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 النضر بن سويد عن عاصم بن حميد عن أبي بصير قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول:: إذا وضع الرجل في قبره أتاه ملكان ملك عن يمينه وملك عن شماله وأقيم الشيطان بين يديه عيناه مثل النحاس فيقال له: كيف تقول في هذا الرجل الذي كان بين (أظهركم) ظهرانيكم؟ قال: فيفزع له فزعة (فليفزع لذلك فزعا عظيما) فيقول إذا كان مؤمنا: (أ) عن محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله تسألاني؟ فيقولان له: نعم نومة لا حلم فيها ويفسح له في قبره (تسع) تسعة أذرع ثم يرى مقعده في الجنة وهو قول الله عز وجل: (يثبت الله الذين آمنوا بالقول الثابت في الحياة الدنيا وفى الآخرة) فإذا) وإذا) كان كافرا يقولان له: (ما من هذا الرجل الذي خرج بين ظهرانيكم؟ فيقول: لا أدرى فيخليان بينه وبين الشيطان

1.Al-Ḥusayn ibn Saʿīd narrated to us saying, “Al-Naḍr ibn Suwayd narrated to us from ʿĀṣim ibn Ḥamīd, from Abū Baṣīr who said, ‘I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, “When a person is placed in his grave, two angels come to him, one angel from his right and another from his left; and Satan is made to stand in front of him, his two eyes looking [intensely red] like copper. Then he is asked, ‘What do you say about the man who came before you [as a Prophet]?’ He will be overwhelmed by fear and then, if he is a believer, he will say, ‘Are you asking me about Muḥammad, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ)?’ So they will say to him, ‘Sleep a slumber wherein there is no dream,’ and his grave will be widened by nine cubits. Then he will see his place in Paradise; and that is [what is referred to in] the verse wherein Allah, the Almighty, says: Allah makes the believers steadfast with the firm word [of faith] in this worldly life and in the Hereafter (Q14:27). If [on the other hand] he is a disbeliever, they will ask him, ‘What [do you say] of the man who came before you [as a Prophet]?’ He will reply, ‘I do not know.’ So they will leave him alone with Satan.”’”

إبراهيم بن أبي البلاد عن بعض أصحابه رفعه (يرفعه) إلى بعض الفقهاء قال: يقال للمؤمن في قبره: من ربك؟ فيقول: الله فيقال له: ما دينك؟ فيقول: الاسلام فيقال: من نبيك فيقول: محمد صلى الله عليه وآله فيقال: من امامك؟ فيقول: علي عليه السلام (فيقال: كيف علمت بذلك؟ فيقول: أمر هداني الله له وثبتني عليه (فيقال له: نم نومة لاحم فيها نومة العروس ثمن يفتح له باب إلى الجنة فيدخل عليه من روحها وريحانها (قال فيقول: (يا) رب عجل لي قيام الساعة لعلى أرجع إلى أهلي ومالي، قال: ويقال للكافر: من ربك؟ فيقول: الله فيقال له: من نبيك؟ فيقول: محمد فيقال له: ما دينك؟ فيقول: الاسلام فيقال: من أين علمت ذلك؟ فيقول: سمعت الناس يقولون به فقلت (فيقال له من وليك؟ فيقول: لا أدرى فيضربانه بمرزبة لو اجتمع عليها الثقلان الإنس والجن لم يطيقوها قال: فيذوب كما يذوب الرصاص ثم يعيدان فيه الروح فيوضع قلبه بين لوحين من نار فيقول: يا رب اخر قيام الساعة.

2.Ibrāhīm ibn Abī al-Bilād narrated from one of his companions who attributed it to one of the learned sages who said, “A believer is asked [by two angels] in his grave, ‘Who is your Lord?’ So he replies, ‘Allah.’ Then he is asked, ‘What is your religion?’ So he replies, ‘Islam.’ Then he is asked, ‘Who is your Prophet?’ So he replies, ‘Muḥammad (ṣ).’ Then he is asked, ‘Who is you Imam?’ He replies, ‘ʿAlī (a).’ He is asked, ‘How did you know this?’ So he replies, ‘It is a matter to which Allah guided me and made me steadfast upon it.’ He will thus be told, ‘Sleep a slumber without any dream – the sleep of a bride.’ Then one of the doors of Paradise is opened for him and its breeze and fragrance enters upon him [in his grave]. He will then say, ‘O Lord, hasten for me the establishment of the Hour [of Judgment] so that I may return to my family and wealth!’” Then he said, “A disbeliever [on the other hand] is asked, ‘Who is your Lord?’ So he replies, ‘Allah.’ Then he is asked, ‘Who is your Prophet?’ So he replies, ‘Muḥammad.’ Then he is asked, ‘What is your religion?’ So he says, ‘Islam.’ He is asked, ‘Where did you learn that from?’ So he replies, ‘I heard people saying it so I [too] said it.’ He is then asked, ‘Who is your walī?’ So he answers, ‘I do not know.’ So they both strike him with an iron rod in a manner which all the humans and jinn would not be able to bear even if they came together! He will thus melt the way lead melts. Then, they will return his soul into his body and place his heart between two tablets of fire. [Knowing what awaits him,] he will say, ‘O Lord, delay the Hour of Reckoning.’”[1]

