Sayings of Hazrat Imam Jaffar Sadiq a.s

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4- To recognize the actuality of your friend, you should enrage him. If he keeps up his friendship, he is true friend lest, he is false.

6- Do not trust your friend perfectly, because the knockdown of the trustful is incurable.

7- Islam is a definite rank. Faith is one rank higher than Islam. Conviction is one rank higher than faith. People have been given a rank lower than conviction.

10- The desire for the worldly pleasures causes grief and sadness. Abstinence from the worldly pleasures brings about the rest of both heart and body.

12- He who gains oppresson is not gaining welfare. He who mistreats people should not complain when people mistreat him.

13- In homelands, exchanging visits is the means of association. In travel, correspondence is the means of association.

14- A believer is not perfectly virtuous unless he enjoys three characters-- knowledgeability of the religious affairs, moderation in living, and steadfastness against misfortunes.

15- An actual believer is that whose sexual appetite does not overcome him and whose stomach does not shame him.

17- Favors should be done only to the highborn or the religious. Those who show gratitude are very few.

18- Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be practiced with a faithful believer that he would learn a lesson, or an ignorant that he would earn. Enjoining good and forbidding evil become surely worthless when they are applied to the powerful tyrants.

19- Those who enjoin good and forbid evil should enjoy three characters: they should be aware of the matters that they enjoin and the matters that they forbid,fair in the matters that they enjoin and the matters that they forbid, and lenient in the matters that they enjoin and the matters that they forbid.

20- He who suffers a misfortune due to obtruding upon an unjust ruler will be neither rewarded nor endowed with patience.

21- As some people showed ingratitude for Allah's graces, He changed the graces into crises. As other people showed steadfastness against the misfortunes that inflicted them, Allah changed the misfortunes into graces.

22- The prosperity of coexistence and association are three thirds: two thirds are acumen and one is overlooking.

24- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about personality, he answered: Personality stands for that Allah should not see you in situations against which He warned, and miss you in situations of which He ordered.

25- Thank him who did you favor, and confer upon him who thanked you. Graces that are shown gratitude will not be removed while those that are shown ingratitude will not persist. Thanks increase the graces and saves against poverty.

26- To miss a need is better than asking it from other than its people. Bad mannerism in a misfortune is more catastrophic than the misfortune itself.

27- As a man asked him a short item of instruction that collects the welfare of this world and the world to come, the Holy Imam (A.S.) said: Never tell untruths.

28- Imam As-Sadiq (A.S.) was asked about eloquence. He answered: Eloquence is to express the idea in as few as possible words. The eloquent is that who attains his demand in the least effort.

31- Treat your fathers piously so that your sons will treat you piously. Keep yourselves away from the strange women so that your harem will be chaste.

32- He who entrusts a betrayer with a deposit will be deprived of Allah's warranty.

33- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) said to Humran-bin-A'yun: O Humran, look to him who is less powerful that you are and do not look at him who is more powerful so that you will be more satisfied with what Allah has allotted for you and will be a greater motive to deserve the Lord's increase. Know that little permanent deed with conviction is more favorable to Allah than the many deeds that are lacking conviction. You should know also that no piety is more profitable than avoiding committing the prohibited matters and the abstinence from harming and backbiting the believers. No living is more pleasant than good mannerism, no fortune is more advantageous than satisfaction with the sufficient and the little, and no ignorance is more harmful than self-conceit.

34- Pudency is of two faces: one is weakness while the other is power, submisison, and faith.

35- Negligence of others' rights is humility. Certainly, the neglector of rights needs for forgery in this regard.

36- It is sufficient for one of the group to salute. Similarly, it is sufficient for one of the group to respond the salutation.

39- Shaking hands is the perfect greeting of the resident and embracement is the perfect greeting of the traveler.

41- Fear Allah even if to some extent. Construct a screen between Him and you even if transparent.

42- As for those who control themselves in rage, desire, fear, and lust, Allah will prevent Hell from burning their bodies.

43- Good health is a light grace; it is forgotten when found and mentioned when missed.

44- In good days, Allah endows with the grace of consent. In distress, He endows with the grace of purification.

45- It often happens that Allah endows a servant with a grace that he does not expect. It also happens that one hopes for something while his goodness is in its opposite. It also may happen that one is running for his doom, while he goes slowly for his goodness.

46- He who does not show steadfastness against every misfortune, show gratitude for every grace, and show easiness for every complexity will surely be too short to continue. Be broad-minded whenever a misfortune inflicts you, whether in your son, wealth, or other matters. The fact of every misfortune is that Allah receives his loan and takes his gift back so as to test your tolerance and thanking.

47- Everything has limits. The limit of conviction is not to fear anything besides Allah.

48- The (Faithful) believer should enjoy eight characters; he should be venerable in shaking situations, steadfast against misfortunes, thankful in luxury, satisfied with what Allah has decided to him, avoid oppressing the enemies, avoid overtasing the associates, should fatigue his body, and make people feel glad with him.

49- Knowledge is the comrade of the faithful believer, clemency is his supporter, patience is the commander of his army, lenience is his brother, and charity is his father.

50- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) said to Abu-Ubayda who asked him to supplicate to Allah for saving him from making his earnings pass by the mediation of the servants: Allah has arranged to make people's earnings in other people's hands. You should supplicate to Allah to make your earnings in the hands of the charitable people, because this is a sort of happiness, and not to make your earnings in the hands of the vicious, because it is a sort of despondency.

51- As for those who practice without guidance, they are like him who walks without choosing a definite path. The more he walks, the remoter he becomes.

52- The meaning of Allah's saying, "Have fear of Allah as you should be, (Holy Qur'an 3:102) is that Allah should be obeyed in such a way that He should not be disobeyed, mentioned in such a way that He should not be neglected, and thanked in such a way that He should not be shown ingratitude.

53- He who recognizes Allah accurately will fear Him. He who fears Allah accurately will disregard the worldly pleasures.

55- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about the manners of some people who were committing the acts of disobedience to Allah and claiming that they were desiring for the mercy of Allah and kept on doing so until death attacks them.The Holy Imam(A.S.) said: As for those who act disobediently and claim expecting Allah's mercy until they die, they are rocking on hopes. They are surely liars. They do not expect Allah's mercy. He who expects something should seek it. Likewise, he who fears something should escape it.

56- We love those who are intelligent. knowledgeable, perceptive, expert, clement, courteous, patient, veracious, and loyal. Allah gave the noble characters exclusively to the prophets(a.s). He who enjoys such characters should thank Allah for them. He who does not enjoy them should supplicate to Allah for them. As he was asked about these noble characters, Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) said: The noble characters are piety, satisfaction, patience, gratefulness, clemency, pudency, generosity, bravery, enthusiasm, veracity, charity, fulfillment of the trusts, conviction, good mannerism, and chivalry.

57- The firmest handle of faith is to love, hate, give, and deprive-all for Allah's sake.

58- Nothing will follow a dead person except three things: an alms that Allah gave permanetly in his life and it will follow him after death, a norm of guidance that others pursue, and a virtuous son that supplicates to Allah for his favor.

59- Lying invalidates the ablution (for the prayers) and breaks the fasting. The attendants said: But we use to tell lies." The Holy Imam(A.S.) said: I do not mean lying due to garrulity, but I mean forging lies against Allah, His Messenger, and the Imams(A.S.). The Holy Imam (A.S.) then added: Fasting is not abstaining from food or drink only. Mary(A.S.) said, -as the Holy Quran reported- "I have promised the Beneficent Allah to fast. (Holy Qur'an19:26) This means to keep silent. Thus, you should keep silent, turn the sights away (from whatever Allah has forbidden), and stop envying and disputing with each other. Envy consumes the faith like the fire when consumes the wood.

60- The Divine Throne will be shaken when one makes Allah the witness of a false matter.

61- Allah knew that sin is better for the believer than self-conceit lest, Allah will never test the believers through the commitment of sins.

64- Nothing like thanks in increasing the favorable matters and nothing like patience in decreasing the unfavorable matters.

66- The world is the believer's jail, patience is his fortress, and Paradise is his abode. The world is the disbeliever's paradise, grave is his jail, and Hell is his abode.

67- Allah has not created doubtless conviction that is more similar to unspoiled doubt than death.

68- Whenever you see a servant (of Allah) pursuing people's flaws and neglecting his own flaws, you should then realize that he has been trapped (by the Shaitan).

69- The server of food who thanks (Allah for so) will be rewarded as same as those who fast just for gaining the rewards of Allah, and the individual who is cured and thanks (Allah for curing him) will be rewarded as same as the diseased one who is steadfast against that disease (for the sake of Allah).

70- Those who are not scholars should not be regarded as happy, those who are not amiable should not be regarded as laudable, and those who are not tolerant should not be regarded as perfect. Those who do not guard themselves against the scholars' blame and censure should not be expected to gain the welfare of this world and the world to come. The intelligent should be veracious and thankful so that their sayings will be trusted and they will be given increasingly.

71- You should not trust the betrayer after you had tested him and you should not accuse him whom you trusted.

72- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about the people who are most respected by Allah. He answered: The people who are most respected by Allah are those who mention and obey Him more than the others. He, then, was asked about the people that are most disrespected by Allah, Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) answered: The people that are most disrespected by Allah are those who accuse Him. "Is there anyone who accuses Allah?" I asked. The Holy Imam(A.S.) said: He who seeks Allah's decision and dissatisfies himself with it when it comes opposite to his will is accusing Allah." "Who else?" asked I. The Holy Imam(A.S.) answered: Then come those who complain against Allah." "Is there anyone who complains against Allah?" I asked. The Imam(A.S.) said: They are those who exaggerate in complaining about the misfortunes that they are suffering." Who else?" asked I. He(A.S.) answered: Then come those who neglect showing gratitude when they are endowed with a grace and show intolerance when they are inflicted by a problem." "Who are the most respected by Allah?" asked I. He(A.S.) answered: The most respected people are those who show gratitude when they are given a grace and treat with their problems tolerantly.

73- The weary are friendless and the envious are fortuneless. Much looking into wisdom pollinates the mind.

76- One scholar is better than one thousand worshippers, one thousand ascetics, and one thousand hard-working persons in worship.

78- Judges are four categories three of whom will be in Hell while one only will be in Paradise. The judge who judges unjustly intentionally will surely be in Hell. The Judge who judges unjustly inadvertently will be in Hell. The Judge who judges unjustly inadverently will be in Hell. The judge who judges justly but unintentionally will be in Rell. The judge who judges justly intentionally will be in Paradise.

79- Imam As-Sadiq(a.s) was asked about the character of decency. The Holy Imam(A.S.) said: The decent is that who turns his sight away from the forbidden views, holds up his tongue from the ill wording, and abstains from oppressing others.

80- Allah will not ask people about things that are screened from them before He identifies them.

81- To put your hand to the elbow between the jaws of a dragon is better than asking those who have got newly fortune.

82- The settlement of needs is Allah's, but the ways are in the people' hands. You should thank Allah for the settlement of your needs, and you should submit, accept, and tolerate if they are not settled. Unsettlement of a need may be for your good. Allah knows your good while you do not know.

83- A man's begging from another man is an ordeal: if he gains what he asked for he will then thank the one who did not give him and if he is refuted, he will censure the one who did not refute him.

85- Beware of associating with the lowly, because the association with them will never lead to welfare.

86- As a man worries about a little humility, this may engage him into a greater one.

87- The most advantageous thing is to precede people to the recognition of your own flaws. The heaviest thing is to hide your poverty. The less fortunate thing is to provide the advice to him who refuses it and to live next to an acquisitive individual. The most relaxing thing is to despair of people's giving. Never be weary of obscure. Be modest by submitting to the opinions of him who is higher than you (in rank) and who did you favors when such opinions oppose yours. You have submitted to his being higher than you so as to avoid disagreeing with him. He who does not submit to anybody's favor is surely self-conceited. You should know that he who does not humble himself before Allah will never gain pride and he who is not modest before Allah will never gain haughtiness.

