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 أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَا أَخَا جُعْفٍ إِنَّ الإيمَانَ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الإسْلامِ وَإِنَّ الْيَقِينَ أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الإيمَانِ وَمَا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَعَزَّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ.

1. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn Salim from Ahmad ibn al- Nadr from ‘Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said, ‘O brother from Ju’f (name of his tribe) belief is superior to Islam and certainty is superior to belief. Nothing there is dearer than certainty.” 

2ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَالْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ الإيمَانُ فَوْقَ الإسْلامِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالتَّقْوَى فَوْقَ الإيمَانِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالْيَقِينُ فَوْقَ التَّقْوَى بِدَرَجَةٍ وَمَا قُسِمَ فِي النَّاسِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and al-Husayn ibn Muhammad from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad all from al-Washsha’ who has said the following: “I heard abu Al-Hassan (a.s.) saying, ‘Belief is above Islam by one degree. Piety is above belief by one degree. Certainty is above piety by one degree. Nothing is distributed so little among people as certainty is.’” 

3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ حُمْرَانَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الله فَضَّلَ الإيمَانَ عَلَى الإسْلامِ بِدَرَجَةٍ كَمَا فَضَّلَ الْكَعْبَةَ عَلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Humran ibn ‘A’Yun who has said the following: “I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘Allah has given superiority to belief over Islam by one degree just as He has given superiority to al-Ka’ba over the Sacred Mosque.’” 

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ هَارُونَ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أَبَانٍ الْكَلْبِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ الْوَاسِطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ الإسْلامُ دَرَجَةٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالإيمَانُ عَلَى الإسْلامِ دَرَجَةٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالتَّقْوَى عَلَى الإيمَانِ دَرَجَةٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَالْيَقِينُ عَلَى التَّقْوَى دَرَجَةٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّاسُ أَقَلَّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ وَإِنَّمَا تَمَسَّكْتُمْ بِأَدْنَى الإسْلامِ فَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ يَنْفَلِتَ مِنْ أَيْدِيكُمْ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Harun ibn al-Jahm or others from ‘Amr ibn Aban ibn al-Kalbi from ‘Abd al-Hamid al-Wasiti from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) said to me, ‘O abu Muhammad, Islam is a high status.’ I said, ‘Yes, indeed it is.’ The Imam said, ‘Belief is above Islam by one degree.’ I said, ‘Yes, it is.’ The Imam said, ‘Piety is above belief by one degree.’ I said, ‘Yes, it is.’ The Imam said, ‘Certainty is above piety by one degree.’ I said, ‘Yes, it is.’ The Imam said, ‘Nothing is given to people as little as certainty is. What you are holding to is very little of Islam. Pay attention not to lose it.’” 

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الإيمَانِ وَالإسْلامِ فَقَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّمَا هُوَ الإسْلامُ وَالإيمَانُ فَوْقَهُ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالتَّقْوَى فَوْقَ الإيمَانِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالْيَقِينُ فَوْقَ التَّقْوَى بِدَرَجَةٍ وَلَمْ يُقْسَمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَيُّ شَيْ‏ءٍ الْيَقِينُ قَالَ التَّوَكُّلُ عَلَى الله وَالتَّسْلِيمُ لله وَالرِّضَا بِقَضَاءِ الله وَالتَّفْوِيضُ إِلَى الله قُلْتُ فَمَا تَفْسِيرُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ هَكَذَا قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام).

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus who has said the following: “I asked abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) about belief and Islam and he said, abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said the following: ‘There is Islam. Belief is one degree higher above Islam, and piety is one degree higher above belief. Certainty is by one degree higher above piety and nothing is distributed among people so little as certainty is.’ I then said, ‘What then is certainty?’ The Imam said, ‘It is trust in Allah, submission to Allah, accepting the decision of Allah and allowing Allah to be the person in charge of one’s affairs.’ I then said, ‘What then is the interpretation of that?’ The Imam said, ‘This is how abu Ja’far (a.s.) said it is.’” 

6ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ عَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ الإيمَانُ فَوْقَ الإسْلامِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالتَّقْوَى فَوْقَ الإيمَانِ بِدَرَجَةٍ وَالْيَقِينُ فَوْقَ التَّقْوَى بِدَرَجَةٍ وَلَمْ يُقْسَمْ بَيْنَ الْعِبَادِ شَيْ‏ءٌ أَقَلُّ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ. 

6. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn abu Nasr from al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following: “Belief is one degree higher than Islam. Piety is one degree higher than belief. Certainty is one degree higher above piety. Nothing is distributed among people so little as certainty is.” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 2

Book 1, Chapter 26