The value of time in Ali's view:

إنَّ المَغْبُونَ مَنْ غُبِنَ عُمْرَهُ وَإنّ المَغْبُوطَ مَنْ أنْفَذَ عُمْرَهُ في طَاعَةِ رَبِّهِ.

A loser is the one has wasted his time, and a winner, whom everyone will envy, is the one who has spent his time worshipping Allah.

إنَّ العاقِلَ مَنْ نَظَرَ في يَوْمِهِ بِغَدِهِ، وَسَعى في فِكاكِ نَفْسِهِ وَعَمِلَ لِما لابُدَّ لَهُ وَلا مَحِيصَ عَنْهُ.

In fact a wise man is the one who sees his future in his present time and who considers this world as a harvesting-place for his hereafter: the one who frees himself from his lusts and whim; the one who tries hard to avoid the hell fire and endeavors for a day which he has to meet anyway.

إنَّ أخْسَرَ النّاسِ صَفْقَةً وأخْيَبَهُم سَعْياً رَجُلٌ أخْلَقَ بَدَنَهُ في طَلَبِ آمالِهِ وَلَمْ تساعِدْهُ المقادِيرُ على إرادَتِهِ، فخَرَجَ مِنَ الدنيا بحسَراتِهِ وَقَدِمَ على الآخِرَةِ بِتَبِعاتِهِ.

In fact, the severest loser in bargaining his life and the most regretful one is the person who weakens his body strength to fulfil his wishes and then due to God’s determination is deprived of attaining his wishes and who then departs from this world with much regrets.

إنَّ أوْقاتِكَ أجْزاءُ عُمْرِكَ، فَلا تُنْفِذْ لَكَ وقْتاً إلاّ فيما يُنْجِيكَ.

No doubt the hours you spend are all parts and portions of your life-time. Thus, do not spend your time in anything unless it can save you, somehow.

If you look at the world through the eyes of monotheism and prophets and God’s men, you will observe that it is a place for human growth. If its assets are used in the right way by man, he can attain the supernatural world easily. He is then reluctant to use even one minute of his precious time in the wrong way. He sees this world as a prelude to the next world. But if this world is seen through the eyes of the material-minded people, it is a place for sensuality and for mistaking right for wrong and wrong for right. Under such circumstances man’s features turn into the features of wolves and his spirit will change into stone.

Imam Ali (s), in the following sentences, refers to those seeing and alert persons who use every minute of their lives in satisfying God. He refers, as well, to those blind persons who add to their files and records nothing but injustice and tyranny.

إنَّ الدُّنيا مُنتَهى بَصَرِ الأعْمَى، لا يُبْصِرُ مِمّا وَراءَها شَيْئاً؛ وَالبَصيرُ يُنْفِذُها بَصَرَهُ وَيَعْلَمُ أنَّ الدَارَ وَراءَها. فَالبَصيرُ مِنْها شاخِصٌ، وَالأعْمَى إلَيْها شاخِصٌ، وَالبَصيرُ مِنْها مُتَزَوِّدٌ، وَالأعْمى إلَيها مُتَزَوِّدٌ.

In fact, this world is the last resort and perspective for a blind man; he can not see anything beyond it (and for this reason, he will not pay attention to the Doomsday which is the focal point in the discussions of the divine books).

But a clear-thinker will realize that the true residence for man is the other world. He will spend his time here to satisfy his God and to prepare his provisions. But a blind person only tries for his needs here.

إنَّ اللّيلَ وَالنّهارَ يَعْمَلانِ فيكَ فاعْمَل فِيهِما، وَيأخُذانِ مِنكَ فَخُذ مِنْهُما.

In fact, day and night will affect you. You too should make your influence over them. They take away your life-span; you, too, take spiritual advantages from your life.

In the Holy Quran and in narrations, it is shown how time should be spent. Thus, the tasks of people are pre-determined, and no body may refuse to carry out his responsibilities.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ4: مَنْ سَلَكَ طَريقاً يَطْلُبُ فيه عِلْماً سَلَكَ اللهُ بِهِ طَرِيقاً إلى الجَنّةِ، وَإنَّ المَلائِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أجْنِحَتَها لِطالِبِ العِلْمِ رِضاً بِهِ، وَإنّهُ لَيَستَغْفِرُ لِطَالِبِ العِلْمِ مَنْ فِي السّماءِ وَمَنْ فِي الأرضِ حَتّى الحُوتِ فِي البَحْرِ، وَفَضْلُ العالِمِ عَلى العَابِدِ كَفَضْلِ القَمَرِ عَلى سائِرِ النُّجُومِ لَيْلَةَ البَدْرِ، وَإنَّ العُلَماءَ وَرَثةُ الأنْبِياءِ، إنَّ الأنبِياء لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا ديناراً وَلا دِرْهَماً وَلكِنْ وَرَّثُوا العِلْمَ، فَمَنْ أخَذَ مِنْهُ أخَذَ بِحَظٍ وافِرٍ.

God will direct to heaven anybody who spends his time in obtaining God’s and devine knowledge. The angles will joyfully spread their wings for the real scholar to fly by them. Every body should ask God’s blessings for divine scholars. The superiority of a scholar over a worshipper is like that of the moon of the fourteenth of the lunar calendar over other stars. In fact, the scholars and scientists are the heirs to the prophets. The prophets did not possess any wealth except knowledge. Anybody who acquires knowledge has got the complete satisfaction.

وَقالَ4: أربَعَةٌ تَلْزَمُ كُلَّ ذي حِجى وَعَقْلٍ مِنء أُمّتي: اِسْتِمَاعُ الْعِلْمِ، وَحِفْظُهُ، وَنَشْرُهُ، وَالعَمَلُ بِهِ.

The Prophet (s) has also said: There are four obligatory tasks for any one of my Ommah: The acquisition of knowledge, keeping it, spreading it among people and acting it out.

وَقالَ4: مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ العِلْمَ لِلتَكَبُّرِ ماتَ جاهِلاً، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَهُ لِلقَولِ دُونَ العَمَلِ ماتَ مُنافِقاً، وَمَن تَعَلَّمَهُ لِلمُناظَرَةِ ماتَ فاسِقاً، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَهُ لِكَثْرَةِ المالِ ماتَ زِنْدِيقاً، وَمَنْ تَعَلَّمَهُ لِلعَمَلِ ماتَ عَارِفاً.

The Prophet (s) has said, as well: Anybody who boasts of his knowledge will pass away ignorant; any body who does not carry out what he learns is a hypocrite; anybody who uses his knowledge to argue with people will die as a wrong-doer; and anybody who used his knowledge to multiply his wealth, will die as an infidel; and finally, anybody who learns something in order to act it out is a true Gnostic.

وَقالَ4: لا يَكُونُ العَبْدُ فِي السَماءِ وَلا فِي الأرضِ مُؤْمِناً حتّى يَكُونَ فَضُولاً، وَلا يَكُونُ فَضُولاً حَتّى يَكُونَ مُسلِماً حَتّى يَسْلَمَ النّاسُ مِنْ يَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ، وَلا يَسْلَمُ النّاسُ مِنْ يَدِهِ وَلِسَانِهِ حَتّى يَكُونَ عالِماً، وَلا يَكُونُ عالِماً حَتّى يَكُونَ عامِلاً بِالعِلمِ، وَلا يَكُونُ عامِلاً بِالعِلْمِ حَتّى يَكُونَ زَاهِداً، وَلا يَكُونُ زَاهِداً حَتّى يَكُونَ وَرِعاً، وَلا يَكُونُ وَرِعاً حَتّى يَكُونَ مُتَواضِعاً، وَلا يَكُونُ مُتَواضِعاً حَتّى يَكُونَ عارِِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ، وَلا يَكُونُ عارِفاً بِنَفْسِهِ حَتّى يَكُونَ عَاقِلاً.

The Prophet (s) has also stated, there are some actions dependant on some others: A worshipper from the sky and the earth is not truly a believer unless he is generous. Your being a true believer depends on your generosity. Your being a Moslem depends on the fact that others are safe from your tongue. People are not at ease with you unless you are knowledgeable. A man is not considered a scholar unless he acts on what he knows and preaches. He is not a true actor unless he is reluctant to engage in wrong-doings. He is not considered reluctant to do wrong unless he is clean. He is not clean unless he bows to God. And he is not decent and honest unless he recognizes his true self. And finally he does not recognize his very self unless he is wise.

وَقالَ 4: أفْشُوا السَّلامَ وأطْعِمُوا الطّعامَ، وَصِلوا الأرْحامَ، وَصلّوا باللَّيْلِ وَالنّاسُ نيامٌ تَدْخُلوا الجَنَّة بِالسَّلامِ.

He has also stated: be prepared to greet people first, feed others, visit your relatives; when people are asleep go on worshipping: only under these conditions will you enter the paradise in complete health.

وَقالَ 4: إنَّهُ لا نَبِيَّ بَعْدي، وَلا اُمَّةَ بَعْدَكُمْ، ألا فَاعْبُدُوا رَبَّكُمْ، وَصَلُّوا خَمْسَكُمْ، وَصُومُوا شَهْرَكُمْ، وَحُجُّوا بَيْتَ رَبِّكُمْ، وَادُّوا زَكاةَ أموالِكُمْ طَيِّبَةْ بِها أنْفُسُكُمْ، وَأطِيعُوا وُلاةَ أمْرِكُمُ تَدْخُلُوا جَنَّةَ رَبِّكُمْ.

And the Prophet (s) has said as well: there is no Prophet after me and there will be no more Ommah. Let us fast in the month of Ramathan; let us carry out hajj. Let us pay our due alms with all our hearts. You obey the Infallible ones (s) and the Jurisprudent so that you may enter the paradise.

وَقالَ 4: مَنْ أطْعَمَ مْؤْمِناً لُقمةً أطْعَمَهُ اللهُ مِنْ ثِمَارِ الجَنَّةِ وَمَنْ سَقاهُ شَرْبَةً مِنْ مَاءٍ سَقاهُ اللهُ مِنَ الرَّحِيقِ المَخْتُومِ، وَمَنْ كَسَاهُ ثَوباً كَساهُ اللهُ مِنَ الإسْتَبْرَقِ وَالحَريرِ، وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَالمَلائِكَةُ ما بَقِيَ في ذلِكَ الثَّوْبِ سِلْكٌ.

He has also stated: Anybody who feeds a believer a loaf will receive the heavenly fruits from God; and any body who gives a believer a drink of water will receive water from ZamZam. And any body who dresses a believer will receive silk dress from God and will be blessed by God upto the last moment when a tread of that dress still remains.

وَقالَ 4: خافُوا مِنَ اللهِ، وَصِلُوا الرَحِمَ، فَانَّهُما فِي الدُّنْيا بَرَكَةٌ، وَفِي العُقْبى مَغْفِرَةٌ، وَفي صِلَةِ الرَّحِمِ عَشْرُ خِصالٍ: رِضا الرَّبِّ، وَفَرَحُ القُلوبِ، وَفَرَحُ المَلائِكُةِ، وَثَنَاءُ النّاسِ، وَتَرْغِيمُ الشَّيطانِ، وَزِيادَةُ العُمْرِ، وَزِيادَةُ الرِّزْقِ وَفَرَحُ الأمْواتِ، وَزِيادَةُ المُرُوَّةِ، وَزِيادَةُ الثَّوابِ.

The Messenger of God has stated: Be fearful of God and pay visits to your relatives. These two are the source of abundance here. There are ten advantages in paying visits to one’s relatives: God’s delight, the happiness of hearts, the angels’ satisfaction, the people’s admiration, Satan’s anger, adding up to one’s life-span, having abundance, the happiness of the deceased, the increase in one’s manhood, and finally an increase in the heavenly rewards.

وَقالَ 4: إذا كانَ يَوْمُ القِيامَة لَمْ تَزُلْ قَدَما عَبْدٍ حَتّى يُسْألَ عَنْ أرْبَعٍ: عَنْ عُمْرِهِ فيمَ أفْناهُ، وَعَنْ شَبابِهِ فيمَ أبْلاهُ، وَعَمَّا اكْتَسَبَهُ مِنْ أيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَ أنْفَقَهُ، وَعَنْ حُبِّنا أهْلَ البَيْتِ.

The Great Prophet (s) has also stated: On the Doomsday, each believer will be asked the following four questions: how he spent his life, how he spent his youth, how he earned and spent his wealth, and his love and affection towards us, the infallible ones(s).

وَقالَ 4: يا أيُّهَا النّاسُ تُوبُوا إلى اللهِ قَبْلَ أنْ تَمُوتُوا، وَبادِرُوا بِالأعْمالِ الصالِحَةِ قَبْلَ أنْ تُشْغَلوا، وَأصْلِحُوا الَّذي بَيْنَكُم وَبَينَ رَبِّكُم تَسْعَدوا، وَأكْثِروا مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ تُرزَقُوا، وَامُرُوا بالمَعْرُوفِ تُحْصَنُوا، وَانْهَو عَنِ المُنْكَرِ تُنْصَروا، إنَّ أكْيَسَكُم أكْثَرُكُمْ ذِكْراً لِلمَوْتِ، وَإنَّ أحْرَمَكُم أحْسَنُكُمُ اسِتِعداداً لَهُ. ألا وَإنَّ مِنْ عَلاماتِ العَقْلِ التَّجافِيَ مِنْ دارِ الغُرُورِ، وَالإنابَةِ إلى دارِ الخُلُودِ، وَالتَزَوُّدَ لِسُكْنَى القُبُورِ، وَالتأهُبَ لِيَومِ النُّشُورِ.

The Honorable Prophet has also said: O people, prior to your death, repent all your sins; and engage in good deeds while you have freedom; make peace between yourself and your God so that you will prosper; pay lots of alms so that you will be given abundance; enjoin the good so that you may be safe against social harms; and forbid the evil so that you may get help; The cleverest one among you is the one who remembers death the most; and the most prudent among you is the one who is most capable and ready to receive death. Be aware that there are four signs for one being wise: not being proud, having love in the world Hereafter; compiling provisions for the other world; and being prepared for the Doomsday.

It would take me a lot of energy to delve into all the details of this divine issue. Now you are familiar with Islam’s view on how to spend one’s time. Now it is time for me to deal with the second part of the first invocation of Sahifeh Sajjadieh.

قَبَضَهُ إلى ما نَدَبَهُ إلَيهِ مِنْ مَوْفُورِ ثَوابِهِ، أوْ مَحْذُورِ عِقابِهِ، لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذينَ أساؤُوا بِما عَمِلُوا، وَيَجْزيَ الَّذِينَ أحْسَنُوا بِالحُسْنى، عَدْلاً مِنْهُ تَقَدَّسَتْ، أسْماؤُهُ وَتَظاهَرَتْ آلاؤُهُ، لايُسْأَلُ عَمّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسأَلُونَ.

“At the end of one’s life, one is accountable for what good he has performed and what the evil he has done. This is to punish the evil-doer for the evils he has done and to reward him for the good he has performed and for the prayer he has engaged in. This is the mere justice by God who is flawless and Whose assets are continual. He will do what He deems advisable and nobody is allowed to question His authority. Rather, it is man who is asked for what he has done, especially how he has spent his time.”

Out of His Affection, Allah Has bestowed upon man the following assets: wisdom and conscience; self and nature; spirit and heart; prophethood and imamate; velayat and honor; khelafat and guidance; knowledge and insight; body and soul; the earth and the sky; the sea and the desert; the air and the mountains; the mines and resources; clothing, foods and drinks and the like. Then man is asked to appreciate these blessings and spend each in its right place till he gets prosperity both here and in the hereafter. Those who spend God’s assets and abundance in the right manner and who spend their time worshipping Allah will definitely receive their rewards in the Hereafter. But those who do not appreciate God’s assets and spend their time being engaged in sins will meet Allah’s chastisement. These two approaches of Allah in treating us in the other world is His pure justice.

We human-beings should pay attention to the following important issues concerning Allah’s abundance:

1) God’s complete favors;

2) The amount of God’s favors;

3) The appreciation of God’s favors; and

4) The change of God’s favors.

1) God, the Almighty, has provided man with favors which are complete in nature. There is not any left out part to this favor. Regarding this, the Holy Quran says:

أَسْبَغَ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعَمَهُ ظَاهِرَةً وَبَاطِنَةً وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ.

“And made complete to you His favors outwardly and inwardly. And among men is he who disputes in respect of Allah though having no knowledge, nor guidance, nor a book giving light. 31:20”

2) The amount of the God-given assets available to man is innumberable. Suppose you tried to count the human body cells. Also imagine you could count one thousand of them in one second. It will take us three hundred thousand years to count all of them! Let alone counting the assets given us by God. Regarding this, Allah says in the Holy Quran.

وَآتَاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا سَأَلْتُمُوهُ وَإِنْ تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَظَلُومٌ كَفَّارٌ

“And He gives you of all that you ask Him; and if you count Allah’s favors, you will not be able to number them; most surely man is very unjust, very ungrateful. 14:34”

3) Man should ask himself who has sent these favors, whom are they sent to, and for what purpose they are sent to man. Only in this way can he recognize the Giver of these assets and may he appreciate the value of them and how to use them. In this way, then, justice will domainate over our affairs. Regarding this, the Holy Quran says:

اذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتِي الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَأَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ وَإِيَّايَ فَارْهَبُونِ.

“(O children of Israel) call to mind My favor which I bestowed on you and be faithful to your covenant with Me, I will fulfill My covenant with you; and of Me, Me alone you should be afraid. 2:40”

4) There are a group of people who disregard the Giver of the favors and convert these favors into sins, debauchery, and blasphemy. They deserve a nasty life. In contrast, there is a second group who spend these favors in places they are ordered to. These group are among God’s best worshippers and will deserve a clean and prosperous life. Regarding those who convert God’s favors into sins, God says:

أَلَمْ تَرَى إِلَى الَّذِينَ بَدَّلُوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ كُفْرًا وَأَحَلُّوا قَوْمَهُمْ دَارَ الْبَوَارِ.

“Have you not seen those who have changed Allah’s favor for ungratefulness and made their people to alight into the abode of perdition. 14:28”

And we will find in another verse:

وَمَنْ يُبَدِّلْ نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَتْهُ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ.

“And whoever changes the favor of Allah after it has come to him, then surely Allah is severe in requiting evil. 2:211”

Now, observe God’s Prophet, God’s men, the Infallible Ones (s), the right-doers, the Gnostics, and the God-lovers who did not waste an atom of what they were given by God. Noah for instance, lived upto one thousand years on the earth without changing God’s favors into sins and blasphemy.

Then look at Solomon, the possessor of wealth and position, then at Joseph, the owner of wealth and Egypt’s treasures, then at Ibrahim, the great, the owner of herds of sheep, and finally look at Imam Ali (s) who possessed farms and government; these people never were ungrateful to what God had given them.

Shaqiq Balkhi told Harun: Being a governor is to be the Janitor and the door-keeper of the hell. Harun asked him: how? He answered: people have trusted you the treasury so that you may help the needy so that they would not involve in sins due to poverty and then get punished. People have given you swords to fight the God’s enemies and not to attack Moslems and destroy their cultures. They have let you carry a whip so that you force people to do right things so that the society may remain clean and safe. If you are not careful to carry out these tasks, you will end up in the hell.

Now let us observe the status of the well-wishers and wrong-doers from the view points of the Holy Quran and the narrations.

Every mature Moslem has to delve into the verses of the Holy Quran and the narrations thoughtfully and with deliberation or else he will be deprived of the benefits and advantages of these sources.

A careful observation of those verses of the Holy Quran which deal with death, the Doomsday, reward and punishment, will lead man to correct and rectify his inward and outward aspects and to help him control his organs from going astray.

The Holy Quran describes for us the quality of good death and the way the Death Angel treats us. Taking advantage of these descriptions is mandatory for all.

I will present below a glimpse of some of these aspects and will refer the reader to some volumes of the great scholar, Majlesi’s Behar.

Death is a fact whose remembrance will break the tyrant’s neck and will make the Kesras bow and will make the ceasars despair.

Everybody is afraid of death and all are waiting for its arrival. Its arrival is inevitable. When it arrives, it will drag people from castles into tombs, from the bright rooms full of chandeliers into small dark spaces, from the presence of beautiful women and men into the presence of worms and ants, from taking wines into sleeping on the earth, from the company of the relatives into the fright of loneliness and from the comfortable beds into the cold stone beds.

The sample of Gnostics, the Imam of the lovers, Imam Zainol Abedin (s), in his Abu Hamza Thamali invocation, at the Ramathan dawn says to God:

فَقَدْ أفْنَيْتُ بِالتَسْوِيفِ وَالآمالِ عُمْرِي، وَقَدْ نَزَلتُ مَنْزِلَةَ الآيِسينَ مِنْ خَيْري، فَمَنْ يَكُونُ أسْوأ حالاً مِنّي إنْ أنَا نُقِلْتُ عَلى مِثْلِ حالِي إلى قَبْرِي لَمْ اُمَهِّدهُ لِرَقْدَتِي، وَلَمْ أفْرُشْهُ بِالعَمَلِ الصّالِحِ لِضَجْعَتِي. وَمَالي لا أبْكِي وَلا أدري إلى ما يَكونُ مَصِيري، وَأرى نَفْسِي تُخَادِعُني، وَأيّامي تُخَاتِلُني، وَقَدْ خَفَقَتْ عِنْدَ رَأسي أجْنِحَةُ المَوتِ، فَمالي لا أبْكِي؟ أبكِي لِخُرُوجِ نَفْسِي، أبْكي لِظُلمَةِ قَبْرِي، أبْكي لِضيقِ لَحْدي، أبْكي لِسُؤالِ مُنْكَرٍ وَنَكِيرٍ إيّاي، أبْكي لِخُروجي مِنْ قَبْري عُرْياناً ذَلِيلاً...

“In fact, I have wasted my time indulging in wrong wishes. I have reached a stage in which I have lost hope of any changing. Of my predicament. Now, tell me who is more miserable than me? Woe to me if I go to my grave under these conditions, a grave which I have not prepared in good conditions and I have not yet carpeted it with good actions. Why should I not cry when I know nothing of the things that may happen to me. Now, I have realized that my true Self has deceived me. Time, too, plays tricks on me. This happens when the eagle of death has spread its wings over me! Why should I not cry? I cry for the departure of my spirit and soul from my body, for the darkness of my tomb, for the small space in which I will stay, for the interrogation of Nakir and Monkar Angels, and I will cry for the moment when I have to leave the tomb naked and depressed and miserable.

For those who have spent their time worshipping their Allah, and who have always been anticipating the day when they could meet their Love, death is an easy and palatable affair. For others, it is Just misery.”

عَنْ أبي جَعْفَرٍ A قال: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: المَوتُ المَوتُ، جاءَ المَوتُ بِما فِيهِ، جاءَ بِالرَّوحِ والرّاحَةِ وَالكَرَّةِ المُبارَكَةِ إلى جَنَّةٍ عاليَةٍ لِأهْلِ الخُلُودِ، الَّذينَ كانَ لها سَعْيُهُم، وَفيها رَغْبَتُهُم. وَجاءَ المَوتُ بِما فِيهِ، جَاءَ بِالشَّقوَةِ وَالنَدَامَةِ وَالكَرَّةِ الخَاسِرَةِ إلى نارٍ حامِيَةٍ لِأهْلِ دارِ الغُرُورِ، الَّذِينَ كانَ لَها سَعْيُهُم، وَفِيها رَغْبَتُهُم.

Imam Baqir (s) reports from the Holy Prophet (s), having said:

“O people! Remember death. Death is coming with a blessed and charming walk to take away to the paradise those who lived here but were anticipating the other world and used this world as a preparation for the other.

Death is coming to take away to the hell those who are slaves to their wishes and to the material issues!”

A man asked the Prophet (s): why do I hate death? The Prophet (s) asked him: Are you a rich man? He replied: yes. The Prophet asked him: Have you sent anything in advance to the other world? He replied: No! the Prophet (s) then replied: that is why you are afraid of death.

عَنِ الصّادِقِ A عَن أبيهِ عَن جَدِّهِ G قالَ: سُئِلَ أميرُ المُؤمِنينَA بِماذا أحبَبتَ لِقاءَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: لَمّا رَأيتُهُ قَدِ اخْتارَ لي دِينَ مَلائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَأنْبِيائِهِ عَلِمْتُ أنَّ الَّذي أكْرَمَنِي بِهذا لَيْسَ يَنْساني، فأحبَبْتُ لِقاءَهُ.

Imam Sadiq (s) reports from his father, who reports from his grandfather: People asked Imam Ali (s): Why are you so fond of death and dying and for the transform from here to there? He replied: The God who has appointed the right religion for His angels, Prophet and the Infallible Ones (s) will never forget me. That is why I am resless till I meet with Him.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: شَيئَانِ يَكْرَهُهُما ابْنُ آدَمَ: يَكْرَهُ المَوْتَ وَالمَوتُ راحَةُ المُؤمِنِ مِنَ الْفِتْنَةِ، وَيَكْرَهُ قِلَّةَ المالِ، وَقِلَّةُ المالِ أقَلُّ لِلحِسابِ.

The Prophet (s) has stated: Adam’s son is afraid of two things: He is frightened from death, which is in fact a safety for the believer from evil; he fears little wealth, which in fact is an asset by itself since it lowers one’s responsibilities in the other world.

The narrator says: I told Imam Sadiq (s) that Abuzar is reported to have said: people abhor three things which I admire: death, poverty, and disaster.

Imam (s) replied: you are not right in claiming this. What Abuzar meant was: death in praying God is better for him than life in committing sins; poverty in praying for him is better than affluence in committing sins, and disease and catastrophe in worshipping is better than health in aggression.

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَ.

“(As for) those who say: Our Lord is Allah, then continue in the right way, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not, nor be grieved, and receive good news of the garden which you were promised. 41:30”

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ ارْجِعِي إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي.

“O soul that art at rest! Return to your Lord, well-pleased with Him, well-pleasing him, So enter among My servants, And enter into My servants, And enter into My garden. 89:27-30”

أَلَا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاءَ اللَّهِ لَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ لَهُمْ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ.

“Now surely the friends of Allah-they shall have no fear nor shall they grieve. Those who believe and guarded against evil. They shall have good news in this world’s life and in the hereafter; there is no changing the words of Allah; that is the mighty achievement. 10:62-64”

يَوْمَ يَرَوْنَ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَا بُشْرَى يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُجْرِمِينَ وَيَقُولُونَ حِجْرًا مَحْجُورًا.

“On the day when they shall see the angels there shall be no joy on that day for the guilty, and they shall say: It is a forbidden thing totally prohibited. 25:22”

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا فِيمَ كُنتُمْ قَالُوا كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ قَالُوا أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا فِيهَا فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا.

“Surely as for those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to their souls, they shall say: In what state were you? They shall say: We were weak in the earth. They shall say: Was not Allah’s earth spacious, so that you should have migrated therein? So these it is whose abode is hell, and it is an evil resort. 4:97”

وَلَوْ تَرَى إِذْ الظَّالِمُونَ فِي غَمَرَاتِ الْمَوْتِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ بَاسِطُوا أَيْدِيهِمْ أَخْرِجُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ الْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَقُولُونَ عَلَى اللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ وَكُنتُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِهِ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ.

“And if you had seen when the unjust shall be in the agonies of death and the angels shall spread forth their hands; Give up your souls; today shall you be recompensed with an ignominious chastisement because you spoke against Allah other than the truth and because you showed pride against His communications. 6:93”

الَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّاهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنفُسِهِمْ فَأَلْقَوْا السَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِنْ سُوءٍ بَلَى إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.

“Those whom the angels cause to die while they are unjust to themselves. Then would they offer submission: We used not to do any evil. Aye! Surely Allah knows what you did. 16:28”

فَكَيْفَ إِذَا تَوَفَّتْهُمْ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَضْرِبُونَ وُجُوهَهُمْ وَأَدْبَارَهُمْ ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ اتَّبَعُوا مَا أَسْخَطَ اللَّهَ وَكَرِهُوا رِضْوَانَهُ فَأَحْبَطَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ.

“But how will it be when the angels cause them to die smiting their back. That is because they follow what is displeasing to Allah and are averse to His pleasure, therefore He has made null their deeds. 47:27-28”

سُئِلَ عَنِ الحَسَنِ بْنِ عَليٍّ H: مَا المَوتُ الَّذي جَهَلٌوهُ؟ فَقالَ: أعْظَمُ سُرُورٍ يَرِدُ عَلَى المُؤمِنِينَ، إذْ نُقِلُوا عَنْ دارِ النَكَدِ إلَى النَّعيمِ الأبَدِ؛ وَأعْظَمُ ثُبُورٍ يَرِدُ عَلَى الكَافِرينَ، إذْ نُقِلُوا عَنْ جَنَّتِهِمْ إلى نارٍ لا تَبيدُ وَلا تَنْفَدُ.

Imam Mojtaba (s) was asked: what is an unknown death? He answered: It is the best joy which occurs to the believers because they move from a home of hardships to an eternal house of prosperity. It is also the worst kind of misery and wretchedness which befalls the infidels since they move from the paradise of this world into the eternal hell of the other world.

Imam Zainol Abedin (s) was asked: what is the death? He replied: For a believer, death is like taking the dirty dress and chains off his body and putting on clean and a sumptuous dress.

For the infidel, death is like taking a sumptuous dress off and putting on tough and rough dress. Death for him is like the movement from the presence of nice companions into the worst kind of resorts.

Imam Musa Ibn Ja’afar (s) arrived on the bed of a dying man who was speechless. The relatives of the man asked Imam (s): O son of the Prophet (s): we would like to know what death is.

Imam (s) replied: “Death is for the believers to get cleaned of their guilts and sins. In fact, it is their last torture and pain.

“Death is a refinery for the infidels for their features; it is their last joy. It is their last reward. This friend of yours is being purified now in the same way that a dress is cleansed in water. He is getting ready to live in his eternal resort.”

Imam Javad (s) went to visit a Shiite sick who was crying because of his death. Imam said: O believer, are you crying over a death whose nature you do not know. Suppose your body is entirely dirty and your body is covered with all sorts of wounds. Also suppose there is a special bath the water of which will heal all your ailments. How much would you be delighted? The dying man replied: I do not know. Imam replied: death is the same bath which washes away your sins and makes you free and provides you with all kinds of delights. This is not the case for crying. That man became calm, dying peacefully.

In some books on Hadith, such as Jameol Akhbar, chapter 135, Shafi of Feis, section on death, and Mohjatol Beiza’, Vol 8, P 259, we will read: Ibrahim told the Death Angel: How would it seem when you go to meet a wrong-doer? The Angel replied: Turn your face. Ibrahim did so. The Angel said: Now turn your face and look at me. When Ibrahim looked at him he found the Angel dark, and dirty in face, smelling , with dirty dress on, having fire coming out of his nostrils, letting smoke fill the space. Upon looking at the Angel, Ibrahim fainted. When he recovered his senses, Ibrahim found the Angel in his usual shape. He told the Angel: Looking at you is enough for a guilty man. When Ibrahim realized the Angel had a beautiful face when he meets a believer, he said: this reward would suffice a believer.

After the soul is taken from the body, the second phase of dying is the tomb. In fact, the grave is the same as the barrier for man. There are some verses which point out to this fact. Each person’s barrier is a reflex of his moral, and ethical and ideological status.

For a believer, the barrier is a place for ease, prosperity and company of clean souls and God’s abundance. For an infidel, the Barrier is a place for hardships and meeting the dirty souls and filthy corpses.

حَتَّى إِذَا جَاءَ أَحَدَهُمْ الْمَوْتُ قَالَ رَبِّ ارْجِعُونِي لَعَلِّي أَعْمَلُ صَالِحًا فِيمَا تَرَكْتُ كَلَّا إِنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ هُوَ قَائِلُهَا وَمِنْ وَرَائِهِمْ بَرْزَخٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ يُبْعَثُونَ.

“Until when death overtakes one of them, he says: Send me back, My Lord, send me back; Haply I may do good in that which I have left. By no means! it is a mere word that he speaks; and before them is a Barrier until the day they are raised. 23:99-100”

Regarding the chastisement of the evil-doers at the Barrier, the Holy Quran states:

النَّارُ يُعْرَضُونَ عَلَيْهَا غُدُوًّا وَعَشِيًّا وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ أَدْخِلُوا آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ أَشَدَّ الْعَذَابِ.

“The fire; they shall be brought before it every morning and evening and on the day when the hour shall come to pass; Make Firon’s people enter the severest chastisement. 40:46”

Concerning the delights of the well-wishers at the Barrier, the Holy Quran says:

وَلَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَاتًا بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ.

“And reckon not those who are killed in Allah’s way as dead; nay, they are alive and are provided sustenance from their Lord. 3:169”

The interpretation of Nur Al-Thaqalein, which is one the most important Shiite interpretations, reports Imam Baqir (s) having said that this verse was revealed to the Prophet (s) related to the martyrs of the Holy wars of Badr and Ohod.

