Al-Kāfi - Volume 8


Book 1, Chapter 17

Another letter to him from him (the imam) also
1 Ḥadīth

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ عَنْ عَمِّهِ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ بَزِيعٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ( عليه السلام ) إِلَى سَعْدٍ الْخَيْرِ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَقَدْ جَاءَنِي كِتَابُكَ تَذْكُرُ فِيهِ مَعْرِفَةَ مَا لَا يَنْبَغِي تَرْكُهُ وَ طَاعَةَ مَنْ رِضَا اللَّهِ رِضَاهُ فَقُلْتَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ لِنَفْسِكَ مَا كَانَتْ نَفْسُكَ مُرْتَهَنَةً لَوْ تَرَكْتَهُ تَعْجَبُ أَنَّ رِضَا اللَّهِ وَ طَاعَتَهُ وَ نَصِيحَتَهُ لَا تُقْبَلُ وَ لَا تُوجَدُ وَ لَا تُعْرَفُ إِلَّا فِي عِبَادٍ غُرَبَاءَ أَخْلَاءً مِنَ النَّاسِ قَدِ اتَّخَذَهُمُ النَّاسُ سِخْرِيّاً لِمَا يَرْمُونَهُمْ بِهِ مِنَ الْمُنْكَرَاتِ وَ كَانَ يُقَالُ لَا يَكُونُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مُؤْمِناً حَتَّى يَكُونَ أَبْغَضَ إِلَى النَّاسِ مِنْ جِيفَةِ الْحِمَارِ وَ لَوْ لَا أَنْ يُصِيبَكَ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ مِثْلُ الَّذِي أَصَابَنَا فَتَجْعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ وَ أُعِيذُكَ بِاللَّهِ وَ إِيَّانَا مِنْ ذَلِكَ لَقَرُبْتَ عَلَى بُعْدِ مَنْزِلَتِكَ وَ اعْلَمْ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَا تُنَالُ مَحَبَّةُ اللَّهِ إِلَّا بِبُغْضِ كَثِيرٍ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَ لَا وَلَايَتُهُ إِلَّا بِمُعَادَاتِهِمْ وَ فَوْتُ ذَلِكَ قَلِيلٌ يَسِيرٌ لِدَرْكِ ذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ يَا أَخِي إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ جَعَلَ فِي كُلٍّ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ بَقَايَا مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ يَدْعُونَ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِلَى الْهُدَى وَ يَصْبِرُونَ مَعَهُمْ عَلَى الْأَذَى يُجِيبُونَ دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ وَ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَأَبْصِرْهُمْ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ فَإِنَّهُمْ فِي مَنْزِلَةٍ رَفِيعَةٍ وَ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَضِيعَةٌ إِنَّهُمْ يُحْيُونَ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ الْمَوْتَى وَ يُبَصِّرُنَّ بِنُورِ اللَّهِ مِنَ الْعَمَى كَمْ مِنْ قَتِيلٍ لِإِبْلِيسَ قَدْ أَحْيَوْهُ وَ كَمْ مِنْ تَائِهٍ ضَالٍّ قَدْ هَدَوْهُ يَبْذُلُونَ دِمَاءَهُمْ دُونَ هَلَكَةِ الْعِبَادِ وَ مَا أَحْسَنَ أَثَرَهُمْ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ وَ أَقْبَحَ آثَارَ الْعِبَادِ عَلَيْهِمْ .


17. Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Al-Husayn, from Muhammad Bin Ismail Bin Yazi’e, from his uncle Hamza Bin Yazi’e who said: ‘Abu Ja’far (a.s) wrote to Sa’d Al-Khayr: - ‘In the Name of Allah (azwj), the Beneficent, the Merciful. Having said that, your letter came to me (a.s) in which you have asked how much it is necessary to learn and the obedience to the one (a.s) whose pleasure is the Pleasure of Allah (azwj). So then you had said to yourself, then you will not be blamed if you then avoid some other. You are (also) amazed (by the fact) that the Pleasure of Allah (azwj), and obedience to Him (azwj), and His (azwj) Advice is neither accepted, nor found, nor recognised except within the servants who are unrecognised (unknown to public), who are alone (away) from the people. The people have taken them in ridicule and they ascribe to them evil matters to the extent that it was said that one cannot be a Believer and is not a Believer until he becomes more hated by the people than the carcass of a donkey. And if you suffer from the affliction similar to what we (a.s) have suffered, so do not consider the strife of the people (against you) like a Punishment of Allah (azwj), and I (a.s) seek Refuge with Allah (azwj) as well as for you all from that, to Bring near your destination which though is a far distance. And know, may Allah (azwj) have Mercy upon you, that one cannot achieve the Love of Allah (azwj) except by hatred from a lot of the people, nor His (azwj) Wilayah except by being their enemy, and losing (their friendship) is very little in comparison to that which is Gained from Allah (azwj), for a people who know. O my (a.s) brother, verily Allah (azwj) Mighty and Majestic has Made regarding everyone from the Messengers (a.s) a successor (a.s) who remains, from the people of the knowledge, calling the one who has strayed towards the guidance, and observes patience along with them upon the suffering, answering to the Call of Allah (azwj) and calling towards Allah (azwj). So look at them (a.s), may Allah (azwj) have Mercy upon you, for they (a.s) are in a high position even though they would be in affliction in the world and considered to be menial. They (a.s) revive the dead by the Book of Allah (azwj), and they (a.s) visualise by the Light of Allah (azwj) from the blindness. How many who had been killed by the Iblees (la) were revived by them (a.s), and how many lost and strayed ones were guided by them (a.s), sacrificing their (a.s) blood to save the servants from destruction, and how good are their (a.s) effects upon the servants, and how ugly are the effects of the people against them (a.s)’.