90- Friendship is nil unless its limits are kept. He who does not keep these limits should not be regarded as friend. The first limit is that the inner self and the appearance should be identical. The second limit is that the friend should regard your goodness as his goodness and your evil as his evil. The third limit of friendship is that a position or fortunes should not change the friend's relation with his friends. The fourth limit is that the friend should not deprive his friend of anything that he is capable of doing. The fifth limit--which is the most comprehensive--, is that the friend should never leave his friend alone in calamities.

93- There is no difference between depositing a trust with a betrayer or a negligent.

94- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) said to Al-Mufaddal: I instruct you to stick on six characters and relate them to my adherents-Shia. You should fulfill the trust of him who entrusts you with anything. You should like for your brother whatever you like for yourself. You should know that every matter has an end; therefore, you should beware of the outcomes of matters. Similarly, every matter has a sudden event; hence, beware of the sudden events. Beware of climbing an easy mountain if its slope is uneven. Never promise your brother of a matter that you cannot fulfill.

95- Allah has not permitted people in three matters: they should treat the parents kindly whether they are righteous or wicked, abide by the pledge whether to the righteous or the wicked, and fulfill the trust whether to the righteous or the wicked.

96- I feel sympathetic to three classes of people. Anyhow, they should be treated mercifully. They are those who suffered humiliation after honor, those who became needy after having been wealthy, and the scholars whom have been belittled by their folks and the ignorant people.

97- He whosever heart is attached to the fondness of this world will be suffering three matters-an everlasting care, an unattainable hope, and an unachievable expectation.

98- Lying and treachery are not within the ethics of the believers. Two characters are not found together in the hypocrites: they are good-looking and understanding of a tradition.

99- People are equal like the teeth of a comb. With the support of his brothers, a man can be regarded as great. No goodness is expected in the friendship of those who do not like for their friends whatever they like for themselves.

100- Understanding is the ornament of faith, self-possession is the ornament of understanding,kindness is the ornament of self-possession and easiness is the ornament of leniency.

101- You should regard him who became angry with you three times without addressing any bad saying to you as a true friend.

102- People will live in a time when nothing will be dearer than a good friend and a legally gotten dirham.

103- He who intrudes in situations of accusation should never blame those who mistrust him. He who conceals his secrets will possess the options. Every secret that exceeds more than two persons will spread. Regard the best meaning of your brother's saying and never search for an ill meaning in his saying if there is a probability of good intention. You should adhere to the veracious friends because they will be the allies in good days and the shelter in misfortunes. Regarding your affairs, you should counsel with those who fear Allah. You should regard your friends according to their God-fearing. Keep yourself away from the vicious women and beware of the good-natured ones. If they enjoin a good matter, you should oppose them so that they will not seek the evil for you.

104- The hypocrites will surely forge lies if they relate something to Allah and His Messenger, will break their promises to Allah and His Messenger, and will betray Allah and His Messenger if they become rulers. This is Allah's saying: Allah will, for their disregard of their promise and their telling lies, place hypocrisy in their hearts which will not leave them until they face the consequences of their deeds. (Holy Qur'an 9:77) - "Do not be surprised that they want to be dishonest with you; they have always been dishonest with Allah. However, He has power over them. Allah is All-knowing and All-wise. (Holy Qur'an 8:71)

105- It is a sufficient disgrace to wear a scandalous dress or ride on a scandalous animal." Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about the scandalous riding animal. He said: The scandalous riding animal is the piebald animal.

106- You will not attain the actual faith unless you love the remotest and hate the nearest all for Allah's sake.

107- He who attributes the grace that he acknowledges to Allah is showing gratefulness properly even if he does not use the tongue (for verbal thanks). He who believes that Allah will punish him for the sin that he committed is seeking Allah's forgiveness even if he does not say it orally." The Holy Imam(A.S.) then recited Allah's saying: Allah will call you to account for all that you may reveal from your souls and all that you may conceal. Allah will forgive or punish whomever He wants. Allah has power over all things. (Holy Qur'an 2:284)

108- Beware of the two annihilating characters-they are issuing verdicts out of your own opinion and betaking what you do not know as creed.

109- Imam As-Sadiq(a.s) said to Abu-Baseer: O Abu-Mohammed, do not spy on people's beliefs lest you will become friendless.

110- The gracious forgiveness is to stop punishing for a sin and the gracious patience is that which is empty of complaint.

111- He who enjoys veracity, pudency, good mannerism, and gratitude is a faithful believer even if he is fully sinful.

112- You will not be faithful believer before you become fearful and hopeful. You will not be fearful and hopeful before you work for what you fear and hope.

113- Faith is not identified through outer appearances and hopes. Faith is that which is pure in the hearts and assured by deeds.

114- If a man is more than thirty year old, he is middle-aged. If he is more than forty year old, he is old man.

115- Regarding monotheism, people are of three classes: believer, denier, and anthropomorphist. The denier is wrong, the believer is faithful, and the anthropomorphist is polytheist.

116- Faith is declaration, practice, and internt. Islam is declaration and practice.

117- Never break the respect between your friends and you. If respect is broken between you, pudency will vanish. Your amiability will endure as long as there is respect.

118- He who puts his friend to shame will be deprived of his relationship with him. He who grieves his friend will lose respect.

119- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) answered those who asked him about his seclusion in Wadi Aqeeq - a place-: If you taste the good flavor of seclusion, you will feel an aversion for even yourself. At least, seclusion saves you from treating people punctiliously.

120- Whenever Allah opens a door to the worldly pleasures, He will open two to acquisitiveness.

121- The believer is strange in this world. He should not feel worry of its humility and should not compete with its people for gaining its honor.

122- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about the path of rest. He answered: The path of rest is the opposite of whims. The Holy Imam(A.S.) then was asked when the servants would find rest. He answered: The servants (of Allah) will find rest on the first day in Paradise.

123- Allah does not gather good-looking, understandability, and good mannerism for the hypocrites and the corruptive.

124- The flavor of water is life and the flavor of bread is power. The source of the physical weakness and power is the fats of the kidneys. The place of the mind is the brain while severity and tenderness are in the heart.

125- Envy is of two sorts: the seditious envy and the inadvertent envy. As an example of the latter sort is the angels' saying to Allah, when He decided to choose a deputy on earth, "Are you going to appoint one who will commit corruption and bloodshed therein, even though we (are the only ones who) commemorate your Name and glorify You? (Holy Qur'an 2:30). This means that they suggested that the deputy should be one of them. This suggestion was not out of seditious, rejecting, and denial envy to Adam. As an example of the previous sort of envy, which causes atheism and polytheism, is the Shaitan's envying Adam(a.s) and refuting Allah's order when he regected to prostrate (himself before Adam).

126- Regarding the concept of fatalism and indeterminism, people opt three different opinions. Those who claim that everything is optional are belitting Allah's predominance. They are wrong. Those who claim that Allah dragged the servants to disobey Him and charged people with what is over their capability are misjudging Him. They are wrong, too. There are also those who claim that Allah charged the servants with what they can do and did not oblige them to do what they cannot; hence, the servants thank Him when they do good and seek His forgiveness when they do wrong. These are surely the proper Muslims.

127- Hasty walking removes the believers' brightenss and extinguishes their illumination.

129- Rage eliminates the intelligence of the wise. He who cannot control his rage will not be able to control his mind.

130- Al-Fudhayl-bin-Ayadh related: Abu-Abdillah [Imam Sadiq A.S.] asked me, "Do you know who is the avaricious?" "The avaricious is the niggardly," I answered. Holy Imam(A.S.) said: The avaricious is evil than the niggardly. The niggardly withholds what is in his hand, while the avaricious resents people to gain something and witholds what is in his hand. He wishes he would gain whatever is there in people's possession whether legally or illegally. Moreover, the avaricious is never satisfied and never profits by what Allah gives.

132- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) asked one of his adherents about the reason why one of his friends had been complaining against him. The man said, "He complaines just because I had demanded him with my rights wholly." The Holy Imam(A.S.) became angry as he said: Do you think that demanding with the whole rights is not offense? Have you seen those people about whom Allah said, "They fear the bad judgment?( Holy Qur'an13:21) Do they fear that their Lord may oppress them? No, at all. They fear that their Lord will demand with the rights perfectly. Hence, He named it "the bad judgment's. Surely, demanding with the whole rights is offense.

135- Faith is one rank higher than Islam and God-fearing is one rank higher than faith. However, they are parts of one another. It happens that a believer speaks some bad wording of which Allah did not threaten Hell. Allah says: If you avoid violating the grand sins that which has been prohibited, your sins will be forgiven and you will be admitted into an exalted dwelling.( Holy Qur'an 4:31). It also happens that another believer, who is more quick-witted, is more sinful. However, both are believers. Conviction is one rank higher thant GOd-fearing. Conviction is the most difficult thing ever given to people. Some people are more certain than others. Some are more steadfast against misforunes, poverty, ailment, and fear than others.

136- Richness and dignity are touring. Whenever they notice a place of depending on Allah, they reside there.

138- Morals are of two forms: one is intent while the other is nature. Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked, "Which of them is better than the other?" He answered: The intentional morals are better than the natural, because the owner of natural morals cannot change them, while the owner of the intentional morals is preserving the acts of obedience (to Allah).

139- The hearts of the pious harmonize with each other as velocious as the mixture of the water of rivers and the rainfall, even if they do not show harmony. The hearts of the irreverent disagree with each other like the animals when they show conflict after eating in one manger, even if they show agreement.

140- The actual generous charitable individual is that who spends his wealth for fulfilling the rights of Allah.

141- O people of faith and deposits of concealment! Ponder over things and remember when the oblivious are inadvertent.

142- Al-Mufaddal-bin-Omar said: I asked Abu-Abdullah(A.S.) about ancestry, generosity, and sovereignty. Holy Imam(A.S.) said: Ancestry is the fortune, generosity is God-fearing, and sovereignty is openhandedness. Have you not noticed that Hatam became the master of his people because he was the most generous?

143- Personality is of two sorts. The personality of residence is the recital of the Holy Quran, presence in mosques, association with the good people, and studying the jurisprudence. The personality of traveling is to offer victuals, joke in matters other than these which cause Allah's satisfaction, reduce disagreement with the companions, and reduce accusing them of bad things when you leave them.

144- You should know that I will fulfill the trust of even the killer of Ali(A.S.) if he deposits something with me or seeks my advice of consultation.

145- Sufian said: I asked Abu-Abdullah(A.S.) whether it is acceptable to praise oneself or not. He answered: It is acceptable to praise oneself in cases of necessity. Joseph the prophet(a.s.) said: Put me in charge of the treasuries of the land. I know how to manage them.( Holy Qur'an 12:55). The virtuous servant (of Allah) also said: I am a trustworthy advisor for you. (Holy Qur'an 7:68).

146- Allah revealed to David the prophet(a.s.): O David, you will and I will. If You satisfy yourself with that which I will, I will provide you with what you will. If you reject that which I will and seek that which you will, I will exhaust you without gaining what you will, and there will be only that which I will.

147- Mohammed-bin Qays said: I asked Abu-Abdullah(a.s) whether it is acceptable to sell weapon to the two parties both of whom are wrong. Holy Imam(A.S.) said: Sell to them only defensive weapons: armors, shields, helmets, and the like.

148- Four characters are invalid in four situation: treachery, seizing excessive shares, stealth, and usury are invalid in hajj, umrah, jihad, and alms-giving.

149- Allah gives the worldly pleasures to those whom He loves as well as those whom He dislikes, while He gives the faith only to whom He selects among the creatures.

150- He who declares himself as the leader while there is someone who is more knowledgeable than he is heresiarch and deviant.

151- Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) was asked about the commandment of Luqman. He answered: In the commandment of Luqman for his son, there were the marvels. The most marvelous statement of that commandment was his saying to his son: "Fear Allah so intensely as if He will punish you even if you provide the good deeds of all people and all jinn, and trust Him so perfectly as if He will be merciful to you even if you burden on your back the sins of all people and all jinn," Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) then said: Every believer inevitably has two illuminations in the heart: one is the illumination of fear and the other is the illumination of hope. These two illuminations are so equal that one will never be heavier than the other in any amount.