القاسم وعثمان بن عيسى عن علي عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إن سعدا لما مات شيعه سبعون الف ملك فقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله على قبره فقال ومثل سعد يضم؟ فقالت أمه: هنيا لك يا سعد وكرامة فقال لها رسول الله: يا أم سعد لا تحتمي على الله فقالت يا رسول الله قد سمعناك وما تقول في سعد فقال: ان سعدا كان في لسانه غلظ على أهله.

3.Al-Qāsim and ʿUthmān ibn ʿĪsā narrated from ʿAlī, from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “When Saʿd died, seventy thousand angels accompanied his funeral procession, and the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) stood at his grave and said, ‘Would the likes of Saʿd face the squeezing [of the grave]?’ His mother said, ‘Congratulations to you O Saʿd, and [what a great] honor!’ So the Messenger of Allah said to her, ‘O mother of Saʿd, do not impose anything upon Allah.’ She said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we have heard you say what you said about Saʿd [and how you praised him].’ So he said, ‘Verily Saʿd was harsh in his speech with his family.’”

وقال أبو بصير: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: إن رقية بنت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لما ماتت قام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله على قبرها فرفع يده تلقاء السماء ودمعت عيناه فقالوا يا رسول الله انا قد رأيناك رفعت رأسك إلى السماء ودمعت عيناك فقال: انى سألت ربى أن يهب لي رقية من ضمة القبر.

4.And Abū Baṣīr said, “I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) say, ‘When Ruqayyah the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) died, the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) stood next to her grave and raised his hand towards the sky as tears flowed from his eyes. So they (the companions) said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have seen you raising your head towards the sky as tears flowed from your eyes?” So he said, “I asked my Lord to gift me [the exception of] the squeezing of the grave for Ruqayyah.”’”

فضالة عن ابان عن بشير النبال قال: سمعت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام يقول: خاطب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قبر سعد فمسحه بيده واختلج بين كتفيه فقيل له يا رسول الله رأيناك خاطبت واختلج بين كتفيك وقلت: سعد يفعل به هذا؟ فقال: انه ليس من مؤمن إلا وله ضمة.

5.Faḍālah narrated from Abān, from Bashīr al-Nabbāl who said, “I heard Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) saying, ‘The Messenger of Allah (ṣ) addressed the grave of Saʿd and wiped his hand over it, and [as he did so] he began to quiver between his shoulders. So it was said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, we saw you addressing [the grave of Saʿd] as you were quivering between your shoulders, and you said, ‘Saʿd is undergoing this.’” So he said, “Verily there is no believer but that he will undergo squeezing [in the grave].”’”

علي بن النعمان عن ابن مسكان عن سليمان بن خالد قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عما يلقى صاحب القبر فقال: ان ملكين يقال لهما: منكر ونكبر يأتيان صاحب القبر فيسألانه عن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فيقولان: ما تقول في هذا الرجل الذي خرج فيكم؟ فيقول: من هو فيقولان: الذي كان يقول: إنه رسول الله، أحق ذلك؟ قال: فإذا كان من أهل الشك قال: ما أدرى قال سمعت الناس يقولون فلست أدرى أحق ذلك أم كذب فيضر بأنه ضربة يسمعها أهل السماوات وأهل الأرض الا المشركين وإذا كان متيقنا فإنه لا يفزع فيقول: أعن رسول الله تسألاني؟ فيقولان أتعلم انه رسول الله؟ فيقول: اشهد أنه رسول الله حقا جاء بالهدى ودين الحق قال فيرى مقعده من الجنة ويفسح له عن قبره ثم يقولان له: نم نومة ليس فيها حلم في أطيب ما يكون النائم.

6.ʿAlī ibn al-Nuʿmān narrated from Ibn Muskān, from Sulaymān ibn Khālid who said, “I asked Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) about what will be faced by one who is [buried] in the grave, so he said, ‘Verily two angels who are called Munkar and Nakīr will come to the one who is in the grave and will ask him about the Messenger of Allah (ṣ) saying, “What do you have to say about this man who rose among you?” He will ask, “Who was he?” They will say, “The one who used to say that he is the Messenger of Allah. Was that true?” So if the man was one of the doubters, he will say, “I do not know. I heard the people saying [that] but I do not know whether it was the truth or a lie.” So they will strike him such a blow that it will be audible to the inhabitants of the heavens and the inhabitants of earth, except the polytheists.[1] But if he was one of those with certitude, he will not fear and will say [confidently], “Are you asking me about the Messenger of Allah?” So they will ask, “Do you know that he is the Messenger of Allah?” He will say, “I bear witness that he is the Messenger of Allah in truth. He came with guidance and the religion of truth.” Thus he will see his position in Paradise and his grave will be expanded for him. They (the two angels) will then say to him, “Sleep a slumber wherein there is no dream, in the best state of any sleeper.”’”

