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

3-63 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا محمد بن يحيى العطار، عن محمد ابن أحمد، عن محمد بن حسان، عن إبراهيم بن عاصم بن حميد، عن صالح بن ميثم، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: ثلاث خصال من كن فيه استكمل خصال الايمان: من صبر على الظلم، وكظم غيظه واحتسب، وعفى وغفر كان ممن يدخله الله الجنة بغير حساب، ويشفعه في مثل ربيعة ومضر

3-63 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Yahya al-Attar quoted on the authority of Muhammad ibn Ahmad, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Hisan, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn Asim ibn Hameed, on the authority of Salih ibn Maysam that Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB) said, “There are three qualities which if one possess he has perfect faith: perseverance over oppression, quenching one’s anger and leaving it up to God, forgiving and forgetting. Such people would be taken into Paradise without any Reckoning and God would accept their intercession on behalf of as many people as there were in the tribes of Rabiat and Mezr (who were always cited as highly populated tribes).”

3-64 حدثنا أبوالعباس محمد بن إبراهيم بن إسحاق الطالقاني رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا محمد بن جرير الطبري قال: أخبرنا أبوصالح الكناني عن يحيى بن عبدالحميد الحماني عن شريك، عن هشام بن معاذ قال: كنت جليسا لعمر بن عبدالعزيز حيث دخل المدينة فأمر مناديه فنادى: من كانت له مظلمة أو ظلامة فليأت الباب، فأتى محمد بن علي يعني الباقر عليهما السلام فدخل إليه مولاه مزاحم فقال: إن محمد بن علي بالباب، فقال له: أدخله يا مزاحم، قال: فدخل وعمر يمسح عينيه من الدموع، فقال له محمد بن علي: ما أبكاك يا عمر؟ فقال هشام: أبكاه كذا وكذا يا ابن رسول الله، فقال محمد بن علي: يا عمر إنما الدنيا سوق من الاسواق، منها خرج قوم بماينفعهم ومنها خرجوا بما يضركم، وكم من قوم قد ضرهم بمثل الذي أصبحنا فيه حتى أتاهم الموت فاستوعبوا فخرجوا من الدنيا ملومين لما لم يأخذوا لما أحبوا من الآخرة عدة، ولا مما كرهوا جنة، قسم ما جمعوا من لا يحمدهم، والوا إلى من لا يعذرهم، فنحن والله محقوقون أن ننظر إلى تلك الاعمال التي كنا نغبطهم بها فنوافقهم فيها ونظر إلى تلك الاعمال التي كنا نتخوف عليهم منها فكنف عنها، فاتق الله، واجعل في قلبك اثنتين: تنظر الذي تحب أن يكون معك إذا قدمت على ربك فقدمه بين يديك وتنظر الذي تكره أن يـكون مـعك إذا قـدمت على ربـكفاتبغ فيه البدل ولا تذهبن إلى سلعة قد بارت على من كان قبك ترجو أن تجوز عنك. واتق الله عز وجل يا عمر، وافتح الابواب وسهل الحجاب وانصر المظلوم، ورد الظالمثم قال: ثلاث من كن فيه استكمل الايمان بالله فجثى عمر على ركبتيهثم قال: إيه يا أهل بيت النبوة، فقال: نعم يا عمر، من إذا رضي لم يدخله رضاه في الباطل وإذا غضب لم يخرجه غضبه من الحق، ومن إذا قدر لم يتناول ما ليس لهفدعا عمر بدواة وقرطاس وكتب "بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم هذا ما رد عمر بن عبد العزيز ظلامة محمد بن علي فدك ."

3-64 Abul Abbas Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taleqani - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabary quoted Abu Salih al-Kanani, on the authority of Yahya ibn Abdul Hamid al-Himmani, on the authority of Sharik that Hosham ibn Mu’az said that once he was accompanying the Caliph Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz on a journey to Medina. Then it was announced that whoever has been oppressed can come to see the Caliph. Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) went there. The Caliph was told by his gate-keeper Mozahim that Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) has come to see him. Umar ibn Abdul-Aziz said, “O Mozahim. Please let him in.” Mozahim asked the Imam to enter while Umar was wiping off his tears. Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) asked Umar, “O Umar! Why are you crying?”Then Hosham (ibn Ma’az) said, “O grandson of the Prophet of God! Such and such are the reasons why he is crying.”Then Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB) said, “O Umar! Indeed this world is only like a shop in a supermarket. Some people take things from it due to which they suffer a loss. Others take things from it from which they benefit. There are many people who engage themselves in things similar to what we engage in until their time of death arrived and they suffered from a great loss. They left this world in a state of being sorry since they had not hesitated to do bad deeds and had not taken anything for their Hereafter. Those who would not be grateful divided up all the inheritance which they had left behind in this world, but they had to go to Him who would not accept any excuses! It would be advisable to review the affairs of this world and avoid doing wicked deeds. Fear God and be determined to do two things. First try to take some good deeds with you which would be with you when you face your Lord. Secondly, abstain from evil deeds and do not takewith you something which will cause you to be sorry when you face your Lord. O Umar! Fear God the Honorable the Exalted! Open the door and raise the curtain (to let the people in to see you). Assist the oppressed ones and defeat the oppressors.”Then the Imam (MGB) added, “There are three things which would perfect one’s belief in God.”Once Umar heard this, he sat down on his knees and asked, “O Member of the Holy Household of the Prophet! What are they?”The Imam (MGB) said, “Yes, Umar! That is that once you are pleased, your pleasure doesn’t cause you to engage in wrongful deeds. Also once you are angry, your anger would not lead you to do what is not rightful, and once you are powerful, you do not devour what is not yours.”Then Umar asked for ink and a quill and wrote, ‘In the Name of God the Compassionate the Merciful. I - Muhammad ibn Abdul-Aziz - hereby return the tract of land called Fadak which belongs to Muhammad ibn Ali al-Baqir (MGB).’”