152- Abu-Baseer related: I asked Abu-Abdullah(A.S.) about faith and Islam. He answered: Faith is the avoidance of acts of disobedience to Allah. Islam is to practice our rites and slaughter animals as we do.

153- He whosever word of guidance is followed will be gaining the same reward of those who follow it. He whosever word of deviation is followed will be charged of the same punishment of those who follow it.

154- As some mentioned that the Christians claim that Jesus(a.s) was born on the twenty forth of December, Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) commented: They lied Jesus the Christ was born in the middle of June. Day and night become equal in the middle of March.

155- Ishmael was five years older than Isaac. He was "the slain". Listen to the saying of Abraham (the prophet(a.s)): Lord, grant me a righteous son. (Holy Qur'an 37:100) This means that Abraham is supplicating to Allah to give him a righteous son. Allah says in Sura of As-Saaffat: We gave him the glad news of the birth of a forbearing son. (Holy Qur'an 37:101). This refers to Ishmael. Then Allah says: We gave him the glad news of the birth of Isaac, one of the righteous prophets. (Holy Qur'an 37:112). Hence, he who claims that Isaac was older than Ishmael is belying what Allah revealed in the Quran.

156- Piety, openhandedness, steadfastness against misfortunes, and administration of the believers' rights-these four characters are within the ethics of the prophets.

157- You should not regard a misfortune against which you are granted steadfastness and due to which you are rewarded as a true misfortune. The true misfortune is that which you are deprived of its reward and prize.

158- There are definte servants of Allah on this earth to whom people beseech for settling their needs of this world and the world to come. They are the true faithful believers. They will be secured on the Day of Resurrection. Certainly, the most favorable believers to Allah are those who meet the living needs of the poor believers and those who support, benefit, and protect the believers against evil.

159- Exchanging visits with the relatives and charity will make the Judgment easier and guard against sins. Hence, build good relations with your brothers and treat them charitably by good greeting and response at least.

160-Sufian Athawri related: I visited As-Sadiq(A.S.). and asked for a commandment that I would apply to myself after him."Will you surely apply it, Sufian? wondered Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.). "Yes, son of the Prophet's daughter, I will," answered I. The Holy Imam(A.S.) spoke: O Sufian, the liars enjoy no personality, the envious are persistently restless, the kings keep no fraternity, the proud keep no friends, and the ill-mannered should not enjoy leadership. As the Imam stopped, I asked for more. He(A.S.) added: O Sufian, trust in Allah and you will be knowing. Satisfy yourself with that which Allah has allotted for you and you will be rich. Associate with others in the same way they associate with you and you will have more faith. Do not accompany the lecher so that they will not teach you matters of their lechery. Seek the advice of those who fear Allah the Glorified. As the Imam stopped, I asked for more. He(A.S.) said: O Sufian. he who searches for honor without sovereignty, might without need of brothers, and dignity without possessing wealth should shift from the humility of the acts of disobedience to Allah to the nobility of His obedience. As he stopped, I asked for more. He(A.S.) said: O Sufian, my father instructed me three matters and warned me against three. He instructed me that whoever associated with the vicious will not be saved, he who does not opt for good wording will regret, and he who intrudes himself in bad matters will be indicted. "O son of the Prophet's daughter" I asked, "What about the three against whom your father warned you?" He(A.S.) spoke: My father warned me against associating with the envious, those who rejoice at others' misfortunes, and the tale bearers.

161- Bad-temperedness, bad humor, envy, obduracy, fabrication and oppression-these six characters should never be in the believers' behavior.

162- The believer should live between two fears-the past sin that he does not know what Allah will do about it and the remaining days that he does not know what misfortunes he will encounter during them. Thus, the believer begins his day fearfully and ends his day fearfully. Except fear, nothing mends the believer.

163- Allah will accept the few deeds of those who satisfy themselves with the little sustenance. He who satisfies himself with the few legal gotten sustenance will have light burdens and pure earnings and will be released from the frame of incapability.

164- Sufian Athawri related: I attended before Abu-Abdullah(A.S.) and said, "O son of the Prophet's daughter, How is your morning?" He answered: Truly, I am grieved and my heart is engaged. I asked, What made you grieve and what engaged your heart? He(A.S.) answered: O Athawri, he whose heart is occupied by the purity of the decency of Allah's religion will surely be distracted from everything. O Athawri. what is the world? What is its reality/ Is it more than a meal that you had, a dress that you put on, or a pack animal that you rode? The believers do not trust the world and always expect the imminent coming of the world to come. This world is the place of the fated lapse while the world to come is the place of the eternal settlement. The people of this world are the people of inadvertence. The God-fearing ones are the people of the lightest burden and the most supportive. When you are oblivious, they remind you and when they remind you, they lead you to knowledge. You should regard this world as a lodging that you are temporarily taking and you will sooner or later leave it, or as a fortune that you got in dreams, but when you woke up you found nothing of it in your hands. It often happens that the matters for which the desirous have often longed would distress them. It also happens that the neglectors of matters will find happiness with them when they have them effortlessly.

165- The Imam(A.S.) was asked about the evidence on the existence of the One Allah. He answered: The evidence is the need of the creatures to Him.

166- You will not be regarded as (true) believers before you see the misfortunes as graces and the luxury as disaster.

167- The possession of four thousand dirhams is fortune. The possession of twelve thousand dirhams is treasuring up. Twenty thousand dirhams cannot be amassed by legal ways. The possessor of thirty thousand dirhams will surely be suffering perdition. The possessors of one hundred thousand dirhams are definitely not reckoned with our adherents---Shia.

168- The signs of the accuracy of a Muslim's conviction is to avoid pleasing people by means that enrage Allah, thanking them for receiving Allah's sustenance, and blaming them for matters that Allah has stopped. The earnings of the Muslims cannot be driven into them due to somebody's acquisitiveness and cannot be stopped due to somebody's refutation. If you try to escape getting your earnings as same as you escape from death, it will surely catch up with you as same as death when it will unquestionably catch up with you.

169- Amont our adherents--Shia--are those whose voices do not exceed their hearing and whose detestation does not exceed their bodies. They avoid praising us declaratorily, regarding those who hate us, disputing with our supporters, and sitting with those who revile at us. Mihzam asked: "What about those who claim being Shia?" The Imam(a) answered: They will be distinguished, discriminated, and inflicted by misfortunes. In few years, they will be perishing, suffering plague, which will kill them, and encountering disagreements that will scatter them. Our true adherents do not bark like dogs, covet like craws, or beg even if they starve." Someone asked: "Where can I find such adherencts?" The Imam(A.S.) answered: You will find them living in the outskirts. Their living is hardly sufficient. Their dwellings are roving. When they are present, they are not recognized. When they are absent. they are not missed. When they are ailed, nobody visit them. When they betroth, nobody agree to them. When they notice an evil, they show displeasure. When the ignorant dispute with them, they say, "salaam". When the needy seek their support, they treat mercifully. When death comes near to them, they do not show grief. Although they live in different countries, their hearts will not be different.

170- He who desires for enjoying a long age should do things precisely. He who desires for having his burdens--sins--lightened should put the screen of pudency. He who desires for being praised and estimated should hide his beliefs.

171- The best deeds of the servanst are three: they are to treat the believers fairly, to console the friends, and to mention Allah in every situation. Some asked: "What is the meaning of mentioning Allah in every sutuation?" The Imam(A.S.) answered: This means to mention Allah when you want to commit a sin so that He will prevent you from committing it.

172- Hamza-A symbol in the Arabic script representing the glottal stop -is an addition in the Quran.

173- Beware of joking, because it causes rancor and drives into malice. Joking is the lesser revilement.

174- Al-Hasan-bin-Rashid reported: Abu-Abdillah(A.s.) said: When a misfortune inflicts you, you should not complain about it to the embracers of other sects. You should complain about it to your brothers. You will certainly gain one of four: you will either find a solution, get a financial help, win a responded supplication, or have a counsel of wisdom.

175- Do not roam in marts frequently. Do not buy the minute things yourself. It is abominable for the religious and the highborn to buy the minute things themselves except in three states: buying the real estates, the slaves, and the camels.

176- Do not disuss matters that do not concern you. Leave discussing most of the matters that concern you until you find the appropriate time. It often happens that the rightful discusser of a matter that concerns him will be exhausted because he uses improper time. Do not dispute anyone; whether foolish or clement. The clement overcomes you and the ignorant embarrasses you. Mention your absent friends in the same way as you like him to mention you when you are absent. This is the true action. When you act, you should be certain that you will be rewarded for good deeds and punished for evildoings.

177- Younus related: Before Imam as-Sadiq(A.S.) I said: My loyalty to you - the Holy Prophet's family - and recognition of your rights are most favorable to me than this world with all of its insides." I noticed the Holy Imam(A.S.) was enraged. After a while, he(A.S.) said: O Younus, you have evaluated us in an improper measurement. What is the world and what are its insides? It is no more than relief of a trouble or screening of a defect. By loyalty to us, you are gaining the endless life.

178- O adherents of Mohammed's(S.A.W.) family, for those who do not possess themselves in rage, those who do not respect the companionship and association and compromise of their companions and associates and parties, and those who do not oppose others in a peaceful way, all these are not belonging to us. O adherents of Mohammed's(S.A.W.) family, exert all your efforts in fearing Allah. All might and power belong to Allah.

179- Abdul-A'la reported: Abu-Abdillah(A.S.) asked me whether I had been associating with the people of Medina. I told that once I was sitting among people of Medina when they were talking about openhandedness. A man, named Abu-Dukein, spoke, "It is surely Ja'far except that he is like this." He then closed his hand. As he listened to this story, the Imam(A.S.) commented: "Woe to Abu-Dukein! His like is the feather; the wind flights it whenever it blows." After a pause, he(A.S.) added: The Holy Prophet(S.A.W.) said: "Any favor is charity. The best alms is that which does not influence one's expenditure of his family members. Begin, when you give alms, with those whose provisions are obligatory upon you. The hand or the giver is better than the hand of the receiver. Allah does not censure for the minimum sustenance." Do you think that Allah is ungenerous or there is something more generous than Him? The true generous and master is that who carries out Allah's rights correctly. He who gains money illegally and spends it unrightfully is not generous. Most surely, I desire for meeting Allah without taking anything that is illicit for me. I have fulfilled the rights in my fortune.

180- Suckling after weaning is void. Continuous fasting is void. Orphanage after maturity is void. Keeping silent a day up to night is void. Migration after the conquest of Mecca is void. Migration to the non-Muslim countries (after living in a Muslim country) is void. The oath of sons, slaves, and wives regarding their fathers, masters, and husbands is void. Vow of an act of disobedience (to Allah) is void. Oath of rupturing relations is void.

181- No one can attain good livelihood-even if he is so lucky - without passing through misfortunes. Days will usurp the opportunities of those who waste today's opportunity due to their expectation of tomorrow's opportunities. Day's custom is the usurpation of opportunities and the habit of time is wasting them.

182- Doing favors is the tax of graces, intercession is the tax of the power, diseases are the tax of bodies, and forgiveness is the tax of success. Everything whose tax is defrayed will be guarded against loss.

183-In misfortunes, Imam As-Sadiq(A.S.) used to say: All praise is due to Allah Who did not make my misfortune in my religious affairs. All praise is due to Allah Who could, if He willed, make my misfortune more catastrophic than what it is now. All praise is due to Allah for the matter that He willed to be, and it was as He willed.

184- Allah says: For him who saves a confused individual, I will consider him as thankful and will lodge him in My Paradise.

185- If the world advances to some people, it will garb them with the others' charms. If it leaves some people, it usurps their own charms.

186- Daughters are advantages and sons are graces. You will be rewarded for the advantages and asked about the graces.

187-Whoever acknowledges all the Imams, but denies the existence of the Mahdi, is like the one who acknowledges all the prophets but denies the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him).

188-The Prophet of Allah never talked to the people on the basis of his own supreme
intellect and he used to say, "We the group of Prophets have been ordered to
speak to people at the level of their intelliegence.