محمد بن أبي عمير عن جميل عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: إذا أراد عز وجل ان يبعث الخلق أمطر السماء على الأرض أربعين صباحا فاجتمعت (فتجتمع) الأوصال ونبتت (ونبتت) اللحوم.

7.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from Jamīl, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) who said, “When Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, wants to resurrect the creation, He makes the sky rain upon the earth for forty days, then the limbs come together and flesh grows [on the bodies].”

بن أبي البلاد عن أبيه عن بعض أصحابه يرفعه (رفعه) إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله أنه قال لبعض أصحابه: كيف أنت إذا اتاك فتانا القبر؟ فقال يا رسول الله: ما فتانا القبر قال: ملكان فظان غليظان أصواتهما كالرعد القاصف وأبصارهما كالبرق الخاطف يطئان في أشعارهما ويحفران الأرض بأنيابهما فيسئلانك قال: وأنت على مثل حالك هذه قال: أنت على مثل حالك هذه قال: اذن اكفيهما.

8.Ibn Abī al-Bilād narrated from his father, from one of his companions who attributed it to the Prophet (ṣ), that he said to one of his companions, “How will you be when the two examiners of the grave come to you?” So he (the companion) asked, “O Messenger of Allah, what are the examiners of the grave?” He said, “Two angels, harsh and severe, with voices like rumbling thunder and eyes like blinding lightning. They will be treading on their own hair and ploughing the ground with their [large] fangs; they will [come to] question you.” He asked, “[Will that be] when I am in a state such as this?” He replied, “[Yes,] you will be as you are in your present state.” He said, “Then I will be able to face them.”’”

محمد بن أبي عمير عن علي عن أبي بصير قال: سألت أبا عبد الله عليه السلام عن أرواح المؤمنين فقال: في حجرات في الجنة يأكلون من طعامها ويشربون من شرابها ويقولون: ربنا أقم لنا الساعة وانجز لنا ما وعدتنا والحق آخرنا بأولنا.

9.Muḥammad ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from ʿAlī, from Abū Baṣīr who said, “I asked Abā ʿAbdillāh (a) about the souls of believers so he said, ‘[They will be] in [lofty] chambers in Paradise, eating of its food and drinking of its drink, and they will say, “Our Lord, bring upon us the Hour [of Judgment] and fulfil for us what You promised us, and make the last among us join the first!”’”

ابن أبي عمير عن علي عن أبي بصير عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال سألته عن أرواح المشركين فقال في النار يعذبون (و) يقولون: ربنا لا تقم لنا الساعة ولا تنجز لنا ما وعدتنا ولا تلحق آخرنا بأولنا.

10.Ibn Abī ʿUmayr narrated from ʿAlī, from Abū Baṣīr, from Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) saying, “I asked him about the souls of the polytheists, so he said, ‘[They will be] in the Fire facing punishment and will say, “Our Lord, do not bring upon us the Hour [of Judgment], and do not fulfil for us what You promised us, and do not join the last of us with the first!”’”

القاسم عن الحسين بن حماد عن يونس بن ظبيان قال: كنت عند أبي عبد الله عليه السلام فقال لي: ما تقول الناس في أرواح المؤمنين؟ فقلت: يقولون: (تكون) في حواصل طيور خضر في قناديل تحت العرش فقال أبو عبد الله عليه السلام: سبحان الله المؤمن أكرم على الله من أن يجعل روحه في حوصلة طير أخضر يا يونس إذا (كان ذلك أتاه محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وعلى وفاطمة والحسن والحسين والملائكة المقربون عليهم السلام فإذا) قبضه (الله عز وجل) صير تلك الروح في قالب كقالبه في الدنيا فيأكلون ويشربون فإذا قدم عليهم القادم عرفوه بتلك الصورة التي كانت في الدنيا.

11.Al-Qāsim narrated from al-Ḥusayn ibn Ḥammād, from Yūnus ibn Ẓabyān who said, “I was with Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) and he asked me, ‘What do the people say about the souls of believers?’ I replied, ‘They say that they are in the craws of green birds in lanterns under the Throne.’ So Abū ʿAbdillāh (a) said, ‘Glory be to Allah! The believer is more honourable in the sight of Allah than His placing his soul in the craw of a green bird, O Yūnus! When the time [of a believer’s death] approaches, Muḥammad(ṣ), ʿAlī, Fāṭimah, al-Ḥasan, al-Ḥusayn, and the close archangels (peace be upon them all) come to him. And when Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, takes his soul, He places that soul in a form similar to its form in the world; so they subsist, eating and drinking [in that realm as well]. Then, when someone [who has just died] comes to them, they recognize him by the appearance that he had in the world.’”

Kitāb al-Zuhd

Book 2, Chapter 16