Ibn Masud reports from the Prophet (s): God addressed the martyrs of Ohod asking them: what do you desire? They replied: O God! What greater desire can we have when we are surrounded with your ever Lasting innumerable blessings and assets, resting under your heavens. The only desire we ask for is to let us go back to the world once again and get martyred for you once more.

But God said: My commandment is infallible and irrevocable and that is that nobody shall return to the world after his or her death. Now that our condition is as it is, send our best wishes to the Prophet and send our good news to those who remained alive and tell them not to worry. Here their status is referred to in the following verses:

يَا لَيْتَ قَوْمِي يَعْلَمُونَ بِمَا غَفَرَ لِي رَبِّي وَجَعَلَنِي مِنْ الْمُكْرَمِينَ.

“O would that my people had known of that On account of which my Lord has forgiven me and made me of the honored ones.36:26-27”

In the story of Habib, the carpenter, which is told in the sacred Surah ya seen, verses 26,27, we have the same issue brought up.

في الكافي، عَنِ الصّادِقِ A قالَ: إنَّ لِلقَبْرِ كَلاماً في كُلِّ يَوْمٍ يَقُولُ: أنَأ بَيْتُ الغُرْبَةِ، أنَا بَيْتُ الوَحْشِةِ، أنَا بَيْتُ الدُّودِ، أنَا القَبْرُ، أنَا رَوْضَةٌ مِنْ رِياضِ الجَنَّةِ، أوْ حُفْرَةٌ مِنْ حُفَرِ النّيرانِ.

It is reported from Imam Sadiq (s) in the honorable book called kafi: Imam is reported to have said: the grave has different speeches each day: among them are the following: I am the house of exile, the house of fright, the resort of worms. I am the grave. I am either a garden of paradise or a hole of the hell holes.

The account of the Barrier has its roots in the Quran, and divinity. Everybody has to pass it. It is excellent for the believers but hard and nasty for the infidles.

What influences the status of the Barrier is our ideas, morals and deeds. If an individual has right and divine ideas and if he follows the Prophets and the Infallible Ones (s), the Barrier would Just be a paradise for him. On the other hand, if man bears wrong ideas and nasty morals, such as greed, pride, aggression, jealousy, stinginess, hard speech, back-biting, accusation, and blaming, the Barrier would be a hole out of the holes of the hell. He may not escape it, however.

Motahhjari in his valuable book called “the Divine Justice” reports from his teacher Mirza Ali Agha Shiraze, a great jurisprudent and a devoted Lover, who has said: One day in Isphahan, while teaching Nahjolbalaqa, he started crying and said: Last night during a hard deliberation, I found out the status of my Barrier in the following shape: After my death, people and my relatives saw me off to the grave. At the time of burying I noticed a black dog enter my grave. I cried and shouted, but nobody heard me. When the grave was covered and every body had left, fright took control over me. Suddenly, a piercing light illuminated my grave. I became extremely delighted that the dog immediately escaped from my grave. I asked the light who it was. He answered: I am Hossein Ibn Ali. Be at ease till the Doomsday. That dog was some of your viscious characters, which were not dominant, however.

... وَهُوَ يُنادِي يا أهْلِي وَيا ولدي لا تَلْعَبَنَّ بِكُم الدُّنيا كَما لَعِبَتْ بي، فَجَمَعْتُ المالَ مِنْ حِلِّهِ وَغَيْرِحِلِّهِ ثُمَّ خَلَّفْتُهُ لِغَيري، فَالمَهْنَأُلَهُ و التَّبِعَةُ عَلَيَّ، فَاحْذَرُوا مِثْلَ ما حَلَّ بي.

The Great Prophet (s) has said: The spirit of the diseased cries after his death: My relatives and children, be careful not to be carried away by the world in the way that it has deceived me. I collected some wealth through legal and illegal means and left it for my heirs. Now they are enjoying it, but I have to account for it. Avoid the misery in which I am now.

Salman Farsi was appointed as the governor of Mada’en by Imam Ali(s). Asbaq Ibn nobaateh says: I was with Salman in Madaen and I used to pay him visits frequently. One day, I went to meet him while he was sick, the same illness which finally caused his death. I frequented his house. His illness became severe and he was sure his end had come. One day he told me: O Asbaq the Prophet (s) had told me that when I approached death a dead man would talk to me. Now I want to know if I am going to die pretty soon or not.

Asbaq says: I told him: tell me what to do for you. He said: Go and take me a coffin and spread the rug which they spread inside the coffin, then take me to the graveyard with four people.

Asbaq did what he was told to. He rose up to carry out Salman’s orders. They, then, took Salman to the grqveyard and laid down the coffin. He said: draw me towards Mecca. Then he said loudly:

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُم يا أهْلَ عَرْصَةِ البَلاءِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُم يا مُحْتَجبينَ عَنِ الدُّنيا.

“My greeting to you, the dwellers of the Land of hardships; greetings to you who have left the world.”

But he received no answer. He greeted them once more, saying: Please answer me. I am Salman Farsi, the close friend of the Prophet. He had told me one of you, dead people, would speak to me when my time is over. I want to know if I am dying or not.

Now, one of the dead souls answered him. It told Salman: I hear your voice. Ask me what you want. Salman asked it: Do you belong to the Barrier or to the Paradise. The soul answered it was one of those which had received God’s blessings and belonged to the Paradise. Salman asked the soul about its death. Salman then ordered his followers to lay him on the ground and started talking with God.

You are the one who have control on everything; you are the One to Whom all shall return; you are the One Who protect everyone; nobody may interfere with the chastisement you appoint to people. I believed in you and I have followed your Messenger. I have confirmed your book. Now is the time for the fulfillment of you promise. You are the one Who will not break your promise. Take away my soul and let me join you. Let me rest beside your favors. He then prayed and passed away.

Several years ago there lived a true believer in one of the cities of Iran. His eldest son, too, was as pious as his father. Both of them lived in dire poverty, living in a dilapidated house. In order to keep their prestige and not to ask people for help, they lived economically. For instance, they used to use the city water for drinking and cooking, but for washing they used the water from the well in their house.

Over the well they had built a small room in order to keep its water clean and for people to stand under it when they draw water out. This father and son did not employ a worker to draw water; rather they did it themselves.

One day these two discussed that the ceiling over the shelter of the well was ruined. They decided to repair it by themselves since they did not have the budget to bring home a builder.

On the appointed day, they covered the well with boards to protect the water from getting dirty. They made some clay adding straw to it. The father performed the job of a builder and the son acted as a worker. When the ceiling of the shelter was repaired, the father noticed that he had lost his ring. He thought he had put it next to the pond when he wanted to wash his hands. But it was not there. He searched for it for two days, with no result. He was really sorry for his ring. Several years later he passed away.

The pious son says: Some times later I dreamed about my father. I saw him in my dream and I knew he had passed away several years back. He told me he had borrowed five hundred tumans from a man and asked me to pay the debt. The son awoke, but did not take the dream seriously. Some time later, the father came to the son’s dream repeating the old story. The son told him: in order for me to be certain that it is you, give me a signal. The father said: Do you remember the story of the ring I lost when we were repairing the shelter over the well? I said: yes, I remember. My father replied after death many issues come to light for the dead person. After death I realized I had put my ring in the clay in the ceiling. Now, in order for you to realize that it is your dad talking to you, remove the clay, you will find it.

Early in the morning, the son acted as he was told without telling anybody about his communication with his father. Finally he found the ring.

The son, then, prepared the money, taking it to the market. He found the man and asked him if his father owed him anything. The man spoke of five hundred tumans. He said the father had asked him for this money and he had given it to him without asking for any receipt and some time later he passed away. The son asked the business man why he had not come to them for his money. The businessman replied he could not have done so since he did not have any receipt. The son gave him the money, telling him the whole story.

I, Hossein Ansayan, the writer of these lines together with a friend in the year 1345 on a Wednesday night entered Qum from the Jamkaran Mosque. The city of Qum was in complete darkness. Nobody was seen on the streets. We two were waiting for a taxi to take us to my house which was next to Ayatollah Hojjat’s home.

By chance a taxi arrived. The face of the driver was completely different from others. He seemed to be a thoroughly pious man. He asked our destination. My friend replied graveyard. The driver took us to the Vady Asselam Graveyard, telling us: I am a friend of the Janitor. Let me knock on the door. He knocked on the door. The keeper opened the door. We entered the place, each one of us went upto an empty grave, contemplating for some time.

At this time a cloak-wearing man approached us. The driver recognized him and called him, telling him: you are a man of God and you have been here since the beginning of the construction of this graveyard, You have been keeping this place and have been engaged to recite Quran for some of these dead people, receiving your salary from the heirs of these dead ones. If you know of any secret relating to this place, please let us know.

The Janitor said: I know a lot of things about this place; here I will narrate to you one of them.

One day a dead man was brought here from the city of Hamadan. From the relatives and companions it could be understood that the man used to be a pious man. When he was buried one of his children called me, saying: Are you ready to recite some verses of the Holy Quran over the grave of our father for certain period of time and receive your wage? I said I would do what they told me. For several months the Janitor recited some verses of the Quran on each Friday night over the grave. But one Thursday I was too busy to perform my duty. But the day after I went and did my job. The following week, the children of the dead man came upto me telling me: last Friday night our father came to us in our dream, complaining that you had deprived him of the God’s assets on that night.

Haj Sheikh Abbas Qumi, the great narrator and scholar, who has written more than fifty volumes of useful books, is one of the most pious men of God whose chastity and faith nobody may doubt. He has had a lot of adventures, one of which I will mention here. It was narrated to me by his son Haj Mirza Ali Agha Mohaddes. He said;

Due to the great volume of edition and worship, my father fell ill in Nafaf. The physicians were unable to cure him. One day, while in great pain he told my mother: My dear and kind spouse, fetch me a teapot with an empty bowl. He asked us to raise him from his bed. He sat on his bed, telling us: using my fingers I have been writing “the God said,” “Imam Sadiq said,” and “Imam Baqir said,” for the last fifty years. These fingers should be spiritually effective now. If they are not so, they had better be cut off. Then he kept his fingers above the bowl, pouring water over them from the tea-pot. Then he drank the water. After some hours he was completely cured.

He, as well, narrated the following event from his father, telling us: My father, Mohaddes Qumi was suffering from a severe eye-ache. The Iraqi physicians were unable to cure him. One day, he asked my mother to take him the book called Osul Kafi. She gave it to my father. My father said: the writer of this book, Koleyni, was one of the most pious men of his day and his book is a source of miraculous, spiritual events. It could not be ineffective. He rubbed the book on his eyes once or twice. Two hours later, there was no sign of the pain.

He also narrated the following adventure: I became a preacher due to my father’s recommendation. It was arranged for me to preach for ten nights in the city of Qum. The people of Qum appreciated and welcomed me because of my eloquence in speech and due to the fact that I was my father’s son. One night I was discussing on a certain narration when a man named Haj sheikh Mehdi Pairn Shahri shouted among the audience, asking me: what is the source of this narration? I replied: I do not know the sourse, I have heard it from the religion scholars. But he shouted at me again warning me: Do not say anything you have heard when you are preaching. Find the source and then preach it.

This act of his was too much for me. I became so depressed that I decided on the spot to quit preaching for good and all. That night I saw my father in my dream. Smiling, he told me: My son forget about your wrong decision. This is because preaching is a significant craft. This task used to be carried out by Prophets. By the way, the narration under discussion is on such and such a book on page such and such. Tomorrow night refer to the source so that the sheikh might get satisfied.

Haj Mirza Ali Aqa said: When my father, Mohaddes Qumi passed away next to the grave of Imam Ali (s), the Imam of the Gnostics, and the sample for lovers, we buried him next to his teacher Haj Mirza Hossein Nury and went back home. There was commotion in our house till midnight. When I slept I saw my father in my dream. I asked him about his conditions. He answered: since my arrival at the Barrier, I have met Hossein (s) three times.

He narrates the following: One day it was extremely hot when I attended the Vadi Asselam in the city of Najaf to read some verses from the Quran. To escape heat, I sat under the shelter over one of the graves. At this moment I noticed a crowd of the dead, dirty in appreance and clothed in shabby dress, approaching me and asking me to ask God to help them. They told me about their plight and asked me to interfere and ask God to forgive them. I blamed them for having been careless while they were in the world. I told them: Go away you aggressors!

He said these dead used to be Arab Sheikhs who used to live in abundance.

The honorable Prophet (s) has stated: Over any dead person there arrived two angels called Nakir and Monkar. They ask the dead one: What is your opinion on the Prophet? If the man is pious, he would say: The Prophet is God’s obedient servant and His Messenger. I confess that God is One and that Mohammad (s) is His Messenger. Then the two angels would say: we expected you to say such words. Next they widen his grave seventy meters by seventy meters and illuminate it like the day light. Then, they tell him: take your rest. He would, however, say: Let me go to tell my relatives on my conditions. However, they would tell him: Now close your eyes, take your rest. You are like that bride who will not wake up unless kissed by her bridegroom. Then he sleeps till he is summoned by God on the Doomsday.

But if the dead person were an infidel, having no relations with faith or religion, he would be ignorant of the prophet when he were asked relevant questions on religion. He would say: I am not sure; I repeat what I have heard from people. Then, the angels would say: We knew you would answer in such words. They order the grave to narrow to the extent that it tightens the dead person inside. The man will suffer continually till he is summoned on the Doomsday.

Upon the end of the Barrier term, it is time for the Doomsday to start. On that day the good-doers and evil-doers will receive their rewards. According to the Holy Quran, the Doomsday starts with the trumpet being blown.

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ.

“And the trumpet shall be blown, so all those that are in the heavens and all those that are in the earth shall swoon, except such as Allah please; then it shall be blown again, then lo! They shall stand up, awaiting. 39:68”

فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَلَا أَنسَابَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ وَلَا يَتَسَاءَلُونَ. فَمَنْ ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ. وَمَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ الَّذِينَ خَسِرُوا أَنفُسَهُمْ فِي جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدُونَ.

“So when the trumpet is blown, there shall be no ties of relationship between them on that day, nor shall they ask of each other. Then as for him whose good deeds are preponderant, these are the successful. And as for him whose good deeds are light these are they who shall have lost their souls, abiding in hell. 23:101-103”

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَإِذَا هُمْ مِنْ الْأَجْدَاثِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَنسِلُونَ. قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا مَنْ بَعَثَنَا مِنْ مَرْقَدِنَا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَ الرَّحْمَانُ وَصَدَقَ الْمُرْسَلُونَ.

“And the trumpet shall be blown, when lo! From their graves they shall hasten to their Lord. They shall say: O woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping-place? This is what the Beneficent God promised and the apostles told the truth. 36:51-52”

فَإِذَا نُقِرَ فِي النَّاقُورِ فَذَلِكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَوْمٌ عَسِيرٌ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ غَيْرُ يَسِيرٍ .

“For when the trumpet is sounded, That, at that time, shall be a difficult day, For the unbelievers, anything but easy. 74:8-10”

Thus when the trumpet is blown all the dead come to life and both the good and the bad ones run to God’s presence to get their rewards or chastisement.

فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَحْشُرَنَّهُمْ وَالشَّيَاطِينَ ثُمَّ لَنُحْضِرَنَّهُمْ حَوْلَ جَهَنَّمَ جِثِيًّا.

“So by your Lord! We will most certainly gather them together and the Shaitans, then shall we certainly cause them to be present round hell on their knees. 19:68”

The Doomsday is a strange day. It is when all come together. It is when all records and files will be judged impartially. It is when every body should go on trial and receive his or her punishment if they deserve it. It is when every one has to cross the Sarat. It is the day which leads to paradise for the believers and to hell for the unbelievers. That day has got different names based on people’s ideas. Feiz Kashany, in his Al-Mahajjah al-Baydhaa, refers to these names and has asked everbody to pay attention to these names wholeheartedly. He has asked us to study our status with regards to these names and take our lessons. Here are those names, each one of which has got a mystery inside it.