189-The one who is entrusted with the command (sahib al-'amr) will have two forms of occultation. One of them will be so long that a group of the people will say that he has died; others will say he has been killed; still others will say he has disappeared. Very few will remain who will still have faith in his existence, and will continue to be steadfast. At this time no one will have any information about his whereabouts except his very few followers

190-If it is hypothetically accepted that the Prophet did name Sa'id as Dajjal, he must have used the word in its common meaning as a 'deceiver' and a 'liar' rather than as the Dajjal who is part of the signs of the appearance of the Mahdi. In other words, when the Prophet met Sa'id he introduced him as a personification of an antichrist to his companions. Following that, when he informed the people about the emergence of Dajjal in the Final Days, those who heard him thought the reference was being made to Sa'id b. Sayd whom he had called a Dajjal, and it is this Dajjal who would appear as one of the signs of the Last Days, akhir al-zaman. The tradition about Dajjal being alive and possessing a long age comes from this incident.

191-There are three kinds of people. The scholars, the seekers of knowledge and all
the others are a waste of humanity.

194-We have in our possession a leather bag, seventy cubits long. It was written by 'Ali under the dictation of the Prophet. It contains all the knowledge that people need to know down to the minutest detail.[26]

198-Imam Sadiq had also taken similar precautions in his last will. He had appointed five persons as executors of his will, including the 'Abbasid caliph Mansur, Muhammad b. Sulayman, the governor of Madina, his two sons, 'Abd Allah and Musa, and his wife Hamida, Musa's mother By doing so he saved the life of his son Musa from imminent danger, because he knew that if his Imamate and legateship became known to the caliph, Mansur would have tried to get rid of his son. As a matter of fact events did happen exactly as Imam Sadiq had thought, because the caliph ordered that if the legatee of the Imam Sadiq was a specific person, then he should be killed.

199-One who forgives when he is done some injustice or wrong, forgiving on who has wronged him.

200-We have something in our possession which makes us free from any need from the people. However, [because of what we have] people are in need of us. We possess a book which was dictated by the Prophet himself and which is in the hand-writing of 'Ali. It is the comprehensive book that includes all the ordinances about that which is lawful and that which is unlawful.

203-I (i.e. al-Fayd b. al-Mukhtar) said to Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him: "Take my hand away from the fire (of Hell). Who is (the Imam) for us after you?" Abu Ibrahim (Musa) entered - at that time he was a boy. Then (Jafar) said: "This is your leader (sahib). Keep close to him."

204-Since that is so," replied Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, "he is your leader."

205-I (i.e. 'Isa b. Muhammad) asked (Ja'far): "If something happened - may God not make me see such a thing - who should I follow?" (Ja'far) pointed to his son, Musa. "If anything happened to Musa, who should I follow?" I asked. "His son," he replied "If anything happened to his son?" "Then his son." "If something happened to him," I went on, "and he left a big brother and a small son?" "His son; it is always thus," he answered.

206-"What stops you from being like your brother? By God, I see the light in (Musa's) face." "Why is that?" asked 'Abd Allah. "Is not my father and his father one and the same? Is not my origin and his origin one and the same?" "He is from my soul and you are my son," replied Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him.

207-Approach your master (mawla) and greet him." I went near him and greeted him and he replied to me eloquently. Then he told me*: "Go and change the name of your daughter which you gave her yesterday. For it is a name which God dislikes." A daughter had been born to me and I had named her al-Humayra'. "Pay attention to the command which he gave you," Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, told me. So I changed her name.

208-"It is your duty (to follow) this man after me. By God, he is your leader after me."

209-"I (i.e. Safwan; al-Jammal) asked Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, about the leader of this affair (sahib al-amr) (after him). He said: "The leader of this affair is one who does not fool and play."

210- Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, took him by the hand and embraced him saying: "May I ransom with my father and mother (you) who do not fool and play."

211- One day I (i.e. Ishaq) was with my father (Jafar) when Ali b. Umar b. 'Ali asked him: May I be your ransom, to whom shall we and the people turn after you?" He answered: ' "To the owner of two yellow clothes and two locks of hair. He who is coming out of the door to you." We did not wait long before two (little) hands appeared pulling the two doors so that they opened. In before us came Abu Ibrahim Musa, peace be on him. He was still a boy and was wearing two yellow garments. [Muhammad b. al-Walid reported: I heard Ali b. Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be on them, say:] I (i.e. 'Ali b. Jafar) heard my father, Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, say to a group of his close associates and followers:

212- "Treat my son, Musa, peace be on him, with kindness. He is the most meritorious (afdal) of my children and the one who will succeed after me. He is the one who will undertake (qa'im) my position. He is God's proof (hujja) to all His creatures after me."

213- Sofyan Bin Aniah said that I heard from my father who heard from Imam Jafar Bin Mohammed ( A.S,) and the Imam narrated through his fore- fathers up to Holy Prophet , that in the Khum -e- Ghadeer when people ( Sahaba Karam ) were called up, when all gathered the Holy Prophet held the hand of Hazrat Ali raised it up and said " All those to whom I am a master , Ali is their master "

214- After this great event when Holy Prophet reached Medina the news of Ghadeer spread every where that Ali is the master of every Muslim. one man ,a Muslim of that time ( Is he not Sahabi ?) but enemy of Hazrat Ali ,named Haras bin Nooman Faheri came to the mosque of Holy Prophet in a very aggressive mood and shouted Ya Mohammad ! You told us about God we believed , You told us about your Prophet hood we believed , You asked for prayer we did, You ordered to keep fast we obeyed you, You asked for Zakah we gave, was it not sufficient ? that you made Ali as our master, just tell me that this order is from you or from God ? The Holy Prophet replied that this order is from God. On this the most unlucky person said that if it is from God than ask the God to drop a stone on me ! ! ( just think , such people were there in Medina who preferred Azab-e-Ilahi than to accept Ali as their master.) As he left the mosque a stone dropped from the sky on his head and he died on the spot. ( I will say that he hurried, if he could have waited for few months more things were going to happen of his choice. After the death of Holy Prophet same happened what he wanted . Very important point to be considered is , that what he said , We believed in God, We believed in Risalat We prayed , We kept fast ,We gave Zaka but in spite of all he faced a horrible end only because that he did not accept the Welayat of Ali, he did not accept Ali as his master so every thing went in vain. Therefore, it is lesson for all those who have not accepted Ali as their master and putting their best in Ebadaat must know that their end is not going to be different than Haras bin Nooman .The second important point to think is that this man only opposed Ali but did not take the sword and fight against Ali and reached to this terrible end what about those who physically fought with their naked sword against Ali ? ?? )

215- Our sixth Imam Jaffer Sadiq (as) says that the Holy Prophet (saw) has made some specific mention to Imam Ali (as) while making his testament: "O Ali, I advise you emphatically to adopt certain habits for yourself", then after having enumerated the habits, he prayed: "O Allah, help Ali to remain steadfast with those habits", among them, he mentioned: "O Ali, never miss Namaze Shab", stressing this thrice.

216. Imam Sadiq (as.) as such: in Ali's (as.) book it is written: Dawoud said: 'o lord reveal to me the truth as it is (with thou) so that i can judge accordingly. it was replied: 'you do not possess the strength to bear this affair.'
Hazrat insisted until god accepted.

one day a person approached Hazrat Dawoud with a complaint about another person and said: this man has taken away my wealth. god revealed to Dawoud that the claimant had killed the defendant's father and plundered his wealth. Hazrat Dawoud ordered for the claimants death until he was killed. his wealth was seized and given back to the defendant. people were amazed by this incident and word on this matter went around until it reached Hazrat Dawoud's ears. he became worried by these talks and requested god to relieve him from this uneasiness. afterwards, god revealed to Dawoud as such: 'you should judge amongst the people by means of witness and evidence and persuade them to swear in my name....

217. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: 'if people knew how Allah has created them, then none amongst them would find fault with the other.' Imam Muhammad Baqir (a.s.) said: 'the believers possess (various) ranks and positions - some of them have one rank, while some others have two, three, four, five, six or seven ranks. if faith of the second level is conveyed to a person having faith of the first level, he will be unable to keep guard over it and if faith of the third degree is conveyed to a person possessing faith of second degree, he will be unable to bear it....

218.Hazrat Sadiq (a.s.) heaved a sad sigh which caused pain to his heart and then said: 'this morning when i was looking at the book of �Jafr� (the book which contains knowledge on deaths, calamities, misfortunes and knowledges about the past and future and which was exclusively given to Muhammad and his progeny by the exalted god) i came across such matters like the Qaim's birth, occultation, delay in reappearance, his long-life, the sufferings of the believers at that time, the appearance of doubt and uncertainty in their hearts because of hazrat's prolonged occultation, the deviations that will occur for majority of them and shirking of the islamic obligations on their part whereas Allah says:---

we said: 'O Son of the Messenger of Allah, we will be honoured if familiarized us with some of those things over which you have knowledge.

219.Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said: the three characteristic which Allah has assigned for three of his prophets has been assigned for our 'Qaim' too.

first of all, the Qaim's birth is the same as was the birth of Musa. secondly, his occultation is the same as was the occultation of Isa and thirdly his delay is the same as was the delay in the coming of Hazrat Nuh (Noah).
in addition Allah has set the long-life of Hazrat Khaizr as a proof for the Qaim's long-life.

220. 'O son of Messenger of Allah, explain these affairs so that they become clear for us. he replied: with regards to musa's birth, it should be said that when Firaun (pharaon) realized and feared that his kingdom would fall by musa's hand, he summoned the wizards. the wizards guided Firaun in the genealogy of Musa and said: 'Musa shall come from Bani-israel'. as a result, Firaun always ordered his men to slit the bellies of the pregnant women belonging to the tribe of Bani-israel. for this purpose, (i.e. for killing Hazrat Musa) they murdered more than twenty thousand new-born babies. however they failed to kill Hazrat Musa as all-mighty Allah protected him.

similarly, when bani-ummayah and bani-abbass realized that the downfall of their cruel kingdom and empire would take place by Mahdi's hand, they set up enmity with us and engaged in killing and exterminating the descendants of the holy prophet (s.a.w.a.) with this idea that amongst them, they would be killing the 'Qaim' too. however Allah does not let anyone from the oppressors to know his task save he shall complete and perfect his light even though the polytheists may dislike it.

with regards to Isa's (jesus') occultation, the jews and christians arrived at a mutual agreement that Hazrat Isa had been killed. however Allah, the glorified refuted their view as per these divine words:---

(and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so)

similarly, during the occultation of our 'Qaim', the islamic 'ummah' (nation) will at any time deny him due to the length of his occultation. then, some of the deviated amongst them shall say: the 'Qaim' is not yet born. some others will say. the 'Qaem' not only is born but also dead. others who shall say that the eleventh imam was barren will become apostates. still others who would say that imams are more than thirteen will deviate from the true religion. yet others will disobey Allah because of their saying that the Qaem's soul has become manifest in the body of another one.

the incident of hazrat's Nuh delay is that since he asked Allah for his nation's punishment, Allah sent Gibra'eel (Gabriel) with seven date-seeds.
Gibra'eel said: 'O Nuh! Allah, the exalted says: "these people are my slaves and my created ones. i do not wish to destroy my slaves in a lightening but after underlining invitation and completion of argumentation. so continue inviting your nation until i bestow my rewards upon you. plant these seeds because you will attain salvation and deliverance after they become trees and bear their fruits. give glad-tidings about this matter to your believing followers".

when a long time passed and those seeds turned into strong trees possessing leaves, branches and stalks and the trees began to bear dates, hazrat Nuh (a.s.) asked Allah to fulfill his promise.

for the second time, Allah ordered Nuh to sow fresh, date-seeds yet again. he ordered him to strive and adopt patience in this regard and to inform this matter to his believing followers. when hazrat Nuh followed these instructions, three hundred of his men turned apostates and they said: 'if what Nuh claims happens to be the truth his lord would not have broken his promise'.

each time a group turned apostates, Allah commanded hazrat Nuh to sow seeds from the dates of the previous trees. this continued until the number of true believers remained only seventy or above.(100)

Allah revealed to hazrat Nuh (a.s.) as such: now, the brightness of dawn has obviated the darkness of night since the truth has been established and faith has been purified except those whose nature are malicious and gloomy. if i had destroyed the un-believers and spared this group who had brought faith in you and then turned apostates, i would not have been true to my previous promise made to your true believers - those whose monotheistic belief was based on sincerity and who had clinged to the rope of your prophethood. my promise is to make them vicegerents over the earth, give strength to their religion and turn their fear and anxiety into tranquility so that doubt and uncertainty is obviated from their hearts and they become sincere in their worship for me.

how could it be for me to make them successors, give them strength and turn their fear into security while being aware of the shaky faith and evil nature of those who had turned apostates. if at the time of giving succession to the disbelievers i had given the kingdom to the believers, pride and discord would have overtaken them. a series of afflictions would have become strong in their hearts and they would have created enmity with their brothers and battled with them for gaining power.

if seditions had arisen and battles had taken place how was it possible for the believers to issue commands and how was it feasible to follow the religion? such was not possible.

