Translator’s Introduction

On silence Except when Speaking what is Good, Abandonment of what does not concern one, and Slander

On Etiquette and Encouraging Others to do Good

On Good Character, Kindness and Anger

Virtue and Vice

Kindness to Parents, Relatives, Kinsfolk and Severance of Ties

The Rights of Neighbors

What has come in Reference to Slaves

What has come in Reference to this World and One who Seeks it

The Two Angels and what they Record

Humility and Arrogance

Showing off, Hypocrisy, Self-Admiration, and Conceit

Repentance, Seeking Forgiveness, Regret, and Admission (of Guilt)

Crying out of Fear of Allah

Remembering Death and the Grave

What the Believer and Disbeliever will See (Before Dying)

Questioning in the Grave, Chastisement in the Grave, and Barzakh

Resurrection, Reckoning, Standing Before Allah, the Exalted, and al-Ṣirāṭ

Intercession and Those who will come out of the Fire (of Hell)

Traditions About Paradise and Hell

Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil

حدثنا الحسين بن سعيد قال: حدثنا محمد بن سنان عن عمار بن مروان قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: منكم والله يقبل ولكم والله يغفر انه ليس بين أحدكم وبين أن يغتبط ويرى السرور وقرة العين الا ان تبلغ نفسه ها هنا - وأومأ بيده إلى حلقه - ثم قال: إنه إذا كان ذلك واحتضر حضره رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله والأئمة وعلى جبرئيل وملك الموت عليه السلام فيدنو منه جبرئيل (علي عليه السلام) فيقول: لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله ان هذا كان يحبكم (يحبنا) أهل البيت فأحبه فيقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: يا جبرئيل ان هذا كان يحب الله ورسوله وآل (وآله) رسوله فأحبه وارفق به (ويقول جبرئيل لملك الموت: ان هذا كان يحب الله ورسوله وأهل بيت رسوله فأحبه وارفق به) فيدنو منه ملك الموت فيقول له: يا عبد الله أخذت فكاك رقبتك؟ أخذت أمان برائتك؟ تمسكت بالعصمة الكبرى في الحياة الدنيا؟ قال: فيوفقه (فيرفعه) الله عز وجل فيقول: نعم فيقول (له): وما ذاك؟ فيقول: ولاية علي بن أبي طالب فيقول: صدقت أما الذي كنت تحذر (ه) فقد آمنك الله عنه (منه) وأما الذي كنت ترجو (ه) فقد أدركته أبشر بالسلف الصالح مرافقة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعلى (وفاطمة) والأئمة من ولده عليهم السلام ثم يسل نفسه سلا رفيقا ثم ينزل بكفنه من الجنة وحنوطه حنوط كالمسك الأذفر فيكفن (بذلك الكفن) ويحنط بذلك الحنوط ثم يكسى حلة صفراء من حلل الجنة (فإذا وضع في قبره فتح الله له بابا من أبواب الجنة) يدخل عليه من روحها وريحانها (ثم يفسح له عن أمامه مسيرة شهر وعن يمينه وعن يساره ثم يقال له: نم نومة العروس على فراشها ابشر بروح وريحان وجند نعمى ورب غير غضبان (ثم يزور آل محمد في جنان رضوي فيأكل معهم من طعامهم ويشرب معهم من شرابهم ويتحدث معهم في مجالسهم حتى يقوم قائمنا أهل البيت فإذا قام قائمنا بعثهم الله فاقبلوا معه يلبون زمرا زمرا فعند ذلك يرتاب المبطلون ويضمحل المحلون - وقليل ما يكونون - هلكت المحاضير ونجا المقربون من أجل ذلك قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لعلى عليه السلام أنت: اخى وميعاد ما بيني وبينك وادى السلام) قال: وإذا حضر الكافر الوفاة حضره رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعلى والأئمة وجبرئيل (وميكائيل) وملك الموت عليهم السلام فيدنو منه جبرئيل (علي عليه السلام) فيقول: يا رسول الله ان هذا كان مبغضا لكم أهل البيت فأبغضه فيقول رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: يا جبرئيل ان هذا كان يبغض الله ورسوله وأهل بيت رسوله فأبغضه (واعنف عليه) ويقول جبرئيل: يا ملك الموت ان هذا كان يبغض الله ورسوله وأهل بيت رسوله فأبغضه واعنف عليه فيدنو منه ملك الموت فيقول يا عبد الله أخذت فكاك رهانك (رقبتك)؟ أخذت أمان برائتك (من النار)؟ تمسكت بالعصمة الكبرى في الحياة الدنيا؟ (فيقول: لا) فيقول: ابشر يا عدو الله بسخط الله عز وجل وعذابه والنار، أما الذي كنت ترجو فقد فاتك واما الذي كنت تحذ (ره) فقد نزل بك ثم يسل نفسه سلا عنيفا ثم يوكل بروحه ثلاثمأة شيطان) يبزقون (يبصقون) كلهم يبزق في وجهه) ويتأذى بريحه (بروحه) فإذا وضع في قبره فتح له باب من أبواب النار فيدخل عليه من (نفح ريحها) (فتح ريحها) قيحها ولهبها (لهيبها).