(يوم القيامة، يوم الحسرة، يوم الندامة، يوم المحاسبة، يوم المسألة، يوم المسابقة، يوم المناقشة، يوم المنافسة، يوم الزلزلة، يوم الدمدمة، يوم الصاعقة، يوم الواقعة، يوم القارعة، يوم الراجفة، يوم الرادفة، يوم الغاشية، يوم الداهية، يوم الآزفة، يوم الحاقّة، يوم الطامّة، يوم الصاخّة، يوم الطلاق، يوم الفراق، يوم المساق، يوم القصاص، يوم التناد، يوم الحساب، يوم المآب، يوم العذاب، يوم الفرار، يوم القرار، يوم اللقاء، يوم البقاء، يوم القضاء، يوم الجزاء، يوم البلاء، يوم البكاء، يوم الحشر، يوم الوعيد، يوم العرض، يوم الوزن، يوم الحقّ، يوم الحكم، يوم الفصل، يوم الجمع، يوم البعث، يوم الفتح، يوم الخزي، يومٌ عظيم، يومٌ عقيم، يومٌ عسير، يوم الدين، يوم اليقين، يوم النشور، يوم المصير، يوم النفخة، يوم الصيحة، يوم الرجفة، يوم الرجّة، يوم الزجرة، يوم السكرة، يوم الفزع، يوم الجزع، يوم المنتهى، يوم المأوى، يوم الميقات، يوم المعاد، يوم المرصاد، يوم القلق، يوم العرق، يوم الافتقار، يوم الانكدار، يوم الانتشار، يوم الانشقاق، يوم الوقوف، يوم الخروج، يوم الخلود، يوم الوعيد، يوم التغابن، يومٌ عبوس، يومٌ معلوم، يومٌ موعود، يومٌ مشهود، يوم لاريب فيه، يوم تبلى السرائر، يوم لا تجزي نفسٌ عن نفسٍ شيئا، يوم تشخص في الأبصار، يوم لا يغني ملوى عن مولى شيئا، يوم لا تملك نفس لنفس شيئا، يوم يُدعون الى نار جهنم دعّا، يوم يسحبون في النار على وجوههم، يوم تقلب وجوههم في النار، يوم لا يجزي والد عن ولده شيئا، يوم هم بارزون، يوم هم على النار يُفتَنون، يوم لا ينفع مال و لا بنون، يوم لاينفع الظالمين معذرتهم ولهم اللعنة ولم سوء الدار، يم ترد فيه المعاذير، يوم تخشع فيه الأبصار وتسكن الأصوات، و يقل فيه الإلتفات، و تبرز الخفيات و تظهر الخطيئات و الخبيثات، يوم يساق العباد ومعهم الأشهاد ويشيب الصغير، ويسكر الكبير، فيومئذٍ وُضِعت الموازين، ونشرت الدواوين، وبُرِّزت الجحيم، وأُعلي بالحميم، وزفرت النار، ويئس الكفار، وسُعِّرت النيران، و تغيرت الألوان، وخرس اللسان، ونطقت جوارح الإنسان، فـ”يَا أَيُّهَا الْإِنسَانُ مَا غَرَّكَ بِرَبِّكَ الْكَرِيمِ!”).

Regarding these names and attributes, on that day, everybody will be treated in accordance with what he or she has done. If they have gone the right direction they will receive their rewards; otherwise, they will end up in the hell. Now it is the time to refer to some of rewards for good deeds and some of the punishments for the evil acts.

قالَ رسُولُ اللهِ 4: ثَمَنُ الجَنَّةِ ا إلهَ إلا اللهُ.

The Prophet (s) has stated: The price of the paradise is the expression لا اله الا الله [There is no God except Allah].

For sure, anybody who expreese “لا اله الا الله” with recognition should receive the paradise, since this expression nullifies aggression shaitan, very self, instincts and wrong lusts. This expression equals the prayers, hajj, alms, one fifth of one’s possession (khoms), directing others to do what is lawful and prohibiting them to get involved in evils. Any speaker who wholeheartedy uses this expression shall get the paradise as a reward. It is for this reason that the Prophet (s) has brought up this issue in another narration:

لَيْسَ شَئٌ إلاّ وَلَه شئٌ يَعْدِلُهُ إلاّ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ، فَإنَّهُ لا يَعْدِلُهُ شَئٌ؛ وَلا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ، فَإنَّهُ لا يَعْدِلُها شئٌ؛ وَدَمْعَةٌ مِن خَوفِ اللهِ، فَإنَّهُ لَيْسَ لَها مِثْقالَ، فَإنْ سالَتْ عَلى وَجهِهِ لَمْ يَرْهَقْهُ قَتَرٌ وَلا ذِلّةٌ بَعْدَها أبَداً.

For everything in this world there is a parellel except for the following three items:

Firstly, for the sacred Being of Allah;

Secondly, the expression لا إله إلا الله for which there is no tone (of course speech should go side by side with actions مَن ثَقُلَت مَوازينُهُ).

Thirdly, the tears which come to eyes due to our fright from God. Any face which receives this kind of tears shall receive no misery.

The Holy Quran, Nobovvat (belief in the Prophethood), Imamate (belief in the Imams), Faith in the Prophets, belief in the angels, good deeds, good morals, right ideas are all dependent over the expression “لا اله الا الله”. Any body who uses this elegant expression with cognizance shall receive the paradise as a reward; or else nasty figures such as Shemr, Omar Sa’ad, Moavieh, Yazid, Khali and Senan used to employ this expression only with their tongues, not deep inside.

One of te bases for Monotheism is the expression “لا اله الا الله”. It is for this reason that the Prophet (s) has stated:

خَيرُ العِبادَةِ قَولُ لا اِلهَ إلاّ اللهُ

“The best kind of worship and prayer is the use of “لا اله الا الله”.

In one section of a lengthy narration, we will read: The Prophet (s) told people: O crowd of people, Those of you who use the expression “لا اله الا الله” with true belief without mingling anything with it will meet God and will receive the paradise as a reward. Now Imam Ali (s) rose and said, how could a believer use this expression and how should he stop mixing anything with it? The Prophet (s) answered: He should not use this expression in order to gain financial reward, to engage in wrong-doing, to enslave himself, or to involve in serfdom. Unfortunately, there are some people whose sayings are those of the well-wishers but whose actions are those of the devils. They use this expression orally but will not stop performing any crime.

Thus belief and action should go hand in hand, they should be harmonious. Or else, mere saying of it will not solve any problem.

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِ A قالَ: مَنْ قالَ لا إله إلاّ اللهُ مُخْلِصاً دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ وَإخلاصُهُ بِها أنْ يَحْجِزَهُ لا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ عَمّا حَرَّمَ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

The sixth Imam (s) has said: Anybody who uses the expression “لا إله إلا الله” with sincerity shall obtain the paradise. His sincerity here is taken to mean the avoidance of engaging in wrong acts.

In his trip to Neishabor, in the well-famed narration of Selselatol Zahab, the eighth Imam (s) narrates from his ancestors narrating from the Prophet (s):

لا إلهَ إلاّ اللهُ حِصْني، فَمَنْ دَخَلَ حِصْني أمِنَ مِنْ عَذابي فَلَمّا مَرَّتِ الرّاحِلَةُ نادى: بِشُرُوطِها، وَأنا مِنْ شُرُوطِها.

“The expression “لا إله إلا الله” is my strong fortification. Anybody who enters this stronghold is immune from punishment. When his palfry started to move, he added: Of course all this depends on certain conditions and I am one of those conditions.”

This simply means a confession that I am the true Imam, not the Bani Abbass governors. The expression “لا اله الا الله” has meaning next to our velayat, not next to the Bani Abbass governors who use this expression without meaning it.

In a significant narration, Abu Saeed Khodry Says: One day some of the Prophet’s followers, including Imam Ali (s) were gathered around the Prophet (s). The Prophet (s) said: Anybody who utters “لا اله إلا الله” shall enter the paradise. Then two of his followers uttered this expression. The Prophet (s) then said: it is a fact if this person (referring to Imam Ali (s)) and his Shiite followers utter this expression, it will be accepted. Once again those two persons said: we will use this expression. Then the Prophet (s) put his hand over Imam Ali’s head, saying then: The sign for your following him is not to break your allegiance with Imam Ali, not to occupy his position and not to contradict him.

قال أبُو عَبْدِاللهِ A: إنَّ اللهَ تَعالى ضَمِنَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ ضَماناً، قالَ: قُلْتُ وَما هُوَ؟ قالَ: ضَمِنَ لَهُ إنْ هُوَ أقَرَّ لَهُ بِالرُّبوبِيَّةِ، وَلِمُحَمَّدٍ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ، وَلِعَلِيٍّ بِالإمَامَةِ، وَأدّى مَا افْتَرَضَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ، أن يُسْكِنَهُ في جارِهِ، وَلَمْ-يَحتَجِب عَنْهُ. قالَ: قُلْتُ فَهذِهِ وَاللهِ الْكَرامَةُ الَّتي لا يُشْبِهُها كَرامةُ الآدَمِيينَ! قالَ: ثُمَّ قالَ أبُو عَبْدِاللهِ A: اعْمَلُوا قَليلاً تَنَعَّمُوا كَثيراً.

Mofazzal Ibn Omar Kufi narrates from Imam Sadiq (s) having stated: God has insured for the believer an action. Mofazzal asked what the action was. God has guaranteed the believer to be next to Him if he confesses in Monotheism, in Mohammad’s prophethood and in Imam Ali’s leadership and if he carries out his duties. Mofazzal says he told the Prophet (s): I swear to God there is no parallel to this asset. Then the Prophet (s) said: Do little, but enjoy a lot.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِالله A: مَنْ تَوَضَّأ وتَمَنْدَلَ كُتِبَت لَهُ حَسَنَةٌ، وَمَنْ تَوَضَّأ وَلَم يَتَمَندَل حَتّى يَجِفَّ وُضُوءُهُ كُتِبَت لَهُ ثَلاثُونَ حَسَنَةً.

The sixth Imam (s) has said: there is one piece of reward for anybody who performs ablution and dries his face. But there are thirty pieces of reward for anybody who performs ablution without drying his face.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِ A قالَ: مَنْ تَطَهَّرَ ثُمَّ أوى إلى فِراشِهِ باتَ وَفِراشُهُ كَمَسجِدِهِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: If a person performs ablution prior to his going to bed, his bed will be a mosque for him.

عَنْ جَعْفَر بنِ محمّدٍ، عن أبائِهِ G أنَّ النَّبيِّ4 قالَ: إنَّ اللهَ عَزَّوجَلَّ أوْجَبَ الجَنَّةَ لِشابٍ كانَ يُكْثِرُ النَظَرَ فِي المِرْآةِ فَيُكْثِرُ حَمْدَ اللهِ عَلى ذلِكَ.

Imam Sadiq (s) narrates from his grand-fathers reporting from the Prophet (s): God will bestow the paradise upon the youth who frequently looks at the mirror, thanking God for the asset of the youth he has received from God.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: مَنْ أسْبَغَ وُضُوءَهُ، وَأحْسَنَ صَلاتَهُ، وَأدّى زَكاةَ مالِهِ، وَكَفَّ غَضَبَهُ، وَسَجَنَ لِسانَهُ، وَاسْتَغْفَرَ لِذَنْبِهِ، وَأدّى النَّصِيحَةِ لأهْلِ بَيْتِ نَبِيّهِ، فَقَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ حَقايقَ الإيمانِ، وَأبْوابُ الجَنَّةِ مُفَتَّحَةٌ لَهُ.

The Prophet (s) has stated: The doors of the paradise will be open to anybody who carries on ablution desirefully, who performs his prayers well, who pays his due alms, who extinguishes his rage, who does not indulge in sins related to his tongue, who asks God to forgive his sins, who is benevolent towards the Infallible ones, and whose faith is complete.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِ A: مَنْ مَشى إلى المَسجِدِ لَمْ يَضَعْ رِجْلَهُ عَلى رَطْبٍ وَلا يابِسٍ إلاّ سَبَّحَتْ لَهُ الأرْضُ إلَى الأرَضينَ السَابِعَةِ.

The sixth Imam (s) has said, “Anybody who goes towards the mosque, from any step which he takes, praises will be uttered for Allah and its rewards are recorded for him.

قالَ أبُو عَبْدِاللهِ A: يا أبَانُ، هذِهِ الصَّلَواتُ الخَمْسُ المَفْرُوضَاتُ مَنْ أقامَهُنَّ وَحافَظَ عَلى مَواقِيتِهِنَّ لَقِيَ الله يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ وَلَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَهْدٌ يُدْخِلُهُ بِهِ الجَنَّةَ، وَمَنْ لَمْ يُصَلِّهُنَّ بِمَواقِيتِهِنَّ فَذلِكَ إلَيهِ، إنْ شاءَ غَفَرَ لَهُ، وَإنْ شَاءَ عَذَّبَهُ.

Aban Ibn Taqleb says: Imam Sadiq (s) has said: If a person performs prayers five times and takes special attention, he will meet with God while he has a guarantee from Allah who will let him enter the paradise. But if he does not pay due attention and does not consider the time of the prayers, he will not have such assurance from Allah. God may forgive him or may punish him.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: مَنْ اَسْرَحَ في مَسْجِد من مَساجِدِ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ سِراجاً لَمْ تَزَلِ المَلائِكَةُ وَحَمَلَةُ العَرْشِ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ لَهُ ما دامَ في ذلِكَ الْمَسْجِدِ ضَوْءٌ مِنَ السِّراج.

The Prophet (s) has said: Anybody who lights a light in any monsque, he will constantly be praised by angels who ask God to forgive his sins as far as the light is turned on.

عَن أبي جَعْفَرٍ A قالَ: مَنْ أذَّنَ سَبْعَ سِنينَ مُحْتَسِباً، جَاءَ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ ولا ذَنبَ لَهُ.

Imam Baqir (s) has said: Anybody who calls for Salāt (prayer) for seven years will enter the gathering place of mankind on the Resurrection Day (Mahshar) with no sins.

قالَ أبو عبدِاللهA: أيُّما مُؤْمِنٍ سَجَدَ للهِ سَجدَةً لِشُكْرِ نِعْمَةٍ في غَيْرِ صَلاةٍ، كَتَبَ اللهُ لَهُ بِها عَشْرَ سَيِّئاتٍ، وَرَفَعَ لَهُ عَشْرَ دَرَجاتٍ فِي الجِنانِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has stated: Any believer who thanks God for His assets at any time other than the prayer-time, will receive ten rewards from Allah and ten of his sins will get obliterated and his status in the paradise will raise ten times.

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: لِلمُصَلّي ثَلاثُ خِصالٍ إذا قَامَ في صَلاتِهِ يَتَناثَرُ عَلَيهِ البِرُّ مِنْ أعْناقِ السَّماءِ إلى مَفْرَقِ رَأسِهِ، وَتَحِفُّ بِهِ المَلائِكَةُ مِنْ تَحْتِ قَدَمَيهِ إلى أعْناقِ السَّماءِ، وَمَلَكٌ يُنادي: أيُّها المُصَلّي لَو تَعْلَمُ مَنْ تُناجي مَا انْفَتَلتَ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has declared: There are three advantages for any prayer-performer: (1) When he starts praying, there are blessings from the heaven upto his head; (2) The angels will surround him from his feet upto the heavens; (3) An angel calls him, saying: O performer of the prayer, if you knew whom you are supplicating, you would pay no attention to anything else.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: مَنْ أتى الجَماعَةَ إيماناً واِحْتِساباً اسْتَأنَفَ العَمَلَ.

The Prophet (s) has said: Any body who participates in praying in order to attract Allah’s satisfaction and delight should carry out this act in order for his sins to be entirely forgiven.

Asbaq Ibn Nabateh says: Imam Ali (s) has said: When the earth dwellers engage in sins, Allah will punish them accordingly. But when Allah observes that the aged people, despite their weakness engage in praying and children are being taught to recite the Holy Quran, He will postpone the punishment of the sinners.

قالَ أميرُ المؤمِنِينَA في وصيتِهِ: الله الله في الزَّكاةِ فَإنَّها تُطْفئُ غَضَبَ رَبِّكُمْ.

Towards the end of his honorable life Imam Ali (s) stated: For God’s sake observe alms. It will extinguish God’s anger.

قالَ أبُو عَبْدِاللهِ A: مَنْ حَجَّ يُريدُ بِهِ اللهَ وَلا يُرِيدُ بِهِ رِياءً ولا سُمْعَةً، غَفَرَ اللهُ لَهُ البَتة.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Any body who performs the Hajj ceremony for God’s sake and not for publicity, shall be forgiven by Allah.