221.Imam Sadeq (a.s.) said: the same condition shall prevail for our 'Qaem'. the period of his occultation will be a long one until absolute truth appears and faith gets clearly distinguished from the evils of discord so that any of the shias who are evil in nature and have feelings of discord will exit from the religion at the time when caliphate and the affair is divulged and comes into view.

mufazzal says: I said: 'o son of messenger of Allah, the navasebs (a group belonging to sunni sect) reckon that this verse (*) has been revealed in honour of abu bakr, omar, osman and Ali.

(*) ayat 55, sura nur.
he replied: 'no. may Allah not guide the navasebs. during whose period was it that the religion of Allah had been established and had become the object of satisfaction of the holy prophet? in which period was it that the divine command had been divulged amongst the people with no fear in hearts and no doubt in minds? during which era of theirs time it was as such notwithstanding the fact that the muslims returned back from the religion and seditions occurred during their time and battles took place between them and the dis-believers!?

(until the time when the apostles despaired and the people became sure that they were indeed told a lie, that our help came to them)

about the incident of 'Abdus-Saleh' (virtuous slave) reference is made to hazrat khizr. verily, Allah, the exalted has not prolonged his life for the sake of his prophethood or for the book which he must have revealed or for the divine law given to him by which he could annul the divine laws of the previous prophets or for his Imamat (leadership) which was necessary for his servants to follow or for any commands which Allah must have made obligatory for him to follow. rather as Allah is all-aware that the Qaem's age would become lengthy during the period of his occultation such that his servants would start denying him. he prolonged the life of hazrat Khizr. there is no reason for his longevity but that it is set as an argumentation for the Qaem's long-life so that in this way, the proofs and reasons of the enemies and obstinate people is severed and people will not have any plea against allah.

223.On Fasting She Said:
Imam Sadiq (as) says on the authority of his forefathers that J. Zahra (as) had said that: "The man who is observing a fast would not gain anything, when his tongue, ears, and limbs are not safe from sin."

224. Muhammad b. Umayr has reported on the authority of his teachers (rijal) that Abu Abd Allah (i.e. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq), peace be on him, said:]

Al-Hasan, peace be on him, said to his companions: God has two cities - one in the east and the other in the west - in which Gods creatures are never interested in disobeying Him. Yet, by God, God's proof to His creatures, both in those two and between them, is no other than myself and my brother, al-Husayn.

225. Al-Hasan and al-Husayn, peace be on them, were wrestling in front of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. Hasan, catch hold of Husayn, said the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. Apostle of God, are you encouraging the big one against the little one? said Fatima, peace be on her. It is Gabriel, peace be on him, who is saying to al-Husayn: Husayn, catch hold of al-Hasan, replied the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family.

226. Imam Mohammad Baqir (A.S.) and Imam from his forefathers up to hazrat Ali (A.S.) , Hassan Massana from his father hazrat Imam Hassan (A.S.) and Imam from his father hazrat Ali (A.S.) , Hasham bin Hassan from Imam Hussain (A.S.) , Ammash from Imam Jafar Sadeq (A.S.) and the Imam from his fore fathers .

In all the above mentioned series of references the Holy Prophet said, " The stars are protection for the inhabitants of sky when the star will finish the inhabitants of sky will also finish and the same way my Ahlal Bait are the protection for the inhabitants of earth, when my Ahlal Bait will pass away from the earth the earth along with its all being will collapse.

Further in the same rewayaat the holy prophet said that I am going to leave two precious things among you and they are the book of Allah ( Quran ) and my Ahlal - Bait. If you (the direct address is to Sahabah Karam ) keep yourself linked with both of them you will never be misguided from the right path of Allah . Still this rewayat is continuing, but here I will comment a bit. From the saying of holy prophet it is very clear that to be with Quran and Ahlal Bait is the guarantee of right path . They are the standard of right path Sahabah Karam and all other ummah have to be faithfully link themselves to them to insure that their are following the right path. The Quran and the Ahlal Bait are the standard and the whole ummah including Sahaba Karam are those who are to adapt the standard, and it is very clear to every sensible being that standard and those who are to adapt standard can never be of the same status. Further in the same Rewayat the Holy Prophet said learn from them and don't teach them because they are given a knowledge from God which you do not have. To Allah they are highly respectable beings.

227. I was with al-Sadiq Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them. He mentioned the Commander of the faithful, Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, and praised and extolled him with (praise) which he was worthy of.
Then he said: "O God, Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, never ate anything forbidden in this world until he passed along his (final) road.

Two alternatives were never presented to him, when God would be pleased with both, without him taking the more religious of them.

No dispute occurred about the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, without him being summoned as a reliable authority.

No one else of this community was able to do the work of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family; for if he enjoined (such a) man (as Ali) to work, his position would be between Heaven and Hell, hoping for the reward of the former and fearing the punishment of the latter.

He freed a thousand slaves with his own money in his desire to seek the face of God and to escape the fire of Hell, (money) which he had laboured for with his own hands and for which his own brow had sweated, even though it had been to provide his family with oil, vinegar and dates.

He did not have (many) clothes except white cotton fabrics since when there was any sleeve left over his arm, he called for scissors and cut it off. None of Ali's children or his family was more like him and nearer to him in manner of dress and understanding than Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them.

228 .When my father was near to death he said: "Jafar I give testamentary enjoinment to you (to treat) my followers well."
"May I be your ransom," I replied, "by God, I will make them (know their religion so well) that any man among them in the country will not (have to) ask anyone (for advice)."

229. Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be on him, looked towards his son, Abu Abd Allah Ja'far, peace be on him, and said (to us): "Do you see that man? He is one of those of whom God, the Mighty and High, said: We wish to grant a favour to those who have been humiliated in the land and we will make them Imams and inheritors

230. Abu Jafar Muhammad, peace be on him, was asked about the one who would take charge (al-Qa'im) (of the Imamate) after him. He tapped Abu Abd Allah Jafar, peace be on him, with his hand and said: "By God, this is the man among the family of Muhammad, peace be on them, who will take charge (al-Qa'im) (of the Imamate)."

231. I was with (Abu Jafar Muhammad), peace be on him, when Jafars peace be on him approached, Abu Ja'far, peace be on him, said, " Here is the best of creatures."

232. My father, peace be on him, entrusted to me (everything) which was there. When he was near to death, he said: "Call witnesses for me." I summoned four men from Quraysh, among them Nafi', retainer of Abd Allah b. Umar. (My father said:) "Write this testimony which I bequeath (like) Jacob did to his sons: My sons, God has chosen the religion foryou. So do not die except as Muslims.

233. Muhammad b. Ali; makes this last testimony to Ja'far b. Muhammad. He orders him to shroud him in the cloak in which he used to perform the Friday prayer, to put on him his turban, to make his grave a square, to raise it the height of four fingers above the ground and to take his shabby clothes away from him at his burial.
Then he said to the witnesses: "Depart, may God have mercy on you.
"Father" I said to him (after they had gone), "what was in this that there had to be witnesses for it?"
"My son," he answered, "I was unwilling for you to be overcome and for it to be said that no testimony had been made for him. I wanted you to have proof."

234."May God kill me, if I don't kill you. You are attempting to harm my authority and you are seeking treachery against me."
"By God, I am not," retorted Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him, "Nor do I want to. If you have been told so, then it is by a liar. However, even if I had done so, then Joseph was treated badly and he forgave, Job suffered tribulation and he was patient, and Solomon received gifts and he gave thanks. These men were prophets and your lineage goes back to them."

235."Indeed," replied al-Mansur, "Come up here." He went up and then (al-Mansar) continued: "So-and-so has informed me about what you have been saying."
"Bring him, Commander of the faithful," he replied,."so that he may confront me with that."
He had the man whom he had mentioned brought and asked him:
"Did you (really) hear what you reported about Jaefar, peace be on him?"
"Yes," he replied.
"Make him swear to that," said Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him.
"Do you swear to that?" demanded al-Mansur.
"I do," he replied.

236 "Say: May I be outside God's power and strength and may I seek refuge in my own power and strength (if I lie that) Jafars peace be on him, did such and such and said such and such," said Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him.
(The man) paused for a moment and then made the oath. It was only a moment later that his leg was struck.
"Drag him by his leg and take him out, may God curse him," ordered Abu Jafar (al-Mansur).
Al-Rabi reported: When Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, went in to see al-Mansur, I saw his lips moving. As he moved them, al- Mansur's anger (gradually) became quietened, so that when he approached him, he was pleased with him. When Abu Abd Allah (Jafar) peace be on him, came out from Abu Jafar (al-Mansur) I followed him and said to him: "This man was the angriest of men towards you. When you went in, you were moving your lips as you went in and when you moved them his anger quietened. With what (words) were you moving them?"

237. "The prayer of my (great) grandfather, al-Husayn b. Ali peace be on them," he replied.
"May I be your ransom," I said, "what is this prayer?"

238. He told him: "O my Provision in time of hardship, O my Help in the face of disaster, guard me with Your Eye Which never sleeps, surround me with Your impenetrable fortress."

239. He told him: "O my Provision in time of hardship, O my Help in the face of disaster, guard me with Your Eye Which never sleeps, surround me with Your impenetrable fortress."

240. (At that time) I said to Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them:
"Why did you stop the slanderer from (merely) swearing by God?"
"I was reluctant that God should see him praising His unity and glorifying Him,

241." He answered, "for then He would show forebearance towards Him and delay his punishment. Therefore I made him swear in the way you heard and God struck him fiercely."

242. "Do you know that a man may sleep when he has suffered the loss of a child but he may not sleep when he is at war? I will pray to God against you."

243. "Do you threaten us with your prayer?" he retorted as if he was ridiculing his words.
Abu Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him, went back to his house and spent the whole night standing and sitting. Then, at dawn he was heard saying in his private prayer:

244."O Possessor of mighty strength, O Possessor of fierce enmity, O Possessor of power before which all Your creatures are humble, give me satisfaction against this tyrant and take vengeance on him for me."

245. Abu Basir, don't you know that the houses of prophets and the children of prophets are not suitable places to enter for those who are ritually impure?"I was ashamed and said: "Son of the Apostle of God, I met out companions and I was afraid that I would miss visiting you with them. I will never do the same thing again," and I left.

246. "Our knowledge is of what will be (ghabir), of what is past (mazbur), of what is marked in hearts (nakt fi al-qulub), and of what is tapped into ears (naqr fi al-asma). We have the red case (jafr), the white case, and the scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, and we have (the document called) al-jami'a in which is everything the people need."

