Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Yahya al-`Attar narrated to us. He said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to us from al-Qasim b. Muhammad al-Isfahani from Sulayman b. Dawud al-Munqari from Hafs b. Ghiyath al-Nakha`i al-Qadi. He said: I heard Aba `Abdillah al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad say: Iblis came to Musa b. `Imran while he was speaking to his Lord. So, an angel from the angels said to him: What do you hope to get from him whilst he is in this state, speaking to his Lord? So, he said: I hope to get from him that which I hoped to get from his father Adam when he was in Paradise. Of what Allah was saying was that He said to him: O Musa! I will not accept a prayer except from one who humbles himself before My greatness, attaches his heart to the fear of Me, spends a part of his day in My remembrance, avoids sleeping whilst he is upon error, and recognizes the right of My friends and My lovers. So, Musa said: O Lord! By Your lovers and Your friends, do You mean Ibrahim, Ishaq, and Ya`qub? So, He said: They are that, but I was referring to him for whose sake I created Adam and Hawwa’, and for whose sake I created Paradise and the Fire. So, Musa said: Lord, who is that? He said: Muhammad, Ahmad – I derived his name from My name, for I am the Praised (Mahmud). So, Musa said: O Lord! Make me of his Nation. He said: You, Musa, are of his Nation if you recognize him and his status, as well as the status of his Ahl al-Bayt. Surely, his example and the example of his Ahl al-Bayt are like that of the Garden (firdaws) in Paradise – its leaves do not dry up, and its taste does not change. Whoever recognizes them and recognizes their right, I shall grant him forbearance in [moments of] ignorance and a light in [moments of] oppression. I will answer him before he calls out to Me, and I will give to him before he asks Me. O Musa! If you see poverty approaching, then say: “Greetings to the emblem of the righteous.” If you see wealthiness approaching, then say: “A sin whose punishment has hastened.” Surely, this world is the abode of punishment. Adam was punished through it for his error. I have made it damned, and I have damned those therein, except those therein who belong to Me. O Musa! Surely, My righteous servants abstained from it in proportion to their recognition of Me, and the rest of My creation desired it in proportion to their ignorance of Me. There is none from My creation that attained joy by considering it great, and there is none who despises it except that he benefits from that. Then, al-Sadiq said: If you are capable of being unknown, then do so. What is the harm in not being commended by the people? What is wrong in being belittled by the people when you are praiseworthy with Allah? Surely, `Ali would say: “There is no goodness [to be reaped] in this world except for two men: (1) a man who increases in virtue everyday, and (2) a man who compensates for his sin by repenting.” How does he attain repentance? By Allah, had he prostrated until his neck was severed, Allah would not accept that from him except by our walaya, the Ahl al-Bayt.

Muhammad b. al-Hasan narrated to us. He said: Al-Hasan b. Matil al-Daqqaq narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. al-Husayn b. Abi’l Khattab narrated to us from Muhammad b. Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. `Umar. He said: I asked Aba `Abdillah about desire (al-`ishq), so he said: Hearts that are empty of the remembrance of Allah, so Allah gives them the taste of a love that is other than His.

By this isnad. He said: Al-Sadiq said: He who makes his two days equal is deceived. He who makes his second day the eviller of the two is damned. He who does not see improvement in himself is closer to deterioration; and whoever is closer to deterioration, then death is better for him than life.

Muhammad b. Musa b. al-Mutawakkil narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. al-Husayn al-Sa`d Abadi narrated to us. He said: Ahmad b. Abi `Abdillah al-Barqi narrated to us. He said: `Ali b. Muhammad al-Qasani narrated to us from Sulayman b. Dawud al-Munqari from Hammad b. `Isa from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . He said: Among that which Luqman advised his son Natan is that he said to him: O son! Arm yourself against your opponent with kind words and voicing your acceptance of him. Do not abandon him out of fear, or he will prepare to fight you. O son! Fear Allah in such a way that if you had the goodness of the two heavyweights (humans and Jinn), you would still fear Allah’s punishment. Put your hope in Allah in such a way that if you had the sins of the two heavyweights, you would still hope for Allah’s forgiveness. O son! I have carried boulders, iron, and every heavy thing, but I have not borne anything heavier than an evil neighbour. I have tasted every bitterness, but I have not tasted anything more bitter than poverty.