عَنْ مُحَمَّد بْنِ مُسْلِم، عَنْ أبي جَعْفَرٍ A قالَ: كانَ عَلِيُّ بِنُ الحُسَينِ H يَقُولُ: أيُّما مُؤمِنٍ دَمَعَتْ عَيْناهُ لِقَتْلِ الحُسَينِ Aحَتّى تَسيلَ عَلى خَدِّهِ، بَوَّأهُ اللهُ تَعالى بِها في الجَنّةِ غُرَفاً يَسْكُنُها أحْقاباً. وَأيُّما مُؤْمِنٍ دَمَعَتْ عَيناهُ حَتَّى تَسِيلَ عَلى خَدِّهِ فيما مَسَّنا مِنَ الأذى مِنْ عَدُوِّنا فِِي الدُّنيا بَوَّأهُ اللهُ في الجَنّةِ مُبَوَّأ صِدْقٍ. وَأيُّما مُؤْمِنٍ مَسَّهُ أذىً فينا فَدَمَعَت عَيْناهُ حَتّى تَسيلَ عَلى خَدِّهِ مِنْ مَضاضِةِ ما اُذيَ فينا، صَرَفَ اللهُ عَنْ وَجْهِهِ الأذى، وَآمَنَهُ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ وَالنّارِ.

Mohammad Ibn Moslem narrates from Imam Baqir (s) who in his turn narrates from Imam Sajjad (s), saying: God will settle in the pavilions of the paradise any believer who sheds tears on his cheeks for the martyrdom of Imam Hossein (s). Allah will give an appropriate location in the paradise to any believer who sheds tears for the catastrophes which we have suffered in this world. And God will forgive any believer who suffers any harm on the way of gaining our friendship.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: الحافِظُ لِلقُرانِ وَالعامِلُ بِهِ مَعَ السّفَرَةِ الكِرامِ البَرَرَةِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: The reciter of the Holy Quran and the performer of Quran’s commands is always accompanied by angels.

عَن أبي بَصِير، عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: أوْحَى اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ إلى داوُدُ إنَّ عَبْدِيَ المُؤْمِنَ إذا أذْنَبَ ذَنْباً ثُمَّ رَجَعَ وَتابَ مِنْ ذلِكَ الذَّنْبِ وَاسْتَحيى مِنّى عِنْدَ ذِكْرِهِ، غَفَرْتُ لَهُ وَأنْسَيْتُهُ الْحَفَظَةَ؛ وَأبْدَلتُهُ الحَسَنَةَ وَلا اُبالي، وَأنا أرْحَمُ الرّاحِمِينَ.

Abu Basir narrated from Imam Sadiq (s): God revealed to His Prophet David, saying: If my believer commits a sin and then repents and then remembers the sin and becomes shameful, he will be forgiven by Me and I will make his angels forget his sins.

I will do this because I am the kindest of all kind ones.

عَن أبي جَعْفَرٍ A قالَ: مُعَلِّمُ الخَيْرِ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لَهُ دَوابُّ الأرْضِ وَحِيتانُ البُحُورِ وَكُلُّ صَغِيرَةٍ وَكَبِيرَةٍ في أرْضِ اللهِ وَسَمائِهِ.

Imam Baqir (s) has said: All creatures on the earth and all the fishes and any big and small creatures on the earth shall ask God to forgive any teacher who teaches and preaches good things to people.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ 4: مُجالَسَةُ أهْلِ الدّينِ شَرَفُ الدُّنْيا وَالآخِرَةِ.

The Prophet (s) has stated: Associating with believing people is a means of honor both here and in the hereafter.

عَنْ أبي جَعْفَرٍ Aقالَ: أرْبَعٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ بَنى اللهُ لَهُ بَيْتاً فِي الجَنَّةِ، مَن آوَى اليَتِيمَ، وَرَحِمَ الضَّعيفَ، وَأشْفَقَ عَلى والِدَيهِ، وَرَفِقَ بِمَمْلُوكِهِ.

Imam Baqir (s) has said: God will prepare an abode in the paradise for anybody who has the following four characteristics:

1) protecting the orphans;

2) being kind towards the weak people;

3) being kind and generous towards one’s parents;

4) being kind towards one’s inferiors.

عَنْ أبي جَعْفَرٍA قالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: مَنْ كَفَّ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ أعْراضِ النّاسِ كَفَّ اللهُ عَنْهُ عَذابَ يَوْمِ القِيامَةِ، وَمَنْ كَفَّ غَضَبَهُ عَنِ النّاسِ أقالَهُ اللهُ نَفْسَهُ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ.

Abu Hamseh Thamaly says: I heard Imam Baqir (s) saying: God will divert the chastisement on the Resurrection Day from any body who does not play with people’s honor. God will forgive anybody who suppresses his anger towards people.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: ثَلاثَةٌ يُدْخِلُهُمُ اللهُ الجَنَّةَ بِغَيْرِ حِسابٍ: إمامٌ عادِلٌ، وَتاجِرٌ صَدُوقٌ، وَشَيْخٌ أفْنى عُمْرَهُ في طاعَةِ اللهِ.

The sixth Imam (s) has stated: God will take three groups of people to the paradise without accountance: a just ruler, an honest businessman, an aged man who has spent his life worshipping Allah.

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِ جَعْفَرٍ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الصّادِقِH قالَ: مَنْ أشْبَعَ جُوعَةَ مُؤْمِنٍ وَضَعَ اللهُ لَهُ مائِدَةً فِي الجَنَّةِ يَصْدُرُ عَنْهَا الثَّقَلانِ جَميعاً.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: God will prepare a table-cloth full of all sorts of foods and nourishments to feed all jinns and men for any believer who feeds a hungry God-believer.

قالَ أبُو عَبْدِاللهِA: ما مِنْ مُسْلمٍ أقْرَضَ مُسْلِماً قَرْضاً يُرِيدُ بِهِ وَجْهَ اللهِ إلاّ حَسِبَ اللهُ لَهُ أجْرَهُ بِحِسابِ الصَّدَقَةِ حَتّى يَرْجِعَ إلَيهِ.

The sixth Imam (s) has said: Anybody who provides a God-believer with interest-free loan will be considered by God as a person who pays alms daily.

عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بنِ محَمّدٍ الصادِقِ، عَن آبائِهِG قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ4: أرْضُ القِيامَةِ نارٌ ما خَلا ظِلَّ المُؤْمِنِ، فَإنَّ صَدَقَتَهُ تُظِلُّهُ.

The sixth Imam (s) narrates from his ancestors: Every gathering place on the Resurrection Day is filled with fire except for the believer’s shelter which is free from fire since his having paid alms in the world acts as a shelter for him.

Thus, we will note here that the verses of the Holy Quran, narrations, and news, have all stated the rewards and punishments for all human actions. For further information you are invited to delve into these sources.

Concerning the punishments for the evil-doers, besides the verses of the Holy Quran, there are some strange narrations, some of which will be dealt with here:

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِA: إيّاكُمْ وَالغَفْلَةَ، فإنَّهُ مَنْ غَفَلَ فَإنَّما يَغْفَلُ عَلى نَفْسِهِ، وَإيّاكُمْ وَالتَهاوُنَ بِأمْرِ اللهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ، فَإنَّهُ مَنْ تَهاوَنَ بِأمْرِ اللهِ أهانَهُ اللهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: I warn you against negligence because anybody who acts negligently will be a loser. I also warn you against belittling God’s commands because if you disregard God’s commandments, you will be miserable on the Doomsday.

عَنْ مُوسِى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍH: مَلْعُونٌ مَنِ اتَّهَمَ أخاهُ، مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ غَشَّ أخاهُ، مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ لَمْ يَنْصَحْ آخاهُ، مَلْعُونٌ مَنْ اغْتابَ أخاهُ.

The following four group of people shall not receive God’s blessings: the accuser, the fainter, evil-wisher, and the back-biter.

سَمِعْتُ أبا عَبْدِاللهِA يَقُولُ: لّوْ جَحَدَ أميرَ المُؤمِنِينَA جَمِيعُ مَنْ في الأرضِ لَعَذَّبَهُمُ اللهُ جَمِيعاً وَأدْخَلَهُمُ النّارَ.

Imam Hossein Ibn Ali says: I heard Imam sadiq (s) saying: If everybody on the earth denies the Imamate leadership and obedience of Imam Ali (s), they will be severely punished by Allah and will be sent to the hell.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: مَنِ ادَّعى الإمامَةَ وَلَيْسَ مِنْ أهْلِها فَهُوَ كافِرٌ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Any body who claims he is fit for the Imamate and leadership for Moslems but does not deserve it, is an infidel.

عَن أبي جَعْفَرٍA قالَ: في كِتابِ عَليّA: ثَلاثُ خِصالٍ لا يَمُوتُ صاحِبُهُنَّ أبَداً حَتّى يَرى وَبالَهُنَّ: البَغْيُ، وَقَطِيعَةُ الرَّحِمِ، وَاليَمِينُ الكَاذِبَةُ يُبارِزُ اللهُ بِها.

Imam Baqir (s) reports from Imam Ali’s writings: There are three traits the owners of which will not die unless they receive punishment here in this world: injustice, cutting family ties, and fake swearing.

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ4 أنَّهُ كانَ يَقُولُ: المَكْرُ وَالخَدِيعَةُ فِي النّارِ.

The Prophet (s) used to repeat the following: playing tricks on people and deceiving them are two sins the performer of which shall definitely receive the hell fire.

قالَ عليٌّA: تَحْرُمُ الجَنَّةُ عَلى ثَلاثَةٍ: النَّمّام، وَالقَتّال، وَعَلى مُدْمِنِ الخَمْرِ.

Imam Ali (s) has said: Three groups of people shall never enter the paradise: talebearers, murderers, and wine-drinkers.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: مَنْ تَعَصَّبَ عَصَبَهُ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ بِعِصابَةٍ مِنَ النّارِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: One who is prejudiced without any sound reason shall receive a fore-head band of fire.

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: ثَلاثَةٌ لا يَنْظُرُ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ إلَيهِمْ: ثاني عِطْفِهِ، وَمُسْبِلُ إزارِهِ خُيَلاءَ، وَالمُنْفِقُ سِلْعَتَهُ بِالأيْمانِ، إنَّ الكِبْرِياءَ لِلّهِ رَبِّ العالَمَينَ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Three groups of people shall be deprived of God’s mercy: those who are proud, those who walk on the ground with pride and those who sell their goods through lies. Then he added: in fact magnanimity is special to God.

عَن أبي جَعْفَرٍ وَأبي عَبْدِاللهِH قالا: لا يَدخُلُ الجَنَّةَ مَنْ في قَلْبِهِ مِثْقالُ ذَرَّةٍ مِنْ كِبَرٍ.

Imam Baqir (s) has said: Anybody who carries even one atom of pride and haughtiness in his heart shall never enter the paradise.

عَنْ أبي عبدِاللهِ A: أيُّما ناشٍ نَشَأ ف قَوْمِهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يُؤدِّبْ عَلى مَعْصِيَتِهِ كانَ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ أوَّلَ ما يُعاقِبُهُم فِيهِ أنْ يَنْقُصَ مِنْ أرْزاقِهِمْ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Any tribe of people who do not punish or blame their adolescent for the wrong-doing he might have engaged in, shall receive a reduction from God in their subsistence.

قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ4: مَنْ أذْنَبَ ذَنْباً وَهُوَ ضاحِكٌ دَخَلَ النّارَ وَهُوَ باكٍ.

The Prophet (s) has said: Any body laughing while have performing an evil shall enter the Barrier weeping.

عَن أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: شاهِدُ الزُّورِ لا تَزُولُ قَدَماهُ حَتّى تَجِبَ لَهُ النّارُ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Anybody who gives false witness shall receive the hell on the spot.

قالَ أبُو عَبْدِاللهِ: مَن حَلَفَ عَلى يَمِينٍ وَهُوَ يَعْلَمُ أنًّهُ كاذِبٌ فَقَدْ بارَزَ اللهَ عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: Anybody who falsely utters a swearing in order to confirm or nullify a right, has risen against God.

عَنْ عَبّادِبْنِ كَثيرٍ النَّواءِ قالَ: سَألْتُ أبا جَعْفَرٍA عَنِ الكَبْائِرِ قالَ: كُلُّ شِئٍ أوْعَدَ اللهُ عَلَيْهِ النّارَ.

Obbad Ibn Kathir Navva’ says: I asked Imam Baqir (s): what are the great sins? Imam replied: Those actions for which God has promised the hell fire.

Imam Baqir (s) has said: On the Resurrection Day, God will raise some people from their graves with their hands fastened to their necks so tightly as to be unable to pick up even the lightest article, who are being followed by some angels blaming them and announcing: these are among those who did not pay their due alms out of their abundance which God had given them.

عَنْ حمّادِ الرازي قالَ: سَمِعْتُ أبا عَبْدِاللهِA يَقُولُ: مَنْ أفْطَرَ يَوْماً مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضانَ خَرَجَ رُوحُ الإيمانِ مِنْهُ.

Hammad Razi says: Imam Sadiq (s) has stated: Anybody who for not valid excuse abstain from fasting even one day in the holy month of Ramathan, shall lose his faith.

عَن مُعَلّى بْنِ خُنَيسٍ قالَ سَمِعْتُ أبا عَبدِاللهِA يَقُولُ: قالَ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ: لِيَأذَنْ بِحَرْبٍ مِنّي مَنْ أذَلَّ عَبْدِي المُْؤمِنَ، وَلْيأمَنْ مِنْ غَضَبي مِنْ أكْرَمَ عَبْدِيَ المُؤمِنَ.

Moa’ll Ibn Khonais says: Imam Sadiq (s) has said: God has declared: Anybody who belittles my believing servant has prepared himself to fight with me. And anybody who honors and respects my believing servant shall be immune against my anger.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ4: أرْبَعةٌ لا تَدخُلُ بَيْتاً واحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ إلا خَرِبَ وَلَمْ يُعْمَرْ بِالبَرَكَةِ: الخِيانَةُ، وَالسَرِقَةُ، وَشُرْبُ الخَمْرِ، وَالزِّنا.

The Prophet (s) has stated: there are four nasty things if one of which enters your life, it shall ruin your life: treason, theft, drinking and adultery.

عَنْ أبي عَبْدِاللهِA قالَ: مُدْمِنُ الزِّنا وَالسَرَقِ وَالشُّرْبِ كَعابِدِ وَثَنٍ.

Imam Sadiq (s) says: The punishment for a person who habitually engages in adultery or theft or drinking is like the punishment of an idolater.

Imam Sadiq (s) also has said: keep your religion through your piety, needlessness and the ignoring of the king’s or sultan’s presents. Be aware any believer who humbles himself for money will he be made nameless by God and will have God’s anger. If a believer gains some wealth as the result of belittling himself in front of a tyrant he will lose God’s blessings. If he spends some portion of such wealth in hajj or freeing a slave, his action will not be considered.

قالَ رَسولُ اللهِ4: لا تَزالُ اُمَّتي بِخَيرٍ ما لَمْ يَتَخاوَنُوا، وَأدُّوا الأمانَةَ، وَآتَوا الزَّكاةَ؛ وَإذا لَمْ يَفْعَلُوا ذلِكَ ابْتُلُوا بِالقَحْطِ وَالسِّنينَ.

The Prophet (s) has said: the activities of my Ommah are benevolent and blissful if they do not betray one another, if they keep people’s deposits, and if they pay their due alms. But if they do not carry out these instructions, they will end up in draught.

Imam Sadiq (s) says Imam Ali (s) has said: There is a mill in the hell which grinds. Then he said: Don’t you want to know what it grinds? The followers asked what does it grind? He answered: it grinds the corrupt scholars, the libertine reciters, the tyrant governors, the treacherous ministers, and the liar heads of the villages.

Then Imam Ali (s) added: There is a city in the hell called Hathineh. Don’t you ask me what it contains? The followers asked: what? The hands which shook the hands of a genuine and well-wishing leader and Imam in allegiance but later broke the allegiance.

عَنِ المَعْصُومِ: كُلُّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلالَةٌ، وَكُلُّ ضَلالَةٍ سَبِيلُها إلَى النّارِ.

From the Infallible (s): Any religious innovation leads to one’s destruction and misleading, and any misleading ends up in the hell fire.

عَنْ أبي عَبدِاللهِA: مَنْ وَلِيَ شَيْئاً مِن اُمُورِ المُسْلِمِينَ فَضَيَّعَهُمْ ضَيَّعَهُ اللهُ تَعالى.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: God will deprive the official of his favors who has accepted the task of managing the Moslems’ affairs, but does not perform his duties properly.

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ4: إذا كانَ يَومُ القِيامَةِ نادى مُنادٍ: أيْنَ الظَّلَمَةُ وَأعوانُهُمْ وَمَن لاقَ لَهُم دَواةً أو رَبَطَ لَهُم كيساً أو مَدَّ لَهُم مَدَّةَ قَلَمٍ، فَاحْشُرُوهُم مَعَهُم.

The Prophet (s) has said: when the Doomsday arrives the herald will announce: where are the aggressors and tyrants and their partners and associates who prepared the inkpot for them or fastened their sacks for them. Thus, all associates of tyrants are tyrants as well.