247. He was asked to explain these words and he said: "Ghabir is knowledge of what will be; mazbur is knowledge of what was; what is marked in the hearts (nakt fi al-qulub) is inspiration; and what is tapped into the ears (naqr fi al-asma) are words of angels; we hear their speech but we do not see their forms. The red case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the weapons of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. It will never leave us until the one (destined) among us members of the House, to arise (Qa'im), arises. The white case (jafr) is a vessel in which are the Torah of Moses, the Gospels of Jesus, the Psalms of David and the (other) Books of God. The scroll of Fatima, peace be on her, has in it every event which will take place and the names of all the rulers until the (last) hour comes. (The document called) al-jami'a is a scroll seventy yards long which the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, dictated from his own mouth and Ali b. Abi Talib, peace be on him, wrote in his own handwriting. By God, in it is everything which people need until the end of time, including even the blood-wit for wounding, and whether a (full) flogging or half a flogging (is due).

248. "My traditions are my father's traditions; my father's traditions are my grandfather's traditions; my grandfather's traditions are the traditions of Ali b. Abi Talib, the Commander of the faithful; the traditions of Ali the Commander of the faithful are the traditions of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family; and the traditions of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, are the word of God, the Mighty and High."

249. [Abu Hamza al-Thumal; has reported on the authority of Abu 'Abd Allah (Jafar), peace be on him:]
I heard Abu Abd Allah Jafar say: "We have the tablets of Moses, peace be on him, and we have the rod of Moses, peace be on him. We are the heirs of prophets."

250. [Mu'awiya b. Wahb. reported on the authority of Said al- Simman:]
I was with Abu 'Abd Allah Ja'far b. Muhammad, peace be on them, when two of the Zaydis visited him. They asked him: "Is there among you an Imam whom it is a duty to obey?"
"No," he replied.
"Reliable men have told us on your authority that you claim to be him," they retorted. They named some people and said: "These are men of piety and distinction. They are among those who do not lie."
Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him. became angry and said: "I have not told them that."
When the two men saw the anger on his face, they left.
"Do you know those two?" he asked me.
"Yes," I replied, "they are from the people of our market. They are Zaydis and they claim that Abd Allah b. al-Hasan has the sword of Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family."
"They are liars, may God curse them," he said. "By God, Abd Allah b. al-Hasan has never seen it either with both his eyes or even with one of them. O God, not even his father has seen it unless he saw it with Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him. If they are truthful, (ask them) what is the sign in the hilt and what is the mark on its blade. I have the sword of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family. I have the standard of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and his breast-plate, his armour and his helmet. If they are truthful (ask them) what is the mark on the breast-plate of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him peace. Indeed the victorious standard of the Apostle of God is with me, as are the tablets and rod of Moses. I have the ring of Solomon, the son of David, and the tray on which Moses used to offer sacrifice and I have (knowledge) of the (greatest) name (of God) which when the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, used to put it between the Muslims and the polytheists no arrow from the polytheists could reach the Muslims. I have the same as what the angels brought. We have the weapons in the same way that the Banu Isra'll had the ark of the covenant. Prophecy was brought to any house in which the ark of the covenant was present; the Imamate will be brought to which ever of us receives the weapons. My father dressed in the armour of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, and it made marks on the ground. I put it on and it was (like) it was (for my father). The one (destined to) rise up (qa'im) from among us, will fill it (so that it fits him exactly) when he puts it on, if God wishes."

['Abd Al-Ala b. Ayan reported:]
I heard Abu Abd Allah (Jafar) peace be on him, say: "I have the weapons of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, but I will never fight with them." Then he said: "These weapons are protected, for if they were entrusted to the wickedest of God's creatures, he would become the best of them." Then he said, "This matter (i.e. the carrying of the Prophet's arms in war) belongs to the man, for whom (horses') reins will be twisted (as men ride in support of him). When God wills it, he will be brought out (into the open). Then people will say: 'Who is this who has appeared?' God will give him support (to have power) over his subjects."

252.[Umar b. Aban reported:]
I asked Abu Abd Allah (Jafar) peace be on him, about what the people were saying that Umm Salama, the mercy of God be on her, had been handed a sealed scroll. He said: "When the Apostle of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, died, tAh, peace be on him, inherited his knowledge, his weapons and what there was. Then that went to al-Hasan, peace be on him, then to al-Husayn, peace be on him."
"Did it go to Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on them, after that, then to his son and now has it come to you?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied.

The reports with the same meaning are numerous. However, those of them which we have given will be sufficient to indicate what we are trying to show, God willing.
An Extract from the Accounts of Abu Abd Allah Ja'far b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, Peace be on them, and from his Words.

253. Abd Allah b. al-Hasan said to those present: "You don't want Jafar (here), for we fear that he would cause dissension among you in your affair."

254. [Isa b. Abd Allah b. Muhammad reported:]
My father sent me to see what they had gathered for. So I went to them. (Ja'far b. Muhammad, peace be on them, sent Muhammad b. Abd Allah al-Arqat b. Ali b. al-Husayn. We went to them). Muhammad b. Abd Allah (b. al-Hasan) was praying on a folded carpet from a saddle.
"My father has sent me to you," I told them, "to ask you why you have gathered together."
"We have gathered (here), " Abd Allah b. al-Hasan said,"to pledge allegiance to the Mahdi, Muhammad b. Abd Allah."

255. Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, arrived and 'Abd Allah b. al-Hasan made room for him beside him. He repeated what he had said before. However, Ja'far said: "Don't do it. The time (for the Mahdi) has not yet arrived. If you - meaning Abd Allah - consider that this son of yours is the Mahdi, he is not, nor is this the time for him (i.e. the Mahdi). Because you are one of our most revered elders we will not forsake you in favour of pledging allegiance to your son, even if you only intend him to rise in anger in God's cause, to command the good and prohibit the evil."
Abd Allah became angry and said: "I know that (the facts are) the opposite of what you are saying. By God, God has not acquainted you with (knowledge of) His unseen world. Rather it is envy for my son which prompts you to this (attitude)."

256. "By God, it is not that which prompts me," replied (Jafar) "but this man, his brothers and his sons." Then he tapped with his hand on the back of Abu al-Abbas and he tapped with his hand on the shoulder of Abd Allah b. al-Hasan.
"By God, it (i.e. the caliphate) is not for you nor for your two sons," (Jafar) told him, "but it is for them (i.e. the Abbasids). Your two sons will be killed." He got up and leaning on the arm of Abd al-Aziz b. Imran al-Zuhri, he continued, "Do you see the owner of the yellow cloak?" - meaning Abu Ja'far (al-Mansar).

257. "Yes," he replied.
"By God," he said, "we have a foreboding that he (Abu Jafar) will kill him (Muhammad b. Abd Allah)."
"Will he kill Muhammad?" Abd al-Aziz asked him.
"Yes," he replied.

258. Abd al-Aziz reported:]
I said to myself, "By the Lord of the Kaba, he is envious of him." But then, by God, I had not left this world before I saw him (Abu Jafar) kill both of them.
When Jafar said that, the people arose and separated. Abd al- Samad and Abu Jafar followed him and asked him, "Abu- Abd Allah, do you really say this?"
"Yes," he replied, "by God I say it and I know it."

259. Whenever Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, saw Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. al-Hasan, his eyes would flow with tears and then he would say: "(I would sacrifice) my life for him. The people say that (he is the Mahdl while) he is to be killed. He is not in the Book of Ali, peace be on him, as one of the caliphs of this community."

260. was with Abu Abd Allah (Ja'far), peace be on him, when a Syrian came to him. He said: "I am a scholar (sahib) of theology, jurisprudence, and the laws of inheritance. I have come to dispute with your followers."
"Is your theology from the Apostle of God, may god bless him and his family, or from yourself?" Abu 'Abd Allah (Ja'far), peace be on him, asked.

261 "Partly from the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and partly from myself," replied (the other man)."Then are you a partner of the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family?" enquired Abu 'Abd Allah (Ja'far). "No," he answered.

262."Have you heard inspiration (wahy) (direct) from God?"
"No," he replied.
"Is obedience to you required as is obedience to the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family?"
"No," was the answer.
Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him, turned to me and said: "Yunus b. Ya'qub, this man has contradicted himself before he has begun (the real business) of discussing." Then he said: "Yunus. if you were good at theology, you should speak to him."

263. [Yunus remarked:]
How sad it was, for I said to him: "May I be your ransom, I have heard you forbid (taking part in) theology and say: Woe to the theologians who say that this follows and that this does not follow; that this is entailed and that this is not entailed; that this we accept as rational and this we do not accept as rational."
"I only said," Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him remarked, "woe to them, if they abandon what I say and adopt their own wishes." Then he told me: "Go out to the door and look for any of the theologians you can see, and bring them in."
I went out and found Humran b. A'yan who was good at theology, and Muhammad b. al-Numan al-Ahwal, who was a theologian, and Hisham b. Salim and Qays b. al-Masir, both theologians. I brought them (all) in to him. After he had settled us in the assembly - we were in the tent of Abu Abd Allah at the top of a mountain on the edge of the sanctuary (of Mecca) (haram) and that was (a few) days before the days of the pilgrimage, Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, put his head out of the tent. There appeared at that moment a camel dashing along. He cried out: "Hisham, by the Lord of the Kaba!"

264. We thought that it was Hisham, one of the sons of Aqil, who loved him greatly. But behold, it was Hisham b. al-Hakam who came. He still only had the first traces of his beard on his face. All of us there were older than him. Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, made room for him and said: "(Here is) one who helps us with his heart, his tongue and his hand."

265. He told Humran: "Debate with the man" - meaning the Syrian. Humran debated with him and overcame him. Then (Abu Abd Allah) said: "O my Taq, debate with him." So Muhammad b. al-Numan debated with him and overcame him. .

266. Next he said: "Hisham b. Salim, debate with him." So they both argued together. He then told Qays b. Masir to debate with him and he did so. Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, began to smile at their discussion as the Syrian sought to escape in front of him.

267. He told the Syrian:
"Debate with this lad" - meaning Hisham b. al-Hakam.
"Yes," replied the Syrian and said, "lad, ask me about the Imamate of this man" - meaning Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him.
Hisham was so angry that he trembled but then he said: "Fellow, does your Lord look after His creatures or do they look after themselves?"
"Indeed," replied the Syrian, "my Lord looks after His creatures."
"What does He do to look after their religion for them?"
"He gives them duties and provides them with proof (hujja) and evidence for the things which He has required of them. He removes any weaknesses they might have about that."
"What is the evidence which He has established for them?" Hisham asked him.
"It is the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family," the Syrian answered.
"What after the Apostle of God?" enquired Hisham.
"The Book and the sunna."
"Do the Book and the sunna benefit us today in our differences so that the differences are removed from us and we are able to agree?" asked Hisham.
"Yes," replied the Syrian.
"Then do we differ from you," retorted Hisham, "so that you have come to us from Syria to dispute with us? You claim that personal judgement (ra'y) is the method (of establishing the practices) of religion while you acknowledge that personal judgement does not bring people who differ together in one doctrine."
The Syrian was silent as if he was thinking. So Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, asked him: "Why aren't you debating?"
"If I say: We do not differ," he answered, "I would be (merely) being obstinate. If I say: the Book and the sunna remove our differences, I would be wrong because the two bear (different) interpretations. However, I could use the same argument against him."
"Ask him,

268.then," Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, told him.
"You will find him competent."
So the Syrian asked Hisham: "Who looks after His creatures, their Lord or themselves?"
"Indeed their Lord looks after them," replied Hisham.
"Does He establish for them someone who will harmonise their doctrine, remove their differences and explain the true from the false to them?" demanded the Syrian.
"Yes," replied Hisham.
"Who is that?" asked the Syrian.
"At the beginning of the sharia, it was the Apostle of God but after the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, it was someone else."
"Who is it other than the Prophet, may God bless him and his family, who takes his place (al-Qa'im maqamahu) in being His (i.e. God's) proof?" the Syrian asked.
"Now or before?" Hisham responded.
"At the present time," answered the Syrian.
"This man who is sitting here," said Hisham - meaning Abu 'Abd Allah. "He is the one to whom you travelled; he is the one who tells us about heaven and is the inheritor from father and grandfather."
"How would I have knowledge of (the truth of) that?" asked the Syrian.
"Ask him about anything which occurs to you," Hisham told him.
"You have stopped (any) excuse of mine but I do have a question," the Syrian declared.
"I will dispense with your questioning,

269." Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, told him. "I will tell you about your travel and your journey. You left on such and such a day. Your road was such and such. You passed so and so and such and such (a man) passed you."
Every time he told him anything about his affair, the Syrian would say: "True, by God." Then the Syrian said to him: "At this moment I have submitted (aslamtu) to God."
"Rather at this moment you have faith (amanta) in God,

270." Said Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him. "Islam (submission to God) is before lman (faith in God). On the basis of the former (Islam) they arrange inheritance and marriage: on the basis of faith (iman) men are rewarded."
"True," replied the Syrian, "at this moment I testify that there is no god but God, that Muhammad is the Apostle of God, may God bless him and his family, and that you are the (present) trustee (wasz) (of God) among the trustees (appointed by God)."