1.Al-Ḥusayn ibn Saʿīd narrated to us [saying], “Muḥammad ibn Sinān narrated to us, from ʿAmmār ibn Marwān who said, ‘I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, “By Allah, from you are [good deeds] accepted and you are, by Allah, forgiven [for your sins]. Verily there is nothing between any one of you and that which would make him rejoice and see what gladdens and delights him except his soul reaching here…” and he made a gesture with his hand pointing to his throat (in reference to death). Then he said, “At the moment when death approaches [a person], the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), the Imams (a), ʿAlī (a), Jibraʾīl and the Angel of Death (a) all come to him. Then Jibraʾīl draws near to him and he says to the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), ‘This person used to love you, the Ahl al- Bayt, so love him.’ So the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) says to him, ‘O Jibraʾīl, verily this individual used to love Allah and His Messenger, and the family of His Messenger, so [instruct the Angel of Death to] be gentle with him and love him.’ And Jibraʾīl in turn tells the Angel of Death, ‘This person used to love Allah and His Messenger, and the family of His Messenger, so be gentle with him and love him.’ Thus, the Angel of Death approaches the person and says, ‘O servant of Allah, you have procured your emancipation and your security [from hellfire], you have held on to the Great Protection in the life of this world.’ Then Allah, the Almighty, grants him the ability [to respond], so he replies, ‘Yes.’ So he asks, ‘What is that [Great Protection]?’ He replies, ‘The wilāyah of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a).’ So he says, ‘You are right! As for that which you used to fear, Allah has protected you from it. And as for that which you used to hope for, you have attained it. Glad tidings to you of the company of the righteous forebears, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), ʿAlī, Fāṭimah, and the Imams from his progeny (a)!’ Then he gently removes his soul. His shroud is then brought down from Paradise, and his embalming is a balm of fragrant musk. He is then shrouded with that shroud and embalmed with that balm. Subsequently he is dressed with a yellow attire from the apparels of Paradise. Once he is placed in his grave, Allah opens for him one of the doors of Paradise through which its breeze and fragrance reach him. Then He extends the space in front of him to the extent of a month’s travel, and to his right and left as well. He is then told, ‘Sleep as a newly-wed bride sleeps on her [soft] bed, and receive the glad tidings of ease, serenity, a blissful paradise, and a Lord who is not angry [with you]!’ Then he visits the family of the Prophet in the Gardens of delight, eating with them from their food, drinking with them from their drink, and speaking with them in their gatherings. [This will continue] until the Riser (qāʾim) from the Ahl al-Bayt rises. When our Riser rises, Allah will resurrect them so they will come together responding to his call in throngs. At that time, the followers of falsehood will doubt while those who violate the sacred will dwindle and only very few will remain. Those who seek to hasten it are destroyed and those who  consider it near are saved. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) said to ʿAlī (a), ‘You are my brother, and my rendezvous with you will be at wādī al-salām.’” He (a) said, “And when a disbeliever is on his deathbed, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), ʿAlī (a), the Imams (a), Jibraʾīl, Mīkāʾīl, and the Angel of Death (a) all come to him. Then Jibraʾīl draws near to him and says, ‘O Messenger of Allah, this person used to hate you, the Ahl al-Bayt, so hate him.’ So the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) says to him, O Jibraʾīl, verily this individual used to hate Allah and His Messenger, and the family of His Messenger, so [tell the Angel of Death to] hate him and be harsh with him.’ And Jibraʾīl in turn says, ‘O Angel of Death, this person used to hate Allah and His Messenger, and the family of His Messenger, so hate him and be harsh with him.’ Thus the Angel of Death approaches the person  and says, ‘O servant of Allah, have you procured your emancipation and your security [from hellfire]? Have you held on to the Great Protection in the life of this world?’ He replies, ‘No.’ So he says, ‘Then receive  tidings, O enemy of Allah, of the wrath of Allah, the Almighty, His chastisement and the Fire! As for what you hoped for, you have missed it, and as for what you feared, it has descended upon you.’ Then he extracts his soul violently, after which three hundred devils are assigned to remain with his soul, each of them spitting on his face and causing him discomfort. When he is placed in his grave, one of the doors of Hell is opened for him, so from it enters [into his grave] some of its stench, its [purulent] discharge, and its flames.”