عَن أبي عَبدِاللهِ، عَن أبيهِH قالَ: لِلزّاني سِتُّ خِصالٍ: ثَلاثٌ فِي الدُّنيا، وَثَلاثٌ في الآخِرَةِ أمَّا الَّتي فِي الدُّنيا فَيَذهَبُ بِنُورِ الوَجْهِ، وَيُورِثُ الفَقْرَ، وَيُعَجِّلُ الفَنَاءَ. وَامّا الَّتي فِي الآخِرَةِ فَسَخطُ الرَّبِّ، وَسُوءُ الحِسابِ، وَالخُلُودُ فِي النّارِ.

Imam Sadiq (s) narrates from his father having said: For the adulterer there are six chastisement: Three of which occur here and the next three in the other world: The punishments for him in this world are: The loss of light on his face, his poverty, and his unexpected death. His punishments in the other world are: God’s rage, bad record, and entry into the fire.

وَالحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذي لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبادِهِ مَعْرِفَةَ حَمْدِهِ عَلى ما أبْلاهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ المُتَتابِعَةِ، وَأسْبَغَ عَلَيهِم مِنْ نِعَمِهِ المُتَظاهِرَةِ لَتَصَرَّفُوا في مِنَنِهِ فَلَمْ يَحْمَدُهُ، وَتَوَسَّعُوا في رِزْقِهِ فَلَمْ يَشكُرُوهُ؛ وَلَوْ كانُوا كَذلِكَ لَخَرَجُوا مِنْ حُدُودِ الإنْسانِيَّةِ إلى حَدِّ البَهِيميَّةِ فَكانُوا كَما وَصَفَ في مُحْكَمِ كِتابِهِ: إنْ هُمْ إلاّ كَالأنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أضَلُّ سَبِيلاً.

All praise is due to Allah who taught His servants how to appreciate His blessings and favors. If the servants were not taught this talent, they would spend God’s assets with no thanks and appreciations. Regarding this, we read in the Holy Quran:

إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا.

“They are nothing but as cattle; nay, they are straying farther off from the path. 25:44”

From the above verse it could be realized that to stay a human being, we must thank God for what He has bestowed upon us. Anybody who refrains from doing so is not considered a human being.

The tools to recognize the asset-Giver and the assets are wisdom, man’s nature, conscience, Nobovvat (Prophethood), Imamate and the Holy Quran. The tools for praising God are our limbs and organs.

How miserable are those who merely engaged in eating, sleep and lusts! How wretched and tyrant are those who did not thank the Creator for His favors! Quran considers them lower in rank than animals. This is because animals lacking wisdom, and conscience, carry on the duties they are created for and perform them skillfully.

And how lucky are those who make use of wisdom, nature, conscience, Nobovvat, Imamate and the Holy Quran to recognize the Creator and His favors! These are better than the angels.

Here I will present you two excellent narrations concerning cognizance. Then I will deal with true human beings. Later I will pick up the explanation for the sentences from Sahifeh. These two narrations are well-documented.

عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ4: جُلُوسُ ساعَةٍ عِنْدَ مُذاكَرَةِ العِلْمِ أحَبُّ إلى اللهِ مِنْ قِيامِ ألفِ لَيلَةٍ يُصَلّى في كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ ألفِ رَكْعَةٍ، وَأحَبُّ إلَيْهِ مِنْ ألفِ غَزوَةٍ، وَمِن قِراءَةِ القُرآنِ كُلِّهِ اثنَي عَشَرَ ألْفَ مَرَّةٍ، وَخَيرٌ مِنْ عِبادَةِ سَنَةٍ صامَ نَهارَها، وَقامَ لَيلَها.

وَمَنْ خَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ لِيَلْتَمِسَ باباً مِنَ العِلمِ كَتَبَ اللهُ عَزَّوجَلَّ لَهُ بِكُلِّ قَدَمٍ ثَوابَ نَبيٍّ مِنَ الأنْبِياءِ وَثَوابَ ألفِ شَهِيدٍ مِن شُهَداءِ بَدْرٍ، وَأعْطاهُ بِكُلِّ حَرْفٍ يَسْمَعُ أو يَكْتُبُ مَدِينَةً فِي الجَنَّةِ.

وَطالِبُ العِلمِ يُحِبُّهُ اللهُ وَتُحِبُّهُ المَلائِكَةُ وَالنَبِيُّونَ، وَلا يُحِبُّ العِلمَ إلاّ السَّعيدُ، وَطُوبى لِطالبِ العِلْمِ.

وَالنَّظَرُ في وَجْهِ العالِمِ خَيرٌ مِنْ عِبْقِ ألفِ رَقَبَةٍ، وَمَنْ أحَبَّ العِلمَ وَجَبَتْ لَهُ الجَنَّةُ، وَيُصْبِحُ وَيُمْسِي في رِضى اللهِ، وَلا يَخْرُجُ مِنَ الدُّنيا حَتّى يَشْرَبَ مِنَ الكَوْثَرِ وَيَأكُلَ مِنْ ثَمَرَةِ الجَنَّةِ، وَلا يأكُلُ الدُّودُ جَسَدَهُ، وَيَكُونُ فِي الجّنَّةِ رَفيقَ خِضْرٍ.

The Prophet (s) has said: Spending one hour with God at the Forum of knowledge is better than praying a thousand nights, in each night of which a thousand of three postures: standing, genuflection and prostration are performed. Spending one hour with God at the forum of knowledge is superior to a thousand holy wars. It is also better than twelve thousand times of reciting the whole Quran and a year of prayers.

For any step a man takes in order to solve a chapter of science and knowledge, the following rewards are considered: A reward like that of the prophet’s, the reward of a thousand martyrs of the holy wars. For any word that he writes, there is a city in the paradise for him.

The acquirer of knowledge is beloved by God, angels and the Prophet alike. It is the prosperous one who goes after the acquisition of knowledge. Such a person is lucky indeed.

Looking at the face of a scholar is better than freeing a thousand slaves. Paradise belongs to the men of knowledge. A scholar spends his day and night to seek for God’s satisfaction. When he passes away he will drink Zam Zam water. He will eat the fruits of the heaven. The earth worms shall not eat his body. At the paradise he is a company to Khezr.

عَن الصادقA: لَو يَعلَمُ النّاسُ ما في فَضْلِ مَعْرِفَةِ اللهِ تعالى ما مَدُّوا أعْيُنَهُم إلى ما مَنَعَ بِهِ الأعْداءَ مِنْ زَهْرَةِ الحَياةِ الدُّنيا وَنَعِيمها، وَ كانَتْ دُنياهُم أقَلَّ عِنْدَهُم مِمّا يَطَؤونَ بِأرْجُلِهِم، وَلتنعموا بمعرفة الله و تلذذوا بها تلذذ من لم يزل في روضات الجنان مع أولياء الله.

إن معرفة الله تعالى اُنسٌ من كل وحشة، و صاحب من كل وحدة و نور من كل ظلمة و قوة من كل ضعف و شفاء من كل سقم.

قد كان قوم قبلكم يقتلون و يحرقون و ينشرون و تضيق عليهم الارض برحبها فما يردهم عما هم عليه شئ مما هم فيه من غير ترة وتر من فعل ذلك بهم و لا اذى بما نقموا منهم (وَمَا نَقَمُوا مِنْهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ). فاسئلوا ربكم درجاتهم، و اصبروا على نوائب دهركم تدركوا سعيهم.

If people knew how significant it is to recognize the Great Giver, they would not consider important the things which are important for the infidels. The world then would be as mean and worthless as the earth below their steps. Their enjoyment of knowledge then would be like that of the Prophet in heaven.

The recognition of the Creator is immunity against fright and terror; it is a companion for one’s loneliness; it is light for any darkness; it is strength in the face of weakness and it is a cure for any pain.

Before you, there used to live a tribe and people who were burned and tortured, and who were mutilated. The earth in their view looked a small place. But because of their knowledge they did not refrain from worshipping God. Their only offence was their faith in God.

Ask Allah to give you the same status which He gave them. Be patient in the recognition of hardships so that you may earn what they did earn.

The Great Spirit is the same as the human spirit. It is also termed the First wisdom. The writer of the book Asrarol Talebin considers the celestial (holy) spirit the same as man’s true nature. God created it first in the lahut world.

The Great Spirit which is taken to be the same as the man’s ture nature is man’s active intelligence which is the source for human speech power. In the terminology of religion by “active intelligence” is menant “Jibrael” which is also called “The angel Gabriel” and Holy Spirit (Ghost).

Man’s position is a strange one. And nobody except God recognizes this position. God has established tools and means for man to reach his real position. These means are Nobovvat, Imamate, wisdom, Quran and His suplime Names. It is upto us to appreciate these spiritual blessings. And our appreciation is taken to mean the recognition of the Creator and His assets.

و الحمد لله على ما عرفنا من نفسه، و ألهمنا من شكره، وفتح لنا م أبواب العلم بربوبيته، ودلنا عليه من الإخلاص له في توحيده، وجنبنا من الإلحاد والشك في أمره، حمدا نعمّر به فيمن حمده من خلقه، ونسبق به من سبق إلى رضاه وعفوه.

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds Who let us recognize His Sacred being and revealed to us how to thank Him and opend the door of His Divinity to us and led us to sincerity from blasphemy and dubiety regarding His commandments. O God let us perform our praise and thanks to you in such away as to excel others in satisfying you and in begging you for your pardons.

The above elegant expressions stress on the following delicate points:

1) Teaching to His servants the recognition of Him;

2) Revealing to us how to thank Him;

3) Opening the doors of science and knowledge to His Divinity;

4) Pointing out sincerity in Monotheism; and

5) Keeping man away from blasphemy and associating no God with Him.

In order to recognize Him, There is no way but thinking on the creation of the creatures, the Prophethood of the Prophets, and the revelation which is manifested in the Holy Quran and the Imamate of the infallible Ones (s).

Through thinking we could only conclude that there is one Creator. But through this tool we are not able to grasp what His Glorious Names are and what the aims for creation are and what duties man is supposed to carry out. In order to understand these issues we should resort to the Holy Quran, and the statements of the Prophet and the sacred Infallible Ones (s). This is the true meaning of the recognition of God through His guidance and this is what Imam Sajjad (s) refers to as بك عرفتك.

The initial revelation to our true self is done by God. And this guidance makes the human self ready to learn through man’s wisdom, senses and hearts. This is what is referred to in the sacred surah of Al-Shams [The Sun]:

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا.

“And the soul and Him who made it perfect. Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it. 91:7-8”

The self gets its impetus from this revelation. This is merely God’s way to let us recognize Him. The end-point of this man’s movement is coming close to God and getting His satisfaction and attaining the paradise. Man has got to go through certain stages of ideology and arriving at the right morality and performing good deeds to arrive at this final objective in his perfection.

This is the only way open to man in perfecting and purifying his real self and getting himself free from the satanic blasphemy and dubiety. Anybody who assumes there is another way is just ignorant:

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ سُبْحَانَهُ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ.

“Far from His glory be what they set up with Him. 9:31”

Man is animal in action and potentially a human being. Man’s nature, due to the domination of the material factors and because of his bodily habits has been ignorant of his true nature and is dominated by his bodily wishes. Man is suffering from deviations in morality. In some individuals this domination is so great that they are heading for the world of beasts.

In this regard men are of diffent classes and layers.

Some individuals, whose hearts become influenced rather swiftly belong to the layer of God’s men.

And this is based on the following:

قَبِلَ مَن قَبِلَ لا لِعِلّةٍ، وَرَدَّ مَن رَدَّ لا لِعِلّةٍ.

“His acceptance or rejection is not based on any reason”

جّذبَةٌ مِنْ جَذَباتِ الحَقِّ يُوازي عَمَلَ الثَّقَلَينِ.

“One attraction of God’s attractions equals the two actions of jinns and human beings”

اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ.

“Allah is the guardian of those who believe. He brings them out of the darkness into the light. 2:257”

There is yet a second group who in contrast to the first group are absorbed by God with no trial. Because of God’s guidance the light of faith reflects from the very inner portion of these people. Although their outer nature is imprisoned in the world of materialism, from within they are addressed by their inner spiritual manifestations, believing in the following verse from the Holy Quran:

يَا صَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ.

“O my two mates of the prison! Are sundry lord better or Allah the One, the Supreme? 12:39”

Thus, these kind of people awaken from sleep because of the revelation that they receive from inside themselves and will become ashamed of having wasted their time, saying:

يَا حَسْرَتَا عَلَى مَا فَرَّطْتُ فِي جَنْبِ اللَّهِ.

[Lest a soul should say]: “O woe to me! For what I fell short of my duty to Allah. 39:56”

These awakened people will realize that there are three important issues facing them and losing any one of them means a great loss indeed:

Firstly, they should endeavor to start to move from where they are and leave their temoral bodily enjoyments and through their obedience of the commandments of the Holy Quran, try not to waste their precious time.

Secondly, they should discipline their true selves in such a way as to adopt themselves to the divine ethics. This stage belongs to having faith.

The third stage belongs to one’s benevolence since at this stage they are ready to grasp the genuine monotheism.

We should know that benevolence has got different facets. This is because the true self after being warned by the inner invocation, passes through the world of beasts and then enters the world of divinity. Thus, the book of genesis, like the book of religion, has got seven portions.

لأنَّ لِلنَفسِ مِن حَيثُ قُوَّتِها العامِلّةِ في ضَبْطِ الاُمور الدُّنياويَّةِ بَطناً اوّلا، وَلِسانُهُ: يَعْلَمُونَ ظَاهِرًا مِنْ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا. وَطَلبُ صاحِبِهِ: رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ. وَلِلنَفسِ مِن حَيثُ عُبُورِها إلى طَلَبِ الاُمورِ الاُخروية مِن جِهَةِ قُوَّتِها العاقِلَةِ المُنَوَّرَةِ بِنُورِ الشَّرعِ بَطْناً ثانياً:

This is because the true self has capacity to record the worldly affairs and it conforms to what Allah has said: They know the outward of this world’s life.(30:7) But there are some people who say: “Our Lord! Give us in the world, and they shall have no resting place. 2:200” And the true self in its pursuit of the affairs in the hereafter which stems from the light of religion has got a second portion.

This stage belongs to the common Moslems and believers. Sadreddin Rumi recognizes this stage as the first stage of the benevolence. He believes:

الإحْسانُ فِعْلُ ما يَنْبَغي لما يَنْبَغي كما ينبَغي.

“Benevolence is an appropriate action for the appropriate ones with an appropriate manner.”

Rumi has included the wills and advice in the benevolence and says:

فاعْبُدْ رَبَّكَ كَانّكَ تَراهُ.

“Worship God as though you could see Him.” According to him this is the middle stage of benevolence.

And the following statements from Imam Ali (s) belong to this stage:

لَو كُشِفَ الغِطاءُ ما ازدَدْتُ يَقيناً.

“If the curtains are raised my conviction will increase”

وَلَمْ أعْبُد رَبَاً لَم أرَهُ.

“I would not worship the God whom I have not seen.”

وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّهُ عَيني في الصّلاةِ.

“The light in my sight is based on the prayer”

وَالآنَ قِيامَتي قائِمٌ.

“Now my Doomsday has started”

وكُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ وَبَصَرَهُ.

“I will be His ears and eyes.”

When we look at the creation, we will conclude that the very base of the construction of this world is carefully established. Every bit of creation rests on its appropriate position.

The world is like a book which is edited by a knowledgeable writer. Every sentence, discourse, chapter includes a series of meanings. The order in which these elements are arranged indicates a specific objective.

Every body could read the sentences of the book of creation to a certain degree and find out a range of meanings out of it and realize the objectives and aims behind its creation. Ever body can vividly understand the wise and thoughtful Will behind the creation. Of course, anybody who has a vast knowledge of natural sciences would be more capable of grasping the objectives behind the establishment of this rule-governed system.

The Holy Quran, with a unique persuation, guides people to study the book of creation and the structure of the creatures.

The recognition of God should be based on logical bases and not merely on imitation. Man in his attempt to recognize God could drag the ring of monotheism out of the ocean of logic to ornament his hand of faith only when he dresses the recognition of God with the garment of reasoning and gets his conviction through wisdom and bases his conviction on valid and logical reasoning so that the satanic persuation could not weaken the very bases of his faith.

Isalam condemns imitation in carrying out all its commandments, especially in the acceptance of the principle of monotheism. A true believer should accept the fundamental principles of Islam on the basis of wise reasoning. The following verses of the Holy Quran all refer to this issue:

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ ...