271. Abu Abd Allah approached Humran and said: "Humran, conduct theology on the basis of traditional knowledge (athar) and you will be correct." He turned to Hisham b. Salim and said: "You want to use traditional knowledge but you don't know it" Then he turned to al-Ahwal and said: "You are a man who uses qiyas and is evasive, a man who refutes falsehood with falsehood, even though your false argument is stronger." Then he turned to Qays b. Masir and said: "When you debate, the nearer you are to truth and traditions (khabar) on the authority of the Prophet, the further you are from it: you mix up the truth with what is false. A little truth suffices for much which is false. You and al-Ahwal are skilful (verbal) gymnasts." [Yunus b. Ya'qub remarked:] By God, I thought he would say to Hisham something close to what he had said to them.
Then he said: "Hisham, you are hardly likely to fall, for you tuck in your legs (like a bird): when you are about to fall to the earth, you fly. Therefore a person like you should debate with the people. Guard against slipping and intercession will be behind you."

272. [Abu al-Qasim Jafar b. Muhammad al-Qummi informed me on the authority of Muhammad b. Yaqub al-Kulayni, on the authority of Ali b. Ibrahim b. Hashim, on the authority of his father on the authority of 'Abbas Amr al-Faqimi:]
Ibn Abi al-Awja', Ibn Talut, Ibn al-Ama and Ibn al-Muqaffa with a group of Zindiqs were gathered in the Sacred Mosque during the season of the pilgrimage. Abu Abd Allah Jacfar b. Muhammad, peace be on them, was there giving legal decisions to the people, explaining the Qur'an to them and answering their questions with arguments and proofs. The group said to Ibn Ab, al-Awja': "Can you induce this man sitting here to make a mistake and question him about what would disgrace him in front of those who are gathered around him? For you can see the fascination of the people for him; he is (supposed to be) the great scholar of his time."
"Yes," replied Ibn Abi al-Awja'. He went forward and the people moved aside. He said: "Abu Abd Allah, gatherings for discussion are things to be taken care of. Everyone who has a cough must cough, so will you permit me to ask a question?"
"Ask, if you want to," Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, answered him.
The Ibn Abi al-Awja' asked him: "For how long will you tread on this threshing-floor and go round this stone? For how long will you worship this house made of bricks and mud and amble around it like a camel when it is scared? Whoever thinks about this and considers it, realises that it is the action of an unintelligent and unthinking man, so explain (it) as you are the principal exponent (lit. head and hump) of this affair, and your father was its founder and suppport."
273. "Those whom God leads astray and whose hearts He blinds find the truth unwholesome and will never taste its sweetness," retorted al-Sadiq, peace be on him.

274."The devil is the friend and lord of such a man. He will lead him to the watering places of destruction and never let him come from them. "The devil is the friend and lord of such a man. He will lead him to the watering places of destruction and never let him come from them. This is a house where God's creatures seek to worship Him in order that their obedience in coming to it may be well known. Therefore He has urged them to magnify it and to visit it and He has made it the place of His prophets and the direcw prayer for those who pray to Him. It is a part of Paradise and a path which leads to His forgiveness. It is set up at the seat of perfection and at the meeting point of majesty and glory. God created it over two thousand years before the earth was laid out. The most worthy to be obeyed in what He orders and to have His prohibitions refrained from is God the Creator of souls and forms."
"You have only spoken and referred (me) to someone who is not present, Abu Abd Allah," retorted Ibn Abi al-Awja.
"Shame on you," retorted al-Sadiq, peace be on him. "How could One Who is present with His creatures and closer to them than a vein in the neck, Who hears their words and knows their secrets, be someone who is not present."
"Is He in every place or isn't He?" asked Ibn Abl al-CAwja'. "If He is in Heaven, how can He be on earth? And if He is on earth, how can He be in Heaven?""You described something which is created," retorted Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, "which when it moves from one place, and when another place is occupied by it, and when (the former) place is without it, then, in the place which it has come to, it does not know what happens in the place in which it was. As for God, the Mighty, the Dignified, the Ruler, the Judge,) there is no place without Him and no place occupied by Him. He is not nearer to one place than He is to another. In that way the traces of Himself (which He gives) bear witness to Him and His actions give evidence for Him. He whom He has sent with precise signs and clear proofs, Muhammad, may God bless him and his family, has brought us this (form of) worship. If you have any doubts about any of His commandments, ask about it and I will explain it to you."
Ibn Abi al-Awja' became stupified and did not know what to say. He left his presence and said to his companions: "I asked you to find me some wine (to enjoy myself with) and you threw me on to a burning coal."Shut up," they told him. "You have disgraced us by your bewilderment. We saw no one today more humiliated than you in his discussion."
"Are you saying this to me?" he replied. "He is (only) the son of a man who shaved the heads of those whom you see." He indicated with his hand towards the people gathered for the pilgrimage.

[It is reported:]
One day Abu Shakir al-Daysam stood in a discussion group of Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, and said: "You are one of the shining stars, your fathers were wonderful full moons and your mothers were graceful discreet women. Your lineage is the most noble of lineages. When learned men are mentioned, it is for you that the little finger is bent (i.e. he is the first to be counted). So tell me, O bountiful sea, what is the evidence for the creation of the world?"
"The easiest evidence for that is what I will show you (now)," answered Abu- Abd Allah, peace be on him. Then he called for an egg and put it in the palm of his hand. "This is a compact protective container; inside it is the thin (substance of an) egg which is surrounded by what could be compared with fluid silver and melted gold. Do you doubt that?"
"There can be no doubt about that," replied Abu Shakir.
"Then it splits open showing a form like (for example) a peacock," continued Abu 'Abd Allah, peace be on him. "Has anything entered into it other than what you knew (to be there already)?"
"No," he replied.
"This is the evidence for the creation of the world."
"You have explained, Abu Abd Allah," he said, "and you have made it clear. You have spoken and brought improvement. You have described it and spoken concisely. You knew that we would not accept anything which we could not realise with our eyes, or hear with our ears, or taste with our mouths, or smell with our noses, or touch with our skin."
"You have mentioned the five senses," said Abu Abd Allah, peace be on him, "but they will not bring any benefit in rational deduction except as evidence, just as darkness cannot be removed without light."
He, peace be on him, means by that that the senses without reason will never lead to the understanding of things which are not present, and that what he had shown with regard to the creation of the form was a concept whose recognition (ilm) was based on sense- perception.

(The following is an example) of what has been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning the necessity of knowing God the Most High and His religion.
He said: "I have found the knowledge of all the people (encompassed) by four things:
You should know your Lord;
You should know what He has done for you;
You should know what He wants from you;
You should know what would make you abandon your religion.
These four divisions include (all) the requirement of things which should be known because the first thing that a man should do is to know his Lord, may His Majesty be exalted. When he knows that he has a Lord, it is necessary that he must know what He has done for him. When he knows what He has done for him, he knows of His blessings. When he knows of His blessings,it is necessary that he should thank Him. When he wants to carry out his thanks, he must know what He wants so that he may obey Him in his actions. Since obedience to Him is necessary, it will be necessary for him to know what would cause him to abandon his religion so that he might avoid it, and in that way keep pure his obedience to his Lord and his thanks for His blessings.

(This is an example) of what was recorded on his authority peace be on him, concerning the unity of God and the denial of anthropomorphism.

276. He said to Hisham b. al-Hakam: "God, the Exalted, should not be compared to anything, nor should anything be compared to Him. Whatever comes to the imagination is other than God."

(The following is an example) of what was recorded on his authority, peace be on him, concerning his words on justice: He said to Zurara b. Ayan: "Zurara, shall I give you a summary of (the doctrine of) decree (qada) and destiny (qadar)?"
"Yes, may I be your ransom," replied Zurara.
"When it is the Day of Resurrection and God has gathered His creatures together, He will ask them about what He enjoined upon them but He will not ask them about what He had decreed for them."

This is an example) of what was recorded on his authority concerning wisdom and exhortation.
He said: "Not everyone who intends something is able to do it. Not everyone who is able to do something will be granted success in it. Not everyone who is granted success in something will do it in the right place. When intention, ability, success and correctness come together, there happiness is perfected."

(This is an example) of what has been recorded of him, peace be upon him, urging consideration of God's religion and the acquisition of knowledge about the friends (awliya) of God.

277. He said: "Give close consideration to things which you cannot afford to ignore, be true to yourselves and fight against your (inclinations) so that you may find out those things which it is inexcusable not to know. These are the basic elements of God's religion. If a man ignores them, he will gain no benefit (no matter) how intense is his striving in pursuit of the outward form of worship. On the other hand, no harm will come to a man who knows them and abides by them with moderation (in his behaviour). There is no way for anyone except through the help of God, the Mighty and High."

(The following is an example) of what has been recorded on his authority, peace be on him, urging repentance:
He said: "To delay repentance is to be heedless; to lengthen the time of putting off (religious duties) is (to create) confusion (in one's mind); to attempt to justify oneself before God is (to bring about one's own) destruction; persisting in sin makes (a person) feel secure from God's devising. Only people who are lost feel secure from God's devising.

278. Imam Ali Raza a.s "My father Musa Al-Kadhim narrated to me from his father Ja'fer As-Sadiq from his father Mohammed Al-Baqir from his father Ali Zaynul Abedeen from his father , the martyr of Kerbala from his father Ali ibn Abu Talib saying :"My loved one, and the pleasure of my eyes, the Messenger of God (S.A.W.) told me once, that Jibrail told him from the Lord "The kalima of LA ILAHA ILLALLAH is my fort; whoever said it would enter my fort; and whoever entered my fort was safe from my punishment".
Those who wrote down the hadith numbered twenty thousand. People started reciting the Kalima when Imam put his hand up and continued: "Yes, the kalima is Allah's fort. It will provide you with excellent safety but on one condition only and that is that you obey and follow us - the holy Imams in the progeny of the holy Prophet (S.A.W.). On reaching Marw Mamun forced Imam to accept the heir apparency (To be the leader after him). Imam accepted unwillingly.

279. Imam who will arise Hazrat Mahdi (Qa'im), peace be on him, and the events which will take place before his appearance, together with the indications and features of it.