القاسم بن محمد عن عبد الصمد بن بشير عن بعض أصحابه عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: قلت له: أصلحك الله من أحب لقاء الله أحب الله لقائه؟ ومن أبغض لقاء الله أبغض الله لقائه؟ قال: نعم قلت فوالله انا لنكره الموت فقال: ليس ذاك حيث تذهب إنما ذلك (ذاك) عند المعاينة ان المؤمن إذا رأى ما يحب (عاين الموت) فليس شئ أحب إليه من أن (يقدم على الله) يتقدم والله يحب لقائه وهم يحب لقاء الله (حينئذ) وإذا رأى ما يكره فليس شئ أبغض إليه من لقاء الله عز وجل والله عز وجل يبغض لقائه (227) 221 - فضالة عن معاوية بن وهب عن يحيى بن سابور قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: في الميت تدمع عينه عند الموت فقال: ذاك (ذلك) عند معاينة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله يرى (فيرى) ما يسره قال: ثم قال: إما ترى الرجل (إذا) يرى ما يسره (وما يجب) فتدمع عينيه ويضحك.

2.Al-Qāsim ibn Muḥammad narrated from ʿAbd al-Ṣamad ibn Bashīr, from one of his companions, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) saying, “I [once] said to him, ‘May Allah enhance you in righteousness! Whoever loves to meet Allah, does Allah also love to meet him? And whoever hates to meet Allah, does Allah also hate to meet him?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ I saidBut by Allah, we surely dislike death!’ So he said, ‘It does not mean what you think. It only applies at the time of viewing [what awaits a person after death]. Verily when the believer sees what he loves [at the moment of his death], then there is nothing more beloved to him than proceeding [towards Allah], and Allah loves to meet him while he loves meeting Allah at that moment. And when he [who disbelieves] sees what he hates, then there is nothing more hateful to him than meeting Allah, the Almighty, and Allah [also] hates to meet him.’”

النضر بن سويد عن يحيى الحلبي عن ابن مسكان عن عبد الرحيم القصير قال: قلت لأبي جعفر عليه السلام: حدثني صالح بن ميثم عن عباية الأسدي انه سمع عليا عليه السلام يقول: والله لا يبغضني عبد أبد فيموت على بغضي إلا رآني عند موته حيث يكره (بحيث ما يكره) ولا يحبني عبد أبدا فيموت على حبى الا رآني عند موته حيث (بحيث ما) يحب فقال أبو جعفر عليه السلام: نعم ورسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله باليمين (باليمنى)

3.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Yaḥyā al-Ḥalabī, from Ibn Muskān, from ʿAbd al-Raḥīm al-Qaṣīr who said, “I said to Abā Jaʿfar (a), ‘Ṣāliḥ ibn Mītham narrated to me from ʿAbāyah al-Asadī that he heard ʿAlī (a) saying, “By Allah, no servant [of Allah] ever hates me and dies with hatred for me but that he sees me at the moment of his death in a way that he hates, and no servant ever loves me and dies with love for me but that he sees me at the time of his death in a way that he loves.”’ So Abū Jaʿfar (a) said, ‘Yes, and the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) will be on his right side.’”