“Call to the way of your lord with wisdom…16:125”

وَمِنْ النَّاسِ مَنْ يُجَادِلُ فِي اللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَلَا هُدًى وَلَا كِتَابٍ مُنِيرٍ.

“And among men there is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge and without guidance and without an illuminating book. 22:8”

Those who judge on monotheism without any proper knowledge and logic are severely reproached since science and knowledge is based on reasoning and because the logic of God’s book rests on reasoning, as well.

The Holy Quran reproaches blind imitation and blames those who have accepted the religion of their ancestors without knowledge and valid reasoning.

On the acceptance of the facts on the basis of wisdom and reasoning there are a lot of news and statements in the precious books of Shiite such as Kafi, Man la yahzar, Touhed, and Behar.

The great philosopher, Avecina says:

مَنْ قالَ أو سَمِعَ بِغَير دَليلٍ فَلْيُخْرَج عَنْ رِبْقَةِ الإنسانيّةِ.

“Anybody who says anything or accepts anything without sound reasoning should be excluded from humanity.”

Any construction which is based on a shaky foundation will fall apart and will easily get destroyed.

It would be impossible to build a twenty-story building over clay pillars. Obviously such a building should be based on strong columns.

Our beliefs, especially in religion and religious laws should be based so strongly over logical foundations that the satanic temptations would not be able to penetrate into them.

A faith which has its roots in our wisdom and Divine truth may not be shaken with the storms of doubts and suspicions.

This profound truth and this universal law is dominant over our individual and social affairs. This fact is significant not only in basic sciences but also in the act of God recognition. The issue of monotheism, which is the most significant topic in our personal and social life, makes us ready for the Doomsday and promises a bright future. Such a science can not be childish and could not be based on foolish imitation. This fact is clearly dealt with in the sacred verses of the Holy Quran and in narrations and religious news.

In the statements of our religious leaders, for instance, in the sermons of Nahjolbalaqa and in Touhid Mofazzal and in some invocations and within some of the reasoning’s of the Infallible ones (s), special attention and stress is focused on Monotheism together with reasoning and recourse to the natural sciences.

Naturally, this is the best way to let common people recognize God. Let us see how the very construction of the creatures lead us towards the omnipotent God.

The answer is clear: In the same way, the very creation of a piece of work leads us to believer in its creator, the features of that work, too, to a large extent, reveals the features of the creator.

Let us give you an example. We human individuals are not directly aware of one another’s inner thoughts and morals and mental characteristics. I can not be aware of your decisions and ethical features; neither can you recognize my inner side. However, to a large degree we recognize one another.

We scientifically believe in a certain person and accept him as a scholar. because we have seen some oral and written works of him. We recognize one as a jurisprudent, another as a philosopher, another as a mathematician and still a fourth one as a literary man. Why? Because from the first one we have heard jurisprudent discussions, from the second one we have heard philosophical debates, from the third one we have heard mathematical issues and from the fourth one we have heard literary discussions.

Because of the common features which should exist between the Creator and the created, it would be impossible to hear knowledge from an ignorant person, or philosophical discussions from a jurisprudent, or from a philosopher discussions on jurisprudence or mathematics.

For instance, anybody who has read Jawaher knows that its writer should be a great jurisprudent, even if he has not seen him. The very nature of the book indicates the greatness of the jurisprudent.

Somebdoy might say: The certainty that we have regarding these issues does not necessarily mean that there is not probability of error. Rather, it means that the probability of error is so small that no wise person would consider it. The probability of error to occur is accidental. For instance, regarding the book called Jawaher, we are certain that its writer must be a great jurisprudent. But this does not mean that there is no probability that he might not have been a jurisprudent and the work might have been published all by chance. No the probability exists that the writer of Jawaher might not have been a jurisrudent and that his writing are arranged by chance. But this probability is so weak as to be negligible. Thus, we will say: we are certain that the writer of this book must have been a great jurisprudent, with no doubt. The probability in this regard is not calculated with fractions such as one hundredth, one thousandth, or one millionth, etc. Rather, it is the fraction of a number which is beyond our imagination. For instance, we could imagine a digit one plus zeros from here to the moon.

Thus, we may add: this amount of probability which is not countable is acceptable.

For instance, we may assume that Saadi was not a genius even if we see so many of his literary works; we may also assume that he, by chance, was able to produce these literary works. In the same way, we might assume Ave Sina was not an expert in philosophy or in medicine. And his works might have been produced by chance.

Although the existence of such assumptions can not be denied, we have no doubt that Saadi was a genius in literature and Ave Sina was an expert in the philosophical and medical domain. Those who have led men to recognize God through the studying of the book of creation want these men to be sure of the Creator’s wisdom as they can be sure of the positions of Saadi, Ave Sina and the writer of Jawaher after they have read the works of these scholars.

Corsi Morrison on page nine of his book Called “the secret of Man’s creation” writes: take ten coins, marking them from one to ten and put them in your pocket. Then try to take them out in accordance with their numbers from One to ten. Take one coin but put it back in your pocket prior to taking the second coin. Thus the probability to receive number one is one out of ten. The probability of getting one and two together will be one out of a hundred. The probability of getting one, two, three consecutively is one out of a thousand. The probability to get one, two, three and four consecutively would be one in ten thousand. Thus, the probability to get much more numbers consecutively would become gradually smaller. Finally, the probability of getting from one to ten consecutively could be one in ten milliard.

For the life to start on the earth, there are so many conditions and factors involved that from the mathematical perspective it would be impossible for these conditions to have been produced by mere chance. Thus, we have to imagine that there is a thinking agent in this world which has planned life to occur. If we accept this undeniable fact, we should as well believe that there should be a clear intention behind these mathematical and delicate operations.

Another wonder in the world is the world of living things which can not be explained through chance factors.

From the onset of life, male and female were produced to guarantee the continuation of life.

The reproductive organs, both in plants and animals, both in male and female, are so complicated and amazing that no body could think their creation was with no act of pre-determination.

When we study the plant and animal limbs and organs, we will be so entirely amazed that even a study of ten books could not absorb our attention so deeply. This observation will lead us to confess to the might and power of an immense Being.

The wonders of creation are not counable. In every corner of creation we will observe indications of Determination, Will God’s intention.

The present bulk of works on the recognition of God, the huge amount of philosophy regarding God’s recognition, the great number of poems and Gnostic discussions concerning God, the great amount of persuit of God all are the result of the same revelation to which the Holy Quran refers and the consequence of the same heed which Imam Sajjad(s) refers to.

This revelation has caused the shcholars to delve into scientific researches of great magnitude and has made artists such as Saadi, Hafiz, Babatahir and Jalaleddin to create those magnificent pieces of art.

This revelation has led thousands of scholars towards Gnostics and has given thousands of precious books to the human treasure of knowledge. It is this revelation which has aroused a willing in people to recognize Allah and has led them toward the loved One (i.e. Allah).

And in this process, the Holy Quran, Nobovvat and Imamate have associated with the revelation to enrich the tree of faith and to save it from any deterioration and to open up more ways for the improvement of man and to open all the doors of knowledge to the believers.

Now, let us refer to some of the products of this revelation:

Basically, each plant is composed of very tiny particles called cells or plant cells. These cells are of different shapes: some are oval, or global or six-sided. Some are spindling and some are cylindrical. Each one has got the following three portions, each of which has got an amazing structure.

1) Protoplasm: This is the living matter whose mysteries are not revealed to man yet. We do not know how it operates. What we are aware of is that it includes elements such as carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, Iron and sodium, and the like, plus water to a large degree.

2) The Nucleus: It also consists of different elements and portions. There are numerous strings in it which contain chromosomes. These latter are of crucial significance, however.

3) Membranes or the outer layer. This portion also consists of two different parts: First, the outer part which is shiny and hard and contains tiny chanels through which water and other elements are absorbed; the second part, while being quite delicate, plays an important role in the protection of the cell.

Leaves vary in shapes a great deal. Their shape is determined in accordance with the tree and the soil structure. The leaves of the desert plants, which do not benefit from sufficient water, are thick and thorny which, would not let the internal humidity evaporate. But the leaves of the trees on the riversides are wide and thin in which evaporation easily takes place. The underground leaves as well as the floating leaves have different shapes and structures adapted to their environment. The cross section of a leaf under a microscope will show the following parts:

1) the bark or the outer skin which is tough and usually un-penetrtable, protecting the underlying layers. This part lacks chlorophile;

2) The tissues which contain chlorphile and are made of long prism-shaped cells containg chlorophile all over. These tissues absorb (Co2) in the sunlight decomposing it into oxygen and cadbon and reserving the carbon and expelling the oxygen. This function is useful in two ways: making the plant growth possible and purifying the environment.

3) The wood vessels, i.e., the special pipes in which the raw plant juice flows;

4) The carrying vessels through which the transformed juice reaches the plant cell. This transformation of the raw plant juice takes place through the activity of the chlorophile, and is used to feed the cells.

5) The chlorphiled hypodermis in which there is less chlorophile than the upper parts. That is why the color of the two sides of a leaf differs so greatly.

6) The indo-derm of the leaf which is similar to the outer skin or bark.

7) The tiny pores which exist in the indo-derm which make transpiration possible.

One of the most amazing functions of the leaves is respiration. They, like men and animal, absorb the oxygen of the air, making its (Co2) free. This is not to be mistaken with carbon-absorption. Like water animals which make use of the soluble oxygen, the water plants, too, get their required oxygen from the water.

The plant respiration depends on the light, heat, humidity and the type of the plant. This is a proven fact by the researchers.

The structure of floweres is even more complicated and amazing than that of the leaves. A flower consists of four major parts:

1) The flower cup: It is covered with green leaves whose function it is to cover the surface of the blossoms and to protect the flower leaves and the corolla.

2) The corolla: These are the principal flower leaves which are of different colors. The high heed and delicacy in the coloring of these flower leaves make us wonder and admire the creator.

3) The Navel of the flower: Inside each flower there are stamens which are collectively known as the nave. The number of these stamens are different in each flower.

Above these stamens there are some tiny and yellow swollen parts. Each part consists of a tiny bag which includes four holes which house the pollen.

The pollens are tiny, microscopic structures which act like the sperm of the male animals. After the action of fertilization between the pollens and the female organs, the plant seeds are produced. The pollens by themselves have intricate structure inside. Each one contains protoplasm, fat materials, sugar, starch and nitrogen. Each pollen consists of two nucli, one bigger than the other one. The bigger one is called the growth nucleus and the smaller one is named the generative nucleus.

4) The pistil: This part rests on the flower axis above which there is a swollen part called nosegay. The surface of pistil is covered with a sticky material. This last part protects the male seeds and helps them grow.

Below the pistil there is a protruded section called the ovary which contains tiny ovules which stick to the walls of the ovary though their tail stalks. These latter absorb the required water and material. The ovules, too, have amazing structures by themselves.

When the pollen bags burst open and the pollens rested on the female nosegay, they grow rapidly. In order for the pollen to reach the female nosegay there are different approaches which make any observer amazed. One way is for the insects to do this job without them being aware what they are performing. Due to the special color and smell and the sugary substance of the flowers, the insects move towards them, sitting on them, carrying the pollens with their wooly feet from one place to another. This action is especially significant in flowers which have the male and female fertilization organs on two separate poles.

As we have already said, when the pollens rest on the nosegay, they start growing. The bigger nucleus which is the same as the nourishing uncleus starts to grow and moves toward the ovary and when it comes close enough to it, it vanishes altogether. But the smaller nucleus passes through the narrow pipe and enters the ovary and mingles with the sperms and the marriage of these two takes place at a dark location. In this way, fertilization occurs and the zygote is produced.

Now I ask for your genuine judgement: Isn’t the structure of a flower or its leaves or a microscopic cell more delicate and complicated than that of a picture frame or a watch which you can see but you become aware of its intelligent and wise builder? Is there any wise man who may attribute these strange structures and differing functions to mere and pure chance?

Suppose there were nothing in this world except a small branch of a tree. Doesn’t the amazing structure of this tree-branch lead us to an intelligent, knowledgeable, all-knowing, supernatural power who has created it?

The secrets hidden in the plant world are so great in number as to be impossible for a man to recognize in his life-time. There are some scholars, however, who have revealed some portions of these secrets. Some examples will demonstrate these researches:

1) The art hidden in the plant roots: the hairy fibres absorb the requird water and material for the different limbs and branches of a plant. They lead these materials to the stem and upper branches in contradiction to the gravity which leads every-thing towards the center of the earth. The distance for the passage of material from the roots upto the highest branch might sometimes be more than forty meters. How does this happen?

2) Transplantation of branches: Another mystery of the plant world is the act of grafting two different sorts of fruit trees. In this way, through grafting apple with pear, for instance, we could produce two different kinds of fruits on a single tree. The laboratory implanted in the tree is marvelous, indeed.

3) The correction of the defects: Another pecularity of the trees is the correction of the defects. If a branch of certain trees is separated from the tree and is planted in the ground, it will grow as a complete tree with strong roots. The roots, by the way, are so strong that they will remove any obstacle from their way. Sometimes this movement takes place peacefully by the change in the direction of the root. But sometimes the root will act out belligerently and will destroy the building or even huge rocks on their way.

4) The sensitive plants: The branches of some plants are sensitive and feel the environmental factors as the animals do. This feeling is so great that they will contract themselves if you come close to them.

5) The meat-eating plants: The branches of these trees are like the hunter’s traps.

The way these trees act is to throw their branches over and around anybody who is trapped by them. Under such circumstances there is no escape for the trapped one. After a while a poisnous juice is poured on the trapped one. It makes the trapped one digestible for the tree.

Upon his return to the earth, this well-known astronaut wrote an article which was published in the United States. He writes:

“I can not open my eyes without wondering and being puzzled at the beauties of the world.

A glimpse at the world will reveal the fact that there is an active Agent which controls the affairs in this world. When I was being selected for this space journey, I was given a hand-book containing all sorts of issues concerning space. Two chapters of this article influenced me greatly.

In order to understand them, we should know what a light year is. Light travels 300,000 kilometers a second. This means each second light could travel seven times round the earth. Now let us suppose a piece of light has traveled straight for one year. The distance traveled by this piece of light is called a light year. This distance is 9,500,000,000,000 kilometers.

Now let us see what this article says about the greatness of the world. The diameter of the galaxy is nearly 10,000 light year. Our sun, which is a very small star compared with other stars, is 30,000 light-year away from the center of the galaxy.

Thus, it would be impossible to imagine the immense dimensions of the distances in the distances in the solar system alone.

What we have said so far concerns the huge world around us. Now. Let us return to the micro-world of the atom.

Atoms are similar to the solar system in that they have complicated internal structures. Electrons rotate around the nucleus in each atom in accordance with a pre-determined order.

What I wish to convey to my readers is that order reigns over every thing in this world. This rule applies not only to the atoms but also to the immense aspects of creation, i.e., the galaxies which are away from us thousands of light-years.

Could we ever claim that this is mere accident? Did a molten mass of materials start spontaneously to rotate around some other celestial body. I strongly doubt it. Every movement in this world is established in accordance with a specific plan.

The huge world of stars all convince me that there is a Creator. There should be a force to keep these rotating bodies on their orbits.

Now we should accept the fact that it would be impossible to measure God with scientific scales. Nor could we reach the spiritual forces through our senses. These forces are not perceptible. But aren’t there other intangible forces which we accept without feeling them?

An air-plane might have the strongest engines and be equipped with the most delicate machines. It would not, however, be able to work without an un-felt impetus. In order to work properly, a plane should be guided and led. But what is its leader? It is the compass, for sure. But the force which operates the compass is beyond our imagination. It can never be seen, touched, and tasted. But we are aware that this force exists because we perceive it.

Next to the pilot, we will observe an apparatus which navigates the plane. We are sure that the force which runs the hands of the compass is always at work. When we travel, we owe our safety to the proper function of this mechanism. We are certain that its proper function will let us arrive at our destination.

So are the religious and spiritual forces. Let us put ourselves at their disposal to avoid going astray and to ensure arriving at prosperity. Although our senses will not feel them, their effects are felt in our life. Then why should we doubt their existence?

So this is the truth behind revelation and what Imam Zainol Abedin (s) meant in the sentence discussed above.

Faith in God has numerous effects in man’s individual, social, family, political, economic and even physical status. This is valid to the extent that the researchers start their research with the following sentence. Faith in God not only keeps man’s integrity, but it safeguards his physical and mental health, as well.

This much attention towards the recognition of God is the result of revelation. This revelation leads man towards truth and the Prophet and the Infallible ones (s), and the sciences. The safety of our thoughts, souls, physiques, society and families is the result of this very revelation. Regarding this, let us note the following:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ.

