The Clay from Which the Believers and Unbelievers Are Made

The Clay from Which the Believers and Unbelievers Are Made (additional)

The Clay from which the Believers and Unbelievers are made (additional)

The Messenger of Allah, recipient of divine supreme covenant, Was the First to Respond to the Call of Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, and Testify That He Is the Lord

How They Answered While They Were as Small Particles

Creation of the Creatures with Belief in Oneness of Allah in Their Nature

Believers as Offspring of Unbelievers

When Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, Wills to Create a Believer

The Coloring (referred to in the Holy Quran) Is Islam

Serenity Is Belief

Purely Sincere

On the Shari’ a (System of Laws)

The Fundamentals of Islam

Islam Is to Spare Lives (and to Keep the Trust) But Reward Comes From Belief

Belief Is Inclusive of Islam but Islam Is Not Inclusive of Belief

Another Chapter on the Same Issue That Islam Is Before Belief

No name

Belief Spreads In all Parts of the Body

Advancement in Belief

Degrees of Belief

Degrees of Belief (Additional)

Description of Islam

Qualities of a Believer

Description of Belief

Superiority of Belief over Islam and Certainty over Belief

The Essence of Belief and Certainty

Contemplation (Thinking)

The Noble Qualities (of Man)

Excellence of Certainty

To Agree With the Decision (of Allah)

Leaving It to Allah to Be the Person in Charge of Affairs, and Having Trust in Him

Fear and Hope

Hopefulness Toward Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy

To Profess One ’s Shortcomings

Obedience and Piety

Restraint from Worldly Matters (Sins)

Chastity

Abstaining From Unlawful Matters

Fulfilling Obligations

Balanced and Continuous Good Deeds

The Worship

The Intention

Part of Previous Chapter

Moderation in Worship

One Who Has Learned to Receive Rewards from His Lord for a Certain Deed

Patience

Gratitude and Thankfulness

Excellence in Moral Behaviors

Delightful Appearance

Truthfulness and Trust

Bashfulness

Forgiveness

Suppressing one ’s Anger

Forbearance

Silence and Controlling the Tongue

Gentleness in Dealings

Friendliness

Humbleness

Love for the Sake of Allah and Hate for the Sake of Allah

Condemnation of Worldly Matters and Abstaining Thereby

Additional Ahadith on the Above Subject

Contentment

Adequacy

Promptness in Good Deeds

Fairness and Justice

Independence from People

Good Relation with Relatives

Kindness to Parents

Concern for the Affairs of the Muslims, Giving Them Good Advice and to Benefit Them

High Regards for the Elderly

The Believer’s Mutual Brotherhood

The Rights of One Who Accepts the Belief and Then Severs Away

Brotherhood in Belief is not Due to Religion it only is a Way of Recognition

The Rights of a Believer on his Brother (in belief) and his duty to observe Such Rights

Compassion and Leniency

Visiting Brothers (in belief)

Greeting with Handshake

Holding in One ’s Arm

Kissing

Speak of and Remember the Brothers (in belief)