النضر (بن سويد) عن يحيى الحلبي عن سليمان بن داود عن أبي بصير قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: ما معنى قول الله تبارك وتعالى (فلو لا إذا بلغت الحلقوم وأنتم حينئذ تنظرون ونحن أقرب إليه منكم ولكن لا تبصرون فلو لا ان كنتم غير مدينين ترجعونها ان كنتم صادقين قال: إن نفس (النفس) المحتضر إذا بلغت الحلقوم وكان مؤمنا رأى منزله في (من) الجنة فيقول: ردوني إلى الدنيا حتى أخبر أهلها بما أرى فيقال (له) ليس إلى ذلك سبيل.

4.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Yaḥyā al-Ḥalabī, from Sulaymān ibn Dāwūd, from Abū Baṣīr who said, “I said to Abā ʿAbdillāh (a), ‘What is the meaning of the verse wherein Allah, the Exalted, says: Why then, when it reaches the throat [of the dying person], while at that moment you are looking on – and We are nearer to him than you, though you do not see – why then, if you are not subject [to Our will], do you not restore it [and bring him back to life], if you are truthful? (Q56:83-7)?’ He said, ‘When the soul of the dying person reaches the throat, and he is a believer, he sees his position in Paradise and says, “Return me to the world so that I may inform its people about what I saw.” But he will be told, “There is no way to [do] that.”’”

النضر بن سويد عن يحيى الحلبي عن عبد الحميد الطائي قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول إن أشد ما يكون عدوكم (كراهة) (كراهته) لهذا الامر إذا بلغت نفسه هذه وأشد ما يكون أحدكم اغتباطا به إذا بلغت نفسه هذه - وأشار إلى حلقه - فينقطع (فتقطع) عنه أهوال الدنيا وما كان يحاذر عنها (فيها) ويقال له: امامك رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعلى والأئمة عليهم السلام.

5.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Yaḥyā al-Ḥalabī, from ʿAbd al- Ḥamīd al-Ṭāʾī who said, “I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, ‘Verily the moment when your enemy will have the most intense hatred for this matter [of our wilāyah] will be when the soul reaches here; and the moment when one of you will have the most intense delight is [also] when the soul reaches here – and he pointed to his throat. The terrors of this world and all that he was wary of in it will be cut off from him, and he will be told: In front of you is the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), ʿAlī (a) and the Imams (a).’”

حماد بن عيسى عن حسين بن المختار عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام أنه قال: إن المؤمن إذا مات رأى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعليا عليه السلام بحضرته.

6.Ḥammād ibn ʿĪsā narrated from Ḥusayn ibn al-Mukhtār, from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) that he said, “Verily when a believer dies, he sees the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) and ʿAlī (a) present before him.”

القاسم عن كليب الأسدي قال: قلت لأبي عبد الله عليه السلام: جعلني الله فداك بلغنا (بلغني) عنك حديث قال: وما هو؟ قلت: قولك: إنما يغتبط صاحب هذا الامر إذا كان في (بلغت) هذه - وأومأت بيدك إلى حلقك - فقال: نعم إنما يغتبط أهل هذا الامر إذا بلغت هذه - وأوما بيده إلى حلقه - إما ما كان يتخوف من الدنيا فقد ولى عنه وامامه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله وعلى والحسن والحسين صلوات الله عليهم.

7.Al-Qāsim narrated from Kulayb al-Asadī who said, “I told Abū ʿAbdillāh (a), ‘May Allah make me your ransom! A tradition has reached us from you.’ He asked, ‘What is it?’ I said, ‘That you said: the possessor of this affair (i.e. our wilāyah) will only be delighted when it (i.e. the soul) is here - and you pointed with your hand towards your throat.’ He said, ‘Yes. Indeed the people [who are supporters] of this affair will be delighted when it reaches here,’ and he gestured with his hand towards his throat. [Then he said,] ‘As for that which he feared of this world, he will have turned away from it, and in front of him will be the Messenger of Allah (ṣ), ʿAlī, al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn (a).’”