“O you who believe! Shall I lead you to a merchandise which may deliver you from a painful chastisement? You shall believe in Allah and His Apostle, and struggle hard in Allah’s way with your property and your lives; that is better for you, did you but know! 61:10-11”

Naturally, human body, like his soul, becomes inflicted with the disasters of everyday life. And these diseases, either through the entry of microbes into one’s body, or through accidents or aging, will make life miserable for man.

The medical sciences and psychology teach us that the psychosomatic diseases are prevalent in the world today. These diseases may attack man because of his mental disturbances. The microbe-caused diseases could not have any effect over anybody who is mentally stable. Conversely, a man who suffers from mental disturbances will be ready to come under the attack of microbes.

The Holy Quran, fifteen centuries ago, made this issue completely clear. The Holy Quran bases one’s mental and bodily health over true faith and has ordered us to follow the right path of faith if we wish to be away from physical and mental disturbances.

The Holy Quran considers the faith in God extremely significant and has ordered man to have complete faith in the sacred Being of God.

For anybody who believes in God and in the Resurrection and for the one who ascribes everything to God there is no difference (for him) between bad and good: anything which comes from Allah is good and acceptable.

Remember the sentence usually written over the doors of our great grand fathers’ houses:

أُفَوِّضُ أَمْرِي إِلَى اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَصِيرٌ بِالْعِبَادِ.

“I entrust my affair to Allah, Surely Allah sees the servants. 40:44”

Our grandfathers used to observe this expression each day and they ascribed everything to Allah only.

They truly believed that they should ask God for His assistance. Thus, they welcomed anything which they received from Him: they used to fight the nature with the weapon of faith; thus, they were content with what they were given and they never developed any mental diseases.

In contrast, people who do not have strong faith, plan all day with no result whatsoever. What they get is worry and insecurity. All the defects which attack us, such as psycho-somatic disturbances like ulcers, blood pressure, and heart attacks, result from lack of faith. Or else, a believer is certain that pain or gain is given by God; there fore, in the face of hardships, he will not give up; he will never complain and does not go to extremes in his emotions. He acts as the Holy Quran wants him to act:

لِكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ.

“So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, not to be exultant at what He has given you. 57:23”

This is evident. If a man knows the content of this holy verse, he will never indulge in arrogance or pride when he has a social position or when he is at the peak of youth; he will never hurt others, either, Nor will he become disturbed mentally when his social stats is denied.

Nowadays, some people are after social positions and functions. They, however, forget people and ignore them altogether.

The Holy Quran teaches us that the worldly pains or joys are transient. A wise man will never become overjoyed or exultant when he is affluent; neither does he become depressed when he is poor economically. A genuine believer knows that what he gets from Allah is in his benefit both mentally and physically. Therefore, he will face the problems bravely.

Thus, if man appreciates Godly revelations, he will both become aware of worldly affairs and will possess mental welfare. Regarding this, the Holy Quran states:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ.

“Those who believe and whose hearts are set at rest by the remembrance of Allah; now surely by Allah’s remembrance are the hearts set at rest. 13:28”

The misery and mental difficulties of some people at the present century is due to their lack of firm beliefs in religion.

In order for man to enjoy mental security and calmness, he should involve every cell of his body in the act of invocation and supplication, praying Allah.

Upon looking at the affluence and riches available to us, we have to thank God for what He has given us.

Revelation teaches us where to look for assets, how to use them and who has given them to us.

فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا.

“Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it. 91:8”

If you follow the inspiration of your heart you will gain another inspiration which is revelation and which is dealt with in the Holy Quran. In that Holy Book, you will get the assurance that thanking God for His affluence is compulsory. The Holy Quran has guided us in this path:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ.

“Therefore remember Me, I will remember you, and be thankful to Me, and do not be ungrateful to Me. 2:152”

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِلَّهِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ.

“O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if Him it is that you serve. 2:172”

وَرَزَقَكُمْ مِنْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ.

“And (He) gave you of the good things that you may give thanks. 8:26”

وَاللَّهُ أَخْرَجَكُمْ مِنْ بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمْ السَّمْعَ وَالْأَبْصَارَ وَالْأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ.

“And Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mother-you did not know anything-and He gave you hearing and sight and hearts that you may give thanks. 16:78”

Upon having declared that thanking God and appreciating Him for his affluence is compulsory, God says that uttering this appreciation is to man’s benefit:

وَمَنْ يَشْكُرْ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ.

“And whoever is grateful, he is only grateful for his own soul; and whoever is ungrateful, then Allah is Self-sufficient, Praised. 31:12”

The Holy Quran considers the grateful believers as a distinct group. However the number of such people, according to the Holy Quran, is Low.

اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا وَقَلِيلٌ مِنْ عِبَادِي الشَّكُورُ.

“Give thanks, O Family of Dawood! And very few of My servants are grateful. 34:13”

وَمَنْ يُرِدْ ثَوَابَ الْآخِرَةِ نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَسَنَجْزِي الشَّاكِرِينَ.

“And whoever desires the reward of the hereafter I shall give him of it; and I will reward the grateful. 3:135”

3) Opening the doors of science and knowledge towards Divinity:

The holy word rabb (God) literally means “Owner” and “instructor”. In the whole world there is no real owner, nor a genuine progressive instructor except the Almighty God.

The word “rabb” is frequently used in the Holy Quran and in invocations and supplications and other books on the Islamic knowledge. If any body is absorbed by this word he is neither an aggressor, nor is he inflicted by aggression. He will not be deceived by the alien cultures, either.

The comprehension of the term divinity is effective in freeing man from the satanic webs of evil-doings and desires.

An understanding of this holy term educates man to the degree that he will become the source of generocity, honor, knowledge, conscience, and manhood. In the words of the Holy Quran, this word will create an honorable tree.

Iqbal (The Pakestani Gnostic), based on the Holy Quran, considers as the most educated man any man who is connected with God. He says this kind of education consists of three stages: (1) obedience; (2) self-control; and (3) being God’s envoy on the earth.

Obeying God in all aspects of life and showing obedience towards prophets and the Infallible ones(s) is necessary. Then we should keep this obedience unaffected by the evils; and finally we should reach the position of being God’s envoy on the earth.

The door which God opened to us to recognize His Divinity is the door of Nobovvat (Prophethood) and Imamate [belief in Imams (s)]. Imam Ali(s) says in the first sermon of Nahjolbalaqa:

وَاصْطَفى سُبْحانَهُ مِنْ وِلْدِهِ أنْبياءَ، أخَذَ على الوَحي مِيثاقَهُمْ، وَعَلى تَبْليغِ الرّسالَةِ أمانَتَهُمْ.

“The Almighty God selected some of the off springs of His Prophets and through revelation He appointed them to propagate the ideas of the Prophethood, and trustworthiness.”

The covenant for the propagation of the ideas of the Prophethood is the greatest covenant ever.

Naturally there should be a spirit void of any whims and wishes to receive revelation. Any internal fault would darken the revelation.

A Prophet should base his private life on ghe revelation. Being a usual human being, he has the task to act as an intermediary between God and people.

The most difficult part of a Prophet’s life, however, is to stay away from any sign of self-interest.

Imam Ali(s) adds to what we heard from him above:

“God appointed some Prophets out of the nations to help people act in accordance with the innate covenant which they have with their God. The Prophets will remind people of the God’s forgotten assets given them. The Prophets are supposed to lead people towards faith through sound reasoning and to excite and enrich people’s hidden intellects. They are also supposed to reveal to people God’s signs of grandeur: such as the lofty skies over them and the earth cradle under their feet and the necessary sustenance.”

The function of Prophethood is explained in the following verses of the Holy Quran:

الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمْ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْمُفْلِحُونَ.

“Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Tavrat and the Injeel (The Old Testament and the New Testament) who enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them; so as for those who believe in him and honor him and help him, and follow the light which has been sent down with him, these it is that are the successful. 7:157”

These holy verses emphasize the following issues:

1) man’s uprise against injustice;

2) showing the Divine signs;

3) the teaching of the Holy Quran which embodies human life and existence;

4) the teaching of wisdom to man;

5) Enjoining the good and forbidding the evils;

6) Removing the obstacles which make hindrances on the man’s progress;

7) And Light in life which makes man to improve:

In the words of the leader of the pious ones, we shall read:

1) To excite men to carry out the contract which they have with their God;

2) To remind men of the God-given assets;

3) Conveying the Islamic teaching through sound reasoning;

4) Enriching man’s wisdom;

5) Showing the God’s signs in the lofty skies over the head on man and the earth cradle under his feet.

6) Showing people how God’s signs will help them when their strength does not exist any longer;

7) Educating people how to behave moderately and how to distinguish between right and wrong.

These are among the Divine revelation on the earth which are explicitly stated in the Holy Quran. Imam Ali’s statements in Nahjolbalaqa and his behaviors and manners showed these principles in action.

The great Prophet of Islam has said on the issues of Imamate and Velayat, which are revealed to him by God:

إنَّ اللهَ خَلَقَني وَعَليّاً مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أنا أصلُها، وَعَليٌ فَرعُها، وَالحَسَنُ وَالحُسَينُ ثَمَرَتُها، وَالشِيعَةُ وَرَقُها، فَهَل يَخْرُحُ مِنَ الطَيِّبِ إلاّ الطَيِّبُ؟ وَأنا مَدينَةُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها، فَمَن أرادَ المَدينَةَ فَليَاتِها مِن بابِها.

وَفي لَفظِ حُذيفةَ عَن عَليٍّA: أنا مَدينَةُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها، وَلا تُؤتَى البُيُوتُ إلا مِن أبوابِها.

وَفي لَفْظِ: أنا مَدينةُ العِلمِ وَأنْتَ بابُها، كّذَبَ مَن زَعَمَ أنَّهُ يَدْخُلُ المَدينَةَ بِغَيرِ الباب. قالَ اللهُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ: وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا.

Allameh Amini reports the above narrations in his book Alqadir from 143 scholars of sunni sect. He also reports 21 scholars who have confirmed the authenticity of these reports. The Great Prophet (s) has said:

“Imam Ali (s) and I are of the same tree: I am the root, Imam Ali (s) is my trunk, Imam Hassan and Imam Hossein are our fruits and the Shiite are our leaves. Does the clean one produce anything but clean?”

“I am the city of knowledge and Imam Ali (s) is the entrance to that city. Anybody who wishes to enter this city should pass through this gate.”

The variations to this narration are the following:

1- أنا مَدينَةُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها، فَمَن أرادَ البَيْتَ فَليَأتِ البابَ.

2- أنا مَدينَةُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها، فَمَن أرادَ العِلمَ فَليَأتِ البابَ.

3- أنا دارُ الحِكْمَةِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها.

4- أنا دارُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ بابُها.

5- أنا ميزانُ العِلمِ وَعَليٌّ كَفَّتاهُ.

6- أنا مِيزانُ الحِكمَةِ وَعليٌّ لِسانُهُ.

7- أنا المَدينةُ وَأنْتَ البابُ، وَلا يُؤتَى المَدينَةُ إلا مِنْ بابِها.

8- عَليٌّ أخي وَمِنّي وَأنا مِن عَليٍّ فَهُوَ بابُ عِلمي وَوَصِيِّي.

9- عَليٌّ بابُ عِلمي وُمُبَيِّنٌ لامَّتي ما اُرسِلتُ بِه مِن بَعْدي.

10- أنْتَ بابُ عِلْمي.

It is evident for the Moslem nation that the Prophet’s knowledge was transferred to the sacred being of Imam Ali (s). In return, Imam Ali’s knowledge was transferred to his offspring from Imam Hassan (s) to Imam Mahdi (s). In order to recognize God, the Ommat has to refer to the Infallible Ones (s), For knowledge contained, for instance, in Nahjolbalaqa, Sahifeh Sajjadieh, Kafi, Wafi, Tahzib, Istebsar, Man la Yahzar, Wasa’el and Shafi.

All praise is due to Allah who attracted our attentions towards sincerity in our prayers and faith through the verses of the Holy Quran and the knowledge handed down to us from the Great Prophet (s) and the Infallible Ones (s).

فَاعْبُدْ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ أَلَا لِلَّهِ الدِّينُ الْخَالِصُ ...

“Therefore serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience; Now, surely, sincere obedience is due to Allah alone. 39:2-3”

إِلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا.

“Except those who repent and amend and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah; these are with the believers and Allah will grant the believers a mighty reward. 4:146”

قُلْ إِنِّي أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ الدِّينَ.

“Say: I am commanded that I should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience. 39:11”

قُلْ اللَّهَ أَعْبُدُ مُخْلِصًا لَهُ دِينِي.

“Say: Allah it is Whom I serve, being sincere to Him in my obedience. 39:14”

وَلَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُخْلِصُونَ.

“And we shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds, and we are sincere to Him. 2:139”

فَادْعُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْكَافِرُونَ.

“Therefore call upon Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, though the unbelievers are averse. 40:14”

هُوَ الْحَيُّ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ فَادْعُوهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

“He is the living, there is no god but He, therefore call on Him, being sincere to Him in obedience. All praise is due to Allah, the lord of the worlds. 40:65”

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَذَلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ.

“And they were not enjoined anything except that they should serve Allah, being sincere to Him in obedience, upright and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, and that is the right religion. 98:5”

في مَواعِظِ النَّبيِّ لابنِ مَسْعُودٍ: يا ابنَ مَسْعُودٍ إذا عَمِلْتَ عَمَلاً فَاعْمَل للِهِ خالِصاً لأنَّهُ لا يَقبلُ مِن عِبادِهِ إلا ما كان خالصاً.

Among the advice given to Ibn Mas’ud by the Great Prophet (s) is the following: “O son of Mas’ud; if you wish to do any deed for Allah, do it clearly and be sincere; no impure action is accepted by Allah.”

قالَ عليٌّD: طوبى لِمَن أخْلَصَ لِلّهِ عَمَلَهُ وحُبَّهُ وبُغْضَهُ وَأخْذَهُ وَتَركَهُ وَكلامَهُ وصَمَّهُ وِفِعْلَهُ وَقَولَهُ.

Imam Ali (s) has stated: How lucky is the person whose action, friendship, enmity, giving and taking, speech and silence and his promise are pure and sincere for God.

قال الصّادِقُD: إنَّ رَبَّكُم لَرَحيمٌ يَشْكُرُ القَليلَ، إنَّ العَبْدَ لَيُصلّي الرَّكْعَتَينِ يُريدُ بِها وَجْهَ اللهِ فَيُدْخِلُهُ اللهُ بِها الجَنَّةَ.

Imam Sadiq (s) has said: your God is kind. He will appreciate even your smallest service towards Him. If a believer performs only two rounds of prayers sincerely, he will be granted the paradise.

عَنِ الرِّضا، عَن أبائِهِ صَلوات اللهِ علَيهم قالَ: قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ4: ما أخْلَصَ عَبْدٌ لِلّهِ عَزَّوجَلَّ أرْبَعِينَ صَباحاً إلا جَرَت يَنابِيعُ الحِكْمَةِ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ عَلى لِسانِهِ.

The eighth Imam (s) reports from his parents reporting from the Great Prophet (s): “The springs of knowledge will flow from the heart towards the tongue of any believer who keeps clean and sincere for God only for forty days.”

Imam Askari (s) has said: I will severely blame myself for having done nothing for a true and sincere believer if I turn the whole world into Just one loaf and put it in his mouth. And if I deprive an infidel from such loaf and let him suffer great hunger and thirst but at the last moment of his sufferings present him with a sip of water, I will think I have wasted God’s favors and assets.

God, out of His favors, keeps man away from any form of blasphemy including worshipping the world, worldly positions, indulging in voluptuous life, giving way to one’s wishes, being fond of aggression, and satan worshipping.

As soon as the pure and sincere faith dominates one’s life, the foundation of blasphemy and polytheism will be shaken.

In the sacred surah luqman, it is stated that blasphemy is a great injustice and aggression and anybody who is under its domain upto the day of his death shall be deprived of God’s favors. His repentance at the moment of death will not be accepted, however.

Setting up anything with God will make ineffective the good things that one has performed:

وَلَوْ أَشْرَكُوا لَحَبِطَ عَنْهُمْ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ.

“And if they had set up others with Him, certainly what they did would have become ineffectual for them. 6:88”

وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمْ الْإِيمَانَ وَزَيَّنَهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمْ الْكُفْرَ وَالْفُسُوقَ وَالْعِصْيَانَ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الرَّاشِدُونَ.

“But Allah has endeared the faith to you and He has made it seemly in your hearts, and He has made hateful to you unbelief and transgression and disobedience; these it is that are the followers of a right way. 49:7”