To Please the Believers

Assisting a Believer in his Needs

Endeavor to help a Believer

Relief for the Suffering of a Believer

Providing Food for a Believer

Providing Clothes for a Believer

To Show Kindness to and Honor a Believer

In the Sen’ice of Believing People

Giving Good Advice to the Believers

Improving Good Relations Among People

To Revive the Believer

Inviting one ’s Own People to Belief

Not to Invite People to Belief

Allah Grants Religion only to Whomever He Loves

Sound Religion

Al-Taqiyyah, Guarding and Cautiousness

Silence and Restraint against Publicity

A Believer’s Signs and Qualities

The Rarity of Believers

1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْيَمَانِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عَيَّاشٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَلِيّاً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) يَقُولُ وَأَتَاهُ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ مُؤْمِناً وَأَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ كَافِراً وَأَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ ضَالاً فَقَالَ لَهُ قَدْ سَأَلْتَ فَافْهَمِ الْجَوَابَ أَمَّا أَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ مُؤْمِناً أَنْ يُعَرِّفَهُ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى نَفْسَهُ فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَيُعَرِّفَهُ نَبِيَّهُ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ وَيُعَرِّفَهُ إِمَامَهَ وَحُجَّتَهُ فِي أَرْضِهِ وَشَاهِدَهُ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ فَيُقِرَّ لَهُ بِالطَّاعَةِ قُلْتُ لَهُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِنْ جَهِلَ جَمِيعَ الأشْيَاءِ إِلا مَا وَصَفْتَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا أُمِرَ أَطَاعَ وَإِذَا نُهِيَ انْتَهَى وَأَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ كَافِراً مَنْ زَعَمَ أَنَّ شَيْئاً نَهَى الله عَنْهُ أَنَّ الله أَمَرَ بِهِ وَنَصَبَهُ دِيناً يَتَوَلَّى عَلَيْهِ وَيَزْعُمُ أَنَّهُ يَعْبُدُ الَّذِي أَمَرَهُ بِهِ وَإِنَّمَا يَعْبُدُ الشَّيْطَانَ وَأَدْنَى مَا يَكُونُ بِهِ الْعَبْدُ ضَالاً أَنْ لا يَعْرِفَ حُجَّةَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَشَاهِدَهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ الَّذِي أَمَرَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَفَرَضَ وَلايَتَهُ قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صِفْهُمْ لِي فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ قَرَنَهُمُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِنَفْسِهِ وَنَبِيِّهِ فَقَالَ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا الله وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الأمْرِ مِنْكُمْ قُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ جَعَلَنِيَ الله فِدَاكَ أَوْضِحْ لِي فَقَالَ الَّذِينَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فِي آخِرِ خُطْبَتِهِ يَوْمَ قَبَضَهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِ إِنِّي قَدْ تَرَكْتُ فِيكُمْ أَمْرَيْنِ لَنْ تَضِلُّوا بَعْدِي مَا إِنْ تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِهِمَا كِتَابَ الله وَعِتْرَتِي أَهْلَ بَيْتِي فَإِنَّ اللَّطِيفَ الْخَبِيرَ قَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ أَنَّهُمَا لَنْ يَفْتَرِقَا حَتَّى يَرِدَا عَلَيَّ الْحَوْضَ كَهَاتَيْنِ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَ مُسَبِّحَتَيْهِ وَلا أَقُولُ كَهَاتَيْنِ وَجَمَعَ بَيْنَ الْمُسَبِّحَةِ وَالْوُسْطَى فَتَسْبِقَ إِحْدَاهُمَا الأخْرَى فَتَمَسَّكُوا بِهِمَا لا تَزِلُّوا وَلا تَضِلُّوا وَلا تَقَدَّمُوهُمْ فَتَضِلُّوا. 

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Ibrahim ibn ‘Umar al-Yamani from ibn ‘Udhaynah from Aban ibn ‘Uthman ibn abu ‘Ayyash from Sulaym ibn Qays who has said the following: “Once a man came to Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) and asked him, ‘What is the least of that with which a servant (of Allah) becomes a believer, or an unbeliever or a straying person?’ I heard the Imam say, ‘You asked the question, now try to understand the answer. The least of that with which one may be considered a believer is that Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, makes him know His Ownself, then he professes to obey Him. He (Allah) makes him know His Holy Prophet, then he professes to obey him and He makes him know His Imam, His Authority on His earth and His witness over His creatures, then he professes to obey him. ’ “I then asked, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, does this hold true even if one is ignorant of all other things besides what you just mentioned?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, if he when commanded obeys and when prohibited upholds it. The least of that with which a servant (of Allah) becomes an unbeliever is that when upon a mere guess one says that this is what Allah has commanded and this is what Allah has prohibited. Then he assigns it to be his religion upon which he bases his system of guardianship (religious authority). He guesses that he obeys the one who has commanded him to do it and, in fact, he worships Satan only.’ “The least of that with which a servant (of Allah) is considered straying is when he does not know the Authority of Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, His witness over His servants. The Authority about whom Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has commanded His servants to obey and has made it obligatory to love him as one’s Divine Guardian.’ I then said, ‘O Amir al-Mu’minin, describe them (the people who possess Divine Authority) for me.’ The Imam said, ‘They are those whom Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has mentioned along with His Ownself and His Holy Prophet saying, ‘Believers, obey Allah, His Messenger, and your leaders (people who possess Divine Authority). . . .’ (4:59) I said, ‘O Amir al- Mu’minin, May Allah keep my soul in service for your cause, explain it to me.’ The Imam said, ‘They (people who possess Divine Authority) are those about whom the Messenger of Allah in his last sermon on the day that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, took him (from this world) said, ‘I leave among you behind me two matters. If you will hold firmly to these two you will never stray: the book of Allah and my descendents, my family. The Most Subtle and Most Expert, (Allah) has informed me that these two will never separate from each other until they will arrive before me at the pond in paradise like this - he joined his index finger and thumb - not like this - he joined his middle finger and thumb so that one may proceed before the other. You must hold firmly to these two, you will not slip, or stray and do not go before them; you will stray.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 2

Book 1, Chapter 179