3-65 حدثنا محمد بن موسى بن المتوكل رضي الله عنه قال: حدثني عبد الله بن جعفر الحميري قال: حدثني أحمد بن محمد بن عيسى، عن الحسن بن محبوب، عن أبي أيوب الخزاز، عن أبي عبيدة الحذاء، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: إنما المؤمن الذي إذا رضي لم يدخله رضاه في إثم ولا باطل، وإذا سخط لم يخرجه سخطه من قول الحق، والمؤمن الذي إذا قدر لم تخرجه قدرته إلى التعدي وإلى ما ليس له بحق

3-65 Muhammad ibn Musa ibn al-Mutevakil - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Abdullah ibn Ja’far al-Homayry quoted on the authority of Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Isa, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Mahboob, on the authority of Abi Ayoob al-Khizaz, on the authority of Abi Ubaydat al-Haza’a that Abi Ja’far al-Baqir (MGB) said, “A believer is one whose pleasure would not lead him into sin and wrongful deeds. A believer is one whose anger would not lead him away from rightful statements. A believer is one whose power would not force him to act unjustly and to acquire what doesn’t rightfully belong to him.”

3-66 حدثنا أبي رضي الله عنه قال: حدثني محمد بن أحمد بن علي بن الصلت عن أحمد بن محمد بن خالد، عن الحسن بن علي بن فضال، عن عاصم بن حميد، عن أبي حمزة الثمالي عن عبد الله بن الحسن، عن امه فاطمة بنت الحسين بن علي عليهما السلام عن أبيها عليه السلام قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: ثلاث خصال من كن فيه استكمل خصال الايمان: الذي إذا رضي لم يدخله رضاه في إثم ولا باطل وإذا غضب لم يخرجه الغضب من الحق، وإذا قدر لم يتعاط ما ليس له

3-66 (The compiler of the book narrated) that his father - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ali ibn al-Salt quoted Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, on the authority of Al-Hassan ibn Ali ibn Faz’zal, on the authority of Asim ibn Hamid, on the authority of Abi Hamzih al-Somali, on the authority of Abdullah ibn al-Hassan, on the authority of his mother Fatimah - the daughter of Al-Hussein ibn Ali (MGB), on the authority of her father Al-Hussein (MGB), on the authority of his father Ali (MGB) that God’s Prophet (MGB) said, “There are three characteristics which if one possesses would perfect one’s faith. If one is pleased, his pleasure doesn’t lead him into sin and wrongful deeds; when one is angered, his anger doesn’t lead him away from the right; and when one is in power, his power doesn’t lead him to acquire what doesn’t rightfully belong to him.”

3-67 حدثنا محمد بن الحسن رضي الله عنه قال: حدثنا محمد بن الحسن الصفار، عن أحمد بن محمد بن خالد، عن أبيه، عن صفوان بن يحيى، عن عبد الله بن سنان قال: ذكر رجل المؤمن عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، فقال:إنما المؤمن: الذي إذا سخط لم يخرجه سخطه من الحق، والمؤمن [الذي] إذا رضي لم يدخله رضاه في باطل والمؤمن: الذي إذا قدر لم يتعاط ما ليس له [بنفسه]

3-67 Muhammad ibn al-Hassan - may God be pleased with him - narrated that Muhammad ibn al-Hassan al-Saffar quoted Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid, on the authority of his father, on the authority of Safvan ibn Yahya, on the authority of Abdullah ibn Sin’an, “A believer’s name was mentioned to Aba Abdullah as-Sadiq (MGB). The Imam (MGB) said, ‘Indeed a believer is one who when angered, his anger would not lead him away from the right. A believer is one who when pleased, his pleasure would not lead him into the wrong. A believer is one who when in power, his power would not lead him to acquire what doesn’t rightfully belong to him.’”

Al-Khiṣāl

Book 4, Chapter 54