النضر (بن سويد) عن يحيى الحلبي عن أيوب قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن أشد ما يكون عدوكم كراهية لهذا الامر حين تبلغ نفسه هذه - وأومأ بيده إلى حنجرته - ثم قال: إن رجلا من آل عثمان كان سبابة (أبا) لعلى عليه السلام فحدثتني مولاة له كانت تأتينا قالت: لما احتضر قال: مالي ولهم؟ قلت: جعلني الله فداك ماله قال هذا؟ فقال: لما أرى (رأى) من العذاب أما (إنما) سمعت قول الله تبارك وتعالى (فلا وربك لا يؤمنون حتى يحكموك فيما شجر بينهم ثم لا يجدوا في أنفسهم حرجا مما قضيت ويسلموا تسليما) هيهات هيهات لا والله حتى يكون ثبات (مات) (هذا) الشئ في القلب وان صلى وصام.

8.Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated from Yaḥyā al-Ḥalabī, from Ayyūb who said, “I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, ‘Verily the moment when your enemy will have the most intense hatred for this matter [of our wilāyah] will be when the soul reaches here,’ and he gestured towards his throat. Then he said, ‘There was a man from the family of ʿUthmān who would often curse ʿAlī (a), so one of his maid servants who would visit us told me about that. She said, “When he was about to die, he said, ‘What do I have to do with them?!’”’ I said [to the Imam (a)], ‘May Allah make me your ransom! Why did he say this?’ He said, ‘[It was] when he was shown some of the punishment [that awaits him for rejecting the wilāyah]. Have you not heard the verse wherein Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, says: But no, by your Lord, they will never be [true] believers until they accept your judgement in all their disputes, and find no resistance within themselves against your decision and submit wholeheartedly (Q4:65)? Far be it! Far be it! No, by Allah [it will not be so] until this thing is well established in the heart, even if he prays and fasts.’”

صفوان عن ابن مكسان عن أبي عمرو البزاز قال: كنا عند أبي جعفر عليه السلام جلوسا فقام فدخل البيت وخرج فاخذ بعضادتي الباب فسلم فرددنا عليه السلام ثم قال: (أما) والله انى لا (حبكم وا) حب ريحكم وأرواحكم وانكم لعلى دين الله ودين ملائكته وما بين أحدكم وبين أن يرى ما تقر به عينه الا ان تبلغ نفسه (هذه) ها ههنا - وأو ما بيده إلى حنجرته - وقال: فاتقوا الله وأعينوا على ذلك بورع.

9.Ṣafwān narrated from Ibn Muskān, from Abū ʿAmr al-Bazzāz who said, “We were sitting with Abū Jaʿfar (a) when he stood up and entered the house [for some time] and [then] came out. He held the two doorposts and greeted us, so we replied his greeting. Then he said, ‘Know, by Allah, I surely love you and love your scent and your spirit. Verily you are upon the religion of Allah and His angels; and nothing stands between any of you and his seeing that which would gladden him except his soul reaching here,’ and he pointed to his throat with his hand. And he [also] said, ‘Be mindful of Allah and support that with piety[and devotion].’”

صفوان عن أبي بصير عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: ما بين أحدكم وبين أن يرى ما تقر به عينه الا ان تبلغ نفسه هذه فيأتيه ملك الموت فيقول: أما ما كنت تطمع فيه من الدنيا فقد فاتك فاما ما كنت تطمع فيه من الآخرة فقد أشرفت عليه وامامك سلف صدق رسول الله وعلى وإبراهيم.

10.Ṣafwān narrated from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū Jaʿfar (a) who said, “Nothing stands between any one of you and seeing that which would bring him delight except his soul reaching here (i.e. the throat). The Angel of Death will come to him and say, ‘As for that which you used to desire in the world, it has escaped you; but as for what you used to desire of the Hereafter, you are now on the verge of it, and in front of you are the forebears of truth: the Messenger of Allah, ʿAlī and Ibrāhīm (peace be upon them all).’”

صفوان عن قتيبة الأعشى قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: عاديتم فينا الاباء والأبناء والأزواج وثوابكم على الله، ان أحوج ما تكونون فيه إلى حبنا إذا بلغت النفس هذه - وأومأ بيده إلى حلقه.

11.Ṣafwān narrated from Qutaybah al-Aʿshā who said, “I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, ‘You made enemies of your fathers, children, and wives for our sake and your reward for that is with Allah. The time when you will be most in need of our love is when the soul reaches here,’ and he pointed towards his neck.”

Kitāb al-Zuhd

Book 2, Chapter 15