intellect will only be present in the Prophet (MGB) or the Imams (MGB) or a believer who has tested his heart with faith. However, other friends of ours have some of these and can slowly attain the rest and avoid the troops of ignorance. Then they will reach the high ranks of the Prophets and the Imams. This prosperity is only obtained by the recognition of the intellect and its troops, and by avoiding ignorance and its troops. May God assist both you and us in obeying and pleasing Him.”

Al-Khiṣāl

Book 25, Chapter 11