My father narrated to us. He said: Al-Husayn b. Musa narrated to us from Muhammad b. al-Hasan al-Saffar. Al-Husayn did not memorize the isnad. He said: Luqman said to his son: O son! Take one thousand friends for yourself, for one thousand is few; and do not take one enemy for yourself, for one is too many. Amir al-Mu’minin said: Increase in brethren as much as you can, They are pillars and backs if you seek their help, One thousand friends and companions is not many, But one enemy is too many.

My father narrated to us. He said: Sa`d b. `Abdullah narrated to us. He said: Al-Haytham b. Abi Masruq al-Nahdi narrated to us from his father. He said: Yazid b. Mukhallad al-Nisapuri narrated to us. He said: One who heard al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad narrated to me. He said: Friendship has conditions. Do not give your full friendship to him who does not have these conditions, and do not give anything of friendship to him who does not have any of these conditions. (1) His public and private self are the same with you. (2) He should consider your adornment to be his adornment, and your blemish to be his blemish. (3) His attitude does not change toward you when he has wealth or authority. (4) He should not withhold that which he is able to give you. (5) He should not leave you during hardship.

Al-Sadiq said to one of his companions: If one of your brethren becomes angry with you three times without saying anything evil about you, then take him as a friend.

Al-Sadiq said to one of his companions: Do not give your brother all your trust, for prudence is unceasing.

Al-Sadiq said to one of his companions: Do not tell a secret to your friend, unless it would not harm you if an enemy were to find out, for a friend can become an enemy one day.

Al-Sadiq said: My father narrated to me from my grandfather . Amir al-Mu’minin (s) said: Which of your brothers is perfect? Which man is free of flaws?

Muhammad b. `Ali Majiluwayh narrated to us. He said: My uncle Muhammad b. Abi’l Qasim narrated to me. He said: Muhammad b. `Ali al-Kufi al-Qurashi narrated to me. He said: Muhammad b. Sinan narrated to me from al-Mufaddal b. `Umar from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . He said: Whoever fasts three days at the end of Sha`ban and connects it with the month of Ramadan, Allah shall record the fasting of two consecutive months for him.

`Ali b. Ahmad b. Musa al-Daqqaq narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Abi `Abdillah al-Kufi al-Asadi narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Isma`il al-Barmaki narrated to me from Ja`far b. Ahmad al-Kufi. He said: Isma`il b. `Abd al-Khaliq narrated to us from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad . He said: Fasting Sha`ban and the month of Ramadan [results in] the forgiveness of Allah, even [from] the prohibited [shedding of] blood.

Al-Husayn b. Ibrahim b. Ahmad b. Hisham al-Mu’addab narrated to us. He said: Muhammad b. Ja`far al-Asadi al-Kufi narrated to us. He said: Musa b. `Imran al-Nakha`i narrated to me from his uncle al-Husayn b. Yazid al-Nawfali from `Ali b. Abi Hamza from his father from al-Sadiq Ja`far b. Muhammad from his father from his forefathers from `Ali . He said: The Messenger of Allah (s) said: On the Day of Resurrection, you will come – O `Ali – on a she-camel of light. A crown with four pillars will be upon your head, and on each pillar, three lines will be written: “There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, `Ali is the Friend of Allah (la ilaha illallah, muhammadan rasul Allah, `Aliyyun wali Allah).” You will be given the keys to Paradise. Then, a seat known as the “Seat of Honour” will be placed for you, and you will sit on it. Then, the former and the latter peoples will be gathered for you on one plane. Then, you will command your Shi`a to go to Paradise and your enemies to the Fire, for you are the Divider of Paradise, and you are the Divider of the Fire. He who aligns with you is triumphant, and he who opposes you has lost. On that Day, you will be the trustee of Allah and the clear Proof of Allah.