1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرِينَ قَالَ هُوَ الدُّعَاءُ وَأَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ الدُّعَاءُ قُلْتُ إِنَّ إِبْراهِيمَ لأوَّاهٌ حَلِيمٌ قَالَ الأوَّاهُ هُوَ الدَّعَّاءُ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz from Zurara from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those who consider themselves above the need to worship Me will soon go to hell in disgrace.’ (40:60) “The Imam said, ‘This is a reference to prayer. The best form of worship is prayer (pleading before Allah for help).’ I (the narrator) then asked, ‘What is meant by: Ibrahim is la awwahu, prayerful and forbearing?’ The Imam said, ‘It means pleading for help before Allah.’”

2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ جَمِيعاً عَنْ حَنَانِ بْنِ سَدِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَيُّ الْعِبَادَةِ أَفْضَلُ فَقَالَ مَا مِنْ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَفْضَلَ عِنْدَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ أَنْ يُسْئَلَ وَيُطْلَبَ مِمَّا عِنْدَهُ وَمَا أَحَدٌ أَبْغَضَ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِمَّنْ يَسْتَكْبِرُ عَنْ عِبَادَتِهِ وَلا يَسْأَلُ مَا عِنْدَهُ.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ‘Isma’il and ibn Mahbub all Hanan ibn Sadir from his father who has said the following: “Once I asked abu Ja’far (a.s.) ‘Which form of worship is better?’ The Imam said, ‘There is nothing more excellent before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, than to ask and request Him to grant one from things He owns. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, hates no one more than one who feels himself greater than to be in need of asking Allah for help, thus, he does not ask Him for help.’”

3ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ مُيَسِّرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لِي يَا مُيَسِّرُ ادْعُ وَلا تَقُلْ إِنَّ الأمْرَ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ إِنَّ عِنْدَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَنْزِلَةً لا تُنَالُ إِلا بِمَسْأَلَةٍ وَلَوْ أَنَّ عَبْداً سَدَّ فَاهُ وَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ لَمْ يُعْطَ شَيْئاً فَسَلْ تُعْطَ يَا مُيَسِّرُ إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ بَابٍ يُقْرَعُ إِلا يُوشِكُ أَنْ يُفْتَحَ لِصَاحِبِهِ.

3. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from Maysir ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) once said to me, ‘O Maysir, pray and do not say that it is predetermined and it is all over. There is a position with Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, that is not accessible without praying to Him. If a servant keeps his mouth closed and does not plead to receive help, he will not receive anything. O Maysir, there is no door that is knocked repeatedly but that sooner or later it will open up.’”

4ـ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْخَشَّابِ عَنِ ابْنِ بَقَّاحٍ عَنْ مُعَاذٍ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ جُمَيْعٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْأَلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَقَدِ افْتَقَرَ.

4. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Khashshab from ibn Baqqah from Mu’adh from ‘Amr ibn Jumayi’ from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘One who does not ask help from Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, becomes needy and poor.’”

5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ ادْعُ وَلا تَقُلْ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنَ الأمْرِ فَإِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرِينَ وَقَالَ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ.

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) saying, ‘Pray and do not say that it (belief in predetermination) is already determined and the matter is settled; prayer is worshipping. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those who consider themselves above the need to worship Me will soon go to hell in disgrace,’ (40:60) ‘Pray to Me, I will accept your prayers (first part of the above verse).”’

6ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ سَيْفٍ التَّمَّارِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّكُمْ لا تَقَرَّبُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلا تَتْرُكُوا صَغِيرَةً لِصِغَرِهَا أَنْ تَدْعُوا بِهَا إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الصِّغَارِ هُوَ صَاحِبُ الْكِبَارِ.

6. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn abu Najran from Sayf al-Tammar who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) saying, ‘You must plead before Allah for help; you cannot seek nearness to Allah by any means better than pleading before Him for help. Do not leave your small needs without pleading before Allah for help, just because they are small; both small and large needs are in the hands of One and the same One.’”

7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ الَّتِي قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبادَتِي الآيَة ادْعُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلا تَقُلْ إِنَّ الأمْرَ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ إِنَّمَا يَعْنِي لا يَمْنَعْكَ إِيمَانُكَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَالْقَدَرِ أَنْ تُبَالِغَ بِالدُّعَاءِ وَتَجْتَهِدَ فِيهِ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa’Id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from al-Qasim ibn Sulayman from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurara from his father from a man who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, pleading before Allah for help is the form of worship about which Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those who consider themselves above the need to worship Me will soon go to hell in disgrace,’ (40:60) pray to Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, and do not say that things are already determined and settled (due to predestination).’ “Zurara has said, ‘The Imam thereby has meant that your belief in Allah’s decision and His measures should not stop you from praying to Allah and pleading before Him for help with seriousness and enthusiasm just as he (the Imam) has said.’”

8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَحَبُّ الأعْمَالِ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الأرْضِ الدُّعَاءُ وَأَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ الْعَفَافُ قَالَ وَكَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) رَجُلاً دَعَّاءً.

8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘The most beloved of deeds before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, on earth is pleading before Him for help and the best worship is chastity.’ The Imam said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was a very prayerful man.’”