Among them are:
- The Sufyani will come out in revolt;
- the Hasanid will be killed;
- the Abbasids will dispute over worldly kingdom;
- there will be an eclipse of the sun in the middle of the month of Ramadan;
- there will be an eclipse of the moon at the end of that month in contrast to ordinary happenings;
- the land will be swallowed up at al-Bayda'; it will be swallowed in the east-it will be swallowed up in the west;
- the sun will stay still from the time of its decline to the middle of the time for the afternoon prayer;
- it will rise from the west;
- a pure soul (nafs zakiyya) will be killed in the outskirts of Kufa with seventy righteous men;
- a Hashimite will be slaughtered between the corner (of the Ka'ba) and the station of Abraham);
- the wall of the mosque of Kufa will be destroyed;
- black standards will advance from Khurasan;
- al-Yamani will come out in revolt;
- al-Maghribi will appear in Egypt and take possession of it from Syria;
- the Turk will occupy the region of al-Jazira;
- the Byzantines will occupy Ramla;
- the star will appear in the east giving light just like the moon gives light;
- then (the new moon) will bend until its two tips almost meet;
- a colour will appear in the sky and spread to its horizons;
- a fire will appear for a long time in the east remaining in the air for three or seven days;
- the Arabs will throw off the reins and take possession of their land, throwing out the foreign authority;
- the people of Egypt will kill their ruler and destroy Syria; and three standards will dispute over it (Syria);
- the standards of Qays and the Arabs will come among the people of Egypt;
- the standards of Kinda (will go) to Khurasan;
- horses will come from the west until they are stabled in al-Hira;
- the black standards will advance towards them from the east; the Euphrates will flood so that the water comes into the alleys of Kufa;
- sixty liars will come forward, all of them claiming prophethood, and twelve will come forward from the family of Abu Talib, all of them claiming the Imamate; a man of important rank of the supporters of the 'Abbasids will be burnt between Jalula' and Khaniqin;
- the bridge next to Karkh in the city of Baghdad will be established;
- a black wind will raise it at the beginning of the day and then an earthquake will occur so that much of it will be swallowed up;
- fear will cover the people of Iraq and Baghdad; swift death (will occur) there and there will be a loss of property, lives and harvests;
- locusts will appear at their usual times and at times not usual so that they attack agricultural land and crops and there will be little harvest for what the people planted;
- two kinds of foreigners will dispute and much blood will be shed in their quarrel;
- slaves will rebel against obedience to their masters and kill their masters (mawali);
- a group of heretics (ahl al-bida) will be transformed until they become monkeys and pigs;
- slaves will conquer the land of their masters; a cry (will come) from the sky (in such a way) that all the people will hear it in their own languages;
- a face and a chest will appear in the sky before the people in the centre of the sun;
- the dead will arise from their graves so that they will return to the world and they will recognize one another and visit one another;
- that will come to an end with twenty-four continous rainstorms and the land will be revived by them after being dead and it will recognize its blessings;
- after that every disease will be taken away from those of the Shia of the Mahdi, peace be on him, who believe in the truth;
at that time they will know of his appearance in Mecca and they will go to him to support him.
(These signs) are as the reports have mentioned. Among the total of these events are some which are bound (to happen) and other which are conditional. God knows best what will take place. We have only mentioned them on the basis of what is recounted in basic sources of tradition (usul) because of their inclusion in traditions which have been handed down. From God we seek help and Him do we ask for success.

280 . (Jafar al-Sadiq) said: "The one who will arise (al-qa'im) will not come forth until twelve of the Banu Hashim come forth before him, all of them summoning men to themselves."

281. "When the wall of the mosque of Kufa, which adjoins the house of Abd Allah b. Masud is destroyed, then at that time the ruler of the people will disappear. At his disappearance, the one who will rise (al-qai'im), peace be on him, will come forth."

282. "There will be three appearances in one year, one month and one day�the Sufyani, the Khurasani and the Yamam. The standard of guidance will not be among them, except the standard of the Yamani, because he will summon (people) to the truth."

283 . "The kingdom of these men will not disappear until they slaughter people in Kufa on Friday. It is as if I was looking at heads falling between the Gate of al-Fil and (the place of) the soap-sellers."

284. Because of the sons of so-and-so there will be a battle at your mosque�meaning the mosque of Kufa. On one Friday four thousand will be killed between the Gate of al-Fil to (the place of) the soap-sellers. Beware of this street. Avoid it. Those who are in the best situation will take the street of the Ansar."

285. "Before (the coming of) the one who will rise (al-qa'im), peace be on him, there will be a year of abundant rain in which the fruits and the dates on the palms will be destroyed. But don't complain of that."

286. "In the year of the Conquest (by the Mahdi) the Euphrates will flood so that the water goes into the alleys of Kufa."

287."Before (the coming) of the one who will rise (al-qaim) there will be a trial from God."

"May I be your ransom, what is that?" I asked him.

He recited: Let Us test you with fear, with hunger, and with lack of money, of lives and of harvests. Good news will come to those who are steadfast [II 55]. Then he said: "The fear will be from the kings of the Banu so-and-so; the hunger will be as a result of exorbitant prices; the lack of money will be due to the failure of trade and the scarcity of surplus (goods) in it; the lack of lives will be because of swift death; the lack of harvest will be due to the great rains and the little benefit they bring to the crops." Then he continued: "The good news for those who are steadfast is that the one who will rise (al-qa'im) will soon come forth."

288. "Before the coming of the one who will rise (al-qa'im), peace be on him, the people will be chided for their acts of disobedience by a fire which will appear in the sky and a redness which will cover the sky. It will swallow up Baghdad, it will swallow up Kufa. There blood will be shed and houses destroyed. Death (fana) will occur amid their people and a fear will come over the people of Iraq from which they shall have no rest."

289. Abu Basir narrates from Imam Jafar sadiq (a.s.) who said: 'the name of Qa'em will be taken on the 23rdnight of the blessed month of ramadhan. the Qa'em shall emerge on the day of Ashura - the day on which Imam Hussein was martyred. as if i am seeing the qa'ememerging on saturday, the tenth of muharram between ruku and maqaem and someone standing in front of him calling out: allegiance, allegiance,. thus Mahdi's followers will turn towards him from all sides and will give allegiance to him. by Mahdi's means Allah will fill the earth with justice just as it waspreviously filled with cruelty and oppression. thereafter, Mahdi will turn his attention from Mecca to kufa and will l and in najaf from where he will send soldiers towards the cities.

352. We are a people of eloquence. Therefore, whenever you quotes us, do it properly.�

353. �O Meisar! call upon God and not say to yourself that the die is cast, for there is a rank with God man can not attain without asking for it. If God�s servant closes his mouth and does not ask anything from Him, nothing will be given to him. Therefore ask God for what you need so that He will give it to you. O Meisar, whoever knock on a door and persists will be allowed in.�

354. Imam Sadeq (A.S.) who says God Almighty gave the following revelation to prophet Moses (A.S.)
O Musa! I have not created anyone more beloved than My believing servant. Even when I afflict him or remove that affliction, it is certainly in his best interest, for I know his interest better. Therefore, he should be patient during affliction and thankful during blessing so that I will rank him among the righteous ones and this is when he acts for My pleasure and obeys My decree.

355. I am surprised by the state of a muslim man, for any of God�s decrees about him is a blessing. Whether he is torn into pieces with scissors or he is the master of east and west, it would be a blessing for him.�

356. Imam Sadeq (A.S.) that God says: A servant of Mine who thinks I delay his subsistence (daily food) must beware My Wrath, for I may not open any door in this world for him.�

357.quotes Imam Sadeq (A.S.) as saying: �Imam Ali says: The most praiseworthy deed on the earth to God is Dua, the best from of prayer is chastity. Then Imam Sadeq said Imam Ali was a man of abundant Dua.

358. �Dua is the same prayer that has been mentioned in the Quranic verse those who refrain from obeying Me.... call upon God and do not say the die is cast.�

359. �Dua brings answer with it in the same way that cloud brings rain.�

360. �Can you distinguish between long-term and short-term affliction? They said no. He said whenever one of you were inspired with Dua, know that the affliction will not last long.�

361. Moavieh Ibne Ammar says: I said to Imam Sadeq (A.S.): Two worshippers begin their prayer at the same time. One of them recites more verses from the Holy Quran and the other has more Dua. They complete their prayer at the same time. Which one is more virtuous? The Imam (A.S.) said:�Both are good and virtuous.�

361. I said I know both are good but I would like to know which one is better? He said: �Dua is better. Have you not heard God saying: Call upon Me; I will answer you. I will make enter into the Hell with disgrace those who refrain from worshipping Me.By God, Dua is as prayer. By God Dua is as the most profound prayer.�

362. Yaghoob Ibne Shuaib says I heard Imam Sadeq (A.S.) saying:
�God inspired Adam saying: I have collected everything for you in four words. He said: My Lord! What are those four words? God said: The first is due to Me, the second is due to you, the third is between you and Me, and the fourth is between you and people.Adam (A.S.) said: My Lord, Make them clear for me . God said: What is due to Me, is your being a servant of Me and not associate anything with Me.What is due to you is that I will reward your deeds with what you badly need.And what concerns you and Me is that you recite Dua and I will answer you. As for what concerns you and people, wish for others what you wish for yourself.

363. The Sun has not risen on a day better than Friday. When the birds of sky meet one another on this day, they greet one another saying: What a good day!

364. �The believing servant makes a request to God and God too delays it until Friday.�

365. �There is an hour in night which if a believing servant appreciates by performing prayer and calling upon God, his request will be certainly granted. I said: My God bless you, which is that hour? He said: After midnight, the first one sixth of its second half.

366.�Don�t let your eyes fully enjoy sleep, for eyes are the least thankful to God.�

367. Intellect is that with which people worship the Most Gracious (Allah) and with which they obtain gardens.

372. The perfection of intellect is in three (things): humbleness for Allah, good certainty, and silence except for good.

373. Ignorance is in three (things): Haughtiness, the intense of dispute, and the ignorance in Allah.

374. The best nature of intellect is worship, the strongest speech for it is knowledge, and its most abundant luck is maxim.

376. Knowledge is a shield, truthfulness is might, ignorance is abasement, understanding is glory, generosity is success, good behavior causes friendship, he who has knowledge about his time, ambiguous things do not attack him, and determination is mistrust.

377. If you want that you are honored, then be soft. And if you want that you are abused, then be rough.

378. He whose origin is noble, his heart is soft, and he whose race is rough, his liver is thick.

379.Whoever is extreme gets involved, and whoever is afraid of the consequence refrains from entering what he does not know.

381. Scholars are trustees, the Allah- fearing are strongholds, and guardians are masters.

383. Whoever acts without prescience is like the walker without way, the speed of walking does not increase him but farness.

384. Allah does not accept any act without knowledge, there is no knowledge without act, so whoever knows, knowledge leads him to act, and whoever does not act gets no knowledge, but belief is a little of a little.

385. The favor is not perfected but with three (things): by doing it quickly, debasing it, and hiding it.

386. Not everyone who sees a thing is able to do it, not everyone who is able to do a thing is successful in doing it, and not everyone who is successful in it. When intention, ability, success, and righteousness come together, happiness occurs.

389. Whoever does not feel shame during absence and does not repent during old age and does not fear Allah during loneliness, then he has no good.

390. Whoever honors you, then honor him. And whoever scorns you, then honor yourself from him.

392. Verily, the family of a person are his prisoners, so whomever is bestowed upon him, then he should be generous toward them, and if he does not (do that), that favor is about to disappear from him.

393. Three (things) with which Allah does not increase the Muslim person but glory: To forgive him who wrongs him; to give him who deprives him, to visit him who abandons him.

394. Enough for the fear of Allah is knowledge and enough for self-conceit is ignorance.

395. When the believer becomes angry, his anger should not take him out of the truth; and when he becomes satisfied, his satisfaction should not bring him in falsehood.

396. Friendship has five conditions. Whoever has them, then attribute him to it. Whoever has not them, then do not attribute him to any of it. They are: the good of his friend should be his good, his inward thoughts for him should be like his openness, no money should change him against him, he should hold the view that he is worthy of all his friendship, and should not abandon him during misfortunes.

397. The noble man should not turn up his nose at four (things): his standing from his sitting for his father, his service for his guest, taking care of his riding animal even if he has a hundred slaves, and his service for his teacher.

398. (Religious) scholars are the trustees of prophets unless they come to the doors of supreme rulers.

399. A man from the people of Iraq (ahl al- Sawad) went to him (al-Sadiq) frequently, then he broke away from him, So he (the Imam) asked some people about him. To detract from him, one of them said: "He is Nabati." So, he (the Imam), peace be on him, said: "The origin of the man is his intellect, his ancestry is his religion, his generosity is his piety, and men are equal in Adam (Adam)."

400. Noble deeds are ten, if you want them to be with you, then let them be, they are with the man and are not with his children; they are with the child and are not with his father; they are with the slave and are not with the master. What are they? He, peace be on him, said: the truthfulness of men, the truthfulness of the tongue, paying the trust, linking the relatives on the maternal side, entertaining the guest, giving food to the beggar, rewarding the favors, to avoid blaming the neighbor, to avoid censuring the friend, and their head is modesty.